Cool air hit my skin as we entered what felt like a smaller, more private space. Ferguson set me down on what felt like a soft bed, then gently removed my blindfold. I blinked as my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting of what appeared to be a private room. The walls were a deep burgundy, the furnishings minimal but expensive-looking.
"My personal space," Ferguson explained, seeing my curious gaze. "For after-care."
"After-care?" I echoed, the term unfamiliar.
He smiled, his teeth gleaming in the low light. "Taking care of you after what we just shared. Making sure you're physically and emotionally okay." He moved to a small refrigerator in the corner and returned with a bottle of water. "Drink."
I obeyed, suddenly realizing how thirsty I was. The water was cool and refreshing, washing away the dryness in my throat. Ferguson sat beside me on the bed, his weight making the mattress dip significantly. He seemed different now. Less the commanding performer and more... concerned? Attentive?
"How are you feeling?" he asked, his paw resting lightly on my thigh.
I considered the question honestly. My body ached in places I'd never felt before, but it was a good ache, a satisfying one. And somewhere deeper, in a place I hadn't examined in a long time, I felt... lighter. As if some of the bitterness and frustration I'd been carrying had been fucked right out of me.
"Good," I said finally. “Better than good actually. I feel…lighter.”
Ferguson's eyes lit up at my response. "I'm glad to hear that." His massive paw moved to my shoulder, thumb rubbing gentle circles against my skin. "What you just experienced was intense. It's normal to feel a range of emotions afterward."
I nodded, surprised by how thoughtful he was being. The contrast between the dominant bear who'd just fucked me senseless in front of thirty strangers and this gentle caretaker was jarring but welcome.
"Can I ask you something?" I said, suddenly curious about this whole world I'd stumbled into.
"Of course."
"What do you do here exactly? I mean, are you like... aprofessional?"
Ferguson chuckled, the sound warm and rich. "I suppose you could say that. I'm what some might call a 'facilitator of experiences.' I help people explore aspects of themselves they might not otherwise have the courage to try." He paused, studying my face. "But tonight wasn't about money, Johnny, or earning my keep here. Tonight was about giving you something you needed."
"How did you know what I needed?" I asked, genuinely curious. "I didn't even know what I needed."
His smile was knowing. "I could see it in your eyes when you walked into the lobby. The exhaustion, the frustration, the way you were carrying all that tension in your shoulders. You looked like someone who'd been giving everything and getting nothing back." His paw moved to cup my cheek. "When's the last time you did something purely for your own pleasure?"
I couldn't answer because I genuinely couldn't remember. Everything in my life had been about survival, about making rent, about getting through another day of shitty customers and shittier tips.
"Exactly," Ferguson said, reading my expression. "You've been running on empty for so long you forgot what it felt like to be full."
His words hit something deep in my chest, a recognition I wasn't prepared for. I felt my eyes start to water, which was embarrassing as hell.
"Hey," Ferguson said softly, his thumb catching a tear before it could fall. "It's okay. Emotional releases after intense scenes are completely normal. Don't fight it."
"I just..." I struggled to find the words. "I didn't realize how lonely I was until right now."
Ferguson's expression grew tender. "Physical intimacy has a way of showing us what we've been missing." He shifted on the bed, pulling me closer against his warm fur. "You don'thave to go back to that emptiness, you know. This place, these experiences, they're here whenever you need them."
I leaned into his embrace, feeling safer than I had in months. "I don't understand how this all works though. The bathhouse, the membership, you..."
"What would you like to know?"
"Everything, I guess. How did you end up here? How does any of this work?"
Ferguson was quiet for a moment, his paw stroking through my hair. "We can talk as long as you like, baby.” He pulled me in closer, cradling me in his arms. “All night if you like.”
“You’d do that for me?”
The Werebear looked down at me, his warm brown eyes full of something like admiration or affection. “I’m starting to think there’s alotof things I’d do for you.” Then he pressed a soft kiss to my lips. “But let’s start with talking first and see where we end up.”
I nodded, my heart fluttering more than I thought possible. “O-Okay.”
