Bad Decisions [Goblin] [M]

[Juno]

It took great restraint for him to only glower at the gambler for that. He hadn't exactly expected him to agree to everything but nothing he hadn't quite imagined either. A compromise was surely fair, right?

This time Julian wasn't quite able to stifle the low growl that rose in his throat, though, the sound out and away before it even registered as a thought to him. "They were...requests," he all but growled through gritted teeth, "not demands. I'll earn them, of course."

[GoblinFae]

"Oh," Artorius replied, drawing out the sound for as long as he could in a rather knowing and demeaning tone. The growl had not gone unnoticed but the older man found it more amusing than anything else. "I see then!" He moved quickly, latching onto Julian's throat and forcing him to lay flat on his back on the bed. "And just how do you propose earning them, pet? Hmm?" He laughed darkly even as he sunk his teeth into the smaller man's shoulder intent on leaving a bloodless mark. "Do tell!"

[Juno]

Julian resisted the pressure at his throat at first but he only choked himself for it as he was eventually wrestled into submission. The shifter panted lightly for breath between his teeth, certain he was seeing stars for a bit as he tried not to appear too labored in front of Artorius. That was quickly forgotten, though, and he gave an almost roaring cry for the sudden, sharp sting of teeth.

The younger man whimpered, huffing his displeasure and clawing fiercely at his hand to try and push the gambler away. The request  for clarification was forgotten in his desperation and not a single word left his lips.

[GoblinFae]

The larger man refused to let up despite Julian's attempts to claw him away. In fact it only served to do the opposite as Artorius was spurred into an almost frenzy of causing the other man a series of love-bites. "Feisty, just the way I like my pets," he chuckled darkly as he nipped Julian on the jaw just below his ear. "But so quiet. How disappointing. Going to have to work on that little mouse if you intend to please me with your presence. You've yet to tell me how you plan on earning all those rewards. Go ahead now, best not to keep me waiting," he taunted as he sucked Julian's earlobe into his mouth before biting down on it as a reminder that there were things expected of the struggling man besides his inner fire.

[Juno]

His breath came in rasping pants as he fought the urge to be a complete savage about something that could easily be handled with a level head. Maybe. Artorius definitely knew how to work him over and he wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of verbally admitting to that particular fact.

Julian gave a short, whimpering cry for the bite to his ear, instinctively jerking his head to the side to try escaping it that only earned him a sharp sting instead. He turned a heated gaze upon the gambler, green eyes swirling with violent intentions he was realizing he had no way of actually carrying out, especially from his current position. For a brief moment he was brought back to their initial meeting and he was ashamed to realize that the shudder that raced through him for that was not entirely unpleasant.

It was so hard for him to give in when forced, to admit defeat and submission even for a short while, but eventually the smaller man relaxed under his grip. Calming a little, he realized he did have room to breathe after all and let his hands fall limp against his chest.

"Unless it means nothing to your lot... I have my loyalty to give. And a few other...tricks along with that. Besides the obvious." Julian sighed, the weight of realization heavy upon him as he noticed the extent of his plans were not well-defined and he'd more or less hoped that the gambler might accept a bit of brown-nosing and the constant availability of a lover in exchange for all of his demands. The reality was far from his ideal.

[GoblinFae]

"Loyalty," Artorius repeated darkly, refusing to comment further on it as he stole Julian's breath with a fiery and possessive kiss meant to distract and dominate. "I'd be most interested to see your little tricks, pet. Perhaps if they're amusing enough I can be persuaded to adhere to some of your little demands. In the end though it will be up to me to decide. Best work your hardest then for me eh, little mouse? Have to earn your keep and all that," the gambler breathed against his partner's lips before sucking the bottom one in to nip and nibble teasingly at. "Still think you can manage or you ready to just pay your tab and scurry out here tail between your pretty little legs?"

[Juno]

The shifter was dizzy with his kisses, having trouble thinking straight about what he was saying as he tried to recover without drawing attention to himself, tried to just breathe.

"I don't scurry," he hissed, biting back a whimper as he sucked his lip into his mouth once Artorius had released him. Everything about this man stung so much.

"And I don't shy away from honest work," he finally managed, "as long as you're fair." Just because this crazed man was under the impression he was owed quite a lot didn't mean he was about to be taken advantage of in repaying him. He was certainly no slave.

[GoblinFae]

Artorius chuckled against Julian's skin, not even bothering to cloak his amusement at the other man's protests. Nor did he bother rebuking them as his silence was enough implication that he did not believe the smaller man at all and was simply humoring him. "Then you'll have to do your utmost best to prove it, now won't you my fiery friend?" the gambler taunted, dragging a calloused finger down Julian's chest to teasingly circle the darker and more sensitive flesh there. "You wouldn't disappoint me, would you pet?"

