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Chapter Text

Distance from Grape was good. The details dissolved, leaving simple blurred shapes. The issue was that the shapes didn't have clear boundaries, making some appear to overlap. 

His right arm and shoulder were on fire. He gritted through it, attempting to lift the weight up towards his chest yet again. The shapes brightened. Max couldn’t lift it more than a few inches; his arm butted up against a wall of pain, tiny muscle fibers tearing all so productively. He took a few breaths, and then he mirrored himself, repeating the whole ordeal with his left arm.

One shape was more clearly defined than the others. Max loved Grape more than anyone. The way she steadied his faltering confidence. Her ears tall and broad but not oversized. The way she stretched in the morning, trembling against him. A shape that shined over everything. It was hard to tell when shapes were just shadows.

Max huffed, the weight hanging in his paw. He let it bounce harmlessly to the floor. As his pulse subsided, the unhiding talk of the club’s other occupants faded in. Even with the unshakable impulse that dogs were inherently less attractive than his own species, he couldn’t ever maintain that view when he looked at Sasha. The glare from the windows made her glow. One leg raised high off the yoga matt, her arms spread-eagle. So flexible. And of course, there were her boobs.

He putzed around, stretching, pretending not to listen to Sasha from across the room. He didn’t have to try very hard to pretend. His own thoughts, and the pulse in his ears, were very loud.

“I don’t get it,” Duchess said loud enough to cut through the fog. “Is he trying to impress her?”

Duchess was looking at him. She was just as pretty as Sasha, but much less attractive. Duchess raised her nose. Sasha grunted something to her, her body raised into a peak where her tail waved at the summit. 

He tried not to imagine what they were talking about, selecting heavier weights and heading back to the bench. He couldn’t lift the bar the dogs used. Free weights were his only option. If he ever needed to make himself feel better, he thought about the number of house cats who he ever saw lifting weights, or the number who could lift the bar. The number for both was zero. But all that meant was that he was left comparing himself to who did lift weights. He locked his elbows at ninety degrees, eased himself onto his back, and lifted up.

In one of his more embarrassing encounters, Mungo instructed him how to keep his shoulder blades tucked back, his chest puffed out, how to push up hard and then ease down till it touched his chest. Mungo demonstrated this by lifting more weight than Max could reliably add. Max then took to the bench with weights smaller than Mungo’s paws, the other K9s watching straight-lipped.

Thankfully, he’d since graduated to weights slightly bigger than Mungo’s paws. Once death felt imminent, he dropped the weights to the ground with modest amounts of grace.

“Hey, Max!” Sasha said.

Maxwell grunted out a breath, tilting his head way back. Upside-down, Sasha waved. He pulled himself off the bench and walked to the other end of the room.

“Hey Sasha,” he said. Their eyes were both on him, but he was too tired to worry about how he carried himself, how he leaned against a rack of jump ropes.

“We wanted to ask what you’re doing,” Duchess said. She said it casually. His stomach felt heavier. He sighed.

“I’m lifting weights.”

“Uh-huh. Why?”

“Why not?” Max grunted. “Why aren’t you?”

“Be nice! We do sometimes,” Sasha said.

Duchess eyed him, solving for something. He murmured an apology. She broke her pose, walking up to him, a paw on the same rack of ropes. “Just doing you, then? Not looking to impress?”

Her phrasing felt forced. He tilted his head. “I don’t need to impress Grape by lifting.”

Duchess closed the distance, making their height difference obvious. He held his ground. She sniffed him, pressing a finger to his chest. “Not Grape, your side-chick, Tarot.”

Max stepped back. “What?!”

Duchess just smiled, chest puffed out. Sasha grumbled. “Duchess, show me how you do cow face.”

“What did you call me?” Duchess said, snapping her head over.

Sasha scrunched her lips sourly. “The pose! Cow face!”

Duchess locked her eyes on him without turning her head. “Fine. Have fun with the rest of your set, Max.”

Saying nothing, he headed back. The shapes were all different now: sharp, reflecting so much light it made his head spin. Lifting seemed easier at first, but the last few of his reps felt insurmountable. He moved onto the last exercise, an awkward one, and proceeded to drop a weight on his face. It clattered to the floor. 

Duchess snorted. “You good?”

Max put the weights away, striding out of the room.

“Are you okay, Max?” Sasha asked.

“Fine,” he murmured.

Hot water made things better. No self-respecting cat liked showers, but he needed to be away, clear his head. Duchess was always going to be a pain. Nothing he could do about it, nothing he needed to care about. By the time he was drying his fur, the throbbing in his cheek faded into a gentle pulse. He dodged a black eye by an inch, but a feeling of gratitude was entirely too much to ask of himself.

He walked out. The world was a mess. Snow melted so fast a river ran down the sides of the street. Dry patches of sidewalk were interspersed among great oceans of slush and ice. He should have showered at home. Dodging the biggest puddles, he thought about when things were more navigable. Which made him think about double-penetrating Tarot.

Chapter Text

Last week, the sidewalks were lumpy with trodden snow. Ice slippery, near melting. The D’Angelo house only had a shovel’s width of sidewalk exposed. He tried to be thankful for that much. He could relate. Shoveling sucked.

A shiver passed from deep down. Possibly dread from the house’s intentionally dilapidated aesthetic, or maybe fear of failure. He bounded up the steps, ignoring the sensations.

Sabrina greeted him. They were similar heights, but she seemed to stand more on her toes, her fingers drumming on the end of the door. 

“Max, hey,” she said.

Under the weight of his current failings with Grape, his history with Sabrina didn’t even register. He let out a long breath, which seemed to calm them both. “How are you?” he asked.

He kicked out snow from his paws. Slinging off his scarf, he felt Sabrina looking at him. He tilted his head at her. Immediately, he regretted inviting the question. He didn’t want to talk about Grape. Not with Sabrina. The prospect was terrifying enough that he eyed the stairs, ready to run. But his ex spoke.

“I won’t ask you about Grape.”

He almost sighed.

“But won’t it be awkward with just Tarot and Peanut?”

“Is he here yet?” Max asked.

“I haven’t heard them—I mean—seen him, no.”

He shrugged. “Why would it be weird?”

“No reason,” Sabrina said, perking up. He narrowed his gaze. “Was just curious,” she said. “About the dynamic.”

Max managed to lick the back of his paw, keeping himself relaxed. “The dynamic is that Tarot is super hot.”

Sabrina still stood stock-still. “Ah. Just checking. For no reason, like I said.”

He nodded like she wasn’t hiding something. Sabrina took an interest in the ceiling. He wondered if he could just walk upstairs now. But Sabrina was clearly trying to make herself say something, testing out words on her lips. “Still though,” she said. “It is kinda cute you’re getting familiar with canines now.”

“Yyyeah, sure,” Max said, holding his breath.

“I remember you were very opposed. Learn anything interesting?”

“Um. Anyways I’m going to go this way,” he said, pointing, shuffling back, then springing up the creaky stairs.

He closed himself in Tarot’s shadowy room, ready to catch his breath. He was greeted with a sight. Tarot had one leg up, her head bent toward her crotch, tongue hanging down. And her incredible scent, heavy in the air like he got a spritzed in the face with an air freshener.

