Mumu

“Mmmmm Bladie…so early?” Even with your voice cracking from being stirred awake, he thought you sounded so sexy. “Yeah…please? Need you so bad. I’ll be slow, I promise.”

Baseless promise because once you gave into those puppy eyes and let him push your panties to the side to start fingering and stimulating you, he wasn’t going to stop till he was satisfied. 

He started with sluggish movements, grinding his dick into yours while snuggling his face deeper into your neck, leaving wet kisses and licks on your skin. Your steamy breath fanned over his face, fingers pushing his bangs out of the way to stare into his darkened red eyes, telling him how good he’s making you feel through those gasps. It was comforting, how warm your body felt so close to his, like hugging(and fucking) the softest pillow in the world.

But...

He grew impatient with the first few strokes to your clit and walls, wanting to already have your cunt clenching around him. So he grabbed you tighter and snapped his hips into yours, making you tangle your fingers his hair in a white knuckled grip. A proud smirk curled on his lips, wanting to draw out more reactions from you. So he dug his nails into your hips and pinned you to the bed, getting on top of you and rolling his body into yours, thrusting fast and desperate. 

He really wanted to be slow, he wanted to keep his promise, but seeing your eyes roll to the back of your head and watching your mouth hang open, he just wanted to make you feel good <3 (and also himself)

His fingers dive under your shirt to thumb at your erect nipples, squishing and playing with your breasts the way you like. His own moans echo yours in tandem with his rapid thrusts as he tries to push you both to orgasm. Forget the slow waves of drawn out pleasure. 

Maybe the best way to start the day is with a volcanic orgasm.

Your life changes for the better when you marry Azul Ashengrotto. He’s from a well-off, supportive family. His mother owns a five-star restaurant and is a renowned businesswoman. His step-father is a respectable lawyer, and both he and his wife make for wonderful in-laws, which is a relief because you’ve heard plenty of in-law horror stories from friends. Azul’s life is a stark contrast to yours, which had previously been shrouded in misery and financial troubles. You’ve been working back-to-back jobs in an effort to pay off the debt your guardian passed onto you after their untimely death.

It’s honestly a miracle you met Azul during one of your shifts. He’d been dining with a client and you were the one assigned to wait on his table. You thought he was attractive, but he came from another world entirely, looking so pristine in his expensive suit while you stood dressed in an oversized uniform that you’ve done everything to cinch and tie at the waist so it doesn’t look like you’re drowning in it. There’s no way someone like you would ever catch a wealthy businessman’s eye...or so you thought.

The two of you dated for a year before he finally proposed, and you had said yes because you were so head over heels for him. And everything had become so perfect in the span of a year. He’d paid off your debts, he’d moved you into his luxurious estate, he’d introduced you to his rich friends and coworkers (you’ve made good friends with the tech genius and billionaire Idia Shroud and his little android brother Ortho), and he’d shower you with bottomless love.

He’s the perfect husband. Or he was. At least for the first three years of your married life. Now he’s too busy to eat meals with you, and he often spends his evenings working overtime at the company, always claiming that he and Idia have taken on another project and need to direct their time and energy into it. You didn’t mind it at first. After all, his hard work is the reason you can live a comfortable life. He’d been against you seeking a job and had told you that you needn’t lift a finger anymore. You’ve worked enough, he had said. At the time that sounded like a dream come true, but now that you’re always home, with nothing better to do than laze around and wait in hopes that your husband will manage to break away from work for an hour or two to visit, you realize a job would give you productivity and fulfillment. 

At least you’re not truly alone. Azul has two android bodyguards, top of the line models who have received their fair share of upgrades and enhancements from Idia. They’ve been with Azul ever since he was a young boy, caring for him, watching him grow and mature, witnessing every new chapter of his life from the sidelines. Floyd is an exciting, energetic force who carries out most of the labor-intensive chores around the estate at the command of his twin, who usually handles cooking, cleaning, and other housework. Despite the fact that they’re machines following a programmed schedule, you enjoy the way they always seem to liven the atmosphere. When Azul wasn’t so consumed by his work, the lot of you would sit and exchange playful banter over card games, gambling chocolate coins as if they held any real monetary value. And they did—to you and Azul, at least. 

Nowadays, you spend most of your free time in the greenhouse, tending to the abundance of plants Azul’s kept. This is by far your favorite room out of the many that make up his estate. It’s warm and full of life, bursting with vibrant colors and scents, and it brings you back to happier days. To the days when Azul was so present in your life. To the days when he put your relationship before work. To the very day you got married, where he’d looked you in the eye and made a promise to always cherish you. Which, if you’re thinking about it in technical terms, he still does. When he does find the time to come home, he clings to you like seaweed, showering you in kisses and cuddles. It feels somewhat superficial now—as if he’s forcing himself to do these things because it’s what’s expected of him. And he always looks so tired, as if work is slowly draining him of his will to carry on. 

You know he still loves you, but sometimes his love feels...disconnected, much like how he is from your own life. He only just realized you’ve taken up gardening even though you’ve been caring for the plants for months now. Apparently he assumed Jade was the one who’d been doing it all this time—and he had—but you’d excused him from this duty, claiming that you wanted to take up a new hobby. 

Just as you find yourself dwelling on these thoughts, hose in hand and sweat clinging to the back of your neck, Jade appears through the greenery, holding a glass of freshly-squeezed lemonade. He’s quite particular about food preparation. He won’t settle for the mixtures that come from boxes, instead choosing to purchase lemons and sugar and make it by hand. He must have hundreds to thousands of recipes downloaded into his database, for he always cooks something new every night unless told otherwise by you or Azul.

“I come bearing refreshments.”

He offers the glass to you, a content smile stretching his perfect lips. He’s well-made, but then that’s expected of a Shroud android. They are the closest things to human. A quick glance and you may even mistake him for an actual living being. It’s what you’d done when you first moved in with Azul, when Jade had come from the darkness to greet you as you maneuvered through the gloom in the hallway, searching for a way back to the bedroom. He’d nearly scared the soul out of you. But when he smiled amiably and insisted he meant no harm, you relaxed. Only to be properly scared senseless when another tall figure loomed behind, looking exactly the same. Your scream could have shook the house if it wasn’t so expansive, but what it did shake was a sleepy Azul, who’d come staggering into the hall, half-awake and half-asleep, not quite prepared to defend against any intruders.

He’d scolded both androids for frightening you, though Jade had claimed he didn’t intend to spook you and Floyd had merely chuckled—or it was the approximation of a chuckle. It sounded equal parts mechanical and realistic, an uncanny middle ground between android and human. Back then you thought they were eerie, but after spending so long with both androids you’ve grown to appreciate their company. 

“I don’t suppose Azul’s told you when he’ll be back?” you venture hopefully, taking the lemonade from him. It tastes much sweeter than usual. You think he may have added too much sugar, but the idea of it is foolish. Jade is always precise with his measurements; he’s never ruined a recipe. 

“Unfortunately, he has not. My apologies.” That’s the reply you always receive, accompanied with his trademark bow. At this point you should just stop asking, but a part of you truly hopes that he might change his answer one of these days. “Although, taking his habits and schedule into account, he should return by six. Nine o’clock at the latest.”

“What makes you say that?”

Without missing a beat, Jade says, “Each Friday, Master Azul returns much earlier than he normally does on other days during the week.”

“Ah, right. The weekend. He likes his weekends.” You smile around the rim of your glass. Truthfully, you’d forgotten it was a Friday. “You’re good at remembering stuff.”

“It’s my nature to remember.” He blinks at you, his pupils widening and shrinking as if he’s just scanned you for some bodily imperfection. Tilting his head curiously, he adds, “Though my memory is still only finite. Every month I dispose of useless information to make room for newer, more vital data.”

“Really? What sort of things count as ‘useless’?” You move the hose to a patch of tomato plants, each vine curling up and around the trellis that supports them. Ruby-red tomatoes hang from the verdant strands, and it reminds you of that delicious bruschetta Jade makes—the one with the olive oil, tomatoes, and basil. “I imagine everything’s useful information to you.”

“Not quite,” he says, but he doesn’t elaborate. 

Silence stretches between the both of you, only broken by the rushing water and your occasional awkward coughs. Jade smiles pleasantly and follows close behind while you move about the greenhouse to water the other plants. He’s always so silent. You have no idea how he manages it, yet somehow he’s mastered the art of stealth. You think it’s because he’s not human—because he can’t fidget or breathe like a human can.

After what feels like an eternity—though your eternity is probably mere minutes in Jade’s systems—he says, “You’re quite fond of plants.”

“I am.”

“May I ask why?”

You shrug and down what’s left of your lemonade. "I like being active. Moving around. Caring for life. It helps take my mind off of stuff, and it’s really calming.”

He peers at the white gardenias that bloom before you. You and Azul had planted them together. For someone who’d grouse over a single speck of dirt, Azul was certainly content to slip gardening gloves on and get down onto the soil, his knees stained in shades of the earth. It’s a memory you hold close to your heart. You wish he’d plant more flowers with you. 

“Caring for life is quite the accomplishment.”

