“Sorry, sorry!” Mason remarked to the teacher he nearly ran over. The old owl grumbled something after him, but he couldn’t risk stopping. The fastidious fennec fox stayed a while after class to ask about his science project. It was supposed to be just a simple question on whether his planned model on evaporation would qualify under “marine science” since it’s not explicitly ocean related, but not, not explicitly ocean related either. And that turned into a longer interesting conversation about the effects of climate change on the water cycle of oceanic water, but now he’s only left with three minutes to get to the bus!
At the average running speed of 8 miles per hour, and at a distance of about 1/5 of a mile from the entrance, and about another, saaaaaaay…1/16th a mile to the bus stop, that gives him just barely a minute and 2 seconds of buffer! Cutting it real close, but he’ll make it. Gosh, he needs to pay more attention to time! Whenever someone brings up the wide fascinating world of environmental science it’s like time just…hmmmm.
The approaching boys’ bathroom door caught his eye. Should he go? He stopped just before it to think. The average 11-year-old bladder capacity is 360 milliliters, and so far today he’s had two 16 ounce or 473 milliliter glasses of orange juice at breakfast, a 24 ounce or 710 milliliter bottle of soda he finished in the first three periods, a 12 ounce or 354 milliliter carton of milk at lunch, plus plenty of drinks at the water fountain throughout the day. That would put him over 68 ounces, or 2010 milliliters. A scarily large number at first but becomes close to miniscule when considered that 80% of it will be absorbed by various organs before it even reaches his bladder.
Hmmmmm…he didn’t feel like his bladder had any considerable liquid content yet. Perhaps he’ll wait until he gets home, after all he needs to get to the bus in…ah crap! How long was he standing here? 20 seconds?! And he only ran about 600 feet in 50 seconds! There goes his entire buffer! But, if he ran at his full fennec potential of 20 miles per hour, he’ll get there in, uh…screw it, he’s just gonna run!
Mason made it to the bus just as students were lining up to board. He checked his exact-time watch and saw he had a good 34 seconds to spare, nice! Though really, he knew he had more time than that. The logistics of stuffing 30 middle schoolers into a bus plus random chance meant the bus was guaranteed to leave a minute or two behind schedule. The real reason he always tried to make it early was to secure a seat next to his best friend. “R-Remy!” He called out between pants.
“Hey, you made it!” The pure white chinchilla smiled as his friend approached. He tilted his head when Mason crumpled with his paws on his knees. “You Ok?”
“I-I’m fine,” he said in between pants. “Just need…more O2…in my blood…” He took a deep breath and exhaled, returning to his normal respiratory rhythm. “Hah…there we go.”
Remy chuckled, wrapping his arm around his shoulder. “Even when you’re dying, you’re a genius!”
Mason blushed under his embrace. “O-oh it’s nothing, just some standard cardiac requirements is all.”
“Man, I wish I was smart enough to understand any of that.”
“It’s simple, during times of high energy outputs, the body needs up to 4 times more oxygen, so the heart pumps faster and it you have to breathe more to keep up!” Mason felt his face grow warmer, he’s rambling again…
“Oh, guess it is pretty easy. Why can’t you be our teacher, Mason?”
“Pfffft, I’d be a terrible teacher.” He replied shyly. Remy was the only person who actually liked listening to his nerdy babbles. After skipping two grades and starting middle school early, the young gawky Mason proved to be an easy target for his older peers, his robotic recalls of knowledge often made a spectacle. But Remy’s different. He finds all his nerdy attributes interesting. He asks genuine questions with a genuine twinkle in his eye, and his comments of amazement were never sarcastic.
And Mason liked the way Remy taught him how to play his video games after school and only made fun of him a little when he inevitably sucked. He liked the way Remy laid a gentle paw across his shoulders during those quiet casual moments. He liked his playful teases that came from a place of compassion. He liked the way his ears and feet were grey on his otherwise entirely white body. Like little socks… 
“Hey, where’s your glasses?”
“My…oh!” No wonder the world looked so fuzzy. He pulled his case from his book bag and redonned his round glasses. “Didn’t want to break them on the run here.” Couldn’t risk damaging his second greatest tool, his brain of course is the first. 
Mason blinked and Remy’s fluffy figure and friendly smile came into focus. “You know, you look different without your glasses.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, kinda weird. But in a good way.” Remy said, before following the line into the bus.
Kinda weird…but in a good way? Mason flushed, that’s a good thing, right? Well, of course he said in a good way, but typically calling something ‘weird’ implies a negative intonation, but Remy also said ‘kinda’ which implies a lessor or even neutral intonation, which combined with the fact he’s his friend, and a best friend, and his saying ‘in a good way’, implies that’s a good thing…r-right?
As Mason followed Remy to an empty seat pair, he considered asking for an elaboration. Perhaps he meant that having his glasses off de-emphasized his eyes, giving his face a more mature look. Or maybe having his glasses off meant his eyes were unobstructed by reflected light to a viewer, and Remy liked that new clear view. Wait, that would mean Remy likes his eyes! Does Remy like his eyes?! Oh, this definitely needed clarification.
Mason could barely hide his smile as they made it to a seat. He sat right next to his best friend so eager to ask the question, he even had all the words already planned out! He opened his mouth and…oh. Now that he was sitting still, he could better feel the full weight of his bladder. Well that’s…unpleasant. And if his earlier rough estimates of his fluid intakes are correct, it’s only going to get more unpleasant. If only he had time to use the bathroom before he left, oh well. It’s not too long of a ride to his house, he’ll just have to wait with some mild discomfort.
He flinched when something flicked his long ear. “You alright bro?” Remy chuckled. “You’ve been sitting here with your mouth open for like a whole minute.”
