For those that have not read the Ai No Kusabi Books, in Book six, after Riki has returned from his year of freedom, the Blondie Orphe gives Iason a list of stipulates for Riki in order for him to be accepted back into Tanagura. One of these is that Riki must attend a special breeding party, which Iason does agree to.

Riki is humiliated at the party, mostly by Iason using the pet ring to show how much control he has over Riki, and then when they get home, for whatever reason, Iason looses it. He has sex with Riki for hours, until the poor guy just has nothing left, and even when he begs to be left alone, and that he has nothing left to give, Iason decides to prove him wrong. He makes his penis grow even larger while he is brutally raping Riki, and continues to do this until Riki lose consciousness from the pain.

This scene takes place about a week later, just so you know what Riki is referring to.

"Eight in the side," Riki advised and made the bank shot easily, hearing the disgruntled mutter from the red-head across the table.

"Bastard." Katze smirked and shook his head.

He was glad that Riki had called and asked him to stop by while Iason was off planet. Usually he would never do so without the Blondie's permission, but Iason had asked him to keep an eye on his 'pet' so this could technically be called keeping an eye on him.

"Another one."

"Haven't you been beaten enough?"

"You've only won two of three, Riki."

"You've only lost two of three, Katze."

Katze chuckled and set his cue stick down. "I need a smoke first." They moved out of the games room of Iason Mink's condo and headed for the balcony. He pulled out a cigarette, watching his dark-haired friend's face light up. "I suppose you want one?"

"You suppose right." Riki hopped up on his usual perch and caught the cigarette that Katze tossed him.

Katze lit his cigarette, then offered Riki the lighter as he leaned on the rail and looked out over the city. "Well, I'll say this for your lord and master, you can't beat this view, anyway."

"Yeah, so he beats me instead."

"Is it still that bad?"

Riki shrugged. Actually, he hadn't been beaten or punished since he'd agreed to come back here with Iason to save Guy and his Bison friends. Well, if you didn't count the brutal rape after Iason forced him to go to that horrid party of Orphe's. He'd rather have a beating, to be honest; he could mentally handle beating but that...well, he was still trying to get over it.

"Does it matter?"

Katze watched Riki swivel around on the ledge, much too quickly for his liking, so he was now facing the city. The stone railing was really not that wide and the idea of the young man falling caused his blood to run cold.

"Maybe you should get down from there."

"Why?"

"If you fall, Iason will kill me."

"I won't fall and he wouldn't care if I did. He can get another pet easily enough."

"Obviously he doesn't want another pet, Riki." Katze took another long drag. "He obviously only wants you."

"Yeah, just my fucking luck." Ricky pulled one leg up, rested his arm on his knee as he stared off towards Ceres. "I won the fucked up Blondie lottery."

Katze chose to remain quiet rather than provoke Riki further. He knew his friend was having a difficult time, having tasted his freedom for over a year, only to be pulled back into being someone's pet. He'd been Iason's furniture for many years, and over all the man had treated him fairly, allowing him to set up his own business once he no longer had use for him. Iason had appreciated his skills and hadn't wanted to see them wasted. He owed Iason, would always be loyal to him, but that didn't mean he didn't sympathize with Riki.

"It's too bad you couldn't come back to work for me."

"Yeah, too bad."

"Still, at least you're living in comfort, right?"

Riki ignored the question. What point was comfort when you were a slave to a Blondie's whims and desires? What pissed him of most was that his brief time back in Ceres had made him realize what a different world it was there. He thought if he could just get back home he would be happy and content, but he wasn't. If anything, he spent almost his entire year angry, afraid, depressed and stoned out of his mind on alcohol.

And Guy...he hadn't been fair to Guy, but he couldn't go back to his pairing partner, not after what he had done, what Iason Mink had done to him. He had been conditioned to only want the Blondie's touch, to only react to Iason. At least, that's what he told himself was the reason why Guy no longer held any attraction for him.

Trying to pull his friend out of the brooding mood that had descended over him, Katze deliberately made a snide comment. "So, I guess that's why you've become so bad at pool?"

"Huh?"

"You're obviously completely whipped."

Riki grinned and took a swipe at him, watching Katze dodge it easily. "I'm winning asshole."

"The night is young, shithead. Put your money where your mouth is."

