FSE

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Rye and Cloud got out of the car at the same time. "Looks like the whole school is going to be here," Cloud observed nodding toward the parking lot entrance where of the students' cars piled through.

"We're lucky to have the pool so big then," Rye said. "Twenty-four acres of water can hold a lot of people."

"The pool is twenty-four acres?" Cloud asked astonished. He thought he knew the pool pretty well since he's been to it every day of the week, but he didn't think it was any bigger than twelve acres, which is already a huge pool.

"We keep half of it fenced off for cleaning. It's a large pool to keep clean." Rye led Cloud through the lobby doors and to the doorway on the right that led to the lockers. Dozens of students followed them into the lobby room. Some were already diverting to the gift shop or recreation room.

"Hey Ruby," Rye said with his excitement catching up with him, stopping just before the door. A crimson red dog behind the counter looked up to acknowledge Rye.

"Hi Rye," Ruby greeted Rye. "You're lucky you're in high school, you don't have to deal with this mess. I'll buzz you through but it'll be another few minutes before Ryan gets down here."

"Thanks, I owe you one," Rye said and led Cloud through the door toward the locker rooms again.

Before they made it through, Rye heard Ruby reply with "You say that at every party." Rye laughed and the door shut behind them. The hallway was much quieter than the lobby. Rye and Cloud entered the locker room where only one person was at right now; Aaron, for security. Even though things hardly ever got out of hand since Caniderans were well-disciplined.

"Hey Aaron."

"Hey Rye. Cloud."

Rye and Cloud went to the back corner where Rye's locker was and then it dawned on Rye that they both had to change. He's seen Cloud naked a few times since Monday but Cloud hasn't seen him naked. Rye attempted to shake the nervous feeling off, convincing himself that he was being stupid again.

Facing away from each other, the two otters started to strip off their school clothes to change. To avoid accidental physical contact, Rye practically had his tail tucked between his legs. Rye struggled to keep himself from glancing at Cloud, which he managed to do. Soon they both had their shorts on, which Rye took a moment longer because his tail was tucked between his legs, and they both went to the showers as routine before they headed out to the pool.

"Did you receive any homework from your last class for the weekend?" Rye asked Cloud as he let the water rinse of his chest.

"Not really," Cloud answered, closing his eyes and letting the water rinse off his muzzle. "Just a few more papers to sign for the teacher; which I never found a point to those things being signed. It's not like we're risking our life in these classes."

"I know what you mean," Rye laughed, moving so the water could rinse off his tail. "Just their insurance I guess. Are you going to come over today, after the party?"

"If it's not too late," Cloud turned off the shower with his fur dripping wet. "I've wanted to see that movie, Bolt. I can't believe you have it."

"It's hard to get right now," Rye smirked and he turned off his shower. The two of them went toward the pool entrance.

Cloud was astonished at the pool's full size.

"No wonder why I couldn't see the whole pool," Cloud said looking toward the second half of the pool he hasn't seen, to the far left. The grass and trees were filling with static before they disappeared. The holograms looked solid before they started to disappear, but revealed the blue water beneath them that has always been there. "I didn't even think this place could afford such perfect holograms." More of the lawn and trees disappeared to reveal the blue water beneath it. The entire pool was empty at the moment, but students from the school could be heard coming from the locker room doors.

"Can you help me with getting the supplies out?" Rye asked heading toward another door on the main building around the corner. Cloud nodded with a smile and followed Rye to the storage room, passing five long tables that already had some pool equipment out for rent. Life guards were pulling out more pool toys out from the storage room.

"You must make a lot of money from these parties," Cloud said reading the prices of the rent before following Rye into the storage room.

"These parties are part of the main reason why I'm allowed to work here as freely as I do and still get paid," Rye explained. Rye handed several assault guns to Cloud who looked confused. "Laser tag."

"Ah," Cloud said and followed a life guard out to the tables.

After they both carried a few supplies out to the table, the pool was starting to fill quickly with students and many were coming to the tables to rent a few things.

"Come on Rye," Ariel begged as she rented out three dozen laser tag guns. "We can't start without the best player. You're off duty today anyway."

"Okay, okay, I'm coming," Rye said as he set down the last of the pool toys on the tables. "Come on Cloud, you're playing too."

Cloud laughed and followed Rye, who was following Ariel to the deepest end of the pool. A small section of the pool below the diving boards was roped off so that guests could still dive without interfering with the game.

Rye and Cloud were walking side-by-side now near the edge of the pool, still following Ariel. Rye was walking on the edge of the pool, not really thinking about the danger when he suddenly felt Cloud's hip shove him into the water.

