Snowed in 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 micro macro content with underaged characters. You have been warned.
The sun peers through an otherwise obstructed sky. Haze and fog all too dense and thick in the air. A light snow flutters down from the sky above. A frosty wind carries itself through the area, picking up some of those flurries along with it. Below, the little mountain town is completely covered in snow. Every building drenched in it, with each roof pitched in white powder. Some icicles hang from the sides, jutting their transparent, glass-like appearance off the various edges of the buildings.
The town center, a place of gathering, is quiet this morning. The only sounds that could be heard were the constant gale of the wind and the occasional slush of pitter-patter through the snow. Occasionally, a scrape echoed through the area as one of its residents shovels the snow from their yard. Yet, few cars were about, as only the largest and most prepared ones could brave such a thick blanket of powder. Some residents worked from home, but the rest had to walk or take the bus.
Near the edge of town, the faint sound of children laughing can be heard. Not quite a ruckus, nor is it a nuisance, even to those stuck at home. The local schools had all called school off that day since it wasn't exactly safe on the usual bus routes. A few groups of kids were about. Some were making various versions of snow creatures while others were constructing snow buildings. A few of the more well-designed models were getting rather large, and some were even quite ornate.
In a more isolated part of town, two other cubs had isolated themselves. A young chipmunk boy and his arctic fox friend.
"Come on, Pent. This is boring. You can look for bugs later. I want to go join the snowball fight with the other cubs in town." The brown-furred boy said through a toothy frown on his face.
The bigger boy was on his knees searching for something. "I promise it won't take long. You can go without me."
"Psah, you and I both know if I leave you here that you won't come. You always get so lost in your interests. Come on, let's go and have fun, foxy." The rodent stepped closer to the other boy.
Pent looked up at him. "This is fun, though. I want to find some stoneflies."
The brown-furred boy leaned down and touched the other on the shoulder. "Please? You can do that later. I want to join in while the other cubs are playing."
"Will you look with me if we do it later?" The gentle smile and anticipation on the fox boy's face were too genuine.
Xavier sighed. "Okay, sure. Come on, foxy. Let's go play."
The bigger boy picked himself up, glad that his boyfriend had given in. Pent and Xavier had known each other for a while now. At 12 years old, they had very little in common other than the fact that they found solace in each other. Most who knew them well enough were familiar with their close relationship. A very close friendship that had blossomed into more, much to the surprise of the other students as well as the staff at school.
Xavier, a long-eared chipmunk boy, was the more athletic of the two. The youngest child of a family of four and the only one of them still at home, as his sister was in college. A star lacrosse player who was more social as well as outgoing. Not quite great at school, but well enough to get by. Both well-liked and relatable to his peers. Hard working and earnest, at least when it came to doing things he enjoyed. No longer as popular as he once was, the rodent had given up his status to give the other cub a chance.
The other boy was an arctic fox who found enjoyment in far more analytical things. An academically focused child who was both more mature and thoughtful than his other agemates. Quite the bookworm, Pent was hyper-focused on learning as much as he could when it came to Science and Math. The insular cub had never been much for talking with his classmates, as he was used to being ostracized. Often perceived as a teacher's pet, it wasn't until Xavier came along that things started to change for him.
The two boys walked forward through the powder-filled streets. Light flurries carried through a brisk wind. Not quite cold enough to keep the younger furs inside nor inclement enough to concern the older ones. Together, they walked toward the outcropping of other kids. In front of them, a small group of cubs had set up their own makeshift battlefield among the snow. Several embankments of snow had been set up, with one of them even resembling the maker's best attempt at a powdery tower.
As Xavier and Pent approached, the other cubs did not stop. Occasional back and forth of snowballs were thrown, with very few actually making the target. The two new arrivals stayed to the side to avoid obstructing the game. Eventually, Xavier decided to just speak, as none of the kids had invited them to participate.
"Hey, can we join?" The rodent boy said through his usual toothy grin.
One of the older girls finally noticed them, but didn't stop throwing. "Yep, just join one of you per side."
The brown-furred cub nodded at her and gently eased Pent towards the team on the left. Making sure that he walked toward it and didn't get distracted by his usual stints. The fox was uncertain of himself. It was very rare that he engaged with other cubs. Slowly walking toward them, almost as if shuffling through the snow. Xavier watched him for a few moments but decided not to help and ended up just going to the other side.
Joining with the other cubs, the chipmunk nodded to them, kneeling on one of the medium-sized hills they had piled up. Much of the snow had slushed over as the stuff was poorly put together. Immediately, he started clumping up some snow in the glove of his nylon-padded mitten. The snow was mushy enough to make it easily compactible. A few of the balls from the other side sailed over, but it appeared they were aimless.
