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Sorry that this one's a few days late. No excuse other than our own derpiness for this one. Next Isaac story will actually end up being main line, since there's just so much important plot going on with it.", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Heyo, watcherland! Sorry that this one's a few days late. No excuse other than our own derpiness for this one. Next Isaac story will actually end up being main line, since there's just so much important plot going on with it.", "writing": "[center]Hypotheses[/center]\n\nOBLIGATORY CONTENT WARNING: The following story contains EMOTIONAL STRUGGLES and DREAM-SEQUENCE SEX, including CUB/ADULT ANAL SEX. BUT DON’T WORRY IT’S NOT REAL, PUPPY IS SAFE WE PROMISE. Otherwise it’s mostly a very plot heavy story. If that offends you (eww, plot), DO NOT READ ON. By reading beyond this point you accept that there will be lots of words and not a lot of sex. For those who haven’t already clicked off… enjoy!\n\n\n \nIsaac’s bed felt empty ever since that conversation with Sarah. Their feelings were complicated, but definitely outside of the realm of romantic, especially on her part. They had agreed to separate beds - the house thankfully had four bedrooms, so the guest bedroom had become hers.\n\nBut that left him in an awkward position regarding her son. Sarah had insisted that she wouldn’t remove Chuck from his life, but he wasn’t so sure if that was true. After all, she had vanished once before. Who knows if she might run off again, and rip his son from him.\n\nNo, not his son, as he had to keep reminding himself. He’d very much like to adopt the boy, that was true. But it would require her consent, and his, and he felt fairly confident that the boy wouldn’t want that, at least not yet. While therapy was helping with his nightmares and on building their relationship, he could tell that the boy still didn’t trust him. At least he hadn’t made any more unwanted sexual advances.\n\nUgh, sex. That damned bodily function. While he dared not admit it to Sarah, she was only the second fur he had ever had sex with. The first had been a college girlfriend, and admittedly the sex was… unsatisfying. But had it been any moreso with Sarah? It was hard to tell. The sex with her definitely wasn’t as good as what he experienced with Dan, but there was no way he was into MALES, was there?\n\nWas there?\n\nWhat would it mean for him, if he were gay? Well, he was certainly interested in females, so he couldn’t be entirely gay. Perhaps bisexual. But that would only complicate things. He didn’t think he could balance an open relationship. Though perhaps he could chat more with the Langleys about it… they were practicing polyamory alongside parenting.\n\nToo much to think about. He shook his head and turned over in bed to look at the clock. It was nearly one in the morning. Perhaps a cup of chamomile tea would help.\n\nThe feline dragged himself from his bed and quietly made for the hall. As he passed Chuck’s room, he heard the boy tossing and turning through the cracked door. At least he was down to one night a week having nightmares that woke him up, and the pup was starting to take care of clean-up on his own.\n\nHe sighed softly as he padded downstairs. Thankfully stealth was always a strong suit of his. He made his way to the kitchen and threw on his electric kettle, and prepared a mug with a tea bag while he waited for the water to boil.\n\nHow had furs managed to enjoy tea without electric kettles? They made the process of boiling water so much faster. Isaac yawned as the kettle clicked off, and he poured the now-boiling water over his tea bag. The comforting scent of chamomile reached his nose as he carried the mug carefully upstairs. Might as well take his tea in bed. He could bring the mug back down in the morning.\n\nAs he reached the top of the stairs, he spied Sarah slipping out of Chuck’s room. That seemed a bit odd. He increased his walking pace, catching up to her as she reached the door to her bedroom.\n\n“Checking on our pup?” Isaac whispered.\n\nThe female border collie almost screamed, catching herself in just a yelp. “Isaac, you scared me!” she whispered.\n\nIsaac took a step back, carefully maneuvering his mug to keep his tea from spilling. “Sorry. I was having trouble sleeping so went for a cup of tea.”\n\nSarah leaned against the door frame. “Don’t scare me like that.”\n\n“Far be it from me to intentionally scare anyfur,” Isaac whispered. “How’s he doing?”\n\n“Fine, fine,” Sarah replied. She seemed distracted, distant. Something wasn’t adding up, but he couldn’t put his finger on what exactly was the matter.\n\nIsaac nodded. “Well, alright. Sleep well,” he whispered, then slipped past her and into his bedroom.\n\nHe placed his mug on his bedside table and slipped back into bed, easing in under the covers before retrieving his mug and taking a cautious sip of his tea. Yes, this is exactly what he needed. He leaned back against the headboard and closed his eyes, allowing his mind to wander as he sipped his tea.\n\nYes, there was tension in the house. But there was nothing more to be done. Isaac was doing everything he could for Sarah and Chuck. He just needed to let go of his anxiety and trust that she wouldn’t take the pup away from him.\n\nAs he finished his tea, a knock on the bedroom door caught his attention. “Come in,” Isaac said.\n\nMuch to his surprise, it was Chuck who opened the door. The pup slipped in and closed the door behind him. His tail was tucked between his legs. His pajamas looked dry. That was a good sign.\n\n“Is everything alright, pup?” Isaac asked.\n\nChuck trembled as he pressed back against the doorknob, his paws behind his back. Was he locking the door? “I… c-can I sleep with you tonight?”\n\nIsaac blinked. “Me? Are you sure you’d want that, pup?”\n\nThe border collie nodded. “U-uh huh…”\n\nThe feline considered his son’s request. “I… suppose one night couldn’t hurt… but both of our pajamas stay on, and no inappropriate touching. Deal?”\n\nAfter a moment, the pup gave an almost imperceptible nod and crossed the room. He climbed into Isaac’s bed and slipped under the covers, trembling lightly.\n\nShould he dare? He reached a paw over and gently touched Chuck’s shoulder. “Would you like me to hold you, pup?”\n\nChuck nodded. Perhaps this was a good sign for their relationship. Isaac laid down under the covers and pulled the pup in close. He was trembling harder now, but he didn’t try to shy away.\n\n“It’s okay, pup,” Isaac whispered. “You’re safe here… I promise I’ll never hurt you…”\n\nThe pup sniffled and snuggled in. Weird as it was, it felt nice having the pup in bed with him. Perhaps it was inappropriate, but as long as no touching happened, it should be fine. Perhaps that would be a question to pose at his next session with Chuck and his therapist. For now, he would simply offer what comfort he could to his son.