Codependent (Tefa & SadBoy)

[Teaf]

The soft light of evening was beginning to transform into vibrant oranges and pinks over the dark outline of the city, unbothered by any smudges of cloud. Leo was glad: the weather for the summer night was still mild. No rain to clog the carriage wheels with mud. At the very least, the man told himself as he settled into his seat, it was a rare chance to get out of his home and mingle in some comfortable weather.

Bridga was one of the larger cities in the area, which meant that it played host to the usual variety of folks - both good and bad. Much of the cobbled roads, houses, and shops went by without much remark for Leo was aiming for the other side of the city: a mansion that was nearly an equal to his own, but with an additional promise that had reluctantly tempted him out for a journey. By degrees, he could tell once they had started upon the private property. Trees swiftly rose up to hug the road that suddenly grew much more winding, much more secretive as it had them hugging along a small cliff, then down into a valley. The house wasn’t yet visible when a large stone gate blocked their path, complete with four guards.

Silently, Leo leaned out his window and offered the small pamphlet he had been given. A courteous nod was exchanged just before the gate swung open on well-oiled hinges to permit them further. Such secrecy only provided further evidence to the wares being sold that night; And for the first time Leo felt a kernel of doubt firmly root itself in his chest.

Did he truly want to be here? The man’s dark, strong brow furrowed under the weight of the question. Much of him was still uncertain about his goal for the evening - to purchase? To merely observe? But what benefit would he get to see the slaves, knowing where and how they had managed to end up here, and simply walking away? Sighing, he shifted uncomfortably in his seat and craned his neck a bit to see if they were any closer to the main house.

A handsome, five stories tall stone mansion rose up along a long, wide entrance for the carriages to circle - of which there were already several. His driver had to patiently wait, coaxing the horses forward bit by bit until, at last, they lurched to a stop. It didn’t take much longer before Leo opened up his door and unfurled himself from the inside, rising up to his full 6’4” height. Black slacks, business shoes, a white button-up shirt, and a dark cloak that swirled around his shoulders. He loomed over the servant who greeted him and directed him not towards the house, but towards a walkway lit with flaming torches.

Eventually, low voices, laughter, and something else began to mingle in the air as he followed along. A horse stables was tucked around back and the center of attention for the evening - several other men and women, all dressed well off, were chatting up others wearing identical masks. Gold with slits for eyes and a black sparrow painted on one cheek. The same bird icon that was on his pamphlet - secrecy to help conceal the slaver’s identities and movements.

“Good evening, Sir.” One approached Leo and immediately bowed. He offered a dip of his head in return. “We appreciate you taking the time to join us today, and we are very excited to show you what we have! Just as always, we work hard to get a wide variety that’s sure to have something for everyone.” With a grand gesture, he ushered Leo forward into the mouth of the stables. “Now tell me Sir, have you ever done business with us?”

“No,” he answered, voice low and just loud enough to be heard. Dark eyes were surveying the insides with amazement. The whole insides had been skilfully repurposed to house what the slavers had brought with them. Each stall was cleaned and bedded in new hay, stall door removed for ease of access - and the first stall he saw did not have an animal but a person inside, chained up against the back wall. The girl didn’t dare lift her head but the tears had cut shining streaks down her cheeks.

“Oh, what a treat! You are free to peruse as you like, including going into the stalls and speaking with anyone. We merely ask that you…erm…”

A rhythmic slapping noise and moaning grew louder. Unable to stop himself, Leo turned his head and saw a man with his pants pooled around his ankles, pinning a frightened boy down on hands and knees and rutting into his ass with hard, pleased grunts. Even the chains rattled in time with their movements. The worker cleared his throat pointedly. “If you would like to try out someone, please ask first. Some are reserved to be kept pure. But if they’re marked for something else - like maid work - you can fuck them for a fee. Tonight no selling shall be done so you can take your time and visit everyone who catches your eye. Tomorrow, purchases will be open. Usually first come, first serve, with non-negotiable fees.”

Swallow, Leo nodded and thanked the man before pointedly stepping away from the busier stall. Finally alone. A deep, long breath helped to steady his nerves once more before he began to slowly step closer, sticking close to one side of the stalls to better see.

 

[Sadboyhours]

There had once been a lot going on behind green eyes, though now they stared dead forward into the barn as his feet barely touch the soft hay of the stall he's displayed in. His hands are raised high above him and make his muscles all stretch taut, skin tight over his ribs. Maybe he used to be mostly lean muscle, but a slave doesn't get great food, nor very much of it. His shape has seen better days, where his hips weren't so obvious and his arms were fuller with lean musculature.

In the short time he'd been with these sellers, these past few weeks, he'd seen horrific things. He'd seen slaves bought just to outright and immediately murder, turned into fodder. He'd learned quickly not to miss anyone or become attached. He'd learned the disgust of being used, even though he'd been handled just so to keep his 'virgin' status. They didn't care about who he was before this. His village had been pillaged and he'd once been his own person, with likes and dislikes.

That felt like very, very long ago; now, he had a cruel collar on with the brand of the sellers gleaming in the center. No branding because that was for his 'real' owner, they'd said. No use tainting new goods when it lowered the price. It's the same reason they used him for pleasure but avoided penetration. He was miserable.

Slaves that served the slavers themselves whispered in fear and gossip as they'd come here, tales of the beasts of so many colors that lived, both rich and wild, in the mansions and the woods. So far it wasn't that different from everywhere else, full of rich and filthy patrons. He'd watched a slave get dragged off to be beaten when she'd gone into a sobbing break-down of a fit, and the slave that had grown close to her nearly lost his tongue for raising his voice as he watched.

