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This arch is no longer being continued.", "count": "22", "submission_left_submission_id": "2333900", "submission_left_file_name": "3407413_pentrep_the_slopes.doc", "submission_left_thumbnail_url_huge": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/huge/3407/3407413_pentrep_the_slopes.jpg", "submission_left_thumbnail_url_large": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/large/3407/3407413_pentrep_the_slopes.jpg", "submission_left_thumbnail_url_medium": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/3407/3407413_pentrep_the_slopes.jpg", "submission_left_thumb_huge_x": "300", "submission_left_thumb_huge_y": "286", "submission_left_thumb_large_x": "200", "submission_left_thumb_large_y": "191", "submission_left_thumb_medium_x": "120", "submission_left_thumb_medium_y": "114" } ], "description": "Another continuation of the Pent and Arthur arc. This time they get to have a sleepover and things don't go quite as planned. Rated for suggestive content.", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Another continuation of the Pent and Arthur arc. This time they get to have a sleepover and things don't go quite as planned. Rated for suggestive content.", "writing": "Love and Languish By: Pent Ghelsburg\nDisclaimer: This story series is a continuation of my cannon series. It covers the early parts of my fursonas life. This story attempts to maintain the scientific realism of my other works while exploring new themes. Let me know if you have any comments, suggestions, or criticisms. I am open to everything so please feel free to leave me a message! \n\nChapter 1: Normalcy\n\nThe vacation had come and past and life had returned to normal for the two cubs. Winter break had come and past and the weather hadn’t gotten any better. After all the Canadian weather was pretty predictable, with exception of the occasional freak blizzard or frozen rain. Most of the residents of the area had grown used to the ordeal and had long tired of the often humdrum attitudes that came with the season.\n\n\tNow that the holidays were over, life had returned to normal for everyone. The adults of the community were back to work while the younger population was off to school once again. Only every once in a while were educational facilities closed since it wasn’t often that it snowed hard enough to cause disruptions in public transportation or on roads in general. Still, most of the kids enjoyed the prospect at the chance of making snow people or sledding when they could.\n\n\tPent and Arthur were among those who still favored the climate. At their young age, they had yet to grow tired of the ordeal. The recent memory of the trip to the slopes was still in the back of their minds and sometimes they reminisced about the event. Sometimes the conversation drifted to the people they met, curious if they’d ever see them again. However for the most part it focused on how much fun they had and wanting to go back the following year.\n\n\tWhile in school the two boys were as focused as ever. There was no doubt that the two of them were academically strong, each with their specific strengths and interests. Neither of them did particularly poorly in any one subject. The fox’s favorite being anything related to Science while his friend preferred Math. Often they ended up doing homework together despite not really needing the other's help in doing the work.\n\nIt was a Friday and so the hallways were abuzz with what would go on the following weekend. Every cub looked forward to the day, except for the few who enjoyed the routine of school and learning. Pent and Arthur were among those who enjoyed the aspect of learning in general. Oftentimes their teachers took their eagerness further and allowed them to explore opportunities other kids weren’t afforded.\n\n\tOne day at school, the two were walking through the halls together. They were not often seen apart anymore. Some of the teachers who knew them well enough suspected something more than friendship but the issue was never brought up since it didn’t matter. However, the other kids didn’t see anything more than a tight-knit friendship. To their peers, they were nothing more than best friends\n\n It wasn’t like Pent and Arthur was that out and in the open in public about their relationship. Both of them had their separate issues and reservations about it and since they were young they didn’t wholly understand their attraction to the other boy. Though the idea of love had passed through their minds, neither had accepted it as the way of things. To each other, it was both of mix of being fur mates as well as friends. Neither one is more than the other.\n\n\tAt lunch, they always sat together, somewhat isolated from the other cubs. Pent wasn’t too keen on crowds and they enjoyed conversing with the other cub. They didn’t always relate but they tried to listen to what the other said and take an interest in it. Often they went as far as trading portions of their meals they didn’t like; especially drinks since the cafeteria didn’t allow them the freedom of picking a beverage.\n\n“What’cha got planned this weekend?” Arthur peered over to his friend who sat to his left.\n\nThe smaller cub shrugged. “I’m not sure. Why?”\n\n“Want to have a sleepover at my place?” The puppy leaned against Pent as if nudging him.\n\nThe fox smiled and nodded. “Yeah, sure. I don’t think Sama would mind. Besides it gets me out of the house.”\n\n“Cool. Anything you want to do?” The bigger boy was always keen on being a good host and hoped his parents would approve of the motion.\n\nPent hummed for a moment before answering. “Didn’t you get that new game you wanted to show me?”\n\n“Oh, you mean Sonic Racing? Yeah, I got it for getting good marks on my last report card.” Arthur smiled widely as he beamed with pride about that fact.\n\nThe kit's tail wagged slowly behind him. “Sure, that sounds good. Just Friday?”\n\n“I was thinking the whole weekend. It shouldn’t be an issue since we go to the same school.” The dog was keen on spending more time with his friend.\n\nPent almost exploded out of his seat. “Heck, yeah! Kind of like a slumber party. Count me in.”\n\n\tSome of the nearby kids stared at the sudden outburst, which caused Pent to settle back down in his chair. The fox blushed profusely at his action and remained reserved for the duration of his meal. The two continued talking about their plans for the weekend, forgetting all about the food in front of them. When the bell rang, announcing their next class the cubs had to stuff the somewhat lukewarm sandwiches into their maws.\n\n\tThe next few classes they shared but it wasn’t usually until PE that they got to do something together. Seldom did they have a group project that they could do in unison. They always looked forward to PE since it was the only class that let them run free for the most part. After all, the goal of the class was to keep kids fit in addition to getting them interested in sports. Of course, both Pent and Arthur liked the class since they were both quite active cubs.\n\n\tPE was a few hours after lunch to allow the kid's food to settle. The younger ones had it first then followed by the older ones. Arthur and Pent fell into the latter category and filed into the locker room as the smaller kids were leaving to go spend the rest of the day at recess or study hall. As always the room was a bit misty from the recently showered cubs and since the younger cubs didn’t quite have body odor yet, there was no distinguishable smell in the area.\n\n\tPent and Arthur had lockers near each other. The metallic cabinets were loud and squeaky and made quite the ruckus even if they were shut softly. Each kid was expected to change out of their school uniform into gym appropriate clothes. The two friends stripped out of their blazers and trousers, not paying attention to the fact that they were disrobing in front of the other.\n\tIt wasn’t the first time they had done so, so there wasn’t anything special or odd about the scenario. It didn’t take them long to get dressed as both of them were rather excited to see what the coach had planned for the day in question. Since it was still the middle of winter, that meant their activities had to be restricted to indoors. Still, that left quite the variety when it came to determining what they’d do on each given day.\n\nChapter 2: Gym\n\n\tPent and Arthur entered the main area of the PE facility, which was a medium-sized basketball arena. On each side of the room, there were bleachers, which currently had nothing on them other than some bags of balls. The makeup of the balls could not be distinguished since the bags were netted and obscured a clear view of them. A few minutes later the coach of the boy's portion of the PE class appeared.\n\n\tThe man had been there quite some time and had established himself as quite the lacrosse player in his past. The otter was what he considered to be quite the symbol of masculinity, a lean yet defined figure outlined by only a few muscles here and there. Despite his lack of form, no one questioned his strength or authority since the man could be seen weight training quite often for his hobbies in amateur lacrosse.\n\n“Alright, cubbies. Today I have a new activity in mind. Normally I’d have you all play dodge ball. But since some of the balls are flat, I figured we’d try a game of lacrosse instead. So I’m going to need a few volunteers to go get the equipment. When they get back we will go over the rules and basics of how to play.” The man crossed his arms expectantly awaiting some volunteers.\n\n\tPent and Arthur rose their paws along with a few others. They didn’t need to be told where the stuff was since all the PE equipment was housed in the same place. It was kept inside of a small shack that was situated in the far corner of the arena. The few cubs who volunteered all made their way over to it several times to transport the stuff back and forth between the shack and the middle of the area.\n\n\tThe main equipment that was gathered was sticks, goals, and balls. The school was not afforded protective gear since it wasn’t in the budget. Once everything was in the center of the room, the coach spoke again explaining the rules of the game. There were to be 10 players on the field with the goal on the game to have the highest score. He went forward with offering a tryout to those who performed the best on the makeshift field.\n\n\tEach of the boys in the arena grabbed a stick. One of them then moved the bag to the side as the balls were emptied from the container. The coach partitioned the court into four sections, each sided by a volleyball net that had been arranged before their arrival. Nets were set at the front and rear of each miniature playing field. Once that was done, captains were named and the kids would pick teams of 15, with 5 kids serving as fill-ins for when the others got tired.\n\n\tPent And Arthur ended up on opposing teams which made them a bit sour. But still, as competitive pups, they weren’t about to be outdone by the other. The teams each assembled themselves and began playing. Each team was assigned a color which was designated by a flag attached at their waist. At first, the fox’s team didn’t play the dogs, but with each passing round, the losing teams were whittled down one by one. At the end of it, all Pent and Arthur’s team faced each other in what was being considered the final.\n\n\tNow the nets had been removed to allow for a more full-size field to be put into place. The coach's interest had been perked by this point since both teams had yet to lose a match. The remainder of the kids who had been kicked off were now watching idly from the bleachers. Just like in hockey, Arthur was assigned to offense while Pent was assigned to defense. The flags were now replaced with practice jerseys with Pent’s team being assigned red and Arthur’s blue.\n\nThe whistle was blown as the last match ensued. The game started with the blue team winning the face-off. The ball was whiffled over to Arthur who rushed through the crowd knocking his way through the other cubs. The dog was strong enough to be able to make his force known. After all most of the kids in the school didn’t participate in sports as he did. Soon he saw Pent and stared him down with a grin.\n\nThe fox was able to keep up with each deke that the dog attempted. Arthur shifted backward in an effort to shake Pent off but the cub was able to keep his body square and aligned to his bigger friend. A moment later one of the kit's teammates swiped in from behind and stole the ball from Arthur who was more worried about bettering Pent than protecting possession of the ball. The dog didn’t even realize it and it wasn’t till the smaller boy pointed behind him that he noticed it.\n\nWhen he did, Arthur saw the other boy nearing the goal. The goalie was no match for the kid who arched his arm forward and rocketed the ball into the net. The red team cheered and elicited a lot of Ohs and Ahs from the crowd. The otter scratched his chin at the singular effort of the boy who had scored the goal. Like Pent, the kid had predominately white fur, though there was a noticeable black circle around his fluffy tail.\n\nThe boy turned back seeming proud of himself as he made the victory lap to return to the center. But the game was far from over. The face-off was repeated with the blue team winning the event. This time Arthur wasn’t quite as eager to take the ball and watched for the same kid to make a move. Pent kept an eye on the attacker as he entered the rear side of the field, but the boy avoided him and kept to the other side of the court.\n\nPent tried to rush over but by the time he got there, it was too late. The other white-furred boy cheered as he made a rather quick response to the red team's goal. The game continued much this way for the duration of the match, remaining more or less equal in terms of both score and ability. However, the combination of the one boy and Arthur was too much for the fox’s team to handle and they were able to come on top.\n\nAfter the match Pent made an effort to congratulate the other team, and by extension Arthur. The fox stopped by the other white-furred boy who had worked up quite the sweat as he had been one of the harder players on the team.\n\n“Hey, you did pretty well. I haven’t seen you around. Are you a first-year?” Pent looked at the boy and assumed he was younger since he was a bit smaller than he was.\n\nThe smaller cub nodded. “Mhm My name is Cameron but you can call me Cam. What’s yours?”\n\n“Pent. You’d probably be good on the team. Did you try out yet?” The kit asked pointing over at the sign-up sheet that had been affixed on a billboard affixed on the wall.\n\nCameron combed the black hair on his head back with his paw. “Nah, not yet. But maybe I will.”\n\n“Good match, boys. Congratulations blue team. Now go and shower and head home. See you all tomorrow.” The man began collecting the stray equipment and gear laid across the court.\n\n\tSome different volunteers showed up this time to help him. Cameron ended up one of the ones who stayed behind to help clean up. Arthur and Pent meanwhile retired from the arena and back to the locker rooms. Both cubs had worked up quite the sweat now, enough that their shirts were wet from the moisture that had built upon their bodies. As the fox approached his friend, his keen sense of smell could pick up the light odor emanating from the bigger boy.\n\n\tIt wasn’t anything overpowering but the slight smell of musk had built up over the physical activity. The fox couldn’t help but lean in and shove his nose against his crush. Arthur felt the familiar touch of his boyfriend's snout against his neck. The puppy liked the affection but pushed him away to maintain their public appearance as friends. Pent nodded and understood.\n\n\tThe two then retired to the showers, Arthur shooting Pent a quick gaze at him to get the sight of his naked body. However, the white fox had his back turned to him and the breadth of his tail prevented any real look at his naked form. Both boys proceeded to mind their own business in the stalls, keeping their heads to the floor as to avoid looking at any of the boys around them. It was more an act of modesty and vanity than to prevent perversion.\n\n\tAfter they were out of the stalls, the two returned from the showers. Both boys were dripping wet from the shower. Pent sniffed a bit and picked up the smell of the other cub who now resembled coconut. It wasn’t quite the same as the musky smell from before but it was still nice all the same. The two began dressing and conversed while they did, neither minding casual semi-nudity of the other.