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The Big Things

Chapter Two

By Roofles

“Let’s get sewing!”

Theo was already on the top of the shears as Pedro held the handle, cutting carefully down the lines that Theo had meticulously marked out on the sweater. The idea was simple, to take two different sweaters, cut vertically, and sow them back together in order to create a space for Theo to reside within. Not that they would use both sweaters, but the idea was clear between the two.

Theo felt bad about using Pedro’s clothes like this, once more relying on the tiger for supplies. Pedro had none of that and quickly waved such worries away. The tiger was already playfully calling the new sweater a “casa móvil,” a mobile home. Something he was teasing Theo about when he wasn’t wielding the dangerous shears in hand.

“That way your casa can be me,” Pedro winked at the blushing rodent on the desk. Theo would squeak angrily at him, shaking a tiny fist at the giant tiger who just chuffed in amusement down at the rodent.

Pedro was glad to see Theo like this.

To an outsider, it might look as if the tiger were picking on the rat. It was far from that. With Theo having been worried about being alone these past several weeks, the tiger needed to find a means to remedy this quickly before it could get worse. Missing his roommate as it was, Pedro decided to kill two birds with one stone. If Theo could safely come along with Pedro, outside this room that had become the rodent’s cage, then Theo wouldn’t be trapped inside any longer. Pedro was sure it would also help the blues that Theo had been suffering from being locked up for so long.

And Pedro? Pedro would get the company he desired from someone he wanted to actually hang out and talk with. Unlike the rest of his classmates.

“Only the family know about choo,” Pedro said as he held a needle for Theo to thread for him. It was easier for the tiger to hold the needle and let Theo do the smaller tasks like this. Not only was Theo far more skilled at the smaller tasks, it also included the rodent in whatever the two of them were doing together.

Including Theo in everything made the rodents day. Made him feel more like his partner in crime, his roommate and friend. Not that of a pet or a caged animal. Pedro would handle anything big, and Theo would handle the small. It was an unspoken deal between the two that had helped solidify their friendship.

“You told your parents about me?” Theo asked, his snowy white furred cheeks burning red underneath as he refused to look at the tiger. Theo was focusing on directing where Pedro was to cut. Holding up two small brightly lit neon tubes, Theo used them like marshalling wands to direct Pedro around the cuts through the cloth.

Pedro tail swayed with amusement as he let Theo take the metaphorical reigns of this project. Keeping Theo’s mind occupied was a task in itself. Sometimes being so highly intelligent was more of a burden than a gift. Pedro would just have to create more artificial tasks for Theo to work on during his absence in the future.

Theo had measured everything out after doing the calculations in his head. Writing down the numbers he’d come up with, he let Pedro double check his math while going about marking the fabric with a black fabric marker that Pedro had bought. The marker was washable and once the sweater was finished, Pedro would wash it before they put it into practice. Like any good engineer, it wasn’t ready until after you tested it thoroughly.

That was the part Pedro liked most. The building was Theo’s expertise, but it was Pedro who would be putting it to the test. Stress testing their projects to see how much everything could put up with, for safety purposes. Pedro just happened to find it fun to wreck things.

Lining the fabric down with small, spaced lines allowed Pedro a clear path to follow with the cloth shears. Pedro’s eyes tracked Theo as he ran over the fabric, marking the way as he went. The rat was always so excited when they had a task to do together like this. The way Theo’s little round ears wiggled, his whiskers twitched and his nose continued to sniff at the air as if there was food nearby. It made Pedro tail curl in delight from the sight. It was a healthy distraction and something productive for the rodent to accomplished.

And Pedro had been the one to give him that.

Even if Theo didn’t see it from his perspective, only able to grasp things in front with his small height. That was the case. Pedro felt that it was Theo that had given so much for the tiger instead of the other way around. Pedro was still trying to make it up to Theo for what had happened before.

Theo who had given up his colony, his family and his old friends in order to try and treat Pedro, a Big, as an equal instead of the problem the rest of society wanted to see the tiger as. Pedro didn’t want Theo regretting his choice in the future. Not wanting to lose his friend, he’d do whatever it took to keep Theo happy and safe.

At times, Theo was too brilliant, and the tiger struggled to keep the rodent’s constantly active mind entertained or busy. Theo would quickly figure out any puzzle Pedro created for him. Solving it far faster than Pedro had come up with it. And, at times, Theo could even deduce if Pedro was just giving him busy work to do to keep him occupied with during his absence.

“I’m a part of this partnership as well!” Theo would stomp his little foot when he caught the feline trying to pull a fast one over his head. “Just because I’m Small doesn’t mean you can play such tricks on me.” The rodent would huff and puff out his cheeks, turning away from Pedro who’d have to spend the rest of the evening making up for his mistake.

Food usually won the rodent’s heart over quickly enough.

Pedro truly hoped that this, what they were doing now, was the smartest course of action to take for them. The tiger didn’t want to expose the rat to the outside world if he could help it, but it wasn’t right to keep Theo locked inside his dorm room as if he were some kind of pet. Theo had his own desires and wants and needs, something Pedro was still trying to keep up with at times.

Motioning with the brightly lit neon tubes, the rodent helped Pedro along the way as he cut. Theo just liked to use the wands. It was fun and Pedro just smiled as he let the rat take control of the situation, willingly sacrificing his own independence in order for Theo to feel like he had more because of it.

Yet another compromise the two did for one another that they never fully openly talked about. Theo waving the bright neon tubes around, spinning them skillfully with his pink fingers hands before tossing them up, catching them, and spinning them around again.

“Muy impresionante,” Pedro clapped as Theo bowed. The rodent was slightly sweating from it and squeaky happily in embarrassment. “You are very skilled at this.” The tiger flashed a smile as Theo continued.

Even if he looked like he was at a rave, Theo enjoyed it. This. Together. Moving and doing things. The small albino rat nearly glowing underneath the neon tubes as he shook his booty and waved his arms around in an interpretive dance that Pedro was trying to decipher with a tilt of his bulky head.

“I tell mi Padre and Madre everything, uh, my papi and mama. They were muy sorprendido when I told them, uh, how do you say? Surprised. Very, very surprised. Mi mama nearly fainted,” Pedro chuffed in amusement his accent as thick as ever as he spoke. He smiled softly, covering the end of his muzzle with a closed fist as he turned away. That smile reached his ears and the tiger’s round ears wiggled remembering the conversation, embarrassed about it but not ashamed.

A small tint of pink glowed underneath the golden tiger’s pale cheek fur and within his round ears as he thought about the conversation with his parents. It was the first time that Pedro had ever introduced anyone to them.

“You were the first, uh,” Pedro snapped his fingers trying to word things better for Theo to understand. Making an effort for the smaller male than the massive tiger had done for any other, outside his family. Another way Pedro showed Theo how much he meant to him and how dear their friendship was for the lonely tiger’s heart. A balm he had desperately needed. “First male that I told my familia about.” Pedro smiled down at Theo. “No matter how Small he might be,” the tiger couldn’t help but tease at the end.

