(Two months later~~~~)

It was a hot, summer day and the pups were exhausted. They weren't tired, but the heat was baking them alive.

"Ugh….when is Wyder and Wocky gonna be done fixing the AC?" Zuma asked wearily.

"I don't know…" Skye said. "But it had better be soon before we all cook to death. At the exact moment, the lights flashed and shut off, and they heard an electric zapping sound, followed by a yelp, then a string of curses from Rocky. The pups rolled their eyes and giggled.

"This is like the third time that's happened," Marshall said. "It just gets funnier every time."

"I'll go check on them, and see how things are going," Zuma said. He groaned, struggled to his paws, and drunkenly padded into the electrical room, swaying slightly on his paw. It was even hotter in there, and Zuma found himself wondering if he really was going to bake to death.

"How's it going, Wocky?" Zuma asked.

"Fine," Rocky replied, not looking at him.

"Come on, something more than 'fine' has to be happening. Do you know what's wrong with the AC?"

"Yes," Rocky replied shortly. Zuma snorted.

"Stop with the one-word weplies! It makes it weally hawd to talk to you!" Rocky didn't say anything, he just kept messing with a mass of wires.

"Uh, Rocky?" Ryder asked. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Rocky said absentmindedly. "If I can just get this wire out the socket and replace it with this one…"

"Wocky, please, stop ignowing me!" Zuma said, putting a paw on his shoulder. Oh god...he's touching me… Rocky thought. He felt his pelt heating up, and he recoiled from Zuma.

"Don't touch me," he said, a little more sharply than he had meant it. "Go away!" Zuma looked hurt.

"I mean...please leave me alone, Zuma." Rocky amended. He changed out a few wires, and there was a whirring sound, and cheers came from the group of pups on the main floor. Rocky looked back at where Zuma had been and realized he was gone. Rocky screwed the grate back on the electrical box and stepped back.

"Are you sure you are okay, Rocky? You seemed really snappy with Zuma just now." Ryder said.

"Yeah, I'm fine, the heat was just making me irritable." Rocky lied. "I'm gonna go to my pup house now…"

"Try and make up with Zuma first, okay?" Ryder said. Rocky snorted, flicked his ear, turned, and left.

"Hey, Rocky, thanks for saving us from the heat!" Marshall said, his ears flapping behind him and he had his snout in the AC.

"Yeah, you're welcome," Rocky said, slightly sadly. The pups turned and looked, but Rocky was already gone.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" Rocky barked to himself. "Why can't you just get over him?" He looked down at his paws. I don't like Zuma, I don't like Zuma, I don't like Zuma. He repeated this phrase over and over again in his mind and went into his puphouse.

"Hey, Wocky, do you want to jump on the trampoline with me?" Rocky immediately recognized Zuma's voice.

"Not really," Rocky said.

"Please?" Zuma asked. He whimpered. "You're always so busy all the time…we don't play much...I miss our time together!" Rocky felt his heart contract painfully. I'm sorry, Zuma...I'm not really that busy...I just can't be around you right now…I hate lying to you! But seeing Zuma's hurt look made Rocky reconsider. Well, I don't feel anything for him right now...should it should be okay….for a little while.

"Umm...okay!" Rocky said, jumping onto the trampoline with Zuma. Zuma held his forepaws, and Rocky felt the intense desire to pull away from Zuma and come closer to him at the same time.

"Let's go weally high, it's easier to do with two pups than just one," Zuma said.

"O...okay!" Rocky said, trying not to look into Zuma's eyes. Rocky felt a faint twinge of something in his heart. You don't like him, Rocky. He told himself. Stop looking at him like you do!

Zuma started jumping first and Rocky did the same a little later.

"This is fun! Wheeee!" Zuma said.

Hmmm….I'm just having fun with him as any best friend would… Rocky thought. Maybe I've really gotten over my feelings for him. It took me two months, but I did it!

"Yeah, it really is!" Rocky said, the thought giving him a burst of joy.

The pups jumped until they were all tired out. Rocky lost his pawing on the way down, and Zuma fell on top of him. Zuma laughed his carefree, cute laugh and licked Rocky nose.

