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"Please, Shiniee?" Iamel bounced from foot to foot in his excitement. His lower lip poked out in the semblence of a pout, red/orange/yellow locks flopping with him in turn. "I'm not gonna be big for a long long time - I wanna!"

"Iamel..." Patrick groaned quietly, diapering yashima quickly. The fox child wriggled just slightly in the grip of his new diaper, tail flicking a bit. he remained silent, eitherway. Iamel didn't get a second thought from the foxie-baby.

"Please," He whined, voice sliding up a decibel or two. "PLEASE, Shiniee! I wanna be like Diacyn - HE has one!"

Patrick groaned again, this time silently. So that was why Iamel wanted pierced ears... That little brat of an owl had an extra hole through him. Iamel was just so YOUNG! A thought struck him at that; Iamel was also very, very selfish. his red and black eyes lit up, giving his firstborn son a grin.

"Fine," He retorted, ignoring Iamelse squeal of delight, "But only if the other kids can come and get their ears done too."

Iamel paused in mid-squeak, eyes narrowing in malice. "What?" The boy drawled out slowly, small arms folding in front of his chest. "But they don't WANT it! No fair!"

"It can be a family tradition!" Patrick replied, loving his sweet sweet triumph over the forces of evil. "All new kids can get their ears pierced."

Iamel scowled but, in a period of contemplation, gave a sharp nod. "Fine. Them too."

The black man jolted just slightly at that, frowning a bit. "You - wait!"

But he was too late. Somehow, Patrick found himself at the piercing parlor only an hour later. Iamel had carried Akilah (his new favorite psycho sibling) while Patrick carted a silent yashima nad a giggling Lahela. The bird anthro was quite excited, despite not knowing why. Yashima just cuddled...because he was a good boy - unlike his siblings. Akuti pranced around them happily, little hooves making soft clicking noises against the floor.

"Hey," the lucky father called out to the piercer. She saw the amount of kids he was toting with him (Lahela snapping her beak helped) and she grinned. "Yeah. All of them."

"None for you, sweetie?" Her voice was teasing. patrick grinned and gave the girl a quick wink. "Okay, okay. None for the porcupine. We have a cute redhead -"

"I am NOT cute!"

"An adorable saytr," Akuti beamed, "A...a parrot girl? A cute little kid with fox ears and...?"

"A meerkat."

Akilah heard his species and squeaked happily, fingers twisting in Iamels hair. "Meerkitteh!" The boy crowed this triumphantly, tail curling. The gaurdian winced, head tugging back automatically. "Dawdie! Keela Meerkitty!"

Patrick glanced at the two when he heard that squeal, a grin spreading on his lips. "They're all getting their ears done."

"All?" Eyebrows arched again before that smile returned to the womans face. "Alright then! let's start with the oldest."

"Me?" Iamel looked surprised at that, moving to put Akilah down on the ground. The meerkat scrambled to his feet with a squeak, wobbling just a bit. "Why me?"

"The bravest first then."

His eyes narrowed and Iamel took a step closer. HE was the bravest!

((I am not counting this towards his needed rps/journal enteries but it's going to be important in his life so...yeah. It's going here.))

It was...a few days later and the poor cat boy was rather sore. So sore, in fact, the moment he woke up from their sex-induced stupor...He decided he needed a hot bath. A long one. His head turned to look at his love, a small smile on his face. Mordread didn't exactly know what had gotten into the darker man, but he wasn't complaining. Maybe his body was - but he was not. Placing a soft kiss on his forehead, the furry man slid out of the bed and walked, albeit slowly, to the bathroom. Mmm. Hot water.

Patrick made a quiet noise, eyes fluttering with a soft pursed lips. His nose wrinkles when he felt the weight leave teh bed and the cold set in. "Mordread?" The dark mans voice was rasping, eyes fluttering slightly... He was SORE, damnit.

The man stopped in his tracks and turned around, already half way there. His head peeked into the room with a warm smile, "You rang, love?" he asked, wincing at bending so far forward. They probably wouldn't be able to walk very well for a long time. Nor would they have another romp in the bed for a while - for once, Mordread was sexed out.

The multicolored eyes squinted, nose wrinkling before twisting to face him, blinking tiredly. "....I hurt." His voice was still rasping, sore from all the screaming and moaning he'd been doing, slowly pushing himself up.

"Me too, love...Wanna share a warm bath?" His green eyes showed merriment as he leaned against the door frame for support. He wanted that warm water to relax his body enough so it didn't feel as if he was as stiff as a steel pole - and not in the good way.

"Mmhmm.." His eyebrows knitted together as the dark man pushed himself up and out of the bed, letting out a quiet noise. "Ow..ow ow ********.." He pursed his lips, head shaking slightly. "What the hell was.."

"I don't know. It was fun while it lasted, love, but we're going to be regretting it for at least a week. Or two," his hand reached out to offer itself to his lover, ready to have them help eachother to the bathroom. It vaguely crossed his mind that his lover was probably in more pain than he was. After all - he had been the bottom that time.

Or for the rest of their lives. Patrick reached for the others hand, pulling himself up with a soft hiss, shuddering. "s**t.. That HURTS.." His eyes closed for a moment, leaning a little into the others frame, hand moving around Mordreads body.

"I know, love. You were like a man possessed, though. Man..." he laughed softly and started to hobble towards the bathroom with the other man, carefully taking the taller man's weight onto him. Even his tail hurt - which wasn't surprising. It had probably been pulled several times during their frenzy, "The bath should help, though."

"I don't know what came over me.." He frowned a little, leaning and nuzzling into the other. Since MOrdread was holding onto him, his hand reached for the nozzle, twisting the warm water on. "Nnn... I feel like I've been pile drived by a whole football team.."

"Three days of sex will do that to you, Patrick," he said softly, helping him to sit at the side of the tub with him, "I've only seen and smelt that a few times, and I've never in humans. Patrick, you smelled as if you were in heat. I don't know why, but that's what made me go so wild. I'm part cat, after all..."

