The solace of the same 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.
It has been a few days since the Lacrosse game. Pent and Xavier hadn't hung out since then. Xavier's parents suggested they spend time apart after he told them about the issues they had faced before. After all, they didn't want to spoil what they had. Instead, they wanted their relationship to flourish and become closer than ever before. Besides, it wasn't the first time they went a few days apart so it wasn't a big deal.
Pent was at his apartment with his brother. The older fox was doing his usual thing, reading yet another large volume of non-fiction content. This time the book was on chemistry, focusing on the finer elements of carbonization. He was hanging out on his bean bag chair, sitting around in his room with his brother busying himself on his latest fascination in gaming. The younger cub chatted and typed away from the computer.
The white fox peered over at him. Pent had become used to the noise but still preferred silence. Without saying a word, he picked himself up and entered the living room. The older fox sat on the sofa and started reading again, unconcerned about what his brother was doing. Pent soon lost himself in the content of the book, as he often did when he got into something he liked. It wasn't until lunchtime that he was disturbed by the younger cub again.
Samaliel emerged in the living room and saw his brother still reading the book. "Don't you want some lunch?"
"Wait…I'm almost done with this chapter." The fox wanted to finish what he was reading.
The salt and pepper boy chuckled at him before going into the kitchen to make himself food. By the time Pent finished and made his way to the kitchen, he found that Samaliel was cleaning up. The younger cub looked at him before speaking.
"Would it be alright if Nait came over to play Dungeons and Dragons?" He asked since their foster mother was absent again.
Pent made his way over to the counter to make himself something to eat. "Yeah, that's fine."
"Do you want to play with us? It might be a nice break from reading." Samaliel suggested since his brother rarely deviated from his hobby of comfort.
The white fox peered over his shoulder. "I want to finish my book."
"You can finish your book later. Please, Pent? You can even use that Alchemist you created. I mean…I just want you to have fun." The younger cub said with the best puppy eyes he could muster.
Pent sighed. "I was enjoying my book but I will play with you two if you want."
"Thanks, you won't regret it!" The younger fox felt like he'd accomplished something important after convincing the older boy.
The white fox smiled at him before going about making his lunch. Dungeons and Dragons wasn't something he was fond of, or at least that's what he thought. He was very much a creature of habit and sometimes…it meant he was less willing to try new things. But he wasn't about to turn down his brother as he was always keen on trying to make him happy. Sometimes even at the expense of his insecurities.
Pent made a small lunch as he was rushed to get back to reading his book. He didn't know what time Samaliel's friend was coming over but he figured he had some time before that happened. He continued to read while he was eating the food. Of course, the distraction of the book in his hand made him take longer to eat. As usual, he was more worried about understanding and absorbing the contents of it than anything else.
It was about an hour before there was a knock at the door. Pent was still absorbed in his book, so much so that he'd almost forgotten about it. He put the book away for later before getting up to answer it. The white fox opened the door to find Samaliel's best friend standing there.
"Hiya. Nait. Samaliel is in our room. He's been expecting you." He opened the door and watched as the lion boy shuffled off his shoes.
The younger cub looked up at him. "Sama said you were gonna play with us. Is that true?"
"Oh, yeah. I guess I did." Pent rubbed the back of his neck as he knew there was no getting out of it now.
Nait smiled at him with a toothy grin. "Come on, Pent. I promise you'll have fun. Dungeons and Dragons is neat."
Pent shrugged, not sure if that would be the case. He shut the door and locked it before both of them proceeded back to the Fox brother's room. Samaliel was already on the floor and had set up a big game board. Character sheets that were filled out sat on three sides of it with a few multi-sided dice scattered across it. The salt and pepper fox had a Dungeon Master's guide in front of him with a small sheet of suggested adventures they could undertake.
Samaliel motioned for them to join him. The fact his brother was going to participate was a big deal. It would be the first time he'd ever played despite having creature the character some time ago. Nait sat alongside the salt and pepper boy with Pent sitting opposite of them.
"Thanks for coming over, Nait!" The younger fox said with a big smile on his face.
The lion boy nodded. "Totally. I wouldn't miss out on this. Especially since your brother is going to play with us."
"Yeah….so what next? I don't know what to do…" Pent admitted his lack of experience on the issue.
"We declare our characters. Then I will pick a campaign and we will play it out. You roll dice on your turn and the dice will determine how things play out during an event or battle. Want to go first to show him how it's done?" Samaliel kept it as simple as possible and looked over at his best friend for some help.
