Chapter 6: Love

When I woke up in the morning, I found that John, on the other hand, had been dreaming wildly. I sat up in bed, trying to figure out how he had been moving to end up like he did. He lay with his feet halfway up the wall next to the headboard of my bed, with his head beneath the bed cover. Both his pillows lay on the floor, one on the other side of my bed. He was holding my tail in a steady grip, and I found myself marvelling at him. How could he have done all that, without waking me up? Especially yanking my tail; it\x92s normally very sensitive. I eased it out of his hands as gently as I could, knowing fully well that if he was still dreaming, and I disturbed him, things might get painful. In the end I got free, stroking my tail and soothing it by telling it the horrible lion wouldn\x92t touch it again. Checking my watch, I found it was half past eight. Not too late a time to get up. I shook John\x92s shoulder, and he jumped at the touch. Poor guy, I thought, wondering if he\x92d had bad dreams the whole night through. His feet started kicking, drumming against the wall, each noise he made making him run even faster. In the end I thought he would tear at the wallpaper, so I grabbed his feet, easing them down on the bed again. Once he had settled I returned to shaking him. It took a few minutes, but eventually he stopped dreaming, slowly moving towards the awake world. Grunting, he opened his eyes.
"G\x92morning, Mike. Why are you lying the wrong way?"
"I\x92m not, you silly lion. You are. Look around!"
"Damn, you\x92re right! How the hell...?"
"Beats me. What\x92s even more strange, you did it without waking me up."
"I remember dreaming about that bloody movie. Mike, if you ever make me watch something like that again, I\x92ll spank you for real."
"The video\x92s still down there, we could do a re-run."
"Didn\x92t know you had that kink." We both laughed. "Seriously, Mike, I refuse! Won\x92t! Never again! Next time, let\x92s rent The Lion King."
"Ooh, science fiction!"

We had a light breakfast, and then John called his mother. The weather outside was as bad as yesterday, if not worse, and we turned down the offer for lunch. Our clothes were still moist, and we were put on our bathrobes again. After watching six movies yesterday, John didn\x92t want to go near the TV, and neither did I. He beat me in a couple of chess games, while I got the better of him at fox and geese. Slacking felt good, but as noon approached, I began to feel restless. John noticed this, and scolded me for it.
"Can\x92t you ever stay still? Is doing nothing really that hard?"
"Hard? It\x92s impossible! I\x92m used to doing things."
"Addicted to, I\x92d say. Have you never done moon-watching?"
"In this weather?"
"Not now, silly fox, have you ever?"
"Of course! We used to go moon-watching every full moon back home. You should hear the wolf guys sing to it."
"What did you do?"
"What did I do?"
"Yeah, did you sing along?"
"No, I just watched the moon."
"Really?"
"Well, you know I like naming constellations..."
"And?"
"John, why are you pesking me?"
"Don\x92t stall!"
"Well, I\x92d go through my homework, mentally, to see if I\x92d forgot anything. Why?"
"Just proving my point, Mike. You can\x92t do nothing."
"Yes I can! What about this weekend?"
"Swimming, skating, watching movies. Even sleeping is doing something."
"What do you suggest then, oh wise guru?"
"Let\x92s just sit down on the couch, doing nothing. Talking\x92s allowed, thinking about chores isn\x92t. I dare you to last fifteen minutes."
"You\x92re on, lion! I\x92ll manage half an hour!"
"Not a single chance in hell!"
After ten minutes, my skin began to crawl. I reached fifteen, but then it seemed as if we ran out of things to talk about. Or rather, I did. John wouldn\x92t help. There was an amused grin on his lips as I squirmed, trying desperately to keep still. It was no use. I\x92ve always been active. Not hyperactive, just used to moving about. It runs in the family, dad and Tina are the same, mom\x92s the only one who can really relax. After twenty minutes, I gave up.
"Okay, John, I yield! How can you just sit still like that? I feel like I\x92ve got fire-ants all over me!"
"I knew you couldn\x92t. Still, you did manage fifteen minutes. Technically, it\x92s a draw. So, what do you want to do?"
"Vacuum the house?"
"Not fun enough!"
"I know, give me another back rub!"
"Okay, if you return the favour," he said as I untied my bathrobe, lying down on my stomach. "I\x92ll teach you how to... Will you at least get a pair of briefs on, Mike? Not that I\x92m prudish, but..."
"Oh, sorry! Just a minute. I\x92ll bring you a pair, as well."
I hurried up the stairs, quickly slipping into a pair of boxer shorts. Not sure what John liked, I brought him a pair of briefs that were too big for me, considering for a moment to toss him the minute black leather tanga a buddy back home had bought me as a joke. I felt sure it would\x92ve been fun, but I decided to just go down and have my back rub instead. Maybe I\x92d mess with him some other time. I laid down while he put the underwear on, then I felt his firm hands on my shoulders. Before he had even begun, I was humming.
"Pay attention, you purring kitten! This is for education, not pleasure."
"Nothing\x92s to say the two can\x92t combine."
