"MEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOORK!"
A shrieking scream shattered the peaceful afternoon, as Koopin hurried through the town towards his home.  The scream had come from his backyard, as well as the telltale sounds of a vicious growling when he came closer.  Heading through his house, he swiftly barged through the backdoor to head outside once more.  A fuzzy little monster with googly eyes was being shaken to and fro like a ragdoll, hanging from the mouth of a rather vicious-looking ball and chain with pirahna teeth and simple-looking eyes.
	"MEEOORK!  MEEOR-KOW, MAKE HIM STOP!"
	"Charlie, drop it!"
Koopin commanded the rough-toothed ball which still growled and nummed possessively onto the fuzzy creature.
	"Charliiiiie!  Drop it now.  Drop iiiiit!"
A demanding finger gesture pointing towards the ground made the creature stop growling, staring up at Koopin before reluctantly opening its mouth.  It was at least big enough to reach up to Koopin's thigh.  The fuzzy runt immediately hopped away with twitching googly eyes.
	"You should be ashamed of yerself!" it squawked, "dontcha hafta put that thing on a leash, meeork!?"
	"Um...it IS?"
The living iron ball panted happily like a dog, its chain tethered to a firm metal pole imbedded into the garden soil, as the fuzzy beast said:
	"W-w-well um...um...you just better watch it!  Meeork!"
As it jumped away back into the forests beyond, Koopin rolled his eyes and petted the ball-shaped pet, who woofed and panted up at him.
	"Who's my good widdle chain-chomp hmm?  You are, yush you are Charlie, keepin' me an' James safe from those silly Fuzzy billies, arentcha?!"
Charlie responded with an equally happy woof, bouncing forwards as far as its chain would allow as Koopin played a little game of tag with him.  Since he had time to kill today, he let the chomp off its tethered leash and played around with it in the garden by fetching sticks.  After tiring him out with a good amount of running, or hopping rather as it had no legs, he went back inside with his pet following.

Watching TV with the chain chomp beside his feet, he was in the midst of a quiz show by the time James returned home from work, the raptor waving weakly with a tired:
	"Heeeeeey."
	"Heeeey!  How was work?!"
	"Ahhhh same as always, inventory's still boring an-WOAH, sorry Charlie."
Nearly stepping his claws onto the steel-balled body, he sat down beside Koopin with a flump as Charlie barked happily up at James.  He rolled his eyes and eventually rubbed his head, leaning back to finally relax as Koopin kept watching.
	"So...Charlie here caught another Fuzzy trying to sneak into our backyard."
	"Hah, really?  Good boy.  He wanna go and have a run?"
	"Naaaah he's tired, I gave him some exercise before you got home."
	"Ah...nothing else going on?"
	"Nnnnnope, just been enjoying my day here, had a bit of paperwork but nothing bad.  OOH, bike question James!"
	"Huh?  Uh..."
He blinked and struggled to focus on the question before not even trying to give an answer, shrugging and laying back.
	"Heh, wow you uh...must be real tired."
	"Yeah, sorry...mmmm..."
	"You wanna go to bed?"
	"Ehhhh nah, I'll just snuggle with you here."
	"Hehehe, okay.  I uh, I'm making your favourite tonight, steak with jammin' jelly nice and piping hot."
	"Mmmmm good...heh, don't worry I'll eat it, I'm hungry enough for it."
The rest of the evening lazily dragged on by, as Koopin hid his own worries beneath a simple smile with his head on James' shoulder.  Over the past month since their encounter with Shellina, James had turned more and more distant and less energetic than he used to be.  At first the koopa put it down to simple exhaustion and perhaps a new level of maturity, combined with new duties at Roy's bar.  But with certain telltale signs that were now becoming more and more apparent, he began to suspect otherwise.
He related all this the next day to his mother over the phone, when James was once again outside of the house.  She had also noticed James' different disposition, but the two of them did not dare confront him about it in order to not upset him.
