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Two weeks went by, and Adam spent a lot of the time either working out with Lance, working at the library, or hanging with Jericho. Both Lance and Jericho texted him occasionally; Lance mostly texting him about practical things, while Jericho and Adam were just sending dopey casual messages back and forth. Usually, Adam had to be the one to open up more personal conversations to Lance, but the bison was starting to warm up to him. One day, Adam even got Lance to impersonate a few characters from his favorite fantasy movies, but Lance quickly stopped after Adam teased him for it a bit too much. The buck learned the boundaries with Lance pretty quick, and in doing so, at least cracked the bison's shy demeanor a bit.

Jericho was back to his usual self, and whenever Adam came to the Lounge, Jericho began to treat him a bit friendlier than the usual customers. Although Adam did talk with Lance at the club, he had to make sure he wasn't being watched by Jericho, Dasher, or Garl, even if he was just having a friendly conversation. He did not want them to get any ideas, and at times, he felt like he was a secret agent rendezvousing with a rogue spy. Eventually, the other dancers began to recognize him outside of the regular clientele, and Adam became integrated into the club's atmosphere. Fang certainly enjoyed his presence, stalking him more and more often. Adam didn't necessarily tell him off either, even if he didn't have a wristband on for the panther.

It was strange to Adam that he was becoming so prominent among the clubgoers, but it made him feel included in the atmosphere. The workouts that Lance had him go through had been doing wonders for his body, and he found himself gaining a few extra pounds of muscle. His shirts began to feel a bit tighter, but nevertheless were still loose-fitting. Although his arms ached every day he was done with the workout, Lance made sure to alternate between upper body workouts and leg workouts to keep the buck's body well-rounded. Adam was convinced he would have an ass that could crush soda cans when he was done. Lance found that comment to be humorous.

Jessica and Dan were both wondering where the heck Adam kept running off to on some nights. They commented on how often he was gone, and Jessica was starting to become suspicious. Adam found her scoping out his room one day, smiling innocently as she clutched a flier for a fetish night, "Men in Uniforms", at the Foxhole in her hand with that mischievous twinkle in her eyes. Adam always admired Jessica's detective work, but he had to make sure not to end up like Dan and his horse dido and porn magizine stash. Dan was still being given hell about his toys, and when Jessica found a bottle of thick white lube in the dresser, Adam thought Dan was going to move out after all the teasing Jessica gave him.

Even though everything seemed to be looking up in Adam's life, there was still that desire to keep everything hush hush. Adam felt as if he was constantly being watched as he bounced from Jericho to Lance. It could have been his paranoia, but he could not shake the feeling. He felt like there was a bomb waiting to go off, but he did not know where the bomb was, or when it would go, but he felt like he was playing a dangerous game.

When Jericho took him to a bar one evening after work, Adam had to hold back on the alcohol just to make sure he wouldn't say anything he would regret. He was happy that Jericho had a good time, and some of the stories of his previous flings were interesting, but he felt like he could not participate as fully in the fun. When Adam dropped Jericho off at his place, the two hugged once again before parting, and Adam still had that familiar guilty feeling gnawing at his stomach, even though the two became closer than what they were in quite a long time.

Throughout the two weeks, though, Adam felt like he was constantly counting down the hours he would spend in the library working. Although he enjoyed his job, Adam began to rush to put books away or file papers as if expecting to get out early. Margaret thought that Adam was just becoming more of an "adult" and that his productivity was due to an "existential crisis". In a way, she was correct. Adam was having a crisis over not spending enough time with his friends.

Toby was just as perky as ever over the weeks and always welcomed Adam into the club. He seemed happy, but tired, as if waiting for something Adam could not quite put his finger on.

All in all, days seemed to fly by for the buck, and he found himself wishing that time would slow down a bit to give him time to catch up. Whenever Adam thought he had a handle on things, a new surprise would always come around the corner.

As Adam and Lance walked into the locker room, dripping with sweat, the two were panting in exhaustion. Lance worked Adam hard, and in turn the buck encouraged the bison to do more than he usually did. The result was the two almost drunkenly making their way to the locker rooms, running on the after-workout high. Adam got used to the feeling of floating after Lance pushed him to do things he never thought he could accomplish, and the buck was addicted to seeing the progress on his body. The lean muscles started to appear more defined, and Adam's arms bulged slightly whenever they flexed. Although the differences were subtle, it was progress to Adam nonetheless.

"Got any plans for the evening?" Lance asked, clapping Adam on the shoulder. "I have off tonight, so if you wanted to, you know, hang out or something, we could do that..." the bison added, his confidence faltering slightly and allowing his shy side to peek through.

Adam smiled back at Lance and said, "I am free too. If you want, you can come to my apartment, or we can go out and have a nice dinner...or I can go to your apartment." Feeling the palm on his shoulder was strange to Adam, but he accepted the gesture. Adam and Lance were known to be a little touchy-feely when it came to the gym, so outside of it their attitude was the same, since it wasn't anything foreign to them. Often times, Lance would support Adam's arms as the buck lifted free weights, making sure he didn't overexert himself, so the casual touch on the shoulder was nothing to Lance, at this point.

Lance thought about that for a moment, still looking a little shy. "Can't say I've really been out to dinner with anyone in a while, so that would definitely be a nice change of pace. What kind of foods do you like? I can eat pretty much anything, really."