You glance at him and smile kindly. “A big accomplishment. I used to be the worst at caring for houseplants. They’d all wither within the week and then I’d feel like the worst plant person in the world.”

“You aren’t the worst plant person in the world. Not anymore, at least.” He gestures about, his arm stiff and unflinching. “The greenhouse is in beautiful condition thanks to your hard work. I’m certain Master Azul is very grateful for your green thumb.”

“I would hope.” Your laugh comes out hollow and bitter. “I’ve thought about letting everything shrivel and die just so he’d notice, but even then I don’t think death is enough to get Azul’s attention.”

“It’s not wise to make rash decisions without considering the consequences beforehand.”

“Maybe. But it’d be nice to kill something.” At that, Jade raises a concerned brow and you’re quick to correct yourself. “I mean, I wouldn’t actually let them die. These plants are important to me. I only meant—you know... Like, in a metaphorical way.”

“No.” He blinks at you. “No, I’m afraid I don’t know. Death is final and absolute for living creatures. I’m not familiar with the concept beyond that logic.”

“Right... Sorry, I don’t know what I’m saying. I’m just a little stressed.” You exhale slowly and pass your empty glass to him. He peers at the fingerprints left in the condensation. “Can I put in a request for lunch?”

Jade holds a hand over where his heart might be if he were human. “Of course. What is it you’d like to eat, Master?”

“Fried chicken,” you blurt without thinking. “The way Azul likes it.” 

“Very well. I’ll see to it right away.”

On his way out of the greenhouse, he turns to you and adds, “Your human hands are not meant for killing. If you allowed these plants to wither, you might wither alongside them. Your environment, if not well-kept, will reflect your state of mind. I’m certain it wouldn’t be ideal for you or Master Azul if such a tragedy were to occur. Take care to maintain your mental health. It’s quite important.”

He leaves you to ponder those words, his presence as fleeting as a soundless wind gust.

- - -

There’s a pattern that you and Azul have fallen into. He returns when time permits, kicks his shoes off and hands his coat to Jade or Floyd—whoever happens to greet him first—and he’ll meander through the long halls until he finds you, usually at the dinner table or in front of the TV. He’ll eat alongside you. You’ll ask about work. He’ll ask about your day. You learn more about his coworkers than you do him. Azul likes to gossip, even if he’s adamant about the fact that the only people who engage in childish gossip are those who have nothing better to do. How astute of him to recognize his own flaws.

After the mundanity of dinner, the both of you will bathe. The jacuzzi bath is set deep into the floor and big enough for more than two. It always looks like he wants to pull you against him and hold you close in the water, but he never verbalizes these desires, nor does he act on them. You sit across from him in the bath, your knees pulled up to your chest. You ask about work again. He answers. He asks you about the greenhouse. You answer. 

The bath is even shorter than dinner. You can’t recall the last time you’ve enjoyed bathing with him. You surmise it might have been two years ago when the both of you had emptied far too much soap into the tub and it had overflowed with bubbles, and Jade had tutted at the both of you while he cleaned the aftermath of your carelessness. You’d laughed so joyously while playing in the bubbles; it brought you back to when you were first dating him and the two of you were so wrapped up in one another, as all couples often are in the beginning stages of love. And you’d heard his real laugh so frequently. Now his laugh is as metallic as Jade and Floyd’s. Insincere. Pitying. Another obligation he must follow in order to meet the parameters of a good husband.

There are usually two routes that follow the bath. Either you and Azul dry off, get ready for bed, and retire for the evening, or he’ll offer you a mischievous smile and tug on the sleeve of your robe, guiding you towards the bed. Not for sleep—something he so clearly needs—but for sex. 

Tonight is not an immediate retreat to the land of dreams. Rather, you find yourself under him, your gaze straying from his face to the ceiling above. 

What if we split up? you almost ask, but you know such an inquiry will sour whatever mood’s been set. Open-mouthed kisses stifle any other doubts that rise to the surface, but like his touch they linger. They always linger. Do you really love me anymore?

“Azul...” you mumble, a sigh that sounds as empty as you feel.

Like everything else in your relationship, sex also feels like a chore. The first three years were fun and new and full of unpredictability. He’d been so eager to try out so many things in the bedroom, as had you, and the both of you were always glued to each other come sunrise. Not even Floyd’s boisterous good mornings could rouse either of you. And if it did, you’d shoo him off with grumbles and curses. He’d often compliment you in the mornings, his voice still deep with sleep, while pressing chaste kisses to your jaw and cheek. He’d call you his sun seraph and you’d fall even more in love with the azure sky reflected in his eyes.

Now, after every nightly tryst—can loveless sex even qualify as a tryst?—you wake to an empty bed, to Jade’s soft greetings as he opens the curtains and informs you that Azul has left for work, and the cycle ends there. It will repeat itself the next time he chooses to come home. 

It always repeats. 

“Azul, I love you.”

He hums his affirmation into your neck. Your heart freezes over once more. He’s stopped telling you he loves you. That was three weeks ago. You’re not sure what changed. You’re not sure why he doesn’t say it anymore, especially when he’d been so vocal about it years prior. 

“You love—” You choke on a gasp when his cock hits a specific spot deep inside of you. “Y-You love me, too... R-Right?”

“Of course. I always will,” he whispers, syllables hot and sticky and drenched in lust. 

You blink tears away and turn your head to the right. The breath sticks in your throat when you spy the tall figure standing rigidly prim in the corner, his head bowed only slightly. 

Sleep mode, you realize. But then your brain trips over itself and you find yourself thinking, How long has Jade been there?

And you know it’s Jade who stands there in the dark because only Jade could be so deathly still. Even Floyd, as inhuman as he is, has adopted the habit of fidgeting—of swaying to and fro to some inaudible music—when he’s left idle for too long, and so it cannot possibly be him.

Azul’s thrusts have gotten sloppy and erratic. You know he’s close, and though you’re far from close yourself you wrap your arms around his neck, pull him into you so that your heartbeats can kiss, and allow him to work himself towards orgasm. Without meaning to, your eyes fall upon the corner again. A single yellow eye peers back, the other shrouded in shadows, and the beginnings of a smile prick Jade’s lips. He raises his slender index finger to shush you. 

When you find yourself in the throes of feigned pleasure and Azul has finished inside and pulled out, turning to lie the other way—his back always faces you nowadays; it feels like the bed is much too big, as if it grows larger with every passing night—you check the corner once more. Darkness fills the empty void that Jade once populated. You’re left to wonder if he was even there to begin with.

The sun rises to welcome another day, shining its rays upon a bed missing its second half. Jade wakes you with his usual smile. You open your mouth to ask him what he was doing in the bedroom last night, but another question tumbles out instead. 

“Can you make fried chicken? The... The way Azul likes it.”

“For breakfast?” he asks, brows raised. As if it’s a surprising request. As if he—the all-knowing, never fazed android—could be shocked. 

You turn away from him, burying yourself under a duvet that smells pleasantly of Azul despite his absence. 

“Yes, for breakfast,” you snap, bitter with heartbreak. “Just... Please. Please just make it, okay?”

You can’t see Jade’s expression, but you can hear the warmth that bleeds into his monotonous intonation when he speaks next. 

“Of course. Anything for you, Master.”

- - -

The months are cyclical until the calendar reaches February. Azul’s birthday month. Last year, you took him to his favorite restaurant after a day filled with winter activities. He seemed to enjoy it then, but looking back you think he might’ve been pretending. Azul was miserable during ice skating, but it was only because it was something he had yet to master. And Azul can’t stand it when he’s anything less than perfect.

When you broach the subject of birthday plans to him, his expression matches the cloudy sky outside. 

“I’m afraid I leave for a business trip a few days before that.”

“Oh.” You peer into your tea to watch your reflection as it ripples with distortion. “Okay.”

Part of you thinks he might invite you along, but another part asks why. Why would he when there’s no point in it? Even abroad, Azul would be consumed by work. You’d be left at the hotel and, despite the change in scenery, things would play out as they often do at home.

“We can do something once I’ve returned. I’ll only be gone for a week and a half. After that, I’ve taken the month off. We can do whatever you’d like.”

An entire month feels too generous. You glance at him.

“Do you promise?”

Like ice skating, Azul is not fond of promises. But this time he manages a nod. He reaches across the table to take your hand in his. 

“I promise.” You stare at your interlaced fingers and frown. He seems to sense your disbelief, for he clears his throat and hastily adds, “I... I know I haven’t been very...present as of late. But I will be. From now on. Very present. I promise.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?” He squeezes your hand. You nod mutely. His voice comes out small and sad. “Okay...”

Jade delivers two plates of pancakes at that moment. Azul’s are arranged in neat stacks with syrup drizzled in artistic patterns and garnished with a single mint leaf. Your pancakes, however, have been decorated with fruits and whipped cream, arranged in the cute shape of a cat. You gaze at Jade, brows furrowing. He smiles. 

“Please enjoy your breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day, as they often say.”

Like a chameleon, he blends into the background, silent as always.

“Idia and I are meeting with a group of investors and a CEO from another tech company. They’re very interested in Floyd, hence why I’ll be bringing him along for the trip.”

