Koslov did as the porcupine asked. Letting his eyes close, the polar bear gave a quiet sigh as he felt Bobby’s paws rubbing him.


Hearing Koslov starting to relax, Bobby rubbed all over the bear's belly and chest, moving whenever he needed to so he could reach different spots. “I like how soft your fur is.”


Without opening his eyes, Koslov spoke. “Spasibo.”


In response, without stopping what he was doing, Bobby replied back. “Pozhaluysta.”


This caused the polar bear’s eyes to snap open, having been startled by Bobby’s response. “When you learn Russian?”


Bobby continued rubbing as he spoke. “I don’t know a lot, but I learned a few basic phrases over the last few years. I learned some Spanish to communicate better with Papi, and Michael learned I knew some Japanese as well. I figured that, even if they chose to speak English, the least I could do for my friends was learn some of their languages. That included learning Russian for you.”


“You good friend,” the polar bear replied, closing his eyes again.


“I try to be,” Bobby answered back as he moved his paws to Koslov’s arms.


As soon as he had, Koslov wrapped his arms around Bobby, pulling him into a hug on top of him.


After the initial shock of the polar bear’s quick movement, Bobby rested his head on Koslov’s chest as he gently nuzzled the bear.


Koslov held Bobby against him for about a minute. When he loosened his grip, he spoke. “Koslov in love.”


Bobby smiled. “With Mister Big?”


“Da. But Koslov not know how to say it.”


Bobby thought for a moment. “You want to propose, don’t you?”


Koslov nodded. “Da...”


“Koslov, that’s so sweet.”


“Want to, but think he say no. He is boss.”


Bobby stopped rubbing the polar bear and spoke. “Him being your boss doesn’t change how you feel, does it?”


“Nyet. But Koslov still worry.”


Bobby went quiet again, going back to gently rubbing Koslov’s chest. After a couple of minutes, he spoke up once more. “I want you to do something for me.”


“Hmm?”


“Close your eyes again. I want you to picture yourself in front of him. I want you to say what you would say to him if he weren’t your boss.” The porcupine kept rubbing as he spoke.


Koslov didn’t reply at first. It became quickly evident that he was working out what he’d say in his head. “Dimitri...” He paused for a moment, then continued. “You help Koslov become strong bear. You help Koslov be better father to Morris. Koslov feel like not still be alive without you.” He paused again. “Many years pass, and Koslov start feel different. Happy when you nearby. Sad when not. Koslov realize what feeling is. Koslov in love... In love with Dimitri. Want Dimitri be part of life forever. Want be with you forever. Koslov want... Want ask Dimitri... Will Dimitri marry Koslov?” After getting those words out, Koslov was trembling.


Bobby held the bear gently. “That’s what you’ve been holding in, huh? Well, I guarantee if you tell him what you just told me, he’ll say yes.”


“What make you so sure,” the polar bear asked.


“Because I felt that coming from your heart, Koslov. There’s no way he’ll turn away a proposal like that. I’m positive he feels just as happy as you do when you’re together. Think about it. He’s never had Kevin or Raymond carry him around, has he?”


Koslov shook his head.


“It’s always you. He always makes sure you’re the one that he has at his side. I know in my heart that the reason is that he cares for you in the same way you care for him. All you have to do is tell him.”


Koslov let go of Bobby then but didn’t move afterward. “Koslov still not ready. Still nervous.”


“Then I’ll help you until you’re ready to say something, okay?”


“Da. Spasibo.”


“Pozhaluysta, Koslov. Now... what can I do to help you relax more?”


“Rubbing feel good. Koslov want turn over.”


Bobby smiled. “Sounds fine to me.” He climbed off the bear.


Rather than rolling over, the polar bear stood up and stripped himself of his pants. After he had done so, he climbed back on the bed.


“More comfortable,” Bobby asked.


“Da. Is okay?”


“Absolutely fine. You could have stripped completely, and it wouldn’t have bothered me.”


“This good for now.”


Bobby nodded and adjusted himself so he could start rubbing the bear once more. He started by working on the bear’s shoulders, massaging them with a smile on his face.


Koslov didn’t say a word for several minutes. The only noise coming from him was the occasional soft moan as he felt Bobby move along his body. He felt the porcupine go from his shoulders to his upper back then to his lower back. It felt like Bobby was going to move toward rubbing his arms next, and that was when Koslov finally spoke up. “Koslov want ask favor.”


