by Robin Roseau
"I suppose with those, you didn't need to."
"Exactly. Much of what we believe about our ancient history is conjecture, and the archeological evidence is scant. But it is believed we learned the use of rope first, and other tools followed. We learned to make shelter and ways to transport water. It grew from there."
I reached for Red's paw, and she let me take it. We were both careful with her claws, although I ran a finger along one.
"Does she mind?"
"No, but don't do anything they can't do to you when you're done."
I laughed. "All right."
Red and I compared the size of our hands. Hers was massive. Mine was petite, far smaller than half the size of hers.
"How strong are her hands?"
"Strong, but if we need to crush something, our jaws are stronger."
I released her paw, and she returned it to the ground. "Will she open?"
Bronze spoke, and a moment later, Red opened her mouth widely. I stared. "Good god, there are a lot of teeth."
Bronze translated, and the three of them growl-chuckled together.
I moved a little closer. "May I touch?"
"Yes. She's given permission."
I moved slowly, but I buried my fingers in the fur. "Oh, wow. It's so thick."
Red spoke, and Bronze said, "She says you tickle."
"I'm sorry." I snatched my hands away. The three laughed.
"That was permission to be firmer, if you like. She's amused by you. And Black says she understands why I ruined my body for you."
"You did. I don't know if I'll ever get over what you did."
Red allowed a complete examination, all the way to her tail.
"You said they're mated, but you didn't say which is which."
"Black is the creator of life. Red is the child bearer. You will notice Red is smaller."
"Yeah, I noticed that." I hadn't noticed any such thing. They were both huge. I think Bronze detected my sarcasm.
Black rumbled, and Bronze growl-chuckled. "Black says it is now your turn."
"What do they want me to do?"
"You may stand still."
The two stood and then moved around me slowly, sniffing at me first. Red sat back down and lifted a paw to my hair. She used her claws -- very carefully -- to comb out my hair. She rumbled something.
"She is impressed by the length. She wonders how you avoid it growing matted. I explained about frequent brushing. She then suggested she might enjoy frequent brushing."
I laughed. "That was a hint to Black?"
"More than a hint."
Black used the back of a claw to caress my face. Then she spoke, and Bronze said, "She wants to see your eyes. I've given you authorization to remove your visor."
I nodded and took a moment to turn it off, then removed it from my face. "Please tell them about my vision."
They took turns looking at my eyes. Then they wanted to see my teeth. They were decidedly unimpressed. They were even less impressed with the length of my tongue.
"It's not the size that matters; it's how good you are at using it."
Bronze snorted. "I'm not translating that." But she did translate when Red asked if I were hairless everywhere.
"Did you answer?"
"She wants to see."
"She does not!"
"Take off your clothes. They took off theirs."
"They're not wearing any."
"Fair is fair."
I turned my head, but I couldn't read her well enough to know if she were just teasing me.
"They've never seen breasts."
"Then you can show them yours."
"Let them look, Sapphire. Please."
"You aren't asking me to get naked!"
"Just unbutton your blouse for them."
"Are you teasing me?"
"No. Please."
So I did, slowly. All three of them watched me avidly, although I tried to ignore Bronze, and my back was to her besides. I opened the blouse so it hung open from my shoulders and tried not to be too embarrassed. But I was still wearing a bra, and it covered me as well as a swimsuit would.
This was all in the name of science, right?
The two Temier poked at me a little, and when I didn't object, brushed the blouse a little further aside. But I squirmed when Red brushed a paw along my side.
"Tickles!"
They growl-laughed.
"Black suggests I enjoy how ticklish you are," Bronze said. "Red said Black wishes that Red were so ticklish. Black asked me if I'm as ticklish as you are, now that I wear a similar body."
"I bet you lied and said 'no'." I pointed over my shoulder to Bronze and nodded my head. "She's very ticklish."
"Red wants to know what your bra is and asks you to remove it."
"Yeah, not happening. What did you tell her?"
"I explained it is because you are so shy, you require extra protection in some areas."
"You did not."
She growl-laughed. "I told her they bounce without support. She feels this is an evolutionary failure."
"She's right," I agreed.
Both Temier were seated, watching me carefully.
"Do you really want me to let them look?"
"They've seen enough," she said. "If they want to know what they look like, they can do what any 14-year-old human boy does."
I laughed and began buttoning back up. Once I was reassembled, I asked permission for hugs. I wasn't expecting to receive a hug, but Red pulled me to her with a paw, and I found myself enveloped against her. But I went with it and wrapped my arms around her. We held each other for a moment, then I received similar treatment from Black.
"Temier do not typically greet like this," Bronze explained. "But they know it is amongst the human customs."
"Is there a Temier custom I should allow?"
"Temier greetings come in two styles. One involves paws and is far too rough for you, but it is considered gentle amongst us. The other involves tongue." I looked over my shoulder to see if she were teasing.
"You're serious, aren't you?"
"Of course."
"I'm trying to fit in, Bronze."
