Previously:

"Oh shut up." He was sitting on the cot holding his head again. Hitting the wall was preferable to this.

-xXx-

Goddess

"Fox gave clear orders –"

"He obviously has no idea how bad this experience –"

"- and I see no reason why you can't walk back out there –"

"- has…" Slippy blinked and slapped a hand over his eyes. "Did you see her face?"

"- and apologize to her," the wolverine finished implacably.

Groaning, the frog slumped back against the wall. The pulsing in his ears did nothing for his headache. "I can't just walk up to her and apologize," he said, frustrated. "She'll slap me into next Sunday with a table if I get within twenty feet."

There was a huff of laughter from across the room. "If she were that volatile, this room would be filled with bodies."

"What do you mean?" Slippy moved his hand so he could frown at the bartender.

The wolverine rolled his eyes. "Such a drama queen," he drawled, shaking his head. "You think hanging your tongue out is the worst she's seen here? At least you had the decency not to grab her."

The weapons specialist froze, eyes suddenly very wide. Memories of behaviour observed in seedier locales sprang to mind: larger males looming over slimmer females, wandering hands, harsh bruises, strangled whines… Suddenly, the ringing in his ears wasn't so loud.

"Other creatures touched her?"

Gregori raised an eyebrow and snorted. "They tried. Your girl has a gift for keeping drunks off her back."

"She shouldn't have to." A girl like Jenny shouldn't be subjected to groping. Ever.

"She's in a bar," the wolverine said flatly. "Single female. Alone. Drinking. Dressed to kill."

Slippy shook his head and scowled. "It doesn't make sense," he insisted. "Why is she here?"

Before the bartender could answer, there was a hard knock on the door. The wolverine pushed off from the wall, taking the two steps to get out of the way of swinging slab of solid oak.

"Evening gentlemen," the lion at the doorway said cheerfully, hitching the limp body draped over his shoulder a little higher. He nodded briefly to Gregori and then looked straight at Slippy. "This fellow is gonna need that bed."

"Huh?" Blinking, all Slippy could think was, Is he dead?

There was a rumble from his side and suddenly the frog was dragged by the collar off the cot and left on the floor. Slippy looked up to see the wolverine frown down at him, while the feline dumped the body to the mattress. There was a loud snort and then the body started to snore.

"Damages?" Gregori asked as he walked, grey eyes glancing over the passed out patron. Slippy stood up and peered at the male sprawled on the cot as well. Brown fur, civilian clothes. Hare.

The lion huffed. "Just his pride." The frog felt his skin prickle as the feline turned his golden eyes on him. The cat kept his smile.

Between them, Gregori mumbled something about a tab, and then straightened. "Nathan, Slippy. Slippy, Nathan," he said, stepping out of the way for the two to shake hands. "Alright, back to work."

Retracting his hand, Nathan tilted his head at the bigger creature. "Back to work? You're the one holed up in here."

"Yeah, yeah," the wolverine snorted, shoving the smirking lion through the door.

Slippy, in the meanwhile, was looking around the tiny room and suddenly realized how much the hare on the bed needed a bath. Preferably in a river. A large one.

"Frog!"

He was slightly ashamed at how high he jumped right then. Slippy snapped his eyes up to the bartender at the door. "What?"

"Get out here and talk to that cat."

Okay, maybe the drunk didn't smell that bad. Half an hour. He could last half an hour. Right?

The other creature in the room let loose a loud belch and rolled over.

"Uh… I'd rather stay." Slippy took one step back.

Fur flashed before his eyes and a large dark-brown hand took hold of his shirt front, dragging him forwards.

"You have a choice," the wolverine calmly told him, "you can walk out or I will drag you out."

-xXx-

Slippy stomped down the urge to stick his tongue out at the back of the bartender as Gregori turned to pour him another ginger ale. Self-consciously adjusting his shirt again, he slid a glance at pink hair.

He had chosen to walk out, in an attempt to retain some dignity for the evening. Though, once the wolverine had closed the door behind them, the mammal had put a hand on Slippy's back and propelled him towards the bar.

Three seats away from Jenny.

Damn nosy, interfering, bigger-than-me, fucking bartender.

The situation became even more infuriating when Gregori placed his drink down on a coaster one seat away from her.

Are you serious? Slippy thought incredulously as the bartender smirked at him.

No… Gregori was opening his mouth.

"Slippy! Your drink is ready."

He could see how Jenny's head snapped around to look at the beaming wolverine. Then she turned further to look down the bar.

