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Matthew Calluci is © myself and should not be used without permission

Lauren Calluci is © to herself, and should not be used without permission

James and Christie Kat are © myself and should not be used without permission

Mahtan Ellenzar is © his player and was used with permission

Simon and Sylvia Swiftpaw are © myself and should not be used without permission

Foxbat is © his owner and was respectfully used with permission

Disclaimers, all events in this story are fictional, and this story is intended for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. If you are offended by erotica of any kind do not read this. This story contains a descript homo-erotic sexual scene, if you are offended by such things then you should not read this. If you are under the age of 18 years, or 21 in some places, then you should not read this story. All events in this story are fictional and any resemblance to any real occurrences is entirely coincidental. Thank you.

Dear awesome reader(s), this story picks up directly from where chapter six left off, if you don't remember where chapter six left off, I suggest you go read it. ^^

This chapter is dedicated to everybody that's still reading this series; and the furs who, despite the many hiatuses during the writing of several chapters, continue to comment with encouragement. Seeing your very gracious replies to stories that were written quite a while back, has warmed my heart and I very sincerely thank all of you. I hope this chapter has been worth the wait.

Special thanks: Lauren, James, Marcus, Foxbat, Jared, and Starfoxlover.

Kool Kat Chronicles Chapter Seven: Simon's Secret

Simon breathed deeply and balled up his fists at his sides, trying not to let his anger get to him. His claws dug into his palms, and his teeth sank into his bottom lip. His lip began to bleed and he could taste the blood rushing out to meet his tongue. In a way, he savored the flavor. It was his relief from his anger, from his pain...

His knife was missing. It was a treachery that he could not stand, for his knife was the soul object that kept his life in balance. His knife was what kept him in check when his anger amounted to its breaking point, and furthermore it was what he used to punish himself for his unspeakable treason against himself and his plans.

He had actually tasted her. Sure, he'd done it before' but before he'd had his knife there to help him cope with that. He couldn't stand bringing pleasure to that little slut. Her taste made him want to gag, her very moans of ecstasy were like a ringing that made his head want to explode. Aside from this, the knife was crucial to his plan...

She must have taken it. That was the only logical explanation. Christie must have been rummaging around in his room when he wasn't here.

Anger welled up inside of him, making his fur stand on end. How dare she ever, ever, touch his things - without his permission? A growl rose up in his throat, but he quickly suppressed it. Now was not the time for such anger.

No, he would confront Christie about it, but he wouldn't use the word knife instantly... he would be more subtle, just in case it hadn't been her who had taken it... But who else could it have been? Who else could have known about his room? The care-takers, of course, but for the most part they left him alone, and they never even entered the dorms, much less his private room.

Simon pushed these thoughts to the back of his mind. For now he had to focus on talking to Christie.

***

Matt released his hands from his mouth and took in a great sigh of relief after Simon had turned off the lights and walked out.

He crawled out from under the bed, realizing his leg was beginning to cramp up.

He stretched softly, and checked his pocket to make sure the knife was still there- his hands met afew shards of what seemed to be glass, and he pulled out the frame of his aviators. They must have broken in his pocket while he had been hiding under the bed. He checked his other pocket. The knife was still there.

He walked towards the door, his exit, with relief. He reached where the doorknob would be, if it had one, and pulled the door open, then closed it.

Now was the tricky part. All he really needed to do was open the next door and leave, but if anyone was in the hallway on the other side of the door, they would know he had been there.

Matt pressed his ear against the door... He heard nothing. He turned the knob and pushed the door open, very slowly, waiting to see if there was anyone there to notice.

There was no one.

He quickly closed the door and walked away.

***

James sat on his bed in the boy's dorm, staring at the flowers in his lap. It was sweet of Matt to get them for him. James wanted to talk to Matt very badly, but Matt was not there, and from the look of the bunk above James's bed? He hadn't been there all night.

James knew that Matt had met with Foxbat last night, so he assumed that Matt would be in the courtyard. All he had to do was go out there and, perhaps, he would see Matt.

And yet... A small part of James didn't want to see Matt.

They hadn't talked to eachother since their argument in the courtyard the week before, and there was something in James that wanted to keep things that way. Something inside of his mind that told him that if he talked to Matt nothing more than another argument would ensue.

Why had he said the things that he did that night? He knew Matt was shy about sex... But come to think of it, that was one of the few things he did know about Matt.

"James, are you in here?" Came an all too familiar voice from the dorm's commonplace.

James bit his lip, not responding, hoping Matt would go away.

Matt walked into the bedroom that James was in. "Hey...," he said while giving James a timid smile. He leaned in the doorway with his hands in his pockets, as though he were afraid to move towards the feline before him.

James gave no reply, looking away from Matt, moving the flowers from his lap to behind him. He couldn't look Matt in the eyes, and he could not speak for the longest time; he had no idea what to say. Matt seemed to feel the same, and he continued to lean in the doorway, wishing he still had his shades to hide behind.

"I got your flowers...," James said, breaking the awkward silence.

Matt smiled again. "I hope you like them..."

James smiled back, finally looking Matt in the eyes. "I do."

There was a curious sense of comfort in the air that came with James' words, and it sent a small swell of confidence up Matt's spine; just enough confidence to let him bite his lip, and sit next to James.

Matt wrapped a single arm around James and James laid his head on Matt's shoulder. It was a tender moment, and though neither of them apologized, they both understood, and everything was okay. And for a long period there was silence, but not a nervous, or awkward silence. No, this was a blissful silence that could only be ruined with words.

But then it came to James's mind that there were, in fact, afew words that seemed to fit right into the moment.

"Matt..."

"Yeah?"

"I love you..."

Matt smiled. "I love you too, baby."

***

Simon stalked through the halls of the orphanage, his lost possession still on his mind. He tried to recall any instance where he had ever revealed the location of his room to anyone else. But there had been no such instance. He then tried to recall a situation where he may have let slip any word of his knife. But he knew he was not that foolish.

He had told Christie not to tell anyone about the room, he thought he'd made himself clear... but he couldn't be sure that she'd told anybody yet, there was still the possibility that she'd taken it. Although... somehow, he doubted it. He simply didn't find her intelligent enough to think to do something like that.

He was amazed he'd gotten this far, for not long ago, but for a very long time, his wishes were of the two. One would have to admit, he played his part well. He had already taken to acting like something he wasn't long before he'd come to find that Christie and James were living in the orphanage, and besides, as long as he used enough tape in the right area, none of the other orphans would ever know...

An orphan, that's what he was now. Simon remembered back to when he used to be a person, and used to have a father. His mother, ashamed of the child she'd conceived, left only days after he'd been born. His father had raised him, had been his entire world, and now he was gone, and it was all the fault of those God damn Kat siblings...

He arrived at the girls dorm, his mind still swimming with thoughts. He almost forgot to knock, as he pushed the door open and walked right on through.

He looked to the first girl he saw. "Do you know where Christie Kat is?"

The girl looked at him for a second, taken aback by the sudden intrusion, and then shook her head. "I think she might be outside, sometimes she talks to that human, he's a really close friend of her brothers, I think..."

Simon simply growled and turned, heading out the door.

***

Christie was not in the courtyard.

She was, in fact, in the small kitchen area that contained the coffee and the ramen. She was making Raman. She knew that most of the other kids would be in the cafeteria right now, enjoying the breakfast that the orphanage provided and conversing with eachother about hopes and wishes of their futures. But not her, she preferred a quiet breakfast. One had, with afew people she knew, if anybody at all.

She had no idea of all the lies being thrown her way, so she was, indeed, in blissful ignorance of them. Her head was filled with thoughts of heartwarming moments with her boyfriend. She was only eleven, but she was smart enough to know that true love was hard to find. Simon was so caring; they often held eachother in his room... and in the courtyard... He made her feel so special...

The microwave invaded her thoughts with a very profound 'Ding!'

She pulled her bowl out of the microwave, and sat it down on the table, closing the microwave door as she turned around. She added the seasoning, stirred it up, and had a very satisfying mouthful of noodles.

Things were just going so well for her! She felt as though, for the first time in her life, she could be a normal girl... But she always had to second guess this, for what was normal? Out of everything that had happened, was it possible to just be a normal child, anymore? Had childhood already passed her away? It was so hard to tell...

Though she never revealed it to anyone, the constant insatiable stirring in her loins felt like a curse. It was any males dream, but she hated it. She often thought, quietly to herself that maybe if she had never had sex in the first place... But wait, this wasn't her fault...

Daddy did this to me...

Tears began to well up behind her eyes, but she blinked them back. She had never been a crier, she was tough, or she always thought so, anyway. She didn't feel as tough as she always did. She felt weak, unable to cope with the past, and its lingering difficulties.

She wanted to talk about these things to someone, but she could never find the words for some reason. She had confided in Simon, of course, about the many things that had happened to her, but she'd never really gone into detail about her feelings on these matters.

She would have to talk to her brother about this at some point, but it was a conversation she was not looking forward to. Talking about feelings and things of that nature had never been something she generally enjoyed.

