Today had began like it always had. Today began just like the days he didn't want to remember.

Bogo woke up, hoof rubbing at his tired eyes, before proceeding to the bathroom. He'd shower and brush his teeth, head to the kitchen for breakfast and to give the newspaper a quick once over before slipping into his uniform and driving off to work. It was simple, it was routine, it was comfortable. It was how he'd always taken his work days, ever since he was a new recruit. Hell, it was how he handled his days off! And so, stepping into his car, key turning in the ignition, he began his usual drive to work. Two hours before he even needed to clock in... Just how he liked it. But, as was the norm now, his mind began to drift to all the chaos that had followed Bellweather's arrest. It had all started well, Judy and Nick were great additions to the precinct, the city was slowly getting over the Night Howler incident. Furthermore, Clawhauser was back on front desk. Only... Something had been off about him. Even during Gazelle's concert, he seemed wrong in some way, like he was missing something.

And oh, how he wished he seen it sooner.

It had been gather slowly, in the depths of his mind, little whispers and taunts that wouldn't stop echoing. The mocking, the names, fatty, chubby, lazy, everything that he'd been called, everything that he'd silently put up with over the years. Something had clicked down in the archives. Being seen as a monster, as a danger, had just crushed his soul. He'd spent the entire time drowning in depression spawned from the cruelty of society and spreading into every single aspect of his past. By the time they'd made an arrest, he'd already crossed the line of no return. He began small, his eyes lingering on his reflection in the mirror longer than they needed to, pinching his fat as if it would burst and disappear like a popped balloon. Soon, he began eating less, donuts no longer finding their way into his neck fat and boxes remaining half full at least. People became worried, it wasn't like him to avoid eating. Bogo became worried, Ben was a good friend and a damn fine officer. But every concern, every worry, was simply brushed off. "I'm fine" he'd tell them. He'd list off various excuses for his sudden change in nature, worked more, gossiped less. Bit by bit, he slowly pulled away from the other officers, never allowing them a chance to help. The happy little chubby cheetah they'd once know had slowly faded away before their eyes...

He pulled up to the precinct, engine turned off, eyes glued to the dashboard. Clawhauser was on his mind constantly now. Bellweather, even when arrested, had done enough damage to destroy a perfectly good mammal. That one act of convincing everyone predators, even ones as chubby and caring as him, was a deadly monster to prey had smashed whatever courage he had. The courage to ignore the bullies, the courage to not care what others say, the courage to love whatever he wanted and live however he pleased. Within just three months, the feline had gone from bubbly and happy to silent and isolated. Stepping out of his car, Bogo slammed the door shut just a little harder than he maybe should of. His frustration was starting to add up, the frame of his driver side door now visibly dented in several places, and it didn't help that he'd lost a damn good friend so quickly.

Exercise. That came next. A couple of weights here, some running there. Sure, he wasn't great at it, but he had begun something he'd never even wished to do. He didn't stop, the weights getting heavier, the runs growing longer, faster, harsh weather or not. Yoga was added to the list, then push ups, pull ups, squats, skipping rope, it just grew and grew. Had anyone ever visited Clawhauser's apartment, they'd know it was littered with empty junk food packaging and various Gazelle merchandise, the essentials such as a bed and kitchen buried beneath a lazy lifestyle. But soon, the garbage was gone. The bare spaces left where nothing sat was replaced with gym equipment. The toxic mix of various foods, both rotten and fresh, was replaced with the scent of sweat, stress... And a hint of hate. In fact, the once tame and delightful kitten eventually ordered a punch bag. When Bogo had found out, he'd be speechless for days. Ben, for all intents and purposes, was gone. Replacing the once chubby and fluffy bundle of love and joy was now a lean, toned, defined officer. Had it been anyone else, he'd love having such dedication to their health. But this had been Benny, the innocent and sweet man who sat at the front desk every day, grinning his face off.

It had been his Benji... Now a ghost of the man he once was.

The lofty buffalo wandered through the front hall, nodding to the greeting of Ben's replacement. Shortly after his sudden fitness kick, he'd left without a word. The only proof he ever worked there was the severance check he'd been forced to sign. A check that had left him greatly depressed to hand over. There was never a reason, a point, a note, as to why he decided to leave but Bogo had some ideas. The precinct was a jock's club at the best of times, with Clawhauser being the butt of a lot of jokes over the years. It was only natural he'd want to leave. But why now? Why when he had gotten so close to him? Just as it had in the morning, a hoof reached for his face, only this time to rub at the headache forming behind his brow. His replacement was a panther who, honestly, was a nice person. She was kind and helpful and did a good job, learning the various codes and dispatch numbers without much trouble...

But she hadn't been Benny.

It had dawned on him, a while after, that his feelings of friendship had gone deeper. That he wanted nothing more than to huddle up to his chubby cheetah and just watch him sleep. However, that would be close to impossible now. Not in the least because of Clawhauser's new job.

