From Ice Cream to "Topping" | Arc 2, Chapter 5
I watched and observed young Master Fair for awhile before I finally left today. Perhaps it was not even within my purview, to have even been present amongst the circumstances, yet I remained a friend to the extended family all the same. After some time had passed however, my frail heart could not bear the strain of watching young Charles fall apart in front of me. For you see, the way in which he bandied back and forth, between tears and a smile, that evening was truly a harrowing experience for me, and sobering to say the least.
I knew that no words were yet defined in our modern language that could assuage the young wolf of the guilt he felt concerning young Master Adams. Instead I could only -and painfully so- observe him from afar. That is, until he closed his journal, stood up slowly, and then limped his way over to where I stood patient, and then hugged at me fiercely afterwards. I'll remember his carrion cry perhaps for the rest of what days I may have yet to persist in this world:"He told me I can handle anything... so it should've been me. It should've been me..."
May the gods have grace on us all, young masters... ~Guiles
“So, tell me, how was school today Lee?” Daniel asked as he dipped himself toward the back of our porcelain bathtub. I could only happily smile at the view before I slid my way into the tub next, allowing myself to rest comfortably right in-between his thighs. 
"Oh, well, I did miss my first class already cause of you!" I remarked as I softly pinched at my lover's thigh for punishment. Unfortunately in doing so however, this accidentally caused a large portion of the water to spill out, which the Shepherd had so lovingly adjusted to the right temperature some minutes prior.
"Owww!" Was all he barked out before he sat forward and bit softly at my ear to get me to let go. "Bad wolf! Hehe, besides, I remember someone not wanting to leave this morning!"
"How could I? You're were literally keeping me "tied" up!" I laughed afterwards as the Shepherd wrapped his arms around me and hugged me from the back.
"Again, I remember someone not wanting to leave hehe!" Daniel playfully repeated as he rested his forehead against me.
"You... got me there!" I growled low in agreement as I slowly started to splash water on to myself. 
"You know I do!" Daniel laughed before he softly started running his hands over the length of my back fur. "Seriously though, how was today?"
"Well, to be honest, there was something I had to discuss with you about that happened today..." I admitted sheepishly almost, after deciding just earlier today that there was no need to hide anything from the Shepherd; notwithstanding the feelings I had felt for Ty earlier.
"Oh yeah? What's up pup?" He questioned before he rested the base of his muzzle on my right shoulder, making me squirm around a bit as he blew air out of nostrils and onto my neck line.
"Hehe, stop it Dan, that tickles!" I giggled at Daniel's attempts to be loving, but allowed a more serious tone to overtake me afterwards as I turned my head and kissed the length of his snout. "Anyway, yeah, so I met someone today..."
"Probably not the best start, or right choice of words, but I'll allow it. Go on..."
"Hehe, sorry. What I mean is, after my last class had let out... while I was waiting for you... I ran into the grandson of probably the only other person on this planet I’ve ever cared about. Other than you and Guiles of course." I spoke candidly -while maybe omitting one other person again- before I grabbed at a washcloth nearest me, and slowly started to stroke at one of the Shepherd's extended legs which slowly peaked its way out of the water.
"Okay." He calmly remarked as he grabbed for the bottle of shampoo we share and then slowly poured a dab of its contents on to his paws.
"Alright, so we got to talking, and he tells me the most horrible thing I've heard lately." I had only begun to recount the tale when Daniel had started to slowly massage the soap into the back of my scalp, and then down the length of the back side of my neck next. "Umm... there's really no easy way to say this, so I'm just going to have to blurt it out. *Sighs* An old friend mine is dying. She's asked for me. I have to go home."
And with that admittance leaving my lips, the Shepherd stopped suddenly his loving motions, and then grabbed me gently by the shoulder and pulled me backwards towards him, bringing my face perpendicular to his.
