The morning came early and calmly at Huck's home. He was happy to roll over and find Betty there beside him. It was something that made him smile, particularly as thoughts the fun times Huck had had with Betty over the years. They had been friends since the Jenkins family moved to Moon Lake and Huck became their family were. They'd shared classes and shared interests, and often Betty had followed him after school. About the only thing that Betty didn't do with Huck growing up was attend pack meetings with Huck. Most of this was the fact that Betty was a Moon Lake Normal.
To see her face there, even with her eyes closed and her breaths slow and steady, Huck smiled as he felt his own heart soar. Like all canine weres, weredogs were more monogamous and loyal to their mates. They didn't have anything quite like a werefox's bond, but weredogs and werewolves could all be highly loyal to their married partners. And in recent years, Huck had found himself wanting something like that. Some of the fun at pack meetings would be fun with some of the single weredog females was attractive, but he'd begun to feel a desire for something more than just a one night stand. He found himself wanting a long lasting relationship that would be happy. In some ways he had been jealous that Harry had found Jenny, not knowing that the one who truly was the one for him had always been there.
Betty had always been close and followed him, but Huck had managed to miss every hint that Betty ever dropped that she liked him as more than a friend. It was only after Huck had been shot that he'd found that out. It wasn't quite the way he expected to find out that he was truly loved, but as he healed and became more mobile again, Huck wasn't about to complain. Betty had always been a good friend and they got along well, and something deep within his heart told him that they would be happy together for a long time, and it was with those thoughts in mind that he slowly reached forward and brushed a strand of Betty's hair away from her eyes. The movement made her blink for a few moments before her eyes fluttered open.
"Good morning," Huck said softly to her. "Sleep well?"
"I did," Betty managed as she sat up and stretched her back a bit, letting Huck get a full whiff of her scent. It was still that of a normal human being, but she knew that wouldn't last long. Depending on what the doctors said with regard to Huck's healing, which was progressing well, and what happened with regard to this supposed city council meeting was supposed to cover later that evening, there had been the plan that they would arrange for meeting before a justice of the peace where they would go from Betty Timid and Henry Jenkins Junior to Betty and Huck Jenkins. It was something that both were looking forward to.
Both of them got up slowly, and Huck didn't feel the twinges of pain in his back and chest as he stretched. He might not be at one hundred percent, yet, but he could tell he was doing better than he was when he was first shot. In this, Huck personally felt ready and capable to take on more responsibilities and handle bringing Betty into were society. But that might still have some responsibilities fill first. He smiled to her as they both readied themselves and got dressed. Their alarm went off with some of the continued alerts on the special city council meeting was planned out. That update was something that did turn them away from the small "good mornings" and "how did you sleep" that went through the young couple.
"Do you think this will delay anything?" Betty asked to Huck as she watched him shut off the radio, with it being pretty clear as to what "anything" meant.
"I really don't know," Huck commented, "We've had special city council meetings before..."
"I know," Betty commented, "but none with the rumors that have come along with it. Even by now some of your regular staff have heard some of the rumors."
Huck sighed and nodded as they made their way toward the kitchen to begin getting things ready for breakfast. Huck started with get started with coffee while Betty started with some eggs, toast and sausage. Jenkins Construction didn't have has many employees as Tachibana Enterprises, but it did a lot of work all around Moon Lake, and while his injury had delayed a lot of the real work that Huck could do that didn't mean that he wasn't unaware of some of the things going on. Clients commented on it and some of the regular employees had also heard of some of the rumors from their children or from other family members. It was something that Huck couldn't just ignore
"And if this comes to be something of a chaotic mess because of whatever this meeting is about... it could delay any sort of ceremony we could have," Betty commented as she looked over to Huck.
"Hey, I'm doing great!" Huck answered, "the appointment today is just a simple check up... and that's mostly to confirm that my ribs and lungs have healed."
Betty watched as Huck jumped up and down for a few moments to emphasize his recovering strength. He looked fine enough, and he did manage to get a very good vertical leap and landed as gracefully as possible, though he came within few centimeters of his head hitting ceiling as part of his efforts to show that he was recovering from his wounds. The bigger thing was that when Huck landed he wasn't short of breath and still looked quite strong and virile. On a personal level it was something that made her more than willing to urge him back to bed and make her way into were society, but she knew that there was more to all of that going on and she wanted. There was work that had to be done and she knew that with as many of these rumors flying around, her personal desires and Huck's health wasn't the only thing to worry about.
"I can see that... but that's not the biggest issue coming," Betty said slowly, "could this meeting delay the plans that would make our union legal?"
"I don't think it can stop us from scheduling it, dear," Huck turned to her while listening to coffee drip and the eggs crackle softly in the pan that Betty had them in, "I would think that those licensed to do so would be pretty busy today... but we could still go up to City Hall after my last appointment and see what the schedule is. If things are favorable, we can do whichever you think is best."
"And if things go badly?" Betty wondered, "say this meeting creates trouble... or something worse...?"
"You and I both know that if this city council meeting presents too much of a shock, it may mean that those in the town's executive branch, Mayor Stovall, Deputy Mayor Katherine Chambers, and Town Chancellor Samantha Twist wouldn't be able to do the ceremony... but the city's judges would be able perform the same tasks as well," Huck commented, "though their timing might relate more to what is available in general. They will have trials from time to time..."
"That could mean we could get married tomorrow or next week!" Betty spoke with some surprise and some evident frustration. A part of it was after years of trying to get Huck to notice her as more than a friend and now finally having his romantic interest, a real part of her really didn't want to wait. Not that long.
Huck noticed this and slowly made his way over to Betty before taking her in a soft hug. She could feel his warmth and even his strength as they stood together in the kitchen for a moment, and that did reassure Betty a bit.
"It may... but a week isn't that long," Huck answered her, "and once you become a were... time won't be that much of an issue. We'll have centuries of happiness together. And that doesn't have to wait until the wedding... We could do that tonight regardless and then focus on moving things from your apartment here over the weekend."
"No... I want to do this as "right" as we can," Betty answered, "and besides we have to get ready for work... Your father and John will come by for their instructions on where you're sending them."
Huck nodded but couldn't resist tightening his hug a little, to assure Betty that he loved her and that things would be fine.