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Didn't think I'd make my Sunday posting for a while (technically I didn't; it's after midnight here, but who cares!) Anywho, here's part 7 for your perusement. As ever - thoughts/comments on this part are welcomed.

Also, I'd just like to say to those who have faved/watched me with the intention of reading this series and whom i've yet to thank - thank you very much for your time, I'm glad you're enjoying it! :)

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Part 7 - Welcome to Velika

Nathan rounded the corner, stepping onto a long, balcony-like structure running alongside the wall to his right. Before he could inspect his surroundings further, a bassy, grunting voice jolted him to a standstill. "Passport?" "W-what?" He spun left, craning his head up to meet the gaze of the huge, barrel-chested bull standing before him. "You have passport?" "I-I do." "Scan, please." The bovine gestured down to a small terminal waiting level with his stomach at the edge of the walkway. "For security check." Nathan's unease faded upon realising the white-shirted, blue tie wearing Velikan was merely a security agent. At least, it eased as much it could while stood in his considerable presence. He shuffled over to the machine, feeling a shiver down his spine as the bull's shadow overwhelmed him. "Place under light, wait five seconds." Nathan followed the instructions, his paw still shaking as he placed the electronic tag of his passport upon the scanner. During the wait, he peered up at the agent looming over him with folded, muscular arms. 'This guy's built like a mountain... This guy is a mountain!' A shrill beep sounded, indicating the completion of the check. "All is clear." The bull spoke, promptly motioning at the box-like section beside the passport scanner. "Please, put bag." The little husky obeyed, loading his trolley as directed. A series of white lights began to flash over his belongings, no doubt inspecting it for contraband in a similar fashion to the device back in Linvendia. "Bag is clear. You may go," the agent instructed once the white lights turned to green. "T-thank you," he answered nervously, moving away from the guard with a half-serious grimace. 'I wonder what he does with people who aren't cleared?'

Emerging from behind the huge bull's midriff, Nathan could finally take in the sight of the port's crowded arrivals section. He observed Velikans of countless species lumber around the huge hall, moving between the scaled-up furnishings of the waiting area lounge. In the distance, many more giants could be seen pacing along the terminal's main corridor, with a few stopping off at the imposingly-sized stores and stalls located there. "No wonder they keep us up off the ground." Nathan stood there mesmerised, gripping the railing of the balcony while the large crowd's footsteps generated a slight, constant trembling beneath his feet. "Look at all of them. This is--" "Hello, Nate?" So distracted by his surroundings, the husky had somehow failed to register the tall figure that had snuck up to the raised terrace from his right. He took a few steps back and quickly cast his gaze upwards, finding a familiar pair of orange eyes watching back. "I was not sure if it was you." The grey wolf smiled down warmly, looking more than presentable in a smart, black leather jacket. "A-Alex! Hi!" Nathan battled to get his words out, his heart quickening by the second. At last, he stood before the person he'd long desired to meet but could, until now, only speak with virtually. "I... I didn't see you there, strange as that sounds." As much as he'd prepared for his trip, readied himself to see Alexei standing at his full height, Nathan still found himself struggling to process the grey wolf's sheer scale. "I thought this," Alexei replied, chuckling lightly. "Are you okay? Did you have good trip?" "Well..." He shook his head briefly, trying to clear the fog of disbelief building up inside it. "It--" "Oh, it was not good? Why is this?" "No, yes..." Nathan took a moment to compose himself, approaching the railing of the balcony with a smile. "It was fine, thank you." "Good! I am happy to hear this." Alexei lowered his head, bringing his head level with the walkway. "It is so very good to meet you in person, Nate."

