Hanging Out by Pent Ghelsburg
Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this work are purely fictional. Any resemblance to persons alive or dead is purely coincidental. They are the original and rightful intellectual property of their creators. I use them with permission and respect. This work involves underaged characters. You have been warned.
The weeks came and went and with it, Pent and Xavier became more familiar with one another. Hanging out with one another when they got time. They had grown closer, much to the chagrin of the cubs who Xavier used to hang out with. The weather was already getting colder and some amount of snow had already fallen to the ground. The chipmunk hated this time of year because it meant he would be stuck inside more often than not.
One weekend Xavier was lazing about the house in his boxers. He was being lazy and not in much of the mood to do anything. Playing games that interested him but even that never kept his interest before long. It was warmer outside today, enough that whatever was left of the snow had melted. A short-term respite before the often harsh reality of the Canadian winter set in. He very much had a very early case of the winter blues.
His mother walked in. She hated to see him laze about, even more so in nothing but his underwear. She needed to clean and wanted him out of the house. She needed a quick plan and came up with something.
"Why don't you go to the park with one of your friends? I need to clean the house. I can't just have you lazing about the house all day." She said casually as she approached behind him.
The boy peered over his shoulder. "Why? It's cold outside. Too cold to do anything..."
"Don't be such a negative nelly. You've lived up here long enough to be used to the cold. Please grab a jacket and go outside. I need to clean." She tried to reason with him.
The cub sighed deeply. "Fine...I'll get dressed."
"That a boy. Go have fun." She left the room certain that he would go through with what he said he would do.
The brown-furred boy picked himself up. He wasn't a fan of cold weather and he figured it was cold outside. Xavier peered out the window. He could see the snow was melting and there were no signs of frost on the glass. The boy opened the window and stuck his head out. Sure enough, it was only a brisk cool. He was surprised, to say the least as it was normally never this warm this time of year.
Xavier got up and grabbed his phone, looking through his contacts. He had dozens of them. Some of them he hadn't talked to in ages. Eventually, he came to Pent's name and hit the text button.
"Hey, Pent. Do you want to go to the park with me? It's nice outside today and we can go swimming if you're up for it." The cub pressed send and proceeded to look for his swimsuit.
The chipmunk couldn't believe he had suggested swimming. He was certain that the water would be cold. Every fiber of his body shivered to anticipate as such. But soon he overheard the familiar buzz from his phone.
"Yeah, sure. Cartier park?" Pent asked to be sure.
Xavier regretted his idea but it was too late now. "Yeah, meet me in an hour alright?"
"Okay. See you there." The white fox excitedly responded.
Xavier changed into his swim shorts. They fit him well enough despite having not worn them much. He wasn't one for swimming but he figured it would be better than sitting around. Besides he wanted to hang out with Pent as it had been a while since they'd gone to the skate park together. He didn't want Pent to think he was avoiding him. The chipmunk continued to get dressed until he felt he was ready.
Pent on the other hand was more than excited. The prospect of hanging out with Xavier was something that made him happy. He felt a bit nervous, though he wasn't entirely sure why. Pent gritted his hands together as he tried to deal with the anxiety he was experiencing. He was having difficulty finding swim trunks and getting more and more frustrated with each passing second. Just as he was about to give up, he found a pair in the final drawer that Samaliel had snatched from him.
The arctic fox quickly changed into his trunks. Not worried about why his brother had them. Once he was dressed he peered on top of the dresser drawer. Two small bronze chains lie on top of it with the symbol "BFF" engraved into them on one side. On the other Pent's name and Xavier's. The fox had saved up money he had earned from tutoring other students to buy it and he figured now was as good as any time to give it to his friend.
Pent grabbed the two necklaces and pocketed them. His only thought was whether Xavier would like it or not. His brother hadn't noticed the necklace and so he hadn't asked about it, so Samaliel had no idea what Pent had done. Before he left, he grabbed a change of clothes and put it in a bag over his shoulder. The white fox soon appeared from their room into the living room. He saw his younger brother was plugging away at another video game.
"Sama, I'm headed to the park with Xavier while the weather is good." He announced to the other boy who was mid-level.
The salt and pepper cub didn't bother to look at Pent. "Cool, have fun."
"See you later. Don't forget to make yourself lunch..." Pent reminded him as Samaliel more than often got carried away by video games.
Samaliel fidgeted. "Yeah, yeah. I will."
Pent grabbed his skates and put a bag on his back with a towel inside of it. The fox sat on the porch and looked out into the horizon. The skies were grey and not much of the sun was visible. It was warm, especially for Pent who had thicker fur than most anthros. He put his inline skates on and tightened them so they wouldn't fall off his feet. Once he was ready he began to make the journey to the park.
The fox kit had skated enough times to the park that he knew the best route. A few small piles of snow meant he had to change his path but it still didn't take him very long. The entire time he thought about swimming with Xavier. The thought of seeing him shirtless again made him feel funny. Butterflies began to stir in his stomach as he thought about it. He shook himself out of it, telling him he shouldn't think about that.
He made a pretty good time at the park despite all the detours he took. Pent wanted to make sure he was there first, though he wasn't sure why. The cub proceeded to the entrance of the park. Normally someone was at the station under the archway. Today it didn't seem to be the case as he passed by it. The cub was happy as it meant he could get in for free for a change.
