FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

With a creak, Raymond opened his front door. He poked his head outside, scanning over the various plant and insect life scattered around him. One step after another, he slowly made his way out of his house as the sun shone down from above. A quick look to his left and his right allowed him to release the breath in his chest. No one's around. Perfect. He quickly made his way past the Plaza and fountains towards the beach. His eyes perked up as his target came into view. Just before the sand, Marshal sat at a bench that faced the ocean, his attention drawn to the book in his hands.

With a flutter in his chest, Raymond pressed his back to a tree. He proceeded to draw in a deep breath before slowly letting it out. "You've got this, Raymond," he muttered to himself while puffing out his chest. He looked back at Marshal again, sighing as he watched him scratch the back of his head. "It's now, or never!" He left his cover and walked towards the bench. Raymond casually leaned against the side of it while catching Marshal's attention.

"Oh. Hey, Raymond."

The feline tore off his glasses, shaking his head and looking at Marshal with a smoldering gaze as he said, "And hello to you too," desperately hoping he was making eye contact.

The squirrel glanced at him for another moment before getting back to reading.

Raymond quickly put his glasses back on and brushed back his hair. "What a beautiful day, today is. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Yeah, that's why I'm out here... reading my book."

"Y-yes, of course! Just like always! Always reading your book out here!"

"Yeah, and I like to-" Marshal suddenly stopped and looked over to Raymond. "What do you mean, 'Just like always'?"

Raymond froze on the spot before quickly turning towards the sea. "Man, the ocean's so great, isn't it?" He took a couple steps toward the beach, hands on his sides. "Island life's so much better than the city! It's so nice and quiet!" he shouted while drawing in a deep breath of the ocean air.

"It was nice and quiet..."

"And that's the beauty of it!" Raymond said in a drastically softer tone as he turned back around. "Island life is whatever you make it out to be, wouldn't you agree?"

With a sigh, Marshal took his bookmark and placed it on his page before closing the book. "Can I help you with something?" he asked with a tired gaze. "I'm kind of in the middle of this..."

As a jolt hit his stomach, Raymond said, "Y-yes, of course! I uh... um..." He froze again before letting out the breath in his chest. "Is this seat taken?" he calmly asked, pointing to the bench.

Marshal looked to the empty area next to him and back to Raymond before motioning to the seat.

"O-okay, thank you." Raymond quickly sat himself down, rubbing his cufflinks as he now had Marshal's undivided attention. "So..."

"So...?"

"Are you, uh... are you doing anything later tonight?

"...No? I don't think so, anyway."

"Oh, good! Cause, uh... I don't have plans either!"

Marshal and Raymond briefly stared at each other before the squirrely added, "And?"

"Y-yes, And! And, uh..." Raymond drew in a deep breath, and said, "I-I-I was wondering if... maybe... Maybe you'd l-like to-"

"Raymond, I really just wanted to read my book in peace, so-"

"My place?" Raymond blurted out so quickly that neither of them could process his proposal.

"You... huh?"

"I... I was wondering if you'd like t-to go to my place tonight? We could just... spend time together... have dinner... look at the stars, maybe?" Raymond fidgeted with his thumbs before looking back at the squirrel. "What do you say?"

Marshal blankly stared at him before turning away. "Raymond. Be serious here. You sound like you're asking me on a date or something."

Raymond could feel his heart start to descend. "What... I... I am."

As a shockwave passed through Marshal's body, he slowly turned to look at Raymond. "You... you are?"

"Yes... I am," he replied as a small smile formed on his face.

Marshal stared at him for a moment before his gaze narrowed and he asked, "Why?"

"W-why? Uh... Well..." he paused to chuckle. "You sure know how to put a guy on the spot."

With a huff, Marshal stood up, turning to leave. "Don't waste my time like this. I'm not stupid, you know."

A crack formed within the feline's heart. "Wh-what?"

"Goodbye, Raymond."

"W-wait, wait!" He quickly crawled forward on the bench, reaching out his arm. "I think you're cute, okay?"

Marshal stopped in place, pausing before turning back around and giving a gaze of suspicion.

"Th-that's not all..." Raymond brushed his hair back. "I... I like how you carry yourself around here. You're confident in yourself. You can get along with anyone, but you're not afraid to call out your friends if they're being jerks. And... every time I see you, I can just feel my heart pound a little extra harder. I end up thinking about you when I'm alone, wondering what you're up to, too. I just... I like you! I really like you, Marshal!"

