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\n As always, :iconErythWolf: and I enjoy your comments, votes, fav's and watches. 

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\n I sighed heavily and looked at the sky, feeling the same pain -- the one I hid from Isaac -- in my throat again. I knew this question was going to come up but that didn't mean I was thrilled with answering it...

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\n I could feel myself gasping for air as the oxygen drained from me and the rain splashed on the asphalt around me.
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\n "Why would you ask me that?" my own voice brought me back to the reality of the cold desert. The blowing sand continued to make my fur grimy and lose its luster.

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\n "I...I want to know Jase. It's been bothering ever since I saw you here," Isaac said, sitting up to look me straight in the eyes.

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\n "Iz... It's not..." I sighed and turned my back to him. "I don't like to think about it." I was not ready to relive that experience.

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\n "But...Jason. I killed myself to get here. I just can't imagine you doing the same thing. How did you get here!?" he insisted, turning me back to face him. I couldn't meet his eyes. I simply couldn't see those glimmering eyes that made me feel like baring my soul.

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\n Something I couldn't do in this situation.

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\n "I didn't..." I said with a quiet sigh. "It was an accident. At least that's what I tell myself..."

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\n "Wait, did you...you didn't kill yourself?"

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\n "Can we drop it, please?" I was trying not to snap at him but it was hard.

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\n "Just tell me Jase! It would really help me out..."

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\n "Just drop it!" I raised my voice just enough to get the point across.

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\n "What is it you're afraid of telling me Jase?! You expect me to trust you, but won't answer my question?! Tell me!" his voice raised as well and his feline eyes narrowed into a glare.

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\n I was losing my nerve."Damn it, Isaac, will you just leave me alone?"

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\n "No, Jason! Why are you here!? What the fuck is this place!? I need to know!"

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\n "How the fuck should I know what this place is? One minute I'm looking up at my body, the next I'm here!" It was coming back to me and that made me lash out at him more than necessary. I felt bad about that.

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\n "But...how?"

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\n "I have no fucking idea!" My cries echoed in the cool night sky.

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\n He cringed at my yells and I saw the hurt and understanding in his eyes. "I knew this would be hard...But I didn't think it would be so damn complicated." He sounded more bitter than hurt.

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\n "It's my death, okay? I didn't chose to do it to mysel- Shit... That was harsher than I meant."

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\n "See. You didn't kill yourself. I was right. How fucking hard was that?"

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\n "It's reliving a horrifying experience, you of all people should know what that's like," I said, hoping he'd drop it.

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\n "No, I don't know Jason. My death was...almost boring."

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\n "That's not what I was talking about..." I dragged a claw through the sand, looking far past the former rocks and into my past.

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\n "Then...tell me. I don't have any fucking clue anymore." He sighed and looked away. I couldn't help but feel he was giving up on me.

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\n "How can you not remember? The bicyclist that got hit by a truck your freshman year?"

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\n I can never forget that incident. The truck came out of nowhere and plowed over the biker. He was killed on impact and skidding along the road, fur and flesh peeling off and leaking blood everywhere. Another car couldn't stop in time and his head was hit...

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\n I still remember the brain matter being washed off the road... the stain couldn't be removed though.

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\n "I tried to forget that incident. It happened right in front of me...Remember how I didn't speak for a while?" He looked down and I saw sadness in his eyes and I knew he was reliving it too. After the accident, he retreated into himself for almost a month. I was always there, but I felt so lonely, like he was never going to be the same.

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\n "Yeah. Now you have an idea why it was so hard for me to talk about that... I don't want to remember, Isaac. I want to forget it."

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\n "Was it that bad?" Isaac asked.

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\n "You know how they say a person's head can live for ten seconds after it's cut off?"

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\n He groaned and looked  at me with disgust. "That's sick, Jason."

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\n "Yeah, well it's longer. Much, much longer."  I said, voice bitter.

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\n The color faded away from the lion's face when I said that. "Jason, are you implying...you were... decapitated?"

\n I gave a lone nod in response. I was reliving it again and it hurt.

\n "I'm sorry Jase. But I really needed to know that," he said with a sad voice. He finally understood how painful it was for me.

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\n "Well are you finally happy now?" I said,.

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\n Again, he cringed at my words and looked away. "...I'm sorry."

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\n "Yeah, well..." I sighed, not knowing what to say anymore.

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\n There was a deafening silence for what felt like an eternity, "So you didn't commit suicide...then...that means that anybody can end up here." He leaned into me and leaned his head against my shoulder. "I'm truly sorry."

