by David Sharp
"Uh hum," Gustavo waddled and turned his porcine body around like a chunky model.
"Take the barbacks and show them how to do streamers and signs."
"Ka-tee will take the boys." Gustavo bowed.
Jerry ignored the majestic references and continued, "The rest of you..."
At that moment, Patrick strutted in, decked out in a suit quite fashionable for the afternoon. All eyes were upon him as he slightly parted his lips in a smile and crossed the room. Daniel and Chad smiled in return as he approached. Patrick presented them with a neatly folded stack of semi-formal clothes.
"Here boys, I brought you something to change into later."
Daniel sat up, raising his body to a new height, and kissed Patrick on the lips.
"Awe, you didn't have to."
"Of course I did. I have to take care of my pack, right?"
Daniel saw the tips of the wolf and fox tails sticking out of the bundle and had to control a knee jerk laugh from escaping his lips.
Chad grinned and also kissed Patrick on the lips. "Thanks, big daddy."
Patrick smugly made his way back toward the door and worked the scene for all it was worth. "I'll see both of you tonight."
Club Trade was so quiet that the sound of Patrick's footsteps echoed loudly in the surrounding silence. The sordid moment ended with the closing bang of the side door.
Jerry broke the stunned stillness, "Wait a minute, Daniel. I heard that you were dating Patrick."
"I am." Daniel lay back down, this time using Chad's lap as a pillow.
"Me too," Chad rubbed Daniel's stomach, scooted the clothes to the side, and grinned when he noticed the tails.
The duo stared daringly like wild animals at the zoo that had finally been set free to play.
Jerry's jaw dropped. "The three of you are dating?"
Daniel and Chad said in unison, "Yeah," and they basked in the attention.
Murmurs picked up within the group.
Yolanda elbowed Ethyl, who was scratching her chin. "This is better than Melrose Place."
Marie stated to no one and everyone, "Un stupide garcon trouve un autre et un papa. Qu'est-ce que le monde veut-il en venir?
"Well, on that note, let's get to work." Jerry closed the meeting and the decorating got underway.
Traditional music played over the scene as Trade was turned into a winter wonderland. Metallic streamers got wrapped around the upstairs railings by Gustavo and Freddy while they conspired and talked trash amongst themselves about everything and everyone, loud enough to get the occasional ill look or two. Eddie, on a ladder atop the edge of the dance floor, tossed up a roll to decorate the lower rafters where the ceiling stopped. The space above him was vast. Even the lighting rack had been pulled up to its highest point, adding to the dance cathedral impression. George held the ladder in a bear hug as it nearly toppled over to the side, and at the same time managed not to spill his drink. Yolanda came out of the bathroom snorting, half made up like a girl, but in house clothes. Ned strung garland around the side stage and complained to Marie about having to be there. She nodded and worked, basically ignoring him to help Max on the other side. The management - Stina, Rory, and Jerry occupied the dance floor with Ethyl from the door. Yolanda joined them in the creation of Christmas arts and crafts with bows and trinkets as glue guns were heated and used.
Watching the staff from the second story railing, Daniel marveled at the transformation. "Wow, it's amazing."
"Help me finish this stupid wreath." Chad was having issues with the glue.
Daniel leaned down and held the end while Chad glued it. "Is that the last one?"
"I wish. We have a couple more to do before we can put on our tails."
"Damn. I want to wear it now." Daniel softly stepped from foot to foot. "Pass me my drink."
"Here you go." Chad sensed the desire and clanged his glass onto Daniel's. "Here's to fur."
"Yeah," Daniel eagerly toasted, "to the fur."
*
Daniel and Chad changed clothes next to the towering beer boxes in the back of the office. The memory of when they met flooded back to Daniel as he connected his new wolf tail to the cock ring. Chad pulled up his slacks, leaving his fox tail in view.
"Damn, you are hung, boy."
"I told you I can't help it. I'm just drawn that way." Daniel zipped up, positioned the hanging tail, and put the button down shirt on a sleeve at a time.
"You are beginning to look like one of your drawings."