“I’m alright, I just…wish I got to use the bathroom before I left.” He replied with an embarrassed smile.
“Oh, is it…bad?” Remy asked with a look that might’ve been concern.
“No, I can definitely wait.” The bus doors closed, shouldn’t be long before they get to his house.
“Oh, good.” Remy turned to the window as the bus started to pull away, though his whiskers continued to twitch in thought. “I wonder…how much do you know about that kinda stuff?”
“You mean…using the bathroom?”
“No, uh, k-kinda. Like, how does the bladder work? If t-that’s not…too weird.” He said with a pink tinge.
“Not at all,” Mason said with a bit of a giggle. It’s charming how his friend flusters over simple bodily functions, nothing to be ashamed of. “Well, everything you drink, or the liquid from foods you eat goes through your digestive system, most of it, 80% to be exact, absorbs into your blood while the rest of it filters through your kidneys to your bladder.” 
“What makes you get that feeling when you gotta pee?”
“The bladder has tons of nerve endings, so you can feel it get fuller. And when it gets really full, the pain is your brain’s warning that you’re getting close to your bladder’s physical limit.” He shifted in his seat, subconsciously trying to tell how full he was.
“What happens when you get to that limit?” 
Mason smiled hearing that edge of excitement in Remy’s voice. “Your bladder simply can take it anymore, and…” He paused for dramatic effect. “It releases.” He felt a twitch at that last word.
“That’s when you pee your pants?”
“Pretty much. If you’re wearing pants that is.”
“Wow…” Remy nearly gasped, an enchanted smile on his face.
“‘Wow?’” Mason chuckled, what a unique thing to be fascinated by.
“I-I mean it’s just kinda cool how that stuff works! So how come people do all those dances and stuff when they have to pee?”
“Everyone reacts differently, but I think it’s a combination of stress and pain. ‘Dancing’ doesn’t really help, but it feels like it will.” Mason’s knees gained a tremble at that thought. 
“Hmmm…you know, I don’t think I ever seen you have to pee that bad before. You do any those?” Remy asked with an eager smile.
“Well, u-uh, I don’t think so, m-maybe shake a little.” He said while gripping his knees. Why is he getting embarrassed? It’s a natural response to a natural bodily need, yet the thought of his bodily needs felt so…awkward. 
“Oh sorry, I’m probably making it worse.” Remy’s eyes glanced at his knees. 
“Huh?”
“You know, talking about pee while you gotta pee.”
“N-no, it’s fine!” Mason let go of his knees. Of course, there’s no logical connection to talking about bodily functions and an increased physical need to do them. Though with that said, he couldn’t help but tense his legs thinking about it. “I drank 2,010 milliliters and I don’t feel anywhere near my bladder’s limit!” He announced proudly, successfully putting mind over matter…for now at least.
Remy’s eyebrows rose. “Damn dude, that’s a ton!”
“Oh no, it’s only 68 ounces. And only 20% of it goes to my bladder, so it’ll only feel like 420 milliliters!” 
“That can all fit in your bladder?” Remy asked with reignited interest. 
As Mason opened his mouth to answer, that eager mathoholic excitement drained from his face. 20% of that would still exceed his 360 ml bladder capacity. 
“Mason?”
“Um…a-actually no, but! It takes a while for all of it to process through your body, so I’ll most likely have already used the bathroom before it all even reaches my bladder.”
“‘Most likely?’”
“Well…hopefully.” It takes about 3 hours for liquids to process through the body. And Mason last had a drink of water from the fountain about two hours ago, so at least that might not be a burden yet. As for the rest…oh boy. That thought brought his knees trembling again.
“Oh…s-sorry.” A slight pink tinge grew on his cheeks. “We shouldn’t talk about it, I’ll stop being weird.”
“You’re not being weird…” Mason said quietly. He didn’t want his friend to feel ostracized, he knew that feeling too well himself.
“It’s fine, I know I am…whew.” Remy sighed, unzipping his hoodie. The bus heating usually proved too much for his heavy fluff. “Bro, how are you not hot in that?” He asked, waving his paw at Mason’s long pants and jacket.
“Because I’m not a living feather duster.” Puffs of chest fur peeked out from Remy’s shirt collar, as did tufts on his cheeks, elbows, and knees. It must’ve been torture in warm weather, but Mason really liked the extra softness it gave his friend. It gave him an almost dainty appearance for a boy, dare he even call it…cute.
“You sure about that?” Remy grabbed Mason’s tail, probably the only thing of comparable fluff he had.
“Hah! H-hey!” Mason flinched, and the contents of his bladder flinched with him. He instinctively placed his paws between his thighs. “Y-you know it’s sensitive!”
“Oh shit, sorry!” Remy released the captive tail.
“I-it’s Ok.” Mason said, his face turning pink as he moved his paws somewhere less…blatant.
“Damn, you really do have to go.”
“N-no…well, maybe a little.” Mason said while smoothing out his tail and placing it comfortably back to his side. Even those little actions prompted a wiggle or two out of him. 
“Don’t worry, you’ll be home soon.”
Mason sure hoped so. He looked down at his lap, his feet a bit restless on the floor. He could feel his watery payload bounce and vibrate with every little bump. The ride home from school is typically 30 minutes with a relatively mild average speed of 26 mph considering all the stops after a short highway run. Much longer than he’d comfortably wait with this level of urgency, which will definitely rise as time went on…ugh. He should just stop thinking about it. Maybe his mind would be put to much better use considering things like his science project, or what Remy said about his eyes-oh! “Hey Remy?”
“Yeah?”
That surge of excitement was quickly replaced with a quiet bashfulness. “What did you mean when you said I looked weird with my glasses off?”
“I meant weird cause I never see you take them off, but you look kinda cool without them.”
