Tina tapped on the terrarium with a black clawtip.  She’d been a seven foot tall four-breasted catgirl with clouded leopard spots for so long now that she considered it her “normal” form.  “Hey you two, we need to talk.”

The heads of two metallic snakes popped up from the tangle.  One hissed [yes?] in morse code.

“Hey Dirk, we’ve got a problem.  Took most of a year, but your contact says the cartels sent someone around to have a chat with him about the diamonds.”

[How bad?]

“Oh, they didn’t rough him up or anything.  It’s more of an ‘offer you can’t refuse’ deal.  We cease and desist, and for our silence regarding our ‘special technique’, we get paid out roughly the same amount as we’ve made over the last year.”

The two snakes conferred in rapid, hushed hisses, then turned back to face Tina.  [Do you think it’s a good deal?]

Tina nodded.  “We’re already rich enough that none of us ever need to work again.  Amy gave up her day job a few months back.”  Tina patted her custom four-cup bra fondly.  “I just stick with the weather because I still love doing it.  Plus I have a bunch of fans that would miss me.  I still get catgirl selfies from all over.”

[Okay.  Tell him we accept.]

Tina nodded.  “I’ll go tell him.  Back in a bit.”

The snakes cuddled up again.  [Bring some of the good coal] hissed one, softly.

“Of course.”

*** *** ***

Tina returned with a box from Dirk and Janice’s favourite coal boutique, and set it on the table.  The snakes were out of the terrarium in a flash, and had the ribbon off and the box nosed open in no time.  They looked at the contents, then peered up at Tina in unison.  [Only two?] hissed one.

“Well... we can’t make money off of you any more.  So there’s no reason to stay like this,” said Tina softly, looking away.  “I feel bad enough about keeping you this way when you were making absurd money at it.  And now...”

[I would like to be human again.  I’ll change back in a few weeks anyway, right?]

“Pretty soon, yeah,” agreed Tina.  “But why wait?  You two could be human tonight.  All your stuff is in your bedrooms.  Amy’s kept them both spotless, though they might have acquired a little dust in the past week.  I miss her.  We could all go to the mall together and go back to human.”

[Have you been human in the last year?]

Tina thought about that for a while.  “There was that week last summer when we went to visit Amy’s parents.  Andy’s parents, I mean.  That was a weird week.”  Her distant gaze and perked ears suggested more interest in the memory than her reluctant voice suggested.

[Let’s all be normal.  Just for the weekend,] hissed Dirk.  [Then decide.]

Tina nodded first, and patted her breasts.  “I think Amy would like that.  She hasn’t said, but...”

[Andy,] hissed Janice.  [Normal.]

“Okay.  Everyone as they were.  I’ll... I’ll bring spare clothes.  Just in case.”

Tina loaded up small suitcase with a change of clothes for each of them, and brought out the travel terrarium.  Janice refused to enter, and coiled around Tina’s arm instead.  Dirk took the other arm, and Tina chuckled.  “I finally get to wear the whole gang, do I?  Maybe we can try more of that later.”

[Later,] hissed Janice.

Tina drew more than a few eyes at the mall, something she was very familiar with given her stature, both physically and as the most popular weather-girl in the area.  She posed for several pictures with fans, her snaky bracers drawing starry-eyed expressions of wonder, and at least two girls plotting to Venn some for themselves.

Tina hoped they weren’t planning to change each other.  Or at least that they wouldn’t end up becoming diamond-making versions.

At the Venn Machines, Tina didn’t have to wait.  Two of the machines were in use, but the third was standing empty.  With a sigh, she set the machine for eight hours, and stepped into one side.  A moment later, the other three were scrambling to get clothes on while Tina, now in clothes that draped over her like a tent, blocked the entrance.  “Sorry!”

Once everyone was sorted out, and Tina had changed into clothes that fit her reduced stature, they headed to one of the nearby restaurants to have a nice meal.  Tina snuggled up against Andy, marvelling at how much bigger he was in their normal forms.  “A girl could get used to this,” she murmured.

Andy chuckled softly.  “Missed me?”

Tina shuddered.  “More than I realized.  Your voice, especially.  Talk to me.”