"I don't have any money." No, he had to depend on Iason even to buy his cigarettes, God Damn it! But since he didn't want to waste his time being angry when he finally had some company, he smirked. "Unless you want me to suck your useless dick?"

"Tempting, but no." Katze tossed his cigarette over the side and shoved his hands in his pocket. "If I win the next game, then I've got some things that need to be decoded, you were always pretty good at that. If I win, you decode them for me."

"I'd decode them for you even if I don't win," Riki admitted, eager for having something to do besides be a Blondie's plaything. "And if I win..." He looked at the cigarette in his hands. "You buy me a carton of these things. They're awesome."

Katze scowled. "A carton? They're my private stock and not for sale."

"So you concede defeat already?"

"Never."

"Sounds like you're saying you're gonna lose, and I'm hardly trying."

Katze laughed. "Not happening. I can take your best anytime I want."

"Baby, you can't handle me at my best."

Iason Mink stepped into his condo, handed his cloak to Cal and heard the unfamiliar sound of laughter coming from outside. Was that...Riki? He moved closer to the open balcony door and saw that it was indeed his pet, laughing and smiling with Katze. His heart leapt into his throat, and wondered why he had never heard that sound, never seen that smile on Riki's face before.

"Katze."

Both men jumped, guiltily and turned as Iason Mink stepped out. Katze managed to almost maintain his smile, but Riki's good humour dissolved immediately.

"Welcome back, Iason, how was your trip?"

"Why are you here, Katze?"

"Just came to check up on the kid and he asked me to stay for a visit. I hope you don't mind, we made use of your game room."

Iason shook his head, he didn't mind if Riki wanted company, he was entitled as long as it was someone that could be trusted to keep his hands off, like Katze. "What were you playing?"

Cal arrived with Iason's drink then disappeared again just as quickly.

"Pool, he's kicking my ass."

Iason's gaze landed on his pet, who had tossed his cigarette over the side and was now leaning on the railing instead of sitting on it, as he preferred. "I was unaware you knew how to play pool, Riki." If he had known he would have happily engaged him in a game.

Riki shrugged and stared over Iason's shoulder rather than at the man himself. "Well, I'm just a pet, right? Why would I know anything other than how to fuck?"

Katze caught the flash of hurt and anger in Iason's eyes and tried to defuse the situation. "We were just going to have another game, Iason, if that is okay with you. Why don't you join us?"

Before Iason could reply Riki moved past them. "I'm not in the mood anymore."

"Riki!"

Riki paused just at the balcony door, trying to contain his rage but knowing that if he defied that 'tone' in Iason's voice it would just cause more trouble for him later on.

"Katze, thank you for keeping him company, but now that I am home I would like to spend some time with Riki."

"Sure." Katze nodded, and as he passed Riki, he handed him the rest of his pack of cigarettes. "Make them last, hey?"

Riki offered him a small smile and slid the pack into his coat pocket. He watched Katze leave and then turned back to Iason. "So, should I strip now or just take off my pants and bend over?"

"Why are you so cold with me when I have done nothing to deserve it?"

Riki simply stared at him. Did he forget the other night completely? The Blondie had nearly split him in half and it had hurt like fucking hell. There was no way that his screams and cries could have been mistaken for passion, not even to the selective ears of an Elite.

"Whatever you say."

Iason stepped forward and noticed that Riki had started to step back, then stopped himself. "Why are you afraid of me, Riki?"

"Do you really have to ask that?"

"I do, yes."

Riki stared at him. Was it even possible that Iason didn't understand how brutal what he had done was?

"You nearly killed me, Iason."

"You are exaggerating, Riki."

"No, you fucked me until I lost consciousness and then I had to get six stitches in my ass! How the fuck is that exaggerating?"

Iason stared at him, then slowly nodded. "I apologized for that already, Riki. I do not know what more you expect me to do. I went too far, and I will not do so again."

"Until the next time I piss you off."

What really hurt Riki was he didn't know what he had done to deserve that kind of treatment. He had gone to that stupid pet party, and so yes he refused to drink anything because he knew that there would be drugs in them, and therefore wouldn't participate with the other pets, but fuck, did Iason really expect him to? Iason was adamant about keeping Riki to himself one minute then throwing him to the wolves the next. What the fuck?

"I was not angry with you, Riki. I just..."

"Wanted to kill me."

