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Zack Bailey didn't look the type to be nervous about many things. That assumption was mostly true considering he was fairly confident in almost everything he did. Painting he could do. Anything exercise-related he could do. But preparing to go on a date with someone he really cared about? That was different. Granted, he had done it before, but it didn't seem to be any easier this time around.

The front door to the house was left open as Geoff and Karen Bailey came in and out with luggage in their paws. It was Saturday, the day that they would be leaving for their trip and, coincidentally, the day of Tristan' play. And of course, Zack would be meeting Charlie for their date beforehand. There was plenty of excitement to be had that evening, though two of the three aforementioned events seemed bittersweet in nature. All he could do at this point was hope that things turned out alright, not just for him but for the rest of the family.

His mind was certainly taking this sentiment to heart, fretting and obsessing over his engagement for that evening. Was he overdressed? The baby blue button down he wore with a nice pair of black jeans didn't seem too over the top. The silver watch on his left wrist may have been too much, but he liked how it looked. What is Charlie didn't like his choice of restaurant? Zack enjoyed Italian food - it was actually one of his favorites - but he wasn't sure what Charlie liked himself. Maybe he'd let him decide where to eat. And he still wasn't sure exactly how to act around the wolf. What if he said something wrong, or if he did something offensive by accident, or -

"Zack, we're about ready to go," Karen called from the door. "Are you all set for your date?"

Zack got up from his perch on the couch and walked over. "I think so. I'm about as ready as I'll ever be."

"Did you refill your gas tank?" Karen asked. "You said you were almost empty yesterday."

Zack nodded. "I refilled it today. Gas won't be a problem."

Karen studied her son carefully. "You're shaking."

Zack could feel it, too. His left knee was wobbling, causing his entire leg to shake with anxiety. His heart was beating a little faster than normal, too. "I'm nervous. I've never met him in this kind of context before."

"You'll be fine," Karen said reassuringly. "You remember you're first date with Alex, right? You had a really good time then."

"Until he went home with a black eye."

"But that wasn't your first date."

"...True."

Geoff came through the door next. "Okay, Tristan's situated in the back seat. We should probably leave soon so we can get him to the school in time."

Karen nodded in agreement and turned back to Zack. "Okay, we're going to be leaving in a minute. You know the deal: no arguing with your brother and make sure they're both ready for school on time. Seth is at his friend's house, but he should be at the play tonight. If he's not, call us and we'll speak with him."

Zack understood. They had gone over this several times before.

"And Zack?" Geoff said with his eyes narrowed. "Remember what we talked about."

Of course he remembered. Their conversation the night before was hard to forget. Make the next week as easy for Tristan as possible; that was the premise. He wasn't sure if he could handle another of Tristan's breakdowns without his parents there.

"Yes, I remember." Zack moved in to hug both of his parents. "Have a nice trip."

"And you have a good time with Charlie tonight. Don't worry about what may or may not happen, just enjoy the ride." Geoff hugged his son tight. "If we could stay for you three, we would. You should call us tomorrow and tell us how your date went."

"I will," said Zack.

Geoff released his son and left with an earnest "I love you." Karen made to leave while giving Zack some last minute advice. "Have a good time, Zack. Don't forget your gift and be respectful! I've made a few meals for you and your brothers to eat for dinner, but you'll have to cook some nights."

"Thanks, Ma!"

"See you in a week, sweetie."

The door shut and that was it. Zack didn't even go out to watch them leave, for he was already preoccupied again with the dinner date he would be leaving for at any minute. The shaking hadn't stopped. He took a deep breath. Don't worry, just enjoy the ride. He could do that. Just say hello, and the rest will just work itself out.

Zack released the breath from his lungs and grabbed a flat rectangular package he had left on the couch. It was time.

..............................

Zack pulled up to the address Charlie had sent him shortly after five thirty that evening. The driveway was empty, but he parked on the street out of respect. It seemed the wolf was home alone. That was good; Zack definitely wasn't up to dealing with Charlie's homophobic father, especially on their first date. His anxiety had not abated since he left, but the thought of seeing the wolf again turned some of that anxiety into genuine excitement. He got out of his truck and, taking the package with him, walked up to the front door. He rang the doorbell and waited.

The door was yanked open quickly and the white wolf himself appeared at the entrance. He looked just as frazzled as he stood in his black jeans and green button-down shirt. "Hey," he squeaked. Clearing his throat, he tried again. "Hi, Zack."

