Pierre's eyes darted between the food and Jet. There was no such thing as pretense in his eyes, he meant every word he'd said.

And yet still, he wanted to find a rock somewhere and hide under it.

He was aware everyone was waiting for him to make a move, to pick one or the other. But no one voiced it, they just waited.

Pierre moved further away from the fork and looked around the table in the space of a few seconds.

He noticed how tightly Mason gripped his hands in anticipation. If anything he knew about him was true, then the entire situation hurt him possibly more than anyone else. Pierre didn't want him to hurt, he never did.

If the entire house was in harmony, there still was a rift between him and Jet. They weren't exactly the best of friends at the moment and there was a lot of awkwardness between them.

When he looked at him now though, there was only kindness in his dark eyes, and something else so intense he shied away from it.

Pierre finally leaned in, took a bite and chewed. The room seemed to let out a breath.

It almost didn't taste like Jet's cooking except it was. He still needed a lot more practice. "It's... it's actually, really bad," he said.

Jet blinked and his face lit up as he smiled at him; something he ought to be doing more and more. He was so beautiful.

Everyone watched him, food forgotten. Zel had a pout like he was so proud he was trying not to cry.

"You're all so cruel," said Pierre, shocking everyone at the same time. But he'd noticed none of them were touching their food. "If you're going to let me eat this on my own."

There was relief, and laughs as everyone dug in. And in that moment, when they sat eating one of the most horrible dinners, they were happy.

After dinner, Pierre knew he had to find Jet. What he didn't know was that Jet also needed to find him. Alone.

The other thing he didn't know was that just like him, Jet was also nervous as hell.

They bumped into each other when Pierre was getting out to look for him and he was there to find him. Well...they.

Jet held Hades in his arms as he stroked his fur, making the puppy wag his tail.

They both laughed at the situation as realization hit home. "Let's talk?" Jet asked.

"Yes," replied Pierre.

They got inside the room and Jet let Hades go. He quickly ran to Pierre and settled on his lap, panting excitedly.

Jet sat down next to Pierre on the bed.

"Where do we even start?" Asked Jet. He curled his fingers in his hair, disheveling it, then let go. How nervous could he get?

"I think from the beginning is fine."

Jet chuckled. "I almost broke my arm, then you sort of couldn't stand the sight of me."

"It wasn't that," Pierre said and scratched Hades' head.

Jet cracked his knuckles. "So why did you...you know...all of a sudden?"

It didn't take more than two minutes for Pierre to lay out everything for him.

"What the fuck? He said that?" Jet was a little confused. How could Linder...

"Yes," said Pierre.

That wasn't the type of person Linder was. He couldn't believe it. "Motherfucker..."

Pierre hadn't looked at him the entire time.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that. You should've just asked me, I'd never let him hurt you the way he did," added Jet. "Explains why you always looked so...well, sad."

Pierre noticed he wasn't even thinking about himself. "What about you? Aren't you even a little angry everything was pointed at you?"

"Oh. Yeah, yeah. That sucks but you're more important than a few rumors about me." Jet put a hand up to his hair again.

It was already growing back to the way it was. Maybe Riley would want to cut it again. No way, what was he even thinking?

When he turned to look, Pierre's face was a dark shade of pink.

"What?" Asked Jet. He watched as Pierre tried so hard not to smile. Way too cute.

"Nothing," said Pierre.

With Hades comfortable on his lap, he moved closer to Jet and leaned his head on his shoulder. It was Jet's turn to try so hard not to smile.

"I'm sorry," he heard the beauty on his shoulder say. "I should've just–"

"Don't even go there, I completely understand why you didn't," said Jet. "It's just that people have always not liked me, and I've never given two fucks about it. I just... I can't seem to control the hurt when it's you guys."

Pierre searched his hand out on the bed and squeezed. "I don't even know what I was thinking," he said. "I really like food."

"Not possibly more than I do," replied Jet.

"That is just not true."

"Oh really?"

Pierre nodded and leaned further. "Do you want to have a contest or something?"

