“Well, that’s a disturbingly ambiguous way to put it,” Zephyr said stiffly.  “I’ve been ‘needed’ before.  I’d much rather be ‘under contract’ than ‘needed’, thank you.  That aside, I haven’t even agreed to do it yet.”

“Then let’s discuss a contract,” Eddie said. “The best coffee in the world won’t save my place if I can’t think of something fast.  It’s nearing the peak of tourist season, and if I don’t do better this year than I did last year…” his voice trailed off, sounding crestfallen.

Zephyr opened her mouth, prepared to snarl something she’d regret later, when Tempest took her arm.  “You, come with me.”  He tugged Zephyr out of her chair before pointing at Morley.  “You, take care of her business negotiations.”

Eddie and Morley watched as Tempest dragged a clearly surprised Zephyr out of the room by her arm.

Morley sighed and looked across the kitchen table at the place Zephyr had been sitting.  “Geez, he could have at least let her finish her cake…”

Eddie looked at Morley, his eyes wide.  “Are they…”

“What, always like that?  Yeah, pretty much.”

“His first impression made him seem so quiet and laid-back…”

“He is,” Morley assured him, a smile twitching the corners of his mouth up, “except when it comes to his twin.  He’s the only one who can make her put away her claws.  It’s hilarious when you’re used to it.”

“What’s hilarious?” Tempest asked as he strolled back into the kitchen.

“You and your perpetual need to protect the world from Zee,” Morley answered, leaning back in his chair, a smirk on his face.  “She’s a touch tempermental.”

“She’s fine the way she is,” was Tem’s firm answer.  “Did you make arrangements?”

Mo snorted.  “You were gone for less than two minutes.  I’m good, but I’m not THAT good.  What did you do with Zee?”

Tempest shrugged sheepishly and rested his elbows on the back of Morley’s chair.  “I shoved her into your bathroom and ordered her to spend at least fifteen minutes in your whirlpool tub.  What do you want to do in the meantime?”

“The contract?” Eddie reminded them.

“I’ll look into it tomorrow,” Morley promised.  “Today, it’s my birthday.  I vote for playing video games.  Our perturbed princess can join us when she’s done.”

“It’s my turn to pick the game,” Tempest called, having already retreated to the living room.

“It’s MY birthday,” Morley complained,

“That particular guilt trip only works with Zee,” Tem said as Morley and Eddie joined him.

“It was worth a shot.” Mo flopped down onto the floor next to Tempest, using the front of an overstuffed leather couch as a backrest.  “Hand me a controller, will you?”

“You two are always like this, too?” Eddie asked, amused, as he took the controller that Tempest offered him.

“Mostly,” Tem answered.

“I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that you’d have the same best friend as your sister, should I?”

“He is and he isn’t my best friend,” Tempest said smoothly as he popped a game into the console.

“My friendship with Tempest is completely different from the friendship Zee and I have,” Mo confirmed.  “Apples and oranges, et cetera.  Not that it’s any less.  Just different.  Now, do you mind if we play, already?”

Eddie let the question go without comment.  The only sounds in the room for several minutes were the sound effects of the video game as the three sank into comfortable silence.  The relaxed atmosphere was almost mesermizing.

And then Eddie had to go and open his mouth, completely destroying the emerging sense of peace.

“So if she’s not dating you, is Zephyr…seeing anyone?”

A grim tension seized the room for a heartbeat before Tempest turned away from the television to look at Eddie, his typical laid-back smile still on his face.  “Zee just got out of a very bad relationship with someone I despised.  I don’t know you well enough to have formed an opinion yet, so you can look all you want. If you even think about making a move on her, though, I will personally remove your face with my bare hands.”

“Wow, that’s not something you should say while looking so calm.  It’s eerie.  Protective much?” Eddie asked, looking unshaken.

“Always,” was Tem’s firm reply as his gaze went back to the game in progress.

“I’m starting to get the impression that you have a serious sister complex,” Eddie said, half-joking.

