Martin was so tired he could barely walk when he finally took the last few steps up the stairs. Yawning widely, he rummaged through his pockets until he found his key. A glass of orange juice, he thought to himself with a dreamy smile. Then bed. Sweet, alluring bed. He turned the key and opened the door, then jumped at the sudden voice coming from inside the apartment.

"Shake!"

"All right, all right," Martin muttered as he backed out into the corridor. "Geez..."

He stretched his muscles, then shook roughly, spraying snow everywhere. The landlord won't be happy, he thought with a smirk. Cranky old badger. Martin wagged his bushy brown fox tail a couple of times to get out the last of the snow, then turned back to the door. A pair of impish blue eyes met his green ones, then travelled up and down his body.

"Well, do I pass inspection?"

"Yup." There was a quick boyish giggle, then the figure in the doorway stepped aside to let Martin in. "I can't believe you forget it every time. Everyone else shakes outside, you know."

"Gimme a break, Cy, I feel real tired."

"You look it." Martin had kicked off his shoes and hung up his jacket, and now he let out a long, loud purr as slender arms slipped around his waist and squeezed lightly. "My poor little kit."

"Stop calling me a kit," Martin growled, but he couldn't help smiling as a soft muzzle rubbed against his cheek. "I'm two days older than you."

"But you're still in school," Cy whispered, playfully nipping Martin's ear. The fox shivered, as always relishing in that cute South Sea accent. "Only kits go to school."

"Says Mr Drop-Out." Martin turned around and stole a quick kiss, then ducked as Cy tried to deepen it. "But I mean it, I'm dead tired."

"How's the project coming along?"

"Oh, swell. Just about a hundred more pages to write, then edit the whole thing. Then pray to every god there might be that Jenkins doesn't fail my conclusions."

"You work too hard."

Cy leaned in again, and this time Martin didn't stop him. He relished the taste of his lover's tongue, and pressed back with fervour. The kiss lasted several minutes before they finally broke apart. Martin reached up with his hand to wipe of the string of saliva that connected their muzzles. Feeling slightly refreshed, he turned and walked into the kitchen. While he poured his orange juice, he watched the suddenly uncharacteristically quiet Cy.

Dressed in his usual tight pants and t-shirt, Cy stood leaning against the counter, avoiding Martin's gaze as their eyes met. That was another odd sign. Rather than pondering this, Martin sipped his orange juice, while his eyes drank Cy's natural beauty. Slender, almost feminine limbs, light grey fur that almost shone in the bright kitchen light. Long legs whose every contour was accentuated by the tight pants, all the way up to that squeezable bubble butt. And to top it all up, the cutest face Martin had ever seen. A slim wolf muzzle with a tiny, twitchy nose, and large blue eyes, all framed by tufts of long light brown hair. Swallowing the last of his drink, Martin thanked whatever lucky star he had for his good fortune. Yet, today there was something odd about his lover.

For as long as Martin had known the wolf, which was fifteen years by now, more than three quarters of their lives, Cy had always been a terrible liar. So much so that he gave himself away even when he wasn't lying. Even keeping a secret caused him to fidget and fuss. Which he was doing now. So something was up. He hadn't broken anything, or done anything stupid, because if he had, Martin knew the wolf would put on a way too innocent-looking face. No, that wasn't it.

"So how was your day?" he asked, trying to meet eyes that once again eluded him. "Keep yourself busy?"

"Well, you know. Worked a little on the shirt sleeves. I just can't the trimmings right, I don't know what is missing." Cy's voice trailed away, and he blushed a bit. "And then I did some shopping..."

So that was it. Martin took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Another shopping spree. This was the only thing that ever caused friction in their near-perfect relationship. With Martin's student loans and with what Cy could scrape together by selling his creations, they were just barely able to keep their noses above water. After rent, food and the books Martin needed for his classes, there was nowhere near enough left to hold the wolf with a suitably upgraded wardrobe. Or with fabrics and sewing materials either, for that matter. Every now and then, Cy would lose his grip on reality and end up spending way more than was good for them. Martin breathed deeply again, forcing back a snapping remark that would hurt his lover. Instead he left the kitchen and walked towards their bedroom.

"I really need to sleep."

"What, no dinner?"

"Just a nap, I'll eat later."

"Uhm, Marty?" Something in Cy's voice made Martin turn around. "Marty, I wanna show you something..."

"What?"

"In here." He pointed towards the living room. "Come on."

Here we go, Martin thought as he followed the wolf's slender form into the cosy little room they both liked to call 'the den'. He looked around at the old sofa he had brought from his parents' house when he moved out, at the small TV and the video games that were attached to it. Nothing seemed out of place there, no new game boxes and no new joysticks. Not even the tiny book shelf showed any signs of recent purchases. So what was...

Then his gaze stopped at the coffee table. On it was a small square box, maybe nine or ten inches on each side. There we have it, he thought. It was too large to be a jewellery box, and probably too small to contain clothes. Unless it was one of the tiny outfits Cy like to wear in the summer, Martin mused, picturing the wolf's round buttocks straining the fabric of some tight shorts or skimpy swimwear. No, that also seemed unlikely, because Cy usually wore his new acquisitions to greet him, eager to show them off. His curiosity peaked now, Martin sat down on the sofa and stared at the box. He reached out to touch it, but Cy took his hand.