“Really?” Mason’s ears perked up. He knew the glasses added to his geeky image, but he never thought his eyes were anything special. A dull reddish brown, not the kind of royal hue like Remy’s soft blue. Those kinds of eyes sparkled so easily and lit up with every smile. They complimented his fur so nicely too…
“You really like the sound of that huh?” Remy pulled on an erect ear.
Mason flushed. “I-I always thought I looked like a nerd even with my glasses off.” Thin frame, big ears, book bag overflowing with its namesake, Mason was content with the truth. But…his friend really thinks he looks cool?!
“You still look like a nerd, just a cooler one.”
“Beats being a feather duster.” He might still be a nerd, but Remy thinks he’s a cool one! Maybe he could try keeping his glasses off more, but he was so blind without them he might as well be a bat, or a mole to be biologically accurate. Even watching TV without them is a challenge. Come to think of it, the only time he isn’t wearing them is while running or…using the bathroom. Hmmm, that thought made his thighs squeeze.
“You wish you looked as good as this feather duster.” Remy’s playfully sultry tone rang in his friend’s ears.
“Pfffffft,” Mason scoffed, mostly to stop some form of ‘yes’ from flying out of his mouth. “Statistically, some girls find us nerds hot.” He added an anime-esq glasses adjustment to make the point.
“I’m no math-ologist, but 0% doesn’t sound like that many.”
“It’s actually .01%, check your math there Einstein.”
“Aww, you nerds got one, good job guys!” Remy replied in such a patronizing tone it made them both laugh. Though, Mason’s ended early feeling how every heave pulled and pressed his bladder. Ooh…maybe he shouldn’t laugh.
As the bus entered the highway on-ramp, Mason noticed the world outside their window slow down. He’s no traffic engineer, but he’s certain that the opposite is what’s supposed to happen. “Oh…traffic.” He mumbled dejectedly. He clasped his paws and strained, that pressure suddenly felt more pressing. 
“Aww, man!” Remy groaned, looking out the window and noticing the stagnant tops of cars surrounding them. “I’m gonna miss the ball game…”
Oh, Mason wished that was his biggest problem at the moment. From what he could feel, the milk from lunch was entering its final stage of processing. Only to be followed by a couple more drinks of water soon after. He scratched under his chin to keep his eager paws from grabbing himself. Ok, Ok, nothing to worry about. They’ve encountered traffic before, only adds about 15 to 20 minutes to the trip most of the time, not long of an extra wait at all. His need will be more urgent, but it’ll be manageable…hopefully. 
Hooh, an ominous shiver ran down his spine. His feet rose from the floor as he felt it reverberate in his bladder. Oooh, don’t spazz out in front of Remy…hah. He huffed when the waves passed. He glanced over at Remy and was thankful to see that his attention was still out the window.
Whew…O-Ok. Jeez, this is gonna be cutting it real close. He should have his keys ready by the time they get to his house, his rhythmic displacement behaviors would have fully kicked in by then and he wouldn’t have the time or headspace to stand and search. But of course, he’ll still need a few painful seconds of hesitation to put the key in and engage the tumblers. A blush rose to his face thinking of how he’d probably be squirming in front of a bus full of his classmates. Oh well, small casualties. 
After that, it’ll be a quick shuffle into his house, he’ll toss his backpack to the couch to give the rest of his run the stability and comfort he needed. A quick explanation and or dash around his parents and the bathroom will be in sight. Ooh, his knees grinded at the thought. It’ll probably feel really tight down below by then, and all the running wouldn’t help. Would he dare start to unbuckle his pants? His parents probably wouldn’t even see it, but the thought of the mild exposure out in the open was so embarrassing. He looked down at his crotch, the fabric of his pants bulging up between his pressed thighs. He tried to remember if he put on his more presentable boxers or his skimpier briefs…he wondered which Remy would prefer.
Oh god, Mason grit his teeth, the hypothetical pressure was palpable! Screw it, his parents bought both and know what they looked like. He'd unzip his pants, lower the front of his underwear the moment he stepped in, and then…oh the seat! He’d stuff a paw into his underwear to clamp his length shut, twisting in place for the seconds he’d need to lift the seat. Ah! Just that slight bend would nearly put him over the edge. The pressure held back in his grip would be so intense knowing its salvation was a near moment away. With his feet pounding the floor, one paw would yank down the front of his underwear, while the other would barely manage to aim before-
“Ugh!” A stabbing pang rasped a breath out of Mason. His paws whipped to his crotch for a squeeze. Thanks, unhelpful thoughts. Though with his length firmly squeezed through layers of fabric, he could feel that indeed he wore his boxers today. Mystery solved.
“Oh shit, is it getting bad?” Remy asked, following Mason’s arms down between his thighs.
“Y-yeah.” Mason said around a deep breath.
“Oh…” Remy’s eyes still faced down.
“Mmfh…” He pulled his paws free and tried to keep shivering thighs tightly pressed. Mason flinched when he made eye contact with Remy. He immediately looked to the floor, his friend must think he’s a freak.
“Sorry it’s just…kinda funny.” Remy said, also looking away. “Aw damn, I hope I didn’t jinx you with all those questions earlier.”
“Don’t worry,” Mason sighed through the pangs. “Jinxes aren’t real.”
“I think I have an empty bottle if you need it.”
“No!” He spouted with an air of terror. He feels weird about his parents seeing just a bit of underwear, no way is he risking a bus full of vicious preteens seeing his…his…g-genitals!
“I-I won’t look. Better than pissing yourself, right?”
“I don’t need it, I’ll be fine, I just,” He paused to shudder and crossed his legs. “I just need to think about something else.”
