Sacha wants to have his boyfriend over, but his parents have one request: he must have a heart to heart with his younger brother.

 Today’s story is “Hey Buddy” by Dirt Coyote, who, when he’s not causing all sorts of trouble on twitter, is writing a novel, a novella, and short furry fiction. Find his writings as DirtCoyote on sofurry and follow him on Twitter for future updates.

Today’s story will be read for you by Kergiby, a full-time panther, who also hosts the Star Wars Rebels podcast Rebel Heir - alongside your faithful fireside companion. 

You’re listening to The Voice of Dog.

Today’s story is

“Hey Buddy” by Dirt Coyote, who,

when he’s not causing all sorts of trouble on twitter, is writing a novel,

a novella, and short furry fiction.

Find his writings as DirtCoyote on sofurry

and follow him on Twitter for future updates.

Today’s story will be read for you by Kergiby,

a full-time panther.

“Hey Buddy”

by Dirt Coyote Sacha rolled cold eggs around his plate,

twiddling his fork between his fingers.

The metal scratched about, irritating the two other wolves at the table.

Dad pretended not to hear it,

scrolling through his phone

and twitching with every scrape.

Mom, however, was not having it.

Her utensils clattered against the granite tabletop

and she coughed. "You know,

I'd sure like to meet Calvin this weekend.

He sounds lovely.

lovely." Subtle. It'd been a month.

Not since Sacha'd come out.

That happened years ago and all

discussions about that

were long since distant hazy memories.

It'd been a month since he told his parents about

Calvin, the charming dalmatian he started dating.

Sacha let his fork go,

pulling out his phone without taking his eyes off Mom.

"I can text him. He gets straight A’s so I'm sure his parents wouldn’t mind.

Maybe tonight, if I send it right now.”

Her tongue clicked in her cheek,

but he knew she'd do that.

Something in his teenage hormones told him

he had to make everything difficult,

especially if he knew it would make everything difficult.

The two’s stares bore into each other,

an argument boiling up to the surface underneath the silence.

A hard crack of ceramic wheels rolling over the driveway's cement slabs rang hard.

It was enough to distract them,

all six lupine ears

flashing upwards

to listen for an impending fall.

It never came and they relaxed.

Mom was first to speak.

"I think you know that's not what I'm saying," she said,

claws rapping at the table.

"Why can't Calvin just come over?”

Leaning in and lowering his voice,

Sacha continued,

“I don't see why I have to talk to Reggie first.

first." His little brother wouldn't be able to hear him from outside.

Not while practicing ollies on his skateboard,

but Sacha didn't like talking about him behind his back.

Mom dropped her voice similarly.

"I want him to understand.

We don't like springing any surprises on him.

him." Dad followed up, a chuckle in his voice,

"Boy nearly had a heart attack when we served salmon instead of hot dogs that one night.

night." Both Sacha and Mom glowered,

his sense of humor not welcome.

He rolled his eyes

and put himself back into his phone.

Sacha's fingers went up to his temple,

rubbing a patch of white fur that circled his eye.

"Why don’t you two talk with him?

You’re the adults.”

Her brow furrowed,

the argument rehashed for so long

it could walk on two feet.

“He’ll have questions.

Questions I won’t know the answer to.

And, no offense hunny,

but do you really want

your father to talk to him about this?”

Dad shrugged and mock frowned,

accepting the out like the joker he was.

It wasn’t that simple.

Dad pulled Sacha aside once and said they’d talk to Reggie if he really couldn’t,

but he had to at least try.

He had to genuinely

try and help his little brother understand his sexuality

before his father might intervene.

Not before then. Sacha pushed his plate away

like his responsibilities were on top.

“What do you want me to say?

I date dudes? Just tell him

I’m gay like he doesn’t already think that word means stupid

or bad?” Mom’s ears ducked,

but she pushed forward anyways,

“If he thinks that then

you can correct him on it.

He’ll listen to you.”

Frustration growled out from Sacha’s throat

and graveled his words as he spoke,

“What if he doesn’t?

What if he freaks out or something?”

Dad squinted, a warning to keep those growls in check.

Mom rubbed a paw through her headfur,

just as annoyed as Sacha.

“That’s why you need to talk to him

first.” It’d become circular, this argument.

Sacha’s paws came down hard on the table.

“You guys don’t understand!”

He winced, embarrassed at what he’d just done.

There was a ninety percent chance he was grounded,

no matter what he’d do.

Neither Mom nor Dad spoke,

their faces frozen in shock.

Seeing their expressions hurt him,

almost physically,

and he had to be honest with them.

“I’m sorry. I wanted to tell him.

I really did. I just don’t want him to hate me,”

Sacha said, voice quivering.

Cause, oh god, he really did try.

The weekend prior,

he’d sat down in the driveway with Reggie.

He was ready to tell him everything

and it just got stuck in his chest.

All the words he’d meant to say,

and all he could do

was teach his little brother to do an ollie.

Mom rose and Sacha’s head went down.

He closed his eyes, ready for the scolding of a lifetime.

Arms draped over his shoulders, whiskers brushing against his own as she hugged him from behind.

Her cheek was warm,

his tear soaking into the fur on her muzzle.

“He’d never hate you,”

she said softly. “I know that, cause we love you too much to ever.

Him especially.” Sacha let out a sigh of relief,

her affection enough to pull off some of his worries.

When he opened his eyes,

Dad was smiling.

His eyebrows flicked up in a sorta,

“She’s right, you know?”

but at least he didn’t say it.

The front door opened,

skateboard collapsing onto the hardwood floors of the foyer.

Mom would give Reggie shit for that, but for now,

she released the hug and sat back in her seat.

Sacha nodded to both of them,

took a deep breath,

and walked into the living room.

Reggie was on the couch,

flicking through channels on the TV.

Two bluish-grey ears poked out of the helmet he’d not yet taken off.

A white spot of fur circled his eye same as Sacha’s.

He was so focused on screen, he barely registered his older brother sitting down next to him.

“Hey, buddy.” Reggie turned,

eyes and smile lit bright.

Sacha knew in that look,

everything was going to be alright.

This was “Hey Buddy”

by Dirt Coyote, read for you by Kergiby,

a full-time panther, who also hosts the Star Wars Rebels podcast

"Rebel Heir" - that's heir with an h -

alongside your faithful fireside companion.

You can find more stories on the web at thevoice.dog, or find the show wherever you get your podcasts.

And if you have a story you think would be a good fit,

please reach out to @khakidoggy pineapple @khakidoggy

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