An Arrival of a Rival. CH 22

(Previous Chapter:https://touchfluffytail.org/story/an-arrival-of-a-rival-ch-21/)

Chapter 22

Tips for a man in need.

“Thanks for the advice, Trisha and Markus. Sorry if I kept you two up.” It was past midnight. Faulkner had just finished talking with Trisha when Reiza texted him that they were ready to be picked up. Reiza also mentioned a surprise when he came to pick them up, something he wasn’t sure he’d be keen on knowing.

“Sure, no problem. I’ll give Tama a call tomorrow. And say hi to Reiza and Karika for me.”

“Got it.” Waving bye to Markus and Trisha, Faulkner makes his way to Zone Zeta. While driving, he wondered how he’d bring up the prospect of marriage to Karika and Reiza. Either way, it’d have to wait for tomorrow since it was one-thirty after midnight.

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“You sure you don’t need a *hic* ride home?” After milking Fereida of all the information she knew about Nala and Mala, most of everyone had gone home, realizing how late it had gotten. Karika, Reiza, and Kilala were the only ones left before the Zone Zeta’s entrance.

“Nah. I can fly home just fine.” Worried for Karika and Reiza, Kilala decided to stay behind as she didn’t drink booze. “I’ll wait until Faulkner gets here before I go. Who knows what kind of trouble you idiots will get into if I’m not around.”

“Hah! We’re fine! You don’t have to worry about us.” Between the two, it was hard for Kilala to decide who was more trouble when drunk. Reiza often stuttered and couldn’t walk straight when drunk, while Karika was even more boisterous. Her coordination wasn’t any better than Reiza’s. Leaving either unattended wasn’t an option for her.

“Sure. Whatever you say…” Thankfully, Kilala didn’t have to wait long. Spotting Faulkner’s car, he saw the state Karika and Reiza were in and sighed in annoyance. Aiding Faulkner in getting the two in his car, Kilala briefed Faulkner on what they did for the day.

“Kilala, thanks a lot for looking after them.”

“Sure. I couldn’t just leave them the way they are. I’ll see you around, Faulkner.” Watching Kilala fly off, he sees her shrink and disappear in the distance before driving off.

“Sounds like you two had a lot of fun today.” To his right on the passenger seat, Reiza was nodding on and off, barely keeping awake. Dreerelily, she looks over at him with a half smile.

“Yeah, we did. Oh, and Faulkner, you’re not going to believe this. Ahahah…Nala and Mala…” Pausing suddenly, Faulkner raised his right brow, waiting for Reiza.

“Nala and Mala, what about them?”

“They’re freakin idols! Like the cutesy idols that you see in Japan.” Karika chimed in from the back, nearly deafening Faulkner after yelling from behind.

“Ow! Idols? Those two? I never would’ve guessed, given how shy they are.” As Faulkner previously assessed, Nala and Mala weren’t good with strangers, especially alone. To pick a career that would expose them to so many people was beyond his expectations.

“Right? I wonder what led them to become Idols?! You should’ve seen the dresses they were wearing. So loud and pretty!”

“I’ll have to take a look for myself when we get home then.”

“Also, Na*hic*…Nala and Mala go by Natalice and Matilda as Idols.” Closing her eyes, Reiza could barely stay awake. She hadn’t drunk that much alcohol in a long time. Having all her friends there with her alleviated any threat of something going awry whilst under the influence, so she drank and drank out of amusement and curiosity.

“They do? I guess they want to keep their real identities private. Doesn’t surprise me.” By the time they returned home, Reiza had already fallen asleep. Gently hoisting her on his back, Faulkner carries Reiza with Karika stumbling from behind. “You can unlock the door, right?”

“Tch. Of course I can, asshole.” Opening the door for them, Faulkner heads for their bedroom first to drop Reiza off. Setting her down on the bed, Faulkner pulled the bed sheet up to her neck to keep her warm and cozy. Once he finished, he returned to check on Karika, who was lying on the living room couch. “Dead asleep, is she?”

“Uh-huh. Reiza will probably be asleep till morning. Though late as it is, we should probably go to sleep too.” Sitting next to her, Faulkner briefly considered talking to Karika about marriage. But it’d be better to wait when both were awake and lucid.

“Fuck that. I’m not tired just yet.“ Swift on her feet, Karika pounced on top of Faulkner, pinning his thighs down with her shins. “I’m too horny to fall asleep.” Pulling her top off, the snide smile on Karika’s face told Faulkner everything he needed to know.

“Horny, huh? You sure are needy when Reiza’s not around to see it.” Unbuttoning his collar, Karika leans down and playfully kisses and nibbles his neck. “Ah…”

“Shut up. I’m in a rutty mood, and from how you’re shuddering, you’re already getting into it.” Karika knew all the right places to tease Faulker. Kisses all over his body were his weakness, so he wouldn’t have minded staying still, but he couldn’t just have Karika dominate him one-sidedly so easily.

“When are you not in a ‘rutty’ mood? I always have to take care of your urges nearly every day.” In the position he was in, Faulkner smiled before groping Karika’s soft ass. With a firm grip, he slaps her left buttcheek. “For someone as strong as you, your ass is still nice and soft.”

“Heh. You know you like my soft asscheeks. And speaking of cheeks.” Moving up to his face, Karika showers Faulkner’s cheeks with kisses, occasionally sticking the tip of her tongue out to drag it across his lips.

“I do.” Karika was about to lean in for a kiss when she froze. “But I also love these firm abs of yours.” Teasing Karika some more, he had put his hands on her waist, his thumbs pressed against her stomach. When he tightened his grip, Karika’s spine stiffened as she jerked from the ticklish stimulus. “Still ticklish here, I see?”

“You dick. That’s not fair!” Even though she sounded angry, she smiled and enjoyed herself before kissing Faulkner. Letting her tongue slip through his lips, they giggle between kissing while Faulkner slips his hands up under Karika’s orange top, groping her chest.

“Mlah…having fun?”

“Always.” While Faulkner got to work unclipping Karika’s bra, she worked on fishing out his cock after pulling his zipper down. Rock hard, she pulled his dick out with her right hand and wasted no time stroking it.

“Man, you’ve got a hell of a stiffy. I’m sure it’ll come in handy for this.” Sitting up slightly, Karika made room to undo her shorts and take them off. Afterward, she pressed her pink panties against his shaft, grinding her pussy on his dick. The groping and kissing they were doing earlier had already gotten her wet.

“Look who’s talking. You’re already wet from me groping you all over.” Getting her bra off, Faulkner set it aside on the couch. Tantalized by their softness, he sat up more before burying his face between her breasts from under her top.

“You sure you want your face there, Faulkner? Cuz in a couple of seconds, my tits are gonna be slapping the shit out of it.” Pulling the crotch of her panties aside, she guides the tip of Faulkner’s dick between her pussy lips before dropping all the way in. “Yes! I’ve been wanting this!” Wasting no time, Karika slams her hips up and down against his.

“Aaaahhh!!! Ah…A-MPPHHFF!!!” As Karika said earlier, she pushed her chest downward onto Faulkner’s face, plugging up his mouth and nose between them.

“Eh? Already moaning like a bitch? And so loudly too. You should keep your voice down. After all, Reiza’s still sleeping upstairs…” While he couldn’t respond in words, Faulkner could respond with action. “Kyah!” Nibbling on her right nipple, Faulkner sucks Karika’s right nipple into his mouth. In addition, he slaps Karika’s left buttcheek with his right hand.

“Who’s moaning like a bitch? It doesn’t sound like it’s me.” Keeping pace with Karika, she looked down between her cleavage and saw Faulkner smiling at her.

“Okay, tough guy…” Stopping all of a sudden, Karika changes tactics and starts grinding her hips front and back, jostling his cock deep inside her pussy. The controlled, slower approach had Faulkner gritting his teeth in pleasure. “I know…all the right ways to make you squeal…”

“Stop acting tough! I know this feels as good for you as it does me…” Feeling competitive, Faulkner and Karika continued their back-and-forth banter while fucking.

In the end, Faulkner is the first to cum, hugging Karika tightly as he fills her up.

“I win.” As Karika got off Faulkner, she fingers herself, causing some of his cum to drip back down on his cock while some clung to her fingers. “My proof of victory.” Karika’s gloating lasted up until Faulkner pushed Karika onto her side, having her lie down on her right before slipping behind her. “Eh?”

“Yeah, you made me cum first. I’ll admit that. But don’t think I’m stopping until I even out the score.” Pushing his right arm from under her side, he groped her right tit while his left hand went to finger-fuck her pussy.

“Ah! Too rough! Th-the couch’s gonna stain!”

“You let me worry about that.” Ignoring her attempts at getting him to slow down, Faulkner continues to massage Karika’s right tit. Pinching and pulling her right nipple, Karika succumbs to Faulkner’s finger assault and cums, leaking love juices all over his left hand.

“AAahhh…ah…ah…fine. You got me to cum too. Happy now?” If Karika could turn her head far enough to see his face from behind, she would’ve noticed the devious smile on Faulkner’s face.

“No, not just yet. I’ve evened the score, but I’m not satisfied until I win.” Lifting her left leg without warning, Faulkner lines his dick below Karika’s pussy before thrusting upward, slamming into her all at once.

“FUAAAHHH!!! H-hey! I just came!” In the position that she was in, Karika could hardly turn around to stop Faulkner. Taking advantage of her increased sensitivity, Faulkner pounds Karika vigorously from behind. His hips slapping against her ass. “Ah! Stop, you cheater!”

“You’re the one who started this, Karika! I’m not stopping until one of us cums, and it isn’t going to be me!” Seeing as he was in the perfect position to do so, Faulkner nibbled on Karika’s left ear, whispering to her as they fuck. “I can feel your pussy clamping down on my cock, Karika. If I lose focus for an instant, you’ll crush me and make me cum first.” Slowing down, Faulkner grinds his hips in a way that rubs Karika’s insides in all the right places. On top of that, he had moved his left hand down to her clit, gently rolling and pinching it with his fingers. The targeted stimulus had Karika moaning softly as the energy and rigidity she once had melted. Now, Karika was putty in his hands.

“Ah…I…I don’t care anymore. Q-quit edging me, you asshole.” Karika’s voice had also softened, reducing her typical rebellious self into one that craves attention. “J-just make me cum already.”

“There it is. No matter how often I hear it, I always find your submissive side irresistibly adorable.” Leaning his head forward from behind, he kisses Karika on the cheek, prompting her to look his way. “You want to cum while kissing too, don’t you?”

“Yes!” Moving her head up so she could reach him, she kisses him as Faulkner pounds away at her pussy as fast as he could. While sucking on each other’s tongues, the two cum together, with Karika cumming first between the two.

Pumping more cum into her, Karika moans in glee during their kiss. A pleasure that was both gentle and rough, Karika’s body completely goes limp as fatigue that had built up until now catches up to her, causing her to part lips with Faulkner before falling asleep.

“Heh, fell asleep, huh?” Carefully, Faulkner slinks his way out of her from behind. Once he was out, he sat next to her and examined the mess they made fucking on the sofa. The middle of the couch where they went at it was soaked in love juices and sprinkled with his cum. “Shit…I might have to throw these couch pillows into the washer. Assuming they’ll fit.” After wiping his crotch clean with tissues on the coffee table, Faulkner stares at Karika’s face, seeing she isn’t going to wake up anytime soon. Sighing, all he could do was cover her body with a drop cloth on top of the couch.

“I’m sure she’ll wake on her own to shower later. I should take a shower before heading to bed.” Before heading upstairs, Faulkner slips a Lamia plushie, one of many displayed in the living room, into Karika’s arms. Seeing her tighten her hug and smile warmed Faulkner’s heart. He then went upstairs to their bedroom, where he had left Reiza earlier. There, he found her sound asleep.

‘Good. I’m glad we didn’t wake her.’ Taking his clothes off, he heads for the ensuite bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, he comes out nice and clean. Putting on his pajama pants, he slips into the bedsheets, sleeping on his side of the bed in front of Reiza. Closing his eyes, he falls asleep a few minutes later.