Xavier decided to peer his head over to see if he could find a target. Even popping his head over was enough to elicit a barrage of snowballs towards him. Pushing it off his face, the chipmunk sailed his own ball back. A targeted assault at one of the other cubs, whose back he could just barely see. Silently sliding down behind the embankment, he didn't wait to see if it hit anyone. Scraping some of the snow off his jacket.
One of the other cubs smirked with a sly grin on her face. The girl knelt so that she was on her knees. Packing one ball in each of her hands before making a run for it. Directly into the fray she went, and Xavier watched the whole thing unfold. The younger elk retaliated with both of her balls from her dominant hand. Both easily finding a target, even though her whole backside was now covered in snowy slush. The girl retreated to the safety of the makeshift snow wall.
"Charge!" One of the other cubs from the other side shouted.
What followed was a rush of activity. All of the kids from the other side raised themselves over their enclosures. One after the other, they scurried over. The distance was closed in mere seconds since it wasn't that far. The cubs on Xavier's side had no idea what was even happening until it was much too late. Hit right where they were hiding, shielding their faces from what they could. The other cubs laughing as they reeled back toward their original spots.
Once again, another ball sailed right towards Xavier, two of them hitting him on the left shoulder. Exploding into bits of snow as the debris of it scattered onto his jacket. The chipmunk tried throwing his own ball back, but the other cubs were already moving, so it was harder to land the shot. But the rodent smiled as it peeled forward and launched two balls toward their backside. This time, he hit the target, but his teammate wasn't so fortunate.
"No fair!" The girl from Xavier's side shouted as she too had been hit, but there was no response.
Instead, more balls followed in the same aimless fashion that they had before. Back and forth with not much thought was put into it. It was more about throwing the balls than actually hitting each other. Only occasionally did anything actually hit a target. The silly rules they had put in place seemed to fall back in line, and no more surprise assaults were launched. As time pushed on, some of the cubs had to leave as their parents called or texted them home.
Eventually, the two sides stopped throwing as the game had become more predict able with fewer Cubs in it. More and more of the other kids left until there wasn't enough to keep it interesting. Xavier poked his head up, along with the girl they had been playing with. Declaring surrender, then walking toward the center. Unsurprisingly, there was only one otter who came out, but Pent was nowhere to be seen. The rodent suspected something was up and decided to walk to the other side's embankments.
Sure enough, the white-furred boy was crouching down. Not much snow was on him; in fact, he seemed fairly unscathed from the games before.
"Pent, what are you doing? Did you even play with us?" The chipmunk was certain his boyfriend had gotten distracted.
The bigger boy held his hand out. "Look, Xae. I found one."
The brown-furred boy looked into the other's paw. Crawling around the other boys' paw pads was a single stone fly. The very same insect the cub had been looking for before.
"Is that what you've been doing the entire time?" Xavier couldn't help but chuckle at the somewhat predictable behavior.
The fox boy eased the insect back onto the ground. "Yeah, I didn't feel like playing."
The smaller cub smiled at him gently. He knew what to expect from his boyfriend at this point. This was natural behavior from him. Pent very rarely engaged with cubs his own age, and to expect otherwise would have been foolish on his part.
"Come on, foxy. The weather is picking up. Do you want to head to my place and warm up?" The smaller boy offered his hand out to the other cub, who was all too
glad to take it.
The two of them began to walk through that part of town. The snow had become heavier, and the wind was also gusting more noticeably. That light, brisk from before, was now strong enough to push against them. The skies were grey, and not much of the sun could be seen. It was evident that things were likely to get worse before getting better. Looking around, it seemed any other fur that had been outside had now turned indoors.
Xavier's home was fortunately not far from where they were. A small cookie-cutter style home in a gated community. At the walls to it, the snow was now deep enough that they could climb up it to simply jump over. It was far easier than them going through security, and the chipmunk had done it enough times that he didn't think he'd get in trouble even if he was caught. Jumping over first, he waited for Pent to join him.
On the other side of the wall, a small local snowplow chugged through the streets. Fortunately, the fox wasn't far behind him, and the driver didn't notice that either of them had jumped. Continuing through the street, they passed right by the machine.
"You two should get inside. The weather is supposed to get even worse." The driver was not paying much attention to them as she chewed some gum.