Oh sweet electrodes… The frog closed his eyes for a second and breathed in deep. Well, she hasn't smashed me yet.

Carefully stepping down from the stool, he walked towards the two mammals. Jenny was watching him warily, while the bastard on the other side of the counter hummed and wiped down some of the counter top.

Once a seat away, Slippy stopped and sighed, looking up into flat green eyes.

"I apologize." Those gorgeous eyes widened by just a smidge. Slippy powered on. "What I did was indecent and—" One slim pink brow was raised. "—inappropriate. Please forgive me," he ended in a rush finding himself at military attention.

Instead of answering him, Jenny turned to give Gregori a wry look. "This is a first," she murmured.

The wolverine did nothing but flash sharp teeth her way and moved off towards a waving hand on the other side of the bar.

Slippy consciously calmed his breathing and fought not to fidget.

Tilting her head a bit to the side, she was looking back at him, not quite friendly, but thankfully without a sneer of disgust that he was dreading. A slight frown puckered the white sleek fur between her brows.

After a moment, a corner of her mouth tweaked up. "Well, you apologized," she allowed, and Slippy's heart sped up, "and you seem sincere..." Miraculously, she smiled down at him and the frog blinked in amazement. "… and you're actually the only thing in this building to not imagine me naked."

Neuron signals seemed to stumble and screech to a halt. Left lobe prodded the right in giddy excitement, only to get a resounding HELL NO! and retreated, slinking back to the darker recesses of Slippy's mind.

On the outside, the frog had frozen to the spot, blinking rapidly. I don't want to… I could… Not right… Jenny… Pure white… But… And… Uhh…

A sudden burst of laughter to his right yanked Slippy out of his internal struggle and he dazedly turned towards the sound.

"Breathe frog!" A loud voice commanded from right behind him and Slippy startled, dragging in a sudden gulp of air, only to choke on it as his lungs protested.

Black spots danced in front of his eyes as he coughed and someone pounded on his back. That someone also guided him over to the barstool so that he flung an arm out to grab the extra support. It took a minute, it felt like a year, until he was able to nod and wave away the creature at his back, dragging a sleeve over his streaming eyes, breathing cautiously. Owww… my chest.

"You know, that really wasn't fair." A tenor voice above his head commented, light reproach in the tone.

Nathan? Slippy looked up.

The lion stood at his side, shaking his head at the cat in front of them. She was standing just a few feet away and actually looked guilty.

"Yeah," Jenny said softly. She gave Slippy a watered down version of a smile. "That was pretty rotten of me, huh?"

"S'all right," he managed to croak out. Oh, how appropriate. I can croak. Slippy winced internally.

She winced outwardly.

And inexplicably, Nathan sighed. "Boss, stop laughing already."

There was a thump, and then a large hand slapped down on the counter. Slippy scowled as his "friend" heaved himself up from behind the bar and grinned down at them all. "Aw, you gotta admit, she got him good."

-xXx-

"That's it you two. You're cut off."

"Huh?" "But…" Slippy rolled his head to the side, taking in amused golden eyes, as beside him the goddess in the blue dress pouted.

The tawny fuzzy thing on the other side of the cool wood thing seemed to move forward. It held up another smaller fuzzy thing.

"How many fingers?"

Blinking, Slippy frowned. "Y'not ho-oldin' any 'ingers. Up. 'Ere…" He squinted. "They're s'posed tah be 'tached… t'ands righ'?"

Goddess of the flowing pink hair snuffled, "Two?"

Oh, she was a genius! So smart! Slippy felt a grin stretch his lips.

There was a snort. "Four actually."

Slippy blinked and felt a little betrayed. She was… wrong? Then he felt offended. Fuzzy Thing must be lying. Goddess was right. She was beautiful. And perfect. And so kind…

And she liked him. Liked him. Slippy would follow her to the ends of the world. Silent stars and beyond. Just so that she would smile at him. Just like she was smiling now.

There was a chuckle from Fuzzy Thing—Wasn't he mad at Fuzzy Thing before?—and it spoke again. "So, are you two taking separate cabs or together?"

Silly question! Course he was going with goddess. Didn't he just say he would follow her? She liked him…

Goddess giggled. "Together!" she sang out. Her beautiful voice strong and clear.

"Hmm…" Fuzzy Thing turned away. "What do you think, gorgeous?"

From further away, something blue and curvy hummed. "Didn't expect this," it said. "But, if they want to go together..."

"Together!" Goddess sang again. Slippy nodded happily with her.

There was a huff of laughter from Friend of Fuzzy Thing. "Oh, this will be interesting."

