Dog Love

Dog Love 18

Shana was saddling one of the horses when Joey came to him. The sable haired dog glanced at him and then away.

"I'll be setting off once this horse is saddled properly-"

"No. You'll stay."

Shana looked at Joey his hands stilling on the saddle. There was an amount of confidence in the younger mans voice he found disconcerting. It reminded him of the bronze skinned sorceror. He felt pinned into a corner and he felt his back hit the stable wall. Joey noticed that Shanas breath had grown shallow and hesitant. Reaching forwards Joey took Shanas hand gently and squeezed his shoulder softly.

"I'm sorry, I pushed you too hard. Please don't leave like this! I don't want Kahn ending up hurt."

Shana looked at him, eyes probing deep into Joeys searching for any trace of deceit. However there wasn't any and Shanas gut told him to listen.

Inside the house Kahn was cleaning the plates away as Freya walked downstairs and noticed the mans low hanging head. Already without asking questions Freya knew his posture had been caused by something to do with Joey and Shana. Gently she took the plate from his hands and passed him the tea towel to dry them with. She steered him to the table and then sat him down, her small hands trying to cover his big ones in comfort.

"Don't leave it bottled up. It will only hurt you more that way."

Kahns sad eyes connected with the old womans and his heart almost exploded with pain and anger. She was old, but she was also very wise.

"I love Joey, now Shana tells me he loves me."

Freya heard the frustration deep in his voice and she smiled sympathetically. It was a situation that she could understand. Getting up Freya took a photo book from out one of the cupboards and set it down on the table.

"You're an intelligent young man. So you'll understand why I'm telling you this story."

Flipping the pages in the photo book Freya finally came to a stop on one. It was of two men and two women, an old photo to say the least. Kahn noticed how Freyas eyes lingered lovingly on it.

"Hansel was originally in love with my sister. His brother, in love with me. However whilst my sister and Hansels relationship went from one strength to another...I couldn't love his brother in that way."

The Rottweiler felt the womans sadness and he took her hand, their roles suddenly reversing.

"Tyran treat me like a queen, even when I told him that I was in love with Hansel. He told me, that one day Hansel would understand my feelings or that I would understand his. Then one day 2 years later, Hansel and Ria came home and on my sisters hand was an engagement ring. Before they even announced it I had started crying. Hansel tried to council me but I ran away to my room and locked the door. Then all I could hear was them shouting and all of a sudden Tyran just told him."

Freya closed her eyes, a weary smile brushing her lips. At the doorway Shana and Joey stood, side by side listening to the old womans tale.

"Hansel went so quiet. It felt like time had stopped and I was waiting for him to start shouting again. But he didn't."

"No, I said that I knew and that I had fallen in love with Ria first."

Freya turned her head slightly and her tired eyes met Hansels. Hansel walked over to Kahn, his eyes burrowing deep into the mans soul. As if he could see through him and they moved back to Freya.

"But Ria was the one who made me realise that I had always been in love with you all along. She told me it wasn't enough to have fallen in love with her first. That I should follow my heart and let it lead me to my true feelings."

A sombre atmosphere settled around the small group of people. Shana looked down, tears dangling from his lashes as he came to understand the situation he had put Kahn in. Joey however, he looked up to the sky and sighed. The romance between his parents had died long ago but their love still held firm, unwavering through the years. It was the sort of love he himself yearned for, and found himself wondering if that was what he and Kahn had. Kahn looked up as Hansel placed his work calloused hands on his shoulders, because right then it was two men and one understood what the other was going through.

"When you make your decision, there's only one thing you need to do. Be clear about your feelings, don't feed them false hope because the pain will only last longer. It is a kindness to be brutally honest, a trait my friend that you have never lacked."

Kahn finally broke their gaze and stared at his hands that were still covering Freyas. His heart which had stood so firm was now ripping apart at such words he had heard from Joey over and over again. It was just that the words 'I love you' came from Shana. A hardheaded young man.