If you could call it that.

Almost a year and a half after the Night Howler incident, they'd finally gotten a lead on "The Shadow" (a nickname the media had whipped up during the original panic). Bogo himself had headed down to the scene, furious that someone had been humiliating the ZPD for so long. They'd been called to a local branch of Baaclay's after some well placed motion detectors had been triggered and moved in for the kill. The entire operation had been a sting, the bank was empty and had been for over a week. The thief didn't know that, nor did he know the police on scene had split up in hopes of finding him. So, when he'd finally escaped into the rear parking lot, he was somewhat blindsided by a cape buffalo slamming him against the wall. Bogo was pleased with himself, grabbing the garb the criminal was wearing and yanking it off... Then stood there, horrified, as he saw his friend in his grip.

"B...Ben?!"

It had started off innocently enough. He was young, healthy, fit, strong and unemployed. Sure, he could live off the money for a while, but he needed to find something to keep the cash coming in. But that's where it went wrong. It was one thing to get thin, to silence the bullies, to leave the police, to start anew. Only, when that same voice decides to turn itself on other aspects of life... You're in trouble. He was fast. Very fast. He'd been out, buying food in and a newspaper to look through the classified ads, and returned home with two bags full of goodies. But it was then that he recalled he'd never paid for the paper, having been so focused on his lack of job that he'd simply wandered off with it. He felt bad, for a time, and swore he'd pay for it tomorrow... But he didn't. Then it happened again, this time with a nice and sweet apple. Only this time, feeling guilty again, he didn't promise himself he'd pay for it the next day. Then the third time it happened... Ooooooh, did he feel good. He was fast, faster than other mammals, and he didn't need to worry about being caught. He'd never done anything like this, he'd never been fast enough, never had the need nor the urge... But he felt good being so bad.

So he began doing it more, on purpose, fingers slipping into pockets, pockets lined with wallets and tiny items, from stores and people, stalls and stands, he took and took and returned home each night with an almost orgasmic bliss pounding through his new, slimmer body as if it was somehow making up for all the pain of his younger years, as if it somehow made up for every second of being chubby. It was a high, an addiction he had a taste for, and with all addictions he couldn't just stop there. Soon, making sure to disguise himself as he slipped around the night, he began taking scores. Small ones, bigger than his petty thefts, like tills and lock-boxes. He'd smash them open, lacking true criminal skills, but soon put his ill gotten gains to his new "career" choice. He learned to pick locks, learned how to kill the power to a block, and began targeting safes and bigger deposits. Soon, he'd jewelry stores found themselves robbed of their precious gems, banks were under threat, no one was safe. Clawhauser was in heaven, the high of his heists driving him beyond pleasure, and that just made him want more. But the police being the police, they weren't about to let this happen. Which led to this current situation...

He could barely croak out another word. Clawhauser had began to panic, freaking out about the idea of being jailed. And with the amount of items he'd stolen, he'd be lucky to ever get out again. A foot came back and found his ex-boss' knee, followed by a nasty scratch across the face. He'd tried to run but was quickly tripped. He gave Bogo another kick and received a punch as a result. The chief hesitated, instinct having been the cause of his punch, and was quickly on the other end of a punch himself. The fight between them grew frantic, claws and hooves flying, both of them trying to beat the other (with one trying to restrain himself... Trying). However, the bovine's strength won out in the end, slamming his former employee to the floor, pinning him down with his entire body as he did. Their eyes met, both panting, exhausted, as adrenaline hammered through their hearts.

Before Bogo found himself forcing his lips against the feline.

What had once been a rabid fight for freedom or justice soon became nothing more than two grown men, kissing and clawing for each-other, panting and whining. By the time they pulled apart, Clawhauser was now on-top. He looked down at the softened features of the burly man below him, just a whisper on his lips. "Chief... I..." But before he could finish, Bogo's radio burst to life. His fellow officers hadn't heard from him, which normally meant bad news in the life of an officer. They were storming towards the parking lot. Ben, naturally, ran for his life, bolting over a fence and off into the night. But the chief... He just dragged himself over to a wall, slumped against it, and rested his face in his palm. Sighing, he stayed like that, frozen in place, even after back-up arrived. He'd later calm he was exhausted, the proof of a battle written across his body. But in truth... His body hadn't entire recovered from what had came AFTER the battle. And he didn't want to return to the precinct with a bulge in his pants...

Ben had disappeared after that. He'd gotten smarter, harder to catch, but the ZPD was always nipping at his heels. With Bogo on the case, they had no choice. Just because you're a friend and an ex-cop doesn't mean you get to break the law. Just because I want you for myself doesn't mean... His step had quickened as he neared his office, dashing inside, and locking the door behind him. With a heavy sigh, he hated how he felt for the younger mammal. It made doing his job far harder, especially knowing the things he'd done and how sweet and kind he'd been to begin with! Of course, there was another reason as to why it was harder...

