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Chapter 27: Lovestruck Wolf and Heartbroken Wolf

Keanu had a good reason to be so happy on a Monday morning, it was his newfound love, Hunter the wolf. He arrived at the tram station, waiting for him with a waggy tail, and held his backpack's straps tightly. Just to think that they had met on the first day of the semester and now in the last months of their course they were dating. But once Hunter arrived at the station with him, it was also the most awkward and corniest moment he ever felt due to last Friday night's events, there was something different about it that Keanu noticed...

Does this mean that we're now boyfriends? Keanu wondered. There was that small gap after their first date, whether would they or wouldn't they, but Hunter seemed to be looking forward to it.

The tall brown and white wolf greeted him with a good morning smile and kissed him on the cheek and a warming hug. Hunter was really on board and wanted to show it and that eased Keanu that small doubt but wanted to know if they were now a thing. He would ask later soon enough.

Class on Monday was normal, but Robin Rains from English class saw Keanu's enamored face staring blankly at the whiteboard. He wondered what was up with him.

Launch time was eventful as usual, but Milagros and Sergio were the only ones who could join for lunch with Keanu and saw a lovestruck Keanu with the most endearing facial expression he was making.

"So, Keanu, how was your date?" Milagros asked.

Keanu did not respond; he was too much in deep thought. Sergio shook his shoulder but did not do anything. Keanu kept eating his chicken salad unbothered.

"He's daydreaming, isn't he?" said Sergio.

Milagros quietly took a picture of this beautiful moment. "Looks like it," she said. She really wanted to hear about the date sooner or later until Keanu was out of his stupor.

Keanu was eating slowly and thinking about the date and his first kiss with Hunter, the Primeras Twins had finished their lunch and waved to Keanu until Xavier sat across Keanu's table.

"Buen provecho," bon apetit, said Xavier and looked twice at the young wolf's daydreaming expression from his food tray. He waved with his green-feathered hand at his face and did not respond. "Keanu?" He snapped his fingers at him but did not work. He gave up and texted the twins since he saw them leaving Keanu's table. Milagros replied to him the same thing and they could not do anything about it.

Xavier was left there, seated across a lovestruck wolf. "Qué carajo hizo Hunter para hacerlo tan feliz?" What the hell did Hunter do to make him this happy?

At history class in the afternoon, Prof. Sheehan also saw the sudden change of look on Keanu, greeting him lively with a wagging tail as if he saw the happiest puppy alive. Hunter walked into the classroom a minute late and sat next to Keanu which was a huge but innocent mistake since they always sat next to each other since the beginning of the semester without making trouble. Keanu sat there, staring at his handsome wolf dreamily. Everything about him was great, his personality, his looks... and his vividly green eyes.

"Mr. Winters?"

Hunter turned to Keanu, who had noticed him staring at him a few times, and got caught not paying attention to class.

"Mr. Winters?" Prof. Sheehan called again.

Hunter gently shook Keanu's daze, "Keanu!" and finally broke his spell as his shaking increased.

Keanu blinked and shook his head in confusion. "W-what?"

Prof. Sheehan looked stern at him with both hands on his waist. "Mr. Winters, can you tell me when California became a state and what was its statehood number?"

Keanu was confused but answered, "September 9, 1850, sir, as the nation's 31st state."

Prof. Sheehan sighed. "I'm glad you're paying attention to class, young man, and please, pay attention."

"So-sorry, Professor..."

Keanu was embarrassed, but Hunter patted him on the shoulder while paying attention to class.

After class was dismissed, Keanu and Hunter walked out of the 200 building together side by side. The day was lovely today.

"How long had you been lovestruck?" Hunter asked with one arm around Keanu's shoulders.

"Uh, all weekend, Hunter, is it bad?"

"Getting distracted is kind of bad, especially when it comes to your studies." Keanu gulped. "Hey, don't worry, you'll get over it in time, you're just new to this. You never dated anyone before, right?"

"Never... until now." Keanu grinned sheepishly.

