============

Dance, shake, twirl, gyrate. Leslie watched his Vanessa with his beak agape.

The Lynx was putting on quite a show for the Frigate Bird. Leslie could feel his chest puffing up with air rather quickly, despite his efforts NOT to grow.

To think how much they've both grown...

============

A young Frigate bird of about five years sat crying in a secluded area of the park. He just wanted to be left alone, but he was not.

"Why are you crying?"

He turned his head slowly to see a feline about his age, wearing a sundress. Instantly, he felt that familiar feeling in his chest.

"G-go away! Please!"

He was ashamed of his body, and kept himself hidden. He had enough teasing already.

"But why? Are you hurt or something?"

She walked closer to him, and he cried louder as he feared she would torment him, too.

"No, don't look at me!"

But it was too late. His panic had caused his chest to inflate too large to hide anymore. Tears flowed more freely now.

Then he heard it. Not scornful laughter, a shriek of horror, or even a gasp. No, it was just a single word.

"Cool!"

Hearing this caused him great confusion.

"C-cool?"

The little girl nodded.

"Yeah! Can you teach me to do that?"

The boy shook his head.

"I...can't. It's only something Frigate Birds can do."

At this news, the lynx pouted.

"Aw, no fair! I want to be able to do something neat like you!"

The bird could only look at her in amazement.

"W-who are you?"

The lynx looked a bit confused for a brief moment.

"Huh? Oh, my name's Vanessa. What's yours?"

The bird swallowed. His name was also something he was teased about. Yet he told her anyway.

"Leslie."

She merely smiled at him.

"That's a nice name. Want to be friends?"

He nodded eagerly.

"Yes, I do."

The girl held her hand out to him, to help him up off the ground.

"Let's be friends forever, okay?"

To this, he agreed.

The next few days were wonderful for the bird. He had found a friend who did not abandon him, and verbally put down the bullies who went after him. He still puffed up with nervousness and at sudden noises, but did so less frequently when Vanessa was around.

A week after they first met, something unexpected happened. They were playing board games at his house when Vanessa suggested a new game: Truth or Dare. After explaining the rules, Leslie agreed to play. Vanessa even let him go first.

Leslie thought for a moment. She had been so nice to him, so anything risky was out of the question. Wait, that's it!

"Okay, truth: why have you been so nice to me?"

The little lynx blinked several times in disbelief.

"You want to know that? Well, I just saw you were sad, and I didn't want you to be sad anymore. That's why I thought we should be friends!"

That last part was spoken with a joyful smile. That look on her face, that moment...would be one Leslie remembers for the rest of his life.

"Now it's my turn. I dare you to puff up as big as you can!"

Hearing this caused some swelling in the bird.

"Wait, what? Why!"

Vanessa giggled.

"I just like it when you puff up! Pleeeease?"

Leslie was involuntarily inflating due to nervousness.

"N-no!"

Vanessa grinned mischievously.

"No? A dare's a dare!"

She didn't give him the choice of truth.

After several thousands of dollars in property damage and news reports about the incident, Leslie became more nervous about his swelling than ever.

At least he has Vanessa as a friend...

============

Having agreed earlier to watch Vanessa dance, he was surprised to find out what kind of dance it was. After the feline finished, she looked to Leslie.

"Well?"

Leslie hesitated in his answer.

"It was...nice."

Vanessa arched her eyebrow.

"Just nice?"

Leslie nodded, too distracted by his puffed chest to notice the tone of disappointment.

"Oh yes, very much so. Excuse me for a moment, I...have to let the air out."

He quickly left the room and headed outside to a spot he could safely exhale at. As he let the torrent of air go, he felt bad for seeing her dance like that. She was his childhood friend!

Vanessa watched Leslie from the window and sighed. Why won't he see her feelings for him? She wants to be more than his childhood friend.

After years and years of trying to clue him in to her feelings, something inside Vanessa finally changed. No more hints!

She opened the door and yelled as loud as she could.

"Leslie, I love you and I want us to be more than friends!"

Leslie had just finished exhaling when he heard this. Naturally, he began to puff up again.

"You...you what?"

Vanessa, with tears in her eyes, poured out her soul.

"I love you. I have for years. I tried to clue you in, but you never got the hint. So I'm telling you now: I. Love. You."

Leslie swelled faster than he had at anytime in his entire life thus far. He had never considered Vanessa as a love interest before. To him, she was his rescuer, his protector, his confidant. She was an angel lighting his way in times of darkness.

"I...I don't know what to say."

Vanessa had an answer in mind.

"Say yes!"

But Leslie couldn't do that. Nor could he tell her no.

"Vanessa, this is all so new to me. I...I need time to think about it!"

The lynx was disappointed, but not devastated.

"Fine. You'll get time. It took me awhile to acknowledge my own feelings towards you."

She sat down nearby, still crying. Leslie felt an unexplainable compulsion to ask something.

"Why are you crying?"

Vanessa laughed a little, recognizing the significance even if Leslie didn't.

"Stay with me, and I'll tell you about it."

She chuckled again.

"I'm not sure when it started, but I began to see you as more than a friend. At first, I tried to dismiss the feelings for as long a I could. I feared it would change our relationship for the worse. But I couldn't stand not being loved by you. It took me years to acknowledge, but I hope it doesn't take you that long."

For the first time, Leslie saw Vanessa broken. It was unlike her to be this way. She was his defender when he couldn't or wouldn't defend himself. Perhaps that's why he couldn't see her advances.

She was sad, and he didn't want her to be sad anymore.

His rapid swelling began to slow, then stop completely. Leslie placed his enlarged hand on her shoulder. The bird stayed silent, not knowing what to say. It seemed enough, for Vanessa grabbed his hand and held tight.

Despite his age and experiences, only now did Leslie start his journey to become a man.

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While this doesn't show Leslie in the pic, he's part of the story, hence the reason why I am linking it.

The first ever depiction of Vanessa the Lynx, Leslie's childhood friend and secret girlfriend. While this image depicts a certain sexiness about Vanessa, I wanted it to be deeper than that, hence the long story with flashbacks.

I must thank  cerebreus who took the time to write this marvelous story for me.

Vanessa the Lynx & Leslie the Frigatebird © to moi,  tigerclawwi
Art by  modemredpill
To see his original posting, click here.