Codependent (Tefa & SadBoy)

[Sadboyhours]

He needed to make up his mind, Jason realized of himself as he was assaulted by his own wants to respond. In two different ways. One was with that cruel, dry humor and deprecation, while the other was to feel pitiful while he cringed. He couldn’t do both. He couldn’t be both.

Other people had used and hurt him in a life he’d only just been abducted and inducted into, but he couldn’t hope for it to stop if he faced every comment left by Leo with derision.

It kept him quiet and thoughtfully looking down at his lap while the man called him fascinating, which was what got him to talk to himself seriously. It was so hard not to laugh about it. Instead, he needed to appreciate it, appreciate that he wasn’t being used by passers by, and that he wasn’t bought by one of the hundreds of disgusting patrons.

Even if Leon was putting on a facade, he was, at the very least, handsome. Even if he turned out to be the absolute worst in some other ways, Jason told himself he had to be grateful because the alternatives were still far more disgusting. He could have been bought by men nowhere near as considerate-sounding, which, while he knew to doubt, did sound earnest coming from the man beside him.

Jason nodded. “It would be nice to know the man I’ll be living and…sleeping with,” he agreed, admonishing himself for being so obviously disgusted about his ‘training’ earlier. He needed to be grateful. If he was truly headed somewhere relatively safe, then he needed to be even more thankful and gratuitous to stay in these good graces.

“I suppose calling myself a burden doesn’t take into account that you are a very willing and …well-funded participant.” Smiled the boy with a gentle joke instead of a harsh one. “I did not make you buy me, and I doubt I would even want for anything that would hurt your pocketbook.”

 

[Teaf]

It was still too early and difficult for Leo to tell if his words had landed in anyway positive. At the least, Jason seemed engaged enough to offer a tease back. He smirked in agreement about the state of his pocketbook. "Time tends to increase one's desire for expensive things. I will remind you of your comment if that holds true," Leo shot back, but the easiness behind the words betrayed his relaxed nature about it.

The other piece was left without comment, if only because Leo wrestled with it himself. Without a sufficient answer to ease his mind, he allowed the quiet to continue on as the carriage plodded along, at least until they turned into a subtle, but very familiar paved road in a thick forest.

"We are close. I instructed one of the maids to have a bath drawn and ready for you - I wasn't sure if you would still be like you were yesterday." By now night had fallen thick enough that he didn't bother glancing over to Jason; he could see, but he guess it would be difficult for the human to in the dimness. "If you would not like to bathe tonight that is fine. I'd like to tend to the aches a bit regardless."

While he spoke, a mansion began to peek through the trees. Unlike the one they had just come from, there was no manicured lawn and a grand, long trail to greet dozens of carriages at once. There was only enough room for a few and was currently empty of any visitors, despite the size of it. Three floors rose up in a mass of stone and marble, with metal on the roof and the very tips of spires and arches. Two main wings stretched out on either side of the entrance in perfect balance.

Once they stopped, Leo stepped out first and turned to Jason to offer a hand in assistance. "This is it," he declared softly, mostly just to have something to say. Uncertainty still kept him stiff and a bit formal. "We can do an official tour tomorrow before breakfast. For now, it's late, and I want to make sure we get you in something a bit more significant than a single cloak."

 

[Sadboyhours]

Sliding one of the cloth curtains aside from one of the carriage windows, he peered out into the inky blackness of dusk in the woods, sconces lighting up the rocks of the front of the mansion. Oh, wow.

“No, I —- I could still get cleaner, I’d like you to see me at my best,” Jason assured him with a smooth and thankful smile. “I’m shivering just thinking of the warm water. That’s a big deal, a real bath…and clothes, too,” that got him to chuckle in disbelief. Every promise sounded so earnest, truer and truer, and it was hard not to quickly trust Leo when a lot of it was going to come true quite quickly.

Drawing the cloak closer, he stepped out when allowed and stuck closer to Leo, too, respectful and clingy at the same time and excited to be filled with wonder over his new dwelling.

