The Taming [very much M] [Goblin]

[Paladienne]

Orphen hadn’t expected his stint in Samariel to last forever, so when the new orders came in, he wasn’t surprised. That it had lasted as long as it had had been amazing in and of itself, and for it, he’d made a wonderful friend in Jain. She was like the little sibling he’d never had, and for as much shit has he’d given her, she’d given it right back. Theirs was an easy friendship, and Orphen treasured that. He hated having to leave the comfortable familiarity of their office and desks, of leaving her, of leaving their random lunches and dinners and movie nights, but the bright side of it was that he hadn’t actually been ordered to make the move back to Haviah, so his apartment in Samariel didn’t need to be packed up and cleaned out. Yet. Which meant that when he was done here with this new mission of his, he could return home and potentially get back into the routine of things that had become so familiar to him. But, if he had to, he’d move back to Haviah in order to be closer to the new office or handler he was assigned to.

But only if he had to.

Because in Haviah lived his bibi, and the only reason the relationship between he and his bibi worked was because they weren’t in each other’s faces all the time. Orphen didn’t have to deal with Sentria’s passive aggressive snide remarks about his job and his way of living, and Sentria didn’t have to deal with his auri’s sarcasm and snippy remarks, whether they were actually snippy or not. Not that it mattered, as Sentria had no qualms about making his feelings toward Orphen’s attitude and demeanor known, especially when the younger Procyon did something that Sentria didn’t like. And Orphen, not wanting to fight with his bibi, simply accepted it and backed down, pushing aside any thoughts or feelings that might interfere with their time together and cause a fight. He buried them deep and ignored them, all for the sake of peace in the household.

So, Orphen didn’t want to move back to Haviah, where Sentria would expect him to make more appearances than just on weekends. Orphen could get around that for a while by saying he had to work - which was true - but he couldn’t use that excuse forever. And he didn’t know what kind of work he’d be doing specifically until he met his handler and was debriefed into the mission. Oh, he knew what he’d be doing in general; his special brand of suggestive hypnosis allowed him to get into places that would normally be inaccessible and get information he wouldn’t otherwise be able to get his hands on. Or spy, or assassinate. He could do it all, wear whatever persona he needed to wear, and compartmentalize it all so that his future missions wouldn’t be affected by his past, or affected by his present, when Sentria pulled those blinders on and pretended Orphen was some normal person and not a Pilot.

He shook his head. There was no point in dwelling on that. Sentria would never understand him, and his bibi had stopped giving him any sort of parent-to-child-love the moment Orphen was capable of taking care of himself. He knew Sentria loved him in his own way, but he didn’t see it, didn’t feel it. Orphen had come to terms with that a long time ago.

But, in the end, Sentria was still his birthgiver, and if he was going to be in Haviah, then he was going to see his birthgiver. And he had time before he had to report for his mission briefing anyway.

He was surprised, then, to find Sentria waiting for him at the rail station, and was doubly surprised when Sentria offered to take him out to dinner. It wasn’t often that the elder Lyre treated his child to dinner at a restaurant, especially when Orphen wasn’t dressed to his bibi’s preferences. And since Orphen hadn’t expected to meet Sentria at the station, he’d chosen to wear comfortable clothes for the ride - jeans, long-sleeved shirt that had a few wrinkles, and a light jacket - not his uniform or some kind of suit. Sentria was a firm believer of home meals, of having dinner as a family, and he expected Orphen to dress respectably and not like he was going to spend an evening snuggled into the couch reading. But Orphen didn’t complain about it, nor did he get his back up about the head-to-toe look Sentria gave him. He didn’t point out the fact that Sentria was the one that had ambushed him without warning. He’d given Sentria a heads-up call and had wanted to know if the man had wanted to meet, but he’d been expecting to meet Sentria at his home. So, instead he just smiled and nodded, and walked with his bibi toward Sentria’s chosen destination.

“How long will you be working this time?” Sentria asked as they walked.

Orphen shrugged. “I’m not sure. I won’t know until I go in tomorrow. But I probably won’t be able to see you often during it, like could at my previous posting. Don’t worry about me; I’ll be fine.”

“I’ve never worried about you,” Sentria said. “You can handle yourself. You always have. Even if you make it your life’s mission to give me heart attacks. Just don’t do anything stupid.”

