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• Part Four -

As we walked in the front door we saw Val sprawled on the living room sofa and Katie sprawled on top of Val, watching the news. They both looked up as we entered.

"So, have a nice evening out you two?" Katie asked regarding us.

"WONDERFUL!" Dorien sang waving at them.

I shrugged, smiling as he hauled me toward the stairs by my belt loops. Val and Katie waved to me as we passed.

"See you in the morning. Have fun. Don't hurt yourselves!" I heard Val's voice as we reached the top of the stairs.

Word spreads fast around here, I thought, suspecting Jenna of having leaked the news of my gift to Val and Katie. We reached the top of the stairs and I waved Dor into our room before heading toward Jenna's door. I knocked, waiting, then hearing her voice, "Come in already, I'm decent."

I pushed the door open seeing Jen sprawled on her bed painting her claws as she watched TV. Seeing me she sat up, I noticed she was wearing a dark green T-shirt that was big on her and a blue pair of men's flannel boxers.

I stared, thinking the shirt looked familiar, realizing it was one of my shirts. One I had been looking for, for weeks.

"Nice shirt..." I commented wryly, looking Jen in the eye.

"Thanks, the boxers are Val's. Anyway, the town drunk is passed out peacefully in the guest room."

I nodded, "Thanks Jen, Dorien and I both appreciate it. Did Val and Katie help you?"

"Hmm?, Oh, yeah, they helped me get Marc out of the car and upstairs. We put his clothes in the laundry, speaking of, we had to barrow a pair of your under shorts Tai. You two are almost the same size and leopard boy was au naturale under his jeans. You should have seen it, Katie nearly died. Poor thing. How a person can live in this household and still keep any semblance of modesty I don't know, but it definitely is good for laughs. After the shock of the sudden free show she went to get a pair of your shorts while Val and I cleaned Marc up.

"We washed his face, hair and body as best we could, then put him in your shorts and dumped him in the guest room. I assume he'll sleep it off but from the smell he was putting off alone, he's gonna have one hell of a hang-over come tomorrow."

I inclined my head agreeing, "I know, but he's having a really rough time, with the pending divorce and all, I don't blame him for getting royally sloshed to forget his troubles. From his situation he may be staying with us for a while."

I looked at Jenna thoughtfully then added, "And no flings, he'll be on the rebound, let someone else catch him."

Jenna looked at me arching her eyebrows and playing innocent. "Who, Me? All right, I'll leave him alone. But if he comes on to me all bets are off. Cousin or no cousin he looks like he stepped out of a magazine."

"I know, but from what I heard earlier tonight you might have a more promising prospect elsewhere." I couldn't resist making her squirm.

"What do you mean by that? Who is it? Start talking fox-lover." Jenna was on her feet walking towards me.

I backed off looking thoughtfully at the ceiling for a moment before answering, "I dunno, you steal my clothes, you..."

"All right, all right, here..." I gaped as Jen started to pull of the T-shirt. I noticed she wasn't wearing a bra and moved to stop her.

"Ah-ha! Whoa, hang on! Not that I don't appreciate the gesture Jen, but I've seen you naked before. It wouldn't be much of a bribe. Especially not with me." I joked.

"Keep the shirt. Dorien and I ran into someone named Thomas after we left Marino's. Evidently he's from one of your classes, and he seems to be very interested in you."

Jenna's brow wrinkled in thought. "Thomas? From school?"

Jenna's ears suddenly stood straight up, her eyes going wide, "Not the black and white stud from Dor and my Art History class? That Thomas?"

I nodded, "Yeah, Thomas, the skunk male from your history class. I guess from the way he talks he's pretty attracted to you. You might have more than a friend on your hands."

Jen flopped down on her bed, flicking her tail, "That little, red furred weasel's been holding out on me! He never mentioned that Thomas had a thing for me. I ought to put his lights out!"

"Did you ever ASK him?" I inquired of Jenna.

She stopped short, looking taken aback, "Wwweeeellll... no." She finally shrugged at me.