“After the past couple of days I don’t know that I’d have it in me for a tour until tomorrow morning anyways, heh…” true to his word, his body had a stumble either from sleep or from being physically restrained for so long.

 

[Teaf]

Leo gently took his hand back as soon as Jason secured his footholds on the mansion grounds, but he allowed them to stay close while they walked, head straight ahead as if he was surveying his mansion. Several windows were illuminated by flickering gaslight in anticipation of their arrival, but his attention was glued to his peripheral vision, watching Jason all the while.

"There will be plenty of time," he agreed softly. Suddenly, something caught his attention - and without realizing it, Leo twisting his body faster than a human would be able to do, arms darting over to steady Jason when he stumbled. There was another soft flash of concern: clearly the past couple of days had done a number on him in more ways than one. "Easy," Leo murmured softly and decided to keep one large hand pressed lightly in the small of his back, ever close in case the boy stumbled again. "We're almost there. You'll be able to rest soon."

They approached two towering, dark-stained oak doors that served as the main entrance of his home. Inside was an extravagant foyer of marble columns, paintings of various people posing for the portraits, and expensive silk curtains. Also inside, and waiting for them promptly, was a middle-aged woman in a dark dress and long, red hair neatly pulled back into a braid.

"Sir," she greeted softly, though her eyes betrayed her curiosity in how they immediately flicked over to Jason. There was a soft smile. "Welcome home. The bath is ready, do you need anything else?"

"A first aid kit please, Evelyn. Thank you."

They took the main staircase spiral up and down a hallway that consisted of a neat row of closed doors. True to his word, Leo did not offer explanation for where they were in the house - he remained silent until they took another brief turn and finally selected a door that went straight into a bathing room. Inside was completely marble, simple and open. The bathtub was the main feature: it was sunken into the ground, a square that was nearly ten feet across and deep enough that there was a ledge to sit on and relax. Already, the tub was filled with water warm enough to have curls of steam lazily drifting up, its temperature maintained by a heating system below.

"Be careful when you climb in, the stone can get a bit slippery if water splashed over." Leo closed the door behind them and busied himself with the sleeves of his shirt, rolling them up to his elbows - in part because he didn't want to get wet, and in part to give Jason a bit of privacy while he waded in. "I have soaps and shampoo for you, too." He had no intention of leaving Jason in the bath by himself, some part of him idly concerned that the boy would end up drowning (either intentionally or by accident from exhaustion), but he neither had intention to climb into the bath with him. Someday, they would bath together and hopefully enjoy each other's company. For now, Leo lingered with his back leaning against the nearest wall, watching carefully from several feet away.

 

[Sadboyhours]

His heart beat quickly with the adrenaline and shock of a fall- or an almost fall, Jason blinking in bewilderment when he found himself supported by the man- his owners master?- instead of in the dirt. “Whew,” he had to catch his breath, grateful for the support and offering the woman at the door a sheepish dart of eyes and a flicker of a smile in greeting.

The beauty of the dark mansion’s foundations and it’s front were undeniable, and the inside burst with what Jason would consider opulence. Sure, there were much richer clients, probably, and ones that had to have rare things and riches in every corner, but the kind-seeming woman at the door and the richly oiled wood, the marble bathroom, it was all far grander than anything the boy had experienced.

“You’ve got admirable reflexes,” he murmured softly, toes cold and skin prickling with goosebumps that made his nipples stand reddened and perky despite the steam. “Especially for your age.” He risked a playful smirk over an equally-flushed shoulder as he let the cloak drop down, loose at the bends of his elbows and then off completely, folded nice. Placed somewhere dry.

Gods, the water was heaven. His eyes shut and he gasped as he lowered himself into the deeply recessed basins fingers trembling. It swallowed him up so nicely, warmth enveloping nakedness and running another shiver through him as he relaxed.