Sketch by Kaboozey ( art link )

“Oh. Sorry for not—” Max said, sinking to the floor.

Tarot uncurled herself, sitting normally. “No, it’s okay.”

“—knocking.”

“Look,” Tarot said after a moment. “I already washed my butt out with soap, I just wanted to smell more normal.”

He held his paws up to stop the explanation.

“Did you want to get a better look?”

He hesitated, which Tarot picked up on. He rushed to speak. “You smell really good. It’s just that I got done with a really awkward conversation with Sabrina, and now it’s awkward here too.”

“What were you talking about?”

Max waved his paw to dismiss it. “It was just awkward.”

“Awkward things sometimes lead to more interesting fun things,” she said.

“I guess,” Max grumbled.

Tarot tucked her legs up. She tapped her bed. “It’s true. Come here.”

They talked for a while, sitting beside each other. Tarot pried out details from his conversation with Sabrina, creeping her paw over and massaging his junk. Clearly she was used to Peanut’s dick. His spines got in the way of her upward strokes. Now that he had time to reflect, he admitted it was a little weird to not have the usual balance of sexes.

Tarot kept asking things. She was literally seducing him, but he didn’t care. She was mostly right about awkward conversations. Still, he’d sooner forgo all sex than talk about himself and Grape directly.

Steps approached, and without a knock, Peanut walked in. He was tearing open a condom. He gasped at them with a broad smile.

“Tarot, are you cheating on me?”

Tarot let out a breath, decided against whatever she was going to say, then said, “Waiting for you. Who’s the condom for?”

“You and me?” Peanut said. “You didn’t want to?”

“We were going to–”

“Oh right!” Peanut said, wagging his tail.

Tarot giggled, a sound Max couldn’t remember hearing before. “How’d you forget what we were doing?” she said.

“Breath of the Wild,” he said.

She narrowed her sights on Peanut’s junk. Max glanced down. Peanut was already half unsheathed, already bigger than him. There was no reason to be jealous. He was a cat; cat’s were smaller. It didn’t matter that Peanut’s dick was the only dick he ever got a good look at. He told himself. No. If anything, Peanut’s size was just impressive. No wonder it took them so long to try anal.

“The regular way, right?” Tarot asked.

“Yeah, then Max can be up front. That’s always cute.”

Tarot gave a little nod, drumming her fingers on Max’s thigh.

“Cute?” Max asked.

Peanut shrugged easily. So sure of himself, almost impossible to make him uncomfortable. Tarot and Peanut conversed further, finding lube, getting ready. They were never quite in equilibrium. They maintained a mix of seriousness and mirth that captivated him. Max felt a pang of discomfort, actual jealousy. He was intruding on something. To calm himself, he picked out the romances Tarot and Peanut shared that he and Grape had. Still had.

Tarot brought him back, kissing his shoulder. “Do you mind taking it easy while me and Peanut get started?”

“Yeah. Yeah, sure.”

“In that case. Peanut, I wanted to show you something.”

“Is it your butt?” he said.

Tarot stopped turning around. “Was it that obvious?”

“You’ve made that joke before.”

Tarot humphed. She turned around anyway, raising her tail. “In that case, I’ll just put this thing away.”

He could almost hear him and Peanut unsheathing. She had amazing curves. Her asshole was wet from her licks, a few tidy creases catching the glow from her amber lamps a hundred ways. The fur all around her crotch was speckled with moisture. Spit, excitement. 

Max swallowed. “He didn’t mean it,” he said.

Tarot tried to get him to take Peanut’s place. Max shook his head. He didn’t want to compete. The similarities between this situation and his conflict with Grape dawned on him, ruining his mood.

Eventually Peanut and Tarot came to a compromise. Peanut walked on his hands and knees up behind Tarot. He grabbed her tail and sniffed her butt. Max rolled his eyes until he remembered it made sense for once. Peanut made little licks across, a smile in his closed eyes. Tarot relaxed her front half down, breathing through her nose.

Another pang of jealousy. Peanut didn’t need to spend so much time with Grape. He had Tarot. The memory of Valentine’s day seared bright: Grape told Max she was too sore.

“Max,” Tarot murmured.

“What? I mean,” he said, trying to breathe normally. “Yeah?”

“Did you want me to blow you?”

“Maybe,” he said.

She must have thought he was kidding, or was too lost in the haze of what Peanut was doing behind her to notice. “Don’t be shy,” she said, sticking her tongue out, panting.

Max nodded. Seeing her breathe like that reminded him that yes, he did like blowjobs. His hangup with Grape and Peanut was overblown. He just couldn’t quite shake the feeling yet. He didn’t know how.

He shuffled over. Tarot nuzzled under his taper, sniffing his sheath. His worries disappeared watching her there on his lap. Soft kisses nudged his balls to one side. Warm breath surrounded him. A sudden lick lifted his penis up. He hummed, spines pressing to his dick, hips clenching. He found a place to put a paw, petting her head. She looked up at him, licking, smiling. He smiled back. She latched around him, lowering all the way, squeezing.

“Ah!” he gasped. “Woah.”

Peanut lapped behind her wagging tail, his head moving with his laps. Tarot only copied his enthusiasm. Her grip on Max didn’t wane. Ever since that first blowjob, he was impressed by her. Her tongue was so smooth. It all just made him want to cum right away, feel the added moisture slipping against his spines, the spike of pleasure urging the rest out of him. But the slow build, the slip back halfway and the thud when she took all of him. Her grunts. Tarot was really cute. Short, curvy. Hard not to see the appeal.

“Oh dog. Close,” Max grunted.

Tarot pulled off, looking around the room. Her tremble shook the bed, Peanut’s digits under her tail. “I’m close too.”

She welcomed him back in. Max gasped, gripping her head. She nodded. He tilted his hips up, carrying himself along her tongue. He couldn’t keep himself together, gone to the pleasure. Faster made things feel better, Tarot still pressing back. He played with her ears, his head raised, moaning and thrusting. Peanut joined him in kneeling, watching him and sliding his dick against her butt. Max didn’t care. He pushed up close, held her to his sheath, cumming. He could never thrust as much as he wanted to. Every movement brought pinpricks of sensitivity. Tarot licked up along his ejaculating taper. He grunted, looking at the mess he made on her snout.

“Nice job, Max!” Peanut said.

“Thanks,” Max sighed.

Tarot put a paw on Max’s butt, keeping him in front of her.

“Ready, honey?” Peanut asked.

She licked her lips. “Did you get enough lube back there?”

“Lots!”

“Well okay. I know you’re excited. Please just go slow.”

Max found himself getting a good look. Peanut’s dick was resting on her back, drenched in lube. Peanut grabbed himself, angling just-so. “We did our reading,” Peanut said, sticking his tongue out to the side.

“I know, it’s just—eep!”

“Too much?” Peanut asked.

Tarot struggled to speak, nudged up against Max's sheath. “No, no, it’s fine. Just different.”

Peanut wasn’t holding his dick anymore, but a lot of it was still visible. Max remembered to look away, rubbing his lips together. Tarot’s paw found his penis, so he stayed where he was, letting himself feel horny along with them.

