The whole of the next day was something of a blur. Richard cleared the fields and fed the horses as usual before calling the vet to see if Luther had time to stop by. Upon hearing a mare had given birth that very morning, he said he'd clear a spot to get out there that afternoon. True to his word, he arrived just as Allen and Richard finished their first test race of the day. As Richard groomed the filly he'd been riding, Allen took Luther to visit Bessie. The initial examination was very promising. They both appeared in perfect health, though they wouldn't know for sure until he'd run some tests. While he was there, he also made future appointments for the foal's first shots and such.

When Richard finally got to the chickens, he found Hank waiting, and he was pleased to hear everything had gone smoothly with Bessie. He was also honoured to be invited over to see the foal in person. It was an enchanting little thing as it hopped around its mother, who was patiently grazing from the hayrack. They'd be kept in for the first week, if not longer, to give them time to bond and strengthen the foal's immune system. With the immune system in mind, Hank was content to remain outside the stall and watch from a distance. He didn't think the mare would be too pleased with strangers in her stall, handling her foal.

Allen planned to stay on for a day or two to ensure the foal was doing well, and with that being the case, Hank invited both of them to The Nag's Head to celebrate. It was the first foal born at the stables, and Richard's first foal entirely. It was worth celebrating. The pub was quiet, giving Rose the chance to join them and share cooking tips with Allen, who was as impressed as Hank with her skills in the kitchen. While they swapped recipes, Richard listened to Hank talking about his new lambs and piglets. Luther was busy as ever with all the new animals being born, though it helped that the more experienced farmers like Hank largely knew what they were doing.

Upon returning to the house, Richard and Hank lingered outside to say goodnight, though Allen insisted it wouldn't bother him if Hank stayed over. Despite that, Richard couldn't help feeling it would be a little strange having his best friend just down the hall. Hank excused himself anyway, saying he had to get Sumo and Connor settled for the night. Accusing him of giving him that look again, Hank kissed Richard senseless and left him panting against the front door before excusing himself. It was almost cruel to leave him like that when he wasn't staying over to take care of the little problem he'd just caused.

Everything continued for the next week as normal. Allen returned to his apartment in the city and took to visiting every day like before. They continued their test races and Richard trained the jumpers as usual while Allen picked up work around the stables and helped Hank up in the loft. Unlikely as it seemed, Allen was helping Hank figure out what some of that old equipment was for. When he'd asked about it, Hank simply said it looked like hobbyist stuff. What that meant, Richard wasn't sure, but Hank and Allen both said they'd sort it.

The two injured hens had soon healed well enough that Hank thought it was safe for them to return to the main coop. This was a good thing for them and Nines, who now had free rein of the recovery pen and didn't need to spend half the day in his crate. With the hens all together and no trouble in sight, Nines had a great time walking freely around the pen, picking at the earth. He seemed much happier being able to socialise with the hens all day, and his crate was left open in case he need to eat, drink, or rest. The only time Richard put the lid on was in the evening when the hens were shut in the coop. Regular visits with Gavin were also perking him up.

Though still attentive, Gavin was less wary of Nines' injuries as time wore on. It seemed he could tell they were hurting less and Nines was regaining his usual vigour. They played a lot more, running around the pen, jumping and kicking, but not so badly that they hurt each other. Gavin regularly flapped and puffed himself up, and Nines would regularly raise his tail and submit to his advances, allowing him to carefully climb on his back and pluck his neck feathers. However, as time wore on and Nines regained strength, these submissions became less frequent, sometimes leading to a flurry of loud caws and flapping wings.

Richard asked Hank about it, and Hank put it down to frustration. Before his injury, Nines had always been the dominant party in their strange relationship. Being vulnerable had made him more willing to submit, but as he recovered, the urge to return to his former role was getting stronger. Unfortunately, his injured wing, strapped down as it was, kept him at a disadvantage. Had he wanted to, Gavin could have fought and forced him to submit, but he'd thus far settled for disgruntled squawking and flapping his wings. They still had two weeks to go before Nines' wing would be checked and hopefully unbound. Until then, Richard thought it might be better to cut down the amount of visitations to stave off any physical confrontations.

