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GUESS WHAT. WE HAVE A CHRISTMAS STORY THIS YEAR. A little peek into the holidays with a certain puppy. :3\n\nHope y'all enjoy and have a great holiday season, no matter what you celebrate!", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Heyo, watcherland! GUESS WHAT. WE HAVE A CHRISTMAS STORY THIS YEAR. A little peek into the holidays with a certain puppy. :3

Hope y'all enjoy and have a great holiday season, no matter what you celebrate!", "writing": "[center]A Christmas With Chuck[/center]\n\nOBLIGATORY CONTENT WARNING: BECAUSE IT’S NOT AN IZZY STORY WITHOUT ONE OF THESE. Honestly nothing really much to say about it. There’s like, a mention of sex? But nothing explicit. It’s mostly a warm fuzzy feel good story. So… enjoy!\n\n \nFor many cubs, Christmas Eve was the most exciting night of the year. Restless anticipation for the visit from Santa, for presents and family. But for Chuck, it had been none of those. Christmas had been just another day when he lived back in Arizona. \n\nHeck, their first Christmas here in Massachusetts was very barebones - Isaac had only at the last minute decided to get a tree, and there wasn’t much in the way of decorations. He wasn’t even present, instead taking a trip to Florida to spend the holiday with his parents. He’d invited Mom and the pup, but Mom had declined, and there was no way Chuck was going to travel with a male he didn’t really trust.\n\nTheir second was… kind of awkward, too. Isaac’s parents flew up from Florida. They were… okay, but there was tension in the house. It felt like they didn’t like him, or his Mom.\n\nThis year, though, would be weirder still. Mom was going to be gone all day working at the nursing home, and Isaac’s parents had decided to stay in Florida that year, so it would be just him and Isaac. The pup had no idea what to expect.\n\nThere wasn’t much in the way of gifts that he wanted or needed. Back in November, Isaac had bought him a Nintendo Switch, and a few games for it. Books were nice, sure, but anytime he wanted a book, Isaac would buy that for him, too. Isaac had promised to get him a few gifts, but what could he possibly get? Chuck’s tastes were simple, and anything he’d wanted, he got.\n\nHe sighed as he stared up at the ceiling. It’d be nice to get to spend more time with his friends, but he knew that was impossible, at least on the day. Robbie’s family was going to Connecticut to spend Christmas with his mom’s family, Martin and Tanya were stuck at home with their own families (and Tanya’s parents wouldn’t let her come, anyway), and… well, that really summed up all of his friends.\n\nAt least his nights had become more peaceful since Isaac put a lock on his bedroom door. There were still nights when he found himself tempted to crawl into bed with Isaac, which was a very curious feeling. How could he possibly feel safe with Isaac? But then, hadn’t the cat proved himself trustworthy over the last two years?\n\nSure, there was that one night when he’d slept with Isaac when he woke up to the feline grinding against him, but what Isaac said stuck with him: it wasn’t right, it wasn’t okay for adults to do with cubs, and if any adult tried to touch him, to tell a trusted adult. Isaac had proved himself to be an adult he could trust. His therapist was getting there. Even some of his teachers he felt comfortable with.\n\nHis therapist… perhaps at their next appointment, he could finally tell her about his father… it still felt scary to name what happened, even if he was… no longer a threat. His normal Saturday appointment for this week had been canceled - it was the day after Christmas, after all - but they’d scheduled an extra appointment for the following Wednesday, which worked out perfectly. That was also the day that he and Tanya had their Christmas break sleepover with Robbie. He could tell her then. Maybe he’d even tell Isaac…\n\nBut that could come later. For now, he had to get through the holiday. The pup reached over and grabbed his phone off his bedside table and sent a text to Tanya. She might not see it until morning, but that was okay. He sent one to Robbie next. They were short, just wishing them a Merry Christmas, but it felt right to do. He wished that Martin had a phone so he could text the wolf, too.\n\nHe sighed and sat up. Maybe he would ask to sleep with Isaac tonight. The pup took a breath and climbed out of bed, then stuffed his phone into his pajama pocket. He wanted it with him if he got a reply from his friends.\n\nWhen he got to his bedroom door, he hesitated. What if Mommy saw him, asked him what he was doing? But it was late, and she had to be asleep by now. It was after midnight, after all, and Mom had work in the morning. She had to be asleep.\n\nChuck unlocked and opened his bedroom door, then slipped out and padded softly down the hall. When he reached Isaac’s bedroom door, he knocked, then opened it up. “I-Isaac?”\n\nNo response. Maybe he was already asleep. His instinct was to go back to his room. After all, this was an adult male he was thinking about. But he had gotten to know Isaac. It wasn’t his first time coming into Isaac’s room. And hadn’t he showed himself to be trustworthy?\n\nThe pup stepped inside and closed the door behind him, locking the door after it was closed. He took another breath, then padded across the room to the adult’s bed. Isaac was asleep. Steeling his nerves, he spoke up again. “I-Isaac?”\n\nThe feline stirred. “Mmff…” Slowly, his eyes opened. “Chuck? Is everything alright?”\n\nMaybe he was making a mistake. But he had to try. “C-could I sleep with you tonight?” he whispered.\n\nIsaac blinked. “Oh, uh… sure, pup.”\n\nChuck smiled and zipped around to the other side of the bed, then pulled the covers back and climbed in. The pup paused to pull out his phone and set it on the bedside table, then settled in and snuggled up to Isaac.\n\n“So,” Isaac whispered as he rolled to look at Chuck. “What brings you here this time?”\n\nThe pup yipped and blushed. “I, uh… I-I dunno… I just… w-wanted to be near you t-tonight? I-if that’s okay…”\n\n“Of course it’s okay, Chuck,” Isaac said. He reached over, then stopped and pulled his arm back. “Is it okay if I put my arm around you?”\n\nHe nodded. “Y-yes…”\n\nA shiver ran down Chuck’s spine as Isaac put an arm around him. It still felt weird being close to the male. But at the same time, he could trust Isaac. After all, Isaac was going to be his dad soon. His legal dad. He might as well get used to it.\n\nAll of his instincts were fired up and telling him to run. Instead, he wiggled closer to the cat and nuzzled into his chest. \n\n“Love you, Chuck,” Isaac whispered.\n\nIt wasn’t the first time Isaac had said that. Chuck still wasn’t sure what he felt. Maybe it was love for the cat. He took a breath. “L-love you, too,” Chuck mumbled.\n\nIsaac gave him a gentle squeeze. “Chuck…”\n\nThe pup whimpered. Had he said something wrong?\n\nThen Isaac kissed his forehead. “I think I just got the best Christmas present I could have asked for…”\n\nChuck blinked and looked up at the cat. “Huh? W-w-what do you m-mean?”\n\nThere were tears in his eyes. “That’s the first time you said you loved me,” Isaac whispered.\n\nWas it? Chuck thought back. He hadn’t ever said that before, had he? Even if he wasn’t sure if he was ready to mean it… Isaac said it all the time. And showed it. Seeing how Robbie’s parents were helped reinforce just how different Isaac was from his own father.\n\nAt any rate, the pup was here now, in Isaac’s bed, and what was said couldn’t be unsaid. He’d go with it.\n \nHe wasn’t sure when he drifted off to sleep, but it took far less time than he expected. The pup woke still in Isaac’s arms. It was a curious feeling, finding safety in the arms of an adult male, but here he was. He nuzzled into the cat’s chest.\n\nIsaac stirred. “Mmf… morning, Chuck,” he whispered.\n\n“M-morning,” Chuck replied. He still felt safe here. Weird.\n\nThe cat smiled at him. “Merry Christmas, pup,” he whispered. “Want to go open your presents?”\n\nChuck’s ears perked. “I-I have p-p-presents?” he asked.\n\n“Well, of course,” Isaac said. “It’s Christmas, after all.” He sat up and stretched. “Come on, let’s head down to the living room.”