The sign outside the store read "Just Another Page". It was a little joke that his ex-partner and he had come up with. Alex had always had a habit of laying in bed reading late into the night. When his lover had tried to cajole him into curling up before they fell asleep together, Alex had always replied, "Just one more page." So, years ago when they had opened the store together, the choice of name had seemed entirely natural.

The inside of the store was homey, to say the least. Downstairs there was a small selection of books and a coffee shop which boasted the best coffee in the city. Upstairs, however - that was where you'd find Alex. His passion had shone through in the care and effort that he had put into his small shop. Even with all of the major competitors, he managed to make a good living. On this particular day, Alex was sitting behind his crowded desk, footpaws up and resting on the polished surface. In his paws was a copy of Old Man's War, a favourite book and one that he had read many times before. His slender form was dressed in only a pair of blue jeans and a faded black t-shirt that, over a rainbow, read, "LGBTerrific". Oh, I didn't mention that yet, did I? Yes, Alex was a homosexual. A queer. A... well, the words get less pleasant from there. Suffice it to say, he was proud of his homo-ness, but then, living the life of a queer in the Village in Vancouver, it was easy to be out and proud.

Alex cut a rather fine figure. He still had the boyish good looks that he had when he was at the prime of his popularity with the same sex in his late teens, though his muscles were a little more defined than they had been. What had changed, though, was his personality. When he was young, the male had been... well... a whore. A slut. Essentially, he would fuck anything that moved. And God was he cocky - acted like you were lucky to get a piece of the kitten. Over time, however, that had moderated. Instead, he had become a kind, generous and romantic young man. To his friends, the transformation was shocking. To him, it was growing into who he really was.