The two dogs rubbed and wiggled and talked their way closer together. It was all unbelievably embarrassing to listen to. Even more embarrassing: Max found out he was turned on by it, growing in Tarot’s paw. Peanut rocked against her butt. Tarot gripped Max’s sack. He held in a grunt bubbling out of him. He tried to speak.

“Tarot, did you want to, uh–”

She licked his slippery penis, her face flush but no longer tense. “Sorry, was distracted by the dick in my butt.”

“Understandable,” he managed to say.

A delicate balance formed. None of them were ever quite in a position to get off. Anal was a slow affair. Not very much pumping, just continuous stretching and rubbing.  Peanut hugged Tarot’s backside, sometimes just wiggling and enjoying where he was. Tarot didn’t have much leftover bandwidth for Max. Just a slow tease.

“Tarot,” Max said, scratching the side of her head. 

Tarot slipped off. “Uh-huh?”

“I have an idea.”

He should have felt embarrassed. It brought him and Peanut too close together, and he already got a fantastic blowjob out of this encounter. He should have just let her keep sucking for as long as they both enjoyed it. 

Peanut kept her ass stretched. Tarot lay on her back on top of him. She kept her legs spread, panting from the exertion. Soaking in the view of her, of the dick stuffing her butt, he figured out where to put his legs. Even with all the care in the world, he’d be bumping into Peanut. He had to not care. That was what he wanted with all this in the first place.

On top, Max was practically straddling Peanut. It was worth it. He held Tarot and pushed inside. Her vagina squeezed his spines to his shaft. She was so tight, Peanut’s dick only an inch below. Their work brought extra heat wrapping around. 

“How is it?” Peanut asked, nuzzling Tarot’s bare neck. 

“Feels like I have two guys in me,” Tarot murmured. She moved her tongue around her mouth like she was trying to understand the flavors of a new dish.

“Can I tell you something about this?” Max asked, catching her gaze for a second before looking away.

“Yeah?”

“I’ve never felt you this tight before.”

“She’s super tight!”

Tarot grunted.

“No, really! Thanks for trying this, honey,” Peanut said. He soothed the fur on Tarot’s belly, looking at Max. “Make sure to make her shake so she feels it in her butt too.”

Max short-circuited. “Sure,” he said after who-knows how long.

Tarot laughed.

Max caught Tarot’s eyes and started moving. The squish was delightful. His balls rubbed to her, making him smile. It was great to mate with her no matter the circumstance. He was glad to have already cum. He might actually get to enjoy the intimacy.

“Make sure to tell us if it gets too uncomfortable,” Peanut said.

“It’s,” she started to say. She paused, distracted. Max might have been making a funny face. “It’s really good,” she said. “You can go harder, Max.”

“Yay,” Peanut said.

Max murmured a “yay” back. He took Tarot’s paws. Letting his weight fall, he squished Tarot between them. His hips did most of the work. He grunted, thrusting deep. Tarot let out an “oh.” Then again, more breathily. Max raised his head. Even against his balls, she felt snug. 

Then Max startled himself. His sack felt snug because he was rubbing up against Peanut. Max stayed in, trying to process this information. But he couldn’t yet. It felt too good to keep Tarot moving, to see her mouth always a little open. He smacked his sheath up against her, judging how fast to go. It wasn’t hard to imagine he could make her cum, his pumps helping Peanut wiggle his shaft further in, making Tarot tighter all the while. His balls slipped on Peanut’s knot more and more, thrusts carrying his sack around the curve of the knot before smacking against Tarot, still held up on Peanut’s shaft. Tarot grabbed Max by the shoulders, watching through a haze of sensations, her legs trying to find the strength to grab his hips through the ragged breaths, the fur-raising sensation of pulling back through her slippery walls, the added contact when he plunged all the way in. When she clenched, he and Peanut both grunted. 

Tarot moaned, head falling back. That was all it took. He managed two more thrusts. He was already cumming during the first. Staying pressed up to Tarot’s crotch, he filled her as best he could. He couldn’t imagine he had a lot left, but all the pulses made it feel like he did a good job. Tarot seemed to appreciate it, hugging him close. Peanut thrusted, almost beyond his perception except for the slip against his balls. 

Peanut whimpered. “I’m really close, Tarot.”

Tarot kissed Max. Max looked back: surprised, then conflicted. Tarot shrugged away the concern. “You wanna flip around and finish?” she asked.

“Sounds really good,” Peanut said.

Max slipped out through the mess and let them do their thing. Tarot kept her butt up but nothing else. Peanut held her, pushing and pulling out of her ass with continuity. Their noises were anything-but. Peanut grunted, pressing deep. Tarot moaned, long vowel sounds flowing out of her lungs.

Max stopped playing close attention. He contemplated everything, head clear. In the weird way that he was used to feeling, Peanut was cute. Not enough for a dinner date, or even anything. But there was that fact. Despite the enviable amount of action with Grape: kind of cute. The cum Max had lodged in Tarot dripped to the blankets from between her legs. Tarot gripped at the blankets. Her tail shook along with her butt from Peanut’s thrusts. Tarot raised her head, eyes closed. By the time Peanut was creaming in her, Max had switched from jealousy and back to appreciating the cuteness. No, nothing made sense.

One week later, thinking about all this, Max caught his foot on the uneven sidewalk. Cats can only land on their feet if they have the vertical space. He stumbled and fell into a mess of icy sludge and water. Salty grime soaked his whole front side. Grunting, he stood and wiped his eyes. Then he limped home.

Chapter Text

A certain amount of toleration happened when forced to live with a jerk. Once they’d explored every avenue of how to hurt each other, it wasn’t very interesting any more. So once Max made it inside, he didn’t expect anything out of Bino. Definitely not to remember that it was the day he was adopted. 

Bino was sitting on the couch, watching something loud. Max made an effort to walk normally. They made eye contact. Bino raised a paw before letting it fall back onto his belly. Compared to their youth, that was outright pleasant of him. Max nodded back.

He headed towards chopping in the kitchen. The iron of raw steak, the sweet starch of thick-sliced potatoes and carrots, wafted from the countertops.

“Hey there, cat,” Jeff said. It was the first time he saw Jeff today. Jeff was usually at work by the time he woke up. Rinsing his hands in the sink, he squinted at Max. “What happened to you?”

“Fell.”

“Ah, well, hope you’re not leaving tracks. Clean them up if you are, please.”

“Okay.”

Max kept his eyes on his owner, waiting for the words ‘happy adopt-day’ to leave his lips. Jeff looked around, frowning, leaning back on the counter. “Hungry? I think we can spare some steak for you and Bino.”

Maxwell’s eyes burned, throat closing up. “Thanks,” he muttered, walking away.

Jeff said something about Grape, but the words were all blurred together. His vision blurred next. He couldn’t do it anymore. He couldn’t. Stumbling up the stairs, he closed himself in his favorite closet and kept the lights off. Holding himself close, he let tears wet his arms and paws. All the bad things that he could remember piled together. The things he knew were wrong with him, things he was sure everyone else saw as clearly as he did. The fact that no one cared enough to remember his adoption day. He sucked in air, trying to let the cold air calm him down, but the pain just sat in his gut. 

