λευκός

IT HAD JUST BEEN A FEW HOURS since the first group of pets had been introduced to the new camp, but already quinn was building on muscles like he had been there for a week. he didn’t know what was worse: being cooped in a cell, or being here. probably here. within just hours, weaker pets were already dropping like flies, unable to carry the weight strapped to their backs as they ran the stamina course. as another pet jogging beside him fell and dropped his weights all over the grass, quinn stopped to load the heavy sacks of rocks into his own arms. for a half-elf, he was built like a dragon, and he was thankful for that now more than ever. “don’t worry, i got you,” he assured the fallen pet. 

Sitting down by the lake, Leukos had a rather beautiful view of the water. But that loveliness had been fairly negated by the pets’ training close by. He couldn’t help but look over every time he heard one of them cry out in pain but he couldn’t convince himself to leave either. At least some of the training appeared to be simple enough: lifting weights, running tracks.

He watched as one of the pets stumbled to the ground, the pack on his back scattering beside him. It was only a moment before one of his fellow trainees stooped to help him and Leukos smiled to himself when he recognized it as the half-elf he’d met during the recent festival.

Avians. Motherfucking avians.

He’d thought that the council would have known better than to try and negotiate with the birdfolk, but it was hardly the first time that the faerie would have preferred they take a different path. And now it seemed that more pets would be sent to the slaughter for the sake of an alliance. He’d seen them being led to the lake and even the ones who couldn’t tell which end of the sword was up seemed to be picking up weapons to train. Leukos was sure this would end poorly for many of them.

And so, as he tended to do, the faerie had walked away. He had convinced himself that there was little he could about the situation and tried to push it from his mind. And the best way to push things from his mind was of course alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol.

Alistair sighed softly, having chosen to push the pet to the back of his mind recently, if only to focus on the more recent happenings about the city, but this was his first time during this event that he had been without him. The other’s gesture of comfort brought a small smile to his lips and Alistair nodded his head, “Thank you. Life waits for no one. What about you? No pets of your own?”

“No, it certainly doesn’t.”  Leukos shook his head a bit. He was never sure how he felt about having a pet. He didn’t like how they were kept as slaves but at the same time, he felt like he could give them better treatment than most. “I don’t have any right now, no. Though there are a few I wouldn’t mind bringing home with me some time.”

“And what, may I ask, are you doing this close to my cage? I don’t need any friends.” Syd sat up a bit, his hands coming up to rest on his knees. His right index fingers began to tap against his skin showing his increasing frustration with the unwelcome visitor.

“Just saying hello, that’s all. Saw you getting brought in yesterday and I was curious.”  And now he was just more curious if anything. “Who says I’m trying to be friends? Maybe I need a toy to play with.” He shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant, but he was a rather awful liar. “Are you new?”

Syd stayed exactly where he was, his steely gaze piercing holes into the blonde. The air was silent for a moment. The only sound was Syd’s chest rising and falling as he took a couple deep breaths. Syd didn’t need or appreciate pity and the look on the other boys face was reading that way. “Who’s asking?”, Syd huffed, his voice low and monotone.

He swore he could physically feel the boy’s gaze as he glared at him. Leukos couldn’t blame him, really, but at least he could still make an attempt to be friendly even if he didn’t want it. “I am. I’m called Leukos.” His head tilted a little, curious as to what had happened to the pet. “Kyr Leukos,” he added, feeling like he should say something else but not knowing what.

It had only been about a day since Syd’s previous owner returned him. Oddly enough, he was thankful to be back in his cage. Here he could at least be alone. Have a little time to breath. The owner that had dropped him off had been extremely abusive both physically and mentally. Syd just wanted some time alone to reflect. Maybe gain some strength back so he wouldn’t lose himself completely. But peace was always short lived in Aeternum.

Syd, his head buried between his knees, heard a tapping at the door of his cage. As his head rose up, a man came into view. His brows furrowed in an attempt to signify his frustration for being disturbed. “What?”, Syd groaned, looking directly into the man’s eyes.

As Leukos had been leaving one day, he had watched the guards bringing a new pet into the Tower. He didn’t recognize this one, but he recognized the emotions that seemed to be stirring inside him as they passed.

