The Art of Being A Slave
The Art of Being A Slave 1B
Yunho actually had to call his mother for help with disobedient children, since Jinki would subtly undermine him at every chance, which was becoming detrimental to Jonghyun's recovery. It was never enough to get him punished, but enough to increase the rising tension between them. With his mother's advice to ignore everything that Jinki was doing unless it was incorrect, or would lead to imminent bodily harm, Yunho sent to work with Jonghyun.
The younger slave, despite suffering the worst kind of abuse, in Yunho’s opinion, didn’t seem as mistrusting and angry at the world as the elder did. But that didn't make approaching him about the topic any easier, as Jonghyun would clam up tightly and say he didn't want to talk about it.
“We need to, baby” Yunho said one day, after a decent meal, while he and his five slaves lounged in the library. Jonghyun was pointedly ignoring him, as he focused on the Halo match he was playing against Taemin and Minho. He regretted having to bring it up when everyone was around, but he admitted to his past scars easily enough, and Yunho likes to believe that it is a good sign, he’s accepted what has happened, but he still needs help to move past it.
“But, Daddy” Jonghyun whined, when minho paused the game to make the older slave pay attention. He pouted hard in the general direction of Yunho, who just frowned at him. The younger man sighed heavily and rubbed his face, “Do we have to do it with everyone here?” he muttered after a while.
Yunho shook his head, “It’ll be just me and you, if you want. I just want what’s best for you, sweetheart, but we need to talk about it, or nothing will change.” he said gently, offering the boy a reassuring smile when he looked up. with how small he was, it was hard to remember that Jonghyun was only twenty.
“Can Kibum stay?” the smaller boy asked, which shocked not only Yunho, but Jinki, who looked up sharply from his corner where he’d been hiding. Yunho could see from the corner of his vision that Jinki had turned his dark and angry eyes on him, as if he were the reason Jonghyun wanted Kibum instead. But the master ignored it, smiling at Jonghyun as he nodded. He didn't miss the way his shoulders relaxed a little, as the kitchen slave, who had been sitting quietly near Jinki like he’d taken on the burden of needling his way under the oldest’s thick walls, came closer, or how Jonghyun seemed to curl into him a little bit. Yunho knew it hurt Jinki, judging by the heavy weight of the other boys stare, and how he left the room first, but he still felt proud at how familiar the boys were, how easily Jonghyun accepted the skinship, since when he first got to the house he flinched every time someone other than Jinki stepped too close.
Jonghyun watched silently as the others left, though he watched Jinki’s back the longest, and Kibum gave his hand a little squeeze when they were all finally alone. “Jinki-hyung doesn't like that I trust you.” Jonghyun said, as he sat down in front of the TV again, turning off the screen as he looked at his hands. Awkwardly the kitchen slave sat next to him, obviously fighting with his training, but his concern for Jonghyun overriding the need to ask Yunho for permission to sit in his presence. Yunho was glad for that, reminding Jonghyun that he was technically their master wouldn’t help matters right now. “He won't say it to me but I know he thinks I'm stupid, or you know, not smart enough to understand that you could be dangerous. But you haven't been. In all this time, you haven't done anything that would mean you were dangerous, that you were a bad master, or even a bad person.” he chuckled humorlessly, “Jinki-yah waits outside the door when I go to your bed to sleep because of my dreams, but you never knew that and you’ve never ever tried anything, and thats why I trust you”
Yunho was taken aback, glancing over to the large library doors, as if he were trying to see if the eldest slave was really waiting just beyond them, as if the only thing that kept Yunho in check was his presence. It was eerie. A little bit touching that Jinki would worry so much over Jonghyun, but Yunho still frowned, wondering whether it was about Jonghyun at all. “Your brother is… still dealing with some things, Jjong-ah. But thats not why we have to talk.”
