e621.net · 6147831

“Alright folks, let’s get this show on the road.”

You groan as you step out of the lander and into the bright autumn sun. An uncommon treat for Ambershore, where it often felt like rain, overcast, and snow made up most of the forecast year-round. But today it was a bit harder to enjoy, what with last night still swimming in your system.

Mouse Trap. You probably should have said no to going there on a work night, but it was hard to resist the siren call of a high quality adult bar like that, especially when it came bundled with Grayliner discounts. Half off menu cocktails on Wednesday was a fantastic recipe for a miserable Thursday. Worth it for the views though, and of course you weren’t thinking about the decor.~

As you walked away from the work lander with your kit, along with about a dozen other Division 5 engineers, you took a moment to look around after your eyes settled to the light. You were far out from the main base. Deep into the mountainous, alpine woods. You could see the old Venting Station in front of you, half covered by foliage. It had probably been decades since anyone bothered to come out to this old first-century bit of infrastructure, but after two hundred years it looked like the old generator finally needed a change in power cells. Management decided to make a day out of it, repair all the other little problems this station was having while it had Div 5 guys wandering around the place. It was a nice change of pace honestly, minus the splitting headache and mild nausea you were fighting.

“Ey, my brother. Wake up.”

You turned to see your boss, a tall black-scaled naga named Taeko, looking at you with a tablet in his hands. The moment he got a good look at your face, you saw a faint smile form on his muzzle, as if he suddenly understood exactly what you had been up to and the ruination it was bringing about. Reptiles were mildly irritating like that, always seeming to know things before anyone else did.

“How about we get you out of the sun, aye? That building over there is Pumping and Filtration. Run diagnostics on the pipes, see if any are showing signs of leakage. Don’t worry about the wiring or internal systems, I’ll send a group close behind. Just focus on the pipes.”

Then again, you thought, they did have their virtues… such as merciful understanding. You nod your thanks to him and head over to get to work.

Stepping into the old building almost felt like taking a step back in time, back to Grayline’s first years during the Great Recovery. You felt an urge to pass your hand along the brutalist concrete walls, with their chipped and faded painted murals. Still the same green and blue as they used today, only back then they had so much less. The place was as spartan as possible, just concrete rooms with large circle windows, no glass, to let in natural light. They hadn’t bothered to rig electric lights. No solar either, nor any kind of AC system. Just a large gray box, painted top to bottom in those same familiar murals and shapes.

Yet, strangely, it had a strong aura of optimism to it. You could feel the determination set into the walls, the hopefulness. The energy from two hundred years ago, back when the very first Abeyic Gateway was built, and the three empires finally began to work together. Back then Grayline was still a baby, led by its three original founders. You recalled stories your grandparents relayed to you from their own parents, about how when they flipped that switch to turn on the first gate, it was like turning hope back on in every living being on the planet. It was hard to imagine that unique, electric atmosphere. The sudden, unified realization that they could have a future again. There was a chance.

Now it was just… the norm. There were hundreds of gateways. Grayline was a famous and established organization of incredible power and prestige. The Trifecta Alliance was about to celebrate its 200th year of existence. The colonization project was continuing to prove a success. Even with the War, the eldritch threats, the constant battles, the bizarre horrors of Abeyance, that optimism never truly went away, it was just the expectation now. Everyone was used to it.

You shake your head, forcing yourself to stop waxing poetic and return to the mundane task at hand. You could romanticize Grayline all you wanted, but at the end of the day, even 200 years later, some hung-over engineer had to check the water pipes for leaks. That was you.

You’d just gotten situated in the pump room, setting up all your fancy doodads to help make the job more bearable, when you heard the rest of the team filtering in. As you peeked around the doorway, they waved to you, and you waved back, but noticed a few of them were unfamiliar. Likely guys that normally worked in different areas. They’d brought in a lot on this, so seeing new faces wasn’t too surprising.

What was surprising, however, was hearing someone cheerfully whistling a familiar tune from the entranceway, just out of sight. You quickly found it distractingly stuck in your head. Where had you heard that tune? It was right at the back of your head but you couldn’t place it. It had to have been recently…

As the sound got closer, paired with the tapping of light feet, you tilted your head to see if you could get a good look at its source, and when you did, you felt your entire body freeze up.

