The Big Game 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. It was now the day before Xavier's Lacrosse game. He'd been spending most of the time alone. The weather had continued to be bad and only sparsely had let up now and then. Even his parents had warned the cub not to get his hopes up. After all the meteorologist had been reporting the same patterns to be continued through the weekend. The coach had even sent out a text to the families to prepare for potential cancelation.
Regardless, Xavier had continued his regimen of practice like he always did. Going out in the rain to practice Lacrosse in the backyard did not bother him. It was only when there was thunder, lightning, or both that his parents insisted on him staying inside. Of course, Xavier was not one to put up any dispute with them as he knew how dangerous such things could be. Instead, he took advantage of the times when the weather would let up even if but for a short while.
It was already midway through the day and the young cub had been stuck inside since we woke up in the morning. Xavier once again found himself bored in front of the television. The chipmunk boy was lazing about in naught but a pair of shorts and his boxers underneath. His parents were away at work so he was the only one at the house. The boy had not asked if he had anyone over and weighed his options.
The rodent flicked through the channels, never landing on any one specific channel. The X-Games were on and that was the only thing that seemed remotely interesting to him. He watched it for a bit. The furs on screen were far better than he was. Accomplishing feats like the Laser Flip or the Tre Flip without any issue whatsoever. These tricks amazed the cub each time they were shown on screen and Xavier hoped one day he could pull them off himself.
A younger man showed up on the screen, one who had just entered the competition recently. An up-and-coming star known in the skateboarding community as "Y". Yao Jing was a Chinese red panda who had made a long trip from China to participate in the X-games. He used his custom board that emblazoned his personal branding on it. The young red panda holstered his board as he made his way up the half pipe.
Yao stood atop the ramp and gave the crowd a celebratory pumping of his arms to get them riled up. His fur was long, looking more akin to a main than anything well-kept. The crowd watched with bated breath as a Chinese Rock from the group Hei Bao played over the loudspeaker. The red panda put his board down on the ramp and began his run across the ramp. Back and forth he went, pulling off feat after feat with ease.
The crowd cheered as they watched with interest. His form was perfect and every landing he made was square on the young adult's feet. Xavier couldn't believe his eyes, this red panda was even pulling off the 1440 flip with ease. It was something only rarely seen, even on the professional stage. When Yao finished off his run, he ended in a flare with his feet up in the air leaving himself remaining in a handstand.
The crowd roared in applause as a result. Many flashes of cameras erupted as the media that was present at the event tried their hardest to catch the stunt as it happened. Yao stood upright giving off his usual "Hang 8" sign with a wave of his fingers. The young man collected his board and made his way off the ramp. He was given his score and it was currently the lead. It was time for the next competitor to take their turn at beating it.
The next up was Xavier's favorite, Sharice Cotier. Sharice was a bull who had been a frequent skater of the games. The woman had a bulky frame, beset by the equally beefy frame of her body. She was the only one who used a longboard, something that the young chipmunk wasn't super fond of. Still, watching her perform the many tricks she knew on it was impressive as he thought a longboard was harder to manage than a short one.
The bull was much more of a veteran of the sport than her younger counterpart. She wasn't exactly a crowd favorite but she did have a passionate following. The woman stepped off the bench where she was waiting. Of course, she got the usual welcome from the crowd who liked seeing her presence. They also knew this would likely be her last competition as the woman was one of the oldest competitors participating.
She climbed her way up the half-pipe and made her way to the flat part of it. Sharice gave a hearty raising of her fist to pump up the crowd. The people watching her cheered in response and Xavier couldn't help but feel excited. It wasn't long before she pushed off and began the run of her own. The bull started easy with an Ali kickflip as she twisted and turned on her first roundabout on the halfpipe.
Sharice's form was refined and very regimented. One of the woman's criticisms was her predictability. But since today was her final showing, she was going to buck that tradition. She continued her run as normal as she hit all of her usual tricks with ease. The time on the clock continued to whittle down until it was time for her final trick. She finished her run at the base with a spinning 720 Gazalle Kick.
The crowd roared in applause as she hopped off her board. The woman pushed back the hair that had fallen on her face. Some of the nearby press swamped her immediately. They all knew this was her last competition and they wanted to see her off. An interview soon followed and Xavier continued to watch with interest. It was then that the young cub learned of Sharice's retirement and he couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed about it.
