The first time they met after that sudden revelation, none of them could look at each other in the eyes without being embarrassed and guilty.

It was funny, really. In the bar, they had turned each other on so sensually before and none of them didn't even seem to hesitate to do so. Lucas lustfully stared at Vilkas while Vilkas moved his body and showed him his curves. Even though they never touched each other, the temptation was always there.

However, after they properly met, even the act of looking at the other's eyes seemed to be a big taboo. It had taken them lots of beer to finally be able to talk to each other without thinking about what had they done to each other. They still thought about it, but just shrugged it off and gulped down yet another round of beer.

However, the next day, that only intensified the guilt they were feeling.

Lucas didn't really want to go to the bar again, not because of Vilkas in particular, but because he needed to stay away from drinking alcoholic beverages near the blue-and-white husky. As for said husky, Vilkas took several days off from work, not because of Lucas in particular, but because he needed to stay away from drinking alcoholic beverages near the black coyote.

Uselessly complicated? It was. Neither of them wanted to be near each other because behind every action they had done, there was alcohol.

Though, everyone blamed the alcohol anyway.

Which was why after a night full of embarrassment in that bar in which he asked the husky his address that turned out to be very close to his own flat—which just yesterday, to be honest, and this whole awkwardness thingy only happened since a week ago—Lucas found himself in front of a door, feeling his paw pads sweating. He wanted to knock but at the same time didn't want to knock. Really, they had no reason to be like this. Vilkas was a uni student, so what? It wasn't like he was ten or twenty years younger than him. They were also of the same age, so this was nothing too outrageous when many people did worse and much more intimate things anyway.

Even though Lucas was taking baby steps into accepting his own homosexuality, Vilkas played a, um, big role to help him. Barrowisle was a lot more tolerant towards non-straights than Hampstertown—so tolerant in fact till he wasn't sure whether his parents would be comfortable living here. So tolerant in fact till he somehow felt like walking into a city of sin… guided by an angel.

He shook his head to clear his mind; no thinking about his insecurities now. He did say he wanted to start again with the husky, and the husky said yes, so he would do it. Just a knock at the door, a small talk while enjoying the sandwiches he brought, and they could have a nice conversation as if they were new neighbours... wait, they really were neighbours since they lived rather nearby.

Yes, he could start just with a knock on the door.

The coyote sighed, then with a determined face and straight ears, took a step and knocked at the door…

…only for the door to open, making him knock at, or rather, boop Vilkas' nose with his knuckles instead.

“Gods låv!"

“O-ow!"

They stared at each other, then turned red and looked away as their tail wagged happily, stupidly.

“S-s-sorry."

“I-it's okay."

After what seemed like an hour of looking away with their tail wagging, Vilkas finally coughed and spoke up. “So, uh, good afternoon, Mr—I mean, Lucas."

The coyote wanted to groan. That nickname… “G-good afternoon, Vilkas." Gathering his courage, Lucas looked up to look at the husky. “Yeah, um, uh…" he scratched his nape. “a-are you going somewhere?"

“N-not really…"

“Excuse me, please don't stand outside."

Both of them turned to the voice. There was a middle-aged bear carrying a small paper bag, probably Vilkas' neighbour. The bear smiled politely at them and went inside his room at the end of the hallway.

“R-right, uh… come in." Vilkas moved aside to allow the coyote to go inside.

“O-okay."

Lucas went inside and was immediately greeted by the cosy atmosphere of the husky's flat. It was messier than his own, but he saw that things were placed together, not just scattered all over. He would say that it was ordered chaos but that might be a stretch. Maybe more like several steps behind the perfect order of Octo's flat.

The husky invited him to sit on the sofa while he went to the kitchen. Sitting down on the sofa, Lucas put the sandwiches on the table and took a deep breath. Okay, calm down. There was no reason to be nervous.

Vilkas came back bringing two glasses, a big bowl of crisps, and a bottle of water. He put them on the coffee table and sat down on the other side of the sofa away from the coyote. Taking the remote, he then turned the television on.

Somehow, their tails were still wagging.

“H-how are you?"

“I'm fine, thanks. You?"