"Hey back, Charlie," the jackal said with a smile. Zack's voice was surprisingly calm; thank goodness for his ability to hide his nerves when it mattered. "Your folks gone?"

"Y-yeah, they're going out, too." The shakiness in Charlie's voice was so cute! "So...maybe we should get going?"

The item in Zack's paw suddenly came to mind. "Yeah, but first, I've got something for you." He held out the package for the wolf to take. "Go ahead, open it."

"Well, first come in," said Charlie. He let Zack inside, leading him to his living room couch. Sitting down, the wolf appraised the package in his paws. "So, what's here? Feels like a canvas."

"Open it," Zack urged him with anticipation.

"Is this a painting?" Charlie pulled away the wrapping paper to reveal a splash of color underneath. Yes, it was a canvas, but what made the wolf's jaw drop was the scene depicted on it. It was a portrait of Charlie with a beach in the background. The wolf was dressed in a Hawaiian shirt with a lei of blue flowers around his neck. A pencil rested behind one ear as if he had just finished drawing something. But then over his shoulder was Zack himself, with a similar lei of purple flowers and pulling him close. Both were smiling gleefully at the painter's perspective.

The joy in Charlie's eyes could be seen a mile away. "Wow," he breathed. "This is...wow..."

"Figured you'd like it," Zack smiled. The time an effort it took to create this gift had totally been worth it. "Kind of went Hawaiian. Not sure why."

"This is incredible! Hold on, I'm going to put this up in my room." Charlie got up and left the living room. Zack followed him and found him in what he assumed to be his bedroom, contemplated where to put his new gift. The room was kept rather tidy with some very nice drawing hung up on the walls.

There was something...exciting...about being in his boyfriend's bedroom on the night of a date.

Charlie took down one of his drawings and replaced it with the painting. Seeing the grin on his face, Zack said, "Glad you like it."

"You're really talented," Charlie replied. "I don't know what to say...thank you!"

"You're welcome," said Zack. "So, you hungry?"

"Yeah, what'd you have in mind?"

"Well, what do you want?" Zack inquired, recalling his uncertainty from earlier.

Charlie shrugged. "I don't know...sushi?"

Zack's ears perked. "Really?"

"Or we could hit the steakhouse by the school," Charlie suggested.

"Nah, that steakhouse is awful." Plus, he had some bad memories associated with that place... "I know of a sushi place, but I'm using a fork. I don't know how to use chopsticks."

"I can show you," Charlie offered. "It's just as easy as using a pencil."

............................

What kind of fucked up pencils have you been using?! Zack cursed as his sushi roll escaped his feeble grasp yet again. He held the chopsticks clumsily in his fingers as he glared at his latest foe. The sushi roll sat there on his plate as if taunting him, and he tried again with renewed determination. He barely even noticed when the waitress came over to refill his soda.

"You have a fork," she said before walking away. Rude, Zack thought, but acknowledged the reminder with a nod. Being extra careful this time, Zack finally managed to lift the roll into his mouth.

"Well done," said Charlie as he maneuvered his own chopsticks expertly. "Took quite a few tries, but you got it." Zack was grateful for how patient his date had been during this endeavor. He still couldn't fathom how people got used to using them so flawlessly.

"This takes like fish," Zack observed. He just barely suppressed a wince at the saltiness of the roll.

"It's actually eel," Charlie amended.

Zack nodded. "It's not that bad, although the soy sauce makes it way too salty for me."

"I know what you mean," Charlie said with a kind smile. God, those eyes. "I'm not really a fan of soy sauce myself." He took a sip of his own drink before turning that emerald gaze back toward him. "So I'm really curious. What got you interested in a tiny little wolf like me?"

Where do I even start...

"You're...not...tiny." Zack growled in frustration as his next sushi roll evaded his grasp again. He finally gave up and grabbed his fork, stabbing the roll with a small bit of vindication. Reeling in his irritation, he repeated his statement. "You're not tiny. You're a pretty cool guy and a cool artist. I think you're kinda interesting. What got you interested in me?"

An almost uncharacteristic smirk crossed the wolf's features. "Maybe I just have a thing for bad boys." ...did he really just say that? That particular comment made the jackal feel a little self-conscious. "I'm really glad you asked me out."

"Glad you came out," Zack replied. "I'm surprised you said yes the first time I asked. Took forever for my last..." Zack stopped himself going any further. He did not want to go down that road, especially not on their first date.

"Last what?" Charlie inquired curiously.