Jonghyun sighed, tiny body seeming to deflate into itself, like he’d been trying to use Jinki as a shield so he didn’t have to talk about his problems, “It’s just sex.” he said in a small voice, so quiet Yunho almost didn't hear him, “As long as I don't have to have it, there shouldn't be a problem.” Even Kibum frowned at the slave, putting a hand on Jonghyun's knee and squeezing reassuringly as he shot a questioning glance at Yunho over the others’ head.
Yunho sighed and got up, walking over and sitting on the couch next to Jonghyun, close enough for the boy to feel his body heat, but not close enough to crowd him. “Jonghyun-ah. Do you plan on being a slave for the rest of your life? Or, when your contract is up in three years, would you go home? Your sister should be out of college by then, you both would be able to get normal jobs, support your mother. You can find a nice girl, or boy, or whoever you’re attracted to, settle down, have a family.”
With every word, the young slave seemed to curl more into himself, like they were physical blows Yunho was laying down on him. “I dont want to go home. I don't want to have kids.” he said after a prolonged period of silence, “I love my mother and my sister, and I miss them but… but I'm not the same person I was when I left and I don’t think they could handle that. I dont want to be responsible for their life, daddy. I like it here with Kibummie and Taeminnie and Minho-yah and Jinki-hyung, even if Jinki-hyung is being a brat. But this doesn't have anything to do with… with sex, and I don't see why it needs to.”
Kibum scoffed, gripping the older slave’s chin lightly and forcing him to meet his narrowed, feline like eyes, “Jonghyun” he said, waiting for the older boy to meet his eyes, “Don't you like it when we practice kissing? You did ask me, remember?” he implored, searching the others’ face, and Jonghyun blushed to the tips of his ears, jerking his head out of Kibum's grasp and looking back down to the floor. Yunho’s eyes widened at the revelation. They practiced kissing? When was this?
“But its not right, Kibum” Jonghyun whispered, “My old master said so. Said that the reason they were sending me away wasn’t because he was touching me when I said no, but because I was a boy and that was wrong.” He shot a glance at Yunho, trying to be secret about it, but flushed brighter and dropped his gaze once more.
Yunho sighed and gently laid a hand on Jonghyun's shoulder, sliding his hand up and down the youngers back, “He was lying, baby.” Yunho said carefully, “There’s nothing wrong with liking boys or girls. Hell, the president has a female consort she shares with her husband. The reason you were sent here was because he was abusing you.”
But Jonghyun was already shaking his head, sitting up straight to turn and look at Yunho, “No, he said it was in my contract, that I’d forgotten about it because of how long it’s been since I’ve seen it.” the smaller boy frowned darkly, a scary look for his face, but it gave Yunho hope to know that the younger could get angry. It was a sign of being a human and not a drone. “I’m pretty sure he was lying, but it all made sense, you know?” Yunho nodded solemnly because if fed it long enough, any abuser’s bullshit starts to make sense.
“But, I like Kibum’s kisses.” he said with a sly smile, like he knew of the blush that was spreading over the face of the boy behind him, “He’s gentle and soft” he paused and turned around, squeezing the younger man’s hand, “You’re my best friend, and I trust you more than anyone else so it’s okay, right? But…” he bit his lip and trailed off. Kibum shrugged, like he knew what the older man was talking about and patted the older boy’s hand. Beside them Yunho narrowed his eyes, not liking the secrets that existed between the two of them, but voicing anything would be detrimental. Normally, it would be extremely wrong to keep secrets from your master, but Yunho wasn’t Jjong’s master, and while keeping secrets from your father is also improper, its not against state law.
“It’s not in your contract, baby, and I think you know that.” Yunho said, brushing some hair from Jonghyun’s face “But, I want you to know that if you and Kibum want to have a relationship, something serious, I’m okay with that. There’s nothing wrong with it, and I’m here to help you, however I can, understand?” both boys blushed brightly as they shared a look; more secrets, and it made Yunho raise an eyebrow.
“May I be excused now?” Jonghyun asked, fidgeting in his seat, “I should go tell Jinki-hyung that you haven’t killed me.” he tried to smile at that, but there was worry laced in his words and his face. It was clear that Jinki’s actions over the last few weeks had been getting to Jonghyun, wearing on him like Yunho hadn’t predicted. He was going to have to deal with the older of the boys sooner rather than later, apparently, if it was upsetting Jonghyun this much.
