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“Today we have a very special report, live from Generdex Laboratories. The source of several recent serious incidents involving radical, irreversible alterations of humans into creatures that are something out of fiction. Today, we try to shine a light on the questionable practices that have allowed these events to happen. I’m Matthew Slater, live and uncensored by web feed, and joining me today is...ah, I’m sorry, what was your name again, mister lizard?”

‘Mister Lizard’...such respect. Probably shouldn’t have bothered with the suit, he’s only going to see the scales no matter what I’m wearing. He leaned forward in his chair, looking a bit severely at the human reporter, who he could already tell was going to be a problem. “It’s DOCTOR Pascal Ligh.”

“Doctor...huh. They let someone like you become a doctor?”

“I got my doctorate before the unexpected change in my state of being, thank you very much.” Pascal was starting to feel a bit of regret at agreeing to be the face of this interview. Not because he didn’t agree with it in spirit, but because it seemed like the reporter was just out for scandalous blood, rather than getting to the heart of the matter. His superiors, though, believed that having one of the Varians (a new, emotionally neutral term for the changed individuals) giving the presentation would be beneficial somehow. And he was the only one truly qualified for that anyway. “Not that that’s material to this in any way.”

“No, of course not.” Matthew furrowed his brow, looking over his notes. Pascal could tell he had a cocky attitude, like he thought he had something that would completely throw Pascal off his game and create a huge problem for his company. If Pascal had his way, that attitude would be gone in a hurry. But he had to content himself with patience. “What IS material are the numerous incidents that need to be addressed. Destroying lives by turning people into creatures like this, I don’t know how you people sleep at night.”

“I’ve had my rough nights. Learning how to sleep with a tail was particularly bothersome. To say nothing of the years of thinking I was somehow less of a person for having been changed like this.”

“Yes, indeed,” came the dismissive response, Matthew clearly didn’t care about his testimonial. “And yet, the product was released to the public, despite the fact that it had these potential transformative effects. I heard it was a very large financial success, did that have anything to do with the decision?”

“I couldn’t tell you, it wasn’t my decision. What I can say is that I advised that the likelihood of a chance was extremely low to begin with, and a very large warning about directions to remove the patch from contact was believed to reduce the risk even further. And given the unparalleled effectiveness as a pain reliever, I believed that the benefits outweighed the risks.”

“So you did have a role in the decision.”

“I offered my assessment. I don’t have any idea how much of a factor it played.”

Matthew was glaring at him, maybe unhappy that Pascal didn’t seem terribly pressured. “But you advised it knowing that there was a chance of a transformation like this. Did you not think you were playing with people’s lives like this?”

“I was one of the earlier ones to experience the change into a Varian. Trust me when I say that factored into my consideration. Not to mention that I knew that we did not truly understand the compound we had manufactured, Compound V, and how it achieved its effects. Exposing people to that compound was chancing it...but at less than 1 in 50,000 even susceptible to the effects, and only a small fraction of those likely to use the product, and an even smaller proportion who would be likely to ignore the warnings, I anticipated that the potential benefit of the patch was far too great to recommend keeping it off the market. Companies market drugs every day with a higher risk of death or permanent dysfunction than our patch had, and I don’t see people going after them.”

That glare had deepened, clearly that had been one of the reporter’s expected points of failure. Pascal knew there was no guarantee he wasn’t going to get blindsided by something, but it wasn’t likely to be on the pain patch, given how much he’d worked on it. The other products, though…

“Clearly, though, someone understood this compound of yours...which, can you describe it a little for the viewers?”

“I’m afraid not. NDA. Very closely guarded secret.”

“Of course it is. But they improved it, didn’t they? They made it more effective.”

“They did. I was not a part of that team, but I heard about the results. Rather astonishing, but also rather impressive.”

“Impressive...that’s what you’d call it? I would call it irresponsible. Products went out that changed people into these things, all like it was under the radar. Two dozen teens changed with these armbands you sent out, you didn’t think that was a problem?”

Pascal sighed. “It WAS a problem. That was why Generdex did what they could to gather them back up. They were a product in testing, not one meant to be released at that time, but a supplier stole a case of them and started taking orders for them as anti-bullying measures. To my knowledge he’s in prison now.”

“Convenient excuse. I don’t think you have the same deniability for the Croc Pot.”

“That was our fault, yes. That was also not intended to be a product for release at the time of the incident, merely experimentation. A paperwork mix-up got it sent to a number of dispensaries rather than what should have been sent. We compensated all sixteen users for the mishap. Not to mention it did have the intended effect of eliminating their cancers.”

“Mishap? You turned sixteen people into ffffreaking crocodiles!” No prizes for guessing what Matthew really WANTED to say there.

“If that hadn’t been the outcome, would you be as outraged? If it had turned their skin blue, would you be excoriating us for it? I would understand if it had killed them, but it didn’t.”

“Might as well have.”

“That seems like a very unprofessional thing to say to the Varians out there today.”

“They’re only out there because of your company! And maybe it could have been kept to a small number if you hadn’t gone and sent out those defective LifeCostumes! Thousands of people were irrevocably altered by your product! Tens of thousands! And with a history of these ‘mishaps’ of yours maybe there should have been some warning that that could happen!”

Pascal folded his arms and looked Matthew dead in the eye. “I agree with you, the warning labeling on the packages was insufficient. But the failure of the product to work as intended would not have been caught by it anyway. Our tests failed to capture the problem, both before and after the incident, which is why it took so long to come out with an explanation. No one knew that the reversion agent was subject to breakdown after 40 hours of exposure to the transformation catalyst. We tested many circumstances here but the efficiency with which we tested did not give us a chance to account for this. And we have retooled the reversion agent so that this unfortunate occurrence doesn’t happen again.”

“That’s small comfort for the many out there who have no choice but to live their lives as these...things. And small comfort to the rest of us, since you still have some of these products of yours on the market, or available to order! The track record of your company’s products is extremely sketchy and yet you have no qualms about continuing to offer them! And now there are rumors of more products being developed!” Matthew brought that out with a flourish and emphasis that all but told Pascal that he had been sitting on that as a bombshell. “Your callous approach to safety and willingness to tempt fate, it almost makes it seems like you’re TRYING to turn humans into other creatures!”

That was the line, that was clearly what the reporter expected to throw him off his game, to put the black mark on Generdex - even if he denied it, it would remain in the minds of the public and influence their perception of Generdex probably for good. And it was exactly what the reptile was waiting for...he leaned in, allowing himself a smile. “Mister Slater...that is EXACTLY what Generdex is trying to do.”

---

Neal had to admit, there were perks to self-employment. Being able to set one’s own hours and do things on one’s own schedule felt way better than having to keep a rigid daily routine. Some people might have preferred the routine, but Neal had been getting very used to nothing being routine anymore. Flexibility was something of an asset in what he was doing now, anyway.

Of course, having no concerns about finances helped. That was always a risk going it alone, you had to consider all the challenges of trying to get work and then get paid for the work. But given that he was getting a generous stipend from Generdex both for the transformation and his contributions to their research, and was getting outright free housing in the new city of Vicaria, money wasn’t really a problem for him, giving him the leisure to do what he wanted.

No, what was more of a problem was ergonomics - simply put, being a lizard wasn’t fully compatible with comfort when most things were designed with humans in mind. Even tasks as simple as eating and drinking required a lot of adjustment with a new head, and objects like cups and silverware were less than a great fit. His claw-tipped fingers made working with certain things more difficult as well, particularly electronics - he ruined keyboards quickly, and touch screens were out of the question. And furniture...holy lord, furniture. NOTHING was made with a tail in mind - even things which had somewhat open backs usually didn’t have them open in the exact spot that they needed to be. He’d gotten familiar with a slouching position that let his legs splay and his tail stretch out between them but that was so highly uncomfortable that he could rarely keep it for long.