\n \nIsaac awoke with his alarm. The pup was still curled up next to him. It would likely be a few minutes yet before Sarah got up. The feline planted a soft kiss between the pup’s ears, then slipped out of bed and checked the door. Sure enough, Chuck had locked it. Curious. He returned to the bed and gently shook the boy awake.\n\n“Good morning, Chuck,” Isaac said when the pup opened his eyes.\n\nFor just a moment, he saw fear register in the boy’s face. But as quickly as it came, it vanished, replaced with a yawn. “M-morning…”\n\n“Sleep well, pup?” Isaac asked.\n\nChuck nodded. “Uh huh…”\n\n“Good,” Isaac said. He gently patted the boy’s head. “Now it’s time to get ready for school, alright?”\n\nHis son nodded and got up, mercifully dry. He watched the boy pad out of his room, then set about his own morning routine.\n\nAs usual, Sarah emerged from her room just as Isaac and Chuck were heading downstairs for breakfast. She ignored his greeting, which he shrugged off. That had been their usual since they had switched to separate bedrooms.\n\nWhen he reached the kitchen, Chuck was going for a bowl.\n\n“Hey pup, how do some eggs sound for breakfast?”\n\nThe pup squeaked, but his tail wagged. “Umm… m-maybe?”\n\nIsaac chuckled and pulled out a skillet. “I’ll make us some scrambled eggs.” He flicked his ears as he pulled the carton from the fridge, and turned to the pup. “Would you like to help me make them?”\n\nTo his surprise, the pup quietly agreed, walking over and working side by side while he cracked eggs. He demonstrated how to properly cook scrambled eggs, and let the pup take over the spatula work. He set to work making some toast while his son minded the eggs. Pride swelled up inside him. He was teaching his son a skill. It occurred to him that it might be dangerous to think of Chuck as his son, but dammit, he couldn’t help how he felt.\n\nHe distributed toast among two plates, and helped Chuck portion out eggs for the two of them. When they were finished, he added a bit of salt and pepper to both, then took a bite.\n\n“Mmm… good job, Chuck,” Isaac said. “You did very well.”\n\n“I d-did?” Chuck said. He took a bite himself. “Huh… I d-did…”\n\nIsaac reached over and patted the boy’s arm. “That’s a good boy. Now eat up. Your bus will be here soon.”\n\nThey finished their breakfast in relative silence. The pup actually gave him an unprompted hug on his way out the door to the bus. As he got on, Sarah finally came downstairs.\n\n“I’ve got to get going to work,” Isaac said. “There’s scrambled eggs on the stove. Chuck helped make them.”\n\nThe female border collie didn’t acknowledge him. She trudged wordlessly into the kitchen and set about to making herself coffee.\n\nThe feline sighed and shook his head. He’d never understand that particular female. He grabbed his coat and headed out, making for his car for the drive to the nearby T station. It was much more pleasant to make the ten minute drive across town and take the subway than battle rush hour traffic and gamble on parking in the city.\n \nWork droned on as usual. He should be excited, but with all of the personal turmoil going on, it was hard to focus. When lunch rolled around, Lillian sought him out to join him.\n\n“Hello, Dr. Gardner,” she said as she sat down.\n\n“Hello,” Isaac said. He was determined to keep things professional after spilling his home drama a few weeks ago.\n\n“How are you?” she asked.\n\n“Fine,” Isaac said. “And you?”\n\n“I’m doing rather well,” Lillian replied. “I gave my two weeks notice to HR today.”\n\nWell that was something unexpected. “I hope everything’s alright,” Isaac said.\n\n“Oh, yes, nothing against here, of course,” the ferret replied. “I just found a better job. Closer to home, higher pay… it was too good to pass up.”\n\n“How lovely,” Isaac said. “You’ll be missed, of course, but I wish you the best in your new position.”\n\nShe smiled at him. “Thank you.” She was quiet for a moment before continuing. “If it’s not too out of line, I’d like to keep in touch. Would it be alright if we exchanged contact information?”\n\nIsaac blinked. Why would she want to keep in touch with HIM? Perhaps as a professional reference. Yes, that must be it. “I… suppose that would be fine.”\n\nAfter a quick run down of social media and finding no overlap, they settled for exchanging phone numbers. There was only a five year age difference between the two of them and yet they seemed to occupy completely separate online worlds. He tried not to think about that. He didn’t want to feel old at thirty-one.\n\n“So… how have things been with your pup’s mother?” Lillian asked.\n\nHe sighed. Much as he didn’t want to air his dirty laundry, something about the ferret put him at ease. “We talked. We switched to separate bedrooms now.”\n\n“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that,” Lillian said. “I suppose that means things aren’t going well.”\n\nIsaac shrugged. “I guess not. She’s promised not to tear Chuck from my life, but I don’t know… I still don’t know what happened in those ten years before she showed up, so how can I be certain?”\n\n“Sometimes life is full of uncertainties,” Lillian replied. “You just have to do the best you can.”\n\nThe feline chuckled. “Wise beyond your years. But I suppose you’re right.”\n\nThey continued chatting through lunch, thankfully shifting to work related topics. Somehow, talking to Lillian made him feel just a little bit better.\n\nBefore he knew it, he reached the end of his work day. The subway ride back to Oakfield was uneventful, if crowded as usual. He was always relieved when the train finally left the city and it was no longer standing room only.\n \nWhen he returned home, he was surprised to find Sarah’s car in the driveway. Hadn’t she had work today? Her work schedule meant she was never home before he was.\n\nHe found her in her bedroom, propped up and watching TV. “Work let you out early?” he asked.\n\n“I wasn’t feeling well so I took a sick day,” Sarah replied.\n\n“Oh. I’m sorry you aren’t feeling well,” Isaac said. “I could make some soup if you like.”\n\n“I already made some,” she said, lifting up a bowl on her bedside table. “I’m fine.”\n\n“I see,” Isaac said. He eased back out of the room, then poked his head back in. “Sarah, could we talk?”\n\nShe muted the TV and looked at him. “What is it?”\n\nIsaac took a breath. This might be his best chance to bring up this topic with her. “I know this might seem like it’s coming out of nowhere, but, well… I’ve been looking into adoption, and I wanted to know… about Chuck’s father.”\n\nSarah looked at him with strangely empty eyes. “He’s dead.”\n\n“I… see,” Isaac said. “Well, that’ll affect things. I had considered that possibility. We’d need the death certificate, if you were willing to let me ado-“\n\n“Why does it matter?” Sarah shot. “You’re his legal guardian, isn’t that enough?”