How long had it been? Ren was pretty certain he'd lost count at this point. It was well over a decade, at least. He wasn't sure, but it didn't matter. It was quite a life they'd had together. One he never saw coming, especially this long.

It wasn't easy. It often drove him up the wall, made him go crazy, and feel like he was surrounded by utmost idiocy. They could barely hold jobs most of the time, didn't always have a lot of resources, and were often relocating from place to place in attempts to settle down. Stability didn't quite come in large doses with their lifestyle or bond. Ren wasn't sure how he kept his grip on reality when he was such a nervous wreck most of the time. Stimpy even had crazy inventions that were, for the most part, either completely useless or worked too well and caused problems.

Yet, at the same time, Ren couldn't even come close to imagining a life without Stimpy. He didn't want to. Anytime it seemed to happen, all it did was make him fall apart. Oh sure, it was blissful for about five minutes. But it wouldn't be long before Ren would completely break down and pine for him.

At least he didn't have to worry too much about that. If anything, Stimpy had said many a time he was perfectly happy staying with him. Ren couldn't help finding that peculiar, since Stimpy was well into adulthood by now. Oftentimes he attributed it to the fact that he was lazy and even pretty stupid, so living on his very own probably wasn't the best idea. Yet, Ren knew far well there was another reason.

Stimpy still to this day had a crush on him.

Ren wasn't sure how to feel about it. For the most part, he found it cute and very amusing. Flattering, even. But thinking about it too long brought on too many uncomfortable feelings. The idea of Stimpy eventually leaving him for someone else was too prevalent. It was possible he'd find someone else. As much as Ren would see it coming, he didn't feel comfortable with it. If anything, it made him sad.

That was plain weird. He didn't feel uncomfortable about it in the past. If anything, he anticipated the day and hoped Stimpy would find someone. Yet, these days, he just hoped that wouldn't happen.

Was this what parents went through? He wasn't even sure anymore. Even his parents had told him that although they'd miss him when he left and settled down with a girl, they'd be immensely happy for him. But something about it all didn't add up. Ren wasn't even sure what he'd feel if that happened to Stimpy. All he could think about was the possible pain and loneliness that would come with it.

Ren shook his head of these thoughts and parked the car in the driveway. Another long day of work. But at least it was over. He stepped out, stretched, grabbed his suitcase and headed to the front door. Giving a sigh of relief, Ren took out his key and unlocked the door, coming into the house.

"Steempy, I'm home!" He called into the house, closing the door behind him.

Almost immediately, Stimpy came into view from the kitchen and grinned at him, "Hi, Ren! You're back!" He ran over and greeted him with a big hug, nuzzling into his shoulder.

Ren blushed and gave Stimpy a little pat on the back, "Well of course I am, dumbass. I just got off work." He hesitated for a few moments, then returned the hug.

It was impossible to ignore just how warm Stimpy felt against him. His embrace never failed to feel wonderful. Ren shook slightly, trying to ward off unwelcome thoughts. No, no, he couldn't think this! Not like this!

"I know, silly!" Stimpy giggled, pulling back, "Dinner should be ready soon! You can go ahead and take a shower if you want!"

Giving a little nod, Ren set his suitcase down and glanced at his friend. Only to regret having done so. Stimpy was wearing an adorable pink frilly apron around his waist, coupled with a little pink headdress around his head. Feeling his breath hitch, Ren averted his gaze and busied himself taking off his hat.

"I'll go do dat, Steempy..." Ren muttered, brushing past him.

"Okay, Ren! See you in a bit!" Stimpy called after him in a sing-song voice.

It felt like an eternity, but Ren felt immense relief once he reached the bathroom. For a few seconds, anyway. All at once, it felt as if his body had grown heavy and his legs were getting weak. Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, he went to the stall and turned on the water. At least a warm shower would help, right?

Stepping inside, Ren closed his eyes and allowed the warm water to wash over him pleasantly. It felt so good. He sighed a bit and relaxed his body, proceeding to wash up. Unfortunately, this allowed his mind to wander.

Stimpy in that cute apron. Stimpy looking at him while dancing in that cute little apron. Stimpy grinning at him, then beckoning him closer. Stimpy then turning around and bending over, allowing a generous view of his very voluptuous rear. Stimpy turning again and giving him bedroom eyes.

"Oh, Ren..." He would say, his voice suggestive, "I've been waiting for you all day... I have needs, you know. Maybe we should have dessert, first..."

Letting out a cry, Ren's eyes shot open as he fought off such visions. He trembled and hugged himself, staring at the tile wall ahead of him. 'No no no no! Dees eesn't happening! He's practically my son! Son! I raised heem, for God's sake! Come on, Ren! You like women! Beautiful human women! Dogs sometimes, too!'

Shutting his eyes again, he did all he could to think of better thoughts. Beautiful women. Sunset on a beach. Romance novels. More beautiful women! There, he had it under control. Beautiful women on a beach, laughing and running around, while he sat back on his towel reading romance novels.

Then came all kinds of men, shirtless of course, with large pectoral muscles and biceps. Very handsome and suave they were. Some siddled up to the women, while a few more siddled up to one another. Oh, it was so tantalizing!

Ren shot his eyes open again, shaking a bit. No, he couldn't think of that either! This was terrible! He took a few breaths, trying to regain his thoughts and control of his own body. How could this be happening? It started ever since Stimpy was old enough to be an adult. But back then, it was in small doses and Ren attributed it to the power of suggestion. Sometimes someone liking you could get you considering that option. That was harmless, right?

Unfortunately, these thoughts became more and more frequent. Ren shuddered, staring down at the wet tiled floor, watching the water slowly pour down the drain.

'I can't theenk dis! No! Not Steempy! Not my own son! I'm a man! A man! I like women! Women! I don't want both!' He thought. 'I can't want my own son! I raised heem! No way!'

Looking down at himself, he was dismayed to find a certain problem. Why did this always have to happen? Ren looked up, deciding his options. Cold showers were said to be helpful, but considering he had next to no body fat, they were more uncomfortable than helpful. He exhaled, deciding to just take care of it the old fashioned way.

That was easy enough. Ren shrugged it off and went to work. 'Okay... Dere it is... lovely babes, maybe a few naked ones... heheh...'

The woman knelt down in the stall, gazing at him with sultry eyes. Her long, shiny red hair falling down her creamy shoulders. She took him in her hand, going in long strokes. Right then, she grinned at him stupidly. Ren was puzzled, but didn't let it bother him. It was cute, anyway.

