Fix me?

[Maira]

The loss had jarred him, to say the least. It had jarred his whole family but losing one's twin was harder than Kiyo had ever imagined it would be. Of course thats probably because he never -had- imagined what his life would be like without Riko. She had always been there and every plan and daydream of the future had her running through it somewhere. And now, thanks to that accursed Hunter, she never would be a part of his future again.

He'd always been able to sense when Riko was in pain, upset, or scared but since the emergence of his magical talents that sense had only gotten stronger. Because of this, Kiyo knew the instant the Hunter turned on Riko. He knew the very moment that the man's knife first cut her. He knew when Riko retreated int her mind as the man had his way with her already brutalized and bloody body. The worst of it was that he knew, practically saw through her eyes, the instant that Noreen gave the order to kill Riko.

Noreen, his ex-wife and mother of his twins Kaylie and Nolan, had been a Hunter. He'd never known until the children were three years old. She had placed charms over him and the twins to repress their leopard heritage, it was an experiment in controlling were-creatures of all kinds and it had nearly succeeded. What Kiyo couldn't understand was how a Hunter who used magic on her prey could turn to cold-blooded murder. At least that was a thought that passed through his mind once the rage, numbness, and deep depression had passed...

When the Hunter's knife had slipped between Riko's ribs and into her heart there had been a wrenching, soul shattering pain in Kiyo's heart. It too stopped and if Sorin hadn't appeared to pump life back into it, he would have died in that same instant. As he'd awoken Kiyo could feel a dull ache across his chest and an emptiness in his soul that he couldn't place immediately. Only when Sorin's face came into view and the man asked in a whisper, "Riko is gone isn't she?" did Kiyo realize why he felt so empty.

After that a blind rage took over Kiyo. Angry too that his own twin had been lost, Guardian surged to the surface. Emotions were too strong for either half to submit and the creature that practically destroyed the auto-body shop was a mixture of both humand and leopard. All but one of his employees ran out of the shop, scared of what their boss had become. The third employee, the one that stayed, managed to help Sorin in keeping Kiyo-Guardian from doing too much damage to himself.

It took all of Sorin's strength, both physical and magical, to get Kiyo under control. Finally he just had to knock him out. The, with the help of Kiyo's remaining employee, he managed to get the man-leopard into the back of his car to take him home.

*****

After that first outburst, Kiyo retreated into himself for weeks. After the first few days of Kiyo refusing to get out of bed, eat, talk to the children (or anybody else for that matter), Guardian asserted himself and took over care of their body. Having the leopard prowling around the house and the property was strange at first but eventually everybody adjusted. The children even took to following him on his daily rounds around the property line.

At first Guardian made it easy for them to follow him, always staying within their sight. Then after a short time he would start slipping away from the, causing them to use their eyes and ears more to find signs of his passage. In his way the big cat was teaching the children tracking, an essential skill for any wereleopard or werecheetah. Not only did Guardian teach the children how to track but how to climb, hide, and move as silently through the underbrush as three young children could.

While the leopard's days were filled teaching the children the ways of their feline heritage, his nights were filled with Sorin. He was the man's constant companion. Always near him, either sitting on the floor at his feet or curled up next to him on the couch or bed. There were nights that Guardian could tell Sorin wanted to be left alone and it was those nights that the leopard took himself out hunting and then slept with one of the children.

Finally, after about three weeks, Kiyo woke up. Guardian had gone to bed with Sorin, like he had most nights for the past three weeks, but in place of the big leopard coming morning was a surprisingly healthy looking man. It took Kiyo a moment to realize where he was but once he did he instinctively rolled toward his lover. He knew he'd been gone in a sense, and he knew why, but he didn't know just how long. When he saw how haggard Sorin looked even in sleep, Kiyo realized it had to have been for more than just a few days. Not sure how his reawakening would be handled by Sorin, Kiyo lay there staring at the vampire for a long time trying to work up the courage to let the other man know that he was, if not completely recovered from the tragedy of his twins death but, slowly healing. When he realized the vampire was stirring and on the verge of waking, Kiyo gave up trying to think of anything appropriate to say or do and just kissed him. The kiss was tender and apologetic, yet at the same time tinged with just a bit of passion to let the vampire know how much he'd missed him.

[Demeter]

Hell hath no fury like a pissed of ancient, magic using vampire. He warned her. Come near and harm what was his again and her life would be his. Riko was, through Kiyo, his. At first, he focused soley on Kiyo but once Guardian took over, Sorin set to his revenge. Noreen would have no secrets from him.

