"Huff… huff… huff…"
Ahead was the last stretch before the finish line.
"Huff… huff…"
My jaw was hanging loose, the oral entry both an in and output for the warm air.
"Huff… huff…"
Calves burning, running in what felt like slow motion, I strained my abused muscles till I crossed the starting point.
"Huff… huff!"
The moment both feet passed the white line, I halted and keeled over, heaving painfully.
„Fhak… hah… hah…" I struggled to swallow the viscous saliva while catching my breath. Less speech, more thought.
I had done it. I had really done it! If I had the energy, I'd fist pump the air victoriously. Alas, I tasted light iron at the back of my tongue, stronger with every inhale.
Wiping the sweat off my entire face, I glanced at my resting peers. They weren't doing so hot either, heh, hot, because it sure was a hot day.
Contrary to the weather report, it was absolutely fried. It wasn't summer yet but the heat wave might as well have been a preview of the nearing season.
On this fine late morning, the coach decided to surprise us with a test of stamina. Quizzes were bad, but PE? Have some mercy, coach-sama! I was a lazy bastard!
Regardless, we strained our bodies for thirty minutes; five minutes of exercise, a minute of rest, multiple by five and viola! I was impressed he managed to cramp so many stuff in a single lesson but fuck! Just fuck!
I sighed, should've prepared instead of making shitposts and reviving human memes.
However, I consoled myself with the fact I was the last man standing. While my knees were shaking and I was literally dripping, my feet were firmly pressed against the ground. The other dudes? They finished before me at the cost of total exhaustion. I still had some spirit in me! Knock on wood, I swore the coach subtly nodded in approval at me.
Yeah, humanity had its weaknesses. But what I couldn't improve, I complimented with the available tools. Ha, some were panting like the dogs they were! Pathetic… and sympathetic. It was a tough nut to crack, this sudden quiz.
Drying my hand with a part of my shirt that wasn't soaked, I approached the coach and asked if we were done. He checked the time and gave me the desired answer though not before insisting we stretched our muscles.
Of course, that was a crucial part of any exercise. Sore and or contracted muscles were fucking horrible. Better grind another ten minutes than painfully regret a whole week.
Calling for everyone, those who had a bit left in them listened to the coach, forming a circle around the athlete. He then instructed us with the familiar routine. From top to bottom, every active muscle was paid attention to cool down the rubber before parking.
Once that was over with, the athletic male graciously added five minutes to breakfast and released us. Internal celebration! Fireworks! Woohoo! I stank like a skank! If that made me racist, so be it! Hot Wheels were the bomb!
Grabbing my bag, I noted its light weight. The water bottle was empty and I was thirsty as hell. It was also a different backpack, relatively new and intended for sports activities. The regular was too bulky, so I requested this one from my favorite birb. Life was good when money wasn't an issue.
Slinging the bag over my right shoulder, I started to my room. The clear skies were doing wonders to my exposed skin, the sun drawing more moisture from my dehydrated self.
Here was the plan. First in order was water. Lots of water. A liter down the hatch. Slowly. If you chug liquid too fast, you might trigger a nasty reaction. I learned the hard way. Second in order was a nice cold shower. Not too cold though; ten degrees below human body temperature. Third was the normie fit and fourth was the change of bags.
With all of the above done, I locked my room and returned to the main building with haste. I didn't run though. Sweating right after ridding myself of the salty filth was unintelligent. I had, like… seven minutes, what a lucky number! My lucky number. Yamoto's was eight.
That meant I wouldn't make it in time to class.
Sighing, I took comfort in the conditioned air within the institutional structure. Not just classes but everywhere was cooled! Enough to prevent heat stroke which was greatly appreciated. One of the many things that granted the academy its prestigious status.
But I didn't get breakfast.
„Ech, whatever…"
"Whatever what?"
"GAH!" I jumped a foot in the air, my heart having cracked a majority of my ribs.
Turning on my heel, I was pulled close to a body thanks to the momentum, an arm draped securely over my shoulder.
"Juno?!"
"Haiii~"
"Christ, don't do that!" I tried to push her away, her response was to cling and cheerfully shake us from side to side.
"Do what? I was only greeting you."
"Scare me, you dingus!" I flicked her on the forehead, making her yelp in surprise. She should be thankful I didn't do it to her snout; it was one of her sensitive spots.
Rubbing her forehead, she pouted, "I didn't…"
"Oh? So, why did I jump like a rabbit?"