\n\nThe pup nodded and slipped out of bed. He was still getting used to having someone who really cared about him. Sure, his Mom had always tried to make sure he had at least something for Christmas, but it had never really been an expectation.\n\nPerhaps he shouldn’t be surprised. Isaac always did things to make him feel special. Heck, they’d gone out together so he could get a Christmas gift for Mom, and Mom had likewise gone out with him to get a gift for Isaac (although Mom seemed much more annoyed by it). If nothing else, he knew he had gifts for them. But he had no idea what to expect from his own.\n\nHe took a deep breath as he grabbed his phone and followed Isaac out of his bedroom. Mom’s bedroom door was open, and her room empty. A quick check of the time showed that it was pretty early. Maybe Mom would still be home. Her shift wasn’t for another hour and a half, after all.\n\nWhen they reached the living room, Chuck gasped. He hadn’t expected to see as many presents under the tree as there were. It wasn’t a huge number, but it was still more than he’d ever seen before.\n\nIsaac patted his shoulder. “Go on, pup. Let’s have a look.”\n\nHis tail reflexively tucked between his legs as he walked over and knelt down by the tree. He started looking through the wrapped packages. The ones he’d wrapped stood out against the more neatly wrapped ones that must have been done by Mom and Isaac. His paws trembled as he sorted through them. He found five addressed to him from Isaac, and another from… Isaac’s parents. That was a surprise. There were a couple from Mom, of course, and then a couple for Isaac from his parents, and of course, a couple of gifts for Mom from him and Isaac.\n\n“Don’t you want to open your presents, Chuck?” Isaac asked.\n\nChuck yipped. “Umm… I-I do, b-but… w-where’s Mom?”\n\nThe cat looked around. “Uh… good question. Let’s see if we can find her.”\n\nThey looked around everywhere. She wasn’t in the kitchen, or her bedroom. Isaac and Chuck didn’t have any messages from her on their phones. When they peeked into the garage, Chuck’s spirit sank. Mom’s car was gone. She must have left early.\n\n“Sorry, pup,” Isaac said. “If you want, we can save opening presents for tonight, when your mom will be home.”\n\nHe thought about that. Part of him was really curious to see what he got. But it felt weird to open his gifts without Mom present. “Umm… m-maybe I’ll save the g-g-gifts from her t-till she’s h-home?”\n\nIsaac smiled at him. “That sounds like a good compromise. Well, then, let’s see what you’ve got.”\n\nThey returned to the living room. Isaac took a seat on the couch, and Chuck sat down on the floor among the pile of presents. He picked up one from Isaac, and started to unwrap it. His eyes widened. It was a lego set.\n\n“I loved these when I was a cub,” Isaac said. “I thought you might like to try some, too.”\n\nThe thought had crossed the pup’s mind more than once. He’d eyed the various sets that Robbie had, but had never dared to ask if he could play with them. Now he had one of his own.\n\n“Th-thank you,” Chuck said.\n\nThe cat beamed. “You’re very welcome, Chuck. Why don’t you open another?”\n\nHe looked at the pile of presents for him, then shook his head. Not yet. He grabbed the gift he’d picked out for Isaac, and held it out to him. “N-not yet… y-y-your turn,” Chuck said.\n\nIsaac laughed and took the offered present. “Well, if you insist.” He looked at the tag and gasped. “Oh Chuck… you didn’t have to get me anything.”\n\n“I-I know,” Chuck muttered. “I-I w-w-wanted to…”\n\nHis heart beat faster as Isaac unwrapped the gift. Would Isaac like it? He’d had to think really hard about what to get the cat. Over the past two and a half years, he’d barely gotten to know the cat, though that was mostly because of his own hesitance to get to know him. But Isaac would soon be his dad. It felt wrong not to know him better, and he’d been trying hard.\n\nThe feline’s eyes lit up as he opened the box. “Well, well!” he said.\n\nChuck tucked his tail between his legs as Isaac pulled out the Spongebob scarf. Would he like it? Chuck had seen it when out shopping with his mother and thought of that night where Isaac had helped him clean up after wetting the bed. Since then, watching Spongebob together had become a regular thing for them. Surely that wasn’t just for Chuck, right?\n\nIsaac grinned and wrapped the scarf around his neck. “I love it, pup. Thank you.”\n\nHe liked it! Chuck had made a good call! Against his will, his tail started wagging.\n\n“Oh, since it’s just us, I actually have a couple of special gifts for you,” Isaac said. “Wait right here.”\n\nSpecial gifts? For him? What did that mean? The pup watched anxiously as Isaac got up and went upstairs. He returned a minute later with two boxes, and handed them to the pup.\n\nChuck’s paws trembled as he accepted the gifts. What kind of special gifts could Isaac be giving him that he could only show when it was just them?\n\n“Whenever you’re ready, you can open them,” Isaac said as he sat back down on the couch.\n\nThe pup took a breath and set the boxes down, then unwrapped the first, slowly. How could a gift make him so nervous?\n\nHe paused when he got the wrapping paper off. So many things were going through his head, he could barely even think. He closed his eyes, took a breath, and opened it.\n\nWhen he opened his eyes, his heart practically stopped. A skirt! A yellow one, just like the one Ellie had let him borrow!\n\n“Robbie’s mom helped me pick them out,” Isaac said.\n\nThem? He lifted the first skirt, and found another in the box, this one green, and below that, a red one.\n\n“F-for… me?” Chuck asked. He could barely believe it. Skirts of his very own, specially for him!\n\n“All for you, pup,” Isaac said.\n\nTears welled up in the pup’s eyes. They were perfect. He carefully laid them down on the coffee table.\n\n“Don’t forget your other one!” Isaac said.\n\nRight, Isaac had brought him two boxes. Chuck set aside the first box and grabbed the second. This time he enthusiastically tore through the wrapping paper and opened the box. His paws trembled as he pulled out… a yellow dress.\n\n“I didn’t know if you’d want to try wearing dresses, too,” Isaac said. “But, well… now you’ve got the option.”\n\nChuck stood up and looked at the dress. It was simple, but he liked that. He wasn’t an extravagant dresser. While skirts were nice, he hadn’t even considered a dress. Maybe he could try it on…\n\nThe presence of his father was nearly forgotten as he put the dress down and unzipped his pajamas. He wiggled his way out of them, and pulled on the new dress. Yes, this felt… very good. Maybe not ideal for the winter, but once the weather got warner, this would be… very nice to wear. It was a little big on him now, but maybe in the summer he’d fill it out nicely…\n\nIsaac beamed. “Guess you really like it, hm?”\n\nThe pup squeaked. Had he really just changed right into it in front of the cat?! He blushed, but nodded. “U-uh huh… I-I-I like it…”\n\n“I’m glad,” Isaac said. “You look very cute in it.”\n\nHis heart skipped a beat. That word. He looked cute. It felt… oddly validating to hear that from Isaac. This time the tears couldn’t hold back. Against every instinct the pup had, he threw himself at Isaac and hugged the cat. “Th-thank you…”\n\n“You’re very welcome,” Isaac said. “May I hug you back?”\n\nAnd still asking for permission to touch him! Isaac was such a caring fur… Chuck nodded into his chest. A shiver ran down his spine as the adult’s arms wrapped around him. It felt weird feeling safe in an adult male’s arms. A good weird.\n\nHe didn’t stay clinging to the cat for long, and Isaac released him the moment Chuck did. The pup sniffled. How could being so happy make him cry like this?\n\nIsaac smiled at him. “You’ve got more presents to open, too… whenever you’re ready.”\n\nThe pup nodded and went back towards the tree. Sure enough, he found several gifts addressed to him, as well as a few for Isaac and even a couple for the pup’s mom. He set aside the gifts to and from his mother and handed Isaac’s gifts off to him, then started into his from the cat.\n\nSeveral more lego sets added to his growing collection. Those would be fun to put together. Isaac even got him a new game for his Switch. It wasn’t one he’d heard of, but it looked fun.\n\nFor his part, the cat got mostly new clothes from his parents, as well as a gift card to one of Isaac’s favorite restaurants. He seemed pleased.