That was too good to be true, Guy's waking brain thought. His senses soon awakened enough for him to notice the firm body that still lied in his arms from last night—actually, this morning as they had not settled down together until after the sun made its daily appearance. Guy felt each of Eep's breaths against his skin. Sleeping was one of the most vulnerable states, yet she chose to sleep with him—no sleep pile, just the two of them. He felt that he did not deserve all of her trust to be placed in him, especially after their still-fresh fight. I couldn't live with myself if I hurt her again. His eyes watered slightly at the thought, but he quickly turned his attention back to his sleeping tiger, whose grip around him was still tight while she slept. She was curled up against him, her face resting on his chest and a leg draped over his. This is the only sleep pile I like. He spent the entire night connecting with her on a new level and expressing his love for her in the most intimate way possible. He already knew that Eep was beautiful, but wow… he was the luckiest man alive. He had never shared such a close and intimate connection with anyone, and he basked in his gratefulness for Eep while he listened to her light snoring. Suddenly, his stomach grumbled, and Eep adjusted her position, burying her face in his underarm.
"Eep?" Guy groggily whispered. The warmth in his arms shifted slightly.
"Huh?" She groaned in response.
"Are you awake?"
"Babe, I'm talking to you," she replied groggily, followed by a yawn.
"Oh… yeah," he chuckled.
A grin spread across her face, as an overwhelming wave of love for her husband coursed through her. She lifted her head to look into his eyes. "I think you're the one who's not awake."
"Can you really blame me after last night?" What felt like every one of his muscles ached, and spots around his neck were left red and purple from Eep's "kisses".
"I was doing most of the work!" Her big, green eyes were staring up at him from his arms.
"Does that mean that I'm not allowed to be tired?" He playfully asked.
"Yes," Eep's eyes grew with excitement. "Because I want to do that again!"
He stroked her fiery strands and looked at her sympathetically. "I would love to, but I need a little bit of time to recover first."
She sighed. "Okay… Tomorrow?" She asked eagerly.
"Tomorrow," he confirmed with a sincere smile. Eep felt the softness of his lip on her forehead, as he planted a tender kiss there. She wriggled herself up for her eyes to meet his directly in front of her. With her hand on the back of his neck, Eep pulled his head towards her, and their lips gently met. Their exhaustion from the previous night was known to the other with each little lazy kiss, despite Eep's request. Eep laid her head back down on the white fur and tightened her grip around Guy's waist with the little energy she had left. "Where was this last night?"
"Where was what?"
"You know, this gentleness that you have all of a sudden," he teased.
Eep frowned. "Are you saying that you didn't like that?"
"No, no, Eep…" He looked into her eyes with guilt for what he said, but a playful smirk spread across her face. "What?"
"I was just teasing you, babe. But go on," she urged him to continue his thought.
"Really? You made me feel guilty for fun? And you want me to keep going?" He fought a smile, as Eep giggled lightly in his arms, staring into his eyes with a love he thought could only exist in his imagination. He sighed and continued, "I did have fun last night. If I didn't like you being rough with me, I wouldn't have stuck around long enough to promise to spend the rest of my life with you." He softly chuckled out of disbelief when he thought about the first time they met. After all, who would have thought that he would spend the rest of his life with the girl who physically fought him and tried to steal his fire within just a few minutes of meeting him? Despite the mild headache and sore foot she'd given him that night, he had known that something was special about her. He'd had no idea that she would turn out to be the tomorrow he had been searching for, but the curiosity in her eyes had spoken to him in a way that he still did not fully understand. Out of all of the human encounters he'd had, she had been the only one who listened to him. "I wouldn't want you any other way, Eep." He kissed her forehead tenderly.
"Really?" The pitch of her voice was high with appreciation.
"Really," he confirmed. Eep nuzzled her face into his chest and felt every beat of his heart with the rising and sinking of his chest. Guy loved that feeling; his tomorrow laid there, burying her face in him. He knew he was stuck there, but there was nowhere else he would rather be. He rested his hand on the bare skin on her back and admired the beauty and strength in every inch of her. He moved his hand around her hand until his fingers landed on a thick scar on the left side of her back. Her scars only made her more beautiful in his eyes; they all represented events she had survived. After everything she had experienced, she chose him to find peace in; his gratitude would never fade. After a few short moments, he dragged his hand back up and playfully poked the side of her still-bare breast.
"EE!" She squealed, followed by laughter. "Two can play at that game." She poked his underarm.
"Hey!" He poked her waist.
She worked her hand down his back. "You started it!"
"I was just touching you!" He prodded the inside of her thigh.
She tickled his lower back. "And I'm just touching you!"
All either of them could do was laugh while tickling the other until Guy noticed Eep's hand slip away into another area.