"Hehe, that's a good one…" she giggled, what a silly mood she was in, something pleasing must have happened.
Thus, I inquired, "What got your ice cream topped with chocolate syrup?"
"...Wha?"
Right, only Miya would get it.
"You seem really happy, did something good happen?"
"Oh! Yeah!" She snapped her fingers, grinning from ear to ear, "Guess what~?"
…
This freaking girl.
"What?"
"CLASS IS CANCELLED~!" She hugged me tightly, swinging my weight around as if I were a sack of potatoes.
"ThAhAt's grEahAat," I wheezed out, tapping her thigh for mercy.
Fortunately, she recognized the sign and set me on my feet albeit wobbly.
"Oops, sorry…"
"S'alright," I shook my right leg, recirculating the blood. "What happened?" I reminded her, the first thought was of… that's just fucked up.
"Beats me," she shrugged, "the teacher is on sick leave and the substitute didn't show up."
"Really…"
"Yeah!" Her tail wagged like a flag fighting a stormy wind, grasping my soft hand in her clawed one, "Come on! Let's go somewhere!"
"Where?" I let her drag me along, too used to her mischievous antics.
"Don't know, don't care! We rarely get leisure hours during class~ It's like a blessing in disguise," she replied, taking a right turn.
"...You don't know where we're going," I guessed.
"Nnnope- yup, that sounds like a trick question…"
I could just grab her by the ears and ruffle that hair.
Shaking my head with a smile, I offered a solid option, "Why don't we go to the library?" We were already on the right path. "It's quiet there, we can also catch up on homework."
She slowed down, "Aww, but that's no fun. I'm feeling funky, you know? Like we can dance and stuff!"
"Sounds awesome but I don't see a disco ball dangling from the ceiling," I looked up anyway for emphasis.
"Well… that is a good idea… hmm… privacy~" Her thumb rubbed over the back of my hand, the paw pads akin to my skin and furthermore sensitive.
"Yeah, that too."
I didn't have a plan. When it came to dealing with Juno, going with the flow would usually resolve all issues in the long run. Surprise quiz? Sit next to Juno and copy answers with my own twist. Surprise group project? Play scuffed Battleship with pen and paper. Surprise prank? Laugh along and pretend the shocker didn't give me my fingertips first degree burns. Curious, it seemed she liked to surprise me a lot.
Arriving at the library, I was pleased to hear nothing and see little more than that. I counted the number of students present with both hands, the atmosphere was as calm as the average pacific wave and the transition from the steaming outside to the conditioned inside was like ordering two balls of ice cream and getting a third one.
Away from strange eyes, we found a secluded spot deeper within the confines of bookshelves and dimmed lights. A little station in the middle of a medium space; a few desks, regular wooden chairs, and two bean bags. It didn't take half a brain to guess what me and the floofy wolfie chose for our bums.
There, hypocrisy went.
"Ah~ This is the best~" Juno crossed one leg over the other, sinking into the swollen artificial bean.
Despite being the one who aimed at the bookplace, I no longer yearned for homework. I'd do it later, I easily convinced myself. It wasn't that much anyway, I mentally yawned as my spine decompressed. That was the life; chilling in an ultra comfy bean bag alongside my best friend. Miya didn't count, she was…
That reminded me…
"Hey, pst," I kept my voice shushed, animals' sense of sound and all that, "I'll be back in a minute, okay?"
"Mmmmkay," she replied, watching me lazily with a goofy grin, an ear folded like a limp sapling. So cute.
Getting up from the seat, I stepped away from her into the horror section before dialing one of two starred numbers.
Riiing…
Riii-
"Hi, Johnny~"
"Hey," I replied, instantly happier just by the sound of her voice, "how're you doing?"
"Great. The usual crack cases were treated so I have a longer lunch break," I stifled a guffawing laugh. If she said that in a professional setting, it'd be on sight, "Thanks for calling, it's been very uneventful these past few days."
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"...It is. It's just…"
"Yeah?"
"Never mind," she sighed, "how's the academy? Did you improve your Seaspeak?"
"..."
"Johnny-kuuun~?"
"Blobloo' blob."
She gasped, "You can't say that!" Though she followed with a chortle, "Seriously, have you?"
"Yyyye-noooooo…" I yielded, "You know me, Miya, I can't be bothered."
"Well… as long as you don't fail your classes, nothing is in vain."
