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I was starting to get a cramp in my left leg as Dorien announced, "Almost done love. Just a few minutes more, then it's all finishing touches."

I smiled, feeling the muscles in my leg twitch menacingly. It was a few more minutes before I saw Dorien sit his palette and brush aside, flexing his paws and arms. He had little smudges of various color paint dotting his arms, hands and face, I noticed he had done his best to keep my shirt paint free, and it had escaped, except for one or two smudges near the front pocket. I heard the kitchen door bang shut once again and assumed it was just Katie rejoining us from inside. I looked over in surprise as I saw Annie round the corner of the house.

"Hey! There you two are. Katie told me you were out here."

Dorien's face lit up as he spun at hearing Annie's voice. "Annie!"

I heard him yip as I jumped off the stool, flexing my legs as I walked. I laughed as Dorien rushed toward my sister getting ready to throw himself on her, her eyes going wide as she put her arms up and yelled, "Dorien, NO!! Paint!"

Dorien caught himself in mid-stride, barely an arms-length from 'our' sister. My lover looked surprised, suddenly remembering that he was still covered with bright dots and smudges of fresh paint.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't realize. Lemme go wash up, be right back."

Dorien disappeared from sight around the corner of the house.

I saw the amusement in my sister's eyes as we embraced, "Dorien strikes again. I can't wait to see the finished product, if it looks anything like his last painting of you it should be a big hit. Especially with the female neighbors back home."

I sighed, "I really wish Mom and Pop would take that painting of me down, at least when the holidays roll around and company comes over."

Annie laughed, "Not much chance of that, I think. So how have you and Dorien been, it's been a while."

Annie has been looking after our parents' house for a few months now. "I know, we're fine, have you heard from Mom and Dad?"

Annie nodded, "Yeah, they're still on that dig in Hawaii. They called the other day and asked about you guys."

Annie and I moved toward the table and Val and Marcello. Annie grasped paws with Val amicably. "Val, hey. You look good. I saw Katie inside."

Her ears shifted slightly back when she regarded Marcello, "Marcello? I thought that worn-out, spotted hide looked familiar. God, you look like Hell. What happened? You force a wet bar into foreclosure?"

Marcello nodded weakly, "Close, long story Annie, Tai'll fill you in about things. Would you excuse me I've gotta use the facilities, too much, uh, tea. Back in a jiff."

Annie nodded as Marcello got up venturing through the sliding glass door to the right of the table. I noticed that Val had reclined in his chair once again, dozing lightly in the shade of the patio awning.

I started to open my muzzle when an all too familiar red streak dashed around the side of the house nearly bowling both Annie and myself into the pool.

Annie giggled, "Dorien! Damn, it's good to see you too!"

I flipped one of the pigtails out of my face, snorting to clear the tip of one of the feathers from my nose, "Tell me about it. He did this to me yesterday."

Annie steadied herself on Dorien, smoothing her pastel print dress out. She grabbed him around the neck warmly, embracing Dor to her chest and mussing his hair, "C'mere you little shit! Nice to see you're happy to see me."

Dorien wiggled in Annie's arms, grabbing her paws and protesting against her invasive pokes and tickles. I saw Annie's brow quirk and she grabbed Dorien's right paw as he placed it on her arm.

"What is this? Is it new? I don't recall ever having seen it before."

Dorien puffed in Annie's arms, recovering from the barrage of tickling. "Sort of," he wheezed.

I stepped up next to the both of them laying my paw next to Dorien's on Annie's arm.

I saw Annie's face light up as it dawned on her, "Well, I never. Does this mean I'm another step closer to being a sister-in-law?"

She held both Dorien and my paws as we all sat down. Annie inspected the rings closer. "They're beautiful, who was the culprit?"

I raised my paw, with Dor nodding his head to verify, "I didn't know anything about them till last night myself."

Annie grabbed me by the wrist mock disbelief cloaking her face, "Keeping secrets, from your significant other and even Moi, your own sister?"

I smiled at her, "Oh, drop the sweet and innocent act, and the P.C. Say what you mean, not what you think someone wants to hear. Dorien is my husband in every way except one, and that one's just a technicality. How long have you been our sister and confidante? Don't be so politically correct. We're not going to sue you if you call us what we are to each other. Husband, mate, boyfriend, what-ever, partner isn't so bad, but please not the dreaded 'significant other'."

Annie shrugged then smiled wickedly, "All right, no significant other, but you left out a few, what about fa....."

I put my paw over her muzzle before she could finish, mocking anger, "Don't you dare even think that word or the others I know you have in mind."

