Do you remember?

He, he, barrie18, I\'m so glad I succeeded in surprising you. I\'m still smiling from reading your comment. This chapter will clear the skies, so to speak, and I really look forward to your new comment.



Jishe, dear, thank you for not forgetting about Katze. He truly deserves our appreciation.



DTE, I\'m really flattered by your review.





Raoul sat on Riki’s bed, rising his arm just to reach for the cuddled form there.

- You need to get dressed, we are going out tonight.

- What?

The Blondie sensed the morose tone in the mongrel’s voice, but he chose to ignore it for the moment.

- As Iason already knows everything, there is no point in holding back. I’m going to show you. You are my pet.

Riki rose just to look Raoul unadvertedly into his eyes.

- Are we going some place where Iason will be, too?

- I have no reason to avoid him.

The mongrel grabbed Raoul’s arm, in plea:

- Raoul, just let me go back to him.

- No.

The answer was so cold, the air in the room grew thick.

- Why do you need me? Riki’s voice sounded exasperated. It didn’t work out with Iason, did it? And you don’t really care for me!

- So you keep saying. I need you here.

Raoul caressed Riki’s forehead with a gloved hand.

- You remind me of Iason. He kissed you … here.

The Blondie Master touched for a brief second his pet’s lips. Then he bent and brushed his lips over Riki’s, like trying to make contact with something that was already gone. Riki had no intention to give up, so he spoke again:

- You should not have hurt him. Now he will never forgive you.

- He hurt me, too. I responded in kind. It’s a mystery for me how you can still feel for him, after what he tried to do to you.

- You miss him. You hurt him, destroyed everything between you and him, and now you miss him! Who is more fucked up between you and me?

- Pet, behave! And get dressed. I will not come to tell you twice.



Katze grabbed the edge of his office desk, trying not to stare at Iason too much. He expected a blow that never came.

- Katze.

- Iason.

- You did well.

The ex-Furniture dared to exhale.

- I appreciate the fact that you are so courageous as to confront me. Luckily, your courage is doubled by intelligence, so I suppose I do not have to tell you that you should not make a habit of defying my direct orders. And, as you will not dare to ask me, Riki is alright.

Iason looked very tired while sitting gracefully on one of Katze’s chairs.

- What are you going to do now, Iason?

- I have to think about it. I need Riki back.

- Jupiter already showed her displeasure.

- I’m no longer afraid. He’s mine in ways no one can destroy.

- You love him so much, Katze noted in a dreamy tone.

- Yes, it was the only curt reply.



For sure, Iason wasn’t expecting to see Raoul walking so casually in their private club, carrying Riki on a leash, following with the head bowed. The pet looked astonishing in a classy black costume complemented by a black silk shirt, the only sign showing his status being the collar fitting snugly against his neck, from which the silver leash was attached. Iason felt a jolt of pleasure seeing his pet, but a stronger stab of jealousy directed at Raoul. And when the other Blondie sat at his table, indicating Riki to curl up at his feet, he felt a sharp pain in his temples taking over his sanity. He sat up briskly and asked loudly for the club owner to come. The man appeared in less than two seconds, his head bowed. Iason demanded, menacingly:

- Please remove Lord Am from my presence.

The man froze, not daring to look up. What is this Blondie thinking? Raoul sat up, as well:

- There is no need to put someone else in an awkward position, Iason.

He yanked Riki’s leash, and the boy got up, his eyes glancing sideways, trying to reach for Iason. The mongrel did not dare looking, though.

- What are doing to him, Raoul? Is he not even allowed to look at me?

- You can have him, Iason. You know well. But under my conditions.

The club owner continued to stay there, cursing inwardly for being forced to be witness to such a moment between the two Blondies. He prayed to remain unnoticed, but there was no such luck for him.

- I will never sat my foot here again. What kind of an establishment is this? Iason asked, pulling relentlessly at his gloves.

- Lord Mink, please, … the man did not know what to say in his defense.

He followed Iason’s back, trying to apologize. He also tried to look back and say the same thing to Raoul, but the other Blondie sat back and started to pat his pet on the head, absently, while glancing back at Iason. Needless to say, the entire club was watching the show.

- Isn’t that Iason’s pet?

- That mongrel! I thought he was sold or something.

- How strange! Apparently, he was bought by Raoul.

- Does Jupiter know about this?

- What a scandal!

- For a pet!

- And one of inferior value!

The gossip continued for a while, even after the door closed after Iason. Raoul chose to ignore them. Riki held his arms to his chest, trying not to howl at them, to act like an animal, to do something so shocking that would make them all gasp in horror.



