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Payment in Kind, Part 4

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Even though Oliver had released me, the moment Dan showed up the Fox's paws opened reflexively anyway and he took a step away back from the massage table. "M-Mr. Fores?"

The King Shepherd strolled into the massage room as if he were the guest speaker at a board meeting, staring down his nose at my patient. His follow-up statement lost any sense of civility or manners. "Get your clothes and get the hell out."

Oliver fidgeted. "I-- appointment. I paid for--"

I couldn't say for certain the right description of the sound the words made when coming out of Daniel's muzzle-- somewhere between a bark and a roar, but there was definitely a growling tone to it. "WHAT YOU PAID FOR WASN'T BEING SOLD!"

For the life of me, I couldn't ever recall having anything really get to my childhood friend and quite frankly, he was fearsome when he was angry; his teeth were bared, ears plastered back against his head, and I could see the hackles on his neck peeking up out of his dress shirt. Oliver's tail was tucked so completely that his genitals were hidden behind it. "But I heard you talking it over with--"

Dan slapped a paw down on the massage table, glaring over it at the cowed Fox. "And that's just it, isn't it? You overheard a conversation and thought you understood what was going on-- and now we're here. How'd THAT work out for you, Technician Oliver?"

I remained off to the side, completely stunned at what was going on in front of me. On one hand I was just struck dumb by the fact that I had thought I was going to be raped, and on the other, flabbergasted that Daniel had come to my rescue. Oliver, meanwhile was scrambling to collect his clothes. "Y-you said that Jerry needed the money, and--"

Somewhere in the back of my mind I registered the 'dance' that Daniel was doing, guiding Oliver's movements by making a move to the side, ensuring the Fox would go the other way. In that manner, the King Shepherded was carefully herding him away from me and out of the room. Dan's tone had lost its hostile edge and turned into pure, emotionless business. "By invitation... and after they read the contract. You didn't see any contracts, Oliver-- how could you have even read it? Did you know there were rules?"

The Fox lingered at the doorway. "I-- I knew that... um... I had to bring a data chip with a recent medical screening."

I don't know how I managed to summon up the mental facilities to comment, but I did. "Well... you know one of twelve rules then, I guess."

Once Oliver was in the doorway, Dan started walking toward him, but not before glancing back at me for effect. "Technically there's a thirteenth... NO CANIDS!" He slammed the door.

Turning back to look at me, Dan's expression softened immediately along with his voice, ears switching from plastered against his skull to pulled back in concern. "Are you okay, Gerald? Did he hurt you? Do I need to get a security offi--"

I interjected before he could go too far. "I'm fine... Honest."

Once he was sure Oliver was gone, Dan rushed over to inspect me; I quickly zipped up my slacks as he inspected me. "That asshole... this shouldn't have happened, Jerry. I'm really sorry. Do you need me to--"

Interrupting him again as I tucked my shirt back in, I questioned something he'd said. "What was that about no canids?"

Dan stopped fussing over me immediately, pausing to adjust the collar of his shirt and smooth down his hackles. "Oh... uh... just... ah..."

I had never known the King Shepherd to have had trouble answering a simple question, so I guess maybe that's why I felt so compelled to ask another. "And what did he mean about overhearing you talking about this whole... arrangement?"

Snapping out of whatever had made him pause, Dan recovered quickly. "Oh... well, I wasn't about to just send out an open call for your services.... there was a... 'vetting process', I guess you could say."

That made sense... sort of. "So... you're saying that you hand-picked clients for me to offer the 'extra services' to?"

His tail wagged tentatively. "Exactly."

I returned to my prior question. "Just... not canids, huh?"

His ears reddened as his tail slowed, and he'd only just opened his muzzle to answer when the shop's chime sounded. A powerful voice called from the front room "I have arrived."

Not only was that call unique to a single one of my clients, but the voice was also unmistakable. I called out "I'll be right with you, Sgt. Lee!"