A few more strokes. He panted and moaned a little, shaking in place. Closing his eyes, he leaned back against the wall.

"Dat's eet, baby... Dat's what I need... Ah yeah, come to daddy..." He purred.

"Sure, Ren!" The girl said, but had Stimpy's voice coming out of her mouth.

Ren's eyes shot open, finding Stimpy now in front of him, grinning. All while giving him a handjob.

"S-Steempy! What are you doing, man?!"

"What does it look like I'm doing, Ren?" Stimpy chuckled, leaning closer to him, "I'm giving you a helping hand."

Ren blushed and tried to pull away, "No! We can't do dees! Eet's not natural! You're my son! Stop eet, you eediot!"

"Do you really want me to stop, Ren?" Stimpy asked, giving him a sweet smile.

Staring at him, Ren looked down, then back up, before quivering all the more. Every bit of him, save for his heart and body, wanted to say no. No way. He had to say no. This wasn't right. But why did it feel so good? Why did it feel like Stimpy's hand belonged there?

Why did it feel more enticing than when a woman would do it?

"...No..." Ren confessed, trembling. "Please don't stop, Steempy..."

"Does it feel good?" Stimpy purred, coming closer to him, "Tell me it feels good, Ren..."

Panting and moaning softly, Ren grabbed at his shoulders and leaned against him. Oh, his hand felt amazing! He couldn't get enough! "Yes... it feels way too good, Steempy."

Stimpy giggled and nuzzled his head, "I just want to please you, Ren... I want to make you happy."

Pulling back slightly, Ren smiled and brought him closer, "Steempy... you make me happier than I've ever been."

"Aww..." Stimpy beamed at him, "C'mere, Ren... Kiss me."

"Sure theeng, pal..." Ren grinned and leaned closer to him...

All at once, Ren's eyes shot open as he came to realize just what he was fantasizing. He squeaked and let go of himself, hugging his body and trembling. Letting out a whimper, he slid down to the floor and curled up. Sniffling, he shut his eyes and whimpered all the more, trembling.

"I'm deesgusting...!" Ren moaned sadly. "How can I want to do dees to heem... He's like my son..."

~X~

Was a day at the beach a good idea? Probably not.

Nonetheless, at least Stimpy was having fun. Ren couldn't help giving a smile as he watched him making a sandcastle. He was even wearing a female swimsuit along with a plastic bathing cap. It was taking all of his body and will not to fixate on how adorable he looked.

"This was a great idea, Ren! We haven't been to the beach in ages!" Stimpy grinned widely, patting a part of his sandcastle with his plastic shovel.

Ren looked up from his romance novel and chuckled, "What can I say, eet's a perfect way to spend a summer day."

"You said it!" Stimpy agreed, molding some of the sand into the shape of a tower. "Say, Ren? Can you get me a hot dog? I'm pretty hungry!"

Although a little perturbed at being interrupted from his reading, Ren shrugged and stood up, "Oh, all right. Stay right here, den. I'll be back."

"Got it!" Stimpy gave him a thumbs up. "No mustard, please!"

Ren sighed and started to walk off, "Okay, Steempy."

"And don't forget the relish!"

"Yes, Steempy."

"Ooh ooh! And can you get me a drink? Surprise me!"

"Fine, I'll get you a dreenk."

"Ooh ooh! And ketchup! Don't forget the ketchup!"

"Shut up, eediot!"

"Yes, dear!"

"Don't call me dat, dumbass!"

Stimpy laughed and waved him off, "I won't, honey!"

Rolling his eyes, Ren headed off toward the concession stand a ways off from the shoreline. A few people were already standing around it, a good portion of them being bikini-clad women. Ren grinned widely, slicked back some of his fur, and strutted toward the stand.

"Now dees ees more like it..." He said to himself with a chuckle.

As he came closer, the women all let out squeals of excitement and were giggling. Oh, this was too good to be true! Ren laughed as he approached the women, waving a hand in a modest manner.

"Now ladies, no need to get up een arms," Ren said with a chuckle, "Eet's just-"

"Are you even seeing this?!" The woman nearest to him grinned, pointing behind him, "That famous movie star Hank McHandsome is here!"

Dismayed, Ren turned around. Sure enough, a tall, tan, muscle-toned man was walking along the beach some ways from them. His brown hair blew in a non-existent breeze, his legs were exposed by a tiny speedo, and he had amazing pectoral muscles.

Ears drooping, Ren sighed and felt deflated. 'Of course eet's a Hollywood beeg shot... I'm too small and scrawny...'

"Oh, isn't he dreamy?!" Another woman said.

"Like, totally!" Said her friend.

"Oh, I could stare at him all day!"

"Look at his pecs! They're incredible!"

Ren dared look, and found himself transfixed. This was one handsome man. He was definitely strong and muscled, but it wasn't bulky to the point of being disgusting. If anything, it was a great balance. Even his pectoral muscles looked just the right size for his upper torso. His legs were large, but far from being the size of massive tree trunks. Combined with the man's dark brown eyes and wavy brown hair, it only added to his look.

"He ees quite a man..." Ren murmured in awe. Realizing what he was saying, he slapped himself in the face to get his thoughts straight. 'What am I doing?! I should want to LOOK like heem! Not want to DO heem!' Taking a few breaths, he turned himself away and went to the stand to place the order.

At least that went without a hitch.

Upon returning to Stimpy, they sat down and munched at their food. Finally, Ren could just relax. What better way to relax than to have a little picnic on the beach with his best friend? He closed his eyes for a moment, absorbing the flavours of his burger, the sound of the waves crashing, and the smell of sea water. It was just perfect.

"I tell you, Steempy, we have to do dees more of-" Ren cut himself off the moment he opened his eyes.

Stimpy sat there, his hot dog halfway into his mouth, chewing on it slowly. He made soft sounds of pleasure while he did so, stuffing it further in. Ren gulped, his grip on his burger tightening a little. He tried hard to avert his gaze, but was finding it difficult to do so.

Thankfully, Stimpy didn't seem to notice. He pulled out the rest and wiped his mouth, "Mm-hmm! We definitely should, Ren!"

Looking away, finally, Ren quietly munched on his burger. Why, oh why, did he have to keep getting sucked in? This made no sense! Was he going to be unable to watch Stimpy eating a lollipop? Or ice cream? Of course he immediately regretted even thinking those, as visions of such ideas popped into his head.

"Ren?"

"What?!" Ren snapped his gaze toward Stimpy, breathing heavily.

