Sometimes people ask for a follow-up. Usually I feel I've told the whole story and there's nothing more to say. But after the first part of "Naked Customs" StorySam from ASSTR challenged me. He suggested a story "...focused on the grandchildren of the characters. An attempt to show how the customs change in two generations." That idea lurked for a while until this story emerged. Hope you enjoy.
As always, don't read this if you shouldn't. If you like it, donate to the archive. My other stories are at
http://www.nifty.org/nifty/authors.html#krischrandes If you want to contact me drop a note to krchr@hotmail.com. I'll be slow to respond, but I'll get there.
"Where are you going?" mom asked.
"Personals," I answered.
Mom sighed. "Not like that you're not," she said.
"I don't want to go naked."
"It's custom."
"It's a dumb custom," I pouted. "You may have missed the news but we live on a planet now. Conservation isn't such a big deal."
"Watch your tone. We always need to conserve. And you follow customs. Where are you going today?"
I pulled off my underwear and handed them to her. "A gift for you," I said. "I'm going to go study at the library. I have an exam Monday."
Mom folded my underwear and put them on the shelf by the door. "Ok," she said. "I love you and I'll see you tonight."
It was cold in the stairwell as I walked naked down to the lowest level. The doors opened directly into the personals hallway and I turned right to go into the kids section which at 15 I still had to do. I pushed my way through the swinging doors and into the common area. I'd gotten up kind of late and there were only a couple of younger kids sitting around. Two girls and a boy. They paid no attention to me as I first went to the bathroom stall and then to a shower cubicle. There was no one around to share with.
I showered and dried then spent some time trying to get my hair right. The older generation still wore their hair ship-short. My generation took pride in long hair.
When I came out of the cubicle to the announcement of my water usage there was only one kid in the common area. It was Jak who was about my age, but I only knew him as part of my section. I nodded to him and he nodded back. We'd never shared but he was cute and I was a little horny. I thought about asking him but decided to get on with my day.
Back in our apartment there was no sign of my mother. I got dressed in a light shirt and pants, gathered my bag, and went back down the stairs to the section lobby where I retrieved my boots from my cubby. One didn't wear boots in the section or most interior buildings.
I stepped out into the courtyard into a pretty pleasant day, by Gee's standards, and walked the empty streets. I was one of the last babies born onboard before the final landing. I had lived only the year of my life on the ship and didn't remember any of it. But the fact that my first steps had been on steel instead of dirt would always set me apart.
When the ship arrived in orbit two generations ago planning for the colony kicked in to high gear. Direct observations confirmed what the probes learned about humanity's first extrasolar home. The planet, which came to be known as just Gee, turned out to be better than expected. The atmosphere was suitable. The temperature a little warm. The light was off but some genetic adaptation for us and our livestock took care of all of that. Algae-like ocean life provided the oxygen but no land plants had developed and no land animals. Remotely controlled robots built the shell of the city before the first landing, laying out the familiar pattern of sections and common spaces. The planners knew that generations raised shipboard would not be able to cope with surface construction so much of it was enclosed in tunnels.
Two generations later people started emigrating en masse. It was a one-way trip as we lacked the resources to send anything back up. The ship remained in orbit but as planned much of it had been scavenged to build the colony. Not everyone was willing and able to make the trip down and so those people stayed in the remaining habitable parts of the ship. We hoped to have a space program before the last one died. The ship should be able to maintain a habitable section for several hundred years but since no more children were being born up there it would eventually fall silent, and without human maintenance would die.
Most adults were uncomfortable outdoors, and there were few of us unafraid of the sky and old enough to be out on our own. The adults all stayed in the tunnels but dutifully took their kids to open-ceilinged play areas where the kids could become acclimated. It was a funny sight, the kids playing while the adults huddled just inside the door peering out. If it weren't for the bots doing street and building maintenance the whole city would probably have looked abandoned.
At the Center library I took off my boots and put them in a cubby and to find a study cubicle. Of course I could have done this from home since all of my work was available from any terminal, but I found coming here was the best way to focus. I found a free cubby, scanned in with my wrist, and started reviewing. When I'd made a pass through all of the material I decided to call it a day. A kid I didn't know came in to the library wearing shorts and sat down in a reading chair, propping his bare feet up on the table. He was from another section and I didn't know him. Something about the sight of his long bare legs got me going again. Custom forbid playing with people not from your section.
At the entrance I put my boots back on and went down into the tunnels. I had a quick meal in an automated restaurant where I watched the stream of my fellow colonists strolling or hurrying by. The difference in dress and style was sharp between shipborn and planetborn. I fell somewhere in the middle. I wanted to be more like the younger crowd but I was comfortable in the old customs even though I gave mom a hard time. I put my utensils away in their case and put them in my bag, then sat for a minute still undecided what to do.
I didn't want to go home just yet but I didn't have anything else I needed to do. I decided to go to the reservoir. Mom would be irritated if she knew but I didn't intend to tell her. I went and checked out a bike -- a recent reinvention. Powered vehicles were only for official use as the planetside resources were not able to support many of them yet.