Orphen blinked and smiled a bit. “I never have, and I won’t.”

Sentria made a scoffing noise. “Just take me to dinner.”

“Yes, Bibi.”

Orphen shook his head slowly, but didn’t bring up the point that Sentria was the one that had offered treating dinner. He just followed his birthgiver to the chosen restaurant, his eyes scanning the crowds of people as they walked and made small, idle conversation on their way to their destination.

His attention, though, was drawn away from Sentria and their conversation as they entered the establishment and were led to their table, as if he couldn’t help himself. His head just turned of its own accord and his ears picked up the sounds of their own accord, and his eyes focused on the scene of their own accord.

And whatever conversation he was having with his bibi died in his throat.

Sentria, however, snorted and said disdainfully, “Honestly. Doesn’t anyone have respect anymore?”

[GoblinFae]

"Good boy," the man murmured, idly caressing his pet's spine and feeling the dog shiver and wiggle happily beneath his gentle touch. He smirked and took another long drag of his cigar. The bitter smoke was blown out into the restaurant air as a slow, steady cloud while Joseph stretched his legs out straight under the table and crossed them at the ankle.

The restaurant was busy today which was to be expected given that it was both a family venue and the weekend. The Pilot could not help but smile into his coffee either as he listened to the excited conversations around him and the whispers about him bringing his pet with him to dinner. The mother snapping at her young son to face forward and pay attention to his own table instead of Joseph's actually made him catch her eye and stare confidently. If she played her cards right, she could get so lucky tonight.

He waited until she looked away first before allowing himself to scan the room at large. A pretty pair of pale faces trailed behind the hostess to a table not far from his own and one of them had such a delightful comment he was able to overhear directed towards his person. Joseph flashed his teeth in amusement before blowing them a kiss.

A whimper and pawing at his elbow caught the entirety of his attention, stopping him from doing more as his face went completely serious. "Puppy, sit." The dog growled and attempted to bark once before Joseph pinched his scruff and leaned close to the animal's ear. "Puppy, sit." He only released the dog when he finally sat and bowed his head to submissively rest his nose on his paws.

Wordlessly the Pilot took the saucer to his coffee cup and placed a spoonful of his mousse on it. He licked the spoon then, placed it on his napkin, and then lowered the plate in front of his pet. The beast immediately moved to try and lick it up, earning a rap on the nose and a bark to sit again. Puppy whimpered and laid down flat on his belly, his tail wagging ever so slightly in anticipation. Joseph went back to his coffee and ignored his dog, choosing to instead read something on his com for several long minutes. Only when Puppy seemed to be fully relaxed and obedient did he wordlessly snap his fingers and allow the human in a latex dogsuit to eagerly lick up his treat.

[Paladienne]

Sentria grimaced when the human seated across from their table gave him a shit-eating grin and then blew him a kiss. The elder Lyre made a point of seating himself with his back to the man, thus forcing Orphen to take the seat opposite. It took effort for Orphen to keep his eyes off the man across from them and focus them on his bibi. After a while, it wasn’t that hard, for the man was in his peripheral, and it eased some of that unfamiliar tension inside him at being able to keep his Resonance within sight.

His Resonance.

Orphen knew that’s what it was. He knew that the man across from him, who was accompanied by the human in the dog suit, who was treating another human being like an animal, a pet, was his soulmate. How long had he gone expecting to find it but never actually believing he would come across it? He’d grown up seeing what a Resonance could do to someone, and while Sentria had survived the abandonment and had stood strong for Orphen, it had still left quite an impression on the younger Lyre as to what a Resonance could do. And he had no choice in it. He could either survive or he could die.

Orphen was going to survive.

And, more over, he wasn’t going to let his Resonance, wasn’t going to let that man, treat him like he was treating that other human. He may not have a choice in the matter as to whom it was that was his soulmate, but he had the choice of how he was going to live. And, dammit, if Orphen had his way, he wasn’t going to live like he was less than what he was, just because someone told him to, even if that person telling him what to do was his Resonance. Thanks to Jain, he’d learned to stand up for himself a little bit more when something was going on that he didn’t like, rather than just back down and let things happen, but he was also not a very confrontational person by nature. So long as the decision didn’t hurt the person or anyone else, Orphen stepped back from the argument waiting to happen and allowed the person to do as they wished. He preferred not to fight if he could keep from it but...