"Anything from bar food to luxuries, but I eat quite a bit of Asian cuisine," Adam commented as he made his way over to his locker and sat down on the bench to rest a bit. Sweat began to drip down from his forehead and roll down his body. The calming sensation of the high was starting to reach its peak as Adam's body throbbed. His muscles ached again, but the pain was mostly ignored due to the fact that Adam got used to it after working out with Lance for weeks now.

"So you like sushi?" Lance asked a little eagerly. "I can't get enough of the stuff. Call it an addiction, if you'd like, but of all the foods you can eat, it's hardly the worst for you. Granted, my body requires a lot more protein than sushi can really offer, but that's what protein powders are for. Tastes like chalk, but that's the trade-off," he laughed.

"I do enjoy sushi! I know a good place in town. Not too expensive, but not cheap enough that they serve you something disgusting. They even prepare the food in front of you, if you sit close enough," the buck said as he began to strip out of his shirt subconsciously.

Lance averted his eyes as Adam stripped. "That sounds fantastic! It's a da-- damn good time that we're going to have," the bison quickly covered up, blushing slightly and not meeting the deer's eyes. "You know, as friends."

Adam chuckled and mimicked his voice. "'You know, as friends.' You are adorable, Lance." Acting like he was pinching Lance's cheeks, Adam cooed as he teased his friend. Grabbing his shorts, he began to pull them off of his legs until they were around his ankles and stepped out of them to leave his body in a dark red jockstrap with a microfiber pouch. The underwear did manage to accentuate his hips and rump, but he paid no mind to the aesthetics. He liked how well it supported his wiggly bits.

"H-hey, I just wanted to make sure you weren't reading too far into the offer to go get dinner!" Lance protested, turning to look Adam in the eyes. "Totally platonic. Just friends going out to dinner..." he trailed off as his eyes mistakenly fell down lower, taking in Adam's chest and stomach, followed by the jockstrap. The bison blushed bright red before turning around and grabbing his gym bag. "I-I'll...erm...go home and meet you back here after I've showered and changed!"

Adam still didn't understand why such a beautiful specimen of the male body would want to hide themselves from everyone, especially since they were so boisterous when working out, but he always let Lance do what made him comfortable. "Sorry, Lance. Didn't mean to tease you like that. I just like to watch you squirm," Adam said with a soft laugh as he felt he was a bit mean poking at the bison like that. But it was all in good fun. "I'll see you in a few."

The bovine walked quickly out of the locker rooms after locking his locker, not looking at the nearly naked deer. "I'll be back here in twenty!" he yelled back before vanishing out the door.

"Scaredy cat," Adam snickered to himself as he pulled off his jock and cupped his crotch. A naked panther walked by, his gait slowing significantly, and gave him a bit of an appraising look before continuing on his journey towards the showers. Standing in place, Adam shook his head and made his way to the showers after grabbing his bottle of shampoo and conditioner. He showered quickly and dried himself before putting on a less supportive and more fashionable black jockstrap, a green tee-shirt, and a pair of patterned baggy shorts. He grabbed his duffel bag out of the locker, closed the door, locked it, and made his way outside of the gym.

The sun on the horizon shined brightly, and white, puffy clouds hung in the sky. The air smelled fresh and welcoming, without so much as a hint of rain. The trees that were around swayed in the breeze, and the area was quite picturesque. Adam looked for any signs of Lance, but did not know what the bison drove, or what he looked like out of assless chaps or gym attire.

"Hey, ready to go?" Lance called out, walking up the sidewalk to Adam's right. The bison was now dressed in a red and black flannel shirt with the top few buttons unbuttoned, showing off his chest and its thicker brown fur, with the sleeves rolled up slightly, and blue jeans, complete with brown carpenter boots. "Sorry I took so long. For some reason, couldn't find a parking space, so I just parked along the road." The bison looked like a bit of a lumberjack, which was somewhat humorous, considering how much time he spent looking like a cowboy.

"Whoa! I've never seen you in so much clothing," Adam joked with a chuckle. When Lance was about to make a smart remark back, Adam added, "Only kidding. You look great! And it's fine that you took a bit. I may have brushed my fur for a bit too long. The shower always makes it poof up. I look awful when going out, if that happens."

Lance laughed, replying, "I imagine you'd look a little funny with floofy fur, but I'm sure it would be a little adorable as well, like a fluffy dog, or something. But I do sympathize with that, to a degree. The thick fur on my neck, chest, and shoulders does something similar, if I don't keep after it. Tends to get all knotted and stuff, and that's no bueno," the bison chuckled, absentmindedly scratching the aforementioned thick fur that was visibly coming up out of his shirt.

"Haha, yeah. I'm glad I don't have that problem! So, want to lead the way to where you parked? I'm starving, and I am craving fish," the buck said while licking his lips. "Strange for a cervine to crave fish, but I do like the taste."

"Yeah, sure!" Lance replied with a smile, leading Adam down the sidewalk. "And don't feel bad. Besides, that's the joys of evolution. You're allowed to be more of an omnivore!" The bison laughed as he approached a large black pickup truck and opened the passenger side door for Adam. "I know I'd go crazy if I could only eat vegetables!"

