"Sorry to spring this on you, Fitch." Zeke said as he stood outside the rabbit's apartment.
Fitch had seen his boss in many moods, apologetic was not one of them. It didn't seem to fit the burly boar well, he was usually rough, but all his guys liked him, Fitch included. "Why me? Why not Hank? And what about Tanner?" Tanner had been his own partner for the last six months, and he had grown pretty fond of the otter.
"Hank's training Sam, which means I need a partner for Gio and I'm putting him with Tanner. I think you're ready to train your own recruit." Fitch felt a swell of pride at the words, even as he felt worry gnawing at his gut.
"Gio and Tanner? Are you sure..." Fitch began, but cut off at a sharp look from Zeke, he also didn't like to be questioned. So it came as a shock when the boar actually did decide to explain.
"They both may be horndogs, but they're not each other's types." It was true, Gio liked big muscly herbivores, and Tanner would happily screw anything as long as he was the bigger partner, which he definitely wouldn't be with Gio. "Besides, Gio has his eyes set on Sam right now. God, you should smell it when those two are in the room together. If they don't end up together I'll be surprised, good luck to him if he can tame Gio's appetites. Which is why I can't partner them up, no work would get done." Zeke snorted, a gruff sharp sound like paper tearing.
Fitch had caught a glimpse of the new recruit Sam. He was big, even for a horse, the thought of that giant equine with the buff Gio almost started playing in his head like a porno. "That would be hot to watch." He hadn't realized he spoke aloud until another snort came from Zeke. "Still, I don't get why me."
"You're one of the younger guys on the crew, Fitch. I need someone who can get his trust. We need to keep an eye on him, especially after hitting him full blast with the neural dampener. We have a crew over at his apartment now working on his family, though it's really only him and his dad. Luckily it's a building we own so I moved it up to next on the list to start tomorrow." Zeke must have been in a bind, he normally didn't let his worry show, and definitely wasn't the type to explain himself.
Fitch gave a small sigh and nodded. "Fine, I'll take care of the rat. I'll bring him to you when he agrees."
"Good. Consider this your job for the day. Otherwise, you can take it easy." Zeke headed off, striding away from the apartment as Fitch turned to head back inside. How was he going to do this?
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Russ opened his eyes, stretching out. Did he fall asleep on the couch again? It took a bit for his foggy feeling brain to notice he wasn't in his own living room, and was only in his boxer-briefs with a blanket over him. He set bolt upright, ears quivering as he glanced around. "Where..?"
"Oh! You're up!" The voice was cheery sounding as a rabbit came walking out from the kitchen holding a glass of water. He was wearing a pair of mesh shorts and a tank top, showing off a body that was surprisingly toned and well-muscled for a rabbit. Russ found himself staring at the leporid until he realized the glass of water was being held out to him. He eyed it dubiously but took it.
"Where am I?" Russ asked, trying to avoid looking at the rabbit by glancing around the apartment. It was a bit messy, but had a pretty impressive gaming setup along one wall.
"My apartment. I found you passed out in the alley next door, brought you home. Name's Fitch." The rabbit dropped down in the chair, spreading his legs and big feet wide in front of him. "Figured it was better than calling the cops, not enough of us on the force, you know? Young rat passed out in an alley? They'd probably assume drugs and dump you in holding for a few days. Figure I'd spare you the hassle." Fitch said with a grin.
Russ felt his ears heating up as he looked away again, sipping the water which was a welcome cool and wet in his dry mouth. He knew the rabbit was right, he probably would end up tossed in the holding then his dad would have had to bail him out and it would be a whole thing. "Thanks, but dad might kill me anyways." He said as he caught sight of a clock. "Looks like I'm missing school. Have I been here all night?"
"Yeah, you were really out of it, I'd have called someone for you but your wallet and phone weren't on you." Fitch tilted his head to the side. "You in college?"
"High school." Russ looked over at Fitch, looking at the rabbit he felt the need to add quickly. "I'm eighteen. I just.. I'd drop but dad would kick me out, if they don't suspend me again." He waited for a judgmental look from Fitch, but instead got a sympathetic smile. He tried to put an age to him, thinking that he might only be a couple years older than Russ himself.
"Yeah, I get that. I never made it through myself. It's not for everyone. But then I got a job on the reno crew and found a place I belonged." Fitch propped his hands behind his head, still watching Russ with a sly smile that made the rat feel like he was wearing nothing, other than just his underwear. He pulled the blanket over his lap, and not just to feel more clothed, that stare was getting him going.
