Chapter 9:

A Little Helping Hand

Tech fumbled Fox's stuff a bit before he balanced them. He walked slowly next to Fox as he kept glancing over at him intrigued. Fox kept his eyes to the floor trying to ignore the pain in his gut and his arms. His eyes wandered, as he caught Tech looking at him. Fox blushed as he looked over at Tech and gave him a soft smile.

"What Tech?" Fox asked as the both stepped into an elevator.

"I can't believe its true. Elevator Tech's Laboratory." The elevator came to live.

"What's true, and why are we going to your lab?" Fox asked softly as he felt like he was being stuffed under a microscope.

"Well I read somewhere that if you are trained to something. Then your body will forever know what to do from plain instinct. You must have been a martial artist before you lost your memory. This is incredible. Sometime I would love to study you if that's alright? I have something for you at my lab, I made it for you." Tech said handing all of Fox's stuff back to him.

The elevator door opened and there was a short flight of steps down into a rather large laboratory. Tech walked over to a rather large work bench retrieving a watch like device. The laboratory was huge in size and it was loaded wall to wall with all sorts of computer equipment, monitors, and other electronic gizmos. Tech walked back over to him holding out the device.

"You know what…just put that stuff down. I'll bring it back to you later alright. I wanted to give you this. It's a mini GPS system for Loonatic tower. It well help you if you get lost. It also works as a communicator if you need something." Tech said excitedly as he helped Fox put it on.

Fox looked down at it. "This is awesome Tech, thank you so much."

"Think nothing of it, I just wanted to make you something. Here let me show you how it works. GPS show Locker Room G." The screen on the watch lit up.

It showed a red line from where he was to where the locker rooms were. Fox looked up at Tech and he nodded as Fox started walking to the elevator. Tech followed closely behind. Fox called out Locker Room G to the elevator as it started moving. Fox watched as the little red dot moved smoothly along the red line that lead to their destination. The door opened into the hall right across from a door. Locker Rooms was posted above the small console next to the door. Tech smiled softly and pushed the button.

"There you go. Oh and its completely water proof so feel free to wear it in the shower. Come to think of it, I think I'm going to shower too. I don't really have to go back to training. Since I really should be developing some new body armor. The last prototype didn't fair so well." Tech blushed a bit as he realized he was rambling.

Fox nodded gently as he walked into the locker room. Once again the familiar smell washed over him. He moved over to the bench and slowly slipped out of his pants so all he was wearing was his boxers. Tech moved up to stand next to him as he pulled off his tank top tossing it into the laundry bin.

"You can just put your stuff in there, it'll get cleaned and then be redistributed. I have some extra clothes you can wear in my locker." Tech said softly as he pulled out a pair of pants, a tank top, and a pair of boxers from his locker.

"Thank you so much Tech." Fox winced a bit at the pain in his side.

"Oh and if you need some body spray or underarm deodorant, I have some in here as well. Don't be shy, I'll leave my locker open for you." Tech said softly kicking his shoes off.

Fox took them and laid them on the bench as he toss his the pants he just took off into the laundry bin. "Thanks Tech, I just don't know what to say about how nice you're being to me."

Tech slipped off his socks, tossing the them in the laundry bin. "Well, that's how we are. We love to lend a helping hand to anyone who needs it."

Fox slipped out of his boxers tossing them over in the laundry bin. "I just don't know if I could ever repay you."

Tech slipped out of his pants and underwear tossing them into the bin. "You don't have to. If you join our team then you can pay us back by being as much help as you can."

Fox walked into the shower room and the lights came on. He stepped under one of the shower heads and the water spilled out in its warm tempered bliss. He held his head under the water loving the feel of it running through his fur, his long bangs hanging over his eyes. Tech took the shower head right next to him. There was a soft sigh that escaped Fox's lips as he quickly slicked his hair back.

"This feels so nice." Fox's voice was soft as it echoed through the room.

"I agree, there is nothing like being clean huh?" Tech asked as he slowly started lathering up his body.

"I know, I don't remember if I was a clean person before I lost my memory, but judging how much I like it. I must have been squeaky clean." Fox chuckled a bit as he started to shampoo his hair.

