Chapter one: That New Roommate Smell

It started out as a pretty average weekend. I had gone over to my friend Danny's place like I do most Fridays. Had a few drinks, got wiped in our halo legendary run more times than I'd like to admit. It was a pretty average night with my buddy. Until the door to his apartment opened and in walked this imposing anthro man like he owned the place. 

I turned to Danny, a bit surprised, but he just smiled at the man and back at me. "Oh yeah, dude, I forgot to mention. I picked up a roomie for the next few months."

The wolf man set down his belongings on the kitchen counter and walked towards the living room with a smirk I already didn't like. He was tall, at least 6'5, and built. He looked and smelled like he'd just got back from the gym. A tight white tank top gripped his bulky pecs firmly, showing off a fluff covered cleavage between them. It rode up a bit above his athletic shorts, showing off a midriff of cut abs and a drastic V in his waist that dragged down to-

I turned back to Danny before he was in earshot. "Since when do you have an anthro roommate?" I hissed.

"Since the shifts at the warehouse got cut last month." He whispered back, all too calmly. Like this wasn't a big deal in the slightest. 

I had known Danny most of my life. We were best friends in highschool and roommates in college. We were both human, and while we didn't really mind anthros being a part of society nowadays, we were both always a little weirded out by them. Especially some of the stories we'd heard after they came around campus. I could remember multiple conversations we'd had about not wanting any in the friend group for various reasons. Its not like we were specist or anything, just wanted to keep our place of normalcy. How could he at the very least not tell me this development?

He finally looked back to me from staring at Donovan. He could likely see all the mental accusations in my expression and whispered, "He's a really good guy, man. Just chill. Give him a chance."

Like I could chill. Danny didn't even bother holding my gaze, just rose it back to Donovan when he got to the living room. He had a towel in his hand and was running it along his neck and chest, cleaning the workout sweat off his fur.

"Hey buddy," he said, his voice deep and bassy, like a song thumping through thin walls. "who's the little guy?" Little? Ohh fuck this dude. I know I wasn't his size, but to mock me without even looking at me? I was about to say something when Danny stepped in.

"Welcome home Donovan. This is Seth, he's my bestie from way back. Seth, Donovan." He gestured for us to shake hands to which Donovan extended his. I reluctantly did as well. His grip was firm like iron chains, exceedingly warm and slick with sweat. I was about to recoil my hand away when he decided to grasp my hand tighter and pull. In a whirl he had scooped me up and over on the couch and plopped himself right between Danny and I, using his hand to bring mine over his shoulder, and both of his over ours. 

With a thump of his large body into the couch, all three of us bounced into each other toward his center mass. His torso and arms, slick from his workout, marking us up as if we'd been the ones coming from the gym. It was disgusting. I had noticed a faint unfamiliar smell when I walked in tonight, but now I was certain where it had come from. This bastard has stained Danny's apartment with his stink. 

The heat on the couch had turned up to eleven with him sitting here. I could feel my blood boiling in anger. The smell of his furry armpits wide open toward my face was unbearable. He laid his head back against the cushion and sighed loudly, clearly comfortable taking up all of our personal space. Looking to Dan, he seemed perfectly comfortable too. I shot my disgusted look his way to hopefully tell this a-hole to move, but he just laid his head back like Donovan, resting against the muscular arm draped over his back. I swear I saw his paw guide his shoulder closer to him.

"I'm gonna go wash off!" I shot up in an upset, swaying a bit as I did. Must've drank too much, stood up too fast. Clearly this guy was gonna keep sweating all over us if I stayed, so best to get this stench off of me and leave.

"Dan, can I borrow a towel?"

"All dirty." He said, not even bothering to lift his head from its soft home to look at me. What the fuck was up with him?

Donovan looked though. As soon as I stood, his eyes were on me. "Here cutie, you can borrow mine." He said, casually tossing his half used sweat rag my direction. It felt like slow motion as it flew between us, right between my hands and into my face. He just chuckled in that low bass as warm wetness splattered against my lips and nose. 

This was unacceptable! The smell was all over me now. I couldn't take a breath without inhaling that stupid masculine wolf scent. "Fuck you Donovan." I spat as I stormed off to the bathroom.

