It was over. University was over.

Tom drank the water with a big smile on his face. Tonight
was festive. A drunk Octo was even dancing with a drunk Kevin in the living
room whilst being cheered on by the others. Tom didn't want to be drunk, though;
he still wasn't sure about putting alcohol into his body. He was still recovering
so he wasn't taking any chances. The pain was mostly gone and his vision was
much better now, but once in a while, he found himself reaching for a chair to
sit down.

Sitting on the small stairs between the patio and the
backyard, the wolf put his paper cup away. Next to him, Lucas finished his beer
with a big smile on his face. “Ahh, that's some good stuff!"

“Don't get drunk now." The wolf chuckled.

“We are
getting drunk!" The coyote laughed and put his hand on the wolf's shoulder.
“Nah, I'm not that drunk."

“I'll believe it when I see it."

“No, buddy, I'm not that drunk!" Lucas ruffled his fluff.
“But you don't drink, eh? Still recovering from that, don't take any chances."
He paused, then after a few moments, the coyote continued. “So, what's the
plan?"

“What's what plan?"

“Your plan after graduation?"

“Oh," Tom let out a sigh and looked away. “Maybe I… I
don't know. I guess I… I'll get a job."

“Seriously? You didn't plan anything?"

“Lah I
graduated just three weeks ago."

“Okay, okay, here. Take this from someone who left
home and now lives in another city." The coyote laughed, then pulled the wolf
closer. “You get a job, you get a place to live. Then, three or five or
whatever years later, you marry someone or continue to the second strata."

“You already planned your marriage?"

“Well uh, not yet." Lucas scratched his nape.

“In a rush to get married?"

They looked behind and saw Vilkas walking into the backyard.
The husky drank from his paper cup, then sat down next to Lucas.

“Uh, I dunno. You, Tom?"

“Honestly it's in the far back of my mind."

“Me too, actually."

They chuckled. Tom hated that Lucas was right. He
needed a place to live and a job, well just a job now. He was considering
continuing his work in his intern company. The pay was pretty nice for a fresh
graduate. Besides, for someone whose spending was very low like him, it was more
than great.

Then, he needed to find someone.

Yeah, university was over now. His friends are going
back home. Martin, Lucy, and James were going home soon. They planned to hang
out for the last time before then. While James was going away next week too, it
didn't really bother him as much as Martin and Lucy because the tiger's home
was only in the next province.

As for Max… he didn't know when would Max go. The
shepherd didn't even speak about going home. Last week, Max, Octo, and some
more spent some time in his apartment, taking care of him. Sadly, he was
recovering so he couldn't talk much. The dog treated him very carefully, like
he might break any minute. Well, Tom himself felt like he might break any
minute, so he was glad.

He knew it would happen eventually, but a part of him
didn't want it. On one hand, he understood that their time was limited and he
had to let go of Max eventually. They could still chat and meet up from time to
time, but it would feel different. On the other hand…

He spent last night awake in bed, wondering if he had
any chance of being with the shepherd. It was impossible, he knew, but he
prayed to whomever was willing to listen to him to allow them to be together.
It wasn't much, but…

Who was he kidding?

“I'm gonna refill my cup." Lucas then stood up.

Vilkas gave him his cup. “Refill mine too."

Shortly after Lucas left, the man of his dreams came
in. Max sat down next to him, almost silently. “Why are you two here? Kevin is
trying to pick up Nathan over there, again."
he said with a chuckle.

“Seriously? I gotta see that." Vilkas laughed, then
stood up and walked inside.

With Vilkas gone, Max drank his beer and wiped his
mouth. “So, I finally graduate." He grinned at Tom.

Tom looked at him, then at the door, then back at him
again. “Did you really just shoo Vilkas away?"

“Who can blame me when I want to be with you?"

The wolf looked away as he turned red. Max laughed as
his tail wagged, then wrapped his arm around the wolf's shoulder. “We've
graduated now, don't you dare be awkward 'round me. Besides, anything you wanna
say?"

