snuggled the little dog in his arms, bending down to kiss his head. Tiny’s tail wagged and Ash patted his flank. “I think he can smell your human smell more now,” he commented.
“Think so?” Lin said. He looked down at Tiny fondly. “Here, Tiny. Do I smell human?” He held out his palm for him to sniff, and the dog licked it happily and barked.
Ash and Lin laughed, the sound of their laughter echoing along the ridge.
****
Jake brought the robosurgeon and the assistants as soon as Lin’s parts were grown and ready.
Ash held Lin’s hand as he started to go under from the anesthesia. As his eyelids flickered, Ash squeezed his hand, and smiled at him reassuringly. There was a small chance that the operation would fail; they would know as soon as Lin came out of the surgery.
Ash waited with Tiny in the living room. The operation was taking place in one of the station’s spare rooms that the robosurgeon’s assistants had sanitized and prepared for the operation.
It took three hours. Finally, the robosurgeon wheeled itself out, accompanied by its human assistants. In its mechanical voice, the robosurgeon announced, “Congratulations. The operation was a success. The patient will need to rest for several days. Thank you for your business.”
Ash rushed into the room. Lin was conscious already and he smiled at Ash, who sat down on the side of the bed. “How do you feel?”
“Tired,” Lin said. He sounded sleepy but in good spirits. “I’m bandaged up down there or else I would show you my new parts.” He grinned at Ash but Ash was still concerned. “Are you in pain?” he asked.
Lin closed his eyes. “A little,” he said. “The surgeon gave me pills. I’m supposed to take them for the next few days, but the surgeon said my own body will accept and assimilate the new organs on its own. Especially if I want it to,” he added. “And I do. So, soon I’ll be able to—”
“—Do whatever you want with me,” Ash said with a glint in his eye. He was looking forward to getting drilled.
Lin ’s eyes popped open. “Are you sure?” He looked so shocked that Ash couldn’t help laughing. When he calmed down, he nodded and told Lin, “Reciprocating is half the fun.”
He lowered his face to Lin’s and kissed him. “You’ll find that out soon enough.”
****
Lin healed, and tested as being fully human in a week, but Ash was cautious. “Let’s wait one more week before we, uh—”
“Before we what?” Lin asked innocently.
He was washing the dishes after dinner and Ash was leaning against the counter drinking coffee. “I just want to be sure you’re okay first.”
Lin ’s cheeks had a bit of pink in them now. His skin was gradually turning a Caucasian flesh tone. Two days before, Ash noticed dark roots in Lin’s hair and they ran to the mirror like a pair of kids, excited to see what color hair he had.
“It’s brown,” Ash announced. They stared at the mirror as Lin leaned in close and peered upward.
He turned to Ash. “Is brown a nice color?”
“Of course it is,” Ash replied. “Looks like your hair grows fast. You’ll be two-tone soon.”
At night Ash held Lin close, and Lin would tease him by grabbing his wrist and bringing his hand down to touch his new parts. “I’m getting you used to them,” Lin said one night, his eyes shining. Ash smacked his ass lightly and Lin giggled.
Ash liked Lin’s new parts. A lot. He marveled at how natural Lin’s penis and balls looked and felt; there were no stitches, seams or scars. Lin’s own will had helped to heal the incisions. It was as if he’d been born this way.
He’d enjoyed watching Lin taste food for the first time. Lin had woken up hungry two days after the surgery and Ash cooked him a breakfast of oatmeal with dried fruit and natural bee honey from Earth.
Lin put a spoonful of warm oatmeal in his mouth, along with the sweet fruit and golden honey—and his eyes opened wide. He beamed with pleasure.