"Sure, I'll go first. I will be using my Barbarian. He wields a single double-headed axe that is too big for him. He is brave and daring and always up for a challenge." Nait showed off his character sheet and a small sketch he'd made of himself in the character's outfit.
Samaliel pistoned his arm. "Awesome. Next time can you make me a sketch for mine? I am going to go with my debonair rogue. He is charming and charismatic, though he tends to be a bit impulsive. He uses daggers."
"Uh….I guess I will use my Alchemist since that is all I have. He is…smart and uses potions." Pent wasn't exactly the most creative when it came to original ideas.
The younger fox chuckled. "That's good enough. Let me give you guys some choices on a campaign. First, we have the classic save the damsel in distress theme. Second…we have a skirmish involving an orcish uprising in Ferevent. Finally…we have the hardest campaign surrounding the defeat of a mighty Yeti that had been ravaging Yormon. Which sounds interesting?
"Oh, totally the Yeti scenario. Let's not skimp out on a challenge." Nait wasn't about to cheese out on something easy.
Pent didn't protest as he had no idea what was involved in defeating a Yeti. Of course, he knew what the mythical monster was but had never been tasked with taking one down. Samaliel handed them each a set of counters, some dice, and a makeshift figure to represent their character. He pointed at the board, showing them where things were to start. The younger fox set his piece down, not worried about the fact that the dungeon master didn't usually participate.
"We found ourselves in the outskirts of Yormon. A tundra where ice and snow cover much of the land. The climate is frigid. The inhabitants of Yorman are nomadic people, relying on the coming and going of nearby Yak herds. Lately, a terrible beast had been terrorizing the countryside and ravaging the population of Yaks. There is a blizzard and the people are unable to move. The tribal leader has reached out for aid. Will we answer the call?"
Samaliel hyped up the scenario to the best of his ability. It was a good attempt to be sure. Nait smiled at him, leaning in towards the board with anticipation. Pent remained indifferent as he waited for something to happen. The salt and pepper fox rolled the dice as he put one of the monster pieces on the board. The plastic beasts approached the wayward adventurer's pawns.
"You find yourself assailed by a pack of rabid worgs. The feral wolf-like creatures were deeply engrained with the disease. Their eyes glazed with a yellow hue. The largest one strikes with a quick snap of its jaw."
Nait rolled the dice, his numbers totaling on the higher end of the digits.
"The mighty barbarian wildly strikes as the largest worg. The animal is sent reeling backward as it's cleaved asunder. Its pack remains steadfast but wary about further approach."
The Lion responded with an attack of his own, knowing full well the breadth of his blow was one to be reckoned with.
"It's your turn, Pent. What do you do to deter the threat? Try to come up with something that might help the situation." Samaliel said trying to urge his older brother into action.
Pent had never considered this before. The idea of battling as an Alchemist wasn't something he thought about. He racked his mind for a moment until he picked up and tossed the dice. His roll ends on the lower end of the digits.
"I throw a flask of tarric fluid towards the wolves in hopes of slowing them down."
The younger fox smiled at his attempt and decided to go easy on him. He threw the dice before calling the deciding fate of the actions.
"The worgs are stunned by Nait's ferocity and the tar has stuck to their fur, leaving them a mess. One of them angrily lurches forward toward the party."
The lion picked up the dice again before rolling. This time he managed a lower score.
"I leap forward in front of our gallant Alchemist as the worg chomps against the haft of my axe."
Pent smirks at him and decides to play into it. The fox picks up the dice as he follows up with another roll.
"I grant Nait an emboldening elixir to maintain his strength."
The younger fox smiles at him before picking up the dice again. He rolls again to call the deciding factor. This time it is a higher roll.
"The wolves send Nait reeling on his rear end and he is now faced with the snarling snout of
the salivating rabid wrong. Pent it is left to you to save our woodby Barbarian."
The white fox rolled his eyes but played along anyway and rolled the dice again. He got a middling roll.
"I toss a bittering agent at the wolf to get it run with its tail between its legs."
Samaliel chuckled at him, glad that Pent was at least trying to do his best. He picked up the dice and rolled again. This time he scored low.
"The wolves scatter as the souring chemical sends them squealing back where they came from."
Nait offered Pent a high four as he had overcome the challenge together. Pent was a bit hesitant before following up with the small show of celebration. The three of them continued for a bit. The white fox wasn't entirely enthralled by the experience. New things weren't something he usually liked off the bat. It took some getting used to. Still, he was giving it his all as he promised his brother he would play.