"You already do." Daniel admired Chad dressed up with his tail. Casually, he kissed him.
Chad groped Daniel, before subtly pushing him away. "Let's do this party."
Daniel grabbed Chad's hand and led him out of the office. The music had changed from the sometimes painful holiday fare to something dark and industrial. Daniel thought it was Front Line Assembly but was not sure, as some beats crossed other bands' albums. Trade looked more like the premiere dance club it was famed to be, with its house lights down and the festive colors on display from the grid above the dance floor. The bar workers had migrated to their cliques. Daniel felt out of place since he tried to be friendly with everyone on the staff. The one exception was Rory, who got under his skin, but Daniel still tried. He eyed the British bastard balefully until Chad yanked his tail. Daniel sucked in his breath at the pull since it was connected below the belt.
"Careful, you're going to mess me up or something." Daniel adjusted his crotch and wolf tail.
Chad had a strange look in his eyes. "Check out that dude over there."
Daniel looked across the room and saw an attractive sandy blond guy with a build about the same as his own, only more toned and defined. He was about to question Chad's reason when he noticed the fur bandana hanging out of his left rear pocket.
"Is he a furry?"
"Yep, his name is Adam. He used to work here."
"I've never seen a bandana like that. What is it, horse? I know there is a hanky code in the leather scene but what does that mean?"
"It means he's a furry top, hung like a horse."
"Who is he here with? I mean, are there others?" Daniel was nervous about the potential bigger furry world that he could find hidden in the gay subculture of the city.
"It looks like he's hanging solo."
"We should talk to him."
"Nah, you go ahead. I already slept with him before."
"You did?"
"Sure, I've been around the block a few times."
"Enough with the dog jokes already."
"I didn't mean it like that. But we could get a collar to go with your tail," Chad kidded.
Daniel lightly punched Chad in the shoulder and noticed that they were being noticed by Adam.
"Damn, he's checking us out."
"Go ahead. He has got a big dick."
Daniel felt like strangling Chad, but Adam was definitely staring. "I don't know..."
Chad pushed forward. "Go."
Daniel stumbled ahead and nervously stroked his wolf tail. He could feel his face turn red. Briefly, he looked back and saw Chad talking to a tall, broadly built, dirty blond haired man that looked like trouble: the kind that came from prison. Turning his attention back, he tripped on his first words until they spilled out in a nervous ramble. "Hey, you didn't...you used to work here?"
Adam smiled, his eyes darting to the tail and then back to Daniel's dark eyes. "It's the employee Christmas party, right?"
"Oh...well, that answers that, I guess."
"Are you with Chad?"
"Kind of...well, there are three of us, you see, and..."
"Threesome, well, that is progressive."
"It just happened."
"Sometimes it does. I have only been with one at a time, except for the baths."
"Do you want a drink?"
Adam cocked his head, his Anglo-Saxon features scrunched up in thought. "Vodka tonic," he said seductively.
Daniel felt embarrassed again, which was an odd feeling for him,
but he chalked it up to wearing the tail for the first time in public. "Be right back."
"Nice tail," Adam called after Daniel as he went to the bar.
Daniel smiled back and strutted. Max was bartending the only open station. Daniel sided up to the bar and saw Chad take something wrapped in a napkin from the tall, dirty blond stranger.
"So a tequila sunrise for starters, and what else can I get for you?"
"A vodka tonic for Adam," Daniel pointed.
"No, ma'am. You and Chad are such pieces of work, you know that."
Daniel smiled widely. "Well, you can't stop the animals once they are out of their cages."
"What the hell does that mean?"
Daniel showed Max his wolf tail. "We are the wild things."
Max laughed a shocked laugh. "Good God, there never is a dull moment in this place."
The drinks were slid across the bar without another word from Max, only laughter.
Adam took the chilled glass. "That was quick."
"I got them from Max."
"He's a good guy. I always liked working with him."
"Why did you quit?"
"I'm twenty-seven and wanted to work for an airline," Adam shrugged, "I really needed to sober up. When I was working here, I was a mess."
"It is fun though." Daniel gulped the mostly tequila drink.
