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Of course Iason was furious about what happened. He told Daryl to bring Riki into the pet's room to clean up and rest to get well. Then he and his guests went out to the balcony, leaving Riki nearly in tears and Daryl angry and yelling at him for making an even bigger mess.
The mongrel stayed in his bedroom, hugging his pillow. His pride told him not to cry, but he couldn't help the few tears that escaped him. It was a few hours before Iason decided to enter his room to check on his pet.
"How are you feeling?" The Blondie asked; his voice void of emotion as usual.
"What, so suddenly you care?" Riki sniffed and sat up. Iason sat down on the bed, but Riki stood up and walked across the room to the bathroom.
The Blondie sighed. "Pet, come back here. We should talk about your actions tonight."
That made the dark haired mongrel stop. He turned slowly and glared at Iason. "We need to talk? What the hell did I do that was so wrong? You force me to perform in front of complete strangers, then you yell at me for getting sick, something which is completely not my fault! I get sent to my room like a naughty child, and it's MY actions you want to talk about? Well fuck you!" He walked into the bathroom, wishing that the door didn't slide shut and he could slam it.
Iason's eye twitched, but he made no other indication that Riki's rant affected him. He stood and went to the door, and of course it opened for him. "You're getting hormonal again." He stated. "There's no reason you should be angry with me. I treat you just like any master treats his pet."
"THAT'S EXACTLY IT!" Riki shouted at him. "I'm not your fucking pet! If you call me anything but my name, call me 'mongrel'. It's less degrading than being your fucking pet. Thank Jupiter I'm out of this hellhole tomorrow."
The Blondie suddenly felt very sad. "You're not seriously happy that you're leaving, are you?" He asked, almost fearful of what the answer would be.
Riki glared at him, giving no mercy. "As much as I hate you right now, yeah I am glad I'll be gone. Three fucking days of not having to deal with any of your bullshit!"
Iason looked down, suddenly unable to meet the mongrel's eyes. "Fine then. If you wish to have an escort Daryl will drive you in the morning. I am going to retire early, and tomorrow I will be leaving for work, possibly before you wake up."
Riki didn't say anything; he just crossed his arms and turned away. The Blondie was disappointed, but he left the room and went to his own, across the penthouse. The bed seemed so empty without his lover, but he wasn't going to invite the mongrel. No, he'd have to come on his own.
Iason didn't get any sleep that night. He hugged Riki's pillow in his arms, but it wasn't enough. He didn't realize how much he needed his pet and how important he'd become. When his alarm clock went off the Blondie got up, showered and dressed. He had to go to work, he couldn't skip it again or Jupiter would ask questions.
He walked to the pet's room and the door slid open silently. Iason looked at the mongrel and smiled. Riki was stretched out all over the bed, one leg hanging off the side. The Blondie moved closer and very gently pressed his lips to Riki's. He muttered something under his breath and shifted, but did not wake. With a heavy sigh, Iason left the room and told Daryl to bring him to his office.
Riki didn't wake for another couple of hours. He was excited about his trip to Ceres, but a little saddened when Daryl told him that Iason had left already. But the mongrel refused to let that ruin his week. He ate a big breakfast, telling the furniture that he was eating for two and he should go cook some more food. Then he went into his room and packed some of his older clothes, they were nice but not flashy enough to get him robbed or mugged in the slums.
There was no reason for him to stay in the penthouse, so he told Daryl to bring him to Ceres as soon as he was done packing. The furniture didn't like to be disturbed from his work, but it was Iason's orders. They got into the hover car and Daryl drove a little faster than normal, anxious to get rid of the chatty mongrel.
When they reached the slums, the furniture couldn't mask his disgust. Why someone would ever choose to live here, he couldn't understand. "Will you need a ride home or will you make it back on your own?" He asked.
"I'll get back on my own, it's not too difficult." Riki replied. He pointed to a bar and Daryl drove up to it. The mongrel grabbed his bag and climbed out, giving the furniture a final wave before he disappeared into the bar.
"Be careful, Riki." Daryl said before speeding back to Eos.
Riki entered the bar, raising an eyebrow at what she saw. Some people he knew but a lot of people he didn't were already drunk or high this early in the morning. He sighed and looked to Bison's usual corner. Of course Sid and Norris were there, but they weren't passed out like usual. No, instead they were trying to get someone up. Someone with long brown hair and broad shoulders. Guy!
He immediately rushed over to the table. "What's wrong with him?" He asked, ignoring the surprised stares of the other two.
When they finally seemed to snap out of it, Sid said, "Guy… well since you left he's been doing nothing but drinking stout and getting high off whatever pills he can afford." Riki felt a twinge of guilt in his stomach.