Jason wanted to shut it all out. If he didn't get bought this time around, they'd at least be made to feed him again to keep him from turning too, 'unappealingly', thin, despite any sane person thinking it not in any person's best interest.

Brown hair was tangled. It had been washed in the last day, but the hands that had touched his body and his hair all of today were far from clean. His face and his legs held smudges of dirt, crude piercings ran through both nipples during a moment of entertainment and cruelty at a dark party a week ago.

"If the buyers don't want it, they just take them out. It's not that big a deal," he'd heard someone grumble when the slave master had scolded about damaging product.

"And if he falls ill?"

He'd eaten well that week, to ensure he didn't get worn down from any kind of infection, and the week before that he’d had a black eye and a nasty collection of bruises for being trained to watch his tongue.

Jason almost fell asleep hanging on display like this so many times, but the tension on his shoulders made it hurt too much today. There's be no relaxing, just the enduring soreness of familiar pain. Part of him almost hoped to be bought has a snack, for then it'd be done quick.

 

[Teaf]

It didn't take long for Leo to find an uncomfortable observation among the slaves. The newer ones showed panic - or fight, or tears, or anything else that hinted they had not yet been beaten by the reality that had found such a cruel existence for them. Some of them even looked clean. Interspersed between these types were dirtier, still bodies that looked crushed. He had stopped in front of the first stall where a girl had her head turned away, eyes closed and purposefully ignorant of the ongoings in her stall. She hardly even stirred when a man groped her breasts harshly. Leo lingered at the edge and watched with a grim air about him, once again debating his purpose.

Slaves like this were a gamble for what he needed. Add in the potential for illness or death - one looked thin enough that Leo suspected they only had a few days left in them before their body would quit - nearly made him wonder if it would be worth making a special, commissioned request. But buying a healthy one wouldn't guarantee loyalty or happiness for either of them, too. And maybe, even if there was loyalty, it would not cure him of his problem. Leo chewed on the thoughts seriously and moved past a popular stall filled with interested buyers to the next one.

His eyes fell onto a young man who had that same eerie, still stare about him, the rest of him so unmoving that Leo even had the passing thought that the boy might already be dead. Without a crowd nearby to keep him at bay, Leo stepped towards the stall lip and paused there, watching with some pity. Though dirty and clearly uncared for, there was enough to hint at what the boy had looked like before he had been captured - or could look like, if he managed to survive the entire ordeal placed in front of him. Beautiful.

The idle thought prompted him to get closer, shifting towards the side to see if those eyes would track him. They didn't. Uncertainty made him pause once more, but no one in a gold mask looked alarmed at the boy's state. With nothing to lose, he stepped forward until he could reach out to brush a few fingertips at the soft skin underneath the boy's jawline. A pulse throbbed there, albeit weak and fast.

Well. Leo blinked. He hadn't quite been expecting that. "Boy?" Gently, the fingers curled to nudge at the chin, hopefully coaxing the other to move his gaze if he was conscious. It was at that time that Leo finally noticed another unique anomaly: among the scent of hay, dirt, sweat, and more, was a sinfully sweet scent curled up and spoke straight to darker, more animalistic instincts. Something in his chest tightened. "Boy? What's your name?"

 

[Sadboyhours]

Jason was in the middle, between healthy and dangerously thin. If he was tidied up and fed proper, there was no doubt that he'd be even nicer to look at, but the same could be said for most of them. They wouldn't sell if they weren't some kind of pretty, or rare, like the elf last week that Jason had watched sell for enough to buy a modest dwelling in the city. If she'd been a virgin she would have been worth twice as much.

The crunch of straw under boots made his eyelashes flutter. His hair hung over his face and needed a trim, and hid the fact that he was awake, thick brown locks dusty from the traffic around the stables. Someone was here. It was hard not to flinch when he was touched, but he'd been gradually learning not to, because it never mattered. Some even found it enticing, so stillness seemed to be the best route.

Still, Jason wanted gone, and if behavior got him bought, freed from here even if it was just to be eaten, he was going to try. The fingers on his jaw were careful as his head tipped back, eyes slivers of green as Jason obeyed to look. Another mask. A man, and one that sounded more refined and private than the ones fucking in the stalls at present. Truly, most of the ones that cups behave themselves here were the wealthier ones. They had more of an image to maintain, and could afford the luxury of not fucking in filthy public settings. His nostrils flared as he breathed himself more awake, a grimace straining the features of his face.

"Sir," he answered in a rough, dry voice that crackled. A cough directed to the side smoothed over his tone somewhat, but he seemed to laugh dryly, entering into another short bout of coughs in the dusty barn, as he was asked for a name. "I'm not supposed to have one. None of us are. It's whatever you'd decide to name me," chapped lips spread into a sour smile. Sad, grungy looking thing he was, the boy angry at everything but too beaten down to quip with his now-tarnished quicksilver tongue. Everything had been gone so quickly.

There was no knowing what kind of man or monster this one in front of him was, leaving Jason to speculate. A cannibal, maybe? A criminal? An aid to royalty, divulging in secret, perhaps lethal, fetishes? Maybe he'd find himself brought into a barn of chattel for vampires, where the humans were often made to breed as well as be fed upon. That had almost happened once, though the buyer had been dissuaded when the price of his virginity was mentioned. He remembered hearing that it'd "Be a waste."

