A Quiet Slumber Party (Claire)

[GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT]

Griffin was more than excited for his quiet evening with Claire. He packed a satchel full of things; several journals from his journeys around the world, movies and snacks. He dressed comfortably so he wouldn't need to change, opting for slate blue flannel pants, a white t-shirt and a light sweatshirt on top, mostly to keep his harness hidden while he made his way to Claire's home. He had promised her he would take his shirt off when he came by, a fair trade in his opinion considering the evening ahead.

Griffin climbed the steps and when he got to Claire's door he knocked, waiting for her to answer. He was in high spirits, a youthful energy about him and when she opened the door and greeted him, he could do nothing less than smile at her. "Hey" He greeted back warmly, leaned down and pecking her cheek in a friendly gesture and entered her home.

A couple of weeks ago he didn't even know for sure that Therianthropes even existed, and now he found out that one of his very dearest friends was one and she was going to allow him to witness her shift! His stomach bubbled with excitement as he pulled the satchel off and placed it on her coffee table, taking his sweatshirt off as well. He didn't know if she wanted him to strip down to his bare torso just yet.

Griffin opened his bag and started pulling out the contents. "Just some snacks.." There was granola and veggies and fruit, some crackers and a bag of M&M's. "I wasn't sure if you had any, and I wasn't sure if you could have human food when.." He licked his lips, a boyish grin creasing his beautiful face.

He then pulled the books and movies out. "I brought some journals and movies." He gulped and looked over at Claire, grinning like a complete idiot. "Claire, you have no idea how excited I am. I.. jeez, I don't even know why, it's not like we can do much, it's just.. well, I've never seen anything like this or known anyone so special and... thank you. Thank you so much." He went to her and wrapped his arms around her in a tight bear hug, a gesture he didn't extend often, even to relatives.

[CLAIRE MCLEESTER]

The day that the full moon landed on Claire was more active and got much more accomplished than she did the rest of the month. She was like Speedy Gonzalez after a crack and speed cocktail injection directly into his veins! But she did it with grace and that was the most amazing thing of all! She'd gone for a long run in the morning, then went grocery shopping, picked up her dry cleaning, made time to pick up some lunch and was back in her apartment before 1 and cleaning! She was pretty sure the little oriental dry cleaning lady noticed the change in her. Because normally Claire struggled to get out the door without dropping one of her hangers and tripping over it.

The day quickly passed Claire by and right before Griffin was set to arrive she was in the middle of brushing her teeth. She had wondered how she was going to do tonight, dealing with her shifting. It wasn't like she could just wear a sheet until the time came and she contemplated just putting her bathing suit on since the bikini was the kind that tied, both top and bottom, and it would be easy enough to shift in that without ruining any of her clothes. She loved her clothes! But she finally decided that she'd just wear a pair of her sleeping shorts, the yellow ones with green polka dots, and a grey tank top. This was probably one of those times that she didn't care what she looked like around Griffin because she knew she wasn't going to look like a just-rolled-out-of-bed hobo for long. Hell, even her hair was up in a messy sort of bun that hung lopsided.

When she heard the knock on the door she still just finished brushing her teeth and poked her head out of the bathroom door. "Coming!" She called out but she was pretty sure they wouldn't hear her. Dabbing her face on the bathroom towel she made her way barefooted through the apartment and opened up the door. Her green eyes bright and matching the smile on her face when she saw that it was who she had been expecting. She stepped to the side to let Griffin in and when he kissed her cheek she felt them turn rosy.

After shutting the door she followed after him and noticed that he looked quite comfortable. She was glad that he'd come over casual because then she didn't feel so weird standing there in her pale, hobo-esque glory! Although it was still weird to her, having a guest over just before the full moon. Her senses were heightened even more than they usually were and it was almost as if she was already in her animal state.

As he mentioned that he brought snacks and how he was unsure about whether she could eat human food she finally said something. It was probably the longest she'd gone around Griffin without saying something. At least since the night they stole Herbie from the museum. "People food in moderation is okay. Although I did do some shopping and sort of stocked up on some stuff too.." Claire moved to the kitchen and opened a cupboard just over the microwave. It was stocked with nothing but cans of tuna. Some had blue labels, some white and a few were gold. She pulled out a few of the cans and set them on the small little island that was in the kitchen. She wasn't really hungry at the moment so snacking with Griffin would be good enough, but at least she had it ready. It was going to be such a weird night. He'd see all of her little quirks and the routine she did before the full moon rose.