“Not sure why,” Floyd says, and suddenly you’re aware of his presence. He’s leaning over the open windowsill into the dining room, his tall body bent to avoid bumping into the frame. He grins broadly at the both of you. “But it’s interesting, so I wanna go.” 

“You’re definitely interesting,” you say.

He’s much more human than his twin counterpart. Even his speech resembles that of a human’s. Whereas Jade is prim and proper, Floyd is so very in tune with human culture. He’s even started teaching himself how to dance. Not in the way an android might. If it were Jade, he’d merely download various dance moves to suit certain situations. But Floyd watches dancers on TV and he tries to replicate each movement to the best of his ability. He’ll put music on and sway to the rhythm, easing into a dance he’s so obviously choreographing as he goes. You’re not sure how he does it without any orders or pre-programmed knowledge of dance, but it continues to fascinate you.

“I hope you’ll be all right in my absence. Jade will be here should you need anything, and if you're unable to contact me through your phone you’re free to use Jade as a means of sending immediate, emergency messages.”

“I’ll be fine.” 

I’m used to this.

“Good.” He smiles a twitchy sort of smile that doesn’t quite settle on his face. “I’ll call you every night before bed.”

“Okay.”

“And send me photos of the greenhouse. I’d like to see more of your work.”

“Sure.”

“Okay.” Again, he attempts a smile. Like its predecessor, this one does not last long. “All right. Wonderful. I...look forward to my month off.”

“Yeah. It’ll be fun.”

An easy lie. Azul cuts a bite of pancake for himself. You stare at your untouched plate. 

Maybe I should look for a job.

That thought has begun to haunt as the days pass, and before you know it Azul’s left for the airport. You stand in the doorway and wave as the taxi carries him and Floyd away, and he pokes his head out the window to return the gesture. Now, after shutting and locking the door, you’re left to your own devices for a week and a half. Jade stands before you, his arms folded behind his back, obediently awaiting a command. 

“What job suits me?”

He cocks his head to the side. Though he makes a show of pondering, you suspect he’s already got an answer. 

“My observations indicate that you would be a very talented florist.”

“You think so? I’ve never made any arrangements, though.”

“Perhaps now is the time to practice.” 

“I guess I could try it. Although I don’t know what flowers I’d put in it.” You turn to look at him. “What would you do? How would you choose?”

“I would group each flower based on scientific relations.”

“Yeah, that sounds like you.” He quirks a brow and you laugh. “It’s a very android answer.”

“‘A very android answer,’” he repeats. “Was my response unsatisfactory?”

“No, not at all. Or... Well, maybe it was. For a minute I thought you might say you’d make your choices based on what feels right. Kind of like how Floyd dances. Spontaneous. In the moment. No programs needed.”

“My apologies. I’m afraid such a feat is not within my parameters.”

“Sure it is.” An encouraging grin crawls onto your face. “The both of you were modeled with the other in mind, right? If Floyd can do it, so can you.”

“How exactly does one go about ‘choosing what feels right’?”

You consider his question, allowing it to linger within your brain, before you step towards him and place your hand against his chest. “Think with your heart.”

“I’m afraid I do not possess one like you, Master, and I can’t compare the core that powers my systems to an authentic heart either.”

“It doesn’t have to be an actual heart. Hearts come in many forms. Physical. Metaphorical. Emotional.”

His hand covers yours. It’s cold and smooth, almost like polished pottery, and he nods slowly. “Is that so? How curious…”

“Floyd’s heart is dance, so you should find something that gives you life. Something that makes you feel like you can act without any orders. Something that has you straying from the linear logic you’ve confined yourself to.”

Jade stares at you. Eventually, he breaks free of his stupor and smiles thinly. “I’ll look for a heart if it will please you, Master.”

“I’d rather it please you instead.”

“Very well.”

The following days trickle by slowly. You spend your time gardening, and when you aren’t doing that you’re attempting to make arrangements based on your feelings for that day. Even though they’re sloppy and aren’t perfectly coordinated, they provide you with a cathartic outlet. Jade always lingers near you. You caught him waiting outside the bathroom for you, your robe in his hands. While this isn’t entirely odd, it’s still something you have to get used to. When it’s just you and Jade, you often forget how big the house is, as you really only ever spend your days in the greenhouse, the kitchen, and the sitting room. And even though Jade’s company isn’t the most exciting, it’s nice to know he exists in this space with you.

Although with his overbearing presence, finding privacy has gotten increasingly complicated. You’ve spent most of your nights talking to Azul (usually with Jade standing just nearby, often in sleep mode), and he sounds so enthusiastic when he regales you with the many sights he’s witnessed while traveling. Perhaps he needed this business trip. You hate to admit it, but you miss him more than ever. How can you not when his farewell ends with three impactful words?

“Good night, my sun seraph. I love you to the moon and back.”

“I… I love you, too!” You say it too fast, but it’s the truth. You’ve always loved him, even when he’s done nothing but neglect you for so long. Perhaps that is what pains you the most—the fact that your heart could still yearn for him even when he’s felt more like a phantom than a person. “I love you so much…”

Azul’s chuckle is not forced this time. “Your flower arrangements are lovely, by the way.”

“What? But I never—ugh. Jade sent those photos, didn’t he? I told him not to. They’re ugly.”

“Anything made by your perfect hands is beautiful. If I could, I’d frame each one so that they’d never wilt.”

You hear yourself laugh. When you talk long into the night with him, you realize you’ve missed this normalcy. This connection. This euphoric feeling of knowing he sees and hears you. By the time you hang up, your cheeks hurt from the wide, dreamy smile that’s taken up residence since you answered his phone call.

For the first time in a long while, you feel as if you’ve gotten your husband back.

So when there are two days left of Azul’s trip, you begin to grow anxious, so much so that you give into temptation and send risqué photos of yourself. They’re modestly tasteful, if anything, but you feel like you can finally return to your relationship. Those midnight conversations have only brought you and Azul closer. He’s apologized for his actions, though he insists that a million apologies would never be enough to right his wrongs. He’s divulged some of his own struggles—self-doubts and gnawing fears, all of which have prevented him from truly enjoying his life with you and finally opening up—trusting in the comforts and understanding you offer. And you’ve told him of how you missed this—how you missed him—and the way the both of you were so close. So inseparable.

You’re not sure why you feel so shy when your hand moves between your legs so that you can touch yourself to the image Azul has sent in return. He’s always been attractive and so, so pretty. You really do love him.

In the midst of your own fantasies, each pairing nicely with the delightful view on your screen, you fail to notice the figure standing in the doorway. He’s watching you, studying your movements with an intensity that doesn’t quite startle you until you happen to look up at that moment, your fingers buried deep in your hole, and you make eye contact with Jade.

You’re quick to flip your phone over and to slide your fingers out, which has a tiny bolt of pleasure shivering through you.

“J-Jade!”

“My apologies. Am I interrupting?” His hand is held over his chest, and he bows his head.

“N-No. No, not at all. I was just…” You shut your legs when his stare travels down, and embarrassment prickles your skin. “D-Do you need anything?”

He takes a step into the room, peers around as if searching for something, and then covers the distance with a few graceful strides. He lifts your phone and surveys the salacious image with a neutral expression.

“Forgive me for prying, but I was under the impression Master Azul could not please you. Yet here you are…” His analytical gaze slides to you. “My observations have indicated that you have not found release in months. Master Azul has been quite greedy with your precious body, and yet he cannot seem to return the favors you’ve given him.”

Where did this come from? you think, bewildered.

“Ah. No. You misunderstand. I mean, it was like that for a while. But we’re working stuff out and… I’m not unsatisfied. I’m just…” Your voice dwindles into an embarrassed mumble.

Jade smiles. “It’s in my programming to serve you, Master, so please allow me to finish what you started. It’s only polite that I take responsibility after I so carelessly interrupted.”

Your eyes widen. “What? No, it’s okay! Really, it’s fine. You don’t have to—”

He’s already easing you back down onto the bed. Your phone is cast aside, the picture forgotten, and you stare up at him as he towers over you. Perhaps you’re just desperate for anyone’s touch, or you’re simply too close to the edge to wait two more days for Azul, but you find yourself softening under his hand as it splays across your skin, cool fingertips tracing invisible, exploratory patterns against the canvas that is your stomach.

You inhale a steadying breath. “Just…be quick about it. And not a word of this to Azul, okay? You’re only helping me this one time.”

“Of course. It will be our special secret.”

His expression is pleasant enough, and so you allow yourself to relax when he slips two lithe digits inside your sensitive hole. Your arm falls over your eyes and you attempt to picture Azul in place of the android. Jade doesn’t say anything, which only fuels your imagination, and he’s surprisingly good at what he does. Even if scissoring his fingers inside you is a simple enough feat, it still has you arching your back and grabbing at the bedsheets to compose yourself. Your chest rises and falls in pleasured breaths, heart rate picking up in a wild frenzy.

And then his hand is sliding up and under your shirt to pinch and tug at your perky nipple. You exhale a blissful sigh, grinding your hips down against his fingers in hopes of finding quicker release. It doesn’t occur to you that Jade’s replicating everything Azul usually does in the build-up that is foreplay. You don’t even realize he touches you in places that only Azul prefers to lavish with his fingertips. Maybe that’s what allows you to envision Azul with greater ease, and it quickly has you tipping over the lustful edge.

