In Tykhe's Grasp
REVISED Chapter 11: Unveilings
by time_to_occur
Tags:
#dubious_consent
#m/m
#m/nb
#multiple_partners
#ownership_dynamics
#scifi
#3rd_person
#ownership
SUMMARY: A trip to the slums results in an awakening for Rhys about the realities of New Argent City's polluted river. After Rhys unveils a gift to his pet, the pair have a dangerous encounter with some neighbourhood toughs and an old colleague of Jasper's, who reveals his old alias. After the danger has passed, the pair have a sensual encounter in the car as they fly home to the Sky District.
A/N: This chapter has been revised from the original!
The scent of the Argent River felt so familiar and yet so foreign to Jasper's nose. Even after just a few short weeks away, the slums felt different. Alien. Or maybe it was more accurate to say that Jasper, hanging off of Rhys's arm, was the alien. He was not dressed to show off his assets today. Instead, the people around were gawking at them because of Rhys. The pair of them were alone, with no visible security, nosing around some abandoned buildings.
It wasn't yet time for the ribbon-cutting ceremony that would signal the start of the charity work to clean up the Argent River and Rhys didn't want any attention. So, Rhys had insisted that they come down here alone, in a discrete self-driving car that carried them from the Sky District. They parked a ten-minute walk from the buildings that Rhys had bought for his pet.
It had been more difficult than Rhys had imagined to find his new base of operations for the river clean-up. With so many of the buildings not having the addresses on them anymore, it was hard to gauge where he should be looking. After about twenty minutes of searching, and ignoring the stares of the locals, the Coin finally found the right place. "Eureka!" he exclaimed triumphantly, "That one, right over there. The smaller one beside it is also mine."
Taking Jasper's hand in his, Rhys hustled over. As they approached the decrepit old building, Rhys's smile never faltered. That is, until they got through the gates and neared the door. Rhys's nose wrinkled and he wore such an expression of consternation that Jasper had to laugh.
"What, you don't like the way my hometown smells?"
"No, not at all," Rhys immediately answered. "On the walk over, there was no issue. There is something else in the air here." He shrugged. "I suppose we will discover what it is shortly, and then we can get rid of it."
Jasper was so out of touch with his old neighbourhood that it was only when they were nearly at the entrance that he looked up and recognized the building where he and Seth used to gather, using the rooftop as their personal patio overlooking the river. It was almost eerie. By Tartarus and Asphodel, some of their beer bottles might still be up there.
As they approached the large double doors, Rhys reached into his pocket and pulled out the key. He slowed for a moment, looking at the strange, carved piece of rusted metal. Thinking back, Rhys was not sure he'd ever actually used a physical door key before. Not wanting to make a fool of himself as he was presenting the first step in his gift to Jasper, he turned to the pet in a somewhat grandiose manner. "Here, my pet," Rhys said, offering the key to Jasper. "Please, do the honours."
Jasper took the key from Rhys and, smirking, let it drop into his pocket. He knew this place. It wasn't locked.
He stepped forward and pushed open the door. "Careful. Floor's a bit spongy here and there, and you Coins weigh a little more than the average visitor to this place." He took a look around, appraising with a different lens now that the building would have a new purpose. "Fixing it up is going to take some doing, Rhys. But it's the perfect location — right by the river, right near the heart of things."
From the moment Jasper pocketed the key, Rhys watched his pet with a questioning look that almost immediately evolved into incredulity. "So you know this place?" Rhys surmised. He followed Jasper, eyes darting around for other unseen dangers.
Jasper stepped further in and nodded, smiling to himself. "Yes. You know the expression, 'misspent youth'? I spent a fair bit of mine in places like this. Exploring, testing my limits, just trying to find a place that I could have to myself for a while. The rooftop has a great view. Want to see?"
"Yes..." Rhys said, tentatively. "I do." Seeing the excitement and confidence in Jasper's eyes was captivating. Following his pet to the stairs, Rhys finally spoke up. "I still have so much to learn about you. You are so mysterious and intriguing."
Jasper smiled back at Rhys. His interest was sweet, and it was rare to surprise a Coin like this. He found it to his liking. "Thanks, Rhys. I look forward to us discovering more about each other. I'm glad I've managed to intrigue you. Although you probably don't want to know everything that I got up to here and in places like it."
"It seems you still have a great deal to learn about how curious I am," Rhys laughed. "Especially about the more formative exploits of your youth."
Jasper brought Rhys up to the roof and looked out over the view. In the midday light, the Argent was a sort of dull grey colour, but still pretty. Sure enough, Seth's favourite brand was still standing around on the roof. Jasper was almost embarrassed at the mess, but it wasn't like this was his living room. He paused for a second, wondering what had happened to his apartment and his things. Then, he started thinking about Seth. He gave a small sigh, wondering whether Seth was well.
Heavy footsteps followed behind Jasper. "I bought this place mostly for the location, and I assumed the view would be good," Rhys said, gesturing out at the mouth of the Argent River past the bridge. "But this...This is truly heavenly."
Jasper thought that heavenly was a bit of an exaggeration, but if Rhys wanted to pretend, that was fine by him. You could scarcely tell from this height just how polluted the water was.