Rolling onto his side, he made an effort to feel that he was wrong. One shape, her light distant, tried to soothe him. She knew his faults and loved him anyway. One old shape, withered and near death, whispered her love might just be pity. With enough tears, he was exhausted enough to relax his eyes and try to nap.

It didn’t work. The television downstairs, Jeff and the rest of the family, kept reminding him things were wrong. His phone chimed, a text icon brightening the center of the screen. He typed in his code. It was Grape.

“Happy adopt day!” she sent.

Several messages sat above, collecting dust. He tried not to read through them again but couldn’t help it. 

“Call me when you want to talk.”

“Missing you <3”

“I know you said not to feel sorry, but I do. I shouldn’t have said so much about it. Not a guilt trip, just xoxo.”

“Don’t worry if it’s been a while. Luv u.”

“Remember that water balloon war? Is it weird that I miss that?”

“Stay strong babe. Not giving up on you.”

“Happy adopt day!”

Max wiped off his eyes. He heard her in every message, the softness in her low voice.

He typed thanks. Glaring at the screen, he willed himself to type more. He smooshed the send button.

“Thanks. Miss you too.”

Grape was quick to send back the various hearts. Max laughed once, staring at them, then turning off his screen. He ducked out of the closet. Another shower released the gravel from his fur. He was getting sick of feeling sorry for himself, at least for today. Finding the thickest towel he could, he rubbed himself head-to-toe. Another chime. He tried to ignore it until he was satisfied with the lack of water in his undercoat.

“Want to celebrate a little with us?” Grape sent.

“Us?” Max sent back, being difficult.

“Whoever you want. It won’t be a big thing. No presents, sorry. Party hats not required.”

Max sat at the top of the steps. The air smelled good: medium rare steak, steam from the potatoes and carrots. There were forks clinking on plates, Bino chewing on kibble close by. He smirked at the last part of her message. He rooted around in all the closets till he found one. Sparkly plastic streaming from the top, a cone of gray glittered paper. An elastic string to hold it on the partner's head. Max gripped it, on the verge of smashing it, smiling at the absurdity.

Max spun the party hat around on his finger, looking deep into the night, past the lights, into the forest. He walked slowly, keeping track of the sidewalk. He was brought back to the days right after the sauna. Things seemed to make sense to him then, even when they didn’t to everyone else. There’d been some naivety to that. Now the others had moved on without him. It’d be easier without him. Less planning, fewer emotions to deal with.

He felt more balanced, sensing the lies he was telling himself. Still, there was one shape he couldn’t make out. To talk it through with the others would sound petty, or like he was trying to guilt-trip them, or just be plain embarrassing. Maybe he wasn’t ready to talk about it. Maybe with enough time—weeks, months—all the thoughts would organize themselves. Details would be lost forever, but he could find new ones to replace them.

It wasn't nearly long enough of a walk to Tarot’s house to make up his mind. But that was okay. He was getting sick of the slush.

He knocked rhythmically on the door then let himself in. One deep breath, and he’d see Grape again. There she was.

“Hi,” he said.

Grape said nothing. She crept up on him.

Grape wrapped her in a hug. He wrapped back. He was lost in it. So many distant shapes fighting for the front row of his vision. He closed his eyes, wet again. Blinking the wetness into uniformity, Tarot was looking up at him. Grape took a step back, lips tight, her arms held close. Her tail swished, frustrated at the lack of resistance it encountered. She shook her head. “Sorry. Thanks for coming. It just feels like it's been so long.”

He didn’t have anything to say except to agree. He should have expected she’d be mad. Like finding a friend alive at the bottom of an icy crevasse. “Thank heavens you’re alive, but how could you be so stupid?”

But Grape didn’t say that, possibly didn’t mean it. So he strung the moments where he was holding himself together together. Tarot led them past the kitchen to her living room. Weak flames wept upwards from blackened logs. The television mirrored a better version of this, speakers making thick hickory logs crackle.

“Peanut thought he was funny,” Grape said.

“It is funny!” Peanut said. He turned his head to Max, more subdued. “Hey Max.”

“Hey.”

“Thanks for joining me and Tar last week. That was fun.”

“It was,” Max said, straining on his collar, waiting for someone to speak. When no one did, he turned to the lady they'd been sharing. “Hey Tarot, could–”

“Oh right,” she said. “Did you want an orange soda? Anyone else?”

Tarot was either unusually observant and recognized his nerves, or was still holding onto some abilities. Either way, he had a second to talk to just the relevant parties. But Grape beat him to it. 

“I didn't mean to sound ungrateful you're here. It's been hard on both of us, right?”

“I know it has,” he said, counting down the seconds till Tarot was walking back. He felt his ears lower. “I missed you, but I didn't know what to say.”

Grape's shoulders relaxed at this. She sat, holding her paws on her lap, the tip of her tail swishing on the back cushion. “What did you want to do tonight?”

Max surveyed the room, trying to keep a dozen numbers in his head. He leaned forward, hiding his mouth behind his few remaining cards. “Tarot,” he decided. “Do you have any fours?”

“Go fish, Max.” 

He took one from the dwindling pond. 

“Do you have any Jacks?”

Max snorted, glancing at Grape beside him. He handed over his Jack. Tarot laid down her remaining cards on the table, a smirk on her face. Grape sighed, tossing her cards back into the pond.

“Are you sure you're not cheating?” Peanut asked.

“Of course I'm not,” Tarot said. “If I was cheating, I would have won five turns ago.”

Max groaned, letting his fish fall and putting his paws on his face. “She was playing with her food.”

“I'm kidding!” Tarot said.

“You're what?” Peanut said.

“It was a joke.”

“You know how to tell those?” Peanut raised his paws to shield himself. “Kidding!”

Max drained his can of soda. He sat back, brushing up against Grape. Feeling her body heat again was the greatest thing ever, but an itch from her fur remained.

“Thanks for being here, guys,” he said.

“No problem?” Tarot said.

Grape flicked a finger through the fur on his thigh. “Long day?” she asked.

“Something like that.” He started organizing the cards back into a pile, but he felt the other’s eyes on him. He stopped. “I don’t really want to talk about it.”

Grape grunted her frustration.

He forced a smile. “It’s fine, it’s just awkward, and…” His words ran out. “I know, it’s dumb. We’ve all been very intimate with each other. But Grape is still my girlfriend, you know?”

“I see,” Grape said. She stood, grabbed Tarot and Peanut by the arms, and pulled them from their couch. “I need some alone-time with my boyfriend. You guys play Fifteen Minutes in Heaven in the closet.”

“This is my house!” Tarot said.

“Too bad. Make out with our boyfriend.”

He crossed his legs and listened to Grape push them up the stairs, then she rejoined him on the couch, catching her breath.

“So what is it?” she said.

He stared down. Talking through their emotions was second-nature. It never made him feel this anxious. “I don’t want you to feel sorry for me,” he said. “I feel like if I do tell you, then you’re supposed to give me affection, and I won’t be able to tell if it’s genuine.”

She nodded, thinking about it. “Shouldn’t I be able to decide how I react to whatever you tell me?”

