Nova fidgeted. The school bus rolled down the street, ferrying him and his friend Marko home after school. They were almost at their stop, Marko’s house, and the lion boy still hadn’t said a word.

	“Just tell me how it went. It can’t have been that bad.”

	“Later.” Marko sulked. He was Nova’s newest friend, having joined his class earlier that year. The fur on his mane had just started to grow out, and he’d taken the opportunity to dye the top of his headfur bright green. 

	The school bus lurched to a stop, the door hissing as it creaked open. The two cubs disembarked, trekking a quick half-block to Marko’s apartment. Neither one of the lion’s parents was home, and the boys moved in a cloying kind of quiet through a tiny living room, up an old set of stairs, and into Marko’s bedroom.

	“AAAUGH!” Marko shouted as he fell face-first onto his bed, his emotional dam in shambles.

	Nova winced. “Abby said no, huh?”

	“Dude, I couldn’t even ask her!”

	“Oh...”

	“I always have this plan of what I’m gonna say in my head, but every time I go to ask her out I get all freaked out and give up.”

Nova took a seat next to Marko on his bed. Marko’s room was small, almost cramped with both cubs in it, but his walls were decorated with posters and drawings he’d made himself, giving it a warm and lived-in feel. It had the same kind of charm as Marko himself.

	“Novaaaaa… you have to help out here.”

	“What? How?”

	“You know how to talk to girls, you’re friends with tons of ‘em!”

	“I guess...” True, all of Nova’s other friends were girls, but he’d never even considered asking any of them out on a date. They were just his friends. He never really understood what about girls made Marko or older boys act so weird. 

	“Maybe...” Marko buried his face in his pillow

	“Maybe what?” Nova tilted his head.

	“...You know how you kinda look like a girl?”

	Nova opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again. “W-what?”

	“Well, you know how sometimes people made fun of your hair, and your paws… and the way you walk-”

	“W-what’s wrong with how I walk?” There was a hint of panic in his voice. Thinking back, sure, his bouncy poodle curls could be a… little girly. And that time his mom put a bow in it didn’t help. And his paws were maybe a bit smaller than the average boy’s. In fact, he was smaller in general than most boys his age. Oh no. Nova looked down at himself, he sat with his legs together, his paws on his lap, his posture so dainty... No, no, NO! Was this why girls liked being friends with him?! 

	“Nothing! And you’re not, obviously! You’re just my best friend, so it’s way easier to talk to you. So I was thinking… maybe if you pretended to be her-”

	“No way!”

	“Please! You’ve gotta help me; you’re the only one who can!”

	“I’m not a girl!” Nova sputtered, also trying to reassure himself.

	“I know you’re not, but you could just pretend to be one, this one time!”

	“What would I even do?”

	“Well, I’d pretend you’re Abby, say all the stuff I planned to say to ask her out, you say yes, and then we go on a practice date.”

	Nova flushed. “Y-you’re taking me out on a date?”

	“Just a practice one! We can go to her favorite bubble tea shop, go see a movie, and then maybe get dinner.”

	“That... sounds like it’ll cost a lot.” 

	“Yeah, but I’ve been saving my allowance to pay for her, uh, you. The guy always pays in TV shows.”

	Free food and a free movie? That was… nice, especially coming from Marko. Was this what girls felt like when they got asked out? The idea made butterflies dance in his tummy. “I... okay.”

	“You’ll do it?” Marko asked, perking up with excitement.

	“Yeah, but only because I wanna try bubble tea.”

	“Yes! Thank you Nova!” Marko popped off his bed, pulling Nova into a brief embrace that made the poodle boy blush. Marko’s touch left as quickly as it had come, and he went to his closet. “So, I thought you could maybe put these on?” With a beaming smile, he laid a set of folded clothes on the bed. A pink hoodie, short sequined red skirt, and pink striped knee-high socks.

	“What!?”

	“How else are you gonna pretend to be a girl?”

	“I-I thought you said I already looked like one!” Nova felt part of himself crumble, acknowledging that out loud. “Where did you even get these?”

	“They’re my sister’s.”

	“Oh…” Suddenly this felt even weirder.

	“And I said you kinda look like one, but you’re still wearing boy’s clothes.”

	“B-but-” 

	“Please Nova! I’ll get you the food and snacks you want!”

	Nova pouted, glancing between his begging friend and the clothes on the bed. Then he thought of those movie theater nachos that his mom always said were too expensive. “F-fine.”