"Dor keeps to himself, you know that Jen. He doesn't like to rock the boat. Next time ask him if he knows anything before you threaten to rearrange his face. Especially to his 'significant-other'. You know better."

I chided the calico gently, then relented, "Maybe we can have Thomas over for a nice dinner next week. Why don't you ask him next class."

I saw Jenna's face light up, her ears perking toward me, "Really, you mean it, Tai? Would you cook if we do? You know how much I love it when you cook Szechwan."

I glanced at her, faking considering it, not wanting to cave in right away, "Oh, sure. Why not? Of course I will. Besides Tom seems like a very nice person. It would be terrific if you and he could find common ground and start something. Get you settled down."

Jen stood grabbing me around the neck with her arms, "Thanks Tai, you don't know how much I appreciate it. It really means a lot."

Jen let go of my neck, kissing me on the cheek, then pushing me toward the door. "Go on, I imagine Dorien is waiting patiently to jump your bones. Don't let him get too rough lover-boy. Bite him once for me. Heeeeyyy, you've been working out!"

I started protesting as Jenna grabbed my rump roughly as she prodded me out the door. "Stop that, and I will not. Ow! I'm going! Hey, will you stop that?! Leggo my tail!"

I was finally out the door and watched as Jen stuck her tongue out at me then closed the door. I walked toward the guest room massaging my rear and tail where Jen had fondled me rather roughly. I looked in, stifling a frown as I saw Jenna's use of the phrase dumped wasn't far off from being literal.

Marcello was lying in a heap on the bed, on top of the covers, his hair and the fur on his face still damp from being washed. I saw that his breathing was slow and deep, surmising he was probably just asleep now, rather than passed out. A pair of my boxers were around his waist, crooked, I noticed. I grasped Marc by his shoulders, pulling him upright on the edge of the bed.

His eyes opened a fraction and he smiled slightly, "Charlotte?" He whispered, "That you Hon? Have I been drinking again?"

I smiled woefully, helping him to his feet and adjusting my shorts around his waist before pulling back the bed-covers. I lowered Marc, still partially awake, to the bed and encouraged him to lie down again.

He looked at me again, patting my paws and smiling slightly, "Thanks, Hon."

"Yeah," I said softly, pushing him back till his head rested against the pillows, then drawing the blankets up to his chest. I removed Marc's paws from my arm and placed them across his body.

I watched as his eyes closed once more and his breathing relaxed. I frowned to myself at the wasted individual lying in bed, realizing that Dor and I would have a big case on our hands the next few days helping Marcello adjust and pull through this slump. I turned and started to walk out going past the bathroom when I was struck by a thought. Going into the cluttered bath, strewn about with Jenna's stuff, I withdrew a bottle of aspirin from the medicine cabinet and filled a water glass. Returning both to the night-stand beside Marcello's sleeping form.

I closed the door to the guest room and hurried back to Dorien and my bedroom.

I opened the door starting to enter, "Sorry I was gone so long lover. I was checking on Marcell...Oh." I stopped short as the mellow scent of incense wafted across me. The light in our room was dimmed and I heard the stereo playing my favorite slow jazz CD softly. I spotted Dorien sitting on the bed, getting up as I closed the door behind myself.

"Lock it." was all he said to me as we approached one another.

He was clad in only his shirt from earlier, unbuttoned all the way down exposing his stomach and chest. After I secured the door he took hold of the front of my own shirt, pulling me with him farther into the room. As we slowly walked across the carpet toward the bed Dor was busily undressing me. He was tossing my clothes to the floor, leaving a trail as he pulled me along.

We kissed as he pulled off my shirt, then he pulled me close and let both of us sink to the thick carpeting. I relaxed as I felt him pulling off my shoes and socks, then unhooking my belt and unzipping my slacks he stripped me down to my under-shorts.

"Like I was saying, I was just checking on Marcello, he seems to be sleeping things off pretty good." We spoke between kisses, while we stroked one anothers bodies and hair.