"That was weally fun, dude! Thank you," he said. Rocky felt a pleasant warmth on his lower midsection and realized that Zuma's sheath was resting on his. Why does it feel so good? Rocky asked himself. Zuma wiggled his hips slightly, and Rocky blushed, panting a bit as he began thinking dirty thoughts.

"You know what? You wanna wace to the beach?" Zuma asked.

"Yeah, why not?" Rocky asked. The two ran to the Lookout.

"Chase! Hello?" Rocky called.

"What's up, guys?" he asked, looking up from a book he was reading in the living room.

"We need you to count us down. Zuma and I are racing."

"Oh, okay!" Chase said, coming with them outside. "On your mark, get set, go!" The two took off, dirt and grass being kicked up from up under their paws.

"You'll never win, Wocky!" Zuma taunted, as they neared the beach. "I'm too fast for you!"

"I...don't run...like... like this...ever…" Rocky panted. "...so of course...you...are...ugh…"

Zuma made it to the shore first and touched the water.

"Made it! You lose, aga…" Rocky tripped and slammed into Zuma, and the two pups went rolling down the beachside.

"Ahhh!" Rocky screamed.

"Whhhheeee!" Zuma cheered. The two came to a stop eventually, and Zuma panted happily.

"That was fun! Let's do it again!" he said.

"I don't know about that, Zuma," Rocky said, tongue hanging out. "I'm tired now."

"Yeah...me too," Zuma said. "The heat is weally starting to get to me." He yawned. Then he nuzzled Rocky's neck.

"Thank you for playing with me," he murmured. "It was weally nice. You're weally nice to me." He once again looked into Rocky's eyes. Rocky felt the embers glowing hotter and hotter, and a small flame, long denied, flickered in his heart. Uh-oh… Rocky thought. Zuma was in the same position as before, and Rocky knew in his heart that his feelings for Zuma hadn't left. It was nice to believe a lie, though. Rocky brought his hips up, rubbing against Zuma.

"Wocky...?" Zuma asked, cocking his head, blushing read.

"I'm get trying to get off of a stone I'm laying on...give me a sec..." Rocky lied. The pleasant feeling began exciting him, and he had to force himself to stop. What the fuck am I doing?! This is wrong...so wrong...and so inappropriate! Zuma is innocent!... But it feels so...so good... "I got it," Rocky said, laying still. Zuma yawned and opened his eyes. He looked into Rocky' looked away.

"Hey...look at me, Wocky." Zuma pleaded softly. Rocky found his eyes drawn to Zuma's like iron to a magnet, and he felt the scrambling of his mind again. No thought mattered except Zuma. Everything about Zuma. Everything he liked about him. Everything he didn't like about him. Everything he loved about him. Rocky tried to force himself to look away, but he couldn't. No...not again! Stop looking at me like that, don't you know what you're doing?

"Wocky...there's something I need to tell you." Zuma began softly. His small, brown whiskers brushed Rocky's, and Rocky was painfully aware of how close Zuma's lips were to his own.

"Zuma...you'll have to tell me later...I've gotta go...right now…" Rocky managed to say.

"Why are you always avoiding me?" Zuma asked sadly. "We used to be best friends, but I don't even know if you like me anymore. What changed?"

"I changed," Rocky said, ears flat against his head as he forced himself not to take Zuma right then and there.

"What changed? It happened around the same time I helped you get in the water for this fiwst time. After that, you just started shunning me, ignoring me. It's like I don't matter to you. I do matter to you, right?" Zuma asked. You matter so much to me...but I don't know why! You're not supposed to matter like this!

"I…" Rocky closed his mouth, unable to reply.

"Wight, Wocky?" Zuma asked desperation and intense sadness in his voice. Rocky's logic and his feelings began warring in his mind.

You know you like him, Rocky!

But you're not supposed to! Why do you like a male, Rocky? That's wrong, and so against nature! Do you know anyone who has a male for a mate but another female?

Does it really matter? If you love him, you should say so! He might like you back! Rocky began tossing his head, trying to get the screaming voice in his mind to shut up.

