How they met
#21 of Writing group challenges
Hello people of the internet, here is another prompt story from me. while at first i had the opetion of continuing the last story i posted, i didn't want to ruin the ambiguity i left it on, so i did something else instead. it gave me a chance to try something just to see if i can work it out so this is what i came up with.
This Week's Writing Challenge: "It was the strangest meet-cute ever."
"Gentlemen," the lion, Andrew, spoke out, "I would like to make a toast for our two lovers here, Keaton and Grover. They have been together for five years and that is an accomplishment worthy of a drink."
The raven, Zack, scoffed at the lion's theatrics, "like you needed to tell us that." All the people at this little party raised their beer cans in solidarity and gave a halfhearted 'cheer' as though they were already halfway drunk.
While small, this party was for the two men who just announced their marriage to each other. The lovely couple thought their friends should be the first to know of such a thing and gathered them around.
The elephant, Abdul, emptied his beer can and crushed it with his trunk. "Still kind of amazed this happened." Abdul eyed the couple, "So who proposed first?"
The rhino, Keaton, raised his hand, "It was actually me who did it."
"Woohoo, that's a shocker." Abdul used his long trunk and grabbed another beer from the case, "I would always imagine Groover doing it first. I still remember when we were younger I had to drag Keaton by the neck to do anything fun."
The Bison spoke up, "Hey, give Keaton a little credit. He has come a long way from before." Groover gave his fiancee a little peck on the cheek, causing the rhino to blush a bit.
"Oh really?" the tiger, Harely, smirked. "So you're telling me that Keaton can now watch scary movies without running out of the room screaming his head off."
Keaton just huffed at the accusation, "That has nothing to do with anything. I haven't done that since middle school."
"Oh ho, so you don't mind if we watch the movie I found then? One that is being nominated as horror of the year?"
"N-no, but since this is our engagement party, i think we should watch something more cheery and all." The room fills with the laughs of the guests who have gathered for the event.
The laughter was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing throughout the house, "And that will be the pizzas." Groover stood up, "Try not to embarrass my husband-to-be too much while I am gone." he left the room.
Muhammed, a wolf, spoke up, "So how did you two meet?"
"You mean me and Groover?"
Andrew finished his beer, "Yeah, I don't know the story as well. You two were already together when I joined the group."
"So come on already," Zack exclaimed, "tell us how you met."
Keaton, feeling a bit confident, spoke up, "Well it's not an interesting story to be honest, but if you do want to know I can tell it."
###(Keaton version)
It was five years ago. I remember being done with finals already and just wanting to relax and have fun. On campus, there was a sort of bar or club or something called the Rainbow Hideout that was really getting popular at the time, so I figured it would be good to have a drink or two while I was there.
When I first arrived at that place, it was fully packed. Patrons everywhere and all eyes on me. They might not have seen Rhinos before with how they were all looking at me, a hunger in their eyes that even I could feel.
Granted I wanted to return the favor and give them all a show, but like every performer I needed fuel so I went to the bar to get a drink and something to bite on.
That is when I saw him. At the other end of the bar, I saw Groover. Nursing a drink in one hand and a cell phone in the other, looking bored out of his mind.
I walked over to him, moving the people out of the way as I slid myself next to him. "Hey baby," I said with a cool, collected tone, "you look like someone in need for some fun."
Slowly he turned to me, blushing, paralyzed by how rugged and handsome I was. "Oh my," he said, "when did you get here?"
"Just now," I raised an arm and flexed it, showing off my muscles, "I saw that you were in need of some company, you handsome man."
Groover looked at me, clearly struggling to not throw himself onto me at every moment, "Oh my aren't you a smooth talker."
I saw the drink he was nursing, "It seems like you're almost out," I raised a hand to get the attention of the bartender, "Barkeep, gimme your strongest stuff. A real man drinks." The bartender nodded and started making it.
Groover looked at me, eyes filled with lust and wanton desires, "Can you handle such a thing?"
"Of course," I said as the barkeep gave me my drink. In a single gulp, Id owned the school(???), the burning feeling not even affecting me.
With that I returned my attention to Groover, "Now, my little bison, let me show you how it feels to have a real man in you."
###(present day)
The story was interrupted by Groover's laughter, "Really, that is how you remember it?"
Keaton was flustered, "Come on babe, that's how it happened."