It took a little over an hour for them to come to the final encounter. The legendary mythical Yeti monster that Samaliel had created for the campaign. The trio of adventurers had now found themselves at the top of the mountain. The salt and pepper boy had joined them shortly after the battle with the wolves. Now they stood face to face with it and the younger fox had to roll twice for himself now. It took a little longer but he badly wanted to partake in the battle.
The battle against the Yeti was a fierce one. The bulky snow creature beset their party, unfurling rocks and boulders with ease. Its roar bellowed against the snow-caked mountain but stopped short of creating an avalanche. Its sharp claws swiped at them, only to be stopped by the swift action of Samaliel's rogue to make the entire party vanish. Once behind the creature, Nait landed a huge flow from his axe causing the fiend to shriek.
Pent continued to offer his expertise in politics…giving the Yeti an explosive surprise from a volatile compound he concocted. Yet, even still the thing did not fall and showed a fierce defiance of their presence. It stuck them yet again with a chomp of its overly large jaw. Just missing the party but landing a corrosive substance from Pent who planted it in its mouth. The thing was left stunned and fell to the snow with a muffled thud as the campaign came to a close.
Samaliel looked at the other two boys and smiled. Of course, he and his best friend had enjoyed this whole thing more than Pent did. However, the experience would remain an indelible one in the older fox's mind.
"That wasn't that bad. Thanks for inviting me to play, Sama." The white-furred boy said before turning around.
The older boy returned to where he was before the role-playing game had unfolded. He looked around and noticed his book was missing. He looked back to see the younger boy holding to overly large text.
"You're not going back to reading, are you? Why don't have more fun with Samaliel and me?" The lion suggested with a look of curiosity on his face.
Pent rolled his eyes and snatched the book from him. "Like I told my brother….reading is fun."
"Aw…okay, Pent. Maybe later then?" Nait wasn't going to protest since the Arctic fox had played with them previously.
The white-furred cub thought about it a moment. "Maybe after I finish."
Nait darted away as he knew this was going nowhere fast. Pent was about as stubborn as it came regarding his hobby. The fox made his way over back to the couch and found a comfortable spot before returning to reading. Soon losing himself in the content of the book, as he often did. Unconcerned about what the other two boys were doing in his room. After all, he could just as easily ignore the sound of their occasional giggling.
Samaliel and Nait would remain in the fox boy's room until dinner. Pent finished his book well before that but re-read some of it since he felt like his train of thought had been disrupted. He wasn't quite as distracted when it came to mealtime. This time he had to remind the younger cubs it was time for food instead of the other way around. He made his way over to the bedroom where they were playing video games.
Pent popped his head in. "I'm going to make dinner. Make sure you guys are ready in a few minutes."
"Yeah, yeah." Samaliel said while still overly absorbed in whatever game he was playing with Nait.
Pent rolled his eyes at the two boys who were too occupied to mind what he requested of them. He made his way to the kitchen and began making food. The lion's parents texted him to let him know they'd be picking up the boy soon. They only texted Pent since Nait wasn't responding and they needed the older fox to tell him. He busied himself in preparing dinner. Shouting down the hall once it was ready.
Samaliel and Nait were hungry enough to come of their own volition as they plodded down the hall. The lion was used to the older boy making food as he'd been there before so seeing the food ready didn't alarm him. They ate the food and the lion went home soon after. His parents thanked the older fox who thought nothing of it. Returning inside to go see what his brother was up to since he hadn't come to the door.
The white-furred boy made his way back to his room and found Samaliel waiting for him. The younger fox found him holding something, covered by his two hands.
"What's that?" Pent couldn't help but ask.
The smaller cub opened his hand paws and showed it to his brother. It was a small figurine crafted from what appeared to be clay.
"Nait made this for you. He figured you'd like it since you had an alchemist." Samaliel waited for his brother to take it.
Pent stepped closer and grabbed the thing with two of his fingers. It was small but the paint job and craftmanship were designed well enough that he could tell what it was meant to be.
"So…the dungeons and dragons session wasn't just your idea. Was it?" The bigger cub couldn't help but smile.
Samaliel shook his head. "Nope. He and I planned it all along. He knew you wouldn't turn me down if I asked enough."
"Thanks, Sama. It was fun but I wasn't very good at it." The older boy scratched the back of his head.
The salt and pepper-furred boy chuckled. "Oh, relax. You take everything so seriously. It was just a game. It was just nice to get you away from your book for a change."
"One day you'll see that reading books is fun too." Pent playfully punched the other boy.
The younger cub stuck his tongue out. "Don't count on it."