“Won’t you be influenced?”

“Of course I’ll be! I want to make you feel better. Or at least not suffer alone. That doesn’t mean it isn’t real.”

It was impossible to deny her with the look on her face. Eyes big, unmocking. Desperately trying to make it work. 

“My family forgot it was my adoption day today. I reminded them a week ago, and they just–”

Grape drew him in. He tried not to cry. Then he tried not to cry too much. “Thanks Grape.”

She let him go, kissing his wet cheek. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“You know… I don’t know.” He sniffed in some snot, looking away. “I wish I wasn’t so bothered by what other pets do and what my family does. I want to be in control of myself.”

Grape held his paw, individually feeling each digit. “We get to pick our friends, but we do have to have owners. Can’t always pick what our friends do to us, either.”

“It’s usually bearable. It just sucks when you open yourself up and—Why can’t I just shrug it off?”

“Isn’t that what you do with Bino?”

“I’m not open to him. What are you supposed to do when it hurts?” he said, swallowing. “Like with you and Peanut.”

Grape was unblinking, painfully close. “What we’re doing now,” she said.

Max let out a deep breath. “Won’t that just make it hurt more? I could talk to Peanut, and maybe nothing good would happen. And what would I even ask from you guys? Hey, please save some for me? It just makes me feel small.”

She shook her head. “I don’t–. Questions are just part of it, I think. You’re allowed to have a sex drive. I can turn Peanut down sometimes, or, just…”

“Say it,” Max said, annoyed.

“Not have as many… rounds,” Grape said, forcing the words out. She played with her paws. “But my point is that he’s always asking. Before, during.”

“But where’s the romance in just feeling it out?”

Grape closed her eyes, keeping herself calm. “We can save romance for when things are fine.”

“I,” Max paused. “I get what you’re saying. There has to be a way through it together.”

She grabbed his paw, nodding.

“But sometimes it feels like things just won’t be fine,” he said, relieved to say it out loud.

“Like, in general? Despair?”

“I guess.”

“Well, that doesn’t sound right,” Grape said, testing out each word.

“No,” Max said. “I don’t like it either.”

“So I guess don’t trust that feeling?”

“But it feels real sometimes, even if it’s not true. It’s got to be a good thing to let yourself feel it. Otherwise you’re ignoring it.”

“Yeah. Maybe.”

He snorted. Grape looked at him closely.  “Like how I feel about you and Peanut. Super adorable,” he said.

Grape was casually up-in-arms. “Max, we are just as cute together. Peanut doesn’t not have a monopoly on cuteness with me.”

Max shrugged.

“And have you seen him and Tarot lately?” She held out her tongue. “So much mushy stuff.”

Max grew a sly smile. “You’re jealous of them?”

“Shush.”

After a second’s pause, they hugged. Compared to the bitterness before, it was a daydream. Best of all, it lasted. She rubbed his back. Their purrs echoed off each other’s chests. They broke off. Max felt a lot lighter.

 “Should we get them from the closet?” Grape asked.

“Do you think they’re doing more than kissing? I know what you mean; they’ve been extra lately.”

“Something’s definitely changed with them. He hasn’t told me what.”

“Should we ask?”

“Ask why they’re finally clicking? No, I don’t know. I kind of just enjoy watching it happen.”

Max nodded. He didn’t feel too invested. Except when Tarot was drooling with him cum, Peanut smiling that way he did. He could stand to see that play out again. Crossing his legs to hide his penis poking out, he debated talking to Grape about it. Before he could stop himself, he was already saying it.

“I feel like I might be enjoying watching Peanut, too.”

“Oh?”

Max articulated himself carefully. “I don’t want a boyfriend. I just noticed.”

Grape rubbed her arm. “Well, I do like watching Tarot when she’s with Peanut sometimes.”

“You do?”

Grape suddenly stood up, walking out. “Like you said. I can appreciate the scene! Anyways!”

Max followed her up. “You can talk to me about it!”

They danced around each other up the stairs. Max got to the top first. No lights were on. He heard rustling and stalked towards it. He knocked on the closet door, but the sound was just off. 

Grape appeared beside him, pointing at the door to Tarot’s room. “They moved. Not a good sign,” she said.

Max knocked again. “Time’s up. Please be decent this time.”

He inched open the door and heard huffing. Grape switched on the light. The two dogs were among a mess of blankets and pillows. Peanut had his butt on full display, his head between Tarot’s legs. Tarot held his head, either weakly attempting to pull him up or to hold him down.

Peanut knelt up, turned. His knot bulged in his sheath, penis shiny with slobber. His ears fell. “That was fifteen already?”

“We weren’t keeping track very well,” Tarot said, heaving herself to verticality.

“Guys, it’s Max’s adopt-day!”

Max produced the party hat he’d been holding onto, strapping it on his head. “I came prepared and everything.”

Grape glanced over. She sputtered.

Tarot swayed, hands behind her back. Of the guilty pups, Peanut spoke first. “We should have asked if you wanted to join. Maybe you can mate her in the butt this time since you–”

“Peanut!” Tarot said.

“Well he has to ask you first,” Peanut said.

“Not the only issue!”

Peanut backed up an inch. 

“She’s scared of the spines,” Grape murmured into Max’s ear. 

Max tried to keep a straight face. He nudged up against Grape’s side. “Did you wanna join them?”

Grape nudged back. “What if I did?”

“You guys want to finish partying downstairs? I’ve been holding onto a game idea,” he said.

Chapter Text

Max made Peanut stay back in the bedroom with him. He surveyed the bed for wet spots and sat at the edge beside him. His conversation with Tarot at this same location re-emerged with the same shape. Awkward was necessary. It really did take everyone’s help to grasp this stuff, but he still had to be the one to say the words.

“I think part of my hangup with you and Grape was not being comfortable enough around you,” he said.

Peanut tapped his fingers together. 

Max made an effort to look at him. “Great, it's already uncomfortable. At least now it can’t get worse if we play what I had in mind.”

Peanut straightened. “What did you wanna do?”

Max pressed his lips together, frowning. “Spin the bottle?” he said. 

“Oh!”

“To your—our comfort level! We don't have to—kiss. I just want to explore things, you know? I never would have mated Tarot if I didn't. And that last time was great, too.”

Peanut was unnervingly thoughtful. His dick sagged as he sheathed. Max had a strange but explainable urge to touch him. It was easy to ignore.

“What if it lands on Grape and Tarot?” Peanut said.

Max imagined it. “And how.”

“You really think they would like that?”

Max shrugged. “I don't think Grape would mind. Would Tarot?”

“I've never asked.”

“Well if their comfort level is nothing, then they'll do nothing. Same with us.”

“I'd kiss you,” Peanut said. 

Max’s jaw fell an inch.

“Kissing's not really a big deal, right?” Peanut said. He tilted his head. “Are you opening your mouth like that cause you want to try it out?”

“No,” Max said, too embarrassed to even feel how red he must have been. “Let's go down. I need another drink.”

Peanut nodded. “Okay.”

Max dug a glass root beer bottle out of the recycling and washed it. Peanut was waiting to hand him a can of orange soda.

