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July 19th, 1976
11:49 P.M.
Rolfe shushed Dook as he helped him climb out of his bedroom window. Dook winced as he slowly put his foot down against the floor of the fire escape, careful not to make any noise.
“I can’t believe you’re making me do this,” The hound said, not looking up at Rolfe.
Rolfe sneered. “Hey, you agreed to it. You don’t hang out with me much, anyway.”
Dook shrugged and started his way down the fire escape, Rolfe following behind. He had convinced Dook to sneak out and spend the night with him. Dook was unsure, but ultimately accepted, mostly because it was the weekend. He was just scared of his brother catching him.
“Where are we going, anyway?” Dook asked.
“Uptown. There’s a really good all-night diner there, and a gas station. I can get you a pack of cigs if you want.”
Dook shook his head and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “You know I’m trying to quit. And besides, I don’t have any money to go to a diner anyway. Unless 3 bucks will do,” He said with a smirk.
Rolfe furrowed his eyebrows. “You’re acting like I wouldn’t pay for you.”
Dook looked at Rolfe with a curious look in his eyes. “You never spend money on other people. Besides, I’m not hungry for a meal anyway. Maybe we can go to the 7-11, pick up some snacks and head back to my place and watch a movie or something.”
Rolfe pursed his lips and shook his head. “No, I’m getting you out of the house for once in your life. We don’t have to go to the diner. Although it would be nice.”
Dook just looked ahead and didn’t say anything.
Rolfe rolled his eyes. “Fine, let’s go to 7-11. We’ll find a place to hang around after.”
Dook’s eyes lit up and he hugged Rolfe’s arm. Rolfe let a smile creep on his face before shoving him away.
“Come on, before your brother jumps out your window and starts chasing us,” Rolfe joked, grabbing Dook’s hand and picking up the pace. Dook yelped before matching his speed.
They arrived at the 7-11 and Dook immediately went to the candy section. He looked around with wide eyes like a child, before his eyes set on a king-size Reese’s. He went to pick it up before he felt something hit his head.
He whipped his head around and there was nothing there. He looked down and picked up a bag of skittles that was on the ground.
“What the-” He couldn’t finish his sentence before another pack of skittles hit him, straight in the nose. He heard stifled laughter from the other aisle. He scrunched his nose and marched around the shelving, seeing a giggling Rolfe with his hand over his mouth.
“Hi Dook,” He said, trying not to burst out laughing. Dook sighed and picked up a bag of sour rainbow bites, throwing them at the wolf, effectively hitting him in the face. He laughed as Rolfe fell over, the wolf bursting out laughing. He threw another skittles pack bag at Dook, the hound catching it with his left paw. He laughed as he threw it back at Rolfe before feeling a pair of eyes bore into him. He looked up and saw the man at the cash register glaring at the pair
Rolfe was still hunched over on the ground laughing. Dook kicked him lightly, gesturing to the older rabbit behind the counter. Rolfe quickly got up and dusted himself off, picking up a couple packs of skittles, a twix bar, and a grape lollipop before grabbing Dook’s arm and bringing him over to the soda machines.
“What do you want?” Rolfe asked, picking up two medium-sized cups. Dook pointed to the Pepsi button and Rolfe pressed it, the liquid pouring into the cup, Rolfe stopping a little too late and some spilled off the side.
“Shit,” He muttered under his breath, looking around for any napkins. There were none. The canines felt eyes on them again.
Dook glanced over at the clerk before leaning into Rolfe whispering, “I don’t think that guy’s too fond of us right now.” Rolfe chuckled at the comment and filled up a cup with Coke, putting lids on the two cups and sticking a straw in the middle. He walked with Dook to the cash register as the man rang up their items. Rolfe searched the pockets of his black zip-up as the man gave him the total. Rolfe handed him a five and walked out with Dook.
“You two kids stay out of trouble,” The cashier said, sitting back in his chair and watching the two leave. Rolfe and Dook shared a laugh as they sipped their sodas, walking nowhere in particular.
“So where are we gonna go?” Dook asked, looking up at the older wolf.
Rolfe pursed his lips and looked off into the distance before saying, “You know, I know this really nice place I go to every once and a while when I’m stres- I mean, bored. We’ll have to go borrow my dad’s truck to get there, though.”