"You don't like me, do you?" Zuma asked, looking crushed. "When did you stop wanting to be my friend? What did I do?! Tell me, Wocky, tell me!" Tears dripped onto his neck, and Zuma began crying his heart out. The speed at which Rocky's thoughts were formed increased immensely. And all of these thoughts were thought within a matter of seconds.

What are the chances that of all pups, the one you love loves you back, AND has the same orientation as you?

But you want him! And what if he says yes!

Don't do it, Rocky! He doesn't like you and you can't like him back! Think about Zuma, you want the best for him!

Satisfy yourself, Rocky! Just kiss him and get it over with! And if he doesn't like you, he'd never hold it against you. He's too fun-loving, too forgiving, and way too cool for that.

Yes, he will! This will make things weird between you! Don't do it! Don't destroy your freindship!

Tell him, Rocky, tell him! Stop hurting him! You're hurting him, can't you see that! Isn't this giving off the opposite effect than you had in mind? This isn't saving your friendship, this is demolishing it! Piece by piece! and Zuma is the one who has to suffer for it! Stop doing this to him!

You have to hurt him, it's the only way things can be normal again!

You've already tried this! It's not gonna happen! Just admit it: YOU LIKE ZUMA! Rocky felt like his mind was about to split in half.

NO YOU DON'T!

YES, YOU DO!

NO YOU DON'T!

YES, YOU DO!

TELL HIM!

PUSH HIM AWAY!

TELL HIM!

PUSH HIM AWAY!

TELL HIM!

PUSH HIM… Rocky gave a loud bark of dismay.

"GET OFF OF ME!" he shouted, pushing Zuma onto the sand. "Just leave me alone!"

Zuma whimpered and curled into a ball.

"Why do you hate me?!" he begged. "Tell me, tell me! I'll do anything! Whaaaaaaa!" Zuma beat the sand, and tears soaked the ground where his snout lay.

"Zuma...I...I like you but...I can't like you! This is wrong, so wrong!" Rocky said. "Can you see that?

"What's so wrong about it!? What did I do, what did I do?! You've always liked me!" He wrapped his paws around Rocky's waist and cried into his chest. "You never have time for me anymore! You don't like me, and you don't wanna be my friend anymore! WHY?! I thought we were best friends!" Tears sprang into Rocky's eyes and every emotion under the sun played out in his heart. He didn't know what to do with himself, and his best friend and long-time crush cried his heart out, blaming himself for something he didn't do.

"Oh, Zuma...I...you...we…' Rocky burst into tears himself and hugged Zuma tightly. "You didn't do anything!" Zuma sniffed.

"Yes, I did! Stop lying to me! You'd never push me away unless I did something! Never! I'll accept whatever I did, and spend the rest of my life making it up to you, but you have to tell me! I want my best friends back! I want you to like me again!"

Rocky tossed his head, his brain, and his heart fighting each other, until both hurt so badly, Rocky wanted to die. His brain instilled him with a powerful, mind-consuming need to push Zuma away, and leave him on the beach, broken and alone.

And his heart countered by filling him with the need, the desire, and want for Zuma. The need for his touch. The need for his scent. The need for his body. Rocky wanted all of it. It made him want Zuma so badly it was tearing him apart.

Neither feeling could one-up the other, and it was killing Rocky. Rocky gasped in pain, and fell backward, away from Zuma. His head hurt like hell, and his heart was beating so fast Rocky was sure he was going to die. Rocky beat the sand as well with his paws, hoping for either his mind or his heart to win. Just stop torturing me! Zuma, stop crying, you're hurting me!

"I can't live without, you, Wocky! I LOVE YOU!" Zuma exclaimed finally, falling flat on his back and letting the tears escape his eyes. Did he just say...

Zuma's words were just what his heart needed to win the battle with his mind, and his brain shut down. Right then and there, the bed of embers that Rocky had been trying to extinguish roared to life again, consuming his heart, consuming his feelings, and making him whole again.