"Hey, hey, hey, remember last-" He was left nearly doubled over from her attack. Eep burst out laughing but quickly defended herself, as she noticed he took his hand out from under her for double the attack. He prodded her exposed side with one hand while the other worked on her lower neck. Realizing her only chance at winning, her hand slid back down to its previous location, holding the area captive with the threat of attack.
"Okay, okay, you win," he laughed with a hint of fear.
"That's what I thought," she confidently stated while catching her breath, relaxing against his chest again.
"Are you hungry?" He asked.
"Yeah."
"What do you want?"
"You," she answered without hesitation.
He smiled. "No, Eep, I mean, what food do you want? As in, we go outside and pick some fruit." He felt her arms tighten their hold around him.
"I just want to be with you," she whined into his skin.
"You would be with me. We could go for a walk together and eat. Just the two of us."
She sighed, acknowledging her growing hunger that was more than for Guy's attention. "Fine. I'll race you!" She began running towards the door until Guy jumped up and wrapped his arms around her. "What is it?" her tone became concerned.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" He gestured towards their clothes thrown haphazardly around the floor. She groaned as she trod heavily towards her tiger dress while Guy slid on his pants. "I would love to go out like this, but there are other people here, Eep." He sat down on the floor and pulled his shoes on as Eep walked over towards him.
"Are you ready yet?" Eep impatiently stood over him.
He tugged on his shoe one last time before replying. "Yep!" Eep held her hand out for him and yanked him up onto his feet.
"I'll race you to the bottom!" She exclaimed, letting go of his hand to run across the bridge. She paused at the other side, turning around to see her husband with a smile of adoration growing across his face. "Why aren't you running?" She asked, puzzled at his behavior.
"Eep, there's no way I can do anything more than walk right now." The aching in his muscles intensified as he thought about it.
She took a few steps back onto the bridge. "What's wrong, babe?"
"Oh, nothing!" He reassured her. "But you really expect me to be able to move after last night?"
"I can move, though."
"Yeah, you weren't the one getting attacked."
"Attacked?"
"Okay, poor word choice… loved… aggressively," he corrected himself. Eep took a few more steps until she was standing face-to-face with him right outside their door.
She smirked. "I have an idea."
He nervously started, "What is—" Eep swept him off of his feet, running with him lying bridal style in her arms. Guy relaxed in her hold, as it was normal for her to carry him as if he were as light as a feather. A short journey landed them at the bottom of the treehouse in the vibrant colors of the farm, and Eep set Guy on his feet.
"What do you want to eat?" He asked.
"Hmm. I was thinking sourberries, maybe some pinkberries… Oh! And some blueberries."
"I was thinking the same thing! Except, I would also like to pick some beehive berries."
"Ooh, good choice." They smiled at each other. Hand in hand they walked; the tingling sensation his touch set off was no different than that of the first time they had held hands after surviving The End. Eep loved the warmth he provided, even if he was only holding her hand. He was the reason she got out of that dark, sad cave. It was as if fire itself seeped through his skin; the orange glowing light that lured her to him was nothing compared to his effect alone on her. Suddenly, Eep threw all of her weight into him, throwing her arms around him almost tight enough to suffocate him. His body had developed the strength to withstand her hold, not phasing him other than the surprise of the hug. He wrapped his arms around her with his rough hands gently resting on her back.
"Are you okay?"
"Better than okay," she mumbled into his skin. He smiled softly and held her tightly as if he were never seeing her again. She finally lifted her head, looking up at her husband with soft, loving eyes. "Are you ready to get some food?"
"As soon as you are." He ran one hand down her fiery strands.
A sudden wave of emotions flowed through her again at his gesture. "Thank you."
"Hey, I'm not in a rush to end this hug."
She let out a breathy chuckle. "No, Guy, I mean, thank you for everything." She relaxed back into his arms again. She inhaled his scent, no longer smelling a hint of vanilla, but the smell of flowers was still sprinkled in with his natural scent. That soap must be strong to survive a full night of sweaty love, she thought.
"Thank you for everything… especially for forgiving me." His appreciative words caused her eyes to well up, and she pulled him down to give him an unusually gentle kiss, creating light friction against his soft lips. "Hey," he purred.
"Hey, what?"
"Hey, you. I love you."
"I love you, too, Guy." She breathed him in once more before repeating her earlier question. "Are you ready?"
"If you are."
Eep broke away from their hug and grabbed his hand. They walked on the dirt path, admiring the colors of the plants and animals. "I just had an idea!"
"What is it?"
"What if we take turns hiding and finding each other? You hide first! I'll count to ten."
"Ten?! Eep, that's not enough time!"
She shooed him off and shut her eyes. "One."
"Really?"
A playful smile was her only response. "Two."
With a sigh, he walked off smiling, finding a spot just as he heard Eep yell, "I hope you're ready!"