Over the course of Raymond's explanation, Marshal's expression slowly softened from one of cynicism to shock.

"A-and I knew you were out here because I wanted to find an opportunity to tell you this, because I know you don't like making a spectacle of yourself. I just... I..." Raymond sighed and slumped against the bench. He could feel his heart race as he looked at Marshal. "I don't know what else to say, I just... I like you... and I would like to go on a date with you..."

When Marshal finally blinked, he looked to the floor and briefly kicked at the sand. "I, uh..." His gaze kept darting around the floor until he finally looked back into Raymond's vulnerable eyes. He rubbed the back of his neck as he asked, "Can I, uh... have some time to think about it?"

Instantly, Raymond perked up as his eyes went wide and his ears shot up. "Y-y-yes! Absolutely!"

"Let's uh... let's say I do wanna go out. What time and where?"

"My place at sundown!"

"Okay."

"Okay!"

Both men stayed there silently for a moment longer.

"So... I'm gonna go now..."

"Y-yes, of course! I'll... see you later?"

Marshal kicked at the sand again. "Maybe. I reserve the right not to show up, okay?"

"I understand. I won't force you," Raymond replied while enthusiastically nodding.

"Alright. Until next time." Marshal waved his hand and proceeded to walk away.

Raymond watched him walk for a moment before turning to look towards the ocean. "Next time..." he repeated, still processing the recent chain of events. That was when his smile started to form and he took off running in the opposite direction. He traveled along the paths leading into the heart of the island before finally coming across a beige house with a black roof. As he skidded to a stop in front of the blue door, he quickly knocked on the door several times before fidgeting in place as he waited. The doorknob slowly turned as Dotty peered out from inside.

"Raymond?" she began, wiping at her eye and yawning. "What's going on?"

"H-h-he said maybe!"

Dotty's eyes quickly turned red and her grogginess vanished. "Inside. Now."

Raymond hurried inside while Dotty looked around outside before quickly shutting the door and locking it. Quick as a flash, she grabbed two glasses of fruit-infused water and placed them at her long table before sitting at one end. Raymond sat himself down at the other end while Dotty took a drink from her glass.

"Okay, so spill. What happened?"

That was when Raymond carefully detailed everything that had just taken place, with Dotty listening closely and staying silent the entire time.

"So... now we're here," Raymond said, looking down at the table and still fidgeting.

"Hm, hm. Yes, I see." Dotty nodded and took another drink. Then she smiled and slammed her hands on the table before leaning forward as Raymond leaned back as his hair stood on-end. "O.M.G. I'm so proud of you! That like, took a lot of guts!"

"Th-thanks," Raymond replied as he relaxed and a blush spread across his face. "It was rather tense. I thought he was just gonna storm off." He looked down at the table, staring at his drink. "But now... what if he doesn't wanna show?"

"Raymond..."

"I dumped all this on his lap at once. What if I scared him off, and now he doesn't want to go anywhere near me? What if he calls me a dork and won't speak to me anymore?" He rested his head in his hands. "He's gonna turn me down, and then I'll be back at square one..."

Dotty loudly put her drink on the table before standing up and walking around the table towards Raymond. "Get up," she commanded while looking down on him. "Come on. Right now."

Raymond looked up and slowly got to his feet, averting his gaze.

"We're gonna bring out the beast within you!"

The feline looked back at her, staring blankly. "Come again?"

"Give me your best roar!"

"My... roar?"

"Yeah! Show me what you got!"

"You're serious?"

"Yes, now give me a roar!"

Raymond's gaze shifted all over the room before he gave a meek and confused exhale.

Dotty stared at him for a moment before shaking her head. "Your ancestors are rolling in their graves!" Gripping Raymond by the shoulders, she drew in a very deep breath and proceeded to loudly roar in Raymond's face. Upon finishing, she put on a narrow gaze while looking into his confused eyes. "Life wants to take your crush away from you! It's gonna whisk him off his feet and take him home and feed him cookies and give him kisses while you watch! Now try again, gimme your best shot!"

Raymond made a slightly louder exhale this time, almost having a voice into it.

"Not good enough! Life is gonna give him a fab massage and make him a million grilled cheese sandwiches! Now, fight for him!" She proceeded to yell once more, and this time started to shake him by the shoulders.

Upon her stopping, he tried again, this time it being a low yell.

"Keep trying!" She roared once more.

