Chapter Text
A confused looking marble fox stood behind a countertop, the curved glass revealing a myriad of used video game systems and their accompanying games. Sweat seemed to be beading over his forehead, the vulpine shifting on both feet as if he was ready to jump out the back door and out of sight.
On the other side of the counter was a smartly dressed buck, a crimson suit combined with a forest-green undershirt that made his presence even more intimidating. His gaze only added to the ensemble, the poor carnivore feeling like he was being flayed inside out by that amber gaze.
“S-Sir, I just work here, I—”
“Then you can help me,” the cervid replied tersely.
“Wh—”
“Just point me to the best ones and I shall gather them myself.” He looked back to the shopkeeper, nearly making the early 20-year-old part-timer jump out of his fur.
“W-Well, it really depends on your definition of ‘best’?” the fox said with a soft cough to clear his tight throat. “Some people like the old 8 bit games, but some prefer the earlier 3D era, where—”
The fox’s words grated on Louis, the buck barely understanding what he was starting to go on about.
“Just…” He sighed, pinching between his eyes. “Pick a console and some of the best games for it. I don’t care which or what.”
“W-Well…”
“I’ll pay you extra.”
The fox blinked, stopping what he was doing.
“You. Personally.”
He blinked as the buck pulled a small wad of cash out of the inside of his jacket, the herbivore thumbing through it. He counted quickly in his head before offering a fistful of it to the vulpine across the counter.
The fox sputtered at how much was being offered, the insides of his ears warming up, turning a light shade of red as his eyes bulged. “O-Okay! I’m sure I can figure something out!”
Finally, progress.
A scarred lion leaning against the doorframe looked amused, his rough tongue hanging lazily out the side of his maw. Diamond white eyes watched as the small fox scurried back and forth, grabbing up an old console before quickly placing several old cartridges into a box.
It was always amusing watching the boss work his ‘charm’ on other animals. It was rare to see him flex his muscle outside of the Black Market, however. He had to wonder how he did it without resorting to physical threats. Something about that gaze just made animals go weak; all Louis had to do was fix them with one of those intimidating glares and he could make them do whatever he wanted.
Free was a little envious. However, he reminded himself that he had his own methods - namely a pointed object that was safely tucked away in his back pocket. Though, the fox at the other end of the room didn’t need to know that.
Louis impatiently tapped his foot, his jet-black dress shoe clapping quietly over the hard floor of the used game shop. He would have never thought to come to a place like this - never would have noticed it before. However, after spending more time with Agata, he had become keenly aware of its existence.
As Agata had opened up to him, he had learned that the lion was an aficionado of video games. Not only arcade games, the feline was interested in ‘retro’ gaming as well. Apparently it was just older video games, Louis had learned - like someone who enjoys and collects older music.
The Fox zoomed back and forth, collecting controllers off of a hanging shelf, wrapping them around the awkward W-handle shaped devices. Louis wasn’t even sure how one was supposed to hold them, the deer having to wonder if it had something to do with the strange sense of aesthetics animals seemed to possess in the 90’s.
Sealing up the box and placing it on the countertop, the fox quickly rang up the total for the intimidating deer. He nearly fell onto his ass as he was given another fistful of yen, the fox stammering - being cut off when the buck told him to keep the change.
A snap of his fingers and a point at the box caused the lion that was casually blocking the entrance to move. Free smirked, locking his eyes on the intimidated shopkeeper, tongue rolling out of his mouth in a way that made the vulpine stare.
It was so tempting to do something to make him jump; there was no doubt in Free’s mind that he could make the fox piss himself just by uttering a casual ‘boo’ at him.
However, this wasn’t the Black Market, and he wasn’t here to intimidate. He was here to help out Louis with his little ‘venture’, and he knew that he was on a short leash. Not wanting to lose his brownie points with the boss, Free snatched up the box in his arms, hefting it up against his suit coat before flashing the buck a nod.
Out into the world they went, the public having the good sense to give the pair a berth as they passed by. Free, unable to contain his curiosity, had already opened the sealed tape with a nail, peeking inside.
“Must you?” Louis asked with a sigh, rubbing at his forehead.
“ Heeey , I’m just curious what you got in there! Besides, I wanna make sure he didn’t give ya any junk.”
Louis’ pace slowed as he regarded the lion. “You play video games?”
“Oh, I used to! When I was just a kid,” he said with a laugh. “Good shit to escape from a shitty life before I started using dr— OOHhh-! ”
The buck nearly tripped over his feet, Free having stopped unexpectedly to bounce on his heels. “Damn, you got some good shit in here!” the feline exclaimed, his head half-buried into the box, only his round ears poking out the top.
“Please don’t coat them in saliva,” the buck said with a sigh. “We need them to work if we’re going to surprise Agata.”
“ Awww ,” Free cooed with a bump of his hips gently against Louis’. “Don’t you worry, Boss! I ain’t gonna hurt ‘em none.”
Louis’ mouth quirked to the side in doubt.
Piling into the car was easy enough, Free taking the back seat to keep an eye on their precious cargo as the buck started up the engine.
Their trip back to the Black Market was uneventful, the buck casually driving along as they passed by the older buildings and maneuvered through some of the tighter alleyways that led back to the tower.
Predictably, Free was still rifling around through the stacks of games. Louis’ ears swiveled every time he made a noise, trying to pick out if they were sounds of approval or disdain. He didn’t bother to try to pick out what belonged to what game, the herbivore too busily pulling into the back of the tower.
“Well, y’got a bunch of good ones in here! The guy didn’t skimp.” He snickered in amusement, sharp fangs poking out. “Probably knew what was good for ‘em, y’know? Don’t think he’d want us knocking down his doors later~”
The door kicked open with a pop, the lanky lion carrying the box as he followed the buck up the stairs and into the tower proper. There wasn’t anyone else in sight, most likely off doing their own thing as the pair ascended the stairs.
Up and up they went, following the contours of the tower as they headed to the buck’s bedroom.
“‘Ey, Boss?”
Louis craned his head over his shoulder, hands lightly stuffed into his pockets.
“You ever think about getting an elevator installed or somethin’?” He hefted the box a little higher against his chest, the cardboard managing to block his view of what was ahead. “Not that I’m complainin’! Just figured it’d make shit like this easier, y’know?”
“The tower is too old,” the buck informed. “Buildings have to be made with them in mind, Free.”
