Content Warning: This story contains depictions of fictional cub characters in erotic situations. The author does not condone or support any depictions or acts in real life involving minors. If you are sensitive to this kind of content, do not read this story.

School Days - Making Things 
Right Pt.2

By TheWolf'sDen

Aidan sat quietly on the bus, staring out the window at the passing buildings and other vehicles. The ride home had gradually settled his nerves, but an uncomfortable feeling lingered in his body, and his mind was restless—the kit wasn't sure if it was simply the fact his member was sticking to his underwear because of Rajah's spit or the entirety of their encounter. As the bus pulled over to his stop and a few Anthro kids began exiting the interior, Aidan jumped off the worn out seat and made his way into the summer sun; it wouldn’t be dark for a few more hours.

He lived just outside the two-mile radius limit that East Pines mandated for bus rides, which also meant the Fox could walk to and from school if needed. There was a large public park with a playground halfway to his house, where he and his friends would hang out from time to time. Some of them had started to think it was childish, but he still enjoyed being there with everyone. 

Aidan climbed the porch steps while fishing for his key in his backpack. He unlocked the door and stepped inside, greeted by the blast of air conditioning that brushed through his fur. He let out a small, content sigh as he closed the door behind him and locked it again. Coming from the North, the Novikson family was well accustomed to colder temperatures—and being an Arctic Fox, Aidan was even less tolerant of the heat.

“Mom? I'm home!” he called out as he took off his shoes, placing them on the rack near the entrance.
“In the kitchen, Aid!” his mom replied just a moment later, the sound of running water stopping as she did.

He padded across the dinner and living rooms and climbed onto one of the stools by the kitchen counter, watching his mom dry her hands on a kitchen towel before turning to greet him.

“Hey sweetie. How was your day?” Lorrie asked with motherly warmth. 
Aidan restrained himself from showing much nervousness, though he could feel his face heat up a bit. “It was fine,” he hesitated for a moment. “Chase finally showed up today. I mean, he came in late yesterday and then got on the wrong bus home, but at least he made it,” he said with a shrug and a smile.
“Oh my,” the Vixen chuckled. “Mr. Delgado surely has a lot to handle by himself.” 
“That’s Chase for you. Ever imagined if he had siblings?”
“Well, they do say two heads are better than one…” Lorrie trailed off as both Foxes burst into hearty laughter at the irony. “Well, tell him I said hi next time you see him. So, are you hungry? Do you have any homework?” she added.
“Yes and yes.” Aidan nodded.
“Alrighty. Go get that started and I’ll bring you a snack, okay? Dad will be home a bit later tonight,” she said and turned her back to him.
“Alrighty.” Aidan climbed down his seat and started upstairs.

Aidan’s room was fairly organized and neat; the walls were painted in soothing tones of blue and pale red, and a large flag with the Aurorean Tribe’s clawed paw hung above his bed. Nearby, a tall bookshelf was packed with a variety of works from different authors—some of which could even be considered advanced for his age. It also held trinkets, plushies, and cherished Heart of Tethron figurines. 
He dropped his backpack by his desk and opened the blinds to let some sun in, wagging his tail as the light gently hit his face.

Stepping backward, he let himself drop onto his bean bag and groaned softly—his body exhausted after the day. He pulled his socks off and threw them at the hamper across the room, landing only one while the other fell to the floor. 
He lazed there for a moment before turning onto his side, his eyes laying on his computer on his desk; a small whine escaped his muzzle as he remembered the homework he still had, wishing he could play some games first. However, he knew better than to defy the house rules—especially if his mom happened to catch him by surprise. With a sigh, he got up and walked to his it, pulling out his books to get it over with as quickly as possible, looking forward to an evening of his favorite games before dinner, and then maybe some reading before bed.

* * *

Aidan stared at the pages of the science textbook while he copied the last question down on his paper, a few small smudges of graphite smeared where he had to erase. He had worked through almost everything, which he celebrated mentally as he moved the plate with crumbs away to make some space, absently humming a tune. He let out a small yipping laugh as he finished and closed his book, kicking his feet up on his desk happily. **“Time for some games,” he thought, pulling his backpack onto his lap and organizing his books so he could put them away.

Aidan frowned in confusion as his eyes caught sight of the transparent folder inside, and he groaned upon seeing the stack of papers still in there. He tossed them onto his desk and sighed, remembering Rajah and how he had coerced him into doing his homework in exchange for not calling him **that anymore.
His frown deepened, but the anger soon shifted to concern—Rajah hadn’t kept his promise during the volleyball match, and the little Fox wasn’t sure if he’d honor their agreement at all.

He whimpered and went back to reading the pages on the stack; it was nothing that he couldn't handle, but it would also add time to his already exhausting day. Meanwhile, he wondered how he could ensure the Tiger would keep his side of the deal, or what he should do in case the feline tried to go against him. Just thinking about it made Aidan's chest heavy with worry, and it wasn’t like he could say much to anyone—to talk about how Rajah sucked him off in the restroom as a way to make it up to him, that was beyond embarrassing. And yet, he felt guilty for liking it, and, in a way, encouraged it.

He jumped a little as he felt his member suddenly peel off his underwear as it stirred—the mix of Rajah's spit and his bodily fluids sticking his foreskin to the fabric. 
**“Dude, do you have, like, no self-control?” The feline's words bounced in his head and he huffed, looking down at the forming bulge ashamedly. Even if there was no one to see it, Aidan felt like all eyes had been on him ever since he left the locker room—as if everyone who stared at him for a second too long knew what he and Rajah had done, and would call it out and spread the word. 
He groaned and fixed his eyes back on the homework, doing his best to conceal his erection with his body—though it seemed that the more he tried to ignore, the worse his memories of the rest room became, and the worse his member twitched needily.

