A DREAM OF FREEDOM LOST
Chapter 4: Alone Time
Dusk was just falling when they left the power plant. It didn't take T-Bone long to reach Feral's apartment building. He pulled into an alley nearby so they wouldn't be seen.
Feral felt a little lost and conflicted. He wanted nothing more than to get away from T-Bone and just forget the whole unprintable afternoon but he also desperately didn't want to be alone. It had felt so good to be held. The emotional upheaval he'd suffered at the plant was muted but not gone.
He didn't realize that they had stopped until the tiger tom gently nuzzled his face. Startled he stared at T-Bone's concerned face.
"Sorry!" He muttered feeling his face burn with embarrassment as he removed the helmet and prepared to climb off the cyclotron.
T-Bone put an arm out to stop him. Feral eyed him in confusion.
"You sure you don't want me to stay?" T-Bone asked him softly, caressing a cheek with his finger. "You seem a little lost and I'm not so sure you should be alone."
Feral looked away uncomfortably and swallowed hard disarmed by T-Bone's genuine tenderness and concern for him. 'Dammit, it felt like all his emotional controls had been stripped away.' He couldn't go to work like this and there was no doubt they were very solidly bonded since T-Bone was doing a very good job of sensing how he was feeling.
A warm arm wrapped around his waist causing him to look at T-Bone again.
"I think I better stay. Is there somewhere I should stash the cyclotron?" T-Bone said firmly, holding Feral close even though it had to be awkward for him to be so twisted on the bike seat.
Sighing, relieved to have the decision taken out of his paws, he directed T-Bone to the underground garage where his hummer was usually parked. It was presently at Enforcer Headquarters. Very soon they were parking in Feral's spot and climbing off. Placing the helmets in their compartment, T-Bone signaled the security system to engage.
He wrapped an arm around Feral's waist again and walked with him toward the elevators.
"Well, do you have something we can whip up to eat or should we order out?" T-Bone asked lightly as they ascended to Feral's floor.
"Uh, I think we should order out. Chinese or Italian?" Feral asked distractedly.
"Hmm, Chinese sounds good with ribs on the side." The tiger tom was amused by the sudden look of disgust on Feral's face.
They reached his floor without encountering any of his neighbors for which he was very glad. He unlocked his apartment and T-Bone quickly slipped in past him. He followed and tirededly removed his coat and weapons harness, hanging them up. He slowly removed his tie as he walked to his bedroom to put it away and to remove his boots.
He returned to the living area to find T-Bone had removed his own weapons harness, gloves and had stripped to just his G-suit. The SWAT Kat had found the remote and was tuned into the news. On the screen, Ann Gora was just coming on with a late breaking story. He froze when he heard his name and T-Bones.
"Kats Eye News has just been informed that a new Sabren couple has supplied the city with two years worth of electricity. Mayor Manx is naturally ecstatic about this windfall and has informed me that the savings will be passed down to the katizens in the form of reduced electrical bills. This is certainly good news. Ever since the introduction of the Sabren Project, Megakat City has been enjoying the benefits of a nearly constant renewing resource.
The big story though is the identities of the newest Sabren couple. Even I was totally shocked by who they are. Our own Chief Enforcer Ulysses Feral is the Sabren and his new mate is none other than T-Bone of the SWAT Kats.
One wonders how this is going to work out considering their history of antagonism toward each other. According to Deputy Mayor Briggs, who was on hand for the bonding, it wasn't a happy union but necessary since Commander Feral was carrying a dangerous level of energy. We here at Kats Eye News will keep you informed about this most unusual pairing. This is Ann Gora saying goodnight."
Both males stared in stunned disbelief.
T-Bone recovered first, "Uh, I guess they had to announce it because of who we are but...Crud!...couldn't they have waited a little longer?" He said, beginning to feel annoyed.
"If they had it might have had a lot of juicier tidbits we really didn't want aired on TV. So this was probably for the best. It still makes me feel violated in some way though." Feral said thickly unable to process this new turn of events. He stood behind the couch and rubbed his temples, eyes closed.
T-Bone got up quickly and went around the couch so that he could pull Feral into a tight, comforting hug.
Feral didn't open his eyes but he did hug back and put his head on T-Bone's shoulder trying to breathe and not think at all. He could feel the tom's paws caressing his back in soothing circles. Suddenly both their stomachs growled.
Pulling back a little, T-Bone smiled in amusement and nudged Feral's face up with his chin until the bigger tom raised his head and looked at him.
"Think we better order the food and try to get some rest. You know a hot bath might be just the thing. Why don't I go get it started and you order the food, take some aspirin and sit for a little while we wait for it, okay?" T-Bone urged him quietly.
Feral blinked blankly for a moment, then nodded his agreement and headed for the phone.
Worried, T-Bone headed to the bathroom. He was pleased to note the tub was very large as he turned on the taps to begin filling it. He had every intention of joining Feral in the bath so was very glad it was big enough.
As the tub was filling he tried to get used to the fact he could sense what Feral was feeling and right now it was despair coming off him in waves. He rubbed his own temples. He wasn't a shrink but he was the only thing Feral trusted right now and that was just weird. How had he gone from hating this kat's guts this morning to feeling an intense need to protect and care for the obviously depressed Sabren. This bond thing between them was strong. He guessed it had to be to keep a Sabren's mate from wandering or leaving altogether. He really needed to talk to someone about this more.
He sighed and shook his head. All that would have to wait. Right now they both were just plain tired. When the tub was filled, he closed the door to keep it warm and made his way back to the living room. He noted that the food had arrived and Feral was sitting with his head lying back on the cushion of the couch with his eyes closed.
