Human-Centaur Relations

by Jack Doe

  "My pleasure, Charles," Anul'thek replied. He hesitated.

  "Is there something wrong, Anul'thek?" Charles asked perceptively.

  "It's about Bryce," Anul'thek replied. "I'm afraid he's angry at me, and I don't know why."

  "Did you ask him?" Charles asked.

  Anul'thek nodded. "He told me to go away. That was all he said."

  Charles frowned. "Hmm. You were fine last night, I seem to remember, right?"

  Anul'thek nodded.

  "What's happened since then?"

  "My mentor and I bred; that's about all that I know of."

  Charles's eyes went wide, and he spoke slowly. "Did...Bryce see you two mating?" he asked.

  Anul'thek frowned. "Ala'ni asked me something similar," he said. "Yes, he did. Why does that matter?"

  Charles cringed. "Let's take a walk," he said, leading Anul'thek out of the midst of the sleeping centaurs.

  "There's one of two things going on," Charles said once they got to the outskirts of the field. "Either he's upset that you were with your mentor, or it bothered him that you were with someone else."

  "Why do either of those things matter?" Anul'thek asked, tensing. "Why does it concern him at all?"

  Charles held up his hands defensively. "It's a cultural thing, Anul'thek," he said soothingly. "Let's take the first case: from our talks, I know that Ing'ma is not your father, but your mentor. I also know that you and Ing'ma are very close, and I know that centaurs often show affection through sex."

  Anul'thek nodded, relaxing slightly. "Humans tend to view sex between people and their parents as a very negative thing. We cannot control when we do and do not produce offspring, and in our history, having sex with our close family members leads to lots of problems. We view it as a very bad thing."

  "But you already said that Ing'ma isn't my father!" Anul'thek protested.

  "I know that," Charles replied, "but Bryce may not, and if he doesn't, it could have upset him."

  "I guess I can understand," Anul'thek replied, "but assuming he does know that Ing'ma is not my father—which surely he must—we discussed my father's death and age, why would it bother him otherwise?"

  Charles sighed. "As I understand your culture, you do not mate for life, correct?"

  Anul'thek shook his head. "We have many mates, and we all raise the foals as if they were our own."

  "Many humans," Charles replied, "whether they actually mate for life or not, profess to want to. There is an expectation in many human societies, although not all, that if a person mates, he does it with one individual and stays with that individual for the rest of his life."

  Anul'thek reeled, gaping. "But over a lifetime, how can one possibly expect to remain joyous with the same person? How can one person possibly expect to please his partner in all of the ways that bring joy to him or her? Are they expected never to change their interests, either?" He gave Charles a hard look. "If Bryce chooses to be an archaeologist, will he be stuck doing that for the rest of his life, even if it no longer brings him joy?"

  Charles winced. He saw where this was going. "More and more, people are realizing that they can choose to do something different," he replied, "but it is often very hard. For many, taking on a new career—like archaeology—requires much specialized training. Anul'thek, we do not get our training for free; we do not have the option to go off and pursue something else willy-nilly. We have bills to pay and families to feed. Changing professions is not out of the question, but it is very difficult."

  "So," Anul'thek said, a hint of irony in his voice, "humans are expected to choose a career and a mate, both of which they are expected to keep for the rest of their lives, as soon as they finish their basic education?

  Charles held up his hands helplessly. He couldn't argue. "I know," he said, "it's not the best way to go about it, but it is what it is, and what can one person do?"

  Anul'thek nodded silently. He sighed. "So, am I to understand that Bryce thought that I chose him for my mate and that he thought I was..." he trailed off, fishing for a word; such a concept was completely foreign to centaurs.

  "Unfaithful," Charles offered, "yes."

  "I didn't know," Anul'thek said, a combination of helplessness, defensiveness, frustration, and bitterness playing across his features.

  Charles thought to himself that it was unhealthy for any centaur to have to experience bitterness. It seemed so foreign to everything that they stood for. "I know," Charles said. "But life is joyous," he reminded his host. A faint smile played across Anul'thek's face. "I'll talk to him, all right?" Charles offered.

  Anul'thek nodded. "Thank you, Charles," he said.

  "Call us even," Charles joked. "You fixed my headache; I'll see what I can do about yours." He left to go find Bryce, and Anul'thek went to relay what he'd learned to Ala'ni.

  "Hey, kiddo," Charles said, finding his grandson in the same position Anul'thek had left him. He sat next to him. "How's it going?"

  Bryce shrugged.

  "Man-trouble?" Charles asked, giving him a gentle, knowing nudge.

  Bryce whipped his head around to face his grandfather, then turned slowly back to face forward. "Yeah," he said sullenly.

  "Want to talk?" Charles asked, putting an arm around his grandson's shoulders.

  Bryce shrugged. "I guess," he said.

  Charles nodded. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice gentle.

  "I feel so stupid," Bryce said.

  "About what?"

  "Everything."

  "Everything?" Charles asked in mock surprise. "You're not stupid about Stonehenge," he suggested.

  "Maybe I am," Bryce huffed. "After all, what do our archaeologists know about it? It was built by centaurs as an art project," he said bitterly.

