(Man to Female Bear)


Downtown Atlanta: a sunshiney network of clubs, restaurants, and shopping centers.  Linda Thompson was happy to live nearby, and she counted each and every day as more special than the last.  She loved how the neighbors would smile and wave to her on her morning jogs, she loved how it was close enough to her university that she could save money by living with her mother and father, she loved almost everything about it.  Each day she counted herself blessed that her dad and mom made enough money to live there, and enough to send her to University of Atlanta.
Everything was great for the blonde sophomore, with one exception:  Ronald Thompson.  The bane of her life.  Her little brother.  She’d by far rather not be related to him, but her parents decided one child wasn’t enough, and so a year after her birth they’d had another.  He used to be a good kid, truth be told, but he’d been such a brat since he started attending college.
Linda didn’t know what had changed about him, but suddenly he was spend, spend, spend.  ‘Ronnie’ refused to be called as such, insisting everyone call him ‘Ronald’; and he sucked money from the family like an overcharged vacuum.  Nobody knew what ambitions drove the boy to constantly buy better clothes, though Linda suspected it was his attempt to suck up to the cool kids at school, maybe improve his social standing.
And if there was one thing Linda would give her little brother, it was that he desperately needed to be higher up on the food chain.  She’d inherited most of her family’s good looks, and while her brother wasn’t attractive, he was soft, weak.  Anyone could look at his freckled face and realize it would serve quite nicely as an impromptu punching bag, and that had gotten him into more trouble than the family would like to admit—though Ronald had complained about it constantly.
The worst part about Ronald was that he earned his money—he was a straight A student.  Of course, that came with the territory of not taking any challenging courses, but a 4.0 is still a 4.0.  Linda hated how sad her parents looked when discussing her 2.95 in comparison to Ronald’s astounding progress.  The worm knew which classes to take—she’d practically picked the best ones for him—and did he show even a single sign of thanks?  No!  Not in the slightest.  If there was any one thing Linda regretted in her life, it was helping Ronald get to where he was today.  He’d used her as a stepping stool, and she’d let him.

These were the thoughts that ran through the girl’s head as she helped herself to a bowl of Kix.  How could she have been so stupid?  Why did she think her little brother would ever consider returning the favor?  She crinkled her nose at the thought of him, then looked down to her toned chest.  It did give her the inspiration to work out, for what that was worth.
Her father folded the newspaper loudly, announcing the completion of his meal.  He looked to her, then to Ronald.  Naturally his gaze ended on his ‘pride and joy’.
“So kids, how are you doing?”  It was a question clearly meant for Ronald, but at least her dad tried to make it sound like it was open to the room.
“I got A’s on all of my midterms, and they guys at school are hanging out with me more often!”  Ronald chirped happily, ever-eager to kiss up.
“Atta boy, slugger.”  Her dad chuckled, applauding.
Ronald sighed, lowering his eyes to his plate, then bringing them up pleadingly.  Linda rolled her eyes; this would be good.  Her brother even went as far as to clear his throat before speaking.
“But...  I really hate to ask you this, but I need fifty dollars for the class trip today.  I really hate to ask you this, and you can make it an advance on my allowance if you want.”
Linda’s upper lip curled in disbelief as she saw her father reach for his wallet.  “Dad!”  She exclaimed.  “That’s not fair that he keeps getting these ‘advances’ that he never needs to pay back!  Why is it that I have to work day in and day out to earn a living, but he gets to do whatever he wants and make out like a bandit?”
Even as the words left her mouth, she knew it was too little, too late: her father had already passed him the bill, and it was secreted in the depths of Ronald’s cargo shorts, a place where money traveled if it was never to be seen again.
Her mother spoke up from the kitchen sink, a half-washed plate in her hands.  “Linda, you should stop complaining.  We all know your brother needs some extra help with his work.”  She set the plate down and started to scrub at it with a sponge.
Linda scoffed.  “What help?  The payment for his ‘class trips’ are covered in the basic tuition!  He’s just been buying stupid things like brand-name shoes and that tacky golden necklace!  How have you not been seeing these things?”
Ronald frowned at his big sister, narrowing his eyes.  “Hey, the necklace is not tacky.  Also, it was a gift from Dequembe on the football team.  Are you calling his African heritage tacky?”