It was those frustrations, though, that led him into his new line of work. Bored after a while of nothing to do and tired of struggling with all the issues he was having with everything, he picked up a pencil and paper and started coming up with some ideas that could make things a bit easier, to present to Generdex with the hopes that they would help make them - since they seemed to dabble in a lot of different products, perhaps they had the resources. Something that kept him occupied, and something that would make his life easier, it made a lot of sense.

And it was working, too. The months had seen so many quality of life improvements that made him almost feel like he was living totally normally again. Cups that were shaped to funnel water into his mouth more easily, dining tools that fit his snout with less trouble, screen protectors that turned his claws into stylus tips while still maintaining clarity, a specially-designed metal keyboard that didn’t get gouged to hell, chairs with gaps designed specifically for tails...each piece made him feel a bit more like he was getting a little more back to regularity, living his life more like he used to.

And then he started to get a bit more creative. That cramped way of sitting on his couch was bothering him, so he designed cushions with grooves so that he could sit a bit more upright while still keeping his tail in a comfortable position. It took a bit of experimenting, but he’d figured out shapes that could accommodate his tail upright, or stretched out under him, or even to the side, while still being able to lounge comfortably. Especially when Dom was with him, the new shapes made it so much easier for them to sit or lie together with nothing in the way.

And then there was his bed...he was usually more of a back sleeper, but it had been tough getting comfortable with that new appendage at his rear. Grooves seemed like they would make the bed lumpier, and his initial idea of a pouch was dismissed as it would lock him into a position, which meant a lot more difficulty adjusting. But after several nights of playing around with pillows and pads and such, he hit upon an idea - a different fill that would shape more to his body position, allowing his tail to settle in in different spots without being so disruptive to the overall shape of the mattress. And Generdex had let him test several different fill materials and shapes to find one that worked best and kept him most comfortable...he’d very much appreciated the time they spent on it, as he was sleeping way better now than in the initial period after his transformation.

The problem solving gave him a deep sense of satisfaction beyond just the improvement in his living situation. He hadn’t been that satisfied with anything in a long time, it felt good to flex his creative juices and do something useful...he’d spent far too long in a job where he mainly did grunt work, didn’t get the chance to really shine. And Generdex wanted him to keep thinking about such things, other ways that his life could be improved - they clearly wanted him to be happy, and this was part of that.

But as more of the Varians started to be brought in for their new city, Neal noticed a lot of complaints about similar issues to the ones he was having. New bodies meant new challenges interacting with everyday objects, and different shapes had different problems. They were all going to need help with new designs for their own qualities of life...and not all of them were creative types or knew what they really wanted, or they were too busy or focused on other things to have the time to come up with them. They needed help...and he’d already determined that he liked this sort of thing.

And so Neal became a pioneer - the world’s first expert in xenoergonomics. A very different course for someone who’s work had always been in something physical, but it was much more rewarding. His time was spent getting ideas for what other Varians needed in order to restore some normalcy to their lives and make them more comfortable in their new bodies. And he’d started doing more than just designing them, some of the pieces he was even starting to help make, at least the simpler ones. Not everything worked out first time, but he’d needed to test several designs for himself as well, he knew it took time and effort to come up with something that worked. And given that there weren’t any other people really working on that for others, there was definitely demand for his services.

Today, though, he was taking a bit of a break and stretching his legs. After all, it was a bright and sunny day, and he liked to stroll around town and see how things were coming along. Vicaria, the city for the Varians...at least, it was shaping up to be that way. Major construction projects were at work all over the place, providing new residences and commercial areas at top speed. It really was incredible how fast it was coming along, but they kind of needed it - Varians weren’t exactly widely accepted yet, still looked upon as strange and unwelcome in a lot of places around the country. A safe haven where they could live while getting the world used to their presence was very much in order. Of course, humans were welcome to live there as well - so long as they didn’t cause trouble.

Neal had been living in the city for almost six months now, one of the earliest to make the move along with his boyfriend Domingo. They had largely been watching the city grow up around them, getting slowly and steadily more developed and filled with modern conveniences. When he’d moved in there wasn’t even a proper grocery store...now there multiple grocery stores, as well as restaurants, department stores, and a growing number of smaller businesses. It was getting to the point where they didn’t have to go far afield to do what they wanted or get what they wanted.

But there was still plenty to do, especially in terms of housing. For the sake of getting lots of people in quickly, there were fewer standard houses and more mobile homes and apartments being constructed. He was walking by one of those construction areas now, a rather large and dense set of apartments that was likely to cater more to singles, with maybe a few for couples. Given that a lot of Varians were younger men and women, it made a lot of sense to Neal...he just hoped that they were going to be able to handle the different shapes and sizes they were going to have to handle.

“AY! Watch where you’re moving those beams! Away from workers!”

Speaking of sizes, Neal saw a familiar face that was quite a bit larger than his own, though no less scaly. The crocodile was commanding a sizable construction crew, largely human but with a few other Varians as well, mostly larger types. He stepped up to the crocodile, making sure to stay on the edge of the site. “Hey, Roscoe. How’s it going?”

Roscoe turned to look at him, grinning widely. “Neal! Good to see ya! Things are going fine, at least when people are paying some goddamn attention to their surroundings. Swear it’s like herding cats sometimes.”

“Don’t get too good at it, they might have you herding actual cats.”

“There might just be enough of them coming to the city that I’d have to. Things are going well, then?”

“Same as usual. Working on orders and requests. Speaking of, did you come up with anything else?”

Roscoe let out a huff. “Yeah, I think I did. This fuckin’ thing…” He jerked a thumb back, indicating the heavy tail dragging on the ground. “Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s pretty cool having a tail, but it’s a huge freaking liability out here, I’ve already had two people stumble over it today, and that’s just today. They can’t see it well when they’re carrying large loads, one of these days there’s gonna be an accident. I need something to get it off the ground while I’m on the job.”

Neal nodded. “I can see why that would be a problem. Shouldn’t be too complicated...some kind of harness that lifts it up, you’re strong enough that it shouldn’t hold you back too much. I’ll probably send that one to Dom, though...he’s the guy who’s got more of an eye for clothing and fashion.”

That got a chuckle out of the gator. “Really? Because I thought his thing was more getting reptiles OUT of clothes as fast as possible.”

“And he’s damn good at it, as you sure as heck know.” And Neal knew too, since they had been in the same place at the same time more than once for a demonstration. Dominic, Roscoe’s partner Dale, and another human from the city had formed a group between them - the Lizard Lovers League. With three reptilian Varians to play with, it hadn’t taken long for them all to have had their share of fun with each other. A bit of a new thing for Neal, who hadn’t ever done anything other than monogamy before in his life, but he was starting to see the perks - there was additional variety, and he didn’t feel a lick of jealousy knowing how devoted Dom was to him. The majority of his time was spent with the humans, but he’d also fooled around with Roscoe and their other partner as well, putting on a show for the lizard lovers that he knew they appreciated.

“A wizard, without question. We gonna have another meeting soon?”

“I can’t imagine it’ll be too long here, but we’ve been getting set for other stuff...actually, tonight, so I have to make sure I’m ready.”

“Well, good luck with that. And let Dom know that this tail needs to be off the ground longer, and not just to smack his ass with it.”

“No problem. Stay safe!” With that Neal hurried away to let Roscoe get back to work. Just because his schedule was free didn’t mean everyone else’s was, and he’d probably been taking up more time of his than he should have. So better to move on and let his time be his own.

A few blocks away from the construction site was one of Neal’s favorite cafés. They were one of the first to pop up in Vicaria, and they served good food and good drinks, both of which he’d quickly been able to enjoy thanks to the open-minded proprietor readily adopting his unique designs for dining implements. He was there probably once a week, and it almost felt like a minor home to him at this point. Stepping in, he didn’t even have to say a word before the clerk at the counter smiled. “The usual?”

“Yes, please. Thank you.” A good thing about being a regular: even in a place like this, you could get known.

As he looked to take a seat, he caught sight of another familiar face, and decided to walk over. “Devin...haven’t seen you here before.”

The other reptile looked up at him and grinned. “Hey, Neal. Just heard about this place last month, I’m loving it so far. How’s Dom?”

