Chapter three: a quick stop.

"respect others as equals, and they will respect you back, respect can only be earned, never truly bought"

-emperorwolf

it didn't take long for kevin to reach the path that lead to his home, but it would still take until nightfall to arrive, so to pass the time as he walked over to where he hid his clothing and searched for the fake rock hiding them, he struck up a conversation with the little fox perched on top of his head.
"just lookin' for the hidin' place"

benson jumped a little "oh! ah... sorry, i fell asleep.." he admitted

"s'alright, i'll take it as a compliment."

"okay. now, what's this about a hiding place?"
kevin smiled broadly "it's just where i stashed my stuff, you didn't think i walked all the way over in just swimming trunks did you?" he felt benson fidget "...you DIDN'T think i walked over in just my trunks ... right?..." he asked uncertainly.

"i... didn't think about it too much... so... i guess i did..."

"that's wierd, remember, my side of bordertown's just a larger version of your own, really."

"i-i know! the thought just hadn't come to mind..."

"pff. and you say you're so smart!"
a light bump landed on his head, which he assumed was benson hitting him.
"I AM SMART. i DESIGNED most of the stuff your kind uses everyday!"

"okay, whatev- OH!"

"what?"
kevin overturned a slightly off-colour rock, revealing a 'small' hole beneath with a backpack inside.
"found it." kevin confirmed as he unzipped the pack, recovering a pair of underwear from it.
"turn around and hold on."

"What? why?"

kevin huffed "i need to see what i'm doing, and right now, i don't want you looking."
benson sighed "right, right, i forgot you lost your trunks there."

kevin snorted "how'd y'manage that?"
"it's not like i enjoyed that awkward moment, also, i thought someone 'seeing' you would be something you'd enjoy?" benson suggested

"keep talking like that and you'll be sharin' these with me..." kevin half-threatened, gesturing to the underwear.

"...you're joking...right?"

"dunno... am i?"

"ah- okay then. i'm turning now."
benson turned around and gripped the dark fur near him.
kevin smiled again "good. knew that'd work." he commented, leaning down to retrieve the garments and don them, first the underwear, a pair of black shorts, and grey sandals.
"undershirt" he informed benson, as he prepared to slip the singlet over his head.
"go ahead!" benson called.
with a contented humm, he pulled the singlet on, trying to reduce head contact if possible.
once it was on, he checked if the little fox was still there as he grabbed his white T-shirt
"still up there?"

"still here!" benson answered "thanks for checking."

"y'welcome" he answered, and prepared the shirt "shirt's coming!"

"continue."
kevin pulled the shirt on more carelessly than before, allowing the material to push against benson and drag him.
benson lost his grip and was carried off inside the shirt.
kevin's head popped out of the hole and he chuckled
"still there?"
no response.
"benson?"
nothing.
"...ben? come on man, stop it, gimme a sign or something..."
suddenly he felt a tickle at the front of his waist...
"no... no way..." he groaned
he lifted his shirt and saw the fox's lower half kicking about, his upper body ducked beneath the waistband of kevin's shorts...
"oops." kevin said awkwardly, and reached down and grabbed benson's legs, which immediately made the little fox struggle more.
"Ben, ... BEN!" the struggles stopped. "s'okay, i got ya', s'just me." kevin assured.
slowly, kevin pulled out the waistband of his shorts, and benson curled up, allowing kevin to see his upper portion, he waved at kevin.
"yes hello." kevin laughed down to his friend, thankfully, he hadn't ended up beneath the band of his ... undergarments... somehow, he didn't think benson would be too pleased about that.
"how'd y'end up down 'ere?"

"the shirt pulled me down and i fell off your head." benson replied, unamused, suggesting that it was obvious.

"sorry."

"it's okay... least you kept your promise..." he joked

kevin gave him a confused look

"well... almost, luckily i landed where i did! i don't think you'd have let me out so easily if i'd landed...elsewhere..."

"ohh, THAT!" kevin sighed "hmmm, maybe you're right..."
benson fidgeted uncomfortably.
"buuuuuut...i wouldn't do that to you..." he laid benson on his knee and let the waistband snap back.
"you're my friend, not some toy"

benson stood up on kevin's knee "good to know. now put me down near my bike."

"you're not leaving because of that incident are you?" kevin asked, worried.
"no, no. my clothing's in the satchel."

kevin facepalmed himself "oh of course!" he felt incredibly stupid "DUH!!"
he picked up benson with care and placed him on the ground, followed by his bike.
"turn away!" benson demanded

kevin raised an eyebrow
"now! or i'll shrink you...!

"okay, okay." kevin turned away "i'm turnin'! i'm turnin'!"

"thankyou." benson replied, and began changing into his casual wear.
kevin couldn't resist, and tried to sneak a peek, but benson noticed.

"em naht rellams..." benson began

kevin stopped and quickly turned back "okay! i wont look! IM NOT LOOKING!" he cried out in panic.

"...tsahg nivek ekam" he finished.
kevin was suddenly draped in shade.
(oh, come on!)
"was that nessisary, ben?"

"i didn't peek, why should you?" benson taunted.
benson pulled his shorts on. he looked down at the little german shepherd sulking in his shadow.
"ah, whatever, you can look now if you want."

"you tryin' ta' trick me?" kevin huffed
"no, my shorts are on, i think that the 'privacy' factor's been 'Covered' well enough"

kevin turned around, still looking quite annoyed.
"two things: can i go back to normal now?" he asked "and your puns suck."

benson laughed, pulling on a long-sleeved shirt.
"you could..."

kevin sighed "but?"

"...but then i couldn't offer you a ride could i?" benson said as soon as his head popped out.

kevin stared at him "on y'r bike?"

benson smiled warmly "yes, you seemed interested in it earlier, so what do you say?"

kevin thought about it for two whole seconds. "yes, please!" he answered jovially.
pulling on his black riding coat, benson walked over to his bike, and lowered a paw for kevin, who quickly bounded over and leapt onto the paw.

benson placed him in the breast pocket of his shirt, and generated a tiny pair of goggles for kevin from some of the sand he had picked up.
"particle - molecular - whatever goggles?" kevin asked

benson laughed "particle molecular fusion construction." he corrected
he pulled his own goggles on, and kevin did too.

"give me directions, 'kay, kevin?"

"sure!" kevin called from the breast pocket.

benson started the engine, and the displays lit up, the tyres began glowing, and the guages appeared.

kevin was impressed "holy shit, this is advanced stuff..." he said in awe

"it is, isn't it?" benson said calmly. "i had it brought over from gentiki. ready to go?"

kevin pumped a fist "hells yeah!"

benson kicked off and sped down the path, leaving behind a trail of dust and a faint "WooHooooooooo!!" from a little voice...