“…” As Faulkner slept, Reiza shuffled close to Faulkner, hugging him from behind. “Hnnng…Reiza?” He thought Reiza was going for a hug, so he tried to fall back asleep. Then, without warning, Reiza slips her left hand under his pajama’s waistband, grabbing his flaccid dick. “Wha!” Reiza’s hand was wet, warm, and sticky. She rubs her fingers all over his crotch, and her gentle touch quickly leads to Faulkner’s dick hardening.

“You didn’t think I could fall asleep hearing you and Karika fuck like animals down in the living room, did you?”

“So…you heard us, huh?”

“Not just heard. Saw.” Earlier, sometime around when Faulkner buried his face in Karika’s chest, Reiza was awoken by the sounds of their fucking. “You two were going at it like wild animals. It’d be impossible to sleep through it, even upstairs with the bedroom door closed. You were so enthralled fucking Karika that you didn’t even notice me staring from upstairs, did you?”

“N-no. And why’s your hand wet?” While talking, Reiza continued to skillfully stroke Faulkner’s cock. She pulled her hand away briefly before grasping it again, covered in more sticky liquids.

“Shouldn’t that be obvious? I’ve been masturbating while watching. It’s not fair, you know, fucking while I was asleep. I had half the mind to stop or join you two. But rather than spoil Karika’s fun, I figured I’d be the better sister and let her have at it. Plus, she did a good job wearing you down.” Whispering into his ear, Reiza licks behind his left ear, playfully biting his earlobe while jerking him off.

“Tsk! You think I’m going to take this one-sidedly?” As Faulkner tries to turn around, Reiza pacifies him by using flame magic on her left hand to ‘ignite’ blazing pleasure through it, dousing Faulkner’s dick with burning pleasure. “D-dammit! Using magic like this…not fair.”

“Hmm? You had no problem cheating against Karika. So why get mad when I do it?” Gently biting Faulkner’s neck, she leaves hickeys all over his neck. Each one left a burning, pleasuring sensation that brought Faulkner to the edge.

“Dammit…I can’t believe…I’m going to cum like this.” Try as he might, the pulsing from Faulkner’s dick signaled his end. Covering the tip with her palm, Reiza overwhelms Faulkner, cumming all over her palm. Once he stopped, Reiza sat up to look at her left hand.

“Whoa. My hand’s completely covered in cum. You shot two loads into Karika not even thirty minutes ago.” As the flame spell Reiza cast on Faulkner weakened, he managed to sit up, watching Reiza lick her left hand clean of his cum.

“I hope you’re not expecting a kiss after that.”

“What? I am a Pyrow, you know? To me, your cum’s tastier than most things I’ve eaten. But, since you’re threatening to deny me a lover’s kiss, I might as well brush my teeth. Probably a good idea to do so before bed anyway.”

“Right.” Reiza gets off the bed and walks to the ensuite bathroom. She bends to the sink to wash her hands and brush her teeth. As she does so, Faulkner couldn’t help but stare at Reiza’s ass. Under her peplum mini skirt, there’s a wet spot on her black spats, probably from masturbating earlier. “Payback time…” Saying softly under his breath, Faulkner ducks and slowly makes his way to Reiza. Once her ass was within arms reach, he grabbed both cheeks, spreading them out to make clearance for his mouth before eating out Reiza’s pussy.

“MPHHFF?!” Reiza was in the middle of brushing her teeth when Faulkner made his move. She looked down at her crotch, where she saw Faulkner’s chin between her legs.

“Mlah…mlem…” Faulkner drags his tongue along her slit, causing Reiza’s legs to wobble from the surprise stimuli. Despite the surprise, Reiza continued to brush her teeth, refusing to let Faulkner win by making her stop. So, he ups the ante by grabbing the waistband of her spats, pulling straight down, exposing her soaking wet red panties before licking them.

“Hnnng…” Persisting for as long as she could, Reiza continued to brush her teeth, nearly finishing in the process. Then, just as she was about to pull her toothbrush out of her mouth, she reflexively bit into it after Faulkner moved her panties to the side and focused on Reiza’s clit by tickling it with the tip of his tongue.

Noticing her reaction, Faulkner ramps up his efforts. While keeping a firm hold of her legs to prevent escape, he dug his tongue deep into her pussy. Reiza tries to move, but Faulkner stops her in her tracks by grabbing the base of her tail.

“Hnnott…fhhaaiir!” Muffled from having her toothbrush in her mouth, Reiza eventually caves in and cums, spraying love juices all over the bathroom floor. Grinning in victory, Faulkner finally lets go of Reiza, allowing her to turn around and look down at Faulkner, scowling as she does so. “You know, that smug grin you have would have more impact if your lips weren’t sticky with my pussy juice.”

“Whatever. I got back at you, and that’s all that matters.” Getting up, Faulkner washed his face on the sink. After that, he looks down at his erect dick. “Well…I can’t go back to sleep like this.” Walking past him, Reiza stripped as she went to the bathtub. There, she spanks her ass and flaunts it in front of Faulkner.

“Then I guess we’d better fuck till it calms down. I’m not satisfied either, so you’d better give me a good pounding.” Her tail wiping excitedly, Reiza bit her bottom lip in anticipation as Faulkner got closer. Unfortunately for her, she made the mistake of turning her gaze away from him for a few seconds, giving him time to prank her by turning the shower. “KYAAAHH!!!” The water was cold initially, so the flames in her tail and horns shrunk to near-nothingness.

“Might as well. Though I just took a shower, you could probably use one.” Chuckling at her reaction, Reiza smacks Faulkner on the forehead. She also flapped her wings in his direction to splash some of the cold water on him. “Gah!”

“Serves you right. Now stop fucking around and get in already.” Once the water warmed up, they let it pelt them as Faulkner positioned himself behind Reiza, holding her hips firmly before pushing his dick inside her pussy. “Aahh…so warm…” Using a bar under the shower head where they store shampoo bottles for support, Reiza made sure to keep herself steady as Faulkner started thrusting his hips forward, her asscheeks slapping against his hips with every thrust.

“Ah…hah…you can go…harder.” Compared to how he did it with Karika, Faulkner was more gentle with Reiza. It’s not that it didn’t feel good, but she knew he could do more.

“I-it’s not just that. I’ve already cum three times, you know. If I go harder than this, I’ll end up cumming before you.”

“And what’s so bad about that?” Emphasizing her point, Reiza wraps her tail around his waist. “This isn’t a competition, Faulkner. I want you to feel good. I won’t make fun of you for cumming before I do. Let’s just enjoy ourselves…” Gyrating her hips, Reiza tossed Faulkner’s cock around inside her, hitting every spot as he hugged her waist. “Ah! Hey, what’re you-“

“That’s not enough. It’s not fair to you. I…I need to do more for you and Karika. I can’t…always be lagging.” Delicately balancing between thrusting and posture, Faulkner was careful not to put too much weight on Reiza lest they fall on the bathtub. “I like hearing you moan. Your cute voice, your cute face. I want to hear and see it.”

“Wh-what’s gotten into you? Getting all lovey dovey all of a sudden?”

“What, you don’t like it?” Just as quickly as it appeared, Faulkner’s show of affection quickly changed to snark, making Reiza chuckle.

“No. I do. But if you’re going to be like that, I want you to put your words into action. I want to feel your passion.” As her tail wrapped tighter around him, she turned her head to him and smiled. “And…I also want you to kiss me while doing it.”

“Alright. But you’d better have a strong grip on that bar.” Moving closer to Reiza’s face, Faulkner drags his chest up to her back, grabbing hold of her swaying breasts below before kissing her from her left.

“Nnggg…” Moaning gleefully, Reiza kept a firm grip on the bar, ensuring her feet were fully planted on the bathtub’s rough surface so as not to slip.

“Ah…Reiza…” Slowly, Faulkner increased his pace, slamming his hips against hers harder and harder.

“That’s it…just a bit more…” Reiza, thoroughly enjoying this, entices his lust by having Faulkner swallow her ’flame.’ The heat traveled from his tongue and down his throat. Spreading to his chest, these flames set his heart ablaze, giving him more energy and making his body even more sensitive to pleasure.

Combined with having her nipples rubbed and pinched, Reiza was brought to the edge of orgasm first. She could barely keep herself from cumming.

“I-I’m about to cum. I’m not sure…I can hold on to the bar…for much longer.”

“Here…I’ll help you out then. Let go of the bar.” Trusting Faulkner, Reiza lets go of it. Immediately after, Faulkner hoists Reiza up. Lifting her, he had his left arm supporting her left leg while his right was on Reiza’s chest, his hand under her armpit. “I’m not hurting you, am I?”

“No. This is fine.” Wrapping her arm around his neck for support, they continue where they left off and kiss again. “Hnnngg…mlaah…ah…” Bouncing Reiza up and down with his hips, Faulkner’s dick rams into her deeply with each thrust. Considering how tight Reiza was, it didn’t take long for both to climax.

“Reiza…I’m cumming.”

“Me too.” Cumming while kissing, Faulkner pumps Reiza full of cum while Reiza squirts love juices all over the bathroom wall. As Reiza lost strength in her limbs after, Faulkner had to catch her, causing him to slip.

“WAH!” They both yelled out as Faulkner’s back hit the wall behind him, sliding in a curved arc downward as his back dragged down from the bathroom wall to the bathtub floor.

“Faulkner, are you alright?” While pelted by the shower head above, Reiza turned to check on Faulkner. He held her up the whole time he slipped, saving her from any injury.

“Oww…y-yeah. I’m fine…” Though he didn’t break anything, it certainly felt like it. “Ah…I hope my back doesn’t bruise too badly.”

“Man, you suck. Faulkner. You got all this muscle and nothing to show for it.”

“Fuck off. I’m plenty strong. If you didn’t go limp on me like a ragdoll, we would’ve been fine.” Scowling, their angry facade broke simultaneously as they both broke into laughter.

While laughing, the shower curtain suddenly opens. Karika, with her arms crossed, stares down at Reiza and Faulkner.

“Having fun, you dumbasses?” Raising her right eyebrow in sarcasm, Reiza teasingly rubs her chest against Faulkners, giving him a peck on the cheek before smiling back at Karika.

“We were. At least until you showed up.”

“Tch! Whatever. So, are you two just going to sit there, or are you two actually going to bathe?”

“Yeah, we’re getting to that. Wanna join us?”

“Might as well.” Stripping down, Karika joins Reiza and Faulkner in the bathtub, much to his annoyance.

“Alright. But we’re here to bathe, alright? It’s already late as hell, and I’m tired.”

“Fine…” With an exasperated reply from Karika and Reiza, the three got washed up properly before heading for bed. Unfortunately, the girls made it difficult for Faulkner to fall asleep as both vied for his warmth while they slept.

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*Sizzle*

“Hey, how do you want your eggs, porky?”

“Fertilized!” Tuckered out after midnight, Reiza and Karika left Faulkner alone in the bedroom to rest. The two woke six hours later at eight in the morning. For breakfast, Reiza cooks some eggs, bacon, and sausages.

“Uh-huh. You and me both. Fine, I’m going to guess you want it scrambled.”

“Sure. Just like how Faulkner scrambled ours last night.” Rolling her eyes at Karika’s attempts at humor, Reiza finishes cooking the eggs for Karika and plating her meal.

“Can you not? I don’t want to lose my appetite. Now come here. Your food’s ready.” Hoping the scent of food would rouse him from his slumber, Reiza wanted to wait for Faulkner to come down before eating, but Karika was getting impatient waiting for him.

“Come on, let’s eat. Faulkner can make his own breakfast.”

“Wow, you’ll make an awful wife in the future if you can’t even wait for your husband to wake up.”

“We’re not married just yet.”

“That’s why I said future, dumbass…” With a scowl, Karika ignored Reiza as the two ate silently for a few seconds.

