Workout

The nine foot tall musclebound lion launches himself at Qiang with his right claw extended. It is always the same with these sparring sessions as the slender, shorter tiger faints one way and promptly moves the other. Kenta is caught in a strike that will not hit anything, until Qiang grabs the lion's thick arm and directs it downwards. A roar bellows from the lion as he dives, tries to roll and only slides across the mat. Chortling can be heard from behind him as the tiger spins around on his nimble paws and holds up his fists. That is the fifth time the lion has tried to use brute strength, and the fifth time he has failed to even glance the other big cat. As he picks himself up Kenta sighs, his fur visibly drenched in perspiration, pectorals, biceps and triceps twitching in agitation.

"Okay, okay, I can't hit you." He holds up his huge hands, palm pads facing outwards. "Draw?"

"A draw?" Qiang spits the words. "No way, I'm winning!"

"Maybe, but my ego won't settle for anything less. What if I bribe you?" A smile is on the lion's face, Kenta already has an idea of what his tiger friend will enjoy.

"What with?" Curiosity, a common feline trait no matter the species.

***

No more work, no more money. As a college student without a rich family, Paul had to sustain himself on a limited income as it was. Now however, the human has been coerced by circumstance and selfishness into a domestic situation that is unusual to say the least. His roommate is Kenta, an athletic lion exchange student, who is never short on cash. At first that was a good thing since he spends his money frivolously and their dorm room is usually full of items Paul could never have afforded even when he had his job. Now however things, are a little bit one sided. Not that it had ever felt like equal footing when he had first seen the lion and had to suppress laughing as the big guy kept hitting his head on door frames over and over again, until finally getting used to ducking. It is just as well their dorm room has a high ceiling.

Indeed that first time he saw him Paul was taken aback and then some. He had known about the big cats in the east, sure. Read about them, seen photos and film. But nothing could quite prepare a human to actually meet one for the first time face to face. They are like gentle giants really, baring so few similarities to the domestic house cats one might normally think of, little terrors incarnate. But then there is something else as well, culturally relevant to any relationship with one. In their land, their nation, the human populace has a history of servitude to the great cats. Eons ago it was slave labour of course, but today it has evolved into a more nuanced caste system, with no direct ownership really being applied. Indentured servitude for some, but for most it is merely a job. Only reinforced by the majority of the lands wealth being in the possession of cat-headed families and businesses.

Paul sighs, looks down at the sink and immediately has to move a strange of his ironically mane-like black hair out of the way. This is the last thing to do today before Kenta is due to return from his workout. He has already done the laundry, the vacuuming, the dusting, the pots washing and now... handwashing the eminent lion's filthy, reeking shorts, shirt and custom-tailored jockstrap from the day before. It really does smell too, even soaked in the suds the strong musk manages to pierce through and fill Paul's nostrils and lungs. Per instructions from Kenta, Paul is using his bare hands which have grown soft and are beginning to wrinkle in the warm water. After another half a minute of gentle scrubbing he takes his left hand out and sniffs it, the stench is even on him now.

Though, it has to be said that he does not find the smell entirely unpleasant. There is something oddly exciting about it, as the bodily scent of a male belonging to another species is subtly different. But the strength with which the smell persists is what annoys Paul as he tips the bowl and empties the dirty water into the sink. He opens up the faucet, filling the tub again as he adds the softener to it. Warm water vapour rises up, along with the mixture of the softeners perfume and the all natural musk. He makes an audible grunt whilst plunging his hands into the bowl, kneading the fabrics. This is the third time he has drained the water and Paul is starting to wonder how the lion got his clothes laundered before.

***

The Walk Home

Kenta and Qiang have taken to walking to Kenta's dorm building. Both in their sports shirts and shorts, duffel bags slung over their shoulders. They are almost back from the city gym, but Qiang is starting to feel a little thirsty. He knows that a baristas shop is not far from here so he asks Kenta if it is alright if they can get something to drink first. The lion nods back down at his friend and they cross the road to reach the opposite sidewalk. A smirk spreads on Kenta's face as a passing car has to make a sharp break not to drive into them. The driver inside the car staring hard at the nine foot and seven foot tall anthro big cats striding across the street like living titans. Normally Kenta would want to pursue the attention of others back home, especially some of the females, but here he gets that attention without even trying. The humans all look so cute in their little vehicles and bulk order clothes.

After a couple more minutes they both reach the baristas shop and duck inside. Concerned looks are shared between the human patrons as Qiang goes straight up to order his drink. He asks for a large berry fruit slushy with plenty of ice. Kenta soon follows, ordering a tray full of six of the same as Qiang. Even the tiger balks at the sight of the lion chugging one drink after the last, finishing them all off before paying for them, with a generous tip. Qiang finishes his single cup and orders another to go before paying for both and once more the two friends are back outside walking to the dorms. After a taking a couple moderate sips of his second drink the tiger asks his friend about Paul.