“Uh, how’d they take it?” Theo didn’t want to compare it to his own family. It was hard not to do so. Bringing up family was still a sore subject for Theo. He envied how much Pedro’s parents loved and cared for him. Not wanting to talk about or bring it up, Pedro did for him. Covering for his weaknesses as always to help Theo along the way.

“Far better than yours did,” Pedro chuckled with a shake of his head before setting the shears aside. Grabbing the needle, he held up the end of it again and watched the rat easily slip the thread through the end. Almost robotically, Theo tied the end of the thread to the needle making Pedro’s job far easier as he began to move the different fabrics around before the tiger.

It was easy to distract Theo’s racing thoughts. If left alone, the rat would sit there and think. Sometimes thinking wasn’t the healthy thing to do. It left his mind to wander, and more times than not, those thoughts went to a dark place. Pedro just needed to create a task to keep Theo’s thoughts from going there.

Theo was like a busy worker bee when they were doing projects. The rodent didn’t forget the tiger’s presence, a feat in itself if he could. It was the sheer amount of trust he had in Pedro that allowed Theo to focus solely on the task in front of him instead of the looming predator behind.

That kind of trust touched the tiger’s chest and he felt that tingling warmth where his heart was as he watched Theo work. Theo fully trusting Pedro at this point.

Resting back, Pedro watched Theo corrected the pieces of fabric the tiger had laid out before them. Something Pedro had purposefully done for Theo to keep occupied with. Lining the separate fabrics up properly, Pedro assisted only when Theo was struggling with the larger, thicker sections of the fabric. It was amazing to watch the Small manage so much on his own. Pedro was just here for the Big things.

It still was fascinating to watch, and Pedro’s feline eyes couldn’t be taken off the small albino rodent working before him.

Once, Pedro had “accidentally” knocked over a picture puzzle out in front of the rodent. Theo had spent the rest of the afternoon figuring the hundred- and fifty-piece puzzle out by himself. Pedro hadn’t even realized he’d spent the entire afternoon just watching him. Watching the rodent work, offering little assistance in the end as Theo was distracted the new project set before him.

Theo had never seen something as simple as a picture puzzle before. Just another thing Pedro needed to show him in this world. Just how big and vast it was. Not locked away in the sewers or in some dorm room.

Pedro would show Theo the world.

“Back home?” Theo had said during the task. “We didn’t focus on anything that wasn’t a necessity. Survival of the colony was all that mattered. Oh, sure, I had stuff to do. New projects to work on here or there. How to extend the use of fabrics and cloths we came across, new means of cleaning and washing, even building the houses!” Theo sighed, shaking his head as he paused. Pedro didn’t interrupt. “It was all tasks for the colony in the end. Things we did to increase our chances of survival during winter. It wasn’t… fun. Like this.” Theo motioned at the puzzle.

“Are you not having fun?” Pedro asked tilting his head slightly.

“No, I am having fun. Just… this is different. This is fun with no other point to it other than that.” Theo fidgeted, unsure how to word it properly for the tiger to understand. “We just… never did that. It was discouraged. That our time was better spent doing other things. Productive things!” Theo made a face and deepened his voice the best the squeaky rodent could do. “Theo! You need to be planning for your future. The future of the colony! None of this dye business.” Theo shook his head.

“Dyes?” Pedro singled out the word.

“Well, I found that we could dye things! If we break down berries and other colorful pigmented things, we could dye our sheets and cloths and…” Theo stopped, rubbing his arm. “All of your clothes are so unique and colorful. Designs and pictures and…” Theo lowered his head as his shoulders fell. “That stuff was seen as frivolous and a waste of time. No point in wearing fancy clothes. Just muted grays. As long as it helped get you through the winter. Do you know the first thing Anthony did when he got here?”

“What’s that?” Pedro asked with a soft, warm smile as Theo ranted on.

“He was in love with your shoes!” Theo squeaked as Pedro lifted an eyebrow. “Ah, let me explain. See, the shoes you have is a very expensive brand. Thus, it’s made from good quality threads and materials. Back home? The brand would’ve been coveted as a resource haul. We’d have carried it back home before tearing it apart.”

Pedro jumped at the idea of his several hundred-dollar shoes being torn apart for their baser material.

“That’s all the colony cared about. Not colors or expensive shoes… or fun,” Theo motioned back at the puzzle.

“What did you think of my shoes?” Pedro asked with a lifted eyebrow, wondering how Theo managed. With all the new “frivolous” things Pedro had to show off for Theo, it was like seeing them for the first time. Through Theo’s eyes.

“I fell into them.” Theo squeaked in embarrassment.

“What?” Pedro chuffed at that, leaning closer towards the rodent who had grabbed his furless tail to rub and squeeze nervously.

“Well, I tripped coming down from the desk and ended up falling inside. At least it was cushion, if stinky.” Theo stuck his tongue out.

“Oh? I thought rodents like the smell of cheese,” the tiger nosed Theo who squeaked in giggling laughter as the feline nosed him.

“You’re terrible!” Theo laughed and got back to work.

Pedro gave a single nod, smiling as Theo went to it. He never thought that what he called an “old person game” like a picture puzzle could be fun. Watching Theo work, Pedro felt jealous. Wishing he had that enthusiasm for the task before him.

Something the tiger had all but lost over the years.

Until Theo had fallen into his life. Pedro had forgotten the joy of just living in the moment. Experiencing new things. Creating, failing, reworking and doing it all over again. The tiger wasn’t as angry or off putting as he used to be. Pedro was even beginning to talk to others, or at least respond when spoken to.

Small steps forward. Even for a giant tiger, that could change everything in his life.

“My familia, uh, family were very supportive. After the initial shock of it wore off,” Pedro chuffed, recalling his mother nearly fainting on the line as he reminisced on the phone call.

“I’d imagine!” Theo squeaky laughter filled the air as he took a step back. He held up both hands, forming a square with his fingers as he tried to picture everything out before adjusting one minor flaw and gave Pedro a thumbs up. “Your turn! Just don’t mess up my hard work.” The rodent winked up at the massive feline looming overhead as he stepped out of the way.

It had taken weeks for Theo to get used to see that face hovering overhead. Pedro’s feline tendencies coming out as he watched the rodent with fixated interest. It was unnerving for the rodent. Being watched like that. Or when Pedro moved to help. A shadow descending from above, large enough to block the light overhead, before moving to grab whatever it was Theo had been working on to assist him.

Theo tried not to shiver whenever Pedro did that.

“Si, yes, yes. I won’t fuss with the little rata’s hard work. I’ll be very cuidadoso, uh, careful. Be very careful.” Pedro gave Theo a wink and the rat turned back to the work, trying to hide his embarrassment at his playful actions. The tiger didn’t need to pat Theo gently on the head, but still did anyways.

The tiger’s hand was larger than Theo’s body and the shadow eclipsed the light above as Pedro moved it over to rub Theo between the ears with an amused chuffing breath. Using just the tip of his index finger, the soft squishy pink paw pad rubbing between the rodent’s ears.

