Out of the Embers

Riki was missing his penis.

At some level Iason knew... he remembered the incident at Dana Bahn, where the trash had presented him with the Pet ring. The device was unattachtable unless Iason himself put in his own specialized signature. It was unable to come off otherwise, unless something else did too.

Iason recognized the sheer anger that flooded him then, the uncontrollable rage that seeped into his very soul upon the realization of just how the long haired mongrel had retrieved Riki’s Pet ring. Right now, he himself saw red, and a fine tremor took him as he dealt with the realization.

His arms went slack as Iason pushed back, from some instinctive sense of horror. Too lose oneself, the utter feeling of being male

Riki took in his reaction through dread filled eyes. When Iason’s hands became limp and away from his body, Riki took hold of his pants, and slipped to the side. Putting his feet firmly on the floor, he tugged his clothing back into place. This goal met, he quietly started towards the door.

“Where are you going? Get back here,” Iason heard himself say in a low tone, seeming as though it came from a place far away.

Riki visibly cringed at this, and returned the few steps he had taken.

“Remove these.” It was obvious what Iason intended for him to discard. Riki’s hands, hesitant at first, fell to his fly, unbuttoning and then zipping them down. This was much easier for him to pull them down this way. Stark red patches showed on his hips from where Iason had forced them down his legs.

“Sit here. Next to me,” Iason patted a setting next to him.

Riki stepped from his clothing, leaving them in a puddled mass, and and edged to where Iason indicated. The shirt he wore dragged around mid thigh, but did not totally disguise the fading mark on his lower abdomen.

“Let me see,” Iason spoke in a whispered tone, his intuition prodding him to be as gentle as possible. This was a possible sensitive topic to his Pet. Possible? Riki flinched upon his approach. Realizing some form of duty to his master, however, he allowed his knees to part, revealing everything to his master.

“I take it this was from Guy?” Iason asked as tenderly as he could, though his voice hardened up on Guy’s name. Riki’s white teeth nipped down on his lower lip, an effort to restrain himself.

“From Dana Bahn,” Iason confirmed, not asked. Another short lived nod from Riki.

“You have a preference for vengeful lovers then,” Iason reached out and touched the scar. Riki tensed at his touched, but did nothing more.”Raoul has him, I’m told. I intend to find him, and hang him by his own tongue. Then insert something molten and hot into anything in him that will fit it.”

Riki didn’t say anything, but shivered under the tactile onslaught. Iason ran his finger over the spot , the angry jagged mark repeatedly.

“This erratic mark was from his knife?” Iason took note of his reactions.

“Wasn’t a knife,” Riki tensed.

“What then? A sharped rock?” Iason shook his head slightly, though the look on his face was more than typical Blondie reserved disgust,” What a barbaric thing to do.”


“It was a scalpel.” Riki corrected softly, flinching as though thinking of some long ago memory.

“Was it now?” Iason narrowed his eyes at his Pet’s apparent defense. Defense, or at least lessening of his offense.” A scalpel does not leave ragged scarification like this.”

“It was old,” Riki admitted,” Had a ... bent part to it. On the front.”

“Oh, wonderful. Exactly what you need for reconstructive surgery to become Furniture,” Iason applied a tad of his liberal sarcasm.

Riki turned away, and Iason heard a faint sound from his Pet. He reached over to try and attempt some sort of comfort. Instead his efforts were nulled when Riki whipped back around, spitting at him with an angry face,” Is that what I am now? Your Furniture?!”

Iason grabbed at Riki’s hands, holding them in his tightly clenched fist. He stared Riki down til he was certain he had the mongrel’s full attention.

“I have told you repeatedly, Riki,” Iason whispered softly in to his ear, his voice steadily rising in strength as he went on,” You are mine. Forever. This,” a ghosting hand traced over the scar while his voice magnified its intensity,” will not change anything.”

Hesitantly, uncertain, tanned arms found their way around Iason’s shoulders. Iason withheld his gasp of pain at the contact with his tender flesh. His legs closed and folded under him, curling as close as he dared to his Blondie master. In his imagination, or perhaps in real life’s actuality, Iason thought he hear a sort of from the smaller man.

So, Riki was coming to him, seeking comfort of his own accords? Iason could very well live with that. It was reassuring in a large way after the long time they’d been together, his willingness.