A while later Aidan accepted the presence of his boner, and even stopped noticing it altogether as he finished the assignments. 
Stacking the papers neatly and slipping them back into the folder in his backpack, he looked out the window to see the sun ever closer to the horizon—it had indeed taken up a bit more of his time. He sighed and zipped his backpack shut, tossing it aside. 

With a push of his legs, he rolled his chair back to stare down at the tent in his black shorts, and pressed a finger against his tip, feeling a small jolt of pleasure as well as some precum sticking to his digit. He carefully pulled his waistband down, seeing there were a few white stains on his blue boxer briefs, with a big wet spot right at the tip of his penis. Red had already begun creeping up his face as he gingerly held his small erection and stroked it through his underwear, eliciting a breathy moan as the sensitive tip pushed against cooling the fabric.

A shiver went through his spine as he remembered Rajah stroking him, and how close they were—so close that the Tiger's soft breath brushed against his face. Visions of the striped Anthro licking his dick while trapping him against the white walls of the rest room flashed through Aidan's mind, and the slurping sounds of the Tiger's working mouth occupied his ears.

The Arctic Fox reclined a bit more in his seat, creeping his right hand inside his underwear as his strokes became faster and he panted. He bucked his hips and bit down on his lip, stifling another moan as his body trembled with pleasure. His left hand rested on his belly, and he paused for a moment, prodding around and feeling barely any firmness in his abdomen—an obvious contrast to the defined, visible abs Rajah had. 
He hesitantly pulled his shirt up to reveal his soft white midsection, huffing needily at the sight of the still-matted fur below and above his navel, where the Tiger had licked him. That was something Aidan would've never expected from his bully.

He closed his eyes shut as his hips bucked again, feeling his climax nearing as he whimpered. He let out a yipping moan as his dick throbbed violently; spurts of musky Fox cum shot through the fabric of his underwear in white ropes, staining it as his toes flexed involuntarily. Aidan's body gave a final shudder as the spurts died down and he lazily opened his eyes, his hand still squeezing his cock softly and eliciting small whimpers from him.

His heart skipped a beat when he heard a metallic thud, and he froze—his big ears twitching as they suddenly picked up all the sounds around him. His sapphire eyes darted to the open door, and he was relieved when he saw no one there. He strained to listen and could only tell that his mom was moving around downstairs, likely starting dinner. 
**“Heck, what am I doing?” he thought, sighing guiltily at the state he was in. He looked down at the mess he had made: the once blue pair of underwear was now soaked with a big, white, wet stain. He sat up a bit and inclined his body forward, accidentally smelling the musky scent of his bodily fluids and Rajah's lingering saliva. Because of the state his underwear was in, he decided to wash them in the shower.

After getting up and awkwardly moving to the hamper, Aidan took off his shorts and tossed them in along with the other sock that hadn’t made it in earlier. He carefully pulled his hand out of his underwear and stared at the sticky liquid clinging to his fingers and the back of his hand. He hesitated for a moment, but gingerly brought it to his mouth and licked some of it, smacking his lips after swallowing—the taste wasn't as salty as Rajah's pre, but a bit savory. Still, with no other way to clean up, the Fox hurriedly finished licking it off. He sniffed his favorite shirt, decided it was still good to wear it again, and carefully took it off, making sure the residual cum in his hand didn't touch the sleeve. 

In only his boxer briefs, he opened his closet and looked for something to wear, his eyes scanning past all the video game merch he had before eventually moving to the far end. Even if some might think it childish, Aidan loved wearing the colorful onesies he had collected over the years, though he had to admit, some were a bit much. The designs ranged from cute Heart of Tethron critters and characters to more generic creatures like dinosaurs, and other Anthro species or animals—though some of these were older and starting to get tight on him. He eventually settled on a shark onesie and awkwardly took it off the hanger, the process made harder by doing it one-handed. He picked a pair of underwear from his dresser and quickly dashed to the bathroom, his slowly softening penis bouncing in his underwear as his foot claws clacked against the wooden floor.

* * *

The next day, second period.

Aidan sat quietly at his desk, twirling his mechanical pencil in his hand with fluid motions as he listened to his Wolf teacher explain verb conjugation for a few words in Ilustran. He jotted them down in his notebook and added a few notes as the canine spoke—he had always been excited about learning a new language, even if he wouldn’t be using it anytime soon. Much like in his history class, Aidan didn’t need to help out around much during this period. In fact, that was one of the few classes where another student helped out besides him; the task usually fell to a Chinchilla boy Aidan didn’t know very well yet, but who understood the language better than any other student there. 
The rodent also helped Aidan from time to time, especially since the vulpine still struggled with some of the language’s semantics and a few other details. Still, he enjoyed it—especially since it gave him a challenge to overcome.

His ears perked up when the bell rang and the Wolf hurriedly wrapped up his explanation before dismissing the students. As Aidan finished packing and got up, he spotted Curtis strolling through the hallway. His chest twisted a little, realizing he hadn't talked to the Bear since the match the previous day—and how he had dismissed the ursine when he tried to reassure him, which now felt kind of rude. 

Throwing his backpack on his shoulders, he rushed out of the classroom and caught sight of him at the water fountain, having a drink. Aidan inhaled deeply and walked up to him, waving his hand in a gesture that was both a greeting and an attempt to get his attention.