Tech turned around watching Fox wash his hair. His green eyes tracing over Fox's slender body. It wasn't clear what Tech's interest was with Fox, but it was definitely there. Fox turned and opened his eyes noticing that Tech was looking at him.

Fox felt a bit self-conscious as his eyes met Tech's. "What is it?"

"Nothing, I was trying to come up with small talk that's all. I'm not really good at conversations that don't involve technology." Tech turned his back to Fox again.

Fox rinsed the shampoo out of his hair, before starting to condition his hair, he closed his eyes enjoying the warm water and the steam clearing his senses. His body froze as he felt someone hands against his back rubbing rather firmly. Tech was lightly lathering soap into Fox's back trying to massage out some of the stress knots down in his shoulders. Fox snapped away pushing his back into the wall.

"What are you doing?" Fox said quietly, he wasn't sure if he was angry or not.

Tech looked at him curiously. "I was just lathering up your back, I didn't mean any offense. You looked like you were hurting earlier so I thought I would offer a little helping hand."

Fox didn't know what to say, he opened his mouth to speak, as Tech moved closer grabbing at Fox's collar. He could feel Tech's soft breathing against his chest while Tech examined the collar. Fox shifted a bit as he breathed in deeply feeling Tech rest a hand against his chest pinning him against the wall lightly.

"What is it?" Fox whispered softly, he was sure Tech could feel his heart racing against his hand.

"That is so odd. There were three lights on your collar and the blue one went out. Do you know when this happened?" Tech asked, his eyes locking with Fox's.

"I dunno, I can't say I go out of my way to remind myself that I have this collar on." Fox groaned out a bit as Tech's hand was pressing harder on his chest.

"I'm sorry." Tech back up a bit. "It's just this is a change and I wasn't prepared for it. I don't know how I missed it, I've only been studying you all day, and I didn't even notice it."

Fox's ears perked a bit at hearing this as he stepped under the showerhead rinsing off. "What did you just say?"

Tech went through all the thing he said, his cheeks blushing a bit. "Well, I would lie if I said I didn't find you interesting. Both in a scientific way, and in a social way."

Fox nodded gently his eyes tracing Tech's, he could tell by how fast his eyes were moving back and forth. "Please speak English."

Tech gripped Fox's shoulders and pressed him up against the wall of the shower. "I would be lying if I said I didn't find you attractive."

Fox's heart skipped a beat as he looked into Tech's eyes. "As flattered as I am by that. I can't do this. If you were a female then yes. You have all the traits that I find attractive. You're smart, compassionate, and you have a good smile. But I don't feel right about this."

Tech's tall ears lay back as he nodded slowly. "Alright Fox. Thank you for the compliments, they mean a lot to me. I do fully understand, just please keep it a secret will you."

Fox nodded a bit as he gave Tech a warm hug. Tech blushed a bit at the hug, he wrapped his arms across Fox's back and held him for as long a moment that Fox would allow. He sighed softly and happily.

"Thank you Fox, I couldn't have asked for a better gift." Tech's voice was soft against his neck.

Fox nodded and pulled away as he started washing his body with the soap. He felt Tech's hands against his back again lightly lathering it up. This time Fox didn't stop him, he knew that he was only doing it out of kindness. Fox rinsed off of his body, turning to look at Tech again. Neither of them said anything to each other. There was nothing to say as Fox passed through the door into the locker room again, followed closely by Tech.

Tech grabbed a towel and laid it over Fox's shoulders, as he grabbed a towel and started drying himself off. Fox nodded at Tech in respect as he quickly toweled off the best he could. Tech lightly sprayed his armpits with underarm deodorant passing the can over to Fox. He quickly sprayed his armpits passing the can back. Tech tossed the can into the bottom of his locker.

Tech walked up and added a few sprays of body spray to Fox's chest. "There you go, it makes you smell like a manly orange grove."

Fox laughed out loud. "Cute, at least I smell good."

"Very true." Tech said as he started getting dressed.

Fox pulled his boxers on, followed by the baggy sweat pants, and his tank top. He offered a shy little wave to Tech as he walked out of the Locker room into the hallway.

Tech watched him go as he sighed softly, his ears going back a bit. "Fox, you don't need the body spray to smell good."