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Welcome back, my lovely reader~

Did you know I wrote this over a week ago?

That's right, being a writer is my dream job but it has full-time hours and doesn't pay the bills. I want to keep writing these stories for everyone to enjoy and your support on Patreon or Ko-Fi helps make that happen. Supporters even get to see stories a week early to avoid all that pesky waiting. I also appreciate non-financial support like faving, voting, and following me here or on Twitter. Thank you so much for your continued support! Please enjoy the episode.

And with that out of the way...

Welcome back, my lovely reader!

I hope you're ready for some drama, my lovely! This episode is gonna have it in spades and then some!

We're gonna see a few familiar faces, both from past L&L and Guarded again, okay well it'll just be that jerk-goat Jacob, but whatever! We'll also be hearing from everyone's favorite mysterious informant and that one fox whom I hold oh so dear to my heart!

Not to worry, I won't leave you with just drama, there'll be some fun too! In all these new changes for our lovely couples, wouldn't it be nice to let them get back to basics, back to just some quality time with one another as well?

Let's jump right in!

--*--

Episode 7:

Welcome To The Family

"Oh, my, gods... is it finally done?" Ivory hissed out while putting her paws on her hips and looking at Bianca.

She snorted back at the calico and gave a nod. "I am satisfied with these songs, yes. We will let the sound producer and engineer work their magic, but I feel we have reached your current limits."

Karen tilted her head curiously at that. "What do you mean, current limits, Bianca?"

Bianca tapped her own chin in thought before flourishing a paw towards the rabbit. "You are a fighter, you surely realize, it takes time to instill more knowledge, experience, skill... a bodybuilder can not just become massive overnight. It is the same with this my coniglia! Singing, performing, living this life, it will all take time. When you come in to make your next album together, you will be so far beyond this level, I know this!"

"Oh, gods... Don't even talk about that right now, I don't want to even think about the next one." Ivory hissed out with a groan.

"Hey, making another album would be a very good thing," Joseph hummed as he looked over the tablet he had in his paws. "Bianca, the label is chomping at the bit since it's been a few weeks, can I get an ETA on the production?"

Bianca gave a snort and then shrugged. "It is not a fast process, my volpe, perhaps... two weeks, more than likely three."

"So I can at least get a few weeks out of my season-long vacation? How lovely." Ivory rolled her eyes with another hiss.

"Yeah about that..." Joseph gave a little bark of a laugh as he rubbed the back of his head, seeing his wife glare daggers at him.

Crystal cleared her throat, playing wingman for the fox so he wouldn't suffer the brunt of his wife's diva-rage. "Ivory, we've got you and Karen scheduled with instructors with the studio to work on choreography and the like. It's not just enough to sing you-"

"I know how it works on stage!" Ivory snarled at the other cat with a glare.

Crystal returned her glare and pushed her glasses up on her snout, the lights from the recording studio glinting off them. "Well, Karen doesn't, and you two are a team, so you endure it with her. Once they approve the album we may be on the road touring before it's even finished yet."

"Ivory, sorry you're having to work harder for me, but you know I appreciate all your love and support." Karen moved to grip the other idol's paw, offering her a small smile as she squeezed it.

"Hmph... good thing I love you, yes it is fine." Ivory poked her nose up with a huff.

"Now you are starting to sound like me, my gattina!" Bianca gave a laugh and then looked to the two managers. "I will have a digital copy to you for the labels confirmation before the day is out."

"You get all that, handsome?" Crystal looked over her shoulder to the wolf that towered over them all but Bianca.

"Yeah, I've got an update already out to John and Jacob, as well as the scheduled times for the lessons ready for the girls." Isaac gave a nod as he scrolled through a few screens on his own tablet he sported. Joseph wanted him to have a more paws-on approach with things, not just security, so he started helping the managers with logistics.

So it went, and a few days later the album was ready to go in earnest. Joseph was sitting at his laptop with a frown as the call connected, it was just Jacob this time, since he was the one that would give the go-ahead.

The goat looked a little more introspective this time as he drummed his fingers on the desk, as if chewing on his words. Finally, Ivory hissed out over her husband's shoulder at the VP, "Jake, as a performer, I can appreciate suspense, but this is a bit much!"

He looked back at the camera and frowned. "Right, apologies, I just had a very pissed-off wolf in my office and I wasn't sure if I was leaving in one piece."

"Wha? You mean you actually have people that want to kick your ass, Jacob? With your sparkling, award-winning personality?" Crystal drolled out from behind Joseph, Ivory and Karen giggling next to the fox.

Jacob scowled at that but then folded his hands on the desk before sighing out, "I'll admit it now, this is an excellent album, certainly leagues better than your first one, Ivory."

"Yeah, well, she's a pain in the tail, but Bianca really is the best, you know?" She purred and smirked at the camera.

The VP nodded at her words then quirked a brow. "Alright, I think we can run with this, I'll ask as a courtesy, you sure about this, Mrs. Convel? No going back once you sign that contract."

"If Ivory is at my side, I can take on the world, especially with my dogs and best friend to boot!" Karen offered a cocky grin, Joseph giving an awkward smile of his own at being called hers, his tail wagging behind him.

Jacob gave a roll of his eyes but then offered a smirk. "Alright, Mocha. I'll send over the contracts. Once you guys make it to this side of the country, I'll officially shake your paw and welcome you."

"Thank you!" Karen squeaked out, feeling the nerves fully settle on her, clinging to Joseph's shoulder harder, the fox just offering a wincing grin at her.

"Joseph, you've got your work cut out for you, not sure if I should envy you having those two clinging to you or pity you." Jacob scoffed, then folded his hands on his desk, quirking a brow. "Are you already working on show planning?"