	“Uh, hey Curtis,” he started with a polite smile, waiting for the Bear to finish drinking.
	Curtis peaked his eyes up to see the Arctic Fox standing a few feet from him, and blinked. “Aidan,” he acknowledged as he dried his mouth with the sleeve of shirt. “What is it?”
	Aidan found it hard to read his expression—the Bear always looked either bored, tired, impatient, or all at the same time. “I-I just wanted to say sorry about yesterday,” he started, scratching the side of his neck. “I messed up real bad the whole class and… a-and then I waved you off when you came to talk to me. I-I didn't mean to, I was just—”
	“Crying because Rajah called you ‘Lil’ Tent.’ Yeah, I figured,” Curtis said nonchalantly, as if it was a common nickname. 
	Aidan winced at the jab and shrugged. “Y-yeah… that,” he chuckled sheepishly. “A-again, I'm sorry. And… c-could maybe you not call me that?” His smile faltered into a slight grimace. It hadn’t crossed the vulpine's mind before, but it made sense that one of Rajah's best friends might eventually pick up on his taunting.
Curtis looked Aidan up and down, then nodded with a small exhale. “Okay, no problem,” he replied firmly and began walking away.

It took Aidan a second to register his words and the sudden way he left their conversation. He couldn't believe it was this easy to get through with the Bear. In fact, he appreciated his peaceful nature—otherwise, he wasn't sure what he would have to do to gain the brown-furred Anthro's forgiveness. He began walking towards his next class when Rajah's words hit him: **“Okay, so how many people talk to you outside of class? Like, about things that don't have to do with school?”
He paused and looked ahead, seeing Curtis taking a similar route as his. Without thinking much, he ran after him, dodging a few other students along the way, and hesitantly moved into the Bear’s peripheral vision with a small smile, walking beside him.

	“H-hey can I ask you something?”
	Curtis was surprised when he saw the white Anthro, and cocked an eyebrow at him as they made their way downstairs. “Okay…” He replied awkwardly.
	“Listen there's this game—avideogameImean, t-that me and my friends play, I don't know if you ever heard about it, It's called Heart of Tethron—a-and it's like an RPG, adventure title thing that…” Aidan rambled on, unpaused.
	Curtis sighed at the kit's messy words, but still didn't show an expression. As soon as they stepped onto the first floor, he turned and placed a big, brown hand on Aidan's shoulder, interrupting him. “Aidan, I forgive you, okay? No hard feelings. But let's leave it at that,” he said politely, but his tone made it clear the conversation was over.
“Oh… o-okay sorry.” He watched as Curtis gave a brief nod and walked to the opposite from where he was headed. 

Aidan stood there for a moment, pondering again. **“Am I really that annoying?” He cringed and whimpered softly. He was about to walk away when he was startled by a hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Chase, who looked back and forth from him to Curtis. The Coyote had a puzzled expression on his face—and a swollen right eye he hadn’t had the day before, which made the Fox gasp.

“What was that about?” Chase asked casually, pointing a finger at Curtis.
“Chase, your eye!” Aidan exclaimed, gently holding the sides of his friend's face as he noticed the slight greenish tone on the outside of his eyeball. 
“Ohhhh… yeah, that,” Chase laughed coyly, scratching the back of his head. “Uhhh, explain to you at lunch? I-I'll actually show up this time.” He beamed a smile at Aidan, who pursed his lips.
“Fine,” he sighed and pulled his hands back. “My mom says hi, by the way.”
	“Oh, how nice of her!” Chase replied with a wagging tail. 

* * *

Rajah inhaled deeply as he basked under the sun. Unlike most kids, who preferred eating in the cafeteria, the feline liked to lounge in the stands by the outdoor basketball courts. The spot was also ideal for skipping class—since many classes happened there simultaneously, students could easily blend in to hang out with friends or squeeze in another sports period. For the Tiger though, he enjoyed sitting there with his clique, talking or messing around as long as the weather was ideal. The wind ruffled his fur, and his ears twitched at the sound of the Akita speaking.

“Y'guys hear they might divide us into different lunch breaks?” The canine called from the top row.
“What, really? Kyle, you knew about that?” The Bat asked the Gray Fox from the row below, still munching on his food. 
“Yeah, I heard something,” Kyle replied, leaning against the railing. “Apparently the cafeteria’s getting too crowded. But it’s not confirmed or anything.”
“Well, they would've done that right when school started. Moving schedules around after the first week would mess the system. I think.” The Akita shrugged, popping a cookie in his mouth.

Rajah looked up from one of the middle rows where he sat and took off his glasses, placing them in his lap as he stretched. He let out a long yawn and closed his eyes, letting the sunlight warm his face, though his expression remained hard to read. In the mix of excitement, and guilt, there was room for a smile—but his mind was far from at peace. 

The only time the Tiger hadn’t thought about what happened between him and Aidan was when he was asleep—at least, the little sleep he got as he battled the heat in his groin. And the fact he had woken up with a massive wetness in his underwear and a painfully stiff morning wood, it sufficed to say he wasn't satisfied.

As he thought back on his encounter with the vulpine and the agreement they’d made, Rajah couldn’t help the small smirk that crept onto his face. The Arctic Fox's cute yipping and his gentle panting still rang in his ears, and the way his small hands brushed his hair in horny encouragement turned him on. He sighed happily and let out a small chuckle, but was soon pulled back to reality when he felt someone flick the two golden earrings on his left ear. He peeked an eye open that way but saw no one—only to sense movement to his right and turn to see Curtis retreating his arm. He let out a sarcastic scoff at the little trick.