  "I'll bet that's not the reason you're sitting here all by yourself huddled into a ball when you only have a day and a half left to enjoy the company of these amazing people and the amazing amenities of their ship," his grandfather gently needled.

  Bryce shrugged.

  "What's really going on, Bryce?" Charles asked. "Life is j–"

  "Don't say it," Bryce snarled.

  Charles cocked his head and looked at him. "But it's true, Bryce," he said firmly. "It's all true. There's not a word they've said that wasn't true. I am sorry that you can't see it."

  "He cheated on me!" Bryce said hotly, tears coming to his eyes and streaking down his cheeks in glistening rivulets. He brushed them off angrily. Like popping the cork on a bottle of champagne, the truth began to bubble out of Bryce. "I liked him—really liked him—and he went off with his mentor!" Bryce spat out. "Am I not good enough for him, that he needs some thousand-year-old man to breed him? The cradle's robbing the grave on this one! It's sick!"

  "Now, stop," Charles said crossly. "Let's take this one step at a time," he said. Bryce fumed but listened.

  "First, I get the feeling that he really likes you, too," Charles said. Bryce looked at him feebly with bloodshot eyes. "He and I talked."

  "So you're on his side, then?" Bryce asked irritably. "Of course you are; the centaurs are perfect, and I'm an idiot."

  "Do you hear yourself?" Charles asked reproachfully. "Have I ever said that you were an idiot? Have I ever given you reason to believe that I think you're an idiot? Or have I been supportive of you, celebrating in your triumphs and helping you through your trials?"

  Bryce shrugged, and Charles sighed. "Bryce, it doesn't do anybody any good for you to sit here sulking, feeling sorry for yourself, or spitting venom out at anyone who will listen. I'm going to say my piece, and then I'm going to leave you alone to mull it over. Don't forget, the clock is ticking. Don't spend the rest of your life regretting having wasted this time."

  He took a breath and began again. "I am not on anyone's side but the side of truth, tempered by compassion. The truth is, he didn't know you would think he was taking you as his mate; he didn't think that your encounter yesterday involved a wedding ring." Bryce started to protest, but his grandfather cu
t him short. "The compassionate part of me says that you're treading very new territory. Human, centaur, or anything else, as far as I know, you've never had a love interest that lasted longer than a hand job over your iPhone screen." Bryce's eyes widened.

  "Yeah, you're not fooling me," his grandfather said evenly. "I know what you do. You're an adult, and as long as you're not having sex in my house where I have to listen to the little boy that I used to tell stories sowing his wild oats, it's none of my business. And yes," he said, anticipating the question, "part of me does still see you as a little boy. Time flies when you get older, Bryce. Ten years to you may as well be ten minutes to me. I blinked my eyes and you were an adult. That's not something I'm going to be able to get over."

  "And yes," he said, anticipating the next question, "I did see you with Anul'thek yesterday. It's not my house, and it's not my place to tell you not to enjoy yourself, especially when I was enjoying myself so thoroughly with Ala'ni." He smiled at the recollection, but got back to what he was saying.

  "Life is joyous, Bryce," he said. "And I had the choice then of choosing to dwell on the fact that my little boy is now an adult and no longer a little boy, or choosing to dwell on the fact that yesterday, my little boy looked as happy as I have ever seen him and was spending his time with someone who has earned my utmost respect." He shrugged. "I chose the latter, Bryce. A parent doesn't often get to really like his son's choice in partners, but I for one don't think you could do any better." He sighed, "if it weren't for the whole 36 hours until we never see them again thing, that is," he said sadly. "That's why I think it's such a crying shame that you're sitting here by yourself, and he's probably gone back to Ing'ma and still trying to puzzle out his hurt feelings. That's my take on it."

  He recollected his thoughts and pressed on. "I understand, Bryce," he said. "I know this is all new to you, and believe me, I know the let-down of realizing that something you thought was yours wasn't. I realize it's different, Bryce, but there are times when I sure do miss your grandmother and your parents. I thought they were mine to keep and to love, but that car crash took them away." His eyes glistened, and he closed them, taking a moment. "But life is joyous, Bryce," he said. "It hurts; believe me, it hurts, but I have to remember that despite that crash, I've gotten to watch you grow up into a smart adult that, for the most part, makes good choices about his life and has found something that he's passionate about. I take joy in that, and that's what I choose to focus on. Yes, it's different: you thought that Anul'thek was yours and he chose to be with someone else. He didn't know he was yours. He meant you no harm, Bryce."

  "As for why he was with his mentor, Bryce, you have to understand that they treat sex almost like we treat hugs and kisses. It's a central part to their lives, and in a sense, it's beautiful: what more intimate way can you spend time with someone than through sex? Ing'ma is not related to him—I think you know that—and it has nothing to do with how good you were or weren't. It was about his being close to someone that matters a lot to him, and it has no bearing on you. Really," he said.

  "As for your disrespect towards Ing'ma, I can't help you there. You're an adult, and it's not my place to judge anymore," Charles said, "but I hope that you'll consider that Ing'ma is not only far wiser than both of us put together, he's also in better shape than either of us." Bryce looked at him quizzically. "If you don't believe me," Charles said, raising an eyebrow, "try to arm-wrestle him. He beat Anul'thek earlier. He'll probably outlive both of us."