"Yes, Jake. Bianca predicts two to three weeks before the album is finished, so I figured that'd give the girls three weeks to-"

"I'll be sending you a proposed venue map and get on our advertising department. Have your performance sorted out in two weeks, your first show will be shortly after." The VP spoke out cooly, the small group on the other end of the video all looking shocked.

"Now hold your damn horses, Jake!" Ivory snarled out as she jabbed a padded-finger at the screen.

"You want to be the best? You get out there and you push your album before it's even off the presses or in the digital marketplace. Smaller and bigger names than you have had to hustle to make it."

Joseph perked his own ears as he spoke out, "Yeah, but-"

"But nothing, get that contract signed if you're still doing this, Mocha, then you and your girlfriend get your tails to work, you've got two weeks." The Vice President of the label spoke out calmly, then the video call ended.

"Son of a bitch..." Ivory snarled.

"I think I know what he's doing," Crystal spoke out conversationally.

"Being a dickhead?" Joseph grumbled back towards her over his shoulder.

The persian smirked at that and shook her head. "Well, yeah that too. However, I think he did this to rattle you, Karen."

"Rattle me?" She stood up and turned her full attention to one of her oldest friends and now manager.

Crystal nodded as she tapped her padded-forefinger on the rim of her glasses. "Yes. I've done my own research into this, and these two have told you how rough the lifestyle can be. I think he threw this gauntlet down to give you an idea of what awaited you, to give you a chance to back out before you signed on the dotted line as it were."

"Huh... well, he doesn't know me and how I deal with adversity, does he?" The rabbit offered the cat a challenging grin, her tail flicking behind her as she rested a paw on her hip.

"Or he looked into you and does know, so he's counting on it." Crystal shrugged. "Anyway, this is where we are, it's a good thing the planning has already been sorted."

"Yeah, good thing..." Ivory hissed as she rolled her eyes.

"C'mon, baby... once we're trapped on the bus for days at a time, you'll be wishing you could go do stuff like this, right? Let's make the most of it!" Joseph barked out optimistically.

Ivory hissed out and folded her arms. "Your optimism is cute and infuriating all at once, love." She sighed and shook her head before offering a smile to her husband. "I have a feeling I'll be wishing to be on a beach or lounging watching a movie at home, but I get what you're saying."

"This is still so unreal... how did it come to this? How am I going from just being a bondsman to an idol?" Karen shivered as she felt it all starting to settle, all the lines converging to this single point.

"It's not what you know, but whom you know, isn't that the old saying?" Crystal pushed her glasses up as she looked to the rabbit and gently rested a paw on her shoulder. "Karen, we rarely get what we deserve in life, so here you are, you've been through some mess that I'm fully aware of, so just focus on yourself for a bit, then when you make it, use that influence to get your story out there, you know?"

Her green eyes sharped as she nodded to Crystal, resolve settling into her face. "Y-You... you're right, Crystal. I don't deserve any of this, but if I can use it to save even one girl from having to go through what I did, it's worth all the work."

The four of them grew quiet for a few moments before Ivory clicked her tongue and spoke, "Wow... most people would celebrate with drinks or something, we got all heavy? This is gonna be a fun tour."

Karen offered her girlfriend a smirk and then playfully shoved her paw against the cat's shoulder. "Come on, you know I won't be all doom and gloom, besides, Crystal brought it up, she's the one going all emotional."

The persian perked her ears and hissed out, "Hey, I was just trying to motivate you!"

"Yes, I'm teasing you, Crystal." Karen grinned at her and flicked her tail a few times.

"Well, I do think a celebration is in order all the same. Why don't we go tell Isaac, then all of us can go have a nice dinner and a few drinks. We'll even invite Bianca!" Joseph barked out cheerfully.

"Ugh... haven't I seen that cow enough?" Ivory groaned.

"Be nice, my kitty, you know Bianca worked very hard as well, far beyond her pay for us." Karen linked an arm with the fussy cat's.

"I know, I know! Fine, but I want sushi, a nice place, not some conveyor belt one!" The idol barked the demands out expectantly.

"Only the best for, my wife," Joseph responded dutifully as he started looking through his phone. "Crystal, will you wrangle Isaac and Bianca while I sort out a place?"

Crystal offered the young fox a grin, enjoying watching his confidence grow as it had the last few days. "Sure thing, boss."

--*--

"It is rare that I am invited to the celebratory antics, I am moved that you all thought of me," Bianca spoke out with a haughty laugh as she poured herself another cup of sake.

"Oh gee, I wonder why," Ivory drolled out as she sipped on her own sake before picking up the chopsticks and plucking another piece of sushi off the plate before her.

"We know how much more effort you put into this, Bianca. We're grateful, even if my lover is being a fussy ass." Karen smiled over at Bianca while seated next to Isaac.

"You even helped me knock the rust off my drum skills, maybe I'll practice on the tour and see about joining the band next go around!" Isaac gave his own bark of a laugh, sipping on water, no sake before him since he was driving.

"You haul a drum kit onto my bus, I'll toss you out on the interstate, wolf!" Ivory mewed out playfully as she pointed her chopsticks at him with a grin.

"Wait, uh... I suppose that's a good question, would we all just... share one bus?" Karen tilted her head curiously.

"Hey, why don't you guys sort that when I and Bianca aren't around, it's personal stuff and right now we're celebrating as a team, yeah?" Crystal retorted to her question rather quickly.

The two couples shared looks like it was indeed something that needed to be hashed out, assumptions having been made all around.

"So... you have any last-minute plans you will squeeze in while you practice the performance?" Bianca spoke out conversationally.