Bobby stopped rubbing. “Sure. What is it?”


Koslov fell quiet for a few seconds. “Want ask go lower first... please. Koslov want... Mmmrrr...” The polar bear’s words were cut off as Bobby moved his paws to rub the ursine’s butt.


“This is what you want, right?”


“Da, but...”


“I’ll do what I think you want me to do, Koslov. Just relax and enjoy...” Bobby continued to rub the bear, kneading his butt with his paws and eliciting another moan out of him in the process. Eventually, he climbed off of the bear to reposition himself so he could put his muzzle near the bear’s butt. Without so much as a word, the porcupine ran his tongue along Koslov’s tailhole.


“Mmm...”


Bobby snickered and did it again, doing it much slower, forcing another moan from his friend. “Ya know... I still remember the first time I did this to you.”


“You surprise Koslov when asked turn around. Still not know how you knew,” the bear said before feeling the porcupine lick him again.


“To be honest, I’m not even sure how I know. I just had this feeling,” the porcupine told the bear before licking him again. “And I’ve learned to just go with my feelings when I get them.”


“Feel good,” the bear said amidst another moan.


“I bet. This will probably feel better, though,” Bobby told him as he pushed his muzzle against Koslov’s tailhole, causing it to slowly open up.


This caused the polar bear to let out a low rumbling noise as he pushed back against the porcupine.


Bobby’s face quickly sank inside Koslov as a result of this. “Mmm... Nice and warm,” he commented as he pushed forward even further.


Koslov gave another quiet moan, which got louder as his tailhole stretched to allow Bobby’s head inside.


Bobby continued to push forward as his shoulders slowly widened Koslov’s rear entrance.


Koslov pushed back again, nearly roaring out as his cock twitched beneath him, shooting a load. “AAAAAH!”


“Mmm... good bear.” With a bit of difficulty due to the position he was in, Bobby nuzzled the bear’s insides with his head. Using his feet to help push himself further in, the porcupine’s chest began to disappear into Koslov’s ass.


Koslov let out a grunt at first, feeling himself being stretched, but, as it continued to stretch, he eventually roared out, and his dick sprayed a load onto the bed.


Bobby spoke up. “Koslov? Is everything okay out there?”


“Da... Feeling was overwhelming. Koslov only ever have Dimitri inside.”


“He makes himself grow for you, right?”


“Da... But Koslov never ask,” the bear replied. “He does when he want.”


“Gotcha. I bet that makes it even more enjoyable, doesn’t it?”


“Da. Nice surprise,” the bear told him.


“I bet.”


Koslov was quiet for a couple of moments before pushing back against the porcupine once more. It was a bit more difficult, now that he’d gotten to Bobby’s belly, but the bear didn’t seem to mind, which was made evident by the fact that he let out a much louder moan. He did stop moving, however. “Mrrr... Koslov... have question.”


“Hmm? What’s that?”


“You have big belly. How much bigger you hope to be?”


Bobby stopped moving when he heard Koslov’s question. “Honestly, I never really had a set goal in mind. Truth be told, I don’t think I’d mind how much I weighed no matter how big I got. Ben’s part of the reason I look the way I do now, and there are times when I try to picture what I’d look like if I weighed the same as he did. Sometimes I picture what it’d be like to be even bigger.” Bobby paused. “Why do you ask?”


“You bigger than you think,” the polar bear told him.


“Well... I think I’m around 200 or so.”


“Nyet. You bigger,” he told the porcupine.


“Probably. I haven’t been on a scale in a while, so it wouldn’t surprise me to be a pound or two off...” Bobby paused. It was only then that he realized something felt different. “Koslov?”


In his usual, calm voice, the polar bear replied. “Da?”


“How much bigger am I,” Bobby asked, curiously. He tried to move his arms, but with them being pinned to his sides due to being almost halfway inside the bear, he couldn’t do so. His movement did, however, force another moan out of the taller male.


“Make guess. Will tell if right or wrong,” he said to the porcupine, who was being pulled inside his ass inch by inch.


