Hello Again
Okay... I don't generally do two posts in one day, but I've been on a roll with writing, so consider this an extra, above-and-beyond the 7 stories I planned to do this week. One of my most supportive readers did point out that most of my human/anthro pairings has the furry character as the more dominant so I wrote this as a way to start balancing things out). As with the other stories, please be sure to speak up-- at least one of these posts is likely to get another chapter!
As always, thanks for reading, faving, and commenting. Love to you all! <3
Hello Again (Chapter 1?)
copyright comidacomida 2024
Keith's childhood was rather unspectacular-- he'd grown up in Southern California, lived in a newer suburb outside of LA, and had what he considered a happy life. His parents were both employed and made enough that his family didn't really want for anything. The younger child with an older sister, Keith was the baby of the family, his sister's junior by almost five years, but she was always looking after him-- definitely not the stereotypical angry-older-sister.
Having a supportive family helped a lot because Keith was a bit of an introvert and had trouble making friends. In middle school, however, that changed when Keith met the only kid in his grade more shy than he was: a new kid who had moved up from San Diego-- the school's only beast-folk student, a Coyote pup named Wesley. Whether Wesley was timid because he was the only non-Human, or because he was just naturally shy, Keith didn't know and, back then, it really hadn't mattered. Sitting down beside the Coyote that first day in the cafeteria sealed the deal, and they were inseparable ever since... until high school graduation.
After Keith graduated his family decided to relocate; he'd been accepted into a college further north and, since Keith's dad had received a promotion they were able to relocate. It was a sudden thing, and the young man had barely any time to say goodbye to his few friends-- only a little more time for a farewell with Wesley... there were tears on Keith's part, and a little bit of whimpering from the teenage Coyote, but farewell it was with promises to one day see one another again.
Keith settled into his life after the move, diving headfirst into his higher education. It turned out to be a good thing for him, coming out of his shell as he stared interacting on a more mature level with fellow students and professors. He ended up combining his love of music with his fondness for observing people, selecting business with a minor in music appreciation. While his parents questioned his choice they supported him nevertheless and his first two years passed quickly.
The final Monday of the first semester of his third year, however, his focus of study turned out to bear fruit: executives from BigYeen music had stopped by to talk with a music production club Keith had bjoined and they took notice of him when he asked what one of them called "The only god damn question today that was worth answering". After that, they treated him to coffee and handed him their cards, promising him that, upon graduation, there was a good chance they'd have a spot for him at the company.
He was walking on cloud nine that entire day, pumped out of his mind that things, after so much hard work and dedication, were finally coming together. The icing on the cake was that night when he received a phone call from a number he remembered from his past: it was Wesley. The Coyote's voice sounded a little deeper, but Keith recognized it right away-- apparently his friend was going to be taking a trip up to Oregon and would be passing through Keith's town that Friday. The request for a meet-up wasn't even necessary; it was a foregone conclusion. Keith honestly thought things couldn't get any better... but he was proven wrong.
On Wednesday, two of the executives from BigYeen stopped back by, and they brought someone else with them. Keith didn't need to have the rock star introduced; how could anyone NOT know Banzai, the lead singer of famed all Hyena group Teeth Laughter & Claws? The execs hung out for about an hour to talk about the possibility of Keith doing an internship for the company to help out with logistics for TLC's upcoming tour and, after a brief bit of business, they excused themselves, giving the Human time to get to know the star-- it was the chance of a lifetime.
Banzai turned out to be a lot calmer and down-to-earth than his stage persona. He was incredibly intelligent and well-spoken, and also had a great sense of humor. Keith hadn't really explored his sexuality until his freshman year in college, and it was during that time that he finally acknowledged to himself that he liked men-- that became even more evident when his heart skipped a beat: Banzai asked him out. Keith was eager to say yes... except for one small issue: the Hyena wanted to go out on Friday. Torn between two very appealing options, Keith could only picture his best friend from high school's face and the prospect of getting to see him again-- turning down Banzai was one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do.
Thursday went by in a blur and Friday morning was rushed, the prospect of regret for passing up the opportunity to have dinner with Banzai and see where things went was a constant thought on his mind but, that evening, as Keith walked toward downtown, hands in his pocket, mind a jumble, all of that regret went right out of his mind the moment he saw Wesley.
The Coyote was still thin, but he'd filled out a little since his late teens. Wesley was leaning against the front of a coffee shop, one paw cupped around a paper cup, the other holding a cell, scrolling with his thumb; he had a pair of headphones on, his head bobbing along to whatever was playing. Keith smiled the moment the canine's eyes looked up and met his; Wesley's headphones came off a moment later, his tail swaying back and forth behind him as he smiled sheepishly. "H-hey..."
Keith was all smiles, moving up to give his childhood friend a huge hug. "Wes... man... it's SO good to see you!"
Wesley's ears folded back, the hairless insides reddening slightly at the show of affection as he accepted the hug, sheepishly providing a short, one-two pat on Keith's back in return. "Oh... uh... yeah... heh. It's... been awhile... hasn't it?"
