While Nova was on his way down to the ground level, Julian got his message in the grocery store. He dropped the basket of groceries he had been buying in the center of the aisle where he stood, took a case of beer off a shelf in the liquor aisle and tossed some credits to the cashier as he walked past. He went straight home. He didn’t have long to wait before Nova arrived. Julian had never seen him so disturbed. Nova had been telling Julian all about the Golden Lattice party for the last hour, and he had the stolen footage to back it up.  

 

A half-drunk bottle of beer sat on Julian’s coffee table in front of Nova. Nova had downed the first half as soon as he opened it but hadn’t touched it since. “I’m telling you, it didn’t feel right,” Nova said. “And I don’t mean the party in general. Adrien and Fairmount acted so close and caring at the start. At first, I thought it was an act on Adrien's part, but then...something changed. And then that Coin didn’t seem to give two shits about him during that sick game. He just walked around and told people how he was enjoying Adrien's ‘slum boypussy.’ The sick fucks.” Nova leaned back in his seat, staring up and through Julian’s ceiling, running the night’s events through his head again and again. Nova took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes with the heel of his palms. “We have to tell Seth.”

 

Julian ran a hand back through his long blond hair, raking his fingers through the bleached locks. His eyes were fixated on the image of their friend exposing himself to the Coins on that little dais, proudly showing off all the tokens that tallied how much he had fucked that night. "I'm not sure if Seth is ready to hear this. Leastwise, not the way you told me about it. For fuck's sake, do not mention the words 'slum boypussy' to him."

 

Crossing his arms, Julian considered the situation anew. Their friend didn't seem to be pretending to be a pet or resisting being treated like one. Adrien was a good liar, but everyone had their tells, and Julian had played enough cards with the smug bastard to know when he was being sincere. "They really turned him out, huh?"

 

“I’m not sure yet,” Nova replied in exasperation. “I just can’t bring myself to believe that he’d change who he is and what he stands for so fast.” The gold tokens he had been given as bonus pay weighed heavily in his pocket. They felt wrong, and he was eager to cash them in and be rid of them. 

 

Nova looked back to Julian and sighed. “We’re not equipped to deal with this,” he said. “Besides, it’s three in the morning. I’m tired, and Seth is not ready to hear this. Even he's got to be asleep at this hour.”

 

Julian nodded. "And by the time we finish all this beer, you'll be too drunk to make it home. Better stay here. I don't have any nightclothes in your size but I know you want me to see you in the buff." 

 

He waited expectantly, head tilted toward his long-time work partner. There was a request for intimacy buried way down deep in that statement, and Julian didn't even realize he was bracing for Nova to reject his offer out of hand.

 

Nova finally smiled at that. “Yeah, and with half a case of beer in me, you might have been able to convince me to go bare-ass on your scratchy couch. But, thanks for letting me crash here.”

 

Julian rose to his feet, turning away a little to hide his relieved smile. “Yeah, well, better than letting you crash your bike.”

 

---

 

The bathroom was all gleaming stone, glass and metal fixtures. It was actually a bath room. There was no toilet – that was in another room nearby. Instead, the space was dominated by a large bath, larger than any that Jasper had ever seen in a person’s home, sunk into the floor, with an enclosed glass shower with so many jets and showerheads that it looked as though the water could surround a person in 360 degrees and a heated towel rack. The stone looked smooth but somehow managed not to be slippery at all as Jasper, tired from the Golden Lattice Ceremony but still too wired to sleep, let Rhys guide him to the already-prepared bath. No doubt Lemon had had a hand in that. It smelled amazing — like a mixture of eucalyptus and something peppery and lemony. 

 

They stopped close to the edge of the bath, and Rhys stepped in front of Jasper. He looked down fondly at his well-used pet. “You did a wonderful job tonight, pet. You opened up for me, just like I wanted.” He brushed a few strands of hair away from Jasper’s eyes. “In fact, you did so well that I think the entire city will be making excuses to meet us by tomorrow evening.”

 

Rhys reached out to undo the clasp at Jasper’s neck, and let the warm cloak fall to the floor, revealing Jasper’s nude body. “You deserve a reward, pet,” the proud owner said, before gently kissing his pet on the forehead. He stripped himself off and stepped into the bath. “Taking all those cocks must have been highly strenuous, after all.”

 

Still standing, Rhys then reached over the edge of the tub and picked Jasper up effortlessly, hooking an arm under his knees and back and cradling him, drawing a small gasp of surprise from Jasper. This was quickly followed by a moan of pleasure as they sunk into the steaming water. 

 

“Thank you, Rhys,” said Jasper, his ass resting on Rhys’s thighs. The bath was deep, and even sitting on Rhys, Jasper was submerged to mid-shoulder. He noted that there was an underwater lip on the other side of the huge bath, probably to act as a seat for the typically shorter pets, compared to the gigantic Coins. Rhys was wonderful, desirable, and made him so, so hot, but the real fantasy here was the size of the bath. Jasper had never been in a personal bath large enough that he could lie down completely and relax in it. The hot tubs and shared spa baths he had tried in the past had been...much less desirable. 

 

Rhys’s big hands scooped water over his head, soaking his curls and face. Jasper leaned back against Rhys’s chest and gave in to the sensations, letting his Owner take charge of cleaning the fluids and makeup from his sore body. Jasper could already feel the heat working on his muscles, relaxing him. 

 

“Oh yes, I had almost forgotten. If you prefer salt baths I can carry you to the other tub,” Rhys offered.

 

‘The other tub!’ thought Jasper incredulously. He almost wanted to take Rhys up on it. Had Lemon also drawn a saltwater bath just on the off-chance that Rhys would want it? He laughed and shook his head. “I’m comfortable here.”

 

“Very well,” Rhys answered, scooping another handful of hot water over the back of Jasper’s head.

