A Small Bounty - 4
#4 of A Small Bounty
This is a trade of sorts with https://twitter.com/Atimist (follow me, too! https://twitter.com/TayuBW)
This series involves AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION! I encourage you all to participate and help guide the story along!
There can be different ways for this story to go, and we're both interested to see the places you send him, and the things you... do to him!
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Atimist watched as Espin's paws stripped him of his shirt, those fingers sliding through his fluffy white fur until they hooked onto the waistband of his pants. His body tensed, and those paws slid around his waist until they came to the catch on the back above the fennec's tail.
"Relax, hon, I don't bite," the reindeer said, pushing down the back of the fox's pants over the curve of his rear.
"Yeah you do," the fennec mumbled, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath as those paws slid back to his front to make quick work of the buttons there.
Espin chuckled and pushed the fennec's clothes down over his thighs, kneeling down to help him out of the rest. "You're always so tense and flustered. Have you tried just taking a deep breath and relaxing?"
The fennec's cheeks turned a bright pink as he was fully exposed, and he looked away. "I can't help it, it's just ha-ah!" Atimist jumped and took a step back as the deer stood up and bumped his nose against the underside of his white-furred sac.
Espin giggled and rolled his eyes. "You're silly. Come on, the hot water should help you calm down." Espin made quick work of his own pants, kicking them aside towards his discarded sweater.
Atimist stayed put, watching the deer disrobe, though the voyeuristic feel of it made his cheeks flush and he averted his gaze, only sneaking a couple glances back towards the deer. Espin grabbed the bottle of wine and his glass before stepping down into the water. The large pool sloped down towards the back wall of the large, cave-looking room and got deep enough that Espin had to hold the bottle and glass up at his shoulders. He stepped through the water until he got to the back and Atimist could just barely now tell that there was a ledge there for the deer to put their drinks.
Following suit, he grabbed his own wine glass, downed the last of its contents, and waded into the water. It was hotter than he had expected, though not unpleasant. He gasped as it went up along his legs, relishing in the warm, soaked feeling as the heat permeated his fur and skin to get to the muscles beneath. The deepest section of the pool came up to his chin, and he held the glass out for Espin who took it and placed it with the other.
"See? Doesn't it feel nice?" the reindeer asked, paws finding the fennec's arms and moving down along them to take his paws.
The wine was starting to get to him, or maybe it was the heat, but Atimist took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. It did feel really nice. "Yeah... I don't remember the last time I go to soak in water like this. Clean water, at least."
"Technically it's not water, it's some other compound I don't remember the name of, but it's safe, inert, and you don't need a towel."
The fox blinked. "Oh. That's... kind of neat, actually. Still, it's been a while."
Espin chuckled and slipped closer, pressing his chest to the fox's, paws running through the thick pelt along his back and sides. "Well, maybe if you didn't run around thinking you were some epic hero..."
When he felt Espin's press against him, he didn't pull away. He just closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth of the pool seeping into his fur. "Mm, I'm not pretending... I've done good work."
"You've nearly gotten yourself killed," Espin whispered, hugging the fox to his chest and tracing his nails through the fox's fur until his paws locked together right above the fox's tail.
"Well, yeah, but I'm still alive. No harm, no foul, right?" Atimist let out a soft laugh and his own paws drifted through the water until coming to rest on the deer's hips.
Espin leaned back and peered at the fox with a reproachful expression. "Not yet. But what if you got in too deep, hm? What if you were killed? What then?"
Atimist opened his eyes, meeting the deer's gaze while he considered the question. He looked away uncomfortably and just shrugged. "I guess I wouldn't really notice, right?" He laughed.
"Ati, there are people elsewhere who would be upset if you were suddenly gone from their lives," Espin said quietly, and then coughed delicately. "Granted, maybe not many, but I know I would."
The fennec's mouth turned up at one corner into a wry smile and he shook his head. "It's not a big deal. I'm fine. I don't get into much trouble. And this job sounds like it'll be easy. I've got nothing to worry about except someone else getting there first, and taking my money."
Espin sighed and swayed gently in the hot water, pressing closer to the fox until they were touching in a more intimate fashion. "You know, I made plenty of money doing what I do. I don't get into any trouble, either."
Atimist laughed, the whole room a bit fuzzy and duller than when they'd came in. "Yeah, but I don't have the smarts to do what you do. I'm not well connected like that."
