"You're so pretty."

Ennio looked over at River on the bed and grimaced, if only slightly, hiding his expression behind a brief blink of his eyes. He turned back to the vanity table and continued towelling himself off at the front before slowly shuffling out from around the chair, striding over to the balcony. The teen stared out down to the street below, where it winded and twisted into the heart of Sacramento beyond. He heard the shuffle on the bed, his rounded, African Wild Dog ears twisting to the noise.

"You're not gonna say it back?"

"Do I need to? Besides, you're not pretty. You're cute."

"What's the difference?"

"Aesthetic."

A small giggle came from the bed, and Ennio turned on the spot to look back over at the Labrador splayed across the cheeks. River as laying on his back, exposing the contours of his athletic frame, his rounded butt, his wiggling legs and paws. River tilted his head to the side, looking Ennio up and down, and his face grew flushed. He had to avert his gaze, but Ennio did not.

"I...think I like you a lot. Is that weird to say?" River asked quietly. "I've not said it to anyone before. Like...I love you."

"No, you don't."

Ennio's refusal of it must have felt like a weight was being pinned on River's chest, because the usually chatty Labrador was uncomfortably silent. Ennio was used to the silence. He met it in the face of his mom passed out on the couch, of the men who dressed to leave, tossing bills onto his panting form. The spotty dog quietly padded across the room, retrieving his jockstrap, his shorts, the loose tank top...all clothes he put on in service to his latest fling.

As he pulled on his pants and shorts, he glanced to the bed. River was staring down at the covers, at his hands, and under Ennio's watchful gaze he squirmed and shifted, moving into a cross-legged sitting position. He didn't look so athletic hunched over; the fur and flesh bunched around his stomach. All Ennio could think was that he looked cute...but there was also some guilt there.

"Are you upset?" Ennio asked, pausing on putting on his tank top.

"...No. No." River brushed it off. He was a bad liar. Unlike him, River wore his heart on his sleeve. He was prone to getting hurt, but he never hid. With a brief sigh through his nose, Ennio stepped across the room, hovering by the foot of the bed, and all he had to do was outstretch a hand, which encouraged River to scoot forwards until he was sitting close to him.

"What is it you love about me?" Ennio questioned him, watching as the Labrador raised his hands, cupping them around Ennio's own. The African Wild Dog didn't say a word as the boy raised his mouth to kiss his palm.

"You're, um...attentive, and kind, even though you don't look it, and you paid attention to me...and..." River kept his eyes down.

"Exactly," Ennio slipped his hand from River's grasp, just so he could raise it to his face, cupping around his cheek. "You don't love me. You love what I do for you."

"Isn't that the same thing?" The Labrador's voice was meek, like he was being scolded. Ennio cupped his hand to the boy's chin and lifted it, forcing River to raise his head to meet his gaze. Slowly, the African Wild Dog leant down. Slowly, their muzzles met. It was a brief kiss, but it was clear River enjoyed it. He shuddered just from that alone, reached out to Ennio for comfort. In turn, the canine gave it to him, in the form of a light touch, a press of his lips, and a sigh.

Inevitably they parted. River whined with longing, and Ennio crouched to get closer to him. River was cute, but naive, and immature; they were both 14, but Ennio felt like he'd lived a hundred different lifetimes compared to the Labrador's sheltered, middle-class upbringing. River had wanted for nothing, whereas Ennio had asked for little. Expectations were different, mindsets were different.

"River. You like that I have sex with you," Just mentioning it made River blush. "And you like that I suck your cock and kiss you. But you don't love me. You don't even really know me."

"But..."

"How long have we known each other?"

"...5 months."

"And how long have we been fucking?"

"U-Um, 3 weeks."

Ennio hoped he got it, but in the end, it just looked like River acted as thought he was being told off. Ennio bowed his head for a moment and sighed, before he lifted his muzzle to the other's own. The Labrador hunched to meet his kiss, still clearly wanting it, and Ennio cupped the canine's face with his hands, ears twisting to hear him hum his approval. Just like before, though, it lingered for only a handful of seconds. They parted, and Ennio could tell there was sadness there.

"I still want this," Ennio pointed out. "I still want you."

"You do?" River perked up for a moment, then sagged. "But you don't..."

"I'm sorry." Ennio wasn't, really. I felt a twinge of guilt, but he was mostly apathetic; this was just meant to be a fun fling for him, because the Labrador was cute, and his energy was infectuous. He didn't want it to get heavy or complicated...though it seemed like there was no way out of it. 

For a moment they sat there in silence. River being quiet was stifling, but Ennio could get over it. Eventually, the African Wild Dog rose from where he was sitting, moving a hand to brush against the Labrador's ear, before he reached for his tank top and threw it on.

"We're going to be late for class." He pointed out, and River jumped, startled, and turned to scrabble for his clothes. Ennio watched, if only for a moment, to admire the sight of his toned behind and small teen package swinging between his legs, before he grabbed his hoodie and pulled it over his head.

There wasn't much more to say. River would probably forget by the evening...or maybe it'll plague his mind for a while, but there was nothing Ennio could do about it. He just didn't know how to love.