Bro Druid: Skeeball and a Portrait Booth

 “Alright, Nixie gal, you know how you told me you’ve never played skeeball,” Bodhi asked as the blue-striped sea otter lifeguard led his silver-striped brown hyena friend down the boardwalk. Nix took in an uneasy breath as the question hit her ears. She nervously ran a hand through her pink hair and started to say something, but the otter cut her off. “Well, I talked to my bro, who owns the Breezey Fun Time Arcade, and he let me rent out the whole building for a few hours. They will turn all the noise and flashing lights off for us.”

“What? You? They’re going to do that just for me,” Nix whispered her inquiry. It was true all the lights, sounds, and crowds in the boardwalk arcades had kept her away from them before. This situation was overwhelming in a different way, though.” What if I’m not good at skeeball and waste your money? Won’t people judge us for renting the building and be mad when they aren’t allowed in?”

“Nix gal, don’t worry about none of that,” Bodhi waved off her concerns as he pulled out a key and opened the door to a small wooden building. Inside, a dozen skeeball machines lined one wall with different machines on the other walls. “River usually takes today off, so the place is closed, so no one will expect to come in. As for skill, don’t worry about it. If a ball doesn’t end up in the wall then you’re doing better than a certain unnamed kangaroo bro.”

A small giggle escaped Nix’s lips as she imagined her roommate Sheila getting mad and throwing a ball through a wall. Bodhi played the first skeeball game to show the hyena the basics of the game. It took a few rounds and form critiques, but before long, Nix gave the lifeguard a run for his money. Two people alone in a dim arcade with the only sounds of skeeball rolled down the lanes was the perfect date for the pink-haired hyena. She got to try something new with her crush, who was probably oblivious to her feelings. Nix silently cursed herself for not having the courage to tell Bodhi.

“Um, can we take a break?” the silver-striped hyena requested after an hour and a half of rubbing her arm. “I’m getting a little sore.”

“Yeah, no problem, sis,” the sea otter smiled, sinking one last fifty-point shot. He looked around the room and spotted an autoportrait machine. “Have you ever done one of these before?”

“No, I uh never th-,” Nix was cut off by Bodhi pulling her towards the machine. Before the hyena could admit that, she had never felt pretty enough to do something like that. Even in her new dresses, Nix didn’t feel she looked that special. People had told her she was pretty, but the hyenas always thought they were lying.

“Well then, let’s memorialize the day together,” the lifeguard ducked behind the booth curtain, pulling his friend with him. On Bodhi’s prompting, they took a relaxed pose first as the camera flashed. Nix tried her best not to shake nervously but couldn’t stand still. Then came the fun one with tongues out and peace signs, followed by the back-to-back shot with handguns drawn. “Alright, Nix gal, let’s do a fake romance picture.”

“Wha-,” the pink-haired hyena lost the question in her throat. 

Did he say romance pose? Was this his way of subtly hinting at something? No, why would he do that? Bodhi was many things, but subtle wasn’t one of them. Was he still in active mourning? It had been over a month, but was that enough time? Did she need to take charge like her mother always told her to do? All the questions swirled in her head as Nix grabbed Bodhi and pulled him in for an awkward kiss.

“Nix,” the lifeguard looked confused as the hyena pulled back.

“I’m sorry,” Nix cried, stumbling out of the autoportrait machine. She bumped into an arcade machine that rattled to life. In a flash of light, the hyena disappeared.