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A thunderous rattle shook the mattress frame as James shuttered awake. The black and brown alpine goat's eyes opened from the intense tremble. He grabbed onto the nearest ledge of the bed and held on for dear life. The area was due for another large earthquake. Was it on the scale like the Loma Prieta Earthquake two years ago? Regardless, he wasn't about to die naked in another man's bed, not today at least. He climbed out of the bed and crawled underneath for protection. Once on the ground, he realized that the floor and nearby walls hadn't shaken. James carefully lifted his head up and saw how his boyfriend Dixon slowly stirred awake. The tall muscular black and white stallion let out a heavy yawn and rubbed his eyes. He reached over to his side of the bed and grabbed a remote which caused the mattress to stop shaking.

Dixon looked over to James with a raised eyebrow, he saw how his alpine goat companion looked visibly startled on the floor.

"What on earth was that?" James signed to him.

"What? You mean the alarm?" Dixon signed back.

"Alarm?"

"Yeah, I use it to wake up every day. It's not like I can hear with a normal alarm."

"Oh... well it scared the daylights out of me! I thought we were having another major earthquake!" James shook his hands to compose himself.

Dixon snickered, "Aw, sorry to have frightened you love. Guess it must have slipped my mind. Though, the expression on your face is priceless."

James hurled a pillow at his boyfriend's face while he retrieved his clothes. The stallion chuckled while his goat companion retreated into the master bathroom. In hindsight, he knew it made more sense for a deaf person to have something like a physical alarm system. He wasn't truly annoyed at Dixon's playful antics. The dreamy stallion hadn't given him a tour of his home nor mentioned the assistive devices that were installed. Rather, once inside Dixon's house, they immediately headed towards the master bedroom so the two could spend some... quality time together. James usually ended every date night in his home; however, this was his first night spent at Dixon's place.

Right now, what was more important was getting ready for the day. Today was Dixon's thirty fifth birthday and a few of his deaf friends had planned to come over. While the two agreed to still keep the extent of their relationship a secret, James looked forward to getting well acquainted with Dixon's inner circle of deaf friends. He was going to treat everyone to a fancy restaurant and set up a reservation by telephone. It would probably be his only opportunity to go out on a romantic date with Dixon, in a way that didn't raise any suspicions. It wasn't as though James and Dixon hadn't gone out on dates beforehand. There had been the occasional movie night, bowling session, and beach getaway. Though they both had to assume the role of heterosexual friends rather than lovers who were on a date. And even with the extra guests, James intended to enjoy dining out with Dixon without suspicion from the wider public.

After he had showered and groomed himself, it was midafternoon by the time he slid on his semi formal attire and headed out to the living room. Dixon had already sat in front of a small wooden table as he typed away at his state-of-the-art teletypewriter. James, meanwhile, grabbed the local newspaper from outside and began his search for the most ideal restaurant. There were already a plethora of choices that plagued his mind before he even opened the paper. By the time he reviewed the culinary section, he had already begun to circle a few locations that immediately grabbed his interests. Before he narrowed it down to the top three, Dixon had walked over and lightly tapped his shoulder.

Dixon signed, "Turns out only one person is coming over this evening as the rest couldn't make it. Her name is Linda Williams and she's a lioness friend of mine."

"Great! I'm eager to meet her. How did you two become friends, by the way? You never told me a lot about Linda," James asked.

"We both attended the same residential school in Fremont. She's like an older sister to me. Linda was in the grade above me, but we still became fast friends."

"A residential school? Is that some kind of private boarding school?"

Dixon audibly laughed, "As if our hearing parents could ever afford something like that. It's a school that houses and supports deaf students K through 12. The Fremont school is where I considered my true home. And after graduation, I still kept in touch with Linda and the others."

"Good to know! So, it will just be the three of us then? You, myself, and Linda?"

"Yup, she'll be wearing a cocktail dress. And she would probably like to attend somewhere more upscale. Her husband will drop her off here around four o'clock give or take. When she gets here... just don't take it personally if she's very straightforward with you."

James smirked, "Trust me, if I couldn't handle it then I wouldn't have cut it as an interpreter. I appreciate the warning though."

Dixon nodded and leaned down to give James a kiss before he left. James then returned his attention back to the newspaper. With a small party in mind, he narrowed it down to one location called the "Divine Café". The newspaper had adorned the establishment with many accolades for the year 1990. A photograph was attached to the article, it showcased the proud peacock owner. He stood with his arm crossed as the restaurant overshadowed him. James settled on the location and quickly called to establish a reservation. Once the evening slot was secured, he made sure Dixon got into his semi-formal attire before Linda's arrival. With the stallion almost fully dressed, James found a large enough dress shirt that was stylish but not form fitting for Dixon's bulky body.