"Here to rescue me?" His smile was groggy and sarcastic, and plastered on Jason's gaunt face for such a stretch that his lower lip split and beaded red. The boy's chains rattled as he flinched, hissed, and drug his tongue over it, smearing blood.

 

[Teaf]

Leo inhaled on reflex when the boy finally moved - only to flinch away from his fingertips. The movement spoke much to what he had likely endured recently and, almost in spite of himself, felt a new twinge of guilt. Slavers had bodies to peddle because there was demand, but he wondered if his presence encouraged the sort of violence and neglect that lingered on the boy's skin, just like his scent - and that smell. Leo's senses were heightened due to what he was, but no human had ever smelled so good to him before. He wasn't sure if that was necessarily a good thing.

Regardless, he put away his concerns for the moment in favor of keeping his voice low and cool. "They really do work to take everything away from you. Even your name." One man, the very same one who had pressed the pamphlet into his hand and encouraged him to come, had talked at length about the precautions the slavers took. Traveling far and wide. Only selling someone several cities over from where they had come from, so there was little-to-none chance they would manage to return home. Rotating locations and moving under nightfall. If rumors reached the anguished families about their missing loved ones, it likely felt remote enough to be unreal. For a moment, Leo felt a fresh wave of pity and let a thumb trace the curve of the boy's cheek, streaking the dirt there.

Rescue. The word would have held a hint of hope if not for the look accompanying it. Dark eyes watched carefully as the other shifted in obvious discomfort. It was notable his chains were more restricting then some - limiting his movements, he guessed, so he wouldn't be available for bending over or sucking cock. A slave earmarked for sex by his tighter bindings. "Perhaps." Dropping his hand, Leo allowed himself to linger close enough that he needed to drop his chin in order to keep eye contact, cloaking billowing out enough to shield from curious onlookers. "I could at least guarantee more safety and comforts then what you have here." The need for secrecy aside, Leo at least wished the Slavers had thought about the cleanliness. There wouldn't be a snow's chance in hell that he'd let any slave from the stables into his bed without a long bath and wash. "A bed. Clothes. Meals. A library, if you know how or care to read."

Leo was aware that he was brandishing basic human decencies as if they were bartering chips made of gold. In some ways, he also knew that they were at least gold-plated in comparison to some of the places slaves ended up. "But I would expect things in exchange."

 

[Sadboyhours]

Jason coughed a laugh, and ‘perhaps’ and again at ‘exchange’. His wrists and ankles were sore and red, and his chest hurt from the strained position, and again from the bitter laughter. “You’ve never—- been here before, to anything like it, have you?” Of course they took things from him, like his name. He didn’t belong to himself anymore.

He really, really wanted to laugh some more. A library? How rich was he? The things being offered…it wasn’t a joke, going by the startling naivety of the handsome, bearded man offering them, but it was hard to even think about anything so luxurious.

“Do you want me to say no? Nobody in their right mind would, would even think to turn you down, but they’d think you were cruel for teasing about some life of finery,” Jason couldn’t remember the last time he was allowed to talk like this, freely; it was hard to stop. Somehow he didn’t think this one would hit him for his runaway tongue.

 

[Teaf]

Silence feel between them while Leo blinked a bit uncertainly. "No," he finally admitted, decided that such a confession would do little to hurt his standings. "No, I do not make a habit of rubbing elbows the likes of slavers." Kidnappers, rapists, and murderers. The worst parts of the societal underbelly woven together for a lucrative profit, protected by some of the highest social elites and pocketbooks.

He supposed it made sense, then, that the boy didn't seem to believe much behind his words. Too much uncertainty could make everything sound like a lie. Both hands slid into the pockets of his trousers while his eyes skirted off to the side, glancing towards another stall while he thought. It was a good question, however bluntly asked. "These are not teases. Do you think anyone here would be invited if they did not have half their fortune free for frivolous pursuits?" The question had a subtle edge of amusement, batting the question back to the other. "I will not pretend that you would have complete freedom with me, but I imagine it would feel significant in comparison to...this." Leo paused to flick his gaze towards the chain, noting the angry red, chafed skin around the shackles. His weight shifted from one foot to the other before Leo decided and added seriously, "I want you to say why I should pick you to purchase."

 

[Sadboyhours]

A more true laugh, though exhausted, pushed past his lips, Jason equally amused as he hung there hurt and naked, smooth under the grit and small, slender, between the legs.

“You mean my peak physique isn’t reason enough?” It was a very wry joke, and the edge of his voice was weary. “You don’t want all of this?”

He could feel the edged stare of a slaver or two, wandering like circling hyenas to be sure their stock was behaving itself.

“I’m like a good piece of salted meat, Sir. I’ve been preserved so that a man such as yourself might sweep me away and take my virginity,” Jason said it with as dramatic a flourish as someone as worn-down as him could. He scoffed at the end, too, and one of the slavers lingered in his stall from behind this big stranger. They didn’t want their merchandise devaluing itself, but if the guy was asking what he could do, he was allowed to divulge some.

“If we’re being crude, my gag reflex has been,” uh. “…well-trained in the few weeks I’ve been here since the burning of my village.” Such a pleasant conversationalist. He did his best to keep his head up and eyes level, the green sharp and dark with interest for how his new ‘friend’ would respond.

“But I can’t say I have any expert skills. I’ve…mild medical knowledge? And I can dust.” Which wasn’t saying much, all the more reason Jason kept relatively deadpan.

“I don’t think they expect someone to purchase me to clean their houses.”

 

[Teaf]

You mean my peak physique isn't enough?