Andy leaned closer and whispered in her ear, making Tina squirm and blush.

Janice laughed, a rusty sound that came out half hiss.  Then she hissed, [cute].

“You can talk normally, you know,” said Dirk slowly, his own voice sounding a little unsteady from disuse.

“Oh!”  Janice hugged one arm around him.  “I had forgotten.”

Her arm stayed there until they were served, then she ate like a starving beast.

“Better than coal?” asked Andy with a grin.

Janice stopped, a forkful of salad halfway to her mouth.  She studied the thought, then carefully ate the mouthful, chewing it slowly.  Once she’d swallowed, she shook her head.  “Not exactly.  When I was a snake, coal was so... right.  Like water when you’re thirsty, but so much more so.  I’d been starving, and it was...”  She shrugged.  “But coal has little variety.  There’s so much more texture and flavour to good food.”

She said nothing else about it until her plate was clean, but clearly savoured every bite.

“Dessert?” asked Andy, smiling as if he already knew the answer.

Janice shook her head.  “Can we just go home?”

Dirk unentangled himself and stood up, then offered Janice a hand as she did the same.  She’d been unsteady on her feet since changing back, and took his hand readily.

Tina’s car required some adjusting before everyone fit.  Andy took the passenger seat, and occasionally peeked over his shoulder to watch the couple in the back seat.  His grin only grew as he saw how Janice leaned in to Dirk.

When they got home, Andy tugged Tina to the couch.  She tried to sprawl over the entire thing, but giggled when she realized how much bigger the couch had become.  Andy snuggled in beside her, and watched to see what Janice and Dirk would do.  He didn’t think they both realized they were still holding hands.

Janice made for one of the overstuffed chairs, but a subtle tug on her hand redirected her to the loveseat, and she settled beside Dirk.  At first she perched on the edge of it, but before long she was snuggled up against Dirk as cozily as Tina was to Andy.

She glared half-heartedly at Andy.  “What are you smirking at?”

“You two make a cute couple.”

That got Janice sitting upright again.  “A what?”  She moved to get up, but her hand was still tangled with Dirk’s.  She looked down at it, then over at him.  “What?”

“He’s right.”

“What?” asked Janice, even more loudly than before.  And yet... when Dirk tugged at her hand gently, she sat down once more, then let him put an arm around her.  “Oh.”

Dirk chuckled softly.  “We spent the last year in each other’s coils.  First as mother and child, then as equals.”

“That was nothing like this.  Those snakes had no sexual urges.”

Dirk waggled his eyebrows.  “And you do?”

Janice blushed brightly.  Tina cheered.  “Don’t be shy about it.  Tell him how it feels to be held in his arms.”  She wriggled around in Andy’s arms so she could face him.  “I love being held by you.  I’d forgotten, with all our games, just how nice it is to have your strong arms around me.  I feel safe, warm and especially... loved.”

Andy smiled down at her, and leaned down to kiss her fondly.  As the kiss continued and Andy’s hands slipped under Tina’s blouse, Janice’s blush deepened.

“Getting any ideas?” asked Dirk softly.

Janice turned to face him.  “I’m a bitch.  First class.  Always have been.  Why do you care?”

“Does it matter?  I care.”

“Why?  I don’t understand.”

Dirk leaned his head forward to bump his forehead gently against Janice’s.  “It’s not about the head.  What does your heart say?”

Janice looked away.  “That we don’t need two bedrooms.”

“Sure that’s your heart talking, not something lower down?” asked Dirk with his stereotypical smirk.

Janice blushed even brighter.  “Maybe.  Not used to this.”

“Cuddling in a cute guy’s arms?” asked Tina.

Janice stuck out her tongue at Tina.  “You know what I meant.”

“It’s okay to admit you’re happy.  Relax and enjoy the moment.”

“How?” asked Janice, wriggling upright, but still close to Dirk.  “How can I relax?  I’ve never had any kind of stability in my relationships.  I’ll say something mean, and Dirk will...”  She closed her eyes, groaning softly as Dirk’s fingers skriched at her shoulderblades and neck.  “What are you doing?”

“Trying to get you to relax.  Worked when you were a snake.”