The Human nodded, feeling warmth flow into him in places he hadn't realized were cold. Wes had changed a little physically, but he still recognized the Coyote by his every gesture and expression... he really was the same. Letting out a happy sigh, Keith leaned against the wall next to him. "Yeah... two years... time flies..."
The Coyote turned and tossed his empty cup into the trash can, then faced Keith more directly. "I... uh... thanks for making the time, man. I... I wanted to come earlier, but... uh... you know how things go."
Keith nodded. "Oregon, huh? How long you gonna be up there?"
Wes rubbed the back of his head, ears splayed as he glanced around the street. "Hey... is there somewhere we can go? I don't really like hanging out in front of coffee shops."
Chuckling, the Human nodded, giving his friend a gentle pat on the shoulder. "Sure, Wes... waterfront's just a few blocks from here... come on."
The two began strolling down the street in the afternoon sun. Keith felt giddy as the two got right back into their groove, talking about a little bit of everything and also a lot of nothing-- even with all of the friends he'd made in college, Keith would happily set them all aside for Wesley, and he was joyful that he got his friend back... even if it was only for one afternoon. They settled into a casual pace as their discussions shifted from past to present, and Wesley ultimately asked "So... how's things?"
Keith's smile widened. "Good... they're really good. I'm most of my way through the classes for my degree. How about you?"
Wesley shrugged in response. "Oh... you know... just taking it easy for now. My mom says I'm 'finding myself'... that's the reason for the Oregon trip... I guess."
The Human smired. "You guess? It's your trip and you're not completely sure why you're taking it?"
He knew Wesley well to see when the Coyote was uncomfortable so he didn't really push the issue when his friend changed the topic. "So, uh, how's life been treating you out here in the countryside?"
While the city was hardly 'the countryside', it was definitely smaller than the town in which they'd grown up, so Keith felt no need to correct Wesley. "It's a lot slower than down south... and I like slower. Though, to be honest, most of the school week is still surrounded in the hustle-and-bustle though."
Finally arriving at the walking path by the river, Keith let out a content sigh, leaning against the railing that separated the water from the land. Wesley moved to stand next to him, copying his stance by leaning on the railing as well, eyes examining the gentle flow of the river. The silence stretched on for several seconds-- comfortable, but pregnant. The Coyote finally spoke up. "It's pretty peaceful hear. I've always thought I might enjoy a simpler life like that..."
Keith glanced to his friend, offering a wink. "Eh... I can't complain."
They shared a laugh, followed by more silence, but it was shorter the second time. Turning to face Keith, Wesley asked "What's your major anyways? Maybe we could chat about that?"
Unlike Keith, Wesley had never seemed to like silence between them-- it may have been a side effect of being the middle child in a family with five pups but, for whatever the reason, the Coyote always seemed to want something going on. Smiling, and more than willing to humor the idiosyncrasies of his oldest friend, Keith pushed things forward. "Well... funny you should mention that... I'm focused on a Business degree with a minor in music theory."
Wesley's tail wagged slowly. "That's pretty cool, Keith... what're you gonna do with it when you graduate?"
Unable to restrain his smile, Keith leaned forward, grinning like an idiot. "Do you remember that record label you like? BigYeen?"
Wesley nodded, giving the headphones hanging around his neck a light shake with his free paw. "Sure... I was just listening to one of their artists before we met up... why?"
Keith imagined he was probably grinning like a fool. "I got scouted by some of their executives!"
The Coyote's eyes lit up, his tail wagging so hard it was doing complete circles behind him. "Keith! Oh wow, man!!!" He yelped, glancing around self-consciously before returning his gaze to the Human, voice lowered, but still excited. "O-oh, yeah! I love their roster! That's amazing... congrats, Keith! That's SO cool!"
His friend taking such an interest and being as excited about it warmed Keith to his core. "Thanks... really. Out of everyone I know I figured you'd be able to appreciate it the most... I'm so glad I got to tell you face-to-face."
In one of his rare animated moments, Wesley leaned closer, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, a sly grin on his muzzle. "So... if you're part of BigYeen does that mean you get an inside scoop on secret projects they have cooking?"
Keith laughed at his friends antics, glad that Wesley was finally comfortable enough to joke again. Resting a hand on the Coyote's forearm, the Human tried to calm things down. "Dude... just cuz I got scouted doesn't mean I was hired. They want to see how things go at school and, if I do a good job and get my degree then MAYBE they might have a place for me... but..." grinning, Keith leaned in a little closer, matching Wesley's earlier whisper. "I did get to meet Banzai, lead singer of TLK this week."
Wesley would never have been able to survive the embarrassment of letting out a squeal and, thankfully, the Coyote managed to contain himself enough that it just burbled out like a wheeze. Keith smirked, watching as his friend tried to play it cool, having to swallow a few times before he started gushing. "Really? What? Banzai? That's... that's huge, man! I've always loved TLK's music! What was Banzai like? Was he as intense as he seems on stage?"
