{"sf1_id":613210,"sf2_id":"znJ9q8Bm","title":"Burdens - Chapter 85: Intent","author":"Zerink","words":1274,"posted_at":"2013-11-13T02:34:00.000Z","tags":["Fox","High School","Plot Development","Story Series","Wolf","friends"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/613210-burdens-chapter-85-intent","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/znJ9q8Bm","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/04/df/04df136d-cac0-43b1-b044-55b6be6370ea","description":"#85 of Burdens","content":"Chapter 85: Intent\n\nIt was a normal morning for Roger. The sun shone through just as it usually did into his room, but he was not present to enjoy it. Rather, he had taken his shower, dressed, and was heading to school.\n\nThe walk was short, as it usually was. It felt even shorter now that his mind spun with the thoughts of recent events. They felt odd, unnatural. They felt unbelievable. Indeed, he often had pinched himself to see if he was dreaming, but the only result he gained was sore skin.\n\nIt was a new day, however. Had he imagined it? He still felt a bit guilty and shameful of what he had done before, but the wolf had absolved him of such sins, right?\n\nHe waited outside his classroom as he usually did, hoping that by chance, just maybe, the wolf would show up a bit early, and they could talk. He was anxious and restless. He needed to confirm that it had truly happened.\n\nHowever, it was in vain. He arrived at the normal time and class progressed as usual. He had greeted him like he always did, with that same smile and wag, a greeting that Roger had grown accustomed to, but at the same time, yearned for.\n\nHe waited for the class to finish. It felt like forever, and he caught himself staring at the clock several times, counting seconds in his head. Every time he did, he snapped himself out of it and went back to the material, knowing that if he at least occupied himself with something, time would progress much more quickly.\n\nWhen the class let out, he waited for the wolf outside. Upon exiting, Hunter was pulled off to the side, so as to be sure that no one could see them.\n\n\"What's wrong?\" the wolf asked him.\n\n\"Nothing's, uh... wrong. I just... um... so about yesterday... what happened?\" the fox asked, his voice faltering. He held his head down but kept eyes on his target.\n\n\"What do you mean? We hung out and studied like usual. You said sorry for a bunch of stuff, and then you told me how you felt. Do you mean that?\" the wolf responded.\n\nIt was the confirmation that Roger needed, and he blushed in response, partly from embarrassment of having confessed such a thing to the wolf, and partly because of the regret he felt for having lost so much face.\n\n\"Yeah, that... do you... do you still mean what you said last night?\" Roger asked him.\n\nThe wolf quirked his head. \"Which thing?\"\n\n\"That...\" the fox began, but paused, searching for the words. \"That you, uh... might feel the same way I do?\"\n\nThe wolf smiled, wagged, and nodded. He then leaned in closely and gave the fox a lick on the cheek.\n\nRoger blushed furiously. He was still not used to such an action, and while he enjoyed it, he looked around quickly to see if anyone had seen them. Luckily, no one was present.\n\n\"Y-you can't really... we can't do that in public,\" the fox said, flustered.\n\nThe wolf frowned. \"Why not?\"\n\nRoger shook his head. \"It's just... someone might not like it, you know? It's just... I mean, between two guys, it's not really accepted too well.\"\n\nHunter nodded and looked around. \"No one is here, though.\"\n\nThe fox sighed. \"But someone could have been. Chances are chances. Just have to be careful, okay?\"\n\nThe wolf acquiesced. \"Okay.\"\n\nRoger looked around again, and made sure no one was around. He gestured the wolf to approach, and when he did, he hugged him tightly and gave his neck a soft lick. \"I don't want to lose what we have.\"\n\nThe wolf smiled and touched his nose to the fox, and then turned and went to his next class.\n\nThe fox stood there, feeling almost faint. Touching his nose with the wolf was the closest he had ever been to kissing him, and it enveloped his mind. The more he thought about it, the hotter his face felt, and the more flush it became.\n\nA bell indicated that it was time to go to class. He quickly snapped back to reality and ran to his next class. He had almost been late for the first time.\n\nHe could not focus through his classes, and he would often touch his nose and smile softly to himself. No one seemed to notice, for that he was glad. He had almost forgotten to leave some of the classes until he realized that he was the only one left in the room, and the teacher would ask him if there was a problem.\n\nEven during lunch he was especially quiet. He thought to seek out the wolf, but he wanted to savor what he had before he did something foolish to ruin it.\n\nHe headed home when class was over and waited. The wolf had practice, so he would show up later. While he waited, he spent some time on the computer, talking to the few friends that he had managed to obtain recently.\n\nThe one to whom he confided had now learned of these new developments. He was happy for him, so Roger found out. It was refreshing to be able to tell someone, especially that if they judged him, it would not matter.\n\nHis goals and intentions were questioned. At first, Roger was offended, but upon further explanation, he realized that it was foolish to react that way. What did he see in the future, what would there be if he stayed with the wolf? Where would they go when they went to college? What would they do? How would life progress?\n\nHe had not thought about it as much as he thought he had. He drew blanks and found dead ends, but there were always viable options. The lion on the other end of the line had commended him on his maturity in thinking about such things, instead of merely instant gratification like many do.\n\nStill, there was so much more to plan out.\n\nRoger learned that the lion would be traveling at some point soon. A cross-country sort of venture, and he had wondered if he would pass by the fox. Roger mentioned a town somewhat near him, but not directly his town, and the lion said that he would be near there on one of his stops. Purely business, he had said.\n\nThe fox grew a bit cautious, but, as if reading his mind, the lion told him that he would not appear outside of his school or something similar, and that he was not looking for anything from him. He just threw out the idea that perhaps they could have lunch at some point. After all, he knew so much already about the fox.\n\nHe even said to bring Hunter along, if he so desired. Were it his intent to kidnap them, it would be much more difficult with a football player around. If it ever came to pass, he could merely scout out the place, they would stay in a public setting, and if it was too fishy, he could just send him a text message calling it off.\n\nRoger told him he would think about it. He was given a few weeks to do so, since the trip would not be until then.\n\nNow all the fox could do was wait. Football practice would be over soon, and the wolf would show up. It was the first time they would have any real moment alone after he had told him how he felt. What would be different?\n\nWhat was his intent?\n\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"Burdens","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/611132-burdens-chapter-84-heavy.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/613368-burdens-chapter-86-sanctuary.json"}}