Sean stiffly sat up, rubbing a hand over his collarbone. He could still feel Mark's hand there and it felt weird. Dropping the washcloth Mark had given him back into the bowl of cold water, he climbed to his feet. He wanted to walk this off, but his body had other plans. The second he was up; he had no choice but to sit back down as a wave of dizziness washed over him. Wrapping an arm around his stomach, he coughed. Staring at the carpet floor, he scolded himself. Of all the times to get sick... This wasn't one of them. Lifting his head, his body pleaded with him to lay back down. He didn't want too. So, for a few minutes he sat just trying to fight back the urge to rush back to the bathroom. He had been doing well, until the smell of food from the kitchen slipped into his room. The very thought of eating had him running back into the bathroom. Upon staggering back out, Sean spotted the data pad and took it with him to the bed. Slumping back over the bed, Sean laid on his side to look at it.

Exploring different aspects of the data pad, he learned so much more than he had ever known about Pets. Through this data pad, he had his own profile that allowed him to communicate with other Pets in Valhalla. Through the social group, other pets were posting pictures and chatting like normal people. Some were asking other Pets to join them at the park to play sports. Some were enjoying themselves at the Groomers and posting pictures of their new flashy styles. There were even Pets requesting meet ups to fuck or breed. The only asked for Master permissions slips and pedigree papers. Sean quickly flipped back to sports get togethers. Flipping through the many sports that the park hosted, he stopped on racing. Pressing the subject, it brought up specific types of racing from running, swimming, flying, horseback riding, and so much more. There was even a gambling option for each of these events. Sean keyed in for vehicles and it brought up two types. One for Valhalla Pets that he could join in... Or gambling on the Slum Races.

Sean's heart twisted up in his chest. Exiting out of everything, he buried his face in the fluffy pillows. It was painful to think about what had happened to the Green Dragons in his absence. Punching the pillow, he groaned loudly into the pillow at the thought of the Red Cyclones putting him in this position. Everything he had worked for... Everyone he looked after and protected... All that was gone now if the Red Cyclones moved in on them. Cooling himself down as a headache crept up on him, he turned over to get the cold washcloth. Wringing it out, he put it to his forehead and shifted back. With a heavy sigh, he began to look over the Pet Shop items. Since Mark had given him a hefty allowance in order to get clothes and decorate his room, he decided to spend it for just that. He managed to find almost everything that he wanted. The big thing that he missed was his bike. He looked into Pet assets and found that his own money had been put into his allowance as well as what Mark had given him.

However, his stuff that was seized from the Slums was 'in processing.' Including his bike. As relieved as he was that his bike wasn't dismantled or given away, he was pissed that he didn't have access to it. A few hours passed, before Mark knocked and asked him through the door. "Sean? Are you awake?" Sean was sitting up on the bed with his legs crossed. He was still trying to find a way to have his bike brought to this house... but it kept asking for a 'Master's permission code!' Frustrated, he tossed the data pad onto the fluffy comforter as he answered gruffly. "Ya, I'm up." Mark opened the door, slipping inside with a tray. Mark set the try on the desk by the door, continuing to linger by there as he asked. "How are you feeling?" Sean raised heated eyes to Mark, grumbling out without answering Mark's question. "How do I go about getting my bike back?" Mark glanced down at the tray, mumbling to himself lightly. "I'll take that as an improvement." Sean turned the data pad around, snapping out. "It needs your permission to sign off on my bike. So, enter your damn code."

Mark's eyes rose to meet his in a slight warning and Sean swallowed his next choice of words. After a moment of silence, Mark looked back to the dog bowl on the tray, firmly stating out in a calm tone. "No." Sean rose up onto his knees, snapping back. "Why not?! That bike is MINE! I built it! You have no right to keep it from me!" Mark grabbed the chair to the desk, dragging it across the rug to the bed. Twisting it around, Mark sat himself down in it, resting his arms along the back of the chair. Staring him down with powerful golden-brown eyes, Mark told him in a deep dark voice. "Go on. Bark at me again, Sean. See what happens." Sean clenched his jaw; he was sick and frustrated. Two lethal combinations. Part of him wondered if the was a bluff. Matthias clearly had a ward that protected him... but he hadn't seen one on Mark yet. He had even spit on him. Calling his bluff, Sean grabbed the corner of a pillow and swung it out hard to hit him with it.

