roneal | (no subject)

"Yes."

The longer he deals with the daily repetition, the more he comes to appreciate it. He doesn't like every part of the work Jade expects him to do, like cleaning the bathroom, but even that doesn't matter. It's a relaxing pattern and almost refreshing, despite breaking out in a sweat. He definitely feels better when he's done.

"Didn't forget the milk this time."

More at ease than before, he pours them both a cup of tea and then plops down beside Irvin, more interested in stroking the dog than having tea with Jade. He can touch Irvin whenever he wants to. He can't do that with Jade. He doesn't want to -- Jade probably already thinks of him as clingy and that's not how Shinjirou wants to be seen. It's embarrassing.

One slow sip later, he's nodding his approval. "Thank you."

He's content to sit quietly for awhile, more interested in watching Shinjirou than the news - he had already read all of it back in his study anyway. The reporter's voice is a pleasant hum in the background as his attention hones in on the dog, wondering if what its owner had told him is true. It seems innocent enough, its tail wagging slowly from side to side along to the rhythm of Shinjirou's pets.

"Have you had a dog before, Shinjirou?" He wonders aloud.

"Huh?" One hand still on the dog's back, he tilts his head to look at Jade. "No, never had enough money for that, but at the--"

His mouth stays open for a moment before he snaps it shut and turns his attention fully back onto Irvin. Jade doesn't need to know anything about his past. It's bad enough that he already does know so much, about Shinjirou's body and mind. No need to spoonfeed him more information.

"Everyone's got a favorite animal."

The what? Orphanage? An animal shelter? Some place on the streets? Jade is curious, but he's not given to prying when faced with such clear reluctance. Everyone deserves the chance to keep their secrets - although perhaps that doesn't apply to Shinjirou. But it isn't a line Jade wants to cross yet, so he lets it slide.

"Why dogs?" He asks instead. Irvin is nuzzling at Shinjirou's thighs, his nose cold and wet. "A kindred spirit, perhaps?"

"I'm not a dog." Glaring at Jade, he takes a sip of tea, combing through Irvin's fur with his free hand. "They're loyal and really smart. They know when you're happy or sad."

He shrugs and pulls Irvin's head up to get him away from the bruises. Maybe he should have brought some snacks or a toy. "What about you? Snakes, spiders?"

He doesn't hesitate. "Honeybees, actually. They have quite a fascinating sex-determination system and unique behaviours." He pauses. "And I suppose they're important in an agricultural sense as well."

Irvin whines low in his throat, trying to shake off Shinjirou's grip and go back to nosing around his legs. Jade tries not to watch too closely, especially now that Shinjirou's glaring at him, but he can't resist glancing at them out of the corner of his eye.

If he weren't naked and bruised, Shinjirou wouldn't care all that much. Like this, it's a bit bothersome to have the dog poke him endlessly. No, it's definitely annoying. "Irvin, no." The shove he gives him is light, but firm.

"Unique, like that dancing they do?" His expression softens. "Ah, and isn't there one type that can kill hornets? Think there was a documentary about that. I guess they're pretty cool."

Irvin lets out another whine, but subsides for the moment, grumpily flopping down to lie next to Shinjirou. "Be nice," Jade chastises. His eyes are still on the television, and he doesn't bother to specify who he's speaking to.

"Anyway," he continues, "I didn't expect you to enjoy watching documentaries." It could be an insult, but he's careful to make it sound more like an observation.

Shinjirou is convinced that Jade's comment was meant for Irvin and scratches the dog behind his ears to make up for Jade's strictness. Head falling back against the sofa, he pouts up at Jade.

"Some are interesting ... and it's easy to fall asleep because the voice is all dull. Can't do that with an action movie. But that doesn't matter now. I can't just sneak into the living room at night and watch something about honeybees. Right?"

"They're supposed to be educational, you know." Not that he blames Shinjirou; they did have a knack for picking monotonous voices, the few times he's tried watching documentaries. "Besides, you don't seem to have any trouble falling asleep without external assistance."

The scratching was taken as encouragement. Irvin turns his head, trying to lick at Shinjirou's fingers. All his sulking apparently forgotten, he moves closer, pressing the whole length of his thick-furred body against Shinjirou.

"Yeah, I know they're supposed to teach you stuff. Tch." He's this close to sticking out his tongue at Jade and keeps himself from doing so by turning towards Irvin, welcoming the sudden cuddle attack. The dog is warm and happy and doesn't make fun of him.

Shinjirou buries his face in the soft fur, smiling. "What's up, Irvin? Miss your master?"

Jade is constant to fall silent again, pretending to focus on the news. The reporter's voice may as well be white noise, a meaningless drone in his ears, interrupted every so often by a few coherent words then fading into the background again. Would this work? Is it too soon?

The dog seems content to bask in the attention, nudging happily against Shinjirou. Then, abruptly, his head dips down and his long tongue darts out, licking a long stripe across the top of Shinjirou's thighs.

For a while Shinjirou is as happy with the attention Irvin's giving him as much as the other way around. That doesn't stop immediately when Irvin is starting to get naughty again, but he does jump in surprise. He wipes at his skin, trying to rub the odd sensation away. "Come on, that tickles. I'm not food."

