Right to a Bear's Arms, Ch. 11 (Patreon)

It did not take Hera too terribly long to change out of her sleepwear after taking a fast shower, then allowing him to do the same while she packed up some clothes, toiletries and other various supplies, and finally joining him at the door.  She had selected a laid-back and comfortable outfit, comprising of a military-style undershirt underneath her heavy leather jacket, combat pants, and boots.  

Despite packing light, she had a considerably weighty suitcase slung up over one shoulder as they exited her apartment.  It was a teal and purple lacquered thing, sleek and not overly bulky with tons of hidden compartments and pockets inside, but even so it was a hefty thing.  Kelin had offered to carry it for her, but she had politely declined.  It was nearly as big as he was and she didn't want him to hurt himself, despite how humorous the image would of the little human manhandling the massive piece of luggage.  

They exchanged small talk on the elevator ride down and reached the lobby in time to greet the doorman.  A weathered but good-natured Saint Bernard canine, Wesley by name, the bulky and wrinkly-faced man tipped his hat politely when he saw her, only to blink his one good eye in surprise at who he saw trailing behind the Ursid.

"I wasn't aware you had a guest, Ms. Doring," came a gruff voice slurred slightly by a severe case of Palsy on the left side of his face.  He tipped his comparatively tiny hat down at Kelin as well.  "G'morning Sir.  Name's Wesley."

Kelin grinned up at the huge, portly Canine, and extended a wrist in greeting.  Wesley's tail wagged and he bent over his desk to sniff before he extended his own.  Kelin repeated the gesture, and then they shook hands.  "Good morning!  I'm Kelin Leod." Kelin introduced himself brightly, having since combed his hair back into its usual man bun/ponytail.

Hera stifled a small laugh as Wesley, never one for super stiff social procedures, leaned in closer to sniff directly at Kelin's face.  "You smell very trustworthy," the Canine nodded approvingly, returning to sitting upright in his chair and tugging on his hat again to keep it firmly square between his grey-tipped ears.  "I leave Ms. Doring in your care."

"Many thanks.  I'll take good and proper care of her, Legion's Honor," Kelin firmly stated, and then surprised Hera by performing a small bow, deliberately exposing his throat to one side up at the Anthro male.  Wesley looked even more pleased.

"A fine, proper young man.  May the Legion never fade from view nor shirk in their service!" Wesley chuffed and nodded at Hera.  "Good for you ma'am.  Should I hopefully expect an invitation?"

"Invitation to what?" she asked, unable to keep a smirk off her lips, planting a paw on her hip and glancing down at the equally confused Kelin.

Wesley's jowls spread wide, flashing a doggy-grin, and he waved his paw.  "Oh don't mind an old man," he played off, and then when Kelin looked up at her as if she would understand better, the old dog slyly wiggled a finger at her.  The ring one, of his left paw.

Her fur went a bit bristly and her ears perked up before folding quickly down.  She bit back a snort of laughter and turned quickly away.  "We've got to get going!" she announced for the pair of them, voice a bit rushed, and she grabbed for the human's small hand as she continued to walk out of the lobby.  "Come on, Kelin."

"Wait a second...!" Kelin yelped, half-drug along behind her before he got his feet underneath him and he followed.  Behind them, she heard Wesley's barking laughter as he went back to reading his newspaper.  They continued walking down the sidewalk for a few paces, heading for the underground parking garage of the complex.  "What was he talking about?" Kelin asked as the gate guard buzzed them in, lifting the security bar.  She noticed that he still waved at the attendant, who waved back.

"Nothing to worry your pretty ponytail about," she stated firmly, still biting her lower lip to keep a goofy grin off her face.  "Wesley always...how say in English, full of the shit?  Old man who likes taunting younger folks.  Good doorman though, always friendly.  When moving here, he helped.  Did not have to, but that is how old Legionnaires are."  She glanced back at him, their feet clicking on the concrete floor of the parking structure as they continued descending to her parking spot.  "Am surprised that you know much at all about Anthro Legion.  Not even just that you are Human; even some Anthros don't think back on it."

