57-38

Title: 57-38
Chapter: Six
Word Count: 10,030


Next bit. Sorry for the delay, things like finishing all my finals and the holiday season got in the way.

Anyways, I hope everyone had a good holiday, and I wish you all a Happy New Year! Here I am, one year older, and one year closer to graduation. Then I have to enter the real world. Scary!

Ah well. Thanks for all the wonderful feedback I’ve gotten so far, it truly is appreciated. I enjoy hearing what you all have to say.

Please enjoy!

Chapter Six: Kenneth

Kenneth sat very quietly on the bed and waited, patiently, for his new owner to come and join him. His hands were clutched tightly in his lap.

Honestly, he wasn’t sure what to make of the day he’d just had. When he’d woken up earlier that afternoon and learned what had happened to him, he’d thought he’d had the situation pretty much figured out. After all, in his past experience, owners were pretty much all the same: do as you’re told, whether you want to or not, and you’ll be all right. Just stay very quiet and very still, only act when you’ve been given a direct order, and you’ll probably be okay. Don’t think too much. Follow the rules.

And then today had gone and thrown all of that out of whack. The dinner had been odd and confusing, in particular.

First off, Kenneth had never seen slaves speak to their owner that way, ever. And what’s more, he’d never seen an owner allow such behavior and even seem to enjoy it, or find it amusing. It was as if the three of them were more like good friends rather than slaves and owner. Both of Kenneth’s past owners and the trainers at the complex had always made a point of it to stress the fact that slaves were not friends to their owners, but possessions. They had no right to voice their thoughts or speak freely, unless directly ordered to do so. Otherwise they were to remain quiet and unobtrusive.

In this home, though, it seemed to be just exactly the opposite, and it utterly baffled Kenneth. When Alex had tried to encourage him to talk earlier, Kenneth had clamed up - what had Alex wanted him to say? Did he want him to speak as freely as the others, or was that a privilege reserved only for Darryl and Zavian, who seemed to have long since earned the right? Both of the other slaves looked as if they were older, in their mid-twenties at the very least, and gave the impression of having been with the owner for a very long while. Perhaps with that time, they’d come to some sort of agreement with Alex. Or perhaps they were just very well-favored. Either way, being so new and young, Kenneth was sure he had no right to speak so freely with the owner. But then why would Alex encourage him to do such a thing? Had it been some sort of test? Had he passed it?

Kenneth clenched his fingers in his lap and closed his eyes, and forced himself to drop the subject. He didn’t yet know his new owner well enough to start to try and analyze him. He had to learn more about Alex before he could try and predict what the man would want from him. Right now everything was still a big mystery.

As Kenneth unwound his nervous fingers, he brushed them over the soft fabric of his new tunic, and blinked down at the fine garment wrapped around his thighs. That was another thing that had been largely odd, as well: the fact that Alex had actually bought him a gift, and for no apparent reason. In the past Kenneth had only ever been given something if he’d earned it. But Kenneth hadn’t done anything to earn himself a comfortable garment. Hell, all he’d done so far was sleep in his owner’s bed and eat his owner’s food. He hadn’t even serviced him in any way, yet.

Kenneth darted his eyes around the simply yet elegantly furnished bedroom. Well, he supposed that was why he was here, now, waiting for Alex’s arrival. Perhaps he just hadn’t yet done what he needed to do to earn the gift. Did Alex really have such high hopes for him, to buy him a gift in anticipation of his earning it? Would he take it away again if Kenneth didn’t meet his satisfaction? That canvas tunic really hadn’t been all that comfortable, all scratchy and rough. He’d like to avoid going back into it, if he could.

Kenneth smoothed the tunic out over his thighs, admiring the softness of the fabric and the simple, fine gold stitching at the hem. This was probably the nicest thing he’d ever owned. Well, he didn’t really own it, he supposed. Alex did. But nevertheless, it was certainly one of the nicest things he’d ever worn.

Once Kenneth finished fiddling with the hem of his tunic, he settled back down into stillness, placed his hands back into his lap, and waited patiently. Alex had said he wanted to talk to Darryl and Zavian, so he didn’t mind waiting. The longer the owner’s attention was on them, the shorter his attention would be on Kenneth.

Kenneth briefly let his mind pass over the memory of Alex telling him he’d be required to service all three of the men, but didn’t let it stay there for long. He knew he’d only frighten himself more if he thought about it too much. After all, in Kenneth’s past experience, keeping one individual happy had been hard enough, but three? How could he possibly…? And that giant of a man, Zavian, it was terrifying enough just being in the same room as him, but in the same bed?

Kenneth forced himself to let it go. He had no choice in the matter anyway, so he thought he may as well not fret over it. The best he could hope to do was jump the hurdles as they came at him, and pray he could keep everyone happy, for his own sake.

He took several deep, relaxing breaths. Just sit patiently and wait for the owner, he told himself, calmly. It was the only thing he could do, at any rate.

It was another half hour or so before Kenneth heard the door to the bedroom click open, and he quickly turned his eyes down to the ground, respectfully avoiding looking directly at his new owner. He rose to stand in polite acknowledgement of Alex’s arrival.

He heard the door click shut again, and then listened intently to the soft padding of Alex’s shoes on the carpeted floor as he moved across the room. “You can sit,” Alex said mildly, and Kenneth did, eyes turned down to his own lap. Alex stopped at some unseen destination behind Kenneth, which the boy suspected to be the dresser or desk. He sneaked a quick peek over his shoulder to confirm the hunch. As it was, he was correct - Alex stood at his dresser, removing the cuff-pins from the sleeves of his shirt, his back silently turned to Kenneth. Kenneth hastily looked back down to the carpet by his bare feet.

Alex hovered near the dresser for a few minutes, seemingly occupying himself with small tasks - loosening his collar, removing his shoes - and Kenneth listened intently to the soft rustling fabric noises his clothes were making as he worked, clenching and unclenching his hands in his lap. The room stayed quiet and calm.

At last, Kenneth heard Alex approach, and soon enough the man’s grey sock-clad feet appeared in his field of vision. He immediately willed all the tension from his body. He was afraid that if he seemed too uncomfortable in his owner’s presence, the man might become displeased. Instead, though, Alex only kneeled down in front of the boy, and reached up to place coaxing fingers on the underside of Kenneth’s chin, slowly lifting it until Kenneth had no choice but to look his owner in the eye.