Rhys moved beside Jasper, not taking a second glance at the mess around them. With his eyes still locked on the view, he slipped an arm around his pet's waist and pulled him in closer. "I feel like we are going to be able to accomplish a great deal here. Don't you?"
Jasper allowed Rhys to pull him in closer and leaned his head against the leather of Rhys's jacket. He smiled. "Yeah...maybe. I want to be hopeful. I know Coin wealth can move mountains. But, I guess I have my doubts, too...that things can really change for the people down here when the Coins have so much and everyone else has so little."
After a long, deep breath, Rhys answered, "I do not think we will be able to fix all of our society’s woes with this one campaign, but I do think we can get clean drinking water for the slums. Especially once we get more wealthy donors to support the cause." After his initial research, it was clear to Rhys that, even to secure clean water, there were habits to change at all levels of society. It would not simply be a matter of a shore cleanup and filtering the water. There were systemic issues at play. It would take a concerted effort for this to work.
"Right," said Jasper thoughtfully, rubbing his cheek against Rhys's jacket as he cuddled up a little. "You're right. If we can get Coin buy-in...at least maybe we can have clean water. Well, the people down here can. I think it's important that we consult with the people here about what problems they face so that we understand the barriers to cleaning up the river and getting people clean water."
"Why, that is an excellent idea!" Rhys said. "We can do a survey, perhaps. That should give us most of what we need, no?"
Jasper smiled and pulled away just slightly to shake his head. "No, Rhys. That's not nearly enough. We're going to need to get them involved, every step of the way. Consulting with them, hiring them, and making them a part of the project. This river...it's ours — I mean, theirs."
A bitter voice, somewhere between his own and Julian's, kept speaking up inside of Jasper at moments like this. If he didn't count himself as a resident of the slums, he could hear what that voice would say: less than a month out of the slums, and already he thought he was too good to be counted as one of its people? But if he did claim that identity, the voice would answer all the same: you don't share their struggle anymore, you live on the closest thing to Mount Olympus around here, and you want to talk about how rough the slum rats like you have it? It was an uneasy position to sit in, but relative to Rhys, he was the authority on the subject of the slums.
Rhys was uncertain how to react. His instinctual reaction was to immediately dismiss Jasper's idea as pointless, and then refer to schooled, trained experts. Would they not know better? Years of schooling and experience — of prestige — should be the best route, clearly. And yet, something in Jasper's calm certainty, in how he moved away from Rhys, told him he was missing something basic. Something essential. What was he missing?
"...If you are certain, then we can do as you say," Rhys offered, tentatively. He was doing this for Jasper, after all. It would not do to ignore him throughout the whole process. Not knowing what else to say on the matter, Rhys decided to move on. "Speaking of those close to the issue, I was thinking we should take a walk along the river. I have never actually been this close to it before." Rhys turned to leave the rooftop. "Come, pet. We have much to discuss."
Satisfied that Rhys had taken his words to heart, even if he didn't perfectly understand, Jasper nodded amicably and then followed. It might be nice to show Rhys where he had grown up. In many ways, this felt like a date he might have had before all this. Jasper let Rhys lead him out of the building and then pointed to a slightly overgrown path. "This'll be much more interesting than the paved path. What do you want to see in particular? The most polluted spots?"
Rhys felt this would finally be a good opportunity to discuss what happened with Calix at the ceremony. The conversation might take a little more time than they had on the short path directly to the riverbank, however. Not wanting to put too much of a damper on his gift to Jasper, Rhys wanted to take the time to address this before they reached the water's edge. The Coin looked around for a longer path. "Come," he decided, pointing down a long curved ridge, clear of brush. "We will go this way." The Coin started making his way down the path without waiting for any acknowledgement from his pet.
Unperturbed, Jasper jogged lightly after the long-legged Coin. Rhys seemed a little uncomfortable — it was probably their surroundings. The rich man was clearly unused to the realities of the slums.
Once Jasper caught up to him, Rhys wasted no time. "There is something we should discuss about the Golden Lattice Ceremony," Rhys started, his voice calm and even. "I need you to tell me everything that happened leading up to you striking Calix."
Jasper's reading of Rhys's discomfort hadn't been accurate, then. Rhys wanted to know whether he needed to reprimand him. Probably would either way, knowing Coins, just as a show of dominance. That thought came from a cynical part of him that was more than happy to be back in the slums, the part that still resisted his new role. But Jasper would answer his Owner honestly.
"It happened quickly and I reacted on instinct, Rhys. He grabbed me and lifted me without saying a word, so I fought like Herakles in the jaws of Cerberus to get whoever it was to put me down. I thought he wanted to hurt me. I bit his hand, and he dropped me, and then I punched him."
A pregnant silence filled the air before Rhys answered. Jasper was clearly someone who had been through sudden, dangerous events in his life, but ultimately that didn't matter. "Your previous...employment was one in which you needed to adapt and be ready for surprises. That will always be useful to you. Allowing you to predict what may occur."
"In this case, you knew what the ceremony was, and that you were supposed to be secreted away to quiet corners," Rhys continued, his eyes still looking straight ahead, avoiding Jasper's gaze. "You knew that Coins would be taking part, who are almost universally strong and often entitled. Being grabbed is something you reasonably should have predicted. You should have been ready. Especially after Calix carried you for several full seconds."