It was a petty weapon, but he hoped that it would at least knock Mark off his high horse. To his shock the pillow struck Mark across the face with enough force that the zipper actually cut a line on Mark's cheekbone. Sean released the pillow completely startled that he had actually hit him. Wasn't the ward supposed to protect him? Mark raised a hand to touch his cheek, pulling it away to see the fresh red blood. Mark's eyes rose to meet his in an emotionless glare. Sean's hands started to tremble in slight fear. What would he do to him for drawing blood? Mark stood up slowly from the chair without a word, moving up to the bedside. Sean scrambled to the far side of the bed, asking in a shaky voice. "Wait... I thought... I didn't mean... What are you going to do?" Mark picked up the data pad off the bed, setting it safely on the dresser. The moment he started walking back to the bed, Sean slid off the bed and stumbled to the floor. He was too dizzy to defend himself.

The more his adrenaline spiked, the dizzier he got. The world just wouldn't stop tilting. Mark strolled around the bed quickly to get to him. Sean tried to climb back over the bed, but Mark snatched his forearm in a firm grip. Sean yelped in fright, huddling against the edge of the bed as he pleaded out desperately. "Wait! I didn't mean it!" Mark pulled him closer to his chest, stating into his ear in a rather gentle voice. "Then prove it to me." Sean peeked over at Mark's chest, mumbling out meekly. "How?" Mark's warm breath tickled his ear, when he whispered even closer to it. "Get on the bed and lay on your back." Sean shivered with fear, timidly asking. "What do you plan to do to me?" Mark's grip on his arm lessened, when he told him lightly. "I know you didn't mean it. Otherwise, you would have thrown the tablet at me. The issue is that you still drew blood... I haven't seen my own since I was a kid. However... I'm not asking for your blood in return. I just want you to trust me. I think that's fair."

Sean straightened up, finally looking Mark in the eyes as he uttered out very softly. "Depends on what you plan to do to me in this trust exercise of yours." Mark dropped his hand, crossing his arms as he told him smoothly. "Perhaps you'd feel better if I paddled you again?" Sean shuffled his feet anxiously, before crawling onto the bed. He just got pants; he didn't want to have them pulled down for that. In the Slums it was an eye for an eye. He could handle some weak trust exercise to being cut in return. Sitting down in the center of the bed, he grumbled out reluctantly. "Fine. Let's get this over with... How do you want me?" Mark uncrossed his arms, placing a hand on his exposed shoulder to coax him into laying back. Stiffly, he obeyed. Mark then slid his fingers down his bare arm to his wrist, asking him nicely. "Put your hands over your head for me." Sean looked up at the headboard to make sure that there was nothing there. It was clear. So, taking a deep breath, he reluctantly lifted his arms up to cross his wrists over his head.

Sean felt strangely vulnerable like this. He tried to keep his breathing steady, but he was starting to worry why he was doing this. Clenching his fingers into fists, he looked over Mark closely. He didn't see anything on him that could be used on him. Mark set his hand on the bed by Sean's side, asking him without looking at him. "Relax, Sean. Deep breaths. I'm not going to hurt you." Sean took a deep jagged breath, nervously mumbling out. "Why do you want me to do this?" Mark lifted his hand off the bed, holding it over Sean's stomach as he answered honestly. "The stomach is the most vulnerable part of every animal. It's the one part that an animal will do anything to protect... Or they'll let you see it if they trust you enough." Sean blinked not understanding, until Mark's hand lowered onto his stomach. Sean jerked, his hands going instinctively into a defensive position. He didn't like being touched and was going to punch Mark if he tried anything.

Mark kept his hand on his stomach, staring at him with gentle eyes as he told him warmly. "See? You're afraid to trust me. So, let's try to break these defensive walls of yours. Instead of barking orders at me like a dog... How about you trust me a little, and I'll tell you about your bike. Fair?" Sean swallowed anxiously, putting his arms back over his head. Mark took a seat on the edge of the bed, his hand casually pushing the hem of his tank top up to expose his stomach. Sean clenched his jaw, his body tensing up as he groaned with restraint. Mark stopped his hand, informing him calmly. "Easy now. My hand won't go below your belly button." Sean sucked in his gut, muttering through his teeth. "Why are you making me do this?" Mark raised an eyebrow, gesturing with his free hand at his unbound hands and ankles. Sean shot him a scowl that got Mark to tell him lightly. "I'm not forcing you to do this. I asked you to do this. You're scared and you don't have to be."