Zack shook his head. "Drop it. Say, what's your favorite color?" Best to change the subject now before it got worse.

"Azure. What were you going to say?" Charlie pressed, his eyes full of determination. It was times like this Zack decided he didn't like how persistent that wolf could be.

"What's your favorite kind of music?"

"I don't have a favorite. What were you going to say?"

"Then what's your -"

A fist pounded the table. "Zack, if you don't answer me, I swear I'll get up and walk home!"

Zack met his date's gaze with a pained look, silently pleading the wolf to drop the subject. Charlie's anger seemed to dissipate a little at the look, but those eyes were still unwavering. He was going to get an answer right here, right now.

...Fine "My last boyfriend took forever to agree to date me," Zack explained. "Can we not talk about that?"

Charlie gulped visibly. "Are you talking about Junior?"

Zack paused, allowing himself a sip from his soda before he spoke. "I am. Charlie, I'm not trying to compare you to him. You're not like him," he insisted. His heart began to beat faster when the wolf clenched his fists again and scoffed. "What's wrong?"

Charlie sighed. "I've just been wondering lately if he's really my friend. More often than not, he's chewing me out about being around you," he admitted. "He keeps saying you're some kind of bad person. I swear, he thinks you're the devil or something."

"I wouldn't deny a small resemblance," Zack said with a smirk. I mean, I do wear quite a bit of black and red. Hey, maybe for Halloween...

_ _"Ha ha," Charlie chuckled, but his expressed quickly darkened again. "I know he's trying to look about for me but...I don't need him to." His gaze lifted to meet Zack's across the table. "You're a great guy from what I've seen. I really don't get why everyone at school's so afraid of you. Did something happen that you're not telling me? Is there a reason everyone's scared of you?"

Maybe I should just tell him now. If we're already dating...no. "I don't know," Zack bluffed. "I don't get it either. I'm not some kind of bully."

"I know," said Charlie. He grinned and held out a sushi roll with his chopsticks. Zack leaned forward and grabbed it in his mouth, his lips spreading into another cheeky grin. "You're really cute when you smile like that, you know," Charlie remarked.

"Like what?"

Charlie's own grin still held fast. "Like you're about to do something n...mischievous."

That gave him a bit of a jolt. Okay, he definitely did that on purpose. There was a subtext there... Zack noted the blush on the wolf's cheeks, likely a result of his own comment, and chuckled. "You're cute when you blush like that."

That only caused the wolf to blush even deeper, but it was worth every moment. Zack saved him from having to respond by glancing at his watch and clearing his throat. "I think we should get going. The play starts in about half an hour."

"Yeah, okay."

..............................

The seating area at Greenwood Elementary was already crowded when they arrived. The gymnasium that coupled as a theatre was bustling with activity. The wide walls and high ceiling echoed the bickering of the guests as they chatted off to the side or sat within the large rectangular formation of chairs in the middle of the room. The stage was lit, but the set was completely obscured by red curtains.

Zack fixated on the curtains, wondering how Tristan was doing behind the set. Tonight had to be hard time for him with their parents gone. With a pang of sympathy, Zack realized that he had probably done this play just for them to see. Tristan had never done anything like this before; he was likely quite nervous as well.

"Hey, why don't we find a place to sit?" Charlie suggested, jolting him out of his thoughts.

"Yeah," said Zack, taking his eyes off the stage for the moment. "Let's try and find some seats near the middle. We'll have the best view that way."

They ducked and dodged through the crowd, eventually a couple of seats with a decent view. The two settled down and waited for the show to start, which was due to happen at any minute. At one point, Zack looked over at Charlie to find him glancing around the area curiously. Intrigued and feeling a bit awkward, Zack decided to strike up a conversation.

"You look distracted," he observed.

Charlie blinked and returned his glance, shrugging. "Just curious. I been to many plays before."

Zack raised an eyebrow in intrigue. "Really? You haven't seen any performances where you're from?" Another questions occurred to him as he spoke. "Where are you from anyway?"

"Michigan," Charlie answered. "It's not like I couldn't see any good plays where I used to live, but I guess I just wasn't interested at the time."

"Oh." Zack's ears folded backwards when he heard those words. Had he made a mistake taking him here? He should have known better than to make their date his little brother's elementary school play. Stupid, stupid, stupid...

"No, Zack, I'm enjoying our time together; I really am!" Charlie said with a paw on the jackal's arm. He suddenly tensed and yanked his paw away as if the arm was on fire. With a slight blush, he continued, "I having a great time with you. Please don't think you did anything wrong."