Their fingers found each other and teased with light touches. "You're on," answered Jet. "I'm going to crush you."

"That's a dirty thing to say," Pierre whispered loud enough for Jet to hear. Hades got off his lap to play on his own. Something at the door seemed to be more interesting than Pierre's lap.

"I should have known you were trying to corrupt my innocent mind all this time," said Jet. "It's working."

Pierre blushed. He leaned back and it took everything in Jet not to cage him in and take his lips.

"Can I...hug you?" Pierre asked. His blush deepened.

Jet opened his arms and pulled him in, tucking Pierre's head under his chin. It felt right, the two of them like that.

"You smell like Mason," said Pierre.

Jet wasn't surprised. "He needed a hug before I came to find you."

"No, you really really smell like him."

"He needed a really, really long hug, and a few soothing words. All things I'm terrible at, I suck at saying corny shit."

"But you still tried?"

Jet made a noncommittal sound.

"That's corny," said Pierre. "And I think this hug is perfect."

"Fuck Pierre..." said Jet. "Maybe I should make you food everyday."

Pierre looked up in horror and Jet chuckled. "Relax, I'm only kidding."

Pierre eased back against him. He was pulled closer yet. The beauty nuzzled Jet's neck then sighed.

"What are you doing?" Asked Jet after a short while.

Pierre squeezed the buds of his nipples through his shirt and pinched over and over.

He stopped when Jet asked him. "Zel said... I should find nipples to pinch every time feelings overwhelmed me."

꧁___꧂

Riley had never been in a skyscraper before, but here he was, in the Master's very own, finishing up a late meeting with the coaches.

They'd been given an empty office to talk. Clear glass walls you could look through like most of the offices in the building, or at least just the floor they were on.

Looking through the glass passively, his eyes locked onto the Master's outside. He had his arms crossed as he smiled at him. Waiting for him.

To Riley, the meeting was as good as over. He suddenly felt self conscious. How long had he been standing there?

The Master came in and the meeting was adjourned. And then they were alone.

"How did it go?" He asked. He closed the distance between them and pecked his lips.

"Fine I guess. It's got me thinking though."

"What is it?" The Master frowned.

"Not now, but I'll tell you."

He nodded and closed his hand over Riley's. "Let's go."

༻༺

Riley had had enough, watching the Master talk to one of his associates. He didn't know what they were saying but his fists balled.

The man leaned in too close. Too suggestive. He couldn't watch anymore when his fingers skimmed lightly over the Master's hand. He made it look like an accident. Fucking bitch.

He got in the backseat to wait for the Master and turned away from them. In less than five minutes, The door on his opposite side opened and the same guy got in.

Riley smelt his rich cologne before he properly saw him. The confusion must have been clear on his face.

"Oh hey," the man said. "I'm Oliver. Just one of his associates." He pointed out the window to where the Master now spoke to someone else.

Yeah, just the one trying to jump his bones. Riley thought. "Why are you here?"

"I'm just having car trouble," he said. He made his fingers walk along Riley's thigh. "Says he'll just be a minute."

"What the fuck?" Riley said. He read his body language. Before everything, he was used to this. This was literally his lifestyle. This...Oliver, wanted him too.

He inched closer and extended his arms at the back of Riley's seat. "You hate me already? We should change that."

This should have been his playground, no one flirted harder than he did. But apart from the Master and four other men, there was no one else he could think about. He was so irritated.

Oliver didn't stop leaning further into him, closing the distance inch by inch. Politely telling him to fuck off didn't seem to work.

Riley had an arsenal of words ready and he wasn't afraid to use them, but just then, the Master swung the door open and harshly told Oliver to get out.

Anger seemed to roll off him in waves as Oliver kept a light tone. "...just fooling around..." Riley managed to hear before he'd been completely dragged away.

He threw him against another car and Riley turned. He didn't want to watch their altercation. The Master already probably got the wrong idea with the position in which he'd found them.

Most of the ride back was quiet until Riley couldn't take it anymore. "It's not what you think," he said.

It was a devilish laugh, devoid of any joy whatsoever. "Please, tell me what I think," came the reply.