Kenneth swallowed a little thickly, nervous.

“It is alright for you to look at me, you know,” Alex said to him, his voice subdued and gentle. “In fact, I rather like it when you do. I can see your face better, that way.” He smiled. “From now on, I don’t want you to be afraid to look at me. I don’t find it disrespectful, I find it pleasing. I’ll be very pleased with you, if you do that. Can you do that for me, Kenneth?”

Kenneth nodded. Alex drew his hand back and away from his face, resting it on his own bent knee.

“Good boy,” Alex praised. “You’re a very good boy. I can already tell.” He admired Kenneth’s face for a few long moments, and Kenneth found it hard to return the gaze, but, by some miracle, he managed. It was unnerving to stare his owner in the face like this when he’d always been taught to do the exact opposite. It wasn’t that Alex was a man who was hard to look at - really, it was quite the contrary, the man was rather easy on the eyes with his shortly cropped chocolate-brown hair and warm, round brown eyes, set into a narrow, dignified face - it just seemed that everything about Alex was a complete contradiction to everything Kenneth had ever been taught. That made it hard.

“Now,” Alex spoke again, voice firm but assuring, “there are a few things I want to discuss with you. Some things about the way I run my home, here. I know today must have been awfully confusing for you, so I want to clear a few matters up. I’m also giving you permission to speak freely, so you can ask me any questions you wish as we go along. I’m sure you’ll have some.” He paused to give Kenneth some time to digest what he’d just heard, then said, “Are you ready?”

Kenneth, a little uncertainly, nodded. He caught himself clenching his hands into fists again, and forced himself to stop.

“All right.” Alex shifted a bit, settling a little further down into his kneeling position on the floor. “So. First things first: I think we should have a little talk about what you are and aren’t allowed to do, here, yeah? Since I’m sure you’ve noticed that Darryl and Zavian don’t exactly behave themselves to the pinnacle of the slave complex’s code of conduct, do they?”

He paused here, and after a moment Kenneth realized that he must have been waiting for some sort of response, so he quickly shook his head, and Alex smiled.

“Right. Well. To be perfectly honest with you, I find a lot of the rules surrounding slave behavior to be rather… extraneous. Unnecessary. I mean, the way I see it, slaves are people that you live with, that you see all the time, and it seems a little unnatural to discourage any sort of conversation or interaction between us other than commands and instructions. Don’t you think?”

Kenneth nodded again, although he didn’t really ‘think.’ Everyone he’d ever come into contact with had thought as little interaction as possible was a good thing, himself included. He blindly agreed, though, since it seemed that was what Alex wanted him to do.

“Yes. I think so, too. So, here’s the general rule that you can follow here, in my home: I encourage you to speak freely and openly with me, whenever you like, as long as you always do so in a respectful manner. It’s perfectly fine, I wont punish you for saying whatever’s on your mind. Understand?”

Kenneth nodded, with a little trepidation. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that rule. That was the kind of rule that made it easy to unwittingly cross the line of what constituted punishment, without even meaning to. He could very easily out-step his boundaries with a rule like that, because he hardly even knew where his boundaries were.

Alex, though, almost seemed to read his thoughts, because the next thing out of his mouth addressed some of Kenneth’s silent worries. “Now, of course I don’t mind some teasing and joking around. I’m sure Darryl and Zavian have made that clear enough. I like to be relaxed around the people I share my home with, and it’s hard to relax if you’re always worrying about etiquette and what’s proper and what isn’t, so, you know. I wont punish you for banter, either. In fact, I rather enjoy the banter. I find it amusing.”

Kenneth, at a loss for anything else, simply nodded again.

“Alright. Now for the not-so-fun part - what I will punish you for.” Kenneth perked up at that part, his heart giving one nervous little thump! as the words hit his ears, but Alex placed a steadying hand on his calf and gently stroked the skin there, trying to calm him. “No, no worries, I wont ever punish you without - wait, I’m sorry, do they shave your legs at the complex?” Alex looked down at the hairless skin he was stroking, a little baffled.

“Um,” Kenneth started, his own voice sounding a little small and anxious in his own ears. Shit, shit, was Alex mad? “Yes, sir. They like… the softer skin.”

Alex was silent for a moment, then looked back up to Kenneth, a strange expression on his face. His brows were a little knitted, and his mouth was pressed into a flat line. Altogether, he looked entirely un-amused. “Well,” he said, voice a bit curt, “that sounds absolutely silly, to me. You’re perfect just the way you are. From now on, you don’t need to worry about keeping them shaved. See? That’s just what I mean about all the complex’s foolish rules. Most of them are just so unnecessary.” He sighed, his expression softening, which Kenneth was glad for. “Now, what was I saying? Ah, yes - punishment. I promise you that I wont ever punish you without giving you fair warning first. It wont just happen out of the blue. I’ll let you know if you’re getting close, and give you time to catch yourself, alright?” Alex smiled at him. “Although I don’t suspect you’ll ever do anything to deserve it. You seem to be such a well-behaved lad.” Alex stroked at his calf a little more, and now Kenneth was feeling a little self-conscious over his shaven skin.

“Yes, sir,” Kenneth said quietly, mostly just so that he wouldn’t have to nod again. “Thank you, sir.”

“Also,” Alex said, continuing, “even though I’m very lenient about behavior, if I ever have company over - sometimes my job requires me to host dinners with co-workers, for example - I do expect you to follow all those silly rules the complex taught you, simply because people just expect slaves to act that way. I know it seems a little asinine, but there’s really no avoiding it. So, should you seem disrespectful to a guest, or speak out of term when there’s company over…” Alex trailed off there, paused, then began again. “But, again, I’ll give you fair warning before I enact any kind of punishment. You’ll have time to catch yourself. And like I said, you seem so well-behaved, I can hardly imagine something like that even being a problem. Okay? Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir,” Kenneth repeated, even more quietly than before.

Alex nodded. “Do you have any questions so far?”

Kenneth thought for a moment, then shook his head. “No, sir.”