"You've got some ketchup on your lip! Here, I got it!" Stimpy smiled, taking a napkin and wiping his mouth with it.

"Mmph! Steempy! Stop eet!" Ren whined, waving his hands pathetically, "I don't need help!"

"Oh, pshaw! I know that, but I wanted to!" Stimpy giggled, grinning with amusement.

Ren blushed, looking away, "You just love babying me, don't you?"

"Guiltyyyyy!" Stimpy drawled, giggling.

"I hate you."

"You love me!"

"Shut up, you eediot!"

Stimpy leaned toward him, smiling mischievously, "I love you tooooooo!" He said in a sing-song voice.

Blushing heavily, Ren turned away and aggressively ate his burger. 'Dat's de the problem, you eediot! Stop loving me! I don't deserve eet! I can't let eet happen! I don't deserve you! But I can't leeve without you... Damn eet, Steempy! Why do you do dis to me, man?!'

~X~

Shopping at the supermarket wasn't usually a hassle, even for them. Sure, Stimpy sometimes got into altercations, but never usually anything major. The only real problems they ever had was Ren trying to stop Stimpy from buying certain things. Whether because it wasn't needed, it was bad for him, too much of something, or just plain expensive.

Luckily, it looked like today wasn't going to be too bad.

"Okay, let's see... Milk, butter, eggs..." Ren said as he read off his little list, "Now remember, Steempy, we're just getting a few theengs."

"Got it, Ren! But could I please get a chocolate bar? Just one!" Stimpy asked hopefully, grinning at him.

Rolling his eyes a bit, Ren sighed, "All right, fine. But just one! And get the cheapest one, we're on a budget."

Stimpy smiled and saluted before running off, "Got it, Ren! See you in a bit!"

"I swear, eef he comes back with ten pounds of chocolate, I'm going to make him sweem een it..." Ren muttered to himself. He looked into the meat section and smiled, "Ooh, they're having a special on Yak's meat!"

So far, so good. Ren couldn't help sighing in relief as he selected the other items on his list. It was nice to just have normal shopping trips together. As he perused the romance novels, Ren paused as he heard something from the other aisle. Something that sounded like Stimpy's voice. Frowning in confusion, he took his hand basket and went around to the next aisle.

Further down the aisle, Stimpy stood with a jar of grape jelly in his hands, while a short and stout man was trying to grab it from him.

"Just gimme that jam, you stupid cat!" The man snarled.

Stimpy took a step back, "I-I'm sorry, sir! I had it first! I didn't mean to take the last one!"

"Like that matters! You gimme that jam or else!" The man raised his fist.

Seeing red, Ren practically flew down the aisle and grabbed the man's wrist. He squeezed hard, narrowing his eyes at him dangerously, "Eef you lay one hand on heem, I'll break more dan just your wreest!"

"You think I'm scared of you, ya pathetic rat?!" The man sneered at him mockingly, "What do you care? He's just a stupid fat bastard!"

"Shut de hell up!" Ren growled, punching the man square in the jaw, causing his head to fly back, "Nobody messes weeth Steempy except me!"

"Ren! Please calm down!" Stimpy pleaded.

"Not now, eediot!" Ren waved him off, then pushed back the offender. The man whined pathetically and ran off, "You get de hell out of my face! Come near heem again and I'll-"

"Ren! Ren, calm down!" Stimpy grabbed hold of his arm, looking at him sadly, "He's gone... it's okay."

Managing to calm down a little, Ren exhaled and gently removed Stimpy's hand, "Eet's a good thing you weren't far, Steempy. What happened?"

"I was getting some jelly, and that guy got angry because I took the last one!" Stimpy showed him the jar of grape jelly, "I'm sorry, Ren..."

"Why?" Ren asked with confusion, taking the jar, "You deedn't do anything wrong. Dat guy was just an asshole."

"I know, but it made you upset," Stimpy said guiltily.

Rubbing his back, Ren chuckled and led him back to the basket, "Forget about eet, Steempy. Water under de bridge."

"Okay," Stimpy sighed, but then gave a smile, "But you know, you sure were pretty brave back there. I mean, that guy was a bit bigger than you! And you just went and stood up to him like no one's business!"

"Well, of course! I wasn't about to let him do what I'm supposed to do," Ren snorted.

"It's so manly of you, Ren! I'ts great to know you have my back," Stimpy smiled more, "I feel safe around you."

'Steempy thinks I'm manly, does he? Guess dat's where his crush comes in handy...' "Glad to hear it, eediot," Ren bopped his nose a bit roughly, but with affection, "C'mon, let's go ring deese up."

"Can I still get a candy bar?"

"Yes you can."

"...Can I get two?"

"Don't push eet."

Stimpy grinned at him, patting his back, "Can you blame a cat for trying?"

Rolling his eyes a bit, Ren shrugged and lead the way to the express line, "No, I guess not."

~X~

Christmas was fast approaching, which was always a fairly big deal in the Hoek household. If they happened to be close by, usually they would join Ren's parents on Christmas Day. Typically, they tended to spend it together at home, with all the decorations and accessories they needed. Just a simple day spent together, exchanging gifts and marveling at the decorations.

Stimpy hummed happily as he hung the dingleberry garland, even dancing a little. Ren meanwhile was putting some ornaments on their tree, doing all he could not to glance at his best friend. No, not when he was way too tantalizing. But at least a good chunk of their holiday was going to be spent with his parents and some relatives. That at least was a good way to negate temptation. It just wasn't going to be for at least another couple of weeks.

"All done, Ren!" Stimpy announced as he hopped down from the stool he was standing on.

Looking at his work, albeit a bit messy, Ren smiled with approval, "Not bad, Steempy. Now come over here and help me."

"Sure!" Stimpy grinned, waddling over to him with a small box of Christmas balls, "I sure love decorating for Christmas! Don't you?"

Ren shrugged a bit, placing a ballerina ornament on a branch, "Eet's okay, pretty nice."

"Pretty nice? It's even more than that, silly!" Stimpy laughed, hanging a ball, then another one, "Admit it, Ren! You love it!"

"Steempy, just help me decorate, okay?"

"Yes sir!"

They continued decorating for quite a bit, right down to hanging a wreath on their front door. Stimpy hung it, while Ren supervised to make sure it was straight. Satisfied with its placement, they stood back for a few moments to admire their work.

"Mm-hm! We did it, Ren!" Stimpy smiled, patting his shoulder. "Looks great!"