He learned why the threats towards her parents had no effect. They'd been shifters, turned in a feral attack when Noreen had been a teen. Her own parents had been her first kill a few months back. Up until a few months back, her hands had been clean.

Once he had that information, he hunted her down and she learned the hard way about pissing off ancients. He'd hauled her before the combinded councils of hunter, magic, shifter and vampire. Once judgement had been passed, her powers stripped from her, Sorin had drained her of blood. One body for another.

All he had to do then was care for Kiyo-Guardian and that was more frustrating then dealing with Noreen. When the man finally came back to him, Sorin nearly crumbled with relief and clung to him.

[Maira]

The way that Sorin reacted to his kiss nearly brought tears to Kiyo's eyes. He'd never meant to hurt the man. To say he hadn't been thinking clearly when Riko died was an understatement but it still didn't excuse, in his mind, the hurt he'd caused Sorin in the time he'd been "gone". He kept whispering to the man clinging to him, "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry," in hopes that Sorin would forgive him.

At this point he had no idea what had happened with Noreen. This was probably a good thing because that initial re-bonding that was going on with the men would have taken a whole different turn. At times, ignorance truly -can- be bliss.

[Demeter]

Sorin was pretty damn sure that Kiyo wanted to kill him. After their reunion, Sorin had told the Leopard about Noreen's fate and to say that Kiyo had been displeased would have been the world's grandest understandment. Not to mention that Sorin had refused to turn Kiyo then and there. Yes, he was sure that while the Leopard was no longer mad at him, he still wanted to kill Sorin.

In all honesty, Sorin had been afraid that he'd mess something up and permanently damage Kiyo. Not to mention the three children and Cheetah milling about the lower levels of the house. Turnings, to Sorin's mind, between lovers were intimate things. To turn a person, a lover, was taking a long step past the traditional vows of affection. Turnings were forever and the implicit trust that Kiyo had in him was soul-shattering. And he didn't want to screw something up.

Besides, he didn't know how to turn anyone. Dispite his years and all the lovers he'd had, none had every asked to be turned and he'd never wanted to turn a single one of them. Kiyo was so much more then all the others.

It took a month to plan. After hundreds of questions to Lysander, Kiyo's quasi-brother-in-law and the apparently master vampire of the Kiyo's sister's family, Sorin believed himself ready to turn Kiyo. He just need the time and the place to do it. He pawned the trio of unholy toddler terrors off on Sanura and had his Cliff House readied for them.

He didn't think that Kiyo bought the innocent smile he'd given when the Leopard had questions just how many homes he owned.

Now, as they bounced along what the locals jokingly called a road, Sorin glanced over at Kiyo. The Leopard, moody as ever, stared out the window at the passing trees. Sorin supposed that he had a reason to be moody but enough was enough already. Sorin stopped the Jeep in the middle of the road and slammed the shifter into park. He politely tapped Kiyo's shoulder and, when the Leopard turned to face him, grabbed a handful of shirt to yank Kiyo up against the center console. He kissed the Leopard until he deemed the man sufficently dazed from the surprised attack.

Sorin put the Jeep into drive and whistled all the way to his cliff house. Secluded in the middle of nowhere, no one would bother them. No cable, no wireless or cell reception and a single landline that Sorin planned on yanking from the wall until Kiyo's turning was over. He loved the house, a sprawling construction of local logs and glass perched on the edge of cliff and surrounded by dense forest.

He left the Jeep in the driveway and gave Kiyo the grand tour. One long room that combinded kitchen, dining and living rooms. There were a couple of bedrooms on the lower level. And the master bedroom, ofted above the main floor, boasted a large bed and a stone fireplace. All the rooms had acres of glass that looked out over the forest.

Once they were settled in with a fire crackling and popping in the living room's fireplace, Sorin came up behind Kiyo. "We are going to take this slow, Kiyo, because I don't want to hurt you. However, tonight is all about you. Tomorrow night is soon enough to turn you," Sorin spoke as he flicked open the buttons of Kiyo's shirt open and hooked his thumbs into the waistband of the Leopard's jeans.

"I want you, Kiyo, all of you. Just think about, Kiyo, we are all alone here. We haven't been alone since Christmas Eve. No kids, lovable as they are, who have a talent for popping up at exactly the wrong moment. No Cheetah giving baby clothing wistful looks and sighing before looking over at us and sighing somemore. Just you, me, and a empty house," he whispered into Kiyo's ear as he undressed the Leopard.