He couldn't help how his eyes wandered down at the unintended invitation, after so long of vaguely evaluating the boy using his peripheral vision. There was no denying that the other was attractive - lean legs, short enough to provide several inches of height difference between their heads, but long enough that he could imagine them wrapped around his waist. A cock that was devoid of any sores or other indications of illness, and small hips. His eyes lingered particularly long on the two little metal studs that glimmered in the torchlight. Given the way the skin around it looked swollen and unhappy, he suspected it was the work of the traders. The only decoration on his whole body if you didn't count the collars or shackles.

The crude listing of his sexual training tore away any preamble to an undeniable need of his. But what was equally interesting was the way in which he provided his retort. Even though he seemed frustrated, the boy did answer honestly - and even joked with enough grim humor that Leo snorted softly too. "Was I being crude?" Well. Probably. He supposed he couldn't be surprised that a slave would list off sexual trainings while naked and being sold. Brushing that away, he considered the very fact that they were conversing at all.

A willingness to converse might have been a survival tactic that could disappear quickly in the span of one long mansion hallway. The fiery response did give him some hope that it might not completely wilt. "If you are concerned about your dusting skills, I can assure you that you will not have to." This was the only slave who seemed willing to talk to anyone who came into their stall. A snap decision was slowly forming.

And if it doesn't work out, Leo told himself, he could always figure something out then.

Leo's hand reached out again so he could touch the cold metal of the chain at one wrist. Lowering his chin, he studied the other's gaze for a long moment, searching for anything that may hint at a red flag. He could find none. "If you can agree to stay within the confines of my home unless I give you explicit permission, I think this may work."

 

[Sadboyhours]

Being in a world not just of debauchery but of plain, dark evil, there were other reasons for the purchasing of a virgin. Many of the occult rings that lied beneath their society could benefit from a sacrifice or two, if they believed in their gods turning their attention towards blood being spilt. Jason was curious; that didn’t seem to be the case here, given how uncertain and uncomfortable the man seemed to be.

“So you’re not planning to eat me,” he assessed with doubtful, pinched brows. Maybe he’d let Jason develop more muscle first, under a proper diet? He almost laughed again at another poor, unsaid joke. “Or bring me to a sacrificial alter,” Hm. So then… “Just how big is your house?” As if he had a choice, and as if it was this stranger’s job to convince Jason, instead of the other way around. His teeth- healthy and all there, thank god- flashed with a grin, blood dried on his lip from where it’d split.

“Is he window shopping?” A presumptuous complaint muttered loudly to one of the slavers, someone disgruntled at being kept from perusing. “If you’re not taking it home, get out of the way!” Probably someone who’s had a bit too much brandy, judging by the way the slaver sharply shushed them.

Jason didn’t really hear. He wasn’t paying attention to anyone except the curious and very out of place stranger. He hadn’t actually been spoken to in…what felt like ages, and his chest ached not just from soreness but from wanting to be treated as a person. The dust and smudges and stall did little to remedy that dehumanization, after all. They’d let them bathe at the creek outside of the city, used soap, but warm water was not something they were granted, and they wouldn’t be letting them cleanse again until the crowd lessened; it was too risky to have so much merchandise off-leash when they were so busy.

 

[Teaf]

Immediately, something sharp flickered across his face. There was a long, painful second in which he wondered if the boy somehow knew. Weres had the privilege of passing as humans most of the time - and Leo worked hard to keep his own secret tucked away from everyone, save for the servants at his home who were too close to leave in the dark. Even then, they were under explicit instructions and a watchful eye that they would not gossip to strangers.

Leo took the question as a pointed hint until he noticed the furrowed brow accompanying it. His own crumpled to match it, suddenly confused. "I don't think I ever stated I would." And then, realizing the boy's thoughts had strayed further from reality than he might have expected, Leo even smirked. "My gardens hold many things, but unfortunately I lack an altar. As for the state of my home...I suppose you may get to see for yourself."

He paused and turned his chin, glancing towards the disgruntled voice that caught his attention. Such a minor outburst didn't warrant a retort in his eyes. Instead, Leo stepped away to approach the slaver who had been watching their interaction, close enough to keep their voices quiet.

"How much is he?"

The sharp, beak-like tip of the mask glinted whenever it moved. A pause. "He's been keep pure and trained. They'll mark him for at least twenty tomorrow."

"If I offer to pay double right now," Leo asked seriously, voice firm, "could I take him tonight? Cash offer."

A small shuffle of the mans feet didn't give him much hope. He waited anyway, biting back surprise that such an offer wouldn't be jumped on. "All sales will happen tomorrow," the man finally answered. "But if your offer is serious, we could hold him for you."

Leo scoffed. "Then what would be the difference if I took him now? It would be one less night of meals to pay for. Surely this would be to your benefit."

"Can't break rules. If one goes tonight..." A gloved hand gestured towards the other stalls lined up nearby, and Leo nearly scowled. Of course a slaver would suddenly want to play by the rules.

There was more disappointment then Leo might have expected at such an answer. Suddenly, he was concerned. There could be others who might show interest in the pale, pretty green-eyed boy. Slavers had mentioned it being first-come, first serve - but would they really turn down the opportunity for a bidding war if possible? Or worse, they could sell him to someone else and he'd find an empty stable.

Keeping his face carefully neutral, Leo stepped back over to the slave and leaned in a bit. "I will have to come back tomorrow." Promises could be dangerous; too many unknown variables risk what he really wanted to say. I will come for you tomorrow. Tilting his head, Leo gave a bit more critical look to the injuries at his wrists, and the thinness of his belly. "Think you can stay alive and out of trouble until then?"