Christie sighed and pushed these thoughts out of her head, to simply look down at her bowl of ramen, and to try and enjoy the chicken flavored goodness in peace.

***

Simon strode with great vigor out of the courtyard, the scowl on his muzzle now completely unhidden. His anger was insurmountable, and it showed. He told himself that showing his anger was irresponsible in the given circumstances, but he could not seem to get his game face back on. He was quickly tiring of this game of cat and mouse...

He stopped dead in his tracks in the hallway. There were only so many places she could be, and yet she was so elusive. Perhaps he was looking in the wrong places... Everything he had wanted, everything he had hoped for, was so close. There could be no flaws in his plan, and not having his knife was a serious flaw.

But then it came to him, there was still one place that he hadn't checked.

He changed his path slightly and quickly made for the coffee room.

***

James always felt so safe in Matt's arms. His embrace was much like a child's blanket; comforting, endearing, it made him feel secure. It made him feel loved, and in a life such as James Kat's, love was a very valuable thing. Throughout his time upon the earth, love had been hard to find, if it was indeed present at all.

His mother had loved him, even if she hadn't really shown it. Uncle Bob had never loved him, and the year or so spent in his "care" had been a complete hell. Christie... Christie loved him... in her own way. But then again, did she? He wasn't sure how Christie defined love, was it just sex to her?

For the first time in his life, James realized the pain of the loss of his mother. For the first time in his life, James realized that he had been alone for a very long time. It was only now that he could give his love to someone, and actually have it returned to him equally, that he realized all of the bottled up agony inside of him. For without the equal exchange of love, James had never realized what a grand thing he had been missing.

Another stunning realization came to James- he had started crying. But Matt was there for him, and he lifted up a hand, a hand so unlike James's paw, placed it on his feline lover's cheek, and wiped the tears from one eye with a thumb. James felt himself begin to tremble, and he squeezed Matt tighter.

"What's the matter baby?" Whispered Matt gently, his hand still on the cheek of the slightly smaller male.

James stayed silent for a moment, then touched the back of Matt's hand with his paw and looked his boyfriend in the eyes. "As long as I'm with you...," James felt that somehow, their faces had begun to move towards eachother, and he could barely make out the whispered end of his sentence. "absolutely nothing."

And their lips met, parted, and met again. It was a kiss like they had never shared before. Lips fluttered across eachother in a flurry, and Matt's passion met James's need for it. It was more than a kiss, it was an exchange of love in the most physical sense that they could conspire to accomplish at that moment.

James felt Matt's hand move from his cheek to his back where the other one was, and with those strong hands, Matt pulled James tight against his body. They fell over on James's bed, and somehow Matt's hand wound up stroking through his lovers long light blue hair. James felt himself blush, and was thankful that his fur was there to cover the red in his cheeks.

Before long, somehow, James had ended up on top of Matt in a straddling position. Their chests were pressed tightly together as their lips worked furiously against eachother, and James slid a single paw up Matt's tank top...

"Hey guys."

James nearly fell off the bed, and Matt sat up so fast that he hit his head against the top bunk above him. They both turned their heads in unison to find Mahtan Ellenzar staring at them, with a very wide grin on his muzzle.

"M-Mahtan!" Matt stammered "W-what the hell, man?! What are you doing here?"

Mahtan snickered and shook his head. "You know, I'm not really sure. But the look on your face just now was priceless."

He nodded to James. "Hey Jimmy."

James blushed.

"Oh come on now, you two," Mahtan said in a comforting voice. "Look at it this way; at least it was me who walked in on you, and not someone else."

The two lovers silently agreed with him.

An awkward silence hung in the air, until Mahtan broke out into a little jig- His trademarked 'Happy Dance', which could only mean that Mahtan had remembered why he was there.

"I just remembered!" Mahtan grinned proudly. "I got laid!"

James blinked, Matt cracked a grin. "So... you interrupted us, to tell us that you got laid?"

Mahtan frowned. "Well, it's not like I knew you guys were... y'know, doin' whatever it is two guys do together."

James shook his head. "You're one of a kind Mahtan."

"Either way," said Matt. "How was it, buddy?"

"It was great! Man, your sister really knows how to-"

"Whoaaaaa!" Matt raised up his hands, going wide eyed, in a sort of surrender. "Okay, I get it, it was good."

James giggled.

***

Simon fought his way through the crowd that rushed out of the cafeteria, it was almost like attempting to swim up a stream whose current was flowing against him- but he was determined. He saw his destination.

"Christie?" Simon burst out, before had even opened the door to the coffee room. She looked up, surprised, and then smiled.

"Hey baby," Christie smiled at her boyfriend and stood up, her arms open ready for a hug.

Simon walked up to her and gave her a hug that was slightly too abrasive.

"Is something wrong?" Christie asked, tilting her head.

"Sort of. Christie, you haven't been digging around in my room, have you?" He looked her dead in the eyes, waiting for any hint of a lie. But Christie shook her head.

"Why would I be digging around in your room?" She sounded offended.

Simon lowered his guard, and pulled up a chair, sitting next to the feline. Her reaction told him that she had not taken the knife. "Something's missing from my drawer, did you tell anyone about my room? You know I told you not to."

Christie couldn't help but notice his disregarding tone, Simon sounded a little too angry. But then it hit her, she had told someone. Matt knew about the room.

"No, baby," She lied, feeling grateful that Simon wasn't looking her in the eyes anymore. "I wouldn't tell anyone about our special place."

Simon simply grunted a reply.

"What's gone missing, hun?"

Simon went wide eyed for a second, but only for a second, before regaining his composure. He knew just what to do in a situation like this.

He broke out his most charming smile, and gave Christie a warm, one armed hug. "It's not that important baby; don't worry your pretty little head over it."

Christie smiled and hugged him back. "Okay baby." And she planted a kiss on his lips, though for some reason she felt that he didn't return her enthusiasm, so to make up for this, she slowly rubbed her leg against his, and gave him a very sensual look.

Shit. Was all Simon could think.

***

Breakfast was over, and now male furs were all storming into the dormitory, and the passion of James and Matt's embrace had long since faded. Mahtan was now talking idly with Matt about the city that Matt came from, and James was left to stew in his own thoughts.

'Mahtan didn't have to bust in on us like that, just to tell us he got laid,' James thought to himself. His arms were at his sides and he was looking determinedly down at the bed on which he sat. He wasn't really mad at Mahtan, but he couldn't help but wonder what could have happened if he and Matt had only had just afew more minutes alone together...

His right paw squeezed at the sheets reflexively at the thought. It was that paw that had been up Matt's shirt, which had felt its lover's chest pressed against its palm...

James shuddered softly as he felt a familiar tightening sensation in his pants, but he would not let his lust get the better of him, at least not at the moment. No, now was neither the time nor the place for such things.

But still... Matt's bare skin had felt so good; it was so odd to James. He had never known a human as he had known the furs that he'd been with. He was very curious as to what the rest of Matt's body was like...

'No,' James argued with himself 'think about it later, not now.'

James looked at Matt, and he felt himself blush.

"Yeah, I remember when I was six my big brother and me and Lauren used to have to stay in this old guy's- think his name was Tom- in this old shed of his. He never knew about it, but we needed the place to sleep, you know?" Matt was chattering away to Mahtan.

James had never known that Matt had had a brother... he knew that Matt had been homeless up until he was arrested and put here little over a year ago. Matt had still shared very little with his lover about his past, yet here he stood blabbering away all of this and more to Mahtan.

"When I was about eight things got a lot better, we had a pretty cool place to stay and I even had a play station, no one had one of those where I lived because we were all poor."

James felt jealousy rise within him, but he quickly suppressed it. There was not a reason in the world to feel jealous just because he had been left out of a few details of Matt's life... After all, Matt didn't know everything about James's life... except for all the important parts...

"Anyway," Continued Matt, "When my big brother died I had a lot going for me, I mean, not in the best sense. Lauren, well, Lauren actually came here, but for some reason people seemed to think I'd follow in Mark's footsteps or something..." Matt gave a bitter laugh.

Mahtan tilted his head "Follow in his footsteps? What do you mean?"

This was a detail that James had missed too, and he listened intently for an answer. But Matt suddenly muttered something about going to the bathroom and was gone before anyone could stop him.

"Damn it, Matt..." James glared at the doorway.

Mahtan looked at James as though he had forgotten that the feline was sitting there. All the same, he tilted his head and asked, in a concerned voice: "What's wrong, Jimmy?"

"He's just so secretive sometimes..." James sighed.

"Who is?"

"God damn it Mahtan..."

***

'Idiot, idiot, idiot!'

Mathew Calluci cursed himself silently as he stalked through the halls of the orphanage. He had no real destination, he simply needed some time to think. He still could not bring himself to tell James about his troubled past. For, and he hated to think about it, what if James found out about all the things he had done. The things he'd seen. He simply knew that James would instantly disregard him as nothing more than a sorry excuse for a human.