Instead of answering, Bobby began squirming around. As expected, this set the polar bear off once more. It was only then that he felt himself getting hit by the precum that was building up around him from within his polar bear friend. As he felt it, he spoke up. “Tell me, Koslov, or I’ll just tease you and not let you finish.” Despite saying it, he didn’t stop, though he did slow down.


Koslov tried to push back but found that he was met with much more resistance than he had been getting before.


“I can feel it, so I know you did something,” Bobby replied. “Skazhi mne, pozhaluysta?”


Bobby’s Russian pleading broke Koslov at that point, and he spoke up. “You wanted same size as cheetah...”


Bobby’s eyes grew. “Koslov... did you really just...”


Koslov stopped him. “Nyet. But bring you closer.”


“How much closer,” the porcupine asked curiously.


After a few seconds of silence, the polar bear spoke up. “You two-fifty now.”


Almost immediately after the words left Koslov’s mouth, Bobby went right back to squirming, and the magic of the Zoo kicked in again, as it slowly worked on pulling in Bobby’s larger body. He felt himself getting hit with even more pre as it began to build up around him.


Koslov let out another moan, feeling himself stretching once again. “Aah... Not mad at Koslov?”


Bobby kept squirming. “I was NEVER mad... The fact I let it happen should tell you I meant what I said about how I wondered what it would be like if I were that big. If I didn’t, you wouldn’t have been able to change me in the first place.”


“Aaaah...” Koslov moaned out. “That fair point.”


“I have a question, though,” Bobby commented as the last of his belly disappeared within the bear, leaving only his lower half. He stopped moving again to continue. “Why would you do that for me? There was no reason to.”


“There was reason. Big reason just like big belly,” Koslov told him. He also stopped moving.


“Which was?”


“Koslov think... ready to tell Dimitri. Ready to tell how Koslov feel. You help Koslov overcome fear.”


“Just from doing this,” Bobby questioned.


The bear’s voice became calm but serious. “Nyet. Koslov mean talk from earlier. Koslov think about what you say even while doing this. Koslov love Dimitri. Want Dimitri in life forever. Not as boss. As husband.”


“Go on,” Bobby told him.


“You make Koslov realize should follow heart. When Koslov with Dimitri, it feel like...” Koslov’s words stopped there.


“Like you’re not whole without him,” Bobby questioned.


“Da,” was the only response he gave.


At first, Bobby wasn’t sure whether or not continuing what they were currently doing was a good idea, so he didn't move. He stayed completely still. “So... you made me bigger...”


“As thank you. Da,” the polar bear replied. “Koslov knew needed to talk to you. You give good advice. Dimitri very important. Want show him how much. Talk helped.”


“Well, I’m glad...” Bobby smiled. “And mahalo, by the way. The bigger belly feels nice.” He then snickered. “I bet the others are gonna be surprised.”


“Nyet,” Koslov replied. “They not be surprised, because they know you love belly.”


Bobby just laughed again. “Fair point.” It was only when he felt his legs being slowly pulled in that he spoke again. “Koslov?”


“Is okay. Koslov just realize something else.”


“Hm? What’s that?”


“You still help friends with private time even though you with Gideon... Dimitri would not want Koslov to give up fun with you for him.”


“You know something? I’m willing to bet you’re right. After all, he did give you the okay to come to spend time with me today, even without knowing why you wanted the time away.” Bobby squirmed a bit more, and his movement was met with another blast of precum. “Speaking of which... Mmm... you’re close, Koslov...”


“Da... mmm...” The polar bear gave a soft groan. “Koslov think you will be covered soon.”


“Mmhmm.” Bobby began to slowly pull his legs inside, once enough of him was inside for him to be able to do so, but the fact he was starting to feel Koslov’s cum building up around him from the bear’s anal walls made that difficult, causing him to squirm, and, as a result, riling up the bear even more.


Koslov moaned out loudly with Bobby squirming inside him. As he finally felt Bobby’s feet slip inside him, Koslov quickly rolled onto his back, effectively trapping Bobby inside him, and started pawing himself off as hard as he could. “Koslov... want favor.” He said, panting heavily as he stroked himself.


“Seeing as you’ve trapped me in here, I have a feeling I already know what it is,” Bobby replied. With his escape blocked, due to Koslov’s position, the porcupine started brushing himself along the bear’s insides everywhere he could reach, squirming as much as he possibly could, despite the cum that was rapidly building around him.