"Oh! You're with that crew a few blocks over..." Russ stalled out, then swallowed. He remembered the wolf and the horse, the former in a high-vis vest. He must have been with that crew too, saw him with that cat.. He looked down, suddenly feeling ashamed. It was Dale's idea, usually was. Russ just went along with it like always. He had put himself in good with the school bully to protect himself, so he acted the part. The excuse sounded hollow even as a thought. And of course when things got hairy, Dale ditched him like always.
If Fitch noticed the change in Russ' demeanor he didn't comment on it, instead just nodding. "Yeah, Anthro Renovations. You know.." He said as if an idea had just occurred to him. "You're eighteen and we're hiring. No high school diploma needed, just the willingness to do some physical labor. And the company even has paid for some of us to get our GEDs when we were ready." He said, jabbing himself in the chest with his thumb.
"I'm not sure that's a good idea." Russ murmured, looking down at himself. He was basically a twig, and rats weren't the biggest anthros around. Not like that horse and wolf, even Fitch was abnormally buff for a rabbit. "I'm not really the physical labor type, and I don't think my dad would go for it."
Fitch lets out a laugh, bright and cheery. "You think I had this bod to start with?" He flexed one arm, clapping his bicep with a paw. "Nah, few months on the job will fix the first problem. As for the other." He shrugged. "Company owns lots of properties, they'll get you a good deal on rent to go with a steady paycheck." He motioned around at his own apartment. "Hell, maybe you'll even find a roommate."
Russ felt a sudden swell of eagerness. Him and his old man never really got along, probably because Russ knew he was a constant disappointment. Then he thought about running into that wolf again and gulped. "Actually..." He looked over at the rabbit, so easy and self-assured and felt a sudden need to be honest. "I had a run in with one maybe two of your crew. A huge horse and wolf, they caught me and a friend bullying..." He gulped and looked away from the rabbit. "I don't think they'd like me around. I tried to hit one with a pipe and.." He remembered getting put in a headlock by the wolf, then something strange. Everything from then on was just a blur until he woke up here, hard as he tried, he just couldn't remember.
"Sam and Gio." Fitch said with a nod. "Sam's new, I don't know a lot about him other than he's god damn huge and you must have an equally huge pair of balls to even think of picking a fight with him, but Gio's usually a nice guy. Little on the dense side but friendly. Complete himbo." Fitch scratched at the base of one of his long ears. "You know, a lot on the crew are there for a second chance, and they have their own baggage. They'll leave you alone if you show you're trying to be better, I'm sure of it."
"Even the horse?" Russ asked with a gulp. Though the wolf being described as a himbo had him grinning slightly.
"Well, like I said, I don't know him, but I don't think he would have been recruited if he didn't fit in." Russ actually began to consider it. It'd probably be a rough few months at first. Then Fitch was leaning forward, looking right at Russ, his bunny nose twitching. "Besides, teams got shifted around recently, and I need a new partner."
That twitching nose made Russ take a sniff himself and he blinked. It was a smell he wasn't entirely used to. Not in a high school that was mostly human. The rabbit was giving off the distinct scent of arousal. At him? Couldn't be. He gave another look to the ripped rabbit and knew he was probably giving off that same. He knew he liked guys, but he usually kept that under wraps, especially since his main crush had always been Dale and his kind-of-friend would break his nose if he knew Russ sometimes jerked off thinking about him. He could feel his ears practically burning a top his head as he tried to flatten them to keep the blush out of sight of the rabbit.
Fitch got up and headed into the kitchen, shooting Russ an almost too knowing grin. "Can I get you something to eat? Sorry, I mostly got veg in the house but I know you guys aren't too picky."
"If you're making something, sure." Russ pulled the blanket up and on to his shoulders, feeling a little exposed around Fitch. "Can I borrow your phone? I should probably call my dad, let him know I'm alive." Not that his dad wasn't used to his disappearing some evenings, but the old man was probably trying to get in touch with him.
"Sure! It's on the corner table, code's 7876." Fitch called back from the kitchen, along with the sound of drawers opening and closing.
Russ looked over and picked it up, unlocking the cell and dialing his dad's number. He stood and headed over to the window, looking out s the phone rang. It picked up after a few rings.
"Who is this?"