	“What were you laughing at?” Curtis asked as he plopped down beside the striped feline.
	Rajah clicked his tongue and crossed his legs, making sure his bulge wasn't showing. “Just something I remembered from yesterday,” he replied casually, peeking with one eye before closing it again. “Like, just thinking about it.”
	“Is it about Aidan?” The Bear pressed on, catching Rajah by surprise.
	The Tiger felt a sudden panic surge in him and turned his head to look at the ursine, trying to remain calm. “I'm sorry, what about him?” he asked, hoping the Fox had stayed quiet about what happened.
	“Well, he came to me during second period to **apologize for yesterday. Ring any bells?” He raised an eyebrow at the Tiger.
	Rajah hummed. “Well, you seemed, like, very worried about him,” he teased. 
“Yeah, because you were an ass to him. Did you at least do what the coach asked and apologize?”
“Pfft… of course,” Rajah replied hesitantly, fidgeting with the golden necklace around his neck—he could barely fight the heat on his face and the stirring in between his legs. “I would never, like, not apologize for something I did wrong.” He offered a toothy smile.
	Curtis narrowed his eyes at the grinning Tiger and scoffed. “Of course, Raj,” he replied, crumpling his paper bag into a ball, and tossing it in the bin at the bottom of the stairs. 
	There was a long silence between the two Anthros, the sounds of the other talking filling the void before Rajah spoke. “Did… did he say anything else?” Rajah asked cautiously, trying to sound as casual as possible.
"Yeah, he asked if I’d ever played that ‘Hurt of Pentagon’ game. He seemed **hella giddy talking about it," the Bear replied, shifting to lie down across the seats. His head came to rest a few inches from Rajah's leg, and he draped his forearm over his eyes to shield from the sun. “Real weird kid,” Curtis slurred.
“Yeah, that is weird,” Rajah replied vaguely, remembering what he had told the kit the previous day.

Both boys turned their heads as they heard a curse word being tossed to the wind, watching as Vic approached. The feline was dabbing a piece of paper towel against the left sleeve of his white t-shirt, trying to wipe off some sort of pinkish goo. All the boys snickered quietly as the white and brown Cat made his way over, stopping at the bottom step and looking up, his face seething with anger. There was a moment of acknowledgement—then they all burst out laughing.

“Let me guess, Canberman got you good, didn't he?” the canine in the topmost row asked.
“Shut up, Shiro,” Vic hissed and began going up the seats, sitting a little farther from them.
“Looks like… yogurt this time,” Curtis noted, glancing up. “He's getting more inventive.”
“Sounds like he's trying a bit too hard, to be honest,” the Bat said.
“Well, Pat, if he wants to, like, hang out with us, he's gotta earn our trust. Not… prank Vic every two weeks.” Rajah’s words elicited another wave of giggling from the boys as Vic glared at him.
“He was already a pest last year, and now he's really pushing it! It's only the first fucking week!” Vic hissed in frustration.
	“You're the one who, like, insists on eating cafeteria food. You should know better by now,” Rajah taunted, drawing more grumbling from his feline friend.

Their conversation was cut short as the bell rang in the distance. They watched kids move toward the classroom buildings and groaned in near unison. After gathering their things, the group followed the horde of students, going their separate ways, but knowing some of them would reconvene again in the last period.

Rajah could barely contain his excitement at the thought of seeing Aidan’s face. All he wanted was to tease the Arctic Fox a little—just to see how much he could fluster him. They hadn’t crossed paths yet, which made the Tiger wonder if he was being avoided. Then again, between talking to different people and focusing on his classes, Rajah hadn’t had much time to look for him.

As he entered one of the classroom buildings, he was immediately swarmed by newcomers asking about his trips, his performances on the field, and if some weird rumours were true or not. He grinned widely at the attention. Aidan’s words bounced through his head, and he nodded to himself, pleased. **“Yeah, they love me,” he thought, answering each one with ease.

* * *

Aidan sighed deeply as he loitered outside the sports building, watching students move through the doors but not spotting Rajah in the crowd. He’d been lucky enough to avoid him all day, but with the final period approaching, that would soon become impossible.
He half wished the Tiger hadn’t come to school, but that clashed with the tiny hope that Rajah would leave him alone that day. Aidan had wondered if the striped Anthro's perspective changed, that maybe he wouldn't be so mean anymore. But then again, it was Rajah. The feline was as conniving as he was unpredictable.
The uncertainty chewed at Aidan, and he felt a pang of frustration that he couldn’t just figure Rajah out. He shifted from one foot to another, fighting the knots in his stomach before walking briskly down the hallway. 

As he entered the noisy locker room, he barely had a moment to look around before getting caught in someone’s firm grip. The next thing he knew, he was bent over awkwardly, much like the way Chase had accidentally forced him down with his weight the previous day—only this time, it was deliberate.
Aidan yelped as a thin white arm, marked with brown splotches, wrapped around his neck—though not tight enough to choke him. He craned his neck and met Vic’s scowling face, the Cat’s yellow, slitted eyes boring holes into his blue ones. He whimpered as the Cat’s face shifted into a smirk—though it didn’t hide his anger like Rajah could do.

“Hey Lil’ Tent,” he started with his raspy voice. “Not gonna fuck up our game today, right?” he added mockingly, and began dragging Aidan away.
The Arctic Fox winced as Vic pulled him by the neck and tried to fight against the older Anthro, without much success. “V-Vic stop! Let me go!” he barely managed to say as he saw glimpses of the other Anthros stepping aside for the pair to pass through.
“Shut up, Lil’ Tent,” Vic snickered, coming to a stop at the far back of the lockers.