He needed to talk to someone, and he knew just who would understand his troubles. His sister had always been there for him, but she had also always been very different from him. When their brother had died they went their separate ways, Lauren came here and Matt had stayed on the streets. He could still remember why:

"On these streets, Mathew, on these streets a man can find his own gold mine, and make his way to a better life. You see, a lot of people take the easy way out, they just ditch and try to make it somewhere else, some people think it's better that way... But the way I see it? It can't be no better out there than it is on these streets, here." His brother had told him.

That was why Matt had not gone with his sister, because he had believed his brother... he didn't want to take the easy way out. But what had his brother known, anyway? It was those very streets that had swallowed his big brother whole in the end. And then? Then Mathew was there to take his big brothers place... but he had been too young... A simple mistake was all it took and he had been sent to live with his sister. It all seemed like it was from a life that no longer belonged to him, it was all so long ago...

Matt realized he'd been walking the wrong way for a while now, and turned towards the girl's dorm. He told himself that he mustn't let himself get too wrapped up in his thoughts, lest he be trapped eternally in them.

Afew minutes later Matt was standing outside of the door to the girls dorm. He rapped his knuckles on it twice, and waited for someone to answer.

A teenage wolfess answered the door, giving him a slightly offending up and down look that clearly said "What the hell do you want?"

"Hey, tell Lauren her brother needs to talk to her." Said Matt.

The wolfess rolled her eyes and turned away from Matt, to holler back into the dorm room- "Lauren! Matt wants to talk to you!"

Matt gave the wolfess the finger for her rudeness as she walked away from him, but quickly put said finger back in its place as his sister walked out to him, and closed the door behind her. "What's up, big bro?"

"Nothing...," Matt rubbed the back of his neck nervously "I mean, well, something... can we go somewhere and talk?"

Lauren shrugged nonchalantly. "The courtyard sound good, bro?"

"Yeah."

As they walked through the halls Matthew Calluci took habit of staring at his sister in thought, she was so different from him. Not just in their style of dress, or the way they acted. It was something deeper. It was as though Lauren had some sort of confidence that Matt did not, it made her seem invincible to him. Mathew may have been nine months older than his sibling, but he always felt as though he were the weaker of the two.

Lauren seemed to take notice of her brother's stares and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him close in a comforting sisterly embrace. She was by no means stupid; she could tell that something was seriously troubling her brother. She had a good clue as to what it was already, because she had long since become accustomed to her brothers insecurities.

She remembered back to when her brother first joined her in the orphanage. He had been bawling his eyes out, fighting the care-takers, cursing them and screaming for his release. He wanted no part of this orphanage or anyone in it; for he had felt that he belonged in the outside world. She had been there to calm him down, and she, for the longest time, was his only friend in the orphanage, until Mahtan came along, and then James...

And this was where Matt's problems rooted themselves, in his love for James. That wasn't to say, of course, that James was the cause of Matt's problems, no it was more suitable to say that Matt's problems manifested in his love; that his love magnified and made worse his insecurities.

They finally came into the courtyard, and bright sunlight splashed into the eyes and onto the faces of the siblings, it seemed to illuminate and beautify every inch of the courtyard and the world beyond the fences. A great cloudless blue sky stretched on for miles, and the trees had never been greener, but all went unnoticed by Matt.

"Wow, it's a nice day out." Lauren smiled, looking around. She noticed that there were very few furs out for such a fine day, but this simply made the situation all the more convenient. Matt pointed to a small wooden bench, the same one he had sat at this morning, and began walking towards it. Lauren followed.

"So, what's on your mind, bro?"

Matt sighed and put his head in his hands, not quite knowing where to start. "Well... it's just-"

Lauren cut him off. "Let me guess, as usual you're having a hard time opening up to James, right?"

Matt looked at her and couldn't help but grin. "You know me too well."

"Yeah, it's amazing, ain't it?" Lauren smiled back at her brother, "Now, tell me what's up."

Matt nodded and began to explain how James had overheard his conversation with Mahtan, and about how he had almost let slip word of his past. When he finished Lauren was shaking her head.

"So, instead of just explaining that when our brother died it was up to you to take his place as leader of his little clique, you just upped and ran out of the room?"

Matt nodded with a shameful look on his face. Lauren shook her head again.

"You don't understand," Matt pleaded, looking for a way to make sense of what he'd done. "James doesn't know about that 'little clique'"

"Why not?"

Matt paused. "Well... because I've never told him."

Lauren rolled her eyes. "That's the fucking thing, retard; you don't tell him anything about yourself. How did you two get together anyway? You aren't having sex, so that can't be it, and you hardly talk to him about anything. Is your relationship built off of lies, or is James just infatuated with your sense of mystique?"

Matt scoffed. "Sense of mystique? That sounds like something out of a badly written story. No, it wasn't that at all." It was then that Matt touched his finger to his chin in thought.

He reflected back to when James first arrived at the orphanage, the feline had reminded Matt of himself when he'd first arrived there. He had been able to tell that James had suffered losses all too severe for his age, much as he himself had, and most vividly he remembered the tears that had rolled down that feline's cheeks during his first night at the orphanage.

Why, it seemed like only yesterday...

Matt tossed and turned in his bed, gripping his sheets close to his body, trying to ignore the muffled whines coming from the bunk below his. This new kid, whoever he was, had been up half the night crying and as a result Matt had gotten no sleep. He didn't want to seem heartless, but it was becoming quite tedious.

Coming to the conclusion that he could either attempt to help the feline below him, or become subject to another sleepless night in the orphanage, Matt decided to jump down off of his bunk and sit on the edge of the new kid's bed.

As he sat down, Matt took a good look at the feline for the first time. The cat was of blue color, with black stripes on his arms and muzzle. He could see that the new kid had neck length hair that was blue as well, but of a lighter shade than the color of his fur.

The feline, who had been so wrapped up in his tears, hardly noticed that Matt had slid down beside him, until Matt tapped him on the shoulder. The cat gave a small jump and a squeak and looked wide eyed at Matt.

"Calm down, buddy, I won't bite." True, it wasn't the best way to strike up a friendship, but at least Matt was trying. Matt extended his hand.

The cat now looked at Matt's hand as though he thought the human mad for extending it, but then a small smile crept upon his muzzle; paw and hand met, and it was the beginning of their friendship.

"My name's Matt."

"I'm James." The feline replied, wiping his eyes. "I'm sorry if I've been keeping you awake."

It was then that Matt noticed James's eyes, and the tears leaking from them. For some reason he could not help but think that he had never before seen such an innocent and wonderful looking pair of eyes. They were simply captivating. "No, no... it's just... I was wondering if you were alright."

James seemed to take notice of they way Matt was staring into his eyes, and he blushed and averted his gaze. Matt looked away as well. James took a moment to recollect his thoughts before answering. "It's just... It's just that for the past two years I've been shoved from place to place and now I'm here... and... I don't know..."

James gave a pathetic sort of noise somewhere between a sigh and a whimper, but Matt smiled understandingly. "Things are hard here, we don't have family, or loved ones to care for us. Hell, some of us have never even had a family." There was a certain bitterness to his tone that made him pause to regain his composure before continuing. "But you make friends here, develop bonds. Like I say, it's hard, but with the help of friends you can move past the hardship."

James nodded. "But...but I don't know anyone here," Matt could tell that James was close to tears again, and he put an arm around the feline in a friendly attempt at a comforting embrace.

"Well, I tell you what. I'll do you the honor of being your first friend here, how's that sound?"

James smiled and gave a small sniff. "Sounds good."

And that was how it had started. It had been Matt's caring soul that had caused James to fall in love with him, even though Matt would never admit it.

Lauren cleared her throat loudly, and Matt shook himself out of his memories.

"Whatever it was," Lauren pressed on, despite the long pause that had occurred while Matt had sunk into reminiscence. "James loves you, and you're going to screw that up with all of this fuckin' secrecy."

Matt looked back down at the bench, and rested his face in his hands again. "Lauren, you don't understand. I'm ashamed."

"Ashamed of what?" asked Lauren

"Of all the things I've done, of who I tried to be, who I was." Matt took off his dew rag and ran his hands through his hair nervously. "You left after Mark died; you don't know what it was like."

Lauren raised her eyebrows. She was obviously unsympathetic to her brother's distress. "Well, I'm sorry you didn't have the fucking brains to just leave when you had the chance."

Matt sighed. "Is that really how you feel?"

Lauren shrugged. "I don't hate you for it, but honestly, how could you ever expect, or even want to live up to what our brother was doing before he died? He was a bad person, Matt. You know it as well as I do."

At this a sudden rage filled Matt and he jumped up from the bench, and began pacing in front of it with his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his eyes fixed in a determined sort of abrasiveness. "You don't understand. You dare- how could you- He was our brother!"

"He was a bad person." Lauren folded her arms in front of her and gave her brother a dead stare.

"He was not a bad person, Lauren! He was just too wrapped up in the game! And for Christ sakes, after all he did for us! We never knew our mother or father, he raised us!"

"He raised us?" Lauren scoffed. "Yeah, if you can call bringing us up homeless raising us. I don't see why he didn't just drop us off here to begin with." Her resentment showed, and it seemed to hang in the air- a lingering tension.