"I'll call the cab," Fuzzy Thing said. "Can you get them to the door?"

Friend of Fuzzy Thing came closer. "Not a problem." Something blue reached out to tap Goddess on the shoulder. "Your place or his?"

Goddess giggled and burped in the cutest of ways. Slippy blinked thinking. Your place or his… That meant something… Didn't it?

"Mine!"

Goddess' voice was beautiful.

-xXx-

She pulled him from the scratchy seat of the car. It smelled of smoke and old gum. She guided him across a space where his feet stumbled and shuffled and he knew if he fell, his knees would scrape. She made him stop at a door. The light was bright. He'd never been here before.

Her hair glowed. Her eyes were so bright. Her lips a perfect coral hue…

Then she was tugging on his hand. This way… Through the doors, over soft carpet. Another set of doors, but metal. Shiny. She wanted to wait here. They giggled and he reached out. Touched her cheek. So soft. Her eyes were so bright. He wanted to see them closer.

A chime… The metal doors, they opened. In! she urged. So in he went. The walls within crept close. They let him lean against them. So sturdy. She was leaning against him. Did she find him sturdy? Oh Goddess… You are so warm. Soft.

Coral lips were smiling. They were touching his. But then, they moved away. What?

Come! The Goddess smiled. Slippy smiled back.

I will follow you. Anywhere.

-xXx-

This place was warm. But not as warm as the heat where she touched him. Not nearly as hot as where she kissed him.

Her fingers, her mouth, her body. Beautiful, perfect.

Her heart beat so fast. He touched her there, over her heart. He placed a hand over his heart and felt them both thudding so hard. It made him shiver.

She pulled him towards her, and then they were tumbling. Or was the world turning around them? But it didn't matter. She was with him. This perfect being, with long pink hair, bright green eyes and soft—So soft!—coral pink lips.

They were on something that cradled them, and smelled of flowers. It was dark. But he could see her and that was all he wanted.

Now he drew her close, kissed her fluttering eyelids as she laughed. He kissed her cheeks, her nose, her ears, her throat. And she smiled. He knew she was smiling. And she was laughing.

She was tugging on his shirt. Off! she demanded. He agreed completely. The shirt was flung away and then she was running her hands, her nails, her lips... Goddess! You make me burn!

His shaking hands touched her shoulders. Was this okay? He stared up into her shimmering green eyes and asked. May I?

And she smiled and she nodded and she placed her hands over his, helped him slip the blue fabric from her silky white fur. Amazing…

Then his hands were stroking, and rubbing, and he couldn't seem to… He wished his hands were bigger, that his fingers were longer. He wanted to touch all of her. Because the more he touched her, the more his Goddess moved and she whined and she whimpered above him. And she told him, More! and he couldn't deny her.

Suddenly, there were no barriers. There were no restrictions. The clothing was gone. She was touching him and he was touching her.

Her beautiful body twisted and shivered as he kissed her. On her lips, on her neck, on her body. She cried out softly as he tasted her in her sweetest of places. She tasted like nothing on this world.

Soon, he had to push further to chase after that wonderful essence. His tongue twisted and curled, seeking out any place that he may have missed and suddenly she moaned, deep and low. Her claws were sharp in his back.

She had pressed him back in the cushions of their nest, traced lines of fire down his chest. Her teeth were sharp and her lips were soft touches that made his breath catch. She licked him once and his breath shuddered through him. Her hot tongue touched him again and he had to close his eyes. But when she brought him into her mouth, he cried out and all he could see was rivers of pink hair. And then she purred.

He was shaking again, but she was pulling him towards her. Soft, and warm. Heat and a sudden slickness. She pulled him and he surged forward and suddenly everything seemed to slide into place.

He was engulfed in a gripping heat that was part of her, and she writhed below him. He knew he was supposed to move. Supposed to rock and pound and push deeper. But here, oh here was also perfect. Just in that moment, right then, with her.

But she wanted him to move. His wonderful Goddess would allow no argument. Her cries were like shining diamonds, clear in their meaning and hard in their demand.

And so he obeyed her. He drove forward and back out. He gripped her silky white shoulders and used every single muscle he had to move, and stroke, and grind. And she continued to move and wriggle and press up into him, flesh to flesh. And she was perfect.

And there was a moment where everything seemed to hang and it seemed like a single breath would change everything. And it did. He didn't expect it. There was no warning.

The world shattered. And below him, his Goddess let loose her voice and sang out in triumph for a single long shining moment.

You are beautiful. My Goddess.

-xXx-

AN: *exhale*