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Ket glanced around the lunch room and eventually zoned in on his usual spot next to the window and garbage can. Empty and out of the way. He sighed a sigh of relief, days where he didn't get this seat usually end with him eating outside in the cold or something, completely awkward most of the time. He set down his Styrofoam tray with a piece of pizza on it and pulls out some books to study. Ket never was the study type but for once he actually felt fairly uncomfortable with his history test tomorrow and didn't want to study at home. He knew it wouldn't get done there so trying at lunch was the only option. The white fox picked up his milk and tried to read the bland words on the page in front of him, but eventually his eyes strayed from it and started to gaze around for a certain golden furred wolf. Through the crowd and across the lunchroom he could see Ciyter with his friends, oddly enough it seemed like they weren't paying attention to Ciyter. Ket put down his milk still looking at the table across the cafeteria. A quick look from one of the other jocks on the team over to him forced him to immediately look away. His eyes make their way back down to the books trying to focus back on the material but instead his face turns a deep red and his mind races. Are they talking about him? Laughing about him? Panic started to set in on the fox. Had they seen him at the swim meet? Kets eyes keep quickly glancing up at the table. Oh no! They must have! Now they're going to tell the whole school that he has a crush on Ciyter. Rocketing him into even more and more humiliation. He steals another glance at the table where Ciyter is leaning back away from his friends. His eyes glance around and finally center on Ket. Both of their eyes meet and hold for a few seconds before Ket's emotions get the better of him and he looks away, hiding his face from the wolf.

"Ciyter and Ket." He whispers. "Two love birds." Fantasies swirl around in his head as he looks back up to find Ciyter still looking his way. Ket thinks fast, he had to get out of there. He stands up, throws his still new pizza away and makes his way down the hall to science class. Ciyter watches him leave, his tail perks up.

"He just threw out his entire lunch." He whispers watching his tail swish quickly as the fox leaves the lunchroom.

"Uh oh, looks like someone is keeping an eye out!"

His friends laugh, but Ciyter continues to stare down the hall.

"Dude, Ciyter. You ok?"

Ciyter didn't want to give a response back but he just shrugged and finally tore his eyes from the now empty hallway.

"Look, no hard feelings at the swim meet." Travis finally says. "So what if this queer likes you, we just don't want you to like him back. You know what I'm saying." He elbows the wolf in this side.

"And we're all just joking right?" His friends nod in agreement.

Ciyter still didn't dignify the statement with an answer. "Just a joke wolfie lighten up."

One of his friends puts a paw on Ciyters shoulder. But he just shrugs it off and leaves the table without saying a word, going down the same hallway as Ket.

Travis's short muzzle drops as it hits him. He looks over at his friends, to Ciyter this wasn't a joke anymore. This was real. They all have wide eyes and can't believe what they just witnessed. Their friend, star athlete, record breaker, was gay.

Ciyter still didn't feel comfortable standing beside Ket, but for a different reason now. He liked him, much more then just like him he told himself again. His eyes drew over Kets figure as he thought of what the skinny fox would look naked. What made him so attractive? Why did he fall for him? Where did all of this come in the first place? He had to tell Ket everything sooner or later, and he wanted sooner. He stumbled over words and thoughts until something finally came out.

"Look, Ket, Want another ride after school? I'd be happy to give you one."

Ket screamed inside, how could he go for another drive with the wolf he had a crush on! It would make things way too awkward and he'd blow it some how. But he couldn't bring himself to say no so he made something up.

"Can't today. I'm saying after school."

Ciyter protested, "For what? You probably have the best grades in the entire school."

"Sorry, I just can't." Ket suddenly had the thought that this might drive him away so again he acted fast.

"B....But, I will need a ride tomorrow."

Ciyter smiled inside, perfect. That's when he'll tell him about his feelings, that's was the time he was going to spill everything. If everything goes alright, maybe...just maybe a kiss might be in order. From the side Ciyter looked at the fox's muzzle. That would be so nice...but a bit too much he thought. Meanwhile, in Ket's mind he was thinking the same thing. How he was going to tell Cityer everything and he had his own version of the fantasies that Cityer was thinking of.

Ciyter read through the powerpoint and nodded in approval. "Guaranteed A! Nice job Ket." The fox's eyes moved to the floor while the skin under his fur turned a deep red. He was almost positive that the wolf could have seen it through his fur.

He was about to say something back but the bell rang, and they stood there for a second while the rest of the class emptied out. Ciyter moved first. "Well, have fun after school." He waved and left Ket in the dust thinking about his lost opportunity.

