It's almost summer again. I can smell it floating upon the breeze, that special scent of growing grass and flowers, warmed by the sun while everyone loses their winter fur and gets that little bounce in their step while they go about their work. The first busloads of tourists have arrived and started taking up residence in the many hotels. In a week or so this village will be up to its eyeballs in students on their summer break and families with kids going for that good old 'nature holiday', in other words dragging their screaming offspring up into the mountains to sleep there for a night, only to return the next day because they had never realized how many bugs and fleas there are in the wild. Then of course there are the kids returning to their parents for the summer, back from classes and tests, back to their hometown like salmon making their way up river. No doubt I'll get the visits soon, friends from high school who stop by at my job, or are just going out and recognise me, friends who did go to college, and who do have a life beyond this town. They love to rub your nose in the fact that they made it big, or at least are going to, no doubt showing off their latest girlfriend, who has not realized what a pompous prick their boyfriend really is. Now not all of them do it on purpose, the rubbing in part, they just keep yapping on about what they are doing, only to be embarrassed when they finally ask what I am doing, and I tell them that I'm still bartending and that, unless they order a drink, I need to get moving or else I'll get fired. 

	I could escape all this, of course, if I'd only visit my parents this summer, like every other normal person, but I'd rather avoid getting in between another one of their fights, which they, no doubt, still have on a fairly regular basis. You'd think they would just either get a divorce or give up on the whole fighting thing, but so far, no sign of it abiding. Normally I would have to see them at Christmas, though I manage to duck that one this year by playing the 'I have to work because it is the busiest day of the season' card, and for once I am glad that Wei can be such a hard-ass when it comes to these things.

	"C'mon, hurry up!" Marv turns around anxiously urging me to keep up.
"Yeah, yeah, keep your tail on." A tail that is currently giving a sharp wiggle, as if it knows it is being mentioned. 
"We don't have all day, not since you wanted to sleep till twelve."
"I got home at five!" I know I shouldn't start this, for all his love and joy; Marv can turn into a substitute mom in a flash.
"Guess you should have gone to bed earlier," he replies, "ah, here we are." With a happy bounce he reaches the door, holding it open for me with a small flurry of his paw. He had promised me that it would be close to my apartment. We have been walking for fifteen minutes. I half expected it to be a small, dusty and gloom Chinese herb shop, managed by a small panda lady, or perhaps a pair of elderly Siamese cats. The place, however, is big, wide and bright and we are greeted by a tall brightly smiling deer with his ears so heavily pierced he might be related to Twist. 
"Ahhh, Marv, how good for you to visit again, and you brought a friend!"
"I do, Pas, this is Swiff, Swiff this is Pas." 
"Nice to meet you."
"How very nice to meet you!" My caffeine and sleep depraved mind begins to hate him already with his cheerfulness and his upbeat character.
"Pas, we have a problem," Marv starts seriously, wrapping his arm around the deer's shoulder, "Swiff here, until recently a coffee guy, with, might I say, a lousy taste, has tossed out his old coffee brewer and is looking for something else. Now, we need your help, as you know just about anything there is worth knowing about hot beverages, and we need something good and strong, for, as you see, he is not really a morning person."
The deer nods gravely while they both are eyeing me up like I have some disease and they are trying to figure out a way to cure me. 

	"I think I might have a thing or two for him." The deer says, moving gracefully through the shop, grabbing packages left and right, climbing on a small ladder that allows him to reach the top shelves. 
"Look at him go," Marv whispers setting me down at a small metal table in the middle of the shop and taking the seat next to me, "And look at that ass." My eyes shoot downward, seeing something I really do not want to look at. Not that it is unsightly or not nice, no, exactly the opposite, but it brings my mind to things I have taken pains to push away from me. "I errr... don't think I'm that kind of a guy."
"Not an ass guy?" He asks, sounding very surprised.
"Not a guy's guy, just a guy... guy... if that makes any sense."
He looks at me from the corner of his eye, studying me with that peculiar gaze he reserves for certain occasions. When I am about to ask him what is the matter, Pas returns carrying an armful of packages, jars and bags. They are placed in neat rows in front of us. Pas sits down on the other side. "Now," He starts, "this blend is a fine mixture of traditional Chinese and Indian teas; it has a firm but sweet after taste. And this one is made out of..."
After a while the names, types of tea, herbs and blending styles are all dancing through my brain without making any sense any more. I never realized how many different types of tea there are, and I think I would have been happier not knowing. The deer, however, is an expert, calmly, but firmly, correcting me when I mix things up, or get confused. He never loses his smile, or his composure. He asks me questions about my preferences, and not just about tea. Asking me whether I have a lot of time in the mornings, or if I brew per cup or per pot, if I have a lot of people over, whether I like fruity or bitter, it takes me a moment to figure out he means the taste. The assortment of teas in front of me changes rapidly with every question and finally I end up buying five different blends of tea, with names I do not understand and don't have the courage to ask about.

