Hiking with Him 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.
A few days had passed since Pent and Xavier had made up. They were hanging out again and other students had begun to notice. Despite Xavier's promise to be more public about it, he still wasn't quite as willing to show affection for his boyfriend in school. It was something that didn't bother Pent who was trying to take things just as slowly. Still, rumors were already beginning to fly about why they were hanging out again.
It had been a while since their last date and Pent had been calculating in his head what would be a good idea. The weather had been taming down enough to the point that most of the snow had melted. It wasn't exactly warm yet but it meant that they could go outside. He wondered what kinds of things the couple did to be romantic. He had no experience in it other than what he'd done so far.
Xavier on the other hand had finally told his parents that he was dating Pent. They were more than happy that he'd moved on from Gloria. He was surprised to find out that they had suspected as much but had never said anything about it. His grades had started going up again and he'd even scored a C on the math test despite having only one night of preparation for it. His friend continued to tutor him even despite him still being grounded.
Eventually, his parents started to relent. He hadn't been late a single day nor had he skipped since getting away from the wolf. It was a change that they all too welcomed. Pent was a positive influence on their son and they continued to hope for better. They had already shortened his grounding period and given him a chance to lessen it even further. It was an opportunity he just couldn't pass up.
Xavier had been cooped up inside for a while. The next lacrosse season was right around the corner and he almost had good enough grades to get on the team. He was bored and had nothing to do, or so he thought. He much preferred going outside to staying in. So that Friday night he decided to ask his parents if he could go on a hike with Pent. It was dinner time and he had brought home another good score on his most recent homework to show them.
"How was school, bucko?" His father asked him while he was at the table sitting with them.
Xavier shrugged and handed them the graded paper. "It was good. Look what I got."
"Oh nice, dude. Your first B in quite a while." He gave his son a high five.
The chipmunk boy nodded. "Yup. I was wondering if I could invite Pent for a hike?"
"What do you think, hon?" The father looked at his wife.
She hummed. "I don't see why not. He's been a good boy lately. Let's reward him."
"Thanks, Mom and Dad. Can you drive us in the morning?" Xavier asked since it was still too cold to bike.
"Most certainly. I will pack both of you lunch and pick you up before dinner. But you need to come home before dinner. Sound good?" His mother offered him a deal.
Xavier wanted more time with Pent. "Can he come over after?"
"Maybe. We'll see. You're still grounded and whatnot. If you finish your homework tonight, I will let him come over." His father countered the offer.
The chipmunk nodded. "Okay!"
"But we want to see it!" She said, not questioning that he'd do it to see Pent.
Xavier nodded and finished the rest of his meal rather quickly. He wanted to get through his homework but knew they wouldn't be happy if he rushed. It had been a long and boring day at school. Mostly review, which he wasn't crazy about. He was tired but he wanted nothing more than to finish his homework. He began working on it and continued toiling for the next few hours.
Bedtime soon came and his mother came to check on him. He had finished everything but one assignment. She checked the papers to make sure he hadn't rushed.
"Sorry…I didn't finish. I'll stay up to finish, Mom." He said seeming serious in his intent.
She shook her head. "Nope. It's bedtime. Don't worry about it. You worked hard enough. Your little boyfriend can come over for dinner if his mother is okay with it.."
"Mom….don't call him that, please…." Xavier hated that word when she used it.
She chuckled. "Good night, Xae. Get washed up and go to bed."
Xavier grabbed his pajamas and boxers and headed into the bathroom. He stripped his clothing and went into the shower. Thinking about tomorrow with Pent and how fun it would be to just spend time with him again. Possibly watching the sun rise with him and holding hands and kissing. The image of the other boy passionately kissing him again filled him again. He wanted to try it himself this time, to show Pent he loved him just as much.
After he cleaned himself and dried up the chipmunk crawled into bed and grabbed his phone. He scrolled through his contacts. It was much shorter now. Finding Pent's name before sending him a text.
"Hey, I hope you're awake. Are you there?" Xavier stared at the screen waiting for a message.
A few seconds passed. "Yeah, I was reading. What's up?"
"You want to go hiking tomorrow? It's supposed to be nice out." The chipmunk was hopeful.
The fox wasted no time in responding, already excited. "Heck, yeah. Where are we meeting?"
"My parents will pick you up. Do you think your mother if you come over after dinner?" The brown-furred boy already had their entire day planned out.
Pent didn't bother to check. "Nah, she doesn't care what I do."
"Cool, maybe you can sleep over too if you want." It wasn't something he'd asked his parents but he didn't think it would be a problem.
The fox responded quickly. "Definitely. Count me in."
"Alright, see you in the morning. Good night" He was going to type I love you but deleted it.
The chipmunk looked out the window and peered at the same sky wondering what Pent was thinking about. Both boys were already excited about their day together. It was only a matter of time before they could see one another. Despite their anticipation, neither cub had many problems sleeping that night.
That night Xavier had his first naughty dream about Pent. Envisioning him stripped down to his underwear in front of him as if giving him a show. The fox soon joined him in the bed and they pushed up together. Their body warmth intermingled with one another. Not remembering the rest of the dream as it faded from his memory when he awoke.
The next morning came before long. The rising of the sun peered through Pent's window. The fox had set his alarm despite it not being a school day. He was a little nervous, butterflies flying around his stomach. He had another dream about him and Xavier, about them walking down the school halls holding hands together and no one saying anything about it. He got out of bed and turned off the alarm so Samaliel wasn't waken up.
Sure enough, upon checking the upper bunk the younger cub was missing. He assumed he was already playing games. It wasn't unlike the salt and pepper cub to get up early and game his heart out on the weekends. Pent changed into a pair of jeans and long sleeve shirt. The cub picked out his only pair of hiking boots. They were a bit small on him but he figured they'd have to do since he didn't have anything else to wear.