The white fox collected his things and walked outside, into the brisk cold and the crunch of the dirty snow. He saw Ciyter pull out of the parking lot. So much to think about. His mind raged with the thought of being rejected by Ciyter, of course he will be, it's obvious. No way that the superstar athlete would want to do anything with him, or even like him for that matter. But he just wonders if he'll rub it in his face. Or what if he's nice about it and lets him down gently, that'll be the day.

Ket found a spot under the awning to check his phone really quick. He pulled it out and started scrolling through the few messages he had. He didn't realize the others that were quickly coming up to him. Suddenly Ket found himself surrounded by all of Ciyters friends, preventing him from escaping.

Ket lowered himself even more. "What do you guys want?"

They close in even more, "we're here to tell you the truth." Travis said with a heavy sigh. "I've seen you grow to like Cityer. That true?"

Ket just looked at the weasel without a response, but that was enough of one for Travis. "See, I must warn you, he really doesn't like you. Like almost hates you and it was all after when he found out you were gay. He told us that after he saw you at the meet that you were stupid and queer and he doesn't want to see you."

Ket quaked under their barrage, it didn't make a lot of sense. Maybe he didn't know he was gay and that he hated gay people. But he had been fine with him in class! "B...but he just offered to...give me a ride home."

That caught Travis off guard slightly, he didn't know that Ciyter had been giving rides or at least offering them. He thought quickly, it was a weak excuse but he figured the quivering fox would buy it. "yeah, now he knows where you live and mess with you. Get it?"

He shook his head, not really understanding.

"Ever hear of marking, egging, TP'ing? And that's just the start, he won't stop until he runs you from town."

Tears started to form in Kets eyes, how could this be true? Ciyter had been so nice to him up until now, but what he was saying made a little bit of sense. Like a shadow cast as the sun descended from the sky that idea grew bigger and bigger until it was the only thing he could think about. His mind started to make jumps.

"Ciyter hates me?"

The friends closed in, "Yeah, look I hate telling you this. But Ciyter was going to keep getting closer and closer to hurt you, and probably make it a lot worse than this. We figured that we would tell you before he got to you."Travis sighed. "The guy is just beyond homophobic."

The fox had tears welling up in his eyes. First was last year then this, it couldn't get much worse.

"W...well...next time you see him. Tell him good bye. I won't be a bother to him anymore." He sniffled and broke the circle, running away.

His friends smiled, they'd done it.

Ciyter opened his door, to again find his awaiting dad, standing there with his arms crossed again. Cityer didn't bother to hide his eyes this time as he rolled them.

"What is it this time dad?"

The large wolf shifted his weight and bit his tongue slightly, "I...um...well. I heard some interesting things today."

Ciyter rolled his eyes, "Yeah like what?"

"That you've been hanging around a gay fox. That one who's father died if I'm correct."

A cold shiver shot through Ciyter's spine, how did he find out? Unless, his friends told his dad. Were they really that homophobic? Were they really that stuck in the past?

"He's my lab partner, so what." Cityer said, trying to shrug it off. "We have this powerpoint that we have to do." He said trying to move past his father and up to his room and get this conversation over with. But his father stepped in his way and stopped him.

"Well, when the lab is done. I don't want you to be around him anymore." His father said, quite sternly.

Ciyter was confused and curious at the same time. "Why?"

"He's gay of course!" His dad said it in a tone like everybody should have known that.

Ciyter starts to bare his teeth at his dad, "He's a nice guy. What's wrong about that?"

Erik stomps his feet, almost like a small child, to gain the upperhand, "It will turn you gay! Hanging around him like that."

The whole room froze for a second as his real motivations came out as Cyiter growled and stood up to his dad. By now he was much stronger then his father and he towered over him. "Is that what you think it is? Some type of disease? Some type of plague that you think you can be saved from if you stay away from it?" Ciyter pounded into his fathers chest, who started to shake ever so slightly.

"I don't like where this is going Ciyter, I suggest you shut up and go to your room. Or else you might not have a room to go up too."

Once again his father had taken the upperhand, but he knew his mother would never allow it. His father must have been the whole ring leader.

"Just what are you insinuating?" Ciyter sneered, once again showing his strength.

"Ciyter. We didn't raise you to go off and marry a guy. We raised you better then that." Erik said growling. Ciyter had finally had enough, everything had boiled up to this point. He didn't care the consequences, and he was sure he could find a place to live if his parents kicked him out.

"Well then...you are a lousy father." Erik stepped back. "Because I'm gay! I love that fox and will love him more then you ever loved me!" Ciyter glared into his fathers eyes. "Now, what did you tell my friends to do?"