The rest of the interview went on as they discussed the woman's career. Xavier had grown up watching her but had no idea how far back she went. Once it ended, the competition resumed and most of the other skaters weren't really up to the same caliber as Yao was earlier in the competition. When it came time to announce the winner, it was to no one's surprise that the red panda was declared victorious.
Xavier kind of knew that would be the case. After all Yao's display of skill was unmatched. Sharice ended up getting third, which was a nice way to see her off. She was even paraded off and given a wine shower in a show of appreciation for her time in the sport. The competition came to a close and soon the broadcast turned to review. Now that there were no active skaters, Xavier found himself losing interest in the show.
The chipmunk sighed as he sat there for a moment. He once again scanned through the channels for something else to watch. The cub had never been much of a couch potato and the idea of just watching something to pass the time didn't interest him. There were a few baseball games on but none of them featured a team he even knew remotely about. It wasn't long before he just turned off the television and considered what to do.
Xavier soon got up off the sofa and made his way towards his room. Looking outside the window he could see that it was still raining. His body was restless and he stretched a moment before turning around to head towards the computer. He decided to see who was online to spice up his social life. He had promised himself he wouldn't become dependent on Pent for his social life. After all…he thrived for social interaction and one person just wasn't enough for him.
It took a short while for the computer to power up once Xavier turned it on. The familiar background of his favorite lacrosse player on screen soon showed. He waited for everything to load and popped open his usual social applications. He was determined to make a new friend no matter what it took. A few of his older lacrosse friends were online but he hadn't talked to them in ages…ever since he was ostracized from the team. He considered messaging some of them and eventually caved to messaging one of them.
"How's it going, Buck? It's been a while." The chipmunk picked one of them at random hoping the other boy would be open to talking to him.
Buck was a deer boy who was a long-time teammate of Xavier. The deer and chipmunk had never been close. The only thing they had in common was the sport. Still, they were at least amicable when it came to communicating in the past. It was a few minutes before he responded.
"What do you want?" Buck messaged back simply and bluntly.
Xavier was taken aback by the response by typed back. "I was just wondering how you were?"
"I'm not interested in talking to you." A symbol soon popped up showing Xavier that Buck had blocked him.
The chipmunk was now back to square one. The deer had treated him the same way as the other teammates had done in the past. He wondered if everything would be like this now. He looked through his list for another option of someone to talk to. Eventually, he landed on another member of the team. Xavier took a deep breath before messaging another one of his old team members.
"You there?" Xavier messaged Luke.
Luke was a jerboa cub was a goalie for the school team. He was one of the more well-connected members of the team even if he was seen as somewhat quirky. There was a quick response from the other boy.
The jerboa messaged back. "Xavier? I never expected a message from ya after what happened."
"Yeah….I know it's been a while. How are things?" The chipmunk was feeling a bit better since the other cub wasn't responding negatively.
Luke answered a few seconds later. "I'm good. Eating Cheese. What up, yo?"
The other rodent tried to use speech he saw as cool to try and fit in.
"Nothing. I'm bored. What are you up to?" Xavier was feeling even more positive about this now as he smirked at the other boy's responses.
A few seconds passed before the other rodent responded again. "I am gonna play a game. Wanna play?"
"What game?" Xavier was willing to do anything at this point to pass the time.
Luke responded immediately. "Fortnite."
"Uh…sure. Let me install it and we can play." The chipmunk boy had never
heard of the game before.
Xavier started looking into the game. He learned it was a big battle royale game with a lot of customization options. Immediately he downloaded it without a second thought. He wasn't worried about not liking it anymore. The potential for making a new friend weighed on his mind. He played the game with the Jerboa boy. Of course, Lucas was much better than he was. Even so, Xavier was knocked out in fairly quick order in every match.
The chipmunk quickly got bored of it. Not only was looking at something he didn't like but the ultra-competitive nature of the game wasn't something he was interested in. He made up a white lie to get off the hook of playing it with the other cub. He was quickly reminded this was another one of those kids who he didn't have much in common with. The conversation did not continue once the game was over as the jerboa did not stop playing.
Xavier quickly found himself bored again. He had no one to talk to or do anything with. He thought about messaging Pent but he had promised himself that he'd find at least one more friend that maybe both of them could hang out with. However, this was something more for himself than the fox boy. After all, Pent had gone much of his young life without social interaction and so he didn't think another friend was necessary.
