Too Late, Just in Time, Ch 4
Too Late, Just in Time Chapter 4 copyright 2011 comidacomida
The two stayed in the shower awhile longer. Nick excused himself for a minute to go blow his nose and once he got back, Chris was busy lathering himself up. The otter was rubbing the shampoo into his fur, having started at his feet up and was in the middle of working the cleaning agent into his tail. Climbing back into the shower, Nick reached out and grabbed the shampoo bottle from the shower shelf with one paw, the other encircling the end of the otter's tail.
Chris grinned and put both of his paws on the wall. He glanced back over his shoulder, tongue stud showing in the inch and a half of tongue that stuck out from between his smirking lips, "Just gonna drape it over your shoulder and go to town, huh?" Chris spread his legs with a wink. Despite the fact that Nick knew the otter was just joking with him, the wolf blushed regardless. Without commenting, Nick began running his paws across the fur of the otter's tail.
"Oh relax, Nicky... I'm just playing." and he straightened up.
"It's just a little... I don't know... embarrassing." the wolf admitted, still working his claws through the short, coarse fur of his roommate's thick tail.
Chris grinned wider, "If you think it's embarrassing to TALK about then you're obviously not ready to go THAT far."
"Oh shut up." Nick responded, ears drooping a little despite the fact that he felt a faint smile broke the monotony of his uneasy expression. The wolf couldn't think of anyone else on the planet that could make him not mind feeling so silly.
"So what movies were you thinking about?" Chris asked casually.
"Huh?" Nick inquired, having trouble with the sudden change of topic.
"You said you were thinking of renting a few movies." the otter reminded him.
"Oh... right..." the wolf let go of the otter's tail, moving his soapy paws to Chris' back to continue the procedure, "I dunno." Nick gave a shrug, "I hadn't really thought about it... maybe an action movie and... hmm... something kinda sci-fi."
Chris responded with a laugh, "I haven't met many people who are so into sci-fi as you."
"A lot of our technology today we owe from the foresight of the sci-fi visionaries of yesterday." Nick retorted.
"God... that's such a canned response." the otter laughed, "I swear, Nick... you're such a sci-fi geek. I haven't ever met anyone else can claim to be both a Trekkie and a Star-Wars nerd."
"I prefer the term 'aficionado'." Nick countered with a smile. They both dissolved into laughter at that.
"That's fine... you're the one renting the movies... get what you want." Chris said at length, kneeling down slightly as Nick's paws went to his head, continuing to work through the otter's fur with a fresh batch of shampoo.
"Would you rather I pick up some dungeon-delving, swords-and-sorcery fantasy epic?" Nick asked, "I can always get three movies."
Chris chuckled, "Get whatever you want... we can make it a movie day." and he turned around, brushing his muzzle across the wolf's. Nick stopped the motion of his paws agaisnt the otter's head, just holding it as they kissed.
"This is unreal." the wolf breathed once their muzzle separated.
"I'm that good a kisser, huh?" Chris responded with a tongued grin.
"I mean the whole situation, you stupid otter." Nick chided, "I mean... yesterday was just another day and now... well... everything's different."
"The better-kind of different?" Chris asked.
"Yea..." Nick nodded with a smile, "the better-kind of different." and he pulled the otter in for a hug. His soapy roommate returned the embrace, and both laughed as Chris squirmed against him in his grip, "Almost like trying to wrestle a greased pig." the wolf snickered.
"Was that a fat joke, four-eyes?" the otter chided.
"You're not fat." Nick said calmly, before grinning, "You're just well insulated against low water temperature." He quickly let go of the otter when he received a playful nip on the arm. "Alright... so not all THAT different." the wolf added with a laugh.
"Oh... I'm sorry." Chris smirked, "Did I ruin your happily-ever-after?"
Nick shook his head, "Nah... you made it." he began working shampoo into his own fur, "Having the whole day with you'll be great."
"The whole day..." Chris nodded thoughtfully, "Um..."
Nick stopped at that, "I know one of your patented 'loaded-um's when I hear them..."
"Yea." the otter confirmed, "I'm probably gonna have lunch with a friend of mine from out of town."
"A friend?" Nick asked. He would have liked to have admitted that he wasn't jealous, but he also wasn't about to lie to himself.