 

[Sadboyhours]

Jason was quite literally left hanging as the men spoke to one another, and even though that seemed promising, stoking a fiery flicker of awe in his belly, but then the man- the new guy- was talking about ‘tomorrow’. Jason knew that word. It meant next to nothing.

“So you got cold feet?” His smile was harder, colder, there for a second. Trying not to be too venomous, but definitely disheartened. “If you’re going to say it, you better show up. You wouldn’t be the first wannabe hero, or married man, or whatever-the-fuck that didn’t, if you don’t.” So he wasn’t going to expect it.

 

[Teaf]

See the cold twist in that smile made Leo's chest tighten all over again. He couldn't imagine the pain that empty promises must cause in a situation like this - where death was a very real outcome for some of the slaves here. And for himself, Leo doubted he would be able to find a slave that could catch his interest quite so quickly like this one. Losing this opportunity would be months of waiting, at least. Inhaling slowly, Leo pushed back his own guilt and brushed a couple fingertips over the boy's skinny forearm.

"I would take you with me now if I could." More words that might sound hollow when only action could prove intentions. "Tomorrow is a compromise that I do not like to make, but I will. So wait," he urged, ducking his head to make sure the boy didn't try to avert his gaze. One large hand reached up to cup his face. The skin there was cool from the summer breeze, his own much warmer for what he was. "Tomorrow will come and so will I. You have my word."

With that he left, choosing to step away before more words between them sowed unease. The walk back to his carriage felt much longer now that he loathed it, and loathed the stretch of uncertain hours in front of him.

 

[Sadboyhours]

Jason didn’t know how to feel. Did he really intend on playing the hero? If so, what did he even…want with him? He clearly wanted him, based on a few of the glances Jason had caught that he knew all too well after being strung up like playthings for the last few weeks. It was a confusing and complicated situation, and life was much easier when he was allowed to be distant. Talking like that raised far too many silly hopes (or at least, it once had). Now Jason just grew exhausted from them and from the emotional weight, grateful for the light, sardonic humor he was allowed to have. Now tbat? That had actually made him feel something he hadn’t gotten to fee in awhile: himself.

The heated touch of the peculiar man remained even as the boy was left alone, unguarded by someone kind enough not to use him. The next passerby was too drunk to get hard, although he did try for the sake of painting across Jason’s legs. He was glad for the inability to, ah, rise to the occasion, and welcomed instead the much more refined gazes of a few men and women that could control themselves.

He heard one speak of the pity of the condition of some of the ‘exhibits’; “When it’s secretive, there’s hardly any regulation or consistency, or standard. If this were like Bevra, they would be on display in their cleanest, most beautiful silks, and it would be far less…trying on my image to step around down here. It smells like they still house their horses in these stalls.”

The night stretched into early morning, before dawn, where everyone was sent away so that the slaves could be let down from their more dangerous positions (Jason could lose circulation, others could far similarly, if not worse) and then they were instructed to clean themselves with cloths and a few basins. They let them eat decently, and Jason only got to sleep, roughly cleaned, an hour after the sun rose. That was fine. The underbelly slept until evening, although budding and buying could start earlier depending on the urgency of the slavers.

 

[Teaf]

A night filled with tossing and turning inched forward by degrees. Leo, alternating between trying to force sleep and staring up at his ceiling, wondered if it had been a mistake to promise the boy that he would return. What if he would be sold before then? The thought bothered him more than he thought it would. Years of being alone in his home, save for his servants, had left his chest feeling his heavy with numbness. A slave was the only solution that seemed plausible to survive his condition. At best, he had hoped for a quiet co-existence punctuated by the occasional indulgences within his bed...but his concern for the younger man he had only just met hinted at a depth of emotions Leo was not prepared for. Morning was still hours away when Leo sighed in defeat and got up, blearily rubbing at his face while he transitioned into a chair for reading.

The rest of the day was spent preparing, and pacing, planing, and more pacing. He rummaged through his wardrobe until he found the smallest cloak he still owned and set it aside. Maids tidied up his master bedroom and lined up a fresh line of soaps and lotions along the lip of his bathroom. Eventually, dressed in a more casual pair of thick trousers and a simple long-sleeved shirt, his ever-faithful cloak slipped around him, Leo set off to alert his carriage driver that they were leaving.

Time remained painfully slow while they traveled. As if to torture himself more, Leo wondered what he would do if the boy was gone. Would he want to buy another there? Slowly, a hand rubbed over his short, neatly-trimmed beard while he considered it, listlessly staring out the carriage window. Some quiet part of his conscience recoiled at the idea, finally whispering what he had been concerned to admit all night. He was different. I won't find another similar to him.

Finally, his carriage rumbled through the now-familiar trail cut into a forest, ambling towards the house. Leo snatched up the second cloak beside him and slipped out as soon as he could, making a beeline for the stables. Just as before, a loose crowd had formed - with somehow more people, in spite it being earlier. Leo's lips pressed into a thin line.

"You." The emotion translated into brusqueness and snapping his fingers to get the attention of the first gold mask he could find. Once the other hurried forward, Leo immediately began striding into the stables, long legs maneuvering around the pockets of idle chatterers and gossipers. "I am here to make a purchase. I was told that he would be held for me," Leo added, tossing a pointed look over his shoulder. "And I hope that agreement has been honored."

