Higher Learning
Higher Learning
copyright 2010 comidacomida
(This is an off-shoot story line from the More Than Friends story, explaining the relationship between a high school friend of Tanner's named J.D. and his human lover, Jason. This is one of my rare first-person narratives, but it was necessary in order to correctly convey J.D.'s attitude and outlook. This is a continuation from the previous post, "The Lining IS Silver". Now, without further ado, ENJOY!)
College was somethin' else, I can tell ya that. And I'm not talking about any of those ivy league colleges. Jason's scholarships were general use, so he was able to take partial credits at community college and split up the rest of his required classes at the university. That's how he started out anyway, and he took me with him, kickin' and screamin'... but only a little... I mean, after all, life's better with my human around.
Jason found a few places in his price range, but I kept pushing him toward the one bedrooms... and it's not for the reason you might be thinkin' either. See... I don't need a lot of space, and I didn't really have anything to bring with me, so why bother giving me my own room when I wasn't paying my way? In the end, he came around to my line of thinking and he got a place not too far from one of the community college campuses; he got the bedroom and I took the couch.
Life was good then, ya know? Both of us got away from the shit holes we used to live in-- well... my mom's place was a shit hole, and Jason got shoved shit by a couple of assholes, so it still counts. Either way, things finally started to go right. The place was Jason's, so when we were home it was just us, and the rest of the world could have burned for all I cared.
But we didn't spend all our time at home-- Jason had classes, and, well, I get bored easy... and when I get bored things kinda get broken. I don't do it on purpose... well... not always... boredom just happens to be one of my 'triggers'. Anyway, it's pretty obvious that I couldn't spend all day at home, so I had to find something to do to keep myself busy. As it happened, the campus was looking for some part time help so, without even really meaning to, I found my first job.
It wasn't anything glamorous; I walked the grounds and shooed away the bums and druggies that wanted to camp out or loiter on the campus. The pay was shit, but it kept me busy and, I later found out, much to Jason's glee, it also qualified me for a few free credits every quarter. If that little fucker knew one thing about me, it was how much I hated school. If he knew two things about me, the first was how much I hated school, and the second was how to get me to do things I hated. By now, I bet you know that Jason knew a fuck-load more than just two things about me.
To make a long story short, his second semester at college was my first. It wasn't anything major... I mean, just 6 credit hours. He thought it'd be good for me; as usual, he was right. See... the thing is, high school was just all about being babysat, and all the pressure that went along with people telling you what a fuck-up you are because you didn't take tests the way they wanted you to. Sit still. No throwing papers. Stop chewing on your desk. Pay attention. Stop hitting Billy. Go to detention. At college, at least they treated me more like an adult.
So, really, it wasn't all bad, and a hell of a lot better than high school... but, then again, so's a root canal. On the up-side, one of my classes was right before lunch and the other was right after, which meant that I had a fair chance at the cafeteria food. Yea... I know what most people think about cafeteria food, but I grew up on that shit. No breakfast at home, some shit-log overcooked crap for dinner; cafeteria food became my fill-it-mig-non or however the hell you pronounce it-- I'm not French.
One really cool thing that came out of going to the lunch room was seeing Tan Paw again. A lot of the folks from high school went off in their own directions, and I guess Tan Paw's direction just happened to be the same as mine. We spent some time catching up every day during lunch. He was going to classes full time to get some certificate-or-other, working at a shoe store in his free time to pay the bills. It was good to see him again, in a way; other than Jason, he was the only good thing to come out of high school.
See, the thing about Tan Paw was that he wasn't part of 'the boys'. We met in weight training class... heh... he was the only one outta the whole crew there who didn't make a big deal about spotting me. It was pretty impressive seeing that German shepherd all 'not-worried' about the weight I kept on my bar... I mean, he was weight training for endurance, being on the running team and all, and me? Well... I just liked lifting lots and lots of weights. He treated me like any other Dog, and I think that might have been why we got along so well and why I stayed friends with him even after I split from 'the boys'.
We pretty much picked up right where we left off from high school. Well... not exactly where we left off. See... Tan Paw (he went by Tanner) and I spent some time outta class together now and again too. I didn't get a lot of head in high school, but what I did get was from him first. Yea, I guess you might start goin' off about the whole 'first time' thing, but it wasn't anything like that shit... Tanner was just a real good friend, and real real real good with his tongue.