“Thinking about it, I wonder when Faulkner will propose. He’s been with you for two and a half years and three with me. How long is he going to wait?”

“Three years isn’t really that long. If you ask me, it’s still too soon to think about that.”

“What makes you say that? My parents got married only a year after they met.” Gesturing with her fork while eating, Karika knew where the conversation was headed and pointed at Reiza. “We talked about this before, didn’t we? We swore it wouldn’t matter what either yours or Faulkner’s past is like. We’ll get hitched and stick together through thick and thin.”

“That’s not what I’m concerned about. Come on, even someone as thick-headed as you should know what I mean.” Going silent, they both sigh before Karika speaks up.

“I know. It’s about money and convenience, right?”

“Yeah. It’s only been two years since Faulkner got his promotion. I’m sure he’s saved up plenty of money, so I’m pretty sure money isn’t an issue. But convenience? What’s the best time for us to host it? It has to be a day when everyone’s free. I’d rather have all our friends and family attend.”

“You’re getting ahead of yourself, sis. Aren’t we supposed to wait for Faulkner to propose before we even think of that?”

“Come on. Don’t buy into that gender stereotype bullshit. Girls can propose too.” Raising her right eyebrow in doubt, Karika chuckled at the thought of proposing in her mind.

“Oh yeah? Can you imagine proposing to Faulkner then?” Closing her eyes, Reiza tries to imagine a scenario where she’s the one proposing. For some reason, she imagined a knight and prince scenario, only she was the prince, and he was the princess.

In it, Reiza imagined Faulkner in a pink, poofy dress riding alongside her on horseback while she wore the princely outfit.

“PFFFT!!!” Laughing aloud, Reiza couldn’t eat with how hard she was laughing.

“What the hell did you imagine?!”

“O-okay…ah…I’ll tell you.” To the right of the kitchen entrance, halfway down from upstairs, Faulkner overheard Karika and Reiza’s conversation regarding marriage.

“As always, you’re right, Trisha…” Referring to his and Trisha’s conversation last night, she guessed correctly that Reiza and Karika were waiting for him to propose out of consideration for timing and expenses. ‘I guess I’ll have to go with what Trisha suggested after all…’ Faulkner recalls his conversation with Trisha soon after he texted Reiza after hers and the girl’s bowling match.

[“May? You think that’s the best time to propose?” Using a video baby monitor to keep an eye on Vey, Markus and Trisha could rest easy, knowing they could come to Vey’s aid at any time. They use this respite to help Faulkner plan a wedding date.

“It’s the only month of the year when you and I aren’t busy. As for a venue, it doesn’t necessarily have to be in a big church or a fancy park. What’s important is the significance of the location.” While all good suggestions, Faulkner couldn’t help but scowl at Trisha. “What?”

“That’s a good suggestion, Trisha. But I can’t imagine holding a wedding under a canal bridge or at TMRC.”

“True. It’d be hilarious to hold a wedding ceremony under that…wait a minute. TMRC? I get the significance of the bridge since that’s where you and Karika fucked, but TMRC? What did you and Reiza do there?” Probing Faulkner for answers, Trisha was in the dark regarding Reiza’s stealing Karika’s limelight when Karika and Faulkner were fooling around in his classroom.

“Ah! Uh…look! It’s not my fault, alright? Karika started it.” Markus stayed out of the two’s conversation, content with chuckling in amusement while waiting for them to finish.

“So that’s what you two did. Geez, that’s kinky, even for you.”

“Whatever! Let’s get back to the topic at hand, please.” Shaking the embarrassment off, Faulkner turns to Markus for any advice he could give.

“I’m not sure I can give out good recommendations, but there’s more than one way to define a place that holds significance, you know? It doesn’t just have to be places where you profess your love or MADE love to them. Anywhere you can think of where you three have the most fun will do.”

“Somewhere fun…” He could think of at least two places to hold a wedding. “Okay. I know these two places aren’t exactly what most would call conventional, but what about holding the wedding ceremony at Aphrodishiack or Magicia Mall?”

“Those could work. Bar weddings are more common than you think. As for Mall weddings…those are a bit elaborate. Does Magicia Mall even hold weddings?”

“I don’t see why not. They have an indoor and outdoor venue rental service. They’re open as long as it isn’t during the holidays.” For a moment, Faulkner thought about holding the wedding at Magicia Mall. It didn’t take him long to realize such a large and public venue would make Reiza feel uncomfortable. Karika wouldn’t have a problem with strangers passing by, but Reiza would.

“That’s good to know. Though, now that I think about it, I don’t think those Reiza would enjoy a mall venue. She’d probably want a more intimate place to hold a wedding.”

“Aphrodishiack it is then. Might want to let Janice know sometime this month then.”

“Sounds good. The next thing to worry about is the rings. I have a pretty good idea of what kind of gems I’d want on them. For Karika, I was thinking of getting her a pearl ring or an emerald. As for Reiza, either amber or ruby.”

“Amber, huh? I can’t say I’ve heard of people using Amber as Gemstones for an engagement or wedding ring. Do you have a particular place you’re thinking of getting those?”

“Nope.” Faulkner’s bluntness left Trisha’s mouth agape in disbelief.

“Unbelievable. You don’t have a place in particular?”

“Don’t give me that look! There are plenty of gem shops around where I can go. I was hoping you knew someone who could help.”

“I do know one person who can help. She made the wedding band Markus is wearing.”

“Ah, you must be talking about Miss Kendra.”

“Who?” Faulkner hadn’t been introduced to Kendra, so he didn’t know who she was.

“Kendra. She was the Dwarf who took the role of a ring bearer for Markus and me during our wedding.” Thinking back, Faulkner does recall a Dwarf who gave Markus and Trisha their rings.

“Oh, her! Wait, she’s the one who crafted your rings?”

“Uh-huh. Kendra’s a master ringsmith. Her shop’s a bit far from here, but as you can see, she does top-notch work.” Showing off her wedding ring, Faulkner nods, satisfied with Trisha’s suggestion.

“Alright. Send me the address to Kendra’s shop, and I’ll visit her sometime this month.”

“You’d better do it as soon as possible. Kendra’s pretty popular. Unless you’re buying a ring she has on hand, it’ll take her at least four to six weeks to make one for you.”

“It’s not like I have any gems just lying around. So I’ll probably see what type of rings Kendra has in store first. Since I’ll be holding the wedding in Aphrodishiack, Janice and her staff will obviously provide catering. What other things should I prep for?” Faulkner’s ignorance had Trisha sighing in annoyance. To make her point known, she glares at him.

“Weren’t you paying attention when I had my wedding?! There’s so much to prepare for. A Guest list. VIP’s. Who’ll sit with you when you give your speeches? Photographers, entertainers, video editors? Florists? Wedding dresses and where to get them fitted. The time it takes to have them tailor-made. There’s so much more to go over.” Admittedly overwhelmed by it all, Faulkner was glad he had someone like Trisha to rely on.

“I’m sorry. I was paying attention, but I honestly didn’t think there was much to it. I’m not trying to make it elaborate or anything…”

“That is keeping it simple, you know? I could also go over things like the overall theme of the wedding. The menu you plan on serving for the wedding also needs considering since I doubt bar fare would be in everyone’s taste. I’ll help you make a list. Do you know when you’re planning on holding the wedding? Since you plan to propose this upcoming May, the year after that is when you should have the wedding.”

“Sounds good. I’m glad I have your help, Trisha.”

“I know. You’re hopeless without my help.”

“Rub it in, why don’t you…” Markus laughs at Trisha and Faulkner. Their chemistry with one another was amusing for him.

“Faulkner, if you don’t mind heeding my advice, I can impart one other thing.”

“Oh? What is it, Markus?”

“I know I said this earlier, but don’t fuss about where to pop the question. It’s more important to find the right moment rather than the right locale.” Bringing where to propose up, Faulkner found his chance to tease the two and smiled.

“Right. You got Trisha pregnant the first time you two had sex. So you never had a chance to propose to her, did you, Markus?”

“Ah…well…yeah…” Laughing off Trisha’s reaction, they chatted a bit more before Faulkner went to pick up Reiza and Karika from Zone Zeta.]

*Yawn*

Letting out a loud yawn to announce his presence, Karika and Reiza turn to Faulkner, who has his right hand on his mouth.

“Morning…”

“Ah, hey, Faulkner!” Playing dumb, Reiza points at an empty plate on the table. “Help yourself. I cooked some eggs, bacon, and sausage.”

“I figured. The smell of food is what drew me here.” With food in hand, he took a seat next to Karika. “On my way down, I heard you two laughing. What was that about?”

“Oh, that? Uh…” Racking her brain for an excuse, she turns to Reiza as if asking her to chime in. Instead, Reiza shrugs, leaving Karika hanging. Thankfully, last night’s big surprise gave Karika the lie she needed. “We were laughing at the idea of being idols! You know, since Nala and Mala are one.”

“Idols, eh? I can at least see Reiza pulling it off, unlike you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? I can rock an idol outfit!”

“Being an idol’s more than just wearing cutesy outfits. You gotta know how to dance, sing, and entertain people. All three are things you’re terrible at.” Making a point to count with each finger for everything she needed to be an idol, Faulkner crossed his arms and thought about said criteria. “I’ve never known Nala and Mala to be the type to dance, sing, and entertain. Not because he couldn’t see them do it but because of the nature inherent to an idol’s job.

“I can dance and sing!”

“No, no you can’t.” Reiza’s snarky remark had the two butt heads.

“Fuck you, small tits! Like you’re one to talk.”

“I can at least sing. I have plenty of entertaining experience too, considering what I have done in the past. Meanwhile, you had everyone in class covering their ears when you started singing. And you had them laughing when you were dancing. Ah! I guess that counts as entertaining since you made them laugh.”

“Oh, you just crossed the line, small tits!” Retreating knowing what’s to come, Reiza makes a run for it as Karika chases her around the house.

Faulkner would typically watch the two, entertained by their shenanigans. But not today.

“Hey, knock it off! We’ve got Christmas shopping today, so save your energy for that!”

“Ah! That’s right. Christmas is only a week away.” Suddenly, Karika’s face turned pale, and she realized she hadn’t bought her parents’ gifts yet. “Crap! I forgot to get Mom and Dad something!”

“Wow, you suck, sis. I already got their gifts. What about you, Faulkner?” Reiza passively pushed Karika aside in her attempts at ruffling Reiza’s hair.

“I have everyone’s gifts already. Don’t forget. We’re inviting them here for Christmas Eve this year, along with Trisha, Markus, and Vey. Denise will also come, so we’ll need to stock up on groceries to make a grand feast for everyone.”

Last year, Faulkner, Karika, and Reiza celebrated Christmas at home in the morning and visited Illina and Bergeese to have dinner with them.

This year, Faulkner plans to invite them and anyone he knows who wants to attend to show his thanks and see how well he, Karika, and Reiza can host.

“Hey, I’m going to take my truck and go to Magicia Mall. I want to find my parents’ gifts there.” Surprised by Karika’s change in plans, Reiza and Faulkner turn to her with befuddled looks.

“Eh?! You want to go by yourself, Porky?”

“I don’t see why not. You’ll have Faulkner there, so you should be fine. I want to get my mom and dad’s presents out of the way first.”

“Alright. Text me or Reiza so we know you’re safe.”

“I will. I’m gonna go get dressed.” Karika heads for their bedroom to get dressed.

“Come on. Let’s clean the dishes so we can get going too.”

“Right.” After helping Faulkner wash the dishes, Karika left the house first, followed by Faulkner and Reiza.

“Holy fucking moly! It’s too damn cold out here.” After a short drive, Karika makes it to Magicia Mall. As expected, the parking lot was packed due to Christmas shoppers. Thankfully, she found a parking spot in the outdoor garage, sparing her truck bed from gathering snow.

The outside entrance to the mall’s food court was decorated with large gingerbread men pointing at it, and large candy canes were placed on the left and right sides of the doors. The interior was even more festive, with Christmas lights hanging on the mall’s roof. The walls between the stores had laurels, garlands of several colors, and lights.