“If you say so…” 
For a moment, the pair said nothing, and their classmate’s background conversations filled Mason’s long ears. He tried to focus on anything else, like maybe calculating their average speed to see how much longer it might take to get to his house, but he couldn’t. The searing pains clouded his mind, and all he could think of is that precious moment when he steps up to the toilet and gets that glorious, gushing relief. O-oh crap, his knees grinded against a rising urge. No, no, don’t let go yet!
“Sand…crackers…” 
“H-huh?”
“Bread…laundry…” Remy whispered.
“What are you saying?”
“Just trying to help you think of dry stuff.” He said with a goofy smirk.
Mason chuckled and flinched. Starting to get too tight for even a chuckle. “Don’t make me laugh!” He scolded, giving Remy a light shove.
“Jeez, sorry I’m so charming.”
Mason scoffed, trying to convince himself that wasn’t true. Though his ears rose when he realized something that could be a great distraction, science! “Remy! What are you thinking of doing for your science project?” He asked, his tail giving an excited sweep.
“I dunno, I was thinking that thing where you could charge a battery with ocean water was cool.”
“You’re gonna create a redox reaction?!” Mason bounced, his bladder was feeling excited too. 
“Uh, I guess?”
“I can help if you want!”
“Nah, it’s Ok. It kinda feels like cheating having a super genius help.”
Mason’s ears twitched and he had to reshuffle his legs. His dear friend thought so highly of him. “It’s not like I’ll be doing everything,” Though he kinda wanted to. “And it’ll be really fun!”
“Ok, but only if I could help with your project too.”
“Sure!” A week of science with his best friend? Perfect! His crossed legs seemed to shimmy with anticipation. “I’m doing a study on evaporation! I’m gonna leave a cup of water in the sun and record how much evaporates every day!” The magic of the sun to make water almost literally disappear in thin air…mmfh, if only Mason could do that right now.
	“Really? That’s it? I thought you were gonna do some crazy mad scientist stuff.”
	“A lot of important science is mundane. And it gets more complicated when I have to multiply it by the average surface area of Earth’s water exposed to sunlight at one given time.” All that free-flowing water… He took a quick peek out the window, it didn’t look like they moved very much. Ooh, his toes scrunched, it was starting to get tight. He could feel it squeeze on each breath.
	“Holy shit, all that just for some rain?”
	“It’s not as hard as it seems.” He said, forcing a casual smile against the strain. “It all comes down to one number.”
	“How much water do you think that counts for?”
	“Well, about half the Earth has sunlight at all times, Earth has a surface area of about 200 million square miles, and 71% of that is water, so…so assuming equal distribution of water across the surface, half of that would be 35.5%, and 35.5% of 200 million is…is…” His brows scrunched, a could feel another bladder pang starting to rise. Just focus on the math… “71 million square miles.”
	“Wow…”
	Mason blushed hearing his friend’s astonishment. Just simple arithmetic… “A cubic mile of water holds just over a trillion gallons…” His eye twitched. Literal tons of water, heavy enough to crush him in a fraction of a second, or to be more accurate, the amount of time it would take to travel the height of his body under the acceleration of gravity. His bladder held less than one ten trillionth of that, yet he felt like he was crumbling under its pressure. 
	“Mason?”
	He folded his arms across his chest to keep from grabbing himself. “A-and, a trillion times, u-uh, 71 m-million is…” Ah, that would be over 10 quintillion!
	“Um, you sure you don’t want that bott-”
“Hnnng!” Mason stuffed his paws back in his crotch and raised his knees to add to pressure. The waves of desperation were getting stronger. “C-can we t-talk about s-something else?” He asked while looking away, his voice faltering on the waves’ peaks.
“Ok…um…hey! It looks like we moved pretty far!”
“I know we didn’t.” He mumbled, hunching over in his seat. He didn’t even want to risk looking up at the window.
“You know, you could use the bathroom at my house if you want.”
Mason felt his face warm up at that thought. He definitely won’t be able to unzip his pants out in the open, and his best friend would see every embarrassing squirm and hop on the way to his bathroom. But Remy’s house is a 5-minute shorter ride, and at his level of urgency, it might be his only choice. “O-Ok….”
“We could hang for a while too.”
“And do our homework together?” Mason asked, an air of anticipation lifting him back up. His thighs tightened around his crotch.
“Homework?” A look of disgust formed on Remy’s face. 
“Oh, come on! You don’t find it satisfying every time you finish a math problem? It’s like a little puzzle with numbers!”
“I don’t even like regular puzzles.”
“You have no soul Remy.”
“What can I say, I’m a ‘feather duster.’”
“Even those can have souls!” Mason made the mistake of peering around him through the window. They were moving…barely. “Oh my god…” He rasped. He hunched over again, forcing more weight on his crotch. “Go faster.” 
“Hey, hey, we’re gonna be there soon.” Remy rubbed his shoulder. “W-woah, you’re shaking pretty hard!”
Mason flinched at his touch. “Stupid rhythmic displacement behaviors…” He said with an embarrassed smile.
“Stupid, what?”
“Rhythmic displacement behaviors, like the ‘dances’ you asked about. Dumb, irrational movements, but I can’t stop.” He turned a deeper red at the sound of his foot thumping the floor.
“It’s not dumb if you can’t help it.” Remy’s supportive pats made Mason’s foot, and his heart, thump faster. “Can you think of any science-y stuff to help you hold it?”
“No, there’s no other way to relieve a full bladder than…out.”
“Not even some pressure point to make it hurt less?” Remy asked, scouring his friend’s midsection.
“No, any touch would make it hurt more.” His bladder felt so full and bloated that even the thought made him shift in his seat. Just one rough touch would push a heavy spurt out of him, and he might not be able to hold back the rest.
“Aw damn.”
“I’ll be fine, I’ll be fine.” He huffed, crossing his legs back into a pretzel. His anxious paws rubbed his thighs.