Erik drops to his knees before his son completely speechless and unable to move, he hadn't thought it would come to this, but it did. "Son...get out."

"Erik!" Ciyters mother rushed from the kitchen to try and stop it. "What in the hell are you doing! You're kicking our son out?"

His father looked at Ciyter with a straight face. "Jen, I'm not kicking him out, but if he knows whats best for him, he'll leave for a while."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Ciyter grunted and slammed the door behind him, so much so that a picture of him as a pup fell to the ground and shattered. A tear formed in Jen's eye as she watched his car start up and speed away.

Ciyter speeds to the school, the sheer fact that his dad and friends were that predigest made him sick to his stomach. All he could hope was that his so called friends were still at the school. He drifts into the fire-lane and gets out without turning it off, scanning the school for Ket, but is nowhere to be seen. But, he sees his old friends walking toward the parking lot, smiling and joking with each other. Anger swells up inside of him in the form of a growl and he runs after them tackling Travis with a snarl and a bark. Ciyter had to literally hold himself back from giving him the punch he deserved. With him pinned on the ground Ciyter lays into him.

"Where is Ket!"

Travis's face twists with fear as he tries to fight the wolf but it's useless. Ciyter was always stronger then him.

"WHERE IS HE!"

Travis began to shake under Ciyters powerful arms, "I don't know?"

"What do you mean you don't fucking know! You've always hated him. You must have done something to him!"

His head falls back into the dirty snow as he looks off into the distance where Ket started running. Travis sighed.

"He broke free running away. We didn't chase him.".

"When!"

"I don't know? A little after school got out?"

Ciyter dropped him back in the snow, and looked at the fear that inhabited his face. Around him his other friends had dispersed leaving the two alone. Cityer balled his paw getting ready to punch the weasel. "You guys are sick." He says instead and stands letting Travis free. He stands and glared at Cityer.

"You know, the entire school, no, the entire town will know your gay by the end of the week!"

That was the last straw, the anger that welled up inside of him and to his fist. With a deep breath Cityer swivils and lands a punch squarely on his small muzzle sending him to the ground.

"Tell them if they bother me or Ket, that will happen."

Travis curls up covering his face as Cityer runs back to his car. The point had been made. The wolf races down the way to Kets house hoping to see him walking home, but nobody was there. He parked in front of his house and frantically knocked at the door, not stopping until someone answered the door, it happened to be a gray vixen.

"Heavens can you stop that?"

Ciyter spoke between his deep breaths, "Is....Ket.....here?"

Kita cocked her head, "No, can't say that he is. Why, you looking for him?"

He nodded his head as the vixen thinks for a second, "I can't think of where he would go. He didn't have anything after school, he should have come right home. But he does sometimes go off on his own."

"Wait, he didn't have anything after school?" Ciyter asked and Kita nodded innocently. He was lying to him...but why. "H..has he mentioned me at all? My name is Ciyter, I'm in his science class at school."

"Can't think that he has." She said and gives him a good look down. "Ciyter...aren't you that start athlete that came into school halfway through last year?" She gave a smirk and twirled her hair slightly.

"Look Ms, I think he is in trouble. I'll explain everything later." The wolf digs through his pockets for a small piece of paper. "You got a pen? I'll give you my number, can you call me if he gets in?"

Kita nods and hands him a pen she grabbed from the end table near the door, he returns it with his number.

"Give me a call if he gets in. I need to speak with him."

Kita nods again as Ciyter runs back to his car, pulls a u-turn and heads back to the center of town.

Above him, clouds start to roll in blocking out the cold winter sun. Ciyter's eyes scan the sidewalks for anything, each time he see's someone walking his heart jumps hoping it's his white fox but as he begins to get to the outskirts of town his hopes start to diminish. That is until he comes to the last bus stop before the town ends and the road enters a forest. There is a lone fox, sitting huddled over for warmth.

"There you are!"

He pulls up and rolls down the passenger side window.

"Ket, Thank God, you're ok! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

The white fox doesn't say anything.

"Why don't you get in and let's go someplace."

Ket continues to look at the ground trying to ignore Ciyter. But he gets out and goes around the car to sit on the bench next to him.

"Ket...did my friends talk to you?"

Cityer said moving closer to the fox. Ket sat, still in silence mulling over what he could say back.

"Just go away. I know what you're trying to do." Ket answered looking the other way. "They were perfectly clear with everything."

"No no no no!" Ciyter tried to say. "Those guys aren't even my friends anymore, in fact I gave Travis a good one in the snout for what he said to you." He chuckles a little bit, trying to lighten the mood.

