Page 79 of Wrestling with Daddy

“Anyway.” Ash had somehow managed to finish his food and was getting up. “I have to run, check that everything’s going well with the registrations and stuff.”

Nathan wanted to make sure the guy was feeling all right—he looked a bit rattled—but Ken was grabbing his attention before he could do that.

“You know I’ll be in the suite,” he said. “Not that I think you’ll need me.”

“Maybe I will,” Nathan retorted.

It wasn’t his usual MO, but…

No, he wasn’t going to need him. It was just a few hours outside with other pups and more food and drinks. Some play, maybe. There was no reason to need Daddy, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t miss him.

Nathan shook his head when no one was looking. It was pathetic, and he… wasn’t that.

He refused to be when they only had two more full days together.

The problem was that, by the time he was outside with the other pups, sitting on one of the many picnic blankets spread around, his mood hadn’t lifted much.

The atmosphere was relaxed. It was sunny outside even if they were all still wearing coats and puffer jackets of all kinds, and people were just lying around the blankets. Most had their gear by their sides, with a few of them already putting it on, having no interest in the snacks passed around.

Nathan noticed a couple of dragons conspiring together, their hoods more elaborate than most of the others he could catch a few glimpses of.

He’d love to go to them and ask them about it—dragon play and how it differed from puppy play. He was sure he could write something viral out of it—same as when that reporter wrote the weird thing on kitten play, except he would make it right and not something college professors would use to mock pet play.

Nathan couldn’t bring himself to move, though. It was a combination of his slumped mood and feeling… overwhelmed? Yeah, that was it.

There was a wave of relief that hit him when he was able to pinpoint the emotion or the thing that was bothering him. That relief wasn’t helping him to get out of his head, though.

He felt like a stranger, a silent observer taking in everyone’s laughter and casual conversation, seeing Ash and a few of the most extroverted pups try to bring everyone together and find ways to break the ice. Nathan couldn’t relax into it.

Nerves were killing him, having him on edge, waiting for the time when they’d start playing, when everyone donned their gear and he was expected to do the same.

He was such a newb, and nobody knew it.

Not even Ken.

Did that mean he’d been lying to Daddy this whole time?

Nathan was mulling the question over when he felt someone approach him.

It was Ash. Except Nathan had missed when Ash had put on mitts, a set of puppy ears, and got on all fours.

His throat dry, he swallowed.

This was the moment he’d been looking for and dreading at the same time—playing with another puppy, being another puppy with others watching and engaging outside of words shared through a keyboard.

Shit.

Nathan was frozen in place. His muzzle stared at him mockingly from the bag he’d shoved it in, the vibrant purple and yellow thunderbolts not making him feel so strong anymore.

He blinked.

Ash was still there, tilting his head to the side, trying different angles.

Nathan didn’t know what to do, what to tell him. He didn’t even know his pup name or what he was trying to do. Were they going to wrestle? Sniff each other? Roll around? Among the picnic blankets, there were some mats, but they hadn’t discussed anything.

Not that Nathan was aware of.

Nathan glanced at his watch. There was still one more hour, and he doubted Ash was going to move on anytime soon. Worse, if he did, he’d have questions later.