Memory guided him past the first handful of stalls easily while he swept his gaze, hoping to find the boy again.

 

[Sadboyhours]

Jason would have laughed at the idea that he was special, but then, he didn’t know what it was about the man that allowed him to catch those special things, like the scent. Perhaps another were or two had happened across Jason during past sales, but they hadn’t been interested in men, or hadn’t been interested in him specifically. Maybe the draw to him wasn’t strong enough. Whatever the case, clearly they hadn’t been like this man today and yesterday who couldn’t stop thinking about him.

And Jason was none the wiser.

Today they looked cleaner, at least. They looked decent. They’d bathed and been moved so that they weren’t in a barn stinking of sex, instead in an auction ring of sorts. Pieces that had gained more patrons’ interest and thus would be part of bidding wars were separate from those that the group were trying to trade away quickly. Jason had been with them a few weeks, and thus he was overstaying his welcome. He was still there when the stranger returned, and he tried not to show his own surprise too much.

The urgent, demanding pressure of his tone caught the boy even more by surprise. That was different from last night. Jesus, he thought, what is wrong with him that he wants me so much? Or, vice versa, what was wrong with Jason?

He wasn’t as painfully restricted this time, arms behind his back and allowed to rest, but he was just as bare. Today he had more of a sense of pride or worth because he knew he looked better. Clean. His hair still needed a trim so he wouldn’t have his bangs in his eyes, but hey, he didn’t smell like a bunch of other men.

Before he could say too much in the manner of a quick quip, the slaver was behind him, in hitching his tied hands from the chain on the wall. That was it? That quick?

Green eyes widened to stare at the man he’d just met yesterday, a small stumble to Jason as he found his renewed footing.

“No second thoughts?” He muttered quietly as the masked person leaned in to whisper price to his potential buyer. It was lower than it had once been, high only if he hadn’t been a virgin; it was reasonable, too, given that he was just some basic human and ‘old’ stock on top of it. He hadn’t had much demand.

 

[Teaf]

Still there.

When he saw the other standing there, not where he had been before but there nonetheless, Leo felt a breath he hadn't been aware of holding leave him. Uncertainty was never a favorite with him; at last, he felt the decision click into place, coloring the rest of his foreseeable future.

He nodded in confirmation to the slaver and requested the chains be removed. "How much?" There was an envelope neatly tucked under his cloak bulging with funds. At the number, Leo thumbed through the bills held inside, pulled out the extra, and handed it over.

Just like that, he was a slave owner.

There wasn't a rush of excitement so much as bewilderment when, of all things, the boy mentioned second thoughts. Leo raised a thick eyebrow as he unfolded the second cloak in his hands. "That's what you'd like to ask right now? First you get angry at the thought that I might return, then you wonder why I do." There was a rustling of fabric before the thick wool settled around the boy's shoulders. Leo tugged it over his now-freed hands to help cover up his nakedness and shield him from the wind. "Here. It's cooler once we get into the carriage - or are you the one having second thoughts? Would you prefer to stay here?"

 

[Sadboyhours]

“Completely?” The slaver raised brows behind the mask, but did as was asked of them, letting Jason’s shackles loose. It wouldn’t be hard to subdue the boy should he try and fight or flee. The cuffs were kept for the next victim they’d need to restrain, as it seemed the buyer was more than capable to rein him in himself if need be.

Jason was stunned that he was actually bought. It kept him quiet until the man who’d purchased him actually spoke to tease, and he offered an abrupt laugh. The words that followed sounded hesitant, careful. Jason was thinking. Trying to overcome this new change in his head.

“Oh, you haven’t seen all of my stupidity yet. Tomorrow I do mean to ask if you have buyer’s remorse,” he told him in a mumble that wasn’t as outgoing and playful as the day before. That sensation of awe, and the physical comfort of a protective, private cloak, soothed him and his running tongue. It was a lot like covering the face of a horse so that you could guide it without it panicking and flailing its hooves.

The further away from the stable they got, the more real it was, but it still didn’t feel real to him. He almost started talking about his whole life story- a sign he was feeling far too human far too fast.

“Um,” Jason‘a voice was still soft, and that scent of his was stronger with all of the grime washed off. Even moreso when they were drawn away from the crowd. “So, what…what do I call you? Just Sir?” The look he gave him was curious and still a degree wary, or careful, this time trying to be earnest and respectful.

 

[Teaf]

Leo couldn't help how he smirked at the word 'stupidity.' He wouldn't have imagined a slave to berate themselves as if they were trying to undo a sale like this. Tilting his chin, he studied the smaller boy before replying softly "Well then, you'll just have to avoid doing anything that will give me remorse."

A few curious gazes flicked over to them now that the slave was free to move. Instinct made him shift closer and wrap and arm around the slender shoulders, guiding gently through the crowd. Other aristocrats eyed them up critically, swiftly comparing the boy to the others in the auction, before ultimately leaving them be. The dull ruckus of the crowd began to recede behind them with every step, and with every step Leo felt the tension sitting tight across his shoulders ease up. It had been too long since he had been near so many people, and he swiftly decided he was not keen on replicating the day again.

Night was swiftly falling, which was a perfect excuse to keep his hand on the other's shoulder, walking slow enough to allow the shorter pair to keep up. A quiet noise made him throw a sideways glance before he considered the question. Rules. He had been so focused on other logistics, and rules around his house, that he hadn't thought about this one. "Sir is fine. My name is Leonfrid, and I mostly answer to Leo - that is fine, too."