“Good Pet,” he sighed into the dark locks, his hands taking long, languish strokes over the mass.

“I do hope we are no interrupting anything,” Raoul’s droll voice sounded into the door.

In the drama, it appeared the Blondie had reentered, the hum barely audible over the emotions teeming within the room. The technician hoovered nearby, uncomfortable with the scope of feeling the Blondie blatantly exhibited in a semi-public setting. Especially after knowing just who they both were, and of the what happened in relatively recent events..

The mongrel is Iason’s arms jumped, startled, his back stiffening under the Blondie’s touch. A brief pause and then and sudden frantic attempt to shield hi open naked form. He tugged at the sheets, his shirt end swaying violently with the efforts, flashing more than the mongrel realized.

“No, I don’t suppose you are,” Iason didn’t relinquish his hold on the mongrel. “I feel that maybe I have a few more things to discuss.”

“I would not recommend it,” the attendant intoned,” You’ve already had too much activity than any physician would recommend.

“My obligations do not stop simply because of some overprotective attempts to staunch my activities.” Iason replied, frowning

“They’re more than a ‘little overprotective’,” the tech replied,” They are universally accepted guidelines-“

“For the average citizen,” Iason responded. “As one of Jupiter’s own Sons, and leader of the Syndicate, I know that perhaps I have a bit more endurance, and subsequently, leeway on predetermined treatment procedures.”

“But I would not recommend it,” the medical tehniction replied,” And I cannot condone it.”

“That shall just be my prerogative then, won’t it?” Iason replied with a chilled deft tone.

“Iason, do not be foolish. Allow the man to care for you properly. Jupiter put him here specifically,” Raoul frowned.

“I’m aware of that fact, Raoul,” Iason frowned at him,” And I consciously choose to make a decision about my own medical care*”

“As assertive as that may be,” the Proprietor responded in turn,” Your Pet has his own set of rules that you cannot ease out of.”

“Oh?” Iason questions,” And that is?”

“Jupiter hold license over his Pet registration. It is within her guidelines that he only be granted liberties from my household In no excess of ten hours.” Raoul gritted out his response, his eyes going to the Pet who with slow, minuscule increments, pulled from his grasp.

“Oh? And just how was he able to get out of your flat in the first place if there were such limitations?” Iason asked,.

“Jupiter has given me the rights of your Pet. It is not as easy as that, however. I have to consciously do whatever I can to abide by whichever laws she has set forth.” Raoul gave a crooked smile,” Rather like I must watch your unwanted toy, a repercussion after you went about, causing damage with it.”

“So you must be responsible for his behavior then?” Iason enjoyed this news. It meant discomfort on the part of his Blondie companion. “This time allotment outside of your corridors must be followed and maintained by you.”

“I wont dally you from your tasks,” Iason allotted, turning towards his Pet. Riki was no longer dug into Iason’s shoulder. “Riki. Up now. Please wait outside. You must go back to Raoul. I guarantee it won’t be permanent.”

Riki looked from his Blondie master to Raoul, and then back again. He unfolded his legs, not caring apparently about his nudity this time.

Riki knelt down to retrieved his pants, turning his side to either groups watching him. He slipped them on with languid ease, and buttoned them His fingers missed the top button a few times, finally finishing the attempts after the charming third. With an uncertain, wary look at Iason, he toed quickly outside the room, through door.

“Just what happened after I was brought back,” Iason turned his full attention of the errant friend of his, after watching the last wisps of Riki disappear through the door. “Raoul? After I was attended to. Just what was done with my pet? Or not done?”

“He was obviously weakened with a loss of blood. Raoul sniffed though begrudgingly,” I was surprised he was still able to walk. I’ll give him that much commendation, to be able to bring you out that fiery pit.”

Iason nodded. He knew it was a near miracle for his survival, for all of their survival from the consuming flames. Flames, fire .... Iason kept back that torrent of memories. It cold be dealt with at a much later time.

“That mongrel lover of his too,” Raoul shook his head at the notion, deliberately not seeing the hackles it raised on Iason,” That he made it out with just one arm was impressive. I’m sure he’s withstanding the punishment with equal resiliency.”

“And for Riki. Riki. Why was nothing more done for him?” Iason demanded, the mention of this other disastrous lover a source of more consternation than he was willing to admit.