Pent proceeded through the playset part of the park. A few cubs were out and about with their parents but it was much more vacant than usual. He assumed it was because it was almost winter and that people assumed the weather changed at any moment. That meant he would be alone with Xavier, something that made him even more excited. He couldn't wait until the other cub showed up.
The fox was the first one to arrive at the lake. The water was almost completely still and very few leaves broke the surface. Pent looked around to check if the chipmunk had arrived but didn't see any sign of his friend. He sat down on a log and loosened his rollerblades so that he could get barefoot to go swimming. He focused on that before he overheard a voice.
"Oh hey, Pent. I wasn't expecting you here to be here so early." Xavier pulled in and parked on his bike.
Pent waved to him. "Yeah, I just got here. I didn't want to miss out on anything."
"Cool, thanks for coming." The chipmunk pulled his bag over to his front change of clothes in it.
The fox smiled "Of course. I wanted to hang out with you. I'm glad you invited me."
Pent finished taking off his skates before Xavier sat down next to him. He looked at the other boy who gave him a toothy grin.
"I'll race you to the water. The last one to jump in is a rotten egg!" The smaller boy took off his shirt and shoes before darting to the water.
The white cub whined as he knew it was too late. Reaching into his pocket to pull out the necklaces and putting them in his bag for later. After all, he didn't them to get lost. He watched as Xavier cannonballed into the water.
"Come on slow poke!" He teased Pent once he was in the water.
The fox was finally ready and rushed to the water. Diving in once he was close enough to the water. The other cub clapped at him as he broke into the water.
"A 10 out of 10...surely an Olympic performance." Xavier joked once Pent poked his head up out of the water.
Pent spit water at him before splashing him once. "Very funny."
"Come on...let's race. I bet I'm faster than you." The chipmunk was big on competition and loved to beat other people, even his friends.
The bigger boy pistoned his arm. "You're on, Xae."
Pent was just just as athletic as the other boy even if Xavier wasn't aware of it. Both boys were equally confident in their skills. Both of them want to beat the other and come out on top.
"On 3...the first one to make a full lap of the lake wins. One...two...three." This time the chipmunk played fair and both boys started at the same time.
The chipmunk started on top first since he was the one who had counted and knew when he would finish. Pent wasn't that far behind. Able to catch up after only a few meters. The fox used all of his boyish might to overcome the other boy, able to pull ahead once they reached halfway. Xavier saw him in the corner of his eye as they continued freestyle down the sides of the lake. He was surprised Pent was keeping up with him.
Xavier started going faster, putting the entirety of his effort into it. Every ounce of his will and desire was poured into each swim stroke. But as they came to the end, Pent came out on top. The bigger boy was the victor. Which meant that they were even.
"Nice race, Xavier..." He said, trying to be a good sport about it.
Xavier smiled at him before going under the water, tugging on Pent's leg. The chipmunk soon reappeared on the other side of him. The smaller boy splashed him, pushing a single wave toward Pent. Pent pushed a wave back at him. The two exchanged blow after blow, not seeming to care about the fact that both of them were already soaking wet. The cubs giggled and laughed
throughout, seeming to rather enjoy themselves.
The smaller boy soon attempted to tackle the other cub. Pushing his body forward, trying to pull him underwater. Pent was unprepared for this, having to give in to the sudden act of aggression. The two boys' bodies twirled in tandem, one on top of the other for mere seconds before giving way to the other cub. The little show of dominance favored neither boy. They were equally matched even if neither was willing to give way.
They soon grew tired of it. Xavier released Pent and allowed himself to just float for a moment. The fox watched him with interest. His friend's body was mostly visible through the water. Deciding to join him before long, having some difficulty before finding his own body's buoyancy and floating alongside him. The two simply lay there for some time, neither saying much of anything to the other. Pent felt like he was on top of the world.
Soon Xavier started to tread the water. It had already been a while and was getting close to lunch. He had one more idea before he suggested to get out. After all, he didn't want matted fur and he was certain Pent wouldn't either.
"Wanna see who can hold their breath the longest? It will break the tie for good." Xavier just wanted to come out on top to be the better boy.
Pent gave him a thumbs up, equally as competitive as the other cub. "Alright...one...two...three."
Both boys submerged within a few meters of each other. Neither boy was very experienced in holding their breath. Yet even still they remained underwater. About a minute passed and Xavier was ready to give up. He was far from naive and knew his limits. Reappearing and waiting for Pent for a few seconds. Yet the cub did not show up. He panicked, assuming that Pent had overdone it.
Quickly he acted and swam back underwater. The cub was easy to find since he was so close by. Lifting him by placing his head under his shoulder. It took a bit of effort but eventually, Xavier was able to get him to the surface. Not stopping there, bringing Pent to the shallow end of the lake and pushing him onto dry land. Now that he was on dry land, Xavier did a couple of chest compressions on his friend. It only took twice but Pent spat up water and choked.
"What the hell, dude? Why did you do that? You had me so worried." Xavier looked down at his friend who hadn't been underwater that long.
Pent took deep breaths trying to catch his breath. "Sorry...I didn't mean to."
"Winning is one thing but I don't want you to hurt yourself. Okay, Pent? Please promise you won't do that again...: The chipmunk had never been so worried in his life.
The fox smiled. "Thanks for saving me..."
"Of course...your my friend. I'm not just going to leave you there." The chipmunk sighed in relief.
The fox stared at Xavier. Drops of water poured off his body. The sun glistened against his form. His image transfixed him as he stared at the boy. The sight of his shirtless body tantalized him again.
