Chapter Twenty One: the new guy.

"forming a union with one's allies can create the greatest team"

-Oriado.

-two days later-
it was night, and kevin had convinced benson to go on a run with him.
the thing was, benson wasn't as slow as the german shepherd thought.
kevin ran across the forest track, when an orange blur passed him.
benson jogged backwards, smiling mockingly back to him.

"see you at the finish line!" the fox remarked before turning and sprinting away.
"not 'f i get there first!" kevin called ahead.
benson began lagging a little "know what you forgot?"
"what?"
"foxes hunt at night! i've got the advantage!!"
and he took off at even greater speed.
"oh what the hell?" kevin growled, not able to close the increasing gap between himself and the speeding fox.
a dark shape whizzed past him, slowing halfway between benson and kevin.
"oh, other nightrunners?" the newcomer called "where's the destination?"
kevin pointed to benson, who pointed off somewhere in the darkness ahead.
"okay, gotcha!" he laughed, speeding up to catch up with the fox.
(oh, come on!) kevin thought, and poured on the speed, just barely closing the gap to one meter.
"nice of you to drop in, dog!" at this distance, kevin could see that it was a black wolf with white on him.
he was running shirtless.
"i'm Oriado, but you can call me Ori, if you want!"
"all i'm gonna call you... is the guy who didn't win!" kevin puffed.
oriado chuckled "you look tired. i've only just started."
benson turned and ran backwards ahead of them "i'm benson, and i'm gonna win!"
"not on your tail, fox!" oriado laughed.
benson reached the halfway point, and launched back, heading back towards the house.
oriado hummed "so THAT'S why he ran backwards."
the two reached the turn point, and ran back to the house.

"you'll never catch me now!" benson called back.
"cocky fox!" kevin called.
"i agree!" oriado laughed, speeding up "but i won't come last!!"
kevin puffed, growling "i'm... Not... LOSING!!" and began sprinting full speed, but he was beginning to tire.
benson's happy laughter rang out from ahead.
oriado's followed, and kevin slowly caught up with the wolf, but he was breathing hard.
"woah! you're persistent! i respect that."
oriado didn't seem tired at all.
"i-can-still-win...!" kevin wheezed
"you don't look good..."
a triumphant whoop came from up ahead.

kevin and oriado reached the house to see the fox smiling from the top step.
kevin fell to his knees, panting and breathing heavily "fuck... i... over....did....it"
oriado was laughing "you're a difficult fox to catch!" then he looked at kevin "but your friend... he doesn't look too good."
benson fished into his pocket, and withdrew a bottle of vitamin C "this might help." he tossed the bottle to the wolf.
he helped the german shepherd take some.
kevin gasped "hoh, man... i'll never underestimate YOU again, ben!"
oriado laughed, and helped kevin up "didn't catch your name."
"kevin." he shook oriado's paw "kevin ghast"
"Oriado remirii"
kevin pointed at the smiling fox "Benson Palmer."
benson waved
"oh! the Buki who became a Giki? i read that in the paper!"
benson shrugged "if you want to see it that way, then yes."

kevin invited Oriado inside.

Oriado whistled once inside "nice place!"
"how old ARE you?" benson laughed
"tch, i'm nineteen."
he looked kevin over "hm."
"what's 'hm'?" the german shepherd asked
"you're kinda handsome"
benson stared "st-straight out... jeez."
Oriado laughed "you're pretty fast, you'd be nice, too."
benson shook his head "i have a girlfriend..."
"aww. too bad." Oriado joked.
kevin looked the wolf over "well... if you're a nice guy... maybe."
"shall i return tomorrow?"
"if you do, after 3:10 PM, i'm still in school, 17."
"Oriado does not mind, there's only two years difference. and, sure, will do!"
he then waved goodbye and jogged out.