"Claire, you have no idea how excited I am. I.. jeez, I don't even know why, it's not like we can do much, it's just.. well, I've never seen anything like this or known anyone so special and... thank you. Thank you so much."

Claire was still her usual self when it came to compliments and she just sort of shook her head, a bit of awkwardness seeping through. "I'm glad to do it. It'll be fu--" She was halfway to him when he closed the gap and embraced her tightly. It was one of those moments where she both enjoyed it but was a little nervous at the same time! Hell, she didn't even put on a bra and she was starting to think that maybe she should have. Would he be able to tell?! Her face turned bright red as her arms wrapped around his waist but she didn't hug back as tightly. She didn't want to push her boobs up against his chest more than he was already doing! Oh god why didn't I put on a freaking bra?!

"I-I-err-uh-ye-oh--" Her words came out as a babble and she seemed almost like herself for a moment. She couldn't form actual words suddenly and felt like a loony. But then again what was different there?!

"M&M's huh?!" ...what else was there to say?!

[GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT]

Griffin pulled away from their hug a little bashfully, his hands still on her shoulders. She looked flustered, which oddly amused him more than anything else and he gave a shy sort of chuckle. "Sorry.." They'd kissed before, so he thought maybe this would be okay. Maybe he had just startled her is all.

"M&M's huh?!"

He sighed slightly and then grinned, looking at his stuff. "Yeah. I figured something sweet might be nice. I don't know what Cheetahs eat." He smiled impishly. "But I know Claire's don't mind M&M's. I've seen you eat them before." He shrugged and looked at all the tuna. It was funny to think she craved fish when in cat mode. "Maybe next time I'll bring some tuna steaks and cook you a real meal." He joked and then sat down on her couch.

"I brought some movies. Let's see...Shawshank Redemption, Forrest Gump, Casablanca, Momento, Amadeus, Spirited Away, Braveheart, Pans Labyrinth, Grapes of Wrath and Princess Bride." He peaked up at her. "I wasn't sure what sort of movies you were into so I sort of grabbed a little of everything." He shrugged and placed the journals on the table. They were small but thick, and they had words scribbled in thin, loopy writing on the front and the binding. He was hardly acting like his normal self. More like a boy on Christmas morning.

"Oh... Uhm.." He bit his lip and blushed a little, deciding now was as good a time as any. He pulled his shirt off. "I guess we had a deal?" He looked bashful, and truth be told he was feeling bashful. He slowly unlaced his harness and then took it off, his wings so tightly pulled together coming undone and falling down his back. He sighed, loving the feeling of freedom. The long, thick feathers bristled out a little, making a sound only feathers could make when beaten together. He looked to Claire hesitantly, feeling so vulnerable. Would this be what she felt like later?

"So do we need to make any preparations?"

[CLAIRE MCLEESTER]

"Yeah. I figured something sweet might be nice. I don't know what Cheetahs eat."

Subconsciously Claire was worried that he was going to notice that she was bra-less. And that wasn't something she did around guys! Hell, half the time she couldn't do that around her own damn sister! But that was also because she was self conscious of how her chest looked compared to Cheyenne's.. not that it mattered now! But her arms went up and she practically hugged herself, keeping her arms pressed against her chest as if that was going to make it less noticeable.

She watched him and a grin crept up onto her lips, standing there in silence as he started to read off the movies that he brought over. He definitely had a good collection and she'd seen most of them! "What? No Breakfast Club? Oh no, we can't have a night without The Breakfast Club! This night's cancelled!" Claire said but she said so in her joking voice and even smiled at him, walking closer and looking at everything he brought. There were so many things for them to do! Or for him to do while she just laid around like a lazy log. "I think Pans Labyrinth is out though. Subtitles aren't exactly easy to follow on full moons."

Then Griffin started to undress and she took a step back to get him a little more room. "I guess we had a deal?" A deal?! Did they make some weird sexual deal that she didn't know about? But then it came to her and she realized that she had told him she wanted to see his wings again. She could hear the quiet rustling as his wings unfurled and spread wide, her eyes watching them like she was on full alert.

Claire was coming to the realization that she really liked a half-naked Griffin. Now that he had his shirt and harness off she decided to close the distance between them so that she could get closer and get a better look at his wings. Except she didn't bother to go around to get a good look from behind, she actually enjoyed the view she had from the front well enough. She began to bite her lower lip, not realizing she was doing it, and when she was close enough to practically press up against him she reached past his arm and gently ran her fingers along the feathers of his wings. They felt so soft and just like a bird.