Rhys paused to let those words sink in.
"Now you have punched an old friend I am trying to reconnect with. You 'brought down' the party considerably for some of the guests as well as yourself. And worst of all," Rhys motioned to Jasper's hand. "You injured yourself."
Rhys took a long deep breath and finally turned to meet Jasper's eyes. "I know that it will take some time, but you must try to internalize the idea that this is a part of society with different expectations and levels of permissiveness than you are used to." A worried frown dampened Rhys’s normally glowing features. "I want you to enjoy your time as my pet, and I certainly do not want anyone to come to any harm. Do you understand?"
Despite having anticipated something like this conversation, Jasper felt his anger mount at the sheer obliviousness and entitlement that Rhys was demonstrating. Jasper couldn't just ignore his experiences. Growing up in the slums had made him hypervigilant, and he couldn't just reason his way out of years of learned instinct and trauma. He squeezed his fists shut tight and pressed his lips together. What an absurd lecture. Jasper already understood what he had done, but Rhys's reading of the situation was just so...so fucking simplistic. The condescension of it made Jasper grit his teeth.
But despite his anger, Jasper — no, Adrien was a consummate professional and a survivor. He tried to get a handle on himself. He reminded himself that Rhys meant well. He reminded himself of that morning in Rhys's bed, of the joy that they had taken in each other. He slowly unclenched his jaw. His words came out in a relentless, staccato rhythm.
"Rhys, I don't think you fully understand the situation. I can't just make my life experiences and how they've shaped me go away. Even if I had been able to predict the situation, the panic and survival mode kicked in long before I was capable of conscious thought. For all I knew, there could have been someone who made it through security who wanted me dead. Nobody else did anything like what Calix did. I don't think he meant any harm, and yes, I punched him, but you can't expect me to take full responsibility for this. Not to you. I'll...I'll write an apology to him, fine, whatever you want. But I need you to understand."
Rhys was mollified. What his pet said was logical and reasonable. What was more, Jasper was trusting him with difficult, sincere feelings. That was something to encourage, even if he had just taken such a strong stance. Rhys decided that he had to demonstrate a willingness to admit when he didn't have the full picture.
"Thank you for sharing that with me," Rhys finally said after a long pause. "That changes my understanding of the situation significantly."
The tall Coin put a big hand on Jasper's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I did not realize just how precarious and dangerous things were for you before. While I will never fully understand what it was like for you, I do think I have a better understanding now, even if those that surround us might not."
Pulling his hand back, Rhys smiled contentedly as he looked down the path again. "I am glad that you're willing to apologize to Calix. That will go a long way toward resolving the situation. From there, you and I will work on these impulses together. And," Rhys raised a finger into the air to emphasize his point, "I am warmed and flattered that you would feel able to share those thoughts and feelings with me. Good boy."
Jasper was frozen to the spot. He didn't know what he had been expecting, just that he had to say what he had said. He had mostly been expecting angry retribution. He exhaled the breath that he had been holding. "I...uh...Thank you, Rhys. Thank you."
Trying to move past the awkwardness of his own reaction, Jasper looked around the path. The vulnerability had been too much for him, and he had to defuse it with something else now. "So, what delightful slum sights would you like to take in today, Mr. Fairmount? As your local guide, I'll be happy to bring you the best in poverty tourism that our humble slums have to offer."
Rhys felt he handled the fraught conversation with his new pet well, so he was happy to accept the admittedly obvious segue to another topic. "Let us not call it poverty tourism, pet," Rhys answered, cringing mildly at the term. "We should instead call it what it is. Research." Rhys raised his head to look toward where he imagined the riverbank to be. "I do think I need to see the problem. Would you lead the way, Jasper?"
As they approached the riverbank, the foul smell intensified noticeably. Rhys's nose began to wrinkle again. Rhys debated holding a kerchief over his nose and mouth but thought it might offend Jasper. "From this distance, the water doesn't look so bad."
Rhys thought his voice might not have held its usual amount of confidence and conviction.
Jasper laughed, coming to a stop on a dock above the water that was used to launch small craft. "Right, Rhys. You don't have to pretend. I know your sense of smell is probably at least a little bit better than mine. We both know how bad it is."
Peering into the murk, Jasper pointed out a square shape with a vaguely visible lattice. "There's a shopping cart. A little further in, there's a washer and dryer set."
Looking out at the corroded metal, so many questions ran through his head, and so few had answers. 'Why would someone dispose of their appliances in...! And how would they even...! Those machines are so far out... How?!' Confused, Rhys turned back to Jasper, who was resting his foot on an ancient chemical drum while he peered out over the water. Rhys hadn't noticed that before. Nor had he noticed the pile of tires, or that broken chair mostly covered by a pile of rotting clothes, or the...
As Rhys took a closer look at his surroundings, he realized what surrounded them. The scene was overwhelming. This close up, he was seeing what was only hinted at behind the cover of tall reeds. Those 'boulders' were piles of old tires. That pale 'driftwood' was deformed insulation foam, compacted and soaked in something that had stained it a pale yellow. Those bunches of 'seaweed' were rotten fish carcasses. Those shining 'rocks' lining the shore that the Coins admired from above were actually tens of thousands of glass bottles, if not more. And everywhere he looked, there was plastic. Tangled up in rotting plant matter, half-hidden in the reeds, bobbing along in the water, sticking up from the deep, black mud.
