True Love 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.
Time continued to fly by and the monotonous repetition of school days did not change for either Xavier or Pent. Of course, the fox more fully embraced his academic responsibilities but there were even times for him when it became tiresome. But as the days continued to pass, the fox knew that the Science Fair was just around the corner. Xavier had stopped talking about it and moved on to other things but every so often his boyfriend brought it up and he was reminded of just how close it was to happening.
The morning of the Science Fair finally arrived and the usual sound of the chipmunk's alarm blared in his room. The rodent groaned and stretched. He'd had a long weekend and the previous day had been a late one because he had gone to one of Pent's hockey games. As such, he got home a bit later than planned. The Fox Boys team had won and invited his boyfriend to the pizza party they had afterward. It was a much more laid-back atmosphere than he was used to in Lacrosse.
He rolled out of bed and rubbed the crust from his eyes. Looking outside he could see the sun was brightly blazing through the window. It was so clear out that he had to squint his eyes and turn away. Snapping out of the stupor of sleep, Xavier padded over toward his closet and pulled out his school uniform. Picking out something a bit thicker than usual as he knew the weather was finally cool enough for it. It wasn't cold enough for layers but he knew the season would soon shift that way.
His late fall wear was nothing more than flannel instead of the usual cotton stuff he wore. It wasn't lined and was also something he wore in winter when it finally came time to bundle up more. It wasn't very bulky and had been designed to absorb heat, much unlike the wool garments the school issued for the colder months. Changing into it from his pajamas, the rodent was soon fully dressed and only needed to grab his shoes later.
Making his way to the kitchen, the chipmunk was already thinking about the day ahead of him. He was all too aware of what day it was. Pent had reminded him more times than enough to not need any notes about it. He had been involved in science fairs, at least when it came to the ones that were obligated by the school. This would be the first one he participated in where he did so voluntarily and he wondered just how many students would participate.
Inside the kitchen, he looked around briefly. There was a small plate of food on the table before him. Just to the side of it, he noticed a slip of paper with a note scribbled on it.
"Morning, Sport. I had to take your mother to work early. Her car is in the shop. I will be back in time to take you to school. Please be ready to go by the usual time."
Xavier looked over at the clock. It seemed he had enough time to not have to rush. Looking back at the plate that had been prepared for him, he noticed his parents had left him some French toast, eggs, and fruit. Already the bread had some syrup caked over it but it wasn't powdered with sugar since his parents knew he preferred it that way. The chipmunk smiled at it as it had been a while since he had the meal and it was one of his favorites.
The rodent sat down and enjoyed his meal. It was both soft and savory with flavor. Xavier made quick work of it before nibbling on an apple as he cleaned up his mess. It didn't take him long to finish up before he returned to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face. He checked the time again and decided it was time to get his things by the door. Sure enough, before long he heard the door to the house open up and echo through the halls.
"Xavier, I'm home. Let's get moving, sport." His father said to him as the younger boy was already in the living room.
He nodded to the older male and grabbed his bag before they both headed outside. It was a nice day out and only a few clouds dotted the sky. A light breeze carried the brisk cool weather through the area. The two of them made their way to Xavier's father's car. The vehicle was still running and the older male had left his door open to save time. Boarding the vehicle, they were soon underway. His father decided to keep to the back roads as he was still worried about being late for work.
The ride over had been mostly quiet with the only noise provided by the older male's favorite jazz station. They made good time getting to the academy. Xavier wished his father a good day and headed out of the car. The chipmunk teen made his way toward the school and waved to Milo who was hanging out with the same girl from the other day. The rabbit boy didn't notice him as he was doting on the girl so Xavier didn't let it bother him.
Xavier passed by him and continued to the side of the school. The usual groups of students he saw hanging around were lined up against the walls. Waving to them, the rodent tried to be cordial with them but they didn't wave back. Shrugging, he continued past them and headed to the back part of the school. Sure enough, the fox boy was at their usual spot waiting for him. As usual, Pent had his snout buried in yet another book.
Stepping right in front of the other boy, the chipmunk didn't say anything. He wanted to see how long it would take before Pent noticed. The fox's light source had been obscured and a shadow had been cast over him. Slowly the white-furred teen turned his gaze upward to see what had caused it. A smile crept across his face once he realized who it was.
"Oh, hey Xae. I didn't notice you were here." The smaller teen patted the spot next to him.
The brown-furred boy smiled at him before sitting alongside his boyfriend. "Hehe…sorry. I couldn't resist."
"You're so silly sometimes. Are you looking forward to today?" Pent had been thinking about the science fair the last few days.
The bigger teen nodded. "Kind of. I'm more curious about how we will do than about the actual fair itself. Did you drop off the project already?"
"Yeah. I dropped it off in Mr. Bernard's class. His room has been assigned to host the fair." The fox put his book down on his lap.
Xavier put his arm around his boyfriend and pulled him closer. "Cool, thanks. Do you think we will win?"
"Maybe. I want to win but I never count out the competition." In the past, the fox boy had won every year since entering the secondary school.
The chipmunk was not surprised by how humble his boyfriend was. He was fully aware of all of the awards his boyfriend had. After all, the other teen proudly displayed them in his room. He didn't comment on it and the two continued to chat about nothing specific. The wind began to pick up a bit but it wasn't bad enough to bother them. Once the warning bell went off, they joined hands and headed inside.
Inside they pressed forward through the junior halls. The halls were a little more crowded that morning since even the junior students had been invited to participate in the fair. The whole of the school's schedule had been shifted to accommodate the event. It was something of an annual event for the academy, one which the older students were all too familiar with. Xavier began to wonder how many other students were participating.