"I went into what?" Patrick blinked at that, stretching slightly as his fingers dipped down, touching the slowly filling tub. "I'm a human. I don't go into heat."
Reclusive Dreams (12:48:59 AM): "I know what I smelled. I don't know why or how, but I do know what I smelled. My body wouldn't have been able to go on so much if I hadn't," he shook his head a little bit, "Maybe you should ask your mother when she drops the kids off."

"Oh..." His face heated up slightly, head dipping with a faint nose, nose crinkling up with a faint sigh. "Maybe I should...but they always said that we were human.. Only human."

"Well, love, a body goes into heat for one reason - it wants children. If it WAS heat you went into, I don't know," he smiled weakly, "It wouldn't hurt to discuss it with her. I know you're a male and male's don't get pregnant. They just don't...Unless you're a seahorse. Which I don't think have heats," he furrowed his eyebrows in thought.

"I'm NOT a seahorse. I hate the water." he grumbled slightly, nose crinkling up. "And I can't get pregnant. I'm a boy." Patrick frowned and, when the water was warm enough, slid back down against the water, submerging himself and patting his lap for Mordread.

Mordread happily obliged, giving a little moan as he felt the water envelop him, "Mmm...So good," he murmured, closing his eyes, "And I know you're a boy. I'm very aware of that...Your mom's coming with the kids sometime today, right? Just may as well ask."

"Probably.." He grumbled, pressing a soft, pierced kiss to Mordreads shoulder. Dark arms wrapped around his diminutive lover, chin resting on his skin slightly. "I'll ask her.."

Mordy smiled and turned his head to look at him, "I love you," he murmured, nuzzling back against him as he let the hot water soak his tired, sore body. It was so nice to have the warm embrace of both water and his lover.

"Love you too." He smiled quietly, nuzzling once more against the other. But...there was a niggling in the back of his head. Female cats went into a simaler heat when they were ready to have kittens..no male of ANY species he knew gave off the '******** me NOW' type waves unless they were hermaphrodite frogs or something... He was worried...

It was a good hour soaking before he heard a knock at the door, "Someone's at the door..." his body was still sore - but it was about 10 times better than it had been before. The water, thankfully, actually helped him. For being a cat and not liking water very much...He was starting to love it for what it did.

"I'll do it.." A soft grumble, kissing at his neck and moving Mordread to the side of the bathtub. "Coming!" Calling out, standing with a grab at the towel, wrapping it around his waist. A brief tightening before moving to to the front door. "Coming, com--Hey, mom."
"Oh my god! You're bruised all over!"

Mordread soon followed, wrapped in a towel as well - though it fit him like a dress. It looked rather amusing, actually, "Hello, Mrs. White," came his voice as he moved slowly to the couch and managed to sit down. The cat boy could barely stand, still. He was still rather tired, but he wouldn't let that show. He just needed to sit down.

Too bad for Mordread. Akuti barreled in, tackling the catboy with a happy squeal. She was wearing a red hair ribbon and looked so very excited. "Daddy M! We had yummy food and I gots a ribbon!"

Deliah was holding a sleeping Yashima, Akilah and Lahela - yes. All of them were asleep. She was beaming and looking EXCEEDINGLY proud of herself. "Hello! Mordread, what did you DO to my baby?"

Mordread winced as the satyr girl tackled him, but fell back on the couch and wrapped his little girl up in his arms, "Oh that's wonderful, sweet heart! Your ribbon looks so very beautiful on you my little Aphrodite," he chuckled softly and nuzzled into her hair, looking over to his lover's mother.

"A little of this...A little of that....A LOT of something else. Nothing that you'd want to hear details on."

She beamed up at him, cuddlig close against Mordread, arms wrapping around him happily. "I like the color red! Like Daddys eyes." She nodded, humming and cuddling still. Deliah simply arched her eyebrows, moving towards the bedroom and dropping the children off.
"Iamel is with one of the other...winged things right now. He called him a pirate?" She shrugged, nose wrinkling. "And the kingfisher...flew off. God knows where he is."

"DAX IS MISSING?!!!!!?!" Mordread screamed, sitting up rather quickly, though careful of Akuti in his arms, "YOU LET MY SON GO OFF?! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!" Okay. So Mordread was overreacting - but the child was his first. And currently, only that could move and wasn't made out of goo.

Her eyebrow arches slightly. "We were by the park." Her voice was dry at that, looking at the kitty boy with amusement, "He said something about the koi fish and flew off, according to Iamel, before we dropped Iamel off. I wouldn't call it missing so much as enjoying a nice lunch outside of the prying eyes of humans."

"He probably doesn't even know the way HOME!" he was breathing heavily now, stroking at the satyr girl's hair gently to calm himself down. Mordread was...very over protective when it came to the children, it seemed.

"Iamel does," Patrick supplied, sitting down near Mordread, stroking his kittens ear soothingly. "He knew when he was a woodpecker too, love. Calm down." Akuti was scared, obviously. o.o Clinging to Mordread

The cat boy calmed down, both for Akuti's sake and the fact his lover was now stroking at his ears, "Mmph. But.. It's...Dax..."

"And he's psycho. Psychos manage to remember weird things." He grinned, laughing and pressing a kiss against his lovers temple. "Mother wouldn't let a defenseless birdie fly off."
"He ate all the fish in my aquarium."

"He's a King fisher. Fishers do that. Buy new fish," Mordread didn't think fish could cost too too much. He'd been to the pet store and seen tiny little fishies going for 10 cents a piece. Couldn't be too bad, right? Right. Besides, even fish to eat didn't cost him more than a few dollars a pound.

"It's not EASY to find some of those fish! One of them cost me one hundred k in the market place," She sniffed, shoulders rising into a shrug. "I got him lobster ut.."

