Spring Showers

Chapter Fifteen: New Resolutions

"So Tiger, what do you want to do tomorrow after the raid?" Stella asked, relaxing on Tiger's back as he walked through the small forest area they called home.

"I do not have much planned for us tomorrow night." Tiger replied.

"So it's going to be another boring night, huh?" Stella sighed, turning over on his back, reaching her hand out to tease his ears.

"You mean the romantic dinners we have are boring?" Tiger turned his head, mock frowning at her comment.

"You know I didn't mean that!" Stella playfully swatted his head, giggling. "I love our dinners together, Tigerius." Stella pulled herself up, wrapping her hands around his neck and nuzzling the top of his head.

"Thank you, Stella." Tiger purred softly. He could always tell when Stella was in an affectionate mood when she calls him by his real name. As he strode back to the log, he noted in the distance a green reptile impatiently pacing back and forth, arms crossed in front of him, hearing a slight growl emanating.

"Where in the world is RJ?" Verne sighed, exasperated, as he looked up into the sky. It was already late in the afternoon, the sun already dipping into the horizon and the silver moon hanging above, ready to take over the sky in the wake of its brother.

"Hey Verne." Stella looked up from above Tiger's head, greeting him. Tiger bowed slightly in a show of respect to the turtle. "What in the world are you doing?" She asked, wondering why he was just walking back and forth for no apparent reason.

"Hello Tiger, Stella." Verne nodded to them as they made their way up to him, before returning to his tedious walk. Stella could tell he had been at it for a while, noting the grass had been utterly trampled to death under his feet. "I'm waiting for Hammy to get back here." He replied.

"Why are you waiting for him?" Tiget pressed him for an answer.

"He's not here." Verne answered, confusing both the feline and skunk.

"So, he's probably just taking care of his nuts." Stella hopped off of Tiger's back and approached Verne.

"I don't think so." Verne stopped in his tracks, staring back at Stella with a steely gaze. "I know RJ's involved with this. I know he's the reason why we haven't seen Hammy all day." Verne started to growl low in his throat.

"Well, you did ALLOW him to tell Hammy what we were going to do for the night." She pointed out. "Besides, since Hammy isn't here, I think it's safe to assume RJ went off to look for him." Stella proposed.

"Before or after the fight?" Verne replied with a louder growl, skeptical that things went well with the two of them. Even if his tail had fallen off, he probably would have still felt the near unbearably painful tingling. He didn't know if it was an omen or if it was just a product of his worry. "I should have been the one to tell Hammy." Verne started to regret letting RJ go and talk to Hammy in the first place.

"Then, if anything, one of them should be on the way here at least." Tiger walked into their conversation, giving his input on the situation.

"If it's RJ, and Hammy's not with him," Verne growled. "I am going to give him a piece of my mind and kick his…"

"Verne, stop." Tiger interrupted him. "RJ is still family and I will not allow you to resort to physical violence to solve any of this." Tiger growled, deeper than anything Verne could ever muster. Though Tiger could out-growl him, he could never hope to match one thing Verne had over him:

His stubbornness.

"Let's just find them." Verne turned away from them, still set on his decision. Stella and Tiger could only shake their heads as they followed him making his way into the forest. They too wanted to find RJ or Hammy before Verne did. They wanted to, if only to make sure that Verne didn't do anything rash and make things worse.

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"RJ?" Hammy asked, walking alongside of him, holding his hand tight. They had waited until after watching the sun set below the horizon before they decided to make their way back home.

"Yeah, Hammy?" RJ looked to him with a big smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. Hammy squeezed his hand gently, feeling a little overcome with the romantic emotions that he felt for the raccoon.

He had to admit, it was really romantic of RJ to want to watch the sunset with him, holding him tight and cuddling with him. Hammy was still not really used to RJ acting the way he had been over the past few hours. But Hammy liked to think he brought out something good out of RJ. It was a good change for the raccoon.

"Hey, wake up Hammy." RJ gave him a peck on his cheek, waking him up from dream-like state, just gazing at him. He chuckled at Hammy, seeing him shake his head, returning to his senses, and smiling back up to him. "Were you going to ask me something?" He asked sweetly.