\n \nIsaac’s phone rang. His face lit up as he answered.\n\n“Lillian! Merry Christmas!” Isaac said.\n\nChuck tuned out the conversation as he looked through his pile of gifts. He had a few new lego sets, a new video game… what should he play with first? The legos were tempting. It’d be hard to pick which one to start with.\n\nHis phone buzzed in his pocket. The pup pulled it out and smiled, himself. He had a text from Tanya, wishing him a Merry Christmas. It was nice having friends.\n\n“Hey, Chuck?” Isaac said.\n\nThe pup looked up from his phone and over at Isaac. “Y-y-yes?”\n\n“It’s okay to say ‘no,’ but… well, a very good friend of mine might end up being alone for the holiday,” Isaac said. “I was wondering if you’d be okay if I invited her over?”\n\nA friend of his? And a female, no less. At least a female wouldn’t be as scary. “Umm… o-okay,” Chuck said.\n\nIsaac smiled. “Alright. I’ll tell her.” He tapped his phone. “Lillian, why don’t you come over to my house? It’s just me and Chuck today, and I wouldn’t want you to be alone.”\n\nChuck could make out the female talking, but couldn’t hear what she was saying.\n\n“Nonsense, it’s not an imposition at all,” Isaac said. “Alright. I’ll text you my address. See you soon.” He hung up the phone, then tapped out a message.\n\nCurious. Isaac was inviting someone over. The pup had puzzled out that Isaac and his mom were no longer together. Mom was sleeping in a separate room now, after all. “W-who are you i-inviting?” he asked.\n\n“Oh, Lillian is a friend of mine I used to work with,” Isaac said. “We’ve been getting friendlier since she found a new job with a different company.”\n\n“I-is she your… g-g-girlfriend?” Chuck asked.\n\nIsaac blushed. “Well, I don’t know about that,” he said. “It’s… honestly not something we’ve really discussed. I do like her, but I don’t know if she likes me, too, if that makes any sense.”\n\nChuck wasn’t sure if it did, but he wasn’t about to say that. “Okay,” he muttered.\n\n“Besides, I don’t think I could date a fur unless they met you first and you approved,” Isaac added. “You’re very important to me, and I want to make sure that anyone I date gets along with you.”\n\nThe pup blinked. “W-w-what if you r-r-really, really, reeeeeally liked them… but they d-didn’t like me?”\n\n“Then they’re out, plain and simple,” Isaac said. “If they don’t like my son, they don’t get to be my partner.”\n\nHis son. It was still weird even thinking about the fact that Isaac was adopting him, nevermind hearing it spoken aloud. His bio dad had never been a real parent. But Isaac was nice. Who else would he willingly go and snuggle with? Certainly not his mother. She had gotten more distant lately, and it felt like his fault, but he didn’t want to say anything and have it confirmed.\n\nThere was just a lot.\n\nIsaac stood up and stretched. “Think I’ll go get dressed. If you’d like to stay in your new dress, feel free. It’s your house, too, Chuck.”\n\nThe pup thought about that for a moment. Maybe he would get changed, too. He stood up and looked at his pile of unwrapped gifts, then picked up his new lego sets and the new clothes Isaac got for him. The video game he could leave down here with his Switch. The rest he’d take up to his room.\n\nPicking out clothes proved harder than he thought. Definitely a sweater. Isaac tended to keep the house a little cooler than Chuck would’ve liked, plus he’d gotten some pretty nice ones from the cat. But the question of if he should wear pants or a skirt weighed on him. He even took a little time to message Robbie and Tanya about it. They didn’t leave him waiting long for replies.\n\n‘You should!’ Tanya texted. ‘You’re soooooo cute in skirts!’\n\n‘If wearing them is important to you, do it,’ Robbie texted. ‘I guess that’s how my half sister Jamie found out that her dad’s ex-wife was shitty. So if she accepts you the way Isaac has, then you know she’s a good fur.’\n\nRobbie had a good point. If this Lillian fur could potentially end up being another parent to him, he didn’t want to have to hide his skirts the way he was still hiding them from his mom. He took a deep breath and put on one of his new green skirt, then went downstairs.\n\nHe found Isaac in the kitchen starting meal prep.\n\n“Hey pup,” Isaac said. He smiled. “You look very handsome.”\n\nChuck squeaked and blushed. “Th-thank you?”\n\nIsaac chuckled. “Want to help me cook dinner?”\n\n“O-okay,” Chuck said.\n\nThe pup soon lost himself in peeling vegetables. Carrots, potatoes, trimming green beans… each step of the way, Isaac demonstrated, then let the pup try. The only thing Isaac handled entirely himself was preparing the turkey, but even then he showed Chuck everything he was doing.\n\nThey had just started chopping up the potatoes when the doorbell rang.\n\n“Ah, that must be Lillian!” Isaac said. “Come on, pup, let’s go say hello.”\n\nHis heart started racing as he followed Isaac to the door. What would Lillian think of him? He held back while Isaac answered the door.\n\nThe first thing Chuck took in was the bright red coat that Lillian was wearing. It was hard to miss. She, too, seemed to be wearing a skirt, or maybe it was a dress. And she was very pretty. A ferret, if Chuck was reading her species correctly.\n\n“Lillian!” Isaac said. The two exchanged hugs. “Come in, come in.” He helped her out of her coat and hung it up on the rack by the door, then put an arm around her shoulders and led her in. “Lillian, meet my son, Chuck.”\n\nButterflies filled the pup’s stomach as the ferret approached. Dress, confirmed. She smiled at him. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Chuck. Are you a hugger or a paw shaker?”\n\n“Umm…” Chuck muttered. Was this a trick question? Would she judge him if he didn’t make the right choice?\n\n“Chuck isn’t really a hugger,” Isaac said. His savior.\n\nLillian giggled and held out a paw. “Paw shake it is, then.”\n\nThe pup took a breath and shook the ferret’s paw. She hadn’t commented on his attire, but she didn’t seem offput by the fact that he was wearing a skirt. Maybe that was a good sign?\n\n“We’re still working on dinner if you’d like to join us in the kitchen,” Isaac said.\n\nHis adoptive-father-to-be led the way into the kitchen. Chuck followed along behind.\n\n“Smells delicious in here,” Lillian said.\n\nFor a little while, Chuck could fade into the background. The adults engaged in some small talk, from which Chuck gleaned that that Lillian’s family lived far away, which is why she couldn’t be with them. Her roommate was going to spend the holiday with her, but a family emergency dragged her away last minute.\n\nIt wasn’t long before Lillian turned her attention to him, though.\n\n“So, Chuck,” Lillian said. “Tell me a little about yourself. I’ve heard a bit from Isaac of course, but I’d like to hear from you.”\n\nHe squeaked. What could he say about himself? “Umm… w-well… I l-like to r-r-read… a-and, umm… I-I’ve started playing v-video games with my f-f-friends…”\n\nThe ferret giggled. “Oh, how lovely! What kind of books do you like to read? Got any favorite authors?”\n\nQuestions! He could work with those. Before he knew it, he was chatting away about his favorite books, the games he liked, even a little about his friends from school. Lillian was actually really nice. He could see why Isaac liked her.\n\nThen came his biggest fear.\n\n“I didn’t know you liked wearing skirts, Chuck,” Lillian said.\n\nHis heart froze. What would she think of him? He blushed and looked away. “Y-yeah… u-umm… I-I-I t-tried it at a f-f-friend’s house, a-and… n-n-now I d-do it h-h-here, t-t-too?”\n\nLillian smiled. “Well, you look very cute in a skirt.”\n\nThe pup blushed. He really liked being called cute. “Th-thank you,” he muttered.\n\nShe beamed. No judgment, no harshness, just acceptance.\n \nIsaac cleared his throat. “I, uh, need to zip to the bathroom. Would you two mind just keeping an eye on the stove?”\n\nThe ferret laughed. “I think we can manage, right, Chuck?”\n\nChuck squeaked but nodded. He could manage, sure. Especially with another adult. Though maybe this was a chance to ask Lillian something.\n\nAs soon as Isaac was gone, he took a breath and let the question slide. “D-d-do you have a b-b-boyfriend?”