"Shut up! You feel these muscles running from your spine to your shoulders? They\x92re often tense when you do much writing, or work with a computer. Just run your fingers along them, like this, and let your thumbs follow, applying pressure. Don\x92t be afraid to push hard, it won\x92t hurt. Do that a few times, and they\x92ll relax. Then go down along the spine..."
I did my best to listen and learn, but it was difficult to concentrate, and in the end he had to repeat the practise. This time, I was able to follow, although I kept humming the whole time. Then we switched places, and he made me rub him three times, before he felt certain I had got it all.
"Not bad, Mike, but you still need to practise."
"And you\x92re happy to oblige, I\x92d take it?"
"Well, since you asked so nicely. But right now, I\x92m all relaxed. More massage right now might hurt. Want me to rub your belly?"
"My belly?"
"Yup."
"Why not?"
"Okay. Turn over!" I obeyed, and he straddled my thighs, placing his thumbs right beneath my collar bones. "Just tell me if it hurts, okay?"
"Actually, it feels great." I started humming again, and he shook his head, laughing. "Quit it, John, I can\x92t help it. It just comes."
"Sounds funny, you\x92re just like a purring cat."
He slowly worked his way down my chest, releasing tension I didn\x92t even know was there, finally massaging my abdominal muscles. I vaguely remembered mom rubbing me like this when I was little, and I leaned my head back, thoroughly enjoying myself. As I hummed louder, John laughed.
"Remember how my hands move, Mike. You\x92ll get to return this one, as well."
"John, this feels so good!"
"Oh my, aren\x92t you two enjoying yourselves!" Looking up, I stared right into Tina\x92s grinning face. There was a tone of amusement in her voice. "What are you doing, really?"
"Tina!" I sat straight up, nearly tossing John from the couch. "Are you home already?"
"It\x92s half two, Mikey. Don\x92t tell me you\x92ve been so busy you forgot lunch? Anyway, better get dressed, dad\x92s right behind me, I just wanted to surprise you. Boy, did I!"
"Tina, you\x92ve got it all wrong," I said, blushing feverishly as both John and I hurried to get our bathrobes tied. "John\x92s teaching me massage."
"Yeah, right! Massage makes you moan like that?"
"Tina..."
"I\x92ll show you some time, Tina," John said. He was actually smiling! "He melts as soon as I lay a hand on him, purring like a kitten."
"John..."
"Does he really?"
"Will you quit it, please? Both of you?"
"But Mikey, you\x92re so cute when you blush."
"And so easy to make blush." They both laughed, and I had to clench my fist in order not to punch them. "Seriously, Mike, don\x92t let her get to you. It was just a little massage."
"Didn\x92t look like that from where I was standing."
"See? She always does this!"
"Because it\x92s so easy, Mikey, and so fun." She winked, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Besides, your briefs were tenting, you know..."
"Get! Lost!" I kept my voice low, but John must\x92ve heard, because he laughed heartily. "Damn!"
"Hello, Mike! Hi, John!" Dad came in, carrying two large shopping bags. "Been out in the rain, boys?"
"Hi, Darrin," John said, smiling.
"Yeah, we got drenched yesterday. Our clothes should be just about dry."
Mom also greeted us, as she came in carrying the suitcases. She immediately made sure to invite John to dinner, and he went to phone his mother. I checked our clothes, deciding they needed a little while longer to dry. Tina followed me around, still a smug grin on her face. This changed suddenly, though, being replaced by a look of pure concern.
"Mikey! What\x92ve you done to your head?"
"A little skating accident. Did you see John\x92s bruise?"
"I thought it was a hickey. Did you fall?"
"Yeah." I pretended not to notice her little innuendo. "I knocked my head into the sideboard. Luckily, there was a physician there who could patch me up."
"Does it hurt?" She prodded the stitches, but the pain was gone.
"Not anymore. It was a bit sore at first, though."
"Poor you! Should have come with us instead. Maybe not the best of fun, but better than getting hurt."
"Oh, but we had fun, besides that."
"So I could tell..."
"We\x92ve been watching movies."
"Any... special... kind of movies?"
"Kid, you\x92ve a foul mind! Yeah, we watched some horror films."
"What, without me?"
"Going to return them pretty soon."
"Return what?"
"The Temple of Cats."
"Aaw, Mikey, you prick! You knew I wanted to see that!"
"Watch your mouth, tiny."
"Was it good?"
"A bit too scary for me. And poor John was thrashing about the whole night."
"So he slept here? I thought as much..."
"In my new spare bed, Tina. Would you lay it off?"
"Why? It\x92s so fun to tease you. John\x92s not half as fun, he didn\x92t even blush."
"Because there\x92s nothing to blush about."
"Then why are you? C\x92mon, Mikey, you can tell me. I\x92m your sister!"
"You won\x92t quit, will you?"
"Yeah, I guess. You\x92re such a bore!"

After dinner, John went home, dropping off the videos on the way. It felt nice, in its own way, to settle down with the family, not really watching some TV show. After the weekend, my mind was now set on tomorrow. I would see Britanny again. Already, that tingling feeling had begun to set in, and the thought of her made me feel elated. As it got late, the others began dropping off. Dad was tired, and went straight to bed after the late news, and Tina, her mind set to go with me to work the next day, also said good night. Mom must have seen that I wasn\x92t watching the show, because she turned the set off.