"No, no, no, bad foxie! Hands off."

"What? What is it?"

"Read what it says on the top."

"Read?" Martin leaned in, and immediately recognised Cy's neat handwriting. "'Do not open until February 24th'. But that's..."

"It's your birthday present, sweetie." Cy sat down next to the fox and kissed his cheek. "I got it today. Don't worry, it wasn't too expensive. Just a sweet little something."

"But that's almost a week away!" Martin whined, his sudden bout of curiosity reaching an almost painful level. "Can't you tell me what it is?"

"Hehe, nope. And no touching it, either. I don't want you shaking it or squeezing it."

"Cy, don't do this to me! You know I can't stand things like this."

"Yeah, I know."

"You're mean!"

"See why I call you a kit, Marty?" Cy hopped up into the fox's lap and stole another kiss. "Big and manly you may be, but inside you're still the same little boy I fell in love with."

"I'm serious, this is gonna kill me."

"I doubt it."

Martin tried to peer at the box from different angles, but Cy kept blocking his view with his grinning face. All he could see that it was plain, brown cardboard, held closed with packing tape. Part of him wanted to toss the wolf from his lap, grab the box and tear it open, no matter that it was the wrong day. He had always been extremely curious, a fact that used to get him into no ends of trouble when he was little. Still to this day, when he was soon to have his twenty-first birthday, it was torture for him to be kept from examining something that had caught his attention.

He was soon preoccupied, though, because Cy's flirtatious kisses and nips had begun to turn heavier. That was something the wolf had been good at, ever since their childhood friendship had deepened into an adolescent crush, and finally a teenaged romance. To distract him by pushing just the right buttons. Martin sighed and closed his eyes as he felt lanky fingers slide up underneath the hem of his shirt, to rub at his belly, his chest and his sensitive nipples. Gasping at a sudden pinch, he felt the most desperate part of his curiosity melt away. For now.

With a purr that was half growl, he began returning the caresses.

* * * * * *

In the days that followed, Martin was slowly coming to pieces. The workload on his essay was nothing short of brutal, and once he had staggered back home he found no rest. The box sat there on the table, blocking his entire view of the TV even though it didn't even reach the lower edge of the screen. It seemed to follow him everywhere, staying in his mind while they cooked and ate dinner, while they showered, even in bed. At least until other distractions took over.

He even dreamed of the damned thing! As soon as his eyes closed he stood there in the den, hands shivering as he approached the box. But he never got it open, probably, he thought, because he had absolutely no idea what was in it. One time he tried picking it up only to find that it was to heavy to even budge, and in another dream it grew larger the closer he got, until it was so huge he could only stare as it vanished into the clouds. Clouds in the living room? That absurdity woke him up on the morning of the day before his birthday.

Not even a hot shower could ease Martin's eagerness to find out what was in the box. He had been a good fox, and had not given in to temptation. In fact, Cy had more than once told him how proud he was of him. And now, just one day left. And the 24th was a Saturday, so there was no school! Just him and Cy, all day long. And the mystery box...

School work that day was gruelling. Martin's professors kept showering him with work, at the same time as he was supposed to focus on his final literature paper. Each break between classes, even lunch hour, he spent reading or writing, which wasn't made easier with thoughts of tomorrow breaking in every now and then. Damn you, Cy! he thought to himself, knowing fully well that he didn't mean it even for a second.

At half past six, he finally decided that nothing more could be done that day. The school library was closing, and the town library did not carry the kind of books he needed. A couple of birthday wishes bounced off of him as he staggered through the halls and out into the cold winter dark. The way home seemed longer than usual, but the chill at least made him wake up a little. It was snowing again, and Martin giggled as he caught a couple of flakes on his tongue. Maybe Cy was right; maybe he was just a kit after all.

"Shake!"

Grumbling, Martin backed out of the door and sprayed the walls of the corridor with snow. One last wag of his tail, and his grinning wolf stood aside to let him in. They kissed, but soon broke it up as Martin's nose began twitching. The apartment smelled of food! Cy rarely cook on his own, after a couple of incidents in the past, but this time he had really made an effort. Martin hugged his lover tightly at the sight of a beef casserole, as his stomach gave a loud growl to show just how neglected it was. They both laughed, and Cy let out a boyish giggle as Martin licked the wolf's nose.

After dinner they sank down in front of the TV. His belly full and a wolf in his arms, Martin was almost too happy to even worry about the box. But it still stood there, taunting his eyes whenever he tried to focus them on the show they watched. During the week, he had gone through all the things he liked, all the things he might have let slip to Cy that he wanted, but nothing seemed to fit the box. He had arrived at the thought that it was some Cy-idea, maybe a stuffed toy or some other little silly thing selected to make his heart flutter. As if he needed to love the wolf more! Was that even possible? He looked down at the furry face resting in his lap, and gently stroked a tuft of hair out of Cy's eyes. The wolf looked up, smiling warmly.