Before Zack could respond, a shuffling from his other side diverted his attention. Seth had arrived and chosen to sit next to him. "Hi," he mumbled.

The appearance of his brother actually surprised him. Zack had totally forgotten that he was expected to attend. "You made it. I thought you wouldn't show up."

Seth gave a noncommittal shrug and left it at that. But then something seemed to grab his attention elsewhere. "Hey," he said, nudging the older jackal in the side. "Is that Mom and Dad?"

Zack scoffed. "Don't be dumb, Seth. They left a while ago."

"No, look!"

Zack followed Seth's pointing finger off to the side of the seating area. With a start he realized that his brother was right. Geoff and Karen Bailey stood together at the edge near a wall, seemingly scanning the crowd for something or someone. Karen whispered something to her husband and pointed, and they went at sat down a few rows ahead of them. They hadn't noticed their two older sons sitting just behind them.

So they had come after all. The entire family was here now.

A moment later, the lights went out and the theatre lighting brightened slightly. It was show time.

The curtains opened to reveal a set resembling a rocky cliff. The art for the setting was actually quite good, something Zack could definitely appreciate. The play began with most of the cast parading around the stage singing a song. The children and a few select adult actors pranced around the floor in a practiced and exaggerated fashion, dressed in elaborate costumes depicting various African animals. A group of lions was dancing near the front while a warthog and meerkat stood off to one side. A procession of hyenas circled around near the back, but Zack couldn't tell which one was Tristan through all the clutter.

After the opening number, the stage cleared except for a few characters and the meat of the play started. It was fun to watch, but Zack was mostly anticipating the appearance of his brother that he knew would happen eventually. All he knew at this point was that Tristan was one of the hyenas, as he had mentioned earlier. Zack had to admit he wasn't a fan of plays either, but it was captivating when someone he cared about was involved. He spared a glance next to him at Charlie. The wolf appeared just as enthralled as he was, and seemed to be having a good time.

Then it happened. The scene changed again to what appeared to be a more secluded rocky area akin to a canyon. A group of people dressed as hyenas came out and formed a line across the stage. Zack recognized his brother now, all the way at one end of the line. Even the costume and fur dye wasn't enough to completely disguise his identity. That was fine, though; that wasn't the point. It was just a children's play after all.

Each hyena stepped forward to say a few lines, nothing too long or complicated.

"That Scar is a real menace!"

"A bit of a grump if you ask me."

"Was he always that mean?"

"Maybe he just had a bad day?"

"But he's mean to us every_day!"_

"He doesn't believe in us..."

"Hey, it's not that bad!" Tristan shouted his line. "We -"

Then he stopped suddenly as he looked out into the audience. He seemed completely frozen in place, unmoving. At first it seemed like part of the play, but after a few moments of silence it became apparent that something was wrong. Zack leaned forward in his chair, staring up at the stage in fear. Tristan had never been known to have stage fright! Then again, he had never acted in front of a live audience before.

The longer Tristan stuttered over his words, the faster Zack's heart beat inside his chest. Beside him, Seth looked uneasy as well. This wasn't happening; it couldn't be! What was he going to do?! He couldn't stand to see his little brother embarrassed like this.

"That's my boy!" That was Geoff Bailey's voice coming from a few rows ahead. About half the audience shushed him, but the shout had already had its effect. Tristan perked up when he heard his father's voice in the audience. Was that really him? Had they decided to come to the play after all?

Tristan managed to muster some courage and finally continue his line. "It's not that bad! We can show him we're perfect for the job!"

The other six "hyenas" responded in sync. "We can?!"

Confidence restored, Tristan broke out into song.

"Oh, Mr. Scar, he isn't right. Even with his power and might.

He thinks we're nuts, unsavory mutts, that really aren't so bright!"

Then the other hyenas joined in and the song continued. Zack sank back in his chair with a sigh of relief. Thank goodness his mother and father were. He wasn't how Tristan would have coped if his part had ended in disaster. Zack was among the loudest in the audience when the song ended, and then again at the very end of the play. Through the standing crowd, he saw Geoff and Karen clapping and cheering just as excitedly, if not more.

After the production ended, Zack, Seth, and Charlie went to meet the parents who had gone to meet Tristan at a side entrance. The children actors were already filing out of the stage area after having changed out of their costumes.

"So how was that?" Zack inquired.