The lion hummed thoughtfully before his ears popped up in revelation. “How about an escalator!”
Louis’ brows furrowed as he let out a long sigh. “...Really?”
“Yeah!~” the lion said, his tufted tail flicking around behind him excitedly. “Think about it! Zoomin’ steps goin’ all the way up the tower and right into your bedroom!”
The buck’s brows furrowed even harder, continuing to shoot the lion at his side with an unimpressed look.
“I would rather not have other animals riding directly to my bedside.”
“Aw, c’mon!” Free bumped his hips into Louis, nearly sending the buck stumbling. “Think about how cool it would be! Y’could get breakfast in bed!”
Louis squinted at the feline. “And how does having an escalator change this? I can—and have— had breakfast in bed already.”
“Makes it cooler! Imagine one of us dressed up like your personal butler or somethin’! We come in through the door and just ride the track along right over to your—”
“I’m not entertaining this discussion anymore.”
“Aw, c’mooon!” Free whined, having to chase to catch up to the buck who was already pushing through his bedroom doors.
Louis looked around, half-expecting another lion to be in there. Thankfully, Agata’s freckled face was nowhere to be found.
Good. He wanted this to be a surprise.
Even if they were hard to come by, considering how tightly knit and close the members of the Shishigumi lived together.
Free plopped the box around, looking about the bedroom. “Well, this isn’t gonna do.”
“What now?” Louis asked with a long, drawn out sigh. “We didn’t forget to buy the cables, did we?”
Free waved his box back and forth, attempting to disarm the question. “Nah! Just that your TV is too new!”
“...My what?” the buck asked, staring incredulously at the pomp-wearing lion.
“Yeah! You need one of those old CRT TVs if you’re gonna play those games!”
Louis continued to stare at the scarred lion, his expression blanking - save for a small bit of curiosity. “You’re strangely knowledgeable about all of this.”
“Like I said!” the lion spoke, plopping the box down before popping it open. “Played a shitton of these games when I was little.”
The buck seemed skeptical, but he didn’t interrupt as Free unpacked the box. Beastendo 64… Even Louis had heard about Beastendo a few times in his life. However, like a lot of his much older peers, he considered all games Beastendos, having had very little experience with the subject before Agata.
And besides, it’s not like he had time for games when he was growing up. If it was tutoring or school, it was some form of extra curricular activity; a schedule packed to the brim from the moment he woke up to the moment his head hit the pillow.
By the time he looked again, Free was already setting things up, plopping the cartridges neatly next to the machine, three controllers hooked up to the system and ready to—
“Three?” Louis asked aloud, his brow arching. Free stopped what he was doing to look at the machine and back to the buck.
“Yeah! Three!” he answered excitedly, completely oblivious to the fact that this was supposed to be an activity for just Agata and Louis—even though the buck had made it quite plain beforehand. The herbivore ran a hand over his face, tugging on it hard enough the skin stretched - particularly the undersides of his eyes, bright pink showing up underneath those orbs before the skin snapped back into place.
“Oh, here! Lemme go get the TV!” Free exclaimed before Louis could have a chance to correct the lion’s enthusiastic assumptions. He was gone in a flash, the air breezing through the doorway, the sound of him thumping eagerly down the stairs being heard.
Louis found himself lacking energy to stay upright, the buck wandering over to the nearby bed before dropping into it. He exhaled softly, closing his eyes, allowing himself to sink slightly into the plush mattress.
Several long minutes rolled by without the sound of Free’s noisy return. Louis assumed the search would take a while; no doubt a TV that old would be somewhere in the dusty basement underneath the tower.
It wasn’t long until he found himself drifting off into a small nap, breathing slowing as he nuzzled his face into the nearby pillow.
***
A soft yawn was stifled behind Agata’s clawed hand, waving it around in front of his mouth. Next to him, Ibuki chuckled, looking out of the corner of his glasses warmly at the younger lion.
“Tired?” he asked, his tone a low, warm rumble.
The young lion shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe a little…”
“Recovery will do that to you.” He looked across the shelves of various chocolates, thin eyes peering down the rack. “You know, I could have done this for you. There’s no shame in me picking them out for you.”
Agata let out a low, discontented noise as he closed his eyes. “Nooo…” he whined, a petulant sound. “I want to be the one. It’s not the same if you grab it.”
Ibuki chuckled in amusement, adjusting the bridge of his glasses up his nose. “I do know what he likes, after all.”
“Because you’re his father,” Agata said with a long sigh. “...It’s nice that you’re able to take care of him like that.”
“It wasn’t easy,” Ibuki said with another rumbling chuckle. “It was difficult for him to let me in, let alone trust me to this degree.” He picked up a bag of chocolates, looking them over. Apparently they were branded for canine consumption, denoted by a red heart sticker with the shape of a dog’s head in the middle.
“I hope he’ll trust me like that someday,” the Congo lion muttered, holding up a set of chocolate of his own. Unlike the one in Ibuki’s hands, there was a sticker with a deer head attached to the heart-shaped box.
Ibuki laughed - a proper one that made Agata, and a few nearby patrons stop what they were doing. “You think he doesn’t trust you?”
“No!’ Agata exclaimed in response, feeling the warmth spreading from his cheeks, making his lighter colored freckles light up. “Just… I don’t know,” he muttered, thumbing along the edges of the box he was holding.
“If anything, I think his trust for you might run even deeper.”
Agata swiveled those blue eyes of his, regarding the older feline curiously.
“But don’t mind me. Ramblings of an older animal,” he chuckled to himself. He gestured with a clawed finger towards what was fastly held in Agata’s hands. “Find something he might like?”
The younger lion opened the box, pursuing what was inside. Various chocolates with all kinds of fillings met his eyes, all of them individually cupped in dark wrappers. They looked decadent, to say the least.
“I think so. These look pretty good.”
He moved to the front of the store to pay, but quickly found himself being blocked by Ibuki.
“At least let me pay.”
Agata huffed under his breath, ears folding back. “I thought you were supposed to be Louis’ father, not mine.” A large hand slid over Agata’s head, ruffling through his dark-chocolate mane. It wasn’t a bad feeling, and the younger lion found himself leaning into it.
“You’re both near the same age. You can’t blame me for feeling the same way. Besides,” he said with a quiet rumble of a chuckle. “I’ve been looking out for you since the day you first joined as well.”