Hunter chuckled and ruffled his head fur, soft as snow under his palm. "Wanna go to your uncles' café?"

"Oh, I can't, Hunter, I have that group project do to at the library. Don't you have things to do?"

"I'm free right now, I'll be going to the gym today."

Keanu nodded and with that, they went their separate ways until they meet up again at the tram station in the late afternoon.

Meanwhile, at soccer practice, the players were training for their next game on Wednesday, it was a friendly match with the Los Conquistadors from San Diego University before the real game began. Broderick and Sol kept training Xavier to keep up with his goalkeeper skills. The parrot had been improving his agility and hand grabbing the ball in the toughest situation when players would gather near the goal post. At the same time, Broderick, Sol, and others would practice their kicking and ball handling with their feet.

Finally, the practice was over, and the players came out of the locker room cleaned and freshened. Sol dried himself up and put on his clothes, his jeans, his white shirt, and his blue and red soccer jersey jacket unzipped. He saw Xavier drying himself on the bench and saw an opportunity to have a private chat.

"Yo, Xavier, can we have a chat?"

"Depends, but what it is?" Xavier replied.

"Uh, this is going to sound weird..."

"As if, you're always with weird subjects..."

"Hey, let me speak, I'm serious."

"Okay, okay, what is it?"

"You've been roommates with Sergio since last year, right?"

"Uh-huh?"

"Have you seen anything weird around him?"

The parrot gave him that blank look on his face, but he was thinking deeply. He opened his white beak with one index finger up and closed it as if he got nothing to say but opened it again when he found something on his mind.

He spoke dismissively, "He wore a thong when I came back from soccer practice before Halloween."

"A thong?" Sol curiously said. Sol wanted to know if the said thong had a Mexican flag on it, but asking directly would blow his little cover, playing low-key detective wasn't worth it. "Did it have a Mexican flag?"

Xavier, of course, raised an eyebrow at that particular question, he did not, and forgot, to mention that detail. "Yeah, how did you know?"

"Uh, some kind of déjà vu, I don't know, I think he told me he bought some swimming clothes a while back," he lied.

"I see," Xavier said and put his shirt on. "Are you trying to snoop around Sergio's personal secret? You know, the one that Robin guy used to blackmail him?"

Sol knew he could not get away from this parrot, but only because he was the closest to Sergio as a roommate to gather clues and he was capable to connect two things together, even if he never bothered to mind other people's business.

"Okay, kind of, but let me figure it out myself, will you? You're just the closest to Sergio for any clear answers."

"I don't know what Sergio does in his free time when I'm at soccer practice with you all. I think is probably because Sergio has so much freedom here and away from his parents that he can do whatever he wants. If you have something to say, just ask him, because I have nothing to say to you." Xavier stood up from his bench and put on his underwear with his green-feathered back on Sol and then his pants. "I'll see you in the next practice."

Sol stood there and watched him leave the locker room and little did Xavier know that Sol had just connected the dots. The coyote he watched online was really Sergio Primeras, but why the hell he was doing that?

Satisfied, he came out last and opened the door to the exit, and met with a familiar maned wolf in a red and blue baseball jacket, leaning on the wall comfortably.

"Oh, Topher, what's up?" said Sol a bit nonchalant. A part of him felt uncomfortable meeting him and a bit happy to see him.

"Hi, Sol, I was looking for you." Topher smiled. "Can we talk a bit?"

"Eh, sure, why not?" Sol shrugged.

"Nice! Follow me, and--don't worry, this isn't a prank. I won't bite you." He chuckled.

Sol shrugged again as Topher guided him outside of the complex building and sat on a bench together. Sol felt a bit awkward upon meeting his prankster's lackey for the first time since the Halloween prank and at the same time, he felt his stomach stir.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" Sol started a bit more directly.

Topher finally dropped the act and sighed, looking at his resting hands on his lap. "I want to apologize for the prank from the other night. I started to feel bad about it since then." He looked at him with a sorry state. "I don't want you to think that's how I am which I'm not. So... can we... start all over again?" He extended his dark-furred hand to Sol.

