Pussy Catburglar
By Paul Calhoun

A sneak thief sees a movie about a glamorous sexy femme fatale in a movie and starts to wonder whether a beautiful woman would make the best distraction.

A high heeled black boot came into view, followed by a slender leg clothed in tight black leather. The mass of blonde hair did not stir despite the ninety degree tilt of the softly curved body whose black leather catsuit left little to the imagination. Her red painted lips were pursed in an expression of sexy concentration. A quick movement of the arm and she was out of her suspension harness and running down the hall, clutching a priceless artifact and stopping only to spend a minute or so evading guards and stopping to distract one with a long, passionate kiss.

Ned turned the television off and snorted derisively. Crime dramas were always so far off base that he sometimes wondered if he ought to send the writers a politely worded thank-you. After all, some cops actually believed that nonsense and it made his job a lot easier if even federal agents were willing to believe that missing jewelry or artwork was stolen in a daring heist rather than being removed quite easily by more mundane means. After all, no one paid any attention to a five foot four, balding little fellow with a thin mustache. Especially if he was carrying a frame and wearing overalls. A fellow could walk in, pretend to be fixing up an exhibit or cleaning a wealthy socialites’ home and be weeks away before someone noticed that their priceless brooch went ‘klonk’ rather than ‘clink’ when you tapped it, or that the dark bit in ‘Starry Night’ has a tiny red eye at the very top. Ned’s forgers sometimes had more of a sense of humor than was good for them. Not that it was always so easy. It was about fifty-fifty between a genuine nighttime robbery and a seeming inside job. Ned was fit, but he still scoffed at the idea of coming down from the ceiling and running past all those guards. He’d knocked out one or two in his time, but usually it was better to hide than to run.

On the other hand, law enforcement was getting smarter and Ned wasn’t getting any younger. Already there were far too many cameras around than Ned liked to think about and it was only a matter of time before the pattern was recognized. No, Ned thought, there’s no sense in risking any more. He had a nice home and all the comforts he wanted as well as a swimming pool and a small gym in the basement. Better to fade from view than do any more burgling.

This attitude lasted a couple of weeks before Ned was supremely bored and the requests from clients started to pile up. One in particular offered a very nice sum, though the job was well beyond what Ned was willing to risk even when he was at his best. A cursory look at the security arrangements made him smirk. This really was the job for a movie cat burglar, not a small time professional like him. The sort of person who didn’t think that three inch heels were an encumbrance, a person who could somehow walk around in leather without it squeaking on every surface. A well built blonde whose hair didn’t catch the light or get in her face and whose boobs didn’t get in the way despite the obvious lack of support.

As Ned fantasized about this woman, he smiled wider. No, she wouldn’t do for the actual burglary, but what a distraction! The guards would be too busy looking at her bust and bum and the news media would be too busy making sure everyone else did to tip anyone off to the little fellow carrying Fergus Bent’s prized diamond. He turned the thought over in his mind and a strange plan started to form. He knew guys who relied heavily on disguises rather than being nondescript and some of the bank jobs he’d seen them do were almost otherworldly. It’s really hard to admit to a policeman that you’ve just been robbed by a celebrity or — even worse — a cartoon animal. He decided to get in touch with them and see who they used. It was a ridiculous idea, but it was better than spending all day at the golf course.

“Obviously I’m not going to ask what you do or why you want this,” the teenage girl on the phone said, “and likewise you’re not asking me. We both know our business, so let’s get down to it. Do you have the money?”

“Yes,” Ned replied.

“Good. Wire me two thirds and meet me at this address,” Ned wrote it down. “I’ll do the fitting next Tuesday and you can give me the specs for what you want to look like then. It should take about forty-five days. You’re lucky I don’t have anything else on the calendar right now.” She hung up.

Tuesday, Ned arrived at a trendy looking loft studio and was met by a stunning redhead in her mid-twenties. “Before you ask, that was me on the phone,” she said in a mezzo-soprano. “I felt like being younger last week. Well, some clients for my night job did.” She led him to a heavily modified dentists’ chair and spent several minutes fussing with the inclination and height. “OK, so we’ll do your face first. Be warned, it’ll take some time for the stuff to set and you’ll have to have it pretty much all over your head for that period.” Ned wasn’t bothered by the shower cap pulled over his balding scalp, nor by the thick fluid she coated his head with. He got nervous when she stuck the straws up his nose, but she didn’t try to asphyxiate him and was very careful to get all the residue off when she peeled the rubbery substance off him. “I can do the rest of your body by laser and I’ll get a read off your face too just as a backup.” She said. “Modest?”

“Not when it’s business.”

“Good. Everything off and go stand in that thing,” she pointed to what looked like an airport body scanner that had been assimilated by the Borg. At first, the various arms and wands seemed to be just moving around, then they started to emit a pale red light which shaded up to green, then purple. “I scan on several visible frequencies, infrared, ultrasonic…” The young lady said. “For what you’re paying, I can afford to be thorough.” Ned had been cautioned to be as still as possible, so he didn’t reply.
When the machine finished and Ned had dressed, the woman asked, “So, what are we looking at? First, are you going for something completely human?”

“Yes.”

“Sex?”

“Female.”

“Height?”

“Maybe a bit taller than me. I intent to wear high heels.”

“I’ll do something proportional. Speaking of which, what kind of proportions do you want?”

“Slender but with a large rack and a decently padded bottom. I’m going for distracting to others but still able to get around quickly and make it through tight spaces.”

“I can work with that. Hair color?”

“Black.” Ned had considered red or blonde because he preferred them, but black hair had the advantage that if he let it down it wouldn’t be as easy to see in the dark.

“Skin?”

“Fair.”

“Anything else?”

“I think you know better than me what looks good. Plenty of sex appeal. I want the overall effect to be memorable and difficult to resist.”

The woman nodded. “I have a pretty good idea what to do. I’ll call you when I’m done. Make sure you have the rest of the payment when you arrive. Satisfaction is guaranteed, so I’ll give you a tutorial and let you try it out. My clients often like to wear their purchases out the door, so I’ll include a change of clothes. If you like it, I get the other third. Otherwise we’ll see what we can work out. Don’t worry, though. I have a ninety-nine point four two satisfaction rate.”

Ned spent the intervening time in his gym practicing. He didn’t know exactly how the costume he was buying would work, but he was sure he’d have boobs and be wearing high heels, so he shoved a pair of silicone forms into a sports bra, put on a pair of high heeled knee boots and ran his usual obstacle course in them until he felt competent. The first few tries had him wobbling all over the place and more often sprawled on his padded front as the different center of gravity threw him off, but by the time the costume was ready, he felt like he was making progress and that his first attempt at going through the whole course wearing his new purchase would not end in him planting his sexy new face on the mat.

Ned was not surprised when he was met by a smiling young man who looked like he’d just gotten out of college. “This one’s for you.”

Ned arched an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Well, guys usually prefer other guys to help them with their first wearing. Especially our male-to-females. That way if they want a quick lay to check whether the suit works that way, they have a ready partner who knows if something is going wrong even before they do.”

“I don’t think that will be necessary.” Ned hadn’t even considered that possibility! He just wanted to look like a glamourized spy girl so that he could steal even bigger stuff. He followed the suit maker and snuck a look at his butt. It was true that he might have to make out with a guard and he didn’t want to leave and find out later that his disguise wasn’t perfect. He decided he’d play it by ear. His purchase was hanging on a mannequin, giving him a full view of what he was going to look like. In fact, he came close to apologizing to the naked woman in the room for walking in on a fitting.

She was exactly what he meant even if he hadn’t been thinking of anything specific. She was lightly tanned with starling black hair down falling in loose waves to her mid back. Her breasts were at least a D and balanced by lush hips and a slender waist with a flat belly. Her buttocks were just the right roundness as far as Ned was concerned, her lips were inviting and appeared to have a light layer of lipstick already applied and her legs seemed surprisingly long for something he was supposed to be wearing. The man reached behind her and undid something, sliding the skin off of the frame and handing it to Ned. “I can tell you’re impressed already.”

Ned looked down at the flat person he held in his hands. Her skin was so soft and silky. “I hope I fit her.”

“You will. Just take everything off and I’ll help you into her.” When Ned was naked, the man showed him the catch in her groin. “You pull everything through here. Like this.” Ned held still while the man slipped the skin down over him, first making sure that the mask was situated over all the right openings and there were no wrinkles. He explained each stage of the process so that Ned could do it himself at home, having had him raise his arms as the suit went on, he tugged the wrists and elbows to get that done right and had him wiggle to help it go over his chest and belly. Ned got his first feel of his new rear as he sat to get his legs in and found his new behind very comfy. His new feet seemed so petite with their painted toenails and slender ankles. The suit was squeezing him all over and got even less comfortable as did as instructed and tucked his male parts up and into a compartment, then pulled the gusset over his crotch and latched his new body closed. He sat for a few minutes, making conversation in his new, sexy contralto. As the suit warmed up, it tightened all over but so slowly that he never felt really uncomfortable.

“OK, you can stand up now.” The man said, looking at a wall clock.

Ned got up quickly and blushed inside his mask when his boobs bounced and he automatically reached up and grabbed them. The man just smiled pleasantly and wheeled over a tall mirror. “It’s helpful to get used to how the costume behaves when you move in it.” He said. “Walk, run, spin, jump, whatever. Get comfortable with it.”

Ned was shy at first even though it wasn’t really his body he was putting on display as he bounced, twirled and bent in various places to get a better view of her body. She found herself blowing upwards and brushing her hair out of her eyes and she gratefully accepted an offer of a scrunchie. Ned was getting a feel for his new body and was helped by the practice he’d put in earlier. He was so engrossed in staring at his nude female appearance that he didn’t see the man leave or come back until he was presented with a pile of clothes. “Here you go, sir. These will fit you if you want to see how you look in an outfit and wear the suit out.”

Ned took the garments. Pulling a pair of panties on looked and felt sexier than he’d expected and he was red under the mask from resisting the urge to squeeze his pinned penis. The man had to help him with the bra, which was of a more traditional hook style than the one he’d bought for practicing in. On top of that went a red sun dress with a short pink skirt. Ned couldn’t help but swish it around a little to feel it whisper against his slender, smooth legs. A pair of high heeled sandals completed the outfit and he noticed that the man looked a little impressed that he took to them as easily as he did. His new body wasn’t so different from his ad-hoc practice wear.

“It’s perfect.” She said to the man. “I feel like I ought to be paying extra.”

“Well, most of my night clients prefer women and I always enjoy teaching a new lady how a man should treat her.” The suit maker smiled winningly.

“Sex? I know you said I could, but I still can’t believe it.” Ned was getting turned on by his body and voice, though. Having complete control of that contralto and those legs, not to mention all her other assets, made him less guarded than he usually was.

“I wouldn’t sell anything that didn’t do everything advertised!” The man said. “And I can’t be sure it’s perfect without trying. I’d had to have you come back dissatisfied.”

Ned smiled, noting through a sidelong glance how warm and attractive it made her look. “All right.” She held out a hand, which the man took. “I assume you have a comfortable setting ready.”

“Of course.” Ned allowed himself to be taken to a room with warm wood paneling, a large bed with a thick duvet and high quality carpeting. The man closed the door behind them and gently pushed Ned down onto the bed. “Now, a quick shag is complimentary and part of making sure everything works. Your new breasts should be quite sensitive,” he eased one out of Ned’s bra — Ned was again aware of their weight as part of it was removed - and licked the nipple. Ned’s breath caught at the feeling of pleasure in a strange new place. “Also, your clitoris and vaginal area should stimulate the correct parts of your internal male anatomy.” He reached under Ned’s skirt and squeezed. Ned felt a very pleasant sensation in his crotch. “Penetration can be a very odd thing for a first timer, so let me know if you need me to go more slowly.”

“Actually,” Ned breathed. “I wouldn’t mind if you also helped me with my feminine behavior.”

“That’s extra.”

“I’ll pay.”

The man abruptly stood up. “We’d better do that first, then. It’ll be more pleasurable for both of us if you are a woman in how you act as well as how you look. I’ll be right back.” He left Ned breathing hard and barely able to sit up. He hadn’t been so affected by sex in years and was sorely tempted to put a slender finger into his new privates to see what the costumer was talking about. He fought down his arousal and got up. He’d have to have his wits if he wanted to learn everything he could about using this body to its best potential. It was costing him dearly already to own it and he was going to be the best red herring he could be!

He was still stunned when a copy of his new female body walked through the door, wearing exactly what he was wearing and pulling a wheeled suitcase behind her. His twin smiled brightly, “It’s best to tailor a lesson to the pupil, right?” She leaned out the door and pulled the mirror on its wheels into the room. “Now look at yourself and look at me. Who are you more attracted to?”

Ned glanced at his reflection with his twin standing next to him. His first thought was to say, “We’re the same, so I’m attracted equally.” His visceral instinct, however, made him stare at the reflection of his twin rather than at himself. “You.” He said.

“It’s all in the attitude,” the twin said. “You’re good on heels, but you still stand like a man who got used to heels. Your legs are too far apart, you’re letting your chest drag you down and you haven’t gotten used to simulating a female internal anatomy. The heels make you swing a little, but even without them you should be taking different steps. Here, let’s work on posture first.”

Ned couldn’t help but be constantly turned on by the sight of his twin showing him how to be more ladylike, especially when she would gently nudge his hip, butt or chest to get him into the correct place. They worked on how to stand in heels and out of them. During the course of this, Ned realized that though he was a short man, the costume’s slim legs and his normal height gave him the appearance of a taller woman.

When his twin was satisfied that he would still appear ladylike even when he was doing something else, she moved on to how he should walk, again both wearing shoes and barefoot. “If you’re trying to seduce someone, you can put a little extra roll into it, but be very subtle. It’s easy to go too far and look drunk.” She demonstrated and Ned tried the mimic her. “Not bad,” she said, “try again.” This time she put her hands on Ned’s hips and guided his motion. “Now try it without me. Great. OK, so we’ve done posture and walk. Let’s do gestures.” She showed him how and when to put his hand over his mouth and how to seem graceful in any movement. They went on to poses and finally she said, “I brought some extra clothes. What we’ll do now is practice putting them on and taking them off in various settings. There’s not much better than a well done strip tease to get a partner in the mood, but you also need to know how to get into your clothes as quickly as possible. There’s nothing like struggling with your lingerie to tip someone off to the fact that you may not have been wearing foundation garments for most of your life. Naturally, we’ll also practice the makeup that goes with each outfit.”

When he’d demonstrated that he could dress, undress and make himself up, they moved on to conversation. “For the most part, you can talk like you always do. Remember, though, that when flirting it’s more about how you say things than what you say. As you may have guessed from our practice so far, most men won’t look past an innocently nibbled lip and a bright smile.”

By the end of this, Ned realized that whenever he glanced over at the mirror, it was becoming harder and harder to pick between the two dark haired lovelies reflected in it. Somewhere along the line he’d gone from a man who looked like an attractive female to a woman who just happened to be a man in a costume. That was when his twin handed him a pair of sheer lingerie and began putting on an identical set. “Now to one of the fastest ways you can completely scramble a bloke’s mind. Having him walk in to find you arrayed invitingly on the bed in something which is even sexier than nothing at all. Now lie down next to me and we’ll practice various inviting poses and what to say when someone walks in while you’re wearing them.”

“You’re doing very well,” his twin said a few wardrobe changes later. She snuggled up to him on the bed and wrapped her arms around his waist. “You’ve got the appearances down well enough to fool most men and you’ll be OK with women if you aren’t too obvious around them and take some time to get a bit of experience under your garter. Now, you still have a complimentary shag to make sure everything’s working right. Are you up for it?”

Ned turned so that they were facing each other, their chests pressed together and their faces less than an inch apart. “Well,” he said in the little girl voice his twin had taught him, “I don’t know.” He pouted and regarded his twin through his eyelashes. “It’s all fun practicing with you, but I’m not sure I’m ready for sex with a big strong man.”

His twin laughed and sat up. “That was very good. Enough to have gotten the average straight guy who wasn’t the one who taught you how to flirt wrapped round your finger in no time. Seriously, though, I understand if you want to stop now. We haven’t done anything other than appearances and if that’s all you’re interested in, you can take the outfit your suit came with and get going because you’ll do fine in any setting other than an intimate one.”

“And I’m really not sure,” Ned replied earnestly. “I don’t intend to do anything than look gorgeous and flirt, but matters might get complicated.”

“How about this, then? You keep clear of making out and sex for now and if you change your mind, you know how to contact me. I mean, you look young enough in that to get away with claiming you’re a virgin, but you’re still a man in a costume. When the time comes to kiss another man, you might find it harder than you think.”

“Actually,” Ned said, thinking about the heist he had planned. “Kissing might be necessary.”

“I’ll go change.”

His twin was presently replaced with the man who’d met him at the door and helped him into the suit. “You’re straight, I take it.”

Ned nodded. “Yeah. I’ve thought about it once or twice, but I’ve never been attracted to males.”

“Then it’s time to acquire the taste. It’ll be easier like this because you can always look at us doing it in that mirror and think of it as a man and a woman kissing rather than you kissing a man.” He put one hand on Ned’s leg — on the skirt rather than under it — and the other on his shoulder. “Now if I lean in, will you…” Ned had trouble relaxing as the costumer’s lips met his. He closed his eyes and remembered that he was a really hot girl kissing a pretty good looking guy. Several pecks later, he even had his mouth open and it wasn’t more than half an hour before they were in a passionate embrace.

“Good enough?” The costumer asked, coming up for breath.

“I think that will do for now.” Ned replied, smiling prettily as he’d been taught.

“Then good luck!”

Ned was glad to have had the training, as the walk back to his car was over a block and he felt far more confident in his disguise than he would have just wearing the suit and walking around in it. Even that short trip had him smiling at a man across the street who he could tell had slowed down to check him out and swishing his skirt a little extra when he passed a neighbor’s boy who he knew had low confidence with women. He was halfway home when he realized how stupid he’d been. If a cop had pulled him over, what was he going to say? Ned had made a career out of being low profile and he’d almost blown it just because he was enjoying his new buy! Then he laughed to himself. He’d have just flirted out of the ticket and proved he was a proper femme fatale!

Ned wanted to get used to the suit, so he left it on when he got home. He changed into sweat pants and a T-shirt, then did chores, made dinner, bathed and went to bed all as a slim, sexy woman. It took him awhile to fall asleep with his penis pinned between his legs and the extra weight on his chest. It got him to thinking that if he was going to take the time to get used to his new body, he ought to go out and get something to wear while in it. He decided that he’d spend the next day buying a proper wardrobe.

Ned spent the next week alternating between wearing the suit for a day and then spending a day out of it. Most times he was in, he trained for the job he’d bought it for and went to bars to perfect his technique. He found that it wasn’t hard at all to get men to buy him drinks and he worked out that at his current rate of consumption, the suit would pay for itself inside five years. The thought made him giggle in his contralto and flick his hair back in a gesture that he loved to use on the bar flies. No matter what happened, the costume was a worthwhile investment for that and for the entertainment of hearing all the compliments he got as a woman and the talk in the bars on the nights he went in as himself and heard about ‘that woman.’

It was one of his female days when Ned was out on the patio in a bikini sunning himself. He liked to relax outside and though it was a great day for a swim, he didn’t own a water heater and the cold pool water would have caused his costume to loosen. He had a high fence so no one was likely to see his female form taking some time out from training. Ned was almost asleep when he heard a shout from outside, “Ned? Are you home?” It was Reg, the young man from next door whom Ned had seen on his way out from the costumer’s on his first day as a female. Reg was a high school senior and often dropped in on Ned for dinner and a conversation along with his parents. Ned was good friends with all three and with several of his neighbors. It never hurt to have a few character witnesses who would be willing to swear under oath that Ned was a fine and upstanding member of the community. In fact, Ned had been helping Reg with some confidence issues lately. It wasn’t that Reg was bad looking, but he was a social washout and tended to get tongue tied when dealing with girls of the same age as him.

Weighing his options, Ned knew there was only one thing to do. He’d forgotten that he’d promised Reg he’d have lunch with him that day and there was no time to change out of his female suit. Besides, it would kill two birds with one stone if his female persona became known in the neighborhood as that nice girl dating Reg and it would do Reg no end of good to have a patient, pretty and willing female companion. “The gate is unlocked,” he called.

Reg walked in silently and looked ready to bolt when he caught sight of Ned. Ned rolled over on his chest, propped himself up on his elbows and looked up and Reg. If the bikini had been any less tight, Reg would have seen Ned’s nipples. The vision of a slim, dark haired young lady displaying herself like that left Reg totally speechless. Ned smiled and said, “I’m sorry, are you looking for my father?”

“Uh, father?” Reg asked, gulping just to get that one word out.

“Yes. I’m Ned’s daughter. He must have told you about me.”

“Uh, no.”

“Oh,” Ned pursed his lips for a moment as if in thought and then said brightly, “Well, here I am! You probably haven’t seen me much because I’ve been away at college for the last year.”

“Uh, sure.”

Ned smiled again as brightly as he could. “Dad’s out right now, but he said you’d be coming. He left the meal he was going to make if you don’t mind having lunch with me.”

That got Reg’s attention. “I would!” He said a bit too quickly.

“Then that’s settled. You come in and I’ll go put something more social on. You must think I’m a total airhead for losing track of the time like that!”

“Not at all.” Reg replied. “I’m sure it could happen to anybody.”

‘Anybody with my body, you mean.’ Ned thought. ‘That’s exactly what happened after all. It’s just too fun having this figure to play around in.’ He held out a hand. “I’m Kelly.”

Reg stared at it for a moment before realizing what Kelley wanted. He shook her hand. “Reg.”

“Yes, I know,” she teased, smiling at him over her shoulder before going inside. He didn’t have to, but he wiggled his bottom a little just to make sure Reg followed closely. He snuck a glance back and was gratified by the sight of Ned staring at his ass and grinning. He may have been objectifying a woman, but he was also yet more proof that Ned’s disguise worked as beautifully to fool someone he saw most days as his disguise’s butt was to keep him flustered.

Kelly took her time switching out of the bikini and into casual day clothes. Ned might have been tempted to use the swimsuit as underwear, but Kelly wasn’t going to mix swimwear and undergarments. She did opt for a push-up bra and a thong so that the V-cut T-shirt had maximum cleavage and her jeans didn’t show a panty line. The first time she’d worn a thong — under a very short miniskirt when she was still convinced she needed to show lots of skin to get free drinks — Ned’s trapped penis had felt like it was going to burst out of its place between her legs. Now she just looked approvingly at her unmarred denim-clad rear to make sure it looked right. She skipped footwear since she was in her own house but did go for a little mascara and lip gloss. She wanted to be casual, but she was also doing her best to make the impression she needed to have Reg as a consistent alibi.

Reg looked up sharply as she walked in and Ned realized that Kelly may have her work cut out for her. The poor boy looked ready to bolt as the vision of loveliness pulled out a chair and sat down. As the meal progressed, Ned despaired of getting more than a word or two at a time out of the stricken youngster. Finally he decided to take more of the initiative and rested a hand on one of Reg’s . “You’re so shy!” She exclaimed. “Really, you don’t need to be afraid of me.”

“Well, uh, you’re just so beautiful and I have trouble talking to girls and…” Reg trailed off, blushing.

Kelly laughed. “Don’t think of me as a beautiful girl, then. Just as another person who you’re having lunch with. Thank you for the compliment, but you really don’t have to be worried. My father’s told me so much about you and it would be a shame if we couldn’t carry on what I’m sure would be a great conversation because I’m making you nervous.” She smiled and tried to look reassuring, squeezing his hand.

Reg took a deep breath but seemed to be steeling himself. “You’re right.”

“Good.” Kelly got up. “Why don’t we move to the living room?” She knew what she was about to do was naughty and would probably not make Reg any more comfortable, but she wanted to see how he’d react. She let him go ahead of her and when he took his usual spot on the couch, she sat down right next to him. “There. Now we can talk.”

Reg was surprisingly articulate and though Ned had been ready to apologize and act embarrassed, he instead found himself leaning in and talking animatedly. In fact, his feminine persona began to slip since Kelly would never have let herself get so close to a young man so quickly. Not that Reg took advantage of the situation. When he left, Ned realized that he hadn’t even tried to put his arm around him. Kelly smiled a soft, contented smile. She didn’t mind a bit of chivalry from her number one mark — love interest, that was. It just meant that she’d have plenty of time to get to the costumer for some tips if things began to look hopeful.

It was game night and Kelly thought she looked more like a Disney princess than a jewel thief. In fact, the dress she had on was pretty much the full Cinderella with its full skirt, light blue satin overskirt and long sleeves. Of course, Cinderella probably didn’t wear a black lycra and spandex bodysuit underneath her dress. One that showed quite clearly that she wasn’t wearing anything underneath that and which clung to her so closely that when she walked, she could see each buttock quite clearly. She also wasn’t likely to have a pair of leather gloves down her dress nor a hood carefully stowed in the bodice and she definitely wasn’t the sort to leave the glass slippers at home in favor of leather knee-high boots with three inch heels. By the end of the night, however, this Cindrella would be properly blonde, though.

Ned had gotten an invitation from one of the connections who’d given him the assignment in the first place. The plan was pretty simple. Pretend to be a high society dame, mix, mingle and scope out the place. The hem of the skirt had a hidden zipper that converted the ball gown into a large, well padded sack which would be soft on the inside and prevent the items in question from being scuffed or damaged. The dress was lined in black so that when it was turned inside-out, it would be as difficult to make out as he would be in his bodysuit and hood. When the party wound down, he’d hide and wait for the guards to go on duty. Then shed the dress, go out, get the stuff and get going. If anyone caught him before he changed, he’d claim he was looking for the restroom and had gotten lost. The mansion looked big enough for that.

He’d booked a limousine to take him to the party and when it pulled up — naturally he’d driven somewhere else first and had them pick him up there — the driver looked appreciatively at the elegant young lady who was to be his fare. When a middle aged male voice had booked, he’d been resigned to yet another businessman. This looked promising.

Ned, however, thought that his gown was ridiculous. He hadn’t worried so much before, but now that he had to slide into a limo — even though the driver was very conscientious about holding the door — he realized that the skirts were a little much. No matter how she tried, Kelly couldn’t help but flash an unseemly amount of petticoat at the driver. She smiled and waved at him every time she caught him looking at her in the rear view mirror, though privately Ned wondered if the driver was going to plow into anything with the amount of attention he seemed to be giving his passenger.

Ned had no interest in being noticed at the party, so he was relieved to see that all of the other attractive females were showing far more skin than Kelly was. He also moderated her behavior and only flirted lightly with the few men she ended up conversing with. When she overheard one of the other ladies wondering who the prude was and a man saying she must have come from a very proper background, she almost giggled. Good, this was the part where she blended in. It wasn’t until later that she was to turn on the charm.

In fact, the lack of interest she was getting made it far easier to look around. Ned had been brought in to steal a few of the owner’s display pieces. From the pay, it was pretty obvious that the customer was going for revenge rather than commercial gain and that was fine with Ned. It meant every single thing he was after was right there in plain sight. A large ruby in a glass case, a small rug with spotlights on it on the wall and a ceramic figurine. The last one was the reason Ned was glad for the thick padding Kelly’s petticoats would afford. It wouldn’t do to damage what he was taking. Theft was one thing, but he drew the line at vandalism.

As the party wound down, Kelly waited until one of the showier young ladies walked past a guard and while he was looking at her, Kelly ducked past him and found a guest room that looked unused. She went a step further and locked herself in the bathroom, giving herself the excuse Ned had been planning for. She then sat down to wait for the house to go from party mode to the guarded peacefulness of the master in residence with no company. She removed a book from her purse and began to read, letting two hours pass before she undid the ties around her arms, waist and bodice, letting the dress fall with a rustle to the floor. She tugged the legs and arms of her bodysuit into their proper places, pulled on the gloves and turned the gown inside out to make it into her swag bag. The first thing into it was her purse.

Kelly was about to pull the hood up over her face when she saw herself reflected in the door mirror. A gloved hand strayed down to her crotch while the other massaged a breast. She was just so sexy that Ned wanted to masturbate to her reflection right there. She bit her lip and though the pain helped, the sight of a white tooth on the lips still red with Kelly’s evening makeup turned him back on. He gave some serious thought to the issue and decided against it. Though the sexiness might distract him at first, it would give Kelly an edge if she had to ‘distract’ a guard. She’d be far more effective with that tone of suppressed lust in her voice. She also knew that she’d have plenty of time to admire the firm, lycra clad butt, feminine bump in front and curvy figure when she got home. That was the problem with using such an effective method, Ned thought. There was a lot of splashback on the operator.

Kelly pulled the hood over her head, covering her forehead and cheeks, but leaving a generous portion around her eyes, lips and ears bare. She hadn’t been sure about having a hole in the back to let her hair out, but seeing the effect of the black mass spilling out behind her, she knew she’d made the right choice. It was still reflective, but would be worth it if she bumped into a guard. Ned had to admit it at this point. She really wanted to bump into a guard.

When she’d seen the ruby in a glass case, she’d wished so hard that she could have had some sort of pulley and harness system. It would have been impossible to set up and take down and wouldn’t have helped in the least but it would have made her look so awesome! Instead, she walked within a few feet of it, checked for security features and calmly disabled them. Automatic stuff was easy; it was the human factor that made this kind of burglary hard. She knew that there was a camera looking right at her, but decided against waving at it. There should be someone already on the way.

She had the rug in her gown bag and was undoing the final catch on the figurine when she heard the guard coming. It was only one set of footsteps. Perfect. She tucked the ceramic horse into her bag and turned just as an older man with a thin combover and a rumpled uniform rounded the corner. The owner looked like the sort to have only one guy on duty and rely on the automatic system to call the police when there was any real trouble. In fact, they were likely on their way if this fellow was here to confront her. Standard procedure. She had maybe five minutes.

The guard had gotten a very clear view of her rear as she bent to get the figurine and was the target of a friendly smile when Kelly saw that he’d stopped in his tracks. “Good evening,” she said.

“Stay right where you are and keep your hands where I can see them.”

“Now is that necessary?” Kelly replied, sauntering over to him.

“I must warn you, don’t move any closer-“ the guard’s jaw snapped shut as Kelly ran a delicate finger along his chin.

