FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

With tense, worried eyes, Darius looked up and down the street. Hoping to see anyone else outside on this grey day as he stood nigh paralyzed in front of the parlor. A small sign placed on the cobblestone trying to welcome any passersby that might cross this street into the basement. On the sign it read "massage parlor" in bold red letters. Above the clear, if not simple, message was an image of a back with several hands on it, the chalk drawing ruined by some errant raindrops. The hefty bull could not help but to place his hand on his neck anxiously, trying to find a reason to not enter the strange shop. But a distinct ache, searing from his skull to his shoulder as he pressed, stopped the bull's thoughts straight in their track. As soon as the ache dulled, Darius grimace softened with a sigh. "Better late than never." Darius said, opening his wallet and grabbing a flimsy paper coupon.

"Are you a masochistic bastard or something? I swear it's like you get off to pain Darius." Mark's voice echoed in the bull's head. The border collie did not give Darius the chance to undress before he vented his frustrations. Then again, Darius did start by complaining about his back once inside the apartment, so it was only fair for Mark to vent as well.

"What? No! It just doesn't bother me that much is all." Darius remembered saying in protest, gritting his teeth as a dagger went into his back. The collie started to circle around Darius, slowly guiding the bull back to the door. "Oh, well my mistake then. I just find it to be a question worth asking, since you still haven't gotten that failing back of yours checked!" Mark said as he walked closer. Darius, trying to take another step back, pressed his back against the door. Trapped between a rock and an angry dog, the bull closed his eyes and waited for Mark to calm down. "Here." Mark said with a grunt, presenting a small piece of paper. "Got this today, it's for a massage parlor. Go out, use it, and don't come back until you've stopped complaining." Within moments, the bull was pushed outside, coupon in hand, and stood there stunned before trotting out of the apartment building. A part of him agreeing with the collie, he should get this fixed.

Suddenly, a raindrop splashed against the bull's nose, trying to break his concentration. Yet one was not enough. Drop after drop fell with increasing tempo as the sky opened, forcing the bull out of his mind and into cover. Hiding inside the stairway, Darius thought how fitting this was. As if Mark had conspired with the weather in case the bull got cold feet. If he wanted to stay dry, and not rush home drenched, the bull had no choice but to enter the parlor.

Once inside, Darius shook his head, spreading the few raindrops still on him on the clean floor. The parlor was dark, relying more on natural sunlight and candles than any lights in the roof. Still, it was enough for Darius not to crash into the couch in the corner or the desk at the other end of the room as he walked across a soft, crimson carpet. Getting closer, the bull realized the desk was more of a makeshift counter. A bell, a small computer, and some cards were strewn across the it in an orderly manner, some of them being the coupons he currently held.

Gingerly, the bull tapped the bell, its soothing clang echoing throughout the parlor, calling, nay, yearning for someone to show. Moments after, Darius heard some shuffling behind a pair of curtains. Someone seemingly in a hurry as the bell called for them. Eventually the shuffling stopped, the flickering flame of a candle Darius' only companion until the draperies got pulled aside hastily. "Sorry for the delay, had to clean up from the last client. Anyways, nice to meet'cha." Said the masseur, his tone being infectiously energetic, as he leaned on the counter.

Darius stood before the masseur with his jaw screwed shut, his mind not believing his eyes. The masseur was strong, not as big as the bull, and he had no problem showing off with his tight black shorts and white, loose, shirt. But what struck Darius the hardest, was that he was an eel. His head was flat as a crocodile's yet shorter, flatter at his snout. A dark brown covered most of his smooth scales, but a striking bright orange spread across his lower jaw, neck, and pronounced chest. As Darius forced his eyes back up, he spotted a collar strapped around the eel's neck, two vents protruding each side. Eventually, the bull managed to return his gaze to the eel's head. The masseur's blue eyes glued onto Darius' fur covered eyes, expecting the bull to say, or do, something.

"Um, ah, well, nice to meet you too. The name's Darius." The bull managed to say between breaths. He realized how awkward it must have been to stare at the eel's collar, and least of all his body. But, to the bull's surprise, the eel bent over the counter and turned his head, showing off his collar in further detail. "Must wear it by law." He said whilst tapping the side of it, answering Darius' unasked question. "Not really the necessary for me to wear, since I'm a 'obligate mouth breather' as they like to call it, but would rather not pay a fine each day I live topside." He finished; A gentle smile spread across his maw as the masseur leaned back.