“Such a cute little rat,” the tiger murred softly.

Pedro easily could’ve done the work himself. He even, could’ve, commented on that. Saying that he could’ve done it five times faster than Theo did. That Theo, as a Small, was slowing him down… Pedro never did. Pedro never once ever brought up Theo’s height discrepancy. Even in playful teasing. Not when it came to these things. While the tiger did love to tease his Small roomie, there were some things that Pedro knew not to touch on. It allowed them to be partners on a, metaphorically, equal footing to one another.

Theo would ask Pedro for help if he needed. Pedro didn’t need Theo as much as the small rodent needed the tiger, but, like several other things, Pedro never pointed that out.

“My mama,” Pedro struggled to use full English and Theo wished the tiger wouldn’t push himself like this. When it was a serious conversation, though, Pedro would. “She nearly fainted on the spot when I told him my roomie was a Small. My father was so worried! He’s always worried,” Pedro waved that off as if that was the normalcy of their life. “It was my hermano, uh, mi big brother that was okay with it first. Teased me endlessly about it.” The tiger’s tail tip flickered in annoyance at that. “He wants to meet you!” Pedro beamed down at Theo who nearly fainted as Pedro’s mother had at the news.

“M-meet me? Or meat… me…?” Theo panicked, quickly grooming his whiskers and head fur nervously. Pedro chuffed a laugh at that and reached down to poke at the rat’s belly, getting Theo to look up at him again.

“No need to be preocupado. That is, no need to be worried.” Pedro pet the top of Theo’s head with his index finger. Theo had the softest fur Pedro had ever felt before and it felt good against his pink paw padded fingertip. The tiger had guiltily bought the nicer conditioner for Theo to use for these rare chances he got to touch him. “Mi hermano, my big brother, would fight tooth n’ nail for his little bro,” Pedro chuckled. “Even if he teases me relentlessly. You are mi…” Pedro fumbled a bit, ears splaying out as his pale orange fur darkened at the thought. “You are my… roommate. He understands…” Pedro didn’t want to go into that any more than he already had.

After the conversation with his parents cut off, Pedro had gotten a call from Alejandro Perez, his older brother, two seconds later. It was a video call, and his brother tore into him about having a Small for a roommate. Laughter soon turned to anger when Alejandro found out Pedro’s old roommate hadn’t shown up after finding out that Pedro was a tiger.

“I’ll rip him apart!” Alejandro claws sprung out, fangs bared at the idea of someone hurting his little brother. After all, that was his job only. If Pedro teased Theo a lot, it was nothing compared to how Alejandro teased his younger brother.

“It is all good now. Theo is here. He is worth a hundred roommates, even if he is one one-hundredth of their size,” Pedro chuffed, unable to help the smile beaming on his face. Something Alejandro quickly picked up on.

“I thought it was a pet project you’ve been working on this entire time! Uh, no insult intended.” Alejandro Perez spoke far more fluently than his younger brother did. Working and living on the main land for so long, Alejandro was forced to adapt to the common tongue here for work. Very few had bothered to learn their language and he’d been force to adapt. “I didn’t realize he was living with you, though! You sly feline.”

“It is not like that.” Pedro’s tail tip moved a mile a minute in agitation at his brother’s teasing. Crossing his arms over his wide chest, the younger tiger turned away from the video feed. What little it did to stop his brother from getting on him about it.

“So, when is the wedding, little brother?” Alejandro had a feline’s smirk on his face the entire conversation as Pedro fidgeted on the other end of the video call. Getting nervous about it. Pedro had to keep rubbing the fur down on his arms as it kept standing on end from being called out about it.

“There is no boda! No wedding. No wedding bells. We are just friends. Just, shut up!” Pedro growled a warning at his brother not to push things any further. Alejandro just chuffed on the other line, amused to think that his younger and smaller brother could get him to do such a thing. They used to wrestle all the time growing up. Pedro had never won once.

If people thought Pedro was big, they hadn’t met Alejandro yet.

“It just isn’t like you to tell our parents anything concerning you…” Alejandro mused, rubbing his chin deep in thought. “Let alone look so happy…” Alejandro brought up and Pedro wasn’t sure what to say about that. “You were really beginning to worry us, little bro. You shut yourself away. You didn’t call or talk as much. You insisted on only speaking in tigre.” Alejandro smirk faded and worry lines grew on his forehead as he looked at him. “If it had continued, I was going to step in…”

Pedro knew his older brother had been aware of his situation and that Pedro wasn’t coping as well to the change as Alejandro had. The first year of school had been hell for Pedro. No one talked to him, or even tried to pick on him. They didn’t even look at him. Refusing to acknowledge his existence. People would actually say in class “who’s Pedro?” When the teacher would assign them to the tiger.

No one had even noticed a man as large as Pedro was. Not until Theo. The smallest person Pedro had ever met had the most impact on his life.

“Well, things are going a lot better now…” Pedro agreed without adding onto it or mentioning the fact he’d been planning to move back home. Alejandro had been aware of them and was even planning a trip to visit his brother in the dorms until the sudden mood change had hit a couple of months ago.

Alejandro naturally thought it was drugs at the sudden change in his attitude. Pedro had even been the one to call them, for a change. His parents quickly had gotten involved from there and Pedro had to tell them the truth about who his new roommate was before his parents bought plane tickets to come over and forcibly give him an intervention because of the misunderstanding.

“I still want to meet Theodore.” Alejandro grinning face was the last thing Pedro saw before he turned off the call. Neither giving his brother a yes or a no on that.

A part of Pedro didn’t want to share what the two of them had together. Not even with his family.

While Theo and Pedro had been doing extremely well with one another these past six months, there was always the aspect of the outside world and Pedro’s family that the two had purposefully not brought up until then. It was a dangerous subject. Like a mine field. One wrong step could blow up in their faces and Pedro hadn’t wanted to worry Theo.

Or risk endangering the much smaller males safety.

Until now.

“He is far more friendly than his appearance says. Promise.” Pedro swore like a tiger scout and Theo chuckled at the sight of the massive tiger crossing his heart and holding up one hand before the rodent.

“Well… if you say so,” Theo didn’t need to think about it long as he snapped his fingers and the light bulb turned on overhead. Pedro turning the desk lamp on as the night grew long and the sun had set. The two often stayed up late working on their pet projects with one another after taking a long lunch break. “That’s why you thought of this!” Theo motioned at the double layered sweater. “You want to do a test run at school before you introduce me to your parents. You sly feline,” Theo teased. “I didn’t know you cared.” The rodent squeaked.

“Something like that.” Pedro admitted, a bit embarrassed about being caught. He had been trying to work out the best way to ask Theo about it and now Theo had discovered it on his own. Somehow, Pedro wasn’t surprised the rodent had found out.

“Meet your parents,” the rat and tiger chuckled. “Meet your giant tiger parents! And your big brother. Bigger brother…” And Theo’s tail stuck out at the very thought as if he’d been electrocuted. “You want to introduce me to your parents?” Theo felt woozy on the spot, stumbling side to side as if he were drunk before Pedro caught him with a single finger.

