Gruffly, a redheaded man with a greyish complexion dragged a larger, more greenish brute by the wrist as he marched into an open prison cell. The larger, stronger man followed obediently, though his lips slanted curiously. He let a short stream of air out his nose and winced as he was rounded on and slammed back into the wall next to the door immediately after entering it.
Looking to meet the smaller man's gaze, he found his fellow inmate looking downright fuming as he barked, "Will you quit makin' moves on Chance already, Ratso?! I've had it with watchin' you gettin' all buddy-buddy with him! We're not here to make friends, or anything else for that matter! We're here to find a demon portal, and that's it!"
Ratso blinked and offered the other a small shrug. "Ahh, Finn, come on...can't we have fun at the same time? I keep sayin', you should give Chance a chance. He's a good guy, and he's just tryin' to help the new guys fit in..!"
Finn scowled. "We don't need to fit in! We just need to sit tight until the Panku Box gets here. And you are clearly taking a shine to that guy a bit beyond 'fitting in'. You don't keep smackin' a guy's ass in the can around here unless you really mean it, and you know it! This time was the last straw!" A sharp, accusing prod went to Ratso's chest.
The taller man let his gaze drift to the nearest ceiling corner as he blushed lightly and gave a small smile. "Maybe I do like him a little," he admitted, an index finger bashfully scratching his cheek. "But come on..! He's fun..!"
Finn only scowled harder. "Dude, we said no one else! Just 'cause Chow's on the outside doesn't mean the deal's off..! You're just lucky Chance doesn't seem to be gettin' your hints, or I'd be whuppin' both of you right now."
Here Ratso frowned, dismayed that one of his boyfriends was reacting so poorly to the crush he'd found himself developing on the stranger who'd attached himself to the Dark Hand trio who'd infiltrated the prison on a mission.
"Heyyy, Finn, don't be like that..!" he wheedled, "It's not like I'm out to replace Chow...or even you..! I just think, y'know..."
"No!" Finn insisted. "Look, I don't like that guy. Something about him just rubs me the wrong way entirely. And the Chow Man's not even here to vote, though I'm pretty sure he'd be on my side. So don't think you can just schmooze whoever you want under our noses. Heck, I thought the one good thing about goin' back to prison would be that I'd at least be stuck here with one of my boyfriends, but here he is completely neglecting me for some schmuck who can't even keep the nosh down! Deny it all you like, he is so not one of us."
Brow raising in a bit of stun, Ratso realized that perhaps Finn was right. The redhead had actually sobbed over being sentenced to fifty years after they'd let themselves get caught, and had been fearful at the very idea of the plan to be incarcerated in the first place. Ratso had offered him a shoulder to lean on during their transport, but after Finn had gotten himself collected, Ratso hadn't given him much else in way of support or attention. He'd found himself rather distracted by Chance, who indulged Ratso's love of baseball, shared the food he couldn't stomach, and generally just seemed to take interest in anything Ratso wanted to do. He was a fresh love bomb found in a very unexpected place, and though Ratso was sure the others would like him just as much if he could only convince his team to take Chance with them, something he only had a small window to do while they were here, he recognized that right now Finn was in front of him and feeling very insecure.
"Aww," he cooed, face melting into an assuring smile, "Well if you were feelin' left out, you just had to say so." Gently, his large paws reached out, one landing on Finn's shoulder while the other lighted to hold his jawline. Finn's face fell in surprise.
"I love you, Finn," Ratso beamed warmly, and bowed to swiftly steal a kiss off the shorter man's lips.
Instantly, Finn flustered, swatting his hands wildly to get Ratso off of him. "Cheese it, Ratso! Not out in the open!" His head whipped around to make sure no one walking by had happened to catch a glance of that. He didn't want to get pegged as an easy bottom, thank you. Unlike Ratso, he was also not interested in looking at other men while he was stuck here.
Recognizing the reason for hesitation, but glad to see that Finn appeared to forget his anger for the moment, Ratso felt compelled to press a bit more into doting on the other. Wrapping his arms around Finn from behind as the man had turned to distance himself, he pulled the redhead back into the corner with him, out of view. Here he smooched affectionately a few times at Finn's neck.