"woah..." benson breathed "he's not shy, is he?"
kevin was blushing, he turned his gaze downward "n-no... certainly not..."
"are you blushing?"
"n-no..."
"you are! oh gods, you are!" benson exclaimed "you're int-"
"stop it!" kevin warned, his face red beneath his fur.
"hey, i didn't say it was bad... it's okay, kevin... you can if you--"
he covered his face "stop it!!"
benson sighed, bordering on laughter. "why're you so defensive?"

"'cause i only jus' met him... 's wierd that i'm seein' 'im that way already!"
"are you... scared?" he asked honestly
"a... a little..."
"he seemed nice."
"he did..."
"he seemed into you."
"yeah...?"
"yeah... i think."
kevin fidgeted.
"kevin, go take a cold shower." benson laughed
kevin glared, embarrased, and seemingly angry.
the fox stood, and slapped kevin on the shoulder "oh lighten up!" he laughed heartilly "but... seriously do." he then proceeded to run as the german shepherd started to chase him "why you-!"
he caught benson easily and held him in a headlock, he struggled but couldn't get free, the fox may have been faster, but his strength was far greater than benson's.
"okay, okay! i give! i give!" he laughed.
kevin released him "that wasn't funny."
benson stood beside him, and he realised for the first time that he actually stood about three centimeters taller than his friend.

"kevin, look at it from my perspective; i'm not trying to insult you, i'm just having a little fun. and, as i was saying, whatever feelings you have are perfectly natural."
kevin sighed "well... i guess i kinda like him..."
"that's fine, isn't it? and all i was saying was it was awkward because you...uh... y'know... and i was nearby... so..."
kevin blushed and glared again
"woah, hold up. just think... logically... wouldn't it make things awkward for you, if you were in my position?"
the glare softened "i... guess you're right."
benson sighed in relief.
"okay, where're the clean sheets?"
kevin didn't understand "why?"
"i'll be using the couch tonight. is that okay? all things considered."
kevin fought back yet another blush "y-yeah... i suppose..."
kevin pointed down "basement."
benson raised an eyebrow "a basement? you have a basement?"
"or 'cellar' as it's also called."
"no, i mean, why didn't you tell me?"

"never asked."
"coulda been useful to HIDE FROM INTRUDERS!" the fox growled, reffering to his capture just over a week ago.
kevin shrugged, rubbing the back of his head "ohhh, right..."
"oh, no, you don't get to just trail off! you never showed me all of your home when we met, What The F?!"
"i... uh..." he leapt up "imma take a shower." he ran upstairs.
benson smirked "i bet i know why~" he called in a singsong voice.
"shut up~!" came down equally as singsong, but also annoyed.
benson found the basement door and headed down, turning on the light.
it was simple, not impressive.
a waterheater in the corner, a linen cupboard in the other, a washing machine, an old television, boxes marked VHS, a pool table...

wait what?

"he's got a damn pool table?"
it was in perfect condition... looked like it'd never been used.
he looked at the box of billiard balls...
original packaging, unopened.
scratch that earlier comment, it WAS unused, never even properly unwrapped.
"shit... this is a collector's edition, too... Shit!" he said in disbelief.

drawing himself away from the rare pool table, he headed over to the linen cupboard.
opening it, he found everything neat and tidy, very clean, too.
"wow. kevin's a serious neat freak."
he carefully drew out a warm blanket and a pillow.
"hope this'll do..."
his head buzzed.
he pushed the sensation away.
after the incident, the seal on his shadow had come undone, and he had to continually suppress it manually.
"go away... not right now..."
(why? you're not doing anything.)
"shut up. just stop going stir-crazy."
(waterheaterprankwaterheaterprankwaterheaterprank!) his shadow begged.
"le no."
(you aren't french...)
"you care why?"
the buzzing went away, his shadow settled down (point taken.........)
benson sighed, and closed the cupboard with his footpaw.
"finally..." he headed back upstairs, bumping the switch on his way out.
he reemerged into the living area, and set out the makeshift bed on the couch.
he heard whistling from the third floor, just a songless tune.
"pff."
it then dawned on him that kevin's only TV was an old analog unit in the basement.
"that's... odd."
he then realised they hadn't had dinner.
benson walked up to the third floor, into kevin's bedroom, steam billowed out from the ensuite door.
"hey, kevin!"
the whistling stopped "what?"
"i just realised we never had dinner!"
"oh yeah... you're right."
"pizza okay?"
"yep, meatlovers?"
"you read my mind, dude."

as benson turned to head down the steps, he heard kevin call out "hey, did you jus' call me 'dude' ben?"
"err..." realising that he had, he ran down the stairs "uh, ... gotta go place that order!"