"I'd like to at least spend a full day with my mother before I go, she really missed me on the first tour since I'd never been away from her for so long," Joseph responded as he plucked another piece of sushi up, but then deftly offered it to his wife. Ivory gave him an approving grin before snapping the piece up.

"I'll need to reach out to Keys, let them know we're out of the biz for at least the rest of the year." Isaac gave his own nod.

"Aren't you guys one of his best teams?" Ivory asked curiously.

"His?" Karen tilted her head.

"Uh... I assumed Keys was a guy, are they not?" Ivory tilted her own head.

Isaac put his paw under his jaw, rubbing it in thought. "I don't know... I've worked with Keys, for years now. They never volunteered it and they kind of just have one of those voices on the phone that could go either way. I'm not even sure what species, Keys is, if I'm being truthful."

Joseph shook his own head before raising a finger, "Well, if Keys wanted any of those details made known, they'd have done it. All I know is they've gone above and beyond for my whole family, multiple times."

"Family, huh?" Isaac looked around before giving a nod. "Well, it's whatever. Keys is just Keys, and I consider them a dear friend. I'll miss not working with them though."

"So, ask to call them as a friend from time to time?" Crystal spoke up, obviously having no inkling of what the conversation really entailed, but knowing the informant by name from the stories she'd heard.

"I'm not sure if that's something Keys would even want, Crystal." Karen frowned.

"It sounds complicated, but all one can do is try, yes? Tell your mysterious friend you will miss them, you would like to call them some time, then let it rest. If they do not wish this, you respect that, and you reach out to them when the need arises in business only." Bianca drank down another cup of sake after speaking, then sighed at the obvious burn.

"I also wouldn't mind seeing Josie before we get back on the road, she's scary but quite a sweetheart!" Ivory purred as she spoke, directing the conversation away to something else.

"Hey! You guys should come to meet her too!" Joseph barked out to Karen and Isaac. The rabbit and wolf looked shocked at the casual invite to meet the fox's mother.

Crystal sighed and rubbed at her head. "You guys just can't keep the personal stuff out of the festivities, can you?"

"It is simply a show of how deep their bonds are." Bianca offered the other manager a grin.

Joseph rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry about that, uh... Bianca, what are you going to do now?"

The bovine woman snorted as she looked the five of them over. "After all the energy I have expended upon you lot? I will take a season to return to my home country, relax and recharge."

"Must be nice, I think I got maybe a week out of my season off." Ivory snorted out while looking at Joseph with her sharp blue eyes, then down at his plate of sushi before returning to his gaze. The fox didn't miss a beat and quickly plucked a new piece up to offer to his wife.

"Rest when you are older like me, my gattina. For now, you are young, you should work hard for yourself and your family! Also, you invited your coniglia and lupa into the mix, this was one of the prices you paid for it, they needed the extra time, as you did when you first came to me!" Bianca called out with another laugh as the idol snapped up the offering of sushi her husband gave her, her blue eyes looking irritated at the commentary but didn't argue.

"Thanks for everything you've done for me and Karen, Ivory," Isaac offered her a small smile that made the cat's heart flutter, reminding her that she knew they were both hers now, just like Joseph was. She closed her eyes and smiled, giving a nod, accepting it was a small price to pay.

--*--

The line rang two and a half times as it always did before it connected. "Isaac, I can tell by the movement of your cell phone location and the echo I'm on speaker in your car, what do you need?"

"Hey, Keys, how you doing?" He barked out casually, Karen grinning next to him as they drove. It was just the two of them and was a few days after the contract had been signed.

"Hey, Keys! It's just the two of us in the car, no one else around!" Karen also called out.

"Hmph... How am I doing? And hello to you as well, Karen." Keys sighed out, as if that was all that needed to be said on the matter.

"Yeah, uh... you know, it's a social call?" Isaac barked out a laugh.

"Social call... Isaac, when have we ever done social?" Keys sighed again.

"We're doing it right now!" Karen fired back with a huff. "Keys, we're going on that tour with Ivory and Joseph."

"Yes, I'm aware, I assumed to take you off my active roster. Is that what this is about?"

"Well, yeah, but also just to talk to you since we won't have a reason to for a while." Isaac frowned at the continued tension as he drove.

"Isaac, if you're worried about it. I'll keep you both on the roster if this doesn't pan out, no need to put on airs."

"Why are you so smart yet so dense?" Isaac said with a snarl.

"... excuse you, doggy?" Keys spat out, heat coming into their voice.

"Isaac and I were calling you as much to reach out as to explain the situation. My husband wants to know if he can still talk to you during the tour." Karen sighed and just laid it out.

There was the sound of typing for several moments before another sigh from the informant. "I'm not versed in that industry, I just happened to have contacts that got their footpaws in the door, I can't really-"

"I'm not asking to contact you over help, stupid! I'm asking to call you from time to time... as a friend," Isaac snarled out.

"Oh. Why didn't you say so? Yeah, that's fine." Keys fired back matter-of-factly.

"Wait... that's it? It's fine?" Karen looked as shocked as Isaac did, both of them had expected a whole thing to come of this.

"Yes, it's fine. I've known you for years Isaac, and Karen, I don't pat myself on the back very often, but I know the help I provided let you move on. For better or worse I invested more than money and time into the two of you. So yes, call or text my number any time, together or separately. I will... do my best to be sociable, but no promises, it's not exactly one of my trained skillsets."

"Awesome! So I can officially say we're friends now, Keys?" Isaac showed a toothy grin to the steering wheel.

"Don't push your luck." Keys' voice seemed to take on a hint of amusement, then they sighed. "I've another call. Reach out any time. Have a good tour you two."