Yoo-Han Lee was one of the very first clients I got aboard the station. One of the rare Geneticons to grow up on Terra, Sgt. Lee was raised in the Unified Korean Republic, but he'd spent the last ten-or-so years working for AETHER Corp as a security officer at their space installations. He was over a half hour early for his appointment, but Dan seized the chance right away. "I'd better let you get going, Jerr..."

Rather than deal with the issue any longer I just motioned for him to leave. "Sure. Fine... see ya."

Dan lingered in the doorway to the waiting room. "You able to meet up tonight?"

Despite how much I had to do to get everything ready for my next (early) appointment, I stopped long enough to smile to myself. "Tonight? Sure. What did you have in mind?"

His muzzle broke into a full on open-mouth grin. "After dinner. I'll meet you here outside your shop. I want to show you something."

It was a vague invitation but I shrugged it off, having to return my attention back to readying the room. "Alright. See you tonight."

Dan lingered just long enough to glance at me over his shoulder. "Oh-- the Sergeant probably has a data chip... just thought you should know."

* * * * * *

It took me almost fifteen minutes to get the parlor ready for the Sergeant but, once it was I went out to the waiting room to meet with my client. Sgt Lee was standing by the door, standing off to the side of it rather than sitting in one of the waiting room chairs. It made sense, of course due to him being over two meters tall with a width to match. It made sense, of course seeing as he was a Sun Bear and his build was exactly what someone would imagine: massive. His eyes were tracking me the moment I emerged from the doorway. "Mr. Fores told me that you had a problem with a client today. Is there anything you need to report?"

Although Sgt Lee was technically not assigned to the commercial sector of the station he did have enforcement powers. Regardless, I didn't really want to push the issue, preferring instead to just completely forget the misunderstanding. "No, that's alright, Sergeant... besides, you're here for a massage, not extra paperwork."

Rather than argue, the Sun Bear simply offered a succinct nod and stepped toward me. "As you wish. Before we begin, however, I have a medical data chip for you. You will find that everything is in order."

I'd always found the Sergeant to be a forceful figure and, considering what was being proposed, he was even more intimidating. He stepped past me once I accepted the data chip and he ducked down to enter the massage room. I followed right after him, taking a cursory examination of the chip to confirm that yes, the light came back blue. I didn't bother checking for the H-gene because I knew for a fact that he had inherited it from his parents. Geneticons working for station security had certain training protocols to deal with it, which was just one more thing I'd learned since becoming a massage therapist there.

He moved immediately to the massage table and sat down; to him it was just tall enough to serve as a low bench, and he began to remove his uniform shirt. "You may now call me Yoo-Han."

It was a statement I was used to at that point; getting permission to call him by his first name was the first of four steps for him to undo the mental conditioning for him to override the natural affinity for Humans that could otherwise get in the way of his job. I was familiar with the procedure and moved to stand in front of him even as he finished unbuttoning his shirt before carefully folding it and setting it off to the side.

I picked up the shirt and moved it to the counter before returning to him. "I'm ready when you are, Yoo-Han."

Dealing with a Geneticon's mental conditioning was, in a way, similar to dealing with robotic programming, only a little more personal. Having said his name, I raised my hand and he brought his nose close, inhaling deeply as he announced "You are in charge."

It wasn't so much that he was acknowledging me as a senior officer or a manager as it was a step necessary to neutralize the serotonin blockers that kept him from following requests of an Human unauthorized to give him directions. I couldn't help but smile like I did every time I concluded the 'ritual'. "I am in charge."

Yoo-Han let out a deep breath, his shoulders lowering, his body relaxing as he finally seemed to be more at ease. No longer 'on-duty', the Sun Bear reached up to scratch the light tan half-moon mark nestled within the otherwise dark brown fur on his chest. A sheepish smile replaced the stoic expression on his broad muzzle as he announced "Yes, sir."

I exchanged a few components in my massage kit; the Bear's fur was coarse, and that meant I needed a specific kind of fortified mineral oil. As I made the changes I added "You can take off the rest of your uniform and place it on the counter. I already have a towel out for you on the stool, Yoo-Han."

