Forgive Me, My Love ~ ReddNook

Chapter 47

The two sat down on a small bench that was behind a gas station. Hardly anyone was here. That made Redd even more nervous. John put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it with a lighter.

He held the pack out to Redd. "Want one?"
"No, I don't smoke," he replied dryly. He twitched his ears disapprovingly. Who does he think I am?  His father shrugged, took a deep drag, and let out the smoke with a sigh.

"So. How is it on Te Fiti?" Redd looked down. "Good," he replied curtly. "Everyone is nice."
"How long have you been living there?" He felt uncomfortable. "Two months ... or so." John made a thoughtful face.

"I heard that Tom Nook runs this island. What's he like?" Redd's blood froze to ice. "How do you know Tom?" His voice was hard as steel. He eyed his father angrily. The older one looked a little surprised.

"Almost everyone knows Tom Nook," he said, taking another drag on his cigarette. "Or at least heard his name. The guy is pretty well known." Redd blinked, perplexed. "He is?" He didn't know Tom was so famous. That made him kind of happy.

"He is rich, isn't he?" John continued, grinning nastily. "It is said, that he is a greedy capitalist, who pulls money out of people's pockets and loads them with debts." Anger built up in Redd. He jumped up, growling.

"That's not true!" He yelled. Nobody talks about my Tom like that!
"He's a lovable and honest Tanuki. Those morons judge him even though they don't know him at all!" John looked at him in astonishment and amusement at the same time.

"My goodness. Why are you getting so angry?" His renewed grin widened. "That Nook seems to mean a lot to you, doesn't he?" Redd put on his ears in shame. "None of your business." He suppressed an angry growl.

"I've had enough. I'm leaving." The fox turned away and wanted to leave this city as quickly as possible. But his father stopped him. He roughly grabbed his shoulders and turned him around so that Redd had to look into his face.

"We'll meet again at the train station next week," he said gruffly. "And don't forget the 40,000." Redd stared at him in horror. "Wa-wait a minute! I thought this was a one-time thing!"

John burst out laughing. "Oh, my boy. That's far from it! Did you think I'd be satisfied with 40,000 bells?" Redd fought the emerging panic. How am I supposed to get so much money ?! It's impossible to do it again in a week!

John's grip tightened, his claws digging into his son's shoulders. "And if you refuse, or tell someone something about it, you know what happens then," he whispered in a dark voice that made him shudder.

"Did you understand that?" The black fox bared its pointy teeth. "Y-yes," Redd croaked and winced at the pain. John nodded satisfied. "Good boy." He let go of him.

His father threw the cigarette on the floor and stubbed it out with his foot. "You can go now," he growled. "And if you don't show up next week, I'll come to you." Redd shivered at the thought. "I'll be there," he muttered hoarsely.

John snapped the tip of his tail furiously. "I sure hope so."

About an hour later, Redd was finally back in Te Fiti. The tight feeling in his chest gradually subsided as he heard the soothing rush of the sea behind him. He was totally exhausted. He just wanted to lie down and sleep.

Just as he was leaving the dock, a familiar figure appeared between the trees. "Redd! There you are." Redd's heart leaped for joy when he saw Tom walking towards him. How much he had missed him! The fox hurried to him.

He wrapped his arms around the tanuki, dug his snout into the back of his neck, and squinted his eyes tightly. He just wanted to forget everything that had happened today. He only wanted to be in Tom's arms and leave all the problems behind.

Tom stroked Redd's head with his paw. "What's going on, darling? You seem so tense." The fox winced. It was clear that he noticed. He released himself from the embrace and looked into his boyfriend's perplexed face.

"Where have you been?" The Tanuki wanted to know. "I was at your house and when nobody was there, I was worried." Redd chewed his lips nervously. "I ... uh ... was hunting tarantulas."

There was an island where only tarantulas lived. He had been there a couple of times with Lucifer. And today he had made a quick stop on this island before flying back to Te Fiti.

Fortunately, he had caught a spider. Otherwise it would have noticed if he had come back with empty paws.

"Here, look." Redd showed Tom the gigantic tarantula crouched in the terrarium. "My goodness!" His eyes widened. "It's huge!" Redd grinned slightly. "Flick will freak out when I show him this!"

And I'll earn a lot of bells from it, too, he thought. "Yes, yes" Tom said, watching the insect, fascinated. "But don't let Blathers see that." His eyes flashed in amusement. "You would give him the scare of his life."

Redd put the terrarium away again. "Too bad. Would have been funny." Tom laughs and nudges him lightly with his elbows. "You are really mean!" Redd looked dreamily at the tanuki. For him, his laughter was the most beautiful sound in the world.

"But why didn't you told me, you were going to fly there?" Tom asked. The fox looked guilty at his paws. "I ... I don't know ..." The Tanuki looked at him in silence. "Never mind. Shall we go?" He held Redd's paw gently. The fox nodded silently and followed him.