Date: Fri, 10 Jan 2014 08:50:12 -0800
From: Kris Chrandes <krchr@hotmail.com>
Subject: Naked Customs 2

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