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It was the middle the night and Auden was wide-awake. He had a lot on his mind: Xander, his fin, and a possible job at his uncle's cafe. Each topic was 'bigger' than the previous. He could not sleep. Matter of fact he had not slept well since his infection. Every time he nodded off, he found himself dreaming. About what he did not know because as soon as he woke with a start he had forgotten the dream altogether. He sat up and flipped on the lamp at his bedside.

He ran his fingers through his hair and realized it was damp. Suddenly he was realizing all of him was damp. The sheets stuck to him uncomfortably so. Now that he was awake, he felt clammy which was very gross he had to get out of bed and bathe. Maybe a soak in some cold water with lavender would ease him.

----

He settled into the tub and let out a sigh of relief, the end of his fin hanging out. He stretched out the length of himself before sliding more of himself under the water. The water was up to his chin. He dipped a washrag into the water and rang it out. After closing his eyes, he covered his face with the washcloth.

He had just about drifted off to sleep when he felt his horn tingle. He had not felt that tingle in a while. Now that he thought about it, not since he last had four legs. He rolled his eyes. How fitting that of all times for him to actually be able to shift he would be in a space to small and end up with four legs instead of the two he so desperately wanted. So what if he busted a tub. He was sure that his mom would understand. At least it would be legs.

He decided it best not to think about it. Knowing his luck a single negative thought would set him back again. He wondered what he cared about more now, at this very minute. Sleep or legs. He was actually oddly enough boarding on sleep being more important.

He felt his eyes becoming heavy.

----

Auden!" Alison shook her brother. She had not expected to find him sprawled out in a tub of ice cold water. Her heart dropped into her stomach as she filled with worry. What if he was suddenly getting sick again?

Auden groaned as he came too. What an abrupt awaking. He was so comfortable and the dream he had been having. Damn he could not remember the dream but he knew one thing it had been incredible!

Alison threw a towel at him. "Put something on shesh. Mom's told you a dozen times you don't go walking around without pants on!" She herself had not registered the fact that Auden had accomplished something he had not been able to do in a long while.

Auden sat up so fast it made his head spin. "How in the hell am I going to put pants on with a fish tail?" He went to flip his fin to prove a point but could not. He was instead greeted by a cold splash of water produced by the fall of his legs as he picked them up. A combination of cold water and the way he had been laying had caused him to go partly numb.

Alison rolled her eyes. Without a second thought, she reached into the tub and pulled the plug. "Seriously I swear some days you are more trouble than it's worth." There was a hint of teasing in her voice. She turned on the hot water and showerhead.

Auden stared blankly at his sister.

"I'm not your nursemaid. I am not going to bathe you. Bathe yourself!" Alison made a humph noise and crossed her arms.

"Could you at least turn around? You've already seen enough of me!"

Alison spun around just as her face turned bright red. She had not even thought about the fact that she was looking at her brother in a naked state. "Just hurry up already so I can help you out of the tub."

"You know bath time is normally private time," he mumbled.

"You lost that privilege when you feel asleep in the tub. Besides your dumb butt probably couldn't even walk two steps."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"It's me or mom." Alison was about to say something when her brother cut her off.

"You." Auden sighed. The last thing he needed was to have mom brought in and everyone suddenly be alerted that he had fallen asleep in the tub. That was way more attention than he needed right now. This after all was not a free showing.

"You know what this means don't you?" Alison's voice was softer now.

"What?"

"That you've been trying to hard. You should relax more?"

"What are we talking about?"

"You're legs silly. I know you've wanted them for a long while now."

"Oh." Not that Alison could see it but there was a stupid grin on his face.

"Yeah. Oh." Alison sighed. "Hurry up. I've got things to be doing."

"Like what?"

"Like planning for my date this evening."

"You've got a date?"

"Yes, I've got a life. It doesn't just revolve around you anymore."

"Damn that hurts." You did not have to see the frown on his face to know he was hurt.

"I'm sorry."

"No. No. It's fine. I mean we were bound to grow apart. So, whom are you going on a date with? Eidel?" Auden assumed Eidel because they both spent a lot of time together.

"Sebastian." Alison's face was even redder. She was so thankful her brother could not see it. "Don't you dare tell mom!"

"Okay. But I've got to ask why?"

"Because I really don't want to hear that talk."

"What talk?"

Alison giggled, "You're totally clueless. You know THAT talk."

"No seriously I don't know."

"Don't act like you don't have any feelings at all. Anywhere for that matter. THAT talk."

"Oh my gosh Alison!"

"We sound like two kids you know…"

"It isn't helping you're avoiding talking to mom to avoid THAT talk!"

"If I have to hear it you'll hear it too."

Auden slumped into the tub. "Okay please avoid mom." He really did not want to hear it from his mom. "But you cannot hide it forever you know."

"Do I ever know." She took a couple steps back and sat down on the toilet. "He invited me to go on a trip with him and his dad. I really want to go. I know mom will let me. But, damn every time I see her all I can think about it is THAT talk. I mean seriously does she not think me proper?"

"It's more caution I think. I mean you and I both know what happened to her."

Alison wanted to look over her shoulder and at her brother but did not. "I suppose you've got a point there."

"You should just um suck it up and go to her. Perhaps she will spare you because you were honest. I mean this is something that you two should be bonding over."

"Have you been watching chick flicks again?"

"So what if I have?"

"You know we seriously don't eat a pound of ice cream every time we shed a tear."

"Yeah. Okay. Whatever. Just after you help me go to her. You're only other option is to go sneaking out of the house. And I am totally not covering for you while you go gallivanting around for a week."

"Two."

"Okay two weeks."

"But you owe me."

"Not that big of a favor."

Alison grinned. "I love you brother."

"And I love you too. Enough I'll sit through THAT lecture that mom will give you. And why do you say that I owe you. I mean other than this."

"Xander."

"I so totally do not think about it."

"Oh so totally yes you do."

"Prove it!"

"You were talking in your sleep the other night. Something about knots. You aren't going to tie him up are you? And you know? You know?"

"NO!" Auden was as red as Alison had been earlier. "He's too young."

"He'll grow up. And then what?"

"Shut it!" He threw a wet towel at his sister.

"Hey! It was only fair. I mean we covered Sebastian and me and we aren't even a couple."

"Then why are you so worried? Do you want to be a couple?"

"I. I. I. I think so."

"Maybe you should talk to him after you talk to mom."

"It is too embarrassing. He is supposed to ask me. It is proper."

"Proper smoper. Be bold and just go for it."

"If you don't shut up I'll throw the towel at you."

"Go ahead. You already did once."

Alison growled playfully.

"Come on and get me out of this tub. I'm getting hungry."

"Alright." Alison held out a dry towel.

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