“Okay,” Alex exhaled a long breath through his nose. “Then the next order of business is your health.”

Kenneth stifled a sigh of his own. He wasn’t surprised by this topic. He’d been yapped at about his health by every person who’d ever owned him.

“Your health is very important to me,” Alex carried on, unaware of Kenneth’s mild exasperation. “Now, it’s to my understanding that you’re from the high north?”

“Savnia, sir,” Kenneth answered, clenching his hands a little.

“Yes. You’re Sav, which explains your lovely hair, doesn’t it?” Alex briefly reached his hand up to brush it through Kenneth’s honey-colored hair, then quickly brought it back down and began to stroke the boy’s calf again. “But I know that it also means you’re at a higher risk for illness than most people who live here, isn’t that right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“So, then,” Alex gave the leg he was stroking a brief squeeze, to emphasize this next bit, “you must tell me if you’re ever feeling even a little unwell. Me, or Darryl, or Zavian - any one of us. The last thing we want is for you to fall ill, and since you’re more susceptible to illness we have to be sure to catch it early, if you do. We have to try to, at least. Honesty is important, Kenneth,” Alex looked at him seriously. “I always want you to be honest with me. I wont ever be displeased with you if you tell me you’re not feeling well, so don’t ever be afraid to do so. In fact, if I find out that you weren’t feeling well and you didn’t tell me, then I’d be displeased with you. Do you see? Honesty.”

Kenneth nodded, again. “Yes, sir.”

“Any questions?”

Kenneth almost followed that inquiry with another thoughtless no, sir, but, in light of his new owner’s little lecture on honesty, Kenneth bit his lip and thought fast. He did actually have a question, but should he…?

“Is that a ‘yes’?” Alex said, tilting his head a little to get a better view of Kenneth’s face. Kenneth supposed that his hesitation had probably given him away.

“Um,” he started, eloquently, “I was just wondering, sir, if I might ever, that is, if I would ever possibly, or, well-” he stuttered to a sloppy halt, going red. Alex’s friendly brown eyes were so intent on him that he found it hard to muster the courage to get the words out.

Alex only continued to gently stroke his leg, reassuringly. “It’s alright. Go ahead and ask what you want to ask.”

Kenneth swallowed, determined to do better the second time. “I’m just curious, sir, if I might ever be allowed, um, outside?”

“Oh,” Alex said, his brows tilting upward in sympathy. His lips pinched together uncertainly. “That’s… I’m not sure, Kenneth,” his voice was apologetic sounding, and Kenneth felt his stomach drop a little. “Of course I want to say yes. It’s just, well, considering your health, and… well, how about this. For the winter months I’d rather you stay indoors, since that’s when sickness seems to travel most. But, perhaps in the summer seasons - the dryer seasons - we can see how you fair in the outdoors? You can understand why I might have a few trepidations, can’t you?”

“Yes, of course, sir,” Kenneth answered, already sorry that he’d asked. He knew it’d been a bad idea. No previous owner had ever let him outdoors, why would Alex? It was just that Kenneth hated being cooped-up inside all the time. Hell, he hadn’t really been outside in nearly five years. He just wanted some fresh air, was all. “I apologize for asking, sir,” he finished, a little regretfully.

“No, don’t be sorry,” Alex replied in a supportive tone. “It was a perfectly reasonable question. I’m just sorry I couldn’t have a better answer for you.”

Kenneth didn’t say anything in response, since he really didn’t think he needed to.

A few long moments passed in silence, and then Alex quite suddenly heaved out a great sigh and hung his head, staring at the carpeted floor beside his bent knee, then looked back up to Kenneth with a somewhat sorrowful smile on his lips. “Are you terribly upset?” he asked, and Kenneth was mildly shocked to hear that his owner sounded, of all things, rather woeful.

For a second Kenneth didn’t know what to say, baffled as he was by what he’d just heard, but finally settled on, “I am happy to do as sir wishes,” which seemed like a safe enough answer.

“You’re disappointed, I can tell,” Alex said, as though Kenneth hadn’t even spoken at all. “I promise, we’ll test out the going-outdoors thing once the weather gets a little dryer. I wont forget. And you can always remind me, I won’t get angry at you for that. Really, though, I do promise.”

Kenneth blinked. He’d never had an owner… promise him anything before. Well, nothing pleasant, at least. His lips parted, ready for words to come out, but instead he remained silent until he was finally able to push the words “Yes, thank you, sir,” from his throat, which had gone a little dry.

Alex’s smile warmed a little - became a bit less doleful - and he licked his lips. “You poor thing,” Alex said, once again stroking his leg. “No one’s ever treated you properly, have they? I can tell just by the look on your face right now that no one’s ever given you anything just for the simple joy of making you happy. It’s a shame. You deserve so much better than that.” He stared fondly at Kenneth for a short while, and Kenneth could feel himself going a little pink under the gaze.

It was then, quite unexpectedly, that Alex suddenly leaned up and pressed his lips to Kenneth’s, who immediately began to kiss back in sheer reflex. Alex wasn’t hard or insistent in any way; the kiss was gentle and quiet - more like a sentimental push of lips to lips than anything else - and it was slow, and a little exploratory. Like a first taste. Kenneth offered up a soft sigh and leaned into it, eyes fluttering shut, knowing that it was always best to seem eager, even when he was as unsure about things as he was now.

The kiss was relatively chaste and didn’t last very long. Alex’s lips were pliable and easy to move against, and his mouth was warm, so it was almost a little disappointing when he pulled away. When they were kissing it meant they weren’t talking, and it was the talking that made Kenneth most nervous.

When Kenneth opened his eyes again, he found that Alex had a somewhat dreamy look on his face, a small little smile worming its way onto his features. He breathed out a small sigh of his own. “You really are such a sweet boy,” he said, affectionately.

Kenneth’s blush went a little deeper. “Thank you, sir,” he said, because he couldn’t think of anything else to say.

“And, you know, that actually brings me to the last thing I wanted to talk to you about,” Alex said, settling back down onto one knee at Kenneth’s feet. “Your service. In the kitchen before, when I told you what would be expected from you, here? I got the sense that you felt a bit… overwhelmed, at the thought of having to serve all three of us. Is that right, Kenneth?” It was an honest question. It didn’t seem to Kenneth that Alex was particularly upset with him over the matter, which he was glad for.