\n\n“Going to ask your brother if you can come over?” The puppy reminded his friend as he assumed it had not been done yet.\n\nPent slapped his head. “Oh yeah, one sec.” \n\n\tThe smaller cub pulled out his phone and began texting his older brother. Pent was sure it wouldn’t take long since Samaliel usually had his phone handy at work. Within moments there was a buzz inside his pocket. Sure enough upon examination, he saw the message that confirmed the older fox's approval of their sleepover. Pent beamed with happiness, deciding he wouldn’t even go home to get his clothing.\n\nChapter 3: After School.\n\n\tEven though it had been a long day, both boys weren’t really tired. The combined physical exertion from PE and mental stress from classes didn’t bother them anymore. Still, they knew they had to get home at the end of the day. Since it was still winter, that meant Arthur’s parents would be picking him up. The fox assumed his friend had already asked but in actuality, he hadn’t.\n\n\tIt was the end of the day and most of the other kids had already left. Pent and Arthur had lagged after a longer shower than normal. Some other cubs were about in the locker rooms, most of which were making their way out. Most kids rushed home after PE, especially on cold winter days such as this. The fox smiled over at his friend who nodded. It seemed they were ready to go home.\n\n\tThe two canine boys grabbed their PE bags and their coats from the rack before putting them on to head outside. Once they were outside, they found that it was just as cold as they were expecting. Snow flurries were scattered by the wind as the brisk winds carried them to the floor below and beyond. Both cubs pulled up their hoods and began to talk forward towards the car loop. \n\nA few kids were still around but the majority of them had left and those few who remained were bundled up by the outside heater near the front of the school. Arthur waved as he saw his father's car waiting for him at the curb. The small sedan was giving off more than its fair share of heat as the exhaust from the car could be seen exhaling against the cold wind. The windshield wipers were hard at work keeping snow from building up on the front glass of the car.\n\nThe man had already opened up the door for the two cubs. It wasn’t awkward to have Pent trailing behind him and the father was more than happy to drop him off since he wasn’t far removed from where the dog's family was situated. Arthur was the first one to file into the vehicle, though his friend wasn’t far behind. The transfer between the heat of the car and the frozen wasteland of the outside was drastic.\n\nPent shut the door without delay. Both boys scraped off some of the snow that had collected the other cub's jacket. The father in the front started the vehicle, headed toward the fox’s apartment since he assumed he was going home.\n\n“Hey, Dad. Do you think Pent can stay the weekend?” The puppy wasted no time in popping the question.\n\nThe man hummed a second before answering. “Was his brother alright with it? Does he have a change of clothes?”\n\n“Samaliel said it was fine and he can just borrow mine, can’t he?” The dog suggested as he was just keen on spending more time with the other boy.\n\nThe father’s tone softened a bit seeming somewhat annoyed. “Sure, I suppose. As long as he returns them.”\n\n“I will, thank you, sir.” Pent chirped up with a happy tone.\n\nThe man's gaze remained fixed on the road before him. “Alright.”\n\n“Something wrong, Dad?” Arthur sensed that something was bugging his father.\n\nThe older dog shook his head. “Don’t you worry about it? It’s nothing you need to worry about it.”\n\n\tIn actuality, he had a very rough day at work and his boss had assigned him a long-term project with a rather short-term deadline. He was a little stressed about the ordeal but didn’t want to involve his kid in his stress. Arthur pursued the issue no further and decided to let his father simmer a bit before probing any further. The car continued to stop and go as it made its way down the cleared streets of Montreal.\n\n\tAs they traveled to Arthur’s home, the two cubs continued to chat about their day. Both seeming more interested in what they would be doing than what they had already done. By the time they arrived, they already had a full schedule of what they would do for each of the days they would be together. The trip to the house wasn’t long even though it took more than it usually did due to the condition of the roads. \n\n\tThe father pulled into the parking spot in front of the garage, where another vehicle was already sitting. It seemed that Arthur’s mother was already home. Shortened workdays were fairly common in the Canadian winter to give snowplows the time to groom the roads for travel. Each of the three in the car pulled their hoods over their head and the two cubs grabbed their bags before exiting the car.\n\nChapter 4: Home\n\n\tThe family plowed through the somewhat thick snow on the floor, dealing with stray flurries as they approached the house. There was a significant amount of overcast so both the street and house lights were already turned on. Once they were inside, the father shut the door and shook himself a bit. None of them waited to shed off their winter coats to keep themselves comfortable.\n\n\tSome of the snow from the outside fell on the floor as the jackets were hung up. The man huffed as he walked past the boys towards the kitchen to see what his wife was up to. Arthur watched him carefully and then returned his attention to the other cub. \n\n“Come on. Let’s go chill in my room until dinner. Maybe we can help them later if you want.” The dog suggested wanting to be a helpful member of the household.\n\nThe fox nodded but said nothing as he followed the bigger boy to his room. The puppy's room was towards the rear of the home.\n\n\tOnce they were inside the room, Pent and Arthur placed their bags by the door and looked at each other. There was an awkward moment of silence before the two of them moved into the main part of the room. Each of them took plopped down on a bean bag chair, which had already been set up in the room from a previous occasion. In no time, the both of them began shoving off their shoes since they were already cramped on their feet from being damp from outside.\n\n\tArthur joined in suit looking over at Pent who had already seemed quite comfortable despite being in his winter slacks.\n\n“Don’t you wanna shed a few layers?” The dog initiated the act by unbuttoning his trousers and pulling them down his legs to reveal his full leg-length boxers.\n\nThe fox shrugged as he looked over at his friend in his underwear, before doing the same. The dog shuffled forward on the floor to turn the TV on. It was still early in the day so cartoons were likely to be on.\n\nPent peered over the bigger cubs back. “So you gonna show me that game?”\n\n“Yup, just getting it turned on now.” Arthur turned on the somewhat colorful Nintendo Switch console.\n\n\tWhile he was waiting, Pent got up and placed the pants they had been wearing near the door. What remained of the snow dripped off the slacks onto the floor. Before long he returned to the floor next to his friend. By the time he did, Arthur had a controller in each of his paws. He handed one to Pent and the start screen scrolled by with the menu popping up. The dog picked through some of the settings as he prepared the multi-player option.\n\n\tThe fox gripped the controller and leaned forward, sticking his tongue slightly out of his mouth so that it was somewhat visible. Arthur looked over and couldn’t help but laugh at the boy's state of focus. The game started before long with the puppy picking the blue blur while his friend picked the flying squirrel. The first round Arthur scooted over to his friend so he could show him how the controls worked.\n\n\tPent could feel the heat of the other boy's shoulder on his own as he scooted in. Having him this close was comforting but the fox could pick up the light scent of the boy's socked feet and it was somewhat distracting to him. Still, he was interested in the game enough that he didn’t focus on being bothered by the smell. The second round started before long, this time the puppy exclaimed it would be for real.\n\n\tThe fox had no idea what he was getting at but wasn’t about to be outdone by the bigger boy. The race started after the countdown with Arthur scoring the early boost in his vehicle. As Sonic he had the speed advantage but Pent’s car was able to glide better. Eventually, the kit was able to find an item box, which resulted in a bolt of lightning striking Arthur's car which was ahead in terms of the distance down the track.\n\n\tWith this minor benefit, Pent was able to get out in front. Before long Arthur’s car recovered from its state of being stunned and he picked up speed once again to catch up to his friend. In mere moments they were neck and neck with a ledge overlooking some water coming up. The gliding ability of Ray, allowed Pent to stay in front and Arthur began to fret that he would lose.\n\n\tBut the last-minute slip off a cliff resulted in just the break that Arthur was looking for. The checkered flag waved and announced that Sonic was the winner. Pent groaned and moped a bit at the loss, but it didn’t last very long since it was only his second time playing the game. Still, Arthur celebrated by bursting out of his beanbag chair and the smile on his face showed he was proud of his seemingly meaningless accomplishment.\n\n\tThe two continued playing the game for the next hour or so. Gradually Pent got better at each event and even won a few rounds. With each passing victory, the swelling of their pride wasn’t quite as exuberant. Eventually, the boy’s mother knocked on the door announcing that dinner was ready. The game was turned off and they made their way to the kitchen.\n\nChapter 5: Discussion\n\n\tAs they approached the kitchen, the two cubs could smell the aroma of the food. The mother and father often tag teamed on the task. She was better at the sweets and confections while he was the better at the main dish. When they arrived in the kitchen, the boy's father eyed them warily. Pent blushed a bit realizing he was still in his boxers, keeping behind Arthur for the time being.\n\n“Go ahead and sit down boys. We need to talk.” The mother spoke up first since her husband had brought up the issue and still seemed rather perturbed.\n\n\tThe older dog continued his method of silence. Arthur felt an immense strain as his father looked at him with an offset stare. The puppy knew something was up and had suspected something since the car ride over, though he was curious as to why Pent was being involved in the whole situation. Pent sat opposite of the bigger boy, both cubs keeping a keen eye on the parents who had started to dish out the meal.\n\nThe woman took a deep breath and spoke. “We’ve heard from some of the friends of your parents that you guys have gotten pretty close. Is there something you want to tell us?”\n\n“Uh…” Arthur hesitated as he wasn’t sure he wanted to come clean about their relationship yet.\n\nShe sat down once the food was served, right next to Arthur, and put her hand on his shoulder. “You know you can tell me anything right?”\n\n“Um…yeah.” The puppy huffed and looked down seeming ashamed of himself.\n\nShe looked over at Pent whose discernment was one of confusion. “Well? What about you?”\n\n\tPent looked at his friend who offered him no sense of reassurance. The other cub's ears were slumped over. The fox wanted him to be happy.\n\n“I mean…I guess we’re kind of dating.” Pent said sheepishly as he blushed profusely.\n\nThe older dog slammed his paws on the table. “I knew it, Cheryl. I told you they were more than friends.”\n\n“So what? Is it that big of an ordeal?” She punched her husband in the arm trying to get him to settle down.\n\nThe man huffed as he shrugged off her aggression. “They are both boys.”\n\n“Relax, Doug. We already had this discussion. We need to be supportive.” She got up and leaned towards him to whisper into his ears.\n\nThe man sighed and rolled his eyes before she shoved his chair back but said nothing.\n\n“Boys. We kind of figured as much. I’m sure it’s confusing for you. Are any of your friends dating?” She sat back down and rubbed her son's back who was now visibly upset and crying.\n\nThe kit thought about it a second before answering. “Yeah, I guess there are a few but it’s mostly boys dating other girls or vice versa.”\n\n“And that’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with that. You just need to remember…you’re 12. Your feelings can be confusing.” She angled herself over her son and kissed him on the cheek.\n\nArthur slumped on the table seeming utterly defeated. He groaned a bit as tears continued to well up in his eyes and roll down his cheeks.\n\n“I’m here for you, hon.” She rubbed his back again and took her husband by the wrist out of the room, leaving the two cubs alone.\n\n\tPent looked at Arthur for a second, not paying attention to the food in front of him. After a moment of hesitation, he got up and went over to the side where his friend was sitting. The fox placed his arm over Arthur who was still upset. The fox nuzzled into his side and licked his face. The bigger cub cracked a bit of a smile but said nothing as he was still fighting through the sniffles of crying.\n\n\tThe fox placed his hand behind him. The two share the moment of shared silence as Pent tried to comfort his friend. The fox pulling over a chair to remain at his side. Before long the two parents returned from the living room. The smaller cub not retracting his affection from the other boy. The woman smiling but saying nothing. Soon they joined them at the table, opposite of the two cubs.\n\n\tIt took a few moments for dinner to resume as normal. The older male kept his gaze down and his son did the same. The mother shuffled the plates a bit so that the two boys sat beside each other. The extended family began eating, with Arthur being the most meager with his consumption of the food. His mother visibly shoved her husband who finally straightened up his posture.\n\n“Boys, while I am disappointed I cannot be upset if it makes you happy.” The man’s muffled tone was clear enough to be understood.\n\nArthur’s face slowly turned up. “R-really…?”\n\n“Yes. I will let you try it if it makes you happy….” The older dog trailed off again.\n\nHis wife hugged him and licked his face, glad she had convinced him of the notion, even though it was evident he was still hesitant.\n\n\tArthur eventually picked up pace in his meal, the concern of disapproval having left his mind. The two boys eating in tandem, Arthur’s pride beaming that his boyfriend had been so upfront about the issue. Not much else was said as the meal was finished. The parents left the room again towards the end since it was expected for the cubs to clear the table. Pent and Arthur of course understood this and took up the task without complaint.\n\n\tPent began picking up the plates from the table. His friend had stationed himself near the sink, ready to clean. Arthur’s tail was still slightly between his legs as he stood there idly. The fox didn’t say much as he delivered the silverware and dishes to the waiting puppy. The bigger cub began to wash off each of the plates as he made rather quick progress through the chore. There wasn’t that much to be done so it didn’t take long to finish.\n\nChapter 6: Room time\n\n\tOnce they were done, the two made their way back into the front room. They could hear the familiar sound of the television on. Arthur saw his parents were now lounging on the couch, though they weren’t exactly talking. It seemed as if his mother was still angry with her husband as the two were sitting in entirely different chairs opposite each other. The puppy decided to not bother them and let them simmer down on their own. \n\n\tHe grabbed Pent’s paw and held it rather firmly before leading him back to his room. After they were back inside Arthur released his friend's paw and moped over to the bed, looking at the floor once again.\n\n“What’s wrong?” Pent approached his friend at sat next to him on the bed.\n\nThe cub sighed. “I guess I feel like my Dad doesn’t approve of our relationship.”\n\n“Hmm, I suppose but perhaps he will in time?” The fox nudged into his friend with his nose.\n\nArthur wrapped his arm around Pent's shoulder. “I hope your right.”