	“Yeah!” Marko squeezed his arm. “I promise it won’t be that bad.”

	Nova ran a paw over  the fabric of the skirt. Soft… silky… girly… ugh. He noticed his friend watching him with eager eyes. “Are… are you gonna watch me change?”

	“O-oh!” Marko turned away, looking at anything except Nova. “Uh, y-you can change in the bathroom if you want!”

	Nova gathered the feminine clothing in his arms. Neither boy made eye contact as Nova navigated the narrow hallway toward the family’s shared bathroom. He ducked inside, locking the door behind him before slipping out of his white shirt and khaki pants. Nova favored plain clothing, which only made the pink ensemble next to him feel more transgressive.

He looked at his near-nude figure in the mirror. His bare flesh was a paler black than his fluff, and it gave him a soft, powdery complexion. His hips bowed out oh-so-slightly to connect to smooth meaty thighs that slimmed through his supple legs, down to his dainty little footpaws. Perhaps all those teases had a point. He wasn’t too far off from the elegance and softness of a girl. His friend chose the right ‘guy’, didn’t he?

	He picked up the skirt from the pile, only for an additional article of clothing to flutter out. Dropping to the floor between his legs was a set of white panties, patterned with girly-looking pink hearts. Nova froze. His brain stopped and restarted, trying to comprehend what exactly his friend had given him. Paws trembling, he opened the door a crack.

	“Marko?” He called down the hall. “D-did you give me your sister’s underwear?”

	“What?! Uh- maybe?” Marko sputtered, his voice muffled by the distance between them. “I just kinda grabbed everything. You totally don’t have to wear those… if you don’t want to.”

	Nova gulped, picking up the terrifying piece of cotton and holding it in his paws like a lit match. Marko didn’t know this would be in here, right? It’s not like he’d know what underwear Nova was wearing either way. He could just tuck them into the clothes hamper and be done with it. That said, if nobody would know… there was no reason not to. He was already going to be wearing a skirt, wouldn’t it be weirder wearing his briefs under that? Also, maybe wearing a full outfit would help him act like a girl better. That was what Marko wanted, right?

	Nova pulled his briefs down, kicking them into the pile with his other clothing. Wow, he was really going to do this. Fully naked, his circumcised penis stuck out against his dark fur and skin. He couldn’t deny it, pink on black was a striking combination of colors. Gingerly, he put his feet through and pulled the pair of panties up his legs. The fabric was thinner than he was used to, and pulling them all the way up presented another problem. Marko’s sister was a few years younger than him, and while Nova was smaller than most boys his age, the underwear was still a little snug. Not enough to be uncomfortable, but the waistband was smaller than he’d like. What’s more, there was much less room in the front than he was used to, keeping his penis pressed tightly against his body. It tickled, in a way that made his member tingle and start to swell. Well, that wasn’t good. Nova did his best to keep his mind off it and reached for something to cover himself.

	 He grabbed the skirt, ruby red with a band of glittering trim around the edge. He stepped his feet through and slipped it up his thighs. The skirt barely reached halfway to his knees, and the cool air of the bathroom brushed against his underwear.. He was covered, but in a way that still left him feeling exposed.  How did girls wear these things to school? One wrong move would give everyone a full view of his panty-clad butt. The thought made his tummy squirm. 

	He put a foot up on the side of the bathtub, sliding on one of the long pink socks. Glancing into the mirror, to his horror, he realized that both his heart-patterned panties, and the outline of his dick through the fabric, were completely visible. His face burned a dark red, and he practically slammed his foot back onto the floor. Getting the other sock on was more of a challenge, since bending over would mean putting his butt on display. If it was this embarrassing while alone, in a private bathroom, how was he going to survive in public? He eventually got both socks on by falling into a low squat. When fully pulled up, they covered his legs to just above the knee.

	And finally, there was slipping on the hoodie. As he pulled it on, he cringed to see that the drawstrings had plastic hearts on the end. At least he was fully dressed.

	He looked at himself in the mirror. He hated to admit it, but he’d be able to fool himself. The bright pink pup in the mirror made a very cute girl, heartbreaking for the boy opposite her. Those bright colors complimented his black fluff so well, too…

	Chest pounding, Nova stepped out of the bathroom. Even with no one around to see him, he was already self-conscious. The idea of someone seeing him looking so… girly was absolutely mortifying. At least Marko had asked him to dress like this. That made it a little easier, knowing that his friend would be happy to see him. Right?