Not even ten seconds later, the bear gave a massive roar, and his entire body shook as his orgasm hit again, much harder than it had before that point.


Inside, Bobby had to resort to holding his breath with the cum that built up within the bear, but he only had to do so a few seconds before he felt himself suddenly and rapidly forced through the bear and back out of him when Koslov rolled to the side, letting out another roar as he did.


Bobby stayed where he was for several seconds, catching his breath, before getting to his feet and looking at the bear. “Are you okay?”


“Da... Fine. Feeling hit strong.”


“Heh, I bet,” Bobby replied.


Koslov rolled onto his back once more, motioning for Bobby to climb on top of him. “Come.”


Bobby shrugged and, despite their current messy state, did exactly what he was asked, climbing on top of the bear.


As soon as he did, Koslov wrapped his paws around the porcupine. Very quietly, he spoke. “Spasibo, Bobby.”


Bobby’s eyes grew, hearing his name. “In five years, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you call me by name, Koslov.”


“Da. Is true. Koslov want apologize. You good person. Good to others. Good to Dimitri. Good to Koslov. Koslov not show respect. You deserve respect. Koslov sorry it take so long.”


“An apology isn’t needed, but it is accepted,” Bobby told him. “I learned years ago that it’s hard for you to be anything other than the stoic bear I always see with Dimitri. To be honest, I was surprised to see he wasn’t with you today. I was further surprised that you wanted advice from me. But... I’ve thought of you as a good friend from the day we first met, just for being the way you were.”


Koslov looked at him, confused. “Why,” seemed to be all he could say.


“Because of what’s in your heart. What I see in your heart, Koslov, is someone who is the true definition of love. Someone who will do anything to make sure the one they care about remains safe.” Bobby smiled. “You might not have realized it that day, but I knew you were in love with him five years ago.”


“What gave you idea,” the polar bear asked.


“The fact that you refused to do anything I asked unless you had his approval, and even when you had it, it took an extreme amount of coaxing to get you to do the one thing all three of us knew you wanted. You couldn’t stand the thought of you being the one to injure him.” Bobby responded. “I’ll be blunt. I know for a fact that if he had been hurt that day in any way, you’d make sure whoever it was that did paid a price for it, whether it was me that did it or you. That’s how I know you were in love.”


Koslov didn’t say a word in response to that. Instead, he just held Bobby in that embrace.


Bobby remained silent as well, occasionally rubbing Koslov’s belly and chest as he was being held.


Nothing for several minutes. The only sound heard was the gentle breathing between them.


Eventually, though, Bobby broke the silence. “Koslov?”


The bear looked at the porcupine in his arms. “Da?”


“It’s time,” Bobby told him.


After several moments, Koslov replied, letting go of Bobby as he did. “Da. It is time.”


Bobby rolled off of Koslov, reaching for his clothes and slipping them on, then aiding his friend in doing so as well. “I’m going to get him for you. Stay here.”


“Koslov think he should...”


Bobby cut the bear off. “Do you trust me, Koslov?”


With no hesitation, Koslov replied. “Da.”


“Then stay here. Call it a hunch, but I’m pretty sure he’s here in the Zoo. I’ll bring him to you. You just sit there and focus on what you said you wanted to tell him.”


The polar bear nodded. “Da...”


The porcupine smiles before heading to his door, opening it, stepping out into the hallway, and making his way to the lobby. It came as no surprise to him that the Zoo had gotten quite busy. He looked around, spotting a few of his friends, but couldn’t see the arctic shrew right away. He headed over to the dining area and walked up to the counter, where Larry and Gary were just finishing up serving some of the furs there. “Aloha, you two. Stupid question. Has Mister Big come in since Koslov and I headed to my room a little bit ago?”


“Yeah, actually,” Gary told him, his eyes growing when he noticed Bobby’s fatter form. “Kevin brought him a few minutes ago.” He gestured over to where another polar bear was seen sitting in the lounging area.


“Ah! Okay. Mahalo. It got so busy out here, I couldn’t tell if he was here or not,” Bobby told the timber wolf.


“No problem. Is Koslov okay,” Gary asked.


“Yeah, I think so. It’s not my story to tell though.”


“Gotcha..." He paused before smirking. "Your belly’s gotten bigger."


“Koslov’s gift to me for helping him.”


“Ahh... Alright then. You’d better get going.”