The rodent looked through his list of contacts on the social application. The list was much smaller than it had been in the past. All that was left was the cubs who hadn't cut him off yet and some of the kids he'd worked with on projects in the past. Then a name popped up he didn't expect. His old romantic way before Pent, Zoey. He hadn't spoken to her since before she moved. Immediately without any hesitation, he messaged her.
"Hey! Long time no see." Xavier twiddled his fingers as he waited for a response.
About a minute or two later she responded. "Oh, hey. How are you?"
"I'm good. What are you up to?" The rodent was curious as it had been a little over two years.
Zoey keyed back a response. "I am managing my Instagram and TikTok stuff. Why?"
The young wolf girl was big into advertising her videos, most of which revolved around her fashion choices and reviews of fragrances.
"I'm just kind of bored. Was wanting to know if maybe you want to catch up?" Xavier said as the negative thoughts he had before left his mind.
The lupine female responded. "Oh, sure. How is Lacrosse going?"
"It's going alright. I am on a private team now. I quit the school team. How is the gymnastics team these days?" The rodent smiled, glad that she was willing to talk to him.
Zoey was quick to answer. "It's going good. We got second in regionals. I placed third. Becky got first."
"Oh, nice. Becky has always been really good. But congrats on your accomplishment. That's awesome." Xavier couldn't help but be impressed with it.
There was a moment of no exchange between them before the wolf answered. "So what happened with the school team anyway? I thought you liked everyone."
"It's complicated. I started hanging out with this boy named Pent. They didn't want me to associate with him. One thing led to another and eventually, I started to care more about him than the team. So the short version of it is I quit the team." The rodent tried to be as succinct as possible.
Zoey was surprised. "Why wouldn't they want you to hang out with him? I don't understand."
"Well…he's sort of into academics and stuff. They see him as a nerd and stuff. I think he's just misunderstood." The chipmunk couldn't help but smile when he thought about the other boy.
The girl answered a few seconds later. "Oh, that sucks. That was nice of you. I'm sure he appreciates your friendship."
"He does. We're quite close now." Xavier stopped short of telling her that they were in a relationship now.
The wolf typed back her response. "That's cool. Who are you dating these days? It sucks we never got to go out on a date."
"Promise not to laugh?" The rodent wasn't sure what she'd think if he told her the truth.
Zoey thought this response to be strange. "Laugh about what? We live thousands of kilometers apart."
"I am dating, Pent. We've been together for a while now." The boy blushed a bit upon his admission.
A few moments passed before she answered again. "Oh, wow. That's surprising. But I'm glad you're happy."
"I'm happy but I'm sort of facing a problem right now and I don't know what to do." Xavier wondered if she might be willing to help him with it.
The wolf messaged back. "What kind of problem?"
"Well…it's just that ever since we started dating everyone cut me off. He might not be social but I am. I don't want to just become dependent on him like he depends on me. Ya know?" The rodent was honest about his feelings.
She answered soon after. "Did you talk to him about it? I mean if he depends on you, then he might take it the wrong way."
"No, not really. I don't want to hurt his feelings. I care about him a lot. I know he depends a lot on me…" Xavier sighed gently and started to think about what she had said.
Zoey responded. "I see. Maybe you could try outside of your class or grade. You're a friendly guy. I'm sure you could make some new friends."
"That's a good idea. Thanks. Who are you dating these days?" The chipmunk tried to be interested in his friend's love life.
The girl answered. "No one right now. I'm too busy for that. It was nice talking to you but I have to get going. My mom wants my help. See you later."
Xavier didn't respond and immediately began planning his course of action. He considered what she had said and tried to think how Pent would see the issue. The chipmunk felt badly again. There was no question he had a soft spot for the cub. He quickly shot over the other boy a text to check on him. The fox cub didn't respond so Xavier assumed he must have been busy and decided to deal with it later.
He looked out the window again. The weather was finally slowing down. He could see outside the window now. It was almost as if the weather had improved with his mood. Quickly he dressed himself and went outside to practice for the Lacrosse game on the following day. The moment he stepped outside, he took a deep breath and looked at his phone. Some concern still rocked his mind about why Pent hadn't answered but he pushed it to the side.
For the remainder of the day, Xavier got to spend it outside. Playing on the net he had set out behind his home. The chipmunk was more than happy that he could do something else than sit inside. Not caring about the muddy mess he created. He would remain outside until his parents came looking for him. They were none too surprised to see him outside, especially after he'd been stuck up indoors for so long.