“Traffic’s getting better.” Remy commented. 
Mason leaned into the aisle to peer through the front windows and saw that the spacing in between cars in front of them was increasing, a tell-tale sign of higher speeds. He was grateful to see it, but it made his body anticipate its relief even more. “Aw crap, ngnnnn…” He closed his eyes and tensed every muscle, his knees rose towards his chest. Harsh pangs tore through him and shook out through his limbs. 
“We’re almost there, bro.”
“N-no we’re not.” To be fair, ‘almost there’ is relative. And it may vary depending on how much pain the perspective viewer is in. Mason was too afraid to open his eyes and see just how far away they were, but he could tell they were picking up speed. The increase in wind noise, the engine’s rising RPMs, and the absolute violence every pothole became. He grunted on every rough bounce and shudder, each one sending waves of sharp throbs throughout his insides. “O-oh my god…” He gasped, his eyes starting to sting with tears. His poor bladder was so battered that he could only feel one continuous numb pain. It was what he couldn’t feel that scared Mason the most. His nerves had to be in overdrive, meaning his bladder’s limit was just a hair away… “Hah!” On that bump he blurted loud enough to scare Remy.
“What happened?!”
“N-nothing, s-sorry.” He leaked. He could feel the fresh hot patch of urine on his underwear and the gentle drips still seeping out from his grip. He leaked right next to his best friend and yelled out about it like a toddler. And now he couldn’t stop shaking as his bladder sent out angry sharp pangs at its rejected relief. Oh, how he wished he could just disappear.
“Mason look, we’re in my neighborhood!”
	“Ah…” Mason could feel that they were slowing, those evil inertial forces pushed him forward against the tight ocean inside him. He leaned up and gasped, the pressure of his bladder pressed him against the seat. He squinted through tears to see that they had indeed left the highway, and the view became that of green lawned houses. His salvation was near, but it made his heart race. Would he even make it that far?
	“Only three more stops.” Remy encouraged, rubbing his arm.
	Mason looked away, he didn’t want Remy to see the tears in his eyes. He bit his lip and bounced in his seat, trying not to let out another groan. Ugh, Remy’s such a good friend to stick with a nerd like him, even when he acts like this. Please, please, please, don’t let him pee his pants in front of him. 
“Ah!” The bus hit a rough bump just as it slowed to a stop, it sent sharp jolts through his bladder that proved too much. Mason flinched and contorted when he felt a jet of urine shoot out of his length. His boxers were soaking wet, he could feel drips rolling down his thighs and into the intimate spaces of his crotch. He froze, mouth open and halfway curled into a ball.
“Hang in there.” Remy patted his back.
He sighed as he straightened back up. “R-Remy…” He rasped, his face beet red. “I-I don’t think I’m gonna make it…”
“Yes you will, only two more stops!”
“Remy I…I-I already…” His voice was barely above a whisper.
“Huh?” Remy leaned in closer.
“I-I already…w-went a little…” 
“You…y-you did?” Remy asked, searching his crotch area.
“I think I’m at my bladder’s limit…i-it’s gonna…release.”
“Oh…” There was a moment of silence, during which the bus started up again. All the horrible things Remy must be thinking about him… “U-um, hey! How’s that reaction thing you said in my project work?”
“Uh…t-the, r-red-augh!” He froze upon more bounces and jolts. The driver was clearly trying to make up time after that traffic, Mason would be more grateful if the road was smoother. It was getting to the point where he couldn’t tell if the moisture on his thigh fur was new or already existing. “T-the r-redox reaction?” He asked, crossing his legs tighter.
“Yeah, yeah!”
“Uh…” Mason tried to think, but his mind was frazzled. Too many nerve endings pinged their message of the incoming doom and he couldn’t hear his own thoughts over the screaming pains. The scenario of his soaked pants raining down the aisle kept replaying in his head, he saw Remy’s disgusted, betrayed, expression each time he closed his eyes. He grit his teeth, holding his breath as he strained against the bus’s hard braking again. He let out a blurting exhale when they stopped. “I-I’m sorry…” He mumbled, the one question he couldn’t answer. 
“It’s Ok, it’s Ok.” Remy said, rubbing his shoulder. “One more stop, get ready to move.”
“I don’t think I can move…” He felt all that heavy liquid pressure pushing downward hard. He knew if he opened his legs, it would be over.
“You want me to get out first? You know, open the door so you run in? I’ll tell the driver to wait for you.” Mason nodded, too embarrassed to speak. “Gotcha.”
For the next two minutes of the ride, Mason put all his energy into maintaining the fragile balance inside him. He took stilted open-mouthed breaths, his bladder was so tight he could feel each inhale ripple through it. He squirmed in his seat, his feet stomping on each position change. His legs couldn’t squeeze tight enough, no matter which way he twisted his hips, or which way he contorted, he could still feel all that pressure threatening to rain down if he stopped for even a second. 
“We’re here.” Remy announced as the bus slowed in front of his house. 
Mason’s ears perked up at the news. But then he clenched his teeth as another wave of desperation rocked through him. He still had a hard journey ahead to the bathroom, and he wasn’t sure he’d make it. “Remy…” He said in a near sob.
Remy stood up. “I’ll be quick.” Mason held his breath as he dragged his pretzeled legs towards the aisle. The fiery sensations from just that little movement made him arch his back. Remy slipped past and dashed to the front. There was a quick pause next to the driver, and he was down the stairs. 
Mason took that as a cue to follow suit. He took a deep breath to prepare himself. He grabbed the seat in front of him and strained as he pulled himself to his feet. “Augh!” He grunted out, taking a moment to twist in place. The weight of his bladder slung itself downward and nearly made him fall over.
“What the hell?”
“The fennec nerd’s spazzing out again.”