Raymond started to get louder.

Both Raymond and Dotty then began trying to out-roar each other, even starting to march around the house and pump their arms while doing so. Both were nearly equal in volume when suddenly a loud banging came at her door. They immediately stopped and looked at each other before Dotty went to answer it. She opened it enough in order to peer out and see a less-than-pleased Cesar standing before her.

"C-Cesar, hello! What a surprise!" she said while flashing a grin.

The gorilla peered inside and saw Raymond, who quickly waved his hand upon making eye contact. His gaze narrowed as he looked down at Dotty and said, "I don't know, nor care about what you're doing. But as long as no one's getting murdered, keep it down. Understand?"

"Y-yes! Sorry, Cesar! It won't happen again!"

With a huff, he turned away and marched off as Dotty quietly closed the door.

She turned to Raymond, the both of them staring at each other in silence until she started to laugh. Soon, he started laughing as well. And then the both of them had a laughing fit as they even rolled on the floor until they came back to their senses. Dotty was the first to sit upright, as she said, "Feel better?"

Raymond adjusted his glasses before replying, "A little. I appreciate it."

Dotty walked towards Raymond and sat in front of him. "You can do this," she said with a smile. "He could totes say no, and you stay friends, but like, you'll feel better having done so. Trust me!"

Leaning back, Raymond looked to the ceiling as images of Marshal passed through his mind. They continued to make him smile as his chest grew fuzzier. "You're right," he replied as he sighed and got to his feet. "I don't wanna mess this up, so..." he put his hands on his hips and smiled. "I guess I'd better give it my all!"

"You've got this, Raymond!" She got up and moved closer to give him a hug. "And like, if it doesn't work, we can totes get a bunch of ice cream, okay?"

"Cookies and cream?"

"As if there are any better flavors!"

They both chuckled for a moment before Raymond walked towards the door. "Thanks again, Dotty. I'll let you know how it goes later!"

The rabbit followed him as he headed out and waved before walking back to his house. She stood at her doorway as he walked away, pausing to reach for a small silver key that hung around her neck. She smiled and blushed as she looked it over. "Good luck, Raymond," she said to herself as she went back inside. " I know it'll work for you."

---

"Maybe. I reserve the right not to show up, okay?"

"I understand. I won't force you," Raymond replied while enthusiastically nodding.

"Alright. Until next time." Marshal began walking away, focusing on the path ahead of him. It wasn't until he heard retreating footsteps that he turned around. As soon as he saw Raymond running away, he quickly exhaled and also began running in the opposite direction. He went along path after path until he came across a beige house with a red roof. He approached and quickly knocked on the brown door, quickly scanning his surroundings for any watchful eyes. The door gently creaked open, showing Melba as she peered out.

"Oh, good morning, Marshal," she greeted with a smile.

Marshal was still blushing as he looked around. "I need to talk to you, now. Is that okay?"

Melba blinked a couple times before saying, "It's a bit of a mess inside..."

"I couldn't care less. This is really important."

Well... okay." She stepped aside to let him in. "I'm sorry you had to see me living like this," she added as she picked up a pillow in the middle of an otherwise spotless interior.

He went to go sit down at her Long Table, looking down as his face continued to be a red mess.

"Would you like anything to drink?" she asked while opening the fridge.

"Uh- Water's fine."

Melba nodded while retrieving two glasses of water and joined him at the table. "So, tell me what's on your mind."

He let out a long sigh as he replied, "It... it was Raymond..."

"Yes? What about him?"

"H-he... He, uh... " Marshal swallowed the lump in his throat as he recalled the events, as well.

Melba gasped, putting her hands to her face. "Goodness! What did you tell him?"

"I... didn't yet. Not really."

"Then what will you do?"

Marshal leaned back on the floor, covering his eyes with his hands. "I don't know," he groaned. "I wanted to forget about things like this, and now it's all coming back to me at once!" Glancing over at Melba, he asked, "What should I do?"

"I can't give you that answer," she replied with a shake of her head. "You've got to figure it out for yourself." This answer made Marshal groan again as he started to roll back and forth. She sat next to him. "Well, how do you feel about him?"

"I don't know! I mean... he's... alright, I guess. But he's just... he's..."

"Yes?"

"A dork! He tries so hard to act cool, and then he always falls flat on his face. Like, who is he trying to impress out here? We're not in the office, he doesn't need to score any brownie points!"