	"I even said I was gonna cook him steak with jammin' jelly," said Koopin, "and he doesn't even smile!"
	"Oh dear," replied Klair, "not even that?  That IS unusual, he'd always smile at that!"
	"I know!  I'm really worried about him mom, I've tried everything!"
	"And you are sure this isn't just exhaustion, new work routine et cetera?"
	"No no no, I mean even on his days off he's like this.  He's not depressed or anything...least I don't THINK so, but...ever since we got back from Twilight Town he's been acting weird."

Koopin however did not tell Klair about a few other details, such as the reason why they were in Twilight Town or the fact that James had a very bizarre freakout which he blamed on Shellina's magic.  Perhaps it affected him more deeply than they had thought, but Koopin did not want to jump to conclusions.  Klair eventually asked:
	"How's your little chain chomp by the way?"
	"Oh he's doing fine!" replied Koopin.  "Charlie's awesome, even James loves him despite the state he's in, always playing around outside."
	"Heehee, I told you a puppy would be a good idea for the two of you!  Keeps you both rooted to your home more, encourages responsibility, love, showing affection more and such."
	"Well James is a LITTLE happier to have him around I have to say."
	"That's good, and how is he sleeping?"
	"Not that bad really...well...sometimes he has nightmares, but not like anyone doesn't right?"
	"Of course, um...does he eat less now?"
	"Aaactually no, I think his eating is fine it's just his enthusiasm that's lacking."
	"Has he been angry at all lately or more irritable?"
	"...angry no...irritable maybe, which is why I tend not to pester him with too many questions."
	"Hmmmm...well, keep an eye on him, it might just be a mood of his and it'll pass when he finds something new and exciting to do."
	"Okay mom.  I'll talk to you later alrighty?"
	"Bye dear!"
Putting down the receiver, Koopin sat back onto his sofa and tried to unwind himself.  He had no idea what James could possibly be going through in that strange otherwordly mind of his.  But the fact he had turned more and more listless with each passing month was worrying him all the more.  The last time he tried to pry at whatever could possibly be causing James' mood, he only received a furious outburst and a cold shoulder in bed.
All he could hope was that it really was nothing more than a mood.  A mood that just happened to last for a good few months.

	"BEGIN THE EXPERIMENT!"
A shocking cry rang out through the small laboratory, as a machine resembling a green tesla coil suddenly began whirring into life.  The spiral horizontal machine, connected to two solid screens relaying various information, vibrated with an alarming power that sent shafts of green light out of the windows.  James was currently in front of it, held in place with arms and legs clamped out while spread on a table.  His scissors were also suspended in clamps between the two screens, directly beneath the tesla coil, all of which was being observed by Professor E. Gadd.
Despite the presence of electrical output, James was not feeling the same agonising pain he always felt from electrical shocks.  Instead, he was feeling an entirely different kind of agonising pain that scratched deep into his soul.  Memories of Meta Knight came back in a flash as he shrieked from the machinations of this spectral operator.  Professor Gadd was monitoring the screens, relaying data to himself as he wrote down his findings.
	"Possession index at 47%, soul corruption, oh my how fascinating yes yes, hmmm...anti-dimensional properties, good GRAVY that's amazing!"
	"A-AAARGH F-FUCK, HOW LONG ALREADY?!" screamed James.
	"PLEASE, I am trying to note down these calculations my boy, there's no need to be impatient."
	"I-IMPATIENT, I'M BEING FUCKING ELECTROCUTED!"
	"Yes yes, now...hmmmm carry the three...divide by sub-spectral root..."

The data kept on rattling through as he noted down anything worth noting, oblivious to the raptor's anguish in the knowledge that he would survive unharmed.  The scissors shook with distaste at such an experiment, rattling against their clamps and resisting the jolts as the data kept on coming.  With each new paragraph, Professor Gadd became more and more concerned at the potential of this creature.