Hank also broached the subject of bringing Sumo for another visit. Richard was less than enthused, but as Hank pointed out, he'd already petted him once. With that in mind, Richard found himself pacing by the coop as Hank walked Sumo into his yard again. Remembering his last visit, Sumo patiently sat at Hank's side and waited for cues. They closed in to around ten feet away and then stopped. Richard watched warily as Sumo sat, happily panting as he looked to Hank for guidance.

"Last time, I brought him to you. This time, I want you to come here." That sounded sort of reasonable, but it was a lot harder than it sounded. His legs seemed to seize up at the very thought of stepping forward. "Take your time." It seemed Hank understood his predicament, and the underlying frustration. It shouldn't be so hard! He'd already touched the damned thing once! Walking over there should be easy. It was only a few steps, and yet his legs trembled at the very thought. He felt jittery, the way he felt when he hadn't eaten for half a day. "You're alright..." The gentle gruff of Hank's voice went straight to his cock as he tried to coax him.

"I-I know it's just a few steps, but..." Richard couldn't help feeling silly. Sumo was on a lead, panting happily without even a hint of a growl. He was probably more likely to lick him to death than bite him. Though I'm not sure that's a plus...The idea of being slobbered on was equally unappealing.

"I know. Don't worry about how long it takes." Getting there was half the challenge. Hank knew it may take some time. Richard licked his lips, dark eyes focusing on Sumo, who was still sitting there wagging his tail. Come on, just move your foot! His foot was less than cooperative. He heaved a frustrated sigh, his hands bunched into fists, nails biting his palms. "I'll kiss you if you come here. How's that?" Richard scoffed at the notion. As if that would help! Despite thinking that, he did manage to take his first small step.

"Don't." The last thing Richard wanted to hear was some funny quip about how easy he was to persuade. Despite his objection, Hank did level him with a rather smug smirk as he waited. Richard took another breath as he looked at his feet. He'd taken a step, and the world hadn't ended. Proof that he could do this.

"Come on...Attaboy." Familiar prickles darted across his neck at the sound of Hank's voice, cock twitching greedily at the crumbs of praise. "That's it, Richie..." It was slow going, but he finally managed to reach Hank, who hadn't forgotten about his earlier promise. The moment he was within reach, Hank had already cupped the back of his head to pull him into a smouldering kiss. Richard hummed, hands fisting in Hank's shirt as rough whiskers grazed his lips. Pulling back, Hank kept an arm around his waist to keep him steady as they turned their attention to Sumo, who had jumped to his paws, eager to be included. "You made it."

"Yeah..." But now what?

"Go ahead and pet him." Richard was less than thrilled by the prospect. It wasn't so bad last time...That was true. He was soft, at least. With that in mind, Richard held up his hand and balled his fist, worried about his fingers being bitten. Hank watched proudly as Richard lowered his hand to Sumo's nose to let him sniff his knuckles. With a small snuffle that sounded a lot like a sneeze, Sumo nosed the curled up hand in invitation. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Richard settled his palm on top of his head and stroked a short path down his neck.

Sumo panted happily, tongue lolling out and tail wagging as he accepted the gentle strokes. They weren't as good as Hank's, of course, but they were acceptable. The pressure increased a little as Richard found some sense of comfort. Stroking Sumo really wasn't so bad. He was a dopey thing, really, without even a hint of aggression. Richard wasn't sure if he'd always been this way or if he'd mellowed since retirement. It was hard to believe he'd once guarded the sheep as that great white beast did now. He couldn't imagine Sumo doing something so violent as tearing a fox apart. Then again, I wouldn't have thought it of the other one, either...Looking at the fence, Connor was standing there, once again looking wounded at not being included.

"You're doing great...How about you take the lead?"

"How about I what?" Before he could even think to object, Hank had already thrust the leather handle into his hand. Richard was now holding a dog. Not exactly holding, but he had the lead that was supposed to control the dog. His heart thudded as he looked at Sumo to see if he'd noticed. "H-hey!" Hank stepped away, leaving him holding the lead. Richard watched aghast as Hank leaned over the fence to ruffle Connor's ears, which seemed to appease him somewhat as he hopped up for more attention.