The Master was driving. He'd strangle him if it wouldn't put their lives at risk.

"You think I was into it."

The car came to a grinding halt when they reached the house. They both got out at the same time.

The Master slammed the car door and walked in. Riley followed him then caught his door before he could slam that too.

"I wasn't," he said firmly.

He moved until he was finally facing him, their eyes finding each other.

The Master's tie came off first, then a few buttons unfastened. He didn't break eye contact with Riley. It sent a chill down his spine, seeing him angry like that.

Then he was walking towards him until he had no choice but to walk backwards. His face an inch from Riley's as he was finally backed up against the wall.

Without saying a word, he took Riley's wrists in his hands and started to bind them with his tie. Riley was powerless to even move as he felt the smooth silk of the purple tie against his skin.

It was soft, and then it wasn't. His wrists were bound tight against each other. Then lifted above him.

The Master hooked a finger under his chin and leaned in then stopped. "Did you like it when he was this close?"

Riley jerked forward and kissed him with his hands captive above him. His actions were forceful but he couldn't help himself.

The Master kissed back in equal measure. A hand traveled down to squeeze his thigh. Then they broke off.

"Were his hands here?"

Riley groaned at the pressure the Master applied.

"Tell me, because I'm going to erase every single memory of his touch," he paused. "Until you're quivering in my arms."

Riley tried to pull away. The Master pushed against him and pulled him flush against his body. "Don't fight me," he said.

He squeezed his ass and used the grip to wedge them together, impossibly close. He ground their arousals together.

"Think you're the only one with the right to be jealous?" Riley snapped. "Don't think I didn't see the way you talked to him. How he touched–"

The Master's lips claimed his brutally. It was a rough kiss through and through. So rough his lips ached from the pressure of it all.

They parted. "Nothing," he said breathing hard. "That's what he is to me."

The Master used his free hand to explore underneath Riley's shirt, stroking the defined body.

His cock leaked further. Riley was so hard he was sure his dick could tear through his pants.

He was so done with this part. "Maybe he'd fuck me senseless faster if I'd let him," Riley goaded.

He watched the Master visibly freeze to his satisfaction. He should stop, but he wanted it. The more he thought Oliver's hands touching the Master, the more it fueled his anger.

He was jealous out of his mind. And using it to make the Master angry was exactly what he needed. Riley smirked just for dramatic effect.

"I'm going to make you regret every single word you just said."

"Go ahead and try," said Riley.

Riley dropped onto the bed with a small smile on his lips. The smile faded when the Master gripped his short curly hair and stuffed his face into his crotch.

Riley felt the clothed hard length against his face. He was pulled away before he could do all he wanted.

"Do you want it?" A rough voice asked.

Riley licked his lips and nodded.

It was the Master's turn to smirk. "On your fucking knees."

Riley did as he said, and with his hands tied in front of him, he looked up expectantly at the Master.

The cock stretched his mouth wide and fucked into it. Riley's eyes watered.

The Master slowed down and took his own shirt off. Then took his cock out of his mouth and kissed Riley's lips. He slammed it back into his mouth.

Riley wanted more. His jaw already hurt from the oral exercise. But he wanted more than that. Thankfully, the Master pulled him to his feet.

Riley didn't have enough time to ogle the glorious naked body before him, before he was not so gently pushed against the wall.

If walls could rock, this one would be rocking alongside him. He pushed up against it with every hard thrust.

"Oh...fuck!"

The Master's chuckle was a little scary. Until Riley understood why he did it.

The thrusts came way harder. If he didn't use the back of his bound hands against the wall, the whole side of his face could have been bruised by the time they were done.

He couldn't string out a proper word, much less a sentence. The cock inside him played harshly against his prostate. He jerked every single time until he was sure he was going to paint the wall with his cum.

Riley's knees buckled. They fucking gave out at the same time the Master slipped out. With a thud, he knelt against the wall, breathing like he needed all the air in the world.

The Master went down too, his hands on Riley's nape before pulling him to crush their lips together. By the time he took his hand off, Riley was the one leaning forward. He pulled away and left him wanting.

