Mike's Saga 14

Mike's Saga 14

Landon turned from the sleeping Mike as he heard voices in the hall.

“Where are you going?” 

“Out.” 

“Not like that.”

“And who put you in charge? Austin’s strident voice came through the door. “Last time I looked you were on your knees and praying Milton wasn’t going to have your ass.”

“Austin.” Landon had made the door in two strides. He braced himself against the doorframe and glared out into the hall. Austin froze, his face a rainbow of colors before settling on terrified white. Sheldon, for being the focus of the abuse, was leaning calmly against the wall. He gave Landon a faint smile and something that might be interpreted as a nod. 

“Sir?” Austin finally managed into the silence. 

“Is there an explanation for what I just heard?” Landon asked, not softening his gaze. Those words weren’t the Austin he knew nor was his current state of dress. Austin hunched his shoulders and clasped his hands behind his back. His silk shirt, open to nearly his navel, billowed with every motion, and his pants tightened even further at the change of position.

“Austin, if you need something from Milton, you only need to ask. This might be a little much and not really what you wanted.” Sheldon waved his hand, encompassing Austin’s provocative display. “You don’t like the results when you do this.”

“I’m not a baby. I can take care of myself.”

“Right to getting your ass kicked,” Sheldon muttered. “These aren’t your games.”

“How do you know?” Austin shouted. “I’m not the stuffed toy to pull out of the closet when someone needs a spare boy. I want to have my own life.”

“Enough.” Landon let his voice reverberate through the hall. Austin scurried from Landon when he was being careful and gentle. It wasn’t often that Landon openly showed his dominant side in front of this boy. This was a very young boy, too many generations apart to understand Landon. He wasn’t a boy that Landon dominated in any traditional sense. This wasn’t even a side that Landon showed often around Sheldon, who despite his experience was a soft boy in many ways. Austin was even softer. He was provoking something that wouldn’t be pleasure. It wouldn’t even be pleasure tinged with a healthy dose of fear; it would be terror and pain.

“I want to go out.” Austin’s voice had acquired a tone of pleading, and he appeared to teeter on the edge of fleeing or exploding. Mike was easy--beat the kid until he gave in. Austin was different. Milton was good with these types. He could be both a safe harbor, and the fearsome fantasy dominant. He knew how to entice a submissive toward the path of commonsense.

“Sheldon, get Milton.”

If Landon’s mind hadn’t been trained on Austin, he would have marveled at Sheldon’s prompt obedience. Sheldon turned and ran down the stairs. Landon could remember when getting Sheldon to shut the windows against rain could entail a five minute argument.

“Stay,” Landon ordered as Austin started to sidle down the hall. The boy’s eyes could have been the model for the latest animated hero, but he stayed. 

Milton was quick. He came up the stairs two at a time. His eyes met Austin’s before shifting briefly toward Landon. “Interesting. Nothing more than the outfit?”

“Nothing of significance.” Well, Landon was a submissive also; he didn’t need to pour lighter fluid on an already nicely burning fire.

“I want to go out. It’s Saturday night.” Austin rounded on Milton, his posture a mixture of defiance and submission. His voice was raised, but his hands were still clasped behind his back. “I’m a college student, not a hermit.”

“You’re allowed to go out. You’re not allowed to go out dressed like that.”

“I’m twenty. My friends dress like this.”

“They aren’t mine.” Milton stepped close. He intentionally loomed over Austin, driving him back into the wall. “You’re married, boy, and on my watch you don’t forget that.”

“I’m married, not a prisoner.” Austin blinked hard, fighting tears of anger and frustration.

Milton stroked his fingers through Austin’s hair and pressed his lips to Austin’s forehead. “Cub, I didn’t say you couldn’t go out. You just can’t go out looking abandoned and wayward. I know you might feel that way. Sometimes six means less time for one. Mike--”

“I didn’t mean that.”

“Listen.” Milton put his finger to Austin’s lips. “You did, and it’s not wrong or selfish. I spent the day chasing Mike and what did you get? Dinner with Landon and Gordon--bogey prize number one. Sheldon watching young Percy--bogey prize number two. Bogey prize number three is me taking my belt to you for this little display. Do we need to go there?”

Austin shook his head and dove toward Milton’s chest. He wrapped his arms around Milton and clung tightly.

“Good boy.” Milton hugged his youngest boy, his arms wrapped around quivering shoulders. “You’re not a prisoner here. You can go out, but you’re going out as our boy.” With one arm still over Austin’s shoulders, Milton pushed him down the hall.

“Cute kid,” Landon said as Austin and Milton disappeared into the other bedroom.

“Don’t let him hear you say that. He wants to be all adult very badly,” Sheldon said with a slight grin. “If only he knew...I would have been dead for that.”

“Deserved too, my favorite slave.”

“Point taken, sir,” Sheldon said carefully.

“Good, very good. I still sometimes can’t believe it.” Landon smiled and shook his head. “This from the wild red head who drove us mad for years.”

“I still can.”

“Not tonight,” Landon said with a low groan. “Your brother in arms about did me in.”

“Mike all right?”

“You should ask if I’m all right. Mike’s fine, sleeping it off. I need a massage, a hot tub, and a lovely slave boy.

“This lovely slave boy’s taken. Don’t even think about it.”

“Don’t I know. I’ll just have to suffer.”

“Suffer,” Sheldon snorted. “You were in your element. Don’t even think of whining to me.”

“Brat. Get back to your duties before I recover my strength.”

“Yes, sir.” Sheldon skipped away, unimpressed, unafraid, and a very happy boy.