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puckster-v · 1 year
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Happy Birthday to my friend @yakoshi-art
Drew him and his precious cato
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yakoshi-art · 5 years
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Results from a short mini-stream with @taurson earlier this week. Applejack is supposed to be a little taller than Pinkie, but Ponk is thiccer than AJ. All those sweets have to go somewhere!
And it’d been entirely too long since I’d drawn my griffon gal, Gia. Wanted to add more muscle to show her as the intimidating mountain of catbird she really is.
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tanuki-kimono · 7 years
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Japanese folk tales #41 - A Fox’s Tail
Find my tales tagged here or visit my blog for both english and french versions.
Wish me to cover a special youkai or subject? Contact me, I’ll try to accommodate ^^❤️
Once upon a time, there was a mischievous fox who lived near a remote hamlet. Lurking in the woods by day, descending to the village at night, the beast took the greatest pleasure tormenting farmers and woodsmen.
He kept stealing food and hiding tools… but also loved to terrify small children with whispers in the dark. More often than not, frightened cries would rose. And the fox’s laugh would ring in the air:
– Oh come on, don’t take it bad kid! That was just a joke!
Villagers had tried many things to catch him. They had dug deep pits, set nasty snares, raised high fences. But alas, the clever animal kept evading them.
In the end, they had all but resigned to simply live along with this pestering creature, shrugging his not-so-funny tricks off.
One day, a wandering samurai came passing. It was a tough man, all broad shoulders and strong arms. When he overheard farmers complaining about the fox’s pranks, he stood tall, flexed proudly, and said with a booming voice:
– Fear not good people! I’ll get you rid of that sly beast!
And on that note, before the villagers could stop him, he headed towards the forest.
The samurai was not exactly a subtle man. He strolled stomping over mossy stumps, rustling thick ferns. Of course, with all this noise, the fox didn’t show up. And soon his patience ran thin:
– I know you’re here! Show yourself coward!
For hours, the warrior walked the woods, more and more somber as day flew by. Finally, as he had halted near a bubbling creek to refresh himself, a tiny voice startled him.
A small girl was shyly standing near the water, nervously playing with her hands:
– Mr samurai… I- have lost my way… C-could you help me back to the village, please?
Big tears were building up in her eyes.
The man stood up and smiled:
– Of course! I have lost my day anyway, that fox will not show up today…
And he extended his calloused hand.
Yet, when the girl took it, he grabbed the back of her kimono in a tight grip:
– Got you, beast!
The girl’s eyes grew wide for a moment. Then, she slowly grinned, and winked impishly:
– So you think!
With a puff, she vanished into thin air. In the samurai’s hand only remained a ragged kimono which had seen better days.
Seething, the warrior took off running. Only to stumble upon a soft looking old man:
– My my, where are you going in such a hurry?
The samurai roared:
– You won’t trick me twice!
He unsheathed his sword and, with a swift strike, pierced the old man’s heart.
But, no blood appeared. The fox in disguise only sighted forcefully, rolled his eyes and teased:
– You’re not very bright, ain’t you?
And with a puff and a mocking laugh, the animal turned into an old woman. The samurai struck her down without mercy. A stern monk took her place, then a plump merchant, then a beautiful courtesan, then a thin fisherman.
The warrior kept striking relentlessly, again and again. Until finally, exhausted by all those magic tricks, fox showed it’s true form, his russet fur shining brightly in the late afternoon sun.
Out of breath, ears down, he pleaded:
– All right, all right, I surrender! I swear I won’t harass the villagers again!
Panting, the samurai grunted:
– That just another ploy of yours!
And he lunged at the fox. Beast and man rolled on the ground, in an indistinct ball of arms and paws and fur and hair.
The fox had nearly managed to escape when the samurai quickly caught him by the tail. With a yelp, the animal tried to vanish in a puff once more, without success: his magic had not returned yet.
As the fox resisted with all his might, claws gripping the forest floor, the samurai pulled harder and harder. And suddenly, the fox’s tail went off with a loud popping sound.
Without further ado, the animal disappeared into the woods, running for his life.
The samurai, who had fallen down with the momentum, barked out a laugh as he looked at the bushy tail he was still holding tight:
– That will teach you well!
With a bright smile on has face, he returned to the village. Proud with himself, he bragged:
– See that tail? That fox will never torment you again!
Yet, instead of cheers, all the farmers whispered, throwing him quizzical looks. Finally a braver one stuttered:
– Hum, Mr Samurai? What tail are you talking about?
And sure enough, when the fierce warrior counter checked, he found his hand was only holding a big juicy radish.