After he was dressed he headed into the living room. He could hear something, certain that Samaliel was playing some game. Poking his head inside he saw that this was the case. He chuckled at the other boy.
"Did you even eat breakfast?" The older boy asked the younger one.
Samaliel chirped. "Yup."
"Uh-huh….sure. I will leave you something in the kitchen. I am going to go hiking with Xavier in a bit."
The younger boy continued gaming seeming unconcerned with what Pent was doing. "Yeah, yeah."
Pent went into the kitchen. It was a bit of a mess from where Samaliel had attempted to make eggs. He was glad he wasn't lying at least. The Arctic fox cleaned it up before making himself some fruit and oatmeal. He knew it would likely be a long day and he didn't want to go hungry. He gnawed on an apple as he waited for the oatmeal to cook and then cool down. He listened to the radio for the weather. It sounded like it was going to be clear today.
Once he finished his breakfast he went back into his room and grabbed the two necklaces. Putting his own around his neck before putting Xavier's in his pocket for later. He went back into the living room and watched his brother play games while he waited. It was but a short while until there was a knock at the door. Pent popped out of his chair and quickly went over to open the door.
"Hey, Xae. You look nice." Pent noticed the boy was wearing flannel and jeans like himself.
The chipmunk blushed. "Thanks, Pent…you look nice too."
"Here, Xae…" The fox handed him the necklace.
Xavier looked at it and put it on. "Thanks. Ready to go?"
"Yeah, See you later Sama." Pent shut the door and locked it behind him.
Xavier offered Pent his hand who gladly held it in his own. The cub's mother chuckled at them.
"You two make a cute couple, you know that?" She said with a smile.
The chipmunk stomped his foot. "Mom…."
"Fine fine…let's get going boys." She got back into the car waiting for them to do the same.
Pent and Xavier got into the back seat so they could sit together. Still holding hands as Xavier pecked Pent on the cheek.
"I'm looking forward to today." The smaller boy said with a smile.
Pent blushed a bit. "Me too."
The woman pulled out of the parking lot and started heading for the closest hiking area which was about a 30-minute drive. Pent and Xavier talked about nothing specific, just giggling at each other's jokes. They soon arrived at the campgrounds where the hiking trails were located. It was a small mountain compared to the one at the ski resort but it was still a bit of a climb by foot. The mother pulled up to the front gate to drop them off.
"Either I or your father will come to pick you two up at around 4:30. If we're late we'll text you, Xae." She said as she let them out of the vehicle.
Xavier
gave her a thumbs up. She handed them the bagged lunch before leaving. The two cubs were still locked hands with one another. The chipmunk had been there before and tugged on Pent, gesturing for him to follow. They made their way to the campground base. Almost all of the snow was off the ground. The entire area was wooded and covered by trees.
"Want to try to make it to the peak? " Xavier handed Pent his lunch.
The fox nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good to me."
They started walking through the campgrounds. Only a few RVs were around. Even fewer tents were set up with a small fire smoldering at the center of it. The smell of something that had been cooked was prominent in the air. They pushed their way into the campgrounds and beyond it. The campers present didn't pay them any attention. Hikers were common this time of year and so two cubs wandering around wasn't a rare sight.
They eventually came to the area where the path started. A dirt road represented where they were supposed to walk. Pent was in scouts but he knew better than to get off the beaten trail. They started down it, the incline of the path was slow at first but soon began to pick up. Eventually, they had to break their hands to focus on their movements. Each boy made slow and methodical movements as they went up a stair-like area that brought them to the next level.
The ground flattened a bit. The coverage from the canopy of the trees made it darker in this area fluttered above with a few feral squirrels skittering through the woods. They continued making progress, pushing their way forward to an ever-increasing elevation. Xavier slipped on a wet rock, but Pent was close enough nearby that he was able to catch his boyfriend and get him back onto firm footing.
They had been at it for over an hour and still no signs of the trial coming closer to an end. They knew they weren't going the wrong way because they had been following posted placards. They could hear running water in the distance.
"Want to take a load off for a bit?" Xavier suggested as his feet were starting to hurt from the walking.
Pent huffed. "Yeah, that sounds good. I could use a rest."
Pent and Xavier walked in the direction of where they believed the water was. The sound of it became louder as they got closer to it. Eventually, they happened upon it. A large stream ran directly across their path. It was rather small, no more than a few feet across at most. They looked into it, the bottom of the water was visible in the otherwise crystal-clear water.
"Doesn't look very deep. I guess we can just rest our feet." Pent suggested an alternative.
Xavier suggested. "Better than nothing. We can just take off our shoes and socks and roll up our pants."
"You mean….barefoot?" Pent began to think about the other cub's feet again.
The chipmunk sat down next to the river and began untying his shoes. "Yeah, silly. You don't want to walk in soggy shoes and socks do you?"
"B-b-but…." Pent looked away as he tried to not think about it.
Xavier stopped what he was doing. "What's wrong?"
"I-i-t's j-j-just…" The shuffled his own feet in the dirt.
The chipmunk wanted Pent to be comfortable. "Come on, dude…we can relax together barefoot. It won't be bad."
Xavier had no idea what was bothering Pent and wish he knew. They remained there in awkward silence for a few seconds.
"Please, Pent? I just want to relax a little bit." Xavier was concerned for his boyfriend.
"O-o-okay…" The bigger boy finally relented and kneeled to begin taking his shoes off.
Xavier resumed taking his own off. The odd display of nervousness was still in his mind, even if he wasn't sure what to make of it. The chipmunk finished taking off his shoes and socks first, sprawling in the dirt a bit. When Pent picked have finished taking his own off, he looked up and saw the bottom of the chipmunk's feet. The cub had black paw pads much like himself. Some dirt was on them. He stared for a moment.