Our city was located far inland from the nearest sea for a variety of geologic, ecologic, and meteorological reasons. With no land animals gates and walls were unnecessary but we had an ornamental gate. I passed through it and left the city, following the massive aboveground pipe that brought us water. Other than human construction there was nothing to see but dirt and rock. There was no wind today which kept the sand out of my face. I biked along the well-worn road lost in my own thoughts.
As I neared the reservoir and the foothills the terrain became more rocky. The reservoir itself was a fairyland of dark hexagonal rock columns. Exposed volcanic crystals I'd been told. The reservoir had been blasted out of this to collect water from the mountains and feed the city. Recently it'd become a swimming hole and gathering point for those few of us who were willing to venture outside.
When I approached the water I saw my friend Raj lying naked on a blanket he'd snuck out here somehow. He waved me over.
"What the hell you doing?" I asked.
"Relaxing," he said.
"Aren't you afraid someone will see you?"
"Not really. And if they do, so what? I'm naked in the personals every day."
"Yeah, but that's your section," I said.
I leaned the bike against a rock and came over and sat on the edge of Raj's blanket. I gratefully pulled off my boots and shirt to cool off. Raj had a nice body but I'd seen it plenty of times as we were section. Also he was straight as the day is long so we'd never shared.
"You're staying dressed?" he asked.
I nodded. "We're in public."
"I'm not seeing the difference," he said. "My great-great-something Uncle Raj, who I'm named after, wrote 'Ship Customs' with his husband."
"You've told me that a hundred times," I've said.
"And we read it two years ago for school," he continued as if he'd not been interrupted, "so you know the whole purpose of being naked with your section was the bond it produced. It made you part of a larger family. Any conservation was a byproduct."
"And your point is?"
"Those rules don't apply any more. Raj and Sam weren't sure what was going to happen when we colonized but they knew customs would change. Sections aren't going to exist in another generation. People will build more housing. We'll move around. We're going to dilute or remove that close bond with our section.
"Not sure I like that," I said.
"Always a traditionalist," Raj said. He was only a few months younger than me but he was planetborn.
"We're at a point in history where we get to consciously make a new set of customs for ourselves."
I thought about this for a second. "And what does this have to do with you being naked in public?"
"Probably nothing," Raj said. "I guess I just feel like we shouldn't be hung-up about section or not-section any more. And definitely should not be prudish about clothes. Not like Sol. Have you seen what they're wearing?"
"Not really," I said. "I gave up watching their stuff. None of it makes any sense."
"Anyway I guess I feel like this place is a section itself. Those few of us old enough to be here are kind of a section. We're the first of the natives. We should be open to each other."
I let it go and laid back to stare at the sky as we talked about school, our plans, and city politics. We both thought that the new Mayor was stuck too far in the past. This was obvious, I thought, even to a 'traditionalist' like me. Raj was studying orbital mechanics. Hoping to be one of the first missions to go back to the ship. He was excited about the prospect. I had no desire to see the place of my birth.
After a while Raj announced he was going in the water. He got up and hopped off the rocks to stand about chest deep. I watched him for a bit. I really wanted to go in but I was nervous. After a while, and quick look around to make sure we were the only ones there, I stripped off and joined him in the water.
"You ever skinny dipped before?" Raj asked.
"What's that mean?"
"It's when you swim naked. I've been reading."
"No one in the city knows how to swim," I said.
"True, but I think this counts."
At that moment two figures pulled up on their own bicycles. A boy and a girl about my age but from another section. I knew them by sight but not their names. I panicked realizing that my clothes were up on the blanket but Raj didn't seem bothered. They waved hello to both of us and Raj waved back.
"Mind if we join you?" the girl asked.
"Come on in," Raj said.
I watched as the two of them dropped their bags and started getting undressed, dropping their clothes on a nearby rock. I couldn't believe these kids from another section were getting naked in front of us. The girl had a nice body, if you're in to that sort of thing. But my eyes were on the boy. When he finally dropped his shorts I was shocked. He wore his hair long in the younger fashion but he'd shaved his pubes completely, making his dick seem all that much more impressive. No one in our section did that. I felt a slight rise happening in my cock and hoped they couldn't see it through the water.
As they stepped into the water Raj introduced me, "Mik, this is Liam and Cai from Tian Section. Liam and Cai, this is Mik."
I mumbled hellos at them as my brain finally clicked. I turned to Raj, "Oh, that Cai. Nice to finally meet you," I said turning to her. She laughed. "Raj talks about you a lot," I said.
Raj visibly blushed as Cai waded toward him. She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her body up against his. Picturing what was probably happening under the surface of the water made my cock twitch some more. I looked away awkwardly to see Liam giving me a rueful smile. "Nice to meet you," he said.
"Likewise."
I looked back to see Raj and Cai still kissing. Liam cleared his throat, "Hey," he said. "You two need a minute?"