"It's me, dad." Russ said, already bracing himself for a lashing.
"What number is this? I've been trying to call you all morning! The school called and said you were absent again." He could hear the heat rising in his dad's voice. "And to top it off I had these workmen sent by the apartment complex just show up and had to call out of a meeting."
As if that was his fault, Russ thought. "It's a friend's phone. I.. got into some trouble last night, phone's missing."
"Trouble? Is this bail you out of jail trouble? I swear to god, Russel. You're an adult now, I should let you stew there. And don't think I'm buying you a new phone. How irresponsible..." Russ tuned out the tirade, just waiting for his father to run out of steam.
"No.. no.. I'm just at a friend's place. Spent the night. I.." Russ was quickly cut off.
"Passed out drunk?"
"No! Why do you always think the worst?" Russ muttered, and for once his father was silent, which was probably worse than another tirade. "Anyway, I was just calling you to let you know I was alive." And then he made a decision right then and there. "I'll be by to pick up my stuff later."
"What do you mean?" The calmness in his father's tone was even worse than the silence.
"I. Well, I decided school's not for me. I found a job and a place to stay, so I'm going to get out of your fur." He waited for a response from his father, but got only silence again. "Are you mad?"
"No." Russ' father sounded calm, a tone he wasn't used to. "I'm not happy you're dropping out of school, but if you're serious and it's a legitimate job and not dealing drugs and away from that Dale, you're finally taking some responsibility for your life." Russ couldn't help but stand in stunned silence, his father sounded almost proud and that was not a tone he had heard in years.
"No, it's legit, it's um, construction work." There was an approving sound on the other side of the line, one that made Russ smile faintly.
"Well then. I guess I'll see you tonight."
"Yeah, tonight." Russ hung up and then felt a pit form in his stomach. He hadn't actually got the job, or a place to stay yet. He was just trying to cut off any problem with his dad. He looked over his shoulder to see Fitch leaning on the kitchen counter, gnawing on some cut veggies he was dipping in something. He opened his mouth, then closed it.
Fitch just shook his head. "Fine, you can stay here until you get your own place. Or," the rabbit's long ears twitched, "I could always use a roommate, rent is a little high for one person, and I wouldn't mind some extra spending cash. We'll see how it works on a trial basis." The rabbit stepped over almost pressing himself up against Russ, their muzzles inches apart, and then took his phone from Russ' paw, stepping away. "Lemme call my boss, put in a word for you."
"Thanks." Russ said sheepishly as he relinquished the phone desperately trying not to lean forward and lock muzzles with the rabbit. As Fitch headed into the bedroom, Russ couldn't help but watch the rabbit's backside as it disappeared behind the closing door. This was going to be hard in more ways than one. He took a second to adjust himself in his underwear. Very hard.
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"Good news, Fitch?" Zeke's gruff voice said as he answered the call.
"Yeah, he's on board." Fitch said, thinking of the slim, cute rat with a smile. He'd be even cuter once he put on some muscle. He couldn't blame the rat for who he was, either, Fitch had been in the same place not that long ago, until Zeke pulled him up by the scruff of his neck. For that he'd always owe the boar. But it made him sympathize with Russ
"Good, bring him by tomorrow to fill out paperwork. You can have the rest of the day with pay. I'll send someone by with his phone and replacement ID. We'll say Gio found it after the kid ran off." Fitch grinned at the offer from Zeke, the boar must be in a good mood, he hated paying people for not working, the new teams must have been working well.
"You know he tried to hit Sam with a pipe, right? There's not going to be a problem?" Fitch asked.
"Feeling protective already?" Zeke said in a tone that most took for gruff, but those that knew the boar new was actually joking.
"Just paying it forward, boss. Like you did for me."
Zeke snorted a short laugh. "No. I don't think there will be. Sam's a good sort. Approach him when Gio's around and he'll be in an even better mood."
"That close already?" Fitch asked, a little shocked. He knew Gio moved fast, but the tone in Zeke's voice suggested more.
"They think I didn't notice them sneaking off just now on their lunch break to go to his apartment. Not to mention this morning. Well, it doesn't matter and that's their business as long as they don't do it on the clock. That goes for you, too."
"Me?" Fitch, asked a little stunned.
"I smelled you when you were looking at that rat this morning, my nose still works. I know I don't have to worry about you keeping it professional." There was only a touch of warning there.
"I will, boss, don't worry."