“Now is that any way to talk to a lady?” She asked. The sexual desire which had been banked flared up as her swinging hips led to her false groin massaging her real male anatomy. She was further thrilled when she saw that rather than looking at her hands, the guard was staring at the stiff nipples poking through the lycra bodysuit.

The guard seemed to recover slightly and said, “The police will be here in two minutes. I advise you to come quietly.”

“A pity. I usually come quite loudly.” She said. It had sounded better in her head than it did when she said it, but Kellys’ voice made any come on work. “Two minutes is plenty of time for me to do what I want with a big man like you.” While she was breathing into his face, she aimed a quick blow to his solar plexus and jabbed him with a mild sedative. He was awake just long enough for her to pull off her mask, give him a deep kiss and to see her retreating bottom go out the window she’d disabled earlier that night. She even gave him a last wiggle as she slipped through to make sure that he remembered her body better than anything else.

The approaching sirens meant a group and that meant more trouble than she could handle. Ned had planned for this and was well away on a route he’d planned the week before. When he was sure there was no pursuit, Ned transferred the loot to Kelly’s purse, tearing some of the petticoat to make a secure wrapping for the fragile items. She slipped back into the gown — still inside out so that it appeared to be a black dress with a thick ruffle — took off her gloves and made her way to a pick up point where Ned had arranged for transport from someone who didn’t ask questions. Just to be sure, Kelly tucked her hair into a wig cap and put on a long blonde wig in an expensive looking style. To the driver of the beat up sedan she got into, she looked like nothing more than the wild brat of some rich guy using a contact of his to get away from him for a night. To cement the impression, Ned had parked his car outside one of the city’s most expensive and fashionable night clubs. “The Gothic Cathedral,” she told the driver.

“Whatever you say, doll face.” The driver said.

Kelly turned on the news the moment she closed her front door. As she put the goods in a safe, she saw that her exploits were already breaking and looked to be something the outlets would be talking about for days. At least, until her next job when she decided she’d do something that would get them going for weeks. Ned didn’t like attention, but Kelly was made for it. She caught the words ‘daring’ and ‘femme fatale’ and ‘right out of a movie.’ She turned the TV off. It was time to enjoy a long, slow look at herself and after that … well, naturally she needed to go to bed but then she was going to see about getting a date with Reg. Sexy burglar, debutante, girl next door and regular who didn’t mind dressing to get a free drink. All identical and yet no one was making the connection. Ned hadn’t had so much fun in years. The costumer was right. It was all in the attitude.

Seeing Double
By Paul Calhoun

Kelly and Reg have been dating for awhile, but Ned is starting to worry that the elusive Starling is becoming too notorious. He's also worried that he and Kelly never show up in the same place. He can decrease the number of heists he pulls as Kelly, but she'll need her boyfriend's help to fix the second. The only problem is that she'll have to get him to do it without him knowing why!

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Kelly mopped her brow and blew a strand of hair out of her face. Exercising in heels, gloves and her lycra bodysuit was hard work, but Ned needed to keep both his personae sharp. Rising from the crouch that her most recent leap had put her in, she looked up in pretend surprise, smiled slowly and blew a kiss at the mirror at the end of the room. She slowly rose and sashayed over to it, never losing her eye contact. She put her arms around an imaginary captor and cooed, “You wouldn’t put those nasty old cuffs on me, would you?” She put out her bottom lip. Suddenly, her expression shifted to amusement and she put her hand to her mouth to stifle giggles. “You are a naughty girl,” she admonished her reflection. “You’re also not good enough at getting pity,” she said with mock severity. “Your eyes weren’t nearly soulful enough. Start from the top.”

She went through another set of leaps and flips, then through her ‘caught’ routine again. She decided she’d looked properly pathetic that time and was in her ‘seduction and escape’ when someone knocked on the door upstairs. She looked at the security monitor. Reg was early for their date.

“Damn,” she whispered. She couldn’t let Reg see her like this! The news was still talking about the theft of an Egyptian pot by ‘The Starling’ as they called her. Conservative talk radio was calling her ‘The Magpie.’ Either way, she had to grin every time she thought of it because the guard’s insistence that Kelly had caught him from behind and knocked him out clearly didn’t hold water. How could he have known it was her? What had really happened was that Kelly had found out that the head of security had a standing arrangement with a local pimp. Ned had bought out the contract and Kelly had disguised herself as a streetwalker. The security manager got his rocks off by screwing his purchases in the director’s board room and Kelly had gone as far as being bent over the heavy oak table when she pulled an ether soaked rag out of her cleavage, knocked the guard out and tied him up. Leaving her slut outfit lying on the supine guard, she’d changed into her ‘Starling’ costume as she’d started to think of it and proceeded to wave and blow kisses at every CCTV camera on her way to an exhibit on early American furniture. After being ‘caught’ and run off by a somewhat less sleazy guard, she’d hidden in a spot Ned had scoped out earlier, waited until morning, taken off the spy outfit and the female suit. Ned — wearing the uniform of their janitorial staff — had trundled the pot out in a trash can. It was easy as pie because before being so obviously ‘caught’, the Starling had spoofed the cameras around the Egyptian exhibit. The whole plan had been needlessly complicated, but it did make it hard for anyone to suspect Ned. Kelly had plans to go to the semiannual museum charity fundraiser so she could express her shock at the theft and the behavior of the head guard. She’d met the director at the previous ball — the one that had given her a chance to get a good look at all the behind the scenes things that visitors normally didn’t see — and they’d wonder if she wasn’t there again. That was her excuse anyway. In truth, she just wanted to hear all the rumors and stories going around amongst the wealthy elite who attended the event. Kelly loved hearing about herself.

These thoughts carried her as far as her room. Quickly tying her hair back so she looked a bit younger, she stuck her head out the window. “I’ll be right down!” A change to fur topped soft boots, a print skirt and a band T-shirt had Kelly looking young enough to date the high school senior she was meeting downstairs. She beamed at him when she opened the door, though she stuck an admonishing finger under his nose. “You should have told me you’d be early. Look at me! I’m a mess.”

“You look beautiful,” Reg said sincerely and Ned couldn’t help but melt at the words. Kelly smiled softly and ushered her boyfriend in. “Sweet talk won’t keep you from waiting. I’m going to go change now, so you were early for nothing.” She looked him up and down, taking in the black suit and tie. “You look pretty good yourself.”

“Thanks. Is your dad in?”

Kelly shook her head. “No. He’s out. You know how busy he is.”

Reg nodded. “Yeah. Work’s been keeping him a lot lately. One of these days we’ll have to all have dinner together. I feel weird dating his daughter without ever having sat down with him along with you.”

As Kelly stripped out of the hastily assembled day clothes, she worried. The one flaw in Ned’s plans was that he and Kelly couldn’t be seen together. That raised suspicion, even if it wasn’t a lot yet. As time passed, the discrepancy would become more noticeable. As she put on her blue lingerie, she toyed with the idea of asking the costumer for help, but that wouldn’t work because there was too much personal information needed. A plan began to form as she did the belt on her classical blue dress with the pencil skirt and by the time her makeup was done and she’d put her purse on her shoulder, she knew what to do.

Ned loved seeing the look on Reg’s face when Kelly walked out in something new. This blue dress was straight out of the Jackie Kennedy wardrobe. It made Kelly look elegant and sophisticated. She had to be careful, though. She’d let her hair stay down and skipped pantyhose so that she wouldn’t look too old and possibly stray into her high society appearance. It wouldn’t do for the college freshman dating the local boy to be mistaken for the debutante who was frequently seen in the backgrounds of photos in the metro section.

It wasn’t their third dinner date and Kelly continued to learn things about Reg that she hadn’t learned before as herself or as Ned. What she found out that night was that Reg had been paying closer attention to Ned’s lessons than he’d thought. He must have paid the restaurant off earlier because when they were seated, a dish Kelly had once mentioned liking there was already on the table along with a virgin of Ned’s favorite drink. After Reg had pushed Kelly’s seat under her, she smiled across the table at him and said, “Very smooth.”

“I didn’t want to have to share you with a waiter. Not even for a minute.”

Ned tried to suppress a proud smile. Reg had come so far. “Flatterer.” She took a bite of her food in what she thought would be a coquettish way. The costumer hadn’t trained Ned in how to look good eating. “I love you.” Ned was as surprised as Reg looked. The words had just slipped out.

“I love you too.” Reg replied, looking deep into Kelly’s eyes. “You’re so amazing.”

“No, you!” She said lightly, trying to break the tension.

Reg colored. “I didn’t mean to sound — I mean…”

“You were very sweet,” Kelly said. “I meant it too.” She smiled and brushed an imaginary speck from her dress. “Have you seen the news?”

“Another attack of the Starling? I’d hate to be in the shoes of anyone who gets targeted by her!”

“I’d hate it if you were in their shoes too!” Kelly said teasingly. “I don’t want you kissing some strange burglar woman.”

“I didn’t mean-“ Reg recovered, seeing the sparkle in Kelly’s eye. “I’m sure she isn’t nearly as good as you.”

“Maybe one day you’ll find out,” Kelly replied. “I mean, maybe you’ll find out about me. Somehow I don’t think you’re the type to become some rich guy’s guard dog. The Starling doesn’t come through people’s windows and molest them during the night.”

“How did we end up talking about me being attacked by a sexy criminal?”

“I think it was to try to avoid getting too sappy. If you’re going to call other women sexy while you’re on a date with me, I think that’s mission accomplished.”

Reg nearly spat out his drink. “That’s not — will you stop baiting me, Kelly!”

Kelly laughed immoderately. “I will when it stops being fun. You’re not nearly secure enough, honey. Believe me, I love you. I’ll say it again. I love you. I’m not going to go storming off because you point out that someone who makes a living being a sex symbol is attractive. If the Starling wasn’t a stunning beauty, she wouldn’t get away with the stuff she does. So let’s take it as red that she’s sexy and we both know it. The better question is, will she be caught?”

“I doubt it,” Reg replied. “She’s too good and the people she robs from are only half willing to admit she stole from them. It’s like being burgled by one of Charlie’s Angels; it’s half real and half fantasy. Plus,” Reg lowered his voice, “I think they enjoy being robbed. Have you noticed how the number of heists are increasing so quickly? I think some of them are paying her to rob them so that they can get a thrill at having a curvy woman in a catsuit come through their window, make out with them and then disappear with something they don’t mind seeing go.”

“You may have something there,” Kelly said, very interested. Ned’s mind was turning the idea over. Getting the rich and jaded to pay to have a flirtatious woman in high heels sneak up behind them, pretend to be ‘caught’, use her ‘feminine wiles’ to escape and ‘steal’ something they were going to write off as a loss anyway. Their wives could hardly complain if they ended up being ‘distracted’ by someone who’d broken in. The men wouldn’t want the ‘embarrassment’ of calling in the police, so it would be a lot safer than actually taking theft contracts. Ned might even be able to sell off the decoy loot for a bit extra. He’d have to bring it up to his go-betweens later on. Kelly tilted her head. “I hope you never feel the need to hire someone like that.”

“As long as I’m with you, I’ll never think of another woman.”

“Now you’re a liar as well as a flatterer.” Kelly laughed. “Don’t make promises your eyes can’t fulfill.” She looked at him sidelong. “Maybe I’ll buy a black bodysuit and boots sometime and surprise you.”

Reg colored and Ned was relieved. He was dancing a little too close. “We haven’t even kissed yet!”

“For Halloween, Reg!” Kelly said.

“Oh, um…” Reg was having trouble recovering from that.

“Although I don’t know I could pull it off,” Kelly said, rubbing a lock of hair between her fingers disconsolately. “The Starling is supposed to be flawless.”

“You look perfect!” Reg exclaimed. “Besides, you’re younger than she is. If anyone should be insecure, it’s her.”

“I bet she’s had work done.” Kelly said, trying to sound insecure.

“Sure she has.” Reg replied.

The dinner wound down and conversation flagged as Reg drove Kelly home. He walked her to her door and she said, “Do you want to come in?”

“Sure.”

Kelly warmed up a pot of coffee while Reg settled down on the sofa. When she brought the drinks out, Kelly sat next to Reg and again felt the warmth she had the first time she’d done that and he hadn’t looked uncomfortable. Her boyfriend had come a long way. He looked more at ease, more handsome, more … masculine than he had before. He was still the same Reg, but he didn’t treat her like she was made of glass anymore and he didn’t act as if it was some kind of dream. Not that he was any less of a gentleman.

Kelly realized that neither she nor he had picked up a mug and that they’d been staring into each other’s eyes the entire time she’d been thinking. Ned knew where this was going, but it was a wholly new sensation for Kelly to slowly lean towards Reg as he did the same. For him to put his hand behind her head, resting his fingertips on her hair so lightly that she barely felt it. She closed her eyes, opened her mouth a little and felt a rush as their lips met. It wasn’t Ned’s first kiss by a longshot and of course Kelly herself had experience with the bar flies and the guards she’d had to make advances to. There was something different with this. A feeling of safety, of comfort and an excitement that was like the rush of a successful plan, yet with a different quality about it. She wasn’t just kissing a man. She was kissing her boyfriend. It was also lasting a lot longer than her previous kisses and even in Ned’s experience, this was getting a little lengthy. Not that she really wanted to stop. Reg tasted really good.

When they parted, they maintained eye contact as their heads moved away from each other. Reg was blushing and the warmth in Kelly’s face suggested she was doing the same. “I — I…” Reg stammered.

Kelly put her finger on his lips. “Don’t break the mood by apologizing. That was lovely.” She put her hands out. “Now we’re going to do it again, only this time I want you to hold my hands.” She wanted to tell Reg that he’d done really well for a beginner, but she knew it wouldn’t be the right thing to say. By taking it slow, maybe she’d be able to get him to an embrace by the end of the evening.

Kelly had folded her clothes and was soaking in the water, thinking and letting the water cool slowly so that she could transition from herself to Ned with enough time to enjoy the memories of her date. The night had been so wonderful that she was reluctant to stop being herself. Ned was prosperous, well liked and the one who could talk to clients, but more and more he was finding that he enjoyed Kelly’s life a lot more. She got to go out, do things, meet people; everything that Ned couldn’t do because he didn’t want to be noticed. Being noticed was what Kelly had been made for. Kelly hugged herself as her skin loosened. She didn’t want to be caught either. Not now that she had Reg. The thought of Reg’s lips on hers made her warm and tingly all over again and since she’d loosened up, she was able to grasp Ned while she thought about him.

Ned hung Kelly up to dry and considered his options. He’d wanted to retire before he’d had Kelly and now Kelly wanted to retire because she’d found happiness with Reg. Then again, he thought, did he really want to give up the night life? In a way it was even more fun now because she could go out, do a daring raid and then come home to a boyfriend who had no idea that his girl was the infamous Starling. Or her own father. Plus a college freshman is too young to drink and she did have so much fun getting other people to pay her tab. No, Ned thought, he might have once been content to retire, but Kelly wouldn’t be able to stop being the Starling. Reg made her feel warm and special, but the Starling made her feel hot and alive.

“So,” Ned looked over his cup at Reg, “what are your intentions regarding my daughter?” He was having dinner with Reg’s family.

“Well, I — I mean, I love her. I’m not exactly old enough to marry and I do want to go to college,” Reg said haltingly.

Ned had a fleeting urge to laugh teasingly and put his hand on Reg’s. “Quite commendable, young man. No, please don’t change your whole life on her account. Some of my patience has rubbed off on Kelly. She’s told me she loves you too, but is perfectly willing to wait. After all, she has her own education to complete and she isn’t exactly the housewife type. No offense intended, Miriam,” he said to Reg’s mother.

“None taken,” she said. “I wasn’t either when I was her age. I wasn’t a stay-at-home type until I had Reggie here.”

“Where is Kelly, anyway?” Arthur asked Ned.

“She had to study for an exam this evening, I’m afraid,” Ned replied.

“That’s a shame. You know, I don’t think you two have ever managed to get in a dinner together with us. Between her school and your work.” The neighborhood never asked about what Ned did. He’d insinuated that he worked for the government in something reasonably quiet, so nobody thought it was odd that he didn’t talk about it.

“It’s a real shame,” Miriam chimed in. “She’s such a nice girl.”

“Thank you — I mean, I tried to raise her well,” Ned replied, catching himself at the last moment.

“It’s strange how we didn’t know about her until she started seeing Reggie.”

Ned has prepared for that. “She lived with her mother most of the time. When she moved closer to me to go to school, she decided it would be cheaper and easier to live with me. I’d prefer not to talk about why we split,” he added, knowing that would be the next question.

“We understand,” Arthur said.

“Your ex-wife must have been beautiful,” Miriam said. “Kelly is very attractive.”

“Would you believe that she takes after me?” Ned asked.

“I didn’t mean to suggest otherwise,” Miriam replied.

“By the way, she told me she wanted to see you tomorrow,” Ned said to Reg. “Something hush-hush. Wouldn’t even tell her father about it.” Ned smiled. “I hope you aren’t planning on taking advantage of her sweet nature.”

“I have nothing but honorable intentions,” Reg replied.

“Don’t let her take advantage of you, either!” Ned told him, hoping fervently that Kelly would be able to do just that. It was time to implement the next phase of his plan.

Kelly climbed through the window, her lycra bodysuit rustling and her heeled boot making the tiniest squeak as it slid against the sill. That was enough to get the attention of the gray haired man lying in the enormous bed in the middle of the room. He was in a nightshirt, but appeared wide awake and sat up quickly as ‘the Starling’ made her slow, swaying way towards him. “What do you want?”

“Me?” Kelly purred. “Why, that of course,” she pointed to the gold cross he was wearing. “How nice of you to put it right where I can find it,” the Starling continued, climbing onto the bed and kneeling over him as she traced the figure on the cross with a leather-clad finger. The other hand was walking up the man’s chest and caressed his face.

“S-“ The man’s cry for security was swiftly silenced by the expedient of having Kelly’s mouth pressed over his. She leaned down, brushing him with her breasts. “Naughty, naughty. Now I’ll have to make sure you don’t make any trouble for me.” She pinned him with her body while she took off his cap and stuffed it in his mouth, following up by knotting the sheets so that he was tied to the bed. “You know, you’re not as old as I’d thought you were,” she continued, sitting on him. She swung her legs around and straddled him. “While I’m stealing your Cross of Coronado, I think I’ll steal something more personal.”

When Kelly had given the man his money’s worth, she slipped the cross from around his neck. Sauntering back to the window, she turned, blew him a wink and a kiss. “Give my regards to your charming wife. She must be one hell of a gal to let you do this. Happy Birthday.”

Ned wasn’t too thrilled with being paid to give old millionaires a thrilling and erotic experience, but it was a safe income and it kept his hand in. Kelly much preferred the kisses — and now occasional caress — of Reg. She had to make it convincing, so as often as not the only person who knew she’d been invited was the rich man who’d hired her. That meant discretion and staying sharp even though her clients sometimes went as far as leaving the window open and some handy ropes lying around for her. When she saw those, she often rolled her eyes and took them with her rather than using them. It would be a bit of a giveaway and she didn’t want her clients getting caught by their wives! Or in one or two cases, husbands.

The Cross of Coronado was a fake of course. It was a fictional artifact. She’d stipulated that she had to steal something valuable, however, and Ned was confident by the heft that it was at least fifteen karats and that the pearls were genuine. Perhaps not the diamonds, though. Kelly had been paid well enough that real diamonds would have been a very nice tip for a first job. She smiled and looked back at the mansion. She hoped she’d given him a good enough experience that he’d call her back and if the ‘theft’ wasn’t of something really nice this time, she was confident that the next tip would be much better. Maybe something real from top to bottom, unlike her.

Kelly looked out the window, waiting for Reg to show up. Fall was coming and she wished she could still lounge around outside in her bikini. The sun felt good, it was fun to watch Reg’s attempts not to look down her top and she enjoyed being outdoors. On the other hand, she thought, seeing herself half-reflected in the glass, she looked good in a long fluffy sweater and leggings. The leggings would be almost as good as a bikini bottom for what she had planned. She bit her lip to keep from giggling at what she had in store for Reg when she saw him walking towards the door. She pulled him in and closed the door, dragging him to her room.

“What’s going on?”

“Remember how I was talking about a Halloween costume a little while ago? We’ve been invited to a really nice party and I wanted to get your opinion on a costume.”

“Don’t tell me you bought a Starling outfit!” Reg laughed.

Kelly slowed down and tossed her hair in a sassy gesture. “I might just one day to see how you like it!” She turned back. “Actually, it’s a sort of couples costume.”

“Not a pantomime horse!”

Kelly grinned. “You’re getting warmer, hon. Come and see.”

When Ned had gotten used to the idea that he was going to be spending a lot of time as Kelly, he knew he’d have to keep her separated in as many ways as possible. Now all her clothes, makeup and other possessions specific to her were in a different room, which Ned had painted a light purple and installed a bed with a big thick comforter and done in a multicolored polka-dot theme. It was the room of a college girl who’d only moved in recently. Ned had even gone as far as to put a couple of suitcases in plain view in the closet. On the bed rested a mountain of curly tan fur. Kelly shook it out, showing two pairs of padded digitigrade legs which faced in opposite directions, connected by a wide stuffed body. There was an opening on each end so that a person could wear the legs.

“I don’t get it,” Reg said, staring at it. “What’s the costume?”

“It’s a pushmi-pullyu!” Kelly said. She laid the body out on the bed and fished underneath. She caught Reg looking at her butt, which was sticking in the air as she rummaged under the bed and smiled. Reg colored.

She pulled out two heads with long tan necks and black striped muzzles which tapered to slim noses. The liquid eyes and slender horns were characteristic of the llama-unicorn blended with a gazelle as described in the book, as was the curly tan fur which Reg petted and found to be quite soft. She also produced two pairs of hoof shoes. “Do you get it now?” She asked. “We get into each end,” she demonstrated by stepping into one of the openings and pulled it up to her waist. She then put on the hoof shoes. “Could you help me with the head?” Reg obliged by putting one of the llama-unicorn-gazelle heads over Kelly’s body. “There should be a wire — here we go.” The mouth opened and closed, then the ears wiggled and finally the head bent down. The pushmi gummed Reg’s hair as he tried to duck and get away. “Take that off!” He laughed.

Kelly shook the head back and forth and the creature turned away, dragging its unfilled other end behind it. “Catch me if you can!”

It didn’t take long for Reg to catch up and stop Kelly by sitting on the pushmi-pullyu’s back. The head fell away from a laughing and disheveled Kelly, who twisted around to plant a kiss on Reg’s nose. “Why don’t you try getting into it and we can see how well we work together.”

Kelly let Reg take his time in getting the wooly legs on and get comfortable in the soft costume. They spent a giggling half hour struggling, falling over and arguing over who went where, learning about warning each other about what the backwards walking end would have to look out for and working out a system of sharing the time deciding where the llama-unicorn-gazelle went. That’s when she took them back to her room and scooped up the heads. “Time to work on it with the whole costume on.” It was a hot costume and that gave her an idea to tease Reg a little. “This thing’s really warm. I won’t blame you if you take off your shirt. In fact,” she shed her sweater, showing an expanse of smooth skin covered only by a black bra, “I think I will.” She saw that Reg was staring at her and thought she caught a tiny amount of stretching around the crotch of his part of the costume before he shifted his stance and turned away, averting his eyes. “Don’t feel embarrassed, hun.” She said, smiling reassuringly. “I showed you a lot more the first time we met, remember?”

Reg cleared his throat uncomfortably. “I think I’ll keep my shirt on.”

Kelly shrugged and grinned playfully. “If you want to be hot, be my guest.” In truth, she was touched by how proper Reg insisted on being. She only went as far as she did because she loved seeing him resist temptation. Every time he did, it filled her with a feeling of being safe and loved. Of course, the fact that he had to resist anything showed that she wasn’t as ugly as his actions might otherwise make her feel.

To spare him any further discomfort, she swiftly dropped the head she was holding over her body, twisting the flexible neck around to watch Reg do the same. The completed pushmi-pullyu wasn’t much clumsier than it had been without the headpieces on and when Reg started to complain about the heat, Kelly nudged open the back door with her nose and they went outside to continue practicing. Ned was glad that the yard had a high fence; he didn’t want anyone seeing the costume until it was time to show it off.

When Kelly almost fell into the drained pool, however, Reg surprised her by insisting that they go in and take it off. “I think we’ve practiced enough for one day.” Naturally Kelly wasn’t going to meekly let Reg have his way and when he’d taken the head off and wiggled out of the legs, he had to chase the half creature again to get Kelly out of it. They fell onto the couch, the head piece falling to the floor and both of them laughing as Kelly snuggled into his embrace, her bottom half still encased in wooly fur. When Reg realized the state of Kelly’s undress he tried to pull away, but Kelly held his hands to her bare belly and twisted around to kiss him. “I told you not to worry about it,” she said, brushing his nose with hers. “I have — umm, it’s just a thought… I’m not sure how to say it, but you’ll have to get used to seeing me like this and in less if it works out… That is-“

Reg laughed and brushed her hair out of her face. “What is it? I’ve never seen you so nervous-“ he looked serious, “It’s not sex, is it?”

“No!” Kelly said, pushing him away. “Not yet, anyway. No, it’s just that — well, the two ends are supposed to be identical, right? And we won’t want to keep those stuffy things on all night. I just thought — I know someone who can — I thought it would be fun if when we took the heads off, we looked the same. A pushmi-pullyu-taur with two identical human parts.”

Reg laughed. “I’m not sure we could manage that.”

“I said I knew someone.” Kelly replied. “Wouldn’t it be a nice sharing of intimacy for you to look exactly like me for the night?” She slid out of the rest of the costume, her barely covered top and leggings leaving little to the imagination. “I wasn’t sure how to suggest it because I know you wouldn’t want to make it look like you were taking advantage.” She kissed him slowly, letting each part take as long as it could before she parted just long enough to say, “I trust you.”

Reg gulped. “You’re right. I’d be afraid of it looking like something else. Plus — I’ve never seen you naked.”

“Do you want to?” She said.

“Of course! I mean — it’s a little early for that and —“ His protests were stopped by Kelly’s finger on his lips.

“I’ll have to see you as well if we’re going to fit you for something like that. It doesn’t mean we have to do anything other than look. I’d like to eventually, but you’re right. We have plenty of time to ease into it.” She reached back and unhooked the back of her bra. It fell away as she hooked her fingers into her leggings and worked them down over her legs. “There. Now you do the same.” She grinned at his quickly reddening complexion. “Don’t worry if you’re a little — stiff down there. I understand that you can’t help it looking at this,” she gestured up and down her own body. “Believe me. The fact that I have that effect on you and you show so much control that you haven’t done anything — even touched yourself — is probably one of the biggest reasons I love you.” She stepped back. “I won’t hurry or help you with this. It’s something you have to do on your own.”

Hesitantly, Reg pulled his shirt off over his head. Kelly looked appreciatively at his flat belly and skin still tanned despite the season turning. Within the privacy of his own part of his mind, Ned was a little jealous at what he saw when Reg dropped his pants. He hadn’t looked that good in years, if ever. When Reg stood naked in front of Kelly, she smiled and gathered up her clothing. “I’ll go get dressed and you can do the same. I understand if you’ll need some — uh time —before I get back or feel like you need to leave for the day. If you aren’t here when I get back, I appreciate everything you’ve done today and I’ll let you think about my idea for awhile before I pester you over it.” She stopped at her door, turned and winked. “Not too long, darling. Halloween is only a month away and I’ll need to teach you how to look like me and not embarrass me by doing something too manly.”

Kelly closed the door and leaned on it, torn between two very different reactions. The stronger one was the desire to run back in there and leap on top of that charming, considerate boy who made her feel so special by not touching her. The other was to bite down on her fist to keep from laughing at how much Ned had used his own experiences in becoming Kelly to tease Reg. He was actually surprised at how guilty he felt about the second urge. Reg was such a nice boy and must have been in severe discomfort seeing her do those things and yet even as he took his clothes off, he’d only looked at her when she insisted. He’d wanted to but he tried to protect her modesty even when she was doing her best to destroy it. As she snuggled back into her sweater, Kelly promised herself that she’d do more to deserve him. Ned still needed to protect himself by having Kelly and he appear in the same place, but she’d try to curb her more playful urges from then on. Then again, she thought, flashing herself a sly smile, maybe that was exactly why Reg loved her. Because she gave him the opportunity to be that chivalrous. She’d play it by ear, that’s what she’d do. A relationship needed spice, after all, and she wouldn’t do either of them any favors by letting things get too comfortable.

Reg was dressed and sitting down when Kelly returned to the living room. As part of her promise to herself to be less provocative, she carefully sat down with a cushion between them. They looked at each other briefly and turned away. Kelly looked down at her hands, resting uneasily in her lap. “I’m sorry if I went too fast for you.”

“No, I should be sorry.” Reg replied. “I was just afraid that I’d always look at you and imagine you naked from then on.”

Kelly smiled and looked up at him. “Do you?”

Reg rubbed the back of his head. “It’s a really nice image. I don’t really want to let go of it.”

Kelly leaned over and pecked him on the lips. “Then don’t. Listen, why do you love me?”

Reg sat in silence for some time. “Geez, Kelly, that’s a hard one. Where am I supposed to start? You’re interesting, funny, beautiful,” he laughed, “oh yeah, and you do the weirdest things! I feel like I’ve known you for years and yet there’s so much more to learn. Every time I look at you, talk to you, think about you, I wonder how you can be so perfect and still love me.”

“That’s an easy one,” Kelly said. “You make me feel like a lady.”

“But you are!” Reg protested. “Wait, is that it?”

“Of course not, silly! It’s all the things you said and more. You’re so nice and patient. You let me do the weird things without making me feel like I’m the strange one. You take me out, do everything you can to make me feel like I’m the only woman in the world. I tell you that you can look at other women and you don’t twitch an eyeball. I put on a skimpy bathing suit and you look me in the eye! I even take off all my clothes and make you do the same and what do you do? Still look me in the eye and when you can’t help but look somewhere else, you do your best to look anywhere but at my bare bits. I’d feel insulted if you did it for any other reason than because you think I’m too special to ogle and make it obvious with every move and word.” She lay down and rested her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around him. He put his arms around her and she whispered, “I shouldn’t have pushed you.”

“Kelly.”

“What?”

“Let’s match on Halloween.”