The Coin was astonished. He stood there, shoulders drooping, and mouth agape. As he watched shimmering colours swirl in the shallows, his mind struggled to process what he saw before him.
Jasper was still grinning wryly as he turned back to Rhys, but he frowned as he realized that Rhys was truly shocked. He really hadn't known what they would find here. Of course, he had never had to think about it. 'Good. It's important that he sees this.'
Suddenly aware that they were being watched by a fair number of people, some of them much more subtle than others, Jasper drew his jacket closed. He felt ill at ease in his fancy black jacket and leather gloves, in the impractical shoes that Lemon had picked out. "...Maybe that's enough for today, Rhys."
Peering back at some of the watching faces as he tried to clock them all, Jasper locked eyes with an unexpected watcher: one of his now former competitors. Iskios was peering at him with a self-satisfied smirk from up on the fire escape of one of the buildings that dotted the Argent's banks. No doubt he had heard about a Coin and pet wandering around lost and wondered if there was any profit to be made. Jasper swallowed and turned back to Rhys. "I think we should go. People are taking an interest in us that we may not want."
Jasper's voice pulled Rhys from his contemplations. Finally turning away from the revolting sights around him, he glanced at Jasper, then back inland. He shielded his eyes with a hand as he peered through the rusty chain-link fence at the people walking the streets. "Oh, I would not worry about them," Rhys answered absently. "People always tend to watch and follow Coins when we come down here. Especially when we are a bit out of place."
Jasper shrugged uncomfortably, tugging Rhys's hand down. Could he be any more obvious? Even a Coin could be overpowered, out here alone with no bodyguards. He had never felt so uncomfortable in his own neighbourhood before. Maybe they were just staring at Rhys. He glanced back at the building where Iskios had just been. The other thief was gone. "...We're not exactly in the middle of downtown. This is an isolated-enough industrial area where we would have trouble getting help if we needed it. Please trust my instincts."
Surprised, Rhys looked Jasper over in the space of a heartbeat. His posture had shifted. Jasper seemed more animalistic, his stance wider, his head slightly lowered, and his pupils dilated. His pet was warning him of something he couldn't see.
"Lead the way."
At Jasper's direction, the pair moved back along the path at a brisk walking pace, trying to seem at least somewhat casual.
"When we're out of sight behind the next building, we run," whispered Jasper. His Owner did not argue and tried not to look over at the people on the road again.
Rhys was already sweating in his heavy jacket as they got closer to the nearest run-down factory building. His pulse pounded in his ears. He had never been in a situation like this, never been so unable to exert control over his surroundings. Jasper, on the other hand, seemed both alert and calm. He seemed to know what to do next without question. The Coin was finally able to see some small fraction of the reality of Jasper's previous life.
Once they went far enough to be almost out of view of the street, Jasper broke into a run, and Rhys followed alongside him. They sprinted together across the entire length of the building until Jasper eventually reached out without looking and grabbed Rhys under the upper arm, pulling him back so they slowed down together. Rhys looked at his pet in confusion but decided to wait instead of asking. Jasper clearly knew what he was doing. The former thief stepped ahead of Rhys and stopped to lean his head out just a little from around the side of the building. Curious, Rhys did the same.
After a few seconds of looking, Rhys watched a half-dozen residents pass into view, clearly searching the surrounding area. Many of them held rusted pieces of metal that they must have scrounged up. Two of them looked to be holding knives with blades at least as long as Rhys's hand, from wrist to fingertip. If there had ever been any doubt in Rhys's mind as to Jasper's perceptive abilities, there certainly was not anymore.
"Come on," Jasper said with unnerving calm. "We need to go back the other way." Jasper worked himself up into a sprint again, reaching the other side of the building before Rhys. As strong as he was, the big Coin probably didn't have to do much endurance running. Rhys finally caught up, breathing hard.
Jasper led his Owner toward the street, but at a slower pace. He could tell that Rhys needed to recover for a bit. "We're going to hop the fence," Jasper warned, knowing Rhys probably hadn't done this before. "Watch me, and do the same."
Soon, the thief-turned-pet was hoisting himself over the lip of the chain-link fence. Just as Jasper dropped neatly to the ground on the other side, turning back to Rhys to help him across, a voice called out to him.
"Autolycus!"
Jasper drew himself up to his full height and pushed his shoulders back as though trying to appear bigger. He turned to the sound of the voice. It was Iskios, stepping out from the shade between two buildings.
"Iskios," said Jasper, making an effort to sound almost bored.
"Haven't seen you around lately. It's been good for business. You aren't back now, are you?" drawled Iskios, not quite unfriendly, but clearly trying to maintain dominance over the situation even as Jasper could hear the curiosity in his voice.
"I'm out of the game," said Jasper. "And I'd rather not talk about it."
When Rhys first heard this 'Iskios' call out, he immediately tensed in fear for his pet. Jasper was all alone on the other side of this damnable fence. But, Jasper did not seem worried, just annoyed. Rhys started scrambling over the fence as quickly as he could. He hoped he did not look too clumsy.