"I know, but you didn't finish what you were saying at the restaurant lover. What was upsetting you?" Dor spoke softly as we embraced on the thick carpeting.

I felt little trembles move up my body as he rubbed my ears coaxingly, "Mmm. Oh, that, nothing, just Marcello was drunk and agitated. Ahhh, ooh. He probably didn't know what he was saying."

I broke seeing the look on Dor's face, "OK, he started coming on to me in the bathroom after I found him. He said he wanted me to fuck him so he could see what it feels like to have sex with another male. He started to grab at me and we struggled a little. He even kissed me before I could stop him. Then when I broke away he laid down on the floor and started to jerk himself off. I tried to get him under control but he came all over himself and me then passed out. I'm sorry Dor, but you know I would never take advantage of you or Marc in that way."

I felt better having got the incident out into the open.

"I know Tai, I could smell him on you when you came out of the bathroom, sweat and alcohol in addition to his musk, but I couldn't smell your mating scent. So I knew you hadn't done anything to him. I trust you Tai and I think Marc will be pretty embarrassed by how he acted. If he even remembers any of it in the morning. Now where were we?" Dor pressed his lips to mine again and then pushed me back against the rug.

"Turn over." he urged me.

I rolled onto my stomach, lying flat to the floor with my legs out straight and my arms spread. As I did so Dor straddled my thighs, then began rubbing my shoulders and neck, pushing my hair out of the way. I sighed, feeling the stress and tension melt out of my back and shoulders as my lover's fingers moved along my body. He focused on the nape of my neck and along my spine, rubbing and kneading with his fingers and paws.

"That feel good?"

I could only purr a response, stretching out as Dorien rubbed the tips of my ears with his fingers. Through the haze of pleasure I noticed that Dor's paws were roving down my body lower and lower, till he reached my lower back and tail. I groaned, little shivers moved up my back and across my shoulders as Dor manipulated the base of my tail then massaged it all the way to the tip and back down again.

I could only rumble, "That is sooooo good love." as Dorien worked.

I felt totally limp. When Dor does this he's got me right where he wants me, I'd probably agree to anything after one of his back-rubs. He knows just what I like, going after my ears, neck and tail, knowing that those are my weak spots. I know in him it's ears, belly and tail, if I rub his belly and tail for him he practically melts in my hands. I have to be careful around Dor's ears though. He's missing part of his left ear, and there's some scarring that still pains him if you put too much pressure on it.

I felt like going to sleep as Dor's paws worked on my lower back, moving and rubbing my fur. Dorien lifted my hips slightly and slipped off my underwear, moving on to massage my rump and tail again. I moaned as I felt Dor's thighs rubbing against my backside, his bushy tail was tickling my calves mercilessly. He leaned forward till he was lying on top my body, his chest against my back. I could feel his sheath lying in the cleft of my rump as Dorien rubbed the nape of my neck again. I sighed as he blew gently into my ear making it twitch.

I felt him pull himself upright then I moved my head to see him reaching into the night-stand next to the bed. I wondered what he might be after when I felt something cold splash across my back, soaking into my fur.

"Ahhh!" I tensed against the sensation, then I heard Dorien's voice, "Oh, Tai! I'm sorry! I didn't realize it was so cold. Here let me help." I felt his paws spreading the slightly thick liquid across my back, working it into my fur and skin.

I smelled the sharp fragrance of cinnamon drift to my nose and realized that Dorien was rubbing some sort of scented fur oil onto me.

"There," he said, "I won't put so much on next time." I felt his paws resume their work on my flesh, working the oil into my skin. Dor was running his paws up and down my tail again and I moaned, pushing my face into the floor.

I was aware of the sensation of the oil being poured lightly onto my ass and Dor's paws moving across my rump and thighs. Without warning he spread my rump and ran an oil-slicked paw up and down the cleft of my back-side, circling the base of my tail with his fingers and massaging the scented oil into my fur with his other paw. I felt his fingers slide into my body, probing my depths.

I inhaled sharply at the sensation, tensing, but I heard Dor, "No, relax. Just relax, and we'll both enjoy this."

