In Tykhe's Grasp
REVISED Chapter 8: The Many Rubicons
by time_to_occur
Tags:
#dubious_consent
#m/m
#m/nb
#multiple_partners
#ownership_dynamics
#scifi
#3rd_person
#ownership
SYNOPSIS: Rhys and Jasper finalize the new pet’s paperwork. During Jasper’s VR training, Rhys finds himself in a vulnerable position with Aristotle, who only wants what he thinks is best for his friend.
[NOTE: This is the heavily revised version of Chapter 8. Comments are author fuel, so if you like this series, let us know!]
Already, Jasper was entering into this new phase of his life with just as much dishonesty as he had left the last. The attendants had just taken a volumetric video recording of Jasper testifying that he was entering into this contract in good faith and of his own volition. He now pressed his thumbprint into the interface and signed in an unreadable scrawl on the contract. None of the personal information he had given was true. Almost any contract and proof thereof could be faked or tampered with. Jasper knew this, and yet, he felt strangely sad wondering how many pets found themselves forced into their roles, their files and testimonies falsified or given under duress. Looking up at Rhys, he still felt the momentousness and weight of the occasion. With this thumbprint and signature, and Rhys's corresponding ones, he had just legally become a pet.
Next came the tattoo. Smiling at Rhys, Jasper took his spot in the technician's chair. A replica of Rhys's chosen design would be made on his skin in blacklight ink, invisible to the naked eye. Under a blacklight, it would shine and reveal a cleverly-hidden and scannable steganographic code. Rhys had shown him what his would be on the way over: a forced perspective image with a mountain in the background and mountain flowers at the fore, including Mountain Lupine, Mountain Saxifrage, and Alpine Yellow Monkey. Embedded in a location that would be unknown even to Jasper (ostensibly so that the knowledge could not be tortured out of him) would be his tracking chip. Like a house cat. It ought to feel demeaning, but instead, Jasper unaccountably found himself hard during all of the preparations, thinking about how he belonged to Rhys now.
They had come directly from brunch, which had been jovial but less lascivious for the remainder of the meal. Chalcedony had eased up on the intense questions that he had been asking. (Okay, Jasper knew that he had probably only found them intense because he wasn't who he said he was.) Aristotle had been charming and welcoming. (Even if, for some reason, the thought of that man made Jasper's hackles raise. There was no reason for it!)
He barely felt a pinch as the tattoo machine lowered over his left pectoral and did its work almost instantaneously. This was bureaucracy, and as pretty as the tattoo was, it was soulless, artless — purely aesthetic official business to Jasper's mind, not like having someone labour over your body, the endorphins and sweat of it, the pain paying the dues of permanency. The small wolf silhouette at the base of Jasper's skull, representing his thief moniker, Autolycus, had been the labour of just an hour or so, even with touchups, but the experience had been meaningful to him. Even though it was usually hidden under his short-cropped hair for the safety of anonymity, having it as his own secret emblem felt special. The clinical nature of all this made Jasper feel as though he were back in Dr. Constantine's office. Maybe that's why he was leaking all over himself once again. Jasper was not one for self-deception — he had to admit that there were kinks inside of him that he had never imagined before entering this new world.
Rhys felt a sense of reassurance as he watched the marking process. It was similar to the last time, but he was younger then. Then, he was filled with energetic excitement. Now, there was a much calmer, more mature pleasure. Rhys would never admit to having leaned in closer, heart racing, when they injected the chip. A secret only for him to know. He quickly memorized the spot and made a mental note not to toy with the spot too much. For Jasper's safety, he didn't want to give it away at some point.
While he waited for Jasper to wake up, Rhys sat in a chair beside his pet. Once Jasper started to stir, it didn't take long for him to fully regain his senses. The new Owner reached out for Jasper's hand and held it for a moment. With a soft squeeze, he finally spoke. "Come, pet. Get dressed. We'll find a place to speak privately for a few minutes before we head out."
---
Once out of the registration office, Rhys brought up a floor plan of the building on his ocular implant and confidently led Jasper deeper into the building. The halls were quiet except for the echoes of their footsteps. The only people they saw were the blurred silhouettes of office workers behind frosted glass doors and windows. Rhys noticed his pet following too closely. Almost even with him, in fact. His pet must be excited for registration, since he had followed correctly in public just previously. Rhys smiled at the thought of training the proper public protocol into Jasper. They had many fun days of training ahead of them. However, now was not the time.
Jasper had to admit that the Coin meds were the good stuff. He didn't feel any sort of drowsiness or aftereffects since after he awoke. He followed Rhys out as calmly as he had followed him in, staying quiet in the hallways as they moved through the Registrar Building. Rhys seemed to know where he was going.
Eventually, they pushed through the door to their destination. A mid-sized room with a few comfortable chairs and couches facing the outside window. The room that they now stood in was probably just an office break room, but it was nice. In the world of the Coins, even the office peons were entitled to nice things. The wall was a window made of a single pane of glass, from the floor to the high ceiling. And through it, a view from far above New Argent City, with the river running out to sea. "Sit with me," Rhys said as he moved to the couch in the center. The beautiful sunny day made the scene shine, with the shadows of a few stray clouds lazily crossing the lower city. "Are you enjoying the view?"
Jasper bit back a laugh when he realized what he was looking at outside the window — the "view" that Rhys was asking about.
This building was almost perfectly in-line with the rooftop where Seth had invited him, just over ten days ago, to propose the job that had landed him in this situation. They had drunk their shitty beer and stared at the garbage in the river, and pondered whether the Coins could see the trash and pollution from up above. He had his answer now.
The Argent River was like a shining thread cutting its way through the land, the city a pleasant light blue through the haze of the air, washed out and softened. It was beautiful. But it was nothing like the reality of what was down below them.
"It reminds me of home," said Jasper softly, dropping into the couch beside Rhys. "What did you want to talk about, Rhys?"
Rhys smiled easily at Jasper, then looked back through the window. Jasper was in a liminal place now — between the slums and the sky. He had chosen this place largely because of the view. Both the ground level where Jasper was from and elements of the Sky District where he would now live were visible. This felt like a good place for an important conversation.
The topics Rhys wanted to discuss felt so awkward, but he knew it had to be done. As planned, he started with what he hoped would be a core tenet of their new life together. Rhys had seen poor communication habits ruin relationships before. "I want to be clear. I know you may already have ideas about how you think Owners treat pets, but we will establish our own dynamic. Especially in moments like this. I want your honesty. I want us to communicate. Do you understand?"
Jasper nodded to Rhys, feeling reassured. Even if there were things he would never be able to tell Rhys, he understood the idea of being emotionally honest with his needs.
Rhys took Jasper's hands. "Do you have any questions or worries about life as my pet?"
That was a big question. Jasper thought carefully. He had been told about everything that had happened ahead of time and had agreed to it. He had been shocked by, but also appreciative of, the novelty of the sexual play at breakfast. He thought he could get used to that. But there was still at least one major unknown that had seated itself at the back of his mind. Jasper reminded himself that Rhys had asked for his honesty.
"There is one thing. Here and there, I've heard people, including you, referring vaguely to how you haven't had a pet in a long time. The way you and other people have spoken...it sounded like something bad happened. What happened to your last pet?"
At the mention of Marin, Rhys felt his heart, and his shoulders, sink. "...You really are an observant one, aren't you?" he said with a wry, pained smile. "I suppose there was no way to avoid this forever."
"Their name is Marin," Rhys began. "We got along famously. We were both deeply interested in hypnosis and using implanted triggers in our sexual games. Marin was eager to go further, and in my youthful confidence and naïvete, I thought I was ready to take them there."