“Enjoying himself as usual. I’m guessing Kell is too?”

“Hah, that’s putting it lightly. Place like this, it’s like a dream come true for him. I can tell part of him wants to go through the conversion himself, but a bigger part of him loves being the little human among big sexy beasts.”

“Well, he gets to live with one, so I’m sure that helps his decision.” Devin was definitely one of the more unusual Varians Neal had met - not precisely an animal, but a made-up creature bearing a striking resemblance to Godzilla. It was a stunning thing for him to see, the LifeCostumes were a definite step up in the transformation game. Still, he had been met with rave reviews by Dale and Dom after he and Kell had become their third pair in the LLL. “How’s YOUR work going?”

“Really well, I think. I’m still working on the more difficult clients, but I’m getting something of a tapering off on the more fleeting crises. Gives me more time to work with the ones who are still trying to come to terms with the fact that they can’t go back.”

“I was kinda surprised to hear about some of your more recent visits. They sounded like people who loved their shapes.”

Devin nodded. “They were. But when you’re adjusting to something this different and drastic, sometimes you have moments where you panic, and you become unsure of yourself. This sense that someone’s going to hate you for what you are, it can throw people into a funk...heh, I never thought I’d be doing this for a living, counseling Varians on adapting to their new shapes and settling their freak-outs. But it’s rewarding...last week one of the tough cases finally came through, they found themselves accepting their new form and starting to look at what they could really be with it. Gives me hope for the rest of them.”

“There’s gonna be more of them, too, most likely. Not every transformation is going to be predicted, even in the best case scenario.”

“Right, so I’m always going to have something to do. But if it means they don’t try to kill themselves or go on a rampage, then that’s all worth it. And even if it’s not that bad, I can try to make their lives a little bit easier.”

“You’re doing very important work, a lot of us appreciate it. The more we can accept ourselves, the more we’ll be able to get others to accept us. And speaking of making lives easier, I’ve been meaning to ask if you’ve been needing anything to help make YOUR life easier. You’ve had some time to get settled in, I’m sure you’ve found some things that are harder to use and such…”

Devin shook his head. “Same thing as before, I think...the one thing I really miss is a chair with a back I can use. I love the way these back spikes look, but I’m getting tired of being stuck on stools.”

“I’m trying on that. The last couple designs I was looking into, I just don’t think they’ll work very well. I haven’t given up on the groove idea but it needs some adjustment.”

“Well, I was thinking, I saw a couple of chair designs that actually had two separate cushions, one on each side. Do you think something like that could work?”

Neal paused, trying to envision that in his head. “You know...that just might be the trick. If the cushions are wide enough apart to accommodate the spikes...I’ll mock a couple ideas up and see what I can do.”

“Awesome.” Devin smiled appreciatively. “Something that I can lean back on will be real nice. Oh, how’s Pascal doing? Is he doing his talk soon?”

“Ugh...it’s going on right now.” Neal shook his head. “I kind of wanted to hear him, but when I heard that it was Matt Slater...I can’t stand listening to him at all, the way he talks about us. Dom’s listening in, though, he’s gonna give me the rundown later.”

“You think Pascal can handle it?”

“If it was Pascal when I first met him, not a chance...but, right now? I think he’ll be fine, as long as he knows what to say.”

---

“As we are speaking here today, Generdex is working on the development of new transformative products,” Pascal explained to the absolutely stunned Matthew Slater. “They have been manipulating the designs of Compound V to allow for greater flexibility, allowing it for use in a larger number of applications. Variations are being developed and tested, and the product listing is expected to expand quite greatly, encompassing temporary, reversible, and yes, permanent transformations. Before the end of the year, we are expected to release the first of our temporary and reversible products, including the final version of the armbands that were taken and sold without permission. Within two years we expect to have developed designs for transformations with military applications and for gender transitioning without other phenotypic alteration. And we have been adapting the LifeCostume for all three categories, to accommodate more exotic alterations. Furthermore, we are working towards an alteration of Compound V, labeled Compound VX, which will allow for those who have undergone permanent transformations to change again. It is much more complicated to engineer one that is more general to species, and may take quite some time, but it is in the future.”

“What...but...you...are...are you completely crazy? You’re...you’re TRYING to mess up people’s lives by-”

“Mess up?” Pascal cut him off. “These are products for OFFER. And we have preorders. In fact some who saw the transformation stories out there and wanted to be a part of it.”

“Preorders?! You...you turned people into monsters!”

“Monsters? Varians are not monsters. Let me tell you something, Mr. Slater. Out of the roughly 30,000 Varians out there as a result of the products we’ve put out, less than two percent have any reported discomfort about the fundamental nature of their change. Only about a tenth of those have any severe level of distress, for which we have experts currently counseling them. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with many even expressing increased happiness at their changes.”

“Impossible! You altered them permanently without permission! The LifeCostumes-”

“-were designed by the people who wore them. Every single custom design was chosen by the individuals who ordered the product, and we calibrated them as close to their desires as possible. Interestingly enough, it seems a large number of orders were placed from the ‘furry’ subculture, individuals looking to spend a bit of time in the body they wanted to be, rather than the one they were born in. Far from complaining, I have met quite a few who were overjoyed that they weren’t limited to just a few hours. And even many of those who did not intend to change have displayed increased satisfaction with their lives as a result of their transformations. For example, all sixteen individuals transformed by Croc Pot saw their cancers eradicated, their lives given new lease.”

“But...but…” Matthew Slater was clearly immensely flustered now, all too clear that this was a very unfamiliar place for him to be in. Not that Pascal was surprised - given his attitude towards the Varians, it was clear his research for the interview had had a critical oversight of its own. “You can’t, you can’t do that! You can’t do that!”

“Why not? If people want that experience, who are we, with the ability to provide it, to deny it to them? Even if they wish to go that way through the rest of their lives?”

“No! It’s wrong! You can’t change people into...into things like that! You can’t let them change themselves into them! You’re...you’re polluting humanity with these freaks! You just don’t want to be the only one who’s messed up!”

“I think the only one messed up here is you,” Pascal responded sharply, repressing the urge to give him a reptilian hiss. “Your bigotry is completely ridiculous. These are people just the same as any human in their minds, they simply have a different shape. Calling them freaks and monsters certainly doesn’t make it seem like you’re trying to defend them, it sounds like you’re threatened by them. By the idea that someone might not see humanity as the pinnacle of existence, who might crave something else and find themselves happy that way, and who despite being that way is equally capable of doing anything you can do. Maybe you’re afraid that humanity will be replaced. To which I say, if humanity truly can’t adapt to the idea of someone else having the same capabilities that it has, maybe it deserves to be.”

Without further prompting from the shaken reporter, Pascal stood up. “You have your full story now. The previous transformation events had a variety of causes, but none were the result of Generdex deliberately intending to change them. Going forward, there will be a lot more intention, and anyone using Generdex products will know what to expect from them. I suspect that the number of Varians is very quickly going to increase from 30,000, and despite the development of Vicaria, you will probably very soon see more of them among the population anyway. My advice to you would be to get used to it. And I know quite well that some humans are already doing quite well at that...we’ll see about the rest of you. And we will see, because we’re not going anywhere.”

With that he walked out of the room to dead silence, letting the door shut behind him. Only as he was walking away did he slowly release a shaky breath...it was a lot harder remaining composed in there, in the face of accusations and vitriol, than he would have liked. He was happy that he hadn’t truly cracked, though his editorializing at the end was a bit more ad-libbed and aggressive than he wanted to come off as. Still, he was pretty sure he’d earned more points than he’d lost...Generdex authorizing him to reveal their plans was risky, but he saw exactly the logic behind it. They wanted to explain, but not apologize, not for something that it turned out there was quite a demand for. And he’d presented it about as he’d hoped to...but he would be more than content to rest his frayed nerves for a while.

Then he noticed a buzzing in his phone. He pulled it out and looked at the screen, and immediately his nerves were back under pressure.