He admonished me as I tried to lift my head, gently pushing my muzzle back to the carpet. I heard Dor open the drawer of the night-stand again as he ran a paw up my back, keeping me horizontal. I grunted as his fingers entered me again, working my muscles loose, then withdrew as something new took their place.

I gasped, shuddering as Dorien eased a long smooth object into my back-passage, I recognized it as the vibrator we had bought on a whim a few months back. Dorien pushed me almost to my limit as he impaled me with the long phallus, making me squirm as he twisted it and drew it in and out gently. I yelled out, biting at the carpet as he turned the sex-toy on and heavy vibrations assaulted my insides. He continued to turn it up till I was gasping at him to stop, my body wracking against the throbbing probe inside it.

I called Dor's name and gripped the carpet with both paws, feeling myself getting hard despite my face-down position. Dorien drew the throbbing vibe in and out of my ass slowly and evenly, making me whine and buck against the floor till I couldn't stand it anymore.

"Enough, Gods, enough!" Heaving, I grasped at Dor, who still held me down, feeling the vibrations slowly subside as he switched the vibe off and slid it from by rump.

I rolled over facing my lover who leaned on my chest and licked my face seductively. Dorien leaned back spreading his arms wide showing me his chest and flat stomach, then shrugged his shirt off before straddling my legs once again. I grinned as Dorien starting to stroke my now nearly rock hard erection while fondling his own already swollen cock.

"Feels just about ready to me Love." I couldn't comment, just nod, as I lay there recovering from our heated foreplay.

I braced Dor as he sat up on his haunches and lowered himself onto my waiting cock. He threw his head back, shuddering as my length slowly slid into his warm back-passage. He paused as our bodies came to rest against one another and I was as far up inside him as I could go. I heard him grunting softly as he raised and lowered himself, riding my maleness while we faced each other. I marveled at the silky sensation enveloping my erection as Dor rode me hard. My lover's eyes were closed, and he was biting his lower lip as he ground his hips into me, paws balled on either side of my chest, gripping my fur with his fingers.

I used my own paws to stroke his cock gently, making him whine softly as he bucked up and down on top of me. I retrieved the discarded vibe and switched it on applying the tip to Dorien's balls hearing him gasp as I moved it up and down the length of his erection. I increased the speed of the vibrations and used the tip of the phallus to press against Dorien's nipples. I laughed softly as he squirmed then ducked his head and bit at me, I felt his teeth graze the skin of my paw and then of my arm and growled despite myself. Dorien really knows how to push buttons in me after all these years.

I let my arm fall back then lifted my chin exposing my neck to Dorien, who leaned forward, licking the side of my throat. I yelped as Dorien growled and sank his teeth into the skin on the side of my throat, holding me like that and increasing the intensity of his thrusts as he rode me. I gripped at Dorien's arms, then back as he kept biting me. I gasped for air, feeling myself cumming. My lover felt the beginnings of my orgasm and bit me even harder making me cry out from pain as much as pleasure.

Dor stopped riding me as I came and I felt his rump muscles squeezing my cock. I cried out again as the pain from my neck combined with my orgasm swamped my senses. I grasped Dorien by the shoulders and thrust my hips against him as hard as I could, spending myself entirely inside him. Dor cried out suddenly, releasing the grip on my neck and shying away from my left paw. I started, gasping, as I realized that as I had grasped Dor's arm my claws had extended reflexively, slicing into the skin on his shoulder.

I started to get up to see if he was all right but Dor panted at me pushing me back down, "NO! No, no, please. I'm fine. Just don't_ stop_ now, please."

I pulled my paw away from his back, seeing red on the tips of my claws. I realized that I had injured Dorien more than he was letting on. Thinking quickly I grabbed my shirt, the only cloth within arms reach, and laid it over his shoulder pressing my hand against the material and holding it there.

"Yes, oh Tai, Yes," I realized that Dorien must be near his own climax, jerking himself off as he still rode my cock.