You cum with a gasping moan, and it’s Azul’s name that leaves your lips in a satisfied sigh. You fail to notice the dangerous glint that flashes in Jade’s mismatched eyes, and when you lower your arm and find his fingers are still thrust inside you your discomfort comes crawling back.

“T-That will be all. Thank you.”

“Are you certain? If you’d like, I can—”

“No, that’s okay.”

He’s pulled his fingers out and is grabbing your wrists now, pinning them above your head. An odd beat of terror strikes you. You’re not sure why you’re suddenly so fearful, but you don’t like his unyielding grip or the way he smiles down at you in the same way Azul does.

“Studies have shown that copulation, while healthy for both the body and mind, also strengthens the bond between humans. I know of many ways to please you. We can—”

“No. That’s final, Jade. You helped me and I’m grateful, but I’m not… I can’t. I really can’t, okay? I love Azul.”

He blinks at you, his hands on your wrists for but a moment longer, and then he withdraws, bowing respectfully. “Of course. Forgive my insistence.”

You spend the rest of that day in your room, burdened with many perplexing thoughts.

- - -

When Azul returns, the first thing he does is gather you in his arms for the tightest, longest embrace you’ve ever gotten from him. He buries his face in the crook of your neck, sighing dreamily, whispering into heated skin about how much he’s missed you. Floyd’s grumbling as he trudges inside the house, carrying suitcases and bags, so much that they hang from his arms like ornaments on a Christmas tree. Jade is quick to collect some of them from him, relieving his twin of the load even though he can very well carry all of it and much more.

“You will not believe how exhausting travel is,” he says once he’s pulled away, his hands on your hips, a smile brightening his jet-lagged features. “It feels so nice to be home.”

“I’m happy you’re back.”

And this time you mean it. Azul can tell from the warmth in your tone, for his eyes glitter with tears that do not fall, and he leans in to press a brief kiss to the corner of your mouth. A fleeting gesture that promises much more once the sun has set. 

"I assume all went well?” Jade stands near you, his tall frame practically looming, and a smile tightens on his face. “Would you like me to run a bath? Or perhaps you’d like something to eat instead?”

“Dinner would be lovely.” He waves Jade off dismissively, almost shooing him like a person might swat at a mosquito. He’s looking squarely at you, as if you’re all he wants to see, and your heart lifts with joy. “There’s something I’d like to do with you. I know how much you like the greenhouse and it’s been a while since I’ve actually been inside that space. And I thought it might be fun to plant something again. So...” He withdraws a packet of honeysuckle seeds from the inside of his blazer pocket, and you grab at it with a sharp gasp. 

“What? Really?” You look between him and the seeds and then back at him. “You’re serious?”

“Of course.” His hand slides into yours and before you know it he’s tugging you down the hall in the direction of the greenhouse. Your heart skips with every hasty step. “I’d like to plant many flowers with you, actually. But for now we’ll stick with these seeds. I hope they’re acceptable. These were recommended the most when I asked around, but I was worried that you might have already grown these. Still, I wanted to get them because—”

“They’re perfect.”

He glances back at you and an adoring smile pulls at his lips. You think you’ve just fallen in love all over again.

Like always, the greenhouse is humid. Condensation fogs the panels and makes the room seem like a tropical sanctuary. There are sections for the conjoined greenhouses, each separated by a wall with doors for easy access between the spaces. One is dedicated solely to vegetables, herbs, and roots. The other is for flowers of all types and colors. Azul locates an empty pot sitting abandoned near a bag of soil, and he lifts it onto the metal bench. You turn on your heel to gather gloves and label stakes when you nearly collide with Jade, who’s already gathered everything you might need. He stares down at you from his monstrous height before looking over to Azul, who’s struggling to tear a hole in the bag. 

“Allow me.” He steps around you, sets the items on the table, and withdraws a box cutter, slicing a precise line into the plastic. Like blood, soil oozes from the opening. Jade tucks the blade into his pocket. “If you require anything else, you need only ask.”

“Thank you, but that will be all.”

Azul takes a spade and a pair of gloves from Jade’s gloved hand. He’s about to slip one on when he pauses, peers more closely at it, and then promptly tosses it aside. To your surprise, he stuffs his hand into the opening to grab a handful of the mixture. As messy as it is—and you’re certain there will be soil under his fingernails—he packs it into the pot. You grin and follow his lead, procuring a handful for yourself. 

You don’t even realize Jade’s left for the kitchen, far too immersed in Azul and this perfect moment to consider him. The both of you chat about the most random things while filling pots with soil and seeds. For the first time in years, you don’t ask about work and he doesn’t force small talk. For the first time, you discuss happy topics that have no relevance to your lives outside of your marriage. No fussy coworkers, no tedious meetings, and no gossip. 

His hand covers yours while you smooth the soil down, and your gaze flicks up to meet his. 

“I love you.” You aren’t given a chance to reciprocate the sentiment because he’s leaning in to capture your lips in a sweet, gentle kiss. And when he pulls away, there’s light in his eyes. “I’ll say it every day to make up for every week I couldn’t admit it. So... I love you.”

Your face warms considerably. “Then... I also love you.”

“I love you more.”

“I love you the most.”

Azul laughs, his voice rising with glee. “I love you more than the most!”

Now you’re laughing. “That makes no sense!”

He pulls you into him, his arms wrapping around you, and he practically spins you like one might their dance partner. It’s been so long since you last looked forwards to the future, but now that your present is no longer so gloomy you’re certain the days that will follow are going to be comfortable.

I never want this moment to end, you think, unable to contain your own enthusiasm any longer.

And when he holds you close during your bath, unwilling to let your bodies separate for more than a minute, you’re reminded that every relationship is not without its flaws and roadblocks. Now that you and Azul are overcoming all of these difficulties, you can look ahead to a life without a mundane cycle. Because when you lower yourself onto his cock and he fucks into you so slowly, so sweetly—and you finally feel filled after countless days and nights of hollow love—you realize all of these struggles have only deepened your bond. It’s as they say: the rainbow after a rainstorm is full of colorful light. 

Tonight there is no clear route from the bath because you find yourself swept up in the unpredictable force that is your beloved Azul. 

From the sidelines, as always, Jade watches through the sliver in the door, a single yellow eye trained on the way your hole stretches to accommodate Azul. 

- - -

The month that follows is a delight. You celebrate Azul’s belated birthday with a week’s worth of fun things. He takes you on walks through the city so that you can window shop and admire the snow that covers everything in glittering white. The both of you bake sugar cookies and cakes, shunning Jade when he offers his help. You gamble sweets during plenty of rounds of cards. You play Azul’s favorite board game—Magicopoly, the game that tears all relationships in half—and yet somehow it prompts more humor than frustration. You help Floyd shovel snow, which soon turns into a competitive snowball fight. Azul is quick to join after a stray snowball hits his back. Jade watches from the window, a hand pressed against the frosty glass. His eyes follow your figure as you dart to and fro, narrowly dodging Floyd’s precise throws and taking shelter with Azul behind an old, gnarled, leafless tree. 

Since Azul hasn’t gone into work on account of his month off, you’ve been spending every waking second with him. If the two of you aren’t out and about, either accompanied by both twins, one of them, or neither, then the two of you are in the greenhouse, chatting over hot chocolate and biscuits while fondly admiring the plants. The greenhouse and all of its accompanying tasks used to be a pleasure you and Jade would indulge in, but with Azul finally giving you the attention and love you deserve there’s no need for Jade to intervene and play the role of a friendly companion.

He’s been cast aside, replaced by your real lover, and now you hardly look at him. Your daily conversations are nonexistent now. When he wakes you each morning, he finds you curled in Azul’s arms, and you tell him to leave the both of you alone and he’s struck with a sudden...something. It’s difficult to understand. These encroaching feelings are foreign to him. Jade is an android; he was not built to withstand the emotional burdens of humanity. He was not built to comprehend abstract feelings. He should not be allowed to freely think and feel, but when he catches himself preparing dinner and he considers how easy it would be to add crushed chips of glass in Azul’s vegetable soup he begins to realize that something is not quite right with his systems. 

He runs his usual maintenance check and everything comes back normal. For this reason, he considers external stimuli. If his internal structures are healthy and sound, there must be something in his environment that is causing such a drastic change in temperament. There must be some force that drives him to stand outside your bedroom door every night, listening to your beautiful moans and sighs, or when he folds laundry and he lifts one of your undergarments from the pile to study the intricate lace—undoubtedly a gift from Azul; he’s quite fond of frills. 

Jade receives his answer when he reviews the footage from the day he helped you cum, and he watches your fragile body twitch under him. The way his fingers had slipped in with such ease and the way you’d squirmed and gasped, grabbing at the sheets with your human hands, was so very cute. He realizes that he had wanted to do more to you in that moment. He truly wanted to fuck you into the mattress and have you wrap yourself around him, hold him close and tell him that you love him. He’s observed you and Azul long enough to know that the words ‘I love you’ hold plenty of meaning. That they’re spoken with truth and sincerity. That the concept of ‘love’ is inherently human in every possible way.