\n\nThe feline was taken aback by her sudden hostility. “Sarah, I was just asking the question. If you don’t want me to be his adoptive father, you can just say so. But… he means a lot to me, and I’d like to be hi-“\n\n“The bastard isn’t even on the birth certificate,” Sarah said. She sighed. “Do whatever you want.” She unmuted the TV before waiting for any further response.\n\nThat was very out of character for her, but he didn’t want to press the issue. Maybe when she wasn’t feeling well wasn’t the best time to bring up the question, but it had been eating at him. Was there such a thing as a good time? He eased the door shut and went downstairs.\n\nChuck was in the kitchen working on homework. Isaac smiled and took a seat next to him. “Hey, pup.”\n\nThe border collie squirmed a little. “H-hi.”\n\n“How was school?” Isaac asked.\n\nHe managed to extract a short recap of the pup’s day from him. After Sarah’s reaction, he felt somewhat put out, but he wanted to keep Chuck in his life.\n\n“Hey, pup? How would you feel about… me adopting you?” Isaac asked.\n\nChuck froze. “I-isn’t that for pups with no parents? Is something gonna happen to Mommy?!”\n\n“No, no, nothing’s happening to your mother,” Isaac said. “Adoptions happen for all sorts of reasons. Remarriage, for example. I just… I’ve grown very fond of you, and I’d like to be your legal father. But I wanted to know if that’s something you’d even want before pursuing it. You don’t have to answer now, and it’s okay to say ‘no,’ but I wanted to just… plant that idea in your head.”\n\nThe pup nodded. “I’ll… th-think about it…”\n\nIsaac smiled. “That’s all I can ask. May I give you a hug?”\n\nAfter a moment’s hesitation, Chuck nodded. The feline grinned and leaned in for a quick one armed hug. “Love you, Chuck.”\n\nThe pup squirmed. Isaac let him go. He didn’t expect the pup to say it back. While he didn’t know much of the pup’s past, he could understand him not being sure what to do about male affection, especially if that awkward incident told him anything about the pup’s expectations from males. But his affection was worth expressing. He hoped that maybe one day it would be returned in kind, but even if he never heard the word from the pup, just being there for him was enough for Isaac.\n\nBesides, even if he wasn’t Chuck’s dad in a legal sense, he was Chuck’s dad in every way that counted. He was grateful for having talked with the Langleys about parenting. Adoption would be nice, of course, but even if he didn’t, or couldn’t, adopt the boy, he could at least rest easy knowing that he was doing his best as a father.\n\nThen Chuck leaned in against him. That was quite a surprise, but Isaac wasn’t about to complain. They were building a bond. Maybe the boy felt more strongly about him than he was willing to let on. He put an arm around the pup and patted his shoulder.\n\nThey sat like that for a good minute before Chuck straightened up. Isaac let the pup go. Best not to push boundaries with him. The feline got up and set to work making dinner, then glanced back at Chuck. “Would you like to help me cook again?”\n\nChuck showed less hesitation than the morning. He got up and worked diligently under Isaac’s guidance. Cooking was a good skill for the pup to have, and Isaac felt proud that he could share what he knew with the boy. He wasn’t the best cook by any means, but he could at least manage some basics. \n\nWhen it was ready, he sent Chuck off with a plate for his mother. He returned with the declined plate. Something was definitely wrong with Sarah, but Isaac knew better than to pursue it. She wouldn’t open up to him. At least he had Chuck.\n\nMuch to Isaac’s surprise, that night Chuck again requested to sleep with him. He felt in an awkward position. There were two more days until their next shared therapy session. Perhaps it would be best to get some parenting advice. The Langleys did say he could call anytime…\n\nHe sent the boy back to his room just so he could have the quick call in private.\n\n“Hello, Isaac,” Dan said when he picked up the phone. “Got something on your mind?”\n\n“Well, I was hoping I could get you and your wife’s perspective on something,” Isaac said.\n\n“Of course,” Dan said. “I’ve got you on speaker and Terry’s right next to me. What’s up?”\n\n“Chuck asked to sleep in my bed with me,” Isaac said. “I don’t know what to tell him.”\n\nTerry spoke up first. “I don’t see anything wrong with occasionally letting him sleep with you,” she said. “I might ask him why he wants to sleep with you, though.”\n\n“Our Ellie sometimes sneaks into our bed at night,” Dan added. “Robbie used to, too, though he seems to have grown out of it.”\n\nIsaac nodded. “Alright. He asked yesterday too. I think he’s still having trouble sleeping.”\n\n“I’d definitely ask if everything’s alright,” Terry said. “It couldn’t hurt to bring it up with Dr. Snider, too.”\n\nThe feline bit his lip. He’d only talked about this with Sarah and the psychologist. “I’m… a little concerned, to be honest. Before he started therapy, he tried to… engage in sexual activities with me.”\n\n“That… is definitely cause for concern, yes,” Terry said. “Did he try anything last night?”\n\n“No,” Isaac said. “At least, I don’t think he did…”\n\n“I might discourage it, then,” Terry said. “At least until you’ve gotten to the bottom of things with Dr. Snider. The pup needs to learn boundaries.”\n\nIt would hurt having to tell the pup ‘no,’ but maybe it was for the best. “Alright. Thanks for the advice.”\n\n“Anytime,” Terry said. “Good luck.”\n\n“Thanks,” he said. He sighed as he hung up the phone, then went down the hall to Chuck’s bedroom and knocked on the door. Chuck allowed him in.\n\n“Hey, pup,” Isaac said. “So… why do you want to sleep with me?”\n\nChuck blushed and squirmed. “S-scared…”\n\n“Of what?” Isaac asked.\n\nThe pup was quiet.\n\n“Been having nightmares again?” he asked. The pup nodded. “I noticed you locked the door last night. Would you like me to get a lock for your bedroom door so you can feel safe in there?” Chuck nodded enthusiastically. “Alright. I’ll do that this weekend.”\n\n“C-can I sleep with you u-until then?”\n\nIsaac bit his lip. “I… suppose I can allow it. But same rules apply. No inappropriate touching. Understood?”\n\nChuck nodded and hugged him. They walked paw in paw down to Isaac’s room, and Isaac shut and locked the door behind him. The two males climbed into bed together. Like last night, Isaac held the pup. It honestly felt nice snuggling with him. He knew he’d have to put a stop to it, for the boy’s mental health. But until then, he’d enjoy the feeling of a bed partner again.\n \nIt didn’t take long for Isaac to fall asleep. He hadn’t expected to be that relaxed with Chuck in his bed. But then the odd dreams started.\n\nFirst he was with Lillian. The ferret was flirting with him, hard. Dream Lillian pushed him against a wall and felt his chest, guided his paws to her breasts. They were soft, warm, bigger than Sarah’s (even though the reality of her size was the inverse). Still, she wanted him, needed him, and his body responded in kind. He needed her, too. His eyes shut as he kissed her.