“Yes, sir,” the boy answered, lowering his eyes a little. Then he remembered what Alex had said before and quickly raised them again. “I’ve never hard to… serve three people, before. I’ve only ever had to serve my owner, unless he wished I service someone else, which didn’t happen very often.”

Alex nodded. “Right. I understand that. I just want to ease some of your worries over the matter. I expect it’s really not as frightening as it might seem, at the moment.” He tilted his head to the side a little. “It must seem terribly unreasonable, yeah? Asking you to serve three instead of just one. You’re probably worried you’ll be over used, or over exhausted, or possibly even hurt. I’m sorry, that’s my fault. I should have found a more tactful way to explain your situation before, in the kitchen. I didn’t mean to worry you unduly.” He gave Kenneth’s leg another of those reassuring squeezes. “Really, none of those things will happen to you. I can promise you that.”

Again with the promising, Kenneth thought, warily.

“I’m going to set down a rule for you, alright, Kenneth?” Alex continued, and Kenneth immediately placed all his attention back onto his owner. “One you absolutely must obey. I know I’m lenient with rules, but you cannot break this one. Alright?”

Kenneth nodded briskly. Alex nodded back.

“Alright,” he repeated, handsome face once again serious. “Here’s the rule: if you’re ever feeling not up to the task of servicing one of us, and I do mean any of us, then you must say so. Do you understand? If you’re ever feeling too tired, or fatigued, or even just sore, then you have to tell us so. We wont ask you to serve us if you feel that you can’t. Kenneth, I’m giving you the right to say no. Do you see?”

If Kenneth had thought he’d been shocked by any of the day’s prior events, he realized now that he’d been entirely wrong. Compared to the utter astonishment he was currently experiencing, everything before had just been nothing more than mild surprises.

Honestly, who had ever heard of such a thing? An owner giving a pleasure slave the right to say ‘no’ to sex? It was preposterous! Almost laughable in its absurdity. The whole point of owning a pleasure slave to begin with was to have someone there to provide sexual satisfaction whenever desired. If the slave was given the right to deny providing that service, then the buyer may as well just go out and find himself a fickle lover. Seriously, it was like giving a pet cat the right to bark like a dog. Who in their right mind would ever…?

Kenneth suddenly became aware of the fact that his mouth had fallen open in utter disbelief, and could hardly find it within himself to care. Alex was clearly the strangest man to ever walk the globe. He obviously had completely skewed ideas about what the word ‘slave’ meant. Not that Kenneth was really complaining, he just couldn’t wrap his mind around-

“Kenneth?” Alex suddenly asked, voice still serious. “Do you understand?”

Kenneth quite abruptly snapped out of his small daze. “-I, I mean, yes, sir,” he said, quickly licking his lips. “Yes, I understand.” He eyes were as wide as dinner plates, he was sure.

Alex nodded. “Good. I know that must sound rather strange to you, but the fact of the matter is that I care very much about how comfortable you are, especially since you’re being asked to serve so many different people. It wouldn’t be pleasurable for any of the three of us if we knew we were running you into the ground. You have to speak up if you’re ever not feeling up to the task. Remember what I said about honesty, a moment ago? Well, it applies here, too. You mustn’t be afraid to tell us if you… don’t want to. You wont be in trouble if you do. Okay? Am I clear?”

“Yes, sir,” Kenneth said, and then something occurred to him. He swallowed, speaking in a voice that was a little shaky in the knees. “And, the, uh, the other two? Darryl and Zavian? Do they also know? That I’m allowed - that you’ve given me this rule, sir?”

Alex offered up another comforting smile. “Oh, yes,” he answered quickly. “That’s actually what I was just speaking to them about, before. How I want you to be treated. But you really needn’t worry about how they’ll handle you, they were in full agreement with me, they want to be sure you’re absolutely at ease, here. They shouldn’t cause you any trouble.” Alex paused, thoughtfully. “Well, not intentionally, at any rate. Don’t be afraid to speak up if they do something you’re uncomfortable with, though, I’m sure they would listen. Or you could always come to me, if you preferred that.”

Kenneth nodded. “Yes, sir,” he said, voice a bit dazed over with wonder. Seriously, where did this guy come from?

“Good,” Alex said, and went quiet. His face was wistful and contemplative as he looked at Kenneth, warm brown eyes all soft-focused as the corners of his lips drifted up into an absent smile. He seemed pensive. Kenneth prudently didn’t say anything to break his owner’s mood, but he wasn’t sure how he felt about being stared at so intently, even if the stare wasn’t particularly threatening.

When he spoke again, Alex’s voice had gone all gentle and fuzzy around the edges. “You really are an easy thing to look at,” he declared, that same hand still stroking Kenneth’s leg, just like it had been throughout the entire conversation. Alex suddenly gave a small chuckle. “Now that I think of it, I’m actually a little amazed I managed to get you before anyone else did. Glad for it, too - with a face like yours, the bets usually come in faster than they can be sorted. Lords, you’ve got the face of an angel.” He sighed. “I hope I can make you happy, here. Darryl’s convinced you’ll settle in soon enough. I hope that’s correct. I mean, you needn’t be afraid of us, truly. We’d never mistreat you. We’re not that kind of folk.” His smile grew a little. “We only want to see you content.”

Kenneth, unsure if that really required a response or not, simply settled on saying, “Thank you, sir,” and fell silent again.

“Of course,” Alex replied. “It’s the very least you deserve.” He gazed at Kenneth a while longer, then said, in a whimsical voice, “my sweet boy,” and leaned up once more to place another soft kiss on Kenneth’s lips.

Kenneth once again pushed back with what he thought was a reasonable amount of eagerness, leaning into his new owner’s warm mouth, already trying to do his best to please him. Kenneth knew that it was always best to please a new owner early on, to present himself with a good first impression, because that would generally make things easier down the line. If he placed himself in the good favor of his owner now, it might reduce the amount of stress in his life later.