"I just need you to know," the Master started, smiling his devilish smile and tracing Riley's bottom lip with his thumb. "No one can fuck you like I can."

Riley didn't think his heart could beat faster than it did at the moment. No one even came close to fucking him the way this man did. And now that he...cared, it was overwhelming.

He was lifted off the floor and thrown roughly onto the bed. "Do you want me to slow down?" The Master asked him.

Riley spread his legs. "Fuck no."

That had the Master smiling until he was back inside him again.

Riley moaned while he grunted. The Master didn't stop moving, making Riley cry out and snatch fistfuls of his hair.

He finally slowed just a little. His lips a few inches from Riley's, curling into a smile when Riley kept moaning.

Riley's eyes flew open and looked directly into his. The color of his eyes, blue or grey? He'd never been able to figure it out. He got lost in them as his body rocked gently, building to a climax.

Riley couldn't do much with his hands, but he almost fully closed the distance between their lips. "I lov–"

The Master closed the space between them, stealing the rest of his words with his lips.

Riley kissed back until he felt himself orgasm. He felt the Master shudder above him. Then groan with his release. It was bliss.

They lay holding each other until either one had the strength to move again. This was more than just sex, something else entirely.

The Master got rid of the rubber and took Riley's hands. He started untying him.

"I have something to ask you," said Riley. He tried not to focus on how gently the Master handled his bound hands.

"What?"

"Wear this tie when you go to work tomorrow okay?" Riley smirked.

The Master stopped momentarily, looked up, then back to continue untying him. He didn't reply.

Riley took matters into his own hands when he took it upon himself to wash the Master in the shower.

He was a little surprised that he let him. But he didn't show it.

He washed him like he wanted to study every inch of his body. He took his time, letting his hands linger where they traced his skin. The Master just kept watching him.

He'd almost admitted it. Almost said he loved him. Fuck. There would have been no coming back from that.

The Master didn't cut him off by some mistake, he was sure. But he couldn't decide if that was what he wanted or not.

For a minute there he'd allowed himself to believe he felt the same way. To a point where the words would have been blurted out if a kiss hadn't gotten in the way.

Riley made the Master turn around then washed his back too. He then put his forehead between the planes of his back and circled his arms around his front.

The man in his embrace didn't react to the needy gesture, a part of Riley he didn't just hand out to anyone.

They stood there for a while, quiet except for the spray of the water.

Maybe it was all just wishful thinking and the Master didn't have any feelings at all. But holding him here like this...

He was suddenly turned around and backed up against the glass. "Riley," the Master whispered and got closer.

Riley tried to smile but it probably turned out sad. He felt the kisses everywhere; his cheek, his lips, his brow, his collarbone, the shell of his ear...

His body felt alive. Like it always did when it came to the Master. Jet, Pierre, Mason and Zel too.

He wasn't going to be able to take it, so he asked him to stop. "Let's go to bed," said Riley, putting some distance between him and the wet body.

The water was turned off then they got out.

The Master didn't make it easy, he never did. This time, it was harder than usual when he dried Riley and gave him what to wear.

He was hyper aware of him, as if almost saying the three little words uncovered something he'd been trying to push down.

The bed had been ambushed when they got back. Before they could even think to get under the covers, both noticed Pierre curled up against Mason with his head on his chest. Fuck.

Zel's back was flush against Jet's front with their fingers entwined. Double fuck.

Riley's heart soared. This was so perfect he couldn't describe it. This was how it should be. Always.

He got in behind Jet and kissed the top of his shoulder. The bed was big enough for all of them. And they'd be touching. He cursed the dirty part of his brain that never slept.

"Well what are you waiting for Daddy?" Zel whined.

Mason disentangled himself from Pierre and got off the bed, walking up to the Master. Riley thought even his walk was gorgeous. His heart was acting dumb, he knew that. He embraced it.

Mason seized the Master's hand in his. He was on his tiptoes when he pecked his cheek. They looked so good together.

"Let's go to bed," Mason told him.