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Clawdia had insisted on giving Lyran a ride home after dinner, something that upset Kris as he'd been planning to ask the cacomistle to stay the night. However he knew better than to argue with his mother when she put her foot down. As Kris and Venn cleaned up, putting leftovers into the fridge and doing the dishes, Venn hesitantly asked, "So that's the boy you've been seeing?"

Kris nodded absently, "Yeah and if I ever find the asshole who hurt him so much I'll kill him!" There was real venom in the raccoons voice. He was scrubbing the dishes roughly enough that Venn was afraid they were going to break.

"Hey, hey now, the dishes didn't do it." The horse gently removed the wash rag and the plate that Kris was currently trying to break from the younger male's paws. He set both aside gently and pulled the raccoon in against his chest. "You are a good friend to want to protect him like that." Unfortunately the story and more importantly the names had hit Venn much harder than they'd hit Kris. "I tell you what, how about a nice long run to work out some of those emotions, then you can hit the showers and curl up in bed."

Kris nodded, though he didn't leave the safety of Venn's arms, "Sounds like a plan, are you coming with me?" When he looked up his muzzle was inches from Venn's but the horse didn't feel the usual sexual tension. Right now he was too tied in knots himself to be able to feel anything.

He nodded slowly, "If you wouldn't mind the company. It's getting dark so bring your phone just incase." They parted to head to their separate rooms and change into clothing more suitable to running. When Venn was sure that Kris had closed his door he let the shakes take him. Why did they have turned up here of all places? For a while he just shook, memories of Adam and Yoel and that dreadful day vying for his attention. It took awhile to put them all safely back into the little corner of his mind that he kept them in, where they couldn't distract him from his daily life. He heard Kris coming out of his room long before he was ready to face the raccoon. "Be down in just a few." He forced himself to get up and change his clothing. A run would help, running always helped him get his emotions back in check.

Kris was already outside doing stretches when Venn closed the door behind himself. Wordlessly he fell into the same routine, the two of them facing each other as they stretched out their leg muscles, horse guiding raccoon when one of his stretches wasn't quite right. Finally warmed up they headed out at an easy jog toward their favorite path, the one that took them all the way around Venn's property.

Half an hour later the sun was setting and they were both out of breath. While they were doing their cool down stretches Venn said, "You go ahead and shower first Kris, then get some sleep. Things'll look better in the morning." The raccoon nodded and headed inside. Venn sat on the fountain his head still a mass of confused memories. But the most pressing issue on his mind was how in hell did Adele and Lyran end up here? He'd told her to get out of Tel Arviv, told her to take the boys with her and run as far and as fast as she could. But his hometown? What were the chances of that? And for Lyran to end up in the same school as Kris, then become intimate... His head hurt just thinking about it.

Tomorrow he'd go down to the station and see if he could find a local address for Adele, maybe if he spoke to her he could make sense of all this. Of course it wasn't going to be easy to find her information without the whole station knowing what he was doing. Shelia down in records was notorious for being a gossip. He thought about it for a bit, then remembered when Jodi wanted to find a long lost buddy from his time in the military. Well that wasn't far off from the truth. They were Adam's family after all.

Mind made up Venn went inside, Kris was finished with his shower and when Venn peeked into his room, was sound asleep with his phone cradled against his ear. The horse sighed, entered the room. Covered the raccoon so he wouldn't catch a chill and put his phone on the charger for the night. He almost leaned down and kissed his forehead, almost.

He stopped at the door to look back on the raccoon. How in hell was he going to explain all this to a sixteen year old? "Jesus Vincent you've stepped in it this time." He flipped the lights off and made a slow climb up the stairs. Kris might already be asleep, but he foresaw a long sleepless night ahead of him.

* * * * *

The taller raccoon had to slow his usual pace when he was walking with the cacomistle. Liran insisted on wrapping both his arms around whichever of Kris' arms was closest to him. Kris thought it was a rather possessive move on Liran's part but he didn't really object, just felt a little uneasy. It reminded him of the way Sean used to act, but at least Liran refrained from groping him in public. He'd told Liran he didn't want anything too serious between them, but it didn't seem like that was going to happen.