\n\nBut when he opened his eyes again, it wasn’t Lillian but Dan he was kissing. Gone were the breasts, replaced with the male’s more subtle chest curves. Their erections rubbed against one another. Curiously enough, Isaac found himself fine with this little fantasy, too. Dan was an excellent source of wisdom and advice, and that blowjob he had received from the fox was stellar. Maybe an open relationship wouldn’t be so bad.\n\nHis paws roamed to the fox’s ass. He squeezed the other male’s cheeks, feeling the resistance against his grip. Gods, that was a good feeling.\n\nBut as he lined up his penis with Dan’s tailhole, the fox began to morph, this time into… Chuck! Isaac’s eyes bulged as his penis slid not into an adult’s ass, but into the twelve year old’s. He wasn’t sure what was worse: violating this boundary with Chuck, or the fact that rather than disgust, he felt arousal. His hips worked on auto pilot, humping into the young border collie. What was worse was looking into the pup’s eyes. He wasn’t met with a dead-eyed stare or pain, but joy, pure arousal. Dream Chuck was loving every second of his violation.\n\nIsaac awoke with a gasp. He blushed when he realized he had an erection and had almost certainly been grinding against Chuck. He eased back from the boy, hoping beyond hope that he hadn’t woken the pup. The feline needed to splash his face with cold water, and do something to make this damned erection go down, whether that be taking care of it or simply refocusing his mind...\n\nHe was half way to the en suite bathroom when he heard Chuck’s voice.\n\n“W-where are you g-going?”\n\nWell, there was still a chance that the pup wouldn’t have realized that the cat had been grinding against him. “Just to the bathroom,” Isaac whispered as he looked at the pup over his shoulder. “Go back to sleep.”\n\nChuck sat up. “Y-you don’t… w-wanna f-finish?”\n\n“Finish?” Isaac asked. “Finish what?”\n\nThe pup looked pointedly between the feline’s legs, then up at him. So he had been awake for some of it.\n\n“Chuck, I would never ask for that from you,” Isaac said.\n\n“Y-you don’t want me to h-h-help you… f-f-feel good? I-isn’t it something… y-you do… with furs you c-c-care about?” Chuck whispered. His voice carried a tinge of sadness to it.\n\nWait, did that mean the pup cared about him? He’d have to be careful with his words. “Chuck… it’s not something adults should ever do with cubs,” he said. “It’s reserved for very special relationships, like between a male and his wife… or husband, and definitely not between a father and his cub…”\n\n“B-b-but,” Chuck began.\n\n“No buts,” Isaac said. “I love you and care about you, and that’s why we can’t have sex.”\n\nThe pup tilted his head. He seemed confused. “W-why?”\n\nIsaac sighed. “It’s illegal, first of all. You wouldn’t be in trouble, but I’d get in a lot of trouble, probably go to jail, not be allowed to see you again… but more importantly, it’s immoral. I’m bigger than you, I have a lot more experience with life… there’s way too much of an experience gap… it’d be taking advantage of you, and I never want to do that.”\n\nChuck tilted his head in the other direction. Why did that boy have to be so cute? “I-I wouldn’t tell,” he muttered.\n\nThe fact that he wasn’t immediately disgusted the idea brought a fresh wave of anxiety crashing through Isaac’s head. But he knew he had to stand firm. “Chuck, I said ‘no.’ Respecting boundaries goes both ways. I don’t touch you unless I have your permission, and you don’t touch me without my permission, and I do not give permission for you to touch me there. And besides that, I would hope that you WOULDN’T keep something like this a secret. If an adult touches you inappropriately, you tell an adult you can trust so you can make it stop, someone like your teacher, your mother, your therapist, me, a police officer, someone who’ll stop it.”\n\nHis son tucked his tail between his legs. “O-okay…”\n\n“I love you, Chuck,” Isaac said. “Please… just lie down. I’ll be back in a minute, I promise.”\n\nHe slipped into the bathroom and went right to the sink. A few splashes of cold water helped to settle him down somewhat, though that damned erection persisted. Images from the dream came back unbidden. Other images came, too, images of a fennec and a goat… he pushed those aside, but back came images of Chuck from the dream, the boy’s pleasured look while he-\n\nNo no no no NO! Don’t think about Chuck like that! He stumbled over to the toilet and retched. He was sick. Sick in the mind. Maybe he’d need a therapist himself. Hell, maybe it’d be better if Sarah DID leave and take Chuck with her…\n\n“I’m not like that,” he whispered. Then he repeated it. And again. And again. Over and over he whispered it, like a mantra, willing it to be true. At least it made that erection finally go down.\n\n“I-Isaac?”\n\nThe feline looked up, startled out of his chant, and turned to make eye contact with Chuck. He had taken off all of his clothes. At least this time Isaac didn’t get an erection seeing him nude. “Chuck… w-where are your clothes?”\n\nThe pup blushed. “I… t-took ‘em off… b-but… a-are you o-o-okay?”\n\nIsaac sighed and leaned back. “I don’t know, Chuck… I don’t know…”\n\nChuck walked over, got on his knees next to Isaac, and hugged him. The cat wrapped an arm loosely around the pup, returning the affectionate gesture.\n\n“S-s-sorry,” Chuck muttered.\n\n“You have nothing to apologize for,” Isaac said. “I’m just… not feeling well, is all. Nothing you did. But would you please go put your clothes back on?”\n\nHis son held on for just a moment longer before easing apart. “O-okay…” He got up and quietly left the bathroom.\n\nIsaac sighed and pushed himself up to his feet. He washed his paws, splashed his face once more with cold water, and returned to the bedroom.\n\nThe border collie pup was sitting on the edge of the bed when he returned, mercifully dressed. Isaac smiled at him as he approached. \n\n“Thank you for checking on me,” Isaac said. “Let’s get back to sleep. You’ve got school in the morning.”\n\nChuck nodded and climbed back into bed. Isaac slid back in beside him, and laid back, staring up at the ceiling. He glanced at Chuck, then grabbed his phone. He needed some outside advice on this one.\n\nTwo in the morning didn’t feel like the right time to call, especially not with Chuck next to him in bed. He sent a quick text to Dan asking him if he could call in the morning, then one to Terry asking if she had any recommendations for a therapist for him. She might have a professional network to draw on.\n\nWith that settled, he sighed and glanced at Chuck. “I’ll never hurt you… I promise…”\n\nThe pup rolled towards him, draping an arm and a leg over him. Isaac curled an arm around him. He would never hurt his son, but he needed to get to the bottom of this damned dream.\n* * *", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "
Hypotheses