Linda stood up, slamming her hands on the table.  “African heritage?  African heritage?”  She blinked, realizing all of the eyes in the room were on her.  She took a few breaths, closing her eyes as she calmed down.  She opened them to find everyone still looking at her, though they were much less on edge.  “I respect Dequembe’s *Haitian* heritage—” she stretched out the word, correcting him, “but that necklace is barely worthy of being sold on Canal street.”
“Oh, yeah?  Well—well—”  Ronald searched for a comeback.  Finding none, he resorted to insulting her again.  “Well how’s that Wildlife Management degree going for you, sis?  Any jobs in the closed market suddenly open up?”  A smirk worked its way across his face as he pulled his trump card.
Linda hated how her parents reacted to that every time he’d use it to end an argument.  Their eyes would widen slightly, then look downward, as though they were ashamed to admit their daughter’s lifestyle choices.  Not today, though.
Linda grinned victoriously.  “Actually, I just got a co-op at Roppert Town Zoo yesterday.  I’ll be able to spend the next year there as an intern, using it for class credits and getting paid for what’s basically a full-time job.  Plus, if they like me enough, they’ll even consider hiring me on full-time after I graduate.  And they love me.”
Linda took an unhealthy amount of delight from her brother’s stunned reaction, his mouth opening and closing as though he was a fish choking for air.  Her parents’ reactions only increased her elation, relieved—proud, even—smiles breaking across their faces.
“That’s great, dear!”  Her mother exclaimed happily, setting aside her plate so she could kiss Linda on the cheek.
“Thanks, mom.  Truth be told, you actually helped a lot with this.  They remembered that one time they called you in to help some of their sick monkeys, and recognized your last name.”  Linda smiled, kissing her mother back.
Linda’s mom turned to her father with a vindictive grin on her face.  “Take that, mister doctor!”  It had long been a sore point between the two that her mother had chosen a veterinary license while her father went on to become a doctor.  The older woman was glad for this chance to bump herself up another notch.
To Linda’s surprise, her dad didn’t seem to mind, laughing at the joke.  “All right, you got me.”  He mimed being shot, then looked to Linda with that same proud smile on his face.  God, she could just stay in this moment forever and it wouldn’t be too long.  “So honey, what exactly do you do for the zoo?  Ha, I made a rhyme there!”  He chuckled at his own wit.
Linda smiled graciously.  “Well, I do mostly small stuff.  Helping out with the animals, getting coffee, organizing files.  The boss really likes me, so he tries to give me interesting things.”  Linda paused, wondering if she should tell her parents.  She decided it was time to let them know of some of the dangers of the job.  “Just yesterday I had to weigh an old grizzly bear and lure him into a cage!”
“Whoa, whoa.”  Her father held up a hand, a stern look coming over his face.  “That doesn’t sound safe.”
Ronald saw his opportunity, jumping in.  “So basically you’re there to do anything to dangerous or dull for the actual employees?”
Linda opened her mouth to retort, but to her surprise, her father stepped in for her.  “Just like my first job.”  He laughed, slapping her shoulder.  “Damn, taut as mutton!  Have you been working out?”
Linda flushed with embarrassment.  “Well, I have been taking some after-school self-defense classes...”  She bit her lip as she smiled guiltily.
Her father’s proud smile grew even wider.  “Well, keep doing those!  That and your jogging have put you in shape to handle any old bear the zoo can throw at you.”
Linda smiled despite the heat in her cheeks.  “Actually, the bear might not be there for much longer.”  She blinked, then frowned as she thought of him.  “Old Blackbeard’s going to have to be put down, if we don’t find him a mate.  He’s been getting cranky in his loneliness, and there’s not much we can do.”
She trailed off, her frown widening.  Blackbeard had been one of the first exhibits at the zoo when she visited with her parents, and it was sad to see him go.  “He’s just too big and vicious; nobody wants to take him.  And no zoo or park nearby is willing to lend us a female, either.”  Linda really hated to see the old bear alone.
Of course, Ronald noticed her look, and tried to jump in again.  “So you need to take care of animals that are too old and have to be put down?  Talk about useless effort; though that’s kind of fitting, right guys?”  He laughed, his snorts seeming to echo around the room.