	Only one way to find out. Nova made his way down the hall, taking a deep breath before slipping back into Marko’s bedroom. “H-how do I look?” His voice was thin and higher-pitched than normal. More feminine. He hadn’t even done that on purpose.

	Marko looked up, the green-haired lion’s eyes going wide as saucers as he looked at his friend. “Oh my God!” He hopped up, a giddy smile on his face. “You look great! Exactly like a girl, wow!”

	“Yay…” A shiver went up Nova’s spine, seeing how excited his friend was.

	“Wait a sec, just one more thing.” Marko darted out of the room before Nova could respond, coming back a minute later with a box of barrettes. 

	“Oh no… Do I have to?” Nova whined.

	“C’mon, it’ll look nice!”

	Nova sighed, a warm flush on his face as he looked at the different shapes. He’d never considered wearing one before, but they did look kind of cute. His eyes settled on a particular shape, one he’d doodled in his classroom notebooks countless times. “C-can I get th-the butterfly one?” 

	Marko fished out and clipped a magenta butterfly barrette to the side of Nova’s head. He backed away to survey the transformed poodle. 

	“Nova, you look great.” He beamed. “Like you’d be the prettiest girl in school, even. Scout’s honor.”

	Nova pulled the hoodie tight over his face. Hearing that made him feel too much, his head swam in the shame he’d expected while the warmth in his chest made him want to cry. “Th-thanks,” he said. It was all he could make himself say. 

	“So, um…” Marko faltered, then blurted out, “D-do you wanna go out with me?!”

Nova’s face burned like a hotplate. This wasn’t even real, but hearing those words from Marko made his heart jackhammer in his chest. He tried to speak, and only managed a high-pitched whine. Unable to form words, he just nodded.

	Marko’s face lit up, his own cheeks dusting a light pink. “Cool, t-that wasn’t so bad! C’mon, let’s get going!” 

Nova let the other boy lead him downstairs. All they had to do was head out the door and get to the bus stop-

	“Who’s your friend, dječak?” Marko’s mother said  as they crossed the entryway. Marko’s mother was fairly young. Nova had met her a pawful of times, briefly, and was still getting used to her accent. 

	“Hi Mom! This is, uh, Noel!” Marko bluffed, standing in front of Nova in an attempt to shield him from her gaze. “We’re gonna see a movie downtown, and the bus is leaving soon. Gotta run, bye!”

	The pair shuffled backward to the doorway while the lioness raised an eyebrow. “Okay,” she said, “but we’ll have a talk about you having girls in your room alone when you get back, Marko!”

	The boys gulped, fleeing at top speed out the door. Out on the stoop, where both could take a breath, Nova fixed his friend with a glare. “You just told her my normal name?”

	“I mean, she only knows your nickname, and Noel is kind of a girl’s na-”

	“Don’t.” Nova was being pushed a little too far. “My name’s not g-girly.” He stared down at his sparkly skirt and long pink socks. 

	“Right… right. Sorry Nova.”

	Nova sighed. “It’s fine. I want a large bubble tea, though.”

	“Of course.” Marko fidgeted. “Do, uh, do you think Abby would let me hold her paw? Y’know, when I ask her, and we’re walking together?”

	“I guess so? You’d be on a date with her, so why not?” Nova realized just then that he’d never thought about exactly how a date worked. 

	“Then… could I maybe hold yours?”

	Nova’s paws trembled. That was a normal thing to ask, right? This was to help Marko practice, it shouldn’t feel weird. It shouldn’t. Wordlessly, before he could think harder about it, Nova held out his paw. Marko grabbed it like the last slice of pizza in the cafeteria. They walked down the street, together, paw-in-paw. 

	“Marko, I-I think I’m actually gonna throw up.”

	“No, don’t, girls don’t throw up!”

	“D-do girls at least cry?”

	“All the time!”

---

The bus ride was almost pleasant. Nova spent the entire time hiding behind Marko and looking out the window. He couldn’t bear to look at the other animals on the bus. Were they staring at him? Did any of them notice? He didn’t want to know. 

Disembarking was a relief, until he realized that he was in the middle of a busy street, full of total strangers. He kept his gaze to the ground, staring at his skirt and socks, while Marko dragged him by the paw into the shop. A handful of furs were seated inside and enjoying their drinks, but it was still quieter than outside.

