Hook, Line & Sinking (Completed)

27. Graduation

Hey all,

After that three part date section a slightly longer than average chapter! :-)

Much love,

Robin

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Gradutation

Dating Matt turned out to be one of the most natural things. We'd always already flirted a lot and now that had transformed into actual hugging and kissing whenever the opportunity arose. Though I was certain that sometimes it annoyed Thorne when he'd catch us making out in the office or the storeroom when the both of us were supposed to be working.

Dev and Mitch however never commented on it, never joked about it, they took it in stride completely as if we'd always been a couple. The same more or less went for the rest of the McLaren's. Though Clara hugged me the next time I saw her and told me yet again how welcome I was to the family.

I saw my dad a total of two times that month. Once when I just got home from school and he was on his way out again, he wouldn't meet my eyes but I saw his mouth tighten. He said hello and told me he'd left his suitcase in the hall, if I could take care of it, then he rushed off without another word.

The second time he came home late one evening when I was home by myself. I knew it was him because I crept down the stairs to check, frightened that it might be the Corenth's breaking in though Matt had assured me they were far away. He was gone again in the morning, leaving so early that we didn't even run into each other over breakfast.

I knew for sure he'd been in one more time while I hadn't been around, because I'd found a suitcase with stuff to put away and get washed. I thought there was evidence of another time too but both those times I'd slept over at the Stonefish. A regular occurrence now, especially if I worked a late shift.

When I slept there, or when Matt stayed over at my house, we shared a bed and we certainly had fun between the sheets. Somehow though we never ended up having sex. I thought Matt was purposely avoiding it, maybe because he worried that it would bring back bad memories. Maybe because he thought since I was younger than him, that he shouldn't rush me. Not that I had much to complain about, he loved me with his mouth and his clever hands extremely well and I was more than willing to return the favor.

My second full moon went off without a hitch and was a lot of fun since Mitch was allowed to be there as well. He was like a kid in the candy store because this was his first time seeing all of us together transformed. To the great amusement of most he went around admiring every pair of fins he hadn't seen yet and though he'd never swam a distance as far as Sharkfell island before he insisted on trying that too. Especially since Mariana was diving as well.

When I was with Thorne alone in the office one evening I found the guts to turn to him and casually say, "You know I'm like Matt right?" It didn't feel right to not have the big guy in on the secret, the way I knew it felt wrong for Matt not to tell him his entire family was like him. I figured I'd just let him know myself. One less thing for Matt to hide from his best mate.

Thorne froze from where he was stuffing some shipping receipts haphazardly in the right folder (I hoped at least). "You mean about the swimming?" he asked and turned to lean his butt on the desk and look at me where I was placing a box of napkins on the shelf. I nodded, "Yeah and the tail."

There was a snort, "I had a sneaking suspicion, thanks for coming out and saying it." I grinned his way, "No problem, Matt didn't like not saying anything about it to you but he's pretty strict about not spilling other people's secrets." Now Thorne's auburn eyebrow shot up, "In that case I guess I ought to tell you that I too can shift my shape. I'm a werewolf."