"Yea... Cal and I go way back." Chris confirmed, "We were in high school together." the otter reached up to start rubbing shampoo into Nicks' neck fur.
"Like... 'friend' friends, or 'Friend' friends?" the wolf inquired, accentuating one of the words.
"Jealous much?" the otter grinned.
"There's Roy, Dan, Eddie, Wes, and Chuck... Jess, Becky, and Hannah..." Nick counted the names off on his fingers, "I just thought I knew all of your friends."
"Well, you didn't meet me while I was in high school. Cal is a friend from the past... we just kinda keep in touch." the otter leaned forward and stood up on his tip toes to kiss Nick, "He's just a friend... besides... he doesn't hold a candle to you."
"So who is he?" the wolf inquired, feeling a little better at the reassurance, turning around and kneeling down so the otter could get at his mane.
"Calvin 'The Train' Maddox." Chris answered, "We hung out most in high school."
"The Train?" Nick asked, then paused, "Calvin Maddox... why is that name familiar?"
Nick could feel Chris' shrug through the paws on his head, "He's a starting offensive lineman for the Bruins."
"Is he a bear?" the words were out of Nick's muzzle a second after hearing Chris' comment.
The otter laughed heartily, "Everyone always thinks that the Bruins only recruit bears... no... that's just the college team mascot. I mean, seriously... when was the last time you saw a bear running back, or wide receiver... or even a quarterback?"
Nick shrugged in response, "I'm not really into sports... so.... never?"
Chris laughed, "well... Cal is not a bear... he's a bull." The otter paused as Nick looked at him. It was as if they could each see the gears turning in one another's heads. They each talked over one another, each making a comment about bulls-and-bears and/or the stock market/ stock yard. They both cracked up.
"So..." Chris noted once they'd calmed down, "Yea... he's a bull." and he removed his soapy, webbed digits from the wolf's head.
"Ah." Nick nodded, standing up once the otter was done with his mane. Chris, who had been standing with his back to the shower nozzle, already had the soap washed from his back. The otter turned around and stepped completely into the spray of water to finish the job.
"So he's coming to town?" Nick asked.
"Yep." Chris replied, "They're playing a game and he'll be local for a few days."
"Oh." Nick nodded, "That's cool." and the two exchanged places so the wolf could wash off, "So you two are heading out, or what?"
"Well... I was gonna check with you to see if he could hang out here for a bit... I DID want you to meet him, after all." the otter added.
Nick felt better immediately; it wasn't that he wanted to be jealous or question a friend from Chris' past, but he knew he'd be a lot more comfortable once he could put a face to a name, "Sure... that sounds cool." the wolf smiled, "Is he into movies? Maybe he can join us for one."
Chris laughed in response, "Last time I checked, movies were Cal's second-favorite past time."
"Second favorite?" Nick asked.
"He plays football. It might be his college focus, but he started doing it for fun. He lived and breathed football in high school." the otter responded with a smile.
"Wow..." the wolf paused, turning off the shower, "Makes me wonder how you ended up being friends with him if he was always doing sports."
"That was another fat joke, wasn't it?" Chris demanded playfully.
"What I mean is," Nick corrected with a smile, "You aren't... I mean..." the wolf watched the otter's expression continue to change as he tried to voice it correctly, "okay... maybe it was a fat joke... but I didn't PLAN it that way."
Chris smirked, "Well, you're right... I wasn't ever much for sports, but that didn't mean I couldn't appreciate hanging out with Cal. He did encourage me to try out for sports, of course. I toyed with the idea of signing up for football so we could hang out more but, let's face it... there wasn't exactly a good spot for me on the team other than water boy or towel boy."
"So you mostly hung out when he wasn't at practice?" Nick asked, climbing out of the shower. He got his own towel and handed Chris' to the otter.
"Heh... nah... I signed up as a towel boy."
"Sounds like the two of you were pretty good friends." Nick assessed, drying himself off.
"Practically inseparable. We had a few classes together too, which was cool." the otter confirmed.
"So it was like one of those teen comedy movies where the little reclusive nerd helped the big dumb jock pass his midterms?" Nick grinned.
"First... it was high school... mid terms? Really?" Chris stuck his tongue out at Nick, "And second, who you calling little?" he bopped the wolf on the hose with his index finger. "Besides... we both know I'm not a nerd and I NEVER did all that great in school. To be honest, Cal usually helped tutor ME."