“Okay, here’s the plan.” Marko said, walking towards the counter. The bubble tea shop was on the smaller side, with only 4 tables, all but one of which were filled. The ceiling was decorated with strands of LED lights and paper lanterns. “I want to show Abby that I know what kind of stuff she likes, right? Also, when there are dates on TV, the guy usually says ‘Oh, you have to try this’ and orders for her.”

“Wouldn’t she just want to order herself?”

“No, it’ll be great! Look, I already know what you’d like. Save the table for us, I’ll be right back.”

Nova’s ears drooped. “But I wanted a-”

“Uh-uh!” Marko put a finger to Nova’s lips. The poodle boy quieted, his friend’s touch temporarily shorting out his brain. “See you in a minute, you’re gonna love it!”

His head still buzzing, Nova made his way over to the last empty table. Taking a seat with his back to the window, he had a clear view of the counter and the rest of the shop. It seemed like the other tables were occupied by couples. The pairs of boys and girls seemed to be having a good time, and none had spared Nova more than a passing glance. Still, the ball of discomfort in his chest wouldn’t go away. Those were real dates, and Nova was just faking. This wasn’t what Marko really wanted.

What did Nova want, though?

“Back!” Marko marched up, a cup in each paw and wearing a sly grin. He hopped into his seat and set a litre-sized cup of pink liquid in front of his date. “Go ahead, tell me how much you love it.”

Nova blinked. “You got me… strawberry?”

“Yeah, it matches your outfit.”

The poodle boy pouted. “Ugh, even the pearls are pink…” He took a sip, fitting his lips around the surprisingly wide straw and sucking. The first tapioca pearl slid down his throat, almost making him choke. The next few went down easier, though he found he preferred to chew them. It made a nice contrast to the intensely sweet liquid.

“Soo…?”

“Ugh, you win. It’s good, really good.”

“Yes!” Marko pumped his paws. “Told you! I’ve got this in the bag.”

Nova took another sip. It was hard to be mad at Marko and his look of smug satisfaction. A charming, infectious kind of smile. “So what’d you get, grape?”

“Taro!”

“What’s a taro?”

“It’s kind of like a potato.”

“Marko, you did not order potato bubble tea. I don’t believe you.”

“It doesn’t taste like potatoes, you dork! Here, try.”

Marko slid his smaller cup across the table. Nova took it, sucking up the purple liquid and running it across his tongue. Behind all the sugar, it had a mild flavor, nutty with hints of vanilla. “It’s kind of nice.” Nova slid the drink back over to Marko.

“Heh, yeah. I just like the color.”

Marko drained half of his bubble tea in a single gulp. Watching him made Nova’s heart rate pick up. He hadn’t thought much of it, but both their lips had just been on that straw. Was that a date thing? It felt intimate, even with how casual both boys had been about it. Was he just imagining things?

“You excited for the movie?”

“Oh, totally.” Nova refocused. “What are we seeing, anyway?”

The lion smirked. “Why don’t you guess? What’s the best kind of movie to see on a date?”

“Hmm… romantic comedies, I guess? Girls seem to like those.” The thought of watching one didn’t exactly excite him.

“No way! That’s a trap, Abby would just spend the whole movie staring at the lead actor guy.” Marko grinned deviously. “I got tickets to the scariest movie I could find. Abby will be all freaked out, and hug me the whole time. Plus, since I’ll have seen it with you, I won’t be scared and can act all brave and stuff.”

Nova paled. A terrified gulp finished off the last of his bubble tea. “T-the scariest one you could f-find?”

“Yeah, it’ll scare the pants off Abby! We’re both probably too manly to be scared, though. Still, it should be fun, especially if it has, like, chainsaws or something.”

“Haha, yeah…”

---

Nachos. The forbidden movie theater snack. Salty. Cheesy. Significantly more expensive than popcorn, for some reason. Nova had eaten through half of his tray.

The chips were stale, and the cheese tasted like plastic.

“You want some?” Nova whispered, placing the tray on the armrest between them. Even his thin voice threatened to echo through the theater, given just how quiet the movie was.

“It’s okay, I bought ‘em for you! I want you to enjoy ‘em.” Marko made less of an effort to keep quiet.

“Thanks, but… they’re just kind of okay. I’m kinda hoping that sharing them makes them taste better.”