 

Rhys reached for a small bottle at the edge of the bath. “You were charming and alluring the entire evening,” he whispered into Jasper’s ear. “You exceeded my expectations, pet. Tell me, did you really enjoy yourself, or were you only acting?” 

 

Jasper flushed. “I enjoyed myself more than I thought I would. At first, I leaned on the role of Aphrodite, but then I just...started to feel powerful and sensual. Maybe all of this suits me better than I thought.”

 

Rhys’s eyebrow shot up at the mention of Jasper enjoying power. ‘There is yet more to uncover about you, isn’t there?’ He was intrigued by the prospect of letting his pet dominate his friends. Rhys smiled as an image came to mind of Jasper forcing Daedalus’s face down into a pillow while roughly taking him from behind.

 

“I’m delighted to hear it,” Rhys said as he gently massaged the shampoo into his pet’s scalp. “Did you like being the centre of attention like that? Being in the spotlight? You took to it like a Phaeacian to rowing.”

 

Jasper reflected on that a little bit, not feeling completely coherent. Rhys’s hands on his scalp were amplifying the relaxing sensations of the warm water. He answered in a daze. “I...used to perform a little...but nothing like that...felt good to be watched...people getting off on looking at me...” 

 

Rhys nodded in approval. “You’ll find that is a very useful trait to have as a pet. After all, highly sexualized parties and gatherings are commonplace.” The thought of showing his new pet off again was making him hard. His cock started to slip up along Jasper’s back as Rhys brought more water up and began rinsing the shampoo from Jasper’s hair. “Tell me, which of your lovers do you think you enjoyed the best, pet?”

 

With his eyes closed as Rhys rinsed away the suds, Jasper’s face broke out into an unguarded grin. He let out a small moan at the feeling of Rhys’s cock pressed up against his skin. “Daedalus. Easily. The way he looks and smells...the way he uses the strength of his body...it did things to me.”

 

Pulling Jasper closer in against his cock and chest, Rhys tilted his pet’s head back, resting it on his shoulder. “I know exactly what you mean. He does that to a lot of people. Myself included. I was just thinking of him, in fact.” Rhys took a soft, soapy cloth and gently scrubbed behind Jasper’s right ear, then moved on to its inner ridges. He gently, carefully cleaned each and every groove, then teased each ridge. “I can only assume you bottomed for him. How did his thickness feel inside you?”

 

“You — you thought I would pick him?” said Jasper, tilting his head into the touch. Rhys’s careful touches were sensitizing the cup of his ear, making it even more difficult to think. The warmth of the steam rising from the bath was relaxing him, making him forget the tension in his body. Rhys’s fingertips on his ear were pushing his awareness into that one place in his body: the way his scalp still tingled from earlier, the way he missed the fingers as they moved on to the next ridge, the way Rhys’s cock was still so firmly pressed up against him. “His cock made me feel so full — it just took over my entire...my entire brain...All my thoughts, focused on Daedalus filling me up...” Without realizing he was doing it until it was done, Jasper found himself arching his spine and giving another low moan, pressing into Rhys’s cock with his back and Rhys’s shoulder with his head. 

 

“I believed that Daedalus would be one of the best of the night since he is a talented and attentive lover,” Rhys answered as he moved on to Jasper’s left ear. “Not that he always needs to be, with a dick like that. Once he gets inside you, he is guaranteed to hit the right spots, because he hits them all.” While one hand teased Jasper’s ear, the other gently pulled Jasper against Rhys’s increasingly hard erection.

 

At first, Rhys believed that Jasper was just relaxing, but with the way his body was moving, and the way his speech seemed to drift off sometimes, Jasper had to be approaching a trance. Rhys’s smile grew all the wider at the realization. They’d not even tried hypnosis yet, but it seemed Rhys’s new pet was extremely suggestible.

 

Jasper had never agreed to be hypnotized, so Rhys wouldn’t force it on him, but there was no reason he shouldn’t let Jasper hypnotize himself. For the moment, Rhys would just take care of him, and keep asking the right questions.

 

“Tell me then,” Rhys went on, attentive for further signs of trancing, “What else was so good as to encompass your whole awareness and consciousness tonight?”

 

Jasper rubbed his thighs together, unmindful of the signals that he was sending to his Owner. His voice was soft and sleepy as he gave his answer. “Kissing...kissing Orion...the best kiss I’ve ever had...and uhm...being on the dais, exposed and showing off all the tokens for everyone to see how wanton and sexy I had been...”

 

Rhys chuckled softly. He leaned forward to whisper into Jasper’s ear, “Then you really are embracing your exhibitionist side. I knew since the second day you came to me that you would enjoy being seen. You are so well-suited for being a pet.” Rhys lifted the smaller man so that his cock was rubbing between Jasper’s cheeks. “You would love for people to see everything I am going to do to you. To arouse them. To tease them.”

 

Jasper nodded, spine still arching. He was tired and sore, but if Rhys wanted him, Rhys could have him. “Y-yeah...to see everything, to see what a good pet I’ve become for you...!”

 

He didn’t even flinch as he verbalized that thought. He deeply wanted to be Rhys’s good pet, though his understanding of what that meant had evolved. 

 

Moving the cloth down to Jasper’s chest, where Rhys began to gently scrub his pet’s chest. First spiralling inward until he reached the nipples, he then squeezed Jasper’s pectorals through the cloth. “And I love just how thoroughly you have surrendered yourself.” Rhys went on, tracing Jasper’s abs with his other hand. “Such a dedicated, sexy, fit, willing fucktoy for me.”

 

With an involuntary shudder that snaked through his spine, Jasper pushed his chest into Rhys’s touch, as though willing him to keep going. “Yes. Yes...your willing f-fucktoy...ahh...” His voice sounded far away and dazed again. Somehow, without meaning to, without his knowledge, Jasper had slipped into a full-on trance. “I’m yours...you know what is best for a pet like me...your pet. Please – please keep making me yours, Rhys, Sir, Owner, Kyrios...”