"Go ahead and walk him around a bit. Don't worry if he starts to pull, just tug him back, and if he's too rough, you can drop the lead. He won't go far." Easy for you to say! Sumo huffed happily, apparently eager to get started. "If you manage a walk around the yard, I'll give you a reward." Richard frowned at that. Did he really look like he could be bribed into taking part in this madness? Wasn't it enough that he'd walked over all by himself and put his hand on the damned thing's head? Sumo tugged a little as he turned in a circle, tail wagging as he pulled Richard towards Hank. Hank chuckled softly, ruffling Sumo's ears as he pawed at his boot. With little choice but to follow, Richard joined him, keeping a wary eye on Connor, who was still leaning on the fence to his right.

"What kind of reward?" Hank smirked, reaching over to pet Connor as he whined.

"Whatever you want." Richard wasn't sure how far that really extended, but it was appealing enough to make him sigh and grip the lead. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Hank had already said he could let go of the lead if Sumo pulled too much, and he'd been pretty well behaved so far. Grumbling under his breath, Richard gave the lead a gentle tug to get Sumo's attention. Hank chuckled as Sumo remained where he was, unwilling to move.

"Go on, boy," Hank urged with a nudge on his flank. Sumo did as he was told and lumbered at Richard's side as he traced a path along the edge of the coop. On the whole, Sumo was pretty good. He insisted on stopping to sniff every few feet, and Richard was less the pleased as he peed on his plants and garage door, but he didn't pull too much. It was actually Richard who had to do most of the pulling to make him move. Once he caught a scent, he wanted to thoroughly explore it before moving on. "You're doing great!" Hank praised as he watched, both hands now busy doting on Connor as he huffed and panted.

"He's not so bad..." It was a grudging admission as Richard scratched behind one of Sumo's ears. Having completed a circuit of the yard, Richard returned the lead to Hank with a relieved sigh. That session had gone a lot better than he thought it would. He'd never dreamed he'd end up walking a dog, even if it was just a short circle around his own yard. Allen would probably have a heart attack if he saw.

"So? What do you want?" It seemed Hank hadn't forgotten his earlier offer.

"Huh? Oh...uh..." Richard's mind blanked at the question, suddenly unable to think of a single thing he wanted. "A-a bath?" His cheeks coloured slightly at the meek response as Sumo sat on his feet and almost knocked him over. Hank hummed thoughtfully. It was an odd request, but who was he to argue?

"I think I can manage that," Hank teased as he pulled Sumo up. "Go on into the house and get ready. I'll come over as soon as I've got these two settled." Richard did as he was told and stumbled into the house, still unable to believe what he'd done. Had he really just walked a dog in exchange for a bath? Why a bath? He'd just panicked, and it was the first thing that came out of his mouth! Hank probably thought he was insane, or a pervert, or both! He couldn't help feeling nervous as he entered his room and did as Hank said.

Pulling off his clothes, he huddled in his bathrobe on the edge of the bed, feeling more than a little nervous. This was weird. Hank probably thought it was weird, right? On the other hand, it was just a bath. It's not like he'd asked for kinky sex or anything weird like that. Are we even in the right place to ask for things like that? Not that he would. It wasn't something he had any experience in, besides what Allen had told him. His heart kicked up a notch as he heard quiet steps on the stairs and his door opened.

"Alright, your highness. You just sit there while I get the bath ready for you." Richard's chest fluttered at the teasing smile he got, eyes thinning as he tried to remember when he'd heard that nickname before. He barely even stammered out an agreement before Hank padded through to the bathroom to start the water. Richard couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed as he waited. He probably could have asked for something better, or more normal. Judging by the perfumed smell that was soon drifting in from the bathroom, Hank was taking his job seriously. He'd used at least two kinds of salts and lotions to scent the water. Upon entering the bathroom, Richard found his large porcelain tub had been filled two-thirds high with water and bubbles, and the air was thick with mist, suggesting the water was good and hot.

"U-um, thanks..." Richard hesitated, hugging the robe around himself as he looked from the water to Hank. Was he supposed to just get in? Was Hank staying or did he consider his job done?

