Stormy Weather (Version Fluff
This is a gift to my little brother-in-all-but-blood. Mayhaps I'll make a little ditty as a present for him and his boyfriend both some other time.
He fidgeted as he waited, tugging at his pack's strap and ears twitching atop his head listening for the familiar sound of his Brother-in-all-but-blood's car. It'd been at least half an hour, and maybe if he were more reasonable he could remember they hadn't seen each other in two whole years, but a whoooole thirty minuuuuutes! It was unbearable!
He ran a paw down his gray furred arm, wrinkling his pink nose and laid his tufted fox ears back as he finally spotted the the little compact his brother sent him a picture of a year ago. He was doubly sure it was him when he spotted the fluffy black and white skunktail inside the car before he saw the skunk it was attached to, and couldn't suppress the wide grin that spread over his muzzle, darting to the side of the car and throwing his bags into the back of the car before it had even completed a full stop and jumping into the front seat, clicking his steatbelt on and... being brought up short.
Here he is able to see his older brother for the first time in years and yet he was still shy as the day they became friends. So he settled for seeing if he had changed at all.
His brother was still a skunk. He was still fluffy. Pink nose, a stripe that ran from said nose to his hairline where white locks messily hung over his brow, occasionally making him tilt his head to keep his bangs out of his eyes. Perky little ears, check. Still had his fluffy looking black fur. He seemed to be wearing tighter clothes, and he was still girly.
He was everything the dimmunitive fox could remember, and despite being able to start a conversation, he smiled at his older brother, Grej.
"How've you been little brother?" Grej said, shooting a small smile of his own at the dimmunitive fox. He watched the little gray ears lay themselves back atop his head over his black mane-like hair and shook his own head. The boy still hadn't broken out of his nervous habits.
"U-um... I've been pretty good."
"Oh, and how is pretty good? Was the bus trip alright?" He smirked at the short little nod he recieved. Talking to him was always awkward, he naturally let everyone do the talking. Which was fine, Grej thought, he always managed to talk enough for the both of them from what he could remember. "Did you remember your swimsuit Nathan?" He smiled again at the sound of a waistband being snapped in affirmative and put the car into drive and pulled away from the bus stop. "Alright Li'l bro, let's get going to the beach."
They stayed out till the sun kissed the horizon, Grej fulfilled all the little fox's fantasies of what having an older brother would have been like growing up. They played in the surf, threw around a ball, even had a little splash war that gained them none too few glares from other beach-goers who got caught up in the middle. They got ice cream, had a messy lunch that involved chilidogs and dinner that involved messy hamburgers all grilled and served at the small beach-side building that sold anything one could need out on a beach. It was heaven. And Nathan was happy it wasn't going to end just yet. He was on vacation, time that Grej set aside just for him out of his busy work schedule. A full two weeks filled with going out and being able to just let loose and have fun.
And he was okay with this day ending as it was. It was a long day, and he had fun. He smiled idly as they finally got home, having said "Screw it" and hopped into the car still dripping wet and drove all the way home with the windows down, letting both their fluffy coats of fur dry during the drive. They were dry enough by the time they got to Grej's home, a single wide trailer on the outskirts of town, that they could walk in and take their turns in the shower.
Nathan roughed his hair about with the towel as he left the bathroom mostly dry and dressed in PJ's his big brother let him have. (He didn't have any and they were too small for him anyway). He was greeted by his 'big brother' taking the towel from him and handing him a large mug that held liquid that smelled minty and bitter. He layed his ears back and subconsciously flattened his large gray tail against his legs and took an inquisitive sniff. He instantly recoiled and wrinkled his nose and recieved a loud laugh for his troubles, giving an indignant noise towards the Skunk now seated on an unassuming couch. "It's peppermint and chamomile. A lot less bitter than some of the black teas I drink. It smells stronger than it tastes, and will help you sleep. Now c'mere ya little fluffball, all this play and I haven't even gotten a hug from you yet."
Those were the magic words as the dimmunitive teen set down his cup and practically pounced onto the couch, wrapping the older skunk in a tight hug, burrying his vulpine snout into the strongly scented fur of his older brother and taking in a deep whiff. He only loosened his grip when he felt arms wrap around him and squeeze him back, and they stayed there for a good long while, just enjoying eachother's embrace. They finally let go as a deep rumble of thunder came in the distance and the pitter patter of rain sounded on the roof.