She took a few steps and realized that he would probably hide in a plant and not climb any of the trees due to his soreness. I bet he's in the sourberries! She thought. Sure enough, she moved quietly towards the berries and saw his silhouette in one of the bushes. He peeked around the edge and caught her eye. "Babe!" She lightly scolded him.
"What?"
"I didn't get to scare you!"
"You were going to scare me?!"
"My turn to hide!" She ran off abruptly, leaving Guy alone to count.
"One… Two… Three… Four…"
Eep knew exactly where to hide. He'll never find me here! She thought as she climbed up a nearby tree.
"Here I come!"
Eep giggled in her spot, nestled between two large, mostly hidden branches that parted in opposite directions. Several minutes passed, and she heard Guy calling her from the ground.
"Eep? … Eep?"
She poked her head out to give him a hint and shook a small branch lightly.
"Eep? Is that you?" He turned around and looked up at the tree that was holding his wife. "Hey! That's cheating! You know I can't climb right now."
"I just made the game up, babe." She gracefully slid down the tree trunk, landing in front of Guy. She planted a short kiss on his lips and walked back to the sourberries with Guy following right behind her. "Do you have a basket?" Eep asked him as she picked the berries.
"Right here." He stood beside her with the basket between them. He gazed at her with affection, his face soft while watching her. She spotted him out of the corner of her eye, and she turned toward him, sighing with a smile.
"I think we have enough sourberries," she said, looking at the large berries. His face was so love-stricken that she was sure he did not hear what she said.
All he could see was Eep, face-to-face with him, as he woke up from his trance. "Oh, yeah, that's enough—"
His breath hitched as she cut off his words. He relaxed into her lips, feeling her strong, comforting hands trace his back muscles. He sent shivers down her spine as both of his hands landed on either side of her neck. They both smiled against one another until Guy's teeth caught her upper lip. "Ow!" She exclaimed, pulling away from their kiss to tend to her lip.
His smile had turned into laughter. "Sorry," he apologized between little gasps for air.
She started laughing with him, seemingly forgetting about her injured lip. "You don't sound sorry," she responded, amused by his laughter.
"I am! It's just—" cutting his thought off with another giggle. "Serves you right after what you did to me," he teased.
"But that's… that's different."
"Different? Eep, do you see all of these marks?" He pointed at the bruised patches sprinkled around his neck.
"Yeah… but I thought you liked that," she teased back with a smirk.
He breathily chuckled. "Yes, Eep, but how is me accidentally biting you different?"
"I did it on purpose."
"Oh, you're right! It is different then. I didn't purposely attack you like a predator, but you did!" He laughed and pulled Eep, who was trying not to laugh, against his torso.
"Shut up," she giggled, lightly smacking his butt.
"Hey!"
"Hey, what?" She playfully replied.
"It wasn't supposed to be that kind of 'hey'." He looked into her laughing eyes. "Hey, you," he added almost reluctantly. Eep pulled him into another kiss, and Guy was even more gentle than usual to avoid hurting her again.
She pulled away suddenly. "Your turn to hide!" she exclaimed, shooing him away again. He started toward the basket. "I'll get it, babe. Go hide! One… Two…"
He smiled and searched for a spot, knowing it made Eep happy.
"Nine… Ten!"
She guessed that he would be close to the beehive berries, for those were their next berries to pick. She spotted him behind a tall plant almost as soon as she got to the berries, but he did not see her. She crawled over quietly behind him, carefully making her way to his side, watching where she stepped to not give herself away. She pounced onto his chest, knocking him to the ground.
"Ah!" Guy yelped. Eep suctioned her lips onto his, pulling away after a few seconds.
"Found you," she purred.
"Was that really necessary?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head.
"You should've known what you got yourself into before now," she teased.
He chuckled and smiled at her. "I guess that is my fault. What will I do now that I'm stuck with you for the rest of my life?"
"You should try to enjoy it. I am your tomorrow, after all." He reached his hand around to the back of her neck and gently encouraged her to rest her head. She laid her head on his chest and listened to the thump of his heart.
"That you are, Eep. Don't forget it," he paused. "Or let me forget it… If I do, you have my permission to kill me."
"I wouldn't kill you. Maybe I'd try to beat some sense into you, though." She embraced him tightly with her arms squished under both of their weights. "I love you, Guy."
His arms tightened around her back. "I love you, too, Eep." She turned her head slightly until her lips reached his chest just beside the darker skin around his nipple. Their stomachs growled almost in unison, prompting Eep to pick her head up.
"Wanna pick some more fruit?" She asked.
"Good idea." He rested his weight on his forearms, scoping out the area for the basket. "Did you bring the basket with you?"
"It's just over there." She pointed to the sourberries. "I'll go get it." She climbed off of him and ran over to the basket a short distance away, leaving Guy lying on the ground. He watched her run off and knew that all of his hard, lonely years were worth it to meet Eep; he'd do it all over again if it meant being with her. He had not had nearly as many ideas since they survived The End because she had consumed all of his thoughts. Every little touch reminded him that he was alive. His search for Tomorrow would have been meaningless without her; his entire life's dream, mission, and reason to live turned out to be finding Eep. She was like a blanket that protected him from his fears on his worst nights and kept him warm during the coldest hours.