Kelin chuckled, then shrugged.  "Learned some about it in History up at the college," he said, which made sense.  "Seemed really impressive, and the quotes from it are very inspiring.  I've always liked history, which probably comes from being part of my weird-ass family who're all obsessed with our bloodlines and such."

Hera grinned wider down at him before pulling out her keys and unlocking her motorcycle and attaching the luggage to the side of the massive vehicle.  She reached into the back compartment then to retrieve her helmet, and then an additional one, solid black, for Kelin.  

It was a uniform shape and size, with straps to adjust to the wearer, but even so it looked massive on the Human as he struggled to put it on.  Nearly all of his neck disappeared up into it, giving him a humorous, hunched appearance.  She chuckled and helped secure it, then lifted his visor to look down into his face.  He smiled up at her, hair a little squashed down by the helmet, but his bright eyes seemed to shine all on their own in the dimness of the parking garage.

"Good fit?" she asked, checking the straps once more for him before she felt his hands waving her off.  "Sorry that it is not Human-sized; maybe if you like riding on bike with me, I will find one for Kelin to wear."

He grinned wider at her.  "Don't sweat it Hera, I've ridden on tons of motorcycles before.  My uncle loves the old Harley engines, and I can't count how many times I rode with him as a kid.  His helmets back then were too big for me too, so I'm used to this feeling."  He tapped on the helmet experimentally, making sure it didn't move around his head.

She tittered, then clicked down his visor for him teasingly.  She saw to attaching her own helmet, but as she slid up onto the padded seat, she heard Kelin give a slight uncomfortable cough.  She glanced back at him, currently zipping up the front of her jacket, causing her chest to squash a bit flatter as the heavy zipper struggled to contain her.  

Kelin stood facing her, face now inscrutable behind the opaque visor, but his body language was clear as he stared up at her on the huge motorcycle.  She grinned, hidden by her own helmet, and tried not to mentally squeal about how cute he looked right now fidgeting like that.

"Looking for where you should sit?" she teased.  "You want to try riding behind me?"  She reached back, patting the arch of the seat behind her butt.  He nodded and she helped him climb up.  His hands wove around her belly but stopped halfway due to her bulk, and he trembled a bit against her as if straining to even reach that.

"Umm..." he managed nervously, voice a bit muffled by the helmet.

"Problem with seat?" she asked, voice only half teasing now.

"Yeah...my legs are spread too wide on this back part and I can't find a comfortable way to sit.  I don't know how far we have to drive since you mentioned a truck, but I definitely worry about being able to hold on."  He sounded almost embarrassed by it.

"What did you do with Uncle?" she asked, turning half around to look back at him.

"Well..." he sheepishly wavered trying to find the right words, rubbing at the back of his helmet.  "I...used to ride right in front of him, and he kind of helped keep me on the bike, even let me hold onto his wrists and let me pretend to steer."  He looked away, and he might as well have been in an Anime for how flustered he looked.  She could almost see the drawn lines of anxiety on him, and she was again thankful that her helmet hid her pleased expression.

"We can do that," she spoke, making to climb off the bike.  He hesitated, making her cock her head to the side inquisitively as he continued to fidget awkwardly.  "Is there problem?" she asked.

"Well...it just seems a little...childish?" he eventually grated out.  "I mean, I don't have any better options, but I can't help but feel a little embarrassed at the visual."

Hera blinked.  "About having girlfriend so much bigger than you?"

He waved his hands hurriedly.  "No!  More like...embarrassed that your boyfriend is so much smaller and has to ride on your motorcycle like a kid.  I'm fine with it, but I..."  He trailed off, looking self-defeating and as if he were worried about upsetting her.

She laughed, and she noticed that he jumped a bit in surprise.  "Kelin, I could not be caring less about such things.  If you do not care, neither do I.  Do you feel as if it would be unsafe?"  She leaned down towards him and lifted the bottom of his helmet up with a finger.  "Because I would never let anything bad happen to my little Kelin."

His back went stiff and he nodded slowly up at her.  "All right...I trust you at least."