\n\n“It’ll be okay, I promise.” Pent sounded confident despite not knowing the full reality of the situation.\nThe bigger boy extended his opposite arm over the smaller ones and the two shared a hug for a good few seconds before it was broken. An awkward silence was exchanged between the two as they shared the embrace.\nThe fox finally broke off feeling a bit gawky because of it. “So wanna go back to playing the game?”\n“Sure, that sounds good.” The dog got up from his bed to turn on his switch again.\n\n\tPent joined him soon after on the floor right next to him, taking up the same game they had played before. Neither said much except for a few unceremonious cheers shared between the two when one or the other won a game. Arthur still maintained the upper hand in the activity as he had much more experience in it competitively online. Still, the fox managed to have fun since he knew his friend was enjoying it.\n\n\tTime passed like the wind and it grew increasingly dark in the room as night came. Eventually, Arthur got up and offered Pent a helping hand. The bigger boy motioned for the smaller one to follow him back into the kitchen. The puppy had quite the sweet tooth and was eager for something sugary. As they passed by the living room, the dog could see his parents had since moved back into their room seemingly for privacy.\n\nOnce they were inside the kitchen, he raided the freezer and found a fruit-flavored popsicle for both of them to enjoy. He handed the fox his favorite flavor while taking his own. Both boys unpeeled the package before beginning to suck on the treat. It didn’t take long before the red hue of Pent’s cherry pop rubbed off on his white fur. Arthur giggled at his friend since he didn’t have as much of an issue since his own was darker. He licked at his friend's face and got a small taste of the remnants of the confection. Pent smiled and blushed at his friend's affection.\n\nIt didn’t take long for them to devour ice creams since they were rather small and designed to be a quick indulgence. When they were done, they headed back into Arthur’s room, the entire time holding paws and seeming rather giddy about being seemingly alone in the house. \n\n“I guess it’s almost time for bed. Let’s take a shower and get ready for bed. I’ll get you something to wear.” The puppy let go of his friend's hand and went over to his wardrobe.\n\nArthur looked inside the drawers and located a shirt, underwear, and pants for Pent. The shirt and pants matched, having a Pokemon pattern on them which he knew the fox liked. \n\n\tThe puppy no longer wore them since they were rather small on him. However since Pent was smaller than he was, he assumed the garments would fit him. The smaller boy took the clothing and smiled before heading off into the bathroom to get ready for bed. Both boys proceeded to bathe, one after the other. Pent was the slower of the two since his fur was thicker and took longer to dry but neither spent a whole lot of time in the bathroom.\n\n\tWhen Arthur popped out from the bathroom, he was also in his own pajama set. His was more mature than Pent’s was a simple light blue top and striped bottoms as he approached the other boy. The fox wasn’t sure as to where he was sleeping so he was sitting on the side of the bed waiting to see what the other cub had in mind. Arthur still had his dirty clothes in his hand and tossed them over to the side in a hamper before heading over.\n\n\tPent had been toying around on his phone while waiting for the other boy as he wasn’t sure about the sleeping arrangements the other cub had in mind.\n\n“So what do you want to do about where I’m sleeping? Do you have a sleeping bag I could use or something?” The fox asked as the other boy approached the bed.\n\nArthur scratched his head for a second. “Yeah, I do but maybe we can share a bed if you want?”\n\n“Do you think that’s such a good idea considering your dad's reaction earlier?” Pent blushed at the suggestion. \n\nThe puppy hung his head low. “I guess your right. I’ll go get the sleeping bag.”\n\nThe dog disappeared into the closet for a moment before reappearing with a red bedspread for the floor. He proceeded to roll it out on the floor and then threw Pent one of the pillows from his bed. He felt a little bit bad about making him sleep down there but there was no other option.\n\n“Do you want to sleep in my bed instead? After all, you are the guest.” Arthur suggested feeling that he should be a good host.\n\nPent shrugged. “Nah, it’s fine. It’s not the first time I’ve slept on the floor.”\n\n“Alright. Are you sure?” The puppy gave his friend a tight tug before going back to his bed.\n\n\tThe fox nodded and the short hug was broken off. It wasn’t long before he tucked himself in as it was already pretty late. Arthur headed over to turn off the lights and finally returned to his bed to go to sleep. The moon stared in from the window seemingly glaring at the young cub. As he looked at it, he couldn’t help but daydream a bit. It had been a rough day and his mind was still racing from the discussion he had with his parents earlier in the day.\n\n\tHe laid down still looking up at the stars as he tried to rest his mind. No matter how long he closed his eyes, Arthur could not sleep. Occasionally he looked over at the clock to see what time it was. Already an hour had passed and he was still as restless as before. He peered over the side of the bed at Pent who seemed to be sleeping soundly. For a few seconds, he gazed upon his friend as he slept soundly beneath him.\n\n\tFinally, he got up from the bed to relieve himself. In actuality, he just wanted to waste time since it didn’t seem like he could fall asleep. Arthur carefully stepped over Pent into the bathroom before emptying his bladder. On his way back he stopped by the hamper and looked inside the receptacle for what the fox had disposed of earlier. It was easy enough to find since it was one of the first things in the pile.\n\n\tHe pulled out the shirt his friend had worn earlier and brought it to his nose. The smell was familiar and soothing as he enjoyed his friend's scent in a different way than the fox did. He didn’t indulge long before dropping the shirt back into the bin. As he stepped back into the main room he stopped right on top of Pent and kneeled on the side of him. The fox was flat on his back and his chest rose and depressed with each breath he took.\n\n\tArthur eased himself to the other side of the cub by straddling over his legs. The bigger one made sure the smaller one wasn’t awake by looking at him for a second. It seemed that Pent was still fast asleep as he knelt there idly for a moment. Once he confirmed he was still asleep, the puppy slowly moved his paw inward to lift open the opening of the sleeping bag. He still wanted to be with Pent, no longer caring about if his parents caught them sleeping together.\n\n\tSlowly he peeled away the flap of the bag as he moved it from Pent’s chest and hands. The fox moved a little bit and Arthur hesitated a bit. The sudden movement didn’t last long as the smaller cub settled down once again. The bigger boy began to ease himself into the side of his friend, one leg after the other. The space was tight but he found himself able to fit inside with a little effort in maneuvering.\n\n\tEventually, his whole body was inside the bag and Arthur found he couldn’t move very much with the other cub right next to him. The inside of the bag was warm and he could feel the body heat of the other cub as they laid down next to each other. The bigger boy felt more at ease now that he was with Pent. Arthur reached over and placed his arm over the chest of Pent to cuddle with him.\n\n\tOnce Arthur pulled himself closer in with the other boy and squeezed him lightly. He didn’t apply enough pressure to be noticed. The comfort of having the other boy near him eased his anxiety and his mind began to rest. It didn’t take long for him to fall to sleep and his mind wandered into dreamland. When his mother popped her head in to check on them she couldn’t help but smile at the sweet scene before her eyes and closed the door without saying a word.\n\nChapter 7: Morning After\n\n\tThe next morning, Pent was the first one to wake. When he tried to stretch, he was surprised to find the other cub's arm wrapped around him. The sudden movement caused Arthur to rouse as he yawned. The fox sat up for a moment with a smile on his face as he watched his friend come around. Once he came to Pent leaned in for a light kiss on his nose causing the other boy to blush profusely. \n\n\tThe sudden embrace didn’t last long before they broke off and straightened up. Both of them were still awkward about the whole thing so neither said a word once it was over with. The two cubs began to head towards the kitchen. Already the smell of fresh meat could be smelt wafting through the air. Arthur couldn’t help but sniff as already his senses were tantalized by the thought of sating his appetite. \n\n\tThe two began to pick up pace as they frolicked down the hall to the kitchen. Already breakfast had been prepared for them and was waiting on a small platter at the center of the table. Arthur went over to fetch some drinks from the fridge as he poured out the juice from one of the many containers on the shelves on the side of the chiller. He then distributed it to each of the cups and delivered it to the table.\n\n\tOnce Arthur had joined him at the table, the two looked at the meals in front of them but didn’t eat quite yet. Pent then glanced at his friend who returned the glance shortly after. Arthur raised his socked paw and began to toy with the other boy's paw with his own. The two’s clothed feet touched against each other. Their short toes and claws intermingled and for a brief moment, they entangled with one another.\n\n\tArthur explored the other cub's paw pads a bit, even weaving one of his smaller toes between each of the cracks in Pent’s foot. The fox smiled at him and allowed his foot to trace against the ankle of the other boy. A few seconds of this explorative activity passed until Arthur’s father walked into the kitchen. Their action stopped abruptly as neither of them wanted to be discovered by the man who too recently hadn’t very much approved of their announcement.\n\n\tThe older dog didn’t say a word and walked past them right to the fridge to grab himself a drink. Doug had caught only a brief glimpse of what they were doing and wasn’t quite certain of what to make of it. The thoughts of distrust and betrayal had already been sewed into his mind from the day before and his wife's scolding didn’t change that. As he took an orange from the inside of one of the shelves he held it in his paw and squeezed it.\n\n\tThe force of his grip was strong enough that some of the juice from it poured out onto the floor. Every fiber of his being wanted nothing more than to explode out in anger. The father turned around, facing the table. Both boys were silent and still had not eaten, the food by this point had grown cold. He approached the table and touched Pent’s shoulder softly.\n\n“I think you should go home.” His touch was trembling but his voice firm yet broken.\n\n\tPent hesitated for a moment and felt the grip tighten on his shoulder. He looked up at the older dog whose eyes were partially in tears. The fox understood he was serious and got up, deciding it was best to just comply with the order even if he did not understand why. This left Arthur alone with his father who was still without words, sitting down directly across from his son, trying to think of the best words to convey his feelings.\t\n\n\tPent called his brother who fortunately was free to pick him up. While waiting the fox decided to change back into his clothing as he was certain Arthur would want it back. The cub thought about going back into the kitchen but decided it was best to not intervene. He couldn’t help but wonder what they were talking about but something in the back of his mind told him he knew what the subject was.\n\n\tSamaliel was already on his way and Pent had nothing better to do than to sit and wait in Arthur’s room. The fox’s stomach was in a knot mixed with nerves and uncertainty despite understanding that he had no sway in the issue. The fox kit leaned back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The mattress by itself offered very little comfort since his head wasn't properly cradled behind him. He reached back and grabbed a pillow so he could relax a little more. The fox placed the thing behind his head and allowed his mind to wonder.\n\n\tOccasionally his mind gravitated towards thinking about Arthur. He couldn't fight the negative feeling he was experiencing. He thought for sure that Arthur's father was yelling at him, even if he couldn't hear it from the room. Eventually, his phone buzzed, notifying him of a text. He looked at the phone and saw his brother had arrived. Pent got up and grabbed his things, glad that he could leave since he was rather bored.\n\n\tHe headed towards the front of the house, passing right by where the kitchen was. Pent couldn't help but look inside, noticing that Arthur and his father were still there. He heard nothing, assuming they had stopped doing whatever they were doing since most likely heard the fox exiting Arthur's room. The fox put on his shoes by the door and made his exit from the house before shutting the door behind him.\n\n\tPent looked behind him and saw his brother's car waiting just beyond the yard on the street in which the house was based. The fox was walking slowly towards the vehicle, his head hung a little lower than it normally was. Gradually he made his way to the car and the entire time his older brother surveyed his progress. Samaliel could garner that something must have happened and figured the two had a fight or something similar.\n\n\tOnce he was inside, Samaliel started the car. The radio was already pretty low so there wasn't much white noise to liven up the otherwise awkward silence. The older fox put some pressure on the pedal, causing the engine to flare up once again.\n\n“So...what happened?” The bigger brother couldn't help but probe the situation since Pent was originally supposed to stay the entire day.\n\nPent peered his head over at his older brother. “Oh, yeah. Arthur's father is mad.”\n\n“What did you do? Did you get in trouble?” Samaliel maintained his focus on the road but remained curious about the situation at hand.\n\nThe cub shook his head. “Nah. He just wasn't happy about us being a couple.”\n\n“Oh? I mean you are pretty young. Are you sure that's what you want?” Samaliel had known for a while but knew young romance was often fickle.\n\nThe younger brother nodded. “Yeah, I like him. He's my best friend.”\n\n“Hehe but that doesn't mean he has to be your boyfriend, no?” The older fox didn't care, he just was trying to be helpful.\n\n“I guess but I want to try it.” Pent shrugged figuring it was the best response he could come up with.\n\nSamaliel sighed a bit knowing full well the hormones his brother must have been dealing with. “Alright, but what are you going to do about his parents?”\n\n“Hmm. I'm not sure. His mother didn't seem to mind but his dad was pretty upset.” The cub turned to the window and looked outside to distract himself.\n\nThe other fox hummed for a moment. “I see. Well, that is a problem then. Just give it time I suppose.”\n\n“Is there anything you can do?” Pent looked back at his brother, certain he could solve the problem.\n\nSamaliel hesitated for a second before answering. “I'm not sure I should. I mean...I want you to be happy but at the same time, his parents need to be alright with it. You guys are 12 so you don't know what's best for you, ya know?”\n\n“I guess your right.” The cub sighed dejectedly and decided to try to not think about it anymore.\n\nThe older fox rubbed him on the shoulder. “I promise everything will be alright. Just give it some time.”\n\n“Okay.” Pent nodded believing in what his brother was saying.\n\nSamaliel made a quick and sudden turn. “How about we get some ice cream or something? That will take your mind off it.”\n\n“Sounds good.” Pent smiled warmly at his brother.\n\n\tThe older brother brought them to the local sweets shop. It was cold outside but not to the point of needing a jacket. It was one of the warmer winter days for the area. They pulled into the parking area and got out of the car. There weren't many other people around since the weather was still poor enough to keep people away. The two brothers made their way to the sales counter and each of them got a hot chocolate.