"What?! That's horrible. Are you okay?" Daniel questioned dutifully before he softly guided a soap-laden hand and rested it against the side of my face, to which -after feeling the touch of his concern- I found myself collapsing into his chest.
"I... I don't know if I am to be honest. I mean, in my heart, I know it's only right to be there for someone, especially whenever they're not sure how much longer they have left. But... were talking about going back to my hometown, and I don't think..."
"Do you feel uneasy about going back because your parents are there?" He assumed, to which I simply confirmed his suspicion with a simple nudge of my head against him before he lifted my chin up and kissed at my nose softly. "I remember reading about them briefly in your journal. So this is all happening in Bellistall right? You know, back in younger days, I went there once with Emilio and... mom..." The Shepherd said as he slowly stroked at my head, stopping only for a second when he had mentioned his mom.
"Yeah. Bellistall." I admitted halfheartedly as I lightly splashed at the water's surface, sighing heavily. "I've tried for so long now to distance myself from that place, and yet here I am, contemplating about going back. I should go anyway though, right? I mean, the guy was even willing to drive us out there, at his expense, so I can pay my respects.” I finished amicably before I realized afterwards that I was talking to Daniel about something coinciding with my past; a sort of pseudo self-imposed taboo I had promised myself I wouldn't do, not wanting to drag him into my burdens before him.
"What contemplation do you need babe? You have the most noble of reasons now to go back." He smiled earnestly before he surprised me by holding my head in place and looked straight into my eyes. "And you know what, I've never tried to pry into your past concerning your family, cause just like with me, it's obviously a sore subject. But unlike me, you've grown so much stronger as a person since we met. And no matter what it is about that place that causes you sadness, I know the person I see in front of me now is capable of handling anything life throws at him. It's what I love about you!"
"Dan..." Was all I could let escape out of my muzzle before I immediately flung myself forward and embraced him tightly against me, accidentally knocking even more water out of the tub in the process.
“So, guess you’re heading back home then, huh?” He asked, with a bit of a frog in his throat.
 “I know it all sounds a little weird Daniel, even on paper, but it’d mean the world to me for us to go. It’d be for just a day, and I think...” I started, but then suddenly -and a little bit to my confusion- was cut short by the Shepherd, who had pressed a finger of his against my mouth.
"Charlie, nothing would make me happier than going with you, to keep you focused. You know how much I needed support from you after my mother's passing. But... I sort of got a job today!" He smiled half excitedly, the other half I recognized as guilt-laden as he continued to speak. "I start tomorrow in fact, and work all week as part of the training. I doubt I can request a day off already. So, I ask you... can you do this alone, or do you need me there?"
"You got a job!" I excitedly screamed out before I pulled the Shepherd into my person again and then gave him a very deep, long hug. "That's incredible news hun! Congratulations! Gods, that's so awesome to hear!"
"I figured you'd approve. Time I start pulling my weight around here too." He said as I caught sight of him smiling, myself realizing that this had turned out to be an important thing for him to do. "Anyway, as we were discussing..." 
"Oh yeah... but... well, to answer your previous question..." I stopped as I tried wrapping my head around the perfect statement I could give him, to let him know how okay I was with everything that was going on between us in that moment, "with love like yours backing me up, I'm pretty sure I can get by on my own!" 
I reassured him -and myself almost- with an honest smile that came from deep within the center of my core, before I softly pushed my muzzle up against his own, the soft breaths escaping from his making me shiver in pleasure and contentment.
"Yeah, well that's good to hear, since I have no idea what you did before I came along and started to cook and bathe you!" The Shepherd cracked his joke before he attempted to escape from underneath me and out of the tub, to which I could only playfully pin him down, causing him to squirm and splash out -in defeat- almost all of the water that had remained in the tub. 
“Where you going handsome?” I asked with a smile before he beamed in my direction his romantic and piercing eyes, myself instantly succumbing to his charms.
"Nowhere. Just wanted to get you in a different position." He smirked before he started to kiss at my neckline softly.