Ren gave a short nod, a smile tugging at his lips, "Sure, it's better now. C'mon, let's go inside and watch some TV, we need a break."

Stimpy nodded in agreement, then led the way inside. Upon closing the door, however, he looked up. A big grin came over his lips as he faced Ren again, "Hey, Ren! Look!"

"Look at what?" Ren asked with confusion.

Giving a coy smile, Stimpy pointed upward. Following the direction, Ren could now see the source. Hanging above them on a small hook was a sprig of mistletoe. Not mistaken holy berry. It was pure mistletoe. Fake, of course, but still in the right shape.

At that moment, it dawned on Ren. He looked at Stimpy again, who was grinning at him hopefully. This wasn't good. The fact that Stimpy clearly wanted it wasn't even the problem.

It was that Ren wanted it too.

Swallowing hard, Ren took a slight step back. He had to fight it. He had to get out of this. There was no way he could do it. No matter how much his body and his heart was practically begging for it. 'No no no! I can't do eet! Stupeed mistletoe! Why'd I even hang eet up?! Damn dees urges!'

"Please, Ren?" Stimpy said softly. The smile was still there. But there was clear plead in his eyes.

Ren felt a stab of guilt and was frozen to the floor. It was almost hard to fathom just how much Stimpy wanted this. He took a deep breath, figuring to just let his friend indulge. Just this once.

"...Fine," Ren said with a sigh, "But make eet snappy."

This made Stimpy smile widely, his eyes lighting up, "Oh, joy!" He then paused, looking unsure, "Wait... How do I do it?"

"Do what?" Ren asked.

"You know... all that kissing stuff. I have no idea how to," Stimpy confessed, his cheeks going a bit pink.

"What?!" Ren exclaimed with surprise, "What do you mean, you have no idea?! You told me you keessed dat girl you went on a date weeth!"

"I lied!" Stimpy said, looking away in shame, "I only said it because I wanted to make you proud! The truth is, we decided to just be friends because it wasn't working out!"

Ren facepalmed, groaning in irritation, "So all dose nights you went out?"

"I went to the arcade or the library... I wanted to stretch it out so I wouldn't look pathetic!" Stimpy sighed, looking downward, "I never kissed anyone, Ren..."

"Damn eet, Steempy..." Ren sighed, shaking his head, "Never mind. Just, come here. I'll show you how eet's done."

"Really...?" Stimpy looked up at him now.

"We're under de mistletoe, aren't we?" Ren said dryly, rolling his eyes, "I can at least help you do eet right."

"Awww, you're the best, Ren!" Stimpy giggled, coming closer to him, "So, uh... where do I put my hands?"

"Eet doesn't matter," Ren waved it off, "Just... I don't know, put them on my shoulders, or sometheeng."

"Okay!" Stimpy did so, giving them a little rub. "Now what?"

Ren exhaled, coming a little closer to him, "Just teelt your head, den come towards me. And for heaven's sake, don't close your eyes yet! You might meess."

"Got it!" Stimpy leaned in closer, until their noses touched, "Uh, Ren? What do I do with my nose?"

"Eet's een de way, just move over," Ren said, pushing his own nose past it. He cringed a bit, wrinkling his nose, "Egh! Steempy, your breath steenks! At least take a breath meent!"

"Oh, sorry, Ren!" Stimpy said apologetically. He took a couple of Mentos from his pocket, popping them into his mouth. "Aaaahh... There we go!"

"Good den," Ren came a little closer, feeling his cheeks get hot. "Now just, poocker up, okay? I'll do de rest."

"Sure thing!" Stimpy smiled, then puckered his lips.

'I can't believe I'm about to do dees... I'm goeeng to Hell...' Ren thought. He looked at Stimpy, then his lips, and knew he had to just do it.

Trying to keep his mind steady, Ren closed the gap between them. Their lips met, which was a bit awkward and at a stand-still. They stood, eyes wide open, staring at each other.

"...What now?" Stimpy asked, his voice muffled.

"Just... apply pressure, but be gentle! Don't just stand dere," Ren replied, his face turning bright pink.

Stimpy obeyed, proceeding to kiss back. It was awkward and a bit clumsy, but at least he was trying. There was such an earnest, that much he knew. Ren wasn't sure what to do, or how to feel. Stimpy's lips were surprisingly soft and warm, probably coated with lip balm. He trembled in place, feeling a sense of warmth in his stomach like never before.

It felt too good. Way better than it should have felt. This wasn't right. He wasn't supposed to enjoy it. He was supposed to find it weird, but not unpleasant. No, he wasn't supposed to want more! This was insane! He didn't want to get intimate with another man! He liked women!

Oh, that could work. He could pretend he was kissing a beautiful woman. A perfect idea! Stimpy would get the kiss he wanted, while he himself could feel better about the situation. Ren closed his eyes and pressed closer, putting forth the image of a beautiful woman. Long red hair, gleaming blue eyes, a curvy figure, large breasts... Oh, perfect. Ren relaxed a bit, feeling more and more about the fantasy woman. As a result, he kissed Stimpy more fervently, even coming closer to him. In response, Stimpy let out a soft mewl and sounded like he was giggling.

As much as he didn't want to admit it, Ren found that really cute.

This is what it felt like to be kissed by someone who truly wanted it so badly. Kissing girls before had always been nice, but there was never that feeling of desire on their side. With Stimpy, surprising as it felt, it was there. Tenfold. Even though it was with another man, let alone one he himself raised, Ren couldn't help liking the feeling of just being wanted.

Would any girl ever look at him the way Stimpy did?

After some time, they parted and let go of each other. Ren felt his cheeks grow hotter as he gazed at his friend. Sure enough, Stimpy had a lovestruck gaze on his face, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth.

"Wow... thanks, Ren..." Stimpy murmured, bobbing a little on the spot.

Averting his gaze to hide his blush, Ren proceeded to walk away, "Yeah, sure... You're welcome. Now go... go make deenner or something. I'm hungry."

"Sure, Ren..." Stimpy said sweetly, walking toward the kitchen in a daze.

Now alone, Ren went over to the couch and sat down, staring at the wall. How did this happen? How had he gone from raising Stimpy to kissing him? This wasn't right at all. They may not have been genetically or legally related, but that didn't stop their father-son bond. Now here they were, teetering on a strange line.

"What happened to us, Steempy..." Ren mumbled to himself. He picked up a photo album from the side table, opening it up on his lap. "We used to go feeshing together... go to Father-Son barbecues... Go hiking..."