He wasn’t lying. He often went to bat against Chief Lion whenever Agata’s ass was in the fire—taking the brunt of his punishment, both figurative and physical, all for the sake of protecting the younger lion.
Agata could feel his face heating up once more as he squeezed the edges of the box. The subject of a father figure was still a raw one, considering his own was long dead. He didn’t remember much of him due to the fact he perished when he was just a cub, but they were good memories regardless. A warm smile, a gentle and patient demeanor…
Just looking at Ibuki reminded him a lot of that - especially in recent years.
Part of him wished he wouldn’t have died, that he could have hung around and been part of his life. Though, in a way, he was glad that he was gone - as horrible as that might sound.
There was no doubt that that smile would have been worn to dust under the incessant, narcissistic barrage of his overbearing mother. Better to remember him as he was than to witness a slow erosion into a husk of his former self, Agata thought.
“Alright, I guess,” Agata finally responded with a small smile. Instead of taking the chocolates from him, Ibuki passed him a few yen - yen that went right into the till as the Congo lion exchanged smiles with the older clerk at the front.
It was a short trip until they were on the subway, the pair of lions bumping together as the train swayed gently on the tracks. Even though they were in casual clothes, enough carnivores nearby could spot members of the Shishigumi when they knew them, giving the lion their space.
Agata frowned slightly.
Even though being with the Shishigumi had its perks, it was a little disheartening to see other animals shy away from him. He had a kind heart, and it made it ache to see others cower away. Things had gotten better with Louis as their leader, but decades worth of iron-fisted rule didn’t go away in just a few small years.
At least getting away from the Black Market helped. Far enough and he could just pretend to be an average young 20-some-year-old lion.
Ibuki seemed to be enjoying the last of the peace and quiet, the Maasai lion leaning against the window, casually looking outside at the passing landscape. The sun was already hanging low in the sky, bathing everything in shades of orange and crimson. It was a beautiful sight, or so Agata thought, the younger feline watching intently before they plunged into an underground tunnel.
The shift caused the indoor lighting to automatically come on. The lights that ran along the outside of the tunnel flashed along the windows, casting faint shadows as they zipped along.
Ibuki had tipped the driver earlier, and apparently it had paid off - puns aside. The train slowed, pulling to a stop far before the usual destination. The pair disembarked, taking their bounty along with them. It was only seconds after their departure that the doors closed, the train already well on its way as it clattered off into the distant tunnel.
They walked along the abandoned terminal in the heart of the Black Market, the pair ascending cracked stone steps that eventually breached the surface above. A few turns down several alleyways and they spotted their tower home off in the distance.
The pair crossed over the bridge, easily slipping past the ever-watchful Sabu as they made their way inside.
“Well, that was enough excitement for me today,” Ibuki said, almost sounding like a stereotypical old man as he stretched his arms above his head. His t-shirt rode up, revealing some of the macabre ink that divided and marked up the feline’s left half. “Hope the two of you have fun. Tell Louis I said hi,” he said with a smile, exchanging waves with the Congo lion as Agata continued his ascent.
He probably shouldn’t have been walking as much as he was considering his injuries, but Agata didn’t really care about that. He was a carnivore, he would heal quickly. His priority is, and always was, Louis. Perhaps even more than ever, considering their budding relationship.
With a spring in his step, he ascended the stairs, even skipping a few as he jumped up, eventually reaching the final landing for Louis’ bedroom/office. He gave a gentle knock before pushing the door open - a courtesy he still wanted to give, even if they were boyfriends.
His gaze swept the room, missing a pair of immediate horns as he stepped in. He cocked his head at the large cardboard box that was plopped in the middle of the room, a soft noise of interest coming from him. It wasn’t until he was already deep into the room that he finally spotted where his boyfriend had absconded. Out, sprawled on the bed, was a red deer. He was still wearing his suit, though it was rather disheveled considering how he very un-gracefully landed in bed.
Setting his surprise present aside, Agata moved to the spot next to the herbivore. He reached out with dark furred fingers, gently unbuttoning the front of the buck’s shirt, working one after the other, more of that rust-red fluff coming into view as he went.
“ Mmmgata… ” Louis mumbled in his sleep.
A grin spread across Agata’s muzzle as he heard his name being called out. His fingers deftly undid the rest of the buck’s buttons, tugging it open. It was a simple task to lift him up to get the jacket and shirt off of him. He couldn’t help but giggle as he felt those arms wrapping around his neck, the herbivore clumsily clinging to him.
He didn’t hesitate, lowering his muzzle down, pressing his lips against the crook of Louis’ neck. The buck let out a soft gasp, tilting to expose more of his neck.
Agata knew how dangerous this was—how taboo, with him being a carnivore and Louis being a herbivore. But, that didn’t stop him. He kissed harder, working from the crook to just under Louis’ jawline, nuzzling in with a deep, pleased rumble.
He loved the way Louis gripped into his mane, those thin fingers digging deep into those dark-brown locks, tugging on them.
“Good morning,” he whispered teasingly against the cervid’s neck, giving it another soft smack of a kiss.
“ Mgghh… How long…?” Louis groaned, eyes barely opening a crack.
“Not very. You just took a nap,” the congo lion whispered in return, the pair mutually nuzzling muzzles as the buck arched up. His fingers worked down his lover’s broad back, the tips diving under the hem of the lion’s shirt as he squeezed.
“What’s in the box over there?” the lion asked, the burning question itching inside of him ever since he saw the strange thing in the middle of the room.
“Supposed to be a present for you…” the buck muttered, pressing his face into Agata’s jawline sleepily.
“That’s funny,” Agata said with a short laugh. “Because I got you a present.”
Louis’ eyes opened in confusion, having to blink the bleary orbs a few times to clear them. “...Excuse me?” He sat up, gently pushing the lion off of him, rubbing his palms into his sockets. “You’re the one who is injured, not me. Why?”
“Because I love you. And I’m glad you weren’t hurt,” Agata said softly, pressing a kiss to his buck’s lips. Before Louis could react, he felt something being pushed into his chest, held in place by his lover’s large hand.
Louis mumbled something unintelligible before taking the offered package. Looking down, his expression instantly melted upon seeing the heart-shaped object.
It was the first time anyone had gotten him a romantic gift like this - the stuff that he had only heard about during his time in school. Sure, there were fangirls who would try to send him unsolicited packages like this, but this… This was special . This was from someone that not only loved him, but he loved back.
