In hindsight, Pacato probably should've predicted the saluki wouldn't be terribly enthusiastic about the formal party at one of the downtown city's exclusive pubs; as a member of the city's chamber orchestra, and as a prominent owner of a trendy downtown bakery, Pacato and Kelsey respectively were often invited to the sort of fancy functions reserved for those with the pockets deep enough to book such special private events. Dressed sharply in steel blue shirts with winter sky-grey ties, the pair had no trouble looking the parts of the prim, proper socialites milling around the private lounge, and nibbling on salt and pepper calamari. Gazing down at another mini pork belly slider, Pacato swirled the blood orange mule cocktail's sweaty, chilled copper mug in his paw as he glanced around, trying to calculate just who else hadn't yet passed by the bar to partake of one.

With a sigh, the platinum fox tried to catch his reflection in the bar-length mirror that sat behind every bottle of spirit on display, and ran a hand through his headfur, fingers splayed to comb it into place. Even at a place like this, where the whole point of the evening was to relax and unwind, appearances mattered. They always did. Ignoring the rumble his rounded stomach gave when the sight of those sliders sent an impulse to grab four of them at once to enjoy, Pacato's ears flattened to the sides as he tipped the rim of the mug to his muzzle, shaved ice colliding with his lips as he quaffed its chilled contents.
'Come on, foxes don't eat like pigs...' that familiar reprimand on cue flared to life, burning away that sudden desire before it had a chance to play out to the point that it gave birth to action.

'What would everyone think, after all?' Indeed... he could just imagine the judgmental brief glances that would linger just a meaningful moment too long from everyone else. Except, wonderfully, from Kelsey, who from the look of things, was faring little better. The chubby saluki picked at a modest plateful of mouthwatering skin-on french fries sprinkled with parsley, lemon zest, and romano cheese. Exercising a similar display of restraint, the saluki's muzzle opened wide for a split second- enough to stuff a few delicious golden fries in at a time, but settled for biting a single one in half, before setting it back down on the small plate in his other paw. Poor Kelsey... sure, the two of them had found distraction enough in making small talk with other business owners in attendance tonight, but now should have been the time for the two of them to relax, unwind, and really enjoy themselves on a Friday night. After all, isn't that what had attracted Pacato to Kelsey in the first place? A warm blush came to the fox's cheeks, as he let his gaze settle on the saluki's handsomely well-fed figure, his thick, bushy tail starting to sway.

He was so unlike your standard purebred saluki - an image that Kelsey seemed in confidence to almost revel in defying; plump, round, soft, prone to giving in to the whims and pleasures of indulgence without regret or shame. Even better, he'd shared those pleasures with Pacato, and ever since the fox had gotten a taste, it had been too sweet and wonderful to ignore. Indulging by yourself was one thing, but having a good friend who encouraged, supported, and steeped themselves fully in the pleasures of it right along with you was a whole game changer. Somehow, for all the fox's internalized restraints, Kelsey had managed to slip right through them like a hot knife through butter; coaxing the fox to gorge himself until he couldn't hold another bite, then order yet another course for dessert, offering visible displays of affection when the fox showed off his appetite. It was... crazy, how good it felt, how much fun it was, even, being with Kelsey when the two of them threw restraint into the back seat and just took the time to really enjoy themselves.

Pacato waited until Kelsey had set the plate back down on the bar, and was distracted with wiping his glasses on a patch of microfiber cloth he'd tucked into his back pocket. A grin spreading his muzzle, Pacato stepped up behind the hound, paws moving to rest on the outward, cushy swell of love handle that thickened the canine's waist into that wonderfully round shape through his sleekly-tailored shirt. Vulpine whiskers brushed a fluffy, draped ear, as his fingertips squeezed into the softness they held. With a startled gasp, Kelsey straightened up for an instant, before the familiar sensation of the fox's belly brushing like a warm pillow against the small of his back announced to the hound who it was faster than any of his other senses. Instantly, Pacato felt the hound relax and lean into his embrace, that slender tail pattering and wiggling along the fox's knees. Arms slipping fully around Kelsey's sides, Pacato leaned in to bring his muzzle closer to his friend's ear. "I don't know about you... but I really, really want to duck out and head back to my place. Forget everyone else here... only you and me for the rest of the night, enjoying a large pizza. Each."

Huge thanks as always to  kittydee for this commission featuring  drbluecat's Kelsey!