He felt a playful nudge in the back of his mind drawing him out of a meager sleep, but couldn't pin-point where the darn tiger causing it was hiding. Growling beneath his breath, Tarren began to trudge down the hall, dragging three chubby cubs, two tigers and one liger, along with his tail. They had decided that it would be fun to let themselves be pulled around. It wasn't exactly fun, considering their little teeth did actually hurt, but he didn't have the heart to reprimand them... yet.

As he turned a corner, his lion huffing with the effort of added weight, he was suddenly tackled by a very playful tiger. Said tiger also earned an abrupt smack on the nose for being a brat.

You are such a—

Hot kitty? Why yes, I am.

Tiegan turned around, flicking his tail just to agitate his lion before dropping down to the floor and giving a quiet grumble.

That's not going to work. I'm still mad at you.

He rolled over, growling as his big paws swatted at Tarren's furry chin. At first, his lion just tilted its head to avoid the taps, but when Tiegan gave a rather pathetic whine, Tarren sighed and reached up, bopping him on his tiger's forehead.

You are such a dork.

That's okay, because I'm your dork.

Tarren chuckled, his lion giving off quiet grunts for the action as it leaned over and began licking at Tiegan's tiger's face. While he was busy cleaning his mate, the three cubs who had been latched onto his tail finally released him, but now they were jumping all over their mother's belly and tugging on his ears. They really should be reprimanded for being so rough, but Tiegan always got upset when he tried to punish them, even though Tarren now accepted all the cubs as his own. His punishments were usually just losing dessert or time out from play time, but nope. Mother Tiegan didn't think that his babies should be punished at all because they were all angels.

Rolling his eyes, Tarren glanced to the side as a paw swatted at his cheek. Melayo sat there on his haunches, paws held up like he wanted to box with him.

Think you can finally take me on, kid?

He got a raspy growl in response, then gave a little off-balanced hop and popped Tarren on the cheek a few more times... but he barely felt it. However, since he was an awesome dad, he flopped onto his side and gave a defeated roar while allowing Melayo to jump on his big chest like he'd just won the battle of his life and everyone should bow down to his might.

Keep dreaming, little guy.

"Ice cream, guys!"

Jordan's voice rumbled up to them from downstairs in the kitchen. Tarren was slow to get up but the kids and Tiegan were already blurring down the hall. He heard a few squeaks as a few undoubtedly flopped down the stairs in their hurry, but then he heard his father's laughter a moment later and figured that they'd all made it down just fine.

You're all ice cream whores.

Tiegan snickered in his mind as he sensed his eagerness through their bond.

I'm also a whore for you, love.

Am I first or second to the ice cream, though?

There was a very long pause, making Tarren huff.

First. Unless it's mint chocolate chip with those little fake eye sugar sprinkles that we get the kids at Barney's store up the street.

You mean the sugar sprinkles that you always have to have everywhere on your own ice cream? And you eat the kids' sprinkles half the time, too.

Okay, I like the ice cream better.

Rolling his eyes again, Tarren got himself up onto his feet and padded down the stairs. He figured that Tiegan would be in the kitchen with the kids eating, but the moment he set paw on the downstairs floor he was there, nuzzling and rumbling loudly against his large mane.

I lied. I love my Tarren best.

Hmm... you don't smell like ice cream.

I didn't eat it. I wanted something sweeter.

That was beyond cheesy, but when he gave Tarren a small nudge with his shoulder, then shifted and began running up the stairs naked, Tarren didn't hesitate to do the same. The guy was honestly his addiction, as long as he had him and their cubs, he couldn't want for anything more.

"Come're, you!"

Grayson stumbled around the coffee table as Flip waddled and rolled around beneath it, just barely managing to escape his lazy attempts to grab his fuzzy butt. They only had a few weeks of school left and his mother had finally agreed to let him try to stay with them. Of course, he had to prove that he wouldn't eat his mouse, though. She wasn't happy about Flip pawing at him in front of her like he'd done at the park, but eventually he calmed down and they snuggled, making her finally give in.

She did, however, make the stipulation that if he shifted and no one was home, that he had to hide until either her or Erin came back. He didn't like the idea, but he did as told. Thankfully, the one time that it had happened, he only had to get under the sofa for a few minutes before Erin walked in.

After all the weeks they'd been taking Flip out to lunch from the orphanage and then finally having brought him home, he'd gained a good four pounds and now was a plump, happy-go-lucky puppy that couldn't be sweeter. He was actually potty training really well, too, and hadn't had an accident in four days. He still hadn't shifted to a human form, but that was totally fine with them. He would change when he was ready, and if he had to go to kindergarten before he shifted, well, then everyone was going to be super jealous of his and Erin's adorable son.