Tearing into the packaging, he pulled open the heart shaped box, eyes widening as he saw the myriad of chocolates that were presented to him. Plucking one out, he examined it, giving it a few sniffs.
“...Did you go all the way across town to get these?” He checked the box; golden letters spelling out ‘Moose's Mousses’ were scrawled in fancy cursive along the front. The buck exhaled, feeling the insides of his ears starting to warm despite himself.
“It wasn’t that bad,” Agata said with a bashful giggle. “Besides, I needed to stretch my legs.”
“All the way to the other end of town?” the buck asked, raising a brow. “And to Moose’s Mousses nonetheless. Their chocolate is gourmet—this can’t have been cheap.”
Agata’s smile grew awkward, being reminded of the fact that he wasn’t the one that paid for it.
“Nope! They certainly weren’t.” He paused, looking for a change of topic, gaze drifting back to the mystery box that sat in the middle of the room. “So, a present for me, huh?”
“Well, it was supposed to be a surprise,” Louis said before a long yawn managed to tear its way past his lips. “But I see my TV crew hasn’t arrived yet.”
Agata gave him a look, tilting his head a little. “TV crew?”
“The old system isn’t compatible with modern TVs, or so I’m told,” the buck said, trying to stifle another yawn that forced its way out. One of his wide ears twitched, picking up on the sounds of movement outside.
Groaning, feet shuffling up the steps, Jinma the splotched lion struggled to hold up the end of a rather dusty and old CRT TV. Free was in front, guiding it along, doing the least amount of work out of the two, his tail flicking as he stepped up a few more steps.
“C’mon! Almost there!” he chimed, a cackle following his words, tongue lolling out as it was wont to do.
“I can’t believe you roped me into this,” Jinma growled under his breath, huffing, arms straining under his shirt as he balanced the absurdly heavy thing. “It was bad enough I had t’find this thing for you! Now you’re havin’ me drag it all the way up to the top of the tower!” He groaned loudly, legs wobbling. “Why couldn’t you just set it up in the lobby or somethin’ easy??”
“It’s for the boss!” Free responded, already pushing his back end through the doors to Louis’ bedroom. Jinma groaned under his breath, eyes screwed shut, sweat having beaded over his forehead from the strain as he gave one last push to get it into the room.
The TV’s far end thudded into the floor, dragging along. The sudden shift of weight caused Free to trip, the lion letting go of his end, the far edge landing right on his feet. He yowled, tail fuzzing up, the end of it in particular puffing to twice its usual size.
“FUCK,” Free bellowed, flailing, tugging his mashed feet out from under the heavy thing, grabbing at the end of his jet-black leather loafers.
“It ain’t my fault!” a beleaguered Jinma shouted back, leaning on the edge of the super-sized CRT. “I’ve been on the back of it the entire time! My arms gave out!”
Free massaged the end of his shoes, thumbs pressing in as he let out an exhale. “Well, whatever. Ain’t broken at least!” Just like it had never happened, the lion hopped up to his feet. He did the last of the pushing, moving the dusty monitor to the middle of the room. The plug unreeled from the back, the pomp-wearing lion plugging into a nearby empty outlet.
“Swear t’fuck this thing better turn on,” Jinma muttered, moving to the front of the TV, finding a button underneath the screen’s lip before pressing it. The box turned on with a startling ‘pop’, the screen fizzling, hissing as static appeared across it.
“‘Ey, look at that!” Free said with a clap of his hands. He was already plugging the console in, getting each colored cord where they belonged into the back. The lion didn’t even wait for the happy couple, already popping controllers in before slapping a cartridge of his choosing into the machine. With a flip of the switch, a red LED light turned on in the front of the console, the TV shifting away from static.
Jinma stared, watching the controller that was bobbed in his direction in Free’s hand. “...What?”
“You gonna play?~” Free asked, his tongue hanging disturbingly far out the side of his muzzle.
The other lion stared back, brows flattening. “What do you think I am, twelve? I ain’t stickin’ around.” He suddenly felt a brief flash of self-consciousness, spotting the other pair at the end of the room. “No offense! Eheh.”
The scarred lion shrugged his shoulders dramatically. “Your loss! Now scram! I got some chumps to beat~”
Jinma opened his mouth to remind Free that he shouldn’t speak of the boss like that, but decided against it. He wasn’t going to be part of this for any longer than he needed. With a wave, he bid farewell to Louis and Agata before vanishing out the doors and down the stairs.
“Free?”
The lion perked up at the sound of his boss calling his name, peering over the edge of the large TV. “Yeah, Boss?~”
“Go away.”
His expression immediately fell, ears flattening. “Awww! C’mon! Just one race!” He pointed a clawed finger to the cartridge that was nestled firmly in the Beastendo 64.
Louis could feel a headache rising. He knew that it was easier to appease Free than to just flat-out tell him no. It’s just how he worked - and how he was handled. “Fine. We can play one game.”
As predicted, it looked like Free was about to pop, the lion grinning goofily wide as he smacked the floor next to him invitingly. The pair shuffled over to him, dropping down, Free giving the buck next to him a playful hug that made the cervid recoil.
“Alright, so! This one is eaaaasy! Y’just drive your kart around! Real simple!” the older lion informed, flashing lights already displaying on the screen, showing colorful characters driving around in go-karts.
“...Cart? They ride around in shopping carts?” Louis asked, the confusion in his voice palpable. “How would that work? Do one of us push—”
“Go-karts, Louis,” Agata gently interrupted. A hand found the buck’s against his thigh, fingers lacing together as he gave a gentle squeeze. “You know: like mini-racing with smaller cars.”
Louis wasn’t entirely familiar with what his boyfriend was talking about, but it was enough to get him to close his mouth. Instead, he decided to examine the screen, quickly picking up on what he was talking about. Colorful characters sitting on small vehicles, driving around…and throwing various objects at each other?
“This seems barbaric. Why are racers hurling things at each other? Shouldn’t that be illegal?”
“ Yeesh ,” Free groaned next to him, dipping his controller down into his lap. “It’s jus’ fun, Boss! Doesn’t gotta make sense!”
Louis’ face scrunched as he continued to stare at the fuzzy, old display. “Even the best fiction is still rooted in realism.”
Agata’s brows furrowed. Better to leave him be when he’s like this - after all, it’s not imperative that it makes ‘sense’ for Louis. Just that he knows how to play.