Eep walked back with the basket, confusion spreading across her face. "Guy?"
He realized that he still lied on the ground with his eyes half-open. He slowly raised his head. "Hey." He offered a soft smile, rising up from the ground.
She mirrored his expression. "Hey, what?"
"Hey, you." He hugged her gently. "Let's pick some fruit."
After collecting all of the fruit they wanted, they headed back to the treehouse, toting the full basket.
"Do we really need all of that?" Guy questioned, watching his wife carry the oversized basket.
"Do you even know me?"
He looked down at the basket again. "Yeah, you're right."
They were soon in the kitchen in the treehouse, enjoying the berries they spent an hour picking because they kept getting distracted.
"Hey, girl friend! Hi, Guy!" Dawn called. "What are you—Guy? What happened there?" She pointed at his neck.
Eep laughed into her palm while Guy nervously thought of an answer. "Sandy was kind of aggressive last night," Guy plainly stated. Eep's hand no longer contained her laughter as she broke out giggling at his response.
"Oh… Well, Eep has scars from her, so now you have matching scars!"
"Uh, yeah, I guess we do…" Guy trailed off.
"What's wrong with her?" Dawn inquired, watching her friend gasp for air between her laughter.
"Yeah, Eep, what's wrong?" Guy teased with hope that she would change the topic.
"Nothing!" She paused to catch her breath. "I put those marks on him." Instant regret flowed through Guy for asking her, and he planted his face in his hand.
Dawn gasped. "Why?"
"There are things that couples, like me and Guy, do."
"But why did you…"
"Those aren't bad marks, they're… love marks!" Eep named the scars.
"Oh! So if you love someone, you… bite them?"
"Exactly."
"Wow. You have love marks!" Dawn looked at Guy.
He had been trying to hide from the conversation by staying quiet. "I guess I do."
"What have you done today?" Dawn changed the subject.
"We just got back from picking berries. What are you doing?" Eep replied.
"Nothing, really. Our dads are still sleeping." She paused and glanced at the living area, where Phil and Grug were still passed out from the party last night. "Mom is still pretty tired, too. I've been so bored. Everyone else is tired, but I'm not," she complained. Eep and Guy shared a look before either said a word.
"Hey, Sister Sunset?"
"Yeah, Fireheart?"
"Wanna go on a joyride?"
"Yeah! Guy, you should come with us!" Dawn forcefully invited him. Eep and Dawn stared at him silently until he spoke up.
"Okay, I'll go," he chuckled. The two girls excitedly squealed. "Can we finish eating first?" He gestured to the uneaten fruit.
"Oh, good idea." Eep continued devouring the pinkberries in front of her. Dawn sat beside Eep, eagerly waiting for them to finish eating.
"Hurry up, Guy," Eep urged, as she was down to her last sourberry.
"Yeah, Guy!" Dawn added. They silently stared at him until he finished his last berry.
"Come on!" Dawn exclaimed. Eep grabbed his hand and practically dragged him behind her as they ran to the elevator.
As they reached the bottom of the elevator, they saw Chunky, who walked towards the three teenagers. "Are you ready, Chunky?" Eep asked the mawcawnivore. He lowered himself closer to the ground for them to climb on his back. Eep got on first and pulled Dawn and Guy up. Dawn claimed her spot next to Eep, and Guy sat behind Eep, holding her waist to brace himself for what he knew would be more than a casual walk around the farm. "Ready, babe?" She looked back at her husband.
"I think so," he replied, his voice getting higher with every word.
She smirked before facing forward again. "Go, Chunky!" She pulled his fur forward, and Chunky immediately took off.
"You should've been here for our first joyride when there was a wall to jump!" Dawn shouted to Guy.
"You jumped over that wall?!"
"Yep!"
"How did you— AH!" He was caught off guard by Chunky's increased speed. Dawn giggled and looked forward again. They took a similar route to what they did for their first ride, pointing out different sights for Guy.
Chunky hopped over the streams of water that stretched throughout the deep pink grass just as he had done two days prior. "That's where the treefly forest was where we ran into the beehive!" Dawn bubbled, looking down appreciatively at her scarred hand. "And a treefly smacked Eep in the face!" Dawn laughed, recounting her first time outside the wall.
"See?" Eep turned around to show Guy a tiny scratch from the incident.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Guy asked, running his fingers down her cheek.
"Babe… it's just a tiny scratch. Do I have to tell you about every little scratch?"
"Yes… because then I can do this." He held her chin on his fingers and kissed her lightly on the mark.
Eep giggled. "Okay, I guess I can tell you." Guy cupped her chin in his hands, and they both leaned into each other.