"I'm the luckiest guy in the world," Martin said in a low whisper. "Did you know that?"

"Yeah, you are," Cy grinned, rubbing the fox's belly. "I'm really jealous, you know. Wish I could've had me, but hey! You're a pretty decent spare."

Growling, Martin grabbed the wolf around the waist and started tickling. He didn't give in to Cy's shrill screams for mercy until his lover was gasping for air.

* * * * * *

On the morning of his birthday, Martin woke up feeling thoroughly refreshed. A glance at the alarm clock told him it was half past nine. A smile spread on his muzzle. He was twenty-one! Then he realised what had woken him up, and closed his eyes, purring. A soft, gentle hand was slowly massaging his morning wood, and he was getting close to his release.

"I almost thought you'd sleep through the whole thing," Cy whispered in his ear. "Happy birthday, sweetie."

Martin's only reply was to roll over on his back to give the wolf better access. He felt the comforter being pulled back, then there was a shift on the bed. A scorchingly hot tongue licked at his tip.

"Don't wanna stain the sheets."

Suddenly Martin was engulfed by warmth, and all he could do was cry out as he reached his peak and flung himself off it. Minutes ticked by as he slowly returned to Earth, all the while feeling little licks and kisses all over his face. He soon returned them, then set out to return the whole favour.

Breakfast was torment for Martin. His eyes kept wandering towards the den, yet Cy seemed to be completely oblivious. In the end he forced himself to sit still and eat his food, but it wasn't easy. A certain cardboard box filled his mind to the point of overflowing. It stayed there while they cleaned the dishes, making his hands tremble. When he dropped his second glass, Cy giggled.

"Glad we bought those sturdy things." He bent down to pick up the glass, brushing dust from it before he cleaned it again. "You're such a wreck, Marty."

"Geez, I wonder why..." They finished up, and dried their hands, then Martin turned to the wolf, giving his best pleading puppy dog eyes. "Cyyyyy..."

"Oh, all right!" Cy giggled. "Go get it, boy!"

"Yah!"

Martin almost slipped as he dashed into the den. There it was! His birthday present. The elusive box that had been haunting him so. For almost a minute, he just stood there staring at it, then he started taking baby steps towards it. His hands shivering as he reached out to touch it. Savouring the moment, he stroked the thing's every side, before picking it up.

It was light as a feather.

Was it empty? A slight surge of disappointment coursed through his mind, and his eyes wandered briefly to their video game console. So it wasn't Dismember 3. Well, maybe it was a gift certificate. Or tickets for something. Or... Only one way to find out! He used a claw to tear away the tape, then opened the box.

It was empty.

It really was!

Martin didn't know whether to whimper or laugh. So this was another Cy joke? Distracting him so he didn't search the whole apartment for his real gift? Then he jumped as a hand touched his shoulder. Cy leaned against him, chin resting on his shoulder.

"Did you like it, hun? Oh, wait, I forgot to put it in!"

"What?"

"Your gift, I forgot to put it in the box!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Turn around, sweetie."

Martin obeyed, and his jaw fell open when he saw his lover. Cy was wearing a bathrobe, a magnificent terry bathrobe that was Martin's favourite blue colour. On the chest was Cy's own designer logo; a hand-sown image of bowl holding a banana, an orange and a pineapple, with stylised writing below it saying 'Tropical Fruit'. The brand that would one day dominate the world of fashion, Martin thought. He had always believed in his lover, even when Cy himself had suffered lack of self confidence. The robe was too large for the wolf, making it look almost as if he were wearing a dress. That kind of suited him, Martin thought. Made him look even cuter. The wolf glanced at him nervously, waiting for him to speak.

"It's... it's beautiful!" A grin brightened Cy's face as Martin moved in to kiss him. "Amazing! When did you...?"

"I've been working on it for weeks. I wanted it to be perfect."

"It is." They kissed again. Martin ran his fingers up and down the front of the robe. "It's so soft. Great! Just... great."

"Sorry about the box thing. I just couldn't help myself."

"I know. It was pretty funny."

"You looked like you were gonna cry."

"Did not!"

"Did too. Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Aren't you gonna open it, Marty?" Cy tugged at the bow tying the robe shut. "I've got another gift for you underneath."

"Yeah?"

Martin reached out and grabbed the wide terry belt, slowly untying the bow. The robe fell open to reveal... nothing. He swallowed, his gaze slowly travelling down the wolf's bare chest and belly to land on his rigid erection. Involuntarily, Martin licked his lips, while his mind began running a slide show of all the times they had made love. He saw himself on his back, on all four, sitting on top of his wolf, leaning against the tiled walls of the shower. And he could already almost feel that gorgeous thing push its way into him. he rubbed his fingers against it, making Cy gasp as he pulled the foreskin back and touched the tip. It was so warm, so soft and yet so hard. Getting a firmer grip, he pulled on it, and dragged a half screaming, half giggling Cy towards the bedroom.

It would be a great birthday.