The chipmunk looked over toward the other cub, neither of which was that concerned about it. Even if the weather got worse, it wasn't like they hadn't dealt with it plenty of times before. After all, this is where they'd spent their entire childhood so far. They continued walking, no faster than they had before. By this point, the snow flurries were already coming down harder than earlier. The wind pushed the stuff into their faces, forcing them to cover the only uncovered portions of their bodies.
Fortunately, Xavier's house wasn't much further down the winding streets of the gated community. They could see it now, the familiar single-story abode that was Xavier's home. No front yard, but instead a fenced-in one in the rear that couldn't be seen from the front side. Its design all too similar to the neighbors' as they were made in the same fashion. The only thing differentiating it was the Noyer family name inscribed on a sign that hung at the front door.
Nearing it, the chipmunk boy shuffled his hand into the right pocket of his waterproof pants. Pulling out the key, he unlocked the door. Both cubs stepped inside one after the other, shuffling some snow in from the outside along with them. The wind gusted, pushing them in with a brisk gust as some of the snow fluttered near the entrance. The moment they were in, the smaller boy quickly shut the door so no more of the stuff got inside. Xavier made sure to lock it and brushed his gloves over his jacket once over to get some of the snow off.
"Mom and Dad, we're home. The weather is getting pretty crummy out." The brown-furred boy assumed his parents were probably home from the weather.
Yet there was no immediate response. Xavier wasn't overly concerned about it, as the moment he pulled his phone out of his jacket, he noticed a text. The text reading that his parents had stayed at his Aunt's due to the inclement weather. Also, telling him that there was leftover pizza in the fridge. They were already planning on leaving it since they were previously aware that Pent was staying for the weekend. It had already been arranged well before the weather had impacted them.
Both boys started stripping off their winter jackets and boots. Unzipping the jackets was simple enough, but unlacing the more bulky boots took longer. Even for cubs their age, they were designed to ride right around their ankle, so they had to be loosened before being taken off. Already, they were feeling warmer as the inside was set on heat to accommodate the usual winter temperatures. Xavier's parents kept it toasty but not overly warm to keep it comfortable.
"It got bad pretty quick out there, huh?" The smaller boy said, placing his coat on the rack to dry out.
Pent nodded as he pulled off his second shoe. "Yeah, I guess the snowplow driver was right.
"You wanna watch a television or something?" The chipmunk suggested that they were stuck inside.
The white-furred boy shrugged. "Sure, yeah. It's either that or we can play board games or something. Not like we can go outside for a while."
"Alright, I'll grab some popcorn and drinks. You want the usual?" The rodent said as he padded toward the kitchen.
The bigger boy nodded. "Sure, thanks. I'll get the television set up. What do you wanna watch?"
"Just no documentaries or educational stuff, Pent. Anything else is fine." Xavier knew if he left it up to Pent, it would likely be something science-related.
The fox cub rolled his eyes. "Fine…"
The chipmunk chuckled and headed off toward the kitchen. It wasn't long before he heard the chatter of the television flickering between channels. Eventually, it was silenced and replaced by the ambiance of the guide channel. Xavier went through to the fridge, searching through it briefly. Nothing seemed that enticing to him, deciding instead to make some hot chocolate. Pulling out the regular milk for him and the coconut milk for his boyfriend
Opening one of the pantries, he scanned through it. Eventually, finding the box of the packets of the mixture. Pouring enough of the milk into each of the cups and making sure he knew which was which. Then mixing in the powder on top and stirring it a few times before putting it in the microwave. Xavier waited after turning it on, idly gazing around the kitchen as he did so. Eventually, spotting the bag that the other boy had brought with him.
The chipmunk decided to take it to his room. They had left in such a rush earlier that both of them had forgotten to do it. Picking it up, something small dropped out, making a brief but distinct thud on the ground. Stopping in his tracks, Xavier looked down. A small bright orange container lay on the floor. Inside, some vitamins and the fox boy's allergy meds were contained. But a more oddly colored pill stood out to him.
Curious, he popped open the little orange flap. Xavier looked within and inside, and found a curiously shaped blue pill that seemed grainy. Around it, small bits of granules had rubbed off and seemed to be piled up inside the small compartment where it was contained. The rodent had never seen such a pill before, and he was somewhat familiar with the fox boys' regimen since he slept over so often. Perhaps it was something new he wasn't aware of yet.
Xavier gently rubbed what was left of the one remaining, causing more of it to flake off. The beep of the microwave went off, snapping him out of his focus. Quickly, without much thought to it, he emptied the powder and what remained of the pill into his paw. Bringing it over to the machine, he popped it open and lifted his hand over the drink. Figuring, what could it hurt if he helped Pent take whatever supplement it was?