All the photos displayed were from various times together when they'd been younger. Back when Stimpy was much smaller, when he himself actually had hair, and just had fun together. One photo featured them playing horsehoes at a Hoek family reunion, with Stimpy making the shot and dancing with joy. Another featured Ren sitting on his grandmother's couch, reading a romance novel while Stimpy was asleep in his lap. All the while he himself smiled down at his ward tenderly. He was pretty certain his mother had taken the photo when he wasn't looking. Another one featured Stimpy's twelth birthday, where he was standing on a chair and blowing out birthday cake candles. It was the same birthday that his father had given Stimpy a skateboard. Which Ren disapproved of, course. This just made his father chuckle and say that he truly was being a dad.

It was no wonder the next photos were of Stimpy, decked down in protective gear, trying to use his skateboard. Trying. Trying. Then falling down. And falling down. And falling down. And falling down. The last photo featured a disgruntled Ren having to push the skateboard with his foot while Stimpy learned to balance himself on it. Another set of photos was of them at the beach with his parents shortly after that birthday. One photo was of Stimpy burying Ren in the sand, who of course looked annoyed. Another was of Stimpy making a sandcastle, looking incredibly stoked while doing so. Another had Ren and Stimpy in the water, splashing each other and laughing. And finally, the last one from that was of Ren asleep on his towel, with Stimpy cuddled up next to him, also asleep.

Ren chuckled a bit, continuing to leaf through the album. Okay, this was good. At least looking at these sweet memories kept his urges in check. It wasn't going to be easy, especially with that kiss they'd just shared. But he had to try. For Stimpy. For his own sanity.

~X~

"Guess what, Ren? I have a date!"

Ren snapped his gaze up from his romance novel immediately, his eyes going wide, "What?!"

"A date!" Stimpy smiled at him, "When I went to the comic book store, I met this really nice guy! We got to talking, hit it off, and he asked me for coffee tomorrow! Can you believe it? I have a date!"

Nearly dropping his book, Ren felt a shiver run up his spine as he tried to process all of this. "You... have a date?"

"I sure do!" Stimpy giggled, clapping his hands with delight, "His name's Harry, he's a doberman, and pretty strong, too!"

Ren could feel an uncomfortable coiling in his stomach. He tried so hard to justify why he felt this. It couldn't have been jealousy. Wait, it was probably because he had to make sure Stimpy wasn't getting into trouble. Yes, that had to be it!

"Well... dat's good, den," Ren managed to say, "But you better be careful, Steempy! You know dere are all kinds of men out dere who weell take advantage of you!"

"Don't worry, Ren! Harry's really nice!" Stimpy waved it off with a chuckle, "It'll be great!"

Leaning back into the couch, Ren picked up his book and tried to read. But the more he tried, the harder it became. All he could think about was Stimpy's impending date. Why did it bother him so much?

'Maybe because it's been a while since I dated? Eh, maybe, but I don't lose sleep over eet. So what de hell? ...I'm theenking too hard about dis.'

XXX

The fated date night had come. Stimpy had left, to which Ren saw him off with all the advice he could offer. The moment Stimpy was gone, however, Ren found himself lonely. That made no sense. Sure, he hated being away from Stimpy for a long period of time, but this was ridiculous. It was one date!

Ren did all he could to occupy himself. He watched TV. He read books and magazines. He cleaned up. He played with his ball. He listened to his opera records. He watched TV again. He read again. Anything!

"Stupeed Steempy... Stupeed date... Stupeed Harry... Stupeed... stupeedness!" Ren ranted, kicking aside a discarded wad of paper and flailing his arms, "Argh! Why ees dees so maddening?! He's out on a freakeeng DATE! I should be glad for heem! I should be dancing for joy! Dees guy could get heem off my back! I'd be free! Free! So why ees dees making me so angry?! Why am I angry?! Why ees dees happening?! What now?! What's happeneeng?! What came first, de cheecken or de egg?!"

Ren paced around the living room angrily, growling and muttering to himself. Not a single answer was coming to mind. So what was he to do? What could he do? He sighed heavily, sitting back on the couch.

"I should be happy... I should be glad he's after another guy and not me..." Ren sighed, staring up at the ceiling, "Eet makes no sense... I raised Steempy, I can't want heem for myself! Not like dat! Damn eet... What de hell ees wrong weeth me?!"

No answer came. Ren groaned and fell on his back, staring at nothing. His entire mind was jumbled, his heart was flipping about, and his stomach churned. Nothing was making sense. It practically hurt to think about it all.

"What am I going to do? I can't just tell Steempy not to date anyone..." Ren whimpered, sniffling a bit, "I want heem to be happy! So why?!"

No response.

Ren sighed, rolling onto his side and curling up into a ball. He had to get through this. He had to get used to the idea. Especially if Stimpy was serious about this Harry person. That in itself was hard to tell. It was only the first date and Stimpy did have a tendency to get too friendly with anyone he got along with.

His train of thought was interrupted when the door opened, with Stimpy skipping into the house. Humming to himself, of course.

"Joy!" Stimpy giggled to himself, closing the door behind him. "Oh there you are, Ren!"

Rolling over, Ren shuddered and stared at his friend, "W-What took you so long, man?! I was bored out of my mind for hours!"

"Hours?" Stimpy looked at the clock, then at Ren, "But Ren, I've only been gone for forty-five minutes! Harry had to get to work before we got coffee!"

"Oh, ees dat so?" Ren got off the couch, his hands shaking a bit, "Yeah... I bet Harry has quite a job, doesn't he? Corporate big shot, white-collar shirts and all that crap!"

Stimpy giggled, "Wow, Ren! How'd you know that he was a business manager?"

"Beesiness manager?!" Ren exclaimed, his eyes going wide, "...Does he have a nice car?"

"A black Corvette!" Stimpy smiled, "Brand new, too! He lives in a condo over in Plymouth Hills!"

"Pleemouth Heells?! Steempy, dat's an upscale neighbourhood!" Ren hurried over to Stimpy, grabbing his shoulders, "Do you know what dees means?!"

"...No?" Stimpy blinked at him in confusion.

"Of course you don't!" Ren slapped his nose, shaking his head, "You have to keep dating heem, Steempy! He's our teecket to de good life!"

"But Ren, he's a dog, not a ticket!" Stimpy said, rubbing his nose.

"I know dat, you eediot! I'm serious! You have a reech guy who wants to be weeth you! Don't mess eet up, man!" Ren poked his nose, "Men like dat don't come around very often!"