Rhys sighed and closed his eyes. His voice changed, becoming flat and emotionless. A husk recounting its own personal tragedy. It was a story he had thought through a thousand times. "At first, they were a dream subject. They pushed themselves harder than I ever expected. But, one day, we were at a public party. Not long after we began, I was called away for an urgent matter. Since Marin was playing happily with a friend, I left the trigger in effect," He took a deep breath. "By the time I finally returned, it was too late. Marin had an abnormal reaction, and could not revert back from their altered state. I tried to take control, but it did nothing. They were...catatonic."
"I called for help. A medic, sedatives, anything..." Rhys opened his eyes again, staring, unseeing, out the window. "By the time that we finally sedated Marin and the post-hypnotic suggestions lost their hold, irreparable emotional and psychological damage was done. I have been told by the medical professionals that were on-scene that the combination of the breath play sensations and immobility that the post-hypnotic triggers were meant to provoke, in combination with some unknown stimulus at this particular party caused Marin to first go catatonic and subsequently fall into shock."
"I was distraught, and no longer trusted myself," Rhys went on. "Neither did two of our closest friends, Anthix and Calix. I still can't remember what I was thinking at the time,” Rhys’s brow sagged almost imperceptibly, betraying the pain that still lingered after a decade. “But Anthix stepped in to help me. Comfort me. Meanwhile, Calix demanded that Marin be taken away from me to help them recover. Apparently, I did the wise thing, and let that happen."
"Now Marin lives with those friends. In truth, I believe I am still recovering as well."
A shiver had run up Jasper's spine as Rhys talked about the hypnotic training gone wrong. He couldn't deny that it made him uneasy, especially since he was about to embark on similar training. But...Rhys and Marin...they had to have taken atypical risks, from what Rhys was describing. An abreaction like that didn't just come out of nowhere. There was a way to these things — a way to make commands and triggers safe, from what Jasper understood. 'But,' a voice of caution whispered inside of him, 'it is a form of edgeplay, isn't it?'
Playing with the mind that way, not all the risks could be completely mitigated. Jasper had never trusted anyone to hypnotize him, despite the way that the idea, even now, sent a spike of arousal through him. It always had.
Rhys had not thought that recounting the story for the first time in almost a decade would be so difficult, but he felt drained. Weakened. With his pet nearby, he forced himself to continue sitting upright and proud, but could not manage anything further. He waited, breathing deep, and hoped that his strength would return.
Watching how Rhys's face fell, how his carefully-constructed, untouchable facade barely held together as he began to speak, Jasper felt a pang of pity. Ten years ago, Rhys would have been something like what, twenty-two or twenty-three? Young. Young enough to have plenty of mistakes left to make.
Rhys's facade was all but crumbled. His new Owner was sitting there, trying to hold it together. Jasper only hesitated for a moment.
"Hey..." said Jasper, putting a comforting arm around Rhys' broad shoulders, drawing nearer to him. "That sounds enormously difficult. It must have hurt you both so much. I'm sorry."
He began to rub circles on the Coin's back, between his shoulder blades. "It's all right if you don't feel good about it. You're allowed to have feelings, Rhys. And I'm grateful you were honest and open with me about this. Your remorse...your feelings...they show how much you care and want to do right by your loved ones."
Jasper reflected, as he fell silent and just stayed at Rhys's side, rubbing his back comfortingly, that it was to his advantage to have the Coin feel attached to him, to use this moment. And yet, although his words came out of his skill at manipulation, the thought only then crossed his mind. In that moment, Rhys felt more human to Jasper in his imperfection than he ever had before.
Rhys let his pet get closer, though he did not move in any way himself. He was not sure what to do, and his mind swam for a moment. After a few tense seconds Rhys caught himself and took a deep, steadying breath. He focused on the sensation of his chest expanding and felt Jasper's body shift slightly. He parcelled off his emotions for a moment. He didn't bury them, never that, but set the thought aside to consider Jasper.
His pet said all the right things. He didn't ask for anything or press in one direction or another. Just empathy and validation. Even though he sounded like a mix of a paramour and a therapist, Rhys believed every word as Jasper said them. Some dark place in the back of his mind told Rhys to be suspicious, but instead, he just gave in. The Owner pulled his pet closer in, as if to comfort Jasper, and said the only thing he could think of. "I'm glad you feel that way. It is a good sign for you in your new life."
Eager to change topics, Rhys tried to move on. "Is there anything else? We have time."
Jasper kept his arm around Rhys's back, but he frowned when Rhys tried to change the subject. "I..."
He paused. He didn't want to make Rhys uncomfortable, and he knew that this was a contractual relationship with defined roles but...Jasper couldn't pretend that he didn't ultimately want more than that. He felt strange admitting that, but if he was asking Rhys to be emotionally honest, the least he could do was do the same.
"You...don't have to shut down your feelings, Rhys. I won't think any less of you. I feel like you're shutting me out of that part of you. Which is your right, as the Owner in this relationship, but it makes me feel like I'm an outsider," said Jasper with a calm shrug of his shoulders. "So, I guess that's my next question. Is this transactional to you? Should I avoid developing feelings for you? Or does having a pet mean something different to you? Is this a job, a contract, or is it a personal relationship?"
The Owner immediately started to feel his face redden. Jasper's questions had caught him by surprise on the tail end of all that sweet concern. It wasn't that Rhys didn't feel comfortable showing emotions like that, he was just... figuring them out. Things had evolved rather quickly for him in the last few days, after all.
Jasper felt a mischievous pleasure at seeing Rhys redden, but he kept his face carefully neutral, listening.
"This is more complex than just one or the other," Rhys said, inwardly chastising himself for letting his own pet catch him off-guard. "To answer your question directly, we have signed a contract, but I would not have sought you out if I was not interested in you."
Rhys smiled, more relaxed now that he had gotten control of himself. "I would expect us to become close friends, at the least, but I am already developing some... affection towards you. I hope you are toward me, too," he said, giving Jasper's shoulders a gentle squeeze. "I want to pull you into my world. Not leave you feeling like an outsider. It will take time for us to develop our own dynamic. Give us time."
When Rhys admitted to developing feelings for him, Jasper felt his stomach do a little somersault. He felt a sudden, deep impatience. He wanted to know what their future together would hold. But even the Coins couldn't buy the gift of prophecy from Apollo.
He couldn't deny that Rhys had been forthcoming with all his answers. Smiling, he reached for one of Rhys's hands at his shoulder and squeezed it back. "I'll try to be patient. Those were my main questions...I think I have a lot of practical questions that probably aren't what you intend this time for. Is there anything you think that I should be asking? Anything you want to ask me?"
"There is one more thought I wanted to bring up." Rhys smiled at Jasper. "There are a lot of customs that are associated with becoming a pet. One of them is a gift from the Owner."
"I want you to look out there." Rhys pointed out the window, and down at New Argent's lower levels. "Tell me one thing you would have me do or change for you, and I will have it done." Rhys found the look of surprise and realization on Jasper's face deeply satisfying. It was— he was beautiful. 'I should strive for this effect more often.'
After a moment of silence, Rhys tried to provide some inspiration. "Perhaps you'd like me to add a wing to your childhood school? I could also donate a sum to a cause of your choice. Or should I perhaps buy that park and re-name it after you? There are so many options open to you." He motioned to the window. "And this needn't be the end of it. The world is your oyster if you can ask me sweetly enough to give it to you."
Rhys looked back down to Jasper as the pet looked through the window. He hungrily followed the line of Jasper's jaw, continuing down his throat, noticing his pet's Apanchomene's stone bob as he swallowed. Rhys's eyes slid down to his pet's chest, where the new tattoo was, before Jasper turned back to him.
Now, Jasper realized why Rhys had brought him to this particular viewpoint. You could see the New Argent City slums laid out below. He was openly shocked at the sheer amount of wealth that it would take to do any one of those things. He also realized that Rhys had no idea of the realities down there, of the bleak humour in some of his suggestions.