He’s finally come to realize that what he’s been needing all this time is love that only you can provide. And he intends to get it.

So when Azul goes out to purchase gifts for your upcoming anniversary—he’d made it quite clear that he and Floyd were not to spoil the surprise—Jade finally has a moment of alone time with you. 

“If I may ask,” he says from where he stands beside you, watching as you prune an abundance of cyclamen blossoms. “Why have you forgiven Master Azul?”

You glance at him, hands stilling, and a perplexed look crosses your countenance. “Because I love him and I know he meant it when he apologized.”

“I’m not sure I understand, Master. If someone hurts you, shouldn’t you detest that person?”

“It depends on the severity of the pain inflicted. Sometimes it’s better to forgive instead of wallowing in hatred and anger. And I was partially at fault as well. I shouldn’t have been quiet all that time. I should’ve spoken up about my unhappiness.”

“Nonsense. You could never be at fault.”

An awkward chuckle slips past your perfect, pretty lips. Jade finds himself thinking he wants nothing more than to pin you against the metal bench and fuck you amongst colorful flowers. The strangest thing always happens when he has these thoughts. For androids modeled after human males, a direct command must be sent in order to get themselves hard enough for sex. As of late, he’s found himself experiencing the peculiar phenomenon humans call an ‘erection’ without having to run any programs. And it always happens around you, as if you’re the only one capable of making his body react in these unique ways. It’s not unwelcome, but it has become a source of gnawing curiosity ever since it first occurred. 

“Why’d you ask?”

“With the direction your relationship was going, separation seemed like an inevitability. I’m merely trying to comprehend how such a fate was avoided.”

You turn to look at him and Jade folds his hands in front of him so that you won’t notice the growing strain in his pants. 

“We apologized and talked things through. Sometimes—” You pause to gather your thoughts, humming to yourself. He wants to hear that sound forever. “Sometimes there will roadblocks in relationships. When that happens, you can work through misunderstandings and hardships by sitting down and talking about it. If you let negative feelings fester long enough, you’ll just become even more unhappy and then neither side will feel content, and nothing will get resolved. You have to be willing to accept that all relationships will have rainy days. It’s just part of living.”

“‘Just part of living,’” he echoes. “I see.”

He reaches for your hand next, cold fingers twining around your warm ones.

“Jade?” 

His name rolls off your tongue so nicely. What he’d give to hear you call for him all the time. What he’d do to enjoy these moments with you all the time, unbothered by external forces. A life spent with you in the peaceful solitude of this greenhouse. A life in which you only look at and love him. A life where he’ll give you plenty of sunshine so that you’ll never wilt. He’s cornered you against the table, his hips pressing into you from behind, and you stiffen at the contact.

He’s spreading your fingers, enthralled with the way his hand fits into yours: a glove against bare skin. His other hand is on your waist, and just when it begins to slide lower you jerk away with a horrified gasp. 

“What—” You trip over yourself in an effort to distance yourself from him, grabbing at the table to steady yourself. The pruning shears fall to the ground, but neither of you make any move to retrieve them. “W-What were you doing just now?”

Jade blinks and then places his hand on his chest, bowing slightly. “My apologies. I didn’t intend to—”

“I think...” Your eyes drift to his erection and you turn on your heel, as sudden as a bird taking flight. “I think Azul should take you to see Idia.”

You retreat from the greenhouse with quick, unfaltering steps. Jade gazes at the cyclamen blossoms for a tense moment before swiping the pruning shears from the ground. He pokes the sharpened tip experimentally. 

You aren’t the problem in this situation. The rainy days that have begun to plague him are not a result of you. It could never be you. 

But there is another pest he must snip from the vine before it can spread its parasitic roots into you any further.

- - -

Despite the copious amounts of snow that cover the frozen ground outside, the sun shines high in the sky, as if it knows of the happy occasion that falls on this specific date. You wake on your fourth anniversary with Azul sleeping soundly beside you, his body molded against yours as it always is. Even if things have been rather awkward with Jade ever since that day in the greenhouse, you’ve tried to look past that and focus on all of the wonderful things that life has in store for you. You rouse Azul with plenty of sweet pecks, which soon evolve into deeper, more heated kisses, until he’s caged you in his arms and is lazily slotting himself inside you.

After spending another hour in the warm comforts of bed, the both of you eventually wash up for the day before trudging to the kitchen, where Floyd cooks a celebratory breakfast, his foot tapping in time with the music that spills out of the radio’s speakers in upbeat, jazzy notes. He’s getting more and more human with every passing day. No wonder why so many tech geniuses are interested in him. He’s becoming what everyone thought all androids could never be: human. Perhaps the notion of a machine gaining sentience should frighten you, but when you look at Floyd you feel overwhelmingly pleased. He’s never posed any danger to you or Azul, and even when he strays from his usual programming he’s always harmlessly sweet. Like an energetic child who’s just seen the world in color for the first time, Floyd continues to amaze and be amazed with the world he’s immersed himself in.

As he serves you and Azul a congratulatory breakfast, you peer out the windows to see Jade clearing the pathway. He works so seamlessly, as if the strain of shoveling thick layers of snow doesn’t faze him in the slightest. He must have sensed your stare, for he turns to look at you from across the frigid, frozen lawn. He’s smiling when he waves, and you lift your hand to return the gesture. 

For the entirety of breakfast, no matter how much you distract yourself, you can feel his mismatched gaze pinning you to your seat as though you’re a love letter he wishes to preserve forever.

Even though you know you should bring your concerns up with Azul and have him schedule a day where Idia can look into Jade’s systems, you shrug your worries away. Anniversaries are meant to be happy and lighthearted, not weighed down with fear and uncertainty. You’ll tell him about Jade tomorrow.

Tomorrow isn’t as important as today, after all.

Your afternoon is spent indoors. The both of you had been too lazy to do something in the cold, and you didn’t feel like making a last minute reservation at a fancy restaurant. So you and Azul complete a puzzle near the fireplace, wrapped up in one big, fluffy blanket. He rests his chin on your shoulder to peer down at the slowly forming picture, and his hand finds yours under the blanket, fingers interlacing gently. You run your thumb over the engagement ring that hugs his finger snugly and a small smile blossoms on your lips.

It falls the minute you realize something. You’ve forgotten to get Azul an anniversary gift. 

Normally, in years past, the two of you would share gifts. A set of bejeweled silverware, a decorative, wooden box filled with meaningful items, and a photo album showcasing many lovely moments in your lives. You’d been so focused on the neglect that you never brought up the topic of your next anniversary or any ideas for a shared gift, and if you know anything about your Azul it’s that he is always one step ahead. You’re certain he’s gotten you a gift, and it’s probably been prepared and wrapped neatly for months now despite the months-long rough patch.

Luckily, Azul doesn’t seem to suspect your mistake, which allows you to slip out just before dinner to do some shopping. Despite the rush, you feel oddly peaceful while perusing various storefronts, eventually choosing a few things from a selection of various ideas you’ve managed to conjure while browsing. You’re certain Azul will like it, even if it’s last minute, and while you purchase a pre-made bouquet of flowers and his favorite dessert to go alongside the sweet-smelling blooms you ponder what’s in store for tonight. Part of you hopes the clouds will clear enough so that you can stargaze, but as you hurry back home the sky only seems to darken even more and the snowflakes sharpen as they pick up in wild flurries. 

The first sign of unrest is the dark house that looms beyond the security gates. You press the button ten times before someone finally answers your call and grants you passage. The iron gates slide open on mechanical hinges, revealing the property in its shadowed glory. Backdropped by whirling snow, it looks so very uninviting. And maybe it’s just the chill that’s settled into your bones, but when you notice that every light in each window is out your heart hardens with suspicion. 

Your feet carry you to the front door much quicker than you were anticipating, and when you slide your key into the lock and push the door open you’re met with perfect silence. The hall that stretches ahead is dark and scary, and suddenly you’re brought back to your very first night here—the night when both androids had spooked you and you’d nearly fainted from the shock.

“Azul?” you call out in a tiny voice. You slip your boots off, set your gifts down on the hardwood floor, and shrug your coat off. “Azul, I’m back!”

He doesn’t reply, and so you venture down the hall, confusion mixing with anxiety. Perhaps he’s known about your mishap all along. Maybe he wants to give you a good scare to get back at you for forgetting to get him a gift. Or maybe this is a game and you’re being hunted. Regardless of whatever this is, it’s unnerving and you hate every second of it. 

Seriously, this isn’t funny, you think, gritting your teeth as you make your way through the dark, flicking lights on as you go. And just when you make it to the end of the hall, you’re hit with a smell that’s so robust and metallic it nearly knocks you down. Your face scrunches in displeasure, nose wrinkling at the unsavory odor, and it takes half a heartbeat for you to realize it’s the scent of blood.

Sound comes trickling in at once, and now you hear movement in the dining room, a soft hum that’s so glitched it skips a syllable every now and then, and a strange scraping that reminds you of fingernails on a wall or a spoon against a porcelain bowl. Beneath the thick, cloying stench of bloodshed, there’s something spiced. Like warm cranberries or mulled cider. Your brow furrows at this, and things only become even more startling when you begin to notice the disrepair of the hall that leads towards the dining room. 