In addition to the festive decorations, elves dressed as Santa’s helpers walked around the mall, handing out fliers to parents interested in taking their children to see Santa Claus.

“Man, I remember when Dad used to take me to see Santa Claus. Of course now, I bet he could make a good Santa Claus.” Laughing the idea off, Karika got started with her Christmas shopping. She found it easier to shop for Bergeese first since they had a lot in common. Her first stop was at a hardware store.

‘Okay. If I recall, Dad said something about wanting a new drill set.’ Mulling over which brand to buy, she found one that would satisfy Bergeese’s needs, even if it was above what she expected to pay for.

“Thank you for your purchase. Can I assume this is a gift?”

“Yeah. What about it?”

“We can wrap this gift for you, free of charge.”

“Huh…you’ll wrap it for me? Sure, why not? I’ve never been good with wrapping presents myself.”

“Don’t feel too bad. Most people aren’t.” As the cashier alleviated Karika’s lack of confidence, she had already finished wrapping the gift Karika had bought for Bergeese without even looking. “Here you go.”

“Uh…that was amazing. Thank you.”

“No problem.” Putting her wrapped gift in a tote bag she had brought, Karika waved goodbye to the cashier before leaving the store.

‘Right. Next gift’s for Mom…ugh…’ For Illina, it’s not that Karika couldn’t relate to her. The problem lies in Illina’s taste for clothing. Karika knows the way to her mother’s heart is through clothes.

“Tch! This’ll be a lot easier if I just bought a gift meant for both of them like I did last year and the year before. But no, that’s being lazy! I have to give them their own gifts this year.” Slapping her cheeks, Karika motivates herself and walks down the mall to go to Illina’s favorite clothing store.

To get there, she had to get past the central plaza. There, she saw a giant Christmas tree. Around the tree was a gated area with a line on the front. Noticing the red, giant chair under the tree, the Elves around the gates, and the absurdly long line of people with parents and children alike, it was clear what this was.

“Wow. I know Santa’s popular, but I don’t remember the lines being this long before. I wonder what their Santa looks like?” Karika moved around to get a better look. Her jaw drops along with her tote bag when she sees who it is.

“And what would you like for Christmas, Abby?”

“I want big, strong muscles like yours, Santa. That way, I can protect Mommy and carry my future hubby!”

“That right? Well, I think you’re already plenty strong, Abby!”

“N-no fucking way…” Playing the role of Santa was none other than Karika’s Dad, Bergeese. “I was just kidding about Dad being Santa. What the hell is he doing here playing Santa Claus?”

“It’s a funny story, sweetie.” Sneaking behind Karika, Illina wraps her arms around Karika’s, immobilizing her.

“M-mom?”

“That’s me.”

“What’re you and Dad doing here?”

“You’re father and I decided to treat ourselves to a shopping mall trip. Admittedly, we’re also here to get gifts for your aunts and uncles. Anyway, we were going about our day when Bergeese overheard one of the Elves panicking since their Mall Santa called in sick. They didn’t have anyone else who looked like Santa to replace him. That’s when your father swooped in like a hero and offered to play the role.”

“In other words, Dad couldn’t mind his own business and went to help?” Even in her youth, Karika could recount all the times Bergeese got sidetracked in favor of helping someone in need.

“Don’t be like that. You know your father. He can’t help but aid those in need. Oh! I wish I were a kid again. Then I can hog your father’s arms all for myself!”

“Mom…I know what you were going for, but that’s creepy.”

“Ahaha…” Laughing off her momentary lack of tact, Illina noticed the tote bag Karika was carrying. “Hey, what’s that you have there? And I just noticed that Reiza and Faulkner aren’t with you. Did you split up with them in the mall? I don’t smell those two nearby.”

“Uh…this gift is for…Faulkner. I’m here alone since I’m buying his and Reiza’s presents!” While a blatant lie, it was convincing since Faulkner and Reiza’s absence would make her lie believable.

“I see. So you’re here to get presents too?”

“Yup. I can’t have those two here when I’m shopping for their stuff, you know?”

“Fair enough.” After tending to at least fifty or so children, the Elves working at the mall decide to give Bergeese a fifteen-minute break. Wanting to see his wife, he nearly blurted out in surprise when he saw his daughter with her.

“AH! Ka-” Reminding himself that he was still out in the open where the other kids waiting for their turn to see Santa were there, he shut his mouth and waved at the two instead.

“Geez, he almost fucked it up for everyone…” Waving back, Karika and Illina smile back at Bergeese. “Anyway, I should get back to my shopping. I’ll see you later, Mom.”

“Alright, sweety. You take care.” Karika waves at Bergeese again to mark her leave before heading to the lingerie store.

‘Oh sweety. You’re such a terrible liar. Oh well. I can’t wait to see what you get for us.’ Through what many could only describe as a woman’s intuition, Ilina saw through Karika’s lie.

____________________

“Alright. Now that we’re here. We should get at least two shopping carts worth of food.” While Karika does Christmas shopping at Magicia Mall, Faulkner and Reiza are at a local grocery store.

“Two shopping carts worth? Isn’t that a bit much?” Faulkner gave Reiza his shopping list so she could pick out what they needed. Looking through the list, the number of ingredients listed and how much of them had Reiza raising her right brow in doubt.

“Reiza, we’re inviting Illina, Bergeese, Trisha, Markus, Vey, and Denise.” With his right brow raised, Reiza barely had to imagine the scene at their dinner table before she shook her head.

“Yeah…okay. You’re right. Karika alone could probably eat a family’s worth of food by herself.”

”Exactly. Now come on, we got shopping carts to fill.”

“Alrighty.” Reiza took the lead and led Faulkner aisle by aisle. With each aisle they passed through, the shopping carts filled with spices, non-perishables, fruits, and veggies. The meats were the last items on the list.

“Whoa. You’re getting a rack of ribs too?”

“Uh-huh. I want to try my hand at smoking them. Doing it right will have the meat practically fall off the bone.” Heading for the meat aisle, Faulkner saw a familiar face up ahead.

“Oh! I want this one, and this one too!” Janice stares longingly at the meats behind the glass display. Her tail swished around in a frenzy as the developing baby in her stirred her desire for meat more intensely at the mere sight of them.

“Uh…honey…you might want to wipe the drool from your lips…” Clyde was with her, trying to coax her excitement down as a crowd gathered around them, watching in amusement. The butcher behind the counter didn’t seem amused.

“Hey, isn’t that Janice?” Reiza points at her, albeit weirded out, as she’s never seen Janice look so rabid. Faulkner was unfazed, however.

“Sure is. Her hunger pangs must be driving her hunting instinct through the roof.” Approaching Janice and Clyde, Faulkner waves at them. “Hey there, Janice, Clyde.” Calling her out, Janice’s predatory gaze changes back to normal. Her fluffy ears perked up before turning around.

“Faulkner? And Reiza too? What’re you two doing here?” Calming down, Janice puts her hands on her hips while Faulkner and Clyde shake hands to greet each other.

“As you can see from the shopping carts we’re lugging around, we’re here to prepare for a Christmas Eve party I’m hosting at our house.” Faulkner nudges his head to the two shopping carts full of groceries. Janice lets out a whistle at the sight.

“Shit! That’s a lot of food. Who’s on the guest list, your whole TMRC class?”

“No. At that point, I’d need six..” While Faulkner tells Janice who’s invited, Clyde gives a light bow to Reiz, as this is his first time meeting her.

“You must be Reiza, correct? I’m Clyde, Janice’s husband.”

“So you’re Janice’s husband. It’s nice to meet you, Clyde.” Faulkner had just finished listing off those invited to Janice. That’s when she put her right paw under her chin in thought.

“Wow. That is a lot of people. Almost as much as my family whenever I celebrate Christmas with Mom and Dad.” Noticing the color on Clyde’s face growing pale, he recalls the first time he was invited to celebrate Christmas with them.

“Clyde, you alright?”

“Ah, yeah. I’m just…reminiscing…” Rolling his eyes, Faulkner chuckled, amused at what Janice’s family was like.

“Of course, I can’t go with them this year.” Janice was, understandably, bummed out that she couldn’t go to her family this year.

“Why not? I’ve only celebrated Christmas a few times with others I care for, but they were so much fun.” Making her point, Reiza grabs Faulkner’s arm, squeezing it as a show of affection. Faulkner blushed and turned his head away.

“Aww…how cute.” Janice smiles at their cute display and does the same for Clyde. “The reason is because I’m pregnant. I love my family, but…with all twenty-seven of them there, more than half being kids, the chaos there would stress me out. And that wouldn’t be good for the baby.”

“So that’s why. That’s definitely a good reason.” Faulkner, being no stranger to rambunctious types, nods in sympathy.

“Ever since I got together with Janice, we’ve always gone to her parent’s house to celebrate. Personally, I’m kind of relieved to be spared this year since Janice’s niece and nephews…play rough…” Reminded of the teeth marks from last year’s visit when he played monster with them, Janice shoots a coy smile before looking back at Faulkner.

“But, it does feel lonely since it’ll just be the three of us this year. I’m not used to celebrating with so few people…” Seeing Janice’s ears and tail go limp, Reiza’s tail goes limp too as the flames there and her horns shrink, feeling bad for Janice.

Seeing this, Faulkner knew he’d regret it at the back of his head. But, after telling Janice and Clyde about his Christmas plans, saying nothing would’ve left a bad taste in his mouth.

*Sigh*

“Ugh…fine. I can’t just leave you on the lurch like this. If you don’t mind, you can come to my house to celebrate Christmas Eve. That sounds good?” Janice’s ears suddenly perk up. Without warning, Janice hugs Faulkner, even licking his cheek like a dog would for its family. “ACK! Dammit, not this again!”

“Ah! What’re you doing, Janice?!” Reiza tried to jump in, but she couldn’t do much on her own. With Clyde’s help, Faulkner managed to get Janice off him. She smiles apologetically.

“Oh! Thank you! I promise we’ll be good guests, Faulkner! And err…sorry. I do that to close friends and family.”

“You lick your friend’s faces?” Reiza, weirded out by Janice’s confession, laughs nervously.

“Ehehe…yeah.” Laughing off what just happened, Faulkner quickly realized something.

“Crap. We’ll need even more food now that you two are invited.” Faulkner said, staring at Janice and Clyde. “We should’ve brought Karika with us after all…” Janice and Clyde look at each other before they smile at Faulkner.

“Hey, don’t sweat it, Faulkner. Since you were nice enough to have us over, the least we could do is help pay for some of the groceries.”

“What? That’s kind of you, Clyde, Janice. But you two are my guests. Guests shouldn’t-” Faulkner tries to argue with Clyde, but Janice covers his face with her large paw to shut him up.

“Quiet, you. We’re pitching in. End of story.” Letting go of his face, Faulkner scowls but sighs in resignation.

“Fine. If you insist that much, I’ll take it.” Reiza, chuckling at Faulkner’s resignation, slaps him on the back of the head. “Ow! What was that for?”

“What kind of an idiot refuses help? Our grocery bill will probably be over a thousand. And that’s before we invited Clyde and Janice.”

“True. Well, alright then. Clyde, Janice, have you two suggestions for what we should cook?” Racking their heads for more ideas, Faulkner and Reiza stayed in the grocer longer than anticipated.

____________________

A week later.

*Ding-Dong*

It was twelve-thirty in the afternoon on Christmas Eve. Faulkner had woken two hours earlier to work on smoking the rack of ribs. Since he was in the backyard, it was up to Karika to open the front door.

“Hmm?” Turning to face the door, Karika jumps from the living room couch and opens the front door.

“Hey, Merry Christmas Eve, Karika.” The first to arrive from their guest list was Denise. Wearing an oversized ’ugly’ Christmas sweater, it had LED ornament lights, making Karika roll her eyes.