\n\nFor the first time, he saw Lillian blush. “Not at the moment, no,” she said. “Not since college, at least. I’ve been focusing on my career these past few years. Though I guess I do have a male in mind…”\n\nThe pup nodded. That all made sense. He wondered if the male she was thinking of might be Isaac, but he didn’t want to ask in case it wasn’t him.\n\n“I-I-I guess Isaac u-used to d-d-date my M-mom,” Chuck stammered. “N-not anymore, th-though… they s-s-sleep in s-s-separate rooms now…”\n\nLillian nodded. “I’d gathered some of that from Isaac. Must be weird, having two parents that aren’t even into each other.”\n\nHe shrugged. “I-I-I’m not u-used to having t-t-two p-parents,” he muttered. “B-but I-Isaac’s n-nice…”\n\n“He really is,” Lillian said. “He’s such a sweetheart, and charming in his own way, if not a little oblivious.”\n\nChuck tilted his head. “O-o-oblivious?”\n\nThe ferret smirked and leaned in. “Can you keep a secret, pup?”\n\nHe nodded. The pup was really good with those. After all, when there’s no one to tell them to, they become much, much easier to keep.\n\nLillian leaned in and whispered, “I really like your dad, Isaac.”\n\nSo it WAS Isaac that she had in mind. The pup nodded, and glanced towards the bathroom, then whispered back, “W-w-why don’t you t-tell him?”\n\nShe giggled. “Couple reasons. I still want to get to know him better first, for starters. Plus, he’s a hard one to read. I don’t know if he likes me, too.” She too glanced towards the bathroom, then whispered, “I know he’s been exploring himself some, and if he decides he might want a boyfriend, I don’t want to be in his way.”\n\nThat caught Chuck completely off-guard. Isaac, dating males? That seemed far-fetched. But then, wasn’t Chuck crushing on both males and females, too? Maybe everyfur felt like that at some point.\n\n“M-my f-f-friend Robbie’s p-parents both have b-boyfriends,” he muttered.\n\nThe ferret smirked. “Oh do they, now?”\n\nChuck nodded. “Y-yeah… I g-g-guess they’re… p-polyamorous?” He blushed. “M-my g-g-girlfriend s-said she d-d-doesn’t mind if I w-w-wanted to… e-explore with other b-boys…”\n\nLillian smiled. “Ah, so you’ve got a little girlfriend, yourself… and is that a hint of bisexuality I’m hearing?”\n\nThe pup shrugged. “I-I dunno… d-d-doing sex stuff is weird, b-but k-kissing is nice?”\n\nThis time she blushed deeper. “Oh goodness, you’ve already started exploring with your friends? Though I guess I shouldn’t be surprised… I did some exploring with other cubs when I was a little girl…”\n\n“Oh goodness, do I want to know what I walked into?”\n\nChuck and Lillian gasped. They hadn’t heard Isaac coming back in. Thankfully, the ferret answered first.\n\n“Oh, we were just talking about our romantic lives,” Lillian said. “Chuck was telling me a bit about his girlfriend.”\n\nIsaac blinked. “Was he, now? I wasn’t aware he had a girlfriend,” he said.\n\nThe pup squeaked. Maybe Lillian answering first wasn’t such a great thing. “O-oh, uh… y-yeah…”\n\nThe cat smiled. “So, who is it?”\n\nCould he admit it? Would Isaac allow him to keep seeing her if he knew? It was a gamble, but he could hardly lie to the adult. “T-tanya…” he muttered.\n\n“Oh,” Isaac said. “That girl who lives nearby? I suppose it makes a lot more sense that you’d want her over, then…” He chuckled and shook his head. “Well, I suppose I’ll get a chance to meet her properly at your sleepover with her and Robbie in a few days, right?”\n\nChuck blushed and nodded. “I-I guess so…”\n\nLillian giggled. “I didn’t have my first boyfriend until high school. And I had my first girlfriend in college,” she added with a little wink.\n\nEven she dated both? “D-does everyfur d-d-date both g-genders?” Chuck blurted out.\n\n“Far from it,” Isaac said as he returned to the stove. “Most furs are straight… or at least end up in straight relationships.”\n\n“It is funny how we queer furs are drawn to each other, though,” Lillian said. “After my girlfriend, I don’t think I could date a straight male. It’s so much more fun when there are options.”\n\nA loud beep interrupted the conversation.\n\nIsaac laughed. “Welp, the turkey’s to temperature now.” He pulled it from the oven and placed the pan on the counter. “Just needs to rest for a few, then we can carve it. And these potatoes look about done…”\n\nHe set about finishing prep for the sides. Chuck joined in, helping to mash the potatoes while Isaac finished off the vegetables. The distraction from the conversation was a relief, to be sure.\n\nThankfully, the dinnertime conversation strayed back to the more mundane. Isaac and Lillian ended up agreeing on a weekend date to see a play in the city in a couple weeks, and the ferret shared about some of her own favorite books. It was actually rather nice.\n \nIt was dark out when she finally decided to head home. Chuck noted that she gave Isaac a hug and a kiss on the cheek before departing.\n\nThe adult sighed happily after seeing Lillian off, then smiled at Chuck. “So, pup… what did you think?”\n\nChuck squeaked. “Th-think of w-w-what?”\n\n“Of Lillian,” Isaac said. “I meant it earlier when I said that any potential future mates of mine would need your seal of approval.”\n\n“O-oh,” Chuck said. He started shivering. Was there a right answer?\n\n“You don’t have to tell me now, of course,” Isaac said. “But… think about it, alright?\n\nThe pup nodded. His ears flicked as he heard the garage door opening. That must be Mom!\n\n…… And he was still wearing his skirt!\n\nHe yelped and made a mad dash for the stairs. Once he got to his room, he pulled his skirt off, and hid all of his new feminine clothing in his dresser, then pulled his pajamas back on. In his haste he almost forgot to take off his sweater first.\n\nIsaac’s voice reached him from downstairs. “Chuck, come down to open gifts!” he called.\n\nChuck took a few moments to catch his breath, then went downstairs.\n\nWhen he reached the living room, he found his mother and father-to-be sitting on the couch. Mom looked tired. Very tired.\n\nOpening gifts with Mom didn’t have quite the same joy as opening his gifts from Isaac. The clothes Mom got him were okay, but they weren’t as nice as the skirts that his mother didn’t even know he liked to wear. She even had a blank stare when she opened the gifts that he and Isaac got her.\n\n“M-mom… a-a-are you mad at me?” Chuck asked.\n\nHis mother blinked. “What would make you think that, Chuck?” she replied.\n\nThe pup whined softly. “Y-you look s-sad…”\n\nShe stood up and patted his head. “I’m just tired, sweetie… it’s been a long day… I think I’m just going to head to bed…”\n\nWithout even waiting for a response, she brushed past her son and went upstairs.\n\nIsaac shook his head. “I’m sorry Christmas is ending on such a sour note,” he muttered. “Did you like your gifts, at least?”\n\nChuck nodded. He liked his gifts from Isaac, certainly. They were some of the best he’d ever gotten. Did he really deserve a dad like Isaac?\n\nHis phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked. A text from Robbie! The fox wanted to compare Christmas gifts. He sent a quick reply that he’d take pics in a minute, then looked up at Isaac. “C-can I go to my r-room?”\n\n“Of course, son,” Isaac said. “Merry Christmas, pup.”\n\n“M-Merry Ch-christmas,” Chuck replied. He gathered up his stuff from his mom and went up to his room.\n\nThe pup took a couple minutes to lay out his gifts and take photos of them. He decided to just describe his new dress and skirts, and sent off the photos to Robbie and Tanya.\n\nTanya responded first.\n\n‘Wow, your dad must really love you to get you your own skirts! That’s awesome!’\n\nChuck smiled. Yeah… Isaac really did care for him, didn’t he?\n\nRobbie expressed similar sentiments when he replied, and sent along photos of his own new lego sets and video games.\n\nIt felt really nice having friends and family that the pup cared about. He smiled as he sat down on the floor to pick out a lego set to build. A thought popped into his head, and he ran downstairs.\n\nHe found Isaac buried in his phone. The cat looked up when Chuck arrived. “Hey, pup. Everything alright?”\n\nThe pup nodded, his tail wagging a little. “Y-yeah… umm… I-I j-just wanted to a-ask… i-if you w-wanted to h-h-help build my new l-legos?”\n\nIsaac beamed. “I’d love that, pup. Let’s go.”\n\nThey went up to the pup’s room together and settled in to build the pup’s new toys. He couldn’t have imagined a better holiday.", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "
A Christmas With Chuck