"It would go poorly if you were to act offended, Sapphire."
"Do I have to lick back?"
She growl-laughed. "No."
"Then tell them in the future they may greet me in a Temier fashion if they like, but I enjoyed their human fashion, too."
* * * *
I'd been on the station for a month. I hadn't yet met another human. I wasn't sure how Bronze managed that, but I wondered if she had made arrangements with the Catseye next door so the two humans wouldn't encounter each other.
I asked her about it, but she didn't answer and initiated a tickle fight again. I told her to knock it off and offered a game.
"You've already given me the two articles of clothing you typically allow."
"Two games," I said. And then later I calmly walked to the bedroom and waited for her. She appeared a few moments later, and I was already lying on the bed. "Touch me," I ordered.
She spent a long time stroking me and left me quite aquiver before I rolled onto my side and asked her to hold me.
* * * *
It was three days later that Bronze told me, "We have dinner guests tonight."
"Really?" We hadn't had any guests at all since arriving. "Who?"
"You'll see."
"Do they speak English?"
"I believe so, but with varying degrees of skill. Everyone coming is able to eat human food, so that is easy. I have a new dress for you."
"Do you expect me to cook?"
"No. We'll have it catered."
"I could cook."
"I want you to be able to relax."
"All right. How are we spending the day in the meantime?"
* * * *
They were due at 6:00. At 5:00, Bronze still hadn't shown me what she wanted me to wear. I began growing antsy, which I think amused her.
"Fine, fine
," she said. "I will help you to dress and then braid your hair."
"I was going to wear it down."
"And yet I will braid it."
"I want to braid yours."
"I hardly have enough to braid."
"I could do two strips down your back."
"Not hardly."
"Let me show you."
"Maybe another time."
I pouted for a good five seconds until she took me by the hand and led us to our bedroom. She then demonstrated another inequality in our relationship. She could open any door in the apartment, including a few I couldn't even see. And thus she could keep presents for me, locked away just out of sight, until she was ready to give them to me. When she realized how frustrated I was that I literally couldn't snoop, she had taken to telling me, "I have a present for you," and then not letting me have it for three days.
"Strip."
"So romantic."
"Or I'll do it for you, and then we'll be late. You'll answer the door in undies and bra."
She watched as I undressed for her. But I stuck my tongue out.
She laughed. "You know that doesn't mean to me what it does to a human child."
"I believe you recognize the sentiment involved."
She waited until I stood before her in panties and bra. She gestured at the bra. "That, too."
I sighed and did what I was told.
"Close your eyes."
"Like you could tell if I did."
"I can, actually. Close your eyes or I'll do it for you."
"Bully." But I closed my eyes. "For that threat, you have to come over here and soothe me."
I didn't have to offer encouragement. She walked all the way around me once before coming to a stop behind me. She set her hands on my bare shoulders and then began to gently stroke my arms, my sides, my back.
"Oh," I said. "That's nice."
Then she teased my tailbone with two fingers. I squirmed, but I didn't try to escape.
"Stop that," I moaned. "Oh god, stop that!"
"You don't really want me to stop."
"Please stop, Bronze. I won't be able to be a good hostess if you keep that up."
Her fingers withdrew, but she wrapped her arms around me and held me tightly for a moment. "Wait here."
She crossed the room, and I heard her hidey-hole open. A moment later she returned and stood before me. "Open."
I opened my eyes to find her holding a bright red dress. It was sleeveless, backless, and if I had been more endowed than I was, I would have spilled out both the center and the sides. In compensation, it reached to below my knees.
"I know you prefer more material."
"It's beautiful."
"There are reasons for this dress. You will see later."
"Am I to flirt with our guests?" I asked.
She laughed. "That is not the reason."
She helped me into it, adjusting everything carefully, and then I allowed her to walk all the way around me. "Stunning," she said, stepping up behind me. She stroked the bare skin of my back, and I shivered.
"Oh, maybe backless is okay," I said. "If you do that all night."
"Maybe I will." She pushed forward on the back of my head, and when I bowed, delivered a kiss to the back of my neck.
I turned to her, hugged her, asked for a kiss, then thanked her for the dress. "But what are you wearing?"
"This," she said with a gesture.
"No."
"I look fine."
"You always look fine. But you can't put me in this dress and remain casual yourself. Put on proper evening wear."
"I'm fine."
"Do what I tell you or I'll make you miserable."
"No you won't." She grinned.
"I am not bluffing, and you know it." I stamped my foot in emphasis.
"Perhaps not, but if you are snotty, I won't invite our guests again. You really want to see who is coming before you risk that."
"I want us to look like a couple. We don't look like a couple if you wear that and I wear this."
"I would look ridiculous in such a dress."
"I'm not sure that's true, but you have to put something else on. For me."
She smiled. "For you."
* * * *
I fretted, pacing the apartment, wondering if everything looked okay. We'd been slowly decorating our home, but it still looked sparse. I adjusted a painting on one wall and made inconsequential changes to an arrangement of dried plants.