"So, how was your weekend?"
"Great. We\x92ve really been slacking."
"What\x92s with the stitches? I saw them during dinner, but I didn\x92t bring it up."
I told her about my skating accident. She bit her lip when I told her how I\x92d bled, but made sure to tell me she\x92d thank John properly for looking after me. In turn, she told me about the trip. It turned out they had done all the stuff I wanted to avoid; museums, tourist traps, shopping and sight-seeing.
"I see you wince, Mikey. You\x92re that sure you wouldn\x92t have liked it?"
"Yeah, pretty much. Mom, it really felt good just relaxing. Right now, I just feel filled to burst with energy."
"Any dates?"
"Sadly, no. Britanny was out of town the whole time. We\x92ll go out tomorrow, instead. I\x92ll phone her from work."
"Ooh," she said, laughing. "That must\x92ve been a drag! No parental guidance, and your girlfriend\x92s not home?"
"You read my mind. But I had a good time, anyway. John\x92s great company, even though he doesn\x92t like scary movies."
"Which you insisted on seeing anyway?"
"Tina told on me again?"
"She doesn\x92t have to."
"Oh. Well, yeah, we did watch one or two of those. He almost turned my room upside-down last night."
"Poor guy. You\x92re a real meanie sometimes, Mikey."
"But you didn\x92t see it, it really was a scary movie. Tina will try to blackmail me into renting it again for her."
"You do that, and I\x92ll make you paint the front door with your tail-tip!"
"But you don\x92t know what she\x92s like! She steps on very tender toes to get what she wants."
"I don\x92t believe you," she said, smiling. "My little baby? Darling angel Tina?"
"The Creature from the Black Lagoon! She stops at nothing!"
"Well, you just tell her that I\x92ll have you banned from the video store if you rent her scary movies."
"Again."
"Again, yes. You\x92ve done that before?"
"When you went back home. Guess whose bed was crowded."
"Yourself to blame, Mikey."
The phone rang, and she got up to answer. Darling angel Tina! Sometimes, I wonder if my sister and my parents\x92 daughter are really one and the same. Still, mom\x92s smile had half told me she didn\x92t quite believe what she said. Untying my pony tail and letting my hair fall loose, I got up from the couch, ready to go to bed, when mom came back.
"It\x92s Britanny," she said, and my heart skipped a beat. "She wants to talk to you. I\x92m going to bed now, good night. Don\x92t talk all night."
"Heh. I won\x92t. We won\x92t. Good night, mom." Stepping out into the hall, I picked up the receiver. "Hello?"
"Hi, Mike!" That deep velvet voice! "I\x92m not calling too late, am I?"
"Well," I said, feigning a yawn. "Mom had to drag me out of bed. Just as I\x92d started dreaming about girls, too."
"Oh, so that\x92s why she said \x91not at all, he\x92s awake\x92, when I asked her?"
"Got me there." That crystal laughter! "So, how was your weekend?"
"Long. Dull. Lonely." That word, lonely, did it really convey what I thought...? "I missed you. Missed you very much."
"I missed you too, Britanny."
"Not according to Johnny." She laughed. "He told me how you molested him Friday morning. Every. Single. Detail."
"Once his mane\x92s properly grown, I\x92ll turn him into a rug."
"He also told me the reason."
"Oh."
"Good to know you were thinking of me, even when you made out with my little brother."
"I\x92ll take your hide, too, if you keep that up."
"Promise?"
"Yup."
"Good. Mike, when do you finish work tomorrow? I\x92d like you to come on over."
"At six. Give me an hour to drop Tina off and clean myself up."
"She\x92s with you at work?"
"Yeah, she loves it. They have a workshop, an otter guy called Song who fixes all sorts of things."
"I remember him. We were classmates up to level two."
"Really? Well, he\x92s been teaching her mechanics, and she loves it. She\x92s already decided to work with electronics."
"Good for her. Mike, I\x92ve a surprise for you. Going to make up for the lost time."
"Ooh, I like the sound of that! Take-out pizza and watching TV?"
"Nope," she laughed.
"What is it, then? Come on, I give in!"
"You\x92ll see. Be here by seven!"
"Aww, don\x92t do this! I can\x92t stand being curious! You realise how much sleep I\x92ll lose over this?"
"Be here at seven!"
"Britanny, please? What do I wear?"
"Something that comes off easily..." she whispered, and I felt myself blush.
"Now that! Will ruin my night." Again she let me hear that crystal bell laughter.
"It\x92ll be worth it, Mike. Be here at seven!"
"I will. You bet I will!"
"See you, then. Bye."
"Bye, Britanny."