	"Oh my...o-oh my this is not good, no no not at all!  Hmmmm...unknown material, oddly rusty-looking but having no ACTUAL rust-like qualities, possible ectoplasmic corruption?  ...no, not the right SORT of spectre, what could it be this looks so familiar...alright, that'll do!"
He turned off the machine with a huge lever at his side, the experiment powering down as James finally stopped screaming.  Despite the pain he had suffered, there was no actual lasting damage to his body.  The scissors twitched slightly before turning still at last, the raptor slowly getting off from the table once the clamps turned off.
	"Nnnngh...fuck that hurts."
	"But your body itself is fine?" asked Gadd.
	"Yeah I guess."
	"I told you you'd be alright, didn't I?!  It took me a while to build it but my Spectro-Corrupto-Analyser 6000 seems to be up to snuff!  Now then, here I have compiled a list of all the relevant data on your soul corruption probabilities."
	"I'm not in the mood for reading math professor, just gimme it simple."
	"Oh...alright, I suppose it can't be helped that you never received a proper education sorry to say."
His smile was sincere but James still felt insulted as Professor Gadd began his review.
	"You are indeed possessed, and those scissors ARE the source of the corruption."
	"Right, I know that."
	"But what worries me the most is how high your possession index is!  Tell me, how long have you had these scissors?"
	"Uh...'bout six years?"
	"Oh my...ohhhh this is not good, he has already hooked his claws into you quite a bit hasn't he, hwuh-hwuh-hwuh-hwuh-hwuh."
The professor's snorting chuckle, like that of an asthmatic pig, was disconcerning to the raptor, who merely crossed his arms and sighed.
	"Is there any way I can slow it down?"
	"Not quite, but I HAVE noticed his spectral metabolic principles are QUITE abnormally high, and that they are in direct proportion to your possession index as it were."
	"Aaaaaaaand...what does that mean?"

	"Well quite simply it means that he's hungry my boy!  And if you let a rabid beast go hungry for too long, then it'll become uncontrollable, channelling his power into possessing you all the more so he CAN eat!  I suggest finding a way to appease his hunger through whatever means necessary."
	"...that's...gonna be difficult.  He uh...I think he's a soul eater."
	"...ohhhhhhhhhh.  ...that's where I recognised the rust-like quality on those scissors."
	"Wait, you seen this before?!"
	"I've dealt with ALL sorts of beings," boasted Gadd, "phantoms, poltergeists, banshees, onryo, you name it, I've noted it!  Especially after that harrowing time in the Himuro Mansion."
	"Yeah, tell me about it...wait, how come he hasn't eaten MY soul yet?"
	"Ahhhh, the soul of the possessee is always the most difficult for the possessor to obtain, since he devours souls from the deceased, there is no struggle there.  But with you, a still living creature, it takes much longer to siphon the power from you when he has enough problems trying to control you!"
	"Right...isn't there a way I can weaken it?"
	"Mmmmm typical holy powers of light and such, nothing particularly fancy.  My only other estimate is perhaps ANOTHER soul devourer attacking your little friend and weakening HIM in turn.  A soul devourer is nothing more than a soul with teeth after all."
At that moment, the scissors rattled violently, making James shriek and fall to his knees.  A sudden fury began to rend through his mind, making Professor Gadd look at him nervously.
	"Oops...I take it he doesn't like that comparison."
	"N-NO he fucking doesn't...hhhhh..."
James stood up slowly once more, shivering from the pain of his mind throbbing.
	"When you say another soul devourer, you mean something that can actually take MY soul away with him?"
	"Why yes!" said the professor.  "But we don't want that...actually I am rather surprised that your uh...friend as it were, has not become MORE powerful.  A creature like him should be increasing his strength quite exponentially.  Has he perhaps had any encounters with other demons or paranormal creatures of sorts?"
	"Well there was this demon guy who...heh, I think kicked his ass, that was before Himuro Mansion...and......wait.  WAIT!"