The two of them hugged each other before Samaliel returned to his gaming session. He hadn't moved the console back into the living room since he and Nait had been playing games there earlier. Pent went through his bookshelf and scanned through his books. He'd read through all of them and was out of anything new to read. He scanned through the shelves and considered re-reading one of them.
"Let me guess….You've read all of them. Haven't you?" Samaliel peered over his shoulder and smirked at the other boy.
Pent nodded. "Yeah…I could re-read something I guess."
"Why not come play a game instead? I promise no versus. We can do cooperative." The salt and pepper fox offered out the controller to his brother.
The white-furred boy thought about it for a moment. It was true he didn't have anything new to read but gaming was far from his favorite thing to do. Still, he knew if he didn't he'd never hear the end of it from his brother. Slowly he made his way over to the other side of the room and plopped himself on a bean bag chair. He took ahold of the controller from his brother and they started to play games.
Pent and Samaliel played games for most of the night. It would be the longest gaming session of Pent's young life. After all…he didn't have anything else to do. In his mind, he was planning to take the bus to the bookstore. He couldn't go the rest of the summer without reading. The fox didn't know what he would buy but he was certain he could find something that interested him. But for the time being, he focused on the game at hand.
Samaliel carried his brother through the games they played. Scoring higher than him in every game they played. It didn't bother Pent since the hobby wasn't something he was super competitive or interested in. Even when he played League, it was casual and rare at that. Still, he enjoyed making his brother happy and this was something that Samaliel enjoyed. It lasted almost an hour before Pent finally called it quits.
Samaliel let him go since he'd had his way more than once today. He knew that the older fox liked solitude and alone time. Pent decided to get ready for bed and contemplated what he might do since he didn't have any books to read. While in the shower, he decided he would text Xavier before bed to see how we were doing. The thought of the other boy made him smile and made him feel warm inside.
Pent didn't take very long in the shower. He didn't spend long because he hadn't done anything active that day. In his mind, he wanted to stop at the park tomorrow on the way to the bookstore. Thinking that maybe Xavier would join him to spend some time together. He would have to see what the other cub wanted to do. Once he was done in the shower, he dried off and trotted back to his room. Picking up his phone, he lay flat on his back before staring at the screen.
"Hey, Xae. You there?" He texted and waited for a response.
It was a few minutes before he answered. "Yeah, Pent. What's up?"
"Do you have any plans tomorrow?" Pent said, ever hopeful that Xavier would accept his invitation.
The chipmunk didn't take long to respond. "My mom wanted to take me to go clothing shopping. Why?"
"I was going to go to the park and bookstore. Do you want to come?" The fox was set on going either way.
Xavier answered back after a moment. "I can ask my mom but she said I needed new clothing and I've been procrastinating to go for a while."
"Oh, okay.
No problem." Pent wasn't disappointed as he didn't want Xavier to upset his mother.
The rodent texted back. "Maybe if you want you can come with us. We still have to go clothes shopping for me but I don't think she'd mind you coming."
"Can I go to the bookstore after?" The fox said a possibility in the opportunity.
Xavier responded. "I don't think she'd mind. I'll let you know in the morning. Alright?"
"Alright, Xae. Good night. I love you." Pent smiled, glad that he'd get to spend time with his boyfriend.
The brown-furred boy messaged back. "Love you too."
The rest of the night was fairly low-key for Pent. He pulled out his telescope and decided to gaze into the sky above. The familiar sight of the stars was soothing to him and it made him nostalgic for watching them with his boyfriend. They had far more meaning now than when he was alone. Still, his mind focused on honing in on the constellations. Mapping them out in his mind and counting how many he could find.
Samaliel retired to bed before he did. Gazing over at Pent from the bunk bed, he looked at him for a moment.
"Coming to bed or did you find something interesting?" Samaliel said as he was tired and wanted to get to bed for another full day of gaming.
Pent stopped looking into the finder and stepped back. "Yeah. I'll go to bed. Not much activity tonight."
The white fox padded over to the light switch and turned them off. Popping his head over the top bunk he kissed his brother on the forehead. Soon retiring to his bunk. His mind was still active about tomorrow but not thinking as much as he usually did. After all, he hadn't read since earlier in the day and his mind had moved on from it. It didn't take him as long as it usually did to fall asleep.
The next morning rolled around before long. Pent was the first one out of bed, as he often was. He didn't bother to wake up Samaliel since it was still the summer. He figured the smell of food would wake up the other cub either way. The fox kit checked his phone and wasn't surprised that Xavier hadn't messaged him yet. Looking at the time, he could see it was still pretty early and he didn't want to rush his boyfriend.