"Oh? Well, if you don't want to talk to me, I think some of your ornery friends just passed by over there and they'd probably be happy to chat with you and Blondie."
"Someone piss in your maza, Iskios? You're not usually one for petty threats," said Jasper, the teasing in his voice concealing an edge.
"Your retirement is just awfully sudden, 'Lycus. Can't blame me for wanting to be the first to hear what happened. Knowledge is power, after all."
That was the second time Iskios used that name. Rhys took note of that. Was it a nickname? An insult? Maybe an alias. Rhys put the thought aside for the moment. He would need to look into it later. Right now, Rhys would not stand for this miscreant talking to his pet like that.
From the top of a fence half again his height, Rhys lept in an arc, landing directly between Jasper and Iskios with a heavy thud. He towered above them menacingly. "Iskios, is it?" he said in a flat tone. "Do not make idle threats. If you or your...accomplices...steal from us, you will not last twenty-four hours before you are dragged out of the dark little holes you call home."
Jasper's jaw dropped in time with Iskios's. The two of them stared at each other from around Rhys. Iskios turned his attention to the Coin before him. "I'm not with them. I'm interested in my dear old friend Autolycus and how he's been keeping. That's all."
"Tartarus and Asphodel, Iskios, can't you see that I'm with the fucking Coin and that's why I'm not busting my balls down here with you?" said Jasper, exasperated. "Your business is inconsequential to me. I don't need your scores."
"Ah, so the great Autolycus is fucking a Coin now. Pregnant with any gold bars?" said Iskios cheekily, seeming more friendly now that it was clear that Jasper wasn't back to take work from him. "That'd be your biggest score yet."
Rhys gritted his teeth and made to speak, but Jasper spoke first.
"Yeah, I'll send you an invitation to the shower," scoffed Jasper, unknowingly cutting Rhys off. He placed a hand on Rhys's forearm. He was sensitive to the fact that they were not out of the woods yet — those others could come back this way. It was enough that Rhys was a Coin. That alone made him worth chasing past the point where it would be wise to give up. "Come on, Rhys. Let's go."
Having already been riled up and wanting to defend Jasper, Rhys was frustrated by being cut off. He had to remind himself that this was Jasper's arena, and this was no time to try to fine-tune Jasper's dominant tendencies. He walked past Iskios without giving him a second glance.
Once they had gotten out of earshot, Rhys looked to Jasper, "A lot is happening right now, and I trust you to know what you are doing." He smiled down at his pet. Glancing around, Rhys remembered how long it took them to get to the old factory in the first place. "Well done so far. You wouldn't happen to know any shortcuts back to where we parked, would you?"
Jasper nodded, still a little on-edge from their encounter with Iskios and the others, and led the way. He should have known to expect that someone would recognize him. Jasper had not foreseen the rest of the attention, still unused to travelling with a Coin.
Taking the most expedient route, Jasper guided Rhys across the broad street from their soon-to-be headquarters, through a run-down shell of a factory, and then out the back again. Quiet as foxes, they slipped from the factory doorway to behind a half-collapsed wall, from dark alley to shadowed courtyard. A group of rough-looking locals missed the pair when Jasper pulled Rhys into a crouch behind a low retaining wall. The knives in their seekers' hands and the chains wrapped around their forearms betrayed their intentions.
Rhys was surprised at the relief he felt when Jasper finally led him back to the open street where they had parked. Jasper, on the other hand, only relaxed when they were inside the self-driving car with the doors locked. He took a deep breath, exhaling it in a gust. Then, Jasper glanced over at Rhys, his beautiful, strong, completely oblivious Coin, with no real understanding of what it meant to live down here, or how to treat the denizens...
Overcome with relief, Jasper leaned over and kissed him hungrily, his lips firm against the larger man's.
---
Five minutes later, they were in the air, and Jasper was in Rhys's lap. Rhys had been surprised when Jasper kissed him after all that. After everything that happened, he felt that they had a lot to talk about...The river, the locals, how Jasper saw every danger, and that name, Autolycus...but then again, perhaps they both needed to release some tension.
Rhys slipped a hand under Jasper's shirt, caressing his side. The smooth skin over hard muscle reminded him of just how instrumental his pet had been in avoiding disaster. Seeing him be so ready, so switched on, made Rhys's heart race all over again.
"Jasper," Rhys said between kisses, "I'm very proud of you."
Jasper kissed the corner of Rhys's lips, grinding his body against the Coin's, luxuriating in the touch of Rhys's hand on his side. "What do you mean?"
Rhys pulled his pet closer so that Jasper had his lips on the side of Rhys's neck. "I saw a different side of you today that blended what you learned with me and your skills from your life down there. You kept us safe. And what's more, you never overstepped. You behaved just as I would have expected from an experienced pet."
"Mmm," said Jasper, pressing his warm lips comfortably against Rhys's skin. A part of him deeply craved to be praised by Rhys like this. It was a lovely warm feeling that seemed to spread through his whole body. It had felt so strange to be back in the slums, to stand on that rooftop where he had so often spent time with Seth, to see Iskios, to be chased as though he was a mark. Mostly, he was glad that they were both safe. "I'm sorry about what happened."