And me? I knew how to squeeze his knot just right-- only took 2 fingers and I'd have him making a mess all over the place. But that was in the past, and in college I had Jason, so other than THAT stuff, though, we picked up from where we left off. I guess the good friendships are the ones that are able to last. Something about having that felt good. It felt really good. So between having Jason at home and Tanner at school, my life was probably the best it had ever been before then.
Believe it or not, my classes went okay too. A lot of the things Jason taught me my fifth year of high school came in really handy, and he even helped me study at night... no, not just THAT kind of study... we went over my course work too... sometimes. You know, I think between work, classes, time with Tanner, and time with Jason, that was probably the most social I had ever been, and the most things I ever had going on at once. Believe it or not, I really liked it, even if I didn't realize how much fun I was having at the time. Balancing it all wasn't something I realized I was able to do, and that's one of those "pleasant surprises" I used hear about but didn't usually get to have.
You ever hear about that phrase about "things coming together"? People use that to say that things are good and there's progress and shit. Well... in my case, I remember there being a lot of stress when the different parts of my life started "coming together". At the beginning of Jason's third quarter (and my second), for example, Jason ended up seeing me and Tanner in the cafeteria together. You know... I guess it wouldn't have been such a big deal if he didn't see us touching noses-- I think that bothers humans a lot.
I think part of what made it so bad was that he turned around and left without even coming over to talk. That wasn't his usual style, so it really got my fur up on end. I mean... I knew there wasn't anything going on between me and Tanner, but that didn't mean that Jason didn't... and humans have some pretty serious hang-ups when it comes to having real close friends. I ran out into the hall after Jason, but he said he was going to be late for his next class and that we'd talk that night. God, the rest of the day was a living hell.
I got home before he did (duh!-- I only had one class after lunch) so I spent my time pacing back and forth. I knew Jason knew I wouldn't do anything he disapproved of; too many people in his life let him down for me to be one of them. I was Jason's Guard Dog-- I wasn't about to hurt him, and I kept telling myself over and over again that he knew it too. But I knew humans didn't really like the whole deal with meeting 'special friends'. Whatever Jason meant by talking that night, it really had my teeth grinding.
He showed up at the regular time, but it felt like he was hours late. I started right in on defending myself. Yes, the dog I was with in the cafeteria was a friend from high school. Yes, he was THAT kind of friends and YES, I had done a lot of stuff with him in the past, but it was ALL in the past. I told him that Tan Paw and I were still friends and that we were spending lunches together because we were friends but that was it. Before I realized it, I had spent almost a half an hour answering questions that Jason hadn't asked-- he hadn't even so much as spoken one word.
I think I was about to pass out from loss of air at that point since I didn't recall knowing when I had last taken a breath. Jason just stood there next to the doorway listening quietly to what I had to say, face completely passive, not saying anything. "And there ain't NOTHING going on between us." I added.
"I know." that's all he said as if it was the simplest thing in the world for him to accept.
Now, not being the smartest Dog in the world, I don't have a problem admitting that I get confused easy and, well... yea... that confused me. "So... what's with all the... and the talking later... and the walking away with the--" I probably woulda gone on for awhile like that, but Jason stopped me by taking a few steps closer and holding up a small cardboard box.
It wasn't like the ones you'd use to move or anything... it looked more like those flimsy, shitty little things someone'd put a sweater in when giving it as a gift for Christmas. Smaller, but kinda like that. He handed it to me, and the box didn't last a lot longer than that, cuz, plain and simple, I'd been on edge enough that day that I really wanted to destroy somethin'... and gift packages are a polite target to tear apart. 'course, the destruction stopped then and there when I saw what was inside.
You know how some Burb Dogs have these really colorful nylon collars? The real clowny ones in red or blue or green or purple, or heliotrope (whatever fuckin' color that's supposed to be) or whatever? Well I never liked the idea of collars because of that. I mean, now and then I'd wear a choke chain... but just for Jason... and only when it made things REAL interesting. But nylon? Yea... like THAT'D happen.