\n\n\tSamaliel handed the beverage to his brother and went to a vacant chair, which wasn't as covered in snow. Pent joined him on the bench and the two enjoyed their warm beverages despite the somewhat frigid temperatures. The two foxes were allowed to drink to warm up their bodies, not minding the light flurries of snow that were occasionally dropping from the clouds above.\n\n\tThe two of them sat there for several minutes, alone except for the occasional person who passed by. Only one of them paid them any attention, only briefly looking their way and then continuing on their way without a word. Once they were done, the two of them disposed of their garbage and returned to the car. Despite it not being late, Pent was ready to get home and do something to take his mind off what happened.\n\nChapter 8: The Reckoning\n\n\tA few days past and the days seemed to roll together since he was more or less keeping to himself. Pent had texted Arthur a few times but the other boy hadn't responded. The fox was worried that maybe his friend had gotten in trouble beyond his realization of the severity of the event. The cub didn't understand any of it and was getting frustrated at the whole situation, despite not knowing the cause of it.\n\n\tIt was getting close to the end of winter break now and Pent was feeling like it had been a waste of time since he hadn't felt up to doing anything. He figured his brother hadn't intervened in his issue since everything was still silent. Samaliel had only talked to him one other time about it other than the time in the car, so Pent figured he needed to let things sort themselves out since he had no say in the issue.\n\n\tOne morning a text finally came, a very short message from Arthur which read “We need to talk....come to the Treehouse”\n A dark feeling came over Pent feeling like the end had finally come off his short-term relationship. The fox tried responding but an error occurred when he tried sending the message. He figured it was the service or that he had been blocked by the other boy. He slowly got out of his bed to get dressed so that he could meet up with Arthur.\n\n\tPent grabbed whatever clothes he could find, not following any specific matching pattern. He was in a rush and treating the situation like it needed to be resolved sooner rather than later. On his way out of the house, he grabbed a simple granola bar and wrote a small note to Sama saying he'd be back soon. The fox peered his head outside and saw that the snow had all but stopped.\n\n\tHe wondered if he could even make it to Arthur's since the treehouse was at his place. Pent wasn't sure of what he should do. He pulled out his phone and shot his friend another text, which was met by the same error message as before. Now he was getting worried and increasingly desperate. Immediately he thought the worse, believing that Arthur now hated him since Pent had not stood up for him the other day.\n\n\tPent looked over at his bike, which was completely covered in snow, and ran over to get it. It took him a few minutes to unearth it but when he did, he discovered the frame was completely frozen over. A sense of frustration and discontent came over him. He looked back at the door and saw Samaliel watching him from afar.\n\n“Need help going somewhere?” The older brother had his hands angled on his hips, feeling like he knew where his brother wanted to go.\n\nThe cub nodded and ran to his brother and before he could even say anything the older fox was already waiting at his car for the younger boy to join him.\n\n\tPent hugged his brother tightly and lept into the passenger side of the vehicle. A sense of relief washed over him now that he knew he could get there at least. \n\n“To Arthur's right? I'm guessing he finally messaged you or something?” Samaliel knew his brother very well and it wasn't like him to just get up and go outside with this much snow in such a hurry.\n\nThe younger fox nodded and took his phone out again to punch the same text through his service. The same error showed up Pent huffed in frustration as he put the phone back in his pocket, deciding to not increase his anxiety any further.\n\n\tSamaliel didn't go any faster or slower than he usually did but to Pent, the trip seemed to take an eternity. Once they arrived, Samaliel locked the doors one final time so he could ask one more question before Pent left.\n\n“Should I wait ...or?What's your plan exactly?” Samaliel reached and touched his brother's shoulder.\n\nPent looked back and thought for a second. “I'm not sure. I just want to talk to him. My texts aren't going through so...”\n\n“Well, I will go do some errands then. Let me know when you need me to pick you up.” The older boy unlocked the door.\n\nThe cub smiled and darted out of the door before yelling back. “Thanks!”\n\nPent could now see Arthur's house and skipped going through the entrance as he knew the gate to the back yard was often open.\n\n\tHe looked at the parking area and saw that both of the parents were home. Pent knew he had to be quiet and decided to keep as low to the ground as he could. He continued along the wall until he made it past the fence. Luckily for him, there was a small crack near the door where it had been forced open by the snowfall. Pent made his way through it, having to flatten his body so he could fit through the smaller space.\t\n\n\tPent continued to shuffle through the snow, huddling as much as his slow stride would allow him. It was bright outside and he could see the reflection of the sun on the surface of the snow. He could now see the tree and ladder leading up to where Arthur had said to meet him. The fox huffed and felt a mixture of excitement and uncertainty build within him. He pressed on feeling as he wanted answers to the occurrences over the past day or so.\n\n\tThe cub peered his head into the yard once he reached the end of the wall of the house. He could see the glass door leading into the kitchen and crept over to make sure no one was inside it. Pent was pretty sure that he saw no movement coming from the inside of the home so he began to make his move towards the ladder. He rushed across the yard and escalated the ladder as fast as he could.\n\n\tOnce he pulled himself up through the latched porthole, he lifted himself onto the wooden platform that served as a floor. It was much warmer inside than it was out as Arthur had already turned on a small heating apparatus since he had been waiting a while now. Pent looked over at the other cub who was sitting casually on a couch that had been fixed against one of the far walls on the other side of the treehouse.\n\n\tArthur got up from where he was sitting still silent and the two walked towards each other. Eventually, they met near the center of the unit and looked at each other without a word.\n“So…what did you want to talk about?” Pent was dying to know what else besides the other boy's father had caused the other cubs more distant attitude.\n\nThe other cub shuffled his feet a bit and looked to the ground before looking up at Pent again. “Well, maybe we should sit down.”\n\nThe Eskimo led towards the sofa and the two joined next to each other.\n\n“Alright, well…don’t leave me hanging.” Pent tried to put his arm behind the other boy's shoulders but he was blocked by a quick swipe.\n\n\tArthur remained silent and looked at the floor once again. Pent felt a sense of dismay rise within him as that simple denial was enough to convey what was going on here. The fox began to tear up as the idea bubbled up inside his head. The two said nothing for a few moments, the only sound that could be heard was the occasional sound of the fox sniffling. The kit stood up, feeling as if the moment was lost.\n\n“Wait…” Arthur finally blurted out loud.\n\nPent looked down at the other boy, wiping some of the tears from his eyes.\n\n“I…don’t think we should be boyfriends anymore.” The Eskimo dog turned away and looked towards the wall.\n\nThe fox hesitated a second before responding. “Um…I guess it's because of your dad?”\n\nArthur didn’t answer again seeming lost in words. Pent tried reaching out to touch his friend's shoulder but the bigger boy moved away.\n\n“I think you should go home.” Arthur didn’t feel like hanging around with Pent anymore.\n\n\tThe fox tried to make sense of everything that was going on. He figured he understood but still was a little confused by Arthur's change of disposition. He huffed as he turned around, his feelings a mixture of anger and uncertainty. Slowly he began making his way down the ladder, no longer caring if anyone on the inside of the house saw him anymore. Once he had made it to ground level, he slowly made his way back across the backyard of Arthur's house. \n\n\tInside the kitchen, the other cub's mother spotted Pent who seemed distraught. She thought about going outside to find out what had happened but figured it was best to leave him be. She assumed the two had gotten into a fight and didn't want to interfere. The woman returned her attention to cleaning and hoped the situation would resolve itself in time. After all, it wasn't entirely alien to expect some drama in relationships, no matter how serious they were, she told herself.\n\nChapter 9: The end or a new beginning?\n\n\tAs Pent was making his exit from the gate leading out of the yard, he pulled out his phone to contact Samaliel once again. The older fox wasn't far away and responded pretty quickly once he had pulled over to read the text. The older brother told the younger one to wait a few minutes. The kit deciding to huddle up on the side of the house, hoping no one would walk out and discover him.\n\n\tIt was a few minutes before he arrived and Pent couldn't help but run to the car once he saw it pull in near a curb on the street in front of the home. Samaliel watched as the younger fox bulleted towards the car. He already had an idea of how it went just based on that single act alone. Still, he knew he would have to help settle the younger boy down so he could go about the rest of his day like normal. Samaliel waited until his brother buckled in to start the car once again.\n\n“So...I guess it didn't go well?” The bigger fox maintained his focus on the road but wanted to try to be sensitive to his brother's needs.\n\nPent sniffled a bit as he muttered an answer. “No.”\n\n“I see. Well, maybe it wasn't meant to be?” Samaliel wasn't sure what else to say since he didn't have much experience himself.\n\nThe cub sighed. “I guess but I thought he liked me.”\n\n“Maybe just give it time. If you think he's moved on, maybe it's time you do too.” The older brother reached over with his right arm and grabbed Pent's shoulder briefly.\n\n\tThe younger brother shrugged and eased back into the chair but said nothing. He wasn't entirely sure what to think of the situation. The kit looked at his phone to see if Arthur had texted him and sure enough that wasn't the case. Pent allowed his arm to relax again and put the phone away, instead of craning his head so he could look outside. His mind still whirled with a mixture of feelings and the tears continued to well up in his eyes.\n\n\tSamaliel wasn't entirely sure he had helped with the situation but wasn't sure what else he could do. It was evident to him that Arthur's parents probably didn't like the relationship and while he wanted Pent to be happy, he had to be wary of their wishes as well. He considered talking to them but decided it was best to wait until the initial emotions of whatever happened boiled over.\n\n\tThe two didn't say much the rest of the trip back home. Samaliel worked out a plan in his mind to improve Pent's mood. He decided to keep it a secret in hopes that the boy would be surprised. Once they were at the apartment, Samaliel decided to spill the beans.\n\n“Grab your tent and sleeping bag for both of us. We're going to sleep under the stars tonight.” Samaliel blurted out just as he brought the car to a stop.\n\nPent looked confused over at his brother. “Huh? What do you mean?”\n\n“Just trust me.” The older fox knew what he had in mind would work since it was one of Pent's favorite things to do.\n\nThe fox kit shrugged. “Alright.”\n\nThey exited the vehicle together and went back inside the apartment. Pent was still sluggishly moving along but Samaliel had a plan to perk up his mood. \n\n\tThe older brother went into the kitchen and grabbed some chocolate and graham crackers. He was glad the apartment had a small space out back, even if it was shared. He made a quick call to the landlord to make sure it was alright to take the space tonight. Sure enough, she was fine with it as long as they cleaned up after the fact. Samaliel hung up and began to gather things he thought were necessary for the mini-campout.\n\n\tPent returned with a small bag of sleeping mats and another with a pop-up tent. His eyes were still soggy so Samaliel reached out to dry them. The kit tried to fake a smile as his older brother took one of the bags and beckoned for the younger one to join him. The cub followed behind and the two-headed back outside. The older fox continued to lead towards the backyard area of the complex.\n\n\tSamaliel dropped his bag and motioned for Pent to do the same. Immediately the older fox began to clear an area so they could make a fire. He wondered if the ground might be too wet since there was still plenty of snow around. The older brother cornered off some of the snow and could see the wet grass.\n\n“Go grab some firewood will you?” Samaliel pointed at his brother.\n\nPent understood and complied with the request, headed into the wooded area behind the building to gather some wood.\n\n\tMeanwhile, Samaliel left from where he was to gather some food to cook at the fireside. After all, they wouldn't have a full stomach on smores alone. He grabbed some fish, figuring it was the easiest thing to manage with a fire. The older fox returned at just about the same time as the younger one. Pent had already begun assembling the wood in a way that it could be burned and was working on getting it lit.\n\n\tIt took a few tries before he finally succeeded. Samaliel placed the fish on the fire, allowing it to cook while the night grew upon them. Eventually, it grew dark and the two brothers shared in the meal once it finally cooked. The moon was now overhead and served as the only lighting for the area other than the light that filtered in from the building itself. Once the meal was over, Samaliel handed his brother one of the spare twigs that were left over so they could roast marshmallows.\n\n\tPent finally had a smile on his face, for the first time all night and Samaliel noticed it, glad that he had accomplished his goal. Both of the foxes placed their sticks into marshmallows and then into the fire to be cooked. The smell of burnt marshmallows followed both of them stared into the fire while sitting around it. Once it was done, Samaliel handed his brother and took some graham cracks and chocolate.\n\n\tThe two chowed down on the snack together, both of them making a mess all around the fur that surrounded their mouths. Each of them helping each other clean off. When it was finally time to sleep, Pent felt more at peace with his situation than he had previously. His tail was even wagging visibly behind him. He knew that whatever he was dealing with that his brother would help him deal with it.\n\n\tPent yawned and stretched, finally feeling at peace enough to sleep. Samaliel helped his brother into the sleeping bag and pulled one to the side of him. Both of their heads remained on the outside of the tent. The sky was quite clear and only the occasional cloud passed by as they gazed into the sky together. Pent looked through the various constellations, naming them in his mind. The two fox brothers remained idle, just relaxing and staring into the sky together.\n\nSamaliel grabbed his brother's hand. \"Don't worry too much about what happened today. I promise everything will turn out okay.\"\n\t\n\tPent squeezed back and then let go of the older fox's paw, allowing sleep to take its toll on his body. He was already pretty mentally exhausted and ready for a good night's rest. ", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "Love and Languish By: Pent Ghelsburg
Disclaimer: This story series is a continuation of my cannon series. It covers the early parts of my fursonas life. This story attempts to maintain the scientific realism of my other works while exploring new themes. Let me know if you have any comments, suggestions, or criticisms. I am open to everything so please feel free to leave me a message!