"You wanna go find a place, then..?" he offered as Finn darkened in hue despite himself, "I wanna make sure you're all attended and whatnot." Finn tended to be the most insecure about his place in the relationship, but giving him affirmations, or taking the time to smother him a bit usually did the trick to keep him satisfied.
Finn grumbled, definitely feeling like Ratso cared, at least, to be so insistently holding him close. "No more Chance chasing..?" he posed conditionally.
A pause, but Ratso nodded. "Deal." If he played his cards right, he still thought Finn could change his mind if he got to know Chance. Saying this now could help Finn relax and start doing that. And then, if they got Chance out of the joint with them once the demon was released, he could have a chance to meet Chow, and all four thugs could become friends. And maybe Chance could even be a new partner. More love was too exciting an idea to let go of altogether.
To Ratso's delight, Finn visibly did relax upon hearing his promise, a smile finally breaking on his lips as he let out a breath. "Good. Alright, well. I'm down to be takin' on your Green Mile, then, babe." Coyly, the shorter man clutched the crotch area of Ratso's orange jumpsuit.
Bashfully, Ratso giggled. Finn was cute when he was forward. The two left the cell in search of a better canoodling corner.
…
Pointedly ignoring Ratso as he followed upon his exit of the room Finn had dressed in, the Irishman shrugged on his white 1970s style suit jacket overtop his low-necked pink button-up. Though he was glad to be back in his regular attire after he, Ratso and Valmont had managed to give Hollow Lands Penitentiary the slip earlier today, Finn's face was set to a decided displeasure.
Ratso too was back in his regular dark suit with a white shirt and pink tie. He was also perfectly aware as to why Finn was mad at him. Ratso hadn't exactly kept his promise, and now that the mission was over and the men were free again, Finn was giving him the cold shoulder something fierce. Worst of all, Chance hadn't even turned out to be Chance. Rather, he'd been nothing more than a well-crafted disguise used by their nemesis, Jackie Chan. Ratso was crushed, disillusioned, and upset, but he couldn't even turn to his boyfriend in his time of need, because he'd also betrayed him in the process. The cold shoulder was admittedly warranted, but Ratso wanted Finn to know that he understood how he'd hurt him now.
"Finn, please, talk to me..! I'm sorry..!" the taller thug wheedled as the other walked briskly through their hideout.
Stopping, Finn did whirl to face the big man, but his face was scrunched in distaste. "You told him you liked him!" he barked, "You kept defending him, kept gettin' handsy, and then you told him you liked him!"
"Hey, that was only after his mask came off..! I didn't go out of my way to confess or nothin'..! I'm feelin' messed up enough after that anyway."
"Hmph!" Finn crossed his arms and turned back away, spitting over his shoulder, "Serves ya right...jerk."
With a shrug, Ratso rolled his eyes and admitted, "Yeah, okay..! I thought I could change yer mind. But I'm sorry..! I messed up and I got tricked."
"Yeah, well you also showed exactly how you would have acted if it wasn't a trick," Finn shot back, "You broke our trust, Ratso!"
"And I'm tryin' to say I learned my lesson..! I promise, I'll never fall for a guy like that again."
"Well, with your current track record on promises, I'm not sure I believe you," Finn huffed.
Ratso sighed, trying to figure out a better way to phrase his apology and wanting to make things right, when the sound of approaching shoes made both men look up. It was a petite Chinese man in a tight black jacket with rolled sleeves, equally tight black pants and a grey shirt, the only spot of color he wore being the vibrant, sharply-shaped orange shades over his eyes.
"He-hey, you're back..! I thought I heard you guys..!" this man greeted, arms opening wide with glee. It was a pleasant surprise, as he wasn't sure when the rest of the gang would return from their excursion, or even if they'd be able to escape without help. Maybe this demon had actually been released, and managed to level the prison entirely.
"Chow~!" Ratso perked, and hurriedly bolted past Finn. He needed a friendly face right now. Even though the open arms weren't really an invite to be hugged, the big man took it as one, clamping his arms firmly around the shortest of all three of them and lifting the black-haired man off the floor.
Chow gurgled as the breath was crushed out of him. His sunglasses were knocked askew as he was nuzzled violently, and his wide, strained eyes were visible.
Finn approached with a much cooler demeanor, hands in his pockets, feeling like Ratso couldn't be more obvious about running into more welcoming arms. Arms that were not feeling betrayed at the moment. Key words: at the moment.