Hera grinned, helped him climb up onto the bike where she had been sitting before sliding forwards towards the handlebars, and then remounted right behind him.  She leaned in close, practically smooshing her front against his back.  She had to bite back a small surge of pleased Aggression as his spine went stiff as plush firmness pressed against him through her heavy jacket.  

Her arms lifted slowly on either side of him, gripping the handles, and using the interior curves of her thighs to grip him as well.  She nodded down at him as he glanced back up at her, and then she turned on the bike.  He yelped a tiny bit and she couldn't help but give a triumphant laugh at that, revving the engine intentionally as the monster thrummed to life beneath them.  "Better?" she asked, raising her voice to be heard over the growling purr of her baby.

"You could say that!" he shouted back, and while she couldn't read his face, she knew the absurdly pleased expression that he was no doubt making right now.  His hands gripped the center column, adjusting his seat and actually pushing back against her more firmly.  She grinned wider beneath the visor and leaned forwards to bop the front of her helmet against the back of his.

"Good.  Now hold on, little Kelin!" she warned, and revved the engine before shifting gears.  The bike lunged forwards a bit before she got the torque down and then began to slowly rumble their way up the incline of the parking garage and back out into the sunlight.  "We are not going far!" she called loudly as the bike continued to rumble.  "Dropping this off at a friend's, then borrowing his truck.  He will not mind, since I let him ride this whenever he wants!"

"What friend?" Kelin shouted back, as they turned out onto the main stretch of street and began to whir their way forwards.  She leaned more against him, not used to being a little stretched for positioning while driving, but it was still easily comfortable, and he bent with her.  They pulled up to a stoplight.  The occupants of the car beside them, a middle-aged family of Anthros was excitedly chattering, most likely about them she could tell.  One of them waved, to which both she and Kelin lifted a hand in return, before the light turned green and they sped off once again.

"You know him," she explained as she counted turn off lanes, merging into the next one as she spotted it.  "Sergeant Rico."

"Oh!" Kelin flinched against her as she made a sharper turn onto an on-ramp and merged then onto the thankfully less-than-usually busy highway.  Still, she felt him all but clinging to her bulk as she navigated through traffic, passing various vehicles.  

She kept her eyes forwards at all times, but she was also very aware of the looks they got as they drove, not that she cared one way or the other, as well as Kelin's constant pressure beneath her.  Spotting the offramp that led to Rico's address, once again she rumbled down the paved road of an ungated community of identical housing located outside of the main city.  "So you two do this often?" he asked, voice a bit quieter now that he wasn't having to contend with the roar of the interstate.

"More often now.  Like when I am needing groceries and he cannot go get them for me.  Or I need to take trip to my medical checkups, so we go together."  She continued rumbling down the cul-de-sac towards the back of the community.  All the houses were the exact same, save for some ornaments or vehicles parked out front.  She saw Rico's monstrous black truck very easily, standing out vividly against the white house, but then her eyes furrowed a bit in confusion.  There was another car parked out front of Rico's house.  She pulled to a stop just in front of the driveway, kicked out the stand, and helped a stiff-limbed Kelin off the bike.

She pondered the old, beaten up, green Cadillac for a few seconds as they pulled off their riding helmets.  Kelin's hair looked hilariously messed up before he let her comb it down with a few, firm paw touches.  His hair was always so soft, and if she could she would have run her paws through it for hours.  Once he looked more presentable, they walked together up the driveway towards the front door.

"I think I recognize that car..." Kelin pondered thoughtfully.  "I can't remember from where though."

Hera shrugged and knocked several times, huge paw causing a heavy thud every time it connected with the window-set door.  Her ears swiveled forwards as something inside started, skipping across the floor in surprise, followed by a flurry of footsteps and a door that was shut tight.  She arched an eyebrow, then glanced down at Kelin, who obviously had heard none of it.