Dorien looked at me smiling despite himself, "Well you're the one who walked into it. Don't blame her."

Dorien and I both had seen and heard all the derogatory descriptions of us on a daily basis in our younger years, so neither of us is really bothered by them. Words can't change us or our feelings for each other, so why let the opinion of a few people who don't even know us affect us?

I smiled at Dorien and my sister, Annie had placed Dorien on her lap, encircling his waist with her arms as we talked. Dorien looked just like a little boy in Annie's lap, I felt a pang in my chest thinking that Dor had probably not had many moments like the one he was sharing with Annie when he was a child. I love my sister, I think she's the kind of person anyone would love to have as their mother.

Annie isn't heavily involved and doesn't have any kits yet, this despite my parents nagging insistence that they aren't getting any younger and they want grand-kits before they're old and gray. I don't know what they think they're talking about, personally. Both our parents are hardly pushing 50, not exactly walker material yet. But obviously and needless to say they won't be getting any grand-kits out of Dorien and I without divine intervention and I suppose parents are parents whether they're reveling in trying to force Dor and I into getting married or nagging my sister about having kits. I love my parents dearly but they drive me crazy about things like that sometimes.

I can remember they were as supportive as they could be of Dorien and myself but it was rough in the beginning. They had been fine with the idea of Dor and My involvement, in theory. In the beginning they were fine, but the first time Dor and I kissed in front of them I think both of them nearly had coronaries. I have to admit they both did well thereafter, trying as hard as they could to encourage Dor and I with each other. A little too hard as I recall.

Our outings those first months could be seen as something of an experiment in boundaries; Namely how far my parents could go in encouraging Dorien and my lifestyle before unceremoniously shoving their feet into their muzzles. They had gone through all the expected stages; the announcing-our-involvement-to-everyone-we-met, especially-strangers-off-the-street phase. The sit-awkwardly-and-pretend-you're-watching-TV-while-your-son-and-his-boyfriend-kiss-on-the-sofa, before-you-dash-from-the-room-claiming-you-need-to-use-the-bathroom stage. I personally noticed that his stage came in handy if Dor and I wanted to be alone in a specific room. All we had to do was neck a little in front of my folks and they would vanish like ghosts at daybreak.

The we're-getting-used-to-this-but-not-quite-ready-to-sit-through-a-full-session-of-making-out-quite-yet stage. By this point they were nearly immune to the sight of Dor and I sharing muzzles but still freaked like Republicans trapped in a Mapplethorpe exhibit when faced with the thought of our having sex. Finally; the we're-a-little-too-used-to-this-and-we're-creeping-our-kids-out stage. I secretly think my parents had purchased some sort of self-help/psychology literature or visited a therapist on the sly or something, because this stage came on really fast for some reason.

One day they're squirming when Dor and I lay on the sofa watching a movie together, the next they're watching Dor and I like hawks as we kiss. I was about ready to check their desks for weird alien pods, or the mirrors for cameras, I felt like we were being studied. Sometimes my parents being teachers drives me up the wall. One minute they're people, the next they're scientists, trying to put an educational spin on Dor and my love-life, like we're the makings for some friggin' PBS special for crying out loud.

Dorien, Annie and I had called an end to their gung-ho efforts to understand our relationship to it's fullest one day when all five of us were at the mall near our house. I think more people were staring at our parents than at Dorien and myself as we walked. Dorien and I had just wanted some quality time out of the house and away from my new and improved parents before we went postal, started polishing rifles and go looking for the nearest clock tower. My parents new chipper and supportive demeanor was swiftly rasping on all our last nerves.

Dor, my father and I had been sitting in the food court eating and waiting for my mother and Annie to return from clothes shopping. Dorien and I were chatting amiably about something. Unfortunately in the commotion that followed I, to this day, forget what; when from out of the blue my father asked me if I thought a couple of lion males passing our table were sexually attractive to me. I nearly asphyxiated on the piece of pizza I was eating and Dorien inhaled half a mouthful soda, coughing loudly with fizz coming out of his nose.

After my father had stopped patting Dorien on the back and the people at the surrounding tables had been reassured that I wasn't actually choking, just swallowed wrong and calling 911 really wasn't necessary, he had asked again. I couldn't believe what I had heard; answering that yes the lions had been cute but had been a bit too large and too old for me to be interested in by a few years. Dorien had asked my father why he wanted to know and got the cryptic response, and I quote; "It said to be inquisitive about these things, that it would make you feel more comfortable about talking about them". I learned later that my mother had been embarrassing Annie much in the same way on the other end of the mall.