“Right.” Bobby then made his way over. It wasn’t until he got close that he found the small creature sitting in a chair set on the table Kevin was sitting at, and the two of them were chatting about something. Bobby stood there for a moment, trying to think of the best way to approach the situation. Eventually, he shrugged and just decided to go with what his heart told him. “Dimitri?”


This immediately halted the conversation, with Kevin looking at Bobby with a completely neutral face.


Dimitri, however, grinned the moment he saw Bobby there. He patted his stomach as if to show he noticed the change too. “He’s ready to speak with me, my child?”


Relieved he didn’t do something stupid, Bobby nodded while patting his belly in response. “Yes. I’ve asked him to stay in my room so the conversation can remain private, sir.”


Mister Big then turned to Raymond. He gave the large bear a gentle nod, and the polar bear stood. He turned to look at Bobby again, though he maintained a neutral face. He did nothing besides lock eyes with the porcupine for several seconds before turning and heading toward the Zootopia exit, leaving Mister Big alone with Bobby.


This did not go unnoticed by the others watching, as several gasps were heard by furs that knew that he didn’t usually like to go anywhere without at least one of the polar bears present at all times.


Mister Big, however, didn’t seem to mind and turned to address Bobby. “If you would be so kind...”


“It would be my pleasure,” Bobby said, as he carefully lifted the small chair from the table, allowing it to rest in his paw before slowly turning around and making his way back toward his room.  He walked slowly until he reached his room again and carefully used his free paw to open the door.


Inside, Koslov stood waiting, fully dressed and back to his stoic look. He only relaxed once Bobby had closed the door again.


Bobby carefully picked up the chair in his paw before setting it down on the dresser he had beside the bed.


The arctic shrew then stood from the chair, looking at the large polar bear. “Bobby tells me you are ready to speak with me? Does this mean your time with him was helpful?”


“Da. Bobby help Koslov. Koslov understand what need to do,” the polar bear told the arctic shrew. The polar bear then reached into his pocket, pulling out a small sealed bag, which had a tiny ring box with it. Very slowly and carefully, the bear opened the bag, gently letting it roll out of it into his palm, and adjusted it as best he could so it was at least right side up. He then slowly dropped to one knee beside the table the arctic shrew was standing on.


Bobby smiled and this but stayed quiet.


Koslov took a big breath before he spoke. “Dimitri... You help Koslov become strong bear. You help Koslov be better father to Morris. Koslov feel like not still be alive without you.” He paused, taking another breath as he felt himself shaking. “Many years pass, and Koslov start feel different. Happy when you nearby. Sad when not. Koslov realize what feeling is. Koslov in love. In love with Dimitri. Want Dimitri be part of life forever. Want be with you forever. Koslov want... Want ask Dimitri...” His words stopped there.


Neither the porcupine nor the arctic shrew said a word, even when they saw Koslov starting to tear up. Something which, based on what Bobby could see of Mister Big’s reaction, not even he had ever seen.


“Want ask... Will Dimitri marry Koslov?” He pushed his paw slightly forward as if trying to offer the ring.


“Yes,” the arctic shrew replied. “Yes, Koslov. I will. I did not know what it was you needed to do, but a short time after you left, I instructed Kevin to bring me, as I had expected you would want to talk afterward.” With those words, the arctic shrew walked over, climbed onto Koslov’s paw, walked over to the ring box, bent down to pick it up, then opened it. “May I?”


Trying hard not to let himself choke up, Koslov replied. “Da.”


Dimitri opened it and took the ring out, looking at it for several moments before sliding it onto his finger. He then turned his attention back to his new fiancé. “Koslov?”


The bear wiped his face with his paw before responding. “Da?”


Mister Big gestured with a finger for the bear to come in close. As soon as he had, the arctic shrew kissed him.


Showing another first to the shrew, Koslov blushed, but only briefly, as he was trying to hide it.


“May I be the first to say congratulations, you two,” Bobby smiled at the two.


“Thank you, my child... And I also wish to thank you for helping Koslov. I believe he made the right decision by coming to you for help.”


Now, it was Bobby’s turn to blush. “I helped him as best I could.”


“Well, you must have done a good job considering how much different you look,” the shrew remarked.


“Yeah... I suppose I have.” Bobby gave his belly another pat.