---

kevin stood in the shower, confused
"he totally just said 'dude' ..." he said under his breath.
kevin continued washing, trying to hide the real reason he ran up here.

he had some feelings for the fox, but they'd established a friendship, and benson had a girlfriend, so, that was a 'no' there.
but, this 'Oriado'... he felt greater feelings for him.
and benson's comment earlier had been painfully spot on.
"damn... i ... i think i like that wolf..."
he felt heat rush to his face yet again.
he splashed hiself with the shower water "down boy, kevin, calm down. take your mind off it... a palendrome: zavierobBoreivaz, zavierobBoreivaz, zavierobBoreivaz..."
he stopped "zavier rob boreivaz? ... oh, the news! the taco store robbery... zavier robbed boreivaz's taco store... how wierd"
(WTF...? why do i think so wierdly?)
at least he'd taken his mind off things.
he turned the shower off, shook off, and got dressed.

he headed downstairs to see benson on the first floor, looking out of it.
"ben?"
no response.
"ben? hello?"
ben's eyelids fluttered, as if he had something in his eye.
"oh, kevin... sorry..." he shook his head "i was... somewhere else..."
"i see."
"ugh... my ... you know... he's been restless lately."
"oh, i get it... the shadow."
"sorry, that subject's off limits, isn't it? i'll keep trying to suppress it on my own."
kevin's mouth slanted "did you call me 'dude' before?"
the fox fidgeted "wh-where's that pizza? wonder how long it'll take?"
"stop changing the subject."
"do you know what a palendrome is?"
"a word that is the same backwards as it is frontways, now stop changing the subject! did you, or didn't you?"
benson's ears splayed "uhhh..." he had an idea "do i bring HIM up again?" he asked slyly
"no no no!"
"then drop it!"
kevin submitted "fine."
"by the way, why do you have an unopened, super-rare pool table down there?"
"super-rare?"
"late 1980's model, made from ouba wood."
"oh that. it was a sweet-16th present from my father and my uncles. but i don't know how to play, so..."
"well, i know how. by the way, is your only TV that old unit in the basement?"
"yes, why? i'm fine with radio."
"oh, blah." benson rolled his eyes and batted a paw "radio's not perfect."
"helps when it doesn't disintegrate."
benson laughed "well, it won't anymore."

minutes later they sat on the second floor, enjoying the large meatlovers pizza.
kevin's mouth was full "s' good"
benson swallowed before speaking "yeah, i suppose."
benson handed a catalouge to kevin.
"ultra gamestorm?" he looked inquisitively at the fox "you want me to get a videogame console?"
"no, i'm asking 'do you want one?' okay? i know your eighteenth's coming up."
"not right now, no."
benson's phone rang.
he answered it on speaker.
"ben? hello?"
"hey amelia."
"i need to ask you something."
"shoot."
"do you..." amelia began whispering "do you ever wonder how it'd work 'tween you and lily?"
"what?"
"y'know... physically..."
"amelia, you're on speaker because we're eating"
"oh, oops!" she she said, flustered "but... do you?"
"i'm not discussing this with you."
an angry voice interupted from the other end "ammie! widara tikat monnel?!"
"hi, lil."
"hi benny~ ... WHAT THE HELL, AMMIE?!"
amelia babbled, and it sounded as though she'd run off.
"still there, ben?"
"still here, lil."
"sorry, ammie's got an active imagination... but... a while ago... i did dream we had children."
"oh really?"
"yes, twins, Virlan..."
"... and ciril?"
"how'd you know?"
"i've always liked those names. but i never told anyone before."
"hmm."
benson began whispering "although... have you ever considered what she was suggesting, before?"
"well... i'm not sure how it'd work... but .... sorta."
"hm, well, i got to get back to eating, later lil."
"love you benny~"
"love you lil~"
the call ended.

kevin was looking at him.
"what?"
"how WOULD it work with you two?"
"i'm not having this discussion."
"c'mon, i'm serious, how-?"
"lalalalalala!" benson blocked him out.

the night passed on.