 

Rhys felt his heart start to race when Jasper had used the words of respect that had never come naturally to him before. When Jasper called him Kyrios, a warm joy spread through Rhys that he had never felt before. “I will so long as you fulfill your end of the bargain,” Rhys answered. The cloth moved lower, scrubbing Jasper’s thighs clean. Then, the proud new owner lifted Jasper by the hips and turned around him so that Jasper was facing Rhys, the pet’s knees straddling Rhys’s lap.

 

It was clear that Jasper was in a daze, his head lolling slowly from side to side. He was deep in a trance already. Rhys smiled at that, surprised that his new pet had gone so deep on his own, with no prior experience in hypnosis at all. Did Jasper like to meditate? Or, perhaps he used visualization techniques for his work as a thief?

 

Rhys put a hand behind his pet’s head and scratched at his scalp. His other hand made its way down Jasper’s back as he cleaned it. They were here for a purpose, after all, and Rhys knew that Jasper’s stamina wasn’t endless. “If you remain my companion, my obedient lover, my fucktoy, then I will keep you, and take good care of you.” Finally, moving his hands down to clean Jasper’s well-used ass, Rhys began to pull the pet’s head forward, moving his pet’s mouth towards his own. “Can you do that for me, sweet Jasper?”

 

Jasper’s eyes were completely glazed over, and a sweet, uninhibited smile spread over his face. He let his body be manipulated without complaint, loving the sensation of letting someone else take over making the decisions for a while, especially after such a wild night. “Yes. Yes, Rhys. I know you will take good care of me. I know I can trust you.” He closed the distance and pressed his lips into his Owner’s. “Mmmm.”  

 

The kiss was passionate, earnest, but a bit uncoordinated. Rhys knew Jasper was tired. The Golden Lattice ceremony must have been the most he had ever fucked in one night. And, as much as Rhys wanted to, it would be wrong of him to take advantage of Jasper’s trance when it wasn’t even intended. Regardless, Rhys needed to cum to avoid another episode of his... aureate condition — though he had played Hephaestus that night, he wasn’t ready to play Zeus now. He remembered the last time that the Aureum vesanium had touched him. Rhys smiled. There was a simple workaround.

 

Rhys took the opened bottle of soap and put a generous dollop of it on the washcloth. The Owner then tilted his head and tenderly kissed the side of Jasper’s neck. “I believe you, pet,” he said. With the soft washcloth in hand, Rhys took both their cocks at once and began stroking them. “I will need you to perform one last duty for me tonight before you can rest, once I’ve cleaned you.”

 

Jasper moaned and began to thrust himself with abandon into the tunnel of cloth and cock that Rhys now held together. His gaze was still soft, his body still practically boneless with the relaxation of the trance. “I would do anything for my Owner,” he said, echoing the words that Aristotle had fed him in virtual reality. 

 

His new pet continued to surprise Rhys. Jasper was clearly very far gone. That was wonderful, in theory, but it didn’t make sense. Where did this fine-tuned suggestibility come from? He would need to ask Jasper about it another day. His first priority was making sure his pet had the rest that he needed after his sensual introduction to society.

 

Now that Jasper had essentially fucked himself clean, there was only one important spot left. “Anything?” Rhys asked, “Then stop thrusting and just hold me for now.” He removed his hand from their cocks, and brought the cloth to his pet's balls, gently caressing them before moving on to his hole. “You have made so many cocks happy this evening. You drained them deep inside you, I’m sure. I’m very proud of all you’ve done.”

 

Jasper gave that same unguarded grin, clearly happy to have pleased Rhys. He held his body close against his Owner's.

 

Once he was done cleaning him, Rhys gently pushed his pet off of him. “Swim to the other end of the tub, and sit on the ledge,” Rhys ordered. 

 

Jasper did as he was told. The physical activity seemed to wake him up again. He seated himself on the ledge and waited for further instructions.

 

Rhys stood, and sat on the warm tiled edge of the tub. He took his towering cock in one hand and squeezed the bottle of thick soap over top of it. “I despise being left teased without release, but I love watching and listening to you.”

 

Jasper tilted his head. "What would you like me to do from all the way over here?"

 

“I want you to give me your full and undivided attention,” Rhys answered. He used both of his big hands to spread the clear, slippery liquid down from his cock head, coating his shaft completely. “You have shown me how happy and horny it makes you to be my pet. Now, I want you to see how happy and horny you make me. Not you being my pet, just you.”

 

He had been waiting for this time after the ceremony to finally play with Jasper, but he should have expected that Jasper might be too tired. His pet would do anything he asked, but it would be wrong to make him service Rhys while he was so clearly worn out. So instead, Rhys would show Jasper that it wasn’t just what Jasper could do, but who Jasper was that was so attractive to Rhys. With one soapy hand gently playing with his balls, and the other gliding up and down his impressive length, Rhys began doing his utmost to give Jasper a show. 

 

Rhys let his eyes roam over Jasper’s body, drinking in every curve, his dripping wet hair, and pausing at his eyes. He could already feel his cock twitching in anticipation. “You can stay there, or do as you please, but I want you to see what the thought of you does to me.” 

 

"Yes, Rhys..." Having been given permission to appreciate Rhys's body entirely for its sensual qualities and the response that he provoked in his owner, Jasper made sure that Rhys could feel his gaze moving across his genetically enhanced body. He licked his lips, his eyes widening and pupils dilating as he tried to take it all in at once. He was tired, but the sight of Rhys pumping his long, thick shaft for him and toying with his own body to please a mere pet woke him up again. Jasper's mouth hung open in fascination, wanting to taste and touch but being too exhausted to do anything about it. "I want to see you cum."