Bringing both of the hot cocoa into the front room, he found Pent had found a silly action film. Already, there was some overblown scene going on in front of Xavier. Without context, he wasn't sure what to think about it. The chipmunk handed his boyfriend one drink while holding onto the other. Finally, plopping alongside him to take a load off. The chipmunk smiled at him, happy to spend time with the boy he loved.
The fox boy sipped a bit of the beverage as some of the foam got stuck on his lips. "Thanks."
"Sure, figured we could use something warm." The rodent didn't mention the supplement.
The cubs began watching the movie. It was a thrilling, action-packed adventure involving the titular "Bron Badger". A popular and well-known star who was mostly recognized for his roles in the various Galaxis series and its spin-offs. The movies in question were all sci-fi in nature, revolving around the story of a distant future and the survival of various species in foreign plants. This was one of the few fiction films that both boys liked, though Pent often focused on the more realistic aspects of it.
"Psah...the physics of that scene just don't add up. I don't like it when directors choose to do that." Pent said as he leaned into the other cub's shoulder.
The brown-furred boy chuckled at him. "It's just a movie, foxy. Try not to think about it so much."
Yet, in his mind, Xavier knew that was impossible for his boyfriend. Pent always overthought stuff, even if it was explicitly fiction. It was one of the things that made it difficult to relate to his peers. But for the chipmunk boy, he thought it was endearing, and it stopped bothering him after they got closer with one another. Draping his arms over the other boy, the chipmunk held his boyfriend against his chest.
They watched the movie a bit. It wasn't Bron Badger's latest adventure. A fray into the ocean deep in a far-off galaxy, searching for the Grand Garnet. A stolen gem from ages past is said to have been lost with the fallen city of Nimer. The very same city fabled to sit on the ocean floor. His woodby but ravishing assistance, Culemeria, aided him in his quest as she often did. The more even-keeled woman often kept her male counterparts' more impulsive actions at bay at least until things got out of hand.
It was far from the most engaging film. It was a glitzy, over-the-top action film with very little story to it. Neither boy seemed to care much about it, just leaving it on as background noise as they lay together on the couch. Xavier's hand eventually grazed over the fox boy's chest and gently stroked it. Not quite being overly assertive about it as he rubbed him around in circles. Pent gently smiled at him, glad to enjoy a bit of attention from the boy he loved.
A short while passed, and each boy had forgotten about their drinks. Xavier was the first to notice. No longer was his warm as he touched it.
"You want any more before
I take it back to the kitchen to dump it?" The rodent asked as he wasn't as interested in it since he was warmer now.
The fox boy took a quick one more sip before handing it over. "Nah, I am good. Thanks, though."
The chipmunk boy got up after easing his boyfriend off him. Bringing both cups with him. Realizing he had left the little pill container out, he put it back into Pent's bag. Dumping the cups into the sink, he rinsed both of them and washed them once over so they didn't stain from the chocolate. Picking up Pent's bag, he popped his head back into the living room.
"I'm gonna take your bag to my room. Be right back." Xavier announced so that the other boy knew where he was going.
Padding down the hall, the brown-furred boy made his way down to his room. Xavier's house wasn't very big, and his parents had turned his sister's room into a guest room. The chipmunk threw the bag back into his room without much thought. Before long, returning to the living room where he had discovered the fox boy had gotten up. Pent was stretching and yawning, seeming all too lazy from their moving watching session.
"What do you wanna do now?" The rodent asked before stepping over closer to where Pent was.
The white-furred cub thought about it a moment. "You can pick. I need to go to the bathroom."
Xavier watched as his boyfriend walked by him, their eyes just about level with one another as they did so. Making his way back to the television, the chipmunk boy wondered if there were any games on. It was winter, so he knew that Hockey as well as Basketball were both in season. But as he scrolled through the channels, he discovered a replay of an old Lacrosse game. It was one he remembered the result of but had never actually watched before.
Returning before long, the fox cub hurdled himself over the sofa to join the other boy. Lounging himself right on top of Xavier once again. All too content to share the space despite there being plenty more of it to share if they had moved. Xavier draped his arms around the other cub, keeping him even closer. Already the game had started, and it was about midway through the first period. Pent didn't seem to mind that it was Lacrosse as he was happy to do whatever his boyfriend wanted.
The early part of the game was pretty uneventful, a back-and-forth affair with little scoring to speak of. The Rocks scoring the first into the net with an awkward shot on goal that had bounced off the defenders. Xavier cheered when they did, simply clapping instead of making a fuss about it. More concerned about disturbing the other boy than celebrating something that he knew the result of. He watched as one of his favorite players traveled down the field but was unable to score on a penalty shot.