	"What, what?!"
	"That thing, in the Himuro basement, down in the caves!  The demon!  When I was fighting him off with your camera, he went through me like he was about to eat me!  ...but something saved my soul, some kinda item of protection or something!"
	"Oh how marvellous!"
	"But it DIDN'T save Scissoraptor!  He must have gotten chewed up cuz I felt something scream and weaken inside of me!  I thought it was my soul, but that was saved by that mirror piece I had so it HAS to be HIM!"
	"HOHOHO, well done my boy!  We have figured out ONE mystery.  Now for the other, how to extricate this wee beastie from you."
	"Any ideas?" asked FG.

	"Unfortunately no.  Were this during the first year of your possession, I would be able to find some way of severing the bond...but it has, as you say, been six whole years in which he has had PLENTY of time to get his nasty hooks inside of you, ho ho ho."
	"...and how is this funny?"
	"Sorry, nervous habit.  But sadly I do not know a way to separate you from this arcane demon dear James.  For now I suggest you find a way to appease it, feed it and take care of it if you will."
	"...it's not a fucking pet, it's a MONSTER professor!"
	"I know, but he IS a part of you now and you must take care of it so it will take care of you.  Course as to HOW you find a way to feed it I shall not hear of."
	"Ehhhh...I'll find a way...somehow."
	"Good, now then!  Is there anything else you require from me?"
	"Nope, just wanted to test your new machine and get a good readout on this thing inside me is all."
	"I am sorry that I could not be anymore help, finding the parts alone for this thing was quite troublesome."
	"I appreciate it Gadd, you're the only one I can trust with this shit, you know what I've been through."
	"Yes...the life of a professor is never easy."
He said this with a strange wistfulness in his hair, which turned wispy by a sudden soft breeze before patting James on the back heartily, and saying:
	"Well then, off you go!  Don't be a stranger now young laddie!"
	"Bye Gadd, see ya around."
As James left the ramshackle hut of Professor E. Gadd, he was left to his own thoughts as he sheathed his scissors into his scabbard.  He was thankful that he had at least one person in this world that he could speak to of such matters.  He would have spoken to Kammy while at magic school, but being so close to the king of the Koopas made him nervous
All he had to do now was to find a way to feed said demon.  The only way he knew how.  But to consider such a thing was now a terrible idea to him, the very idea of it making him shiver to his soul.  Unfortunately, the creature inside of him was going to convince him otherwise soon.

Early one morning, Koopin woke up to find his bedside empty, a cold imprint leaving him rather alone and surprised.  Then he noticed the glare of a static TV screen from the living room ahead of him, slowly walking out of the bedroom towards it.  A small forlorn sigh came from him when he saw James on the couch, lying on his side, the bluish-white light of the TV blinking across his features.  He gently said:
	"Hey."
	"...mmmm?"
	"James?"
	"Huh?"
The raptor slowly opened his eyes, bleary and blood-shot from a clear lack of sleep.  His head turned up towards Koopin's disheartened look, as he responded barely with:
	"Hey."
	"You okay?"
	"Nnnnnyeah."
	"...having nightmares again?"
	"Ehhhh yeah."
He slowly sat down beside James, who lifted up his head to lie onto Koopin's lap, nuzzling the back of his head against the belly.  The raptor softly said:
	"I'm sorry."
	"No don't be, I understand...you like to stay awake."
	"Mmhmm...I like having a TV on when I'm having nightmares.  Sarah would let me do that whenever I had a bad dream...sometimes she would let me sleep downstairs on the couch and...sit with me while I lie my head in her lap, kinda like what you're doing now."
	"Mmmhmm."
	"And I'd just...watch the TV keep going until...until I dropped off."
	"What nightmare was it?"
	"...the...th-the one with...him."
He turned away from Koopin and sighed in frustration, the koopa softly stroking across James' head tenderly so.
	"I'm sorry." said Koopin.
