FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter Eight

The soft hum of the jeep's engine mingled with the sound of the radio as Matt drove the canine and the lion to school in the light of the rising sun. Kaipo sat quietly in the backseat, his gaze occasionally straying up to the husky in front of him before darting off out the windows, watching the houses pass by.

"So did you hear the news Kai?"

Kaipo looked up, his head slightly tilting with a quirked brow "What news?" Robert glanced over his shoulder, that warm smile, those crystal blue eyes sending the lion off into another momentary daze before his words shook him from it "Your mom asked my parents to go out to dinner this weekend."

"What?" The lion's heart beat instantly quickened as his ears flicked and an uncontrollable quiver started into him "D-dinner?"

"Yeah, your mom said she wanted to get to know my parents better...or something like that, I think it was." Rob's hand rested to the chin of his muzzle while a thoughtful look overtook him, speaking as he glanced at the equine in the driver's seat "Anyways, I thought ya knew."

"Err...n-no...but...well...c-cool..." Kaipo's response was mumbled swiftly before he swallowed deeply, breathing in deeply a few times for some big exhales to try and calm him. They did little as he peered back up at the canine, now staring at him "You okay Kai?"

"Y-yeah Rob! Honest, I'm fine...just...um...cold back here and all..."

Matthew quirked a brow of his own, sparing a glance back at Kaipo before shrugging faintly, flicking on the heater "That better Kaipo?"

"Yeah...thanks Matt..."

Kaipo limped along through the hallways, casting a few rare glances up to the husky that padded along beside him. Normally his gaze would have been near impossible to tear away, but the revelation he'd be going to dinner with Rob, despite the fact it was with his family, had drained all the ideas he had for telling Rob his feelings. Catching gaze of a fur in the hallway, he perked up a bit, looking over to the canine carrying his bag "Rob, could you take my backpack to class without me? I wanted to stop and talk to someone a few minutes."

"Oh, that's alright, I can wait here with ya."

"Well, it's really...something private..."

Robert quirked a brow, his head leaning a bit to the side "Well...if you say so Kai." The canine patted his shoulder softly, his warm smile returning with the motion "I'll see ya after class then." With that, the husky turned and started off his way down the hallway, leaving the lion there alone a few moments before he limped his way over to the lockers on his crutches "T.K.!"

The Dalmatian glanced up from his locker, shoving a few books in as he caught sight of the approaching feline. A smirk spread across his muzzle, lifting a paw to wave as he shut his locker "Hey Kaipo, what's up?"

"I need your help with something. Can you talk to me after gym?"

"Sure."

Steam wandered through the locker room as the furs began to finish their showers, the sound of talking and laughter floating along with the mists. Kaipo rested his shoulders against the lockers, sitting on the bench with his injured ankle propped out in front of him. His eyes focused on the tiles in front of him, ears twitching faintly with the conversations. What if he doesn't feel that way about me? That'll make the whole dinner, not to mention everything else weird...

The Dalmatian sat down on the bench opposite that of the lion's, settling his forearms onto his thighs. Where as Kaipo was fully dressed at the moment, T.K. was outfitted only in his boxers "What's up Kaipo? You look upset."

"I'm just nervous about all this. I want to tell Rob today, but...I found out his family is having dinner with mine this weekend...and..."

"And?" T.K. quirked a brow, leaning forwards towards the lion as Kaipo glanced up "Look Kaipo, as I see it already, if he doesn't feel that way, I'd imagine Rob will at least respect your feelings. I don't see the point of all this nervousness."

"What nervousness?" Both furs glanced up, finding a feline standing there beside them in the isle between the lockers, his rather muscled form attired in just a towel wrapped around his waist, held up by his paws on his waist. Justin had a brow raised as he glanced between the pair, resting them on T.K. as he answered, "Kaipo wants to tell Rob how he feels for him." Kaipo's mouth dropped open, glaring at the canine as the feline sat down next to him "Well, why hasn't he?" The response gained another surprised look from the lion, tilting his head forwards a bit to catch Justin's gaze "What?"

"What do you mean, what? Come on Kaipo, I'm your best friend. How could I not know?"

"I...just..." Kaipo sighed softly, shaking his head "Why is it everyone else knows but Rob?"

"Just tell him Kai. If he's not interested, he'll understand." Justin patted Kaipo's shoulder with his paw, giving it a little squeeze "And if he is, well..."

The engines of the jeep hummed, mingling once more with the sounds of the radio. Kaipo's gaze wandered as the vehicle rode slowly down among the suburbs, shifting from the houses passing by to the canine in the passenger seat. He fidgeted in his seat, running his fingers along the seat belt, tugging it and letting it snap back against his chest. Every few minutes, he'd take a deep breath, calming himself and the shivers that were dominating him through the ride. As his house came into view, his heart began to pump faster. Now. His eyes lifted up to Rob before glancing to the equine next to him. Now. He shook his head, collecting his crutches as the jeep rolled to a stop beside the sidewalk. Rob pushed his door open, stepping around and opening the door, gathering up Kaipo's bag before making his way around the jeep to the feline's door, pulling it open for him. Now. Unbuckling himself, Kaipo climbed out from the jeep and set his crutches down with a bit of help from Robert, the canine almost lifting the lion out of the jeep.

"Thanks Rob..." Kaipo gave a smile up to the husky, getting his warm one in return "Of course Kai." Now! The lion limped along on his crutches beside the husky, each sharing a few warm smiles on the walkway to the door before pausing in front of it "Rob, I..." Kaipo's head tilted back a bit, his eyes falling into those crystal blue orbs of the canine's "I..." That warm smile spread across the white muzzle, Rob's head tilted a bit to one side as he nodded "What is it Kai?" Now!

"I...just...um...wanted to say...well...I..."

"Wanted to say what?"

Say it! Fucking say it!

Panic had struck the lion, his form trembling as the gentle warm gusts of the approaching evening swirled about the pair on the doorstep. His breath's pace quickened, his eyes darted this way and that as his mind screamed to him.

DO IT!

Kaipo urged himself forwards, his form lifting up to his tip toes for just a moment. Curling his fingers tighter around the gripes of his crutches, his claws faintly dug into them, squeezing the spongy material on the handles tight. His tail, his entire body seemed to tense, save for his muzzle, his lips. His eyes shut tight, seeming to wince internally immediately afterwards.

His eyes had to open, to prove to himself that it had happened. Forcing his eyelids back, he pressed a bit further forwards while his eyes widened, finding his lips firm to those of the husky before him, the warm touch of a firm, lingering kiss slowly traversing the full of his body. The lion finally manages to pull himself from the magnetic touch, his mouth dropping open faintly with a look of almost horror at the fact that stared him in the face from the seemingly shocked husky in front of him.

He had kissed Rob.

Without so much a word, the lion's gaze darted away, grabbing hold of his backpack and pulling his door open, fleeing to within his house, leaving Robert standing silently a few moments more on the doorste