Ket scoots further down the bench trying to get away from him.

"Come on Ket, what's up?"

He sat there for a while, the silence was eerie. Finally above them the clouds let go and brand new snow started to fall, beginning to cover the week old mess that had been on the ground. Ciyter just wanted to make sure Ket was ok and he was ready to wait in the cold for the rest of the day not really realizing his car was still on. On the other side of the bench Ket stole a glance at the wolf. He was still sitting there, shivering and looking at him with genuine concern in his eyes. Eyes that held a look he hadn't seen in years. Why was he still here? Ket looked at the ground and covered his hears with his paws. He'd been stupid. Those guys had done it to keep the two of them apart, Ciyter didn't actually feel that way.

"Ciyter?"

Ket's voice was almost non-existent.

"Yeah?"

He paused, "Could you do me a favor?"

The wolf scooted next to Ket and this time he didn't move.

Yeah, anything."

Ket took a deep breath, "I need you to take me outside of town someplace. Can you?"

Ciyter got up and opened the passenger door in his car.

"Where to?"

Ket sat staring outside his window at the falling snow. Most of the ride had been in quiet, just what he wanted. Better than sitting on a bus, even if it was an empty one. Ciyter had tried to talk once but Ket didn't respond, he needed time. Time to process everything in his head. He had told Ciyter to continue driving until he said stop and they've been at it for an hour. He could sense that Ciyter was beginning to wonder where they were going. Then, through the snow, Ket saw what he was looking for.

"Take a right up here."

Ciyter did so, happy to hear Ket's voice finally. The exit took them to a seemingly empty area. They drove for about ten minutes and then Ket pointed to the edge of the road.

"Park along here."

He did, and in front of the car was a large field, kind of like a park except it wasn't cut or trimmed. The entire surface was covered with new fallen snow. Ciyter didn't understand.

"What is this place?"

But Ket was already out of the car and making his way into it, trudging through the snow. Ciyter quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and went after him. Ket stopped short of the middle and knelt down wiping something with his paw. Ciyter slowly walked up behind him and saw he was cleaning a small concrete slab of the snow.

"What's that?"

Ket didn't answer, he stood up and let Ciyter read it, it said.

"This is where Jacob McCalaster, beloved father and husband, died. In October of 2005, his experimental plane malfunctioned and went down. This is to commemorate his life."

Ciyter immediately shut up, he realized this is where Ket's dad had died, but why would he want to come out here?

"I have had nightmares." Ket said bluntly.

Ciyter looked at the fox, he was holding something in his paws.

"I see his plane falling and I can't do anything about it." He took a couple moments. "There was originally two reasons why I came out here today." Ket stood and bowed his head. "I didn't think there was anything I could do."

Ket reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple things, but one of them caught Ciyters attention more then the other. It glinted with a shine from the reflective snow. It was a razor. Ket slipped the other things into his pocket before Ciyter could see.

"I just didn't know what to do...it was like I was trapped....you didn't like me, my father died, I would have had to go back to the doctor." Tears started to fall from Ket's eyes. "I thought you were the one that was going to be there for me."

Ciyter listened to the fox and gradually grew closer to him taking the razor from his paw and slipping his own paw in instead.

"Ket, I'll be there. Whenever you need me. If you call me at one in the morning, if you call me at a meet, if you need me, I'll come running."

Ket sniffled in the cold and rubbed up against him.

"I'll be there when you have the nightmares, I'll be there to comfort you. To hold you. Because."

Ciyter stared into the foxes beautiful blue eyes and mustered all the courage that he could possibly get.

"I love you."

Ket stared back into Ciyter's warming amber eyes, and a smile appeared in his muzzle.

"Ciyter, I...I...I..."

The wolf came in closer, "It's ok."

He brought his muzzle in and kissed Ket, who was still in shock. Ciyter backed away, Ket was motionless.

"S....s..sorry. That was too soon."

But, Ket pulled the wolf back, parting his muzzle and kissing him back. Wanting, needing, the love he offered.

"It didn't happen soon enough Ciyter." Ket mumbled during the kiss.

The two stood there for what seemed like forever, embracing and "Come on, let's get out of here and get warm. Let's go someplace, my treat."

Ket nodded, Ciyter started back. But Ket knelt down at the memorial once more and raced after Ciyter slipping his paw in his.

"What was that?" Ciyter asked looking back at the memorial.

"Oh, nothing." Ket answered with the crack of a smile starting to form on the side of his muzzle.

The snow fell a little faster as the two left, covering the tracks they left behind. While on the memorial two unused baseball tickets lay covered with a white blanket of snow.