[Nicely done on camera. Looking forward to more of your smooth tongue tonight. ;)]

Shit. In the rush of the moment he’d almost forgotten about his date. He still had a couple hours, but there wasn’t going to be as much down time to calm himself as he would have preferred. It seemed like there was little chance he was going to be able to be as composed as he had been in front of the camera when meeting someone he wanted to be just as composed before.

But like hell he was going to blow off his first actual date in years because of that.

---

“You think he’s gonna be on time?”

“I’m banking on him running up the minute of.”

“Huh. Is he that kind of punctual?”

“Nah, he’s just going to be so nervous that he’ll spend as much time as possible psyching himself up and then hurry in so that he can tear off the band-aid as quickly as possible.”

“It’s been a while for him, is what we’re saying.”

“So I’ve heard. I guess getting back in the game is always the hardest part. You think he might decide not to show up at all?”

“No way. He’s been chomping at the bit for this for weeks, every time I talk to him. He’s definitely going to be here, he’s just going to be a big ball of unease when he does. So go easy on him.”

“Pa-hah! If you say so!”

“Oh, there he is! And...gah, one minute before. I was so close!”

Pascal definitely looked plenty flustered and nervous as he hurried up to round out the foursome. He’d spent so long fiddling with his outfit that he thought he was going to be late...and it wasn’t even necessary fiddling, since he had a pretty simple outfit on. A smart button-down shirt, nice but not overly dressy, and reasonably nice khaki slacks that looked brand new, and sort of were. Dom had designed the outfit for him, a better fit and nicer looking than most of his older clothes that he had sort of improvised with; he hadn’t yet really had an occasion where he wanted to wear them. Today, though, was definitely that day, he wanted everything to go perfectly...which was why he had spent so long poking at things that didn’t need to be poked at. The pressure was enormous.

Not that the others thought so. Neal and Dom were there, looking bright and encouraging as usual...the double date had been their idea, a chance for Pascal to have a little bit of the pressure taken off of being out with someone for the first time since his transformation. And while he’d been hesitant about it at first, not sure whether it was going to be received well, he was grateful for it because it did put him a little more at ease. It was the other person that had most of the lizard’s attention, though - and as he looked over at him, it was clear the other’s attention was mostly on him as well. “Hello...you must be Bryce.”

“And you must be Pascal. And for once, I can actually say they did look like their profile picture.” He reached his hand out and Pascal took it, smiling nervously as he shook it. Bryce looked like his profile picture as well - a black man, around six feet tall, definitely a fair bit shorter than Pascal’s nearly seven, but with a well-kept physique that suggested lots of physical activity and attention to his own well-being. His own outfit seemed nicer than the rest, almost like a suit except just short, like it was meant to be classy but also not extremely formal, and Bryce certainly knew how to wear it.

“I’m glad that that’s an asset in this case.”

“You bet. I mean, you don’t go onto that kinda dating site if you’re not looking for something out of the ordinary. Surprised they got something like that set up so quickly, but not complaining.” Bryce was grinning widely, looking plenty eager, something that Pascal found a bit relieving. “Always found reptiles attractive, was a thing when I realized I found them attractive in THAT way...who’d’ve thought my dream would come true someday?”

“I...can’t say I would have, I never thought I’d be ANYONE’S dream come true.”

“Told you,” Dom remarked teasingly. “Anyone can find their right kind of guy, even you! So let’s get to chowing and you two can get to know each other even better.”

“Y-yes, that sounds like a capital idea.” Pascal still felt incredibly nervous, it wasn’t just dating but even casually interacting with people that was a hurdle for him since his change...Neal and Dom and been helping on that front but he was still trying to get more at ease with it. He just hoped he wouldn’t do or say anything ridiculous that would cast a pall over the evening.

---

It turned out he needn’t have worried.

It was his first time physically meeting Bryce, but not his first interaction with him - they had been chatting online for the last couple months, ever since Bryce had sent him a message through the Varian dating website that had shot up shortly after the LifeCostume fiasco. He hadn’t expected anything to come of putting himself out there, but Neal and Dom had convinced him to try...and sure enough, it hadn’t taken very long. Over the next couple months, he and Bryce had getting to know each other quite a bit, and it was clear to Pascal that there was a spark between them, one he only feared might not linger if Bryce wasn’t as enamored of the reality of dating a lizard as he seemed to be the fantasy.

His fears once again seemed to be unfounded. Bryce was nothing but excited about his appearance, the reptile attraction wasn’t just a fictional thing. And with that hurdle out of the way, he found himself relaxing into the conversation again a lot more easily. By now he knew enough about Bryce to be able to talk to him about various subjects - he wasn’t a scientist but certainly could keep up with a lot of things. And though he wasn’t quite as adept at keeping up with some of Bryce’s favored subjects, he had learned a bit about them to be able to try.

Neal and Dom being there was definitely as helpful as he’d hoped. If ever there was a lull, they were able to fill it in, but they didn’t try to jam themselves into a conversation when Pascal and Bryce were well engaged. A perfect complimentary pair, and their experience together was an additional asset, he could try to pick up hints from them about how to respond if he was feeling overwhelmed. But it seemed like he didn’t need that very often, not when Bryce and he seemed to be pretty in sync.

And it got better when the conversation inevitably came around to what had happened earlier.

“I can’t believe how you totally tore up Matt Slater!” Dom sounded more excited about it than Pascal would have expected. “Man, you should have heard his sign-off, the little bitch was just a whimpery whiny wreck! It was delicious, that dick deserved the humiliation.”

“Humiliation wasn’t quite what I was going for,” Pascal replied, in that knowing tone of voice that suggested all too clearly that he didn’t mind that he’d gotten it anyway. “I think the case was made, it might not change many minds but it’ll put it out there that this isn’t just a flash in the pan. The Varians are here to stay and our numbers are going to get larger as more people go through these processes.”

“So they’re really putting out new transformation products?” Bryce asked. “Why different products? You’d think if they could do transformations they could do them all the same way.”

“There’s actually plenty of good reasons for the different product ideas, and that’s that they’re meant to serve different purposes. Not everyone wants a permanent transformation, and there’s all different ranges of desirable changes. For example, that armband that got leaked, that was a prototype idea for a reversible transformation that would amplify the user’s physical capabilities as well. The compound for that idea is nearing testing completion night now. It wasn’t originally meant to be anti-bullying so much as just giving someone a physical boost, but it might have a market there. Then again, the bullies could also get their hands on it, so it might just even out.”

“It would be nice if there were some controls on that, but I remember high school and I have my doubts,” sighed Bryce. “But that does make sense, different products for different purposes.”

“Exactly. Certain objects could be for smaller transformations, just changes to a few attributes rather than full-body. I imagine things like jewelry and accessories would be useful for that. Temporary and reversible transformations being based on removable objects rather than time-limited...I’m still miffed by how we missed that issue with the LifeCostumes, reversion agents are just less predictable. Though, they’re still working with them despite that objection, so I’ll have to get used to that.”

“And you think they’re going to be able to come up with something to kind of edit or reverse transformations?” asked Neal.

“As soon as it became clear that there was a market for permanent transformations a team was put to work on Compound VX. Ideally we want it to have the same versatility we can get out of Compound V, anything from minor cosmetic changes to full-on reformation. It’s much more difficult designing something that can cross a species barrier that effectively, especially with the more customized designs...and getting people turned back human is proving especially difficult. Compound V and VX don’t seem to like to work ‘backwards.’”

“Changing into other things doesn’t count?”

“It doesn’t seem so, it seems to be treated like a lateral shift. I think it’s entirely possible we’ll have to synthesize a foundational reversal compound to effectively turn Varians into humans, either again or for the first time, anticipating that reproduction is around the corner. Oh, Generdex is trying to work on that, too...Varians have such diverse structures that there’s a lot of genetic separation, almost everything’s going to be cross-breeding with them, and Varian-human pairings face similar hurdles. Generdex wants to make family planning a possibility, so something to promote cross-reproduction is in the works. Of course, that’s an exceptionally tricky thing to test…”

“Generdex sounds like they’re really all-in on Varians,” observed Dom. “Promoting and sustaining them and expanding their numbers...I wouldn’t have expected them to embrace this so thoroughly.”