“I'm fine, too."

Were Tom here, he might say another funny remark of them not being able to find a topic to talk about. Just remembering it made him chuckle a bit.

The husky poured them some water. “So, uh… how's work?"

Lucas took his glass and drank. “Boring as usual. You?"

“…boring as usual."

When they remembered that Vilkas' work was the main reason that they were here, they turned red, fortunately none of them looked away this time. Before it could get him again, Lucas cleared his throat and said again. “Yeah, uh… you… have work later?"

“N-no, today I'm free." Vilkas took some of the crisps and munched them.

“Anyway, were you leaving earlier? I mean, sorry, I don't wanna be a distraction…"

The husky shrugged it off. “No, I just remembered to get some coffee. I'll do that tomorrow, it's fine."

“Oh, okay then."

They munched the crisps as they watched the television, the awkward air between them slowly dissipating. Lucas looked at Vilkas, staring at him as he drank from his glass. They weren't really different in terms of physique. He was lean, and so was the husky. The husky seemed to have more muscle mass, though, or maybe it was just the fur. Vilkas looked fluffy, and based on experience, he knew his fur was softer than it actually looked.

Based on experience… heh. Lucas took a gulp and looked away. Just when his ears were about to go up.

“You're a student? Or you're here just for work?" Vilkas asked him.

The coyote looked at the husky, glad that their ears were up and their tails were no longer wagging. “Was. I graduated last year, now I work here. You?"

“About to graduate later this harvest." answered the husky, leaning back on the sofa. “Did my thesis and all, just waiting for graduation."

“Oh." Lucas leant forward and took some of the crisps.

“Gotta say, though, you're nicer than you actually look. I mean, sorry if it came out wrong, but I took you as... well, a bad boy."

Curious about the remark, Lucas looked up at the husky. Vilkas was smiling rather bashfully with ears slightly down at him. Well, he was free to be himself in this city, no reason to put up an act anymore. “Thanks." He smiled, goofily showing the tips of his upper fangs.

“I mean, our time with each other has been…" Vilkas looked away and scratched his nape. “uh… you know, but I just realised you're not actually that scary."

Lucas laughed softly. “Yeah, I get that a lot. Sometimes I have to keep a bad boy attitude to keep up with the look because, you know, many dudes like bad boys, eh?"

“Believe me, most of them don't. I've got a friend that's really a bad boy in every sense of the word and I don't really like him… well our relationship is kinda complicated."

Smiling, Lucas gulped his drink. Thankfully, they already knew each other way back since the second time he went to that bar and met the husky. They had chatted before, mostly just regular things, so there was no reason to be wary around each other.

And, they had ogled each other.

Fuck, it always came to that, didn't it? The coyote took some of the crisps and ate them. “For a husky, you're pretty rough yourself." He said—wait that wasn't appropriate!

Vilkas laughed. “I reckon."

Lucas just laughed nervously, feeling glad that the husky didn't get the speciesist tone it had.

“Yeah, I mean, not many huskies work in a bar." Vilkas continued easily and changed the telly channel to something more relaxing. “I used to be pampered a lot by my parents, but hey, hafta do what I want and enjoy it, right? So, when I went to that bar and noticed they wanted someone, I applied."

“…and your parents agree?"

Vilkas smirked playfully. “Shh, don't tell them."

He chuckled. “My lips are sealed."

“They'd probably freak out for the first few days, then the week after, then the month after. Whatever, I enjoy it here."

“Good for you. Well, I used to be pampered a lot, too, I think, but then I moved here after graduation. Kinda tired about home, and they want me out anyway."

“They want you out?"

“Not in the sense that they kicked me, no. It's a tribal custom." Lucas leant back on the couch and moved his tail to the other side. “In my tribe, usually men who've passed the rite of adulthood leave home and start a life on their own before deciding whether to go back home with their new family. Not to brag, but I live pretty much by myself in the uni dorms back home anyway, so moving here didn't really feel that difficult."

“So… it's like a coming-of-age ceremony?"

“Kind of, just without the ceremony thing." He shrugged.

“So you gonna be back when you… er… after you had a life on your own?"