In the air, the fox’s laugh rang: the master trickster had struck again.
Notes:
I have covered kitsune (magical foxes) in several other tales. This one depicts a “wild fox” (yako or nogitsune) which are foxes not sworn to the benevolent kami Inari. Those creatures are playfully mischievous, but also sometimes downright malicious and dangerous.
The tails of kitsune are probably their most famous feature. Folkore says foxes grew tails as they aged, the more tails the more potent the kitsune is, the kyubi (nine tailed fox) being the most powerful of all. In some traditions, kitsune draw their magic from their tail, which is why cutting it is thought to prevent them from using their powers. It is similar to the nekomata/bakeneko motifs and explains why some superstitious would cut their cat tails.
Today’s story shows quite well a moral which is kinda unsettling for Westerners. In the end, the “bad” fox is still on the loose and it’s implied that no one will truly be able to do something against it. It is a motif often found in Asian stories: humans are not the center of the world but merely part of it. And there are some things they will never be able to change!
[pictures sources: 1 / 2 / 3]
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idrawraritwi · 5 years
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VN, you say? Tell us more.
yeah!it’s a retelling of the entire first chapter and half of the second chapter of my gf’s fic “The Enchanted Library” . She hired me to help do the artworks and assets for it. 
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fillyfooler · 5 years
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She has quite the, uh...drumsticks.
Dark meat is the best part of any turkey!!
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fluffyxai · 5 years
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You've come so far!
Aww thank you so much~!
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So long, Tumblrpon
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moozua · 3 years
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commission for @yakoshi-art 🐷
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confetti-cakez · 3 years
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My lovely patron Yakoshi requested that I draw a Mayor Mare!
---
https://www.patreon.com/ravensun
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mylittleponygames · 7 years
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Sure you are sweetie. [Lines by Pabbley, Colors by Yakoshi] Image Source: http://ift.tt/2qhYiiq ~ Follow My Little Pony Games for new games, fan art and memes daily!
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meow-mellow · 3 years
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WOMEN WALKING from Netti Hurley on Vimeo.
DIRECTED BY NETTI HURLEY EXECUTIVE PRODUCER & ON SET PRODUCER: ZOE ROSE-DAVIES  EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: HANNAH BELLIL PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: NELLIE HERON-ANSTEAD  PA / COVID OFFICER: LUANA DEL VECCHIO  RUNNER: DINA JACOBS  DOP: KAROL JURGA  FOCUS PULLER: BEN PARISH DIR CAMERA TRAINEE: TARA SADEGHI  ASSISTANT: SOFIA BORIOSI DIR  GAFFER: LEE PARFITT  SPARK: DAX  ART DIRECTOR: ROSIE BONNAR  PROP STYLIST: OLITA-MAY FORBES ADAM  STYLIST:CELIA ARIAS  STYLISTASSIST:MAOMI YAKOSHI STYLISTASSIST:CAROLINA TAVIRODIR  MUA:GRACE ELLINGTON MUA ASSIST:SAMANTHA LONG  MUA ASSIST:EMMANOUELA MEGKISTOU HAIRSTYLIST:LAURAINE BAILEY HAIRASSIST:NAOMI WARWICK HAIRASSIST:SHEREE JOURDAN
EQUIPMENT - ONE STOP STUDIO - SUGAR STUDIOS
BROTHER MODELS  Olive Bass Rachel Duncan Chloe Pierre Ingrid Lisa Sophia Khokhar Darcy Jouza Wilhemina Gilbertson-Davis Christina Okpala Talia Jordan Lewis  Joey Darlinn 
EDITOR: ALI  GILL GRADE: TIM SMITH - CHEAT 
SOUND DESIGN- JAMES EVERETT @ NO.8  KAREN NODEN @ NO.8
MUSIC - ANNA WALL
COMMISSIONING TRACK “WOMEN WALKING” BY MERC THE BIG BODY BENZ
SPECIAL THANKS STINK FILMS
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puckster-v · 1 year
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My poorly drawn mutuals
@liefsong. @/Railphotos, @yakoshi-art @/rakiku, @/unknown, @/dckface @/therealsourspot, @/grapedoge, @taurson
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yakoshi-art · 5 years
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Okay, let’s try this drawing thing again, shall we?
As I always say, when in doubt, draw Applejack. I wanted to try drawing her as quickly as possible, without using the usual template. By the end, I decided the lack of quality wasn’t worth it, and taking my time is the way to go. Best Pony deserves it.
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cosmalumi · 5 years
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ikr? Sometimes you just want some challah or a fresh donut at 3 am.