"Allow me." Hank's clothed body pressed up behind, fingers gripping the opening of his robe to gently pry it loose. Richard stiffened a little, feeling self-conscious as the towelling material was peeled away. Covering himself was almost instinctual, especially with the way his cock twitched. Hank stepped away to discard to robe, but returned a moment later to run his rough hands down his naked sides. "Are you ready?" Richard shivered, skin prickling as Hank's whiskered teased his neck and shoulder. "Climb in." An encouraging pat on his ass soon had him stumbling to the edge of the tub.

"Are you staying?" So far, Hank had made no move to remove his own clothes, but he hadn't left either. It was sort of sweet, the way he took his arm as he lifted his leg to climb in. A strong presence to make sure he didn't fall. Richard felt a little better once he was submerged. The bubbles gave him some modesty, and the water was exactly the right temperature to feel hot without scalding his sensitive skin. It seemed Hank remembered his preference from the times they'd showered together.

"Of course...You wanted a bath, so I have to get you clean." Richard squirmed under the smouldering look he was receiving, imagining all the things that cleaning might entail. Hank chuckled fondly, as if he could see the cogs turning. It seemed he'd come prepared. He had a white bowl that Richard didn't recognise, which he used to scoop up water to pour over his head. "Head back, Richie..." Richard did as he was told and looked up as the water soaked his hair. It seemed Hank intended to start at the top.

With the telltale squirt of a bottle, long fingers laced in his hair, slowly working up a foamy lather. Richard leaned into it with a low hum, closing his eyes and almost melting into the circling fingers. Hank knew it, too. He chuckled softly, deliberately shifting the pressure to make Richard tilt his head this way and that, chasing his fingers. Just when it was getting frustrating, Hank dug in his fingertips to give him a proper massage before rinsing with the bowl, reminding him to lean back and keep his eyes closed. Fuck, the massage was reward enough. He would have been happy if Hank had just stopped there. His head felt dazed and fuzzy as he opened his eyes, a lazy feeling of contentment washing over him.

"You like that?" He vaguely managed a nod as Hank smiled and lifted his arm. Richard wasn't sure where the sponge came from, but it felt sort of nice. It was softer than the plastic scrunchies he was used to, but still rough enough to gently scrub the surface. Hank rubbed circles up and down his arm from wrist to shoulder, being sure to work the sponge underneath as well. It was nice. Richard had never been pampered like this before. "Let me get your face...Close your eyes." Richard did as he was told, keeping his eyes shut as Hank's fingers stroked and massaged his sensitive skin. Using the sponge, Hank squeezed water and stroked away the soap before moving on to his neck.

"Have you done this before?" Richard asked softly as Hank scrubbed circles on his back.

"Sure! Back when my wife was pregnant, I used to do it all the time, and then Cole came along and..." Hank trailed off, swallowing the memories that had brought up. It was still painful, but time had mostly dulled the ache. Sometimes he could even smile. His hand, which had also stilled, picked up again as he shrugged it off, though he noticed Richard had stiffened a little. He was hesitant to ask. Hank had been alone at the house since he'd moved in. At least, he'd never noticed anyone else. He certainly never saw a child. Hank was older though. Had he grown up and moved away?

"I-I didn't know you were married." Even though he'd never seen her, if he had a wife, what did that mean for whatever this was? Was he the other man in this scenario? The sponge on his back paused again as Hank thought over how to answer.

"I am...was. They died a few years ago. Had an accident on the freeway on the way back from visiting her folks...I stayed behind that day, busy with the farm." It was something he often regretted. Maybe if he'd been driving, things would have been different. It was probably an egotistical thing to think, but he couldn't help but wonder. Could he have swerved? Would he have taken a different route than his wife? Would they have stayed longer? She was probably only coming home so early to keep him company. Maybe they would have spent the night with her parents. It doesn't matter now.

"Shit, I'm sorry!" Richard had been thinking about infidelity or divorce. He'd never imagined the answer would be so heartbreaking. He felt bad for asking as he looked over his shoulder with wide eyes. It wasn't a loss he could even comprehend. Although he'd lost people in life, grandparents and such, it had never been unexpected and never so tragic as that. Whiskers tickled his temple as Hank gave him a peck and returned to soaping his back.