“Oh, god,” clearly he enjoyed it, eyes finally opening like he’d come out of a dream. Jason bent his legs to get the water over his shoulders and up to his chin, feeling like he could just melt away. Was the man not joining him? How nice of him, he thought towards the back of his mind. Enjoying the bath and finding soaps, shampoos, were at the front of it.

 

[Teaf]

The quip about his age made Leo snort, though he did not take offense. "You make me sound like I should be walking with a cane," he shot back in amusement. Some part of him was even tempted to add you'd be surprised at what I am physically capable of, but it risked inviting Jason to try and guess what he meant too much for him to do so.

Instead, Leo cleared his throat softly and nodded his chin back towards the front of his home while Jason washed up. "That was Evelyn, at the front of the house. She's the head maid and can help you if I am not around. She can cook, run baths, among other things."

Listing through such things only reminded him that there was so much to Jason he didn't know about. His gaze flicked back over to the other. "Do you have any foods you don't like? And what are your favorite meals?" Evelyn had been excited when Leo had first idly brought up the idea of having someone new in the mansion - even if it were a slave. Wherever they are coming from, she had said enthusiastically, we can ensure here is better for them. And it would be so good for you, too. Having someone new to talk to I mean.

Leo remembered how he had thrown her an exasperated look at that, but Evelyn hadn't backed down. He was certain she would try to spoil Jason whenever and wherever she could, if only - he thought - to try and bribe him against the harder realities that lingered in the mansion's shadows.

As if she was aware of his thoughts, there was a softly muffled knock at the door. Evelyn's voice chirped from the other side. "I have the first aid and some clothes for the young man." Sliding off the wall, Leo opened it just enough for the items to slip through. "I'm afraid the clothes might be a bit big - I had to make some guesses, but I can do some shopping at the village tomorrow."

"Excellent. Thank you, Evelyn." He waited until the door was shut and the soft noise of her feet padded away before he pondered the clothes. "Large might actually be better for you for a while. At least for the shirt, while your chest heals."

 

[Sadboyhours]

“I also say it as if you’re not only, what? Ten? Fifteen years my senior? I’m nearly twenty,” he told him amid the echoing walls of the bath room. The hot water licked at his arms and he sudsed himself up, relishing in the heat as well as the thorough cleaning that left him devoid of the grime and the filthy feeling of being an object. It brought a much healthier shine to his hair, and his skin looked brighter. He looked more alive.

“You’re a good sport.” He liked that. It would be important if he- Jason - was going to get cozy and comfortable with Leo, unless the man had plans of reshaping his new slave’s behavior. Jason didn’t think that seemed likely, but he trained himself not to be too optimistic.

“Food?” That was a question he hadn’t thought about in a long time. Even back at home, the village was a simple one. “I enjoy…sweet breads, cobbler, and meats? Fruits…? I’m sorry, I’m not certain what my options are,” he chuckled and flushed rosy from the sheepishness that came with being overwhelmed. “But thank you. I like her. She seems very kind. I look forward to getting to know your staff just as well as you,” it would be a very important endeavor given they were supposedly his new family, or denizens of the same big building at the very least.


His back was turned and he was scrubbing himself dutifully in all of the important spots, soap scented of citrus, when the clothing was delivered, a show of relief across his face when he came to look upon Leo’s occupied arms. That was lovely. Any clothing was lovely, especially clean, he told him.

After making sure he was as fresh-feeling as he could get, Jason finally waded across the span of the bubble-scattered surface of the tub and placed his arms, crossed, on the edge, resting his head upon them to blink up at the larger man. “May I ask for a towel? I’m eager to try on everything,” and to get the chill of after-bath air out of the way, because he was getting drowsier.

“Eager for you to see me properly.”

 

[Teaf]

Leo did not say anything in the moment, too busy fighting back the soft surprise that made him feel like his perception was swaying underneath him. Nearly twenty - so young. He could not deny that part of Jason's appeal to him was his youth, a man who did not have to think about grey hairs or wrinkles. He was indeed about fifteen years older and aware of the power that came with their age difference.