"Pent?" Xavier noticed the other cub had paused again. Was he staring at something? He thought to himself.
The fox snapped himself out of it. "S-s-sorry…"
Xavier picked himself up and waited for Pent to get up. The two of them walked over to the side of the stream and dipped their paws inside. Xavier took Pent's hand into his own and held it tightly.
"See? It's not so bad. I dunno what you were worried about." The chipmunk said with a smile.
Pent looked in front of them trying not to look down. "It's not that…I just…It's just hard to explain."
"What was it then?" We're boyfriends…you can tell me anything…Don't you trust me?" Xavier wanted to know.
The white fox murmured himself. "It's nothing. I promise."
"I won't force you to tell me but I'd like to help you with whatever you're dealing with." The chipmunk leaned in and kissed the other boy, trying to get him to come clean.
"I tell you what…I'll make you a deal. If you tell me what's bothering you, I will tell you a secret. Okay?" The brown-furred boy figured it was a good deal.
Pent thought about it a second. "Please...no...Xae. I just can't."
"It's alright. I won't force you." Xavier decided to drop the issue.
"Good…I'm glad because I don't even know myself…haha." The bigger boys scratched the back of his head and he blushed a bit.
"It's okay. There are a lot of things I like that I don't understand. " The chipmunk considered if he should tell his boyfriend about the dream.
The chipmunk laid back a bit and allowed his body to angle again, wiggling his toes a bit. Pent looked forward, his eyes looked at them for a second before turning away. Why was he so interested in them? He wasn't sure. He tried not to stare, yet he still thought about them for a brief moment.
"Ready to head out? I think I've rested enough. How about you?" The smaller boy was starting to feel restless.
Pent nodded. "Yeah, I don't want my fur to get matted."
Both cubs took their feet out of the water, one after the other. Xavier shook off the water from his paws and slid them back into his trail shoes. The fox did the same thing before he got himself up. Pent helped his boyfriend up before they headed off again. Walking right through the water since there was no other way to get around it.
They began their way up the trail again. The incline became a bit more aggressive as they made their way further up the path. Occasionally signs directed them in one way or the other. "To the Peak" made it easy to figure out where they needed to go. Eventually, they came to a wooden bridge that separated them from the other side of a small ledge. It wasn't a very big ledge but the pit overtop of it was too large to jump over.
Xavier slowed down as they approached it. He wasn't afraid of heights but bridges made him nervous. He'd watched far too many horror films where they just straight-up gave out. Pent looked back at the boy as he slowed down to a stop.
"Are you tired?" The fox asked as he figured it could be the cause.
The chipmunk shook his head. "Nah. Do you see another way to go across other than the bridge?"
Pent looked around and down into the ledge. "Doesn't look like it. You're not afraid of heights, are you?
Xavier got up to the side of the ledge. "Nuh-uh, I just don't like wooden bridges. They make me nervous when they swing."
"It'll be okay. I'll help you over if you want?" The bigger cub offered his hand to his boyfriend.
The chipmunk gladly took it in his hand. "Okay...if you're sure it won't break."
"I'm sure it will be fine. It's on the trail after all. Come on." Pent wasn't going to judge the boy as he had things he was afraid of as well.
The two walked towards the bridge, with Pent taking the lead. The fox took slow careful steps as they stepped on the bridge.
Xavier looked down at the wooden panels of the bridge's span. They looked sturdy enough and not fairly worn. They continued across it at a slow but steady progress. The thing didn't move much as they got across without any fuss.
"See? The bridge didn't swing at all. They don't swing unless you make sudden movements." Pent understood the physics behind it and tried to explain it to him.
The chipmunk looked back at the bridge. "I suppose you were right."
"Let's keep moving on. I'm sure it can't be that much further to the top then we can have lunch if you're hungry." Pent's stomach was already rumbling as it had already taken them a few hours to get where they were.
The smaller cub broke up their handholding and gave a thumbs up. They continued on their way as the path twisted and turned. The incline continued to increase as what appeared to be fog passed through the area. Small critters flocked at the sight of them as they broke twigs and shuffled leaves in their somewhat playful movements. It took them about another hour before they came to the peak. A sign in front indicated as such.
"Warning, The Path ends ahead. Do not cross the fence." - Park Rangers
Both cubs raced forward. They had eagerly been awaiting the end of it, though they didn't yet think about the return walk was just as long. The distance to the peak from where they were took only about a minute. When they came up to it, they saw a wooden fence with the same placard just warning them to not cross the fence. The pickets spanned from the area where they were in both directions.
"Do you wanna cross it?" Pent asked, even knowing it was dangerous.
Xavier looked around. There was no one there. "Heck, yeah. We could sit off the ledge."
The cubs bent underneath the fence and came to the other side of it. Sure enough, there was a ledge that looked below. The jagged peak of the small mountain they were on tilted off with rocks and edges pointing every which way. Some various pieces of clothing appeared to be tied on a branch near the top almost as if representing a banner of sorts.
They slowly edged their way to the outermost part of the ledge. Easing themselves
down until they were sitting next to each other. The chipmunk leaned his head into the other cub and Pent grabbed his boyfriend's hand tightly in his own. The two looked into the beyond. The vast wilderness of the park stretched below the sea of fog. They weren't quite enough to be above the clouds but they didn't think much about it.
"This is nice. Ready for lunch now?" Xavier asked as his stomach had already been rumbling a bit.
Pent nodded and brought his lunch bag forward. "Yup."
The chipmunk did the same thing and began to nibble on his food. Neither boy was starving but they were hungry enough to eat all the same. When they got to sandwiches Pent looked at his and stared at it to make sure it was meat-free. After lifting the bread he found nothing suspicious and began to eat it. The two remained quiet for the most part, simply enjoying their meal in the company of each other.