"Lost his job you say?"

"Yep, poor guy is peasant poor. Apparently there just wasn't enough work for his boss to justify keeping him."

"And so, now you and him..." Qiang smiles coyly. "I always thought you had a thing for him."

"I do not!" Kenta bellows. "It's just, you know how it is. Human needs work, handsome, rich, and straight... lion offers him work and..."

"Your personal bitchboy!" Qiang laughs as Kenta growls in warning.

"Anymore allusions to that and I won't let you play with him."

"In that case though I won the sparring match."

The two continue to take jabs at one another like this all the way until they reach the dorm building. It is a high-rise with some twenty stories. Kenta, naturally, has what could be counted as a penthouse, the largest apartment at the very top of the building. Normally it would house four or five students at once, but the lion does not like sharing; with the lone exception of Paul. Due to the exchange programme he is forced to live with at least one human, but even from the start it has not been all bad. Even before their current arrangement he saw the domestic value in the human's habits. So used is he to working like a housewife of old that the lion has not had to vacuum the carpet or wash the dishes even once in the year and a half they have shared the place together. Qiang knows the apartment and is eagerly ahead of the lion. Finishing his drink quickly he elects to ascend the stairs, his tiger agility affording him ample speed over the elevator. Kenta allows him to go on ahead, expecting a surprised Paul.

***

Testing The Waters

He brought his friend. Something in the pit of Paul's stomach is sinking, it might be his own sense of dignity. The first thing the tiger does is walk right up to the human and holds out an empty plastic cup. Paul looks back up at Qiang before he tells him to dispose of it. No greeting, no asking how he has been since losing his job, just petty work thrust upon him. Clearly Kenta has told Qiang about the situation, and with a sigh Paul takes the cup and walks the small distance to put it in the trash. Though he does not see it he has no doubt Qiang is expressing his excitement and disbelief to Kenta in so much expression and sign language.

"Did you do the tasks I gave you earlier?" Kenta asks once Paul has returned to the main living space. Both the lion and tiger are reclining on the large sofa, Kenta on the right side and Qiang on the left.

"Yes I did. Your... underwear is drying." Paul says timidly.

After acknowledging this the Kenta asks Qiang if he would like a drink. Even after having only just had a drink they both agree they could use something stronger now. So the lion tells Paul to get into the kitchen and get them a couple bottles of a beer he has imported. The human removes two bottles from the fridge and pours them into tall glasses; whilst the cats turn on the ninety inch TV. He serves them up on a tray, bowing his head in just the way Kenta told him to do awhile back. But even as the two cats take their glasses, there is another thing they both want the human to do. The big lion is already holding up a wad of bills in his free paw, the green notes waft in front of Paul and his eyes follow them.

"It's been a long day, boy." Kenta says. "Me and my friend here would like you to take our shoes off... and give us a foot massage."

Paul stops brings himself to cease staring at the money and instead looks into the lion's face and then the tiger's, both of them nodding and smiling. He knew something of this nature would come up, the domestic work only a pretext to the kind of servitude the lion has been in desire of since going abroad. The human bites his lip, suppressing himself from saying anything rude as he looks back up at the money being held in front of him. A forced smile appears on the dark haired human's face as he agrees and goes to get a footstool for what he is about to do. The two smelly cats continue lounging until he return and gets down on his knees before them. Kenta is the first one as he picks up his legs to position them atop the cushioned footstool.

The first thing Paul has to do is to untie the laces and remove the lion's sneakers from his plantigrade feet. He does the right one first and as he pulls it away a smell far less pleasant than the one that had been in the sink earlier that day rises up to hit his sinuses. Paul makes a face, involuntarily so, whilst both the lion and tiger laugh over the sound of the television at his reaction. No matter, he just keeps on thinking about his payment as he casts the sneaker aside and removes the other so that both of Kenta's feet are bare. He keeps his eyes looking away from the two big cats as he goes back to the right foot and starts rubbing it. The human's fingers wrap around the bridge and grip gently against the soft fur, whilst he rubs the large pads and then between them with his thumbs.

"Mmm that feels good." Kenta sighs, seemingly sinking further into his seat and his feet pushing out further off the edge of the footstool and forcing Paul back a little.

"Yeah that does look good." Qiang also comments and brings one of his feet up to start removing his own sneakers, maybe showing his eagerness for his turn.