[Juno]

Julian flinched, trying to sink away from the gambler but very aware of the hardness of the bed below and headboard behind him that would keep him trapped and barely able to crawl more than a foot away from him. He realized with shame that he was already making himself out to be a bit of a liar about scurrying. At least he wasn't trying to outright leave.

His breath hitched at his touch, his own hand immediately rising to slap at the one upon him, cheeks flushing as he saw the way the fabric of his top gave way to him so easily. "Not on purpose," the shifter mumbled, eyes hard as they snapped up to glare at Artorius. "But if you aren't clear about what you want from me I may have no choice."

[GoblinFae]

Artorius's amusement was snuffed up in an instant the moment Julian attempted to bat him away. As was his nature, the gambler had gone bored and tired of the younger man's hard-to-get antics. He was deeply entrenched in Artorius's debt and the older man was already filled to the brim with ways to bury him deeper still.

"Clear?" he repeated, dragging the word out menacingly. "How's this for clear, pet?" he growled, his hand once more encasing Julian's throat enough to restrain and sting but not damage. "I want to fuck your pretty, little ass raw whenever I please. I'll even have you begging for it. Keep things fresh and interesting for me my little mouse and you're almost guaranteed a continued place in my bed. But, the moment I grow bored of you, as soon as you become dull you can count on your debts being due in full and your ass out on the street. For your little creature comforts I demand your unwavering loyalty and at times even your complete obedience. Cross me and," Artorius flexed his hand in warning against the smooth column of Julian's throat. "That clear enough for you now?"

[Juno]

His eyes went wide in shock and, briefly, fear for the hand upon his throat. It was both such a simple and such a threatening thing that he couldn't help but react as if it were aggression initially, his smaller hands flying to grab at him and hardly paying attention to the chilling words the gambler spoke.

Julian's eyes went a bit wild as he struggled to contain himself and keep from truly lashing out at Artorius. He was testing him, that's all. At least that's what Julian kept telling himself in an effort to calm down. Even as he did an echo of his words rang out and he couldn't help but shudder in both disgust and delight at his forwardness. There was a perverse sense of joy swelling in his chest to know that he was wanted enough for him to even make such a statement.

He stared at him, the storm in his eyes calming as he tried to relax, swallowing and taking a few deep breaths even with the constriction at his throat. "Yes. Clear enough," he croaked.

[GoblinFae]

For several moments after the desired answer, Artorius remained poised in silence his hand still tensed about Julian's throat before he finally grinned hungrily and began to slowly relax his grip into a soothing caress. "Very, good pet. Such a good little mouse," he praised in a husky whisper as the man leaned down to kiss at the reddened skin of the light-haired man's throat where the oval imprints of the gambler's hand still partially remained. It pleased him to no end to see the fire still there buried beneath the surface but ever as fierce. The flame must always be controlled but never smothered for to kill it would be to kill the passion that made Julian so interesting to the other man.

"Give us a kiss," he ordered enticingly at last.

[Juno]

Artorius's continued use of the hated pet name was infuriating, but the shifter was careful not to show his irritation besides a momentarily dull stare as a few small affections were showered upon him. Privately it was just as thrilling as annoying, his truly opposing nature too ironic to ignore. It bothered him to no end to see that the gambler clearly felt he had such power over him. The worst was that he really did. Julian just didn't want to admit that to him, it was far too valuable information. For the moment, at least. The last thing he wanted was to be hurt.

Remembering his words about obedience Julian silently wondered if it was one of those times, if he would be angry if he didn't give him what he wanted. He didn't want to find out, though, and despite how he'd just been treated he still desperately craved such a simple thing as a kiss himself.

He exhaled sharply, green eyes settling upon the lips that had just spoken with such brutal honesty. If he hadn't already known the man to be so blunt he might have guessed he'd been bluffing, but he was certain he was not. For a moment he stared at him, chin raised slightly as his eyes flickered to meet his own.

His lips set in a line, as if he was thinking about complaining about the request or saying something about how rude it was. Suddenly, though, his features softened into acceptance. Julian relaxed, lips parting slightly as he awkwardly shuffled closer on his knees. He lifted a hand tentatively as he leaned in, uncertain if his touch was welcome but willing to chance his assumption being incorrect for a moment of it anyway.

Without a word he finally met Artorius's lips with his own, fingertips slowly gliding along his cheek and jaw to brace himself. Where the gambler had been rough with him Julian was purposefully gentle and soft, his lips undemanding as he savored the warmth between them. His eyes mostly closed he gingerly swept his hand up into his dark hair, a soft sigh of joy finally escaping him as a sole symbol of his enjoyment in meeting his demand.