He was alone in that, and his mirth dimmed down as he realized he was the one who’d misspoken.
Linda glared daggers at him.  “I’ve had enough here.  I’m going for a morning jog before school.”  She slipped a tie around her hair, securing it in her customary ponytail.  “Bye Mom, bye Dad.”  She returned her dishes to the sink, giving her father a peck on the cheek on the way to her room.
She smiled as she could make out her father sternly talking to Ronald after she’d left.  Maybe his reign of favorite child was about to come to an end.  Still, she said she was going for a job, and she was a girl of her words.
She opened the door to her room, smiling to herself as she flopped on her bed.  She lay there for a moment, burying her face in her pillow to hide the smile that threatened to break her face in half.  She couldn’t help it; it was the first time in too long that they’d actually taken her side.  After getting her happiness out of her system, she jumped to her feet once more, performing a few quick leg stretches.
As she moved on to her arms, she looked down to find she was missing some clothes from her drawer.  She sighed; it looked like her mother hadn’t finished washing them.  Still, at least she had some old training clothes from high school.
She picked out a set of track shorts and a shirt, thanking God once again that she’d kicked the Freshman Fifteen to the curb.  The elastic slid snuggle around her waist, though her top was a little tight on her breasts, despite her sports bra.  Ah, well.  Nothing she could do—or wanted to do—about that.  She tied her laces, then was out the door, waving goodbye to her family.  Even to Ronald.
Her feet pounded asphalt as she lost herself to thoughts of where she went wrong with her brother.  These thoughts turned to thoughts of how he’d always tried to put her down at every opportunity; then to how she could get revenge.  As her shoes slapped against the road, a smile worked its way as she lost herself to her run.  Too soon, it was over.  She panted gently as she made her way to the bathroom, tossing her sweat-stained clothes in the hamper outside.  She’d need to think of a better way to get revenge on him.  ... Later.  For now, this shower was just too good...  She moaned slightly as she slipped a finger inside her vagina, her thumb massaging her clitoris as she did her best to relieve some of the tension she build up while running.
She gasped, whining as her fingers brushed against her g-spot.  She lifted a shaky hand to lower the showerhead between her legs to increase her pleasure, and she shuddered as electric tingles of pleasure shot along her back.  Oh yes, this was definitely a well-needed break from running...  The girl bit her lip as she continued to finger fuck herself, her breath hitching as she drove her young body to climax, water trailing down her smooth skin, mingling with the sweat and ejaculate in the drain.

Ronald smirked as he heard the door close behind his sister.  9:00 on the dot.  She was such a goody-two shoes.  Though her work ethic was definitely his benefit...  The young brunette crept towards the hamper, pausing at the doorway of the bathroom.  A moment later, he heard the shower turn on, and he grinned, all need for stealth lost now.  He’d have fifteen minutes to look over his new merchandise, not that he’d need that much.
His grin grew wider as he looked into the bin.  Sweat-soaked underwear, a drenched t-shirt, even a training bra!  This was definitely a profitable haul.  Not to mention a tasty one...  Ronald breathed in the sweet scent of his sister’s scent, feeling himself get slightly hard.  Her moans from the bathroom brought him to full mast, and for a moment, he considered jacking off into her panties then and there, using her sweat as lube.
Not today though...  Today was a day for business.  He could always jerk it on Thursdays, when she had her self-defense classes.  Sometimes she’d get a little ‘excited’ when beating her classmates into the ground.
He slipped them into separate Ziploc bags, closing them for freshness.  The boy had to stifle a chuckle as he thought of what Ziploc’s president would have to say on the misuse of their slogan.  Or his sister’s reaction, were she to find out that she was the one who was funding his ‘tacky’ accessories.  His grin turned to a frown as he remembered the slight.
‘Tacky’.  That would cost her...  One set of socks.  He put each in a sandwich bag, then labeled all of his spoils with a sharpie.  Socks weren’t the best of sellers, but they definitely were a hassle to lose.  Plus, that Korean kid from across the street was always a buyer.  And here he’d thought the Japanese were into weird things...  Minutes later, Ronald was out the backdoor, ready for a little ‘diversion’ before classes.  His eyes lit up as he noticed a trio of his usual customers.