"He loved us." Matt glared at his sister, as if daring her to defy his words.

Lauren raised her eyebrows again. "No doubts about that. He did love us, but Matt don't you see? We were both raised to make him money, and all the shit he was teaching you and telling you were things you never needed to hear in the first place. He was training you to take his place."

"It was what he wanted. It was my place."

"And what about my place?" Lauren stood up herself to face her brother, her voice had become little more than a whisper, but Matt caught every single word. "Do you realize what he was raising me to be?"

Matt bit his lip. This was an argument he knew he could not win. "Lauren...," He began delicately.

"No! I don't want to hear it! You want to know why I came here? Because I refused to be a whore! I, unlike you, actually want to make something of myself."

Matt lowered his head in defeat, staring right down at the ground. "Lauren I do want to make something of myself. It's just hard to forget about the past..."

"Tell me about it." And with a huff, Lauren stormed back into the building, leaving Matt with an even worse feeling than before.

***

With a final cry of orgasmic pleasure Christie rolled off of Simon, and wrapped her arms around him, ready to bask in the afterglow and the loving embrace of her boyfriend. Simon wrapped an arm around her with his eyes closed. It seemed as though Simon wasn't as eager to return her affection as usual.

"Baby?" Christie started gently. "I wish you'd tell me what's wrong..."

It seemed that Simon was in no mood to talk. "I've already told you, Christie. Something's gone missing, and for the god damned life of me I can't think who the hell could have taken it."

Christie ignored his disregarding tone and pressed on. "Well, hun, if you'd just tell me-."

"You can't help." Simon cut her off, speaking with a very certain finality.

"But baby-."

"Christie," Simon let out a low growl. "Will you shut up so I can think?"

Christie looked affronted; she quickly jumped out of bed, cut the lamp on (Simon pulled the covers over himself a little more), and started putting on her clothes, cursing under her breath. "You son of a bitch, I'm just trying to help!" She hissed.

Simon's eyes were still closed, but he closed them tighter and rubbed his fingertips against his temples. He didn't have time for this. "Christie, will you just go, I'm sorry."

"You know," She burst out, looking wild with rage. "What kind of a pussy won't even let a girl see him properly when they're making love! Always with the lights off, and the fucking shirt still on. You afraid to get naked?!" She wasn't sure where the insults were coming from, but Simon had never talked to her the way he was talking now. So rude!

"I'm sorry if my hang ups bother you, but if you don't like the way I fuck," Simon replied bitterly. "Then you can go and get your fix elsewhere, I don't give a damn. You know you need it, and I can't possibly see who else you're going to get to fuck an eleven year old." Unless you go to your brother. He thought with relish.

"How dare you use that against me!" Christie was almost screaming now. She couldn't take much more of this. On top of all the pain she was going through with the thoughts of her father, Simon had to go and be like this!

She glared one final time at Simon, and he simply glared right back, before she stormed out with an exasperated cry.

***

In all of his turmoil over his insecurities, and his argument with Lauren, Matt had almost completely forgotten about the knife he had stolen from Simon. And it was with a great amount of rushing that he stole back to the boy's dormitory, eager to tell James what he'd seen, and what he suspected. His greatest fear was that Christie was in danger. Even though he hardly knew the cub, he had grown affectionate of her in recent days. Besides, she was James' sister.

In a matter of minutes Matt busted through the doors, looking wildly for James. How could he have been stupid enough to forget about something that had been right there in his pocket for the last few hours? He and James spotted eachother at the same moment- James was frowning, and his arms were folded.

"Matt, we need to talk." It was easy to see that he was mad at Matt for storming out.

"Damn right we do," He replied "Christie might be in trouble."

James's eyes went wide. "What are you talking about?"

Matt looked 'round the dorm. There were far too many people here for them to discuss this. "We need to find somewhere else to talk."

James, understanding the importance in Matt's voice, stood up at once. "Where to?"

"Uhm..." Matt hesitated for only a moment. "Coffee room."

And soon James was sat at a table as Matt paced in front of it, deciding how best to word what he needed to say.

"Matt will you tell me what's wrong?" James said with concerned eyes.

"Yeah, yeah." Matt said hurriedly "Do you remember that Simon character me and Foxbat were talking about?"

"I guess, why?" said James.

"Christie's dating him."

James blinked. He obviously didn't see the problem.

Matt pressed on. "James the dude is crazy! I went digging through his room-"

"What the hell'd you go digging through his room for?" said James in confused tones. After he'd had a moment to get over his initial reaction, the next thing he was wondering was 'Why does Simon get his own room?'

So Matt recalled the entire story for James. How he'd found himself trapped under the bed, how he'd found the knife, and how he'd seen Simon biting himself.

James was once again wide eyed by the end of the tale. "We've got to tell Christie!" He seemed to be simply shaking with worry.

Matt rested a hand on his lovers shoulder. "Babe, calm down, we'll tell Christie, but let's not lose our heads."

James nodded.

"Now, babe, can you think of any reason why this guy would be mad at you or Christie?"

James shook his head with a small whimper. "I've never even met this guy, and I don't think Christie had before he came here."

"Hm." Matt touched his finger to his chin and closed his eyes in thought. "Well... we're going to have to think about how to tell Christie all this..."

***

It was now Christie's turn to stalk the halls. Her anger at Simon had passed, and with its passing had come a new understanding. Simon was angry for a reason, and it was apparent to her that that reason was that Matt had taken something from his room. Now she was angry with Matt.

Her first reaction was to head for the Boys dorm. After all, that was where Matt said he was going when last they talked- which was odd, because when she gave his flowers to James, James said he hadn't been in yet. Maybe, just maybe, that was when he went into Simon's room. But how did he find the time? The pieces just didn't fit...

Christie let out a mewl in exasperation as she reached the boys dorm and intruded without as much as a knock. She looked around, and spotted that weasel that she had met when she was talking to Matt last week. What was his name?

"Mahtan!" She remembered. "Have you seen Matt?"

The weasel turned and blinked at Christie, as though he'd never seen her before in his life. "Who are you?"

Christie slapped her palm to her forehead. "You met me a while back- have you seen Matt?"

"Uhh... No, no I don't think- uhhh-.." Mahtan closed his eyes in concentration. "Wait... wait yeah... He went with... with James... somewhere..." He trailed off.

Christie sighed, gave a feeble thanks and turned to leave. There was definitely something wrong with that guy...

It was not much later that she decided to check the coffee room, and it was there that she found who she was looking for.

"Christie!" James and Matt both spat at her as soon as she walked in, their tone was so excited that she was taken aback for a moment.

"W-what?" She stammered in surprise.

Matt looked at James with apprehension, and James spat out the last thing she expected to hear. "You have to keep away from Simon!"

Christie's muzzle immediately formed a scowl. "And why is that?"

"Because he's demented, he-" Matt had started, but was quickly cut off by Christies low hiss.

"How dare you- first you go stealing shit from his room and then you try to tell me this bullshit! I wont hear it! Give me whatever it was that you took, right now!"

"Christie, please just let me ex-"

"No!," She almost screamed "I don't want to hear it!"

"Christie I was hiding in your bedroom earlier when he and you-"

"YOU WHAT!?" Christie was practically foaming at the mouth now, and had a wild look in her eyes as though she were ready to jump at Matt. It was then that James saw that he had better explain, and fast.

"Christie it was a knife, he took a knife from Simon. And Foxbat says he's dangerous-"

But again, Christie would not listen. "I don't give a damn, you had no right to be in there when we- when he-" she was blushing madly now "Just give me the fucking thing!"

"Christie I can't do that." Matt frowned.

"Why not!?" she was baring her teeth now.

"Because Foxbat told me-"

"I don't give a damn what some hood rat said to you, give me his knife now or I swear to God I'll-"

This time, Matt cut Christie off. "Or you'll what?" Matt's voice had gone rigid, and there was something in his eyes that James had never seen before. "You can't do a damn thing to me. Now I suggest you listen to what we're saying or face the consequences."

The way Matt had spoken, in such a commanding manner, was such as James had never before heard. Yet Matt had sounded so comfortable with his tones and words. Either way, it was enough to make Christie cross her arms and listen, though grudgingly.

"Look, there's something wrong with this guy, after you left he started biting into his lip until he bled, and he has cut marks all over his fingers. You had to have noticed that!"

Christie immediately looked down at her feet. She had noticed the cuts, but she never found the words to ask her lover what had happened. Simon had never seemed troubled by, nor did he even acknowledge the cuts on his fingers, so Christie blindly ignored them out of her love for Simon.

But Christie could find no excuse to shake Matt's words with. Apparently, Matt could tell.

"You see!" Matt told her with a triumphant air. "There's nothing you can say about that!"

"Fine!" Christie retorted. "But just because he cuts himself it doesn't mean he's insane!"

"Think about it though," Matt urged his point on. "Why would he have his own room if they didn't need to keep him away from the other orphans? Foxbat told me that he's supposed to be on medication, that he's bi-polar or something!"

"I told you, I don't give a damn what that freak says! What the shit does he know, anyway?"

