FSE

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8.

I like to reserve my profanity for when the situation calls for it.

"Son of a bitch." Not spoken in anger or even surprise, although saying I was surprised would be an understatement. It was spoken with darn near reverence.

"Sorry," Trent apologized for the hundredth time.

"Not swearing at you. The situation." And what a situation. Trent's parent's driveway was longer than the street I grew up on. Winding lazily through a lawn that could have doubled as a golf course to a... a mansion. I wish I could say it's just a big house, but that would be like saying the Mona Lizard was just a drawing.

"We don't have to," Trent offered, also somewhere around the hundredth time.

"No, Trent. We can do this. We're stronger than anything that might happen." I looked from the wrought iron gate to the call box outside my window. "What button do I press to announce us?"

Trent leaned over me, his hand pressing perilously close to my shift - not the car's - as he leaned out my window. I heard three beeps and a chime. The gate opened.

"Wasn't sure I remembered the code. It's one, two, three. Remember it incase you ever need to rescue me."

"If their security code is one, two, three, I hardly think this is the kind of place that requires daring midnight rescues."

Trent's attempt to sneak in undetected was thwarted as we neared the top of the long drive to see three furs having an animated discussion in glow of the garden lights. I looked to my boyfriend but he had his face buried in his hands, pretending to be somewhere else.

My car slowed to a crawl as it inched its way to the three wolves who had stopped their talking to stare at my arrival. It's hard to drive casually, but I gave it my best, one hand resting on the wheel, the other giving the furs an unreturned weak wave.

Hoping to salvage my first impression, I attempted to emulate Trent's full toothed grin that always put me at ease. Oh gods! My reflection in the rearview showed me how horrible of an idea that was. While Trent's smile was cute and disarming, I looked like a lunatic... that was getting ready to bite someone. Think fast, Valmick, I said to myself. Don't be weird.

My car suddenly thumped and lurched as, at our steady pace of two miles per hour, I managed run a front tire over one of the decorative edging stones. I cried out a mournful eeep of surprise at how swiftly I'd managed to make a spectacle of myself. I stopped the car at the top of the drive. The three wolves, rightfully cautious, stepped back in unison. Maybe I could still look like I wasn't raised by ferals.

"Wait there, Trent. I'll get your door." Without giving my boyfriend a chance to object, I dashed out and rounded the car.

To my combined relief and shagrin, the three wolves resumed their bickering rather than gawk at the awkward dragon praying the door handle doesn't break off as he opens it.

"You need to tell him to leave," the older male growled at the smaller one. For a heart stopping instant I thought they were talking about me!

"You said I should invite a friend," the younger male said, clearly confused. "He's a friend."

"I meant a date," hissed the older wolf.

"Oh," the younger wolf said.

The third wolf, or is that wolfess, tried to sooth her obvious mate. "Now, dear, we can't very well throw him out. Sally's in my book club and you've got a golf game with Gabe, Wednesday. He is their son after all."

"Bah!" the older wolf stormed off in a huff.

I managed to wrench the door open, gallantly assisting my thoroughly embarrassed Trent from the car. "Alex!" he greeted warmly the young wolf who still looked to be processing the argument he'd been in. Considerably less warmly Trent greeted the wolfess, "Mom."

I tried to recall what Trent had told me. Was Alex the one who risked getting kicked in the nuts, or was he the quiet one? The wide eyed appraising look and subtle retreat lead me to assume Alex is the quiet one.

"Trent," his mother returned the formal acknowledgment of the other's existence. Then she turned to me. "Valnick, right? The famed dragon who's the reason for this pleasant dinner."

"Val_mick_, actually. 'M,' not 'n.'"

"Yeah," she said dismissively. "You'll have to excuse my mate. He's feeling a little stressed."

"Him and me both, ma'am," I chuckled before deciding I should have not said that out loud.

She smiled in well practiced understanding then turned to Trent. "Did you tell your brother to bring Jody?"

"What!" Trent spun on Alex. "You brought Jody!"

Alex shrank back, but still defiant, "I was told to bring a friend."

Trent looked accusingly at his mother.

"For the sake of even numbers. You know how awkward it is to seat an odd number."

"Who's Jody?" I asked, just to remind the wolves I was still here.

"The fennec I'm about to castrate," Trent said matter of factly.

His mother excused herself with a final warning about not making a scene. At some point Alex had made an escape, as it was now just me and Trent standing on the front steps. My wolf sighed heavily. "How are you holding up, hun? Wanna leave yet?"

What did I want?

Memories of being an only hatchling to a single mother flashed before me. Yes, I was a little overwhelmed but, surprising even to myself, I wanted to experience some of the chaos that spawned my boyfriend.