"Are you okay?" The chipmunk noticed the boy's glazed-over glare.
Pent shook his head trying to snap himself out of it. "Yeah...sorry..."
"Maybe we should go get lunch now. I mean it is lunchtime...I think." Xavier suggested as his stomach was already growling.
The fox sat up and got to his legs. "Wait...I have something for you."
"You do?" The smaller boy had no idea what he was talking about.
The bigger cub went over to his bag and collected the two necklaces he had bought. He brought it over to the other boy and showed it to his friend. He held his paw open as Xavier looked at it and soon took it from him.
"This is for me?... This looks expensive, Pent." The chipmunk wasn't sure he should take it.
Pent nodded. "Yeah, I thought you would like it. I want you to know your my best friend."
"Oh...wow. I had no idea. Well...thank you, Pent. I like it a lot." The smaller cub stopped short of making Pent his own best friend.
The fox smiled. "Cool, I'm glad."
"Come on...let's get lunch and then we can do something else?" Xavier didn't quite have an idea yet.
Pent seemed surprised. "Like...in your room? I would like that."
Xavier put on his necklace and gave Pent a toothy grin. The other boy put his own on, a sense of pride filling him. More than glad that Xavier was willing to wear the small trinket. The chipmunk put a shirt back on and slid his socks and shoes back over his feet. He waited for Pent to get his skates laced up. The smaller cub considered racing him but figured it wouldn't be fair and assumed the bike would have an advantage.
"Hang on to my seat. We'll get there quicker." The chipmunk suggested to save some time.
Pent nodded and put his back on his back, the other boy doing the same before mounting his bike. The fox soon followed the instructions and waited for his friend to kick off. It took Xavier a little more strength to get started. He'd had enough people ride his pegs before but had never actually towed anyone. Still, he found it to not be very difficult once he got started.
The smaller boy led them to a hotdog shack. One that had outdoor seating with plastic umbrellas overheard. The place was void of business currently since it was still cold out. But since the cubs had been outside all day, the chill was in the air. They proceeded to the front pickup window and were asked what they wanted.
"Uh...I'll take a hot dog and fries. What do you want Pent?" Xavier reached into his pocket, intent on buying the other boy food.
Pent blushed a bit. "I'll have a veggie dog..and some fries..."
"He'll have a veggie dog and fries. Can we have an ice cream for after?" The chipmunk realized he only had enough for one but figured they could share it.
The vendor inside took his money and went to work on making them food. They were more than glad to have a business and weren't about to turn it down, even if Xavier couldn't afford a tip.
"Thanks for buying me lunch." Pent's tail wagged behind him noticeably.
Xavier parked his bike while the fox was waiting. "It's cool. It's the least I can do for what you bought me."
They found an open table. Sitting right next to each other despite there being more than enough space for them to separate. Xavier's shoulder pushed right against Pent. Having his friend so close to him made Pent feel funny again. He tried to ignore it, just trying to enjoy himself. The food arrived before long. It didn't take long to make since they were the only two there.
"We will bring the ice cream when you two are ready for it. Just let us know." The vendor handed off a plate to each of them.
Xavier thanked them and didn't bother waiting to eat his food. He was starting. It was well past their usual lunchtime. Pent was surprised to see him dig through his food so quickly. Seemingly in under a minute, the food was gone. The fox stared at his friend's snout which had some ketchup on it. He reached over and wiped it off with his finger. Showing it off to the other boy as if it was a trophy of his. Pent soon started his meal, much slower to go about it but enjoying it all the same.
When they were both done, Xavier disposed of the garbage in a nearby bin and checked with the vendor. The vendor didn't need to be told a second time as he knew what the cub was there for. Soon reappearing with a single white scoop of ice cream on a waffle cone. No spoons were inside as the place didn't have plasticware as it was a finger food venue. Xavier didn't mind having to share with the other boy. The idea of germs didn't seem like something that occurred to him.
Xavier was handed off the cone of ice cream. Smiling widely at the vendor who thought it was odd he had ordered it this winter. Still, they didn't question it and went about their way. The chipmunk sat back down next to Pent and showed it proudly to the other cub. Pent assumed he had bought it for himself and watched him lick it once over.
"Want some, Pent?" Xavier asked since the fox wasn't partaking on his own.
The white fox was confused. "But it's just a single scoop of ice cream. You can have it."
"Nah, I bought it for both of us. Take a few licks if you want." The chipmunk held it up to his friend as the thing glistened against the sunlight.
Pent nodded and smiled taking a slurp of it. His longer vulpine tongue almost reached the other side of it. Vanilla was his favorite but he wasn't sure that Xavier knew that. He only took a single lick as he didn't want to be greedy.
"That's good. Thanks..." Pent figured he wasn't entitled to more than a single taste.
Xavier brought it back to his side and chomped into it, then licked his snout. The cold treat gave him a bit of brain freeze but he was able to ignore it for the most part. He held it out to Pent again, expecting him to take a bite. It took a second for the bigger cub to figure out what he wanted but soon indulged. Allowing himself to take a bite, but not enough to finish off the small scoop of ice cream.
The chipmunk finished off the treat and broke off the waffle cone before handing half to Pent. The two nibbled away with silly grins on their faces as if they were doing something naughty.
"What do you want to do now, Pent?" Xavier wanted to see if the other cub had any ideas before he suggested something.
The arctic fox hummed. "Uh...do you want to go warm up at my place? It's probably going to get colder soon."
