[PRIVATE: DGFone & Thewhistlerify]

[DGFone]

If anything, Muroki's last comment caused Umeme to giggle even more. "Oh yeah? Well..." She didn't have any witty reply this time, so she buried her muzzle into his mane again. "You're always cute," she finally said, smiling, "not just when you giggle."

With Kato now gone, she could also not have to worry about embarrassing themselves anymore, even though it wasn't like having Kato around made much difference in the way they acted in the first place.

---

A rather sharp prod into his side caused Delano to wake up in a flash. "Lina? What?" Looking around, it didn't look like much if any time had passed, and Lina was still right there next to him where he last remembered leaving her, giggling. He lowered his ears in confusion, wondering why she woke him up like that. "Lina! I was trying to sleep! Why did you wake me up?"

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki frowned playfully at his mate, as if going on the defensive. "Me? Giggle?" he asked, with a fake hint of arrogance in his voice, holding back a grin and raising an eyebrow. "I'm a lion, I don't giggle." He was most likely lying, even if he did not recall ever giggling like that. Then, he defensively hurried to say, "Uh... I'm not suggesting that you're cute only when you giggle! But you're even cuter when you do."

Muroki suddenly remembered the fact that they were now alone. His cheeks turned a little red. "Sheesh, that was really embarrassing..." he said, looking down at his mate. "I can't believe Lina said that!" It looked like his sister in law had inherited not only the ability to death hug from her mother. "And then you turned your back on me and played along!" He honestly couldn't remember ever feeling so embarrassed in his life. The only way that could have been worse was if his mother in law had been there in Lina's place. "What do you have to say for yourself?" he asked, smiling his regular, charming smile.

---

Lina tried to go to sleep as well despite Delano's loud snoring, but it was absolutely impossible to do so. If she couldn't sleep, she figured, she might as well have some company. Sure, he'd be a little grumpy, but he'd get over it. She looked at him for a brief moment. Despite the noise he was making, he was still cute when he slept and she felt a little bad because of what she was about to do. Giggling, she prodded him in his side, waking him up. "Well, uh..." she smiled apologetically. "You were kind of snoring really loudly..." She licked his cheek once, hoping he wasn't too upset.

[DGFone]

Umeme simply smiled back at Muroki. "Muroki dear, the love of my life, how can I explain it? You should already know us well enough to expect that should the situation present itself, we will always tease you or Delano when we can." Her smile widened. "If you have any problems with that, you can make an official compliant of bad parenting to our mother, but I don't personally recommend it."

She then playfully batted his nose with a paw. "It's just something you will have to expect from us." She turned her head, smiling wickedly. "Problem?"

---

Delano felt himself turn red with embarrassment. "Snore? I don't think I've ever snored before." He returned Lina's lick. "At the very least, you could have woken me up less... suddenly." He wasn't actually upset with her. In fact, he liked that she woke him up, because now they were talking again, but did she really have to prod him in the side?

Grinning, he poked her in turn. "That's for payback!"

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki couldn't help but laugh as Umeme suggested he made an official compliant of bad parenting to his mother in law. He had no intention of ever doing something like that. "I'll pass..." he said, frowning playfully as she batted his nose with her paw. "You know..." grinning, he wrapped his paws around his mate and pulled her closer to him. "The fact that your sister was right made it all the more embarrassing." He slowly leaned over and licked her forehead. "But it could have been worse..."

~~~

Lina couldn't help but chuckle as Delano's cheeks turned red upon discovering that he'd snored. It was almost too cute to look at. She giggled when he returned her lick and let out a playful yelp when he poked her back. However she didn't do it again because she knew she had it coming. "That was a very... pleasant surprise, by the way..." she said a little quietly, her cheeks turning red as she rested her head under her mate's chin, purring.

[DGFone]

Umeme simply smiled back at her mate. "Just because what she said was true doesn't make it bad," she grinned at Muroki, rubbing her head until he started to purr. "If you really think it was uncalled for, I do believe that before you know it, she and Delano will be doing the same thing as us, and you'll be able to tease her right back for it."

---

Delano felt himself turning red as well. "Oh well, uh..." he fell quiet, feeling that saying anything more would embarrass him deeply. He allowed Lina to continue nuzzling him. When he got a break, he eagerly returned the gesture, not wanting to ruin the moment by saying anything.

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki smiled when Umeme nuzzled him, purring and returning the gesture. "Did I say it's bad?" he asked with a hint of fake innocence in his tone, grinning at his mate. Now that they were talking about his brother and sister in law, he couldn't help but wonder where the two of them were. He hasn't seen them since they'd taken off running in a different direction. But he wasn't their father, so it's not like they had to give him an explanation.

~~~

A small giggle escaped Lina's muzzle when Delano was unable to give her an actual response, but it didn't bother her too much. If anything, it felt more appropriate that he wasn't saying anything. She purred even louder when he nuzzled her back, feeling like nothing could make this moment any better. She doubted she's ever felt this happy in her entire life. She inched a little closer to him, once again resting her head in his mane.

[DGFone]

Umeme stuck her tongue out at Muroki. "Well you certainly are complaining loudly enough about it." She pushed him onto his side as she lay down next to him. She giggled and licked him across his muzzle. "I'm just messing with you! Embarrassing or not, it's not like it causes any trouble, so why worry?"

---

When Lina moved closer to Delano, he was quite surprised by the movement. However, when he realized what was happening, he broke into a smile and allowed Lina to settle comfortably by his side. He was very glad to see her this happy, because for many times recently, he had felt that he wasn't living up to Lina's expectations, and was placing an unneeded burden on her that was straining their relationship. Seeing her like this, even if just for now, was very comforting.

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki chuckled as Umeme stuck her tongue out at him, letting out a playful yelp as she pushed him onto his side. "I suppose you're right." he said with a grin, wrapping his paws around her and pulling her closer to him. "I mean, you're already pregnant..." Smiling his charming, but mostly teasing smile at his mate, he affectionately licked her forehead. "Although I wish you weren't..." he continued with a chuckle after a short silence. "I want this waiting to be over already..."

~~~

Lina continued to lie there next to Delano, purring in content and happiness. The sun was no longer at the center of the sky so it didn't warm them as much as before, but it was still better than nothing. She also had Delano's fur and mane, so all was well. Slowly removing her head from his mane, she smiled as she simply stared into her mate's eyes. She could spend hours staring into them sometimes. Giggling, she gave him a quick lick across his cheek before rubbing her head against his.

[DGFone]

Umeme chuckled as well. "I don't think anyone ever wants to wait," she said in the middle of laughter, "the mood swings, temper flares, arguing endlessly, hunger and all that..." She giggled. "Certainly sound like good times that we simply don't want to end, I know!"

---

Delano noticed as Lina stared into his eyes, and he stared back. But eventually, he felt his eyelids get heavy and he finally closed them, setting his head on his paws. Determined not to snore loudly this time, he slowly let himself drift off to his dreams, feeling the soft rhythmic breathing of Lina next to him.

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki allowed himself to laugh at Umeme's comment. "Yeah... I don't think your hormones like me very much..." he said before a teasing grin formed on his muzzle. "Don't get me wrong, they're very generous with me sometimes... But mostly they're trying to make me regret everything I've ever done." It was an exaggeration, yes, but he allowed himself to use it since they were joking around.

~~~

Lina chuckled as Delano set his head down on his paws. It seemed like he was still up to taking that nap, and his mate was going to give him a chance to redeem himself. She placed her head down next to his with a smile, waiting to see whether she would be able to get some rest as well or whether her mate would just start snoring loudly again.