It had been almost a week since Marco and Mitch met, and the coffee date played on repeat through Marco’s mind. He savored the memory of the smile on the husky’s muzzle, the feel of his soft paw intertwined with his, and most of all, he couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss. That kiss… he mused, remembering the way Mitch’s satiny lips mashed against his, the way the husky’s body felt pressed against him as he pulled Mitch closer… Marco shivered. The pair had been texting on and off, but they hadn’t been able to make their schedules match up to go out again yet. However, Mitch was supposed to call him after class today, just to talk… The mountain dog sighed and drummed his fingers on his kitchen counter. Any minute now… He didn’t forget, did he? He said his class let out at 11, and it’s almost 11:30 now… Marco was so lost in thought that he jumped when his phone rang. Swiftly, he picked it up. “H-hello?”
“Hi, Marco? It’s Mitch!” The husky sounded slightly breathless. “Sorry, I couldn’t call right away. Class ran long, and then I had to book it to my car so I could get my phone… Whew… How are you doing?”
“Better, now that I’m talking to you,” Marco flirted a little. Besides, it was the truth! “You know, I always enjoy talking to you. I just wish we weren’t so busy all the time. I want to see you again.”
“Well, what are you doing Saturday night?”
Marco clicked his tongue as he checked his calendar. “Two days from now… looks like I’m free. Why do you ask?”
“There’s going to be a bonfire down at the beach that some of my friends are putting together. I was… wondering if you might want to go?” Mitch’s voice sounded both hesitant and hopeful.
The older dog considered for a minute. “I… don’t know, Mitch. I mean, it sounds like fun, and I can stay up late, since I work nights, but… I’m a little old to be hanging out with a bunch of college kids, don’t you think?”
“It’ll be fine! You don’t look older than thirty, really. You’re in great shape, and my friends wouldn’t care anyway as long as you’re cool. And…” Mitch’s voice got impossibly soft and small, “I think you’re really cool…”
Marco felt his face flushing. “W-well, thank you for that… But I still don’t know about this. Let me think about it, okay?”
“Tell you what. I won’t pressure you into going, although I really hope you do. But, what do you say we grab dinner somewhere beforehand? You can decide then if you want to go or not.”
“Dinner sounds lovely. I’ll take you anywhere you’d like to go. My treat.”
“Oh! Um, well, how about some tacos? I know a great place near where we went for coffee; It’s a food truck, so there aren’t any tables, but their food is incredible!”
“Sounds like a date!” Marco chuckled, then paused. “Uh… is it a date? Like, an actual, official date?”
Mitch laughed loudly on the other end of the phone. “Hah! I really hope it’s a date, ‘cause otherwise, I might get the idea I’m doing something wrong!”
“N-no, never! I just… didn’t want to assume. Yes, it’s a date, then…” A warm smile spread slowly across Marco’s muzzle.
He could hear in Mitch’s voice that he was smiling, too. “Great! I can’t wait to see you again!” There was a brief pause in the conversation as they soaked in the anticipation of Saturday. Mitch finally sighed. “I guess I need to let you go. I need to drive home, and I don’t want to be on the phone while I’m driving on the interstate.”
“That’s fine. Drive safely; text me when you make it there, alright?”
“Sure thing. See ya later!” The husky made an exaggerated kissing sound into the phone and hung up.
Marco laughed and put his phone back on the counter. His thoughts dwelled on Mitch. That husky… He’s awfully confident. I wish I had that kind of optimism… maybe then I wouldn’t have lost Saul… The older dog rocked his head. No! He was bad for you, Marco, you know that. It wasn’t your fault! So why does it still feel like it was? Sighing, Marco sat at his dinner table and hung his head in his hands. It took him almost ten minutes to drag himself out of the despair he’d flung himself into, and he hauled himself to the shower and then to work.