Sol felt kind of relief and it was kind of nice that someone came to him to apologize for the prank, but he admits he was at fault for starting it.

"Okay," he huffed, "but, you know that I'm kind of at fault, right? Did Robin tell you what I did to him?"

Topher retrieved his hand. "Oh, yes, that, he told me every detail to the awkward premature ejaculation." He laughed and shook his head.

"But why are you apologizing? I mean, you were involved, but... why?"

"Because I feel bad and..." he paused for a moment. "This is going to sound stupid, but I had a good time meeting you at the party. I think you're a pretty nice guy..." he grinned.

Sol raised an eyebrow. He looked away and scratched his nose with his finger. "You know, I don't believe in love at first sight and other whole fairytale bullshit."

"That's okay, that's why we can start just being friends."

Sol felt his hints stinging like needles, Topher was interested. "Wow, all we did that night was making out and suddenly you're in love?"

"I hate to admit it, but you have caught my attention, haha. It was like you knew my desires--" Topher shut his mouth.

Sol sighed and stood up. Topher felt he screwed up. He cursed his mind and grasped his hand to stop him from leaving. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. All I just said came from my heart, honest."

"Look," Sol turned to look at him, "I'm flattered, but you should know I'm not looking for a mate at this time, I'm still enjoying my time being single and meeting other people, you know?" Sol stated.

"Ahh, so you're that kind of guy." Topher sounded disappointed; his ears drooped.

"Yeah, sorry, Topher, but I think you're a nice guy, too. You came to find me to apologize, so I'll accept your apology."

That cheered Topher up, he smiled at the leopard. "Really?" He stood up from the bench, and his tail wagged.

Sol smiled and nodded, offering a hug which Topher took it very gladly and was satisfied.

"So, you're gonna give me a chance?"

"Sure, we can be friends."

"Thanks, you won't be disappointed." Topher let go of him. "Maybe we can hang out sometimes with your buds."

"Sure, anytime." Sol shrugged but looked forward to the offer.

"Great, uh, I have to go; I have a lot to study." Topher smiled and waved him goodbye. "See ya!"

Sol waved at him as he walked away, he had to admit he was a good guy, coming to apologize to him for his misdeeds, unlike someone he knew. Sol formally apologized to Robin after his prank, but the nutty raccoon did not take it kindly and attacked back. At least Robin's former lackey was more sympathetic.

Hunter came out from the same building, wearing cleaned clothes after working out at the gym. He saw the waving maned wolf walking away and turned to find Sol standing there.

"Hey, Sol, what did I miss?" Hunter said, laying a hand on Sol's left shoulder.

"I think I made a new friend," Sol said as he kept watching the distancing Topher.

"Was that Topher?"

"Yeah, I think he is smitten with me."

"Really? Did you ask him out?"

"No, he did, but I told him I'm not looking for a mate."

"Yet..." Hunter added. He knew about Sol's way of living and his decision of being single for a while. A long while. Hunter had offered Sol to be in a relationship together, but he sincerely rejected. Then Robin came around and expressed interest, but Sol had a nagging feeling and confirmed it through a prank, testing his honesty... and lusty limits. Now Topher stepped in and came forward to clear his name and now he was interested. "You're not gonna prank him, are you?"

"Pfft, no, I'm gonna let him be, I'll wait."

"Come on, Sol, stop rejecting people, one day, someone will reject you back. Or, what if Topher is the one, but you were too late and found someone else?"

"I said I'm gonna let him be, I'll wait."

"Wait, for real? You're gonna give him a chance?"

"Yes, maybe, or something, I need to sort it out, man. Give me a break." Sol immediately changed the topic. "So, how's you and Keanu?"

"Keanu is lovestruck all day. Look, Milagros sent me this." Hunter picked up his phone and showed it to Sol, a picture of Keanu with the most adorable, enamored expression he had ever seen while eating his chicken salad.