[Maira]

Kiyo felt utterly robbed of his closure concerning his twin sister's murder. Of all the people who could have taken action against Noreen, why had Sorin been the one to do it? Surely his older sister who was a vengeance Custos was more than capable. Even their father, a vampire now like Sorin, could have dealt out punishment. But no, his lover had brought Noreen to taks before the joined Counciles and had drained her of her blood. Had drained her of her life.

He would never have the satisfaction of screaming out his rage at her, of making sure her life was miserable, of demanding punishment for her crimes. Sorin had stolen that from him while he couldn't even speak for himself and the leopard was having a hard time coming to terms with that. if Sorin had just waited until Kiyo was once again himself maybe the man wouldn't feel so jilted and angry and lost...

When Sorin had finally approached him about getting away for a weekend, Kiyo's first instinct was to flat out refuse. He didn't really want to spend a lot of "alone" time with Sorin right now. Sanura and the kids were a great buffer to keep him from letting into the older man for what he'd done. They were also great for keeping him from breaking down after letting into Sorin. Without one he couldn't do the other so why in the world would he want to remove his buffer from the situation and open up Pandora's box?

It took Sanura cornering him and telling him point blank that he -was- going with Sorin and that was that before Kiyo finally caved and agreed to go. She wasn't very big, or very physically intimidating, but for some reason Kiyo just couldn't quite ignore her "orders" when she went all mama cat on him...

So, that was how Kiyo wound up in Sorin's damn car on the bumpy-ass road glaring out the window. He didn't want to be there at all. When Sorin stopped in the middle of nowhere and kissed him silly, Kiyo was taken totally off guard. What the hell had THAT been for?! It -did- help with his mood a fair bit, he wasn't actually glaring at the poor innocent trees anymore.

As they pulled up to the house on the cliff Kiyo had to resist the urge not to gawk. It was beautiful. The house, the property, and the view. He eyed the vampire, once again wondering just how many houses the man had... When no answer was forthcoming, Kiyo got out of the jeep and helped haul in their bags of luggage and food for the weekend. It didn't take long before everything was situated and Sorin had a fire going in the livingroom.

Kiyo was staring into the fire, starting to think semi-unhappy thoughts again when Sorin's arms closed around him from behind. The things that he said first said to Kiyo wiped those unpleasant thoughts from his mind. Sorin had said those things to him before and it had ended very well. When Sorin mentioned Turning, Kiyo's eyes (which had closed at his lovers embrace) flew open and he stiffened ever so slightly. He'd given Sorin the go-ahead to Turn him when he was ready at Christmas. He'd shamelessy begged Sorin to Turn him in the days following his "return" after Riko's murder. The vampire had never acted on either of those situations, had only quietly let things slip away to be left to brood over. Kiyo had begun to think that Sorin had changed his mind and no longer wanted him...

Whatever Sorin had said while Kiyo was reeling from the shock of the words "Tomorrow night is soon enough to Turn you," became totally lost to Kiyo. So, when he came out of his state of shock and found himself half undressed already he just gawked at Sorin and asked quietly, "You still want me?"

[Demeter]

Sorin laughed and nuzzled the feline. "Not want you? Silly man, I wouldn't have spent all this time chasing you to lose interest now," he nipped at Kiyo's ear lobe. "You've taken a hard blow and you needed time to heal."

He yanked Kiyo's shirt off and sent it flying. "You needed to adjust to the fact that I took your revenge against her from you. Be honest with yourself, Kiyo, would you have remained rational once you had her? If you'd had killed her on the spot, the hunters would have had an arguement for your death. I hauled her before the combinded counsels, pleaded my case of experiementation and an unwarrented killing. Justice was served.

"I didn't want the stain of death on your soul. I didn't want you carrying around the knowledge that you'd killed, however much she deserved it, the mother of your children. Let me shoulder that burden for you, Kiyo."

Sorin popped the button of Kiyo's jeans. "As for turning you now instead of when you asked me, I have two reasons. The first is that I wsanted to be sure you truely wanted it. The second was that I was, and still am, scared shitless of hurting you."

He tumbled Kiyo onto the couch. "As for not wanting you...I don't call the night forward, seek vengence and contemplate a turning for people I merely like. You, Kiyo Mori, are beautiful, delightful and mine." And Sorin spent the rest of the day, and most of the night, showing Kiyo just how much he wanted him.

[Maira]

Even in his human form Kiyo was practically purring as he snuggled up to Sorin. Yesterday had been a very eventful day and night and for the first time in a very long time Kiyo could honestly say he was content. Of course, it had also been a very long time since he'd let Sorin have his way with him. He hadn't realized just how much he'd missed the vampire until he woke up next to him and wasn't mad at him. After watching his lover sleep for a couple minutes, Kiyo decided that he -really- needed some coffee so he slipped silently from the bed.