He leaned down and gently nuzzled Feral's face. Golden yellow eyes opened and looked sleepily up at him. "Come on big guy, let's get our food and take it to the bathroom. We can eat and soak at the same time." He coaxed the big kat up and moved him toward the bedroom.
T-Bone left Feral to undress while he went to serve up the food onto plates and poured glasses of milk. He ferried one meal into the bathroom and served Feral who was already in the tub then left for his own food. He set his dishes on the dresser while he stripped his clothes off then joined the bigger tom in the bath.
The hot water felt wonderful and Feral almost didn't want to eat but the food smelled delicious and it reminded him of how hungry he was. He was already stuffing his face when T-Bone returned and climbed in with him. He froze in surprise but then shrugged and continued eating.
With a heartfelt sigh, T-Bone leaned his back against the tub wall and began to wolf down his food. 'Gods was he ever hungry and the hot water felt fantastic.' He smiled to himself at the surprise on Feral's face when he climbed into the tub with him even though he had told the Sabren that they were taking a bath together. He really wasn't surprised the exhausted Commander hadn't heard him.
They ate companionably until every drop of food was gone and milk drunk. Setting their plates on the floor they lounged back and enjoyed the silence and warm water.
"Hey, Feral maybe you should come here and lay on me. You're about to do a face dive into the water." T-Bone warned in amusement.
"Hmm, should call me Ulysses since we are mates." Feral murmured drowsily.
"Yeah, you're right, Uly. We are about as close as two kats can be except for you not knowing who I am that is." T-Bone agreed as he pulled the tired Commander around and leaned him against his chest. He began a soothing caress up and down Feral's soft furry chest and nuzzled his neck tenderly. Feral purred in pleasure at the attention. He felt at peace for the first time today. They stayed that way until the water began to cool.
"Time to get out, I guess." T-Bone sighed. He carefully pushed Feral to an upright position and encouraged him to climb out of the tub. Feral groaned reluctantly but did get out and move toward the dryers. T-Bone grunted and heaved himself out careful not to step on the dishes. He joined Feral under the dryers. As soon they were both dry T-Bone pushed Feral to the bedroom. He picked up the dishes and took them back to the kitchen. He insured the apartment was locked up and turned out all the lights.
When he returned to the bedroom, Feral was already burrowed under the covers and very nearly asleep. Equally tired, T-Bone turned out the light and slid under the covers behind Ulysses, spooning him and placing an arm around his waist. The pair were quickly asleep.
Dawn's early light spilled over the entwined toms. Feral stirred, his bladder urging him to get up. He pushed the blankets off and then registered the arm and leg twined around him. Foggily, he remembered he was no longer alone and gently moved his mate's limbs off him. He staggered to the bathroom to relieve himself. Cold he hurriedly climbed back under the covers and snuggled closer to his mate's warm body. Sighing, he drifted quickly back to sleep strangely happy to be sharing his bed with someone for the first time in his life.
It was hours later when the two tom's finally began to awaken. Feral groggily realized it was some three hours from the time he normally would have been at work. Shocked he attempted to get up but was prevented by a powerful arm pulling him back down.
"Where do you think you are going?" T-Bone rumbled.
"I'm late for work!" Feral snorted angrily and tried to get up again.
"You're the boss and you've just been through a traumatic event. They can handle things for a little while. We need to spend a little more time together. Now come here and let me show you what I mean." T-Bone growled suddenly pushing Feral flat and climbing on top of him. Before Feral could react or protest he was being kissed passionately.
Any protest he might have had went out the window as his body reacted to the SWAT Kat's determined efforts to make love to him. He moaned and writhed under T-Bone's powerful body as their tongues dueled. A hard cock was pressing into his belly with his own stiff member rubbing against it. He groaned, undulated his hips to increase the rub. T-Bone moaned at the sensation of Feral's body fur brushing against his swollen member.
Growling with desire, Feral raised his legs to wrap around T-Bone's waist in a silent demand for his mate to take him now. Accepting the invitation, the tiger tom pulled his hips back enough to free his cock and then plunged it into Feral's female sheath. They both groaned hotly as his mate began a steady, deep thrusting. It didn't take long for them to reach completion together. The warm rush of energy fired Feral's orgasm and sent him flying dragging T-Bone along for the ride. A brief flash of light accompanied the orgasm but both males didn't noticed it.
They lay panting, gently caressing each other and trading light kisses.
"How are you feeling now?" T-Bone purred warmly as he groomed his mate's face.
"Wonderful. You do that soo well." Feral purred back. "I still need to get going but thank you for the pleasant wake up call." He kissed his mate deeply then, with regret, pushed him off and once more tried to climb out of bed but once more T-Bone stopped him.
"Crud, T-Bone! I may be the boss but I have to set an example. I need to get to work." He huffed getting irritated.
T-Bone sat up and looked at his mate with a serious expression. "No! It's more important that we discuss what we are going to do with our lives now. The press are going to be all over you when you get to Enforcer Headquarters and I wouldn't be surprised if they asked how we intend to handle being mates when we are technically on opposite sides of the Enforcer fence as it were."
Feral stilled as he realized T-Bone was correct. They had many things to talk about that being just one of many important matters they needed to iron out between them.
"Alright, let me call my office and sign out for the day." Feral sighed in resignation then remembered something. "I also have to call Ms. Briggs. She did say I was supposed to see her this morning."
"Oh yeah, that's right she did. I need to contact Razor as well." T-Bone nodded as he climbed out of the bed, relieved Feral had understood the importance of their needing to talk.
It was going to be a long day and not necessarily a pleasant one.