The next day arrived before long. The rodent got out of bed with a pep in his step. Xavier had been looking forward to his Lacrosse game for some time now. Not only that but he knew that he'd be spending some time with Pent once the game was over. The chipmunk looked forward to it, even if he had to confront the small issue they'd been facing over the last few days. After he got dressed in his lacrosse uniform and padded down the hall to the kitchen.
His father was there that morning. The older male was the only one off that day between him and his wife.
"Hey, champ. All ready for your big game?" The man asked his son when he heard the boy open the fridge.
Xavier looked back at him. "Yeah, I was worried about the weather not getting better but it seems to be alright for now."
"I checked this morning for you. It's supposed to rain again towards the end of your game. But you guys should be able to finish before that." The father warned his son.
The cub shrugged. "As long as we get to play, I'm happy. Can Pent come over after?"
"Yeah, as long as his foster mom says it's okay." The man figured his son would invite the other boy as he'd mentioned it previously.
The boy smiled at him. "Thanks, Dad!"
The rodent sat down at the table. His mind returned to the issue at hand from the other day. Looking at his phone, there was still no response from Pent. He began to play with his food as it bothered him a little bit. It didn't take long for his father to notice.
"What's bothering you? It's game day. You should be excited." The man took a seat at the table next to the boy.
Xavier peered over at him with a look of concern on his face. "I'm just worried I screwed up is all…"
"Screwed up what?" The father placed his arm over the cub's shoulders to comfort him.
The rodent cub sighed. "It's just…I told Pent that I wanted to hang out with people and I think maybe I hurt his feelings."
"Xavier...relationships are not easy. Especially at your age. Maybe you should talk to him about it and apologize?" The older male rubbed the boy's back.
The chipmunk boy twisted his food with his fork. "Yeah…you're right."
"Eat up. I want you to have energy for your game." The father pointed over at the table where he had set breakfast up for his son.
Xavier nodded and sipped on his juice before resigning himself to eat breakfast. He was hungry so it didn't take long for him to chow through it. The pancakes, syrup, and fresh fruit were just what he needed to start off his day. When he was done, his father hurried him along to grab his bag and shoes. The chipmunk boy went as quickly as he could to grab his things and put his shoes on.
They soon left the home and made their way to the public grounds where the lacrosse game was to be held. It was a recreation area where all sorts of fields were set up. From a skate park to a baseball diamond, everything was accounted for. The lacrosse game was to use the soccer field with the nets and chalk boundaries to be replaced for the game. Already the bleachers had been set up in preparation for the game.
Xavier and his father went to the recreation center, which was the staging
point for the park. The older male parked and his son grabbed his bag in anticipation of getting out. Already the young cub was chomping at the bit to get playing. The moment the car came to a stop, he let himself out of the car and sped as quickly as he could over to the area where the team's coach had told them it would be.
The boy's father chuckled at him, making no attempt to stop him. He knew how passionate Xavier could be about the sport. Not long after he went to sign the cub in and went about making his way to the bleachers. The chipmunk boy made his way over to the "Field C" where the place had been set up for the lacrosse game. Each set of bleachers had been draped with the colors of both of the teams participating.
Xavier made his way over to the team and he was greeted by the coach. The woman gave him a high four before asking him to put his bag away. The chipmunk was pointed towards where the team was getting ready for the match. Without any hesitation, he got his gear out of his bag and started putting his pads on. Carrying his helmet and stick over he joined the rest of the team in their pre-game scrim.
Now back outdoors, Xavier could see that grey clouds still hung overhead. He hoped that it would hold out for the day. Stepping onto the field, he could feel that the dirt and grass were still wet. He knew that cleats would help with traction but figured it would probably be more slippery than normal. He soon joined his teammates in practicing, quickly forgetting about the wet conditions and his potential issue with his boyfriend.
The team continued to practice for a little over 30 minutes. Gradually the members of both teams showed up. The scrims became larger until both teams had accounted for most of their members. Only a few of them didn't show up. Still, it was enough to hold the game. After all, the teams were set up to over-prepare for events like this so the other cubs could participate. About halfway to game time, Pent showed up on his bike.
The Arctic fox pulled up his bike into the rack and locked it up. He readjusted the hat he was wearing and grabbed the water bottle he had brought with him. The boy looked at his phone. The texts from Xavier the other day were still there on his screen. He was still upset about the whole thing and while he wasn't jealous about it, he still felt disappointed in how Xavier had handled it. Still, he wasn't about to miss out on something he'd promised to attend.
