FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Eli ran into the dark club and closed the door at his back just as a rumbling thunder cracked outside.

The sheep took a few seconds to regain his breath and then looked around. His eyes struggled to get used to the half lit room, but they soon adjusted properly.

There weren't as many people inside as he had expected in a rainy day. From the entrance, Eli could see a white-furred jackal sitting on a stool and leaning on the counter, a hot beverage in his paws. The jackal looked at him and snickered, earning a warning glare from the lizard bartender. The lizard smiled at Eli, pointing at a stool with their chin. They had an androgynous appearance, smooth green scales and calm, kind eyes.

Eli closed his umbrella and left it in the stand. His fur was damp, but the atmosphere inside was warm and dry. Soft music was playing in the background and there were some lights dragging along the room. He could easily imagine the central area of the club becoming a dance floor in busier nights.

"It's raining cats and dogs outside, isn't it?" the lizard asked then. Their voice was soft and soothing. "What will you have, love?"

"Just a cup of coffee, please." Eli answered. He accepted the lizard's offer and climbed onto the stool, which wasn't far from where the jackal was sitting.

"Sure thing."

The jackal was still looking at him, a smile on his lips. Eli tried to ignore it as the lizard prepared his coffee, the loud sounds coming from the coffee maker helping him focus on a different thing other than his somewhat predatory gaze. It was difficult to pretend he wasn't seeing him, though, given that they were the only people in the club.

"Ignore Rebis," the lizard suggested. "He is as subtle as a bag of shattered glass."

"What! I'm not doing anything wrong. I'm just thinking," the jackal defended himself. "Am I not allowed to think?"

This was the bartender's turn to snicker. Eli's glance bounced between both of them, unsure. The jackal took a sip from his cup of tea. It didn't look like he liked the drink too much.

"U-um... Excuse me. Is there something wrong with me?"

"Oh, not at all," the bartender said, turning to Eli and giving him a reassuring smile. "Rebis is our bouncer. When it rains, or when he gets bored, he has a tendency to..."

"... hang around and be interesting?" Rebis suggested.

"... slack off," the lizard corrected him.

The jackal chuckled.

"Come on, Sam. I know you're thinking what I'm thinking."

"That is for me to know," the lizard said, placing a steamy cup of coffee right in front of Eli, "and for you to not divulge."

Rebis' gaze turned to Eli. The sheep shivered, not being used to the intensity of those eyes. Somehow, they looked like they hid... so much more.

"Sam's right, though," the jackal said. "You don't need to worry. It's just I've got a - let's call him a friend - and I was thinking you're just his type."

"Rebis!" Sam complained.

Eli grabbed his cup of coffee and took a long sip, hoping the steam would hide the blush in his cheeks.

"Oh, great, now you've flustered our only customer," Sam sighed. "Remind me again why you aren't outside, doing your job?"

"It's raining. You said it yourself."

"Oh, alright. I guess it's your lucky day."

Eli decided he'd had enough of this conversation. He'd come to that place for a reason. The sooner he'd get it over with, the sooner he could walk back home, shelter under a bunch of blankets and probably forget about those weird strangers.

"S-sorry but... do you know where I can find the owner of this place?" he asked the bartender.

A bolt of surprise went through the lizard's eyes.

"Why? Are you going to file a complaint?"

Eli shook his head. How could those two not know? Perhaps he'd got the wrong information?

"No. I... I came for a job interview? The offer said I'd have to talk to the owner when I arrived here..."

Sam and Rebis glanced at each other. The jackal stood up and walked a few steps towards Eli, leaning closer. He only stopped when his muzzle was barely a few inches away from the sheep's face and took a good, long look into his eyes. Again, Eli had the feeling that the jackal's gaze hid something behind.

"That's weird," Rebis said. "You look..."

"W-what?" Eli asked, unable to help himself.

"... surprisingly aware of yourself to be doing this," the jackal muttered. "Where did you find that job offer again?"

"I don't know. On the... internet?"

"Ah."

Rebis returned to his stool and took another sip from his cup of tea. As if unsure how to proceed, Sam pointed at a door on the opposite corner of the room and then up to a large window looming just above. Behind the shaded glass, Eli noticed two purple glowing spots that he thought might be lamps. The sheep gulped. Was that ominous backroom where his interview was supposed to take place?

"He'll probably be waiting for you," the bartender said. "Good luck."

"T-thank you," Eli replied with a dry throat.

He finished his cup of coffee in a hurry and stood up. As he walked towards the door, he asked himself if this was worth his time. He wasn't completely sure he wanted to work with those people - they seemed harmless, but they had a tendency to make him feel strangely vulnerable.

As if detecting his hesitation, the door suddenly opened on its own. The movement was so sudden that Eli was startled.

"Come inside, don't be shy," a gentle, yet oddly commanding voice said, ringing from above. "I don't bite."

Eli gulped and moved towards the door. He took the staircase behind it, placing his hand on the banister as if to keep himself steady. Step by step, legs feeling like jelly, he walked up towards the ominous room only to find that it wasn't ominous at all.