"Eep! Look out!" Dawn interrupted the couple's near kiss. A treefly nearly flew into the couple, but Eep thought fast and yanked Guy down to duck with her.
"Thanks, Dawn!"
"No problem, girl friend!"
"Boomsies?" Guy inserted himself into the conversation.
"Boomsies." Eep gave him a little peck on the lips before facing forward again.
After a pleasant, long ride, they decided to stop for a break. Chunky walked toward a stream of water that had plentiful sausage fish, and the three slid off of his back to sit down for some water. Eep sat between Guy and Dawn in the pink grass.
"So, how was your first night in your room?" Dawn asked eagerly.
Eep fought off a laugh and looked at Guy, who smiled at her, but his eyes screamed 'do not tell her anything.' "It was amazing," she finally said. "Who knew that privacy could be so good?"
Guy covered his face with his hands, unsure of whether to laugh or try to stop her.
"Are you okay?" Dawn asked, her concern growing for her friend.
Guy uncovered his face. "Who, me? I'm good, we're good," he nervously chuckled.
Dawn remained suspicious but directed her attention toward the clear water in front of them, Eep and Guy following. "I'd been so lonely all of those years, stuck inside that stupid wall. If you hadn't come along, who knows how long I would've been trapped in there… probably forever," she recounted. She smiled appreciatively at the couple. "I'm so happy that you found me."
"I'm happy to finally have a girl friend. You know, Guy is amazing, but having a girl to talk to is pretty cool. Especially when boys are being stupid."
"Hey!"
"Oh, sorry. Boy," she corrected herself.
"What? That's not what—"
"Anyway, as I was saying," Eep fought off a giggle at Guy's pout, "What was I saying? Oh! We'll always have each other to talk to about anything, including boys… or boy." Dawn and Eep glanced over at the only teenaged boy they knew.
"I'm always here to listen, Fireheart."
"Same to you, Sister Sunset." The two girls exchanged loving smiles.
"Guy?"
"Yeah?"
"I'll also listen to you, too. Even when you're being stupid," Dawn offered.
He chuckled lightly. "Thanks, Dawn."
They watched the sausage fish swim, and Dawn noticed two in particular that were acting strange. "Look at those!" She pointed at the two fish. "What are they doing?" She pondered. As soon as Eep saw the fish, she started giggling. Dawn's curiosity grew with her friend's laughter. "What is it?"
Guy's eyes widened when he saw the fish in question. Before he had the chance to tell Eep anything, she spoke up.
Eep laughter died down enough for her to talk. "They're making babies."
Might as well accept that there's no going back now, Guy thought, lying back in the grass.
"Woah… that's where babies come from." Dawn stared in wonder at the fish. "Is that how human babies happen, too?"
"Kinda. It's—it's complicated… a girl and a boy do this… thing that makes… stuff." Dawn stared at her friend with a puzzled yet intrigued expression. "It's different," Eep concluded her explanation.
Dawn tried to interpret what she said, but she decided to let it go and focused on the couple. "Are you going to have a baby?!" Dawn suddenly shouted.
"Oh, no, no, no, we're not ready for that," Eep blurted.
"Not yet," Guy added quietly, sitting back up.
"Oh… Well, if you do ever have kids, I bet they would be really cute!" She looked excitedly wide-eyed at the couple. Guy smiled appreciatively at Dawn before grabbing Eep's hand from the ground and smiling at her softly. She sighed and reciprocated his look, her visage softening in only a way he could cause.
They sat silently for a few minutes, enjoying each others' presence and their afternoon-sun-kissed surroundings. Guy zoned out into his thoughts during their silence. Would I be a good dad? He pondered anxiously. I grew up alone without my parents. I don't know how to be a dad!
Eep faced the same topic. Hm. A baby? A little person? Coming out of my body? And then taking care of it? I would be giving up my freedom… until it got older! We could take our kid on joyrides and show it the world! Also, Dawn is right; our kid would be really cute.
Guy turned toward Eep, and he almost forgot about his worries when he saw her smiling dreamily, gazing up into the sky. The afternoon sun made her glow; it was like the sun itself was sitting right there beside him. Her glow radiated warmth inside him, leaving him with a little adoring smile spreading across his face. If she's thinking about our kids, I'll figure out this 'dad' thing to make her happy.
Eep finally woke up from her daydream when she felt Guy's loving eyes on her. "What?" She giggled.
"Just you," he purred.
"What about me?" She teasingly asked.
Guy chuckled. "Everything." He leaned in to kiss her while Eep accelerated their contact, pulling him in from the back of his neck.
"I'm still here, you know," Dawn commented. Guy and Eep broke away immediately, and they nervously chuckled.
"Sorry, Dawn," Guy apologized with rosy cheeks.
"It's okay," she reassured him. "I was just reminding you that I was here." Chunky sauntered over and plopped down gracefully beside Dawn, resting his head against her.