Despite the smell still drifting off of the foot Paul is pleased to find the fur is not as sticky as he had expected. In fact he is starting to get into the process of effecting a sole-wide massage. It is fascinating how Kenta's species incorporates digitigrade pads into a plantigrade feet; a part of the human's mind wondering how that evolved over the generations. Different tips are given by Kenta as to how to move his fingers such as using small circular motions that help to stimulate the blood vessels can capillaries. After only a couple minutes of these novice ministrations the lion is purring up above and Qiang is just as much chuckling at that as he is the servile position Paul has been bribed into.

"Now the other foot." Kenta rumbles and Paul lets the first down gently before picking the other up.

He repeats the techniques he used on the first. Though this time after he has the lion purring Paul changes positions, letting his fingers work on the sole whilst his thumbs push down on the bridge and down along the curvature of the lion's large foot. The claws flex in and out, each large and sharp enough to cause a deep wound if either Kenta or Paul were to move suddenly in an unfortunate direction. Again the human's imagination is running thinking of that scenario, but it is better than thinking about the way the tiger is now looking down at him. He finishes up the massage on that foot and waits, looking up at Kenta before the lion opens his eyes again looks down at the human and suddenly scatters the bills around the room.

"Here you go!" Kenta says followed by laughter from both him and Qiang as Paul scurries around, snatching the money bills either from out of the air or scooping them up from off of the carpet. At one point he even feels the lion rest his feet on Paul's back instead of the footstool as he crawls around collecting the cash; those claws making him pause and shiver as he feels them poking into his back.

"Well, that was interesting to watch," Qiang rawls. "But now my feet need some of that attention too."

"Yes, of course..." Paul almost squeaks back and tries to crawl out from underneath the lion but is stopped. "Err, may I move?"

"May I move, what?" Kenta growls down at the human, one of his claws curling around a strand of his raven black hair still resting on his back.

"May I move please, sir?" Paul says, eyes averting as he blushes with embarrassment of being demeaned like this.

With a smile the lion lifts his feet up and moves them back to the footrest whilst Paul crawls on over to in front of the tiger's side of the sofa. Qiang tells him to start by kissing the top of his feet, and that he will have to work without the stool. Paul sighs and stuffs the notes in his hand into one of his pockets, the cash creating a satisfying bulge there. Now he nuzzles into the tiger's feet, not as large as the lion's and having had more time to air he does not feel quite so bad as he brings his lips to them. He starts with the one on the right, kissing near the top where the ankle is and moving down, planting soft, worshipful shows of affection until he is nearing the digits.

"No, no, not like that." Qiang complains and lifts his foot up as Paul leans back sharply to no be smacked in the face. The tiger pushes the flat of his foot square into the human's face. "Kiss here, or you don't get your tip." Qiang says and gets his wallet out to make the point, similarly flashing loose cash.

"Yes, sir." Paul replies with renewed interest and holds the tiger's foot in place whilst planting kisses on the strange paw pads underneath.

Each kiss leaves a sweaty taste on Paul's lips, derived from perspiration and what could possible be bacteria and fungus that had been incubating in the sneakers. As he starts rubbing the tiger's foot whilst making out with the sole, he hopes that there will not be any uncomfortable lip sores tomorrow morning. Just like with the lion though he uses the mental and actual image of the banknotes to be his motivating prize. Eventually he moves to the next foot and once more the tiger demands a degree of homage before settling in to rendering a comprehensive massage.

"This is all giving me an idea." Kenta suddenly says as after watching Paul working on the other big cat's feet.

"What's that?" Qiang says, though his voice is more of a purr as he continues to sink into his seat, the tip of his striped tail swishing idly.

"I have to get it first and I would rather it be a surprise." Kenta explains and starts putting his sneakers on again which have been sitting besides the sofa.

After putting his shoes back on the lion stands up, stretching a few times he towers over everything else in the room. A part of him considers stepping up and on top of Paul, using the kneeling human as a step just for show. But reconsiders as applying so much force on him might cause serious harm. Instead he elects to reach down and swipe with one open hand, surprising Paul with a hearty slap applied to his protruding rear. Even the tiger is surprised and watches as the lion walks on with a stupid grin on his face all the way until he leaves the apartment.

"Why have you stopped?" Qiang says with some annoyance as Paul took a moment to look on at the lion too, one hand rubbing his butt.

"I, err..." The human is still a little shocked, not expecting to be touched like that.

"Hmm..." An unnerving sneer is on the tiger's face. There is the sound of the door shutting before he speaks again. "I have an idea for something else."

"W-What?" Paul says whilst still looking up at the tiger from the floor, not yet having noticed the sudden change in Qiang's shorts.

***

To Be Continued...