They stopped by the rodent's home room where they hugged and parted ways. Xavier sensed no insecurity from his boyfriend. He knew that sometimes Pent lacked self-confidence so it was nice to see him not worried about things. In the back of his mind, he was hoping they would win. Not so much for himself…but for his boyfriend. It was now only a matter of time before they found out how their project would be received.
Homeroom that morning was low-key, and the class shifted to Literature that day. Yet another substitute showed up and the teacher looked younger than most of her colleagues. The woman walked into a loud classroom where the students were all in active conversations. Xavier and a few of the others were the only ones quiet. She tried her best to get control of the situation but was having no luck with each time she tried.
Eventually, she had to call for the assistance of the administration. She simply wasn't seasoned enough to maintain discipline. It was the first time some of the students had seen the vice principal and his lackeys show up in class for anything other than removal. Of course, they helped with the situation but ended up having to leave behind people to keep things under control. Xavier kept a tight lip in the situation as it had been a long time since he'd gotten in trouble and he intended to keep it that way.
The rest of the class went like normal. She ended up giving a simple reading assignment of the most recent book they had been given. Xavier had to borrow one since he didn't bring the one had kept at home. There was no follow-up work given since the way the class had started took longer than the substitute teacher anticipated. Instead, she assigned some homework, which made the whole class groan as a result.
They were dismissed and Xavier made his way back to the hallways. The vice principal's assistant remained just outside the room which in turn kept things even more tame just outside it. The chipmunk then heard a somewhat familiar voice.
"Ah, Xavier. Just the student I was looking for." A somewhat deeper tenor spoke to him from behind.
Turning around the chipmunk saw that Mr. Bernard was approaching him. "Mr. Bernard? What are you doing here?"
"I am here on behalf of the Science Department. Would you like to help us to get set up right before lunch period? You would get out of your class for that time." The older male figured he would help since he knew Xavier was participating.
Xavier hummed for a moment. "Sure. I don't see why not. Is Pent going to help as well?"
"Your boyfriend doesn't want to miss class. We have others helping though." Mr. Bernard shrugged his shoulders at the younger teen.
The chipmunk chuckled. "Of course, he doesn't…why
am I not surprised? Of course, I will help."
"Great. Take this pass and give it to your teacher that period and meet us in my classroom." The older rodent gave him a hall pass.
The brown-furred boy continued on his way to his next classes. The hallways were still crowded with students and many of them hung outside. Various teachers were keeping watch and things were mostly calm. Xavier proceeded into his History class, which was surprisingly empty despite it only being several minutes before things started. The teacher remained outside and started to corral the students together.
They eventually started to file in and Milo found his way to where the chipmunk boy was sitting. It was the first time they had done so in quite a while. Still, they didn't have much of a chance to catch up before the teacher started his usual lecture. This time the man went into the nuances of French colonialism and how it impacted Canada. It wasn't the first time they had dealt with the subject but it was in far greater detail than in the past.
Going into the development of New France and its place as a fur colony. It's relationship with the First Nations tribes and how it both benefitted from the relationship with France. Delving into it up to the point where Quebec City was founded. The assignment that followed was to have the students create their Colonial charters. It was an exploratory project that would help build their understanding of early government concepts.
Xavier and Milo worked together on the piece of work. Not talking much except about the assignment itself. The rabbit appointed himself as the Royal Governor-elect of the Colony of Lumiere and gave his friend the role of advisor. The rodent wasn't very keen on the assignment so he allowed the other boy to get his way. They came up with a relatively simple concept of government. One based on what they knew of the Canadian Parliament. It was more resonant with the modern take on it but served the purpose all the same.
The class went by pretty quickly and they turned their assignment in. The chipmunk and rabbit parted ways to go to their separate classes. It didn't take long for Milo to find his way to his most recent love interest. Xavier felt as if their friendship had taken a backseat to the rabbit's romantic relationship. He knew he couldn't do anything about it, but it was making him consider moving on from the other boy to find better friends.
Xavier's next class was just as laid back with his Science Teacher focusing on the science fair. The science department had decided on students voting on the project, except that the names would be removed to prevent any form of favoritism. Going into detail about it, he covered details on how the students would be involved and expected to fill out review forms. Instead of giving them more busy work, the teacher assigned them a follow-up assignment. The chipmunk was all too glad to find out that he didn't have to do it since he had participated.
The class was dismissed before long and Xavier made his way to math to give his teacher the hall pass. The woman was waiting outside and he handed it to her. She looked at it briefly before telling him what the assignment was that day. A few pages out of the digital book, which he had full access to on the website archive she provided. Xavier thanked her and continued on his way toward the elective rooms to find Mr. Bernard.
On his way to the elective hall, the chipmunk passed by Santiago. It had been a while since he had seen the older squirrel boy. The older teen waved to him and stopped him before he passed by.
"Hey, Xavier. How are things?" Santiago asked with his usual calm demeanor.
The chipmunk smiled at him. "Things are well. How about you?"
"It goes. Did you give my offer any thought?" The squirrel hadn't followed up about it in a while and figured he would.
Xavier wasn't sure what he was talking about. "What do you mean?"
"Did you forget? The whole peer counseling thing. We still need people and I think you would be good at it." The older male put his hands to his side.
The smaller teen slapped his forehead. "Oh, yeah. Sorry… I forgot."
"It's alright. Can you give it some more thought then?" The squirrel wanted Xavier to join.
The rodent nodded. "Yeah, sure. I need to get going though so see ya later. Alright?"