Chuckling, Adam said, "Same. Also, quite the gentleman you are holding the door open for someone. I expected trumpets to be playing and you to be wearing armor, but I guess a pickup truck will have to do." The buck stuck out his tongue. "Thank you, though."

Stepping into the truck, Adam took in the sights around him. There was the super stereotypical pine-scented air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror, and the upholstery of the interior of the truck was entirely grey faux leather, but the seats were obnoxiously comfortable. The truck, despite the air freshener, still had a persisting 'new car smell', likely because of the clean, faux leather interior. "You're welcome, your highness!" Lance laughed as he closed the door behind Adam and walked around to get in the driver's seat, the truck shifting slightly as the comparably heavy bison got in.

Adam could feel the cool leather against his back as he hopped in and adjusted his posture. He could feel the rumble of the truck as Lance turned it on, and it felt pleasant against his body as he leaned back to get comfortable. "For some reason, I am not surprised that you drive a truck. It suits you," Adam said as he threw the duffel bag off of his shoulder and over into the back seats.

The bison chuckled to himself. "Yeah, bought it because I needed something that could haul stuff, but I suppose it does kinda add onto this midwestern rancher look I kinda have going on," he laughed. "It's stereotypical, I suppose, but I oddly like it."

Adam smiled and said, "I like it too. So, do you know where Oriental Elements is?" As he asked this, he ran his hand along the leather seats. They felt soft and well taken care of. It seemed that Lance took care of his vehicle as much as his body.

"I think so. That's the place on Terrace Avenue, isn't it?" Lance asked, pulling out of the spot and joining the flow of traffic down the road.

"Yeah, that's the one," Adam confirmed. "Do you know this area well?"

Lance nodded as he turned left onto a side street. "You could say that," he laughed. "I grew up in Oklahoma, but my family relocated here when my father's job got transferred up here. I was sixteen at the time, so I've been in the area for about eleven years. How about you?"

"I am from the midwest too. Illinois, specifically, but I moved out here when Jessica, a friend I know, offered for me to be her roommate, and she knew where I could land a job as a librarian. I've been here for about a year, but I'm still kind of new. Not as exciting as a male dancer, but it pays the bills," Adam chuckled. "And now here I am."

"Suppose there's a joke in there, somewhere, since you've got the job that most people would consider totally boring, and then there's me, the gay male dancer," Lance laughed as they stopped at a red light. He was beaming cheerfully as he looked over at Adam. "Then again, books are pretty great, so I can't say I blame you for choosing that profession either. I mean, without them, we'd have never been able to see The Lord of the Rings in theatres!"

"A fantastic book series, by the way. How many of them have you read?" Adam asked, a bit more excited now. He was looked over at Lance and was somewhat surprised that such a big, muscular guy was an avid reader as well as a movie buff. "Well, don't judge a book by its cover," Adam thought to himself ironically.

Lance thought to himself for a moment. "Well, I've read the trilogy, The Hobbit, and the Silmarillion, but if you're asking how many books I've read, I imagine that number is well over one hundred. I've got a pretty decent collection of fantasy and sci-fi books."

"Holy crap, you are like a muscular me with horns and thicker fur!" Adam exclaimed as a joke. "I cannot turn down a good fantasy or sci-fi novel. I may have to come to your place and scope out your personal library sometime. I am always up for a good novel," the buck said with a warm smile. He had no idea that the bison was such a bookworm, but he liked the surprise. "What else do you enjoy doing? I know that is kind of a cliche question, but I am curious."

The bison hesitated a moment, as if debating whether or not he wanted to tell Adam the answer to that question. "Well, would you believe me if I told you that I really enjoy wood carving?"

"You are like a walking jack of all trades," Adam said with his eyes wide in shock. "You reminded me of a lumberjack of sorts with your attire, but I didn't want to say anything," the buck said, wide-eyed. "Do you carve furniture and stuff, or is more abstract, like those strange things you see in contemporary art museums?"

"I have a little bit of a business on the side, selling wood carvings and hand-crafted furniture. I had always wanted to be a carpenter, but it just never worked out. When the housing market crashed, no one was hiring, so I never really went anywhere with that passion until recently," Lance explained, still grinning from the lumberjack comment. "I'd like to think I'm pretty good at it, but it's not enough to live off of, because I tend to take too long making anything, because I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to my work."

"I am a perfectionist when it comes to putting books away. Everything has to be in an exact order, or I am distraught for a couple of seconds," Adam said with a chuckle. "I would like to see one of your pieces sometime. If you take so much time on it, it must be pretty good." Feeling the car move to the right, Adam leaned into the window so he wouldn't fall onto Lance's broad lap. That would have been an awkward moment.

That comment made Lance smile even more, however. "Perhaps after dinner I'll take you back to my place and show off my work," the bison replied, turning into the parking lot for the restaurant. "I don't often get much feedback on my work, so it would be nice to hear what someone else thinks."

"Well, I'll make sure to give you well-rounded feedback," Adam said with a warm smile. Adam looked out the window to see the sign "Oriental Elements" in red neon letters. Several round lamps hung from the porch leading into the entrance. The parking lot looked busy, but there were several spots open. The ambience of the entrance looked welcoming and festive, as if inside the building there was a twenty-four seven party. The colours popped, and Adam could faintly hear the sound of a koi pond nearby as they parked and stepped out of the car.

