#yohack

🌊 Chapter 1: The Ultimate Floaty (D.O. & Yohack)

The air in the office was thick with the scent of old coffee, toner, and sheer, unrelenting stress. Dog Operator sat hunched over his massive desk, the glow of the monitor reflecting dully in his tired eyes. He’d barely moved in two hours, only lifting his pen to sign yet another stack of papers regarding key inventories and equipment maintenance. The usually cheerful wag of his tail was nowhere to be found, tucked listlessly behind the chair.

A gentle rap-rap sounded on the doorframe. Dog Operator didn't even lift his head, just waved a weary hand. "Come in, I just need five more minutes... or five more hours... I forget which."

"How about five more seconds?" a warm, fluffy voice chuckled.

Yohack stepped in, his bright blue and white fur practically radiating warmth, contrasting sharply with the office’s grim color palette. He carried a small backpack and wore a big, empathetic smile. He had just finished a tricky locksmithing job across town and had swung by the office as soon as he heard D.O. was having a rough day.

"Dog Operator, seriously," Yohack said, walking over and placing a warm paw on D.O.'s tense shoulder. "You look like you wrestled a paper shredder and lost."

D.O. let out a tired sigh that was half-whimper. "I have... I have three briefings tomorrow, Mokdai needs the quarterly security assessment, and I haven't seen the sun in approximately four business days." He tried to lift his arm to point at a chart but it dropped back onto the desk.

"Nope. No more. The office is closed," Yohack declared firmly, but with that soft, gentle voice that meant business. He started tidying the stray papers, not out of annoyance, but sheer helpfulness.

"Yohack, I can't. I'm the boss, I have responsibilities," D.O. protested weakly.

Yohack leaned down, his face close and kind. "Your responsibility right now is to not pass out face-first into a budget report. I checked the weather. It’s perfect. We’re going to the beach. Right now."

Before D.O. could mount a proper defense—The second he gets poked mid-briefing? He yelps...—Yohack was already gently pulling him out of his seat. D.O. was too exhausted to resist, stumbling slightly as he was guided toward the door.

Fifteen minutes later, they were sitting on the edge of the water. D.O. had been forced to swap his heavy tactical jacket for a simple shirt, and he immediately felt the tension ease from his upper back. He had tried to bring his tablet, but Yohack had simply slipped it into his own bag with a sweet, "Nope. Leave the office behind, boss."

The water was warm and gentle, lapping lazily at the shore. Yohack, ever the comfort king, had waded in just far enough to be comfortable and was sitting like a fluffy, white buoy.

"Okay, come here," Yohack called, waving him over. "Just let go and float. Seriously, Dog Operator."

Hesitantly, D.O. waded over. The moment he reached Yohack, the larger hero spread his arms and smiled. D.O. didn't need to be told twice. With a relieved groan, he leaned forward, letting the water lift his legs, and draped his weary body right over Yohack's broad chest and tummy.

It was the most comfortable he'd been all week. Yohack's body was soft and wonderfully warm, floating perfectly in the buoyant water. The movement of the small waves rocked D.O. gently, and he closed his eyes, his breathing finally evening out.

"See?" Yohack whispered, his voice soft as the water. He kept his arms wrapped securely around D.O.'s back, ensuring he was stable. "You needed this. You can't run a tight ship if the captain is sinking."

D.O. mumbled something that was mostly just contented fluff, settling deeper onto his friend.

This was exactly the moment the playful switch flipped in Yohack's brain. He wasn't looking to demolish his friend, just to coax a much-needed giggle out of him and ensure that lingering stress was gone.

He ran one of his paws very slowly up D.O.'s side, where his shirt was clinging damply to his ribs. The touch was feather-light.

D.O. jolted, a surprised little "E-eh?" escaping him. He twitched, trying to shift, but the embrace was secure, and the water made quick, effective movement impossible.

"Just relaxing, D.O.," Yohack hummed innocently, increasing the pressure ever so slightly, running his thumb over the sides that D.O. found so awful.

The exhausted hero's tail, which had finally started a slow, relaxed wag, immediately stuttered to a halt, then started a rapid, tell-tale tremble.

"Y-Yohack," D.O. squeaked, already feeling the giggle bubbling up. He pressed his face tighter against the warmth of Yohack's fur. "I'm... I'm really comfortable right now. Don't... ruin it."

Yohack’s smile widened. He couldn’t see D.O.'s face, but he could feel the frantic tension returning, not the stress of work, but the good kind—the tension of anticipation.

"Ruin it? I'm perfecting it," Yohack teased, his voice dropping to a low, playful purr. He used his other paw to gently scratch the base of D.O.'s tail, a notoriously awful spot.

D.O. instantly arched his back, letting out a sharp, bouncy little "A-ACK! Eheehee!" The sound was so genuinely surprised and boyish—lots of surprised squeaks and bubbly giggles that turn into frantic, high-pitched wheezing when overwhelmed—that Yohack couldn't help but chuckle warmly.

"There it is," Yohack said, planting a quick, soft kiss on the top of D.O.'s wet head. "A good giggle is better than a spreadsheet, I promise."

"N-no it's not! St-stop! Pffft! Yohack, you're the worst flotation device ever! A-ahahah! It tickles right there!" D.O. thrashed his legs lightly in the water, his laughter becoming frantic and high-pitched. He felt like he was floating and sinking simultaneously.

Yohack eased up immediately, going back to a soft, secure hug. Very cuddly after he finishes—immediately shifts into comfort mode...

"Okay, okay! Break time," Yohack soothed, rubbing his back. "See? Now you're awake, you've laughed, and you're still floating. Mission accomplished."

D.O. took a huge, gasping breath, trying to regain his composure. He still had a giggle hiccup in his chest. "I'm going to... wheeze... get you back for this."