Nate and Kenya both lay on her bed, equally spent and tired. Her head on his broad chest, and his paw resting on her back. Nate brought her closer and sighed.
“Something wrong?” she asked, noting the almost pained nature of his sigh.
“No. At least I don’t think so.” Nate said honestly. He was still sorting out his thoughts. Not so much about Spencer, more about himself. He didn’t know what he wanted, or if he was doing the right thing.
“Anything I can do to help?” Kenya asked, genuinely concerned.
“I appreciate the offer, but this is all in my head. Not yours.” Nate said.
“What’s in your head?”
“Just thinking about stuff. Life and crap.”
“And crap huh?” Kenya repeated before sitting up. She looked Nate directly in the eye. What she saw in his, it wasn’t exactly what he saw in hers. But it was pretty damn close.
“What’s going on Nathaniel? Has something happened? Has something happened between us?” she asked point blank.
“What? No! I’m just… a little overwhelmed at the moment. Everything that happened while I was with you this weekend, and worrying about Thanksgiving.” Nate said.
He’d repeated everything his father said to him regarding the events of the weekend to Kenya. Having been given the real story, not the rumors spread all over town, she was impressed by both Spencer and Eric’s courage. She doubted she herself would have been able to run headfirst into danger like that.
“You don’t have to worry about any of that. Your friends and your brother are safe. And you said it yourself, whatever does happen on Thursday will simply happen. And if it’s bad, we’ll get past it.” Kenya said.
“Ya…” Nate sighed again. Kenya didn’t like the way he sighed this time either, but decided not to press the issue. Nate looked like he had a lot more on his mind than he was letting on.
Kenya lay back down, putting her head under the crook of Nate’s arm. He smelled familiar, comforting. It wasn’t an arousing scent, but something that made Kenya feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Nate stared at the ceiling of Kenya’s bedroom. He couldn’t rest, and his mind was running a mile-a-minute. Finally he sat up and asked Kenya if they weren’t acting like lovesick teenagers in a movie.
“Well you are a teenager, and you’re engaged to a woman ten years your senior. I think it’s safe to say you’re a bit lovesick.” Kenya said, butting her head against Nate’s shoulder.
“But you don’t think this is moving too fast?”
“Do you?”
“I… I don’t know.” Nate said. Kenya took his hands in hers as he started to explain what was troubling him.
“Ever since my dad told me what happened between Eric and Julie I’ve been thinking. Those two, we all thought they’d get a happy ever after together. But then something happened, and now they couldn’t be further apart.
Eric said he’d become a were for Julie. Hell, I heard them talking about their wedding one night! Granted Eric didn’t seem to be taking the situation seriously, but still. And now, everything’s different. I’m worried something like that might happen to us. Not the cheating on each other part, more the bit about us finding someone else.”
Kenya sat and listened quietly the entire time. But behind her, out of Nate’s line of sight, her tail flicked nervously. It was only natural for Nate to have concerns about their relationship. Kenya was almost positive the young were hadn’t been in such a serious relationship before.
And now, the first one he was in, Nate got a girlfriend and engaged in the same night. Like “The Proposal” if you take out the deportation aspect.
“Nathaniel Anderson, I won’t lie. I’ve had other relationships before, similar to this where I thought I had found ‘the one’. But I can assure you with every bone and nerve in my body, this is different. You are the one I can see myself growing old with.”
“That’s the problem isn’t it, I don’t know if I do. And the last I want to do is hurt you.” Nate squeezed Kenya’s paws in his. Her longer claws pricked him a little, but he hardly noticed the pain.
“I understand, you’re young. And this must be a lot to take in.”
“That’s an understatement,” Nate thought as Kenya spoke.
“The whole ‘long term engagement’ is what’s weighing on your mind the most. Don’t try to say otherwise, it’s true,” Kenya cut Nate off before continuing, “If it makes you feel better, I think I may have jumped the gun on that.”
“You… really?” Nate asked.
“Call it a moment of passion, or something similar. Either way, I know holding you to such a commitment when you’re so young is a lot to ask.I love you Nathaniel. I’m more than willing to wait until you’re ready to marry. However long that may be, I’ll wait.” she said.
Her words knocked the air from Nate’s lungs. He couldn’t speak, and more to a point felt a sudden rush of emotions towards Kenya. She was about to ask if he was alright when he jumped forward to hug her.
“Thank you for understanding.” he whispered as they embraced.
“Think nothing of it. You and I need to have a REAL relationship, not just whatever you call what we have now. Sharing is part of that.”
But you’re not upset?”
“The opposite. I think you’re very brave to admit that you’re afraid. I am too. The future is uncertain and unpredictable. It’s only natural to be afraid of the unknown. Thursday we’ll go to your parents’ and enjoy ourselves like any other couple would on a holiday. We won’t think about anything but having a good time.”
Nate kisses the end of Kenya’s muzzle, and when the two pulled away each had a wide smile on their faces.