Kelly looked up, her eyes shining. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. If you’re willing to share something that private with me, then I’d be a jerk not to accept.”

“I love you, Reg.”

“I love you, Kelly.

Reg and Kelly were met at the costumer’s door by a petite young woman with spiky red hair a tight T-shirt and tight jeans. “Well hello, gurl!” She said to Kelly. “Who’s the handsome hunk?”

Kelly played along. “This is Reg and hands off because he’s mine!”

“Good catch,” she replied, looking him up and down again. “So, handsome, I hear that Kelly wants you to cover up that hot body in favor of her own.” She dug him in the ribs, “Just as good looking but a bit different, huh?”

“Definitely different,” Reg said, trying to recover from the metaphysical whirlwind that seemed to surround the woman he’d just met.

“Oh, don’t mind me. I just got back from a really fun trip.” She said. “Come on, let’s get started.”

She showed Reg to the seat where she’d get a mold of his face and sat Kelly down next to him. “Does he know?”

“No.”

“So you’ll want to play along and do the whole nine with him so it looks like you’re getting scanned too?”

“If you don’t mind.”

“No. It’s not a big deal.” She pulled Kelly’s hair back and started covering her forehead with the gel. “I’ve seen some of your exploits in the news. Very glamorous. No, don’t worry. I’ve done work for a lot of people and I don’t talk about clients.” She leaned forward, her face taking up most of Kelly’s view. “You’re very natural, by the way. There aren’t many giveaways left in your behavior.” She got as far as Kelly’s cheeks. “I’m not so sure about the boy. I’d have pegged him as a stand-in to throw off suspicion, but I saw the way you look at each other.” Slightly louder, so that Reg could hear, she said, “You found a really good one. You’re lucky.”

Before she finished putting the gel over Kelly’s face, she mouthed, “Thank you.”

“I have one of my own at home,” the costumer said. “It’s really nice to come home to someone who loves you for yourself. You may not look like the man I made pretty, but there’s no hiding the real person from true love.” The costumer giggled and snorted. “I sound like the Princess Bride!” To both of them, she said, “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Now don’t go anywhere and don’t move, even do say lovey-dovey things to each other.”

It was only her face that was covered and when Kelly’s hands reached out, she found Reg doing the same. When the costumer took the stuff off and cleaned them up, she was grinning ear to ear. “It’s so rare to get to work with such a good couple.” Reg seemed embarrassed at having to remove his clothes in front of the costumer, who obliged him by turning around while he disrobed. “Of course,” she said as he exited the laser scanner, “I now have a 100% accurate to the micron 3-D image of you on this. To warm me on lonely nights.” She was so over-the-top that rather than stammer and lose his composure, Reg actually laughed. As Kelly passed her, she said, “I’m taking notes. I can never get him to see the humor in these situations.”

“I think he’s growing out of his awkward phase.” The costumer replied. “Probably with a firm boot in the rear from you.”

Kelly got scanned and the costumer had them sit down across from her as she looked over the results on her computer. “Reg is a little taller than you are,” she said to Kelly. “I can proportion it so you’ll look almost exactly the same and the face won’t be a problem at all but there will be a couple of minor differences elsewhere.”

“That will be fine,” Kelly said.

The costumer turned to Reg. “You realize that it’ll be a really tight outfit? Kelly has a nice figure and it’ll be a squeeze to get you into it.”

Reg held Kelly’s hand. “I don’t mind if it gives her a wonderful Halloween.”

“All right, get out of here before I get diabetes. It’ll be done in a week.”

During that week, Ned invited Reg and his family to dinner. At first he couldn’t understand why the boy was so quiet and wasn’t looking him in the eye. Then he realized. Reg was afraid Ned wouldn’t approve of him having seen his daughter naked! He felt a bit like rolling his eyes at the thought. If it had been anyone else, he’d have come to Ned for advice, been praised for his behavior and gotten some more tips about what to do. When the meal was winding down and they were about to leave, Ned asked Reg’s parents if he could talk to Reg alone. The boy looked terrified as he sat down opposite from Ned at the now clear kitchen table. “You seem really nervous,” he said.

“Do I? It’s nothing, really.” Reg replied.

“What’s bothering you? You can tell me; you’ve told me plenty of embarrassing things over the years.”

“I’m not sure I can tell you this.”

“Is it something that happened at school?” Ned asked. “Did somebody pants you?”

“No!” Reg laughed. “Well, sort of. I’m not sure how to tell you. Kelly insisted, you see and —“ Reg trailed off.

“Listen, if she let you do anything, it was her choice. As long as you were safe about it — “

“Was your ex-wife like this? So — I dunno — liberated?” I didn’t have sex with her.”

“Oh.” Ned shrugged. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure either of you were ready so I can’t say as I’m not relieved at that. What was it then?”

“She insisted we both see each other naked!”

“Did you enjoy the view?”

“Ned! You’re her father!”

Ned smiled. “I’m a man, Reg. How do you think Kelly came to exist? The stork? For the record, her mother was a balm on the eyes no matter what she was wearing. Heck, she once surprised me in a werewolf costume and still looked cute in it.” Ned was taking this experience from something an old girlfriend had done. He omitted that it ended with him finding out that she wasn’t wearing anything underneath. “I don’t worry about every intimate detail of my daughter’s life and you shouldn’t worry about me not approving. She’s a big girl and knows what she likes, what she wants and what she can handle. I don’t mean to be critical, Reg, but there’s absolutely nothing threatening about you. That’s another reason I don’t worry; I know you well enough to know that you’ll treat her well.” He put a companionable hand on Reg’s shoulder. “Just don’t elope with her. I’d hate to miss the wedding.” He laughed at Reg’s reaction. “In your own time, of course. I’m just assuming that since you two are so head-over-heels and you’re such a gentleman that the idea will occur to you at the right time. I’ve kept you long enough. Just a tip, by the way: she and her mom both have a really wild streak about them. Don’t let her drag you along into something totally out of your depth too often and watch out for surprises. She’s heard that story about the werewolf suit herself and I wouldn’t be surprised if she tried it out on you! Knowing her mother, she probably gave it to her before she left for college.”

The morning she and Reg were to collect the copy of herself Reg was to wear, Kelly was having some embarrassing difficulties. No matter how much she concentrated on something else, the mental image of Reg inserting himself into her — the costume! — and entering her — that is, the latex version of herself — kept coming back. Kelly looked down angrily at the undone gusset of her girl suit, held horizontal by the erect penis underneath. “I don’t have time for this!” She muttered. She knew what she wanted and sighing she gave in to the thoughts first of Reg looking so cute with her body but his constant worry and shyness, then of her showing him how to be more assertive and finally of Reg taking off the suit and doing in fact what he was going to do later that day in metaphorically. Enter her, penetrate her most intimate locations. Kelly cried out as the last part of Ned to be hidden within her spurted, wishing that she could have had that fantasy totally intact with her fingers in her false vagina. She promised that she’d treat herself to that when the day was over.

She’d decided not to give Reg more trouble that day than she had to, so when she’d bought two of everything she was going to wear that day, she made sure it wasn’t anything too revealing. It would be hard enough on poor Reg for him to be her; having him be her in jeans and a T-shirt rather than a halter top and miniskirt would be the mercy she could offer at this stage. Reg recognized what she was carrying when he met her in town and she set the bag down to show him, smiling warmly and encouragingly. “You’ve been so good that I thought I’d be nice and let you keep wearing pants. Tighter and on a different figure, but you won’t have to wear a dress today.”

“I was sort of looking forward to that,” Reg said, trying to sound game.

“Well, the idea was for you to wear the costume and all this home with me. Then maybe you can try on something more girly.” Kelly hugged him and grinned at his hesitant expression. “I’m going to love having someone to try on clothes with!”

“Don’t you have any female friends?”

“Sure, back home. Ever since I moved up here, it’s just been you and college.” She replied. “Lucky me that now I can have you and a female friend in one! No sharing! Although,” she said, giving him a slow, playful glance, “I suppose if you really wanted to, we could get fitted to go the other way too. Maybe try a second party with two identical male pushmi-pullyu-taurs.”

“I don’t know…”

“Imagine it. Having me for a girlfriend and a bloke you can hang around with.”

Kelly knew Reg was getting much less shy when he replied, “But I like you so much more as you are. I’d much rather have two of you than two of me. It’ll make the world a much better place.”

“Thank you. You’re so sweet.” She rang the bell for the costumer. “Let’s improve the world right now.”

To Ned’s surprise, the costumer hadn’t changed at all since the last time they’d been in. “He seems a little jumpy and besides I don’t think he’s the type who’d appreciate having a man help him into the skin of his girlfriend,” the costumer said confidentially to Kelly.

“You deserve an enormous tip,” she replied.

“Well, if the Starling were to perhaps climb through my window one night… I only wish I could tell you where I lived!”

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Kelly asked Reg. “You know that you’ll have me and her looking at you and then we’ll see you when you look just like me. You won’t be able to look away or escape my image when you’re wearing a costume of me.”

Reg replied by kissing Kelly and going on ahead. He looked back at Kelly when he saw the skin hanging on its mannequin, but when she smiled encouragingly, he took a good look, stepped up to it and said, “Looks good, let’s start.”

“Yes,” Kelly added. “It certainly looks like me.”

The costumer winked at Kelly, sharing the in-joke that the skin naturally looked like the one Ned was wearing. She unhooked the gusset and drew it off of the mannequin hanger. Kelly wanted to be the one to help him into it, but she didn’t want to show how well she understood the girl suit’s workings. Instead, she stood back and gave Reg silent encouragement as he was shown the inside of the suit, how it worked and was helped to put it on for the first time. He didn’t seem to mind too much disrobing in front of the costumer and only smiled shyly at Kelly as he handled her body as it covered his. His continued glances at Kelly and determination not to be too forward in her presence made it easier for the costumer to help him tuck his man parts in and pull the crotch of the suit back to fasten it. Kelly held his hand while they waited for his body heat to tighten the suit. “How uncomfortable is it?” She asked solicitously.

“Not that bad,” he replied in her voice. “Oh. I didn’t realize it would do that.” He hummed a little. “It feels so wrong to have your face and voice. Like I’m stealing something.”

Kelly hugged him, ignoring the fact that she was embracing her nude self. “You keep saying things that make me want to reply ‘I love you.’”

Reg smiled in an expression so naturally sweet that Ned was almost jealous. He’d never been able to perfect the ‘girl next door’ expression and Reg did it naturally. “It’s a little hard to breathe.” He hesitantly took one of his breasts in a slender hand and lifted it. “Are these really that heavy.”

“Afraid so,” Kelly replied, biting her lip to keep from giggling.

“I don’t mean to sound randy, but your butt is really comfy.”

“I’m glad you’re enjoying me — enjoying my body — you know what I mean.”

Reg fidgeted. “It’s all so weird.”

“It should be done fitting,” the costumer said.

Kelly grinned. “You want to feel something weird?”

“What?”

She touched his nipple. “That.”

“Wow. That was … nice.”

Kelly laughed. “I think I’ll skip showing you any more until you’re ready for the real you to do it with me. I’m not going to let you have lesbian sex with me before we have it straight.”

Kelly found that Reg’s gestures and expressions looked even cuter on her face and body than she’d thought it would. His reaction to that made her want to hug him and cuddle him and shower him with kisses.

“Let’s get you dressed and out of here. We’ll go home and I’ll show you some of the cleaner aspects of being female. You’ll need to learn how to walk right and have good posture and so many other things.”

The costumer was biting back laughter. “Yes, that sounds like a good idea.”

Reg was naturally a bit put off by wearing panties and a bra, but when he saw how he looked in them, he continued with the jeans, T-shirt, soft socks and pink sneakers without argument. The costumer had rolled in her full length mirror and Kelly snaked her arm around her twin’s waist, pulling her close so they would both show up in the frame. “If I were wearing heels, we’d be almost indistinguishable,” she squealed. She crushed Reg’s lips to hers.

Kissing her twin was different in some ways but exactly the same as kissing Reg in everything that was important. The fuller lips and press of another female chest against hers as well as the rounder butt her hand rested on was only spice on the familiar feel of Reg’s tongue and the taste of his mouth. Reg also looked very satisfied with the experience and allowed himself to be led — well, dragged by his new hand — out of the building and down the street.

Neither of them had driven, so they had to walk back to Ned’s house. On the way, Reg kept looking around and then looking away from something very quickly. “What’s wrong?” Kelly asked the fifth time that happened.

“People are staring!” Reg whispered urgently. “They can’t tell, can they?”

Kelly stifled a giggle. “Reg, as we pass the next building with a big window, take a good look at what’s reflected in it.”

They passed an office building and Reg dutifully stared at their reflected image as they passed. “I can’t see anything the matter,” he said to Kelly.

“What did you see?”

“The two of us. Two extremely beautiful — oh… I never realized it was so obvious.”

“Believe me, it is.” Kelly replied. “Yeah, they’re not thinking anything close to ‘that’s a man with that girl.’ They’re thinking, ‘that’s one hot pair of twins!’”

“No one’s ever looked at me like that.”

“Other than me!”

“No, you look at me like you respect and love me. They just want to get into my pants.”

“Are you enjoying it?”

“Not really.”

Kelly smirked. “Just imagine all the things they’d do just to have you look in their direction.”

Her expression was briefly mirrored on her twin’s. “That sounds like exploitation.”

“I prefer to think of it as grabbing someone by the gonads.” Kelly replied. “By the way, do you notice anything else?”

“Uh…” Reg looked at the next group of people who were eying them. “They’re looking more at you?”

“Yes. It’s because you’re still walking more like a man. Those jeans help, but we’ll need to get you into heels some time. Just for reference, smaller steps and try to step so that you’re one imaginary line rather than on two.”

Reg changed his gait. “Like this?”

“Better.” Kelly said.

The rest of their walk was spent with Kelly giving tips to Reg. Not only did it make him a more convincing version of herself, but it also loosened him up. Having something else to think about distracted Reg from the persistent reality that he currently had his girlfriend’s physiology. Kelly was again surprised by how resilient her boyfriend was when they went into her house and to her room. Reg seemed so comfortable now, walking around with a padded rear, boobs and all the other differences between him and Kelly. Ned was sure that he had taken much longer to get used to Kelly’s body. In fact, Ned was getting turned on watching how far Reg had come already. Kelly found herself staring at her twin’s butt.

“Eyes up here,” Reg said in a pretty good imitation of Kelly’s playful tone.

Kelly laughed. “Sorry. It’s so different.”

“Now who’s the one apologizing?” Reg asked. He sat down on the bed. “What now?”

“Let’s practice.” They spent an hour going over movements and stances and then Kelly and her twin both stripped to their underwear and she gave him a course in how to work a bra hook, starting with her and then moving on to doing it on himself. She stayed in her skivvies as she showed him how to put on makeup and wear one of her nicer sky blue dresses. “Very good!” She praised him as he walked without a hitch in her blue pumps.

“Thanks!” Reg replied, in a chirp that made him sound perky.

Kelly really was impressed. She was finding fewer and fewer things to correct Reg with and it was still a little early to be implementing the next part of Ned’s plan. She stalled, but finally had to move on to loading up a purse and showing Reg how to carry it properly. It was time filler, but it got them to the right point at which she could palm the control on her vanity and stealthily press one of the buttons. The downstairs front door opened and closed. “It’s dad!” Kelly gasped, putting on a panicked face.

“What?” Her twin screeched.

“I know! He’s home early. Oh, that’s right, I was supposed to go with him to have dinner with your folks tonight. I remember how they were looking forward to it.” She pressed another button and Ned’s voice called, “Kelly?”

“I have to get out of this!” Reg cried, almost sobbing and tearing at the dress.

“No!” Kelly grabbed his hand. “It’s too late. Even if we got you out of the skin, your regular clothes are downstairs. How would it look to have you naked in my room with me like this?” She gestured to herself. “Dad’s really nice about these things, but if he walked in on us like that with me supposed to be ready to go to dinner…” She was playing shamelessly on Reg’s own insecurities and it worked. He took the bait. “Then I’ll have to go as you.”

“Exactly.” Kelly said. “I’ll hide in the bathroom. Don’t worry; everything you’ll need for tonight is already in the purse. Just sling it and go with dad.” She hurriedly kissed him and ran, calling over her shoulder. “You’ll do fine. I love you!”

She went into the bathroom, a connecting one that had doors on either end, and locked the door behind her. Dashing into Ned’s room, she pressed the cold packs Ned had prepared earlier into her flesh. She was shivering, but the skin loosened — not nearly as much as usual, but enough — and Ned wriggled out of it, leaving the empty suit on the floor in his rush to put on a button down shirt, slacks and shoes. Checking to make sure he looked normal, Ned took a deep breath and composed himself. He wasn’t supposed to look like he’d been rushing anywhere. He walked at a sedate pace down the hall to Kelly’s door and knocked. “Kitten? Are you ready?”

“I’ll be right there,” Kelly’s voice called from the other side of the door. A nervous but otherwise flawless Kelly arrived moments later, holding her purse in both hands and looking down.

“Great! Let’s get going.” Ned watched Reg as he followed just behind. He may have been in a situation that had left him terrified, but he hadn’t forgotten his lessons. He was slower in heels than Ned had become and he seemed to alternate between looking down, realizing that meant he was staring at his version of Kelly’s breasts and then quickly looking up again, looking down once more when he couldn’t keep eye contact with Ned. For his part, Ned was so proud that he wished he could become Kelly again right there so he could throw his arms around his twin and kiss her. The only sign apart from being quiet that Kelly wasn’t who she usually was showed up when she walked heels clicking towards the car and got one stuck in a hole in the ground. Ned caught her before she fell down and resisted the desire to hold her to him and tell her everything was all right. “Are you OK?” He asked.

“Yeah. Fine.” Reg replied.

Ned made do by putting his arm around her shoulders like a concerned parent might. “Good. I’d hate to have had you sprain something and not make it to dinner.” His heart swelled when Reg didn’t take the out he’d offered. He was going to make sure that nothing kept Kelly from having dinner with his parents again and making a good impression. Reg even remembered his girlfriend well enough to throw Ned’s arm off, trying to laugh. “You don’t need to do that — uh, dad. I can walk fine on my own.”

“Just trying to help my charming if independent daughter.” Ned replied.

Reg was quiet the rest of the trip and Ned didn’t want to push. There was fun and then there was just being mean; this was for Ned and Kelly’s safety. He worried that he hadn’t built up Reg’s confidence in his ability to pretend to be Kelly until his daughter spoke up. “Sorry I’ve been a bit quiet, dad. I’ve — I’ve been having some trouble in class.”

“Not calculus again?” Ned asked. “You really ought to let me talk to that professor.” Ned felt a momentary protectiveness before remembering that this girl was his alter ego’s boyfriend, Kelly and her courses were fiction and that there was no bad professor to go talk to.

Reg produced a passable exasperated laugh. “Dad! I can work it out on my own. Just let me have some time.”

“All right, but don’t let him walk all over you.” Ned replied.

Reg was loosening up and as they approached Reg’s front door, Ned caught his daughter-boyfriend experimentally swishing her skirt. He let the small smile that brought fall away when Reg’s parents answered the door.

“Oh,” Miriam said, “we thought maybe Reggie was with you. I don’t know where that boy has gotten to.”

“He said he needed to go to the library and study.” Kelly volunteered. Ned was further impressed when she looked down in mock shame and said, “I’m sorry m — Miriam. I think he’s spending more time with me than he ought to.”

“Nonsense!” Reg’s mother said. “You’ve been nothing but a good influence on him. I’ve never seen him so happy and his grades haven’t changed at all.” She ushered them in. “You’re looking very lovely tonight, Kelly.”

Kelly smiled for real for the first time since Reg had gotten trapped into playing her. “Thank you!”

“Now don’t you swell my Kitten’s ego too much.” Ned told her. “Ever since she started dating your boy, she’s acted as if she caught the best boy in the world.”

“Well, I did!” Kelly protested.

“Of course she did!” Miriam said almost at the same time. Ned knew then that Reg had gotten properly into character. He would never have said something like that about himself, but Kelly would have said it about him just as automatically as he had playing her.

During dinner, Ned made a mental note to shower Reg with love the moment he was back in his own Kelly suit. Not only was he almost as quick and talkative as the ‘real’ Kelly, but he remembered facts he’d heard from Kelly that Ned himself had trouble keeping track of. To find that her boyfriend paid such close attention to her and remembered everything she said made the Kelly part of Ned melt inside. For his part, Ned was careful to smooth over any small inconsistencies of behavior, like Kelly’s occasional near-slips in calling his mother ‘mom’ and how Reg would sometimes twist his napkin in embarrassment when his mother praised him to Kelly and Ned. “You’re so demure tonight,” Miriam commented. “Where’s the sassy young lady who captured my son’s heart?”

“She’s a little preoccupied with classes,” Ned told her.

“Reggie can be the same way,” Hector replied. “It must be a big problem to suppress such a vivacious personality.”

Kelly rallied, smiling brightly. “It’s really nothing. I’m sure I’m making more of it that I ought to.” She waved them off when they insisted she tell them about it. “Really!” She laughed. “I’m fine.”

Partway through dessert, the phone call Ned had arranged for came in. He nodded a few times to the silent receiver, and then looked up apologetically. “Sorry. Work. I’ll have to go early.” He got up and Kelly did the same. He put his hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back into her seat. “No, don’t stop on my account, Kitten. Sorry, Hector, but would you mind driving Kelly home?”

“Of course not,” Arthur replied.

“We understand,” Miriam added.

Ned left Reg to wind up the meal, sure that the boy was perfectly capable of maintaining the pretense for the twenty minutes or so that were left. If nothing else, he knew Reg could find an excuse to want to go home early if necessary. Hopefully he’d give Ned enough time.

Ned didn’t waste any of it when he got home. He squeezed himself into the Kelly skin and took a warm shower to speed up the process. It wasn’t as comfortable a transition as usual, but he needed to be ready as quickly as possible. In fact, Kelly had barely gotten on her underwear and was pulling an indoor sun dress over her head when she heard the door open, a female voice calling and a male voice answering then the door shut. She opened the door to her room, peeked through and when she saw that the only person in the house was her disguised boyfriend, she threw the door wide and ran to him, wrapping her arms around the body that was almost a perfect copy of her own. “I was so worried! Where’s dad?”

“He had a work call and left early.” Her twin told her.

“Good! That means we have time. He’s always late when the calls come in.” She sat Reg down on the couch. “Tell me everything. Wait, do you want to get out of that costume first?”

“Actually, I’ve gotten pretty comfortable in it.” Reg replied, stretching in an unconsciously attractive way. “Also — um — would it sound weird if I said I really liked the dress?”

“Not at all!” Kelly exclaimed. “It’s one of my favorites too. That’s why I had you practicing in it. It’s nice, simple and comfortable while still looking good enough to go out in.” She cuddled up to her doppelgangered boyfriend and he responded by closing his eyes and resting against her.

“It’s good to be able to be me again,” he said in her voice and with her lips.

“In a manner of speaking,” she said, brushing the familiar hair with her fingers. “Now tell me how it went.” When he described the night that she’d been present for as Ned, ending with how he’d had a short heart-to-heart with his own mother about Kelly’s plans with Reg, Kelly leaned over and gave Reg a long, lingering kiss. “You’re so wonderful. I wish I could make it up to you.”

Reg looked up at her, bright eyed and cheerful. “Actually, it was sort of fun. It was weird having to act like you for the whole time, but it was also really fun being able to talk to my folks like I was a person they loved but didn’t live with. They do love you.”

“I love you too,” Kelly said, rubbing Reg’s smooth leg and the dress that rested on it. “Now let’s get you cleaned up and out of that outfit. Are you still up for wearing it for our costume on Halloween?”

“Of course! I wouldn’t go through all of this and then not put it to its intended use.” Reg replied. On their way up, Reg paused. “I was really getting used to looking like this. I might miss it.”

“Well,” Kelly replied playfully, “you can’t take it home.”

“Why not?”

“First off, my dad never comes into my room unless I ask him to, so he won’t find it if I keep it. Second, I don’t want you putting it on and then getting caught by your parents especially if you don’t have anything on over it. Finally, I don’t want you putting it on without me there, period.” She gave Reg a playful push. “I mean, being able to look like your girlfriend? I love you Reg and you’re a remarkably polite young man, but I wouldn’t trust anyone to be able to resist the temptation of being able to have their love do whatever and say whatever they want in the confines of their own room.” Her twin looked shocked and Kelly laughed. “You’re so cute when you’re trying to deny you’re human. I’m sure I’ve given you a thought that will warm you when I’m not around. Now scoot!” She pushed him into the bathroom. “Cold water will loosen it and don’t feel bashful about asking me for help if you need it.”

Kelly did make it up to him that night when he emerged tired but clothed and on subsequent days by teasing him less, showing her love for him more and not springing any more surprises. He agreed to practice in the Kelly suit and in the pushmi-pullyu costume, but Kelly was careful to do so only when ‘her dad was at work.’ They became more comfortable around each other, but Reg was still as proper as he could be under the circumstances and Kelly was relieved by that. He never became exactly casual about it and she was warmed every time she found him unable to resist looking at her or at himself as her. She took a few contracts during that time, but almost all of her time as Kelly was spent preparing for the big night. By Halloween, she even had Reg going out with her to the mall to look at outfits and her closet had a small collection of items that they thought looked better on him with his unique take on her personality. In fact, she found herself treating him like the bubbly, perky younger sister she acted like than the boyfriend disguised as her twin. Most of the time. She could never quite get over the thrill she got from seeing that face and knowing who was beneath it. Reg joked that she had to have a pretty big narcissistic streak since she seemed to be a lot friskier when he was in the disguise and they were alone in her bedroom.

Halloween night, Kelly was very proud of the image reflected in the mirror. Two nearly identical young ladies in furry tan tube tops that left their bellies entirely exposed, little fluffy pointed ears on headbands and slick black tights meant to keep them cool and slide into their costumes more easily. They’d had plenty of practice and neither needed the other’s help in stepping into either end of the pushmi-pullyu, pulling the legs up and getting into the hoof shoes before dropping their head and neck sections on. They’d both become experts in using the wires inside and the two heads craned around to rub noses and nuzzle each other before they set off. A slender arm reached out from under one of the heads to open the door and an identical arm slid out from under the other to close and lock it. They retreated back into their heads and waited for their escort. One of Reg’s friends who looked like a very authentic Wolverine from the X-Men met them at the end of Ned’s front path and led them down the road towards the convention center where the party was being held. Every two or three blocks, the pushmi-pullyu would almost casually turn around to let the other head walk forwards for awhile.

On their way, they met several trick-or-treat groups and the children almost all squealed in delight when they saw the llama-unicorn-gazelle coming towards them. The pushmi-pullyu was gracious and both heads bent to be petted and allowed some of the smaller children to have their pictures taken on her back. One of the children they met was wearing a very large hat and one end ducked down and grabbed it in her mouth. When the other head craned around to see what was happening, she caught on immediately and deftly took the hat from the other head before the child could get to it. They went back and forth a couple of times before one of the heads ducked and deposited the hat back on the child’s head before the whole creature continued on her way.

“That was a really good show,” Reg’s friend said.

“Thank you!” One of the Kellys replied. It didn’t matter which since it wouldn’t be hard to convince the young man that he was talking to the real Kelly and had gotten mixed up in all the turning around.

The pushmi-pullyu pranced in and was a big hit at the party. They spent over an hour being patted, pet and fawned over, acting like a domesticated animal. Everyone wanted a picture with her and they got a lot of laughs whenever they made a mistake and tried to walk in opposite directions. There were even a couple of people who danced with her.

When Kelly gave the prearranged signal that she’d gotten too hot, they shed their head pieces in unison, drawing a few gasps and some admiring whistles from the partygoers. Both Kellys preened under the praise and insisted that if one was asked to dance, their partner had to find someone for the other. The Kelly-taur was perhaps even more popular than the pushmi-pullyu, and both ladies who made it up were often amused when people struck up a conversation with one, left for something and then accidentally continued with the other. They were pretty good at taking up threads that the other had left and Ned was ecstatic at how well Reg was holding up under the scrutiny of so many people. Then again, he himself had become far more extroverted as Kelly, so maybe it was just being someone who everyone paid attention to but who couldn’t reflect poorly on the man within that made that happen. For whatever reason, the pushmi-pullyu-taur was rarely without someone to talk to or two to dance with.

Three hours in, Reg hissed to Kelly, “I have to go to the bathroom.”

“So do I.” She replied, realizing how much they’d both had to drink and how long it had been. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of the ladies room.”

“Not as long as you’re with me.”

“It’d be a little hard for me not to be. Let’s go.”

They found a handicapped stall and the two Kellys took turns getting out of the costume to relieve themselves. Even Ned was a little self-conscious about that, but both were very careful about looking away when their partner wiggled out, used the toilet and didn’t look around until they felt the costume tighten with the re-entry of the other one. They were getting tired by then and didn’t stay more than an hour longer before donning their head pieces again and giving the party a farewell pair of bleats.

Reg’s friend took them home and the pushmi-pullyu collapsed on Kelly’s bed, neither one of them wanting to leave the warm confines of the costume just yet. Finally, they clambered out and pushed the costume to the floor. “I’m beat,” one of the Kellys said.

“Me too.”

“I need a bath.”

“So do I.”

They looked at each other and one of them grinned. “We won’t see anything the other hasn’t. We might as well go in together.”

Neither Kelly nor Reg were much up for more than gently washing each other and they only took their time so they could relax and enjoy the feeling of the other massaging the soap into their backs. Kelly produced matching pajamas and Reg was too tired to mind the fact that his girlfriend had to have planned on him being too tired to care. Once dressed, they collapsed into bed, the smaller Kelly comfortably nestled in the curve of the slightly larger Kelly’s body.

Foxy Catburglar
By Paul Calhoun

I was going to do the discovery, but I like to give my characters a vacation every so often, so here's some gratuitous fursuiting and romance. As if there's such a thing.

I've had this idea kicking around ever since I read a most excellent story about a girlfriend pranking her boyfriend by feigning injury and when he runs out to the car, she does a quick change into a werewolf costume and chases him around. Go read it, it's great: http://falconess22.deviantart.com/art/An-Unexpected-Revelati...