"I could do this all day." She admitted quietly and then looked up to meet his eyes for a second before his question began to register with her and she backed up again. Claire hoped that she wouldn't make him too uncomfortable.

"Yeah, actually. I should open a window to let Luna out so I don't try to eat her.. again." She blinked a few times knowing that sounded strange and then laughed at herself. She loved her cat but they didn't get along well on full moons. Luna liked to try and play with Claire when she was a cheetah and Claire sometimes didn't know her own feline strength and nearly ripped her pet in two once. So she headed over to one of the windows that were in the "bedroom" area of her studio apartment and pulled open one of the windows without opening the blinds. Luna was smart enough to know which window was open.

"Sorry.. If I'm acting weird it's just that I'm not myself today. Or.. I am. I'm my other self as I like to call it. I'm a little less neurotic which is nice but weird at the same time if that makes sense?"

[GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT]

He laughed at her comment about the Breakfast Club. "Darn!" He said, knowing she was teasing. When she came to him and felt his feathers, he stayed still, allowing her to do so, his eyes intent on her, watching and studying the way her body moved as if she were unsure, and almost mesmerized at the time time. It felt strange to have someone pet him this way. He felt it, but only just barely. It was the pull on the stem of each feather that he felt as her fingers brushed over his wings. He felt it when he himself ran his hands along them, but with Claire it was an odd sort of feeling. Sure, his parents had touched them before, and Avisaille doctors, but with her it was strangely different. Maybe because he was more aware with her. Maybe because it was because he liked Claire in a way he didn't like anyone else. He found, despite it being odd, he didn't mind. In fact, he sort of liked the feel of her on him like that. He grinned when she said she could do it all day, and truth be told, he wouldn't mind if she did.

Griffin watched quietly, a smile on his face as she bustled around, opening the window and explaining she'd nearly eaten the cat once. He was disappointed she had left his side, but he knew they would be together all evening, which excited him.

"Sorry.. If I'm acting weird it's just that I'm not myself today. Or.. I am. I'm my other self as I like to call it. I'm a little less neurotic which is nice but weird at the same time if that makes sense?"

His wings seemed to have a mind of their own, which they sort of did. They moved gently in their freedom, bristling here and there and twitching lightly with every breath he made. "Your moods never surprise me anymore. I'll take you any way I can get you." He chuckled. "Don't worry about me. Just do what you need to do, and if you need any help, let me know." He tried not to feel self conscious. He didn't mind her seeing, he just wasn't entirely used to it. He watched her, not sure he'd ever seen her dressed so casually before. It was... he didn't know how to describe it. Cute, maybe? She seemed so young and he was reminded that she was. Very much so. The thought bothered him a little, as it often did. He might look her age, but he most certainly was not. Was it wrong to care for her in any way other than a friend? Was that fair to either of them?

Griffin didn't want to think about it. Instead he looked around, trying to distract himself from the thoughts that ran through his mind. "Should we come up with some sort of communication process for when you change?" He asked curiously, looking at his books on the table now. "In case you need something or... if you want me to leave.." He swallowed, hoping she wouldn't want that, but she might at some point and he needed to be prepared for if that became the case. "We could make yes or no cards. Then again you could probably still nod or shake your head." His brows furrowed, showing his anxiety. His eyes wandered to her again. "You're absolutely sure you're okay with this. I won't be offended if you change your mind. I promise nothing would change. You could tell me no, Claire. I would understand."

[CLAIRE MCLEESTER]

"Your moods never surprise me anymore. I'll take you any way I can get you."

Something about his words made Claire blush a little and even threw her off. She looked at Griffin and gave him a bashful sort of smile before looking away. She watched as Luna finally got the idea that Claire didn't want her there that night, that it would be one of those nights and the cat leapt out the window and landed on the fire escape stairs. She'd know how to get up and down from there.

"Should we come up with some sort of communication process for when you change?"

It appeared Griffin wanted to make sure that if Claire was uncomfortable, she'd be able to tell him if she wanted him to go. Except that she didn't want him to leave and wouldn't the entire night. There was a part of her that was nervous and another part excited about the whole thing. "I've never done this. I mean, the only person I'm ever around at this time of the month is Cheyenne. But she changes with me, and she doesn't mind being around people when she changes. Me on the other hand? I've never done it." She told him honestly and shut her window again, making sure to pull the curtains over it so that there wouldn't be anyone peeking in her windows.

