Chapter 4

We got out of the cab about a couple of feet from the Quire Queen and walked the rest of the way. Chance had asked me why and it was because it would not draw attention to our destination.

"You mean, you are still flying below the radar?" Chance asked as I took the lead and went down an ally.

"I see no reason to draw hostile attention." I said as I stopped and smiled.

"Here we are." I said as I pointed at the entrance of the Quire Queen. It looked like any other top-knotch gay-bar in MegaKat City. Its name in bright swirling neon letters, flashing all the colours of the rainbow, red carpet entrance marked with high-polished que poles and two tux clad bouncer lions standing at the red velvet draped opening, scaring away troublemakers. We walked down the carpet and as I had expected, we were stopped.

"Any nip or weapons to declare?" Chance looked very surprised and confused. I stepped forward and pulled out the pager I had brought with us.

"Only this pager." I said. One nodded and just out of routine they both stepped up and padded us down. I, again, complied but Chance was looking a little nervous. Because of that the two bouncers were extra vigilant to pad him down. "He's new to the scene." I stated and both looked at one another and nodded.

"Welcome to the Quire Queen." They said and we both went in.

"What was that about?" Chance asked, looking back at the bouncers as we went into the club. The music getting louder as we got close.

"Well, you know most clubs have to deal with catnip, but a lot of haters come around here as well and they try to cause a riot." I said as we entered the main room. The club was full of kats hopping, dancing and getting it on, on the floor. All were bathed in the multi-coloured glow of the swinging and flashing projectors and the buzz of the base booming through the floorboards.

"Hey you guys!" Came a voice over the ever loud club music. We both turned to see Vincent weave his way through the crowd in a completely different outfit than when we saw him in the afternoon. He was wearing a flammingo shirt, with balloon sleeves and a very low v-neck, a tight leather neck collar and matching tight leather pants. "Jake, Chance! Hi! Welcome to the Quire Queen!" Vincent shouted over the music.

"This is my partner for this evening, Rishi Tora." Vincent pointed out as a broad-shouldered tiger in a ruby red silk shirt and black jeans emerged from the crowd. He was nearly a head taller than Vincent so compared to Chance and I, he was at least one and a half heads taller.

"Pleasure to meet you. Vincent has spoken much of you." He said and despite the deep rumble of his voice, it could clearly be heard over the roar of the music. Chance seemed at first surprised by his size but soon we both reached out a paw to say hello.

"Nice to meet you Rishi." Chance said. Vincent had clearly started without us with his festive nature but then again, Vincent had always been a party animal. We all walked up to the bar and the bartender leaned over.

"What would you boys have tonight. We have an offer on our latest drink; the Milkyway. Four for the price of one."

"I'm ordering for all of us, gorgeous. Four Milkyways." Vincent said as he leaned over the bar table, flashing his chest shamelessly.

"Man! He still hasn't grown out of that yet?" "Vincent, you don't have to..." I tried to tell him he didn't have to.

"It is okay, Jake. Vincent has been waiting for you two. He insisted he was going to buy us all drinks." Rishi managed to tell me. I looked at him while Vincent was chatting with the bartender.

We got our drinks and I leaned over to Chance.

"So, you're not freaking out yet?" I asked him as Vincent dragged Rishi out on the floor with drinks in paw.

"Well, no one has made a pass at me yet so I'm clearly not a looker for this crowd." Chance joked as he looked around. "But are all the she-kats here gay, too?" I looked around.

"Yep, but you got to be careful, though." I warned.

"Why's that?" Chance asked. I pointed a one she-kat across the bar.

"See her?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, she is trying to find some fun, but her girlfriend is with her."

"Where?" Chance asked and I point downwards.

"Possesive tail-grab" I said as I pointed out how the two were interlocking tails. Chance looked surprised.

"So, she's looking for another she-kat to jump?" he asked.

"Not always, they sometimes also try to catch Tom-kats."

"What? Why?" He blurted out, sounding shocked.

"One's not enough. I can tell the signs. Looking around, but never on her partner. Scanning each possible target."

"It was more than 'just' ending high school when you and Vincent stopped dating, wasn't it." I looked at Chance in surprise.

"What you're reading minds, too? Nah, who am I kidding. You're my pilot, of course you could tell." "It was one of them. Vincent didn't like the idea of me wanting to be an Enforcer. He said I would be thrown out because of you know why. He felt it was cruelty to suppress who you were. That's where I told him that was why we should stop dating. He can't 'just' have one."

I could see Chance was frowning as he nodded. Was he feeling sorry for me? "Well, I did sound a little like a kicked kitten."

"Don't you worry, pal. Mr. Right could be right around the corner." Chance said after finishing his drink, pretty fast, and placed an arm around me, pulling me close to him. It was really nice. I knew I couldn't enjoy it as I wanted to, but it was nice none the less.

"Thanks, pal." I said as I enjoyed the closeness just a little longer before I looked back at the hunting she-kat. "So, keep your eyes of the huntress or you could end up getting beaten up by the dyke for oogling her kat." I said pointing at her.

"Affirmative. I don't want to hit a she-kat, even if she wants to slug me to the floor." Chance said smiling but he didn't let go for at least another minute. I pondered over it while I finished my drink.