 

At first, Rhys wondered how long he should take to climax, but then again, he had already waited, and Jasper was more tired than he let on. When he noticed how intently, how hungrily Jasper was watching him, that settled it. He decided he wouldn’t hold back, and sped up a little. He wanted his Jasper to see this.

 

Rhys turned his body slightly so that Jasper could have a better view, then moved his hand away from his balls, and up to his chest. His head rolled back as he pulled and pinched at his own nipples, then rubbed the dense muscle beneath it. “Oh, gods...” Rhys moaned. To his surprise, his body was already beginning to warm. He started to pant as he got closer and closer to his limit in no time at all.

 

There was an intense vulnerability and intimacy to the performance that Rhys was giving Jasper right now, and it made Jasper want to take control of the situation, just as he might have with another person from the streets below. "Cum for me, Rhys. Don't hold back. Show me just how excited I make you."

 

His pet’s sudden shift to a more dominant demeanour caught Rhys’s attention again. Images of them sharing the pleasure of dominating some of the Golden Lattice Ceremony’s guests flew through his mind, and he immediately felt the arousal mounting in him. He began to hyperfocus on the mounting pleasure, other thoughts fading away as his control slipped.  Rhys knew that he should not let Jasper establish any type of pseudo-dominant dynamic here, but he was too close to cumming. He couldn’t hold back any longer or Zeus might step in again.

 

Rhys let his mind focus only on his cock, and on Jasper’s hungry eyes. He grabbed his shaft with both hands, and expertly pumped his hands up and down in opposite directions, colliding with a wet slap in the middle. The proud Owner started to moan continuously as his cum shot from his tip. “Oh gods, oh... Oh, fu—Ahhhh!”

 

Jasper's eyes were wide with curiosity as he watched Rhys let loose. His coordination was amazing, to be able to maintain those inverted strokes, meeting in the middle of that delicious shaft. He felt himself get a semi at the sight that would have been a full-on hard-on if he hadn't been so spent. He crowed appreciatively at his Owner. "Fuck, Rhys, you're so hot when you lose control like that. I love watching you."

 

"Let me help you clean off now." He swam over to Rhys's still-twitching form and picked up the washcloth. Dipping it under the water, he squeezed it out over Rhys's dick to get rid of the suds. As Rhys sat back, still recovering, he applied his mouth to the tip, suckling on it pleasantly. Jasper's eyes closed at the soothing warmth of Rhys's body and the sensation of his tip in his mouth. He gave a small moan of appreciation, his eyelids heavy. 

 

Having slipped back onto his elbows, Rhys was only just regaining his breath when Jasper began to suck him. Rhys had not cum that hard in some time. Still, he would need to do something about what Jasper had started to do with these little moments of dominance. It was only symbolic, but Rhys had washed him as a form of aftercare, a gift from Owner to pet. Jasper taking that washcloth and washing Rhys while he was recovering from orgasming at Jasper's request without Rhys's direction was yet another small act of dominance. He was overstepping his position.

 

Jasper’s hand had begun to slow and lighten up. Perhaps he had realized his error. After everything else that happened that night, Rhys didn’t wish to be harsh on his new pet. “I will be cleaning myself, pet,” he said firmly, stroking Jasper's damp hair a little. “However, you may watch all you like.”

 

There was no response. Jasper's mouth was still softly working around the tip of Rhys's cock, but his whole body had relaxed into the warmth, his arm drooping off of Rhys's knee. Was...was Jasper asleep? Rhys did his best not to laugh too loudly at the realization. It seemed like Jasper was well and truly spent, after all.

 

Not wanting to wake his sleeping pet, Rhys carefully picked him up out of the water, wrapped him in a large, warm housecoat. He rolled the pet onto his side and placed a towel under his head for a pillow. Rhys wasted no time cleaning himself as quickly as he could, and returned to Jasper, now deep in slumber. 

 

Not bothering to dry off or fetch any clothing, Rhys carried his adorable, horny pet to his bed. Tonight, he wanted Jasper near him. His Aphrodite had earned that.

 

---

 

“So, you’re telling me,” Seth said, his voice flatly disbelieving, “That Adrien, my best friend since high school, who we’ve all seen ridicule the very idea of Coins and pets, was the gleeful community cocksleeve in a Coin sex ritual celebrating him becoming a pet?”

 

The apartment was paranoid levels of dark, all the curtains closed, a sunlamp unplugged on the table, the only light the glow of Seth’s ancient computer screens. Julian picked at a nick in the table. The whole room emanated distress, and so did Seth, from the bags under his eyes to the unshaved neckbeard. He let Nova take the lead because he was worried that his mouth might run away without his brain and he might say something insensitive that would hurt Seth. Seth didn’t need any more hurting right then.  

 

Nova wasn’t able to fully hold back a wince. “That makes it seem a little worse than it was, but —”

 

“Someone who hates Coins was making a point to fuck as many as possible, and seemed to love it,” Seth cut in. “Either my friend is being forced into becoming a pet, or something else is very wrong here. Come on, man, I...” Seth trailed off and stared through the far wall and off into space.

 

Julian put a hand on Seth’s shoulder. There were so many jokes that he was holding back. He did his best to seem comforting and remind the hacker of the positives, such as they were. “Hey. We’re not going to leave him there, all right? Maybe he’s just waiting for the right opportunity and we can give it to him. Could be that doing this will help to make them think he’s a good boy, a harmless little pet, right? And at least it confirms our theory that he is at the very least taking on the role of a pet. Still better than prison, right?”

 

“In prison, you mostly get to choose who to fuck,” Seth spat. As the words were coming out of his mouth, he knew that he was just reacting, but he couldn’t stop himself.

