There is only one place to go when I feel this way. I stand up and walk out of the union, heading down the sidewalk towards the rec center.

Once I get there, I quickly change into my tank top and gym shorts, do some stretching, and head straight to the free weights. Several other furs that I recognize are already working out there: a pair of wolves helping each other on the bench press, a burly lion doing squats, and a horse with the thickest thighs I have ever seen working on the leg press. I've seen these guys dozens of times here before, though neither I nor any of them have ever bothered to exchange names. Nodding as I make eye contact with some of them, I give a friendly (if brief) wave hello. They grunt back their greetings, nodding in return.

Walking over to the stack of dumbbells, I grab a pair of forty pounders, then find a nearby bench and sat down, starting to work on curls. Focusing on the exercise usually helps to clear my mind, but I can't help shake the uneasiness I have felt since this morning. After a few cycles of twelve reps per arm, I walk back over to the rack to return the dumbbells.

As I put them back in their place, however, a sweet musk fills my nostrils, one I know well, and I feel a familiar poke against my shoulder. This one, though, feels a little more forceful than normal.

"Kory?" I ask, a bit puzzled. I know for a fact that the red panda has never stepped foot into the rec center since the beginning of college, able to stay slim and trim with just his regular walking and light jogging and with no interest in building any muscle mass. In any case, him meeting me here is definitely a pleasant turn of events. I bring a smile to my face, ready to greet my friend -- no, my boyfriend, I correct myself -- as warmly as possible. But as I turn around, I'm met with a shock, in the form of a face-full of dark black fur.

"Surprise!"

I gawk up at the seven-and-a-half foot tall red panda in front of me, eyeing him from head to toe. He has the same shade of reddish brown fur, the same neatly cropped and styled head of dark brown hair, and the same wonderful smile -- but everything is much larger than before. He stands nearly a foot taller than me, and, even more astonishing, his physique seems to have gotten a little more muscular, his arms and legs now toned with a bit of definition to them. His shirt, the same short-sleeve button-up he was wearing earlier, now looks more like a vest, completely open and revealing the black fur on his chest and stomach. His formerly baggy shorts now near their breaking point, able to cover less than half of his thighs, and in between his legs, I can clearly see the outline of a very prominent bulge aching to break free. His flip-flops are still there, but the edges of his feet hang over the sides, and the straps seem like they will snap loose at any moment.

He leans down to kiss me, but I back away, more out of shock than anything else. "K-Kory! Wh-- what's happened?"

His ears flatten slightly, and I see a tinge of disappointment in his eyes. "What do you mean, Ash? I got out of studio early, and I saw you just before you slipped in here, so I thought I would surprise you." He glances to his right and left, noticing that all eyes in the room seem to be fixed on the two of us, and he slouches his shoulders. "I guess that I should've known better, huh?" He rolls his eyes and turns away from me, looking down at his feet.

The frown that's now on his face nearly tears my heart in two, and I do my best to try and salvage the situation. "No, no, it's nothing like that." I place my fingers on his cheek, having to stretch a little to reach, and stood up on my tiptoes, gently kissing the white fur on the bottom of his chin. "I just … wasn't expecting you here… especially like… well, like this!" I gesture with my hand, trying to indicate how unusual, even ridiculous, his height seems to me, without actually saying it aloud.

"Mmmm…" He doesn't seem to pick up on my hints, and he still looks dejected. To hell with what anyone thinks, I tell myself. Taking a deep breath and sucking up all my courage, I wrap my arms around his chest and try to squeeze tight, leaning against his arm and kissing the bulge in his biceps. At this point, I begin to realize just how big Kory now is; I can only barely fit my arms all the way around his torso, and his muscles are firmer and more powerful than I first thought just by looking at them. I begin to grow aroused as I cling tighter to my large boyfriend. I could get used to this.

"I'm sorry if I upset you, babe," I say, looking up at him with wide-open eyes, and forcing a little bit of a purr. "I'm really glad you stopped by."

He glances back down at me, as if trying to decide something, before his lips finally start to slowly turn upwards. He leans his face forward and buries his muzzle in my hair as he kisses me. I tilt my head slightly and begin to kiss him on the side of the neck, gradually moving down to the exposed part of his shoulder. He places a large paw on my back. "Apology accepted, Ash." He begins to caress me gently, slowly working his way lower and lower, causing my pants to tighten even more.

At this moment, I notice that my watch, resting against Kory's bicep, again seems to be buzzing and heating up. I remember last Friday evening in the woods and this morning before class where the same thing happened as I was kissing Kory. And it was after this that he started having his growth spurts. Could the watch have something to do with Kory's unexplained explosion of growth? No, that isn't possible-- is it?