"You're absolutely sure you're okay with this. I won't be offended if you change your mind. I promise nothing would change. You could tell me no, Claire. I would understand."

She shook her head and made her way back to the living room, her eyes travelling over his wings that were still out and getting close enough to touch them again. She hesitated, wanting to make sure it was okay with Griffin before her fingers brushed along the feathers again. "I want you to stay. There's no one else I would trust enough to do this with." Her green eyes moved up to meet his and her expression was serious. Her eyes seemed almost cat like since the moon was so close to coming out, and moved back and forth looking into both of his eyes. "I don't want you to leave at all tonight." On any other day Claire wouldn't have been able to say those words so straight to the point. She would have beat around the bush for a bit first, but tonight she was much more direct.

She went back to stroking his wings and slowly let her hands move up to touch his shoulders while she bit down on her lip a bit almost like she was concentrating. "Seriously, you look like something out of a painting." To Claire, Griffin looked like a work of art in a way. With how perfect and fit his body looked and the beautiful wings that came out of his back. Unbelievable.

[GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT]

"I want you to stay. There's no one else I would trust enough to do this with. I don't want you to leave at all tonight"

He gazed down at her, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. A grin spread over his lips, a gentle one, showing his happiness at her words. He was glad she felt comfortable with him. He felt comfortable with her, too. It was nice having someone he could share his secret with. It was nice to have a friend who wasn't like him, someone he could not only spread knowledge to, but who could do the same to him.

Her fingers were on his wings and he watched her, admiring the way concentrated on it, studying him. It was amazing watching her experience him as a phenomenon. The wings bristled lightly under her touch and his eyes moved with her hands as they ran to his shoulders, making the little hairs on the back of his neck stand. His green eyes moved back to hers and he gulped. Claire certainly sparked some confusing, strange feelings in him.

"Seriously, you look like something out of a painting."

He gave an embarrassed smile, shaking his head. "You only say that because you're not used to seeing men with wings. Trust me, Claire.. I'm not all that special." He suddenly felt bad for putting her compliment down and then shrugged slightly. "But thank you. For thinking that." His voice was soft and kind. He stretched his wings out, wrapping them around her and creating a sort of bubble around them. His eyes met hers and he simply gazed into them. She was such a beautiful girl..

"You look like someone who belongs in a painting." He offered softly, bringing a hand up and touching her cheek lightly, then her chin and finally moving through her hair a little, tucking a strand behind her ear. He gulped thinking about their kiss at the pier the night he'd asked if he could do this with her. Should he kiss her now? Did she want him to kiss her more? There was a part of him that wanted to, another part that was more than content to just watch her all night, in or out of human form.

He decided to go with it, leaning down enough to brush his lips against hers. It was soft and delicate, romantic but not intrusive. Exactly how he thought kisses should be between them, at least for now. He pulled away, his face hovering close still as his wings pulled away a little. "How much longer do we have?" He asked, his voice soft.

[CLAIRE MCLEESTER]

"You only say that because you're not used to seeing men with wings. Trust me, Claire.. I'm not all that special."

"Well I sure think you're special." Claire said just under her breath. She wasn't offended he didn't take the compliment, since she was known to suck at compliments she couldn't get mad at someone else who was being modest. But he did thank her for the compliment and was polite the way he always was around her. It was something she liked about Griffin right away, his honesty and polite mannerisms were such a breath of fresh air. She didn't meet a whole lot of men - hell, even women - who were polite in their age group. But then she was reminded that he wasn't her age, he was much older than her.

"You look like someone who belongs in a painting."

Pfft, with this pale complexion and freckles? I don't think so, buddy! Of course she only thought those words, trying her hardest not to dismiss his compliments even though she was pretty sure that he was used to it by now. He was like a compliment machine just cranking them out constantly!

Before Claire could get in a word or even another thought on the matter she realized that he'd wrapped his wings around them so she was in a sort of embrace, only not. She was about to look at his wings when Griffin's face came closer to hers and their lips met. And just like that, it was like someone lit a fire in the girl. Why was she feeling this way?! The last time they'd kissed she'd nearly melted into a puddle of gooey-ness but this time... this time the soft kiss made her want more.

When Griffin slowly pulled away and Claire gazed at him, his face still so close to her own. Her breathing had picked up a bit and she wanted to lunge on him. It was taking everything in her not to just tackle him to the ground and ravage him like some wild beast in heat.