"Do you want to go to the park at the bottom after we descend? There was a kid's area at the base." Xavier asked as he had seen it on their way up.
The fox looked at him. "Yeah, sure. That sounds fun but we have a long way to go back down."
"It probably won't take as long as coming up." He took another bite of his sandwich.
Pent shrugged. "Even if it does, it will be fun going back down."
"Yeah, maybe can race back down if you want?" Xavier wanted to make it more interesting.
The bigger boy shook his head. "It's probably not a good idea with the uneven surfaces, rocks, and obstacles in the way."
"You're probably right." The chipmunk hadn't thought of that problem before.
They continued eating before Pent laid flat on his back on the dirt. Looking up at the clouds and sky above.
"Let's relax a bit before we go back down." He figured another break would be a good idea.
Xavier looked over at what he was doing before joining him. The two join hands again.
They remained lying down for a short while before started feeling restless. The fox closed his eyes a bit and just enjoyed the feeling of the breeze against his fur. Xavier kept his eyes open and watched the clouds pass by, making out the shapes they created.
"Do you like watching clouds?" The smaller cub said curiously.
Pent breathed in deeply. "Sometimes. I prefer looking at the night sky at the stars."
"Oh yeah, you like space and stuff. I guess that isn't surprising." The chipmunk hummed to himself.
A few moments of awkward silence. Pent hadn't fallen asleep but he was relaxed enough to just stay where he was. Xavier began thinking to himself about sharing his dream with the other cub.
"Hey, Pent. Can I ask you something silly?" The chipmunk was still getting used to the idea of sharing his feelings.
The fox panned over and looked up at him. "Hmm? Sure."
"Have you ever had a dream….you know about us?" The smaller boy was curious if his boyfriend experienced something similar.
Pent huffed and blushed as he wasn't sure if he should share them or not. "Uh…."
"So you have then? Come on tell me!" The brown-furred boy noticed his friend looked embarrassed.
The fox murmured. "I dunno, Xae…"
"Please, Pent? I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours. They can't be that bad can they?" His curiosity was burning.
Pent sat up as his ears perked up. "You had a dream about us?"
"Uh-huh….but you gotta tell me one first." Xavier tried to tantalize Pent's peek in interest.
The fox looked down at the floor. "But…"
Xavier looked at him with a look of anticipation on his face. "Please? I think it would be fun."
"Fine…I've had dreams about us before. They were a lot more common before we started dating." The white fox still didn't share what happened to them.
The chipmunk smirked. "That's cute. Do you still have them?"
"Occasionally. I try not to think about it as much anymore because sometimes they make me uncomfortable." Pent sighed but was being honest.
Xavier nodded. "I know what you mean. I wasn't sure what to think of them when I first started having them. So can you tell me about one?"
"I used to dream about you undressing a lot in front of me. Seeing you shirtless and stuff interested me." The arctic fox shared the details of what he thought was one of his more tame dreams.
The chipmunk smiled. "Oh yeah…I remember you told me you liked seeing me shirtless. I had no idea it was so much."
"Yeah, haha…I still think about it sometimes." The fox had accepted that he was attracted to the other cub and it didn't bother him anymore.
Xavier fiddled his fingers together. "Did you ever think about me going further than that? You know…taking my pants off and stuff?"
"Uh…." Pent turned blood red again and looked away.
The brown-furred cub touched the other boy's shoulder. "Because….that's what mine was about."
"It was? You thought about me….naked?" The fox kit looked back at him not seeming bothered by it.
Xavier shook his head. "Nuh-uh. You were still in your boxers."
"Oh….yeah. I've thought about what you look like in boxers and stuff." Pent scratched his head.
The chipmunk decided to leave out the rest of the details. "Oh…good…I thought I was the only one…haha."
"Nah…I promise you're not." Pent forced a smile.
An awkward silence was shared between them as Xavier looked at Pent and the two met eyes. The chipmunk leaned forward and hugged the other cub before planting a kiss square on his boyfriend's lips. The embrace remained for a few seconds, it was the longest kiss Xavier had ever had before finally breaking it.
"I love you….Pent." He finally admitted his feelings.
Pent smiled and blushed. "I love you too…Xae."
The two got up before long. Still holding hands for the time being.
"Let's head out so we can make it down before the park closes." Xavier said, breaking their hand-holding and grabbing the trash they had placed on the floor.
Pent nodded as he went back under the fence and waited for his friend to do the same. The chipmunk threw away the garbage once they were on the other side. They soon began their way back down the trail. Looking back once more before they finally left. They followed the exit trail which ran parallel to the one that went up. There were a lot more stairs to make it easier for travelers who had made it up.
Rails lined both sides of the trail so people could hold onto them if they wanted. Yet neither cub bothered with it. They hopped their way down the stairs. They were longer more pronounced earthen stairs that had wooden edges to prevent the ground from spreading. The path led back to a different bridge, this time one that appeared to be more solid. Xavier didn't seem nearly as bothered by it so they zoomed right past it.
Once they were at the other side of the bridge they saw a sign that read "Zip Lines to the bottom."
Pent looked at Xavier. "You want to do that since we're here anyways?"
The chipmunk nodded. "Heck, yeah. It will be so much faster."
They made a detour off the path following a string of signs that continued to indicate where they needed to go. Eventually, they came up to a ladder that led up a tree. They looked up and saw a member of the park staff sitting on a beach chair waiting for people. The two cubs climbed the ladder. The park staff member was dozing off so Xavier splashed her with some water from his canteen.
"Huh? Hey…Oh sorry. Here for the zip lines?" The falcon was wearing park ranger garb but wasn't given a real assignment yet.