Nick couldn't help but chuckle at the admission, "So... he has the brawns, and the brains... what did he get out of the friendship exactly?"
"His own cheering section." Chris responded with a smirk, "And my charming personality, of course."
"Well, you MUST be good friends if he thought about giving you a call 'cause he was coming to town'." Nick wagged, "Alright... so when is he coming over?"
"Well, that's pretty upbeat." Chris chuckled.
"You have good taste in friends." Nick responded
"Pbbt..." the otter raspberried him, "You only say that because you're one of em."
Nick made his way out into the hall, Chris following. The wolf glanced back to the otter, "I like most of your friends."
"Most?" Chris asked, raising his pierced eyebrow melodramatically, "It's Chuck... you don't like Chuck, right?"
"Now why would you say something like that?" Nick grinned; the otter knew him too well.
"I figured it'd have something to do with the fact that he burned off the fur on the tip of your tail." Chris responded.
"He's lucky it grew back." Nick acknowledged.
"Well, he stopped playing with lighters after that." the otter pointed out, "And he DID say he was sorry."
Nick rolled his eyes, "I don't NOT like him... he's just a little too...." he paused, seeking the right word.
"Crazy? Spastic? Psycho? Bi-Polar? Chaotic?" Chris offered up choices.
"...dynamic." the wolf finally settled on one.
"Heh... you should be a diplomat, Nicky." the otter turned around, standing on his tip toes to steal a peck on Nick's muzzle, "Let me go get my phone and I'll check Cal's arrival time-- he sent me a text last night." he headed off toward his room but paused at the door, glancing back, "You gonna come with me to pick him up?"
"Pick him up?" Nick asked.
"He and the team are staying at a hotel while they're in town." Chris answered, disappearing into his room. Nick went to his own bedroom and started getting dressed. The wolf put on a clean pair of boxers and grabbed a shirt from his dresser. He put his jeans on next and was just buttoning the tail-flap when the otter called from down the hall, "They're already here! When should I tell him we'll be by to get him?!?"
"I don't know... now I guess?" Nick suggested, walking back out into the hallway.
"What about getting some movies? Do you wanna do that before or after we pick him up?" Chris asked, trotting out into the hallway wearing nothing but a speedo, "He says he doesn't have to show up at the stadium until mid-morning... I guess they have some practice time and then the game is later in the day."
Nick contemplated that for a few minutes, "So he doesn't have to be back at the hotel until late?"
Chris shrugged, "He can just crash here and I'll drive him back in the morning."
The wolf wasn't exactly sure why, but he felt his fur start to stand on end at that. He had only just admitted his feelings to Chris, and Chris to him, and suddenly a third person was going to intrude on things. Several more such thoughts quickly began to rush through Nick's mind before he forced them to come to a halt. Was he becoming obsessive? Possessive? Maybe just plain crazy?
"Sure..." the wolf forced the words out of his mouth, "I guess he can sleep on the couch or something."
"Cool. I'll let him know." Chris confirmed, and started texting, "You ready to go?" the otter asked, leaning against the wall as he typed away on his cell.
"More than you apparently... unless you're planning on going to the pool." Nick grinned.
The otter looked down at himself and his little round ears went up, "Oh! Right." Flashing a sheepish grin, Chris went quickly back to his room, "I'll be out in a sec!"
Nick chuckled; despite the apprehension of meeting someone knew, it was nice to think that Chris was still same-old-Chris no matter what. Even the otter's chaos was something that could be relied upon. It was comfortable... fitting... it helped ease the wolf's mind to know that his roommate would probably always be like that.
Chris emerged from the room dressed in a pair of knee-length jeans and a buttoned up hawaiian shirt. A pair of sunglasses sat on his head and he wore his ever-present grin to round out the accessories, "Alright... good to go!"
Nick held the door open, letting his roommate go out first. He locked the door behind them and followed Chris out to the otter's car. Chris unlocked the driver's side and got in, leaning across to the passenger's side to unlock it as well. The wolf sat down, "So... which hotel?" he asked.
On cue, Chris pulled out his cell, "Um.... good question." and quickly sent a text. He handed the phone to Nick, "Here. Hold this." and the otter started the car. The two of them were pulling out of the apartment parking lot when Chris' cell buzzed, "Go ahead and check it." the otter suggested.