“It does seem odd, no? But...I think Generdex decided when they saw this become a possibility, they wanted this to be their mark on the world. A pioneering endeavor that would change the face of the world forever...I mean, how many companies can truly say they did that? The number is vanishingly small, and even some of those pioneers aren’t remembered. The ability to change one’s appearance at will, to match a mental image you might have dreamed of but could never achieve…” Pascal frowned a bit. “Admittedly, there were times when I thought they were crazy, that what they were doing was...something of a condemnation. But I suppose part of that was bitterness about being changed when I didn’t anticipate it. And a lot of that was sustained by my own attitude...they did their best to make me feel welcome and happy, but I didn’t have it then. Things are a lot better now that I’ve seen the responses...there are negative responses as I predicted, but also a lot of positive ones. I suppose we aren’t as universally considered freaks as I feared we would be.”

“The modern world does a lot for that,” agreed Bryce. “I mean, I can’t imagine I’d even have had a real chance to learn about my feelings, much less indulge them, in a world of 50 years ago...I mean, maybe I would have had other things on my plate then, but just the ability to access these sorts of things. These days, though? I can see thousands of people making creative works involving my favorite creatures, and thousands of others sharing in my admiration and attraction to them. And it’s a lot harder to see freaks when you see so many who have their own fantasies of being that way, and you love to see them.”

“Yes, there’s a lot to be said for having those with such interest. I feel a lot less alone now that I know that. I supposed I have Neal and Dom to thank for it, I might have lived under a rock for ages without their showing me something different.”

“More than happy to help,” Dom said with a grin. “Handsome guy like you needed some positive vibes, for sure. And you know I just love to be helpful, just like Neal.”

“I can tell. You’re doing a lot of good for the new Varians of the world. Actually giving us proper clothes and better furniture...the rest of the world is having to catch up. I think some of them are starting to, but only the local places in Vicaria are really there at the moment.”

Neal nodded. “Well, there’s definitely a need there, we need more than just one of us being the driving force. I think that that interview is going to help a lot, it’s going to tell the world that there’s going to be more of us, and that they’re going to have to adjust...someone’s going to realize they have a new market they have to adapt to. The potential to be the first one in, the one who gets established, will have to be a draw for some money-hungry CEO somewhere.”

Bryce snickered a bit. “I get the feeling you’re not in love with that particular idea.”

“Hey, I just know better than to think that it’s gonna be out of the goodness of their heart. I mean, it’s gonna be to our benefit, so that’s something, but it’s not going to be altruism, it’s going to be business. For better or worse.”

“True. But I’d rather hear about more pleasant things, like more about these different transformation ideas. It sounds like there’s a ton going on behind the scenes and I can’t get enough of it.”

Pascal smiled. “I’d be plenty happy to provide. There’s a lot of incredible products in the works...not just the ones I’m working on, either…”

---

The night was pleasant, a nice temperature with only the slightest of breezes and stars twinkling brightly overhead as the four left the restaurant. Pascal was almost lost in bliss, he’d gotten more animated than usual talking about his work, the time had just seemed to fly by. And with Bryce holding him close...he’d been wanting that for a while, and finally it was happening. Close companionship, a partner of his very own who desired him and who he desired…

Not that he had anything against Neal and Dom. The two of them had been a huge help in his life, bringing him out of his shell and getting him to this point. Even giving him some practice on the more physical aspects of a relationship. But theirs was a partnership between them first and foremost, not something Pascal could really get in on, nor did he feel that was the right thing for him. He needed something like this, with Bryce, a person more for his own independent foray into this realm. It had been going very well so far, better than he even dared to hope.

“It’s hard to believe that less than a year ago there was almost nothing here…” Neal remarked languidly as he looked around at the various buildings, some of which were not yet entirely finished. “And now...there’s a whole city growing up around us. Amazing how fast they’re working.”

“I’ve never seen a city just...come up out of the blue like this,” agreed Bryce. “This is really something special here. I wonder what the secret is.”

“The secret is ‘turn a bunch of people into a completely different race and want to appease them,” Dom laughed.

“Point. Hopefully there are ways to make that happen without such drastic measures.”

“Usually there’s something that brings people to a location, some reason for them to flock together,” observed Pascal. “A concentration of resources, for example. There aren’t many places left that haven’t been so explored, though...I think we’ll have to have new reasons to create cities in the future. What those will be, I can’t say.”

“I can’t really imagine, either,” agreed Neal. “I guess another event like this where some population feels more comfortable having a safe haven, but...really, it just seems like most new cities are just going to be built up towns or such. Something draws more people to a place where there weren’t so many. I guess even the smallest town could become a population center someday.”

“You mean like Dorset?” asked Dom.

“Ksh. Okay, MAYBE that’s unlikely. I’m not even sure ten people live there.”

“Boonie town?” asked Bryce.

“It’s this...not even sure you can call it a town. It’s like maybe a block or two on a stretch of highway in the middle of nowhere in, uh, Minnesota I think. I passed through it on the way up to Canada a few years back on a road trip. I think there’s maybe five houses and four restaurants.”

“That’s quite the ratio,” remarked Pascal.

“Right? You can drive through it in about twenty seconds. It’s such a bizarre place, it’s like it was supposed to be in the city and got lost on the way and decided to make its home in the middle of nowhere. I mean, someone’s gotta visit there, if they can keep all those restaurants going, but, who?”

Dom shrugged. “There’s gotta be some bigger towns and such nearby, maybe those ones?”

“Maybe. I can’t imagine it’s a huge tourist destination, since Minnesota is an uninhabitable wasteland half the year-”

“HEY!” All four of them jumped at the sharp yell, and turned to the source of the voice. A human was coming up to them, and he looked livid. In the dark it was hard to make out any features, though he wasn’t apparently trying to cover them up. “I’ve got a bone to pick with you, lizard freak!”

Pascal bristled a bit; he didn’t recognize the person, but it seemed entirely possible that someone had seen the interview and taken umbrage somehow. He was all ready to try to mount a defense, or an evasion at least, when Neal spoke up.

“...Anton?”

“Oh, you fuckin’ remember me now?”

Pascal certainly didn’t, at first, but then it came to him: the human who had popped in unexpectedly when he’d first seen to Neal’s condition. Who had apparently given him the patch with the hope that he would transform and create a rift between him and Domingo, a plan that had backfired badly on him. Which should have been the end of it, but apparently had not - repeated harassment through e-mail and social media and even phone calls and voice mails had been a frequent mention during his discussions with the two. The tone of which never changed - name-calling against Neal, and relentless pleading and goading for Dom to leave him and hook up with Anton himself. They griped about it often enough, of course he should have remembered...

“Why are you here?” Dom snapped, with a very rare bolt of anger to it. “How many times have I told you to leave us alone? I’m pretty sure the cops talked to you about this a couple months back.”

“I can’t leave this alone! You’re wasting your life with a fucking freaky reptile! I can’t just let that stand, not when you could have a normal life with a normal person like me!”

“What part of ‘no’ do you not understand?”

“The part where you’re ruining your life with this creature! Why won’t you listen to me when I tell you he’s trouble?”

“I’m trouble?” hissed Neal. “You’re the one who keeps threatening me! If you’ve got a weapon on you, so help me, I’ve been learning self-defense!”

“What, big goon lizard gonna beat me up? Gonna bite me or something? I’ll report you to the cops for assault if you even touch me, you know they’re gonna take the side of a human over a freak!”

“I would watch your mouth, this city is more Varian than human,” Pascal warned; he didn’t particularly want to get involved but if there were people within hearing range that didn’t take kindly to the slurs, their quiet night was in danger of turning much crazier than they could keep in control.

“Shut up, freak, I’m talking to my boyfriend.”

“I’m not your boyfriend!” Dom almost yelled. “I never was! Just because you wanted me to be doesn’t mean I ever was!”