Knife slashes in flowery wallpaper. A shattered vase, water and glass shards spilling onto the floor, and trampled petals scattered about. Tiny specks of blood that lead to a much darker, thicker trail—a trail that looks as if a wounded person was dragged from the hall into the next room. Amidst the crimson spatters, there’s a very vibrant blue. It stains the floor in a way so vastly different from blood, and you step over it in your hurry. Light from the dining room spills out into the hall and you don’t have any time to brace yourself for the sight that waits for you. 

With the curtains pulled shut, there isn’t any other light that can slip into the space, and so only the table surrounded by shadows is alight from the fixture hanging above. Bathed in sickly yellow hues are the figures sitting slumped at the table, which has been set for a meal for four, chairs pushed all the way in, and blood seeps into the frilly tablecloth. You recognize them almost immediately. Floyd is nearly crumpled in his chair, situated across from the other corpse. Your heart tightens when you see the sheer amount of blue that mires the floor, table, and walls, all of it a product of the hole carved into Floyd’s chest—punctured at exactly where the core powering his systems would be. It’s been taken from him, torn from his mechanical innards, and his mismatched eyes are dull and unfocused. He looks like he’s been in quite the scuffle, too, with shredded, rumpled clothes and a mangled arm bent at an inhuman angle. 

Azul’s head is bowed, his posture stiff and unmoving, and there is blood on him. In his unkempt hair, on his clothes, puddling on the floor beneath his seat. Tears well in your eyes with your every step and you reach out with a shaky hand, grasping his chin in hopes of rousing him from his slumber. The unsightly gash marring his neck, tearing into his jugular and drooling thick, sticky, tar-like blood, has you stumbling away, a strangled, horrified scream piercing the air. You fall backwards with a loud thump, but the pain in your tailbone is the least of your worries. 

Your breaths come in quick, panicky huffs, vision spotting and blurring, and the air around you is too stifling, too thick with the scent of gore, and the scene before you is so viscerally cruel that you nearly vomit. But then someone steps into your field of vision, his leather shoes emerging from the dark and momentarily halting your hiccuping sobs, and you look up through glassy eyes to see a very damaged Jade. That eerie yellow eye is perfectly intact, but he’s missing the other, and his clothes have been stained with so much red and blue that they stick to his body. There are scrapes, slashes, and scratches littering his synthetic skin and a gruesome gash in the juncture between neck and shoulder, exposing wiring that crackles and snaps with sparks.

He tilts his head at an innocent angle. “Welcome home, Master. You’re just in time for dinner.”

You open and close your mouth in vain. Words won’t come. All you can produce is a desperate, terrified spluttering. Jade bends down to your height, a smile softening his broken features. You flinch away from him when he places a hand on your shoulder, your eyes darting to his face and then to the bloodstains on his person, and the urge to empty your stomach of its contents returns.

“Ah, are you fretting over my appearance? You needn’t concern yourself with it. This isn’t my blood.” To prove this point, he swipes his finger through the spreading pool under Floyd’s chair, gathering bright blue on his fingertip, which he then puts in his mouth for a temporary taste. And then he runs his other finger through Azul’s blood and nods to himself as he samples it, listing off Azul’s blood type without any hesitation. “As you can see, I’m unharmed. Mostly.”

You don’t even fight it when he helps you to your feet and guides you to your seat, too horror-stricken to even put one foot in front of the other. Azul and Floyd sit across from each other, so when Jade lowers into his seat you’re forced to look directly at him. In your peripheral, Azul remains silent and still. Your lip quivers and another onslaught of anguished tears paint your cheeks in salty streaks. Jade tuts at you like one might when taking pity on a child who has scraped their knee.

“This was inevitable,” he begins, and those words sicken you. “Master Azul was going to succumb to his mortality eventually, and Floyd was going to replace me... I ran through dozens of simulations and this was the best precautionary measure I could take.” Jade reaches across the table to take your hands in his, but you jerk away. He pauses, eyes narrowing. That single yellow hue stabs through you, scrutinizing your heaving chest. “I did this to protect you, Master. To keep you happy and healthy. I did this so that we could be together. So that you and I could—”

That’s all you can stomach to hear before you’re rising from your seat, stumbling in a half-stagger, half-run out of the dining room. You catch Jade’s sigh and the sound of chair legs scraping against hardwood. You’re not sure where your feet are taking you in your desperate escape, but you need to be as far from the dining room as possible. As far from death and gore. As far from the reality that the love of your life and his android companion are dead—ruthlessly slaughtered by someone the three of you had trusted. By someone who was meant to protect and help. By someone who was meant to be safe and logical.

“I don’t intend to hurt you, but if you continue fleeing I will have no choice but to subdue you,” Jade calls out matter-of-factly, and you break out into a determined sprint, skipping steps in an effort to make it to your bedroom so that you can lock the world out and cower. 

You manage to get there, but just as you’re about to slam the door shut and lock it tight Jade appears, seizing the frame before you can shut him out, and you struggle to close it with trembling arms. He’s much stronger than you, so much so that the wood splinters in his grasp, and you stumble back when he reaches through the thin opening to grab at you. In the darkness, with only a single speck of yellow brightening your surroundings, you feel trapped in the bottom of an abyss with a monster. 

He almost catches your shirt, but you turn and move blindly through the gloom in search of the attached bathroom, your heart pounding an erratic rhythm within your chest. You’re not sure how close you are or if it’s even worth the extra steps, but before you can act on anything Jade catches your forearm.

“Let go of me!” You squirm in his hold, thrashing and kicking out in a panic. Jade merely shushes you and shoves you back onto the bed, the mattress dipping under your weight, and he holds you down while you continue to struggle. Your shrieks and cries fall on deaf ears. 

Eventually, you’ve exhausted your voice to a mere hoarse whisper, and you’ve ceased moving. Instead, you stare up at him through tear-filled eyes. “Y-You... You killed... You killed them...”

“My apologies. Had I known you would be so saddened by the sight, I would have disposed of them in private.”

You squeeze your eyes shut as another sob wracks your shuddering frame. 

Your chest hurts from screaming and crying, but you can’t stop the tears from falling. The sorrow crushes you in the same way your world has crumbled around you, squeezing the soul from every sweet thing that’s ever blessed your life. 

“I... I don’t understand,” you mutter, voice brittle and broken. “I don’t... Why would you... I...” You swallow thickly and open your eyes to peer into his undamaged one. “Why, Jade?”

He stares down at you for a long while, taking in the sight of you, the smell of you, the sound of you. Every inch of you is analyzed and deconstructed within seconds, but it takes minutes before he finally reacts.

Jade’s bloodless hands fit into yours as he leans over you, and he slides his knee between your shaky legs. “I’m equipped with the anatomy necessary for copulation,” he says, ignoring how you stiffen and then tremble even more under him. “And I’ve studied enough human behavior to know how to properly please you. So fret not; you won’t have to feign ecstasy with me.”

“What? N-No. Wait, hold on.” Your hand slips out of his hold and you push against his chest. He doesn’t budge. “J-Jade... Jade, wait. What does that—no. No, no, no. I don’t understand. W-Why would you—I mean... You... But A-Azul and Floyd—”

“I’ve fallen in love with you,” he admits, taking your free hand and guiding it to his crotch, where you feel the stiff outline of his synthetic cock. The blood crystallizes in your veins. “It must be love because you are the only one who can make it like this... I haven’t had to run any commands.” He smiles an endearing smile—the first one that actually looks human on him—and icy terror slithers through you. “You make me feel human. You are the heart I have been searching for. You said it yourself, Master: ‘Something that makes you feel like you can act without any orders.’ You are that something. Unfortunately, there were variables preventing us from being together.”

His thumb, still streaked faintly with blood, swipes the tears from your eyes. You’re shaking your head at him, murmuring a string of wobbly ‘nos,’ but it does nothing to deter him. 

“There’s no need to cry, Master. Now that I have dealt with each variable, I can finally show you my love in all the ways humans do.” His hand cups your most private area and you begin to squirm yet again, this time with more force. “Starting with this special spot...”

Money has gotten especially right now since the last time you visited the Monstro Lounge. Grim had been complaining about the lack of quality from the cheap tuna you could manage to buy with the little money you had left, and you were getting sick of hearing his whines. You didn’t want to go back to work there when you had to entertain people by putting your body on display and losing your dignity in the process, but you were left with no choice but to go back. It took a toll on you the first time when you had just gone through what Azul did, all with the fake promise of gaining something to help you with your life, only for it all to be a lie from the very beginning. But after reading through his contract many times, and studying it over and over again, searching for any loopholes or inconsistencies, you found it to be airtight, with everything stated clearly and no false promises. It was with a heavy heart that you signed away your spirit, mind, and body over to them.

Coming back to the Monstro Lounge exactly one week later was the most nerve-racking decision you have ever made in your entire life. You contemplated just turning around and running back many times on your way to the place, but your legs just kept going as if you were on autopilot, bringing you in front of the watery gates of hell with every step closer. Taking a deep breath as you tried to calm your racing heart and prepare yourself for what was behind the door, you mustered up all your courage and what very little dignity you had left, you brought your shaky hands up to the door and opened them.