It wasn\x92t easy, but I managed to keep from bouncing up the stairs, woofing and screaming. Instead, I settled for a good victory dance, and a shower. When I took off my briefs to step in under the hot water, I felt relieved that mom had gone to bed before I got on the phone. My excitement was very obvious. It took just a few strokes, with the shower beam to help, before I felt my knees buckling, all the energy I\x92d thought I had running down the drain. Contrary to what I\x92d told Britanny, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Monday morning saw me bouncing out of bed, before the alarm clock had even begun to think about ringing. I decided to skip shower, and have a good one after work instead. Nobody was up yet, but as it was almost seven, I started cooking breakfast. It didn\x92t take long until mom strolled into the kitchen, guided by her nose.
"Up early, baby? Mmm, garlic bacon, you spoil me."
"Eggs will be done in just a minute. Dad\x92s coming?"
"Showering. Just a few minutes. Going out tonight?"
"What made you guess?"
"That spring in your step, Mikey. Do you even touch the ground?"
"Hardly. Mom, I might be out \x91til late tonight..."
"Sounds promising. No dinner for you, then?"
"Not if I can help it. She\x92s up to something, but I don\x92t know what."
"You be sure to invite her over someday. We\x92ve not even met."
"Okay. Sunny side?"
"Roofways."
I gave her two eggs, and leaned down to receive a thank you-kiss. While the frying pan was hissing with more eggs, I ran up the stairs to shake life into Tina. Grumbling, she started getting ready, while I returned to cooking.

At eight, I hard the familiar purr of a well-trimmed engine, and soon John stepped in. Mom and dad had already left for work, and Tina and I were just getting ready to do the same.
"You guys ready?" he asked, pretending to be in a hurry. "Mike, I can\x92t pick you up today."
"Too bad," Tina said. "I\x92d hoped we could\x92ve stopped by the video store."
"Sorry, Tina. You see, somehow Britty\x92s got her hands on two tickets to the Star Wars Marathon over at the Windmill. And would you believe it? She gave them to me!"
"What a coincidence," I said, giving him an innocent look that wouldn\x92t have fooled anyone.
"Yes, isn\x92t it? I\x92m going with Jen, she\x92s another of your future new classmates, Mike."
"Too bad. We could\x92ve double-dated."
"It\x92s not really a date. We\x92ve been friends since level one, and she\x92s a great SW-fan. Only problem is, with breaks and all, it\x92ll last until half-eight tomorrow morning. Lucky I start work late that day, but it\x92ll still be rough."
I thought of what he had said. Hadn\x92t he emphasised half-eight? Did he know something I didn\x92t? I locked the door, and we got into the car.
"John, have you any idea what Britanny\x92s planning for me?"
"Nothing beyond what imagination conjures up," he answered, and Tina giggled at my sudden blush. "But what I do know is that mom\x92s in Chicago, visiting grandma."
"Penalty shot, no keeper," Tina said, and now they both laughed at me. I snarled at them, letting my ears droop, but this only made them laugh more.
"Feh! Insensitive louts, both of you!"
John parked by the rear entrance, and Tina bounced inside to see what new things Song would have for them to work with. I knew she had started toying with her electronics kit, but so far there had been neither fires nor short-outs. I said good bye to John, thanking him for the ride, when he surprised me by putting his hand on my shoulder, giving me a quick hug.
"Good luck, Mike. The night\x92s yours."
"Thanks, John," I said, hugging him back. "You\x92re the best!"
"Hey, I\x92m not just helping you out. Britty deserves this as well. The least I can do is to keep out of the way."
"John, you\x92re not in the way! I mean, it\x92s so nice of you to give us some time alone, but you shouldn\x92t feel forced..."
"Don\x92t worry, Mike. See it as a little help from a friend. Besides, these tickets sold out in five minutes, you couldn\x92t make me stay at home with less than tying me down."
"Still, thanks!"
"All right. Promise me you\x92ll tell me everything."
"Nope."
"Well, then, if you feel you have to pay me back, treat me to dinner some day."
"I\x92ll do that, John. Promise."
"Get inside now! You\x92ll be late. See you tomorrow! Somewhere..."
"Filthy mind..."
Laughing, he got behind the wheel and drove off. Trying to force my mind away from the coming evening, I went inside the store. Stone grinned as he tapped his watch.
"Should have opened twenty seconds ago, slacker!" Luckily, his smile remained, otherwise the bone-hard growl would have made me wince. "Can\x92t stand around kissing good bye all morning!"
"I wasn\x92t... I mean, we weren\x92t..." He laughed as I blushed, and I hurried to unlock the front door. Thankfully, there was no one waiting. "I just thanked him for driving me here."
"Sure. Tina got to work five minutes ago. I should pay her instead!" In vain, I tried to keep my ears from laying back defensively. Laughing again, he shook his head. "Kids today! Guess I\x92m lucky you don\x92t just mate right on the counter."
"Stone, please!"
"Ha! Relax, will you? Tina told me you were an easy tease, but I hardly thought..."
"She set you up to this?"
"A bit of a comedian, your sister."
"Yeah. I\x92ll laugh when I sit on her, later."