	"No, don't be.  Don't be sorry for something you didn't do."
	"I just wish I could get rid of those nightmares for you."
	"They're not regular or anything, they just happen.  You have nightmares too don't you?"
	"Well, sure, everybody does.  I just...the life you've had, it...scares me to think what nightmares YOU have."
	"...he's real."
	"Huh?"
	"Him.  The one who...I have nightmares of sometimes.  ...I don't wanna say his name, even now after all these years.  Like the moment I say it might summon him or something.  I'm scared because he's real."
	"I...I know.  You told me before about what he was, but he's not here.  He's not in this world James.  He's far away...somewhere where he can never hurt you."
	"Did I ever tell you WHY I'm scared of him?"
	"...no."
Koopin was uncertain of James' state, but dared not interrupt him as the raptor opened up to him.
	"The day I first met him...was the first time I was afraid to die."
	"Wh-what?"
	"He almost killed me.  He...he made me feel my life run out bit by bit...watched me struggle and beg and panic...I was so scared.  I didn't wanna show it, I screamed and cursed and clawed at the ground but he wasn't fooled.  He knew I was scared...that I was just a frightened kid stuck on a world way beyond my own.  The first world I ever been to...I was so scared Koopin."
	"I know James."
He rubbed his hand along James' shoulder and neck, soothing him slowly as the raptor dared not to burst into tears.
	"I know."
	"I...I'll never forget-"
	"Shhhhhh sh-sh-sh-shhhh...it's okay...you're safe James.  You're safe."
Unfortunately the peace was not to last for long, as James started to feel a twitching of his chest.  His breathing turned ragged, and his heart started to feel tight.  He knew what this signified.  The fear was taking over.
No...no, no please god not now.  I don't want you here.  I don't want you here!
	"James, what's wrong?!"
	"UNGH!"

He fell from the couch and onto the floor, clutching his heart and groaning with a deep pain.  His teeth started to clench, his muscles tightened, as his eyes began to hurt with pure focus.  Koopin was at his side, kneeling and holding him close.
	"James!  James, what's wrong?!  What's happening?!"
	"A-a-a-agh!  AGH!  H-heart...NNNGH!  GUUUH!"
	"Hold on James, just hold on I'm here!"
He tried to do so, his body rejecting the dark unholy force from inside him.  He could feel it had become stronger than before, but he felt he could win.  He felt he could push against it if he sucked up his fear and pushed forth with fury.
I'm not...gonna let you out.  I'm NOT...your slave, you fucking MONSTER, why won't you leave me ALONE!?
	"A-AAAAAAAARGH!"
	"JAMES!  JAMES, LISTEN TO ME!  I'M HERE, JUST HOLD ON I'M HERE!  I'm here for you James...please..."
Koopin's cry of fear didn't help, the raptor choking back tears of pain as he punched his chest fiercely, trying to make his own pain encourage his own fury, as he felt the darkness start to waver.  It could tell that it wasn't strong enough yet to take him, the raptor smiling with each shaking second of his body.  Koopin clinged to him tightly, trying to calm him down, to keep him still as he focused his inner strength.  Eventually, the fear began to recede, back into his heart.  His breaths began to slow down, sighing deeply back to their regular pace.
	"You...okay?" asked the koopa.
	"Yeah.  I'm fine...thank you."
	"Wh-what happened, I thought you had a heart attack!"
	"Just...nothing.  I think I got scared...maybe a panic attack...thank you."
	"F-for what?"
	"For...being there for me."
They both jumped with a startlement as a shattering of glass came from the bedroom.  James held Koopin tight to protect him with his body, but nothing came.
	"Wh-what was that?!" said the koopa.
	"D-dunno...lemme look."
	"James, no-"
	"Just...let me look."
He slowly stood up onto his feet, dragging them heavily as his chest began to turn less heavy with the pain despite his own heavy breathing.  Cautiously walking towards the bedroom, he noticed the tinkling of glass shards beneath the safety cabinet where he kept his scissors.  The scissors were now slightly dislodged from their place, still remaining in the cabinet, but with a broken frame leaving them exposed.