"How much longer do we have?"

That's when the pieces to her mojo puzzle all began to fit together. She was about to change. Her instincts, her senses, everything was heightened and different. She'd never been around a man during a full moon and she didn't shift unless she was forced to on said full moons. Claire hated letting her animal side take the wheel and she suppressed all those urges as much as she could. But now.. now she was sure she knew why her mother was the way she was. Why her mother slept around and now why her sister did as well. There was a desire deep down and the urge was intense! Claire.. well, Claire actually liked it!

The girl ran her fingers down Griffin's chest before she had to take a step back and chuckled nervously. "Soon.. like, real soon." Claire knew that she had to get out of her clothes before she changed but.. that was one thing that she hadn't thought through! Could she just strip down right there in front of Griffin, or should she do the whole sheet thing again? Decisions! And she knew she was running out of time. She probably had twenty minutes, top!

"I'm going to change... yes. I have to change. Or.. yeah," and Claire was back to being awkward. "I'm going to get undressed now. Because I don't want to ruin my clothes. I mean, I really like my clothes! Or else I wouldn't have bought them in the first place and they're sort of new so that would kind of suck, right?!" She laughed nervously and clamped her hands together in front of her. "Hey! Do you think maybe you could read first? I'd love to hear all your stories. And.. maybe put your shirt back on because right now I sort of want to just.. jump all over you. Changing... right!"

And with that Claire was making her way towards her room, her back to Griffin and made an 'x' with her arms to grab the bottom of her shirt and pulling it right over her head. She had her back to Griffin when she reached into a cabinet near the bed and pulled out a folded bright yellow sheet. The girl loved yellow! Swiftly she wrapped it around her and with one hand was able to pull her shorts and panties off to throw in the laundry bin. This time she wasn't as nervous to be in the sheet as she was the last time.

After satisfied that she was well wrapped in the sheet, wrapping it under her arms and tucking it in the way she would a towel after a shower, Claire headed back into the living room. "So.. talking is going to be so overrated in a bit. Anything else you want to discuss while I still have human vocal cords?" She asked in a teasing way and even gave a little grin.

[GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT]

"Soon.. like, real soon. I'm going to change... yes. I have to change. Or.. yeah," Griffin nodded, watching her go with mixed feelings. He liked having her so close, but he didn't want to make things awkward for her. Claire had a way of letting things take an awkward twist when Griffin got too close, or things became too personal. It was a habit of hers. "I'm going to get undressed now. Because I don't want to ruin my clothes. I mean, I really like my clothes! And just like that old Claire was back. Griffin sighed, but he grinned slightly too. She was adorable. Her imperfections made her perfect and he felt almost more at ease with her uneasiness.

He nodded at her requests, grabbing his harness and sliding it slowly over his shoulders. "I can read first." he offered as his wings began to fold up in the cramped way he always had them do when he needed to strap them down. He slowly laced it back up, his eyes on Claire as she moved towards the bed. He allowed his gaze to remain on her back as she pulled her shirt off, admiring the way her body moved and how delicate her back was. She really did belong in paintings. Griffin waned to see all of her; he wanted to see her without her clothes. He reminded himself he would this evening, but she wouldn't really be Claire then. It was a strange desire, like he wanted to study her. Marvel her. Adore her.. He already did all those things, but he wanted to know all of her, inside and out. And despite those overwhelming urges to see every crevice of her magnificent body, not once did his thoughts turn dirty or stray away from considering it anything other that extreme beauty. Claire was not an object. She was not a hole for him to fill. She was a person, and he was fascinated by her.

He knew his intrigue could very easily be mistaken for something else entirely so he tore his eyes away when she had the sheet wrapped around her and was finishing undressing, telling himself it was inappropriate to look. He finished tying his harness as she came back over, grabbing his shirt and pulling it back over his head, leaving the sweatshirt off for now. It was suddenly warm in there.

"So.. talking is going to be so overrated in a bit. Anything else you want to discuss while I still have human vocal cords?"

She said it so playfully he had to smile. He reached up and tucked her hair behind her ears and shook his head. "Nothing to discuss.." He said slowly, his eyes finding hers. "But I think you should know you're magnificent." His fingers ran down to the tip of her hair. "In every form." He gave a gentle, but bashful smile and then pulled his hand away and turned. "Alright, which country would you like to hear about first?" He asked, picking up a few of his books and looking through them, then sitting down.