“What’s wrong with him?”
Mason tried to ignore all the comments and the fresh dribbles running down his leg. If he stood here any longer, he’d explode right in front of them. He took another deep breath and staggered forward on a limp. He flinched on the jolt of the landing but panted through it and took another limp. And another a bit faster than that, and another one faster than that, until he was awkwardly jogging through the bus, his hips swaying and an iron grip on his crotch. The voices and pointed fingers became a blur. He reached the front and for a split second realized the challenge of the stairs before him. But he couldn’t stop, he feared his bladder would catch up with him. He tried to keep the same momentum down the stairs, but he opened his legs a bit too far, and each step proved too jarring.
“Oh my god, oh my god!” He shrieked when he landed on the sidewalk and doubled over. His underwear drizzled with off and on spurts.
“Come on, you’re almost there!” Remy shouted from across the lawn.
The sound of the bus leaving caught his ear. His classmates were gonna have a field day with the show he gave them. Mason lifted himself up on shaky knock-kneed footing to look across at Remy, who held open the door and stretched his neck out with a look of concern. Everything hurt so much he couldn’t feel his legs, and he had pretty much already peed himself to the point of requiring new undies. But he didn’t want to let Remy down. He had to try at least for his friend.
With absolutely everything to lose, he took another deep breath and started an all out sprint to the door. And…he lost everything.
His overfilled bladder couldn’t take the harsh jolts of his run, and neither could his body take anymore nagging pangs. Midstride, a waterfall started to flow from him. His already saturated underwear flooded with urine, a dark patch quickly consumed the fabric around his crotch and expanded down his thighs and legs. Urine exploded from him with such force that a hiss could be heard from underneath his boxers. 
“N-no!” Mason shouted. His run degraded back into a limp as he tried to press his bladder shut but it was already too late. Soaked fabric squished under his grip on his crotch, he soon felt warm liquids flowing over his feet and slipping in between his toes. The weight and discomfort of the 360 ml soaking into his pants finally started to slow him down.
He couldn’t resist the relief starting to creep through his midsection and relax his exhausted body. Frustrated and pleasured pants huffed out of his mouth. He peed his pants for the first time since toddlerdom, right in front of his friend. He couldn’t stop, he wanted to stop, but it felt too good, it felt too much. Those hot liquids warmed up every space below his waist, multiple rivers oh-so gently ran through the most sensitive spaces of his body and bathed his tender boy parts in steamy urine. It made him shiver, it was like an intense tickle.
“Mason…” Remy mumbled, stunned by what’s happening before him. 
Mason stumbled for a few more steps, sobs racking through him and a trail of urine on the concrete. He could feel his legs ready to give out and shakily crouched onto his knees. A puddle quickly formed around him just as his stream started to slow. He hated how much better he felt, he hated how light and pleasant his insides now felt. A failure that his body couldn’t help but enjoy.
“Mason…” Remy repeated softly. 
He faced the ground and shook his head, he didn’t want Remy to step in his puddle. His dear friend has been so kind and patient throughout this whole mess, just as much as he had been throughout the years of befriending the class pariah. He wouldn’t be surprised if Remy completely abandoned him after this, finally disgusted by the gawky freak.
“Mason, look.” He said, shaking Mason’s shoulder.
“H-huh?” He sniffed. He looked up and wiped his eyes to see Remy standing before him with a flushed face. Remy closed his eyes, his mouth contorting with a gentle strain. “…Remy?” His mouth and eyelids drooped back open with a sigh. His flickering tail went limp, chuckles escaped his goofy smile. “R-Remy?” The first thing Mason noticed was the drops falling from his shorts and dotting the concrete. He had to wipe his teary eyes for a clear view…he could see thin streams running down Remy’s white leg fur and pooling around his feet. Wet streaks on his shorts stretched to his knees from his soaked crotch…which also had a noticeable bulge. Mason’s mouth hung open…there’s no way this was a coincidence.
Remy laughed. “I uh…had to pee too.” He shyly scratched the back of his head.
“O-oh my god…”
“U-um,” Remy looked down and quickly covered up his bulge. “We should go inside.” Remy offered a paw.
“B-but…I’m wet.”
“Me too.”
Mason hesitated. He was so confused, ashamed, and…flattered? He raised a dripping paw and felt his heart race again when Remy grabbed it unphased. “T-thanks Remy.”
Remy smiled and nodded so casually, it was almost as if his shorts weren’t dripping with urine. He led Mason into the entryway and brushed his wet footpaws against the welcome mat. “Wait…” Remy turned and unzipped his dripping shorts, letting them fall to the floor. His normally pure white legs were stained with streaks of yellow. From behind, a dark patch of wetness on his boxer briefs reached up from between his thighs, making the fabric cling to the very bottom of his rump. 
Mason blinked, it somehow felt even more embarrassing to see his friend in such a vulnerable state. But at the same time, it reminded him how nice of a body his friend had…objectively! O-objectively nice, of course. He had more meat than Mason below his waist, countering his dainty fur with round boyish curves. Remy tended to be very casual while hanging out at his own house, thus Mason was familiar with these rather intimate underwear views. The early start of puberty has clearly treated him well.
Remy looked back and found Mason staring below his waist. They both flinched upon making eye contact. “W-what? They’re dripping!” He said, whipping his paws to his crotch. 
Mason’s eyes flickered down. “S-should I, t-take off…” Although Remy didn’t mind baring a little leg, Mason himself was more diffident, he doubted he looked that well bottomless. Though with that said, he pondered why this time Remy insisted on keeping himself covered…
 “No, it’s fine. Wait here, I’ll get you a towel.”