Pent nodded since he was in front. "Is it just one to the bottom?"
"Yup, so let's get you strapped in. It's a long trip down so make sure you're ready before you jump off." She warned him.
The falcon helped the bigger boy into the cub-size harness as she guided him to step into each side of it. She hooked it up to a safety hook and provided him a bar to hold on to if he wanted to.
"See you at the bottom, Xae." He waved as he figured they couldn't go together.
"I'm going to count to five. On Five I'm going to give you a push to get you started. At the bottom just drop the harness in the wooden box and we will pick it up later. Ready?" She instructed him one final time.
He gave a smile and thumbs up. She counted to five and pushed him. Pent felt himself glide along the line. His body was weightless and dangling as it shifted from side to side from the initial push. He watched as the ground below him zipped by. He put his arms out, pretending as if he could fly. The wind blew by him as he zoomed over the woodlands below. Pent continued to look around his surroundings as the zip line took him lower and lower.
He soon passed by the stream they stopped at earlier. He could barely make it out but the familiar sound of it made it apparent where he was. His shoes brushed against the top of a tree, making his body shift a bit. He grabbed the bar to settle himself and soon was just going straight again. Pent started to feel a bit bored toward the end of it. The whole ride took a little over 30 minutes but it was far from exciting.
The cub came to a stop at the bottom. Glad that the ordeal was over. He knew that it was faster than walking down but felt like it should have been more exciting. He looked up to see if Xavier had come down yet and didn't see the other cub. The fox proceeded to get himself out of the harness and step out of the drop area. Grabbing himself a drink of water and washing his face of sweat with a nearby fountain.
When he returned to the drop area, Xavier was already there. The chipmunk was getting out of his harness and soon joined him on solid ground.
"Well…that was boring." Xavier shrugged as he felt the same way Pent did.
Pent nodded. "Yeah. People always talk up zip lines but it wasn't exciting at all."
"Oh well. You want to go to the park now and check out the play area?" He looked at his watch and knew they still had some time.
The fox smiled. "Alright, that sounds good."
They walked around the rear of the drop area and went into the bathroom
to take care of business. Each boy minds the privacy of the other even despite their increased interest in each other. When they were done, they headed back out together. The area was much more flat in this part of the park, making it easier to travel. A single sign showed them where they needed to go but it was more than enough since the play area was visible from it.
They arrived at the play area after only a few minutes of walking. Inside they found a rather large play area with tubes and swings. Money bars lined one side of the set with the other having a jungle gym. Only a single cub was playing there with their parents watching from afar as the cub enjoyed themselves in a sand pit.
Xavier rushed forward as it had been a while since he'd ridden a swing before. He started swinging himself in it.
"Come join me, Pent." He urged the more reserved cub to do the same.
Pent smirked at him before joining him in the next swing over. The two swung together. Their chairs rocked back and forth as they motioned their bodies to give them motion. Xavier hopped off after a few seconds, landing on his feet. Pent instead slowed himself down so he could get off, not showing the same outgoing attitude as his boyfriend. Pent felt weird about being in a playset meant for cubs much younger than themselves.
The chipmunk soon began climbing on the gym. His friend turned to watch him for a bit, soon stepping to the side as he saw something that caught his eye. Pent began investigating the local bug life. Xavier wondered what he was doing and soon came to check it out.
"Whatcha doing, Pent?" The smaller boy asked looking at his friend hunched over.
The fox pointed at a colony of beetles. "Just checking these out. I haven't seen them before."
"Oh? I didn't know you liked looking at bugs." Xavier had never seen Pent go looking for them.
Pent looked up at him and smiled. "Sometimes."
"What kind do you think they are?" He tried taking an interest in his boyfriend's hobbies.
The fox hummed. "They have a green and red exoskeleton so they are probably a specifies of ground beetle."
"Oh, I see. That's interesting." The chipmunk wasn't sure what was so intriguing about a beetle but he wasn't about to say it out loud.
Pent got up and smiled. "Let's go play in the jungle gym."
Xavier's tail flitted in excitement, glad that the cub wanted to do something other than look at bugs. The two bolted over to the jungle gym and began climbing it. The fox looked to get on top first but his boyfriend tugged on his foot to prevent it. Eventually, the chipmunk came out on top, still seeing himself as victorious. The fox smiled at him before climbing into one of the adjoining tubes and sliding down one of the slides.
Pent's body fell flat on his face. The other cub had followed him and landed square on top of him. The two chuckled and laughed at each other before helping the other boy up to his feet. The fox brushed himself off of the dirt and they went to do it again. They seemed to be rather enjoying themselves despite the set being designed for cubs younger than them. Soon they became bored of it and stood idly around the play area.
The fox tugged on Xavier and crawled with him on the ground into a plastic igloo. The thing only had a door and a single window so it was rather warm inside. Pent squeezed himself into the corner, having to lean his body in a bit to fit. The chipmunk followed him despite not knowing how big it was inside. The two ended up being squished within. Chuckling and laughing at each other. The space is much too small for them.
Xavier stood up, causing the igloo to pop off the ground. The thing hadn't been secured properly and it's age certainly didn't help.
"Oops…haha." He said, glad that he was out of the small space.
Pent smirked. "Giant Chipmunk reported in the park…someone calls the cops."
"Roar?...haha." Xavier gave off his best monster impression.
The fox shook his head. "Oh, come on you can do better than that."
"Roar!" Xavier gave off a much more convincing sound as he laughed at himself.
The white cub began crawling away. "Oh no…someone save me!"
"Crash…" He made another silly noise trying to be more convincing.
Xavier took a slow and over-exaggerated step towards Pent, landing his foot right by him. "Squishy!"
"Crunch…" Pent laughed out loud at his own pretend plight.