A slight hesitancy in his stride caused Nathan to stumble, almost falling into the big, black nose now hanging at chest height. "Yeah... l-likewise, Alex. You're... much bigger in person." "And you, much smaller. Please, do not worry. I will not hurt you." "Don't be silly. I know you won't," Nathan replied softly, raising a paw up to his eye-level to pat the short fur of the giant, white-accented grey muzzle in front of him. "If anyone was gonna hurt me, it'd have been that muscle-bound guy over there." He motioned back to the security agent, now busy issuing the third degree to a golden-brown vixen that had followed the husky out into the arrivals hall. "No. I would not have let him." "Aww, that's good to know." He had to battle hard against his desire to throw his arms around Alexei's nose. 'No, don't. That'd be too forward--' Without warning, Nathan felt something wrap itself around the length of his back, forcing him against the wolf's snout. "Huh!?" "Come, this is first time we meet after almost two years. We shall greet with a big hug, not just small 'hello'." He glanced over his shoulder, seeing Alexei's white-furred paw holding him in place while rubbing gently over his lower back. A wondrous feeling of warmth rose from his centre, melting his inhibitions away. "I think I can go along with that." Instantly, the joyful husky cuddled up against the large, lupine muzzle pushing into his rounded stomach; nuzzling, stroking, holding on as if his life depended on it.

Time stood still for Nathan; the world around him blurring and fading into insignificance. He closed his eyes with a heavy sigh, letting Alexei's soothing heat radiate into him while his strong, but pleasant scent filled his little nostrils. In this single moment, he held the only thing he wanted, that he needed within his tight, uncompromising grasp. "Alex..." "Yes, Nate? You wish to say something?" Nathan's eyes sprang back open, Alexei's inquisitive words firing his brain up again. "I... what?" "You are enjoying this hug a lot, I am thinking." Nathan could feel his cheeks warming beneath his fur. He released his grip before responding, "It's... not bad." Alexei moved his head back, letting out a chuckle hearty enough to ruffle the neatly groomed tuft of brown fur atop his head. "Just not bad, okay." He gave a smile wide enough to make the corners of his eyes crease. "So that you know, it is quite a journey to my home. Over an hour on train." "That's fine." "I have food prepared for dinner there, just need to cook." "Oh, you don't need to go to any trouble. We can get something here." "Nonsense," Alexei boomed, still beaming. "It is no trouble. I like to cook... Unless you would prefer to eat here?" "No, not at all! I'd love a home-cooked meal," the husky answered hurriedly. "I just didn't want to impose is all." "This you could not do, Nate. You are my guest here." Nathan's heart fluttered at the wolf's kindness, rekindling his desire to grab and hug him all over again.

Alexei pulled up his sleeve to uncover a silver wristwatch. "It is just after six. If we leave now, we can board next train." "That sounds good to me." Nathan scanned the area, slowly furrowing his brow at what he saw, or rather, failed to see. "Where are the stairs, anyway? How do people get down from here?" "Down?" the towering lupine cocked his head a little."You do not get down." "What d'ya mean?" He twisted to glance back at the crowded main section of the terminal hall. "Here, in this place, it is not safe for little people to be on the ground." "So, how...?" Alexei returned to face forward, grinning. "Did I not say that... I pick you up from harbour?" Nathan stood there silently, his expression blank. "I hope that this is okay with you?" "I didn't think it literal," the husky mumbled. "Is this how Polcians usually get... picked up?" "For formal occasions, new workers as example, you would be collected and carried in a small box." "A box? You mean, like a cage!?" "No, no, not cage." Alexei held his paws up in front of him apologetically. "More like... a taxi that is carried. They have soft seats inside." He glared off to his left and Nathan's right, moving his mouth closer and whispering. "Look, here is one now."

Nathan followed Alexei's eyeline, watching casually as a well-groomed, black-suited lynx strolled up to the pickup balcony a short distance along from them. From his paw dangled a blue, windowed box, more than large enough to fit a Polcian in. "Ms. Lindberg?" said the formally-dressed Velikan, looking down in the husky's direction. "Yes, that's me. Hello." Nathan turned, spotting the vixen from earlier casually walking behind him. She appeared none the worse for wear after her encounter with the customs agent. "Hello, my name is Sergei. I have been sent from Vostia Industries to collect you," the long-haired lynx announced, opening a door into the 'taxi' in his grasp as he placing it down on the walkway. "I hope you had good journey from Polcia. I am to take you to the Polcian district, where your new lodgings are located. Please, enter." "Thank you, Sergei," she replied, boldly moving to the giant carry-case before stepping inside. With that, the brown cat closed the door behind her, cautiously lifted it back up and left as suddenly as he'd appeared.

