Page 27 of Steel & Thunder
The next two are blue and red respectively, none of the styles really differing all that much. I’m just as exposed in each of them. But finally, we’re down to the last. I really should have saved one of the boring white ones, the pink fabric mocking me from its spot on the floor.
“Heh, figures after that woman comment he’d have a problem with pink.” I’m getting real fuckin’ sick of the peanut gallery.
I’ll show you who has a fucking problem. Incensed at the comment, I snatch the thong off the floor. Then, after locking eyes with Brull, I pull off the blue one I’m wearing, step into the pink one and pull it up, never breaking eye contact. When I’m finished, I strike a pose, sarcasm dripping off my face. I even throw my hands up.
And of course, that’s the exact moment someone decides to walk into the store.
My arms fall to my sides, hands shooting forward to cover my clearly-visible-through-this-fabric dick. My whole body turns bright red, which only manages to bring out the pink of this thong even more. I can’t bring myself to look up, but I don’t hear anyone moving so I’m sure all eyes—especially the new ones—are on me. I just had to leave the pink for last.
“See? Feisty.” Brull laughs at his own callback.
“Quite.” In the corner of my eye, I see Ironstorm stand. “Now if you are finished riling my puppy up, it looks like you have some business to conduct.” I hear voices break into Orcish as Ironstorm moves over to me.
“You did very well.” He speaks low into my ear. “Thank you.”
“Can I get dressed, please?” I sound pathetic.
“Of course. Change into whichever you would prefer.” He takes a step back.
“Thank you.” I don’t exactly want to get naked again in front of another stranger, but I want to be wearing this pink thong even less. I grab the white briefs from the bottom of the pile and quickly swap them. While I grab my pants, Ironstorm picks up the pile of discarded underwear, and once I’m finished zipping up, helps pull the harness off over my head. As I sit down to pull my socks back on, he turns to me once more.
“I will go pay for these and the other things, then we can walk home.” He looks down at my feet. “I will get you some new socks as well.”
I nod silently as I tie my shoes. The new boots will be nice. I stand and dust myself off, watching him walk to the counter where he places the harness, the underwear, and everything else he’s buying. Including the thing made out of polished wood. Two of them. When did he even grab a second one? He sets them down with the rest as Brull talks to his other customer. The customer who is staring right at me with an all-too-familiar look in his eye, the same one Brull wore not two minutes ago.
I guess that’s why I’m here now, isn’t it? To give people a show. Or more. The anxiety in my chest builds. This is my life now, ordered around and used at the whims of my owner. Today it’s getting naked in public. What’s tomorrow: public fucking? OH WAIT, that was yesterday. My hands are shaking as I pull my shirt over my head, barely able to button it when my hands bump into the collar around my neck. It feels ten times heavier than it did a moment ago. I watch Ironstorm join the conversation, saying something and patting the heap of my humiliation next to him, making all three of them laugh.
I can’t do this.
The three of them continue talking and laughing, likely at my expense, but none of them are actually watching me. I look at the open door to my left. I can hear people, see the bodies moving outside, more than doubled from when we walked in here. I look down. I can still feel the collar, but visually, it’s tucked underneath my shirt. I look just like a regular person. I’m even wearing clothes from inside the city.
No one would have any idea.
There’s another round of laughter to my right, and I take that as my cue. Making sure no one is watching—Brull even has them all looking at the same sheet of paper—I slip outside and into the crowd.
Chapter Eight
It’s easy enough to blend in with the people around me once I’m outside, even if most of them are orcs. The cool night air helps calm me after the small freak-out I had in the shop. The city’s streets are lit from above with torches and more glowing stones, each sitting atop a long wooden pole. They’re not that bright, but the fact that I’m human and wearing this blue shirt might make me a little easy to spot. I need to get off the street.
Lucky for me, there’s an alley entrance on my left. Seedy parts of towns always have alleys you can hide in. I maneuver myself through some gaps in the crowd and slip into the dark unnoticed. Alright, first thing I need to do is get somewhere far away from here, the jail, and Ironstorm’s place. Then I need to find some new clothes because this shirt stands out too much, and I need to figure out some way to get this collar off me. Probably won’t be able to convince anyone to do it willingly, but maybe I can steal some bolt cutters or—
“Hello, David.” Captain Ironstorm stands before me in the middle of the alley.
I freeze in place, mouth agape. How... How did he get here?
“Well, I’ll be damned, you were right.” Brull’s voice and footsteps ring down the alley behind me. “Alright, I’ll knock five gral off your—”
A raised hand cuts him off, Ironstorm’s eyes still locked on me. “David,” he repeats my name. “Are you alright?”
I can’t hold back a snort of laughter at that. Am I alright? Is he seriously asking me that?
“No.” I’m not sure I can unpack just how not alright I am.
“I know the last two days have been very trying, David.” Oh good, he’s patronizing me. Just gonna stomp all that baggage down. “You have been forced into a lot of unfamiliar situations. I know you are learning things about yourself, things you may not have been fully aware of before.” Oh, fuck off.
“I haven’t learned a fucking thing!” I snap. Who the fuck does he think he is? Acting like he knows me better than myself. He just met me two days ago!
“Seeing as this is escape attempt number three, I would be inclined to agree with you.”