Theo draped out over the tiger’s index fingers, feeling light headed.

“Cheese… I need… cheese.” Theo reached towards the heavens before his arm fell limp to his side.

“No need to be so dramatic, little rata.” Pedro rolled his eyes as he helped Theo back up. He still loved Theo’s over-the-top reaction. Most of which were natural. Some forced.

“W-why so sudden?” Theo stressed, still feeling anxious over the thought. “Are they coming here…?” The albino rodent quickly looked around the room as if waiting for them to jump out in surprise.

“No, no. Not yet.” Pedro shrugged one shoulder. “They came by a couple of months ago, before you were here. Then again when you were the one visiting me… That was why I asked for you to take the week off from visiting back then, during that week. Even if I did miss you,” Pedro gave Theo a soft smile and the rat became flustered once more. Pedro chuffed, rubbing a paw padded finger over the rodent’s head fur. “They came by, doing their usual check in. I thought it best to ease them into things before dropping it on them. Or you.”

“Oh, uh… why?” Theo asked and got a confused look from the pale orange tiger. “I mean, just, I could hide somewhere during their visit, right? Like in your sock drawer or somewhere else inconspicuous. I’m used to doing that. Hiding from Bigs. Back before, before you I mean… We all did that. Hide whenever a Big came around. This won’t be any different. Not really. I don’t want to get you in trouble, Pedro…” Theo fumbled with his fingers, unable to look at his friend.

Setting the needle down, Pedro reached over and bumped Theo’s chin up with the tip of one claw. With the rat looking at him, Pedro carefully laced his fingers around Theo’s squishy body and hoisted Theo off the ground with ease. Theo barely weighed anything, and Pedro had to control his strength, even for a friendly gesture like this. Feet dangling just above the desk, Pedro leaned down and nuzzled Theo against his nose and cheeks making the rat giggle and squeak at the feel of the fur rubbing against each other.

Carefully, Pedro set him down again and let go. Fingers uncurled around Theo’s body and rested next to him on the large work table. One finger tapped against the fabric still on the table.

“If we are to be living together in the future, you will eventually bump into them. They are very… nosy,” Pedro chuffed, using a far more polite word than he and his brother usually used when describing their loving but overbearing parents. His mother would take an axe to their bedroom door if they didn’t unlock it after she asked the first time.

“The future?” Theo hadn’t really thought about that. He tended to focus on what was directly in front of his whiskered face or what they were currently dealing with. It wasn’t that Theo wasn’t interested; it just wasn’t who he was.

And because of that he got floored by what Pedro said next.

“When I’m done with college, we will be getting a place together, yes?” Pedro rested back in the chair, seeing no issue with this. The tiger had gotten comfortable enough around Theo to even kick one of his bare feet up on the desk, balancing back in the chair as he rested comfortably in the spot. Staring up at the ceiling, Pedro thought it over. “We’re already this comfortable with one another. Getting a place together just seems obvious. This wasn’t a limited offer. You moving in with me, I mean.”

Theo’s blush filled his face while the tiger’s paw filled his field of view, making it hard to hear what Pedro was talking about. The large feline’s foot was an arm’s reach in front of Theo and Pedro wiggled his toes, splaying them out as he gave a large stretch. Stretching both arms over his head, Pedro curled his toes and his pink padded paws wrinkled from the motion forming grooves and valleys before the rodent’s nose.

Theo could smell it. Smell Pedro’s paw before him and had to cover his sensitive nose from the potent aroma wafting off it. People were never fully aware of how potent a male smell could be and for someone like Theo, who relied on his nose more than his eyes as a rodent, Pedro had a remarkably strong masculine scent that matched the tiger it came from.

Most felines don’t have many sweat glands and the ones they do are located in their paws, making the tiger’s aroma far stronger here than several other places on his body. After a long day of classes, Pedro was sore and tired and sweaty. Something Theo could noticeably see.

“Most of the ideas I have in mind aren’t for a place this… small,” the tiger chuckled, looking around the room. “It is too little and cramped for my taste,” Pedro clicked his tongue. “Unlike mi little rata,” Pedro said glancing down to see why Theo hadn’t said anything yet. The rat had turned away from Pedro’s foot and was facing elsewhere, pretending not to notice the smell wafting off it after a long day of class. The sensitive rodent’s nose twitching and Theo wiggling his whiskers, trying to calm his racing heart down. “Are you alright?” Pedro asked, confused.

“Yes, yes. Uh, si, I mean. I’m good,” Theo tried to wave him off as he walked away from the tiger’s foot. “I just have a… lot on my mind,” Theo grabbed his tail, rubbing it. Theo, being the smaller member of the two, had to deal with a lot of things like this around his close friend. Pedro didn’t even seem to notice how his large, massive and giant of a body effected Theo on a daily basis. “Uh, Pedro?” Theo asked after a moment. There were many reasons why Theo worried about these things.

Despite his size, Theo was still a rat. A rodent. He had excellent hearing and an even stronger sniffer. Being a Small, Theo didn’t rely on his eyes as much as others did and used his other senses to explore with. Being in such close proximity to the tiger had altering effects on his body that Theo tried to suppress or ignore, not wanting Pedro to find out.

The tiger rested back down, leaning over the desk, and waited for Theo to continue. With a tilt of his head, Pedro looked at him with those soft caring blue eyes making Theo fidget some more.

“When you say we will be getting a place together,” Theo licked his suddenly dry lips, feeling nervous and anxious about this conversation. Butterflies squirmed in his belly. “How will that… work? Exactly?”

“How will what work?” Pedro was still left in the dark. Scratching his chin with a finger, he thought about it. “I have already looked into a few places around here. I want a big open space though, like a studio apartment. Big and spacious,” Pedro opened his arms to show the size he had in mind. “That way we can work on many projects together!” His tail swished behind him. “No more being stuck in this small dorm room. We can do so much more. With your creative mind and my brawn, we can accomplish anything!”

Pedro lifted up an arm and flexed like Rosie the Riveter.

“No, no. I know what you meant by that,” Theo laughed nervously before facing Pedro. “I just meant… what happens when you get a girlfriend?” He asked and Pedro’s eyebrows shot up at the question and his tail stilled. “What happens when your parents come over for dinner…? When your friends or coworkers…? What… what will I do then? Just… stay in your sock drawer or left alone when you go out on dates?”

Theo fiddled with his thumbs, getting even more nervous about it as Pedro stared down at him in disbelief.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong. I really enjoy this!” Theo motioned around them, then to Pedro. “Being with you. Hanging out here, with you. Even living here. Sure, it has had its ups and downs but… it’s better than I could’ve ever dreamed! That won’t last, though, will it?” Theo feared as he asked the painful question before them. “When people, even good friends, leave college they’ll naturally grow apart. When they start families… I mean, Pedro! When you have kittens, what am I to do?” Theo grew increasingly anxious at the prospect of a future with the tiger. “I don’t want to get in the way of you and your kids or like your w-wife or… something.”