“He does,” came a voice from the hallway.  The three looked up as Zephyr entered the room in her pajamas, drying her hair with a towel.  Smudge followed behind her, begging for attention.  “I’ve been told I have quite a brother complex, though, so we’re even.”

“There shall be no twincest in my living room,” Morley said, grinning.

Zephyr threw her towel at Mo’s head, missing completely.  The towel landed harmlessly on the couch behind him.  “For even suggesting that, you are no longer my best friend,” Zephyr said, obviously joking.  “You are now furniture.”  She dropped herself onto Morley’s lap, picking up Smudge as she did so.

“I’m a chair, then?”

“If it makes you feel any better, you’re my favorite chair,” Zee answered, yawning widely.

“Go to bed if you’re that tired, Beautiful,” Tempest said gently.

“Nuh uh.  I want to stay out here.  Besides, I still have to put stuff away in the kitchen.”

“Let her stay,” Morley said.  “There are worse fates than spending the evening with Zee snoring in my lap.”

Eddie shook his head.  “Are you sure you two haven’t ever considered–”

Zephyr’s eyes flashed fire.  “Drop it,” she said, irritated.  “I don’t know why you can’t seem to grasp that we’re only friends.  We’ve never seen eachother like that.  To take that notion even further out of the picture, Mo’s been in a serious relationship for years now.  As I’m quite fond of his beloved, I seriously doubt I’m likely to develop a sudden desire to date him.”

“Besides, we’d kill eachother, and murder’s kind of bad for relationships,” Mo said.  “Lean over a bit, Zee.  I can’t see the screen well.”

“I didn’t know you had a girlfriend,” Eddie said simply.

“Something like that,” Morley answered evasively.  “My love life isn’t a matter of public record.  I’m not the type to kiss and tell.  Besides, living out here means I haven’t been seeing them near as often as I’d like, and talking about it just makes it lonelier.”

“Well, you have me to bitch at in person when you get lonely now,” Zephyr said, sounding as if she were near sleep.

“Yeah, I’m glad you decided to move.  DAMNIT!”

Zephyr startled at Mo’s exclamation, turning to glare at him.  He grinned sheepishly.  “Sorry.  I died.”

Zee’s only response was to place Smudge on the floor and take the controller from Morley, effectively usurping his character.

“You know there’s a fourth controller, right?” Morley asked her, amused.

“Go get it, then.”

“I can’t, you’re sitting on me.  Get the other controller if you want to join us.”

Zephyr turned, an eyebrow raised.  “Make me.”

Without hesitating, Morley’s hands shot to Zephyr’s sides, reducing her to a shrieking, giggling heap on the floor as he tickled her mercilessly.  When he stopped, Zephyr was panting for air, an occasional giggle still bubbling forth.  He picked up the fourth controller from its spot on the entertainment unit and handed it to Zee as he took his own controller back.  “Be careful what you wish for.”

“Well,” Eddie said as Zephyr, still giggling, made herself comfortable in between Morley and Tem, “at least I know things won’t be boring with you people around.”

“Feel free to insert cliche quotes about it being the start of a beautiful friendship here,” Zee said cheerfully.

“Mnn,” Eddie responded vaguely, finally turning his concentration to the game at hand.

***

Author’s Note:

And thus ends Chapter 3 – I’m so glad I finally got something done.  I have the end of 4.1 written, so I hope I can knock that out in a few days.  It’s funny, but I’d originally said I wasn’t going to worry about editing or revisions.  Yet, as I was reading through yesterday, I began to proofread out of habit.  SO MANY ERRORS.  I’d intended on going over everything before releasing Volume 1 as a PDF (and possibly hard copy, if there’s enough interest) anyway, but I was still amused.  Every time I say I’m not going to worry about proofing/editing, I do it anyway out of habit.  Old dog, new tricks, blah blah blah.

Of course, realizing that I’m working on 4.1 makes me realize that I don’t have Volume 2 mapped out yet, which in turn makes me say “OH S#!T.”