"Holy shit! What did you DO?"

"I only gave him a kiss as I told you." Hunter put his phone back into his pocket. "He is just reminiscing the time we spent together. He is in love, Sol... and... I'm in love too."

"So, are you two now official?"

"Well, we're getting closer, so we're almost there, and Keanu would love the idea of us being boyfriends."

"Tell him how you feel, Hunter, this is the kind of thing I was hoping for you."

"Yeah, and the same goes for you with Topher."

"Hey, don't tell me how to live my life and worry about yours, I'm happy being single, thank you very much."

"Sure, but time will change you." Hunter walked toward the path where Topher went for the tram station. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sol."

"Take care."They grow up so fast.

Hunter arrived at the station with other few students standing for the next train, as always, Keanu was present with his tail wagging upon seeing his wolf. He was still fresh from the date, so Hunter showed him the picture that Milagros had sent to him.

"Are you still lovestruck?"

Keanu's little giddy behavior stopped, ears and tail standing up frozen. "What? Wh-where did you get that?!"

"You didn't see her taking the pic?"

"Uh... no? I was just..."

"You were thinking about me, didn't you?" Hunter teased.

"Y-yeah... I had fun last Friday, Hunter."

"Yeah, me too."

After a short pause, Keanu plainly said, "You're keeping that picture, aren't you?"

"Yup!" Hunter grinned.

They boarded the tram and arrived back at their respective homes. Hunter had offered to hang out with Keanu at his apartment, but this time Keanu asked back as they ascended the pedestrian bridge.

"Can I also come over to your apartment? I haven't gotten the chance to do it and meet your brothers..."

"Yeah, you can," Hunter quickly interrupted, "anytime, but... only when I say so."

Keanu gave him a quizzical look, it was weird, but who knew Hunter could be strict when it came to his home. The only time he ever came to visit was that Saturday evening with friends, and Hunter had the apartment all to himself.

"Okay then," Keanu slowly said, "I'll let you know when I feel like it."

"Sure, but let me know, okay?"

"Sure..." Keanu turned towards his home as he was left giving a strange impression of Hunter he had never seen before or yet. Hopefully, he would explain it later.

Hunter stood alone in the middle of the pedestrian bridge and sighed. He was too afraid if Rylan met Keanu in person, and only one gay person was enough trouble in the household, but two? Hunter did not even want to know. It scared him and did not want Keanu to be discriminated against by one family member. Now that Keanu and Hunter were getting closer, it was a matter of time for Keanu wanting to meet his parents and siblings. He found a new corner to be cornered in, and the only way was to tell Keanu, but he did not want to scare him by telling him he had a homophobic brother.

Hunter arrived at his home apartment, unlocked the door, and stepped inside the living room where he saw his younger sister lounging on the couch. She was writing down notes from a reality show she was watching, something about a bunch of odd contestants competing for the one-million prize by staying in the game without being eliminated through a series of challenges. He didn't pay much attention to it but knew the basics. She was also wearing the new hoodie sweater he bought from the amusement park and lavender sweatpants. She also had the same shade of fur as Hunter's but with light brown eyes. Hunter was the only one who inherited green eyes from either his paternal grandfather or maternal great-grandmother.

"Hey, I'm home," Hunter said.

"Hey, Hunter," said Sally Montana without looking at him.

"How was school?"

"River got detention."

"What?" Hunter cried out stunned. "What did he do?"

"He almost accidentally started a food fight in the cafeteria by throwing a muffing at the new kid in school. A teacher saw everything, so he is now at school until five, and Rylan will pick him up later."

"It's already five."

"Well, they should be here by now."

"So, do Mom and Dad know?"

"Yeah, they know, they're probably discussing their grounding plans when he comes back home."

"Isn't detention enough for him?"

Sally quietly thought. "I don't know, and I don't think is that much of a deal, he just threw a muffing, and no one was hit."

Hunter shrugged and sighed.