"So..." Nathan said, a little bemused by that sight, "if I'm not taking one of those... taxis?" "I will carry you in my paws." Alexei stood up to his full height and lowered his outstretched paw to the balcony in one fluid motion. "In your paws... all the way up there, huh?" He scratched his head, ears beginning to fold. "I expected as much, but... it didn't seem so high up in my mind." "Do not worry, Nate. It will be fine. I will be very careful, I promise you." "Alright," Nathan replied, pacing over to the large lupine's inviting right paw. Once close enough, he lifted himself and his bag up onto it, as if scaling a large, furry step. "This is weird." "Please, take a seat if you wish." "O-okay." He did so, parking himself atop the main pad of Alexei's paw so that he faced back towards him. As it turned out, Nathan was a perfect fit, just the right size to fit within the wolf's palm with his legs crossed. "Hey, you're pretty comfortable." "Thank you, I'm glad to hear this," Alexei snickered, slowly lifting his new passenger up to his muzzle. "Are you ready?" "I... think so." Nathan responded, trying to forget about the distance down to the ground. "Great." With a cheerful smile, the giant wolf slowly turned one-eighty, bringing his left paw up level with the other and cupping them. "Here we go."

With steady steps, Alexei carried his Polcian guest away from the collection point and through the arrivals terminal, inching closer to the busy main corridor. Nathan peered over his shoulder, watching as the swarming crowd of giants grew gradually larger. "Alex," he muttered, grabbing the big palm pads either side of him. Each step the wolf took only caused the husky to tighten his grasp further. "I don't... this is a bit... wait." In the end, Alexei stopped, casting his curious orange eyes downwards. "Nate? You are squeezing very hard. What is wrong?" "Sorry," Nathan answered meekly, finally letting up his grasp. "I don't feel comfortable." "Why? Because of so many people?" "...Yeah." "Then this is no good." The wolf smiled sympathetically, raising his white paws closer to his muzzle. "I wish for you to be comfortable." He shuffled Nathan back into his right paw, moving his other to unbutton his jacket's breast pocket. "This would be better?" "Much. Thank you." "No problem," Alexei responded, delicately sliding his guest and his belongings inside. "Let me know if you wish to get out, okay?" "Sure," Nathan called out, just before touching down upon the jacket's surprisingly soft lining. "Shall we leave?" "Go for it." He sat himself down, head resting a few inches from the top of the dark, fabric compartment. A soft jolt a short time later indicated they'd begun to move forwards again. As he swayed gently in the darkness, Nathan peered up out of the pocket containing him, watching the ceiling roll by beyond Alexei's muzzle. "It's much better in here, Alex." He sighed contently, pressing himself to the wolf's big, firm chest, feeling the soothing sensation of his heart beating boldly against him. "Much, much better." It got better still once Alexei began gently hugging at him through his jacket. "I agree." Nathan felt himself going flush, his own heart pounding like a jackhammer all throughout his attempts at convincing himself that this was all actually happening.

It took a sharp judder to stir Nathan from his contented haze, shortly followed by a tightening of the wolf's grasp as he angrily scolded someone in Velikan. "What's wrong, Alex?" "Sorry, Nate. Somebody bumped me." The husky wriggled his way up to his feet, moving his head out from the security of the darkened compartment containing him. "Wow." All around him, a vast sea of Velikans stretched in all directions, parting as Alexei negotiated his way along the corridor. Numerous exotic-looking food and retail stores, their names and adverts all written in the local language and alphabet, extended along each side of the wide walkway. While most were unfamiliar; the flashy, futuristic blue and red theming that adorned one particular outlet did catch Nathan's eye. "Hey, is that... you have 'Astro Burger' here?" "Yes. First store opened about ten years ago. They have best fries!" "Good call. I love 'em too," he replied enthusiastically, keeping his muzzle to the top edge of the leather jacket's pocket. "I guess some things are the same everywhere these days." The little husky's efforts to stay hidden while exploring the new world around him appeared to work for the most part, drawing only brief glances from a handful of Velikans walking in the opposite direction. With each curious stare that came and went without incident, Nathan's head rose a little higher to match his slow-growing confidence. By the time the pair approached the end of the corridor, he'd stood upright, the top of the coat's compartment level with his chest. 'This isn't so bad after all.'