[CLAIRE MCLEESTER]

"But I think you should know you're magnificent."

Claire began to blush at his words and grinned at him like a silly school girl. She wanted to just jump into his arms and kiss him again but she had a feeling that he wanted to take things slow. And she thought it was a great idea herself, especially because they were so different. Claire was a Therianthrope and Griffin an Avisaille. Not to mention he was much much older than she was.

"Alright, which country would you like to hear about first?"

"Mm.. surprise me!" Claire said and her big smile was back on her face again. That's when she realized that she was really close to changing and moved over to one of the windows and pulled back the curtains so she could get a good look outside. The moon was out and about to reach its peak. She let go of the curtains, letting them fall back into place covering up the windows so nobody could peak in at her during her shifting.

She headed right back over to where Griffin was, looked at him, reached down to grab some m&m's to stuff in her mouth and chewed them as fast as she could. Then, she reached up to put her hands on both sides of Griffin's face and pulled him down. She wanted at least one last kiss before she turned, and when her lips locked with his she made sure that it was both firm and soft at the same time. She didn't want to seem forceful but she wanted it to be a good one, and she lingered there for a moment before backing away again.

"Ready?" She breathed out almost in a pant, feeling a sort of high from the kiss. When she finally wound down she untucked the sheet from around her and held it loosely, still trying to cover herself up as much as possible. And less than a minute later she was bending over, dropping the sheet as her body began to change. Her limbs growing shorter and covered in fur and her nose turning into a snout. Claire was going to be stuck as a cheetah for the rest of the night, and the first thing she did was leap up onto the couch and pace around, waiting to see where Griffin would sit so she could plant herself right against him.

[GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT]

Griffin grinned and nodded, picking one of the books. He had an entire series of books from Asia, and this was one of his favorites. He watched Claire move around, peaking out the window and then grabbing some candy. She seemed almost anxious and he wasn't sure if it was normal for her to be like this or if it was because he was there. It was like magic, though. He felt so glad he was there to share in this forced monthly tradition. He hoped it would be the first of many.

Her eyes were on him and he gave a kind smile, but what she did next took him by surprise. Her hands were on his face, tugging it down to meet hers and he felt her lips on his. Claire was right; she wasn't herself this time of month. It was odd feeling her take what she quite obviously wanted. The first kiss he had ruined by pulling away, the next two he had taken the lead one. This was different. This kiss was full of...passion, was it? Her lips demanded his cooperation and he gave it willingly.

He was surprised at how hungry for more he was when she pulled away, his lips tingling with her chocolate breath. "Ready?" She breathed, and he gulped, almost forgetting what was happening. She had thrown him completely off balance with that, surprising him more with the strange feeling swirling in his stomach than anything else. He gave a slight nod and watched as she loosened the blanket.

Unlike last time she let him watch the transformation for the most part. It was beyond incredible. By far the most amazing thing he'd ever witnessed first hand and he watched in awe of her. Everything about her screamed beauty and he watched as she jumped on the couch. It was almost hard to believe she was still Claire. Hesitantly he reached a hand out, gliding it across her short, spotted fur. "Magnificent, even like this." He said softly. "Especially like this..."

He held the book in his hand and took a seat, feeling Claire nuzzle in close. It was like a pet cat, only much larger with depth in her wild, green eyes. His hand slid over her body, admiring the soft fur. "You're very soft.." He told her and then remembered she was still herself in there. "Feel free to nip me if I'm doing something you don't like or if I'm being inappropriate. A gentle nip, though. Those teeth look awfully sharp." He grinned, nuzzling close. There was a deep part of him that feared her slightly, but he held that irrational fear back. She wouldn't attack him. She was still Claire, even if she was maybe a little more feral than normal.

"Alright, reading..." He took the book and opened it, flipping through the pages. Griffin cleared his throat before he began. "This morning I arrived on Shiraishi Island. I'm glad I did my research ahead of time because there weren't many tourists on the island considering the time of yer. Shuichi had brought me by boat and introduced me to his dear friend Makota who was a fisherman on the island. I spent the afternoon working with Makota on his boat, aiding him and learning his trade. To thank me he brought Shuichi and I home for supper. His life was certainly one to be desired, as I found most people's on this island. The view was magnificent, and after supper I excused myself to climb the mountains and watch the sun set. the water was littered with fishing boats, so I was forced to stay there on the mountain instead of testing the air, but the view alone made the lack of freedom worth it. Tomorrow I've promised to work in the fields and I couldn't be more excited. This was precisely the reason I chose this destination on my tour through Japan..."