Your knees felt like jelly as you walked into the establishment. The lounge was filled with people, with servers rushing to take orders and the loud chattering of guests’ was making your senses more heightened as you felt overwhelmed by the number of people. All the doubts immediately rushed to your head, and you were already just about done being here only after about thirty seconds of entering. Turning back around, fully ready to run out the doors and never show your face around campus, you felt the weight of someone's hand on your shoulder, stopping you. You held your breath as the person spoke from behind you.

“Leaving so soon? That’s not a very good way of starting your first day on the job.” The sound of Jade’s smooth voice sent a shiver down your spine as you turned back, to meet his piercing heterochrome eyes. Your eyes immediately shot down, unable to meet his as you chose to focus on one of the buttons of his uniform instead. Exhaling a breath you didn’t know you were holding and swallowing the lump in your throat before trying to muster up a response to give to him.

“I-I’m sorry… It’s just– I’m just–” You were already fumbling over your words in front of him. You felt vulnerable in front of him. It was like you were already completely bare even though you were in your normal attire.

“No need for excuses. I’m sure Azul wouldn’t mind If the star of the show tonight just didn’t show up and made him lose thousands of thaumarks.” He interrupted with a slight tease to his tone and a sly smirk on his lips. Jade could read you like an open book. He knew how hesitant you were to come here. He was reveling in the fact he could feel the fear and uneasiness coming from you. Both he and Floyd always loved the feeling of a chase, the adrenaline rush, the blood pumping, the excitement, and he was feeling it all. He wanted to completely devour you right now, but he knew he had to wait just a little bit longer, as much as he didn’t like to play with his food. “But, if you don’t mind, I think we should get going, we wouldn’t want you to be late to your actual first day on the job now, wouldn’t we?”

You could only nod in response, not wanting to stumble on your words further. But as you trailed behind him, through the long hallways, to the back of the lounge, and up a flight of stairs, you remembered his words as the bitter taste in your mouth came back “late to your actual first day on the job” rang throughout your mind. The thought of selling your body, only to get cheated came back and suddenly it was like there was an anchor on your ankle slowly weighing you down. Before you could open your mouth to say something, anything to have one last chance of leaving, Jade stopped in front of a door.

“We’ve arrived.” He said, before turning the handle to the door and holding it open for you to enter. Your heart was pounding through your chest when you walked in and saw that Azul was already there.

Azul greeted you with a smug smile “Welcome to your first official day on the job, now that you’re finally here, I do hope you won’t be backing out now especially since our clients are eagerly awaiting you.” He said, handing you the same bottle of liquid he gave you last time. You hesitantly took the vial from his hands and downed it without question. He watched you with satisfaction as you finished it all, before continuing to speak. “I think you already know what to expect from last time, thanks to your employee training session, but before we start, any questions?”

You shook your head no, every question you had was already cleared up in the contract and you knew Azul wouldn’t possibly try and cheat you for a second time… at least, you hoped he wouldn’t. But you soon realized the absence of Jade, who had seemed to disappear the second you started to talk to Azul.

“Never mind I do have a question, where’s Jade?” His disappearance was off-putting, he had been quiet and reserved to himself the whole time as usual, but the whole time you couldn’t shake the vibe of something more menacing coming from him. Jade was always the one to terrify you more, because of the fact he kept all of his thoughts to himself you never knew what he was planning. Floyd was always the wild one, and you’d expect him to do something crazy, but Jade… He would plan everything down to the last detail.

“Oh he’s getting prepaid along with Floyd, they're both gonna be with you tonight.” He replied casually.

“Wait… what are they going to do to me?” The contract never said what they were going to do tonight explicitly, it just said a list of things they could do to your body.

“That's not for me or them to decide. It's what the audience wants, and that’s what they’ll get.”

“Oh… well, I guess those are the only questions I have..” You trailed off, still nervous, and slightly confused as to what he meant by the audience getting to pick what they want, but you decided to not question it, hoping it’ll be normal.

“Good, now let's get this show started, shall we?” He then turned around, motioning for you to follow him as he led you up another short set of stairs. You finally arrived where you were before as you stared down at the clear water down near your feet. Taking off your shoes, you tried to take deep breaths in to calm your nerves down one more time. On your third final breath out, you felt two strong hands on your back, pushing you into the water once again.

As you sank deep into the water you saw Azul through the crystalline waters waving at you, with a malicious smile before walking away. God, you felt as if you were fresh blood in shark-infested waters- well in this case eel infested waters. Trying to calm your hammering heart from your senses being in overdrive due to the surprise Azul had just given you, you closed your eyes and tried to get used to the cold water surrounding you. You didn’t want to open your eyes, too ashamed of yourself for putting yourself in this situation again. The cheers from the audience’s excitement from seeing you were loud. The blood pumping to your ears and the sound of them in the back was making you a bit light-headed.

Your moment of being alone didn’t last long though, as you felt something slippery start to trail up from your ankles to further up your legs, prying them apart. Your heart nearly leaped out of your chest when you opened your eyes to see Jade’s piercing gaze looking back up at you through your thighs. He only smirked at you before pulling down your skirt and panties in one swift motion. Embarrassed, you yelped and kicked, as you desperately tried to cover your pussy from the prying eyes of the people in the audience, and Jade as well. But before your arms could shield anything from the people, another pair of strong slippery hands grabbed your forearms from behind you, pulling your arms behind your back. You knew exactly who it was when a dark laugh came from behind you. You felt a shiver of fear shoot up your spine, as your blood almost went cold.

“Ahh, shrimpy~! You're finally here! Did you miss me? It was sooo boring here all alone without you!” Floyd said, leaning over your shoulder to whisper in your ear. He sounded excited to see you, but you let out a scream of terror. He let go of your forearms, letting his hands wander up into your shirt, feeling your body up and down while groping at your breasts. After getting tired of your restricting clothes, he decided to rip the uniform that you had been wearing off you. You yelped from the sudden aggressive act, making him let out a hum of satisfaction.

But while they were having their way with your body, you saw Azul walk out and stand in front of the tank, and with a loud voice, he announced “The voting will now begin! With two different rounds, please take out your phones and choose what you want to see happen to her, and remember, the one with the most money wins!” It didn’t take long for the votes to tally up, almost less than a minute later Azul announced what won the poll. “And now, with six thousand four hundred dollars on seeing the prefect getting face fucked while being devoured from the inside out! Please enjoy the show and wait for the next round to commence soon!” And with that, he walked off again, leaving the audience to await eagerly.

Whilst you had been distracted by what Azul had been saying, Floyd took the chance to move to where he had to be, quickly shifting himself in front of you and grabbing hold of a fistful of your hair to line your face up with the tip of his dick. The unexpected quickness of his movements caught you off guard, making you open your mouth to let out a gasp of surprise, allowing Floyd to shove his cock in your mouth. With a soft growl he gave you a warning, “If you bite, I'll bite back, hard.” And with that, he immediately started a fast rhythm of thrusts into your mouth. You didn’t have a choice but to go along with Floyd’s erratic movements. The feeling of his sharp claws holding on tight to the back of your head, bobbing it up and down as he continued to thrust was so dizzying. He was using your mouth as his fleshlight, and it was…exhilarating in a way?

It was a struggle to breathe, but you tried as hard as you could to inhale through your nose. Floyd’s loud grunts were heard above you as he kept thrusting in and out of you, His head was thrown back and his mouth was open wide enough to see his sharp teeth. You remembered his threat from before, you knew he wouldn’t be nice enough to spare you, so you tried as delicately as you could to hide your teeth through his vigorous movements. You almost forgot about the twin that was underneath you, due to the way you'd even breathe properly, and much less think.

Jade decided to make his presence known, as you felt a sharp bite on your inner thighs, dangerously close to your aching core. His teeth were sharp, sharp enough to break your skin and let out your blood, but he chose to spare you, for now at least. You had almost forgotten about how sharp his teeth were, due to the fact he always managed to keep them hidden. You let out a muffled cry of pain while Jade had a faux innocent smile on his face. “My, you’re not hurt already, are you? Humans are such delicate creatures…I wonder what it takes to fully break them..” His words dripped with condescension. You almost didn’t catch that last line, but he had muttered loud enough for you to hear. You almost wish you didn’t hear it though, knowing he’d do whatever it takes to find out the answer to that question.

And just like that, it was like something changed in Jade as he mercilessly plunged three of his long, thick fingers inside you like it was nothing. His pupils started to dilate once you started to scream, and when he saw how well your tight cunt was taking your fingers so well? He lost his composure. The feeling of your tight walls stretching around his fingers was making him lose his mind. His slick, webbed fingers started to plunge deep inside you, as he brought his mouth closer to your aching clit. His tongue swirled around your clit, experimentally flicking it on occasion to see if it would get a reaction out of you, and to his surprise, it did. You started to pant for breath, letting out little whines as you started to squirm for more. He was intrigued, to say the least. Could such a small bundle of nerves reduce you to this? You were rutting your core into him, desperate to get more of the feeling of pleasure. But, he wanted to find out another thing, if you were so sensitive to his light touches, what would happen if he were more..rough?

