The Trouble With Furries

by David Sharp

  "Wait, I'm too tweaked. Give me a moment," the blue wolf begged.

  The Minotaur was by the wolf's head, standing silent, all horns. The Satyr walked around, hooves clicking on the tile, and stood, in its masculine glory, in front of the wolf and lifted a lupine leg in each of his wooly arms.

  "Come on...come on...wait." The wolf spoke until the pain stopped him.

  The mythical animals, made of fur and flesh, paid the wolf's pleas no mind and took him from each end. Sweat poured as thick as the wolf's discomfort as the beasts used him for their desires.

  Chapter Twenty-Three:

  "Dear Chad - I'm sorry for not having come up to visit you. Things have been messed up. I was away for a while and when I came back to the loft, everything was screwed up. Patrick let me stay, but in the guest room. I've made some bad choices too. I will tell you about it when I see you. When are you getting out of that place? I could use a fur mate. - Daniel Bishop"

  *

  Patrick and Daniel rode stationary bikes at the gym, fronted by mirrors, with bad retro eighties dance music in the background. As Daniel peddled, he was sure the music was Blondie.

  "How are you feeling? You looked pretty rough when you came in early this morning."

  "Okay I guess, well maybe a little freaked."

  "I warned you about Paul and his posse."

  "I'm dealing with it." Daniel peddled faster, his anxiety flaring. "I really don't want to talk about it. How was work last night?"

  "Fine, it's only work. You should stay in the next few nights and when I'm off, maybe we can hang out."

  "I haven't been your token gay boy in a while."

  "I don't care." Patrick pedaled harder to keep up with Daniel's manic pace.

  "I kind of do," Daniel let slip, promptly changing the topic. "Is Chad getting out soon?"

  Patrick swallowed, "Yeah, I think so."

  "Is he coming back to the loft? The only reason I ask is that you put money in his commissary."

  "Maybe he is...until he can find another place. So I guess you finally read his letters?"

  "Most of them, but I did write him this morning, and even mailed it off."

  Patrick's shoulders slumped and he looked older than his thirty some odd years. "You are going to have to find a real..."

  "Aha, caught him." Daniel smiled at the mirrors, effectively killing the direction of the conversation.

  "Caught who?" Patrick tried to see the guy cruising Daniel, but he couldn't tell which one from the assortment of guys working out.

  "That kid two rows back on the bike is checking me out."

  "Awe Daniel, I can't go anywhere with you."

  "He is kind of cute."

  "He is like eighteen, maybe nineteen at the most." Patrick saw the dark haired guy definitely staring at Daniel. "I'm about done. Are you staying?"

  "Yeah, I have to at least say hello."

  Patrick got off of the bike. "You are robbing the cradle."

  "No, it's not like that."

  "I have to get ready for work. Call me if you need anything."

  "Will do, Patrick. See you later."

  Daniel took the wolf tail out of his gym shorts pocket and let it hang part way out as he watched his admirer get off of his bike and briefly glance at him. Daniel glanced back and held his gaze long enough to make definite eye contact with the guy before purposefully breaking it.

  Daniel, tail in hand, followed his prey to the locker room in time to see the guy take his shorts off, revealing a pair of swimming trunks underneath.

  "Looks like I'm going swimming." Daniel opened his combination lock and rummaged through his duffel in the locker.

  The indoor pool was empty except for Daniel's watcher, who swam the length with grace. Daniel wondered what sort of animal the guy could be. He tested the water with his foot and dove in, swimming up to the guy as he emerged from touching the bottom.

  "Water feels good, huh?"

  The guy was taken off guard, even though he had to know that Daniel was there beforehand. "Yeah, I like swimming here."

  "What's your name?"

  "Lance." Lance had a twinkle in his eye, as if he had done this before. "What's yours?"

  "Daniel."

  "Well Daniel, what brings you to the pool? You don't seem to be a very good swimmer."

  "I saw you checking me out," Daniel was blunt.

  "What do you mean?"

  "In the mirror, when we were on the bikes."

  It was Lance's turn to be blunt. "Are you gay?"

  "Yeah...so what," Daniel felt defensive and treaded water with uncertainty.