The door opened, and they both beheld a rather frazzled-looking Sergeant Rico as he stood, panting, in the doorway.  His clothes looked rather haphazardly thrown on, and his close-cropped military hair was actually a bit flattened on one side.  He veritably stank of Aggression.  Hera's eyebrow rose even higher and she couldn't help smirking down at the Canine as he stared at them both a bit bewildered.  Then his brown eyes cleared and he met her with a steady, sullen-looking stare that had her amusement sliding off even more quickly than it had come.  Even Rico was never usually this grumpy looking.

"What?" he asked.

Hera jerked a paw back behind her at the bike.  "Came to switch rides, wanted to know if I could borrow your truck."

Rico lifted a paw on reflex to grab the keys, like he usually did, but this time he hesitated.  "Going somewhere?" he asked.  He blinked down at Kelin.  "Who're...oh wait.  The Human from the Gym.  Hi."  He looked back up at her then flatly.  "Some impromptu trip that I should be aware of?"

She snorted.  "Who are you, my parole officer?"

His scowl could have curdled milk.  "I'm the guy asking why you want to borrow my truck with no warning.  M'I due that at least, if not a phone call prior?  Maybe I had plans to go somewhere too."

Hera blinked down at the Canine.  "You is not usually so brusque, Sergeant.  Something wrong?"

Rico growled, actually lifting a lip slightly, and looked away, ears drooping.  "No, no nothing's ever wrong.  You're obviously recovering and that's just swell.  Got some plans to head off somewhere that you can't go on a bike with a passenger in tow.  Some people just appreciate a phone call beforehand."

Hera's eyes went a bit wider at the tone of the Sergeant and then glanced back behind him towards his living room.  She caught a glance of a pair of glasses, half-filled, on the coffee table and heard some music playing, before Rico shifted his stance and cleared his throat, once again drawing her full attention.  "Sorry...should have called, just didn't think you would mind..." she muttered, feeling a touch guilty.

"I never mind."  His voice was a bit harsher and his Aggression had shifted subtle tones, going from its heightened scent of excitement to an angrier but also calmer one, stinking more like frustrated musk now.  "You wanna borrow my truck, I don't mind.  You wanna skip out on medical visits by professionals, I don't mind.  You wanna get arrested by the cops for Fury and don't call to let me know and have me find out from...someone else.  It's...fine."  He met her eyes and growled again.

Hera winced.  "Rico, I am sorry.  Yesterday was crazy, I would have called but...important things...came up" she glanced down at Kelin who looked between the two, flushing more in his face and looking away.  His cuts were more prominent now.  Rico noticed them too, and his Aggression lessened.

"It's...fine," he repeated, voice a bit lighter now.  "I just would have appreciated a call before I drove all the way to the precinct to try and testify for you, only to find out you're already gone.  I was all set to call my superiors at the Barracks, but then the discharging Officer said that it was already handled and no charges were being pushed.  I thought about calling you too but..."  He looked away now, suddenly looking embarrassed.  "I ran into someone who was also there and one thing led to another..."

Hera's eyes glittered and she crossed her arms.  "Oh?  Keeping secrets too, are we?  Crafty, Sergeant Rico.  May we inquire as to whom?"

Rico growled louder.  "Not if you're wanting to borrow my truck still."

Hera sighed and dropped her arms.  "Taking a road trip with Kelin," she bumped him with a paw and the Human started.  "Outside of the city to his home town.  His birthday's coming up, and I was invited by his family to join them for party.  Couldn't take bike that far with sizes, so..."  She shrugged.  "If truck is not okay, I will find other means."

The Canine sighed.  "Fine..." he glanced down at Kelin, who immediately went into a military pose of attention.  Rico smirked.  "How old you turning, kid?" he asked.  "Happy early Birthday."

"20, sir!" Kelin said, voice a bit higher than usual as if trying to earn the Sergeant's blessing.

"Don't call me Sir, I work for a living," countered Rico and he barked out a laugh before he fixed Hera with a judgmental eye.  "Cradle robber..." he teased, then winked to show he was joking.  "Wasn't aware that Sergeant Doring had a thing for younger guys.  I can't really tell with Humans unless it's super obvious of ages."

Hera scowled down at him and crossed her arms, even as Kelin's face went red, his subtle smell growing just a touch stronger.  "How old are you thinking I am, Sergeant?  I am no old lady."