"Here we are," Alexei declared, moving through a huge archway and into a grandiose station building adjoining the port. "My gods," Nathan gasped, taking in the splendorous, swirl-patterned masonry that sat where the rich, mustard yellow walls met the arched, white ceilings. A large chandelier hanging from the centre of the building's roof completed the image of luxury. "This place is absolutely beautiful." He pulled his phone from his own pocket and snapped a photo of his surroundings. "I suppose it is." The wolf grinned, stopping at a ticket machine while having a quick look around himself, "I must remember you are tourist. Tell me if you see something you wish to take photo of, okay?" "Sure." Alexei began to tap away at the terminal's screen. "So, you do not have stations like this in Polcia?" "No, not in Linvendia at least. Everything's a lot more modern. Not as... artistic, I guess." "I see." The big wolf bent down carefully, keeping his passenger secure while retrieving a pair of tickets from a slot towards the bottom of the machine. "Here, this is your one." "Thanks... I think," Nathan responded, collecting a piece of card so large, that he had to use both arms to hold it, much to Alexei's amusement. "We can put wheels on it, let you ride it back to my home, yes?" "Oh, funny," he replied with a smirk, setting the ticket down next to him. "You giant..." "Yes?" "...Forget it." Alexei giggled, gently rubbing a finger pad over the pocket-dwelling husky's nose as he set off towards the platform gates. "I am just playing. Come, let us board."

Nathan studied the collection of trains waiting at the six-track terminus, recognising them as the old, wheel-driven variety that went out of fashion in Polcia a good thirty years ago. He snapped off another photo, keen to have an image of what came before the rail-riding electromagnetic versions he'd grown up with back home. "Hey Nate, take a look," Alexei said, pointing at the end carriage of the train waiting at the platform nearest the gate. He followed the direction as he and his host moved onto the station proper, spying the end of a small tunnel rising up from underground. It sat cordoned off by a sturdy-looking set of bright yellow fencing, perfectly placed to allow access to a set of doors situated below the train carriage's main compartment. "That is where Polcians usually ride the trains here," Alexei added. "It helps to keep them safe." "A compartment within a compartment. Just like the ferry in Bolstrovo, and the airport there, too." "It is? I have not been," he replied, continuing along the platform and past the Polcian-sized walkway exit. "I would like to one day." Nathan's vantage from Alexei's pocket allowed for an almost birds-eye view of the tunnel, just in time to spot a pair of passengers emerge and board the train. "It's weird to be on the other side of the fence," he started, rubbing his muzzle thoughtfully. "Are we, I mean, are Polcians allowed to ride in the main section of the train?" "I do not think it is problem," Alexei answered, opening the door of the second-to-last carriage with a press of a button. "No need to worry." Those reassurances did little to assuage Nathan's returning apprehension. In fact, it lingered with him a long while after the wolf had found a seat, and the train had pulled away from the station.

"Are you sure you do not want to leave my pocket?" Alexei inquired once again, peering down at the little husky still resting within his jacket. "You can sit in the chair next to me, or maybe on table?" he added, tapping a claw on the plastic surface between them and the empty seat opposite. "N-naw, I'm okay. Thanks." "You are not too hot?" "Really, I'm fine, Alex," Nathan replied, looking up at the wolf's concerned face with a slightly forced smile, "I'll let you know when I want out." "Okay. If you are sure." 'Sounds like my mother,' he thought to himself, the effort required to exert a smile lessening the longer he stared into Alexei's bright, citrine-like eyes. 'It does feel nice though... coming from Alex.' With a gentle sigh, Nathan began to scout out the near empty carriage he found himself riding in. The only other passenger visible to him was a young, sandy-furred corsac fox sat facing the opposite direction, one booth ahead on the other side of the aisle. Nathan stayed his focus, watching the Velikan vulpine keep his white muzzle buried in his book, only moving to turn a page. 'Either he's not seen me, or he doesn't really care.'