The next two days flew by. All Marco could think about was that cute little husky with the steel-gray eyes. He thought about the way Mitch’s paw felt nestled in his as they walked, and how his own paw twitched at the memory, as if it, too, yearned to feel it again. He thought about how it felt to have Mitch’s head resting against his arm, and how it felt to run his fingers through the long fur on his head. And most of all, he came back over and over to the memory of the kiss they’d shared a little over a week ago in that parking lot. I wonder… did it mean as much to him as it meant to me? Should I even care? Even if it’s just a short-term thing, maybe… maybe — No. I’m too old to play those games. I want to date, not just hook up. I’ll have to tell him… but how to break into that subject?
Finally, Saturday came around. Marco took a shower after lunch and got dressed semi-casually, in a pair of flat khaki shorts and a polo shirt. He wore sneakers, but he also had a small bag with a pair of sandals in it. Just in case I decide to go to the beach tonight. If I do, I don’t want to get sand in my shoes.
He waited impatiently, pacing the floor of his condo until 6:00 rolled around, and a text came in from Mitch.
“Hey! Here’s the GPS for the food truck. I’m headed there now, meet you there!”
Like a flash, Marco was in his SUV and driving to meet the husky that was invading his every waking thought. I’m excited! I can’t wait to see him again! A date… An actual date! It took him just under a quarter of an hour to arrive in the parking lot where the food truck set up shop, and as he stepped out of the car, he scanned the lot, looking for…
Holy CRAP.
The evening sun framed Mitch perfectly as he leaned against the side of his car, highlighting him in a brilliant orange-red glow. He wore mirrored sunglasses, a pair of swimming trunks, and a tank top that was surely a bit tighter than it needed to be… Marco swallowed hard. Don’t be thirsty on your second date, you idiot! He deserves better than that! Forcing a casual smile, he walked over to Mitch and bent down to bring his face level to the husky’s. “Hey there —”
Mitch jolted, fumbling with his phone and nearly dropping it, knocking his sunglasses askew. “Geez! Holy crap, you startled me!”
“S-sorry, I didn’t — I thought you’d see me walking up. I didn’t mean to scare you, I’m really sorry…” Marco quickly backed up and hung his head.
“Oh, no, hunny —” Mitch laughed a little, and rubbed his paw against Marco’s arm. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I was just having an… intense conversation with someone.”
Relieved, Marco sighed. “Intense? Is everything all right? If you need to reschedule, I can come back —”
“NO!” Mitch barked out. Realizing he was drawing some looks, he looked away sheepishly. “Er… I mean, no, it’s fine. I’ve been looking forward to this since Thursday morning. Honestly, I’ve been wanting to do this since the morning after our little blind date… So yeah, it’s nothing to worry about. I’m all good. Tacos?” Mitch started off toward the food truck without another word.
Well, I guess he’ll tell me about it in his own time. I hope it’s nothing too serious. Marco jogged to catch up with the younger husky, easily reaching him before they made it to the counter.
As they walked up, Marco salivated at the delicious smells wafting through the air. “Well, it certainly smells great.”
“I promise, it’s out of this world! Do you know what you want?”
“Hmm… why don’t you get me four tacos, and then whatever you want?”
Mitch looked skeptical. “You sure? I can easily put away, like, eight of these.”
“Oh! Are they small?”
“N-no, I um… I eat a lot.” The husky shuffled his feet and his ears flushed red.
Cute… “That’s okay. I wanted to take you to dinner, so get whatever you want. I see chips and salsa. Why don’t you order some of that, and we can share it, too?”
Mitch perked up, and his tail wagged. “Y-yeah! Come on with me, though, if you’re paying.” Seizing the older dog’s paw, he tugged him along to the ordering window. He didn’t let go, though, until Marco needed it back to fish out his card and pay for their food. Within minutes, Mitch had two large bags of hot food in his paws, and Marco held their drinks.
“So, there’s a bench up the way, but it looks like it’s a little crowded… where do you think we should eat?” The husky looked up at Marco inquisitively.
“Oh, no worries. We can eat in my car. I drive an SUV, it’s plenty big.”
“Are you sure? This stuff can get pretty messy…”
“I’m positive! I can clean it up if we spill anything. Trust me, it’ll be fine.” Marco led Mitch to the large vehicle he’d arrived in.
Mitch whistled. “Nice ride! Uh, can you get the door for me?”