Gratefully torn from his distracting thoughts, Leo quickly smiled in amusement that, of all things, the topic of foods was something to make Jason flush. "The cook likes to try all manner of things. And I am sure that Evelyn will ask for the things you like too, so she can tell the cook to add them to the rotation. Aside from things that come seasonally, most meals are within reason here."

At the mention of a towel, Leo walked over to a small closet door and grabbed the closest fluffy towel off the stack. Since they had been purchased with his size in mind, Leo imagined it was more than large enough to dutifully wrap Jason up. He placed the clothes on a small stand nearby, adjacent to a mirror, and extended a hand to Jason.

"Oh? Eager - I like that." He offered to help Jason out of the slippery waters, careful to make sure the other had both feet firmly planted on the floor before unraveling the towel. His gaze flicked over Jason's eyes, noticing the tiredness that made them glassy. His voice dropped to a softer, lower tone. "You look like you will be dead on your feet in short order." Gently, Leo draped the towel around Jason's shoulders before stepping away and considering what would be the most practical steps for them both.

"Get dressed here. Then come to my bedroom -" he nodded his chin to yet another door nearby. "I still want to get some ointment on your injuries before you sleep, but we can do it with you in bed."

One hand lingered on Jason's shoulder and betrayed the growing curiosity sparked by Jason's earlier comment. Leaning in, Leo allowed his head to drop until he could press his lips to Jason's forehead, lingering there for a moment to see what sort of reaction he would get. "Don't keep me waiting too long." The words didn't hold a threat but encouragement. With that he stepped away, leaving Jason to slip out the door that led to the rest of his personal chambers.

His bedroom was similarly spacious and grand, with high ceilings, a few couches and a table between them, all resting in front of a crackling fire, a large desk with papers stacked in neat sets, and an expansive poster-bed. Dark blue sheets were neatly made in front of a plush row of pillows. Leo took up a stance near the side of it, idly running fingertips over the small box that contained the first aid items. Evelyn must have been grateful they they were finally being use for someone than himself, he thought with a bit of grim humor.

 

[Sadboyhours]

Ooh. He almost shivered again, this time in anticipation for how luxurious that towel must feel, his hand small and wet and everything feeling unsteady outside of the secure grip Leo had on him.

“Oh, thank you,” He was right. The towel was amazing. His skin was flushed from the heat and his wounds were strange to look at after setting in water for a short while, a too-thin, pale sight for Leo, a slight slave swathing himself in the lovey fabric, humming delightedly as he got snug and then-?

For all the times that Jason felt like he was finally getting ‘used’ to being a slave, then for a gentle kiss to be placed upon him? It left him bewildered, blinking wide eyes up until he was allowed to dress in solitude. Huh.
He’d really won the lottery here, huh? It was too bizarre to accept right away, Jason still astonished as he slipped, finally clothed in fine, too-big fabric, down the hall. Leo had been right, too, about his chest, because even a slight graze made him wince.

The room itself was vast, large and imposing much like the house and the house‘s -and now Jason’s- owner. He ran his fingers along the softness of the blankets, too, admiring everything with sparkling awe in his eyes. “You got the goods?” He chuckled when he finally came round to Leo’s side of the bed, nodding gently at the box.

“Your friend, she’s very kind. You’re all very kind. I’m not quite certain that this is real.” It was a sheepish admission, Jason embarrassed at being so spoiled. He’d never experienced it, in freedom or in slavehood.

He sat down with grace and, eyes flicking up to the man before darting back down in an unintentionally demure flutter, undid the buttons of the shirt he’d borrowed, the sleeves slipping down his shoulders. Undressing again.

Just to bare his chest for some salve though, right? He imagined that if this was all as good as it seemed to be, he’d be glad to bare himself many more times over for things far less medical. Now he’d get to see just how gentle those hands were.