The strange buzzing from my wrist makes me pull back from the tender kiss, watching my arm as the feeling dies down seemingly at the same time as the kiss, leaving Kory with a confused look. “Did you feel that?” I ask, looking back up at my new boyfriend, only to get a worried headtilt back from the too large red panda in front of me.

“Did I feel what, sweetie? Your magical lips, your rising post-workout scent, your tight pants, or the jealous eyes around us?” He giggles in that perfectly adorable way, which only makes him seem even more ridiculously oversized. Such an adorable face, cute small voice and a chipper teasing attitude on a body that is now SOMEHOW much larger than anyone I have ever seen. But his words make my tummy cringe slightly; I'm still new at being open about my feelings towards the sweet panda, and even opening up to those feelings with Kory fills me with dread of what might happen. Opening up to everyone else in such a direct way is nerve chilling to me.

I scan the room, but notice that despite through the obviously gay display in the middle of the otherwise exceedingly macho rec center, not ONE single fur in the room has dared to turn his face my way. I've gotten used to people being laughably unobservant about Kory’s impossible growth spurt recently, even to the point of not wanting to question it anymore, like everyone's in on one big April’s Fool’s joke played on me, but this is different. It seems like they are actually afraid of saying anything against the two of us making out in front of them, and looking back up at the smiling face that could always make my heart melt, I understand the reason easily. Kory’s imposing figure is truly awe-inspiring. And if I didn't known him as well as I do, even I would be nervous being this close to him.

I run a paw over his impossibly stretched T-shirt, tracing the tension lines running from his armpits and across his slightly bulged-out chest. At least a foot and a half of beautiful maroon bellyfur is visible between that tormented piece of clothing to the next.

“Kory.. Sweetie..” I smile softly to myself at finally being able to use these affectionate terms with the panda. “Have you noticed any … growth spurts recently?” I look up at his slightly confused expression as I finish speaking. “Because I remember lifting you up in my arms to kiss you last Friday…”

I watch Kory intently for a few seconds before his muzzle spreads into a wide grin and a hearty laugh, “Awwwr! My dear Tiggy, is that what's been bothering you all this time? That I'm bigger than you?” He leans down and kisses my forehead affectionately before continuing. “You know how much you mean to me. I love you! To me you’re the biggest man alive!” He chortles above me. Wow, is he really that oblivious to it? Maybe it isn't a joke that he didn’t notice. But how can that be…

I just smile and chuckle back, figuring it best not to poke more at the subject here in public, and instead simply hold Kory close to me, feeling his strong physique through his practically non-existing clothing. “Well, growth spurts or no, we will need to get you some new clothes soon! I’m not quite ready to share you with the world, after all! And it seems like that shirt is one deep breath away from snapping!” We both chuckle softly and the room sighs heavily around us from various muscle-heads making their silent disproval of our presence known in the most discrete way they could.

We both exit out the doors to have some at least slightly more private time together before our final class. We start walking around outside together, enjoying the calm autumn winds through our fur. The time for libidos to kick it up a gear, for warmth to return to the gentle air, and flowers to rise in the university common picnic area we are walking through now.

I find myself continually staring down at Kory’s barely covered lower ribs that now take up the space where his head used to be, only to blushingly look back up to his newfound height, almost injuring my neck each time. I know my boyfriend has somehow grown, and I have a very suspicious feeling that this strange watch of mine is somehow involved in the process. Now the only question is, how?

“Kory…” I start, looking up to my far-too-tall boyfriend as he beams back a happy smile, his eyes a deep blue I could lose hours in.. “Kory, do you remember you fixed this old watch last Friday?”

He nods proudly, bringing his hand up to my face, wiggling it. “Yes, of course, dear. Agile fingers! … You’ll see.” He grins knowingly, and I shiver violently, my tight pants giving a groan of disproval as my zipper reaches capacity. It's lucky that the red panda has worn such stretchy pants, the sexy low-cut jeans he normally wears would not have survived the growing onslaught.

“.. Okay." I blush, but continue. “I know this sounds far out, but please bear with me. I believe that when you fixed my watch that day that something happened. I know you don’t seem to realize it, nor does ANYONE aside from me, but it seems like every time we kiss and touch with me wearing this watch, a few hours later you’ve grown a foot and a half.”

His face looks puzzled and he stopped and sighs. Turning to me, he kneels down in front of me bringing him down to my eye level, which makes me blush madly. He speaks softly and hushed. “Look, Ash, I know it might be tough on you to be with someone who shouldn’t be taller than you but somehow is. And I know that you might be worried that I don’t consider you to be special because of that. But I will spend every single day of my life from here on out to make sure that you realize how much I love you and that I will do absolutely anything for you. You are the only person I’ve ever loved, and felt love me back. Others have wanted me for my size or my… boyish nature." He blushes and gives a crooked smile at that remark. “But you are the only one I've ever had this connection with. And if you truly believe that something might have happened with that watch and with my size, then I am not against exploring that with you. But…“ He sighs again and hugs me close, pressing his entire upper body against me. “What I’m trying to say is, please don’t be worried… Love.”