"Yup, talk to you later." Santiago walked away deciding to drop the issue for the time being.
Xavier hadn't thought about it much. The thought of being in peer counseling wasn't something that seemed appealing. He knew the benefit of it. After all, both he and Pent had gone through the program and he knew his boyfriend still occasionally went. Thinking to himself, he was reconsidering it. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if he paid it forward and offered his services to other students.
Deciding to deal with the issue later Xavier headed into Mr. Bernards class. The rats class was one of the larger rooms assigned to an elective. He was the only one attached to a lab and students in his class didn't have to go far to participate. After all, he was one of the most vested teachers and also the head of the department. The administration usually gave the man carte blanche when it came to what he wanted.
Xavier entered the room. "I'm here to help, Mr. Bernard."
Inside the room were a few other helpers. All older students and none of which the chipmunk knew personally. They paid him no mind and seemed occupied in setting up the projects. All around were projects everywhere and very few of the displays had been set up properly.
"Great, thanks for helping. Hopefully, your teacher didn't mind?" The rat sat as he didn't take his focus off the task at hand.
The chipmunk shook his head. "Nah, she gave me homework. It's not a big deal…Pent can help me if I don't understand it."
"Of course, he will. Anyways…please help us with setting up projects. We need to finish by the end of the hour so that things are set up after lunch." Mr. Bernard continued to dictate directions to the helpers around the room.
The instructions were simple enough. Xavier knew what he had to do. He went over to the assortment of projects and began picking them up. Placing each of them on the counters around the room, he had to make sure they were shown in the way that they were designed. Each of them had a picture showing had they were supposed to be displayed. The chipmunk was careful with each of them as he didn't want to damage anyone's hard work.
Xavier and the other helpers in the room worked hard to set up each of the projects. Most of them were nothing more than cardboard presentations with various media set in front of them. It was just a matter of making sure they had all the parts. The chipmunk couldn't help but smile when he saw Pent and his project. Spending more time on it than he did on the others. The whole of the setup took the entirety of the hour and they finished just as the lunch bell rang.
"Alright students…you did good work today. Return to me after the fair and you will be rewarded. For now…to lunch!" Mr. Bernard shooed them off and went into a nearby teacher's lounge.
Making his way out of the room back into the hallway, the chipmunk was ready for lunch. This part of the school wasn't busy that part of the day so there weren't many other students around. He and the other students who had helped Mr. Bernard set up were the only ones there. Xavier and the rest of them filed down the hall back to where the lunch room was. By the time they arrived, they found themselves there before the majority of the crowd.
Xavier couldn't help but feel a bit strange by how empty it was. Only a few members of the school's maintenance crew were around. They were cleaning the remains of what was left by the last group of students. Despite the staggered lunch periods, they never quite finished and had to continue until just before the day's end. Even still, the cafeteria was clean for the most part and none of the students cared to complain about it.
Getting behind the older students, the chipmunk waited his turn. The wait wasn't nearly as long as usual. By the time he was out of line, much of the cafeteria had begun to fill out. He saw the fox boy in line and waved to him. Pent didn't notice him and continued waiting in line. Xavier made his way outside the cafeteria. The usual staff by the door simply nodded at him since he was a frequent participant of the outside privileges.
The rodent headed to the usual tree where they hung out and sat down. Outside it was still a windy day but not so bad that it bothered him. Waiting a few moments before Pent showed up. The fox wasn't long behind him and waved to him once he saw his boyfriend was there waiting for him. Picking up the pace, the smaller boy made his way over toward the other teen. Sitting next to him and placing his lunch tray on his lap.
"You're here early. How were classes?" The smaller boy said with the usual soft smile on his face.
Xavier began eating his food. "Classes were good. Mr. Bernard asked me to help with setting up the Science Fair so I got to the cafeteria earlier than usual."
"Oh, he asked you too? I said no because I didn't want to miss class." The white-furred teen started to eat his meal as well.
The rodent nodded. "Yup. It's all set up now."
"Cool, thanks for helping him. I'm sure he appreciated it." Pent was still fond of Mr. Bernard and usually went out of his way to help the man after school.
An announcement soon sounded from one of the intercoms that fed both inside the school building and well as out. The Vice Principal began speaking through the system."
"Good afternoon students. We hope you are enjoying your day. Electives today will have a minor shift from your normal schedule. If you are participating in the fair, then please proceed to Mr. Bernards Class in room 6E. If you have an assignment involving the fair or are planning to help with student votes, then please proceed to your normal elective classes. Your first-period elective teacher will allow you to go at different times in the period. We look forward to seeing the student review for the projects. Have a nice day."
Looking over at Pent, Xavier noticed he didn't seem bothered by the announcement. The fox had participated in enough Science Fair. He was fully aware of having to miss part of his electives for it. He had already anticipated that this was going to happen and had talked to his first elective teacher about it. Of course, they didn't mind since the entirety of the staff was aware of the day's events.
Xavier and Pent continued their lunch, chatting about nothing specific. The bell soon rang announcing the end of the usual lunch period. Despite the slight change in the school day, the actual schedule hadn't changed at all. The two of them joined hands and made their way back inside the school. Disposing of their garbage and then waiting in a clogged line that led out of the cafeteria. As always some members of the administration monitored things to make sure they didn't get out of control.
The fox and chipmunk headed to where Mr. Bernard's class was. Just outside it was somewhat congested with students. It wasn't that there were a lot of them but they were standing all over the place without thought or order. Standing just outside the room was the rat man himself. Starting to corral the students so they could come inside and get ready for judging. He knew they didn't have much time to get ready and hurried them along.