“You speak it like it's a farewell party."

“It is! Stephan is leaving tomorrow, Nathan next week."

“Are you… are you leaving too, Max?" he asked softly.

The dog stroked his shoulder. “Yeah. I'm leaving
tomorrow."

So, tonight was their last night, then. Tom looked at
the sky and considered his options. Did he want to tell him and risk destroying
their friendship on the last day they met?

He let out a sigh. When one fully trusted someone, in
the end there would be two answers: either one would get a lifelong companion
or a lifelong lesson. He had let Max go for the world to decide, and Max came
back. Whatever their relationship would become, it was the best for him.

“So, if you have anything to say, just tell me.
Whatever it is, I promise I won't laugh or be angry."

“You… promise that?"

“Pinky promise." The dog smiled at him. “Though, I'm
not leaving forever. I plan to move here. I'm just going home for a week, then
I got an interview to do here."

Max was serious. As this was their last night being
students, he wanted to finish the chapter of university with as many details as
he could. He wanted them to finish their university times without any emotional
baggage. He wanted them to finish any unfinished business before they began
writing another chapter. He knew that there must be something that Tom wanted
to say but was too shy to do so.

Honestly, he didn't really have much to say. He wanted
to talk about that incident, but it was too risky and too dangerous. Tom was
still recovering, and so did he. Who knew what could it bring to their mental
state. It still brought him nightmares, but he learnt to accept it as a part of
the wolf, no matter how terrifying was that.

Tom did it, and he wondered how did he live knowing
that he was a monster. That must take a high level of either insanity or self-acceptance.

Tom had been nothing but terrifying for the past two
years, so he trusted him to keep himself in control. Nobody was purely good or
purely evil. Not even him; he remembered being the bully during middle school
and sometimes during high school. The truth lay somewhere in grey. Although
that changed his view of the wolf, at least Tom was still the gentle wolf that
he knew. Those whom he killed, Max just thought that they deserved it. He did
not know them and it was better to stay that way.

Tom then let out a deep sigh, as if he had decided
something and was ready to face all its consequences. The wolf stood up with ears
flattened and looked at him, making him do the same.

“B-before I tell you, please, please don't be angry at me or hate me, okay?"

“I won't dude. Don't worry." He smiled at the wolf.

“Um, okay,
so…" The wolf looked away and his ears twitched, tail wrapping against
his own leg. “Max, t-the first time we met, it was your good looks that made me
interested in you."

Max's mind came back to that moment two years ago. He got
the info that Tom was the class manager, so he ran to catch up with him before
the wolf left the classroom. He still remembered it as if it happened
yesterday, the surprised then awestricken look on the wolf's face. It was cute.

“I-it was the first time I… uh… m-met someone as
handsome as you. A-and I couldn't help but feel attracted. Then you decided to
get closer to me, and I couldn't do anything but do the same.

“We became… even closer and closer, both emotionally
and physically. We hung out more often, even stayed over each other's dorms."
The tips of the wolf's ears turned red. “E-even snuggling with each other."

Max wanted to comment on it but decided not to. It
made him embarrassed, too. Those were things he never did with another guy. And he hated to
admit that he liked snuggling with the wolf.

“So, I… I couldn't help but develop feelings for you.
B-but before I could act on it, Andy happened and forced us to kiss. You made
it clear that you want nothing to do with that, and that made me reconsider my
position. I didn't want to overstep any boundaries."

Taking a deep breath, Max looked back at the wolf. Was
this really going in that direction? Something rose up in his gut. Before it
could slap him on the face, Tom continued.

“But I can't do it anymore." He turned to look at the
dog. “It's been two years since I realised it, and now we've finished university.
I… I want to at least tell you this. P-please don't be angry or… or hate me."

The wolf took a deep breath and looked away. “Max, I'm
gay."

For a moment, all they could hear was the commotion
from inside the house. Max stared at the wolf; the wolf didn't look at him. The
words slowly dawned on him. Tom was gay. Tom
was gay.

