Only What is Fair

Some minutes later, John, Fairy, and Greenpaw had gathered in John’s study... and explored the whole of Greenpaw’s carnal relationship with Tricia.

Or at least, with Fairy's guidance, John had feared it would be more carnal than was revealed. Everything John worried about had been reduced to one heated exchange at Tricia's lab and some uncomfortable Almiraj “flirting” thereafter. Months of flirting, in fact... and something John hadn’t anticipated...

John felt a jealous boiling in his gut as he processed it. He dared repeat the summation as he worked to bottle his reaction, “She would... cuddle with you?”

Greenpaw shifted his weight where he stood; he anticipated ****, though John did not move. After a few beats without harm, Greenpaw finally nodded with confidence.

John tried to remember when—if ever—he had actually “cuddled” with Tricia. Maybe when they slept together? Had they cuddled then? It’s not a big deal... right? I mean, I could cuddle her any time! It’s just been too crazy to... we hugged a bit after sex, right? Certainly during... John's excuses were quietly running out of runway. “And this happened... a few times?”

“Three times by the end of our false moons together.”

Fairy shrugged as she sat on the table. “See? Not even a pity handjob. She was practically a Virgin fucking Mary... instead of a virgin-fucking one,” Fairy offered with a wink.

“Did she say anything when you did this?”

“She would occasionally whisper the same word... ‘fluffy.’ I... struggle to understand this word. I believe it means... soft? Weak?” Greenpaw punched his own chest suddenly, his demeanor unchanging as he did so. “I am not these things, but for her... from her... it did not feel like an insult.”

John nodded quietly... and looked at the rabbit man’s largely bare body. Toned and shaped as it no doubt was, Greenpaw was definitely furry enough to hide that threatening physique. John thought to test the fur himself... except, no matter how he cut it, Greenpaw was a half-naked dude and John was not about to rub him down to test his "fluffiness."

“Fairy, feel his fur. Is it really that... 'fluffy'?”

Fairy left her seat as she obeyed, cursing as she crossed the small distance, “Why the fuck are you making me do this?! Of course this virgin shithead is soft, he’s barely a ma-o-oh.” Fairy’s hand sunken clumsily into Greenpaw’s thick tufts of chest fur and, in finding less-than-expected resistance, slid through those pale locks. Fairy’s hand was joined by her other as she indulged her sudden fascination. “Fuck, he’s soft... can you imagine? If we skinned him and put this over the bed...”

“You would have to best me, first,” Greenpaw growled at the petite demon.

“If you weren’t Master’s pet, you’d be a set of comforters by now,” Fairy whispered back... but she didn’t stop rubbing Greenpaw’s chest.

“Alright, alright,” John urged, “you can stop that.”

“Understood,” Fairy replied as she continued. Her hands slithered around Greenpaw... and soon she was burying her own face in his chest. Her wings trembled as she nuzzled into the beast while groping him with her hug. “Oooh, the lower back fur is softer?! And so is the _belly__! Fuck, no wonder she was on you so hard... I thought she was just being a thirsty little slut, but even I could just fall asleep on-!”

“Fairy... you will stop that.”

With John’s pointed command, Fairy was left sitting back on the table with a grumble. Greenpaw remained as alarmed and insecure as he had when this entire inquisition started. “Master,” the Almiraj finally managed, “my... ‘fluff’ is... I would ask that only Tricia be the one to cherish it.”

“Yeah, I know what you want," John muttered, "and I've been trying to justify why I can't let you have that...” ... But no matter how I cut it, the conclusion’s the same: as long as Greenpaw is my ****, I’ve got every power but no right to keep him from Tricia... at least, if Tricia wants him. The only way I can justify telling her to stay faithful is if I stay faithful, right? Monogamy would have seemed routine less than two weeks ago... but just imagining the faces of the women now entwined with his life made that seem a stark, dishonest betrayal. How was he to choose this soon and in these circumstances? What did that make of the other women he loved, however brief or carnal their... entanglements? "I'm just not sure why I should let it happen..."

Greenpaw watched quietly with large, hopeful eyes.

But really... he's just a monster, right? Why should I even humor his desire? Why should I share?

A shadow flitted over Fairy's eyes; she narrowed them as the words leaked from her, morose and quiet, "... Because you fuck things up when you don't."

Fairy's sudden reply startled the Gamer. "W-What?"

Her eyes drifted to the rabbit as she spoke, her voice back to an exasperated, mocking tone, "You can decide to not let it happen."

Oh... she's just answering what I said... right, she can't read your mind, John, get it together...! "Right...?"

"But that's just you trying to control absolutely every little aspect of your little fucksluts... I mean really, why not brand the little blondie and be done with it at that point?"

"I-I don't want to enslave Tricia!"

"Why?"

"Because she's-! ... Because she's a... because it's not right."

Greenpaw's nose flared, but he said nothing.

Fairy grinned in her usual, wicked way. "Didn't stop you in that shithole diner, did it? Or with anyone else you've branded on your way here."

"This isn't the time or place for this conversation," John angrily retorted. "The point is that Tricia is free to do as she... wants..." John's words trailed off as his eyes widened.

"Right," Fairy all but sang, "and if she wants to 'do' some fluffy rabbit dick, all you're doing is trying to control her access to it… and making sure she doesn't."

"That's... that's really not the same..."

"You have a good reason to not let Thumper here give Tricia some crazy, jackhammer fucking? I mean I don't know how Almiraj fuck, but they're pretty primitive and energetic... I bet they fuck like rabbits."

Greenpaw's nose twitched again. As much as he wanted to know what a 'rabbit' was, the discussion was too heated for him to interject.

"Her safety, for one!"

"You can order him not to harm her."

"That... fine, but..." ... I'm fucking jealous. The emotion had coiled in him, nameless, until now. Why was he jealous? Tricia loved him! She had sex with him! She was in it with him to try and save everyone, and she'd been supporting him as much as she can... and she'd been accepting of John's own proclivities. What right did he have to be jealous...? But that was what was in his chest, and self-loathing was its fast companion. "Fuck..."

Fairy said nothing more; her smug satisfaction was worn plainly enough to end her argument. Her wings curled around her like a cloak as she enjoyed the airs of victory.

It's only fair... "Fine... fine. It’ll be up to Tricia, then... if she really even wants you.”

It took a moment for Greenpaw to understand the permission hidden there. The rabbit teenager’s face broke into so earnest a smile that John only just realized he had never seen the rabbit-men express happiness. It was... creepy, as far as John was concerned. “You are wise and merciful, Master.”

John thought to the savagery he had surrendered to a moment ago and tried not to correct his minion. "But if you think you're doing anything that could even possibly harm her, you must stop; you must protect her at all costs, and you're to ensure she is always consenting to whatever you're... trying to do."

"By my honor, she will have me only when she desires… and I will protect her with my life. For these things, I need no command."

Now that John was stuck on this side of the fence, he had that other, unsavory detail to address... but one that he wanted to test from the start. "But in exchange... you're going to have to help me... by helping Lily."