Spring Showers

Chapter Two: A Dark Secret

"PPPBBBBBBTTT! "YUCK!" Quillo spat out all of the offending liquid out of his mouth, disgusted at such a weird taste. He expected to savor the sugary, fizzy taste of a thirst quenching soda, only to taste the bitter taste of the weird liquid. That and even a sip of the stuff made him feel dizzy.

"QUILLO! What are you doing?" Lou walked up to Quillo and inspected the can where the drink came from.

"What is that?" Verne came up to the porcupines after hearing Quillo shout.

"Quillo here apparently was trying to sneak another drink of soda, but instead ended up drinking this…" Lou read the name of the beverage. "beer."

"What is that?" Verne inspected the can. He sniffed the drink and cringed at the smell. "Do humans actually drink this stuff?"

"What are you guys talking about?" RJ emerged from his little area, resting after having consumed his fill of the various foods they had gotten from today's raid, in addition to a small part of one of the super-sized cookies he and Hammy brought back.

"It's this drink that the boys brought back. I think they mistook it for soda." Lou explained, figuring what had happened.

"Anyways, I think we should just throw this stuff away." Verne looked over the remaining five, unopened cans. "I don't think this stuff is healthy for any of us." And his tail agreed with him, tingling like crazy, almost as much as when he had first met RJ.

"Nah, it's okay." RJ inspected the open can. It was definitely one of the brands he had come across before in his past travels. "It just makes you a little dizzy. Just don't drink too much of it." RJ said. "Then it's not good for you at all." RJ took a gulp of the stuff and let out a refreshed "BURP! Eh, not bad." RJ knocked back another gulp.

"Well…" Verne tentatively gave the drink another look. It didn't look that appetizing and the smell still repulsed him a bit. However, he and his tail had been wrong about first impressions before. RJ was the perfect example. "Here goes nothing." Verne took a small sip of the stuff and choked it down. "OOOMMMPPP!" Verne quickly shut his mouth and ran to the nearest bush. Lou and Quillo jumped in surprise when they heard a weird sound, followed by a loud, thick splash. Everyone cringed when they realized what happened.

"Okay, I'm convinced this stuff isn't healthy at all." Lou, with Quillo in tow, commented.

"Yeah, who would want to drink something that made you barf?" Quillo added. And with that, the father and son left for the log for some sleep.

"OKAY, THAT IS DEFINITELY A POISON!" Verne shouted as he walked (well, stumbled) back to where RJ was.

"Alright, alright, I'll get rid of this stuff." RJ sighed resignedly. Then again, he recalled that the times when he would actually partake of this particular human beverage were among the lowest in his life. He even wondered about knocking down some of this stuff when he was on Vincent's hit list. But seeing that he had little to feel unhappy about now with all he had…

"You're right Verne. This stuff isn't good." RJ shook his head, trying to work off the alcohol that was already in his system. "I'll help you get rid of it tomorrow morning." RJ resolved. He realized that if any of the kids, or especially…

"What's this?" Hammy suddenly appeared and was checking out the beverage for himself. He took a gulp of the stuff and reeled back nearly a foot after ingesting the stuff. "It tastes sooooo weeeeeird…" Hammy's words began to slur.

"Oh no. Looks like he may have taken in more than he should have." RJ moved over to Hammy, stumbling as he went, and tried to keep Hammy from getting another drink of the stuff. "Hammy, stop, you're not supposed to have any, it's not good for us, for any of us, just stop." RJ mustered some energy as more of the alcohol worked its way into his system. Hammy pulled in one more chug of beer before RJ pulled Hammy away. By then, Hammy had lost all inhibition.

"WHEEEEE!" Hammy said as he spun around, the alcohol coursing through his veins. Everything seemed to have slowed down. But, unlike the effect with caffeine, he was the one that slowed down.