Pent proceeded past the recreation center to the main part of the field. He could see the two teams practicing on the open grounds. The colors told him who was who. Not thinking about it, he made his way through both of them onto his way towards the main field. Signs were showing him where he needed to go. Little did he know, his presence did not go unnoticed and Xavier quickly stopped what he was doing and sped over.
"Pent, wait!" The chipmunk threw his stick to the ground and made his way over towards him.
The fox cub saw his boyfriend running over towards him and waved at him "Hey, Xae. Excited for the game?"
"Yes...but this isn't about the game. I'm sorry about what I said the other day. I didn't consider your feelings." Xavier shuffled his feet in place.
Pent smiled a bit. "It's okay, Xavier. I know you don't always want to hang out with me and that's fine."
"No…it's not that. It's just…I want both of us to have more friends. We can't always be together. You know?" The rodent hoped Pent could understand his reasoning.
The bigger boy touched his boyfriend's shoulder. "I know that. But I don't need anyone else, Xae."
"Pent, you keep saying that but why don't you want more friends?" The brown-furred boy wanted to hear him out.
The fox kit huffed. "Because it's always the same. They will just treat me like everyone else."
"Please try, Pent. For me?" The look on Xavier's face was of sincerity.
Pent hesitated before responding. "Okay, Xavier. I'll try."
"Thank you, Pent. Do you forgive me?" The rodent leaned in and hugged his boyfriend.
The bigger boy hugged him back. "Of course, I do. I love you."
"I love you too. See you after the game then?" The brown-furred cub let go.
The fox cub smiled again. "Definitely. See you then."
The two separated and went their ways. Xavier returned to practice with his team and the fox boy made his way to the bleachers. Xavier's father beckoned for Pent to join him once he saw the white fox cub arrive. Of course, the boy would since he didn't know anyone else. It wasn't long before both teams came to the field for the ceremonial handshake. Each of the cubs shook one another's paws before heading off to opposite sides of the field.
The white fox saw the other boy's familiar number 9 and smiled. He wasn't quite bold enough to cheer him on but in his head…he was. As the clock began to whittle down ever closer to start time, the anticipation was getting real. The crowd was beginning to cheer in hopes of routing their cubs to victory. Xavier and one of the other members of the other team approached the center of the field for a face-off.
The ball was placed in front of them and the referee blew the whistle. Xavier and the boy in front of him scurried for the ball, digging at it with the top end of their netted sticks. The rodent eventually came out with the ball, quickly darting it backward towards one of the other midfielders. They rushed forward met by the other teams members. The seal boy carrying the ball kept his net up in an attempt to keep it from getting stolen.
The seal made it past the midfielders but was soon met by the defense of the other team. He was soon checked by the member of the defense which caused the ball to drop. One of the girls playing defense scooped up the ball and swiftly passed it over to one of their midfielders. The Pidgeon girl was well covered so the ball was intercepted by one of Xavier's teammates. Making no hesitation they passed it to the chipmunk cub.
Xavier raced forward as he made his way down the field. He was quick to deek and juke the opponents as they tried to get in his way. His movements were swift and sudden, easily able to backtrack from side to side without a moment's notice. The defenders slid towards him in an attempt to trip him, leaving him to jump right over them and pitch his net forward sending the ball reeling towards the goal.
The crowd roared as the first goal was scored. Xavier high foured a few of his teammates as he made his way down back to midfield. The ball was soon retrieved and returned to the center of the field where it was prepared for another face-off. This time the chipmunk was not set in the center and was repositioned to the wing. The faceoff followed soon after with the opposing team coming on out of the battle with the ball in their net.
The midfielder was a lanky cat boy who had a very thin frame for his size. Anyone who looked at him could tell his body had not filled out just yet. The kitten wove in and out between each of the midfielders who tried to contend with him. His superior size made it hard for any of them to just steal the ball from him. Body checking seemed to not affect him either as he just brushed off blow after blow with ease.
Xavier watched as the bigger boy approached him. The other cub's size didn't bother him and he immediately went to intercept him. Like the others before him, the chipmunk was unable to make any headway on the cat. The larger kitten was able to overpower him with ease and steamrolled his way to the goal. Shooting right toward it, but the ball end up being caught by the goaltender.
The game reset at that moment with the players returning to their spots on the field. Xavier took point this time as the large cat was again put in the faceoff circle. The chipmunk was set on beating him this time. He wasn't about to be outdone when it came to Lacrosse. The two faced off once the whistle was blowing. Digging at the ball before the smaller cub came out with it, quickly swished it back to a member of the defense.