OBLIGATORY CONTENT WARNING: The following story contains EMOTIONAL STRUGGLES and DREAM-SEQUENCE SEX, including CUB/ADULT ANAL SEX. BUT DON’T WORRY IT’S NOT REAL, PUPPY IS SAFE WE PROMISE. Otherwise it’s mostly a very plot heavy story. If that offends you (eww, plot), DO NOT READ ON. By reading beyond this point you accept that there will be lots of words and not a lot of sex. For those who haven’t already clicked off… enjoy!


 
Isaac’s bed felt empty ever since that conversation with Sarah. Their feelings were complicated, but definitely outside of the realm of romantic, especially on her part. They had agreed to separate beds - the house thankfully had four bedrooms, so the guest bedroom had become hers.

But that left him in an awkward position regarding her son. Sarah had insisted that she wouldn’t remove Chuck from his life, but he wasn’t so sure if that was true. After all, she had vanished once before. Who knows if she might run off again, and rip his son from him.

No, not his son, as he had to keep reminding himself. He’d very much like to adopt the boy, that was true. But it would require her consent, and his, and he felt fairly confident that the boy wouldn’t want that, at least not yet. While therapy was helping with his nightmares and on building their relationship, he could tell that the boy still didn’t trust him. At least he hadn’t made any more unwanted sexual advances.

Ugh, sex. That damned bodily function. While he dared not admit it to Sarah, she was only the second fur he had ever had sex with. The first had been a college girlfriend, and admittedly the sex was… unsatisfying. But had it been any moreso with Sarah? It was hard to tell. The sex with her definitely wasn’t as good as what he experienced with Dan, but there was no way he was into MALES, was there?

Was there?

What would it mean for him, if he were gay? Well, he was certainly interested in females, so he couldn’t be entirely gay. Perhaps bisexual. But that would only complicate things. He didn’t think he could balance an open relationship. Though perhaps he could chat more with the Langleys about it… they were practicing polyamory alongside parenting.

Too much to think about. He shook his head and turned over in bed to look at the clock. It was nearly one in the morning. Perhaps a cup of chamomile tea would help.

The feline dragged himself from his bed and quietly made for the hall. As he passed Chuck’s room, he heard the boy tossing and turning through the cracked door. At least he was down to one night a week having nightmares that woke him up, and the pup was starting to take care of clean-up on his own.

He sighed softly as he padded downstairs. Thankfully stealth was always a strong suit of his. He made his way to the kitchen and threw on his electric kettle, and prepared a mug with a tea bag while he waited for the water to boil.

How had furs managed to enjoy tea without electric kettles? They made the process of boiling water so much faster. Isaac yawned as the kettle clicked off, and he poured the now-boiling water over his tea bag. The comforting scent of chamomile reached his nose as he carried the mug carefully upstairs. Might as well take his tea in bed. He could bring the mug back down in the morning.

As he reached the top of the stairs, he spied Sarah slipping out of Chuck’s room. That seemed a bit odd. He increased his walking pace, catching up to her as she reached the door to her bedroom.

“Checking on our pup?” Isaac whispered.

The female border collie almost screamed, catching herself in just a yelp. “Isaac, you scared me!” she whispered.

Isaac took a step back, carefully maneuvering his mug to keep his tea from spilling. “Sorry. I was having trouble sleeping so went for a cup of tea.”

Sarah leaned against the door frame. “Don’t scare me like that.”

“Far be it from me to intentionally scare anyfur,” Isaac whispered. “How’s he doing?”

“Fine, fine,” Sarah replied. She seemed distracted, distant. Something wasn’t adding up, but he couldn’t put his finger on what exactly was the matter.

Isaac nodded. “Well, alright. Sleep well,” he whispered, then slipped past her and into his bedroom.

He placed his mug on his bedside table and slipped back into bed, easing in under the covers before retrieving his mug and taking a cautious sip of his tea. Yes, this is exactly what he needed. He leaned back against the headboard and closed his eyes, allowing his mind to wander as he sipped his tea.

Yes, there was tension in the house. But there was nothing more to be done. Isaac was doing everything he could for Sarah and Chuck. He just needed to let go of his anxiety and trust that she wouldn’t take the pup away from him.

As he finished his tea, a knock on the bedroom door caught his attention. “Come in,” Isaac said.

Much to his surprise, it was Chuck who opened the door. The pup slipped in and closed the door behind him. His tail was tucked between his legs. His pajamas looked dry. That was a good sign.

“Is everything alright, pup?” Isaac asked.

Chuck trembled as he pressed back against the doorknob, his paws behind his back. Was he locking the door? “I… c-can I sleep with you tonight?”

Isaac blinked. “Me? Are you sure you’d want that, pup?”

The border collie nodded. “U-uh huh…”

The feline considered his son’s request. “I… suppose one night couldn’t hurt… but both of our pajamas stay on, and no inappropriate touching. Deal?”

After a moment, the pup gave an almost imperceptible nod and crossed the room. He climbed into Isaac’s bed and slipped under the covers, trembling lightly.

Should he dare? He reached a paw over and gently touched Chuck’s shoulder. “Would you like me to hold you, pup?”

Chuck nodded. Perhaps this was a good sign for their relationship. Isaac laid down under the covers and pulled the pup in close. He was trembling harder now, but he didn’t try to shy away.