"RJ, I think you better bring Hammy back. I'll keep an eye over here to make sure no one gets into any of this stuff" Verne recommended. RJ could only nod in response, knowing that Verne would be able to keep up his word. Him on the other hand, he had doubts about making it all the way to either the log or his place.

"Come on, Hammy." RJ pulled Hammy to him and draped his arm over his shoulder. "Let's go see if we can make it back." RJ lurched forward a bit. "Before we collapse, that is." Hammy was long gone, reduced to giggling nonsensically at anything and everything.

RJ pulled Hammy along through the shrubbery, slowly making their way to RJ's place, it being closer than the log. RJ steadied himself as much as he could, but slowly, he was losing his sense of equilibrium, having to catch himself more often. He began to regret having ever letting his tongue ever touch a drop of beer.

"aRRRRRjAAAAAy." Hammy sung as he pulled himself up to meet RJ eye to eye. RJ felt a little uncomfortable with the lack of distance, but his reaction was not what he expected: he blushed instead of trying to push Hammy away.

"Yeah, Hammy?" RJ blinked, trying to get his fading vision into focus.

"Didyaknow…" Hammy giggled and raised his hand, bringing it up to trace the black stripes around RJ's face. "those stripes on your face…" Hammy smiled. "they make you look so mysterious…" Hammy leaned in closer, until their noses were barely touching. "and so handsome."

RJ blinked. Did he hear just right? Did Hammy just tell him that he was handsome? What was Hammy really saying to him? RJ had to stop his thoughts as he struggled to keep Hammy up.

"Eye alwayz lyke to huug u, aRjAy." Hammy's voice slurred. He pulled RJ down, crushing the raccoon against him in a tight, nearly bone-crushing hug. "Yere fur iz sooo nize." Hammy removed one of his arms and ran his paws over RJ's chest, marveling the smooth, silver-white fur. "End u smeeell sooo…" RJ nearly jumped back when he felt something rough and wet move up from his chest, right up to the nape of his neck. It took RJ only a second before he realized what Hammy was trying to get at, trying to do. He had to act quickly and end it now before it got too far.

"Hammy, let's get you home." RJ stated sternly as he pushed Hammy back with all the strength he could muster. Thankfully, Hammy could not keep his hold around RJ and surrendered his grasp. Hammy immediately pulled back his arms, curling them close to his body, and looked away from him.

"Come on Hammy, get up." He tried to pull up Hammy from the ground until he heard sobbing. "Oh geez." RJ looked down and saw Hammy slowly breaking down in front of him.

"I'msorryi'msorryi'msorry…" Hammy kept his gaze away from RJ, his feeble attempts to push him away ineffective. "Now you're going to be mad at me and not want to hang out with me or maybe even talk or see me." Hammy curled himself up, wrapping his tail around himself, hoping that it would somehow shield him from whatever verbal insults or physical strikes RJ may unleash upon him.

They never came.

Instead, RJ moved to Hammy and picked him up. The raccoon pulled the little squirrel up and held him close, rubbing the back of his head, trying to calm down the little guy.

"Don't be sorry, Hammy." RJ said softly to him. "You can't exactly help who you fall in love with." He gulped before following up, finding it hard to say his next words. "I'm sorry Hammy, but I can't say that I feel the same way about you."

His words seemed to do little to ease Hammy, now reduced to erratic shivers and sobs, the emotional strain finally taking its toll and forcing him into a fitful sleep.

RJ sighed. Chalk up another reason why he hated beer. He looked to Hammy, sweet, innocent Hammy, now reduced to sniveling pile of fur. He had just poured out his whole heart and soul to him. And in Hammy's eyes, he had just pushed him away, cast him aside like some horrid and detestable creature.

RJ had no idea what to do. All he knew was that he had to get himself and Hammy to his place to sleep off the rest of the alcohol.

"Damn." RJ cursed. He pulled up Hammy and carried the squirrel in his arms, back to his place, where they could both sleep a restless sleep. Inasmuch as he would like to forget, he'd have to deal with this. He just didn't know when.

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