“Honestly,” Sentria said, loud enough to obviously be heard by the man behind him and just as obviously not caring that he was, “some people have no respect. I don’t care what they do on their own time, but they shouldn’t bring their kinks out into public. There are places for this sort of thing. Not a family-oriented restaurant.”

Orphen smiled, finding it easy to have the mirthful expression simply because of his birthgiver’s words. “Now, now, bibi. Some people aren’t validated unless they can show off in front of other people. Some people don’t feel as if they’re worth something unless they’re gaining the attention of others, and they’ll do anything to get it.”

While Orphen spoke, his eyes flickered from Sentria to the man, a spark of defiance in his blue eyes, as if daring the man to refute his words. It was a short-lived stare, for his attention was once more drawn to his bibi as the man waved his hand in a dismissive gesture.

“Don’t waste your time,” Sentria sniffed, opening the menu to look at it. “We aren’t here for dinner and a show, just dinner. Pick something.”

Orphen held in the sigh that wanted to escape him and opened his own menu, his eyes scanning over the offerings. “Yes, bibi.”

[GoblinFae]

Joseph smirked to himself. It was not the first time he had heard such comments regarding the venue where he chose to indulge in his hobbies. This was Aedolis though and he was causing no harm. The prissy princess could get off her high horse. The bitch probably would have enjoyed such humiliation though if given the right guiding hand. It always amused the Pilot just how many people were closeted and truly into the very things he had no shame bringing out into public.

The other one at the table across from him was what people in Joseph's hobby trade would call a SAM or smart ass masochist. Joseph always likened it to small dog syndrome: they loved to bark and talk back, maybe even bite but in the end they weren't the alpha and needed to be reminded of their place regularly.

And there it was.

Joseph smirked, staring openly to see the yapper put so quickly in his place by his companion. They certainly made an interesting couple. It was quite obvious who wore the britches in that relationship.

Bor-ing!

Beside him, Puppy had finished his dessert and was sitting quite contently curled around his ankle under the table. He allowed the creature time to cuddle and rest as he signaled the waitress over and whispered a request in her ear. She would return later with another mousse dessert on a coffee saucer which she placed at his elbow. Joseph paid for his meal before gently nudging Puppy with the toe of his boot.

"Trent, time to get up," he called down gently. There was a solid thump under the table as the dishes on it clattered and a sharp string of curses erupted as the latex clad human crawled out rubbing his head. "You alright?"

The human-pup nodded and waved his hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah just forgot again." Joseph rubbed his head soothingly before handing over a black bag from the chair beside him. "Go get changed and I'll meet you out front." Trent was quick to obey, standing on his own two feet at his full 6' of height as he wove his way between the tables, his rubber tail wagging behind him with his every step.

Only once Trent had disappeared into the bathrooms and the nearby tables had returned once more to their own dinners and conversations did Joseph finally unfurl from his chair. Dessert in hand he prowled up behind the disapproving "Bibi." The dessert was delicately placed directly in front of Sentria from his left side as Joseph leaned down to whisper in his ear.

"Compliments of the man with no respect," he purred darkly. "Enjoy your dinner, pet."

Joseph straightened, refusing to acknowledge or even make eye contact with the yapper as he attempted to brush his way past the table and out to the door where he would meet Trent. It was always best to put a brat in his place early before he started getting delusions of grandeur and control. A princess on the other hand needed the much more public and proverbial slap to the face to realise her place. Joseph was only too happy to deliver on both, completely free of charge.

[Paladienne]

Orphen didn’t know what to think when the man stepped up behind his bibi and set the dessert in front of Sentria. He didn’t know what to feel. Was it jealousy? Jealousy that his Resonance was paying more attention to his birthgiver than to him? Or was it simply amusement? Amusement that Sentria had managed to get the man’s attention and was now reaping the rewards of that? Or was it a healthy mixture of both? He was leaning toward both. But really, as he thought about it, what was the point of being jealous? It wasn’t like the man knew what Orphen knew, and it wasn’t like his bibi knew what Orphen knew. Granted, if Sentria found out, he probably wouldn’t react in the best way, so Orphen quickly kept his face neutral and, as much as he wanted to smile, he somehow managed to keep himself from doing so.