The line disconnected just like that and Karen gave a shrug. "That actually went pretty well. I guess Keys really does like us."

"No kidding...Calling me doggy like that... son of a bitch..." Isaac grinned and shook his head.

Karen clicked her tongue after a while of silence, looking at the older model sports car in front of them, Joseph and Ivory's car. "Sooo... we're actually doing this? Meeting his mom after only like... a month or so?"

"I mean, technically you've known them for years, right?" Isaac looked introspectively at that and shook his head. "Damn... already been a while for me too, it really does move quickly, huh?"

Karen smiled and moved a paw to his, the wolf slipping one off the wheel to grip hers. "Take the chances, swing at every pitch?" She asked out.

He showed his teeth and shook his head. "Live while you can, right?" His padded finger rubbed the band on her own paw.

A few more minutes passed before she squeezed his paw and looked over at him. "You'll always be enough for me, hon. Living in our little home and being bondsmen? It made me happy as can be, and I'd have loved it every single day until the day I died."

He nodded and squeezed back. "I know, and I feel the same, angel. What love we may grow between them and us aside, you were and will always be enough for me."

They pulled up to the small simple home on a quiet street, Joseph pulling his car into the little garage where he had restored it. The fox looked nostalgic as he stepped out to look around the small shop, memories of him working in here, the smell of wood and oil easily pulling him back to those times.

Ivory slid out of the passenger seat, offering him a smile. "Thinking of those days, huh?"

Joseph lifted his ears as he popped the hood of his car, lifting it up. He stared at the engine before giving a nod. "Yeah..." Karen and Isaac walked in as he was speaking, "I rebuilt this whole engine during that year after you, Karen."

The rabbit lifted her ears as she walked over to the front of the car with her husband. "Channeled your heartache, sweetie?" She smiled at him over the other side of the open hood as he looked up at her.

"It's surreal in a way... I cried so much for you, cried for my own self-pity, cursed you even though I hardly knew you at the time, Isaac." He sighed with a wistful smile as he continued, "Yet here we all are... a few years later and... together."

"Did you cry over me too, hon?" Ivory smiled at him with a tilt of her head.

"Of course I did. When I texted you for the first time, I was crying then. I guess I'm just a big baby, huh?" He barked a laugh and rubbed the back of his head, then gave a little yip as the wolf's strong paw clapped down on his shoulder.

"Crying doesn't make you weak or a baby, foxy." He offered the smaller dog a grin, squeezing his shoulder. "Sorry I hurt you, but I'm glad I'm making you happy now, you know?"

Joseph smiled at that and put a paw on Isaac's. "I know... I can't even fathom a time when I even remotely considered hating you. I wanted to, of course, I did, but the more I got to know you, the more I saw you and Karen's love... how happy you made her... How could I hate that? Then when I started falling for you... tch..."

"Yeah, it's all a complicated mess, but it's our complicated mess, huh?" Ivory purred and moved right over, hugging Joseph up, then he barked out as Karen joined in, the fox being hugged up by all three of his lovers, his tail wagging rapidly.

After several moments of basking in their love, he cleared his throat and squirmed a little as they pulled from him. "Ah... A-Anyway... I think I'll go over her some time while we're here, she needs an oil change for sure, maybe check over the sparkplugs and such." He composed himself, taking a deep breath to calm his heart.

"Gonna just leave us to fend for ourselves with, Josie while you hide in the garage, hon?" Ivory purred with a grin.

"Hey, any of you are happy to hang around, I'll put you to work." Joseph barked out cheerfully as he moved to the backseat to collect the box of chocolates he'd gotten for his mother.

The four of them made their way to the small house that was detached from the garage. Isaac felt his stomach twist, an awkward sense of deja vu creeping up his spine when he walked into the kitchen, the smell on the air familiar for some reason, even though he'd never been in this home before.

"Joseph, my little pup!" The vixen called out cheerfully as she trotted into the kitchen from the adjoining hallway. She sported a similar coat to his of course, though she did have just the faintest showings of gray starting to creep into the tips of her ears and tail. It was clear where the fox got his type preference from since Josephine sported quite an ample chest like Ivory, and curvy round hips like Karen.

"So this is your little family is it? Oh look at all of y-" Her nose twitched and her chestnut eyes zeroed right in on the wolf, an ever-faint snarl showing through her smile, but it was gone in an instant as she grinned once more.

Karen instantly recognized the tension, being the most perceptive one of the group, little things like Isaac's fur standing up slightly on his wrist, his tail flicking just a little sharper. She darted her green eyes to the vixen and cleared her throat, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Renault, or would you prefer Josephine?"

The vixen pivoted her muzzle up slightly as if acknowledging the rabbit's recognition before cooly flourishing a paw to the den. "Josephine will do just fine, but do not call me Josie, that is something only my daughter-in-law may do."

Ivory beamed at that, a loud happy purr filling her throat as she broke from the group and sauntered right over with her arms outstretched. "You won't believe it, but I've missed your stuck-up ass, Josie! Hug?"

"Of course and I have missed your smart-ass mouth, my daughter." she embraced the smaller cat, resting her muzzle upon her head between her ears, paw stroking the long flow of blonde hair. She keenly could smell the other two upon her before they pulled away and she shifted a paw to her hip. "Are you not going to hug your mother, Joseph? Is it too embarrassing before your new lovers?"

"C'mon, mom. I just was waiting on, Ivory." He grinned and moved right over, hugging her up, both the foxes nearly identical in height. She clung possessively to him, a loud rumble of a growl filling her throat as she stroked his long hair.