Keeping the shirt still on his shoulder with one paw I reached up, stroking Dorien's ears gently and rubbing his neck, feeling him respond to my touches, calling my name softly. I felt Dorien stiffen and swear softly as he came on me, the warm slipperiness coating my stomach as semen squirted out of his body.

Dor collapsed onto me kissing my face and licking my neck, "That was soooooo good Tai. I love you so much. I don't know what I'd do without you. God, I love you so much it hurts!"

Dor pressed his face against my neck and I felt his body heave softly. He sniffled quietly stroking my face and ears.

"Dorien? What's the matter? What's wrong?"

I was puzzled at his tears splashing against my muzzle as he raised his head, "I don't know I'm just so happy, and I feel so good. I don't know what I'd do without you."

I smiled, "I love you too. You make me so happy." I stroked Dorien's hair pulling his head to rest against the crook of my neck and shoulder.

We both lay there for a few moments, recovering, before I shifted against Dor, "C'mon, let's get cleaned up a little and check on your shoulder." We stood up walking to the bathroom. I still held my shirt against Dor's shoulder, noticing the material was dark around where I held my paw. I had Dorien sit down on the toilet with his back to the light as I peeled my shirt away from where I had scratched him.

"OK, I'm going to take the shirt away, just stop me if it hurts."

He nodded holding my other paw tightly as I slowly peeled back the bloody material. I heard Dor inhale between his teeth and stopped, but he shook his head indicating that I should continue. After I had the shirt off the wound I looked at it. I saw that there four thin cuts, each about an inch and a half long along the back of Dor's right shoulder. I appraised them, swabbing the area with a warm wash-cloth to clean away the blood.

"Well?" Dor asked turning his head to regard me.

"Not too bad, just a couple of little cuts, should be better with some antiseptic and a little salve. We've done worse to each other."

"Good." he said, "Want to help me clean off?"

I nodded and Dor pulled me toward the shower with a giggle. "No sex now, I want to bathe because of mating not mate because of bathing. Lover, think of your shoulder!"

I protested as we turned the shower on and stepped in, Dor kissed me hard. "You're no fun. But I want you to help me wash anyway."

I obliged, adjusting the shower head to a soft jet so Dor could stand beneath it and let the water run across his shoulder. I took a bar of mild scented soap from the dish beside the shower and rubbed it between my paws, creating a thick lather.

"This may sting a little," I warned Dorien before I applied the soap to his back working it into the cuts on his shoulder before the water washed it away. I washed the rest of Dor's body slowly and methodically, massaging his chest and back softly as I worked.

I soaped his rump, crotch and chest, rinsing him then working on his tail. I looked up as Dor gripped my own tail between his teeth tugging gently at it and smiling at me. I thought quickly, "Oh... All right. What the Hell. Why not?"

I stood facing Dorien then turned in the shower spreading my rump, bending down while holding my tail high in the air, I felt the water running down my face as I stood facing the shower wall, waiting. Dorien ran a soap laden hand between my thighs and up my backside before entering me quickly.

Dorien gripped my hips, not wasting any time, pumping away. Then reaching around my waist, Dor grasped my shaft, jerking me off as he humped me from behind. We both came quickly. Dorien pulled out of me as he orgasmed, cumming on my back-side and watching as his semen got washed out of my fur by the torrent of water emanating from the shower head. Dor gripped me hard as I came, he held his other paw cupped beneath the pulsing head of my cock, catching my seed as it spurted out. I panted as Dorien licked his paw clean slowly, then kissed me.

We both finished washing each other and shook the excess water from our fur then stepped out onto the rug. We toweled each other dry, I was careful to avoid the scratches on Dor's shoulder, finally blotting the area dry with my towel when we were nearly done. We were both drying quickly so we opted to just let our bodies dry naturally without the help of our hairdryer.

I sometimes envy Robert and Katie, humans are so much more 'wash and wear' than those of us with fur. They don't have to bother with the towels, brushes and dryers to the extent we do. One of the upshots of Dor and I both having fur and bathing so often is that the shower is one of our favorite mating areas. Personally, I think it's the feel of the water. I made Dorien sit on the edge of the commode once again as I tended to his shoulder.