Instead, he casually pointed to the dessert that had been set in front of his bibi. “Are you going to eat that?”

Sentria’s expression was none other than total scandalization. His eyes were wide with shock for about five seconds before they narrowed with irritation and annoyance. He glanced toward the retreating back of the man and then quickly snapped his fingers to gain the attention of one of the servers.

“Of course not,” snapped Sentria as the waiter approached. “Don’t be foolish.”

Orphen couldn’t help the smile that appeared on his face then. Sentria was certainly upset. More so at the embarrassment than the fact the stranger had just plopped the mousse down in front of him, and more so at the fact the man had called him “pet”. It was, of course, taking all of Orphen’s willpower to seem properly offended on his bibi’s behalf - which was easy to do, considering his tumultuous emotions - but he couldn’t stop himself from feeling amusement at the situation.

“Has the man who bought this for me left? No? Good. Box this up and give it to him.” Sentria said as he handed the mousse to the server. “And be quick about it. Oh, and give him this message...”

Orphen watched the poor waiter rush off to do as Sentria said, then returned his gaze to his birthgiver. “You do realize you might be poking the proverbial bear, correct?”

“I won’t have a total stranger treating me so familiarly.” Sentria growled. “I don’t care what he thinks about it. And I’m nobody’s pet.” He paused, looking over Orphen’s shoulder toward the entrance of the restaurant. Orphen saw a spark of vindictive pleasure enter his bibi’s eyes and turned in his seat to see what was happening. He heard Sentria say, “Perfect.”, in a tone that meant his birthgiver was extremely pleased by the events taking place.

The server had caught up to the man just before he could leave the restaurant. He handed the man the boxed dessert, then nervously delivered Sentria’s message before the poor innocent quickly retreated. Orphen studied the man’s face, wondering what it was exactly his bibi had told the server to tell him. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good. Orphen was glad, then, that this would be the first and last encounter he would ever have with the stranger that was his Resonance. He couldn’t imagine living with someone like that as his One and Only. Not, Orphen mused, that the man seemed like the type to ‘live with’ anyone.

Slowly, Orphen returned to his original position and looked at Sentria. “What did you have the server tell him?”

“That the gesture was appreciated, but I have no interest in children who like to drop their pants and see if their penis is as big as they think it is.” Sentria sniffed. “And he’s not my type. Even if I was, I don’t entertain those who enjoy bestiality as a pastime. I have higher standards.”

Orphen snorted as he tried to hold back his laughter. Yet his shoulders shook and he squeezed his eyes shut until he could once again gain control of himself. When he opened his eyes and regarded his birthgiver, he gave Sentria a lopsided smile. “Are you sure that’s not going to backfire on you?”

Sentria shrugged. “I don’t care very much if it will.” And again, he signaled the waiter and ordered his desired meal.

Orphen did the same, and the conversation they had after was light and easy, and steered away from what had just occurred, focusing on other subjects. After the meal, Orphen and Sentria walked back toward his birthgiver’s home, for once just enjoying each other’s company. After seeing his bibi home, Orphen headed for the hotel where he was going to stay for the duration of his assignment to get some rest. In the morning, he would head for the office where he would meet his handler, get his assignment, and get to work. He needed to get all the rest he could.

And he was glad of it when he walked into the debriefing room the next morning and froze in the threshold, his eyes widening with shock. He was honestly surprised that he didn’t just turn around and walk right out.

Well. Shit.

[GoblinFae]

"Excuse me, sir," a waiter from the restaurant nervously interrupted Joseph's wandering thoughts. "Um one of the patrons wished you to have this," he said, practically shoving the wrapped dessert into the Pilot's hand like it was on fire. "They also wanted to inform you that while they appreciate your generosity, they cannot accept it. And um," the young man dipped his head under Joseph's amused gaze as the older man waited for the barb about to be sent his way. "Well you see they said that they have no interest in children who like to drop their pants and see if their penis is as big as they think it is."

The redhead blushed darkly and fidgeted as Joseph barked with laughter. He thanked the server and sent him back to work with a smile. Trent still had yet to reappear so the dom so no reason why he couldn't have a bit of fun in the meantime. He waited then until he caught Sentria's eye before raising the dessert and nodding his head in thanks. Afterwards though he made a point at tugging at the waistband of his trousers and taking a peek down at the contents with in. His expression turned to one of self-satisfied awe before offering the offended Starstrider a smirking wink.