Mordread blinked, "One hundred thousand? Are you freaking NUTS? Spending THAT much on a FISH? Something that you eat for dinner?!" he blinked again, looking incredibly...appalled that someone would waste money on something that swam and shat all day.

"Well, we don't EAT them. They live in a tank." She stared at Mordread in return, looking completly unruffled.
Patrick broke in, clearing his throat. "Mom. I have a question for you. Ae we fully human?"
She blanched at that, face flushing slighty. "Why do you ask?"

Mordread blinked, "Then what are they good fo--" he was cut off by his lover and gave him 'the eye'. It entertained him that someone would throw away money on a slimy piece of meat - and he wanted to know why. Then again, he was a cat. Cats had a natural appetite for fish.

Patrick ignored him. >_>Eyes on his mother. "BECAUSE, Mother, I'd like to know. My eyes aren't really a genetic defect, are they? Mother?"
She blushed again, running her hand over her hair. "Well...dear.."

Mordread remained quiet, cradling his little girl in his arms and giving her a little tickle. One ear remained tuned into the conversation his lover was having with his mother.

Akuti squealed and laughed, wriggling and batting at his hand with a little grin. "Dadddeee!"
"We had a great grandfather who wasn't...exactly human.."
"Was he a seahorse?"

"What? No! He was a Lashran."
Reclusive Dreams (1:45:48 AM): Mordread giggled and kissed Akuti's head - then paused when he heard the words from Deliah, "Lashran? What's that?" he blinked and snuggled with the little girl, playing with her hair.

"Lashran is an all male-species.." She hesitated, chewing at her lower lip and fluffing her blonde curls slightly. "Well, until they inter-mix with humans. I was the first female with ovaries! You were my only child because...well.." Deliah flushed. "They weren't fully functional, really... We had to do an artificial insemination.."
"Well...how did the Lashran have children if they were all--..oh, ********/> Mordread seemed a little slow at the moment, "I'm confused...." Okay, so it could be blamed on half paying attention and being dead tired. His face was completely blank as he looked over to Patrick.

"They reproduced with each other, didn't they, Ma? They slept with each other and MALES had children!"
"Only lifebearers!" She defended, hands waving in her defense. "Lifebearers are RARE, sweetie!"

"Do...they go into heat, Mrs White?" he asked quietly, looking a little worried at his lover as it suddenly hit him. Was Patrick...? Dear god....

"They...oh, dear, Patrick.." Her voice was small, hand rising to her mouth. "Well..they're SUPPOSED to...around patricks age... You're only nineteen, dear, we thought since you were mostly human.. Oh, but your pupils were so large and you looked like your father in coloring that we thought.."

Mordread reached over and took Patrick's hand, "We should make an appointment, love," his green eyes looked over to Deliah and took a deep breath, "Well, you may be a biological grandmother after all, Mrs. White....Wait, 19?" he raised a brow and looked over to Patrick.

Patrick paused at that, glancing over at his lover sheepishly. "I tell everyone I'm twenty five... I graduated college at seventeen or eighteen." Voice quiet, fingers squezing his hand. "But mom said she couldn't handle a baby - artificial stuff! I could be the same."
"...but, dearheart... You're a lifebearer."

"Mm. I feel old now," Mordread laughed softly, not quite caring that he had lied about his age. Hell, he didn't even know how old he really was, even though he thought he was in his later twenties...A pause as he looked to his lover, speaking to his mother, "What happens when Lifebearers go into heat?"

"It's a 'Cycle' really..." She fusses slightly, chewing at her lower lip. "And only happens a few times in their life... They get..Well.. Im assuming you know, from the looks of you two!"

"Yeah. We know. What is the probability of him being pregnant?" Mordread squeezed his love's hand again, taking a deep breath. It wasn't fair that they hadn't known this - and it was a lot to swollow. But it wasn't as if Mordread wouldn't be happy about the prospect of being a parent. It was to be expected that he'd be happy, considering how maternal he was.

"Well..uhm... Akuti, dear, go get yourself some food?" She distracted the girl and Akuti nodded, tromping off to the kitchen. "...it depends. Did you use Patricks.." She coughed, "For..luberication?"
Patrick paled. "....yeah. A little. Or a lot."
"...then you're probably pregnant."

Mordread took a deep breath, "Well then...Definitely need to make an appointment..." came Mordread's soft voice. He was almost always level-headed and calm. Thankfully.

Patrick wasn't so level headed. He stared from his mother...to his lover...and then - thump. Out cold on the couch. Deliah squeaked, moving towards her son

"You should have told him, you know," he muttered, moving to stroke at his forehead and pat at his cheeks, "Wake up, darling, wake up...."

"I didn't think he'd grow up to be gay!" She protested, sitting near the other, waving at her son. "Or a bottom, for that matter!"
Patrick moaned slightly, wriggling a little.

"When you found out he was gay, you should have told him. And he usually DOESN'T bottom, thank you very much. Apparently, the heat makes you want to." he grumbled and leaned down, kissing at his lips, "Wake up, Patrick."

"We didn't know it happened at nineteen!" And he wakes up slowly, eyes fluttering with pursed lips.
"......what just happened?"

"It doesn't matter WHEN it happens, YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD HIM!" Mordread was getting a little frustrated with the blonde. It didn't help that he already didn't have a large fondness for women due to his past, but damn. His green eyes went back to Patrick, "Your mother just told you that you're not quite human and you may be pregnant. And if you pass out on me again, So help me..." he looked worried.

Patrick made a soft noise, eyes going to his mother once more. "I...mom?"
Deliah ignored Mordread, dipping down to cup her sons face, looking worried. "Are you alright, darling? I'm so sorry... I just didn't think it'd ever happen."

He didn't so much like being ignored - but then again, he had been all his life. With a little hmph the cat boy stood up and walked into the kitchen to check on Akuti and help her if she needed.

Patrick made another noise at Mordread stomping off, grabbing for him but...missing miserably. Deliah frowns, helping him sit up and stroking his hair back. "Mordread.." Pouting a little bit.