"So, anyway, guess who the new kid is?" she stood up from the couch to face him and smiled.

"Uh," he shrugged with no answers. "You beat me."

"You remember Richard?"

"Uh... what Richard?"

"Ugh, the black wolf."

"Ah, that Richard, what about him?"

"His father was redeployed in California, so he and his family moved here in Rexville and got transferred to Rexville High. Isn't that great? It's been like six years from the last time I saw him."

"So, how did he turn out?" Hunter had one good guessing.

She picked up her phone and showed him a picture she took today. "Puberty really did him good." She smiled. "I didn't know who he was until he told me his name."

Hunter looked closely at the picture, a young handsome black wolf laying his arm around his sister's shoulders as true childhood friends reunited. Hunter remembered, he was 13 when Richard moved to the east coast, Sally and Richard were quite inseparable since pre-school. Now that he came back, he had no idea where this would come to, but he would let his little sister make her decision if she would look forward to dating her childhood friend.

The door behind him opened and Hunter felt shoved to one side of his shoulder as Rylan walked in through the living room.

"I brought River back," he nonchalantly said and made for the corridor to his room.

Hunter rubbed his upper arm, it bothered him doing that, but he kept his cool around him to avoid a physical fight between them. Just the simplest things he could get away with this.

Sally saw this and clicked her tongue disapprovingly of Rylan's subtle actions.

River walked into the living room, meeting his two siblings. He was the youngest of the four, 14, a light build like Keanu's, and had a darker shade of brown fur than Hunter's and Sally's and lacked the little brown stripe on the top of his muzzle, a clear white face with dark brown eyes, and a disheveled mess of dark brown hair on his head. He wore his favorite blue SkyRyders t-shirt today and white cargo pants. He had a sheepish smile on his face.

"Hey, Hunter, guess what?" said River.

"You got detention." Hunter facepalmed.

"Yeah, because the new kid called me a pup, so I threw a muffing to him, but it almost hit the substitute teacher and gave me detention."

"You mean Richard?" Hunter asked.

"Yeah," explained Sally, "he remembered him as a young pup since preschool, despite being one year younger."

"I'm tired of being called a pup!" cried River. "I hate it!"

Both Sally and Hunter kept quiet, River was the most energetic and enthusiastic of the four, so of course, he would get the impression of being a young happy pup and Richard had fondly remembered him as this happy-go-lucky wolf that jumped around them when he met people or reaching out the door. River had to mature if he wanted them to stop calling him a puppy.

Hunter laughed and ruffled his head fur. "Don't worry, River, you're getting there. You already experienced a lot of changes in your body, right? Your voice had gotten deeper, you're growing some extra fur in your intimate parts, and you're feeling more aroused when you're around with people you find attractive."

River flustered at this, giving him a disgusted look. He did experience all these changes, but he could not believe Hunter just spoke it as if were nothing, almost as if he knew his secrets.

"I can't believe you say that!" River cried.

Sally and Hunter laughed.

At dinner time, Hunter and his siblings gathered at the dining table, their parents made a freshly homemade meatloaf with mashed potatoes on the side. Dinner was usually nice and lively to talk to each other as a family, but Hunter and Rylan hardly exchanged a conversation. They acted as if they never existed. Hunter could not believe that this lasted a year now, how could Rylan keep this up? Just how serious was this whole thing?

His father told him he had a hard time talking to Rylan about his personal matters and the times he did, Rylan packed his things and called his friend who was one block away from home and spent the whole week there. His friend didn't mind having him over, knowing about his situation and all, and Mr. Montana called him to watch him over just in case he did something stupid as running away.

That would be the last thing Rylan would do and the others thought. It had prolonged too far.

Hunter laid down on his bed in his underwear and stared at the ceiling. Every time he came back to his bedroom, he thought about his brother and what was wrong with him, why was he so cold to him after coming out to his family?