"I look forward to hearing what you think! But first, sushi," Lance smiled, offering Adam his arm. "Shall we, princess?" he winked, going back to their previous conversation.

Feeling his face go red, Adam said, "Oh my God, I'm having a flashback to prom night." Indeed, Adam was remembering the girls in dresses and the boys in tuxedos looking so much like adults, and here they were turning $10 sushi into a more elaborate experience. Adam took the bison's arm around his as he was helped gently to the ground. Adam giggled and said, "Now all I need is high heels."

Lance snorted with laughter. "Please don't tell me you went to prom in drag," he smirked. "Personally, I just kinda took a female friend to prom, because I didn't have the balls to ask any cute guys to go with me," the bison admitted. "Plus I had no desire to endure the teasing that would have come from doing that, not to mention the utter embarrassment of being turned down, if it turned out the guy I asked was straight."

Adam giggled at that. "I did the same. And, no, I did not go in drag. I took a doe, and she was really cute at the time. We never did anything, but she called me a romantic. I wouldn't disagree." The buck smiled coyly and continued, "I didn't know I was gay until I got into college and realized I really enjoyed the peen."

The bison laughed loudly as they approached the door of the restaurant, the larger male holding open the door for Adam. "How could you not have known? Hell, I was pretty certain I was gay by like age fourteen, even if I wanted to stifle and deny that fact. I'm gonna have to ask you how that went down, you know, when you realized you liked dicks."

"Well, it's a long and drawn out story full of heartache, betrayal, and...nah, I'm just kidding. I went down on a really beefy stag who proceeded to show me the ropes. He liked the idea of banging a curious straight buck. I will give full details later, if you're still interested," Adam said with a wink and a foolish laugh. Although he laughed it off, it did seem he was somewhat hesitant to talk about the subject.

"I'd like to hear about it, if you wouldn't mind," Lance replied with a smile. They approached the hostess' desk, and the thin panda hostess took them to a table and handed them menus and special sushi menus, which the two began to peruse after giving their drink orders to another female panda, this one being their waitress.

The atmosphere inside was modern and spacious. Everything from the silverware, all the way down to the napkins, matched in a way that was pleasing to the eye. The architecture of the area was spacious, but everything felt right where it needed to be. The sound of running water and the soft sounds of a bamboo flute from the speakers could be heard. The floor that was beneath their feet felt like real rocks, but leveled out into a hexagon shape. Different species of flowers were scattered around, along with plants and a fish tank was set over to their left that held some vibrant-looking marine life. Chatter bounced off the walls of the building which gave the place a lively feeling as everyone socialized and enjoyed their dinner. After a bit of small talk between them as they waited to be served, Adam felt the need to bring up the topic of his first date again.

"You sure you want to hear about the story? It is actually pretty long," Adam mentioned as he folded the napkin over again meticulously. Secretly, he hoped Lance would lose interest, but it was nice that the bison was curious about his past. It felt like he cared about him. He did not want to mention the subject again, but he trusted Lance. After all, he spotted him and didn't let the weights crush him, so how bad could opening up to him be?

"Well, let's place our orders first, and then you can start spilling all the juicy details. Perhaps, if it's interesting, I'll tell you about my own first time," Lance winked.

Right when Lance ended the statement and left Adam giggling like a little schoolboy, the waitress came up to the table with a notebook in hand, wearing a beautiful Japanese kimono that was red with pink petals lining the fabric. She gave a smile down at the two boys and asked, "Are you two ready to order?"

The two looked at one another and nodded. Adam went first ordering a Dancing Dragon with a mouth full of drool. Lance went second and ordered a TNT roll, a Double Happiness roll, and a Spider roll, clearly quite hungry to have ordered that much sushi. Adam was stunned by the amount that Lance got, but he kept his mouth shut. He did not want to be rude, and such a big guy must require a lot of calories to function. Adam tried to keep his smart comments at bay.

As the waitress walked away, clicking her pen and putting it back into her pocket, Adam could not help himself and blabbered, "Big guys gotta eat, huh?"

Lance blushed slightly, looking a little self-conscious as he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "I tend to get really hungry after I work out, so that is pretty normal for me. Dancing burns a crazy amount of calories, too, so I'm practically always having some kind of snack to keep me going. Takes a ton to keep a body this big running. Hell on the wallet, but that's the literal price I pay for these muscles," he smiled shyly.

"I didn't mean to be rude. I just like to tease," Adam said with a grin. "Do what you have to do." The waitress returned with two glasses; one contained a clear soda while the other was a small tea cup with a gorgeous-looking oriental spoon. She also had an assistant who carried a kettle full of hot liquid. The small cup was on a saucer that was decorated by several different patterns, along with a small tea pot of similar design. She placed both drinks down with a smile before walking off.

Lance poured himself a cup of tea before replying. "It's alright. I just didn't want to come off as being a glutton, or something. I know it's bad etiquette to order a ton of food on a da-- day out with a friend," he corrected himself again, wincing as he internally reprimanded himself for nearly saying 'date' again.

After seeing the way the bison tended to react whenever he got teased, Adam decided to ignore the mess-up, and said, "It's not that big of a deal. You're like that one swimmer...Michael...Michael something who has to eat a lot to keep his weight!" Adam hoped that Lance forgot about the story of his first date, but at the same time, he hoped he would bring it up again.