Alex kissed him with the sweetness that he might use to kiss a lover, which was somewhat unusual in Kenneth’s past experience, but certainly not unheard of. As wary as he was of the man, Kenneth had to admit that Alex seemed to be a person who was gentle by nature. He was easy mannered and softly spoken, and pleasant to his other slaves, and so far rather pleasant to Kenneth as well. His kisses reflected that mildness of nature. His lips moved slowly over Kenneth’s, who followed the relaxed rhythm obediently, and as they kissed he grunted out a soft sound, which the boy took as a positive sign. Acting on a hunch, Kenneth lifted his hands from where they still sat folded in his lap and carefully took loose handfuls of the expensive material of Alex’s shirt. He kept his grip slack and noncommittal, though, in case he should be reprimanded for his initiative and needed to let go quickly.

Alex didn’t reprimand him, though. Instead, the man eased out another deep sigh through his nose and brought his own hands up to cup Kenneth’s face, tilting it a little more towards his own. Glad that his gamble had paid off, Kenneth tightened his grip, since Alex seemed to like his hands there.

Alex leaned in even closer then, deepening the kiss, pressing his mouth harder against Kenneth’s and slipping his tongue out to run along the parting crease between the boy’s lips. Kenneth immediately parted for him, now suddenly aware of the fact that the time for talking was apparently over, which he was actually rather glad for. As Alex sunk his tongue into Kenneth’s mouth, the boy surprisingly experienced a small wave of relief. He knew how to do this. Pleasing his owner in this way, with actions instead of words, was what he had been taught to do ever since he’d been brought here. But talking to his owner, actually conversing with him - that was new and entirely unsettling. Kenneth knew it was much easier to learn how to stimulate an owner’s dick than it was to learn how to stimulate his mind. Besides, the happier he made the man in bed, the better he was likely to be treated outside the bedroom, which was always a good thing.

The kiss quickly moved from one to many, the rhythm quickening as Alex grew more insistent, and Kenneth went along with it easily. Kenneth gasped a little as teeth gently nipped at his bottom lip, and the hands on his cheeks slid up into to his hair, doing marvelous things to his scalp. Kenneth was actually a little surprised when a small shiver shimmied its way down his spine, coming to a warm, tingling finish at his tailbone.

His owner’s lips moved from his mouth down to his neck, kissing a lingering path over his chin and jaw to get there, and set to work with teeth and tongue. He nipped and licked a flush into Kenneth’s cheeks. Kenneth brought his arms up to wrap around his owner’s shoulders and bit his lips at the odd sensation of Alex sucking gently at the pulse point on his throat. Something about Alex’s gentle work stuck Kenneth as strange; it was almost as though he was trying to give Kenneth pleasure, rather than make his own.

Another shiver zipped down Kenneth’s spine as one of the hands massaging his scalp moved down to the back of his neck, carefully kneading the tense muscles there, making them go warm and soft and liquid. Kenneth found he actually had to stifle a moan. He wasn’t sure if his new owner liked noise or not, but damn if the little massage didn’t feel like a small slice of heaven, and coupled with the lips doing spectacular things to his neck - he bit his lips a little harder, sucking in a sharp breath through his nostrils.

Kenneth allowed his head to fall back into the massaging hands to give his owner more access to his skin. Instead, though, Alex suddenly pulled his hands away, causing Kenneth’s heart to give a quick, unsteady flutter - had he done something wrong? But the hands quickly returned under his arms, and Alex rose to his feet, pulling his lips away, too, to lift the lad a little off the surface of the bed and drag him slowly towards the center. Alex followed, sliding his knees onto the bed and curling over Kenneth as he laid him down, lips never far from the boy’s. Kenneth was actually a little enthralled by the gentleness of the gesture, his member stirring as Alex loomed over him, which surprised him a great deal. He wasn’t used to being enthralled, he was used to being anxious and tense. The sudden stiffness between his legs was actually a little unnerving.

Alex kissed him again, lips all warm and swollen form their work, and Kenneth took the risk of running his hands through his owner’s chocolaty hair, which was surprisingly soft. The risk once again seemed to pay off as Alex moaned a little and ran his own hands down along Kenneth’s sides, feeling out the shape of him. Kenneth arched into the hands, hoping it would please Alex, which it certainly seemed to do.

His owner hovered over him, never really pressing his weight down onto him, which gave Alex’s hands free-range to travel wherever they wanted to go. Kenneth could feel their journeys through the thin layer of fine fabric that separated them. The palms were hot as they slid over his tummy, across his chest, then over the backs of his shoulders and down his back, to his hips. Kenneth eased out a sigh, feeling the flush that was already on his face go a little deeper, heat pooling in his cheeks.

Kenneth felt Alex’s thumbs play over the two jutting edges of his hip bones, pressing a little into the soft skin that surrounded them, which Kenneth thought felt strange, but not unpleasant. Kenneth obediently pressed his hips up into Alex’s grip, but instead Alex dragged his hands away, over the contours of Kenneth’s thighs. His owner felt his way down to the boy’s knees, and Kenneth unwittingly parted his lips to draw in breath as Alex dragged his nails with a feather’s touch back up the way they came, raising little goose pimples in their wake. Kenneth had to bite his lips again as Alex’s fingertips momentarily fiddled with the hem of his tunic, then dipped underneath, dragging his nails over the much more tender skin of his upper thighs. He stifled another gasp as the muscles there twitched under his owner’s touch.

Alex gave his thighs one last appreciative squeeze before he pulled his hands away and made for the zipper that started on the back of Kenneth’s collar. Kenneth obligingly lifted his shoulders so his owner could unzip the garment, which he did with little fuss, pulling the zipper down as far as it would go. It came to a halt at Kenneth’s lower back, and Alex slid the tunic from the boy’s shoulders and pushed it down until it pooled around his hips, still covering his half-hard member. Then Alex’s hands were on him again, feeling his bare flesh, brushing his thumbs over his nipples, and this time Kenneth couldn’t stifle the gasp that was inspired by Alex’s teeth on his flushed chest.

Kenneth brought his own hands to the collar of his owner’s shirt, fiddling with the top button. He was feeling a little emboldened by the success of his previous two gambles. Alex broke away from Kenneth’s chest, leaning up a bit to look the boy in the face. There was a smile on his reddened lips.

“You want it off?” he asked. His voice, which was usually so smooth and easy, had gotten a bit gravely. It had dipped at least half an octave.