Koslov looked at the porcupine. “Koslov want ask something.”


“Sure. What is it?”


“Koslov want ask if Bobby will be Best Man.”


Bobby froze up completely, hearing those words. He didn’t move. He didn’t speak. He just stood there.


Mister Big cleared his throat in an attempt to break him out of his daze. “I believe you were asked a question.”


The porcupine snapped out of his stunned state and looked at Koslov. “I would love to be your Best Man. You give me a place, date, and time, and I’ll be there.”


Almost immediately, as if he’d been expecting Koslov’s question to Bobby, the arctic shrew spoke up again. “One month from today at three PM at the chapel on Center Drive. That will give you time to complete your move with Gideon, and it will give us time to send out other wedding invitations.”


“That’s the one a couple of blocks from Jumbeaux’s, correct?”


Dimitri nodded. “Correct.” He then turned to Koslov. “Is this is alright with you?”


Before the arctic shrew could finish his words, Koslov smiled. nodded and spoke. “Da. One month perfect.”


“Alright. I’ll try to be there early to help out too,” Bobby told them.


Koslov nodded. “Koslov have one more favor.”


“What’s that?”


The bear looked at Bobby for several moments before speaking. “When Bobby come, bring Sam.”


“I planned on it anyway, but is there a reason you’re specifically asking for me to bring my dad?”


Koslov nodded. “Want advice on something before wedding.”


“I could call him right now if you need me to. He’s not working today,” Bobby told him.


“Nyet,” Koslov replied. “Want time to think how to ask.”


“Ah. Gotcha.” Bobby smiled. “I’ll make sure to let him know.”


“Spasibo, Bobby.”


“Pozhaluysta,” the porcupine replied.


The three of them sat in Bobby’s room for another half an hour, talking to each other before Bobby heard his phone ring. He pulled it from his pocket, looking at the caller ID, before answering. “Aloha, Stu.”


“Are you doing okay? Your dad and I figured you’d have been home by now,” the rabbit asked, slightly sounding concerned.


Bobby facepalmed. “Ugh... I should have realized I forgot something. Yeah, I’m fine. When I woke up, I found out that Theo had called Duke to let him know someone at the Zoo wanted to talk to me. After getting cleaned up, I headed over there, and I discovered that the one waiting for me was Michael Tanuyama. I didn’t want to make him wait any longer, so I found him, and we spent some time together, with me helping him with something...” Bobby gave a soft chuckle. “After we left my room, I found Koslov was waiting for me, because he needed my help with something, and we only just recently got that taken care of.”


“Ah! Sounds like you’ve had a busy morning,” Stu replied.


“Yeah.” the porcupine laughed again. “By the way... we’ve been invited to a wedding. And... well... I’ve been asked to be Best Man.”


“Really now?” Stu gave a soft chuckle. “Let me guess... that’s what he needed your help with?”


“He wanted my help working up the courage to ask someone to marry him,” Bobby replied.


“Mister Big.”


“Heh, good guess. And, yeah, it’s Koslov who asked me to be Best Man. The wedding is exactly one month from today at 3 PM in the chapel that’s a couple of blocks from Jumbeaux’s.”


“The one on Center Drive? I’m familiar with it. That’s where one of Judy’s friends had her wedding,” Stu replied.


“That’ll make getting there a lot easier,” Bobby told him. “Tell Dad I’ll be home in a little bit.”


“Alright. See you soon then,” Stu told him.


“Yup. Aloha for now.” Bobby hung up and looked back at the other two. “Sorry about that.”


“Not big deal,” the polar bear told him.


“I would recommend, however, that you make your way home soon,” Mister Big added.


“I will... there’s just one more thing I want to check before I go.”


“And that would be,” Mister Big asked curiously.


Bobby got close to the arctic shrew and whispered something in his ear. Koslov noticed his fiancé’s face change to a curious look before he nodded. Dimitri then stood from his chair and climbed onto Bobby’s paw once the porcupine laid it in front of him.


Koslov raised a brow in curiosity. “What Bobby doing?”


Bobby turned to face him. “Remember how I mentioned that I knew you’d do anything you could to keep Dimitri safe because I knew how much you loved him?”


“Da?”


“I’m going to prove to you how true that statement is,” the porcupine commented. “I’m going to ask you to do something that is probably going to scare you, but I’m so confident about what I said earlier that there is zero doubt in my mind that things will go smoothly.”