Yunho nodded, but reached out to grip Keys hand gently as both boys rose, “You stay here” he said gently, smiling when Jonghyun looked back, hesitating as he darted his eyes between the master and his friend. He worried his lower lip with his teeth gently and Yunho smiled, “Don’t worry, he’s not in trouble, but someone has to clean up the room a little bit while I finish my paperwork.” Jonghyun nodded, and hugged Key goodnight before leaving, but Yunho didn’t let go of the slave’s hand before Jonghyun was out the door. Satisfied that the young man was out of earshot, he pulled Kibum back down onto the couch with a sharp tug.
“If you hurt him-” Yunho hissed, eyes dark and dangerous.
But Key interrupted with a scoff, eyes rolling and settling into his sarcastic self preservation instinct, “Oh get real” Key drawled, pulling away and leaning back into the couch, subtly putting distance between himself and the protected master. “He likes it when we kiss because I let him control it, but I don’t give him the-” he hummed and pouted a little as he thought, bow lips pushed out, and Yunho couldn’t help but let his eyes focus on them for a moment, before back up to Key’s dancing eyes, “‘Spark’, I think he said. I’m easy for him to practice with, but he wants a hard man, and-” he broke off with a giggle, covering his mouth a little, “We all know how I like my hard men.”
Yunho smirked, set at ease by the young slaves words. What was he thinking? Kibum would never take advantage of someone. Thats why he was in his service in the first place, “Between your lips and between your thighs.” Yunho ventured a guess, grinning at the blush it brought to Key’s high cheeks, “Speaking of, do you think he could be interested in Taemin? or Minho? I know that you’ve taken them both to bed… or, to counter, I guess I should say.” Key scowled darkly and hit the man on the thigh.
“Pervert” the younger muttered, turning away to hide his red face as he pretended to fix his hair, “But no, I don't think he’d like either of them. Well, he could, but I think he’s looking for something… else.” he said slowly, turning back to Yunho, face hesitant. “You probably don't notice it, but he acts differently around you. Younger, like a little kid. It’s interesting, don't you think?” Key hummed, before getting up and stretching, “If thats all, we both know Minho cleans this room. I have to go check the fridge to make sure we have things for breakfast” he blew the older man a kiss and all but sashayed out of the room, turning at the door to wink at his master, “Goodnight, Daddy”
---
“You’re such an idiot” Jinki muttered, in the dark of the night, as Jonghyun got up and struggled into one of his shirts, it was hard to get dressed when he was half asleep in the morning, harder even when Jonghyun had been woken up by a bad dream and needed to feel safe again to fall back to sleep. But Jinki’s words cut through his sleepy, slightly fearful daze like cold water, as he turned to glare at the older man in the dark, tugging the shirt down over his hips. Eh, it was long enough.
“What the fuck is your problem” Jonghyun hissed, clenching his jaw tightly as he he watched Jinki’s shadowy form shift on the bed, “You’ve been such a little bitch for the past few weeks. Everything was okay until Yunho bought our contracts and then-” he snapped his fingers, “Just like that, you’re acting like some spoiled little kid who never gets his way.”
Jinki sat up with a snarl, throwing his blankets off as he stomped towards Jonghyun, “Oh? I’m the kid? Really Jonghyun? Who’s the one going around hanging off that man’s every word? ‘Oh, daddy, please can we, please? please~’ , and ‘Daddy, I don’t wanna.’” he mimicked, and Jonghyun flushed a little but narrowed his eyes, “You act like you’re a ten year old whenever you’re in the room with him and it just gets worse every day. I just watch you get more stupid as time goes by around him, and he’s going to take advantage of you, because you’re an idiot who keeps going back!”