Pent decided to busy himself with breakfast, bringing it with him just in case. Deciding to make some muffins and fruit. It was a little more involved than usual but they had the batter for it. The Arctic fox picked out some raspberries and went through the process of baking the muffins. It was an easy bake kit that didn't require as much time. A simple mixing of ingredients and baking in the oven to complete the recipe.
After a while, the muffins were done. The smell of them permeated from the oven. It wasn't long before Samaliel could smell them. Even in his light sense of slumber, it woke him up immediately as he padded down to the kitchen. Joining his brother in finishing in setting up the table for the meal.
"Morning, lazy bones." Pent chuckled at his younger brother.
Samaliel rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah…whatever it's summer."
"Only for a few more weeks. Don't forget school starts back up soon." The white fox sat down next to the smaller boy.
The salt and pepper fox sighed. "I know. Don't remind me."
They began to eat their meal together and didn't say much of anything as they chowed down. The muffins were fresh and still warm. Samaliel was surprised his brother had made them but he wasn't about to complain. Combined with the fresh fruit and yogurt, the meal was delicious.
"Thanks, bro. That was good. What have you got planned today?" Samaliel couldn't help but ask since he knew the older cub was out of books.
Pent smiled. "Xavier's parents are gonna pick me up and we're gonna to the store."
"The store? Why would you want to do that?" The younger fox picked up his plate and went to clean it off in the sink.
The older fox did the same. "He said we could go to the bookstore after were done clothing shopping for him."
"Oh, I see. Don't buy too many books. That should be fun though, I guess." Samaliel dried off both of the plates once they were clean.
The white-furred boy shrugged. "I won't. I just want something to hold me off until the end of summer. I'll probably just get two."
They finished cleaning up the mess they made. Samaliel immediately sprinted back to their room to collect his gaming stuff and move it to the front room. He wanted to game on the big television and knew Pent wouldn't mind. The older fox in the meanwhile went about getting ready and dressed for the day. He wasn't certain when Xavier and his parents would arrive but the chipmunk said he would text him when it was time.
It was about 30 minutes before Pent finally received the text. He had been watching his brother play games to pass the time. The text simply said they were on the way. Already he could feel himself excited to spend some time with the other boy. The white fox put his phone back in his pocket and headed towards the door. As he shuffled his shoes on, he spoke to Samaliel.
"I'm gonna head out. Xavier and his parents are on the way. I'll be back later. Have fun." Pent let himself out and locked the door behind him.
Xavier's family's car soon arrived in front of Pent's apartment complex. The fox got up from where he was sitting and sprinted over towards it. He waved to the boy's bother who was in the front seat.
"Hi, Mrs. Noyer. Thanks for letting me come." Pent opened the back door and he saw the chipmunk boy already sitting and waiting for him.
She peered back at him. "Certainly, honey. I don't mind you tagging along."
"Hey, Pent." Xavier patted the spot next to him urging his boyfriend to move closer.
Pent scooted over so they were shoulder to shoulder. "Hey, Xae. I'm looking forward to spending time with you today."
"Me too, Pent. What kind of books are you going to get today?" Xavier knew the answer but figured he'd ask anyway.
The fox didn't hesitate in his answer. "I'm not sure. Maybe a book on Biology or Chemistry."
"Cool. Maybe I'll get something too so we can read together." The chipmunk didn't read books very often but he knew it was something his boyfriend enjoyed.
The chipmunk's car led them out of the apartment complex and towards the main roads. The shopping complex they were headed to was in the central part of town. They went right passed the school and towards the highway that led towards the inner town. The highway was faster today since it was already past rush hour. Only a few other cars were present and Xavier's mother was able to go the speed limit without any issue.
In the back seat, Xavier and Pent were talking about nothing specific. Pent occasionally mentioned school but the rodent quickly changed the subject. Their conversation soon turned to what they would do after the shopping was done. Xavier's mother denied his request to have Pent over. They were having guests so they would have to enjoy the time they did have together. The chipmunk respected her wishes and no longer pushed the issue.
They arrived at the shopping complex before long. It was a roundabout of stores with a few of them in the central part with the rest of the shops at the outer rim of it. A small sign was at the entrance of it showing which stores were in which direction. Xavier's mother drove them down the left lane towards the big clothing store. It was one of those outlet shops where the parent company only offered a small selection of their entire catalog.