The tension in the husky's body dulled with that, if not dissipating completely. He turned to gaze out of the window to his left, watching the expansive plains and gentle hills of the local countryside roll by beneath the twilight of dusk. "It is beautiful, is it not, Nate?" "Definitely," he responded, observing the gigantic trees of a nearby forest, along with the enormous stone cottages that comprised a village in the foreground. "It's a lot like back home, my hometown I mean, Alvestoft." "Really?" "Yeah... just a lot bigger. It's surreal." Nathan lifted his muzzle to look back up at the wolf. "I can't get over the size of everything. Even this train is huge." "It must be very strange for you." Alexei smiled, nodding away. "But now, you live in Arlone. Big, big city." "I do, and yes, it's much different." "You enjoy living there?" "Well... yeah, sure," Nathan answered tentatively, scratching behind an ear. "It's exciting... there's always something happening." The grey wolf grunted, sounding thoughtful, as if he'd heard his guest's hesitancy rather than his words. "I am thinking this makes for place that is hard to relax in." Nathan didn't answer respond straight away, choosing instead to mull those words over. In the end he merely shrugged, giving a pensive, "I guess."

A spell of silence followed, with Alexei's words still ringing in the husky's ears. 'I suppose he's got a point... Work's a real struggle at times, that's for damn sure.' "But it does sound exciting," the wolf stated, brushing Nathan once over through his leather jacket. "I truly wish I could visit, that Velikans could go to Polcia." "Maybe one day, Alex," he replied, leaning his head into Alexei's chest. "Size could be an issue though." "I would be careful." Nathan chuckled under his breath at the innocence of the statement. "I know you would." He followed by comfortingly rubbing at the wolf's chest with both paws. To his disappointment, the gesture went unreciprocated. With half-lowered ears, he stopped and turned back to their conversation. "So, what's your town like?" Mention of his hometown seemed to perk Alexei back up. "Kremensk is a beautiful city. Not as big as Arlone, but nice to live in. There are many parks, trees. Old buildings on the river. I like this." That enthusiasm quickly spread to Nathan, his ears springing back to their upright position. "It sounds nice. I can't wait to see it." "Not as nice as countryside, but you will like very much I hope."

"-Bilety. Bilety.-" Nathan moved swiftly to glare down the carriage, startled by the shrill, Velikan voice calling out for all to hear. He watched as a, relatively, short otter padded his way up the aisle, stopping to speak authoritatively to the young fox sitting in the booth ahead. "It is okay, Nate. We have tickets." "W-what?" the husky gasped, "What do you mean?" "It is just the inspector. No need for worry." "Oh." The wolf hacked out a short chuckle, prompting Nathan to glance up at him. "Who did you think he was?" "I thought. I... don't know." "Listen, I know this must all be very different," Alexei spoke softly, "but please believe, you are safe here." Nathan looked away, clearly embarrassed as he rubbed his temples with thumb and finger. "Sorry." "Do not be sorry. I just want for you to enjoy your stay. This is all." "-Bilety?-" the otter repeated from beside the pair's seat, cutting their conversation short. The little canine slowly craned his neck upwards until he met the inspectors' accusing brown eyes. "-Bilety?-" he requested once more. "Tickets? You have tickets?" Nathan kept his eyes locked on the brown otter, unable to get past how much he resembled an older, immensely taller version of Chris, the Andreran he'd met on the ferry that morning. He maintained his steely focus upwards until he realised he'd started staring. 'I hope Alex was right. I hope it's okay for me to be here!' Alexei meanwhile spoke casually with the middle-aged mustelid in words undecipherable to his guest's ears. He pulled his ticket from the pocket of his trousers, before delicately plucking Nathan's out from beside him. "Excuse me, Nate." After giving the card slivers a quick once-over, the inspector nodded curtly in Alexei's direction and shifted to carry on up the aisle. "You see? All is okay." The husky looked up to reply, but found his words taken away by the brief sight of the otter's piercing glare over Alexei's shoulder as he disappeared out of view. 'Was... he scowling at me?' "Nate?" 'No... no, probably just being curious. Don't be para--' "Nathan." Alexei gently nudged at his jacket, pulling his guest back from his internal debating. "What is wrong?" "Sorry. It's nothing, really," he answered, as much for his benefit as Alexei's. "I'm okay."