"Yeah, sure. My parents can pick me up later." The chipmunk was certain they wouldn't have a problem with it, especially since his mother wanted him out of the house.
The two cleaned up their mess and collected their things. The temperature was indeed starting to drop and Xavier was shivering a bit. Pent noticed and gave the cub his jacket.
"Are you sure? I don't want you to get cold." The smaller boy felt a bit guilty for taking it.
Pent shook his head. "My fur is more than enough for this weather. Don't worry about it."
With
that, the two boys made their exit from the hotdog stand. Xavier collected his bike and waited for Pent to collect their bags. Once again the chipmunk took it upon himself to act as the guide. He didn't want his friend to fall behind. Pent didn't need to be asked a second time and understood what he was getting at when he patted the rear end of his seat. They pushed off once Pent had taken hold of the underside of the bike seat.
Xavier knew all of the back roads. He decided to see if they could decrease the commute to Pent's place without knowing if it would work or not. The fox was a bit nervous about having the boy over but not nearly as much as the first time. The chipmunk sped through all the twists and turns of the alleyways. Pent managed to keep a tight hold on the seat. The two were able to make good time as they darted towards Pent's house.
When they arrived the sun was beginning to set. The orange-red skies cascaded overhead. Pent stared into the distance and admired the sight. Xavier pulled into the bike rack and got off his bike. By this point, he was a worked-up, hot, and sweaty mess. He wiped his forehead as he rested on his right foot, tilting his bike to the side. Xavier caught his breath as he waited for Pent to get off.
"I need to call my parents and tell them where I am. I will be right in, alright?" The chipmunk knew he had to ask for permission.
The Arctic fox nodded and understood. He noticed the boy was hot and sweaty and wanted to get him a drink of water. Quickly heading inside, he didn't worry about the fact he still had his skates on. His foster mother was never home and she didn't seem to notice when he skated through the house.
"Hey, Sama. I'm home. He announced through the room and coincidently enough the younger cub was still in the living room.
Samaliel didn't bother to respond. He was much too busy, at least in his mind, trying to beat some boss that he'd lost to more than enough times. Pent shuffled himself into the kitchen and didn't bother to make himself some water. Instead getting the biggest glass and filling it with water before making his way back to the other boy. He found Xavier waiting at the front door for him, already having let himself inside.
"Do you think I could stay over tonight? My parents can't pick me up til the morning." Xavier hadn't slept over at a boy's in a long time and felt weird asking.
Pent handed him the glass of water. "You mean...like a sleepover?"
"Yeah, are you cool with it?" The chipmunk sipped on the water and took off Pent's jacket that he'd borrowed.
The fox stammered. "Uh...okay. I've....never had anyone sleep over before."
"Cool, thanks. I think my parents are still cleaning." The smaller cub gulped down the water and wiped his forehead.
The bigger boy locked the door behind them and proceeded to sit down to take his skates off.
"Should I take my shoes off?" Xavier asked as it was normal practice at his own house.
Pent thought about it for a second. "Yeah, probably. We've been outside today and they are probably dirty."
The fox proceeded to loosen his skates so that he could take them off. The other cub not even bothering to untie his shoes. Instead kicking off his shoes and bending his toes inside as they were stiff. Pent had noticed Xavier in his socks before and it was a bit intriguing to him. The fox finished getting his skates off and stood back up.
"Let's go warm up. Then we can take a shower before we get ready for bed." Pent suggested though he knew he'd have to make dinner for both of them.
Xavier followed the fox to his room. Inside Pent's room, he had a small space heater that he used when the heater for the house wasn't enough. The fox lead him over to where the space heater was. Pent hadn't turned it on and neither had Samaliel so he moved it to an area where they could both enjoy it. The fox wasn't cold but he wanted his friend to be comfortable. He turned it on and sat down in front of it, patting the spot next to him for his best friend to join him.
Xavier nodded, wiping back the fur off his face. It was a bit matted down from the combination of sweat and water from earlier. Both boys sat with their knees folded, next to each other. The space heater took a few moments to warm up but when it did, they both noticed it.
"I hope this is enough." Pent wanted to make sure as he knew most of what he lived with was the bare minimum.
Xavier thought about his fireplace. "This is fine."
A small space separated the two boys but Pent could pick up something different about how the other boy smelled. He wanted to get closer to him but he didn't want to make it weird. An awkward silence was shared between the two for a few moments. They remained there, still and motionless, for over a half hour until Xavier started to doze off.
Xavier had overspent himself today. He was tired, even if he didn't want to admit it. Even sitting up was becoming increasingly difficult. He yawned and stretched.
"Sorry...I'm really tired." The chipmunk remarked finally.
Pent faked a yawn. "Yeah me too...want me to make some food and we can hit the hay?"
"Yeah, sure. Can I take a shower?" The smaller boy assumed he probably smelt bad.
The fox murmured. "You...uh...yeah...you can take a shower."
"I didn't bring any bedclothes with me. Can I borrow some of yours?" Xavier had borrowed other cub's clothes before and didn't think it was an odd request.
Pent again hesitated. "Oh...yeah...sure...that's fine..."
"Cool, thanks. Which drawer is yours?" The chipmunk got up and yawned and stretched again, showing a bit of his belly.
The white fox pointed to the big dresser. "The top three drawers are mine."