Mason watched him disappear further into the house and took that moment of silence to do what he does best: think. Well for starters, Remy didn’t seem to hate him…he’s still treating him nicely, and his expressions looked like the shy kind of forced and not the forced kind of forced. But…why? Why is he suddenly so awkward? Is he just embarrassed for him? No…he touched him even while wet. And on that point, why would Remy dare embarrass himself in public like that?! His neighbors probably saw! He clearly wasn’t desperate to go, no rhythmic displacement behaviors. He doubted that with Remy’s stellar health he had any conditions that would make him incontinent. It had to be on purpose…but why?
Remy returned with a towel as promised and wore a new pair of shorts. “Thanks Remy…” Mason accepted it and kneeled to roll up his pants legs. Now was the shameful, bittersweet task to pat away the drips the best he could.
“No prob, bro.” Remy had a more confident smile this time. Perhaps just content to see that Mason’s content. The thought of which made the latter blush. He’s so sweet… “You wanna shower here too?”
“No…I don’t have any clothes to change into.”
“You can borrow mine.”
“What about underwear?” Mason doubted his string bean frame could fit Remy’s clothes anyway.
“You can borrow those too.”
“What?” Mason paused his toweling at the sound of that.
“J-just kidding!”
“No you’re not!” Mason said, busting into a laugh.
“Sorry, that’s pretty dumb.”
“Don’t be sorry.” Mason smiled at his best friend. He made him feel so good just minutes after the worst moment of his life. He truly didn’t deserve him. “Remy…why’d you do that?”
“Do what?”
“What you did outside. I know you didn’t really have to go, why’d you do it?”
“Oh…” The pink returned to his face. “Well, y-you know, it’s kinda weird when one guy pees his pants. But if two guys do it, it’s not as weird anymore.” He said with a bashful chuckle.
Reducing social ostracization by sheer numbers, brilliant. “You mean…you really did that to make me feel better?”
“Maybe…” He flushed, unable to even make eye contact anymore.
“Remy…” A fawning tone filled Mason’s voice. That’s…that’s actually the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for him.
“Aaaah, don’t say my name like that…” Remy near whined with embarrassment.
“That’s so sweet of you, really.” He felt himself bordering tears again. Remy really risked his whole reputation for some nerd like him. “Thank you…”
“Ssssshhhhh! It was just something dumb!”
“I want to hug you but…” Mason waved a paw at his drenched pants.
“It’s Ok, I’d throw up if you did anyway.”
“Remy…” He started again in a tender voice.
“Bro,” He put a paw on his shoulder, sighing in faux exasperation. “You’re not gonna do the ‘happy cry’ thing on me are you?”
“I’ll try not to.” Mason said with a sniffle. “I feel so gross.” The urine soaking his pants had cooled and felt clammy against his fur. Although fresh urine is pretty sterile for a few hours, it still felt unsanitary.
“You can still shower here, just toss your clothes in our washer.”
	“No, I…I want to go home.” Mason shuddered at the thought of mixing his pee in Remy’s family washing machine. Technically it would wash away, but it still felt weird.
“What about your pants?” Mason unzipped his hoodie and tied it around his waist. Might not completely cover the dark patches along his legs, but it’s enough to be inconspicuous. “Ohhhh…man you really are a genius.” Mason chuckled and shook his head, he doubted that simple act rivaled Einstein. “Can I walk back with you?”
“Sure!” The first few minutes of the walk was…awkward. How could it not be? Very, very, strange and unhygienic incidents had just occurred, followed by an emotional rollercoaster. Mason expected that, but he didn’t expect the silence to last this long. He kept taking side glances at Remy, who walked facing the ground. What was he thinking?
	 “Mason.” The fennec in question flinched at hearing his name. “Can I tell you something?” He asked, eyes still on the ground. 
	“Uh, sure.”
	“It might be a little weird. Y-you won’t get freaked out, right?” There was a tremble in his voice.
	“I…I don’t know…” He technically couldn’t promise a specific genuine reaction to something if he didn’t know what that something is, but… “I won’t Remy.” Considering what his friend did for him today, he’ll try.
	“Ok…” He took a breath. “You know what it means to find something hot right?”
	“Yeah, means you find someone or an act sexually attractive.” Mason said in a matter-of-fact tone. Simple slang, that didn’t sound so weird.
	“No, I mean…you’ve felt it before, right? You’ve seen something you thought was hot?”
	“Uh, y-yeah, of course.” Mason sincerely hoped the next question wouldn’t be asking for an example. It would be really awkward to say the answer is walking right next to him.
	“Ok, just wanted to make sure since you…”
	“Since I what?”
	“Since you seem so…little.”
“What?!” Little?! “I’m only two years younger than you!”
“I know, I know! It’s just that you almost never talk about that stuff. You never bring up girls much…or guys…or even watching porn. You’re like my innocent little bro!” Remy ruffled the fur on his head.
Mason groaned. It isn’t that he’s ashamed of those occasional explicit thoughts…Ok he is, but really science is his true mistress. Though he had also yet to reach that point of puberty where his hypothalamus drove him into sexual overdrive. A blessing really, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to focus in class. “Is that the ‘weird’ thing you wanted to tell me?”
“No…” 
“Then what is it?”
“You promise you won’t freak out right?” He asked again, sounding more desperate this time.
“I promise.” Mason said confidently.
“Ok, Ok.” Remy took a long breath. “I think pee is kinda hot!” He blurted out in one fast sentence.
Mason blinked. “H-huh?” He barely understood that. And what he did understand, he still didn’t understand. 
“I-I dunno, I-I think it’s hot when someone has to pee really bad, and they’ve been holding it for a long time, a-and they let it all out, and it f-feels really good!” Remy stammered, beet red and looking away.
“Oh…you have a fetish for peeing.” 