	Of course, before we leave, I have to be an idiot and ask him about possibly buying a coffeemaker. Another half hour later I am walking down the street carrying a heavy box with a new coffee maker, with a special bean grinder on top, the whole things weighs a ton, and a large bag of Arabica beans on top of it, and Marv is bringing up the rear carrying the two plastic bags with the tea and another bag of beans. All in all it has cost me about half my salary. "You know I do not know if it was wise buying at this stuff right on the spot. I mean it is costing you a lot of money."
"It was the only thing that would assure me he would shut up." I grumble. 
"Well you could have said 'no'."
"Smart ass." He's right of course; I just do not want to tell him that. I think I might have an issue with just saying 'no' to people. Maybe I should ask Twist about it, then again, maybe not.

	Climbing up the stairs to my floor is worse than I had thought, especially with an annoying bunny behind me who keeps urging me to move faster. The machine I'm carrying is like lead and my muscles are burning when we finally climbed all the stairs. I butt open the door into the hallway. "Get the door will you."
"I don't have your keys mate."
"In my pocket." I turn, jutting out my hip so he can better access it. He throws me a look, before his paw quickly disappears into the pocket of my jeans. I can feel him groping around. 
"Hurry up." I grunt, trying not to let go of the heavy machine and destroy it before I have had a chance to use it. 
"Can't seem to find- oh there it is."
"That isn't my key."
"Then what am I, oh, errr, sorry." He holds on for just half a second longer before letting go of me continuing with his quest for the missing keys.
"Look dude it's not that hard, they aren't that deep."
"You are right, it's not, but when am I have the chance of touching you again without you being able to do anything about it?"
I growl, getting ready to put the damn thing down and make a grab for Marv.
"Oh here they are." He says joyfully fishing them out, his middle finger hooked through the little chain. 
"About time." He goes for the lock. "You smell that?" I ask him, turning around and sniffing the air in the hallway.
"Not really." He turns, realizing I am not making a joke. "What do you smell?"
"I don't know... it smells... familiar, like..." 
The lock clicks and the door swings open. Gratefully I enter my apartment, managing to make it to the counter just in time before my arms completely give out. The large bag of beans skids of the top and lands near the sink. Thankfully the bag does not burst, spilling its content all over my kitchen floor. 
"And your tea." 

	I sniff again. Here in my apartment the smell is stronger. "Do you smell that?" Marv sniffs the air, shrugging. "It smells..." I frown wondering of what it reminds me. "It smells like..."
"Hi sweety."
"Anne."
The vixen is leaning against the doorframe of my bedroom. She is wearing her make up clothes again, the short denim skirt and that top that is just a little too tight around the chest area. "I have been waiting for you to come home." She purrs, moving closer, doing her little catwalk swaying her hips from side to side while making her bushy tail dance gracefully in the opposite direction. 

	It is funny, looking at her acting so completely ridiculous I realize this trick hasn't worked on me for years, because I know it, I know all the moves she can throw at me, and I know she is doing this to get something from me, to butter me up. In the past I had been willing to let her get away with it, just for the nookie. 
"Hi there." With a great sense of timing, as ever, Marv manages to only then pop his head up from behind me, smiling and waving at her. "You are Anne, right? I believe we met once or twice in the club."
Her expression immediately gets twisted into one of disgust and rage.
"You remember Marv. He's one of my good friends." I smile, seeing how she fights to keep her expression in check. If she wants something from me, she'll better work for it. 
"Of course, Marv." That sugary sweet smile that makes my teeth hurt is conjured up as she approaches him, extending her paw, "So nice to meet you." If she dipped it in your coffee it would instantly turn into liquid caramel. 