Behind me, I heard the sounds of him unclasping his belt, followed by the sound of his uniform bottoms falling to the floor. "Yes, sir."

The constant confirmation of my directions made me realize I forgot something. "You can relax now, Yoo-Han."

He let out an audible breath amidst more movement. "Thank you, Jerry."

Even after almost three years I still had something of a learning curve to get over. The mental conditioning to help security and military Geneticons get over their H-Gene limitations was almost as much an art-form as it was a psychological discipline and it was something I was still having to navigate. As I finished setting up for the session I turned back to the naked Sun Bear, wondering if maybe I had missed a direction. "Did I forget something, or did you not want to put on the towel, Yoo-Han?"

I had to be sure to be careful about phrasing my questions; when I was considered 'in charge' he would be forthright and to the point. Not only did he answer my question, but he explained it greatly. "I'm excited, Jerry... I don't want to wear the towel because I can't wait to feel you doing things to me."

Gesturing to the table was all I needed to do; Yoo-Han complied to my unspoken command and immediately brought his legs up, rolling over so that his enormous bulk was splayed out on it. Although I suppose it might be seen as obvious considering the fact that he'd given me his data chip, I asked anyway. "What do you think I'm going to do to you?"

It was obvious to the trained eye that he was caught between following his mental programming by answering the question and trying to add more than what the basic request entailed. "You are going to stroke me to the point of ejaculation... but--"

The fact that he managed to add that last word to his answer gave me the impression that his willpower won out over his programming; I wasn't sure whether I was supposed to be more intimidated or impressed. "But?"

It was all the permission he needed. "I never have the opportunity to be with a Human. They are all scared of me, and assume that I will hurt them or that I am too large for physical intimacy."

His statement could have met any number of things. On one hand, just thinking about the possibility of being 'with' such a massive Bear brought up numerous concerns about being crushed, but there was more to it than that; most people presumed that a large Geneticon like Sergeant Lee would probably have a grossly oversized member. While that could have been the case, it was more likely that, were he to take after his ursine genetics, anything 'down there' would be much smaller in proportion to his body. Maybe that thought was the reason I felt compelled to ask "...are you?"

If I'd thought his demeanor had changed dramatically after qualifying me for control then all expectations where blown out of the water as his entire face lit up with such a blush that I could see it beneath the fur. A goofy-embarrassed expression split his muzzle, droopy lips pulling back in a helpless grin. "I... uh... no, Jerry... I-- I, uh... I'd rather... um... I mean..."

He was having trouble expressing himself; I'd never in a million years have expected that from the indomitable Sergeant Lee. "What would you rather, Yoo-Han?"

I knew he was compelled to answer but, when he did, the statement came out at barely above a whisper, ears falling back and reddening even more. "I'd rather... they... be in me."

Not in the three years I'd had the Sun Bear as a client had I even the faintest idea that the Sergeant was interested in being with a man, let alone in such a capacity; it was... exciting. My professionalism helped me hide my surprise. Nodding thoughtfully, I glanced at the oils on my tray and then looked back to him and the way his short, fluffy tail was wriggling back and forth. I opened up a drawer and pulled out a sterile glove. "Would you like that 'kind' of stimulation today?"

The shudder that coursed through his entire body told me everything I needed to know. It was the start of many.

* * * * * *

My time with Sgt. Lee was probably the most unique up to that point. Not only was he an imposing wall of deadly teeth and claws but, given the right circumstances, he was an eager teddy bear, pining for attention and the right touch. By the time our session was done he was letting out sounds I'd never expected a Geneticon that large could be capable of making. He was completely apologetic and embarrassed at the end but I assured him twice that what happened in the therapy room didn't leave its walls.

The rest of my day was full of massage appointments but no more 'special clients'. Regardless, I'd definitely earned my keep and by the time I was closing up shop I was beyond exhausted. Thoughts of going back to my quarters and relaxing with a hot shower filled my mind, right until I remembered that I had plans. Despite being tired, knowing that I'd be hanging out with Daniel helped energize me, and I started to rethink my plans.