“Uh…yeah. Merry Christmas Eve, Denise…”

“What’s wrong, Karika?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know what’s wrong. What’s with that fugly sweater you’re wearing?” Blinking twice, Denise looks down at her sweater, pouting afterward.

“Well, excuse me for having Christmas spirit, Karika. Everyone loves these kinds of sweaters during Christmas.”

“Right…” Saying so in a sarcastic, dragged-out tone, Denise sighed before showing Karika a small bag she was carrying. “Here. Take this inside the house. It’s my thank you gift to you, Reiza, and Faulkner for inviting me.”

“Oh, thanks.” Taking the small bag from Denise, Karika noticed that it hardly weighed anything. “What’s in here, Denise? Gift cards?”

“You’ll find out later. Do you mind if I come in through the garage?”

“Nah. Just go to the backyard. Faulkner’s already out there smoking some ribs.”

“Oh, alright.” Karika closed the front door and returned to the living room, where she dropped Denise’s gifts under their Christmas tree. She then rushes to the backyard door. “Hey, Faulkner!”

“Hmm? What?” Sitting under the backyard gazebo, Faulkner wore a sweater and jacket under his shirt. It was a nippy fifteen degrees Fahrenheit outside as snow blanketed the ground.

“Denise is here early. Can you open the side backyard door so she can come in from here?

“What? She’s here already?” Putting the lid back down on the smoker, he heads for the side entrance. The door was big enough for a Ushi-Oni like Denise to fit through.

“Hey, Merry Christmas Eve. Sorry if I’m here early.” Denise casually waves at Faulkner as he opens the door for her.

“Merry Christmas Eve. Though, I have to ask, why are you here so early?” He puts his hands on his waist, smiling after noticing what she is wearing.

“Well…you’re inviting lots of people today, right? I figured I could help you cook. It’s the least I could do.” Letting out a sign, Faulkner scratches his head, having heard something similar a week ago.

“Geez…you know. Guests are supposed just to enjoy their time when invited, you know?” Scowling at Faulkner, Denise hugs him without warning. “Ah?”

“I’m not just a guest, you know? You’re like a father to me…” Faulkner wasn’t used to hearing that yet, so he had almost forgotten she considered him one. Acknowledging his mistake, Faulkner pats Denise on the head.

“My bad. Well, go come on in, kiddo. I was watching the rack of ribs I was cooking two hours ago. You go head inside and keep Karika and Reiza company.” Letting go, Denise smiles and passes him.

“Don’t stay out here too long, Faulkner. You’ll catch a cold.”

“I know. I’ll be there in a few.” Heading inside his house through the backyard door, Faulkner smiles as he imagines giving Denise step-siblings sometime in the future. “Heh. I have one hell of a family tree…” Heading back to the smoker, Faulkner checked the ribs while Karika brought Denise into the living room.

*Yawn!* Coming down from their bedroom, Reiza had just gotten up, tired from staying up late after insisting on food prep before their Christmas Eve dinner. She lazily walks down from upstairs to the living, unaware of Denise’s presence.

“Hmm…mornin…”

“Morning? It’s noon, small tits.” Clicking her tongue, Reiza rubs her eyes in annoyance.

“Fuck off, porky. I’ve been…eh?” As soon as she opened her eyes, Reiza saw Denise next to Karika. “Denise, you’re here already?”

“Yeah. I figured I’d come early to help you guys cook tonight’s dinner. It’s the least I could do, after all.”

“I see. I appreciate it, but you’re our guest, Denise. You should just sit back and relax. I’ll go brew some coffee for you if you like.”

“Actually, if you don’t mind, I’d rather have hot chocolate instead. If you guys have any.” As Reiza joined Karika and Denise in the living room, Karika raised her right eyebrow, surprised at Denise’s request.

“Hot chocolate? I thought a house realtor like you would have a more adult palate.” Grinning, Karika lets out a laugh, making Denise blush.

“Uh…you shouldn’t be talking, Porky…” Using her tail, Reiza pokes at the Weresheep plushie Karika has in her arms. “A twenty-five-year-old, clinging to plushies like a toddler. Some adult you are…” Striking a nerve, veins of anger bulge from Karika’s forehead as she stands from the couch to butt heads with Reiza.

“Huh? You talk a lot of shit for someone younger than me.”

“Of course. It’s the younger sibling that talks shit, right?” The black flames on Karika’s horns and tail grow in size, showing her defiance against Karika. This was and always will be a common occurrence between the two.

“C-come on, you two. It’s Christmas Eve! You shouldn’t be fighting like this!” Denise waves her large claws down in an attempt to de-escalate the situation. Upon seeing Denise’s concern, Karika and Reiza turn to her, the tension between them disappearing almost immediately.

“Huh? Oh, sorry about that. We just bicker like this a lot. Don’t worry about it.” Reiza smiles to reassure Denise. The black flames shrank with her smile.

“Yeah. If we did take things seriously, we’d get a serious scolding from Faulkner…” Karika’s tail goes limp as she recalls the times she and Reiza were yelled at and scolded whenever they argued in public like that.

“Ahahaha…” All Denise could do was chuckle out of sympathy for Karika. A few awkward seconds of silence filled the room before Reiza clapped her hands.

“So, Denise, hot chocolate?” With that, Reiza leads Denise to the kitchen to make coffee and hot chocolate for herself, Karika, and Denise.

As two more hours pass, the next guests arrive at two-thirty in the afternoon.

*Ding-Dong.*

“Alright, who’s showing up next?” Getting up from the couch, Reiza opened the door as Denise and Karika were in the living room playing video games together. “Welcome.” The next guests to arrive were Illina and Bergeese. Illina wore a pink sweater and white sailor pants with a green scarf around her neck. Bergeese wore something thinner, opting for a sleeveless T-shirt and blue jeans. On his right hand, Bergeese carried a portable cooler filled with all sorts of meats to grill. Illina, on the other hand, brought presents for Reiza, Karika, and Faulkner. “Ah! Illina, Bergeese!”

“Hey…we’re family, Reiza. I’m your mother, right?” Illina let out a pouting tease, miffed that Reiza called her by her name.

“Oh, that’s right. I’m sorry, mom.” Illina pulls Reiza in for a hug with a smile, nuzzling Reiza between her motherly bosom.

“You’re just too cute, daughter dearest. Merry Christmas Eve, sweetheart.” While in Illina’s embrace, Bergeese pats Reiza with his strong, gentle right hand.

“You’d better not forget next time, kiddo.” Blushing at their parental love, Reiza nuzzles deeper into Illina’s embrace.

Hearing her parents, Karika turns to the door and waves lazily at them.

“Hey there, mom and dad.”

“Hello sweetie!” Illina seemed content as she was busy drowning her affection for Reiza. Bergeese, not so much.

*Thunk!*

“OWW!!!” With a firm downward punch, Bergeese hits Karika on the top of her head. “Fuckin hell, what was that for, dad?!” Denise was taken aback as she paused the game they were playing.

“Ah, Karika. Are you okay?” Holding her head in pain, Karika got up and kept rubbing it to try and ease the pain.

“You’re loving parents came all the way to your house, and this is how you greet them? I taught you better than that, Karika.”

“Ouch…I know! I’m sorry, alright, dad?”

“Good. Now come hug your daddy.” Spreading his burly arms open, Karika leaps into her father’s arms and hugs him. “Merry Christmas Eve, Karika.”

“Yeah. You too, Dad.” Gently this time, Bergeese pats Karika on the head, soothing her.

While doing so, he didn’t overlook Denise. After a few seconds, he let go of Karika. Illina did the same for Reiza as she stood next to him.

“Ah, Denise, right? I seem to recall you considering Faulkner as your father, right?” With a blush, Denise nods at Illina.

“Y-yes…”

“Well, that makes you like…our granddaughter or something, right?” Bergeese didn’t hesitate to pat Denise on the head. She’d never felt someone with such strong hands pat her before. Despite her overwhelming strength, Denise felt at ease from Bergeese’s affectionate touch. “I didn’t think it’d be this soon, but I’m glad I have such a wonderful granddaughter.”

“I couldn’t agree more, dear.” Bergeese moves out of the way as it is Illina’s turn to show her love. She gently pulls Denise’s head between her bosom, like she did with Reiza. “Merry Christmas Eve, Denise.” Feeling their love flow through her, Denise hugs Illina back.

“Thank you…” Karika and Reiza smile at the heartwarming scene before them, then stare at one another in perplexity seconds later.

“Huh…you know…this family dynamic of ours is kinda fucked, huh sis?” Reiza asked with her hands on her hips.

“Yeah…it kind of is, isn’t it?” Crossing her arms, Karika and Reiza laugh at each other before Denise, Bergeese, and Illina laugh with them soon after.

“Hey, where’s Faulkner, girls?”

“He’s out in the backyard gazebo smoking a rack of ribs.” Karika points back at the backyard with her thumb.

“Oh! A rack of ribs, eh? I got some choice beef ready for grilling too. I’ll go join Faulkner in the back.” Bergeese runs excitedly to the back to greet Faulkner, where he shares the bounty of steaks he brought to cook for later.

“Ah…We should leave it to the boys to prep the protein.” Illina sets the gifts she brought with her under the Christmas tree next to Denise’s gifts. “Reiza, I want to assume you’ve gotten started with prepping the other dishes?”

“Of course. The fridge’s so packed, we had to eat all the leftovers to make room…”

“We’re getting started with food prep now? Let me help.” Illina, Reiza, and Denise go to the kitchen to prepare the other side dishes for tonight’s dinner.

“Ah…what about me?” Karika points to herself after realizing she is alone in the living room.

“Hmm…keep an eye on the front door and let the rest of the guests in when they arrive.”

“…” Sitting back on the couch, Karika stares at the TV, realizing Denise had abruptly stopped their gaming session. “Fuck…this sucks…” Turning off the console, Karika watches TV to pass the time. She crosses her arms, a little miffed she couldn’t help with cooking on either side, knowing how poorly she cooks.

Another hour passes before two more guests ring the doorbell.

*Ding-Dong*

“Coming!” Karika opened the door to be greeted by Trisha, Markus, and Vey, who was now old enough to walk alone.

“Hey, Karika. Merry Christmas Eve.” Trisha was used to the cold, so she only wore a scarf to shield her from the cold. Her ensemble included a simple red and black v-neck shirt and a pencil skirt combo. On her hand was a massive bottle of sake that needed to be cradled like a baby to carry.

“Whoa…hello, Mrs. Trisha. That’s one big sake bottle you got there.”

“Right?! It’s a rare blend that comes from Faelinth called ‘Hana-no-Yokubo.’ It was one of Tama’s gifts for my wedding. Since I was carrying Vey then, I couldn’t drink it. But now, I want to celebrate Christmas Eve by getting shit-faced with everyone!” While Trisha raises the bottle triumphantly, Vey, as innocent as she was at two years old, mimics Trisha.

“Shit-faced!” Vey wore a thick, yellow waterproof jacket and small winter pants to repel the cold air.

“No. Don’t copy Mommy, Vey. That’s a bad word.” Markus dropped the bag of presents he had brought for Faulkner, Reiza, and Karika to the ground before getting on his knees. He stared at Vey and waved his pointing finger, telling her what she was doing was terrible. Vey just laughed off Markus’s words. He wore a blue hoodie with black flannel jeans, as he was somewhat used to the cold.

“Ah! Oh my gosh! Vey is so cute!!!” Karika instantly squats down and greets Vey with a smile. “Hey, you remember me, right?”

“Uh-huh! Poki!!!”

“Eh?!” Karika’s face turned pale for a moment. That’s when she realized Vey was trying to call her ‘Porky.’ “Uh…no. That’s not right. My name’s…”

“Poki!!! Hahaha!” Innocent and young as she was, Karika couldn’t get mad at Vey. Instead, she swallowed her pride and smiled.

“That’s right! It’s me! Poki!” Picking up Vey, Karika hugs Vey into her chest. As strong as she was, Vey hugged back, taking Karika by surprise. “Oh?! Damn, it always surprises me at how strong Vey is.”