Matt frowned "He knows a lot more than you think." He shook his head. "Christie you weren't there, he looked maniacal. The dude was fucking seething, and it was almost like... like he enjoyed biting himself. He's a fucking nutcase."

Christie let out a low growl. "I don't want to hear this shit, Matt. Give me his knife or I'll tell him that you're the one who took it and get him to come talk to you."

Matt kept a poker face for but afew seconds before, to James's immense surprise, he took the knife from his pocket and held it out to Christie in his hand. "Take it."

James stammered, but Matt waved whatever it was he might have said away with one hand. "If she wants to take this chance, let her." He said turning his back to Christie and facing James. "We've tried to warn her, she will not listen, and therefore she must face the consequences of her choices." He was using that tone again. That cold manner of speaking that James wasn't at all fond of.

Christie scoffed. "Listen to you, all high and mighty." She took a step towards the human, as though she were about to attack him, but then seemed to think better of it. With a huff, she turned and walked out the door.

"How could you just let her go back to him?" James asked Matt in disbelief "and with that knife! Are you insane?!"

Matt shook his head. "I'm not crazy, and I intend to keep a close eye on this Simon guy anyway."

James looked at Matt scathingly. Matt rolled his eyes. "No one's going to hurt Christie. I like her, you know." Matt grinned. "She does have a bitchin' temper, but she can be really sweet when she's calm."

James shook his head. "If he so much as hurts a strand of fur on her body-"

"He wont."

***

Lauren laid on her bed, staring at the bunk above her. How dare Matt ever try to preach about how difficult his past was, after all she'd been through? Then again, Matt always had been the darker personality out of the siblings. Lauren was always the brighter side to Matt's darkness, the optimistic one. However, she would never lie to herself. She knew that she was damaged too and now that she had been reminded of it, she just couldn't seem to stop dwelling on the past.

It had never been a secret that Mark, their older brother, had been a womanizer. But to think that anyone could put such a young girl through what Lauren had done was a terrible thought. Still, it had happened.

Lauren still remembered the very first time Mark had sold her...

A young Lauren Calluci stood shyly against a brick wall as her big brother leaned in the window of an old corvette, discussing prices with the driver. She was afraid. What if the man hurt her? She had been told what to do... but actually doing it was such a fright for an eleven year old girl.

The day was as morose as the mood that came with it. Grey clouds were barely distinguishable from the even dimmer colors they were set against. There was no sun, which seemed to magnify the insipidness. She was standing against the wall of the old abandoned Fairway View apartments. The cracked green paint of the window shutters and doors and the crumbling brick exterior made it very clear that no one had lived, or even visited here for a long time. This is why it was such a perfect place for what she was doing. By ensuring that the common visitor would stay well away, the real rats would come with their money, and their valuables, and trade them for pleasurable company, and often alternative pleasures. Drugs, Sex and Money, they were the only ways to get anywhere in life. According to Mark, anyway.

"It's your place." Mark had told her when Lauren had asked why she must be taught to do these things "You ain't nothing but pussy on legs, and pussy equals money. You sell that pussy, you'll be rolling in the dough when y'get older, y'understand? It's all a bitch is good for, really. 'Course, you don't get none of your money yet, you's still in training. Big brother'll keep hold of that for you, put it in the college fund." She never questioned why it was her place, because she had never known anything else.

A vixen padded up to her and leaned against the wall next to her. The vixen was tall, and slender, with a sumptuous body that was very used to what Lauren was about to do. She had tall trim legs that led up to what many men considered to be God's very own Heaven.

Lauren looked up at the vixen with worried eyes. "Mary... you do this kind of stuff all the time... does it... hurt?" she finished with a small voice.

Mary smiled down at her and shook her head. "If you get lucky the guy'll pick me over you, but if he don't I think you're only going to be using your mouth anyway."

Lauren blushed. Her mouth? She didn't want to have something as icky as a boy's thing in her mouth. Though, she didn't really have a choice.... Did she? It was her place, after all...

Lauren looked back over to her brother, who had just accepted a substantial amount of cash from the driver of the old corvette. He pointed at Lauren, and then pointed to the car, and walked off.

Lauren watched her brother walk away, and felt unloved. Did he not care? Was she truly just a tool?

She felt a bump on her shoulder. "You're up, kid." said Mary.

Lauren looked at the driver, who had an impatient wild look in his eyes, and had no choice but to walk over to his car, open the door, and get in.

Lauren had started sniffling, and she blinked back tears. Too many tears she had shed over this all but forgotten memory. There was nothing she could do to change it, so why did it still hurt?

A single tear ran down her cheek as she looked out of one of the dorm windows. Her only comfort was a single ray of light that shone through the glass, and though it was a small ray it seemed to begin to fill her with warmth because she knew, that like that ray of light, she could shine through anything, no matter how dim the circumstances appeared to be.

***

It was getting to be afternoon and still Simon had not found out what had happened to his knife. Even worse, he had no idea how he was going to patch up the damage done from the argument he and Christie had had. He racked his brain in almost a panic trying to think of somewhere that he might have misplaced it. By now he had already checked the bathroom that he'd been cutting himself in earlier in the week; he had even searched around in the coffee room after Christie had stormed out. The knife was simply nowhere to be found.

Simon sat down on his bed in a huff; he was now beyond the point of anger and had slipped into the world of exasperation. His eyes were wide because he could see his entire plan, everything he'd been working up to, falling apart right before his eyes.

He leaned his back against the rough wooden wall of his private room, and pulled his knees up to his chest. His tail found itself wrapped around his feet.

He gazed his tired eyes around the room in thought. It was a very bland area, with a light bulb that dangled down from the ceiling on a single line of wire. The paint on the walls was chipped and faded, and even gone in some places. It only made him angrier to think that he had to be confined to such a place.

It was here in the dead of Simons thoughts that something very fortunate happened.

Two quiet raps happened on his bedroom door and then a very quiet voice came from behind it. "S-Simon? Baby?"

Simon gave a little jump and then called for the voice to show the body that accompanied it. It was Christie.

Simon now felt something close to nervousness. There was a long pause as Christie and Simon stared at eachother. Finally, Christie broke eye contact.

"Well?" Said Simon simply.

Christie blushed and kept her gaze averted. "Simon... I... I lied to you, I told someone about the room."

Every instinct in Simons head suddenly went into overdrive, screaming at him to kill the girl where she stood. His eyes grew intense with anger and he stood from his bed at once, with his fists clenched at his sides. His anger was such that it seemed to render him incapable of moving from where he stood, and the only proper word he could make out was- "Who?"

"I... well... Matt. Baby wait!" She stammered as Simon opened his mouth in a manner that implied he was about to scream. She suddenly felt frightened and she wasn't sure why. She also felt ashamed that she had, once again, made someone she loved so very angry.

"Baby I told Matt about the room without even thinking about it, but it's okay! I- well, I found, I mean, well I talked to Matt and he- and he- he took.... This." Christie jammed her paws into the pocket of her pants and pulled out the knife, shoving it awkwardly towards Simon.

Simon blinked and stared at Christie, and then stared at the knife folded in her paws. He was torn between his anger and his astonishment. The worthless cat girl and turned out to be more useful than he could have planned...

He snatched the knife from her hands almost greedily and immediately took it back to its spot in his nightstand drawer. There was such triumph in the way he walked back over to Christie.

"Thank you." He smiled at Christie and hugged her. He was still mad, of course, but he would have his chance to finish everything before too long.

Christie returned the hug halfheartedly. "Hunny... have you been cutting yourself?"

Simons grip tightened for only a moment in surprise at the question, he pulled away from Christie to look her in her eyes, his paws still on her shoulders. His first reaction was to lie. "No, why would you say that, Christie?"

Christie pushed Simon's paws off of her shoulders and turned away. "I'm not stupid you know, I've noticed the cuts on your paws."

Simon knew instantly that his best bet in this situation was another lie, but constructing the correct lie always did put such strain on him.

First, he would lie with his body, by walking up behind her and giving her a tight embrace, and then he would lie with his words by whispering softly into her ear. "Hun, there are just some things about my past that are hard to let go, and sometimes cutting myself, well, it helps. If it troubles you, I will stop." Of course, he wasn't going to, but he knew she would believe him.

And she did, and she confirmed her beliefs by turning and nuzzling gently into his neck. She planted a kiss on his cheek, and then on his lip. "I love you."

"I love you too." He lied.

***

James and Matt walked silently beside eachother down the hallway. James had his arms folded and his muzzle pointed straight ahead, with an angry look in his eyes. Matt on the other hand was walking with his hands in his pockets, with an easy smile on his face.

"I still don't see what the fuck you're so proud about," James snapped "You better have some sort of plan or something."

"I'm not proud, I'm confident." Replied Matt in annoyed tones. "Look, I know you don't believe me, but nothing's going to happen to Christie. I promise."

"There's more to it than that!" James spat back "I mean, fuck, you could have at least asked to see what I might have had to say about the issue, but no, you just fucking-fucking go and give the knife back!"

Matt gave no reply, and James's only response thereafter was a 'hmph' and the refolding of his arms.