“Of course!” Mitch leaned around him and opened the passenger door so that Mitch could climb in. After clambering in himself, Marco found the husky was staring, wide-eyed, at the car. With a chuckle, he asked, “So, something catch your eye?”
“Dude… I can’t eat in here.”
“W-what? Is something wrong?”
“It’s too nice in here. God, your car is almost nicer than my ex’s, and he’d have killed me…”
“Your ex… Ah, well here. I tell you what.” Marco grabbed a bag from him and fished out a taco. Opening it, he bit into the tasty treat, a bit of lettuce falling into his lap. “Mmm… ‘Sho good…” He swallowed. “Damn, you were right. Those are amazing. And now I’ve done it first, so you don’t have to worry about making a mess. I already did. So, you better eat those, and enjoy them.”
Mitch smiled shyly at the older dog. “W-well, I guess you make a good point…”
They devoured their meals in record time, Mitch finishing first somehow even though he twice as much food. Afterward, Marco stared at the husky. “Where on earth do you put all that? You’re so… tiny!”
Mitch let out a full-throated laugh. “I don’t honestly know! I run a lot, though, so that probably has something to do with it.”
“That explains a lot…” the older dog mumbled, eyeing that tight muscle shirt again, and vaguely wondering in the back of his mind what he would look like without it…
“Marco? You’re kinda zoning out on me there. Everything okay?”
He snapped back to reality with a start. “Ah! Sim… er, yes, yes, everything’s fine…” Marco put a paw behind his neck and chuckled nervously.
“Wait, are you nervous again?” Mitch looked at him with a sideways glance.
“I-I-I… Céu me ajude, you’re killing me.” The older dog ran a paw through his short-cropped hair and sighed. “Yes, I’m nervous, okay? I haven’t done this in a long time and you’re ho-… er, really, really cute tonight. And I don’t know how to act around boys your age; it’s been a long time since I was twenty-one, and I just don’t want to screw things up. Sorry.” Marco hung his fluffy head and let out a pitiful whine.
“Aww, Marco…” Mitch stretched across the seats to give him a sideways hug. “You’re okay. I get why you might be nervous, because I am, too. I keep thinking you’ll find me boring, or too high-maintenance, or immature, or something. You may not understand why I’d want to be with you, but I don’t understand why you’d want to be with me!”
Because I’m lonely? No, that’s not why and you know it. He’s a sweetheart. Treat him RIGHT. Marco put his arms around Mitch’s back and squeezed him so tightly the husky squeaked. Cute! “Aha, sorry, sorry… Now, don’t you worry about that. I’ve got plenty of reasons I’d want to date you. Chiefly, you’re… you’re sweet, Mitch. You’re so incredibly kind to me, and understanding, and… and loving. I’d be lucky to have you around, even if it’s just like this.”
“So, does that mean you’ll come to the bonfire tonight?” The husky’s tail started to wag and he looked up at Marco with wide, shining eyes.
With a brief sigh, Marco finally agreed. “Yes, all right. But if it’s awkward, I’m going to leave!”
“No way! You gotta stay for the whole thing! Pleeeaaase?” Mitch made the biggest puppy-dog eyes Marco had ever seen.
“Gah… f-fine. I’ll stay as late as you want. Happy?” Marco couldn’t help but crack a smile as the husky’s tongue lolled out of his muzzle and his tail waved around.
“Yeah! That’s the spirit! Do you have navigation in your car? I can put in the beach we’re going to.”
“No need. I mean, I do, but I’m pretty familiar with the area. Just tell me which one it is, and I’ll be able to get us there.”
“No way! I bet you can’t, it’s a private beach. I’d never even heard of the place, but my friend’s uncle owns a beach house.”
“Bet you I can, little puppy. Come on, give me the neighborhood, at least. Let me try.”
“Okay… It’s the North Shore gated community. What are we betting?”
Marco looked perplexed. “Hmm? I, ah, wasn’t really wanting to bet anything. What would you even want?”
“How about… if I win, you owe me a foot rub. These paws get real sore after I go jogging!” Satisfied, Mitch smirked. “So, what do you want if you win?”