Autumn turned to winter and Kelly’s life with Reg fell into a pattern. They went on dates, spent evenings together and became yet more comfortable with each other. After Halloween, Kelly had let up a little on the odd requests and behavior, though she was interested on the rare occasions Reg asked for the extra Kelly suit and they went out as sisters rather than as a couple. He was an only child and that was part of her cover story, so both of them were interested in the experience of having a sibling. Once, she asked him to ‘cover for her’ and contrived to have Reg’s family and Ned meet her at a local diner. That had gone so well that she’d given him a key to the house so that he could come in early while she was getting ready for a date or meet her if she was ‘running a bit late.’ Ned had never trusted anyone enough to give them that kind of access, but Kelly trusted Reg. He was special to her.

As Kelly has predicted, she loved every moment she had with Reg and felt warm and loved in his embrace, but she couldn’t go without excitement in life, so she continued to take contracts. The Starling was shifting ever more from larceny to providing a ‘breaking and loving’ service, but she drew the line at being called out just to show a man a good time. She wasn’t that kind of a call girl and it felt like betraying Reg. Any job that lacked risk was a pointless waste of her time anyway. There wasn’t any fun in it if there was no chance that an angry wife, guard or husband was going to catch her doing something she shouldn’t. Meanwhile, her notoriety in the news was such that security at museums, private collections and galleries had quadrupled. The Starling was becoming a one woman stimulus to the industry and for that matter a boon to the few jobs Ned did himself. Though he was living more than half the time as Kelly now, occasionally she’d see an opening while attending a ball posing in her ‘rich debutante’ disguise or on a tour with Reg. Then Ned would put on a janitorial uniform or that of a mover and discreetly liberate a piece. As their paranoia over being robbed by a sexy chick in a high heeled catsuit increased, their worries over some guy off the street pulling something off the wall and sticking it in his bag decreased. Kelly continued to pull her weight as a distraction.

All this was on Kelly’s mind and she held the kiss with the guard she was romancing a little longer than normal as it percolated through her mind. Unfortunately, a pair of the very heterosexual female security guards that had become popular since she’d started burst into the CCTV room at that point. Kelly’s entire body was momentarily flooded with endorphins at the sight of her path being blocked before adrenaline kicked in. She jabbed the man underneath her with a sedative and slipped another pair of needles out of pouches in her gloves and went for her two assailants. One got out of the way, but the other went down, leaving Kelly with only one opponent up. An opponent who had secured one of her wrists with a handcuff and had gotten a decent hold on her to put on the other. The Starling was not so easily captured and with a jerk of one arm and a sliding motion, she escaped, her fitness regimen making it easy to evade further pursuit even in her high heeled boots. She scooped up the pectoral ankh she’d had her eye on and was out the door before the remaining guard realized that she’d overridden the automatic door closing software. That was why she’d been having her way with the CCTV guard, after all. His office also contained the door mechanism.

The museum had sprung for some expensive equipment and the cuff had a cryptolock that Ned had never seen before. It was definitely beyond picking and wouldn’t take any kind of key he’d ever seen. It was evening and he had yet to find a solution, so Kelly had to cancel her night in with Reg. She feigned a cough over the phone, held in the glove that was maddeningly still stuck to her arm. “Sorry, sweetheart, but I’m a little under the weather tonight. No, that’s why I want to rest. I wouldn’t miss our trip to the zoo tomorrow for anything. Bye, honey.” She put down the receiver. No, she wouldn’t miss that for anything. She always loved walking with Reg because he never stopped holding her close and besides, maybe she’d work out how to steal a panda!

Kelly was glad of the cold the next day, since she could put on a pair of wollen gloves that covered the single leather one stuck to her by the cuff. She could have cut it off, but she was still not keen on the idea. The cuff itself could be hidden by sticking it up the sleeve of a very puffy winter jacket. Kelly was always careful to cling to her boyfriend with the uncuffed arm and point very carefully so that it didn’t fly out of her sleeve. “Isn’t that one cute!” She said, pointing to a leopard cat enclosure.

“They’re like a cage full of kittens,” he agreed.

“Look at those, though,” he said at a different exhibit. “They’re so sleek even when they’re fluffed out like that and those pointed faces are almost as adorable as you.” He was looking down at a family of arctic foxes.

“They’re really cute.” She said.

“I love foxes. They’re like fluffy weasels. I wish I could have one as a pet. I really wish the red pandas weren’t so hard to see.”

Kelly kissed his cheek and pulled him along. “Let’s go check the red pandas again. Maybe I’ll be able to help you find one.” She was thinking about a contract she’d turned down. The pay was good and it came with a gift that she’d thought was interesting but not worth going out to what boiled down to a fantasy fulfillment with no danger at all. It was beneath her, but hearing her boyfriend talk, she wanted to negotiate with the man. Maybe he’d change the terms to something that would make Reg want to cuddle her forever.

Kelly refused to take her gloves off in the food court and Reg took her protestations that her hands were cold at face value. In fact they were uncomfortably warm, but she could hardly let Reg catch her leather handed! For that same reason, she had to keep her coat on and was glad to get outside again after lunch. She was disappointed that there seemed no way to liberate a panda or a lion, but was contented with having Reg with her and as enthusiastic about the animals as she was. She told him she was still a little sick that night and left him at the doorstep with a drawn out kiss to keep him warm for the rest of the night. By morning, she finally had the cuff off and had drawn up a counteroffer for that … very odd request she’d decided to reconsider.

Her client had accepted the alterations, seeming happy that she was taking an interest in his desire. When the item he’d asked her to wear and was giving her as part of the payment arrived, however, she’d been a little disappointed and her doubts about taking the job resurfaced. The fur on the pelt was silky, soft and she’d buried her face in it as soon as she’d laid the whole thing out on her bed. That was fine. What didn’t look quite right to her was the black-brown stripe along the back which extended down the legs to the paws and over the head, curving down over the cheeks and muzzle and making a little raccoon mask around the ice blue eyes. The tail was almost entirely that color, making the cream and white sections the minority, although she did like how it artfully accentuated her curves along the chest and belly. The costume was heavily padded, though in proportion to the size so that her legs appeared slender in their digitigrade padding and high heeled paw boots. When she pulled it up over her shoulders and had her hands in the white and brown paw gloves, she hunched up, rubbing the parts of her body left bare by the undone zipper with those soft furry paws and also running her cheek against the inviting bulk of her padded shoulders. If nothing else, she was a very cuddly fox.

This was only a test fitting and she wasn’t going anywhere in it, but she needed to know if the costume would work so she zipped it up and pulled the fox mask with its slender pointed muzzle, that raccoon mask and the brown pointed ears over her head. Her first movement shifted something in the back near her butt, which seemed to grab on and stick in a little. It was uncomfortable, but as she flexed and wiggled to try to dislodge it, she noticed that her enormous, two foot long fluffy fox tail which had previously been dragging on the floor had stood up to attention and was wagging and twitching behind her. She only had enough time for a couple of turns in front of the mirror to see how the costume replicated the ‘sleek but fluffy’ appearance of Reg’s favorite animal before she became very hot inside. Air was flowing through the muzzle, but Ned kept his house warm in the winter and now he was covered in a breathable human disguise and a much thicker and warmer fox costume.

She took the rest of her experimenting out to the back yard. Reg was at school, so she wasn’t worried about being caught early. She noticed how the click of claws attached to her foot paws sounded very much like that of a large dog and wondered how Reg would react to her asking him to take her out for a walk. The cold climate only made her comfortable inside the fur which had been made to copy that of a tundra dweller. To her delight, the brown patches faded, lightening to a creamy color and finally to white with creamy undertones. The tip of her tail remained a slightly darker off white and she saw in the reflection in the back door that her ears were still edged in black. She ran around to see how the paw heels handled, then spent half an hour getting her tail to move as she wanted it to. Feeling very pleased with herself, she went back inside, taking the head off almost immediately and the rest languidly, enjoying the fur on her bare skin and finally turning it over and lying on top of it before she put it away.

Now she was creeping along an open field, only her black nose, the edges of her ears and her blue eyes visible against the fresh snowfall. Her creamy tail flicked and flowed out behind her, but appeared to be nothing more than a passing shadow as she kept low and approached the country manor from behind. She kept even lower, her chest almost touching the snow as she entered the semicircle of light being shed by a window. Peeking in, she saw a tall wing-backed arm chair facing a fireplace. The fire had been laid and was the only thing providing light in the entire room. The window itself, however, had been left wide open — a fact which was both helpful to the Arctic Starling and understandable given that the occupant of the chair was partly visible from the black tipped red ears sticking up and the white tipped russet tail draped over one arm.

The room itself was heavily carpeted, which was even better. Kelly hadn’t expected the extra bulk of the costume to be so clumsy and almost got stuck before wiggling and twisting until she fell with an almost inaudible thump and rustle of thick fur. The fox in the chair seemed not to have heard her. The heat from the fire restored Fox Kelly’s bandit mask as well as some of the darker color of her back, paws and tail. She padded over to the chair. From her vantage point, she could see that unlike her, the red fox had found clothing to fit his bulk — augmented as hers was so that he was even bigger than she — and was in a dressing gown. Hanging from his pocket was a gold chain, no doubt attached to a watch. That was Kelly’s motivation in this tableau.

At first, she thought the man in the costume was asleep or unable to see her because she hooked the chain on a claw and had drawn it almost all the way out when his tail twitched and his paw grasped her wrist. “What have we here?” He rumbled. “A common thief? “ He rose and turned. When he saw Kelly, he bowed low. “Quite uncommon. Tell me, madam, what brings you to burgle my humble person?” To Kelly’s surprise, his mouth opened and closed with the words.

The client had told Kelly what the scenario was going to be but wanted it more authentic so he’d only told her what his first line was going to be. He tail thrashed for a moment as she acted as if she were annoyed at being caught, then the tossed her head and quelled the movement of her rear appendage. She’d thought over what she wanted her line to be and replied smoothly, “Your wealth is well known in the area. Almost as known as your fine taste in females.” Inside the mask, Kelly was going a little cross-eyed trying to see her own muzzle open and close.

The fox looked her up and down again. “You are quite the specimen of womanhood,” he said. “Though perhaps you would care to retire to a more salubrious locale? It is quite warm in here.”
Kelly was relieved that he wasn’t going to make her continue the tryst inside. His fox pelt had to be as heavy as her own and she was wondering how he was remaining so suave having sat in it for however long he had. Even with the window open, it was uncomfortably warm. “I would be delighted. However,” she took a step to the side as he rose, “I think under the circumstances I will allow you to take the lead.”

The fox laughed. “As you wish, my larcenous darling. Let us away.” Kelly was impressed at how easily he climbed out the window. She attempted to do the same and found herself flat on her back with her tail at an uncomfortable angle.

“My larcenous beauty may not be so practiced at climbing into people’s homes in the dead of night as she first appeared.” The fox said sadly. He helped her up.

“I am as capable as I need to be,” Kelly replied, tossing her head again and letting her tail sway cooly.

“I would never contradict the given word of a lady. Especially not one so pretty as you.” He curled his tail around her body and opened his muzzle. She did the same and they moved in the simulation of a kiss.

The rest of the night’s pleasure was spent in a variety of sports. Sometimes he would chase her and then she’d be snapping at his tail as it flicked just out of reach. When one caught the other, they rolled around in the snow. It would have been hot and heavy if they weren’t so heavily padded and encased in fur. Kelly hoped he was satisfied with rubbing up against her. When he began to emit yelps and barks, she tried to imitate him in her own manner. Finally the gold chain ‘slipped’ and Kelly scooped it up.

“Will I see you again?” The fox called at the retreating white back and flowing tail.

“Perhaps.” Kelly called back. “If you continue to keep your valuables in such an easy to reach location.”

The entire thing had been outside Kelly’s usual preference, but it had gotten her what she wanted. In an outbuilding on the edge of a copse of trees on her client’s land, she found a box containing her special Christmas present to Reg. Of course there would be all the usual things under the tree, but this … would be delivered in a much more interesting manner. She giggled to herself at the thought of how she would surprise Reg with it.

She had to wait a few days before she could spring it on Reg, since it had to be a time when he could make it over and it was snowing. In the meantime, the occasional sidelong glance followed by a stifled giggle from his girlfriend tipped Reg off that something was in the works. Knowing Kelly, Reg was sure that it was going to be one of those days Arnold from the Magic School bus wished he’d stayed home. By the end of the week, Kelly was becoming so difficult — adding self-satisfied grinning to the giggles — that Reg was regularly pushing her onto the couch and tickling her in an attempt to get a hint. All she’d do then was look up with shining eyes and say, “You’re going to love it, Reg! I just know you will.”

The big day came. It was Saturday morning, snowing lightly and Reg was going to be coming over in two hours. Ned knew that if he took the Kelly suit off, he’d be unable to get rid of his excited erection and so rather than take the risk he’d slept that night as Kelly, rising with a stretch and a yawn to find herself all set for the day and though Ned’s erection was safely trapped between Kelly’s legs, there was no getting rid of the smile that had lit up Reg’s life for the last few months. Unable to wait any longer to start preparations, Kelly took her time inching her way into the Fox costume. With her body covered in the lush fur but before donning the mask, Kelly rolled around on the bed, hugging herself, rubbing her cheek against her shoulder and curling her tail around her body so she could hold it. She’d learned something else that was different about her. Ned wasn’t big on stuffed animals, but Kelly loved to have something to cuddle when Reg wasn’t around.

Reg was due in an hour, so Kelly put on the mask, careful to make sure that it was on right and that her entire body was encased in fur with no gaps. The muzzle opened in a silent pant, earning an inner grin and a laugh when she caught herself in the mirror. She padded outside and allowed the brown to fade. Already beginning to show a light coating of snow, Kelly burrowed down into the accumulation still on Ned’s lawn, curled up in the hollow she’d created and wrapped her tail around to cover her nose. Totally comfy in her fur lined igloo, Kelly settled down to wait for Reg. When he arrived, enough snow had fallen to cover her enormous fox tracks as well as to turn her into a barely distinguishable hump in the snow with a pair of cold blue eyes sticking out.

Reg didn’t give her hiding place a second look. She stifled the triumphant laugh that welled up as she watched him draw level with her, but let it all loose in a full throated bellow — or the best she could do with her Kelly voice — as she burst from her cover of snow. Reg leapt a foot in the air and in his surprise only registered that something big and hairy with claws had jumped out at him. He ran for the garden gate. Ned could have vaulted it and Kelly could have slipped through any gap, but in the fox costume she was far too bulky to slip and afraid of damaging it on the sharp wires if she were to try to jump it. Putting on a burst of speed, she caught Reg and tackled him to the ground. Panting for breath, she nuzzled his neck, opening her muzzle to pretend to nip at it and then when he didn’t move, she stuck her cold black nose into his ear. “Didn’t you see the full moon last night?” She mock growled. “Women can be such beasts when they’re on their period.”

Reg scrambled and twisted, turning around underneath Kelly’s furry bulk. She kept her paws firmly on either side of Reg, making sure he couldn’t escape. “You’re so …”

“Fuzzy? Adorable? Sleek? Wondrously beautiful?”

“Bizarre!”

Kelly wagged her tail at him, then curled it up over her shoulder and tickled his nose. “What was that?”

“You are your mother’s daughter, aren’t you? Ned told me about the werewolf thing.”

Kelly sat back on her haunches. “I thought you liked white foxes…” She said sadly. “I got all dressed up as your favorite animal and you haven’t even said ‘thank you.’”

“Thank you, Kelly.” Reg said. “You’ve taken six months off my life, but you’re weird and wonderful and I love you.”

“Apology accepted!” Kelly helped Reg up and then crushed him to her in a hug that included a tail twined around their bodies. “Aren’t I just so soft and cuddly?”

“Maybe if you weren’t covered in snow.”

Kelly pretended to shake herself like a dog. “There’s a brush on the table just inside the door. Maybe you’d better get the worst of it out before we go inside.”

Reg went inside and emerged with a very loose bristled brush. The moment he finished his first stroke over Kelly’s back, she was rubbing up against him, humming like she was purring. “This feels really good.” She arched her back as Reg continued. “I can’t wait to see how you like it.”

“What was that?”

“Oops.” She covered her muzzle with a dainty paw. “You’ll see,” she murmured, leaning into the brush again.

The last of her camouflage was removed and Kelly followed Reg into the house. A wave of heat hit her even before she closed the door. She bent slightly and worked the mask off, leaving it lying muzzle-up on a chair. “This is a really nice costume for outside in the snow, but dad keeps the house way too warm for me to want to wear it indoors.”

Reg was looking at her and smiling. “You look absolutely adorable.”

“What do you mean? I thought I already did.”

Reg shook his head. “I’m not sure I can explain. It’s sort of a mixture of things. Your head is a little small for that body ,for one thing and it makes you look even more of a pixie than usual. Add that to the mischievous expression you’re still wearing after giving me that surprise, the obvious joy you had in doing it and how much you seem to like that big fluffy ball of fur you’re wearing. Oh, and to top it off, you’re the sweetest most amazingly pretty girl I’ve ever seen. You’re … elementally cute.”

“Awww. You’re really sweet too.” She waited for him to remove his coat and gloves, then hugged him close. She pecked him on the nose and said, “You deserve a little cuddle.”

“Aren’t you hot in that?”

“It’s not too bad without the head on.” She walked him over to the couch and sat him down with his head on her chest. “Isn’t this nice?”

“Very.” He rubbed the fur and buried his face in it.

His hand was on her chest as well and she giggled as he accidentally brushed a nipple. “Careful or I might think you’ve decided to take our relationship to the next level.”

Reg saw where he’d put his hand and dropped it down to her belly. “It’s all so soft and now that you’re warming up, it’s even better.” He saw the brown creeping across her body and brushed her back where it had darkened almost to charcoal. “Wow. It even adapts to temperature like a real fox.”

The anticipation, exertion and final triumph had made Kelly sleepy. She got up and grasped one of Reg’s hands lightly in a paw. She led him silently to her room and pushed him onto her bed, gently drawing his shirt up over his head and pulling his pants down. He looked at her quizzically but the trust went both ways and he lay down when she applied pressure to his bare chest. She settled down next to him and curled up around his body, pulling him close in an embrace and drawing her tail in to make a full circle around him. He tucked his legs in as well to get more comfortable. “Good night,” she said.

“It’s not even noon,” he whispered, burrowing into her fur.

“I need a nap. Then I’ll show you the rest of my surprise.”

“It gets better?”

“Just you wait and see.” She kissed him and he reciprocated in a slow, lazy kiss. They took their time and somehow managed to get closer still. “In the meantime, enjoy being able to snuggle your girlfriend and favorite animal at the same time.”

“By the way, Kelly.” Reg said, succumbing to the sleepiness cuddling Kelly Fox was bringing on.

“Yes?”

“You look really sexy in that. It flatters your curves.”

“I was hoping you might think that too. We’re going to have so much fun when we get up. Good night again.”

“Good night, dear. Love you.”

“Love you too,” she sighed contentedly.

Reg was wide awake again in an hour, but Kelly slept on for another one. Not wanting to disturb her, Reg continued to lie in a semi-fetal position wondering what the next surprise was going to be. The furry mass curled up around him stirred, Kelly’s tail twitching as she woke up. “Good afternoon, sleepyhead.” Reg said, smoothing her hair out of her face.

“Mmm,” she sighed. “That was nice.” She stretched, showing off how the padding on the costume augmented her curves along with everything else. She picked at her side. “I’m a mess.” She plucked a pair of brushes off her vanity and handed one to Reg. “You take the back and I’ll take the front.” When she was satisfied that the sleep had been brushed from her fur, Kelly padded over to her closet. “Oh wait!” She dashed out and returned with the arctic fox mask. “We might want this soon.” She went back to the closet and pulled out the box she’d gotten from her client. She hefted the heavy package and dropped it on the bed in front of her boyfriend. “Merry early Christmas.”

Reg opened the box and immediately knew what the mixture of orange, red, rust, white and brown fur inside was. “Where did you get these?” He asked, picking the mass of fur - just as soft as Kelly’s - out of the box.

“One of dad’s clients,” Kelly said truthfully.

“Tell him thank you from me.”

“I will.” She clapped, her paws making the move silent. “Put it on! No, wait. Take off your boxers. Trust me.” She winked slowly.

No matter how many times he did it, Reg was never quite comfortable being naked with Kelly. He accepted her help, however, as he always did and was soon as enthralled with hugging and brushing himself as she had been. He seemed to be enchanted by his animated tail and she giggled as he turned around in place and chased it. She pushed the fox mask over his head and put her own on. Taking his paw, they ran outside to play in the snow. Reg insisted they go to the back yard, however. He wasn’t sure if he could quite find the right words to explain to his parents if they passed by why he and his girlfriend, dressed as a red and white fox respectively, were rolling around in the snow and throwing snowballs at each other.

“I was wondering when you’d do something like this again.” Reg called from his snow fort, only a pair of black tipped red ears showing above the lip.

Kelly lobbed a ball up so that it fell down on top of him. “Did you miss it?”

“I was starting to.” Reg leapt up and braved the barrage to grab Kelly and hold her to him.

“It’s good to be appreciated.” She said, rubbing her muzzle on his.

“Did I ever tell you how weird, wonderful, pretty, lively and amazingly lovely you are?”

“I think you might have once or twice,” she said. “Have I told you how handsome, fun and above all how marvelously adaptable you are?”

“Probably. I’m sure I’ve told you I love you.”

“I’m sure I’ve told you that I love you.”

“Good. As long as we understand each other.” Reg had noticed that there was no padding in the armpits of his costume and he confirmed that there was none in hers either by tickling her.

“No fair!” She gasped, forcing the words out between uncontrolled giggles. “I’m more ticklish than you!”

“Nuh-uh. I’m just better at it.”

Kelly pushed her and Reg’s mask up and kissed him. “At least I’m better at this.”

“Nor argument.”

Since it was Saturday, Reg was able to stay late and Kelly made sure to return the favor he’d shown by brushing out his fur before they went in and then getting back what she’d given to him inside by stripping out of the costume — though for his sake she put on a pair of panties and a bra — and curling up with him on the bed for another nap.

The Catburglar Who Came in From the Cold
By Paul Calhoun

Kelly spends Christmas with Reg's family and Reg tells Kelly what he's known for awhile now. Also, Kelly continues to adjust to life as a female with a loving family. A few scenes that don't advance the plot added because I thought they added character.

Reg opened the garden gate, leaned forward and looked around. As usual, no sign of his girlfriend in sight. It wasn’t snowing, so she couldn’t pull the same trick she had the first time and she’d been absolutely livid the time she’d hidden in the shed and he’d been half an hour late, leaving Kelly to wait in a musty space. He smiled as he looked over to the right. Pine trees were not well known for their fluffy white tails. Pretending he hadn’t seen anything, Reg strode casually down the path. This time there was no roar to warn him, but he didn’t need it. The cream — and for some reason pale pink — blur that rushed at him from behind the tree was bent on tackling him to the ground. He took a half second to appreciate how the fox costume was itself so Kelly-like. With her tail flowing out behind her, her fur streaming in the wind and her slim muzzle pointed towards him in the joyful hunt, she was the best parts of the animal he admired and the girl he lived. Instead of taking her prey down, however, the slim female arctic fox who leapt at him found herself flying. Reg had caught her in midair and was spinning around with her in his arms. “Good morning, Kelly!”

“Aw!” The fox hung her head. “You got me.”

Reg held her at arms’ length. “Nice coat.”

Kelly had put a short, fur trimmed winter jacket on over the fox costume and had pulled the hood up over the mask. “Isn’t this little parka adorable?”

Reg shifted his grip so that she was lying with her back in one of his hands and her thighs draped over the other arm. He held her close and she clasped her arms around his shoulders. “It’s like having a big, playful dog. Every time I come to visit, you run at me and try to knock me down. Now you’re wearing a little coat.”

Kelly rubbed her muzzle up and down over his cheek like a dog licking it, her tail moving back and forth in the classical windshield wiper. “I’m always glad to see you.”

“I hope that’s not the only kind of kiss I’m going to get.”

Kelly wriggled out of his arms and raised her mask to fulfill his wish. “Happy?”

“I’ll be happier when we’re inside and can take our time at it.”

Kelly was glad to get inside as well. It was bitterly cold and even that short kiss had been long enough for a freezing wind to start loosening the skin around her cheeks. Reg probably didn’t notice the tiny wrinkles, but Ned was painfully aware of the fact that winter was a very bad time to be wearing a heat activated girl suit. She’d only put the arctic fox costume on to try — again — to get the drop on Reg, so she was wearing a wool dress and tights underneath. She laid the costume over a chair and joined Reg in the kitchen to help make a hot drink. “I’m running out of places to hide,” she said conversationally.

“The great Kelly? I’m sure you’ll think of something. If nothing else, you’ll wait until it’s spring and the grass is growing and then get your dad to stop mowing the lawn for a couple of days so you can put on a lizard suit and hide in it.”

“I’m not sure I’m a reptile gal.” Kelly said. “I’ll consider it, though.”

“Or you’ll paint scales on a wetsuit, stick a small oxygen canister into a sea monster mask and then burst out from underwater when I pass the pool!”

Kelly was starting to have trouble holding her cup because she was giggling so hard at that.

“Or!” Reg continued, gesticulating so wildly that he was in danger of spilling the carafe. “You’ll find some sort of glider-feathered bird outfit and lie on the roof. When I get near the house, CA-CAW CA-CAW!” He made stooping and flapping movements.

“Stop! Stop!” Kelly gasped, losing herself to laughter. “How crazy do you think I am?”

“Crazy enough to dress up as my favorite furry critter and attack me every weekend.”

“Speaking of doing crazy things, Christmas is coming up.” It had been difficult to broach the subject. Ned couldn’t really make an appearance for this since Kelly wanted to spend the whole holiday with Reg.

“My family would love to have you over!”

“How’d you know?”

Reg smiled. “I know you, Kelly. Your dad’s been away at work a lot lately. You don’t even have a tree! No, you’re definitely spending the holiday with us. Just one thing…” He looked plaintively at her. “Please don’t put anything under the tree that might upset my grandparents. My folks love you and think all the strange things you do for me are sweet, but grams isn’t as young as she used to be.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Well, I just don’t want you hiding somewhere in a big animal costume and jumping out at her.” He paused and his eyes grew wide. “Kelly! Do not get my mom to put you in a big box with a bow on it so you can hide inside wearing the fox costume and then jump out at me when I open it!”

Kelly’s stifled reaction to that came out as a mixed giggle and snort. “Don’t worry. Animal suits are for our together time.” She kissed his nose and then on an impulse licked it. “What I’m giving you for family Christmas will be family friendly. I promise.” She smiled sweetly did a Boy Scout salute.

Kelly took a running start, then did several leaps, flips and dives before grabbing onto a parallel bar with a rope dangling from it, flipping and dropping so that she was hanging by her heels with her knees clamped onto the rope for extra traction. The Starling had never needed this trick and never expected to, but it made her feel good that if she ever were to need to climb a rope upside down with her hands free, she could do it. She hung there for a moment and was about to swing up and flip back onto her feet when a voice made her entire body go stiff. “Hey, Kelly. Practicing for another double-oh-seven job? I’d leave you to it, but I need to know where you want me to put the snacks.” Reg was leaning on the doorframe of Ned’s private gym and grinning from ear to ear.

“Reg!” She cried, not letting go. “It’s not what it looks like.”

“I hope it is!” Reg said. “Because if you aren’t the Starling, then I’m going to be very guilty about my fitness regimen.” He walked over and pulled her hood up, spilling her hair down to the floor. Bending over, he turned his head to the side and kissed her. “I’ve wanted to do the Spider-Man routine with you ever since I found out.”

“How?”

Reg looked at her with concern. “Fun’s fun, but the blood must be going to your head. You might want to get off of that now.”

Kelly looked at him with annoyance. “I can’t. This trick only works when my hair’s up and you’ve undone it.” She put out her arms. “Help me down.” Trying not to laugh at the predicament he’d put his girlfriend in, Reg took her by the waist and lifted her off the bars. He rotated her in midair and set her down. She put her hands on her hips and held his gaze, looking serious. “Now tell me. How did you find out?”

Reg brushed the strands of hair that had gotten free when he pulled her mask off out of her face. “It was more circumstance than anything. I’m not thick, you know.”

Kelly shook her head brusquely. “I didn’t mean to say you are. The fact that you know is a problem.”

Reg laughed. “You’re not going to kill me, are you?”

Kelly poked him in the chest. “This isn’t a laughing matter.” She hesitated as a cold wave swept through her body. “I — Reg…” She began to cry. “You weren’t supposed to find out! I wish I could tell you to leave, to never see me again for your own good. If the police ever track me down and they find out you know… But I can’t. I’m too selfish for that.”

“Kelly, I’m not leaving.” Reg said. “I’m too selfish to stop you from worrying by getting out and I love you too much to leave you alone like that.” He forced a low chuckle. “It’s not like anyone else has figured it out and I don’t think they will. I have a unique perspective on it. I doubt even most girls could actually sprint on the high heels we both have in our fox costumes, but who would know that other than the poor boy who gets knocked down every Saturday? Who else would hold your arm and notice a metal handcuff under your jacket sleeve? Or that you’re not around on nights when the Starling has a heist? I hope I’m the only one who has to have dates with you cancelled because you’re going out on a job!”

“You’re the only one!” Kelly said, suddenly worried that Reg didn’t trust her anymore and the tears welled up again.

“I thought so.” Reg kissed her, trying to comfort her. “The timing was too good, the coincidences mounted. I also realized that — well — I won’t bring that up. It’s too early and I think I’ve put enough on you already.” He grinned. “Hey, I got to surprise you this time.”

Kelly tried to look stern, but could only smile and shake her head. “Promise me this much. If things go south, you’ll turn State’s Evidence. I don’t want to see you in prison just because you couldn’t let go of me.”

Reg held her and kissed the top of her head. “If it makes you happy.” He left his face buried in her hair. “I don’t think you’re going to get caught anytime soon.” He held her at arms’ length and studied her face. “It seems that the Starling’s jobs are getting a bit more … personal in nature?”