	"...heh...cabinet's broken."
	"Huh?"
	"Where my scissors are...the cabinet broke.  Stupid cheap piece of crap...heh, safety my ass."
	"...dang."
	"Lemme just clean this up an-"
	"No, no, I'll clean it, you just go to bed okay?  You need to rest, badly."
	"Alright...I'm sorry."
	"It's okay."
As Koopin went to clean up the glass, James softly slinked into bed with a weakened body.  He gazed up towards the dreaded instrument, knowing full well what happened.  It was a warning.

When they woke up the next day, James still looked exhausted, and Koopin turned worried about leaving him on his own.  Discreetly asking a neighbour to keep an eye on him and report on anything suspicious, he left for work with a kiss to the raptor.  James hated his days off now.  Alone in the house with himself, not able to do anything or meet up with anyone, no reason to go to Roy's.  He contemplated seeing Professor E. Gadd again like he did before on Koopin's off days, but he had no more questions for him.
He laid down on the couch, sighing with futility.  A few minutes later, a barking noise came from outside.  The tiniest smirk came to him as he went out to the backyard and smiled down upon Charlie.
	"Heeeeey, you awake?"
	"Bark-bark!"
	"Hahaha, you're always happy arentcha?"
It was strange to own a pet that was nothing more than a living ball and chain, but James got over it quickly like with everything else in this world, bending down and petting at the smooth steel head.  Charlie panted up at him with complete adoration and love, the raptor unable to stop himself from smiling back at him.
	"Hey, you wanna play boy?  Where's your stick?"
Eventually finding it after combing the yard some, he played fetch with the chain chomp just to take his mind off of things.  It felt like half an hour or so, endlessly throwing the stick back and forth with Charlie off his lead, trusting the rather obedient chomp for how closely he stuck to the backyard.  Sometimes he tricked Charlie into throwing an empty hand, his stick behind his back while the chain chomp would look around the grass in a futile search.
But then came one particularly strong swing.
	"Alright, try this one!  HuuuuuRAAAH, GO GET IT BOY!"
	"WOO-WOOF!"
Charlie bounced out of the yard and headed straight across to another yard, making James panic slightly.  But before he could hop over the fence towards his neighbour's home, the chain chomp had returned with something white and grey in his mouth.  A newspaper.
	"...Charlie.  That's not a fucking stick."
	"Woof-woof, woof-woof!"
	"No, Charlie, you can't even read, I'm not gonna read...heh..."
The raptor picked up the paper to see an odd little comic in the funnies, smirking slightly before his curiosity caused him to flick over towards current news.  Then his heart sank.  He remembered now why he never read the papers in any world.  But then his mind sparked with a whole new idea.  Just as he was on the cusp of it, a voice called out from the fence.
	"HEY!"
	"Huh?"
	"Campbell right?!"
A koopa's head popped up over the fence, to which James replied:
	"Uhm, yeah?"
	"You mind giving me back my paper?!  Your chomp took it from my chair when I went to get a drink!"
	"OH, damn, sorry I uh...Charlie, we have our own paper, don't take our neighbours' paper!  Sorry, I was playing fetch and he musta confused his stick with it."
	"Ehhh it's alright."
He handed back the newspaper to the koopa who headed back across his garden, the raptor now intrigued to go find his own newspaper.  Koopin had subscribed to it since first arriving here as part of his tour guide education, for weather warnings and safety reasons.  James soon found the page he was looking for in current events.  He looked towards his scissors within the broken glass display case, then back to the paper.
	"...I'm gonna need a smaller pair of scissors."