Trent arrived then though, preventing any further playful interactions. Joseph coiled his arm about his submissive's waist and gently escorted him out. The pair spoke quietly to each other on their walk back to The Vault, a local dungeon where they both "played." Their evening concluded an hour or so later with Trent feeling less fragile and having booked a session for in a couple of weeks.

Joseph went home alone, showered and went to bed, the people from the restaurant completely forgotten. The dessert had been gifted to Trent instead. He had a long day at work ahead of him for the next day. There was a new mission that he was meant to be a handler for and he still had things he wanted to prepare in the morning.

And when morning did come he fell easily into routine. A quick workout at the gym proceeded a shower and donning a dark green button-up shirt with slate slacks. Joseph was in one of the meeting rooms, pouring over several screens of data when the door opened and a man entered. He assumed it was likely his agent coming to be debriefed so said nothing and simply continued to flip between screens of text while making last minute notes. The other Pilot could wait. Joseph had more important matters to deal with than pampering someone else's ego right then.

[Paladienne]

Orphen hesitated in the threshold for several heartbeats.

Clearly, he didn’t rate even a glance, for the man was far more interested in his tablet than whoever it was that had entered the room. Orphen couldn’t help the slight smirk that worked its way onto his face, finding amusement in the situation. The differences between this meeting and the one he’d had months ago were glaring. That time, his intended partner had at least looked him in the eye, assessing him as he’d assessed her. They’d taken each other’s measure, and had reluctantly begun to get to know each other. They hadn’t exactly started out on the best foot with each other, though, and it had taken some time for them both to get used to the idea of working together. Orphen could still remember how he’d misinterpreted their first meal together, and had pissed her off something good.

Now Jain was one of his best friends, and he loved her like a little sibling.

But this man...

Orphen knew he was already predisposed to being more emotionally involved with this man than anyone else he could ever encounter or work with. But that didn’t mean shit if he didn’t let it. He’d been compartmentalizing for the better part of three hundred years, and was a master at it, if there were masters at such a thing. He didn’t have to let this asshole see anything Orphen didn’t want him to see. Put on an indifferent mask and bury his feelings deep, and it didn’t matter if the man’s soul matched his note for note; so long as Orphen said nothing about it, this dick would never know, and Orphen could continue on with his life as he always had, and he could work this mission to completion and then say good-bye and head back home.

Orphen didn’t need the other Pilot look at him to assess him. He’d already seen this man in action, so to speak, and he’d already gotten his measure. He already knew how this other Pilot was going to treat him, and the more he thought about it, ironically, the more relaxed he became. It didn’t matter if he was acknowledged immediately. It didn’t matter if he was given attention right away. He was only the operative; it was his handler’s job to give him the briefing and the mission parameters, and let him know what was required of him. If his handler didn’t feel like doing that yet, then why should Orphen stand at attention and wait for him to do so? If the mission was on a time limit and wasn’t completed within said time limit, well, that wasn’t Orphen’s fault, either. He wouldn’t be the only one who got in trouble at that point. Maybe he wouldn’t get in trouble at all.

It took Orphen only seconds to school his face into stoic indifference and calm his hearts. He strode into the room, pulled out a chair, and dropped into it. He’d chosen to dress as he would for a typical work day in Samariel rather than wear his uniform as might have been expected. So he wore black jeans, a black t-shirt over an egg-shell white long-sleeved shirt, and his pale hair - which he normally kept in a tail at the nape of his neck - was loose. It framed his face and brushed his shoulders. He did, however, have a hair-tie around his wrist in case he needed to pull his hair back. He kicked up his booted feet onto the top of the table and crossed his legs at the ankle, pulling his com out of his pocket so he could scroll through the chats and amuse himself until his handler was ready to get to work.

He wasn’t going to give the man the pleasure of hearing him ask for attention, if that was what he was waiting for. He wasn’t going to give the man the pleasure of hearing him beg. Two could play at this game, after all. It didn’t matter to Orphen when they got started, after all, and he could be infinitely patient. The asshole would acknowledge him when he was ready, and then Orphen would acknowledge him back. Maybe. Orphen hadn’t decided yet. But, in the end, he was here to do a job, and he would get that job done, so he supposed he would give the asshole his attention at some point, so long as the dick gave Orphen his attention first.

