Friday evening; a personal magic hour. Even though the world was as lively as could be, there were no immediate obligations. No homework, no chores, just a cozy-if-ratty bed and the freedom to do anything and everything, provided it involved a TV or some pens n' papers.
Eli liked his schedule the way it was. Not that he was one for consistent, planned activities, but Friday was his night. One where he could dance or draw or even sleep all he wanted.
It was all up to him, but sometimes having everything to do felt a lot like having nothing to do.
It had been a listless week of shifting between schoolwork and space-out. By Wednesday, he'd promised to himself he'd do something fun, something he could tell Dad about the next weekend when he'd go to visit, yet every time he tried to dream up a plan, he found himself just wishing it was that weekend already.
Friday at home. What could be done?
Watch cartoons? He was sick of reruns. Draw? His digits still ached from from Geist's newfound interest in secret pawshakes. Beat his DDR scores? All the stomping would wake Mom up, and after a week of clopening shifts, being on the other end of that was the last thing he wanted.
Maybe he'd just sleep, he thought that particularly dull Wednesday. What's one more wasted weekend?
And then a miracle. A starry-eyed, pink-maned miracle.
"A sleepover", that's what they called it. New territory to Eli. He was no stranger to being dragged to the houses of grown-ups he didn't know and subjected to a night of the cackling of dizzy mothers while he searched up and down for a cozy dark corner to sit in, ergo he was not particularly excited by the idea.
At least, until he was promised it would instead be a night of fun. The bun had only known that pink-gold pup Charlie for a few weeks, but could tell he was not one to break promises.
A revelation neither had yet to visit, a declaration he'd need to ask his Mom, and a harsh rebuttal of the idea followed. On some level, Eli understood his mother's hesitation; he wasn't particularly proud of the state of their house, but to deny him even after promising he'd cover Charlie's eyes till they got to his room? Cruelty.
And yet, upon hitting the local arcade on Thursday to deliver the bad news, he was presented another opportunity that had completely slipped his mind;
"You can come to my house!" said the perky pup, grabbing a ream of ski-ball tickets.
"Mmh, I dunno." Eli groaned, rubbing one of his ears, "I don't really like strangers' houses."
Charlie's ears went flat, "We're not strangers! We're best friends! Right?"
The bun suddenly wanted to pinch himself for saying something so callous, "We are!"
"So c'mon over!" said Charlie, ears flicking back up joyously as he shoved the pile of tickets into Eli's paws, "I got a ps1 and cheat books out the wazoo!"
"What's a wazoo?"
"S'another word for butt, I think...means I got a lot of em'!"
"A lotta butts?"
Rolling his eyes and chuckling, Charlie led the bun to the prize counter, trailing tickets behind them.
"How am I gonna get there?" asked Eli, standing on his toes to push the pile atop the counter.
"Can't your mom drive you?" Charlie responded, looking with unsure eyes at the myriad of candy and spider-rings.
"Mm-mm. She works late on Fridays." said Eli, eyeing a a sleek-looking toy keyboard on the rack behind the shelf, "500 tickets? Ridiculous."
"Aw, that sucks...", Charlie turned his attention to the pricier offerings on the wall, "Hmm...oh! You can ride with me! My dad picks me up."
Eli was just now realizing he had not once seen Charlie on the bus. Lucky boy, "Is that really ok?"
Charlie shoved the tickets to the tired teen behind the counter and pointed to a gaudy package reading '9000-GAMES-IN-1', "Totally! We got plenty of room."
"Huh...well, okay! I'll ask!" said a now-cheerful Eli, taking a glance at the clock, "Oop, I gotta go. See ya tomorrow!" he said, grabbing his bag and running for the door.
"Later!", Charlie caressed the dusty, plastic shell of his prize, "Nine-thousand...wow..."
-----
With bated breath, Eli waited by the school gate, watching classmate after classmate disappear into the line of cars out front, some fancy, some rusty, many bulky, a few compact. He thought keeping track of them would distract him from his anxiety, but it didn't work.
It had been a good 10 minutes since the bell and Charlie had yet to show. At first, Eli thought it was a sign, an omen even, that sleeping at a house other than his Mom's or Dad's was a bad idea. He'd been burned on it many a time after all...
Ridiculous!, he thought, stomping once on the sidewalk. He'd been excited about this all day hadn't he? Why be so nervous? He took a deep breath and let it out slow, thinking, rationalizing, until the anxiety was gone.
Once the clock hit 12 minutes, a new one hit. He'd been abandoned, left again to sheepishly watch the last car drive off, the janitor lock the gate, and the nigh-endless stretch of cement he'd have to traverse home. How could he do this? How could he?
His breath grew heavy, his heart pounded in his ears, enough to drown out the little 'tut tut tut' of a chunky set of sneakers on the sidewalk.