Kelly giggled. “It was your idea, sweetie! You said that rich guys would want a thrill and naturally they’d never help the police since it might get them into a scandal. Their spouses might, but it’s a little hard to catch the crook when the victim’s in on it. I thought it might … wean me off of real crime. It’s still exciting because I might get caught, but it’s not nearly as dangerous.” She put her hand on his arm in an unconsciously concerned gesture. “I hope you aren’t too jealous. It doesn’t mean a thing to me, really! It’s just a job — I mean, I have fun, but that’s more because of the feeling I’m getting away with something.”

Reg shrugged. “If other guys can have good relationships with strippers — I guess you’re sort of like a really sneaky strippergram - I think I can handle a naughty catburglar. You don’t even take off your clothes from what I’ve heard.”

“Of course not, honey.” Kelly said. “I’m saving myself for you. They get a kiss or two and maybe tied up. A few have odder requests, but no, I never take off more than my mask.”

Reg nodded. “I can live with that.” He winked. “Especially when it lets my darling have interesting things like a certain white fox costume I might mention.”

Relieved, Kelly allowed herself to slip into the casual bawdiness that their conversations often contained. She turned and walked off, making sure to flex her gluteus muscles as she did so, quite aware that the tight catsuit was giving Reg a clear and detailed view of her behind as it shifted and moved under the fabric. She gave him a smouldering look over her shoulder as she pulled her hood and mask back on. “So, do you want to watch me finish my exercises? I was almost done with my gymnastics.” She glanced at the mirror. “It’d be a nice change to have a live audience for when I do my various seduction routines. I’ve never gotten to see how a single man reacts to each and every one of them in turn.”

“Just tell me where to stand.”

Since Christmas was both a special and a family occasion, Kelly had decided to wear something dressy but comfortable. If Reg’s family went out to eat, she could always dash home and change. When his mother answered the door and saw Kelly standing there in soft boots, leggings and a velvet dress with her hair loosely bound with a plastic hair tie, she said, “Kelly, you look adorable.”

Kelly smiled and entered. “I was a little worried that this outfit was a bit young for me.”

“It’s got a little girl charm,” Miriam said. “But no one’s going to mistake you for a little girl.”

“Thank you.” Reg — hearing her voice — joined them and she kissed him before they joined the rest of his family in his living room.

“Mom, this is Kelly,” Reg’s mother said to a short elderly woman with a mop of white hair. “She and Reg have been going out since August.”

“That long?” The old woman said. “So, when do I get some grandkids?”

“Mom!” Miriam said.

“Gram!” Reg chimed in. “It’s not like that.” He saw the pained look on Kelly’s face. “I didn’t want to say anything, but — well — Kelly can’t have children.” He grasped her arm gently and let her rest her head on his shoulder.

“I didn’t know that.” Miriam said. “I’m so sorry.”

Kelly shrugged. “It’s not a big deal, Miriam. I don’t like to talk about it, but it’s a fact.”

“If we decide to go any further in our relationship and end up getting married, we’ll decide whether we have our genes combined and get a surrogate or just adopt.”

“Either sounds like a nice idea,” Arthur said. “Now why I help you with that.” He’d seen the large bag full of wrapped boxes that Kelly had left on the stoop.

Kelly tried to get Reg alone for a moment, but in the brief periods when it was just them in a room, he’d only say, “Wait and see what my present to you is,” and then wink. Ned wasn’t sure if Reg knew who he was, but Kelly looked decidedly nervous as Reg insisted that the first present opened had to be his to her. The box was huge and when Kelly opened it and saw the tubes and machinery inside, she looked questioningly at Reg.

“It’s all the stuff we’ll need to make your outdoor pool heated.” Reg said. “I know how you … dislike cold water.”

Kelly was out of her seat and had her arms around Reg in an instant. “Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” She babbled. “I love you so much!” She kissed him hard. “This is the greatest present you could have given me.” She settled down on Reg’s lap, refusing to return to her own chair.

“Wow. That girl must really like to swim.” Grams said.

Reg’s parents just smiled and shook their heads. Young love. They were amused when on their insistence, Reg and Kelly opened one of the small packages that Reg’s parents had set out for the pair as a couple. “Mom!” Reg said, when he opened the box. “Really?”

Kelly put her hand over her mouth. “Oh my.”

“We just want you to be ready when the time comes. We’d hate for the moment to be ruined by a dash to the store and we definitely don’t want you doing anything you’ll regret. Even if pregnancy isn’t an issue, other things are.”

“Plus,” Arthur added. “We know how variety is a good thing, so you see that we got you a packet of every type. Even ones with amusing prints.”

“I think we’d better move on to my main present to you,” Kelly said to Reg, letting him bounce her a few times before getting up. “And you said this would be a polite set of gifts,” she teased as he found the box and pulled it out of the pile.

“We got you both a few more things, but given how you reacted to a pool warmer, we’re glad we got you that too.” Arthur said.

The box was almost filled with an enormous plush fox and at first Reg looked at Kelly sternly. When he pulled it out and took a piece of paper out of the bottom of the box, he looked closely at the note and then picked Kelly up and kissed her almost as excitedly as she had him when she saw the pool warmer. “I can’t believe you did this!”

“Did what?” Miriam asked.

“I have connections,” Kelly said smugly. “I hope you enjoy yourself.”

“Doing what?” Arthur asked pointedly.

Reg looked around, beaming. “Kelly got us a spot volunteering with some of the animals at the zoo on weekends.”

“Reggie always did like exotic animals.” Gram said. “I remember when he was a kid and I always had to watch him when we went out because he’d try to climb the fence and get into the exhibits.”

“I love them even more now.” Reg said, now sitting in Kelly’s lap.

The rest of the presents were more traditional, though Kelly had to pretend to be excited several times when she was given something colorful and ‘useful’ for her ‘dorm.’ The feeling of belonging suffused her and even when the others got up and bustled about getting other holiday traditions ready, she sat and watched them, basking in the glow of having a real family. Ned hadn’t had a proper Christmas since he was a boy. Another thing he’d missed without realizing it. Kelly stretched out on the sofa and lay down during a period when most of Reg’s family was busy. She didn’t realize she was dozing until Reg brushed her forehead. “Still awake?”

“Mmhmm,” she mumbled. She opened her eyes languidly and looked around. “Where’s everyone?” She yawned.

“In the dining room waiting for us, sleepy.”

“Oh.” Kelly sat up. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s OK. It gives us a moment alone if you want to ask any questions.”

Kelly looked into Reg’s eyes. “I think I know everything I need to. There are things we’ll need to discuss. Our future when we both know you’ll outlive me by a good margin. Not on Christmas.”

“No. There will be plenty of time for that later.” Reg agreed. “Let’s go.”

Reg woke up early on the next Saturday and looked out the window as soon as he finished getting dressed. It was snowing. Good! He left his house and went to Ned’s, making as little noise as he could opening and closing the door and going to Kelly’s room. She was still asleep and looked lovelier than ever lying on her side cuddling a pillow. Reg wanted to go over there right then and kiss her, but he knew what kind of reflexes his girlfriend had and he didn’t want to wake her up. Instead he went to her closet and took out what he needed. He was closing the door to the connecting bathroom when he looked again at Kelly and wondered. Was she Kelly full time now or did she still occasionally let out her … less feminine side? He closed the door and was out of the house well before she woke up.

Kelly had no idea her boyfriend had come and gone while she was asleep, though as she brushed her teeth, her thoughts ran along similar lines. Ned couldn’t remember the last time he’d spent more than a few minutes as himself, rinsing the skin out, drying it and then going back to being Kelly. She turned her morning dressing into a strip tease and beamed at herself in the mirror. Why should she want to be anything other than who she was? She felt so calm and so domestic as she closed and locked the door. She was about to go grocery shopping for the food that she would share with Reg that day. Ned had shopped for food as a matter of need and habit. Kelly walked down the aisles humming to herself and making sure to pick out something new that she was sure Reg would enjoy.

The spell was broken halfway along the garden path when a pile of the newly fallen snow exploded and a white and cream colored blur came at her. Instinctively, she ducked, but she was still borne to the ground and subjected to a freezing midriff as an arctic fox muzzle burrowed under her shirt.

“Treats? Treats?” The voice coming from the fox was almost her own.

Kelly pet the enormous female fox, who sat up on her haunches and held her arms out with her wrists limp like a begging dog. “I haven’t even been to the store yet!”

The fox bore down on her again, pushing her giggling to the ground. The fox sniffed and panted at her. “Car ride!”

“Not looking like that, I’m not!” Kelly said, stroking the muzzle and then kissing it. “If you want to join me as Andrea, you can, but not wearing that. Do I go out in public in that thing?” She tugged at the fur. “Besides, you don’t quite fit it. I can see skin peeking out.”

Reg pulled the fox mask off, revealing that he was indeed wearing Kelly’s twin suit who she called ‘Andrea’ when they weren’t alone. “Just trying to get into the spirit of our relationship.” He got up and helped Kelly to her feet.

“You look darling. If you were the same height as me — well, of course you’d look as good as I do in it. As it stands…” She looked the slightly stretched fox up and down. “You’re a little too big for it.” She hugged him. “I guess now I know how it feels. Am I going to get greeted like this for the next couple of weekends?”

Andrea looked at her wickedly. “Maybe.” She brushed some snow off her fur. “Probably not. You’re right, it’s a little too tight on me.” She started back to the house, swishing her tail provocatively. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll take you up on your offer, though. I haven’t gotten to hang out with my darling sis in too long.”

“Love you.”

“Love you back.”

Andrea closed the door. Kelly huffed on her hands and rubbed her face. She hoped her sister wouldn’t be too long. Her face was starting to loosen up. Kelly really did need to talk to the costumer one of these days about getting something less temperature sensitive. Then again, that would make the heated pool unnecessary and she didn’t want to disappoint Reg by turning his present into something less special. She was looking forward so much to summer and when she could show off her curves again in a bikini and this time actually swim in it too!

Reg grew warier with each step as he walked up to Kelly’s house. When she didn’t jump out at him even when he opened the door, he crept in and looked around again. When he closed the door, he found a note taped to the back. “Come to my room. Kelly.”

Expecting an ambush when he opened the door, he opened it ever so slowly and froze at the sight of Kelly lying on the bed. She was wearing the arctic fox costume, but had made some modifications. Her aureoles and nipples were standing out and when he took a step inside, she spread her legs and fingered herself, showing that the suit had been made partially crotchless. “Hey, there lover.” The vixen said and then rolled over, kneeling and lowering her front in a submissive position. She wiggled her butt and wagged her tail. “Want to mount me? I fixed up your fox costume so you could play too.”

Reg walked over and gently pushed her tail down, tucking it between her legs. He was used to seeing every part of her by now, but seeing her pushing her privates in his face was still a little uncomfortable for him. “What’s going on? You’re playful, but I’ve never seen you so amorous.”

The vixen rolled back over, but kept her tail tucked between her legs, seeing that Reg was uncomfortable. She wrapped her arms around herself, hiding her exposed nipples. “After all the nice things you’ve done for me … the Christmas present and accepting me for who I am … I felt like maybe I needed to make the first move. Like you were waiting for me.”

Reg took the mask off. “You must be boiling in that thing. The heat’s still on.”

“I didn’t want you to be uncomfortable. If you put the fox suit on, we can go outside. You know my back yard is screened.”

“Sure I do. We’ve played around in it enough.” Reg pulled the zipper down so that Kelly would be cooler still, pulled the costume off down to her waist and massaged her shoulders. “I hope this is reversible.”

“Of course it is! I wouldn’t ruin our fun time just for a bit of sex.” She reached back to brush his hands.

“That’s good. Kelly, you don’t owe me anything. I love you for who you are; all of it. For everything you’ve done for me. Also,” he cupped her face in his hands and turned her to meet his eye, “I want our first time to be between us and to be really special. Me walking in and you displaying yourself … that’s animal, that’s too casual. We’ll know when the time is right.”

Kelly pulled him in and kissed him. “I’ve been silly.”

“A little.”

Kelly laughed. “So much for flattery. OK, I’m getting a little impatient and I was worried it was something about me. Or maybe you were shy. I’ll wait.”

“Actually, while we’re on the subject of who you are, there is something that’s been bothering me.”

Kelly’s heart started to race. “Yes?”

“When did you decide you loved me and I wasn’t just an alibi?”

Kelly smiled. “That’s easy. The first time I said ‘I love you.’ I was really surprised, but when I said it, I knew it was right. Before then … I liked you, Reg. The way the old me liked you. I wanted to help you and — well, it was convenient as well. It meant there were a few people who’d say, ‘That nice girl who dates our Reg? The Starling? Never!’ That all changed when you ordered dinner in advance and swept me off my feet. I should be the one thanking you. You showed me how much I’d passed up in life. I love you, Reg and I love us.”

“You were the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Kelly, and you definitely happen to me. I love you too.” He pet her fur again and stood up. “Why don’t you get dressed and I’ll make us lunch? Oh, and Kelly?”

“Yes, Reg?”

“I wouldn’t mind this being the second time. Just in case you ever want to plan something interesting and we’ve already been intimate between ourselves. I couldn’t think of a sexier or more appropriate second sex date.”

Kelly smiled, “I’ll think about it, but where would be the surprise?”

Fantoccini’s Feline
By Paul Calhoun

A certain someone mentioned that I don't do sweet/sentimental/positive sex scenes. Simple answer to that: it's usually my clients who want the hardcore stuff and I like to go the discreet path in my more upbeat work. However, I figured Kelly and Reg getting together was a really special occasion, so enjoy some sex scenes in which everyone is happy, knows who the partner is and is having a blast.

Kelly gets the Blue Fairy Treatment and we have spoilers/foreshadowing for the Allie series.

“… and that’s why their fur changes color when it gets warmer.” Reg told the crowd of kids. “If you know someone with a Siamese cat, you can watch them closely and you’ll see the same thing.”

“You’re so good with kids,” Kelly said as the field trip moved on.

“Thanks. I hope that when — if…” He trailed off. “That is, if you want to.”
“Of course I do!” Kelly said. “Though I think we’d better wait until you’ve graduated “college. You haven’t even quite finished high school yet.”
“I’m sure you’ll make a great mom.” Reg told her, putting his hand around her waist. He had to get his intimacy with her in quick bursts since they showed off the cold weather animals every fifteen minutes.
“No I won’t!” She said teasingly. “They’ll be wild children just like me. I’ll dress them up as really scary monsters at Halloween and get them to scare all the other kids. Then I’ll teach them rude eighteenth century words that’ll make the teachers have to punish them after looking up what they said in the dictionary.”
Reg kissed her cheek. “Sounds like they’ll have a fun childhood.”
“You bet your ass!” Kelly self-consciously touched her cheek where Reg had kissed it. She hadn’t thought her gift to him all the way through. Volunteering in the arctic exhibits meant she had to be on the lookout to make sure that her skin didn’t start to loosen up.
Reg kissed her again. “Don’t worry. It’s as smooth as ever. Very kissable. Hey! There’s a boo-boo I can kiss better!”
Kelly tittered. “Very true, though there are some parts that might be more of a problem in a public setting than others.”
“Parts that you make a habit of leaving bare?” Reg asked innocently, leaning back and to the side to check her out.
“Stop that!” She laughed. “There’s another load of brats on the way.”
“I hope you don’t say that about our kid.”
“Oh, I hope she’s a brat. It means she’s got as healthy an ego as I do.”
“What if it’s a boy?”
“Then I’m sure he’ll be a perfect gentleman just like you. Even when you’re being a perv, you make me feel special.”
The next group also included a few interested adults including an older man and his wife with their daughter. Both the man and his wife wore glasses and listened politely. The daughter — a striking blonde who looked about the same age as Reg — seemed not to be very interested. For his part, the older man seemed to be looking at Kelly more than the animals and didn’t avert his gaze when Kelly looked back at him. The blonde girl tried to flirt with Reg, but her mother took her by the arm and led her away. “Come on, Alice.”
“I wish you wouldn’t call me that.”
Her father snorted. “I can think of something else we could call you that you really wouldn’t like.” He tipped his hat to Kelly and winked knowingly. “We wouldn’t want to waste these nice peoples’ time. They’re obviously a very loving couple. He dropped a slip of paper on the railing between them and followed his family.
“That was odd.” Reg said. He picked up the paper. “I don’t understand a word of it. Is he someone you used to work with?”
“If he is, I don’t recognize him.” Kelly said doubtfully. There was something oddly familiar about how he walked. She took the paper.
‘Love is worthy of great service and great sacrifice. If you ever need someone to make the dream of Fantoccini into a true life, contact me.’

The note was followed by an email address. “Fantoccini.” Kelly said. “I’ve heard the name. I think he made the Electric Grandmother.” Her eyes widened and she was shaking. “How did he know?”

“Do you think he did?” Reg asked.

“I’m sure of it. I think he was offering to make it permanent.”

“Is that possible?”

“I wouldn’t have believed it…” Kelly shook her head and smiled at Reg. “Do you want me to ask him that question?”

Reg kissed her. “Only if you really want.”

Kelly put the note in her pocket. “We can talk about it later. Right now we have to feed and clean out the penguins.”

While they were taking buckets of fish up the stairs, Reg said, “There was a police inspector at the house yesterday.”

Kelly’s mind went totally blank and she was unable to form a coherent thought as they made two more trips with the penguins’ food. “Oh.” She said finally. “When?”

“Yesterday,” Reg said patiently. “Late afternoon.”

“What did he want to know?”

“He asked if we’d seen anything unusual. Said there’d been tips that there might be a criminal living in the neighborhood.” They were speaking quietly, but Kelly took Reg aside and checked to see if anyone was watching. “Why didn’t you tell me this morning?” She shook her head. “Of course, they might have been listening. What did you tell them?”

“Nothing much.” Reg said. “They were asking mom and dad mainly. Did you do anything major lately?”

Kelly shook her head again and Reg pushed the hair that came free back behind her ear. “No, just the usual stuff. Really tame. I haven’t stolen anything that wasn’t supposed to be taken with me in two months.”

“Maybe they’re just sniffing around.” Reg said hopefully.

“Maybe.” Kelly bit her lip. “It hasn’t been that long. If they come to my house, then we’re in better shape.”

“How’s that?”

“It means they’re not afraid of spooking me. Or maybe that they’re trying to flush me out.” She made a grinding sound in the back of her throat. “They’ve never been this close before.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Nothing. If they come back and ask about me, tell them — I should be more specific. If they ask about Ned you can be noncommittal. Family friend, nice guy, very respectable. If they ask about me, then — I don’t know. My first instinct is to confess right there and go for a deal. I don’t want to see you brought down if I go.” Any further plans melted away as Reg kissed her.

“No.” He said softly. “I’ll tell them the truth. That you’re my girlfriend, a wonderful person and the most important thing in my life.” He smiled. “I remember your backstory better than you do, though. That could be a problem.”

“This is what I get for having such an attentive boyfriend,” she said, chucking him on the arm. “I’ll remember enough.”

“How long has it been since I told you I loved you?”

“At least half an hour.”

“OK.”

“Aren’t you going to say it?”

“No, I thought I’d wait a little.”

Kelly kissed him on the cheek. “Derp.”

He grasped her hand in both of his. “Your derp.”

That night Kelly got out of the shower and stood in front of her mirror. A hot shower had relaxed her and returned her skin to taut smoothness. She rested one hand between her legs and the other over her chest. Absently playing with a nipple, Ned wondered how different it would feel if it were real. What it felt like to have Reg inside her rather than having him put his dick in a simulated vaginal opening and rub up against Ned’s penis pinned behind the vaginal wall. Kelly fell back onto the bed, fingering herself and rubbing her breast. Thinking of the first time she’d have with Reg; when he’d finally be ready. She wished she could give him the full experience, to have it for herself rather than provide a simulation no matter how realistic. It wouldn’t be exactly right. There would be something missing even if all the elements were there. Kelly was breathing hard when Ned’s ejaculation filled her false cavity. She got up before any could drip onto the sheets and got back into the shower to finish cleaning up.
She knew she looked perfect but for the first time since she started virtually living as herself, she didn’t feel perfect. “Damn that Michael Falkner.” Kelly whispered. He’d put the idea into her head. She might have thought about being incomplete later on, but now it was staring her in the face. A very sexy face, but one that she was now painfully aware of being a layer on top of the real thing. She went to sleep cuddling a pillow and pretending it was Reg as usual and tried to forget. Sardonically, she wondered what it said about her that this worried her so much more than the policeman who was sniffing around.
Kelly woke up the next morning to the smell of bacon. Reg had let himself in and was making them breakfast. She quickly put on some underwear and a robe, wondering when the feel of female garments had stopped being a guilty pleasure and just another part of everyday life. “You spoil me.” She said, sitting down. “I feel like I ought to be doing that for you.”
“You’d burn it.” Reg said.
“Would not!” Kelly stuck her tongue out. “I’m good at it because I’m the girlfriend.”
“You’re a terrible girl,” Reg replied playfully. “Look, your bra and panties don’t even match.”
Kelly huffily drew her robe tighter around herself. “Cheeky!”
Reg pecked her on each. “Yes I am.”
Kelly let go and leaned back, allowing her chest to push the front of her robe open. “Ah, much more comfortable.”

“Go ahead, let it all hang out. If it makes you more comfortable, I don’t mind.”

Kelly smiled softly. “That’s OK, Reg. We may accept the way things are, but I’d never traumatize you by letting you see me in anything less than a state of feminine perfection.” She leaned forward and giggled as Reg turned to look at her. “Careful, dear. You don’t want to burn it while you’re staring at me. Don’t worry; they’ll be here when you’re done.”

Reg smiled back at her. “I dearly hope so.” He put her share on her plate and sat down. “I love having mornings together.”

Kelly shook out her hair and ran a hand through it ruefully. “I need to brush my hair, I have no makeup on and I’m in mismatched underwear and a nightgown.”

“I never said I loved seeing you in the morning.”

Kelly pretended to throw a bun at him. “You realize that this is a horribly rude thing to do to someone you’re not even living with.”

“Are you proposing to me?”

Kelly kicked him under the table. “Oh no you don’t! I don’t care how untraditional we are; when you ask me to marry you, you’re going to make a big deal out of it.”

Reg’s eyes sparkled. “So does that mean you’re planning on saying yes?”

Kelly scowled. “You’re baiting me,” she muttered plaintively. “This is no fair. I’m supposed to be the one who annoys people with leading questions like that. It’s too early in the morning,” she pouted, crossing her arms.

“Aww, don’t do that, honey.” Reg said. Kelly smiled hesitantly. “It covers up your boobs.”

Kelly really did throw a bun at him for that. “So much for being so considerate and making breakfast.” She said. “Thanks, sweetie. You’re so good to me and I throw food at you.”

“I don’t even mind,” Reg said. “Of course, now I have both buns.”

“Give that back!”

“Uh-uh! You threw it at me, now it’s mine.”

Kelly darted forward and grabbed the bun that was still on Reg’s plate in a lightning swift motion. “Hah!”

“Now who’s being unfair?” Reg asked. “I’m not a renowned sneak thief. Then again, I just got a really nice view so I’m not going to complain too much.”

“Hmph!” Kelly put the bun in her mouth but didn’t bite down. “Mine,” she said around the mouthful of bread.

Reg got up and went around the table. He took a bite out of the exposed part. “Are you sure?”

“Mmmhmmm.” Kelly said, warming to the new game. She worked some of it further in as she bit down so that it stayed sticking out from between her lips.

“Really sure?” Reg took another bite and Kelly did the same. The last one had their lips touching and after taking a hard swallow so she wouldn’t spray Reg with bits, Kelly said, “That was different.”

Reg sat back down and licked the remaining pastry slowly before inserting it into his mouth. Kelly rose in a fluid motion and sat on Reg’s lap, her legs resting on either side of his and her arms around his shoulders. The bacon was room temperature by the time they got to it.

They were going to spend the morning in, so once Kelly had brushed her teeth — both sets — she threw on a pair of jeans and a Tshirt that felt nicely loose and comfortable, keeping her mismatched underwear as a secret protest against her boyfriend’s ever growing dress sense. Ned preferred slacks, but Kelly couldn’t help but love how jeans seemed to always show off her legs and butt. She didn’t remember buying anything this comfortable and found out why when she joined Reg in front of the TV. After kissing him hello, he looked her up and down and poked her. “Thief. That’s my outfit!”

Kelly looked down. “So that’s why they’re so loose. I was worried I was shrinking.”

Reg started tickling her. “This is for stealing from your big sis!”

“Hey, you’re bigger than I am but I’m still the big sister.” Kelly squirmed but didn’t try to run away. “Now … I think … about it, I was … wondering … why the neckline was so low. Slut.”

“Thief!”

“If I weren’t a thief, you wouldn’t have a girlfriend, these clothes or cuddly foxes. And I’m not sure if you’re allowed to accuse me of stealing your clothes when you aren’t even Andrea right now.”

“Well if I weren’t a slut — hey, you painted me into a corner.” As Kelly tittered and the began to laugh immoderately, Reg snapped his fingers. “Right! If I weren’t a slut, you wouldn’t be able to enjoy having a boyfriend and a sister who doesn’t mind standing in for him. And on the other topic, sure I can accuse you of stealing my clothes when I’m not Andrea. They’re still mine.”

“Nuh-uh, they’re hers.” Kelly said. “Just like this house belongs to dad and I just live in it.”

“All right, you win. I’ll just go and change and then we can continue this argument.”

Kelly grabbed him as he stood up and pulled him back down. “I want a boyfriend, not a naughty sister this morning!” She planted his lips on his and didn’t let him up until he promised he wasn’t going to go and put on the Andrea suit.

“You know,” Reg said, idly tracing Kelly’s curves with a forefinger, “maybe Andrea should steal some of your outfits next time you see her. I bet plenty of people would love to see her overflowing one of your blouses and immodestly showing off her midriff with a hem that doesn’t reach her waistband.”

“Down boy!” Kelly said. “No getting turned on by your feminine reflection while there’s a perfectly sexy girlfriend right here.”

Reg kissed her nose. “I was talking about you.”

“Maybe next week. Today we’re going to the theater. There’s a great satiric comedy out right now.”

“And a lot of wealthy people showing off their jewelry?”

“Honey, that’s the opera.” Kelly said. “Besides,” she sniffed when she thought about what he’d said, “I’m not a pickpocket. I’m a sneak thief and a catburglar but I do not steam from people personally. Unless they ask me to. I don’t have the reflexes for that.”

“I’m starting to become jealous of your clients.”

Kelly rubbed noses with him. “Is that a request?”

Reg grinned, “Can it be?”

“Since you know it’s me, I promise I won’t be jealous if you enjoy a night with her.”

Reg looked serious. “Is it safe?”

“I don’t know,” she purred, pushing him down and lying on top of him. “She might get a little rough. A lot of her marks need to be tied up.”

Reg put his arms around her. “That’s not what I meant. What if I’m being staked out?”

Kelly rested her head on his chest. “I don’t think that’s likely.” She closed her eyes as he rubbed her back. “I’ll make sure the coast is clear.”

“What night?”

“Like I’d give you advance warning.” The loose top was starting to bunch up and the jeans were falling off of her. “Be right back.” She dashed off and returned a moment later in a clingy sweater and stretchy yoga pants. Climbing back on top of Reg, she returned to her position partly curled up on him. “Much better for cuddling up with you. And I thought we’d be watching TV.”

“I could turn it on.” Reg said.

“No. I like this better. I can laze around the house any time, but I only get to cuddle and talk like this when you’re out of school.” She inched up so that their faces were almost touching. “How can anything on TV compare to being close to you?”

The weather was warming up, so Kelly could go out in a light long sleeved blouse and a knee length skirt. She met Reg coming out of his house after changing into something better for the theater. “Looking good.” She said.

“Not nearly as good as you,” Reg replied.

Kelly brushed her hair back. “I have an advantage.”

“No argument here,” Reg replied, opening the car door for her.

“You know, I never really felt comfortable asking.” Kelly said as they drove away. “But do you think they’re too big?” She grabbed her breasts in a double handful and hefted them. “I’ve wondered ever since I go them.”

“No.” Reg said. “They look great on you.”

“Too small?”

“Kelly, your boobs are absolutely fine.” Reg replied. “They fit you and I couldn’t imagine you any other way.”

“What about my butt-“

“Kelly, you’re perfect!” Reg said.

“No I’m not,” Kelly whispered. “I’m not real.”

Reg grabbed her hand and held it up in a tight clasp. “You’re real enough for me! Kelly, I love you for who you are and you couldn’t be that person without who you used to be. Do you think I’ll ever miss what someone with biological parts can give me? Of course not because I’ll never love anyone but you.”

Kelly let him brush the tears off her face though more welled up. “I love you so much. You’re everything I could have ever hoped for.”

“I’m glad you’re so satisfied,” Reg said.

Kelly was quieter than usual through the play, though she laughed in all the right parts. She clung close to Reg whenever they were out of the car and when they sat down to dinner, she kissed his hand before he could take off her chair. When he sat down, she played with the napkin for awhile, then looked up.

“Reg?”

“Yeah, Kelly?”

“I’m going to call that guy we saw at the zoo.”

“Are you sure you want this?” Reg asked.

Kelly took his hands. “I can’t think of anything I want more than this.” She replied. “If it’s possible — if I can be a real girl in every way for you — then I want it. I can’t imagine choosing to go through life with this,” she gestured at herself, “illusion if there’s a way for it to be real skin, real flesh.” She looked down and Reg knew that underneath the pristine layer of synthetic skin she was blushing. “A real body to give to you when you’re ready.”

“Kelly?” Reg asked.

“Yeah, Reg?”

“Let’s go home.”

Kelly’s eyes snapped up and she took in the expression of gentle love in Reg’s eyes. “Right now?” She breathed.

“As soon as we can.”

Reg actually picked her up out of her chair and carried her to the car. She rubbed his chest with her cheek. “Why now?”

“Do you have to ask?” Reg asked, lowering her down into the car seat. “What you’re telling me you’re doing for me — it’s not gratitude, it’s real love. I can’t let you tell me you’re willing to do that and have any doubts that you’re the one and this is the time for it. Also,” he said, a sly smile spreading across his face, “I want to know what it’s like with you as you are now. If you change — well, I’d like to be able to tell you that it was a good choice. I can’t say that and really mean it unless I find out, though I’m sure it’ll be true — that is — you know what I mean.”

“Yeah, I do.” Kelly said. “Even if this gives you a one hundred percent genuine experience, it’ll still be better when I know I’m a lady organs and mind.”

“Believe me, that’s a very distant second. I really do want to do this because I know we’re meant for each other.”