Aidan tugged on Vic's arm with both hands, nearly freeing himself before the white Cat doubled down on his efforts, crushing the vulpine's throat as he squirmed. Aidan's eyes began to tear up, his feet scrambling for any grip to push Vic away, but all he did was slip on the damp floor. He whimpered, instinctively trying to lower his muzzle to bite down on the arm, only for it to tighten even more, forcing the breath out of him. He cried out one final time before Vic loosened his grip just enough to let the kit move his head.
As he struggled for air, Aidan finally glanced around to see Rajah with his clique. The Tiger had already changed into his gym clothes, and laughed with his friends when he noticed the pair's presence. He turned his head to them, and his grin grew a little at the sight of the Fox.

 “Shorty! How are you today?” he asked casually, folding his jeans and stuffing them in his backpack.
Aidan gasped and writhed, fighting Vic's grasp as the feline held him in place. “R-Rajah, tell him to stop!” he cried out, air barely flowing to his lungs.
Rajah cocked an eyebrow and looked at his peers with a barely composed smile, earning a few quiet snickers in return. “You think I, like, order people around?” he scoffed. “Vic can do whatever he wants, man.” He gestured to the Cat. “Why are you doing this, Vic?”
	“Because Lil’ Tent here needs to toughen up a little,” the Cat snapped, giving Aidan a rough shake that made his neck jerk painfully. “You know, lose the fear factor. And then maybe he won't fuck up our match again.”
	Aidan whimpered and looked back at Rajah with pleading eyes, his chest trembling in desperation. “Rajah this isn't funny… I-I can't breathe…please…” He struggled with his words, his throat aching intensely. 
The Tiger acknowledged his pleading with an eye roll and made a small gesture, which Vic picked up on. “Okay. Fine,” the Cat grunted, then shoved Aidan forward, making him stumble and fall to his knees.

The kit coughed hard and gasped as air rushed painfully back into his lungs, his hands planted on  the floor firmly, holding his weight. His vision was blurry with tears as he saw Rajah's form approach and stop in front of him, his shit-eating grin as wide as ever—and that made Aidan shudder. 
He began to wonder where it all had gone wrong. Of course Rajah hadn’t changed, why would he? Especially not over something as awkward as what happened the day before. And yet, the kit had still clung onto hope that maybe, just maybe, Rajah would have sympathy. Even if only for that moment.

That was when it finally dawned on him: it didn't matter if he had been so kind as not to expose Rajah to his friends, or not report him to the principal for messing with him, or even doing his homework just so the Tiger wouldn't call him names—or, most importantly, make sure the feline wasn't seen with his dick out by anyone else that was to walk in the restroom. Because, in the end, if it wasn't Rajah doing the picking, then his friends would. And as for Curtis—who had once tried to help—there was a faint smirk on his lips, no different from the others. Aidan's stomach churned as he locked eyes with the Bear, only for him to look away with the same uncaring, dull expression.

Aidan slowly got up on his trembling feet, Rajah watching his every movement. He breathed shallowly, and reached up to clutch his throat as he looked at the older Anthro. A wave of embarrassment and anger surged in his chest, and with his throat still burning, it felt like he was drowning.

“What do you want?” he muttered bitterly, shaking his head in defeat.
	Rajah chuckled and took a step forward, his size starting to intimidate the now shrinking kit. “Well, my homework in the first place.” He extended his hand, waiting for it.

Aidan hesitantly let go of his throat and swung his backpack off his shoulders, frantically rummaging through it until he found the plastic folder. His hands trembled as he searched for the stack of papers, the tears still stinging his eyes made it hard to see. Eventually, he pulled them free and held them out to Rajah, wincing as the feline snatched them from his hand.

	Rajah looked surprised for a moment then let out a short laugh. “Well, would you look at that—you got everything done in, like, a day! Good job, Shorty,” he mocked, glancing at Aidan. “Everything looks good too…” he added, skimming through the pages.

Aidan zipped his backpack shut and held it by the handle, eyes fixed on his feet as he wiped away the last of his tears. He sniffled and exhaled heavily, glancing up to see the feline still staring down at him expectantly—his smirk making the fur along his neck bristle.

	“W-what now?” he blurted in a low, tight voice, his lips curling in an attempt of a snarl as his chagrin gave way to frustration.
	The feline narrowed his eyes, picking up on the Arctic Fox's tone. “What's wrong, Shorty? You shouldn't be mad at **me,” Rajah said, touching a hand to his chest before turning around to tuck his homework away. “You should be, like, grateful I'm not telling Vic to throw you back in a chokehold. Or worse—let Curtis do it,” he added, his tone threatening.
	Aidan breathed heavily, nearly grinding his teeth as he tried to keep his nerves in check—and failed. “I-I thought you said you didn't order them around,” he spat bitterly without thinking, treading a line he didn't even realize was there. “Weird thing to say w-when they do everything you tell them to.” His words were just as much of a surprise to himself as they were to everyone around him.
	Rajah's ears twitched and he turned to look at the white Anthro. His eyes were cold behind his square-framed glasses, and if Aidan was in the right state of mind, he might have noticed the subtle curl at the corners of the feline's lips. “No, I don't,” Rajah started calmly. “But, I'll tell you this: I can definitely count on their help if I need to do anything.” His words dripped with venom as he closed the distance, jabbing a finger against Aidan's sternum. “Now, I wasn't going to ask this, but, like, since you're feeling so high and mighty—” Rajah leaned into one of Aidan's big ears. “Why don't you tell everyone here how you were, like, staring at my ass yesterday?” His whisper came with just a hint of a purr in the back of his throat. 