I heard a small noise, and when I turned, Moirai was watching me. She had changed, and she looked stunning. She wore a long, black skirt and a red blouse the same shade as mine. I hadn't seen the blouse before, and it was quite unusual. The sleeves included long slits, six below the elbow and six above. I would find I could reach inside the slits and caress her amazing arms. And it wasn't obvious from in front, but when I hugged her, I found her back was as bare as mine, and my hands found her fur.
She'd never dressed like this before.
"I detect a trend," I said. "And I think you had this picked before I fussed."
She rumbled. "Yes. But you're fun to tease."
Her own hands were lightly caressing my bare back at the same time as I had my fingers buried in the fur on her back.
"This is growing out nicely," I said. "Will it be as long as a Temier?"
"Yes, if I don't keep it trimmed."
"We'll have to see. You may not like having it under clothing. Heaven forbid you should go topless."
She laughed.
We moved to the sofa, sitting quietly while caressing each other.
"Are you happy?" she asked me quietly.
"That's not what you're asking," I replied. "You want to know if I'm staying."
"Yes. I want to know if you're staying."
"We're still getting to know each other. If you asked me tomorrow if I wanted to go home, I'd tell you 'no', but that doesn't mean I'm committing to forever."
She pulled me to her, holding me tightly. "That is progress," she whispered.
We held each other for a minute or two, and then there was a chime. Bronze attempted to release me immediately, but I told her, "Oh, no. Kiss first. Then guests."
It was a brief kiss, but it included a brief caress from her tongue, so that was okay.
Then I buried my face against her neck and breathed deeply for several deep, calming, wonderful breaths. "They aren't staying too late, are they?"
"Not too late."
Then, together, we climbed to our feet. We moved to stand near the front door, my arm around her waist, hers around my shoulders, and she commanded the door to open.
A Catseye stepped through. I didn't recognize her. Then, behind her, a second Catseye, and with her, a beautiful human woman, about my size, with black hair and brown eyes.
We stared at each other, and then we screamed and practically threw ourselves at each other, hugging tightly.
I'd never met this woman in my life, but I was acting like I'd met a long-lost sister. Her reaction wasn't any different. She began to babble in French, and so I offered a few words I knew.
We separated, holding each other with hands upon each other's elbows, looking at me.
"You are American," she said in English, her French accent like thick honey. "And so perhaps English is a proper language for us."
"I am sorry my French is so poor."
"But the Americans and the French have a long history of friendship, and we will not let such a minor issue stand between us."
And then we hugged again before our mates stepped up to our sides. Reluctantly, I released the woman, taking a partial step away from her.
"Welcome to our home," said Bronze warmly. Then she spoke briefly in another language -- it wasn't Temier, but I wasn't sure what it was.
"Thank you for the welcome," said the unattached Catseye. "English is fine for me if spoken carefully."
"And for me," said the other. I turned my focus to her. She stood beside her mate, one arm and two tentacles w
rapped around her. I couldn't see the tips of the tentacles, but I saw movement under the blouse, and I realized she must have slid inside the clothing.
I glanced at Bronze, who was watching me, smirking.
"I shall perform introductions. Sapphire Fletcher, my mating candidate. Before you are our neighbors." Then she gestured to the unattached Catseye. "This is Lotus Everbright."
The woman in question held out her hand, and we clasped briefly in the human fashion, expressing pleasure in the meeting.
"And this is Ivy Light." Yes, the Catseye seemed to follow a pattern when choosing names in English. There was another hand clasp.
"This is my mate, Geneviève Cousineau."
"Geneviève," I said. From her, I received a proper French greeting, a kiss upon both cheeks.
Then I looked between the two Catseye. "I am learning so much. I wonder if I have learned properly."
"We would be happy to answer your question," Lotus said.
"You greeted me in a human fashion. Is this also the Catseye fashion?"
"You are human," Lotus explained. "It is a symbol of respect to greet you in your preferred fashion."
"Don't let her fool you," Geneviève said. "They're dying to taste you. But do you understand what I am saying?"
"I do," I said.
Her mate added emphasis. One of her tentacles appeared from under Geneviève collar and began to caress her face, brushing across and then latching across her lips. In turn, Geneviève offered the tentacle a tender kiss.
"My mate has learned to deliver only the smallest of tastes across my face," she said. And as I looked more carefully, I could see small evidence of that. "But a proper greeting will leave you marked."
"It is not necessary," Lotus said. "We know humans find us... shocking."
"I do not find you at all shocking," I said. "But I do not know what the preferred protocol would be. I suppose a human tastes bad."
Geneviève laughed. "That is not what they tell me. My mate must fight them off. Ivy, she's dying for a proper greeting. Can't you tell?"
Ivy didn't really need much more encouragement, and I realized they were all as excited to meet me as I was to meet them. But Lotus beat her to it, and I found myself slowly enveloped in two arms and four tentacles.
"You must help me do this properly," I said. "What do I do?"
"Place your hands as she has placed hers," Geneviève indicated.