Chapter 1 Jingle Balls #2
Nothing happened, though he could hear a mild chiming tone coming from somewhere inside the building.
He waited a minute, then frowned, shivering and shifting from foot to foot.
He checked the time on his phone; maybe the owner was asleep?
No, couldn’t be. It was barely 8:30. Though he was in the country.
Felix rang the bell one more time and shouted, “Hello?! I have a reservation!”
He waited a moment more, then tested the doorknob. He could at least wait inside where it was warm, even if it was weird to walk into someone else’s house uninvited.
Not a house, a hotel, he reminded himself.
The door was unlocked and he practically crept through the tunnel-like, heat-saving double-entry into the spacious foyer. A sign near the entry read, “This establishment is shifter-friendly! Please use a changing room on arrival! Clothing can be provided!”
Wow! Felix hadn’t ever been to a place that catered to non-humans before. It had become more it was just like that pheromone spray used to help his permanent 4-legged cousins feel comfortable in a new environment!
Felix felt special, knowing he could have come in as a cat ornaments dangled, crystal snowflakes danced in the windows, lights twinkled in the garland…
Felix loved it.
The entire place looked like it had sprung to life out of some sort of holiday fairy tale. Some wintery romance novel where Santa was a Zaddy ready to come once a year…just for you.
The were-cat bit his lip in happy anticipation. Assuming the owner ever appeared to check him in, Felix couldn’t wait to see his room! He couldn’t wait to get down & dirty with his boyfriend in a place like this!
‘Winter Romance’ was top 10 on his sex fantasies wishlist.
Hell, if he could live in a place like this? Year round? With some Hotty McBoddy keeping him company? Wouldn’t hear any complaints out of him!
Maybe he should think about moving…
When no one appeared after several minutes, Felix decided he was allowed to get comfortable & spread himself out on the gigantic couch in front of the roaring fireplace.
Well, he supposed it was less roaring and more crackling.
Clearly it had been started some time ago & been left to fend for itself.
He looked around, wondering if he would get in trouble for adding a log or two.
Still alone.
He added a log. (Carefully, since he wasn’t all that confident around a live fire.) The snap-crackle-pop built up quickly and he gave a happy sigh, stretching his hands out towards the renewed blaze.
He pulled his phone out as he sat back down on the sumptuous furniture, figuring he’d better check in & make sure Evan wasn’t lost as fuck somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Assuming his boyfriend even had service. Still, better to at least make the effort.
Evan: What time are you getting out of work?
Evan: When are you picking me up?
Evan: Helloooooo?
Evan: I thought we were getting together this weekend?
Evan: FELIIIIIXXX
Felix checked the time stamp on the messages. Roughly an hour and a half ago. Not that it mattered since they’d had the conversation yesterday about the two of them driving independently so Evan wouldn’t get stuck waiting for Felix to get out of work.
Felix tamped down a surge of annoyance and scrolled to the next message.
Evan: Change of plans…
Oh no.
Evan: Chantal’s pissed off at Miguel for something-or-other and decided I’m her GBF pick of the week. Since you’re clearly too busy to come get me, it you get this in time, meet us over at Logan Airport by 9:00. Chantal’s got a private plane taking us to Ibiza for the weekend!
“What the fuck?!”
Felix texted back rapidly: WTF are you talking about? I’m already at the B&B like YOU’RE supposed to be, where we booked for OUR plans THIS WEEKEND, JUST LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT YESTERDAY!
Evan: What B&B?
Felix felt his heart pounding, anger and heartbreak and a million other things spiraling through him all at once. He dialed Evan’s number. It rang through to voicemail.
Felix: Pick up the fucking phone or I’m telling Chantal what you broke at her last party!
He dialed the phone again. Evan picked up on the first ring.
“No need to be rude, babe, what the hell!”
“Rude? RUDE?!” Felix practically threw himself off the couch, needing to move while they had this conversation. “Evan, please, PLEASE tell me this is a joke and that you’re on your way here right now…”
“On my way where?”
“To the B&B that we booked TOGETHER, THREE WEEKS AGO!”
“Not that run-down little cabin you wanted to stay in? Babe, I thought you were joking! I mean, let’s be real, you know that I do not do woodsy. Unless we’re talking like Bears of the two-legged variety.”