“Y-yeah, I guess…”
“Oh…” There were some things about the brain that even Mason didn’t understand. But really it left him more curious than ‘freaked out.’ His promise was kept. “Wait…ohhhhhhh, so that’s why you asked about the bladder!”
“No, I thought it was cool! And…k-kinda hot.”
“And…” ‘Someone,’ ‘they’… “Remy, do you find boys attractive too?” Remy didn’t answer, instead he seemed to find the ground awfully fascinating, but it was all the confirmation Mason needed. “Oh…” So, Remy finds attraction in both sexes, nothing to be ashamed of. Though their classmates might find it as a source of entertainment on top of the actions that went down today. Mason will keep it their little secret. But…if Remy likes boys, and he has a fetish for urination…and Mason’s a boy…and today he saw Mason… “Remy!” He gasped.
“N-no.”
Mason grabbed Remy’s arm, so excited he hopped in place. “You…you…” He faltered around endless giggles. 
“Ahhhhh!” Remy pulled his ears over his face, a rhythmic displacement behavior for a different overwhelming feeling.
“You found me hot!” Mason grinned like a happy kitten. Remy likes him! He likes him! That’s…that’s what that means right? Oh whatever, he found him attractive! He wasn’t grossed out by his accident, he was…excited by it!
“You don’t have to say it! Mmmraaaaahhhh!” Remy yelled, muffled by his paws over his face.
Mason gasped, so many revelations coming after another. “Oh my god…that’s why you didn’t want me to see you in your underwear!”
“W-what?” He uncovered his face to sputter.
“That’s why you kept covering up!” 
“You noticed?!”
“You had, y-you had an-”
“You don’t have to say it!”
Mason’s own face flushed knowing he was about to say such an explicit word. His expression scrunched with boyish excitement. “An erection!” Remy switched to such a sudden laugh he nearly choked. “W-what? It’s true!”
“‘An erection!’” Remy teased, mocking his high tone.
“W-well, what do you call it?”
“A boner.” He said in between residual giggles. “Ah, you’re so weird!”
“Me?!” Mason said with giggles of his own. “You have a pee fetish! My…accident gave you a…b-boner!”
“I didn’t think you’d go on about it!”
“Why’d you tell me anyway?”
“I dunno, I feel bad. You we’re over there suffering and embarrassed, while I was horny…sorry.”
“It’s Ok, you don’t get to pick what your brain likes.” That mysterious, fascinating organ. “I’m just glad you don’t think I’m a freak or something for…doing that.”
“What? Why would I? Everyone’s pissed themselves before, you just did it later than most!”
“And I’m glad that even you find nerds hot.” Mason added with a cocky grin.
“J-just that once!”
“So he says.” Behind Mason’s snark, a part of him sank at the possibility this was a just a one-time occurrence. Would that mean he doesn’t really like him? Was today just a random happening that tugged at his hormones? Should he…s-should he pee his pants again?
“Hey, don’t think I didn’t notice you staring at my ass earlier! I’m not the only freak!”
Mason froze with a guilty smile. “Uhhhhh…”
“Did I give you ‘an erection’?”
“No, no, no!” He shook his head like it could change the truth.
“Hmmmm, turns out little bro ain’t so innocent!”
“N-no, that’s not it! I was just…noticing the features of the chinchilla anatomy!”
“Oh, are they good features?”
“Yep, pretty nice!” He nervously spouted, full of adrenaline.
Remy chuckled. “Thanks, I think so too.”
W-wow, he just admitted that, and Remy reacted pretty well! Whew, he could barely hear his own thoughts over his heart. Remy doesn’t think he’s a freak! Remy thinks he’s hot! Remy likes hi-…oh. Hm. 
Mason’s ears flattened as he passed a glance at Remy. Did all of that really mean anything? He thought back to all those times Remy and other older boys would make crass comments about attractive girls they barely knew, only to forget about them mere moments later…Mason didn’t want to be like one of those girls. And as he saw his house approaching at the end of the block, he realized he didn’t want to end the day like this either. “Remy?”
“Yeah?” 
He swallowed. “Remy, do you…do you, l-like me?”
Remy groaned, a pink tinge crossing his face. “Why’d you gotta make this weird?”
Mason flinched. That answer punched him in the gut.  “S-sorry.” He barely vocalized.
“Oh no, no, no!” Remy’s voice went soft, as if reeling from Mason’s pain. “I didn’t mean it like that! I meant…I…I dunno.”
“Y-you don’t?”
“I mean…I dunno anything about love or crushes or…I don’t really know anything. But I really like hanging out with you, and I think you’re really smart and cool, and I don’t think you’re ugly, and today you made me hard, and…I dunno. Is that what liking someone is?”
Remy really thinks he’s cool? And good looking too? He couldn’t hide a smile. “I don’t know either, I’m ‘little.’” Maybe it is ‘like,’ maybe it isn’t. Regardless, Remy saw him as special too. He couldn’t say that about those random girls.
Remy chuffed. “Guess I’m little too…” He sighed as they stopped in front of Mason’s house. “Are things gonna be weird now? Like, are we still gonna hang out and stuff or…is it gonna be different?”
	“Of course we will!” Mason couldn’t reply fast enough. “We’re still friends!”
“Yeah but, I don’t think friends usually get hard from other friends.”
“Maybe we could be special.” Mason answered with a soft innocence.
“I guess we could be…‘special.’” Mason smiled, that was better than ‘like’ with all those confusing implications. He already liked the stuff he did with Remy and wouldn’t want it any other way. “Um…I guess see you tomorrow?”
“Yeah…thanks for walking me home.”
“No prob. See ya’.”
“Bye.” He waved at his ‘special’ friend. He couldn’t wait for class tomorrow. And then afterwards, they’re gonna work on their science projects together! Ah, this is gonna be the best week ever…