"Uh, yeah." Hammy nodded, remembering what he was going to ask him. He felt a little embarrassed about the question, but he felt that RJ would know the answer and help comfort his uneasy feelings. "When do you think we should tell the family?"

Hammy looked away, hearing no answer from RJ. He felt even worse when he felt RJ let go of his hand. He turned up his head, to apologize for the stupid question. His feelings of shame, however, immediately evaporated when he felt RJ's lips on his.

"Catch me if you can." RJ whispered to Hammy as he parted from the quick kiss, dashing away immediately afterwards, wanting to play a game of catch with Hammy.

"RJ!" Hammy laughed and immediately gave chase to the raccoon, the question slipping from his mind once more.

However, the question still weighed heavily on RJ's mind. He wanted to play this little game, if only to give him a little time to think about the answer. Everything was so perfect, just him and Hammy. Those few moments where there was nothing but the two of them, expressing their newfound love for one another… how he wished it was still just the two f them.

However, the issue of telling the family, of revealing their feelings for one another to everyone else, only seemed to complicate things. He wondered how they would react, what they would think about him being with Hammy now. Considering all that he had put Hammy through, would they really trust his feelings for him? Would they think that it was a deception?

And the reality of the nature of their relationship only brought more doubt into his thoughts. Though he had never seen it himself, he had a feeling that not many people looked upon a relationship between two males with much support. He started to wonder if these were the same reasons that caused Hammy to hold back expressing his feelings for him in the first place. He felt slower, feeling a weight pressing down on him once more.

"GOTCHA!" Hammy leapt up and landed on RJ's back, wrapping his arms around his neck, burying his face into the soft fur on the top of RJ's head. "That was fun RJ." Hammy spoke softly right into RJ's ear. "I love you." Hammy kissed the top of his head before burying his face into his fur once more.

"I love you."

RJ smiled. Just hearing those words took the weight off of his mind and he could think clearly. He had another epiphany, just like the one he had when he finally realized his feelings for Hammy, and the answers to his questions, his problems, just came rushing into his mind.

"Oh Hammy." RJ sighed happily, feeling the little squirrel clutching him tight, tight enough to ensure he wouldn't let go of him, but loose enough not to choke and burden him. "Want a piggyback ride home?" He asked.

"I'd like that." Hammy replied happily. RJ took Hammy's legs under his arms, securing him so he wouldn't accidentally fall off while riding him. "Ready?" He asked.

"Ready up here, captain!" Hammy replied jokingly.

"Here we go!" RJ launched into a brisk run.

"WHEEEEE!" Hammy laughed his heart out, enjoying the ride RJ was giving him, the little treat from him.

RJ had no worries about tiring out anytime soon. He felt as light as a feather, the only weight that he felt now was the weight of his world on his shoulders. And he would happily carry him on his shoulders.

After all, to him, Hammy was his world.

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"HAMMY!" Verne shouted angrily, wanting to find Hammy. Though he had no intentions of hurting the squirrel, he was still too overcome with anger for RJ to exactly control his emotions, to keep them from escaping in some way. "WHERE ARE YOU,, HAMMY!?" Verne growled angrily once more.

"Verne, stop that at once!" Tiger raised his voice, quieting the irate turtle.

"Yeah, you're going to scare the poor kid trying to find him that way!" Stella berated him for his attempt to try and find Hammy. "So reign in those feelings now before I have to do something about it!" Stella threatened him. Though she had no idea how she would carry out such a threat, she knew she had to do something.

"I just, I just…" Verne tried to explain why he was feeling so angry right at that moment. But he found it hard to come up with a logical reason for his wrath. He took a deep breath and sighed, looking back up to Stella. "I'm… I'm sorry." He apologized.

"Good." Stella and Tiger breathed a sigh of relief, happy that they had stemmed a potential disaster from happening.

"I just don't want to see Hammy hurt again." Verne explained, thinking about those times seeing Hammy looking so helpless and pathetic. He didn't want to find him like that again, especially if he was the one who may have inadvertently caused him to be that way when they find him.

"Calm down then." Stella replied, much more calmly now.

"It will do you no good to scare him off, especially if he is hurt already." Tiger reminded him. "You wouldn't want to cause him anymore harm, no would you?"