After that, she spoke out to Karen and Isaac. "My apologies for subjecting you to our family PDA, please make yourselves comfortable in the den, I've ordered food which should arrive soon enough. I will be with all of you momentarily."

"Thank you for your hospitality... Josephine," Isaac spoke the words politely, seeming to awkwardly speak the vixen's name aloud. She gave a nod and marched right into the adjoining room past the den.

"Honey... what was that?" Karen pulled him down to her, hissing the words into his ear in a whisper.

"Uh... I- Well, I'll explain later, I just need to confirm something, okay?" He whispered back, both Joseph and Ivory looking confused at the two of them whispering to themselves.

A few minutes later they were all seated around the coffee table in the den with a small spread of food. Josephine was sitting in a small chair all on her own with a plate in her lap. She casually pointed her fork at the new couple in the room. "I am not so along in my years as to not be accepting of things. There was a time I was more narrow-minded, but my little fox enlightened me. I'll not be judging, condoning, or chastising the two of you over this, so please rest easy on that."

"Thank you very much for that, we both care a lot for Joseph and Ivory." Isaac huffed out respectfully towards her.

Karen cocked a brow at that. Isaac was a very polite and respectful dog, he had been with her father as well, but he was being a little over-respectful in this situation. She looked back at the vixen who met her eyes, again showing a look as if she knew exactly what she was thinking. Karen parted her maw to speak but Josephine interjected immediately, "Karen, you're the rabbit that made my pup cry so much, aren't you?"

That jarred the rabbit out of her thought process which was probably what the vixen wanted. Karen frowned, then looked to Joseph who offered her an apologetic grin, then back to his mother. "Yeah, I am. It's not like I was trying to, but I was."

"It makes me glad you seemed to work something out. You are all adults, so I'll not roost on semantics, but I will offer you the same cautionary statement I gave my daughter. Do not break my little fox's heart, or else. That goes for my daughter as well, do not hurt her either!" Josephine snarled the words, her eyes growing sharper as she stabbed her fork into a hunk of meat on her plate.

"Mom! Can you please hop down from your alpha-mother soapbox and not threaten my lovers? They're fine! If anything I'm worried about hurting them!" Joseph growled at her, the vixen offering a growl back.

"Joseph! I am your mother, and I am just watching out for you, I simply wish you to not be-"

"Josie, c'mon... Karen and Isaac are amazing, they aren't going to hurt us. If I thought that I'd not have gotten me and Joe, involved, to begin with." She purred and moved her paw to rest on Josephine's arm since she was sitting right next to the vixen.

Josephine gave a tired-sounding sigh and nodded. "Please do not think ill of me in my protectiveness. Ever since Joseph's father left us, I have tried my best for him. I am sure you are both fine partners for them."

"That's okay, Josephine. None of us have kits, but I can respect the desire of a mother to protect her pup. I and Isaac aren't going to hurt him, at least we aren't trying to, is that acceptable?"

"Of course, it's not as if I'd come after you if things just didn't work out. I simply threw the warning out in case you tried to use him or my daughter, clearly that isn't the case though, so-"

"So we can just have a normal meal and relax then? Awesome!" Joseph glared at her as the vixen snorted in disapproval at his tone but then relented.

After a few minutes of quiet eating, Josephine broke the silence once more, "So, you will be joining my, daughter up on stage, Karen?"

She gulped down the food she was working on, taking a sip of her diet cola before nodding. "Yes, that's right. Ivory has been helping me train to sing, dance, and improve my showmanship over these last months."

"How terribly exciting. I'll have to come watch one of your performances once your tour begins!" She barked the words conversationally as she sipped her own sweet tea.

"You'll have your chance soon, Ms Re- Josephine. The label is already lining up venues and it looks like things will be going in just a few weeks." Isaac called out, Karen once again noting the overly respectful tone in his voice.

Josephine seemed to half-glare at him before she cleared her throat. "Isaac, as I said to all of you, no need to be so respectful in my presence." Her eyes hardened as she settled them straight on the wolf before continuing, "Stop it, now."

Karen lifted her ears at that, a small snarl of her own showing. "Josephine, are you-" She bit off her words as her husband's paw lifted before her.

"Angel, it's fine. It's her home and she didn't ask something so difficult." He settled his gaze back on the vixen's and cleared his throat, "Apologies, I was just nervous. Joseph and Ivory are very important to me, it seems in my concern of putting on a good impression, I've-"

"You are fine, Mr. Convel." She barked his last name, even though he hadn't given it to her, the others looked surprised by that but Isaac didn't even bat an eye. Still, the point was made as there was a lingering silence that filled the aftermath.

"Yes, I see your point. Please call me Isaac, I'll make sure not to accidentally call you by your last name again." He gave a nod as he moved to take another sip of his own diet soda.

Josephine sighed and shook her head. "I do apologize, I realize I'm making this a tense exchange, I did not intend such things... please, just relax and let us socialize normally, you both have my blessings with my son and daughter."

Karen didn't look convinced and once again, Josephine gave her that look, as if she were already thinking two moves ahead of her. The vixen tilted her muzzle up slightly as if daring the rabbit to say something.

"Josephine, can I talk to you alone for a minute?" Karen stood right up from the loveseat she and Isaac were seated on.

"Angel, I don't think-" The wolf snapped his jaws closed as his wife held her paw out to him as he'd done her earlier.

"Can it not wait until we are done eating?" The vixen cocked a furred brow, both Joseph and Ivory looking stunned at what was happening.

"No." Karen showed her teeth, glaring openly now.

"So... this is the type of woman you prefer, is it, my pup?" The vixen set her plate aside and slowly stood.