The parks that Jasper had played in as a youth were full of the leavings of the suffering homeless who, in the current order, couldn't even manage to find themselves hovels like the one Jasper had grown up in. What would they do with the fashionable topiaries that Rhys might install in Jasper's name? A wing in Jasper's old school? It had closed down years ago after they discovered toxic building materials in the wall that had somehow passed inspection.
But Jasper knew exactly what he wanted. He remembered Seth on the rooftop, not so long ago. "All right. Thank you. I know what I want."
Rhys had sat back and watched Jasper as he considered the offer. The surprise on the pet's face pleased him greatly, but not as much as the shift to a near grim certainty.
Jasper stood up, and splayed his fingers across the window, looking down. Then, he turned back to Rhys. "I want you to clean up the Argent River. I want you to pay someone to keep it clean. Stop the factories that use it as a dumping ground for Gods know what. It's polluted, full of trash. Can't eat the fish from it, can't drink the water. We have to pay for filters that need to be changed out monthly."
Then it was Rhys's turn to be surprised. The gift that Jasper chose was carefully considered on a deep, personal level. Rhys had known about the pollution problem on some level, but the fact that his Jasper had suffered through that made it real to him in a new way. 'The people below need to drink water directly from the river? The only cleaning they can do for the industrial waste is to filter it themselves? That simply cannot be safe.' By then, a sense of outrage had already begun to build in him. An image flashed across Rhys's mind's eye of his Jasper in a tiny, squalid apartment, waiting for brown water to drip through a simple filter, and his outrage grew further.
Jasper watched the evolving emotions on Rhys’s face. There was no way that the Coins didn’t know what was happening below them, so seeing Rhys become visibly aggravated was bittersweet. Had Rhys cared to know, he could easily have found out this information for himself, but he hadn’t. Typical Coin selfishness: they were caught up in their own drama and unconcerned about the problems of the rest of the world.
The Coin was already forming ideas of how it could be done before he said another word to Jasper. This was clearly something that could not simply be purchased. "Now that is a worthy endeavour, and a challenge that cannot be overcome with money alone." Rhys stared off into the distance as his mind quickly evaluated which resources needed to be tapped.
"We will need political capital and leverage," Rhys continued. "First, we put funds in the hands of the right people to lobby for the change. We appeal to the other Coins and push the ruling bodies to consider the change. We buy HoloSpace ads, hold benefit events, get ourselves a spokesperson...you get the picture. All the while, we put pressure on the politicians. Of course, the factory owners will not like this, but properly disposing of their own waste should be their damned responsibility!"
Standing and stepping towards the window, Rhys said, "It will not be something that can be done overnight. We will need to fund this properly, make it a popular issue amongst the Coins, and get people invested if we want to see lasting change. But it is possible. I will do it for you. I can see it now," he framed an imaginary sign with his hands, "'Let's make the Argent worthy of its name.' Do you like my slogan?" He grinned at his pet again.
Jasper was surprised when within moments, Rhys laid out the logistics of what he thought needed to be done to achieve Jasper's request. It still struck him as the over-optimism that came with privilege and being used to getting what you wanted, but at least it wasn’t an outright “no”. Jasper wasn't exactly sure what he had expected — a derisive laugh, instructions to ask for something different? Certainly not Rhys's visible indignation on his behalf and a half-decent slogan. He decided to follow Rhys’s optimism and trust his new Owner. His face broke into a sincere, sunny grin.
"We'll workshop it," said Jasper, and threw his arms around Rhys.
And with that, they moved as one on Rhys's cue and headed toward home.
---
Aristotle watched Jasper's lithe form writhe subtly in his borrowed VR Interface Suit as the pleasurable stimulus from the transcranial magnetic stimulation was applied to his brain for a correct answer inside the simulation. The suit was skintight and flattering, its form factor justified by the requirements of the technology, but influenced by the fact that so many Coins liked to watch their pets in virtual reality. When Rhys had told him about his training requirements for Jasper, Aris had been more than happy to set them up in the system, along with an extra layer of his own that would ensure Jasper's loyalty to Aris's best friend.
The training had started off well. Some of the programs were only showing the very basics of what Jasper would need to know, but even the basics were new to him. Rhys was pleased to see how attentive his pet had been. Witnessing how quickly and efficiently Jasper navigated the training programs had strengthened Rhys's belief that Jasper would adapt well to being a pet.
It was almost like watching a minotaur in a maze. He seemed to speed through the early lessons on visually identifying servants and pets, what names and titles to call people by, how to distinguish a person's class by both mode of dress and more subtle signals, and where Rhys wanted him to sit and stand in various circumstances.
Jasper only started to stumble when it came to what to call Rhys, and on learning what language was acceptable. Both Coins were highly amused by the pet's seeming inability to keep control of his tongue when he was being sexually stimulated. Every time they rewarded him by edging him, the profanity would flow like a river. The swears and curses he came up with were... novel and interesting.
Maybe he was being too indulgent, but Rhys decided that he would only enforce title-based protocol for himself when absolutely necessary. There was something that played at his heartstrings like Orpheus on his lyre whenever his pet said his name — adoringly, plaintively, whimpering with need.
Currently, Jasper and his virtual teacher were just finishing up the Pauldron and Epaulette Code — the way that Coins and their playmates signalled what they were interested in and in which role.
"You were right about using Orion as the instructor. Your pet shows a high degree of interest in listening to everything the Sky District's resident bonvivant has to say," said Aristotle, one eyebrow arched in amusement.
Rhys gave a wide grin. "It was not difficult to predict," he said. "I used Orion in the calibration tests with Dr. Constantine. Even the lingerie is similar to the bathing suit they wore last time."
In reality, choosing Orion again was largely for Rhys's benefit. Once he saw how this new VR suit formed perfectly around the wearer's cock and balls, Rhys knew he wanted to get the chance to see his new pet's cock fully erect and available. Both Coins would occasionally steal forward to tease Jasper, who could not tell whether someone was touching him or just the technologically enhanced suit.
They took turns gently stroking him. The suit kept Jasper's pre tightly contained around his shaft, the now-slick layer acting almost like an artificial foreskin. Rhys had almost forgotten about how much pre Jasper could produce, and it worked as an excellent lubricant. Aris had a talent for using the suit as a masturbation sleeve, drawing loud moans from Jasper, even through the altered state of consciousness that the virtual reality gear promoted.
With Jasper's consent, Rhys had agreed to add an additional source of stimulus that could tap directly into areas of the brain to cause pleasure. There was also an equivalent piece of equipment that could cause pain, but any Coin worth their aureate title knew that pain was not an effective form of reinforcement. Aristotle told Rhys that he saved that particular tool for his masochists.
Inside the machine, Jasper had lost track of time. The scopolamine dose prescribed by Dr. Constantine meant that he felt more immersed than he had ever been able to achieve before, and he wasn't used to it. He wasn't prepared for just how realistic and compelling the experience could be.
Unbeknownst to Jasper and Rhys, Aristotle's extra layer of programming was subtly being piped into Jasper's brain. It was insidious. Below the level of conscious thought, at an unnoticeable threshold, Aristotle had his rig repeating simple phrases to build Jasper's loyalty and dependence on his new Owner. It was, for the moment, innocuous, to Aristotle's mind. He was only trying to strengthen their bond, ensure that his friend Thamyris wasn't hurt again and had the best possible pet at his disposal.
'If anything is amiss, I can trust Rhys. I can tell Rhys anything. If anyone contacts me, I'll let Rhys know...'
Though Jasper’s conscious mind was unaware of the additional layer that Aristotle had embedded in the training programs, his brain was already primed from exposure to Project Mnemosyne. His subconscious was listening, eagerly latching onto the thoughts that brought feelings of comfort and stability, a welcome alternative to the thoughts of paranoia and fear that occasionally bubbled up about being a captive thief with a secret who had agreed to petdom to save his skin.
