“You’ll have your pick of dishes,” Trenet promised before scooping Asher into his arms and standing up.
Asher’s startled noise was loud without the humshus muffling the sound, and he winced at hearing it. For all that he’d cried and carried on since he’d… become Trenet and Vrayl’s, Asher didn’t actually enjoy making a fuss or being noisy. He just—hadn’t had any other way to make his displeasure known.
He didn’t mind being carried though, he supposed. He was certainly used to it by now, if nothing else. Though typically over the last several days he had been carted about in the takan. Which was an entirely different experience.
He did like being held like this, secure in Trenet’s arms. It was kind of nice to be carried. Trenet and Vrayl were so much bigger than he was that they could hold him so easily. It felt… cozy.
Then he scolded himself. He was probably thinking that because he’d spent three years on Journey-5, without so much as a hug or kind word. He was just touch starved now. That was all.
They arrived at the dining area quickly; much faster than it took to get from the bedroom or bathing room to the dining area at Trenet and Vrayl’s home, and Asher didn’t recognize any of the rooms they passed. They were still atthe Fallsthen?
Asher hoped he wouldn’t have to wear the kanto—the blindfold—for a while. He kind of wanted toseethis new place. If only because he’d been hearing various fauna and the sounds of moving water for days now. Wasthe Fallsas lush and green as it sounded?
When Trenet took a seat at the table, Asher was seated in his lap. The position put pressure on the senchr that had to be inside of him, and he whimpered at the feeling of it. Glancing down automatically, he realized that his chest was bare, but he was dressed in a pair of airy, silky shorts. Clothes of a sort, and very comfortable, but they did absolutely nothing to preserve modesty; Asher could see the outline of his cock. If the shorts were any sheerer, Asher was sure he’d be able to look right through them.
Still, he wasn’t going to complain about clothes.
Trenet made his soothing rumble sound as he stroked up and down Asher’s chest and sides. “You only have to wear the training senchr through the meal, little love. Your headacheshould abate by then. You’ll be able to have me inside you during your bath.”
Asher shuddered, opening his mouth to protest—and then closed it again. Would it really be that bad, to have Trenet’s cock inside him during the bath? Now that Asher could understand what was going on, couldseewhat was going on, would it be so terrible? He’d been riding Trenet’s cock for so many days now anyway. He almost felt bereft sitting on the Dresht’s lap without his cock inside Asher’s hole. The training senchr was… noticeable, but it had nothing on the overwhelming thickness of Trenet.
Besides, it—it might be nice. To be able to enjoy a bath. Because suddenly it hit Asher that being impaled on Trenet’s cock meant that he wassecurein the water. That he was going to be held fast and wasn’t going to sink. And then Vrayl would bathe him and maybe even tend to Asher’s hair again.
That sounded just… so, so nice.
When Asher looked up again, it was to see that the table was covered in dishes.
Instantly, his trepidation rose, and he shrank back in Trenet’s arms.
Vrayl looked at Asher and then he glanced up. Making eye contact with Trenet. “What if you tried some senma?” Vrayl asked, sounding hopeful. He held up a brown bun. Asher recognized it from one of his first days with them. “Senma is delicious, and is nutrient and calorie dense—”
“What is it?” Asher asked, trembling against Trenet. He wished for his humshus back. They didn’t try to feed him when he was wearing it. “Is—is it meat?”
Again Vrayl made eye contact with Trenet before focusing back on Asher. “The outer part is a sweet bread,” Vrayl said, speaking softly, as if afraid Asher might spook. “The filling is a savory synth meat in a sweet sauce. Don’t you want to have ataste? You never have to try it again if you don’t like it. But won’t you try one bite?”
“It's… synth meat?” Asher asked, voice quavering. “It's not… people?”
Vrayl’s eyes widened, and behind him, Asher heard and felt Trenet inhale sharply. Asher glanced from Vrayl to Trenet and back again. He couldn’t really see Trenet’s face, but Vrayl’s expression was one of abject shock.
“People?” Vrayl croaked. “Asher, no, of course not, why would—no.”
“Just synth meat, little love,” Trenet said, voice low, as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind Asher’s ear. “Not people. Never that. Not even animals anymore. Not for generations.”
“Why… why would you think…?” Vrayl seemed at a loss, still holding out the bun like an offering.
“I’ll try it,” Asher said. Because he was hungry. He was always hungry. Less so, recently, since they’d started giving him the venigash, but a few days of venigash weren’t enough to combat months of starvation. And if… if the food wassafe.“The senma. I’ll try it.”
Vrayl nodded and leaned forward, pressing the bun to Asher’s lips so that Asher could easily take a bite. The bun was small, maybe the size of Asher’s palm, and so even though he couldn’t manage a big bite, he still got a mouthful of the outer sweetbread and the inner filling.
It was good. But even knowing it was synth meat couldn’t keep it from making his stomach hurt with guilt.
When he’d chewed and swallowed, his hunger roared up to eat away at him, but he couldn’t bring himself to take another bite of the bun, no matter how hopeful Vrayl looked.
“Could… could I have the berries?” Asher asked. “Or olo? If… if we have some?”
“Yes,” Vrayl said, reaching for the table again to grab a bowl. “Yes, of course. We have oiyer. Freshly picked and sweet!”
But Asher could see that Vrayl was feigning excitement. Was he disappointed that Asher hadn’t had more of the senma?