  "I thought you were. I am too."

  "Do you live around here?"

  "Yeah, I live in the neighborhood with my parents."

  A red flag went up and Daniel quickly asked, "How old are you?"

  "Nineteen," Lance waded closer. "Does that bother you?"

  "No, I'm only twenty-one myself," Daniel laughed. "Do you want to come back to my place?"

  "Now?" Lance seemed nervous.

  "Yeah, why not," Daniel felt cocky and in control.

  *

  The key clicked loudly in the lock of Patrick's loft.

  "This is your place?" Lance was impressed.

  "No, it's my ex's."

  "Oh, and you still live here?"

  "It's a long story."

  "I got time."

  "I was with these two guys: Patrick, whose place this is, and Chad, who's now locked up. We were in a kind of three-way relationship. It's over now."

  "You are a freak, Daniel." Lance seemed immune to the tabloid nature of the domestic situation and did not pry.

  "Thanks, I guess."

  "So, what's with the tail?"

  "I am more of freak than you know. It's my wolf tail."

  "Okay, why do you have it?"

  "I'm a furry."

  "A furry? Wait a minute. You dress up like an animal?"

  "You got it."

  "No way, that is so...cool."

  "Do you want to see my fur suit?"

  "Yeah, I've never seen one up close."

  Daniel led Lance to the guest room, went straight to the closet, and opened both doors. The blue wolf was pulled off of its heavy duty hanger and proudly displayed.

  Lance marveled at the teeth and canine face, the detail of the features and the blue and white patches of fur. He stroked the side with his fingers, caressing the soft furry hide.

  Daniel reached down and caressed the front of Lance's nylon shorts.

  "What are you doing?"

  "Do you want to fool around?"

  "Only if you put on the wolf suit," Lance dared.

  "Turn around, Lance." Daniel gently pushed Lance onto the bed to comply.

  "Do you want me to close my eyes?"

  "Yeah, do that."

  Daniel was amazed at the moment. As soon as he was sure that Lance was not looking, he stripped and slid onto the wolf skin. With the head in place, he turned from the closet to see Lance facing him, eyes still closed, but body completely naked. Through the dotted vision of the suit's eyes, he looked over his willing prey. Lance's body was smooth and lithe, the build of a swimmer. The blue wolf unzipped his front.

  "Hey Lance, check it out."

  Lance opened his eyes and looked the wolf over. "Awesome, take me, you beast."

  And the beast did take the beauty in the guest room of the loft. The bad nightmare images of the previous night were obliterated by the new awakening. Daniel was attracted to the human male form, and for the first time it was not tainted by the man-beasts. He wondered if it would be better without the wolf, without hiding behind a mask. The wolf was still strong and he pawed the body below him. If the claws were real, he may have marred the beauty in spite. But that was the way of the wolf and not in Daniel's true nature.

  *

  "And he was so cute too." While sitting in his boxers in Wesley's restroom and waiting for the color in his hair to set, Daniel dreamily remembered willing and eager Lance
.

  "Now you need to try it without the fur suit." Wesley eyed the back of the dye box, and then his Swatch watch.

  "I think I want to, maybe soon." Daniel thought, soon but not today though.

  "If you'll let me, I will take you to a furry convention and you can see what it really is all about."

  "If you say so," Daniel reached up and touched his hair, removing a blue finger for his trouble. "Is it ready?"

  Wesley ran a gloved hand through the wet, dark blue hair. "I think so, time to rinse. Lean down under the tub faucet."

  Daniel dipped low and tried to speak under the running water. "I hope it looks good."

  "Well, you wanted the same color as your beloved wolf."

  The blue swirled down the drain in a surreal spiral pattern. Daniel rose up and shook out his mane. Dripping wet, the rivulets streamed down his chest to soak into his white boxers. Daniel looked at the short, spiky blue hair in the mirror's reflection, amazed at how close it was to the wolf's fur.

  Wesley nodded his acceptance of the dye job, adding, "It will be lighter when it dries."

  "Wow! I haven't had hair like this since I was a teenager."

  "I'll bet you were a cute punk."