“I know.”

“Although if you don’t want to-“ He was silenced by Kelly’s finger on his lips.

“I’ve been ready for a long time. I just wanted to make it that much more special by letting you come to me.” She giggled. “Or have you forgotten the ‘I’m a fox in heat, mount me please!’ incident?”

“Oh no, I haven’t forgotten. Once we’re done tonight, next weekend you’re turning the AC all the way up in your house and we’re going to go at it like animals.”

“If you want.”

“Kelly, I have no question in my mind that once I’ve had sex with you, I’ll want to keep doing it as much as possible.”

Kelly stretched in her seat. “It’s good to be sexy and appreciated.”

Again Reg lifted her out of her seat and carried her inside. When he put her on her bed, she opened her purse and pulled out a box. “I still can’t believe your mother gave us animal print condoms.” She said. There was no need to prime Reg so she could get it on; he seemed to be biting back an orgasm even as she rolled the condom over his penis. ”I’m going to take that as a very big — ooh! isn’t this blue one with the monkeys on it just precious? - compliment,” she said as he panted. His pants were already down but she held his hand as it went to his shirt buttons. “Allow me. I’ve wanted to do this for a very long time.”

Before Reg could ask, she strutted around him and put her hands behind her head. Winking and presenting her back to him, she said, “Pull down the zipper, will you darlin’?” Reg did so and she gyrated her hips until the dress was on the floor, making sure that the reflection of her front was visible to Reg in the mirror. Let him see me at any angle he pleases, she thought. “Oh, I can’t quite reach my bra hook. Could you be a dear and undo it?” She asked in a little girl voice. When he stepped up to do so, she twisted and put her arms around him, practicing her circular breathing as she kissed him until he was done fumbling. “I’d have thought you’d be better at that,” she teased. She was as surprised as Reg to see that her nipples were hard and wondered what it would be like to have erogenous zones on her breasts rather than a conduit that tickled the also erect penis buried deep within her.

“Maybe I was taking my time to enjoy the process.”

“Naughty boy.” She played with the waistband of her panties, taking them down a tiny bit at a time until they were loose enough to hook with one heel and send sailing away. Naked but for her pumps, she approached him with a sexy sashay and undid the buttons on his shirt, kissing him after each one. When that had joined the rest of their clothing on the floor, she kicked off her shoes and leapt on him, knocking him back onto the bed. She still had her hose on, but she was sure he wouldn’t mind the feel of it on his skin. “Rawr,” she growled in the back of her throat. “I’m so ready.”

At first all they did was kiss and grind against each other, but soon he was at her nipples and she was stroking his scrotum. “Kelly,” he said, gasping for air.

“What, hon?”

“Do you need a condom too?”

“Dear, I would never whip mine out in the middle of sex. Yuck!” She laughed and nibbled at his ear, whispering, “I’d never be able to get it back in, sexy boy. Don’t worry; I think yours will be plenty of protection.” Kneeling with her knees on either side of him she said, “Speaking of which, I think it’s time we got to putting that where it belongs.”

“Right.” Reg said, blushing.

“Don’t worry, I know it’s your first time. You’ve been doing very well so far.” She lowered herself down on to him, allowing him to penetrate a fraction at a time.

“You’ve been doing most of the work.” He whispered, trying to control his hips as they tried to push him up and down inside her.

“I’m teaching you, dear. Trust me, I’ve learned a few things myself so far. This is my first time as me and don’t you forget it. Just put this here and that there and … ahhhh, yes that’s good. It really makes things better if we take it really slow and gentle like this. We can try sportier things when you’ve gotten the basics — whoo, you’re a quick study — aaahhhhhhh…” She moaned. Reg really was a quick study. “Keep that right there.” With Reg steadying her, she twisted and rode him as hard as she dared.

“I’m not sure I can hold it in much longer,” Reg gasped.

“That’s oooookay.” Kelly said. “Tell you a secret? Promise you won’t tell?”

“What?”

Kelly blew in his ear. “I came about thirty seconds ago and I’m going for my sec-AAAAAAAHHHH!” The first time had been a small one but this time they came together and it was glorious. They bucked and jerked and Kelly almost fell off. As his erection faded, Kelly reclined and lay on top of him with his arms around her for a few minutes, totally spent. “That was a really good first go, Reg!” She congratulated him. “I had multiple orgasms and I’m not even built for them.”

“Thanks. I think.” Reg stroked her back and she nuzzled his shoulder. “Shouldn’t we have started with something else, though?”

“Well, I mean it’s a little unusual to have the girl on top and I admit I probably went a little exotic there at the end when I switched from Hot Hula to Bucking Bronco, but I figured you’d gotten the feel of things enough to let you do some of the work.”

“I have no idea what you just said,” Reg replied. “I meant that there was no hand or oral stuff. We sort of went from foreplay to hardcore.”

“Oh.” Kelly blinked. “I got a little excited.”

“You? Never!” Reg exclaimed.

Kelly slapped his flank. “That’s a good point, though. If you’re ready to go for another ride, we can start sixty-nine and go from there.” She flipped around. “I believe that’s a yes,” she said as she almost got hit in the forehead by his erection. Her tongue flicked out and the result almost spilled her off the bed. “Whoa, boy!” She laughed. “Maybe I’d better start slower.” She ran one long nail slowly along the shaft and was rewarded by a vibration underneath her. “What are you waiting for?” She asked, wiggling her butt. “Let’s see what you’ve got. I can’t tell you from direct experience, but I do think you know what a clitoris looks like and a gentle finger or tongue would be appreciated. This is an equitable trade, yes?” Reg tentatively touched her clit and she took an involuntary breath. “I told you you knew. No reason to be shy now that it’s right up where you can see it. You didn’t have so much trouble when you were putting your parts near it or when you had one yourself. Hah! I didn’t know but I guessed. Naughty — little — boy,” she said, punctuating each word with a lick or a stroke.

When Reg was getting busy, Kelly decided to try to get the whole thing in her mouth. She remembered liking that and hoped Reg would too. “Careful how you go,” she said, taking it out of her mouth. “You really don’t want to rock me too much when I’m doing this.” Reg came first that time and Kelly lay happily playing with his semi-erect penis while he filled her with a warm glow trying to bring her to climax as well. When she was satisfied, she returned to her position lying flat out on top of him with their lips meeting. “You know, we never had dinner,” she said. She stretched languidly. “I’m sort of hungry, but I really don’t want to leave you.” She snuggled him. “I just want to lie here and go to sleep so we can go again in the morning.”

“Too bad the bed doesn’t roll around,” Reg said.

“Yeah,” Kelly yawned. “Too…bad.” She closed her eyes and Reg gently set her down beside him, putting his arm around her as she clung to him. He was hungry too, but after sex with Kelly, he was definitely more tired. It was a school day the next day, but he figured he could at least cook them breakfast. Or maybe he’d just put a toaster pastry in and they could use the time saved to get to know each other better. Reg fell asleep with a grin on his face and a tiny bit of wonder in his mind. If this was Kelly using technology to simulate a female body, her with a fully functioning real woman’s form could give him a heart attack!

When Reg woke up, Kelly had rolled over and was hugging a pillow, making tiny grunting sounds and little jerks with her hips. He stroked her shoulder and smoothed her hair back out of her face. “Huh?” She breathed, partly asleep.

“Honey, I’m up if you want to stop dry humping that pillow and start on me.”

“Uh!” Kelly hugged the pillow closer. “Love…Reg.” She muttered.

Reg quietly got up and cut up an orange. He put the slices and a roll on two plates and took them back to Kelly’s room. She was sitting up, the sheet tucked in behind her so that it covered her without needing to be held up. She took the plate, smiling up at him. “Good morning, sweetie.” She slid over to be close to him when he joined her on the bed. “Was I ignoring you in favor of a pillow this morning?”

Reg put his arm around her. “It’s OK.”

Kelly kissed his cheek, then picked up an orange wedge. “I’ll make it up to you when we’re done with this.”

“I have school this morning.”

Kelly fidgeted and let the sheet fall down to her waist. “I’m sure I can fit you in for a faster one.”

Reg looked down at the morning wood that was growing again at the sight of his half-naked girlfriend. “Kelly, do you mind if I ask you something really personal?”

“One of those questions,” Kelly smiled softly. “Go ahead.”

“Does it hurt? Waking up hard while wearing that?”

Kelly self-consciously rubbed a spot near her pubic bone. “I don’t notice it much anymore. It feels natural to be me, to be your girl. What I mean is … I’m Kelly. To be Kelly is to have this in me and put away where no one can see it and only I can feel it.” She put the plate aside and rested her head on Reg’s chest. “I’m afraid.” She said. “I want so badly not to feel it anymore. To feel only what your girl should feel when she wakes up in bed with you. But I’m still just a little bit who I was and that person … that man … he doesn’t want to lose the uncomfortably trapped stiffness hidden inside of me because that means he’s lost part of his identity. The last part that makes him who he is. If I do this, I kill Ned. I’ll have his memories and a lot of who I am came from him, but if I take away the man’s body that fills me, then there will be nothing left of him that is not me. That frightens me … him. Us. However you want to say it.” She drew her body in so that as much of her was in contact with Reg as possible.

Reg wiped her eyes and pushed her chin up so that she was looking at him. “I understand. I think. If it were me I’d be terrified. That’s why I knew it was time when you said you would. If you can give up Ned for me, then I’m going to be as supportive as I possibly can be. You’re making yourself mine and I want to show you that I’m yours as strongly as I possibly can because you’re affirming your commitment more than I could short of marrying you.” He squeezed Kelly’s side. “I hope all this vulnerability and sex won’t make you too restrained. I’d hate for this to stop all the surprises.”

“Are you kidding?” Kelly asked. “I’m so going to get you as often as I can no matter what I’ve got between my legs. You can count on that Reg. Trading in this suit for the real thing will have no effect on making sure you never take me, a walk in the park or anything else for granted. Now,” she said, taking Reg’s plate away and putting it on the side table. “I think before we got into all this mushy stuff I was going to show you how a loving, committed couple can reach nirvana in twenty seconds flat.”

It was one of the rare afternoons when Kelly visited Reg rather than him coming to her. Kelly liked Reg’s parents — they’d been friends for longer than the older couple knew — but there was something about their hospitality that always left Kelly flustered. Maybe it was their seemingly unquestioning approval of their son’s choice or how they had actually given the pair condoms for Christmas. Kelly couldn’t help but feel a little guilty at the thought that these very nice people were being so warm and friendly to someone who had started dating their son as an alibi and who still occasionally went out at night to be a burglargram, not to mention the fact that Kelly was their old family friend disguised as a young woman. The longer Kelly stayed Kelly, however, the less the last fact bothered her and since she’d pretty much given up on actually stealing things people didn’t want stolen, she was far more comfortable waiting for Reg and talking to his folks. It amused her to think of how there had been a period when Reg had been more comfortable being Kelly around Arthur and Miriam than Kelly was. She was wondering when she first started thinking of herself as the real Kelly when Miriam handed her a cup. “We haven’t seen your father around lately.”

“Thank you. No, he’s been very busy.” Kelly replied. “I don’t see him very much myself and rarely for long.” The exact truth. Ned exclusively appeared when Kelly’s insides needed cleaning. Sometimes she’d go for days or even a whole week without being taken off.

“That’s too bad. Still, we have you around and I know Reggie appreciates it.”

Arthur smiled. “Speaking of appreciation, we notice that he didn’t come home last night.”

“Arthur!” Reg’s mother smiled apologetically at Kelly. “We understand. You’ve been so good for Reg.”

“Thank you,” Kelly replied. “He’s been very good for me as well.” She sipped her drink. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” Arthur said. “He’s still doing well in school, so if he wants to sleep somewhere else and you let him actually get enough sleep, that’s fine.”

Kelly would have blushed if it had been possible. She was saved from further discussion of her sex life by Reg walking in. “Hi, mom, hi dad. Kelly! Is there a special occasion?”

“You know it.” Arthur muttered but was silenced from further commentary by a glare from Miriam.

“Nothing really special. I just felt like meeting you-“ Kelly was interrupted by a loud knock at the door.

“I’ll get it.” Miriam said. “Oh, it’s you.” She opened the door all the way.

“Ma’am,” the man in the dark suit said.

“How can we help you today?” She said, sounding strained.

“We wanted to check back and make sure you haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary.”

“Nothing at all,” Arthur said, going into the hallway.

Kelly stood up, smiling brightly as she passed Reg. “Hi. Who’s our visitor?”

“Henderson, FBI.” The man replied. “I’m here as part of an ongoing investigation into several high profile thefts.”

“I see. How exciting.” Kelly replied. “You’re investigating the Starling?”

“That’s the name the media have given the thief, yes.” Henderson said.

“This is Kelly. She’s dating our Reg.” Miriam said.

“Yes, ma’am. I’m afraid we’re aware of the young lady’s activities of late. Since you’re here, I must inform you that you are a suspect, ma’am.” He said to Kelly.

“Me?” Kelly put a splayed palm to her chest. “Oh. I wonder if I should be flattered. The Starling is a very glamorous person.”

“Glamorous but larcenous. I’d take this very seriously if I were you.”

Kelly nodded, looking serious. “Yes, I can see that. Well, Mr. Henderson, if you have any questions I’m sure you know where I live. I’m sure I or my father could clear any suspicions you have.”

“We may be taking you up on that.” Henderson replied. “Good afternoon.”

“That was odd,” Arthur said when they closed the door.

“Don’t worry about it,” Kelly said. “He wasn’t interested in you. If I’m a suspect, they’re watching me and this was intended to warn you off of me as well as informing me that they’re interested.”

“Oh my!” Miriam said. “Are you all right?”

Kelly smiled tightly. “It’s a little jarring, but I have nothing to hide. If they want to waste time watching me, that’s their business.” She winked at Reg. “I just hope they aren’t enjoying the view too much. I’ll have to make sure the shades are down when I get dressed.”

“That’s disgusting,” Miriam said.

“It’s our culture,” Kelly shrugged, sitting down next to Reg.

“I’m sure they won’t bother you,” Miriam said. “You’re far too young to be the Starling.”

“Thanks!”

“Besides, we know where you are at night,” Arthur added. Miriam threw a pillow at him.

As usual, Kelly helped Reg with his homework. A new wrinkle was that Reg could join Kelly when she left. While Kelly was still getting used to Reg’s parents, Reg was even more embarrassed at the thought of sleeping with Kelly and having his parents just down the hall. He admired Kelly’s curves under the tight jeans and her long clingy long sleeved top, but when he closed the door behind them, something else filled his mind. “You were so cool back there.”

Kelly smiled shyly. “Practice,” she said. “You have to be able to look as if it never even occurred to you that a vase could fit inside an electric wheelchair.” She touched Reg’s arm. “Not that I wasn’t scared. They’re closer than I’d like and now I know they’re watching. I’ll have to be very careful for awhile.”

“So no nocturnal visits from the Starling?” Reg asked.

“I never said that,” Kelly said, mischief dripping from her words. “I’ll just have to get from my house to yours all the more stealthily. I’m still not telling you when or whether I’ll actually do it. You’ll find out.” When he sat, she settled down on his lap, his arms around her belly. “I’m really tense, though.”

Reg massaged her neck. “So am I. When you got up and walked right up to that guy, I almost had a stroke.”

Kelly closed her eyes. “Too bad we can’t massage each other.”

“Well…”

Kelly smiled. “Before dinner? Are you really in the mood after all that?”

Reg moved on to her back. “I’m not sure.”

“Neither am I. I don’t want it to be mindless and just to relieve the stress. I’d rather it be an actual massage if that’s all we’re after. We can be intimate when we’re actually interested making love rather than loosening up.” She turned around and started rubbing Reg’s shoulders. “I have an idea that might get us ready after dinner.”

“What?”

“A nice hot bath.”

“We’ll need a bigger bath,” Reg said.

“I prefer to think of it as enforced togetherness.” Kelly said, kissing Reg. “Though I might install a whirlpool soon. I bet I can get you hotter wearing a bikini than I can stark naked.”

“No bets,” Reg replied. “I already know you can. You could get me hot while wearing anything.”

The after dinner bath left both of them in hysterical giggles. They’d been unable to fill the tub more than halfway since every awkward scramble involved in attempting to bathe together had threatened to slosh over and inundate the floor. They agreed that a larger tub was necessary if they wanted to try that again and switched to a shower. Kelly eyed Reg critically as they scrubbed each other. “You know, we might have had less trouble and we’ll definitely have more interesting sex if you could take some time out to join me in the basement.”

Reg was taking his time with her chest and tweaked a nipple. “Kelly, I don’t have that kind of time. Your training is a full time job all by itself.”

Kelly closed her eyes and almost stopped working on his belly as he massaged her boobs with the washcloth. Her warm reverie was broken when he rolled it up and whacked her on the behind. “Oh, sorry. I suppose you’re right. It’s a shame, though, since if we were both acrobatic, we could do all sorts of great things.”

“It’s only our second night together. Are you really bored?”

Kelly reached behind him to work on his back, pushing them into contact. “Not at all.”

Reg admired how cute Kelly looked while completely soaked. “I understand, though. You’re planning for the future. I guess if I don’t have much going on this summer I could start on something with you. I’ll never be as flexible as you are.”

“You’ll love it,” Kelly said. “Remember, it means you’ll be spending hours at a time watching me do stretches in a spandex bodysuit.” She laughed as she felt his erection growing between her legs. “I think you’re getting the picture.”

“So you’re in the mood?”

Kelly kissed Reg hard. “I’m totally relaxed and horny as hell.”

“Shower’s over!”

“Don’t slip.” Kelly giggled as Reg jumped out of the shower. “Here, let’s take our time with the towels. No sense in wasting a mundane task that can be put to much naughtier use.”

For the rest of the week Kelly’s lessons with Reg progressed to the point where she felt he was up to the task of being on top Friday night. She was very happy to let him fight gravity while she basked in the feeling of their bodies joining. His technique was still rough, but she was confident that with the time they’d have over the weekend, he’d be able to move on from classical positions to more strenuous ones by Sunday night. Saturday morning, however, they had a visitor.

“Hello,” the sandy haired gentleman said when Kelly answered the door in a light green sun dress. “Mike Falkner. I hope I’m not too early.”

“Not at all. Please come in,” Kelly said.

“This is Alice,” he said, gesturing to the leggy blonde teenager following him.

“Please call me Allie.” She said.

“Please don’t,” Mike replied firmly. “It reinforces a negative behavior pattern I allowed to continue for too long.”

The teenager’s expression was stormy. “Dad, it’s not like I —“

“You’ve been objectifying women by treating this as a convenience.” Mike said sharply. “Being female is not about spying on your girlfriend, playing out insane kinky scenarios with your hormone addled friends and it is certainly not about sneaking into locker rooms to watch real females undress. I’m sorry,” he said to Kelly as they joined Reg. “I caught absolute hell from her mother for this. I thought my son could work things out on his own. Imagine my shame when I found him shacked up with his girlfriend using his female form to pretend he wasn’t committing statutory rape.”

“Do we really need to go over this with strangers?” Alice whined.

“Did you need to go to a party with alcohol at the age of nine and have anonymous sex with people just to get them in trouble?” Mike replied. “At least your friends Alan and Bruce did it for love and Donald only wanted to recapture a youth he never had. Be very grateful I didn’t have Mark committed. He was getting dangerously close to needing more than straightening out.” To Reg and Kelly he said, “I’m taking her on my rounds to show her what the suits are really for. People who love each other and only want them to make their love stronger. Although I understand that love was not your original reason for purchasing one.”

Kelly shook her head. “No. It was for … something else.”

“Criminal activity. I know.” Mike said. “You’re the Starling. Don’t worry; it’s not my affair and I have no interest in condemning you or assisting you. You’ve found a better path and I’m happy for both of you. What concerns me is how you obtained your suit. I am deeply worried that the design and equipment has fallen into the hands of others. I had hoped that they would be satisfied with my competitors’ designs.”

“If it helps, I think the person I bought it from was very happy to see the use I put it to as well.” Kelly said.

“It does.” Mike replied. “It makes me feel better and I now believe I know who it is. Well well. It’s still odd, though. You’d think criminals would prefer an endoskeletal robot suit instead. They’re far easier to use and can provide a range of behavioral and physical augments. Or even my foreign friends who don’t ask so many questions. Ah well; I’ll catch up to your provider eventually.”

“Can you really help us?” Reg asked.

“Now that, young man, is the real rub.” Mike said. “Can I help you? Yes, a very interesting question.”

“Great-grandma could.” Alice said.

“I might revive Grandma Alice and discuss the situation if I were really stumped.” Mike said. “I believe, however, that I can take care of this myself. It’s amazing what the power of love can accomplish.”

“The power of love?” Kelly asked incredulously.

“Well, the power of nanite driven cellular level restructuring,” Mike shrugged. “To me, it’s the same. You see, you wouldn’t be willing to take such a drastic measure if you didn’t completely and totally love your young man. So to me it’s the power of love or as good as. To answer your previous question, I can help you. I am positive I can bond the suit to your body so that it becomes your skin and behaves exactly as if it weren’t a costume. Naturally, you wouldn’t be able to remove it, but you also would sweat out of it and the skin would flake off and regrow as normal. Complete integration. As for the rest… I’m close to sure that I can get the nanites to rebuild your organs to match so that you’ll be female in most physical ways. It’ll be touch and go with some of the nerve connections but luckily humans are largely modular and even if the parts aren’t in use, they’re often kept anyway so the nanites can just switch things around.”

“That’s wonderful!” Kelly said and Reg hugged her tightly.

“It’s really nice to see such a committed pair.” Mike said. “To continue, what I’m sure I am totally unable to do is build you a functional reproductive system. That is, you’ll be able to have sexual relations and it’ll feel totally genuine, but you can’t get pregnant. That is well beyond the nanites’ ability right now.”

Reg held Kelly, who looked down and sighed, “I was afraid of that.”

“Perhaps in future. I’ll let you know if I can. Oh, and there’s a fifty-fifty shot at rendering you the age you appear to be. In some places. Obviously rejuves don’t work on your brain and I wouldn’t give good odds on other hard to reach places like bone marrow, but you may find yourself stronger in a few parts afterwards. I also know a few people. If you take me up on this offer, I can make it so that the FBI aren’t interested in you anymore. If you continue illegal activities, I can’t protect you, but Kelly will have a clean slate and Ned will be deceased.”

“I’m very grateful,” Kelly said. “Whatever you want for it, I’ll pay.”

“I’m sure you will.” Mike replied. “I can see you’re both dedicated.”

“Are you sure we won’t be able to have children.”

Mike smiled. “I didn’t say that. Just that you can’t get pregnant and won’t have a menstrual cycle. I might be able to persuade the nanites to preserve a couple of small sections of your testicles and squirrel them away where your ovaries would otherwise be. If I can get it to work, you’ll have a pseudo period in which your testes will produce a small quantity of sperm which will leak out. Should you wish to have a child, I’m sure any qualified fertility expert could take that sperm and produce a functional egg cell. Of course you’ll need a surrogate mother and one quarter of your attempts will fail outright since you’ll be attempting to combine two Y chromosomes, but if you’re driven enough to do this, I’m sure you’ll have no difficulty producing a biological offspring when the time comes. That is, if you don’t want to adopt. I can vouch for that being a very satisfying solution.”

“When can you do it?”

“You’ll need to arrange for a private hospital room and a nutrient tank. The nanites can do the work in the tank — it’ll take somewhere between six and twenty-four hours depending on how much they’re able to do - and then you’ll have to convalesce for a week or two. I know that’s a long time, but it is a very invasive procedure and you’ll need time off your feet for your body to adjust to being radically changed. Before I set things up, are there any, any, alterations you would like to make to your appearance or are you totally satisfied with how you look now?”

Kelly looked at Reg, “Honey?”

“This is where I am really tempted to ask for giant boobs.”

“Nothing,” Kelly said to Mike. “That’s how he tells me I’m perfect.”

Mike smiled. “Yes. I remember when my wife used to say that to me. Have a nice day. I’ll be in touch. Things should be ready in a month. I’ll give you a definite date when I have one.” He left, his daughter/son following.

“She seemed very confused,” Kelly said.

“The girl Alice? Yeah.”

“Not much of a girl,” Kelly said. “She looks about the same age we are.”

“She didn’t act like it.”

“No.”

“You’re right about her seeming confused. Especially when we were talking about family planning. I hope her dad isn’t thinking of making it permanent for her.”

Kelly shook her head. “No. The way he talked, he would never consider turning someone into female as being a punishment. Reg?”

“Yeah, Kelly?”

“I know we were going to have a walk in the park and you’re the sweetest most sensitive man I could ever want, but … I feel like discussing this with another girl.”

“Do you want me to get Andrea?” Reg asked.

“You’re such a dear. Thank you.” Kelly said, brushing his hand.

“It’s fine.” Reg kissed her cheek. “Maybe Andrea could learn about lesbian sex tonight.”

“If she listens well and is really supportive, I might be willing to learn about that with her. If you don’t mind going without a lesson.”

Reg said, “It would give you a chance to use your real … uh … man part before it gets replaced.”

Kelly amazed Reg by blushing. Ned must have been beet red underneath the layer of polymer that made Kelly’s face. “Reg!” She said.

“What? If I’m Andrea tonight, then it’s totally fine if you get to take it out. Then I get to learn what it’s like to be on the other end.”

“Reg, go and change right now!” Kelly said. “I am not discussing this with you.”

“Will you discuss it with her?”

“Go on!”

“By the way, you ought to change too. That’s a nice dress but it’s really an indoor thing. It’s not that warm out just yet.”

“I’ll do it when Andrea’s getting dressed, now get going.”

Reg grinned as he went to Kelly’s room to get Andrea’s skin. It was the first time in a long time that he’d managed to so completely fluster Kelly. The offer had been genuine. He couldn’t really fault Kelly if she wanted to exercise her hidden penis if he was going to be dressed up as her sister. Reg really couldn’t imagine how Kelly could live with it stuck in there like that. He guessed she really did love him that much. He really hoped she’d take him up on it. He wanted to find out what it was like for her and he was also looking forward to sticking a leopard print condom on her.

Catburglar’s Cradle
By Paul Calhoun

The final installment of Catburglar. Kelly takes care of loose ends, Ned comes to terms with his forthcoming death of personality and Mike lets the nanites loose on Kelly.

Contains foreshadowing for an Allie story that is forthcoming this week which in turn is foreshadowing for the Unplanned Adventures.

Reg woke up when a cold breeze blew over his face. He’d closed the window and his bedroom door, so the draught was as unexpected as the visitor it heralded. By the time he opened his eyes and had woken up enough to process what was happening, the shadowy and extremely curvy figure had closed and locked the window. Silent despite the three inch heeled boots that threw her black lycra covered legs and rear into even starker relief, the Starling crossed to the foot of Reg’s bed and turned on a dim lamp. “Oh, good,” she purred. “You’re already up.” In a more normal voice, Kelly said, “Good reflexes, by the way. If you ever had a real burglar try to break in this way you might actually stand a chance.”
“Do home invasions usually start on the second floor?”
“They do the way I do them,” the Starling said, falling back into her mellifluous flirt. “Especially when the target is such a strong, handsome man.” She climbed up onto the bed and knelt over him. Reg had been to Kelly’s practice runs, but he was still thrilled by how much older and more dangerous she looked in a catsuit and a mask which let the hair that had given her her name flow out behind her. In the dramatic makeup and that expression of barely controlled lust, Kelly looked every inch the femme fatale she’d become in the news. Hanging over him so that her hair brushed his cheeks and their eyes couldn’t help but meet, the Starling massaged Reg’s bare chest. Reg shivered at the touch of Kelly’s leather gloves on his flesh. “Now don’t try to escape or call for help or I’ll have to get rough.” She leaned down closer and nibbled his ear. She whispered, “I don’t know if you wanted to try that kind of thing, so I brought some rope and a gag just in case.”
Reg smiled and made a halfhearted attempt to get out from under the seductive criminal who had him pinned to his bed. The Starling let her full weight fall on him and quested under the bed. Kelly had stored a few things there while Reg wasn’t looking and faster than Reg thought was possible, his arms were tied to the bed and the Starling was crawling down to do the same to his legs, rubbing her body against him every inch of the way. “It’s a shame,” she said as she secured his legs with a practiced air. “I was hoping you’d be free to join in.” She returned to her perch almost nose to nose with Reg. “Don’t worry,” she whispered, “I’ll let you have a nice grope later on. You know,” she continued in the Starling’s tone, “I usually don’t go after such small targets and I never,” she started kissing him, “let anyone have more than a taste, but,” she pushed his underpants down to his ankles, “you get me so hot I just,” kiss, “can’t,” a brush of leather over his crotch that had his hips bucking as she stretched one of the animal print condoms onto him, “resist.” She ended with a torrid kiss and wrapping his erection between her lycra clad thighs. He was breathing hard and his breath caught when he felt the zipper running along her crotch. That was new! “I wore a special outfit to come see you.” He was treated to another brush of leather as she pulled the zipper along its track and guided him into her.
“But maybe I should put my work before having fun,” the Starling pulled back from their kiss with a pout. “I have to steal something.” She went to his underwear drawer, being sure he got a good view of her cleft cheeks and the fact that she hadn’t closed the zipper. He whimpered at having been brought so close and then left unable to even touch himself. The Starling laughed softly and then opened the drawer. “Maybe just a memento. Something nice and intimate to remember you by.”
“Uh, you don’t want to look in there,” Reg said, gulping to find his voice.
Thinking he was still playing, the Starling said, “Oh, surely you could part with a single pair of shorts for a night with me!” She started ostentatiously rummaging in the drawer.
“Kelly! You really really really don’t want to look in there!” Reg said, looking panicked. For the first time in their role play, he was struggling against the ropes intentionally. Kelly saw that he had gone completely flaccid again.
“What’s wrong, sweetie. It’s just play, I’d give it — oh,” her fingers closed against something hard. Something small. Something … box shaped. Even through the leather, she could tell it was covered in velvet. She closed the drawer slowly, and turned around. The bashful note in her voice and the shame in her posture brought back the Kelly Reg knew best. “Oh, god, honey. I’m so sorry! Really, I am so absolutely sorry! I didn’t know you — I knew we discussed it but I thought we’d wait — how did you even find the money —“ Kelly took a deep breath. “I’m just going to pretend I didn’t see that. It’ll still be a surprise when you give it to me and I knew you’d want to eventually.”
“I really wanted to spring it on you when-“ Reg was cut off by the Starling jumping on top of him and pressing her lips against his.
“Not another word, handsome. That’s for your girlfriend and I would never take something that valuable.” The Starling started kissing and fondling Reg again. She tried a few more positions but the bucking bronco and love seat really wasn’t doing anything for her with Reg tied up now that she knew what he was planning. The energetic sexuality that had characterized the role play had drained out of her when she saw what he’d hidden. She wanted him completely involved so she untied him and let him run his hands all over her body, enjoying his hands on her as much as he enjoyed feeling her in the catsuit. His first move was to get a good double handful of her rear, holding her steady against him so she wouldn’t have to work as hard. He squeezed and massaged the faux flesh covered in a layer of tight lycra. Kelly let out a rumbling contented sound as he pushed her back and forth along his shaft. They climaxed as quietly as they could and Kelly fell forward onto his chest. He peeled her mask off so he could touch her cheek and after that it went into familiar territory for both of them. Kelly had been willing to play through the fantasy all the way, but when she saw what he had hidden, all thoughts of making his into a light role play had left her. What she wanted to do now was hold him and make love rather than fool around. “I love you,” she said. “But I wish I hadn’t seen that.”
“Me too. It was just starting to get fun.”
Kelly kissed his nose. “I won’t even pretend to misunderstand that, I’m so happy.”
“Wow,” Reg said. “I’ve shocked you into being nice.”
“I’ll show you nice!” Kelly rolled them over, forgetting they were in Reg’s bed, which was a double instead of a queen. With a startled yelp, she fell to the floor with him on top of her. They heard his parents’ bedroom door open. “Oops.” She giggled. “Time for the Starling to make her escape.” She secured her modesty first by doing up the zipper between her legs, then pulled on the mask. “Have a nice night. Sorry we had to cut it short. I love you!” She called as she descended the side of the house.
“I love you too.” Reg called down before closing the window.
“What was that?” Miriam asked, knocking at Reg’s door.
“Must have been a bird or some wild animal.” Reg said, pulling on a loose T-shirt and opening the door.
“Some wild animal,” Miriam said.