It was twenty past four when the doorbell lights flickered inside the house. With Dixon fully dressed and ready, he answered the door while James followed behind. Once the door was open, Linda came in with a medium sized gift tucked underneath her left arm. Though the deaf lioness could still sign with one hand as she gave her warm flatteries to Dixon. Just as Dixon mentioned earlier, she arrived in a tasteful solid purple cocktail dress. The lioness had adorned herself with a thin gold necklace that complimented her emerald stud earrings. James walked over to her and gave his warm flatteries.

"It's nice to finally meet one of Dixon's close friends. I'm James Johnson though Dixon calls me JJ." He signed.

Linda shook his hand before she signed, "I'm Linda Williams and it's nice to meet you too! You must be one of Dixon's hearing friends. How did the two of you meet?"

Dixon flashed a concerned stare at James as the stallion realized they didn't create a believable back story beforehand. However, James had already figured a question like Linda's would come up eventually. Because of his professional training in dealing with highly stressful situations, he had honed the skills necessary to carefully navigate sensitive subjects.

He replied with a confident expression, "Dixon was a former client of mine and we kept bumping into each other outside of work. We even attended the same gym by chance. So, I figured I would train with Dixon and get to know him. And we've known each other for about a year or so."

Dixon flashed him a warm smile as what James said was technically true. They had indeed bumped into each other outside of the alpine goat's work and the two had attended in the same gym. What James had left out, however, was how the two had initially came across each other at a gay bathhouse. Since then, they had been exclusively dating for the past year. He didn't consider his story to be a lie. In his mind, he only revealed what was necessary for the conversation.

Linda nodded, "Alright, fair enough. Though I have to ask, you wouldn't happen to be a child of a deaf adult, would you? You're way too skilled to just be an interpreter."

James smirked, "No, I don't have any deaf parents or relatives. Though it does help that I have someone like Dixon to keep me from getting rusty."

Linda grinned, "Oh definitely, he's always been hard on his interpreters. Glad you are keeping him on his toes, Dixon."

Dixon laughed as Linda continued, "I'm also going to make sure you cover the tab tonight. For the ridiculous rates you interpreters charge per hour, you must be loaded."

James's ears folded over, "Training doesn't come cheap you know?"

"Well, consider it a hearing tax," Linda winked.

The three shared a small laugh before Linda handed Dixon his gift. To Dixon and James's surprise, she had brought the stallion a large selection of sophisticated bar glasses for various alcoholic beverages. Dixon made a playful comment about whether the gifts were truly meant for him, or for Linda and all of his other deaf friends. Linda assured that they were in fact for him. She emphasized the need for the stallion to stop living the bachelor lifestyle and use the glasses whenever he brought home a date. The comment made James blush under his black and brown fur, his mind began to play out fantasies of the two of them together with a home cooked meal and elegant drinks in hand.

The fantasy was short lived as James remembered they still had a dinner reservation to attend. Though the destination was only a few miles away, it would still take almost half an hour in stop and go traffic. James ushered Dixon and Linda outside so that they could climb into his silver sedan. He allowed the two to sit in the rear seats so that they could chat together unimpeded. James saw from the rearview mirror their conversations as he drove. Linda gave a brief summary of what had happened since she last visited Dixon. Her promotion a few months back allowed the lioness to take her family out on vacation. She also gave an update on what Dixon's other deaf friends were up to back in Fremont.

James simply enjoyed taking peaks and glimpses of the conversation before he turned his eyes back on the road. Excitement about the dinner date and birthday celebration made him squirm around in his seat. No matter the exorbitant cost, he was eager to lavish Dixon with an experience for everyone to remember. With just a few minutes to spare, the trio arrived at their destination. Like the newspaper had promised, the restaurant seemed widely popular and bustling. Luxurious cars were ushered into the parking garage by the valet as James pulled in line for parking. When it was his turn, he surrendered his simple Honda Accord to a few well-dressed valet mice. He left them a customary tip and guided Dixon and Linda inside. Most of the clientele wore semi-formal attire and tended to be paired up in couples. While this café wasn't ultra-luxurious compared to other establishments that required suit jackets, it was clear from the outset that the normal visitors tended to be affluent predators. From James's perspective, it seemed the clientele deemed the restaurant a great location for what they considered to be a casual dining experience.