  There was a loud knock at the door. Without a word, Daniel found his pants. Overhearing Wesley in conversation with the visitor, his curiosity drew him downstairs. A man in his early thirties, rough, yet kind and bear-like in manner, was holding tickets out to Wesley.

  Wesley caught Daniel in his peripheral vision. "Jack, this is my friend, Daniel. We were just dying his hair to match his wolf suit."

  "Hey," Daniel shook the bear's paw, "How are you doing?"

  "Alright, hair looks good. A wolf, I could see it."

  Wesley tried to coerce, "We're going to the furry convention I was telling you about. Do you want to go?"

  "I totally forgot that was tonight." Daniel actually did not remember Wesley telling him anything about the convention happening so soon.

  "You should go. There is a lot more than freaky yiffing parties that make up the furry world. In fact, there is very little to none of that in the community."

  "Yeah, but I like the freaky stuff." Daniel doubted if what he said was true.

  "One day, I am going to grab you by a paw, put a leash on you, and show you something you haven't seen."

  "Hey, I'm not that freaky."

  "Very funny, Daniel," Wesley was not amused.

  "If you change your mind, it's at the Galleria Hilton."

  "No, that's cool of y'all to invite me, but I have things to do."

  *

  Later that night, Daniel and Lance sat in the hot tub in the loft's complex. Steam flowed up into the starry night sky.

  "It's nice out here. I wish I had a hot tub."

  "You do now."

  "Right, I do now." Lance smiled and admired Daniel. "I like your hair."

  "Thanks," Daniel rubbed a hand through its silky blueness.

  Lance smiled and lightly kicked Daniel underwater. Daniel returned a playful kick and leaned further back to take in the stars.

  "Do you want to go out sometime?"

  "Where would we go? You can't really get in anywhere."

  "I know. I had a fake I.D., but I lost it."

  "We can still hang out here."

  "True," Lance thinks aloud, "Are you still sleeping with your ex?"

  "No, I have my own room."

  "Oh, I see."

  "Hey Lance, we aren't dating. You know that?"

  "Yeah, but no...You know I would like to."

  "I can't right now. Chad is getting out soon."

  "I really like you, Daniel."

  "I like you too." Daniel moved closer and kissed Lance, the confusion swirling in his head.

  Lance parted lips and leaned back happily. "Damn, you are a good kisser."

  Daniel looked at the deep night sky and thought: What is wrong with me? I could make things right but I am too scared to commit.

  Chapter Twenty-Four:

  On the Steam afterhours dance floor, Daniel danced alone, tuning out the world. Nothing mattered but the music. Eon's The Spice Must Flow filled his mind with images of Frank Herbert's Dune, and the melange spice that controlled the many fantasy worlds in that novel. Often, he caught his reflection in one of the many strategically placed mirrors, smiling at the blue hair and the wolf tail at his waist. Thirsty, he danced off of the floor into a proud stride toward Alec's (his new favorite bartender) bar.

  "Is it safe?"

  "Yeah, to get a drink," Alec dangerously smiled a shark's smile. "I can't promise you about your ass, though."

  Daniel handed the older punk a five, "Orange juice and..."

  "So where's fuck buddy?"

  "Adam? I haven't seen him since that night."

  "Hey tramp, what are you doing later?"

  "The dope in your pocket," Daniel smiled his own canine smile.

  "Why would I do that?"

  "So that you can see me get my eyebrow pierced."

  "Oh, now that sounds fun. And I don't have to close this dump either."

  "Alright, I'm going to dance until you get off."

  "You are such a fucking tease, Daniel."

  *

  Daniel woke, fully dressed, on the floor of Alec's apartment, with a splitting headache. Absently, he twisted the ring in his brow. Alec, fully dressed and just as passed out as Daniel, lay on the other side of the coffee table, snoring. His eye caught a flier on the table, bad news washing over him with its ill tidings. Stina had died and his memorial was in two nights. He had put Trade out of his mind, but now the memories haunted him, especially of how he had left without a word to anyone. How had Stina died? Daniel could only guess and guess darkly. He knew he had to go and resigned himself to do so. Alec snored louder and rolled over. Daniel pocketed the flier, found a mirror in the flop house style bathroom, and was confronted with his new look.