"Oh, so it's like that huh?" I retorted as I slowly began reaching my paw downwards to where both our cocks had conveniently gathered.
"Ummm... we don't have to do this... if you're not in the mood..." Daniel mentioned as he rescinded his kisses for a second, waiting for my consent.
"Daniel... when am I not in the mood for you, you big lug?!" I smiled at him first, and then after feeling Daniel's dick throb with confidence, let mine begin to grow likewise. 
So, without a single word following -as we both silently acknowledged this as a time to have some fun- I wrapped an eager paw around both of our cocks the best I could, before I slowly started to stroke both of us off at the same time. 
This new experience, known as frotting, ways always something I had wanted to try and do with the Shepherd before. And with us being constricted together in the tub, which lent assistance to making sure we kept perfectly together, I continued to pump away at our junk.
"Hehe, someone's learned a new trick it seems." Daniel mentioned before his muzzle found its way to my own and he slowly started to lap at the tip of my muzzle with his tongue.
"It's all I can do to keep up with you Dan..." I smiled as I accidentally kept letting his cock slip out of my hands, his girth a bit too large for me to fully grasp a hold of when coupled with my own.
"Hehe, here. Let me Lee." The Shepherd smirked before he motioned with one of his large paws to let him take over.  
I obeyed, albeit a bit dejectedly, to which he must have taken notice. For no sooner afterwards, while he easily took both of our dicks together in his wide palm, his other paw surprised me as it found its way over to my vacant own. "On second thought, I could use some help here." The shepherd said as he then placed mine on top of his own paw which clasped together our manhood's. 
"Oh Dan..." Was all I could muster to say, as an influx of warmth began to grow within my heart. I just couldn't help but stop and revel in the moment, at the thoughtfulness of my partner. And how no matter what, he always seemed to keep my best interests at heart. He truly was a good boy, and in so many a way, the perfect man for me.
We continued on like that for what seemed like a while there, before I felt Daniel -with every throb of his cock telegraphing his intent- prepare to finish, as he began to arch his back and readied himself to cum. I followed suit naturally, down our road of euphoria, as I closed my eyes too, ready and willing to finally bust my nut at the same time as him, when the most grievous of memories -possible in this given moment- materialized in my mind, as I accidentally reflected back right then on how amazing Ty's body looked at the poolside earlier today.
As while Dan's seed genuinely exploded out from his person, in a force I have come to both love and fear, I found my own shamefully dribbling out from the tip of my shaft, as I tried my damndest then to file away the cursed image and just focus back on the present.
"Hehe, wow... that felt like a ton!" Daniel laughed as he opened his eyes finally and witnessed the devastation he had caused. "Geeze, I shot everywhere! Or is some of this you?"
Obviously not wanting to admit to my boyfriend that I had just cummed for completely wrong and shameful reasons, I instead simply agreed with a quick nod -and the best fake smile I could muster- before he let himself fully collapse backwards in to the tub, accidentally submerging his head for a second in the process. "Is there still water in here?!"
"Here... let me clean you up." I said, still distracted, as I grabbed for a towel nearest us, and began to wipe at his cum strands, which had somehow also made it all the way up to his ears.
"Well, now that was just awesome! Wouldn't you agree my love?" He asked with his genuine smile showing as I covered up his eyes, ashamed to look directly at him at the moment.
"Yeah. Happy I was able to come up with this idea." I was speaking, but barely even registered what I was saying, as my muzzle could only continue to silently mouth out the phrase "what the fuck?" aside.
"Hehe, well next one's on me! And see... this only further proves my belief in what I told you before! Just like coming up with this crazy plan now, you can do anything Charlie!" Daniel again reminded me of his loving words just earlier before he pulled my head -still full of guilt- to rest down on his chest, as we laid there for a good minute together afterwards. "Anything..."
So looks like I've got a growing mental issue I have to work out, but I also have more pressing matters with going back to Bellistall soon too. Let's see what happens...