The bison nodded shyly. "Yeah, exactly like that. So, did you still want to exchange stories?" Lance asked, wanting to shift the subject away from his eating habits. "Seems you've got a history with dating other deer," he added with a polite smile.

"Yeah, you could say that," Adam said with a weak laugh. "He was such a hunk! You should have seen this guy! He was taller, had a nice smile, and wrestled. Oh my God, when I saw him, I felt something strange towards him that I never felt for a girl. He was quite charming too. I met him when I was jogging, and he gave me advice on my form, so he became my personal trainer of sorts." Gauging Lance's reaction, Adam noticed that the bison was listening intently. He seemed genuinely curious about what Adam was saying.

"He sounds pretty dreamy," Lance laughed. "So, you two started dating, then? Or was it more of a fuckbuddy sort of situation?" The bison took a sip of his hot tea after dumping two packets of sugar into it and stirring it in until it dissolved. "If it's, you know, not too personal to ask."

"He was more of a fuckbuddy, and I don't mind you asking," Adam said with a smile as he remembered the hot nights underneath the stag. "He took it slow, but whenever we started seeing each other more often, he became a bit more dominant towards me. He knew I wanted something more, and he took advantage of that need." Giving a short pause as he took a drink from his soda, Adam smacked his lips at the crisp taste. "One day, he came unannounced to my dorm in his gym clothes, looking like he just got done with practice. My roommate wasn't around, so I wasn't worried about him when the stag shoved me up against a wall and began to rut me for one of the best sexcapades I ever had with him. It was primal, and we did things you wouldn't want your family to know about." The buck broke into a small, nervous giggle.

The bison couldn't help but laugh at how nervous Adam looked to admit that. "That sounds like something straight out of porn, but that's crazy hot," he smiled warmly. "So, you two never thought about dating? I mean, clearly the sex was good, and I'd assume you two at least clicked fairly well, since you kept going at it with him."

"We did click, but it was complicated. His parents were strict and tethered him to his studies. After that night, he left me note saying how great the night was, but that he did not want to see me anymore. His grades were starting to slip, and wrestling was taking up too much of his time, so something had to give. I did not exactly take it well, and we ended on really bad terms. I should have just dated him, but I was too foolish at the time."

Right when he said those words, Adam remembered how many people he duped and snuck out on in the wee hours of the night. He silently realized he was starting to become the very stag that he hooked up with in college. He shook his head, and said, "That's really it, though. He was a hot mess, and so was I. He is the one that made me realize I liked taking it." Adam smiled and continued, "I've had many more flings, but still none as notable as that one. I'm not proud of the person I was, but it did help me find out more about myself. I'm still trying to improve myself to this day." Adam felt a lump in his throat at that as he thought of Jericho and the events and heartache associated with him, but he managed to shake the thoughts away.

Lance nodded appreciatively. "Well, it's those kinds of experiences that really teach us what we want out of life, I think. You've probably learned that, if you like someone, you really need to speak up and tell them, rather than sit on it and risk losing them, like that stag guy you had the hots for. Shame you probably don't have any pictures of him, though," he laughed. "The guy sounds like a friggin' underwear model or something, or at least that's what I'm imagining, though perhaps a bit more muscular, since you said he was a wrestler, and that sounds like something worth seeing!" He chuckled before taking another sip of his tea. "But, yeah, sounds like you had one hell of a ride in college." The bison blushed as he realized what he had said. "N-not like that! That came out wrong!" he blurted out, hiding his face in his hands to hide his embarrassment.

Adam laughed loudly enough that some of the people around him looked rather perturbed at him. The buck gave a small snort and proceeded to cover up his nose in embarrassment. "S-shit I sound like a pig. I get what you mean, big guy. Anyway, you should have seen his hips move! He did this motion that made me see stars. Mmmm, it was nice. Just looking behind me when we were doing doggy style was enough to make me..." Adam paused and gave a shiver. "Sorry, I've said too much."

Grinning a toothy grin, Lance proceeded to laugh as well, though purposely stifling his laughter so that he did not draw any more attention to their table. "Sounds like I've got to try a lot harder, then, since I pride myself on being pretty damn good with my hips. What kind of dancer would I be if some random wrestler stag could turn a guy on better than I could? Then again, you were tenting pretty hard during your private dance, so maybe I do have the same effect the stag had on you," the bison winked.

Adam thought for a moment before his mouth stretched into a devious smile. "If I told you how I felt about your lower half, you would probably walk out, because it would be pretty lewd. He may have a nice sway, but you make it up for it in power..." Adam said in a nonchalant manner before clearing his throat and saying, "Anyway, how was your first little outing? Was it full of scandalous stuff?"

Lance chuckled softly. "Alas, nothing quite as interesting as your first time, I'm afraid. I was seventeen, I was horny, and let's be honest, when the captain of the football team asks the captain of the swim team, being yours truly, if he wants to fuck in the locker room, you really don't turn that down," he grinned. "Dude was built like a friggin' tank, and it turned out he liked taking it up the ass just as much as I liked plowing his. Of course, that didn't stop us from going back to his place after school and fucking in every possible position, even going so far as to let him top ME a few times. Surprising, I know, but hey, figured if I was gonna lose my virginity to the hottest horse who ever lived, might as well switch it up a little," Lance winked. "That continued for the rest of high school, but we never started dating or anything, because it would have been social suicide for both of us. Sadly, we broke it off once he went off to college to play football. We still text from time to tim

e, but I think he's living out in Colorado or something now, so nothing's happening there."