"Don't threaten me with a good time..." I heard his taunt disappearing as I stomped down the hall. Closing the door behind me, I only half realized I still had the towel in my hand. "Ick!" I threw it to the ground, imagining cartoonish lines wafting up from the putrid thing. I should have chucked it back in his face. 

I knew it wasn't a good idea of course. The guy was massive, and if he was helping Dan pay rent I supposed I should at least be nice enough he doesn't bother him because of me. Just had to wash off and go home. I could talk to Dan later.

Dan was right though, no towels in the bathroom. I wet some tp and started wiping myself down. I started on my face and worked my way down my shoulder and arms and finally my hand, wet as it was already with the grime. Whatever the hell that guy produced was not normal, since just water wasn't washing it off. If anything it was activating it, seeping into the water itself and turning into more stench like a thick cologne. The amount on my lips and nose almost stung my eyes now. The fumes making my head spin as I held onto the sink for support. How was Dan living like this? 

I lathered my paper ball with as much soap as possible, finally scraping away at least some of the cloying odor. I could hear Donovan's booming voice down the hallway, but couldn't make anything out over the sink. I thought I could hear Dan too, much softer. After five minutes of desperate clean up, I finally felt like I was clear enough to leave. My hand hovering over the knob, it began to turn on its own.

Donovan opened the door. He stood there, broad shoulders almost taking up the entire frame. He was shirtless now, only a loosely held towel around his waist. That chiseled V running down underneath the white fabric. "Oh, hey. Forgot you were in here." He shook me from my drifting gaze. I was just surprised of course. Forgot I was here? He just saw me!

"I guess you also forgot you had towels, too, asshole." I shot back, trying to make a move to leave. He didn't make any attempts to step out of my way.

"Oh yeah, you probably don't want my towels, buddy." He looked to the ground where his rag lay, picked it up then looked back up to me, grinning. "Unless you liked that one so much." 

"No I didn't like your nasty fucking jizz rag, dude. Or that you're stinking up Dan's place." He languidly put his arms on the top of the doorframe as I lashed out. His heavy arms bore down over my head, his taut muscles stretching and flexing right in front of me. And God that smell was intense.

"Look buddy, I'm trying to shower off, ok? So scoot back so I can get to it." He sounded calm and sincere, but also authoritative with that air of entitled douce he radiated the second he walked in. I didn't know why he couldn't just step back into the hallway, but I was past caring. I stepped back enough for him to slide past me, being careful not to let his dirty fur brush against me again. As I turned to leave the room, I heard fabric hitting the floor, and then a hand on my backside.

He whistled slyly. "Damn, Danny didn't tell me his friend had such an ass on him." I whirled around to slap his hand out of the way. "What the fu-!" As I did he was plainly naked, his full body on display right in front of me, all those lines directing my eyes to the one place I didn't want to look. And I didn't. I whipped back around as fast as possible, embarrassed, red faced and really really pissed. I slammed the door shut and stormed into the living room to find Dan. He was still slumped into the couch when I rounded the corner, but I could see he was just doing something with his hands. 

I thought I saw a small brown bottle near his face before he quickly tucked it away into the couch cushion behind his leg, out of sight. "Hey man, ready to get back into the game?" He said lazily.

"No dude! Your freaky roommate just groped me naked in the bathroom! I'm leaving!" I shouted. 

Dan stumbled after me as I gathered my things. He must've drank more while I was gone or something cause he was really struggling to get around.

"Hey man wait up, I'm sure it's a misunderstanding. Donovan's cool."

I was stunned. My best friend in the world siding with the stranger who just assaulted me. It threw me for a loop, but to be honest, it was getting hard to stay mad at the moment. I just knew it was time to leave.

"If you think him reeking up your apartment and copping a feel is cool, by all means keep him around. But I'm not coming back until he's out. Goodbye."

I left in a huff. Danny called me a few times, but I ignored him. I was still pissed, of course, and fuzzy headed on top of it. I didn't have that much to drink, but I still felt bleary eyed as I drove home. I could still smell Donovan on me, on my clothes. In the tightness of the car it was exhausting just to get a breath of fresh air. Dazed as I was it took me longer than it should have to think to open a window. It helped, but I still couldn't get the odor out from my nostrils. 