"But that doesn't seem to stop you from saying 'no', right?"

Marshal paused and let his arms rest on the floor. "It's a lot to think about..."

In the ensuing silence, Melba moved closer to him. "Marshal, I want to ask you something. Is that alright?"

"You just did." This got Melba to start chuckling, which put a smile on Marshal's face. "Alright, sure."

"Imagine this: How would you feel if Raymond moved away tomorrow?"

Marshal blinked in surprise and slowly sat upright, staring at Melba as she continued.

"Say that tomorrow we looked outside and his house is gone, replaced with a for-sale sign. He'd be off to who-knows-where, and no telling if we'd ever see him again. If that happened tomorrow, how would you feel?"

After listening intently, he looked at the floor again. He started thinking of that very scenario, seeing himself walk through the island, still catching bugs, reading books, all his normal daily activities. But another creeping feeling set in. Imagining his daily routine in a Raymond-less island caused a hole to open in his chest. Eventually, he rolled onto his stomach and groaned into the floor once more. "You're way too good at this."

Another chuckle escaped Melba's lips. "It's just my way of being helpful." Marshal stayed facing the floor, which prompted her to ask, "Have you figured it out?"

Slowly, Marshal sat upright. "I think so."

Melba smiled and nodded. "For what it's worth, I think Raymond means well underneath his enthusiasm."

"That's one way to put it," Marshal chuckled. "The guy can sure be the center of attention when he wants it, but then... he's not horrible to be around either."

"Then you've got a decision to make."

With a nod, Marshal got to his feet. "I do. Thanks, Melba."

The koala stood up and walked with Marshal as he headed towards the door. He stopped and turned to her.

"You know... if I didn't know any better, I'd say you've been in the same boat."

"Oh, perhaps. Everyone has their secrets," she responded while playing with the locked charm on her necklace.

Marshal smiled and replied, "Everyone sure does. I'll see you later, then." He began walking away as Melba smiled and waved. As more images of Raymond passed through his mind, causing him to smile as he headed towards his home.

---

As soon as Raymond got home, he immediately got to work cleaning up his house. He frantically began dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, wiping, and scrubbing for any spots inside. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he looked around his house and heaved a pleased sigh as every inch was now spotless. Looking outside, he saw that the sun was nearly setting, so he instead opted to sit on his couch.

He proceeded to wait. And wait. And wait. All the while, he kept examining his surroundings for any imperfections, but found none. Raymond even began looking out the window on occasion, but still didn't see Marshal. "Just gotta wait." Eventually, the sun had gone out of sight, leaving Raymond to sit in the darkening house. His head drooped slightly as he grumbled, "Guess I should start making dinner..." He dragged himself over to his fridge, pulling out a jar of alfredo sauce. The stinging in his eyes became more apparent as he walked towards his pantry for a box of noodles, but then he shook his head. "I didn't do anything wrong. This just... happens..." he reasoned while wiping his eyes. As he drew in several deep breaths, he said, "I'll be okay."

A sudden knock at the door caused him to whip around as his heart skipped a beat. Cautiously, he walked towards the front of his house, where he lightly placed his hand on the doorknob and pulled the door open. He looked out and smiled as Marshal stood there, hands in his pockets and a small smile on his face. "Y-you're here! Hello!"

"Yep, sure am."

"Please, come in!" Raymond stepped to the side and ushered Marshal indoors, a swarm of butterflies beating around in his chest. He looked down at Marshal, who was inspecting his house.

"Were you just sitting in the dark, or something?"

Raymond suddenly snapped himself to reality. "N-no! Or course not! I just- let me get the lights for you!" He quickly scampered to his light-switches and turned on the lighting all around. "Ta-da! Welcome to Casa de Raymond!" he exclaimed with his hands in the air.

Marshal looked around at the office supplies, whiteboards, computer desk area, and various other work-related supplies around him. "You're a workaholic, aren't you?"

"It, uh... it helps me feel like my old home," Raymond replied as he tensed up.

"That's a little sad." He looked back over to the feline, whose chipper mood seemed to falter. "B-but uh... you do you, I guess. I'm not living your life." That was when his stomach started to grumble. He quickly looked away as a smile appeared on Raymond's face.

"Shall I make us dinner?"

"You can cook?"

"Not a whole lot, but enough to impress a client! What do you say?"

"Yeah... sounds good to me."