“Heh, yeah. She’s very strong…” Markus chuckles nervously as his fingers are still sore from the times they hold hands.

“Anyway, come on in, you three. Reiza, my mom, and Denise are in the kitchen. As for Faulkner and Dad, they’re in the backyard.” Karika first walks in with Vey in her arms, followed by Trisha and Markus.

“Alright. I think I’ll bring this bad boy in the kitchen to show off the girls.” Holding the sake bottle, Trisha was ready to show off her drink to the girls.

“I’ll stay with you if that’s alright, Karika.” Markus settles on the couch, putting his bags of gifts under the Christmas tree.

“Sure, no problem. I was honestly getting bored being the only one in the living room. Though, we also have Vey here, isn’t that right?!” Karika rubs her cheeks against Vey, who rubs back while giggling.

“Poki! Let’s play!” Setting Vey down after, Karika and Markus entertained Vey for around thirty minutes before the last of Faulkner’s guests arrived.

*Ding-Ding*

“Ah! It looks like the last guests are here…” Running to the front door to let them in, Karika greets Janice and Clyde. To stay warm, Janice wore a large fur coat she made from animals she had hunted and short jeans that went down to her thighs. Clyde also wore a fur-lined jacket Janice made for him. However, he wore long black dress pants to go with it. “Hey, Merry Christmas Eve, Janice, Clyde.”

“And a Merry Christmas Eve to you too, Karika.” Responding to Karika with a wide, toothy grin, Janice presents her gift to everyone at the party. They were two large pies. Both seemed to have been made recently, as they were still hot.

“Hmm? These are pies, aren’t they?”

“Yup. One’s a dessert apple pie. The other’s a meaty shepherd’s pie dish.” Markus points to which pie was which. “We figured we’d make something fresh for tonight’s dinner party. It’d be rude to show up empty-handed.”

“But didn’t you guys already pitch in to pay for the ingredients sis and Faulkner bought a week before? You didn’t have to bring more.”

“Nonsense! I wanted you guys to try our pies anyway! I made the shepherd’s pie, and Clyde made the apple. Anyway, thanks for having us!” Janice lets herself into the room and greets Markus and Vey. “Hey, Markus, I hope you’re doing well.”

“Mrs. Janice. How are you? I hope the baby’s doing well.” Referring to her bulging belly, Janice chuckles, still hurting from the hunger pangs.

“Oh yeah, she’s doing well, alright. Baby’s turning my guts inside out. Even more than Cly-”

“Hey! D-don’t talk about that stuff in front of Vey, you idiot!” Clyde interjects as he grabs his wife Janice on her shoulders.

“Oops, that’s right. My bad…” Markus could simply smile. Janice’s lack of tact felt familiar since, at times, Trisha would also talk about their sex life without restraint. Karika just put her hands on her hips. Looking at the time, it was now four in the afternoon, and everyone had arrived.

“Welp, everyone’s here now. The rest of the girls are all in the kitchen to help cook the side dishes. Faulkner’s out with dad in the backyard, barbecuing some meat.”

“Alright. I’ll drop the pies off in the kitchen and join the girls then.” Janice went to the kitchen to join Denise, Reiza, and Illina.

“I’ll go to the backyard then. See if the boys need help with something.” Clyde joined the rest of the guys in the backyard. The party started to kick off with everyone there as dinner time neared.

Karika, Markus, and Vey stayed put in the living room, playing games together and keeping Vey occupied.

“So…Vey’s two years old now. Things must be easier for Trisha now that she doesn’t have to breastfeed.” Markus’s cheeks turned slightly red, chuckling shortly after.

“Well, yeah. She technically still uses the pump now and again…”

“Wait, really? Why’s that?” Karika had Vey sit on her lap as she played video games on the TV in the living room.

“Let’s just say repeated milkings have conditioned her body to keep making them. She should stop producing with enough time, but it won’t stop. Ugh…” Letting out a sigh, Karika had a feeling there was more to it than that. Still, she kept that to herself as they continued their small talk.

____________________

“Oh! Your belly is getting so big, Janice!” The girls were having a blast in the kitchen. Reiza tended to mash potatoes and pan-fried green beans with mushrooms and chili. Trisha was helping clean dishes and kitchen utensils that were no longer needed to make cleanup easier later. Illina and Janice were chopping up vegetables for a hearty chicken noodle soup. Denise was working on plating the diner table. Since they had a lot of guests, Faulkner bought an extra table to accommodate everyone.

At least they were. Illina couldn’t help but rub her face on Janice’s bulging belly, admiring her baby girl inside.

“Wah! M-Mrs. Illina! Please! That’s dangerous! I’m still holding a knife here!”

“How many times do I have to tell you, Janice?! Just call me Illina, alright? You’re making me feel old by calling me Mrs.” Trisha had a blast watching the two while cleaning the dishes.

“I’m glad I popped Vey out of the bun. The fucking cramps and shooting pain are several times worse than any period I’ve ever had. Of course, that doesn’t compare to childbirth. It hurt like a mother-”

“SHUT UP! I don’t need to hear that crap again, Trisha!” As a soon-to-be mother, Janice was understandably nervous since she was five months into her pregnancy. What started as a conversation to ease her burden turned into a flashback for Illina and Trisha as they recalled their experiences.

“It’s okay, Janice. We women are made tough! I know it sounds scary at first, but you’ll find the strength to persevere!” Illina cheered Janice on as she returned to chopping the veggies with her.

“…” While listening to Trisha and Janice, Reiza couldn’t help but feel a bit envious. Having a child would be too early as she’s only a quarter way through her college courses to become a psychologist. Still, the image of her baby girl in her arms made her heart flutter with joy. The flames on her horn and tail change color from black to pink, signifying a change in her mood.

“Hmm? Reiza, what’re you thinking about over there?” Reiza’s mood change hadn’t gone unnoticed as Trisha smiled at her.

“Hah?! I was just thinking about how nice it’d be when Faulkner and I have a kid someday. It won’t be anytime soon, but you know…ahaha…”

“Ah…it would be nice to have another granddaughter.” Illina looked over at Denise, who was too busy setting the table to hear her. “Though…maybe it’s a bit early for one? I mean, I’m only forty-nine years old. Then again, I had Karika when I was twenty-four. You’re twenty-one, Reiza. So it’s not too far off.”

“I’m not saying I’m against the idea. But if you have a kid, who’ll keep an eye on the little tyke? I know you’re still doing college courses to become a psychologist, but after two more years of at-home studying, you’ll have to do four more on-site.” Trisha made a solid point, which Faulkner discussed with Reiza before.

“I’m aware. I think if that were the case, we’d hire a babysitter of sorts to look after her or them. After all, I don’t know if I or Porky he’ll get knocked up first.”

“That’s one fix. Well, I’m sure you guys will figure it out.” Trisha stopped from there since she already knew Faulkner’s perspective on things. And Karika’s would no doubt be the same as Reiza’s.

“What about you, Denise? Are you planning on having kids someday?” Illina turned her attention to Denise next. This prompted Reiza, Trisha, and Janice to do the same, making Denise blush.

“Me?! Honestly, I don’t even have a boyfriend. So having a kid hadn’t crossed my mind in a long time.”

“No offense. But I find that extremely hard to believe. Ushi-Oni’s are among one of the most amorous monsters around. You’re telling me you’ve been able to curb your lust this whole time?” Janice was a bit tactless, but her honesty rang true.

“You’re right. It is strange. You don’t know this yet, Janice, Illina. But these glasses of mine act as the talisman that keeps my lust and demonic energy at bay. I have to get it recharged every year to make sure its effects remain.” As Illina and Janice looked closer at her glasses, they saw several charms and symbols wrapped around them.

“Oh, so that’s how. I don’t know much about Zipangu magic, but they’re effective. Who blesses these for you?” Janice wasn’t privy with magic, so she didn’t have much to say about it. The same goes for Illina.

“That’d be Lady Tama. As far as I know, she’s the only one powerful enough to keep my lust at bay.” Trisha already knew that since she and Denise were practically like sisters, given their relationship with Tama.

“Ah, that makes sense.” Janice seemed convinced, but Illina looked more concerned than anything.

“I’m happy it works out for you, dear. But being by yourself for so long, aren’t you lonely? How old are you, Denise?”

“Heh, I’m thirty-three.”

“Oh! I didn’t realize you were older than Faulkner! Though not by much.”

“Yeah. I’m two months older than Faulkner.” Scratching the back of her head, Denise fought herself for a moment, wondering if she should be honest with herself. Remembering Faulkner’s teachings, she smiles and looks back at everyone. “Actually…there was one person who I had my eye on. I imagine some of you already know who it is…” Denise’s blushing cheeks were too obvious for many to ignore.

“Faulkner.” Reiza didn’t hesitate to mention his name, exposing Denise.

“Hmm…that doesn’t surprise me. You were a student of his at one point.” Janice pointed out, remembering the first time Faulkner came to her bar. “He was quite happy, you know. When you graduated from his class, he was proud that you graduated. But he also drank himself to a stupor, disappointed that he failed everyone else.”

“I remember that. It was the first time I had to escort him home since, for once, he got more drunk than I did.” Trisha chuckled as she remembered that same night.

“So…was he celebrating, or was he sulking?” Illina asked, confused about what had happened. Reiza listened closely, also confused.

“Both.” Janice and Trisha replied nearly at the same time.

“Yup. Faulkner took his job very seriously. When I first met him, Lady Tama hadn’t made my glasses yet, so I still used the paper charm around my left eye. So, I was naturally after him. The sigils they mark us within TMRC made it impossible for us to make our move there, so I had considered tailing him and snatching him up.” For Denise, it felt like such a long time ago. Back when she lusted for Faulkner, her imagination ran wild as she thought of all the ways she could’ve raped him.

“You stalked Faulkner? D-did he ever notice?”

“Nope! I was very good at staying hidden.” Trisha was almost impressed, if not creeped out by Denise’s stealth. Janice and Illina were generally more impressed and unbothered by her stalking behavior. Reiza seemed jealous as the flames on her horns and tail turned green. “Anyway, as I followed him, I noticed how often he’d visit the library after finishing his classes in TMRC. That’s when I found out he’s been diligently studying different monster girl species so he could understand them better.”

“Yup. Faulkner would always come to work tired as hell. When I asked him why, he’d say he stayed at the library for as long as he could, studying subjects on the monster girls in his class and their culture to understand them better.” Naturally, Trisha was supportive of his endeavors and gave him advice whenever he sought it out.

“Right. As I watched Faulkner study, my lust for him turned to adoration. He worked so hard to understand us. Even though he scolds us at TMRC, he cares for all of us. That’s when I started seeing him as a father figure more than a lover. Though, it doesn’t help that he treats his students like they’re his daughters…” Reiza scoffs at Denise, relating to what she went through.

“Heh, you got that right. Though, it wasn’t bad at all, right?”

“No. Of course not! I love him for it. I worked hard to meet his expectations. And after some grueling tests, I managed to pass. From there, I focused on getting a job. That’s when I met Mrs. Nakoto, who got me a job through Mrs. Reiss. The rest is what you all know by now. I’ve just been so busy with work that, quite frankly, I completely forgot about looking for a man.” Embarrassed as she was, Denise was in no hurry to find a boyfriend.

“Aww. That’s so sweet. But having a life partner to share that sweetness will be even better. Trust me! Meeting Bergeese changed my life forever…” Staring at Bergeese through the backyard glass door, Reiza claps her hands to get everyone’s attention.

“Alright! Come on, girls! We’ve got another hour before everything’s ready. Let’s finish up so everything will be ready by dinner time!”

“Right!” Raising their fists high, Illina, Trisha, Janice, Reiza, and Denise all work to finish the remainder of the side dishes.

____________________

Meanwhile, Faulkner, Bergeese, and Clyde worked together to grill the meats in the backyard gazebo. The rack of ribs Faulkner had just finished smoking was wrapped in tin foil to keep the juices and smokey flavor sealed inside.

