I got up and scooped up my backpack, fishing out the communication module Daktu’un gave me. I turned it over in my hands, trying to find an obvious port or button. Gruldia watched me with curiosity.

“What’s that?” she asked.

“It’s a communications module that Daktu’un gave me. He said I should be able to use it to communicate with him, regardless of distance. Only problem is, I forgot to ask him how it works,” I said, still confused.

“May I?” she asked, and I handed her the device as I took a seat in my office chair.

Her surprisingly dexterous fingers swept over the device, which looked like a simple metallic box, only this had no obvious hinges or seams. She turned it this way and that, pressing on every bit of surface she could, until we heard a voice emanate from within.

“Hello? Ivor? Is that you? Who has my commblock?” asked Daktu’un

“Hey! Yeah, it’s me. Well, me and Gruldia, the Cleric. She’s staying with me for a while. Listen, I was thinking about your location, and I realized that you simply can’t be twenty-five thousand light years away. You’re forty-five or so, at most. I’d like for you to send me a chart of the stars you can see from your planet, and I think I can route that through my laptop back at the Council to figure out where you are. How does that sound, my friend?” I asked.

“Well! I didn’t think you’d start so soon. I will absolutely send you what data I can, not only on my local stars, but my system and all her planets, too. I will also send the instructions for using my commblock. I apologize that I didn’t think to send it before. Packet coming your way. It’s nighttime here, and I was just getting to sleep. Contact me again at any time, Ivor. I look forward to hearing more from you!” he said happily.

“Oh! Well, I hope you sleep well, and I’ll reach out should I need to,” I said, and set the commblock down.

A few minutes later, I heard the ping of a message, and saw two from my new friend. The first was the promised packet, and the second was a personal letter.

Ivor,

I hope this reaches you speedily. I just wanted to thank you again for alleviating our concerns about the signal. The Alliance has been advised of your words and evidence, and we look forward to meeting Humanity once your species can reach out. In the packet are plans for a communications system that will reach the Alliance, albeit with a delay of a week. If you can somehow convince your people to construct this, we can admit Humanity to the Alliance with haste, and can officially share technology. Keep the commblock a secret until then.

Also, Gruldia? Isn’t that the kind Goblin Cleric? If she’s with you, then that can only bode well for the both of you.

Good luck in both your endeavors, my friend!

Daktu’un

“Awesome. Now, I just have to figure out how to send this to my email account. By the way, Daktu’un also thinks we are a good match,” I said, winking at my Goblin.

Gruldia blushed prettily. “Isn’t Tervan his deity? I think I remember him,” she said.

“Yep. That’s him. Let me see…” I trailed off, flipping through the packet I was sent. It wasn’t small, and I would have to convert it to file formats I could use before I sent it in an email, so I shunted it off to my laptop, and set the thing to converting the packet, and then shuffling through the list of known stars in that region of space to hopefully find a decent match. I didn’t know how long it would take, so I pretty much put it out of my mind.

Turning to Gruldia, I asked her, “So! What’s next?”

“Well, we’ve done what we can for now, regarding integrating our worlds, so…” she trailed off, looking up at me through her lashes.

“Do you seriously want to spend all this time with me just having sex?” I said with a laugh as I took her hand.

In response, she bit her lower lip and nodded. “I love sex. Especially with you, Ivor. You make me feel wanted, make me feel like I’m a real person and not some doll. And” -she leaned forward, planting her hands on my thigh- “I’m not in the middle of a breeding trigger. How’s that grab you?” she said smokily.

I reached up, caressing the tops of her breasts, causing her to shudder. I dipped my hand into her vast cleavage and pulled out my teddy bear.

“I don’t think Bruce here wants to be in the middle of our fun, Darlin’,” I said with a smile.

She giggled, saying, “I had totally forgotten about him. Incidentally,” -she climbed into my lap, and pulled my shirt over my head- “why do you have him? I wouldn’t think you’d sleep with a stuffed animal at this age.” She reached behind her back, unhooking her bra. Her massive breasts spilled out, resting on my fuzzy chest. “So much better. I like the skin to skin contact.”

I regarded the brown bear with his stretched and faded sweater. His brown sweater had a heart stitched on it, and he was also wearing a red collar. “He was a gift from one of my best friends. She felt I needed a stuffed friend, and by the gods, she was right. He’s not left my bed since. He was obviously well-loved before I got him, and he has known nothing but love since. He’s been one of the very few comforts I’ve had during my many lonely nights. Having a stuffed animal isn’t a bad thing, I’ve come to believe. Doesn’t make me childish, or less of a man. There’ve been times where he was my only friend,” I said with a shrug.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

Gruldia sat back and took the bear from my hand, and held him close to her chest. “Well, in that case, I’ll make sure to sleep with him every night that I’m here, so he has my scent on him. That way, you’ll never be too far away from me. How’s that sound?” she asked.

“In that case, I’ll wear the same shirt every night this week. Make sure my beard oil is on it, too. Then, you’ll have me with you when you have to go back. Deal?” I asked.

“Deal.”

I leaned in and kissed her soft lips. She wrapped her arms around me, and returned the kiss passionately. I wrapped my arm under her plush butt, and stood, making my way to the bedroom.