The game started up easily enough, Free taking the first player slot as he jumped through the various menus. “Aw, man, this reaaaallly fuckin’ takes me back,” he muttered, that smile still plastered across his face.
“When you were young?” Agata asked, cocking a brow. “...Wait, you played video games?”
“Aaaaall the fuckin’ time!” the older lion laughed. “This game was the shit when I was a cub! Played it all the time at the halfway house I was stuffed inta!” The sticks clicked, the lion bringing up the menu, everyone finally gaining a modicum of control to select their characters. “This was waaaay back in th’ 90’s though! Don’t really enjoy the new games all that much, but shiiiit; give me an old console or a Beastboy~”
You learn something new every day , or so Louis thought as he craned his head to look at Free out of the corner of his eye. “So…which one is the best?”
“Th’ wha?” Free asked in return, looking confused.
“The best driver. I assume it must be the large spiked turtle. He looks regal, yet beastly.”
“Uuuhh…” Free scratched at his cheek with a clawed finger. “Well, there ain’t exactly a best one. Pick which one looks good to ya!”
“He’s got slow acceleration but heavy weight,” Agata chimed in. “It means he’s hard to knock around.”
“ Hrmph ,” Louis puffed up proudly, already selecting the oversized reptile as his driver. “A fitting choice, then!” Agata and Free picked their drivers, the former settling on the green garbed wolf in overalls while the latter picked…
“A pink princess?” the buck scoffed, giving Free a critical look.
“She’s pretty snazzy ain’t she? I’d pick that lioness any day!” he responded, a sharp snicker coming out of him. “And, no, it ain’t because I’m a horny fuck. She kicks ass.”
The course was selected, the game starting up, racers at the starting line as their engines rumbled through the TV’s old speakers. Despite the age, it seemed to be in fairly good condition. If they didn’t know better, it could have been assumed it was almost new—minus the layer of dust coating it.
“So, you hold down the A button to drive,” Agata explained, pointing at the buck’s controller. “Oh, and you hold it in the middle! Like this—” He took Louis’ left hand, moving it away from the left handle and to the one in the middle, slipping his fingers so they fit into the molded contours.
“This is…a very strange design,” the buck said awkwardly, looking down at the strange position his hands were now in.
“Well, they didn’t know if the thumbstick was going to catch on back then,” Agata elaborated. “So, they kept the design open, I guess. Hardly any games used the d-pad in the end.”
“Y’might wanna stop yammerin’ and pay attention,” Free warned, gesturing his controller towards the screen. The lights shifted from red to yellow to green, a chime playing as all the carts—except Louis’—went off. It took a moment of fumbling, but eventually the cervid got the hang of it, figuring out how to use the stick and keeping the button pressed at the same time.
Predictably, Free was in the lead followed closely by Agata’s driver. The scarred lion wore a devilish smirk as he used one of the side buttons to turn his camera around. Lining himself up, he tossed what looked like a banana peel straight behind him. The projectile smacked into Agata’s kart, causing him to spin out and lose distance, getting promptly left behind.
“Hey!” the Congo lion snapped, flashing Free a glare.
Free cackled over the noise coming from the game. “All’s fair, baby!~”
Meanwhile, Louis was slowly catching up, the buck getting a handle on the controls. One by one, he slowly passed the other NPC racers. The tip of his tongue poked out the side of his muzzle as he concentrated, brows furrowing. He was in third place now, watching the back of Agata’s green kart as he continued to drive.
“Woah!” Agata exclaimed as he was passed up, Louis having taken the turn harder than him, blazing past.
Free seemed completely undeterred, humming happily to himself as he comfortably held first place. It wasn’t until he was hit by a surprise shell that he broke out of his trance, spluttering. “H-Hey!” Louis blazed right past him, looping around his spinning Kart. His jaw slacked, as if he needed time to process what had just happened.
“Aw, hell no! I ain’t gonna be beat by a newbie!” Free said, an enthusiastic amount of competitiveness in his voice as he took off once more. It seemed that his second wind was short-lived, unable to get much further than Agata, the Congo lion interrupting his attempts to take the lead with whatever items he could get ahold of.
It wasn’t long before the race was finished, a triumphant Louis taking the first place. He leaned back, a smug smile pulled over his muzzle as he let his gaze drift to a flabbergasted Free. “So, how did I do?”
Free shook his head, as if clearing the shock from his brain. “Well damn! If I didn’t know better, I’d say y’played this before!”
“First time,” he answered with a chuckle, showing a small amount of humility in his win.
“Well, we still got the rest of the cup t’go! Don’t celebrate yet, Boss!”
It was over a half an hour later until they were finally finished. It turned out that Louis managed to maintain his winning streak, Free only managing to slip by and steal first place on one other course. On the platform stood Louis’ character, shaking the golden trophy around, Free in second with Agata being in a healthy third.
“Well, that was fun,” the Congo lion said with a pleased exhale, letting go of his sweat-slicked controller, running his padded palms along the sides of his pants.
“Indeed,” Louis replied coolly, a tinge of amusement passing through his tone.
“Well, deal’s a deal,” the older lion said with a chuckle, getting up, stretching his arms up over his head. “I’ll leave you kids alone~”
Agata snorted at the tone, crossing his arms over his chest. “How about I get us some snacks and stuff? We could make it a night together,” he said, turning his attention back to the buck that was practically snuggled against his side.
Free was already sauntering his way out by the time Louis answered. The buck smiled, flashing that boyish grin that only Agata got to see.
“Sounds like a plan.”
***
The snacks had been strewn between them, bags of chips, chocolates, beer, sodas—just about everything they had in the kitchen pantry. Both of them had snacked like crazy, having replaced a proper dinner with the stuff. Neither one cared, however. It was fun, and they were content to have a night binging on unhealthy foods together - to reclaim a childhood night they never were allowed to experience.
“So,” Agata spoke up, peeking over his shoulder at the buck beside him. “Having fun?”
Louis chuckled softly. “It’s certainly a learning experience.”
“I never thought you would pick up racing games so fast!” Agata said with a proud grin. “You look like you threw Free for a loop.”
The cervid shrugged his shoulders casually as the controller clicked, keeping his eyes on the glowing screen instead. “I suppose I might have found a niche I can perform in.”
Agata stopped for a moment, giving his lover a side-eye. “You are having fun, right?”