They were walking around the local Mall, just killing some time together while Clawdia had her hair and nails done. Kris would have prefered to stay with his mother and have his roots touched up and a trim but Liran had come along with them and he felt bad leaving the cacomistle on his own for so long.

Clawdia, who had no qualms about spending money on frivolous things, had given each of the kits $500. Audio had been wanting a new game that came out just a few weeks ago. Since their parents had insisted they stay together he'd hauled a protesting Kittara off toward some game store or other, suggesting they meet up for lunch back at the food court.

They were headed toward the fountain at the far end of the mall only half aware of their surroundings. There was a costume shop that Liran wanted to check out, he said he was looking for ideas for Halloween. The costume contest last year had been such a success that they were doing it again this year.

"Kris, what's got you so quiet today?" the cacomistle asked as they passed yet another kiosk selling silly little toys that would break the moment you got them home.

"Hummm?" Kris shook himself out of his wool gathering and shrugged slightly, "Nothing much, just thinking about what you told us the night you came for dinner." He bit off the last word since they hadn't eaten much, any of them, after Liran's revelation.

"Huh. Well it's in the past. I try not to think too hard about it. Helps keep the emotions at bay." He was silent as they passed another store. "Honestly, I don't even know why I talked to your mother about it. Usually I just keep it all bottled up inside." He ran his fingers over the silk sleeve of a pretty pale purple dress shirt on display outside one of the more upscale clothing stores.

Kris paused and smiled at the Cacomistle. "Want it?" he was about to head into the store when someone rudely knocked into him pushing the two of them apart. "Hey!" He just caught himself on the door frame while Liran was knocked on his butt in the main through fair. "Watch where you're going!" he called after the hooded figure, she turned and gave him the finger which allowed him a quick glance at her face. Between the mask and her striped tail he knew her to be of his own species right away.

Kris held a paw out to help Liran back to his feet, but the cacomistle's eyes were on the retreating figure in black. "I've seen her before!" He looked up at Kris and grabbed the raccoon's outstretched paw. "She's been around a lot lately. I don't think she goes to our school though." Having been helped up to his feet. He looked up into Kris' eyes. "I think she's following you."

* * * * *

Genus: Procyon Sapient.

Species: Raccoon.

Gender: Male.

Development: Subadult.

Genetic Compatibility: 98%.

Threat Assessment: 2%.

Positive Identification: Kristopher Edmund Blackwood

Implantation Successful.

Acquiring Data.....................

* * * * *

Kaily looked at the watch on her wrist that wasn't really a watch at all. "I knew it!" It wasn't unusual to see people talking to themselves in public anymore, most everyone had some kind of wireless device that connected you to your phone. "Is the platform going to be difficult to build?"

Her little screen lit up with the word, "Assessing." That was the biggest trouble with the Nanas they never gave her a clear answer until they'd sussed out all the possibilities. It was aggravating to say the least.

She rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. "Fine, let me know when you have a positive determination." She watched the little screen flash agreement then headed toward the nearest way out of the mall.

* * * * *

"Come on Kris! You've spent several nights at my house, I've seen the big bad horse now, why can't I come stay with you?"Liran looked up with those big sad eyes of his and Kris' heart melted.

"Alright I'll ask. But he's likely to make you sleep on the couch." He couldn't help chuckling at the determined look in Liran's eyes.

"We'll see about that."

* * * * *

Kris was waiting for him when he left his office, "Coach? I ah... have a favor to ask you." The raccoon's eyes dropped to his feet as sure sign that what he was about to say wasn't precisely the truth. "Liran's Mom is going to be out of town for a few days and we were wondering if he could stay at your house with me while she's gone."

So that was it, Venn was pretty sure Adele wasn't going out of town, she hadn't left since she moved in, but if the boys wanted to get away from Liran's mother's constant supervision they'd need a good reason for the boy to come spend the night, or even a few nights at his house.

On one hand he wanted to say no, after all Kris had just lied to him and he wasn't sure what would happen when Liran realized who he was. But on the other hand he understood their desire for a little more privacy. He carefully weighed all his options and finally nodded. "Sure Kris he can come spend a few nights. But Kris," he caught the boy before he could turn away. "Next time don't lie to me about the reason. It's fine if you want to have friends over. It's a part of growing up." He patted the young male on the shoulder. "Just make sure you're careful, both of you, alright?"