roneal | (no subject)

Jade had been growing concerned as the seconds ticked by and Shinjirou still hadn't picked up the phone. He had been about to give up when the phone is finally picked up.

"Is everyth- " But there's nobody on the other side, just a rush of static and a long, harsh clatter. Just what is going on? "Shinjirou?"

Yes, comes the reply, but Jade's frown only deepens. Something's wrong.

"You sound hoarse," he comments, neutral as always. "Are you ill?"

Hearing Irvin growl right into his ear makes him hesitate. He can't have Irvin go into a frenzy while they're still tied together. His body wouldn't be able to take that without leading to some sort of injury. Reaching up, he tries to scratch Irvin behind his ears, calm him down at least somewhat.

"Sorry," he finally whispers when he feels confident Irvin won't bite his hand off for talking to Jade. "I'm fine."

Jade probably wants to know more than just that, but the words get stuck in his throat. Irvin's hips are still moving, shallowly snapping into him, and his muscles burn where they stretch around the intrusion. Closing his eyes, he forces the words to roll off his tongue: "Irvin mounted me again. The knot's not loosening yet."

Irvin's growl is loud enough to be heard over the phone. He's normally a well-behaved dog; Jade's suspicions rise, only for Shinjirou to confirm them scant seconds later.

Ah. This could be problematic.

"It's alright," he says aloud, though it's anything but. "I'm on my way home. I apologize for the short notice, but I have a guest with me. We should be arriving in a few minutes. Just stay where you are, and don't do anything rash."

The last thing he needs is for Shinjirou to hurt himself. He has enough problems without adding to them. His associate is already glancing at him, a silent question on his face. Jade shakes his head slightly.

A guest. Fuck. If he's really lucky, he at least won't be tied to Irvin any longer when Jade and the guest arrive, but he's not betting on it. He drops his head in utter defeat and accepts Irvin licking at his face with a quiet grumble.

"Sure. Not going to move an inch. And Jade?" He hesitates for a moment. Orders or suggestions, it's not something he's supposed to voice. Considering Irvin's foul mood, he feels like he can make an exception. "Don't ... don't do anything that'd upset Irvin? He's really weird today."

And as long as he can't get away, Shinjirou really doesn't want the dog to start a fight with anyone.

Weird? He wants to know more, but he's wary of saying too much in front of his associate.

"I'll try. See you in a few minutes."

He hangs up. Now comes the difficult part: deciding what he should say, and how much. In the end, he decides to just say his slave had been up to something unexpected and hope that Shinjirou had managed to free himself by the time they get there.

So perhaps he deserves it when his associate takes one look at Shinjirou, then snarls, "What the fuck, Curtiss."

"Jade," he corrects, eyes narrowed, but the damage had been done. He doesn't give Shinjirou any time to think about it. Mindful of his earlier warning, Jade keeps some distance between them as he crouches down so they're eye-to-eye. This close, he can't hide the faint smell of smoke and burning that clings to his clothes, but he trusts Shinjirou has other things on his mind.

"My my, you've gotten yourself into quite a mess." A pause, and he adds, "It's alright, you can talk."

Quite a mess is the understatement of the year, in Shinjirou's opinion. The guest sounds ... disgusted? Angry? He can't really figure it out while Irvin's growling into his ear, claws digging deeper into his skin as the dog tightens his hold. There's no time to wonder about the guest and what he thinks of the unnatural sight; what he just said.

Jade's there and that soothes his nerves a bit. "Irvin's been agitated all day and then he tried to, uh, mount me while we were outside." Which, thank god, he managed to avoid. Being seen by one of Jade's guests is bad enough, having completely innocent people watch sounds like a nightmare. "He won't stop."

Irvin's mating behavior isn't that of a normal dog anyway, but this is so much worse than before. Shinjirou isn't oblivious to the fact that he's been claimed as the top choice for breeding. He just wishes he'd know how to get Irvin to calm down again and keep him from possibly biting anyone. The dog definitely won't like seeing his seed pour out the second the knot unravels.