“What makes you ask that?” the buck asked, similarly losing focus on the game, craning his head to look at the lion. Agata’s face was framed in the blue-white glow, those similarly colored eyes staring down at him.
“I just want to make sure you’re having fun too,” he said gently, reaching out a hand, squeezing Louis’ thigh. “It’s not fun to me if you’re just forcing yourself to do this for me.”
Louis pondered over the earlier question, running it through his mind once more. “While I admit it isn’t my first choice, I’m having fun.” He chuckled softly before his expression screwed up. “It was fun seeing Free so flustered. I wish I had my camera.”
Agata giggled softly, his teeth showing as his eyes squeezed shut - a sight that Louis couldn’t tear his gaze away from. All the fierce features of a large carnivore with that gentle, boyish demeanor he had gotten to know so well.
They had turned back to their game, bumping shoulders, playing what looked like a cooperative platformer. While Louis wasn’t exactly swift at first, he was slowly picking up the basics, jumping timely over pits and keeping up with Agata’s avatar easily enough.
“I’m really glad you did this for me.”
Louis cocked his gaze sideways, looking at the lion who was still focused forward.
“Just…” He paused, his gaze dipping, smile turning bashful. “That you care this much about me—that you would go all the way out and buy all of this just to make me happy.”
Louis sighed softly, lowering his controller. “When you fell from that building…” He paused, biting at his lower lip, squeezing it. “I thought you were dead.”
Agata couldn’t exactly argue. It felt like he was going to die on the way down as well. He was lucky he only sustained moderate injuries instead of splattering across the dirty alleyway.
“I suppose it made me realize how much I treasure you, even if we’ve only just begun our relationship.” The buck swiveled the control stick around, spinning it a few times regardless of what his character on-screen was doing. “You mean a lot to me—more than any other animal I’ve had in my life. The idea that you could be gone in an instant…”
The lion’s ears folded back as he heard the subtle crack in the buck’s voice.
Both animals leaned into each other, shoulders pressed as they exchanged silent affection. As much as Louis wanted to nuzzle into his boyfriend’s neck, it would be a little too difficult with his horns, not wanting to accidentally poke the lion. He had already been through enough injury for the time being.
“Well, I’m not going anywhere,” Agata said with a soft smile, turning to kiss the top of Louis’ head - as if sealing in the fact.
Louis watched as Agata got up, moving over to the console, swapping out cartridges before getting the next game started up. They were playing some sort of party game, the buck easily recognizing the iconic characters from the earlier racing title.
As predicted, Agata was winning this one - not that he entirely minded. He was just having fun being with the lion. And, to be fair, he was a little buzzed from how many beers he managed to down so far, making playing those complicated minigames a little too much for his sloshing brain.
…Not that the other party was paying much attention to the game as well. Agata was giving his boyfriend the side-eye, equally as gorged on alcohol as the buck beside him. He reached out a hand, feeling over the cervid’s thigh, giving it a more-than-friendly squeeze.
Louis found himself enjoying the contact, moving his leg further in, encouraging the lion’s touch. Agata’s attention peeled further from the game, his fingers sliding further in around Louis’ thigh, thumb working along the soft fabric of his dress pants.
Why was he still wearing those anyway? It was late, and just the two of them together.
Louis let out a soft gasp as his button and fly was undone, the waist of his pants being tugged down his hips. He lifted himself up, shimmying out of the legs, kicking them off, leaving himself in just his form-hugging boxer briefs.
Figuring he should return the favor, Louis placed his controller off to the side before gripping the front of Agata’s pants. Just like his own, they were tugged down, the lion doing more to help considering their size difference. He gave his clawed feet a gentle kick, tossing his jeans onto the pile with Louis’ pants.
The lion blushed, watching as Louis didn’t sit down - doing quite the opposite, actually. The buck flipped around, bringing his knee so it slid around his hips, the cervid straddling around them as he sat on Agata’s lap. The lion put his own controller aside, a bashful smile painting over his muzzle as he stroked over his boyfriend’s back, Louis bathed in the old TV’s blue-white glow.
“ Mhh… ” Louis mumbled, leaning in, nuzzling into that dense mane that wrapped around his lover’s neck, taking in the earthy aroma coming from it. He could smell the citrus scents of his usual shampoo, but they were obscured slightly by his natural musk. It was a tangy mix, one that Louis found himself unable to get enough of.
Agata was panting softly, feeling Louis subtly grinding on him. Those rounded glutes felt divine against his rapidly swelling endowment, trapping it as the buck pressed his hips down. The game was all but forgotten at this point, the lion squeezing firmly, finding himself moving in time with Louis’ subtle movements.
He was being pushed back, those smaller hands exerting pressure on his broad chest as he was gently lowered onto his back. Louis’ lips were on his, sealing any moans, making them muffled as his lithe arms wrapped around his neck. They exchanged saliva, tongues working together, Agata twitching in need as he felt Louis not only pull in his tongue, but suckle around it as well.
This went on for minutes. Louis ground his rear back on his lover’s aching endowment, pushing it down in just the right way to make the feline’s boxers strain and grind along the underside of his shaft.
“W-Wow,” Agata muttered as their kiss broke, a few strings of saliva connecting their lips snapping. Louis fluttered his lids, giving his mate a sultry look, keeping his hands perched on his broad chest, using it to balance himself.
“Better this time?”
Agata eagerly nodded his head up and down, face fully flushed, the insides of his ears a warm shade of red. Louis seemed pleased by the reaction, reaching up, stroking over Agata’s freckled cheek with a thumb, the rest of his fingers curled into fluffy fur.
“I like to think I’m a fast learner,” he said with a sultry purr, leaning down, nuzzling against Agata’s broad, padded nose. The larger cat underneath him lifted up, planting a few short kisses over his lips, holding the last one for a few long seconds before dropping back down onto the floor.
“N-No kidding…” he said with a bashful laugh. “Wow…”
“And your night is about to get even better.”
Agata blinked, watching the buck get off of him, the cervid sauntering over to the double doors before shutting them, giving them a lock. His expression shifted to one of confusion as the herbivore went from the doors to the bathroom, flipping it shut. The soft hum of the fan could be heard, yellow-white light shining from under the door.
Huffing under his breath, the lion looked to the paused game that illuminated the rest of the room, then down to the aching bulge in his boxers that cast a shadow over his stomach. Deciding to throw the rest of his decency to the wind, he shimmied himself out of his undergarments, tossing them aside. His endowment smacked against his abdominals with a meaty ‘thwack’, a small shiver going up the big cat’s spine.