Raymond strode towards his kitchen to pull out pots, pans, flour, eggs, a block of parmesan, and a stick of butter. "This could take a little bit, so feel free to make yourself at home!" he called out as he got to work.

Marshal wandered towards the kitchen area, where he saw Raymond get a pot of salted water ready for boiling as he set up a small machine with a crank-lever on his countertop. Separating the two men was a divider with stools next to it, so he sat down and watched as Raymond diligently began portioning flour and gathering eggs. He looked to his right and saw the box of noodles and jar of sauce sitting there. "Were you gonna do something with these?"

Raymond suddenly jumped and whipped around. "O-oh! Uh, I was, but... y-you really don't have to watch if you don't want to. This could take me some time."

"I don't mind, if you don't. I wanna see you cook." Marshal replied, leaning over the countertop and resting his head on his hands.

After a moment of staring, Raymond smiled and said, "Well, okay! This'll be worth the wait, trust me!" He started getting to work, but stopped and turned back around. "I have a better idea," he said before he began moving all the ingredients near the countertop where Marshal sat. "Now you can really watch me cook!"

As Raymond began lugging the machine over to the opposite side, Marshal asked, "So why all the office supplies, anyway? What's the real story?"

"Well, uh..." Raymond had started making a small mound of flour, gently creating a well in the middle to crack eggs into. "I was a pretty busy office worker, back home. I... pretty much lived there more often than my apartment."

Marshal watched Raymond slowly stir the eggs together, gradually mixing the flour into it as it began to thicken. "And what made you come all the way out here?"

"There was this point where I started to realize that I hadn't really been living before then. It was all just business, numbers, and data, for me. All day, all night. Then one day, I was just browsing TV one day and I saw a commercial for the Deserted Island Getaway Package." He paused as he now had a solid mass of dough, kneading and flattening it as best as he could before sprinkling flour on it. "I guess something clicked for me then, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. So I eventually saved up what I needed, handed in my two-weeks, and then I arrived here!"

With a nod, Marshal watched as Raymond brought the mass of dough towards one of the machines from before. "What'cha making, anyway?"

A glint shined in Raymond's eyes as he replied, "Home-made Fettuccine Alfredo! I never had much time to cook before, but here I can do it any time!" He slid the dough into the device, cranking the lever in a circle as the dough became flattened through it. Afterwards he slid it into the opposite side, turning the crank again as the dough became strands of pasta noodles.

"Why not just use those?" Marshal asked, motioning to the store-bought noodles and sauce from before.

"I... could, but I wanted to do something special for you," Raymond replied with a smile and slightly-rosey cheeks.

A fuzzy sensation passed through Marshal as he refocused his attention to the cooking.

"So... what about you?"

The squirrel looked back up.

"What brought you to this island, I mean."

"Oh, uh, I just wanted to try something new. This seemed like a good idea, so I thought I'd go for it."

"I guess we all wanted something new, huh?" Raymond replied with a chuckle. He looked over the water, checking the heat as it still hadn't begun boiling yet. "Sorry that I'm not terribly exciting, right now. I like to focus on cooking, is all."

"Don't worry about it," Marshal said with a wave of his hand. "I don't mind just watching. It's like my own, private cooking show."

Another chuckle from Raymond. "Well, I'm pretty glad to hear that!" As the water remained still, he began grating a small pile of parmesan.

"So how is it to have different colored eyes?"

"Well... I get stared at more than others. Some kids used to try making fun of me for it. You'd think the whole 'being smart and by the book' deal would be the first things they'd make fun of, but they sure didn't wanna leave any stone unturned."

Marshal's gaze slowly drifted to the countertop as he rested his head on his hands. "Yeah, guess so."

Raymond looked up for a moment before going back to grating cheese. As the silence persisted, he began cutting the block of butter into slices, placing them into two bowls, and finally started cooking the pasta in the now-boiling water. It didn't take much longer for it to be cooked as he took out the noodles and placed them into the dishes, mixing equal amounts of the parmesan into both bowls. As soon as he stirred them around and placed a fork in both mounds of pasta, he delightedly placed both bowls on the divider, then went off to the refrigerator to retrieve a bottle of cider. He uncorked the bottle and poured two glasses, placing them near each dish, then finally sat down. "Voila! Dinner is served!"

Marshal looked over the dish, twirling some noodles on his fork and looking it over. Then he looked at Raymond, who smiled and watched expectantly. "So... you just put the noodles into butter and cheese?"

"Yep!"