 

Nova sat forward and held up a hand. “Whoa, hey now, let’s step back a bit.” He waited to catch Seth’s eye before continuing. “No matter what, this is a horrible situation. We know that. But we also have intelligence we didn't have before. Something we can act on.” Nova looked to Julian out of the corner of his eye and gave the slightest of winks. “Julian is right, for once.”

 

Julian brought a hand to his chest and pretended to give an adoring sigh, rolling his eyes. “Thank you. You know how I just don’t sleep right if my every word isn’t acknowledged by a big strong beefy dude with a motorcycle fetish.” Internally, he felt genuinely pleased to have said the right thing and to have Nova acknowledge it. “So...we need to find a way to talk to him, right?”

 

“Definitely,” Nova nodded, choosing not to answer Julian’s provocations. Julian was holding back admirably with Seth, being a fucking angel compared to usual, so Nova knew it had to come out somehow. It was almost Julian’s way of flirting. “We just need to get him alone for a few minutes.” He looked at Seth. Nova was hoping this might inspire his efforts again. Better than wallowing like this.

 

After a few seconds of silence, Nova tried again. “What do you think, Seth? We know who he is with, and where he will be. Do you think you can find a way into Fairmount’s calendar, or something?”

 

Another long moment of silence passed before Seth spoke. “You still have some of the basic security info from last night, right?” 

 

Nova nodded. 

 

“Send it all to me. Most Coins aren’t nearly as clever as they think when it comes to cyber security. They just rely on overpriced software. I can get in.”

 

“But,” Seth said, reaching for the energy drink on his desk. “We aren’t getting this close just to chat. We’ll drag him out of there, mindfucked or not.”

 

Julian snagged the energy drink before Seth could get it and held it out of reach. “If we’re going to do this, you need some sleep, motherfucker. And we can discuss the plan. Just because it’s a good time to chat, don’t mean it’s going to be a good time to snatch him.” 

 

--- 

 

Everything was still and silent. So silent that the thing that woke Adrien wasn’t the noise in the room, but the lack thereof. It was the beat of another person’s heart — that, and the scent that had him half-hard before he was even aware that he was waking up. He lifted his head, blinking softly as he realized that his nose had been buried in another human’s armpit — Rhys’s armpit. That reminded him that he was Jasper now and he decided that this must be Rhys’s bedroom. He gave a low, involuntary moan and rubbed his thighs together. 

 

A gentle grin crossed Rhys’s lips when he heard his pet’s moans. “You’re finally awake, I see,” Rhys said, gently caressing Jasper’s upper back through the soft, cobalt-blue sheets. “I was starting to think I’d need to carry you to breakfast as well. How did you sleep?”

 

Jasper let out a comfortable sigh and snuggled in close to Rhys again, this time deliberately seeking out his scent. He loved the gentle touches through the sheets. “I don’t even remember coming to bed. Still a bit tired, though. Gods, you’re comfortable.”

 

Those words and Jasper’s closeness made Rhys feel warm and relaxed. Rhys gave a low chuckle. “Of course you don’t remember coming to bed. After you crawled over and put my still-dripping cock in your mouth, you fell asleep almost immediately.”

 

Rhys pulled Jasper closer with the arm the pet was cuddled up to, then gently ran his finger around the rim of Jasper’s ear with the other. “Don’t worry, pet,” Rhys continued, “if you are still tired, I can have breakfast brought to us.”

 

The pet’s eyebrows shot up in surprise and he laughed at the thought of passing out with Rhys’s cock in his mouth. Then, the image came to him full-force and Jasper found himself imagining that big cockhead pushing past his lips, stretching them obscenely...Suddenly, Jasper was all too aware of every inch of his body that pressed up against Rhys’s, and he gave another low moan and involuntarily rubbed himself a little against Rhys’s thigh. Then, he flushed. “Uh. Sorry...still waking up.”

 

“Sorry for what?” Rhys whispered into Jasper’s ear, “Drawing more lines of precum across my leg? I’m starting to get used to it.” Rhys passed a hand over the globes of Jasper’s ass, squeezing lightly. “I was already considering how soon I wanted you to finish the work you started last night,” he whispered again. “How is your jaw feeling after last night?”

 

The words had barely left his mouth when his mind went back to Jasper’s encounter with Calix. He pushed the thought away. They could discuss that later, he decided.

 

Jasper licked his lips. He could feel his body responding to Rhys’s warmth. He could feel a deep need to make sure that Rhys felt good, just sort of bubbling up from somewhere deep inside his mind. He needed to do this, needed to finish what he had started, just like Rhys had said. “I feel fine. Can I...can I try to take you down my throat, Rhys?” 

 

His cock was already lifting the sheets, but Rhys wanted to hear the need in Jasper’s voice. “After all that use last night, you say you are fine? I’m not sure I believe that,” Rhys admonished with a hint of theatrics. “If you want my dick down your throat, then you are going to have to convince me.”

 

“Convince you that I’m fine? Sure,” said Jasper, giving Rhys a mischievous look. Then, he rolled away from Rhys’s grasp and lifted his lower body into the air, progressively higher and higher with just the strength of his core. He felt playful and relaxed, and he wanted to tease Rhys a little. His muscles ached a little from the night before, but in short order, he was doing a headstand cushioned by the mattress, putting his parkour skills to use. “I could do it on my head.”

 

Amused, Rhys watched as pre-cum dripped from Jasper's cock, falling onto his rib cage and sliding down his pectorals toward his face. Rhys made a mental note to ensure his pet got  sufficient exercise so that he would keep this impressive athleticism. “While that certainly gives me some ideas, I was expecting you to use your words. Now stop wasting that delicious pre, and express to me just how badly you want to please your Owner.”

