It was just after the sun had vanished over the horizon that the forest started to play its symphony. The crickets sung their song as other critters added to it; calming even the most restless person. Lying in the midst of the symphony in the middle of a small clearing in the forest were two young shifters.
The younger of the two was lying flat of his back while his white hair was pulled over his shoulder; his mismatched eyes closed as his ears twitched in all direction. The older was laying half on top of him; his head resting on the younger's chest as his fingers twisted the younger's hair. His messy green hair hung down into his bright gold eyes that would dart around every now and again.
It was darker than he liked, but the combination of being near the younger and the symphony that played calmed him down a lot more than usual. His tail curled and uncurled itself around his partner's longer and far fluffier tail. He couldn't quite understand why his partner liked being out at night and so far away from the cabin he called home.
The younger knew his partner's anxiety of the dark and had intended on going out to the clearing on his own, but after going out alone for five nights straight his partner insisted on going with him. It wasn't so much a trust issue as an issue of curiosity that had eating away at his partner that made him insist on coming along. He had been thoroughly confused when the younger had led him to the clearing and laid down in the grass; it had been crushed down due to him lying there every night.
They hadn't spoken since arriving in the clearing, but that didn't stop the younger's mind from racing with the same thoughts he'd been trying to sort through. His partner distracted him from his thoughts every so often for he would move or push closer in an attempt to find security. It would make most laugh, but he never could laugh at him; not for being afraid of the dark.
By the time midnight rolled around the older of the two could tell something was wrong; they were never this quiet around each other. He was trying to give his partner time to think, but the dark and quiet were making him grow extremely antsy. He removed his hand from the younger's hair and moved to hover over the younger; trying to pin point what had his partner in such deep thought.
"Roy?" he spoke the younger's name in a soft, yet quivering voice which prompted the younger's ears to stand on end; an action in itself that would tell the other he had his attention.
"Hmm?" the younger hummed; acknowledging that he had heard the older male.
"What's the matter?" he inquired softly while watching the younger with a sharp eye.
"It's nothing, Shin." Roy replied trying to ease the older male's mind, but his attempt at a smiling failed miserably.
Shin's ears flattened against his head at the hidden quiver in the younger male's voice that he had tried in vain to cover up. His eyes filled with tears; he couldn't believe the younger male was trying to deceive him.
"I-it's nothing? I-I…you're lying! I k-know it! Why can't you be honest with me!? I thought you loved me!" Shin shouted in frustration as the tears spilled from his eye; Roy's eyes snapped open the instant he started yelling.
"I-I do love you! I-it's just nothing for you to worry about. Or get this worked up over." Roy informed the older boy as he shrunk back against the ground; his eyes diverting to the sky behind Shin's head instead of meeting his teary gaze.
"You won't even look at me! How can I be sure you're not lying?! I-I…I'm sorry! This is all my fault! I'm-I'm just going to leave you alone!" Shin shouted as he shot to his feet; the last of his shout fading as he ran away from the clearing and Roy.
"Shin! Shin, wait!" Roy shouted after the distraught feline, but by the time he climbed clumsily to his feet the other male was already gone.
Shin ran as fast as he could while vigorously wiping at the tears that continually stained his face. He took random turns trying to get as far away from the younger shifter as possible. He only stopped when he stumbled and fell to the ground where he curled into a ball and continued to cry; he felt like his heart had been ripped out.
His sobs echoed until he finally calmed himself enough to try and get a sense of where he was. One last tear rolled down his cheek as he realized he had gotten himself lost while trying to get away. He brushed the tear way with the heel of his hand as he started retracing his steps; not really thinking of the fact that they led back to the clearing and Roy.
That thought only crossed his mind once he stood at the edge of the clearing. He shot behind a nearby tree and peered around to see if Roy was still there; he was. The younger wasn't lying on the grass, but sitting with his knees draw to his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around them and his head was tilted back.
"Should I have gone after him? How was I supposed to tell him that I'm scared that he'll find someone better than me? Not that I don't already think he deserves more. Should I just let him go now, while he hates me? Would that be the best way to end things, even if I don't want to?" Roy inquired aloud as his voice cracked and the tears that had flooded his vision fell in streams down his cheeks.
Roy hid his face behind his knees as Shin's ears twitched and the older shifter sighed; whether from remorse or agitation not even he knew. After delegating on what to do he began to make his way over to the younger as silently as possible. He dropped down to his knees behind the younger and after stealing his nerves wrapped his arms around the younger's middle.
Roy let out a sharp, strangled sound as he stiffened and clutched his knees tighter. His whole body trembled as he tried to suppress his emotions and Shin's arms only tightened trying to suppress the younger's shaking. Shin's cat ears pinned to the top of his head as he pressed one of his other ears to Roy's back; taking in the sound of his rapid heartbeat.