Once they were inside, the brown-furred teen took Pent over where he had set up the project. A small computer screen with the recording of the simulation had already been turned on. In front of it a research booklet attached to the findings and analysis charts they had made. Each of the leaflets of paper was in clear plastic bindings. The fox took a stand next to it and Xavier put his arm around the other teen as they waited for things to get started.
The next bell rang and electives began shortly after. Xavier had no idea what to expect from the event. Looking at his boyfriend, the fox boy seemed calm and unbothered by the whole thing. There was no air of confidence or arrogance about him. He seemed completely at ease and without concern. It was the first time the chipmunk had seen his boyfriend like this and it made him somewhat reconsider the teen's nature.
Students eventually began to filter in and make their way through the science fair. Mr. Bernard had worked it out so that a single file line fed through the entirety of it. The students were given a piece of paper with each of the projects listed on it. The title of each of them was provided as well as the students involved. Pent and Xavier's project was near the end of the list since they had chosen Rocketry and it was alphabetized.
Every time that the students came around to the fox and chipmunk's project, they had to do a bit of explaining. Pent was more than up to the task. Taking charge of answering every question. Of course…he went way overboard with every answer he provided. Some of the student's eyes glazed over as the fox went way over their heads. Xavier had to keep himself from laughing but he knew his boyfriend was enjoying himself.
About halfway through the period, more of the older students started to show up. They were somewhat more knowledgeable than the young ones. Some of the seniors even asked the fox boy questions he had to think about. Xavier knew his boyfriend was smart but some of the other teen's knowledge of the subject seemed to surprise even him. Pent had yet to be stumped and everything was going well.
As the period was coming closer to its end, the number of students started to diminish. Now the only ones going through the projects were the various members of the Science Department. Mr. Bernard was the only one who was not involved. Many of Xavier and Pent's former teachers went through the route. Each of them asked a single question and Pent answered them without any problem. Only the fox boy's Chemistry teacher followed up with a bit more as she wanted to challenge him a bit.
"Can you explain how you improved the fuel intake with each launch?" The badger asked him with her hands folded across her chest.
The white-furred teen nodded. "Most certainly. I increased the volume of ammonium perchlorate and refined the potassium nitrate to facilitate an effective burning fuel."
"Ah did you use any sulfur mixes to stabilize the chemical reaction?" The woman smiled at him, fully aware he probably knew the answer.
The fox teen thought about it for a moment. "I used 7 grams of sulfur per 100 grams of compound. I maintained the rate of charcoal in all my compounds which was used in my fuel decay formulas."
"Very good job, Mr. Ghelsburg…and who is this? Did you have a helper this time?" She smiled at the chipmunk standing next to her former student.
Xavier extended his right paw to her. "Yeah, I was his partner. My name is Xavier."
"Ah, yes…Mr. Noyer. I recall that name. You both did a fine job. I am sure you will do very well. Best of luck to you." The teacher nodded to them and made her way through the rest of the projects.
The remainder of the science fair slowed down quite a bit after that. There weren't many members of the Science Department across the school. Only a few of them were involved in judging. Once they had all gone through the room, the crowd thinned out. Mr. Bernard informed the participants that they could have free time while the votes were tallied. The student votes would be counted and the various members of the department's input would all be taken into consideration before a final winner was determined.
Pent and Xavier hung out for the rest of the period together. Talking about nothing specific amongst themselves. None of the other students paid them any attention. It was a short while before Mr. Bernard came back to the front of the room and took a stand near the podium. The administration had given him a mic connected to the intercom. He turned it on and began speaking into it with the other members of the department standing next to him.
"Students, may I have your attention please?" He waited as the students in the room gathered around him.
A muffled silence followed before he continued.
"Thank you. On behalf of the Science Department, we would like to thank the students who participated as well as those who helped us set it up. Without you, this would not be possible. Please give yourselves a round of applause."
Some of the students clapped but neither Pent nor Xavier took part in the small celebration. Mr. Bernard held his hand up and the room quieted again.
"The members of the Science Department have finished counting votes as well as taking into consideration staff member input. Out top 5 prizes have been decided. Please come to the front of the class to claim your prize if your name is called."
One by one Mr. Bernard went through the list of names, going in descending orders. Each time a place and person was called the person came to the front. The fifth prize was given to a younger student who had done their project on the biomes of slimes. It was followed by the fourth….then the third…and finally the second. A silence followed as they had gotten through every place except the first. Neither Pent nor Xavier's name had been called and the chipmunk looked to his boyfriend who seemed just as collected as he had been recently.
"Finally, last but not least the Science Department would like to award the First Place prize. We would like to congratulate Pent Ghelsburg and Xavier Noyer on winning the Science Fair this year. Please come to the front."
Some applause followed though some of the students grumbled. This wasn't the first year that Pent's name had been called in the past. The fox teen tugged on his boyfriend to come to the front of the room. Both of them came forward and joined Mr. Bernard at the front of it. He awarded each of them a faux gold medal and a $250 gift certificate for each of them. Xavier had never expected to win money so it was a surprise for him.
Mr. Bernad patted both boys on the back before continuing. "The Science Department would like to thank you for taking part in the fair. We will take care of the cleanup. You are dismissed at the regular bell."
The older rodent took leave not long after that. Xavier took a look at the medal he'd been given. It was a shiny piece of metal that didn't weigh very much. On the face of it was the engraving of the year and the shape of a Chemistry flask. It was far from ornate but for a secondary school, it was sufficient. Both boys pocketed their rewards as Xavier looked at his boyfriend who had a big smile on his face. The chipmunk knew the other boy didn't care as much about the gift cards or medals and was probably relishing in the win.