Adam had to wipe some drool from his mouth as he imagined the situation, but stammered out, "D-damn. I'm glad that you two still talk. What does he think of you being a dancer and all?" Adam added the last part with a mischievous smirk. "I'd be proud to see a young stud like you doing such a deed," the buck stated.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't make a point of sending him a link to the Foxhole's website, where there are a bunch of pictures of each of the guys performing, so I can only imagine how much his jaw dropped when he realized what he passed up on when he went away to college," Lance smirked. "That said, he and I really wouldn't have clicked as a couple anyway. I'm a bit of a jock, sure, but that's not who I am. HE, on the other hand, was a full-blooded, total meathead of a jock who needed tutoring in half of his classes. I, however, was quite nearly a straight-A student, though not exactly straight in the slightest," the bison added with a chuckle and a wink.

Adam gave a warm smile at the last comment that Lance made and said, "After how much you said you read, I can imagine you being quite the academic. What did you study?" Right when he said those words, his stomach gave a loud rumble, and he legitimately was not focused on eating anymore. Lance was providing an excellent distraction from his hunger.

"I just went to a technical school for carpentry, so I pretty much hung up my academic career and exchanged it for a hammer and a saw," Lance smiled. "Probably could have gotten into whatever college I wanted, but I just didn't feel like college was my calling. That said, I didn't think dancing was my calling, either, but hey, life's weird like that," he laughed.

"Yeah, I understand that feeling. Life is really good at throwing curve balls. Good news is that you are good at dancing!" Adam said with a teasing snicker. The sound of footsteps started to grow closer, and Lance noticed the waitress from before, having with her assistant with her, and holding four plates, starting to make their way towards them.

"Understatement of the year right there," Lance laughed. "Looks like our food is coming."

The waitresses approached the table and laid the plates out in front of Adam and Lance. Each of the sushi rolls were cut into eight pieces, each different roll on its own plate, and each plate decorated with little lotus flowers cut out of some kind of melon. The plates themselves were covered in bamboo leaves, and the rolls sat on little bamboo mats, completing the overall presentation of a thoroughly authentic-feeling japanese cuisine.

"Damn, this all looks too nice to even consider eating!" Lance chuckled as the waitresses walked off.

Looking at the way the food was presented, Adam replied, "They usually do a great job of presenting the sushi; now it's time to actually dig in!"

As the two ate through all the sushi, they talked about various small things that were happening in their lives. Lance talked about the club, and Adam brought the conversation back to working out. Although Adam teased Lance earlier about ordering so much, Lance got Adam back by pointing out how fast the buck had scarfed down the sushi. The sushi was fantastic, especially for the price, and after the duo finished their meal, they both sat back in their chairs with satisfied looks across their faces. Taking their empty plates away, the waitress gave them a warm smile and thanked them for coming in. She refilled both their drinks, and the assistant dropped off a thin black book that appeared to contain their bill. Right when Adam reached forward to open it up to see what the damage was on his end, Lance plucked the book from his hands with that confident smile across his face.

"No, no, I asked you out to dinner, so I'm footing the bill," the bison said with his best, most handsome smile. "It's the least I can do to thank you for your company this evening. It was nice not eating alone for a change," he added with that same gorgeous smile.

Adam felt a wave of gratitude flow over him. This was the second time someone paid for him this month, and he felt a bit guilty and manipulative. Adam also pitied Lance for the last sentence. He imagined the bison hunched over his food and watching the world go on by without him. "Poor guy," Adam thought as he let the small book go and into Lance's large hands.

"Well, if you want a buddy to eat with more often, then I can be your man. Next time, I could perhaps pay for dinner," Adam said with a warm smile.

If it was even possible, Lance's smile got even brighter. "I'd like that a lot, Adam. You know, if it's not too much trouble." The smile faltered into a more neutral one. "I wouldn't want you to feel inconvenienced or anything, or make you feel obliged to do it, just because you'd feel bad if you let me down or something. It's perfectly okay if you don't want to do it on a regular basis or anything." The longer he talked, the more Lance's confidence dwindled and gave way to the shy bison from the pool on the day they met, that almost childish shyness coming to the surface, like he was a little calf who was genuinely unsure if his mother would let him go outside and play after dinner.

Reaching over to grasp Lance's hand, Adam said, "You're fine, Lance. I would like nothing more than to spend more time with you." Giving the hand a reassuring squeeze, Adam kept an open composure towards his friend. He made his face as serious as he could to show the bison how much the time he spent with him meant.

Slowly, the bovine's shy demeanor shifted back into his happy, confident side. "I'm really glad to hear that, Adam!" he smiled brightly. "It doesn't have to be every day or anything, but I've really enjoyed spending time with you tonight. I feel like I can really be myself around you, ya know?" He put his other hand on top of Adam's hand, which was still gripping the bison's other hand and squeezed it gently before releasing it, blushing softly. "Erm...sorry. That wasn't appropriate of me. For all I know, you're seeing someone right now, so I really shouldn't have done that," he apologized, his attitude once more giving way to the shy side.