“Not really, I don't know. I'm here for just less than a year, still got a lot to do before deciding whether to come back or not. Here seems pretty comfortable, anyway."

“Ah, okay."

Lucas took some more of the crisps, finally feeling comfortable. He looked at the husky who was pouring himself more water. Vilkas seemed to be a nice guy to talk with and he was glad of that.

“Anyway, you know Tom since when?" asked the husky.

“Since… around two years ago, maybe. Tom attended a national conference held in my uni at the same time Max had a match with my team—you know Max, right?"

The husky nodded.

“Yeah, so, after the match they had some beer over at my place."

“Oh, I thought you've known him for long. I mean, you managed to get him to a place he's not familiar with." He chuckled.

“Well, kinda. How did you know that?"

“He looks very uncomfortable back there."

He took a gulp. “Well, he said it was his first time going to a bar, and he said there was a lot of stuff going for him at that time, so I don't blame him. Really, for an introvert he's sure prett—wait, you got a call,"

They turned their heads when the husky's phone rang with a call. Vilkas took it and answered it, uttering a small “excuse me" to the coyote. “Hello?"

In the meantime, Lucas poured himself more water and munched some crisps. Someone in the television show was cooking what looked like a… an eagle? Were eagles even edible?

“Probably at his dorm sleeping. I'd say the library but that wanker fears books even if his thesis depends on it. Nope. Last saw him two days ago or something. Did something happen? You sound like you're gasping."

Vilkas put his phone down, his brows furrowed. Lucas saw some kind of concern on the husky's face. “What is it?" asked the coyote.

“Just Octo asking about Kevin." The husky shrugged and took one crisp, munching it. “Friends of mine."

“Oh. I know Octo, though."

“Right, I forgot you two played each other."

They chuckled at the inside joke.

“What was it again?" The husky asked.

“Oh, right. Tom is… well… nice and cute and all. I mean, for an introvert he's sure pretty nice to get to know."

“All introverts are nice to get to know if they let you get to know them." Vilkas took another crisp. “But not many are going to let you. Someone told me Tom is pretty selective about who he considers a friend."

“Really?"

“Well, my friend said it. He was the one who… well… to put it simply, really interested in getting to know the wolf."

Lucas shrugged. “Yeah. Tom doesn't let many people into his inner circle. Still, I feel like he's… hiding something. Like, he can be so open at times and so closed at times, even so open and so closed at the same time. I know it's weird since we all do that, but it's just… odd."

“Odd?"

“Yeah, like he's hiding something big and doesn't think we can handle it. Like the secret of the world stuff."

The husky hummed. “I wouldn't say secret of the world stuff but yeah, he can be a riddle at times."

A riddle… Hmm, that encounter a week ago, he remembered it. That bison just appeared out of nowhere and began speaking in riddles with the wolf. That was weird. “Yeah, I get that."

“Tom won a national conference last semester. I think it has to do with that." The husky continued. “I mean, if one wins a national conference, one must really have a way with words."

Lucas leant on the sofa. “Yeah, but I've never thought that about him. He's just… there, blending in like everyone." He pondered about the first time he met the wolf. He was about to pet his head, but the wolf quickly took a step back and made him almost stumble forward. “But there were occasions where he gets… different."

“I know right." Vilkas sighed. “Let's… just drop the topic and talk about something lighter."

The coyote looked away, pondering. Tom had always been… something. He was nice, yeah, but somehow there was something under that niceness. As if there was black under that grey.

He shrugged it off. It wasn't like people weren't hiding their secrets anyway. Everyone had a bad story now and then, and it wasn't his place to ask about it.

Tom sat up and yawned. Had he really been sleeping in for that long? The sun was already high in the sky, making him feel guilty for waking up this late.

Earlier in the morning, he woke up too when Max woke up, but because he was still tired, he decided to sleep in. Last night he slept late, too, and Max was so comfortable to cuddle with. His stomach then rumbled, reminding him that he didn't have anything after dinner yesterday. After about fifteen minutes of sitting on the bed to wake his mind up, he stood up and walked out of the room.

