As night was approaching, Otis the Cow, now leader of the Barnyard. Since his father, Ben had passed away; Otis was rounding up the hens and doing a once around the Barnyard. Before going off and partying of course.
When the hens were safely in the hen house, Otis knocked on its door to make sure everything was in order.
"You guys okay in there?" asked Otis.
"Otis, don't worry. We'll be fine," answered Peck the Rooster.
"Yes Otis. I'm sure we'll be all right. If we need anything, one of us will come and get you," Scarlet replied in her kind, soft voice.
Both Scarlet and Peck looked at Freddy, smiling, wondering what he would say.
The orange ferret looked at them both hesitantly, then just said, "Um...yeah. What they said."
Otis shrugged to himself, thinking, "Alright." Then left.
Already anxiety was setting in for Freddy. Not only was he in a room full of delicious hens and a rooster. But he was with a gorgeous fox whom he had a tiny crush on. Okay. Scratch that. A major crush on.
Freddy wasn't sure when he began having romantic feelings for Scarlet. All the ferret knew was was that the farmer took the red fox in just like he did with him. Like Freddy and the other animals in the Barnyard, Scarlet was appreciative of the farmer and very rarely took him or her new home for granted.
"S-so this was O-Otis's idea?" asked Freddy as a lump formed in his throat.
"Oh yeah you guys. We're like second in command here. We see or hear anything, and I just signal Otis with a crow," Peck explained in a confident manner. "Aaannnd I've been working on it."
"That's wonderful Peck," replied Scarlet. "May we hear it?"
"I'm glad you asked Scar," said Peck.
Taking a deep breath, the skinny rooster let out a crow, yet no sound came out. Scarlet and Freddy looked at their fowl friend with concern.
"Well for now we'll just stand and watch," breathed Peck.
"Y-yeah...watch," Freddy replied nervously. Scarlet merely nodded, yet couldn't help but noticed that Freddy was acting a little out of sorts tonight. Which was saying something.
"Peck?"
"Yes Scarlet?"
"I was wondering...well um, with your permission of course, why don't we take shifts? Kind of like one sits in the hen house to keep watch over the hens. And two of us sits outside, to make sure nothing gets inside. I know it's a silly idea but it might work. What do you think?"explained the red fox.
Peck smiled widely.
"That's a great idea! It's not silly at all," Peck said with enthusiasm.
Peck looked over at Freddy, who seemed to be lost in his own little world.
"Freddy? Fred?"
When Peck shook Freddy gently, asking,"Freddy buddy? You alright?"
Freddy nearly jumped out of his orange fur, saying,"I wasn't thinking of Scarlet in that way! I mean I wasn't having fantasies about Scarlet! I mean her...I mean me...I mean..."
That's when the ferret slapped himself really hard.
Scarlet couldn't help but blush some, but at the same time feel bad for Freddy.
'It must be a never-ending nightmare in his head,' she thought sadly.
Freddy finally came to his senses and saw his two best friends' looks of concern.
"So...ahahahaha about the shifts?" he asked, trying to cover up the previous awkwardness.
"Uh...yeah the shifts," Peck replied, thinking to himself as to why Freddy said those things.
He kind of wondered if Freddy had Tourrette's Syndrome. Nah. Probably not. Peck would have known by now because Freddy would've said so.
But Peck was not a moron. He saw the longing looks Freddy gave. The terrible blushing and sweating. The tail twisting and even biting on his knuckles. How Freddy's eyes would dilate when she was around. And Peck swore he could see Freddy's fur stand on end whenever she would walk by and say hi; or spend every day with the rooster and ferret.
It all made sense now. Why didn't Peck see it before. Freddy was in love with Scarlet.
'No wonder he said all those odd things before,' Peck thought. 'They need to be alone, so Freddy can express his feelings to Scarlet in a healthy manner.'
That's when Scarlet's idea about taking shifts came to his mind again. It was a brilliant idea to get both the ferret and fox alone together to admit their feelings for each other. This caused Peck to smile mischievously to himself.
"Okay guys. I got the shifts figured out," said Peck.
"You do?" Freddy and Scarlet asked in unison.
Scarlet giggled shyly while Freddy blushed, letting out a nervous laugh.
"Yep. I'll stay in the hen house. While you two stand guard outside," Peck answered with a somewhat satisfied smirk.
Everything got quiet all of a sudden.
"W-wait What!?" wondered Freddy.
Freddy was not just shocked, he was livid. Why was Peck doing this to him?
Okay on one hand, if he was in here by himself, the hens wouldn't be safe from a carnivorous ferret. On the other hand, if he was outside with Peck. Again carnivorous ferret. BUT on the third hand(Wait since when did he have a third hand? Aw shit, now his head hurts.)what if he screws things up with Scarlet? Then their friendship will never never be the same way again. So this would be a lose-lose-lose situation. Damn. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Pretty soon beads of sweat were forming on Freddy's forehead and he started breathing heavily. Scarlet looked at her ferret friend, and secret crush, worriedley.
"Peck? Is Freddy okay? He looks like he needs some fresh air," suggested a concerned Scarlet.
"Good thinking Scar. Besides it is yours and Freddy's shift to be outside. So go on now. Get some clean night air," Peck replied over enthusiastically, whilst pushing the two mammals out.
"I'm gonna get you for this," Freddy whispered through gritted teeth.
"Yeah yeah do that later when you're too busy professing your love for her," Peck whispered back.
"Oh shit! He knows!" Freddy thought frantically.
"Knows what?"
It was Scarlet, who was already outside, her head cocked to the side in a curious manner. Dammit! For once couldn't he be normal and not voice his thoughts out loud. That was one of the many things he hated about himself.