"Yo." Charlie greeted.
"Charlie!" Eli gasped, jumping up from his sitting spot and rushing the pup, "Where were you...?"
"It's been 10 minutes, Eels." the pup said with a disbelieving chuckle, "I had to grab my gym clothes." Around his shoulder hung a stuffed-looking duffel bag. Eli eyed it curiously, moreso when Charlie reached for the zipper. The bun peered close, only to be hit by a blast of pure funk.
"Gah!" he yelped, stepping back, furiously swiping at his nose.
"Heheheheh, gotcha! Least you don't got to wash it. You're lucky you get to skip gym."
"Hrrrmmph..." Eli groaned, leaning against the fence, "You said your dad was gonna pick us up."
"He's on his way." said Charlie, dropping the bag at his feet and sitting against the fence himself, "He probably got stuck in traffic." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small, plastic device in the shape of a game controller, "Here, pass the time."
The 9000-in-1 from the prize counter. Stars in his eyes, Eli grabbed it and gave it a look over, "Ooo, how was it?"
"It's junk." Charlie laughed, "5 kindsa' Galaga over and over again."
Eli had already switched it on and selected a game, "Mmm, no wait, there's a Tetris in here..."
Charlie waved a dismissive paw, "Have fun."
And so the bun did, thoroughly entranced by the cheap LCD knockoff, aiming for a high score the device wasn't even capable of saving. Only when Charlie tapped his shoulder was he broken out of the trance to be greeted by green sedan pulling to a stop in front of them.
Out from it came a tall, if lanky, terrier, sun beaming off his glasses almost as brightly as the smile behind his mustache. Without word, Charlie ran over and into his arms.
"Hey, sport!" he greeted, swinging the pup around once before setting him back down, "Sorry ta' be slow, traffic was killer." he set his sights on Eli, "An' you must be Eli! Nice to meet'cha!" he held his paw out for a shake, an offer Eli did not take.
"Hello..." the bun mumbled, eyes falling away.
The man blinked and stuffed his paw back in the pocket his sweater vest, "Alright, let's get goin'!" he said, opening the backdoors and waving the boys over.
Eli took the closer spot, climbing up into the seat as Charlie and his father went around to the other side.
The older hound ducked in close to his son, whispering into his ear, "Are you sure he doesn't need a carseat?"
"Daaaaaad, he's a grade below me." Charlie responded hushed, but harshly as he got in."
"Ah. Uh, right." Mr.Garvan's cheeks went red as he hopped back in himself, "Buckle up boys!"
"We are!"
Easy as that, they were off. Eli did not say anything, but was intrigued by the sheer difference in the way the car smelled compared to his parents' and even Voight's. Clean but not sterile, almost invoking what he'd imagine a 'grandpa car' to smell like. The terrier did seem a bit older than his own dad, but what sense did that make? Had to be the mustache.
"Oi, what do you boys want for dinner?"
-----
What kind of insane dogs didn't have a scrap of meat in their house?
Eli did his best to shut out the innate bitterness at such an thought, given they were being so kind as to feed him. A glance out the glass door to the backyard took his mind off it at least. What he'd expected to be a yard hopefully better kempt than his own was in reality a lush garden, packed to the brim with all manner of vegetables. Peppers, carrots, onions, you name it.
It was all things he liked, or in carrots' case tolerated, but he could help but feel let down. A visit to his dad's ensured smells of salt and spice, rich cuts of beef or chicken, piled high with greens but not enough to pull away from the visceral sensation of tearing into a thick, juicy slab...
VRRRRRRRR!!!
Eli nearly jumped out of his seat at the crushing noise of blade on bell. Mr.Garvan had tossed a pair of red bell peppers into a strange machine on the counter; a sort of wide blender, far louder than any he had heard, to the point he had to tug his ears close.
Thankfully, the terrier switched to a knife for the onions, allowing Eli's ears to to drink in the sound of the pasta bubbling on the stove, the snap of the onion being dissected by the knife. If he closed his eyes, he could almost pretend he was at Dad's house.
He wanted to talk to Charlie, but the pup had run off to the bathroom the moment they got inside.
A bit concerned by the bun staring off into space, Mr.Garvan cleared his throat in an exaggerated manner, "You can wait in Charlie's room if you want, Eli. I know these aren't the most comfortable seats!"
Eli didn't budge, "Um...that's okay. They're fine."
"Suit yourself. You want cheese on your bread?"
That got his attention, "Bread?"
"Oh!" the terrier's ears flipped up, "Probably should take that out before I forget." he muttered, grabbing an oven mitt.