The other team seemed dumbfounded by the move. It was a ruse on Xavier's part as he slipped in behind the bigger cub and tracked to the far side of the field. The defenseman quickly reeled it forward sending the ball fall across the field. The rodent was ready to receive it, only to be body-checked as he grabbed the ball. The brown-furred cub steeled himself as he powered through the hit. Once again he shot it towards the net, scoring a second goal.
Xavier cheered as he was once again given high fours by his team. The cub was surely living up to his reputation as a good player. The other team snickered at him as he made his way back to midfield. The rest of the game wasn't quite as easy for the young chipmunk. The other team went as far as to assign the big cat boy to be his sole defender. Each time the rodent got the ball he was body-checked by the much bigger boy.
Pent watched the whole game with a look of concern. He'd seen Xavier checked before but never so many times. He couldn't help but worry about it. The other boy's father could see the look of concern on his face and assured him it would be fine. Still, Pent watched warily as his boyfriend continued to play the game.
Throughout the game, Xavier was continuously battered by the cat boy. Each time he maintained his steadfast behavior, trying to overcome the soreness his body was starting to experience. The constant checks on him were becoming bothersome but it was something he knew was part of the game. By the end of the game, Xavier's entire body was achy from the constant contact he had to endure throughout.
When the game finally ended, Xavier's team came out on top by 3 goals. Despite the constant onslaught of defense against the chipmunk, he was able to score a few times. Both teams were brought to the center of the field where they shook hands again. When Xavier
and the cat boy came to shake each other hands, they still looked at each other with respect even despite everything that happened.
After the cordial exchanges were done with both teams went to opposite sides of the fields for some rest and recuperation. Xavier's teammates congratulated each other on a good game and his coach gave him kudos for playing so hard. The chipmunk sat down and brushed the fur back against his face. The sweat on the cub's body made it easy enough that he could keep it out of his eyes.
Pent didn't wait much longer to get off the bleachers. The concern that Xavier might be hurt was still deeply engrained in his mind. He made his way over towards where the chipmunk's team was starting to pack things up in preparation for leaving. Xavier was in the middle of helping them so he didn't notice Pent at first. The white-furred cub approached him from behind and spoke gently.
"That was a really good game, Xae. You played awesome. Are you alright? That other boy sure gave you a hard time." Pent looked at him as if to make sure there were bruises or anything of the sort.
Xavier stopped what he was doing and looked over his shoulder. "Oh, I'm fine. Just a few bumps. Nothing a little rest won't recover."
"Okay, I'm glad. I was worried he hurt you." The bigger cub smiled at his boyfriend.
The brown-furred boy hugged him tightly. "I'll be okay. I promise. Besides…maybe you can give me a massage later."
"Erm…maybe. Do you guys need help with cleanup?" The fox kit wanted to be helpful.
The smaller cub smirked at him a bit. "Yeah, sure. I don't think the coach would mind."
Pent and Xavier helped with the team as they cleaned up things. There was to be a soccer game afterwards so they were expected to take the goals as well as the equipment with them. Parents had also been instructed of this and were left to clean up after themselves in the bleachers. Surprisingly, most of the parents complied with this. After all the risk of their kid being kicked off the team was the punishment for not doing so.
When everything was done, the coach held a small pep talk. Pent was allowed to participate, even if he wasn't part of the team. The fox listened to the little speech. The coach wasn't big on them but she gave them all the same. After she finished, she dismissed the cubs and they were allowed to go home. Xavier collected his bag and his gear and motioned for the other boy to follow him.
On the way back to Xavier's father's car, Pent picked up his bike. He guided it over to the vehicle where the other cub's father helped him put it in. Once it was inside the other boy made his way to the back seat. The rodent cub had already gotten inside and motioned for his boyfriend to join him. The white-furred boy didn't hesitate and quickly hopped inside to join him in the back seat.
Xavier's father moved to the front seat and buckled himself in. He checked on the two boys in the back. The two of them were sitting together as they often did. The man started the car before long. The car headed off into the distance towards Xavier's home. The brown-furred cub moved himself closer to Pent, leaning over his shoulder. The fox couldn't help but drape his arms over the other cub, enjoying the moment of closeness.