Grabbing only a robe, Kiyo slipped it on and padded quietly to the kitchen. He went about getting coffee brewing, then decided that breakfast was a must and he started gathering the ingredients he'd need to make french toast. He had just started dipping the bread into the egg mixture and had put the first few pieces on the griddle when he heard footsteps behind him. He decided to let the vampire "sneak up" on him and just concentrated on getting more breakfast on the griddle.

When familiar hands slipped around his waist and a familiar chin rested on his shoulder, Kiyo stopped what he was doing to turn and face Sorin. "Good morning lover," he practically purred before kissing the other man soundly. Then as if nothing had happened, Kiyo went back to concentrating on making breakfast.

The silence from Sorin told Kiyo just how shocked the vampire was at his sudden change in attitude and he couldn't help but smile a little. He'd been lost for a while but somewhere between Sorin calling Kiyo his, and their final tumble into bed the vampire had found the leopard once more. He still felt a little frustrated that he'd not had a say in what happened to his ex-wife for what she did to his sister, himself and his children, but it was something he could move past because Sorin had only been doing what was necessary.

[Demeter]

Sorin sat at the kitchen table and watched as Kiyo made breakfast. Handling this in the kitchen still wasn't a skill he could claim. He was excellent with a grill and some steaks but actual cooking? It just never worked right. The microwave and phone were his methods of cooking. In short, watching Kiyo as he wipped up some breakfast was nothing sort of sensual. He wondered if he could get the Leopard to agree to feeding each other.

With narrowed eyes, Sorin planned out his attack. The previous night had been full of loving. Tonight and, most likely, the next deal would be filled with helping Kiyo through the turning. Which meant that he had only a few hours left to steep himself in all things Kiyo.

He waited until breakfast was on the table. Snatching Kiyo's fork from his hand, Sorin turned the utensil around and held out the bit of scrambled eggs to the Leopard. Grinning at the man, he scooted the fork closer. "Don't make me make airplane sounds, Kiyo."

As they fed each other bits of breakfast, Sorin outlined his plans for the morning and afternoon. Mostly, they involved no clothing and the use of the hot tub out on the deck. He smiled at Kiyo. "Let me spend the day loving you."

He didn't add that he was still scared that something would go wrong and he would loose Kiyo forever.

[Maira]

Sorin's request to Kiyo to let him spend the day loving him caused Kiyo to smile like a fool. "Of course," he answered before opening his mouth to accept the bite of eggs that Sorn was holding in front of him. He then snagged the fork next to Sorin's plte and ed his lover breakfast too. The meal was slow and filled with casual conversation and loving jabs at Kiyo's recent change in behaviour "back to normal"

The rest of the morning and afternoon were spent exactly how Sorin wanted; without clothes, loving each other, and a bit of ime in the hot tub. The view from the deck was amazing, but even the view became forgtten as soon as Sorin once again directed his attentions to Kiyo.

At some poit in the late afternoon, once they made it back to the bed, Kiyo crashed. Sorin had always had a very healthy sex drive, and Kiyo's was nothing to sneeze at, but in the past two days they had enjoyed each other more times than the leopard could count. By the time he wokeup, the sun had long since set. He wasn't exactly sure of the time as his vision was blurred from sleep and he couldn't read the clock. What he could see was a very nervous Sorin watching him from across the room.

Seeing that look on the vampire's face jolted Kiyo the rest of the way awake. "What's the matter Sorin?" Kiyo asked quietly. As he waited for n answer, Kiyo started to get a good idea of what was wrong: tonigt Sorin was going to Turn him.

Sitting up, Kiyo let the blankets pool at his waist and before Sorin could say anything the leopard told his vampire firmly, "I wat this and I trust you. Everything will be fine." And strangely, with those words, Kiyo fet a sense of calm settle ino him. Whether it was his feline instincts or he strange magic user's intuition that hewas still gettng used to, Kiyo just knew that his words had been true. The change likely would be hard, like it was for most people, but the outcome would be fine.

Sorinstill looked like a nervous wreck so, ignoring his lack of clothes, he crossed the room and knelt in from of his lover. "Trust me Sorin, okay? I know that this will work. You are -not- going to lose me."

[Demeter]

Sorin paced the bedroom. He was waiting for Kiyo to get out of the shower. After having his lover reassure him again that nothing would go wrong, he’d clung to the Leopard for a while before sending him off to shower. And he worried over his fears despite Kiyo’s soothing words from earlier. What if he got so caught up in what he was doing that he forgot himself and drained the Leopard?