Mordread came up to Akuti, "Hey, Angel, you find everything okay, or do you need some help?" he'd go back into the living room after giving his love some time with his mother. Who he already was starting to dislike. For, what he thought, was a good reason.

Deliah was just a little bit on the airheaded side. XD She was fluffing patricks hair and trying to get him to cheerup. The boy finally shook his head, taking her hands in his. "Mom.. I'm really tired. Please, can you..."
"Of course, darling." Kissing his forehead. "Call me!" And she flounced out. Akuti just beamed up at him, mouth full of tomato.

Mordread smiled a little bit, ruffled her hair, and walked back into the living room to check on his lover once his mother left, "Everything okay with you, darling?" he asked, moving to sit beside him. He knew that Patrick had a problem with freak outs when the unexpected happened.

Patrick sighed, fiddling with the towel on his lap, frowning up at the others expression. "...didn't mean to pass out." His voice was a soft murmur, hand twisting in the couch cushion.

"I know, you had a little bit of a shock. Are you okay?" he stroked at his cheek gently, looking into his eyes. While Mordread wasn't exactly...sure how he felt about everything, he'd push his own feelings aside, at the moment.

"...how the ******** am I going to give BIRTH?" His voice was still soft, leaning into the touches, eyes closing. "I mean.."

"C-section?" he asked, pulling him into his arms to hold tightly, "I was reading some of the medical books at the library. Rather interest......Nevermind, not the time to discuss books," he smiled sheepishly and rested his head against the darker man's head, "We don't even know for sure if you are."

Patrick clung back, face pressing into his neck. "Well...maybe..if mum had to do an artificial thing...something messed up. Maybe I'm not pregnant. Maybe?"

"Maybe. But what if you are? How do you feel about that? I mean...you wouldn't...You know...." he looked a little worried at the thought of his lover not wanting a child of theirs, no matter the circumstances.

"Wouldn't what? Abort? No!" He shook his head, hugging him tightly close. "I'd... I'd deal with it, i guess? I mean.. adopting a kid is one thing but..the pregnancy doohicky.."

"I know, a scary thought..." he paused as he stroked at him, relief flooding through him as Patrick seemed so adament about not aborting. That made him happy - it was their child, anyway, "I've always wanted a family and children of my own. Biological children, ya know? Thought it'd never happen because of my preference, but...You know...It's a piece of each of us, if you are. It's...As girlish as it sounds, made because we love eachother," his brows furrowed. Cliche and girlish, indeed. But he didn't exactly care right now, "It's...ours."

Patrick smiled briefly at that, leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek gently, eyes closing slightly. "...you're right then... We need to make an appointment somewhere... Just..somewhere to show us it's not deformed or anything.."

A smile faintly touched his lips as he leaned up and kissed his chin lovingly, "I agree. Want me to get the phone book, or do you know of someone? You're the scientist in the family..."

Patrick hesitated, head tilting back just slightly for Mordread to keep kissing, letting his eyes close. "I don't know anyone.. I can ask around but.."

"But?" he asked softly, pulling him close and kissing at his cheek and chin again, "You're still in shock, aren't you?"

"...a little." Leaning closer, nuzzling into him with a sigh. "And it's too soon! it's been..like...a day." Frowning slightly. "We could wait a week or something...Just to make sure.."

"Yeah, we can wait a while, so long as you want love," he stroked at him gently, "Do you hope you're not?"

"That's not it. You just..can't tell after just a day. it takes a few days - a week - to be able to tell." His cheeks heated up, head tilting to press his cheeks against Mordreads. "....we could have little black kitties."

"Or little white kitties with black stripes..." he blinked, "Oh, s**t, I'm a cat. Or part cat. Cats have litters...." his green eyes widened at that thought, "s**t." It wasn't that big of a deal - was it? Could his cat genes..? Or would it be like Lashran genes and only have normal amounts of children?

"Maybe if YOU got pregnant?" He suggests, fingers petting at him still. "I dunno. Let's ask the doctor... When we find one." Smiling faintly, kissing at his cheek softly.

Mordread turned his head to kiss him in return, gently, "We need a bigger place. Or to add on more rooms...Or something...I think your parents should pay or ask Ianna or something. I don't want to move." he had just gotten settled in his first stable residence, ever. He didn't want to move again.

"Neither do I." His nose wrinkles, returning the kiss oncemore with a faint grin. Fingertips stroked at the others back, eyebrows arching. "..Ask Ianna? For what?"

"Matilda, she's some kind of..I unno, uber powerful thing, right? How do you think she got such a big place? It's not like they're rich..." he shrugged his shoulders and snuggled close to his lover.

"You never know.." A faint shrug, eyes closeing as he enjoyed the other being close. "We'll think of something.."

"I know we will. We'll get through everything together. You'll never get rid of me, Patrick," he chuckled softly and looked up at him with those loving green eyes. The closeness, intimacy...Was just lovely.

"Mmph." His eyes close, fingers petting at his back, tips stroking over the others tail. "We'll be okay..."

A soft groan could be heard, then, "You KNOW what my tail does to me..." he murmured, taking a deep breath. It wasn't as if he could do anything - he was too sore, but damn..

"Mm?" He blinks, nose wrinkling. "No. I like petting. Calm your c**k down."

"Easier said than done," he grumbled, chuckling softly and nibbling on his lower lip, happily. It was then he made up his mind - if Patrick was pregnant, he'd propose.

He grinned and stretched out, eyes closing. "I'm hungry... I should get some food, lover.."

"I'll get you something, what do you want?" he stroked his cheek and untangled himself from his lover, standing up slowly.

"Something green?" He murred, eyes sliding open to stare at the other with a grin

"Salad with sesame dressing sound okay?" It was easily made and Mordread was too tired to even cook for himself. Which meant he'd have to share...Not a very pleasant thought for the cat.