Aidan's eyes widened as a hint of red crept up to his face, watching as Rajah's smug smile returned. He clenched his teeth, trying to stifle his quivering lip, shaking his head in denial. If there had been a way to run away in that second, he would've bolted—he’d rather risk a chase with Rajah than just stand there and take it. However, he didn't even need to look back to know that would be impossible; he could feel Vic's presence still blocking the path they had come through. On the other side, Curtis and Kyle covered most of the space in between the two rows of lockers that faced each other, making the vulpine wonder if he was quick enough to slip past them.

	“What, Vic got your tongue?” Rajah teased, receiving a middle finger from the white and brown feline at his little pun, but also eliciting more snickering around the locker room.

That was the second thing that Aidan noticed: the eyes. He hadn't even realized other Anthro boys had begun to gather around them—watching, listening as the kit found himself cornered once again. His ears flattened as he turned his head and let out a soft whine as more students filtered in to witness the scene. He bit down on his bottom lip nervously, his heart pounding in his chest. All eyes were on him. Again.

“Well if you won't say it, then I will.” Rajah's words hit Aidan like a ton of bricks. “It's your choice, really,” he added with a shrug, showing his palms to the Fox.

Aidan jerked his head back and inhaled shakily, mouthing a silent “don't,” his face contorting with worry and fear. He could barely believe how quickly Rajah's eyes had turned from cold to warm. The feline truly thrived off the spotlight, and that awful realization made Aidan shudder. 
	
	“P-please, Rajah—I-I'm sorry,” Aidan choked out, regret flooding his mind as he slowly realized his position.
	“Pfft, don't be sorry,” Rajah scoffed. “Just let everyone here know how much of a perv you are! And we're even.” His voice was loud, making Aidan flinch.

Rajah motioned his hand around, drawing even more attention from the boys—especially from his group, who stared at one another skeptically. He relished everyone's expressions: confusion, intrigue, excitement, judgment. All those eyes on him. He felt like he was sitting on top of the world, and for all he cared, he might as well have been.

Aidan raised his white, trembling hands in front of him in a plea, his voice cracking. “R-Rajah I mean it! I-I—I'm sorry! I-I won't talk back again—ever! I-I promise. I-I'll do your homework e-every day—a-a-and I'll buyyoulunch—pleasedon'tdothistome!” he yammered desperately, his tail curling between his legs.
	Rajah let out a hearty chuckle and shook his head in amusement. “Two late, Lil’ Tent,” his words were calm, measured, and emphasized the abhorred nickname. “You guys,” he called out, “Lil’ Tent here got, like, a thing for staring at other people's asses! Especially mine!” Rajah's ears twitched as his words began to create commotion, watching as all color was drained from Aidan's face. “Yeah, he told me, like, yesterday when he was crying his eyes out. For someone so tiny you sure are a big perv, dude.” He winked at the stunned vulpine.

Aidan's jaw dropped, his heart sinking to his stomach. His ears drooped as the cacophony of laughter, gasps, and snarky comments echoed around the place. He slumped his shoulders, feeling his breath leave him. One day.
Rajah couldn't hold onto their agreement—their promise to each other—for one single day. Aidan's trust, his kindness, shattered in exchange for attention, for making the Tiger feel accomplished.

He watched as Rajah's clique laughed and questioned the Tiger on the veracity of what he said. His eyes shifted to see Curtis grimacing, and when their gazes crossed, he simply shrugged. **“That's what you get.” He could hear the Bear say, as if they shared the same mind.

Aidan's body jerked as Vic bumped his shoulder running back to his group. The pain barely registered in the moment, but it snapped him back to reality. It made him aware of how he trembled in place, though not out of fear. He breathed shallowly, his chest burning with inexperience rage. He felt like he was about to throw up from it. 
As much as he knew staying quiet was the best option, an inherent stubbornness called him to press on. He had been humiliated, used, cornered. And now, he was pissed. 

Clarity came to Aidan like a bolt of lighting. If Rajah wouldn't hold onto their agreement, then neither would he. 
He exhaled slowly, his hands balling into fists as he battled with the emotions that burned in his chest—his quivering lip and teary eyes settling slowly as laughter radiated around him.

Rajah laughed with himself, turning to his side as Pat and Vic approached him. His smile was bright, his laughter genuine, his green eyes gleaming with pride, but something felt heavy in his chest. His breath hitched at the same time his heart skipped a beat, and he tried to shake that off—their class would start soon and he would have time to reflect on it later—but it was like something loomed in the back of his mind, preventing him from doing so. 
Guilt? Regret? Maybe, but it wasn't like he hadn't felt that before. No, it was something else. Something that made the fur in his arms stand up and his breath turn uneasy. His pierced ear twitched when he heard a voice crack through the horde, barely audible.

“Don't—” Aidan rasped and then coughed, his throat still sore from Vic's rough grip. He cleared his throat and swallowed dryly, hating how difficult it was for words to come to him. “Don't you think you're forgetting something, Rajah?” he cried out, his small, shaky voice barely cutting through the noise around him.
Rajah turned his head, his smile dropping to an annoyed scowl. “What is it, Lil’ Tent?” he breathed out tiredly. “Do you really want to keep talking after all this?” He dared Aidan, inadvertently drawing attention back to the Arctic Fox.
	“Y-you tell me,” Aidan squeaked, eliciting more giggling around him. “You promised you wouldn't call me t-that a-anymore. And—and we agreed we would keep it quiet about the **other thing, too.” 

Rajah glared at him, his eyes furious.**Mutually assured destruction—that moment when two parties can hurt each other if one makes a move first. And Rajah had pulled the metaphorical trigger. He knew that Aidan understood the concept—he just didn't know the Arctic Fox was capable of following through with it.