[GoblinFae]

Joseph saw the movement out of the corner of his eye and chose to completely tune it out right up until a pair of booted feet thunked onto his desk as if it were a simple home coffee table and not his place of work. Cold, dead, steel eyes deviated from the screens long enough to glare in silent offense at the boots. Not once though did they raise to meet those of the offending individual attached to said boots. Instead they silently returned the screen.

Ever in control, the Pilot reached across the desk for his coffee cop and took a long draw. A sneer curled his lips though at the drink having gone cold. The cup was replaced precisely into the exact same spot it had been removed from and Joseph at last straightened. He rose from his seat, removing his glasses as he went, and rounded the desk in a manner that spoke of the unleashed predator buried deep within.

He came to rest in front of Orphen, his rear shelved on the edge of the desk and his own ankles crossed on the floor. It might have even appeared to have been an entirely relaxed posture if not for the way his eyes bored into the elf's face. If he even recognised the other Pilot, his face did not show it. Instead he used the heel of his hand to forcefully shove the offending boots off his desk and clear his throat.

"So this is the kind of trash they send off to drown in Samariel," he intoned in his deep, gravelly voice while crossing his arms loosely over his chest. Jospeh scoffed and sneered as he gave Orphen a disapproving once over. "Can't even be assed to dress appropriately or address your superior officer accordingly. Pilot this is my office not a lounge. You will shape up immediately and pay me and this office the necessary respect we are accorded or you will find yourself being escorted out and written up for insubordination. Do I make myself clear?" Jospeh asked in a cool, even tone.

[Paladienne]

Orphen slowly lifted his eyes from his com’s screen to the man standing before him. His face was a perfectly stoic mask as he regarded Joseph’s face, as he listened to the tone of voice emanating from Joseph’s mouth, and as he weighed each word as it was spoken. He didn’t react to the insults. It wouldn’t have done him any good if he had, anyway. The man did make one perfect point - in this aspect, at this time, he was Orphen’s superior officer, and was well within his rights to have Orphen hauled out and slapped with insubordination and whatever other offense Joseph could think of.

That was the only reason Orphen didn’t respond right away. His natural reaction to the presence Joseph was exuding was to retort with witty, snippy remarks that were designed to diffuse a sense of humor to the situation and attempt to find common ground through mirth. Orphen had already seen what the human did for amusement, and already knew reacting his normal way would only get him stuck cleaning toilets with a toothbrush. And that was if he was lucky. But at the same time, Orphen wasn’t about to let Joseph win that easily. He wasn’t about to let the man walk all over him and think that he’d won their little battle of wills because Orphen had given in. He’d give his superior the respect he was due, no doubt about that, but he would make it quite clear that was the only reason why he was giving the man respect.

Without taking his eyes off Joseph’s, Orphen slowly removed his boots from the desk, one foot at a time and set them on the floor. He straightened in the chair, then rose from his seat, slid his com into his pocket, and gave the man a proper salute but flavored with an insolent air. There was nothing about it that Joseph could complain about without looking like a fool, and Orphen knew it. His expression of absolute dissociation and ice never changed as well, nor did his eyes leave Joseph’s, the subtle challenge clear in those cobalt eyes. 

“I’m sorry, sir,” Orphen replied, keeping his tone even. The deep timbre of his voice flowed through the room with the cadence of a whisper, ensuring that he sounded polite even if his eyes reflected dislike. “Since my reassignment was quite sudden, I was expecting to be put to work immediately, and thusly came dressed appropriately for that event. I didn’t realize I was supposed to appear in full uniform and offer proper deference.” He dropped his hand from his salute, then clasped his hands behind his back in proper stance when addressing a superior officer. “It won’t happen again, sir.”

It took effort for Orphen to bite his tongue to keep from adding on to his insincere apologies, and it took effort to keep his dislike from being visible anywhere other than his eyes. But he couldn’t help the thought that whisked through his mind, there and gone and enough to smooth the edges of his temper.

I may be trash, but I’m high quality trash. Premium trash. Grade A trash.

“Just because you’re trash doesn’t mean you can’t do great things,” Orphen said before he could stop himself, “that’s why it’s called garbage can, not garbage cannot.”