"Hey!" I shut my mouth, looking around like a child caught stealing from the cookie jar. "Are you underestimating me? What happened to you?"
"...You're something, you know that?" She chuckled, her beak did that cool click.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I partially jested, thinking back to Juno alone and socially cold in my absence.
"My life… would be very different without you."
Huh…
Technically, she was right.
"True, true," I began marching back to the lonesome wolfie, daydreaming of that pristine bean bag.
Silent for a moment or two, she wrapped things up, "It was nice talking to you. I'm extremely glad you do so every day, so don't forget that!"
"I won't, never," I even crossed my heart for extra measure.
"Yes… yes… don't… forget… me…" She mumbled something under her breath, her phone's microphone barely detecting the sound waves.
"Alright, I got to go, see you this weekend?"
"H-huh?"
"You said you had planned something, I'm looking forward to the free food~" I teased cheekily and meant what I said! The goodies in my tummy were the cherries on top. I could go for some plain cherries right now.
"Y-yes!" She finally remembered, work had to be affecting her capacity.
Our final words exchanged, I ended the conversation just before reappearing before my gray companion.
"Took you long enough!" She whisper-shouted.
"Sorry, had to make a quick call," I sat down next to her, the bean bag still warm.
"As quick as a sloth tattooist," she scoffed, interlocking her hands behind her head.
As we chatted about the mundane everyday happenings of our average lives, the strange friction cooled. Naturally, when two people were as close as us, the direction of conversation flowed like a river from the top of a mountain. If that's where they began.
It felt… therapeutic. To share my petty woes and receive hers. I didn't know what there was to fix or why these fuzzy bangings riled my stomach, but I didn't mind it. I liked it.
"...and then…"
Such a sweet nectar; her vocal cords. The strings of a harp tugged by an angel. How I wished god was real.
"Aha," I responded automatically, gazing at the decorated ceiling.
"So, will you come to the play?"
Snapping back to reality, I recoiled, "What? Play? Want to play video games?"
"No! Were you listening?"
"...Partially," I admitted, disheartened at the false hope of a gamer girl. Content! Memes! Clickbait!
"The play, Johnny! The. Play," she emphasized with hand movements, hypnotizing me. The often switching from cold to hot back and forth was taking a toll on me. I was teetering on the edge of unconsciousness.
"Ahhh, riiight…" I nodded, "the plaaaay…"
"...You have no idea what I'm talking about," she realized, massaging her closed eyes in exasperation at my semi-intentional trolling.
"Care to tell?" I threw a bone for her. Hehehe, bone. Dogs liked bones.
"Near the end of May, there'll be a grand play in the auditorium! It's…" boring… boring… deary me, how much can one maw yap?
Yawning, I waved dismissively, "I get it, I get it, it's very important to you."
"It's not just that! It's beyond my final grade!" She straightened her chest proudly, "it's… my passion~"
"Hm, passion, yeah… like my channels?"
"...Sure, that works," she relaxed into the bean, her head tilted on its side, cyan orbs locked onto a similar pair of mine, "actually, that reminded me…!"
"Of?" I ground my teeth gently, fighting off the coaxing tiresome.
"I know I'm asking a lot, but…" she paused for dramatic effect, "could you please please pleeeeease stream again soon?"
My eyes widened, "Oh, so you do watch those."
"Yup, they are the best~ You motivate me to finish my tasks faster."
"That's… neat." Such an underwhelming reaction, Johnny boy! Prepare thy wrist for an Indian burn, canine style! Later, though, she noticed my state.
Despite that, she pressed, "Could you? When was the last time you streamed anyway, eh?"
Good question. The answer was two weeks ago, rounded up.
"Okay…"
"Okay! You're gonna stream tonight, right?!" Stars shone in her oceanic pearls, every meat-piercing tooth displayed half a mere meter away.
…
Was I truly up to the challenge? A brick to the wall of workload built upon the approaching finals of the first year? There were still a few months before the real grind would begin.
…
For Juno?
…
"Yeah… sure… I'll do it…" I managed, speech slightly slurred.
"Yaaay~ I knew I could rely on you!" She then bounced over with her bean bag to mine. With the moldable sacks of styrofoam marbles connected, she grabbed me tightly, nuzzling the side of my head.
I was also glad puppy affection hadn't changed since my eon.
With no one around and a happy wolfie draped over me, I drifted off to a nap, not a worry in the whole drama world.