Hunter shifted on the bed and laid on his right side and spotted something on the small trash can. He extended his arm to pick it up. It was the baseball cap he gave to River and Rylan. He gave both hats to River first before giving them to the latter. Hunter sighed, placing the hat on the nightstand. It seemed like Rylan did not even appreciate the small things Hunter did for him to show he cared.

Sadly, Rylan had not returned his brotherly affections which hurt Hunter's heart. His feelings were more mixed up, combining his broken heart with Rylan and his restructuring heart with Keanu. It was a strange feeling... Rylan would hurt, and Keanu would comfort.

It really sucked, minus Keanu's affection of course. Hunter rolled back on the bed to stare back at the ceiling. He clutched his chest with one hand into a fist as if keeping his heart together. He breathed in and out and tried to fall asleep.

...

He could not sleep.

It had only been ten minutes. Hunter turned left and right on the bed uncomfortable. Then shifted and sat on the bed, both bared feet on the wooden floor. He brushed his hands over his head in distress. He stared at the baseball cap on the nightstand. He stood up and walked around in circles in his room, hands clutching his head frustratedly.

Hunter knew better than to make frustrating noises during their bedtime. He didn't want to make a scene, but he could not stop whining. The whine turned into growling anger at everything he had to endure all year. He wanted to intervene and interrogate his brother about his homophobia and tell him to stop hating him and love him like a loving being. One tear escaped from one eye, he stopped walking and quickly wiped it off.

As usual, to cope with the negative thoughts that were rising in his head, Hunter would exercise in his room with a pull-up bar installed on the upper wall. Despite he had gone to the gym today, he somehow was capable to keep up, maybe it was the built-up inside him that stirred him up and mentally motivated him to go for some more. Normally he would do half of his reps that he usually accomplished, but he already passed his set limits. He kept pushing for more, the rage he was feeling inside was much stronger than he had anticipated. His breathings were more labored, his toned shirtless body flexed and rippled, drenching sweat trailed down to his underwear. He would shower again later, but he needed this to vent off the bad energy inside him.

He lost counting but kept pulling himself up with his muscled arms to meet his head above the bar and pulled himself down and pulled up again. Hunter huffed loudly, focusing on getting rid of his anger in him.

Get away from me, you creep! I hate you!

The harsh words of Rylan came back to haunt him, and he pulled up and down faster.

Don't talk to me, homo! I had enough of you!

Hunter stopped and hung there for a moment, hands gripping the bar tightly, arms trembling, and panting loudly. He rested his feet on the floor and released his hands...

He wasn't done yet.

Don't look at me, you sick perv!

He placed both hands on the floor far apart, legs together, back straight, and started to push himself up and down. He did not bother to count; he wanted the words to go away.

Get out of my sight, you freak!

He pushed himself much faster, huffing harder, shaking off his sweat onto the floor, and mixing it with his tears. His arms, chest, and stomach were burning but kept going. He did not want to hear it.

You're not my brother! You're just a faggot!

He stopped, his arms suspending him, trembling, and straining to the limit. Hunter sniffed and whined. His knees gave out, his back slackened, and his arms gave out, dropping his strained body flat on the floor.

The wolf-man sobbed, shifting his body into a fetal position and tail curling under between his legs. He smelled sweat and tears. His body ached and burned after passing over his limits. He did not know why he cried over a simple gift he wanted to give to Rylan. Did the feelings begin to build up again like last time? After the November incident between Perry and him, he was a bit traumatized for a week when Rylan blew up in front of his face and said those nasty words to him that fateful day. Hunter calmed down, he considered it as a bottled-up episode of his hurt feelings.

He slowly sat on the floor, trying to keep himself together. He took in a good lungful of air and calmed down.

He came back to his room after showering, again losing track of time until he realized it was midnight. The shower helped him to clear his mind and soothe his sore muscles. He felt better now and picked a fresh pair of underwear but kept sitting on the bed and staring at nowhere.

He heard gentle knocking which broke his dazed mind from the ordeal. The door was half-opened and stood a young wolf in the middle of the threshold. He looked worried.

"Hunter?" River quietly said.