He grinned and stretched out slightly, wriggling his
And with that, Mordread went to grab both the phone book and a salad for his lover. Things had an odd way of working out - but he was happy despite the soreness and surprise.

Akilah was tottering about the house happily. His ball, no longer the center of his little childlike world, rolled away in a spheric state of bliss. The meerkat was on a mission, oh yes he was! He wanted to see his Dawdie and he wanted to play with him...

His dawdie had been so distracted lately. Akilah wanted attention, goddamnit!

"Dawdie?" The boy called out rather mournfully, small claws scrabbling together. Paws flexed together, wide dark eyes peering around. As soon as the fluffy things eyes adjusted to the light, he puttered into the bedroom of his dawdie.

It was always such a chore to find the bigger man. The bedroom was dark and his Dawdie was standing in front of the mirror, frowning at himself in the reflection. Akilah chirruped, offering the other his hands up. He wanted to be held. Dawdie glanced down and scooped him up, cuddling the meerkat to his chest.

"Dawdie, no clothes!" Akilahs voice was almost admiring of his nude father. They'd managed to wrangle the little meerkat into clothing other then a diaper here and there now that he was potty trained and Akilah ran around in little kid jeans and baggy shirts all the time. His dawdie just shrugged helplessly, grabbing something fabric and pulling them on to make him not-naked. "Dawdie clothes." He nodded quietly, hands moving to pet at the fabric.

"Yes, yes, Daddy has clothes, Kilah. What'cha want?"

"Keela wanna play!"

His dawdie sighed and within a few moments, Akilah found himself lifted up, off the ground, and dead onto his fathers lap. There was his stomach, of course, and it was hard, but the meerkat didn't mind. He scrambled up high, beaming at his daddy and started petting at his hair, voice a happy little croon. "Dawdie play wif keela?"

"No playing today, Akilah." Another soft grumble in Patricks voice, hands petting at his sons hair. Akilah grumbled as well, gnawing at the dark mans fingers. "Your hair is getting long... Have we ever cut it?"

The meerkats eyes went wide, blinking at his father. "Cut hai'?" He asked incredilously. Patrick grinned and stood, holding his spawn close to his chest.

The end result was why Patrick was no longer allowed to do their childrens hair.

"Akilah! Stop RUNNING!" Patricks voice wasn't a yell, as one would expect from the caps, but instead a little hiss towards his hyperactive son. Somehow, he'd gotten stuck with the two polar opposites of the clan they've been pushing together - Yashi, quiet but still rather kind, and Akilah, the psycho furry demon sent from cockroach-hell. "Akilah!"

The meerkat skidded to a halt, sandles sliding a b it on the mall floor. They were out! They were about! OH YES! "But Dawdie I wanna go play a game and they have an arcade, like Mels room and I want to play! Dawdie!"

Just behind the meerkat stood a rust-red feline, two golden eyes magnified by the glasses she wore, and watching his every move. She'd taken a step back as he came close, and now simply stood, a book dangling from one hand, and the head of her kinoko peeking out of her front pocket.

"You almost ran into that little girl, Akilah." Yashims voice peeped up from behind his fathers jeans, wide golden eyes peering back at that OTHER thing with two golden eyes. "She's furry like 'Keela."

The dark man paused, blinking and peering around his short son to stare at the girl. "...hello there."

".......a little girl?" Ears pricked up a little bit at hearing that - he liked girls! They smelled nice! "Hi! Who are you? You have furr like me! None of my family has fur 'cept Yashi but that's not the same because it's just on his TAIL. What's your name?"

Trio, who'd been coming out of the nearby shop just a few paces behind her daughter, paused to watch the interaction. At the rapid-fire chatter directed toward Makana, she quirked a smile, moving out of the doorway and keeping to the background, so that she didn't interrupt.

Makana stared at Akilah for a long moment, clearly intimidated by the sudden barrage. It took a moment, and a glance up at Patrick and Yashima before she looked back to Akilah, her ears flattened. "...Makana," she finally offered, when he'd paused long enough for her to realize that the last was a question she needed to answer. "And yours?"

Patricks eyes glanced up to see Trio - must be the mother. Or someone like that. No one random would be watching the girl with a mixture of love, tolerance and amusement unless they were the parental unit in one for or another.

"Why're your ears back? Fafie and yashi do that when they're annoyed or mad or talking to me but you're not annoyed, right? Hi, Makana! I'm Akilah - or 'Cosa calls me Keelah, because it's shorter and funner and I guess 'Ah' is too much. What's that in your pocket?"

Not annoyed, and kinoko. Makana debated which to answer first, her ears easing out of the skull-flat pose. It took a moment before she shook her head. "I'm not annoyed. Just... not used to so much... um... talking?" She glanced back to Trio, relaxing a little when she saw the blonde there. Once she'd done that, she looked back at him, reaching up to take the kinoko from her pocket. "This is my kinoko. I named him Mouse."

Trio managed, after a moment, to change the chuckle she'd been near to letting escape into the soft sound of her clearing her throat, and to cover that, she stepped forward, holding one hand out to Patrick. "You must be his father," she said.

"Why? Don't you talk? Hi mouse~" One hand was waved towards teh kinoko, Akilah dipping down a bit to stare at it, golden rings in his ears waving. "My brother has a foxie thing but no one has any ke...kee...Mouse-things. Where'd you get your mouse thing?"

Patrick grinned once he heard that, moving closer as well to give her hand a firm shake. "I'm Patrick, Akilahs father, yeah. And you're the mother?"

"Kinoko. It was mama's, but she said I could have it," Makana murmured, relaxing a little more as he didn't make any moves to threaten Mouse. She glanced at Yashima, knowing well how it felt to be on the sidelines, and lifted the kinoko out of her pocket. "You wanna see too?"

"Trio," she returned, chuckling a little and glancing at the kids. "I'm her mom, yeah. It's nice to meet you."