Chapter 1: Normalcy

The vacation had come and past and life had returned to normal for the two cubs. Winter break had come and past and the weather hadn’t gotten any better. After all the Canadian weather was pretty predictable, with exception of the occasional freak blizzard or frozen rain. Most of the residents of the area had grown used to the ordeal and had long tired of the often humdrum attitudes that came with the season.

\tNow that the holidays were over, life had returned to normal for everyone. The adults of the community were back to work while the younger population was off to school once again. Only every once in a while were educational facilities closed since it wasn’t often that it snowed hard enough to cause disruptions in public transportation or on roads in general. Still, most of the kids enjoyed the prospect at the chance of making snow people or sledding when they could.

\tPent and Arthur were among those who still favored the climate. At their young age, they had yet to grow tired of the ordeal. The recent memory of the trip to the slopes was still in the back of their minds and sometimes they reminisced about the event. Sometimes the conversation drifted to the people they met, curious if they’d ever see them again. However for the most part it focused on how much fun they had and wanting to go back the following year.

\tWhile in school the two boys were as focused as ever. There was no doubt that the two of them were academically strong, each with their specific strengths and interests. Neither of them did particularly poorly in any one subject. The fox’s favorite being anything related to Science while his friend preferred Math. Often they ended up doing homework together despite not really needing the other's help in doing the work.

It was a Friday and so the hallways were abuzz with what would go on the following weekend. Every cub looked forward to the day, except for the few who enjoyed the routine of school and learning. Pent and Arthur were among those who enjoyed the aspect of learning in general. Oftentimes their teachers took their eagerness further and allowed them to explore opportunities other kids weren’t afforded.

\tOne day at school, the two were walking through the halls together. They were not often seen apart anymore. Some of the teachers who knew them well enough suspected something more than friendship but the issue was never brought up since it didn’t matter. However, the other kids didn’t see anything more than a tight-knit friendship. To their peers, they were nothing more than best friends

 It wasn’t like Pent and Arthur was that out and in the open in public about their relationship. Both of them had their separate issues and reservations about it and since they were young they didn’t wholly understand their attraction to the other boy. Though the idea of love had passed through their minds, neither had accepted it as the way of things. To each other, it was both of mix of being fur mates as well as friends. Neither one is more than the other.

\tAt lunch, they always sat together, somewhat isolated from the other cubs. Pent wasn’t too keen on crowds and they enjoyed conversing with the other cub. They didn’t always relate but they tried to listen to what the other said and take an interest in it. Often they went as far as trading portions of their meals they didn’t like; especially drinks since the cafeteria didn’t allow them the freedom of picking a beverage.

“What’cha got planned this weekend?” Arthur peered over to his friend who sat to his left.

The smaller cub shrugged. “I’m not sure. Why?”

“Want to have a sleepover at my place?” The puppy leaned against Pent as if nudging him.

The fox smiled and nodded. “Yeah, sure. I don’t think Sama would mind. Besides it gets me out of the house.”

“Cool. Anything you want to do?” The bigger boy was always keen on being a good host and hoped his parents would approve of the motion.

Pent hummed for a moment before answering. “Didn’t you get that new game you wanted to show me?”

“Oh, you mean Sonic Racing? Yeah, I got it for getting good marks on my last report card.” Arthur smiled widely as he beamed with pride about that fact.

The kit's tail wagged slowly behind him. “Sure, that sounds good. Just Friday?”

“I was thinking the whole weekend. It shouldn’t be an issue since we go to the same school.” The dog was keen on spending more time with his friend.

Pent almost exploded out of his seat. “Heck, yeah! Kind of like a slumber party. Count me in.”

\tSome of the nearby kids stared at the sudden outburst, which caused Pent to settle back down in his chair. The fox blushed profusely at his action and remained reserved for the duration of his meal. The two continued talking about their plans for the weekend, forgetting all about the food in front of them. When the bell rang, announcing their next class the cubs had to stuff the somewhat lukewarm sandwiches into their maws.

\tThe next few classes they shared but it wasn’t usually until PE that they got to do something together. Seldom did they have a group project that they could do in unison. They always looked forward to PE since it was the only class that let them run free for the most part. After all, the goal of the class was to keep kids fit in addition to getting them interested in sports. Of course, both Pent and Arthur liked the class since they were both quite active cubs.

\tPE was a few hours after lunch to allow the kid's food to settle. The younger ones had it first then followed by the older ones. Arthur and Pent fell into the latter category and filed into the locker room as the smaller kids were leaving to go spend the rest of the day at recess or study hall. As always the room was a bit misty from the recently showered cubs and since the younger cubs didn’t quite have body odor yet, there was no distinguishable smell in the area.

\tPent and Arthur had lockers near each other. The metallic cabinets were loud and squeaky and made quite the ruckus even if they were shut softly. Each kid was expected to change out of their school uniform into gym appropriate clothes. The two friends stripped out of their blazers and trousers, not paying attention to the fact that they were disrobing in front of the other.
\tIt wasn’t the first time they had done so, so there wasn’t anything special or odd about the scenario. It didn’t take them long to get dressed as both of them were rather excited to see what the coach had planned for the day in question. Since it was still the middle of winter, that meant their activities had to be restricted to indoors. Still, that left quite the variety when it came to determining what they’d do on each given day.

Chapter 2: Gym

\tPent and Arthur entered the main area of the PE facility, which was a medium-sized basketball arena. On each side of the room, there were bleachers, which currently had nothing on them other than some bags of balls. The makeup of the balls could not be distinguished since the bags were netted and obscured a clear view of them. A few minutes later the coach of the boy's portion of the PE class appeared.

\tThe man had been there quite some time and had established himself as quite the lacrosse player in his past. The otter was what he considered to be quite the symbol of masculinity, a lean yet defined figure outlined by only a few muscles here and there. Despite his lack of form, no one questioned his strength or authority since the man could be seen weight training quite often for his hobbies in amateur lacrosse.

“Alright, cubbies. Today I have a new activity in mind. Normally I’d have you all play dodge ball. But since some of the balls are flat, I figured we’d try a game of lacrosse instead. So I’m going to need a few volunteers to go get the equipment. When they get back we will go over the rules and basics of how to play.” The man crossed his arms expectantly awaiting some volunteers.

\tPent and Arthur rose their paws along with a few others. They didn’t need to be told where the stuff was since all the PE equipment was housed in the same place. It was kept inside of a small shack that was situated in the far corner of the arena. The few cubs who volunteered all made their way over to it several times to transport the stuff back and forth between the shack and the middle of the area.

\tThe main equipment that was gathered was sticks, goals, and balls. The school was not afforded protective gear since it wasn’t in the budget. Once everything was in the center of the room, the coach spoke again explaining the rules of the game. There were to be 10 players on the field with the goal on the game to have the highest score. He went forward with offering a tryout to those who performed the best on the makeshift field.

\tEach of the boys in the arena grabbed a stick. One of them then moved the bag to the side as the balls were emptied from the container. The coach partitioned the court into four sections, each sided by a volleyball net that had been arranged before their arrival. Nets were set at the front and rear of each miniature playing field. Once that was done, captains were named and the kids would pick teams of 15, with 5 kids serving as fill-ins for when the others got tired.

\tPent And Arthur ended up on opposing teams which made them a bit sour. But still, as competitive pups, they weren’t about to be outdone by the other. The teams each assembled themselves and began playing. Each team was assigned a color which was designated by a flag attached at their waist. At first, the fox’s team didn’t play the dogs, but with each passing round, the losing teams were whittled down one by one. At the end of it, all Pent and Arthur’s team faced each other in what was being considered the final.

\tNow the nets had been removed to allow for a more full-size field to be put into place. The coach's interest had been perked by this point since both teams had yet to lose a match. The remainder of the kids who had been kicked off were now watching idly from the bleachers. Just like in hockey, Arthur was assigned to offense while Pent was assigned to defense. The flags were now replaced with practice jerseys with Pent’s team being assigned red and Arthur’s blue.

The whistle was blown as the last match ensued. The game started with the blue team winning the face-off. The ball was whiffled over to Arthur who rushed through the crowd knocking his way through the other cubs. The dog was strong enough to be able to make his force known. After all most of the kids in the school didn’t participate in sports as he did. Soon he saw Pent and stared him down with a grin.

The fox was able to keep up with each deke that the dog attempted. Arthur shifted backward in an effort to shake Pent off but the cub was able to keep his body square and aligned to his bigger friend. A moment later one of the kit's teammates swiped in from behind and stole the ball from Arthur who was more worried about bettering Pent than protecting possession of the ball. The dog didn’t even realize it and it wasn’t till the smaller boy pointed behind him that he noticed it.

When he did, Arthur saw the other boy nearing the goal. The goalie was no match for the kid who arched his arm forward and rocketed the ball into the net. The red team cheered and elicited a lot of Ohs and Ahs from the crowd. The otter scratched his chin at the singular effort of the boy who had scored the goal. Like Pent, the kid had predominately white fur, though there was a noticeable black circle around his fluffy tail.

The boy turned back seeming proud of himself as he made the victory lap to return to the center. But the game was far from over. The face-off was repeated with the blue team winning the event. This time Arthur wasn’t quite as eager to take the ball and watched for the same kid to make a move. Pent kept an eye on the attacker as he entered the rear side of the field, but the boy avoided him and kept to the other side of the court.

Pent tried to rush over but by the time he got there, it was too late. The other white-furred boy cheered as he made a rather quick response to the red team's goal. The game continued much this way for the duration of the match, remaining more or less equal in terms of both score and ability. However, the combination of the one boy and Arthur was too much for the fox’s team to handle and they were able to come on top.

After the match Pent made an effort to congratulate the other team, and by extension Arthur. The fox stopped by the other white-furred boy who had worked up quite the sweat as he had been one of the harder players on the team.

“Hey, you did pretty well. I haven’t seen you around. Are you a first-year?” Pent looked at the boy and assumed he was younger since he was a bit smaller than he was.

The smaller cub nodded. “Mhm My name is Cameron but you can call me Cam. What’s yours?”

“Pent. You’d probably be good on the team. Did you try out yet?” The kit asked pointing over at the sign-up sheet that had been affixed on a billboard affixed on the wall.

Cameron combed the black hair on his head back with his paw. “Nah, not yet. But maybe I will.”

“Good match, boys. Congratulations blue team. Now go and shower and head home. See you all tomorrow.” The man began collecting the stray equipment and gear laid across the court.

\tSome different volunteers showed up this time to help him. Cameron ended up one of the ones who stayed behind to help clean up. Arthur and Pent meanwhile retired from the arena and back to the locker rooms. Both cubs had worked up quite the sweat now, enough that their shirts were wet from the moisture that had built upon their bodies. As the fox approached his friend, his keen sense of smell could pick up the light odor emanating from the bigger boy.

\tIt wasn’t anything overpowering but the slight smell of musk had built up over the physical activity. The fox couldn’t help but lean in and shove his nose against his crush. Arthur felt the familiar touch of his boyfriend's snout against his neck. The puppy liked the affection but pushed him away to maintain their public appearance as friends. Pent nodded and understood.

\tThe two then retired to the showers, Arthur shooting Pent a quick gaze at him to get the sight of his naked body. However, the white fox had his back turned to him and the breadth of his tail prevented any real look at his naked form. Both boys proceeded to mind their own business in the stalls, keeping their heads to the floor as to avoid looking at any of the boys around them. It was more an act of modesty and vanity than to prevent perversion.

\tAfter they were out of the stalls, the two returned from the showers. Both boys were dripping wet from the shower. Pent sniffed a bit and picked up the smell of the other cub who now resembled coconut. It wasn’t quite the same as the musky smell from before but it was still nice all the same. The two began dressing and conversed while they did, neither minding casual semi-nudity of the other.