“Thanks,” Max said.

Peanut didn’t say anything, but he kept looking at Max. Peanut was a peaceful creature. Perpetually in a good mood. That was something he should have been more jealous about, but he wasn’t. He was proud to make the progress he had.

“Yeah?” Max asked.

“Oh. Nothing.”

If someone besides Peanut said that, he might not have believed it. It wasn’t often that people just looked at each other. But Peanut might.

Max explained the game to their poly. Tarot gave the room a tantalizing scent, complimenting the buzz he was finally receiving from his drinks. Grape waited for the first pause in explanation to interrupt. She pulled her legs up and crossed them, shifting further from Tarot in the process. “I’m not… ideologically opposed, but wouldn’t you guys rather just have sex together?”

“It does tend to be pretty reliable,” Tarot said.

“It’ll build trust!” Max said. “Some people do trust falls; those are lame. This will be weird, but we can be weird together.”

Tarot looked towards the ceiling. “They’re saying the right things, Grape.”

Grape sighed, smiling into her paw.  “As long as we see our boyfriends kiss, I’m excited.”

“This stays between us, by the way,” Max grumbled.

They gathered on the rug, pushing away the coffee table. Max surveyed their various levels of inebriation and arousal. Grape’s scent was making itself known, the edge between hers and Tarot’s blurring despite the species boundary. Peanut still smelled mostly like Tarot.

“I’ll go first,” Max said.

Sticking his tongue out, he gave it a good flick. It quickly slowed and the short end of the bottle pointed straight across from him at Peanut.

Tarot snorted.

“Good spin!” Grape cheered.

Max downed half a can. He shuffled on his knees over to Peanut. “Let’s get this over with.”

Peanut grabbed Max by the shoulders. He pressed a smooch right to Max’s lips, head tilted to better match, spit making its characteristic noise on the pull away.

“Uhm!” Max gasped.

“We agreed to that, right?” Peanut asked.

Tarot held her paws together tight on her lap. “Well that was adorable.”

Max waved away Peanut’s concern, sitting back. His lips were still wet, telling him it was real. Why did he do that? Grape’s spin passed in a blur. She must have kissed Peanut or he would have remembered it. 

Peanut took the bottle. “Should we do something where someone adds a rule every so often? Maybe every third spin so it keeps changing?”

“As long as we agree,” Grape said.

Tarot pressed her foot up against Peanut. “You go first. I need to think.”

“Maybe a penalty?” Peanut said. “If you don’t do what the rules are, you have to drink.”

“But I don’t want to get drunk tonight,” Tarot said.

“Then you better follow the rules,” Grape said.

Tarot narrowed her eyes at Grape, but Grape didn’t break. Eventually Tarot nodded.

Peanut spun hard and landed on Max.

“Fish,” Max grunted.

“The bottle knows,” Tarot said.

“I can kiss him for you,” Grape said.

“Would you?” he said.

Max took his penalty swig, watching her and Peanut. Grape got on his lap, hugging him and pressing close. Murmurs, wagging tails. It was as saccharine as he remembered it being.

He nodded to Tarot. “Maybe we should set a time limit.”

“What for?” Tarot asked. 

He didn’t have an answer.

It was Tarot’s turn. She spun, but only made it halfway around a full rotation, landing on Grape. 

“Woo!” Peanut cheered.

“Carp. I want a respin,” Tarot said.

“Play it as it lies!” Max said.

Grape sat back, still dizzy from smooches. “Get over here, Tarot.”

Tarot looked very tense. Maybe he was getting too tipsy and couldn’t read her face well. She crawled over to Grape, running into her, getting on top. “Can I help you?” Tarot said.

They parted their mouths. Tarot lingered, tail fluttering. Max scratched his sheath. It was his turn again. Again, it landed on Peanut. In retrospect, his luck wasn’t really that awful. He made the mistake of wanting to play the game with so few participants. Kissing Peanut went down easier this time. He was horny enough to enjoy anyone’s lips pressing to his, especially with the air so thick.

Grape added the rule that they had to touch their kissing partner somewhere. Of course, she spun and got Peanut. Things played out predictably. Max was less interested in watching this time. He sat up against Tarot.

Tarot patted his thigh. “Sucks missing out.”

“How was she?” Max asked.

“Who? Grape? Um. It was fine, yeah.”

“You seemed into it,” he said.

She went stiff again. “No, I was thinking about kissing Peanut. It must have worked too well.”

“Wanna pretend again?”

“No need,” Tarot said.

They pecked at each other a little. Horny fun. She dragged her bottom lip on his mouth, squeezing his sheath hard. He squeezed back, appreciating her breasts.

Grape cleared her throat. He and Tarot separated from each other that same instant.

Peanut spun. Again, it landed across from him. Peanut tilted his head at the unluckiest bottle, then drank a few glugs. “I’d rather kiss Tarot right now.”

Sitting back, Tarot tossed her head fur to the side, uncharacteristically stunning. “Remember to touch me, too.”

“Where?” Peanut said, already doing it. Tarot gripped his butt.  Peanut pressed Tarot back, getting on top, dick hanging down heavily behind his fluffy sack. They licked each other’s faces, holding each other’s paws. They weren’t far from missionary.

Grape caught Max’s attention, nodding at the butts in their faces. She kissed Max, lips forming a seal that wasn’t airtight but somehow stopped all air from reaching his lungs. Together, they gasped, trying to recover enough to continue.

“Just a second,” she said an inch from his face. “I want to get them going.”

“No,” Max said. “Take your time.”

Grape licked her lips, whiskers twitching, tail frenzied. Making sure she had Max’s attention, she crawled up behind the dogs, nuzzling up under Peanut’s balls, making them sway on her snout. She licked his tight sheath, releasing his knot, still small. Peanut’s tail wagged across her face. She arched her back, lifting her tail up. All too adorable not to appreciate. He held her butt and rubbed himself. Sensitivity spiked from rubbing his spines, imagining Grape’s rough tongue brushing them back. He brushed his thumb through the moisture accumulating on Grape’s crease. He had some leeway here. 

Grape had tilted Peanut’s erection back, sucking his tip. Peanut was still in the middle of a kiss. It felt rude to interrupt, but they wouldn’t mind. Max tapped Peanut’s shoulder till he finally got his attention.

“Hey uh, can I warm her up for you? If you’re up for it, Tarot?”

Peanut grunted. Tarot spied down range at Grape, bewildered. She nodded. Max grabbed Tarot under the arms. He lifted like he learned in the gym. He didn’t remember Tarot feeling this light.

“Woah,” Tarot said, eyes still big, wrapping her limbs to him. She smelled delightful up close. Holding her butt, he pressed their crotches together, twinges of excitement finding their way to his sheath, dick extending out on her belly. He dropped her on the couch, still grinding on her. Mouth open, she caught her breath as he narrowed in. Tarot didn’t need more warming up. She sighed. She already took him well. Maintaining composure, he watched the look on her face, pushing deep. The lips of her labia squished and pressed back at his sheath. His balls rubbed right up against her slipperiness, his dick soaked. 