Unlike Kevin, Tom didn't come out. For what reason, Max
didn't know, but what he understood from the little story before his confession
was that Tom came out to him because Tom… liked him. He had a suspicion, but
now that it turned out to be true, he didn't know what to do. Octo told him
that Tom was crushing on someone, and now he knew whom.

Now… it all made sense. All those touches, all those
snuggles, all those cheesy lines he thought the wolf was just practising his
pick-up skills, they were real and for him. They were not mere innocent words.
Back then, Tom dared kiss him because he wanted to. The guilt when he withdrew
from the wolf after the kiss multiplied tenfold. If Tom had been liking him
since they first met, then no doubt that hurt him a lot.

But, despite all that, Max felt happy. From what he
could tell, Tom never came out to anyone. He was the first one he came out to,
and despite his sharp words about homosexuals, Tom still came out to him first.
That alone proved just how much Tom trusted him. That made him happy. Tom was
gay, and somehow that made him happy.

Max stared at the grey wolf, trying to keep his
expression straight whilst inside he was screaming in confusion. Why was he
feeling happy that Tom was gay? Had he involuntarily been wishing for that? Was
he really not as straight as he thought? Why was he jealous of the others when
they got to be close with Tom? Was it really that… that… all this time, he too developed
feelings for the wolf?

Maybe he too had some ulterior motive for having done
those things with the wolf. They cuddled, they kissed, they did things that he
would never do with another man. Was he comfortable with those things because
he was bi without him knowing?

Tom still didn't look up and his ears were still down.
Max realised that even though they tried to support each other, they hurt
themselves and each other by doing so. They hurt each other for being blind to
their feelings. Max was too proud and terrified to admit that he might be bi.
Tom was too anxious to admit that he was gay.

Yet, despite what happened, it all didn't matter now.
He was the one who told the wolf to tell him anything. He should be ready for
this. Tom dared take the risk of losing him by being honest. He should also
dare take the risk.

“That's the coming out part." Max smiled softly at the
wolf, steeling his confidence. Tom trusted him. Now, it was Max's turn to trust
himself in turn. “Now where's the confession part?"

Tom looked at him in surprise, his ears still red. “W-what?"

Max just shrugged. “You pretty much said you liked me.
How about making that clear?"

“I-I…" he looked away again.

“Well, that is if you want to." He chuckled
sheepishly. He could do it himself, but he still wasn't sure about his own
feelings. Tom doing it might be better.

This time, Tom tried to look at him and said
bashfully. “Max, I like you."

“There you go!" Max walked to the wolf with a big smile
and ruffled his head fur. Tom yelped at first but found himself leaning into
the other's touch. Even then, Tom still didn't touch him; he only stood there
with an anxious smile on his face.

No use regretting what happened. Now, he should stand
up again and admit it. “Now, are you going to ask me out or something?" Max
grinned, trying not to make the situation awkward. This was already making Tom
fluster, so he should keep the air welcoming.

Tom shoved him away, embarrassment clear on his face.
“W-what?!"

“Come on, nobody escapes my charm." He wiggled his
eyebrows. “'Sides, you get the honor of being the first guy to ask me out and
making me consider it."

“You're really taking pleasure out of this, aren't
you?"

“I'm not!" The dog laughed. “So?"

The wolf only stared at him incredulously, then looked
away, then took a deep breath and looked back at him. “Max, do you want to be
my boyfriend?"

Max laughed at that, almost pushing the wolf away.

“W-what?! I asked you out and you bloody laughed?!"

“Hahaha not that!" He calmed down and grinned at him.
“I was kinda expecting you to ask me out on a date, but well I guess that
works."

Tom was red again.

“Anyway," His
grin turned into a soft smile. Was he ready to see the wolf in a different light?
Even if he really were a bisexual, was he ready to go out with a guy? It
certainly would be a new experience, but… “I can't answer now, please give me a
week."