OBLIGATORY CONTENT WARNING: BECAUSE IT’S NOT AN IZZY STORY WITHOUT ONE OF THESE. Honestly nothing really much to say about it. There’s like, a mention of sex? But nothing explicit. It’s mostly a warm fuzzy feel good story. So… enjoy!

 
For many cubs, Christmas Eve was the most exciting night of the year. Restless anticipation for the visit from Santa, for presents and family. But for Chuck, it had been none of those. Christmas had been just another day when he lived back in Arizona.

Heck, their first Christmas here in Massachusetts was very barebones - Isaac had only at the last minute decided to get a tree, and there wasn’t much in the way of decorations. He wasn’t even present, instead taking a trip to Florida to spend the holiday with his parents. He’d invited Mom and the pup, but Mom had declined, and there was no way Chuck was going to travel with a male he didn’t really trust.

Their second was… kind of awkward, too. Isaac’s parents flew up from Florida. They were… okay, but there was tension in the house. It felt like they didn’t like him, or his Mom.

This year, though, would be weirder still. Mom was going to be gone all day working at the nursing home, and Isaac’s parents had decided to stay in Florida that year, so it would be just him and Isaac. The pup had no idea what to expect.

There wasn’t much in the way of gifts that he wanted or needed. Back in November, Isaac had bought him a Nintendo Switch, and a few games for it. Books were nice, sure, but anytime he wanted a book, Isaac would buy that for him, too. Isaac had promised to get him a few gifts, but what could he possibly get? Chuck’s tastes were simple, and anything he’d wanted, he got.

He sighed as he stared up at the ceiling. It’d be nice to get to spend more time with his friends, but he knew that was impossible, at least on the day. Robbie’s family was going to Connecticut to spend Christmas with his mom’s family, Martin and Tanya were stuck at home with their own families (and Tanya’s parents wouldn’t let her come, anyway), and… well, that really summed up all of his friends.

At least his nights had become more peaceful since Isaac put a lock on his bedroom door. There were still nights when he found himself tempted to crawl into bed with Isaac, which was a very curious feeling. How could he possibly feel safe with Isaac? But then, hadn’t the cat proved himself trustworthy over the last two years?

Sure, there was that one night when he’d slept with Isaac when he woke up to the feline grinding against him, but what Isaac said stuck with him: it wasn’t right, it wasn’t okay for adults to do with cubs, and if any adult tried to touch him, to tell a trusted adult. Isaac had proved himself to be an adult he could trust. His therapist was getting there. Even some of his teachers he felt comfortable with.

His therapist… perhaps at their next appointment, he could finally tell her about his father… it still felt scary to name what happened, even if he was… no longer a threat. His normal Saturday appointment for this week had been canceled - it was the day after Christmas, after all - but they’d scheduled an extra appointment for the following Wednesday, which worked out perfectly. That was also the day that he and Tanya had their Christmas break sleepover with Robbie. He could tell her then. Maybe he’d even tell Isaac…

But that could come later. For now, he had to get through the holiday. The pup reached over and grabbed his phone off his bedside table and sent a text to Tanya. She might not see it until morning, but that was okay. He sent one to Robbie next. They were short, just wishing them a Merry Christmas, but it felt right to do. He wished that Martin had a phone so he could text the wolf, too.

He sighed and sat up. Maybe he would ask to sleep with Isaac tonight. The pup took a breath and climbed out of bed, then stuffed his phone into his pajama pocket. He wanted it with him if he got a reply from his friends.

When he got to his bedroom door, he hesitated. What if Mommy saw him, asked him what he was doing? But it was late, and she had to be asleep by now. It was after midnight, after all, and Mom had work in the morning. She had to be asleep.

Chuck unlocked and opened his bedroom door, then slipped out and padded softly down the hall. When he reached Isaac’s bedroom door, he knocked, then opened it up. “I-Isaac?”

No response. Maybe he was already asleep. His instinct was to go back to his room. After all, this was an adult male he was thinking about. But he had gotten to know Isaac. It wasn’t his first time coming into Isaac’s room. And hadn’t he showed himself to be trustworthy?

The pup stepped inside and closed the door behind him, locking the door after it was closed. He took another breath, then padded across the room to the adult’s bed. Isaac was asleep. Steeling his nerves, he spoke up again. “I-Isaac?”

The feline stirred. “Mmff…” Slowly, his eyes opened. “Chuck? Is everything alright?”

Maybe he was making a mistake. But he had to try. “C-could I sleep with you tonight?” he whispered.

Isaac blinked. “Oh, uh… sure, pup.”

Chuck smiled and zipped around to the other side of the bed, then pulled the covers back and climbed in. The pup paused to pull out his phone and set it on the bedside table, then settled in and snuggled up to Isaac.

“So,” Isaac whispered as he rolled to look at Chuck. “What brings you here this time?”

The pup yipped and blushed. “I, uh… I-I dunno… I just… w-wanted to be near you t-tonight? I-if that’s okay…”

“Of course it’s okay, Chuck,” Isaac said. He reached over, then stopped and pulled his arm back. “Is it okay if I put my arm around you?”

He nodded. “Y-yes…”

A shiver ran down Chuck’s spine as Isaac put an arm around him. It still felt weird being close to the male. But at the same time, he could trust Isaac. After all, Isaac was going to be his dad soon. His legal dad. He might as well get used to it.

All of his instincts were fired up and telling him to run. Instead, he wiggled closer to the cat and nuzzled into his chest.

“Love you, Chuck,” Isaac whispered.

It wasn’t the first time Isaac had said that. Chuck still wasn’t sure what he felt. Maybe it was love for the cat. He took a breath. “L-love you, too,” Chuck mumbled.

Isaac gave him a gentle squeeze. “Chuck…”

The pup whimpered. Had he said something wrong?

Then Isaac kissed his forehead. “I think I just got the best Christmas present I could have asked for…”

Chuck blinked and looked up at the cat. “Huh? W-w-what do you m-mean?”

There were tears in his eyes. “That’s the first time you said you loved me,” Isaac whispered.

Was it? Chuck thought back. He hadn’t ever said that before, had he? Even if he wasn’t sure if he was ready to mean it… Isaac said it all the time. And showed it. Seeing how Robbie’s parents were helped reinforce just how different Isaac was from his own father.

At any rate, the pup was here now, in Isaac’s bed, and what was said couldn’t be unsaid. He’d go with it.
 
He wasn’t sure when he drifted off to sleep, but it took far less time than he expected. The pup woke still in Isaac’s arms. It was a curious feeling, finding safety in the arms of an adult male, but here he was. He nuzzled into the cat’s chest.

Isaac stirred. “Mmf… morning, Chuck,” he whispered.

“M-morning,” Chuck replied. He still felt safe here. Weird.

The cat smiled at him. “Merry Christmas, pup,” he whispered. “Want to go open your presents?”

Chuck’s ears perked. “I-I have p-p-presents?” he asked.