The first thing the sheep noticed was the faint smell of incense. As his gaze wandered the room, Eli noticed a few drawers and bookcases along the walls, filled with all kinds of objects. Some of them looked like antiques - some of the others were much more mundane. There was a small coffee table surrounded by spongy-looking couches a few steps away from where Eli was standing and a large ebony desk on the other side of the room. There was no sign of the two purple lamps Eli had seen from the lower floor.

A black wolf was sitting on an armchair right across the desk. He greeted Eli with a kind smile and motioned towards the other armchair.

"Welcome to Club Lunix, my friend," the wolf said. His voice felt pleasant and velvet-like in Eli's ears. "Please, take a seat."

The sheep didn't need to be told twice. His legs were still feeling weak, so he walked towards the armchair and allowed himself to collapse in it as collectedly as he could. As soon as he sat down, the nerves and worries swarming around his mind seemed to dissipate, if only a little.

The wolf in front of him was still smiling. He was wearing a suit that matched his black fur and his eyes were an intriguing shade of purple.

"The weather outside is unpleasant, I hear?" he asked.

Eli nodded. He didn't remember he had the ability of producing sounds until a few seconds of uncomfortable silence passed by.

"U-uh yeah. It's raining a lot," he conceded.

"How unfortunate. You look all wet and cold. Hopefully you're feeling much better now that you just walked in, hmm? I make my best effort to keep my club warm and welcoming."

Eli shifted in his seat. The armchair was surprisingly comfortable.

"It is nice in here, yes," he admitted.

"So nice," the wolf emphasized. "My name is Lucian, by the way. Can I ask for yours?"

"E-Eli," the sheep muttered.

"Eli. That's a beautiful name."

Lucian's deep gaze met Eli's eyes. Again, he had that same feeling... like there was something quite beyond his reach. Those were beautiful eyes to look at, though.

"Thank you," he heard himself say.

"You see, life works in mysterious ways," the wolf began saying then, his soothing voice helping Eli feel even more at ease. "You must have walked in because you wanted to shelter from the rain. It's a delightful coincidence that our club was nearby when it started raining. You probably didn't expect to linger in this place as much as you do now - you certainly weren't expecting to talk with me here." Lucian's eyes glowed enigmatically. "But here you are. And now you might be spending more time here than you initially thought. Isn't that funny?"

Lucian's words reminded Eli of something. He tried to push through the mist in his mind so he could force himself to speak the right words.

"I... I came looking for a job," he said, his voice a faint whisper.

At this, Lucian looked surprised.

"Wait. You did?"

Suddenly, Eli found it much easier to gather his thoughts and express them. Sitting in a comfortable armchair after walking through the merciless rain for so long must have left him in some kind of daze for a few seconds.

"Y-yeah. Why? Is that... bad?" he asked, remembering the reaction of the two other people downstairs.

Lucian shook his head.

"Not at all. Just... unusual." His mouth curled into a big, amused grin. "You see, we have a very particular recruitment process. Most people that work here don't know they're going to until... well, until they do." The wolf giggled, as if that was a joke only he could understand. "We like things to be spontaneous and natural. I don't even recall posting a job offer anywhere. Where do you say you found it?"

"On the internet."

"Ah. That must be ancient. As I said... life works in mysterious ways."

Eli tried to understand what that meant.

"Can I... can I still apply for the job?"

The possibility of having wandered there for no reason was terrifying. What if those people were having fun at him because he'd found an outdated job offer? Perhaps he should have checked the date more thoroughly... Perhaps?

"You can still apply for the job." Lucian reassured him, bringing those despairing thoughts to a halt. His grin softened into a kind smile again. "I would... er, I would still like to do a regular interview if that's okay with you. Just to get the formalities out of the way. Besides..." The wolf gazed at the sheep intently, looking him up and down. "... it would be a shame not to undergo that wonderful process with such a charming applicant."

Eli felt a gentle blush coming to his cheeks.

"You... you think so?"

"Of course," Lucian replied. Once he was done scrutinizing the sheep, his eyes met Eli's gaze again. Their purple glow was so subtle that Eli barely registered it, but he immediately found it much easier to believe Lucian wasn't simply pulling his leg. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I..." Eli found it hard not to be completely honest at that point. Which was a weird thing, considering he hadn't known the wolf for too long, but he felt just so comfortable... "I thought my looks might... er... be against me... in the interview, I mean."

"Why, you thought I wouldn't like the way you look?" Lucian asked. His eyes kept fixed on Eli's. His smile and voice felt like the calmest spot in the middle of a storm. The light smell of incense filled Eli's lungs as the wolf continued speaking. "You can put those worries to rest. I do like the way you look. And you should like it, too. You're beautiful, Eli."

"T-thank you..."

Again, Eli felt as if his voice came from far, far away.

"You see, I want my employees to be confident. I want them to know they can do their jobs just as well, if not better, than any other person." Lucian explained. At this point, Eli was slightly slumping on the armchair, holding the wolf's magnetic, purple gaze. "And you already established you want to be employed by me, isn't that right, Eli?"