To distract himself, Sorin made sure he had everything ready. There was plenty of ice in the big deep freezer out in the garage and a couple of fire extinguishers standing ready in the mudroom, just in case things afterword got out of control. But there were other things to consider. This wasn’t a clinical turning. This was something between lovers. So he changed the sheets on the bed, built up a fire in the fireplace and turned down the lights.

When Kiyo, dressed in a pair of loose lounge pants, returned to the bedroom, Sorin crossed to him and wrapped his arms around the Leopard. He held the man for a moment, whispering that he loved him, before stepping back and drawing him towards the bed. Sorin kneeled down behind Kiyo’s and pushed his hair aside. He could only whimpered when Kiyo tilted his head to the side and leaned back against his chest.

Sucking in a breath, Sorin lowered his own head to nuzzle at Kiyo’s throat. He licked and nipped and sucked at the tender flesh he found there. It didn’t have to hurt when a vampire fed or turned another and Sorin would be damned if Kiyo felt even a moment of pain. His plan was to drive Kiyo into a state of heightened arousal before turning him. He kept one arm wrapped around Kiyo's chest, fingers delicately tracing back and forth over his collar bone. The other hand slipped down over the plane of Kiyo's chest and abdomen, fingers tucking themselves below the waistband of his bands and lower to tease him to distraction. And when Kiyo was whimpering and squirming and pleading and reaching back to clutch at him, Sorin finally bared his fangs and bit the Leopard for the first time.

And from that moment on, all Sorin knew was Kiyo. All of his senses where alive and filled by Kiyo. His taste, his touch, his voice, his smell were the only things that Sorin was concerned with. He held Kiyo against his body, arms wrapped, vise-like, around Kiyo’s bare chest as he drank deeply. He’d always known that Kiyo would taste good but he’d honestly never expected to be this intoxicated by the man.
Some unknown signal urged him to draw back. He pulled his fangs out but kept his mouth on the wound. He continued to suck and lick at the wound until he was convinced beyond a doubt that the bleeding had stopped. He pulled his mouth away and nuzzled at Kiyo’s neck. He kept his hold on the man before him, their bodies trembling together as they both came down from the high they’d been at.

Sorin, never breaking his hold on Kiyo, carefully lowered the both of them down so that they were lying on the bed. Once he regained the ability to speak, he whispered in his Kiyo’s ear. “Love, you still with me?” he asked.

[Maira]

Despite having wanted this for quite some time, and despite his words to Sorin, Kiyo started to get nerves once he got out of the shower and got dressed to rejoin Sorin in the bedroom. When he joined the other man, the lights were low, the bed had obviously been changed, and a nice fire was glowing in the fireplace. Apparently Sorin wanted to make this a romantic occasion and that brought a smile to Kiyo's eyes. When Sorin approached him, held him in his arms and whispered that he loved him, Kiyo couldn't help but purr a little and whisper back, "I love you too."

After that, once they were on the bed, the sensations of Sorin getting him worked up into a frenzy blurred the actual actions. When Sorin stopped and they were laying on the bed next to each other, Sorin asking if he was still with him, Kiyo answered, "Of course. Though I thought you were supposed to bite me?" Kiyo had never felt Sorin's teeth pierce the soft skin of his neck, the most he thought the vampire had done to his neck was give him a world class hickey. Before Sorin could respond, however, Kiyo once again succumbed to sleep and his dreams were very vivid.

The dreams started out just replaying and embellishing the events of the day and evening. By the time they got to the end point, where Sorin was sucking on his neck, Kiyo was feeling very warm. When the dream-Sorin pulled away Kiyo saw blood dripping from the man's fangs and as the blood fell from the tip of his fangs onto the bed, it changed into liquid fire. The liquid fire started the bed clothes smouldering but neither dream-Sorin or dream-Kiyo did anything about it. Instead, dream-Sorin smiled wicked and said darkly, "Welcome to the fire," and with those words Kiyo's blood still running through his veins turned to fire. He was burning alive from the inside out!

Outside of the dream it was almost dawn and the bed was still in one piece and Kiyo wasn't on fire. At least not yet. His body was starting to noticeably warm and he had kicked off all the blankets and rolled away from normal spot wedged up against the heater that was Sorin.