"It doesn't matter...It was a long time ago." It must have been coming up on four years. The first two had been pretty rough, but he couldn't afford to wallow. Not with the farm depending on him. Clearing out the house had helped a lot, getting rid of those constant reminders and things he didn't need. Richard fell silent, unsure he should speak on it further. It was Hank's business, so it would be rude and inconsiderate to pry. He really knew all he needed to know. Hank had suffered a terrible loss. "But that's not what we're here for..." Richard balked as a hand slipped between his thighs to stroke his cock, a surprised moan slipping out.

"A-are you sure you want to-" Richard's head fell back with a gasp, legs parting as the hand tightened and squeezed. It seemed somewhat surreal to go from something so sad to something so sinful. Not wanting to get Hank's clothes wet, Richard gripped the sides of the tub as Hank leaned over to attack his lips.

"Very sure." Drawing back, Hank added more gel to the sponge and turned his attention to Richard's chest, leaving him panting and wanting, cock stiff beneath the water. He trembled as Hank slowly circled his pecs, easing the pressure and circling his nipples as he did so. "Lie down so I can get your feet." Richard did as he was told, feeling somewhat coy as he let Hank lift his leg and soap his foot. He massaged with his fingers, cleaning between each toe before scrubbing to his thigh until it disappeared beneath the bubbles.

The sounds Richard made as he massaged his feet were embarrassing, though Hank wasn't about to complain. He liked the way he twitched and trembled, dark eyes soft and lazy as he leaned back in the tub. Hank's voice remained soft as he lowered his other leg back into the water and leaned low over the tub. Richard hummed softly as he pushed himself up to accept the proffered kiss, lips following lazily as Hank's whiskers prickled his skin. Drawing back, Hank ran his fingers through his hair before stroking his cheek.

"Get on your knees, Richie." Pink dusted his cheeks at the low grumble, and he didn't disappoint as he heaved himself up and rested his hands on either side of the tub. "Good boy." Richard balked at the praise, but Hank saw how his cock twitched. He didn't get to that right away though. His upper thighs and lower back weren't finished. He deliberately took his time as he rubbed the tender skin between his thighs, barely brushing his balls with each pass. Little gasps and whines stuck in Richard's throat as he remained on his knees, dark eyes wandering the room so he didn't have to look at Hank as he teased.

Unsatisfied with that, Hank soaped his hand and cradled Richard's balls, gently rolling and squeezing. Richard openly moaned at that, finally looking up at Hank as he perched on the edge of the tub smirking. The hand on his balls moved to rub his perineum instead, fingers pressing and circling back and forth with a smooth glide. Richard couldn't help rocking and squirming, much to Hank's delight as he finally moved to fist his dripping cock.

"Look at you, making the water dirty." He clicked his tongue as he leaned down to lick the tip, enjoying the way Richard whined and closed his eyes. Hank chuckled as he pumped, though he wasn't about to make him finish like that. He wasn't done cleaning yet. "Alright, Richie. Both hands here and bend over." Richard looked over his shoulder to where Hank had patted the curved rim of the tub. His whole body felt light and hazy as he did as he was told, barely even thinking about it as he gripped the edge and lifted his ass.

"A-ah-Henry!" Hank chuckled at the scandalised whine as his gel coated fingers slipped between Richard's cheeks to press and circle the tight ring of muscle. Despite what sounded like an objection, he was still pressing back for more as Hank rubbed and circled. Hank chuckled, cock stiff in his jeans as he took in the flushed, wanton look on Richard's face and the headiness in his dark eyes as he looked over his shoulder.

"I have to clean everywhere, right?" Hank teased, enjoying the shuddering little breath Richard took as he finally pushed inside. Not forgetting his job, Hank circled his free hand on his ass, rubbing and soaping the rounded flesh. "Does it feel good, being nice and clean?" Richard moaned in response, which Hank took to be an agreement. He shuddered as Hank leaned low over his back to leave prickled kisses all the way down to his ass. "You want to get clean now, right? Come on, help me." Leaning low over the tub, Richard obediently bucked his ass against Hank's hand, whining and twitching as the finger pushed deeper. "Attaboy."