Stimpy's eyes went wide, then he took Ren's finger off his nose, "But... But I don't want to be a gold digger! I like Harry!"

"Den dat's all de more reason for heem to steeck around!" Ren exclaimed, flailing his arms and grinning, "He'll have more of an eencenteeve if you like heem for who he is! Trust me, I know dese things! So go on, Steempy! Call heem up after work and set up another date!"

"Well, okay then..." Stimpy shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck, "He, uh, kind of already asked me to go out with him tomorrow night."

Ren's eyes lit up, to which he hugged his friend, "You're on a roll, Steempy! Good work! I knew you could do eet!"

"Aw, but I didn't do anything!" Stimpy giggled, hugging him back.

"You are now!" Ren patted his back and pulled away, "You're makeeng me proud!"

"...Really?" Stimpy's eyes lit up.

"You bet!" Ren laughed, turning and going to the kitchen, "We'll have to celebrate! Let's have some peeg jowls!"

"Oh, joy!" Stimpy grinned, skipping after him.

XXX

Two months into the relationship, Stimpy announced to Ren that he wanted to have Harry over so the two could meet. Ren wasn't sure how to feel about it, all things considered. But he knew he had to put his best foot forward. Impressing someone with money was the key! The house was cleaned completely, while Stimpy went to work on preparing some dinner. It was a busy afternoon, but going to be well worth it.

"Steempy! I feenished cleaning de leeving room!" Ren announced as he came into the kitchen, "How's de-"

Ren stopped short in his tracks the very second he laid eyes on Stimpy. Along with the cute pink apron, he was wearing a very pretty flowered shirt and a light blue skirt. Upon turning around, he grinned widely.

"Hi there, Ren! The food's coming along great! You can come help me if you want!" Stimpy giggled.

"Uh..." Ren looked him up and down, especially with the way the skirt was just hugging Stimpy's generous posterior. He blushed a bit and looked away, "Y-Yeah, sure theeng, pal..."

Stimpy giggled and hip-bumped him the moment Ren stepped up next to him. "Soooo, what are you wearin' tonight, buddy?"

Ren blushed slightly and looked away, proceeding to chop some vegetables, "Eh, I I'll find sometheeng."

"Sure you will! You always look handsome no matter what you wear!" Stimpy winked at him, "Can you put on the black suit?"

"Why?" Ren looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"I like that one best," Stimpy admitted with a cheeky grin, "It looks great on you."

Ren blushed darkly, looking down at the counter. Managing to keep his cool, he chuckled, "I theenk you're meestaken, Steempy. De suit doesn't make me look good. I make de suit look good!"

Stimpy laughed heartily, patting his shoulder, "Good one, Ren!"

Hiding his smile, Ren went back to work on helping with the food. It was always a nice feeling being able to make Stimpy laugh. He wondered if Harry had even the slightest amount of humour.

After a couple more hours, everything was finally prepared. Ren went upstairs and changed into his suit, making sure to look his best. Which of course, he did. It made him wonder why he didn't wear clothes more often. Oh well, it didn't matter.

Looking at himself in the mirror, Ren grinned and looked at himself at all possible angles, winking at his reflection. "Who's your daddy? Who's your daddy? Yeeeeah!" He laughed, turning back around to face the mirror, "Well, time to meet Steempy's reech boyfriend!"

Boyfriend.

Boyfriend.

The term felt strange to say, let alone hear himself say. If anything, he hadn't even thought to use it. Ren stared at his reflection as his smile faded, replaced by a grimace of mixed emotions. It made no sense. Stimpy had been with Harry for two months now, so why did it feel this way?

Sighing, Ren adjusted his tie and shook his head, "C'mon, Ren, you can do dees."

The doorbell rang, derailing his train of thought. Now was the moment of truth! Ren turned, put on his best smile, and went downstairs.

At the door, Stimpy opened it and greeted the visitor. With a kiss. The moment Ren saw that, his blood ran cold. His hand shook as he gripped the banister, trying to keep his balance. No! No, he couldn't want to punch this man in the face! Taking a deep breath, he came down the rest of the way, just as a tall doberman stepped into the house.

Much to Ren's surprise and dismay, Harry was very handsome. Well groomed, clean shaven, wearing clean clothes, and stood with an air of confidence. It was easy to tell, despite his suit, that he had very well-to-do muscles.

"Ren! Ren! There you are! Here, this is Harry! Harry, this is my best friend in the entire world, Ren!" Stimpy said excitedly.

Harry looked over at Ren and smiled, "Hi there, Ren! It's great to finally meet you! Stimpy here talks my ear off about you!"

"...Y-You don't say..." Ren chuckled nervously.

"Yep!" Harry chuckled, placing his bag down and removing his coat. He then handed Stimpy a bottle of champagne, "Here you go! Just like you asked for."

"Thanks, Harry!" Stimpy giggled, leaning up to kiss his cheek, "C'mon, let me show you around!"

Ren watched them go, frozen in place. What was wrong with him? Harry was nice, handsome, and seemed to be treating Stimpy very well. So why was he so upset? Of course any man in his position would have wanted his best friend to find a good partner. But why was he feeling so uncomfortable?

Sighing, he slowly followed after them. He had to endure this, no matter what the cost.

XXX

"Ooh, can I have some more?"

"You sure can, Stimpy!"

"Aw, thank you, Harry!"

"You're welcome!"

"No, you're welcome!"

"Oh no, YOU'RE welcome!"

It was like reading one of his romance novels. But at least with those, he didn't feel like a third wheel. All through dinner, and now afterward, Ren barely got a word in at all. Harry and Stimpy chatted amongst each other, laughing and sharing stories, while also making physical contact.

It made Ren sick to his stomach.

Now the three of them sat in the living room, with the couple still talking, while Ren sat in his easy chair. He had long since given up trying to join in the conversation. Boredom didn't even begin to describe how he was feeling right now. He looked between the two as they yakked on, laughing and giggling like children.

Taking a few breaths, Ren tried to keep his cool. It felt like watching a cheesy soap opera. A boring one.

"Oh, you're such a kidder, Harry! Haha! Oh oh! How about if we skipped across the field, then rolled down the hill, and ran back up?"

'Seriously, Steempy? We do dat all de time!' Ren thought, rolling his eyes.

"Stimpy! We'd be dizzy and falling down all over again!"

'Thanks, Captain Obveeous. Have a damn cookie.'

"That's the idea!"

'No sheet, Sherlock.'