Xavier helped his friend up. The two cubs had huge smiles on their faces, having had much more fun with it than they might have thought. They continued to horse around on the playground not doing any one thing for very long but still having fun with it. Before they knew it the little alarm on the chipmunk's watch went off. It seemed it was time to go.
"Let's go back to the spot where my mom dropped us off earlier." Xavier said as he took the other boy's hand in his own.
They walked back through the campgrounds of the park. There were more furs about now but they still paid them no attention as they made their way through to the drop-off area. When they arrived at the drop-off site, they found that the chipmunk's father was already waiting.
"Just in time boys. Did you two have fun?" He said through the already open window.
Xavier nodded. "Uh-huh. I hope you haven't been waiting a long time."
"Nope, I just got here. Let's head back so I can make it in time to help your mother with dinner. You know how she gets when she does it alone." He unlocked the door so they could get in.
Both of the cubs proceeded in the car, getting in the back so they could sit together. Xavier not seeming bothered by the fact they were still holding hands. He was becoming more comfortable with the whole idea of being public about it. They put on their seat belts and before long they made their way back down the hill that led up to the small mountain. The older male soon turned on the radio as he enjoyed the music it offered.
The trip back to the chipmunk's home didn't take as long as the trip up the hill. It still took a little while but the cubs were able to keep themselves occupied despite not having brought anything to do. An advertisement for the re-opening of the local water park soon aired on the station. The older male got an idea.
"Xae, you've been doing well in school lately but I have a deal to make you. If you manage a B average in all of your classes, I will treat you and Pent to the water park." He said confidently as he knew his son would likely bite.
The chipmunk boy nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good. Would you like that, Pent?"
"Sure, once it gets a little warmer. I can help you study." The white fox offered his help as he often did.
The older male was glad they agreed. Xavier was still sitting on a mid-C in most things. He didn't think the cub had the focus needed to get a B average. Time would tell if he was right or not.
They soon pulled into Xavier's home's parking spots. The woman's car was already there and the cubs wasted no time in darting inside. They had been cramped up in the car long enough, at least in their minds. The brown-furred boy and his boyfriend darted past the kitchen, not bothering to say hello to the chipmunk's mother. She was busy making something to eat and didn't hear them go past.
Her husband soon came to her aid, making sure to help her in whatever way she needed. Informing her of the deal he made with Xavier, which she had no issue with. The man went about focusing on the desert as he had a bit of a sweet tooth. His wife considered him something of a baker, especially when he made his family's favorite chocolate chips. He wondered how long the boys would take to realize what he was doing.
The two cubs had come into Xavier's room which had the window open since it was nicer out today. They looked at each other, both of them thinking about what they should do.
"What do you want to do? We could relax for the rest of the night since we've been out all day." Xavier asked as he wanted to be a good host.
Pent shrugged. "I guess we could get washed up."
"It's probably a good idea so mom doesn't complain about how I smell…" The smaller boy rolled his eyes.
The fox smiled. "I don't mind how you smell."
"Thanks, Pent." The chipmunk padded over to his wardrobe and grabbed both of them a set of pajamas.
He handed one pair to his boyfriend before taking one himself. "I guess I'll go first like usual."
Pent nodded and walked over to the cub's desk chair and pulled up a random book he found. It was one of the school books they'd been assigned. It looked like it hadn't even been opened. When he looked back Xavier had gone. He looked at the pajamas he had been given and brought them to his nose. He took a short sniff of them. The things smelt just like the boy he loved and made him smile.
Xavier went to the bathroom to wash himself, waiting for it to warm up once he turned it on. The room soon filled up with steam. Thoughts of Pent undressing in front of him soon filled his head. He stepped into the stall, making the image go away again. He still wasn't crazy about having the thoughts even if it was his boyfriend. He still hadn't completely come to terms with having gay feelings for another boy.
He washed himself making sure to use conditioner so he smelt extra nice. Even going as far as to use body wash, which was something he never did. He wanted to smell good for Pent. He stepped out of the shower when he felt he was clean enough and turned off the water. Drying off himself with his usual towel and changing into his pajamas. Returning to Pent who he saw spinning around in his chair.
"Your turn." He said putting his dirty clothes in the hamper.
Pent went to do the same, picking up a strong smell from the other cub as he passed by. He didn't say anything as he went by. The fox got into the bathroom to clean himself. He didn't take nearly as long as he'd never been told about his smell. The fox was diligent
enough in his hygiene that it was never an issue. The cub always took his time when cleaning even if meant that he'd have to dry more thoroughly after.
The fox finished up before long. He dried himself with the same towel that Xavier had used, taking another short sniff of it before he did. He didn't care to use any other towel despite there being plenty of them in the bathroom. He changed into his pajamas and grabbed his dirty clothes before exiting the bathroom. As soon as he did, he could smell the aroma of something else. Was someone making cookies? He couldn't be certain.
As Pent was about to head back into Xavier's room, the other cub sped right past him. Xavier knew all too well what the smell was and wasn't about to turn down sweets. The fox put his stuff in a corner before making his way back. He headed into the kitchen and found the chipmunk's family was already waiting for him for dinner.
"Come on, slowpoke…cookies are waiting afterward!" Xavier patted the chair next to him.
His parents chuckled at him. The arctic fox padded over and sat down next to his boyfriend. In front of them, the meal was ready for them to eat. The chipmunk's parents had gotten used to Pent's diet and had a better idea of what he liked now. He was still more than surprised to find tofu on his plate.
"Thanks for having me over tonight. I always enjoy my time here." Pent made sure to be a grateful guest.
They nodded. "No problem. We wouldn't want to exclude someone so special in our little guy's life."
"Mom…." Xavier stared at her.