Rico snickered, rolling up one lip and actually cracking a small doggy grin, like Wesley had.  "Forget I even said anything," he deflected slyly and winked before he shrugged.  "Sure, I'll lend you the keys."

Hera nodded gratefully, looking over his good-natured ribbing.   As soon as they had traded keys, she grinned evilly and raised an eyebrow, whirling the keyring around one claw tip well up out of the Sergeant's reach.  "So, who you having over and looking like teenager caught by parents?"

Rico bristled.  "I don't really think that's any of your~"  A mellow voice from behind Rico abruptly cleared its throat, making them all jump a little and the Canine turned back to look behind him.  The door opened wider, and Hera couldn't help but gape a little, then smirk even more down at the flushed-faced Rico.

"Am I some naughty secret then, Sergeant?" asked Dalton, the Gym manager.  The Wolf was only wearing a bathrobe over his grey fur, glasses perched on the tip of his muzzle and fixing them all with that famously level gaze that betrayed no emotion.  He didn't even smell like Aggression, but the way that Rico's tail began to wag betrayed him.  He gave both Kelin and Hera a small glance, and then the Wolf folded his arms, almost looking smug.

"N-no..." muttered Rico, and then he whirled around to fix Hera with a deadly glare as she snorted in amusement.  "You got something to say, you walking Coca-Cola commercial?" he growled, voice challenging.

Hera lifted her paws and snickered to herself.  "Only that this surprises no one, Sergeant.  Glad to see that you have someone who doesn't mind the stick up your butt," she replied smoothly.  She turned away from the door, and tapped Kelin's shoulder.  "Come, Kelin.  Let us leave and go get you packed up too.  Have fun, Rico!" she shouted back over her shoulder in a singsong voice at the embarrassed Rico.  

Kelin followed suit immediately behind her, his face lit by a small blush and smile.  She went back to her bike and pushed it up the driveway by paw before she turned to unlock Rico's huge truck and watch Kelin climb up into the passenger seat.  The two Canine men were still standing in the entry way to the house, and she waved, giving a small salute while winking.

Rico returned the gesture before flipping her off, but then flinched as Dalton put a paw around his shoulders.  He lowered his hand, ears folding back and smiling awkwardly.  They went back inside and shut the door.  Hera giggled to herself a bit more openly then and opened the driver side door and climbed up into the seat herself.  Kelin was buckling himself in, his seat comically large and having to be adjusted so that his feet could touch the floor.  She helped him, unzipping her jacket afterwards and turning the engine on.

The radio immediately blazed to life with the sounds of Latin Metal and she turned it off before doing her own seat-buckle up and pulling slowly out of the driveway.  She had to adjust her own seat too, but not by much, if only because her legs were longer than Rico's.  They began to drive slowly out of the cul-de-sac, Hera still chuckling to herself.

"So!" she stated brightly, popping her phone into a slot on the dashboard.  "That was interesting."

"Very," Kelin muttered, face still a little red.  "I had no idea that Sergeant Rico or Dalton were..."  He flushed more and glanced up at her.  "Is that bad to say?  I just never got that vibe from them."

Hera shrugged.  "Gay?  I've suspected for years about Rico.  And it is not like all gay men are the same way.  Nor like gay is personality.  Peoples come in all shapes, sizes, persuasions, and flavors.  Who you choose to spend your nights with is entirely up to you.  I've been with a few girls too, but I have my preference."

Kelin started and looked up at her a bit surprised, before his face went a shade redder and he coughed, deliberately looking away.  "No kidding!"  He struggled to not let his voice go any higher from nervousness.

She glanced over at him.  "Something wrong?"

He shook his head.  "No, not at all.  I just...I guess I feel guilty never thinking that...well..."  He hung his head a bit and stared out the window of the truck as they pulled out of the community area and rumbled back towards the highway to head back to his apartment.  "Can...I ask about...?"

She snorted, grinning to herself.  "About me being with other women?"

