“Get off my bed.”

“No.”

Rufus bared his teeth. “I said, ‘get off,’ for heaven’s sake. Now do as I say.”

Chimchim’s head fell, his eyes two pools of night. “I’m going to sleep on the couch.”

“I don’t care in the slightest. Hence, pup!”

Chimchim narrowed his night-eyes, sulking away. His body moved forward, but his head looked backward, watching Rufus, always watching, glaring until Rufus looked away.

Chimchim leapt onto the crimson couch and settled himself between the back of the couch and a particularly puffy pillow. He shut his eyes and began to hum.

Rufus rolled his eyes. He folded his legs beneath his snout and gave a dramatic “huff.” He looked his reflection from the TV. He could see Chimchim in the TV, watching himself, as always. What a narcissistic little pest, Chimchim was.

“Is your couch comfortable?” Rufus asked.

“What?” Chimchim stood up on the couch.

“Nothing, you pea-brained imbecile.”

“Fine.” Chimchim folded his legs beneath him, sinking back into place. His fur was especially puffy, due to the static.

“You resemble and feather duster,” Rufus said.

“What?”

“Nothing, you moronic ball of lint.”

“Fine!” Chimchim turned so that his head was buried into the cushion of the couch. Rufus imagined that Chimchim was trying to ignore him. He threw back his head and snorted, his elegant ears hitting the side of his neck in the rhythm of laughter.

Chimchim was very still. Rufus closed is eyes, and noticed that the inside of his eyelids seemed especially dark.

Rufus was very cold. He didn’t have Chimchim’s long hair.

He opened his eyes. He looked at Chimchim. Chimchim was very still. He was probably also very warm.

Rufus looked to the left. He looked to the right. He looked at Chimchim, and said, “You can come back here if you want.”

“No. I’m mad at you.”

“Don’t be cross, Chimchim, I was only joking.”

Chimchim turned around and looked at Rufus with his wide eyes. “Really?”

Rufus sighed. “Really.”

Chimchim hopped off of the couch and pranced over to Rufus. “Hoorah!”

“Oh, shut up.”

“What?”

“Nothing, you eternally peeing ignoramus.”

Chimchim settled down beside Rufus, and lay his head beside his canine brother’s. Rufus moved his head away, but kept close enough to feel the warmth of Chimchim’s fur.

It was, after all, rather cold.