Theo ended up covering his face with both his tiny furless pink hands, tail curling around his feet as he curled up on himself.

“I don’t want to be the thing that break apart a family, again.” Theo whispered the words.

The tiger hadn’t answered him yet and Theo worried that Pedro hadn’t thought that far ahead. Or, maybe, the tiger had? Maybe the tiger would just pick him up and toss him into the sock drawer or in a box to push under the bed like some dirty little secret away from everyone else. A toy or playful to pull out when he wanted... Telling Theo to wait there with Pedro’s other “adult” things that he didn’t want anyone else to see or find out about.

His dirty little secret.

Did that mean that he, Theo, was nothing more than a toy to the tiger? Just something to be pulled out and used when Pedro pleased…? They did say they would use each other when they needed but this… Theo wasn’t sure what kind of life that would be. If one could even call that a life.

Then Pedro snorted. A laugh that he had to cover as he chuckled heavily and turned his head away. The tiger’s ears folded back against his skull as Pedro stared out the window for several more seconds trying to collect himself.

“Hey! I-it’s not that funny!” Theo squeaked at him, getting angry about it. “You get to do these things and I…” Theo didn’t want to sound ungrateful. He didn’t want to burn the bridge of friendship between the two by telling Pedro these thing and yet… “I can’t do these things, you can. This life you want. I’m just… stuck here. In this wall,” Theo motioned towards the hole behind them.

The very hole he’d come in through into Pedro’s dorm room. They had sealed it off and removed the hatch from it. Theo could barely make out the dim outline of where it had been. A faint memory from the past. Would Theo, one day, be the same thing in Pedro’s life?

“Go on,” Pedro was the one to say looking at him. Folding his hands in front of him, the tiger let the rat get it out of his system as he sat properly in the chair. “Tell me all the things you’ve been bottling up inside, without telling me…” Pedro added with a dejected look on his face.

“I haven’t been bottling things up!” Theo squeaked.

“Yes, you have.” Pedro reached a finger out and poked the front of Theo’s chest with the tip of it. “Right in here you have. Inside.”

“Inside… Inside?” Theo eye twitched at the word. “Inside is the problem!” He squeaked and stomped his foot on the fabric. “I’ve been trapped inside this stinky, musky dorm room for the past three, almost four, weeks now! Hell, even longer!” Theo even motioned towards the calendar he’d been marking off since his arrival. “I can’t go outside. I can’t talk to my friends. I haven’t seen my family, and you get to…” Theo face scrunched up as he fought back the tears threatening to fall.

“To what?” Pedro asked, wanting to know what Theo thought he was being denied here by living with the tiger.

“You get to do all that and more. You can have friends over,” Theo motioned at the closed and locked door. Pedro followed the motion over to the door.

“What friends?” Pedro asked, confused. The tiger looked back at him with that same sad, dejected look on his face.

“Well, like, Riz! And I’m sure there are others…” Theo fumbled a bit on that now. Trying to articulate his words better.

“For someone as smart as you,” Pedro stuck the tip of his tongue out. “You sure aren’t very aware of the going on around you, huh…? A little… dense.” Theo was about to get angry about that, but Pedro cut him off. “Has anyone come over? Other than my parents that is. They don’t count,” Pedro sadly chuffed, forcing out an amused laugh from the heartbreak of his words as he sat back with crossed arms, turning away from the rodent now.

“What?” Theo asked, getting caught off guard by the tiger’s somber tone.

“Since you’ve known me. Since you’ve been with me, have I ever had a single friend over…?” Pedro said before correcting himself. “Until you.” He pointed out. “Until two little rat ladrones, thieves, snuck their way into this big tigre’s room.” Pedro chuffed with a shake of his head. “The only visitors I have ever gotten have been from my familia. I am glad to have them, do not get me wrong. It is just… outside this Small, little, tiny, rat before me…” Pedro laid his head down on his folded hands, staring at Theo from atop the desk. “Is you. All I have is you. I am all alone,” Pedro sighed, and his body deflated with the sound.

“For now.” Theo tried to say, now trying to lift Pedro’s spirits as the tiger looked away from him. “You’ll make a ton of friends a-and find someone to be with. Or get to be with,” Theo tried to jest, to tease Pedro as he nudged his arm against the tiger’s arm. “I’m sure you have people practically knocking at your door wanting to get in your pants!”

Theo motioned towards the door as if someone was about to knock on it. No one did, no one had, and Theo knew very few ever would.

“I usually just,” Pedro made a jerking motion with a hand. “In the shower.” Theo blushed brightly at that, unsure what to say to such an admission. “Now that you are living here, I have had to change some of my routines.” Pedro chuckled softly. It wasn’t like the warm growl he usually made, still feeling down from admitting the truth.

“I mean, if you need me to, uh, move somewhere while you…” Theo blushed, covering his face. The rodent wasn’t even able to look at his friend. Theo didn’t want to admit he could do it easily enough without worry about being watched.

It was hard not to notice Pedro. The tiger filled the room with his very presence and with his size, and bulk, it was hard not to watch whenever Pedro did something. Every step he took, every movement he made? Theo was keenly aware of it.

If Pedro had tried to rub one of out on the bed, Theo would’ve easily noticed when the bed began creaking.

“S-sorry,” Theo covered his eyes now. “I didn’t mean to… sorry!” He squeaked.

“You know I used to lay in bed.” Pedro suddenly brought up and Theo worried they were still talking about jerking off still. “I’d lay in bed all day. This bed here,” he motioned at it. “I’d go to class not to disappoint or upset mi padres, then I’d come home… I wouldn’t shower. Sometimes I wouldn’t even disrobe. I’d just fall into the bed, pull the blanket over me and wait for the next day to come…”

“Pedro,” Theo said as he walked over to look into the melancholy tiger’s face. Theo reached out a hand and placed it on one of the tiger’s fingers.

“I am not as thick skin as others might think.” Pedro grumbled. “The day I found you two in mi room? You know what I was planning on doing? I was planning on listening to music in bed for the rest of the day. It was by chance that I was in the mood to eat and when I did,” Pedro lip pulled up in a soft, amused smile. “There was this little toy inside,” Pedro’s catlike eyes turned to look at Theo, who blushed. “Since then, things have been… well, no, they aren’t perfect, no… they are getting better, though. Those blue days are fewer and farther in between than they used to be. I have plans again for the future. I think about my projects, want to pass my classes again and just… It’s brighter. Heh. My outlook on life is brighter. Even colors seem brighter when you are around. Mi little albino rata,” Pedro looked at Theo. His eyes roamed up and down Theo’s body. “You look good in that outfit. I don’t know if I ever told you that before.”

Theo looked down at what he was wearing. The rodent didn’t need to worry about others seeing him and had been opting for far more flamboyant clothing than he’d normally ever wear. With bright colors and far mor revealing than back home. They were comfy and it was hard to argue when the weather had been so warm. Now that fall was coming in, Theo needed to put on more than a simple brightly colored shirt and a pair of ripped shorts. It was why he’d borrow Pedro’s shirt this morning. At least that’s what he kept telling himself.