Finally home, pulling all the stuff out of my pockets for the night, my hand found something soft and wet in the back. Pulling it out with my wallet, the same stinking cloth Donovan had thrown at me. The same one he used to wipe down his pits and neck at Dan's. How the hell had it gotten in my pocket? Did he slip it in there when he grabbed my ass? Why? Why was I still holding it? I asked myself, stood in the entryway with the towel draped over my fingers. 

It was still damp. I could smell it from here. Musky, masculine. Disgusting, I reminded myself. Manly. It was ridiculous. That creep stuffed his towel in my pocket like some prison bitch after groping me in my own friend's home. I guess it was his home too, now. As much as I despised that idea. Feeling woozy and extremely tired, I absentmindedly threw the towel onto the entryway table and made for bed, resolving never to go back to Dan's until Donovan was a thing of the past. 

I woke up with my palm over my face and the most painful of morning wood. My sheets stunk. I somehow had forgotten to take a shower after last night's events, or even wash my hands, I realized, taking a tentative sniff of my hand. I wanted to stay and bed and take care of myself, but thinking of jerking off in this musty atmosphere made me wanna retch. So I bobbed my way over to the shower instead. After which I chucked my clothes and bedding into the washer. Couldn't let this douchebag spread his muck onto my place too. 

I felt more clearheaded, but still, it took me longer to clean up as it should have. Must've had a pretty bad hangover. I did have quite the headache, although I struggled to remember having more than a couple beers last night. There was just something poking my brain like I needed something. Hair of the dog, so they say. I grabbed myself a beer and some ibuprofen and resigned to lounge on the couch the rest of the day until I felt better.

Skimming through channels and streaming services I didn't see anything that peeked my interest. Annoyingly, there was an ad campaign going for some new movie with an anthro protagonist. A wolf of all things. Every time he popped up on screen it reminded me of Donovan. Disgusting Donovan, I started calling him in my head. Stupid anthro wolves. I bet this guy smelled like him too. He was just as tall, just as cut, just as hot. Where had that thought come from? I mean obviously he was hot to some people. He's a movie star. After the 3rd time the ad came up I found myself watching it all the way through. Looked like a cookie cutter action movie with enough scenes of this guy shirtless to be considered softcore porn. Of course. Shameless pervert, just like Donovan. 

Eventually, I felt the need to do something besides rot on the couch and think about wolves. It was getting dark out and I hadn't once gotten up for anything more than another beer. I was bored and my head was pounding just sitting there. If I didn't move I'd end up sleeping on the couch again. Almost on que, my phone began buzzing.

I stood up to find it, hearing it's chirps from the entryway. Must've left it on the table last night after... Yeah. Right there next to it. The once soggy hand towel, now drying out and slightly crusty. Gross. Why hadn't I thrown this thing away yet? The whole hallway smelled faintly of wolf sweat. The phone chimed again, pulling my attention away for the moment.

Danny: "wyd"

Seth: "just chillin"

Danny: "hop on game?"

Seth: "idk man, still kinda POed"

Danny: "I'll let you dps"

I was bored, and I never get to play dps. Always stuck as the team heal slut.

Seth: "fine. Be on in 5"

~

"Dude you suck ass at healing." I chastised Danny over the mic. 

"Well I never heal, and it's not like your kd is making up for anything. These guys are sweats anyway. Que up in a new lobby, we can't end the night on a loss." 

It was getting late, but it was Saturday. He was right anyway, never end the night on a loss. Danny and I made small talk as the lobby filled up. 

"So, uh, about last night." He broached.

"What about it?" I said, feeling my frustration at the game mixing with the memory.

"Donovan really grabbed you like that?"

"Yes, dude. I'm telling you, your roommate is a creeper. Are you sure there's no way to get him off the lease?" I pleaded.

"Not for a while anyway, he's locked in for a couple months. I'm sorry though, I didn't know he was like that. Hanging with him always feels really nice. You don't think maybe it was a one time thing?"

I guess I didn't know the answer to that. It could have been, but did that matter? He basically sexually assaulted me and flashed me right after. I barely had time to turn around before following his muscles down to his gross wolf cock...