The next few months soon became rather busy for both James and Koopin.  Autumn was coming, and as a result, people started either planning for cheaper tours, or heading away from beaches and back into bars.  Either way, they were both getting well-acquainted with their jobs throughout this season.  Koopin however did notice a slight change in James' mood, owing to a new part of his occupation at the bar.  At the end of each month, he would start arranging trips to Rogueport as business for Roy's, claiming he had found a new niche to expand in.
Koopin was rather pleased that James had been given something to keep him travelling, especially to a place that he apparently felt quite at home in.  It sounded like a perfect sort of job for his boyfriend, and his mood at first was rather pensive and uncertain.  But over time he became much more alive and enthusiastic than he had ever been before.  After the second month of these trips, he was starting to return back to his old self, which made Koopin feel relieved that it may well have been just a rather strange mood after all.
This was even further proven when Koopin came home one day after a rather light day at work, only for James to hold him around the waist and welcome him with a kiss unexpectedly.
	"Hey James, how-mmph!  ...mmmmhhhhh..."
	"Mmmmm...hello dear."
	"...J-james?  You okay?"
	"Ohhh I am...how are you?"
	"Um...f-fine, today was...boring."
	"Good...that means you're not all tired out right?"
	"Noooo...why?"
	"Because I think I'm long overdue in giving you something special."
	"Wha...what's that?"
James whispered into his ear, something that made Koopin gasp and pant with a hot shiver as he bit his lip.
	"H-h-hoh...really?"
	"Mmhmm...I haven't been loving you enough these past few months and...I wanna make up for it."
	"Y-you don't have to, really."
	"I want to.  I need to...I've missed feeling you against me so much."
	"Ohhh...I missed you too, but, I never wanted to say anything and be a bother."
	"Well...your show's recording, Charlie's had his run, nobody is gonna bother us today...so why don't you come to bed, I make you feel like it was our first night all over again, minus the alcohol, and we just...lie in together without a care in the world?  Just for one day."
	"...I love you."

Koopin suddenly leapt up to kiss James hard on the lips, suckling hotly as their tongues smooshed together into one wondrous dance, the raptor holding the koopa's head close to his as his eyes closed softly.  Koopin's eyes closed in turn, moaning with James as they slowly moved each other towards the bedroom in a half-conscious waltz.  Not even wasting any time after a few months of having no intimacy together, James pulled Koopin's shell off swiftly before placing it at the side of the bed, pushing Koopin down onto the sheets as he kicked off his boots.
Swiftly slipping his jeans and heart-patterned boxers off, the raptor leaned down at the side of the bed and pulled Koopin's legs towards him, exposing his sweet puckered tailhole which winked suddenly with excitement.  Licking his lips and without even warning, he dove his tongue in and suckled hotly at the little hole before worming his way in, much to Koopin's squeals of bliss.
	"AAAH!  James!  AAAH!"
Chuckling to himself at such girlish-sounding squeals, the raptor further encouraged it by sucking and stuffing his tongue deep as he could, moaning at the hot muscular walls twitching all around him.  His hands kept Koopin's legs up, the koopa moaning helplessly so as his thick feet clenched.  His squeals turned strangled, unable to comprehend the strange hot wetness that slathered his walls within, until he could do nothing but squeak silently, clutching the sheets hard.
That was James' cue to stop, sliding out before kissing along Koopin's soles, making him blush hotly up at him.  Smooching his way along the squat chubby legs all the way up to the belly, he avoided Koopin's cock on purpose to further tease him, licking up across the slight paunch of the belly before reaching the koopa's beak.  He was now high up enough to grind his own member, thick and rigid, against Koopin's well-lubed rear.  Holding his legs up firmly once again, one look between them was all it took to make James push in.
Koopin gasped with a whimper at first, letting himself relax as the first inch pushed in.  He was expecting a slow intimate penetration, his own cock throbbing immensely between his legs at an adorable 6 inches.  But James was too enraged with lust to be gentle, and when he knew Koopin had spread wide enough to take him, he plunged all the way.
	"A-AAAAH!"