Rye tried to grab support, but missed Cloud as he fell into the pool. Water splashed around Rye as he sank. He quickly surfaced and glared at Cloud.

"Accident?" Cloud tried to look apologetic as he shrugged his shoulders, but he fought a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"I'll show you 'accident,'" Rye muttered harshly. He used the edge of the pool as he pulled himself out of most of the water, grabbing Cloud's shorts by the beltline and with one quick jerk Rye threw Cloud into the pool. The pull on Cloud's short lowered them a bit, which sent another unwelcome electric shock through Rye's body but he ignored it as Cloud splashed into the water. He hasn't felt the attraction since early in the week.

The water splashed Rye but he had a satisfied grin on his face. Cloud resurfaced and glared at Rye, and then laughed. "Happy now?"

"Yep," Rye used his arms to push himself out of the pool, but when he set his knee on the pavement to get out, he felt Cloud grab him by the tail and pull him back in the water with another splash.

"I will always win," Cloud laughed and swam parallel to the pool edge before he got out, so Rye couldn't repeat Cloud's actions.

Rye smiled and got out of the pool, this time successfully and followed Cloud who was catching up with Ariel. The feline quickly organized the group of students waiting to start the game.

"You two can't be on the same team," Ariel said pointing at Rye and Cloud. "It'd be way too unfair."

"Alright," Rye agreed, wanting revenge.

"Fine with me," Cloud said with a smile. "I'll still win."

Rye laughed. "Keep dreaming. You can't beat me at this. What are the teams?"

They were quickly sorted into two different teams with twelve on one team and eleven on the other. The teams separated to either side of the pool, all armed with a laser gun and they waited for the lifeguard-referee to begin the game.

Seeing through the water Rye could see coral, sunken boats and all sorts of obstacles form at the bottom of the deep pool. The semi-solid holographs wouldn't allow a laser to travel through them, and wouldn't allow anyone to swim through them unless they were already hit or drowning.

A blow horn sounded, and the teams dived in the water, quickly hiding among the corals and ships that rose high enough to break the surface. Only those who can hold their breath for a long period of time, like Rye and Cloud, hid in the ships that weren't so tall and still beneath the water.

Rye swam toward an old wooden sunken ship and went in through the cracked hull. He held his gun at ready but no one else was in the ship. Still amazed by the detail of the hologram, Rye looked around the ship for a few seconds before he noticed one of his teammates swim through, passing Rye. Following, Rye kept a wary eye out for the opposing team, but it didn't take long before the raccoon he was following to glow red, signaling that he's been hit.

Instantly Rye dove behind a treasure chest at the bottom, but he was surprised that he saw no laser shoot at him. Carefully, Rye checked around the chest to see Cloud near the surface and leaning around the nose of a ship looking down at Rye. He stuck his tongue out at Rye and grinned.

Rye laughed, with only bubbles coming from his muzzle, knowing that Cloud spared him. Rye fired a shot at Cloud who quickly ducked behind the ship and out of sight. After Rye knew he was safe there, he clicked a button on his gun and a screen showed up on the side of it showing the score. Rye's team had only three players left while Cloud's team had five left.

Again, Rye looked around the corner but saw no one this time. He came out from his cover and swam toward a rip in the hull of the ship that Cloud was hiding behind only a few seconds ago. The ship broke the surface but still surrounded the area so an air pocket was formed at the top-inside of the ship. Rye saw a stallion at the top gathering a breath of air, his enemy.

Rye aimed and fired a single shot at the stallion, who then glowed red instantly. Confused, the stallion looked down to look at Rye and tried to fire a shot but the gun wouldn't allow it. Frustrated, the stallion took off for the edge of the pool, swimming through the hologram which it only allowed because he was out of the game.

Before Rye could gloat about his victory shot, he felt the barrel of a laser gun press against his back. Not moving, Rye waited for the water around him to glow red too, but it didn't. Rye turned around to see Cloud grinning at him, but Rye could only glare back at Cloud with his frustration of defeat.

Surprisingly, Cloud moved the gun off Rye and swam toward the air pocket of the ship. Rye followed, confused by Cloud's actions. They both broke the surface no more than six inches away from each other in the tight pocket.

"I told you I always win," Cloud gloated still grinning.

"You got lucky," Rye said with his mood getting lighter and he allowed himself to smile. "The game still isn't over. Why didn't you shoot me?"

"I never thought I'd hear someone ask me that," Cloud chuckled. "I want a one-on-one match between us, and I still have two teammates alive. You're the last one."

"But you won. We can have our private match later when everyone else gets bored with the game."