The squirrel glanced over to the jar of alfredo sauce. "Have you... made this before?"

"I have, yes! It's better than it sounds, trust me!"

After giving both Raymond and the fork-full of pasta a brief stare, Marshal gave a cautious bite. It took only two bites before his eyes shot wide. He looked back at the bowl, then back to Raymond, who was now all smiles. "But... it's just butter and cheese. How did you... I..."

"I told you so!" Raymond said with a chuckle as he began eating his bowl of pasta.

Both men continued to eat the pasta while jovially talking about themselves, even helping themselves to seconds. Eventually the clink of their forks hitting the rim of their bowls went off as they both sighed and leaned over the countertop.

"So much pasta... but so much good pasta," Raymond uttered.

"You got that right," Marshal added as he stifled a burp. "Didn't think you could cook that well."

"It's a recipe I got online. I'll send it to you sometime." Raymond sat himself upright before standing up, gathering all of the dishware, and taking it to the sink to begin washing.

Marshal also sat upright. "So what next?"

A pause passed as Raymond hummed to himself. "I... I have an idea, actually." He grabbed a towel to dry his hands. "It's cooled off considerably, outside. W-would you like to watch the stars with me?"

"The stars?" Marshal began as he looked out a window. "You do that?"

"Once in a while, when I want to enjoy the stillness of the night. What do you say?"

Marshal looked at the countertop for a moment, tapping his fingers, until he shrugged and said, "Sure. Why not?"

What a smile, Raymond replied, "Great! Wait right here, then!" He immediately ran off, deeper into his house, towards his bedroom, where he pulled out a large, rolled-up red-and-white blanket. As it dragged on the floor, he walked back towards Marshal, presenting it towards him. "This way they grass won't keep poking us!"

"Sounds good to me." Marshal got to his feet, putting his hands in his pockets. "Lead the way, then."

Raymond nodded as he led Marshal back outside, both men meeting the gentle breeze of the night sky. He started patting around the grass, checking for any dampness. When none was to be found, He rolled out the blanket, between two trees, and sat down as Marshal took the spot to Raymond's right.

While Marshal stared above, Raymond stared at him, smiling pleasantly as he studied over his beau in the glow of the moonlight.

"So do you memorize the constellations of something?" the squirrel asked, looking back at him.

"Oh... not really. I just like looking at them." Raymond admitted with a chuckle. "I'm sure if I took the time, though, I could do it." Then it was quiet again. The sounds of the insects flying around filled their ears as Raymond looked over at Marshal. His gaze moved over to his hand. After swallowing the lump in his throat, Raymond moved closer to him, just slightly enough that Marshal never noticed. His face grew warmer as he inched his hand towards the squirrel's. For a moment, he lifted his gaze up and briefly met Marshal's. That was when he swatted away at the space behind him. "Ha! Take that, bugs!" he exclaimed, causing Marshal to look behind. "That was a close one..."

"Oh, wow. That was close. Thanks."

Pausing for a moment, Raymond looked down to see a centipede retreating into the grass. "D-don't mention it!" He started to laugh nervously as he quickly scanned the grass for any legitimate signs of life. A sigh escaped his lips as he allowed himself a moment to relax.

"So you really like watching the stars, huh?" Marshal asked as he leaned back to look directly upward. "What's the appeal?"

Raymond looked over at him, then towards the sky, once more. "It just... it makes me feel calm."

"Calm?"

"Yep." The feline laid onto his back, resting his hands on his chest. "When I'm out here, I like to just sit silently." He drew in a deep breath. "Everything that's happened during the day just fades from my mind, and I stop thinking about things. It's just... so peaceful."

Marshal stared at him before also lying on his back and closing his eyes.

"It's like I'm not even here. My stress melts as the world moves on around me, and I get to just be an observer. Like the world's telling me 'Everything will be okay'. There really isn't anything like it."

Both men quietly laid still, taking in the sensations around them: The gentle touch of the passing breeze. The pleasant scent of the grass and surrounding shrubbery. The symphony of insects left them in a trance, as their bodies felt weightless. They simply were in the moment.

After some time, Raymond looked over at Marshal as a gentle buzz passed through him. With a smile, he started to rub his paws together as he said, "Truth be told... it was when I laid out here that I thought of doing all this."

Marshal snapped out of his trance and looked over at Raymond, who still faced upright.