"It was great!" Charlie answered with a smile. "It was cool to see Tristan up there."

"I'm glad you liked it," Zack grinned back.

They soon found Geoff and Karen talking to Tristan by the door. The young jackal was talking excitedly with a huge smile on his face.

"You came!" He exclaimed. "Did you like it? Does this mean you're staying?"

"We loved it, sweetie," said Karen. "You were amazing! But we can't stay. We still have to catch a plane early in the morning."

Tristan didn't seem deterred by the news, for he leaped forward and hugged his mother's leg with an expression of glee. "Thank you for coming to my play! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Geoff noticed them approaching and greeted them with a smile. "Hey there, you three. Nice to see you again, Charlie."

"Pleased to meet you again, sir," said Charlie respectfully.

Geoff waved a paw. "Nah, call me Geoff. How was your date?"

"It was really fun. We went for sushi," Zack responded.

"Sushi huh? Did you like it?"

"It was pretty good," Zack admitted. "I think I'll stay away from the soy sauce though."

"Mhmm. I'm not a fan of soy sauce either," said Geoff. "Say, do you two think you're up for some ice cream? It would be a nice treat as a family and it would extend your date a little."

"Yes!" Charlie blurted out before realizing how abrupt he had been. "Um...I mean, sure."

Zack chuckled at the wolf's excitement. "I wouldn't mind some ice cream, no."

"Alright, let's try and beat the crowd then. This parking lot can get pretty cluttered quickly."

..............................

A bit later, they arrived at an ice cream parlor with the words "Frozen Goodies" illuminated on the sign over top. Unsurprisingly, there was a fair amount of guests there already, either in line or eating at one of the tables positioned around the building. Zack stepped out into the night air and began walking toward the line.

"This place any good?" Charlie sauntered up next to him, gazing up at the sign above the parlor.

"Oh, hell yeah," Zack said enthusiastically. "Come on."

Just minutes later, they found themselves at the front of the line. "Welcome to Frozen Goodies," said the raccoon behind the counter. "We've got some new flavors if you're interested."

"You two go first. We'll stay out of your fur," Karen suggested.

Zack nodded and stepped forward to the counter. "Two cones, please. I'll have rocky road and he'll have..." He trailed off, allowing Charlie to choose a flavor.

Charlie studied the menu and quickly gave an answer. "I'll try the cherry."

Zack began digging through his wallet as the raccoon went to get their cones. By the time he got the money out though, Charlie had already slipped some bills to the cashier. The wolf took his change while Zack frowned.

"You should've let me pay," he said, taking his cone from the raccoon.

Charlie procured his cone and the two went to go sit at a table. "How come? This is my date, too. Besides, you payed for dinner."

"I should pay," Zack insisted. Watching Charlie lick his cone, his concerns faded when the wolf got a bit of ice cream on his cheek. Charlie must have noticed his staring because he gave the jackal a confused look.

"What's wrong?"

"Does it taste good?" Zack said with a grin.

"Yeah, it's awesome," replied Charlie. "Though it's not too sweet."

"You got some on your cheek." Zack wasn't sure what came over him. Before Charlie could wipe it off with a napkin, he leaned over and kissed the spot on the wolf's cheek. "I think it's pretty sweet." Charlie jumped in surprise and blushed.

"Awww!"

They looked over to see the Bailey's watching them with varying expressions of merriment on their faces, with the exception of Seth who was gagging.

Zack chuckled good-naturedly. "Guys, a little privacy?" To his relief, the family gave them their space and looked away.

Charlie was still blushing, cute as always.

..........................

Zack finally shut off his car in the driveway of the Argent household. He and Charlie had spent a bit longer at the ice cream parlor, even after they had finished their cones. They must have spent a good twenty minutes just talking and laughing with each other without a care in the world. Unfortunately, though, all things must come to an end, and it was finally time for Charlie to go home. An almost sorrowful yet satisfactory silence filled the car as they waited in the darkness of the vehicle.

Zack broke the silence. "So I guess this is it, huh?"

Charlie looked almost sad, his paw resting on the door handle. "Yeah," he said simply.

"Hey, come here." Zack undid his seat belt to lean over the center console, planting a soft kiss on Charlie's unsuspecting muzzle. The wolf _meep_ed a little in surprise, but closed his eyes and settled into the kiss.

Zack pulled back, flashing him a smile. "Let's go then. I'll walk you to your door."