Hunter turned at him, both exchanged the same look on how they felt about the situation.

"Can I come in?" River asked quietly.

Hunter nodded and gestured to him to come inside. River was in his maroon loose-fit boxers and a white tank top. Hunter, having some decency, fetched a black tank top from the drawer and put it on. He didn't like to show off half-naked around the house in front of his siblings and parents, but only in his bedroom where he could do whatever he wanted.

River sat down on the bed before Hunter. Both were feeling dense and so was the air. Hunter expected something from River for coming over to his room, but he was taking his time to put his words together.

Hunter asked, "Is there something wrong, River?"

"I can't sleep, Hunter. I was going to the living room for a glass of milk, but I heard you crying."

Hunter felt ashamed, his ears lowered. "I'm sorry you had to hear that."

"It's okay, you told me that it's okay to cry, right?"

"Yeah, I did, I know I've been a hypocrite about it because I've been keeping it in me all to myself from others."

"Yeah, I see, so, was it about Rylan?"

"Yes..." he sighed and picked up the baseball cap and showed it to him. "He... he didn't like my gift."

"Wh-what?"

"H-he threw it in my trash bin."

River took the hat and looked at it, still intact, and looking new to be used. When River gave it to Rylan, he didn't say a thing or what thought of the gift. He just placed it there on his desk and continued with his homework. He guessed he threw it away when Hunter and no one were looking.

River frowned. "Sometimes, Rylan feels like a total stranger in our room after you came out. I tried to talk with him as usual, but nothing goes further, and he hardly talks with Sally, and they don't want to admit it."

Hunter never saw this angle, not only he was losing Rylan, but his two siblings were quietly falling apart. He needed to act fast. They were all falling into a black hole.

"I-I'm sorry, River, I didn't know you two are also in pain."

"It's okay, we'll get this through, family comes first, right?" River smiled and leaned forward to hug Hunter, wrapping his arms around his waist and head resting on his chest. "I love you, Hunter."

Hunter responded back and wrapped his arms around his little brother. His heart fluttered. "I love you, too." Their tails wagged gently at their comfort.

River chuckled. "Good thing you took a shower."

The wolf brothers laughed quietly together. This was all they needed, and what Hunter needed the most right now. A nice warmth of comfort and a little bit of laughter. It didn't matter who they came from as long it was someone who was by their side and close to them to provide that needed mental medicine. Keanu was right, he was lucky to have siblings like River in these harsh times he was going through.

The wolves separated their hug and Hunter said, "I guess I should stop calling you a little pup after all. That was pretty mature of you to speak up and talk to me."

That glimmer in River's eyes came up, satisfied with his accomplishment of tonight, but he had one more thing to ask. "Thanks. Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Can I sleep here tonight?" Hunter asked why. "If I go back to Rylan, the mood feels different than here, even if he is asleep."

Hunter nodded understandingly. "Okay, sure, you can come by and sleep here whenever you feel like it, okay? I have the inflatable mattress in the closet." Hunter stood up from the bed and slid open the mirrored closet. On the top shelf was the neatly folded deflated mattress. He picked up the air pump from the closet and let River inflate the bed which was a good call since he drained all his energy doing pullups and pushups.

The black mattress was ready and nearly covered the center of Hunter's room. River came back from his room with a pillow and blanket.

"Where did you get this, Hunter?" River asked as he gently rested on the bed.

"I think Dad bought it for camping," Hunter followed the same and laid down, "but this one is new, I can smell the new fabric from here, and he put it in my closet since there isn't space in theirs."

River smelled the mattress, it indeed smelled new nylon fabric up close. "Nice..."

Hunter yawned. "Goodnight, River."

River yawned. "Goodnight..."

Finally, there was peace and quiet tonight, and the wolves could sleep well.

"Hey, Hunter." River whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Now, that Rylan is alone in his room, I bet he is taking this opportunity to jerk off."

Another round of small chuckles filled the room in the middle of the night. Now the wolves fell asleep for real this time.