In no time at all, the day just vanished. I had expected time to creep forward, agonisingly slowly, like it always does when you\x92re waiting for something, but instead it made a rush that left me spinning. After lunch, Eddy dropped by again, and we whiled away a couple of hours talking about music, school and things. I found myself liking the huge wolf; he had a sense of humour that was of the dry, British school, often using understatements to emphasise his point. Then he suddenly screamed, looking at his watch, remembering that he had forgot to meet up with the exchange student club members. So he dashed off, and the clock leaped forwards again. It was time to close for the day. Tina and I said good bye to Stone and Song, and then we headed for home. Since I was in a hurry, we took a bus, and soon I was in the shower again, lathering up. My head was spinning, and I\x92m not really sure I could have told my name if someone had asked me. I chose some fairly neutral clothes, that wouldn\x92t look too scruffy if we went out, nor too flashy if we stayed in. Tina dog-whistled as I did an ad lib fashion show.
"That\x92s great, Mike. Those colours really suit you!" I was wearing blue cotton trousers, to go with a blue and yellow shirt. "But you should go for a headband."
"White or black?"
"Black, Mike. White is not your thing."
"Thanks, Tina."
"Anytime! You staying out all night?"
"I\x92ve no idea."
"Well, if you\x92re back before midnight, I\x92ll kick you right back out again. Have fun, bro!"
"I will." I grabbed the overnight bag I had packed just in case, and kissed my sister before I walked to the door. "I\x92m sure I will."

Waving good bye to mom and dad, receiving meaningful little nods and winks that made me blush, I took a brisk walk to the bus stop. It wasn\x92t long before I reached downtown, stopping by at a night-open florist\x92s. Whatever genes I\x92ve inherited from my dad told me to go for show, but like I always do, I decided against it. I settled for a single red rose, feeling the message should be worth more than the paper it\x92s written on. My watch showed two minutes to seven when I entered the house, and by the time the elevator stopped, I was one minute late. Frantically checking my hair and my breath one last time, I rang the door bell. Footsteps, then the rustling of a lock, and there she was.
"Hi, Mike," she cooed, stepping aside to let me in. "My, do you look handsome!"
"So do you, Britanny," I said, unable to take my eyes off her. "You look wonderful."
She was wearing a light green blouse, with a golden necklace draped over her chest. With that, she wore a long skirt, a soft red with green stripes to match the blouse. Her brown hair was set up, and she smelled mildly of perfume. Following my eyes, she spun around once, then caught my eyes with a quizzical look.
"Absolutely wonderful," I said, nodding appreciatively. She waited until I had hung my jacket off, then walked up to me and kissed my cheek.
"Thanks, Mike. That\x92s so good to hear."
"This is for you." I gave her the rose, and she tilted her head, smiling. "A rose for a flower."
"How sweet. Are you always this romantic?"
"No. Just for you." She took my hands, and I pulled her close to me. My lips found hers, and we shared a long kiss. When we broke apart, I could feel my knees giving in, and only my strength of will kept me to my feet. "Just for you, Britanny."
"I wish I could tell you how much this means to me, Mike. You, being the way you are. I\x92ve never met a guy who wanted romance, they all wanted hot dates."
"Hey, I still remember our first date..."
"So do I..." She kissed my cheek. "But that\x92s beside the point. Come on in, everything\x92s ready."
"What is? I\x92m half dead with curiosity!"
She led me into the kitchen, stroking my hand as she dragged me along. It was dimmed, and as she turned out the hallway light, it got almost dark. I couldn\x92t suppress a gasp, and from her satisfied giggle, I could tell she had hoped for it. She had set the table for two, tall champagne glasses, fine cutlery and beautiful china plates. A large pot was steaming in the middle of the table, sending out a smell that I recognised, but couldn\x92t quite place. What really caught my eyes, though, was the fact that all the available spaces on the table were filled with candles. Tall or short, in bowls or in candlesticks. The pleasant smell of them filled my nostrils.
"Wow, Britanny. This is beautiful." I let my hand sneak around her waist, and pulled her closer. "The kind of thing that makes me cry at movies."
"I had a hunch you\x92d like it." She leaned into the embrace. "I\x92m glad you did."
"I don\x92t really know what to say..."
"Then don\x92t talk, Mike. Later. Let\x92s eat." She escorted me to the table, holding out the chair as I sat down. When she took the lid off the pot, a cloud of steam escaped towards the ceiling, playing tricks in the candlelight. "Johnny\x92s been teaching me how to cook. He told me what you like."
"He did, eh? Don\x92t know what I did right to deserve a friend like him." I sniffed at the steam, relishing in the heavy scent of basil, oregano, garlic and tomato. "Are you sure you guys aren\x92t from Italy?"
"That fox nose again." She reached down to pinch it, laughing as she made it twitch. "That\x92s so cute."
For once, I managed to resist the urge to help, but leaned back and let her serve me a helping. Dinner was pasta, with a rich minced meat sauce. When she had put the pot away, she opened a bottle of wine.
"Erh, Britanny, I have to go to work tomorrow. Besides, I\x92m still a minor, for a couple of weeks more."
"Don\x92t worry, this is non-alcohol." She winked. "I\x92ve got work tomorrow, too. It\x92s Portuguese, I think. Try some, it\x92s very nice. Johnny picked it up for me."
