Thirty-Four

Riki was annoyed, and now he's bored, the two Blondies who had volunteered to 'pet-sit' him for the rest of the day doing nothing but drag him around the many unheard places in Eos, more like just showing him off than an actual tour, even stopping by the other Blondies' labs and offices to whisper amongst themselves, staring him down from where they'd left him with his chain on a seat or couch for some thirty or so minutes before hurrying off again.

This made the Pet roll his eyes in exasperation. What did these damned elites take him for? Now he knew how bacteria in petri dishes felt like. These Blondies just really loved to stare, though he had nothing to be ashamed about.

The fact he was Iason's was no secret, even the truth that the superior Blondie had sex with him almost every night. Perhaps it was more that the others wondered how that was then? Who wants to know? Riki frowned.

He shook his wings he unfurled and tried to distract himself by smoothing the silver, letting his generous cape fall to the floor. Katrice and Kantre had been doing an excellent job at maintaining the webbing, but it still missed Katron's touch. No. Truth be told, he missed the company.

"Ah, looks like the Pet is depressed," Haynes Salas whispered to Gideon when he noticed Riki sulking, looking absently out of the window. They had visited the Blondie at his office today, the seventh stop if the Pet counted right. "He must miss Iason."

The three Blondies observed him quietly. True enough, Riki had been thinking about his lover, but had not brought himself to call the other knowing he'd be busy and that it might distract the other, neither did he want to be branded as lovesick lest he was aiming to be teased by it all night…

Iason was the one who checked up on him however, and it made the Pet smile when, upon unfolding his phone, he'd seen his beloved's face on the transparent screen. The other Blondies just grimaced as the Pet took the call, laughing every now and then at his Master's flirting. It seemed to have livened Riki's mood…

"I love you," it sounded quite odd, overhearing it from a fellow Blondie, but they knew Iason meant these words which he always told his Pet, like a charm of his affections.

"As I, you. I love you Iason," the admittance was equally stunning, colouring Riki's eyes with a pleasant light…

After his Master's call, the Pet was able to take the sojourn through Eos in stride, recalling how Daryl and then Cal had done this sort of escorting before, but not without dissatisfying thoughts. Thankfully the Trinity had been more practical with him.

The triplets didn't think the Pet of the Mink Household to be so mindless that he should be pointed and guided to even the simplest of interactions in Eos Tower Two. They treated him as a special case amongst all pets, and were proud of the fact of his independence.

Katron in particular had been definitely happier that the first lesson he actually ever discussed with his Master Riki were the complexities of the Palace's Defenses of all things instead of a dull game of 'which buttons' other Furniture would have to contend with.

Besides, Riki didn't really need buttons to press. He could infiltrate the network without using a terminal, capable, as the Exclusive, of so much more. This pleased the Trinity, which also served to please Iason knowing his House was in absolute order…

But damn, as the hours ticked away, Riki was getting extremely irritated - again.

He'd been dragged around by both his temporary Blondie caretakers and they were thinking of visiting Silbert next on some silly excuse of business. How irksome. Riki was fed up with all this drama.

As they walked the lengthy, glass-lined corridor leading to the other farther levels of Eos One, the Pet was no longer able to contain himself. He narrowed his eyes, letting his temper get the best of him…

Elsewhere, Iason felt the sudden shift in the System even before any physical sign of the reaction happened as back in Tower One, Gideon and Aisha halted, noting how there was now an unexpected surge affecting their surroundings.

Riki was beyond annoyed, enough that he'd reached to unfasten the collar around his neck and march forward. The System fluctuated around him as the Pet walked to stand between the two elites, handing the rest of his leash to a surprised Gideon.

"If you're gonna spend time idling about, you wear this and I'm going," growled the Pet, brows meeting in a classic glare before he moved onward, a swish of his hooded cape as he freed himself from it.

His sable wings unfurled and fluttered once, before he gracefully folded them behind, no intentions of coming back anytime soon.

Aisha held a hand to his hip, "He still has that unique temperament, hasn't he?"

Gideon found that amusing, but realized they had to stop Riki from leaving, after all, they had promised Iason he will be taken cared for. The Blondie called after him, "Pet, wait up."

Riki had no intentions to, but he stopped in mid-stride, still fuming, the System continuing to oscillate around them in a display of willed instability.

"Calm down Pet. Don't go flaring like that," it was Aisha who cautioned the Exclusive, joining Gideon who had picked up the fallen robe. "It actually takes us quite the effort to repair the System once you get started."

"Then quit messing around! What is it that you want anyway!?"

Just like the Pet of Jupiter to be so indignant, but this was acceptable behavior. Riki had never once fully exercised his Exclusivity rights. Some feared he hadn't accepted it. This was a good show of progress. But the damned System fluctuated again, blending with Riki's emotions like some nasty concoction.

Aisha smiled in the barest. "We thought you'd appreciate the scenery," he said, which was not entirely a lie.

The corridor that they were passing opened through to the newest addition to Eos One, a lovely sight of gardens highlighted by three marvelous fountains and coiffured blooming trees. But then Riki was tired of being ported about. This he had no qualms about showing.

"He's right," Gideon drew closer. "We thought you might enjoy taking a walk for a while."

Riki crossed his arms, not daring to hide his annoyance. Who were they fooling? He understood how this had all been just a game to the two Blondies. Exclusive or not, they saw a stunning opportunity to test themselves with him. Unconsciously or otherwise, they also wanted to see how far they can make him do as they wanted.

Because for Iason, Riki could never really say 'no'. With other Blondies however, he flouted them every time.

"Ease up Riki...since it's still early, why don't you accompany Aisha and I to one of our last engagements today?" it was an invitation Riki would have declined given the choice.

But with the Palace under maintenance and without any of the Trinity to accompany him, he still wouldn't be able to go anywhere.

Aisha goaded on the idea, "We thought of getting you a suite in Apathia, but I doubt you'd like that."

Riki's scowl deepened. They're really pushing it…

"You make it sound like I have no choice."

"We're asking you nicely are we not?" Gideon raised a hand and slipped it just beneath the Pet's jaw, warm palm sliding down to the beating neck, noting with narrowed eyes the hickey Iason had earlier left on Riki's flesh, a thumb passing over it.

Surprisingly, albeit the expression of doubt on his face, Riki allowed the unusual gesture. The Blondies were becoming bolder with him it seemed. He hated it.

"What?" the Pet raised his chin, the air of stubbornness still there.

He felt nothing for this touch. It wasn't Iason therefore the reactions were bland irritation. But then he did not push him away either, which was a surprise.

"Allow me?" was all the Blondie asked as he raised the collar to once more dress the Exclusive with it and the robe...