Grayson was just about to reach down and scoop up Flip when he felt strong arms wrap around his shoulders and tug him against a firm chest he knew all too well.

"Hey, you," Erin whispered against his ear before nibbling at the lobe, making Grayson's insides twitch with excitement. He glanced back at him and stole a quick kiss before ducking out of his grasp and picking up their son.

"How was work?"

His job ran late most nights after class, but he never complained. In fact, he always ended up bringing Grayson home little chocolates or a new bow for Flip. They found out that while he hated wearing them under his chin like a good boy puppy, he did love having one on his head, especially if they were a little lacy. His mother thought that it looked a bit funny at first, but now she even buys him bows since they look so cute on him. He was actually wearing a purple one right then, pinned carefully near his left ear.

"You're my little present, aren't you. All wrapped up with your bow and ready to be loved on!" Grayson cooed to Flip as he held him up, getting a yip of excitement in response. After a good hug and kiss to his forehead, Grayson carried him into the kitchen.

"Mom's gone for at least another hour so I made dinner. I already fed Flip so we can eat while he tries to sneak bites from our plates, like usual," Grayson said as Erin walked up beside him and sneaked a kiss before grabbing a huge plate of pasta salad that had been left out for him.

Grayson's own dinner was a little helping of the spare macaroni from the salad and a bag of salt and vinegar chips. He then joined Erin at the table. It didn't take Flip more than five seconds to realize what was going on before he popped his little fuzzy head up from between Grayson's arms and sniffed at the plate from where he sat in his lap.

"Oh yeah, I got the final form for the adoption certificate."

Grayson's head jerked up as he quickly chewed and swallowed the mouthful of pasta he'd just stuffed int his mouth.

"You mean...?"

Erin unfolded the piece of paper and held it up so that he could see it.

"Yup. Flip is all ours."

Excitement welled up in his belly before he looked down with a huge smile... only to see Flip with a spiral noodle sticking out of his mouth.

"Hey! That's mine you pudgy little fudge-ball."

He let his big ears droop to the side and looked up at Grayson with wide, but I'm starving, eyes.

"Bah. You are going to have people bowing down at your feet when you get older, kid."

Figuring that he'd just won the silent debate, Flip gave a happy "Woof" and finished off the noodle, then hopped up on his back legs and snatched another small mouthful of pasta.

"Oh, you little thief!"

"He's become such a porker now that he knows he can actually have food when he wants it."

Grayson sighed and nodded, patting Flip's head with a soft smile.

"Yeah, I would never take food away from him, not after what he had gone through."

Erin nodded as he continued to inhale his huge salad. Grayson wasn't all that hungry anyways, so he just nibbled at his food, giving Flip a noodle every once in awhile until he curled up on his lap and began to snore quietly.

The sound of a chair pushing back against the floor made Gray look up from Flip a minute later to see Erin heading towards the kitchen to put his plate in the dishwasher. He quickly tucked Flip in his left arm and grabbed his mostly-empty plate to bring it to the kitchen just in time to slip it into the dishwasher before Erin closed it.

"So..."

Erin waggled his eyebrows, making Grayson blush and lick his lips. He didn't resist at all as Erin grabbed his free hand and tugged him out of the kitchen. His face heated more and more as they headed for the stairs, except, right before they were about to go up, Erin pulled Grayson to the left and then onto his lap as he plopped down on the sofa.

When Gray didn't say or do anything, Erin leaned over his right shoulder and pressed a kiss to his cheek, snapping him out of his daze enough to look back at him.

"You look so confused. I'm sorry, babe. Do you mind if we have a little date night instead?"

Grayson was just opening his mouth to reply when he realized something.

"You were totally messing with me!"

"Shhh, Flip," Erin chided, though he was grinning from big ear to big ear.

Giving Grayson a light squeeze, he grabbed the remote and turned on the television, then the recorder.

"I saved something for you."

Gray's eyes glanced over to the TV as The Jungle Book came on.

Oh!

Grayson sat up in his lap, hugging a knocked-out Flip in his arms like a pillow.

"I knew you'd love this movie."

Grayson grinned back at him with a cheerful smile and nodded.

"It's one of my favorites."

Erin matched his grin and leaned forward, pressing his lips to his softly before they both snuggled in with their puppy for the night and enjoyed their quiet movie date. While seeing something in the theater was nice, they didn't have the money... but watching an older movie together as a family meant so much more to him, anyways. He had his boyfriend, and hopefully soon-to-be, fiance, and their new adorable son. There was nothing else he needed, nor wanted.

"Love you, little Squeaker."

Rolling his eyes with a chuckle, Grayson snuggled a little more into Erin's arms and gave a quiet yawn before replying sleepily.

"Love you too, Tusks."