“Hey yo, Romaster, what’s up?”  Dwayne grinned from ear to ear, bobbing his head to some unheard song.  His dreadlocks bounced in time with the beat, and the young man offered Ronald a handshake.
Ronald frowned slightly with concentration as he tried to recall the exact order of things.  Fist bump, turn, slide, clasp hands, eye contact, then break.  Damn, he was good.
“You got anything in stock today?”  Dwayne grinned.  He snapped his fingers as he fumbled for his wallet, stowed somewhere in the corporate khakis of a nearby grocery store.
Arnie piped up next.  “I—I want something those huge knockers bounced around in.”  The freckled redhead fumbled with the collar of his shirt anxiously.  He was probably the oddest, yet most expected customer of Ronald’s: a prep-schooled ultraCatholic.  All of that repression no doubt left him full to burst in more ways than one.
“Your sister, is hottest bitch around!”  Park Yoon said by his way of an introduction.  Ronald loved dealing with him the most, if only for how fun it was to talk to the Korean boy.  Plus, the kid was polite, and Ronald had to give him points for that.
Ronald held up his hands.  “Easy, easy boys.  You know what, you’re in luck.  We’ve got panties, a sports bra, one shirt—soaked to perfection, and—just for you, Park—a pair of gently worn running socks.”  The boys laughed at Park Yoon’s reaction to that, a slow and lecherous smile breaking across his Asian features.  Ronald continued.  “I know you want it, you love it, so I got you some top-tier stuff.  All of it’s fresh off my sister, too.”  Ronald felt his blood flow towards his other head for a moment, and had to pause.  “Actually, I’m going to save the panties for myself.”
“Aw c’mon man, don’t be like that!”  Dwayne laughed, lightly slugging Ronald in his shoulder.
Ronald gave him a mischievous smile.  “Hey man, a guy can’t help but taste his own supply every now and then.  Got to make sure it’s still good, am I right?”
Arnie nodded sagely.  “T-truth be told Mr. Ronald, I’m surprised you’ve been able to keep it in your pants around her for so long.”
Mister Ronald?  Well, it was better than Mister Thompson, at least.  Ronald turned to his morally-educated comrade, giving him a hopeless shrug.  “Every now and then, I think about how you guys would try and live complete lives without me and I realize, I couldn’t do it to you.  So, bidding starts at $50 for the training bra, let’s get the best out of the way first...”

Linda stepped out of the shower, sweat and steam trailing from her body as she toweled herself off.  She bit her lip as the soft cotton of her towel met her nether regions, still sensitive from the morning’s ‘activities’.  Then, she turned to look herself in the mirror.  Full breasts, a toned body, what she considered to be a pretty face...
She could easily go out into the dating world if she wasn’t so busy with work and school.  Still, now that they were one and the same, she might be able to make the time.  She wrapped her towel around herself as she went to her bedroom to go get dressed.
A moment later, she was on her way out, off to work at a light jog.  The trees were as green as ever, she sky was blue, even the birds were chirping.  She didn’t know why, but she felt today would be one of the best days of her life.  It was such a beautiful day, even that Korean kid from across the street was outside.
She waved at him, but he was too busy doing something to notice.  She squinted, and it looked like she was...  Sniffing her sock?  It was undeniably hers, she had to wear an old pair of Christmas socks on her morning jog.  He removed his nose from Rudolph’s face, looking up at her with a strange mixture of guilt, shock, and attraction.  Ew.
He squeaked, and stood, no doubt trying to run from her.  Like hell she’d let him get away!  He made it three steps before she was upon him.  She expertly grabbed one of his arms, swept his legs from under him, and cupped a hand behind his head as she introduced his face to the curb.  His nose met pavement with a loud crunch, and the boy started to sob uncontrollably.
“Can it, kid.”  Linda hissed into his ear, grinding a knee into his back as she lifted his head up by the hair.  She spoke again, her every word dripping with the promise of further pain.  “So.  You’re the one who’s been stealing my clothes.”
The boy gasped as she pulled his arm violently back, his joint making some unhealthy popping sounds.  “No!  I swear, is not me!”
She could believe that, the kid was weak, definitely not the sort to do this on his own.  Linda snarled, moving her grip to his palm.  “Then who?  Tell me or I break every bone in your arm, starting with your fingers.”  She applied extra pressure to his palm, and the Asian boy whimpered as he felt the joints begin to grind against one another.