“It’s okay, pup,” Isaac whispered. “You’re safe here… I promise I’ll never hurt you…”

The pup sniffled and snuggled in. Weird as it was, it felt nice having the pup in bed with him. Perhaps it was inappropriate, but as long as no touching happened, it should be fine. Perhaps that would be a question to pose at his next session with Chuck and his therapist. For now, he would simply offer what comfort he could to his son.
 
Isaac awoke with his alarm. The pup was still curled up next to him. It would likely be a few minutes yet before Sarah got up. The feline planted a soft kiss between the pup’s ears, then slipped out of bed and checked the door. Sure enough, Chuck had locked it. Curious. He returned to the bed and gently shook the boy awake.

“Good morning, Chuck,” Isaac said when the pup opened his eyes.

For just a moment, he saw fear register in the boy’s face. But as quickly as it came, it vanished, replaced with a yawn. “M-morning…”

“Sleep well, pup?” Isaac asked.

Chuck nodded. “Uh huh…”

“Good,” Isaac said. He gently patted the boy’s head. “Now it’s time to get ready for school, alright?”

His son nodded and got up, mercifully dry. He watched the boy pad out of his room, then set about his own morning routine.

As usual, Sarah emerged from her room just as Isaac and Chuck were heading downstairs for breakfast. She ignored his greeting, which he shrugged off. That had been their usual since they had switched to separate bedrooms.

When he reached the kitchen, Chuck was going for a bowl.

“Hey pup, how do some eggs sound for breakfast?”

The pup squeaked, but his tail wagged. “Umm… m-maybe?”

Isaac chuckled and pulled out a skillet. “I’ll make us some scrambled eggs.” He flicked his ears as he pulled the carton from the fridge, and turned to the pup. “Would you like to help me make them?”

To his surprise, the pup quietly agreed, walking over and working side by side while he cracked eggs. He demonstrated how to properly cook scrambled eggs, and let the pup take over the spatula work. He set to work making some toast while his son minded the eggs. Pride swelled up inside him. He was teaching his son a skill. It occurred to him that it might be dangerous to think of Chuck as his son, but dammit, he couldn’t help how he felt.

He distributed toast among two plates, and helped Chuck portion out eggs for the two of them. When they were finished, he added a bit of salt and pepper to both, then took a bite.

“Mmm… good job, Chuck,” Isaac said. “You did very well.”

“I d-did?” Chuck said. He took a bite himself. “Huh… I d-did…”

Isaac reached over and patted the boy’s arm. “That’s a good boy. Now eat up. Your bus will be here soon.”

They finished their breakfast in relative silence. The pup actually gave him an unprompted hug on his way out the door to the bus. As he got on, Sarah finally came downstairs.

“I’ve got to get going to work,” Isaac said. “There’s scrambled eggs on the stove. Chuck helped make them.”

The female border collie didn’t acknowledge him. She trudged wordlessly into the kitchen and set about to making herself coffee.

The feline sighed and shook his head. He’d never understand that particular female. He grabbed his coat and headed out, making for his car for the drive to the nearby T station. It was much more pleasant to make the ten minute drive across town and take the subway than battle rush hour traffic and gamble on parking in the city.
 
Work droned on as usual. He should be excited, but with all of the personal turmoil going on, it was hard to focus. When lunch rolled around, Lillian sought him out to join him.

“Hello, Dr. Gardner,” she said as she sat down.

“Hello,” Isaac said. He was determined to keep things professional after spilling his home drama a few weeks ago.

“How are you?” she asked.

“Fine,” Isaac said. “And you?”

“I’m doing rather well,” Lillian replied. “I gave my two weeks notice to HR today.”

Well that was something unexpected. “I hope everything’s alright,” Isaac said.

“Oh, yes, nothing against here, of course,” the ferret replied. “I just found a better job. Closer to home, higher pay… it was too good to pass up.”

“How lovely,” Isaac said. “You’ll be missed, of course, but I wish you the best in your new position.”

She smiled at him. “Thank you.” She was quiet for a moment before continuing. “If it’s not too out of line, I’d like to keep in touch. Would it be alright if we exchanged contact information?”

Isaac blinked. Why would she want to keep in touch with HIM? Perhaps as a professional reference. Yes, that must be it. “I… suppose that would be fine.”

After a quick run down of social media and finding no overlap, they settled for exchanging phone numbers. There was only a five year age difference between the two of them and yet they seemed to occupy completely separate online worlds. He tried not to think about that. He didn’t want to feel old at thirty-one.

“So… how have things been with your pup’s mother?” Lillian asked.

He sighed. Much as he didn’t want to air his dirty laundry, something about the ferret put him at ease. “We talked. We switched to separate bedrooms now.”

“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that,” Lillian said. “I suppose that means things aren’t going well.”

Isaac shrugged. “I guess not. She’s promised not to tear Chuck from my life, but I don’t know… I still don’t know what happened in those ten years before she showed up, so how can I be certain?”

“Sometimes life is full of uncertainties,” Lillian replied. “You just have to do the best you can.”

The feline chuckled. “Wise beyond your years. But I suppose you’re right.”

They continued chatting through lunch, thankfully shifting to work related topics. Somehow, talking to Lillian made him feel just a little bit better.

Before he knew it, he reached the end of his work day. The subway ride back to Oakfield was uneventful, if crowded as usual. He was always relieved when the train finally left the city and it was no longer standing room only.
 
When he returned home, he was surprised to find Sarah’s car in the driveway. Hadn’t she had work today? Her work schedule meant she was never home before he was.

He found her in her bedroom, propped up and watching TV. “Work let you out early?” he asked.

“I wasn’t feeling well so I took a sick day,” Sarah replied.

“Oh. I’m sorry you aren’t feeling well,” Isaac said. “I could make some soup if you like.”

“I already made some,” she said, lifting up a bowl on her bedside table. “I’m fine.”

“I see,” Isaac said. He eased back out of the room, then poked his head back in. “Sarah, could we talk?”

She muted the TV and looked at him. “What is it?”

Isaac took a breath. This might be his best chance to bring up this topic with her. “I know this might seem like it’s coming out of nowhere, but, well… I’ve been looking into adoption, and I wanted to know… about Chuck’s father.”

Sarah looked at him with strangely empty eyes. “He’s dead.”

“I… see,” Isaac said. “Well, that’ll affect things. I had considered that possibility. We’d need the death certificate, if you were willing to let me ado-“

“Why does it matter?” Sarah shot. “You’re his legal guardian, isn’t that enough?”