A memory from the night before, a pearl of red curling over chapped lips and surviving bitter words, rose up. "Earlier, you mentioned not having a name..." Leo fell silent, thinking hard. No part of him felt the need for power badly enough to assign someone a name. Slaves lost everything already - and apparently the boy's past was irreparable, lost to fire and ash. "What was your name before? Before here?"

They had reached the main entryway to the mansion, where tall oaks hung over the road dotted with waiting carriages. Breezes kicked up a small backdrop of rustling leaves as his driver stepped out to silently open the carriage door for them. In that moment he hesitated, scenting the very thing that had coaxing him into the stables to begin with.

The hand at the other's shoulder squeeze before he gently pushed, turning them both so they could face each other. "This might be helpful to know right away..." A small sprout of desire curled up from somewhere in his chest, where Leo had long since assumed he was unfeeling. Leaning in, Leo stepped in close and ducked his face so he could focus on it. Excitement and relief and something else sparked all at once. "I do not seek to take your identity and rebuild it to what I want. I simply want...you." The boy who had looked up at him with such a sharp gaze when no others did. The boy who looked disappointed at the thought of their separation being permanent. Such things were not easy ones to take, but Leo knew he wanted them all the same.

 

[Sadboyhours]

Jason blinked his wide eyes at him, knowing very well that he’d been stupid before for even sort of believing the man, and yet he’d showed up true to his word. Now he felt they were on level playing grounds of false grandeur and fantasy- happy ending-sort of topics seemed to come naturally to the man, Leo, who now spoke about wanting, simply, him.

Jason swallowed and kept from another sudden laugh, because it was only instinctual and not indicative of his true feelings. It just sounded so fairytale. So wholesome. The sharp eyes of the other made him reflexively duck his head in a notion of submission before he nodded, answering in the present tense because of what he was being allowed. “My name is Jason, Sir.”

When bid, he carefully stepped up into the carriage, cloak pulled around him to maintain modesty when in close quarters; yet another reason to be grateful for the bath the night prior. He smelled clean but his face still burned as if he had shame elsewhere, and the cold stiffened up the peaks of his reddened nipples, bringing about a few painful twinges as the tightening sensation of goosebumps covered along his shoulders, arms and legs, too. Knees closed and the cloak was pulled tighter around him, still, face respectfully downturned. Something about the man, now carrying himself far less awkward than last night, kept him behaving as such. Well, that and his strange, cordial behavior.

“Why was someone like you even at the— why were you there?” His eyes bugged as he stared down. He hadn’t meant to ask it aloud. The man just seemed so far removed from it all, and so out of place. He wondered if something quite twisted indeed awaited him, still unsteady about believing how chivalrous it all seemed.

 

[Teaf]

"Jason," Leo repeated quietly, somewhat relieved. It was a small step of trust that the slave offered the information at all, knowing how dismissive he had been about it earlier. He took it as a positive sign and allowed the other to climb up into the carriage first, purposefully waiting until he was seated.

The inside of the carriage was expansive and thickly padded for comfort, with two seats for people to sit facing one another. Leo chose the same side Jason was on instead, though he did at least keep a respectable patch of cushion between them. The way the other curled up in the cloak, to protect the bit of modest he had gained back, Leo assumed. For now, he knew it was more important to build up that sprout of trust between them.

The carriage lurched forward gently before accepting an easy glide. "It will be a few hours of traveling before we reach home. Might as well get comfortable." As if to demonstrate, Leo twisted in his seat a bit so he could rest his back against the corner of the carriage, angling himself towards Jason just as a new question was tossed his way.

He laughed his time without the crowd of people to keep his rigid societal expectations in his mind's eye. "Do you still think I want to kill you and eat you?" Curiosity tinted the question. "You'd hardly make more than a snack. Too skinny, it wouldn't be worth the price." His gaze fell to his own lap for a moment. Some part of him debated telling the truth - because it was far too late for the carriage to turn around and the money to re-exchange hands. When his dark eyes shifted up towards Jason, the smallest touch of hardness to his mouth, he realized the larger issue. If the boy was this concerned about small things, Leo feared he would be inconsolable at the truth.

"It is like you said yesterday," Leo eventually added, forcing a bit of lightness in his tone. "People do not attend black market slave selling to merely get a maid. Your training was attractive to me." That part was at least a slanted truth: he did have every intention of sharing his bed with Jason, for most nights. The larger wedge of the truth could remain unspoken.

"Do you always like to ask questions of everything?" To redirect the focus a bit, Leo nodded towards the other and suddenly held out a hand expectantly. "Let me see your wrists." It was purposeful, if not slightly manipulative, that he wanted Jason to bridge the distance between them himself. To move towards a touch and learn there was no harm. At least, not when Leo was like this. "There is a salve we can use to ease where the chains bit into your skin. Do you have any other injuries you need taken care of?"

 

[Sadboyhours]

He would have answered no, mostly, to the question, but then Leo added a friendly bit of ice-breaking comedy and he found himself smiling tightly in response, humored but trying not to seem too giddy. The comment about his ‘training’ made his stomach twist, doing a good job of keeping him in check with reality. Right. Although he was sort of accepting of this new title- the slavery, not this new owner- it was still hard not to feel disgusted. On the bright side, Leo was handsome and well-kept. Jason didn’t mumble anything about the long trip, and instead added it to his list of reasons to keep the man happy. He’d travelled this far for a reason.

As for injuries, he gently shook his head, knowing that the man knew of his nipples as well. “No, Sir. Nothing aside from the soreness of old bruising.” Those aches would fade with time.