“Well, of course,” Isaac said. “It’s Christmas, after all.” He sat up and stretched. “Come on, let’s head down to the living room.”

The pup nodded and slipped out of bed. He was still getting used to having someone who really cared about him. Sure, his Mom had always tried to make sure he had at least something for Christmas, but it had never really been an expectation.

Perhaps he shouldn’t be surprised. Isaac always did things to make him feel special. Heck, they’d gone out together so he could get a Christmas gift for Mom, and Mom had likewise gone out with him to get a gift for Isaac (although Mom seemed much more annoyed by it). If nothing else, he knew he had gifts for them. But he had no idea what to expect from his own.

He took a deep breath as he grabbed his phone and followed Isaac out of his bedroom. Mom’s bedroom door was open, and her room empty. A quick check of the time showed that it was pretty early. Maybe Mom would still be home. Her shift wasn’t for another hour and a half, after all.

When they reached the living room, Chuck gasped. He hadn’t expected to see as many presents under the tree as there were. It wasn’t a huge number, but it was still more than he’d ever seen before.

Isaac patted his shoulder. “Go on, pup. Let’s have a look.”

His tail reflexively tucked between his legs as he walked over and knelt down by the tree. He started looking through the wrapped packages. The ones he’d wrapped stood out against the more neatly wrapped ones that must have been done by Mom and Isaac. His paws trembled as he sorted through them. He found five addressed to him from Isaac, and another from… Isaac’s parents. That was a surprise. There were a couple from Mom, of course, and then a couple for Isaac from his parents, and of course, a couple of gifts for Mom from him and Isaac.

“Don’t you want to open your presents, Chuck?” Isaac asked.

Chuck yipped. “Umm… I-I do, b-but… w-where’s Mom?”

The cat looked around. “Uh… good question. Let’s see if we can find her.”

They looked around everywhere. She wasn’t in the kitchen, or her bedroom. Isaac and Chuck didn’t have any messages from her on their phones. When they peeked into the garage, Chuck’s spirit sank. Mom’s car was gone. She must have left early.

“Sorry, pup,” Isaac said. “If you want, we can save opening presents for tonight, when your mom will be home.”

He thought about that. Part of him was really curious to see what he got. But it felt weird to open his gifts without Mom present. “Umm… m-maybe I’ll save the g-g-gifts from her t-till she’s h-home?”

Isaac smiled at him. “That sounds like a good compromise. Well, then, let’s see what you’ve got.”

They returned to the living room. Isaac took a seat on the couch, and Chuck sat down on the floor among the pile of presents. He picked up one from Isaac, and started to unwrap it. His eyes widened. It was a lego set.

“I loved these when I was a cub,” Isaac said. “I thought you might like to try some, too.”

The thought had crossed the pup’s mind more than once. He’d eyed the various sets that Robbie had, but had never dared to ask if he could play with them. Now he had one of his own.

“Th-thank you,” Chuck said.

The cat beamed. “You’re very welcome, Chuck. Why don’t you open another?”

He looked at the pile of presents for him, then shook his head. Not yet. He grabbed the gift he’d picked out for Isaac, and held it out to him. “N-not yet… y-y-your turn,” Chuck said.

Isaac laughed and took the offered present. “Well, if you insist.” He looked at the tag and gasped. “Oh Chuck… you didn’t have to get me anything.”

“I-I know,” Chuck muttered. “I-I w-w-wanted to…”

His heart beat faster as Isaac unwrapped the gift. Would Isaac like it? He’d had to think really hard about what to get the cat. Over the past two and a half years, he’d barely gotten to know the cat, though that was mostly because of his own hesitance to get to know him. But Isaac would soon be his dad. It felt wrong not to know him better, and he’d been trying hard.

The feline’s eyes lit up as he opened the box. “Well, well!” he said.

Chuck tucked his tail between his legs as Isaac pulled out the Spongebob scarf. Would he like it? Chuck had seen it when out shopping with his mother and thought of that night where Isaac had helped him clean up after wetting the bed. Since then, watching Spongebob together had become a regular thing for them. Surely that wasn’t just for Chuck, right?

Isaac grinned and wrapped the scarf around his neck. “I love it, pup. Thank you.”

He liked it! Chuck had made a good call! Against his will, his tail started wagging.

“Oh, since it’s just us, I actually have a couple of special gifts for you,” Isaac said. “Wait right here.”

Special gifts? For him? What did that mean? The pup watched anxiously as Isaac got up and went upstairs. He returned a minute later with two boxes, and handed them to the pup.

Chuck’s paws trembled as he accepted the gifts. What kind of special gifts could Isaac be giving him that he could only show when it was just them?

“Whenever you’re ready, you can open them,” Isaac said as he sat back down on the couch.

The pup took a breath and set the boxes down, then unwrapped the first, slowly. How could a gift make him so nervous?

He paused when he got the wrapping paper off. So many things were going through his head, he could barely even think. He closed his eyes, took a breath, and opened it.

When he opened his eyes, his heart practically stopped. A skirt! A yellow one, just like the one Ellie had let him borrow!

“Robbie’s mom helped me pick them out,” Isaac said.

Them? He lifted the first skirt, and found another in the box, this one green, and below that, a red one.

“F-for… me?” Chuck asked. He could barely believe it. Skirts of his very own, specially for him!

“All for you, pup,” Isaac said.

Tears welled up in the pup’s eyes. They were perfect. He carefully laid them down on the coffee table.

“Don’t forget your other one!” Isaac said.

Right, Isaac had brought him two boxes. Chuck set aside the first box and grabbed the second. This time he enthusiastically tore through the wrapping paper and opened the box. His paws trembled as he pulled out… a yellow dress.

“I didn’t know if you’d want to try wearing dresses, too,” Isaac said. “But, well… now you’ve got the option.”

Chuck stood up and looked at the dress. It was simple, but he liked that. He wasn’t an extravagant dresser. While skirts were nice, he hadn’t even considered a dress. Maybe he could try it on…

The presence of his father was nearly forgotten as he put the dress down and unzipped his pajamas. He wiggled his way out of them, and pulled on the new dress. Yes, this felt… very good. Maybe not ideal for the winter, but once the weather got warner, this would be… very nice to wear. It was a little big on him now, but maybe in the summer he’d fill it out nicely…

Isaac beamed. “Guess you really like it, hm?”

The pup squeaked. Had he really just changed right into it in front of the cat?! He blushed, but nodded. “U-uh huh… I-I-I like it…”

“I’m glad,” Isaac said. “You look very cute in it.”

His heart skipped a beat. That word. He looked cute. It felt… oddly validating to hear that from Isaac. This time the tears couldn’t hold back. Against every instinct the pup had, he threw himself at Isaac and hugged the cat. “Th-thank you…”

“You’re very welcome,” Isaac said. “May I hug you back?”

And still asking for permission to touch him! Isaac was such a caring fur… Chuck nodded into his chest. A shiver ran down his spine as the adult’s arms wrapped around him. It felt weird feeling safe in an adult male’s arms. A good weird.

He didn’t stay clinging to the cat for long, and Isaac released him the moment Chuck did. The pup sniffled. How could being so happy make him cry like this?

Isaac smiled at him. “You’ve got more presents to open, too… whenever you’re ready.”

The pup nodded and went back towards the tree. Sure enough, he found several gifts addressed to him, as well as a few for Isaac and even a couple for the pup’s mom. He set aside the gifts to and from his mother and handed Isaac’s gifts off to him, then started into his from the cat.

Several more lego sets added to his growing collection. Those would be fun to put together. Isaac even got him a new game for his Switch. It wasn’t one he’d heard of, but it looked fun.

For his part, the cat got mostly new clothes from his parents, as well as a gift card to one of Isaac’s favorite restaurants. He seemed pleased.
 
Isaac’s phone rang. His face lit up as he answered.

“Lillian! Merry Christmas!” Isaac said.