I guess I felt relieved that the whole thing had just been a way for my parents to tell us they had been willing to learn to get comfortable with Dorien and myself as a couple in their own special way. But sometimes I just envy Annie in that she didn't have to put up with our parents educationally spawned coping skills as much as Dorien and I did. I was glad that we had caught the situation before they had gotten carried way with their supportiveness (even more than they had) and things had come sailing back to bite us all in the ass.

My mom and dad had eventually accepted the fact that Dorien and I really loved one another and that if they were happy, Dor and I were happy. They had finally accepted this and moved on to bugging my sister to have kids and occasionally amusing themselves by pestering Dor and I to get married. Which to this day we've resisted doing, not to bother my parents as they assume (don't get me wrong after some of the stuff they've put us through, that's definitely part of it). But because as I stated before we just don't feel it necessary in our lives, or at least not yet, anything's possible in the future.

As Annie, Dorien and myself sat at the table we shared information on our folks and other friends and relatives, including Dorien and I bringing Annie up to speed on Marcello and his situation. I wanted to do this quickly before Marc got back from the restroom. I explained things to Annie with a few interjections from Dorien. I saw the look on Annie's face as we finished, I guessed she felt sorry for Marc, though in our fore-shortened version Dorien and I left out 90% of Marcello's actions from last night, including his libidinous offering of himself to me. Annie is obviously a pretty open person but some things are still covered by a need-to-know basis. I figured that topic was best left between Marcello, Dorien and myself for now.

"That's really a shame, but I have to say I'm not that surprised. The way they used to scream at one another and fight like a pair of feral alley-cats, this had to have happened sometime. I just wish it had happened sooner, it would have saved him from a lot of hurting." Annie spoke in a low tone, her tail sweeping low around her ankles showing her dip in mood.

I nodded slowly, "Yeah, but he should be alright, we just have to watch him." I turned to Dorien, "Your paint is probably drying Hon, you might want to finish up, I can come back to the canvas if you like, we can drag another chair over."

Dorien looked over at his abandoned canvas, suddenly recalling that his paints were slowly drying out in the sun. He shot a look at Annie, "Do you mind?, I really should finish before it dries out."

I shifted out of my seat, standing and helping Annie to her feet. I carried her chair to the edge of the patio, placing it within the confines of the shade next to Dorien's stand. I sat on the stool once again, feeling the warm sun on my shoulders and back as I resumed my position.

Dorien was feeling the canvas nodding to himself, "Not too bad should still be workable. This is pretty much finishing touches, shouldn't be more than fifteen or twenty minutes."

Dorien resumed painting as Annie watched intently. I looked up as Marcello emerged from the house carrying a can of soda in one paw and a piece of toast in the other. He eyed us as we sat in the sun, keeping himself in the shade and leaning on the back of Annie's chair.

I looked at the things in his paws, "Feeling better?" I queried.

Marcello nodded at me, "Yeah, Katie suggested something light so I wouldn't keep my stomach empty. It seems to be helping my headache."

Annie looked up at Marc, "Tai and Dorien told me about things Marc, I'm sorry."

Marcello took Annie's paw in his own smiling weakly, "Thanks, Annie, I appreciate it, but I think it may have been for the best."

As he broke off from Annie, Marcello ventured out of the shade into the sunlight of the mid-morning. I watched him as he walked around Dorien, inspecting the nearly completed painting, then wandered past me to the edge of the pool. He sat on his haunches, dipping a paw into the limpid crystal water, sitting back frowning, "That's awfully warm for fall, is it heated?"

I nodded to him as he turned to me, "Uh-huh, usually stays about seventy-five degrees unless it's absolutely freezing out. The hot-tub stays just around body heat year round unless we crank it up." I turned back to Dorien before he could badger me to face front again.

I jumped as something struck me in the back of the head, sliding down to drape across my shoulder. I realized it was Dorien's sweat-shirt that Marcello had been wearing. I turned just as the shirt was followed up the shorts Marc had borrowed from me, this time hitting my chest and falling into my lap.

"Hold those for me. Will you?"

Marcello was now stripped to my boxers, still wearing the sunglasses. With a sharp yell he flung himself into space over the pool, hitting the water and disappearing with a great splash.

I laughed despite myself, seeing Dorien looking startled from behind the canvas and Annie covering her mouth.

"Here, give those here."