Pale wrists outstretched obediently, undersides up, and he reached forward with them offered out. A soothing salve sounded delightful and he felt his imagination run a short distance with the idea of what wonderful, warm bath waters might await. He shuddered pleasantly at the comforting idea and watched as his raw skin was surveyed. His throat still bore the indents of the collar where he’d leaned his weight mostly against it, but it wouldn’t scar. There was a tan line where it had laid, however.

 

[Teaf]

There was a flash of Jason's real emotion at the very end, and Leo caught it with a bit of guilt burning through his stomach. Perhaps that was a bit too heavy handed, mentioning his abuse so casually. It was a sacrifice necessary for the time being: Leo wasn't sure how he was going to broach the subject of what he really was, but he suspected the conversation would need to happen soon. Any time before then where he could build their relationship was important to him.

Even the small touches. Leo hid his pleasure when Jason so easily offered his hands in favor of straightening up a bit and cradling them carefully, eyes sweeping over the injuries. Much of it was just red, chaffed skin, though a few breaks had grown glossy from attempts at healing. "A couple days time will help a lot. Bandages, too." Thankfully, these slavers had refrained from using too heavy beatings.

Gentle fingers skimmed over the back of Jason's hand, clearly keen on lingering in the touch for a bit longer. "I suppose we might as well talk about rules now, before we arrive." He had spent some time pondering what sorts of things he would explicitly require from a slave in his home, trying to strike a balance between what he wanted and what he might use to entice Jason's favor. "As you'll see when we arrive, my home is quite spacious. You may go wherever you like within it, save for a few rooms that I will point out to you. And you may do whatever you like if I have not called to share company. Going outside is forbidden unless you have asked me first."

While he spoke, Leo idly traced a fingertip along the side of the boy's hand, eyes watching Jason's face. "You will also sleep in my bed at night. Other then that...the servants cook and prepare baths, light fires. You will not have to do any labor. I had to guess at what might fit you, so there are some things for you to wear until we can properly shop for you. Anything else you may need, either as a gift or something you need the maids to do for you, ask me." Leo felt less guilty about this rule, in part because he wasn't opposed to granting requests; the larger concern was Jason purposefully avoiding him by befriending the maids. "Do you have any questions?"

 

[Sadboyhours]

It sounded nice, a flicker of curiosity showing when he mentioned bandages. How considerate. He was quiet and only offering a nod in agreement about the rules, too, but nothing Leo said shocked him (he’d expected some sick twist, but still, none came).

The gentle touches made his skin crawl from past experience. It would take him a few days, or more, to get used to being touched without cringing or getting sickly, clammy goosebumps. It wasn’t Leo’s fault or because of him at all! It was just…a hefty sigh pushed out past his lips and green eyes flicked up, to those piercing ones, and then back down to their touching hands. It kept going back and forth.

He liked outside. He liked freedom. “I’ll probably ask about…going outside, but, but it’d just be on your property or something. I like the fresh air…” so as not to come across as needing much, if anything at all, he quickly added, “but, any clothes at all, that’s great— I don’t, won’t ask for, gifts or anything like that, I just…the library, I do know how to read, so I might like to be in there…”

The boy shifted and turned his head this way and that, uncertain about how his words would be received now that the man was finally in possession of him, body language that of a nervous deer. “I just, I won’t need much, is…is all. I don’t want to be a burden.” Still, his eyes avoided him, only slowly sliding back to gauge his response and expression under that beard.

 

[Teaf]

Leo paused to think over the mention of outside. A more insecure, worried side of him wondered if Jason was already trying to look for a way to slip off into the woods, to escape him. Thankfully, the more logical side of him quickly battled back, realizing that he likely no longer had a family. Or if he did they were scattered, fleeing from a burning village to whatever road opened up to them fastest. Any chance of reunifying was slim, if not impossible.

And as much as he hated to admit it, Leo could probably track a scent through the trees. "It can be something to work towards," he decided, placing it as a sort of carrot for good behavior. "The library is yours to use as often as you like."

Something seemed to shift slightly in the air. He couldn't quite place it until he noticed the way Jason seemed to fidget - or want to fidget, given how he had preoccupied their hands. After a moment Leo gently took them back so he could see if that would help, studying Jason as the words slowly filled in his understanding. Burden.

There was a bit of silence as Leo debated best how to answer. Thoughtful, he turned his head to watch the trees flash by the small square window. "I do not know know what your life was like before you were taken from your village. And I can only imagine what you had to survive while in their hands." Rough fingers rubbed at his beard for a moment. Gathering his thoughts up on the matter was more difficult than he expected. Long had it been since he felt it necessarily to open up in the vicinity of another person. Some of his instincts grew wary at the thought, warning him that it might not matter. But Jason had wilted at the mention of his sexual training; perhaps kindness would provide a different outcome.

"What I do know with certainty is that you are not, and will not, be a burden." He let the words sit for a moment before he turned his head back to look at Jason, face serious but voice thoughtful. "To need things is a natural condition of being alive. I will not fault you for that, nor will I grow angry at a request. And while I may need to say no at times...I will try to be fair. Or compromise." Now it was his turn to fidget a bit, folding his hands into his lap. "In spite of the circumstances and the lack of choice, this will be your home moving forward. It would please me if, over time, you could find happiness and comfort here."

"And if it helps to know..." On some level, Leo understood that Jason had stilled under his touch. Uncertainty seemed to be a thing they were both struggling with. "You are fascinating to me. I would like to get to know you more."