"Let's see where this goes."

***

I expected Trent's parents to be well off, but it soon became apparent how loosely well off might be interpreted. A uniformed coyote scurried past the archway that lead to the house proper.

"You seriously have servants?"

"No!" Trent was quick to insist. "They're... more like housekeepers and cooks. And none of this is mine, remember."

I was about to tease him some more when the sound of an approaching chaotic stampede caught my attention. Three pups came skidding into the anteroom, one wobbling after sliding on the tiled floor. The pack of small furs came to a sudden stop, gawking openly at me.

They were rather adorable, and adorable furs could get away with flouting common manners. Just ask Trent.

"A dwagon!" peeped the smallest of the three. They weren't pure wolf. The muzzles were stubbier, the tails longer, and mixed in with the standard gray fur were faint watery blotches and stripes.

"Can you breath fire?" asked the tallest.

"Um," I looked to Trent for help, but he was covering his mouth, trying not to burst out laughing. Thanks, Trent. "No. The fire gland has always been a genetic rarity, and even today only a small fraction of draconic scalies inherit that recessive-"

"Can you fwy?" asked the smallest.

"Only if I'm in an airplane." The joke was lost on their young minds.

"Mom says you make kissies with uncle Trent." the middle child said.

"Uh-"

Trent stopped laughing. "Let's find your parents. Ursie! Floyd!" his shout echoed through the halls.

An ocelot with green hair in need of a re-dye came running around the corner. "Trent," he said happily, "you found them." He looked at me and stuck his hand out, shaking mine enthusiastically. He didn't seem to want to let go even as he introduced me to his kids, Xerxes, Xavier, and Xenophon. I had no idea which was which, but Trent later confessed to me that he can't remember their names either and has resorted to addressing them all as lil' fella.

The house was so alive. Even as Floyd chased after the pups muttering about how exhausted he was, it all carried a vibe of energy. I was taken aback at how quiet my own life had been. And I'd never even noticed.

As we made it to the dining room I was gradually introduced to more of the home's occupants. I was trying to make my way to Trent's parents to introduce myself to his father, but kept getting waylaid by Trent's sociable procrastination.

"This is Wes," Trent stood me in front of the biggest wolf I'd ever seen. "Don't let his size fool you, he really is as dumb as he looks."

The massive lupine chuckled affectionately. "Don't make me put you in a headlock in front you your boyfriend, cock-breath." His hand wrapped around mine. "Kinda small for a dragon," he said, managing to state the obvious while edging closer to fulfilling Trent's prediction of him getting kicked in the nuts tonight. "Gotta name?"

"Yes..." I responded eloquently. Ok, I admit, Wes was a little intimidating. But eventually I did remember what they call me. "Valmick. Valmick Fosttorn."

"Cool. I guess you know, as the big brother, I need to issue the requisite warnings about-"

"I'm older than you," Trent growled.

"-not taking advantage of my bro. Obvious threats and intimidation, yada, yada, yada. You get the drift."

I nodded, trying not to swallow loudly. I could tell Wes was harmless, but when a big dark furred wolf is staring down at you, some nervousness can't be escaped. Trent's reciprocated threats on my behalf were interrupted by a shriek that silenced the room.

"Trent!" A sandy colored blur came dashing at us, wrapping my wolf in a warm embrace. "Surprise!"

"Surprises nothing. You came to watch a trainwreck." Trent struggled to pry the excited fennec off.

"Nonsense," a parting squeeze that had Trent's eyes bulging before he let go. "I came to offer you support." Then the short fur looked at me, his ears looked like someone had taken a stapler to them... and a nail gun to his eyebrows. He leered, not at all bothered that it gave me the urge to make sure my fly wasn't down.

In a display of deductive reasoning that even a blind fur could have seen, he smiled and said, "You're not the hugging type, are you?"

"No." I shook my head.

His smile widened. "Too bad. Because I am."

Before I could process that, I was clamped between two surprisingly strong stick-like arms. And still moving too fast for me to decide what would be most appropriate to scream out - either help, or stranger-danger - the hug was over and the fennec stepped back with a self satisfied look.

"I'm Jody!" he declared.

"Hi. I'm Valmick." A hand was thrust in mine and a one sided handshake was administered. I looked at Trent who immediately picked up on my unease.

"Enough, Jody. Go bother someone else," Trent was firm.

The fennec frowned. "If you insist. After party, with me and Alex?"

I'd say I hate feeling like an outsider, or a third wheel, but I have very little experience with anything else, so I stood there, trying to act like I knew what everyone was talking about.