“You’re the best, brate.” Marko grabbed a handful of chips, his chewing nearly drowning out the movie. It stayed on a static shot of a darkened ceiling as the two main characters moved around their house. “The soda’s for sharing too, by the way.”

The cup already took up much of the armrest’s space. Marko seemed to have a thing for ordering large drinks. “Just one straw, though?”

“Yeah, I saw it on a TV show once. It’s called an indirect kiss, like, since Abby and I would both share the straw, it’s kind of like a kiss? I think it’ll help break the ice for later in the date.”

So he had noticed back at the bubble tea place. “A-and you d-did the same thing with me?”

“I mean, we’re practicing, right?” It was hard to make out Marko’s expression in the dark. “Can’t practice if I don’t actually do it.”

Nova leaned over to drink from the colossal cup, letting the carbonated liquid wash the taste of salt from his mouth. Even past the syrupy sweetness, he thought he could taste a hint of taro on the straw. That… only could’ve come from Marko’s mouth. It was kind of nice. Maybe Marko should’ve tried to kiss him right after the bubb- ABBY. Kiss Abby, not him. Gosh. 

Nova’s attention was called back to the film. The two cubs onscreen were caught in a suburban cage of disappearing doors, disappearing windows, disappearing… toilets? Watching a commode vanish into thin air, as every possible connection outside the house was supernaturally removed, made Nova aware of another concern. The bubble tea was running right through him. The urge to pee wasn’t that bad, at least not yet, but sitting for so long combined with wearing a younger girl’s clothing was putting extra pressure on his waist and groin. Plus, with all the salt he’d just eaten, he was still thirsty. He took another sip of soda, cursing the effect that he knew it would have later. 

At least the movie took his mind off that. It was almost hypnotic, watching the dim spots of light dance against the layers of darkness and film grain that dominated the screen. It was an abyss, continually drawing him in. Even with the parents finally onscreen, something about their silhouettes in the dark made Nova’s skin prickle. Their posture, their voices, everything was just slightly off, and why couldn’t he see their faces?

“I need you to close your eyes. Please.”

Nova couldn’t even have blinked, but the inky blackness blinded him nonetheless. Was there something moving in the depths of the screen, a glimpse of a silent predator stalking the house? Was the film grain playing tricks on him? He couldn’t tell, and couldn’t look away.

The girl’s mother was gone. Then the noises started, muffled and unsettling, and the closet, the closet. What’s in it? It’s too dark. Too dark, and the voice didn’t match, and the sound of someone in horrible pain-

“Dude, this is so boring.” Marko grumbled. “Nothing’s even happening.”

Nova opened his mouth, but a screech and flash from onscreen left him clutching Marko’s arm in terror instead. He hung on, paralyzed, for just a moment. Both boys let out an awkward chuckle. 

Nova let go, but Marko took the opportunity to drape his arm across the poodle’s shoulders. Before Nova knew it, his head was leaning on Marko’s shoulder.

“Smooth?” The lion boy asked.

“Ah. Yeah. Very.”

“Cool. You’re really good at this, Nova. Uh, acting, I mean. Thanks.”

“M-my pleasure.”

The movie continued. Neither boy felt the need to move. 

---

Nova’s entire body was shaking.

It was hard to pinpoint what, exactly, had him so on edge, but the tension just wouldn’t let up. He would never have admitted to being afraid of the dark, of course. That was a problem that every little kid grew out of. So what if he still had a nightlight in his bedroom? He’d just forgotten to get rid of it.

The darkness was really getting to him, though.

They’d already drained Marko’s soda. Nova had kept impulsively sipping, trying to keep his mind off the movie, until the entire thing was gone and his bladder started pounding even harder. After that, there was precious little to distract him from his dual tormentors. Whatever monster was lurking in the shadows (and there was absolutely something there) had to be just offscreen, it was even speaking now, but the fact that he couldn’t actually see it made his skin crawl. That poor kid…

‘Put the knife in your eye.’

An impossibly cruel command. The camera, maddeningly, still refused to show him what was happening, but in the distance, unmistakably, came the sounds of a young boy in horrible pain-

“Ah!” Nova yelped, burying his face in Marko’s shoulder. It didn’t help. He could still hear everything.

“You okay?” Marko squeezed Nova’s shoulder.