The bigger boy got up, not worried about which of his clothes the other cub used. Pent started to make his way to the kitchen, thinking about what to make Xavier. He wanted it to be good and for his best friend to like it. As he was entering the kitchen, he overheard the shower running. Almost running into Samaliel as he entered inside.
"Who's in the shower? Is foster mom home for once?" Samaliel asked since it wasn't Pent.
Pent shook his head. "Oh, nah. It's Xavier. He's staying the night."
"He's sleeping over? Cool. That's good, Pent. I'm happy for you." The salt and pepper fox's tail wagged behind him.
The white fox cub smiled. "Yeah, his parents couldn't pick him up after went to the park."
"Well...try to relax. I'm sure it will be fine." The younger boy was certain his brother was nervous.
"What should I make for dinner, Sama?" Pent asked the cub his opinion.
Samaliel hummed. "How about chicken strips? I bet he would like that and I'm in the mood for it as well."
"Alright. Go ahead and start the oven and make the veggies and stuff." The older boy instructed his brother who he assumed would help him.
The salt and pepper boy groaned. "Aw…I want to finish my game. I'm so close to beating it."
"Go ahead, Samaliel. I will take care of dinner." The white fox decided to let his brother off the hook.
Pent began making food, cooking the chicken strips along with some tofu for himself. Having dietary restrictions was sometimes a pain but meat gave him stomach pains. It was an issue he had learned to deal with ages ago. He got his protein from other sources and very few people, other than Samaliel knew of it.
"Do you need help?" Xavier padded into the kitchen, now cleaned up and wearing Pent's stuff.
Pent shook his head but didn't look behind him. "It's fine, Xae. It won't take long. Go on and relax…you've been towing me around all day. It's the least I can do for you."
"Alright." Xavier wasn't entirely sure what to do with himself and decided to sit in the kitchen and wait for Pent to finish.
The white fox continued to cook, busy as he often was at night. It was far from the first time he'd cooked but it was the first time Xavier was aware of the fact. It made it even more obvious about Pent's living situation which he still didn't fully understand. Xavier continued to remain silent while Pent worked. The fox took care of what was in the oven and flipped the strips when it was time. Making sure to coat his tofu with some flavoring as he didn't like it when it was bland.
Xavier watched in fascination. He'd never seen a kid his age cook before. Both of his parents cooked for him and he hadn't learned himself.
"I had no idea you knew how to cook, Pent. That's cool." He tried to compliment his friend.
The bigger boy was surprised he was still in the room. "Oh, uh…yeah. Our foster mom is never home so…"
"Do you mind if I ask you something personal?" The curiosity had gotten the better of Chipmunk and he wanted to know about his friend's parents.
Xavier huffed. "You don't have to answer this if you don't want….but where are your biological parents?"
Pent hesitated a moment before answering. It was a question he wasn't wholly expecting. He supposed it was alright to tell his best friend.
"Samaliel and I are waiting to be adopted. Our biological parents weren't fit to take care of us. It's…a long story." The fox was careful to tread on too many details.
The chipmunk suddenly felt guilty. "Oh, wow…I had no idea. I'm so sorry I brought it up."
"It's fine. You were curious. It's just not something I like to talk about." Pent wanted to change the subject and was trying not to break down.
Xavier got up and touched his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Pent. I won't bring it up again…I promise. I hope you guys get adopted soon."
"Me too...Xae…Me too…" The fox didn't know the true joys of having a family outside of his younger brother.
The smaller boy frowned and sat back down. "Um…do you want me to sleep on the sofa tonight?"
Xavier knew Pent's room was much smaller than his own and assumed he wanted to sleep in his bed.
"Nah, you can sleep in my bed. I will sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag. My brother has a few of them from when he had some
people over." The fox had already calculated the plan in his mind.
The chipmunk looked up again. "Are you sure? I don't mind sleeping on the couch if you want."
"You're my best friend…I want you to have my bed. It's just for one night." Pent pulled out the meat oven and the tofu from the steamer.
The smaller boy smiled and got up to help his friend serve up the meal. The fox looked at him, chuckling at the slightly baggy clothing on his friend. When they were done, Pent called Samaliel to the dinner table. The younger boy didn't immediately answer as once again he had gotten way into the video game he was playing. He followed up with a more stern yell but still, the younger cub didn't answer.
"I'll go get him." Xavier remarked before going out of the kitchen.
The chipmunk poked himself out into the living room. He saw that the younger boy was in the middle of some level he didn't recognize from a game he wasn't familiar with.
"Samaliel, your brother asked me to come to get you for dinner." The rodent peered over the sofa at the cub who was laying down on his chest.
The salt and pepper fox was completely transfixed. "I'm fine…eat without me."
"I think you're brother would like it if you joined us." Xavier continued to try to convince him.
Samaliel whined. "Aw…why can't I just eat in here?"
"Because family comes first and your brother is your family." The chipmunk tried reasoning with him.
The cub rolled his eyes and paused the game. "Fine…."
The older boy chuckled before going back into the kitchen. Pent had taken a seat already, waiting for all of them. Three chairs are set out. One next to him and one opposite of him. He fully expected Samaliel to sit next to him as he always had during dinner. However, since Xavier was the first one in the room he took advantage of the open spot and sit next to his friend. Samaliel soon joined the opposite of them.
"Thanks, Pent." Samaliel tried to show his gratitude.
Xavier also smiled widely. "Yes, this looks very good."
"Cool…I hope you like it." Pent was worried more about Xavier than his brother liking the food he made.