“Going to ask your brother if you can come over?” The puppy reminded his friend as he assumed it had not been done yet.

Pent slapped his head. “Oh yeah, one sec.”

\tThe smaller cub pulled out his phone and began texting his older brother. Pent was sure it wouldn’t take long since Samaliel usually had his phone handy at work. Within moments there was a buzz inside his pocket. Sure enough upon examination, he saw the message that confirmed the older fox's approval of their sleepover. Pent beamed with happiness, deciding he wouldn’t even go home to get his clothing.

Chapter 3: After School.

\tEven though it had been a long day, both boys weren’t really tired. The combined physical exertion from PE and mental stress from classes didn’t bother them anymore. Still, they knew they had to get home at the end of the day. Since it was still winter, that meant Arthur’s parents would be picking him up. The fox assumed his friend had already asked but in actuality, he hadn’t.

\tIt was the end of the day and most of the other kids had already left. Pent and Arthur had lagged after a longer shower than normal. Some other cubs were about in the locker rooms, most of which were making their way out. Most kids rushed home after PE, especially on cold winter days such as this. The fox smiled over at his friend who nodded. It seemed they were ready to go home.

\tThe two canine boys grabbed their PE bags and their coats from the rack before putting them on to head outside. Once they were outside, they found that it was just as cold as they were expecting. Snow flurries were scattered by the wind as the brisk winds carried them to the floor below and beyond. Both cubs pulled up their hoods and began to talk forward towards the car loop.

A few kids were still around but the majority of them had left and those few who remained were bundled up by the outside heater near the front of the school. Arthur waved as he saw his father's car waiting for him at the curb. The small sedan was giving off more than its fair share of heat as the exhaust from the car could be seen exhaling against the cold wind. The windshield wipers were hard at work keeping snow from building up on the front glass of the car.

The man had already opened up the door for the two cubs. It wasn’t awkward to have Pent trailing behind him and the father was more than happy to drop him off since he wasn’t far removed from where the dog's family was situated. Arthur was the first one to file into the vehicle, though his friend wasn’t far behind. The transfer between the heat of the car and the frozen wasteland of the outside was drastic.

Pent shut the door without delay. Both boys scraped off some of the snow that had collected the other cub's jacket. The father in the front started the vehicle, headed toward the fox’s apartment since he assumed he was going home.

“Hey, Dad. Do you think Pent can stay the weekend?” The puppy wasted no time in popping the question.

The man hummed a second before answering. “Was his brother alright with it? Does he have a change of clothes?”

“Samaliel said it was fine and he can just borrow mine, can’t he?” The dog suggested as he was just keen on spending more time with the other boy.

The father’s tone softened a bit seeming somewhat annoyed. “Sure, I suppose. As long as he returns them.”

“I will, thank you, sir.” Pent chirped up with a happy tone.

The man's gaze remained fixed on the road before him. “Alright.”

“Something wrong, Dad?” Arthur sensed that something was bugging his father.

The older dog shook his head. “Don’t you worry about it? It’s nothing you need to worry about it.”

\tIn actuality, he had a very rough day at work and his boss had assigned him a long-term project with a rather short-term deadline. He was a little stressed about the ordeal but didn’t want to involve his kid in his stress. Arthur pursued the issue no further and decided to let his father simmer a bit before probing any further. The car continued to stop and go as it made its way down the cleared streets of Montreal.

\tAs they traveled to Arthur’s home, the two cubs continued to chat about their day. Both seeming more interested in what they would be doing than what they had already done. By the time they arrived, they already had a full schedule of what they would do for each of the days they would be together. The trip to the house wasn’t long even though it took more than it usually did due to the condition of the roads.

\tThe father pulled into the parking spot in front of the garage, where another vehicle was already sitting. It seemed that Arthur’s mother was already home. Shortened workdays were fairly common in the Canadian winter to give snowplows the time to groom the roads for travel. Each of the three in the car pulled their hoods over their head and the two cubs grabbed their bags before exiting the car.

Chapter 4: Home

\tThe family plowed through the somewhat thick snow on the floor, dealing with stray flurries as they approached the house. There was a significant amount of overcast so both the street and house lights were already turned on. Once they were inside, the father shut the door and shook himself a bit. None of them waited to shed off their winter coats to keep themselves comfortable.

\tSome of the snow from the outside fell on the floor as the jackets were hung up. The man huffed as he walked past the boys towards the kitchen to see what his wife was up to. Arthur watched him carefully and then returned his attention to the other cub.

“Come on. Let’s go chill in my room until dinner. Maybe we can help them later if you want.” The dog suggested wanting to be a helpful member of the household.

The fox nodded but said nothing as he followed the bigger boy to his room. The puppy's room was towards the rear of the home.

\tOnce they were inside the room, Pent and Arthur placed their bags by the door and looked at each other. There was an awkward moment of silence before the two of them moved into the main part of the room. Each of them took plopped down on a bean bag chair, which had already been set up in the room from a previous occasion. In no time, the both of them began shoving off their shoes since they were already cramped on their feet from being damp from outside.

\tArthur joined in suit looking over at Pent who had already seemed quite comfortable despite being in his winter slacks.

“Don’t you wanna shed a few layers?” The dog initiated the act by unbuttoning his trousers and pulling them down his legs to reveal his full leg-length boxers.

The fox shrugged as he looked over at his friend in his underwear, before doing the same. The dog shuffled forward on the floor to turn the TV on. It was still early in the day so cartoons were likely to be on.

Pent peered over the bigger cubs back. “So you gonna show me that game?”

“Yup, just getting it turned on now.” Arthur turned on the somewhat colorful Nintendo Switch console.

\tWhile he was waiting, Pent got up and placed the pants they had been wearing near the door. What remained of the snow dripped off the slacks onto the floor. Before long he returned to the floor next to his friend. By the time he did, Arthur had a controller in each of his paws. He handed one to Pent and the start screen scrolled by with the menu popping up. The dog picked through some of the settings as he prepared the multi-player option.

\tThe fox gripped the controller and leaned forward, sticking his tongue slightly out of his mouth so that it was somewhat visible. Arthur looked over and couldn’t help but laugh at the boy's state of focus. The game started before long with the puppy picking the blue blur while his friend picked the flying squirrel. The first round Arthur scooted over to his friend so he could show him how the controls worked.

\tPent could feel the heat of the other boy's shoulder on his own as he scooted in. Having him this close was comforting but the fox could pick up the light scent of the boy's socked feet and it was somewhat distracting to him. Still, he was interested in the game enough that he didn’t focus on being bothered by the smell. The second round started before long, this time the puppy exclaimed it would be for real.

\tThe fox had no idea what he was getting at but wasn’t about to be outdone by the bigger boy. The race started after the countdown with Arthur scoring the early boost in his vehicle. As Sonic he had the speed advantage but Pent’s car was able to glide better. Eventually, the kit was able to find an item box, which resulted in a bolt of lightning striking Arthur's car which was ahead in terms of the distance down the track.

\tWith this minor benefit, Pent was able to get out in front. Before long Arthur’s car recovered from its state of being stunned and he picked up speed once again to catch up to his friend. In mere moments they were neck and neck with a ledge overlooking some water coming up. The gliding ability of Ray, allowed Pent to stay in front and Arthur began to fret that he would lose.

\tBut the last-minute slip off a cliff resulted in just the break that Arthur was looking for. The checkered flag waved and announced that Sonic was the winner. Pent groaned and moped a bit at the loss, but it didn’t last very long since it was only his second time playing the game. Still, Arthur celebrated by bursting out of his beanbag chair and the smile on his face showed he was proud of his seemingly meaningless accomplishment.

\tThe two continued playing the game for the next hour or so. Gradually Pent got better at each event and even won a few rounds. With each passing victory, the swelling of their pride wasn’t quite as exuberant. Eventually, the boy’s mother knocked on the door announcing that dinner was ready. The game was turned off and they made their way to the kitchen.

Chapter 5: Discussion

\tAs they approached the kitchen, the two cubs could smell the aroma of the food. The mother and father often tag teamed on the task. She was better at the sweets and confections while he was the better at the main dish. When they arrived in the kitchen, the boy's father eyed them warily. Pent blushed a bit realizing he was still in his boxers, keeping behind Arthur for the time being.

“Go ahead and sit down boys. We need to talk.” The mother spoke up first since her husband had brought up the issue and still seemed rather perturbed.

\tThe older dog continued his method of silence. Arthur felt an immense strain as his father looked at him with an offset stare. The puppy knew something was up and had suspected something since the car ride over, though he was curious as to why Pent was being involved in the whole situation. Pent sat opposite of the bigger boy, both cubs keeping a keen eye on the parents who had started to dish out the meal.

The woman took a deep breath and spoke. “We’ve heard from some of the friends of your parents that you guys have gotten pretty close. Is there something you want to tell us?”

“Uh…” Arthur hesitated as he wasn’t sure he wanted to come clean about their relationship yet.

She sat down once the food was served, right next to Arthur, and put her hand on his shoulder. “You know you can tell me anything right?”

“Um…yeah.” The puppy huffed and looked down seeming ashamed of himself.

She looked over at Pent whose discernment was one of confusion. “Well? What about you?”

\tPent looked at his friend who offered him no sense of reassurance. The other cub's ears were slumped over. The fox wanted him to be happy.

“I mean…I guess we’re kind of dating.” Pent said sheepishly as he blushed profusely.

The older dog slammed his paws on the table. “I knew it, Cheryl. I told you they were more than friends.”

“So what? Is it that big of an ordeal?” She punched her husband in the arm trying to get him to settle down.

The man huffed as he shrugged off her aggression. “They are both boys.”

“Relax, Doug. We already had this discussion. We need to be supportive.” She got up and leaned towards him to whisper into his ears.

The man sighed and rolled his eyes before she shoved his chair back but said nothing.

“Boys. We kind of figured as much. I’m sure it’s confusing for you. Are any of your friends dating?” She sat back down and rubbed her son's back who was now visibly upset and crying.

The kit thought about it a second before answering. “Yeah, I guess there are a few but it’s mostly boys dating other girls or vice versa.”

“And that’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with that. You just need to remember…you’re 12. Your feelings can be confusing.” She angled herself over her son and kissed him on the cheek.

Arthur slumped on the table seeming utterly defeated. He groaned a bit as tears continued to well up in his eyes and roll down his cheeks.

“I’m here for you, hon.” She rubbed his back again and took her husband by the wrist out of the room, leaving the two cubs alone.

\tPent looked at Arthur for a second, not paying attention to the food in front of him. After a moment of hesitation, he got up and went over to the side where his friend was sitting. The fox placed his arm over Arthur who was still upset. The fox nuzzled into his side and licked his face. The bigger cub cracked a bit of a smile but said nothing as he was still fighting through the sniffles of crying.

\tThe fox placed his hand behind him. The two share the moment of shared silence as Pent tried to comfort his friend. The fox pulling over a chair to remain at his side. Before long the two parents returned from the living room. The smaller cub not retracting his affection from the other boy. The woman smiling but saying nothing. Soon they joined them at the table, opposite of the two cubs.

\tIt took a few moments for dinner to resume as normal. The older male kept his gaze down and his son did the same. The mother shuffled the plates a bit so that the two boys sat beside each other. The extended family began eating, with Arthur being the most meager with his consumption of the food. His mother visibly shoved her husband who finally straightened up his posture.

“Boys, while I am disappointed I cannot be upset if it makes you happy.” The man’s muffled tone was clear enough to be understood.

Arthur’s face slowly turned up. “R-really…?”

“Yes. I will let you try it if it makes you happy….” The older dog trailed off again.

His wife hugged him and licked his face, glad she had convinced him of the notion, even though it was evident he was still hesitant.

\tArthur eventually picked up pace in his meal, the concern of disapproval having left his mind. The two boys eating in tandem, Arthur’s pride beaming that his boyfriend had been so upfront about the issue. Not much else was said as the meal was finished. The parents left the room again towards the end since it was expected for the cubs to clear the table. Pent and Arthur of course understood this and took up the task without complaint.

\tPent began picking up the plates from the table. His friend had stationed himself near the sink, ready to clean. Arthur’s tail was still slightly between his legs as he stood there idly. The fox didn’t say much as he delivered the silverware and dishes to the waiting puppy. The bigger cub began to wash off each of the plates as he made rather quick progress through the chore. There wasn’t that much to be done so it didn’t take long to finish.

Chapter 6: Room time

\tOnce they were done, the two made their way back into the front room. They could hear the familiar sound of the television on. Arthur saw his parents were now lounging on the couch, though they weren’t exactly talking. It seemed as if his mother was still angry with her husband as the two were sitting in entirely different chairs opposite each other. The puppy decided to not bother them and let them simmer down on their own.

\tHe grabbed Pent’s paw and held it rather firmly before leading him back to his room. After they were back inside Arthur released his friend's paw and moped over to the bed, looking at the floor once again.

“What’s wrong?” Pent approached his friend at sat next to him on the bed.

The cub sighed. “I guess I feel like my Dad doesn’t approve of our relationship.”

“Hmm, I suppose but perhaps he will in time?” The fox nudged into his friend with his nose.