Sean shot upright, bracing himself back on his hands as he snapped back defensively. "I'm not scared of the likes of you! You couldn't take me in a fair fight!" Mark smirked, whispering wickedly. "I don't doubt that you'd put up a good fight... but I didn't say that you were scared to fight me." Sean glared at him, trying to read his smug golden-brown eyes. At least, until Mark's hand moved directly down over the exposed skin of his stomach. Gasping loudly, Sean sucked in his gut as much as he could and tried to breathe very little. Sean clawed his fingers into the sheets aggressively, his legs pulling up protectively. Mark's hand stayed against his flesh as he leaned in to whisper over his shoulder almost comfortingly. "You're afraid of intimacy with another person. I thought the information was lying when it said you were a virgin. Often the Cecaelia doctors lie to up prices... but since arriving you've been terrified of me forcing myself on you. Weren't those your words when it came to Nobles and their Pets?"

Sean closed his eyes and locked his jaw shut. Mark leaned into him a bit, his hand still against him and unmoving. Mark's lips moved closer to his ear, telling him sweetly. "True to my word. I don't see why you need your bike here. It's better off in storage." Sean's body was a tense mess, but he managed to retort through his locked jaw. "I want it to race against the pampered Pets here." Mark's voice became firmer as he told him. "You're not ready to go anywhere near other Pets yet. My answer is no. It's safe in storage and it will remain there until you are ready." Sean relaxed his body, opening his eyes to look into Mark's as he pleaded nicely. "Please, Mark. That bike is everything to me. It's the only thing that has ever truly been mine." Mark didn't say anything, he appeared to be thinking it over. So, Sean quickly added hopefully. "Even if it just sits in the parking space by your car... I'll at least feel better knowing it's here. I'll do whatever you want..."

Sean flinched as he said those words, but he meant them. Whatever shame he had to go through would be worth it. It wasn't just some vehicle... it was practically family. He built her up from being just a rusted frame. He put his whole life into that bike. Mark removed his hand from Sean's stomach, asking him seriously. "Whatever I want, huh?" Sean nodded, feeling like he had to prove that too. Raising his hand, he touched Mark's cheek before pressing his lips to his in a hesitant kiss. The kiss was very brief, but he hoped it got the point across. Mark blinked in surprise, then a nice smile spread over his face. Sean couldn't breathe. He couldn't believe he had done that. Was he really willing to go that far for his bike? Part of him appeared to think so. He became suddenly terrified that Mark would accept his offer. He watched Mark put a hand on his thigh, patting it innocently as he told him nicely. "I admire your dedication... but you don't need to go that far. I want you to want it because you want to. Not because you feel you need to in order to get something from me. Although, it's nice to know that kissing is an option now."

Sean blushed a bright red as Mark climbed off the bed. Casually Mark walked around the bed, his fingers sliding over the comforter as he said coolly. "Tell you what... I'll sign off on the release of your bike." Sean locked his legs together, mumbling out under his breath. "Why do I feel a 'but' coming..." Mark stopped at the end of the bed, leaning forward to grip the foot board firmly. Sean swallowed, watching a smirk cross Mark's lips before he answered so sweetly. "Because you know nothing is free. You want that bike... I want something from you." Sean sat up to wrap his arms around his knees anxiously. Hanging his head with a heavy sigh, Sean reluctantly asked. "I'm afraid to ask what you could possibly want from me...?" Mark's tone turned into a buttery purr when he answered. "Do you know what a Milking Expo is?" Sean looked up with an uneasy expression, muttering out seriously. "I don't like the sound of that... and why should I care?" Mark drummed his fingers on the foot board, answering matter-of-factly. "You should... because it's the only thing a Slum dog like you can be entered into. And Pet Expo's are mandatory here in Valhalla. It's a way to show off Pet breeds in all their glory." To Be Continued...