The three of them got to eating before long. Samaliel rushed through his food. He had no interest in waiting for him. It was far from the first time he'd blazed through food. Leaving his stuff on the table and dashing back to his video game.
"Quite the little gamer, huh?" Xavier chuckled again.
Pent sighed. "So he would like to think."
"I had a lot of fun today, Pent. I'm glad you came to the park." The chipmunk looked at his friend as he was eating his food.
The bigger boy remained focused on the food in front of him. "Me too."
The smaller cub yawned and stretched again. "Sorry…I'm tired."
"It's okay…we can go to sleep soon." Pent wasn't as tired but he wasn't about to reject the other boys request to rest.
Xavier finished the rest of his meal. The bigger fox wasn't far behind him. When they were done, they worked to clean the table. The boy's best friend made sure to help him as he wasn't about to leave Pent high and dry. Especially since his brother was showing no willingness to help. It didn't take them very long to clean since it was only three of them. Though it was the first time Xavier had seen someone do dishes by hand.
It made him appreciate his situation more than it might have otherwise. He did not comment on it and handed the fox the dishes as he cleaned them one by one. Only to put them in a plastic rack to dry after. It was a rather arcane method but one that Pent had used without much issue over the past few years. Still, Xavier couldn't help but stare at him as it wasn't something he was used to at all.
When Pent was done, the two exited the kitchen. The white fox checked on his brother who was still playing video games.
"Don't stay up all night, alright?" He remarked to Samaliel over the sofa without stepping to the other side.
The salt and pepper fox waved him off. "Yeah, yeah."
Pent rolled his eyes and began to walk to his room. Already planning to read something since Xavier wanted to sleep. The bigger boy still hadn't showered yet so he knew he needed to take care of that before he retired for the night. Once they were inside his room, Xavier looked at his bed. He had seen it before but didn't remember how small it was. It was much smaller than his own which was a King Sized piece of furniture.
"I'm going to take a shower. Make yourself at home." Pent grabbed himself a change of clothes before heading to the bathroom.
Xavier padded around the room. A small height chart with a few pencil marks on it. It seemed to only be the smaller boy as he didn't see any close to his size. He thought it was cute they were keeping track of the younger boy's growth. Only a single picture frame was in the room. He picked it up and looked at it. It was of Pent and Samaliel. Both of them seemed rather content. Placing it back down he looked at the posters.
It was clear which ones were Pent's and which ones were Samaliel's. The older fox had only a small portion of the wall dedicated to his interests. A few science fair trophies lined a bookshelf with more books than Xavier cared to count. The chipmunk fingered through them. All of them were far thicker than anything he would read. He knew Pent liked to read but had no idea just how much. Many of them were non-fiction and even the titles seemed confusing to him.
Xavier picked up a plaque he found and read it. Pent's name was emblazoned on it with the name of a project he had completed. "First Place with Distinguished Honors." It was clear the boy was well beyond his level of academic understanding. He put it back down and sneezed as some of the dust entered his nostrils.
"Bless you." Samaliel had finished playing his game and had entered their room.
Xavier was surprised to hear the younger boy's voice. "Done with your game?"
"No, but I need to use the bathroom and Pent is in the shower. So I'm waiting here until he's done." The younger fox walked over to a beanbag chair and sat into it.
The chipmunk shrugged. "Oh, I see. That stinks."
"Looking at Pent's stuff?" Samaliel had seen him take hold of one of Pent's plaques.
The older boy nodded. "Yeah, he seems smart."
"You could say that, though he'd never admit it. He doesn't like to get anything but perfect grades." The salt and pepper boy had witnessed his brother break down many times in the past because of getting 99s.
Xavier's mouth opened in awe. "Wait…you mean he's never gotten a B?"
"A b? I don't even think he's gotten below a 95." The younger cub thought about it a bit.
Samaliel shrugged. "He's in all advanced classes. Is he in any of yours?"
"Uh…no? I hadn't thought about it until you mentioned it." The rodent scratched his head.
The younger cub poked his forehead. "Yeah, he's smart even if he never talks about it."
"That's cool. I had no idea." Xavier continued to peer through his friend's stuff.
Samaliel heard the water turn off. "Well…see ya. He's out of the shower."
With that, the younger cub darted out of the room as nature called and he wanted to relieve himself. Xavier stopped prying in on Pent's stuff, not noticing the few sports trophies he had since they were much fewer in number. It wasn't much longer before Pent reappeared with a towel wrapped around him. The chipmunk was just climbing into the bottom bunk.
"Making yourself comfortable?" Pent asked to be certain.
The rodent looked over at him. "Oh, yeah. I'm just getting in bed now. I was just looking around your room."
"Cool." The white fox was nervous about having the other cub in his bed though he wasn't sure why.
Pent walked over to his closet and pulled out a sleeping bag before unrolling it on the floor. He hadn't slept in a sleeping bag in ages but figured he could if he tried to. Xavier yawned and pulled himself under the sheets. The fox's bed was much smaller than his own and he wasn't much smaller than the bed itself. Though he didn't say anything about it out of fear of upsetting his friend who didn't have the same circumstances he did. It truly made him appreciate his life.
"Good night, Pent." Xavier yawned again and pulled the sheets over him.
The white fox walked over and nodded to him. "Good night, Xavier."