The younger slave flinched at the rise of Jinki’s volume. The elder seemed to realize what he’d done, flushing and turning away, panting hard with his anger, but Jonghyun wasn’t going to let him get away with that, snarling as he reached out and grabbed the man spinning him around and slapping the elder hard. The room echoed with the sound of it, Jinki freezing like a statue, eyes wide. Jonghyun felt a little bad, but it needed to be done
“How dare you?” the younger growled, fitsts clentched tight to his sides, his tiny frame vibrating with fury, “How fucking dare you, Lee Jinki? You stand there, and you act like this, but you call me the idiot? We were sent here to try and heal from what happened to us, and you think, what, shutting yourself off from everyone is going to help? At least I’m trying. At least I can touch people, think about…” he stumbled over his words, fueling his anger, “about intimate things without wanting to be sick.” he hissed, eyes wet suddenly, and he stopped to wipe them snarling at nothing as he tried to get himself back under control.
“So fucking what if I act like a child when Yunho is around. Maybe I like it, huh? Maybe I like the idea that someone is going to take care of me, instead of the other way around. I dont have to worry about anything, or anyone. I dont have to be the man of the house. Maybe you like the responsibility, but I don’t think so. Face it, hyung. If you didn’t want to be taken care of, you never would have signed that contract.” he huffed, sagging against the windowsill of their room, his anger running out and just leaving him tired once more.
Jinki hadn’t moved since Jonghyun had slapped him, long hair falling over his face as he hung his head. His uneven breathing mixed with Jonghyun's ragged breaths, and for a while, that was the silence of the room. “I cant believe you hit me” Jinki whispered, voice a little shaky and thready.
“You deserved it” Jonghyun said, matter-of-fact, “firstly, you called me an idiot, and that’s not nice, secondly, you broke that rule about assuming again, and thirdly, you were acting like a spoiled child and bad children get spanked.” the older mans breath hitched at Jjong’s words, but in the dark of the room, the younger couldn't see the color rushing to the man's cheeks.
“I am sorry” he added, hesitantly, reaching out a hand for the elder, “I know you don’t have the best track record with physical contact either, but Da-Yunho isn’t going to touch you like that, so someone had to knock some sense into that head of yours.” He grinned when Jinki reached out and grabbed his hand, and pulling the elder into a hug, “You’re a genius, Jinki-yah, but sometimes you can be a little bit thick.” the older man let out a shaky laugh as he nuzzled into Jonghyun’s shoulder and the younger purred, letting out a large yawn.
Jinki pulled away and rubbed his face, Jonghyun hadn’t struck him all that hard, it really had been the shock of it, more than anything, that had sent him into silence, “Come on” Jinki said, tugging Jonghyun towards his bed, “Let’s sleep for now.” Jonghyun frowned, but didn’t say anything as he let the elder tug him into bed, curling easily into the older slaves side. Jinki ran a hand though the younger’s hair until Jonghyun fell asleep.
Jonghyun had hit him. His mind was still spinning from it; Jonghyun had hit him, slapped him, and… it wasn't like he’d thought. He’d been angry at first, wanted to attack the younger for daring to hurt him, but he’d stopped himself, because the younger had been right. Had been right about a lot of things. He needed to get a better handle on himself. Jonghyun was important to him, his brother, even before Yunho. They grew up together. Jonghyun’s past abuses weren’t clouding his daily interaction with their housemates or their “Daddy”...
Jinki sighed and gently disentangled himself from the sleeping boy and got up. He shuffled into his slippers and slid out of the bedroom quietly. The hallway was dark, like it always was at this time of night, but after weeks of following Jonghyun down them, he knew where he was going. A few moments later he was standing in front of the grand door that lead into Yunho’s bedroom, his stomach in knots as he knocked hesitantly on the hardwood.
By the time Yunho opened the door, Jinki had had enough time to regret his decision, and try to leave, before chiding himself and forcing his feet not to move, which is why when Yunho opened the door to him, he was turned away, scowling darkly at his feet. The older man raised an eyebrow as he leaned against the door, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things, “You’re not the one who’s usually at the door.” he muttered, humming and licking his lips sleepily as he rubbed a hand down his chest, “Can I help you, Jinki-yah?”
