Released (Furry Story)(BoyXboy) (Discontinued)

Chapter 4 |Friends and Rivals

Few hours earlier...

Darren arrived at his work table. Thick black folders are placed upright neatly at one corner of the table and stacks of papers and documents are already at the other corner of the table, his work for the day, typical. 

Sitting down, he withdrew his laptop from the black briefcase he brought along with him before putting it underneath the table and switch on the computer. Tail swishing slowly from side to side, Darren thought the day would go on as normal. Work, eat, work again, then go back to be with his son and his beloved wife. He took the topmost sheet from the stack and was about to start his work when he heard his name been called.

"Darren," a low husky voice said. The tiger's ears swivelled in the direction of the sound before standing up and turn his body towards his manager. Mr. Kenny, an otter who was older than him at least five years, walked in his direction wearing blue long-sleeved cloth with collar and black pants, donned with a stripped sea blue tie. Usually he would come to discuss something with Darren, or having a small chat with him, like he did with his other colleagues. But the tiger saw an unfamiliar grey wolf trail behind the otter, wearing a suit coat and dark brown pants. He is, like Darren himself, a head taller than the manager. The wolf had a fairly good build, if not it is capable of rivalling with the tiger's body, which had an above average build. 

Just with a slight movement , the wolf's brown eyes met with Darren's amber eyes, and both of them tensed. None of them knew what was it then, but it was neither comfortable nor unpleasant. Both of them stared at each other for a while before Mr. Kenny distracted them from their staring competition.

"Darren, this is Aaron Longfort," the manager introduced, "he's been transferred to this company from another state and will be working here from now on. I hope you can help him when he needed since he's new to this state and he will be sitting next to you."

Darren looked back to his seat. Just like the otter said, there's an empty table beside him. It was someone's workplace, but that fur had resigned for a reason that Darren couldn't recall and had been left vacant for a few months. Not that Darren mind, since the lack of fur around him helped him to concentrate in his own work, and he enjoyed the solitude.

"Since we've found a place for you, my job's here is done," the manager concluded, "Once you've settle your workplace, go to Ms. Herein, the secretary and you may start your work."

 "S-sir, but-" before Darren could say any further, the otter had went back to his office, leaving him with the wolf.

Darren took a glance at the wolf, and that odd sensation came back to him as soon as their eyes met. None of them spoke for a while. They were immersed in their eye battle and were oblivious to everything around them. After what seemed like hours, Darren realised that this was not going to get them anywhere and decided to break it.

"Umm, hi, I'm Darren Prowl," he started, extending a paw out for a handshake.

The wolf stared at the large white furred paw as if it was something foreign to him before he gingerly took it in his own equally big grey paw and shook it firmly.

"Aaron Longfort... nice to meet you, Mr. Prowl" he muttered, shifting his gaze elsewhere.

"You too, and Darren's fine," he chuckled, wondering why he added the last part. But truth to be told, he was fine with it.

"Then you'll have to call me Aaron, then," he replied, much more at ease at the change of atmosphere. 

They got to their own work soon afterwards, but Darren found it hard to concentrate since the bizarre sensation still remained. It was not only after lunch and they had a few small chats and found out that they have a few things in common, such as they occasionally went to the gym, married, and have been working for about the same number of years. When he got into his car and spotted Aaron getting onto his own car, the realisation dawned in him. The sensation he got when he was with him, the common things he had with the lupine, how could he had forgotten about it. Years ago, during his high school life time, he had this sort of sensation before with few other furs. The feline took one last look at the black car pulling out of the parking lot and drive off, wondering if Aaron also felt the same.