“I… I’m not even sure what I could ask for. Why don’t you think of something for me?”
“Mmm…” Mitch furrowed his brow and thought for a minute. Then, his eyes lit up. “How about… I kiss you?”
Marco chuckled. “You sure that’s a prize? I’m pretty sure you’d kiss me anyway.”
“With tongue. In front of the bonfire and all my friends.”
The older dog felt a blush creeping up his face. “You’re sure that’s something you want to do? Won’t your friends think it’s weird for you to be kissing someone over twice your age?”
“I don’t know! That’s what makes it exciting. I mean, I already told them about you. They know you’re older than the rest of us.”
Marco chuckled nervously. “G-good things, I hope?”
Mitch grinned cheekily. “I told them this gorgeous older stud took me on a blind date at a coffee shop, then held my hand as we walked through the park, and we kissed goodnight. And that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him ever since…” The husky’s smile faltered as he stared into Marco’s eyes. He started to lean forward, but then seemed to catch himself. “Nope! I gotta wait for later. Eheh, sorry…”
The older dog licked his lips. “Haha… don’t worry. You’ll get a kiss tonight, if that’s what you want.” He turned the key and started to drive. “Plug your phone in, you can handle the music.”
They drove to the sounds of electronic dance music, a high energy and upbeat mix of songs that had Mitch dancing in his seat. Marco glanced fondly at him occasionally, and shifted his hips and shoulders slightly, feeling the rhythm. This didn’t go unnoticed by his passenger, who cheered him on.
“Hey, look at you dancing! I didn’t know you liked to dance.”
“Everyone likes to dance! I just haven’t, not since…” His good mood faded, and the color seemed to drain from the world around him. Not since Saul…
“Marco? Hey, Marco!” The older dog jumped in his seat and looked around. “I guess I owe you a big ol’ kiss. We’re here!”
Marco looked out his window and saw the keypad to enter the community. “O-oh, sorry, I… spaced out.”
“Yeah… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you, I- “
“No! No, you didn’t upset me in the slightest. I… well, I have baggage, and I don’t want to burden you with it. I’m the one who should be sorry.” Marco hung his head in shame.
“No, hun, not at all… Look, it may surprise you, but I have baggage too. I’m not sure what you’re keeping all bottled up in there, but it’s hurting you, and I don’t like seeing you hurt. If you want to talk about it, I’ll listen. Might even give you some good advice! Who knows? Now, let’s get in there before they call security on us. Punch in…” Mitch opened a text on his phone and read off a short string of numbers to Marco, who dutifully typed them. After pressing enter, they were rewarded with a buzzing beep as the gate slid open.
The husky did, of course, have to direct Marco to the right house, and once they arrived, Mitch was quick to hop out of the car. He jogged around before Marco could get out and offered a paw for him to hold. The older canine laughed, and graciously accepted with a light touch, gently squeezing it as he stepped down.
“Such a gentleman! You know, I’m really supposed to be doing this for you, I think.” Marco laughed and went to release Mitch’s paw.
The husky resisted and squeezed Marco’s paw tightly, refusing to let go. “That’s one old-fashioned custom I want to leave behind. I wanna do nice things for you, too!” He stuck his tongue out at the larger dog, and pulled him along. “Come on! They’ll be starting soon!”
The pair walked up to the door, and Mitch rang the bell. Soon, a tall, thick and muscular brown wolf opened the door. “Mitch! You made it! And… holy shit…” The dog eyed Marco, looking him up and down. “Damn, this is Marco? Holy shit! Wait, you are Marco, right?”
“Y-yes, I’m Marco…” Crap, I knew it… he can tell I’m old. I don’t fit in here, I never should have come, I-
The suddenly gleeful wolf interrupted Marco’s pity party. “Dude, you’re HUGE! You have to get in here, Felix and I have been working out nonstop since freshman year and we’re not even close! Bro, do you think you could give us like, some tips or something?”
Marco blinked, then smiled warmly. “Well, I, uh, I’m not a trainer or anything, but I can give you a little advice, maybe. Um, you know, I don’t think I caught your name.”