Koslov now looked confused.


“Koslov... do you trust me enough to do something I ask without questioning it?”


The polar bear looked between Bobby and Dimitri several times, as if he was trying to piece together what Bobby had in mind, but he was unable to do so. As he looked back at Bobby again, he nodded. “Da. Koslov trust Bobby. 100%.”


Bobby nodded. “Open your mouth as wide as you can,” Bobby instructed.


Without a word, Koslov did as he was asked.


Bobby raised the paw holding Dimitri up to Koslov’s open muzzle.


The moment Koslov realized what was about to happen, his eyes grew, but, true to his word, he said nothing as he felt the arctic shrew walk from Bobby’s paw onto his tongue.


Once Bobby saw that Dimitri was sitting down on the polar bear’s tongue, he spoke once more. “Koslov? Close your mouth now.”


Koslov didn’t react right away, but he eventually complied, closing his muzzle, trapping his boss-turned-fiancé inside.


Bobby locked eyes with the polar bear but didn’t say another word.


Koslov just stood there. As he did, he felt several different emotions hit, one after the other. There was nervousness from even doing it. Then came the fear that he might swallow his fiancé by accident. After that, though, he felt something that he didn’t expect to feel. Out of nowhere, he suddenly felt calm. He felt happy. Even his eyes showed he was more relaxed.


After Bobby saw the calm look on his friend’s face, he started counting. “One. Two. Three...” He did this until a minute had passed. “Koslov? You can let him out now.”


Koslov opened his muzzle once more, bringing his paw up to it for Dimitri to climb onto. Once he set him down, he spoke. “Dimitri okay?”


“I am fine. It was warm inside your muzzle,” his fiancé replied.


Koslov nodded. “Why you agree to that?”


“If there was anything you could have done that would show me how safe I truly was, that was it,” the small creature told him. “I did notice, however, you seemed much calmer near the end of that.”


“Da,” Koslov replied. “Because Koslov realized why Bobby did it. Lightbulb clicked on. Wanted to show Dimitri was safe even in dangerous place.”


“Exactly... Anyway, I think I’ll head home now.” Bobby laughs. “It’s funny... I’m eighteen years old, and yet Dad and Stu still worry about me just as much now as they did when I was younger.”


“It’s only because they care,” Mister Big told him.


“Oh, I know. It just amuses me.” He walked over to Koslov one last time. “May I have another hug?”


“Da,” the polar bear replied, opening his arms. “Bobby want hug, Bobby get hug. Bobby friend.”


As the two hugged, Mister Big smiled. “I must say, it’s nice to see Koslov has finally opened up to you, Bobby.”


When Bobby released his hug, he turned to the smaller creature. “I was surprised but pleased to hear him call me by name earlier. That reminds me...”


The arctic shrew cut him off. “I didn’t react negatively, did I?”


Bobby laughed again. “Nope.”


“Much like you with Koslov, I was surprised but pleased to hear you use my name. I’ve been hoping you would for years,” Dimitri told him.


“To be honest, the only reason I never did was that I never knew it, and the reason I never asked was that I didn’t feel it was my place, knowing you were one of the most respected men in the city,” Bobby explained. “The only reason I knew it at all was that he said it when I asked Koslov what he felt he wanted to say to you if he dared to do so.”


“I see.”


“And the reason I used it when I went out to get you was because my heart told me it was the quickest way to let you know Koslov was feeling better. Since Koslov rarely spoke at all, I figured that if I used your name, it would be enough to tell you he was more relaxed.”


Mister Big nodded and turned to the polar bear. “Koslov?”


Koslov turned his attention to his fiancé. “Da?”


Again, the smaller creature gestured for Koslov to come close, which the larger creature did. Dimitri whispered something into his ear, with Koslov giving a nod before he stood.


Bobby raised a brow. “Everything okay?”


Koslov nodded. “Mikhailov.”


“Come again?”


“Is surname. Koslov Mikhailov,” Koslov told him.


“Oh!” Bobby smiled. “Mahalo for sharing that with me.”


“Pozhaluysta.”


He nodded turned to Dimitri. He paused only for a moment before using a single finger to gently brush against the smaller creature’s back, attempting to simulate the gesture of a hug.