The food court on the commercial deck was still open so I grabbed a quick meal. Eating quickly, I took care of all of my daily book keeping on my PCD as I sat at a table then put it away before heading back to my storefront. When I arrived I saw that Daniel was already waiting for me, but I noticed him first.

The King Shepherd was dressed down, wearing a simple V-neck shirt and a pair of khakis; as with most off-duty Geneticons, he went without shoes. Dan looked like he was absorbed in checking messages on his PCD; judging from the expression on his muzzle he was deep in thought, and the way his tail held so still I wondered if he was looking at some bad news. Delaying no longer, I went to join him, hoping that I'd be able to improve his night. "Hey."

That one word seemed to do the trick. "Heh! 'Hey' yourself, Jerry. So... you all set?"

The change in his demeanor was the difference between night and day. I grinned at his sudden turn-around. "Sure... but what am I supposed to be ready for?"

He was all smiles, tail wagging as one of his paws left the pocket of his khakis and reached out to take hold of my hand. "It's a surprise. Come on."

I have to admit that the feel of his eager grip on my wrist brought a smile to my face and started my heart beating, as much if not more than the quick pace he set as we went to the executive lift. Since I was accompanied by an administrative employee there was no problem with joining him and, the next thing I knew we arrived mid-station near what I was pretty sure was the hydroponics deck. I learned very quickly that my guess was close; we were in the middle of the water processing decks.

Although the station's water cycle facility wasn't exactly off limits, the crew generally objected when people went there without reason. One exception seemed to be the administration, since Daniel got us in without anything more than a casual nod at the lead technician on duty. Maybe he had some pull, or maybe the D shift workers didn't give a damn, but for me, the visit was a first and I was blown away.

The entire circular room was some 50 meters high and at least 30 meters in diameter. The ceiling was decorated with a complicated grid patterns of pipes and sprinklers with a double-walkway crossing the open air in an 'x' pattern right beneath them. Half way down the room were another set of causeways emerging from the walls, which were covered in a curtain of hanging vines that were nearly as long as the room was tall. A final set of ramps rose up from the floor, which was a gigantic pool of water, ascending to a central platform some meter-and-a-half above the water level.

Daniel walked me out on the middle walkway as we entered at the mid-level of the room. He took me right out to the center and then stopped, closing his eyes and taking in a huge breath. I followed suit without even thinking about it, and inhaled through my nose. The air in the water cycle facility was vastly different from everywhere else on the station; it felt... alive. Any planet-sider would probably have said it felt like home but, having grown up on moon without an atmosphere in a bubble habitat, for me, it couldn't have felt further from. It was, for lack of a better term, magical.

Taking in another breath, Dan turned and placed his elbows on the railing of the walkway and leaned forward, gazing out across the huge amount of bio matter that comprised the organic component of the water system. His eyes gained the far-off look I remembered from when we talked about what we'd do once we graduated, and his voice came out soft and distant. "Sometimes when I come here I imagine that this must be what it's like to live on Terra... or Mars... or anywhere where you don't need a dome to survive."

I moved to join him, standing to his right as I gazed out at all of the unimaginably green surroundings. Somewhere in the room I could hear the sound of dripping water-- back home that would have signified an emergency but in the water cycle facility I had understood that it was the norm; something about it was as relaxing as it was unorthodox. It took me a moment to figure out how to respond. "I... guess it makes sense. I mean, isn't the water cycle on Terra how they came up with this system?"

Dan chuckled, shifting his weight so that his right shoulder bumped into my left one. "Smart ass."

I smiled as well, glancing at him even as he continued looking out at the curtains of plants. Daniel had always been a deep thinker and, as we stood there, I could imagine the gears turning in his head. It had been a week... a very, very crazy week, and I didn't doubt that he was looking forward to some relaxation time. There was something more to his expression that I couldn't quite decipher... some kind of loneliness or sadness, and its presence on his features made my chest tighten. I couldn't keep quiet. "...you alright, Dan?"