"I promised I\x92d treat him to dinner, for being so nice."
"So did I." We both laughed. "Hope he\x92s enjoying the movies. Will you propose a toast, Mike?"
"Dear slice of heated bread, will you marry me?"
"Would you mind being serious!?" she yelled, doubling over with laughter. "You silly, silly fox!"
"Sorry, Britanny, I couldn\x92t resist." Clearing my throat, I stood up, raising my glass. "To great parents, to wonderful siblings. And most of all, to the presence of beauty."
"All right, I can drink to that." She winked at me as our glasses clinked together. "Parents, siblings, and the beautiful man in front of me."
"Now, don\x92t make me blush..."
"Trying my best, Mikey."

We ate and drank slowly, all the while talking; about ourselves and our lives, I talked about school and she about her essay and her work. We talked about our futures; what we wanted to do and where we wanted to go. As it turned out, she shared one dream with me; to go to Iceland later that year and watch the solar eclipse. The issue was money. Smashing her piggy bank, Britanny just might make the ticket, but she had one more concern. John. I already knew of his love for astronomy, and I had a feeling it might hurt him to see us go. She agreed, and so we made up our minds to keep the dream a dream.
After we finished with the meal, she told me to leave the dishes, and pulled me into the living room. The light was turned low, and there was another bottle of wine on the table. We sat there, not so much talking as watching each other. Half an hour passed, as we just held hands, occasionally touching each other, or kissing lightly. Then she grinned at me, once more amazing me with how much she looked like John. I told her this, and she giggled at me.
"I know, Mikey. Everybody tells us that. Lucky me I have such a handsome brother, hmm?"
"Yeah. Lucky him, too."
"Flatterer!" She laid her ears back, blushing slightly. "You\x92re so sweet, Mike. I\x92ve never met a guy like you before, with one exception."
"Who is he? Tell me, so I can kill him."
"Heh. Don\x92t worry, he\x92s not a part of the competition."
"John..."
"Yup. I can understand why you two made such good friends. You\x92re just like him, so unselfish, so gentle and caring. So... sweet. Always making sure everybody else is okay."
"I never thought of it like that. I just try to be me."
"Try, and succeed. Promise me one thing, honey, don\x92t ever change."
"I\x92ll try. Now stop this before I blush to death!"
I stifled her laughter by kissing her, pulling her closer to me. She took my hand and placed it on her chest, sighing as I caressed her breasts. Ever so slowly, we pulled apart, and I could see a longing in her eyes. She must have seen something like that in mine, because she smiled, licking her lips.
"Come on." Grabbing my wrist, she pulled me to my feet. "We\x92ve waited long enough."

Britanny turned off the lights in her bedroom, leaving just a small table lamp lit. In the dim light, I could clearly see the lust in her deep brown eyes, and I knew she could see something similar in mine. We kissed again, a slow, passionate kiss. She pulled off my shirt, making sure to stroke and caress every part of my chest as she did. I felt her soft fingers brush across my nipples, and the touch made me gasp. I felt my underpants getting almost painfully tight. I unbuttoned her blouse, then started to kiss my way down her body, starting at the lips, then the soft fur of her neck. I ran my tongue down her breast bone, pulling the blouse apart to expose her breasts. Caressing one, I kissed the other, sucking lightly on her nipple. She purred with delight, a powerful rumbling inside her chest that made my whiskers vibrate. The feeling was an intensely erotic one. It didn\x92t take us long to shed the rest of our clothing, but suddenly I felt a little shy. I was so hard it almost hurt, but as I tried to cover myself with my hands, she just laughed and slapped them aside.
"Don\x92t try to hide, beautiful." She kissed me, and I closed my eyes, just enjoying the touch of our lips, the caress of our tongues. "You\x92ve got nothing to be ashamed of."
She grabbed the base of my hardness, making me moan into the kiss. Her touch was firm, yet tender, and it had me seeing stars. Breaking the kiss, I pulled her with me, and we lay down on her bed, not even pausing to remove the bed cover. Our kisses grew more frantic, our touches more urgent. I let my hand run up the inside of her thigh, pausing for a second before I touched her sex. She was so hot, so soft and moist I almost peaked right then and there. I pulled her hand off of me, bringing it up to my lips so I could kiss it. I could smell my own scent on her fingers, and to my astonishment that only aroused me even more. After a little while, it was Britanny who got close, and gently pried my fingers away from her. We lay still for a while, gathering new strength as we kissed lightly. Then she grabbed my shoulders, pulling me on top of her like I had been a rag doll. Another trait she shared with her brother; that immense, almost invisible strength that made me feel they could rip me in half at a whim. I just giggled, however, enjoying another burst of her deep laughter. She looked me in the eyes, a silent plea that had no power to refuse. No desire to, either. She reached down between us, steering me right. Memories of our first time flooded back to me, as once more I felt myself wrapped up inside a piece of heaven. She flexed her muscles, squeezing me, urging me on. I started moving slowly, hugging her tightly while I buried my face in the nape of her neck, kissing her, scratching her collar bone with my teeth. She moaned deeply, running her hands across my back, over the base of my tail then lower, stroking my rump. I felt her run a finger in between my buttocks, caressing my anus, pushing at the opening with every stroke I made. The tip of her finger entered, and it was enough to send me over the edge. My orgasm took my breath away, and I rolled off her, panting while I ran a hand across her chest. She kissed my lips, then my cheek, then she nibbled lightly on my ear, making me shiver all over.