The car came to a stop and the chipmunk's mother urged them to get out. Xavier and Pent made their way out of the car and waited for her to join them. It had been a while since the fox had been to a clothing shop. He received much of the clothing he wore as part of the hand-me-down system that was present in foster care. Though there were a few pieces he was given as gifts from adults who were familiar with his situation.
They made their way inside with Xavier's mother taking the lead. She'd been to the store enough that she knew of its layout. The signs inside the store made it even easier for them to find what they were looking for. The "Boys" section was over on the left side of the store and she looked back to make sure the two cubs were following them. A few other people were in the store but it was pretty quiet except for the musical ambience that played from the speakers.
The chipmunk's mother led them back to the area of the store where the cub's clothing was kept. Several sections of it existed with an area for both genders as well as one specifically for toddlers and infants. The teen section was a short distance away and it was closest to the area for shoes, which collected across all ages and genders. They proceeded back to the area where the more casual garments were kept.
"Alright, Xavier. I want you to pick out some stuff to wear around the house after school and some stuff for when we go out. You're a growing boy and you've had the clothes you wear every day for a while." She pointed at the rack of clothing as she wanted him to have complete independence in choosing what he liked.
The chipmunk cub nodded. He wasn't a fan of shopping and he didn't feel like he even needed new clothes. Still, he wasn't going to protest his mother.
"Come on, Pent. You can come look with me." The smaller cub offered his paw to the bigger boy.
Pent took his hand and they walked together towards the shelf with t-shirts. Xavier began looking through them. Most of them were graphic t-shirts with bright colors on them. A few of them had characters on them that he wasn't super fond of. Some of the others had the local sports team's logos on them. He looked through a few of them, not super stoked because they were mostly baseball and hockey.
Xavier showed one of the hockey ones to Pent. The chipmunk wasn't familiar with the team logos as he didn't watch the professional sports scene beyond lacrosse and skateboarding. Pent
looked at it, recognizing it and smiling. It wasn't his favorite team but it had a nice design all the same.
"I think you would look good in that, Xae." Pent offered his opinion on the t-shirt.
Xavier held it up over his chest. "Thanks, but I don't like it. I was just showing it to you."
The rodent put it back on the rack and went back looking at the shelves of clothing. He eventually found the ones meant for skaters. Brands like CF, Darkmouse, and Fernat were brands that were very familiar in the community. They were typically washed out with less flamboyant colors and featured some cache phrase or hand symbol on them. Eventually, Xavier found one that he liked with a retro-style theme to it.
"Oh, this is cool. What do you think about it, Pent?" He showed his boyfriend the shirt waiting for his comment.
Pent looked at it for a moment. "It's neat. I think it's cool."
The chipmunk folded it over his arm and then continued to look through the various pieces of clothing. His mother had discussed with him what he needed last night, even if she had restated it that day. Xavier continued to look through the shirts, occasionally finding one that he liked and folding over his arm to add to his collection of keepers. When he had picked out four of them, he moved on to the semi-formal stuff.
Xavier wasn't super fond of the semi-formal garments. The boy's mother liked khaki's and polo t-shirts, telling him they looked good on him. Of course, her opinion had lost meaning as he'd gotten older. Now he was more concerned about Pent thought, which is part of why she allowed the other boy to come. She figured the fox cub would be a good influence on her son, as he'd often been in the past.
The brown-furred boy picked out a few of the polo shirts and some button-ups. He preferred the striped designs but when Pent pointed out one that was more tropical style, he couldn't help but add it. Before long he moved on to the shorts and pants, just picking stuff that matched. When he brought it to his mother, she just told him he needed to try them on before they bought anything. After all, she wanted to make sure they fit.
Xavier dragged Pent over to the changing room. A small sign with an arrow pointed towards it with an elderly lizard woman who was taking care of the station. She paid the two boys no mind as they went past her. After all, Xavier had a big pile of clothes on his arm and she assumed they would both be using it. Little did she know that the rodent was planning on giving his boyfriend a bit of a showing.
"I'm gonna get changed. Just tell me what you think when I come out, alright?" The smaller cub said as he placed the clothing on a small shelf inside the changing room.
Pent nodded. "Yeah, sure. I can do that."
Despite having seen Xavier's birthday suit before, he still gave the other cub privacy. The thought of sneaking a peak at Xavier didn't even occur to Pent. The rodent closed the door and began to change into the first set of clothing he picked to try on. It was a bit looser on him and he stepped out to show it to Pent. The fox cub gave him a thumbs up and took a seat on a small bench that was situated inside the station.