The younger hesitated, clearly at odds with himself, before turning slowly and looking up at Yunho, “I did something bad.” he whispered, wincing internally at how young he sounded, but Jonghyun was right. The master just gave off an aura that made you want him to take care of you. Yunho could see, even in the dim light of the hall, that one of Jinki’s cheeks was redder than the other, and hesitantly he reached out to touch it, smoothing his thumb over the area. Jinki grimaced but didn't pull away. Instead, he averted his eyes to the ground once more.
“What happened” Yunho asked carefully, trying to catch the slaves gaze, but Jinki never looked at him, “You can tell me, sweetheart. It’ll be okay.”
“Jonghyun hit me.” Jinki said softly, so soft the older man almost didn't hear it, but it was unmistakable, in the quiet of the night, and Yunho hissed, pulling his hand away quickly and pulling the younger into a gentle, loose hug, incase Jinki wanted to pull away, but he was limp in the older man's grasp.
“What?! Why would he do that?” Yunho’s mind was jumping as he tried to keep outwardly calm for Jinki. But Jonghyun was the good one, how could he just hit Jinki? He knew he needed more information, but he also knew he needed to support Jinki and, god, raising two boys was hard. “Is he still in your room?” he pulled away, turning to march down the hall, but Jinki’s hand on his arm, soft yet firm as he held Yunho still, made the man pause.
“Thats not… I deserved it.” he said, and Yunho scowled darkly
“Jinki, you don't ever deserve to be hit.” the older man said through clenched teeth, but the younger just shook his head.
“No, I… I said some bad things about Jonghyun, I called him names, and I shouted at him, and I broke the rules,” he muttered, voice rising with stress as he tightened his grip on Yunho’s arm with every word, “I assumed. I… You need to punish me”
Yunho felt like something had knocked the breath from his body as he turned on the younger quickly, eyes wide as he stared at the slave. Jinki was still in the submissive posture, head down, hands in tight fitsts at his side. Yunho didn't know if this was progress or another test. Scowling in confusion, he grabbed the younger man by the scruff of his neck and not too harshly forced the boy into his bedroom, where he flicked the light on and let him go.
"Do you know where we are, Jinki?" He asked carefully, as he watched the slave from his door, as Jinki rubbed the back of his neck, nodding slowly, "This is my bedroom. It’s in my house plans as a bedroom. You know what that means, right?" Again, Jinki nodded; bedrooms had to be marked in all blueprints because slaves were legally their own person in a bedroom, it was implemented to cut down on sexual assaults, not that those can't happen anywhere.
Now that that was cleared up, "Tell me again what happened? What do you want me to do?"
"You need to punish me" Jinki insisted, voice stronger than it was in the hallway, "I... I was wrong. I hurt Jonghyun. I need it." his eyes met Yunho’s boldly. There was defiance burning in them, but something else, a deep need for.. something. Yunho didn't know, and he could tell that Jinki didn't either.
With a slow nod, the older man moved fast, clearing a space on his desk, "You know what to do" he said, voice deeper than usual. Jinki flushed as he fiddled with the string of his sweats before he seemed to steel himself, pushing down the fabric and stepping out of it, leaving him naked in front of the older man. Yunho had never seen him naked before. It took his breath away, and probably always would. He was stunning, to put it simply. Thin, but he’d filled out a bit since Yunho had taken him in; lean, muscles starting to get more defined. But Yunho frowned as he held out his hand for the younger, pulling him closer to ghost his hand over the top of the younger’s thigh, briefly touching at the scattered cluster of circular scars that dusted over the otherwise flawless skin.
“She burned you.” he whispered, voice calm and emotionless, keeping his anger and disgust out lest Jinki think they were directed at him. He’d seen these marks the last time Jinki had been punished, but he hadn't really had the time to focus on them, and now, it was like he was seeing them for the first time. It was one thing to read about them in the report he’d gotten when he’d first taken them in, it was another thing entirely to see them.
