Dec 15th, 2015, 1917hrs

knock knock

“The door isn’t locked”

“Alright Mr.Onca, I’m coming in”

“Korevo?” Julio Onca, Assistant Coach for the Santa Ana Spectrums basketball franchise, asked
“It’s late here. Is something the matter? Why haven’t you gone back yet?”

“Nothing really” the sea serpent replied as he peeked into the room
“Just wondering if you were working late tonight”

“Are you busy?” Korevo asked, the large cat sighing in return.

“Well, we do have a new head coach now, fortunately. I’m just busy preparing the files that need to be handed off to him” Onca explained

“Oh… bad time then?” Korevo asked, head lowered as he shuffled his feet together, only his head peeking through the door.

“... I could use a break” Onca replied
“Did you need something?”

“Oh! Nothing really. I just thought I’d prepare some hot cocoa for you… You know, long day and all? Hehe” Kor replied as he stepped in, revealing a tray with a kettle and cup
“You like cocoa right? If I remember right?”

“I… do actually.” The black leopard replied
“Surprised anybody remembered.”

“Hehe, I’ve got the eye for detail, photographer and all.” Kor replied with a silly grin across his face

“And there’re still players downstairs practicing?” he continued, pondering about the thuds coming from Onca’s window, which allowed him to look at the Spectrums indoor practice court downstairs.

Onca chuffed and moved from his work desk to the guest table, motioning for Korevo to join him
“Mhh, Scott and Adi are having a 1-on-1 downstairs. Come now, take a seat.”

“Coming in!”

As the sea serpent was serving the larger cat however, Onca noticed that something was amiss.

“Wait… Just 1 cup? What about your own?” Onca asked

“Well… I know you like sweetened cocoa, and it’s been a long day, so I guess you could use the treat.” Kor replied
“Besides, I can’t take in too much sugar… since… you know.”

“Ah... yeah...” Onca replied
“I’m sorry, didn’t mean to.”

“It’s alright Mr.Onca, I don’t tend to talk about it, and I don’t ‘look’ it as well” Kor explained as he poured hot cocoa into the cup
“It’s why people tend to forget”

The leopard sighed as he took a light sip from the cup
“Mmmm… This is nice… you added a light touch of marshmallow with it too”

“Hehe… You do have a sweet tooth” Kor joked, earning a chuckle from the big cat.

“Hah! Yeah, that I do. Large build and all, I need the energy intake” Onca replied with a smile as he took a sip from the cup again
“It’d be nice if you could have some of it as well though…”

“Well… I guess I could… Just not a lot.” Kor pondered out loud, smiling as he sat across the big cat
“Plus, it’ll be cool if it’s from the same cup as Mr.Onca’s!”

“Psh-haha, I told you before, call me Julio… It’s been what? Practically a whole season now and you’re still at it.” Onca replied with a chuckle.
“And you are sure?”

“Mmhmm!” Kor nodded
“I’ve been cutting back on sugar intake heavily. Been losing weight too, as you can see!”

Onca smiled, happy that he was able to make a difference in Kor’s life for the better.

“Your present, slimmer look fits you well in my opinion” Onca told his friend as he put the cup aside
“Here, if you really want to.”

Korevo picked the cup up from the table, and took a sip out of it
“Daaaaang! I make good stuff!” he said out loud, complimenting himself with a proud grin, earning a laugh from the leopard.

“I cannot disagree with you there.” Onca replied
“If you weren’t a photographer, you’ll certainly be winning people over their stomachs, and tastebuds.”

“Well, it could be one of my exit strategies!” Kor replied, his muzzle plastered with a goofy grin.
“Just in case!”

“Psh! Like I’d let a good employee go just like that” Onca jokingly replied as he rolled his eyes

“Awww, you mean that?” Kor asked, his eyes sparkling as he put the cup down, to which Onca averted his gaze and shrugged as he smiled

“I’ll be sad if my friend, number one fan left. That much I know” Onca replied, earning a blush from the leviathan

“Thanks Mr.Onca…” Kor told him as he gazed down towards the cup of hot cocoa on the table.
“I really appreciate that”

“Hehe, I told you before, it’s Julio”

…

“I guess I should let you get back to work Mr.On… I mean, Julio” Kor said as he stood up
“Thanks for your time!”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Onca asked as he stood up, straightening his attire

“I… don’t think so?” Kor replied

Onca sighed, and opened his arms as he smiled at the sea serpent.
“C’mere.”

Kor smiled wide, and proceeded to hug the tall black leopard

“Thanks for the hot cocoa, it’ll help with work” the black leopard said, hugging the smaller sea serpent back in return

“Anytime Mr.Onca… anytime…” Kore replied, wrapping his arms round the taller cat's waist

“sigh... Korevo Giron... what did I tell you?”

---

Simple story, dedicated to my late, dearest friend Levi

I miss him greatly, and wish that I’ve made more time for him as opposed to wasting time outside

I never knew what I had, till I lost him.
I loved him, more than I do my family - He was much closer to me than most of anyone ever was, and was my strongest pillars of support since I knew him back in 2012, shortly after his 27th birthday when Lapres got me to sketch out something for his B'day
He was a guardian angel not only to me, but so many others as well, always being there whenever we're down, no matter the situation
No one else discussed story characters with me the way he did, and while most other RL friends and furs merely dismiss my interests in whatever I do, he showed great interest in what I do and even delve into research into what is it I like to do - a rare quality in any individual, a sign that he keep your friends close and treasured

I miss how he greets me online
I miss the fun times we bounced ridiculous and/or dramatic ideas off of one another
I miss how genuine he is, always pushing to gift others without asking for anything in return
How he always showed that unconditional compassion and empathy, and a hug in return will bring him so much happiness
All that, while he suffers from the pains of a weak liver

If it were possible, I’d give up everything I have, little as they maybe, to bring him back

Delivering my eulogy for him, seeing him being buried and seeing his loving mother breakdown were some of the emotionally hardest things I had to endure

While I have more tributes in mind, a majority of them would be placing down onto canvas the ideas we’ve bounced off of one another, this picture being one of them featuring the FBAverse version of his character, along with a character of mine he was very smitten with, Julio Onca

This story here, is based on the very last message he left for me over Skype
Leviathan248: fbaKor: -stays and shares hot cocoa with Onca- 18:36 @ GMT+0800, Dec 1 2016

The books in the background include the names of whom I can find in FA that he was friends with, along with both our characters and any characters I know he’s role-played with with his own, the side of each book with their name written with their then fursona’s colour scheme, with the hopes that he’ll be able to read about each of them as their/our lives unravel

Top left part of shelf:
Zeph Ng, BenBen, Dash, Stryker, Bacent, Rob, Dravu, Vader-San, Doffa, Steinwill, Firekitty, Ben Anderson

Lower part of shelf:
Santa Ana Spectrums, Biloxi Voodoo, Kevin Malka, Neeco, AL CaPWNy, Lapres, Levi himself, Jose, Trezio, Renny, Beau, Adi, Ada, Onca, Iman, Parsons, Chase, Kalin, Ellis, Nathan, Vaskere, Gausswolf, Censorbune, EsperHusky, CMYKitty, DMW, Csairman, Zachski, Kingsley Wolfe, BenBen (Oni), Xantouke and Iaido

I love you Levi, more than ever I cared to admit
Rest well my friend, and may we be brothers shall we meet in another lifetime
Youtube Creation Process Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUwqMwc7ppo
Music = Hallelujah by Colson Granger and FoxAmoore