"Uh... Mom, Karen, you guys aren't going to like, fight or something are you?" Joseph barked out nervously.

"Perish the thought, we just need to talk it appears, no blows will come to your rabbit, my son." Josephine ran her paw through her long hair with a huff, sauntering out of the room and out the back door.

Isaac stood up with a growl, "Karen, I don't think-"

"Just let me handle this and eat," Karen snarled and stormed off after Josephine.

Karen stomped out of the door, the vixen having taken several paces away from the house, all the way back to near the garage. She turned to face the rabbit, resting a paw on her hip, looking terribly bored with this whole thing. "You wished to talk to me, Karen?"

"Do you know my husband?" She shifted her paws to her hips, the stance she was in showing she wasn't going to be intimidated in this exchange, despite seeing the vixen's own stance was relaxed.

"Know, is a subjective word, we aren't friends, acquaintances, or ex-lovers if that's your concern." She showed a haughty smirk and flicked her ears up more prominently. "Though I did try to put the wiles upon him years ago, but alas, he was too wrapped up in his loss at the time."

"His... loss..." Karen twitched her eye at that, seeing the vixen knew about Isaac's ex-wife. "How do you-"

"Karen, there are things in this life, you are better off not knowing..." Josephine sighed as she put a paw to her chest.

"Don't feed me that shit! I've never seen my husband belly up like that to any bitch, what's your deal?!" The rabbit clenched a fist, her footpaws already shifting slightly, showing she was ready to make this into something if she had to.

"Your body language is not helping your case, Karen. I'm no fighter, so unless you're planning to beat answers out of me, you might as well relax your posture, I have no secret kung-fu skills at my disposal," Josephine groaned the words with a roll of her eyes.

Karen swallowed the lump in her throat and eased her stance slightly. "S-Sorry... I wasn't trying to get violent, I uh... just... I guess I was reading the situation wrong..."

Josephine showed an almost predatory grin at that before growling out, "You weren't... I'm as much of a threat as your body wants to perceive me to be, Karen Convel, daughter of Kadir and Aolani Kalama."

Karen took a step back at that, her jaw gaping slightly. She'd not even told Isaac the name of her dead mother. Josephine nodded at the stunned look as she jerked her head to the side. "Turn around, your husband approaches."

Sure enough, Karen jerked her gaze back to see, Isaac closing in on the two of them. She shook her head and glared back at Josephine, a snarl showing as she clenched her fist. "Explain yourself, now!" Karen spat the words out, real heat showing in her voice now at the mention of her mother's name.

The vixen tilted her head as if waiting for the wolf to close upon them before she looked between the two of them. "Didn't put the pieces together until now, Detective?"

Isaac sighed and put his paws on his hips. "You already knew I was just acting in a support role during that, I was still just a P.I."

"Isaac, what the fuck is going on? You know I hate being out of the loop on shit!" Karen glared at him, her mocha-colored ears lifted straight up, a sure sign she was at full alert and ready to fight if she needed to.

He frowned and looked to Josaphine, then back to his wife. The vixen gave her own sigh and shook her head. "Gods above... what am I to do with this mess? What am I to do with the two of you?" Josephine groaned the words.

Karen gapped her maw again, seeing a real look of concern cross her husband's face before jerking back over to the vixen before them. "Lady, what is your deal? How did you know all that?"

Isaac grimaced and put a paw gently on his wife's shoulder. "Karen, we don't need to be opening up this, can you please just-"

"It's a little late for that now, isn't it, Isaac?" Josephine growled and shoved her paws into the jeans she was wearing, looking the rabbit over. Karen bit her lower lip as she watched the vixen's whole demeanor change right there on the spot.

"Karen Convel, your husband has no doubt told you how easily your friend Keys could tear your life apart were you to upset them, yes?" Josephine spat the words out cooly, looking at the rabbit as if she were nothing, and was lucky to be hearing her speak at all.

Karen clenched her teeth at the sheer presence of will the fox was now giving off. "Y-Yeah, he has..."

Josephine clicked her tongue and pushed off the wall of the garage, circling both the rabbit and wolf, her tail lazily wagging as she continued, "Well, my dear... What your precious informant could do to you, is child's-play for me, do you understand what I'm saying? Or shall I elaborate on the intimate details of your mother's death to hammer home my point?"

Isaac finally spoke out, "Karen... I met Josephine about a year before I met you, on a case I was doing for the police, helping one of their homicide detectives out, we'd done a few cases like that actually..."

"Homicide?!" Karen stammered out, looking at her husband with shock in her eyes.

"Don't look at him in such a way, he was protecting you, and I appreciate you keeping your word and not blathering about this, Isaac." The vixen snarled as she moved back to lean upon the wall of the garage, pulling her paws from her pockets to fold her arms over her ample chest.

Isaac spoke out politely, "Look, I never... Joseph having the last name Renault, I never assumed he was-"

"Did you not see the similarities in us, Isaac? Surely the thought crossed your mind once or twice, I did kiss you back then and offered so much more. Yet it was my son you ended up wanting in the end?" Josephine cooed the words, looking amused.

"You kissed her?" Karen fired back at Isaac, cocking a brow.

"I kissed him, did I not just say he rejected my wiles, Karen?" Josephine sighed and shook her head. "Isaac met me while investigating... unfortunate events that befell my husband."

"More to the point, I was looking into the killer of some kits, Angel..." Isaac whispered and shuddered as the memories seemed to come to the surface.

"Indeed, and I helped you find the killer of those children, as any mother within their power to do so would, so do not assume that was involved with me, Karen. I only remove problems that are their own doing, like ones that hurt my pup."