“W-was your brother!”  He whimpered loudly, trying to save his own skin.  “Was Ronald!”
Linda let up the pressure on his hand, and she could feel him sigh with relief.  Then, she slammed his head against the pavement once more.  “Liar.”  Ronald was a dick, but he wasn’t a pervert.  Whoever it was probably lied to the kid, pretending that he was her brother.  If that was the case, she probably wouldn’t get any more information out of him.  Much as she’d like to beat him further, it probably wouldn’t be beneficial.  Her watch chimed, and Linda’s eyes widened.  She’d set an alarm last night in case if she took too long in the shower.  She probably had ten minutes to get to the zoo if she wanted to get to work on time; she’d need to leave now unless she wanted to show up a sweating, tired mess.
She tore her sock from the Asian’s grasp and set off at a brisk pace.  Then, she paused.  The kid probably had more of her clothes...  She turned to his bloody form to leave him some parting words. “Listen up, kid.  Show up here tomorrow with the rest of the clothes you’ve stolen from me, unless you want me to actually break your arm.  Because I will find you.”  She spun on her heel and continued her walk to work, stuffing her sock in her pocket.  Well, that was one mystery solved.  It was shaping up to be a good day.

It was shaping up to be a good day.  Ronald grinned, walking up to his friends.  The guys from around the neighborhood had ended up paying him nearly two hundred dollars for his sister’s clothes, not a bad deal at all.  It definitely made up for what happened at breakfast that morning.  Ronald hooked a thumb under his necklace so that it would catch more light.
“Damn, son!  How the hell’d you get that?”  Shane nodded approvingly at his new accessory, the quarterback pulling a hand from his sleeveless hoodie to give Ronald a thumbs-up.
Ronald beamed.  ‘Tacky’, his ass.  “Oh, you know, I make some extra scratch on the side.”  He turned his head slightly and caught sight of the approaching bus.  “So, anyone know where we’re going?  Some engineering lab again?”  That was the problem with easy A classes, they always turned into a tedious chore.
Shane smiled happily.  “Nah, it’s actually cool!  They’re taking us to the zoo!”
Ronald’s face fell.  He’d probably just be watching dumb animals all day, then.  And smelling them, of course.  Zoos were hardly the cleanest place, and he didn’t want to mess up his new sneakers.  Not that he couldn’t afford new ones...  Also that meant he’d be outside, so he’d chance getting a sunburn from the experience.
“Something the matter, bro?”  One of the other jocks asked, tilting his head.
Yeah, plenty was the matter.  But the guys seemed to be really excited for this, so he couldn’t just shoot them down.  “Nah, it’s nothing.”  Ronald waved his hand, grinning.  “Just thinking about how Mr. Duvall will react when he sees two animals boning!”  He laughed, and hi-fived the jock.  “Probably reminds him of his love life back home!”
Shane burst into laughter too, wrapping an arm around Ronald.  “This is why I love this guy!”
The group filed onto the bus, making crasser and crasser jokes as the journey continued.  Then, they got to the zoo, and the crowd hurriedly filed out, eager to view all of the exhibits.  Mr. Duvall tried to rein them in, telling them to meet up in three hours to go over the new MRIs zoos had, but he soon realized it was a lost cause.
Ronald laughed at his futile efforts, then did his best to have fun at the zoo.  He had fun comparing some of the girls form Sig Psi to gorillas, laughed as Shane did a brilliant chimpanzee impression, and then fell into a deep, unbreakable boredom.  There was nothing to do besides look at animals and joke around, and even though he didn’t mind doing that, it wasn’t really entertaining.  If only there was some way he could find something to do...
He shifted his backpack, thinking of its contents and maybe running off to the bathroom for some alone time.  Then, he chuckled at his own stupidity.  This was Roppert Zoo, where his sister worked!
“Something wrong, bro?”  Shane leaned down, concern clearly written across his features.
Ronald grinned at him, shaking his head.  Shane was a good guy, deep down.  Transparent, but the kind of guy who seriously cared.  “Nah, I’m good.  I just remembered there was something I’ve got to do alone...”  He saw the big guy was unconvinced.  “Let’s just say that there’s a girl who works here that I’d like to talk to.”