“Tony! Sorry, man, my name’s Tony! Yeah, get in here. Mitch, you know where we keep the beer. Why don’t you grab one for you and your buddy and we’ll get this party started?” Tony led them into the house, which was relatively spacious inside.
It was a two-story, with a living room right off the front door and a kitchen attached to that. Several closed doors would lead to what Marco assumed were bedrooms or bathrooms. The living room was well furnished, with a long sectional and two armchairs for seating. Tony led Marco inside, where a short, well-toned brown rat was sitting perched on the edge of a chair. “Felix! Come meet Marco! He’s jacked, he says he can give us some pointers!”
The rat flicked his eyes up at the older dog, and his mouth dropped slightly open. “Shi-… Dude, Mitch wasn’t joking. Hey, uh, don’t feel like you have to help us, we’re just kinda… plateaued, at the moment.”
Marco chuckled, blushing as he rubbed a paw across the back of his neck. “It’s no trouble. I told Tony that I’m no personal trainer, but I’ve been there too. I might be able to help, and if you really want to get bigger, I support that.”
“G-great!” Felix’s eyes glowed as he grinned. “So, here’s my workout regimen…”
The three of them discussed workouts, meal planning, and dietary requirements as Mitch brought a beer in for Marco. They sat for about a quarter of an hour this way before Tony slapped his knees and stood up. “Hey, this is great and all, but the fire should be going by now. Let’s continue this conversation outside, yeah?”
Marco cocked an eyebrow. “The fire should be going? Did you set it and leave it unattended?”
“No! No, I’d never do that. Bry’s out there now. Oh, you haven’t met him yet! He and Mitch- urk!”
Mitch’s eyes went wide, and he elbowed Tony hard in the ribs. “Bryan and I go way back. It’s not that interesting.” Muttering so softly to the wolf that Marco almost missed it, he added, “And he wasn’t supposed to be here tonight, Tony.”
“Ehehe… right… Well, uh, come on, out the back.” Tony led the group through the house to the back door, which let out directly onto the beach. Several yards away, a tower of wood burned merrily, illuminating a tall, shirtless, black-furred sable. The marten clearly worked out, but he was still only three-quarters of the size of Marco, and stood slightly shorter.
As the four of them walked up, the marten waved cheerfully. “Hey guys!” Letting out a low whistle, he added cheekily, “Damn, who brought the beefcake?”
Marco blushed again and opened his mouth to speak, but Mitch cut him off. “The beefcake’s got a name; it’s Marco, and he’s with me.”
“Damn, okay. Guess you’ve got a type, huh, little man?” The black-furred marten punched Mitch on the shoulder and grinned. “Nice to meetcha, Marco. I’m Bryan, but you can call me Bry.”
“Ah, nice to meet you, too.” Turning to Tony, he asked, “So, is there anyone else coming I should know about?”
“Nah, man, this is all of us. Settle in! Have another beer or four. We’re gonna be here pretty late.” Tony grinned, and tossed him a cold brew from a cooler nearby.
“If the old man can stay up that late,” Bryan quipped. Marco hung his head, feeling flushed and a little bit queasy. He opened up his mouth again, as did Mitch, but Tony beat them both to it.
“Man, if you’re gonna be a jerk, then just go home. Mitch likes him; just because you’re jealous doesn’t mean you can rain on everybody’s parade. I said it was fine for him to be here, just let it go already.”
Bryan got a little flustered. “H-hey, I’m not jealous! I was just making a joke, chill.”
“Joke about something else.” Mitch said flatly. Marco smiled warmly at him, pleased.
“Okay, geez…” Bryan grumbled. “I’m gonna sit by the fire. You guys do… whatever.” He shuffled off to the side of the bonfire and planted his butt in the sand.
“His loss. So, what were you saying about reps? More weight, fewer reps, right?” Tony asked, continuing their conversation from inside.