I'm a Guard Dog, and Guard Dogs don't wear no fuckin' brightly colored chord around our necks. If we wear anything, we wear leather... god damn fresh-cured, high-treated, Mel-Gibson-in-Mad-Max black fuckin' leather... and that's what I was holding. Right there, in my paws, was my first official Guard Dog collar, complete with metal studs. I coulda fuckin' cried, right then and there. Jason stood there smiling, and made a little twirling motion with his finger... it woulda been pretty unclear what he meant for anyone else, but his Dog knew it clear as day.
I turned the collar over and, stitched into the backing with silver thread was "24-7. My work is never done.". It was a line I'd used back in high school when I told him how important he was to me. I said that I was always going to be there to look out for him. He remembered it because it was important to me, and he told me right then and there that I was important to him. God... I don't know how to describe it... but you get this feeling somewhere between your neck and your gut, all tightening up and shit when it hits you: the knowledge that somehow, in a world of fucking jackasses, you managed to find the one person who is the right one for you.
He rose up to his tip-toes, but he didn't need to; I lowered my head, and he threw his arms around my neck, and we kissed... that silly kind of human kiss. But it didn't bother me; I had my human. He took the collar from my paws, and slid it around my neck. It felt good to have him do that-- like he was agreeing with what I told him all along: he was my human. Now, with a collar it was official. I spent the night with him on his bed, but not before he made me an even happier Dog... if you catch my drift. heh heh.
In the morning, I woke up with him on top of me, laying on my chest and looking into my eyes. It was a beautiful thing, you know... seeing two big blue eyes looking down at you as if you were the most important thing in life. Those are the kind of moments when I'm at my most poetic: "Ready to go again already, are ya?" okay... so maybe I'm no Picasso? no... um... Mark Twain? no... uh... Michaelangelo? .... fuck, I don't know any poets-- well... whatever. What I mean is: I don't do poems.
Anyway, whether he was after sex again or not, he did a good job of changing the subject around. "I think you should invite Tanner over."
My reply was one I favored and used quite often, "Huh?"
"That Dog you were with yesterday in the cafeteria... tan-Paw... that was Tanner from back in high school, wasn't it?" Jason asked, running his fingers through the fur where my neck met my shoulder-- god, I loved it when he did that.
"Yea... probably the only person from high school I still call a friend." I answered. I wasn't going for sympathy or anything-- he knew pretty good by that point that I'd tell anyone else I knew from high school to fuck off since the guys I hung out with back then were all assholes anyway.
"And I'm not?" Jason chuckled, leaning forward to touch his nose to mine.
His smile spread to me, "You're not a friend... you're my human."
"And where does that rate?" he asked back with a grin.
"Friend..." I noted, giving his nose a light nip. (Yea... I'm a hard mouthed dog, but I can be gentle at the right time, and with the right person). "and you." I added, rolling over and carrying him with me until I was on top him, legs on either side of his as I pinned him down and closed my muzzle around his neck. I didn't bite, but he realized what was going on. His hands moved to right where I wanted them, and I licked his throat as his fingers did everything I didn't even need to ask for. He later agreed that he liked being my human more than just being a friend. heh heh... he has good taste in Dogs.
That wasn't the end of the discussion, of course... no... not by a long shot. He talked about it often enough, pointing out that he was okay with me having a life separate from him. He was glad that Tanner and me could stay buddies. But, and I'll never figure out how I found a human like Jason: he knew about Dog friendships and intimacy, and it didn't freak him out. I mean... he knew what Dogs did with friends and included their friends in, and he didn't really make a big deal out of it. If you're a Dog, you know what I'm talking about... and if you're a Human, you probably don't.
See... the thing is, Tan Paw and me... we went back a ways. We knew a lot about each other, and we'd fooled around a little ourselves. It was always a friends thing... nothing really serious. It stopped like... YEARS before college, but we were still friends. Jason knew enough about us to talk with me about Tanner. He was real good about just talking-- he didn't do any of the blame stuff or the overreacting I'd expect from a NORMAL human... no... MY human was a lot better than that. Of course, Jason DID have his own specific ways of doing things, and sometimes that caught me by surprise.
It was about two weeks after giving me my collar that Jason came to me one night while I was laying on the couch getting comfortable before bed and said, "You remember the time I was over at your place?" He laid down on top of me, looking me in the eyes. The fire was burning in them, and I knew what that meant-- nothing I would have wanted, but probably something I would end up liking.