"Henry!" Fuck, why did he have to say that? Hank chuckled, holding his fist in place and enjoying the sight of Richard fucking himself. It wasn't long before he'd worked in another finger, pushing good and deep to make Richard cry for more. His thighs were trembling already, and he was only two fingers in so far. Since Richard was so distracted, Hank rinsed his free hand and set about undressing. He only had the one set of clothes, after all. It was a little hard to strip one handed, but Richard was suitably distracted as he buried his face in the ceramic and bounced on his fingers. He only turned to look as Hank removed his fingers and pulled his hand free of the shirt. Seeing him naked, Richard openly mewled. He knew what was coming next.

"I think you need something a little bigger for a deep clean, hm?" Hank teased as he soaped his solid cock, holding it up so Richard could fully appreciate the girth that was about to breach him. "That's it, honey..." Far from shying away from it, Richard was being a good little bitch and shuffling his thighs further apart. Bending low over the tub, he raised his ass as high as he could to meet Hank as he settled on his knees. He whined needily as Hank's thumb teased his hole, tugging it wide to check how stretched it was. It certainly looked ready if the twitching was anything to go by.

"F-fu-H-Henry!" The first stretch always felt too much, and this was no exception, even with the soap and water. Hank hushed him softly as he pressed in, keep a hand on his hip to hold him steady and watching for any sharp gasps or pained whimpers. Relief and anticipation swelled in his gut as he heard neither. Richard's breaths picked up as he pushed in, hips squirming as he came to rest flush against his pelvis. His thighs twitched and trembled, knuckles white as he gripped the tub.

"Attaboy, Richie..." Cursing under his breath, Richard tentatively nudged his hips and whined at the grinding in his passage. Hank smirked, resting a hand on his lower back and stroking soapy circles. "That's it, honey. Get yourself nice and clean." Taking the hint, Richard braced himself and pushed back, enjoying the wet thud of Hank's belly on his ass. His cock was hitting so deep, and the way he held himself on his knees with a hand on either side of the tub meant he was a little higher than Richard was used to. His cock was rubbing at an entirely new angle, just a little too high to hit his spots. Doing his best, Richard tried to buck a little higher with limited success. "Come here," Hank chuckled as he noticed the struggle.

Richard moaned as powerful hands settled on his hips and all but lifted him away from the edge of the tub. He had little choice but to grab at Hank's shoulder and the edge of the tub as his smaller body was lifted and dropped. The change was immediate, drawing a desperate moan from his lips as he threw his head back. Hank had found that magical angle that flooded his body with rolling throbs of pleasure. It bubbled and roiled in his pelvis, working all the way up to his chest as he bounced and squirmed. The ball of pleasure was so tight, he could feel it coming to a head without his cock even being touched.

"H-Henry, I-I-" He couldn't even finish the sentence without breaking off into a broken moan, hearing Hank curse in his ear as he kissed his shoulder and upped the pace. His sodden cock bounced with each hard thrust, slapping the water and sloshing the tub each time. Richard moaned louder, his whole body going limp in Hank's arms as he held on and allowed himself to be fucked. He couldn't stop it as he finally spilled, springing a coil so tight he didn't think the tide of pleasure would ever end. Hank upped the pace, having never heard such sounds fall from Richard's lips before.

"Fuck, you're so good! Fuck, Richie!" Richard gasped and moaned, eyes wide as specks of white filled his vision. Half the bathroom disappeared before he crashed, almost crying as Hank held him down and spilled. "Hold on for the rinse, honey," he growled in his ear, gasping and pulling him closer. Richard's whole body felt weak and shaky afterwards, unable to hold his own weight. Luckily, Hank was content to stay on his knees as he came down, letting his cock soften in his passage. "Hold still now, Richie..." Richard whined softly as Hank pulled out and held him open, letting his seed spill out and fingering out even more.

Richard still couldn't hold his own weight, resting limp against Hank's chest like a rag doll as he caught his breath. The only reason Hank knew he hadn't passed out was the fact his hazy eyes were open. He chuckled softly, pressing little kisses up and down his shoulder and massaging his thighs. Richard was thoroughly fucked out and damned if it didn't look good on him. The fact he almost passed out could have been put down to his smaller size or the sheer intensity, but Hank was getting used to it by now. It was really quite flattering, the way he could leave him utterly senseless.

"Looks like you're dirty again." Richard vaguely managed a huff of appreciation at the light jibe, turning his head to accept the lips he knew would be there.