Arthur wrapped his arm around Pent's shoulder. “I hope your right.”

“It’ll be okay, I promise.” Pent sounded confident despite not knowing the full reality of the situation.
The bigger boy extended his opposite arm over the smaller ones and the two shared a hug for a good few seconds before it was broken. An awkward silence was exchanged between the two as they shared the embrace.
The fox finally broke off feeling a bit gawky because of it. “So wanna go back to playing the game?”
“Sure, that sounds good.” The dog got up from his bed to turn on his switch again.

\tPent joined him soon after on the floor right next to him, taking up the same game they had played before. Neither said much except for a few unceremonious cheers shared between the two when one or the other won a game. Arthur still maintained the upper hand in the activity as he had much more experience in it competitively online. Still, the fox managed to have fun since he knew his friend was enjoying it.

\tTime passed like the wind and it grew increasingly dark in the room as night came. Eventually, Arthur got up and offered Pent a helping hand. The bigger boy motioned for the smaller one to follow him back into the kitchen. The puppy had quite the sweet tooth and was eager for something sugary. As they passed by the living room, the dog could see his parents had since moved back into their room seemingly for privacy.

Once they were inside the kitchen, he raided the freezer and found a fruit-flavored popsicle for both of them to enjoy. He handed the fox his favorite flavor while taking his own. Both boys unpeeled the package before beginning to suck on the treat. It didn’t take long before the red hue of Pent’s cherry pop rubbed off on his white fur. Arthur giggled at his friend since he didn’t have as much of an issue since his own was darker. He licked at his friend's face and got a small taste of the remnants of the confection. Pent smiled and blushed at his friend's affection.

It didn’t take long for them to devour ice creams since they were rather small and designed to be a quick indulgence. When they were done, they headed back into Arthur’s room, the entire time holding paws and seeming rather giddy about being seemingly alone in the house.

“I guess it’s almost time for bed. Let’s take a shower and get ready for bed. I’ll get you something to wear.” The puppy let go of his friend's hand and went over to his wardrobe.

Arthur looked inside the drawers and located a shirt, underwear, and pants for Pent. The shirt and pants matched, having a Pokemon pattern on them which he knew the fox liked.

\tThe puppy no longer wore them since they were rather small on him. However since Pent was smaller than he was, he assumed the garments would fit him. The smaller boy took the clothing and smiled before heading off into the bathroom to get ready for bed. Both boys proceeded to bathe, one after the other. Pent was the slower of the two since his fur was thicker and took longer to dry but neither spent a whole lot of time in the bathroom.

\tWhen Arthur popped out from the bathroom, he was also in his own pajama set. His was more mature than Pent’s was a simple light blue top and striped bottoms as he approached the other boy. The fox wasn’t sure as to where he was sleeping so he was sitting on the side of the bed waiting to see what the other cub had in mind. Arthur still had his dirty clothes in his hand and tossed them over to the side in a hamper before heading over.

\tPent had been toying around on his phone while waiting for the other boy as he wasn’t sure about the sleeping arrangements the other cub had in mind.

“So what do you want to do about where I’m sleeping? Do you have a sleeping bag I could use or something?” The fox asked as the other boy approached the bed.

Arthur scratched his head for a second. “Yeah, I do but maybe we can share a bed if you want?”

“Do you think that’s such a good idea considering your dad's reaction earlier?” Pent blushed at the suggestion.

The puppy hung his head low. “I guess your right. I’ll go get the sleeping bag.”

The dog disappeared into the closet for a moment before reappearing with a red bedspread for the floor. He proceeded to roll it out on the floor and then threw Pent one of the pillows from his bed. He felt a little bit bad about making him sleep down there but there was no other option.

“Do you want to sleep in my bed instead? After all, you are the guest.” Arthur suggested feeling that he should be a good host.

Pent shrugged. “Nah, it’s fine. It’s not the first time I’ve slept on the floor.”

“Alright. Are you sure?” The puppy gave his friend a tight tug before going back to his bed.

\tThe fox nodded and the short hug was broken off. It wasn’t long before he tucked himself in as it was already pretty late. Arthur headed over to turn off the lights and finally returned to his bed to go to sleep. The moon stared in from the window seemingly glaring at the young cub. As he looked at it, he couldn’t help but daydream a bit. It had been a rough day and his mind was still racing from the discussion he had with his parents earlier in the day.

\tHe laid down still looking up at the stars as he tried to rest his mind. No matter how long he closed his eyes, Arthur could not sleep. Occasionally he looked over at the clock to see what time it was. Already an hour had passed and he was still as restless as before. He peered over the side of the bed at Pent who seemed to be sleeping soundly. For a few seconds, he gazed upon his friend as he slept soundly beneath him.

\tFinally, he got up from the bed to relieve himself. In actuality, he just wanted to waste time since it didn’t seem like he could fall asleep. Arthur carefully stepped over Pent into the bathroom before emptying his bladder. On his way back he stopped by the hamper and looked inside the receptacle for what the fox had disposed of earlier. It was easy enough to find since it was one of the first things in the pile.

\tHe pulled out the shirt his friend had worn earlier and brought it to his nose. The smell was familiar and soothing as he enjoyed his friend's scent in a different way than the fox did. He didn’t indulge long before dropping the shirt back into the bin. As he stepped back into the main room he stopped right on top of Pent and kneeled on the side of him. The fox was flat on his back and his chest rose and depressed with each breath he took.

\tArthur eased himself to the other side of the cub by straddling over his legs. The bigger one made sure the smaller one wasn’t awake by looking at him for a second. It seemed that Pent was still fast asleep as he knelt there idly for a moment. Once he confirmed he was still asleep, the puppy slowly moved his paw inward to lift open the opening of the sleeping bag. He still wanted to be with Pent, no longer caring about if his parents caught them sleeping together.

\tSlowly he peeled away the flap of the bag as he moved it from Pent’s chest and hands. The fox moved a little bit and Arthur hesitated a bit. The sudden movement didn’t last long as the smaller cub settled down once again. The bigger boy began to ease himself into the side of his friend, one leg after the other. The space was tight but he found himself able to fit inside with a little effort in maneuvering.

\tEventually, his whole body was inside the bag and Arthur found he couldn’t move very much with the other cub right next to him. The inside of the bag was warm and he could feel the body heat of the other cub as they laid down next to each other. The bigger boy felt more at ease now that he was with Pent. Arthur reached over and placed his arm over the chest of Pent to cuddle with him.

\tOnce Arthur pulled himself closer in with the other boy and squeezed him lightly. He didn’t apply enough pressure to be noticed. The comfort of having the other boy near him eased his anxiety and his mind began to rest. It didn’t take long for him to fall to sleep and his mind wandered into dreamland. When his mother popped her head in to check on them she couldn’t help but smile at the sweet scene before her eyes and closed the door without saying a word.

Chapter 7: Morning After

\tThe next morning, Pent was the first one to wake. When he tried to stretch, he was surprised to find the other cub's arm wrapped around him. The sudden movement caused Arthur to rouse as he yawned. The fox sat up for a moment with a smile on his face as he watched his friend come around. Once he came to Pent leaned in for a light kiss on his nose causing the other boy to blush profusely.

\tThe sudden embrace didn’t last long before they broke off and straightened up. Both of them were still awkward about the whole thing so neither said a word once it was over with. The two cubs began to head towards the kitchen. Already the smell of fresh meat could be smelt wafting through the air. Arthur couldn’t help but sniff as already his senses were tantalized by the thought of sating his appetite.

\tThe two began to pick up pace as they frolicked down the hall to the kitchen. Already breakfast had been prepared for them and was waiting on a small platter at the center of the table. Arthur went over to fetch some drinks from the fridge as he poured out the juice from one of the many containers on the shelves on the side of the chiller. He then distributed it to each of the cups and delivered it to the table.

\tOnce Arthur had joined him at the table, the two looked at the meals in front of them but didn’t eat quite yet. Pent then glanced at his friend who returned the glance shortly after. Arthur raised his socked paw and began to toy with the other boy's paw with his own. The two’s clothed feet touched against each other. Their short toes and claws intermingled and for a brief moment, they entangled with one another.

\tArthur explored the other cub's paw pads a bit, even weaving one of his smaller toes between each of the cracks in Pent’s foot. The fox smiled at him and allowed his foot to trace against the ankle of the other boy. A few seconds of this explorative activity passed until Arthur’s father walked into the kitchen. Their action stopped abruptly as neither of them wanted to be discovered by the man who too recently hadn’t very much approved of their announcement.

\tThe older dog didn’t say a word and walked past them right to the fridge to grab himself a drink. Doug had caught only a brief glimpse of what they were doing and wasn’t quite certain of what to make of it. The thoughts of distrust and betrayal had already been sewed into his mind from the day before and his wife's scolding didn’t change that. As he took an orange from the inside of one of the shelves he held it in his paw and squeezed it.

\tThe force of his grip was strong enough that some of the juice from it poured out onto the floor. Every fiber of his being wanted nothing more than to explode out in anger. The father turned around, facing the table. Both boys were silent and still had not eaten, the food by this point had grown cold. He approached the table and touched Pent’s shoulder softly.

“I think you should go home.” His touch was trembling but his voice firm yet broken.

\tPent hesitated for a moment and felt the grip tighten on his shoulder. He looked up at the older dog whose eyes were partially in tears. The fox understood he was serious and got up, deciding it was best to just comply with the order even if he did not understand why. This left Arthur alone with his father who was still without words, sitting down directly across from his son, trying to think of the best words to convey his feelings.\t

\tPent called his brother who fortunately was free to pick him up. While waiting the fox decided to change back into his clothing as he was certain Arthur would want it back. The cub thought about going back into the kitchen but decided it was best to not intervene. He couldn’t help but wonder what they were talking about but something in the back of his mind told him he knew what the subject was.

\tSamaliel was already on his way and Pent had nothing better to do than to sit and wait in Arthur’s room. The fox’s stomach was in a knot mixed with nerves and uncertainty despite understanding that he had no sway in the issue. The fox kit leaned back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The mattress by itself offered very little comfort since his head wasn't properly cradled behind him. He reached back and grabbed a pillow so he could relax a little more. The fox placed the thing behind his head and allowed his mind to wonder.

\tOccasionally his mind gravitated towards thinking about Arthur. He couldn't fight the negative feeling he was experiencing. He thought for sure that Arthur's father was yelling at him, even if he couldn't hear it from the room. Eventually, his phone buzzed, notifying him of a text. He looked at the phone and saw his brother had arrived. Pent got up and grabbed his things, glad that he could leave since he was rather bored.

\tHe headed towards the front of the house, passing right by where the kitchen was. Pent couldn't help but look inside, noticing that Arthur and his father were still there. He heard nothing, assuming they had stopped doing whatever they were doing since most likely heard the fox exiting Arthur's room. The fox put on his shoes by the door and made his exit from the house before shutting the door behind him.

\tPent looked behind him and saw his brother's car waiting just beyond the yard on the street in which the house was based. The fox was walking slowly towards the vehicle, his head hung a little lower than it normally was. Gradually he made his way to the car and the entire time his older brother surveyed his progress. Samaliel could garner that something must have happened and figured the two had a fight or something similar.

\tOnce he was inside, Samaliel started the car. The radio was already pretty low so there wasn't much white noise to liven up the otherwise awkward silence. The older fox put some pressure on the pedal, causing the engine to flare up once again.

“So...what happened?” The bigger brother couldn't help but probe the situation since Pent was originally supposed to stay the entire day.

Pent peered his head over at his older brother. “Oh, yeah. Arthur's father is mad.”

“What did you do? Did you get in trouble?” Samaliel maintained his focus on the road but remained curious about the situation at hand.

The cub shook his head. “Nah. He just wasn't happy about us being a couple.”

“Oh? I mean you are pretty young. Are you sure that's what you want?” Samaliel had known for a while but knew young romance was often fickle.

The younger brother nodded. “Yeah, I like him. He's my best friend.”

“Hehe but that doesn't mean he has to be your boyfriend, no?” The older fox didn't care, he just was trying to be helpful.

“I guess but I want to try it.” Pent shrugged figuring it was the best response he could come up with.

Samaliel sighed a bit knowing full well the hormones his brother must have been dealing with. “Alright, but what are you going to do about his parents?”

“Hmm. I'm not sure. His mother didn't seem to mind but his dad was pretty upset.” The cub turned to the window and looked outside to distract himself.

The other fox hummed for a moment. “I see. Well, that is a problem then. Just give it time I suppose.”

“Is there anything you can do?” Pent looked back at his brother, certain he could solve the problem.

Samaliel hesitated for a second before answering. “I'm not sure I should. I mean...I want you to be happy but at the same time, his parents need to be alright with it. You guys are 12 so you don't know what's best for you, ya know?”

“I guess your right.” The cub sighed dejectedly and decided to try to not think about it anymore.

The older fox rubbed him on the shoulder. “I promise everything will be alright. Just give it some time.”

“Okay.” Pent nodded believing in what his brother was saying.

Samaliel made a quick and sudden turn. “How about we get some ice cream or something? That will take your mind off it.”

“Sounds good.” Pent smiled warmly at his brother.