He came by the next day to see if he could meet him, maybe help him. Or at least try to be a friendly face. Leukos tapped on the door, tilting his head to try to see the pet inside. “What’s your name?” he asked curiously, trying his best to look non-threatening. Which really didn’t take much effort given his rather slight build.

Jeremiah did the best he could, trying to calm his breathing so that he wasn’t being a bad slave. His master would have beat him for having a reaction like this, but Leukos wasn’t mad at him. Or at least he didn’t appear to be mad at him. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” He muttered over and over again, showing that he was trying to calm down. But there was no privacy in this place and thus, there was no time for him to actually process what had happened. One moment he’d been eating his breakfast, and the next he woke up in this place.

Slowly, the wolf nodded his head. “Jeremiah– He called me Jeremiah.” At least, when he was called by a name that was what he was called. Otherwise it was boy or pet. He looked at the man, “I-I remember…”

“It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay,...” Leukos repeated the words quietly, running his hand along Jeremiah’s back soothingly. “There’s nothing to be sorry for.” He remembered the man who had been his previous master quite clearly; he was hard to forget. If he’d had the courage back then, he would have liked to have killed him, and that wasn’t a thought the faerie had often.

“Okay, okay. Would you like me to call you that too or do you prefer a different name now?” He held the boy tighter against him, speaking softly so someone passing wouldn’t be able to hear. “He’s not here, right?” he double-checked. He doubted it but it was good to make sure. And hopefully, remind Jeremiah of that fact.

Oberon glanced to his left and right, knowing quite well that there were other elites within ear shot, he didn’t care. “Let them pout, these are things they already know.” Being a royal, he had a certain disregard for social faux pas. Even in a place as far from Avalon as Aeternum, he still had power, he felt he was still untouchable in so many ways.

His smile etched genuinely across his features as the other fae listed all of the gifts he had for the pets. “You’re a kind, kind soul, Leukos. Not many people, elites or otherwise, would have the compassion to care for the pet’s like you do.” Oberon liked to think he was a compassionate and giving prince, but even acts as simple as that had eluded him. At the offer to accompany the elder fae, Oberon’s smile brightened. “Well if you insist,” he moved to link his arm with the other’s. “What did you have in mind?”

He could practically feel his ego swell at the prince’s words, his narcissism feeding off it. Yes, he had certainly misjudged the man and the compliments had essentially guaranteed that Leukos would want to spend more time with him. He understood why he had to help the pets like he did, Leukos could tell.

“I didn’t insist,” Leukos started but shook his head to himself as Oberon’s arm linked with his own. That probably hadn’t been a literal statement, he realized. “Have you been to the Faun & Jolly?” he asked curiously. They always had the best entertainment and excellent food. “They have Fae entertainers sometimes, though not as often as Fauns of course.” It was in the name, after all.

That statement was something Alistair could agree with easily, it seemed life went on longer than necessary some days, he often found himself craving mortality, only to pity those who felt as though they had no time at all. The kitsune had enjoyed a lot, disliked a lot about his life and yet, he was still here, barely complaining. “Yes, he had a habit of challenging me with his bratty behaviour, but pleasing me with compliance when I desired it, we formed quite the bond, but he died and here we are,” Alistair waved his hand, brushing it off, “What can we do?”

“Bratty but knew when you really needed him to listen? Sounds like a perfect companion,” Leukos replied with a smirk. Where was the fun if someone did every single thing that was asked of them, anyway? That always made him feel like the pets were slaves. They were, of course, but he didn’t want to take someone home as a slave. If they were a bit more confrontational, he knew that when they did listen, it was because they chose to.

“Sorry about your loss.” He reached over and put a hand gently on Alistair’s shoulder. “It’s always difficult but that’s the curse of a longer life. Nothing much to be done about it.”

Peter lightly sniffed when the other asked what he smelt like. It was hard for him to describe it to people sometimes, as if Peter couldn’t quite find the right words to describe the different scents. “Um…kind of floral? Maybe…citrus, like lemons! I think it’s lemons…they’re the yellow ones right? Like big yellow eggs?” Peter asked, to be sure he was saying the right things. 