"Stop using Alex."

"I'm not. He said he had to bring a friend for dinner, and I offered." He looked around. "Have you seen him? He keeps disappearing."

I pointed to the quiet wolf peeking from the kitchen doorway, who I rightly assumed to be Alex.

"Thank you, Valmick. We'll talk later. I have many, many stories about Trent to share."

And like the whirlwind that seemed to bring him, he was gone. I took a deep breath, surprised at how exhausting I found social interactions.

"We can leave," Trent said softly, placing a soothing hand on my arm. It was like I was a phone getting plugged into a charger.

"I'm good," I smiled. And I was good, too.

***

I finally got a chance to meet Trent's parents properly when we all took our seats at the long dining table. His mother, who I met briefly outside, was somewhat distant, but I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe parties made her uncomfortable too. Next to her was a distinguished looking wolf, salt and pepper fur, hawty half lidded eyes, and a suit that probably costs more than my entire wardrobe and car combined.

Trent was on edge, his manner more clipped than his normal slacker demeanor. "Mom, Dad. This is Mick. Mick, this is Mom and Dad."

And that was the extent of my introduction. "Uh," I whined quietly as Trent took a seat suspiciously angled to where I was turned into a meat shield. He was apparently more interested in what the centenarian wolfess to his other side was saying than what his parents thought off me.

"I-it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr and Mrs Adlin. A-And you have a lovely home."

Mr Adlin began a snort that was turned into a cough by a sharp elbow from Mrs Adlin.

"No point standing on formality," he said while eyeing his mate and rubbing his side. "Call me Arnold."

"And I'm Chealsy," the wolfess added with her plastic smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," I said again. Oh gods. I'm stuck in a loop.

Arnold sighed, not bothering to hide his annoyance. "So... Chealsy tells me you met Trent on the job."

"Yes, sir. We work in the same office and found we have good chemistry."

A coyote came out of the kitchen pushing a spindly looking cart laden with prepared plates. I tried not to drool as one was set in front of me. "Wow. this looks delicious." The coyote disappeared only to return with a bottle of wine for us, and a tray of sodas for Alex and the pups. I would have asked for the soda too, but I'm the kind of scaly who'd wait patiently for an emergency room receptionist to finish her personal phone call, and then apologize for the blood leaking from my severed leg. Hold on, sir, let me call for a gurney. No, no, ma'am, I can just hop on my remaining leg. So I'll just sip my wine.

Arnold tapped the coyote's arm, motioned around me to Trent and made a slicing motion with his hand. Trent was then given a soda. He started to grumble but stopped as the elderly white wolfess passed a flask to him. She gave me a wink and put her finger to her lips.

Arnold cleared his throat. "Alright, Valmick. You have the same job as Trent, you say?"

"Yes, sir."

"I guess I can see why you drive that car."

The disgust in his voice was barely concealed. I'm proud of that car. "My car runs and I own it fully," I said coolly.

"You miss what I'm getting at," he took a sip of his wine, savouring it. "Trent's never been serious enough about anyone to bring him to meet us."

I wonder why.

Arnold looked me right in the eyes. "If you're going to be seen with Trent, you'll need to drive something less... rustic."

Trent spit out the mouth full of cola and whatever alcohol he'd poured in. "Dad!"

Arnold ignored him, focusing solely on me. "You can see we don't lack for money."

My pulse increased.

Trent began sputtering, "h-h-hey, everyone! I have an announcement!"

Arnold's focus was iron firm. "I'm going to write you a check."

My anger was starting to simmer. "I. Do not. Want. A check."

Trent's hopeless diversion continued in the background. "I've decided to join a doomsday cult!"

"Don't be foolish. You need a car that isn't held together with duct tape."

"My car is fine. Please don't insult it." My voice was a growled whisper, but other than Trent's raving, the room had gotten quiet enough for everyone to hear what I had to say.

"It's a mole-rat cult, so they said I have to shave off my fur, but that's cool, 'cause then we'll all live underground and wait for the big Sky-Bright to die!" Trent was out of his seat, gesticulating wildly.

Arnold reached into his breast pocket, pulling out a folded slip of paper. "Thirty-thousand. Made out to cash." He slid it in front of me.

My anger boiled over. "How dare you!" I shrugged off Trent's hand as it touched my shoulder. "I may not be rich, but I am not a charity case. I came here to meet my boyfriend's family, not be insulted like this." I picked up the check, tearing it in half. "I can't believe you!"

Silence. I realized I was now standing.

Trent's weak voice carried on. "I... have a new name... Brother Dirt-root... underground... shaved..." He slumped back into his seat in defeat.