Marco took a long swig of his beer. “Yes, that’s part of it, but you also have to make sure you’re eating right. You see…”
They continued to chat and toss back beers. Mitch didn’t have much to add to the conversation, so he mostly stood around drinking and looking about. Eventually, he grew bored and went to sit beside Bryan. He noted a small pile of empty cans and sighed. “Hey, Bry. Look, I’m sorry I got so upset before, I just… I really like this guy, and it took a lot of convincing just to get him out here. He was worried he’d be too old for us, and —”
“He is too old for you,” Bryan scoffed. “The dude is ancient, he’s got gray in his muzzle. Since when were you into that?”
The husky bristled. “Hey, I came here to apologize, and you’re still being a jerk! You always do this, it’s why we broke up!”
“I-I… I know.” The marten sighed and hung his head. “Look, I don’t know why I’m such an ass. I really thought I was getting better, but seeing you with him tonight… It just really screwed me up. I… I loved you, Mitch. Really, I did. And I’m so sorry, I know you deserved better.”
“I did, you’re right.” Mitch said dryly, and Bryan flinched. “And maybe if you’d been trying to get better when we were still dating, things would be different. But you didn’t, and now here we are. Just… let me be happy, please?”
Bryan took a few gulps of his beer, his gaze fixed on the fire. “…You’re never going to be good enough for him.”
Mitch blanched. “Wh-what? That’s fucked up, what the hell are you —”
“I mean it. Look at him. He could have any guy he wanted. The dude’s huge, he’s mature, he’s well-spoken, he’s got that little bit of an accent… You’re, what, some college kid? He’s either gonna string you along until he’s had his fun, or he’s gonna move on to someone his age as soon as he realized what a kid you are. That’s what we are, Mitch. Kids. Barely old enough to drink. You’ve got to realize that this can’t work.”
The bottom dropped out of the younger dog’s stomach, and his eyes got misty. “N-no, he’d never… I mean, he’s not like that, we text every day, and he’s sweet, and… and…” His voice choked up as he realized… I barely know him. He seems sweet, but we’ve only been on one date, and I kissed him! God, he must think I’m just looking for… no, he wouldn’t, would he? Mitch put his head in his paws and brought his knees to his chest. His heart fluttered in his chest, and his breath quickened. The world seemed to crash down around him. He’s not using me! He’s been nothing but kind… but if he really is just stringing me along, wouldn’t he act that way? I don’t know… I can’t think! The husky’s shoulders started to shake, and he had just begun to cry, when…
“Mitch, meu anjo, are you all right?”
The husky felt an enormous paw on his shoulder and looked up, sniffling. Marco was crouching down on the ground, leaning close to Mitch’s face. The older dog’s eyes were full of worry, and when he saw the tracks of tears on Mitch’s muzzle, he gasped softly. “No, no, this won’t do.” He turned his head towards Tony and Felix, and called out, “Guys! We’ll be right back!” Then, he shocked Mitch by scooping him up in his arms, and carrying him down the beach, towards a rocky outcropping nearby.
Settling down on a large rock, Marco cradled Mitch against him in his lap, and squeezed him tight. “Mitch, darling, tell me what’s wrong. Please.”
Mitch’s lower lip trembled as he struggled to hold back his emotions. “Am I… Am I not…” The husky let out a strangled sob. “Am I not good enough for you?”
Marco twitched. “What are you talking about? What’s brought this on? Did Bryan say something to you? I swear, I’m going to go give him a piece of my mind, right now —”
“J-just answer the question. P-please…” Mitch said, his voice a strangled whisper.
“I… of course you’re good enough for me, anjo. You’re sweet, and spontaneous, and thoughtful. When Bryan teased me earlier, you didn’t hesitate to stand up for me. You —” The older dog hesitated for a moment, considering his words. “You clearly care about me a great deal, for reasons that are beyond me, but I’m beginning to accept that you see something in me that I don’t. And that… that is incredibly precious to me. Meu anjo, YOU are precious to me…” Marco’s voice trailed off, lost for words. He rocked the husky back and forth, and planted a little kiss on the top of his head.
Mitch cried for a few minutes, then rubbed his eyes and looked up at the older dog, smiling. “T-thanks. I think I just needed to hear that. I’m sorry, I just… Yeah, Bryan said some things. But don’t do anything! I don’t want to cause a scene. He wasn’t even supposed to be here tonight, I told Tony I didn’t want to see him. He’s a jerk.”
