Friendship
#9 of FBA Stories
Original found here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/14675578/
Just a nice little scene between Kevin Malka and Aditya Angunn. These two have developed a close friendship over the very short few months that they have known each other. Starting during the Huntsville Combine in May, where they first met and where Adi helped Kevin through a rough day, they stayed on contact through twitter and texts during the summer months, while Kevin trained for the draft and Adi went back to working in the military. After a brief scare in which Adi went on one final mission (here for Adi's departure and the final short segment of this for Kevin's reaction to the news), Kevin asked Adi to bunk together during the FBA Draft. They met again briefly when Adi played at the 2014 FBA Combine Challenge, a set of two games in which the Top 24 players competed for the media. They departed again, and finally bunked together until the 2014 FBA Draft, where Adi got chosen 6th, and Kevin 24th.
Though they now reside on different teams within the same division, the competition will be strong, but they will remain friends through it all. And neither would want it any other way.
As a comment: This is the kind of story I've been wanting to write for a long while now. It's not heavy, it's not filled with drama or events. It's just a short slice of life scene, filled with happiness and and joy, a bonding moment between friends. I've been sitting on this picture for a month, waiting to finish the story that I had some difficulty writing. But I'm happy with what I produced.
Kevin Malka belongs to me.
Aditya Angunn and Ada Zhao belong to adaoz adaoz. Art is also by Ada.
The FBA is the creation of Buckhopper Buckhopper
The voice called out as he shut the door to the hotel room behind him. "That you, Kevin?"
"Yeah, it's me."
"Where were you?"
Kevin sighed as he rounded the corner and set eyes upon the civet. Aditya Angunn was sitting on the couch of the hotel room in his new Santa Ana Spectrums uniform, almost beaming. "I had to run off to take care of a friend after the draft. Things turned out alright for him in the end though, Wilmer . . . Mr. Grehr of the Kahunas signed him on as a post-draft selection. Then Barbie and Daryl stole me for a drink, but I wanted to try and get back here. Where's your brother, anyways? I thought he'd be here celebrating with you."
The civet shrugged. "He had to go get some work in order, said he might be back in a little while."
Kevin grinned, tossing his stuff down onto his bed. "In that case..." The pangolin walked the few steps across the room and reached down, wrapping his arms around the civet and lifting Adi off the couch in a tight hug. "This is for getting picked SIXTH, you lucky civet you!"
Adi let out a squeak. "Ah! Kevin!"
Kevin dropped the civet back onto the couch, turning around and grabbing his new jersey off the bed. "I'll be right back," the pangolin called out as he ducked into the bathroom, shutting the door. It was only a few moments before Kevin exited the bathroom wearing his Winnipeg Voyageurs jersey, the remnants of his torn suit in one hand. He dropped the suit fragments next to his bed before taking a spot next to Adi on the couch.
"So, Adi," Kevin started, then paused. "Are you happy to be on the Spectrums?"
Adi nodded, his face in contemplation. "Yes. I've been working for this for so long. Now I can play to support my team, and all those who rely on me."
"Yeah," Kevin sighed. "I remember, that night, back in Huntsville. You told me a bit about why you wanted to do this back then. And not only that, you gave me the strength to keep moving forward that night. Without you, I don't think I would have made to to where I am now."
Adi looked up. "And here you are. Selected twenty-fourth by the Voyageurs. You were so worried, and in the end, everything worked out for you."
Kevin nodded, smiling. "Yeah. I've worked so hard, ever since I didn't get my name in the Top 24 at the Combine. All those hours spent working my tail off, those training camps, watching in agony as you played in the Combine Challenge and I had to sit on the sidelines. And in the end, here I am, selected in the first round, over so many Top 24 candidates. I just . . . I hope I can make the Voyageurs proud, I hope I can prove to them that they made the right choice in me."
"You will, Kevin." Adi put a hand on the pangolin's shoulder. "You play with your heart, and you always give your all. You'll do fantastic in Winnipeg."
"Yeah, I'll definitely do my best." Kevin paused, about to continue when he hear the door open.
"Adi, I'm back. Has Kevin com... Oh, hey Kevin!" Ada walked around the corner from the entrance of the room, coming into view of the pair on the couch. "What were you two doing?"
Kevin smiled. "Hey, Ada. We weren't doing much, just talking about what it's like to be finally in the FBA."
Ada smiled, his ever present camera hanging from the strap around his neck. "You both did fantastic! Adi 6th overall and you as the final pick of the first round! You looked so happy up there, even with the accident with your suit."
"Oh, you saw that?"
"Kevin, everyone saw that." Kevin groaned while Adi chuckled a little. "Of the draft night videos, that little episode is the one being played the most right now. Well, that and Aurora Goldshine's number one selection alongside Jake Turner's selection by his mother."
There was a pause before Ada started talking again. "So, is there anything that you're really looking forward to, now that you're in?"
Kevin stopped to think. "Honestly, I don't know. I'm looking forward to owning some clothes that won't rip when I wear them, and that I can finally give to charity, but really? It's all still settling in, feeling like a dream. But I know there's one thing I'm not looking forward to; wearing the Voyageurs alternate... jersey..."
The pangolin's voice trailed off as a thought struck him. He looked over at the civet to his right, eying Adi's home uniform. Suddenly, Kevin started laughing, a heavy, full hearted laugh, as he wrapped an arm around the civet, pulling the civet slightly towards him. "Oh, Adi, it's going to be amazing watching you play in the Spectrum's alternate jersey. That thing is amazing. I kind of wish I could play in it myself!"
Adi looked confused for a moment before he bent forward slightly, wrapping an arm around the one that Kevin had across his shoulders and chest and chuckled. "Yeah, I guess it will."
Kevin smiled, just enjoying the moment with his friend as he watched Ada lift the camera to his one good eye. "It's our turn now, Adi. It's our time to shine, and we're going to do this!"