I was trembling. "Trent. I think I need to leave."

"Wait." Arnold held up his hands. "I apologize. I was an utter ass. Please sit back down."

I hesitated, not sure I could handle much more.

"Please," Arnold repeated. "For Trent's sake?"

I looked at Trent, my breath catching in my throat. His eyes glistened with unshed tears. My legs gave out, dropping me into the chair. What the hell have I done? "I, I am so sorry, Mr Adlin. I really shou-"

"No, no. It was all me. I had to know you weren't using my son for his money. It has happened before, and believe it or not, I do love Trent and I don't want to see anyone break his heart over some easy cash."

I still shook from the unspent adrenaline. "You could have just asked."

"He's my son. I had to be sure."

Try as I might, I couldn't deny the logic. I could deny the heck out of its appropriateness, but the logic was sound. "C-could you excuse me a moment. I think I need some air." I stood, shuffling trance like under thirteen pairs of eyes.

Trent hopped up. "Me too." He guided me through the kitchen, the second the swinging door closed, I could hear the outbursts of more yelling.

The next thing I knew, I was outside. Standing on a darkened stone patio, looking out at the nebulous blob of a tree line, lit only by the full moon. I started to feel myself calm, concentrating on the air as it filled my lungs then puffed out. Ambient sounds began to register again.

A sniffle. Trent was rubbing furiously at his eyes.

"Trent," I let my instincts take over, wrapping my arms around him.

He tried to speak but his voice broke and his message was losted in a sob.

"It's ok, Trent. I'm not leaving."

He cried into my shoulder, I held him through it all. When he was done, he attempted to laugh at the mess he'd left on my shirt.

I kissed him, not caring how sloppy it was. I just wanted him to be happy again.

"I'm sorry," he said, "about my dad. I just can't understand him." He shook his head.

"I can." Trent looked at me, his wet eyes questioning. "What he did, it was..."

"An asshole thing to do," Trent helped out.

"Yeah. It was that. But I think he really did do it because he loves you."

"Oh that is such bul-"

I put my hand over his mouth. "He only wants to be sure you won't get hurt."

"I am hurt!" he shouted. "What kind of a fur does something like that?"

"One who's impulsive," I ran my fingers through his long hair. "Maybe like a fur who would lock someone in a supply closet to prove their affection. Or thinks watching a porno is a good first date move."

He laughed. Music to my ears. "But those schemes worked."

"In a way, so did your dad's." Trent was quiet for a time. "Other than that, I think the evening is going well."

"Really?"

"Yes. It's made him see how much I care about you. So don't worry." I gave him another kiss. That seemed to relax him. It was an odd sensation, being the calm one. Trent made me want to be strong enough to protect him. And if that meant putting up with the only fur in the world who might be more socially inept than me, I could do it. "Let's go back in. I need to smooth things over with your father."

***

It might have been the sip of wine I'd imbibed, but I like to think it was having Trent at my back that gave me the confidence to walk back into the dining room with my head held high.

"Mr Adlin," I said loud and clear, "I apologize for my outburst. I am a guest in your home, and it was inexcusable."

Arnold blinked and cleared his throat. "Oh, uh, think nothing of it." The elder wolfess cleared her throat, louder and more dramatic, spurring him on. "I have been made aware that what I did was tactless, and that I may have come off as... rude."

"I believe the terms we settled on was like a tool, dear."

Arnold sighed. "Thank you, Nana. I may have come off looking like a tool. Sorry."

"Heh. I was afraid I'd be the one making apologies all night. Can we just agree to forgive each other?"

Arnold smiled. "I would like that. I just wasn't expecting Trent to have the sense to date such a respectable scaly. Thanks for proving me wrong."

"And thank you for making me realize how much I love him."

If the room was deathly silent before, it was now a vacuum as thirteen simultaneous gasps sucked in enough air to make my ears pop. A fraction of a second later, I added my own gasp. Oh gods! Future Valmick, if you have ever invented a time machine, show up now and bail me out!

...Still standing there. Thanks for nothing future Valmick.

Damage control. I just confessed my love for Trent while wrapping up an argument with his father, in front of a room full of gawking furs I barely knew.

Fake a heart attack. This was the best I could come up with in the microsecond I had to think. Which side is the heart-

"And I love him," Trent declared. "Promise me you won't try and come between us again."

Arnold rolled his eyes. "I was never trying to come between you two. If anything I was impugning your judgment. But if it makes you happy: I promise not to do it again."

While Trent hesitantly accepted what neither of us are certain was his father's blessing or insult, my mind unfroze. "You love me?"

"I love you," Trent confirmed.