"Like, maybe he just likes you and thought you'd like it." Dan continued. It sounded like he was sniffling a little tonight. I wondered if he was getting sick.

"Why would anyone like that? Plus, I'm a guy." Was he really trying to make this better?

"C'mon Seth it's 2030. You know he's gay, right?" Dan said. 

I didn't know that. For all intents and purposes he looked like such a man's man. I guess I haven't really gotten to know him all that much yet. Or at all. Still, it felt like that shouldn't matter either.

"I think he might just think you're cute, is all." Another sniff.

"So what?" I said "It's no different if it was a woman."

Dan sniffed heavily into his microphone, almost ear splittingly loud this close. The game was starting and his avatar just stood there as he sniffled and gasped and... sighed?

"Dude are you okay? Getting sick or something?" I asked.

More little sniffles came from Dan for a moment. "Huh? Oh, no I'm good. Just saying hi to the roomie... Yeah it's Seth. You want me to ask him or? Yeah here." There was a shuffle of the mic changing hands, and a deep reverberating voice was suddenly directly in my ears.

"Seth? Its Donovan." He growled. I'd almost forgotten how the bass of his voice shook my skull when he spoke. Even through the headset speakers it sounded like melted chocolate. 

"Uh, hey? Can I help you?" I asked, trying my best to imagine his stupid face so I could retain my anger.

"Maybe... Did you happen to take my towel the yesterday? The one I loaned you?" 

Is that how he saw it? He chucked it in my face covered in his greasy post-workout stink. I feel like I could still feel my nose hairs twitching at the thought of it. I had asked for a towel, I suppose.

"No I didn't 'take' anything of yours, dude. Maybe you slipped it in my pocket when you GROPED ME!" Thanking my anger for rising slightly.

"Buddy, are you mad about that? Listen, I'm sorry. You know anthro hormones are crazy. Your butt looked so soft I couldn't help myself." I could hear his creepy grin through his words. This guy was such a scumbag!

He must've heard me take a breath to fire back, and quickly continued before I had the chance. 

"Look, I really am sorry. It's a real condition we have. Look it up if you want, there's lots of things about us you may not know. But it won't happen again, I promise. Unless..." he added, invoking the meme. I was shocked to have exhaled from my nose a bit at the dated joke.

I thought about what happened again. His thick meaty paw on my ass. He definitely squeezed, but it's not like he held me there long, or pinned me down or anything. He was about to shower so I could forgive the nakedness too I guess. He was Dan's roommate so I should try my hardest to get along with him. Maybe he did just give a little pat and the towel slipped in when I whipped around to slap him away. Although if he was bullshitting about the hormone stuff then this was all just posturing. I noticed I was more focused on thinking about the event in the bathroom than playing the game. Danny and my avatars just sitting there. The chat was livid.

I sighed. "Fine, maybe I'll do some research. Never again. Right?" 

"Never again. Unless." This time less like the meme, more like an invitation. Whatever. Not like I'd never said some cringe half invite to a girl I wanted to bring home. Obviously never works, but fun to keep a door open. Not for Donovan of course. Had to shut that door and lock it.

"I'm not gay, man. Best try your luck elsewhere." I said laughing. It was getting easier to let my anger go the more we talked. If I was wrong about the bathroom, or at least if there was something else at play, I could let myself accept that and move on amicably.

"Whatever you say buddy. Listen though, I do kinda need that towel back. Would you be able to bring it by my gym tomorrow?" He asked. "It's the one on 94th and center so pretty close. Subpump."

Real cute. I googled it. We had already been kicked from the lobby. We weren't talking that long, were we...? It was close though, about a 7 minute drive. I'd definitely seen it around before, but the results on Google said it was an "all inclusive gym". Politically correct speech for an anthro gym. I guess that made sense. 

"...and it would really help me out if you did that." I hadn't noticed Donovan had still been talking this whole time. His voice was so low I could barely have made it out if I did.

"Uh, yeah sure, I guess I can. What time."

We set up a time to meet in the parking lot, and he left Dan and I to play a bit more. Despite not wanting to end on a losing streak, neither of us were doing very well. Spacing out during matches, not focused in the slightest. I chalked it up to being too tired and told him I was going to bed.