“Fuck me! That rack of ribs smells all kinds of delicious, Faulkner! What wood did you use to smoke this bitch?!” Bergeese was the first to admire the ribs. They smelled sweet but not overwhelmingly so.

“I got a blend of Dryad and Mandragora dry root mixture to smoke the ribs. Apparently, this combination is supposed to make the meat taste smoky with a honey-like aftertaste.” Faulkner was quite proud of how the meat turned out. He was salivating internally at the prospect of eating his hard work.

“Wow, that stuff’s expensive. I can’t wait to try it.” Clyde was much like Faulkner, eager to take a bite at the tender ribs.

“Well. We should barbecue these sirloin steaks next! Illina’s already got the lechon in the oven back in the kitchen, so let’s finish these off so we can finally eat!” Referring to a ziplock bag filled with pre-seasoned sirloin steaks, Bergeese puts them on the barbecue grill and starts cooking them. As he watched the steaks cook, Faulkner figured now would be a good time to ask them something while it was only him, Bergeese, and Clyde.

“Hey…Clyde, Dad, I have a question for you guys.” Saying nothing, they both turn to Faulkner with their ears open. “I was wondering…how did you guys propose to your wives?”

“Hmm? How did we…propose?” Clyde brought his arms together in thought. Bergeese, on the other hand…

“Hah! About damn time! You’re going to propose soon, aren’t you?!” Lacking tact, Bergeese blurted out what he said, making Faulkner nervous as he waved his arms with his hands stretched out.

“AH! Please, keep your voice down, Dad!”

“Bwahahaha! Sorry, my bad. I got so excited that I couldn’t help myself.” Bergeese turned his attention back to the steaks, ensuring they were cooking correctly. “Now then…I’ll start us off. So, Faulkner, you remember when I said Illina and I came from Faelinth, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I was on Earth at first. I wasn’t the strong-arm man you see today before then. In fact, I was a total fat fuck. Not a single muscle worth a damn on me. As you can imagine, it took a toll on my confidence since all the women here on Earth found me repulsive.” Back when Bergeese was in his twenties, he was a portly fella. He could hardly jog, let alone run.

“Really? I can’t imagine with how you look now…”

“I can. You still have that belly of yours, after all.” Compared to Clyde, Faulkner was not as restrained with his words. Bergeese paid it no heed and just laughed.

“True! This old belly’s never going away. As I was saying, I went to Faelinth when I was eighteen, hoping to find a girlfriend. And well…that’s when I met Illina. Oh, I’m not the only one who’s changed physically. Back when I first met her, Illina was nearly all muscle! Her body fat percentage was so low even her chest was considered small.”

“Eh?!” Illina was still quite strong, but the way she is now, her body was on the pleasantly plump side. So when Faulkner and Clyde imagined what Illina would look like with well-defined muscles, the color on their faces faded, wondering how monstrously strong she was in her prime.

“Suffice to say, she challenged me to a fight and utterly beat the shit out of me! Bwahaha! Then she fucked my brains out! Best whiplash moment of my life! Afterward, she took me back to her den with the other Orcs she leads, where I was passed around like a living dildo! My horny ass was in nirvana, let me tell yah!” Bergeese’s blatant lack of restraint blew Faulkner and Clyde away.

“I…wasn’t aware High Orcs were like that…” Clyde wasn’t as familiar with other Monster species as Faulkner was.

“High Orcs and their lesser species often share husbands. Their idea of a family differs from most people since they don’t mind sharing their husbands. They treat all tribe members as family.”

“Faulkner’s right. At least for most High Orcs. Illina was like that at first. But, heh, I guess what they say about fat fucks like me lasting longer in bed weren’t all lies. I was the first and only captured male in Illina’s tribe. I spent the vast majority of my time having sex with everyone in the tribe. Illina had her turn, but she was getting more and more jealous as she watched the rest of the girls have their fill.”

“Heh, sounds familiar…” Faulkner side-eyes the house, thinking about Karika.

“Right?! Illina got SUPER jealous. Illina announced she’d disband her group only a week after I was captured. She used the excuse that since she was the one who beat me, she had the right to me. The other Orcs contested but knew they weren’t a match for Illina, so they withdrew from there.”

“Huh. So Illina broke the norm and wanted you all to herself.”

“Pretty much. To be honest, as good as it felt, I never felt much having sex with the other Orcs. Illina was about the only person there who really got me off, and she knew that. After the group disbanded, Illina and I lived in Faelinth for about a year. We did odd jobs to earn money, staying in an inn since we didn’t own a house. Working the way I did was how I lost weight and started gaining muscle!”

“Wouldn’t that get expensive? I’ve never been to Faelinth, but I imagine the cost of staying at an inn is quite high.”

“You’d think that, but the cost of living in Faelinth is real cheap. For example, let’s say I earned seven gold for a full day’s worth of work. Half of a gold coin is enough to rent a night at an inn for one person. And about a quarter of that is for food.”

“Wow, that cheap?!” Clyde was taken aback by the cost of living accommodations in Faelinth. Having studied their world, Faulkner was already familiar with their economy.

“It was great for building up funds, for sure. Living that life wasn’t bad, but I noticed that Illina’s motivation started to plummet as the months passed. She started losing muscle mass from a lack of motivation. The only time I saw her smiling was when I was with her. She often watched passing adventurers and their party members with envy. That’s when I realized she was missing the old days when she had companions she could call family.”

“At least you had each other, right? That was the whole reason she took you away in the first place.”

“You’re right, Faulkner. That was the case at first. But it was one of those ‘you don’t know what you have until you’ve lost it.’ moments. Illina couldn’t bring herself to work at some point unless I were there. That’s when I got the idea to propose to her. If I marry her and have kids, she won’t be lonely anymore! Trying to get the ring without her noticing was a pain, but I got it. On the day I proposed to her, I watched all the sorrow in her melt away. Instantly, she said yes. We got hitched in Faelinth, and the rest…well…” Saying nothing more, Bergeese presented himself and smiled.

“I see. That’s quite the proposal story. Yours was definitely one that had a lot of emotional build-up and excellent timing. Thanks for telling me, Dad.”

“Sure! I love talking about your beautiful mother, Faulkner!” Next, Faulkner turns to Clyde, who feels overwhelmed as his proposal story isn’t as fantastical as Bergeese’s.

“Alright, Clyde. What about you?”

“Uh…right. Well…” While Clyde gathered his thoughts, Bergeese had finished cooking the steaks he was making. The last thing to cook was corn cobs and shish kabobs he made with Illina earlier. “Janice already told you how we met, right?”

“No. Trisha was the one who told me. You met Janice on a hunting trip with your family, right?”

“That’s right. While hunting deer, Janice noticed how good of a shot I was. We engaged in some small talk, played a little competition of who’d get the most kills, and started dating soon after.”

“You didn’t waste any of the deer you two hunted, did you?” Bergeese chimed in as he hated the idea of wasting meat.

“No. We ate some of the deer for the following weeks. The rest we made into venison jerky.”

“Good man! Never hunt for sport. If you’re going to hunt, make sure you eat the animal you kill.”

“Of course. So…where was I…oh yeah. After a year and a half of dating, I was sure Janice was my soul mate, so I was preparing to propose to her.”

“Only a year and a half? That’s fast.”

“Heh. Yeah. It was a bit spontaneous of me. But keep in mind, Janice was probably anticipating we would marry sooner rather than later. She was already pushing the idea of marriage three months beforehand. So, I bought her a unique engagement collar with sapphire on it. I planned to propose to her one day when she suddenly asked me to go with her somewhere. She never told me where, so I followed her, thinking it’d be a relaxing movie night or something.” Letting out a nervous chuckle after, Faulkner raised his right brow and smiled.

“What happened?”

“Well…it turns out that Janice took me to go hunting with her family.”

“That’s not so bad, is it? It’s just another hunting trip, right?” Faulkner was preparing for a worrisome story when, really, it turned out to be a simple hunting trip. But the worried smile on Clyde’s face soon showed otherwise.

“Hah! If only. It was a hunting trip. But it was a massive one that consisted of everyone in Janice’s family. That includes her parents, her sisters who brought their husbands, and her sister’s daughters. It was a massive cluster fuck where we all had to hunt using our bare hands, weapons, and traps. No firearms were allowed. Whoever hunted the rarest and hardest to get game wins.”

“Oh…that sounds…rough…” Faulkner’s tone was laced with sympathy for Clyde, while Bergeese stayed quiet but listened.

“It was. In the end, I ended up being near the last. Most of the kids got more than I did. It showed me just how over-reliant I was with a gun. Still, that wasn’t the reason Janice brought me there.” Clyde looks over at the kitchen through the glass backyard door. “The hunting trip Janice brought me to is a tradition she and her family hold. For them, it’s an important tradition that reunifies a family’s bond.”

“I see. So bringing you along with her…” Clyde Nods as he finishes Faulkner’s sentence.

“It was Janice’s way of welcoming me to the family. In her own words, she said she doesn’t need to officiate our marriage. From her perspective, in the few months we dated, I was already part of her family…” Clyde was as red as a tomato, feeling giddy about Janice’s words even now.

“Wow. That’s an incredibly sweet story, Clyde. I’m happy for yah!” Bergeese had just finished the rest of dinner, plating them before turning off the grill. With everything cooked, they stood there, waiting for Clyde to finish his story.

“Thank you, Mr. Bergeese. Okay, back to where I left off. So, while Janice didn’t care about officiating our marriage, I was still planning on proposing to her. After sharing that heartfelt moment, I figured that was the best time to pop the question. So I knelt, presented the collar to her, and asked for her paw in marriage.”

“Let me guess, after that, she lunged at you and showered you in kisses?” Faulkner crossed his arms, confident that he was right.

“Uh…you’re half right. Janice lunged at me. But she didn’t stop at just kisses.” Knowing where this was coming from, Bergeese simply smiled while Faulkner felt a sense of deja vu, experiencing something similar with Karika. “That was my first experience with outdoor sex. And of the times we fucked, that was one of the most passionate we’d ever had. She even howled like a wolf when-”

“Okay! I get it, Clyde. Point taken!” Faulkner’s face was red at that point, trying not to imagine the scene Clyde described.

“Heh, sorry. My bad. The point is, after I proposed to Janice, she was beyond elated. Even though she said it wouldn’t matter if we officiated our wedding or not, the gesture still made her emotional. That was after the fucking, of course.”

“Heh, I see…” Crossing his arms, Faulkner took Bergeese and Clyde’s stories into heart. Using what he learned from them, the tangle of thoughts that mired him began to unravel. Trisha and Markus’s advice regarding proposals helped him get started, and Bergeese and Clyde’s stories gave him the needed answers. Seeing Faulkner’s face relax as he gets his answer, Bergeese and Clyde turn to each other and smile.

“So, did our advice help at all?” Smiling at Bergeese, Faulkner nods.

“It did. I’m grateful. From what I got from you, Clyde, and Markus, what’s important isn’t where or how elaborate the proposal is. What matters is what feels right in your heart. I was…overthinking something so simple since I was too focused on trying to make my proposal perfect.” Clyde and Bergeese nod to one another, satisfied they helped Faulkner on his slump.

“Sure. Don’t worry about it.” After sharing a laugh between the three, Bergeese looks back at the kitchen through the glass backyard door. “Well, we should probably take the meats inside.”

“Yeah. It’s about time for dinner. Let’s go.” Carrying their prized meats with them, Clyde, Faulkner, and Bergeese head back inside the house. There, they work with the ladies in the kitchen to prepare the dinner table. Karika was already salivating internally from the smell emanating from the kitchen.

“Oh fuck! Dinner’s ready!” Markus, playing with his daughter Vey, smiled as he was getting hungry too.

“Just in time. Alright, Vey, we can pause the game here, okay?”

“Okay, Dada.” After pausing the game, Markus takes Vey in his arms and carries her to the kitchen with Karika behind him. Once everyone is in the kitchen, Reiza claps her hands and presents the meals they made for tonight’s dinner.