They laughed again and soon started eating. The chipmunk sped through his meal as he was more than excited to get to the cookies after. It wasn't the first time he'd rushed through his meal. His parents didn't care as long as he ate his food and didn't choke. Pent was a much slower eater and enjoyed his food. His boyfriend was finished way before he was and sat quietly at the table.
"How was your day, boys?" The mother asked since she hadn't picked them up.
The brown-furred boy answered since his boyfriend was still eating. "It was good. We got to the peak and went to the park after."
"That sounds nice. We should do that sometime, Doug." She looked at her husband.
He shrugged. "I don't see why not. It sounds like a fun date."
"Dad…." Xavier hated when that word was used and blushed.
They chuckled at him. He was so sensitive to them knowing about their relationship despite them not caring about it that much. They finished their food before long and the father got up to collect the cookies and handed them each one. In mere seconds Xavier had already finished his and licked his lips, half expecting another one. Pent couldn't believe he had gone through it quickly.
"Do you want mine?" He asked since the other cub seemed to enjoy it so much.
The chipmunk looked at him. "Oh, no. That's yours."
"I don't mind if you take it." Pent held it up for the cub expecting him to take it.
Xavier looked at his parents who still hadn't eaten theirs and then back at Pent. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah. " The fox cub left his paw open with the cookie on it.
The brown-furred boy took a second before snatching it and gobbling it up. Pent smiled at him, glad that he had taken it.
"Thanks, Pent." He said wiping his mouth once again.
Pent reached over and touched his cheek, wiping some chocolate off before sucking it off. "You missed some."
Xavier blushed again. His parents just smiled at them.
"Are you sure you don't want dessert, Pent?" The father asked as they had other options.
The white fox shook his head. "I'm okay. I'm just happy to be here."
"Go on and have fun with your friend, Xae. We'll take care of the dishes." His mother decided he wouldn't have to do his usual chores.
Xavier smiled widely. "Thanks, Mom. Come on, Pent. Let's go to my room."
The chipmunk and his boyfriend sped out of the room, leaving the parents to do the dirty work.
"Softy." Her husband said with a friendly smirk on his face.
She looked at him. "Oh, hush. You like seeing him happy as much as I do."
"Indeed. It's why I didn't say anything. Let's get this cleaned up." The man started collecting the dishes.
Pent and Xavier soon came to his room. The chipmunk already had an idea of what he proposed to do and rifled through his closet looking for it. He soon found it, a game he'd played with friends in the past. The small white and red box read "heads up" and he brought it out from within his poorly organized closet.
"Wanna play a game?" The chipmunk smiled as he assumed Pent would.
The fox nodded. "Yeah, sure. How do you play?"
The chipmunk tried to explain it. It was a card game with prompts on it. Each card had a movie, show, or some other form of popular media on it. They explain it without saying what it was and the other person had to guess what it was within a certain time frame.
"Oh, that sounds simple enough. Sure I'm game." Pent had never played the game but wasn't averse to trying something new.
Xavier sat down on his bed and patted the spot next to him for the other cub to join him. The fox joined him before long. The chipmunk pulled out the green cards and put them in the middle between them.
"I will go first since you haven't played this before. Put a card on your head with the prompt towards me but don't read it." Xavier suggested making it even easier.
The fox nodded and put one of the cards on his forehead. "Okay, I'm ready."
The prompt read Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
"Uh...so it's an older cartoon from a long time ago. The main characters are Scalies. Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael..."
"The Renaissance Masters?" Pent hadn't seen the show and gave it a whirl.
"Nuh-uh. They live in a sewer with a rat master. They battle bad guys and the main villain is Shredder." The chipmunk tried remembering the basic plot of the show.
"Uh...Artists save the world?" The fox made up something that seemed plausible.
Xavier shook his head. "Nope. They use old weapons like a staff, sword, nun chucks, and I'm not sure what the other one is but they kind of look like..."
The timer went off and Pent hadn't figured it out yet. "Oh well, I tried."
"Yeah, my turn." Xavier took a card and did the same thing.
The prompt read "All dogs go to heaven."
"Hmm. It's a movie and it had three parts in total. It was animated about something you would have as a pet as the main character." Pent tried explaining what he knew about it.
"The fox and the hound?" Xavier said, not quite getting it but still being closer than Pent was.
Pent shook his head. "Nope. These pets technically die and go somewhere that is usually associated with having a good moral character in a major religion."
"All dogs go to heaven?" The chipmunk said confidently.
The fox gave a thumbs up. "Nice job."
"Alright cool. Give it another go." The brown-furred boy put his card down.
Pent picked up another. This time it read. "South Park."
"This one is a television show meant for adults. The main characters are all cubs who live in Colorado. The main characters are Stan, Cartman, Kenny, and Kyle." The chipmunk was hopeful Pent would guess this one.
The white fox thought about it for a few seconds. "South Park?"
"Oh, nice. First try." The smaller cub gave his friend a high four.
Xavier withdrew another card. The prompt this time read Finding Nemo.
"It's a movie about a fish who gets lost. They are looking for their parents. It's made by Pixar." Pent had seen the movie enough to give it a good description.
The chipmunk was sure he knew it. "Finding Dory?"
"Close. The first one." Pent knew he'd get it now.
"Oh, yeah Finding Nemo." He looked at the card feeling silly he didn't guess that first.
Pent picked one more card. This time it read something Xavier knew all too well. "Mickey Mouse."
"It's Disney's Mascot. He has a girlfriend named Minnie and he has quite a few movies and shows about him." Xavier figured Pent would guess that.
Pent smiled. "Mickey?"
"Some of these are too easy, haha. I guess they have to accommodate all ages though." Xavier put it down and looked through the rest of the cards.
The bigger boy shrugged. "It's okay I'm still having fun."