"I'm sorry, I thought he'd be better after I let him." It's only gotten worse.

It can't be a coincidence that Irvin had gotten so agitated the same day he left the house in the middle of the night. Could Irvin have known that he was out to sabotage his master's business? Unlikely. It must be something else.

But now isn't the time to think about it, with his associate scowling down at him and Shinjirou in need of direction.

"You did the right thing." And enjoyed it too, judging by the come that covers his chest and the floor. Jade should be pleased by the development, but he only feels that old sense of unease stirring.

He considers his options quickly. His job remains the most important thing, and to keep that going, he had to placate his associate. Besides, he doesn't think Irvin will really attack Shinjirou; he's attached to Shinjirou, his aggressiveness could just be territorial behaviour. "I need to go talk to our guest. Can you defend yourself if Irvin attacks?"

He's eternally grateful to hear that he made the right decision. Biting back a relieved sob, he lowers his head, tension in his back loosening. Irvin seems to notice, the grip of his paws no longer painful, hips coming to a halt.

As long as he doesn't leave Irvin's side or pays anyone else more attention, Shinjirou doubts he'll be in any danger. "Yes. Should I ... join you when Irvin is done?" Technically, Irvin has already finished. Only the knot won't go away, though Shinjirou hopes that with his own new wave of quiet it won't be long before they can pull apart.

Remembering last time, Irvin will hopefully be tired and let him go. He doesn't want to be forced to lie on the cold floor until Irvin's convinced himself that the breeding was successful and no one will steal his mate away.

Jade shakes his head. "No. Shower and continue doing your chores. I suggest vacuuming."

He doesn't want Shinjirou overhearing what he and his associate have to say, even by accident, and doesn't try to conceal that fact. By now, he trusts Shinjirou to do as he's instructed to.

His associate is looking more impatient by the second, so Jade pushes himself to his feet, sighing inwardly. There's no love lost between them, even under normal circumstances; he's not looking forward to this conversation.

Still...it could mean the end of this particular assignment if he fails to satisfactorily explain away his actions. Jade flicks a glance down at Shinjirou, quiet and considering.

Taking a shower right away this time sounds like a gift he doesn't deserve, but he's not about to argue. Irvin won't be happy when he smells like shampoo and soap instead of Irvin and he'll have to find a way to keep the dog content despite that. He'll find something. And then scrub away the stains on the floor. Do all his chores in peace. Sounds nice. Definitely better than the current situation. He can feel the guest's eyes on him -- he squirms, trying to make himself smaller and disappear beneath Irvin's body.

"Yes. Thank you, Jade." For not being angry, for allowing him to take a shower. There are a few reasons he's sincerely thankful. He closes his eyes then, taking deep breaths as he waits for Irvin to release him.

He shouldn't be thanked.

"It's nothing," he says calmly. "Take care."

His associate is waiting for him, his eyebrows drawn together into what might be the deepest frown Jade had seen to date. With another inward sigh, Jade leads him into the study. The door clicks shut behind them.

There are recriminations, of course, the expected what the hell is going on and the what are you thinking, he's just a kid, you're going too far.

Jade sits quietly through it all, distantly grateful that the other man isn't shouting. He doesn't want Shinjirou to doubt what he's doing. Of course, it's entirely possible that soon, he'll no longer have to care for Shinjirou.

He's not sure how that makes him feel. He's not sure how giving up on the mission makes him feel either; he's never been fond of making big decisions on his own.

In the end, it's simply easier to try keep things as they are. It's not difficult to rebut his associate's points, they're all arguments he's made to himself: Shinjirou enjoys being here, you've heard how he thanked me; we both know this mission requires more extreme methods if I'm to gain the trust of my contacts; I'm trying to ingratiate myself with the dog's owner, he likes this sort of thing...