“Welcome, everyone! First, I’d like to thank you all for coming! Our kitchen’s pretty big since this house was made with centaurs in mind, but it sure feels small, considering how many people we have here today. We have presents for everyone. After dinner, we’ll open our presents together and enjoy the rest of the night. For now, let’s fill our bellies. There are also tons of food containers, so you can all take leftovers home. We have tons, so don’t be shy.” Raising her fist, everyone raised theirs with Reiza before they all got seated.

“S-sorry if I take up so much space, guys…” Seeing as she’s a Ushi-Oni, Denise took up the most space on the table. Even so, the extra sets of tables they set up earlier gave her more than enough clearance to have a spot on the table.

“Don’t worry about it. We bought spare tables for that reason.” Looking around, Reiza smiled as she sat across from Karika. Faulkner was next to her on the left, sitting on the far top of the table. Karika sat next to Illina, with Bergeese sitting next to her. Trisha sat next to Reiza, followed by Markus and Vey. Denise, taking up as much space as she did, sat closest between Bergeese and Clyde. Janice sat across the table next to Vey.

With everyone seated, they took a moment of silence to appreciate the feast before them. Once they finished, everyone started eating.

“Ah…wow…” Janice and Clyde were stunned as the ravenous eaters at the table finished their first serving in a matter of minutes. Faulkner and Reiza weren’t at all surprised. Their eyes locked onto Karika, Illina, and Bergeese as they returned to the kitchen for seconds.

“Wow, they certainly have a healthy appetite.”

“I thought you’d eat just as much as they could, Denise. Given how big and strong you are.” Denise’s plate was filled to the brim, but she ate much more promptly than Karika and her grandparents.

“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll come for thirds or even fourths. I’m just getting started.”

“That’s the spirit! Never neglect your tummy, Denise. If you’re hungry, then eat your fill!” Bergeese was the first to return, his plate filled before he dived back into it.

“Naturally, G-grampa…”

“HCCKK!!!” Nearly choking as he ate, Faulkner was surprised to hear Denise call Bergeese her Grandpa. “Ah…ah…e-excuse me?! Grandpa?” Karika and Reiza smiled since they were there when Bergeese officiated Denise into their family.

“Oh, that’s right! You were smoking the rack of ribs when Bergeese and Illina welcomed me into their family…” Halfway through opening his mouth, Trisha suddenly bursts into laughter. She had already drank a liter’s worth of sake, so her face was flushed red as she pointed at Faulkner.

“Ahahahah! Man…that’s freakin hilarious!!! Heyheyhey! Does that mean I’m your granddaughter too, Mrs. Illina, Mr. Bergeese?! After all, Denise is like a sister to me.”

“Sure! I’d love to include you in the family, Trisha! Oh, but that means Markus is my grandson! Oh! This is just so exciting!” Illina was all for the idea of adding even more family members.

“Don’t forget, honey; there’s also Vey, our great-granddaughter! Oh! We really are old!” Amid the chaos, Janice and Clyde look at each other, laughing at how rowdy but familiar it was.

“You know, Janice. I’d say this isn’t too different from your family get-together.”

“It does feel familiar. Thankfully, there’s no barking or biting little shits around. Only Cutie Patootie Vey!” Janice pinches Vey’s cheeks gently, getting a giggle out of her.

“Ehehe!” The dinner experience at the Faulkners’ residence was as hectic as possible. Embarrassing stories and laughter were shared, Karika and Reiza butting heads in the middle of it all, and Trisha’s drunken outburst. The whole time they were eating, there wasn’t a single moment where someone wasn’t laughing or smiling. Hectic as it was, Faulkner was truly happy and blessed to have so many people with whom he could share these moments. And, of course, everyone felt the same way.

“Hmm! This shepherd’s pie is freakin good. Janice, you’re the one who made this, right? You gotta share the recipe with me!”

“Sorry, Bergeese. The recipe’s not mine to give. It’s my mother’s recipe. I could ask her if you like?”

“Yes, please do, Janice!”

“Okay. I’ll give you my cell number so I can text you about it later.” While Bergeese and Janice exchanged numbers, Denise figured it was a good time to discuss something relevant to her present.

“Faulkner. Are you aware of what’s happening with Nala and Mala lately?” Everyone’s attention was suddenly focused on Faulkner and Denise. Vey didn’t know what was going on, but she mimicked Markus.

“I do. Reiza and Karika told me that Nala and Mala became idols. I did some research afterward and found out they were doing small performances around Japan to gain notoriety. Their soaring popularity landed them the chance to perform at the Tokyo Dome next year in February, right?”

“That’s right. They’re going by their Idol aliases ‘Natalice’ and ‘Matilda.’ I want to tell you how it all started for them. But I’ll wait until we get to opening presents for that.”

“Hmm? Alright. Sure.” With something to look forward to aside from presents, Faulkner finished eating soon after. Everyone else followed suit. Janice and Illina volunteered to clean everyone’s dishes while the rest went to the living room to open their presents.

“Here you go, Faulkner, Karika, Reiza.” Denise was the first to hand her presents out to them. Each of them got a card envelope.

“Hmm? Gift cards?” Karika smirked, knowing Reiza had thought the same thing as she had earlier.

“Don’t say it like that, Reiza. Just be grateful.”

“I am grateful, Faulkner.” Denise chuckled, watching the two argue.

“Hehe. Okay, before you guys open your presents, let me pick up where I left off with Nala and Mala.” Denise shifts her focus to Faulkner. “So, I’m sure you’re wondering why Nala and Mala are working as idols, considering their personalities…”

“That’s right. Nala and Mala like to keep to themselves, so if they did land a job, they’d prefer to stick together and keep a low profile. Maybe as local florists. The two can own and run the store together. I never imagined they’d pick a career that’d draw so much attention to them.”

“I thought so too. But, you recall how Mrs. Nakoto, Ms. Reiss’s assistant, attends the TMRC graduation parties so she can scout students to work under Mrs. Reiss’s company?”

“Of course. What about it?”

“Well, Nakoto tried and failed to recruit Nala and Mala the first time she approached them. But about a month later, she saw someone had posted a video that had gone viral. It was a short video of Nala and Mala performing their little dance routine when you had them work at Gritty Kitty Cafe.”

“Huh? I wasn’t aware someone uploaded a video of those two online…” Out of curiosity, Reiza looked up tags for ‘Gritty Kitty Cafe’ on her phone while Faulkner and Denise were talking.

“Damn. The video of Nala and Mala hit one point five mil views. That’s pretty good.”

“Holy crap.” Karika moved beside Reiza, staring at the video from Reiza’s phone over her shoulder. While they were there, they sifted through other short videos.

“Seeing that video, Nakoto was convinced Nala and Mala would make it big in the entertainment business. Until Nala and Mala agreed, Nakoto continued to ask them biweekly.” As happy as he was to hear Nala and Mala being successful, it irked him to know they were more or less harassed into their career.

“Dammit. After I made a point to ask Nakoto not to pressure my students into accepting a job they don’t want…” Seeing Faulkner scowl in disapproval, Denise felt even worse for what she was about to say next.

“About that…Nakoto used your name to inspire the two to work as idols. In her own words…” Recalling what Nakoto told her, Denise closes her eyes to visualize the scene. “Nala, Mala. You two have an opportunity to rise above and beyond the idol entertainment industry! It’d be a shame to let that chance slip by, you know? If Faulkner sees how successful you two are, he’d be real happy and proud of you two.”

“Nakoto said that?!” Bergeese couldn’t help but smile seeing Faulkner showing his fatherly side by worrying about his students. “Dammit! That really crosses the line! I’m going to give her a piece of my mind as soon as-”

“Take it easy, Faulkner. I know how it sounds. But you already know where that led since Nala and Mala are idols now, right?”

“I do! But…what if they’re just smiling for the camera? Are they really happy with their career choice?”

“Well, at first, they weren’t. The grueling process of becoming an idol meant signing contracts. Attending preliminary Concerts. Small meet and greets. I talked to Nala and Mala when I was in Japan working with a Shirohebi client who wanted a spacious, rustic home for her husband. The two were miserable at first. But, they were motivated by one thing. They wanted to show you how much they’ve grown and that they’re capable of doing so on their own.” Crossing his arms, Faulkner was both proud and worried for them.

“Hmm…I see…”

“Through their hard work, they’ve gained enough notoriety to perform at the Tokyo Dome for their first major performance. If they’re successful, they’ll make tons of money and land more opportunities to perform in similar venues. They’re willing to perform, but they set one strict condition that has to be met. They refuse and even threaten to quit otherwise.” Karika and Reiza raised their brow in unison.

“What? After everything they’ve gone through? They’d quit just like that?” Nodding at Karika, Denise points at the card envelopes she gifted them.

“Yup. Which leads to the presents I brought you guys…” Faulkner, Karika, and Reiza stare at their envelopes before ripping them open. There were two things inside. One was a two-way ticket to and back from Japan. The other was a VIP pass for Nala and Mala’s concert.

“These are…plane tickets to Japan…and a VIP pass…” Faulkner held the tickets, looking carefully at the date printed on the VIP pass. “February tenth…”

“The condition Nala and Mala set, they’ll only perform if you show up, Faulkner. They want you to see them perform live for their first major concert.” Feeling a deep sense of responsibility, Faulkner took a deep breath and smiled.

“Heh. Those two should know I would’ve shown up even if they didn’t invite me.” Reiza and Karika weren’t surprised at all to hear Faulkner’s response.

“Don’t forget about us, Faulkner. We have VIP tickets too.” Reiza waves the tickets in her hand at Faulkner.

“I know. I would’ve taken you two with me, of course. Though…” Knowing he can’t just leave work, Faulkner turns to Trisha, who is still drunk but lucid.

“Sure. February tenth’s on a weekend anyway. I’m sure you’ll stay longer in Japan than one weekend. I can ask Dorephine to take over your duties teaching new societal norms recruits for a week.” With his work situation handled, Faulkner turned to Karika.

“February’s two months away. I can easily use my PTO to cover my shifts for that week.”

“And I don’t have classes in February since it’s in the middle of the break. So we’re all good.” With their schedules taken care of, Faulkner, Karika, and Reiza were all set to go to Japan in two months.

“Great! I’ll let Nala and Mala know you’re coming. That’ll boost their morale and motivation.” Giving Faulkner a thumbs up, Denise would later text Nakoto, letting her know that Faulkner, Karika, and Reiza would attend the concert.

The rest of the night went by in a flash. By the time it was eleven, everyone invited to Faulkner’s Christmas Eve party began packing up as they all left, waving goodbye and their thanks for the meal.

With their home empty of guests, Faulkner looks around the living room and kitchen, preparing himself for cleanup.

“Well, that was fun. Now, the not-so-fun part. Cleanup…” Suddenly, Faulkner hears Karika and Reiza giggling behind him. “Hey! You two help with the cleanup!” He grew irritated when he saw Karika and Reiza seemingly ignored him. “Hey?!”

“We heard you, Faulkner. Just wait a sec!” Whatever video they were watching had both giggling like high school girls. Curious, Faulkner got behind them to see what they were laughing at. Unbeknownst to him, Karika and Reiza shut their mouths, waiting for Faulkner to see.

“Alright, what the hell are you two wa-” Faulkner’s body stiffened when he saw what they were watching. The color in his face faded, replaced by a deep red blush. Somehow, a patron recorded him wearing the kitty butler costume while working in Gritty Kitty Cafe. The video had several filter effects and a caption that read…#Cat boy supremacy.

“Damn, Faulkner. I didn’t know you were such a performer. Maybe you should wear a butler’s outfit and serve me and Karika?”

“I’d like that to. Hearing Faulkner call us master and all that. Bwahahaha!” With his embarrassment reaching its crescendo, Faulkner smacks both of them on the top of their heads before dragging them into the kitchen to help him clean after their Christmas Eve party.

(Next Chapter:https://touchfluffytail.org/story/an-arrival-of-a-rival-ch-23/)

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