"Sorry?" Rhys pushed Jasper back and smiled at him before he slipped both hands under his pet's shirt and pulled it over Jasper's head, tossing it aside. "What for? I got to give you a gift, and we had an adventure."
"So long as you had a good time," groused Jasper, pushing his pectorals out toward Rhys now that his shirt had been shucked. He wanted Rhys to play with them. "Did you enjoy the thrill of it? Did it make you hard for me?"
Rhys caressed Jasper's torso, moving his powerful hands up to his chest and then working the muscle. "If you want to know, then check along my thigh."
Jasper's hand quested up Rhys's leg, meeting his turgid dick a little above his knee. He gave a little moan and massaged the head and shaft through the fabric of Rhys's pants. "So, you like danger. No wonder you decided that I was the right pet for you after you caught me stealing."
"Who does not like a bit of a thrill?" Rhys pulled off his leather gloves and covered Jasper's hand with his own, pushing it more firmly onto his cock. "To be honest, in choosing you, I expected you to be...truculent. You have been much more malleable than I anticipated, pet." Rhys looked Jasper up and down, and nodded to his pants, motioning for him to take them off. "You were born for this."
Jasper had also expected to be less cooperative if he was honest, and he could not account for it. He was momentarily perturbed, but the thought of being Rhys's malleable pet went a long way toward distracting him from his concerns. Leaning back against the seat, he removed his dark grey dress pants, leaving them on the floor of the car.
Jasper raised his eyes to meet Rhys's, full of desire. In doing so, he caught sight of movement outside the car: a bird flying up on the right-hand side of Rhys's head, with the Sky District behind it. He grinned to himself, remembering that they were in a self-driving car up in the air. This was an opportunity not to be wasted. "You know, I've never fucked in the air before."
"Then I should have us fly circles around the city," Rhys answered enthusiastically. "That way I can take my time in filling you." The Coin shifted his leg to show off his length as he started to unfasten his belt.
"Think they'll be able to see us if we do that? You gonna press me up against the glass?" Jasper licked his lips, his eyes drawn to the movement in Rhys's leg and that nice, big cock with it. He wanted it any way Rhys was ready to give it to him. For fuck's sake, he would have just lain in Rhys's lap and cuddled that cock, if that was what was on offer. It fascinated him. Without really thinking about it, Jasper found himself palming his dick, which was already slick with pre-cum. It seemed to be his baseline state, these days.
Rhys licked his lips as he pushed his pants down past his knees. "I cannot overstate how much I enjoy that leaking cock of yours." The Coin pointed to the floor right in front of him, and Jasper didn't hesitate. He almost jumped off the seat to kneel in front of his Owner.
Taking his shaft in hand, Rhys slid forward on the seat, then he looked into Jasper's eyes and watched as he let his dick gently fall onto Jasper's face.
Jasper closed his eyes, enjoying the warm, firm flesh against his cheek. He gave a sigh of pleasure and rubbed his Owner's cock against his face, snuggling it a little just as he had internally promised himself that he would if faced with this situation. "Mmm...I can't overstate how much this big cock makes mine leak."
With one hand, Rhys cupped the side of Jasper's face and guided his mouth up to his tip. "I want you to drip all over yourself so that I can taste you before I take you."
Jasper allowed himself to be led and moistened his lips before pushing his mouth onto Rhys's tip. He felt the ridge of the glans as it slid past his lips. His cocksucking lessons with Orion in VR were still firm in his mind. With a cock this size, the trick was to relax his jaw and throat, applying only the lightest of pressure with his muscles. The pet's cock needed no assistance when it came to dripping all over himself.
"I love the face you make when you work my cock." Rhys groaned as he watched Jasper's face rise and fall. He gripped the seat hard enough to leave indents. "Already half-entranced with the pleasure of pleasing me. Best to enjoy it now before those lovely features are pressed against the glass instead while I take my pet's hole."
Those pretty eyes fluttered shut as the pet gave in to the sensations, already imagining what it would be like to look out at the world as they flew by with Rhys's long shaft buried in his guts. Jasper pressed his mouth and throat further down the shaft, lips stretched obscenely around the majestic Coin cock.
When Jasper's face started to relax, his whole body soon followed. This confirmed what Rhys had suspected since last night in the bath: his new pet was highly suggestible. How had the Fates conspired to bring him someone so perfectly suited to his desires?
Having still never discussed the use of hypnosis before, Rhys was firm in not wanting to abuse Jasper's trust. This would be an excellent opportunity to get Jasper comfortable being in this state of mind, though. It would make future trances even easier. "Good. You are being such a good pet for me. So relaxed and comfortable... Aren't you glad that I can relieve your stress this easily?"
Jasper's eyes fluttered open as he pulled himself up from trance enough to moan in an affirmative response. 'I love it when my Owner takes care of me. I can relax and obey...' The thought seemed to come out of nowhere, but Jasper accepted it without question. Aristotle's rig still had its hooks in him, even now, weeks later. He pushed the cock further down his throat, beginning to bob in a gentle, seductive rhythm, bringing himself deeper into trance.
Rhys let Jasper worship his cock with that devoted mouth, enjoying the way his long shaft disappeared down his devoted pet's throat. Jasper must be dripping right now, even though Rhys could not see it. His leaky pet always made such a delicious mess. It was that thought that made Rhys slip his hand into Jasper's hair and gently pull his mouth away. "It's my turn. Lie back on the seat for me, Jasper."