In the parking lot, Iason sat behind the wheel of his car, clasping his hands over the leather bound. His anger was boiling inside so badly that he felt he could crush the steel frame just with his bare hands. The last days had been horrid; Iason could not help picturing Riki in Raoul’s arms, and the images were pure torture. He had to get rid of Raoul, somehow. He had to frame him, to shake his reputation, something. He had to bring him down so hard, that Riki would be freed from Raoul. The little voice inside Iason’s head telling him he had to think it over was ignored. Despite the fact that he tried to pretend that Raoul did not exist for him anymore, he felt hurt. He had lost a dear friend. “Why, Raoul, why? You never liked Riki. Do you still think that he should be taken away from me? Why take him for yourself?”



The car door opened suddenly and Raoul sat gracefully next to Iason. Riki was nowhere to be seen. Iason threw him a murderous look, but before he could talk, Raoul spoke:

- Take us to Jupiter’s Tower. We were both asked to see her.

Iason wanted to throw something at Raoul, calling him a liar, but the well known voice, inside his head demanded:

“I will see you and Raoul right away.”



Inside Jupiter’s inner room, Iason and Raoul positioned themselves apart from one another, showing well they did not want to be in the same room at the same time.

- My children.

The well known form of the AI advanced towards them.

- I hear you two are causing ruckus in Apatia because of the pet called Riki.

Iason lost its sense of decorum and accused:

- Raoul doesn’t want to return what’s mine.

Jupiter smiled at Iason, then at Raoul.

- What am I going to do with you two? I asked you here because I see that I have to clear the skies for you.

- Oh, yes? Are you going to wipe our minds? Iason seemed to care for nothing anymore.

Jupiter’s answer took them both by surprise.

- No, not again. It seems that my methods don’t work with you two.

Raoul asked feebly:

- What do you mean?

- It means that I have done it before. For you, Raoul, just once, Iason was at his second. He always has to be more stubborn.

Iason and Raoul changed surprised glances.

- Ten years ago, when I brought Raoul here, you two became lovers, despite my advice to avoid involving emotionally.

The Blondies gasped in disbelief.

- I tried to reason with you, but you chose to defy me. You pretended to break up, but still engaged in your illicit affair behind my back. I had to tamper with your minds to make you stop. Afterwards, I wanted to keep you apart, so I sent Raoul away. It seemed to be a very big mistake, from my part. Iason, you became really depressed, even though you did not remember anything. Raoul, on the other hand, troubled me greatly. When I heard that you tried to kill yourself, and only the skill of your Furniture saved you, Raoul, I realized that I cannot make you part with one another. So I brought you back, and your past affection transformed into a wonderful friendship. I thought the matter closed, until Iason brought home that stray pet, and things went down hill, once more.

Raoul interrupted Jupiter, with a strangled voice:

- Was I in love?

- Yes, child. You two may think that I do not know anything about emotions, but this is not true. You are created with perfect balance in mind, but, somehow, Iason and Raoul, you did not respond well to my conditioning, and became emotionally involved. Because of my past experience with you two, I advised you, Raoul, to take the pet called Riki to your place, so Iason could still see him. I thought that, in time, it will come naturally to you, Iason, seeing him there, so you won’t hurt from your loss. By no means, Raoul, have I instructed you to copulate with the mongrel, haven’t I?

Raoul kept his head bowed.

- Which brings me to another problem. Iason developed such a physical fixation with his pet, that he was no longer himself without him. I noticed how you two got more and more involved in this pet thing, and I no longer knew what to think. Instead of calming down Iason, after the mind wiping, Raoul, you became restless, your sensation of loss rising once more. I guess that is why you engaged in sexual congress with that mongrel. Now, I have you two here, not for a new mind wiping, but to ask you what would make you happy, so we can end up this once and for all. Iason?

- I want Riki back.

- Raoul?

- I … just want Iason to be happy.

Upon hearing this, Iason felt his jaw tightening, a tear threatening to form in the corner of his eye. Jupiter concluded, serenely:

- So you agree, Raoul, to return Riki to Iason.

- Yes, mother.

After that, Jupiter disappeared, leaving the room in semi-darkness. With hunched shoulders, Raoul strode towards the door. While passing by, he whispered:

- Riki will be sent to your house tonight.

Iason let the door close behind Raoul. He did not dare going after him. Raoul and him had been in love, but only Raoul was still remembering it in the forgotten corners of his mind. “The other thing that would make me happy would be to have your friendship once again, Raoul.”