Iason surged forward and gripped Riki hard by the shoulders. "Stop that kind of talk! I do not want to kill you and I did not mean to hurt you." Not entirely, Iason added silently. Perhaps he had been punishing Riki in a way, and he had allowed his sadistic tendencies to escape farther than he normally did, but he regretted it later. "Regardless of any of that, you are my pet and I am free to do with you as I like!"

Riki stopped struggling and lowered his head. "Fine. Do what you fucking want, then."

Sensing his pets' withdrawal, Iason quickly dialed back his anger. "Riki." He caressed Riki's face with a gloved finger. "I honestly don't mean to hurt you. I forget myself sometimes, that is true, I forget that you are only human, but it is because you are so responsive that I forget. Can you not accept any of the blame for this?"

Riki lifted his head and glared at him. "Blame? Me? I didn't even want to fucking come here! You freed me, you told me I was free and then you threatened the people I care about most to make me come back here."

Iason's fingers on Riki's arms tightened painfully. "Do you still care for them so much, Riki? Why can you not forget them? I am sure they have forgotten you."

"You're wrong!" He wished that his gang would forget him, especially Guy, but deep down he knew that wasn't how it worked. "They are my friends! Maybe you don't understand that because you don't have any friends, you just have pets and furniture and subordinates! You're just a fucking machine!"

Iason released him so quickly that Riki almost fell over. "Yes, I suppose that is what you would see." Iason turned and stepped down off the balcony.

Riki watched him go and wondered what was causing the sudden tightness in his chest. He hadn't meant to say that, even if it was true, he hadn't meant to say it. He didn't really want to be here, and yet, part of him did, because like Katze had said; here he had food and comfort and was out of the cold. It was humiliating to be a Blondie's pet, but he supposed there were still worse things, and at least he wasn't whoring himself out on the street; which he'd been forced to do more than once in Ceres.

He knew Iason had feelings, how deep they ran he probably would never learn, but still...what he had said was out of line; even for him. As part of the agreement for Iason to leave Guy and his friends alone, he had returned to Eos. If he pissed Iason off enough, would he break that agreement and go after his gang again? Would the Blondie decide he'd had enough and order him to be sent to the mines, or worse, a brothel in Midas? No, he couldn't take the chance.

Fear and anxiety over his fate caused him to swallow his own anger and move inside, he found Iason seated in the living room with a book and his glass of wine. The Blondie did not even look at him and for a long moment, Riki hesitated about getting any closer. What could he say? He wouldn't apologize, and yet...He found he didn't like the idea if Iason being angry or disappointed in him. God, this was so messed up.

Finally he stepped down into the living area walked over, paused, and then settled at the Blondie's feet. Pulling one leg up, he braced his arm across it as he chewed on his lower lip. The silence between them was deafening and it bothered him for some reason.

He slumped a little lower and laid his head back so it rested against Iason's knee. Don't be like this, he cried silently. Don't just shut me out or ignore me. Get angry, or demanding, say or do something to let me know you're not going to throw me away tomorrow.

When Iason's fingers started to wind through his hair, Riki closed his eyes, allowed himself a small sigh of relief, then winced as the sharp painful tug that followed. However, the pain subsided as the caress continued again and Riki opened his eyes to meet the icy blue ones that stared back down at him.

"What is Cal making for supper?" Iason asked calmly, showing none of his earlier irritation.

"Some meat dish with pasta I think."

"Good, you will need the carbohydrates." Iason went back to his book, as his hand continued to caress Riki's hair.

Riki knew what his master's comment had alluded to and felt his body grow aroused, despite his reluctance to have sex with Iason again. "Don't hurt me," he asked so quietly that if Iason's hearing had not been enhanced, the Blondie would never have heard him.

Iason set his book aside, slid his hands under Riki's shoulders and pulled the young man into his lap. He lifted Riki's chin so he could look into his pet's eyes. "I promise. I will be very gentle."

Riki stared at him, then closed his eyes and leaned his head against Iason's shoulder. He actually didn't mind times like this, being held close in a pair of strong, warm arms. "Can we...play pool later?"

Iason smiled and curled his arms tighter around his pet. "I would enjoy that, very much."

Riki nodded, found himself starting to drift. "Sleepy."

"That's fine, it is still an hour before dinner. Rest, pet."

"Okay." A moment later, Riki was asleep.

Iason held Riki for that entire hour, reluctant to move other than to lightly caress his pet. These were the times he liked best.