“If you don’t want me to say anything, I won’t. But I will if he does it again. I can’t stand seeing you this way.”
The husky chortled. “Understood.” Then he looked away shyly for a minute, hesitating. “Um, so I have a question… what does anjo mean? You keep calling me that.”
Marco tensed up. “Ah… sorry. It’s a sort of pet name; it means ‘angel’. Meu anjo means ‘my angel’. I may have had too much to drink, it just… slipped out. Sorry.”
“N-no, please, don’t be sorry. I think it’s… cute.” Mitch guided Marco’s muzzle down by resting a paw to his cheek, and planted a satiny kiss on his lips. They held together for a couple of minutes, lips smacking as the sound of the surf crashed against the beach. Breaking apart, Mitch giggled. “You know, I’ve been wanting to do that all night.”
A mischievous glint shone in Marco’s eyes. “Well, you know… if you still want to get back at Bryan, there’s a way we could do that without saying a word.”
“Maybe… maybe just a little. Heh. What do you have in mind?”
“Come with me… you’ve got a bet to make good on.” Sliding the husky off his lap, Marco laced his fingers with Mitch’s and led the way back to the fire.
When they got back, the fire was still burning merrily, but Felix and Tony had joined Bryan to sit in the sand. The wolf stood up to greet them with a smile. “Hey guys! Uh…” Tony’s smile faltered for a minute as he searched for the right words. “You… you guys kinda took off for a bit. We talked to Bryan. Is… are you two, um, good?”
Marco stood with his back to the fire and spun Mitch around so that the younger dog was facing him. He saw the orange and yellow light dancing in Mitch’s eyes, dazzling him for a moment. A goofy grin broke out on his face. “Well, I don’t know. Meu anjo, are we good?”
Mitch stared blankly, captivated by the way the light of the fire caused Marco’s long tan and black fur to glow, outlining him in a luminous halo. He shook his head and smiled back, laughing shyly. “Heh. I dunno. W-why don’t you tell me?”
Mitch grabbed two pawfuls of Marco’s shirt, and standing on his tiptoes, stretched up and gave Marco a deep, intense kiss. The older dog leaned down, letting the husky relax, and wrapped his arms around Mitch’s waist to pull his lean body close against his bulk. True to his promise, Mitch slipped his tongue into Marco’s muzzle, lapping at the older dog’s mouth. The kiss was long, passionate, and slightly wet and messy; When at last they parted again, they were both panting with excitement, and had a flush to their cheeks that had nothing to do with the nearby blaze.
Marco put a paw atop Mitch’s head and ruffled his fur. “Mmm… Yes, I think we’re good. Very, very good.”
“G-good? That was great.” Mitch giggled and rested his head against the older dog’s muscular chest, gingerly running his paws up and down Marco’s broad back.
“Oh, come on! Get a room!” Bryan griped from on the ground. “Nobody wants to see that.”
“Speak for yourself. I kinda do.” Everyone turned their heads to look around, and their eyes settled on Felix. He looked cool and collected, but when he met Marco’s eyes, he blushed and glanced away. “I-I mean, it’s cool that you two are comfortable around us. That’s what I meant… Yeah…”
Mitch pulled himself away to crouch down in front of the rat. “Felix… are you trying to come out to us right now?”
“N-no! That’s not — I mean, well… maybe?” Felix stammered. “I dunno, man, I-I’ve never thought about it before, but watching you two kiss… It made me feel something. I-I think I might be… bi?”
The husky tackled Felix to the ground, tail wagging. “Hah! Way to steal our thunder, man! I’m happy for you.” He pulled off of his friend, and rocked back on his heels, tongue lolling out of his mouth with a huge grin.
Felix sat up, flushed, and when he resumed his cross-legged position, he quickly covered his lap with his paws. “D-dude, come on…”
Marco crossed his arms over his chest and smiled as Tony wrapped an arm around the rat and shook him a little. “Hey, relax, man! Just don’t let Bryan flirt with ya, he’s a real smooth talker.”
The marten frowned. “Watch it, Tony. I’ve seen you at the club, you’re just jealous that I’ve got game and you don’t.”