Chuck tuned out the conversation as he looked through his pile of gifts. He had a few new lego sets, a new video game… what should he play with first? The legos were tempting. It’d be hard to pick which one to start with.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. The pup pulled it out and smiled, himself. He had a text from Tanya, wishing him a Merry Christmas. It was nice having friends.

“Hey, Chuck?” Isaac said.

The pup looked up from his phone and over at Isaac. “Y-y-yes?”

“It’s okay to say ‘no,’ but… well, a very good friend of mine might end up being alone for the holiday,” Isaac said. “I was wondering if you’d be okay if I invited her over?”

A friend of his? And a female, no less. At least a female wouldn’t be as scary. “Umm… o-okay,” Chuck said.

Isaac smiled. “Alright. I’ll tell her.” He tapped his phone. “Lillian, why don’t you come over to my house? It’s just me and Chuck today, and I wouldn’t want you to be alone.”

Chuck could make out the female talking, but couldn’t hear what she was saying.

“Nonsense, it’s not an imposition at all,” Isaac said. “Alright. I’ll text you my address. See you soon.” He hung up the phone, then tapped out a message.

Curious. Isaac was inviting someone over. The pup had puzzled out that Isaac and his mom were no longer together. Mom was sleeping in a separate room now, after all. “W-who are you i-inviting?” he asked.

“Oh, Lillian is a friend of mine I used to work with,” Isaac said. “We’ve been getting friendlier since she found a new job with a different company.”

“I-is she your… g-g-girlfriend?” Chuck asked.

Isaac blushed. “Well, I don’t know about that,” he said. “It’s… honestly not something we’ve really discussed. I do like her, but I don’t know if she likes me, too, if that makes any sense.”

Chuck wasn’t sure if it did, but he wasn’t about to say that. “Okay,” he muttered.

“Besides, I don’t think I could date a fur unless they met you first and you approved,” Isaac added. “You’re very important to me, and I want to make sure that anyone I date gets along with you.”

The pup blinked. “W-w-what if you r-r-really, really, reeeeeally liked them… but they d-didn’t like me?”

“Then they’re out, plain and simple,” Isaac said. “If they don’t like my son, they don’t get to be my partner.”

His son. It was still weird even thinking about the fact that Isaac was adopting him, nevermind hearing it spoken aloud. His bio dad had never been a real parent. But Isaac was nice. Who else would he willingly go and snuggle with? Certainly not his mother. She had gotten more distant lately, and it felt like his fault, but he didn’t want to say anything and have it confirmed.

There was just a lot.

Isaac stood up and stretched. “Think I’ll go get dressed. If you’d like to stay in your new dress, feel free. It’s your house, too, Chuck.”

The pup thought about that for a moment. Maybe he would get changed, too. He stood up and looked at his pile of unwrapped gifts, then picked up his new lego sets and the new clothes Isaac got for him. The video game he could leave down here with his Switch. The rest he’d take up to his room.

Picking out clothes proved harder than he thought. Definitely a sweater. Isaac tended to keep the house a little cooler than Chuck would’ve liked, plus he’d gotten some pretty nice ones from the cat. But the question of if he should wear pants or a skirt weighed on him. He even took a little time to message Robbie and Tanya about it. They didn’t leave him waiting long for replies.

‘You should!’ Tanya texted. ‘You’re soooooo cute in skirts!’

‘If wearing them is important to you, do it,’ Robbie texted. ‘I guess that’s how my half sister Jamie found out that her dad’s ex-wife was shitty. So if she accepts you the way Isaac has, then you know she’s a good fur.’

Robbie had a good point. If this Lillian fur could potentially end up being another parent to him, he didn’t want to have to hide his skirts the way he was still hiding them from his mom. He took a deep breath and put on one of his new green skirt, then went downstairs.

He found Isaac in the kitchen starting meal prep.

“Hey pup,” Isaac said. He smiled. “You look very handsome.”

Chuck squeaked and blushed. “Th-thank you?”

Isaac chuckled. “Want to help me cook dinner?”

“O-okay,” Chuck said.

The pup soon lost himself in peeling vegetables. Carrots, potatoes, trimming green beans… each step of the way, Isaac demonstrated, then let the pup try. The only thing Isaac handled entirely himself was preparing the turkey, but even then he showed Chuck everything he was doing.

They had just started chopping up the potatoes when the doorbell rang.

“Ah, that must be Lillian!” Isaac said. “Come on, pup, let’s go say hello.”

His heart started racing as he followed Isaac to the door. What would Lillian think of him? He held back while Isaac answered the door.

The first thing Chuck took in was the bright red coat that Lillian was wearing. It was hard to miss. She, too, seemed to be wearing a skirt, or maybe it was a dress. And she was very pretty. A ferret, if Chuck was reading her species correctly.

“Lillian!” Isaac said. The two exchanged hugs. “Come in, come in.” He helped her out of her coat and hung it up on the rack by the door, then put an arm around her shoulders and led her in. “Lillian, meet my son, Chuck.”

Butterflies filled the pup’s stomach as the ferret approached. Dress, confirmed. She smiled at him. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Chuck. Are you a hugger or a paw shaker?”

“Umm…” Chuck muttered. Was this a trick question? Would she judge him if he didn’t make the right choice?

“Chuck isn’t really a hugger,” Isaac said. His savior.

Lillian giggled and held out a paw. “Paw shake it is, then.”

The pup took a breath and shook the ferret’s paw. She hadn’t commented on his attire, but she didn’t seem offput by the fact that he was wearing a skirt. Maybe that was a good sign?

“We’re still working on dinner if you’d like to join us in the kitchen,” Isaac said.

His adoptive-father-to-be led the way into the kitchen. Chuck followed along behind.

“Smells delicious in here,” Lillian said.

For a little while, Chuck could fade into the background. The adults engaged in some small talk, from which Chuck gleaned that that Lillian’s family lived far away, which is why she couldn’t be with them. Her roommate was going to spend the holiday with her, but a family emergency dragged her away last minute.

It wasn’t long before Lillian turned her attention to him, though.

“So, Chuck,” Lillian said. “Tell me a little about yourself. I’ve heard a bit from Isaac of course, but I’d like to hear from you.”

He squeaked. What could he say about himself? “Umm… w-well… I l-like to r-r-read… a-and, umm… I-I’ve started playing v-video games with my f-f-friends…”

The ferret giggled. “Oh, how lovely! What kind of books do you like to read? Got any favorite authors?”

Questions! He could work with those. Before he knew it, he was chatting away about his favorite books, the games he liked, even a little about his friends from school. Lillian was actually really nice. He could see why Isaac liked her.

Then came his biggest fear.

“I didn’t know you liked wearing skirts, Chuck,” Lillian said.

His heart froze. What would she think of him? He blushed and looked away. “Y-yeah… u-umm… I-I-I t-tried it at a f-f-friend’s house, a-and… n-n-now I d-do it h-h-here, t-t-too?”

Lillian smiled. “Well, you look very cute in a skirt.”

The pup blushed. He really liked being called cute. “Th-thank you,” he muttered.

She beamed. No judgment, no harshness, just acceptance.
 
Isaac cleared his throat. “I, uh, need to zip to the bathroom. Would you two mind just keeping an eye on the stove?”

The ferret laughed. “I think we can manage, right, Chuck?”

Chuck squeaked but nodded. He could manage, sure. Especially with another adult. Though maybe this was a chance to ask Lillian something.

As soon as Isaac was gone, he took a breath and let the question slide. “D-d-do you have a b-b-boyfriend?”

For the first time, he saw Lillian blush. “Not at the moment, no,” she said. “Not since college, at least. I’ve been focusing on my career these past few years. Though I guess I do have a male in mind…”

The pup nodded. That all made sense. He wondered if the male she was thinking of might be Isaac, but he didn’t want to ask in case it wasn’t him.