	"Honey," She comes closer, pressing her body against me, breathing heavily in my ear. "I had hoped you would come alone, so we could, you know, without Marv?" She leaves the blanks up to me. Perhaps this is the reason I started cheating on her, or well, technically not cheating, but sleeping around, because it does not matter what I do, as soon as she wants something she'll fuck me to get on my good side, only to use it all against me later on. "And what if I do not want him to leave?" I ask her, ignoring her advances. "Well he could of course, join us." She gives the rabbit a meaningful look. 
Marv barks a laugh, raising his paws defensively. "I am truly sorry ma'am. I am strictly a cock sucker and very happy in that role." This is not going as she had hoped. 
"Sweety?" She is trying to drag my face towards her. I resist. 
"Why don't you save us all a whole lot of time and just tell me what you want."
Despite my very too the point voice and the fact I am making it clear to her, in everything I do, that I am not interested, she keeps playing the sex card, rubbing her body up against mine, nuzzling my neck. "I just want to be with you." She grunts. This is getting really out of hand. 

	"Anne," I disentangle myself from her, forcing her paws away from me, "stop this, just stop." She looks confused, not quite realizing what is going on. "Anne for fuck's sake you are embarrassing yourself." Her gaze shifts between me and Marv, who is trying to slink back into the background. "You can't just come back here and expect everything to be normal! You left, remember without saying a word, without so much as a note you just left, took all your shit, and I mean all your shit, and just left, and now suddenly you are back, I mean... what gives. How the hell did you get in here anyways?" A sudden heat rises up inside of me almost colouring my entire vision red. I fight it and somehow manage to supress it once again, tucking it safely inside that box from which it came. 
"I have a key." She says, as if I am some sort of mental patient. "And you were the one who couldn't get your snout out of someone's poon long enough to even listen or talk about this. So I left, of course I left, some of us have classes to go to, a university degree to get, exams to take, instead of going around fucking every girl that comes by!"

	"I think I'd better go, see you at work!" I don't think I really hear him before I enter into my next rage phase. 
"OH sure rub it in, you were away, you were having a hard time, you are so fucking important that it does not matter you moaned someone else's fucking name while we were having it on!"
"Like that excuses you with all your booty calls."
"At least I have the freaking decency not to be so secretive about it and never ask their freaking name, why? Because they mean nothing to me!"
"Oh so that is your big excuse you are too much of a horn dog to even remember their names and that is supposed to make me feel better?"
"No it doesn't!"
"Well it doesn't!"
"GOOD! Because it was never meant to make you feel better you annoying cunt! It was meant to make you leave, like you did, finally, and now you come back, again, to me, the guy who cheats on you none stop, and why? Because you want something!"
"I came back because I loved you!" The tears come into her eyes, making me falter for just a moment, until I see that look in her eyes that spells nothing of grief or love or remorse. 
"You don't love me." I say lowering my voice, "not anymore." She just stares. "And even if you do, I don't love you. I haven't since a long time. I'm done hurting. I want you out of my house."
"Then... then where am I supposed to go?" She asks, her bottom lip quivering. "I have nothing here, I came here, for you, for us, for one last chance. Please don't do this Swiffy."
"Stay with one of your friends."
"They aren't here. Most of them are with their boyfriends, or are on holiday." 
"Fine, you can stay, for the night. Then you'd better book a ticket to your parents place, or back to Thomas."
"We broke up Swiff." 
"I don't believe you. You can sleep on the couch."
"But the bed should easily."
"The couch, and get your shit out of my bedroom. I have to get to work."