"I'm not denying that." Adam gulped half of his drink. "You're cute."
Daniel felt in control of the moment. "I have to pee, you want to go?
A slow smile spread across Adam's rosy lips. "What, and hold it for you?"
"Promise?" Daniel playfully flirted.
The men's restroom of Trade was spotlessly clean, smelling of bleach. Daniel went to the urinal and whipped it out to pee. Adam sided up to the urinal next to him and undid his pants. Daniel stepped over, peeing along the tile until they were crossing streams in the same urinal. After a shake of the guns, both hands and boundaries were crossed. The excitement was palatable and spontaneous. Heavy footsteps clogged outside and Daniel nervously looked to the open door in the hope that no one would walk in. The footsteps faded and he sighed, breathing harder from the thrill of almost getting caught. Unlike handling himself, he could not control the speed, but he had the odd feeling of another in his hand, so he took control of it instead to demonstrate what he liked about Adam. Both of their bodies tensed and trembled until they stroked to climax. Daniel slipped forward and hit the handle with his elbow, sending water cascading down. Adam held a hand on the cool tile to catch his breath as he zipped up his fly. Daniel wiped sweat from his brow with one hand and flung the other sticky one down toward the floor to clean it off.
"Wow, I really haven't been here in a while." Adam half tucked in his shirt and picked up his drink from the porcelain.
Daniel grabbed his drink and sipped the madness inside of the glass. "Tell me about the fur, Adam."
The bathroom seemed extraordinarily still, as if it waited with Daniel for Adam to speak.
Adam looked to the door to make sure they were alone and tilted his head again. "Look, I used to be into the fur scene until I saw something weird." He paused and it looked like he was searching the tiles on the wall for the right words.
"Tell me, Adam," Daniel goaded.
I um, went to this party, a big Fur Meet that happens once a year. It was not like the mainstream ones, not at all. Instead, it was totally private and hardcore fetish."
"Where did the furries meet?" Daniel felt out of place, and slightly out of body, as he hung on to the words that Adam spoke.
"It was held at a place off of Memorial, away from the road in a nice house, more like a mansion in the woods."
"Were you in a suit?"
"Yeah," Adam relaxed at the thought, "my horse suit."
"I could see that. You would make a mighty fine horse."
"Aw, shucks. I suppose I did." Adam was taken by the compliment and responded playfully in a Texan accent.
"So, you went inside."
"I did. The Fur Meet was formal, everyone there in a fur suit or mask. You could see no one's face. I really felt out of place because I was late getting there from work."
"What was going on? I mean, what were they doing?"
"A ceremony was happening, the sort I had never seen in my life. It scared me, but off to the sides were fur piles, and they were hot. It was a crazy orgy of manimal on manimal. Good lord, I had never seen so much yiffing."
"Did you join in?" Daniel felt on the precipice of the unreal.
"Not at first. I was freaked out. Then I drank from a chalice and everything was pieces after. I remember parts, dirty parts, then some topless girl in a mink mask escorted me to a room and there was - well, there was. Let's just say I was overwhelmed when it happened."
"I have to go to this party. It sounds amazing. When is the next one?"
"No, you don't understand. Something bad happened. I was drugged and I saw things. After that night I quit the fur suits, but I kept this," Adam displayed the fur bandana, "as a reminder."
"I don't get it." Daniel was confused, his passion quelled by the unknown.
"I'm sorry, Daniel. I don't mean to be a downer. Maybe if we see each other again, we can talk more about it."
Daniel sighed, "Alright, it's cool. I would like to talk more since I just don't get you. You didn't say anything that bad."
"Let's get another drink, okay?"
"Sure - one last thing," Daniel scraped his lower lip with his teeth.
"What's that?"
"Did you used to mess around with Chad?"
"Oh - well, yeah - he was the one that invited me to that party."
Before Daniel could ask, Adam walked out, so he hurried and caught up to his fast stride. Words were dying on his lips, but he kept to the pace and they both rejoined the festivities covered in sweat and looking unkempt. The noise in the club was jarring compared to the stillness of the restroom.