 

Jasper was feeling playful. He rolled out of the headstand and landed on his haunches near the foot of the bed. With one eyebrow raised, he turned toward Rhys and lowered himself down until he was nearly touching the mattress. He began to crawl toward Rhys's cock, fluttering his eyelashes theatrically. "Oh, please, my Owner, my shining sun, drawn across the sky by Helios's Chariot, the centre of my galaxy, thou who grantest me the life-giving heat and warmth of thine very presence, may this lowly pet suckle upon thine turgid tool, and know the bliss of service?" 

 

But, despite having begun his little diatribe as a joke, the more Jasper spoke, the more he felt the rightness of the words, and the harder his dripping cock became, the pre running down in little rivulets every few seconds, pulsating to the beat of his heart. He was getting pretty horny from thinking about the actions behind those words, and the offer of servitude to his Owner. He went quiet, looking at Rhys with all sincerity now.

 

Rhys had to hold back a laugh. He had been hoping for a bit of begging from his pet, but Jasper’s words somehow felt a little more... right for him. Rhys had forgotten how intriguing it was to figure out the mannerisms of a new pet.

 

Glancing behind Jasper, Rhys noticed the wet, waving line Jasper’s precum left as he crawled over. “Well,” Rhys smiled, “I suppose if you are willing to debase yourself with such a ridiculous show, that will suffice. Now get over here and stop drawing all over my sheets.”

 

Jasper wasted no time, closing the last bit of distance and pressing Rhys's shaft to his cheek. "Yes, Rhys." 

 

Turning his attention to his Owner's cock, Jasper inhaled his scent. It was clean and sharp, like the scent of the bath the night before, but it also had a layer of unique musk — not unclean or unpleasant, just...there. He let his eyes close as a hot feeling of arousal coursed up his body, tensing his spine involuntarily. Then, he opened his mouth and pressed his tongue to Rhys's cockhead with a low moan.

 

Watching the rapid shift in Jasper’s demeanour and the way his back bowed at the thought of Rhys cock told the Owner just how badly the pet did indeed want this. Rhys pressed a finger on the underside of his cock, and drew it up along the shaft, forcing out the precum for Jasper. “Mine may not be as prodigious as yours, but you should still get familiar with the taste.”

 

Moaning happily, Jasper swirled his tongue around Rhys's head, getting every bit of pre-cum that he could. It was delicious and tasted vaguely sweet. He wet the shaft with long licks of his tongue before lowering his mouth down onto it, feeding it down his throat bit by bit until it hit up against the back. He tried to relax and push down further, just like Orion had taught him in his virtual reality training. He gagged a little, pulled off, and then, relentless, lowered himself down onto the cock again. This time, he went further. But...he didn't imagine that it was especially pleasant for Rhys for him to be focusing on blowjob exercises, so he changed tactics.

 

Carefully and with as much skill as his training had given him, he worked the part that he could handle, swirling his tongue around and teasing the frenulum, turning his mouth into a warm, wet tunnel with his teeth covered by his lips, and letting his saliva run down the shaft. Sliding up and down, he began to fuck the cock with his mouth. 

 

Seeing how far Jasper had come gave Rhys a small sense of pride. He really had worked hard in his training, and Rhys could feel how well it was paying off. Jasper even recognized his current limits, and instead began to focus on pleasing his Owner instead of pushing himself too hard. “You are quite the fast learner, Jasper. Though you definitely had a good deal of practice before we met.”

 

Jasper found himself blushing at those words, but continued gamely, deciding to take it as a compliment. He didn't mind being Rhys's cocksucker. 

 

Rhys relaxed back against his pillows and enjoyed the view, as well as the service. Seeing how his pet luxuriated in sucking him, the fluid movements of his neck, the deliberate flicks of his tongue, only served to increase his arousal three-fold. Rhys hardly realized it when he started to moan. “Good boy, Jasper,” he whispered. “Try to use your hands while you suck. I love that.”

 

Rhys's noises fueled Jasper. He lifted off his cock briefly to look down and arrange his hands around his Owner's shaft and balls and then plunged his mouth back down onto the thick cock. His lips glided up and down, growing a little swollen and tender already. It would be easy for anyone to tell what he had just been doing when they were finished. He liked that thought: being on display for Rhys, everyone knowing exactly how much he loved fucking and pleasing his Owner...But then, that was reality, wasn't it? Everyone knew exactly what Jasper's place was. He was a pet. He moaned at the thought and squeezed both Rhys's shaft and balls gently. 

 

The minutes passed as Jasper lovingly sucked and stroked Rhys’s cock. Rhys’s moans got steadily louder and louder as Jasper’s hands moved faster and faster. Not wanting to finish just yet, the Coin put a hand on his pet’s head and guided him partway down his length. “Use that tongue and those lips, pet.”

 

Jasper did as he was told, trying to follow Rhys's instructions exactly. He could feel Rhys's balls drawing up, getting ready to shoot. But if Rhys wanted him to do something differently, he would. He swirled his tongue around the shaft, pressing his tender lips to it and gliding them over the smooth, warm skin. 

 

Rhys felt his need to cum begin to plateau with the change of approach. He could still feel himself twitching in Jasper’s hands, but this gave him more time. Looking at his pet while he worked brought to mind how much he had improved with so little training. An uncomfortable and persistent thought entered Rhys mind: the last time Jasper tried to deepthroat him, and how his Aureum vesanium had made an appearance. He would need to explain his condition to Jasper at some point soon. For the time being, he could relish the moment.

 

“You are doing a wonderful job, pet,” Rhys said encouragingly, his arousal creeping into his voice. He gripped the sheets reflexively. “I look forward to filling your mouth with my cum. I want you to swallow every drop.”

 

Jasper looked up into Rhys's eyes with a pleading expression, shuddering with the need to please him. He reached down and held the underside of Rhys's ass to get some leverage as he slid the rest of that nice, big Coin cock down his throat, inch by inch, pushing past the gag reflex with a grunt of effort and surprise. His eyes widened in shock as he achieved his goal, his nose hitting Rhys's pubic bone briefly before his throat spasmed. He had to pull off, but he felt Rhys's cock answer with a pulse.