Occasionally Xavier came out to show Pent some of his stuff. He wasn't as keen on the semi-formal wear and only showed the one that he liked most. A simple striped T-shirt and solid navy pants. The chipmunk stepped out with it on, still feeling a little anxious about it. Of course, Pent liked anything his boyfriend wore and gave him a soft nod. The other boy's approval made him feel much better about it.
Xavier went through this process a few times. Pent never once showed any signs of not liking something his boyfriend was wearing. The fox was glad he could be a source of support for the other boy. It took the chipmunk about 20 minutes to go through everything before he changed back into what he came in with. He stepped out with the clothing he had picked to keep on his left arm with the rest of it left inside a return bin.
The chipmunk and fox soon stepped back out of the changing room. The lizard woman who was stationing it still paid them no attention. She was now on her phone, completely distracted. Xavier and Pent made their way back over to where Xavier's mother was. She wasn't in the same spot she was before. The rodent assumed she probably went to look at stuff for herself. They went looking for her and found her browsing around the women's section.
"Good morning. Did you find things, Xavier?" She saw the small stack of clothing folded over his arm.
Xavier nodded. "Yeah, I'm done. Did you find anything?"
"Nope. I was just looking." The mother took the clothing from her son and looked them over.
The chipmunk boy waited patiently for her approval. Of course, she had no intention of saying no to anything. In her mind, he was old enough to pick the stuff. She just wanted to make sure that he got what he needed. Sure enough, they had gotten enough. The boy's mother noticed he hadn't picked out any underwear or socks. On the way back, she grabbed a pack of each of them without much thought to what they looked like. They continued past it towards the checkout.
The three of them waited in line as the other furs waiting to pay did the same. A few registers were open so it didn't take very long to get through it. Xavier's mother paid for the clothes and put it into a bag. Handing it off to her son before they headed off to the exit. The primary reason for their trip out here was now done.
"Do you boys still want to go to the bookstore before we take Pent back home?" She asked though she figured she already knew the answer.
Xavier looked over at Pent and then back at her. "Yeah, please."
She nodded and they went back into the car. The bookstore was on the other side of the roundabout so it wasn't a very far distance away. They traveled to the other side of the complex, arriving at the bookstore in just under a few minutes. Pent's face lit up as he saw the store. He very much enjoyed the bookstore, though he knew he couldn't stay there as long as he wanted since he was a guest.
The mother pulled into a parking spot and they got out again. Xavier left his bag behind and the two cubs trotted off into the store. She chuckled at them. She had never seen her son so excited over a bookstore. Though for Xavier, he was simply excited about it because Pent was. The two of them skipped through the door as one of the employees inside urged them to slow done. The bookstore was a place of quiet, so they nodded.
Pent looked around. This wasn't the bookstore he was used to going to. It was a bit bigger with signs over top of each section. Various forms of art hung about the canvas' and frames on the wall. Xavier's mother squeezed in behind them.
"I am going to grab some coffee. You guys can take your time, but we need to head back in about an hour." She gave them a distinct timeline as she was certain they needed it.
Xavier nodded and looked towards Pent who still wasn't paying attention. "Did you hear that, Pent?"
"Yeah. Let's go." Pent offered his paw to the other boy and they walked together.
The rodent's mother smiled at them and went to do her own thing. Pent took the lead and immediately led the chipmunk towards the non-fiction section. Several rows of books with the genre of each labeled underneath lined up in front of them. Most of the books were far thicker than anything that Xavier would ever read. Yet for Pent, the selection here was beyond anything he could have hoped for.
Pent began scanning through the books. The names of each of them were on the spines. Fingering through each of them and occasionally pulling one out to look at it. Eventually, he found one about Microbiology.
"Look, Xavier." Pent showed his boyfriend the book.
The title of the book focused on Qualitative Principles of Microbial Interaction. A subject way over Xavier's head and he hadn't even known existed. He looked at it but had no understanding of what it meant.
"What is it about?" He couldn't help but ask but wasn't entirely interested.
Pent looked at it and examined the back. "It's about how microbes interact and react to each other."
"Oh, that seems interesting. Are you going to get it?" Xavier asked since they hadn't explored much yet.
The fox cub shrugged. "I don't know yet. Maybe."
Pent put it back and continued scanning through the books. He read the synopsis of every book he took out. His eyes sparkled at some of them as the interest tantalized his young mind. Xavier couldn't help but smile at him as it was very rare when Pent showed his passion for such things. They continued to scroll through the books until they ended up in the astronomy section. Xavier remembered that this was one of Pent's favorite subjects.