"No, you dork, I'm saying... ah, never mind," Espin's smile was brittle, but he covered it well and held close to the fox. Espin leaned his head back, peering up at the computer. "Computer. Colored lights, low. Music, low, rhythmic, no vocals. Jets, on."
Ati's ears perked up as he listened to the commands and then jets under the water kicked on, making the still surface froth and bubble. One in particular was only inches from his back and pulsed nicely against the muscles there. The white lights in the room shifted hues until they were a low, deep magenta. It cycled and turned redder, then through orange and yellow to green in a matter of seconds. A slow, deep base started playing and instrumentals were heard beating softly along with the music.
"Wow, quite a set up you've got for this r-"
The fennec's words were cut off as a pair of lips were pressed to his own, and his breath caught in his throat. One of the deer's paws moved along the back of head until resting on his neck, holding him in the kiss, though he didn't try to pull away. He relaxed and leaned into the deer's advances, his tongue meeting Espin's as they kissed softly in the dimmed lights of the large, hot bath.
That usual pit in his stomach that he got when thinking about the deer vanished and he found himself able to relax and enjoy the soft affection. It continued for some time; soft kisses that would turn more passionate, paws roaming chests, backs, and sides, and the steady drumming of the music that soothed the mind.
Atimist let out a soft cry as a paw slid down his chest and circled around his sheath, giving it a firm squeeze beneath the water. Dexterous paws stroked and squeezed over his trapped member before pulling down to reveal a few inches of ebon-colored flesh, now bared in the hot water.
With his head leaned back, Espin leaned in and nibbled along the slim curve of Atimist's neck, kissing his cheek until their lips met again. Atimist moaned into the thin muzzle as fingers coaxed more and more of his flesh out beneath the water.
One of his paws moved down, clumsy and inexperienced, until they found the deer's shaft, already stiff as a board and hot to the touch even in the water. Espin sighed sweetly into the kiss and it spurred Atimist onwards, fingers working over the hard length between the reindeer's legs.
The kiss broke and Espin guided Atimist back towards the slope leading out of the water. It was the oddest sensation to stand up out of the water and feel just as dry as before he'd stepped in. The deer guided the fox out into the hallway and then down a few feet to the bedroom. Unlike the rest of the rooms in the house, this room was fairly spartan by comparison. A simple large bed took up the majority of the room, and curtains blacked out any light that would have been coming through in the day. There were no decorations on the walls, no furniture other than the side tables at either side of the bed, and it was smaller than the bathroom had been. The dim lighting made it look cozy, and the soft textures of the pillows and blankets gave everything a rounded, comforting feel.
Espin guided him to the bed and pushed him down onto the blankets, laying atop him to press their needful flesh together, fingers twining together and muzzles finding one another again. Atimist's heart beat against his chest, body shivering with the raw emotion and pleasure that he so rarely afforded himself. Espin's paws traced his sides, teasing against the relaxed muscles and then moving between them to grab as his stiff length. The kiss broke as the fennec's head rolled to the side, and his lips parted in a soft moan.
The reindeer took the opportunity to slip his legs beneath the fox's and he spread them, using both paws to guide Atimist's legs around his waist. Atimist could feel something slick against his entrance and he let out a soft breath, relaxing as best he knew how, the wine from earlier helping greatly. Both parties gasped in unison as Espin's member eased into the fox's tunnel, parting him deeper as more slid further in. Both pain and discomfort colored Atimist's senses, but faded began to fade before he had much of a chance to experience them.
One of Espin's paws returned to fennec's shaft, squeezing it in his palm as he thrust forward, drawing a needy whimper from the fox below. His own shaft ached with the need to speed up, thrust harder, and take the fox, but he continued his slow rhythm, matching the music that had followed them from the bathroom. The buildup was low, intense, and the deer's body crashed against Atimist's like wave breaking on rocks.
Atimist's body reacted in kind to the deer's attentions and he peered up at Espin through the dim lights. His cheeks flushed scarlet in embarrassment as another low, groan of pleasure was dragged from his parted lips. Pre leaked from the tip of his maleness and Espin's fingers spread it against his flesh, stroking him in time with his thrusts that began picking up speed and intensity.
Espin's hips jerked and twitched in undulating motions, encouraged by the wanton sounds coming from his partner. His fingers worked over the slick flesh in his paw, feeling the telltale swelling near the base that provoked his fingers into squeezing and tugging at it.