 

Seeing his cock finally completely disappear into Jasper’s mouth proved to be too much for Rhys. The Coin couldn’t completely stop his hips from bucking as he immediately came. With fiery pleasure flashing up his spine, he threw his head back and moaned as he coated Jasper’s insides with thick, white cum. Uncharacteristically, Rhys cried out, “Gods, Jasper, yes!” His cock felt red hot inside Jasper’s throat.

 

Jasper held tight to his Owner's thighs and tried to ride out Rhys's orgasm, pulling his mouth off the cock as Rhys finished cumming, a flood of cum spilling down his chin as he coughed. 

 

His breathing finally starting to slow, Rhys realized just how loud he had yelled out. He smiled. ‘At least I didn’t start to curse this time,’ Rhys thought. ‘This captivating slut of mine is already starting to rub off on me.’

 

“Are you alright, Jasper?” Rhys asked, concerned.

 

Jasper felt a little dazed, and his throat was sore, but he was proud to have taken Rhys all the way in. He gave Rhys a smile. "Uh-huh," he rasped. Apparently, his throat was pretty raw.

 

“Well done!” Rhys was smiling, every bit the proud Owner of a new pet. “I was not sure you had it in you, but you surpassed my expectations.”

 

Motioning for Jasper to climb up next to him, Rhys said, “I hope my yelling didn’t frighten you.” As Jasper crawled up to him, Rhys glanced past him at the sunlight beaming in through the windows and grinned. “I suppose if my staff didn’t know we were awake before, then they do now.”

 

Feeling a wave of arousal and happiness pulse through him at Rhys's praise, Jasper wiped off his chin as best he could and then settled into Rhys's arms again. He felt more accomplished just from taking Rhys's cock than he had from even his most daring heist. He might have wondered what the fuck was going on except that he was having trouble caring. He was more at peace than he had felt in a long time. "What do you know, the cock even crows up here among the Coins."

 

Rhys just chuckled softly at him. “Indeed it does,” he agreed. Rhys gently but firmly gripped Jasper’s head and guided it into an upward tilt. “It is time we got out of bed and prepared for our day. I have some plans for us.” The lustful Coin leaned forward and lapped his own cum off of Jasper’s chin with long, wide licks.

 

Jasper shuddered with pleasure at the sensation. "Plans?"

 

“Yes,” Rhys answered, pulling Jasper in close to cuddle. “I am taking you to see the buildings I bought for the campaign to clean the Argent.”

 

--- 

 

The door to Anthix’s workshop swung open as Calix strode in, a silk satchel in hand. “Anthix, Marin!” the broad-shouldered Coin said jovially, his voice reverberating through the quiet space. “I thought you might like to hear all about the Golden Lattice ceremony and Rhys's new pet.”

 

Marin often helped Anthix model new outfits that they were designing. Anthix was pinning a translucent teal sleeve to a new length on Marin’s form, adjusting it just as Calix arrived. They didn’t flinch at the sudden noise, though Marin did, jerking his body toward the door. It was only thanks to Anthix’s heightened Coin reaction times that they didn’t stick Marin with a pin. They raised an eyebrow, an amused expression dancing on their lips as they looked at their brother. “Hello, Calix.”

 

“Calix! What did you bring me?” asked Marin, running up to the tall Coin, their dark blue hair bouncing with the movement, the teal organza sleeve still half-pinned. Marin was about to give the Coin a big hug but then realized he was still covered in pins and stopped, grinning. Their joviality was just slightly forced to cover for the awkwardness of having to think about Rhys, their former owner, having acquired a new pet and presented them to society. It had been a decade and Rhys’s name still felt like it stabbed at him, like it could be wielded as a weapon. But Marin wasn’t going to let it hurt him, not anymore. 

 

“Marin, come back over here so that I can help you take that off,” said Anthix softly, sweeping their long silver fishtail braid back over their shoulder from where it had come to rest during their work. They put away the remaining pins in their sewing kit. 

 

Blushing, Marin came back over and stood still so that Anthix could maneuver their latest creation off his body, pins and all. Calix found a stool by a sewing machine and tried to wait patiently. It was always so amusing to watch Marin when they got excited like that, so before long he began holding the beautiful satchel up for Marin to see, letting it sway slightly to tempt them. 

 

Marin's eyes followed the gift bag, and they subtly opened and closed their hands in a grabbing motion, like they were internally saying, 'Give me the thing!' But Anthix held their shoulder firmly as they worked off the garment. "All right. All done, Marin."

 

Both Anthix and Marin turned back to Calix, Marin's eyes dancing with excitement at news from one of the poshest parties in recent memory, the little matter of it being hosted by his former Owner put aside for the moment. 

 

“So, brother, how’s dear Thamyris?” said Anthix a tad coolly. Thamyris Fairmount had essentially dropped them all ten years ago, after the incident that had injured Marin. They understood that Calix wanted to mend bridges, and agreed, but there was still a small part of them that had trouble understanding what had caused Thamyris’s behaviour. Probably the man’s guilt, but that didn’t sting any less.

 

“Well,” Calix answered. He tossed the satchel to Marin. “Better than I expected, actually. We even managed to end the night amicably. Though, not entirely without bloodshed.” Calix deliberately let that hang in the air, waiting for a reaction.

 

Marin caught the satchel. They were already digging into the bag, pulling out the items one by one and examining them, when Calix spoke. Their mouth opened in surprise. "Bloodshed?! No — you're not serious!"

 

Anthix raised an amused eyebrow. "Drama befitting the Greeks. Go on, don't keep us in suspense. Did you brandish your steak knife at him?"