Some treeflies flew over. "It really is beautiful out here," Guy remarked.
Dawn's eyes followed the creatures. "I can't believe that I was missing out on this my entire life."
"You and me both," Eep replied. "I was trapped in a dark, tiny cave my whole life. It wasn't until Guy came along that I escaped." She smiled between them.
"You had told me about the cave, but you hadn't told me how you got out." Dawn paused while her eyes widened with excitement and curiosity. "How did you meet?" She glanced between the couple eagerly.
Eep looked at Guy. "Want me to tell the story?" He offered.
She nodded quickly, then turned to Dawn. "He tells great stories." Guy situated himself in front of the two girls.
He cleared his throat. "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful tiger," he began.
"That's me! I'm the tiger," Eep clarified for her friend. Guy smiled affectionately at her.
"Her father and mother, more so her father," he mumbled before continuing, "told her that she could never leave the cave at night. They feared her curiosity, for they chose to stay where they thought they were safe. One night, the tiger saw a light. She leaned out to touch it… but the light moved. Confused, the tiger followed the light around her little cave until she couldn't see it anymore. Meanwhile, a warthog was walking nearby."
"Guy is the warthog!" Eep informed Dawn.
"He carried a torch as he walked through the night. Back at the cave, the tiger could only see the light moving farther away. In a desperate attempt to feed her curiosity, she pushed the heavy boulder that trapped her inside just enough to fit through, careful to not wake up her family. In a leap of faith, she ran toward the light. Suddenly, she saw a dark figure in the light, but this tiger was particularly brave." Eep gave him a bashful smile. "She continued, climbing up the rock to reach the mysterious light that had guided her out of her cave. The warthog heard something… or someone. He huddled by a rock to cover himself from a possible predator. All of a sudden, there was a figure… a person! He hadn't seen another person in many moons, and he was struck by his nerves, unsure of what to do. He gradually moved closer to the tiger—"
"You just said 'person', and now it's 'tiger' again," Eep teased.
"Yeah, warthog. Which is it?"
"Okay, I'll do my best to keep it as 'tiger'. You're a tough crowd."
"Keep going!" Dawn demanded.
He sighed. "As he moved closer to the tiger, he noticed that her curiosity had led her to be quite close to the light. Little did she know, the light could hurt her if she touched it. In hopes of protecting her, the warthog placed his hand on her arm, and his life changed… forever. The tiger was really strong and threw the warthog on the ground, and she held a rock over her head, preparing to crush him. The scared warthog revealed his bare hands that were like hers… human."
"You did it again!" Dawn exclaimed. Eep stared at him in awe, as she recounted their first meeting.
"Do you want me to finish this story?" he playfully threatened.
"Yes! Did she throw the rock?" Dawn giggled.
"The warthog revealed that he was not a warthog at all… he was a person. He looked up at the tiger girl, admiring the sight of another person. Even though the boy showed her that he wasn't a threat, she threw the rock, and it landed on his foot."
"I didn't throw it! I dropped it! There's a difference," Eep corrected him.
"My foot didn't know the difference!"
"I didn't do it on purpose." She crossed her arms and stuck out her lower lip.
"I know, Eep. I'm just joking." He smiled at her and continued, "Then, when he screamed out in pain, understandably, she held his mouth closed, and he couldn't breathe." Dawn looked at Eep for confirmation.
"You hit me with a stick!"
"Yeah, while you were suffocating me! Self-defense! Anyway, the tiger girl was confused when the boy spoke up for air. She picked him up by the scruff of his neck and proceeded to sniff him… I guess that hasn't changed," he chuckled. "While she was sniffing and poking him, she noticed a strange creature wrapped around his waist and dropped the boy on his head."
"How are you still alive?" Dawn asked.
"She was violent, but I thought she was pretty… that's the power of love."
"I wasn't that bad," Eep defended herself.
He stared at her blankly. "Eep, I haven't even gotten halfway through the first time we met." He paused. "After dropping the boy on his head, she shoved her foot in his mouth to keep him quiet, for she didn't want her family to know she had broken their rule. The boy, not wanting a foot in his mouth, bit it. She took great offense, despite everything she had done to him, and wrestled the boy. As I mentioned earlier, the tiger girl was really strong. The boy did not stand a chance." Eep giggled. "After beating him up, she fought him off from the fire—his fire—but, the tiger girl suddenly softened, only temporarily, upon hearing about the boy's fear of the dark. She let him pass to revive the light that had been burning out during their fight."
Dawn playfully nudged Eep's arm. "Awwww." Eep rolled her eyes while smiling.
"The boy saved the light, and the tiger girl was mesmerized to the point where she wanted her own fire. He told her that he made it. Before he could explain, she picked him up again and attempted to squeeze fire out of him."
Dawn laughed. "How did you two end up together after all of that?"