[GoblinFae]

Eyes of fire and ice watched the young man's internal battle with perverse glee. Artorius all but dared Julian to defy him then after demanding complete obedience. The gambler would be more than happy to set him in his place again too.

Instead he was obeyed with a soft and gentle kiss so unlike his own of but a few moments before. "You call that a kiss?" He challenged with a poorly concealed yawn. "I've had blushing brides kiss better than that. Don't disappoint me now, little mouse."

[Juno]

Julian practically growled, his brows knitting together as his grip tightened in the older man's hair. His sharp tongue urged him to make some unnecessary comment about how he thought he might have had a few too many of those, but it was just that: unnecessary. He held his tongue, instead allowing his teeth to graze lightly against Artorius's lower lip.

"I was warming up," he puffed against his lips, not wanting to give him any reason to doubt him. Green eyes opened briefly, flashing with a range of emotion from anger to lust. He didn't linger there, though, diving into him a moment later. Julian pressed them close, chest to chest, as his lips moved hotly against his own, the gentleness he'd started with all but gone in his voracity.

The hand in his hair quickly became two as he all but hauled himself up, knees bumping awkwardly against his own before he settled one between the gambler's legs. He was probably too eager to please, too eager to give him what he obviously wanted, but Julian wouldn't be mocked or made a fool when they could easily get along.

[GoblinFae]

"Is that what you call it?" Artorius taunted, clearly amused. He saw the green fire desiring to lash out and burn him but his own icy stare accepted the challenge without batting an eye. After all Julian's devoted enthusiasm was to be reveled in and relished as the young man threw himself at the gambler. The older man was quite pleased with such hunger as he could still feel the vestiges of spirit and fire within Julian despite his apparent eagerness. It was everything that Artorius looked for in a pet and he would have been hard pressed to have asked for better in that moment.

He allowed Julian to do most of the work but that was not to say that he was not an active partner in their entanglement. The gambler pressed back against his pet, chest to chest and jaw to jaw, his hand clutching the other man closer still. Even his thighs pressed in together, trapping the other man's leg firmly between his own as he rocked against him.

[Juno]

He wasn't sure what he'd expected of Artorius but it certainly wasn't anything with such energy. Julian struggled with it, fighting to not let it overpower him no matter how much the other man clouded his senses.

The younger man hissed for the pressure on his leg despite a lack of pain. He all but growled, digging his nails into the gambler's arm warningly, momentarily forgetting he did not have the leverage claws would have brought to the table in such a thing. His hungry kisses paused for a moment, leaning back both to catch his breath and to squirm desperately to try to untangle them while trying not to think about the obvious burn in his blood this man seemed to spark.

"I think that's about as far as a kiss goes, hm?" he challenged softly, eyes searching his own.

[GoblinFae]

Artorius was unwilling to allow his little mouse to challenge him so and expect him to back down so easily. "I don't believe it's your place to decide where and when a kiss ends now is it, pet?" He questioned before pulling Julian against him again so that their lips were but a hair's breadth apart. "I believe that was only you warming up now isn't that how you phrased it? I certainly expected much better of you. But of that's the best you can do," the gambler trailed off, shrugging his shoulders and almost turning to move away as of the younger man was not worth his time.

[Juno]

Julian's eyes widened, not expecting the other man to do anything other than accept his choice and challenge. He still had much to learn, still not fully grasping how much he truly was at the gambler's mercy with their arrangement.

He didn't fight him, though, just knelt on his knees and stared off blankly, too dazed to really understand what was happening until the moment had almost slipped from his grasp.

"Not my best," he mumbled hurriedly, wincing at the realization that he was giving in to what Artorius wanted. Still, he remained committed and reached to keep a firm hold on him, brushing their lips together in a gentle, apologetic way first.

"Forgive me," he pleaded quietly between breaths, slowly bringing them back to the intensity of before. The burning in his blood and racing through his mind were that much more noticeable in himself for it. It almost frightened Julian how desperate he was to make Artorius happy, to see him genuinely content for having the shifter's obedience for once, if that was even possible.

[GoblinFae]

"Make me want to," Artorius goaded, nipping his lips as punishment. "Make me desire to forgive you my pet and perhaps not only will it be forgotten but you may also be rewarded. Wouldn't that be nice? Please me pet and you shall be pleased in return. That is my word." The gambler kisses back possessively as if to tempt Julian more. "Make my blood burn for you little mouse...if you can," he growled dragging his hands under the tunic that the younger man wore and back up to scrape against warm flesh.