"Shit. Don't say anything," Adam thought to himself. "Just let Jericho and Lance be your friends. Don't make this more complicated than it needs to be. If you go through with this, Jericho will probably not talk to you ever again, and everything that you worked towards will be reduced to nothing. Wait, why are your lips moving? Stop...STOP!"

"Actually, I'm available," the buck said with as innocent of a smile as he could muster. In a flash, Adam imagined his limp and broken body lying in a dumpster with Dasher and Garl looking down at him with menacing faces. On the other hand, he imagined Jericho understanding his situation and the two still remaining close, even though he was dating the bouncer's coworker whom he probably saw daily.

"Oh my God...I am such a shithead," Adam thought to himself. But as he looked into Lance's green eyes, however, the thoughts quickly turned brighter. It was as if his heart skipped a beat, and he thought about the times he could have with Lance. "Am I actually falling for him?" Apparently, he was looking a little white.

Lance smiled happily upon hearing that Adam was single, but his smile gave way to confusion a split second later. "Are you okay? Are you ill, or something? It wasn't the sushi, was it?" the bison asked with concern in his voice.

Adam gave a chuckle at that and lied, saying, "I think it might be the sushi. I believe I ate too much."

What Adam did not know, however, was that that happened to not actually be a lie. The sushi was starting to wreak havoc on his stomach, and Adam began to squirm in his seat. The room started to feel cold, and sweat began to form on his brow. His face looked paler than usual.

The bison looked even more concerned now. "Here, I'll go pay the bill at the front desk, and then I'll take you home so you can rest, okay? We can look at my carvings some other night," he smiled, picking up the bill as he got out of their booth and walked off to the cash register, seemingly explaining to the person why they were in a hurry to leave and why they weren't able to wait for the waitress to return to the table to take their money.

At that exact moment, Adam felt like he had been kicked in the stomach. His stomach began to rumble and gurgle before he tasted something vile. He knew what was coming, and he grabbed a couple of napkins and stormed out the door. When he got outside, the cool night air triggered what was about to be the worst part of the night. He ran around the back, his mind swimming as he cursed his nerves and ran towards the large dumpsters in the back. His eyes were starting to tear up, right before he felt the first wave of disgusting, putrid bile as it began its ascent up his throat. Next thing he knew, he was hunched over the large dumpster and upchucking into it. He heard hooves clomping up behind him a moment later, and Adam prayed that Lance wasn't too squeamish when it came to bodily functions. Right before the next wave hit, Adam said to whoever was behind him, "I'm so sorry! The sushi must b-HURGHH!"

"Hey, it's okay," Lance's voice reassured him calmly and soothingly, a gentle hand resting on the deer's back and rubbing him softly. "It happens to everyone now and then, so it's nothing to be ashamed of, even if that was one of the more expensive vomits you've probably ever had," he added with a soft chuckle.

"The sushi was so good, but now it's bad, Lance!" Adam sobbed, but managed to give a morbid chuckle through some sniffling. "That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me while I was upchu-BLEHHH!" After he was done with the second round, Adam replied, "I promise this isn't, hurgh-my God. This isn't...HURGH!"

Lance sounded more amused than disgusted by the display as he rubbed the buck's shoulders. "I'm honestly impressed you even had this much in your stomach to begin with," he chuckled. "All the sushi probably came out with that first wave! Just let it all out, bud," the bison added soothingly, patting Adam's back softly.

Adam shuddered as he felt another round coming, but he found it was completely dry. He took a large gulp of air and slumped against the dumpster in defeat. The deer wiped the tears from his eyes and sniffed before spitting into the dumpster. His mind ached, but his stomach churned a while before falling silent. Adam had to give it to himself, he never felt more relieved in his life to have his stomach's contents expelled from him. "I-I'm hungry again," the buck said with a weak laugh as he felt Lance's hands rub his shoulders and back.

The bison laughed, his deep laugh echoing slightly against the brick wall behind the dumpster. "If you promise you can keep it down, we can stop at McDonald's or something on the way back to your place," he smiled, offering Adam a napkin he had taken from inside the restaurant. "Here. For your mouth and chin."

Adam took the napkin, realizing that he dropped all of his whenever he was busy hunched over the dumpster. "Thank you," Adam said as he wiped off his muzzle before throwing the napkin into the dumpster. "Do you by chance have any gum in the truck? Sorry about being so needy," Adam asked with a blush and in a melancholy way. He felt horrible that he vomited up the dinner Lance paid for, and now the bison had to take care of him through it.

"Actually, I do," Lance smiled. "C'mon, let's get you home, okay? You can direct me back to your place, and if you feel another wave of sickness coming on, let me know ASAP, and I'll pull over." He lead Adam back to his car, and they both got in. The bison rummaged around in the console between the front seats and pulled out a small pack of spearmint gum. "Hope you like spearmint, because that looks like all I've got in here," he said, offering Adam the pack of gum.

Adam smiled and took one of the sticks of gum. He opened it up, and the cool scent of spearmint reached his nostrils. He popped it into his mouth, and he was thankful for how intense the flavor was. He looked at Lance and said, "Hey, I know that watching me throw up was a good time for you, but that was sweet of you to look after me, and I'm..." Adam paused for a moment, and Lance, thinking that Adam was about to upchuck again, looked at the deer, wide-eyed, before Adam said, "...grateful."