The house seemed quiet, making the distinctly Max-y scent of the house more pronounced. The clock at the end of the hallway showed it was 10. Where was everybody? Usually, the house was rather loud at this time in the day. After doing his morning business in the bathroom, he climbed down the stairs to a quiet first floor. The television was on, though. After drinking two glasses of water and taking a slice of bread in the kitchen, he decided to go to the living room. He found Hans there, watching the television lazily.

“Hey there." The older shepherd greeted him when he saw him in the doorframe. “Usually you wake up early."

“Yeah." He said between bites. “I was busy last night."

“Busy, huh?" Hans wiggled his brows.

“Not that kind of busy." He finished the bread, then combed his fur using his fingers. “Where's everyone?"

“Went shopping."

“At 10 in the morning?"

Hans shrugged. “The markets are open today so why not?"

Right, they were only three days away from work.

The wolf walked to the sofa and sat down on the other end. It was still cold this morning, and he wondered why was Hans only wearing a loose tank top. Maybe it was his fur, but Tom's fur was thicker yet he still felt rather cold.

Hans turned to lean on the armrest and smirked at him. “Nice of you to finally hang out with me."

Tom sighed, still feeling a bit sleepy. “We hung out, you know."

“Yeah, but this time there's just the two of us."

They fell silent after that and just watched the television.

Tom looked at Hans. He really did look like Max at first glance; his fur was just several degrees darker. No wonder people sometimes confused them. He too was confused at first but caught the difference in the fur colour hue.

Also, like Max, he was muscled. They were both flirty and teasing, he knew that, but Hans looked like he really wanted to do it. He didn't want to admit it but somewhat, it seemed hotter. Was Hans really not gay? He should be at least bi to be that teasing. He was like Kevin in Max's body.

Max did give him some kicks and tackles, so he was glad of that.

Maybe if he got sick, he could go to Hans instead to see if he could get better faster because the doctor was hotter than the fever.

“Hey, wolf, uh, I'm curious, what's with your eyes? I mean, sorry for asking about it, but it's not every day I see someone with literal red eyes."

Tom just shrugged. He knew it was bound to raise some questions. Frankly, he was a bit surprised that no one asked him about it when he arrived. “Long story. Basically, I had surgery, but the iris changed colour and it can't be changed back."

“Oh, interesting. You look badass, you know."

The wolf looked at Hans who was smiling. He grinned and made a gun with his fingers. “Careful whom are you messing with."

They laughed.

“Anyway, I'm also curious about how you and Rob became a thing, really. How did it happen?"

Tom looked at the dog curiously. “Um, what do you mean?"

Hans mrf'ed. “I know that he's not fond of gays. They always tried to get to him, so he didn't really like them. So I'm curious, how did you two become a thing? Not that I mind, of course, just curious."

Looking at the television, Tom pondered. What did he do to get Max?

…being nice to him while secretly having a crush and tricking him into getting closer?

No no no he did not do that! He never pressured Max into doing anything! He was well-aware that Max disliked gays, so it struck him too when he told Max he liked him and the dog didn't mind. Why did Max even accept him as a boyfriend? Maybe he should ask Max sometime.

“I… I'm not sure." He let out a chuckle to mask his nervousness. “We were already close when he told me to tell him anything—yes he did that, not me. So… uh… I just asked him out."

“And he agreed?"

“Yeah. It took him a week but we went out in the end."

“Sweet." Hans smiled brightly at him and moved closer to pull him into an embrace. Tom was nervous; no matter how similar was Hans to Max, he was still his brother. “I gotta say this, thanks for being there for Rob."

At that, the wolf looked up at Hans.

“You know, his love life was… a mess. I dunno why, but things never worked out between him and his girlfriends when he was in high school here. I'm not sure about college, but he only told me once that he had a pretty healthy relationship." Hans pulled him closer. “I'm glad he found someone."

“…and, uh, you don't mind if it be a man?"

“As long as he's happy. He's a lot happier now, you know. Never seen him that bright since he won the Nat-Champ. So, thanks for that, wolf. I owe you one." The dog smiled at him and his tail waved. “Take good care of 'em, will you?"