"Looks like we won." The chipmunk said simply as he took a seat on one of the nearby chairs.
The smaller teen nodded. "Yeah, thanks for participating with me."
"Of course, I know how much you love Science." Xavier said with a soft smile on his face.
The arctic fox leaned in to hug the other boy tightly. He said nothing but Xavier knew all too well how much it meant to his boyfriend. It made him feel much better about himself. They remained in Mr. Bernard's classroom for the remainder of the day. There was no gym class, or any other electives for that matter, for the students who had participated. Xavier was getting a little antsy because he had not had gym class like he normally did. Fortunately, it wasn't long before the final bell rang.
Joining hands, the two headed out of the classroom and into the hall. The halls were just as congested as normal days because most students had not participated in the fair. As always members of the administration lined the hallways to make sure things did not go awry. It took no longer than it usually did for them to get outside. The wind was still blowing a bit and a few tumbleweeds were being tossed around by some of the students outside.
Xavier and Pent walked over to where Samaliel was already standing and waiting. The younger fox boy was hanging out with Nait, talking about the most recent game they were into.
"Hey, Sama. We won." Pent said as his tail wagged behind him gently.
The salt and pepper boy turned around and smiled at his brother. "Neat. Did you think you were going to lose?"
The younger cub chuckled at his joke. His brother wasn't quite as amused by it.
"They had a fair chance at winning. There were some good projects." The older fox never rested on his laurels for long.
Samaliel tapped his head with his finger. "Sure…it's not like anyone ever beats you at the fair."
It was a true statement but one that Pent never formally recognized.
"Anyways…do you have any homework tonight?" Pent asked as the ever-diligent boy he was.
The smaller brother nodded. "Yeah, science coincidentally. They have us doing some research. Nait and I are going to work together online."
"Sounds good. Let me know if you two need help." The older fox said with a smile on his face.
Their conversation was interrupted by Xavier. "Hey…sorry to interrupt but my parents are here to pick me up. See ya later, Pent."
"See ya, Xae." Pent waved to him as the other teen had already made a beeline for the car loop.
Xavier rushed to his car to get there as quickly as he could. He didn't want his parents to get in trouble for waiting for him. Hopping into the front seat next to his mother, the woman greeted him. She was rushed off soon after since she had been there a few seconds.
"Hey, mom. How was work?" The rodent asked her as he buckled himself in.
She shrugged and made her way out of the school zone. "Oh you know…the usual. How was school? Did you and Pent do well in the Science Fair?"
"Yeah, we did. He was pretty stoked about it. I'm glad I participated. Sometimes it shocks me how much he knows about stuff like that." Xavier looked out the window seeming non-challant about it.
His mother thought the comment was a bit strange. "Why? You see how much he reads. It's obvious he's passionate about it. What place did you boys get?"
"I mean…I don't remember half the stuff I read. I know he reads a lot but it's still surprising how much he remembers. We got first place. They gave us a $250 gift certificate and a tacky medal." The teen didn't bother to show her.
The older woman's smile grew on her face. "What? Why didn't you tell me you boys won first place? That's great. This calls for a celebration."
"It's not a big deal, mom. It's just a Science Fair. The $250 gift certificate is cool though." The chipmunk didn't understand what the big deal about it was.
She huffed at him. "You're such a silly boy sometimes…It's important to celebrate academic achievements and this is one that counts as that."
"Oh? Does that mean I can do something with Pent then?" Xavier's wanted to include his boyfriend in whatever they did.
His mother nodded. "Of course. See if he wants to come over tonight."
That sealed the deal for the young chipmunk boy. Immediately he texted the Fox teen to see if he wanted to. It was a short while before the other boy responded. Of course, Pent was all too keen to spend time with him. Little did they realize that Xavier's mother was already planning something in her head. She just needed to talk to her husband about it and get his thoughts on it.
"Let your little boyfriend know I will pick him up around dinner." She figured this would be enough time to hammer the details out.
The rest of the ride was quiet. Xavier didn't have much on his mind and his mother was still tired from work. They arrived at the chipmunk's family home after a short while. The rodent got out of the car and followed his mother inside. The woman was slower than usual as she was somewhat distracted by her thoughts. The two of them head inside with his mother letting him in. The teen launched his bag over the sofa and decided to see what was on television.
"No homework tonight, Xae?" His mother asked him as the teen didn't normally didn't plop on the couch.
The chipmunk boy eased himself back on the chair. "Nah but there is a Lacrosse game on I want to catch the end of."
"I see. Well, don't get too comfortable. We're going to pick up Pent shortly. I just need to talk to your father." With that, she disappeared into the bedroom.
Xavier turned on the television and changed it to the sports channel. Already the Thunderbirds game was on. The Halifax team was playing Georgia and was beating them by a few points. Beginning to watch the game, he settled in a bit and got absorbed in it before long. Meanwhile, his parents were back in their bedroom having a small discussion. His mother was convinced that this particular academic success was one of the largest in their son's life and she wanted to make sure he was commended for it.
"How was work, hon?" The woman figured he had worked from home today but wanted to ask anyway.
The man turned around in his office chair. "I was almost late this morning but other than that it was fine. Fortunately, my boss granted my request to work from home so I didn't have to commute more. How was yours?"
"That's good. Mine was fine…more or less the same as usual. Xavier and his little boyfriend won the science fair today." She couldn't help but smile more as she said it.
Her husband smiled back at her. "Oh? I'm not surprised. After all that fox boy is smart."