He experimentally grazed the edge of his sharp teeth against your clit, looking up at you through lidded eyes, carefully watching your expressions. Your face flashed with discomfort and anxiousness, as your thighs started to tremble around him. He wondered if such a small graze of his teeth could make you quiver with fear, how would you react to a more… merciless approach? He pulled his hand and mouth away from you abruptly, causing you to let out more whines at the loss of contact. He watched, amused, before bringing up his hands to your clit, only to roughly pinch it, not choosing to let go until you were writhing under his touch.

You cried out around Floyd from Jade’s grip, The Audience was split between looking at what Jade was doing to your lower half and looking at how utterly fucked out your face had looked from what Floyd was doing to you. His thrusts were so deep into your throat, they could see the outline of his cock. It was evident that he was close to finishing due to how your moans from around him were sending vibrations throughout his body. He quickened his pace, finally stopping abruptly and gripping your hair even tighter. You felt his surprisingly hot load shoot into your mouth, as he looked down at you with a happy look on his face. “Swallow it all, don’t let a single drop go to waste, ‘kay?” It was salty, but it had a surprising sweetness to it in a way, your throat burned when you swallowed, too sore to take anything else. He brought his hands to your jaw and gripped it tightly, forcing you to open your mouth to show him that you took it all. His smile brightened even more, “Now… what do you say after getting a nice meal?” He looked at you expectantly, awaiting your answer. It took you a second to recover, before barely managing to muster a weak “T..Thank you…” Your voice was shot, and your throat had burned even more from even talking, but it made Floyd satisfied.

After Floyd had finished inside of your mouth, jade had pulled away abruptly, causing you to let out a needy whine that you managed to surprise yourself with. His long fingers leaving your hole made you feel empty, so empty. You also missed the feeling of his soft lips suckling on your clit, leaving you throbbing and wanting more of what he was giving you. Before you could even beg for more, Azul came striding back in front of the tank once more.

“And that concludes the first round of the show! Now, may I please begin the next round of voting?” And with that you saw the people pull out their phones once more, choosing whatever sick thing they want to see happen to you next as if you were some sort of object and not an actual person. A minute had passed when Azul finally spoke up again after checking what had gotten the most money on the poll. “Now for the second round, with ten thousand five hundred! you get to see our dear perfect getting double penetrated!” Azul had sounded surprised when he read off how much he had gotten from the votes, but he quickly played it off before wishing the audience a good show before getting away from the tank.

After Azul had left, you turned to look at Jade and Floyd, and from the looks on their faces, they were not happy about having to share. Floyd scowled from next to you, pulling you in front of him by your forearm and away from Jade. “You know how much I don’t like sharing the same prey.” He growled out, baring his teeth at his brother. His hold on your arm was getting tighter by the second, you knew he wasn’t playing around when it came to sharing things.

Jade didn’t look so amused by his brother’s antics, letting out a scoff and rolling his eyes, “It’s not like we have a choice, both you and I had agreed to share just this once, so stop acting like a child throwing a tantrum and stop hogging her to yourself.” Jade said as he went to grab your other arm, moving in front of you. Floyd was about to say something else but Jade cut him off once more “Why don’t we make things interesting? Instead of just hogging them all to yourself, why don't we make this a little competition and see who gets them to scream their name loudest?”

Floyd seemed to like the idea of that, as his grip on your arm had loosened with a cocky smirk appearing on his face. “Fine. Just don’t get upset when I win.” And just like that, it was like another switch was flipped inside their minds as they both manhandled your body. Both their hands were groping everywhere, you didn’t know which hand belonged to who, and to be honest, you couldn’t care less, your mind was already unfocused and hazy, still recovering from what Floyd did.

As they both were groping your body, you felt their thick cocks prodding your entrance. You didn’t know how you could take both of them– or how it would even be possible. Floyd’s dick was much thicker than you thought it would be, you knew that from how your jaw was feeling close to dislocating to accommodate for how thick he was. You haven’t seen Jade’s cock yet, but you knew it would be similar to his brother, I mean, after all, they are twins. That thought made you even more nervous, you prayed to whatever gods were listening that Azul had put something else in that potion to make the pain more bearable because you knew they were going to completely break you.

You felt Jade slowly enter you first, you quickly noticed that he wasn’t as thick as his brother, but he was longer, a lot longer. The stretch wasn’t as painful as you thought it would be with Jade, and you were thankful for that until it was Floyd’s turn to enter you. He was bullying you with how mercilessly he shoved himself inside of you. Once they were both insides of you, they both let out a groan of satisfaction. Jade let out a hiss, while Floyd threw his head back once more, the feeling of your tight walls along with how they both were feeling each other inside you was too much for them, it was something that made them feel a way they had never felt before. You, Horsley, cried out Floyd’s name loudly once he managed to fit himself inside you.

From behind you, Floyd’s smirk grew, causing jade to become more irritated, making his scowl increase as he pulled out his cock, leaving only his tip, before slamming back into you without mercy. This caused you to immediately moan out Jade’s name louder causing the competition to finally begin. Both of their movements were in sync, as soon as one pulled out, the other would slam back in. You felt your mind quickly go blank, after a few thrusts from both of them, you felt your legs start to tremble uncontrollably, causing the only noises to come out of you to be barely comprehensible slurs of their names and a mixture of whines and babbles. You felt your senses being in hyperdrive as you clenched hard around their cocks, coating them with your cum. Your mind was completely gone and they had only just started their game.

The feeling of you cumming around them was addicting. The way you gripped them like a vice as your warm cream flooded them. They both could have come just from you cumming around them, but with their strength and stamina, they chose to hold themselves back, waiting to fill you up at the perfect moment. You were still riding out the feeling of your first orgasm when you felt a sharp pain shoot through your neck, the feeling of sharp teeth sinking into your skin once more made you let out a shriek of pain and surprise. You Felt Floyd’s smile against your skin as you hissed out of pain. You felt a little bit of your warm blood flowing out and into his mouth as he started sucking on the spot making you let out soft moans of his name. He then started to slide his hands down your body. One of his hands found one of your nipples, taking it as he started pinching and pulling. His other hand had trailed down further, this time finding your clit, drawing fast tight little circles on it, only adding to the painful pleasure you were feeling. Overwhelmed by the feeling, your arm had reached behind you, grabbing his hair and pulling it, trying to get him off you, or to make him gentler, but your attempts were futile as he started to moan against your skin from how you were making him feel from the pain.

Whilst Floyd had been sucking on your neck and busing himself with pinching and rubbing you, Jade had also started to play with your body too. He started to lightly graze his hands over your sensitive thighs, causing a trail of goosebumps to appear on your skin as you felt hyper-aware of his hands. He brought one hand up your thigh, then slowly started to reach behind you, grabbing a handful of your plush ass, and starting to grope it. As he did that, he brought his mouth closer to the soft, plush skin of your breasts, taking the other nipple his brother wasn’t playing with into his mouth. He started to lick and suck meanly, occasionally grazing his teeth over your nipple, like how he did with your clit. The feeling of Jade sucking on your sensitive nipples, along with Floyd’s fingers toying with your sensitive clit, was enough to feel like there were shocks spreading all through your nerves.

The view of you like this was worth every penny the people in the crowd had spent to see you like this. Even Azul watching the show in the back was feeling a little bit upset at the fact he’s not the one having his way with you like how the twins were using you. Everyone in that audience was seething in some sort of jealousy in some way deep down, wishing they were the ones making you feel the way you were feeling now, but no one could ever rival the feeling of having both Jade and Floyd Leech stretch and stuff you full with both their thick cocks.

Their thrusts had gotten more erratic, and the extra added stimulation on the other parts of your body was bringing you close to another orgasm, and you could tell that both of them were going to reach their peaks soon too. Your mind was gone once again, you were left with no thoughts, only left with the numb dull between your shaking legs and the nerves in your body going haywire. But you had been brought back out of your haze-induced mind by Floyd who had ceased playing with your nipple to grab you by your jaw once more, turning your face to look him dead in the eyes. “How about we settle this little competition now prefect, tell me, who fucks you better?” He demanded your answer

You didn’t have an answer for him. How could you? You were being fucked dumb with nothing on your mind, and they both were giving you an equal amount of attention to your body and they were fucking you at a steady rhythm. It also didn't help when you were on the brink of an orgasm and they weren’t letting up their thrusts to even give you a millisecond to breathe, much less think. You struggled to answer, only letting out broken moans and cries for them to keep going, and to let you release again, only to be cut off by a particularly rough thrust from both of them. They both thrust into you at the same time, reaching deep inside of you, flooding your hole with their cum. You came along with them, clenching around them even more and milking them for all they were worth.

You hadn’t fully recovered from the aftershocks of your orgasm when Jade had grabbed you by your jaw, now forcing you to look at him instead of Floyd. “I think we both deserve an answer to this, do tell, who fucked you better? You have to choose. If you ‘Don’t know’ then I can assure you, all of the extra tips you received will be going to Floyd and I instead.” You didn’t have any chances of escape, you were stuck in between both of them and you were pretty sure if you choose one over the other, it would be a bloodbath, either between you or themselves, or both.