The party guests cleared the table enough to allow Groover to set down the pizza boxes, "Oh really, that's not how I remember it going down. For one, I wasn't swooning when we first met.
Harley just laughs, "yeah, I can't imagine Keaton even saying that stuff with a straight face."
"You'll be surprised, " Abdul said, opening the boxes of pizza, "around that time Keaton was going through a phase where he thought those kinds of lines got him laid. He practiced saying those lines a lot until he could say them naturally."
"Oh really," Zack smirked, "must have been a fun way to pass time."
Muhammed started piling on the meat lover's pizza on his plate, "so how do you remember the night going down then, Groover?"
"Yeah, If I am remembering it wrong, what does yours say?" Keaton said, grabbing his share of pizzas.
"Well," Groover said, "here is how I remember it going down."
###(Groover story)
I wouldn't repeat the setting and time since I was in a similar spot. I had finished finals and wanted a place to wind down. Earlier that month, I had just broken up with a boyfriend and wanted to try dating again since I had more free time now. I had heard of the Rainbow Hideout and thought it would be a nice place to go look for a partner.
I went there earlier, probably around the time they opened if I recall correctly. I ordered a drink and tried to talk to the other patrons, but most weren't interested in me or were just too boring to talk to. Not long after that, i was at the bar messing with my phone.
That is when Keaton slid next to me on the bar, "hey babe," he said in a tone a jock in old movie talked, "you looked like you are in the mood for some fun."
I wasn't paying attention at first so the voice caught me by surprise, "gah, when did you get here?"
"Just now," Keaton raised his arm and started flexing it, "you looked like you were in need of some company, beautiful man."
I just rolled my eyes, "my aren't you a smooth talker." At the time I just assumed he was one of those frat boys I saw from time to time. The ones that believe they were every gay guys jerking fantasy and showing off for the bros.
While I was trying to figure out how to excuse myself from the conversation he spoke again, "looks like your drink is empty." before he said anything he yelled out, "hey we need a refill over here and give me your strongest stuff."
I sighed internally as I figured it, if I couldn't get away, might as well get another drink on this guy's dollars. The barkeep fills his order and gives me another cocktail.
Then Keaton did a stupid thing and decided to down the entire glass in one gulp. He made a face before turning to me, "now then, why don't," he stopped covering his mouth. "Why don't we-"
I knew where this was going and took a step away before Keaton just vomited the drink onto a horse that happened to walk by.
"What the fuck," the horse said before sucker punching Keaton in the face.
###(present day)
The guests at the party started to laugh at Groover's story. Muhammad spoke first, "man, Keaton made an ass of himself and still got a second date out of you."
Groover wrapped his arm around Keaton, "not at first, Once Keaton started to fight back, I attempted to break it up. Then the horse punched me in the face and Keanton and I teamed up to fight him."
Keaton leaned into Groover, "I remember what happened next. Police came and arrested the three of us and we got taken into custody. We ended up sharing a holding cell and since we had nothing better to do we got to talking."
Groover laughed, "yeah, just talking."
Harley just eyed them suspiciously, "uh huh, you guys just talked and that got you a second date."
"Yep just talking."
"Really then?" Zack said, " so the bison and rhino I saw having sex in the holding cell i saw five years ago weren't you two?"
The room filled with woops and hollers from the guest as the two just blush and looked away from them. "Holy fucking shit Keaton," Abdul exclamed, "I knew we had talked about doing it but I never thought you would actually do it." Abdul was struggling to hold back the tears from laughing so hard.
"For real," Andrew said, "whenever I talked about something sex related, you two where the first to try and shut it down. What a couple of hypocrites."
Muhammud looks at Zack, "even knowing that you became friends with them?"
"I never actually saw their faces that night. By the time I met those two again, I had more or less forgotten the whole thing had happened. The story just now just reminded me of it."
"Oh then you can be the best man at the wedding Zack, you were definitely the first to know they sealed the deal." the room filled with loud laughter as Zack slightly started to look redder.
"There is something I just remembered," Keaton said, "Abdul, I remember us going to the place together, where were you when the fight went down?"
Abdul just sipped his beer, "out around the back fucking some twink deer that rubbed my trunk." more laughing from the guests.
"So while we were having a cute rom com story, you were out around back having your own porno adventure? What a wonderful friend you are."
Abdul just shrugs, "hey by the time I was done with him, you were already arrested, but hey, at least you got ass that night."
Groover just smiled, "no he didn't."