Yashimas own ears went back slightly, shoulders hunching up before he ducked behind his father once more. With Patrick a little distracted, Akilah took his chance and followed his brother, dragging Yashi out by clutching his doll and forcibly pulling him out from behind Patrick. "This is Yashi! An' he's shy. He talks but he don't like to, cause he says that he has nothin' to say, but I think that's a lie."

The foxes cheeks flared red, head ducking a little bit. "...Why's it named mouse?"

He glanced down at the two kids but...yashima wasn't growling or angry or anything. Just so very, very shy. He needed to be helped with that. "It's a pleasure to meet you too. Uh. If you don't mind me inquiring..." One sharp chin jerked towards the kids. "...Fourth Wall?"

Makana's eyes widened when Yashima was tugged out from behind Patrick, silently thanking anyone and everyone responsible that her sisters never did that to HER. It occurred to her to wonder, a moment later, if maybe Nico would someday, and she resolved herself to teach him not to... long before he might actually do it! "I thought Mouse would be a cute name," she shrugged softly, hesitant. "He kinda acts like one, waddling around collecting things. But he collects candy more than shiny things," she added with a frown.

At the word 'candy', Mouse seemed to come alive, hopping up and down in her hands as though to signal that he wanted some.

"Exactly," Trio nodded, chuckling. "I guess it's pretty obvious, isn't it? Is that where yours is from, too?" She'd never really seen such a human-looking creature as Yashima in the Fourth Wall shop, but she definitely didn't know everything that went on there!

"He collects candy?" He smiled a little at that, fingers moving to thread into the sleeve of Akilahs shirt. Yashimas outgoing brother didn't mind the clinging - the fox was still learning to be on his own. "That's cute~ I don't have any candy but if I did I would give you some." The words were aimed at Mouse, that little smile still on his lips.

The meerkat hopped a wee bit, licking at his nose happily. "Candy~? Dawdie doesn't let me have any. I like scorpions though!"

Patrick nodded, laughing softly. "It's a little obvious. But so is 'Keelah, I suppose. He's from Fourth Wall and Yashi...well, Yashi was from a Wand Shop."

"Scorpions?" Makana asked, ignoring the slight droop Mouse affected when it realized it wouldn't be getting anything from her new friends. She tucked it back into her pocket, patting its mushroom cap for a moment before tilting her head. "Aren't they poisonous?"

Trio hesitated, then glanced around the mall. "There's a little coffee shop down the way. Would you like to sit down and chat for a bit? Let the kids get to know each other a little better?"

"Ahmma meerkitty. But I'm not a mirror - or a cat! But I can eat scorpions and beetles and they squirm and try to sting me and ah-ha! I win and they're very yummy, like candy that squirms and is hard."

"...keela, that's gross." Yashimas nose wrinkled, shivering and prancing back a step or two so he was between the parentals and his siblings.

Patrick considered before smiling at the woman, rubbing the back of his neck gently. "It sounds good to me, if you think you won't mind Akilahs chatter. He's very...enthusiastic."

Makana considered the words thoughtfully. Occasionally, she'd had the urge to eat something small and squirmy herself, but every time she considered it, she thought of Mouse and the desire left her. Though... she had found herself awfully fond of fish, and occasionally wandered into Annora's room to watch the feesh there, half-tempted to dine. "Is it very hard to catch them?" she asked curiously, then jumped as Trio tapped her on the shoulder and pointed to a small kiosk with tables around it just down the hall.

"Makana needs to get used to such things," Trio decided firmly. "And it's always good to make friends. Shall we?"

"'Mel buys them for me." Akilah boasted, chest puffing up a little bit before Trio went tap-tap-tap against the cat-girls shoulder. He bounced a little in his sandles, staring up at Trio curiously. "Who're you? Are you the mommy who named a mousy?"

Patrick grinned a little bit at that, giving his two sons a wink. "So we shall~ Come on, sprogglets, time to go get a drink or something. You guys thirsty?"

"Buys?" Makana asked curiously, glancing at Yashima as though he might explain. Could it be that there was a place to purchase scorpions just like there was a place to purchase Annora's feesh?

Trio laughed. "I'm the mama," she confirmed. "Thought we could all sit down and have a drink, so you guys could get to know Makana better."

"Our brother goes to stores where they sell little things an' buys bugs and scorpions for him an' Keela." The foxes voice was small but matter-of-fact, tugging at the belt of his outfit gently. "An' they eat them."

Akilah nodded enthusiastically, hand moving to grab Patricks automatically. "To food and talkin'! There we go! ONWARD, DAWDIE!"

"Yes, Keela. Onward." Patrick laughed, swinging his son up into the air as they started walking

Makana hesitantly fell into step beside Yashima, walking in front of Trio since she knew her mother liked to keep an eye on her. "When I get treats, it's cream and tuna," she offered shyly, shrugging. "Daddy says I'll probably like sushi."

Trio chuckled at that, knowing that her daughter was likely to scarf sushi down as often as possible, once she was introduced to it.

"I like sushi~" Yashimas eyes brightened a little at the mention of food, especially food he was trying to learn how to cook. "I don' get it a lot but I like it when I get it!" The fox gave a firm nod, lifting his hand to chew gently at his thumbnail.

"'S raw fish." Akilah made a face, disgusted, from his current perch on his fathers shoulders. "Just fishy fishy fishy with no cookings and it's YUCKY."

Makana perked at that, looking up at Akilah. When his last statement came, her ears drooped a little, but she gamely said, "I like fish. It's yummy to me. Nico likes carrots, though, and mama said he won't like fish at all."

Trio nodded, lifting her hand to finger the locket she wore. She really needed to find a way to carry a bit of all of them like that. Perhaps a magical locket?

"Sok~ You're allowed to like fishy fishy fishy! Prolly wouldn't like no scorpions anyway, so s'ok! You can have your fishy fishy and I can have my scorpies and - ...eeeew. Carrots? Ugh!"