Dook smirked as the wolf stammered his words. He linked his arm with Rolfe’s and started walking towards his house, just down the street. “When you’re stressed? I thought perfect little Rolfe DeWolfe never got stressed,” He teased. Rolfe rolled his eyes and shoved him playfully.
The pair got to Rolfe’s place, Rolfe having to climb through his window and find his dad’s keys. Dook watched him curiously as he brought out a long black box and shoved it in the back seat before starting up the car. Dook climbed in the passenger seat and bounced excitedly.
“What’s in that box?” Dook asked as Rolfe pulled out of the driveway. The gray wolf smiled softly.
“You’ll see.” He answered. Dook pouted and flung his head back. Another question came across his mind.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see,” Rolfe repeated. Dook furrowed his eyebrows.
“But Roooollfe, I wanna know where we’re going. You could take me to an abandoned house and then slaughter me,” The hound joked. Rolfe let a quiet laugh escape him.
“Yeah totally, I’m gonna murder my best friend.” Rolfe rolled his eyes before focusing back on the road. Dook smiled at his comment. Rolfe only said stuff like that around him. Around others, he acted like he didn’t need a best friend, all he needed was himself. It was kind of insufferable, but it was relieving seeing the wolf be a little less arrogant around him.
“What’re you all smiles about?” Rolfe questioned, glancing at Dook and back at the road.
Dook shrugged, “Nothing. You just called me your best friend.”
“Don’t let it get to your head.” Rolfe said half-jokingly. Dook laughed.
“Oh, but it already has. The charming, handsome, extremely talented Rolfe DeWolfe considers me more than an ac- uh-kwan..tuh-kwayn-tinc- acquaintance?” Dook tried to tease him, dramatically swooning and flailing his arms about until he tried to figure out the last word.
Rolfe let out a big laugh and rolled his eyes. “Yeah yeah, alright. It’s only because we’ve known each other for so long. I’m used to you.” Rolfe said. Dook could almost make out a pink tint growing over the older wolf’s face, but it was hard to tell in the darkness of the car.
“Would you ever let me borrow your money?” He blurted out.
Rolfe stiffened. “I guess so. Why?”
Dook grinned widely. “Really? You never offer money to anyone.”
Rolfe put up his pointer finger. “Actually, I didn’t offer you money. If you needed money, I’d give it to you. There’s a difference.”
Dook rolled his eyes. “Still. Your precious, precious money.”
Rolfe playfully slapped the dog’s shoulder, before repeating “Again, don’t let it get to your head.” Dook smiled smugly and leaned back in his seat.
—
After around a half hour of driving, they arrived at a field, a very large hill sitting in the distance. The moon casted an eerie glow over it.
Dook looked at Rolfe and raised an eyebrow. Rolfe stopped the car and got out.
“Now, I’m gonna have you cover your eyes while I bring you somewhere. Don’t. Peak!” Rolfe said, helping Dook out of the car. Rolfe pulled the long black box out of the backseat and then walked over to Dook, grabbing his wrist. “Close your eyes.”
Dook scrunched his eyes shut and covered them with his paws as Rolfe led him elsewhere. He could feel that they were going up to a higher elevation. Dook guessed they were going up the hill.
After about 8 minutes of walking, stopping, panting, and walking again, Rolfe let Dook open his eyes.
“Oh, my gosh, it’s beautiful up here,” Dook marveled at the view. The hill was right in front of a huge lake, which was in between the grassland and their town. You could see almost the entire town from the high hill. Dook was mostly looking at the gorgeous night sky. He looked at all the stars and the galaxies, and was almost brought to tears.
“I thought you’d like it. I come here whenever I can,” Rolfe said as he pulled a large telescope out of the black box, “And I brought this for you. You left it at my house the last time you slept over.”
Dook let a huge grin spread across his face.
“Thank you so much, Rolfe! This is awesome!” He pulled Rolfe into a tight hug before scurrying over to where Rolfe placed the telescope. Dook wagged his tail as he put an eye up to it, looking all around the night sky. Rolfe crossed his arms and smiled at the hound, watching as the younger dog stared intently into the telescope.
“Wow, I can see all kinds of things from here without having buildings block my view,” Dook said excitedly, lightly bouncing off the heels of his feet. Rolfe smiled as he started walking back down the hill.
“I’m glad. I’ll be right back, I’m gonna go get some blankets and our snacks.”