Just as the flames started to trickle from his fingertips onto the sheets, Kiyo woke up with a start and a yell. When he saw the fire at the ends of his fingers but didn't feel any pain, Kiyo watched for a moment dumbfounded. Fire was supposed to hurt wasn't it? In his dream-turned-nightmare he had been in horrible pain. Only once he realized that she sheet and mattress were starting to smoke did Kiyo snap back to himself and he jumped off the bed, holding his hands out in front of him saying very loundly and with only mild panic in his voice, "Um... Sorin?!"

[Demeter]

Sorin laughed softly when he realized that Kiyo was zonked out. Shaking his head, Sorin used a foot to hook the single top sheet and draw it high enough for his fingers to catch. He pulled sheet up and settled in for a bit of a nap. He had been as excited as Kiyo, if a bit more aware, during the process and the absence of all those hormones were making him sleepy.

He slept dreamlessly, and deeply, until Kiyo's voice woke him. He opened one eye and looked at the newly turned vampire. And now, he thought, comes the less fun part of this. With a sigh, Sorin patted out the smoldering bits of bedding before kicking the sheet away and crossing to Kiyo. He came up behind Kiyo, tucking his chin against the man's neck and wrapping one arm around his waist. He slid the other hand along Kiyo's arm before folding his fingers over Kiyo's effectively smothering the flames.

"Fire vampire, love, means there are flames. You'll learn control in time but first I think we need to get your body temperature down." The new changes plus the young vampire's panic were causing him the heat to sky rocket and even Sorin was starting to feel the heat. He led Kiyo into the bathroom, stripped him down and turned on the shower full blast. He pushed Kiyo into the shower and waited to see if there would be a blood curdling scream when the other man realized that there was only ice cold water.

Most newly turned fire vampires praised all the gods they could think of for that first dunking before they could control the heat. He'd all but sobbed after his own turning when he'd sat down, bare assed, in a winter river. Cold water had never felt so good.

After a few minutes, mostly to work up his own nerve to face the cold water without using his own heat to protect himself, Sorin joined Kiyo under the water. "Feel a little better?" he asked while slowly turning up the water temperature.

[Maira]

Kiyo had never been so grateful for Sorin being calm and able to take things in stride. He knew, logically, that with Sorin being a fire vampire he would be too and that would involve actual fire. He knew this. But seeing flames dancing on his hands and not actually hurting him was a bit much to swallow first thing in the morning.

Once Sorin smothered the flames on Kiyo's hands he then led him into the bathroom where he proceeded to strip him down and shove him into the shower. "Holy shit that's freezing!" Kiyo cried out at the shock of the cold water hitting him. Of course, he strangely wasn't complaining. The cold felt amazing to his extremely overheated body and the cat in him actually started purring. After a few minutes Sorin worked up the nerve to get into the cold shower with Kiyo and very slowly started to raise the temperature of the water back to something that would be considered normal.

*****

The shower had helped ease that first bit of shock at the new part of himself. Now he was sitting out on the deck, snuggled up with Sorin as the older vampire explained a few things to him. Kiyo was listening as well as he could but he was also fighting to keep his body temperature under control so he was half distracted.

[Demeter]

Together, they worked on basic control. By the end of their weekend in the woods, Kiyo was able to keep himself under control. Finesse, Sorin had told the newly turned vampire, would come later. For now, he was to focus on not burning anything down. For a little while, all of his being would have to concentrate on keeping that fire under control. The night before they headed back to town Sorin had a question he wanted to ask Kiyo. They sat in the living room, snuggled up in front of the fireplace and Sorin nuzzled Kiyo. “I have a question to ask you. I know that we haven’t been together in a very long time but what would you think about adding a third person. Sanura is…lonely.”

“It doesn’t have to be sexual, not if none of us want it. She spends all of her time with the children but I’ve noticed that she’s been listless. I haven’t talk to her yet because I wanted your thoughts on the matter. She’s refused every single man or woman I’ve pointed out to her.”

[Maira]

The weekend had been a challenge for Kiyo. He had hoped that his magic user heritage would aid him in learning to control his new vampire fire, but either it wasn't helping at all or the fire was just harder to tame than he'd ever imagined. Despite his own dissappointment, Sorin seemed really pleased with Kiyo's progress and at the end of the weekend declared him fit to rejoin the general population. They had packed everything up and into the car and were enjoying a last minute snuggle on the couch when Sorin dropped a bit of a bomb on Kiyo. Or at least it Sorin seemed to think it would be.

Kiyo, however, wasn't even phased by Sorin's proposition and explination. "I may not have outwardly been very open lately but I've still noticed things going on with her too. I even tried suggesting a few people to her myself."