"Is he gonna be alright?" The black haired mongrel asked softly.
Norris spoke this time. "I dunno, man. We've been tryin' to get him a job, but it's just not registerin' with him. Hey, you stay here 'cause we gotta go to our own place. But you're stayin', right?" Riki nodded. "Great! We'll have more time to talk later." They took off out the door and Riki smiled, shaking his head. So his Bison members got jobs and responsibilities.
He gently pulled Guy's head up and looked at his face. He was still handsome and Riki remembered why they were partners. Yet now there was a different look to his face. He looked older, and yet the same. "What have you done to yourself?" He asked, tracing a finger along the other's cheekbone.
Guy stirred and mumbled, "I ain't done shit…" Then his eyes opened a bit. "Oh, Riki, it's just you again. You're my favorite dream." He closed his eyes and his head hit the table. Riki sighed and stroked his back softly, just waiting for him to awaken again.
A few hours later he decided that Guy was good enough to walk back to his apartment. So he made the brown haired man stand up and put his arm around his waist to keep him standing. One of Guy's arms went around his shoulders and they walked out the door.
Guy's place was a few blocks away, so it took a while for them to get there, what with the brown haired mongrel stopping to sleep every few minutes. Finally they reached the door and thankfully Guy was on the first floor or else Riki would have just given up. He brought his friend into the bedroom and made him lie down on the bed.
He turned to leave, but Guy's hand shot out and caught his wrist. "Don' leave… you…. always leave me…" The brown haired man's eyes looked so sad, so Riki nodded and sat on the bed, waiting until his friend fell asleep.
That afternoon Riki woke up on a couch. He heard a loud BANG in the bedroom and ran in to find that Guy had fallen out of bed. The brown haired man was muttering, "Great... you have to be so clumsy, don't you?" Riki laughed and that made him look up.
"Oh, god… it wasn't a dream this time?" He stood and rushed forward to hug Riki so tightly that the black haired one had to push him away to be able to breathe. They laughed, but very soon Guy's laughter turned to tears. "Where were you? Why did you leave like that? What's wrong with you?" He buried his face in Riki's shoulder.
The mongrel frowned; he didn't want to start crying too. But a mixture of hormones, Guy's tears and the fact that he still didn't say goodbye to Iason took it's toll on his and a few tears leaked from his eyes. Then he suddenly felt sick.
He pushed Guy away and ran to the little bathroom, reaching it just in time to throw up. It was only dry heaving since he hadn't eaten anything, but that reminded him that he needed to eat. If not for himself then at least to keep the baby healthy. He came out and said, "Let's go get some food!"
"But.. but.. what was that?" Guy asked, meaning the gagging.
"Oh, nothing, don't worry about it. But I'm starved and I'm paying, so if you want dinner you'd better come with!" Riki didn't want to tell Guy about the baby. Not yet anyways. He would have to prepare something to say.
Of course Guy followed; it wasn't often that he didn't have to pay for a good meal. He and Riki talked about Bison and though he was glad to find out they were still friends, it saddened him a little that they had to break up the gang. And when they reached the nicest place to eat in the slums- which still wasn't near as fancy as anything in Eos- they were chatting as if Riki had never left.
Then Guy offered Riki a smoke. The mongrel was about to take it, but then waved it off. "Oh, Riki, come on. Don't tell me you quit!"
Riki shrugged. "I'm not supposed to have them." is all he said. It wouldn't reveal too much.
"Why?" Oh shit, now he'd have to come up with a reason. Come on… come on… it had to be something believable. Oh well.
"My partner doesn't like it when I smoke. We're having a baby and I can't smoke during the pregnancy."
Guy froze. He looked…. Sad? Angry? Confused? But the expression left after a quick moment. "Oh.. well, congratulations! What's her name? How far along is she? Have you had any kids before?"
He was trying to mask his disappointment, Riki could tell. But he just smiled kindly and said, "We're about a month and a half along, it's our first and just some elite in Eos, you wouldn't know names."
"Wow, you lucky dog! Finding a woman, let alone an elite willing to pair with a mongrel is amazing! No wonder you haven't been back here. I bet she's gorgeous!"
"Yeah, his body is amazing…" Riki said, staring off into space.
Guy frowned. "His?"
That made Riki start and come back to reality. "No, I said, 'her' body is amazing. Guys can't get pregnant, even someone as dumb as you should know that!"
Guy laughed and Riki paid for their meal. The two of them wandered the streets talking about babies and elite and left Riki wondering how long he could keep this up.
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