Transitioning

A cool breeze rushes by me, and with it, a handful of orange leaves were being carried by the cold Autumn wind. It gave me a chill down my spine, and once more I wish I was born a snow fox.

I've got a nasty scar where the metal used to be. I already know it's going to make me work harder when it comes to cross-dressing disguises. I hope the baddies won't catch on to "Look for the scar" and blow my cover all the time.

"What are you thinking about?" Clyde asks. He's standing next to me in front of a newly placed tombstone in our local Hartford Cemetery.

Here lies the memory of Archer Fury.

A heart of Gold.

A mind of Water.

A spirit of Fury.

Rest In Peace.

No grave is necessary if there's no body. "Nothing," I say, "just junk. What about you?"

He gives a weak smirk, but I could tell he was far from happy. "I was just thinking on how... the original NEQ1 unit will never happen again. It's like seeing a famous trio with one missing, you know?"

Slowly, I creep my hand towards his. "Clyde?"

I grab it and hold it gently in mine, but he doesn't seem to disagree. "Yeah?"

My lip quivers and my throat tightens up. Here we go again. "I miss him." Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry.

Clyde turns his whole body towards me and looks at my sobbing face. He places his free hand on my shoulder and lets it slide slowly towards my neck. "Me too."

"What do we do now without him?"

"We stay together. We're a team, Troy, and as long as we keep him in mind, we'll always be a team. I don't want any more of my squad to leave me."

I'm doing my very best to keep these tears in, but Clyde's damn inspirational speech isn't helping. "I'll never leave you, Clyde. I...I think I..." Ah, this is killing me! Fuckin' say it already! Say it, you weak, stupid coward! "I think I love you." I think my heart just stopped.

His eyebrow raises momentarily, but then the smirk he had on before comes back genuine. "I thought you weren't gay."

"Oh! Well, I... the thing about that is-"

The force of his hardy lips pressing against mine was all it took to shut me up, and I've never been so happy to be interrupted. His hand pushed against the back of my head, making sure I couldn't escape his kiss. My feet begin to tip-toe on their own, and even though my legs just got turned into jello, they could still hold me up.

The feeling I remember from Archer's kiss came back, but this time it was slightly different. I still feel safe and precious, but this time my very soul is melting. The cold air wasn't enough for me to stay cool anymore. I could be in a freezer and not feel a thing. He pulls away, and I find myself wanting more; clawing at my pleasures to return to me and to never leave me.

"I just so might find you mesmeric as well," his gruff voice whispers to me.

I must've had one goofy-looking face on me because he starts laughing as soon as he opens his eyes. "Ahhh. Umm. You... you're just great." I think my jello legs were still in effect because I can feel my entire body weight being held by his strong arms.

After a few more seconds of making a fool of myself, he speaks. "Troy?"

"Uh-huh...?"

"What are we gonna tell HQ?"

HQ? What is he talking abo- oh no! The No Dating Your Squad Mates policy!