The vehicle continued its way down the various streets, turning out from the causeway into local streets. Pent pinned his head on Xavier's shoulder. He could smell the other cub. The light smell of pheromones and musk in the car was tantalizing his sense of smell. He simply silently enjoyed it as he hung there half-dazed, wafting it in unintentionally. Xavier was a bit spent so he didn't notice it but he wouldn't have minded anyway.
The car arrived at Xavier's house before long. The cub's father pulled into the parking spot at the front of it.
"Alright, Xavier…you smell. It's time for you to take a shower. Your little boyfriend can wait in your room." The father said the moment they came to a stop.
Xavier nodded. "Okay, Dad. I will."
The three of them exited from the car and made their way to the front door where the older male let them in. The chipmunk and fox started to head indoors. The boy's father stopped them before pointing at both of their feet. They had forgotten to take his shoes off and the man chuckled at them as they shuffled their shoes off. Xavier darted off the moment his dirty shoes were off with Pent following shortly after.
Xavier stopped by the bathroom on their way to his room. "Can you grab some clothes for me? I'm going to take a shower so my parents don't yell at me."
"Yeah, sure. I should probably take a shower after too." The fox suggested since he'd been outdoors all morning as well.
The smaller cub nodded. "Sure, feel free to borrow some of mine. I'll go first since I'm more sweaty dirty, and stuff"
"Alright. I'll be right back." Pent padded back to the other boy's room.
The brown-furred cub made his way inside the bathroom and stripped of his clothing. He looked in the mirror. His fur was matted with sweat, dirt, and grime. Xavier was very much looking forward to a warm shower. Turning on the water, he waited for it to heat up. It took a few moments before it was warm enough. The fox cub knocked on the door, despite having seen the other boy naked before.
"You can come in, don't worry." Xavier had already gotten in the shower and wasn't worried about Pent seeing him regardless.
Pent stepped in and set the clothing he had brought for Xavier on the toilet before leaving. The idea of being in there with Xavier's parents around made him uncomfortable about it. The chipmunk boy went through his usual hygiene routine. Spending a little more time than usual so that he got all the dirt from his fur. Shampooing every inch of his body and combing it out.
When he finished, he stepped out and changed into the stuff Pent had brought him. He grabbed his dirty stuff and padded towards the room. Telling Pent that it was his turn now, he got rid of the old stuff in the hamper. Pent retired to the bathroom soon after and repeated much the same thing, not quite spending as much time as his boyfriend did. Still, since his fur was longer and more full than the other cub it took him almost as long.
Pent returned to Xavier's room once he was done. The chipmunk was now in bed and patted the side next to him. He wanted to cuddle with the other boy. He wasn't worried about his parents seeing them like that. The fox hesitated a moment before speaking.
"Are you sure it's okay? Your parents don't mind?" The white-furred cub didn't want to cause any problems.
Xavier laughed. "My parents told me it's fine. They saw us sleeping together last time we had a sleepover."
"Oh…alright." Pent smiled and made his way over to the bed.
The bigger cub eased himself onto the bed. Xavier hadn't pulled down the sheets since it wasn't quite bedtime. Pent straddled his legs over the other cub and got behind him. He figured his boyfriend was sore since he had requested a massage earlier. The white fox lowered his right arm over his boyfriend and pulled him close. The two shared their body warmth just laying there in silence for a few moments.
Xavier grabbed his boyfriend's hand and squeezed it. Their fingers laced with one another as they cupped one another's grasp. Pent kissed the other boy on the cheek as the chipmunk cub smiled at him. They remained that way for a short while before Xavier's mom walked into the room. A smile crept across her face as she saw the two boys being close in bed.
"Come on, boys. It's time for dinner." She left the room and didn't comment on their disposition.
The rodent eased himself up and kissed Pent back on the cheek before helping him off the bed. The two of them made their way to the kitchen together, still walking hand in hand. Xavier and Pent arrived in the kitchen to the sight of the two parents waiting for them. Dinner was already prepared on the table for them.
"You two are so cute together." His mother finally spoke her mind about what she saw.
The chipmunk cub shied away a bit. "Mom…."
"What? It's true. You were never this gooshy with your girlfriends." His mother smiled at him.
Xavier spoke slowly. "Not in front of Pent, please Mom…"
"Okay…okay. Sit down boys and we'll have dinner." She pointed at the table as her husband helped finish with what was already there.
The chipmunk and fox boys sat together as they always did. Pent was becoming something of a regular site at the house now.