"I like carrots and fish," Yashi huffed slightly, sliding into the cafe they indicated and pushing the door open for them all. Patrick grinned, holding the door open after his son.

"How many do you have, Miss Trio? Just Makana?"

Makana found herself giggling softly, moving to file in before the parents. Trio followed her with a soft 'thank you' to Patrick. "He likes frozen carrots, because they help make his teeth stop hurting right now," she said, then scratched her head, thinking. "There's always lots of different things to eat in our house."

Once inside, Trio turned to Patrick. "Just Trio, please," she said, with a wave of her hand, then blinked, pausing to count. "Uh... eight," she said, then blinked, patting her stomach. "Nine if you count whoever's in here."

"Us too." Akilah beamed and wriggled from his fathers shoulders down to the ground, scurrying over to the brightly colored, clear glass display case full of stuff. "....Dawdie? What's this cafe-i-ne?"

"Nooothing you can have, Keela. Let's get you some water." Patrick grinned before he paused, arching an eyebrow at Trio. "Eight? Not all iological, right?"

Makana peered through the various items in the display case before pausing before a cheesecake slice. That sounded rather good, but Trio just shook her head, nudging her toward the counter.

"All which?" Trio asked Patrick, not recognizing the word.

"Biological. Sorry. My words sometimes slurr together - I'm catching Akilahs 'talk so fast no one can understand you' thing." He grinned, ruffling at the Meerkats hair.

"Dawdie, I want a sandwich." Akilahs nose almost pressed against the glass before his father dragged him back. "And Yashi wants some too!"

"Nuh uh.."

Maybe if they had tuna salad sandwiches... Makana lifted curious eyes to Trio, who appeared to be considering the concept. "Have you and your kids had lunch?" she asked Patrick, while Makana tapped one claw experimentally on the glass, frowning at the sound it made. "And no, not all biological. Actually, this one's going to be the only one not adopted," she added, patting her belly again.

"We were actually heading over to have some when Akilah almost ran into your daughter." His grin was crooked, glancing down at the kids. "What do you want to eat that isn't loaded with sugar, Akilah? And no bugs. We're at a mall, not Iamels room."

Akilah hesitated a little, ears flicking. "Roast beef?"

"I like roast beef!" Yashi piped, hopping a little bit.

"Then I guess we'll have lunch together," Trio nodded, peering down at Makana for a moment.

The feline glanced at the two boys hesitantly, then back at her mom for a long moment before asking, "Tuna fish? And... can Mouse have something?"

Trio nodded. "Tuna fish salad for you. Mouse can have something out of my pocket."

"Fishy fishy fishy~" Akilah chimed in, laughing and peering at the kitten, tugging at the golden hoops in his ears. "Have you ever had roast beef? You can have somma mine! It's yummy yummy in the tummy and so very nummy~"

"...what did we talk about, Keela?"

"....no rhymin' that would confuse someone." Akilah whined, leaning into Patrick. "But it IS nummy. It's roast beef!"

"I like roast beef," Makana said quietly, as Trio odered for them. "I just like tuna more. It tastes yummier to me."

"What kinda kitty are you?" Akilah was suddenly inquiring, moving to leaaan in closer to Makena. "Cause you have ears kinda like Yashi but you're prettier--"

"Hey!"

"An' you are all reddishness!"

Trio choked at that, glancing at Patrick in amusement.

Makana blinked, then leaned away hesitantly, eyes huge as she peered warily at Akilah and Yashima both. Would the foxboy mind that she'd been complimented like that? "Mama calls me a... Abismalian."

Trio blinked. Clearly, she'd have to work on that one. "Abyssinian."

While Yashi never liked being told that he wasn't as nice to look at as anyone, he just pouted a little bit, arms crossing against his chest. Akilah got the sour look - Makana just got a smile.

"Aby..Ahh...kay. 'Sat mean reddish kitty with glasses? What do glasses DO? Dawdie has a pair and - ooh! Food!"The little meerkat jumped at the food in question, tail wriggling excitedly with him.

Makana waited until Akilah was distracted, then leaned a little closer to Yashi, quietly murmuring, "I'm sorry." There was no pity in that voice, only heartfelt concern. She reached for her plate, carrying it carefully while Mouse poked his head up to examine the plate, looking for HIS treat.

"An abyssinian is a type of cat," Trio said quietly. "Most, but not all, are a rusty-red."

"Sorry for what?" He whispered b ack, eyes wide and leaning in a little bit. Unlike his hyperactive brother, he carried his plate as well where Akilah carried his food...and Patrick carried the plate. "Keelah just doesn't think before he talks."

"So now favorite cat~" Akilah declared. "Cause there's glasses and the Kana and she has glasses too! Like 'Cosa's favorite ottah and Katty fav'rite doggie."

Makana smiled at them both, settling at a table and setting her plate down. Trio had a tray with a bowl of soup and two glasses, one filled with milk and the other with water. The milk went to Makana, and she took the water for herself, tugging out a couple of small jellybeans for Mouse, who sat just at the edge of Makana's plate, gumming the first of the tiny beans. "I've never been anyone's favorite before," Makana said.

"Now you are." Akilah, fortunetly, didn't say anything else as he started chowing down, churring happily against his food item. Yashi just giggled and sipped at his own drink, settling down comfortably on the chair in the cafe.

"So what do you like to do, Makana?" Patricks voice was light and kind towards teh girl as he poked at his salad. She was shy! It was adorable!

Makana blinked, looking up at the adult who was addressing her for the first time. She hesitated, then took a bite of her sandwich, considering the question while she chewed. Only once she'd finished the bite did she answer. "I like to read. And I take good care of Mouse," she offered. "And I like to take care of Nico."

"WhooifNihu?" Akilah mumbled out before swallowing his sandwhich, wriggling in his seat. "Is he a kitty too?" His dark eyes widened. "Are there MORE red-kittys?"