The cub decided to stay up a bit. He wasn't quite up to sleep yet and decided to read before bed. He turned off the light for his friend and used one of his many book lights. Pulling out a book from the shelf and proceeding to try to get comfortable on the bedspread. The floor was much harder than the bed but he wanted to put up with it. He began reading, allowing himself to be lost in the contents of the book.
About an hour passed. Samaliel eventually returned to the room. Not surprised to see Pent reading again. Retiring himself to bed and not checking in on his brother. The older boy was glad his brother would go to bed relatively early that night. Shortly after Samaliel went to sleep, Xavier roused from his slumber and slipped out of bed. He almost stepped on Pent, who he didn't realize was still awake.
"Why are you still awake?" He whispered to the other boy as he assumed Samaliel had come to rest.
Pent peered over his shoulder. "I'm reading. I can't sleep."
"Don't stay up all night, alright?" Xavier didn't want his friend to be exhausted in the morning.
The fox closed his book. "Alright…"
"Haha…you're just like your brother." The chipmunk chuckled and got up to use the bathroom.
The smaller boy relieved himself before returning to the room. He saw Pent had turned off his little book light.
"Promise me you'll try to sleep?" Xavier got down on the floor next to Pent and pleaded with him.
The Arctic fox nodded, he had already returned his book. "Yeah."
Xavier crawled back into his bed and kept a close eye on Pent. Eventually, his fatigue drove him back to sleep. The fox was uncomfortable and tried
to adjust himself. His fatigue was catching up with him as yawned. The promise he made to the other boy sat in the back of his mind, serving as more than enough reason for him to give in. Eventually, his body's desire to sleep consumed him and he slipped away into the dream world.
Pent had an odd dream that night. One that he would remember rather vividly the following morning. He was at the park with Xavier again. The image of the chipmunk boy's shirtless body filled his mind with confused thoughts. Yet since he was asleep, he had no idea or control over it. The two boys were sitting next to each other at the side of the lake. They were watching the sunset together...the beaming sunlight basking in the distance brimming in crimson red and orange.
Xavier was still without words. Neither of them had spoken. Pent tried speaking and yet no words came out of his mouth. The chipmunk looked over at him and the fox returned his gaze. The two looked at one another, their focus remaining on each other. Pent reached forward and touched the top of the other cub's hand. The smaller boy didn't detract, instead remaining constant in their exchange. Pent felt butterflies flow through him.
Pent leaned forward, as if on sheer intuition alone. Hist heart raced ever more quickly. Xavier did not pull away. The fox closed his eyes…his lips nearing within centimeters of the other boy. The moment they were about to touch lips…to kiss….he awoke abruptly. Pent panted heavily. His heart was still beating fast. He sat up trying to gauge what just happened. Had he just…fantasized about his best friend? About…kissing him?
The fox sat there trying to collect his thoughts. He was confused. He'd never thought this way about anyone before. Why was he having these thoughts about Xavier? He tried to settle himself down and looked at the chipmunk. The other cub was deep asleep. He checked the clock, it was rather late. Pent got up and went to the bathroom. Washing his face with water. Wanting nothing more than to get rid of the thoughts he'd just experienced.
Pent tried to suppress his concern. A bubbling feeling he had inside of something he was entirely uncertain of. A lingering yet vet subtle desire to be closer to his friend. Trying to silence his worries. Getting back into bed and tossing and turning for quite a while. Alone with his thoughts. The fear drove through his young mind. Wanting things to return to normal to not experience such things ever again.
It took a while for Pent to go back to sleep. When he did he did not wake again until Samaliel stampeded out of the room. The fox wasn't a deep sleeper and the thumping of the smaller boy's paws on the carpet was more than enough to wake him up. The older fox eased himself up, glad the night was over. His dream was still in the back of his mind, ever vigilant in keeping it that way. No one had to know about it and most certainly not Xavier.
Pent got up and checked on Xavier who was still asleep. Deciding not to bother him and instead go ahead and start breakfast. The arctic fox pulled himself up and yawned. He'd not gotten a lot of sleep last night and his body was complaining. He arrived in the kitchen with bags under his eyes. Samaliel was already in the room making himself some cereal.
"You look terrible. Did you not get any sleep last night?" Samaliel noticed his brother was slouching about.
The fox yawned again. "Some…but I had a nightmare."
"Oh…that sucks. Sorry to hear that. Well…at least it's over." The salt and pepper boy couldn't help but wonder what it was about.
The white fox stretched and walked to the sink before splashing himself with cold water.
"Morning. My parents already texted me this morning. They will pick me up in about an hour." Xavier announced with a happy smile on his face.
Pent nodded. "Alright, that sounds good. I hope you had a good sleep."
"Yeah, it was good. Thanks for letting me stay over." The chipmunk still felt bad about using the other boy's bed.
The fox proceeded to make them some breakfast. Picking out some eggs and scrambling them for the boy and making sure to give him some sausage. Just leave out the meat for himself. Sitting down next to him again. The familiar feeling of butterflies in his stomach again. He tried ignoring it and instead focusing on the meal. Samaliel darted out of the room with his cereal, seemingly to focus on his game again.
Xavier made quick work of his meal, though Pent was a bit slower to finish his own. The fox cub was distracted by his thoughts. Still trying to suppress his memory of the dream. His eyes glazed over a bit.
"You okay?" Xavier noticed the cub was playing with the food he made himself.
Pent stammered. "Huh? Oh yeah…sorry…I just had a nightmare."