"Heeeeeeeey chief~" A purr echoed through the office. Turning around, Bogo knew what to expect. On his desk, laid out like a damn magazine spread, was Clawhauser. Granted he was still clothed, but his usual thief outfit was... Snug, to say the least. "Was worried you'd not come in today! I would've been really lonely..." His pulse raced, his mouth went dry, his body ached in need, the buffalo slowly lumbered forward till he overshadowed the smaller feline. His hands reached out, snatching his shoulders and slamming against him like a criminal being arrested. An intense glare shot down, met only by a smile that only kittens should own. "One day, I won't be able to take the cuffs off of you..." Ben simply nodded, kissing the bovine on his cheek. "I know, Bobo, I know. It's not the first time you've misplaced the keys." It was a taunt. A childish, immature taunt from a feline he should cuff, jail and throw away to rot... But sweet mother of pearl, did he love having him squirm beneath him. They'd go through the motions, clothes either opened or thrown off, Benny pinned to the desk or wall or filing cabinet, bites and scratches exchanged to bone shakingly strong thrusts into a fuzzy behind. This was their lives now, once friends, now two sides of the same coin, now lovers who couldn't resist having each-other.

Bogo returned how, stunned. He'd never, NEVER, let someone get away. Never lost a fight, never felt so weak at the knees. He had never been interested in a man that way before, his ex-wife was proof of that! But that kiss, feeling his old friend's limber body crushed to his... His loins ached. Ached as much as his heart did. A combination he'd never even felt for his former spouse. Uniform put away, left in his boxers and tank top, he didn't have the will to dress again. He slumped down, in the darkness of his living room, onto the sofa with a groan and thought back to how tonight had gone so, so wrong.

Then the lights burst on.

His eyes shot over to the switch, knowing exactly who was there yet begging them not to be. Alas, his hope was useless. Clawhauser stood, tail between his legs, eyes filled with sadness, staring at his former boss. "I'm sorry... I'm so, so, super, mega sorry, chief! I don't know why, I just couldn't help it!" His hands went to toy with his tail as the burly buffalo rose his seat. It was a terrifying sight to behold, even if he was barely dressed. "I never wanted to upset you or hurt you, I'm so sorry! You know me, I'm not a bad person, I'd never hurt anyone, never hurt a fly, I mean, Gazelle is my life and you know how badly I just wanted to become a dancer but I never did and then Bellweather did that whole crazy plot and I just couldn't take it and-and-and-!" His words crammed together, his breathing grew more panicked, as he backed up against the wall. Bogo had been walking toward him the whole time, looming, glaring, a huge monster of a man just scowling down at him, a criminal, and he felt like a noose was closing around his throat. "And I'm really sorry that I burst into your house maybe wasn't a good idea and I know that now but I just didn't want to leave things like Idid back at the scene of the crime and I've always had thoughtyouwereawesomebutmaybeIkindahaveacrushonyounow! ...Make it quick!" He flinched, eyes screwed shut, as he readied himself for whatever scream, shout or blow to the face he had coming for him. He'd never expected a firm hoof to rub along his face, a deep, powerful voice whispering to him. "Please... Stop me." His eyes opened, his brain trying to figure out what Bogo had meant by that, when he found lips planted firmly to his for the second time that night. The bovine's body was grinding up against his, the obvious sign of arousal pressed firmly to his belly, has the two continued the feverish madness they'd started back in the parking lot.

Neither knew if it was love, just a crush, or even just a turn-on that they shouldn't be doing this considering one was a cop and the other a crook... But whatever it was, they craved it. And whatever feelings they had, real or not, they clutched them tightly and never wanted to let go. So, stumbling into the bedroom, both men stripped bare, they succumb to their desires, just one last cry into the night before their bodies spoke for them.

"OH! EM! GOODNESS!"


Okay, first off, this isn't a "Clawhauser must be thin or he isn't sexy!" kinda fic. I personally find his chubby body adorable, he'd look weird buff or skinny. I just got this idea in my head where all the mocking he'd get from being fat, combined with the vicious labeling he'd gotten from society just because he was a predator, combine and make him snap. He ends up accidentally stumbling into crime, finding the thrill of being bad a filler for all the pain he'd endured by the taunting of others. It's a collection of little things that add up into one BIG thing. I'm also in the BogoXBenji shipdom, cos it's damn adorable. So Bogo misses his friend, ends up catching him as a criminal but then gets confused as to what exactly he's even feeling for him. Neither of them know if they're in love of not (*whispering* They totes are ;P), but they can't let go even if they wanted to. Like Sly and Carmalita or Batman and Catwoman, there's an attraction they can't deny.

I personally think only the last part flashback is any good, but I've been out of the writing game a while so do forgive me. If I feel like it, I'll expand on that part, maybe make a morning after, and release it as a short fic attached to this.