"Oh my word, who is this cute child?" asked an older woman, peering down at me.

Briar tousled my hair. "This is Anwyll 'Ann' DeLuca-Arcane, Ms. Fran."

Ms. Fran gasped from behind the register and hurried around the counter. She took a good look at me and then beamed. "You've taken good care of my boss, haven't you?" she asked.

I grinned. "I should hope so," I replied with a laugh. Briar smiled down at me after I squeezed his fingers a bit tighter. "Um, so what's your name, Ms. Fran?"

"Aw, aren't you just so precious?"

My cheeks warmed and I swung Briar's and Kyler's hands for a moment. My Emerged black jaguar cooed and bent over to kiss my right cheek, so I beamed and returned his quick peck. Kyler chuckled quietly way above me.

"Well, my name is Francesca Grace, Anwyll. Everyone here calls me Ms. Fran, but you're welcome to call me whatever you like."

"Ms. Fran is Ms. Fran," I replied with a happy smile. "So, um, what's your job here?"

"I greet and serve clients, investors, and walk-in customers." explained Ms. Fran, returning to her work station. "Just like the ones behind you now."

Briar and Kyler guided me off to the side as a very well-dressed woman and who appeared to be her daughter strode into the lobby. I was really impressed by this building, to be perfectly clear. I don't know much about fashion or style, but everything looks so warm and inviting. From the ceiling lights, to the green plants, the mixture of wood and metal furniture, and even down to the lighter-colored rug over the dark tile. All of it looked really amazing.

"What's on the second floor?" I asked, looking at the staircase and then glancing at the elevator slightly off from the stairs to my left. The building was four stories high, but this first floor had a ceiling that was probably almost twenty feet up.

"That would be the showroom and dressing area where we have all of our finished pieces."

"Pieces, Bri?"

Briar nodded. "Clothing pieces that I designed and that Kyler made with other coworkers."

My jaw dropped. "Wait, wait, wait. You said you owned a business, Bri. Does that mean you own this entire building that the business resides in as well?"

Briar's emerald-green eyes were bright with amusement. "Yes, Ann." he replied happily, his tail tip flicking.

Kyler chuckled and pushed his fingers through my hair. "And Boss designed an outfit just for you. He entrusted me to make it."

"Really?" I breathed, then hugged them both. "Thank you, I can't wait to see it."

Ms. Fran looked at Kyler as he continued to pet my head. "Is everything all right, hon? You don't seem to be yourself today. Your clothing, too..."

Briar looked at Kyler and frowned. "Yeah, I'm really not used to you wearing something cute. What's up with you?"

Kyler brushed his thumb over my nape, which made me shiver. He smiled at Ms. Fran and Briar. "Anwyll picked out my clothes today." he explained, and Briar looked down at me with wide eyes.

I pulled my lips down for a moment. "Why are you looking at me like that, Bri? He offered and I did tell him that I didn't know anything about that kind of crazy, wild style. Ky didn't mind at all." I paused, then craned my neck to look up at Kyler's face. "Wait, are you sure you don't mind it? Is that why you're down? I'm sorry, Ky."

Kyler crouched down and then picked me up so I could see his face more clearly. Briar chuckled just as something must have occurred to him about Kyler's behavior, but I was still at a loss while I looked at his flushed face. I placed my hand on his forehead, but I knew he wasn't sick. I checked that earlier today. Kyler chuckled quietly because of my expression of concern.

"Anwyll, I really don't mind the outfit you chose for me. In fact, I really like it." he said, cupping the back of my head. "So don't worry, all right?"

I pulled my lips down. "I am worried, Ky. You're so different from yesterday. Or is this part of your real self?"

Kyler blinked, then his lips curled up. He nosed my head. "Perhaps this is, Anwyll."

My tail swished against his side and he marveled at its fluffiness again. Briar decided to head upstairs to the showroom now. The mother-daughter duo seemed to be up there since they hadn't left. Ms. Fran wiggled her fingers at me and I wiggled mine back, so she laughed as I hugged Kyler's neck.

Briar was really excited to climb the stairs, but Kyler took one at a time. He inhaled my scent and held my form a bit tighter as Briar called down to him.

I giggled happily. "Bri is so excited. I am, too."

"I am curious to see how you look in that outfit Briar and I created."

"Is it kinda wild?"

"Probably, if we compare what you're used to wearing. But seeing you in person, I believe you will look absolutely adorable."

I blushed. "Well, thank you, Ky."

"It's not exactly practical-wear, but I hope it will catch a sponsor's eye if you wear it down the runway later in the week."

My eyebrows rose. "What?"

"Well, Boss doesn't want you there, but it will be a huge deal if we get a sponsor. I know Boss has connections with someone really powerful who helped him get where he is now, but he wants to repay that person through his own strengths."

I knew Kyler was talking about my daddy because his and Briar's words matched up. I smiled to myself. Briar is really awesome.

"That's amazing." I murmured against his left shoulder. "What about you, Ky?"

He inhaled sharply. "Wh-what about me?"

"Well, what do you want to do?"

"Oh, well, I'm just happy where I am." he said with a soft voice. "Just as Briar wants to repay that person, I want to repay my friend for all he's done for me."

I smiled and hugged his neck. "I really want to know your story, Ky."

"Maybe I'll tell you." he replied ever so softly. "Since it's you who has given me another new life."