“I-” Kenneth wasn’t sure what to say, he just felt hot and a little quivery- “Only if it pleases sir,” he managed.

Alex grabbed his wrists, directing his hands back to the buttons. “Do it,” he said, simply, and Kenneth immediately followed the order and set to work. It was hard, since his fingers were a touch shaky, but he slowly undid each button, one by one. When the shirt hung open Alex sat up and pulled the garment off, tossing it down onto the bed beside them. Kenneth got his first good look at his owner’s bare flesh.

The man was in shape - certainly not as much as that Zavian probably was, but he took care of himself - and his shoulders were broad, and his skin rather pale. Two coppery nipples dotted his chest, which at the moment were hardened to small nubs. Alex looked at Kenneth eagerly and lowered himself back down over the boy, nipping at his collar bone as he placed his warm hands back on his thighs.

Kenneth closed his eyes as he felt the hands slide up underneath his tunic again, this time wrapping as much of his flesh as they could in their grasp, thumbs kneading wondrously at the pliant skin of his inner thighs and coming dangerously close to the hotness that sat between them. Gods, none of his previous owners had ever really bothered to put this much time into foreplay. The trainers at the complex had given him lessons in endurance and stamina, but this was something that was entirely different. Alex’s actions seemed to have some sort of sensitivity that the trainers’ had wholly lacked, some sort of appreciation for Kenneth’s skin or his gratification, or something, because no one’s hands had ever felt the way his new owner’s did on him, even though he hadn’t even done much, yet. Kenneth was only half able to throttle the groan that suddenly rose from his chest as Alex’s thumbs began to stroke the fleshy crease where his legs joined his body, and a choked little rumble trickled like honey from his lips. Alex looked up at the noise, and Kenneth closed his eyes in modesty.

It was ridiculous, really, feeling modest at a moment like this. He was a pleasure slave, for the god’s sake. But that realization only made Kenneth feel a little embarrassed, which was even worse.

Next Kenneth knew, though, Alex had wrapped a hand around his member and gave it an unexpected squeeze that was hard enough to milk a full, involuntary moan right out of him, which he only noticed he was doing until it was halfway out and too late to stop. His back arched completely of its own accord, and Kenneth found himself powerless to prevent it, like someone had stung violin strings along his spine and tightened them until couldn’t move. He squeezed his eyes so tightly shut that he saw bright little dots behind the lids.

“Lords, you’re so beautiful,” Alex mumbled, and then both his hands were off him, grabbing at the pooled tunic and pulling it down his legs. Kenneth’s back finally unclenched and he fell back onto the mattress, easing his eyes open. The lids were a little sore from being squeezed so tightly.

Alex stripped him of his only clothing, sliding the tunic off the ends of his feet and plopping it down beside his discarded shirt. Kenneth watched as the brown eyes ran up the length of his nude form and down again, his hands gathering fistfuls of the sheets at his sides, his length still pulsing a little from the squeeze it’d just endured. Alex’s eyes flicked right to his clenched hands, and Kenneth immediately loosened them, not wanting to seem ill at ease in front of his owner.

He watched intently as Alex’s eyes went back to his face. The man smiled again, warmly, and started his hands at Kenneth’s knees and ran them slowly up the length of his entire body. Kenneth arched again when he felt nails graze his nipples, but the sensation was gone as quickly as it’d came. Alex’s hands slid away, off down his arms, where they finally came to rest on his wrists, grabbing them and holding them where they were. He leaned down to flick his tongue gently over a nipple, and Kenneth’s mouth fell open, his eyes fluttering, fighting to stay open. Shit, that felt good.

Alex teased that part of him a little longer, then leaned up to press his lips to the shell of Kenneth’s ear. Kenneth tensed a little, but restrained the urge to lean away.

“I want you to tell me something,” Alex murmured, voice all pebbly. “Will you do that for me?”

“Sir?” Kenneth croaked, and he was shocked at how little control he had over his own voice.

“Call me Alex,” his owner corrected, “use my name.”

“Ah… A-Alex?” It felt unnatural.

“Good boy,” Alex praised, seemingly satisfied by Kenneth’s submission. “Good.” He nibbled at Kenneth’s ear for a few moments, then continued. “I want to know - how should I say - what your favorite thing is. What you like best.” He pressed a kiss to Kenneth’s temple.

Kenneth was a bit bewildered at the inquiry. “I’m sorry, si… Alex?” he stuttered, hands clenching again, and Alex rubbed the tension out of them with his fingers.

“What you like best,” he repeated, raising his head to look Kenneth in the flushed face, and Kenneth looked, perplexed, into the brown eyes. “What you most like to have done to you. Your old owners, or even the trainers at the complex - what did you most enjoy for them to do to you? If you had to choose, that is.”

“…Oh,” Kenneth said, swallowing thickly. It was an odd question, and it set his nerves a little on edge. He never liked it when he was forced to be so definitive. It just upped his chances of giving a wrong answer. “I, I suppose…”

“Honesty, Kenneth,” Alex reminded him, pressing another small kiss to his cheek. Kenneth swallowed again. Oh, great.

“I - I always liked it when the trainers, um-” fucked me, he knew was the right answer, because he knew that was always the right answer, that it was what every owner wanted to hear. But he thought that Alex might know he was lying if he said that, and he’d told him to be honest, and he didn’t want to get in trouble on his first night, so… “When they… when they used their mouths on me, sir. Or, I mean, Alex.” He stumbled to an awkward finish.

Alex lifted his head and gazed at him, a broad smile creeping its way onto his features. Immediately Kenneth relaxed, a little. Alex seemed happy with that answer. Thank the gods.

“Oh, really?” his owner said, curiously. “Their mouths?”

Kenneth nodded, tentatively.

“Hmm,” he looked thoughtful, his eyes half-lidded. “You know, I think that sounds absolutely wonderful.” He pressed his lips to Kenneth’s in a kiss that was brief but had a lingering end. “Close your eyes,” he said, his smile growing a little devilish. Kenneth shivered and did as he was told.