As the trio were led to their table by a deer waiter, James couldn't help but notice a few of the predator patrons gave curious glances. Dixon and Linda were signing amongst themselves as they commented on the restaurant's tasteful décor. James figured it was probably the patrons first experience seeing deaf people. He would sometimes receive those same stares from passersby whenever he was on an assignment. Though for tonight, the awkward stares wouldn't deter him from enjoying himself. The three were quickly seated and James interpreted Dixon and Linda's drink orders before the deer waiter departed.

Dixon immediately snacked on the bread provided on the table as Linda settled into the red velvet chair. She then looked over to James, "You know, I've been meaning to ask you something. What inspired you to learn sign language to begin with? And since you don't have any deaf relatives, what made you interested in the interpreting profession?"

James thought about the question for a moment before he signed, "Well, I grew up in a small town in the Florida panhandle as an only child. I had a deaf otter friend named Steve when I was around... five or six? We mostly gestured to each other but I remembered that we did use some basic signs. He was truly my first friend. Sadly, he moved away a year later and probably went to one of those residential schools. Still, my friendship with Steve had sparked my interest in learning more about sign language. After I finished high school, I joined a sign language club and took a few college classes. And that's how I learned people can become interpreters for a living. So, I had the club help provide resources for me to transfer to a school here in 85. And after getting my Associates degree, I got certified in 88 and found an agency here before settling down."

Dixon raised an eyebrow, "Huh, you're still full of surprises, JJ. I had no idea you lived in the south. You could've fooled me; your signing style reflects a west coast dialect more than a southern one."

James responded, "I simply didn't learn real sign language until I studied here... the club and classes I attended in Florida only taught me how to fingerspell and use basic signs. I didn't learn about the grammar part till much later."

Linda laughed, "Can't say I'm surprised. Let me guess, they mostly had you signing in English, correct?"

James nodded and Linda continued, "Figures, a lot of entry level colleges tend to be sloppy with their sign language courses. I'm glad you took the initiative and trained yourself to sign properly. Though, I was a bit worried that you joined the profession for the wrong reasons. But I'm glad that isn't the case."

"The wrong reasons? Like doing it just for the money?" James asked.

"Not exactly, but I've met a lot of new interpreters who joined the profession out of a sense of charity. You know the types, right Dixon?" Linda looked over to the stallion.

"Oh yeah, I remembered during my first few job interviews, a mink interpreter tried to physically assist me around like I was physically handicapped or something," Dixon snickered.

"It's especially worse if they're the type that get inspired by feel good movies. They tend to be the most insufferable!" Linda puffed her feline lips.

James nodded along, "Yeah, I've seen those types before."

"It's like... it's not so much that I need an interpreter because I'm helpless and refuse to learn English. I need one because everyone else refuses to use sign language with deaf people. That's the key difference hearing people need to understand!" Linda responded.

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement as the trio reviewed their menus. While the fresh table bread made for a pleasant snack, James looked forward to starting the night off with some savory appetizer dishes. Dixon and Linda shifted topics and discussed what would be the best option for their taste while James looked around for the waiters. The deer waiter from earlier frequently avoided their table at every opportunity. And the stares from the other predator patrons didn't subside. In fact, the majority of them gave him unappreciated glares.

He looked around to make sure there wasn't another party that everyone stared at. But that hadn't stopped the intensified leers from other predator animals. If only he could just get a damn waiter to take their orders already. Out of the corner of James's eye, a large male peacock appeared from a small door that was next to the kitchen. The deer waiter leaned in to whisper to him and pointed at James's group. The peacock nodded and vigorously approached them.

"Pardon me for interrupting, but I need to ask everyone here to not use any obscene gestures. You're making our guests very uncomfortable," The peacock chimed with a fake smile.

Dixon and Linda set aside their menus and glanced over to James to clarify what the peacock gentleman said. James told the two of them to wait so he could figure out what the problem was.

James spoke, "I apologize but there must have been a misunderstanding. We are not here to make obscene gestures, rather I am communicating with my deaf dinner guests through sign language."

"Whatever you may call it, your table has received several complaints from other parties. If your table doesn't cease with this nonsense then you will force me to ask your group to leave," The peacock firmly said.

James swallowed as sweat formed underneath his brow. He saw the concerned expressions painted on Linda and Dixon's faces. The lioness signed to James and asked for clarification again. James signed back and gave them a brief summary about what was said to them. The peacock was displeased by the sight, his large feathers flared above all three dinner guests and casted a shadow over them.

"Since you are not complying with my request, I am now asking your party to vacate the premises!" The peacock raised his voice.

James turned around and stood up, "I beg of you, we can move to another table out of sight! We are not here to make a scene!"

"Enough, I will have none of it! If you refuse to leave in two minutes, then I will summon the authorities! Now, get out!" The peacock pointed at the front entrance.