“I-I-I guess Isaac u-used to d-d-date my M-mom,” Chuck stammered. “N-not anymore, th-though… they s-s-sleep in s-s-separate rooms now…”

Lillian nodded. “I’d gathered some of that from Isaac. Must be weird, having two parents that aren’t even into each other.”

He shrugged. “I-I-I’m not u-used to having t-t-two p-parents,” he muttered. “B-but I-Isaac’s n-nice…”

“He really is,” Lillian said. “He’s such a sweetheart, and charming in his own way, if not a little oblivious.”

Chuck tilted his head. “O-o-oblivious?”

The ferret smirked and leaned in. “Can you keep a secret, pup?”

He nodded. The pup was really good with those. After all, when there’s no one to tell them to, they become much, much easier to keep.

Lillian leaned in and whispered, “I really like your dad, Isaac.”

So it WAS Isaac that she had in mind. The pup nodded, and glanced towards the bathroom, then whispered back, “W-w-why don’t you t-tell him?”

She giggled. “Couple reasons. I still want to get to know him better first, for starters. Plus, he’s a hard one to read. I don’t know if he likes me, too.” She too glanced towards the bathroom, then whispered, “I know he’s been exploring himself some, and if he decides he might want a boyfriend, I don’t want to be in his way.”

That caught Chuck completely off-guard. Isaac, dating males? That seemed far-fetched. But then, wasn’t Chuck crushing on both males and females, too? Maybe everyfur felt like that at some point.

“M-my f-f-friend Robbie’s p-parents both have b-boyfriends,” he muttered.

The ferret smirked. “Oh do they, now?”

Chuck nodded. “Y-yeah… I g-g-guess they’re… p-polyamorous?” He blushed. “M-my g-g-girlfriend s-said she d-d-doesn’t mind if I w-w-wanted to… e-explore with other b-boys…”

Lillian smiled. “Ah, so you’ve got a little girlfriend, yourself… and is that a hint of bisexuality I’m hearing?”

The pup shrugged. “I-I dunno… d-d-doing sex stuff is weird, b-but k-kissing is nice?”

This time she blushed deeper. “Oh goodness, you’ve already started exploring with your friends? Though I guess I shouldn’t be surprised… I did some exploring with other cubs when I was a little girl…”

“Oh goodness, do I want to know what I walked into?”

Chuck and Lillian gasped. They hadn’t heard Isaac coming back in. Thankfully, the ferret answered first.

“Oh, we were just talking about our romantic lives,” Lillian said. “Chuck was telling me a bit about his girlfriend.”

Isaac blinked. “Was he, now? I wasn’t aware he had a girlfriend,” he said.

The pup squeaked. Maybe Lillian answering first wasn’t such a great thing. “O-oh, uh… y-yeah…”

The cat smiled. “So, who is it?”

Could he admit it? Would Isaac allow him to keep seeing her if he knew? It was a gamble, but he could hardly lie to the adult. “T-tanya…” he muttered.

“Oh,” Isaac said. “That girl who lives nearby? I suppose it makes a lot more sense that you’d want her over, then…” He chuckled and shook his head. “Well, I suppose I’ll get a chance to meet her properly at your sleepover with her and Robbie in a few days, right?”

Chuck blushed and nodded. “I-I guess so…”

Lillian giggled. “I didn’t have my first boyfriend until high school. And I had my first girlfriend in college,” she added with a little wink.

Even she dated both? “D-does everyfur d-d-date both g-genders?” Chuck blurted out.

“Far from it,” Isaac said as he returned to the stove. “Most furs are straight… or at least end up in straight relationships.”

“It is funny how we queer furs are drawn to each other, though,” Lillian said. “After my girlfriend, I don’t think I could date a straight male. It’s so much more fun when there are options.”

A loud beep interrupted the conversation.

Isaac laughed. “Welp, the turkey’s to temperature now.” He pulled it from the oven and placed the pan on the counter. “Just needs to rest for a few, then we can carve it. And these potatoes look about done…”

He set about finishing prep for the sides. Chuck joined in, helping to mash the potatoes while Isaac finished off the vegetables. The distraction from the conversation was a relief, to be sure.

Thankfully, the dinnertime conversation strayed back to the more mundane. Isaac and Lillian ended up agreeing on a weekend date to see a play in the city in a couple weeks, and the ferret shared about some of her own favorite books. It was actually rather nice.
 
It was dark out when she finally decided to head home. Chuck noted that she gave Isaac a hug and a kiss on the cheek before departing.

The adult sighed happily after seeing Lillian off, then smiled at Chuck. “So, pup… what did you think?”

Chuck squeaked. “Th-think of w-w-what?”

“Of Lillian,” Isaac said. “I meant it earlier when I said that any potential future mates of mine would need your seal of approval.”

“O-oh,” Chuck said. He started shivering. Was there a right answer?

“You don’t have to tell me now, of course,” Isaac said. “But… think about it, alright?

The pup nodded. His ears flicked as he heard the garage door opening. That must be Mom!

…… And he was still wearing his skirt!

He yelped and made a mad dash for the stairs. Once he got to his room, he pulled his skirt off, and hid all of his new feminine clothing in his dresser, then pulled his pajamas back on. In his haste he almost forgot to take off his sweater first.

Isaac’s voice reached him from downstairs. “Chuck, come down to open gifts!” he called.

Chuck took a few moments to catch his breath, then went downstairs.

When he reached the living room, he found his mother and father-to-be sitting on the couch. Mom looked tired. Very tired.

Opening gifts with Mom didn’t have quite the same joy as opening his gifts from Isaac. The clothes Mom got him were okay, but they weren’t as nice as the skirts that his mother didn’t even know he liked to wear. She even had a blank stare when she opened the gifts that he and Isaac got her.

“M-mom… a-a-are you mad at me?” Chuck asked.

His mother blinked. “What would make you think that, Chuck?” she replied.

The pup whined softly. “Y-you look s-sad…”

She stood up and patted his head. “I’m just tired, sweetie… it’s been a long day… I think I’m just going to head to bed…”

Without even waiting for a response, she brushed past her son and went upstairs.

Isaac shook his head. “I’m sorry Christmas is ending on such a sour note,” he muttered. “Did you like your gifts, at least?”

Chuck nodded. He liked his gifts from Isaac, certainly. They were some of the best he’d ever gotten. Did he really deserve a dad like Isaac?

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked. A text from Robbie! The fox wanted to compare Christmas gifts. He sent a quick reply that he’d take pics in a minute, then looked up at Isaac. “C-can I go to my r-room?”

“Of course, son,” Isaac said. “Merry Christmas, pup.”

“M-Merry Ch-christmas,” Chuck replied. He gathered up his stuff from his mom and went up to his room.

The pup took a couple minutes to lay out his gifts and take photos of them. He decided to just describe his new dress and skirts, and sent off the photos to Robbie and Tanya.

Tanya responded first.

‘Wow, your dad must really love you to get you your own skirts! That’s awesome!’

Chuck smiled. Yeah… Isaac really did care for him, didn’t he?

Robbie expressed similar sentiments when he replied, and sent along photos of his own new lego sets and video games.

It felt really nice having friends and family that the pup cared about. He smiled as he sat down on the floor to pick out a lego set to build. A thought popped into his head, and he ran downstairs.

He found Isaac buried in his phone. The cat looked up when Chuck arrived. “Hey, pup. Everything alright?”

The pup nodded, his tail wagging a little. “Y-yeah… umm… I-I j-just wanted to a-ask… i-if you w-wanted to h-h-help build my new l-legos?”

Isaac beamed. “I’d love that, pup. Let’s go.”

They went up to the pup’s room together and settled in to build the pup’s new toys. He couldn’t have imagined a better holiday.", "pools_count": 2, "title": "A Christmas With Chuck", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "application/msword", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "1", "rating_name": "Mature", "ratings": [ { "content_tag_id": "2", "name": "Nudity", "description": "Nonsexual nudity exposing breasts or genitals (must not show arousal)", "rating_id": "1" } ], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "t", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "0", "views": "2" }