Eyes shut, laying on the sheets, Kenneth twitched a little as Alex’s hands landed on his abdomen, moving about experimentally with massaging fingertips. First his owner kneaded the tense muscles in his sides, then dragged his palms over his belly, scrapping his nails over the ticklish flesh. Kenneth sucked in a breath. The hands felt nice, true, but he was unsure as to what Alex had meant when he’d said ‘that sounds absolutely wonderful,’ (the words could be taken in so very many different ways,) and the order that had followed to close his eyes had made him even more trepidatious. Kenneth could tell Alex had an idea, and in his past experiences, when one of his owners had one of those, it hadn’t ended up so good for him. Still, though, it was going well so far. Alex was placidly stroking the skin of his lower abdomen, and it felt kind of nice, so he thought he should wait until things started to go downhill to really start worrying.

Alex’s fingers breezed their way down his legs again, and stopped to clutch onto his knees, carefully pulling them apart until his legs were spread wide. Kenneth sucked in a quick breath as the air directly struck parts of him that until that moment had been relatively protected, rocketing another of those strange, tingling shivers up his spine and into his shoulders. He fought to keep his eyes closed. He badly wanted to open them and take a peek at was his owner was doing - especially since he could both hear and feel Alex moving around, somehow resituating himself between Kenneth’s thighs - but Alex’s order to have them closed kept them securely hidden behind shut lids.

His thoughts momentarily scattered as he felt a sudden, outlandishly hot breath wash over the head of his member, and he very nearly forgot the urge entirely.

Next he knew, Alex’s hands had clamped into his hips and his mouth had engulfed the head of him, sucking hard, and Kenneth gave a short cry from the surprise of it. Gods, he hadn’t been expecting that so quickly - Alex poked his tongue at the slit and wiggled it there, and Kenneth actually had to choke off some kind of strange sob of a noise that bubbled up into his throat, grabbing the sheets at his sides with such force that he actually hurt his fingers a little. His back arched again, and then Alex took more of him, and that was it, he couldn’t think anymore.

Alex was unremitting in his vigorous assault on Kenneth, lips and tongue torturing as much of him as Alex could take, one of his hands letting go of Kenneth’s hip and working what he couldn’t. The other hand eventually went to his sack, kneading the sensitized skin with enough skill to cause Kenneth to gasp out some sort of wordless exclamation, more wet sobs rushing out of his chest. Suffering gods, no one at the complex had ever done this thorough a job on him, whenever they’d used their mouths it’d always been so, so businesslike, this was something completely different, this was-- it was--

Alex groaned around him, deep and guttural, and the reverberations shot through Kenneth like a hammer striking steel, rattling a startled “Sir…!” out of him.

His owner pulled away from him suddenly, one hand continuing to work him and the other pulling away, as well. “Alex,” he corrected the boy, and Kenneth, stifled a bit by his own breathing, tried to launch the word from his lips but failed. All that came out was a wobbly little garble of a sound, weak, flimsy as a house of cards. He did manage to keep his eyes resolutely shut, though, and his arms steadfastly at his sides, which was hard.

Alex was quiet for a few seconds - Kenneth foggily wondered why - and then he spoke again, his voice quiet and insistent. “Call me Alex,” he said. “My name.” Then his mouth was on Kenneth all over again, tongue massaging the underside of his member as he sucked hard. His fingers performed some kind of rolling, kneading action on the shaft of him that sent Kenneth’s mind all fizzy with static.

It took Kenneth a few tries, but finally he managed to gasp out a hoarse “Alex!” in a strangled little sob.

When Alex’s warm, damp finger prodded experimentally at his opening, Kenneth realized in a brief flash of clarity why his owner’s mouth had briefly vanished, and the boy sucked in a breath as the digit slipped in. His owner was careful in his exploration, which Kenneth was glad for, but he found he hardly had a mind to focus on it as Alex’s lips constricted around his head with dizzying force before sliding back down, wrapping him in glorious wet heat.

Kenneth barely registered when Alex added a second finger, still too enthralled with his owner’s mouth, but he sure as hell noticed when the fingers suddenly pressed against his prostate, hard, causing a tremor so great to rocket through him that Alex actually had to pause what he was doing until Kenneth’s muscles unclenched from it. Kenneth was reasonably sure he’d said something - or at the very least made some kind of unintelligible noise, words or not - but his face was so hot and his muscles were so jittery and his pulse was so loud in his ears that he couldn’t bring himself to care.

After that, Alex was relentless on him. Between his fingers and his mouth, (literally! some odd voice in the back of his mind toned, randomly,) Kenneth suspected he wouldn’t be able to last long, and he was right; it seemed like it was only moments later, his back arching painfully and his toes scrunching together, his shoulders curling inward and his head rolling back as far as it would go, his mouth ajar, soundless, gasping for air, that he came. His vision went white behind his eyelids, then red, then back to black, all blistered with little sparks of light, little bits of electricity zipping like fireflies over his skin. His orgasm rocketed back a few times, sending little after-shocks of pleasure through him like ripples in water, and then he was collapsing onto the mattress, breaths short and shallow, eyes still closed, shaking from head to toe.

It was, by far, the most incomprehensible orgasm of his entire life. He didn’t even notice when Alex removed his fingers and his mouth. He couldn’t hardly even think for a few solid seconds. Thought came trickling back to him in little spurts, slowly, his mind just now catching up to his body.

Kenneth stared at the backs of his lids. Blessed suffering lords, he thought, distantly. What just happened?

As he laid there, trying to catch his breath, he felt the mattress shift beside him, and he knew Alex had come up to join him. This was confirmed as a kiss was planted on his sweaty brow, and Kenneth turned his head toward his owner, feeling the warm, damp lips on his skin. Damp with…? Oh, gods, another aftershock wrung its way down Kenneth’s spine.

Alex chuckled. “You can open your eyes now, you know. If you want.”

Kenneth did.

Alex laid beside him, on his side, head propped up onto one arm as he smiled down at his new slave. Kenneth knew his face was still all flushed and rosy, and he noticed that Alex had some color in his cheeks as well. It was then the boy realized that, like an idiot, he’d completely forgotten - he still needed to-

Rallying as much energy as he could, (he was still shaky and weak from his release, his muscles all gone to jelly and half-melted rubber,) Kenneth rolled over onto his own side, placing a demure hand on his owner’s bare chest, feeling the hot flesh.