"Oh, Ky..." I whispered, petting his light brown hair. "You don't need to feel indebted. I wanted to help with no strings attached."

"But there are strings attached, Anwyll. You've literally sewn me back together with your magic to remove my threat of instant death. Now I don't have to live like every second could be my last."

I gently tousled his hair and hugged him again. "And I'm happy for you."

"I owe you my life, Anwyll."

"You don't owe me anything."

Kyler was adamant that he owed me a lot, so I shushed him with my fingers to his mouth as he reached the second floor. Briar noticed Kyler's stunned expression and my slightly annoyed one, then chuckled as he came over.

"You sure took your sweet time," he teased, nudging Kyler.

Kyler blushed when I giggled. I cupped his cheeks and rubbed my thumbs over them, now noticing how he relaxed in my hands. Briar kissed my cheek and patted Kyler's back, then blushed after I pecked his lips.

"Kyler can keep you company while I grab the clothes."

"All right, Bri. Thank you!"

Kyler had an expression of bewilderment on his face when Briar jogged to a door across the room to my right. I tilted my head and Kyler's blue-gray eyes flicked to my violet orbs.

"Why does Boss act like that?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Act like what?"

"I expected him to be more...possessive of someone he's dating. He gives me that impression anyway, but he's not taking you back from me and just letting us hang out."

My tail wiggled and I grinned at him, locking my fingers at his nape. Kyler's face flushed and his pupils grew larger. I giggled, cupping his cheeks again. He looked like he was about to move his head, but he didn't do anything.

"It's 'cause he trusts you, I think." I said softly, pushing my fingers through his long, soft, curly and wavy hair. "I trust you too, Ky."

Kyler's eyes began to redden, then he bit his bottom lip and he tucked his nose against my left shoulder. He quietly breathed in and out, then set my shoes down onto the patterned wood floor. Honestly, I've never seen such a cool wooden floor before. I hopped from triangle to triangle, admiring the different colors of the wood that complimented the simple design of the second floor's showroom.

The walls were sparsely decorated so as not to detract from the showroom's stylish and very cool-looking clothing on the mannequins, racks, and shelves. There were four attendants on standby around the room, and there were four changing rooms to my right. A little further down on the righthand wall, there was a trifold mirror with a platform to step up onto, which reminded me of those wedding dress shows to show the full scale of the clothes at every angle possible.

"Cool, isn't it?"

I jumped with a squeak, my tail puffing out. I pouted as I slowly turned to look at my Emerged black jaguar as he doubled over from laughter. He was muffling himself, but he looked like he was about to cry. Kyler was leaning against the wall, his laughter coming out like a boiling kettle. Both of them were very red in the face, only laughing even harder when I put my hands on my hips and pulled my lips down.

"C-can't breathe!" gasped Briar, tears running down his face.

Since he was doubled over, I was able to bend a little bit and peck his lips. After using a bit of magic to calm him down, Briar's happy purrs reached my ears as he hugged my waist. Kyler was still bursting into fits of giggles, so that made me smile. He was definitely in a less somber mood now.

"Ann," whispered Briar, crouching down in front of me.

I draped my arms over his shoulders and curled down a little to give him a gentle kiss on the forehead. "What is it, Bri?" I asked softly, smiling after he blushed.

"How do you feel about Kyler?" he asked very quietly. I almost couldn't hear him.

"I like him a lot. At first I was a bit jealous because he knew how cute you were before me, but I warmed up to him really quickly. Not only because he's super nice and really cute, but also because he is another person you can rely on—another friend and ally."

Briar's emerald-green eyes glimmered with golden specks. "I'm happy to hear that, Ann. I care for Kyler a lot. I partially think of him as a brother to me—a slightly annoying older one. But it's a little more than that."

I giggled at the brother part and then smiled as I responded, "I could tell, Bri."

Kyler had calmed down a lot by that point, but I don't think he'd heard Briar and me talking because he'd laughed every time he looked at me. Briar hugged my waist and pressed his face against my chest, his happy purrs and twitching tail tip making me very happy while I petted his head.

After one big inhale and slow exhale, Briar released me and took my right hand after he stood up. He squeezed Kyler's left shoulder, then guided me to a dressing room and told me to stay put on the comfy cylindrical seat in the corner. There was a floor-length mirror, but it was only to really give the customer a preview of what they were wearing to see if they liked it enough to get onto the platform.

Briar shut the door behind me and I kicked my legs on the stool for a few seconds, then my tail wiggled when Kyler peeked in to wave his fingers at me. I beamed and his cheeks reddened again, but he quickly moved out of the way as Briar came through with the clothes they'd created for me. I really do feel honored by their hard work and effort, even though I haven't seen anything yet.

"Good luck!"

"Why do I need luck, Ky—ugh!"

Briar chuckled as he folded my shirt, which he'd just stripped off me. I pouted at him but beamed after he gently pecked my lips. His fingers pushed through my silvery heather waves, so I leaned against his palm and kissed his wrist. Briar's emerald-green eyes darkened and his tail flicked. His ears moved for a moment when we heard a loud sound, but then his ears faced me again. I smiled happily and cupped his hand, pushing my lips against his skin again.

"You're so cute, Ann. But I want you to take off all of your clothes."

"A-all? Even my panties?" I asked quietly, my blush crawling down my neck.

Briar rested his left hand on the wall behind me as he curled down. I leaned back and rested my head against the same wall. And then, before his lips met mine, he gave me my answer.

"Everything."