“Thanks,” Theo pulled down his shirt a bit, feeling self-conscious underneath the tiger’s scrutinizing stare. Theo’s belly had been poking out and only now had he realized it had been. “My parents would never let me wear anything like this. Ever. With,” he chuckled as he pulled down the hot pink color T-shirt to look at the letters on the front. “With glitter on it.”

“Handmade?” Pedro asked, smiling still.

“Of course!” Theo said, throwing an arm into the air before quickly retracting it and blushing. He was feeling so confident with who he was these days, even if he wished his situation was different. Pedro let Theo be whoever he wanted to be and never judged him for it.

“It’s lindo… lovely. Just like you,” Pedro purred the words out and got a squeak from Theo, who fussed with his hair.

“Well, you’re incredible.” Theo complimented him right back. “You are so handsome and bright. You get a little mixed up with things like math and which formula to use, but you really are super smart. A-and you pick things up quickly after I help teach you. I bet you are the top of your class!” Theo easily said it all to the tiger who was the one blushing now. “You’re also extremely, uh, fit…” Theo giggled, getting flustered himself now. “Don’t give me that look! It’s not like I don’t notice these things! I’m not dead… You change in front of my bedroom daily,” Theo teased as if Pedro had any control in that in this tiny room. Theo just wished the nightstand bedroom wasn’t at crotch level as the tiger dressed each morning. Theo usually pretended to still be sleeping than to gawk at the cake Pedro was walking around with. “You can be a bit prickly around strangers, sure, but you are also extremely warm and caring and thoughtful and just…” Theo mumbled at the end, rubbing an arm as he looked away. “You really are my best friend…”

“Heh, gracias little rata.” Pedro rested his head to the side, watching Theo. “You make it easy to get out of bed in the morning…”

“I just don’t want to be the reason why you don’t have other friends.” Theo said loudly, forcing the words out with an angry squeak. “I want you to be able to date! I want to be your bro that supports you, not cock blocks you. To get to know your classmates and just…” Theo bit his lip. “I don’t want you looking back on this, and regretting having met me…”

Funnily enough, Pedro had been the one worrying about the very same thing.

“Ah, Theo.” Pedro sat up. He brought one hand over and, with the other, nudged Theo into it when the rat didn’t just jump up into the palm. Holding Theo, Pedro rested back, even kicking his leg up on the desk again as he held his tiny friend close to his chest. “I will never regret having met you. This has been a life altering event. What was it called? A canon event,” Pedro teased as he pet the top of Theo’s head with a finger.

“I know you say that now,” Theo mumbled against Pedro’s shirt. It was warm and musky, smelling of the tiger from his long day. Theo hated how comforting that smell was as he nuzzled against the fabric, holding it tightly with his small hands.

He could feel Pedro’s heartbeat against the side of his body. The rhythmic thumping nearly lulling Theo to sleep.

“Plus,” Pedro added before Theo’s train of thought could go down those tracks and derail. “There isn’t a single classmate out there,” Pedro nudged his head towards the door. “That I would ever even think to go on a date with. Let alone hang out.” Pedro cupped his hands around Theo’s body and clenched his toes as he let out a heavy breath in annoyance.

Pedro had lost interest in his classmates. While he’d been far more… tolerant of their ignorant bigotry against the tiger, Pedro had given up caring what they think. His thoughts were solely on another.

Pedro wasn’t sure how to say this or phrase it at this point in their friendship. Theo was dependent on Pedro for a place to live. For food, shelter and so many other things. Pedro had felt guilty for what happened to Theo in the end. If he tried to push things further or even brought up his feelings for the rodent, things could get extremely complicated and, at worse, Theo would have to move out.

That was the one thing the tiger couldn’t accept. He never wanted to hurt Theo. Physically or emotionally as others had. The very thought of losing Theo…

It was something Pedro did not want to think about. He wouldn’t forcibly keep Theo here; he needed the rat to want to be with him… that was why Theo had been so good for Pedro all these months they’ve known each other. Theo was the one soul in this entire campus that wanted and enjoyed Pedro’s company. Who would sneak out and see him and even risk being ostracized from his community just by being his friend.

Theo, this small little rat resting against his chest, was the soul individual out there that had wanted to come visit the tiger. Seemingly enjoying Pedro’s company as much as he enjoyed Theo’s. Maybe even more…

Pedro was both thankful and hated the fact that Theo was this clueless about it all. The tiger could never figure out how someone so smart and intelligent as Theo could also be the densest person in the world.

Pedro hadn’t exactly been subtle with some of the things he’d done in the past couple of weeks, especially after Theo had moved in. Picking him up, cuddling him, even once putting Theo in his shirt. Pedro changed in front of where Theo was staying at and left his old clothes out. He would constantly scoop Theo up and keep him on his lap as they watched TV together or… so many things. Too many to count. The rat had just gone along with it, for the most part. He was still an embarrassed squeaky mess, but Theo didn’t push or shy away from Pedro’s constant physical contact.

Theo had never told him no. Just to quit teasing him. It was hard to stop once Pedro had gotten started.

The tiger had even begun to sleep shirtless again. He’d pick Theo up off the nightstand, place the rat on his chest before turning the portable tablet on for their shows overhead. The tablet was connected to the bottom of the top bunk and Pedro had built a stand for it to lower down from. The tablet was large, but it was below Pedro’s waist. He would often adjust it with his feet and Theo would tease him about his laziness…

The rat hadn’t brought up or mentioned when Pedro scratched himself through his underwear. Not commenting on his bulge being in the way of the screen or even the time when Theo was lying out on Pedro’s belly, screen above him, and Pedro had his hand over Theo’s body and just…

Pedro was blushing just thinking of these things and hoped Theo didn’t notice his palms sweating as his face grew warmer and warmer at the comforting thoughts.

The tiger would be lying if he didn’t have days that he wanted to just pick Theo up and just put him in… places, on his body. Pedro fought off the urges, even now, to stuff Theo into his boxer briefs and just…

With a heavy sigh, Pedro eased up his grip around Theo’s body. He opened up the cup his large paw padded hands had formed and turned one over like a lid, releasing the rat inside. Theo blinked a couple of times before looking up at Pedro. Over his expansive chest, the curves of his pecs and the mounds his nipples made through his shirt and to the tiger’s face above. Resting against the top of Pedro’s thumb, the rat leaned over it.

“What’s up? You got that constipated look on your face again.” Theo teased him. Smiling with that whiskered face as those beady red eyes seem to look into his very soul. It made Pedro’s heart beat quickly, practically pounding against his chest as the tiger tried to calm down.

Pedro wasn’t sure how Theo didn’t feel it. Feel when his heart beat like this when they were together. Theo would lay on his chest and just listen to it, though, and it both excited and calmed Pedro’s racing heart down. The feel of his Small friend lying with him as they simply enjoyed one another’s company for hours on end. Listening to music and little else.