"That's besides the fact, honey. We should celebrate it. This isn't something that happens often. When was the last time Xavier voluntarily entered any school competition that wasn't sports-related?" The woman put her hands to her waist.
The man thought about it for a moment. "Never?"
"Correct. I want to do something nice for Xavier and Pent." She waited patiently for him to respond.
The older male arched his eyebrow a bit. "Just what do you have in mind?"
"Why don't we take them to Sky Zone? One opened up just downtown. It would be fun for them and give them a chance to unwind together." The woman had heard about it on the radio.
Her husband shrugged. "Sure, I don't see why not. I suppose we have to pick Pent up?"
"Yup. I already told Xae but he doesn't know what they are doing yet. I figured it would be a nice surprise. I will take care of it." She wanted to handle it since she had come up with the idea.
The man kissed her and she kissed him back. Soon returning to the living room, she found her son already engrossed in the Lacrosse game.
"You ready to go?" His mother asked him with her usual soft tone.
Xavier was watching a play unfold on screen. "Hold on one sec…"
She waited a few moments before the Swarm had scored a goal. "Good now? We need to get going…"
"Yeah….Lyle Thompson is such a good player." The chipmunk boy turned off the television and walked over to the front door.
His mother waited for him by the door and opened the door for both of them. Making their way back out to her car.
"Where are we going anyways and what about dinner?" Xavier couldn't help but be curious about her plans.
The older woman waved her finger at him. "Just wait and see. Let's go pick up your little boyfriend."
Getting back into the vehicle, they were soon underway again. Heading back across town to where the fox boy lived. She took the main highway to save some time. Fortunately, most of the rush hour traffic didn't go in the direction she was headed. They were able to make a pretty good time, arriving at Pent's place in just under 25 minutes. Once they were in front of the other boy's apartment, the chipmunk decided to text his boyfriend to get him to come out.
Pent came out before long. He was still wearing his school uniform and the teen had a big smile on his face. The fox was still riding cloud nine from their recent victory. The rodent slid into the back seat and his boyfriend soon joined him. Plopping himself right on top of the bigger boy, Pent was getting much more comfortable showing affection in front of the other boy's parents.
"You two are such cuddle bugs." Xavier's mother couldn't help but chuckle at them.
Her son whined a bit. "Mom..."
"What? It's true. It's cute." She turned her attention back to the road and they were underway again.
The two of them talked about nothing specific as Xavier's mother took them into the main part of town. Traffic at that time of the day wasn't heavy with only the remnants of rush hour remaining. Xavier's mother made her way across the highway and down an early exit. Going through back streets instead since it was still somewhat congested. It took them a short while before they arrived at Sky Zone.
Xavier's mother handed him a small sum of cash. "Here. This should be enough for both of you to get entry as well as food and drinks."
"Thanks, Mom. What time should we be ready to leave?" The chipmunk boy asked since it was a school night.
The woman thought about it for a moment. "I think the place closes at 9 but how about 8? That will give you boys a while to hang out here and then tone it down after."
"Can Pent sleepover after?" Xavier squeezed his boyfriend's hand tightly.
She chuckled again. "I don't see why not. I'll give his foster mother a text to make sure she is alright with it."
"See ya later, Mom!" The two boys made their way out of the car.
His mother watched them from the parking lot before making her way back home. Xavier and Pent headed inside the building. Just inside of it was a main lobby where the rodent bought each of them a pass. They were given wristbands that provided full access to the place. The woman manning the front desk asked them their shoe sizes and provided each of them with a pair of socks and a key for a locker with a number on it. The place had a "sticky sock" policy as they were specially made for trampolines and slides.
Making their way to the change room, the teens were assigned a storage locker towards the end of it. Both boys sat down and took off their shoes before changing their socks. Placing both things inside the locker. The so-called sticky socks were thicker than the cotton ones they we wearing before. On the bottom of them were some bumps and a padded surface that provided a bit more friction when walking over smooth surfaces.
Once they were ready, they headed from the changing room they entered the main facility. Just inside the center room, they saw a large mesh of trampoline mats. On the sides of them are some padding and fall-out areas. Various cubs were playing on them, bouncing all around back and forth. Just beyond them were a few slides, a climbing wall, and some bungee cords that had been arranged to drop zones. At the very back of it was a ball pit with another slide that sloped down into it.
Xavier dragged Pent onto one of the trampoline mats. Taking both of his hands the two of them began jumping around. It had been a while since either of them had jumped on a trampoline before. Their bodies hopped up and down against the springy platform. Their combined weight resulted in a bit more air time than they might have had otherwise. It wasn't overly exciting but they were enjoying themselves all the same.
Nearby they saw a makeshift basketball court that had been set up over some trampoline mats. Neither boy had seen such a thing and their gazes shifted towards it once they realized it was there. Eventually, they got bored of just jumping around. Some other teenagers were playing basketball on it and Xavier got an idea.
"Wanna go play with them, Pent? It will be more fun than just hopping around here."
The fox teen thought about it for a moment. "Uh…."
"I'll be there to support you, Pent. There is nothing to worry about. Please?" Xavier knew that his boyfriend wasn't the best around people.
The smaller boy slowly nodded. "Alright…I'll try…for you."
"That's my favorite foxy. Come on." The brown-furred boy tugged on him to follow once again.
Treading over towards the makeshift basketball arena, they headed across a few of the trampoline mats. Occasionally they had to hop as some of the other cubs and teens on the trampolines caused the surface to shift. As they approached the basketball area, the other players stopped when they realized there were some others who seemed like they wanted to join.
"You two want in?" The biggest girl asked as the giraffe took a swig from a water bottle.