"I hate nightmares. Sometimes…I tell my mom about my nightmares and that helps me. Do you want to talk about it?" The chipmunk hadn't had a nightmare in quite a while.
The white fox shook his head. "Nah…I know it wasn't real anyways."
"Okay, well…offer stands, dude. Alright? I'm here for you if you need me." The smaller cub smiled widely and finished his food.
Pent forced himself to eat even if he wasn't really in the mood for it. Xavier helped the fox clean up. Soon there was a knock on the door. It was apparent that the chipmunk's parents had arrived to pick him up early.
"Go ahead and grab your stuff. I will answer the door." Pent said to the other boy so he could get ready to leave.
Xavier went back into Pent's room and changed back into the stuff he brought in his bag. Leaving the stuff he borrowed on the kit's bed. He returned soon after to find Pent and his father waiting for him.
"Hey, bucko. Sorry, we couldn't pick you up last night. Tell your parents I said thanks for letting him stay the night." The man said, unsure where the cub's guardians were.
Pent never took it personally when people didn't know his situation. "I will."
"See ya, Pent. I had a lot of fun. Maybe next time you can come over to my house." The chipmunk suggested as an offhanded comment.
The bigger cub's tail wagged behind him. "Okay. See ya, Xae."
Pent had never been over anyone's house before but he didn't think he was averse to the idea. The boy and his father soon departed from his home. The fox felt a sense of relief that the other boy was gone. No longer nearly as nervous since he wasn't around anymore. Still, he enjoyed having him around. It gave him a strange sense of comfort that he still didn't completely understand. He looked over at his brother who was again on the floor.
"Did you win yet?" He asked, trying to take an interest in the game.
The salt and pepper boy grunted. "No…"
"You'll get there. Keep at it, bro." Pent rotated around the sofa and picked up the bowl that Samaliel had taken from the kitchen.
"Get outta my way…I can't see." Samaliel grunted as he tried to see through Pent's legs.
The fox rolled his eyes. "I'm just cleaning your mess. Relax."
Samaliel paused the game until Pent had moved. The moment of delay annoyed him a bit, even if he didn't let his brother know. The white fox returned to the kitchen and quickly cleaned the bowl. He looked out the window and saw no signs of a vehicle. He assumed that Xavier had gone home now. He felt empty now as if wanting something he couldn't have. Washing his face again so he would stop thinking about it.
He cleaned Samaliel's bowl and put it away. Proceeding back to his room, thinking about reading or doing something else that sparked his interest. Upon arriving inside he saw that his bed had been made. The clothing that the other boy had borrowed from him lay folded on the pillow. He walked over and looked at the folded clothing. Touching it, the clothes weren't warm anymore. He wanted to see if he could smell the other cub.
Bringing it to his nose and smelling it. Pent could smell himself. No signs of the other boy remained in the garment. A sense of disappointment filled him as he disposed of the laundry in the small bin where the rest of the laundry was. He threw it inside before turning around to find it. The fox filed through his books until he found something new. Sitting down and allowing himself to be lost within. Glad that he could focus on that and not let his worries bother him anymore.
Xavier was in the truck with his father. The boy had a pretty chummy relationship with the older man. He was much closer to him than his mother. She considered them two peas of a pod. Her son was very much a chip off the old block, except that her husband played soccer.
"How was your sleepover? It's been a while since you've slept over at another friend's." The man remarked but kept his eyes on the road ahead of him.
The chipmunk boy looked out the window. "It was fun. I like to hang out with Pent."
"Yeah, you're mother told me you two are getting along quite well." The father took a sharp turn around a corner.
Xavier nodded. "Uh-huh. I feel bad that he doesn't have more friends though. The other kids just see him as a nerd. He's nice."
"Oh? She told me he was shy but I had no idea he was that shy." He continued to try to take an interest in his son's friendship.
The cub looked down. "He asked me to be his best friend. I didn't ask him to be mine…"
"How come? You seem to like him enough." The man knew his son could sometimes be naïve.
The boy looked at his father. "Because people already think I'm a nerd for hanging out with him. What will they think if I ask him to be my best friend?"
The man sighed deeply. "Why are you so worried about what other people think? Do you care?"
"I dunno. I've already lost most of my lacrosse friends since they found out I was hanging out with him." Xavier frowned a bit.
The older chipmunk slowed down to a complete stop. "Then they aren't you're friends are they?"
"No, I guess not. I might quit the school lacrosse team because of it." Xavier shared
something he hadn't told his father just yet.
His father looked at him. "Still, I think you should reconsider your choices of friends. I know you like being popular but popularity means nothing if it's just fake."
"What do you mean?" The cub didn't usually get lectured by his father like this.
The man started the car again. "I mean that friendship only matters if it's mutual."
"Okay, Dad…thanks." The chipmunk boy didn't understand what he was getting at but accepted it all the same.
They proceeded to go home. Not many more words were shared between them. Xavier was thinking to himself what he wanted. Did he want to ask Pent to be his best friend? Part of him thought yes but the other side told him now. It was a conundrum that he began to battle with. He liked Pent but he wasn't sure what the right choice was. He looked at the chain Pent had given him, the thing shined in his palm.
Deciding to pocket it for the time being. Pent probably wouldn't notice anyways…he told himself. The cub went inside his house. No longer thinking about the issue. Instead thinking about simpler things. About things that didn't matter nearly as much. Both boys had avoided their problem in different ways, each dealing with very different inner demons. But in a way having different versions of a rather similar problem.