He flushed again, adorably, but shook his head.  "No...your preferences.  Sometimes I just find it hard to believe that you are interested in me as much as I'm interested in you.  I know we talked about this before, but I guess what Rico said just made me curious.  After all this time, I feel like I don't really know much about you other than...what happened.  I don't even know how old you are, or anything about your past other than your family."

"Why does everyone seem to think I am some old maid?  I'm only 26." Hera asked, giving Kelin a mock growl before chuckling.  She looked back at the road, thinking.  Finally, she said, "It is...not so much you being my preference.  I would say I have them, but not really.  I do not put stock into generic descriptors of people as that being integral to if or how I find them attractive.  Money, build, even species.  Just like how being gay is one part of Rico's personality, so those kinds of things are just one factor of any person I might have wanted to date.  And if who that person is doesn't make me happy, I don't go for them.  This making sense?"

He shrugged.

"You, meanwhile do make me happy.  And who YOU are is attractive to me."

He chuckled, voice a bit hesitant.  "So...what are you attracted to?"

"You."

Her blunt answer made him squirm a bit and she smirked softly to herself, not letting him see as she pulled off the highway again and slowly began winding through the streets of Arknought proper as he gave her small directions here and there.

"So," he continued.  "You're attracted to...guys like me?"

"No.  Just you."

"So..." he pursed his lips, intentionally dragging it out now it seemed.  "Black-haired, blue-eyed, Human college students with a love of music and Polar Ursid?"  His voice almost sounded teasing.

"If they are named Kelin Leod, yes."  She winked over at him, turning down another street.

He blushed.  "So my market for potential rivals coming to steal you away is at least very limited!" he joked.

"I think..." Hera announed slowly, pulling up to a stop in front of his little apartment building.  It was more or less like how Rico lived, but much smaller in scale, more like a well-taken care of and refurbished area that had once been part of the ghetto.  It made sense, the government had retrofitted this area after the recent struggles to be more accommodating.  "There is less danger of me being stolen from you, and more you being stolen from me."  She fixed him with a yellow eye, putting the truck in park.  There was no real driveway to his flat, so she let the truck sit there next to the curb as she stared him in the eyes.

Kelin flushed and looked away from her at last, scratching at his stubble awkwardly.  "Yeah, right."

She shrugged playfully.  "I am not biggest Ursid, true I am big, but there are bigger.  You have said that you like the big girls.  Nothing to stop one of them from enchanting you and stealing you away to be their personal hibernation mate.  Well, nothing but me anyways."

He suddenly turned to glare up at her, face flushed, and he leaned over to place a hand on her paw, firmly grasping it and making her start.  "That would never happen," he stated, voice confident and serious.  She blinked in surprise down at his resolution.  It was charming, to say the least, such conviction and passionate stoicism in his eyes that, combined with his youth and innocence, just seemed too adorable.

She smirked and looked away quickly, biting her lower lip and extricating her paw gently.  She was thankful that her hair hid her delighted expression from him.  "Just go get packed, my little Human dork," she said, trying to keep her tone from breaking from her contained mirth.  "I will wait here for you.  Take as much time as you are needing."  She glanced back at him and grinned, winking once.  "We have long drive ahead of us, so best make sure you have everything."

Kelin blushed and then hesitated.  He glanced away from her, and then his hand hesitantly sought out her paw again.  "Hera...I..." he stammered, voice almost failing him immediately.  "I really do..."

She rolled her eyes and leaned towards him, startling him and almost making him lean back on reflex.  Her paw lifted from his hand again, but this time clasped his head around the back, keeping him in place.  She booped his forehead with her nose before she combed some of his loose hairs away from his face and then kissed it as well.  He looked up into her eyes, bright crystal pools open, nervous, and eager.  She stroked his cheek with a paw pad.

"Go get packed," she told him, voice having dropped to much softer tones, losing the teasing edge.  "I will be right here waiting.  And if you are wanting to talk more, I will be as open book to you.  Legion's Honor."  She leaned past him then and opened the door, and then nodded.  He nodded back at her, face flushed, and climbed down out of the truck before hurrying up the steps to his house and closing the door behind him.  Hera leaned back into her seat, chuckling to herself and her belly full of warm honey and butterflies.  She couldn't believe this was really how she lived right now, almost as if it were too good to be true.  At the same time, she couldn't help but enjoy it as well.