The room became silent, everyone viewed the scene from afar. James simply looked down, too ashamed and embarrassed to argue any further. His posture was hunched over as the utter shame and humiliation embedded into his body. After a few seconds he turned to his group and told them they needed to leave. Even though they weren't keen on the entire conversation, they implicitly understood what transpired. Linda kept her head held high and avoided making eye contact with everyone else in the room. Dixon, on the other hand, spat up the rest of his bread onto a cloth napkin before he threw it on the table. The stallion glared at the peacock owner for a few seconds before he joined the group as they made their way toward the exit.

*James kept his head down as the group made their way outside. Once the front door was slammed shut behind them, tears welled up in the alpine goat's eyes. Before long, they rolled down the sides of James's cheek. His nose ran as he sobbed quietly. It had been years since he had broken down like this. He was used to getting unkind comments, hostile glares, and general disapproval from his work in the field. But to be kicked out from an establishment on Dixon's birthday and unable to do anything about it had broken him. *

He felt Dixon's large warm hands gently stroke his shoulders and backside before the stallion pulled him in for a hug. The alpine goat took a few deep breaths and tried to control his breathing. He tightly held onto Dixon; the stallion's muscular body shielded them from the cold wind. James wished he could reside in his lover's arms just a bit longer. Though when he realized that Linda still only stood a few feet from them, the alpine goat gently released himself from the hug. He wiped the sides of his cheeks with his arm and looked up to the two of them.

"I'm so sorry for everything, tonight," James sniffled.

"It's not your fault. If that restaurant doesn't want our money, then I say fuck them." Linda signed.

"She's right, you have nothing to apologize for. You're not the one responsible for getting us kicked out." Dixon said.

"I just wanted us to have a good time! If I could have explained it better or found us a different table." James was stopped by Dixon.

"It wouldn't matter, there's no point in dealing with people like them. We can find someplace else to spend the night, we'll be okay." Dixon tapped his shoulder.

Linda chimed in, "We have our ways in dealing with establishments like this one. They may not see retribution today, but word tends to spread fast in the deaf community. Trust us, Dixon and I will deal with them another time."

James nodded and after a few minutes he calmed himself down. His breathing returned to normal as the trio waited for the valet to retrieve James's car. Despite how the evening had unfolded, he still gave the valet another tip as they hadn't been responsible for what transpired. Once everyone climbed back into the sedan, he quickly merged into the evening traffic. Everyone agreed to allow Dixon to choose where to eat next. The stallion probably had a better idea what places were deaf friendly and would accommodate them for the night. He gave the alpine goat directions to follow but didn't specify the name of the restaurant.

After a few minutes on the road, the group parked next to a large brick wall building. Dixon noticed Linda and James's puzzled gaze at the establishment, but he quickly reassured them that this American diner had meals and recipes for all species. He had frequented the place during his lunch hour and would chat with the rhino owner Enzo. Satisfied with the explanation, the group followed Dixon's lead; Afterall it was still his birthday after all.

Inside the diner was sparsely occupied, a mix of inter species couples dotted the tables. A bulky colored TV hung above the corner of the dinner countertop for everyone to watch the sports game. Before the wolf waiter could guide the party to the countertop table, a large heavy-set rhino spotted Dixon from the kitchen and rushed over. Enzo lunged for a hug and kissed both of Dixon's cheeks.

"Dixon, my boy, good to see you again. Who are your friends?" Enzo looked behind Dixon.

"I'm James and this lovely lioness here is Linda. We came into town so we can celebrate Dixon's birthday today," James explained as Linda waved to the rhino.

"No foolin', today's your birthday?" Enzo looked to Dixon.

The stallion could make out some of the words and knew that Enzo asked him a question about his birthday. Dixon nodded and Enzo grinned widely.

The rhino brought up his bulky hands and signed, "Happy birthday!"

Dixon's face blushed a deep rose red and repeatedly signed his thanks. James could tell that Enzo was a very novice signer but the sentiment was there.

"I learned that from a college kid that swung by. Come, let me get you guys settled in!" Enzo spoke.

The trio sat by the countertop which allowed them access to a nice window view of the evening nightlife. Even as Enzo provided them menus, the rhino went on a tangent about how he first met Dixon. He explained how his restaurant had struggled in its first year and needed a stable customer base. It had been thanks to Dixon's word of mouth that a large portion of his construction crew colleagues had frequented the restaurant and in turn saved it from being closed down. All the while, James had to interpret for Dixon and Linda.

"I tell you, the first day this man came in, he ordered everything off the menu. He was a beast!" Enzo said.