	"So you are letting her stay..." 
"Just for the night. I don't know why you care so much."
"Because, Swiff, dawg, she evil!" Twist gives me those big voodoo eyes.
"How do you know?"
"Just look at what she does to you!"
"I'm betting she's a witch, and we all know there is only one way to deal with a witch."
"Right, you melt down the silver for bullets and I'll get the garlic."
"Silver bullets are for werecreatures, and garlic is against vampires."
"Oh of course we have to say her name backwards."
"That is some kind of alien. Guys I appreciate the concern, but it is over, we are not going to get back together, and tomorrow I am kicking her out of my house."
"Well that makes sense, Anne, and Enna kinda sound the same, so how would she know we said it backwards."
"You sure about this Swiff?"
"Yes I am sure. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice you get to hit me with the frying pan."
"I'll keep you to that promise." And I am sure she will, because right now Sigrund's scowl nearly reaches her nose. She blows a gust of air out of her nose, showing her disdain for my decision, making her look more like a horse then a polar bear.

	The others aren't letting it go so easily. "You know how this is going to end, don't you?" Twist is having one of her wide eyed moments again making me wonder if she's truly lucid. "First it's 'just for a night', then 'just one more day' and before you know it she whips out the Medussa head and you are tying the knot in some lousy wedding chapel."
"First of all, not the best choice of words, second of all are you high again? Third of all I'll make sure to lop her head off before she gets a chance to do that."
"Well don't say I didn't warn you."
No one seems to like my decision but they drop it and stop nagging about it. Yet the nagging feeling remains, slowly gnawing away at my inner peace. It is like a nasty infection that does not hurt, but still keeps festering, an itch that won't be resolved no matter the scratching.

	Even when I arrive back at my apartment, it is still there, on my couch, covered by three thick blankets. She is being a drama queen as usual. The nights aren't nearly as cold as they used to be, though she would never stop complaining about it, even back when we, well you know... I toss the keys in the little bowl by the door. It's nearing six, so I keep the lights off, making my way through the gloomy room towards my bed. Shutting the door behind me I let out a sigh. I toss my clothes in the general direction of the hamper. I'll clean up in the morning. Falling face first in bed I barely make the effort to tug the blankets over me. It does not take long before I slip into that pleasant semi-conscious bubble of half sleep, inching towards that blissful blackness. 

	The door creaks. My ear turns, homing in on the sound. Footsteps, the wooden floor creaks under the weight of someone's body. For a moment I consider it being a burglar, a murderer or some monster out to get me. The covers get lifted and a warm body slips in beside me. As it turns out; it is far worse. She has changed her perfume since we were last together, I don't really like the change. Her warm breath brushes against my neck, her paws slide over my hip. I try to ignore it. She moves closer, sliding her body on top of me, her breasts pressing against my back, her hips bumping against my behind. She blows against my ear, which gives an involuntary twitch. 
"Wakie, Wakie." 
Her paw moves between me and the mattress, working its way in my underwear. My body, deprived from release, and happy with the attention from someone that isn't me for a change, reacts enthusiastically. She chuckles softly in my ear, wrapping her fingers around the hardening flesh, gently stroking it, coaxing it out of hiding. 

	It is so tempting to just let it go. One simple night with her and me, who would care? Tomorrow she'll be gone and I would never have to see her again, one last evening of break up sex, one final release. I can practically hear Marv disapprovingly tsking should he see me here, but what does the bunny know about this? I let go of this tension, trying to relax in her touch, ignoring all the voices of reason playing over in my head. 
"I know you are awake." She whispers, her fingers trailing over my chest. Sweet nips are trailing a path up my neck, running up to my ears that are flicking with anticipation. She twists her grip and a sudden shot of electricity shoots up my spine.

	I roll over. "I can't do this." I take her paw, pushing it back to her side. "Get out." She sits up, ears pushed back. I see the white of her teeth flickering in the darkness as she snarls at me. "Is it that stupid bunny?"
"What are you on about?"
"'Cause I have seen the little fairy stare at your ass a hundred times."
I snarl at her, my paw grasping her by the face, nails digging into her flesh.
"Marv is my best friend, and I have beaten up chumps for less." I snap at her, my eyes shooting fire. Terror flicks through her eyes. I shove her away from me. 
"Now get out." I turn away, not caring what she will do, dragging the covers up to my chin. She sits there staring at my back. For a moment there is the chance she might argue with me. She doesn't. I hear her muttering while she scoots out of bed. Right when she reaches the door I turn. She waits, handle still in her paw. She might argue with me, ask me 'why?', make a scene. Defying expectations she closes the door behind her, leaving me alone.