His eyes moved but, rather than focus on me, they gazed downward. His usually boisterous voice came out softly. "You remember how we used to talk about going off into deep space?"

Was I seeing nostalgia? It seemed like a strange thing to be feeling. "Sure... and here we are. We did it."

One of Daniel's ears turned my direction, then focused forward again; I froze when one of his paws sought out my hand, resting atop it as he continued speaking. "Do you remember what else we talked about?"

The reminiscing brought a smile to my face. What I remembered of my childhood was always fighting to keep up with Daniel. Whether physically, socially, or in school, I was eternally running after him, trying to keep from being left behind... but in a good way. Daniel always made me strive to be better... to work harder... to achieve. That also extended to when we were looking forward. I counted off his three dreams-- the ones we always talked about; the same ones that had become mine. "College. Space. Rain."

Although we'd always heard that planet-siders hated weather, anyone who grew up in a bubble habitat were more likely to hate the lack of it; the carefully controlled atmosphere in an artificial installation was boringly monotonous. Back before high school Dan and I often talked about what it would be like to have to deal with rain, and snow, and high winds-- anything but an atmosphere of still air kept at exactly 22 Celsius. The water cycle facility didn't feel still, and it was too cool to be the 'right' temperature.

Dan's paw gave my hand a squeeze; the kind of desperate grip of someone who was wrestling with something they had to say, but couldn't figure out how. His next words came out at a whisper. "I'm transferring off the station with the next shuttle."

I thought at first I had misunderstood what he said. "You're... what?"

He continued staring downward toward the pool far below us. "Rho 2. It's a small planet near the fringe systems. They have an opening for a corp rep and AETHER Corp asked me if I wanted to go."

My mind was blown. "You're.... leaving?"

I had wanted to add 'me' at the end of the question, but I couldn't bring myself to say it. Pulling my hand out of his grasp, I took a step back. He turned to me, his tail curled slightly between his legs. "They're going to modify my service contract, and I'll be finishing my term planet side at the installation there, Farlight City."

It was impossible to wrap my head around. I'd traveled across dozens of systems to remain close to my friend. I was just over three years into a ten year term aboard a space station that was supposed to include Daniel in it. My breath was knocked out of me, and I couldn't manage to draw it back in. The world felt like it was closing in around me; how could I feel so alone when he was right there with me? Maybe, I reasoned, it felt like he was already gone. Only one thought managed to make it through the haze. "W-why did.... you bring me HERE? Why bring me here to tell me you're leaving?"

Dan reached out toward me but I pulled back. He looked away, ears falling to either side of his head. "I... I just--"

I put it together a second later, my mind working in directions I really wish it hadn't. I felt my cheeks burning as I leveled the accusation. "You've been pushing me away... this whole thing with my job. How long have you known about the transfer?"

He continued focusing on every other point in the room but me, but he answered my question regardless. "...about 10 cycles."

At that point the accusations kept coming. "So... long enough to set up a plan to get paid back and alienate me at the same time?"

Coughing, the King Shepherd shut his eyes, glimmering dampness at the edges. "I... didn't think you'd agree to it."

It was my turn to step toward him, pushing my hands against his chest as I shoved him backwards. "You asshole!"

He took a step back, not even bothering resist, and I stepped closer, pushing him again, and only then did he offer any response, merely whispering. "I'm sorry."

I had followed him blindly because he'd always had my back. We grew up together. We had a like mind, and were so familiar. Dan had been my best friend. Dan had been my rock. He'd always been there for me. I shoved him again, my vision going blurry as I felt the tears coming. "I followed you! I trusted you! Dan-- I lo--"

The word got stuck in my throat, and I pushed him again for good measure but, that time, he didn't give ground; it was like trying to shove a brick wall backward and, instead of stepping back, the King Shepherd reached out and grabbed my shoulders, pulling me even closer. My arms had lost all their strength at that point and they collapsed as he grabbed me, drawing me to him in a tight hug. His voice was tight, a hint of a whine mixed in with his words. "I didn't want to hurt you, Gerald..."