Anton’s expression soured even further. “Well, you’re not this freak’s boyfriend, you can’t be! That’s just wrong! So you have to be mine!”

Neal looked more pissed than Pascal had seen him in ages, and it looked for all the world like things were about to get very ugly. And then Bryce disengaged from Pascal and stepped forward. “Do you really think that’s going to work?”

Anton whirled to face Bryce, shooting him a look. “The hell does it matter to you? You stay out of this! It’s none of your business!”

“You’re interrupting what’s been a very pleasant night for me, so it’s my business. In fact I’d say what’s going on right now is more my business than it is yours.”

“What’s the matter with you? Don’t you see him?” Anton pointed at Neal accusingly. “Don’t you see what he is? Or can’t you tell what ugly lizards are either?”

“The only thing ugly here is your attitude, boy.” Bryce’s tone shifted, suddenly taking on a much rougher and formidable tone. “What do you think you’re even doing here? Thought you were gonna whisk someone away and everything would magically be all right after that? That you could get what YOU wanted and that would justify it all?”

“What-I mean, that…” Anton sputtered a bit, clearly flustered; Bryce clearly was a variable he wasn’t ready for. “He’s mine! He can’t-”

“Can’t what? Can’t think for himself, can’t make his own decisions? You think you have the right to control him, is that it?”

“Wh-what? No! I just want what’s best for him! And that’s not, that’s not here! No way!”

“You think that what’s best for him is what YOU want? Sure sounds like you think you control him. Not just his actions but his thoughts and feelings too. How about I slap a pair of cuffs on you, drag you to the nearest dive club, and let a bunch of drunk goons have at you? You want that, don’t you?”

Anton’s eyes shot open, his face suddenly looking stricken. “NO! No way!”

“Well, that’s what I want to do with you. Ain’t that all that matters?” Bryce took another step towards Anton, who was shrinking back; the difference in size between the two wasn’t that great, but Bryce’s presence seemed MUCH bigger now. “Or are you gonna tell me you get to say what you do with your life? You can do it, but other mere mortals gotta do it another way?”

“Well, I...I mean...there’s...it’s different-”

“Ain’t no difference, boy! He made his choice, and his choice isn’t you. And at this point, even if he broke things off, you’d be the last person on this planet he’d consider, because a ‘boyfriend’ that doesn’t listen to his wants, that isn’t a boyfriend at all, that’s a prison keeper. You shot your chances long ago, it sounds like, and just because you’re bitter about that, doesn’t give you the right to badger these two! You wanna get your ass busted for stalking?”

“N-no…”

“Then get, and don’t come back! Lick your wounds and move on with your damn life! You blew it, no second chance here! No one else enters the equation, it’s all you and you messed it up! Deal with it! Now get!”

The other three were in awe at the turnaround; Anton had gone from red-hot fury to sniveling subduedness, his ferocity a shadow of its former self. He shot an ugly look at Neal and Dom, shaking a bit. “F-fine! Just...fuck you both, I’m done!” And with that he turned tail, scampering away, if he’d had a tail they could all tell it would be between his legs. Just like that, the night was quiet again.

“Wow. That was...absolutely amazing.” Neal’s jaw was hanging open.

“Bah. That was nothing.” Bryce straightened up and smoothed himself out a bit. “Eight years in corrections, you get to tell who’s really dangerous and who’s not. I’ve faced off with some hard-ass criminals, who would sooner kill than let someone else be their boss without a fight. That wasn’t anything like that, just some whiny bitch whose parents didn’t tell him no enough.”

“Yeah, but you shut him down so easily!” exclaimed Dom.

“Just gotta throw them off. Guys like him, they have this story in their heads and they think if they get it out then it’ll all end like they think it should. Trick I learned on the job, if you don’t let them get their story out they can’t keep up with you, and you can basically browbeat them into shutting up. Once they realize that the story doesn’t go the way they want, they run off...they ain’t gonna be happy about it, but most of ‘em realize that they’ve blown it and give up. See ’em all the time on those fake court TV shows, you know? And they usually crumble when they don’t get to tell the nice story they’ve invented for themselves. Gotta be careful trying that against a real tough guy, but when it’s a wimp trying to act tough, it’s fun putting them in their place.”

“And impressive for the rest of us watching,” Pascal agreed. “I don’t think I could have put him down like that at all. I hope that ends the stress he’s put you two through…”

“Well, it’s worth hoping,” sighed Neal. “If he doesn’t, well, I’m going to get the police involved. And hope that they take me seriously.”

“I’m hopeful, though,” Dom said with a hint of a smile of relief on his face. “That voice, it sure sounded like he’d given up...every other time I always heard him it was like a promise to come back later, like he didn’t accept it and just needed to find some more gas or a new line, but that, he really sounded defeated there, not happy but like he knew he wasn’t getting another shot. It’s possible it won’t be that nice, but, I kinda think that might have done it. Thank you so much, Bryce, I was pulling my hair out over him.”

“That sure isn’t right, and I’m glad I could help. Now, I think we should continue our lovely night like we were before that interruption, don’t you?”

“Yes, indeed,” agreed Pascal. The relief was his as well, he’d been worried that this might cast a pall over all of them...thank goodness someone had a tougher approach than he did. And here he’d worried that Bryce would be more cowed by his actual presence than his images...clearly, he wasn’t easily cowed by anything. And that gave him all the more confidence for later…

---

It seemed kind of odd to Pascal that they were going to someone else’s place rather than his own after the date ended. True, there was a good reason for it, but he knew it didn’t fit the typical mold for a date. Then again, at this point there was scarcely anything typical about what was going on to him, so maybe it was just in the spirit of things.

Either way, Neal and Dom’s house had a lot more room than Pascal’s quarters, which made a studio apartment look rather spacious. Pascal had never minded it - he had a computer and a desk and a bed, and a place to cook and eat, and that was all he needed. But when it came to having company, suddenly he was aware just how insufficient it was...it seemed that the time had come for him to make new arrangements for his accommodations, but he wasn’t quite sure what that was going to be yet. A house seemed too much, yet an apartment might not be enough if Bryce became a long-term thing - a very early thing to think about, but it was more about the fact that loneliness was not necessarily a destiny he had to face.

So absent any good alternatives, the house of his friends was really the best place for himself and Byrce to go. And that wasn’t the only reason, either, as there would be more than sleeping taking place. After a brief tour of the upper floors, Neal and Dom brought them down to the main attraction - the basement, which was largely one spacious room with a few amenities and a bathroom and closet attached. The floors were well-padded, and quite comfortable to kneel or lay on - Pascal could vouch for that from experience. A very good thing, because a lot of such positions occurred there.

“I’d say now is when the entertainment starts, but I think we’ve had a good bit of entertainment already,” Bryce remarked as he looked around the basement. “I’m guessing you guys get a good bit of use out of this…”

“More than you even know,” snickered Dom. “This is the prime meeting location of the Lizard Lovers League. A club for a certain kind of enthusiast...I’ll let you see if you can figure out what kind.”

“Gee, how would I ever guess?” Bryce replied dryly. “Is this an exclusive organization, or can anyone join?”

“If you’re interested, you’re more than welcome! I think we have to get you initiated first, though. We should be able to manage that tonight, right, Pascal?”

“Ah, yes, I believe so,” the green lizard replied, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice. There was no reason he should be nervous, but that had never really stopped him. “Did I...properly explain the protocols for this? I’ve gone over it with enough people that I don’t know who I have and haven’t told...”

“I remember you mentioning something about it,” Bryce confirmed. “That you guys had that pain reliever and recovery compound in your bodies, and could kinda transfer the effects, right?”

“Yes, that’s exactly right. Very convenient, they made it a standard part of Compound V for that very purpose...they were more than aware that this would be an inevitable part of the change, and they wanted to make sure that there weren’t, ah, injuries that could be avoided from it. Of course, it’ll need a little bit to sink in fully, so…”

“So you’ll get to put that tongue of yours to good use, right?”