A high pitched sqeee that was only in my upper range of hearing - and had the better hearing wolves wincing - sounded from Jody as he bounced in his seat and shook Alex's arm hard enough to risk adding a dislocated shoulder to the probable hearing loss.

"I love you," I responded, realizing this was the first time I said it to him, not just in reference about him. Though knowing the trouble we had with deciding when we had our first date, I'm sure that milestone moment would be subject to change.

Amidst a chorus of awwws, Wes attempted to balance out his distinctly un-macho adoring grin and misty eyes with a warmly chuckled "Gaaaay." Which was quickly silenced with a smack from his date, who I'd heard referred to at various times this evening as Vicky, Vivien, Vie, and one time, Diana. Whoever she was, I liked her.

Arnold stood, raising his hands for silence. "Alright. Everyone sit. Let's get this all out of our systems before the sweetness in the room gives us diabetes." He picked up his wine, patted his mate on the shoulder and looked at Trent and me, raising his glass. "To love... and the speedy completion of the remodels at the south side location. Installing self-checkouts. Gonna be huge."

The start of yet another round of uncomfortable silence was deftly averted by Trent's kindly and quick thinking nana. "To love and commerce, everyone." she tilted back a strikingly large flask, and we all toasted.

***

The food was absolutely scrumptious. My only complaint was that Arnold and Chealsy seemed to wait for me to have a mouthful before they resumed getting to know me.

"So, what is it exactly that you and Trent do at work?" his mother asked.

I quickly swallowed down a bite of steak, nearly choking at the obscene laugh Trent burst out in.

"Data entry!" I cut off anything Trent was planning to say. "Data entry. We're digitizing the firm's older paper records."

Arnold hummed deep, clearly unimpressed.

"But it was a conscious choice to take a job like that. I needed something that would leave my mind sharp for personal projects. See, my passion is in programming, and right now I'm working on an app that I know is going to open some doors for me."

Arnold's interest was piqued. "What sort of app?"

Trent leaned in. "Dad's going to tell you about the time he missed out on becoming part owner of MyPlace, before it got big."

"That wound is still fresh, Trent," Arnold demonstrated the faux-pout that my wolf inherited and perfected. "But do go on, Valmick."

I told him all about my project. Well, not all about it. Naturally I left out its propensity to suggest illegal activities and its ridiculous working title, Mappy.

"Last week I started working on integrating it with those new self driving cars. Theoretically, my app will be able to work with next generation cars to anticipate where you want to go without being told. Just get in the car, start it, and it'll take you to work, the store, an entertainment venue, all without the driver needing to tell it."

"Wow," said Trent. "It can really do that?"

"I told you about it. He never listens to me," I told his parents affectionately.

Chealsy laughed. "I've been saying that for years."

***

Once they were convinced I wasn't a drug dealer or a sex trafficker, Trent's family really warmed to me. We talked into the night, Arnold dropping not so subtle hints he would be interested in investing in my app. I planed to consider it, but wasn't sure I'd feel right. My app operation was pretty much just me and a computer, I couldn't take money I didn't need.

I received another Jody-hug on the way out, which I was much more prepared for the second time. This time it was broken up by the elderly wolfess, who insisted I call her Nana, too. She took me aside.

"I am so glad Trent's found someone. He's not as invincible as he thinks he is. He'll need someone to watch out for him. Can you do that, sweetheart?"

"I... I'm not all put together myself. But with every fiber of my being, I'll try, ma'am."

She reached up and patted my head. "That's a perfect answer. And it's Nana, not ma'am, Valnick."

"Sorry, Nana," I liked the sound of that. It sounded like family. "Oh, and it's 'mick, not 'nick."

"I know, dear. Annoying, isn't it?" she smiled devilishly and gave me a quick hug. I was getting pretty good at that hug thing.

Trent was already in the car, beeping the horn. I finished my good-byes and got in. "What's the hurry? I think things went well, if you don't count your father needing to make sure I'm not a gold-digger."

"I know. But let's not tempt fate." He motioned me to get driving.

It was dark, but the roads were empty and both headlights were choosing to work. Everything was going so right.

The day's events replayed in my mind. Love. It snuck up on me, like a spider, dangling in the basement doorway. And it felt just as scary. But a good kind of scary. Maybe a better analogy would be waking up to find yourself strapped into a rollercoaster that only went up... Or maybe love can't be explained.

"Hey, Trent. I've got a question."

I looked to find my boyfriend fast asleep, snoring softly, if you listened for it over the metallic grinding of the car.

I'm no philosopher, but if a blank canvas can be considered art, I would take a mental photo of my world right now and call that my definition of love.

End Book One