The three adults had long ago agreed to share a house because, despite the awkwardness many people would have in their situation, it really just made sense for their intertwined families. Because of their joint living situation there was a certain amount of familiarity and affection that had developed between the three of them and maybe because of that Kiyo had been blind to what was right in front of him. Until now anyway. His eyes widening slightly at the possibility he asked Sorin, "Do you think she has been turning down all of our suggestions because she is already living with who she wants?" Only pausing long enough to let his words sink in, he then added, "It may seem like she spends all of her time with the kids but think about it, what does she do for us too? Practically everything any regular girlfriend or wife would do. We have both just been oblivious to it."

Suddenly Kiyo felt like a jerk. Sanura had been raising his kids who weren't even hers and had been living as his girlfriend or wife (minus the sex), and had been sad and unhappy because he was too wrapped up in his own issues to reciprocate as more than just her friend and housemate. Quietly, and more than a little subdued, Kiyo finally answered Sorin's proposition, "I think the kids all need to go visit Saiyuri and we need to talk with Sanura. She has been nothing but loving and supportive with both of us and she deserves the same from us in return. If she's willing of course."

[Demeter]

The trip back from his cabin was quiet. Kiyo was worn out from the weekend so Sorin let him sleep on the drive back. He had other things to think about. Like how to approach Sanura with their unusual proposition. Would she be offended by the mere suggestion? And what if they were wrong about their theories? 

The big talk waited until the next weekend when they were able to ship the kids off to Aunt Saiyuri's for a few days. When Sanura grumbled about it, Sorin had turned on the charm. He said how thankful they were that she was willing to not only take care of them by doing the cooking and cleaning but to take on the raising of the children. And how she should take a few days to relax. Maybe sleep in, get a pedicure or just sit around reading a book. 

She was still a little grumbly about the whole thing when he and Kiyo joined her for a post pizza flop in the living room. She was sprawled on the couch while he and Kiyo were snuggled together on the floor in a nest of pillows and blankets. Sorin glanced around and caught her staring at them. He nudged Kiyo and sat up. "Hey, 'Nura, can we talk to you about something?"

"Me and Kiyo, we've noticed that you've seemed a little lonely lately. Not only that but you've turned down almost everyone we've introduced you too. The two of us can't help but wonder if everything is okay."

When Sanura protested that everything was fine and she didn't have any interest in dating, Sorin shook his head. "'Nura, don't say everything is all right. We've seen how you stare at us. Tell us the truth, 'Nura. Do you want Kiyo and myself?"

[Maira]

Sanura loved spending time alone with the trio of dark-hared beasties that thought they ran the house. When their daddies went out of town for the weekend Sanura was both thrilled for the time with the kids, and sad at the prospect of once again being left with them alone. During their time spent living together she had come to develope feelings for them that she swore to herself she never would. They were her friends, Sorin was her daughter's father and Kiyo happily let her pretend to be the mother of his twins. The three of them were supposed to be housemates and co-parents, nothing more. Or, at least she wasn't supposed to be anything more.

Sorin and Kiyo had been together for a while now, and the more she saw them happy together the more she wanted to be a part of what they had. Yes her feline urge to make more little cheetahs was annoyingly loud in her desires for the men, but that was just the physical part. Her heart and her brain were the parts that wanted more. So, when the men drove away, leaving her in the house alone with the children she just tried to make the best of it and tried even harder to convince herself that it wasn't a relationship she wanted, just their bodies.

After the men returned, things were different between them. Where things had been strained before, they were almost completely fixed now. Kiyo was happy again, with only a few darker moods, and Sorin was practically floating on cloud nine. As much as she loved them, Sanura wanted nothing more than to leave. But she never would because she refused to separate her daughter from her father and she honestly couldn't leave any of the kids behind.

When Sorin made arrangements for the kids to go away to Saiyuri's house for the following weekend, Sanura balked. It had been so long since she hadn't been around them that it was really hard for her to picture her weekend not revolving around them and their activities. And yet Sorin and Kiyo insisted, and even suggested she sleep in or get a pedicure. She'd oggled them in confusion before stalking away to her bedroom for a while.

After pizza the night that the kids left, the three of them flopped in the livingroom and she couldn't help but notice the men snuggling contentedly on the floor. She didn't realize she'd been staring until Sorin sat up and asked if they could all talk. Instantly she was on the defensive and when he started asking if everything was okay she was quick to answer that it is. Only when he wouldn't take no for an answer, and asked her directly if it was he and Kiyo that she wanted, did Sanura sit up herself and swallow a nervous lump in her throat.