Band-Aids are a walking nightmare for morphs such as Dorien and myself. Humans think it hurts with just a few stray hairs. All I can say is take a piece of adhesive tape, put it over an eyebrow, leave it there for a few hours, then yank hard against the direction of the hairs. That about equates the feeling of a Band-Aid on a furry body. Yeah, I believe the phrase you're searching for is, Eeeyyyyeeeaaaaahhhhhh!!! Kind of like slamming your hand in a sliding glass door a couple times.

Opening the medicine chest I extracted a tube of good antibiotic ointment, a cotton pad and a roll of gauze bandage. Dor fidgeted as I applied the ointment and then placed the pad over the cuts. I finished by securing the cotton in place, wrapping the gauze bandage around his shoulder and tying it off. I made Dor flex experimentally a few times to make sure my handiwork would stay put when he moved. I cut him loose when I was finally satisfied that no amount of motion would cause the bandages to come free.

I dressed Dor in my robe that was hanging on the back of the door and to his delight, hefted him into the air in my arms. He laughed, hugging my neck as I carried him with some effort back into the bedroom, then collapsed with him onto the sofa.

"So?" I asked Dor shifting our weight on the sofa, "What do you want to do now, TV? Watch a movie? What? Your choice."

I looked at my lover's face as he pondered the question, thoughtfully.

"Well, I have been meaning to show you that new book I bought last week."

I nodded as Dorien got up and walked to the book shelf over our computer. He came back with a large, hard-cover book, then sat in my lap once again after turning on a nearby lamp. I looked over his shoulder, careful not to put too much pressure on his bandaged arm.

Dor was smiling brightly at me, "It's wonderful, Jenna showed it to me when we were at the mall, just had to have it."

I looked at the pages. The book show-cased various works of art from around the world, paintings, sculptures, tapestries and photographs. I recognized a few of the major works of art and some of the minor ones as Dor flipped through the thick book. He rattled off various pieces to me, telling me what they were, when they were made and who created them. Together Dorien and I share the arts and sciences, Dor is an Advanced Art major with a minor in Music and I'm a Biology major focusing on Environmental Sciences.

We each try to teach the other about our fields, every so often not very successfully. I am content to look at and appreciate art, while I don't have much recall for what it is or who did it. Dorien is often the type of person who doesn't wonder how things work, merely happily accepts that they do. He tries to acquaint me with the great artists and musicians of the world and I try to acquaint him with the world and how some of it operates. As I said it doesn't always work.

Dor's been blessed with an almost eidetic memory for dates, people and things and a free spirit. While I've been instilled with a scientist's philosophy and a realist/rationalist's point-of-view, I'm not a cynic or a pessimist, more sort of a pragmatist. Understandably sometimes there's a little friction.

A memory flooded my mind while we were perusing the book, discussing a later work of Van Gogh, and I laughed despite myself.

Dor turned, brow raised, "What's so funny about that?"

I looked at Dor, startled momentarily out of my remembrance, "What, I'm sorry, what did you say, Love?"

The quirk in Dor's brow increased even more, "I asked what's so funny about a man cutting off one of his own ears then shooting himself in the head after going horribly insane from syphilis?"

I chuckled again, "That's not what I meant, I'm sorry. I was just thinking about something else for a moment that's all."

"Thinking about what?" Dorien leaned against me as we both reclined on the sofa.

"I was just thinking back to when I used to help you with your studies when we were in high-school. This brings back almost that same feeling."

I ruffled Dorien's hair, pulling it back from out of his eyes and tucking it behind his ears.

Dorien laughed, softly putting his paws flat on my bare chest, smoothing my fur, "I know, you helped me so much back then. You nearly failed your own courses so I could pass. I loved you so much back then for that and even more now, I think."