After a good long moment of giving Chow an affectionate reunion strangle, Ratso finally let the small man down on his own feet. Chow gasped and slumped for a moment, grabbing at his throat to ensure it was working. When he looked up, however, he was smirking and gave a short chuckle. "Jeez. Did ya miss me, or did ya miss me?"
"Hm. Not enough," Finn took the opportunity to cut in, and tossed a thumb toward the man beside him. "Ratso here made a new friend while we were in the joint. And he kept tryin' to make that friend even after I told him not to. And then guess what? Turns out that friend was Chan all along. Which totally serves him right!"
Straightening his sunglasses, Chow's expression fell blank as he turned to Ratso and scanned him. The big guy's own face and posture fell shamefully as Finn immediately shared this bit of news.
"You gotta be kiddin' me," was all Chow offered flatly.
"No..." Ratso relented, "It was the guy who was there at the drop-off with us." Chow and Hak Foo had come in their own disguises as supply men to deliver the Panku Box, and would have seen the only stranger there with the rest of the Dark Hand.
"...you gotta be kiddin' me."
"Thank you!" Finn exclaimed, lifting his palms toward the Chinese man, feeling extremely validated in his upset.
"Hey, look, I'm really sorry..!" Ratso offered a helpless shrug under the withering gazes he was now receiving from both of the others. "I mean it! I...I couldn't help it. He was just so nice to me, and I never got a lot of action or attention from the fellas...or in general." He looked down in further shame. Even if he didn't go for them, women were even more scared of him than interested in giving him the time of day. Not unless his mom and sister counted. That was why he pounced on any new connection he made. Despite loving his work as a brute, he still thrived on personal connection. It was just all the more special when it could blossom into something meaningful.
A short glace was passed between Chow and Finn, the latter remaining unimpressed. With a short scoff, Chow bowed his head to pinch his nose under the bridge of his shades. Then he swished his palm conversationally as he mused, "Alright, look. I'm ticked off you couldn't even keep it in your pants when Finn was right there with you." A short gesture toward the man, causing Ratso to frown further. "I mean I've been good this whole time, and I've had way more temptation bein' on my own!"
Finn quirked a brow here, challenging that remark. Chow had always been the one he'd suspected would be most likely to cheat, as not only was he the most attractive of them to other people, but he was also the one most acquainted and comfortable with a polyamorous lifestyle. As he'd put it, it had always been his preferred way to be.
Catching this look, Chow waved it off. "Not sayin' I felt like goin' for any of it, but I just mean at least I can can take a guy cozyin' up to me and say I'm taken. I get it if yer not exactly acquainted with the game, but if I knew you were gonna be fast and friendly with every guy who takes an interest, I would've helped you out, y'know."
Brow pinching, but offering a tiny hopeful smile, Ratso asked, "Yeah..?"
"Yeah. 'cause I'm kinda with Finn on this. I don't take relationship rules lightly."
Ratso slumped again. "Yeah..."
Finn, still displeased, scoffed, "And here I thought him bein' all easy breezy with us meant we had somethin' special."
Hurt, Ratso's face whipped his way. "We do..!"
Face pinching in further sour, Finn looked at the taller man and spat, "Oh, come on! Yer tellin' me you latch onto me like you did, yer ready to add on Chow after he just asks, and then you go out of your way to try and wrangle a fourth without us, and you expect that to mean we're any more special than he was? Seriously, dude, what if he was real? Are we not actually enough for you? Make up your mind, 'cause it's either we are, or you can leave and go experimentin' on yer own!" An arm brandished in dismissal.
Tears sprang to Ratso's eyes at the assertion, and simultaneously a fist formed, raising as he grit his teeth. Finn flinched, raising his own arms both to shield from it, but when no strike came and he looked to find Ratso had restrained himself, Finn then just crossed his arms again and looked away with a scowl, feeling his point proven.
Ratso too turned away, though more sharply. He didn't want to hit his partner, but he did want him to know how much those words had stung. If only he was better with words himself. Looking back to Chow, who had tensed during the short moment, Ratso asked, "You with him on that, too..?"
Chow's lips shifted uncomfortably. He didn't want to incur any wrath, but he also wanted to be clear about how much he valued sticking to any agreements made between partners. "Well...mostly. I mean if you wanted to leave, I might still do ya, but you wouldn't be my boyfriend. Only if Finn was up for it, though."
