It ended up being more than one minute until they could tear themselves from the bed. Phenner was absolutely delighted with the bathroom. The only thing that was able to draw him away from turning the faucets on and off or flushing the toilet was the lure of basking in warm water with his new lovers. To Phenner, who'd grown up washing up in the cold creek all his life, the warm water was heaven. Adrian had a feeling that playing in the bathroom might become Phenner's new favorite pass-time. Well, second favorite. Getting frisky with his shipmates would no doubt be first.
There was plenty of splashing and washing each other. They were all pruney when they dried off. Adrian enjoyed brushing out the fur on their tails, which made Phen giggle and Caspin purr. They curled up on the bed and cuddled and talked. Adrian noticed Caspin becoming more and more quiet. The fox started to chew his lower lip and fidget with his hands.
Adrian brushed some of Caspin's hair back from his forehead as he pressed a tender kiss to it. "What is it, love?" He prompted.
"I have to tell him," Cas whispered, green eyes haunted.
“Tell me what?” the rabbit asked.
The fox hadn't counted on Phenner's excellent hearing. Those long ears, though always drooping, weren’t just decorative.
Caspin sat up, clasping his hands together to keep from wringing them. "I'm different from most of my people. They call me a...a throwback. I can revert to a less evolved form, especially when I'm startled or scared." He kept his head down as he talked, grateful for Adrian's soothing hand on his back. "I'll...I'll show you."
There was a pop and Adrian was stroking the soft back of a tan fennec fox. Phenner's eyes widened, and he covered his mouth with his hands in shock. Caspin quickly changed back, peeking at his new lover, trying to discern his reaction.
"This...This is...I understand now! You really were that small creature I saw in Adrian’s hands that day in the tent!" Phenner finally stammered. "This is wonderful! You are dual-natured! What a blessing for you and your family! It's such a rare gift. How amazing that we should meet. Look!"
There was a familiar pop, and a snowy white lop-eared rabbit with pink eyes was sitting where Phen had been a moment before.
Adrian and Caspin had gaped in surprise before they both reached out to pet him.
"Caspin, look at him!" The human exclaimed. "Isn't he the most precious rabbit you've ever seen?" A thought then occurred to him. "You can both play in this form. You could even-" He trailed off as his mind slipped into the gutter. He coughed to clear his throat, knowing that it wasn't the time for such thoughts. "I am quite impressed."
Caspin gaped at the sweet bunny peering up at them with rose irises. He reached out and gently touched the pale fur on top of Phenner's head then slid his hand down to stroke one long, flopping, ear. He shifted into his fox form with a pop and crept hesitantly toward the rabbit. Phen's little nose wiggled as he sat, patient and still, while Caspin sniffed him. Cas looked to Adrian with amazed emerald eyes as if to ask if this was real. Phen gave a little hop closer and nuzzled into Caspin's side. The fox gave him a little lick on the cheek and Phen bounced happily. Caspin let out a happy yip which made Phen bounce more. Before they knew it, they were tearing across the mattress taking turns chasing each other. Caspin tackled Phenner, and the fox and bunny rolled right into Adrian's lap.
"I can't take it!" Adrian groaned as he rubbed the bunny's tummy with one hand and rubbed his face all over the fox's chest fur. "You're both so adorable." He added as he began to gently scratch them both.
Caspin started to purr, and Phen found a comfy spot on his back with his front paws tucked to his chest so Adrian could easily reach his soft belly. The human's gentle hands left the pair slumped with eyes closed, wallowing in the scratches and pats. Phenner was the first to change back. He leaned against Adrian's chest, comfortable and content.
"It's truly lucky for us to be together, Caspin. My family wouldn't believe it. It's a very rare gift among my people." Phen reached out and stroked one tan fox ear. "If we hadn't been blessed with another tribesman with two natures a few years ago, I probably wouldn't have been able to come with you. It would have been seen as taking the luck away from my village." Phenner's smile was angelic. "I can't help but feel like this was all meant to be."
Caspin nuzzled against Adrian, hiding his face against Adrian, feeling suddenly shy. All of Phenner's talk confused Caspin and made him feel strange. He wanted to yell at the rabbit that he was wrong. It wasn't a blessing, it was a curse, but he could never do that. Maybe for Phen, it truly was a gift. Cas tried to imagine growing up and having his nature cherished instead of vilified and he couldn't. It was too far from his experience.
Adrian took hold of Phen's hand and pressed it along the base of Caspin's fur. "Scratch here, he loves it." He then leaned down to press a kiss against the fox's cheek. "We're both happy to have you here with us, Phen."
Caspin tried not to purr, but he couldn't help himself. Damn sneaky human. Phenner was delighted with the knowledge of the fox’s sweet spots and followed Adrian's directions until Caspin was boneless and relaxed again. The Vulpan realized he couldn't hide in his fox form forever and shifted back to share the lap with Phen, their legs tangling together.
"On my world being a...having two natures isn't considered a blessing." Caspin kept his eyes on his lap. However, admitting all this was easier than it had ever been before. The fox could only think it was Adrian's love and acceptance that had taken some of the sting out of it. "It's seen as more of a curse. It's one of the reasons I'm out here in space and not back home. I wasn't accepted there, and people can be cruel."
"How can that be?" Phen reached out to cup Caspin's cheek. His mind was quickly piecing things together. The men before him were considered star people to his tribe. Star people were considered something akin to deities or half-gods that sometimes visited them from another dimension. They had only a few stories from their ancestors about the star people of the past. But the men before him…they were truly just kind men. Kind men from other worlds. It surprised him that he didn’t feel betrayed or sad about that fact. On the contrary, he was as grateful as he ever was.
"From the beginning, having a dual-natured child is a blessing,” Phenner tried to explain. “We're always born in our spirit form, and that makes the labor quick and less painful. It's a safer birth for both mother and child. I could have contributed to the village in many ways if I hadn't been so sick. In my spirit form, my hearing and sight are better. I'm small, so I can hide and scout. If food is scarce, I can more easily live off the land. And your spirit form is so lovely! It suits you well." He shook his head. "I don't understand..."
The human absentmindedly began to pet Phen's head. "I don't understand either, to tell you the truth. His culture's so backwards that it astounds me." Adrian admitted. "All you need to know is that we accept you as you are, Caspin. And we love you for it."
Tears welled in Caspin's eyes as he threw his arms around his mate and Phenner.
"I love you, too." Caspin blushed and whispered. "Both of you."
Phen flushed scarlet. "I think...I think I feel the same." He ducked his head, overcome with shyness.
A sound like the strumming of a harp had Caspin flailing out of Adrian's lap and tugging on shorts and a shirt. The shorts were on backwards, and the shirt was inside out, but he was covered.
"We hit a relay point! Etsu made me promise I'd call!" Caspin gasped. "I have so much to tell him." He looked back at his lovers. "Umm...I..."
Adrian smiled at his mate. "Go. We'll be fine."
"Thank you!" Caspin called before tearing out of the room. "I'll tell him you said 'Hi'!"
When Caspin rushed out of the room, the rabbit peered up at the human with eyes full of questions. “Adrian, where exactly do you two come from and how did you end up at our village…?” He began.
Comments (14)
See all