“I just enjoy this…” Pedro said, and Theo tilted his head quizzically trying to read between the lines but never seeming to be able to put his finger on it. His round ears were perked up and they wiggled every so often as Theo’s small nose wrinkled up. Pedro knew that look. “What?”

The tiger’s muzzle parted as he said the words, drool covered fangs glistened as his tongue curled as he spoke. A hot gust of humid air washed over the front of Theo’s body and the rodent tried not to shiver from the heat of Pedro’s breath on his body.

“Just,” Theo blushed a bit as he turned away. “You have very strong breath.” The rodent rubbed his nose a couple of times. “I can practically smell what you had from the school’s cafeteria. Rats have an extremely strong sense of smell,” Theo felt the need to remind Pedro about. Often getting on him to shower after he went out to play basketball.

Pedro chuffed at that, rubbing his gut. “Oh? What did I have?” The tiger swallowed, held it… then burped much to Theo’s chagrin.

“Like I’m going to tell you that you ate a burger and fries without me, again!” Theo added at the end with a glare and the tiger laughed once more. A booming sound that shook the front of his chest as Theo clung on. His grabby rodent hands easily kept him from slipping off and Pedro’s other hand was there just in case he did.

“Lo lamento,” Pedro chuckled. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Maybe I should hire you to help?” Theo gave him a look. “Think about it. You can help keep mi personal hygiene in check. Just open up, drop you onto my tongue with a toothbrush and leave you there to work.”

“What?” Theo squeaked and burst out laughing, giggling at the thought. “I am not brushing your teeth for you!”

“What’s wrong with that?” Pedro smirked. “I’d tie a strand of dental floss around your little waist to make sure if I did swallow, I could pull you back out.” The tiger stuck his tongue out and Theo returned the gesture as he folded his arms and turned away still standing on the palm of the tiger’s hand. Theo gave him so much trust that Pedro, at times, wasn’t sure what to do with it. He never wanted to betray that trust. “I’ll double your wages.” Pedro continued to tease.

Not having the heart to say more.

“You aren’t even paying me!” Theo caught onto that, and the tiger laughed.

“Ah, the little rata is too smart for this big silly tigre,” Pedro chuffed a breath as his ears folded back. Pedro scratched the side of his muzzle with a finger, unsure how far he wanted to push this. Wanting to test the waters but afraid of being burned when he did. “What if… what if I was serious about that…?” He asked and it took Theo a second.

“As in, like, you had a really bad cavity or something?” Theo asked and Pedro gave a single nod. “Well then you’d better go to the dentist!” Theo squeaked. “Maybe they have some trained Smalls there that can go bungie jumping into your maw.”

“Nah,” Pedro shook his head. “If it wasn’t you, there would be no point…” The tiger said softly. Theo seemed to miss the underlying meaning. “Anyone else wouldn’t be as tasty,” Pedro grinned after.

“The point is fixing the cavity, Pedro!” Theo laughed though and that was worth enough for Pedro. “You really should be flossing anyways.” Theo added on an Pedro quirked an eyebrow. “Maybe get some of those mouthwash strips.”

“That bad…?” Pedro swallowed before moving his snout closer to the rodent.

“You have a habit of talking right in front of my face,” Theo chuckled, body shaking with the sound as he squeaked. “It’s hard not to notice at times. Not when you shove your face up into mine and just…” Theo stopped talking seeing how close Pedro had gotten to him.

A half-inch closer and the two would’ve kissed.

“Here…” Pedro carefully stood up and turned towards the bathroom, still holding Theo in hand. “You’ll need to show me…” Pedro nervously pressed forward with this idea that had formed in his head.

“Show you what?” Theo was confused, but the rodent always solved whatever task was put in front of him and Pedro had a sneaking suspicion that maybe if he replicated such a scenario, Theo would go along with it.

Opening the door to the bathroom, Pedro flicked the light on and walked in front of the sink. The sink had been modified like the rest of the room. It was where Theo bathed at. Pedro had built a miniature dock over the sink as if it were some kind of lake and it allowed Theo easy access to controlling the water flow from the faucet. It wasn’t the best solution but a viable one for the two to use together.

Moving a section of the dock away so the water could run down the specially made drain; a drain that was more of a strainer than anything else. Theo wasn’t worried about it but the fear of Theo being flushed away was something that kept Pedro up at night.

Grabbing a small container with floss in it and Theo’s tooth brush, he handed them to Theo who took them both seemingly confuse what to do with them.

“I’ll use the mirror,” Pedro said as the rat looked up at him from his palm. “And I’ll watch how you do it, so that I can do it better in the future… It’s hard for me to see, otherwise. With a snout like this,” Pedro flicked his nose with a finger.

“Oh, you want me to show you!” Theo said as the rat caught on, round ears perking up. “I was wondering why you brought us in here.”

With his muzzle directly in front of Theo, Pedro jaw’s cracked open and he spread his lips wide in front of the rodent. One muzzled jaw parted from the other as Pedro exhaled a breath. Warm, moist recycled air washed over Theo’s front as Pedro exhaled. Tendrils of drool oozed from the roof of the tiger’s mouth as they dripped down to the bottom, pooling around his wide catlike tongue. The saliva gathered around it before draining away and Pedro gulped, both to remove the access fluid and because of his nerves.

Theo watched the sight with clinical interest as the tongue undulated, curling upwards from the motion to lick at the top of his hard palate. Pedro’s throat bulged as he swallowed. With another breath, Pedro relaxed, and Theo saw the cavernous dark depths of the tiger’s muzzle in front of him.

“I-,” Pedro tried to talk but Theo stopped him before Pedro did.

“Please, I know what I am doing.” Theo said and Pedro’s eyebrow lifted at that, not about to argue with the tiny rodent. “Toothpaste me,” Theo said and offered up the toothbrush like a surgeon about to get to work.

Pedro fiddled with the mirror cabinet and pulled out the smaller bottle of toothpaste Theo used. Squeezing a decent portion on it, Theo got to work.

Pedro’s tail curled as he watched the rodent in the mirror get to his feet and begin brushing the top row of his teeth. It tickled. It felt strange, as if he were really at the dentist again. Theo talked the entire time. Telling Pedro what he needed to do, what he needed to work on that “flossing is your friend.”

“Seriously, did you even brush this morning?” Theo gagged as pulled something between the tiger’s teeth and tossed it over a shoulder. “I lived in a sewer, and I swear this pit you call a mouth is nastier.” The rodent squeaked as the tiger frowned at that.

The smaller brush made easy work of Pedro’s large fangs. Brushing and scrubbing each one down. Theo hadn’t done something like this before. He’d never thought he ever would but here he was standing on the tiger’s palm as he brushed the lower set of teeth.

Pedro kept his jaws open wide, trying not to move as Theo leaned between his teeth to get at the other side. It really was like going to the dentists and… Pedro didn’t hate it. Out of everything they could try, this wasn’t on the top of his list. Pedro would have to try better next time.

Watching Theo, the best he could, Pedro moved his hand slowly around as Theo directed him to get the rest of his lower snout. The entire time Theo was chiding the large tiger on his brushing technic and even giving him sound advice on how to remedy this in the future.

