Alex lingered at the threshold of his mother's brownstone, the tall, Doberman-like beastman watching as the SUV carrying his beloved twins disappeared into the chill night, the red of its tail-lights fading into the loose dusting of snow falling through the air. It had been an exciting, bewildering, terrifying year, he reflected; fatherhood had completely changed his life. He may not have
felt
like he did much--his job kept him away during the day, and the money he brought in was spit compared to his mother's passive income--but his kids loved him, and his powerful body and endurance allowed him to pursue all the more physical aspects of keeping a home in a way that made his strange new partner love him even more.
Now, having been weaned off their mother's milk for a little while now, the twins were being whisked off to Robin's sister's for a week, allowing the couple some time for some well-deserved rest.
*****
They had been looking through some old photo-albums of hers while they were waiting for her sister's arrival. The kids had proven entranced by them, groping at the photographs of their mother in far-off places with pudgy little paws as they mumbled in pre-verbal awe at the things she was explaining. Robin may have been an inveterate little devil to her son in private, but she did an admirable impression of a doting mother when it came to the kids, showing a surprising amount of maternal instinct. They'd stopped on an odd section; all the other pictures were of Alex with different kinds of beastmen she had met in her travels, sometimes with a few other humans peppered in. However, this last section in the album they were holding was of a much younger Robin with
just
humans; an older, balding man with a paunch that was beginning to hang over the striped blue swimtrunks he wore, and a very young child in a polka-dot one-piece and some cute, heart-shaped shades. Freckled, red-haired, and smiling, the little girl was an adorable little apple who clearly hadn't fallen far from the tree.
Alex had known Robin had been married once upon a time, but he'd never pressed her for any details. He'd known too many people with secrets over his short lifetime to think poking around at old wounds was a good idea; some things were just better left alone. She was here, now, with him, and that's what mattered.
Robin had grown silent; somber. A well-manicured digit traced along the faded writing in sharpie along the bottom of the photo: RICHARD, TABBY, AND ME - BEACH TRIP.
She leaned up against him, whispering: "My ex-husband took her in the divorce. She never did forgive me... I think she still lives in-state; maybe never moved out of town. I haven't seen her in years, though. Doesn't return my calls." She sighed.
Alex had been in the middle of trying to figure out something comforting to say when the headlights had finally rolled up, shining through from the otherwise long-emptied street. After some brief pleasantries with her sister, Robin had promised to follow the kids up to the farm in a week, so they could all spend some time together.
*****
He felt his mate's presence draw close behind him in the entryway, the warmth emanating from her body stark against the night air he was letting in. The car was long gone now, but his eyes were still affixed on the empty street. Her pale arms closed around one of his own, hanging slack at his side; she leaned her head against him, not quite tall enough to come above the level of his bicep. He felt the delicate fingers of one of her hands knitting with his own. "They'll be fine, sweetie."
He sighed, his breath billowing into vapor that gradually disappeared above the cold stone entryway to their home. It was around the two year anniversary of him stumbling up these same stairs, looking for answers; in a way, he'd only gotten more questions. Was it okay for him to be living like this? What would the future bring? He didn't know fuck-all about being a good father; he hadn't even had one. Should they get properly married? As far as the government was concerned, they were strangers. Would people look down on his kids if they didn't? Would they get bullied? He turned to look down at his mother, awash in heady questions, idly trying to imagine what she might look like in a wedding veil.
...And jumped, as a chilly, dainty little hand slid in under his tank-top, turned downward in a slow circle over his fur-covered abs, and slid under his waistband, groping at the thick, furry sheath of his cock and balls. His mother's freckled, grinning face looked up at him mischievously as she gave him a little squeeze.
"You suuuuuure you don't wanna make s'more while we have time?"
He sighed. Turning toward her, he silently wrapped his free arm around her, pulling her into an embrace. He gently pressed his snout to her forehead, planting a kiss there as they stood together in the cold.
I love you, Mom, but holy fuck you have a
problem