  I have crossed over. Damn, I wish I didn't care anymore.

  *

  The loft seemed confining, like a cage. Daniel paced the small area of his temporary guest quarters like an animal pent up with angst. He picked up the final unread letter from Chad and heard the country voice in his head.

  "Thanks, dude, for writing me. You are the only one who has. When I get out of here we'll hook up and talk. I don't know if I want to stay with Patrick or not. This place is nuts. They have us going to bible classes in here. I do what they say because I do. Come see me if you can. I may be getting out real soon. Keep your head down and stay out of trouble. - Chad Bering SPN-1378534621"

  The phone rang, interrupting Daniel's state of mind.

  "Hello." Daniel listened and could barely make out a hello on the other end. The voice was Dean's and it frustrated him more when static took out the line.

  "Dean? Hello? Dean? Hello?" Daniel stood in the loft kitchen with the receiver in his hand, dazed and confused about what had happened. He had no way of calling his sailor back, feeling at such a loss and so alone.

  In the closet, the blue wolf waited. Daniel sensed the urge to dress up and hide in his other persona. Instead, he shut the closet doors.

  *

  A tennis ball was lobbed across the court and panged from racket to racket. Daniel had broken a sweat trying to keep up with Patrick's pace. Panting, Daniel motioned to take a break. Gulping some sports drink for the refreshing electrolytes, he sat down near the net and had to move his rear to set the tail free.

  "I'm out of breath trying to keep up with you."

  "Good game, even if you are out of shape."

  "I can't believe that Stina is gone."

  "Well, blue hair or not, I am taking you to the memorial."

  "I want to go, but it's been so long."

  "It has not been that long and you can see your teenager afterward."

  "Hey, watch it old man."

  Patrick acted like he was going to punch Daniel, pulling back at the last moment, "Psyche."

  "More like psycho." Danie
l flinched as he waited for the punch that never came.

  Chapter Twenty-Five:

  Daniel and Patrick arrived late to the memorial service at Trade. Both were clad in business casual slacks and button down shirts, easy for Patrick but ill-fitting for Daniel, who tucked in his over-sized shirt again. Patrick hooked his elbow and nudged him further into the club. Daniel let out a sigh of relief in seeing that the service had not started on time. On the video screen pulled down in front of the main stage, a projection of the life and times of Gino Stinaletti played out in pictures. Blue haired Daniel picked up a memorial booklet and thumbed through it. He avoided familiar faces and let Patrick lead him to Max's bar by his long sleeve. "I'll get us drinks." Patrick pulled out his wallet.

  "Okay, make sure mine is a double."

  Max's eyes widened at the sight of them. "Well, look what the cat dragged in. I haven't seen you in a long time."

  "I have been away. Sorry I didn't say goodbye."

  "No worries, Daniel. You are not the first to burn out working at a bar."

  "I told you to pace yourself." Patrick tipped for the complimentary drinks.

  "I know, I know, I screwed up. Good seeing you, Max."

  Daniel left Patrick with the bartender, not wanting to continue the dead end conversation. He saw Yolanda in a bright blue sparkly diva dress and a Texas sized blonde wig taking the stage with Rory. Tables with candles were set up around the dance floor, all filled with staff and friends, new and old. Ned and Marie sat at one, Ned arguing and Marie ignoring his presence as usual. Gustavo sat alone with a tear in his eye and a rare drink in his chubby hand. Daniel thought that Jeff, Ethyl, and Freddy made a strange entourage for a new hot bartender that looked like a movie star, a young Tom Cruise with a twinkle in his eye. George, the weekend cowboy, strutted by mingling with unknown others.

  Darren blindsided Daniel and walked right into him. "Watch it, girl."

  "Hey, Darren," Daniel greeted in a melancholy way, not feeling bright or bouncy in the drab affair.

  "Daniel, I'm glad you're...Look at you...We've missed you."

  "I had to come." Daniel swallowed and ran his tail between his fingers.

  "It happened so fast. One minute, he was fine. The next, he was in the hospital with pneumonia." Darren sighed. "What did you do to your hair?"