Nick looked down at the cell in his paws and quickly checked the text, reading it aloud, "Day Island Road, near the stadium."
Chris nodded, making a right turn out of the parking lot, "Makes sense, I guess."
The two headed north toward their rendezvous with Chris' high school friend. They chatted about everything and nothing, and the casual banter made Nick smile. He had worried last night that the new level of their relationship would change things. Even with Chris' reassurance that they were still able to be whatever they wanted calmed Nick only so much, but, finally settling into a familiar activity like driving around town 'shooting-the-shit' (as Chris called it) felt good.
"Okay..." Nick brought the discussion to a close as they pulled into the hotel parking lot, "So I'm looking for a bull..."
"Right." Chris confirmed.
"Any more specific?" Nick asked.
"Black fur."
"Thanks. Remind me not to ask you to be a witness in a murder investigation." the wolf stated flatly.
"Relax, Nicky... you'll know him when you see him." the otter chuckled.
"That obvious, huh?" Nick asked.
"Ooohhhh yea." Chris' grin stretched from ear to ear. The wolf didn't understand it at the time, but it quickly made sense. As Chris pulled the car around the parking lot, Nick sighted a black furred bull standing to the side of the hotel's green-canopied entrance casually leaning against the wall.
Calvin was as obvious as Chris had promised. Nick was pretty certain that the bull was seven foot tall, not even counting his horns, and his shoulders were massive. He was wearing a UCLA jersey that looked like it was a size to small, but probably the largest they made. He had a pair of shades on and his hands were wrapped with what looked like boxer's tape. Chris turned the car off and got out, "Cal!" he shouted
The enormous bull took off his shades as Chris approached him. Even though Nick knew the otter was on the shorter side of average, the difference made Cal look like a giant. The bull picked Chris up as if he were a made of foam and gave him a powerful hug; Nick could have sworn he heard the otter's back pop several times, "Chris, mah-man!" Cal announced, deep voice practically made the car's windows vibrate. For a moment, Nick wondered if having Calvin in the car would exceed the vehicle's weight limit.
"Commere, Train... got someone I want you to meet." Chris brought the enormous bull over to the car, "Well? Come on, mutt." the otter waved for Nick to come out of the car.
The wolf unbuckled his seatbelt and slowly opened the door, stepping out onto the curb. Chris looked to Nick and then motioned to the bull, "Nick, this is Calvin 'The Train' Maddox-- I call him Cal." the otter then looked to the bull, "Cal, this is Nicholas J. Herman-- I call him Nicky."
"Nick." the wolf quickly interjected, extending his paw.
The bull grinned widely, completely enveloping the whole of Nick's offered paw in his own, "Good ta meecha, Nick." he glanced to Chris, "You said you lived with a wolf... this your roommate?" the otter nodded in response, "Cool... cool." and he glanced to Nick's car, "God damn, man... you still have that piece a shit?"
Chris laughed, "Yea... it's reliable and it gets good mileage."
"Well, at least it doesn't look like the rust spread since I saw it last." the bull smirked.
"It adds character." the otter countered, "Go ahead and get in." he motioned for Calvin to find a seat before taking a step closer to Nick, lowering his voice, "You okay, Nicky?"
The wolf rubbed the side of his arm, feeling a little embarrassed, "Can you... maybe just call me Nick while he's here?"
The smile slowly disappeared from the otter's muzzle, "Hey... if it's making you feel uncomfortable I--"
"It's just me." Nick admitted, "You know... I'd feel better if we stuck with the roommate thing instead of... you know."
"I've ALWAYS called you 'Nicky'." Chris objected.
"I know... but..." Nick's ears drooped slightly, "please?"
The otter nodded patiently, "Alright, Nick." and he gave the wolf a single pat on the shoulder, "No problem, man." and, returning to the car, Chris raised his voice, "I don't get paid til Thursday... if we're stopping for pizza then you're covering me, mutt!"
Nick couldn't help but smile at the ease with which Chris was capable of playing so many roles for so many people. Grinning, he got into the back seat of the car behind the otter, "I'll tack it onto your rent, you leech."
"Both a' you shut up." the bull interrupted, "Pizza's on me." Neither the wolf nor the otter objected.