[CLAIRE MCLEESTER]

There was always a sense of wild freedom when Claire shifted into the medium sized feline. She felt like she could be careless and crazy! Although tonight, she was going to be tame and slump into the couch with Griffin for a night of stories and movies. When Griffin ran his hand down the length of her coat her back arched up into his hand as if she were the one guiding his hand in the petting motion. Being pet wasn't something that happened usually so it felt nice! The short fur moving back to its rightful spot after he stroked it was nice and felt almost like when someone played with her hair and she got that goosebump feeling.

When Griffin stopped with the touching and started to read from his journal Claire couldn't turn away. The stories were fascinating and the way he told them they were so beautiful. As time went by she'd gone from just sort of leaning into him to laying across the back of the couch with her head resting on his shoulder to laying across his lap. Because she was still a cat she had that laziness to her that made it easy for her to just lounge around.

As the hands on the clock ticked away, they'd managed to get through almost two whole journals. Griffin had written so much in them and it was all so much information but Claire just gobbled it right up! It wasn't as if she could ruin it by talking. And when the time finally came to switch to watching movies she had nudged The Princess Bride with her cold little cheetah nose almost like she was a dog. She didn't want to just grab it with her teeth since that would likely damage the case and she wasn't a jerk!

Time seemed to slowly go by that evening and halfway during the second movie they had popped in the cheetah opened its mouth and let out a big yawn, her tongue rolling out and then going back in her mouth when she shut it again. She had thought she would have much more energy to run around and play with Griffin in this form, but all she wanted to do was lay her head on his leg and have him pet her. A few times she'd even headbutted him in the side playfully to try and get him to run his fingers through her short spotted fur and had quite a good success rate at it.

By the time the second movie was over three hours later the cat was already quietly sleeping on the couch next to Griffin. But she was a light sleeper in this form and when she felt Griffin move it woke her and her head popped up as if on full alert. She was ready to go back to sleep for the rest of the night but did he still want to stay up?

[GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT]

Griffin had never owned a pet. He had always loved animals but never cared to own one himself. Having Claire around was like having an enormous pet cat, but better. He knew she wasn't really a cat, but a woman which made it all the more amazing. Her warm, lean body moved all round; leaning against him, laying across him, and laying across the back of the couch so her head rested on his shoulder so she could see the pages. Griffin nuzzled and pet her when she nudged his hand to and often of his own accord. She obviously liked it, and to be honest so did he. It was so intimate, unlike anything else they had really done. Stroking a woman the way he did Claire would be sexual, but not like this. It was loving and doting and he relished in it.

When he'd gotten through the second journal he was glad she wanted to watch a movie. His throat needed a rest. The man laid partially on the couch, his lady cat friend curled up beside him. He rested his arm around her, his fingers moving in small circles against her fur as they watched. When he slid the second movie in the DVR he offered a big yawn. He hardly made it through the first film and he was sure he wouldn't make it far into the second.

Sure enough he passed out on the couch sometime during the first half of of the movie, Claire's warm, fuzzy head nestled in his palm, his other hand laying between her shoulder blades. At some point he began to stir. He looked at the television, the movie's menu repeating over and over. He yawned and looked at the clock. It was the middle of the night, but when he looked down at Claire, he noticed her looking back up at him. Either she was a night owl or he'd woken her.

"Can I lay down?" He asked groggily, and she was more than happy to let him move, gesturing towards her bed. "You sure?" He asked, hesitating, but it was clear she was sure. He made the short trip to her bed, his shoes already discarded, and climbed in. He felt her warm body moving in close and he draped an arm over the cat, nuzzling his face into her soft, orange fur. He reached down and pulled the blanket up over her body, knowing she would be plenty warm without it, but he didn't want her to wake up and be concerned he saw her in the nude. "Good night, Claire." He said softly, sighing as sleep took hold of him once more.

---

The room was dark, but the sound of birds chirping were clear as Griffins eyes opened. He looked around, noting the time. It was nearly nine, and judging by the crack of light by the windows, he knew morning. If that wasn't all clue enough to know it was day, the woman sleeping beside him surely was. It was easy to make her frame out under the thin sheet, his arm still resting around her as he spooned her. He smiled, enjoying the feel of the woman in his arms. He could get used to that..

"Good morning." Griffin croaked in his typical morning voice. He hoped she wouldn't panic since she was naked..