The bigger boy eventually pulled out a book on Particle Astrophysics. A subject he hadn't yet explored. He showed it to Xavier and panned through to one of the diagrams of nuclear fusion that occurred on the sun. Of course, the chipmunk was more interested in the pictures. Molten hot liquid plasma in its purest form as it bubbled and popped, flowing in a wavelike fashion over the surface of the burning star.
"Do you want to look at a different section, Xavier?" Pent asked as he knew Science wasn't his boyfriend's thing.
Xavier shrugged. "Are you going to get that one?"
"Maybe. I haven't decided yet. Which section do you want to look at?"
The chipmunk hummed. "Let's go see if they have anything for skateboarding."
Pent nodded and they began to walk around the store. The fox was still holding onto the Particle Astrophysics book as he hadn't found anything more appealing yet. They proceeded to the section that was marked for sports. Scanning through it, they found most of the books were about Hockey and winter sports. A few of them covered Lacrosse but Xavier wasn't interested
in another book about his favorite sport.
The rodent eventually found a book about Skateboarding records. The back of which indicated it was a deep dive into the various achievements of skateboarders of past and present. He didn't put nearly as much thought into it and picked it up. After all, he wasn't even sure he'd read it. The two of them walked back over to the lounge and sat down together. Without delay, Pent went into skimming the book to make sure it would be something he would enjoy.
The hour would pass pretty quickly. Xavier ended up picking up a magazine instead and putting back the book he found originally. Pent on the other hand, hyper hyper-focused as he often did. It was clear he was set on getting what he found. When Xavier's mother reappeared she found the fox cub and her son still sitting there. The white-furred boy was engrossed in a book that she thought would be way over his level.
"Are you boys ready to head out? I have errands to run and still need to take Pent back home." She said as she stood over top of them.
Xavier looked up at her and nodded then back at Pent. "You ready?"
Xavier's voice snapped Pent out of his focus. "Yeah."
They both got up and went to the front of the store where the registers were. Xavier's mother paid for the magazine and Pent paid for his book. The three of them proceeded back out to the car and they got back in it. Pent decided to not read it yet since he'd only gotten one. He didn't want to blaze through it and end up having nothing to read again. Besides…he did technically have stuff he could re-read even if he wasn't crazy about it.
Xavier's mother started the car back up and the two cubs in the back seat went to talking about nothing specifically. It was still amusing for her to see them together, even if they'd been dating for months now. She drove the car back out of the roundabout and into the main streets. Heading back down the highway towards Pent's home. It was still too early for rush hour and the roads were still mostly empty.
On the way back she stopped at a fast food place and grabbed them lunch. Treating Pent was no big ordeal, but he was still thankful. She was allowing them to spend a bit more time together. Seeing the smiles on their faces softened her heart. It was like they were meant to be together. The fact they were being so open with her around showed just how close they had gotten. She remembered a time when Xavier hid his feelings for the very same boy.
Once lunch was done, she hurried them along back into the car. She was a bit rushed now because she'd taken a detour to the fast food place. The woman figured she could make it, so long as nothing else delayed her. She continued at a quick pace, driving the car down the streets and heading towards Pent's apartment complex. It wasn't long before they arrived.
Xavier saw Pent out to his home. The two shared a soft but short kiss as the boy's mother had told them she needed to make up time. The fox cub waved to his boyfriend who waved back at her. The white-furred cub clutched his book and went back inside. Sure enough, Samaliel was still playing video games on the front television. The younger boy was so enthralled by the game, that he didn't even notice Pent's entrance.
Pent didn't mind and greeted the cub who simply groaned back at him. The older fox chuckled and went his day back like he normally did. Wasting no time in divesting the rest of the time in his new book. The content sheerly indulged his young mind and his ever-growing interest in the Sciences. He would have to read it a few times to understand it entirely but he was entirely invested in it.
Xavier returned home and almost forgot about his magazine. His mother ended up having to bring it in for him. She knew he wasn't into reading, no matter what face he put on for his boyfriend. Placing the thing on the counter once they were inside. Instead, the chipmunk boy spent the rest of his time outdoors. Focusing his time on practicing the latest trick that he'd seen in the book of records he'd looked at earlier in the day.
The rest of their day would be pretty normal. Xavier eventually turned inside once he had spent his energy. Pent wouldn't quite finish his book but made pretty good progress, taking notes on the things he wanted to revisit. Another day had come and gone…and with it, their summer was coming ever closer to an end. With yet another School Year on the horizon. They looked ever more towards the future and what may be to come.