\tThe older brother brought them to the local sweets shop. It was cold outside but not to the point of needing a jacket. It was one of the warmer winter days for the area. They pulled into the parking area and got out of the car. There weren't many other people around since the weather was still poor enough to keep people away. The two brothers made their way to the sales counter and each of them got a hot chocolate.

\tSamaliel handed the beverage to his brother and went to a vacant chair, which wasn't as covered in snow. Pent joined him on the bench and the two enjoyed their warm beverages despite the somewhat frigid temperatures. The two foxes were allowed to drink to warm up their bodies, not minding the light flurries of snow that were occasionally dropping from the clouds above.

\tThe two of them sat there for several minutes, alone except for the occasional person who passed by. Only one of them paid them any attention, only briefly looking their way and then continuing on their way without a word. Once they were done, the two of them disposed of their garbage and returned to the car. Despite it not being late, Pent was ready to get home and do something to take his mind off what happened.

Chapter 8: The Reckoning

\tA few days past and the days seemed to roll together since he was more or less keeping to himself. Pent had texted Arthur a few times but the other boy hadn't responded. The fox was worried that maybe his friend had gotten in trouble beyond his realization of the severity of the event. The cub didn't understand any of it and was getting frustrated at the whole situation, despite not knowing the cause of it.

\tIt was getting close to the end of winter break now and Pent was feeling like it had been a waste of time since he hadn't felt up to doing anything. He figured his brother hadn't intervened in his issue since everything was still silent. Samaliel had only talked to him one other time about it other than the time in the car, so Pent figured he needed to let things sort themselves out since he had no say in the issue.

\tOne morning a text finally came, a very short message from Arthur which read “We need to talk....come to the Treehouse”
 A dark feeling came over Pent feeling like the end had finally come off his short-term relationship. The fox tried responding but an error occurred when he tried sending the message. He figured it was the service or that he had been blocked by the other boy. He slowly got out of his bed to get dressed so that he could meet up with Arthur.

\tPent grabbed whatever clothes he could find, not following any specific matching pattern. He was in a rush and treating the situation like it needed to be resolved sooner rather than later. On his way out of the house, he grabbed a simple granola bar and wrote a small note to Sama saying he'd be back soon. The fox peered his head outside and saw that the snow had all but stopped.

\tHe wondered if he could even make it to Arthur's since the treehouse was at his place. Pent wasn't sure of what he should do. He pulled out his phone and shot his friend another text, which was met by the same error message as before. Now he was getting worried and increasingly desperate. Immediately he thought the worse, believing that Arthur now hated him since Pent had not stood up for him the other day.

\tPent looked over at his bike, which was completely covered in snow, and ran over to get it. It took him a few minutes to unearth it but when he did, he discovered the frame was completely frozen over. A sense of frustration and discontent came over him. He looked back at the door and saw Samaliel watching him from afar.

“Need help going somewhere?” The older brother had his hands angled on his hips, feeling like he knew where his brother wanted to go.

The cub nodded and ran to his brother and before he could even say anything the older fox was already waiting at his car for the younger boy to join him.

\tPent hugged his brother tightly and lept into the passenger side of the vehicle. A sense of relief washed over him now that he knew he could get there at least.

“To Arthur's right? I'm guessing he finally messaged you or something?” Samaliel knew his brother very well and it wasn't like him to just get up and go outside with this much snow in such a hurry.

The younger fox nodded and took his phone out again to punch the same text through his service. The same error showed up Pent huffed in frustration as he put the phone back in his pocket, deciding to not increase his anxiety any further.

\tSamaliel didn't go any faster or slower than he usually did but to Pent, the trip seemed to take an eternity. Once they arrived, Samaliel locked the doors one final time so he could ask one more question before Pent left.

“Should I wait ...or?What's your plan exactly?” Samaliel reached and touched his brother's shoulder.

Pent looked back and thought for a second. “I'm not sure. I just want to talk to him. My texts aren't going through so...”

“Well, I will go do some errands then. Let me know when you need me to pick you up.” The older boy unlocked the door.

The cub smiled and darted out of the door before yelling back. “Thanks!”

Pent could now see Arthur's house and skipped going through the entrance as he knew the gate to the back yard was often open.

\tHe looked at the parking area and saw that both of the parents were home. Pent knew he had to be quiet and decided to keep as low to the ground as he could. He continued along the wall until he made it past the fence. Luckily for him, there was a small crack near the door where it had been forced open by the snowfall. Pent made his way through it, having to flatten his body so he could fit through the smaller space.\t

\tPent continued to shuffle through the snow, huddling as much as his slow stride would allow him. It was bright outside and he could see the reflection of the sun on the surface of the snow. He could now see the tree and ladder leading up to where Arthur had said to meet him. The fox huffed and felt a mixture of excitement and uncertainty build within him. He pressed on feeling as he wanted answers to the occurrences over the past day or so.

\tThe cub peered his head into the yard once he reached the end of the wall of the house. He could see the glass door leading into the kitchen and crept over to make sure no one was inside it. Pent was pretty sure that he saw no movement coming from the inside of the home so he began to make his move towards the ladder. He rushed across the yard and escalated the ladder as fast as he could.

\tOnce he pulled himself up through the latched porthole, he lifted himself onto the wooden platform that served as a floor. It was much warmer inside than it was out as Arthur had already turned on a small heating apparatus since he had been waiting a while now. Pent looked over at the other cub who was sitting casually on a couch that had been fixed against one of the far walls on the other side of the treehouse.

\tArthur got up from where he was sitting still silent and the two walked towards each other. Eventually, they met near the center of the unit and looked at each other without a word.
“So…what did you want to talk about?” Pent was dying to know what else besides the other boy's father had caused the other cubs more distant attitude.

The other cub shuffled his feet a bit and looked to the ground before looking up at Pent again. “Well, maybe we should sit down.”

The Eskimo led towards the sofa and the two joined next to each other.

“Alright, well…don’t leave me hanging.” Pent tried to put his arm behind the other boy's shoulders but he was blocked by a quick swipe.

\tArthur remained silent and looked at the floor once again. Pent felt a sense of dismay rise within him as that simple denial was enough to convey what was going on here. The fox began to tear up as the idea bubbled up inside his head. The two said nothing for a few moments, the only sound that could be heard was the occasional sound of the fox sniffling. The kit stood up, feeling as if the moment was lost.

“Wait…” Arthur finally blurted out loud.

Pent looked down at the other boy, wiping some of the tears from his eyes.

“I…don’t think we should be boyfriends anymore.” The Eskimo dog turned away and looked towards the wall.

The fox hesitated a second before responding. “Um…I guess it's because of your dad?”

Arthur didn’t answer again seeming lost in words. Pent tried reaching out to touch his friend's shoulder but the bigger boy moved away.

“I think you should go home.” Arthur didn’t feel like hanging around with Pent anymore.

\tThe fox tried to make sense of everything that was going on. He figured he understood but still was a little confused by Arthur's change of disposition. He huffed as he turned around, his feelings a mixture of anger and uncertainty. Slowly he began making his way down the ladder, no longer caring if anyone on the inside of the house saw him anymore. Once he had made it to ground level, he slowly made his way back across the backyard of Arthur's house.

\tInside the kitchen, the other cub's mother spotted Pent who seemed distraught. She thought about going outside to find out what had happened but figured it was best to leave him be. She assumed the two had gotten into a fight and didn't want to interfere. The woman returned her attention to cleaning and hoped the situation would resolve itself in time. After all, it wasn't entirely alien to expect some drama in relationships, no matter how serious they were, she told herself.

Chapter 9: The end or a new beginning?

\tAs Pent was making his exit from the gate leading out of the yard, he pulled out his phone to contact Samaliel once again. The older fox wasn't far away and responded pretty quickly once he had pulled over to read the text. The older brother told the younger one to wait a few minutes. The kit deciding to huddle up on the side of the house, hoping no one would walk out and discover him.

\tIt was a few minutes before he arrived and Pent couldn't help but run to the car once he saw it pull in near a curb on the street in front of the home. Samaliel watched as the younger fox bulleted towards the car. He already had an idea of how it went just based on that single act alone. Still, he knew he would have to help settle the younger boy down so he could go about the rest of his day like normal. Samaliel waited until his brother buckled in to start the car once again.

“So...I guess it didn't go well?” The bigger fox maintained his focus on the road but wanted to try to be sensitive to his brother's needs.

Pent sniffled a bit as he muttered an answer. “No.”

“I see. Well, maybe it wasn't meant to be?” Samaliel wasn't sure what else to say since he didn't have much experience himself.

The cub sighed. “I guess but I thought he liked me.”

“Maybe just give it time. If you think he's moved on, maybe it's time you do too.” The older brother reached over with his right arm and grabbed Pent's shoulder briefly.

\tThe younger brother shrugged and eased back into the chair but said nothing. He wasn't entirely sure what to think of the situation. The kit looked at his phone to see if Arthur had texted him and sure enough that wasn't the case. Pent allowed his arm to relax again and put the phone away, instead of craning his head so he could look outside. His mind still whirled with a mixture of feelings and the tears continued to well up in his eyes.

\tSamaliel wasn't entirely sure he had helped with the situation but wasn't sure what else he could do. It was evident to him that Arthur's parents probably didn't like the relationship and while he wanted Pent to be happy, he had to be wary of their wishes as well. He considered talking to them but decided it was best to wait until the initial emotions of whatever happened boiled over.

\tThe two didn't say much the rest of the trip back home. Samaliel worked out a plan in his mind to improve Pent's mood. He decided to keep it a secret in hopes that the boy would be surprised. Once they were at the apartment, Samaliel decided to spill the beans.

“Grab your tent and sleeping bag for both of us. We're going to sleep under the stars tonight.” Samaliel blurted out just as he brought the car to a stop.

Pent looked confused over at his brother. “Huh? What do you mean?”

“Just trust me.” The older fox knew what he had in mind would work since it was one of Pent's favorite things to do.

The fox kit shrugged. “Alright.”

They exited the vehicle together and went back inside the apartment. Pent was still sluggishly moving along but Samaliel had a plan to perk up his mood.

\tThe older brother went into the kitchen and grabbed some chocolate and graham crackers. He was glad the apartment had a small space out back, even if it was shared. He made a quick call to the landlord to make sure it was alright to take the space tonight. Sure enough, she was fine with it as long as they cleaned up after the fact. Samaliel hung up and began to gather things he thought were necessary for the mini-campout.

\tPent returned with a small bag of sleeping mats and another with a pop-up tent. His eyes were still soggy so Samaliel reached out to dry them. The kit tried to fake a smile as his older brother took one of the bags and beckoned for the younger one to join him. The cub followed behind and the two-headed back outside. The older fox continued to lead towards the backyard area of the complex.

\tSamaliel dropped his bag and motioned for Pent to do the same. Immediately the older fox began to clear an area so they could make a fire. He wondered if the ground might be too wet since there was still plenty of snow around. The older brother cornered off some of the snow and could see the wet grass.

“Go grab some firewood will you?” Samaliel pointed at his brother.

Pent understood and complied with the request, headed into the wooded area behind the building to gather some wood.

\tMeanwhile, Samaliel left from where he was to gather some food to cook at the fireside. After all, they wouldn't have a full stomach on smores alone. He grabbed some fish, figuring it was the easiest thing to manage with a fire. The older fox returned at just about the same time as the younger one. Pent had already begun assembling the wood in a way that it could be burned and was working on getting it lit.

\tIt took a few tries before he finally succeeded. Samaliel placed the fish on the fire, allowing it to cook while the night grew upon them. Eventually, it grew dark and the two brothers shared in the meal once it finally cooked. The moon was now overhead and served as the only lighting for the area other than the light that filtered in from the building itself. Once the meal was over, Samaliel handed his brother one of the spare twigs that were left over so they could roast marshmallows.

\tPent finally had a smile on his face, for the first time all night and Samaliel noticed it, glad that he had accomplished his goal. Both of the foxes placed their sticks into marshmallows and then into the fire to be cooked. The smell of burnt marshmallows followed both of them stared into the fire while sitting around it. Once it was done, Samaliel handed his brother and took some graham cracks and chocolate.

\tThe two chowed down on the snack together, both of them making a mess all around the fur that surrounded their mouths. Each of them helping each other clean off. When it was finally time to sleep, Pent felt more at peace with his situation than he had previously. His tail was even wagging visibly behind him. He knew that whatever he was dealing with that his brother would help him deal with it.

\tPent yawned and stretched, finally feeling at peace enough to sleep. Samaliel helped his brother into the sleeping bag and pulled one to the side of him. Both of their heads remained on the outside of the tent. The sky was quite clear and only the occasional cloud passed by as they gazed into the sky together. Pent looked through the various constellations, naming them in his mind. The two fox brothers remained idle, just relaxing and staring into the sky together.

Samaliel grabbed his brother's hand. "Don't worry too much about what happened today. I promise everything will turn out okay."
\t
\tPent squeezed back and then let go of the older fox's paw, allowing sleep to take its toll on his body. He was already pretty mentally exhausted and ready for a good night's rest. ", "pools_count": 1, "title": "Love and Languish", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "application/msword", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "1", "rating_name": "Mature", "ratings": [ { "content_tag_id": "2", "name": "Nudity", "description": "Nonsexual nudity exposing breasts or genitals (must not show arousal)", "rating_id": "1" } ], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "t", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "4", "views": "369" }