"Is that a segue into threatening me and Isaac again, Josephine?" She frowned and put paw on her hip.

Josephine snarled, "No, that's a segue into my former husband's brake lines unfortunately failing one night by some unknown causes after smacking me and my pup around one too many times. It's a segue into me becoming the head of my late-husbands family. Truly, you are a bail bondsman, you work closely with crime, does Ivory and Joseph's last name not at all ring a bell with you, rabbit?"

Karen glowered at the fox, mulling on that for a moment, then lifted her ears again as she blinked a few times. "Hang on... Renault... L-like... you mean that-" Karen pushed a paw to her muzzle, blinking a few times as realization dawned on her.

"Josephine... If you knew about this, why did you have us come over anyway? Joseph and Ivory are obviously not in the loop." Isaac sighed and folded his arms.

"In truth, how could I have assumed you the same Isaac from then? I didn't have a reason to pluck my network until after you walked in that door. When I excused myself after seating you, that wasn't me going to the restroom to freshen up, that was me quickly looking up why you were in my son's life and the details behind the two of you."

Karen frowned and gave her own sigh, "So... Where does this leave us then? Does Keys know you're Joe's mother?"

"Why do you think they worked so adamantly to help Ivory? A favor for my son's wife is a favor to me. I have called upon Keys a few times since that exchange." Josephine gave a smug nod to the rabbit.

"So... the only reason Ivory was able to make it, was because you used your influence to make it happen?" Karen felt heat creeping back into her voice.

The vixen scoffed at that. "Spare me that right now, rabbit. My daughter was able to accel because of her skill and the support of my son, just as you were able to because of their support. I opened a door, simple as that."

Karen gave a nod and then looked at Isaac. "So what's the deal, honey? We gonna end up with concrete shoes for this, or what?"

"I mean, I did try to stop you, but I guess if it's going down, at least we'll go out together." He offered his wife a shrug and grin.

"Why must the two of you be so melodramatic? As if I'd break my son and daughter's hearts by offing your stupid tails." She snarled and folded her ears. "Had you not demanded this, I'd have taken Isaac aside, explained things, and we'd have moved on with our lives, but now here you are, troublesome rabbit."

"Yeah, guess I can't help myself, huh? Also, how about you stop calling me, rabbit and use my name, fox." Karen folded her arms, glaring at the vixen before her.

Josephine snorted through her nose and shoved her paws back into her jeans pockets. "My son has troublesome tastes in women, but at least his taste in men is acceptable." The vixen growled as she looked from Isaac to Karen.

"What do you need us to do to make this good, Josephine?" Isaac asked point-blank.

"Do the two of you love them?" Josephine asked.

"I do, yeah. Even when I broke his heart, a part of me loved your dumb son, always have and will, same with Ivory." Karen fired back without hesitation.

"It's pretty early for me to be tossing the love word around so freely, Josephine, but I think they are certainly contenders and I'm sure soon enough I'll be saying I love them." Isaac shrugged before gripping his wife's paw.

"So be it. Karen, you don't mention this to them, you don't mention this to anyone. That is your shield against all of this. Don't even bring it up to Keys." Josephine looked down at the rabbit directly, already knowing the wolf would be fine.

"Yeah? What if I did? What if I just go straight to the cops?" Karen cocked a brow in challenge.

"Yes, I'd be in an awkward situation when the police chief called me to apologize for the token investigation they'd have to stage over the tip, it'd be a rather annoying headache for everyone involved, but ultimately would do little to change things. I realize you're bluffing and trying to find a leg to stand on, Karen, but you need to realize the gravity of this for a moment."

Karen hissed through her teeth. "I'm no goodie-two-shoes when it comes to the law, Josephine but-"

"But consider it was people like me that got you the information on your little bounty hunt for a certain black fox?" Josephine fired back pointedly. She watched the rabbit flinch at that before giving a nod. "If you won't do it for your own self-preservation, do it for your lovers. I do not want my son in this life, Karen. I want him, Ivory, and by proxy, the two of you, to live in peace. Their ignorance and your silence is the only shield to avoid that."

Karen gave a small nod. "Alright... this is all so much, but... I can do that for them."

Josephine nodded and looked at Isaac. "You and I went on a blind date years ago, that is what all the tension was just now. Karen, you came out to confirm nothing was going on. The worst thing we did was hold paws and kiss once, but we didn't date again. That will suffice for answers over the questions they will no doubt ask upon our re-entry. Are we clear?"

"Sounds good to me." Isaac nodded.

"I detest lying to them, but in this case..." Karen sighed and rubbed the side of her head. "Man... this is such a fustercluck..."

"And that is why I wish my pup and daughter to live in peace, Karen. Try not to think of it and focus on them, just look at me as a potential bitchy mother-in-law." The vixen snarled as she trotted past them to head back to the house, seeing Joseph and Ivory peeking out the curtains at the three of them.

"Isaac, Honey... you've made my life very complicated... you better appreciate I love you." Karen huffed at him with a crooked grin.

"Hey... you barged out here like a stubborn ass. I was trying to keep you out of it." The wolf offered his wife his own crooked grin as they gripped paws.

"True, I'd never have let it go, so better this way." Karen poked her nose up as they trotted back to the house behind the fox.

--*--

Once the dust settled and with some calm explanations from Josephine, the group got back to their meal. There was still some notable tension going on between the vixen and the new couple, but things seemed to have calmed enough to be civil.

A few hours into things eased the transition a bit more with Josephine putting on a movie for everyone. Joseph took the opportunity to go work on his car while the others socialized now that the tension seemed to have eased somewhat.