The feline was taken aback by her sudden hostility. “Sarah, I was just asking the question. If you don’t want me to be his adoptive father, you can just say so. But… he means a lot to me, and I’d like to be hi-“

“The bastard isn’t even on the birth certificate,” Sarah said. She sighed. “Do whatever you want.” She unmuted the TV before waiting for any further response.

That was very out of character for her, but he didn’t want to press the issue. Maybe when she wasn’t feeling well wasn’t the best time to bring up the question, but it had been eating at him. Was there such a thing as a good time? He eased the door shut and went downstairs.

Chuck was in the kitchen working on homework. Isaac smiled and took a seat next to him. “Hey, pup.”

The border collie squirmed a little. “H-hi.”

“How was school?” Isaac asked.

He managed to extract a short recap of the pup’s day from him. After Sarah’s reaction, he felt somewhat put out, but he wanted to keep Chuck in his life.

“Hey, pup? How would you feel about… me adopting you?” Isaac asked.

Chuck froze. “I-isn’t that for pups with no parents? Is something gonna happen to Mommy?!”

“No, no, nothing’s happening to your mother,” Isaac said. “Adoptions happen for all sorts of reasons. Remarriage, for example. I just… I’ve grown very fond of you, and I’d like to be your legal father. But I wanted to know if that’s something you’d even want before pursuing it. You don’t have to answer now, and it’s okay to say ‘no,’ but I wanted to just… plant that idea in your head.”

The pup nodded. “I’ll… th-think about it…”

Isaac smiled. “That’s all I can ask. May I give you a hug?”

After a moment’s hesitation, Chuck nodded. The feline grinned and leaned in for a quick one armed hug. “Love you, Chuck.”

The pup squirmed. Isaac let him go. He didn’t expect the pup to say it back. While he didn’t know much of the pup’s past, he could understand him not being sure what to do about male affection, especially if that awkward incident told him anything about the pup’s expectations from males. But his affection was worth expressing. He hoped that maybe one day it would be returned in kind, but even if he never heard the word from the pup, just being there for him was enough for Isaac.

Besides, even if he wasn’t Chuck’s dad in a legal sense, he was Chuck’s dad in every way that counted. He was grateful for having talked with the Langleys about parenting. Adoption would be nice, of course, but even if he didn’t, or couldn’t, adopt the boy, he could at least rest easy knowing that he was doing his best as a father.

Then Chuck leaned in against him. That was quite a surprise, but Isaac wasn’t about to complain. They were building a bond. Maybe the boy felt more strongly about him than he was willing to let on. He put an arm around the pup and patted his shoulder.

They sat like that for a good minute before Chuck straightened up. Isaac let the pup go. Best not to push boundaries with him. The feline got up and set to work making dinner, then glanced back at Chuck. “Would you like to help me cook again?”

Chuck showed less hesitation than the morning. He got up and worked diligently under Isaac’s guidance. Cooking was a good skill for the pup to have, and Isaac felt proud that he could share what he knew with the boy. He wasn’t the best cook by any means, but he could at least manage some basics.

When it was ready, he sent Chuck off with a plate for his mother. He returned with the declined plate. Something was definitely wrong with Sarah, but Isaac knew better than to pursue it. She wouldn’t open up to him. At least he had Chuck.

Much to Isaac’s surprise, that night Chuck again requested to sleep with him. He felt in an awkward position. There were two more days until their next shared therapy session. Perhaps it would be best to get some parenting advice. The Langleys did say he could call anytime…

He sent the boy back to his room just so he could have the quick call in private.

“Hello, Isaac,” Dan said when he picked up the phone. “Got something on your mind?”

“Well, I was hoping I could get you and your wife’s perspective on something,” Isaac said.

“Of course,” Dan said. “I’ve got you on speaker and Terry’s right next to me. What’s up?”

“Chuck asked to sleep in my bed with me,” Isaac said. “I don’t know what to tell him.”

Terry spoke up first. “I don’t see anything wrong with occasionally letting him sleep with you,” she said. “I might ask him why he wants to sleep with you, though.”

“Our Ellie sometimes sneaks into our bed at night,” Dan added. “Robbie used to, too, though he seems to have grown out of it.”

Isaac nodded. “Alright. He asked yesterday too. I think he’s still having trouble sleeping.”

“I’d definitely ask if everything’s alright,” Terry said. “It couldn’t hurt to bring it up with Dr. Snider, too.”

The feline bit his lip. He’d only talked about this with Sarah and the psychologist. “I’m… a little concerned, to be honest. Before he started therapy, he tried to… engage in sexual activities with me.”

“That… is definitely cause for concern, yes,” Terry said. “Did he try anything last night?”

“No,” Isaac said. “At least, I don’t think he did…”

“I might discourage it, then,” Terry said. “At least until you’ve gotten to the bottom of things with Dr. Snider. The pup needs to learn boundaries.”

It would hurt having to tell the pup ‘no,’ but maybe it was for the best. “Alright. Thanks for the advice.”

“Anytime,” Terry said. “Good luck.”

“Thanks,” he said. He sighed as he hung up the phone, then went down the hall to Chuck’s bedroom and knocked on the door. Chuck allowed him in.

“Hey, pup,” Isaac said. “So… why do you want to sleep with me?”

Chuck blushed and squirmed. “S-scared…”

“Of what?” Isaac asked.

The pup was quiet.

“Been having nightmares again?” he asked. The pup nodded. “I noticed you locked the door last night. Would you like me to get a lock for your bedroom door so you can feel safe in there?” Chuck nodded enthusiastically. “Alright. I’ll do that this weekend.”

“C-can I sleep with you u-until then?”

Isaac bit his lip. “I… suppose I can allow it. But same rules apply. No inappropriate touching. Understood?”

Chuck nodded and hugged him. They walked paw in paw down to Isaac’s room, and Isaac shut and locked the door behind him. The two males climbed into bed together. Like last night, Isaac held the pup. It honestly felt nice snuggling with him. He knew he’d have to put a stop to it, for the boy’s mental health. But until then, he’d enjoy the feeling of a bed partner again.
 
It didn’t take long for Isaac to fall asleep. He hadn’t expected to be that relaxed with Chuck in his bed. But then the odd dreams started.