I stand stunned at his speech, but somehow oddly reassured. Maybe this isn't the worst thing that could happen after all, getting a big boyfriend like Kory. Actually this might be the best thing that could have happened to him...

As he stands up again, however, I hear an audible rip coming from my boyfriend’s shirt as it tears at the sides and in the middle of his chest. Suddenly, it isn't his chest being at my eye level, it's his trim and toned soft-furred abs! “Oops!” I hear from above me, followed by a childish, giggling laughter. “I guess you were right, all it took WAS one deep breath for this shirt to give up on me.” I stare wide-eyed as his bigger form starts towering above me, now at least 9 feet above the ground.

His too tight shorts have impossibly still held up and are struggling to contain the growing panda. The stretched fabric does absolutely nothing to hide what's underneath, and my jaw drops at the sizable bulge that pushes up against the waistband of his shorts. The three spherical shapes that make up his impressive anatomy underneath make me gasp and blush wildly. I see him looking down himself and grinning as he rolls his hips seductively in front of me. “Well, I guess you were to see me sometime, I might as well give you a little teasing with my attire, right?” He laughs as I start to cover him up with my jacket.

He awes with a pout, as he takes my jacket and holds it up to his crotch, pressing it against himself and licking his perfect lips. “Hey good idea! At least now it’ll smell like me, and I’ll always be with you.”

I look up with a stern expression. “You! Me! Shopping! Now!” We both turn around to leave the university grounds.

"I don't quite know where you expect to find me any clothes around here," Kory playfully protests as I do my best to pull him by the hand towards the parking lot where my car is parked. "I always have to order mine through the mail. I thought you knew that."

I realize that he's right. There aren't any clothing stores around campus that will have anything that'll come close to fitting Kory now. The only place I can think of that will come close is the Big & Tall store at the mall, and even that would be a stretch -- figuratively and literally.

After pondering this problem for a few minutes, an idea strikes. "C'mon, we'll head downtown to the old market district. The dad of one of my old high school friends runs a tailor shop down there."

"You're going to have something custom-made for me?" Kory's eyes light up, and he wraps an arm around me, pulling me closer. "Awww, how sweet of you, Ashton. But won't that be expensive?"

I wave that concern off with my paw. "Don't worry about it. It won't be a problem." I still have a good deal of savings leftover from my parents, and there are some odd jobs that I do around campus and the neighborhood every now and then that bring in some money, so I should be able to swing at least two or three outfits. A thought begins to trouble me, however: just how big will Kory get? It's only been a day since I first noticed him growing like this, and he's already taller than anyone I've ever seen before in my life. What if this keeps up? Will I still try to clothe him if he grows to be fifteen feet tall? Thirty? Fifty? The thought of being with someone that large is intriguing but also presents a whole bunch of logistical problems. Shaking my head, I decide to not worry about that for now, and to wait and see what will happen.

As I get to my car, though, a new, more immediate problem starts to arise. "Ash, honey, did you forget something?"

"What?" I glance up at Kory, who looks down at me, laughing softly.

"Do you remember the last time I tried to fit in your car?" He points a finger, and I gasp as I see that on the passenger side of my car, the roof has a fairly noticeable dent sticking out of it… just about the size and shape of Kory's head.

"My car!" I cry out. "When did that happen?!"

A concerned look in his eye, Kory places his large paw on my forehead, covering almost the entire top of my head. "Are you feeling alright, hon? That's been there for a month."

Turning my head back and forth between the car and Kory, I realize after a moment that my mouth is hanging open, still in shock. I shut it, but still can't disguise my bewilderment. Kory pats me on the back as gently as he can. ”Don’t worry, Ash. Why don't we take the bus, like we usually do when we're traveling together?"

I walk to the bus stop, still slightly upset but trying to put on my most neutral expression, for Kory's sake. My boyfriend seems so optimistic and enthusiastic about everything, even though he's now walking around public virtually nude, that I don't want to do anything that will bring him down. Thankfully, I don't have to stand and stew in my worries for very long, as a bus pulls up within a minute of the two of us arriving.

Kory ducks his head and climbs onto the bus first. I see the driver look up for a moment as the mammoth panda boards his bus, then immediately shrug and turn his face back to the road with the gruff expression remaining on his face. As Kory walks down the aisle of the bus, having to crouch to do so, a couple of other passengers jump back in fright, and I can feel the bus rock from side to side with each step he takes. Heading to the back row, he sits down, his legs sprawling out in front of him, leaving a little room for me to join him to his right.