I tossed the abandoned clothes to her, still watching for Marcello to surface. I was beginning to get worried when his spotted form bobbed to the surface on the side of the pool nearest us. Val was now sitting up, having been startled out of his nap by Marcello's screech and splash into the pool. Marcello was sputtering, pushing his water logged hair back out of his now bare eyes as he grasped the side of the pool in one hand.

As I watched he pushed back against the side of the pool, floating on his back away from us, with his tail drifting languidly behind. I heard Annie inhale sharply behind me. Turning back, I saw her studiously looking away from the pool where Marcello was swimming. I wondered why till I turned back and looked at Marcello. The thin material of the shorts he wore had gone nearly transparent in the water. From my vantage point it appeared as though he was wearing nothing at all, the cotton boxers drifting about his thighs like a gossamer veil, not concealing Marc's maleness at all.

I got up grinning at my sister, "What, not interested? Jenna'd be taking snap-shots if she were here."

Annie shook her head vehemently, shoving the shorts she clutched at me, "Mm-mm-mm! Just get him to put these on, please!"

I turned to Dorien, my ears flattening reflexively as I saw him staring intently at Marcello, who was still paddling around the deep end of the pool.

"Hey! Knock it off or I'll chuck you in there with him and you can get as close a look as you want. For God's sake, you're cousins!"

Dorien started at me, looking redder than usual as he shot a sideways glance back at the pool. "Only by marriage. We're not even the same species. It wouldn't be illegal, and I think kits would be something of an impossibility given the circumstances. Besides, like you wouldn't if things were different."

"You're right I probably would, and I had the chance last night, but I didn't... And you're still related, marriage or not, what are you some sort of pervert or something."

I said these last few words as I brushed by Dorien, knowing that I would get a rise out of him. I saw the grin on his face as he grabbed at my tail.

"In case you hadn't read the papers lately, it takes one to know one."

I flicked my tail teasingly at his nose, just barely managing to keep it out of Dorien's grasp as I walked to the edge of the pool. I waited till Marcello was facing me before waving the shorts Annie had handed off to me in the air, "Yo Marcello! C'mere for a sec."

Marcello nodded, splashing over to me and looking up from the pools edge. "What's up Tai?"

I could hardly keep from laughing as I answered, "Uh, we've had a request that you re-evaluate your choice of swim-wear."

I hiked my thumb back over my shoulder where Annie was cautiously peering over her paw at the pool seeing if Marcello was still 'visible', or if I had remedied the situation.

"Oh? OH! Ha." Marcello looked down at himself, suddenly noticing his see-through attire.

I held up the shorts in my paw by the drawstring, "Wanna make a trade?"

Marcello was grinning like a maniac, "Oh, I dunno, I feel kinda free this way."

I felt Dorien come up along side me, "Marcello! Show a little modesty, there is a lady present."

"And those of us who aren't into that kind of thing." I had forgotten about Val who was still sitting on the patio a few meters from where Marcello and I were talking. "Well Tai, now I'm convinced that most all felines are inborn nudists."

Annie, turned to Val, still shielding her peripheral vision with a paw, "Not all of us. Just the males, I think, with a few exceptions, namely Jenna."

I laughed softly still holding out the shorts to Marcello who floated a few feet past my reach.

"Oh, OK, if everyone's going to be a prude today. Toss them here."

Marc waved a paw above the water. I lobbed the shorts to him watching as he stripped off the transparent boxers, hiking the thicker material over his hips. I was turning back to Annie to see if she had recovered any, when I felt a wet slap against my back. I stiffened, my muzzle going wide as I whirled back to Marcello.

"Happy now?" I heard the challenge in his voice, paired with the sly smile on his lips.

Dorien's mouth was twisted slightly, I knew he was fighting a smile as hard as he could.

I bristled, "Are you finished with the painting love?"

Dorien's voice was strangled as he answered, "Yes, but don't get those leggings wet. They're not ours."

"I'll try not to." I bent releasing the ties on the leggings and stepping out of them. Dorien bent to pick them up as I stripped the feathers and thongs out of my hair in a sweeping motion. Leaving the breech-cloth around my waist and a few of the cords in my hair I shouted defiantly and dove into the water after Marcello. I propelled myself across the pool at Marc and came up directly in front him, grabbing his arm and hauling him under the water with me.

We wrestled while submerged. I felt his paws roving across my arms seeking purchase on my immersed fur. I didn't feel his claws, however. If this had been a real fight both of us would have already been bleeding profusely into the water. I jerked in the water, nearly swallowing a mouthful when I felt Marc's paw grasp at my ear, tugging at the tip as we struggled. There was something odd about the pressure with which he had grasped my ear, not hard at all but more softly, almost like a fondling motion. At the same time I felt Marc's muzzle slide up my cheek in a passionate, if submerged, nuzzle, then he nipped the end of my nose playfully with his sharp teeth.