It was so strong, it even burned away his common sense, his logic, and it put his feelings in control. Before Rocky knew what he was doing, he had pulled Zuma onto his chest and kissed him. He forced as much passion into that one action as possible, trying to express all the pain, and the hurt, and the love he had for Zuma at once. Yes... Rocky began kissing his neck, trailing them up and down it.

"Wocky..." Zuma whined.

"Shhh..." Rocky replied."Quiet..." He kissed Zuma again and again, each time with more passion than before.

Zuma was shocked but extremely happy. Both of the pup's tails began wagging, the spray from the water dampened their pelts as they finally expressed their love for each other.

"Can I...kiss you...back?" Zuma asked.

"Go for it," Rocky replied, opening his mouth slightly and turning his head.

Zuma pushed his tongue into Rocky's mouth aggressively, putting all those feelings of betrayal, neglect, and of sadness into it. Rocky ran his paw through the cute tufts of fur on Zuma's head softly. He fondled Zuma's ears, then pulled Zuma's snout down to his. Zuma moaned.

"Yes, Wocky..." he mewled. "You...this is...wow..." Rocky caught his lips again and growled.

"Shut up and kiss me," he murmured.

Zuma growled and rolled over until he was on top. Rocky felt his vision go blurry, and he began drifting away. You need to breathe, Rocky. His mind reminded him. No...I want this...I don't want it to ever end. Rocky replied. Rocky held Zuma's snout in his paws and bit his bottom lip while fighting with Zuma's tongue. Zuma moaned in pleasure. Rocky didn't know how long he had been kissing Zuma; all he knew what that it felt good. Zuma was rubbing his chest amorously, and Rocky panted.

The two separated for a moment and looked at each other with love-struck eyes. Then Rocky's pulled Zuma's snout down to his, and their make-out session started all over again. Finally, though, the two pups had to breathe, and they separated from each other.

"Wocky dude...wow…" Zuma said...when he had enough oxygen to form a bit of a sentence. "Why...why did you push me away, if you love me like this?" Zuma asked.

Rocky waited until his breathing went back to normal before speaking.

"I didn't think you'd like me back," he said honestly. "I thought it was wrong to like you, because we are both males, and it goes against nature. I tried to suppress my feelings, and the only way to do that was to push you away. But that only hurt you. I'm sorry Zuma. Will you...will you forgive me?"

"Yes! Yes, a million times!" Zuma said, hugging him tightly. "Anything for you, Wocky. Anything for you!" Just then, their pup tags beeped.

"Paw Patrol, to the Lookout!"

"Ryder needs us!" they all said.

"We should go," Rocky said. Zuma kissed him again.

"Wace you back!" Zuma said, getting a headstart.

"Hey, no fair!" Rocky said, running after him. They ran up the beach and neared the street.

"Hey, Wocky, how do you enjoy my dust?" Zuma asked, looking at Rocky. "Do you think you can win this time?"

He didn't see the stone in his path and tripped, landing in the middle of the street hard.

"Owww…" he said. He heard Rocky's voice immediately.

"ZUMA LOOK OUT!"

Zuma looked ahead of him and saw a speeding car rushing towards him. In a snap, Zuma became paralyzed, unable to do anything, for fear. It's gonna hit me! I'm gonna die! Zuma thought. He tried to force himself to move, but he was shell-shocked. Just before the car hit him, he felt a rough pain in his side and went flying to the other side. He heard a hard thudding sound. He hit the ground hard and was scratched up all over the place. Owwww...what happened? Zuma said, looking himself over.

He looked into the street and saw a familiar, gray pelt with darker gray rings.

"No…" Zuma said weakly. He ran to Rocky's side with wide eyes. Blood ran off his pelt in fast streams, and it slowly made a puddle around him. Rocky's limbs were twisted and mangled in all manner of positions Zuma was sure they weren't supposed to. Then the realization of what had happened sunk in.

"WOCKY!"

Hi guys! Yeah, this chapter was really bitter-sweet. It was also extremely hard to write.

(Charisma, I was thinking of making Zuma get hit, but I didn't think you'd be able to take that.)

I hope you liked it. The last chapter will be up really soon.

Bye!