Makana drooped slightly, but shook her head. "Daddy brought Nico home. He's a bunny," she said. "He's got really long, soft ears, and he chews on everything..."

"I was brought home too!" Akilah grinned, taking another large bite and chewing happily. Yashi just shook his head, leaning over to give the meerkats shoulder a pet.

"Soft things are good." The fox peeked at the little kitten girl.

"Daddy brought home this wand thing, too," Makana said suddenly, grinning. "It got all wispy and the wisp likes to play with me sometimes."
[00:05] Silken Minion: Yashima paused at that, tail tip twiching just slightly before leaning a little over the table. "A wand?" His voice was small, chewing at his thumbnail once more. "Does it make noises yet?"

"Yashi? Do you think it's another Ghost-kid?"

"Uh-huh. Like mister Youko has too."*

"I haven't heard any," Makana said.

"Shiro said it would become a baby," Trio volunteered. "Ghost-kid?"

"Uh huh." It was Yashis turn to talk - it was one of the few things that got him going. Patrick simply sat back and ate his salad, eyes on his son. "Ghost-kid. We come from wands and turn into these little ghost things - I still 'member some of it. But we turn into babies... We died once."

The little fox frowned, shoulders hunching up a little. "So we come - we came back to make it right. I think?"

Makana's eyes grew wide at that. Died once? That sounded... "Awful," she whispered, reaching out to pet his back gently with her paw.

"Yashi wakes up cryin' sometimes," Akilah muttered out from around his food, swallowing a little. Patrick cleared his throat lightly - the kids didn't get the hint. But Yashi wasn't crying...he was taking it rather well.

He didn't flinch away from the girls paw either. Maybe it was because she was fluffy - he didn't see Neveah as a female as she had wings...maybe it was the same with Makana. If Trio tried to touch him, however...that might have cropped up some issues.

"Sok~ It's why we came back, right?I think? I have 'tousan and everyone."

Trio leaned forward slightly, a soft smile on her face. "I'm glad I got the chance to meet you, Yashima." No words of sympathy or condolence. Just that offering, and the hope he'd take it as it was meant.

"Me too. I like being alive." The little fox smiled shyly at her, although he leaned back further on his chair. Patricks hand rested lightly on his shoulder, causing the kid to glance up at him, and relax.

"......everyone stop being so saaaaad!" Akilahs voice pitched to a whine. "All happy now, right?"

Mouse took that moment to waddle THROUGH Makana's plate, trailing bits of tuna fish behind him as he made his way to stand before Akilah's plate, hopping in demand for more jellybeans.

Akilah leaned down, muzzle to mushroom thing, ears perked up slightly with a churr. "...ain't got no candy, plantie-poo."

Makana giggled, hesitantly reaching toward Mouse, not quite sure whether Akilah minded the little mushroom creature that smelled like fish and mayonnaise.

Trio snorted. "You've had enough for now," she told it, keeping the rest of her jelly beans in her pocket.

"Go back to your momma~ I don't have any candy." Akilah grinned, glancing up at Makana and wriggling in his seat. "Why's he like candy so much?"

"I think that's just what he eats," Makana shrugged, scooping him up before he could make his way to Yashima. "That and dirt."

Yashima wriggled his fingers over at the mushroom, blinking a little. "He can eat dirt? Things can eat dirt?"

"*I* can eat dirt!" Akilah boasted before finishing off his sandwich, licking his paws clean.

Trio snickered softly. "Plants use things in the dirt to grow healthy and strong," she explained.

"We use scorpions!" Akilah chittered out a laugh while his father checked his watch. Patrick cringed a little bit, head shaking.

"Nn... We should be off. I promised Mordread only an hour or two and it's been three...He's going to start having a heart attack or something."

"It was nice to meet you," Trio said, then hesitated, reaching into her pocket. "Let me give you my number, in case you'd ever like the kids to get together?"

"It sounds good to me." He smiled faintly, glancing at Makana, Yashima and Akilah. "It's not often he finds someone he doesn't try to bounce his ball off of or anything.."

"Can I get to see 'Kana again~?" Akilah chirruped, bouncing a little once more with a laugh. "We can eat dirt! And fishy fishy next time!"

Makana smiled hesitantly. "I can show you both Nico, too," she added, grinning as her mother wrote their number out on a scrap of paper and handed it over.

"Thanks for joining us for lunch, Patrick."

so....

hi?

dawdee left.

he kind of just...walked out. tha's what Iamel said. that he just looked at him and smiled and left.

not the best thing to start out with you with is it? nah. doesn't matter. you can't talk back and even if you could, you couldn't leave anyway.

i think he just didn't want kids. I maen...he liked us yea? but he just walked out. he didn't like us enugh to stay.

i wanted him to stay.

i miss my daddy.

hate this. hate this so so much. i wanna talk to kosah again... he'd know what to do.

right?

[rest on page 351 - tbfinished later]

When did Katrina get cute? Cause I would really, really like to know. She was always cute, in a silly little fat baby way like all silly little babies are (Ade was, anyway. Katura was kinda fugly with those ears) and she was lots of fun because she was always so... happy. Now she's bigger.

And she's cute. Girls are usually weird and I'm goofy around them - er. I'm goofy around Kat too, but she's a cool girl. The only cool girl I've ever met was. Uhm. Dawdees cousin, Aubry, and .... Tyv's pretty sweet. She steals stuff. That's about that, though, and I've met lots of girls.

Oh well. It's probably cause she's actually active instead of being prissy and lame.

-keelah

journal,

not much has been happening. haven't see Kat OR Jacosa lately - but i think that's my fault. i'm out playing soccer and doing things now. i've made new friends - people looking ones - and since kian is basically living with his whatever and iamel has moved out and yashima has moved out - the house has been quieter. it's better.

dawdie has been better too. quieter.i don't know if THAT is a good thing. but he has been. he's been smoking more too and it always makes him feel happy. teachers at school say cigarettes do that to you.

school is fine.

i miss them.

-akilah