They arrived in their dorms and Matt went off to play a card game on Mahtan's bed, and James simply laid back on his bed. Neither one of the two made an effort to talk to the other for the half hour that came and went. Finally, Matt approached James.

"Hey, they're serving lunch in the cafeteria, you gonna sit by me again?" Matt asked James in a small voice. James simply shrugged and stood up and led the way out, with Matt and Mahtan in tow. There was so much resentment in the air that the trip to the lunch room turned out to be yet another quiet walk, even Mahtan was quiet the whole way, but of course, he was staring around the hallways as though he didn't know where he was. It was only when they entered the lunch room that any of them spoke.

"Hey look," Said Mahtan, pointing far off into the room "There's Lauren, let's grab some chow and head over."

They moved through the lunch line fast, and took their trays to the back of the room to join Lauren. Matt and James sat on either side of her so they wouldn't have to come in direct contact with eachother.

Lauren immediately noticed that something was wrong. She looked to both of the faces at her sides and sighed, "Okay, what's up?

"Nothing," replied the two in unison, and with a certain finality.

"Okay..," She turned to Mahtan and smiled over at him. "How's your day been going hun?"

As Mahtan struggled to remember the things he'd done today, James allowed his mind to drift off into space. It seemed that he and Matt had been arguing a lot lately. On top of this Matt had just put his sister in a lot of trouble that could have been prevented easily. It didn't make sense at all to James. Was Matt merely amusing himself by letting the events play out?

James looked over at Matt, and Matt was looking way over to the other side of the lunchroom. James followed his boyfriend's eyes across the crowded area and found his sight fixed upon a very lonely table in the corner of the room, only one person sat there, and that person was Simon.

Was Matt concocting some grand scheme, or was he just observing? James felt that he needed to know these things, simply because they affected him, didn't Matt know this?

Meanwhile, as James was lost in thought over his current situation, on the other side of the lunch room, at a lonely table, Simon Swiftpaw ate slowly. His plastic spork poked and prodded his food. He felt like tossing the tray into the wall and storming out of the cafeteria, but that was unnecessary, quite unnecessary. Not to mention it would cause a terrible scene, one that would not be in his favor at all.

All the same, he was still angry. His rejoice of the return of his knife had been short lived once he had come to the realization that Matt now knew where his room was.

Simon threw his fork down on his plate in discontent. His plan up until now had been to become friendly with Christie, then with James, and then to finally lead them into his room where he could live out the dreams he'd been having for so long... But now that seemed laughably childish, it was insane that such slight changes could screw over his entire plan.

But a new plan began to form as a rare occurrence happened before his very eyes. Christie, with trey in paw, walked over and sat down next to James. This was something that Christie never did; a result of eating alone in the coffee room at every meal. Simon had thought that Christie and James would be mad at eachother again, and perhaps it was so because James seemed surprised to see Christie sit next to him. Christie and James were brother and sister, and so they shared an unbreakable bond. If Christie loved Simon, then James would trust him, and he would be able to get them both alone in his room with him. A grin crept across his muzzle; Today would be the day.

Oblivious to her boyfriend's plots and plans, Christie had indeed sat down next to James. She looked over at her brother and spoke softly. "I'm sorry for getting mad earlier big brother."

James smiled softly and turned to looked down at Christie and hug her. "Well, I didn't exactly approve of Matt's tactics either, but... well, we're just worried about you."

Christie frowned. "It's not your job to be worried about me, I can take care of myself." She folded her arms and pouted at her brother. She then looked down the table at Matt. "What's he being so quiet for?"

James shrugged.

"Did you two have an argument?"

James grinned. "It's not your job to worry about me, I can take care of myself."

Christie groaned. "Yeah, yeah, point taken. It's your business."

James nodded. "Tell me about Simon, how did you two meet?"

Christie blushed and averted her gaze from that of her brothers. "Well... We-we uhm... how we met was-"

"Booty call?" James snickered.

Christie blushed furiously. "I hate you big brother, but yeah."

James nodded. "Christie, doesn't it worry you that you might be... that way, for the rest of your life?"

Even further did Christie avert her gaze before replying, "I... I think about it sometimes, yes," She sighed. "but what can I do?"

James shook his head. "I wish I could help."

Christie giggled, "You've helped out once or twice in the past, I think."

James rolled his eyes. "That is not what I meant- but anyway, really, you trust this Simon guy?"

Christie nodded. "I'll admit he's a little... unorthodox, but he's so sweet."

James nodded solemnly. "Just... just don't let him get the best of you."

"Do you remember Felis?" It was random, and unexpected, but the question had erupted out of Christie's mouth before she could catch it. They had not talked about Professor Felis since their last day at his school.

James looked taken back. "Y-yeah, I remember him," Of course he remembered Felis, at the sound of his very name vivid memories of James's teacher hugging him on the floor of the office that James had ravaged out of anger. "Why?"

"Well, he told me once that things would be like this- I mean, he always said that because of... of what we did at such a young age, that you would always be overprotective of me." Christie looked her brother in the eyes. "Brother, please don't worry so much."

James nodded. "I'm sorry Christie, maybe you're right, maybe there's nothing to worry about..."

Christie gave her brother a hug and a kiss on the cheek, before turning her face to her trey and chowing down.

The rest of the lunch hour passed in silence until the bell rang and many orphans threw away empty treys and made to return to their separate dorms. Christie walked off to find her boyfriend, and James took an almost mechanical place on the side of Matt as he walked. He didn't walk next to his boyfriend out of affection, but merely out of sheer repetition. His face turned to Matt and he gazed upon him. "Matt?" James whispered, so as not to be overheard by other furs in the halls. "Do you love me?"

Matt stopped, and looked at James taken aback. "Well, of course I do hun, how could you even ask that?"

James looked down. "Matt... sometimes you just don't listen to me, or take my feelings into consideration... that has to stop."

Matt looked sheepish, embarrassed at himself. He rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Aw, hun, I'm sorry... I swear I'm not trying to be such a dick, it's just- I need my space, you know? Sometimes I like to work in secret and keep my thoughts to myself; I only want you to respect that. I just need you to trust me a little bit. But maybe I'm going about things the wrong way... I'm sorry hun." And he stepped forward and hugged James.

James hugged him back, feeling somewhat reassured.

A grin cracked across Matt's face, "C'mon," he said and took James by his right paw, off down a lonely hallway. James blushed and let Matt lead him down the hall. He wasn't sure where they were going, but it was clear Matt was up to something.

***

Simon Swiftpaw gave his most charming smile of all as Christie Kat jogged up to him for a hug. "So, you decided to eat in the lunchroom today?" he said with his arm around her.

She nodded and smiled up at him. "I'm sorry I didn't sit by you, I had to talk to James."

"Of course. A sister and brother should talk." He gave her a playful grin. "You know, A sister's boyfriend and his girlfriends brother should talk too. I'd like to get to know him if you two are close."

Christie beamed; this would be the perfect opportunity to prove to James that Simon wasn't such a bad guy. "You know," she giggled. "There might be something to that."

Simon nodded encouragingly. "Why don't you bring him down to my room some time?

The worst mistakes are often made in the most subtle of ways, and there was no way Christie could have foreseen the consequences of her reply. "I think that's a good idea, I'll talk to him about it and maybe we'll be down there later."

And so it was done, and laid out in stone that that day would be the day of the revenge of Simon Swiftpaw.

**

"Okay," said Matt, stopping at a corner. "Close your eyes hun."

James did as he was told and felt Matt tug his hand yet again, he was being led around the corner and into a room of some sort, he felt his back being pressed against a wall and Matt's body pressing very close to his own.

Mat leaned his head forward and whispered into James's ear. "No peeking." And then, to James most profound surprise, Matt gave his lover a long, slow lick up the ear.

James's reply was a moan that was just a bit too loud. He found his arms suddenly around Matt's waist, his claws digging into the small of Matt's back. His senses were heightened by the closing of his eyes. He felt the warmth of Matt's skin under his tank top, and heard the jagged breathing of his partner; he thought that Matt must be nervous.

But of course, James was equally nervous. Matt's lips pressed against his and a soft gasp came from his muzzle. He pulled his lover close, as they were drawn into eachother by a sultry tango of their senses.

James began to feel lust that he hadn't felt in a long time, and his tongue pushed anxiously forward into the mouth of his boyfriend. Matt's tongue met James's and James moaned with delight, not only for the kiss but because he felt every single finger tip that slid around on his back, going lower, and lower, and then under his shirt, and then back up with the hem of the shirt raising above his head. It was then that Matt broke the kiss, but only for a second, and then reconnected with James to find his bare chest against that of his boyfriend.

The naked flesh of Matt's back against James's paw felt so erotic to James, it was smooth, he could feel Matt's muscles moving beneath the flesh. It was soon that James found his claws sliding down Matt's back. The first time he tried this, Matt broke the kiss and let out a moan that showed his great delight. "Oh my god hun," Matt breathed "That's so fucking hot."

James felt his cheeks grow warm with blush, and he looked up into his lovers eyes with a certain lusty tone and whispered. "You like that, baby?"

