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Leaning against the cafe table, Shumby lazily idled away at his phone. He was paying no real mind to whatever images and sounds were spilling through the harsh LED lights, his heart a mix of anxiety, boredom, and expectation. Turning to the bustle of the world outside the window, Shumby allowed the gentle ebb and flow of life to nip away scraps of his softly budding anxiety. It was oddly therapeutic to be able to simply sit and see the thousands of people just living their lives, unaware of everyone around them.
A woman, dragging along a kid as she mumbled into the phone. A group of middle school kids standing outside the boba shop across the street, counting together their money. A dog chained to a pole, perking up at every man who passed by, whining when no one untied it. An aged old man begging for a dollar. Every single one of them is experiencing their own anxiety. Tearing his gaze away from the window, Shumby glanced down towards his phone, perhaps in hopes to see the message he knew he didn’t receive.
BiggestB33FSTEak: I’m here!
Read: 2:37
Blinking away the pressure in his eyes—no, he wasn’t going to cry—Shumby prepared to gather his stuff when—
“HEY, SHUMBYYYYY”
Startling, Shumby jerked up in surprise. Whipping around, he came face to face with Cobble. Apologetic green eyes and a crooked smile, his tail curling around his leg as he began to speak.
“I'm really so sorry this happened, I never meant to be so late, I swear! My alarm didn’t go off and my car broke down so Whisp had to come get me and im not trying to make any excuses but–” Cobble rambled on in desperation, but Shumby couldn’t care less. Lurching towards his best friend, Shumby threw his arms around Cobble.
“Broo, you can’t just let me sit here and not say anything,” He hissed, sounding more upset than he really was.
“Yeah yeah, it was pretty shitty of me. I was just trying to get here in a rush, I didn't mean to stand you up like this.” Cobble tried to assure, holding out placating hands as if in hopes that would somehow make the situation any better.
Shumby just shook his head, moving away from the gray-haired feline to sit back down. Running a hand through his hair, embarrassment flooded into his body as he realized that their little spectacle had drawn the attention of the rest of the people in the shop. Luckily it seemed they began to lose interest as soon as the pair had separated. Feeling his own ears twitch, Shumby patted the seat next to him as an indication to sit, which, thankfully, Cobble took.
Dropping down whatever little stuff had been in his hands, Cobble swung his arm around the upset bull's shoulder, leaning in close with a lofty sigh.
The small amount of contact sent waves of friction through Shumby’s nervous shifting, sparking a sudden rise of heat within his belly—though it quickly spread throughout his body.
Unsure whether to lean closer or back away, Shumby glanced towards Cobble. “So, uhh…” He started, feeling kinda awkward. “The movie we planned on seeing is kinda already over?”
Cobble blinked. “Um, uhh yeah. We could just? Stay? I mean like, it would be kinda rude just to send you off after making you wait for like forever, and Whisp already assumes that we were gonna be seeing a movie for a couple hours,” Cobble glanced away, suddenly seeming shy. “So, I guess we could just wander?” He finished off with a low rumble.
Shumby grinned, leaning in close—closer than he’d usually been.
“Well, if Mr. Kitty wants to spend his night out in the streets than so be it.”
“WHAT!” Cobble practically screeched, appalled. “Do NOT call me that you little shit,” He snarled.
“Waow, Mr. Kitty meow meow is mean to me!” Shumby suddenly found himself draped across his best friend's lap in a dramatic flourish. “This is domestic abuse, someone save me!”
There was a moment of silence following their theatrical performance. Shumby and Cobble just stared at each other for a long couple of seconds before bursting into laughter. It was the giddy kind of laughter that just happens because, with no way to control it.
Jerking out of his chair, Cobble pulled Shumby upwards and twirled him around the shop. The scent of coffee and chocolate danced through the air along with the pair's bodies as they swung out of the shop and into the open streets. Giggling softly, Shumby pressed in close to Cobble, reaching for his ears.
“See, this is the reason that we’re friends in the first place! No one could be as enigmatic or egotistical as you.” He purred, unable to see how, at his words, Cobble’s eyes momentarily darkened.
“Why the heck would you say that? I bet you don’t even know what enigmatic means.”
“Well do you, weather boy?”
“Like hell I do!”
The pair bickered, finding themselves drifting farther and farther away from the cozy shop and into the world. The sky was starting to grow dark and the stars were blinking open their eyes to peer into the world below. It was like the entire world had aligned just for this moment.
“Hey,” Cobble whispered gently into the cool air. “Wanna go get a drink?”
Shumby hummed quietly. “Something light, I’ve got work tomorrow.”
“Aw, come on, let's let go. Don’t tell me you wanna go gentle into this good night? Let's end it off with a bang!”
“Cobble, you live halfway across the continent.”
“Precisely why we should enjoy what little we have. We’ll party late into the night, that's why we’re friends right?”
At that, Shumby came to an abrupt stop. Turning around, Cobble cast him a questioning look.
Staring at the ground before his feet, Shumby slowly spoke up.
“Say, Cobble…” He trailed off, seeming conflicted. The feline leaned closer in response.
“Do you really think we’re best friends?”
Cobble felt his eyes go wide at the question. “Well of course we’re best friends! What's wrong? Did I say something to make you feel like we’re not?” Guilt was already beginning to seep into his tone when Shumby cut him off.
“No, it’s not like that. It's just that. Well. Cobble, I have something to tell you…”
“Hmm? You can say anything to me, Shumby, anything at all.”
Taking a deep breath, Shumby draws himself in and up. This was the moment that would end a friendship, no matter which outcome it had.
And then they both got hit by a car whoopsie daisy.