 

[Teaf]

It didn't take long for his mind to eventually drift back to Jason, replying the small gesture he had offered over and over again in his minds eye. With it was that scent again: something that pulled him in without thinking, and made Leo want to get close to the other. Even that was an understatement: already, he could tell that it suddenly felt strange to be in a different room from the boy, and his gaze kept flicking back towards the bathroom to try and catch any small sign that Jason might be finishing up.

Seeing the door open at last made him take in a slow, steadying breath. Shit. Leo wasn't certain exactly what was causing him to react to Jason's scent like that. His only hope was that it was merely being sensitive to something new in his mansion after a reliable rhythm had been established for so long. "Yes," he replied quietly to Jason's question, forcing himself back into the moment. Sitting at the edge of the bed, he flipped open the top of the box and gestured at the patch of bed in front of him. "Sit. We'll do your chest first, and then your wrists."

The contents were neatly organized based upon use: gauze and pads for bandages looked to be in low supplies. He plucked up a small metal tin easily and unscrewed the top to reveal a white, creamy substance inside just as Jason began to slide the shirt off his shoulders.

Leo couldn't help how he watched with a bit of approval, feeling as if things weren't quite real himself. Having someone like Jason with him - someone who he could fondle or fuck as he pleased - was new territory. But instead of commenting on that, he merely dipped a fingertip into the ointment and gave a soft hum of acknowledgement. "It can stay like this, you know." Focusing on his task, Leo leaned in just a bit to make sure he carefully dabbed the medicine around the sides of the piercing, using an ample amount. "The good atmosphere. I don't want things to turn poorly, either." The other unhappy nipple got a similar coating and soon gleamed in the light of the crackling fireplace. Leon tilted his head to study it for a moment. "I don't think those will need bandages - the ointment should ease up some of the discomfort, and it'll help them heal faster."

His wrists, on the other hand, Leo did want to get bandages on. He reached for a roll of gauze and glanced at Jason's eyes, while he unrolled a few inches. "You may need a few days to heal. Until then, you may take it easy." Gentle fingers turned over Jason's hand so he could dab the same ointment onto his wrists, carefully following where the chains had bit into the skin. The gauze came next, just snug enough to stop it from sliding - and Leo looped some between Jason's thumb and pointer finger to assist and ensure it was secure.

Once the other one was completed, Leo straightened where he sat. Once again his eyes slid down Jason's naked chest, looking a bit more appreciatively than if he was just inspecting his work. "We can reapply in the morning as well. If there is nothing else, we can turn in for the night."

 

[Sadboyhours]

He was viewed before, naked, by Leo, but not in a similar light. Jason had been routinely viewed like an object for however long he’d been captured. This was different, and because of that he found himself flustered, a warm pink creeping over his shoulders and from his ears down his cheeks. He wasn’t used to someone seeing him fondly, instead of filthily. He didn’t know how, exactly, to handle that, and despite the man’s optimistic murmurs, Jason wondered how much of this would prove too good to be true after he was bred for the first time.

A deep breath later and he managed a smile after a few winces at the sensitivity of his raw piercings. The holes ached, even devoid of metal.

“That would be nice,” he agreed finally, clenching his hands to test the bindings there. The flush on him didn’t recede and, with the way Leo regarded him again with those piercing eyes, Jason felt a tight, shy smile pull his lips up at their corners.

“I feel good, like this. I could sleep well.” With a glance down, Jason looked over his salved chest and tenderly touched around his pectorals. Nothing else seemed swollen or sore, not like the nipples were infected and spreading soreness.

“Would you prefer if I kept them in? The piercings?” It was crude but he could do it for this kind man, especially since he wasn’t trying to press sex on his new, exhausted sex toy.

Jason let himself lean in against him with a drowsy slump, shoulder to Leo’s chest. It would have been chest-to-chest if he wasn’t worried about causing more discomfort to his wounds. Then he tipped his head up and caught the corner of his stubbly jaw for a kiss, and a lingering suckle. “Thank you again,”