"Fine," she finally started after a moment of silence. "You're right, I'm not really okay. I'm lonely and feeling really frustrated with myself and what I've gotten myself into. I swore that this would only be a co-parenting, housemate,friendship type of arrangement and yet I seem to have fallen for you two. I'm sorry, I know its not what we all wanted and if you are uncomfortable with me being here anymore because of it I understand." When she stopped talking, Sanura was shaking so hard and tears were threatening to fall. What the hell had she just done?!

Kiyo, seeing her on the verge of breaking down looked pointedly at Sorin, hoping the man would understand what he meant to do, then he went to the cheetah, gathered her in his arms and sat down on the couch with her in his lap. He held her close and whispered to her, "Nura, love, if you want us we're yours. We were just both too preoccupied with our own stuff to notice what was really going on."

At Kiyo's actions and words, Sanura fell apart. She clung to him and cried silent sobs, though whether they were of relief, embarassment, or mortification at the fact that she was falling apart she wasn't sure.

Over Sanura's shoulder, Kiyo looked again at Sorin and gazed at him questioningly. What was he supposed to do with a lap full of crying cheetah? Especially since he didn't know if he'd done something wrong or right. He was leaning towards right since she hadn't hauled off and mauled him with her claws, but with Sanura one could never be sure.

[Demeter]

Sorin smothered a chuckle at the panicked look on Kiyo's face. Having dealt with an emotional Sanura before, he picked himself up off the floor and sat down on the couch. He motioned to Kiyo and took the crying Sanura onto his own lap. Her pregnancy with their little girl had been a hormonal and emotional roller coaster ride and he'd become a master at calming her down. 

With her face buried against his neck and her body huddled against his, Sorin rubbed Sanura's back. It took a bit but she eventually quieted to the ocassional sniffle. Once she was quiet, Sorin placed a finger under her chin and looked at her.

"What Kiyo said is true. We want you to be with us, Sanura. It feels right," he said before placed a hand on the back of her neck and gently pulling forward until he could kiss her. 

It was a gentle, lingering kiss meant to comfort and show Sanura just what he and Kiyo meant. When he pulled back, he looked around Sanura to where Kiyo still sat on the couch. He held out his hand to the younger man. "Come here," he said. 

[Maira]

First Kiyo hauled her into his lap and told her that they wanted her if she'd have them, then Sorin took her from Kiyo and soothed her until she stopped crying before kissing her. Her brain was rebelling at the mens' words, surely she was imagining things and just hearing what she wanted to hear. But her heart, it knew better and she could feel the emptiness that had been in her filling up. They wanted her, she could stay, the six of them were going to be a real family and not just an awkward bunch of room mates.

When Sorin pulled back from their kiss, she smiled at him joyfully. As Kiyo scooted closer to them, she lifted her legs and stretched them across his lap, then leaned forward far enough to wrap her arms around his neck and nuzzle into his neck long enough to get a good hug from him.

With Sanura half in his lap and half in Sorin's the hug from her was a bit awkward but when she pulled back from him, he stopped her and he too kissed her softly. "Now, was that talk really worth panicking over you silly cheetah?" he gently teased her, earning a not so gentle punch to his shoulder. Kiyo couldn't help the belly laugh that escaped him. She really was fine if she was beating him up again. Leaning in against Sorin, Kiyo nipped the man's shoulder and slipped an arm around Sanura's waist, growling out, "Mine," playfully but with just a hint of possessiveness.

[Demeter]

Sorin grinned at the possessive tone of Kiyo's voice. He liked hearing that rumble in the new mutari's voice. With Sanura nestled against the both of them, Sorin reached across and hooked a hand over Kiyo's neck. He pulled the man over for a deep kiss. He was well aware that Sanura was watching them, he could hear the rapid beat of her pulse. 

Still kissing Kiyo, he looked over at her. His free hand was caressing her thigh, stroking along the jean covered inner curve. A few months ago, the look on her face would have made him nervous but now the sight of her eyes dark with passion and arousal excited him. 

And he wasn't the only excited one. The smell of smoke broke through the haze of smoke. Groaning, he broke the kiss with Kiyo just in time to watch a little curl of flame pop up on his sofa. He swatted it out and raised an eyebrow at a sheepish looking Kiyo. "Looks like we won't be consummating this relationship until someone gets control."

At the expected grumbles, Sorin smirked. He kissed the two people he was sharing a couch with. "I don't like it either but I don't want to be interrupted when enjoying myself by the smoke alarm going off."

He laughed when Sanura punched Kiyo and told him to get control of himself.