"See you later, Annie!"

I blushed and waved back. "See you later, Alt!"

I had managed to escape the onslaught of rounds of sex, much to my amazement. Waltz was so insatiable. I blushed and rubbed my face, but was caught up in a pair of familiarly tanned arms.

"Ann, you look sexy. What have you been up to?" purred Briar, kissing up my throat.

"Can we cuddle for awhile, Bri? My butt aches and my body is tired."

Briar inhaled sharply and began to cough, so I rubbed his shoulders. He began to laugh as he carried me to his bedroom, so I nosed his jaw with a tired giggle. I snuggled in his arms, starting to purr. Briar's purring started up right afterwards, so the vibrations made me feel so relaxed.

"Were you with Waltz and Dian, Ann?"

"Mm," I mumbled. "I promised to spend time with Waltz once I got back, and I only just managed to be released. Waltz is so insatiable, Bri. I'm amazed Dee can keep up with him."

Briar choked, coughing again. I kneaded his chest and kissed his throat. He calmed down a few moments later, hugging my small form tighter as he opened the door to his room.

It was very jungle-like with green ombre walls, a black and green comforter and matching sheets, a brown bookcase filled with books, and a wiggly mirror off to the side. There were some trinkets and tiny toys laying around, but they were all in one corner next to the bedside table. There were a couple lamps around, too.

Briar kicked off his shoes as he placed my butt down on his bed. I removed my shoes and Briar moved them next to his own. I reached for him with a bright smile, my tail whipping back and forth. He chuckled as he wrapped his arms around me as he lay down. I settled myself on my left side, pressing my face to his neck and chest.

"I missed you, Ann. It's so lonely without your light." he murmured, kissing the white tips of my wolf ears.

"Mm," I murmured, snuggling closer. "But you have everyone, too."

"Yeah, but it's like a key component is missing in this family when you're not here. Our home feels emptier."

"But does it not feel lonely even if I'm alone in my room?"

"Even then, because we know you're here with us."

I hummed and scooted up to peck his lips. He purred, hugging my body closer as he began to nuzzle my hair.

"Bri, I love you." I said softly, and he squeezed my waist.

"I love you too, Ann. I really do."

We were quiet for awhile, just listening to each other breathe. It was warm in Briar's embrace, so I could feel myself getting sleepy. I snuggled closer and Briar readjusted his arms to pull my body flush against his own.

"Ann, how many have told you their pasts?"

"Zaire, Gavin, and Angel. I guessed Damon's past and it was later confirmed by him."

Briar sighed and nuzzled my hair. "And mine?"

"Not fully, but it had something to do with your mother, too?"

His grip tightened and he began to tremble. "Y-yes," he whispered. "Tell me, Ann, did the others have to do anything to stay at home?"

I sighed softly and lifted my fingers to brush them over his throat. "Briar..."

With that gentle touch, Briar burst into tears. I scooted upwards to hold his head. He hugged my body tightly, letting his tears soak into my sweater. I soothed him with a soft hum in my throat, petting his black waves of hair. His ears twitched when I lightly brushed over them by accident, but Briar was starting to calm down.

"Bri, are you feeling a bit better?"

"A bit," he sniffled. "But not great."

I giggled, stroking my fingers through his hair. "You're so cute, Bri."

He chuckled, moving the straps off my shoulders and tugging my sweater out of my shorts. "You're so much cuter, Ann."

I felt my shorts being removed, but didn't say anything as he buried his face in my sweater. I breathed softly, petting his hair and nuzzling his head. His hands stroked the bare skin of my waist.

"Ann, is it okay if we talk for a bit?"

"Of course it is, Bri. You don't need to ask."

Briar nuzzled my chest, now starting to pet my tail. "Ann, I had a really good birthday when I was eight."

I squeezed him for a moment to let him know I was listening. He sighed softly, taking a few deep breaths.

"My dad had gotten a new job that paid him well, and my mom had finally managed to be alcohol-free for a year. It was a good day to celebrate." he continued, "We went to an arcade for the first part. I was a bit worried about spending all the tokens my dad brought over in a plastic red cup that was bigger than my hand."

"Sounds like a lot."

Briar laughed. "Yeah, it was. My dad and I played some games together, though. My mom tried to do the drum one at least, but mainly hung back and took pictures. I used the tickets Dad and I earned to get her a present to celebrate her being sober. My mom was so happy that she cried while she hugged me. It was a bit awkward at the time, but I had learned at a very early age to appreciate what I did get from my parents, because I did not know what would happen within the next second, minute, or hour."

I combed my fingers through his hair, gently kissing the top of his head. Briar relaxed into me again. He had gotten tense over the last part.

"After the arcade, my parents took me to my favorite Italian restaurant. Even to this day, I can still taste the fresh and tangy parmesan on my caesar salad. I'll have to take you there one day, Ann. You'd love the food."

I grinned and whispered a soft thank you. Briar tilted his head back and received a kiss on the forehead. He pressed his face against my chest again with a happy sigh.

"After dinner, my dad suggested the ice cream parlor where they served gelato. My mom was all right with it. We headed there, got what we wanted, then went to a park to eat it. We sat on a bench together, just watching the horizon turn a bright orange, then a deep vermilion. Which is reddish-orange, by the way."

I nodded to show that I understood.

"After watching the sun go down together, we walked back to the car and went home. It was an eventful day for me and I made sure to enjoy every second of it."

I remained quiet. Something was building. The tension had grown.