"I was lying out here, enjoying myself, when I thought about how I wanted to try this with someone else. And wouldn't you know it, you were the first one that popped into my head. I thought it was strange. I asked myself, 'Why think of him so fast? There are a lot of other great people here.' So I started thinking about it more and more. I imagined spending this kind of night with others, and yet..." He paused to finally look at Marshal. "The feeling from everyone else didn't even compare.

"When I think about you, I get so happy. Just... I'm on cloud nine. There's something very charming about you, Marshal. You're strong, confident, not afraid to speak your mind, either. When I see you, I feel my heart skip a beat, and there's this warm, fuzzy feeling I get on my hands, too. Talking with you is the highlight of my day, and when I go to sleep, I look forward to seeing you again the next morning! I... well..." A big smile crept onto his face. "That's what I like about you!"

Marshal continued eye contact with him before turning away and looking to the sky again. As his lips began twitching, he peered over to see a content Raymond lying back down and staring upwards, as well. That was when a sensation started making its way up his throat. He clenched his teeth. Tightened his lips together. Anything he could to keep this feeling down. However, all of his efforts were for naught. He clamped his eyes shut and turned away as he suddenly blurted out, "I was asked out as a joke in high school!"

It took a moment to process, but Raymond slowly sat upright. He looked over to Marshal, whose eyes were turned away in shame. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

Heaving a sigh, Marshal also sat up. He stared at the grass as he began. "I was super naive in high school. Also a dork, a huge dork. I remember one day I was minding my own business, when suddenly the most popular girl in school walks up to me. She was this super pretty corgi that everybody knew, and in front of everyone, she just asked me out. I couldn't believe it, but she was pretty, so I said yes instantly.

"I went home later, got myself looking as nice as I could, and we went out to this mini amusement park place with the go karts and mini golf and all that. It was going great, like, I was having fun, and she looked like she was having fun, too. So... we went and sat down for some food, and I bought us both a little dinner with all the money I had. We talked about a bunch of different things, and we were starting to connect, and then suddenly she stopped me. She started leaning over with that look in her eyes, and I remember getting all panickey, so I just... puckered my lips and waited for her.

"Then I heard this clicking noise and saw she took a picture of my face. She started laughing, and I thought it was just some cute teasing thing couples do. But then she said 'That was too easy,' a-and waved over two of these other girls sitting nearby, saying, 'Alright, pay up, bitches!' and they gave her all these bells. Then she..." Marshal paused as he untightened his throat. 'She told me, 'Sorry, I don't date freaks,' as the three of them walked away."

Raymond felt his heart drop as both men silently sat there.

"I was left alone in there, just waiting for my parents to come pick me up. I couldn't tell them what happened, so I just said it didn't work out." Marshal rubbed his face to stifle a sniffle. "Since she was so popular, it's not like I could just forget about her, either. I always saw her, as if life was taunting me about it. I don't know what she ever did with that picture, and I don't wanna know."

"M... Marshal... I'm so sorry."

He turned to Raymond with a shaky smile and glistening eyes. "At least I got better from it, right? Stopped being such a dork, too. Honestly? Maybe I k-kinda needed that."

"No one should have to experience that, though."

Marshal just remained quiet as he laid back down, but Raymond stayed up.

"Did I make you uncomfortable when I asked you out?"

This made Marshal's eyes shoot open as he jolted upright. "No! I-I just... I haven't dated anyone since then, so... all the memories just rushed back at once." Raymond turned away, looking at the grass as he pulled in his legs and gripped them. Marshal also looked away, letting out a sigh. "Sorry... I really killed the mood here." More silence passed until he looked Raymond's way. "But... I had a nice time with you, tonight."

Raymond's ears twitched as he peered over. "You... you did?"

"Yeah. You make some good pasta."

A small smile appeared on Raymond's face. "I'm glad you had fun."

"But... I should probably get going."

"Huh? But-"

"Only cause it's getting pretty late."

Raymond stopped and looked at his watch, his eyes growing wide as the clock read 11:00. "Oh, goodness! I didn't realize the time!" He stood up, Marshal following suit, as he began rolling up the blanket and carried it under his arm. Both men walked towards the path leading to Raymond's house and stood in front of his door. "Do you want me to walk you home?"

"Uh... no, I'm good."

"Okay..."

They both continued to stand at the door, fidgeting as their gazes wandered.

"So... I'll see you tomorrow," Marshal remarked with a wave.