"Right, then, Jasper, you've been doing so well for me! Let's review what you've learned!" said Orion enthusiastically, tousling Jasper's hair playfully. "So. The colour of the piping on the epaulette will tell what someone is into, and the shoulder they wear it on will tell you which end of that desire they like being on. Sometimes, multiple colours are braided together to signal a number of different desires that the wearer has for the evening."
"The left shoulder almost always signals a Top, and the right shoulder almost always designates a bottom. If it is on both shoulders, then they are a switch for that kink. Simple!" Oree leaned forward and tilted Jasper's chin back up so the pet was looking into his eyes again. "Got it?" Jasper nodded. "Good!" the professor responded as he tilted Jasper's head and thus his gaze back down to Oree's crotch.
"And since your eyes are already focused on me..." An epaulette with white piping appeared over Orion's thigh-cut lingerie briefs like some sort of ridiculous codpiece. "Tell me what this colour means..."
---
Rhys and Aris were falling over each other laughing when Orion popped an epaulette on over his dick. This program really did have a good grasp of the celebrity pet's mannerisms and humour. It was a good thing the VR headset blocked external noise.
When their laughing fit was over, Aristotle pulled a gold-edged handkerchief embroidered with his initials from his pocket. Rhys often thought of these as his "dramatic effect" handkerchiefs when they weren't being used as phenomenally ostentatious cum wipes. This time, Aristotle actually used it to wipe a tear from his eye. "Goodness, it's good to laugh, isn't it, friend?"
"You act like it is a rare thing for you, Aris. Though, I will admit I have not laughed that hard in ages." Rhys turned his smile back to the tight-wrapped pet in the center of the room. "The real question is, what next?"
Rhys looked over the programs they had pre-prepared for the occasion. "Maybe conversational training? Or, maybe he has been speaking long enough now."
"Oh, I fully agree. Let's put that mouth to better use." With a few touches to the interface, Aris activated the next program. The VR machine manipulated Jasper's body into a kneeling position and brought out a concealed arm attachment, at the end of which was a soft, inflatable toy designed specifically for this purpose. "We'll have him enjoying all that you have to offer in no time, dearest."
What Rhys didn't know couldn't hurt him, Aris decided, as he increased the frequency of his custom messages, taking place beneath the notice of Jasper's conscious mind.
---
"Well done!" Oree said as they finished their little quiz. "I'm genuinely impressed. You got all that much faster than most do. I think you deserve a reward..." The pet-turned-professor absently snapped his fingers and the cock epaulette disappeared with a cartoonish Pop!
Orion paced casually off to Jasper's side, seemingly lost in thought. "I know!" he laughed. He wrapped an arm around Jasper from behind and lifted him off his feet. He adjusted Jasper's limbs to place him down in a kneeling position.
As the machine brought Jasper to his knees, he gave a small yelp of surprise. He did not consciously process what he was hearing while it happened, but a part of him was listening and absorbing with rapt attention.
'Rhys always knows what's best for me...I trust him to make decisions for me. It feels good when he takes control.'
Giving up control to Orion, a stand-in for his Owner, felt delicious and right. It was a vulnerability that Jasper had scarcely been allowed in his old life.
Orion, moving as quickly as a cat, crouched down in front of Jasper. "I'm going to help you practice a very important skill, considering who your owner is." Oree passed a finger gently across Jasper's lower lip, leering at him openly. "Tell me, Jasper, how long can you hold your breath?"
'It feels good to serve Rhys. I want my Owner to make me serve.'
Jasper looked up at Orion, knowing exactly what the other pet was talking about. He badly wanted to service Orion’s cock. He remembered the sensation of Rhys's cock filling his mouth to the brim, how he had tried to relax his throat to take it and ultimately only managed about half of it. "I...I've never timed it."
"That's okay," Oree answered, standing. "We can find out together." As Orion's lingerie came level with Jasper's face, it was immediately clear that Orion's package had increased substantially in size. As Jasper watched the thin fabric began to stretch against his teacher's hard-on, pulling against its seams. "No need to wait, lover. If you don't do something soon it may burst out on its own."
'I love Rhys. I love him more every day. I belong to him as long as he wishes to have me.'
Swallowing and biting his lip, Jasper pulled down the band of Orion's underwear and let their cock spring out. They were not quite as long as Rhys yet, but still larger than most of the people Jasper had sucked in his life. He felt oddly confident that he could manage. He started by moistening the length with long, languid licks, trying to work up as much saliva in his mouth as possible. Keeping eye contact with Oree, he swallowed the cock as deep as he could before coming back off and sucking it inside his mouth again. "Mmmph...!"
"Don't rush it if you aren't ready. You've got time." Oree smiled. "Enjoy it. Work up to taking all of me." Oree put their hands on Jasper's head, gently grasping his hair. Their nails lightly scratched Jasper's scalp. "Mmmm, that's it. Good pet. Take the time to line me up."
---
Rhys leaned against the console to get a better view. He felt the arousal building more and more as he watched Jasper's face as he enjoyed sliding the false cock down his throat. He felt his erection pushing against the hard edge of the console in front of him. "Look at him concentrate. He wants to do this so very badly." Rhys said. "Do you think he can take it all?"
"You certainly inspire devotion," said Aristotle, amused by Rhys's fixation on Jasper. "I'm sure he'll be taking all of that and all of you in no time, dear one."
---
Jasper let Oree guide him down onto his thick cock, his head tingling with the light scratching of his nails. He felt a shiver of arousal run up his spine at the thought of being a good boy for both Oree and Rhys. The thought of pleasuring them, of giving them his mouth without thought of receiving pleasure in return, made him feel sensual and submissive. He tried to relax his throat, but he could feel the tension that came with his nervousness keeping it tight. Adjusting the angle with Oree's guidance, he took deep breaths around the appendage to try and let it slide deeper down inside of him.
"Good boy, Jasper." Oree cooed as he felt himself going deeper and deeper down the pet's throat, "See how much you can take. I'll be impressed if you can get me balls deep." It didn't take long for Jasper to take Oree's inflated cock to the hilt. His control was good, both of his throat muscles and his tongue, and he had the enthusiasm to match it.
---
The two Coins leaned forward in silence, watching as the long inflatable phallus eventually disappeared into the pet's face. After a second or two passed and Jasper didn't choke. Rhys pumped his fist excitedly and internally exulted. "Perfect." He said straightening up. "I'm going to make him suck me, but should we work him up with another size first?"
"The program is designed to take him through training all the way up to your size. Typically, that wouldn't occur in a single session, and usually only after the injections to enhance motility and stretch, but I can see that your pet's devotion to you is allowing him to...accomplish large feats," said Aristotle with a grin, bringing a white-gloved hand to his lips. "On the one hand, his throat muscles may grow tired and he may not be able to accommodate you by the end of the session...On the other hand, the program is finely tuned to get him there in due course, my friend."
Rhys watched Jasper carefully as he let "Orion's" cock slowly thrust all the way in. "I think he's unpracticed enough that he'd get too tired." He said, trying to keep his tone flat and measured. "I should go sooner rather than later."
Once it was clear Jasper had gotten comfortable with the next stage, Rhys stepped forward. "We will see what he can accomplish now." Having stripped below the waist, he neatly placed his clothes on a nearby chair before taking a VR monitoring headset and walking briskly over to his pet. "Have Orion tell him that they are going to try an actual model of me, fully erect." Rhys felt drops of his precum dripping down his cock.