As he listened, and watched Ratso's crestfallen face on the verge of tears, Finn felt inspired by that last notion. A cruel thought came to mind. A sort of revenge he might feel satisfied with. Truth be told, though he was immensely upset, he did love Ratso. And he sort of understood the struggle of not being the most attractive man in the room. If he could deal out a punishment and assure Ratso's lesson was learned, he might be able to find it in his heart to forgive. Only once, though. If either one of the others started looking at other guys again, that was it. And if Ratso wasn't satisfied with this, then well, he would just have to accept that Finn couldn't be with a disloyal partner.
Raising an index finger, Finn took a casual stroll over to Chow's side. "Uh, actually...I kinda like the sound of that."
Both of the others blinked, Ratso tensing and asking, "Wait, what?" Finn wasn't seriously suggesting they break up over this..!
"Yeah, what?" Chow echoed the sentiment. He hadn't thought Finn would ever agree to letting him sleep with anyone outside the relationship.
One of Finn's arms snaked low around Chow's waist, and his fingers drummed a coyly possessive hold around it as he drew close. Staring at Ratso, he set the terms.
"Not exactly, but it's like this. I'm pretty stoked about bein' outta the joint, but I also want Ratso to see how he likes bein' left out." Turning his head toward Chow, he winked. "And I missed you, too, sweets~."
"Ohhh ho ho ho..!" Unable to help it, Chow gave a giddy chuckle halfway between startle and excitement. What could he say? He'd missed having more than his own hand to keep him company. A knuckle lighted on his lips as he also couldn't help being a bit enticed by the prospect of using exhibitionism as a form of punishment...assuming that was what Finn was going for. Chow leaned a little kinky, so that's what it sounded like to him anyway.
Apparently it was what Finn meant, as he affirmed the idea by pressing forward and stealing a long and forceful kiss off of Chow's lips. The smaller man couldn't help being heavily distracted and melting back into the lean with a pleasured moan.
Watching this, Ratso began to get the idea himself, forearms lifting in poise like he wanted to stop the others as a stab of dismay hit his gut. That was a bit much, wasn't it? But then he paused, let a short note of relent slip out his nose, and his arms fell a few degrees. Finn was hurt. He understood that. He'd neglected Finn when he'd had emotional needs. He understood that too. If it truly made Finn feel better to force him to sit through the same punishment, and if Chow felt it was warranted enough not to argue, then he would accept it. He would accept it to prove that he did not wish to abandon either of the men he loved. And to show that he absolutely meant it when he said he would never again stray.
Both of the others gasped when the kiss broke, and they looked at Ratso, Finn giving a hard, challenging smirk, and Chow looking a bit guilty but not offering any sign of wishing to prevent further contact.
With a short grimace, Ratso let his arms fall back into place all the way, and he steeled himself for justice. "Okay." He hated it. He craved contact with the man he'd been apart from too. But for both of them, to keep both of them, he would accept this.
Looking surprised and expressing it with a blink, Finn then let out a tut. "Groovy." That said, he let his hand slide to Chow's wrist and tugged the man behind him as he beckoned Ratso to follow with a crooking finger over his shoulder. He wore a smirk as he walked.
Shortly, in one of the many abandoned office rooms in the fish cannery they called their base, Finn was plastering Chow to the cushions of an old green sofa, smothering the man in kisses and suckles as he threw the last of his clothing to the floor. Ratso sat a mere three feet away, seated on a crate and lips pursing in desire as he watched Chow wriggle in unashamed ardor. He gushed to the ceiling any time a nerve was hit particularly right.
Pleased with his own performance, Finn now went straight for Chow's equally unashamed hardness, pressing it with his palm into his lips as he continued kissing and tonguing his way up the shaft. As he did this, he looked over to Ratso, noting the way the large man's hands twitched as they hung between his thighs, and the tent that had formed in his pants between widely spread knees.
Taking a short respite with his lips, Finn scolded, "No touchin' yourself either, Ratso...yer outta this one entirely."
Fingers curling in strain, one of Ratso's legs began bouncing with antsy energy. "Yeah...figured." Was it really a punishment if he was allowed that relief? His mouth dried as Chow reached to fist the gold chain around Finn's neck, the only thing he was still wearing, and used it to yank the man back up his body. His legs were thrown around Finn's hips with abandon.
