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Just the Way You Are

Even though the actual story for this piece, by Marsel-Defender back in April of 2023, was penned the day before I originally uploaded it, I had been playing around with the concepts of it in my head for some time prior.

I question often if I’ve succeeded in this goal, but something I’ve wanted to do with Mortimer was show that one don’t need to be buff, athletic, or even necessarily capable to be valuable. Especially in fiction, we tend to idolize these impossible body standards without critically examining their effects on our body images. I’m no stranger to that, but it is something I do want to push back on even in this limited capacity.

And it’s something I will continue to strive for in the future.

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Officially, the Magistrum’s training hall was designed to give students a place to practice and refine the skills learned in their studies of magic and martial arts. It was common to see students practice against mechanized training dummies developed by their peers in the Artificers’ Guild, weapons and spellbooks in hand.

Unofficially, it had another purpose, equally well known among the student body. With a state-of-the-art fitness facility, it was a place for people looking to either counter-balance a life of studies with physical exercise, or otherwise hone one’s body when the training fields were closed or otherwise occupied. It was this second purpose that found the muscle-bound tigerkin, Edmund, and his little white rabbitkin roommate Morty walking up to one of the weight benches inside the facility.

“You sure ya wanna lift with me, Morty? I never took ya fer the type.”

“Please, Ed. Just… help me out?”

Taking a deep breath, the bulky cat turned to his partner. “Okay, but start small. I ain’t out to kill ya.”

Listening to the advice of his roommate, the young rabbitkin spent the day learning proper form and breathing, using minimum weight and building up. Days turned into weeks turned into months, and while the rabbitkin dutifully followed the regime laid out for him, his roommate could tell…. From the grimace of his features to the subtle way he hesitated before entering the door to the training hall, Edmund could tell that something was starting to eat away at Mortimer. One day, after they had both taken their turns bathing post-workout, sat next to each other on the sofa in their dorm, both averting their gaze, the bigger of the two broke the ice.

“Morty… Can we talk?”

Again, ever so slightly the rabbitkin twitched his eye, glasses just enough for Edmund to sense it. “Wha… what about, Ed?”

“I know I said I’d be more than happy tah help ya, and I meant it. But I gotta ask, why ya really doing this? Ya hate it, clear as day.”

Though it took mere seconds, between the two of them minutes may as well have gone by. Morty could tell, through the way Edmund’s eyes were moving over his features, that his roommate was scanning him for any hint as to what was going on in his head. Having seen the big cat’s talents firsthand, he knew that there was no way he couldn’t hear his heart pounding out of his chest, nervousness and fear pumping through it as surely as his blood.

All he could do was start crying, right then and there, bolting through the door and running up to the roof before he even realized what he was doing.

“Morty! Hold on! Where ya goin’!?”

Even if one were to ask, it’s doubtful even Mortimer himself could say what possessed him to run as he did. Edmund had never hurt him. He was always sweet and never raised a hand to anyone except in defense of others.

With his magic, it would have been easy for Edmund to simply fly up to the roof through the window, but his intuition told him it would be better to take his time. Whatever was eating away at his roommate needed to get processed before he could do something about it. So rather than run, he took a deep breath and slowly walked up the stairs of their dorm complex. After a few minutes, he caught up to the white rabbit, snot-nosed, tears still running down his face.

“Did something happen, Morty? Someone hurt you?”

It took everything the little bunny had to compose himself.

“N… No, Ed. It’s not that.”

Sitting down on the roof, next crossing his legs, Ed wrapped an arm around his friend.

“Then what’s going on. I won’t get mad, I promise.”

“I… I know, Ed. It’s just… I wanted to get big and tough because I didn’t… Actually, never mind. Forget it.”

With a reassuring smile, Edmund looked to the other student, “C’mon, ya’ll feel better if ya let it out.”

“I didn’t think… you could ever like a little guy like me.”

“Morty?”

“I like you, Ed. A lot. You’re always there for me, no matter how much I mess up. It was stupid to think a guy like you could go for dumb little stick like me.”

“I… didn’t know ya felt that way, Morty.”

Had Mortimer been blessed with the presence of mind to take stock, he might have noticed Edmund start to fidget after hearing his confession, gently touch the back of his own neck, looking down. Were it not for the fur, doubtless the muscular tigerkin’s face would beam bright red from blushing.

“Alright. Guess it’s my turn, now.”

“Ed?”

“Y’know I like being the big guy I am, Morty. I love hittin’ the fitness center, liftin’ heavy. But, a lot of times, even with my talents, it’s hard to figure out whether someone’s into me or just the idea of datin’ a big hunk of meat.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I like you too, man. I wanted to ask. Was clear as day ya couldn’t keep yer eyes off me. But we were good, and I didn’t want to risk it.”

Wiping his face, Mortimer tried to dry his tears, wiping the steam from his hyperventilating breath off his glasses, looking his roommate… partner, square in the eye.

“Do you really like me, Ed? Like, really like me?”

Whatever Edmund said next almost didn’t matter, the smile on his face spoke before he did.

“Yeah. Teach aside, you were the first person who saw me as more than a meathead. Never told ya, but it made me feel good when ya asked me for help studyin’.”

“So, do you want to… try it? Dating a little guy like me?”

Standing up, still wearing that goofy grin, Edmund raised a single fist to his new partner.

“You bet, man! You’re awesome just the way you are. Put’er there!”

With one single fist bump, the two agreed then and there to take their relationship to the next level.