The banter continued through the night as the three friends traded barbs with each other. Marco even got in on it eventually, though nobody could think of a single thing to tease him about except his age, and by now, he seemed to be okay with that. The older dog sat in the sand, with Mitch eventually resting his head on Marco’s lap. When the husky dozed off, Marco placed an arm around him and held him tightly, his other paw petting Mitch’s soft, fuzzy ears. When the fire died down, they moved inside, and Tony set them all up with guest rooms.
There were more than enough rooms for everyone, but Mitch begged to stay with Marco for the night. Tony let Marco make the call, and after some pleading and puppy-dog eyes from Mitch, he agreed. They started to get ready for bed, when Marco realized a problem.
“Ah, Mitch, I don’t want to presume, so… Would you prefer me to keep my clothes on tonight?”
Mitch’s eyebrows shot up. “D-do you normally, uh, sleep naked, then?”
“No! No, usually just in, er, m-my underwear.” Marco felt heat rising to his face.
“Shame…” Mitch mumbled. Then, louder, “I don’t mind if you sleep in your underwear. But do what makes you feel comfortable. Me, I’m getting out of these clothes. It’s too damn hot in here.” He peeled off his tank top, slowly hooking his paws under the hem of the shirt and pulling it up.
Marco caught just a glimpse of his toned abs before he spun around, heart beating like a jackhammer. “I’ll… I’ll just take off my shirt for tonight.”
“Weren’t you sitting down out there? You’ll get sand in the bed, and that’s just rude. Plus, I don’t wanna sleep in that. Look, it’s okay, just take ‘em off.”
Marco swallowed. “Okay, just… get under the covers first.”
“Wait, why?”
“J-just do it. P-please?”
Marco heard the sounds of fabric whispering over fur as Mitch did as requested. “There, I’m under the covers. Weirdo.”
The older dog turned around to see that Mitch had pulled the blankets up to just above his waist, showing off his slight chest and a fluffy tuft of fur in between them. Marco had to resist diving into the bed to run his fingers through it. “Ah, er… thanks. I’m going to get the lights.”
“You’re going to change in the dark? Do you really still think I don’t want to look at you?” Mitch pouted as Marco flipped the switch and cut out the lights.
“No, t-that’s not it at all…”
Moonlight streamed through the blinds as Marco turned his back and took off his shirt. Mitch stared as it illuminated the older dog’s long, silky fur, and played off the taut muscles beneath it. Casting it to the side, he fumbled with the button on his shorts for a moment, cursing, before finally getting them undone. His well-groomed tail was wagging like crazy, and he struggled to get everything off, but eventually managed it. The husky’s eyes almost popped out of his head. Holy shit… he’s got a great ass…
Marco shuffled over to the bed and climbed into the other side. “Ah… soft. I like this.”
“Yeah, it’s a nice bed.”
An awkward silence grew between them, as they both lay on their backs, staring at the ceiling, both thanking the cover of darkness for hiding their blushing faces from each other. Marco could hear Mitch’s breathing grow rapid and shallow. “Meu anjo, is everything all ri —”
Mitch quickly rolled over and clung to Marco, burying his face in the older dog’s thick neck ruff. “Sorry…” he murmured. “I just… I kinda want to, um, sleep like this. I-if that’s okay…”
Slowly, Marco shifted to put his arm underneath Mitch and pull him close. “Of course it’s okay. I’m sorry, it’s just, well, it’s been a long, long time.”
“I know, so… thanks.”
“For?”
“For letting it be me.”
Marco choked up, and he craned his neck to plant a kiss on the top of Mitch’s head. His other arm came to rest on top of the husky’s, and he rubbed Mitch’s back until he started to snore. But sleep didn’t come easily to the older dog, as his body betrayed his true feelings.
Don’t do it. You don’t know if he’s ready, you don’t even know if that’s something he wants. God, why now? Why won’t it just go away? Am I really this starved for attention?
He is awfully cute, though. And at least he seems interested. Not tonight, but maybe after a few more dates…
More dates. Hah! I can’t wait…
…
Zzz…