Having tested the first few inches before thrusting, the raptor knew that Koopin could take it without harm, and he watched his lover's face contort with a blissful surprise, feeling the lancing thrust hilt inside him.  James panted above him, his face so close to Koopin's until they rubbed each other's nose, beak upon snout, panting breaths coalescing together into one cloud of lust.  Then he slowly pulled out, before pushing back within.
Bending over Koopin's body, his eyes half-closed as he furiously began pounding into the koopa's rear, his squeaks and whimpers only further encouraging him.  Hot smacking sounds of his scaled hips against yellow squat legs, feeling the feet struggle to curl around his waist as he slammed all the more, wanting to make Koopin feel his love.  And he did.
	"AAAH!  James!  Ohhh stars JAMES!"
James' body was now glistening with sweat, his purple marks shining in the light as Koopin's own body turned slicker while shimmering in turn, the heat of their love turning unbearable.  Koopin begged with open eyes, pure blue staring into deep green as they thought to kiss each other at the exact same time.  The raptor pushed forwards, groaning in hot lustful love as his tongue slathered into Koopin's mouth, tasting along his tongue in turn.  The koopa struggled to put his head up, his hand reaching around to James' head to pull him close.
Hungry panting came from the raptor's throat, his eyes closed as he felt his lips touch Koopin's, both of them open as their tongues danced a veiled embrace within hot salival webs.  The raptor kept thrusting, unending, feeling the little koopa tail wiggle with bliss underneath him as he felt his climax approach.  He did not speak, but instead signalled this to his love by thrusting more slowly, while also thrusting harder.  Hard enough to make the koopa jolt, hard enough to make the bed itself shake a little.  Koopin gulped down his lover's moans and breaths, which soon turned into almost bestial grunts.  A hoarse desperation could be felt briefly in his groans, before turning breathless with passion.

With one final thrust, James roared into Koopin's throat, the power of his voice making the koopa tremble with joy as he felt the hot liquid love swell up inside of him.  In turn he could barely last, the passion all too much as he in turn replied to James with a wondrous moan into his throat, followed by his own climax.  Hot white spurts upon his belly, as well as James' upper chest and neck, the two leaving their mouths against each other for a few moments more.  Soon they would part, smiling sweetly upon the other as Koopin panted:
	"H-hoh...gosh...that was..."
	"Good?"
Koopin only nodded, his rear feeling dull and sore but not minding it with the wondrous hot warmth within his lower body, as James slowly laid on top of him, moaning into his ear.
	"Does that...make up for the way I've been lately?"
	"Yes...oh stars yes...thank you."
	"Mmmmm...I'll always love you Koopin...always."
He almost felt the need to sleep overtake him, lying against Koopin as they felt utter contentment weave across their bodies in the form of their body heat.  Eventually, after what felt like a few minutes of eternity, a sudden bouncing ball of barking bravado leapt up onto their bed.
	"AGH, Charlie!"
	"AUGH d-dammit you stupid ass, hhhahaha..."
The chain chomp had managed to get into the house from the unlocked back door, barking and slurping his tongue all over James and Koopin's faces which made them break out of their reverie.
	"I thought you had your run boy," said James exhaustedly, "but no, you're not getting another run, you had enough fun for one day.  Go on, get out."
Eventually Charlie got bored, seeing they did not want to do anything for how curiously tired they were all of a sudden, as he hopped off the bed to sleep on the floor.  James sighed as 
he found the strength in himself to slowly pull out of Koopin, sliding himself off to be at his side.
	"Ohhhh I'm so glad he didn't come in when we were busy."
	"Heheh, yeah, that'd have been...awkward."
	"...anything up with you?"
	"Nope," replied Koopin happily.
	"Meeeeee neither."
For that brief instance of time, life had regained its balance.  Koopin was happy, James was content, Charlie had only been there for two months and was already spreading his joyful influence just as intended within their home.  The raptor had just enough time to break his head out of the waters of his mind before it would start dragging him back in.