Hera played on her phone for a while as she waited.  A text from Rico came then, after she had been parked for about 15 minutes.  "Sorry about being gruff," he had said.  Another text.  "I was really worried about you, but Dalton helped me calm down that night and...later into today."

"No problem," she texted back, smirking to herself again.  "How long you two been...?"  She let the obvious, risque question trail off meaningfully.

"Smartass," he replied, obviously having caught onto the pun she was holding back.  "How long have you been waiting to ask that?"

"I said nothing," she gleefully sent back.  "Just glad to see you've finally tied the knot.  Oh whoops I said it."

"Doring, if you were here right now, I'd kick your ass."

She guffawed, growls echoing around the cab of the truck.  "Sure you would.  So who's top, you or him?"

"Doring, I swear to God, you're dead the next time I see you."

Snickering, the Ursid replied.  "Embarrassed, Sergeant?  I don't judge, but the number of dog-based puns is just too golden to pass up.  Should I make more?"

There was a long pause, and suddenly her phone rang.  She answered it, only to hear a monotone, serious voice say, "Actually, Rico is fuming right now, but I'd love to hear a few.   Tying the knot."  There was a blunt sound from Dalton.  She realized that he had laughed.  "That one took me a second."

Hera actually blushed, and then smiled wider.  "You are sure?  I have many."

"Please do, it's hilarious to see Rico so worked up and not from stress."  The flat voice was actually lifted by a slightly amused chuckle.  Hera found that she liked this Dalton a lot more now.  She had met him only a few times back at the Gym, and come to the conclusion that he was not a very fun person.  It had truly shocked her to see him sing so energetically back at the bar.  Maybe he was just like her, containing emotional reactions to better gauge those around her.

"Well..." she spoke trailingly, drawing out the word and then smirking.  "I'd never pass up the chance to taunt Rico.  Put me on speakerphone?"

"Darling, you already are," replied Dalton, and Hera distinctly heard Rico in the background yell something like 'Fuck both of you!', to which Dalton replied, calling louder, "Didn't we just do that?"

Hera snorted.  "I would have called it 'burying the bone'."

Dalton made that singular laugh sound again.  "Oh, that's a good one.  Hear that Rico?  That's what I'm going to ask you for next time."  Again, she heard Rico's customary flustered swearing in the background.

"So when you two do it, is it always called Doggy-Style?"  There was more laughter, even Rico could be heard snickering.

"You could be a comedian," said Dalton.  His flat voice was hard to make out if he was actually amused or offended, but somehow Hera felt like it was the former since the conversation was still continuing.  "I don't know any bear-based puns personally."

"Eh, not as many gems, true," Hera admitted, then grinned to herself.  "I haven't 'Hibermated' myself in a while."  Dalton's voice broke with an actual snort.  "You are fun," she said happily, relaxing in the seat of the truck.  "Someone I can happily hang out with sometime.  You good for that?  We can make Rico's life hell together."

"Why, sweetheart, I thought we were already," returned Dalton, and they both laughed.  "Maybe sometime we can all go out on a double date, you, me, Rico, and that little Human.  I do have to ask...are you serious that you haven't done it with him yet?  I was not surprised when you two ended up apparently dating, but I admit I expected that part to have already occurred."

"Not at all?" she asked teasingly.  "Almost everyone seems so shocked by it."  She chuckled.  "And no, not yet.  Was planned for, but then things happened.  May have to take things slow for while.  Work up to it gradually rather than 3-date plan than I had.  Kelin is a sweet boy, and I am damaged.  But I am finding out that both of us are."

"Ms. Doring," Dalton's words read just like his speaking voice, followed by a deep inhale as if he were puffing on a cigarette.  "Everyone has damage.  Little scuff marks, dings, scrapes, and patches of paint worn away.  It doesn't keep us off the road unless we let it.  Sometimes a tire goes out and we have to replace it.  Sometimes we get rear-ended.  But life has a habit of continuing on with or without you.  And my advice is to never let it go a second of the latter.  I've been monitoring your clinic visits to the psychiatrists, and I can see great strides since we started this process.  Are you worried about jumping into things too quickly with Mr. Kelin?"