“I'm not sure I follow Lil’ Tent. Like, the only thing you told me was that you were full on staring at **my ass yesterday—with a boner even.” Rajah sneered, seeing the vulpine clench his teeth as more noise was drawn from the crowd.
	Aidan breathed with some difficulty, his whole body hot with rage. He scoffed nervously, which caught everyone by surprise. “Y-you're calling me that, but **you s-said it wasn’t that small.”
	
The gravity on the room shifted. Palpable anger radiated from the Arctic Fox as murmuring grew around the two Anthros. To Aidan, however, it was like a bubble had formed around him and the Tiger in front of him—his heart pounding in his ears, drowning out every sound that didn't come from the feline's white muzzle.

Rajah's eyes widened, and his jaw tensed. Dread. 
That was the feeling he couldn't quite put his finger on. It was an entirely new sensation. Of course he'd felt fear before, but never anything like this—this strong, sharp, unfamiliar tension that made his heart flutter painfully. And as much as one would think that could deter him, Rajah had other plans.

Rajah shook his head, his eyes sharpening, his face dulling with the seconds it took for him to take his glasses off and secure them in his pocket. His stance shifted, like he was stretching or warming his legs up. He gestured toward the Gray Fox a few feet away from him, but his gaze kept locked with Aidan’s. Cold emeralds meeting burning sapphires.

	“Kyle.” That was all that Rajah had to say before the eight grader vulpine was by his side, looking from Aidan to him skeptically. The Tiger placed his hand on the Fox's shoulder and whispered something, going back to stretching his legs immediately after.

Aidan watched as Kyle thought for a moment then leaned back into Rajah's right ear, whispering. The Tiger shook his head and responded quietly, his gaze never breaking from Aidan's. 
Concern slowly grew in the Gray Fox's face. He whispered a last time, and Rajah nodded.

“One week?” Rajah muttered, half to Kyle and half to himself. “Fine,” he grunted dismissively, making the gray-furred Anthro back away quickly.

There was always a weird quality to Rajah's words when he spoke. A kind of warmth, charm—something that just made anyone stop and listen. But what came out of his white, twitching muzzle was venomous. Angry.
	
	“Go ahead, Lil’ Tent. What were you going to say?” Rajah's tail flicked side to side aggressively. “Try me,” he growled, flashing his long canines at the Arctic Fox.

Aidan's breath hitched as he watched the feline plant his hands on his bent knees, claws digging into the fabric of his shorts. His powerful build looked even bigger, and his tall, athletic form looked threatening. 

Yet, Aidan's will didn't waver. Regardless if it was out of stubbornness or inadvertent fear, he refused to back down. He had only suffered the consequences for not fighting back: humiliation, desperation, the uncomfortable tightness in his chest—and now he had nothing to lose. If he was going down, he would drag Rajah with him. 
He took a deep breath and turned his head, scanning the crowd of students still staring at him with puzzled faces. His body trembled in sync with his heartbeat, and he nearly yelled as he spoke.

	“You said it wasn't that small when you were sucking my di—”

Rajah had been itching to pull the trigger again as soon as Aidan threatened to speak—looking for a reason, any reason, to act. And when he saw Aidan meant business, he didn't think twice. The Tiger cleared the space between him and the younger Anthro in a single predatorial leap. No warning, no build up, no headstart needed—all the power coming from his strong, trained legs. 
Everyone watched as an orange blur launched over the row of wooden benches, closing in on Aidan like a missile—there was no time to react. Aidan barely cried out before the world whirled around him. And the next thing he knew, he was moving. 

The force of Rajah's pounce hit his small body like a truck, knocking them both backward.
They crashed into the blue lockers with a deafening, metallic clang that echoed through the room like a hammer striking steel. The whole room flinched—hesitant to start the known chant. Both Anthros landed at the crowd's feet, stunned by the shared impact, and silence that followed was deafening. 

Aidan laid at the base of the lockers in a daze, his whole body rocked with pain. He coughed, his breath knocked clean out of him both by the slam and the shock. His ears rang as he blinked and breathed heavily, catching something in his peripheral vision—at the very edge of it. He craned his neck weakly to see Rajah stirring beside him.

The Tiger had landed only a few feet away, and though Aidan had taken the worst of it, his slow movements seemed just as painful. The vulpine wacthed as Rajah scrambled to his knees and shuddered, staring at the ground. But when he glanced up and their eyes met, his face twisted into a wild, furious snarl—and he lunged.
Aidan screamed in a panic and rolled to the side, away from the feline as Rajah swiped the air, his claws scraping against the damp floor as he crawled closer to the fleeing Fox. 
Seeing both Anthros were still game, the room erupted with a single, repeating chant: “Fight! Fight! Fight!”

Aidan recoiled back in terror, his body barely responding due to the sharp pain traveling his back and shoulder. He squirmed and slipped on the gray floor until finding enough leverage to push himself up, only for the Tiger to reach a violent hand and yank him by his left ankle, sending him crashing back on his ass. 
Rajah dragged him closer across the floor, his slitted feline eyes burning with seething rage. His posture near feral—like a predator fighting for territory—and that sent a chill of pure fear up the vulpine's spine.

In a quick reflex, Aidan yanked his right leg back and kicked with everything he had. His heel slammed straight into Rajah's pink nose, eliciting a sharp, sickening yelping cry from the feline. 
The Tiger recoiled, clutching a hand to his muzzle as he hissed through clenched teeth in a mix of pain and renewed fury. His claws dug deeper around the kit's thin, white ankle, tightening his grip as Aidan cried out in pain. Tears welled in Rajah's eyes from the blow, his nose throbbing painfully as he blindly groped in front of him with his free hand.