We were intent on working up an even greater appetite than before.

**********

A couple of hours later, we were laying together in the bed, completely spent. She had put her bra back on, and had snuggled up to my chest, sleeping soundly. I lay there, holding her soft, plump body to mine, and smiled. I hadn’t felt this content in twenty years or better. I had a loving, sex-positive partner, she seemed utterly devoted to me, and wanted to explore everything together.

Her devotion could turn out to be a potential issue, however. All I had done was treat her like a person, and be severely attracted to her. She, in return, had clung to me like glue. I was sure I could navigate these potentially tricky waters, but it would be a challenge. I could only hope that by the end of it all, she still wanted me.

She mumbled in her sleep about finding a soft bear again, and I smiled once more. Since I was used to being overweight, was rather physically powerful, and was generally a rather fuzzy man, I was used to being called a bear. I found it incredibly endearing coming from her, though. She mumbled once again about a bear, and I rolled over, wrapping my arms around her small body, and held her close to my chest. She sighed softly and relaxed.

After about ten minutes, she opened her eyes and looked up. “Looks like that dream of a bear wasn’t too far from the truth, huh?” she said. She nuzzled my fuzzy chest. “You’re awfully comfortable. And warm. How can you stand being so warm all the time?” she asked.

I laughed softly. “I can’t, really. I hate being so warm all the time. Since I live in the Southern part of the US, it’s warm and humid for about half the year. Now that I actually have money, I can afford to move somewhere more comfortable. Maybe the Pacific Northwest,” I said.

She rolled her eyes. “Since I have zero idea of what you’re talking about, how about you show me what you’re going on about?” she asked.

“Certainly,” I said, scooting off the bed. I stretched and offered her my hand. She took it, and slid off the bed, following me to my computer.

It was late. Nearly nine PM, and I was starting to get hungry. I took a chair from the kitchen, and set it beside my computer chair. I sat in my chair, and she hers, and I opened an interactive world map. Orienting it on the US, I pointed out the various regions and explained their climates.

“So, we are in the Southern portion of the United States. Winters are usually mild, rarely dropping in the negatives, and summers are typically hot and humid.” I said, outlining the region. Scrolling to the left of the map, I said, “And here is the Pacific Northwest. Summers are usually mild, as are the winters. It stays in my personal comfort zone almost year round. Of course, land in that area is usually expensive, and I’ve had no way to really even think about a move there until now. During my time off from the Council, I plan to travel there and scout out some decent locations for a home,” I said wistfully.

“It sounds lovely. I hope I can go there someday,” she said, her face and neck flushing.

“Well, if I have my way about it, you will. I intend to get the land and have a home built, and hopefully, hopefully, have my beautiful Goblin there with me. I mean, why shouldn’t I? Why shouldn’t I get what I want, now that I can afford it?” I said, watching her expression go from shy to more and more hopeful with each word.

“Really? You want me with you?” she asked, her face split by a deliriously happy grin.

“Um, yeah. Why wouldn’t I? Look,” I turned towards her, taking her hands in mine. “Even if you and I wind up as simply close friends with the occasional bedtime romp, I’d want you close by. You’re fun to me, Gruldia. Why wouldn’t I want you here?” I asked, my face a mask of confusion.

“Just close friends? Ivor, I’ve told you that I want more than that, I need more than that with you,” she said, looking hurt.

“It’s a ‘What if’ scenario, sweetheart. Not a desire. My desire is to have you by my side in all things for the rest of my days. A team. Just us against the Multiverse,” I said with a smile.

She turned a darker shade of green, and her eyes began to get misty. “You mean like…a couple?”

“Yes, sweetheart. Just like a couple. Because in the end, that’s what I want,” I said with a shrug.

She giggled, her ears fluttering like mad. “Wanna know something neat? Well, two neat somethings…” she posed.

“Sure. Lay them on me.”

“First, I’d like that, too. A lot,” she said, giggling again. “And second? I remember everything from our last…session…in the bedroom. Everything. I clearly remember how loving and gentle you were, and how much you focused on me and my pleasure, and you commanded me, and how much I loved it. I didn’t think I was one of those kinds of people, but I guess I am. Explains a lot, don’t you think?” she said, biting her lower lip.

I smiled. “I’m glad you remember it. I hope that you have many more times like that with me. Sometimes, though, a short hard fuck is just what we need, and that’s what’ll happen. Most times? Most times I want to be just like last night,” I said.

She smiled, her ears fluttering. I reached over and pulled her into my lap, and she rested her head on my shoulder. “I know it’s just for a week, and it’s only been a day and a half, but this has already been the best time of my life, Ivor. If this is what life with you is like, then I’m all for this. I hope you can get that communications thing working, and contact Daktu’un for all the world to see. Then, I can work on getting the approval to come here to your planet on a more permanent basis. Once your world is admitted to the universe at large, there shouldn’t be a problem. I hope,” she said.

“Soon enough. But first, I’m hungry. Are you hungry?” She nodded. “Well then, let’s find something to eat. Besides you,” I said, kissing her gently. She giggled and got down off my lap.