"You don't have to do that. It's right there; I'll be fine," Charlie stammered.

"Maybe I just don't want to leave yet," Zack replied. "Come on, let's go."

Both furs exited the car and walked the short way to the front door. Zack could see movement from behind one of the windows; Charlie's parents were home. Charlie turned around and stood awkwardly on the door step facing his date.

"So I guess I'll see you on Monday then?"

Zack gave him a playful punch. "You don't have to sound so sad about it. It's not even two days away."

"That's still two days though," Charlie said with a shrug.

The moment was perfect. The slight elevation of Charlie's door step put them both at eye level. Zack stepped forward and leaned in slowly. Charlie only just in time realized what was happening and closed the distance.

Their lips met, and it was heaven.

It was warm and soft, prompting his mind to float off into nothingness despite the rapid beating of his heart. Zack brought one paw up to rest upon the wolf's shoulder, the other placed comfortably on his side. The first kiss broke after a moment, but then without any communication between the two, they closed that distance again. And again, and again, and again. At one point, Charlie's arms found their way around Zack's neck, bringing them even closer to one another. The kiss deepened after that, both canines bringing their tongues into the mix.

The kiss broke naturally. Zack stepped back to stare into the wolf's green eyes, those shining emeralds glowing against a sea of white. "Something to tide you over," Zack grinned cheekily, backing away.

Charlie was speechless, his muzzle opening and closing again with no sound. No more words needed to be said, though; both of them understood that. Zack got into his car and back out of the driveway. Charlie still stood on that same spot watching him as he drove away.

Zack knew the grin on his flushed face probably looked so stupid, but he didn't care.

Zack arrived back at home at about nine thirty that night. The house was quiet and the entire downstairs area was empty. The jackal tossed his keys onto the stand by the door and went up the stairs, figuring he would settle down in his room after a nice date with his boyfriend. His lips and tongue tingled at the memory of the kiss they had shared. He felt kind of stupid admitting it, but he couldn't wait to do it again,

On the way across the hall, Zack overheard voices coming from Tristan's room. Recalling what he found the last time he had decided to eavesdrop, he considered leaving it alone. It sounded like Karen and Tristan, though, so Zack let his curiosity get the better of him.

"When are you leaving?" Tristan whispered.

"At about one," Karen replied. "We'll be gone when you wake up in the morning."

"That's okay." Tristan's smile was clearly audible through his voice. "You came to see me tonight. Even when you needed to leave on your work trip. Aren't you going to be tired?"

"Oh, we'll be very tired," Karen said with a bit of a laugh. "But it was worth it to see you perform."

"Thank you," said Tristan. "It was a lot of hard work. That song took a long time to learn."

"I'm sure it did. It sounded amazing," Karen replied. "You sound worn out by the play tonight. Are you tired?"

Tristan yawned. "Uh huh."

"Why don't you roll over then so I can tuck you in?"

"Okay."

The rustling of sheets was heard as Karen tucked the young jackal in. Zack still stood perfectly still with a pleased smile on his face.

"Can you sing?" Tristan asked.

"Of course."

"Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high

There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby."

_ _ Karen's voice flowed soft and sweet like honey, the melody soothing as a warm blanket. Zack had only heard his mother's singing voice on a few occasions, but it never failed to impress. Whether she had sung in a choir in the past or if it was just maternal instincts he didn't know, nor did he care. Her voice was perfect to asleep to.

"Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true."

_ _ That cute white wolf smiled at him, his eyes perfect jewels shining in the moonlight. Their lips met again, arms curled around each other in a gentle embrace. Their hips swayed to a gentle unheard rhythm, the entire world null but them.

"Someday I'll wish upon a star

And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.

Where troubles melt like lemon drops

Away above the chimney tops.

That's where you'll find me."

_ _ He and his wolf waltzed gracefully underneath a ceiling of suspended snowflakes glinting in sparkles of light. The blanket of white underneath their paws was just as pristine as the tux worn by the jackal. The wolf broke the kiss and smiled sweetly, resting his head on the jackal's chest as they continued to dance.

"Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly

Birds fly over the rainbow..."

_ _ Tristan's voice joined his mother's for the last line.

"Why then, oh why can't I?"

A single happy tear fell down Zack's muzzle for a reason he couldn't quite pinpoint. He left his mother and brother to their conversation and continued to his room in silence. Leaving his door open for his parents who were sure to come check on him, Zack sat on his bed and gazed out the window into the night sky.

The stars seemed brighter tonight.