Birthday Surprise - 1. Birthday Surprise

“Ian Edwards, what made you think sending my son a mirak for his birthday was going to make me anymore amiable toward you?”

“A mirak?” Ian asked sounding a bit offended at the accusation. “I did no such thing!”

“The address label was in your handwriting, and it was stamped from your last port.”

“Melissa, honey, it wasn’t me,” Ian crooned, trying to convince her with his voice since she was unable to see him during this call.

“Who was it then?” she snapped.

“I don’t know. Let me look into a few things, you know, see what I can find out, and I’ll let you know.”

She sighed. “Do that. We have to keep the ugly thing now. Caleb’s head over heels about it. Even sneaks it into his bed at night although I told him not to let it up there.”

They chatted a little more and made plans for when Ian finally made it home, then they disconnected. It was the last time Melissa heard from him. His ship never arrived at its next port.

***

Caleb lay on his bed, his head resting comfortably on Braet’s shoulder. Braet’s head curled around and lay against Caleb’s arm, his forepaw splayed across Caleb’s torso. Braet chuffed softly as Caleb stroked him absently. They had grown since Braet arrived nearly ten years ago. Back then they had plenty of room on the bed together, now they had to squeeze in to fit. Caleb smiled. He couldn’t think of making Braet sleep anywhere else so they made it work.

“I’m going to miss you,” he said softly.

Braet licked his face with his sandpaper-rough tongue.

“I am.” Caleb ran his fingers through the dark pelt. “Do you remember when I told you about Ian’s will?”

He received a head butt in response.

“Yeah, he was a bit of a butt head to make it a condition for Mom to get the money. But I know he was just looking out for her by taking care of my schooling. I don’t know what it’s going to be like, but I don’t think I can take you.”

Braet whined and dug his claws into Caleb, shredding his shirt.

“Ow,” Caleb protested, “that’s not necessary. I’ve asked about pets in housing. They might say yes. I just don’t know where I’m going yet. Depending on who says yes, it might be a deciding factor.”

They lay together in companionable silence for a long time before Caleb finally drifted off to sleep. His thoughts drifting to secret lovers and slow hands in naughty places…

Braet stayed curled around him. It was his favorite place to be. However, lately it was becoming more and more difficult to resist the allure of flesh and there were many nights when he didn’t, instead slipping into temptation and his human skin and holding Caleb through his dreams, twining their bodies together, and sharing pleasure. He heard the dream-fogged lust-induced ‘love you’ that came without fail as Caleb came against his flesh. Braet often whispered it back before he retreated back into his fur.

***

Caleb was sitting in the guidance councilor’s office wondering why he was there. Rumor had it that just a few of his classmates had been called in with early offers, most of them in the academic top 1% or athletes. He fit neither category. So it couldn’t be that, and he was passing all his subjects with high marks. It shouldn’t be his last set of test scores.

The councilor’s voice broke him out of his introspection. “You’ve received a couple early offers, Caleb.”

“Me sir?”

“There is one that is most interesting; we’ve never had an offer from this particular school before. Is there a reason you applied to the one on top?” He placed a few sheets of paper in front of Caleb. “It was the only school that met all your requirements too.”

Caleb picked them up and began reading them. The top one was a good offer – they had the program he wanted, all housing was semi-off campus, and there was a food allowance for each student. Most important, they did accept pets.

“It’s sort of a family tradition. I thought I should at least apply.”

“Well, it’s a good school. They seem to be a bit picky about their applicants; they requested your transcripts for more than the normal four to six years. Oh and they want pictures of you and your ‘pet’. Something about making sure you have proper housing. It’s all in the paperwork. If you want to accept this offer you are going to need to let me know soon.”

Caleb took a deep breath and said, “How do I go about accepting it?”

He was walked through the process. He couldn’t wait to get home and tell Braet.

The next day anyone with a nose more sensitive than a human could tell how pleased Braet was with his human.

***

It seemed like forever but in no time at all he was packing travel trunks and reading assembly directions for the crate Braet had to travel in. It had taken nearly a dozen vets to get Braet’s travel papers because they didn’t handle animals that big, or that exotic, or that species, even though he told the appointment setter all those details when he made the appointments. The last one worked for the zoo.

The first thing he did was look at Braet and shake his head. “You said he is a mirak?”

“That’s what his papers say.” Caleb handed over the papers that had arrived with Braet showing his travel vaccinations and pedigree. “I’d never heard of them and the information I found is . . . sketchy . . . at best.”

“Well, let me take this guy back to the exam room and give him the exam,” the vet said as he looped a temporary collar and leash around Braet’s neck.

Braet got up and followed him without much prompting.

Once they were through the doors the vet dropped the leash. “No sense in pretending. I know you can understand what I’m saying so get up on the table and let’s pretend to get this over with.” He started a general exam of Braet making notes as he went. “You got it almost right. Miraks are usually reddish-brown, though, not black with reddish stripes and don’t get but about two-thirds your size. Then again if you’ve been getting good food and limited exercise that might account for the larger size.”

Braet growled.

“All right, good food and plenty of exercise. He takes care of you then?” The vet poked some more. “You seem to be pretty fit to me.” He took a few minutes and filled out some paperwork then he led Braet by the leash back to where Caleb waited. “He’s a fine, healthy specimen. He should travel just fine.”