Jasper let Rhys pull him off his cock, his eyes soft and dazed. He let out an adorable little sigh as he did as he was told. He crawled up onto the seat and laid down, his knees in the air, the slightly moist skin of his back sticking a little to the leather.
Down on one knee, Rhys put a hand flat on Jasper's abdomen, just below his navel. He leaned forward, running his hand up and around his pet's torso, and languidly licked up along his shaft, cleaning off the abundant wet mess, Jasper's fluids having spread along his balls and inner thighs. Rhys moaned in satisfaction as he rolled his tongue around his mouth, enjoying the salty and oddly sweet taste. "I'm sure you would love to have some of this, but, this time, it is all for me."
Jasper shuddered at the sensation of his Owner's mouth all over him, the warmth of it, the slight tickling sensation. Dazed, he felt himself get even harder than before, and he had been sure that he was fully hard. "...all for you...it's all for you...I'm all for you..."
He felt pleasure at the rightness of his own words as he reinforced what he had been taught, unbeknownst to Rhys, when he had first learned to take his Owner's cock. Sucking his Owner's cock would probably always have this effect on him now, as he associated it with being open and receptive, ready to listen and learn whatever he was told.
Rhys grinned at his pet's wanton reaction. Every sound from Jasper made Rhys's cock pulse with pleasure and anticipation. Lowering himself down, the Owner took Jasper's balls into his mouth, one at a time, teasing and laving them. All the while his hand was still exploring the pet's chest. He could feel the follicles standing on end everywhere he moved his hand.
Jasper was lost in sensation. His whole body felt warm and tantalized, enervated. Every spot that Rhys touched or teased or licked drew his whole attention, and he seemed to live in those parts of his body. The skin on his chest tingled. His cock and balls felt warm and wet. His noises were one continuous moan, punctuated by sharp little inhales of breath as Rhys touched him somewhere new. Every part of him was all for Rhys, and he loved it. It felt safe. He moved his hands without thinking to entwine them in Rhys's beautiful, slightly curly blond hair. It felt like silk between his fingers.
His pet's eagerness was clear to see. Jasper needed this, and Rhys did not want to wait any longer. With a few last tender licks along the inside of Jasper's thighs, the Coin sat back up.
"Roll over," Rhys said, absently fixing his hair. "Press your forearms to the glass and look outside."
Pulling himself out of his daze enough to do as he was told, Jasper flipped his body and crawled to the car window on the luxurious bench. As he pressed his body against the window, ass up invitingly, he felt a brief moment of vertigo. They were mid-way between the Sky District and the New Argent City's downtown slums. The glass was so clear it felt as though he might fall right through. He noticed other cars flying through the air and wondered if they could see him like this.
Rhys smiled eagerly at the tight hole being presented to him. He wasted little time. As he positioned himself behind Jasper, he leaned forward above him and used one powerful hand to grab the wide window frame, balancing himself. While he gently prodded at Jasper's entrance, Rhys brought his mouth to the pet's ear. "Are you ready for me to fuck you as we race across the sky in my gleaming chariot?"
"Uhnhh," Jasper moaned in the affirmative, momentarily inchoate. He was overwhelmed by what he was seeing and the sensations that Rhys was provoking in his body. He shook himself out of it as best he could. "Y-yes..."
Releasing his cock for a moment, Rhys pulled a small tube of lubricant from his inside breast pocket. He squeezed out the warm gel onto Jasper's hole and drew a line down his own length for good measure. The Coin lined up his enhanced dick, used his tip to coat Jasper properly, and then gently started to press in.
Jasper squirmed, the glass cool in contrast to the heat of his skin. He moaned a little as he felt the tip of that huge Coin cock against his tight hole.
Since Jasper was unprepared, Rhys went slow at first. Realizing that this might take longer than expected, he quickly changed the route in his ocular implant to circle the Sky District instead of landing, just as he had teased Jasper he might. "So many people flying by, watching the view from balconies, how many of them do you think will notice me taking your slutty hole?"
Pressed up against the glass, the pet's eyes tracked the other cars sailing through the air and noted the gleaming glass and metal buildings in the distance. There was no way that people could see them, right? He let out a low moan. He had been joking before about people seeing them while they fucked. "...They...they can't see in, can they?"
"Coins have sharp eyes," Rhys answered without hesitation. "Who can say if someone will be watching at just the right time? And that is before even mentioning the city's surveillance." He sank slowly deeper, finally getting the glans through.
Jasper moaned as Rhys's head popped inside of him and he instinctively squeezed down around it, tightening his newly enhanced hole. He imagined Coins watching the lewd expression on his face, seeing his nude chest pressed up against the glass. "F-fuck...you really...really think so?" He gave a wanton groan. "Fuck, I kind of want them to see."
Having stopped his thrust once Jasper tensed, Rhys began carefully rotating his cock in gentle circles. "I hope they can, too," he said. "I would love for the whole world to see what a happy, slutty pet I have found."