  With that, Charles got up and took a walk among the trees, clearing his mind of the unpleasantness he'd just handled, and by the time he returned to the group, he was his cheerful self again, as if nothing had happened at all. He left Bryce with a lot on his mind.

  Chapter 21

  It was over an hour later when Bryce went looking for Anul'thek. He finally found him sitting and staring intently into one of the streams at his reflection as the ripples washed across it.

  "Hey," Bryce said, stepping up beside him and stroking his back.

  "Hey," Anul'thek said. He didn't return the greeting.

  "I–um, think we should talk," Bryce said.

  "Nobody's stopping you," Anul'thek replied, facing forward.

  Bryce sat down next to Anul'thek and looked into the water. Anul'thek's reflection glanced at him and then looked away.

  "Look," Bryce said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been mad at you."

  Anul'thek nodded.

  "I–I was just. I dunno. I thought I meant more than that," Bryce said.

  "You do," Anul'thek said, turning his head toward him for the first time. He swallowed. "I like you, Bryce," he said, "and it's not just because you're a human or anything. There are parts of you that I'm not too crazy about, though," he said. "Your temper unnerves me, and your reluctance to just let go and be happy makes me very sad. Maybe I don't understand," he said. "In fact, I know I don't understand. Why would anyone choose to be unhappy when he could be happy instead? Your grandpa is really good at this. I don't understand why you're not."

  Bryce hung his head and thought of a response. "I don't know either," he said quietly. "I don't want to be unhappy. I do want to be happy. Maybe it's...I dunno, habit?"

  Anul'thek nodded. "Seems to be a habit of many of your people," he said. "You humans can be such downers!" He gave a hint of a wry smile, but it vanished as his next question formed. "Was it that I was with Ing'ma?" he asked hesitantly.

  Bryce shook his head. "No," he said. "I thought it was, but it wasn't. It was me. I thought that I wasn't good enough for you. I thought that since Ing'ma was old, he probably wasn't very good, and if you were going to him instead of coming to me, I figured I must be worse than not very good."

  "I said you were good, didn't I?" Anul'thek asked.

  "Yeah," Bryce admitted.

  "Why would you doubt me?"

  "I guess I doubted myself," Bryce said. "I guess I thought you were just being nice."

  "Let's set one thing straight," Anul'thek said, smiling, "Tact is a human thing. Centaurs are honest, even if it's uncomfortable. Always remember that."

  Bryce thought about it. "I will," he said at last. "Truce?" he asked.

  "You had me at 'Hey,'" Anul'thek said and pulled the human into a warm embrace. Bryce hugged back, burying his face between Anul'thek's neck and shoulder.

  "You know," Anul'thek said thoughtfully, "there's something we said we were going to do that we haven't done, yet." He grinned and glanced at Bryce, whose eyes glinted, catching the hint. Bryce reached forward to stroke Anul'thek's belly, but Anul'thek stopped him with one hand and stroked Bryce's belly with the other. "You first," Anul'thek breathed. "You have no idea how long I've waited."

  "Four days, right?" Bryce asked.

  "Five," Anul'thek replied. Bryce frowned. "I saw you the first night before you saw me, remember?" Anul'thek asked, grinning.

  Bryce blushed. "How do we–?" he asked.

  Anul'thek got to his feet, spread his back legs and squatted down, moving his tail out of the way.

  "Oh, shit," Bryce said.

  "What?" Anul'thek asked.

  "That pose...it's just so hot!" Bryce said appreciatively.

  Anul'thek gave him his best "come hither" look, and Bryce laughed. "You know I've never–" he said.

  "Yeah, I know," Anul'thek said, smiling. "Don't think about it; just have fun, and it'll all happen naturally." Bryce nodded and approached Anul'thek from the front. He stood in front of him and put his hand on the centaur's chest. Anul'thek sighed, his eyes rolling back in his head briefly. Bryce closed the distance between them and brought his lips to Anul'thek's. The tender touch surprised both of them, and both of their cocks stirred. Anul'thek leaned forward and gently sucked Bryce's lip. Bryce gasped softly, his cock hardening. Anul'thek stepped back and turned his butt towards Bryce's throbbing member, again spreading his legs, squatting, and flicking his tail out of the way. Bryce moved up against him. The centaur's ass was hot, and Bryce's cock tingled in anticip
ation. He hesitated.

  "Do I–do I spit on it?" he asked.

  Anul'thek turned his head with a puzzled look on his face. "Spit on it?" he asked. "Spit on what?"

  "I dunno; I thought that's what you were supposed to do," Bryce said helplessly.

  "I don't think so," Anul'thek said. "Ing'ma never does."

  Bryce shrugged and pressed his cock against the warm, donut-shaped orifice. The heat seemed to lure him inside, and he pressed himself in slowly.

  "Ohh," the two chorused as Anul'thek's ass sucked Bryce's cock into it. Bryce gasped. It was so warm. So amazingly warm, and it felt so good.

  "It feels better if you thrust," Anul'thek hinted.