Pride Bay. Chapter Four.
#4 of Pride Bay
Pride Bay Chapter Four By Roofles
Dylan wasn't sure how he ended up in the line. On a scorching hot day, in nothing but a pair of sandals that weren't even his, in a pair of old wrinkled brown shorts standing in this line for already an hour. How this came to pass? He still wasn't sure as they reached the front of the line with a cougar next to him panting open maw, curled pink tongue as he bounced on the soles of his paws like a kid about to get an icecream cone.
"Two please." Dylan said pulling some cash from his walelt and tucking it into his back pocket.
"I can pay for us." Marty said frowning now, standing up straight and looking down at him as if to show just how much taller, and thus more manly he was. "It's on me." He went on to say turning towards the woman inside the booth, pulling out his own wallet. He nearly growled when she reached for Dylan's cash.
"I got it." Dylan said glaring at the cougar as he offered his money once more.
"I got it!" Marty said loudly glaring at the man as he shoved his plastic card ahead of the man.
"Really. Its no. Problem." Dylan did his best to growl at the cat who folded his ears back his tail beginning to flicker quickly.
"NO." Marty growled lifted up the corner of his muzzle in a growl. "Problem," he continued forcing himself to smile. "It's on me bud."
"No. It's on me bud." Dylan countered returning the friendly gestured with an equally forced smile.
As the two bickered the line behind them quickly began to get agitated those closer to the ticket booth more so than those in the back. The heat was mostly to blame for this and defiantly didn't help cool their tempers. Yet as the fat, white, red faced guy behind them told them that "make the cat pay" the two turned on him and together shouted that it was "None of your goddamn fucking business!" Before they laughed and turned... and began argueing about who was paying again.
It was by ill luck that the ticket booth card machine wasn't working and so Dylan won out in the end. Something he wouldn't let the cat forget as they made their way into the fair grounds set up along the local docks. Underneath the large arch way banners they found themselves in a throng of flesh and fur as people crowded between the booths, stalls, public restrooms and various rides.
"It's on him." Dylan thumbed towards the cat as he ordered waffled cones ice cream for each other.
"What?" Marty said his fur standing up even as he pulled out his wallet to pay.
Dylan laughed as the cat frown hunching his shoulders, the end of his tail flicking quickly. The second Dylan took his cone a paw snapped out and knocked the cone out his hand. Dylan watched in shocked horror as his precious vanilla cherry ice cream hit the ground with a sickening "splat."
"My precious cone." Dylan feigned reaching down for it before turning away and faking tears.
"Stop being a Six year old girl." Marty laughed though he deftly dodged Dylan's attempt to knock his cone out of his paw. The man continued trying but to no avail as the cat just kept it high up out of his reach, lowering it down just enough to tease and mock him.
Marty laughed before lowering it down for his muzzle to lick at. The cougar had his tawny brown, creamy under chin muzzle open his tongue about to lick the mint chocolate treat when the cone was pushed up against his nose. The cat peeled it off his nose and growled at the man who pulled back afraid he had gone a bit too far.
The cat looked at him coldly before opening his muzzle once more and licked the cone never taking his eyes off him. "De. Li. Cious." He purred sticking his tongue out.
Dylan rolled his eyes turning to buy another one making Marty fold his ears back and move to intervene the transaction. "Of course though I'm willing to share!" He grinned innocently offering the cone to him.
"You already licked it." Dylan pointed at the cone as if the cat had just picked it off the ground and was about to eat it.
"Just lick it." Marty frowned shoving the cone more into his face.
"No." Dylan said turning away from it.
"That's not what you said last night." Marty replied smartly sticking his tongue out. This got a few nearby people to stare at them.
"Dreamin' much?" Dylan pushed the muzzle away from his face as it had gotten a little too close for comfort. It made the man blush uncomfortable such a public display.
There was that unsaid, unseen line between good friends and others. The touch at his side and the brush of a paw against his hand was something that defiantly crossed this line. Sure waking up next to half naked guy was one thing but... ok that was something in and of itself. Said guy being covered from head to toe in fur was another thing. Specially on these hot days. And nobody wants to wake up in a musky cougar armpit with the cat half rolled on top of you dry humping you. Well not on broiling hot days anyways...
Dylan had offered to come here on a whim seeing the signs around town during the week. He had no attention of going by himself and had only offered it as something to do. Unaware the cat would pounce on the idea so readily and basically drag him along to it.
"I haven't been to one of these since I was a kitten." Marty said leaning against the rail of the docks and licking the ice cream cone. He took a lick and offered it to the man at his side only taking it back after Dylan had tried some of it.