Reg didn’t get a chance to see Kelly again until the next afternoon when he joined her for the weekend.
“I hear you had an exciting night,” Kelly said.
“Very, though it didn’t last nearly long enough.” Reg replied, kissing her hello.
Kelly smiled secretly. “I’m sure you’ll have a more fulfilling night soon.” She hit him in the arm. “You derp! Why didn’t you tell me not to look in there?”
“I did! Don’t try to lay the blame on me if you were bent on stealing my unmentionables. I told you twice to get your thieving mitts out of there.”
Kelly kissed him on the forehead. “Yeah, I know. I sort of thought it was part of the game. Sorry. Again.”
“It’s OK. I bet you’ll still squeal like a preteen at a boy band concert when I give it to you.”
“I’ll make sure to take a deep breath every time you go for your pocket.” Kelly pulled Reg down so he was laying with his head in her lap.
“You’d better.” He said, smiling up at her. He yawned and closed his eyes. “You’re so comfortable.”
“Aw. I kept you up late last night. I hope you didn’t miss too much school.”
“No, it was fine.”
“Maybe I’d better not do that on school nights.” Kelly stroked his hair. She seemed about to say something, but Reg looked so peaceful and content that she didn’t have the heart to tell him that his bedroom was not the last stop for the Starling that night.

It was the night before and the hot passion mixed with warm love that had filled Kelly was draining fast. The Starling was standing outside the home of an FBI agent named Henderson. The Starling didn’t trust the promises of strange wizardly men with semi-trans daughters, so she was going in to make sure that if Fantoccini’s influence wasn’t enough to get Henderson off the trail, there’d be enough blackmail material to stop him. Ned had met cops like Henderson before. Too professional, too dedicated to the idea that no one was above the law. Admirable, but a real pain in Kelly’s behind. Thinking about it, Kelly added spanking to the list of things she wanted to try before she was changed. It was cheating, but she wanted to see if Reg enjoyed it before it became something that would actually sting rather than hitting a silicone filled bag covered by artificial skin.
Henderson’s home security was much better than the norm — as expected. On the other hand, Ned and the Starling had dealt with much harder in the course of their mutual career, so it wasn’t difficult for her to spoof a connection over one window and quietly enter his abode. Then came the hardest part. She only had an hour or two to look around and she didn’t know how carefully the agent behaved at home. She’d have pegged him for a real stickler but there was no way of being sure.
An hour later, Kelly was getting really worried. She’d found nothing and it was getting deeper into the small hours. The catsuit, heels and gloves were also wonderful for being a vamp and distracting people, but the sitting for ages in one place or looking through a cabinet left her feeling the scratchiness of the fabric even through the false skin and the gloves were uncomfortably hot to say nothing of all that time in high heeled boots making her feet ache. Annoyed and wishing she could get the annoying loops of fabric that served as a stylized mask off her face, Kelly saw lights in the drive way. Looking out the window, she saw a woman coming up the walk. That gave her an idea!
As fast as she could, she raced up the stairs and found Henderson’s bedroom — he was alone! He too had good reflexes, but she jabbed him with a sedative before he could fully wake up, making it unlikely he’d remember being awake at all. She unzipped her bodysuit and unrolled it down to her knees. With only a minute or two to work, Kelly set up a camera on a table and had it start taking pictures continuously as she posed with him, his hands in various places on her body — always sure to keep his closed eyes from showing in a shot - and then flipping him over, crawing underneath him and pretending to have him mount her. Kelly wished she’d had another mask or even a wig, but there wouldn’t have been enough time to slip into them anyway.
She heard the woman she assumed to be his wife coming up the stairs and scooped up the camera. Pausing only to zip herself up again, Kelly jumped out the window, hoping Henderson’s wife hadn’t turned the alarm back on yet. She hadn’t. Compromsing information would have been better, but she was pretty sure he’d cave if she had to use the photos. She doubted his wife would believe he had been asleep the entire time.

Kelly had felt a little dirty after doing that, even though she hadn’t actually done anything with Henderson other than stage some photographs that suggested something more explicit had happened. With Reg’s head on her lap and his breathing confirming that he trusted her so much that he could sleep on her, she couldn’t feel bad. She’d have done much more if it meant being able to spend the rest of her life with the man whose hair she stroked. He was murmuring in his sleep and she bent down to hear what he was saying. “Kelly, will you — Kelly, please — Kelly, it would be my honor — marry …” He kept repeating the phrase in different combinations of words. Kelly didn’t know when she started crying, but she’d finished and cleaned herself up before he awoke. “Are you ready for dinner,” he said, yawning.
“Yeah, love. I’m ready.” Kelly said.

The next time the Starling appeared, Reg was actually in Kelly’s bed. “We really have to stop meeting like this, handsome,” she purred as she secured his wrists.
“Especially since you’re visiting me in my girlfriend’s bedroom.” Reg agreed, finding that somehow she’d managed to put the Christmas birth control on him while he was asleep. “What did you do with Kelly, anyway?”
“Don’t worry, stud,” the Starling said as she wrapped her legs around his hips. “She’s fine. Having the time of her life, I’d say,” she added as she turned around and pushed him into her. “Now,” she said as she lay back, him inside her and her hair forming a layer between his face and her hood, “what are we going to do with you now?”
This time everything went smoothly and both of them had a ball with Kelly starting out by fucking him as hard as she could with him bound and then him somehow escaping and chasing her around the house. When he finally caught her, she convinced him to try spanking, which neither of them really enjoyed. “I’d much rather do this,” he said, rubbing the area gently. “And this,” he kissed her rump.
“Having fun back there?” Kelly asked.
“Not nearly as much fun as I would if I were here,” he moved on to her lips.
She woke up the next morning to find Andrea trying on her catsuit. “Hey! Where’s my boyfriend?”
“He went out to get breakfast,” Andrea said. She winked and sauntered over to the bed. “I can see why you like this, but I’d fall flat on my face if I tried to run in this outfit.” She pulled the hood off and unzipped the front. “I think I’ll go take a bath.” When Reg returned, he climbed into bed with Kelly.
“Where’s breakfast?”
“Andrea lied.”
“Sounds like her. Am I going to get a visit from a certain sexy catburglar some night?”
Reg kissed her nose. “Maybe.”
Kelly burrowed into his body. “The operation is tomorrow.”
“I know,” Reg knew her well enough to hold her close. “Do you want anything special?”
“I — I need an hour to myself. Maybe two.”
“I’ll go out and get that breakfast then. I’ll make sure to take my time.”
Kelly waited for him to leave, then hopped in the shower. When Ned emerged carrying the Kelly skin, he went to the mirror. She’d left her mark on him even now with his almost permanently narrowed waist and the way he walked. Ned looked at his reflection. “So old boy, it’s goodbye now.” He touched the mirror. “I — I’m sorry I have to do this. Sort of. I’m really scared, but I know it’s for the best. There’s nothing left for me and Kelly has a whole future ahead of her. I’m so afraid, though. Afraid of not being me.” Tears were streaming down his face. “I haven’t been me for a long time but I’m still afraid to die. I won’t really. I have a better alternative than anyone. I’ll be reborn and I’ll know it.” Kelly’s tone entered his voice. “Ned. I’ll always remember you. Remember who you were in a way that will keep you alive in a way that so few people ever experience. I know you’re afraid. I would be too. But … I don’t know how to say this politely. Your life isn’t worth as much to you as mine is and if you don’t go, I can only lead a half life. If it’s any consolation, I won’t really be me either. Not the me I am now. So much of me is made of always being a little bit aware of you inside me, of being a conduit of sensation to you rather than a real person.” Ned’s voice returned. “That’s what scares me, Kelly. That when you open your eyes, your true eyes for the first time, that you won’t feel like yourself. I am so totally starkly maddeningly frightened that you won’t be the girl you think you are.”
Ned’s male clothes felt odd on his bare flesh, but he had to get dressed. There was something that needed doing. He went out of Kelly’s room and opened the front door. It was time to tell Reg’s parents about the terminal disease he had. He had no other friends and his contacts wouldn’t care who answered the messages, but they needed to know that they would never see Ned again. He had to say goodbye at least to them. After he explained himself to them and endured their sympathy, the hardest part of all came. “Hi, Reg,” he said when he went back to his house. “Mind if I join you?”
“Uh…” Reg was almost as flustered with Ned as he’d at first been with Kelly. “Sure. It’s your house.”
“Not for much longer. I’ve gotten everything ready to transfer my assets to Kelly. I just wanted to say goodbye to you. You’re a good kid and it was an honor to know you. I’m sure that you will make Kelly a very happy woman one day. I wanted you to know that you had my blessing.”
They ate almost silently after that. Reg couldn’t think of what to say to the solemn but resolute man opposite him. Ned didn’t mind. He preferred the solitary emptiness to meaningless chatter. His mind was empty and Kelly’s was full. When he left and she emerged from her room, she hugged Reg. “I needed that,” she said quietly. “He did. Reg, I have to admit that I’m really afraid of this. What if I’m not really me when I get out of it? What if there was something about me that gets lost when I become a real woman?”
“I don’t think that’s likely,” Reg said. He poked her forehead. “It’s all up here.”
Kelly grabbed the hand and pulled Reg to her. “Thanks.”
“I’m here for you.”
“I know. You always are.”
“And I will be. Forever.”
Kelly wasn’t in the mood to do anything other than cling to Reg for the rest of the day and she continued to hold on to him even when she fell asleep. She barely let go of his hand until they entered the private ward she’d arranged for with Mike and he met her in front of a tank half full of a liquid slightly more viscous than water and lit from below. “Take off all your clothes and step in, please.”
Reg squeezed Kelly’s hand and let go. She let fall the loose fitting dress she’d pulled on and slipped out of her underclothes. There was a stepladder on the side and she ascended it before lowering herself into the tank. Mike strapped an oxygen mask to her face and closed the tank, which filled up above her head, leaving her floating, her hair fanned out behind her. Reg thought it made her look exotic and vulnerable. She put her hand to the glass and Reg pressed his palm to the opposite side. Then Mike pressed a button and Kelly’s eyes closed. Her chin touched her chest.
“This could take awhile,” Mike said, “and she won’t be conscious again for at least two days. You’re welcome to stay, but I can call you when she’s taken out or when she comes around.”
“Is there an extra bed?” Reg asked.
“Yes,” Mike said, smiling softly.
“I’ll stay.”

The first thing Kelly noticed was the pressure on her hand. The next thing was the gumminess around her eyes as she opened them to see Reg sitting next to her, looking down into her eyes as they opened. After that, there was a flood of sensation that left her speechless. She’d expected to feel an absence between her legs, but instead there was an awareness of something so different from anything she’d sensed before that it was actually less of a distraction than the feelings coming from her chest. Experimentally, she concentrated on the new … opening inside of her and felt the newly created muscles of her vaginal cavity contract. She met Reg’s gaze.
“Good morning,” he said, smiling.
Kelly smiled back. “Hi.” Her voice was cracked and Reg handed her a glass of water. To her relief, it didn’t taste any different than water had before the procedure. “This is so weird.” She said, feeling how her vocal cords were vibrating at a slightly different pitch, one that matched the sound that came out of her mouth.
Reg rubbed her hand. “Is it OK?”
Kelly thought about how Reg’s touch felt so good and all the new and different feelings that filled her. “No. It’s very nice.” She was blushing. Reg’s caress was causing her nipples to grow stiff and she could actually feel it. Then all arousal left when she felt the hard, constriction around one of them. “Reg?”
Her boyfriend was on one knee next to the bed. “I wondered when you’d notice. I put it on you as soon as Mike said your fingers were stable. Kelly, you’ve made me as happier than I ever thought I could be. I want to be with you for the rest of our lives, however long that is. Kelly, will you marry me?”
Kelly couldn’t jump up and down or squeal or do anything but reach over and try to pull Reg towards her. “Of course I will. So this is when you were going to spring it on me? When I’m too weak to ravish you properly? You coward.”
“I didn’t want to risk you loving me to death.” Reg said. “Now you can get used to the idea before you give me the proper reward.”
“Good, you’re awake.” Mike walked in before Kelly could ask Reg to act on the sensation that was slowly emanating from her chest and into the rest of her body. “You’ll feel a little sore and very sensitive for a couple of days. You’ll also be very weak. I don’t want you doing anything more strenuous than talking until we release you. That may be a challenge because I’m sure you want to be with your boyfriend right now. You’re tired now, but you’re going to start feeling things that will make you want to explore. Please try not to until you’re out.”
“I’ll make sure she behaves,” Reg said.
Kelly swatted him. “I can take care of myself.” She looked at Mike. “How did it go?”
Mike consulted a pad. “The nanites were surprisingly gung-ho about the whole operation. I had to rein them in a few times to keep them from going any deeper. They replaced your hip bones rather than adding hard cartilage and that was very surprising. All in all, I think you’ll find yourself as female as you could wish, barring pregnancy of course. The nanites even tried to alter your hormonal balance. I let them do a little, but I didn’t think you’d want the whole package since there’s not much point in you going through a menstrual cycle with no need for it. I don’t think. I did let them set up a sort of proto cycle in which your vaginal fluids — yes, you have them now — mix with released sperm from what’s left of your testicles.” Mike frowned. “Honestly the nanites know better than I do a lot of the time. I’ve never made it permanent before.”
“Wait, what?” Reg asked.
“I’m sorry. I thought you understood. The nanites were taken from a deep storage vault; I’d never tried them before this time.” He looked at their shocked expressions. “My grandmother did incredible things. I’ve come to trust her tools to wield themselves. I mean they kept you alive with no need for a nutrient drip or anything.” He left.
“He really is Guido Fantoccini.” Kelly said.
“Are you sure you’re OK?”
Kelly smiled and squeezed his hand. “I’m sure.” She lay back and closed her eyes. “I think I’d like to go back to sleep. Maybe when I wake up he’ll let me have some food.”
When Kelly woke up again, Reg was sitting next to her, fast asleep. She didn’t want to wake him up, but she was feeling extremely hungry. Apparently the nanites which had reshaped her body — and she swore narrowed her ribcage in the process now that she was a little more self-aware — had not bothered to simulate actual food while they were keeping her alive. When she couldn’t take it any more, she said, “Uh, honey?”
Reg stirred. “Yeah?”
“Can you get me something to eat?”
Reg stretched. “Sure.” He returned a few minutes later with a tray.
“Have you been here the whole time?” She asked sternly after a minute of solid eating.
Reg rested a hand on her leg. “Where else should I be?”
“At school?”
“I’m keeping up. I’m only five weeks out from graduation after all.”
Kelly propped herself up higher. “Weren’t you bored?”
“A little,” Reg admitted. “I read, I watched TV. I watched you.” He said, a soft tenderness entering his voice. “To be honest, I watched you a lot. You only got more beautiful the longer I looked.” He winked. “You also look really sexy floating in a tank.”
“Thanks. I think.” Kelly smiled mischievously. “Maybe this summer I’ll get a mermaid tail and maybe install some sort of breathing apparatus along the bottom of the pool. Ugh!” She gasped, almost dropping her spoon.
“What?” Reg had leap to his feet and was looking torn between seeing to Kelly and running for help.
Kelly giggled and blushed. “Don’t worry, sweetie. I just … uh … I’d never been aroused as a girl before.” She laughed as he sat down in obvious relief. “Well, I didn’t know what it would feel like! I’ve only ever been hard in a female shell. The real thing took me by surprise.”
Reg couldn’t help but smile back at her. “I should be flattered that I have such a profound effect on you. You shouldn’t be getting hot, though. Mike said you had to relax.”
Kelly stuck her tongue out at him. “It’s your fault. Hanging around and being all sexy and whatnot.”
“I could leave.”
Kelly grabbed his arm. “Oh no you don’t! You stayed while I was asleep and stared at me naked in a tank. Now you’re going to talk to me when I’m awake. How are your parents?”
“They’re doing all right. Mom said she was praying for your family since you seem to be having such a run of bad health. Your dad dying and now you in the hospital.”
Kelly bunched the covers with her free hand. “Yeah. That. It’s funny. I’m not really afraid anymore. I know I’ll miss him and miss the freedom of knowing that I could be him again if I needed to. I guess now that I’m here and completely me, I can see that I won’t need him anymore. You’re all the man I want in life.”
“That’s sweet. You lost a dick so you could have mine.”
Kelly punched his arm. “Don’t talk dirty. It’s hard enough lying here knowing I won’t be able to do anything with you for a week without you getting me wet talking about it. I really want to know what it’s like.”
Reg laughed. “It’s not easy on my end either. I’ve gotten used to having amazing sex every night and now I have to wait to start up again with amazingly amazing sex.”
“Do you think it’ll be that good?” Kelly asked.
Reg kissed her forehead. “Of course it will. Maybe we’d better turn on the television so we don’t go any further.”
Kelly sighed. “We’d better.”

By the end of the week Reg was bored and Kelly was shouting to be let out, having gotten tired of staring at her hand. Mike agreed that if she was that energetic that she was in good enough shape to leave two days early, so she sent Reg to get her a change of clothes. “See how much I trust you?” She said when he got back. “Not only can I change in front of you, I even trust you enough to pick something out that looks good.” She swished the calf length skirt. “Why did you pick this, anyway?”
“I’ve always liked that one, especially with the top.” Reg replied. “Also, I thought you’d want something looser than usual so you’d be more comfortable. That’s why I brought you sneakers instead of heels.”
Kelly kissed him. “So considerate.” She took his hand and her eyes were sparkling. “Plus all of this comes off pretty quickly and I’m definitely going to want it off as soon as we get home.”
“Will that be OK?” Reg called out to Mike as Kelly dragged him out.
“Just take it slow at first.” Mike replied. “Don’t tire her out.”
Kelly tossed her head when Reg opened the car door for her. “I wish I could say that I know my own body better than he does.” She took a lock of hair between finger and thumb. “Huh. I have real hair. I wonder if it’ll be as lustrous as it was when it was fake.” As Reg took the driver’s seat, she clutched his arm. “Reg! Is my hair still pretty?”
“Very. It’s as iridescent as always.”
Kelly sighed with relief. “Good. Of course that means my natural color is completely unnatural, but that just makes me even more special. How many girls never have to use product to get green and blue highlights?”
“You have weird priorities.”
“Just trying to make conversation and distract myself from the fact that I’m out of hospital and have one hundred percent functional boobs. It’s taking a lot of will power to wait until we’re in private to test them out.” She fidgeted. “It doesn’t help that I’m still not totally over the sensitivity thing. Every touch is way stronger than usual. I guess my nerve endings haven’t readjusted or something.”
Kelly let go of all subtlety that afternoon, removing her clothes as quickly as possible and waiting on the bed for Reg to do the same in a more leisurely manner. The lack of familiarity with how it felt to be touched on her new skin meant it was her turn to need the lovemaking to be slow and gentle. She wasn’t sure if it was an aftereffect of the procedure or if she was always going to be this sensitive; she hoped it was the second because her evident enjoyment seemed to be heightening Reg’s desire as well. The tingling thrill that coursed through her body when he started rubbing her breasts caused her to arch her back. When Reg entered her, the feeling of him inside of her was so powerful that she held him to her with all her strength and cried out with every movement he made. At the end, Reg looked into her eyes and tweaked her nose. “I hope you have thick walls because you were pretty loud.”
Kelly kissed him. “You could tell how I liked it. How was it for you?”
“Very good. I’m starting to wonder if I ought to ask Mike to change me too.”
Kelly mock scratched his chest. “Don’t you dare! Besides, if you did that, then you wouldn’t be able to have me do this.” She rolled him over and got on top of him, straddling his hips.
“Are you up to it?”
Kelly put his hands on her breasts. “Squeeze a few times and I think I won’t be able to stop.”
Despite her confidence, Kelly slept the rest of the day and through the night after taking her turn being the one controlling the lovemaking. The next two days were spent mainly in bed as well. Kelly was determined to explore everything her rebuilt body could do and feel and even when she was doing so without his assistance, Reg was happy to go solo along with her. At one point, she penetrated as far as she could with a finger, looking to see if she could find any hint of her maleness inside. There was nothing more than what Ned had felt inside his past girlfriends and when she got up to look in the mirror, she could detect no change in appearance. She looked like Kelly and now she felt like Kelly.
When after a hurried dinner on the second day Kelly tried to pull him into the bedroom again, Reg held up his hands laughing. “Enough! Remember what it was like when you had one and take pity on me. If I try to keep up with you any more, it’ll fall off!”
Kelly smiled. “I’ve been taking it a bit fast, haven’t I? It’s just so new and different. Some of the sensitivity is wearing off, too, and I wanted to take advantage of it as long as I could.” She stretched. “By tomorrow, I think I’ll have leveled out. I hope. The newness will still be there, but I won’t be quite as desperate for it.”
“Are you still happy you did it?”
Kelly grinned. “Oh yes. Even without the heightened senses, it’s a lot better not having to have a layer of fake skin between me and the world. Being exactly what I look like is so much more fulfilling. I absolutely love being able to feel you inside of me. I’m glad the sensitivity is going away, though. It means I can live a bit more normally. I’m looking forward to being able to wear tighter clothes and more sensual fabrics without feeling like I’m going to orgasm from just walking around.” She plucked at her skin. “That reminds me, I’m really sorry.”
“About what?”
“Making it so your Christmas present doesn’t mean as much, sweetie! Now that I won’t come apart in cold water, we don’t need a pool warmer.”
“I can think of some uses for it,” Reg grinned.
“I thought you weren’t up for any more.” Kelly smiled back.
“Hey, summer’s more than a month away. I’m sure I’ll have recovered by then.”

Kelly stood by the open grave, her view slightly obscured by the black veil that she was wearing. She was holding Reg’s hand and standing opposite from Miriam and Arthur — the only other people who had attended Ned’s funeral. She’d hoped to see a few of Ned’s professional friends, but they’d stayed away for obvious reasons. Kelly had alternated between being genuinely solemn at the symbolic death of her previous life and biting back giggles at the thought that the vicar and Reg’s parents were at the funeral of a man who was sitting next to them in the body and identity of his previously fictional daughter. Even as the casket was lowered, Kelly couldn’t entirely stop seeing herself as Ned in a disguise. It wasn’t something she thought about much, but whenever Ned came up in conversation, she was reminded.
She shed the veil as they drove home and Reg said, “Why did you have dad do the eulogy?”
Kelly shrugged. “It seemed self-aggrandizing to do it myself and I didn’t want to tear up too much at hearing what you would have to say.” She felt a wan smile spread across her face. “I shed my tears when I stopped being him the last time. I don’t need to have you up there praising us to bring them back. Besides,” her smile grew brighter, “you’d have let your love for me color your view of him and that wouldn’t have been right. Arthur’s speech didn’t really encompass the real Ned either, but it was what he would have wanted. To go out quietly and without any suspicion.”
“So have you decided to stop for good?”
Kelly favored him with a secret look. “For now. Maybe forever. I’ve found that in situations like these, circumstance dictates. You never know what will happen. I’ll keep up my exercise — if only to make you drool — and we’ll have to see what comes our way.” She fidgeted in her seat. “You know what’s weird? I’ve already gotten used to this body. I still think it’s amazing and I’m having way more fun with you in it than as a suit, but I don’t feel like a stranger in my own flesh.”
Reg rested his hand on hers. “It’s because you belong in it.”
Kelly kissed his hand. “You bet I do.”

Five years later, Kelly was standing in the bridal tent fidgeting with her bodice and checking for the hundredth time to make sure that her opalescent slippers weren’t going to catch on her train. She’d been wary of overly complicated wedding gowns since even after all these years she liked being able to move fast if she had to. In the end, she’d been convinced by the observation from Reg that though she could make anything look good, this lace confection worked well with her complexion and hair as well as with her figure, which had remained lean as her training did more to burn fat than the fact that she was no longer permanently in a waist cincher added it. She looked up as someone attempted to knock on the door. “Who’s there?”
“Something old, now open up.” An unfamiliar voice in a familiar tone called back.
Kelly undid the tie that made sure Reg wouldn’t see her before the ceremony. Two good looking men were standing outside. “I’m still not sure-“
“Now how can you forget me, girlfriend!” One of them said, grinning as they both entered. He handed her a bundle of blonde hair and skin. “In case you need something borrowed — a face! Or if you really need to talk to your man before things start and you don’t want him seeing you.”
“I’m not sure it works that way,” Kelly said. “It’s nice to see you, though. Sort of.”
The costumer smiled back at her. “Attending the marriage of a customer is good business. This is my special man, by the way.”
“And that answer is a lie in every respect,” a very familiar voice said. Mike entered. “I don’t think plausible deniability is going to work anymore, Antigone. You’re just a hopeless romantic and a damned thief to boot.”
The costumer pouted. “Spoilsport.” She removed the male mask and shook her blonde-brown hair out. “It’s a good thing I brought a dress.”
“Really, this is terrific,” Mike said. “If you ever need something to make your marriage more interesting or if you decide to have kids and they need a bit of help, we’ll be sure to give you a good price.”
“I don’t suppose the nanites are up to giving me ovaries.” Kelly said.
“No, they still can’t do that,” Mike replied. “Sorry.”
“I can hardly complain given how much they’ve already given me. Besides, I still have my spem, which means all we need is a surrogate.” Kelly looked at the mask Antigone had offered her. “I am so tempted to wear that now. I think Reg would completely lose his mind if he saw me coming up the passage in that.”
Antigone tossed it to her. “Maybe not for the ceremony, but afterwards,” she winked, “it might make your wedding night spicy. It won’t even mess up your hair.”
Kelly touched the near-sculpture that had rose up from her scalp and created a cascade down past her neck. “Now you’re just talking magic.”

Despite years of being together, seeing Kelly walking down the central passage — on his father’s arm - left Reg breathless. He went through the vows in a daze and when the time came to kiss Kelly he didn’t hold back. When the march played, he scooped her up and carried her to the car, which had been loaded with a few surprises from Mike and Antigone that they found later on and which made the wedding night very special. They lived happily ever after, which does not mean that their lives were uninteresting since they wouldn’t have been very happy otherwise. In fact, it was only a year later that Kelly broke her leg leaping from the roof in a makeshift bird costume in an attempt to make Reg’s predictions come true. She’d already dragged him down into the pool the first day she wore the mermaid tail Antigone gave her for her wedding.

Kitty Kangaroo

By Paul Calhoun

We return to Reg and Kelly some way into their married life. Kelly buys a giant kangaroo plushie costume to play with. Minimal TG.

I originally was going to have a generic couple for this, but it felt like the sort of thing they'd do. There really isn't a lot of tension or action, just playing around. Next time I do the plushie suit thing there's going to be a bit more plot to it.

Reg walked in to find Kelly sitting, looking intently at her screen. He smiled at the pout of concentration and the little furrow between her eyebrows. “You’re planning something.” He said, plopping down across from her.

Kelly looked up and gave him a sweet smile. “Always.”

“Don’t try to act cute.”

“Try?” Kelly stuck out her lower lip.

“You’re always cute, so it doesn’t distract me as much. You’ve got that look you get when you’re getting something ready.”

“I had an idea.” She admitted.

“Four words which fill me with thrilled anticipation and dread in equal amounts.” Reg kissed her on the top of the head. “Try not to break your leg this time.”

“Oh, I jump off the roof once!” She protested and then fell to giggles as he tickled her. “Thanks for not peeking.”

“Kelly!” Reg said, pretending offense. “I love you and you know I’d never spoil a surprise. It’s how you show your love.”

Kelly squeezed his hand. “And letting me is how you show yours.” She waved her hand at him. “All right. Shoo. I have a few more things to work out and I need to think.”

“Yes, mistress. Right away.” Reg grinned as he left. He didn’t mind skipping intimacy that afternoon knowing that her anticipation of whatever she was working on would have her making it up to him and then some that night in bed.

Kelly straddled Reg, panting as she bounced on him and he squeezed her breasts. Her slit-eyed rapture turned to a curious look at Reg and she slowed down. “Reg, do you ever feel weird knowing I’m older than you are?”

“Not by much.” Reg said, rubbing her belly. “Only a couple years.”