"Mike, honey, I didn\x92t..."
"Ssch, it\x92s okay. I\x92ll help you out."
I moved lower, kissing her breasts, then her navel, then going even lower. The smell of her sex was so strong it made me feel faint, and I kissed her tentatively, knowing what to do, but not really how to do it. I ran my tongue up and down, tasting my own semen as I did. A part of my mind screamed at me for doing something so gross, but I ignored it. I felt light-headed, almost intoxicated with the two mixing tastes. I rubbed my nose against her clitoris, making her jump, then I started gently licking it. At the same time, I touched her labia, slowly pushing a finger inside her. It didn\x92t take long before she climaxed, purring and moaning while her body shook slightly. Afterwards, we snuggled again, kissing and fondling each other.
"Thanks, Mike," she whispered. "That was a first."
"Really? For me too."
"I know, silly!" She giggled. "You already said I\x92m the first girl you\x92ve ever been with."
"Yeah, but you can\x92t know everything I did this weekend. For all you know..."
"Well, I do know my brother is not exactly built in my image." She growled softly. "Even if you went down on him, it\x92s not really the same."
" Britanny..." I felt myself blush fiercely, and she laughed at my discomfort. "I swear you\x92re the first, okay? Apart for some kissing and fondling, I didn\x92t even touch your brother."
"I know, Mike." She kissed me. "I\x92m just teasing you. Why, did you take me seriously?"
"No, of course not." More blushing, more giggles. "You\x92re a better kisser than he is, by the way."
"Maybe that\x92s because you didn\x92t take me by surprise."
"I\x92ll never hear the last of it, will I?"
"Nope." She giggled again, kissing my cheek. "Teasing you is so much fun."
"So I\x92ve been told," I muttered. "Over and over again."
"Poor Mike." Her hand wandered low, brushing against my still half hard penis, while she leaned down to kiss my right nipple. I gasped and bucked my hips, thrusting into her hand. The pleasure she was giving me had me ready within seconds, and she pushed me over to lie on my back. "Again?"
All I could manage was a nod, and then she straddled my stomach, slowly leaning back until I slid into her again, almost effortlessly. It felt even better this time, my own fluids providing extra lubrication and heat. She began a slow rocking motion, keeping me buried to the hilt the whole time. I purred and whimpered, matching her own sounds as she rapidly began to approach her orgasm. Her breasts were right on front of me, so I leaned up and kissed then, moving between her erect nipples until she finally came. As she tensed up and stopped moving to let the feeling take her away, I started thrusting into her, going deeper than ever before. Just when she was starting to come down after her high, I reached mine, coming almost forcefully inside her. We lay panting for a while, then she rolled off and went down on me. She licked me clean, then took me into her muzzle. Pleasure mixed with pain as I was still very sensitive, but she ignored me as I tried to push her off. Before long, I was hard again. Shaking my head in disbelief, I just laughed as she gave me that look once more.

We made love twice more that night, the last time being just a slow joining of movements without any real climaxes. The next thing I knew it was morning, and a sunbeam was teasing my eyes. I knew I had to get up and get ready for work, but the sheets felt so comfortable they kept me back. I more felt than heard Britanny get up, then I drowsed away until she kissed me. I sat up and looked into those wonderful brown eyes.
"I have to go, Mike. It\x92s seven, so you shouldn\x92t go back to sleep again." She sat down, and I leaned up to kiss her again. "Mike, I had the best night of my life. Thank you so much."
"Me too. It was really great. I feel like I\x92ll never walk again, though." She laughed. "Seriously, I could probably sleep in for a day or two."
"No, you won\x92t. Besides, maybe you should get your furry rump out of bed before John gets home. He did say half eight."
"Yeah, you\x92re right. Can I use your shower?"
"You\x92d better, or people won\x92t believe their noses." She giggled. "Don\x92t hug me, honey, I already had my shower. Feel free to grab some breakfast, too."
"Thanks, I will. When can I see you again?"
"Like this? Never more on a week day!"
"Seriously, Britanny."
"Well, I\x92m free Saturday, but the place isn\x92t.
"Mine neither. How about a more quiet date?"
"Sure." She kissed my forehead and patted my shoulder. "I like being with you, even if we\x92re not getting hot."
"Britanny, I... I think..." She put a finger to my lips, hushing me.
"Don\x92t say it, honey." She shook her head. "It\x92s too soon, we\x92ve only just met."
"But I..."
"We\x92ll see what happens, okay?" We shared a kiss, then she got up. "I\x92ve gotta run, call me tonight, okay?"
"Okay."

And then she was gone. I got up and went to raid the fridge, settling for a cheese sandwich to munch on while I called home. Tina picked up the phone on the second ring.
"Hello?"
"Good morning."