With a bit of a laugh, Dimitri hugged his finger back. “No more stalling, child. Scoot.”


“Right. I’ve got something I need to talk to Dad about anyway. Aloha for now, you two,” Bobby said.


The three of them left his room, with Bobby then making his way toward the exit, stopping only briefly to speak with Theo again on his way out. He made his way back toward his house and stepped inside. “I’m home,” he called out.


Sam was the one to respond first. “Welcome back.”


“Mahalo. Sorry if I worried you. I just got a bit distracted with everything that went on.”


The elder porcupine shook his head. “You’re fine, Bobby. I was just surprised I hadn’t gotten a call from you. I knew you weren’t hurt. You didn’t need to come home.”


“Even if I didn’t need to, I kinda wanted to,” Bobby told his dad.


“Oh?” Sam raised a brow. “Why is that?”


“Dad... I’m curious... Aside from your clients, is there anything else keeping you here in Huntington?”


From the kitchen, Stu called out. “Told you the question was coming!”


Bobby raised a brow, looking toward the kitchen briefly before returning his attention to his dad. “He was expecting me to ask?”


“He’s been expecting it ever since the idea came up for you to move in with Gideon,” Sam told him. “To answer your question, Bobby... No. Apart from my job, there isn’t a lot keeping me here. Truth be told, with you moving to Bunnyburrow to be with Gideon and with the fact that the only way I can see Stu is when he comes through the Zoo, I’ve started thinking it might be a good idea for me to move too.”


“To Bunnyburrow, you mean?”


“Mhm. That way, I’d be closer if you ever wanted to visit,” Sam told him.


Bobby laughed. “Can’t say I’d be against that. We wouldn’t have to rely on the Zoo to visit each other that way, and you wouldn’t be alone, because Stu would be with you a lot more.”


“Especially if we’re living together,” Stu remarked as he stepped into the room.


“Living together,” Sam repeated, somewhat stunned. “I didn’t think...”


“What? Did you think I would let you move but leave you to live by yourself still? Cripes, Sam. After five years, I would think you’d know me better than that by now.”


The elder porcupine tried to speak but couldn’t bring himself to say anything. All he could do was blush, which made both Bobby and Stu grin.


“Admit it, Dad. You love the idea. Besides, I’m sure Stu would love to have someone living with him again,” Bobby commented.


“I would,” Stu said. “Yeah, I still see the kits regularly, but since the ones that aren’t out on their own now all live with Bonnie, I have to admit, things do get lonely.”


“This was your plan the whole time, wasn’t it,” Sam said, looking at the rabbit while trying to hide a flustered look on his face.


“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Stu said with a smirk.


Bobby snickered. “So... Assuming you did decide you wanted to move to Bunnyburrow, how hard would it be to arrange things for your clients, Dad?”


“Not too hard. I’ve had to do it before, whenever a client felt like we didn’t get along well enough or when a problem arose that I simply couldn’t help with. It would take a little time, but it can be accomplished easily enough.” Sam turned his full attention to his son. “This does bring up another question, though.”


“What’s that,” Bobby asked.


“Do you think you’ll be ready to say goodbye to this house if we both leave and I sell it? This would no longer be your home anymore.”


Bobby’s answer came almost immediately. “Yeah, I will be. Dad... When Gideon originally made the offer on my birthday, I wasn’t sure at first, but after seeing how sad he looked when I brought up my Clinical Homesickness, I realized something. I visit the Zoo all the time and have never gotten sick there. Nor do I get sick when I use the Zoo so that I can visit either Bunnyburrow or Zootopia. I’ve been doing it for five years now without a single incident. I realized that the Zoo and everything beyond it already felt like home to me. That’s why I told Gid I wanted to go through with it.”


“Good to know, Bobby,” Sam said with a soft smile. “It sounds like we have some planning to do. We’ve got a move to get ready for.”


“And a wedding. Can’t forget that,” Bobby added in.


“Right. That too.”


“It’s definitely going to be interesting around here for a while,” Stu added.


“Yup, but we can handle it,” the elder porcupine commented.


“So, I guess the next question is when do we start?” Bobby looked at Stu and his dad with a smile


“That depends,” Stu replied.


“On?”


Sam looked at his son with a smile. “On how determined you are to get moved to Bunnyburrow.