I thrashed back to the surface, throwing wet hair out of my face as I gasped. I heard Marcello pant as he drew a deep breath, surfacing right next to me.

I growled as he seized me from behind, gripping my wrists, "No fair! You did that on purpose to distract me."

"So sue me." Marcello barely let me draw another deep breath before dragging me below the pool's surface once again. I struggled against him underwater, managing to free one of my arms. The motion spun me around in Marc's gasp till we were face to face.

I looked at his submerged form. Marc's hair was floating around his shoulders and I saw a wicked smile on his face. Without warning he lunged at me, pressing our muzzles together hard while we were still submerged. My hair had flowed forward as he moved against me, covering his movement to those at the edge of the pool. I gasped inadvertently, losing half of my air, feeling Marcello's paw on the back of my head. I fought, but felt his lips part slightly against mine and we shared a breath, replenishing the air I had lost. I tasted Marcello's breath as we breathed in tandem at the bottom of the pool, felt his tongue against my teeth as he kissed me.

As soon as it had started Marcello broke away from me, fondling me through the immersed breech-cloth as he pushed off of me and propelling himself to the surface. I followed suit as my lungs felt as though they were about to burst.

I surfaced at his shoulder, "Not so fast there you!"

I pitched my voice low to avoid being overheard even-though Marcello and I were still at the deep end of the pool, well over twenty feet away from the others. "What's with the roving paws?"

Marcello was pushing wet hair out of his eyes as he looked at me, "Oh, you know Tai, just the excitement of the moment. That and if you knew how long it's been since I've had feline to feline 'contact' you'd see things my way. Hell, at this point it's feline to anybody contact."

I caught his meaning under contact. Feline morphs (especially males) tend to get oversexed if we don't have some sort of physical release once and a while. I assumed from his statement that Marcello hadn't had actual sex in at least a few weeks and was probably close to spontaneously combusting if he didn't mate soon. I laughed inwardly, realizing my earlier statement about sexual frustration wasn't half wrong, but kept my muzzle tweaked in a scowl.

I swatted Marcello's paw irritably as he tried to hold onto my arm, "Quit! Oh Shit. All right, all right, we'll see. Just keep your paws off me while Annie is around! OK?"

Marcello nodded enthusiastically, looking pleased at my words. Before I could continue talking Marcello dipped down under the surface of the pool again. I watched as his tight form brushed past my body, stifling a yelp as I felt Marc's sharp teeth nip my side just above the waistband of the swimming briefs I wore. I struck out for the shallow end of the pool to rejoin Dorien and Annie.

As I reached the shallow end of the pool I rested my feet on the bottom. Marcello was standing on the steps out of the pool, shaking the excess water from his fur and hair before getting out. I lingered near the steps observing Marcello pat at his soaking fur, wet hair clinging to his face and neck and sticking out at all angles after he had shaken his head. I watched as Marcello turned on the last step of the pool, looking at me as I approached him. I paused, collecting my hair into a bundle at my neck and twisting it, feeling the water in it sheet down the fur on my back. I shook my arms and chest, attempting to free my fur of what water I could before exiting the pool.

Marcello extended a paw to me as I neared his position on the top-most step, grasping my wrist in a looser manner than he had in the pool. I accepted his help out of the pool, then leaned down smoothing the fur on my legs while freeing it of extraneous water. I suddenly got the impression of being watched and looked up quickly, seeing Marcello's eyes suddenly dart away from where they had been inspecting my rear as I bent down. I flicked my tail at Marcello irritably, seeing drops a moisture fly from it's tip.

I stood up once again, motioning to Marcello to walk in front of me, "Eyes front lecher."

I spoke quietly enough that only he could really make out what I was saying. I placed my paw on Marcello's back between his shoulder-blades and propelled him gently toward the table.

I felt his fur stand up slightly around my paw, as a barely perceptible shudder moved down his body, "Stop that!" I whispered.

Marcello hissed at me out of the side of his mouth, "You stop it. You're just making things worse. Stay away from the back, neck and tail unless you mean it." Marcello waved the tip of his tail slightly, tapping my leg with it to punctuate his point.

"Shhh!" I reached the table, releasing Marcello and walking over to Dorien. He wrapped his paws around my arm, heeding my still wet fur, "Have a nice splash Babe?"