Letting out a long, relieved sigh, Tom looked up and smiled
back, his ears finally going up. “Yeah, i-it's okay. Thank you, Max... for not
pushing me away."

“I swear this time I will answer you and not leave you
like last time. What I can do now,
though…"

Max took hold of Tom's muzzle. Tom looked at his hand,
then at his eyes. Despite its unnatural and otherworldly hue, he found it…
beautiful. He might look like he was a literal hellhound, but this hellhound
was a kind-hearted, soft-spoken one. He had a terrifying and lethal side, Max
knew, but this hellhound, this bad wolf was more than he could ask.

Daring to accept that he might like Tom too, Max leant
down a bit and slowly brought their muzzle closer, and their lips met.

It felt exactly like that moment in Octo's dorm. They
just stayed there, lips meeting lips. Max sensed hesitation on Tom's part, so
he put his hands on the wolf's sides, telling him that it was okay. He didn't
want to rush anything, Tom was soft, and he wanted to take things slow. The dog
then hugged the wolf and brought him closer, their bodies almost touching.
Tom's hand went up and rested on his chest.

So, he kissed a guy and he liked it.

The kiss was gentle. Tom was soft, warm, inviting despite
his vulnerabilities. His body felt solid, unlike a woman; he might need to get
used to it now.

Then they pulled back. Max didn't let Tom go, though,
he nuzzled the wolf's head, occasionally giving small licks. Tom chuckled a bit
but eventually did the same with his neck. This apparently felt nice.

“Congratulations on being my first kiss with a dude."
He said as he pulled away, stroking the grey wolf's fluff.

“Wasn't… wasn't that kiss at Octo's dorm… your first
with a dude?" The wolf replied, his voice almost wavering.

“Well… right. But this one I started it."

Tom looked down. “N-no regrets?"

“Definitely no regrets." He pushed the wolf away but held
his hand. “And since it's a party, why don't we party?"

“…that… came out wrong."

“Doesn't matter." Max's hands moved the wolf's hand to
his shoulders. “So, let's dance." His hands went to the wolf's waist. “Come on,
don't be embarrassed. You get to feel my muscles now."

Tom shoved him, but Max didn't budge and just laughed.

“I'm starting to think you're too insufferable."

“Oh? I am?"

Then, Tom looked at him right on the face with a determined
grin. Although, it was kind of hard to take him seriously with his lowered ears.
“As insufferable as Kevin."

“Excuse me, I'm offended!"

“You should be." Tom then moved, starting the dance. The
music from inside was muffled from here, but they weren't dancing to it anyway.

Slowly, they followed each other's movement. They
almost stepped on each other's foot sometimes, but they managed. Max looked at
the wolf's eyes, feeling happy. He was considering being his boyfriend anyway,
so he'd better get used to this.

Funny, he thought. A few years ago, he would've turned
down the idea of dancing with a guy, yet here was he. Not only was he dancing
with a guy, but he was also considering being boyfriends with a guy. Their
sexual activity came to mind, but Max pushed it away. No thinking about
anything now. There were only the two of them, being close, comfortable with
each other, trusting each other.

Tom then rested his head on the dog's chest, taking a
deep breath with his ears going down. “I exist." He said softly.

Max took a deep breath, the wolf's scent filling his
nose. “You exist, Tom. I'm here, I'm real. You're not broken. You're here." He
closed his eyes as he held him close. Tom was exposing his vulnerabilities, and
he wanted to protect him from everything. “You exist."

Tom hugged him back, his voice wavering, almost sobbing.
“I… I exist…"

FINALLY
WTF TOM IT TOOK YOU 48 CHAPTERS WTFH

Sorry it
was kind of short, I wanted to write more from Octo's perspective but I didn't
want to ruin their moment. So this chapter is only for them!

Fun fact:
The title of this chapter is based on an Indonesian proverb which goes
something like, "When you
fully trust someone, in the end there will be two answers: either you will get
a lifelong companion or a lifelong lesson". I thought it was romantic (and
realistic) so I use it.