“In body, yeah, but you know what I mean.” Kelly replied. She lay down next to him, his animal print condomed penis sliding out. They’d agreed after her change and their marriage to keep using them despite her infertility and their mutual lack of diseases. Reg because he wanted to be sure and Kelly because she thought he looked cute with a fox tail rubbber. This she held and played with as she cuddled Reg. “I just sometimes feel a bit … maternal, I guess.”

“Even for you, that’s a weird thing to think while having sex.” Reg replied, putting his arm around her and running his finger around her aureole. He got a handful of her breast and tender flesh. “I don’t think I’ll ever stop enjoying the fact that these are real. I can feel the difference in how you react to having them touched.”

Kelly twisted to lick the white tip of the orange fox tail. “I know.” She went back to nuzzling Reg’s shoulder and he squeezed her side reassuringly.

“That I can tell you’re enjoying having boobs or that you’re being really weird?”

“That I’m weird. I dunno. Sometimes I sit there and look at you and for a moment I want to take care of you and protect you.”

“Kelly, that’s just being in love you silly fuzzball. Besides, I’m usually the one doing the house work.”

“You liar!” She said, biting down and worrying at his skin. “I totally help around the house. It’s not like college is that hard; most of the subjects haven’t changed since the last time I took them.” She held on until he had a satisfying red patch on his shoulder. “There. You’re branded. Now everyone will know you’re mine.”

“So what do you want to do?” Reg asked, not rising to her bait. “I don’t really think I could get into the sort of role play you’re suggesting.”

“I’m not suggesting – no, not like that.” She said.

“Is this to do with what you’ve been working on?” Reg asked, pulling her back on top of him.

She rested her cheek on his chest, curling up to bring her knees to her chin. He felt her nod into his body.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked, stroking her back.

“Nuh-uh.” She said.

“Do you want to finish making love?”

Kelly stretched out and looked at him with narrowed eyes. “You’re treating me like a little girl!”

“And you’re acting like one.” Reg smiled. “So who’s the mature one?”

Kelly smiled back and sat up, slowly lowering herself back onto him. “First one to cum is the immature one!”

“No fair!” He laughed.

“Why? Because I’m a girl and we take longer?”

“No, because you’re sexier than me and are much more of a turn on.”

She bent forward and licked his nose, being pulled into a kiss and off of him again. “Stop cheating.”

“You never said there were rules.” She shivered at his touch. “What’s the plan?”

“You’ll find out soon.” She slid her rear back and got him back inside of her. “I will not be distracted again!” She declared.

Later as they relaxed in each other’s embrace, Kelly murmured. “I’m sorry to retread things so often. You’d think I’d have just gotten used to being me by now.”

Reg put his hand in her hair and scratched the back of her neck. “I kind of like it. You don’t pretend; you don’t try to act like it never happened. It’s much more you to talk like it was no big deal. I find the frank acceptance endearing.”

She rolled over and their noses touched as she looked into his eyes. “And I love that about you. That and your patience with my worries about being who I am.”

“I love you when you’re playful, and when you’re vulnerable.” He pressed his lips to hers. “I wish I had some insecurities to share. I feel like I’m not commiserating enough.”

“You listen. That’s better. Besides, you don’t need that until you’re much older.”

“Like you?” Reg said playfully.

Kelly stretched, displaying smooth, unblemished skin, firm curves, and bright eyes filled with love for the man she was showing off to. “May you look as good as I do when you’re this old.”

Reg kissed her armpit and she giggled. By unspoken understanding the conversation ended and they returned to their embrace, this time ready for sleep.

The light above the basement door was on, meaning that Kelly’s office, gym, and workshop were off limits to Reg for the week. It was easy for him to tolerate her secrecy. She was being secretive in a very obvious way and had all but told him she was working on yet another strange surprise to maintain the constant influx of new things into their relationship. He never had the heart to tell her that she didn’t need to work that hard since he was already as deeply in love with her as he could possibly get.

What was hard was the loss of their social time between them getting home from college and having dinner. His occasional jealousy at how easy she made her coursework look when she was taking a fuller load than him was washed away when she found that one problem in the book that slowed her down and got that look of adorable concentration as she worked on it. He’d learned swiftly that trying to hug her while she had that look was an invitation for her to stop biting her nails and begin chewing his instead. They’d skipped dinner several times when her skillful tongue had started to dart around Reg’s finger and he’d been taken with the need to experience that tongue elsewhere. Oral sex was rare for them and when one reminded the other of the possibility, they usually accepted. Now instead of interrupting her work, he would wait respectfully until she was finished and scoop her up laughing, placing her on his lap to lie on top of him as they watched TV or talked about their day. All that was on hold, however, as she did whatever she was doing downstairs. She’d told him firmly that she’d be done by Saturday and he’d placed his finger on her lips and made her swallow the words so they burned in her belly and made sure she kept her word. Of course she’d looked him in the eye and slowly licked his finger, leading to other things.

Kelly looked up at the ceiling, hearing Reg come in, and then back at the screen where she was making the last arrangements for what she hoped would be something as good as the white fox costume which had been the first of many surprises. Reg loved their role play and Kelly was always willing to arrange something new. His presence made her think of what they were going to be doing that weekend and she felt her nipples getting hard and wetness creeping down from inside, as well as the phantom hardness in a male organ she no longer possessed. The shock and novelty of her female sexual reactions had faded with time, but it seemed like she’d never wholly lose the memory of what it was like to be aroused as Ned. Neither did she want to. It was comforting to think that there was still a part of him hanging around, even in spirit. The thought of Ned’s made her think about Reg’s and what she wanted to do with it. She was breathing hard and forced herself to think about something else. She had to concentrate or the time with Reg that she was losing would be wasted. Just so she wouldn’t lose too much time if she did have to give in and release some sexual tension, she’d put on a loose miniskirt so she could get her hand in her panties and a finger in. It was an unsatisfying waste of a good mood, but she dared not go upstairs to ask Reg for help. Neither of them believed in the quickie. When they were ready, they made sure both of them were fully satisfied.

Controlling herself, she went back to the pictures and well wishes of the two people she’d done most of her buying from. She and the costume maker had gotten to know each other well and she could tell that the artist was a little jealous that Kelly had such an active fantasy life with her husband when she herself could only get her boyfriend interested occasionally. She’d also been very curious about the current project’s propulsion. That brought Kelly to the exoskeleton she’d had designed and built specifically for this. Even for her it had been expensive and when she’d first contacted the engineer, he’d started out professionally courteous and then when her requirements began coming in he’d become very interested in her job. She wondered if she’d be seeing something like what she’d bought elsewhere soon. It hadn’t been worth the cost to get exclusivity for her design.

Both items would be heavy and the costume cost almost as much to ship as it had been to make. That was expected since the plushie was almost entirely stuffed, taller than Kelly and wide enough that Reg could squeeze as hard as he wanted and never get his arms around it. That brought her back to wearing it and what she and Reg would do and before she knew it her fingers were sticky and she wasn’t even looking anymore. She’d just have to wait until the next day to finish up, though she felt like she was forgetting something important. Reg was waiting upstairs and she needed something to fill the void of her anticipation. Reg filled her quite well.

“Tell me what it is!” Reg cried. Thrust.

“Tomorrow!” Kelly giggled, lying on her front. The sheets bunched up under her hands as she held on against another pump from Reg, the cloth tickling her breasts and they slid along it with the force of his penetration.

“Tonight.” Reg insisted. Thrust.

She squealed as he tickled her shoulder blades, unable to do anything but grip the mattress harder. “Tomorrow!” She gasped.

“Are you sure?” Reg asked. Thrust! He didn’t often hold her down, but she’d been coquettish for hours and acting very pleased with herself. Straddling her legs so she couldn’t get up and taking her without foreplay barely phased her. But adding tickling to the mix always deflated her. “All right. If you’re really, really sure.” He made a show of very slowly – he was closer to the edge than he’d meant to get – pulling out, his fingers inching down her back and around to her belly.

“No! No!” She gasped as the tickling got worse – one of the things they’d learned after her change was that it had added a very sensitive spot near her belly button. “I’ll tell!” She squeaked when his finger was just over her navel.

“You will?” Reg asked, teasing her labia with the tip of his penis.

“Nope.” Kelly told him, suddenly bucking to push him back in, rolling him over and taking control.

“I’m so glad you’re an acrobat.” Reg said. “That could have gone so badly otherwise.”

“Don’t try to distract me with your practical sex.” Kelly replied, kissing him hard and pinning his arms down with her hands. “I’m taking what I’m owed.” She reached back and grasped his tiger striped shaft, positioning it with the tip inside her before ramming the rest roughly inside her body. He exhalation was all she needed to hear.

Kelly had taken the day off to get ready and as she dragged the boxes around, unpacked them, put the huge bars with their spring-like servos into the legs of the plushie, got rid of the boxes, and got herself ready to climb in she knew she was right to do it. Several times during the setup she would have been injured if the giant thing falling on her wasn’t a colossal stuffed animal with a little hole in the middle. The costume wasn’t even fully set up and it was only an hour and a half before Reg got home.

Kelly felt a wave of comfortable nostalgia at the feeling of the dark blue jumpsuit stretching over her body. It felt even better with real, smooth skin instead of a bodysuit over her former self. Of course she didn’t need the boots and tied back her hair this time. The lycra one piece jumpsuit fit perfectly, showing off the tone and firmness she’d retained despite more than two years retired from her life of athletic crime. If she’d met Reg at the door in her Starling outfit he’d have been satisfied, but she didn’t want that. She wanted him to be surprised, confused, even a little hesitant at first. Pushing his boundaries was getting harder and she was proud whenever she managed to get that look of confusion, followed by resignation, finally ending in delight.

Her strongest urge was to do cartwheels, somersaults, anything that let her feel the flow of her young, flexible body but there was no time. As a compromise, she tested the balance of her newest acquisition by running at it full speed, leaping at the last second and glomping the enormous stuffed animal, hanging on with all her strength, her legs and arms wrapped around it. The costume/plushie bent but didn’t fall over and that confirmed that the mechanical parts in the legs were heavy enough to keep her standing no matter what Reg did. She didn’t expect him to get too frisky too fast, but one of the main things they’d be doing would have all his weight in the front of the suit and she needed to be sure.

She inched up the light brown fur, letting the velvety soft outer layer brush across her cheek as she made her way up to push the long muzzled mask out of the way and reveal the stuffed entry way. Her head brushed the ceiling as she looked down into the depths that looked almost organic with its suede lined velvety folds. It looked too small for her to fit in, but she’d never been disappointed before. Putting her hands over her head, she pushed her feet in and wiggled her butt, letting gravity do the work of being slowly swallowed by the tight, suede lined cavity made for her body to fill. When she was armpit deep, she worked her arms in and found the holes to enter the costume’s so that by the time her feet touched the cool hardness of the exoskeleton parts in the legs her hands were almost in the squishy gloves. With a final twerk she settled into the Kelly shaped hollow of the plushie. She nudged a switch with her toe and felt a momentary vibration. Leaning forward, she tried a little hop and the big feet propelled her a step. Her own feet were well above the soles of the plushie and that had been another very important part of the test. She could get around and given how little she’d pressed it seemed like the robot legs would send her flying if she got too enthusiastic. Perfect! She liked it a little unpredictable.

She reached behind her head, found the edge of the mask and pulled it over her face. She swiftly became aware of the closeness of the stuffed animal head and appreciative that whatever material the body sock was made of absorbed her sweat. Settling in to wait, she luxuriated in the feeling of being almost totally encased in cotton and polyfill stuffing. It was like floating in a squishy pool and reminded her pleasantly of the moments she’d been awake just before she’d been properly turned into herself. It was like being snuggled by a stuffed animal over her whole body. A few minutes later she heard the door close and jerked awake. Time to see how Reg reacted!

Kelly didn’t jump Reg at the door and the basement light was off. To Reg that meant something was about to happen. “Kelly?” He called, knowing she wouldn’t reply. One constant about her ‘gifts’ was that it was up to him to find them even if she had hidden them very well and even if she was inside them at the time which she usually was. He remembered the time she’d had sex dolls made of the two of them, posed them in an intimate position, and waited under the bed for him to find them. He’d seen the note about ‘doubles to have fun with’ and thought she meant she wanted him to wear the Andrea suit to do whatever she meant him to do. By the time he’d gotten into the costume that made him into Kelly’s slightly larger twin sister, gotten dressed, and started by looking outside, Kelly had become very grumpy and when he finally looked in the bedroom she’d been almost as silent as her doll and made him get off with his own doppelganger before she was ready to forgive him. They hadn’t had much use for the dolls at first, but when one or the other was out of town they’d taken to sleeping with them for comfort though so far neither had felt right having sex with them.

This time it wasn’t difficult to find what Kelly had left for him. The six and a half foot tall stuffed kangaroo sitting in the middle of a den cleared of furniture was difficult to miss. There was a large sheet of card stock in the pouch and Reg took it out to read it.

SURPRISE!

Reg let out an involuntary yelp when the kangaroo grabbed him and smushed his body into its belly, showing him how soft and squishy she was. He looked up at the kangaroo’s face after she let him go. “Kelly, you’re terrible!” She was also huge, but even though she was nothing like a normal girl he knew better than to say that to her.

The kangaroo ruffled his hair and opened her pouch invitingly.

“This is what you meant by feeling maternal, huh?” The kangaroo nodded. He probed the inside of the pouch, feeling the short furry lining. “Well, if I’m going to be your joey, I should dress the part.” He stripped naked and climbed in, finding the pouch was much deeper than it seemed from the outside. He slid down until his head was just poking past the edge, then wiggled back out a little so he could hang on with his arms out of the pouch. He looked up at Kelly’s kangaroo face. “So you’re my plushie mommy,” he said, twisting around to hug her with his cheek against her fur. She put her arms around him and held him tightly. “Now what?”

Kelly gently turned him back around. His cry of surprise turned into a whoop of excitement with her second long leap. He’d have been worried when she opened the back door except they’d long since installed a very tall fence to keep their outdoor activities private.

Kelly was feeling warm and happy with Reg in her pouch and the plushie body alternately cradling and caressing her. The leaps had been exciting, but now came the really fun part. She stood at the edge of pool, emptied at the coming of colder weather. She felt Reg nestle down in her pouch for warmth and she patted his head reassuringly, feeling him take her paw and nuzzle it in animal affection. Then her heart entered her throat and Reg screamed as she ramped up the servos beneath her feet and the giant plushie kangaroo mom with her squealing joey sailed across the gap and landed on the other side of the pool with an audible thunk. “You had to, didn’t you?” Reg asked her, hanging out of her pouch to look up at her.

“Can you imagine me resisting the urge?” She replied, finally breaking her silence.

Reg’s response was interrupted by her hopping around the yard, a mommy giving her baby some air as she took exercise. He finally caught his breath when she went back inside and carefully closed the door behind her, making sure to keep her tail out of the way. Reg was deep inside and squirmed back out partly now they were back in the warmth. “Thanks for the ride, mom.” He said.

“You’re welcome, kiddo.” Kelly replied.

“I’m still not really into this sort of play.” He said. “I liked the ride and you’re so incredibly huggable, but it’s not my thing. Can we play walking stuffed animal instead? Or just wife turned into giant walking stuffed animal?”

“Well…” The cant of Kelly’s head showed the smile Reg couldn’t see. “I might have a little joey suit that came with this one.”

“Teddy Bear’s picnic?” Reg asked.

“Yeah, that. Wait, what?” Kelly ambled over to the bedroom and opened the closet, revealing that she’d left the suit ready for just that request.

Reg turned around and hugged Kelly again. “I don’t need that right now, though. Can we wait until next time?”

“Sure. So what do you want to do?”

“I sort of like just hugging you and being close and warm.” He nestled into her inviting squishy girth.

“Want get closer and warmer?” Kelly asked, settling the leg servos down and turning them off.

“All right, how?” Reg asked, not stopping his snuggling inside Kelly’s pouch.

“Dive down a little,” Kelly told him. He slid further into the pouch and she pulled a hidden zipper tab, sealing him in.

“Hey!” He protested, muffled in the plushie belly.

“Keep looking around.” She told him. “I’ll meet you half way.” She wriggled, freeing her arms and unzipping a slit in the body sock. She squirmed out of it and into the belly of the kangaroo, sliding and swimming in the stuffed interior until her foot hit Reg. Laboriously they wriggled, squirmed, and slid until their bodies were laid against each other. Reg kissed her. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome, hon.” Kelly murmured. They curled up around each other, the warmth and comfort of the plushie lulling them, satisfying them with the presence of the other in an intimacy that made sex unnecessary.

“Reg!” A voice cut into their cozy, fluffy embrace. “I need you to move Kelly’s car out of our driveway.”

“Why’d you park in my parents’ driveway?” Reg whispered to Kelly as they bit down giggles at the thought of being discovered.

“Look at all this!” She breathed. “There were deliveries coming in, honey.”

“Reg! Wow!” Reg’s mom had peeked in the bedroom. She looked motionless kangaroo up and down. “Usually boys buy their girlfriends stuffed animals they can fit in their beds.” As Reg and Kelly bit back laughter and fought to remain frozen she approached their snug love nest and touched the fur lightly. “Then again if your father had bought this for me I’d have been pretty thrilled.” She looked around and gave the kangaroo a quick hug. “You can even put your smaller stuffed animals in here.” For a moment they were terrified she’d open the pouch and maybe poke around inside, but then she shrugged and left. “I hope they won’t mind if I borrow their keys and move the car myself.”

They listened to make sure the door opened and closed, then burst into hysterics, the giant stuffed kangaroo shaking with their laughter. “It’s a good thing none of the neighbor kids has a key to our house.” Kelly said. “Or else they’d be swarming all over us.”

“It’d get pretty awkward if they found us in here.” Reg agreed. “I’m also glad you weren’t in the top when she got here. I know you. You’d have been itching to let her get close and then grab her.” He kissed Kelly, unzipping her bodysuit. She helped him get her out of it and they gently caressed each other, still not feeling energetic. Another long period of drifting around in the stuffed kangaroo followed with occasional bouts of more urgent play until Kelly shifted and squirmed in the plush womb. “Do you have to pee? I have to pee.”

“Yeah, I didn’t want to say anything but I do.” Reg agreed. They swam down, working their way back up and into the pouch where the naked lovers emerged, looking at each other with tired smiles.

“I think that went very well.” Kelly said.

“Egotist.” Reg tweaked her nose and she snapped at his hand. “Ladies first.”

“Yeah, right,” Kelly replied, scrambling out of the pouch, trailing the bodysuit that hung from her ankles. “You only say that for one thing.” She illustrated her point by looking over her shoulder at him, putting her hands on the back of her hips and gyrating them. She put one palm on the velvety fur of the pouch over Reg’s crotch, feeling the hardness. “I’ll be back for that later.”

“I need to pee too!” He called after her as she sashayed out of the room, the swish spoiled by her having to shake her legs to free herself of the lycra bodysuit. Reg whistled at the sight of her flesh rippling with the swift motion.

Kelly let out a long suffering sigh. “Then I guess I’ll have to get you ready again. Such effort.” She put two fingers to her lips and left, flicking her sparkling black hair back so that a midnight rainbow remained in the room for a split second after she’d left.

Night had fallen while they were in the kangaroo and dinner was quickly followed by what Kelly always thought of as ‘appreciation sex.’ They had a certain flavor and rhythm to the foreplay and to the lovemaking afterwards that was unique to times right after they’d done something new. It was an edge to their mutual lustful hunger that brought back memories of their relationship before Reg had asked her to marry him – though nothing close to the inferno of desire Kelly had felt when she’d first been gifted with her current body. That had been new, but also caused by the extreme sensitivity the nanites had left her with for the first week of her life as a twenty-something young lady. Occasionally she’d fantasize about finding a way to recapture that sensation, but she’d always discarded it. She cared too much about Reg and had almost driven him to exhaustion with her need then. She hated to think of what would happen if they both had that feeling at the same time. Also, she thought in the glowing embrace as they both caught their breath, she didn’t want to make their amazing sex life feel any less fantastic by comparing it to an artificial high. That thought manifested in a rush of new energy and she rolled over to sit on top of Reg. “Want one more game?” She asked.

Reg sat up and idly played with Kelly’s nipple. “What?”

“We never really got to play plushie.” Kelly said. “So why don’t you put the joey suit on? You can be the crazy furry who treats his stuffed animal like a person and I’ll be the plush who only moves when he’s around.”

“You’re a twisted little cruller.” Reg said, lifting Kelly off of him.

“Don’t quote Daria to me.” Kelly replied. “Just get all dressed up and psyched for being the dominant one for once.”

“I can take you any day of the week.” Reg told her, taking down the joey suit.

“Yeah, but I’m the one doing the taking most days,” she teased back, flouncing out to climb into the stuffed kangaroo, skipping the bodysuit this time in favor of feeling the suede over every inch of her skin. She had the mask on and was settled down for a few minutes before Reg showed up in the human sized kangaroo costume. He had a white belly and long stuffed feet which slapped against the floor with every hopping step he took. It was also quite well padded in the body, especially between the legs, creating a broad, thick swell of white that went down and back up the underside his thick tail. He stopped in front of his ‘mother’ plush, his amber glass eyes meeting Kelly’s green.

Reg wordlessly opened his arms and embraced the giant stuffed kangaroo, pressing his body into her inviting soft belly and gripping her with his tan paws. He held her for a long time, nuzzling her with his long kangaroo muzzle, rubbing it back and forth in the indentation he made in her belly. “Oh, kangaroo, you’re the only one who understands me.” She almost lost it at that first terrible cliché. He looked up again and pressed himself into her so hard that Kelly felt the constriction of his hug in the cavity she inhabited. “I don’t care if you’re not real,” the joey-suited man continued. “I know you’ll always be there for me.” Kelly wanted to say something or hug Reg, but she wanted to stay an inanimate plush as long as she could stand it. She so rarely let him take control like this in their costumed role play and it was a point of pride to pretend to be a stuffed animal for as long as possible.

Reg bounced up and down in an enthusiastic young kangaroo dance. “Wanna play, kangaroo mom? Huh? Let’s play!” He ran around her and Kelly felt something happening behind her. She risked turning her head to look, deciding that it would fit into the ‘ambiguously animate’ role she was supposed to fill. She saw Reg had straddled her long thick tail and was running it back and forth between his legs. He saw Kelly looking and tilted his head. “Tail sliding is fun!” He said, bouncing his own tail with his attempts to stimulate himself through the thick padding. He turned around, still straddling her, and put the end of his tail into the muzzle of his mask. “I’m gonna get you to move, mommy!”

Kelly knew Reg was giving her a way to become ‘fully real’ by jumping in surprise and scolding him but she wanted to keep this a mostly man on plush experience, so she stoically stood, strangely aware of the press of stuffing on her cheeks, while he pretended to gnaw on her tail. When Reg saw Kelly wasn’t interested, he let the tail go and circled back around her. He put his paws on his hips. “If you don’t want to play, mommy, then I guess it’s bed time.” He gave her another hard hug and started climbing into her pouch. He squirmed, getting his big stuffed feet in and then the rest of his body following easily. He hugged her one more time, looked up and said, “Night, kangaroo mom.” Then he ducked all the way down and zipped the pouch closed above him. Kelly could feel him turning around inside her, finding the most comfortable position. She risked putting her paws on the pouch, squeezing and hugging him back. He went still and she relaxed, letting her paws fall to her sides and soaking in the warmth of his presence so close to her.

After awhile – it was hard for her to tell since there wasn’t a clock nearby – she started to get annoyed. He’d better not have fallen asleep! She thought. It was one thing to do plush play, but another to just go to sleep and wait for her to make the first mistake. One she did not intend to make. She’d just sit there in her hot plush prison for as long as it took for him to drop the act. Then she’d win and the victory sex would be outstanding.

Another long period passed and Kelly fought with herself not to tap her foot. He was stirring inside her, but didn’t seem to be reaching for the zipper. Being hugged and played with was nice, and the soft plush surrounding her was relaxing, but she was getting hot and sweaty, not to mention very horny thinking about Reg curled up so close to her. She was getting wet at the thought of him taking it so seriously but couldn’t do anything but endure motionless, unable to even clench her legs together for relief. Had someone walked in, they would have seen only a very well stuffed kangaroo, but inside was a needy woman who was getting worried that she’d have to break character and get out before she exploded.

With long, slow movements Reg removed his mask and shimmied out of the joey suit. The fuzzy innards caressed his body as he stealthily opened the zipper that led into Kelly’s body sock. The suit left a sizable bulge which he hoped she’d take to be him still in the pouch. Inch by inch he wriggled up and back into the suit until he was positioned with his arm in the slit but not yet through. Then with a quick thrust he grabbed Kelly’s ankle. He heard her cry out and felt a jolt as she leapt into the air, the mechanical legs turning on with the spasm of her toe and propelling them up with full force. He laughed as they came down and she started shouting something about him being a dweeb. He worked his way up and pulled her down into a triumphant kiss. “You total weasel.” She said. “You’re lucky my mask was padded or I’d have cracked my head pretty well and it would have served you right to take me to a hospital and explained what you did!” She kissed him back hard. “I’m a bad influence on you. That was totally a me thing.”

“Yup.” Reg said. “So are you happy now?”

“No!” Kelly replied. “I was supposed to win. Be the still, inanimate stuffed animal until you got tired of it and made me take it off. Now I’m just hot, sweaty, cramped and really horny!” She felt him getting aroused at her spirit and pushed him down. “Out! I don’t want your juices all over the inside of my nice kangaroo and we don’t have a condom to stick on you in here.”

They emerged from the kangaroo’s pouch in a burst of costume pieces as they forced the joey suit out in front of them. Something in her voice, smell, or posture had told Reg that she was in desperate need of his attention and she found his erection in her face and then her vision blanked for a moment as he ran his tongue around her slit. Kelly’s love of vaginal sex was a holdover from when she could only feel insertion and so they’d been engaged for over a month before she learned of the joys of being eaten out. Reg seemed a natural talent though she admitted she had no way to be sure. As for Reg, he’d told her that either women tasted amazing or Falkner had tweaked her internal chemistry since she didn’t need her fluids to do everything a normal woman’s did, making her sweeter. Even though they loved it and Kelly knew all the best ways to stimulate him with her mouth, it rarely occurred to either of them to do so since they were usually more interested in cuddling and were very focused on using their hands. Even when one of them suggested it with their tongue, they usually forgot in the frenzy of their manual stimulation. Kelly also had to admit to herself that she didn’t always welcome it because oral was almost too good. They could usually keep up with each other pretty well but when Reg’s tongue entered her, Kelly lost her rhythm and started neglecting him in favor of feeling him inside her.

They eventually made it to bed and collapsed in a tangled heap. Kelly slept until the light from the window woke her up. She rolled over, expecting to put her arm around Reg but he wasn’t there. Sitting up, she looked around and found a note on the nightstand. ‘Breakfast is waiting for you <3 mom.’

Kelly swung her legs off the bed and stretched. It looked like Reg wasn’t quite done yet. For the first time in what felt like days she put on underwear and then slipped into a long loose T-shirt and padded out to see what was going on. She could smell the food now, but Reg’s chair was empty and she ate alone, knowing that he’d laid it out for a reason. In fact, she could easily guess where she’d find him and was not disappointed when she walked into the den and the kangaroo opened her arms. Still willing to play along thus far, she hugged the maternal marsupial. “Good morning … mom.” She said.

“Morning, dear.” The kangaroo replied in an older woman’s voice.

Kelly looked up and then smiled. “You’re Andrea today.”

“I thought I should get into the part as much as possible.” Reg said, closer to Andrea’s normal speaking voice. Then in her maternal tone she said, “Did you sleep well, honey?”

“Sure did, mom.” Kelly replied. “I’m a little surprised to see you here.”

“Well,” Andrea said, going back to being conversational, “I thought about it and realized you might have wanted to play out the fantasy like this from the start. I mean, both my parents are still alive but you’ve been … an orphan … for a long time.”

“Ouch.” Kelly said. She bit her lip, feeling tears come to her eyes. She hugged the kangaroo tightly. “Thanks.” She whispered.

The kangaroo put her paws on Kelly’s back and caressed her. “I’m sorry if I brought up something painful.”

Kelly nodded wordlessly and sniffed. Then she playfully reached up and tweaked the kangaroo’s nose. “I’m too nice to say the obvious thing.”

“What, that I’ll know how it feels one day?” Andrea asked.

“I didn’t say it.” Kelly reminded her. She sat with her back against the kangaroo’s reassuring bulk. “I do miss them. And Ned. He was as much my father as my real dad.” She took the paw Andrea offered and rubbed her cheek against it. “Dad was sure there was a heaven, but mom wasn’t. She didn’t know what to believe and neither did Ned and neither do I. Except … I know Ned’s in heaven.” She got up and climbed up the kangaroo’s body until she could get the mask off and kiss Andrea.

“So much for this surprise.” Andrea said.

“No, it was nice. And while I’ve got you like that…” Kelly slipped the mask back on her and swung around so she was sitting in a hollow made by her own weight on the stuffed body, her arms around Andrea’s shoulders. “Ride!”

“That doesn’t seem safe.” Andrea said.

“Come on, mommy!” Kelly laughed. “And remember who’s the acrobat around here.”

Andrea sighed in happy resignation and gave the squealing Kelly a quick hop around the house and yard. When they got back in, Kelly said, “I have another reason to be happy you did that.” She slid off and ran out of the room, returning with a huge bulge in her panties. “Strap on time!” She said cheerfully.

After Kelly had thoroughly reminded Reg of what it was like to be penetrated by a skilled lover, he stripped out of the suit, got a quick breakfast and joined her in the living room. “How come you never get anything for me?” She asked, sounding entirely curious and not at all demanding.

“I thought you liked it better that way.” Reg replied. “Being the quirky one who springs surprises. Do you want me to do one for you?”

“I’d be interested to see what you pick.”

Reg kissed her forehead. “Done.”

“You’ve been thinking about it.”

“For a couple years.”

Kelly swatted him with a pillow. “You could have asked!”

“I knew you liked it better your way.”

“Stop being so considerate!” She tried to hit him again and he bored her down, eliciting squeals as he got his hand under her top and tickled her.

“By the way,” Reg asked after they’d finished. “Where are you going to put that huge kangaroo?”

Kelly looked blankly at him and then swore. “I knew I’d forgotten something!”