They relaxed back into the cushions of the couch and finally sipped their tea. It was a pleasent half hour of silence until finally the Grej noticed his little brother's fidgeting. Something'd been bothering him for a while, Grej could tell the nervous tick of the little fox was more severe than what he had originally thought and finally decided something was bothering him. "What's wrong Lil' bro? Something on your mind?" He asked, resting a hand atop the fox's ears, giving them soft little scritches, a simple act they both enjoyed.
He didn't recieve an answer for a few minutes, patiently waiting and draining the last of his tea before he finally perked his ears and let his little brother speak. "U-um... It's just... Y'know, how I never really was able t' hold a relationship?" He finally stuttered out, the fox's tea long forgotten.
"Well yeah, but you're still young fluffbutt. Seventeen isn't that old despite what a lot of others your age think. Love isn't something you can rush. Plus, you can't claim that it was your fault those relationships didn't last incredibly long." He said, giving a small shrug and draping his tail over his lap. He glared down at it distractedly, he hadn't brushed it yet...
"Well, um... I've got a, uh... What I mean t' say is..." He stopped for a moment and took in a deep breath, bringing his tail around to hug to his chest. It was his safety blanket, as he'd never had a literal blanket, and it made him feel closer to his older kind-of-a-brother as they shared a connection by tailfluff. "Well it's cuz I um... Think I'm..." He closed his eyes, scrunching his nose up (cutely) and let it all out in the open. "IthinkI'mgayandIhaveaboyfriendeitherway."
He blinked and took in a breath. That wasn't as hard as he thought it was going to be to say. He almost dreaded he'd literally choke to death on the words with the way his throat knotted up. He looked up at his brother after a short moment hoping he didn't say anything wrong, but an amused expression and raised brow were not quite what he were expecting.
"What... That's all?" He gave a shrug and flopped his big poofy tail over the boy's lap and ruffled his headfur up again. "Sweetie, I don't know if you remember, but I've dated boys myself. It's not that big of a deal." He brought the little fox in for a tight squeeze, mashing his little nose against his chest. "I've sucked a dick and enjoyed it before. And probably will in the future" He chuckled at the embarassed squeak that was muffled against his chest. "And sexual preference will not cloud my judgement of my adorable little bro. Although now that just means you have to promise me to be safe. And that I get to meet any future boyfriends in your life. That way I can put the fear of skunk into them." He felt the little fox nod weakly against his chest and they sat there again, enjoying the closeness once again. At least until a flash of lightning lit everything up and then shook the house with a deep thunder that made them both jump. He blinked at little Nathan muffling words against his chest and chuckled as he released his little brother. "What was that my little Dupa?"
"I um... C-can we cuddle tonight? I don't like really bad storms..." He said, ears flat, once again, atop his head as he fidgeting with his paws in his lap. It was adorable to the Skunk, really. Grej always imagined he'd be dating someone like that in the future. But nah, he was perfectly happy with a little brother who looked up to him in every way and looked for his approval such as this little fox did.
"Nathie, are you flirting with me? You just told me you had a boyfriend, why I never." He said with a mock-stern expression, but entirely unable to keep from cracking a grin at the horrified, blushing, expression of his little brother. "I'm joking! Yes, that's fine. You know I'm always happy to hold my little fluffbutt." He said, tugging him into his arms again and giving him a squeeze before leaning down, grinning evilly as he pushed his lips against his little brother's ear and whispered "As long as your pants don't mysteriously disappear in the middle of the night..."
He enjoyed a long loud laugh as his little brother stuttered and mumbled and furiously denied anything and everything, face alight in a visible blush that turned his gray facial fur a dull pink before he settled the boy down with assurances that he WAS in fact just teasing. They simply settled with laying on the couch, little brother spooned back into the older Skunk, their ridiculously fluffy tails wrapped around eachother and hugged tightly in Nathan's arms against his chest as he comfortably fit his older brother's form, not minding one bit the arms wrapped around his stomach holding his tight. The warmth shared between their shirtless fur meshing together and being practically surrounded by his older brother made him feel safe and secure. He was able to close his eyes and sleep with a small smile gracing his lips all night despite the loud crashing of the storm around them, the sounds dulled in comparison to the sound of the Skunk's heart thumping against the back of his head. It was a restful sleep that he'd come to cherish as he and his older brother innocently cuddled the night away.
One could argue that it was a lot more intimate and close than most would be comfortable with between two males who were already spoken for by other males. But the fact remained they were pretty much brothers even if they were from different worlds, and it was an unspoken rule for many that the bigger one always looks after the little one. These two just happen to get along normally a lot better than most other would.