Curiosity getting the better of him, Darius stretched out his arm. Attempting to touch the unknown device around the eel's neck but missed as the masseur ducked underneath the desk. Quickly opening and searching a cabinet, the eel returned with a piece of paper and handed it to Darius with a practiced flourish. "What are ya in the mood for today?" He asked as he straightened his back, the top of the eel's head reaching Darius' chin.

On the paper there were list upon lists of possible services. Type, length, and area of focus were all included on the paper, even some light history of the different sat stiff in the margins. The service that caught the bull's attention was one using a full body suction machine. Having no idea what it meant, Darius could not stop himself from blushing as his mind filled in the blanks.

His face flush and mind overheating, Darius carefully handed over the coupon as he dropped the menu, desperately hoping the flimsy paper would save him from this decision. An excited grin formed on the eel's maw as he read the coupon, the energy crackling underheat his scales now having an outlet as he clapped his hands to catch the bull's attention. "The house special coming right up!" He said as he grabbed the bull's wrist, leading the Darius into the back room with an infectious energy.

The room was, like the reception, dimly lit with few decorations. Incense candles brought light to the room, with an aroma of lavender, as Darius inspected it. The massage table was the centerpiece of the room, everything was built around it. Be it the towels that hung on the door, the dresser with several small drawers, or some bottles on top of it. Yet strangest of all was a bucket, half full with clear water, standing underneath the table.

"If you would be so kind, please take your clothes." The eel said nonchalantly, switching out the usual oval headrest for a rectangular one. The bull's eyes still focused on the unusual masseur, Darius zipped open his jacket and hung it on an empty hook by his side. He grabbed the bottom of his black shirt, the fabric stretching tautly over his gut, before pulling it off carefully, not interested in ripping it apart on his horns. With his brindle front showing, Darius waited for his next instructions, ones that never came. Curiously, the eel's eyes darted up and down Darius' front before calming with a sigh. "You don't want a full body massage?" He asked, pointing at the bull's pants. A heavy silence fell in the room as the eel waited for Darius to realize the meaning of the question, once it did the bull's face flushed up like a strawberry. "No, the back is just fine. That's where I'm tense after all!" He added quickly, his face still burning from the idea.

"Sure, I can work with that." The eel said with a reassuring smile, motioning for Darius to lay down on the table. Carefully he hopped up on the table, placing his forehead on the soft bar. "How rough can I be with ya?" The eel asked, placing his warm, oiled hands on the bull's back and pressed his fingers through the fur. This already felt odd, the eel kneaded the muscles between the bull's shoulder blades, rubbing the burning oil into his skin. Yet, Darius did not want him to stop. "Harder than that." Darius mooed out softly as the eel worked on his aching back.

Pressing harder into the bull's back, the eel let out a grunt as he worked through the heavy brindle fur, trying to find any knots to work on in Darius' trapezius. "Never seen a bull with so much hair before, let alone this fluffy. You spend your time in the salon after work Darius?" The masseur asked, moving down the bull's side. A deep groan rumbled out of Darius' chest as he felt the eel untie a nasty knot in his back, the warm oil combined with the eel's strong hands just what his sore back needed. "I'm, Ah, my family is from the Highland. I-it grou... grows like that naturally." Darius managed to stammer out as the eel kneaded his dorsi.

A quiet hum vibrated in the masseur's gullet, appreciating the new fact as he stretched the bull's side, loosening up weeks, if not months, of work and stress. After the question, the eel continued to work in silence, the bull's pained, yet elated noises his guide through a jungle of red and black fur. Slowly but surely warming up each tense fiber his fingers could reach, the supple muscle bending, stretching, contorting to the eel's will. Darius' back was like clay for the masseur, even if he still had to struggle through the thick fur. Eventually the eel reached the bull's hips, and Darius tensed up as the eel's soft touch caressed a sensitive area. "Relax." The masseur hummed, dragging his fingers across the bull's gluteus medius up to his tail, which flicked with joy as Darius calmed down.

Deeming the burly bull to be loose enough, the eel let go of his back and walked to the dresser. Darius whined as he felt the eel's grip leave him, but he was too absorbed in the lingering warmth spreading through his aching muscles to call him back.