***

Their trip was uneventful, if not long, and finally Caleb, with Braet, arrived at their new address in the van the school sent to assist in their transition. Their new home was in a section of two story walk up quad apartments on the edge of what looked to be a wooded area about two blocks from the main campus areas. The landscaping was beautiful. There were small sitting areas in front of each building and lots of shade trees. He walked around to the back of the van and let Braet out of his crate and together they looked for the apartment number. They were downstairs. The key fit the entry door. Inside there was a living room which merged into an eat-in kitchen by way of a bar. To one side of the kitchen was a closed door, and to the other was a door with tape and his name scrawled across it. Overall, it seemed really nice. He opened the door to his room and found a large bed, much larger than he had at home, and all the standard furniture that would be found in a college dorm. Across from the door he was standing in there was a patio door which led to a small patio area.

With the van driver’s assistance, Caleb had his stuff in the apartment in no time. He tipped the man, who drove off with a smile on his face. Now all Caleb had to do was put everything away. The chore seemed to take forever, and by the time he had the bed made, he wanted a nap, on a bed big enough for them both. Caleb kicked off his shoes and pulled off his clothing then climbed up on the bed. Braet looked at him oddly, before climbing up next to him. He curled up just as tight as he always had, although there was plenty of bed.

“Guess this is us then?” Caleb stroked the big mirak’s fur. Braet chuffed. Caleb smiled and went to sleep. Braet slipped on his human skin and held him close. They would have to talk soon. There were so many things Braet hadn’t told Caleb, so many things he needed to tell him, now, especially that they were here. But that could wait another few hours. Caleb needed this right now. Braet buried his face in Caleb’s hair and breathed his scent as their bodies twined together in a familiar pattern that brought them both comfort.

***

Sylvester Patterson opened the door to his dorm apartment and noticed right away something was different. His roommates had arrived! That was the only thing it could be. Excitedly, he went to the bedroom door marked Caleb & Braet and opened it, “Hello!” Then he flushed red. There were two of them. In bed. Together. One bed. Two roommates. “Oh, hell, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize. I’ll be in the kitchen making coffee.”

Caleb looked toward the door when he first heard the hello, but he soon realized he was completely wrapped around another person. A person he didn’t know. “Who are you?” He asked as he untangled himself and backed away a little quicker than necessary, falling off the bed in the process.

“Braet.”

“Braet is a mirak,” Caleb scooted across the floor on his butt keeping an eye on the male on his bed.

“I look similar to a mirak in one of my forms,” Braet said calmly. “I’m sorry you had to find out like this, but I’m really glad it wasn’t Melissa.”

“My mother?”

Braet rubbed his temples, “I forget how much you have to learn yet. Yes, your mother.”

“I don’t understand why Ian sent you to me.”

“Ian?”

“Yes, my Uncle Ian, the package came from him.”

“No, the mirak-creature you were supposed to get was coming from your Uncle Patrick. He was sending an assassin according to my mother. She found out and sent me instead. Patrick received word you received a mirak for your birthday, so he thought his plan was set. But now you’re here, and I’m here, and we are safe.”

“Safe? Uncle Patrick? Assassin?”

Braet ran his hand through his hair. “I’m not explaining this well. Let’s just say there are a lot of secrets in your family and my papers were forged.”

“So you’re not a mirak?”

“Not unless you want me to be.”

“I do,” Caleb breathed out. “I love cuddling…”

“Do you want the mirak all the time?” Braet asked, “Because I enjoy cuddling in both forms.”

“You held me at night, all those times I thought I was just dreaming.” Caleb grabbed at his clothes and began putting them on.

“I did.”

“Why?”

“Because I love you,” Braet whispered.

“Why did your mother send you to me?” Caleb had to know.

“Protection. So long as Patrick thought his assassin was in place he wouldn’t come after you, and everyone was told I was sent away. I was supposedly on the same ship your Uncle Ian was on, but the assassin was killed there, not me.”

“What happens now?”

“I can hold you while you are awake?” Braet grinned. “And, you attend training here with me.”

“If I don’t want to attend ‘training’?”

“It’s still a very good university. But they will pair me with someone who does want the training.”

Caleb looked panicked for a moment. “So none of this was about me? It was all to get you here.”

“To get both of us here.”

Caleb shook his head. “I need to think. You go deal with our roommate.” He opened the patio door and headed out for a walk.

***

When Caleb came back he found Braet in the living room talking to Sylvester and watching television. They seemed to be getting along fine without him. However, before he could retreat back into the bedroom, Braet turned to face him and smiled.

“Why don’t you come join us?”

Caleb took a few reluctant steps forward.

“I don’t bite. Sylvester by the way. I take it you are the Caleb of ‘Caleb and Braet’.”

“Yes, Caleb, nice to meet you,” Caleb said politely and sat in the chair nearly opposite them.

“Look, I’m sorry I walked in on you this afternoon. It won’t happen again.”

“It’s fine. I’m sure we’ll see each other in various other predicaments over the next year. At least we got one of the most embarrassing ones out of the way.” He looked over at Braet and smiled.

Braet smiled back and nodded, understanding passed between them. They had a lot to talk about, but Caleb was at least going to give it a chance. Give them a chance.

“So who’s hungry?” Braet asked. “I heard this place provides the food, and I like steak.”