Before Matt could answer, James had bitten down into Matt's neck and began to drag his claws down Matt's back, much harder and slower than before. Matt groaned out lustfully. "Oh fuck yes, baby. I like that, I like it rough."

James grinned slyly, and finally let his eyes open. Matt liked it rough, did he?

Their eyes met only momentarily before James pushed Matt down on the ground and Matt fell back with a surprised, but intrigued, look on his face. James walked over and nestled his rear firmly on top of his lovers covered crotch area. James held Matt's wrists down against the floor and took from his lover a kiss. He then leaned his lips down towards his lovers ear and whispered into it. "Now it's your turn to keep your eyes shut, no peeking."

Once he saw that Matt's eyes were obediently closed, James slid himself back and then leaned forward to place his lips slowly on the nipple of his lover. It was something that James had never done before, but he savored every single moan, gasp, and groan that he got from Matt as his lips found their way slowly down Matt's chest by way of butterfly kisses and the occasional bite.

And now James was face to face with something that he'd secretly been longing for for quite some time. He undid the button, lowered the zipper and reached boldly into Matt's jeans.

The human cock came out to greet him half erect. James stared at it for a moment before looking up at Matt in bewilderment. "Hey... where's your sheath?"

Matt looked at James. "My-my what?"

"You know, your sheath!" James sounded worried.

Matt groaned. "Humans don't have sheaths, we have foreskin, but mine was cut off."

"Cut off?" James really sounded worried now.

"It's called a circumcision, it's normal for humans; I'll tell you about it after we're finished."

"Oh," James blushed, completely embarrassed about not remembering that he was holding, and subconsciously stroking Matt's cock in his paws. "Sorry."

James was nervous, but he closed his eyes and opened his mouth to slowly lower it down on the cock in his hands. His first reaction was enjoyment, something about having the head of Matt's member in his muzzle turned him on terribly.

It was his first time giving head, so he pushed his head forward slowly to test how far down he could take Matt's length. The tip of Matt's manhood found the back of James's throat, and about that time Matt's hands found their way on top of James's head.

It was James own submissiveness that turned him on the most, and on top of that Matt's fingers were simply scritching and rubbing at his ears in such passionate ways that every single movement of the human's digits were like a magic that enhanced the intensity of the moment. James closed his eyes tight and slid his muzzle backwards down Matt's length, making sure to let his tongue drag slowly down along the underside of the shaft.

Matt moaned, long and slow and looked down at his feline lover. "Oh my God baby, this is fantastic...,"

James let his mouth go from the member, took a moment to look up at Matt and smile sheepishly, then puckered his lips and blew softly on the tip of the hard human cock. He pushed the shaft up against Matt's belly and then gave a long slow lick up it. He looked up again and whispered. "This is something that Christie taught me."

Matt only had a split second to appear curious before James's mouth found one of his hanging testicles. Matt let out a moan that rang out through the room and closed his eyes tight. He bit his lip as the tongue of his feline lover found the area between both of his balls and brought it between his teeth, pulling at it softly.

James let the skin go from his muzzle and nuzzled into his lovers crotch for a second before finally taking Matt's sac into his mouth and drawing upon it succulently. Matt was now biting so hard into his lip that it hurt, but the pain was minimal in comparison to the pleasure he was in. James started to switch between testicles, drawing on one, and then the other in a slow succession. His paw had released the member from Matt's belly and had begun to stroke it rapidly.

Waves of pure ecstasy were coursing through Matt's body now, and he felt himself draw closer to his edge. He gave his lovers head a tug upwards toward his shaft. James got the idea and brought his mouth down on Matt's cock, no longer going slowly but building a steady rhythm. He felt pre shoot out onto his tongue and knew that his lover must be close, so he made to quicken his pace. Slurping sounds were starting to emit from James's muzzle and he pleased his boyfriend, and they were the only sounds heard (for Matt was in too much euphoria to even moan) until finally-

"Oh shit, I'm cumming!"

James wasn't ready for it, but made sure not to take his muzzle away from Matt's cock. A load of warm cum shot right into his muzzle and he swallowed it down as soon as it came, but it was followed by more; so much so that James couldn't swallow it all and a little rolled down his chin. He reached down his paw and coaxed more cum out of his lover by gentle caresses and squeezes of Matt's sac. With a final moan from Matt one last load of cum shot out into James's muzzle, and James swallowed it.

Matt looked down at James with the look of afterglow on his face, he brought down one of his hands and wiped a small bit of cum away from James's lip, then he smiled. "That was amazing baby."

James blushed and brought himself up on his knees to smile back at Matt. "Now, tell me about circumcisions, and foreskin."

***

Christie took her time walking to the boy's dorm. Even though she was anxious for the meeting of her brother and her boyfriend, she still knew she must have a talk with James about their father.

She turned the corner and passed a boy's bathroom that, interestingly enough, James and Matt had just emerged from. They both looked at Christie as though they didn't know what to make of her.

Christie, being very able to put two and two together, simply giggled. "Well, what have you two been up to?" James blushed deeply, and Matt simply stuttered and looked between James and the floor. Christie just shook her head and looked at James. "Hey big brother, can we go somewhere and talk?"

James nodded quickly and made to follow Christie, but not before giving Matt a tight hug, a kiss, and the promise that he'd be back soon.

James turned his face to Christie as they walked. "What's on your mind, sis?"

"Well, a number of things, really," Christie began honestly. "But let's wait until we get to the coffee room before we really get to talking about it."

James nodded and waited until they had seated themselves in the coffee room. He gave Christie a minute to gather her thoughts.

Christie sighed. "James, remember earlier when you asked me if I was concerned about being a nymphomaniac for the rest of my life?"

James nodded.

"Well, I got to thinking, and I don't want this. I don't want to be this way. For so long I've been blaming myself for this but... now that I think about it, it's all Dad's fault."

She paused, and looked at James. It was obvious that James had not expected their conversation to take such a turn so quickly, but nevertheless he was there for his little sister. "Christie, what Dad did to you was... it was wrong, just wrong."

Christie shook her head. "It's not that, it's just that... after the night he raped me... I kept coming back for more. I would beg him for it. Sometimes I even...," She closed her eyes tight to fight back tears. "Sometimes I would... get naked and... and sort of dance around in front of him to provoke him. I think he was really sorry after it happened but I kept tempting him."

James wasn't sure what to say, so instead of saying something he pulled his chair closer to his little sister and wrapped his arm around her.

She continued. "And then... when he died, I didn't feel any pain. The only thing I was thinking about was how I was going to sooth my needs without him. Then I moved in with you and I started doing the same type of things to you that I did to him. Remember the lollipop? And the way I would feel on you while you were trying to sleep? If you and I had never had sex in the first place the whole ordeal with Felis never would have happened, and maybe even mom would still be here...."

James tilted his head and looked at his sister with worry. "Christie we were young, we didn't know any better..."

Christie shook her head again. "Do you have any idea how many problems I've caused?" Her voice had become small, and it quivered in a way that was usually heard before tear shed. "All because I'm always looking for one good fuck after the next."

"Christie!" James said. "Christie no, none of this is your fault. There was nothing you could do about what happened, it's not like you meant for Sylvia's dad to... to do what he did."

No matter how many years had passed, neither of them really liked to talk about it, but Christie knew now was the time to throw her fears to the wind and speak of her troubles. "James it's all my fault! I'm the one that jumped out the window and went to Sylvie's house."

"But you didn't tell him to bring a gun, did you?" said James softly.

"No..." Christie looked down at the floor sadly. "I still remember... when he shot her, the way she fell to the ground. She was so... still." And then she broke. Tears that had been waiting years to be released finally flooded down her muzzle, and her brother was there for her. He wiped her eyes, held her and told her that everything was going to be okay; and for a long time there was silence and just the comforting embrace that only a brother could offer.

"Christie?" James finally spoke after what seemed to be a very long amount of silence. "I love you, you know that right?"

Christie looked up to her brother, nodded, and smiled. "I love you too, big brother."

***

Simon's room was connected to the janitor's closet. It was very interesting, indeed, how such little details could change the grander scheme of things so drastically. If Simon's room had not been connected to the janitor's closet, then Simon would not have access to rope. Rope was important to his plan. So was duct tape, and duct tape could also be found in the janitors closet.

Simon sat at the end of his bed in deep thought; ready to prepare for what he knew was coming. He had the tape and the rope lying on the bed, but what really mattered was overpowering James and Christie at the same time. This was where his knife and brute force came in, and after that there was nothing between him and his revenge.

The reason for his planning and vengeance suddenly came to mind. It used to bring tears to his eyes but now there was no feeling. There was no sadness, no joy, only anger and a need for justice. Soon his justice would be taken, and his father would be avenged.

***

Matt pressed his ear up against the door to the coffee room. Perhaps it wasn't right for him to sneak around after his lover like this, but his gut instincts told him that he might hear something interesting if he kept his ear pressed against a door. His gut instincts were right.

"James?" He heard Christie say from behind the door. "I-I want you to meet Simon. I want you to see that he's really not that bad of a guy."

