Rieko Yoshihara's characters

Iason was breathing softly with his eyes shut tight, relaxed. It almost seemed like he was asleep. But he wasn't. He never really was. The blondie rarely shifted in his sleep; he seemed to be carved out of marble with his creamy unmarred skin and the subtle grace of his figure. He was ethereally beautiful with the way the curves of his muscles contrasted with the sharpness of his features and his cruel, calculating smiles. Iason had one long, muscular arm around another man's waist. The other man was limp, sweating cooling his skin as his whole body ached and his throat burned. He felt dizzy as he greedily breathed in breath after breath.

Iason had been the same as always. When he had returned, Riki had been pushed down immediately and pleasured until he had fainted, screaming, pleading shamelessly.

But Riki had been different. He wasn't naive. He had always known he wasn't fit to be a pet for an elite blondie, but he hadn't realized the extent of the damage he had had on Iason's position. It was unimaginable that he, a simple mongrel, just by existing, could do so much harm.

It was almost laughable.

Riki swallowed. So just why had Iason kept him? There were plenty of entertaining pets out there who you were unable to tear your eyes away from, who could and would fill you with burning lust. And Riki hardly had any of those features. He wasn't slender and soft. His skin wasn't smooth and pale. He was all angles and scars. His hair was rough and dull. He was crude and rebellious. He was a mongrel.

So then why?

Riki let the rushing weakness permeate his limbs and his black eyes flickered to the strands of pale hair lying on him, the heavy arm trapping him. Soft and silky. Warm and comforting. He felt a weird emotion seep into his heart that he hated. It made him want to throw a tantrum, scream until his throat bled, rip out his hair, tear off his skin as the emotions simmered inside him. Pride? In what? Being kept as his pet? Pride?!

His skin burned. And it wasn't just where Iason had his arm around him. Or where he and Iason had been connected so many times. His whole body burned with a tiring ache.

What could he be hoping for? He was simply a pet. But he couldn't deny the allure of Iason, of how the thought of a man who wielded so much power could desire him so strongly, and the man had a strange sort of subtle gentleness that rarely surfaced. When it did, Riki was utterly defenseless.

He had always been accurate in his assessment of people's characters and somehow he knew that Iason was more. He was aware that Iason could be more. Be human.

He let out a ragged, tearing whimper. Could he?

His memories flashed by. Of his pride being crushed, of being tortured, of his friends being threatened, Guy and everyone bleeding, of his freedom-all that he had- being taken away. All the constant reminders that he was nothing more than a sex toy.

Riki's eyes turned cold and hard. He wasn't. He wouldn't let him be.

He clenched his hand and by accident, grasped Iason's long, silvery blonde hair. It was smooth and silky. Unlike his.

A world's difference.

Riki clenched the hair tighter, digging his nails into his hand and before he knew it, he had brought to his lips...almost as if to kiss it. He dropped the blonde lock immediately and flinched, staying as still as possible. After a moment, he glanced backwards and studied Iason's face, hoping the blondie hadn't noticed. The man's expression hadn't changed and he was still breathing at the same slow pace.

Riki's tense muscles relaxed for a second.

What had he been doing?

Master and pet.

Riki clenched his fist again and made sure this time, not to touch Iason's hair. He bit his lip hard enough to make it bleed as he forced himself to recall the pain he had experienced for three long years. No. There was only hatred. That was all. He would never forgive this man and that, was their only connection.

Riki closed his eyes and let out a cold, shaky laugh, relaxing again. Even that left his soul aching.

After a moment, as Riki stared into nothing, he let his eyelids fall with his mind into dark oblivion.

Iason's eyelids fluttered and then his pale blue irises appeared.

"Riki."