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\n I backed away a little before finally letting him rest on me as I put my arm around him. "I'll tell you more later... If you still want to know."

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\n "Only...if it's okay with you Jase. Just because...you hurt me...that doesn't mean I want to hurt you," Isaac said.

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\n "Thanks..." I said, trying to stop myself from dwelling on the memories.

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\n Isaac nodded and his breath began to become deeper and sleepier. "I...should have waited. I regret not waiting for you...but I'm not sure you would have come to me. What...I miss most...is my friend."

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\n "I miss being able to just  talk to you without this huge rift. I feel like i can't say anything to you and..." I sighed lightly. "It's trying."

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\n "Heh... I miss talking to you too. I get...that you were afraid to come out...but that means that you must have loved me even before that. I'm just wondering...when?" he asked.

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\n I took my large paw and grabbed his, holding it very carefully. "I knew you were going to be special when I saw your eyes light up after I fixed your book... I guess, you could say the day we got caught in the storm on our bikes was when I saw us... as something."

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\n "I didn't realize how much I liked you...until you started dating." He sighed and gripped my hand tighter. I felt the softness of his paws and the coarseness of my own. It matched up perfectly in the middle. "I love you for always protecting me...but...I hope you understand why it's so hard for me to forgive you, Jase."

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\n I squeezed his hand tightly for support when he said protecting. I would always be his guardian. "I'm sorry for hurting you. I know you're probably sick of it, but I truly am sorry. You don't deserve that." I scooted closer to him, carefully wrapping my arms around him. "I'm just trying not to make you uncomfortable at all."

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\n "I think...if you give me a little bit of time...we can be...friends again," he said as he pulled me closer and kissed my cheek, causing deep blushes on my face.

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\n I wrapped my large arms around him tightly before pulling away from the embrace. "I'm sorry, but I need to do that. I've missed your hugs."

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\n Isaac sighed with fatigue and closed his eyes. "I'm tired. Will you keep me warm Jase?"

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\n I wrapped my arms around him tightly again and pressed him so close to me that I was practically spooning with him. I could smell his hair that still managed to maintain a sweetness to it even with the overwhelming sweat. The feel of his fur against mine was something pleasant that I was thrilled to have back. "Sure thing. Big fluffy coats are useful, don't you think?"

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\n We were falling back into our normal patterns.

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\n "Not during the day," Isaac giggled.

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\n I felt a warm smile fill my face. "Yeah, but you'd freeze at night without me... Though, I could really use a shower...

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\n He sniffed a bit overly loud. "You do need one. I could go for one too...We've walking the desert for over a week you know..."

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\n "It's been a week? Wow... it's gone faster with you..."

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\n "It's been a weird week finding you here, Jase. But...I'm really glad. I hope we can be friends."

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\n "If you'll let me..." I muttered.

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\n He looked up at me, tilting his neck. "What was that, Jase?"

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\n "Just... Don't shut me out. I'll be more open with you if you'll do the same. We can't be lying to each other out here."

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\n "Okay Jase, I'll try."

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\n For some reason, I felt the undesirable urge to say more like a flustered school girl. "I'm not saying you have to tell me everything, but talk to me or this is going to be hell."

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\n Isaac let out a loud, almost girlish giggle, and pressed himself completely against me so we were spooning. Feeling his soft butt pressed against me was nice to say the least. "I already said I'll try Jase. You don't have to be so nervous."

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\n "I don't want you to yell at me..." I sniffed, feeling very hurt by his screams before. God, why was I so emotional? "I just can't-"

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\n He turned around and grabbed me by the face, looking me right in the eyes as our muzzles were within an inch of each other.

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\n "Just give me time," he said with a nice lick on the nose. "Things are bound to get better. And I'll stop yelling at you... Just... be my knight, will ya?"

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\n I blushed more than I think I ever had in my entire life. "Ok..." I licked him back very carefully, and very sheepishly

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\n Isaac let out another feminine giggle that made me smile. "Let's sleep, okay? I'm really tired. It's been a long day...I wanna rest, and not have to worry about bandits attacking us. I just hope we don't have to deal with an entire band..."

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\n I hugged him tighter when he returned to the spooning position so I could feel his body against mine. "I won't let them hurt you. I'll try to be more help next time."

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\n "Okay. And Jase?"

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\n "Yeah?"

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\n "I lied back then... I still care for you... Good night," I felt him finally drift off into a state of sleep where I could safely kiss him on the cheek and whisper a goodnight to him before falling asleep with my hands wrapped around his waist and a huge smile spread on my face.

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