---
"Well done, lover," Oree congratulated Jasper. "You show a great deal of progress. I'm guessing the only cock you ever tried bigger than that was your Owner, right?" They put a hand on Jasper's forehead and withdrew his shaft from the pet's mouth. "How about we try a Rhys mock-up now? But, I don't know how I'd feel borrowing a real person's body unnecessarily... I'll just watch." An armchair seemed to materialize out of nowhere, and Orion dropped onto it. He freed his own cock and slowly started pleasuring himself, smiling off to the side, waiting for something.
---
Rhys moved behind the arm holding the inflatable phallus, and as it extracted itself he wrapped his fingers around the shaft and ran it up the length of it. He took the saliva from his now dripping hand and slathered it all over his own dick. Finally, he flicked on his headset and stepped forward.
"Rhys," breathed Jasper reverently, his brain (or rather, the thoughts that Aristotle had planted in his brain) telling him that this was his Owner, that his Owner was deserving of his awe and worship. He glanced at Oree, who nodded encouragingly.
Then, Rhys's cock was at his lips, and Jasper took the head into his mouth, guarding it from his teeth and rubbing it against his sensitive palate. "Uhnghf...!"
Pleasure seemed to flood Jasper's brain. Though he knew that Rhys had asked his permission to use a part of the rig that could induce the feeling, he didn't consciously consider that now. Instead, his brain was already wiring itself to associate the act of having Rhys's cock in his mouth with a deep pang of submissive need and gratification. He hoped that one day he could please Rhys perfectly with his throat, and could handle more than just a simulation.
Even with his throat muscles more relaxed than they had ever been, he couldn't fully manage Rhys's dick. He couldn't stand failing his Owner, so he pushed himself further, wanting to be Rhys's good pet. Rhys was still, but his simulated cock was pulsating. With patience, he was able to take three-quarters of the length, but it blocked his airway, so he had to pace himself carefully.
Watching his new pet had gotten Rhys more aroused than he had first realized. He looked down through the VR headset and saw Jasper, his own cock dripping, looking entranced. His face seemed flooded with pleasure, but there was still a look of intense focus on the task at hand. Rhys could feel the heat of his pleasure building, and spreading up his back, reddening his neck and face. It was all he could do not to moan. He had never been sucked so deep by anyone not engineered for it. The tightness of Jasper's unenhanced throat made the experience all the more intense.
Rhys wanted to cum. No, he needed it. He wanted to pour his load into Jasper while he was as deep as possible. Rhys wanted him to feel the spray of his cum impacting his stomach. He was so close, but Jasper didn't seem confident enough. Rhys's cock had already made it past the most difficult parts. Taking the rest should be simple.
With full confidence in Jasper's abilities, Rhys gently rocked his hips forward. He was at the edge. Just a bit deeper and—
—Jasper choked as the simulation pushed deeper before his throat could accommodate it. He couldn't breathe! He pulled off desperately. How had the program so misjudged his capabilities? Or maybe it was encouragement not to get too...heh...cocky? He coughed harshly.
Oree was beside him, looking on with concern. "You'll be okay, lover, just breathe now. I'll get you some water. Don't worry, you'll get there with hard work and patience!"
---
Aristotle saw what happened and gave a little shrug that nobody else in the room could see. Jasper wasn't ready yet, as he had anticipated. It was no big deal. But then, he saw the desperate look in Rhys's eyes as he removed the headset.
"Rhys, darling, are you quite all right?"
Could it be Zeus's Syndrome? Aureum vesanium? Was his friend dancing on the gilded knife's edge?
'Oh no,' thought Rhys. 'Not now.' His cock pulsed with pressure and need. He moved back to Aris and the console, trying not to look at Jasper. He tried to walk quickly, hoping that might hide his... condition. He leaned forward with his hands against the console, head hanging. "We were so close...I was so close..." His mind swam. Rhys kept coming back to the sensation of Jasper's mouth on his cock, of seeing the devotion in his pet's eyes as he claimed his throat. He couldn't think of anything else for more than a few seconds. He needed to fuck, needed to cum.
He stared down at his fully erect cock, twitching rhythmically. It was all he could do to not start masturbating. That would imply that he wasn't in control.
Ruefully, Aristotle stared down at Rhys's erection, which his friend had not even had the presence of mind to put away. He recognized the signs of Aureum vesanium in Rhys's fully-dilated pupils, tinged with a glassy lustre, in the way his nostrils flared subtly. He had not known that his friend was subject to the condition. It made sense — it was a well-guarded secret amongst the Coins. They never spoke of it to those not blessed with their status and handled their own when it came on. Or rather, when they didn't come on anything, which was the problem.
Zeus's Syndrome, or Aureum vesanium, was a medical condition triggered some of the time, in some Coins, when they were brought right to the edge of completion and then interrupted at the peak. The severity depended on the person. The problem was no simple case of blue balls. The condition led to a partial or full loss of mental faculties and could engender fever, hallucinations, heart palpitations, and other problems. A Coin in such a state would agree to anything, absolutely anything, to get to cum. That made them vulnerable.
Intentionally triggering the state without consent, and making any agreements while a Coin was touched by the golden madness was illegal, but difficult to prove. Of course Rhys had kept his susceptibility a secret — it wasn't as though it was likely to come up very often. It was considered poor social form to leave someone wanting because you could not know whether they were amongst those strongly affected.
Which left Aristotle with a dilemma. He could feel the heat baking off of Rhys already. Rhys's gaze was vacant and staring as he tried to keep control over his need, his lips parted and his mouth hanging partially open. His muscles were tense, his hands balled into fists. It would be embarrassing, a loss of status, for Rhys to have to masturbate. But Aristotle could not call in one of his pets to help without revealing Rhys's state, which would not do.
He cleared his throat and set the VR program to begin the next lesson, trusting the simulation to take care of Jasper while he helped Rhys. "Rhys, darling...The gilded knife's edge is at your throat. We should take care of that. Don't you think?"
At the thought of helping Rhys cum, Aristotle felt a thrill that went beyond his usual perversions. Aris wanted Rhys to accept his help, wanted Rhys to know that he would do anything for him. But of course, he could not say so.
Images ran through Rhys's mind of him ripping open the VR suit Jasper was wearing and penetrating him, of him roughly fucking Jasper's mouth while he brought Jasper off with his hands. Aris's words pulled some part of Rhys's mind away. Rhys turned his head to look at his dearest friend, trying to keep his thoughts focused on his host. "H-how?" He barely got the question out through his clenched teeth.
Aris's eyes shifted to the rest of the room as he decided where to position them. 'Sorry, Rhys, love, but I do not kneel...' He knew that Rhys would have difficulty controlling his own strength, so something padded seemed wise. He took the other Coin by the hand and guided him to a low chaise lounge. "I'm going to lie down and angle my throat, dearest, and you're going to cum down it. Do you understand me?"
In his daze, he had stiffly followed Aris without question, but he froze up again at Aris's order. "Wha—wh—," Rhys stammered. That wasn't right. Even through the fog of his arousal, Rhys felt himself rejecting the idea of using Aristotle's mouth as some type of cum receptacle. Aris was his best and most important friend. Under different circumstances he might have considered it, but— "No, I can't — No, you are..." Rhys's voice trailed off, his self-control slipping further away.
Aristotle paused and ran a gloved finger over his firm, pink lips. He only wished to help, not force Rhys to do anything against his will. But the longer they waited, the more dire his case would become. "You can masturbate instead, if you like, but you know that you mustn't allow this to continue overlong, Rhys. I don't want to see you come to any harm."
At that moment, Rhys couldn't feel anything. Not even his bare feet on the floor. The only physical sensation he felt was how his testicles had drawn up and began to swell. It was almost as much pain as it was pleasure.
In Rhys's mind, two voices argued on. 'We shouldn't do this. It wouldn't be right. I am not in my right mind. What would it do to our friendship?' Disappointment and panic came on the tail of that thought. 'It doesn't matter,' insisted a louder voice. 'He's offering himself. I know how good he must be. I've seen him before. I need this. I have to.'