Before long, the second period started, and the game remained a defensive one. Neither team seemed able to mount a sustained offensive strike. One after the other, they were picked off by the other side's apt defensemen, and neither side's team was adjusting. Xavier looked down and noticed the fox cub had closed his eyes, seemingly bored with the lack of action on the screen in front of them. The rodent smiled at him before hugging him even closer against his body.
It wasn't until the third and fourth periods of the game that things picked up. The Rocks finally got their act together and worked together to attack in an offensive unit. No longer were they playing on the defense despite the other team supposedly being the best one in the League. Xavier couldn't help but be excited as he watched his team score a few unanswered goals. Then, finally, the other team responded, but by the time they did, it was a bit too late, and the Rocks came out on top.
"You know, it's pretty warm in here. Maybe we should change into something more comfortable and less bulky?" The chipmunk boy suggested that they were still in their winter layers.
Pent tilted his head up at him but didn't move much otherwise. "Sure, I don't mind. It is a bit hot in here."
The white-furred cub slowly picked himself up, offering his paw to the other boy. Standing next to him, Xavier smiled as they looked eye to eye. Gazing at each other for a short moment. Before long, the fox and chipmunk made their way down the hall. Pent followed right behind his boyfriend as they made their way back to the room. Once inside the rodent headed right for his dresser drawer while the other boy jostled through his bag.
On top of the bag, Pent noticed that the medicine container was still there from when the rodent had looked through it. Looking at it, it appeared that one of his pills was missing. Only realizing it because it was the only one that wasn't white, and because he had brought it over to show Xavier. It was his latest invention, and he had only tested it a few times. He was rather proud of the results.
"Hey, Xae. Did you put some of my stuff in the bathroom or something? One of them is missing."The white-furred boy asked before pushing it to the side of the bag to find a more suitable change of clothes.
Xavier panned his head over toward him. "The blue one? It crumbled apart, so I mixed it into your drink earlier. Is that alright?"
Pent paused for a moment as a look of concern came over his face. "You put it in my drink? Xae, that wasn't a vitamin or my allergy meds."
"What was it then?" The chipmunk arched his eyebrow at him curiously.
The white-furred cub took a deep breath. "It was an experimental compound I was messing around with. It wasn't supposed to be ingested."
"Well, you didn't drink much of the hot cocoa I gave you earlier. So what's the problem?" The rodent didn't seem to be concerned about it.
Pent thought about it a moment as the thing had only been tested once. "It was a reduction compound designed to minimize mass."
"Which means what, Einsfoxy?" The chipmunk chuckled at the name he literally just came up with on the spot.
The arctic fox sighed before responding. "It means…it's designed to make things smaller."
"So? Pent, don't be silly. You're not smaller. It's not even possible. Look." Xavier approached him so they were eye to eye again. "See? Nothing to be worried about."
Pent gazed back at him. He had always been the bigger of the two boys. Perhaps the other boy had grown a bit?
"Come here, Xae. I wanna see something." The white-furred cub said as he moved toward the wall.
Inside Xavier's room, right along the entrance, there was a height chart. The cub's mother liked to keep track of and regularly marked it. Looking at it briefly, the last mark was just from three days prior.
"Stand up here." Pent suggested calmly.
Setting his clothes down, the chipmunk placed them on his bed before joining the other boy. "Why?"
"Please?" The fox boy was as sincere as he could be about this without raising alarm.
The brown-furred cub knew he wasn't joking, so he decided to play along. Stepping over to the side of the room where the chart was. Xavier briefly looked at some of the markings before stepping close enough to it so he could stand flat against it. He waited for the other boy to make a move. Pent grabbed a pencil from one of the counters before taking it over to where the chipmunk boy was. Extending his paw over him, he drew a thin line over his head.
"Okay, you can move now. Let's see." The white-furred cub said as he put the pencil back.
Stepping away from it, the rodent moved so his boyfriend could do what he wanted to do. Pent looked closely at it. The mark was directly on top of the last one drawn by Xavier's mother. The chipmunk boy hadn't grown at all. The fox stayed calm for a moment. After all, he hadn't tested the compound much, let alone on an Anthro. To think it was plausible just based on this alone was unreasonable. Still, the concern remained at the back of his mind.
The chipmunk noticed the look on his boyfriend's face. "Well?"
"You didn't grow since the last time your mother measured you." Pent said plainly as he put the pencil back.