She watched him. Rocking her hips against his, her bare vagina rubbed back his spines. Max nodded, grunt passing through his closed lips. He leveraged off her shoulders, thrusting the first time hard. He lost most of his old composure. The shaking of her tail and all the rest of her fur rubbing his, her gasps that joined the mess of noise from Peanut and Grape. It was too much to enjoy. He pulled out, barely managing to ask his question before he came anyway. She breathed a yes. He rubbed his taper against her pussy, wedged between her labia. Tarot grunted, head back, pressing close. Max thrusted forward, pulsing out. He moaned her name.

His cum splattered halfway to her boobs. Still he grinded on her, spines brushing through fur. More came leaking out of him, making her belly wet.

Recovering, Tarot still found the energy in her legs to keep him close. “You could have finished inside.”

“I wanted to let Peanut do that.”

Tarot went straight-lipped, but it was really a smile. “I don’t think he’d mind.”

Max sniffed out a laugh. He angled back, pushing in. He sighed, eyes closed, cursing. The last delightful shudder passed through him. Tarot wagged her tail.

They talked in murmurs and slow pushes and pulls. Teasing comments on Grape and Peanut. Dirty talk on the sensations of interspecies sex, on the allowable messes. He built Tarot back up, gripping her breasts hard. He should have felt more embarrassed about how little time he had lasted, but it presented an opportunity. Tarot swiped some of his mess down, adding to the slip that complimented each thud, dissolving into the excitement of thrusts. He loved not needing a condom, her pussy so close around, rubbing each spine. The warmth of old cum, strings of it forming between his balls and her butt.

He adjusted his grip on Tarot’s legs, testing her flexibility. He could really get his hips pressing close to hers. She pushed back. She was off in her own world, tongue hanging out, gripping the cushions. Pressing down at a particularly good angle, he hummed and breathed hard. He was getting close again. This time he wouldn't pull out.

“Can I do that too, Grape?” Peanut asked.

Grape breathed hard. “Do what?”

He pulled out of her, cumming over her and moaning. Grape watched the pulses. She let her head fall back to the couch. “It’s hot, I guess.”

“But,” Tarot panted, “ultimately unnecessary. Max why’d you stop?”

Peanut painted her pussy with the last of his release. He admired his handiwork. “You want a turn, Max?”

Grape pushed fingers in through the cum leaking down. “He might have to clean me up.”

The squish echoed. His ears burned. There was a certain glory to having multiple partners, in swapping off, not worrying about the details of each other’s releases, just enjoying the added slip. If he wasn’t so exhausted. The distraction came at the worst time.

He pulled out. “Sorry, give me a minute,” he said.

Tarot sat up. “I could always, Grape.”

Grape opened her mouth. Her paws didn't know where to put themselves. “You don’t have to. I can wash up.”

“It’s okay. I don’t mind his taste.”

Another pause stretched out between them all. “Okay. Okay yeah, sure.”

Sitting beside Peanut, they watched the two girls get near. Despite not drinking, Tarot stumbled in the process of kneeling in front of Grape. And even then, Tarot eyed Grape’s glistening belly like felines and canines mating was a suspicious concept that she never participated in. She licked off some of Max’s cum from her paw, then held Grape’s thigh. They exchanged some testing words, finally some nods. Peanut’s ejaculate was leaking down Grape’s body. Tarot deftly sniffed Grape’s crotch, then set herself to ebb the flow. She went high, lapping the middle of Grape’s belly. Still, they didn’t know what to do with their paws. Grape settled on cupping her vulva, idly playing with herself.

“That was really good when you came on her like that,” Peanut said out of nowhere.

Max turned from the girls. He took Peanut’s comment in stride, maybe because of the booze. “You kidding? Watching you stretch Grape out is awesome. You move your hips really well.”

“Thanks, you do too.”

“You also cum like way more.”

Peanut actually blushed when he smiled. He waved his paw down with a flick of his wrist. “Well you make it look like a lot.”

They sat close. Tarot still licked Grape’s belly, not making much progress, scent trapped in fur. Peanut got his attention, motioning down at Max’s crotch. Max still sported an erection, never losing it since he pulled out of Tarot. 

“I was wondering what it felt like?” Peanut said.

“Oh.”

They both hesitated on what to say. “We never touched each other during your game. Were we supposed to?” Peanut asked.

“Probably,” Max said. Glancing back at the girls, he sat back. Peanut pressed a few fingers to Max’s length. Gently, like he might break him, he rubbed down his spines. Max tried to smile but it felt more like a grimace. 

“You're still so wet from Tarot. The spines must catch extra moisture.”

“Maybe,” Max managed to say.

Peanut slid up, making each spine bend to its full range of motion. Max grunted, shifting his hips. Peanut had every indication of a gentle lover. Curious, playful.

“Can I touch you?” Max asked. 

Peanut shuffled close, crossing paths with Max's legs. Their dicks leaned close. Their size difference was obvious, especially with Peanut’s knot.

Max curled his toes behind Peanut. All he had to do was reach in front of him. His paw collided. He wrapped around. There was more give than he expected. Peanut smiled at Max. Max slid down. Halfway, Peanut felt more firm. The bone inside keeping him stiff. He traced over Peanut’s knot, noticing every curve. Faint veins covered his smooth flesh. He was soaked from Grape. Getting his paw some of the way around Peanut's knot, he squeezed in a few times, gradually squeezing harder. Peanut sighed out. A spurt of pre leaked down the canine’s red shaft.

Max glanced up. “Can I…?”

He slid up Peanut’s shaft, rubbing back down. There was no resistance. Nothing stopping him from doing it again. Peanut shuffled closer, their crotches an inch apart. Max wet his lips, keeping his grip firm, pumping. A late spurt of cum leaked down his rod. Max rubbed it in.

“Mmm. Hey Max?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I get a closer look at yours?”

Peanut didn’t smile, motionless, waiting for the answer. “Uh, yeah, what do you mean?” Max asked.

“Can I sniff you? Maybe lick you?”

“Um!” Max said loud. He slipped his paw off Peanut, curious by the texture of cum left behind in his paw. “Yeah, maybe.”

“What are you two doing?” Grape mumbled.

“Max said I can sniff his dick,” Peanut said. 

Max grunted. That might have been as delicate as Peanut was capable of putting it.

Grape hummed. She tousled Tarot’s fur. Tarot had her nose right between Grape’s legs, laps trickling by one-by-one with the seconds. “Good, you can join us.”

Max eeped.

Peanut knelt beside Tarot. He squeezed her shoulder, kissing her where he could, but she seemed to be a lost cause.

“I finally get to sniff your butt,” Peanut said to Max.

Max didn’t feel like correcting his anatomy. He nodded. But Peanut wasn’t wrong. He pressed his nose to Max’s balls, sniffing from several perspectives, wiggling under his sack. A tight gray pillow sat on Peanut’s snout. Max inhaled. His paw found Grape’s thigh, but Tarot had already found it first. He searched for a free spot.

Peanut moved higher. He looked up at Max from his frightened erection.

“Are you okay?” Peanut asked.

“Y-yeah.”

Grape angled Max’s head over with a finger. Her kiss calmed him immediately. He grabbed one of her breasts. Grape sat back down, relaxed, making sure to keep her thighs spread. Blush was making her white fur closer to matching her purple.