"No, no, I don't want to do that." Verne shook his head. "I just…" He tried to explain before being cut off by…

"HAHAHA! WHEEEEE! HAHAHA!"

Laughter?

The trio immediately turned to the direction of the laughter, a short distance away from them. They dashed after it, moving between the trees and bushes, trying to catch up to the laughter. Just as they were almost on top of the source, right behind a tree in front of them, Stella, ahead of the other two, held her hand out, stopping them.

"Wait!" She commanded them in a hushed voice.

"Why the... Mmph!" Stella stopped Verne with a hand over his mouth, keeping him from speaking anymore. Once sure that Verne wasn't going to say anything anymore, she removed her hand and pointed around the tree. Behind the tree, they held their breath, surprised at what they saw unfolding before them.

"It can't be!"

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"We're almost to the log, Hammy." RJ spoke up to Hammy, still carrying him, still smiling up to him. Hammy looked to him for a second, wondering why RJ would announce that they were almost home. It took him a few seconds to understand why.

"Oh." Hammy nodded slowly, frowning a little. "Okay." Hammy hopped down off of RJ's back and moved away slightly. Before he could even take another step away from RJ, he found himself unable to move away.

"Hey." RJ called back to Hammy, holding onto his hand gently. "Don't leave me behind now." Hammy cracked a smile, letting go of his hand and moving his arms around RJ into a hug.

"So you mean?" Hammy asked, his head pressed against his chest.

"I don't care." RJ replied. Hammy looked up to him, and RJ immediately took him into a kiss. Hammy squeaked happily, his tail whipping back and forth, almost standing on the tips of his claws. Thankfully, he didn't have to strain himself for too long. "I don't care what anyone else will think about us."

"So it's okay?" Hammy asked, clutching onto him tightly, feeling as nervous as RJ probably was. "Do you think they might not like this?"

"That's their problem, not ours." RJ patted his back gently, feeling him shaking a bit in his arms. "I have to admit though, I am also a little nervous about how the others may take to us being a couple."

"Well, we're not really what they would call a normal couple." Hammy pointed out with a small grin.

"And who said you or I were at any point in any way quote-unquote 'normal'?" RJ ruffled the hair on top of Hammy's head, much to the little guy's annoyance, trying to bat his hands away to get him to stop. "I love ya Hammy, you sugar crazed, cookie fiend." RJ brushed his hairs back down, just admiring the absolutely adorable, handsome face that looked up to him now.

"I love you too, RJ." Hammy hopped up to him and hugged him tight, purring happily. "You wily and overconfident idiot." Hammy whispered softly to himself.

"You say something, Hammy?" RJ asked, wondering if he was just heard Hammy say something to him.

"Nothing." Hammy smiled. "Nothing at all." He purred once more, assuring him.

After Hammy hopped back down, he gladly took the hand RJ offered to him, grasping it securely in his hand. He felt a sense of assurance and comfort feeling RJ holding onto him, squeezing his hand just as tightly as he was.

"Come on, we better get to the log." RJ pulled Hammy along, Hammy running alongside with him, easily matching his pace. "We still have to discuss the raid on the Johansen house tomorrow."

"Cool! Can we get some more cookies? I gave my only bag of macadamia nut chocolate chip cookies to the triplets and I really liked those cookies." Hammy told him.

"Sure, Hammy." RJ smiled back to him, delighted to see that Hammy was now back to his old self once more. "We… I'll get you some cookies. I promise you." He gave his word, feeling a little warm and tingly inside. It wasn't all too bad, rather nice really.

"I'm holding you to that." Hammy smiled, knowing that RJ didn't have to make that promise to him.

"I promise." RJ repeated to him.

But it did make him feel special hearing him say it, nonetheless.

"Let's get those cookies then!" Hammy rushed forward, now dragging RJ with him, now screaming at him. "COOKIES AHOY!"

"HAMMY! Slow down!" RJ yelled, sprinting as fast as he could to keep up with the overenthusiastic squirrel.

"I can't break the speed of light like you can!"

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If you have any advice or suggestions, please feel free to review me. All flames will be ignored.

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