Dook nodded and continued exploring the night sky. By the time Rolfe got back up the hill, Dook was laying in the grass, yawning. Rolfe laughed.
“Tired?” The wolf asked, laying down a blanket and motioning for Dook to come and join him on it. Dook rolled over onto it as Rolfe opened a pack of skittles. Dook stuck his hand into the bag and pulled out a handful.
“Hey!” Rolfe scolded playfully, swatting away Dook’s hand. “Mine!”
Dook laughed and sat up next to Rolfe, looking at the sky again. Rolfe joined him, marveling at all the stars.
“It’s absolutely gorgeous up here, thank you Rolfe,” Dook said, looking back at Rolfe and smiling widely, “You’re my best friend, too.”
Rolfe blinked at the remark, remembering what he said in the car. It was unlike him to be so smitten with somebody. But he adored Dook.
Rolfe bit his lower lip as he tried to figure out something to say. He looked at the lake and sighed, putting a hand over Dook’s. Rolfe could see Dook’s face turn red in the corner of his eye.
“How’d you find out about this place?” Dook asked, obviously flustered as he stumbled over his words. Rolfe didn’t look at Dook, still looking at the sky.
“One night when my parents were fighting, I just took off in my dad’s car. I didn’t even have my license then, I just bullshitted my way down the road and it brought me here.” Rolfe shrugged. “The stars make me think of you.”
Dook blushed profusely at Rolfe’s comment. All he could say was a quiet “Really?”
Rolfe nodded and laid down. “I see stars whenever I look at you. And when I look at stars, I see you. Thanks to your weird space obsession,” Rolfe added the last part quickly, not wanting to completely put down his shield of arrogance. Dook smiled and cuddled up to Rolfe.
“That’s so sweet.” He said, comfortable silence falling upon the pair. After a moment, Dook looked up at Rolfe.
“Rolfe? I have a question.”
“Hmm?” The wolf hummed, placing a hand under his head, looking at Dook.
“Why are you so nice to me?”
“Because you’re my best friend.”
“Yeah, but Fatz is one of your best friends and you still act all self-righteousy-arroganty around him. You act different when you’re with me.”
Rolfe started to sweat
Shit.
“Well…” Rolfe started, swallowing a lump in his throat. Dook waited eagerly for Rolfe to answer.
“You’re, um, a different kind of best friend to me,” Were the only words he could stutter out. Dook raised an eyebrow.
“What do you mean?”
Rolfe sighed and looked back up at the stars. “If you don’t get what I mean after telling you the stars make me think of you, then you’re on your own, pal.”
Dook poked his own cheek with his tongue, thinking. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it after Rolfe glanced back down at him.
“What were you gonna say?” Rolfe asked, raising an eyebrow.
Dook stuttered. “N-nothing, it’s stupid.”
Rolfe huffed. “No it’s not. You always say that and it never ends up being stupid. Except when it does.”
Dook swallowed. “I just thought, maybe, you felt some kind of way about me. I don’t know.” Dook shook his head, looking at the lake in front of him. Rolfe smiled softly and wrapped an arm around Dook.
“You know why I act different around you?” Rolfe said, not averting his gaze from the stars. Dook looked up at him. “Because you’re the only person I don’t have to act different around,” Rolfe cringed slightly at his own sappy words, Dook’s expression growing into confusion.
“You just contradicted yourself,” Dook stated.
“No I didn’t.”
“Yes you did. You said you act different around me and then said that I’m the only person you don’t act different around.
Rolfe sighed and looked at Dook. “Dook, don’t be dense.”
A smile crept up on the hound’s face, “I know what you mean. I think.” Rolfe smiled at Dook, another wave of silence washing over them. Dook broke the silence moments after.
“Hey, you didn’t answer me before,” Dook poked Rolfe’s side. Rolfe raised his eyebrow, motioning for Dook to continue. “When I asked if you felt some sort of way about me.”
Rolfe looked back at the stars again, trying to find a good response.
“Would it be bad if I did?” He asked.
Dook shook his head. “No, I think it would be good… I mean, only if it’s good if I feel some sort of way about you.”
Rolfe looked back at him and smiled. “I think that’s good.” Dook smiled back.
“I mean, you know. I’m pretty great, after all,” Rolfe said. Dook settled down and laid his head on Rolfe’s shoulder.
“Yeah. You are.” He said, as he slowly drifted off into dreamland.