Xavier nodded. "Yeah but can we be on the same team?"
"Sure, Pearl come over to my side will ya?" One of the other girls switched sides.
Pent and Xavier took their spot on the opposite side of the court. The court had been set up on top of the trampoline mats. On each side of it was a basketball net. Various foul lines, boundaries, and circles had been stickered on them to make it look more like an actual court. It was a bit smaller than a standard-size court but was still big enough for a pickup game. Instead of a real basketball a more hollow ball was used that had been designed for trampoline basketball.
Taking his spot on the right side of the defensive posture of the court, Xavier got ready. His boyfriend was opposite him and looked just as ready for the game to start. The giraffe and a sloth took center of the court and a member of the staff acted as referee. Blowing the whistle, the game started again with nothing changing about the score which showed an even heat. Tipping off at center court, the giraffe girl was able to get the upper hand and quickly swiped the ball backward.
A larger wolf boy took hold of the ball. The broad-shouldered teen began dribbling forward as they made slow but steady progress over the mats. Xavier rushed forward to meet him, trying his best to square him out but the bigger male muscled past him. The mats didn't make it easy for the chipmunk to hold his ground and he wasn't quite used to it. Making a quick shot, the fox boy quickly darted in front of the net and was able to bat it down.
"Nice one, Pent." His boyfriend cheered him on at the other boy who waited as the referee went to collect the ball.
They returned to center court and another tip-off ensued. This time the sloth girl was able to win the ball and quickly snapped it back to Pent. The smaller teen wasn't quite expecting it and passed it back over to Xavier. Hungrily guarding it, Xavier began to run forward. Going ahead on the trampoline mats was nothing like hardwood or cement. His progress was slower and he wasn't quite used to the hopping motion with each step he took ever onward.
He made a quick shot but over-estimated where the net was. The extra bounce from the trampoline matt was a bit more than he expected. The giraffe girl was able to recover the ball. Swiftly she swooped forward, having a great range of motion because of her stalky legs. The girl was met by Pent, who was much smaller than she was. Sneaking underneath her the fox boy was able to snatch the ball without her even realizing it.
Passing the ball forward, he gave it to another member of his team who was able to score. Celebrating, the team high-foured each other before returning to the other side of the court. The ball was given to Xavier who was more than glad to take up a chance of face-off. This time going against the same wolf boy who had muscled past him earlier. Grinning at him, the wolf boy very much felt like he had the upper hand.
The ref tipped them off and Xavier was able to snag it. The chipmunk slipped around the bigger teen who fell over himself as he attempted to right his direction. Soon he was intercepted by the sloth but the girl couldn't keep up with him. Jumping forward the rodent tried his best to aim for the backboard and was able to score a basket. His team clapped at him before patting him on the back as he returned to center court.
Pent was tapped on the back by one of the girls on the team. It seemed it was his turn at a tip-off. He looked back to Xavier who gave him the usual look of confidence. The fox wasn't about to turn down the chance. Despite his social anxieties, he was still competitive. Slowly he moved towards the center of the court, facing off against the sloth girl. Throwing the ball up, the referee eased back and watched the action unfold.
Easily reaching over Pent, the sloth wasn't able to get a hold of the ball. Slipping off her finger, the ball rolled down to the fox boy who greedily guarded it. Snapping it back, the fox passed it to a member of their team who was quickly intercepted by the wolf. This time the opposition was able to get a hold of the ball and get a score. They were still in the lead but Pent sighed as he felt he was partially responsible for it.
"It'll be alright, Pent. You won the tip at least." Xavier said softly to him as he could sense his boyfriend's obvious change in disposition.
The rest of the game went much the same. A back-and-forth affair that was evenly spread. Neither side held the advantage for long as the score was evened up every so often. It took some time for both Xavier and Pent to get a hold of things but they were just as able as any of the other players. By the end of it, the referee blew a whistle and the game was decided in the Giraffe girl's team's favor. Neither the fox nor the chipmunk were disappointed and shook hands with the other players as a show of good sportsmanship.
Xavier tugged on Pent after the post-game affairs were over, taking him over to the side of the facility. On the edges of the trampoline mats gave way to the hardwood floor and they continued over to an area where an in-house pizzeria was situated. "Sky Pie", as it was called, had a large dining area in front of it with several benches, a self-serve drink area, and a serving station. Since it was later in the afternoon, the place wasn't very busy.
Knowing already what Pent liked, the rodent ordered a pizza both of them could share and paid for it. A fully dished out veggie style pizza with all the usual toppings to bear. The two of them waited at an empty table while the meal was made. Talking about nothing specific and just chilling out after the game of basketball. It didn't take long until the pizza was served, a woman came out of the back room with the thing on an aluminum tray with it covered by a thin sheet of plastic.
"Bon Appetit, boys." She handed them the pizza followed by a few paper plates.
The two of them started to eat their meals. It was a warm meal that was as gooey as it was decadent. There were toppings littered all over it with Swiss-style cheese instead of the usual cheddar. It was a different flavor than most pizzas they had eaten but delicious all the same. The two of them thoroughly enjoyed their meal. It was a smaller pie meant for two people so they were able to finish it without leaving any leftovers.
Xavier and Pent spent a little more than an hour at the place after finishing dinner. The rodent received a message from his mother and they were picked up at the planned time. Both teens had worked up a sweat playing around and by the end of it, they were pretty tired. Returning to the chipmunk mother's car, both of them shoved themselves back in the rear seat. She could tell both of them had enjoyed themselves since they had big smiles on their faces.