Dixon signed back, "I had worked a thirty-five hour shift that day. I burned through my lunch and by the end of my shift I was starving."

Linda interjected, "Definitely sounds like something Dixon would do. One time in middle school, he ate the entire school's potluck. Found him fast asleep in the school's kitchen."

"You're never going to let me live that down, will you?" Dixon asked.

"Nope, I spent all day making that chili for everyone and you ate it! I will make sure everyone knows about it for as long as I live!" Linda giggled.

"Can you blame him? He was a growing boy and look how he turned out! He's a giant!" Enzo tapped Dixon's shoulder, before he continued, "Anyway, I'll let you guys take a look over the menu. And Dixon, that banana sundae you always get after a meal? That's on me! Consider it a gift from yours truly!"

"Thank you! Just happy to be here!" Dixon responded.

Enzo left the group and bussed the other empty tables to prepare for the dinner rush. After the trio placed their orders with a different waiter, Linda excused herself to use the bathroom. With the lioness gone, the stallion rubbed his left leg against James's from under the table to get his boyfriend's attention.

"Feeling better, JJ?" Dixon signed.

"Yeah, sorry for crying earlier. Didn't mean to embarrass you in front of your friend. I just wanted us to have a nice evening."

"You didn't embarrass me. The only one who should be embarrassed was that peacock dickhead of an owner. You did your best. All that matters is that you're here. So long as I have you, I'll never have a bad evening."

Dixon turned his head from side to side and checked his surroundings. None of the guests who were present sat facing their direction. And Enzo, meanwhile, continued bussing the tables in another corner of the establishment. Dixon gently lifted James's chin up with his left hand and grazed the alpine goat's cheek. He leaned forward and planted a firm slow kiss on his lover's lips. James's heart clenched up, partly out of fear but mainly out of the excitement. To be kissed in such a public manner made each individual fur strand perked up. It lingered for a few seconds before Dixon pulled away. The stallion gave another gentle touch to James's cheek before he turned forward again.

After a few minutes, Linda returned to her seat and saw the two of them leaned close together. She gave Dixon a hug from behind before she took her seat beside them. Dixon reached over to drink his beverage as Linda waved to the both of them to get their attention.

"So, how long have you two been dating?" Linda asked.

Water streamed out from Dixon's nostrils as he heavily coughed. While James was just as stunned by the question, Dixon was the most caught off guard. The stallion grabbed a nearby napkin to wipe his face and cleared his nostrils.

After they were resupplied with many napkins later, Dixon had fully cleaned himself up and faced Linda, "Why would you ask that?"

"At first, I thought there was something more going on when you two hugged earlier. But judging by both of your reactions, I say I was right on the mark." Linda responded.

"Linda... I... it's hard to come forth with something like this, you know? I was afraid of... what you would think of me," Dixon admitted.

Linda continued, "Dixon, we've known each other since childhood. You're my best friend and nothing will ever change that. And if being in a gay relationship makes you happy, then I fully support it! You think I wouldn't accept that part of you?"

Dixon fidgeted for a moment, "I don't know, it's just been difficult to come out to other people. It does make me happy to know you accept me for who I am. But... could you keep this just between the three of us? At least until I'm ready to be open with the rest of our deaf friends."

"Of course, only on your terms. You will always have my support. And by the way!" Linda looked over to James and flashed her fangs with a sly smile, "You better treat my stallion right, understand? And you're still paying for all of us tonight!"

James smirked, "I see you still haven't forgotten about that. But don't worry, I'll make sure Dixon is taken care of!"

The lioness gave a nod of approval before she settled back in her seat. Knowing they could be true to themselves around a trusted friend had eased the tension for the rest of the night. The group's attention suddenly turned towards the kitchen as they saw steaming hot plates billowed from the countertop. Enzo carried their food over to Dixon's group and presented them their meals.

The portions were plentiful and the meal was made with fresh ingredients. Every unique aroma of spices that came from the vegan burger made James's stomach seized up with excitement. Dixon had ordered a similar burger while Linda requested Cajun shrimp pasta. Enzo's toothy smile was plastered proudly on his face as the trio savored their dishes. James quickly understood why Dixon had brought them to this specific diner while they ate. The three quietly indulged in their meals for the rest of the night, satisfied by the taste and generous portions. After they finished, Enzo then brought out the banana sundae with three shiny spoons impaled in the dessert.

"So, how was it? Good I hope?" Enzo asked.

All three gave an excited nod with the sundae presented before them. Dixon softly nudged James with his hooved foot and flashed him a bright smile, one that would forever be imprinted in the goat's memories.

As James interpreted, Dixon turned to Enzo and proclaimed, "It was truly a fantastic feast!"