Sugarcane Chronicles Volume I: One and Lonely (ryden)

Brandon and Rylie

Trigger Warning: Vauge mentions and thoughts of suicide

While I swung on the swings, Brendon packed up the picnic basket and joined me. When we started swinging in sync, Brendon called out, “We’re married!”

I stopped abruptly. “What?”

“That’s what it’s called when two people swing in sync. When you’re almost in sync, then you’re engaged.”

“I’ve never heard that before,” I started swinging again. “What about when you’re completely off. Would that be a divorce?”

“I’m not sure, but I like that,” he smiled at me. We were divorced for a while, but then we were engaged.

“Ryan, what time is it?” Brendon asked, swinging high.

“Uhhm,” I slowed down with my swinging and pulled out my phone. “It’s 6:03."

“Holy shit,” he stopped swinging and got looks from the African-American woman and her son on the swing next to him. “What?”

She made a face at Brendon and opened her mouth to say something but I stood out of the swing and grabbed Brendon’s hand.

“Brendon let’s go. There’s a slide over there,” I said, pointing to the slide.

“But the swings!” he whined. I rolled my eyes and tried to grab the picnic basket the best I could with my casted arm. I looked back at the woman.

“I’m sorry about him,” I said, giving an apologetic look. I led Brendon away. “Oh, my god. I cannot believe you did that.”

“What did I do?”

"Oh my god, that was so embarrassing. Take the basket, I’ll be right back,” I shoved the basket to him and started looking for a good place to transform. I decided that behind a large tree would be good. After I transformed, I went to find Brendon, but instead got found by a small child.

“Mommy look! A kitty!”

“Yes Billy, I see the kitty.”

“Can we keep him?”

“No, Billy. We’re not keeping the kitty.”

“Why NOT?!” 

“Because I said so. Now let’s go."

“Can I pet the kitty?”

“You can pet it once.”

“YAY!” and the kid came over and petted my face and I ran away to find Brendon.

“Ryan! There you are,” he picked me up. “I went and apologized to the woman and her son.”

I went to say ‘good’ but all that came out was ‘mow.’

“Awh,” Brendon smiled. “Where’d you transform so I can get your clothes?”

I pointed with my paw to the tree.

“Alright. There’s a Wal-Green’s just around the corner. I’ll get you to their bathroom to transform, okay? Till then I’m just gonna put you in the basket.” And he put me in the basket. Soon my clothes joined me. “And this works out ‘cause I really gotta pee and I didn’t want to do that in a children’s park.”

I meowed. I’m guessing we got to Wal-Green’s because Brendon pulled me out of the picnic basket and put me into a stall. It was perfect timing because I transformed.

“Brendon?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I have my clothes?”