 

Calix laughed. “Oh, Rhys and I didn’t hurt anyone. It was Jasper if you can believe it.” His eyes shot to Anthix at that, looking for a hint of their thoughts on that development. “I bided my time, and eventually caught up to Jasper, and grabbed him from right under Rhys’s nose,” Calix explained, his arms crossed mid-air as though holding someone's torso.

 

“But, he seemed to be struggling for dear life, so I immediately let him go,” Calix explained, opening his arms wide and leaning back. “And what does Aphrodite do? Quick as Hermes himself, he pivots and puts that momentum behind a solid punch to my jaw!” He pointed at his lip, where the swelling had already gone down.

 

Marin gave a surprised laugh. "Wow, good for him! I heard he was from the slums but I didn't realize he was feisty enough for that."

 

Anthix's very animated eyebrows quirked again in surprise. It was the only change in their facial expression. "You promised that this story had bloodshed. What, you got punched in the jaw by a pet and it hurt your feelings?"

 

It was at this moment that Marin pulled out and accidentally activated one of the party favours: a small holographic image of Jasper and Rhys dressed as Aphrodite and Hephaestus. He ignored the pang at seeing Rhys. "Wow. So this is Jasper, huh? And he punched our Calix and got away with it?"

 

Calix looked back and forth between the other two. ‘Great. I’m on the defensive again,’ he thought. Calix made sure to keep control of his temper, especially because Anthix was obviously teasing.

 

He turned to focus on Anthix. “There was bloodshed. Mine,” Calix countered. “He cut my cheek against my teeth. He still got the worst of it though. By far.” He took a closer look at the hologram Marin held. “Jasper definitely filled out that costume well, though,” Calix sighed.

 

Marin frowned, concerned, prodding at the hologram a little with a pinky to watch the light scatter. “You wouldn’t hurt him.”

 

Anthix smirked. “No, he’s just got a hard head. Hard jaw, hard bones. Have I guessed correctly, my dear brother?”

 

“Like an arrow to Achilles’s heel,” Calix answered with a nod. He tried to hold back a grin. “He definitely broke a few things in that hand. Rhys stormed in almost immediately, and you know what? He didn’t reprimand his pet at all. No concern for his guest, either.” The big Coin shook his head. “After that, they stayed side by side for the rest of the ceremony. They have completely fallen for each other. Head-over-heels.”

 

Marin crossed his arms slightly petulantly, but mostly he was just playing up his reaction. "Pretty sure that if I had punched a Coin while Rhys was still my Owner, I'd have gotten a talking-to. But it sounds like Rhys wanted to take care of his broken hand, maybe?"

 

"Yes, I doubt that with your physiology, there was much cause for concern no matter how mean that hook was," said Anthix. "But it would have been polite for him to acknowledge you. Maybe Rhys's wild pet is rubbing off on him. You know, I did hear some rumours in the Garment District about Jasper...if you're curious. About that whole...head-over-heels thing."

 

Marin's eyes couldn't get any wider. They turned to Anthix, still holding up the latest thing that they had pulled from the gift bag: a bottle of perfume — a signature scent called Aphrodite's Pleasure, with the date of the party inscribed on it. "What rumours?"

 

"I wouldn't want to bore my brother while he's telling tales of his derring-do when faced with the terrifying pet from the slums," said Anthix, playing at being coy, a smile dancing on their lips. 

 

Calix grinned wolfishly. “Now, now, Anthix,” he said playfully. “You can’t tease me like that and not say more. Besides, I have enough tales to tell about my own adventures to last into the morning.”

 

Anthix put aside the small pomegranate-shaped pin cushion that they had been sticking stray pins into and leaned up against the table, crossing their arms. “The would-be pets working in the Garment District are saying that the night that Rhys and Jasper met at Rhys’s concert — which is to say, more like Aristotle’s meat market — they’re saying that Jasper seemed to be trying to avoid Rhys at first but accidentally caught his attention. They say that Jasper didn’t even stay through the whole performance and only slipped back in at the end before the lights went up. They also say that afterwards, Rhys made sure to come and find him, but all Jasper seemed to want to do was get away.” Anthix raised an eyebrow. “And now you say that the two of them are head-over-heels in love? In a matter of weeks?”

 

Marin frowned. They smelled the perfume, briefly quirking their eyebrows as though in pleasant surprise, then put it down on the table. “So...an enemies-to-lovers plot? What’s so strange about that? Happens all the time in the holovids, doesn’t it?”

 

“I mean, those who are not chosen are occasionally bitter with jealousy,” said Anthix. “And they have been known to exaggerate. But it’s at least curious, isn’t it?”

 

Calix’s grin faded as Anthix spoke. “No, I think there is something there,” Calix said. “We know Jasper was avoiding Rhys, but Rhys was hounding him. Then he suddenly fell in with Rhys, transforming into a pretty damned well-trained pet within a negligible timeframe, and that’s without any prior pet training at all. That doesn’t feel right.”

 

Looking back and forth between the other two, Calix hesitated before saying it. “What if this really is too good to be true?”

 

Marin had returned to digging out chocolate tokens covered in gold leaf and a small cake in a clear container decorated to look like a bed with a golden net on it. They stopped now, and their eyes widened with worry. They couldn’t help themself from caring about Rhys, even all these years later, even though Rhys had abandoned them. “Do you think Jasper is playing him for a fool?”

 

Anthix sobered too. “I honestly just thought I was sharing a petty rumour, but I suppose it is awfully strange, with that added bit about him suddenly being so well-adjusted to pet existence.”

 

“Anthix, Calix...” said Marin, their voice as serious as it ever got. “It’s Rhys we’re talking about. If he’s being tricked, I have to find out.”

 

At those words, Anthix and Calix exchanged a twin look. They each knew exactly what the other was thinking. ‘What if it wasn’t Jasper who was the problem?’