"Ha! And you call me the kidder?"

'I was de keeder before you came around, Pretty Boy!'

"Sure I do!"

"Oh, you're so silly, Stimpy-poo!"

"So are you, Harry-poo!"

Ren cringed and grimaced at those pet names. He sighed heavily, then stood up and headed out of the living room. This was beginning to be too much. What was the point anymore?

"Ren!" Stimpy called out suddenly, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going for a walk," Ren responded, not looking at them.

"Aww, but we were going to put in a movie!" Stimpy pouted.

Ren rolled his eyes, "Really? I couldn't tell."

"Please stay, Ren?" Stimpy asked, pouting a little more.

Looking away, Ren shook his head, "No, I'm good. You two... have fun, I guess."

"Come on, Ren! Please stay?"

"Eet's fine, I just need some air."

"Please?"

That did it. All the more livid, Ren turned on him and snarled, "I said, I'm going for a walk! What part of dat did you not understand?! No means no, you eediot!"

At this, Stimpy's ears drooped and he averted his gaze sadly, "...Sorry, Ren..."

Feeling a stab of guilt, Ren immediately regretted having snapped. He exhaled, about to speak up again. "Steempy, I-"

"That was very rude of you, Ren. He was just making a nice offer to you and you threw it in his face," Harry said sternly, frowning now, "Maybe you should leave. Your behaviour is unnacceptable and you're just being a jerk."

And just like that, the guilt was gone.

Ren snarled and opened the door, glaring at the two, "I deedn't ask your opeenion, Pretty Boy! I'm. Going. For. A. Walk! BYE!"

Without waiting for an answer, he stepped outside and slammed the door behind him.

The anger remained for some time as Ren walked, hands shoved in his pockets, staring down at the sidewalk. He licked along rocks, cans, anything his foot came into contact with. Huffing a little, his body relaxed more as the anger faded. Ren sighed a bit, feeling the stab of guilt return. A little sniffle escaped him, feeling his heart falling to his stomach.

"What's wrong weeth me..." Ren moaned, sighing sadly, "I'm de real eediot here..."

Looking up, he came to see that he was now in front of the town bar. Giving a light shrug, Ren opened the door and stepped inside. It was pretty quiet, much to his surprise, but just what he needed.

Going over to the bar, Ren climbed onto a stool and steadied himself, before taking out a pack of cigarettes. The bartender, Mr. Horse, noticed and gave a light chuckle, coming over and holding out a lighter.

"Thanks," Ren said, holding his cigarette out to be lit. Once it was alight, he placed it into his mouth and drew it in, sighing.

"What can I get you, buddy? I take it you're not just in here for a smoke," Mr. Horse chuckled.

"Scotch, on de rocks," Ren replied, taking a puff.

Mr. Horse nodded and went to pour him a drink, then slid the glass over to him on the bar, "So what's up? Something's troubling you."

Ren looked up, blowing some smoke out of his mouth and then taking the drink, "Teepical. I come into a bar and de barkeep pries eento my buseeness."

"What can I say, comes with the job," Mr. Horse chuckled, "So, what's bothering you?"

Sighing a little, Ren sipped his drink, "My best friend's boyfriend came over today. I got so seeck of dem being all mushy, so I snapped and left."

"What's wrong with your friend's boyfriend?" Mr. Horse asked, cleaning a glass with a towel.

"Dat's just eet! Nothing! He's perfect! Tall, handsome, reech, and nicer dan a damn Hallmark card!" Ren ranted, pounding his fist on the bar, "Steempy is just all over de bastard! And no wonder! He's a perfect goody-two-shoes Pretty Boy! My romance novels has beeger arseholes dan heem!"

Mr. Horse nodded, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "So you got sick of being a third wheel?"

"Yes!" Ren sighed, taking another sip of his drink, "I wanted some air, so I get up, and Steempy begs me to stay. I tell heem no, he keeps begging, and I couldn't take eet! So I snapped. Perfect Pretty Boy decides to get on hees high horse..." He looked at the bartender and sighed, "No offense."

"None taken," Mr. Horse smiled.

"Anyway, he gets all up and says I'm being a jerk and should just go! Keecked out of my own house! Where does he get off?!" Ren muttered, sipping more of his drink and then puffing his cigarette, "So den I walked around and came here."

"Well, Mr. Hoek, you were being a jerk," Mr. Horse replied, shaking his head.

"I know dat!" Ren said, taking a large gulp his drink and placing it back down. "And I don't know why dees ees bothereeng me! Eet makes no sense!"

Mr. Horse gave him a look, then proceeded to wipe down the bar, "Makes perfect sense to me."

"What do you mean? You know what's going on?" Ren asked with surprise.

"Simple. You're jealous," Mr. Horse said point blank.

Ren balked, wide-eyed, "Jealous?! Why de hell would I be jealous of Steempy?! Sure, his boyfriend is reech and all, but come on! I don't want dat Pretty Boy! I'd go crazy from his eencessant lovey-dovey jabbering!"

Mr. Horse looked at him again, raising an eyebrow, "I didn't mean you're jealous of Stimpy, Mr. Hoek. You're jealous of his boyfriend."

"...What." Ren said, nearly dropping his cigarette.

"Simple. You're in love with Stimpy and you're jealous that some other guy took him away," Mr. Horse said, leaning against the bar and wiping another glass. "You obviously can't handle these feelings, so you lashed out and wanted to get away from it."

It was as if his entire mind was scrambled, his heart raced, and his stomach coiled. No. This couldn't be. But it felt too true. It made too much sense. Ren grabbed his head and groaned, trembling a bit, "No! No! I can't be een love weeth heem! I raised heem, for God's sake!"

"So what? He's a grown cat now, it's not illegal," Mr. Horse said casually, shrugging a bit.

"But eet's creepy! I raised heem like my own son! I can't fall een love weeth my own son!" Ren protested.

Mr. Horse sighed, shaking his head, "Come on, Mr. Hoek, think about it. You took him in, you raised him, and that's great. He's older now, you two are less like father and son, and more like best friends for life. You guys falling in love and being together wouldn't be a bad thing."

Ren blushed darkly and shook his head, "I can't! Eet's shameful to me! I can't do dat to heem!"

"But you still love him," Mr. Horse said.

"No! I love Steempy, but I'm not EEN love weeth heem!" Ren cried.

Mr. Horse looked at him again, raising his eyebrow, "Just who are you trying to convince? Me or you?"