“How would sir like me to…?” he asked quietly, fading away, looking at the skin he was carefully stroking rather than Alex’s face, a little ashamed that he’d been so overwhelmed with his own orgasm that he’d temporarily forgotten that he still had to please his master. Honestly, what kind of pleasure slave was he? If he were still at the complex, or either of his past owner’s, for that matter, he would have been punished for such a slip.

Instead of answering right away Alex gathered the boy in his arms, and Kenneth blinked confusedly as the man pulled him against his chest in an easy hug. Alex sighed contentedly, petting Kenneth’s hair, and only made to answer the question after several long moments of thoughtful silence.

“That wont be necessary,” he said, voice soothing and easy once again, the gravel all gone. “You’ve already pleased me very much. You were superb. Gods… breathtaking.”

Kenneth looked up, startled. “But, sir, you’re-” Kenneth could definitely feel something pressing into his leg, hot through the fine fabric of Alex’s trousers. “You’re - you haven’t-”

“It’s fine,” Alex reassured him. “I’ll take care of it myself. I’ve still got to shower, anyway.”

All at once Kenneth felt a sinking feeling, the pit of his stomach dropping into his guts. Oh, no. “Have I… displeased sir?” He lowered his head again, hiding his face.

“No, no, not at all,” Alex gave him a squeeze, hugging him closer. “You were perfect. Absolutely perfect. It’s just, you see…” he paused a moment, the silence somehow contemplative. “I wanted tonight to be for you,” he finally concluded.

Kenneth swallowed. His skin was still all tingly, his privates warm and sensitive, damp, pressed against Alex’s clothed thigh. “Sir?” he asked, confused.

“Since I purchased you as a gift for Zavian and Darryl,” Alex clarified, which actually did nothing for Kenneth in terms of actual clarification.

“I… I see.” He didn’t want to ask again, lest he pester Alex with the same question.

Alex seemed somehow unconvinced by his answer, though, as he suddenly continued. “I know that you’re still very unsure here,” he said, “and I didn’t want to, well, throw you to lions, so to speak, on your first night here. But it would be a little selfish of me to take my own pleasure from you before they did, wouldn’t it? Since you were a gift to them? Tonight was for you. I wanted to calm you a little. Help you unwind.” A quick little laugh escaped his lips. “And I’ll just have to handle this myself.” He pushed his hips forward a fraction of an inch.

Kenneth completely failed to comprehend his owner’s logic, but at least now he understood why he was refusing service. Sort of. “Oh.” He was quiet for a second, then tacked on, unsurely, “Um. Thank you, sir.”

Alex laughed again, and ruffled his hair.

“There’s usually a spare,” Alex mumbled distractedly, riffling through one of the drawers beneath the bathroom sink. It was made of some rosy-hued wood, in keeping with the rest the cabinetry and framing in the bathroom. “Darryl’s pretty neurotic about making sure we’re always stocked up on everything in the home. It’s… ah, here we go.” Kenneth watched as Alex triumphantly pulled a toothbrush, still wrapped in its plastic packaging, from the depths of the drawer. He tore the paper backing away and dislodged the item from its casing, then held it out, an offering.

Kenneth gingerly removed the device from his owner’s loose grasp. He was back in his tunic, although the back was only half-zipped.

“Paste is here,” Alex continued, a lank, easy smile on his lips, copper eyes all soft and wet-looking in the odd lighting of the warmly colored bathroom. He pointed to a tube of toothpaste resting on a shallow ledge above thing sink. “You can wash up and head to bed if you like, and don’t be afraid to turn out the lights. I know the room well enough, I can find my way to the bed. I’m going to have a quick shower before I turn in. Alright?”

Kenneth uttered a polite accord, slowly rolling the toothbrush between his fingertips, and watched as Alex stepped through the narrow door that led to the showering room, closing it until it landed in its frame with a gentle click. The master bath was a large room with entirely separate areas for showering and bathing. Without Alex standing next to him, the space suddenly felt vacant and still.

He waited until he could hear the water in shower running before he turned to the sink and reached for the paste. As he brushed, Kenneth observed his reflection in the mirror; his eyes still had faint bags beneath them from the drugging, but he suspected those would be gone by morning. His cheeks were still a little flushed from, well, from--

My owner’s mouth, he thought, and even in his own mind the words sounded a little crude. This had shaped up to be an odd day, indeed.

Finishing with his teeth he bent and splashed some water over his face, then carefully padded out into the bedroom and crawled onto the mildly disheveled bed. The sheets were a bit rumpled but still, for the most part, in their proper places. He settled in, thought briefly about leaving the lights on for his owner, then decided that it’d be best to turn them out like Alex had suggested. Once done he settled back in, rolled onto his side, and shut his eyes. He was still shaky and sensitive from his recent, unfathomable orgasm, and sleep was already tugging on him, waiting close by.

Without his vision to call most of his attention Kenneth immediately noticed the scent of the sheets. They smelt the same way Alex had smelled, when he’d gotten close enough for Kenneth to notice. Perhaps it was the shampoo he used. Perhaps it was his cologne. Kenneth wasn’t sure, but he turned his head into the pillow experimentally, and decided that, yes, he liked this scent. It was somehow pleasant.

Lifting his head and listening to make sure the shower was still running, Kenneth reached across the bed and swept up the other pillow, putting his nose to it. That must be the side he sleeps on, he mused as he found that the scent was much stronger on the stolen pillow than it was on his own. Quickly, risking a glance toward the dimly outlined bathroom door, Kenneth swapped the pillows, tossing the one he’d been using to the other side of the bed and nestling his head down into the more strongly scented one. Then, wrapping the cream-colored comforter tightly around his shoulders, he drifted to sleep. Despite his still-present anxieties about his new home, the combination of emotional and physical exhaustion and the soft scent filling his air pulled him down eagerly, and he fell into slumber listing to the static constancy of the running shower as the sound seeped through the walls.


And there you have it. FYI - the next bit may be a while in coming, since I’ve only just started writing it. (Usually I start the next chapter as I’m going through the editing process of the previous one, but not this time.) So yes. Keep you eyes peeled.

Aaaand that’s it for now. Let me know what you think!