coyotes in space

The plates clunked with a dull thud as the waitress placed several steaming dishes on the table before the pair. “Full spread with cinnamon bread, and a double waffle with eggs for you, darlin’. Anything else I can get for ya right now?” the husky asked, brushing her paws on her apron.

“Um, some more coffee would be lovely, thank you,” Cody replied, with a soft smile up to her. The waitress smiled, quickly returning with the carafe to refill his mug. “Brandon, you’re gonna get sick if you order anything sweet from me, ya got enough of that here with this cutie,” she scolded in a teasing tone, causing the coyote to look away in embarrassment and the wolf to laugh.

“Only if yuh don’t scare him off first. Don’t worry about her, next time she’ll probably flip sides in the ribbing,” the wolf chuckled as the waitress walked off, and started to dig into one of his plates.

Cody looked down at the food, and rubbed a paw through the fluff of his nape, pausing as he brushed the collar of the latex shirt hidden under his hoodie. “Guess I’m not used to that yet,” he replied.

“Maybe, y’strike me as someone who ain’t unfamiliar with it, jus’...more of ‘not a good time’ kinda?” the wolf started, though his own ears laid back slightly. “Er, sorry.”

Cody chuckled softly, taking another sip of his coffee. “No, it’s...it’s fine. I mean it. I guess it’s like a weird fluctuating thing,” he assured as he picked up the butter cup, blanched at the margarine tubs, and grabbed the syrup instead to drizzle over the waffles. “But it helps? Like...being somewhere. Not stuck.”

Brandon started to muffle something through his food before he thought better of it given the pause and large swig of his own coffee. “Yeah? Y’know, if there’s anywhere y’wanna head after the delivery t’morrow, we’ve got a day er two for whatever b’fore the next pickup.”

Cody smiled softly at the offer, after chewing down a big forkful of his waffle, coughing at first at the oversized bite before he could reply. “Not like that, I mean just...out. Anywhere. I dunno, but yeah, thank you. I’ll try to think of somewhere.” He paused. “You never answered in the truck about the whole uh...’eating’ thing.”

Brandon chuckled, leaning forward on an elbow that squeaked on the table top. “I ain’t had to, I think. But I guess I end up turnin’ it into uh...I dunno. More ‘me’?”

“That’s usually what happens with food, yes,” Cody giggled.

The wolf rolled his eyes. “Not like that, ya goof. Like uh...I guess more liquid rubber or whatever for...uh...things...and makes me stretchier. Softer. Not like I ain’t already, but...more is always fun. Especially for an appreciative ‘yote like you, pup.”

Cody looked down to hide the reddening visible even through his fur over his cheeks, with a brief huff he tried to muffle with another bite, only to cough again. “...You’re mean,” he mumbled after swallowing.

“Hopefully in a good way?”

Cody nodded in response with a squirm.

Brandon grinned. “Ain’t used to uh...flirtin’ or whatever yuh call it like that, so uh, if I say somethin’ dumb, just know it’s meant in a friendly way,” he admitted, returning to his plate.

“So you only eat sometimes?” the coyote asked.

“Pretty much. Coffee seems t’ do the same thing as anyone. But last time I ate was a couple days ago. And I don’t wantcha skippin’ any meals, so guess you gotta put up with the, uh, results,” the wolf replied.

Cody considered this for a moment as he dug into his food more. He’s really worried about me. ‘Well you can’t take care of yourself.’ He shook his head briefly to clear the thought as he dug in further, catching sight of but not processing the wolf’s brief look of concern. “Don’t think ‘put up with’ is the right phrasing for something like that,” the coyote finally said with a chuckle.