Having no answer to that, Ren looked away a little, "Shut up..."

"I'm just saying," Mr. Horse shrugged, reaching over to gently pat his shoulder, "Look buddy, it's okay. You're in love with your best friend, and you just happen to like men. Nothing wrong with that."

"But I'm a man! I like beer, leefting theengs, and all kinds of things men do!" Ren protested weakly, his hands shaking.

"So... you think being bisexual makes you less of a man?"

"YES!"

"Why?" Mr. Horse looked at him pointedly.

Ren shut his mouth, once again unsure how to answer.

"Well?" Mr. Horse prompted, "I'm waiting."

"I... I just... I don't know! Eet just does!" Ren groaned, laying his head on the bar now.

"Mr. Hoek... You're bisexual, simple as that. I've seen the way you look at girls and other guys too. You can deny it all you want, but that's what it is," Mr. Horse said sternly, but kindly, "It doesn't make you less of a man. Anyone who tells you that doesn't know what they're talking about. Now, as for Stimpy... Well, that's gonna be tough. But what you can do is go home and apologize to him."

Giving a sigh, Ren snuffed out his cigarette and hopped down to the floor. He placed a few dollars onto the bartop, "Fine... I guess I can do dat."

"Atta boy," Mr. Horse smiled, "Take care, Mr. Hoek."

"Yeah, yeah..." Ren muttered, leaving the bar.

XXX

By the time Ren made it back home, having taken the long way, Harry's car was gone. He wasn't sure whether or not to feel relieved. Nonetheless, he went up to the front step and opened the door, stepping inside.

"Steempy, I'm home..." He said in a loud, but listless voice.

Stimpy came out of the kitchen, looking at him with concern, "Hey, Ren... You okay?"

"Hmm?" Ren looked up at him, then averted his gaze, "Yeah, I guess. I'm... I'm sorry, Steempy. I was acteeng like a jerk for no reason..."

Giving a smile, Stimpy came over and hugged him, "It's okay, Ren. I'm sorry, too."

"...Why?" Ren looked at him with confusion. He trembled slightly, but melted in his embrace.

"I shouldn't have tried to force you," Stimpy said, patting his back, "I guess you kind of felt like a third wheel, didn't you?"

Ren blinked, then nodded, "Yeah..."

"That's what I thought," Stimpy patted his shoulder now, pulling away, "Don't worry Ren, I'll make sure that won't happen again!"

Feeling a pang of disappointment from the loss of contact, Ren exhaled and nodded, "Okay. But I'm steell sorry for ruining everytheeng. Can you forgeeve me?"

Chuckling, Stimpy nodded and kissed his cheek, "Sure I can, buddy!"

Giving a tiny smile, Ren nodded and headed for the stairs, "Okay den. I theenk I'll turn in early."

"Go ahead, Ren!" Stimpy said, heading to the kitchen, "Oh, by the way! Harry said he's going to open a branch of his company in Aruba. He asked if I wanted to go live there with him!"

All at once, Ren could feel as if his heart fell to the floor and shattered. He stared at nothing, his body trembling slightly. Tears pooled in his eyes before he could stop them.

"Ren? Did you hear me?"

"...We'll talk about eet later!" Ren shouted.

He dashed up the stairs and hurried to his room, closing the door behind him. The moment he was alone, Ren collapsed to the floor and began to cry. It was all piling down on him now. His sexuality, his feelings, and now the impending idea that Stimpy was going to leave him. Sniffling loudly, he pounded his fist against the carpet, trying to get a hold of himself.

'Eet's too late... Too late... But eet's true, eesn't it...' Ren sniffled, looking up into nothingness. Tears streamed down his face as he leaned back against the door, breathing heavily. 'I'm een love weeth Steempy...'

XXX

The dreaded day finally came. Ren had to hold himself back from breaking down. No, he had to be a man. He had to be strong. He had to let Stimpy go. No matter how much it was going to kill him inside.

Stimpy was at the front door, two suitcases at his side, and putting on his hat. He smiled sadly at Ren, giving a shrug, "Well, guess I'm ready."

"Yeah..." Ren looked out the window. Sure enough, the cab pulled up to the curb. "Well, your taxi's here."

"Yep..." Stimpy nodded a bit, "So, I'll write!"

"You better."

"I'll come visit!"

"Sure."

The two looked at each other, unsure of what to do next. Ren averted his gaze, wiping his eyes and sniffling a bit.

"...I'll meess you, pal..." Ren murmured softly.

"Me too, buddy..." Stimpy placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently.

Looking up at his friend, Ren made the mistake of meeting his eyes. Stimpy's sweet, soulful blue eyes. He trembled a little, realizing what he was about to do. His urge was too strong. It was his last chance to ever do this. This time, without prompt. Feeling his heart pounding, Ren approached his friend and held his cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Steempy..." Was all he said before leaning in and kissing him deeply.

Although Stimpy stiffened with surprise for a moment, but then immediately returned it. His arms came around his small body and held him tightly, their lips meshing in a heated kiss. No uncertainty, no clumsiness, nothing like that. Just full-on liplocking. Ren let go of his face and grabbed onto him tightly, leaving no space between them. It was happening. Truly happening. He was kissing Stimpy, pouring every bit of his repressed feelings into it. He had to. This one last time. If only to just leave his best friend with that one assurance.

It felt good. Way too good. It was amazing. Ren wanted to explode. His body was on fire, his entire being felt so alive. Stimpy's lips were incredible. Soft, warm, and tasted like chocolate. Much like their first kiss, except this was far more intense.

But it wasn't enough. Ren traced Stimpy's lips with his tongue, to which Stimpy eagerly obliged. Their tongues met in a heated duel, further deepening the kiss. Warm, kind of stinky, but Ren didn't care. He needed this so much. They both did.

After some time, for what felt like an eternity, they finally pulled back to breathe. It was taking all of Ren's strength not to go for more. But that was it. This was what he was missing all this time. This was what he was denying himself. Denying both of them. They could have had this.

Ren sniffled, pulling back a little and looking at his friend. He didn't even bother stopping himself from crying. "Goodbye, Steempy..."

"Goodbye, buddy..." Stimpy murmured, tears falling down his cheeks. He picked him his suitcases and opened the door. "...I love you, Ren..." He turned away, stepping outside.

Although he wanted to hold it back, he no longer could. Ren sniffled and placed his hand on the doorknob, "I love you too, Steempy."

Not waiting for an answer, he closed the door. Upon doing so, he slid down to the floor and began to sob.