“Mmmph…” The poodle boy whined. His body locked up until his date’s touch calmed him down again, but this only exacerbated the other problem. The knot in Nova’s tummy wasn’t purely from fear. The sheer amount of liquid he’d consumed over the past two hours was almost too much for him. Sure, the pressure was a little better now, but-

Wait a second.

As discreetly as he could, Nova slipped a paw underneath his skirt. It was surprisingly easy to reach between his legs, given how short the fabric was. ...Yep, that was a wet spot. A small one, but still, Nova had wet his- someone else’s underwear! The pressure in his groin was hard to ignore, now that he’d felt that second of aborted relief. The movie might, might have scared an accident out of him (just a little one!), but that only made the urge to void the rest of his bladder even stronger. That was probably just because the movie was a little scary. He was uncomfortable, but he could still hold it. 

He didn’t look up again until the movie was over.

“Man, that sucked!” Marko pouted as they made their way back to the theater lobby. “Sorry Nova, I didn’t realize the movie would be so boring.”

“I, uh, wouldn’t have called it boring…” Nova walked with a slight waddle, grateful that Marko was leading them toward the restrooms. 

“Nothing even happened! I think I fell asleep partway through.” Marko looked up at the ceiling. “Your headfur’s, like, really comfy. Anyway! Glad it’s over, I have to pee so bad.”

Nova breathed a sigh of relief. They’d both feel better after a chance to unload the near-gallon of liquids they’d consumed today. Nova took a step towards the bathroom and froze dead in his tracks. He looked at the signs. He was totally screwed.

Marko had pushed open the door of the men’s room. Nova couldn’t follow him, not dressed like this! The only other option was… his eyes darted to the women’s room sign, then dropped to the floor. No way. There’s no way he could go in there. And no matter where he went, someone would think he’s some kind of p-pervert!

He’d just have to hold it.

“Did you have to go too, Nova?” Marko asked over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow at the poodle’s sudden stop.

“N-no, I’m fine!” Nova fibbed, crossing his legs as Marko left to relieve himself. It wasn’t fair! He’d already held it longer than he’d even realized! He’d have to wait at least until they got dinner, and he might have the same problem there! Nova backed against the theater wall, arms crossed over his chest and head hanging low. He forced himself to take a deep, shaky breath. It’d be hard, but he could probably hold it that long.

He kept his thighs pressed tightly together, counting down the minutes until Marko returned. The lion boy left the bathroom grinning like he’d got the cream.

“Wow, I really needed that!” Marko took Nova’s paw again. “I drank way too much, I guess, barely even made it to the urinal. Sorry it took so long. It feels like I peed for, like, five minutes.”

“It’s fine…”

“I can’t believe you didn’t have to go. Anyway, you ready for dinner?”

“If it’s something light, sure. Where are we going?”

Marko grinned. “It’s a surprise! We do have to walk a couple blocks, though.”

“Mmmmmmh…”

---

It felt way, way longer than a couple of blocks.

The two boys waited at a crosswalk. Marko, for the third time, claimed their destination was ‘right around the corner’. Nova’s willpower was wholly focused on keeping himself upright. The burning pressure between his legs would’ve been just slightly more bearable if he could’ve doubled over, but that wasn’t an option. Doing so in the middle of a busy street, in such a tiny skirt, would mean mooning God-knows-how-many strangers.

It was hard to shake the feeling that he was being stared at. No one had said anything, thankfully, but his paranoia remained. Could they tell he was really a boy? He was sure that some adults were stealing glances at them, but it was hard to say why. Did he still look like a girl if he was practically pee-pee dancing down a busy street? 

He was actually starting to feel comfortable in his borrowed clothing. Feeling the breeze on his legs was kind of nice, and the soft cotton of the hoodie was still enough to keep him warm. That said, one article of clothing was causing problems. The band on his panties, still a bit too small, cut into his waist and added an extra, painful band of pressure across his bladder. The persistent wet spot didn’t help things either.

The sign changed, signaling that they could cross. Walking was only marginally more bearable. Every step sent a jolt of discomfort through his body. It felt like he had a veritable ocean inside him, sloshing around with the motion of his hips, and every wave made his control just that little bit weaker. It was only a little farther. Across the street, bumping between other members of the crowd, a little farther. Around the corner, clenching and hoping he didn’t feel the wet spot get bigger, a little fa-

“Here!” Marko chirped, arms wide as he gestured to a tiny shop at the entrance to an alleyway. The entry hadn’t been swept recently, though the grime was obscured by smoke from a nearby sewer grate.