"Foxy, I can tell you're worried. You're just overreacting. You're not gonna get smaller. So just try to relax, okay?" The chipmunk boy said as he reached over to give the other cub a tight hug.
Pent hugged him back tightly, all too glad to embrace the hug full-heartedly. It was the comfort and reassurance he needed in that moment. The concern washing away in his mind, buying into what the other cub said. After all, it seemed reasonable to him. He decided to let it go and enjoy his time with his boyfriend. Eventually, they let go of each other before returning to find a change of clothes.
"Should we take a shower first? We didn't when we got home, and I doubt it's going to let up anytime soon." Xavier suggested that they hadn't taken one just yet.
The white-furred cub nodded at him. "Sure, yeah. I'll go first in case your parents come home."
The two were fairly open with their relationship, but they didn't like to be seen doing intimate things together. It was awkward for them to be caught, and it embarrassed them each time they had been. The chipmunk boy nodded at him, agreeing that it was a good decision. Pent grabbed his change of clothes, exiting the room to take care of his hygiene routine. He had been at his boyfriend's place enough to know his way around.
Pent stripped out of his winter base layers, each of them taking long since they were designed to be thick. Removing them required a bit of tugging since some of it was designed to be form-fitting. Stepping into the shower, the cub didn't wait for the water to warm up. Cold water never bothered him, and he just let it flow over him. All of his worries seemed worlds away in that moment as he bathed himself and allowed himself to be fully soaked by it.
Bathing always took him a bit in winter since his fur was thicker that time of year. Requiring him to thread his fingers through it after lathering up with the
shampoo. Rinsing every part of his body, as he always liked to smell good for his boyfriend. Neither of them minded the other's natural smell, but they also knew that good hygiene was important. Drying took much longer for the white-haired boy once he stepped out. Getting rid of most of the water with a towel and a quick Passover with the dryer.
When he finally finished, the fox boy changed into his clothes. The stuff he had picked was the same as a loose-fitting long-sleeved t-shirt, boxer shorts, and matching full-length pants. They were a bit big on him, but they always had been, even when they were first purchased. Picking up his dirty stuff, he returned to the room where his boyfriend was waiting for him. Xavier smiled at the other cub upon his return. Disappearing shortly after to do the same thing.
Deciding to busy himself, the fox boy pulled his most recent book out of his bag. A thick textbook on Entomology, his most recent fascination in the realm of Science. Not wasting any time, he crawled into the chipmunk boy's bed and got to reading. Finding the section discussing the insects that were most active in winter. Already having read it earlier, he wanted to freshen up a bit and read more about the stone flies. Of course, the book was in-depth enough that an entire section was dedicated to the insect he found earlier.
The fox boy occupied himself while waiting for his boyfriend to return. Only briefly adjusted himself to grab a blanket and cover his lower half. It wasn't much longer before the chipmunk boy returned. Xavier walked into the room without wearing a shirt. His lower half was covered by some plaid full-length pajama pants. Briefly, he looked over at the other boy, surprised to find him reading away in his most recent investment into his ever-increasing scientific interests.
"You're such a nerd. You know that?" The rodent said as he walked over and gave the other boy an affectionate head rub.
The white-furred boy smiled at him. "You wanna read it with me?"
"Of course I do, foxy." Xavier shared in all of his boyfriends' interests, even if they were way over his head.
Xavier stepped over to his dresser drawer, grabbing a shirt, and putting it on. Tossing the towel to the side to put away later, padding over to the bed before plopping on it alongside the fox cub. Squeezing in right next to him despite there being more than enough space for them to spread out. Leaning on the fox boy, he spaced out a bit. Never really paying attention much to the book in front of him, as he seldom understood the subject-specific jargon.
They lounged around for a little bit. Pretending to read along the entire time, the chipmunk boy just kind of phased out. Zoning out was simple enough for him, especially when it was something he didn't understand. Pent had noticed a few times before but had always just let it go. After all, he didn't expect his boyfriend to indulge in his more academic hobbies. It was more about spending time with one another than sharing Pent's book for both of them.
Some time passed, and neither boy said or moved much. It wasn't until their stomachs rumbled that they even realized how much time had passed. Xavier peered out the window from his bedroom. The window was frosted and completely frozen over, making it hard to see through. Rubbing his paw pad against it, he tried to clear some of the fog that had collected on it. Finally able to see outside, he could see it was still snowing pretty heavily.
"You wanna get dinner? My parents left the house to us for the entire weekend." The chipmunk suggested as he nuzzled his boyfriend a bit.