"Okay then," Cloud said and raised his gun, pointing it at Rye. "I'll just take you hostage. I'll be taking your gun now."

Rye smiled. Before he handed over his gun, Rye pushed Cloud's shoulder in a playful gesture. As soon as Cloud took the gun from Rye, the stimulations started to fade and they were greeted by the sunlight along with the groans and cheers of the two teams. The game lasted only ten minutes.

All the players remaining in the water swam toward the edge where the defeated players stood, watching the game, along with a large crowd that gathered as usual. After the otters climbed out of the pool, another game was being planned, with many more players participating this time.

Rye was distracted however, while the teams were being arranged. He started to feel a stronger attraction toward Cloud because of the mercy he just showed him.

He's just as playful as I am to him, Rye thought to himself. I can't keep ignoring my feelings towards him. I'll have to talk to him. No. Don't ruin my friendship with him just because I want to have more. I have something now, it's better than nothing and that's what I'd be risking: my friendship with Cloud. Gah! I wish I knew what to do. I just need to get over this crush. But what if--

"Rye?"

Rye's thoughts were interrupted, but he was willing to distract himself.

"Yeah?"

"I just said your team captain this time," Ariel repeated. "You pick the team. But not Cloud."

Rye smiled.

Again teams were picked with nineteen on both sides. More of the pool was involved with more obstacles this time and the game lasted nearly thirty minutes.

Several games were played with the different players joining and leaving off to do other pool activities.

The longest underwater game lasted nearly an hour which ended with Rye against five; Cloud was knocked out early in the game by Rye as revenge. As usual, Rye won the game even with the numbers against him. Only Cloud, or an ambush, defeated him.

He didn't enjoy defeating Cloud but he preferred that he did so they could just laugh about it later; rather than Cloud being defeated by one his teammates who would gloat about a victory over an otter.

Both Rye and Cloud called it quits after that final game and went to the food that was being barbequed as a courtesy of Ryan, the pool manager. Being able to dismiss his own troubling thoughts, Rye was able to continue to have fun with Cloud. Occasionally they went separate ways to talk with friends but they spent the majority of their time together, messing around.

The party at the pool ended around seven when the majority of the students followed Ariel to her mansion-of-a-house but Rye had to stay behind to help ensure that the pool wasn't left in a horrible mess. Of course, as always, the pool was clean. Rye's friends usually kept the place clean out of respect for him and they always helped picked up a few things before they left.

After most of the party left, Cloud and Rye headed into the locker rooms.

"I think I'm going to shower in the private stalls," Cloud said walking past the open showers. "The shorts you lent me feel a bit tight around my waist."

"Okay, I think I need to do the same. I don't feel like having chlorine stuck in my fur at the party."

Cloud went into a stall that was in the middle of the row and Rye went into an adjacent stall, but Rye quickly thought of an idea to throw off any suspicion in Cloud's mind that he might like him too much: act like any friendly straight otter would.

After taking off his swimming shorts, Rye looked around the wall separated the stalls and looked at Cloud, who already had his shorts off too. Rye struggled to keep his eyes above Cloud's waistline, even though Cloud was facing the other way.

"Do you want me to wash your swimming shorts too?" Rye asked, using all his energy to control his urge to look below the belt.

Cloud turned his head around with surprise, but the pose he stood in became too seductive for Rye. He looked at Cloud's shorts that were hung on a towel rack in an attempt not to look at Cloud's naked body.

"No thanks," Cloud said with his usual smile returning. "I'll just change back into my regular clothes."

"Okay," Rye said with a smile and returned to his own shower stall.

He tried his hardest not to think of Cloud's seductive posture, which forced him to rush his shower. After wrapping a towel around his waist, Rye went toward his back locker and opened it. To his surprise Cloud was only a few seconds behind him.

Both dropped their towels to change again but Rye struggled to keep his body under control, and he rushed to get his normal clothes back on. After they were walking out of the locker rooms and toward his car, Rye was able to regain his normal, undistracted attitude. They started a conversation about the games of laser tag that they played, and then Cloud brought up something that he was thinking about since the first game.

"You said we would get to play one-on-one," Cloud said with his usual amused tone.

"I forgot about that," Rye admitted sheepishly. "If you really want, we can come back later tonight when the place is closed and play our own private game."

"That's alright," Cloud said still smiling, opening the main lobby doors for Rye. "We can play some other time."

"Thank you," Rye thanked Cloud. "I still say you got lucky that first game."

The white otter followed Rye out the doors. "Yeah, sure. I still say it was my obvious skill."

Rye laughed and then unlocked his car for them to get in. He started driving down the road, still discussing the laser games they played at the pool.