I remembered Dor's first few months after staying in the hospital, he was muddled sometimes, not thinking or acting straight (you know what I mean!), forgetting things or places. He often had bouts of dizziness, and headaches. The doctors had explained that it was one of the long-term side effects of Dor's head injuries and new glasses, which put strain on his eyes.

We found out that the results of the head injuries were more severe than those of his glasses. Dor had received a hairline skull fracture and a very severe concussion. The damage done wasn't without some lasting side effects, including the dizziness and short-term memory loss. Dorien had always had problems in school, ever since I had known him. I had suspected that nearly non-existent self-esteem stemming from his abuse at home, and poor eyesight had caused most of his difficulties.

After coming to live with my family, my parents, both professors at the local college at the time, had helped Dor to grow and expand without fear of being stifled or browbeat for mistakes or difficulties. As educators they understood how difficult a time he was having and did their best to help him. One of the ways they had thought of that really helped Dor was to have him read to me from a chosen text, usually a textbook, educational literature, or some literary classic.

Oddly enough both Dor and myself still have a taste for Johnathan Swift and Walt Whitman to this day. 'Gulliver's Travels' and 'Leaves of Grass' are centerpieces of our personal library. They had chosen me as the person Dor would open up to most and feel the least embarrassment with. This daily activity had helped Dor re-learn many of the things that his abusive life and injuries had robbed him of. His self-esteem got better as he got used to reading aloud and forming his own opinions about the texts he read.

He learned to focus, make mistakes, and defend his feelings without fearing violent reprimand. In those days if you could get Dor to look you in the eyes while you talked to him it was a major accomplishment. Dorien and I had worked for months just getting him to express an honest opinion without getting upset or worried about hurting someone else's feelings.

After a time Dorien had come to love the visual arts and music, and 'our' parents had immersed him in them. They had bought him books on the subject, as well as taking us to museum after museum and many concerts, recitals and plays. We had seen that he had developed a real skill at reciting poems or identifying a piece of art or musical score. My parents had even gone so far as to purchase several canvases, loads of paint and other art supplies transforming our enclosed patio into a functioning art studio.

Dorien and I had spent countless hours there, I was usually either modeling or critiquing. For someone who has never exhibited or sold any of his work Dorien is one of the best artists I've ever seen. His last sculpting professor went so far as to ask Dor to do a special piece for her house after seeing his final project. His project had been a small statue of a disrobed male and female embracing one another. Jenna and I had been the models and we haven't looked at each other the same since.

His choice for the professor's piece had been me in a seated position. I had seen it after he was done and it was really spectacular. It had taken nearly a week of careful sculpting and finishing and the professor had paid generously in return for it. That was the only commissioned piece of work that Dorien has ever done although I encourage him to every so often.

Dorien's art class this semester in addition to the Art History class was an advanced painting class.

Dorien looked at me suddenly, "All this talk about art reminds me, Tai. You promised to help me with my painting project tomorrow, remember?"

I nodded, "Yeah, I remember. What's it going to be this time?"

Dor reclined against me, "I thought about a nice soft water-color, maybe a Native American themed portrait of you. That would be a nice touch, my last painting of you was a near-nude, I thought you might like to go with a costume this time."

I rolled my eyes, "How could I forget your last painting of me. Mom still has it hanging in the hall at home. Did you really have to give it to them as a Christmas gift? They have enough naked pictures of me from when I was little, I don't need them giving a free show of me to everyone being that I'm more anatomically correct now that I'm older."

Dorien frowned at my protesting, "Oh, Tai, stop. They loved it. You're so good looking in the painting, and besides, you weren't completely exposed. Your hips were turned away and there was the sheet. You're making a fuss over nothing. Besides what do I need with the portrait? I've got the real thing."

I nodded, grudgingly agreeing, "So when you say Native American theme, what do you mean? Like buck-skins and beads, that sort of thing?"

I looked Dor in the eye seeing him nod, "Mm-Hmm, I borrowed a pair of leggings from Diana in the Drama Department, and I picked up a cotton head-band and patterned blanket. I thought I could do your hair in a braided or parted style and have you sit on the blanket for the painting, it'll be great."