Tom looked away as his ears went down. He felt like he got his brother's blessings. Still, it was making him fluster that Hans gave him his approval.

“And you're cute, too. Still wondering who tops."

Tom shot his hands out to break himself from the laughing dog's hold.

“Hey, hey, calm down there, wolf." The dog finally let him go, but not without a laugh.

“Please don't do that again."

“Asking you who tops, embracing you, or ruffling your head fur?"

“Yes." The wolf's ears were still low. “And if you really want to know, we haven't done anything involving… uh… penetration."

He thought that would make the older dog laugh. However, Hans just looked at him with a grin as he leant on the sofa. “Nah, that's fine. It's not my business to meddle, anyway. I know Rob would need some encouragement."

Tom looked at him, then nodded, thankful that Hans didn't make fun of them.

“But lemme know if you top, 'kay? Imma slap that oaf with it." He laughed.

“Um… please no. He's already plenty nervous as he is now."

Hans laughed again, but this time more genuine. Tom saw an honest look in his eyes. “Yeah, I better not. He needs his love life."

For a moment, Tom thought he was talking about Max. He did sound like he was talking about him, anyway, but when he remembered during the first night they had dinner, his mother said Hans was still single. She told him to get a boyfriend—which was a joke, he knew—but that would mean that Hans was still single.

He looked at the dog who was watching the television, laughing softly as the character in the television show fell from the podium. How old was he? Why was he still single? He should be preparing for marriage, shouldn't he?

“Hans, um…"

“Yeah?"

“How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?"

The dog shifted on the sofa. “I'm 27." He then turned to him and grinned. “Still look young, not?"

That made Tom laugh a little. “27 is still young, you know."

“Yeah yeah, I'm still handsome, thank you."

They laughed softly.

The sound of a door opening and people chatting made them turn their heads. Hans then stood up and walked towards the door. “Looks like they're back."

Tom stood up and followed him.

In the small hallway, Max put a box down and took his coat off. “Hey Hans, is Tom awak—oh there you are." He pointed at the kitchen. “Come with me to the kitchen. Dad, just put my stuff in the living room. I'll take care of them later."

“Sure, Rob."

He followed his boyfriend to the kitchen. Max put the box down and opened it. “Beautiful cake." Tom commented when he saw the cake inside.

“Yeah, made sure to get green tea." Max winked at him.

“…wait, it's for me?"

“No, dude, it's for my boyfriend."

Tom put on a disappointed face and sat on the chair. “Oh, sorry then."

That made Max laugh. “My boyfriend is angry, no! Hehe, go ahead and cut it."

The wolf shook his head in amusement and took a knife. He proceeded to cut the cake, then put the small portion on a small plate Max gave him. He looked up, wanting to put it away and continue cutting the cake, but he found Max looking at the portion, smiling widely with his tail wagging.

He smiled. “Okay, here. This is for my boyfriend."

Max laughed and accepted the cake. “Thanks, dude!"

Tom just chuckled and continued cutting the cake for the rest of the family. He cut six slices and put them in their respective plates, then licked the knife. Mm, the cream tasted good.

“Holy shit, Tom!"

Tom looked up to a very surprised and scared Max. “Hm? Ya?"

“Don't lick the knife!"

He looked at him, then at the knife, then shrugged and continued licking it. “It tastes nice."

“For fuck's sake!" Max looked like he wanted to snatch it away but was too scared to do so. The wolf just looked at him, curious at his strong reaction.

When the knife was clean, he washed it on the washtable and said to the dog before putting it on the drying rack, “It's just a knife."

“Because it is a knife, God!" Max took the clean knife and put it away from the wolf. “Don't lick knives!"

“Um, why?"

“Because they're sharp! That's common knowledge!"

“…uh, yes?"

“Your tongue could've… argh." He growled, then pushed the wolf away from the kitchen. “Just wait there in the living room and I'll bring the cake!"

The wolf just stood there in front of the stairs, dumbfounded. Why waste some good crumbles and cream in the knife? He glanced at the dog in the kitchen, then shrugged and walked to the living room, waiting for his cake.