"Oh, believe me… there's more," Guy sighed.
"Okay, Guy, I'll take over for this part," Eep told him, and he stared blankly at her. "You were asleep."
"Oh, yeah…" he chuckled.
"The tiger dropped him after she heard his body crack a lot. She thought he was dead when he didn't respond to her. A sloth rolled him onto his back and put two cold rocks right there." She reached out and forcefully put her hands on his nipples, knocking him backward into the water. Laughter exploded between the two girls before Eep stood up and held her hands out for him. "Sorry, babe," she apologized through her giggling.
He sighed, knowing that it was no use to argue. "I'm glad you found that so amusing," he sarcastically remarked through his dripping hair.
She giggled, "I love you."
"I love you, too."
"I love you more."
"I love you more."
"No, I love you more."
"Uh, uh. I love you more."
"And I'm loving you more right back."
"Can you finish the story?" Dawn interrupted.
Guy cleared his throat before taking up the role of storyteller again.
"I wasn't done!" Eep interjected.
"Yes, you are. You lost your privilege after pushing your audience into the water and making me a little cold."
Eep scooted over to sit behind him and wrap her arms around him as he leaned back against her. "Is this better?"
"Yes, thank you, Eep." He turned to kiss her cheek.
"Does that mean I can keep going?"
He chuckled. "Go ahead." He leaned his head back on her shoulder to watch her.
"So, the boy woke up and he started talking about something he called The End. He tried to get the tiger girl to go with him, but she wouldn't because of her family… Do you want to finish it? Your voice is pretty."
"Aw, of course. The tiger girl refused and said that she didn't know him. They introduced themselves, and the boy warned her of something he called The End. Before meeting Eep— um, I mean, the tiger girl, nobody had listened to him. She was the only one who believed him." His eyes softened and landed on Eep's big eyes right beside him. "She still refused to follow him, but he gave her a shell to call him and disappeared into the night with his fire."
"Did she call him?" Dawn asked.
"That's another story," he smiled.
"She did," Eep whispered toward her girl friend.
"Keep going!" Dawn exclaimed.
He looked up at the sky that no longer made their skin glow golden. "As much as I'd love to share more of the times that make me wonder how I'm not dead, I think we should head back home."
Eep giggled and looked up and saw the sun was close to the ground far in the distance. "Yeah, let's go."
Dawn sighed. "Okay." The three teenagers climbed back onto Chunky and rode back to the treehouse under a sky stained with pink.
"Where were you?" Hope worriedly interrogated the teenagers, all of whom she felt somewhat responsible for now that they all lived together.
"We were just out for a joyride," Dawn replied nonchalantly.
She smiled, relieved that they were safe. "Oh, well, I hope you had fun. I have some dinner for you if you're hungry," she offered, gesturing toward the table where the rest of the pack ate from the pile of fruit in the middle of the table.
Guy noticed two missing pack members. "Where are—"
"Phil and Grug are still passed out from last night," she looked in the direction of the living room.
"Still? Are they okay?" Guy's concern for his father figures grew.
"They're fine; don't worry."
"They were breathing last time we checked," Gran assured him from the table. Guy shrugged and sat down at the table beside Eep, who had already set some food at his spot.
"Oh, thanks," he smiled and kissed her cheek.
"You can thank me later," she whispered with a smirk. He mirrored her expression at the implication, forgetting that they were sitting at dinner. All that mattered to him at that moment was Eep.
"Did you two have fun last night?" Hope looked at the couple across the table from her, as she sliced the bright blue fruit in front of her. Eep giggled while Guy nervously glanced between Hope and Eep. I expect this from everyone except Mrs. Betterman, Guy thought with reddened cheeks. Hope's eyes widened once the realization of the other meaning of her question struck her. "I meant the party."
Guy's shoulders relaxed slightly, despite Eep's giggles giving away their after-party activities. "Oh, uh, it was fun, yeah." He nodded his head slowly as he spoke. Gran smiled devilishly at him.
"Don't say a word, Mom," Ugga whispered.
"What? We're all thinking it," she chuckled.
Hope turned her head toward Eep. "How are you this evening, Eep?"
"I'm great! The best I've ever been." She gazed up into Guy's eyes, who kissed her forehead at the comment.
"Aww." Hope smiled tenderly. Gran rolled her eyes before her love for the couple presented itself in her smile that slowly crept across her face.
"Time for some evening window!" Thunk interrupted the tender moment as he walked away.
"I guess I'll start cleaning up," Hope sighed.
"I'll help, Bogwater," Gran offered as she stood up. Only the young couple, Ugga, and Sandy remained at the table. Suddenly, Sandy made her way across the table to crawl into Eep's lap and curled up.
"You know, Eep, you'd make a great mom," Ugga nudged her daughter on the topic.
She stared at the wild child in her lap. "You really think so?"