"Freddy...um I'm sorry. Did I upset you?" Scarlet asked with her brow creasing into a worried look.
"N-no of course n-not. You're fine sweet- I mean Scarlet! Scarlet! I meant to say Scarlet! 'Cause it almost sounded like I said, 'Sweetie' or 'Sweetheart', and that would've indicated you being my girlfriend. But you're just my best friend, who happens to be a girl. Not that I wouldn't want you as a girlfriend! I-I mean you're clearly very attractive and so kind, patient, gentle, caring, loving and...and...and I'm just gonna shut up now."
Freddy sat with his legs drawn to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs. Resting his head against his knees, Freddy felt felt like such a dumb ass.
"Freddy," Scarlet's sweet voice broke the silence between the two.
The orange ferret didn't realize that Scarlet was sitting beside him, blushing somewhat.
When Freddy looked up from where he laid his head down, he was about to apologize to the red fox a million times, but then this happened.
Scarlet gently cupped Freddy's face with her petite pure white paws, feeling the heat radiate off his blushing face. Her green eyes looked into his brown ones, as her own blush was spreading even more.
Freddy wondered if Scarlet could hear his rapid heart beat. It was beating harder and faster than it normally did whenever he was anxious.
Th-thump Th-thump Th-thump Th-thump
Soon Scarlet closed her eyes, tilted her head to one side and pressed her lips gently against Freddy's lips. Freddy's eyes went wide. His pupils constricted.
"Oh dear God in Heaven please let this be real," Freddy prayed. "If this is real, please help me not screw things up."
That's when Freddy's eyes began to close, enveloping Scarlet's slim waist in his arms. The ferret started to reciprocate the kiss with Scarlet just as gently as the vixen had been doing. Freddy didn't like forced, sloppy kisses anyway. He preferred soft, sweet, chaste kisses instead.
After awhile the two mammals separated, still holding onto each other; breathing heavily some.
Scarlet looked at Freddy in a shy manner, blushing pink. But then the vixen gave a gentle smile, kissed Freddy's red nose, saying quietly, "I would love to be your girlfriend. If it means spending more time with you."
'This isn't a dream,' thought Freddy. 'Thank you God.'
Freddy rubbed the back of his neck with one paw while having the other one still wrapped around Scarlet's waist.
"Um...so...um y-you really wouldn't mind being with me? Despite all of my...you know...problems."
Smiling still, Scarlet nuzzled into Freddy's, softly saying, "I was with you before we just became a couple. I'll be with you no matter what issues you or I face. I promise with all my heart."
Freddy felt tears welling up in his eyes as a lump formed in his throat once again. Only this time, it was for a different reason.
"W-why?" Freddy's voice trembled.
"Why what?" wondered Scarlet.
"Why are you so good to me Scar? What do you see in a batcrap crazy ferret like me? I mean honestly. I'm just...me."
Scarlet mulled it over in her head some, then smiled.
"Well that's just it Freddy. You're you." she replied.
"Huh? I don't get it?" Freddy was beyond confused.
"Maybe I can show and tell you," Scarlet said with a giggle.
Scarlet wrapped her arms around Freddy's neck, looked into his brown eyes and said, "You Freddy the Ferret are thoughtful."
She then kissed him on the lips.
"Selfless."
Another kiss.
"Genuine."
Another one.
"Original."
Another.
"Sincere."
Another.
"And above all...unique."
The last kiss she gave him was a bit more passionate yet wonderful all the same.
Freddy was completely dumbfounded.
"Plus," Scarlet apparently wasn't quite done yet. "You're very handsome. And funny in your own way, because you know how to make me laugh when I'm upset."
"Scar..."
"But most of all..." Scarlet kissed Freddy on the lips one last time. "You make my life way more interesting every day, because you, my dear, are interesting."
Scarlet let go of Freddy's neck, slipped her right paw into his left one and gave it a gentle squeeze.
Now Freddy realized that there must be a God in Heaven up there in the galaxies. This wasn't a dream. It was reality!
Here was his best female friend, who was a natural, gentle beauty. Kissing him on the mouth no more or less! Telling. No. Stating facts about him that she deemed to be the truth. And she was willing to be his girlfriend. No matter how weird and crazy the ferret was.
"T-that's the nicest stuff anybody has ever said to me in a long time Scarlet. T-thanks," Freddy finally said, smiling through tears.
"You're welcome. I'm just glad to see that smile of yours. It's one of your best features," Scarlet kindly replied.
Freddy chuckled as he dried his remaining tears with his right paw.
"O-oh and before I-I forget. I kinda...sorta...l-lo..."
But Freddy was interrupted by Scarlet kissing him on the cheek, saying, "I feel the same way towards you Freddy."
Freddy's heart skipped several beats, realizing Scarlet loved him too.
As night wore on, the ferret and fox snuggled close together, keeping vigilant of the hen house. Freddy looked up into the starry night, wanting to thank God somehow for making this all happen.
Just then a shooting star dashed across the sky, as if God were saying, "You're welcome."
Freddy then remembered it was also Peck who made this all possible. Arranging the shifts and everything.
'Thanks pal. I did say I was gonna get you for this. But not in that way anymore.' thought Freddy.
With everything that happened over the last hour or so, Freddy was just happy to be with Scarlet. His one and only. And of course the red fox felt the same way too.
For once, the paranoid ferret had it all. A great group of friends. A true best friend. A wonderful home. Now he has a beautiful girlfriend that he loves and returns those feelings towards him.
Freddy smiled. It wasn't a nervous smile. It was an honest to goodness genuine smile. He finally felt...calm. Relaxed.
The orange ferret finally found something he didn't realize he was missing in his life so badly. Love.
The End.