A particularly cute Ekaori boy padded right into view, whistling merrily as he checked his phone in one hand and carried a Nalston Cell with his agile tail. You recognized him instantaneously. That gorgeous charcoal fur palette, those big, adorable ears, those dreamy curved thighs and slender waist…

There was no doubt about it, this was the stripper who’d been working the pole you’d been sitting at just last night. The tune was so familiar, because it had been the one he was fucking dancing to…

A flood of memories came back at once. The way he worked the pole like a gymnast, proudly flaunting those heavenly curves and plushy hips, teasing his thong all night. You’d even slipped a 20 in that g-string and he’d blown you a kiss…

You felt your face flare up deep red. Everyone knew most of the guys who worked in Ambershore Town’s red light district were also Grayliners, but what were the odds he worked in Engineering?! Worst of all, somehow, he looked as cute, if not cuter in his Gramaryan work clothes than he did in just a string bikini bottom. It was almost unreal seeing a stripper in casual work clothes the DAY after you saw him making half the club pop a boner.

It didn’t take long for him to notice you too. Gazing up from his phone, you watched his eyes lazily meet yours… and then, to your horror, light up with instant recognition.

“Holy shit!” He declared with a huge grin. “You’re in engineering too?!”

You manage to give him a bashful response. He chuckled and looked you over, as if admiring your form the same way you had done to him just before.

“Heh, yeah I definitely remember you. You look even better in natural light though, if you ask me. Thanks for the tip by the way, it’s always appreciated.~” He cooed, blowing you a kiss just like he had before. That only made your fluster worse, but your reaction seemed to amuse him a lot. He seemed to find it endearing possibly, or just plain cute.

“Psst… Hey.~” He suddenly hissed in a conspiratorial whisper. You glanced back at him curiously.

“I’m on the clock again tonight.~ 9 pm. Swing by and I’ll set you up with a private box on the house. Just you and me, and you will be able to do a WHOLE lot more than just look.~” He murred sensually, and to prove his point, he gripped the edge of his cargo shorts and tugged down, revealing that he was wearing a bikini thong under his work pants.

“Best part about nightlighting as a stripper? I can wear both work clothes at the same time.~” He added, then winked and blepped his tongue out playfully.

You felt half ready to pass out where you were sitting by the pipes. Was blood coming from your nose? Hopefully not… How was this mouse so good at riling you up even here? Wearing a thong to work? Damn that was hot! You try to stutter out an answer and he just giggles and tugs his pants back up. He pads over to you in that almost hop-skip like style Ekaori were so well known for, and leaned in front of you.

“Heh, if the boss wasn’t keeping such a close eye on us today, I’d show you a little fun right here and now, y’know. But tonight will have to do. I’ll take that blush as a reservation.~” *He chimed casually, giving you a peck on the cheek before reaching past you to your computer. With the deftness of a fellow engineer who was way too used to these old work computers, he typed in the shortcut for notepad and put in what had to be his personal number.

“Here, just in case.~ My name is Kiy. Kiy Kaomii.” He said, patting your shoulder and standing back up with a stretch and a long yawn.

“Gods, I barely slept last night. Had so much fun I stayed a few hours late at the club. I’m honestly impressed you’re even here, you were knocking back those drinks like a champion. I like a guy with good endurance.~” He sighed, before opening one eye to look at you again.

“Well, if you need help over here, let me know. I’ve dealt with these old pipes before. But first I should probably get this battery slotted into the generator before Taeko gets on my case.” Kiy flipped the battery up in the air with his deft tail before catching it in both paws.

“See ya later, champ.~” He cooed, before padding right out of the room, whistling that same tune from the club again.

You wasted zero time getting that number down on your phone, before doing your best to try and return your attention to your job. All the sudden the aches and pangs of your hangover were gone, replaced with excited thoughts of the night to come.

Hell, at least this time it was a friday night.~

- - -

Just had to draw this cutie from that last club pic I did.~ I've always been a fan of the silly scenario of running into a sex worker at your occupation, and the shenanigans that could ensue.~

And yes, I have an idea for that other rodent from the pic too, the thicc chai'lo ;3~ As for this one, decided to name him Kiy Kaomi. Ekaori tend to have first and surnames that start with the same letter.

As always, feedback is welcome and appreciated!

Lore fact of the day: Kiy here is wearing something called a Hytaka, a asymmetrical shirt meant to mimic the kinds of sashes many Gramaryan clans wore back in the day. It's a very common style to see nowadays, especially for males. Gramaryan's normally dress as minimalist as they can get away with, since their fur is really all they need. Ekaori are no exception.~

It may also come as no surprise to learn that Ekaori have the best hearing of any sapient species in the Trifecta. This even includes Ordran Synths.~