“This place? Really?”

“Mhm! I know it doesn’t look like a lot, but trust me, you’re gonna love it.” Marko held the door open, allowing Nova to walk in first. The front window was adorned with local fliers, several in a language Nova wasn’t familiar with, and one particularly ominous sign:

NO PUBLIC RESTROOM.

Nova gulped. It was going to be a long evening. 

The interior of the restaurant was cramped and softly lit. A long bar dominated most of the space, behind which was both a drink station and, further away, an actual grill. This area was lively, with several older patrons seated at the bar, and a pair of felines working the backend. Marko led the way to a tiny table for two, in the corner by the window. 

Nova gasped as he sat down. The position made his waistband press even harder against his bladder, like a punch to the gut. His insides were so full he was practically bulging below his tummy, now painfully crimped in half by the elastic. He hoped his hoodie was enough to hide that.

“Is it… okay?” Marko asked sheepishly. 

Nova caught his breath. “It’s… yeah, it’s fine. What made you pick this place, though?”

“Promise you won’t laugh?”

“Promise.”

Marko responded by turning toward the bar and waving to one of the animals working the grill. A lion with a short-cropped mane waves back. “Zdravo sine!”

“Hi Dad,” Marko replied. He looked back at Nova and gave the poodle boy an embarrassed smile. “So, yeah, this is where he’s always working so late. I’ll introduce you sometime soon, promise. Also, uh, he promised that I wouldn’t have to pay if I brought a date here.”

The two boys fell silent, eyes locked together. Marko kept almost looking away, awaiting and dreading a response. Nova wasn’t sure what he could say. It was sweet, knowing that Marko would plan the afternoon in such detail. Coming here felt intimate. A spike of pain in his groin scrambled any response he could’ve made, though. 

“You think Abby would think it’s weird? Getting dinner where my dad works?”

Nova smiled, biting back his urges for a few precious seconds. “Marko, if she does, she’s not worth your time anyway.”

Marko’s face brightened back up, his smile reaching to his eyes as he took Nova’s paw. He gave it a light squeeze, and–oh God don’t think about squeezing–was about to say more when their server arrived.

The lion boy chatted with her affably, using their native tongue. Nova couldn’t understand a word, which left him with nothing to do but squeeze Marko’s paw and think about just how badly he had to pee. He was at a familiar point where his control would well and truly slip. It pained him to admit, but… he was close to having an accident. He felt those familiar pangs of his bladder giving out, flashes of numbness where his pelvic muscles weren’t responding properly. He couldn’t check, but… that wet spot had probably grown. He had to do something. Maybe there was a place next door he could use?

The server left the table, and Marko turned back to his date. “I hope you don’t mind that I ordered… for… us… Nova, what’s wrong?”

“N-Nothing!” Nova’s hackles raised. Was he acting weird?

“Should I have let you order? Sorry, I can show you the menu! I really think you’ll like it, but if you want something else-”

“I-It’s totally fine! I j-just-” Nova tried to stand up, and immediately realized his critical mistake. A shot of agony, like a balloon popping, ripped through his bladder, and nearly knocked him to the floor. A vicelike grip on the table was the only thing keeping him upright. This was bad. He’d pushed it too far. 

“Whoa!” Marko rushed over to steady the other boy, putting his arm under Nova to keep him standing. “Hey, you okay?”

“I g-gotta… I gotta go...” The tears started flowing. He tried to take a step. Stumbled.

“Nova, please wait! Is it because of my dad? Look, I don’t think he even noticed, and if even he did I promise he wouldn’t care-”

Nova half-sobbed. He realized that he couldn’t move. His lower body, from his waist down to his calves, had lost all feeling. The sheer weight of all the liquid in his body, the tea, the soda, was too much, and he couldn’t take it anymore. The other patrons were staring. Staff were staring. Even Marko’s dad was staring. “N-no…”

Marko took Nova’s face in his paws and positioned himself to try and shield him from the rest of the room. “We’ll go somewhere else, okay?” He cast a worried glance outside. “I’ll, uh, I’ll still pay, promise. Is that alright? Would that help?”

“I-” Nova’s heart was leaden in his chest. Another spurt of pee leaked out. Stupid, he was so stupid! He could’ve done something, gone on the way here, asked Marko to help him at the theater, something! He felt a trickle running down his leg and soaking into his pink kneesocks. He… he was just done.