"To the sea?"
"No." Marty folded his ears back.
"To the docks? There's a great fish market up town a bit." Dylan shrugged keeping his smile to himself.
"No." Marty looked at him with a look Dylan was becoming all to familiar with. Something between an "oh really" and a "fuck you" look.
"Oh!" Dylan pounded fist into his other hand as if a light had turned on. "You haven't had ice cream...since you were a kitten." He teased the last part getting a strong shove in return. The paw stayed on his side, grabbing his arm and pulling him back with the return motion into a strong one arm hug.
Dylan panted like a dog trying to push the cat off. "You smell like-,"
"If you say wet dog again we're going to have trouble." Marty warned shaking a clawed finger at him before licking the dripping ice cream once more. The cat quickly fussed over the dripping cone licking up one side only to have to lick up the other before suckling at the bottom as it dribbled out.
"Your leaking." Dylan pointed out as a mint green liquid ran over the cat's fingers and dripped down onto the ground.
"I'm doing the best I can!" Marty nearly shouted making Dylan laugh with a blush as some more people began to look. "She can't hold captain!"
"She's taking on water?" Dylan asked as calmly as ever with a raised eyebrow as he looked at the cat who all but seemed to have forgotten the cone.
"She's takin' on water!" He hollered holding the cone out in front of him as it were a poisonous snake. The cat offered him the cone at the silence he got in return. "Want it?"
Dylan just shook his head in amusement and watched as the cat tossed it over his shoulder and began licking, suckling and inappropriately cleaning his fingers. His gaze wavered though turning towards the various other things around the fair as if trying to figure out what he wanted to do or try or eat next.
"What next?" He asked turning towards the man who was looking out over the fair grounds.
Dylan was surprised to see so many cats out on this day. Either he never really noticed or paid attention but these days it seemed that every cat on this side of the Rocky Mountains was out and about. He wasn't sure how they did it covered in all that fur. Evening the panting mountain cat next to him it didn't make much since.
Marty had crudely open his fly not even caring about a thing in the world as he leaned back, resting on the rail of the docks looking out over the crowd before him. His dark pink tongue was curled as he panted. He licked the side of his muzzle, smacking his lips before turning to look at him beginning to pant again.
"Well?" He asked again not receiving the answer the first time.
Dylan just shrugged. "Let's go see then." And with that he had taken the cougar paw and had made his way into the crowd.
The first stand past the ice cream was that of one of the automatic duck duck shoot games. Without the annoying dog. Ironically there was indeed a dog behind the counter offering up a chance at the game.
"Lets!" Marty said spying a large stuffed saber tooth cat in the back that...sort of resembled a cougar.
The cougar had already slapped his card onto the table demanding a try before Dylan could refuse. Seeing the cats gusto he could hardly refused. Watching him take careful aim and ending up only missing was a treat in and of itself. And at the end Dylan was sure that he was aiming for the snickering dog than at the ducks.
Chuckling he watched as the cat tried again before excuse himself. He motioned over his shoulder at the johns and headed over with a roll of his eyes seeing the determined look on the cougars face. Dylan used the inside of his shorts to open and shut the port a potty. Taking a leak he used the same method to exit the blue plastic can. As he was leaving it he happened to get spotted.
"Dylan!" Angus waved heading over with several fried...things on sticks. The man was roughly the same age as him, if on the larger side, and attended a few of the same classes. He was accompanied by two others both who had female tag alongs. Angus, even to Dylan, seemed like a Fifth wheel. "Sup."
"Sup." Dylan returned the formal greeting and planned to head on by but was stopped.
"You hear alone? Dude, bro man that's kind of sucks." He looked at his friends before turning back. "You should hang with us."
"Thanks. But I'm hanging with a bud here." Dylan said trying to sneak by still but ended up just rolling his eyes and dealing with it. One problem with being in a small town not only did you know everyone but you always ended running into them.
"Where she at?" Angus nosed in looking around at all the ladies before winking at him several times and nudging his side rather hard with an elbow.
"Look I need to catch up. Good to see ya'." He forced a smile moving away from the cheese roll on a stick Angus was practically shoving into his face.
Dylan liked fried food like any guy but mayo, wrapped in cheese, deep fried and then sprinkles with cheese was too much for him. And then it appeared to have been dipped in sour cream or the like.
And just as he hoped he could get away he saw the big cat waving at him with a large stuffed animal under arm.