[CHEYENNE MCLEESTER]

Cheyenne was in an uproar. She knew part of it was due to the full moon the night before., but it also had to do with her own personal drama and the fact her little sister was not answering her damn phone. "You better be seriously injured, Claire, I swear to god!" She had growled into her voicemail as she left. Why wasn't Claire answering her phone?! She had spent the better part of the day before trying to come to terms with things, and when she called her sister that evening she just wouldn't answer, and then the full moon was up and she wasn't Chey anymore.

The girl climbed out of the cab and threw her money at the driver her muttered something back in another language, and she stormed into the apartment complex. How could Claire just abandon her in her time of need!?

She waited a solid five minutes for the elevator and then go pissed off, kicked the doors and went up the stairs. She needed to burn off a little pent up energy anyway. Step after step she climbed higher and higher, sorting through her keys. Finally she found the one she needed as she arrived on Claire's floor. She pushed through the door leading to the hallway and then marched down to her sisters stupid little shit apartment.

"CLAIRE!" She yelled, slamming her fist against the door, but she didn't bother to wait for a response before shoving the key into the lock and opening the door. The room was still dark so she flipped on the lights, spotting her sister almost immediately, looking suddenly more bewildered than angry.

"Holy shit, you fucked him.." She said, surprise as she looked between her sister and the sexy museum guy. Griffin was a cool dude. Boring as hell, but a total fox, and smitten with Claire. She nodded. "Not bad... but why the HELL weren't you answering your phone!" She picked up a throw pillow and tossed it at the happy couple. "I NEED to talk to my SISTER! Gawd, Claire! Selfish, much!?"

[CLAIRE MCLEESTER]

After a night of great sleep it was the subtle movements of Griffin was what stirred Claire out of her sleep. Her back was to him and slowly she turned her head so she could open her sleepy eyes and see the man who she'd slept beside all night long. Her red hair was a wild mess, all tangled and big on the side she'd slept on, but a groggy smile spread across her lips, "good morning."

It took her a bit, still trying to wake up but she realized that she wasn't wearing anything under the sheet. She could feel his hand against her bare skin and her eyes opened wider, waking herself up as much as she could so she could try to figure out how she'd forgotten that this would happen! But she tried her best not to have a total meltdown and instead she just sort of tensed up a bit.

"I.. forgot I was going to wake up without clothes on.." She stated bluntly and collected some of the sheet on her side in her arms and hugged it to her as if she were afraid he could see her through the sheet. Because her back was to him she figured that was what kept her from having a heart attack in that moment. And she began to settle down even more when she reminded herself that it was Griffin in bed with her. She trusted him enough to let him stay overnight on her night of shifting because she knew he wouldn't try to do anything while she was in such a vulnerable state.

Slowly and with the sheet bunched up against her chest she started to turn so that she could face him and set her head back down on her pillow and looked at him with her bright green eyes. Claire was definitely in a very good mood this morning! Even though she was in the buff she was waking up next to a friendly face.

But her little high on cloud nine soon dissipated when she heard the banging on the door and her name being called. "Oh could you possibly have worse timi-" and the door was open and in came Cheyenne. Claire popped straight up into a sitting position in bed, taking the sheet with her of course and clenching it against her chest with wide eyes. Why was her sister here? And why was she screaming at her?!

"Holy shit, you fucked him.." And in that moment Claire wished she had wings because if she did she'd jump out the window and fly away instead of sit there with her face growing deep shades of red from embarrassment. "What?! No! We just slept togethe- okay the doesn't sound any better." Her sister could be such a bitch sometimes with the blunt things that she said!

"Not bad... but why the HELL weren't you answering your phone!"

What? "You were calling me?" Claire asked her and gave her a bewildered look, why was she storming in here because Claire didn't answer her phone? "My phone's in my purse I was busy." And again, that didn't sound any better than what she said the first time. She was going to dig her own grave and she looked over at Griffin almost as if she wanted him to rescue her from her own sister.

When the pillow came at them Claire got smacked square in the face with it and then it dropped between her and Griffin. "I NEED to talk to my SISTER! Gawd, Claire! Selfish, much!?" Claire shut her eyes and buried her face in her hand, shaking her head from side to side as she sigh, taking a little time out moment for herself before looking at her sister again. "Get me some clothes and we can talk. It's kind of weird being the only naked person here."

The girl turned her head to look at Griffin and gave him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting Medusa to barge in this morning." She said softly and rolled her eyes.