"He's not even in the country at present," his associate points out, voice still low with anger.

"I know." Jade hesitates, rubbing at his temples. He lowers his voice. "I've been taping him. The videos aren't the best, but they should be enough."

Revulsion twists across his associate's face. "You're sick."

There's no amusement in the way he says it, unlike the slavers and their clients, but Jade is more interested in the barely-visible slump of his shoulders and the tiredness in his voice. It seems like his associate has lost this round. Jade should be satisfied; he only feels hollow, doubtful.

It takes another few minutes for his associate to concede defeat, then another hour and half to discuss their next mission. They finish with little in the way of concrete ideas, and by the time he shows his associate to the door, Jade finds he has trouble maintaining even his usual cordial smile.

It doesn't take long before the knot goes down after Jade and his guest disappear into the study. And while Irvin sniffs him, making him stay in the same position for a few more minutes, eventually he seems satisfied and rolls up in a corner.

Once he's certain Irvin is fast asleep, Shinjirou sneaks into the bathroom. It's a disgusting feeling to have Irvin's come run down his thighs, even with soap and hot water to wash it away. He cleans himself up properly, puts salve onto his wounds and into his abused opening, and band-aids over the marks left by Irvin's claws. A definite improvement.

Then there's chores to busy himself with: getting rid of the stains on the floor, vacuuming every room except the study, doing the laundry and preparing dinner -- Shinjirou is fully unaware of the heated discussion that's going on between the two men. He's even in quite a good mood again when they leave the study and bows to the guest to quietly say goodbye.

It's hard not to notice that Jade isn't all that happy, though.

"You two don't get along." Touching Jade's arm, he tilts his head, a small smile on his lips. Jade told him he did the right thing. It doesn't matter that he's a bit sore from the rough mating when he has those words to hold on to. "Can I cheer you up?"

This is...unexpected. Jade finds himself smiling in return before he can really think about it, his lingering doubts fading away for the moment to fester quietly in the back of his mind. This will have to end someday, he knows, but he may as well take advantage of Shinjirou's presence while he has it.

"Was it that obvious?" He adjusts his glasses, self-deprecating. "Thank you for the offer, but I'm fine. It's nothing much."

At the same time, he could do with a distraction from the events of last night (or early this morning, rather). Even now, he can smell the smoke. "Though I wouldn't say no to some food."

"Yeah, it kinda was." Seeing as Jade isn't pushing him away, he feels confident enough to lean against his chest ... and frowns at the dark smell he can taste even on his tongue when he inhales. It's not his place to ask questions, he knows, especially not with Jade visibly stressed.

He admires Jade's control. Seeing it slip even the slightest bit is odd, but sort of nice, too. Perfect control may not be possible, nor necessary. Maybe there's really a chance for him to learn. He sneaks a kiss onto Jade's neck, a bold move he tries to make up for by taking a step back.

"Give me a minute and I'll have dinner ready. Want me to prepare a bath for you while you eat?" Well, not asking questions isn't the same as more or less saying you stink.

He had planned on taking a shower, but a bath sounds better. Jade nods slightly, not at all bothered by the implication that he smells. It's true.

"I'd appreciate that." He gives Shinjirou a quick look over, checking on the state of his injuries. He's nowhere near ready to be tied up prettily and presented as a party favour, but they still have time. As long as he can stop Irvin from doing anything too extreme, he should have enough time to heal.

"I think that'll be all. You can wash my clothes tomorrow."

"Alright. Take a seat."

He sets the table, still wearing the afterthought of a smile the entire time. The guest might've been angry or disgusted, but he doesn't care about guests as long as Jade approves of what he's doing. And with Irvin worn out, it looks like he'll have at least a few more hours of peace to come.

Eventually a steaming-hot plate is placed in front of Jade. "Here you go." Smile growing, Shinjirou fills a second plate for himself, though there's less on it than on Jade's. He doesn't want to spend a lot of time on his dinner, so there'll be enough time to prepare the bath.