Chad came over and kissed Daniel on the lips. "Hey, your fly is down."
"Oh no," Daniel fumbled with his zipper and shrugged.
Adam looked down and then bashfully back up. "How's it going, Chad?"
"It's going. Are you done?"
"I guess." Adam became steely eyed as he checked the crowd.
"Good, because I need my boyfriend back," Chad said cockily.
"Just the one?" Adam poked.
"Yeah, the one here," Chad put his hand in Daniel's pocket and pulled him closer.
"Fine, I'll see you around, Daniel."
"Bye." Daniel wanted to know more but he let the idea go with Adam. "He was sexy."
"I told you."
"You didn't have to be mean."
"I just didn't want him telling you stories." Chad ended the conversation and pulled Daniel along by the arm until they were stopped by Stina.
"Here's your Christmas bonus from Trade, boys." Stina handed both of them manila envelopes.
"Thanks," Daniel said as he tore into his envelope while hearing a similar ripping sound next to him. Inside was cash, a couple hundred dollars in clean crisp twenties, and a few red colored tickets.
Chad held up the tickets. "What the hell are these for?"
Stina ignored him and continued to pass out envelopes.
"They're drink tickets for Straps tonight." Daniel pocketed his cash and tickets.
"For what," Chad looked at them, "three drinks."
"Don't worry, it's free." Daniel looked across the room and saw Patrick navigating the party, greeting, hugging, and cheek kissing along the way.
"We could get free drinks there, anyway." Chad turned the tickets once more before putting them away.
"Speaking of, Patrick's here."
"Hey, big daddy," Chad turned on the charm at Patrick's arrival.
"Sorry I'm late." Patrick kissed Daniel, then Chad, who half-heartedly accepted it. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Chad hated being read beneath his surface glamour.
Patrick gave him a sideways look in
juxtaposition to his well placed smile and expensive suit. "Are you sure?"
"I'll tell you later. It's not important."
Daniel did not like the topic of discussion. He felt set up, or almost betrayed, so he took the moment and tried to break the tension with holiday cheer, "Merry Christmas."
Chad opened his arms to the surroundings. "It's pretty tacky, huh? We did it ourselves."
"Yeah, but all of Christmas is tacky," Daniel piped in.
"Shush, it's the holidays." Patrick took it in, obviously liking it, to their chagrin. "I'll get us a round."
Patrick waded into the bar and as soon as he was away, Daniel went off. "What the hell were you going to tell him?"
"I was going to tell him I saw Adam."
"Why would you do that?"
"I don't know, maybe I'm jealous."
"You are jealous? Really?" Daniel was enraged. "I don't buy that for a second."
"What did he tell you?"
"Nothing really, just some party you took him to one time."
"Oh, and that was all?"
"Why don't you tell me what happened at that party."
"I'll do you one better. I'll take you to the next one after the holidays."
"You fucker - you are just messing with me, aren't you?"
"Yeah, it's so easy."
Darren interrupted with a wink and a slur. "Hey, I wanted to tell you something," he got closer to Daniel, "you're working with me this week. Jeff is off and Freddy is pissed that he is not bartending because I am."
"That's great!" Daniel felt a high after the recent low and knew how emotions, at least his, could be like a ride on a roller coaster. Daniel gave into the euphoria and hugged Darren.
Chad snatched at Daniel's thigh before he got away. "What about me?"
"You're lucky you're still working here, tramp."
"I guess I'm too old for you."
"Too small is more like it."
"What the fuck?" Chad half lunged at Darren as he flippantly walked off.
"Be nice. I have to work with him." Daniel tried to calm him.
Chad mellowed. "Sure, let's do a bump."
Chapter Ten:
The Trade management had rented an old school bus to transport the bar staff, their dates, and the hangers-on to the next destination of the holiday party: Straps. The racket of varying conversation and techno music was quite loud in the confined decadent space. Colored holiday lights flashed on board as they were driven across town at a leisurely pace. The chauffeur was black and amiable, but of few words. Daniel figured that he had seen worse than the Trade crowd, but then he wondered if that was possible.