“You can lick me, Peanut,” Max said.

Peanut nodded, tail slashing the air. He reached forward and touched Max, tilting his sack, angling his taper. Max learned with him, not used to feeling so curious. Grape had long since touched him everywhere, to the point where he sometimes didn’t notice when she did, but now it all looked different. Peanut grabbed around the base of his shaft and squeezed. Max grunted, tucking his hips further forward. Peanut inspected the drool of pre from the end of him, sniffing. He hummed. Cupping Max’s balls, Peanut licked from the front of his sack up to his penis. Peanut smacked the taste around in his mouth, angling his ears. 

“Oh wow, you taste like Tarot! Besides all the cum.”

“Cool,” Max laughed.

Max fondled Grape’s chest. Peanut licked up the sides of his penis, his licks not ruffling his spines. Just smoothness. Not unlike when Tarot licked him, just gentler. Both just as warm.

Peanut continued brushing up his length, always with a feathery touch, getting used to the motion. The request for more pressure sat on Max’s tongue. He’d never be used to this from Peanut, but urges grew. He wished he’d gotten a chance to cum in Tarot. He watched Peanut’s tongue curl around the back of his shaft, spittle and cum leaking down, only to get licked up again. Never quite making his spines bend. 

Max grit his teeth. “Peanut,” he said, “did you want to make me cum?”

Peanut licked his lips, then paused. “Yeah, we can try that.”

“He had to think about it,” Grape huffed.

“Thinking is important!” Peanut said, measuring up the dick in front of him. He lowered down around Max, taking all of him between his jaws.

“Ooohhhh,” Maxwell sighed.

Peanut didn’t stop. His spines rubbed the confines they found themselves in, just enough pressure to bend the other way, sending tingles up to his back. He held Grape’s paw. He watched Tarot lick a big patch of cum from Grape’s chest and spread the slipperiness back to her labia. Max spread Grape open for Tarot. Grape murred, a deep rumble in her throat. She sat further back, tilting her hips up. Max did the same. An extra inch for Peanut to play with.

A few times, he made eye contact with Peanut. Each time was awkward, but as pressure returned, it felt less-so. His mouth felt great. Peanut held all of him, different from how Tarot or Grape did. Peanut tilted his head, giving more ways to rub. In the momentary breaks for panting, Peanut licked his taper with pressure and confidence. He squeezed Max’s sack, forcing him to lose self-consciousness. He grunted, pushing up, leaking out on Peanut’s tongue. He wanted Peanut back around. He wanted to see Tarot nudge apart Grape’s folds again. Grape kissing his neck. Peanut slipped down his shaft, eying him carefully, building him up. So warm. He moaned, thrusting further in. Peanut widened his eyes at Max. Max worried he went too far. Then Peanut held him down, sucking hard, holding him in. 

“Ohhhhh.” Max melted into the tingles of Peanut’s mouth. Peanut held his slippery balls. Sucking. Building and building without pause.

Art by Kleowolfy

“Oh dog, Peanut. That’s—”

Grape nibbled at his neck. He squeezed her tight. He made the pressure build in his dick till he couldn’t hold it back.

“Ah! Ahhhh!”

Peanut just kept sucking him off. Cum drooled down his chin. The bend of his spines flooded him with so much sensitivity that he had to hold Peanut down all the way. Peanut grunted, swallowing around him. All his release pulsed out with the squeeze of Peanut’s jaws, leaving him gasping. He tried to kiss Grape but couldn’t. They held onto each other, riding the spikes in pleasure together.

Grape didn’t come, or at least didn’t show more than a dazed look on her face. Tarot rose, apparently satisfied with the state of Grape’s fur, and tapped on Peanut’s shoulder. Peanut still nuzzled Max’s dick, eyes closed, till Tarot brought him back to her world. They kissed, commenting on the other’s taste, till Peanut grabbed her and set her down in his lap, squeezing Grape out of the way.

“Hey,” Grape said.

“Sorry,” Peanut said. He rubbed Tarot’s crotch appropriately. “Well, that was fun!”

Grape nodded. Tarot hummed. Peanut was back at his full size. Max worked on comprehending what happened. How many times he came, and in who. Grape drew circles with a finger around his spent penis, trying to bring it back to life. He took her paw away and kissed her like he meant it. He missed this. The haze of orange soda and lovers. The good-natured fight for attention, the confidence it wouldn’t get tense.

“What game now?” Peanut asked.

All eyes turned to Max.

Chapter Text

Another week later, Max looked out the window of Grape’s room. Grape pressed a paw to his bare neck, sending another latent surge of pleasure through his body. She looked with him.

Things made more sense now. She woke up frisky. Whether that Peanut’s doing, or some natural response, he was thankful. He kissed her head, rubbing her flank and pressing her close. She murred. He purred back.

Peanut appeared out the side of the camper trailer. Max didn’t recognize the truck they were going to use to tow it. It must have been Fido’s dad’s. Peanut heaved up another box off the lawn and brought it into the camper.

“How long are they going?” Max asked.

Grape cleared her throat, apparently still waking up. “Two weeks.”

“So two weeks of rolling out of bed with you.”

She rubbed his shoulder. “I’m sure you can stay over other nights.”

“Your mom and dad seemed very insistent.”

“Yeah, not to extend it past that. You can still snuggle up with me and Peanut some nights here and there.”

“Rrright,” Max murmured.

“It doesn’t sound fun making a Max sandwich?” Grape asked, smiling broad. “Get it?”

He sighed. “I get it.”

Tarot walked alone down the street towards the commotion. Probably to say goodbye. Most of the things were inside the camper now. Fido appeared from out of the truck, talking to his owner and mister Sandwich. Mister Sandwich, who insisted Max call him Earl if he was going to be staying in Grape’s room. Yet another awkward conversation. Max grinned to himself.

“I’m not,” Max said, “letting him near my butt. But maybe that’d be fun. It’d be warm cuddling anyway.”

Grape opened her mouth, then stopped herself. “No, if you do, I promise I won’t tease you about it. Too much. I’d really like it if you did.”

“Thank you.”

“Can I tell you what I was going to say?”

“Sure.”

Grape’s paw went down his back. “Peanut would be warm.” She tugged his tail. “In your butt.”

He nodded stiffly. “That’s good.”

“Thank you Maxy.”

Tarot neared the others. She caught Peanut on one of his trips out the back of the side of the camper. They talked for a while. Grape went to go freshen up. Max nodded, still watching. He figured they wouldn’t mind. He’d watched far more explicit things, and they were out in the open. The dogs sat across from each other in the lawn, very close together. Tarot suddenly backed her head up. Slowly she relaxed as Peanut talked more. He nodded, smiling. Tarot jumped up into his arms. They rolled in the grass, locking lips. Tarot ended on top, tail wagging in a way Max had never seen. They stood, hugging it out. 

Max didn’t know what he just witnessed. He didn’t know what he’d tell Grape, beyond that something intimate just happened, so he kept it to himself. He pulled the smelly blanket from her bed. Licking his lips, he went to help her finish cleaning up their mess.