The fennec's reaction was immediate and unrestrained, his back arching on the bed, his legs tugging the deer tight. His knot swelled in the deer's grip and his length throbbed before several jets of his seed splashed up against his fur, lost in the white fur. The deer's eyes fluttered closed and his own maw parted in a wordless sigh as the legs around his waist held him tight.
Hips bucked twice more into the fennec's passage before the rippling, kneading sensation around his member coaxed his climax from his body. It coursed through his body and out into the fox's, filling him with their shared need and desire as they rode out their bliss together.
Atimist woke hours later, barely able to make out anything in the dark room. The only light came from down the hall. He could feel the weight of Espin's body against his, and brought a paw up to rest on the back of the deer's head, rubbing gently. He wasn't sure how long he was asleep, but he felt well rested, and still as relaxed as the night before.
Espin yawned and nuzzled against the fox's chest. "Mm, morning."
"Morning," Atimist whispered, idly playing with one of the reindeer's ears.
"I woke up an hour or so ago and made some breakfast. I figured you might want something to take with you," Espin said, tracing his fingers over the fox's chest and teasing through the fluffy white fur.
"O-oh, well. Thanks. What time is it, anyway?"
Espin lifted his head and stretched out before sitting up completely. "Should be right about seven, I think."
The fox nodded and rubbed at both of his eyes while the deer called the lights to come up slowly. "I... I don't mean to just run off, you know."
The deer laughed and leaned down to kiss the fox's nose, shaking his head. "I know that."
"I had fun, though. I... enjoyed myself," he admitted sheepishly, cheeks turning pink.
Espin grinned and crawled over the fox to get up from the bed. "I enjoyed you, too. And I'm glad you came and visited." The deer walked off to the closet and pulled out some clothes to dress for the day.
Atimist sat up and found his clothes folded and waiting for him on the side table next to the bed. He dressed and followed along behind the reindeer, still in the same soft, relaxed mindset as before.
Espin lead him into the kitchen and grabbed a big, fabric bag from the counter, handing it over to Atimist. "I packed some other things in there, too, that I know you like. There's a data chip in a case as well. I uploaded all the info I got back onto it, but it seems to boil down to this..." The deer lifted up one paw, counting ideas on his fingers. "You've got two places he could be, and no one is entirely certain where he went. One is the edge of Atzirian space, sector 997R, where the entertainment districts are aplenty, and the other is on the far opposite side of Atzirian space, sector 005G, where there's a lot of mining outposts and stuff like that."
Atimist winced and looked down at the bag in his paws. "Both of those aren't exactly friendly territory. Why one of those two places? That seems oddly specific."
"It's on the chip, it'd take a bit to explain. There's also more bad news," the deer said, frowning worriedly.
"Oh?"
"Yeah. I'm not the first to have asked around about this guy. A couple others asked after him as well," Espin told him.
Atimist cursed and grit his teeth in frustration. "That figures. Do you know who they were?"
Espin beamed brightly. "Of course. Maurice Valentine and Titus Korhal. I have it on good word, too, that they took separate paths. Maurice is heading towards the entertainment district-"
"That figures." Atimist cut in.
"And Titus is going to the mining outposts."
Atimist frowned and rubbed the back of his head, mouth set in a hard line as he thought. Both of those individuals would skin him alive if they got the chance. Maurice because of a personal beef, and Titus might just because he could; that bounty hunter had a bad reputation of violence and destruction. "Well, that certainly gives me something to think about. Thanks for the help, Espin."
The deer walked along with the fox towards the front door and gave him a fierce hug. "Just be safe, alright? And check out that chip. I couldn't summarize everything, but it should give you more clues as to what's going on."
Atimist returned the hug and nodded. "I will. I'll be safe, I promise."
He left the house, food and information in hand, and stared ahead down the path he'd walked the night before. It was still early in the morning and a cool breeze tickled his fur, blunted by the heavy jacket he wore. He wouldn't admit it to Espin, and definitely not Cres, but it had been a very nice night, and one that he realized he'd needed. Perhaps when it was said and done, he might pay the deer another visit.
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Atimist has two rather unpleasant options before him.
Does he go with the Maurice, the gator, who has a personal grudge against him and will probably kill him?
Or, does he go with Titus Korhal, the bounty hunter who only MIGHT try to kill him?
Vote in the comments below! Or on twitter: https://twitter.com/TayuBW/status/1141411670830592000