The eel opened the bottom drawer pulled a pitcher from it, pouring the sparkling contents into the bucket underneath the bull. The pouring water relaxed the bull even further, nearly falling asleep as he closed his eyes. Eventually, the pouring stopped, and the bull heard a small thud as the eel dropped the pitcher. Opening his eyes for the sudden noise, Darius saw the eel's white shirt on the floor. Before he could process why the shirt would be there, he felt water splash onto back, the cold liquid making Darius jolt his head up. Beside him stood the eel, drenched from head to toe in the glimmering mixture, with a bucked in his hand.

The heat returning to his face, Darius's eyes trailed up the eel's toned body, the shimmering water only drawing his eyes in more as they explored his exposed chest. "Sorry if I splashed ya, this is needed for the house special." He said with the eager smile he showed at the reception, throwing the bucket back to the corner as he back to the table. He held his hands close, a strange spark flickering between them as he approached. "Right, almost forgot. The name's Gabriel. Be sure to say if I'm going too hard or if you want it stronger." Gabriel said, his eyes concentrating on the space between his hands before parting them with a flourish. Suddenly the dark room lit up in a flash of lightning, the source of which was the eel. A crackling electric current flowed between Gabriel's hands. The sight and sound were as intriguing as it was scary for the bull, knowing full well where it was going.

"Take a deep breath." Gabriel warned Darius, placing one hand at the top of his spine and the other at the bottom. Following the eel's advice as quickly as possible, Darius took a deep breath before a strong current jolted from his glutes to the nape of his neck, spreading out from his spine to the far reaches of his back. It felt like his body almost formed an arc as the current flowed through him, finally relaxing as Gabriel's hands let go. "There we go, hard part over." Gabriel said between short breaths, sweat forming on his brow as he exerted himself.

Panting along with the eel, Darius felt limp after the shock, barely having the energy to lift his head as the shock lingered and spread through his external oblique and to his front. His mind racing to find any moment comparable to this but failed. He has never felt this winded in his life. The bull tried to stand up, to see if he could still use his legs, but was stopped by Gabriel's firm grasp. "Just stay put for a little more, I'm almost done here." The eel said softly, taking a final deep breath before resuming his work.

Darius closed his eyes, bracing himself for another lifedraining shock. Instead of feeling his soul get zapped out of his stout body, the bull felt a mild pressure as Gabriel dragged his fingers out from his spine, a light, comfortable current following with them not too far behind. Powerful pulses spread from the eel's hands as a ripple wherever they lingered, beating in rhythm of Gabriel's focused heart. Moving up from the bull's lower back, Gabriel pressed his fingers into the bull's sore dorsi once more, slowly stretching the muscle. The current forming a net between his fingertips, catching any errant knot in their path. Darius released a breath he did not know he held, as the electric net passed by a knot, forcing the fibers to tense up and, finally, relax.

Focusing on his breath, the eel slowly retraced his steps. "Infraspinatus, major, minor major. Infraspinatus, major, minor major." Gabriel mumbled, going through the well-traveled trail in the brindle jungle. The effort to maintain the current clearly taking a toll on the eel, as his shaking body dripped with sweat when he placed his hands on the trapezius. One hand pressed firmly into each side of the bull's spine, a gentle stream connecting them, as he pressed his hands towards Darius' neck. Breathing out as he inched his way to the top, before returning to the base with a quick breath and starting the motion over again.

Darius could only sigh, a feeling of relief spreading through his body as the gentle stream healed his tense, aching back. A deep moo rumbling out his throat while Gabriel did one, final, push against his trapezius. Which was lucky the eel, as Gabriel felt his concentration wanning, the current growing in strength enough to singe some brindle tufts of Darius' hair. Thankfully, the strong aroma from the candles overpowered the smell of burning fur.

"There we go! All done now." Gabriel said with a cheerful tune, sneakily smothering out any lingering flames in the bull's fur with a towel. "Stay there for as long as you want. There's a towel to use if you want to clean up when you want to go." The eel said, dropping the spark killing towel on Darius' back. The bull could only with joy. He felt... Great, like a new man. One with a back not carrying weeks' worth of meetings, deadlines, and projects. It was, relieving.