"Might be wrong, but sake tonight?"

Relaxing and unwinding. That's what his fellows usually do after a mission. Meanwhile, he's never seen the need, but he supposes trying it out can't hurt. He doesn't have anything he needs to do until tomorrow at the earliest.

"After the bath, perhaps. If you're not too tired, would you like to drink with me?"

He's not trying to instil any lessons into Shinjirou right now; there's no harm in a drink or two. In fact, he seems...buzzed, almost. Happy in a simple, uncomplicated way. Jade isn't entirely sure why, considering how the day had gone. He can't be this affected by the simple reassurance from earlier, can he?

He's tired and maybe drinking isn't the wisest choice he makes today, but he nods all the same. After being alone with a highly agitated Irvin almost all day, the prospect of spending time with Jade -- a human being! -- and having a bit of sake sounds nice. "Sure, why not."

First the bath, though. After finishing his plate and excusing himself, he wanders off to take care of that. He picks a supplement and checks the temperature of the rising water, keeping it at a comfortable level until Jade enters the bathroom. "Hope dinner was alright. Anything I can help you with?"

"It was good," he reassures him, setting down his change of clothing on the counter. Without a hint of self-consciousness, he starts unbuttoning his shirt.

"I should be able to handle a bath by myself." So, no, he doesn't need anything.

It doesn't take long at all to finish bathing and put on some cologne. The air of the bathroom is cool on his damp skin, and after a few rapid blinks, Jade feels more awake than he had all day. Cleaner, too, in more ways than one. Confident and self-assured once more, he strolls out of the bathroom, adjusting his shirt as he does.

Without much to do in the kitchen except do the dishes quickly, he ends up on the sofa, lying on his belly as he reads in the book Jade gave him. He's not the fastest reader and barely past the first chapter. Noticing Jade, he sits up and sets the book aside.

"That was fast." He pours the sake into their cups, then hands one over to Jade. "Huh. You don't look pissed anymore. That's good, right?"

He takes a sip before he responds. The sake burns pleasantly as it goes down, and his eyes half-close lazily. "No no, I'm still seething with rage on the inside."

Was he actually angry? He can't remember. Probably not; he can count the number of times he had truly been angry on one hand. Irritation, though, is another matter entirely. But it must have been quite severe for Shinjirou to have read him.

"No, you don't." Secretly, he's already had some sake, but he sips on his cup as if the sharp aftertaste surprises him, coughing as he swallows. Just another opportunity to train himself how to pretend successfully in front of someone. Jade did say he needed to learn that.

Leaning against him, Shinjirou closes his eyes. This must be allowed, surely? Too late to decide against seeking Jade's closeness. "Any idea why Irvin's been acting strange all day?"

The cough doesn't register as anything out of the ordinary, and the leaning is almost expected by now. Jade accepts it without comment.

"It's not very polite to contradict me," he remarks. "But no, I'm afraid I don't know. My best guess is that he grew bolder without me here this morning."

"Sorry," he murmurs, taking another sip. "Bold is a nice way of putting it."

After all, Irvin threw him down outside. But everything's settled down now and, though he's sore again, he feels at ease. Maybe his body and mind are so worn out, he's finally able to relax because that's all he can do anymore. And he worries he's a bit too bold, too, when he nuzzles Jade's neck.

"You got hard last time. Watching Irvin take me." He refills their cups once they're empty. "So that's something you're into, but not all of your guests?"

It's not exactly pleasant, being reminded of his own perversion, but Jade had enough time to come to terms with it by now. His body doesn't even tense and betray him; he just nods slowly, still smiling.

"Their tastes are quite varied. You'll learn most of them in time, but I don't think you need to concern yourself with him." Mostly because he isn't with the slavers, but he can't exactly tell Shinjirou that. "He prefers his partners to be more innocent. Now that he's seen you like that, I doubt any amount of pretending you do will interest him."