I nodded, "Felt good, a little rough and tumble, and the water's nice. Not too cold, just about right."

Dorien pressed his muzzle against my neck, I felt his breath warming the fur on my throat. He pulled back, "That reminds me, here. Katie heard the splashing and assumed one or more of us would be needing one of these."

He reached over, taking a large towel off the back of one of the patio chairs. I took the towel, rubbing at my hair and fur while Dorien tossed the other towel to Marcello who had opted to stand in the sun while he dried. I finished drying myself off, my coat still just barely damp. I felt my fur experimentally, not feeling the trademark stiffness of the chlorine settling into it yet. If it did I would have to go upstairs and shower to get my fur clean.

That's the thing with morphs and pools, it's hard to get a good balance of chemicals in the water. If it's too high the chlorine really tends to mat your fur. And from experience I know that if you ignore the chemical in your fur for long enough it can actually bleach it out a few shades. I knew that I would have to at least wash my hair again within a few hours or the green dye in it would begin to get faded out by the chemical.

I bent down again, first checking that Marcello was too busy drying himself off to notice, and finished drying my legs.

I stood and adjusted the waist of the briefs hearing Dorien's voice from behind me, "Enchanted view love."

My ears drooped slightly for an instant then I backed against Dorien after he had spoken, feeling his paw on my hip rubbing my fur around in little circles. "Maybe we can use the hot-tub later if you feel like it."

I nodded, closing my eyes as he massaged my fur, "That would be nice, although I think Marcello would probably want to join us if we did."

I put my paw over his muzzle as I felt him begin to speak, "Don't ask. I'll explain later."

I wrapped the towel around my waist, hiding the bronze colored briefs and the breech-cloth that still clung wetly to my hips. I noted that Marcello had followed suit, wrapping himself in his towel and then sinking into one of the chairs near Val. Is sighed as I stretched and looked into the pool, I would have to retrieve my sunglasses later. They still sat on the bottom of the pool. I wasn't really in any hurry, they weren't a terribly good pair anyway.

I sat down again next to Dorien and across from Annie. "So, have fun?" Annie smiled at me warmly.

I nodded, "And people think cats hate water."

Dorien got up from where he had been sitting and draped himself across my lap. He added a little shift to his hips as he sat down, rubbing my crotch imperceptibly to anyone but him and myself. "I like water but I look like a drown rat when I come out, you and Marcello make the wet look work for you."

I hugged my lover's waist, feeling his paws on my arms. Annie looked at us, not bothered in the least. She had known about Dorien and my relationship when no one else even had a clue.

I saw her facial expression shift as she opened her mouth to speak, "I met someone nice week before last while I was shopping. We had coffee the other day. I was wondering if you two would like to come to Mom and Pop's house for dinner next week."

Dorien and I grinned at one another knowingly, "The test huh?"

Annie nodded at me. Annie likes to use Dorien and myself as sort of a 'stress-test' for her prospects. If we make it through a whole evening (including a rather premeditated kiss between Dorien and myself) without any major awkwardness or outright hostility cropping up Annie hangs on to them, for a while at least. The last few guys Annie has picked up haven't done so well. The last one hadn't said a whole sentence through dinner, simply saying goodnight to Annie and leaving afterward.

Dorien leaned forward, "So, what's he like?"

I listened absently, picking up on a few things as Annie spoke. "Well, his name's Erik, he lives near Mom and Dads' place. He's a cougar, about six-two, short, light hair and nice blue eyes."

I nodded appreciatively; the last couple of guys my sister had gone through had been human, with the exception of a rather handsome, but ill-tempered bobcat male a few months back. The way things had been going I was getting close to suggesting that Annie start looking outside just other felines and humans, or into her own gender. You never know, sometimes these things work out, but my parents would probably shoot us all or force Dorien and I to adopt against our will.

Dorien was inputting, I was just listening, "Sounds nice, do you share any interests? What's he like? What's he into?"

I poked Dor in the side at that statement making him jerk, "What?!"

"Keep it to PG-13 would you? They've only had coffee, not sex. Jeez."

"Sorry. This is almost the 21st century you know."

I glared back at my lover then glanced over at my sister, "Do Mom and Dad know about him yet?"

Annie nodded, "I told them when I talked to Mom the other day."

"Are Mom and Dad all right, they've been gone so long. When are they due back?"