After ten minutes of rest, the bull grabbed the towel off his back and washed up. Unknowingly he traced the path Gabriel took through this session. Sides, center, shoulders and neck were scrubbed clean with the wet towel, or at least how clean it could be. He would have to take a shower once he got home unless he wanted to cut his fur at some point. With a satisfied yawn he grabbed his shirt and jacket, pulling the black fabric carefully over his head as he entered the dim reception.

Inside the reception Darius saw Gabriel lounge in the corner of couch, one arm on the armrest while he spread his leg, chugging a bottle of water. When there was barely anything left in it, the eel let out a satisfied sigh as he took the bottle from his maw. He held it over his head, with a look that seemed to be debating to pour it over himself before he saw Darius poke his head out the back.

"Ah, welcome back to the world of the living." The eel said, regaining some of his composure. Leaning forward, and placing his arms on his knees, Gabriel shoot Darius the same smile he had when they met. Despite the near paralyzing shock up his spine, the bull could not help but to smile back as he approached, pulling his shirt over his gut. "Glad to be back." He said back with a laugh, seeing some humor in the electric eel's words.

With tired groan, the eel stood up from the couch and walked over to the front desk. Darius' eyes eagerly following the eel as he once more disappeared underneath the desk. Even if he had spent the better part of an hour in his presence, Darius still could not turn his gaze away from Gabriel. It might have been an interest in his weird yet jolly nature, the eel's physique, or both that took the bull's interest. Yet he knew that a blush crept up his face as the toned eel, the water and sweat accentuating his body further, walked up to him with a bottle of water in hand. "Here, be sure to drink it up before you're home." Gabriel said whilst handing Darius the cold bottle. "It looks like you're heating up a bit."

"What? Um, what do you mean by that?" Darius said, feigning ignorance despite feeling his cheeks burn red. Gabriel tilted his head, his eyes filled with questions, before they lit up. "You're a massage virgin, aren't you? Man, I didn't expect that since you asked for the electrical full body. You're hardcore!" The eel said with an amazed expression.

If the use of virgin did not make the bull's cheeks underneath his brindle fur a hue redder, Gabriel walking up and grabbing his shoulders sure did. "Knots stop the circulation within your muscles, with those eased up the circulation will return to normal. So, you'll need water to properly take care of any waste your blood picks up." Gabriel said while kneading Darius' shoulders, trying to demonstrate the eased blood flow. One which Darius already felt in his burning face. "That, and it's refreshing after a massage." The eel said with a smile, releasing the bull from his grip. Darius hastily opened his bottle, hoping the water would cool him down.

"Though I have to say that you weren't the easiest to work with." Gabriel mused out loud. Darius hummed inquisitively as he began to drink from the bottle, urging the eel to continue. "Well, it's not often I get to work with a long-furred gentleman such as you. Short fur, skin, or scales primarily come in here. And that's not even to speak off how thick you are." He said nonchalantly.

Darius choked on his water as he finally processed what Gabriel had said. A worried hand on his back as he coughed the water out of his lungs. "Thick?" He asked between coughs, the water seemingly stuck in his throat. Gabriel nodded as he patted the recovering bull's back. "I could feel that you have some real muscle in ya beneath that layer of fat. Reminds me of the strongmen back home. Ideal for real work, and sure to catch someone's interest." Gabriel said with a wide smile.

Darius, unable to tell if the last words were said teasingly and knowing he would say something dumb, decided to save himself from any further embarrassment and walked to the door. Opening it quickly, he felt the cold wind hit his flush face, cooling his blazing hot skin. "Be sure to come back if you ever feel tense again. Or just for fun of it." Gabriel said, inviting the bull to come back any time. Still true to his word not to say a thing, Darius gave a pensive wave before the door closed.

Looking back over the street again, the bull realized the rain had long since passed. The wet cobblestone, the ruined sign, and a couple of puddles the few signs of its arrival. He rolled his shoulders as he stepped in a puddle, thinking the massage to have been a fluke, the pain to still be there, but it was gone. He felt great. "In that sense, I guess it was good that Mark pushed me here." He said focusing on his body, trying to push Gabriel from entering his thoughts. But Darius sighed, knowing that he had once more fallen for a stranger. "Maybe I can actually talk to him next time I'm there." He said with hope as he scratched the nape of his neck, already planning his next appointment. "Wonder what's been burnt, it smells awful." The bull said, blissfully ignorant of his singed fur.