-the next day 3:11 PM-

benson sat at the steps of kevin's house, lily on his shoulder.
"well, yeah... i've thought about it, but i wouldn't force you to"
lily reclined against his neck "that's good to know, i guess... still, it's pretty wierd to think about"
"how's it wierd? i mean, we love eachother, right? it's natural."
"yeah, but, how would we... you know...?"
he picked her off his shoulder, and gently nuzzled her.
"well, we'll find out... we know there's a way, after all, how else could patrick exist?"
she pushed his nose away playfully "good point."
"be kinda wierd to ask them though..."
"that... is true." lily admitted.

and then kevin walked into the clearing.
"hey!" he waved
they waved back
"has.... he arrived yet?"
suddenly, a black shape dropped in from the tree nearest kevin.
benson and lily stared "you...."
"heard....everything" benson finished
Oriado smiled "oh, don't worry, i tuned out."
benson and lily still weren't okay with it.

"oh, hey, howsabout a double date?" oriado suggested.
benson and lily looked at kevin, and he thought.
"hmm... okay... but i can't have any alcohol."
oriado smiled, adjusting his red jacket "yeah, fair enough, i'll lay off the sauce, too."
benson chuckled "don't think i will, though." he joked
lily braced herself against his thumb "me either."
oriado walked over "hello" he waved down to lily "Oiado Remirii."
"Elilabetha Heartrow, but call me lily."
"then call me Ori" he chuckled offering a finger.
she shook it.
"so, Ori, where're we going?"
"i know a place, well... i OWN it."
kevin's eyes widened "you own a bar?"
"a dance club... which has a bar"
benson cleared his throat "does that mean we'll get a discount?"
Oriado smiled "maybe, maybe not."

-later, at 'adoration' , Oriado's club 10:00 PM-
benson chugged down a glass of beer.
"ah! that's good stuff!"
lily sat on the table, next to benson's forearm, sipping from a small glass.
oriado smiled "i had them buy a smaller set today, gotta be ready for all of my clientelle!"
lily smiled "thanks!"
kevin sat beside oriado, holding a glass of orange juice
"good to see y'stock more than just booze!"
"well, not everyone drinks the firewater, kevin!"
some random raccoon fainted a few metres away.
"err... okay, so the majority do."
a waiter-weasel approached with refills, he took great care in placing lily's and kevin's drinks down, but set benson's and Oriado's down normally.
"double date, sir?"
"yeah, we are..." he looked at kevin's cup "that's not alcoholic, is it?"
"no sir."
but, after a single mouthful, lily and kevin passed out cold.
Oriado glared at the waiter.
"what? now you and he can have your fun with them!" he said suggestively, right before the wolf sprang up and uppercutted the waiter, knocking him out in one hit.
everyone in the club looked on, shocked.
oriado snarled "we DON'T DO THAT KIND OF THING HERE!" he turned to the bouncers "i want him OUT, he's FIRED!!"
the two apes grabbed the weasel, and threw him out the open window. "and STAY OUT, CREEP!!"

oriado looked at benson and sighed "we'd better get them home. i'm certainly never letting that moron work here again!" he growled the last part.
benson carefully picked up lily, placing her safely in his breast pocket.
oriado slung his arm under kevin, hoisting him over his shoulders, the german shepherd flopped over him.
"oof, he's heavy!"
"hm, yeah..." he stood, walking out with the wolf.

they walked down the street, headed out of Giki kero.