Hera glumly nodded.  "Yes.  Size is conceivably an issue, plus the way everyone looks at us, I think, makes him uncomfortable at times, as if he is causing them to judge me.  I do not personally care if people judge me for wanting him as a boyfriend, but I do not want to be causing him problems.  He is the first person to reach down and lift me out of hole I was in.  Sergeant Rico is a wonderful person and a good friend..."

"But you needed someone much more intimate than just a friend," Dalton continued for her, and she nodded again, despite that she knew he couldn't see it.  "My advice, Ms. Doring?  Talk to him about exactly what you want from the relationship.  That's all you can do.  You want to take the relationship further, or is it just about the sex?"

Hera found herself actually flushing.  She never talked about this sort of stuff with outsiders.  "I want...him.  Every way.  Relationship, sex, everything.  I worry about if it is what he is wanting too, but he says it is.  But he is so young, and there are lots better options out there..."

Dalton cut her off.  "Making excuses to yourself to dissuade you from what you want never helped anything, Ms. Doring."  His voice was firm.  "He says he wants it too.  He is of legal age.  If he had better options or wanted them, I doubt that you both would have gotten this far.  My firm belief is that as much as you question if he wants you, specifically, the more you risk pushing him away with the fear that it is you who doesn't want him.  Be honest with yourself and don't judge yourself for what you want as long as it's healthy, mostly legal, and safe for all parties involved."

Hera chuckled weakly.  "Mostly legal?"

Dalton laughed as well.  "Indeed.  Think of this as a counseling session gratis.  If it helps, great.  If not, then you still know what you should do.  Being honest with him, and yourself, is the only way to move a relationship forwards in a healthy way.  After everything you've been through, you deserve to decide what happiness you want.  And if that Human is the happiness you're looking for, seize it with all your strength and don't let a day go by that he doesn't know just how much he means to you.  Even if you yourself don't rightly know it just yet.  Or you do, and my point remains the same."

Hera flushed more.  "Can I ask one more question?"

"Shoot, but soon I'll have to start billing you."

She laughed and then paused.  "Have you ever...?"

"Mated with a Human?" he asked immediately.

"Yes."

"Yes, I have."  His matter-of-fact voice took her aback.  "They're no different creatures in that regard than we are.  My first husband was a Human, and I remember him very fondly.  And back then, there were far more taboo thoughts on the matter.  There may be some close-minded fools out there that won't approve, but they don't matter."

She bit her bottom lip, indecisive.  "How did you make it work?"

"The relationship?  The same way that I make every relationship in my life work, with honesty.  I lost him to cancer, but every second we were together was a happy time for me.  As for the sex, my only actually helpful advice you are probably looking for is...let him take the lead at first?  That's all I can say.  You may want to get right into the Mating but Humans court differently than we do.  My advice is to make it special, show him he's the only one you desire and make every moment entirely centered on the two of you being together.  He will quickly discover what his limits are, and you two can figure things out from there.  One thing I learned from Humans is that they will always surprise you."

Hera smiled.  "Thanks, Dalton, if that is okay to be calling you."

"It is.  For now, I'll be letting you go.  Rico and I have queued up a movie on Netflix to watch and I intend to enjoy my day off with him.  If you have any other questions, write them down and ask for me on Monday at the Gym.  I can see about personally handling your counseling for a while if you want.  Best wishes, Ms. Doring."  The phone clicked off and Hera lowered it, smiling to herself and her ears folded back.

She turned on the radio as she continued to wait, flicking it towards an Alternative station that she favorited often while working out on her own or just hanging around the house.  The beginning notes of "Physical" by Dua Lipa chimed in her ears and she smirked.  Nothing else left but to go for it, head over heels, and with all her soul.  Kelin deserved nothing less, and for the first time in years, she realized something new.  So did she.