"Maybe he needs to be taken for another walk," he murmurs, his attempts to distract Irvin failing. "Jade?"

"At this time of the day?" He glances purposefully at the clock. It's right when the city is busiest, with people heading home from work...or heading out to dinner. Shinjirou is trapped, and Jade knows it. "Well, if you insist, I won't stop you."

Meanwhile, Irvin lays down again, his head thumping down to rest squarely on Shinjirou's lap.

"What? No, not me. I thought maybe you could-- Irvin." All the wriggling in the world doesn't help. Irvin's heavy and whines like a hurt, abandoned puppy whenever he tries to get him off. The fur is both scratchy and tickles ... and not in areas where it's cute.

"Your master really needs to train you better, you know that, Irvin?" Groaning in exasperation, cheeks burning, he tries to take being used as a cushion with at least a bit of dignity. Maybe ignoring Irvin will be a better strategy.

"No no, I simply can't deprive you of the pleasure." Shinjirou really is getting quite red. Jade has to smile, entertained by the way Shinjirou is so thoroughly pushed around by the dog as well.

Within a minute, Irvin is shifting around restlessly again, nuzzling against Shinjirou with quiet whines in a demand for attention.

Jade spoke over the increasingly plaintive noises. "Besides, he seems quite well-trained to me. Intelligent, too."

"If you think this is so amusing, why don't you undress and let him snuggle up to you?" Back pressed flat against the sofa, skin flushed, he does his best to ignore the howls. Irvin sounds really sad over not getting petted anymore and that's awful, but this isn't behavior that's supposed to be encouraged.

Sadly there's nothing around that could be used as a toy and even things he considers briefly, he decides against. Those are Jade's and throwing them across the room seems like a terrible idea and might not even catch Irvin's interest. He sighs, giving up to scratch Irvin again. "Come on, be a good boy now."

"No thank you." Cheerfully, Jade relaxes against the couch, watching the way Shinjirou's eyes dart around, as if searching for an escape. Not that it would do him much good, with the way Irvin shifts restlessly and crowds closer to him as soon as he's touched. "Aren't dogs your favourite animal?"

He reaches out lazily with one hand, scratching at Shinjirou's scalp, mimicking the way he's petting Irvin.

"Yeah, they are. But -- you wouldn't wanna roll around naked in a cloud of bees, would you?" He snaps his head back against his nape, goosebumps pricking up everywhere at Jade's touch. It's not that hard to figure out what Jade's doing there and unfortunately, it works. The embarrassment makes his heart beat fast enough that he's starting to feel dizzy. "Hey!"

This isn't the sort of being attacked on both sides he finds all that fun and he can't simply flee out of the situation. Irvin's weight keeps him locked right on the spot and Jade could easily pull on either the chain or his hair and do the same. Shinjirou joins Irvin's whines. "I said I'm not a dog ..."

"Is there something wrong with being one?" Shinjirou's scalp is hot under the thick strands of his shaggy hair. Jade continues scratching him, encouraged by his reactions. Shinjirou's cheeks are flush with such a lovely colour; if Jade were a more tactile person, it would have been difficult to resist running his hands along them and then down his neck, feeling for his pulse. "Loyalty and cleverness don't seem like bad traits to me."

"No, nothing wrong and no, they aren't bad traits, but--" Squirming too much hurts his back. On the other hand, Irvin is all over him, nuzzling and licking, and Jade won't stop touching him either. "I'm not your pet!"

At the moment, however, he's beginning to feel more like a pet than a slave. If it weren't for Irvin's aggressive demand for attention, he might enjoy the scratching. It's definitely nicer than chain-yanking or being left alone for hours.

"What's wrong with you two. Ugh."

His fingers still for a moment, then he begins to stroke the top of Shinjirou's head rather than scratching him, smoothing down his hair. Irvin continues to fidget. He's far too large to fit himself on Shinjirou's lap, but that doesn't deter him from trying. If Jade is more inclined towards anthropomorphising animals, he would have thought that Irvin is behaving in a way that is almost possessive, resting his forepaws on Shinjirou's legs and pressing down as he tries to haul himself more fully onto Shinjirou's lap.

"I would guess that Irvin is trying to show affection," Jade observes dryly. But he doesn't mention what he himself is up to, waiting to see if Shinjirou will ask.

"Yeah, that's obvious."

Irvin is heavy and his claws open skin where he slips off. And the dog doesn't seem to care much when Shinjirou winces and tries to pull himself up on the sofa, away from Irvin's cuddle attack. Hissing in pain, he presses his head up into Jade's palm.

"And you think that's funny or what?"

"I'm just happy to see my pets getting along so well." He pulls himself closer, his other hand going to rest on Shinjirou's shoulder and pushing down firmly. The message is clear: stay.

That move clears up a few questions -- eyes widening as he looks up at Jade, he forgets to push Irvin off just long enough that the dog manages to climb up into his lap, furry body pressed up against him and a wet tongue lapping up the sweat on his neck.

"... are you serious?" He no longer attempts to get away, though he does shut his eyes and tenses up more and more, the longer Irvin spends time on licking him.