Zack is tidying away his station, more than ready to get out of the shape-shifter tattoo studio he works in and go home to meet Tobias. They met almost a year ago today, in this studio, and he plans to ask Tobias to move in with him at dinner tonight.

Dawn, the receptionist, is helping him tidy up. He’s been telling her about his plans with Tobias. The almost twenty-one-year-old were-coyote Dawn isn’t exactly what Zack would call a romantic, not that he used to be either.

“I bet you and Holden think I’m a sap.” Zack smiles, wiping down tables. He hates the smell of the chemicals, but they’re needed. Everything here must be sterile.

Holden is Dawn’s twin brother. They both work in reception at the studio. They also both share a fascination with tattoos and hair colors not found in nature. Right now, Dawn’s hair is a mixture of black with pink and green streaks.

“I kind of think you’re a sap, yeah. But Holden thinks it’s cute. He believes in love at first sight and all that stuff,” Dawn says in a way that suggests she doesn’t.

“Has he ever been in love?” Zack asks, curious about the tall, blue-haired coyote.

“No. We’ve both dated a lot of people, but neither of us have found someone special. It doesn’t really bother me. But I think…Holden…It’s not that he’s lonely, but he’s a romantic at heart. It’d be nice for someone to sweep him off his feet.” Dawn sucks her lip ring into her mouth, somehow not messing up her cherry red lipstick. Zack has never understood makeup.

“Have you tried setting him up with anyone?” Zack knows Dawn loves to matchmake.

“He’d kill me. He wouldn’t like me meddling with his love life. No. All I can do is encourage him not to give up.” Dawn sighs.

“You’re not even twenty-one yet. You both have time,” Zack points out.

“Twenty-one in a month. Legal to do everything we’ve been doing since we were fifteen. I know we’re not old. But I’d like to see him more settled,” Dawn says, adjusting her black tights, which are full of holes—Zack thinks on purpose, but he’s never claimed to know anything about fashion.

“But then you might lose your partner in crime.” Zack knows the twins don’t only work together, they live together, share friends, and do almost everything together. They’re really close. Seeing them together often makes Zack wish he’d had a brother or a sister.

“He’ll always be my brother. I know he’ll always love me, maybe not best, but in a special way you can only love a twin. We’re connected; we always will be. Not saying I won’t get a little jealous. Maybe I will. But I love him. I want him to have a person who loves him the way he deserves to be loved. He deserves to be someone’s everything,” Dawn says firmly.

“You’re a good sister.” Zack smiles.

“Of course. I’m the best. And I’m six minutes older, so I’m his big sister. I have to watch out for him. I want him to be happy. I mean, he’s happy now, but happier. I want him to meet someone he can’t live without.” Dawn shrugs.

“I didn’t think about wanting someone a lot until I met Tobias. I had work; I had family and friends. Life seemed pretty complete. Like, it never felt like something was missing. But now I couldn’t ever go back to the way things were before Tobias and be happy. He makes my life better.” Zack can still remember the first time he had seen Tobias, when Dawn and Holden had been flirting with him. They still do a little, but with no intent.

“Maybe that’s the best way to be. Not really needing it till you have it,” Dawn says thoughtfully.

“So, I shouldn’t set Holden up on any dates? Tobias has some single friends,” Zack offers.

“Finding dates is not the part he has trouble with. It’s finding something meaningful. If he’s just looking to get laid, he has no problem. That guy can talk most people into his bed. But finding someone he wants to stick around the next morning? That he has trouble with. You don’t want him nailing Tobias’s friends. That could get awkward,” Dawn explains.

“Why do you think he can’t find someone he wants to keep around long term?” Zack asks.

He knows both twins are openly bisexual. He’s seen them both flirt with men and women, collecting numbers. They’re both beautiful naturally, and striking with their differences, the hair, the tattoos. They get a lot of attention. Zack wouldn’t think it would be hard for either of them to find someone to be with long term.