The oven was pulled open, and instantly Eli was awash in crisp, warm, garlic-heavy bliss. Now this he could eat. With such gusto, in fact, he found himself lifted on the wafting scent over to the oven as Mr.Garvan set the bread on the stove. It looked and smelled like gold, so sharp and tantalizing he had to reach a paw out...
"Ouch!" he yelped, popping his nearly-burnt finger in his mouth.
"That just came out!" said Mr.Garvan, playfully flicking a dishtowel in his direction, "Shoo, shoo. Gotta finish this sauce. It'll still be warm, don't worry."
The embarassed Eli turned back to the dining area, only to stop short at the sight of Charlie in the doorway, dressed head to toe in a pair of baby blue PJs adorned with white stars and moons.
"Mm, that smells real good, dad." the pup moaned with delight, rubbing his eye as he took a seat at the table.
Eli was hesitant to return to his, only doing so at another shoo'ing from the elder dog. Hopping back up, he rested his chin right on the table, trying to look away but occasionally letting his eyes wander.
With nothing to do but tap his fingers impatiently, Charlie was quick to notice, "You alright?"
The bun blushed and looked away, "Y-yeah it's just...", he wasn't sure if he wanted to compliment or insult the pup. The fit was so juvenile yet so attuned to his own tastes he was almost jealous. The only star and moon clothing he had was his favorite pair of underwear. He would kill for sleepwear like that, even if Charlie pulled it off better, "It's a bit early to get in our PJs, isn't it?"
"We got all night, might as well be comfy!" Charlie laughed, "Aren't you hot in that?"
A groan came as the bun self-consciously rubbed the side of his hat and sleeve of his hoodie, "Mm-mm."
"You did bring pajamas right?" Charlie asked, head tilting, before a funny thought formed in his head. He leaned across the table, cupping around his muzzle to whisper, "If you didn't and gotta sleep naked, don't worry, I won't tell! Hehehehe!"
Eli nearly pierced his sleeve with his nails without realizing.
A solid 10 minutes passed. The scent of garlic had given way to the earthy, peppery, almost floral scent of Mr.Garvan's sauce.
Charlie showed Eli how to make and properly flick a paper football, only to get one of the corners dangerously close to an eye on the bun's first try. Just as they prepared to try again, a hot pot dropped onto the table.
"Soup's on!" Mr.Garvan declared.
"Alright!" chirped Charlie, licking his lips as his Dad scooped a bowl for him. The moment it hit the table, he spun the largest forkful he could and sucked it down it in one long, audible slurp.
"Here ya go." Mr.Garvan said, spooning some for Eli and setting it in front of him.
The bun first leaned in and took a curious sniff at the bowl; all manner of spice he recognized, all manner of veg he knew, sans tomatoes. Was this sauce only peppers? How could you make a sauce of peppers?
He grabbed a fork and scooped, the more orange than red sauce carrying big chunks of sauteed onion down the slick noodles. Meatless, true, but with a scent still so tantalizing he had to take a bite, even in hesitation. He stuffed the glob of noodle and sauce into his mouth, eyes shut to roll it on his teeth and let his tongue truly absorb the flavor. It's mild, more aromatic than directly flavorful, with no acidity to pleasantly sting his palette, and then, the late hit. The fresh, herbal flavors comingled in the back of his throat, as if he'd stepped into that very garden to drink the air in deep. A homemade flavor grown with love.
It's good.
It's really good.
It's so good that, "I GOTTA TELL MY DAD THIS RECIPE!"
Mr.Garvan was taken aback by the sudden volume. Charlie, cheeks stuffed full, gave a simple thumbs up and a jovial, "Mm-hmm!" in agreement.
The terrier chuckled warmly, "Heh heh, I'm flattered. Oh! I forgot your boys' bread!"
------
"Eeeeeeels, you almost done? I got MVC set up!"
"J-just a minute! Go ahead and start!"
Eli was at an agonizing impasse in Charlie's bathroom, one he'd managed to initially play off as stomach trouble, even though by now it was getting less believable.
Standing atop the little stool in front of the sink, he stared into the mirror, focused on the pointed tufts of lavender hair poking out from under his beanie, the paler almost white fur of his face and what he could see before his hoodie's collar cut it off.
Charlie was right, he couldn't sleep in this. As much as he hated to admit about his favorite clothes, at home he wanted something more loose and comfortable, something that wouldn't hide him.
But he wasn't at home.
He'd been less-dressed far from home before, never really of his own volition, so why was it so hard now?
He rubbed his ear, looking away from his reflection. This was a bad idea. He couldn't sleep in this, but what else could he do? Charlie wouldn't really make him sleep naked would he? No, Charlie was too nice. He couldn't. He wouldn't.
His finger tips brush the scar on his ear...his heart races again...
"Ellliiiiii...~"
"no..." Eli says with choked breath, "no...please..."
"Eli?"
