You hesitated for a moment at Masaru’s invitation, unsure of what to do. But then you nod your head, realizing that you don't have anything else to do and the idea of spending time with this tanuki was appealing to you.
“Sure, why not? I could use some company,” you reply, giving Masaru a grin along your muzzle.
Masaru grins back, happy that you accepted his invitation, and the two of you walk over to his home that was just a couple of blocks away. As you walk together, you admire the tanuki's thick brown fur that shimmers in the moonlight, how perfectly the markings look on his face, and his body that looks like a nice furry pillow, all while he looks back at you.
When you arrive at Masaru's house, you can't help but notice how different it is from the rest of the houses in the neighborhood. However, the house next door looks familiar, and you remember it as one of your friend’s houses. His home was as if it were a home in Japan that was copied and pasted into an American town. The front yard was a traditional Japanese garden, complete with a small pond and a few statues of animals. The house itself had a more Japanese-inspired look, with shoji screens and tatami mats visible from the outside. The inside of the house was just as impressive as the outside. There were Japanese art pieces displayed on the walls and several bonsai trees arranged on shelves. The two of you walk into the house and were greeted by his parents, who were both tanukis themselves. Masaru was talking to his parents in Japanese, as he introduced them to you, and they welcomed you in as if you were a longtime friend of his.
As you head up to his room, you look around, admiring the decor. You notice a picture on his wall of Masaru standing next to a smiling badger, on what appears to be from his prom night. It is the same badger from your memories, the one that was supposed to be you. Your heart races as you realize that the badger in the picture was, and this tanuki was supposed to be your boyfriend you had back in high school but you split up for some reason you just couldn’t put a claw on.
"Masaru, who's that in the picture?" you ask curiously, pointing to the photo.
Masaru looks over and smiles. "Oh, that was my best friend from school. We've known each other since we were kids."
Your heart skips a beat. "That looks a lot like me."
Masaru's eyes widen in surprise. "No way, is that you?"
You nod, feeling a rush of emotions as your mind begins to feel foggy, "Yeah, that's me. I remember that night. Probably one the most bloody amazing nights of my life.."
Masaru couldn't believe it. He felt like he hadn’t seen you in years and the two of you were finally together again. He walks over to you and he wraps his paws around you, as you lock eyes.
"I had no idea, Benji. I'm so sorry we lost touch."
You shake your head. "It's not your fault, mate. I don't even remember much from who I was before. All I know is that… that’s me in that picture."
Masaru pulls you closer. "Well, you don't have to do it alone. You have me and I have you." He whispers lovingly, as you lean into each other and kiss. You feel his graceful touch along your large body as you hold him tighter. You feel yourself getting warm as you blush underneath your fur as you begin to feel hard under your trousers as the two of you continue to embrace each other.
You flash a smile across your muzzle, as you watched your boyfriend’s eyes twinkle. For the first time since becoming a badger, you feel like you had someone that loved you, someone other than Asher or your family to think about, and you felt you were melting in his arms…