Curtis felt stupid. He blinked slowly across the room at Shro and Linus as they grinned at him. The dog laughed, his tongue hanging lazily out of his mouth as his tail swayed against the bedspread.
"How are you feeling, Dog?" Shro couldn't help but smirk as he asked the question.
"Dizzy...Good." He giggled as the words came out slurred. "But I don't like the burning here." He gestured to his chest.
The cat nodded, "You get used to it, but you also took a massive hit. Next time we can do some edibles instead. I also have flakes you can sprinkle on your bed if you want. Drink some water."
Anthro 101 was Curtis' only class on Thursdays but it was Ollie's busy day, so the dog had the afternoon to himself. It was a bit odd that the Freshmen only had 3 courses for the term, but it made sense considering all of the stuff they were going through. Perhaps the schedules were specifically designed to give them time to deal with their changes? He'd finally taken Shro up on his offer to try some 'nip and was pleased to find that he enjoyed the sensation, even if it was a little overwhelming at first. Well, the coughing fit was overwhelming. Worried he wasn't going to actually feel anything, he'd pulled much too hard on the vape and it put him on his furry ass.
"Cough to get off, bud," Linus had said, peeking through his draped fur as he leaned against the cat.
Everything
Everything
Curtis nodded and took a sip from his water bottle. His mouth felt dry, but that was probably because he kept forgetting that his tongue was dangling out of his mouth.
In its right place
Shro tossed a snack bag at him, but he was too slow and it hit him in the chest. Curtis looked down and picked it up. The brand name made him laugh: Kibz-Bits. He tore it open and the mellow smell of salt and heavily processed meat invaded his nose, making him drool. Was he really about to eat dog food? Or whatever this equivalent was on this side? To be fair, most of the snacks he ate growing up likely didn't count as actual food anyway. What could it hurt? He was a dog, wasn't he?
In its right place
He took a small handful of the brown spheres and popped them into his mouth. The flavor was surprisingly deep and comforting and he sighed. He quickly shoveled another handful into his mouth and closed his eyes as he leaned back. Kibz-Bits, eh? He'd have to pick some up the next time he went grocery shopping. It's funny, though. It's basically the same thing Bree always got.
"OH MY GOD!" Curtis began to cackle as he thought of his dog back at home.
Shro and Linus looked over at him curiously. They were now laying on the cat's bed and Linus had an arm up Shro's shirt. "What?"
"What's my dog going to think of me? How does that even work?" He continued to laugh at the bizarre thought of encountering his pet dog in his current state. She would probably be so confused, the poor girl.
What, what is that you tried to say?
They shrugged at him, likely chalking the question up to him being too stoned and started kissing again. They were cute together and Curtis wished Ollie weren't in class. He was still a little upset about that morning, and the sheep had been more aloof than usual in Anthro 101. Actually, with the way Ollie changed the topic any time any of the changes were brought up beyond the obvious, Curtis was growing concerned.
"Linus, are you from here? Like from this side? Or did you change?" It was an awkward question but the dog seemed to understand as he rested his head against Shro's chest and looked over in his general direction. Curtis got the feeling that the dog had a hard time seeing through all of the fur covering his eyes.
"Uh. No, but I don't remember much aside from my changes. If I really think about it, I can remember some details, but they're hazy." This was the most Curtis had ever heard Linus speak. "Why?"
What, what was that you tried to say?
Curtis wasn't sure how to say what he wanted and the catnip wasn't helping, so he opted for the direct route. "I'm worried about Ollie. I don't think he's taking the changes well. He seems really distracted."
"I'm sure he'll come around, bud. Everyone has their own journey. Just give him time." He smiled as Shro rubbed his head. "Plus, you have each other, right?"
"Yeah, I'm just not sure what to do. I want to help him but I can't if he won't talk to me." Curtis sighed as he chewed on another mouthful of dried meat bits. He couldn't stop eating them.
"Aren't you like a sheep dog or something? He's a sheep. Do your thing." Shro winked and was clearly amused with himself.
Curtis frowned. His thoughts were racing but it felt like his ability to communicate was dampened by the intoxicant. "That's another thing. Isn't that weird? Like, it's very convenient. Obvious?"
"I don't know how the Valley works, bud. I just live in it. But you're lucky to have someone to share the experience with." Linus was running his paw up and down Shro's leg. Were Shro and Linus boyfriends? Linus was a Sophomore, so he probably hadn't known Shro yet when he changed.
"Ollie's perfect for me. He's like my perfect guy. I just wish he'd talk to me so I could help. It's so frustrating."
Shro spoke up, "Give him time. Dogbreath here is right." Linus chuckled at the comment and leaned forward to give the cat's nose a quick lick. "With the way he looks at you, you're probably perfect for him too."
This helped Curtis feel a bit better as he went for another handful, but was disappointed to find that the bag was now empty. "Are you two boyfriends?"
They laughed. "Linus is my best customer. I'm just really good at Customer Service." The cat grinned and winked at Linus, whose tail wagged. "It's an open relationship," Shro admitted after a moment, "But yeah. I guess you could say that." With the way the two of them were looking at each other, Curtis figured he should give them some time alone.
"I think I'm going to wander the campus a bit. Maybe go grab some more snacks. Thanks again for the 'nip." Curtis grabbed his headphones and hoodie and headed to the door.
"Sure thing. Let me know if you want something a little stronger in the future." Shro waved and Linus grinned towards where Curtis had been sitting. The cat pulled off his shirt as the door closed.
Curtis pulled on his headphones and started his music as he walked down the hall. He had some things to think about, but first he wanted some more Kibz.
Everything
Everything