"Thanks, Mr. and Mrs. Noyer for having me tonight." The white fox wanted to make sure he was appreciative of their hospitality.
Xavier's father smiled at him. "Of course. You are welcome for dinner anytime you like. You can even invite your brother. We don't mind."
"Oh, cool. I appreciate it." The white-furred boy waited for them to start before digging in.
The extended family went back to eating the food. It was a hearty meal that had something each of them liked. Xavier's parents had gotten used to the fox's diet and were accommodating him now. They were fairly good cooks and the food was delicious. The taste of it tantalized the taste buds and remained for some time after. Once everything was done, the two cubs were left with cleanup.
Xavier and Pent were all too willing to help with the cleanup. The two of them worked together in picking up the dishes and cleaning them off in the sink. The chipmunk stuck to preparing them for washing while his boyfriend busied himself with clearing the table. Since they worked together, it didn't take them nearly as long. When they finished, the brown-furred boy made his way over to the fridge.
"Want some ice cream?" He asked since both of them seemed to enjoy it in the past.
The arctic fox nodded as he wanted whatever the other cub wanted. Xavier quickly swiped an ice cream cone from the freezer. It was the only one left but he figured
they could share it. He brought it over to the table and peeled off the wrapper. The chipmunk nibbled on it as some of the crumbs from the caramel covering fell off the table. Xavier offered it over to the other cub who took a bite of it from his hand.
The two of them shared the ice cream back and forth before they were left but with nothing but the cone.
"You can have the cone, Xae. I know it's your favorite." The fox said as he smiled at the other boy.
Xavier nodded at him, chomping down the remainder of the cone without delay. Pent licked his finger and reached forward to clean some of the ice cream off his boyfriend's fur. The smaller cub couldn't help but smile at him again. He picked up the wrapper and disposed of it before both of them washed off their hands. Making their way from the kitchen through the hall and finally back into the chipmunk boy's room.
"So what do you want to do? It's too early for bed." Pent asked since he knew his usual hobbies weren't something Xavier was super fond of.
Xavier hummed a bit before he answered. "Hmm…well…you promised me a massage."
The rodent smirked at him with a slight grin on his face. He returned to the bed where he sat down and patted the spot next to him. Pent motioned over towards him and eased himself onto the bed behind the chipmunk. The smaller cub took off his pajama shirt and smirked as he looked back at Pent. It had been a while since they'd done this but he was looking forward to it. Gently he leaned back into the other cub.
Pent was no expert in doing massages but he knew what his boyfriend liked from having done it before. He began rolling his hands into the other cub's back, pivoting around his shoulders in a circular motion. Xavier gently closed his eyes as he enjoyed the other cub's touch against his body.
"That feels…nice." The brown-furred boy murmured a bit.
The arctic fox smiled as the other boy complimented his attention. Shifting his fingers in between the other cub's shoulder blades, he tried to ease Xavier's muscles. Pent made slow and methodic motions using the tips of his fingers, as he dug into the small of the chipmunks back. Bit by bit, Xavier's body relaxed even more than it was before. He was now almost laying entirely against Pent's chest.
Pent smiled at him, looking into his boyfriend's eyes with utter love and affection. Soon shifting his hand to his front, continuing the same motions over his chest and midsection. Ruffling the boy's fur as he squeezed and rubbed every centimeter of his torso. Xavier soon closed his eyes as he was now entirely relaxed. Pent eased himself against the wall, just allowing the other cub to rest on him.
The fox continued to rub the other boy's stomach. No longer massaging him, it was a much more relaxed state than either of them anticipated. Xavier's exhaustion had caught up with him and he'd passed out once he was relaxed enough. Pent angled his head so he could look at the stars outside the window, basking in the glow of their sparkle. He continued to rub Xavier's fur, keeping it slow and careful to not disturb him.
They remained like that for a short while. Pent eventually slumped his head and closed his eyes, giving in to his desire to keep Xavier comfortable. Sleep soon overtook his young body as the moonlight peered in over them. When Xavier's parents came to check on them, they found Xavier draped over Pent. The two of them smiled before the chipmunk's mother popped in to drag the sheets overtop their already sleeping forms.
Xavier and Pent did not budge the entire night. Despite the somewhat awkward position they ended up in, they were still comfortable. Sleeping in one another's arms with their bodies lying in tandem. It was almost as if they completed with one another. Their bodies…their hearts and their entire being shared with one other. It truly was a love meant to be and neither would have it any other way.