and as they walked, oriado started up a conversation.
"hey, can i ask something?"
"go ahead."
the wolf adjusted kevin's position, to stop him falling off.
"what's it like, being a... um, non-giant?"
"i suppose you'd only know the one way, hm... how to explain it.. everything in this district is kinda terrifying, and it puts you on edge whenever someone so much as just strolls by. you've got to stay alert 24/7-365, or you could end up flat. it's the worst feeling ever."
oriado winced "wow..."
"also, most giants don't give a damn, and act all high-and-mighty. if they want to, they can kill you, and all they'll get is inprisonment. some of them ACTUALLY expect others to get out of THEIR way, even though the law states giants have to keep an eye out and avoid a wrong step--STOP!"
oriado froze, and looked down, his paw hung above a terrified badger looking up at him.
"oh crap... sorry... i didn't step on anyone, did i?"
"n-no, sir..."
oriado moved his paw away "not sir, we're equal citizens." he said reassuringly "did you fall from the divider?"
the flustered badger nodded, pointing up at a hole in the raised walkway.
"ben?" oriado turned to him.
benson knelt and held out his paw for the badger.
"it's okay, i won't hurt you."
the badger hesitantly boarded the paw.
"brace yourself." benson warned as he stood, the lurching visible in his passenger's little face.
"sorry."
"s-s'okay..."
benson moved him to the waist high pipeline.
"okay, here's your stop. you should probably call and tell the council about the damage."
"w-will do..."
benson flashed a reassuring smile, taking are not to show his teeth. "hey, calm down, we're not a bunch of assholes like most giants, we do watch where we step, this was just an accident. we ask you to forgive us, and we're deeply sorry."
the badger straightened up "g- ahem good to know... thank you, you're forgiven... i do wonder how this hole came to be, though."
benson examined it.
"you'd think it was hit from the outside... but the direction it warps in suggests the opposite."
oriado stared in disbelief "someone broke it from the INSIDE?"
"it's been burned open, not long ago, a few hours."
"WHAT?"
benson rose to full height "damn vandals. well, we gotta get going, bye""
they resumed walking "well, lot of irony there, huh?"
"you're lucky that i ALWAYS keep an eye out, no matter where i tread."
oriado chuckled "yeah, i guess so. i had no idea we were viewed that way, though."
"well, i would know."

in a few minutes, they reached kevin's home in the woods.
benson produced a key and unlocked the door.
"c'mon, can't leave 'em out here."
oriado followed the fox inside.
"put him on the couch."
he did.
"i hope he doesn't hate me for all that."
"once we tell him how you treated that douchy waiter, he'll be okay." benson laughed.
"how'll we wake them up?"
"cover your ears."
oriado covered his ears, as benson withdrew a siver whistle from his pocket, took a deep breath...
SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
the high pitch squeal of the whistle hurt his ears, and they were still ringing when it ended.
a groggy lily crawled up from benson's breast pocket "owww..."
kevin held his head "aagh.... my ears..."

after a little explaining, all was forgiven.

"wow... so that weasel thought you two wanted to... grr." lily growled
"what the hell...?" kevin snarled
benson interjected "but! ori made quick work of him; one uppercut and he was out, then he had the bouncers toss him out the window, AND he fired him!"
kevin and lily smiled "was it humiliating?"
"hoh, yeah."
they looked at the wolf.
he was forgiven.
"you're a nice guy..." kevin said absently
"pff, just one date and you're already into me?"
kevin blushed.
"that's fine, i share the idea." oriado flashed a toothy smile.
kevin blushed even more.
oriado threw an arm around him, kevin trembled.
"my father's chief of police!" kevin blurted out.
oriado didn't move "o-oh... uh... that's... that's okay..."
dispite his words, benson could see that the wolf was nervous.
kevin covered his face "I'M SORRY! ... i screwed up..." he wept.
"it's okay...! it was... just kinda sudden... i still like you..."
"you do?" he choked.
"i do." oriado patted him on the back.
"most people who hit on me bolt when i tell them..."
"i'm not most people."

benson smiled.
it looked like kevin had found someone.
but, how far would it go?