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It was the middle of the night, and Mr. Snake was curled up on the couch, watching TV, the glow of blue light emitting throughout the room. He noticed his friend, Mr. Wolf, stretching and yawning as he entered the room. “Oh, hey, Snake. What’re you still doing up?”
Mr. Snake’s tongue flicked past his teeth momentarily before he responded. “Oh, I don’t know, can’t sleep. Hoping to watch TV until I feel sleepy. Wanna join me?”
Mr. Wolf sat down next to him on the couch. “Eh, sure, why not. What’s so bad about a few extra minutes awake, huh?” He leaned his head back, crossed his arms, and crossed one leg over the other.
A few moments later, Mr. Snake spoke up. “This is boring.” He turned toward the other. “You wanna talk or something?”
“Uh, sure thing. What about?”
“Hm…uh…oh! How about you and the governor?” Mr. Snake nudged Mr. Wolf jokingly with his tail. “You two have been getting cozy.”
Wolf chuckled. “Oh, Diane? Yeah, I guess we kinda are.” He looked down a bit, smiling softly. “She’s great, you know.”
Snake felt his smile falter for a moment. Wolf seemed to really like her. He watched how Wolf looked down in his lap, how his tail wagged gently behind him and how his eyes dilated slightly. Why couldn’t Wolf think of him like that?
Snake immediately shook off the thought. That was ridiculous, to be thinking of his best friend in that way. He cleared his throat. “Wow, that’s…that’s great for you, bud. I’m happy for you.”
”Thanks, Snake.” Wolf looked over at him, still smiling, and Snake felt his heart skip a beat. Weird. Then, Wolf continued. “But…”
Snake raised an eyebrow. “‘But’?”
Wolf shrugged. He rested his arms on the back of the couch, hanging over the front lazily. He looked off to the side. “But…I don’t know. Something about being with her…it doesn’t feel right. Off, almost.”
Snake inched a bit closer. “Like..?”
”…Almost like I’m not supposed to be with her.”
Snake scoffed. “Pfft. Yeah, right. You like her, don’t you?” Wolf nodded. “Then who cares whether or not you should be together? If you like each other, then just go for it.” Snake shrugged.
”You think so?”
”I know so. Besides, anybody would be lucky to date you. Even I-” Snake paused. Wolf looked over at him with curiosity. “I…uh…” Snake cleared his throat and smiled nervously. “I have…been in that position myself. You do you, pal.”
Wolf smiled and looked back at the TV. “Thanks, Snake. What would I do without you?”
Snake couldn’t help but smile back, though he didn’t turn his attention back to the TV. He continued to stare up at his friend, who seemed oblivious of being watched. Snake began to observe the other’s features: his furrowed brows; his soft, gray fur; his slightly perked-up ears; his eyes, always shining…and that smile of his, showing all of his sharp teeth whenever he laughed.
And maybe it was an accident, since he was already looking in that area, but Snake’s eyes moved to Wolf’s lips, and for a brief moment, he wondered what they would taste like.
Snake’s staring was soon interrupted, when a voice suddenly said, “Hey…Snake..? You good there, buddy?”
It was Wolf, who had finally noticed Snake’s eyes on him, returning Snake’s gaze.
Snake laughed nervously. “Oh, yeah, totally! Totally fine, just…I was gonna tell you something and I completely forgot what it was! Oh, well…”
Wolf clearly wasn’t convinced, because he didn’t look away. His gaze softened slightly, and his expression became less readable. Snake gulped, then continued to return the eye contact. The friends sat like that for only a second or two, but it felt like forever to Snake. As he stared up into Wolf’s eyes, he realized just how lovely they were.
Then, Snake said softly, without thinking, “You look pretty.” He almost immediately recoiled and slapped his tail over his mouth.
Wolf raised his eyebrows slightly and sat up a bit more. “What..? Did you…just say I’m-”
”Shitty! I meant shitty! Haha, what did you think I said?” Snake interrupted, trying his best attempt at a smile despite how anxious he was. His heart was beating faster than normal, and he silently prayed that Wolf couldn’t hear it.
”No, no, no. You didn’t say that, you said ‘pretty’…you think I’m pretty, Snake?” Wolf moved closer to Snake, his eyes moving across the other’s face for a hint of affirmation.
Snake was speechless, realizing there was no way he could possibly save himself after his obvious statement, especially since Wolf had heard it perfectly. He stuttered for a bit, before sighing. “Um…yeah, so? Maybe I did. What’s wrong with calling your best friend pretty, huh?”
They were both quiet for a bit, Wolf still staring at Snake and the TV still making faint noise in the background of their conversation.
Wolf moved even closer to Snake, now directly next to him on the couch. His voice cracked a bit as he spoke. “Snake…”
Before either one could say anything else, Mr. Shark walked into the room. “Yo, it’s bedtime. Go to sleep, yap in the morning, alright? See you guys, good night.” Shark yawned before leaving the room.
Wolf turned back to Snake, who had just turned off the TV and gotten off the couch. He began to walk out of the room, his back to Wolf, who had also stood up. Wolf stammered slightly as he spoke. “W-wait, wait, wait, wait…Snake, please, I know there’s something you want to tell me, so just…you know, tell me! I think I know already but…please, I need to hear you say it.”
Snake paused and turned around. “Okay, now you’re the one being weird.”
“I never said you were being weird-”
”I don’t care! Just…let me go to my room, Wolf.” Snake turned back to the doorway and began slithering down the hall to his room again.
Wolf reached for Snake’s tail. “Wait, Snake. Do you…have feelings for me? Like, romantic feelings?”
Snake’s throat started to feel dry. “I…I don’t know, okay? But, even if I do…please don’t stop being my friend, okay?”
Wolf’s eyes widened and he let go of Snake’s tail. Clearly, he hadn’t actually expected Snake to confirm his suspicions. “I would never stop being your friend, Snake, for any reason at all.” He leaned down closer to Snake, getting down on one knee, locking eyes with the other. “But…I hope you think the same of me, because I think I might like you.”
Snake felt his heartbeat quicken again. “You…you do? But what about Diane?”
Wolf smiled softly. “Oh, like I said, Diane’s great…but she’s nothing like you, Snake.”
Snake felt himself smiling back. “Huh. Well, then…may I have a kiss, Mr. Wolf?”
Wolf chuckled. “You may, Mr. Snake.” Then, he closed his eyes and kissed Snake, who immediately returned the favor, wrapping his tail around the other. Wolf leaned into the kiss, gently bringing a hand up to the back of Snake’s long neck and pushing him closer to deepen it.
The two kissed for what felt like forever, before finally pulling away and opening their eyes. Snake blinked. “Woah. Did I just dream that? Am I still on the couch? Am I sleeping?”
Wolf laughed at the other’s disorientation. “Okay, Snake, let’s get you to bed. We can talk more in the morning about this, alright?” Snake nodded. Wolf picked him up and led him to his room, dropping him onto his bed gently.
“Nighty-night, Snake.”
“Mm…g’night, Wolf.” Snake fell asleep within seconds, with Wolf smiling down at him as he did.
Wolf left the room quietly and went into his own bedroom. He climbed into his bed and stared at the ceiling for a bit before falling asleep, wondering what the morning would bring now that he knew his best friend liked him back.