First he was with Lillian. The ferret was flirting with him, hard. Dream Lillian pushed him against a wall and felt his chest, guided his paws to her breasts. They were soft, warm, bigger than Sarah’s (even though the reality of her size was the inverse). Still, she wanted him, needed him, and his body responded in kind. He needed her, too. His eyes shut as he kissed her.

But when he opened his eyes again, it wasn’t Lillian but Dan he was kissing. Gone were the breasts, replaced with the male’s more subtle chest curves. Their erections rubbed against one another. Curiously enough, Isaac found himself fine with this little fantasy, too. Dan was an excellent source of wisdom and advice, and that blowjob he had received from the fox was stellar. Maybe an open relationship wouldn’t be so bad.

His paws roamed to the fox’s ass. He squeezed the other male’s cheeks, feeling the resistance against his grip. Gods, that was a good feeling.

But as he lined up his penis with Dan’s tailhole, the fox began to morph, this time into… Chuck! Isaac’s eyes bulged as his penis slid not into an adult’s ass, but into the twelve year old’s. He wasn’t sure what was worse: violating this boundary with Chuck, or the fact that rather than disgust, he felt arousal. His hips worked on auto pilot, humping into the young border collie. What was worse was looking into the pup’s eyes. He wasn’t met with a dead-eyed stare or pain, but joy, pure arousal. Dream Chuck was loving every second of his violation.

Isaac awoke with a gasp. He blushed when he realized he had an erection and had almost certainly been grinding against Chuck. He eased back from the boy, hoping beyond hope that he hadn’t woken the pup. The feline needed to splash his face with cold water, and do something to make this damned erection go down, whether that be taking care of it or simply refocusing his mind...

He was half way to the en suite bathroom when he heard Chuck’s voice.

“W-where are you g-going?”

Well, there was still a chance that the pup wouldn’t have realized that the cat had been grinding against him. “Just to the bathroom,” Isaac whispered as he looked at the pup over his shoulder. “Go back to sleep.”

Chuck sat up. “Y-you don’t… w-wanna f-finish?”

“Finish?” Isaac asked. “Finish what?”

The pup looked pointedly between the feline’s legs, then up at him. So he had been awake for some of it.

“Chuck, I would never ask for that from you,” Isaac said.

“Y-you don’t want me to h-h-help you… f-f-feel good? I-isn’t it something… y-you do… with furs you c-c-care about?” Chuck whispered. His voice carried a tinge of sadness to it.

Wait, did that mean the pup cared about him? He’d have to be careful with his words. “Chuck… it’s not something adults should ever do with cubs,” he said. “It’s reserved for very special relationships, like between a male and his wife… or husband, and definitely not between a father and his cub…”

“B-b-but,” Chuck began.

“No buts,” Isaac said. “I love you and care about you, and that’s why we can’t have sex.”

The pup tilted his head. He seemed confused. “W-why?”

Isaac sighed. “It’s illegal, first of all. You wouldn’t be in trouble, but I’d get in a lot of trouble, probably go to jail, not be allowed to see you again… but more importantly, it’s immoral. I’m bigger than you, I have a lot more experience with life… there’s way too much of an experience gap… it’d be taking advantage of you, and I never want to do that.”

Chuck tilted his head in the other direction. Why did that boy have to be so cute? “I-I wouldn’t tell,” he muttered.

The fact that he wasn’t immediately disgusted the idea brought a fresh wave of anxiety crashing through Isaac’s head. But he knew he had to stand firm. “Chuck, I said ‘no.’ Respecting boundaries goes both ways. I don’t touch you unless I have your permission, and you don’t touch me without my permission, and I do not give permission for you to touch me there. And besides that, I would hope that you WOULDN’T keep something like this a secret. If an adult touches you inappropriately, you tell an adult you can trust so you can make it stop, someone like your teacher, your mother, your therapist, me, a police officer, someone who’ll stop it.”

His son tucked his tail between his legs. “O-okay…”

“I love you, Chuck,” Isaac said. “Please… just lie down. I’ll be back in a minute, I promise.”

He slipped into the bathroom and went right to the sink. A few splashes of cold water helped to settle him down somewhat, though that damned erection persisted. Images from the dream came back unbidden. Other images came, too, images of a fennec and a goat… he pushed those aside, but back came images of Chuck from the dream, the boy’s pleasured look while he-

No no no no NO! Don’t think about Chuck like that! He stumbled over to the toilet and retched. He was sick. Sick in the mind. Maybe he’d need a therapist himself. Hell, maybe it’d be better if Sarah DID leave and take Chuck with her…

“I’m not like that,” he whispered. Then he repeated it. And again. And again. Over and over he whispered it, like a mantra, willing it to be true. At least it made that erection finally go down.

“I-Isaac?”

The feline looked up, startled out of his chant, and turned to make eye contact with Chuck. He had taken off all of his clothes. At least this time Isaac didn’t get an erection seeing him nude. “Chuck… w-where are your clothes?”

The pup blushed. “I… t-took ‘em off… b-but… a-are you o-o-okay?”

Isaac sighed and leaned back. “I don’t know, Chuck… I don’t know…”

Chuck walked over, got on his knees next to Isaac, and hugged him. The cat wrapped an arm loosely around the pup, returning the affectionate gesture.

“S-s-sorry,” Chuck muttered.

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Isaac said. “I’m just… not feeling well, is all. Nothing you did. But would you please go put your clothes back on?”

His son held on for just a moment longer before easing apart. “O-okay…” He got up and quietly left the bathroom.

Isaac sighed and pushed himself up to his feet. He washed his paws, splashed his face once more with cold water, and returned to the bedroom.

The border collie pup was sitting on the edge of the bed when he returned, mercifully dressed. Isaac smiled at him as he approached.

“Thank you for checking on me,” Isaac said. “Let’s get back to sleep. You’ve got school in the morning.”

Chuck nodded and climbed back into bed. Isaac slid back in beside him, and laid back, staring up at the ceiling. He glanced at Chuck, then grabbed his phone. He needed some outside advice on this one.

Two in the morning didn’t feel like the right time to call, especially not with Chuck next to him in bed. He sent a quick text to Dan asking him if he could call in the morning, then one to Terry asking if she had any recommendations for a therapist for him. She might have a professional network to draw on.

With that settled, he sighed and glanced at Chuck. “I’ll never hurt you… I promise…”

The pup rolled towards him, draping an arm and a leg over him. Isaac curled an arm around him. He would never hurt his son, but he needed to get to the bottom of this damned dream.
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