back nextDirt had work that night. As he rode his bike over, it began to rain. Spring was ending soon. He was soaked by the time he got to the 7-11. wet dirt call that mud lmao
He and Brian had the same shift again. "Dude!!! You're all wet!" Brian pointed out the obvious as Dirt entered the store.
"Yes, thank you, Brian," Dirt teased sarcastically.
"Pfft!! Do you wanna borrow my jacket? It's warm and dry!" Brian offered.
Omg hehe... "Really? I don't want you to be cold, man.."
"I'm fine! Seriously, take it!" Brian insisted as he unzipped his hoodie the rest of the way and slid it off his shoulders, handing it to Dirt.
"Thank you, dude.." Dirt thanked as he put his arms through the sleeves. He tugged it over his shoulders and zipped it up partially, mimicking the way Brian had been wearing it. It was warm... And Brian's scent was enveloping him. Dirt instantly felt better, and was ready to take on this graveyard shift.
When their shift ended, Dirt went to return Brian's jacket to him, but, "Nah, keep it. It's still raining. I live closer."
"Seriously???"
Brian nodded. "Stay warm, dude!" he said, squeezing Dirt's shoulder before departing. As Dirt rode home, his chest was warm and heavy, thinking about Brian, and how sweet and caring and lovely he was...
"Where'd you get this?" Salem questioned immediately after greeting Dirt at the door when he got home.
"Hi, Salem," Dirt teased.
Salem sniffed the jacket Dirt was wearing intently. "This isn't yours..."
"It's my coworker's. He let me wear it since it's raining," Dirt told him, a dumb smile on his face.
"Oooh I see... You got a little crush on this guy, huh?" Salem correctly accused. Dirt squinted at him. "You got the little crush smell," Salem clarified.
"Ah. Right. The little crush smell," Dirt mocked.
"But I'm right, aren't I?"
"Brian is my best friend."
"You're dodging the question!"
"...Yeah, sure, whatever," Dirt mumbled.
"Hoohohooho!!!! I knew it!!!! Aren't I so cool like that?"
"Shut up." Dirt rolled his eyes and went into the bathroom, where Salem followed him. "No, dude, get out I'm gonna take a shower."
"Oh, sorry, is it better if I.." Salem transformed.
"No!! I don't want you in here at all! In any form!"
"But... Sarah's still asleep..." Salem lamented, transforming back, "You never shower right when you get home, you cuddle with me right away!" Salem whined.
"Well, I got rained on, and I feel icky," Dirt explained as he peeled his shirt off. Yuck.
"Wellll I've already been alone for several hours soooo...."
"Whatever," Dirt lightheartedly scoffed and rolled his eyes. Salem perked up and sat on the closed toilet, crossing his legs.
It didn't feel weird at all to Dirt, to undress in front of Salem, for some reason. He figured that, as a cat, he probably didn't give a shit about nudity. Dirt didn't think twice about it before he knew he was a person... he'd already seen him, it's not like it mattered anymore.
"So, how was work?" Salem asked Dirt as he got into his shower. Dirt was pleasantly surprised at how quickly Salem was back to how things were before, like he instantly trusted Dirt again with everything when just yesterday he got fed up just being in the same room as them.
"It was fine I guess..."
"Ooooh 'Fine'? That's a much more positive review than your usual 'blarhg' to that question!" Salem quipped annoyingly. Dirt shrugged. "I wanna know about Brian."
"Why??" Dirt questioned.
"Because I am a nosy little bitch and your life is entertainment to me?" Salem answered. Duh.
"Well I dunno... What do you wanna know?"
"What's he like? ..What lead to him letting you take his jacket home?" Salem asked, with an almost accusatory tone.
"Uhhh... Y'know.. Like.. He's nice, and stuff. And...... I guess I just. Feel like he.. gets me, or whatever..." Dirt said, trying to be as casual as possible and not sound all mushy and romantic and head over heels even though he absolutely felt that. "And the jacket. I was all wet from the rain after my ride over, so he offered me his jacket, and then, since he lives closer to the store, he said I should wear it home so I don't get too cold... I-I'm paraphrasing, but, y'know," he modestly recalled.
"Hmm! Interesting!" Salem chirped, as if to suggest something.
"Are you tryna suggest something?"
"What? No? I just said it was interesting, god, read into things much?"
"God!!! Okay!!!" Dirt scoffed, annoyed.
When Dirt got out of the shower and started toweling off, Salem just sort of stared at him. "Just gonna stare at me?"
"You're the only thing to look at in here," Salem said casually with a shrug.
Dirt wrapped his towel around his waist and gathered up his damp clothes which he threw in the laundry before retreating to his room, changing into some comfy dry clothes, and plopping onto his bed. Salem followed him, squeezing into bed with him, as he grabbed his blindfold. "You know something?" Dirt said, "I feel like I've been getting a lot more sleep since you've been around," he softly admitted.
Salem shrugged. "Guess that's my power," he said, nuzzling against Dirt's hand that was petting his cheek. As if by magic, Dirt quickly fell asleep.