The sound of running water could be heard from the other side of the door. Whatever Louis was doing in there, it was taking him a while. Agata was almost tempted to get off of the floor and head over when the door suddenly popped open. The shift in lighting caused him to shield his sensitive gaze, forearm going up.
“Sorry about the wait,” Louis said, his voice cool and flirtatious, the buck’s lightly muscled form sauntering across the room. “Now… Where were we?”
Before Agata could get an answer out, he felt himself being pushed back down onto the floor by those hands. Fingers swirled around his taut pectorals, the buck tracing the curvature before finding a pair of dark-fleshed nipples hidden in his chocolate-colored fur. He let out a low moan as they were tugged, pinched between those blunt-nailed digits.
“Relax. Let me do the work,” Louis whispered, leaning down to speak into that round ear, his warm breath wafting against the sensitive insides, drawing a soft whine of a moan from the bigger animal below.
A soft gasp passed over Agata’s lips as those flat teeth bit down over the edge of his ear, the buck nibbling along it. He was hard—achingly hard. Louis ground his hips down, reaching back, pushing Agata’s large endowment between his glutes. He ground up and down, bouncing his hips, enticing a few loud moans from the lion as his sensitive glans passed over that winking, squeezing ring.
“L-Lou… I… A-Ah… ” he gasped, unable to form a proper sentence due to being so overstimulated. Before he knew it, Louis was shifting, the buck getting up, reversing his position. Right in front of Agata’s face were those perfectly sculpted glutes, that tufted tail sitting right above them, flagged up into the air.
He couldn’t stop himself as he leaned forward, barbed tongue already making the motions to lick between those beautiful mounds. He pushed his nose in deep, shoving it right into the base of that tail. A shameless moan shook from his chest as his tongue took a long drag from the buck’s taint to the base of that tail.
“Good thing I cleaned out, huh?” Louis asked with a shaky chuckle, a barely suppressed moan of his own coming out from the barbed stimulation of that wide tongue. “Like I said… I’ve learned a thing or two.”
Agata didn’t have a response - other than plunging his tongue between those glutes once more. Wet slurping echoed through the room, a sound that quickly became a duet as Louis plunged his lips around Agata’s twitching endowment.
The taste of salty precum only encouraged the buck as he took a deep breath. Suppressing his gag-reflex, the cervid dove down, swallowing his mate’s endowment. Agata was fairly large even by carnivore standards—but it wasn’t an issue. After all, Louis had been ‘practicing’.
Maybe after they were done, he might show off a few of the toys he had been using. But, for now, he had bigger issues to deal with.
Agata’s toes curled as he felt his lover’s damp, warm maw wrapping around his cock, swallowing it nearly to the base. He didn’t mistake a pair of fingers gently wrapping around his balls either. They squeezed gently, massaging and kneading them before sliding lovingly along the insides of his meaty thighs.
Reaching up, the lion grabbed at those glutes, thick thumbs sliding along the insides of them, prying those cheeks further apart. He buried his muzzle deep, pushing his barbed tongue inside of his lover, slurping and lapping noisily.
Louis could feel that warm appendage filling him up, stretching him wide. He pulled off Agata's cock just to vocalize how much he was enjoying it, muffling his moan as he wrapped his lips around the edges of his lover’s endowment.
Some of that precum splurted along the cervid’s cheek, the lion’s needy thrusting growing more intense, signaling that it was time to shift gears. Slowly, even reluctantly, he pulled away from the feline’s face. Agata grabbed at his rear, pawing at it, a soft, needy moan coming from him.
If Louis didn’t know any better, he would have assumed Agata was in heat, his face completely red, absolutely in sexual need, the poor cat shaking in his fur for release. Not wanting to blue-ball his boyfriend, Louis turned, pressing his chest to the lion’s laying on top of him.
“Ready for me?” the buck asked, his voice breathy as it whispered against the feline’s cheek.
The lion moaned, a low growling groan coming from the depths of his throat. “ P-Please… ”
He was glad that he brought a bottle of lube along with him from the bathroom, the buck picking it up from where he dropped it nearby. Uncapping it, he poured a generous amount over his lover’s shaft before giving it a few pumps. As much as he wished, saliva simply wouldn’t be enough for a pleasant experience.
Agata gasped a few times, his back arching as the cool liquid coated his cock. The lion’s toes splayed, curling as he pushed his knees up.
“There we go…” Louis mumbled quietly, moving his rear over the end of that cock, giving it a few more strokes before slowly lowering himself down. His expression screwed up, brows furrowing as his expression clenched. He sucked through his teeth as he felt the lubed glans push through his hole, stretching it even further than he was used to.
Large toys or not, it didn’t fully prepare him for the real thing.
Fueled by raw determination, the buck stifled a few moans as he rocked his hips up and down, swallowing his lion down inch by inch. “O-Oh fuck.. Ohhh… Hh… ” Agata whined, his voice taking on a higher, more submissive pitch as he felt those tight, warm walls. He grabbed onto Louis’ back, squeezing into it, doing his best to avoid overtly using his claws.
The raking points that traveled across his back sent a hard shudder through the buck’s body. He bucked harder, dropping himself lower, gripping the base of Agata’s thick shaft as he guided himself in. It wasn’t until he was fully hilted that he allowed himself a brief break, taking in a deep breath, allowing himself to stretch. The front of his stomach bulged slightly, the buck able to feel that endowment filling him up.
The pair of animals kissed once more, Louis’ arms wrapping around Agata’s neck as he squeezed himself tight to his lion. He noticed that the smooch was shaky, Agata having trouble holding himself steady, those large hands raking up and down over his back, nails coming through his rust red fur.
It was gratifying seeing Agata like this - turned by his own hand into a mewling kitten. It was a good look for him, or at least Louis thought.
The buck began to thrust, bucking himself up and down, working himself over Agata’s throbbing endowment. Not to be left out, he worked his own cock against those taut abdominals, loving the feel of those muscled contours against his drooling endowment.
“ MMgghh… ” Louis moaned, tongue popping out of his maw. Agata had reached between them, grabbing at his shaft, squeezing it a few times with padded fingers, working up and down, stroking it from head to base.