Rhys savoured Jasper's moans as he continued to work at the pet's hole until it started to loosen. "That's it, take a deep breath and relax your ass for me. See that car? I bet everyone inside can see your face contorted in bliss as I use that slutty ass. I bet there's still some of the leftover loads from the Golden Lattice Ceremony inside of you, pet. Some of those watching might even be our party guests. They won't be surprised to see you being used like this."
Jasper's imagination ran wild as he pictured some of the party guests spotting him, the clear glass displaying him like a precious object in a case. He tried to do as he was told and relax his ass. Rhys was so long, it was like being fucked by an endless cock, until finally he seated himself all the way inside of Jasper and the pet could feel his Owner's balls against his taint. He was still half-under, entranced by the sensation of that cock, though he was more alert now that it was in his ass instead of in his mouth.
As Rhys began to rock his hips back and forth, still leaning over Jasper, he took his long hair in his free hand and dangled the tips a few inches above his pet's back. "The rumours about you must be spreading fast now. The naturally charming and insatiable slut. You'll be highly sought after at gatherings. Doesn't the thought of it make you..." Rhys gently dragged the ends of his hair across Jasper's back, "...shiver with excitement?"
The thought of his reputation shifting from Master Thief to slutty pet made Jasper gasp with a kind of horrified, delicious humiliation. Giving in to such a reputation would be so perfectly wrong in a way that felt exactly right. He wanted to be put on display, up against perfectly clear glass just like this, exposed for everyone to see how much his slut cock spurted and dripped constantly at the thought of being used. Now that Rhys had put the thought into his head, it was inescapable.
Coupled with the dizzying view from the air and the cock stretching out his hole, Jasper felt like he couldn't get any hornier. But then he fancied that he caught the eye of a Coin in a far-off car just as Rhys dragged his soft hair across his back, and Jasper gasped, suddenly cumming on the spot, his cock shooting its load onto the base of the window.
Without slowing his rhythm, Rhys started to laugh. "I cannot tell if I just saw how much of a show-off you are, or if I found a particularly sensitive spot."
Rhys loved watching Jasper try not to writhe from the pleasure. He was so earnest. He always tried so very hard to do what he thought his Owner wanted. "I hope everyone out there can see the look on your face and all the conspicuous cum on the glass."
At Rhys's comment, Jasper's hole clenched around him. The pleasurable aftershocks of his orgasm seemed to be extended by the sensation of Rhys's cock inside of him. "F-fuck..."
His cum was cooling on the window, running down onto the metal frame of the car.
"Yes, that feels perfect," Rhys said as Jasper's ass tightened around him. "Keep flexing like that. Get ready for my cum, pet." He made sure every thrust was precise, ending with his pelvis gently slapping his pet's well-defined backside. Rhys was past the point of no return now. He needed this. He brought himself to the edge as quickly as he could.
In seconds, Rhys was moaning as his eyes fluttered, "Ohh, gods, yes..." He could feel his balls pulling up as he finally came, buried in Jasper to the hilt, pressing his pet against the chilled glass. The pleasure was smooth and hot as it spread through his body, nerves singing. As the pulses slowed, the Coin brushed away the sweat accumulating on his brow.
"You did so well for me, pet." Rhys cooed as he slowly withdrew his cock, letting Jasper feel every bit of it, until finally, he fell backward, letting his still wet cock slap against the leather seats. Seeing how spent Jasper was, Rhys spread his arms wide enough to fit his form and called to him, "Come here, pet."
Looking a little dazed, Jasper turned toward Rhys and crawled into his lap, resting his nude body against his Owner's chest. "Yes, Rhys..." He closed his eyes and began to drowse almost immediately, his body responding to the orgasm and the recent heightening of emotions down in the slums.
Rhys brushed the hair away from Jasper's forehead and then kissed him on the brow. "Good pet."
---
With a sigh, Rhys sank back into his favourite sofa. He watched out the lounge window as Jasper set up his new garden with Lemon and some of Rhys's other staff. He seemed to have all the confidence in the world as he directed the staff where to place the various pots and tables. They had had a good day together, despite the unexpected turns.
Rhys wondered how much experience Jasper really had with gardening. Rhys wondered a great many things about Jasper in that moment. He remembered the name that 'Iskios' had used for his pet: 'Autolycus.' In the old myths, he was a man faithful to Hermes, who gifted him great skill in trickery. Rhys smiled. Yes, Jasper certainly was confident. If he had chosen such a lofty name for himself, he was even more confident than Rhys had realized. Perhaps too much so at times? With this new information from Iskios, Rhys finally had a lead to look into his pet's history.
Seeing that Jasper would be sufficiently distracted by the garden for the rest of the afternoon, Rhys decided now was as good a time as any. Wasting no more time, the Coin moved to his office. The state-of-the-art personal computer came to life with a pleasant tone, and the long, gently curved display lit up above his u-shaped desk.
Rhys took his seat in the centre of the display. The machine automatically identified him and brought a hand-shaped icon onto the screen. Rhys gently pressed his palm to it, and the computer used various sensors to quickly scan his fingerprints, his retinas, and other biometrics before allowing access.
With a determined sigh, Rhys entered some search parameters into the public security database to see just what Autolycus the Thief was known for. He raised his eyebrows as the search terms returned hundreds of results. 'Not just a petty thief, then. Just who are you, Autolycus?'
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