"Sh-Shin?" Roy's voice was barely audible due to the fact that it was thick with emotion.
"Baka Roy." Shin stated with a gentle smile that only he could see.
"Huh!?" Roy voiced his confusion as he straightened up a bit; to look over his shoulder and down at the older male.
"How could you think all those things, you baka? And here I thought I was the one that jumped to conclusions…which I just did, but that's beside the point!" Shin rambled to Roy's back; his hold on the younger boy slackening enough he could sit back a bit.
"But….you will eventually find someone that is better than I am….." Roy spoke softly his fox ears lying flat against his head; fear was eating at him.
"No one could be better than you are my baka kitsune. So please shut up." Shin scolded sassily his lips drawn into a thin line while his ears flattened against his head; a sign that there would be no more arguing with him.
A light blush spread across Roy's face at the sound of his rarely used nickname. He wiped his face with the end of his sleeve as a small smile formed on his lips. His fear melted away as his ears twitched up straight instead of lying against his head.
Shin's ears perked up as he tilted his head in confusion while he brought his hands down into his lap. Roy's tail brushed across Shin's lap as it swished back and forth; making the young man tense slightly. He caught Roy's tail bring it to a stop and hugged it to his chest making the younger's blush intensify.
Roy unwrapped his arms from around his legs and extended one of them behind his back; his hand open and the palm facing up. Shin looked at his hand confused for a moment before he let go of the younger's tail and put one of his hands in his. Roy tugged lightly, but all it got him was a tilt of the head from Shin.
"Mere." Roy instructed lightly and Shin complied by crawling around to the younger's side.
He started to sit back on his knees, but Roy shook his head halting the action. Roy tugged his arm lightly before patting his lap making the older's face flush with color. It wasn't an odd request, but Roy still had his knees drawn up and the space between him and his knees wasn't a large gap; hardly big enough for Shin to sit on his lap.
Roy leaned back a bit as Shin climbed to his feet, walked in front of him and dropped down into his lap in a careful manor; he didn't want to hurt Roy. Roy gave him only a moment to get comfortable before enveloping him in a hug that made him squeak in surprise. Shin's face darkened in color as Roy nuzzled his hair making the older tense at the sudden action.
"R-R-Roy?" Shin called inquisitively as his heart threated to jump out of his chest and his face felt like it would explode from the heat.
"Hmm?" Roy hummed as he moved his knees closer to himself; pushing Shin closer to him and trapping him within his hold.
"Wha-what're y-you do-doing?" Shin inquired as his hands gripped at his shirt and Roy loosened his hold on him.
Roy pulled back just enough Shin could see the sparkle in his dual colored eyes before capturing the older's lips. Shin froze, his ears flattening at Roy's tenderness. It took him a moment to respond and when he finally did his hands found their way around Roy's neck.
In response to Shin, Roy pressed his lips more firmly against Shin's while he brought one of his hands up to the back of Shin's neck. Roy's tongue traced Shin's bottom lip and the older blushed even darker as he slowly parted his lips. Roy's tongue brushed against his lightly while his hazy gold eyes watched the younger's face flush with color; his dual eyes just as hazy.
Shin's eyes closed as Roy's tongue played with his and he felt Roy's love through the action. A soft moan erupted from the back of Shin's throat as Roy's tongue continued to play with his. Just when Shin thought he'd suffocate Roy pulled back leaving a thin string of saliva that still connected them.
Both of their breathing was labored and Shin leaned back against Roy's knees while trying to catch his breath. Roy watched him before leaning forward and placing a gentle kiss to Shin's forehead. Shin had little time to react for just as quickly as Roy's lips had touched his forehead they were gone and so was the feeling of being trapped.
Shin's eyes opened slowly and he was greeted with blank space where Roy's face once was. He glanced down and found the younger lying on his back; face still aflame with a crimson blush. Roy was staring up at the sky, his dual colored irises murky instead of clear and bright.
Shin sighed softly before leaning forward until his hands rested on the ground on either side of his partner. Roy's eyes redirected to the older male out of curiosity before they went back to the sky above. Shin smiled softly and kissed the others chin before moving to block his view of the sky.
"Let's go home." Shin aired his request and got a nod in agreement.
Shin got up off of his partner who was slower to rise than the cat had been. Shin stretched before looking up slightly at the younger whose bones popped as he stretched. Shin cringed slightly before starting as the younger put his arm across his shoulders; pulling him into the warmth of his side.
Fireflies came out to play in the clearing that could have been the end for the two young lovers that were walking away in a comfortable silence; going back home where they should have been the whole time.