Finally giving in, Rhys almost ran to the end of the couch where Aris was laying down. Overeager, Rhys was in place as soon as his friend's head touched down. Rhys grabbed his cock to line himself up. He was dripping so much that a few strands of his precum drew lines across Aris's face. It didn't matter. "Open." Rhys was pleading as much as he was demanding.
Aristotle felt another thrill run through him at the novelty of the situation — or so he told himself. He chuckled a little as Rhys's cock pushed against his cheek and marked him. Deciding to play the role of the obedient submissive as best as he could manage it, Aristotle fluttered his eyelashes theatrically at Rhys and opened his mouth wide, snaking out his tongue to taste the pre on his cheek before Rhys plunged in.
It was the most Rhys could do to not ram his full length down Aris's throat. Rhys could feel every little movement of Aristotle's tongue as he slowly fucked the other Coin's face. He had already been close, and it wouldn't take him long now. Aristotle had the benefit of enhanced physiology and experience with Coin cocks. Rhys was rough, enthusiastic, but Aris could hold his own.
Rhys closed his eyes and groaned like an animal as he thrust. He suddenly became aware that his left hand was groping Aris's chest. He tried to stop, but that was when Aris began swallowing rapidly. Rhys's breath seized and he pushed himself the rest of the way down Aris's throat.
When he finally came, Rhys's back and neck tensed so hard and sharply that he would have fallen if he had not already been holding the couch. He lost all sense of time as the sensation of pleasure and release coursed through his whole body. His eyes squeezed shut hard enough to hurt and Rhys saw an explosion of colour across his eyelids. Then, both a second and an eternity later, Rhys was back in the lab, his softening cock still being sucked dry by his best friend.
Aris, his task accomplished, guided his glassy-eyed friend to recline on the chaise lounge. The flavour of his friend's aureate cum was strong, and Aris relished it. It was the first time that he had tasted Rhys that way. "I'll go check on your pet while you rest."
He walked toward the VR machine and turned up the intensity of the subliminal messaging one last time.
---
"Good work, Jasper! You've improved so much since we started today," said Orion brightly as he fucked the pet's throat with a tool about four-fifths Rhys's length, echoing what Aris had done for Rhys. Oree pulled out of Jasper's throat and patted him on the head.
'Making my owner happy makes me happy.'
Jasper gave a self-satisfied little smile, pleased at pleasing Orion. "Thanks, Oree. You're a gifted instructor."
Orion pulled Jasper to his feet and hugged him. "You took to it better than most. Enthusiasm counts for a lot, you know!" Oree raised a hand and counted off on his fingers. "That's three lessons completed for today between the etiquette and protocol training, the Epaulette Code, and your deep-throat training. Of course, you'll have to practice all three regularly to refresh your knowledge. What do you think, cutie, have you got one more lesson in you? It won't be with me, this time."
'I am making my owner so proud. I want to please him. I am his property.'
Jasper raised an eyebrow, intrigued. He wanted to do well in his training and show Rhys exactly what he could do. "Not with you? Well, all right, I guess."
"You're such a good boy, Jasper!" Oree clasped his hands together. "Now, I know that you like having me near, so I will hang around and intervene if needed. Your one goal is to stay polite, calm, and pleasant, no matter how much you're provoked. Do you understand?"
"O-okay," said Jasper, confused.
As the scene changed, it dawned on him.
A familiar scene constructed itself in front of Jasper. The first thing to hit him was the scent. Flat beer, disintegrating plastic seat covers, and a hint of smog. He knew where he was before it had finished loading. He was back in the bar. This time he was further in, near the pool tables. Leaning over one table and racking the balls was a familiar blonde figure. A little short, but fit, with graceful movements. Julian again.
'I am a submissive, horny pet for my owner, Thamyris Fairmount.'
'Well, at least I'm not naked,' thought Jasper as he looked down at the sticky floor and his body. He found himself wearing a deep vee-cut, loose shirt with a short vest overtop that showed off his pectorals when he moved.
"So they're dragging me out to deal with you again, eh?" Julian sighed. "Well, at least I'll get something out of it this time." He picked up a cue and tossed it to Jasper, who caught it deftly.
"Yeah, you'll get soundly beaten," said Jasper, honestly happy to see a familiar face and falling into familiar banter with Julian. He picked up the cue ball and put it behind the head string. "Let's see who breaks."
"Remember," called Oree from over at the bar. "Stay calm. I can read your heart rate and brain activity, and tell how things are going. You just have to make it to the end of the conversation."
"Pipe down, pound pillow!" Julian called back to Orion. He turned to Jasper. "You seem so confident. What is it? Getting used to handling extra long sticks?"
Julian was as charming as ever. Jasper laughed and gave the cue ball a little knock. It bounced off the other end and came to rest almost directly in front of him. "I get more action than you do, and I don't see how that's a bad thing."
'I am always safe when my Owner is near. He'll always take care of me.'
Jasper had built a bond of trust with Rhys, and he didn’t consider himself a mere sexual plaything. He was Rhys’s companion, and they cared for each other. Like at the office lounge after Jasper’s processing. Rhys had needed him, and Jasper had responded with compassion.
The virtual blonde watched the cue ball come to a stop, mildly impressed. "Not bad. Looks like you're getting used to big balls, too." Julian walked over to take Jasper's place. He moved quickly and smoothly enough that Jasper had to almost hop out of the way. After placing a bottle cap on the table to mark the ball's position, Julian moved it to the side to take his own shot. He leaned forward in near-perfect form. "Don't get me wrong, we all enjoy heavy equipment, but I fuck. I have agency. You're not even a person to them — you're just an object to degrade and fill." The light "thunk" of the cue on the cue ball punctuated his point, "And not in a sexy way." Julian sounded almost disappointed.
This conversation felt fundamentally different from the usual ribbing that he and Julian gave each other, and Jasper felt himself getting defensive. He didn't have to defend his choices to this third-rate thug. And yet...was Julian right? Rhys didn't treat him like an object — his Owner had saved him from prison, had negotiated every step of the way. Another voice inside of him spoke up then, and it made Jasper shiver minutely. 'But somehow it seems like Rhys always gets exactly what he wants from you, doesn't he?'
'Owners take care of their pets. Mine takes care of me. I'll get everything that I need.'
Jasper scoffed but stayed silent. Rhys had yet to deny him anything that he had asked for, except for the obvious. But Rhys had taken him on as a pet to help him avoid trouble. It only made sense that Jasper had to become his pet, or he would get in trouble for what he had tried to do at the University lab.
Julian let the silence hang for a moment more as he quietly waited for the ball to stop. "Hmm. This one is close." He turned to Orion and called out, "Toss me the laser." Orion stood, leaned to reach behind the bar, and stood up with a silver object in hand. He threw it underhand over to Julian who caught it easily. "Let's be sure." He lit up the green laser and slowly slid it along the side of the table until it touched the cue ball. He and Jasper carefully inspected the green beam at the same time.
"Well, looks like it's my break, but pets need all the table scraps they can get. You can have it, Jasper...on one condition: we make a bet," said Julian, grinning sardonically. "If I win, you admit that you're just an object to be fucked and let me fuck you. If you win, you pass this scenario with no further questions. You'll be shed of me until the next time they decide to trot your sorry ass out in front of me."
'I am my Owner's property. I belong to him. He tells me what to do with my body.'
Jasper's eyes narrowed. He felt certain that it was in fact his break by rights, but he was supposed to behave a certain way in this scenario. Was this offer a ruse, too? On the one hand, it would be a dirty trick for the program to force him to lose. But on the other hand, why wouldn't the training program manipulate him that way? It had no ethical framework but what was programmed into it. He felt anger surge inside of him. "Fu—Hmmm. Thank you for the offer, but I don't think I should offer myself to anyone without my Owner's permission."