He grunted when he finally grabbed hold of Aidan's shirt, yanking him with so much force he swore he heard the fabric tear. Rajah fought as the Arctic Fox writhed beneath him, but ultimately managed to straddle his knees on either side of Aidan's thin sides, pinning him down.
He blinked hard, his vision slowly coming into focus as the image of the shrunken Fox became clear. Some red was smeared on the floor beneath them, and that’s when a metallic taste hit his tongue—blood was flowing steadily from his bruised nose.

Aidan squirmed as Rajah overpowered him, the Tiger's heavier body nearly squeezing the breath from his lungs. He first tried shoving Rajah off, then he tried twisting his body so he could crawl out from underneath him, but that was made impossible as the feline sat on his stomach. 
Aidan glanced up and gasped. He watched as Rajah panted through barred teeth in ragged, uneven breaths, each exhale sharp and hot. The mix of blood and spit gathered at the corners of his mouth and dripped onto Aidan's face in thick, dark streaks.

He shrieked in horror and swung his right hand blindly at Rajah's face. His claws raked across the Tiger’s left cheek, leaving four sharp lines and jerking his head to the side, stunning him momentarily. Something slipped from inside the feline's jersey: a golden chain now hung loosely around his neck, glinting in the light. 
Aidan's eyes widened, and without thinking, he grabbed the piece of jewelry and yanked sideways with all his strength, smashing Rajah’s head against the metal lockers beside them. The impact landed with a sickening, hollow clang. Rajah's loud cry of pain made Aidan flinch, his stomach churning. Rajah's blood spattered everywhere, but the kit didn't stop—he couldn't stop. His thoughts were replaced by raw fear and instinct as he went for a second impact, but found his hand anchored in place.

Rajah growled deeply and locked eyes with the vulpine below him. He grabbed hold of the kit's right wrist tightly, drawing a sharp, raspy yelp from the younger Anthro as he writhed under him—Rajah swore he felt the joint nearly shift. He tried to pry the hand off his chain, only to find Aidan's fingers clinging stubbornly.
With a sudden surge, Rajah’s free hand shot forward, seizing a fistful of Aidan’s torn shirt, his claws scraping against the kit’s chest in a move that was half a punch and half a swipe. The fabric bunched in Rajah’s grip as the Arctic Fox let out a cry, his back lifting off the floor as he was pulled up.

Rajah let go of Aidan's wrist to grab the other side of his shirt. He hauled the Fox's scrawny body off the ground, their faces nearly meeting as he stared at Aidan's expression of pure terror, tears welling up the corner of his blue eyes. The Tiger couldn't tell if the vulpine still had hold of his necklace or if he was even fighting back, but he didn't care now. Any thoughts were clouded by unbridled anger. Aidan had just a moment to clutch to Rajah's baseball jersey. A last desperate plea.

With both hands and all his weight, Rajah drove Aidan into the floor—one, two, three, four times—each slam knocking the air out of the Fox's lungs. Aidan let out sharp, pained yelps that grew weaker with each impact, turning into ragged, broken gasps. His hands slowly slipped off Rajah's jersey and fell limp on the Tiger's knees, trembling with pain and fear.

The sickening thuds and desperate cries pierced Rajah's ears, each one sharper than the last. His breath hitched, his hands trembling as he felt Aidan go limp beneath him. The sound of the Fox's broken weeping made Rajah's heart sink to his stomach. His throat tightened painfully, and for a moment, he felt as though he might break down too. And he did.
His mind raced as his trembling hands slowly released Aidan's shirt. He laid them gently on the kit's chest, open as if trying to comfort him. A wordless plea for forgiveness.

Aidan wheezed as he stared at Rajah. The feline's tears, blood, and spit dripped onto him as his muzzle twitched in struggling sobs. Time seemed to stop as they stared at each other, their teary eyes locking in utter regret. Their pain was not only palpable—it was mutual. 
Aidan once wondered where it all went wrong, but in that moment he knew the answer: it had never been right to start with. He sobbed breathlessly, tears streaming freely down the sides of his face as he understood the depth of their situation. They could never get along, let alone be friends.

Rajah sighed shakily. All he had wanted was to mess with him a little, poke some fun about what had happened, and then move on. It was supposed to be nothing more than a game, a way to show his usual dominance. Yet it completely spiraled down. 
First, he lost his temper, then his control, and ultimately, his spotlight. Because in that moment, Rajah's eyes wouldn’t lift off Aidan's bloody, crying face—he couldn't care less about looking at the chanting crowd. He just wanted their eyes on anything but him. Yet, he felt like couldn't stop.

Rajah's right hand slowly lifted off Aidan's collar, trembling as he drew it back and clenched into a fist. He looked down at the scared, shrunken form of the already tiny Fox and cursed to himself.

Aidan's breath hitched as he saw the orange fist coming down toward his face, screaming before it even connected. He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth, waiting for the impact—only to feel Rajah's weight suddenly being lifted off him. He gasped loudly as air rushed into his lungs, and the next thing he saw was Rajah being dragged back by the combined forces of Curtis, Vic, Kyle, and Pat. The feline didn't fight though—if anything, he looked relieved.

Aidan felt himself being pulled to his feet and glanced up, only to meet Coach Z’eer’s furious face. The Cheetah's voice boomed over the commotion, but Aidan couldn’t make out the words—his heartbeat was pounding in his ears. He stumbled slightly as the older feline stormed past him, yelling at Rajah and jabbing a finger into the Tiger's chest.

As much as the coach's presence dominated the room, Rajah couldn’t bring himself to meet his gaze. Instead, he looked right past him, his eyes landing on Aidan: his white fur stained with blood, his blue t-shirt torn at the collar, and his face contorted with terror.

End of part 2.