The tears, having started, didn't cease, and I hated at how weak I felt as he embraced me. His words were hollow; it was all hollow, but I couldn't stop crying... I couldn't make him understand how I felt. Still, at that point I couldn't say anything else. "I... love you."

He tensed as if I had just struck him. Saying those three words was probably the most painful thing I could do to myself, but the blow had landed, and it had an effect on him too. He cleared his throat twice before speaking up and, in that time, at least a dozen different ways he could answer went through my head. Was he going to laugh it off? Was he going to toss me aside like a discarded piece of garbage? Maybe he was going to scornfully tell me that I needed to get my priorities straight. In the end, he did none of those. "I know."

Pushing my arms against his chest, I looked up at him; even with my vision blurry from tears he still looked so damn handsome, and the way he was looking at me burned through the haze of saline. It made me want to cry that much more. Did he really know? Was he really willing to use me and hurt me with the knowledge of what that would do to me. "You.... know?"

He slowly let go of my shoulders, his paws running down until they found my hands. "I brought you here because I want you to come with me, Jerry..."

My brain came to a halt. "...with YOU?"

His ears lowered, and at first it appeared like he was about to look away, but he kept his gaze on me, ears reddening as he offered a tentative smile. "Yeah... with me. I love you too, Jerr-Bear... and I don't want to go without you."

I had trouble parsing all of the information; my mind kept stalling and trying in vain to restart. Eventually, only word got out. "...why?"

His ears rose as confusion replaced any other expression on his muzzle. "I-- I just said, Jerry. I love you. I don't want to go without you. I love you."

The statement, and the several times he repeated those three words finally settled in. I felt my tears come more freely and, as the dam of my emotions broke, the only thing I could manage to say was a very straight-forward "You... could have led with that."

A soft chuckle passed between us and the next thing I knew I was being pulled back into his embrace; it felt so much better the second time around. His apology was all encompassing. "I'm sorry, Jerry... about... everything."

I was trying to formulate an answer, somewhere between letting him know it was okay and razzing him just a little to make him squirm, but my response was interrupted by the sound of thousands of little water droplets hitting leaves high above us. The water cycle facility mimicked the evaporation and precipitation movement of water as normal motion within a planet's atmosphere; a few seconds later, I felt rain for the first time.

I don't know how long we spent standing there on the catwalk, embracing one another as the artificial rain came down but, in those precious moments, I realized that Daniel and I had completed all three of our goals that we'd held so dear since we were little, and we'd done every last one together. I looked up at him, his damp fur dripping with water and it was hard to tell if his tears had been washed away; mine were still flowing. A second later we shared our first kiss.

I'd like to say that it was a magical union, that it was right out of some kind of romance vid, but, to be honest, I'd never kissed anyone, and I was pretty sure that I was Dan's first Human, so it was awkward... but I don't think it bothered either of us. We pulled away after I almost choked on his tongue; Dan's ears had folded and he was blushing horribly-- my cheeks, despite the cool water, were also pretty warm. He brushed his nose across my forehead, his hot breath washing across my hair. "You alright, Jerr-Bear?"

I pulled him closer yet, marveling at just how amazing it felt to have his body against mine. Although I felt the firmness at the front of his pants against my abdomen I didn't let it bother me; I was enjoying him far too much. "Never better."

The water cycle facility's rain lasted for several minutes, definitely long enough for two moon-born 20-somethings to get chilled-and-soaked by the water, and yet it really didn't bother me since I had Dan there with me. Just as the rain came to an end we shared our second kiss, and it was just a little less awkward; I was looking forward to getting even more practice and, as it broke, his whispered words were accompanied by a soft, excited growl. "Will you come back to my place with me?"

The soft squeeze of a paw on my ass meant my one word answer came out as a breathless sigh through my teeth. "Yessss..."