"Oh. Y-yeah... see you tomorrow." Raymond waved and watched as Marshal hesitantly turned away, shooting a smile his way as he began walking. The feline slowly turned away and moved back into his house. The silence around him started to set in as he glanced at his hand. "Should I have... kissed him?" he muttered, recalling how close their hands were before. He then powerfully shook his head. "No. We had a good time, and that's what counts." Allowing himself to smile, he drew in a deep breath and began walking towards his bedroom.

Suddenly, a very quick series of knocks came from the front door. He jumped slightly before putting the blanket down and speed-walking towards it. As he pulled the door open, he saw Marshal standing there, his face burning red as he was frantically looking around. "Wh- what brings you-"

"I-I-I-I forgot something!"

Before Raymond had a chance to ask what that was, Marshal grabbed Raymond by the collar and pulled him in to plant a firm kiss on his lips. Every hair on his body stood up as he could feel Marshal's lips shaking. The contact was quickly ripped away as Marshal continued to hold onto Raymond's collar, blushing furiously.

"I-I... I think you're really cute, too!"

If it were possible for Raymond's heart to burst out of his chest, it would.

"I l-l-like the way you care so much for others, a-and you really try your best to help others feel good. Sometimes, I-I think about you too when you're not out for the day and I wanna go ask how you're doing, but then I start thinking it would be weird so I start thinking about you more and more. You're so talented and you don't even know it! You have a style to you that- that I think makes you unique, and-"

As Marshal continued to let the flood loose, Raymond could feel the squirrel's hands shaking. He looked down at them, then back to Marshal who was stuck looking at the grass. Delicately, he reached forward and cupped Marshal by the cheeks, lifting his head up so their gazes could meet. The two men stared into each other's eyes as Raymond began smiling. Then, he gingerly leaned in, closing his eyes as he planted a kiss of his own on Marshal's lips.

Both Marshal and Raymond remained frozen in the moment, feeling the tingle of their kiss, and the gentle puff of hot air on their faces. As the kiss was broken, they looked into each other's eyes.

Raymond's smile returned as he gently rubbed Marshal's cheek. He quietly cooed, "Good night," as he continued to stare into those eyes.

"G-good night..." Marshal returned as he slowly pulled himself away. He, too, wore a small smile as he gradually turned away and resumed walking home. He did pause, however, as he turned around and gave a wave.

Raymond returned the gesture, waiting at his doorstep as Marshal eventually walked out of his line of sight. Eventually, he turned back towards his front door and headed inside. He stood still, leaning against the door as he slowly slid down. As he sat on the floor, he touched his lips as his throat started tightening and his eyes began misting over. A chuckle forced its way through his throat as he rubbed at his eyes, eventually staring at the ceiling. He muttered, "What a guy..." to himself, sitting there as the wave of bliss washed over him.

---

Raymond strode out of his house the next morning, walking briskly and full of smiles as he headed towards the beach. Once it got into sight, his eyes locked onto the bench across from the water. Exactly as he'd hoped, he could see Marshal sitting at the bench again, presumably reading his book. His heart went a-flutter as he approached from the opposite side of where Marshal sat. "Hel-"

"Sit down. Don't talk."

Raymond blinked a couple times before slowly complying. He twiddled his thumbs as he glanced over at Marshal, then looked towards the ocean. This process continued until he saw Marshal peer at his surroundings, then sigh.

"Listen... I, uh. I know we had that whole moment together last night, but..." Marshal paused, glancing away as Raymond felt his heart beat faster. "I'm... I'm not ready to be like, out out. So... can we keep this quiet for now?"

As a wave of feelings flowed through him, Raymond finally came to his senses before nodding and saying, "Y-yes... I can do that."

"Alright, cool."

Raymond looked out at the beach, once again. He heaved a sigh as he leaned back in his seat, a warm smile crossing his face. As the sound of Marshal clearing his throat caught his attention, he saw him tap the empty space between them. Slowly, Raymond inched closer to him until Marshal's hand was next to his. The squirrel then placed his hand atop Raymond's, his face slowly growing red. Raymond's smile returned as he wrapped his fingers around Marshal's. Through his blush, Marshal even began smiling as he continued reading his book.

Both men sat in silence, enjoying the sea breeze, the scent of the ocean, and the elation rushing through them with each little movement their interlocked hands made.

Raymond looked at Marshal, just in time for them to look into each other's eyes. Looking back to the ocean and gently rubbing Marshal's fingers, he asked, "So... how did you sleep?"