Janice held herself rigidly for several seconds, but didn’t pull away.  Dirk kept skritching, working one hand up to the back of her head.

Janice let out a soft moan and slumped against him.  “Don’t stop.  Don’t ever stop.”

“I’ll need meal and bathroom breaks.”

Janice purred happily, and snuggled against him.  “If you must.”

Dirk looked over at the sappy grins he was getting from Tina and Andy, and could feel a similar expression on his own face.  “Thanks,” he mouthed softly.

Tina nodded to him, then she got up and tugged Andy with her, heading to their bedroom.

After a time Dirk’s hands tired and the skritching slowed.  Janice sighed softly, then sat up.  “Done?”

“Hands are cramping up, sorry.”

Janice looked down at her lap.  Her leg was pressed against Dirk’s, and felt comfortable there.  She traced a finger along the seam.  “This should feel weird.  Letting you so close.”

“We’ve been close for months.  As snakes, but still.”

“I gave birth to you.  Isn’t that weird?  Until we changed back, I saw you as more my child than as a lover.”

Dirk nodded.  “Still adjusting?”

“Little.”  Janice yawned hugely.  “Can we sleep on this?”

“Sure.  In whose bed.”

Janice rolled her eyes.  “Each in our own.”

Dirk got up, and offered Janice a hand up.  She hesitated a moment before accepting.  “I’m not weak.”

“Didn’t think you were.”

“Good.”  Janice looked around.  “Um... which way to my bedroom?”

Dirk chuckled, and showed her the way.  They were still holding hands outside Janice’s door.  “Goodnight kiss?” asked Dirk with a smile.

Janice leaned in and offered her lips.  The kiss started relatively chaste, and stayed that way for about three heartbeats.  Then their tongues found each other, and hands roamed over bodies made new by a year’s unfamiliarity.  Those hands were soon under clothing, and said clothing was quickly discarded as they stumbled their way to Janice’s bed.

*** *** ***

In the morning, Tina was the first up.  She was making coffee when a very disheveled looking Janice appeared.

“Had a good night?” asked Tina, offering Janice a mug.

Janice grinned at her gratefully.  “Being human is the best.”  She took a sip of coffee and gasped.  “How could I have forgotten this?”

Tina laughed.  “It’s too easy to get caught up in being something else.  Andy loved being my bra, but the best part was his eagerness to make up for lost time.”  She bit her lip, glancing up toward the bedrooms.  “I want to do that again.”

Janice smirked.  “Sex?”

“That too.  But I meant going back to normal.  After so long away, it’s like... everything is new and right and perfect.”

“Perfect?” asked Janice archly.  “Hardly.  You’ve barely got any tits.  Can’t be a weather-girl looking like that.”

Tina stuck out her tongue.  “Not everything is about boobs.  And they feel just as nice as my usual monsters.”

“What does Andy think about that?”

“What does Andy think about what?” asked the man in question as he padded into the kitchen.  Tina held out a mug which he accepted gratefully.  Once he’d settled on one of the stools by the counter, he looked to Tina.  “I heard something about boobs.  Was she impugning yours?”

Tina shrugged.  “Do you like them more when they’re bigger?  Honest question, I won’t be offended if you say yes.”

Andy chuckled softly.  “Still sounds like a trap.  But I trust you.  So, yes.  Up to a point, bigger is better.”

“Even when you’re the bra?” asked Janice, curiously.

“Especially when.  Want to try?”

Janice shook her head.  “Going to try this being human thing for a while.  I think it could catch on.”

Dirk strolled up behind Janice and nuzzled at her neck then kissed her on the lips.  “Beats being snakes.”

Tina and Andy both squealed like girls at the obvious affection between the two.  “It worked?”

Janice stuck her tongue out at both of them.  “I swear, if you did this on purpose I’m going to turn both of you into my lingerie for a month.”

Andy shot a sly look at Tina.  “I’m game if you are.”

“Tempting,” mused Tina with a matching smile.  “But I have to work on Monday.  Unless you want to fill in for a week?”

“What?” gasped Janice.  “Are you two even remotely serious?”

“Yes,” they chorused.

Janice grinned.  “I accept.”