Julian shrugged. "Fine. You just proved my point anyway. Step back, fucktoy, and watch someone who earned their skill with big sticks." He tilted his head, stretching and showing off his smooth neck and traps. His shot turned the cue ball into a white blur as it slammed into the racked balls, scattering them across the table. Julian smiled. "I always was good at breaking people's balls." He stepped back and waved Jasper forward.
"So tell me about your indoctrination," Julian asked casually. "When you walked under the blacklight sign, your new brand showed clear as day. You've finally achieved your goal of non-personhood."
---
Aristotle smiled at the screen, keeping the perspective locked on Jasper's face. There had only been one notable blip on the monitor. 'Oh, Rhys, you do seem to have chosen a good one.' He glanced over at Rhys, who was still shaking his head clear and only now standing again. Rhys was blushing fiercely. Aris hoped that he would recover soon. They would need to talk about his little "golden problem" later.
It looked like there was at most another half hour in the scenario, if not less, so Aristotle decided to let it run. Naturally, the more exposure that Jasper had to the subliminal messaging, the stronger the effect would be, and Aristotle wanted that very much. Rhys deserved nothing less than perfection.
---
Jasper took a steadying breath and lined up his shot carefully, trying to use his turn to calm himself and avoid punching Julian in the face. He pasted a grin on his face. "Jealous? Want to hear all the details? What can I tell you that you don't already know, since you're such an expert?"
Julian held up a finger to correct the pet, "There are a few ways to do it, and each Coin will normally personalize it a bit. Now take your shot and tell me what happened."
"I'm working on it," said Jasper, sending his first striped balls into a side pocket.
Julian looked thoughtful for a moment. "You don't seem the type to stick your ass in the air to offer that 'canvas' for the brand," Julian said pensively. "I wonder what your friends back home would have thought."
Jasper gave a surprised laugh. His friends...He was looking at one of them. He hadn't thought about Seth in a while, though, and his face reddened as he thought about his partner. It was weird that the thought hadn't come to mind...But then again, no, Jasper — Adrien — had been busy, with plenty to preoccupy him…
'Settling down with Rhys feels right. Being with Rhys is better than anything else.'
"My friends? They've probably got more important things to do than worry about where my ass is at," said Jasper, finally. His friends, like the real Julian, like Seth and Nova, had probably forgotten about him. They had been friends out of necessity, because they were useful to each other, because they shared the same problems. Anyway, his life was way better here. Why worry about what they would think?
"To answer your question, it was all very clinical and professional. Rhys designed my blacklight tattoo himself, and then he brought me elsewhere to give me a gift. He's going to clean up the Argent River for me." Jasper paused. "That's all so far."
---
Rhys finished fastening the last buttons on his shirt and adjusted his clothes. As far as Rhys could tell, Aris was completely unperturbed about what they had just done. As much as Rhys knew something had to be done when he was in the grasp of the Aureum vesanium, and that the two Coins trusted each other, he hoped Aris had not felt forced to help. Rhys still had not looked Aris in the eye since he had cum.
Aristotle was pleased with the day's turn of events, and placed a comforting hand on Rhys's shoulder once he was dressed. "Come see how Jasper is performing, dear one."
---
"Got it." Julian nodded sagely. "He brought you through a sterile, emotionless process instead of making it meaningful, and then bribed you with a lie." He said as moved in to line up a combination shot.
Jasper's heartbeat was loud in his ears. Was Julian right? "I trust Rhys. You're getting things twisted."
Julian gave an exasperated smirk and took his shot. He sunk his target. "Of course you trust him. Why wouldn't you? And then why would you question anything that comes after the trust is established?" He stepped closer to Jasper, looking him in the eye. "I'm guessing all he's done is sweet talk and fuck you. How long until he wears you thin? Literally?"
---
Aristotle frowned. He had just been thinking that he and Rhys ought to use this time to talk about Rhys's case of Aureum vesanium, but Julian was pushing his conversation with Jasper into volatile territory. "Hmmm. This AI is a troublemaker. Are you comfortable with the direction of their talk?"
"Stopping now would make Jasper suspicious for nothing," Rhys answered, shaking his head. "Let him see I am not afraid of him considering the possibility of deception." Rhys sighed, reviewing the fluctuations in Jasper's emotional reactions over the last few minutes. "Thus far, I would call this a qualified success. Jasper still needs some more practice and I'm not in any rush. "
"That's excellent," said Aristotle. "Because, dear one, I think that the two of us need to talk."
---
Jasper hesitated. Julian was right — Rhys had made a point to be nothing but kind and accommodating. Who was to say that things would always be this way? What would happen when the honeymoon phase wore off? He had given Rhys so much control over his life. "I...I just have to trust that his intentions are good."
'You can always talk to Rhys. Rhys knows best.'
And he did trust Rhys’s intentions. The Coin had been forthcoming and honest so far, and Jasper was a good judge of that. What did this computer program know about it?
"You don't have to do anything." Julian pushed, his voice hard. "You're just trying to give the responsibility of choice away like a coward. People like you make me sick." He turned back to the table, scowling. It was time for a change in tactics to get under the pet's skin.
Julian quickly took his shot, sinking another ball. As he moved around the table, he casually let his hand drop down, and rolled another ball into the corner pocket. Without slowing his stride, he started to line up his next shot. As he did so, his eyes met Jasper's, as though daring him to do something about his cheating.
Jasper's eyes narrowed. The Julian that he knew would never cheat unless it was with intent, and the intent here was clear. The program was trying to get a rise out of him. Well, two could play at this game. Jasper walked up close to Julian, as though examining the spread of remaining balls, then hip-checked the slender blonde just as he was taking his shot. "Oh, dear, clumsy me."
---
Aristotle danced his gloved hand across his lower lip, still savouring the remaining taste of Rhys's cum on his tongue. "I want you to know that it's nothing to be embarrassed about and that I won't tell a soul."
"I..." Rhys's voice trailed off. He still felt guilty, but he did not know how to address it. "I worry that you felt forced to help." Shame stopped Rhys from meeting Aris's eyes. "I should have been able to control it."
"Aureum vesanium is not within anyone's ability to control — that's what the condition refers to," said Aristotle, laying a hand on Rhys's shoulder. "I do not regret helping you, friend. Whatever you need, either right now or at any time, tell me, and it's yours." He glanced over at the computer and noted that the program was just about to finish. "Ah — Jasper will be with us again shortly. I imagine this isn't something you want to discuss in front of him right now. But you should eventually tell him."
---
Blonde hair shook loose in front of Julian's eyes as he stumbled sideways, catching himself on the table. Glancing at the table, he could see his shot went wide. Julian popped back to his feet, with as fake a smile as he could manage. "Oh, that's alright. We can just reset it." He snapped his fingers over the table, and the tabletop blurred for a moment before returning to exactly how it was before Julian's shot. "Oh, silly me, that's not right either. Here." With another snap of Julian's fingers, a striped ball that Jasper had already sunk reappeared on the table. "That's better."
Jasper was about to pick up the striped ball — and even he didn't know what he intended to do with it — when Oree called out from the bar. "Boys, that's enough playing with each other's balls for now, don't you think? It's time for Jasper to say goodbye for now."
Before he could respond, Oree was at his side, giving him a delicate peck on the cheek before the room dissolved. "Just take the next few minutes to relax, and you'll be back with your Owner soon."
Jasper found himself submerged in a warm pool that smelled vaguely of saltwater. The simulation adjusted the temperature then so that he could not tell where his body ended and the liquid began. He blinked, subconsciously holding his breath until he realized that the water offered no more resistance than air — he could breathe just fine.