After taking a long drink of water, swishing around his muzzle, Pedro spat it out and spoke.

“How are you so, uh, familiar with this?” Pedro asked Theo who was busy washing his hands off. Standing on the small wooden platform, Theo turned the smaller nozzle on it. The device, connected to the larger metal nozzle, turned after a moments delay. It wasn’t a perfect thing, but Pedro had come up with the idea overnight.

“Rats get a very bad stigma of being dirty and nasty. We’re actually very clean creatures, I’ll have you know.” Theo beamed proudly, pushing out his chest as he spoke. “We had entire courses on how to stay healthy. Clean is healthy and a healthy rat is hard worker rat.” Theo quoted from his old colony.

Pedro suspected the mayor just wanted more rats working and couldn’t care less about their health.

Licking his tongue along his teeth, Pedro noted. “You missed the inside.”

“Well, duh.” Theo laughed at that, giggling with a soft squeak at the end. “I couldn’t reach over your fangs. I’d have to crawl into your mouth, sit on your tongue to reach those spots. And I rather, frankly, not get drooled on.” Theo placed a hand on his chest, still pushing it out. “I am a clean rat.”

Pedro snorted at that with a shake of his head with a roll of his eyes.

“Clean? You were just inside a tiger’s maw, you aren’t clean.” Pedro licked over his fangs, looking down at Theo.

“I washed my hands!” Theo angrily replied.

“What about the rest of you?” Pedro waited for an answer that Theo couldn’t fully give. “Exactly.” Pedro finished with a large stretch, reaching high above his head before dropping his arms back down. “How about we take a shower before bed?”

“That does sound like a good idea,” Theo thought that over as he glanced at the faucet. “It’ll take a little while to set up the shower port to the sink.”

“Yes, or…” Pedro stripped off his shirt and tossed it aside into the laundry bin. The tiger’s soft creamy fur belly rested above the strap of his shorts. Idly, Pedro scratched over his chest. “Or you could just join me tonight?”

“It would be a lot faster,” Theo nodded before letting out a startled squeak, jumping slightly with the action and looking at the tiger who was about to pull his shorts down. “Pedro!”

“What?” The tiger asked only after stepping out of his shorts. Taking a sniff of them, he wrinkled his snout and dropped them in the laundry bin. “These are old. Need to wash them.” He shrugged as if that had been Theo’s concern.

“I just mean, well, like….” Theo blushed brightly at the idea.

“I’ve just been thinking,” Pedro scratched at his muzzle with a finger, not meeting Theo’s eyes. “What if you just did more things with me? Like going to class, or brushing our teeth together…” Pedro brought up. Theo wasn’t sure what to say so Pedro risked pushing it even further. “If your already sleeping in the same bed with me, what’s the harm sharing a shower…?”

“I mean…” Theo fumbled a bit with his words. “W-what about, like… room?”

“Room?” Pedro had to take a second on that. “Are you seriously asking me if you would be too big to fit in the shower with me?” Pedro pulled the curtain out of the way, showing plenty of space inside the shower.

“Y-you don’t expect me to stand on the ground between your paws?” Theo quickly groomed his whiskers.

“I’d keep you safe,” Pedro teased as he took a careful step forward. Crouching down so he could get on eye level with Theo, Pedro brought up the second idea he had in mind. “There is a small soap holder in the shower,” the tiger stepped aside so Theo could see the hole in the wall. “I, uh, had plenty of time the other day to set it up… if you like.”

Theo wasn’t sure what he was looking at and had to use the “Pedro express” to move closer to get a view of it.

Within the wall of the shower was a small soap holder. A shower nook. Pedro had built a fence on the front of it, creating railing for Theo to hold onto. There was plenty of space inside as Theo was dropped off to get a closer look. Pedro left him there to explore as he went to fetch something.

Pedro had remodeled the “floor” of the shower nook to be that of grooved tiles. They were slightly rough against Theo’s paws and would give him perfect traction while he showered. There was even a smaller shower nook within that Theo could place his fur shampoo and conditioner in. Then there was the spout. A small metal tube that poked out above.

Pedro had created a shower for Theo to use. The rodent wasn’t sure when the tiger had the time to do this or why it had taken him so long to show Theo. This was…

“Incredible.” It was so simple, yet so efficient. While it had been fun using the dock Pedro had created around the sink, it wasn’t exactly practical to use. This… this on the other hand would fix one of the rodent’s major issues.

Soon enough, Pedro came back in. He was holding a pair of swim trunks in one hand and, pinched between two fingers, a much smaller pair of swim trunks in the other.

“I know it doesn’t provide much in the way of privacy, but I thought with these it’d be fine.” Pedro handed the swim trunks to Theo who took them.

“Oh, you want to use this at the same time…?” Theo blinked at the swim trunks, then looked up at the tiger. Pedro had one foot in the shower and the other out of it, as if afraid to crowd into Theo’s space.

“Well, you like to take showers in the morning when I do… and sometimes again at night, when I do…” Pedro’s ears splayed out. “I thought, maybe, if we just did it at the same time there wouldn’t be any issues. How is it… I mean, the shower nook I made for you?”

Theo took a second to look around and marvel at everything in the expanded space in the wall that Pedro had worked on in secret.

“I mean… it’s perfect,” Theo squeaked. “It reminds me of one of those public showers back home but, like, it works…” Theo smiled at Pedro. “Well public with a Big that is.” Theo gave Pedro a look before snorting out a laugh and giggling. “This is amazing Pedro! I didn’t even know you did this.”

“Well,” the tiger’s tail swayed behind him. “You’d have to move the curtain aside to see it. I wanted to surprise you,” Pedro offered instead of admitting he’d been afraid to ask Theo if he wanted to try it. “I just… thought…” Pedro fidgeted, and it was Theo turn to come to his rescue.

Leaning against the smooth metallic railing, Theo looked out of the cliffside like shower nook at the tiger standing there.

“It’s perfect.” Theo smiled and Pedro let out the breath he’d been holding in. “One suggestion.”

“What’s that?” Pedro asked.

“Lose the swim trunks,” Theo lifted the pair he’d been given. Pedro’s ears perked up at that. “We’re two, uh, very close friends showering next to each other. Not with each other. It’s fine if we’re naked… right?” Theo nervously asked.

“If you’re comfortable with it…” Pedro said.

“I am.” Theo nodded. Even if his heart was racing a mile a minute, the rodent wanted to appear confident in front of his friend. He didn’t want Pedro thinking he was ashamed of the tiger’s body just because of their extreme size difference.

“Alright, if you are sure, Theo.” Pedro said, using Theodore’s name this time as he tucked a finger into his boxer briefs and pulled them down. Pedro let them drop to the floor as he stood back up in the buff. Theo covered his face, peaking between his fingers as Pedro gave another long stretch.

“Been looking forward to this all day,” Pedro winked at the audience he had. “Shall we?”

Kicking the boxer briefs off his ankles, Pedro stepped inside the shower and pulled the curtain closed behind him.