The sheep nodded slowly.

"That's what I like to see," the wolf said. "If that's okay with you, we can delve into the interview itself now. You mentioned you were afraid of your looks playing against you - which we already mentioned was silly, since your looks are perfect as they are. Which other things do you think we're looking for in our employees, Eli?"

The sheep had to think for a few seconds. It was getting harder and harder to come up with thoughts of his own.

"Somebody who is skilled...?" he asked. "Somebody who can put glasses on a tray and keep it balanced...?"

"That is fundamental, yes, but skills are learned. They're not something you were born with." Lucian tilted his head. Eli found his own head tilting just at the same angle, too. "We're looking for someone who is... comfortable. Someone who makes people feel welcome. And in order to do that, you must first be comfortable with yourself. Soft and warm... Are you soft and warm, Eli?"

"Yes... I am... soft," the sheep admitted.

He wasn't completely aware if he meant it was a quality he usually had or just something he was experiencing at the moment. Lucian didn't ask for clarifications.

"So soft and warm, I can tell. We want that kind of presence in our crew. We want someone who can be soft and warm, comfortable and relaxing. Someone who can listen." The wolf's eyes seemed to glow brighter for a split second and Eli shivered, as if a bolt of electricity had just gone down his spine. "Do you think you're someone who can listen, Eli?"

"I can listen," he agreed.

"I can tell you do. You are not stuttering anymore," the wolf pointed out, "which means you already filled my first requirement. You're feeling more confident now, aren't you?"

Eli nodded. He had the distant feeling that his mouth was hanging open, but he didn't care. Things felt too comfortable to care. He was comfortable.

He had to be, in order to get the job. But he would be, even if he wasn't in that interview, because Lucian wanted him to be. And he would be, even if Lucian didn't want him to be, because that was the way he'd always been.

He could see that clearly now.

"I'm impressed. You're really making a good impression, Eli. I want you to smile. Can you do that for me?"

The sheep felt the corners of his lips curling upwards. He was so happy Lucian was pleased with how he'd been responding to the interview. His half-lidded eyes kept track of the wolf's purple gaze as he stood up and moved closer to the armchair where he was sitting.

When the wolf placed one of his paws between his ears and petted him gently, a sigh escaped Eli's lungs through his lips. Everything felt just so good. He was so content.

"That's a good employee," Lucian praised him. Eli felt his smile growing wider at the sound of those words. "See, I'm already taking for granted that you'll be joining us, and that's because you did such an amazing job, Eli. I'm really proud of you, and you should be as well."

Eli felt like giggling, although no sound escaped his throat. He was simply too relaxed in order to giggle. His body felt like a heavy pile of rocks, if only those rocks had been loose, content and soft before being piled up.

"It feels good when I praise you like this, doesn't it?"

Eli's heavy head bobbed up and down, trying to nod slowly. One of his eyelids came close - then opened drowsily again.

Watching the whole process, Lucian chuckled softly. His soft paw was still between Eli's ears. One of his claws began drawing small circles on his forehead and the sheep untangled completely.

"There's just one more thing you need to know," the wolf said, his voice echoing in Eli's empty head like the thoughts the sheep must have had at some point. "I'm always trying to be helpful and gentle, but I am still the boss. You understand what that means, right, Eli? It means you must do as I say. It means you must obey my commands. What must you do, Eli?"

"I must obey your commands," the sheep repeated.

Lucian bent in front of the sheep, lowering his head until it was eye-to-eye with Eli's.

"Woooonderful." The wolf cooed. "It's just a natural thing, isn't it? An employee has to do what his boss says, so it will feel natural for you. Even more so if I'm looking into your eyes like this. Right, Eli?"

"Right..."

Eli wasn't completely aware of where he was or what he was doing anymore. The concept of job interviews had disappeared from his mind a long time ago. He just wanted to keep staring into those deep, purple pools as he sank deeper into that wonderful state in which he felt extremely calm. He just wanted to comply and do as Lucian said.

Everything was purple. Everything was good.

He'd be all the things the wolf asked him to be. Soft, warm, comfortable, deep, obedient. He'd do whatever he asked. He was his boss, after all.

"That's a good boy." Lucian pulled away from Eli, but the magnetism of his gaze didn't decrease. "I can tell you're so warm and soft and heavy that you just want to give into the feeling completely. Wouldn't that feel great, Eli? Employees must be well-rested, and for that, they must sleep. Are you going to sleep for me?"

There was an attempt at a nod, somewhere. Eli barely registered it happening, just the intention for it to happen.

"Just what I thought. Then sleep, boy."

And the sheep's mind plunged into a deep abyss, body sprawling on the armchair as if the strings keeping it upright had been finally set loose completely.

Lucian chuckled and walked next to the armchair. His paw slid down from Eli's forehead into his soft cheek, giving it a gentle, slow stroke. There was no response from the slumbering sheep. Not like Lucian was expecting any.

"Oh, Eli," he whispered, his eyes pulsing with a deep, possessive glow. "I can already tell you're going to like it here..."