Keith laughed at his friend's antics; Wesley's tail was back to wagging excitedly, ears perked up, eyes sparkling. If anything was worth passing up a potential dinner date with the rock star, his friend's face in that moment was worth it. The Human's smile eased significantly as a previously unfelt stress faded. "Yeah... he was totally cool... REALLY nice-- the whole 'bad boy' thing is just an act... he..." Keith cleared his throat, feeling his face flush as he admitted something he hadn't planned to discuss. "...even asked me to dinner... like... in THAT way."
Wesley blushed almost as much as Keith, ears folding back in surprise. The Human expected his friend to be surprised, but marveled at just how much the Coyote stumbled over his words. "Oh? OH@ D-dinner? Wait..." he paused, breathing a few times as if trying to catch his breath. "D-did you say, DINNER? Like... as in... a DATE?"
Keith nodded, feeling himself blush even more. "Yeah... he asked me out on a date."
The Coyote's tail slowly stopped wagging, his ears wilting slightly as his deep brown eyes explored Keith's face. The Human realized that his friend needed time to process, but there was something in his eyes that looked off. Taking a deep breath, the tail picked up again as if it hadn't stopped, an almost hoarse laugh coming out of the Coyote's muzzle. "Oh... wow! That's... that's really cool, Keith. Wow! I'm... I'm really happy for you, man. That's... that's not something that happens every day... Eh heh heh..."
Keith nodded again. "Yeah... I was pretty surprised."
The Coyote fidgeted. "So... uh... you said yes, I bet... When are you guys going out? What do you plan on talking about?"
The Human fidgeted in response. "I... uh... told him 'no', actually."
Giggling almost spastically, Wesley rolled his eyes. "Oh... right... DUH... you're probably not into guys. Eh heh heh."
Keith swallowed the hesitation that was threatening to close off his throat. Gazing out at the sunset on the water, he provided the answer. "Well... I mean... he IS my type... but.. he wanted to go out TONIGHT."
He watched out of the corner of his eye as Wesley's body went rigid, ears up, tail stuck out as if he'd stepped on a nail. "Eh?"
Letting out a sigh, Keith came clean. "I knew you'd be in town, Wes... It's been awhile and I missed you... and... to be honest?" He turned toward his best friend, fighting to keep his emotions stable. "I'd rather spend the time with you."
Wesley's ears slowly rose, as did the thin black lips on either side of his muzzle, eyes brightening as they glimmered in the sunset, tail starting to wag harder. "R-really? But... but he's Banzai-Mother-Fucking Black."
Keith almost laughed at seeing the way the Coyote's ears reddened after he cursed; he really WAS the same Wesley. Smiling, and taking a step closer to his friend, his voice quiet and intimate. "Wes... you just mentioned thinking I wasn't into guys..."
The Coyote quivered, not managing to respond with words, merely a questioning affirmation through his nose. "Mmmhmm?
The Human reached out, taking hold of one of his friend's paws in his hand. "You're Wesley Mother-Fucking-Parish... I had SUCH a crush on you in high school, and I didn't realize it until I moved away. I didn't want you heading up to Oregon without getting a chance to tell you that." When Wesley didn't reply, Keith pushed forward, glancing down at where their hand and paw joined. "I... figured some things out in college but, even so, I... might never have gotten over it-- or you."
The first sound Wesley made was the softest giggle... then a laugh and, despite being the last person Keith ever expected to show any obvious sign of physical interaction, the Coyote wrapped his arms around the Human's shoulders and squeezed him tight, tail wagging so hard Keith didn't know how it didn't propel them up and over the railing and into the river. Wesley's next words were spoken quietly, wavering slightly with emotion. "I... uhm... wanted to meet you here to... say the same thing. I had a c-crush on you, too!"
Keith gently returned the hug and let the Coyote pull back; Wesley sniffled, reaching up with his paw to wipe at the dampness of his eyes. Smiling warmly, the Human let out a soft sigh. "And... how do you feel now?"
The young man didn't need to hear the answer; in that moment he could see it in the way that his best friend looked at him, but, to his credit, Wesley spoke anyway. "Not much changed, Keith... not much at all... and you?"
Smiling, Keith stepped forward, taking a breath, feeling his heart pounding away in his chest. He reached up a hand, brushing it through the fur on the side of Wesley's furry cheek as he looked into the Coyote's eyes. "I've had feelings for you for a long time, Wes. And yeah... they're still here."
Wesley fidgeted, eyes, however, not changing from where they gazed: right back at Keith, as if searching for an answer. His voice came out at barely a whisper. "So... what now? Where do things go from here?"
Keith's free hand gently gripped the Coyote's hip, pulling their bodies closer together, lips only a few inches from muzzle as the Human stated with a soft smirk. "It means that... I'd really like to kiss you... y'know... if that wouldn't seem too gay."
Wesley's ears reddened profusely, barely managing to suppress a giggle as he murmured. "Fag."
It wasn't a 'no'... and their kiss was amazing.