The water did seem to be soothing his muscles, allowing him to release some of the tension in his jaw, which he had first stretched with the training cocks and then clenched as Julian antagonized him. He felt his thoughts slow in time to the subtle music track that reverberated through the water, as though from a distant room. He closed his eyes...
...and opened them to the sight of Aristotle's home virtual reality suite. Rhys was standing nearby, smiling, and the sight of him made Jasper's heart flutter with anticipation, all other concerns forgotten.
As the machine released its hold on him, Jasper felt his now-erect dick slipping around inside the suit's pouch, which had filled with his pre-cum over the afternoon. It was still warm and felt silky against his cock.
Rhys stepped closer to Jasper, offering him a bottle of water. "Welcome back!" He said. "You did well. How do you feel?"
Biting his lip, Jasper took stock and realized that he felt amazing — sexy, happy, relaxed. He closed the distance between him and Rhys and threw his arms around the taller man, pushing himself up against Rhys's thigh without even realizing he was doing so, lightly grinding against it. "That was great. I learned so much about how to be a good pet for you, Rhys."
Rhys laughed and embraced Jasper. Apparently, Jasper was even more excited than Rhys had predicted. And he was definitely letting his affection show. "I know, I watched it all. What was your favourite part? Mine was all that edging. You must be absolutely aching to cum for me."
"Mmmm," said Jasper, closing his eyes as a pleasant shiver coursed through his body at the thought of Rhys making him cum. "Of course I am. I want to cum for you so badly. My favourite part? I don't know. I think...doing all of that training for you. Knowing I was being a good pet by being an attentive student."
Rhys had to pause in his own thoughts as Jasper clung to him. 'This training was about practical knowledge and composure, but he seems to have also... opened up his submissive side.' This would have been common behaviour for young pets that had been trying for petdom, but it seemed somehow inappropriate for Jasper. 'Could this be a result of that pleasure module that uses transcranial magnetic stimulation? I should tell Aris to be safe. But on the other hand, it could be the intense need for release from all the edging. I can relate to that.'
Reaching down to take hold of Jasper's erection, Rhys took the opportunity to kiss his pet's neck. "You were very good for me, so I do not see any reason to keep you waiting." He turned to his host with a smile and a wink. "Aristotle, would you mind taking a seat on that lounge chair for a moment?"
Rhys almost had to peel Jasper off of him. "We are going to thank our host for letting us use his excellent virtual reality suite. Pet, would you please go sit down in Aristotle's lap?"
Aristotle, knowing what was coming almost before the words were out of Rhys's mouth, settled into the chair, placing his drink on the table beside him. "I would like that very much, Rhys."
With a shiver of anticipation and not a little bit of trepidation, Jasper padded over to Aristotle and climbed onto his thighs. There was a sick, scared feeling in his stomach, but also a deep, aching need. Aristotle helped him flip to face Rhys, then began to rub his hands along Jasper's sides, stomach, and pectorals, holding him in place.
Rhys leaned forward, bringing his face close to Jasper's. "I want you to give a good performance while I play with you." He softly dragged a finger under Jasper's jawline. "Don't try to overdo it, just be honest in your reactions. I'm sure you will be able to tell if our host is enjoying himself."
Jasper's Owner moved his hand down to the crotch of the perfectly fitted suit. 'Well, almost perfect,' thought Rhys as he felt the bubble of precum that surrounded Jasper's cock and balls. Squeezing just enough to force the suit against Jasper's skin, Rhys stroked his pet's pulsing dick rhythmically.
Aristotle was holding down Jasper's hips now, preventing him from bucking and pressing Jasper's ass to his crotch, which was full and firm. Jasper's hands gripped at the armrests as he let out a moan and squeezed his thighs together. "Mm—mmmm...P-please, Rhys. Feels so good...Please let me cum..."
"So soon?" Rhys laughed. "That would hardly be much of a show, would it?" Using his empty hand, Rhys pushed a thigh to the side, letting Jasper's feet dangle off the edge, curled toes and all. He then ran that hand along the inside of his pet's thigh, tickling it with his fingertips as he went. "Keep your leg like this, my needy plaything. I want easy access to you." With that he cradled Jasper's balls, gently squeezing and teasing them.
Aristotle followed Rhys's lead and prised Jasper's thighs gently apart, holding them open. "Let me help you, dear."
Jasper moaned. Caught between these two golden giants, men of unimaginable power, granted to them by the science of their birth, Jasper felt small and helpless. He felt powerless, but also safe. Rhys made him feel secure and wanted. He could feel Aristotle's erection pressed against him, and a part of him felt strange about that. A feeling of almost-fear bloomed deep in the pit of his stomach, mixed with arousal in a way that was strangely compelling. He wanted to see what would happen if he could please this powerful man, if he could do as his Owner had bid him. "Y-yes, Rhys...yes, Aristotle..."
Aristotle squeezed Jasper's inner thigh a little and Jasper jumped. "Remember the protocol that you've just learned, sweeting. You may call me...?"
"S-sir?" gasped Jasper, thrusting his crotch into Rhys's touch.
"That'll do," said Aristotle playfully, pressing his mouth to Jasper's neck and giving him a gentle nip. "Mmm...you smell so needy..."
"Why thank you, Aristotle," Rhys replied playfully. "I'm thinking of bottling that scent. What do you think of that idea, Jasper?" Rhys asked, tightening his grip on the slippery shaft.
Jasper squirmed in Aristotle's grasp, thinking of thousands of people smelling his need, spraying it on themselves like a fine perfume. It was debauched, and so, so hot. He felt another pulse of pre-cum spill from his cock, adding to the already-delightful mess. He had trouble putting any of his thoughts into words — he was too far gone, running on instinct and his desire to please. "Nnngh...can't think...Want to be a good pet...! Want to...want to cum, please..."
Releasing Jasper's balls, Rhys brought his hand up to Jasper's cheek and held it gently. "Oh, this is just so adorable. What do you think, Aris? I think my good pet has waited long enough." Without waiting for an answer, he began to speed up, twisting his hand as it crossed the head of Jasper's cock.
"Oh, Jasper, if it were me, I would have let you cum as soon as you came out of virtual reality," said Aristotle, stroking Jasper's oversensitized thighs. "But now that your Owner has said it's all right, you had better let loose before he changes his mind."
Jasper shuddered and began to pump his cock wantonly into Rhys's hand, guided by Aristotle's hands, which had moved up to his hips and helped steady him. "Good pet," cooed Aristotle.
It didn't take long. Jasper's movements grew stiffer as he approached the edge. He groaned out his arousal and pleasure as he was pushed over it, gritting his teeth as the pleasure overwhelmed him. His slightly swollen balls were just a little painful from all the edging, but the release overpowered any pain or discomfort. It was as though a pillar of light blanked out his entire mind; all he could feel was the spikes of pleasure coursing up his spine.
Watching Jasper eagerly fuck his hand, his pet's body tense as he released, was too much for Rhys to resist. He leaned in, kissing his pet tenderly. Pulling away a few inches he gazed into Jasper's eyes. "Aris," Rhys said. "Everyone has had their release but you. Would you like to fill that hole you've been pressed up against before Jasper gets clean?"
Aristotle gave a good-natured chuckle, stroking Jasper's hair as the dazed pet recovered from his orgasm. "Oh, that's very kind of you, Rhys, but I've many pets who rely on me to give them their regularly-scheduled dose of...appreciation. You've shown your gratitude to me very nicely, Jasper. I do hope you'll avail yourself of my virtual reality suite whenever you like, dears."
With that, Aristotle lifted the still-slightly cum-dazed Jasper off of his lap and sat him back down on the armchair, patting his head gently. "There's a good pet. Well, I'll leave you two to clean up. Rhys, let's be in touch about the Golden Lattice Ceremony."
Jasper raised his face to look at Rhys. "What's a Golden Lattice Ceremony?"
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