"I want you boys to take a shower when you get home." She said softly.
Her son didn't say anything and wrapped his arms around the smaller boy. His mother knew the teen understood her request and didn't make anything of it. Soon hitting the road and made their way back to Xavier's family home.
The traffic later at night was far less congested than earlier and she was able to make pretty good time. They arrived just as the sun was getting darker as the sun was starting to set.
The moment they came to a stop, Xavier tugged on Pent to follow him. The bigger boy had an idea and he was all but certain his boyfriend would like it.
"Where are you…?" Before his mother could say anything they were gone.
Xavier took the other boy into his backyard. Twilight was descending on the land and the moon provided much of the illumination around them. Easing himself onto the floor, the chipmunk waited for Pent to join him. The fox didn't make him wait long before laying down next to him. Their entire bodies were completely pressed against one another as they gazed into the sky. Stars and the moon sparkled down upon them glistening a light blue gaze upon them.
"Just like the old days, Pent?" Xavier said as he nuzzled his wet nose into the fox boy's neck.
The white-furred teen smiled at him and squeezed his hand. "Yeah…it's nice out tonight, huh?"
"Yup…Wanna show me some constellations…?" The rodent knew his boyfriend could do it and was a bit nostalgic for it.
Taking Xavier's finger between two of his own, Pent began to outline a few of the constellations in the sky. It was just like that night all those years ago, a night neither of them had forgotten. The chipmunk's mother had not followed them but instead watched the two boys briefly from their back window with her husband. Not staying as they always gave them their due privacy.
"Our little love bird, eh Sophie?" The older male said to his wife.
She nodded. "They make a cute couple. I guess opposites do attract."
"I suppose so. Let's go watch some television. They won't be out there long." He said to her before taking her to the living room.
The woman cocked her eyebrows and chuckled. "Are you so sure about that?"
"Haha…knowing the little star fox…they will probably be out there all night." The husband laughed at his joke.
The two boys remained outside for a little over an hour. Neither seemed willing to budge from where they were. Just having each other was enough to make them happy and time flew by as it often did when they were together. Xavier listened to the fox boy drone on about the stars. Going way above the level of detail that his boyfriend understood. Yet the chipmunk did not complain. He remained quiet, listening and being respectful of his boyfriend's knowledge and interest in it.
A short while later, Xavier's father came out to collect them. It was getting late and they still had school the next day.
"Boys it's time to come inside and get ready for bed." The older male said softly as he opened the back door to the yard.
Xavier stretched and yawned. "Okay, Dad. We're coming."
"Make sure you two take a shower…" He reminded them without saying anything more about it.
Both of them headed inside and headed to the chipmunk's room. Xavier passed his boyfriend off a change of clothes and disappeared into the bathroom. Each went through their usual hygiene routine. Neither took that long as both of them were tired and eager to get to bed. Pent was the last one out of the shower, drying himself just enough so that his fur was only damp. Changing into his borrowed pajamas, the fox returned to find his boyfriend waiting for him in bed.
Xavier had already settled down and held the sheets up for him. Easing himself in next to the bigger boy, Pent nestled up to him. The two bodies pressed against one another. Xavier draped his arms over the other teen holding him closely against his body. The warmth and satisfaction of being around each other was all they ever needed. They were quiet for a bit, still looking out the window as if to pretend they were still outside. In a whisper, Xavier's breath blew across Pent's ear.
"Hey, Pent?" The chipmunk kept his head craned over the smaller teen's neck.
The white-furred teen had his eyes closed to savor the moment. "Yeah?"
"Do you think we'll be together forever?" Xavier asked as the question had been on his mind for a while.
Pent was a bit confused by the question. "Why wouldn't we be? I love you. I don't want to be with anyone else."
"I love you too…I guess what I mean is…have you ever thought about what it would be like when we're older…like when we're old enough to live on our own?" The bigger boy was careful with his wording so as not to misconstrue things.
The fox felt relief at this as he breathed deeply. "Yeah…I have. I have thought about it before. Why?"
"I've been thinking about it more lately. Like…what it would be like to be joined and live together and stuff. Do you think it would be nice?" The chipmunk kissed the other boy on the cheek.
Pent's cheeks turned red at the mention of a civil union. "I think it would be amazing. Spending my entire life with you. I couldn't imagine it any other way."
"My special fox boy…and me. Together forever. I love you so much, Pent." Xavier turned him around and kissed him again.
The white-furred teen kissed him passionately on the lips. Their embrace lasted for several moments before they broke off. Once again cradling the fox in his arms, the chipmunk draped the sheets over them. Pent nestled himself into the bigger boy's fur, all too eager to soak up the affection. Each of them closed their eyes, enjoying the warmth and comfort they brought each other. Drifting off to the dream world before long. Their minds wander to thoughts of the past.
A vision of their very first time out together alone. That odd…but familiar "date" at Imax. Yet there was no true recollection of what happened that day. Instead...those cubs who had pestered them were absent. Just hanging out together at the Imax theater, watching the same film they only vaguely remembered from all those years ago. No spark of romance or awkwardness between them…not just yet. Just boys hanging out. Yet in their hearts, something hit off that day. Something that would change the course of their friendship and ultimately their relationship for the rest of their lives.
And so they would slumber…in ever blissful embrace. A friendship that happened by pure chance. Two boys of opposite natures come together as one. An odd relationship to most but to them it was all that mattered. It was almost as if their coming together was written in the stars. After all…in some eyes, true love is meant to be for those who can find it…and none can break the bond of those who find the embrace of their true match. And to those who knew them…none could deny that they truly were…happily ever after.