"Mike! Hi! How was your date?"
"Oh, it was all right."
"Yeah, right!" She laughed. "Out all night and it was \x91all right\x92?"
"All right will do for you, little Miss Nosy. Are you coming to work today? I\x92ve got no time to pick you up."
"That\x92s okay, I think I\x92ll pass today, anyway. Zea promised me to show me the local mall, she said they\x92ve got great video games."
"Okay, I guess you\x92re big enough to be let out on your own."
"Thanks, Mikey, that\x92s good to hear. But you\x92re not getting away, you hear? Tonight I want the details."
"Forget it, kid." We both laughed. "Say hi to mom and dad for me, will you?"
"Sure. Bye, Mikey!"
"Bye."
We hung up, and I finished off my sandwich and headed for the shower. I still had plenty of time, so I took a nice, long one making sure to wash and rinse my fur and hair thoroughly. I was just getting finished drying off when a knock on the bathroom door made me jump. It took me a second to figure out who it was,
"That you in there, Mike?" John said, his voice a bit strained. "Don\x92t wanna rush you, but I really need to go."
"Sure." I wrapped the towel around my waist and grabbed my clothes, then unlocked the door. We grinned at each other as he rushed past me. "It\x92s all yours, buddy."
"Thanks."
I wiped off the last bits of moisture, then found a laundry basket to drop the towel in. I had packed a brush, and I went into Britanny\x92s room to put it to use. There were hardly any knots, since I had groomed myself so thoroughly last night, but it still felt nice just to run the brush through my all but dry fur. Just as I was reaching around to do my back, the door opened and John stepped in.
"So, did you have a nice date?" he asked, but then his eyes widened as he realised that I was still in the nude. He quickly looked away, blushing. "Oh, sorry, I thought you had got dressed."
"It\x92s all right, don\x92t worry." I put a pair of boxers from my overnight bag, and he seemed to sigh with relief. "I\x92m not very shy among friends."
"Well, did you?" He sat down on the bed.
"Did I what?"
"Good morning, Mike, this is your wake-up call." He laughed. "Did you have a nice date?"
"Yeah, it was allright."
"All right?"
"Oh, don\x92t you start, too!" I rolled my eyes. "I\x92ve just been interrogated over the phone."
"Tina?"
"Tina."
"So, all right?" He laughed.
"Yes, all right. You\x92ll get the rest when you buy my memoirs."
"I was kind of hoping for an author\x92s copy, signed of course."
"Deal." I started putting my clothes on, while he yawned widely. "So how was your date?"
"Well, they\x92re good movies, mostly. And Jen\x92s pleasant enough company. Yeah, I had a good night."
"No hot making out in the cinema dark?"
"During Star Wars?" We both laughed. "That\x92d be really kinky. Seriously, though, Jen\x92s a great friend, but that\x92s all. You had breakfast?"
"Just a sandwich. I\x92d be happy to join you, but I\x92ve gotta go."
"Tell you what, why don\x92t I give you a lift?"
"John, it\x92s just a couple of minutes\x92 walk."
"No, let me finish. I\x92ll drop you off at the store, then I\x92ll head on over to Clarke\x92s for two meals-to-go. You don\x92t have any regulations about eating on the job, do you?"
"I don\x92t think so. I\x92ll just hide it beneath the counter. Okay, it\x92s a deal."
"Good. I need company this morning, or I\x92ll just fall asleep. Good thing I won\x92t be working lunch rush."
"So, we\x92re doing lunch, too?"
"I guess. If you want to."
"Why wouldn\x92t I?"
"Oh, nothing." He suddenly got defensive, with an almost frightened look in his eyes. "Nothing at all, let\x92s go."
"John, I\x92m still your friend." I grabbed his shoulder and turned him around to face me. He wouldn\x92t look me in the eyes. "What\x92s between me and Britanny won\x92t get in the way of what\x92s between us. I love you, John, you\x92re the best friend I\x92ve ever had, and I won\x92t lose that."
"Thanks..." he whispered, but he still kept staring at the floor. "That\x92s so... good to hear."
"I\x92ve told you, I\x92m not like those other guys, who just wanted to get close to her, I really mean it. I\x92m your friend."
"My best friend." He finally met my gaze, smiling warmly. "My very best friend."
"Good." I pulled him into a brief hug. "Do you need to get changed? Time is running out."
"Yeah. Be with you in a second."
With that, he ran off to his own room, while I waited in the hall. Sometimes, it seemed like he was consciously trying to let my relationship with Britanny spoil our friendship, while at other times he was almost chirpingly happy about it. I knew he had been hurt before, and I also knew how close he and his sister were, but I still thought he was acting strangely. Maybe there was more to this than I knew. Still, I wasn\x92t about to force him into talking about it. When he felt ready, maybe he would come to me on his own. Otherwise, he would have to cope on his own. I didn\x92t really like the sound of that thought, but at the same time I felt it was necessary. Prying could just do more harm. A couple of minutes later, he emerged dressed up for the new day, and now he seemed to be back to his usual, happy self. I felt relieved as he let us out, locking the door before we headed down to the car.