"Which time?" I asked him. I was being a prick, and he knew it-- he was only ever at my parent's shit-hole once. Jason smacked my shoulder. It wasn't a prissy slap, but it wasn't a serious hit either. I liked that about Jason; he wasn't a sissy, but he knew better than to really try and hit me. "Yea..." I finally gave in, "I remember real well." My tail beating against the cushion said it as well as I did.
"I want to do it again." he told me. My tail stopped wagging.
I sat up, sliding him onto one of my legs, "Jay... I know you like the whole 'power-over-your-Dog' thing, but I've told ya before. I don't wanna hurt you, and it's not easy for me to just keep it on the outside. Besides, I--"
He threw me for a loop, "I don't want it on the outside this time."
In one paw, I knew that was the stupidest thing to suggest, and in the other paw--- well, in the other paw was his shirt, which I was practically ripping off of him.
"AND--" he added quickly, grabbing the sleeve of his shirt before I could throw it on the floor, "I want you to have Tanner here."
I didn't have Tanner on speed dial, but I might as well have. Going just from memory, I had that German shepherd called up in no time at all... which was about all the time I had since Jason had me out of my shorts by that point, and he knew just how to tease me with his lips at the end of my sheath.
I'm not exactly sure what I said to Tanner, but I think he got the idea. You know how people sometimes make those little embarrassing sounds when they're in the middle of getting it REALLY good? Well... I think I might have let loose a few of em. It goes without saying that I had to get Jason back for playing with me while I was on the phone. He went right up onto my shoulder and I marched him off into his bedroom and hurled him onto his bed.
He wriggled out of his jeans while he directed me to the top drawer in his dresser. There was a pretty no-nonsense tube of lube; I hadn't really had that much experience with the stuff before then, but at least I could appreciate that he had the common sense not to buy anything in some pink packaging. I tossed it his way as he slipped his boxers off; like most Dogs, I'm not one for underwear myself, but I really liked the look of it on my human. It was sexy on him... but even sexier hanging off of his ankle... heh heh.
Jason took the time to open the package and undo the top of the tube, but I wasn't about to let things slow down by that point. I slipped my pointer finger into my muzzle and slobbered all over it-- yea... there's a use for it after all. I grabbed hold of his ankle in my left paw and slipped the right one up under his rump, poking at his ass with my claw. He let out the cutest little 'eep' sound... heh... and my revenge for him tonguing me while I was on the phone got off to a good start.
My human collapsed on the bed, squirming against the sheets as I wriggled my finger into him. It wasn't as slick as it coulda been, I guess, but saliva's a good start. I had to let go of his ankle and push against his chest to keep him from grinding himself all over the mattress... who coulda known that a dog finger would drive him so wild? The fact that my cock was leaking precum all over the place didn't really help keep us from making a mess-- god, there's nothing like your human groaning at your every touch to make you feel like you're loved.
A knock at the door stalled everything, but not for long; we both knew who it was. I didn't bother getting dressed when I went to answer the door and, sure enough, it was Tan Paw< "Just about to get started." I told him. I'm sure by the combination of my grin and... well... 'other things', that he knew that we were already pretty well started.
"Just getting undressed, I see." he answered back. His ears blushed a little. Heh... he was one of the few guy Dogs I'd ever consider 'cute' like that... a total sub for me, but without bein' a complete male bitch or some kinda prissy queen. Yea... he was the kinda Dog I liked and, if things had been different, he and me mighta spent more time bein' friends-plus... but for all I liked him, I had a human. I wasn't going to trade Jason for anybody, but the idea of combining the two-- well... that was the whole point of inviting Tan Paw over: my best friend and my human in one place.
See... humans have this hang-up about not sharing your feelings except with one person... and they never wanted to share that one person with anyone else. It's kinda sweet and all, being so obsessive like that, but Dogs like the idea of being able to mix parts of their life-- share the good things and let everyone important to us get close. It was a pretty big gift Jason gave to me considering how uptight humans are about things like that. Oh... I got a chance to 'thank' Jason for it, alright... and it didn't take too long considering what he was askin' for.
When we got back to the bedroom, we both helped Tan Paw undress and he climbed onto the bed first, resting his back against the headboard. I picked Jason up, placing his feet on the mattress and standing him on the bed so I had to look up into his eyes. He smiled down at me and wrapped his arms around my neck. I held him there for awhile, enjoying the smell of his body... his arousal... all of us were pretty excited by that time... the smells in the room were just... damn... I thought I was going to lose it when his thigh slid across my unsheathed cock, and I realized that I was gonna start humpin' air if I waited much longer.