To anyone else hearing Dorien refer to my parents as 'mom and dad' would be unusual. But for nearly the past decade my parents have been mom and dad to him. Most adopted children as old as Dor was would probably have been comfortable calling them Burt and Kathryn like anyone else but Dorien had practically insisted on using 'Mother and Father' or 'Mom and Dad' when referring to my parents and it had stuck. In addition they didn't seem to mind indulging the battered youth that had come to live in their home and did the best they could to live up to those, thus-far, honorary titles.

Annie shrugged, "They seemed fine when I called them. Kind of excited, I guess they're really up to their ears in some mysterious burial site over there. Mom tried to explain some of it to me but you know I'm not exactly fluent in their tech terms."

I nodded, of all of their children (biological and adopted) I was the most adept at deciphering the things Mom and Dad have to say about their work.

Annie continued, "From what Mom says some of the native people stumbled on an unknown burial site while clearing an old graveyard. Apparently the site contains unidentified bones and artifacts, and things written in an unknown dialect. They think it might have been from a species of morph living on the island before the Polynesians arrived. They don't know if maybe the species died out, moved or was killed off when the Native tribes arrived on the islands. Either way it seems to be a big thing. Dad said it might take years to finish excavating and classifying, the Native government has allowed for extensive study. They say they might be there for months yet."

Dorien's voice wavered, "Years?"

I sighed, "What about the holidays? It's already been four months, and we've hardly heard from them in two."

Annie shook her head, "I don't know. From what they say it sounds like their work is just starting. I doubt we'll get them away from it for Thanksgiving or maybe even Christmas. You know how they are, there's no telling."

Dorien slouched in my lap, ears and tail drooping, there was a low, trembling timbre to his voice, "Ohh...It's been so long... Do you think they'll even try to get away for Christmas? It'll be so different without them."

Annie looked pained at Dorien's expression, "I'm sure they will Dor. It's just they get so excited on a new dig sometimes they forget how long they've been away."

I stroked Dorien's arms and paws feeling him tense against me. "I know, I know." I soothed, stroking Dorien's neck, then moving my paws down to rub his lower back.

Dorien relaxed a little, still looking down-trodden. I knew that my parents' long absence was wearing on him. Because of past events and losing people Dorien has a difficult time dealing with changes to our lives. Normally my parents would only be away on a site for a few weeks, a few months at the most, and we always spend the Holidays together as a family. Faced with my parents long absence coupled with the news that our normal Holiday routine might be disrupted this year, Dorien was becoming really uneasy. Routine means a lot to Dorien, in many ways it functions to keep him grounded.

I've learned over the years that even small changes to our set patterns and routines can make him irritable or stressed. I would have to speak to Mom and Dad later in the week to make sure they had planned on at least being back for Christmas. Thanksgiving I could probably walk Dor through, but Christmas would be another matter entirely. I realized that Dor might need serious therapy if they blew off that holiday, I was going to be sure that they knew it too.

I saw Annie looking at me plaintively; I shrugged, shaking my head. I saw Annie nod, mouthing 'I'll call them tomorrow'. I shook my head, allowing one of my paws to fall away from where I was rubbing Dor's neck I pointed to myself indicating to Annie that I wanted to be the one to call if anyone did. Annie nodded as Dorien shifted sideways across my lap, embracing my chest and putting his head on my shoulder. I sighed, feeling my mates' fur against my own.

I scowled inwardly, realizing that Dorien was more upset than I had suspected, something else must have been bothering him.

"You need another shower."

Dorien's voice was weak from my shoulder, I felt him playing listlessly with a pawful of my hair. It was a quirk Dor had picked up during our years together, if he was really stressed or upset my lover liked to sit in my lap or next to me in my arms. As Dor did I noticed he often toyed with my hair, playing with it's long strands. My lover has several comfort mechanisms, most of them seem to revolve around me, though.

I glanced around seeing Annie looking thoughtfully at Dorien and I, Val and Marcello were looking up from where they had been conversing quietly, looking silently at us, puzzlement in their faces. Val nodded at me slowly acknowledging the situation, he and Katie have lived with Dorien and I long enough to have seen some of Dorien's mood swings. Normally Dor isn't one of those burst-into-tears-at-nothing persons, but if things start to wear on him for what-ever reason, even little things that normally wouldn't bother him too much can just overwhelm him.

Marcello looked concerned, but still puzzled. I wasn't all that surprised, Marc isn't that familiar with Dor's past. He's heard about most of it but hasn't experienced too much and hasn't seen a lot of the emotional damage that sometimes resurfaces suddenly, without warning to haunt Dor.