“What more could be done?” Raoul looked mildly annoyed. “The bleeding was stopped, and the ah, wound sutured. ”

“Why was not something more reconstructive done? Why was that... not retrieved and some attempt to reattach applied?” Iason asked, thoroughly roused for his Pet’s honor.

Roaul gave him a face of staunch incredibility, though Iason felt it was tinged with insolence. “And what do you expect me to do, Iason? You have no concept of what that time was like. The panic the disarray, the inquiries from Jupiter. She could have not brought you back at all, she was in such an uproar.”

The Blondies both paused their exchange, and in unison turned at the medical attendant. The man looked uncertain under the sharp gazes of azure and moss. He turned to look away from them both, and murmured something about patient confidentiality. He took a few steps out of immediate earshot, to take time now to look over whatever charts or papers laid in his hands.

“I did not even know where you had been,” Raoul hissed,” You took off without a word. You’d left the business complex to barricade yourself away in order to locate that mongrel of yours. When you had found him, you left no word with anyone, myself included, about your query. If I could not find you, Iason, how was I to find your Pet? Or “ he gave a contemptuous sneer” your Pet’s organ?”

Iason scowled as much as the Blondie upbringing permitted him. He stood his ground, and said nothing.

“I imagine that it’s still nestled somewhere down with the rest of rats in the ruins,” Raoul continued, enjoying this ability to speak freely,” Shriveled now, and absolute filthy. If not entirely charred in the fire. Really, Iason, what would there have been for me to recover if we had gone after it?”

Again, Iason had nothing to say. What was there to say that was would not become a debacle of his Blondie heritage? Ho couldn’t express so much outburst at this occurrence than anything else. Raoul had him on that point. He risked enough with Jupiter at this point that a bit more would be detrimental. The doctor could easily be reporting to Jupiter, despite his id on patient confidentiality. Iason prepared to school himself into a noble reserved facade.

“Some attempt on your part would have been most appreciate,” Iason began,” Anything to return Riki to normal function. Anything that would have given him that opportunity. From what I see now, there is but a scarred over region. I could not even say if there is anything left in the ways of nerves and such.”

He gave a brief speculative look at the technician,” I doubt there’s even anything left to attempt revitalization of normal function, so healed is the scar tissue.”

“Surely this makes it easier for you then,” Raoul commented unsavorily,” Not to deal with that sort of mess. The trouble.”
“What trouble?” Iason inquired, curious as to his tentatively-called friends’ was of continuation.

“The trouble that comes with that sort of Pet” Raoul gave a dainty sniff,” I can imagine seeking your own gratification within is hindered by his own lingering wants. Some sort of psychological attachment, a common ground, the bodily release. This simply solves it. Quite efficient. “

“Because my Pet cannot attain copulation?” Iason asked, incredulous.

“Absolutely,” Raoul looked almost cheerful that Iason appeared to understand his vantage point. “It makes it much simpler for you this way. Jupiter certainly thinks so.”

“It would appear that Jupiter thinks that I will just use Riki and lose all interest?” Iason guessed.

“The idea is that you get involved in his completion underlies the root of your attachment. This way, her hope is that this eventually fades.” Raoul admitted.

“So Jupiter permitted this?” Iason asked for clarification.

“Yes,” Raoul nodded.

“And you permitted her?” Raoul was asked. Affirmation came, and chilled Iason. This was cold, terrible plotting on behalf of his person. It also made strong Iason’s resolve to retain his pet in spite of the masterminded computer. He would have Riki back and fully his once again.

“She is Jupiter. There’s no way around it,” Raoul softly intoned,” You owe her service as one of her Elite. This should be a small sacrifice for retaining your position as her Head.” Seeing Iason was about to protest,” Be glad you get to keep what is left of him. She’ll expect exact obedience from you now.”

“Raoul, what’s the appeal of living in a world such as this?” Iason asked quietly, his hands tearing at the fabric of the comforter.

“Don’t question it, Iason,” Raoul’s voice dropped drastically, and he leaned in towards the bedridden man. “It’s the way its been done. For a probable millennia past, and for a millennia still after. Do not think to change it. You may be her favorite now, but that can change easily enough. Life’d be difficult for you, and,’ his voice dropped lower,” even more so for your mongrel.”