He yelped to the call of his name and resulting rap of a knuckle on the door, "Are you sure you're okay?" asked Charlie on the other side, concern in his voice, "Do you need medicine?"
Eli took a second to breathe away the haggard breaths, his heart beginning to calm down, "No...no, I'm okay...I promise."
"Kay, well hurry up. We're burning moonlight!" the pup said with a laugh as he headed back into his room.
Eli stood back up and saw his reflection, the worry in his eyes giving way to fire, "Hmph. No way!" he huffed, sticking his tongue out at no one.
Charlie fought to spend time with him.
Charlie ensured he was fed.
Charlie made sure he wasn't sick.
Charlie was a friend.
Eli hopped off the stool, fully prepared to all but jump into Charlie's room and game until the sun rose, but as he reached for the knob, he paused. Even in the comforting chill of the pristine bathroom, surrounded by cool vents on all sides, he was still warm. He hated to admit it, but his favorite clothes would not serve him this night.
In the bag at his feet sat his backup, one he hadn't intended to use, one he would use, one that would make him accept this kindness no matter what his brain said against it...
---
Eli slowly opened the door to the bedroom, seeing Charlie sitting on the floor in front of his TV, also on the floor, engaged in a hectic match and all but slamming away at the buttons on his controller.
This was the moment. He'd walk in. He'd get a look. He'd plant his paws on his hips and hold his chin to the stars no matter what. He would follow his best friend's suggestion, both to a T and not.
Opening the door fully, there he stood, dressed only in an oversized t-shirt he'd stolen from his mom, collar so loose it hung off his shoulder, and thankfully, so long it covered his underwear. He didn't want to say it felt like a dress, and yet...
"Ok, I'm here!" the bun announced.
Charlie finished the match and let it stay on the actionless results screen, turning to face Eli, "Cool! Pop a seat." he said, patting the floor next to him without a second thought before turning back to the screen and instigating the next match.
Eli stood there for a brief moment, confusion on his face, realizing the vision in his head was greatly exaggerated. Was it a relief? A disappointment? A betrayal? He couldn't say, so he opted for the first and sat down with a smile on his face.
Though his eyes were glued to the screen, Charlie pushed a paper plate on the floor closer to him. It held the remnants of remnants of the vegetables that didn't make it into the sauce, "Want some?"
Eli fought a grimace at the plate of veg. Admittedly, as good as the pasta was, it was underfilling, and he was still hungry, but not so much he'd resort to raw carrots. Luckily, he'd also planned for this, "Ah, no thanks. I brought some chips."
"Sweet."
"They're spicy actually."
Charlie faltered in the game and had to pause. He sat there silent for a brief moment before a snort escaped his nose. He began to laugh.
Eli wasn't sure why. He hadn't told a joke. But it was nice seeing his friend happy, so he laughed with him.
The night was eventful, even if only on the tv itself. They ran through a full on tower of games with titanic clashes. Charlie usually won, but sometimes Eli won. No matter who did, each round would end with a high five.
When they ran out of games where they'd fight, they played games where they'd race.
When they ran out of games where they'd race, they played games where they'd take turns running and jumping.
Through each game the two talked. They talked about each other's toys. They laughed at each other's jokes. They ate each other's snacks. They cheered over stories of their favorite teachers. They jeered at the ones they hated. They talked and laughed and laughed and talked. And they sat close to each other the entire night.
Before they knew it, the clock hit 1. Mr.Garvan had gone to bed ages ago. Charlie mentioned his usually stringent bedtime, and how excited he was to get to stay up so late. Eli was used to this time of night, but for the first time, he was able to share it.
Even with their eyelids feeling like weights tied to their faces, they continued to play. They'd moved on to a single player game, some RPG with flashy attacks and way too much text. Charlie apologized a few times and offered Eli a turn, but Eli was happy just to watch.
There he laid, watching Charlie's laser focus on the TV, even with bags forming under his eyes.
Shoving his empty chip bag away, he tucked his paws under his chin. He could feel sleep coming to take him.
"Mmh...Charlie...I'm having a really good time..."
The pup responded with a wide-jaw yawn, "HHHHHHHhuh. Mm...yeah...me too..." he mumbled, glancing over at the bun with a smile.
I included the design documents I did for their PJs. They're low effort but still came out cute imo. But Caustic much better captured the atmosphere. A cool night with just you and your bestie, where time seems to slow down and all that exists is you and the room you're in. The kind of night Eli would hold onto forever.
![eat you alive [pic + story]](https://sf.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/5564/5564500_SWEETMISSION_1p_noncustom.jpg "eat you alive [pic + story]")
![geist [pic + story]](https://sf.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/5316/5316899_SWEETMISSION_0t_noncustom.jpg "geist [pic + story]")