"I'd be a pretty shitty friend if I didn't help you out in a situation like that, but you're welcome," Lance smiled, patting Adam's knee in a friendly fashion before he stuck the key in the ignition and turned it, the engine roaring to life. "Now, where is home for you?" he asked.

"You know where the gym we work out at is?"

Adam directed the bison towards his home, blowing past Mcdonald's and all the other fast food joints. Although Adam was hungry now, he did not want to tether Lance to another responsibility that was connected to him. The traffic was still pretty dense, since it was the early evening on a Friday. Sometimes, the two played games with the cars as they were parked at the stoplights or looked for interesting license plates. When they pulled up to Adam's apartment complex, Lance put the car in park, and Adam gave a sigh of relief about the fact that he did not have an episode in Lance's truck. Looking over to the bison, Adam said, "This was a pretty fun night, Lance. Well, minus throwing up and all." Adam gave a light-hearted chuckle as he chewed nonchalantly on the gum in his mouth.

Lance turned the truck off, pocketing his keys. "If it's alright with you, I'd like to walk you to your door. I'd feel a whole lot better knowing that you made it all the way home safely, since you're not feeling well," the bison offered with a small smile before getting out of the truck and opening the passenger side door for Adam so the buck could step out before the huge bovine shut and locked the door behind him and offered Adam his arm once more.

Adam was surprised by the gesture, as he was not used to being escorted around. He thought the first time Lance offered his arm that it was that time and that time only. However, he didn't mind the affectionate gesture. This time, he did not have a smart comment to make as he looped his arm around Lance's.

He squeezed Lance's arm a bit more firmly to show how much the act meant to him as the bison led him past the front desk and towards the elevator. Adam didn't bat an eye to the desk manager who was busy reading what appeared to be the newspaper. Pressing the button that had an arrow pointing upward, the elevator doors opened to allow the two to step through. The large silver doors then closed, leaving the two alone in the small compartment. Adam reached forward and clicked the number "3" in a black lettering that had a golden circle encompassing it.

"Are you feeling any better?" Lance asked as the elevator began its ascent. He looked down at the deer with that same concerned expression as before.

"I feel fine. I just feel a bit empty," Adam said with a chuckle as he looked up at Lance with a reassuring smile. "Thank you for doing all this, though."

Lance didn't look too convinced, but he smiled in response. "You're more than welcome, Adam. I'd feel terrible if I heard later that you passed out in the hallway or something, so I just want to make sure you make it back alright." As he finished speaking, the elevator dinged, and the doors opened to the third floor. "Shall we?" he smiled as he led Adam from the elevator. "Where to now?"

Adam led Lance down the hallway until he arrived at room "321", which was one of the first few doors after walking out of the elevator. Adam said with a flourish of his hand, "We're here! Welcome to my door."

"I'd offer to come inside and tuck you in, but I figure that would be overstepping a couple boundaries," Lance chuckled. "So I guess I'll have to settle for parting ways at the door." The bison smiled that handsome, confident smile that he had used throughout the night, and it practically brightened the hallway.

Adam thought about the big guy leaning over his bed and kissing him on the forehead while taking a thermometer out of his mouth, and he gave a chuckle. "Maybe it's best you keep yourself away. I could have something, and I would hate to pass it to you. I think it was just from the sushi, though, so I hope this is a one-time deal," Adam said with a smile. "However, I would not be against being tucked in at a...later time." Reaching forward, Adam unlocked the door and began to open it, the light from the living room spilling out into the hallway. Adam could faintly hear the sound of the TV in the background.

Jessica happened to be passing through the living room at that exact moment, and her head snapped to the side to see Adam standing next to the behemoth of a bison. The gazelle's jaw, were it physically possible, would have been completely through the floor as her eyes widened.

Lance looked a little shy as he waved at her slightly. "H-hey!" he greeted her before turning his attention back to Adam, Jessica seemingly too stunned to reply. "I really had fun tonight, Adam," the bison smiled. "I look forward to doing it again sometime. See you at the gym again tomorrow?"

Knowing that the flirty momentum he had going into the conversation was now derailed, Adam shook what he thought Lance was going to say from his mind, and said, "Yeah, I will be there tomorrow! Leg day, right?"

"Yep! As they say: Never skip leg day!" the large bovine laughed heartily. He extended his arms for a hug, but swiftly lowered them, blushing and looking away. "Erm, sorry, I've always been terrible with goodbyes."

Adam chuckled and placed a hand on Lance's shoulder, saying, "I'll see you tomorrow, big guy. Hopefully, you won't run me into the ground. I'll let you know if, whatever this is, has passed."

The bison nodded with a soft smile. "I'll see you then! Hope you feel better soon, Adam," he smiled before turning and walking down the hallway to the elevator, pushing the button, getting on, and waving at the deer one final time before the doors closed and carried him downwards.

Watching the doors close, Adam felt a smile cross his lips as he pushed open the door further with a quick push of his back against the wood. He slipped his foot in, so the door would not slam, and let the door close smoothly in an almost quiet fashion. Looking up, Adam noticed Jess was still standing with a stunned expression across her face.

After a moment, the stunned expression faded, and she just shook her head. "You brought a total beefcake home, he went in for a hug, and you just clapped him on the shoulder?! What the flying fuck, Adam! You should have kissed him! Way to miss an opportunity, you doofus!"