Stroking Dorien's back and shoulders lightly, I attempted to bring him out of his withdrawn state, "I know, how about Marcello and I go clean up and get dressed. We can go get a light lunch and wander around the mall for a few hours. Would that be all right? I'll get you whatever you want. How about it, Annie? Marcello? Do you think you and Katie would like to come with us Val?"

Val shook his head, "Thanks for the offer Tai, but Kate and I aren't ones much for the mall scene, besides, third wheel and all that. Don't want to intrude."

I nodded smiling to show that it was OK with me if they didn't want to go.

Annie nodded, "Sure, I wouldn't mind lunch and being a mall-rat for a while."

Marcello stretched out luxuriously in his chair regarding me and Dor. "Yeah, what the Hell, nothing else to do at the moment." A little gruff, but I smiled at his response anyway.

Dorien sniffed, still not moving from my lap. "I guess so, but with lunch, anything but Italian."

I grinned, hugging Dorien, I felt him return the gesture. Then he turned his head kissing me as we still sat. He uncoiled himself from my lap, standing to allow me to get up. I walked over to Marcello, running a hand over his fur, feeling it's stiffness from the chlorine.

"Let's go, you look as though you've needed a shower for a week or two now." I laughed as Marcello stood up, flipping me off as he did so.

I strode back to Dorien with Marc in tow. "Let's go upstairs to get ready. Annie why don't you go see if you can find Jenna. See if she wants to tag along while we get washed and changed."

I assisted Dorien in moving all the supplies either back into the shed or into the relative safety of the patio. Dorien paused long enough to collect the garish blanket then the group broke, Dor, Marc and I passing through the sliding door to the den while Annie went into the kitchen after Val.

I fell into stride next to Marcello, Dorien hugging my arm as we ventured up the stairs together. The three of us entered the bedroom, Marcello and I stopping near the bed, with Dorien behind, tossing the blanket over the back of the sofa. I proceeded to the closet, picking out two shirts, one a short sleeved button-down blue shirt, the other a loose green tee. I turned presenting them both to Marcello, "Well, choose your weapon."

He looked skeptically at the shirts, paw settling on the button down. "Anything looser in the button-down variety?"

I thought about it, "Just wear it open, here, put this on underneath."

I reached into a dresser drawer pulling out a light blue sleeveless shirt. Marcello nodded and I threw the shirts onto the bed, proceeding to look for pants for both of us.

I heard Marcello whistle slowly, "Hey Tai. What are these?"

I turned and felt the blood rush to my face and ears so fast it nearly made me dizzy. "A joke gift." I wheezed.

Marcello had invaded the drawer I had pulled the shirt out of and was now holding up a pair nearly non-existent bikini briefs Dorien had bought for me as a gag gift on my birthday. They were little more than a two miniscule triangles of material with spaghetti straps connecting them. The joke had been that they were dyed with a cheetah print on them. Dorien and I had both laughed when I tried them on due to the fact they matched my spot pattern and fur tone so well that to a casual glance it appeared as though I was wearing nothing at all.

I thought than I had hidden them better than that, but apparently not. I felt my face cool slightly, until Marcello spoke again, "Why didn't you wear these today? They would have been more convincing than those briefs."

Dorien had looked up from the sofa, mouth falling open, "Marcello, where did you get those?! Put them down!"

Marcello was smiling, hardly hearing Dorien at all as he looked at the lingerie. Parting his towel open Marc laid the briefs against his leg, "What do you think? You think the two patterns clash too much?"

I shook my head, "No, but who would you wear them for? Yourself? Got a hot date with your paw later-on?"

Marcello regarded me nonchalantly, "Maybe, I dunno. Then again, maybe you or Jenna or even Dorien might want to see me in them?"

I looked at Dorien then Marcello, "Could be. Maybe we would, but Jenna's not here. What do you think love?"

Dorien was approaching us slowly from the sofa, "Hmm, could be."

He regarded Marcello coolly, his fluffy tail weaving in the air, "You're sure that you want us to see you in them? Absolutely, positively, sure? Cause if you are, we might."

Marcello was fidgeting with the towel around his waist, which barely hid his growing excitement, "It's been over a month since anybody has, God am I sure."

I stroked his shoulder, playing idly with his thick fur, "Poor baby. But even us?"

Marcello grinned, loosening the towel from his waist, "Oh, yeah. I would prefer if Jenna or Char were here, but you take what you can get."

I nodded, "Sound words. OK, I did say we would see and you've definitely asked for it."

I strode over locking the door to our room, then ventured quickly into the bathroom, securing the adjoining door. "Just making sure we don't get interrupted." I explained.