{{Sorry for the latest prolonged absence. Working third shift isn't fun, but it certainly beats being unemployed, broke, and homeless.—tmw.}}
Alex Ramsey heard a knock on the back door of his house and instantly knew who it was.
"Come on in Stud," he called out, using his pet name for his expected visitor, to which his boyfriend Nate Anderson immediately responded by entering.
The smile on boy's face told Alex he was more than happy to see him, "But how come you haven't changed yet?" asked the teenage werewolf standing before Nate. Even if Alex's tail wasn't wagging and his lupine rocket peeking from its sheath, Nate knew his lover was happy to see him too.
"Wasn't sure what to expect over here Handsome," admitted Nate, after the two exchanged kisses. "I told my folks about your family's plans, and while they don't mind me spending the weekend with you... babysitting, our more long range agenda kind of freaked them out."
"How so?" asked Alex, concerned.
"Personally, I think they were a little shocked to find out I was growing up," began Nate, kicking off his shoes. "They're not too happy with the thought of us co-habituating after we graduate high school instead of waiting until after we graduate college. Mom and dad made a couple of comments about expenses and maturity, especially with college looming in our future."
"To be expected Stud. But I know they're cool with me and you together."
"Definitely. They're happy that we found each other, and the long term result of that relationship. Although they were kind of freaked out when Eric and I explained to them prophecy dreams and how sure we were about our futures with our respective mates," admitted Nate, while putting his arms around Alex. Other than taking off his shoes and socks, for the moment, the oldest Anderson boy remained in his human form and clothing.
"I know none of your family have been members of were society for very long, but even for naturally born weres, if you've never had one before, the concept of prophecy dreams is kind of hard to grasp," conceded Alex.
"Well, even if we hadn't of shared one together, I already know my future Mister Ramsey," said Nate confidently, before kissing his werewolf boyfriend on the tip of his nose.
"Me too," agreed Alex, before lupine lips pressed against human ones. "Now we better go see my folks. They want to go over the usual babysitting rules. You know. Emergency contacts. No wild parties, etc."
MEANWHILE...
Eric Anderson didn't realize how long he was in the shower until he got out to dry himself off.
Thoughts of his fiance, the beautiful were-mermaid Julie Stovall, kept swimming in his head, no pun intended.
The fact that Eric once more found himself in his own Stage 2 were-merman form: displaying his scales and webbing, wasn't lost on him as he hurriedly dried off and rushed to his room to keep his nightly Skype chat appointment with his beloved.
"You told them EVERYTHING?" Julie asked in disbelief.
"Almost everything. Except the fact that we're already engaged," revealed Eric, while staring longingly at Julie's computer image, as she fingered the single pearl necklace she wore proudly around her neck, the were-mer version of an engagement ring.
Like Eric, Julie was sitting in front of her computer and its webcam, wearing nothing else but an over sized bathrobe, but proudly displaying at least her Stage 1 mer-form, as evident by the webbing between her fingers.
"Are you sure it's okay to talk about prophecy dreams?" Eric asked her, a bit nervously. "It isn't like revealing a birthday wish after you've blown out the candles, is it?"
"Not as far as I know. Then again, I never had one before you," admitted Julie. "Besides, since we had the same dreams and discussed them between ourselves, I don't see what harm it would do to tell our parents. After all, mine already know at least some of the future concerning us," she added with a smile.
"How much?" wondered Eric.
Julie stopped and thought about that for a moment before saying, "My mom? Practically everything, including Eric Junior and Melinda," she revealed, referring to the names of their future children. "My dad? At least the fact that we're engaged and destined to spend the rest of our lives together. If mom's told him any more than that, I'm unaware of it."
"Well, at least your parents are cool with us getting married after we graduate high school. Mom and dad weren't too happy with the idea of Nate and Alex getting married after they graduate high school," said Eric.
"Then again, Nate and Alex's wedding will happen sooner than ours. Parents need time to adjust to something so major in their children's lives," pointed out Julie. "Besides, being were-mers, we are a little more in-tune, so to speak, with the more... romantic spirit of something like this. After all, we not only believe in the concepts of love at first sight, destined soul mates, and happily forever after, they're also proven facts for us."
"Well, I freely admit that it took time for me to accept those things to begin with, but I'm glad I did," replied Eric, while holding up a hand to his webcam to happily display the webbing between his fingers.
"I knew from the moment I first saw you in the school hallway," said Julie, while holding up her own webbed hand so it looked like their palms were pressing against each other on screen. "I am so glad it worked out between us."
"Me too. I can't wait until tomorrow, and all the days after when we can finally be together in every way a couple should. Marriage and everything."
"Let's not rush it Eric. We have our whole lives ahead of us. Remember, our children aren't on the horizon until after we graduate college and establish our respective careers, and I don't remember a specific time table for that."
"Unfortunately, I don't either. Then again, being weres, we have all the time we need," said Eric with a smile.
"That's the spirit honey," said Julie with a smile. "And don't worry about your parents. No one in your family has been a were that long. Besides, with Yvette Smith behind bars where she belongs and your mom finally acknowledging and embracing her bi-side, everything's all right in their little corner of the world, so it may be years before either of them experiences a prophecy dream, if they ever have one at all."
"I never really thought of it that way. You mean some weres never have a prophecy dream?" asked Eric.
"That I can't say. But I do know a prophecy dream only happens when needed because a were has an unanswered question about the future," answered Julie.
"I know my future, and I can't wait to fully embrace it," said Eric, as Julie blushed.
"Me too Mister Anderson."
"Oh, my future Mrs. Anderson," said Eric with a smile, as he blew Julie a kiss, to which she responded by moving closer and pretending to kiss her webcam, so it looked like she was giving Eric a big kiss.