I nodded again, this time somewhat skeptically. I almost always dread Dor's bursts of creative genius. They usually end up being embarrassing for me. I supposed that I would have to wait till morning to find out.

"Come here a minute Tai."

I cringed, then again maybe not. Dorien seized me by the arm hauling me toward the mirror.

Once we were there he had started playing with my hair, twisting, pushing and braiding it here and there. Dor left my side once, returning with a brightly colored headband, a few leather thongs and a handful of thin woven cords. I suffered through what seemed an endless session of hair manipulation before Dor finally stepped back pronouncing, "There, perfect."

I looked up seeing my reflection in the mirror and felt my ears pivot back, flattening against my head despite myself. I saw the garish cloth around my forehead, tied at the back of my head and draped along my neck. My bangs were free, hanging over the headband while the rest of my hair had been divided into two bundles situated on either side of my face bound by the thongs and cords. The thick ropes of my hair hung down brushing my chest, their length bound by the cords except for the last six inches, which bristled slightly.

I looked like I had two monstrous paintbrushes hanging on either side of my head. Dorien didn't seem to notice my indifference as he rummaged in a bag he had retrieved from near the door. He stood with two feathers in his paw, one pure white, the other spotted brown and white, like an owl feather.

"Is this really necessary?" I asked.

Dor only nodded using a few of the cords to secure the feathers into my hair, one each on both of the pigtails. I looked in the mirror again, turning my head to appraise my new hairstyle.

I grinned, unable to resist the thoughts coming to me, "Where's Kevin Costner when I need him? I look like I'm at the casting call for the sequel to Dances with Wolves."

I jumped, losing my breath, as a quick jab from Dor's paw connected with my ribs, "Don't make fun! This portrait will look incredible when it's finished, just wait."

"I suppose so love, I trust you not to make a fool of me. Now get this stuff out of my hair. I don't plan on sleeping this way."

I helped Dorien to remove the feathers and braids, watching as he packed all of it away, no doubt making a mental picture of how it had looked as he worked at restoring me to normal. As he finished I got up and went to our dresser, drawing out both of our sleeping clothes. I slipped on my own clothes tossing Dor's to him then helping him to put them on over his bandaged shoulder.

Dor sleeps in a pair of old flannel shorts I had given him and a tank top. Both are loose on him and comfortable with the bandage on his shoulder. I sleep in a pair of pajama bottoms only, I usually sleep shirtless or with a sleeveless shirt on if it gets cold enough. I looked at the clock yawning, it was nearly 12:00. I moved around the room collecting our abandoned clothes from earlier, dumping them unceremoniously into the hamper. I thought to myself that we needed to do laundry the next day.

I heard Dorien's voice from the bed, "Tai, come to bed, we'll do that tomorrow."

Fatigue was creeping into his voice, I guessed that he was as tired as I was. I crossed the room slowly, feeling the need for sleep invading my muscles.

"Coming," I drew back the covers on my side of the bed and lowered myself to the mattress, groaning as my ankle cracked loudly when I leaned on it getting into bed. I moved myself, pulling the covers over my legs and stomach, shifting my tail out from underneath myself where it had become lodged.

I found myself looking into the tired eyes of my lover as I leaned back against the pillows. Dorien smiled at me, shifting himself over to lay against me. He put his head on my neck and grasped my paw in his. I looked at our paws, both of us still had on our new rings and they glinted in the subdued light of the small bedside lamp. I shifted my head looking down at Dorien's face.

As I did so he looked up moving his face closer to mine and kissing me. I returned the kiss, reaching up to turn off the light, plunging our room into dimness, lit only by the blue glow of the digital clock on the headboard and a small wall light in the bathroom.

I relaxed closing my eyes, "Good-night Dor, I Love You."

I felt Dor's head stir against my neck and shoulder, "I Love You too Tai, see you in the morning."

Dorien's paw relaxed in mine, and I could feel his even breathing stirring the fur on my neck and upper chest as I drifted off to sleep.

• End Part Four -