Pascal flushed. “S-such as it is, yes…”

“Good, I’ve been waiting all my life for that. So...how about you show me more than just your scaly head? I’m curious how you look under those clothes.”

“Ah, well…” The lizard’s flush deepened a touch as he started to unbutton his shirt. “I suppose you wouldn’t, ah, buy into it if I said it was nothing special…”

“Heh, you’re definitely catching on. Maybe someday it won’t be, but for now…” Bryce was ogling, and Pascal was finding himself getting into that in spite of his usual self. Granted, stares were usually negative in his experience...though, not so much lately. Not with a fair number of Varians around here, and mostly supporters among the humans, only the rare protestor shooting ugly glares at anyone. It still felt odd for him, though, to be looked at with desire, especially from someone he was so unfamiliar with.

Not that others hadn’t been trying to help him with that. After all, he’d been part of the LLL as well, by request...he’d had three different humans lavishing attention on his body and pleasuring him as he did his best to return the favor, all of them trying very obviously to get him more comfortable with this kind of intimate behavior. Where he had once thought he would never experience the touch of another person again, now he was getting far more action than he ever got as a human. But action was one thing, a relationship was another, and Bryce was more than just a fling, he was a prospective partner. And that made it all feel a bit more important, more momentous...and he felt insecurity creeping back in, even knowing that what he possessed was something that Bryce had voiced such want for.

That insecurity was fading back into the scenery as he saw Bryce’s face light up with more exposure of his body. In Pascal’s eyes, he wasn’t particularly impressive, especially compared to Neal - he was leaner than the blue lizard, a few inches shorter, decidedly less muscular, the product of his previous body combined with an inactive lifestyle. Even then, he was still much fitter than he had been as a human - Compound V seemed to be responsible for that as well, it was a trend that hadn’t gone unnoticed in the studies. But all that meant was that he had a different standard to compare to, and he didn’t think he compared favorably. But the moment Bryce started running his hands over his scaly body, he could tell that whatever he had was just what the human wanted.

“Goddamn...you’re so fuckin’ handsome I can hardly stand it.” Bryce’s hands rubbed along his chest and sides as Pascal stepped out of his pants, a bit too distracted to straighten them out. His face got even more colored as he felt a poke around his slit from a finger, curious rather than sensual but still sending a spark through him. “Nice, I always loved slits. I hope you don’t mind that I’m gonna go nuts on that at some point.”

“Ah...I think I’ll be perfectly happy with that.”

“I’ll make sure you are. Guess I should probably catch up, though.” Bryce started to disrobe as well, giving Pascal a bit of chance to properly fold his clothes and set them aside safely. He felt a bit silly focusing on that, but he wasn’t used to wearing nice clothes and didn’t want to mess them up...thankfully, Bryce seemed to have as much care for his, so that helped him feel a bit better. The human had a very nice build, he was fairly muscular and had a mildly rugged appearance, a clear toughness that certainly must have had its origins in his previous job. He was also nicely endowed, a healthy size for a human and already revealing a good bit of his eagerness. Everything about him just seemed very right to Pascal, and it was making him stir as well...usually some effort was needed to rev him up, even when he was ready and willing, but he certainly didn’t mind a bit of a head start.

“You weren’t kidding…” Bryce was grinning as he saw the two spires of flesh emerge from the lizard’s slit. “Hot damn, I was hoping that wasn’t just setting me up...gonna be a nice tight fit, though, you’re gonna have to prep me good.”

“I’m certainly happy to do so, I wouldn’t want to dampen this with anything painful.”

“If you’re looking for something to do while you’re getting ready, Neal’s got two toys to play with over here.” Neal and Dom had disrobed a lot more quickly and were grinding against each other quite a bit, both looking ready to pick up the pace. Something Pascal was used to, they were high-energy and fast-paced when it came to this. Pascal himself was more content to take things at a steadier pace, but that was just him.

“Any objections?” asked Bryce.

“I think it will be helpful anyway, so let’s go ahead.”

“Got it.” With a grin, Bryce stepped towards Neal, taking position next to Dom as the latter started to slurp over one of the blue’s twins. Bryce made sure to raise his rear nice and high as he started to join in; in contrast to Dom, he was a lot slower and more methodical in his attention, licking and sucking deliberately and enjoying the taste and texture. He could feel a slight tingle as he did, there was definitely something happening already, something that would be very helpful in the coming minutes if all was as promised.

And Pascal wasn’t about to slack on his part. Kneeling behind Bryce, he reached out for the human’s rear end, one clawed hand on each cheek, his thumbs slowly rubbing around his rear and lightly rubbing the surface. He had them rounded for various reasons, so he wasn’t too worried about accidentally scratching Bryce in a sensitive place. They slowly probed into that tight pucker, and with gentleness stretched it just a bit. Bryce had claimed experience back here, but Pascal wasn’t entirely sure how easy it would be for him to open, so he treated it delicately. Swallowing a bit, his tongue darted out, licking over the surface of the hole and leaving a trail of saliva behind.

“Oh...damn...this is gonna be great,” moaned Bryce as he pulled off momentarily to express his satisfaction. “Go deep as you want, I’m ready…”

Well, Pascal wasn’t going to fall down on the job now. A few more licks at the surface and he pulled that star apart a little more, and then pushed the tip of his tongue inside. Another loud moan from Bryce, though this one more muffled as he worked on Neal’s pole, and he pushed back a bit into the lizard’s muzzle. He took this as an invitation for more, and provided, lapping around deeper inside by the moment, a bit more stretch every few seconds to test his response. This was a position he never would have imagined himself in even before the change, rimming seemed like an act that wouldn’t be at all enjoyable for the giver and he never would have thought himself bold enough to try. But with a tongue like his that was so long and desirable, at least according to testimony, he’d been worked into feeling comfortable with it...and now he could see why, as he pushed in deeper and deeper still, he was able to go in so much farther than most others could.

Of course, there was another purpose beyond the pleasure in this case, and he made sure to liberally coat Bryce’s walls with his saliva, working more of that special factor in that would give him the ability to handle what he had to give. But hearing the dark-skinned human moaning at his stimulation was starting to make him enjoy it for more than just what would come. It was also turning him on even more, he could feel a rising need in his body, a dripping from his cocks that was surprisingly rare for him, he didn’t quite have the most active sex drive but it had found something it liked. And everything was working as it should have been, his claws were stretching that hole quite a bit as he drove his tongue in and out, slurping and moaning a bit in his own right. He could feel some clenching here and there as his tongue found Bryce’s prostate and massaged it, getting a bit more motion and volume out of him.

Finally, Bryce pulled off of Neal again and looked back, panting. “Goddamn...you got me all worked up, Pas. Now I need to get worked out...you think it’s ready?”

Pulling back himself, Pascal nodded. “I think you’re good. You were very pliable, I think you’ll handle me well at this point.”

“Good...then let’s get to it.” Bryce rolled onto his back and spread his legs, looking up at the green lizard with a come-hither expression. Neal didn’t feel the absence for long, as Dom pulled off as well and quickly clambered into the blue’s arms; it wasn’t long before both of his dicks were embedded in his boyfriend’s rear, and he was riding him wantonly, bouncing on his lap as Neal bucked up into him. The sounds of their coupling were plenty evident to Bryce and Pascal, fueling their own desires.

Still, Pascal took it more at his pace. He didn’t bother asking whether Bryce wanted one or two, the preference had been made more than clear to him already, so he pushed them together and slowly pressed in, the tips spreading that tight hole readily and paving the way for the thicker girth that came after. Bryce’s arms reached up to grab him, pulling at him and holding him tight as he felt that intense stretch inside him, entirely painless thanks to the pretreatment and thus immensely pleasurable. He couldn’t help but clench down a bit as they imposed on him, though that hardly stopped Pascal’s progress thanks to the slickness on his twins. Deeper and deeper he went, inching in gradually until his slit met the human’s rear...the two paused for a moment, both panting, both in heaven, and both knowing that the best was still yet to come.