"Not much more than a minute," Raj said. Cai poked him and giggled. "We'll be over there for a bit."
Cai led Raj out of the water and I got the enjoy the sight of his erection which he made no attempt to cover. Cai pulled a blanket from her bag and the two of them disappeared behind some rocks. We could still hear the giggling.
I looked over at Liam to seem him appraising me.
"Hello," I said again.
"Sorry about Cai," he said.
"I was going the say the same about Raj," I said.
"The two of them are as bad as rabbits," he said.
"Are they serious?" I asked.
"Yeah, I think so," he said.
"I wasn't sure," I said. "Raj was just telling me about how he thinks those of us who come here are a section."
"I suppose we are in a way... So you were wondering if they were just sharing or are about to sign a contract?" Liam asked.
"Yeah, I guess."
"More the later I think."
"What do you think about Raj's and Cai's idea that this place is a section."
"I dunno," I said. "I have to think about it. Though if we were 'Reservoir Section' I guess you could ask you to share," I said. The horniness seemed to be speaking for me.
"So do you want to share?" he asked.
"We probably shouldn't" I said.
"Probably not. But I'd like to," he said.
"Me too."
"I was hoping you'd say that." Liam stepped closer to me until our bodies were almost touching. Looking down into the water I could see we were both hard. He reached out his hand and took hold of my erection. I grabbed his.
"Can I ask why you shave?" I asked.
"I guess I just like the look and the feel," he said.
"Does everyone in your section?" I was curious, having never seen anyone outside my section naked before today.
"No," he said. "But I'm not the only one. Course it's hard to tell who shaves and who just doesn't have any yet." He laughed.
My focus turned back to his stroking and his closeness. He took another step to bring us together. He kissed my neck and rubbed over my back with one hand while he stroked harder. I fondled his balls as he gripped me hard and kept stroking. I lost interest in the rest of the world, including whatever Cai and Raj were doing. I started rocking my hips and grinding my body against Liam and he kept stroking me.
"I'm coming," I said. He didn't stop and shot several streams into the water. My whole body shuddered. "Thank you," I said looking back up at Liam. "I've been horny all day."
He smiled at me, "Me too."
"Well then," I said. "I guess I'd like to return the favor. Go sit up on the rocks."
He did as I requested, hoisting himself onto a rock where I could kneel over him. Up close his proud erection sticking up out of a nearly hairless crotch was a beautiful sight. I admired it a moment before starting to rub his body with my hands, spreading water droplets around. Then I took him in my mouth. His cock was a little large for me, but I made the best of it, sucking the tip and rubbing with my hands. He bucked his hips into the air as I continued. He tapped me on the shoulder to let me know he was coming, but I was happy to have it in my mouth and I swallowed most of it. When he was spent he sat up and looked at my slightly dazed.
"Thanks," he said.
"Any time," I said.
I looked over to see Cai and Raj sitting, still naked, on the blanket they'd earlier taken around the corner. Raj was soft again, I couldn't help but notice.
"How long have you two been there?" I asked.
"Long enough," Raj said. "Cai was right, you two make a cute couple."
I looked at Cai, and then at Liam. He gave me that rueful smile again. He said, "Cai's been trying to set me up with you for a while. Raj keeps telling her what a great guy you are." I looked at Raj and he looked away. Then I looked back at Liam. "Don't worry," he said. "I didn't agree to be set up or anything. But I did want to meet you. I didn't quite expect it to go like that. Not that I'm disappointed."
I didn't really know what to think. I'd just broken custom by either sharing with someone outside my section or having sex with someone I didn't intend to contract. Either way was bad. I had a hard time feeling remorse about it though. I'd shared many times with kids in my section. What was the difference?
I got up and went over to the other blanket and sat down. I at least needed to dry off before I could get dressed. Liam turned around on the rock watching me. I looked at him. He seemed concerned. I turned back to Raj and Cai. "I'm a little unnerved I guess that you two wanted privacy but watched us."
Cai lowered her head. "That's my fault. Raj and I have only done it a couple of times. I'm still nervous and a little shy."
"You're not shy now about being naked."
"No," she said. "I guess we're sort of a section. At least friends."
"I thought about this for a second. So if you decided to do it again you'd do it right here?" I asked.
"I guess so. Though I don't think Raj is ready to go again." She made a point of looking sadly at his flacid dick.
"Why," said Raj. "Did you want to watch?"
"Not really my thing," I grinned, relaxing a little.
I decided I was overthinking all of this. I looked back at Liam and gestured to the spot on the blanket next to me. He looked relieved the came over and sat down. After a while I pushed my body against him and he leaned in to me. It felt good. Maybe we would start dating. Maybe we would sign a contract eventually.
The four of us spent a pleasant hour talking. Two more kids came up on bikes and we convinced them to get naked and join us. Seemed like we were starting something here.
My other stories are at http://www.nifty.org/nifty/authors.html#krischrandes