The fox was under his car on the wheeled creeper, tightening back the bolt on the oil pan, his tail wagging in focus. The smell of oil, motor grease, and the wood of the building was all in his nose, a familiar almost comforting sensation filling him as he worked to the radio of the car playing one of his favorite ska bands.

"There we go... phew. Yeah, been a while since I gave you some TLC, huh girl? I'd take you with me on the next one if I could." He called out to himself then gave a small shocked bark as he felt pressure on his lap.

Wheeling back out from under the car slightly he saw his wife perched right there on his lap, a haughty smug grin showing on her muzzle. His own muzzle gapped to see her there, fully nude, her hips already grinding in his lap.

"Didn't hear me sneak in, hon? Don't worry I locked the side door." Ivory purred and kept her hips in motion, the movement making her full round breasts sway gently, her peaks already firm.

"B-Baby... fuck..." He grunted out as he sat up, leaning his back to the front of the car.

"That's the plan... you know I get jealous when you put your paws all over the car but ignore me..." Ivory purred as she pushed her muzzle to his own in a kiss, guiding his left paw up to grasp her right breast, engine grease smearing into her cream-colored fur as their tongues rolled together.

"Careful, love... I'll smudge your fur up..." He growled out as she shook her head.

"Ask me if I care, touch me, now! We've not done it in this garage in ages and I want it!" She hissed out and grabbed his other paw pushing it along her jaw, nuzzling it, staining some of her fur like his, then pushed back into the kiss.

That was all the convincing it took and the young fox was hers, growling and exploring his wife's body. His paws squeezed breasts and kneaded hips, all while they kissed heatedly, both their tongues rolling together, their sharp teeth flashing in the bright light of the garage.

Ivory parted from his kiss with a lick of her chops as she sunk right down and gripped the front of her husband's jeans. "Sit right there, hon... your paws are too dirty for this..." Joseph gasped as she unzipped him, that crimson length of fox cock jutting out eagerly, tapered tip shiny but not quite fully slid free since they had just gotten started.

She didn't mind and was happy to coax him the rest of the way, the calico grasping his base before she parted her maw and took him right into it. "Gods..." Joseph moaned out, feeling his wife's hot maw envelop his flesh, his paw resting on her head, streaks of brown pushing through her blonde locks as he rubbed her head while she worked him.

Joseph could feel as much as hear the deep rumble of purr coming from his wife while she bobbed her head up and down upon his length, feeling precum dribble onto her tongue with each stroke she made. Her tail coiled and flicked as she happily listened to the love of her life moan out his praises for her before she finally slid him free with a popping sound, her tongue lolled, trails of her saliva cascading down the jumping flesh.

"Looks like you're good to go now, hon and I'm dripping for you..." She sighed as she climbed over him, licking her chops as she casually gripped his length while spreading her legs. She lined that tapered tip right up with her entrance, grinding there until she got just the head into her, then her paws gripped his and she settled them on her hips.

The fox knew what she wanted instantly and brought her down with no hesitation. Ivory's excited mewl filled his ears as every inch plunged deep into his idol-wife and as he struck her core, the cat chewed on her lower lip hard as he gasped, feeling her clenching already.

"Gods... gods... you were so pent up, baby..." His paws settled on her curvy backside, jerking her closer, smudging that cream fur while she threw her arms around his neck.

"I was... fuck... I wanted to do it so bad with you!" She hissed out as she pushed her forehead to his own, panting while her hips and his own moved, the creeper seat squeaking and shifting under them in time to their synchronized movements.

It wasn't like her with Isaac or him with Karen, it wasn't new but it was frantic, a couple that knew one another buttons and just how to hit them. Ivory hissed out and lolled her tongue, her eyes rolling up, Joseph offering a proud grin as he felt his wife's honey gushing all over him.

"That's it... I'll get it all out for you, baby..." He moved in and lapped her cheek with his tongue, his wife nodding, her blue eyes looking dreamy before she pushed a paw to his muzzle and drew him deep into another kiss, both of them grinding as she felt his length jump with each shift of her hips.

They kissed frantically, tongues lashing, teeth flashing, his claws digging into her backside while her own dug into his shoulder and scalp, feeling her husband's knot quickly growing. The garage was rapidly filling with the scent of sex along with all the other comforting odors.

Ivory finally broke the kiss with little gasping mews, "Joe! Hon... gods gods gods!!!" She gasped out to the deep upward strokes as he hit that spot only he seemed to get to, that spot that made her footpaws curl as she snapped her teeth and rolled her eyes.

"Yes... come on...give it to me!" He barked out and shoved hard up against her, the cat yowling out, seeing stars in her vision as that knot lodged into her.

"You too! You too!" She mewed out, shoving her paws to his chest, her forehead to his, both their tongues lolled.

She felt herself starting to crest, then mewled out in a throaty sharp moan as he erupted into her right as she came. Ivory clutched to him, her forehead to his, both their eyes locked, each practically showing hearts in them with their love for one another.

"All of it! All... of... it!" Ivory cried out with each thick rope that gushed into her womb from her fox husband.

"I love you... I love you so much!" Joseph barked the words, then gave a throaty moan as her walls crushed him, the fox's tail going rigid and Ivory sighing with pride as she felt her walls milk the last of her husband's love into her.

They stared at one another for a few heartbeats, then simply threw their arms around one another and started kissing passionately, the calico's hips shifting gently in his paws, feeling all of his heat in her.

"I love you too..." She puffed out after they broke the kiss, then she sighed and hugged tight to him, a loud contented purr filling her throat. Joseph just rested his paw against her backside, rubbing while his wife clung to him, the smell of sex mingling with the rest of the odors in his garage.

---

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