“Are you fucking kidding me right now?! You complained ALL LAST MONTH about how unavailable I was, so I made sure to take the time off that matched with YOUR SCHEDULE, so that WE could have a nice weekend together—Which we’ve been planning for WEEKS—and you have the AUDACITY to suddenly decide to change plans HOURS AFTER YOU’RE ALREADY SUPPOSED TO HAVE LEFT THE HOUSE TO MEET ME HERE? !”
“Whoa, babe. Calm down! You weren’t like answering your texts! How was I supposed to know you weren’t picking me up?”
Felix could feel his pulse pounding in his ears, his cat-form pushing at the boundaries of his human skin in his rage. He took a huge breath and let it out as slowly as he could, doing his best to stave off the potential panic attack. In as calm a voice as possible he replied,
“Because we talked about this last night, Evan. I told you I wasn’t sure when I was getting out of work and you made the decision to drive up here on your own instead of waiting for me.”
“Oh. Well. I was pretty wasted last night. I don’t really remember that. But, it’s not like we can’t go up to your little cabin another time, right? I mean, this is I-bi-tha we’re talking about! How often are we gonna get the chance to go to I-bi-tha?”
Felix snapped, his claws springing from his fingertips. “YOU ARE UN-FUCKING-BELIEVABLE!”
“Man, Chantal was right! You are way too uptight, Felix!”
“ME?!”
“Listen, I know we’ve had some good times together, and I really like you and all, but I’m not sure I can deal with this negativity anymore.
It’s really not healthy, you know? I think we need a communication time-out.
We can chat again after I get back from I-bi-tha!
Besides, Chantal is really upset over whatever Miguel did.
She needs me with her, you know? For emotional support? So this is a good time for a break!”
“A brEAK?! YOU’RE brEAKING UP WITH ME BECAUSE YOU WANT TO GO TO IBIZA?!”
“Well I said a break, but if you thinking breaking up is a good idea, maybe you’re right. You’re way better at making these decisions anyway! When do you think I can come get my stuff from your apartment?”
Felix’s mind was blank. His emotions had tangled together into a blurring white rage. He could not believe what he was hearing.
“No. NO, Evan! Don’t you DARE ask me for any of your shit back! I’ll leave it in a box on trash day and you can come get it before the trucks do, IF YOU’RE LUCKY! DON’T FUCKING CALL ME AGAIN!”
Felix slammed the ‘end call’ button so hard he nearly cracked his screen protector. The room blurred around him as he sobbed, holding himself up blindly on some piece of furniture. He cried, angry & heartbroken & alone at what should have been the start of a perfect romantic getaway.
What was wrong with him? He’d known Evan would flake on him, it didn’t matter how much planning went into it!
He should have made the extra effort and gone over to pick Evan up after his shift was done at the hospital! Or gotten Evan an uber over to the hospital so they could ride together! Or…
His thoughts spiraled on a thousand thousand things he should have done differently until he finally unded on a rousing game of wondering how fucking pathetic was he that he couldn’t even hold onto a boyfriend with the promise of an all-expenses-paid weekend vacation?
His claws dug into the wooden counter beneath his hands and he let out a tiny, emotionally-pained sob, blind to the world around him.
A noise brought him back to his surroundings and he looked up with a start, blinking to try & clear the water from his vision as the tears streamed down his cheeks in open agony.
Another man was staring at him from across the check-in podium. The wooden counter of which Felix had just left huge, dented scratches in with his claws.
Well fuck. That was just great! Just what he needed: a repair bill before he’d even checked in.
“Oh fuck!” Felix muttered, still partly blinded by his tears. “Fuck, I’m so sorry! I’ll pay for it! I’ll…I’m…s-sorry…I’m…”
The other man’s hand closed softly over Felix’s, making the were-cat jump slightly from the unexpected touch. He blinked, sniffling, his breathing harsh, and really saw the other person for the first time.
Well fuck.
The ‘other person’ was really ‘the other were-cat’, if the rounded cat ears and gigantic fluffy tail were any indicator, and he was fucking beautiful.
Of course he was.
“Checking in?” The other man asked in a soft, light voice, his strong hand still holding onto Felix’s.
Felix sniffled for another minute, looking down at strong, muscled fingers wrapped around his shaking, claw-tipped digits.
A box of tissues appeared in his watery peripheral.
He grabbed three & started cleaning up his face, even though he really didn’t want to let go of that stranger’s hand, which had just suddenly become his unexpected lifeline.
“Y-yeah,” he managed, between tissues. “Yeah, I guess I am.”
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