The clock struck half-past-seven a little after the train pulled into a small station surrounded by greenery on what was assumedly the outskirts of a city. Nathan had spent the hour since his encounter with the conductor catching up with his friend, enjoying the novelty of being able to speak with him in the flesh, rather than through a computer or phone. "South Kremensk station," Alexei announced, carefully standing up from his seat. "This is our stop." The station, or rather, the small platform that the pair exited out upon was a far cry from the grandeur of that at the port, the only cover a starry sky illuminated by a bright, crescent moon high above. A brisk wind whistled through the night, chilling the canine through his fur and compelling him shift down lower into the wolf's pocket in search of shelter. He cursed at himself for not wearing his thick winter coat, choosing instead to bury it in his baggage and rely on his short-sleeved v-neck shirt for warmth. He considered delving in to retrieve it but resisted, deciding that having to battle against both the darkness and heavy movement of his host's jacket while doing so would make for an impossible task. "In the north of the country, in Spring, it is still cold in the evenings." "Yeah, you're not kidding," Nathan replied, looking out over the top of the pocket when lapses in the freezing wind permitted. "It is a very short walk from here to my home." Alexei moved his big paw over his breast pocket, shielding the little canine within from the elements as he moved towards a nearby gateway sitting between two tall hedgerows. "There it will be warm." "Thanks, Alex," Nathan replied cheerily, pushing his own white paw against Alexei's, "but I'd quite like to see the surroundings. I'll survive." "Okay. As you wish."

Once the white-furred barrier had lifted, the husky could get a good look at the world around him. As Alexei paced between them, the looming hedgerows gave way to an even taller collection of dated, yet proudly maintained three-storey brick row houses, sitting in a line along the edge of the road and pavement running perpendicular to the pair's position. "They're like skyscrapers," Nathan spoke breathlessly, the cutting gale suddenly becoming little more than an afterthought. "Seriously, my office building back home is thirty floors high and these are about the same size!" Alexei merely grinned in response, continuing his way out of the station and turning left once he'd reached the pavement of the quiet back-street. "Look at all the parked cars, too!" Nathan had worked himself up so much by this point that he'd practically begun bouncing upon the padded fabric of Alexei's jacket pocket, taking in everything around him. "Nate, be careful. I do not wish you to fall." The warning fell on deaf ears. "I'm not talking about the fact that they're the old-school, petrol-driven ones. I mean... they're so damn huge!" "These buildings and cars, they are for Velikans," the wolf replied, grinning from ear to ear. "How would we fit in them if they were not our size?" "I know, but still." Nathan slowed his movement, settling back down in response to Alexei's logic. "It's shocking to see how big everything is up close!" "But, you have seen giant ships, other buildings before this?" "This is different, I guess." He glanced up at the piercing glow of the streetlight just ahead, towering above just like so much else in the street. "Houses, cars, you see all this kinda stuff up close so often. So, when it's all as big as this... it's hard to get your head round it." "I had not thought of it this way," Alexei responded, rubbing the underside of his muzzle. "Maybe you should take more pictures?" "Pictures of giant houses?" Nathan replied with a chuckle. "Great idea!"