The white-furred cub nodded. "Yeah. I can finish the rest of my book later.
Chuckling, the chipmunk boy got up before offering his paw to the other boy. Pent was all too glad to take it, picking himself up with a bit of help. Standing up next to each other, the fox boy looked over at the chipmunk's eyes. Dark brown with that usual earthy tone to them, slightly above his own, even having to adjust his eyes ever so subtly to look at them. But before he could think much of it or even process it, the other cub tugged on him to follow.
The two boys made their way to the kitchen. It was a bit darker inside than usual due to the heavy snow, so the rodent turned on the light. Xavier padded to the freezer to see what was easiest to make. After all, he'd only been taught how to cook frozen food. Food preparation beyond that was outside of his expertise. Eventually, he found something he figured would be palatable for both of them. Showing it to Pent, the other boy gave him a soft nod.
Pent decided to help him make the food, taking out the frozen vegetables and a bag of cut-up potatoes. Xavier's parents had made some changes to make it easier on them. They knew the boys would be home alone and didn't just want them to make what they saw as microwave junk food. Stashing the plant-based fish on a tray and spreading out the potatoes with them, they were able to get it ready to be cooked simply enough. Pouring out just enough vegetables in a hot pan and then waiting for them all to warm up.
Deciding to take care of nature's needs, the brown-furred boy stepped out of the kitchen to go to the bathroom. Leaving Pent to his own thoughts. The fox boy figured he could get some more reading in while they waited, so he headed back to his boyfriend's room. The door was still open, and he could see his book waiting for him on the bed. Yet as he entered the room, he saw that the height chart was on the side of the room and figured he would check it just to be sure.
Grabbing the same pencil from before, he approached the same chart. He took a deep breath as he looked at it again. Pent wasn't exactly worried, but part of him was still nervous. Slowly, he approached it before flattening his back against it. Taking that pencil and drawing a line right over his head between his ears, and even making it a bit darker to differentiate it from the others. The fox cub took a few steps back to look at it. Sure enough, the line was just below Xavier's last mark.
Swallowing a bit, the fox wondered if maybe he had imagined things. Perhaps Xavier had a growth spurt recently after all? Maybe he just hadn't noticed? Xavier outgrowing him wasn't out of the question after all. They were both the same age, and such things still happened. He decided not to panic just yet. But in the back of his mind, there was still a lingering concern. Yet even still, it didn't make logical sense for him to shrink. Even if he had ingested that drug earlier.
Taking hold of his book, the fox boy returned to the kitchen. Finding that his boyfriend was already back. Seeing that book in his hands, Xavier decided not to ask where he went since it was obvious. Taking a seat next to each other, the two boys lounged about while they waited. Pent reading a few more pages before the timer went off. Each of them getting up to collect what had been heated up within.
Placing it out in the open, the brown-furred boy decided to let it cool a bit. His boyfriend worked on straining the water from it and split it up between them. It wasn't much longer before dinner was ready. Deciding to turn on the radio, the chipmunk dialed it over to a news station as he was curious when things would clear up. After all, he didn't want to be cooped up inside and get bored. Though he often forgot just how easy Pent was to entertain, as he always wanted to please him.
Stepping over to the fridge again, the white-furred boy grabbed them each a drink. Each of them taking a seat next to each other once everything was on the table. Finally taking the first bite into it, the food was both warm and delicious. Grinning at him with his big buck tooth showing. Xavier gave off his usual smile. The white-furred boy couldn't help but lean into him. All too happy to share the space and warmth between one another.
The radio babbled on about the news until it finally rounded to the weather. They started to listen to it as the broadcaster went on. The reports of snow, ice, and even hail were but to be expected for a day like that one. Snowfall wasn't forecasted to slow down until that Sunday. That means they were at least a day away from being able to go outside. Moaning, the chipmunk couldn't help but despair at the situation they found themselves in.
"It's not that bad, Xae. It's not like we don't have food, and the power is still on. I'm sure we can find something to do." Pent tried to stay positive and keep his boyfriend in a good mood.
The bigger cub smiled at him. "I guess it is getting kind of late. We could play a game and hit the hay. Sound good?"
"A game? You usually don't suggest that. What game are you thinking?" Neither of them was much of a gamer, so the suggestion surprised Pent.
Xavier crept over to the media cabinet where his console and games were kept. Pulling two Xbox controllers and turning on the console. It took a few moments for it to boot up, and the bigger boy eased himself on the floor before patting the spot next to him. Joining him, the fox sat right along the edge of the bed at the base of it as they used it for their makeshift backrests. The chipmunk smiled at him, handing him a controller. The game's intro music started before long.
