Page 15 of Stags

Stockton smoothed out his shirt, shaking his head. “Well, I’m ready if you are.”

“Sure,” said Bruin. “Let’s head out to the restaurant.”

Together, they ventured into the hallway. They walked down to the elevator bank and waited for the elevator to come up.

Stockton shoved his hands into his pockets. “It’s easy for you to say.”

“What is?” said Bruin.

The elevator arrived, and the door opened. They went in and the doors shut after them.

“That there’s nothing to be frightened of,” said Stockton. “I’ve never had sex in public.”

“It’s not like that,” said Bruin.

“Isn’t it? Can’t anyone just walk up on you?”

“I suppose, but they don’t. There’s a bit of common courtesy. If you see a mounted couple, you go elsewhere.”

“Do you have one of those breeding lairs? How do you even get them? Why didn’t you tell me about that?”

“I do not,” said Bruin.

“Why not?”

Because I’m incapable of breeding anyone.But this, the vasectomy, was not something he’d ever shared with his son. “I don’t want one.”

“This is more than I wanted to know about you,” said Stockton. “I did not need to know that you had a voyeur kink, Bruin, I really didn’t—”

“I don’t,” said Bruin, laughing.

“Well, maybe that’s the wrong way to say it. You like being watched, not watching.”

The elevator arrived at the bottom floor.

“No!” said Bruin, who was still laughing.

Stockton shot him a look and then exited the elevator.

Bruin followed him.

The lobby of the Center was large and wide open. The open ceilings were high with exposed wooden beams, rough-hewn but stained with dark polish. The tall floor-to-ceiling windows streamed in light. There were deerkin walking to and fro all over, some in groups of three of four.

“Which way?” said Stockton.

Bruin fell into step with him. “Head for that door.” He pointed. “We’ll go down Main Street to look for a place that isn’t too crowded.” As they exited the center and walked down towards the street, Bruin felt the need to tell his son, “I don’t like being watched or watching.”

“Thanks for clarifying. I definitely want to think about this. I want topicturethis.”

Bruin just laughed.

They reached the sidewalk and began walking in the direction of the main street of town.

“I just feel like the orientation did not explain to me, in detail, exactly how it is this works,” said Stockton. “I feel like there are a number of missing elements, and the only thing I can think to do to figure out how it works is to watch, but I feel like it’s gross to watch, and—”

“What didn’t the orientation cover?” said Bruin.

“Well, how it even starts, for one thing. I thought maybe all the bucks would line up like a race or something, and there would be a starting gun—”

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