“I love you,” Agata muttered, his voice breathy, barely able to get the words past a short gasp of air. Louis returned the sentiments with another kiss, locking lips with his lover. His flat teeth bit Agata’s lower lip, squeezing down as he suckled on it, going so far as to tug on it a little as he bucked his hips.
The lion squirmed, knees going up before dropping back down as Louis jackhammered their hips together. Those glutes squeezed, massaging the base of his endowment, slick lube and copious precum dribbling and slicking it up. He gripped and squeezed wherever he could over his buck, barely able to see straight from the sheer ecstasy coursing through his system.
“ Ah-! ” Agata gasped, feeling his head being yanked back, fingers having gripped behind his head, holding onto his mane. Louis leaned in, wrapping his mouth around the lion’s neck, having nuzzled in through the dense mane - enough where Agata could feel those flat teeth pressing down, squeezing his neck.
“F-Fuck… L-Lou… I’m…I’m gonna… I can’t…” he gasped pathetically, leaning back, pressing his palms to the floor to keep himself up right. His eyes rolled around in their sockets before settling on going completely back. Louis could sense his lover seizing up, body flexing, everything going on edge. He slammed his hips home one last time, completely hilting himself as he braced himself for what was to come.
Warmth flooded through the herbivore’s insides, only making that full feeling more prominent. He huffed and growled, doing his best to sound dominant as he squeezed down over Agata’s neck, eliciting another gasp from his carnivore lover.
“MNnggh… Nnnff…” Louis moaned, letting go of his lover before sitting back over his hips, pressing his rear down over his cock. It wasn’t long before he felt that padded hand wrap around his own hard endowment, jerking it up and down. He wasn’t in the position to reject it, or even want to. He bucked his hips, shifting them in time with Agata’s shaky pumps.
“Nngg… I… Mmgg…! ” Louis seemed to have similar problems, biting off his sentence as he clenched his jaw, burying his chin down against his chest as he seized up. The first few ropes shot from his cock like cannonfire, splattering over Agata’s muzzle and chest - a few more painting his torso just for good measure.
“Holy Rex…” Agata muttered, his eyes unfurling from his head, his hand running over his face, pushing away some of the accumulated sweat from his forehead. “When…” he gasped softly. “When did you learn to…?”
“I might have done some research…” the buck admitted, his sexually dominant persona melting as he smiled bashfully. “I watched a few videos and looked up a few techniques. I’m surprised you liked it so much.”
“It was fantastic ,” Agata said breathily, leaning forward, hugging up his buck tightly, their sweaty bodies pressing tightly together. “How did I get so lucky?”
“With what?” Louis asked with a laugh, being squeezed tightly under those large, dark-furred arms.
“Getting a boyfriend this amazing ,” he said enthusiastically, pressing a hard kiss on the crook of Louis’ neck. His lips trailed up along his jawline, gently gripping his chin before planting a long smooch over the buck’s lips. He was absolutely infatuated, practically bubbling over with affection for his herbivore - something the alcohol in his system combined with the fuzzy afterglow was helping with.
Louis grunted softly as the kiss broke. Feeling the soreness starting to spread through his rear, the buck slowly got up. With a wet pop, Agata’s cock came loose, flopping flaccidly down between the lion’s thighs along with a fair bit of his own cum. A cold shiver went up Louis’ spine as he stumbled to stand, letting out a soft sigh.
“Shower?” Agata asked, already getting to his feet, albeit a little less shaky than his lover. His arm was already looping around the deer’s side, pulling him gently to him, steadying the wobbly herbivore.
“It might be for the best,” he said with a defeated chuckle. “I’m sure neither one of us would enjoy sleeping as we are.”
Taking the herbivore’s hand in his, he led him to the bathroom, flicking on the lights. The water for the shower came on easily enough, the spray hissing from the head above. They waited a few long seconds, Louis seeming the most tired out of the two - not that Agata could blame him. He was the first to step in, practically tugging Louis along.
The deer practically laid against the larger lion’s chest, nuzzling the side of his face into it with a low sigh.
“So, how was I?” he asked, a hint of apprehension in his voice - clearly nervous about his performance.
Agata blinked, looking down at the buck as the water soaked through his mane and down his back. “Are you kidding? That was amazing! ”
The raw enthusiasm made Louis’ face flush, a bashful look passing over the usually-confident cervid.
“I had no idea…” The lion stroked over his boyfriend’s back, trailing down to his rear to give it a gentle squeeze, coaxing a shudder from the smaller herbivore. “You’ve been stretching yourself out?”
“Mmh… Yes,” Louis replied sleepily. “The last two weeks. I’ve been working up sizes of—” he paused, almost feeling dirty saying the word. “ Dildos .” A small smile broke over Agata’s muzzle, unable to help it from the adorable display.
“We just had sex, Lou. You can say the word.” He leaned down, giving a kiss between those horns, nuzzling the end of his muzzle in.
“Ah… Y-Yes, I suppose,” Louis said with a short laugh, his arms wrapping tightly around the larger lion. It wasn’t long until the shampoos were uncapped, Agata making the first move to make sure the tipsy, tired deer was properly washed down before working on himself.
Out of the shower they went, the knob squeaking softly. Full-body dryers whired to life as the couple stepped on them, the worst of the water being excised. Agata held out his arms, putting them over his head as he shifted and twirled in the warm wind.
Louis watched, biting at his lower lip as he got an impromptu show of his boyfriend’s muscled form. While he didn’t compare to Miguel’s raw brawn, he was still the second-largest of the Shishigumi. There was a feeling of pride that swelled in Louis’ chest as he watched the show.
Brushing their teeth went by quickly, Louis unsure if he even managed to do it for as long as he should have. Sleep was creeping up on him, but part of him was glad that they were sharing a bedroom now. Agata placed his toothbrush next to Louis’ on the rack, red bumping against blue plastic.
“C’mon, bed,” Agata said warmly, tugging his buck along, having to guide the flagging buck towards the large bed. Louis dropped into it, sprawling out naked over the covers. He watched with lidded eyes as Agata turned off the console and the old TV, bathing the room in darkness.
The bed squeaked softly as the lion’s heavy weight rolled over it. Louis let out a soft sigh as he felt himself being turned and rolled, his boyfriend spooning up from behind. Their legs tangled, feet rubbing together as they nestled into each other's embrace.
It wasn’t clear who dozed off first, but it wasn’t long before both of them were completely out like a light, the exhaustion and alcohol in their systems ensuring they stayed that way.