James took a minute to reply. "Sis, I don't know... do you think he would want to meet me?"

"Well, to be honest, I really think he would." She sounded confident in her reply.

Again, James took some time to reply. "Well... Christie I guess you could take me down to his room, if you want. I wouldn't mind getting to know my little sissy's main squeeze."

Matt pressed his ear even tighter to the wooden door. This was something interesting to hear indeed. The thought of Simon alone with both the Kat siblings spooked him more than a little bit. What if, just what if Simon did something drastic?

Christie giggled. "C'mon big bro, we'll go right now."

Matt realized now was the time to take his ear away from the door, and quickly turn a corner.

Christie and James emerged from the coffee room door, with Christie in front to lead the way to Simon's room. The walk was quiet due to James's anxiousness about meeting his sister's boyfriend, and Christie's anxiousness about introducing her boyfriend to her brother.

The walk did not take long however, and before long Christie was knocking on Simons door.

"Hun?" She called. "It's me, I brought my brother. He wants to get to know you a little."

"That's great babe." Simon's voice came from behind the door, and it sounded very happy. "You two come on in."

Christie opened the door, and James walked in first, Christie followed close behind and as soon as the door was shut, before James had even gotten good sight of the canine, Christie had been thrown up against the wall farthest from the door, and he had been pounced on.

James's survival instincts kicked in and he sent claw and fist flying towards his attacker, but he was no match. Simon had taped his mouth and flipped him over so hard on the concrete floor that he felt warm blood gush from his nose all down his face, and then his paws were tied.

Christie was screaming, and she came at Simon but was quickly beaten away. Simon tied James's legs together and then proceeded to tape Christie's mouth shut, and tie her the same way her brother was tied.

They were brought next to eachother, set back to back, and then they were tied together. After all of this Simon stood back and gave them both a toothy grin. He looked at James and laughed. "James, right? Christie's brother? I'm Simon, nice to meet you!"

And then he fell on the ground laughing.

James cursed through tape at the madman laughing on the ground before them, but the blood rushing from his nose wasn't really helping him breathe so he had to calm himself. He was still in a daze, everything had happened so fast that James really didn't know what to make of it. All he knew was that he was confused, angry, and frightened.

Christie however, was just angry. Her nose wasn't bleeding so she could breathe through her nose fine, and so her taped up mouth was free to screech all the muffled up curses it could.

Finally, Simon stood up, walked right over to Christie and slapped her across the muzzle. "You know, with all that noise you were making, you little bitch, you might've gotten me caught."

He walked over to James and spat on him. "And you, well you were no problem at all, were you?" He delivered a sharp kick to James's stomach. "Pussy."

James whimpered out loudly through the duct tape and felt his eyes water with pain. Why was Simon doing this to him?

"Do you know," Simon continued on wildly, now simply pacing a circle around the two. "That I have been waiting years to see the two of you in this position?" He smiled widely. "I cannot say there has ever been a happier moment in my life."

Christie's muffled screaming was even more frantic now. Simon kicked her as well. "Shut up bitch, don't you hear me talking?" He kicked her again and she screamed, not of anger but of sincere pain. James tried to scream for the madman to stop, and it got him kicked as well.

When things were silent again, Simon continued on. "But, of course, you're probably wondering why I have you like this." Though Simon didn't expect it, James nodded, and a small grin curved on his muzzle. "I thought so."

"Although, I'm amazed you haven't figured it out yet. I simply can't believe you don't see the similarities; that you don't recognize an old friend." Simon paused. "I'm ashamed of you, James. You were always the smart one."

An old friend? James's head was reeling, what was Simon talking about?

"Let me show you something." Said Simon.

Simon began to disrobe himself. First his shirt came off and James saw that his chest was taped, and when his pants and underwear came down James came to the realization that Simon Swiftpaw and Sylvia Swiftpaw were, in fact, one and the same.

"Sfvfia!" said James.

"Yes, now you get it don't you?" Sylvia grinned.

James shook his head rapidly.

Sylvia put hir paw to the tape at James's mouth, and spoke softly. "I'm going to untape your mouth so you can ask questions, but if you make any noises that are too loud, you're both dead." And shi held hir knife to his neck with these words.

Shi ripped the tape off of James's mouth, and James took in a couple of gasps of breathe, then sputtered out. "Sylvia, oh my God, Sylvia why?" Blood fell from James's muzzle as he looked up, teary eyed at his old friend and asked again. "Why are you doing this to us?"

"Because, it's your fault my Dad is dead!" and then hir paw came backwards across the feline's muzzle.

James recovered from the strike against his muzzle quickly. "Your Dad shot our Mother!"

"And then he shot himself!" Shi retorted. "He couldn't live with the guilt of killing someone! It's your fault! Your mom was the one that attacked me!"

James's eyes were wide and fearful, for he knew what she was talking about.

"What the fuck!?"

James, Christie and Sylvia, who were all locked together in a very erotic session of yiffing, all looked at an enraged Ms. Kat with wide eyes. For a moment there was silence as Ms. Kat's eyes found Sylvia's nether region, and then finally she screamed and ran towards the hermaphrodite.

"You abomination! How dare you seduce my children in such a way!" And she had kicked Sylvia up against the wall. The young canine whimpered and closed her eyes, coughing with pain. Again and again Ms. Kat's shoe had found Sylvia's stomach.

James's mother's attack on the poor canine had been terrible, and it made him feel sorry for the deranged person infront of him, but he knew that the Sylvia he knew long ago had been replaced by this mad alter-ego. "You're insane." Was all he could muster.

"Shut up!" Sylvia cried, and shi proceeded to kick James in the stomach again and again until the feline was doubled over in agony. "It's all your fucking fault and you're going to pay!"

Sylvia had moved out of James's range of sight, which was extremely limited because his head was reeling and his eyes were watering with pain. But soon James saw not only Sylvia, but Christie being drug into his sights by the mad hermaphrodite. Shi pulled out hir knife and pressed it against Christie's skin.

Her eyes were wide and terror was alive in them, she was fidgeting and shaking but she was unable to get out of Sylvia's grasp, and she knew if she moved too much she may accidentally get cut on Sylvia's sharp knife.

Sylvia looked James directly in the eyes. "I'm going to kill her first James, and you're going to watch. After that I'm going to kill you."

James shook his head wildly and screamed. "Sylvia, No!"

Then a number of things happened very fast.

A voice from behind the door to Simon's room screamed, "They're in there, he's got them!" and then people were storming into the room and Sylvia was forced, kicking and screaming, away from Christie. Christie was safe and sound, and soon medics were examining the two siblings while Simon was being dragged from the room in hand cuffs; in the doorway stood two figures- Matt, and Mr. Dean.

"Oh my God, oh my God." It was all that James could say and he repeated it over and over. Matt came to his lover and embraced him tightly.

"It's okay, hun." He whispered. "He'll never be able to hurt you again."

***

Days passed and the word of the damage done by Simon Swiftpaw had spread like a wildfire. James's muzzle had healed and Christie had come out of it without any real harm done to her, other than the pains from where she'd been kicked.

Simon had been taken away, but nobody really knew where to. Mr. Dean had issued his own personal apology to James and Christie, and all was well.

James and Matt now sat next to eachother in the courtyard, basking in the sun and simply holding eachother.

James turned his head to Matt. "Matt, tell me what happened. How did you know to run and tell Mr. Dean?"

Matt took a moment to reply. "I... I was eavesdropping on you and Christie while you were talking in the coffee room. I heard that you were going to visit Simon and my gut just told me that I should go to Mr. Dean with the information I had about the guy. He listened to what I had to say and then called some of the care-givers to help him go check out Simon's room, I went with them."

James was so amazed with Matt that he didn't even care that his lover had been eavesdropping. All he knew was that right now he was alive and more thankful for that than ever before.

Christie walked out into the sunlight over to Matt and James. She gave both of them a tight hug and then sat down beside them. "What are you two doing?"

Matt answered. "Talking about... the other day." He wasn't sure how to refer to the incident in any other way.

Christie looked down, ashamed. "That whole time we were going out, I never even noticed anything. I feel so stupid."

James wrapped an arm around his sister. "Christie, don't say that. He, well, Shi manipulated you."

But Christie shook her head. "And what's worse is that I led you right into his trap big brother. I feel like it's all my fault."

"Hey." Matt had given Christie a consoling look. "Don't talk like that. What happened the other day is no more your fault than anyone else's. Guys like him, they can smooth talk anybody, I've seen them before. But you know what? Guys like him always end up in jail or dead."

Christie wasn't sure if this made her feel any better, but Matt leaned over and hugged her again and she did feel better.

"You guys," Christie looked around at her two friends. "I love you both."

"We love you too." James and Matt replied at the same time.

And so the three, along with Lauren and Mahtan spent the rest of the day, and the rest of the days thereon without worry of Simon, and they laughed and bonded until they went to bed, safe, at night.

They knew that they all had the others love, and that they would have it so forevermore.

End of chapter Seven

By,

Proffesor Kool Kat