"I know. I wouldn't tell you that if I didn't." She shifted her gaze toward Guy. "And you would be an amazing dad, Guy."
He smiled softly. "Thank you."
"I'm not trying to rush you into anything, especially something as big as having kids, but I feel like you would enjoy it… when it's the right time." They sat in silent thought, and Guy scooted his seat closer to Eep and leaned his head on her broad shoulder.
"I'll go help clean up now," Ugga said, and Sandy raised her head before jumping off of Eep's lap.
"Mom?"
Ugga stopped raising herself from her seat. "Yes, Eep?"
"How do you know when it's the right time?"
"That's up to you two. When you feel like you could handle taking care of a little person, you talk about it."
"I don't know if I'll ever be ready."
She sat back down and sighed. "I didn't think I was ready to be a mom when I found out I was pregnant with you," Ugga confessed. "I was a disaster the entire pregnancy, even if I didn't show it. I was too busy dealing with your dad to share my feelings," she chuckled lightly. "But as soon as I saw you after all of the pain, everything fell into place. I knew what I needed to do to take care of you at that moment, and that was all that mattered. As much as your dad and I tried planning for everything that could go wrong, it distracted both of us from giving you a better life. We have Guy to thank for getting us away from that." She exchanged smiles with Guy, whose eyes brightened up. "What I'm trying to say is that you may never feel ready. You'll make mistakes, but that doesn't mean you're a bad parent. You will be ready when you need to be."
"So if I got pregnant right now, you're saying that I'd know what to do?"
"Well, yes. I hope that you will put at least a little bit of thought into when you want a baby, but it's up to you two. Accidents happen, so it wouldn't hurt for you to be prepared."
"Accident?"
"Remember when I told you to be careful?"
"Yeah…"
"That's because you can get pregnant anytime, even when you don't want or expect it."
"Oh, right. I remember that now."
"You haven't been careful, have you?" She asked bluntly.
"How can we be careful? Have you seen Guy? And you expect me not to have sex with him?" Guy buried his face in his hands and chuckled at his wife's questions.
"Did I not give you the leaves?"
Eep raised an eyebrow. "What leaves?"
"That answers that question," she sighed. "I'll go get some for you; I'll be right back." She walked into the kitchen.
"Kids…" Eep started thinking out loud.
Guy kissed her cheek. "We can talk about it if you want to," he offered.
"Don't get too excited, Guy." She smirked.
"Eep, really… If you want kids, we can talk about it."
"Not yet… but maybe we could talk about it soon."
"Just let me know when you want to talk." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her toward him. Eep nuzzled her face against his shoulder and smiled against his skin. Ugga walked in quietly with a loving smile growing across her face at the sight of the couple. Eep's eyes opened slowly to see her mother standing beside the table with some small leaves in her hand.
"Here they are." She handed them to her daughter, who promptly sniffed them. "You put that inside you. It helps keep you from getting pregnant."
She looked up from leaves. "How?"
"They block anything from getting in."
"So these are to keep us from having sex?"
"No, no, no. Those are so you can have sex and not get pregnant."
"But you said they block anything?"
"I meant the stuff… Guy's stuff… not his penis."
Guy perked up. "There is a word for it… Grug called it a thing when he talked to me! Penis… you know, that's a strange word, but it's oddly fitting."
Ugga shook her head with a hand over her face. "Remind me to talk to Thunk when he's old enough instead of Grug." She looked up again. "So, does what I said make sense?" The only responses were blank stares. "Okay, can I have one of those for a minute?" Eep handed her a leaf. "This is how you use it. Copy me."
Eep and Guy stared at her wide-eyed. "Are you sure you want to show us? I can leave," Guy started to stand.
Ugga's eyes widened. "Sit down, Guy. I'm not actually using it." He slowly lowered himself back on the tree stump while staring at her. "So, this is what you do." She held up the leaf and folded it over her fingertips. "Then you just push it in as far as it can go. Does that make sense? Also, it might be easier if Guy puts it in for you."
Eep blushed at the last sentence. "Yeah," she replied.
"Do you understand?" Ugga directed her eyes at Guy.
"Um, yeah."
"Okay, you two. Now, Guy, you'll also want to pull out before you…"
"Okay, yeah, okay… Thank you, Ugga."
"You're welcome, Guy." The two exchanged soft smiles. She turned toward her daughter.
"Eep, I know that being 'careful' isn't your strength, but-"
"I've got it, mom. Thank you."
"I'll go see if they still need help cleaning up. If you have any questions, you can always ask me." She walked away, leaving Guy and Eep alone.
"I know you said you wanted to wait until tomorrow…" Eep seductively smiled at Guy. "But wanna try it?"
Guy responded with a mischievous grin and chuckled. "Is that even a question?" He stood up and pressed himself against her back.
Eep shivered at his desire. "Let's go."
He held out his hand for her, and they disappeared into their room.