They continued playing the game for some time. A back-and-forth battle of knowledge. Of course, Xavier was much more in the loop than his friend was but they still seemed to enjoy themselves all the same.
"Let's get ready for bed." The chipmunk suggested since it was already getting late.
Pent nodded and smiled. "Sounds good. I'll call and check on Samaliel before he goes to bed."
The fox stepped out and called his brother on his phone. Samaliel assured him he was doing well and hoped he was as well. When the conversation was over he returned to Xavier's room and found the other cub was attempting to read a book.
"You know you don't have to read just because I like it, right?" He said as he assumed the other cub was forcing himself to read.
Xavier looked up. "Oh, nah. This is the school book they assigned. I haven't even started it yet."
"The Three Musketeers? There is a movie you can watch." Pent suggested as it was a common way to avoid reading books with movie adaptations.
The chipmunk smiled and dropped the book. "Oh, that's a good idea. Did you read it?"
"Yeah. It's not my kind of book but I read it. It didn't take me long. Maybe a day? I don't remember." The fox shrugged not seeming interested in it.
The brown-furred boy got up. "Maybe next time if you want we can read it together?"
"Sure, if you like. I wouldn't mind reading with you. I would love to have a book buddy." The fox went over to the closet to fetch the usual sleeping bag he used.
Xavier left the room for a short while. Cleaning himself in much the same fashion that he always did. An idea popped into his head. What if he offered Pent to sleep in the same bed as him? He wasn't sure what Pent would think about it. Tackling the idea in his head, rationalizing it as "being nice" and that "It was more comfortable" than wanting to be close to his boyfriend. The thought dominated his mind, wondering more and more what it would be like to share the space with Pent.
By the time he had gotten out of the shower, he still hadn't made up his mind. Part of him wanted to try it but the other part of him didn't. He dried himself before changing into his pajamas. He cleaned his teeth and put back the towel before making his way back to his room. He found Pent on his bed, kneeling looking out the window.
"Whatcha looking at, Pent?" He asked curiously.
The white fox looked back at him. "I was looking at the stars."
"Anything interesting?" Xavier threw his dirty clothes in the hamper.
Pent shook his head. "Nah, no celestial events tonight but it's still nice to look up and admire the stars."
"Do you ever see shooting stars?" The chipmunk asked as it was the only phenomenon he was familiar with.
The bigger boy nodded. "Uh-huh. Sometimes."
"Ever make a wish?" The brown-furred boy knew of somewhat common practice.
The fox looked out the window again. "Sometimes but I don't ever expect them to come true."
Xavier joined him on the bed and looked out the window with him. "It looks nice up there."
"Yeah. It's a clear night out tonight." Pent's gaze remained focused on the sky above.
The chipmunk took a deep breath. "Hey, Pent. Would you like to sleep in my bed tonight? I'm sure the floor is uncomfortable."
"Um….but where would you sleep? This is your house. I'm used to it. It doesn't bother me." The fox didn't mind it much.
Xavier looked down at the bed. "Well…I was thinking we could both sleep in the bed."
"Huh? But it's not like a bunk bed or anything…I don't wanna cramp your space…" Pent looked over at his boyfriend who seemed distracted.
The chipmunk was twiddling his fingers. "You can sleep on one side and I can sleep on the other. It won't be bad. It's a big bed."
Pent thought to himself for a moment. The idea of sharing a bed with Xavier appealed to him but he didn't want to be a burden.
"You don't have to if you don't want. I just thought it would be nice to sleep in the same bed." The brown-furred boy didn't want to pressure his boyfriend.
The white fox nodded. "I'm okay to try it."
"Cool…I'll go lock the door so my parents don't walk in on us and get the wrong idea…haha." Xavier got up and did just that before returning.
Once the smaller boy was back in bed, he looked back at Pent. Xavier took the lead in laying down, sprawling himself so he was flat on his back. The thought of Pent in the same bed as him made him nervous but his curiosity was piqued. The fox figured his boyfriend was ready for bed, so he followed in laying himself down. Making himself flat, completely parallel to the other cub.
An awkward silence was shared among the two as neither said a word. Pent angled his body so it was tilted on his side. He looked over at Xavier who was staring at the ceiling. The fox gently leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. The chipmunk smiled as he turned to meet the other's gaze. Returning the kiss with one of his own. The two kissed each other for several moments on the lips.
Pent laid back down flat on his back as he was a back sleeper. Xavier pushed his body closer to Pent, remaining on his side so that he could get more comfortable. Pulling himself in over the other cub as if hugging him on the bed. The chipmunk's head rested on Pent's chest. The fox began stroking him on his side. Slow and careful strides of his hand over the other boy's ribs and chest area.
The fox could smell the boy. His aroma was mere centimeters from his nose. Pent kissed the boy's forehead. Both boys were rather comfortable now as they began to relax a bit more. Pent continued to slowly touch his boyfriend until his touch began to slow down. Xavier wasn't quite as explorative, simply enjoying the feeling of Pent's body warmth against his own. The two boys soon fall into slumber. Still intermingled against each other seeming more content to be as close as they were.
The next morning, they would awake and remain in bed a bit. Their bodies hadn't moved at all. The security offered by the other cub was more than enough for both boys to stay asleep. Neither seemed bothered by it the next morning. The awkwardness that came with sharing a bed with the other boy had all but left their mind. Kissing each other one more time before heading to get breakfast.
When it was time for Pent to go home, they shared a fond farewell. An elongated hug and a wave. It had been a nice time together but the older fox needed to spend time with his brother. They waved to each other and Pent went home. Leaving out choice details when sharing what he did with Samaliel. Both Xavier and Pent already began looking forward to spending more time together. Their relationship growing ever stronger day by day. Their hearts riding high and hopes even higher.