"Oh, 2XKO. I heard about it. You want to play that?" The white-furred boy conceded to playing the game since he was familiar with League.
The rodent nodded. "Yeah. Just for a little bit. I figured you might like it since it has League characters. Then we can do whatever you want."
"I want to finish my book." Pent said without much thought to it.
Chuckling, the chipmunk smiled at him, starting into the base menus to find the local play. Xavier hadn't played the game much, but he also knew that his boyfriend was very bad at games. Deciding before they even started to take it easy on him.
Even letting Pent pick Teemo, which was the only character on the roster. Suggesting the fuse that best suited the tiny Yordle and giving him a few tips on how to use him.
Choosing Ekko and Braum himself, the match was set. A random stage was selected, and they found themselves in the Bandlewood.
"Hey, it's Kennen in the branches. He should be playable." Pent immediately noticed his favorite character visible in the background.
Xavier laughed at him again, knowing full well the fox boy had a bit of mastery over the character on the only game he played regularly. The match started before long, and even despite the chipmunk's suggestions, Pent played poorly. Button mashing as he often did when he didn't know the mechanics of a game. Of course, the rodent wasn't really trying to; he tried to maintain the ruse that he wasn't holding back.
"You don't have to hold back if you don't wanna, Xae." The fox cub had always been able to pick up on it.
A smirk crept across the rodent's face as he finally let go of his inhibitions. Combos weren't complex, but they were far more polished than anything the other boy could muster. The fox couldn't even defend himself without his character's health bar being depleted. Clearing the matches one after the other with very little difficulty, Xavier was feeling increasingly confident, and it actually got easier with each one. Even if he hadn't played much, Pent was easy compared to the usual competition in the game, especially after he lost confidence in his skills.
The white-furred fox boy grunted. "This isn't fun anymore. I want to read."
Not waiting for his boyfriend to give him permission, he simply got up. Feeling a bit guilty about it, he folded his ears, realizing maybe he had gone too far.
"Sorry, Pent. I got carried away." The bigger boy said after a short sigh.
Not immediately responding, Pent got into bed and immediately resigned to his book. Xavier felt even more guilty and turned off the console. Looking over at the fox, he debated whether he should join the other cub in bed again or do something else. After all, he knew that Pent would read the rest of the night if he didn't say anything about it. But part of him wondered if he should give him a bit of space.
"You're not mad at me...are you?" Xavier couldn't help but ask after the momentary silence.
The white-furred cub shook his head. "Nah...it's no different than when Samaliel beats me every time we play something. I just get tired of it."
A pit filled the rodent's stomach. Feeling like he should have thrown matches and not listen to his boyfriend. But it was too late now. Finally crawling into bed with him, Xavier slung his arm over the other boy. Holding him close against his body and hugging him tightly.
"Sorry, Pent." The brown-furred boy repeated it, hopeful to show he meant it.
Nuzzling into him, Pent couldn't help but forgive him. After all, he loved Xavier, and no silly game was going to change that. Lounging his arm around the chipmunk, Pent pulled him in closer. Showing off his book proudly again. Xavier didn't complain, he just...let it happen. He knew it was important to his boyfriend, and he wanted to make it up to him. Smiling, he just half-gazed at the book with his usual stare.
The rest of the night was a quiet one for the two boys. Pent wouldn't let go of Xavier until he finished reading that book. It didn't take him much longer to get through it. Dog earring the pages that he wanted to make notes on later. Showing off some of the facts he found interesting. Of course, the chipmunk understood little of it. But it wasn't about that. It was about sharing things with the one you loved.
As Pent finished his book, he got up from the bed to take care of his needs. Excusing himself for a moment to step toward the bathroom. Feeling much better about himself, the brown-furred boy watched his boyfriend step right past that height chart. Noticing the small gap between the boy's head and the last mark drawn by Xavier's mother. Not saying a word, but considering what he had said earlier. Maybe he was imagining things? Perhaps his imagination was playing off what his boyfriend had said. Deciding instead to let it go. After all, such a thing wasn't possible in his mind.
They finally retired for the remainder of the night once Pent had turned off the lights. Sharing the same bedspace as they often did. Pent crawled in front of the boy he loved. Allowing himself to be completely embraced by Xavier. The boy seeming to fit even better against the chipmunk's frame. Kissing him on the cheek, both of them closing their eyes and allowed their bodies to rest. Their minds soon slipped into dreams. Already eager for another day together and what it might bring.