"Come on, already, it's been weeks without you guys..! I'm prob'ly gonna be good for at least three rounds here, so get the show on the road..!"
Face flushing, Finn felt his own member twitch. "Woah...man, I nearly forgot what a nympho you are...heheh." It was merely a friendly jab, but quite truthfully, Chow's libido was much more intense than either of the others'. He had to have been going stir crazy on his own. Perfectly willing to ease Chow's pain and give some to Ratso, Finn began the process of loosening Chow's entrance with his finger.
Chow only gave a small, displeased growl at being called a nympho – he was merely sexually liberated, thank you – and let it slide as Finn obliged to give into his desperation.
Ratso endured. Hard as it was not to be allowed to touch the men he loved and to watch them love each other so intensely, he watched, all the while just seated there like a dejected puppy. It was so much harder when Chow was pent up, too. The Chinese man was always a bit intense, but it was above and beyond now. He tired out Finn's vindictiveness as a top, and gladly swapped places, exerting all of that bottled lust onto the redhead once he'd been spent. His stamina meant the show was a long one, and his passion meant it never lost pace.
But at last, it did end. Relief washed over all three men as Chow finally pulled himself from Finn for the last time, sitting back and throwing his elbows up on the back of the sofa as he let out a loud, satisfied sigh.
With more of a winded sigh, almost glad the assault was over, Finn crawled forward to flop over the sofa's arm like a pillow. His gaze wandered toward Ratso, who was still sitting there, looking uncomfortable but complacent. Over time, and especially in his clarity, Finn felt kind of bad for making him do this. Though to be fair, he hadn't expected it to go on for so long.
"Hey...you're still here," he noted, "That mean you really don't wanna run out on us..?"
Ratso shook his head. "I told you. You guys are special to me. The most special. I love you. I get how I hurt you. And I mean it, I'm never gonna do that again. Especially not for no Tom, Dick or Harry."
Chow lifted his head enough to tilt it, endeared. "Aww. That's sweet. Hey, I forgive you. I remember what it was like bein' new to the swinger life. I meant what I said about showin' you the ropes, too. Learnin' to stay in your pact isn't a big deal." He hadn't been as mad as Finn, nor was he as sensitive about loyalty explicitly, but he'd had plenty of time to work past what upset he'd had here anyway. He could work with Ratso.
The final word was up to Finn, however, and both men looked at him now as he digested the responses he'd gotten.
Feeling put on the spot, Finn felt even worse about concocting this scene for himself in the first place. He wasn't mad anymore. He might be a bit apprehensive, but he really didn't want to kick Ratso out. Ratso had been his first steady relationship that had made him feel safe about valuing loyalty as a criminal. Not wanting to get gooshy about any of that, though, he masked it with a passive shrug and granted, "Ehhh, yeah, payback's served. And I guess I did get to smash Chan's face with mash, so we're even. You've earned some snuggle time." Hoisting himself more upright to be seated, he patted the space that had been made between himself and Chow.
Knowing Finn knew that he loved snuggling much more than the others, possibly even more than the sex, Ratso's face broke out into a wide beam and he gladly rushed forward. The cushions bounced with the force of his sitting, causing Finn and Chow both to tut in a spot of amusement. Ratso's innocent eagerness was always adorable.
Both naked men leaned against the fully-clothed one joining them, Ratso's arms wrapping snugly around his boyfriends as he radiated joy. He was so glad that things had worked out. He really had proven his seriousness about staying committed. And Chow was even going to help him figure out his need to latch on to new relationships! How great was that?
And really, screw Jackie Chan. Acting so keen on him and telling such bold-faced lies just to infiltrate their plans. That was evil. And not the good kind of evil. It was his fault that the trio of Dark Hand Enforcers was facing such a big first hurdle in their relationship. But well, at least they seemed to be clearing it.
Infinitely glad for that, Ratso turned to kiss Finn, then Chow, on the forehead, just to express how there was no bad blood so long as they let him stay after this. Clearly, this action melted their hearts, as even though nothing was said, they both smiled and moved in tandem to stretch up and kiss Ratso's cheeks.
For now, everything was back to being perfect.