I lowered Jason backwards into Tan Paw's arms. The other Dog spread his legs out, resting my human's shoulders on either of his thighs, and let Jason's head rest against his stomach. Jason smiled up at Tan Paw, and Tan Paw smiled back down. It was good watching them like that... the human I loved and my longest time friend together, just for me. Tan Paw leaned down to touch his nose to Jason's, and my human gave him a run for his money, reaching up to take hold of the back of Tan Paw's head and pulling his muzzle down for a kiss. Heh... I think I rubbed off on him over the years.
They both realized I was ready though when I climbed up onto the bed and took hold of Jason's hips. Four eyes looked back at me as Jason took hold of Tan Paw's paw like a pregnant bitch about to give birth-- well... what was gonna happen would be somethin like that... just in reverse. I knew I wanted it... I could see how much Jay wanted it... and I could see Tan Paw was pretty excited at getting to actually watch our first time. It was going to be my first time tying with Jason... second time total.
I tied once with a bitch back in high school... she was easy enough to get on her back, and I think she wanted me more than I wanted her-- I was just lookin to bust a nut... we almost missed a whole period before I could pull out. It didn't mean shit to me, and I realized that it didn't compare to what Jason and I were about to do. I was willing to forget my first time, and replace it with that moment-- I wanted every one of my firsts like that to be with my human.
We were all real eager... we all wanted it to happen, but, at the same time, I don't think any of us knew if it would. I mean... I knew what Jason wanted, and god, if I didn't want it so bad... but at the same time, I didn't want my human hurting, and I KNEW it was gonna hurt. Tan Paw was really good about helping that. I started with gentle thrusts, feeling Jason's body getting used to having me in it. I went in deeper after the first few, and even deeper. Already I realized I wasn't going to last long.
I think Jason realized it too, because, before I knew it, his spare hand was touching the side of my face, pulling my attention to him. The fire was there in his eyes, blazing brightly as he looked at me, and nodded. It was the sign I needed, and I finally, FINALLY stopped holding back. Oh, FUCK... it was... shit... I can't even explain it... I'm getting all fuckin' hard just thinking about it right now. It was in, and I pretty much lost it right there.
I froze up the moment I felt his flesh completely surround my knot. I remember feeling this... this... heat. It was all over me... not just where you'd expect. I think all my fur stood up on end, and I remember saying something, but I don't remember the exact words... somewhere in the back of my mind, I realized that Jason was hurting, and I remember that I hated myself for it but, at the same time, I felt his body shivering under me and my fur was getting bathed in his musky smelling spunk, so it couldn't have been all bad for him.
It took a minute or two for me to calm down-- I felt like I was panting in enough air to make me blow up like a balloon, and Jason was sweating so much it was like he just got out of the shower. heh... I liked it when he sweat; he smelled damn good. If I hadn't been tied with him, I probably woulda taken him again right then and there. Okay... so that was bullshit-- I shot so much cream into him that I was going to need a week to reload.
Anyway, I was laying on him and he was laying back against Tan Paw, who was gently smoothing out his hair. Jason made a quiet comment about apologizing if he broke any bones in Tan Paw's fingers, but Tan Paw just chuckled back and licked his forehead. Jason's eyes turned to me next, and a fresh blush colored his cheeks red.
Tan Paw slid out from behind him. He stayed around for a little while, going between licking Jason and comin over to touch noses with me. He made his get-away a little while after that. He gave me a hug and, judging from his smell and the way he walked, he was probably on his way home to rub-one-out. Yea... my human had that effect on me so it's no surprise that Tan Paw'd be a little hard-up-- course, probably didn't help that I was there too-- he always did have a thing for me... heh heh.
"I love you." Jason told me, and Tan Paw stopped mattering.
I didn't have to stumble over the words-- I didn't have anything to hide from my Jason... my human... my lover. "I love you too, Jay." and I pulled him close. A Guard Dog doesn't sleep at the foot of our human's bed-- we sleep with our human. You can bet I'm one damn good Guard Dog because nothing could have separated Jason from me that night (and no... not just because of the knot... jackass).