Shane nodded, relaxing his shoulders as a conspiratorial smile broke across his face.  “Sure thing bro.  Don’t you go losing that V-card without suiting up first, okay?”  He blinked as he realized he’d spoken a little loudly, but nobody noticed, to both of their reliefs.
Ronald laughed, waving him off.  “Will do, buddy.”  At that he set off in search of his sister.
Unsurprisingly, the security at the zoo was laughable.  He just had to smile and say he was Linda’s baby brother to anyone who looked his way, though he could feel some of the looks lingering with distaste.  Whatever; they probably were making less than a tenth of what he’d make after graduating.
He kicked open the door to the veterinary department, ready to give his sister a warm greeting.

“What up, bitch?”
That was a voice she’d rather not have heard.  Linda sighed, making sure the sick toucan had eaten its share of the banana-nut paste they’d made for it.  She locked the cage securely, then turned to find her little brother standing in the doorway, his arms spread wide to mark his entrance.
“I said what up—”
“I heard you the first time.”  Linda sighed.  “I guess this is where your school trip is?”
“Ho’s got the knows!”  He struck a rap pose, then laughed.  “Nah, I’m just fucking with you.  Hey, can you imagine if I talked like that, though?”  He strode purposefully over to Rob’s computer, plopping his ass in the seat.
“I can’t talk you out of using that, can I?”  Linda rolled her eyes as she mixed another spoonful of food for the toucan.
Ronald looked over his shoulder, already moving the mouse.  “Nope.”
“Just use an incognito tab and try to keep it down, I’ve got to concentrate on this.”  She blinked at her own words.  It was common courtesy, but knowing what Rob looked at in his own free time, nothing her brother could do would come close.  Still, she had to impose limits.  
“Already done.”  Ronald grinned as he pulled up a series of tabs for clothing advice.  Good, he could use it.
Still, though.  Clothing...  Linda added some nuts to the paste she’d made, stirring them in well.  “Hey, Ronnie.  You know anything about my clothes going missing?”  He wasn‘t really a suspect, but then again, he did have a mysterious supply of cash.
Ronald frowned at her remark, spinning the chair to face her.  Then, he spun it around again, kicking his legs out.  “Hey, this is fun.  But yeah, no idea.  I heard Mom saying something about giving away a bunch of clothes to the Red Cross.  Something or other helping starving kids.  Doesn’t she know they get the losing team’s Super Bowl t-shirts?  If it helps, she gave away a set of my jeans, too.  Designer ones, too.  She said ‘You don’t have any place wearing ripped jeans...”
Linda toned him out, satisfied that he wasn’t at fault.  For all of his misdeeds, this was something he was innocent of.  Good thing too, because otherwise she’d murder him.  “Yes I would, yes I would!”  She chirped to the toucan, holding out another spoonful of feed as she contemplated how easy it would be to kill him and dispose of the body.  She’d probably say he went to boarding school...
As usual, Ronald broke her reverie.  “Hey, stop doing that for a sec and watch my stuff.  I’ve got to go to the men’s room, so make sure the PC doesn’t sleep.”
Linda rolled her eyes, continuing to feed the bird.  Suddenly, Ronald’s bag started blaring loud rap.  The toucan cawed in surprise, beating its wings against the cage as it struggled to escape whatever was scaring it.
“Gonna bust nuts in a ho, then a cap fo sho’, fuck her raw, in my car, leave her pussy torn up!  Gonna bust nuts in a ho...
The song continued to repeat as Linda dug through his bag frantically.  “God damn imp, where she shit do you hide your phone?”  Textbook, notebook, bag with panties, phone!  She grinned, pulling the LG out from his sack, muting a call from... Shane?  Wasn’t he the quarterback and was there a bag of panties in her brother’s backpack?
The phone clattered to the floor as Linda turned to the sack once more, her body numb with shock.  She turned it upside down, a snarl creasing her features as she gazed upon the offending item.  She owed the Park kid an apology.  Maybe she’d hit him less hard next time she saw him, she’d need that energy for when she laid into her brother.  She wasn’t sure if she’d do a jumping kick, a roundhouse, a back kick, but one way or another her foot would be meeting his nuts in a most unpleasant manner.