"WOOOOOHOOOOOO! WHAT A PARTY! Bartender! Eight more Milkyways!" Vincent suddenly jumped up behind me, nearly howling my ear off with his shouting and slamming his paw on the bar table. He then looked at Chance and I with a big grin on his face.

"Oh, oh. I know that face. We're in trouble." To my reluctance, I wiggled my way out of Chance's one-arm hug. Vincent was not thinking straight and he would see it as something it wasn't. I looked up at Rishi, who placed a paw on Vincent's shoulder.

"Not too many, Vinnie. We've got work tomorrow." He said, but Vincent was clearly not hearing any of it.

"Oh, come on, Rishi. Let's have fun, why don't you take Jake out on the floor, while Chance and I check the bottoms of these drinks." He said as he stood tall on his shaky feet and pointed dramatically at Chance. "And you, sir, I challenge to a drink down!" I looked in horror at Vincent and then at Chance. But instead of getting mad or shocked or anything else, he just smiled at me, grabbed my wrist and pulled me in close.

"Don't worry. If he tries anything, I'll take care of him." Chance whispered softly, his breath tickling my ear.

"Oh boy, why is he making me feel so giddy? Chance usually makes me feel fluttered and happy but why am I getting the feeling like he's... crud, like he's pushing all my hot spots? It's the drink. It's got to be." My mind was reeling with what Vincent could try to do to Chance but somehow I felt okay with Chance saying what he did. So Rishi led me away from the bar, Chance, Vincent and the eight Milkyways.

Rishi was a pretty good dancer and a really nice guy so we just enjoyed the music and danced. I tried to ask him how he had met Vincent and if they were dating. What I could tell over the music, he and Vincent worked at a fitness and wellness-centre in the shopping area of Megakat City and he couldn't say they were dating, but he wanted to. I felt bad for Rishi but maybe he was the one to tame Vincent. Could do him some good.

Soon we returned to Chance and Vincent and I was shocked to see Vincent finishing a drink and I counted twelve empty glasses. Chance was gripping one of the empty glasses shaking as he glared at Vincent.

"Boy, Chance looks mad. What the heck did Vincent say to him?!" I was about to open my mouth when Vincent grabbed my paw and started dragging me out to the dance floor again.

"Vincent!" I shouted and yanked my paw out of his grip. "What did you say to Chance?"

"Relax, He won the drink down and we just had a chat on dating strategies and how you had to be quick or all the good ones would be gone. Now come on, let's dance." He said like it was not the type of conversation which would leave my best friend fuming like an afterburner. Vincent and I were not on the dance floor for long before Vincent came closer and started to really get... intimate, which was making my fur stand on end in a bad way. He started nudging his shoulder against mine as well as letting his tail almost coil against my waist.

"Oh no, you don't." But before I was able to push Vincent away and ask what the heck he was playing at, Chance springs out of nowhere and pushes Vincent away from me, grabs him by the collar of his shirt and growled at Vincent before letting go:

"Make a move on this." He then looks at me, eyes fuming with a rage which surprised me, he grabs me by the arm and drags me off the dance floor. I quickly wave goodbye to Rishi as I try to keep my footing.

"What, in all that is feline, has gotten into you, Chance?"

We're standing outside and Chance snapped for a cab, or more he roared for one.

"What was all that about?" I asked. Chance merely glared at me as the cab rolled in front of us. I stepped back. Chance had never given me a look like that before. Full of hurt and anger. Like I had hurt his feelings like if we... "No, no, he doesn't think that way."

He opens the cab door and I get in. Chance gets in and closes the door and I had to tell the driver where we were heading. Chance was just staring out the cab window and the drive back to the salvage yard was both awkwardly long and surprisingly short. I looked at Chance but he didn't look back at me.

"Chance?" I ask gently as I can tell something big is bugging him. When he doesn't respond I ask again. "Chance, what's wrong?"

"You two were having fun." Chance said in such a cold tone it hurt my heart.

"Why are you acting like this, Chance?" "Well, until he wanted to make a pass at me." Chance turned to look at me, his eyes still glowing with anger.

"And you didn't notice before that?" He asked. I look at him as if it would reveal to clue to this unexpected scenario.

"Notice it before? Chance what's with you? Why are you asking me this?" I was beyond confused. The way Chance was acting it. It was wrong. In a different dimension it probably could have happened but not in this one. Before I knew it, we had arrived at the salvage yard. Chance got out and I was eager to follow after paying the driver.

"Chance! Chance answer me. Why are you acting like this?" I ask as we both step into the garage. Before I realise anything Chance slams me against the wall and places a paw on each side of me. "Hey!" I shouted before Chance had placed his face inches from my own.

"Just because I don't show my cards, doesn't mean I have to sit back and watch while you flash yours to everyone." And that's when he leaned into me and placed his lips flush against mine. Fireworks went off in my brain as he gives me the most fierce and passionate kiss I had ever felt.

Authors note:

The circle is complete ^_^ We have gone back and forth in the past and now we are finally back to the present. I had originally wanted to include a lesbian couple which had a link back to Chance and Jake's past at the Academy but decided to cut it out as it would too big of a detour in the story.

Chapter 5 will be up soon though.

Read!

Review!

Enjoy!