“Lemons?” That wasn’t quite what Leukos had expected the boy to say, but lemons smelled good. He’d used them to clean around his home more than a few times, after all. “Yeah, those are lemons. So I guess I smell fruity,” he said with a laugh. That seemed rather appropriate if he were being honest. “I like that. Both sour and sweet at the same time.” The faerie smiled at him and chuckled. “Well, I’ve kept you long enough, then. You ought to get rid of that energy before you have to go back inside.” He’d definitely enjoy seeing this pet some more.

“An old soul,” The fox purred, trailing his tongue over his lower lip, mirroring his reaction to cock his head to the side, if only to encourage their gaze to remain. “I have come and gone also, this has been my longest stay yet, around ten years, enjoying a pet for as long as I could. However, nothing lasts forever, at least, not like we do.”

“Old soul feels like an understatement some days,” Leukos replied with a soft chuckle. It had hurt so much the first time he’d watched an old friend pass, but it felt like an almost common occurrence at this point in his life. Now that remark had him interested. “You’ve found a pet that you like that much then?” he asked curiously. “They must be a very lucky one indeed.”

“IT’S JUST… A BIT EMBARRASSING,” QUINN mumbled under his breath. to quinn, the other male looked like an ethereal sort of beauty, like an angel descended from the sky itself to look over the miserable sod quinn was right now. “you know, food would be…” he held his grumbling stomach. “food sounds great. i could eat sticks and dirt right about now.”

“They look delicate so I didn’t want to break them.” Peter replied with a smile in return. He could be heavy-handed sometimes, surprising for someone who was so light on their feet, but he’d made sure to be careful. “Yeah, I’m a wolf. All things have unique smells and then people have even more unique smells.” 

Leukos didn’t bother putting his shirt back on and continued talking to Peter, enjoying the boy’s enthusiasm for, well, everything. “So what do I smell like then?” If he’d had to guess, he would imagine faeries would have an odor of flowers or the forest in some way, but he wasn’t really sure. “I hope I smell good,” he added with a grin.

The difference in temperature really appealed to Jonah, and he couldn’t help but groan out in pleasure. Jonah bit his bottom lip as he looked at the other. “Can I ride you now?” Jonah asked with a pout before moaning as his pout was kissed away. He pressed himself closer against that gloriously warm skin, purring almost like a kitten against hte other man’s lips.

As his lips pulled away, Leukos smiled at the young vampire. “How could I say no to such a nice request?” he teased. He pushed his underwear down in one quick shove and his hard cock pressed right against Jonah’s pert ass. “Do you want me to get you nice and wet first, little vampy?”

“I am, aren’t I?” the prince smirked cheekily back at the older fae. He hadn’t been sure if the other had meant that as a compliment or an insult, but he was certainly flattered by it. To so many creatures, his age was considered quite old, and he tended to project the outward appearance of someone more mature looking. “We do tend to be the more… evolved race, don’t we?” He knew that many tended to mistake their kindness for weakness. That wasn’t the case at all. At least not as far as Oberon was concerned.

“Sneak in a few things?” Now Oberon’s interest was piqued. “What sort of things were you planning, Leukos?” He folded his arms over his chest, arching a brow in curiosity. It truly refreshing to be among at least one of his people, one who he understood, who he could relate to. He felt less on edge. “Where you planning on going?”

“We certainly do,” Leukos replied, leaning in with a conspiratorial look on his face. “But I wouldn’t want to say that too loudly.” He chuckled a little and smiled at Oberon. It was nice to have another of his species around to talk to and he felt like he’d judged the man too quickly.

“Nothing too interesting. Some decks of cards, a few sweets, some books, a toy or two for the ones who can’t sit still.” He shrugged a little and looked around at the pets. “It’s not the worst place for them to be. At least they have a place to live and food to eat, I guess. It still feels terrible, though.” Leukos looked back up at the man at his question. “Probably going to get some food before I head back home. Would you like to join me?”

“Of course,” Mason answered with a small smile as he followed Leukos towards the door.  The faerie had always been interesting and never cruel to him, he wouldn’t mind spending time with him.  “Yes, sir, he’s very generous.  He had been planning to make use of me the whole day, but something came up, with his family, and he had to leave suddenly.  He said I am to be back by sundown, and I am only to go to public places while I’m out.”