"Dylan. Dylan!" Marty waved heading over after bumping into another cat, then into a group of high school girls, nearly tripping over a baby carriage and finally jumping up over a bench that blocked his path. "I won!" He said happily with a toothy, fanged grin as he offered the stuffed fluffy chested, velveteen sabertooth tiger for him. Dylan wasn't sure if it was for him or if he were but a child showing off his winnings.
Marty slowed down eying the others before looking back at him. "Thanks." Dylan said with a chuckle and a smile as it was placed into his hands. It was more amusing than anything else. And he took a moment to reflect on the thought.
"Oh! Oh!" Marty ignored the staring people next to him and took both of Dylan's hands in his. "I saw the most awesome thing." He pointed over his shoulder. "A booth that sells...Fish!"
"I think your suppose to take them home." Angus offered still staring at the cat as if he were standing stark nude in front of them with arrows painted onto his fur pointing down at his junk. "You know this guy?"
"Yup." Was the only reply Dylan gave before he found himself being tugged away by one arm, holding the large chest sized tiger with his other and laughing as th music began to play around them.
"This one. No wait this one. NO! This one!" The cougar said freaking himself out as he watched the koi fish swimming around in their little fish tanks. Given only a paper ladle to scoop the fish out the impatient cat broke four before Dylan offered to try his hand at it.
He scooped one up out and up into the air making their faces light up until the paper broke and the fish did a flip and fell through the middle as if showing off. Both of their faces drop before Dylan began shouting that it was rigged, haxed, "shenanigans!" and the cat held him back with a laugh.
The two abandoned the game, ending up just buying a fish for the cat's sake, and moved on. There were other gaming booths in the area but as they passed one wack a mole they stumbled onto the arts and craft section. Indie was an understatement at the "art" they saw around them. Most looked like people had rummaged through garbage cans and picked up anything they could and just slapped it together. Some pieces used strange paints that irritated the cougars nose. "Fuck they use their own feces?" The cat meowed in annoyance pulling back as he covered his nose.
Beads strung on strings served as doorways into and out of the long strip, covered section of it. Clear walled, white tents had been set up next to each other forming a long coiling passage to walk through with displays on both sides. By the end of it the two were laughing as they acted regal, superior as if they actually believed that this was indeed high quality art. The last person to wave them off and wish them "a magical journey through the spectrum of life" was a "hippy chick" as Marty put it with hair all the way down to her ankles in old tattered rag dress. Beads, seashells and colorful stones were strung into her dread locks. And they were leaving Marty shouted behind them for her to "get a real job" and "Cut those weeds off your head."
"Marty!" Dylan chastised but was laughing all the same.
From here they weren't sure how they were roped into buying churros and unwisely decided it would be "fun" to go on the octopus shaped carnival ride. Both of which nearly hurled on and after the ride.
They day was already beginning to come to an end and rows of lights were turning on up and around the fair grounds. Neither of the two had the energy to get up in the morning mostly lazing around on top of one another each taking their separate turns about complaining over the heat. Only past noon did they really decide to go on out. And this was due mainly to the air conditioner breaking down.
Snagging snow cones to ease their bellies the two walked down the row just looking at all the lights and festivities. With the day coming to a close families began to pack up and leave only leaving the adults to stay out and play. And as the night drew on Marty twisted his paw around lacing his fingers into the man at his side.
"Let's go on that!" Marty pointed at the large Ferris wheel in front of them.
"You know?" Dylan said looking up the lit up ride. "I somehow missed that." He joked and they got in line.
"You first." Marty offered as their seat was spun around for them.
Dylan pushed into the corner next to the stuffed animal he still found himself carrying around with the large mountain cat scooting in beside him. The bar closed and the ride shifted making the cat at his side scoot closer to him, his paw gripping his arm tightly as they began to move.
"You alright?" Dylan said nudging his side as the cat moved a bit closer the end of his tail flickering quickly.
"Y-yeah just fine." The cat said looking over the side before quickly looking back in front of him folding his ears back.
"Your not...afraid of heights are you?" The man asked far too much enjoying his friend turmoil.
"Possibly." The cat shrugged. The ride lurched on its old creaky hinges. "Maybe!" He said a bit more desperately breathing quickly.
"What about the other ride we took?"
"Well that only went up a bit and it mainly just spun around. That was ok." Marty said flatly clearly annoyed by the other ride as well.
"Well you can just hold onto me then." Dylan rolled his eyes as the cat clung to him for dear life.
"Planned too."
And with that the ride stopped at the top of the wheel and they got a great view over the city and sea in a quiet world reserved only for them.