"Not even six months after my birthday, my dad lost his job because the company went bankrupt. Then we learned that my mom had skipped more than a few of her A.A.—Alcoholics Anonymous—meetings. She had gone to bars after work and had also found a guy she liked more than my dad. Dad had been going to counseling for his anger issues for the last year on the promise that my mom would stay at her A.A. meetings. He was furious. Even more so after he learned she had cheated on him multiple times with one other man over the course of two to three months."

Briar relaxed with a few deep breaths and gentle rubs to his shoulders from me. His tail fur had puffed out in anger.

"I was scared that my dad would start beating me again, but he managed to hold it back. He grabbed me and threw my body into the car. He drove to the bar my mother had frequented, then dragged me out and dumped my body onto the side walk. He ordered me to find her and bring her back no matter what or else he'd get rid of me."

"What did you have to do, Br?" I asked in the barest whisper, my chest getting tight.

Briar clutched my form tighter. "The guard in front of the bar heard what my dad said and helped me out, allowing me to go inside. I searched high and low, and eventually found her at the back of the bar in the dark doing stuff together with that man she liked."

I kissed his head again, flopping my tail over us. Briar nosed my chest, taking a few deep breaths.

"My mother was shocked to find me there and, when she saw the tears in my eyes when I tried to explain, a guilty expression was clear on her face. She tried to leave with me, but the man got upset. He wouldn't let her leave. I thought my mother loved me, Ann. I thought she loved me enough to not leave me there. She proposed a trade—offered my body in her stead.

"The man refused at first, but my mother insisted and left me there moments later. He stared at me like he didn't know what to do. He left from the back door and brought me with him. I was scared and upset, but I couldn't let myself cry. Dad taught me not to." Briar shuddered, but relaxed with each push and pull of his hair that I did.

"He put me in his car and asked for my address. I told him and he began driving me home. He kept looking at me, though, and I wasn't sure I understood why he kept giving me those strange looks. He eventually stopped at a park and unbuckled his seatbelt. He put me in the backseat and he climbed in there with me. He proceeded to apologize while he—!"

The backs of my eyes burned. "Briar..."

"He returned me to my home afterwards. Dad said nothing when I came in, and my mother was nowhere to be seen. He asked me to grab a shovel, but my body hurt too much. When I tried telling him that, he kicked me against the wall. Told me to do what he ordered, since I was nothing but a failure."

"Did he—?"

"Force me to bury my own mother? Yes, he did. He killed her, Ann. The last memory I have of when she was alive was when she offered my virgin body to the man she was seeing in exchange for letting her go for one night." he snarled, his ears stiffening and tail puffing out.

"Bri, I love you." I whispered, pressing kisses to his hair and hugging his head. "I love you so much."

He sighed and relaxed again. "I love you too, Ann."

"Did you get your ears and tail when you were three too, Bri?"

"Mmhm." he hummed, then moved his left arm to reach down behind him. He lifted his arm and presented me a worn-out panther plushie. "This is Blackie. I've had him since I was three. I loved him as soon as I saw him. I felt it click into place."

I grasped the plushie with one hand, still clutching onto Briar. "Blackie is so cute, Bri. Just like you!"

He growled and pushed my sweater up, kissing my flat tummy. "You're much, much cuter, Ann."

I giggled and flopped onto my back with some nudging from his end. Briar tugged my underwear down and moved between my thighs. He looked at me holding Blackie, then gently pressed his hand to my tummy. I mewled softly, and Briar leaned over to steal a kiss while his hand slipped under my sweater to tease my nipples. I moaned, my back arching slightly. I was still sensitive because of Waltz playing with my nipples so much.

"Let me take a look at you, Ann."

I set his plushy aside and held my arms up so he could remove my sweater. As Briar dropped it off to the side, his eyes gazed at my very slim, small body.

"Ann, you're beautiful." he murmured, lifting one leg to pull off the sock.

I blushed. "Thank you, Bri. You're very handsome yourself."

His tanned skin flushed a light pink, then he lifted my other leg to pull the second and final sock off. He held my small foot and kissed the top of it, then pressed his lips all the way up to my knee, up to my hip, up to my shoulder, then up to my lips. He did the same on my right side, so my skin was very flushed and my cock was leaking by the end of it.

"Ann..." he purred, sliding his hands under my butt and back. "Ann, I love you."

I panted, moaning softly as he lifted my body. I draped my arms over his shoulders, noticing his large cock pressing against my tiny one. It felt so good to be held this way by him.

"I love you too, Bri—aah!" I moaned, his tip pushing in.

"You're so soft and wet from earlier, Ann. Your channel is sucking me in." he rasped, guiding my butt to rest in his lap.

I mewled into his bare shoulder. "B-Bri, it's so big."

He shivered with a growl. "Are you just saying that?"

I shook my head, tucking my knees against his sides and crossing my ankles behind his butt. "No, s'big. Not as big as Daddy's or Uncle Andros', but it's still big."

He seemed to grow larger inside me, making a soft gasp burst from my lips. I lightly nibbled on his tanned skin, whimpering and moaning into his shoulder as he slowly thrust in and out of my body.

"Love you, Ann." he murmured, kissing my head as he held me. I clutched onto his shoulders, whispering words of love to him as he repeatedly buried his cock inside me with long thrusts.

"Almost there, Ann." he whispered, his grip tightening on my butt and around my back. I squeezed him.

"Me too, Bri."

Our tails curled together and our lips met as Briar unloaded himself into me, and just as I came onto my tummy. We panted quietly in between the licks and sucks of our sloppy kiss. After it ended, I hugged his neck and then tucked myself into his chest.

"Ann, do you mind if we stay connected for awhile?"

I shook my head, pressing a kiss to his collarbones. "I would like that, actually."

He chuckled and kissed my head. "I love you."

"I love you, too." I beamed, my tail wiggling behind me.