Autumn of 2016

The Park

Kai woke up surprisingly early on Saturday. Kai looked out of their large bedroom window at the woods that lined the neighborhood. They focused on two teens holding hands and walking through the trail. Kai recognized that they went to the same school as them. The couple looked happy. Kai wished he had something like that. Kai pictured Shiro and them in the same scenario, Shiro's warm paw grasped over Kai's tiny paw. Kai shook their head "No, that's not right." Kai stood still for a moment still halfway in that thought and pulled out their phone to call Shiro.

Shiro didn't answer but Kai remembered how early it was and decided to call back in a few hours. Kai went into the bathroom to get ready for the day. Kai started the shower and threw their clothes into the laundry basket and waited for the shower to heat up a bit. Kai looked at their small skinny body in the mirror. "Maybe I should try to gain weight." Kai turned to see their body profile. The mirror began to fog and Kai got into the shower smiling and reveling in the warm water. The warm water make Kai's body feel sensitive and soft. Once Kai was clean they stepped out of their shower and walked to their bedroom leaving their towel in the bathroom. Kai noticed a letter slid under their front door. Kai picked it up and read it:

We are not gone yet. Tread lightly. Your friends at Crestview High. 

Kai stared at the note, their damp paws making the pen ink bleed. Kai had nearly forgotten about Tommy and Rylan. Kai crumpled the paper and threw it in the trash. And got dressed without a word. 

Kai checked the clock and saw it was after noon and called Shiro. He picked up after the third ring. "Hey Kai!" Shiro said. Kai smiled into the phone, the image of the note passed through their head, "What did you want to do this weekend?". Shiro paused, "Hmm, I dunno, we could go to the nature trails? It's a nice day today." Kai smiled, "That sounds great, Shiro. Do you want to meet there?". "Sure!" Shiro said. They both hung up and got ready to leave. Kai grabbed their camera and set off.

Kai walked up to the parking lot and saw Shiro locking up a bike on the bike rack. "Nice bike." Kai laughed. Shiro turned around surprised, "Hey Kai!" He smiled. Kai loved to see Shiro smile. Shiro turned to look at the two walking paths, one going left and the other right. "Which way?" he asked Kai. Kai shrugged, "You pick." Kai teetered on their feet. Shiro looked both ways, "How 'bout left?" Kai nodded and walked next to Shiro. Shiro and Kai began walking and then looked at their camera. "You say you work at a camera place? What's that like?". Kai laughed a little "It's more like moonlighting. I don't work there very much. I primarily work at the Pizza Tipi down by Main Street." Shiro nodded his head. "I love the pizza there! The sauce is the best." Shiro smiled in warm thoughts about pizza sauce. Kai laughed, "I usually make the sauce, I know the recipe. Maybe I could toss up a pizza for you sometime." Kai smiled. Shiro was ecstatic at the thoughts of homemade pizza.  Kai and Shiro were about to cross a bridge over a small flowing stream. Kai stopped, "Shiro, go up there and pose. I wanna get a picture.". Shiro quickly ran up to the bridge and struck an awkward pose. Kai looked through the viewfinder and laughed. "Don't be so awkward! Maybe just look natural.". Shiro grinned and stood normally with his arm on the rail.

CLICK

"Looks great!" Kai said giving a thumbs up. Shiro walked back over. "Can I see?" he asked. Kai lifted the camera for Shiro to see, "It's a 35mm camera. I need to get the film developed first." Kai smiled. "Oh right." Shiro smiled back. Kai and Shiro walked across the bridge and looked at the stream below. The sun glinted off of the water distorting the light. Shiro turned to look at Kai, "Are you busy tomorrow?". Kai shook their head, "No, I'm free. What do you have in mind.". Shiro smiled, "Do you think I could stay the night? Or at least eat dinner with you?". Kai giggled, "Sure dude!". Shiro pumped his fist. They both continued down the path coming up on a couple holding hands. It was a young otter and a taller otter, the younger female looked pregnant. The girl turned to see them, "Daww young love is so cute!" She blushed. Kai laughed, "Were not dating, sorry.". She looked embarrassed, "Oh I'm sorry love!" She turned back and mumbled something to the male who turned his head to glance at them. He sped up their walking speed and they vanished around a bend. Shiro turned to Kai, "Do we look like were really dating?". Kai snorted, "I guess so, I never really thought of that." Kai and Shiro continued walking. A question popped into Shiro's head "Have you ever dated anyone?". Kai laughed awkwardly, "Yea, it didn't last though. We wanted different things in a relationship.". "Like what?" Shiro asked. "Well.. Men." Kai looked down at their chest. "Oh." Shiro said quietly. Shiro looked at the trail ahead, "Do you wanna do something else? This is kind of a drag." Kai nodded, "I was hoping you'd say that." Kai smiled.

Kai and Shiro went back to the parking lot and Shiro unlocked his bike. "You can stand on those spokes on the back, you're not that heavy." Kai smiled at Shiro's generosity. Shiro sat on the bike seat, "You ready?"

Shiro quickly peddled through the streets like it was nothing. The cool wind breezing through Kai's fur made them feel amazing. Their ears twitched in joy and they closed their eyes and leaned forward. Shiro looked back and smiled at Kai's goofy face. Kai looked down and made eye contact with Shiro and blushed. They both laughed and soon made it to Kai's home. Kai opened and unlocked the door, "Have you had lunch?" Kai asked. Shiro shook his head, "I'm pretty hungry." Kai walked to the kitchen, "How about a PBJ?" Shiro nodded, "That sounds fantastic."