The young slave nodded, biting his lower lip lightly, “She used to just walk up to me some days, put h-her smokes out on me... and” he stopped talking, voice going dead for a moment as he took a few deep breaths. Yunho waited patiently, stroking over the youngers sides slowly to calm him, “Sh-she said that she knew… knew what I was thinking about.” his voice broke and Yunho cooed softly, reaching to hug him, but Jinki tensed, and he decided against it, moving away to lean against his desk.
“Sweetheart, we don't have to do this.” the older man said again, talking about the rough spots were always hard on the damaged slaves that had come through his doors, and would put them in an emotionally vulnerable mental space. He didn't want to add anymore stress to the boy, but Jinki was already shaking his head. He moved with confidence to the desk and bent over it, face pressed into the cool dark of the ebony wood that made the desk, solid and strong, as he raised his ass into the air more.
Yunho sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, it had been almost sexy the last time he'd had a naked Jinki over his lap, but now he felt like an asshole, and he was the biggest asshole in the world as he turned and pulled his hand back, slapping it down hard on the younger man’s ass. He had to force himself not to focus on how the thick flesh of the boy’s ass and thighs was. He could only make himself hit the boy once more before he had to stop and turn away, he was a pervert, just like Jinki had accused him of, after everything this boy had just revealed and he was getting turned on by watching his ass bounce after slapping it. He was just a dirty old man.
“Daddy?” Jinki’s voice was soft, questioning, and Yunho cursed himself as he turned around. The younger had moved his head to face Yunho, his eyes were bright and wet and innocent and hollow all at the same time and it actually hurt to look at them for too long, “More?”
Yunho swore internally and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to calm himself down as he shook his head, walking over to the boy and tugging him into a hug, “No, Jinki. No more.” he said, curling his hand in the boys long, dark hair and holding him close, rubbing the other down his back, but restraining himself from going too far. he was trying to calm the boy down, he trembled under his fingertips, but it didn't seem to work, as the younger pushed against him, making a whiny growling noise in his throat, nothing even close to how intimidating Yunho knew the slave could be.
“No, you have to do it right” Jinki hissed, struggling against the older mans hold, but Yunho didn't let go, letting him struggle, but holding him close enough for the slave to realize it was ultimately useless, “Daddy, no you have to punish me. I was wrong, I broke the rules! You cant… you cant just ignore that! Daddy you have-” he broke off his rant when Yunho picked him up and tossed him onto the bed, body bouncing on the mattress.
Yunho ignored the shocked silence of the younger man, ignored the suddenly guarded look in the naked boys eyes as he crawled onto the bed next to him. Yunho wanted to shake his head, because he knew that this skittish and mistrusting creature in his bed was the real Jinki, and the one before, begging to be punished was something else, some made up monster that the younger one thought he could hide behind. He’d have to research trust building activities tomorrow, not that Jinki would react properly to those, since a normal person would take cues from a trusted friend on whether or not someone new was trustable, but here Jinki was, distant and jaded while Jonghyun was so open about his emotions they were like night and day. It was confusing and disturbing and it was 4am and all Yunho wanted to do was go to sleep, so he tugged at the covers and just downright scowled at Jinki whenever he couldn’t comply with simple orders like, “move”. He got them under the heavy, warm blankets and he pulled the younger man to him despite Jinki hissing like a wet cat, with an arm around the youngers waist and a face pressed into the slaves shoulder he sighed heavily.
“Go to bed, Lee Jinki or so help me,” he hissed when he wouldn’t stop. Jinki froze at the tone of voice, but Yunho didn't feel inclined to regret it, “I have some serious shit I need to think about and if you still believe that you need to be punished we can do it tomorrow, after we’ve gotten a good nights rest. Now, sleep, or I swear to god I will-”
“Finish your threats?” the younger mans voice was deep with an exhaustion that sounded emotional, harrowed but a little sharp, and he yelped lightly when Yunho's hand came down on his thigh hard enough to sting for a few seconds, but he giggled after, so Yunho liked to count it as a win.
[ Part C]
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