They continued through the near-deserted city suburb, passing by the Velikan-proportioned buildings, vehicles and various other objects that would be expected on a residential street. With phone in hand, Nathan snapped away unreservedly, capturing images of whatever he deemed to be of interest. "Did you just take photo of bus stop!?" Alexei snickered. "There are much more interesting things for you to see." "Hey, don't be a killjoy," the husky answered jovially, barely noticing the inquisitive glance of an elderly lioness padding along with a bag of groceries in the opposite direction. "I've got plenty of space on here for pictures. No need to be selective." While Alexei's comment didn't bring a pause to Nathan's relentless photography, the sight to his left a short moment later would have more success. Through his camera, he observed a young tiger glaring straight back at him from outside a brightly-lit, street corner convenience store. He wore a menacing expression on his black-striped, golden face while puffing away on a cigarette. A brown bear and an arctic fox stood to his left and right respectively, staring back with an equal amount of animosity. All three wore scruffy, dark-coloured sportswear and clasped beer bottles in paw. The half-empty case of alcohol on the ground beside them suggested they'd been congregating here for a while, and looked set to remain for a good time longer. "Huh? You wish for picture, Polcian?" the tiger called out coarsely, spitting his last with venom before launching into a tirade in his native language. Nathan lowered his phone quickly, hunkering down until the angry Velikan words died with distance. "I guess some people do not like to have picture taken." Alexei stated gently, wrapping a reassuring paw around the husky. "Yeah... that must be it."

After a few minutes, not that it felt anything like that long to the still somewhat excitable, camera-wielding canine, his host turned onto a narrow side-street leading off from the main road. Another terrace of immense, brick townhouses stretched off into the distance on the right-hand side of the smaller roadway. On the left meanwhile, the side that the pair were moving along, a line of darkened storefronts sat, with those possessing them covered up by their metal shutters. Judging by the painted, wooden doors lying between each store, Nathan deduced that the box windowed constructions on the upper floor were a set of small apartments. "We are here," Alexei announced, padding by the final shopfront of seven. "So, this is your shop?" he replied, taking in the white banner sign fastened to the wall above the store's glass door and windows. Before the wolf had a chance to respond, Nathan noticed that this store's hoarding included the name 'Korolev Carpentry' in smaller, Polcian font beneath its unreadable Velikan counterpart. "Oh, it has your name on it. Kinda answers my question." "It is indeed, Nate." Alexei answered proudly, continuing into a dimly-lit alleyway that ran between the end of the shop row and the start of another terrace of houses. "My grandfather owns, but since he retired three years ago, I run it. My home is above." "That's pretty cool! I don't think I could run a business." Nathan's compliment drew a flattered grin from the wolf. "It is difficult at times, but I enjoy. I would not want to do anything else."

Alexei strolled a short distance down the dusty alley, stopping at his shop's side-door. With a heavy clunk, he unlocked the deadbolt and pushed the door open, moving inside to where a steep, blue carpeted staircase led up to the upper floor. "I will show you around the workshop tomorrow, or perhaps Monday when we are next open. Erik, my colleague will be there. He has said he would very much like to meet you, a real-life Polcian." Nathan felt a pang of anxiety at that prospect, but quickly got past it. 'If he's anything to do with Alex, I'm sure he's nice. Nicer than that otter on the train at least.' The boards of the stairway whined loudly beneath the wolf with each step he took. "Before this, we shall get you settled here with me, okay? I want for you to be comfortable, happy here." "That sounds perfect," he responded with a warm smile, tail wagging away as he rested his head against his host's chest. 'Such a sweetheart.' "Good." Alexei lifted a paw and carefully moved it inside his pocket, wrapping it around the small of the little husky's back and his rear. "I am wishing for this to be perfect." Nathan moaned discretely, basking in the heavenly caress of those warm, leathery paw pads. 'I really hope he's meaning to do this,' he thought to himself, pushing back against the huge, yet gentle digits stroking over his thighs and the soft curve of his backside; a sensation that stirred a pleasant tingle within him. Much to Nathan's silent disappointment, Alexei withdrew his paw once he'd reached the wooden door at the top of the staircase. With a twist of its brass knob and a soft creak, the wolf pushed it open. "Welcome to my home, Nate."