“How are you, ah, feeling?” Pascal asked, keeping himself steady; he wasn’t going to risk hurting Bryce now, he just had to be sure the human wasn’t suffering any ill effects before he went further. Even if he’d just gone all the way in without ill effect...maybe he was still a LITTLE paranoid.

Bryce, however, rubbed his back reassuringly. “I couldn’t feel better, bud. Never felt so full in my life, but damn, it feels really good when it doesn’t hurt.”

“Ah...very good to hear. I suppose we should, ah, take it to the next level, then…” Slowly Pascal pulled himself partway out of Bryce, and then pushed in with a little more vigor, letting out a his of pleasure that joined with Byrce’s breathy moan. It was an amazing feeling for Pascal, to be sure - he loved that tightness, that rubbing on his twins that was just so enjoyable, far better than just stroking one in a private place and getting it over with, since he didn’t have the coordination to stimulate two. And feeling someone else’s body against his...well, that was something he’d long been starved of, only recently getting something to fulfill that, and now someone that he could really claim as his own partner. He wanted to make the most of it, not just for himself, but to convince Bryce he was worth sticking with, even through all the quirks he had.

His thrusts got slowly more vigorous over time, coaxed on by the blissful moans of his partner and the squeezing of that wonderful ass around his shafts. It wasn’t quite the frenetic pace set by the other mating pair in the room, but it worked well for him, and Bryce was far from complaining. The motion was soon aided by squirts of pre that helped lubricate things, as well as ensuring an ample dose of the stuff that would make it very easy to repeat this later without all the set-up. Though, Pascal certainly wouldn’t mind a liberal amount of preparation to help get Bryce in the mood…

He felt Bryce’s face meet his unexpectedly, and looked down in askance. The flushed human was clearly enjoying himself, but apparently had another idea to make things more interesting. “Hey...let’s see how that awesome tongue of yours does with kissing.”

“Ah…” Pascal’s face darkened. “I’m not...exactly experienced with that…”

“Ah, who cares. Just means there’s nowhere to go but better, right?”

He could hardly argue with that...Pascal leaned into Bryce a bit and did his best impression of a kiss, mostly working his tongue into the human’s mouth as he continued to hump him. To him, it was quite awkward - he wasn’t exactly a ‘kisser’ even back when he was a human, and his reptilian snout, while being more adept at a variety of motions than he would have expected, was not exactly built for the type of kissing that a human face was. Keeping close and using his tongue to play with Bryce’s was the best he could do...though, once he got in there, he found that his organ vastly outclassed Bryce’s, longer and more motile, able to flex and wrap around the human’s as well as pushing in deep while Bryce’s really couldn’t. He worried that it might not really be great, but so far he wasn’t hearing any complaints...and he was trying to follow the notion that if there wasn’t any negative feedback then he must at least be doing well enough.

There was a warmth running through him as he continued to get faster and harder in his thrusts, euphoria bubbling up within his body. Being so close to someone like this was hard to top...he arms wrapped under Bryce and their kiss deepened, Pascal starting to lose his inhibitions and worries more and more in the haze of delight. There was so much to enjoy - the brief squeezes around his twins when Bryce clenched down here and there, the modest taste of the human’s mouth, the feel of Bryce’s cock rubbing against him as their bodies met and the streaks of wetness left by the tip as it grazed his scales, the rubbing of the human’s hands on his back as he held him close, the contented sighs and moans slightly muffled through their kiss...it was everything he could have asked for and more.

So lost was he in the warm bath of bliss that he sort of lost track of Neal and Dom, until he heard loud cries from the two of them and the unmistakable sounds of splattering seed. The two broke their kiss to look over at the other partners, who were in the midst of shooting their loads and making a considerable mess...not that it was that much of a problem, these floors were easy to clean for a reason. The primal sounds of orgasmic pleasure sent a shiver down Pascal’s spine...he wanted to be there, too, wanted to feel that and help Bryce feel that.

Bryce seemed to have the same idea, as he tilted Pascal’s head back to look down at him. “Sounds like they’re having fun, let’s join them...why don’t you show me the kind of energy you’re holding back on all the time?”

It wasn’t exactly a mystery what Bryce was asking for, and Pascal found himself nodding even without thinking about it. Raising up a bit, he braced his legs and started to hump in with real speed and force, departing from his usual steady pace. This still felt somewhat unnatural to him, at least at the outset...but the longer it went, the more right it felt to cut loose and lose himself in it. He knew it was part of him, he called it the ‘feral’ part of his brain, the part more in touch with the reptile side of him than the human side; it was the part that made him more likely to hiss in pleasure and revel in the raw sensation rather than overthinking things. It rarely came out anywhere except these sexual experiences, he always kept it restrained so he could put on the professional countenance he liked to approach the world with. But...he had to admit, it was...comfortable, letting it free.

His harder pounding was having the intended effect, more rapidly bringing him close to that peak of ecstasy that he sought for himself and for Bryce. It was also having some unintended effects like making him grind more against the human’s body, hiss more wantonly, and grip Bryce tighter and more possessively. If any of this was a problem, he certainly wasn’t hearing about it, and might not have been able to stop himself anyway, not with how unrestrained and excited he felt. Time seemed to lose all meaning in this moment, he felt like he could soar here for an eternity even within a few seconds…

But then it got even better when he heard Bryce cry out briefly underneath him, felt him clamp down tightly around his dual dicks and suddenly sheet sticky wetness onto Pascal’s scales. And that sudden increased tension was too much for him...he too cried out, a much more reptilian cry than he’d ever really given before as he unloaded into Bryce’s rear, spurting a rather hefty amount of lizard cum into the human. Forcefully he ground himself against that rear, milking both himself and Bryce as he tried to get as much out of the human’s orgasm as he could, the tow rubbing together and smearing the human’s load between their bodies with little care for the mess. Pascal couldn’t remember the last time his heart was racing this much and it wasn’t attributable to anxiety...how good it felt to be enjoying something so exhilarating for once.

The glorious pinnacle of bliss had to fade eventually, but the pleasure itself didn’t leave quite that fast...even after coming down, Pascal felt a strong contentment and happiness as he laid with Bryce. Sex had always felt good, there was no question about that, but this felt even on another level. He wasn’t sure why, exactly, but...maybe it was just knowing that Bryce had chosen him, wanted him, and maybe he’d just...really wanted to be wanted. Not feeling like a third wheel, but really the one who was the focus, the main point of attraction. Maybe that was just an illusion, he didn’t know, but he would be content with it anyway.

“Hoo...wow…” Bryce finally spoke up after a little bit. “That was...that was amazing. Never felt sex like that before...better than anything that ever came before, goddamn…”

“I’m glad I could satisfy you,” sighed Pascal happily. “Er, I do hope the, uh...display wasn’t too...ah, you know…”

“Oh, hell no...I loved it. Wouldn’t mind seeing a little more lizard out of you...much as I like that whip of a mind of yours, there’s a wild side to you that wants to breathe more, and I’d love to help it.”

Pascal flushed again, but this time it was a happier feeling. “Maybe...you can help me feel more comfortable with it...I think that would be good for me.”

“Pfft...you two are really an adorable pair,” cracked Dom from his perch on Neal’s lap. “I had a feeling you’d fit right in, Bryce.”

“Hard to imagine I wouldn’t,” Bryce replied with a chuckle. “Turns out a pair of lizard dicks is a perfect fit for me just as I expected. And even better they’re on one of the cutest guys I’ve ever met.”

“Perfect! I hope you don’t try to keep him all to yourself, though, or you’re gonna disappoint the other partners here.”

“Mm, long as he’s happy to share, I think I can manage.” Bryce leaned up and gave Pascal a kiss on the snout. “But I’m gonna have to have a whole lot more private fun with him, I think…”

Pascal found himself smiling wider than he had in a long time. The day had taken things in a new direction...once again, his life would never be the same. But this time, he had no doubts it would be for the better...and maybe it would put everything else in a better light, too.

Maybe it was good to be a lizard after all.