Rufino & Lyle's Comments

Rufino "started" the freebie bin on his own, but eventually found it a bit lonely and hard to manage by himself. He decided to reach out to his best friend since childhood, Lyle, to join him, and after lots and LOTS of begging (and probably lunch), he agreed. And so the dream team was created, with a happy little bean nut and 2 cool 4 u dude. That's how I picture it anyway.

It's also absolutely my belief that they are those friends that are super gay with each other, but not actually dating.

i always liked to imagine they're a very sweet couple who both came from the same background of being freebies and wanted to give back to the one thing that brought them together: finding a forever home ♥
Rufino has the energy and drive to make things happen, and Lyle has the charm and level-head to keep the work from overwhelming them in the long run.
They probably have a shared hobby of something really niche, like, tea-tasting or baking macarons or something, and it's just one of those things that reminds them how much they love each other~~~~~~~

By Sythrawolf (lemmie know if you'd rather not have this up here- I just wanted to share it! I thought about posting it as a lit but idk how to do that with you as the author so I'm storing it here for now!

He sat their in the little box, outside on the side of the road, at a distance from the forest that seemed just as alien to him as the road that ran before him, huddled up and quiet. It wasn't his fault, that he had been different. Not enough colors, the wrong pelt markings, unlike his siblings who had been what everyone wanted. No, they had all found homes, and he, he had been discarded to this box on the side of the street, where no one stopped to look, and no one cared that he was alone, scared and tired.

Night was coming, and it was marking day two of his isolation from the world. He was to scared to leave that little box, the only comfort he had known, while all his siblings and he had been in it, surrounded by warmth and kin. He was terrified that if he left it, he would lose the only thing he knew, that he understood, and so he stayed, watching as the sun fell behind the trees and cast him in long shadows, that soon engulfed him and the box he curled up in. His little ears twitched, and his tail curled around himself.

With a sigh, and a rumble to his belly he drifted into a fitful sleep. When the sun came, the day would be better, he would hope for the best.

When the sun did rise on him, he tiredly got up and peeked over the box, hearing a scuffling sound, a rumbling growl. Uncertain he looked around, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and spotted..another box? His ears perked and as he watched a set of white ears came up, followed by a growling huff. He blinked again, and after a moment's hesitation..spoke.

 " H-hello?"

The ears stopped, and he trembled a little in anxiety, before a face popped over the side of the box to stare at him. A wolf! He didn't know what to think about him. But he was.. Alone too, in  a box like he was, and before he could decide if he should say anything or not the wolf spoke.

"Hey! Pipsqueak! I could hear your belly growling from over here… "

The fox blinked, that was not..what he had been expecting to happen, in fact that seemed so odd that he just stared at him a bit before he heard the wolf grunt.

".….…"

After a moment the wolf growled and disappeared from sight again, only to reappear shortly after, by tumbling out of the box. He blinked at him again and then watched as the wolf pounced over to him.. And tugged at the box… causing him to tumble right out too. He let out a yip and sprawled out on the ground by the wolfs feet and then looked up at the sudden hand that was offered to him.

He hesitated, and then feeling something other then fear, he took the hand, watching the wolfs face light up with a smile as he said in a cocky tone.

"Im Lyle! My people named me, before they realized I was rowdy…"

His grin was playful and mischievous. As if being discarded didn’t bother him. The fox was in aww, that he was so bold to be able to stand up to that fear of being left behind, and had the courage to get up again.

"You got a name fox?" Lyle asked.

He shook his name.

"N-no…they got rid of me before naming me. "

His ears drooped and he stood up, looking at the other boy with a curious , if cautious hope and smile. It was odd, but the wolf, ah, Lyle, seemed to be thinking before he grinned.

"Okay then.. I'll..name you..Rufino! Yeah. That sounds like a good name for you!"

Lyle grinned at the fox and patted him on the head softly, before speaking up as he heard Rufino's tummy growl again.

"Well, come on Rufi! Let's go find something to eat!"

.…and as time passed they stayed together as fast friends. Always growing and living together. Never abandoning the other, for any one else, and staying close. For, when no one wanted them, they wanted each other. Through the hard times, the fun times.

As time passed, they gathered up anyone they found discarded, just as they had been, and brought them together, finding them a place to go, a home to be a part of, and over time, what became something small, turned into something large, and they helped many to find their way..to never be left out alone as they had been.

A second chance.