Nova clung to Marko’s chest, anchoring himself as his self-control shattered. The front of his panties flooded instantly. The thin material was even less absorbent than the briefs he was used to, and the trickle down his leg became a torrent. The spatter hitting the floor grew louder and louder as his stream kept growing. He hung off of Marko, crying in earnest as he peed himself in the middle of a crowded restaurant.

Crap, he was getting Marko’s shoes wet. 

The young lion’s frame was busy keeping Nova on his feet. Marko’s paws looped under Nova’s shoulders, cradling his back and keeping him from falling. His eyes were wide as saucers as he watched Nova’s steadily growing puddle on the floor. 

Nova drew a great deal of comfort from his friend’s presence. It was humiliating. He knew he shouldn’t; this was weird, and bad, and he’d probably get in trouble for it later, but the hot rush of liquid out of his penis just felt so gooood. The burning pain was gone, replaced by a much more pleasant warmth radiating from his groin. His panties hadn’t gotten any looser, and the tight, sopping-wet fabric was doing something weird to his penis. It tickled as it clung to him, making him swell up even as he kept peeing. That felt… really naughty, and oh God this was Marko’s sister’s underwear! He felt sick. He still liked it.

The front of his skirt had started to darken and sag. Men at the bar were cheering something that he couldn’t follow. His stream petered out, but he’d left a veritable ocean all over the tiled floor. A couple at the next table over had stood up, moving away before the creeping liquid could reach them. 

That was as far as Nova could lift his eyes. This was it, his life was over. This wasn’t an accident at home, or after school, where his parents or a teacher would be polite about it. This was in front of total strangers, and, and while wearing girl’s clothes! Would he go to jail? Was this the kind of thing you could go to jail for?

And Marko… Marko probably wouldn’t ever want to see him again, let alone still be friends.

Marko kept holding him, though. The little lion kept Nova’s face safely cradled against his shoulder, resisting Nova’s halfhearted attempts to pull away. When Nova could finally steel himself to look up, his date was still right there. Marko sighed and ran a paw through the poodle boy’s headfluff.

“Oh, Nova…”

---

“Really, what was I even supposed to do?!”

“Ha, you weren’t kidding, you had no chance! I didn’t even think about that when I went to pee after the movie.”

“Believe me, I noticed!”

The boys sat in the break room, a space in the back barely larger than a closet. A mostly clean towel was wrapped around Nova’s waist. The plate between them was nearly empty. Marko picked up the final piece of savory bread on his fork, offering it to Nova. “You want the last one?”

Nova flushed again. He’d done that a lot today. “Sure.” He bit down and took the buttery morsel from Marko’s fork. “What’re these called again?”

“Palacinke! If you like ‘em, I can ask Mom to make some the next time you come over.”

Nova’s chest lit up. “Y-yeah. I’d like that.” That was just the reassurance he was craving. Confirmation that Marko still wanted to be his friend, so casual as to go without saying. “I’m sorry I ruined our date. Practice date.”

“Nah, it’s not your fault. Part of a good date is paying attention to what your partner’s feeling, and I, uh, think I did a bad job. Sorry.”

“Mmm. I forgive you. That’s pretty smart.”

Marko rubbed the back of his head. “Dad kinda talked to me about it when I was getting our dinner.”

“D-did he say anything else?”

“...He said my girlfriend is very cute, but I’ll need to do something to make it up to her.”

Nova poked Marko in the side. “He’s right, y’know.”

“Ha, yeah… Do you think we could practice again sometime?”

Nova’s eyes flew to Marko like a whipcrack. “Again?!”

“Only if you want to! If not, I get it, but I think I could do a way better job. Also, uh, I think I’d need a lot more practice before I can ask Abby out. It might be a little while, though. I kinda ran out of pocket money, so I’d need a month or two-”

“I could pay.”

Marko stared. Nova’s brain rushed to keep up with his mouth. 

“I mean, you said that on TV, the guy always pays.”

“But you’re-”

	Nova glared at the green-haired lion, summoning the scariest expression he could make while wearing a pink hoodie and butterfly hairclip. “I want a turn.”

	Marko chuckled. “Fine, fine… Thanks Nova. Today was still really fun. I’m glad I got to do this with you.”

“Yeah, me too.”

The two boys fell silent, leaning against each other in the confined space.

“Is your sister gonna be mad about her clothes?”

“Oh dude she’s gonna kill me.”