Exactly! There’s nothing to eat this early in the morning! Give me the bakery that delivers fresh bread to your doorstep!
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32232232 · 5 years
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Rotation of Fun
@aemantaslim
@taurson
@dsp2003
@pabbley
@theartofgrey
@terminallycute
@yakoshi-art
@probablydnon
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moonfox281 · 6 years
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Now that we have a ninja canon AU, I can not help seeing Dick in a kimono or as a geisha, can you one day do a fic about this? I would totally love it!
*Writer note: Sorry for taking too long with this one. And sincerely appology to other anos that requested the same fic, I can only answer one. And great thank you to the wonderful @cherrymiko-art for asking for this*
Beauty Itself 
(Word count: 8142)
To read on AO3
“When Bruce said the mission was in Japan, I had a different scene in mind.”
Dick darted his eyes around, watched the water flow through the bamboo pipe then drip down the tiny ceramic fountain. He didn’t like this, the door was covered in nothing but paper and weak wood, the room was too elegant and the number of weapons that could be produced from the items was strictly limited, and the silence, the haunting silence that assured a storm would come uninvited.
“Really? What did you have in mind?”
“I don’t know, a ninja fight, samurai demons jumping out of nowhere, maybe some robots too.”
Jason snorted. “Come on, you think too much.”
Dick turned and looked at him. “It just− What are you wearing?”
“This? I thought for somebody who could speak Japanese since you were 12, you should know their traditional costume.”
“I know what a yukata looks like. But why are you wearing it?”
Jason shrugged, the edge of the fabric hanging on his wide shoulder. The colors brought out his eyes, matte black and thin strings of red, and they seemed to suit his attitude most of the time too. He let the obi hang loose and low, the hems were folded casually, not quite presentable if a formal meeting was required in this mission, but still, everything that was not presentable for formal occasions always suited Jason the best. Besides, Dick appreciated how the short sleeves showed his husband’s biceps.
“I figured if we’re here, why not enjoy it first. We don’t have to dip our hands right into the case the second we get here.” He sat down on the tatami that hugged the entire room, legs crossed. His face spoke that he was waiting for Dick to join him.
Dick refused to.
“This isn’t a vacation. Bruce signed us in because…”
“The underage slave ring leads here and we’re the only ones unoccupied?! Yeah, I know that. Which is why we’re gonna stay here, enjoy whatever this country offers us, while waiting for my intel.” Jason sighed and stood up, walking closer toward Dick.
“Your intel?” Dick asked, doubtfully.
“I’m a global kingpin, honey. I work with the yakuza, sooner or later, we’ll get a link, until then, let’s just relax.”
Dick knew Jason meant well when his arms slung around his waist and pulled him flush to his chest. Jason felt warm, he had always felt warm, and he didn’t wear anything underneath the yukata, almost half of his chest was out.
Dick knew the yukata was Jason’s way of saying he wanted to be out of costume for a couple of hours, which also meant he wanted Dick to be out of costume for a couple hours. That seemed too luxurious in Dick’s opinion, they were on a mission, a mission assigned by Bruce himself. They didn’t have time to waste, they could always enjoy this sometime else, when they were done being vigilante and off duty, which would probably be never, but still, not right now, not when there was a task to be done.
“I know what you’re thinking.” Jason said, when his hand came up to push Dick’s head to rest on the warm skin of his chest. “I know you’re anxious for some action, but here, locals talk, locals tell. There’s nothing two outsiders like us could do. Let the yakuza do their job, once they give me something, we’ll move.”
Jason was right, the best way to dig up some information around here was from the locals.
Jason pet his head lightly. He understood Dick tended to get tense, go overbroad on everything when the mission involved Bruce. Maybe Dick was truly the one that had problems with Bruce all along out of the two of them.
“Stop thinking.” Jason whispered into his hair. “You always think too much, it’s making me nervous.”
“Sorry.” Dick chirped.
“I don’t want you sorry, I want you relaxed.” Jason pulled away to look down on him. “If you’re uncomfortable…”
“No,” He said, too quickly. “It’s just strange, coming here and… not doing anything like this.”
This must have been the zillionth time Dick went to Japan, but still, none of the times he had the opportunity to even get a glimpse of relaxation. There was always a mission on hand, a goal to reach or a task to be done. And by the time everything was all wrapped up, it was time to move on to another place, with another mission to pursue.
Jason looked at him and understood. Marriage had turned him soft and open, but to be honest, Dick didn’t know if that was true. Jason had always been gentle towards him, and for him to open up like this, Dick didn’t know if it was that Jason was ready to share, or if he saw that Dick was now ready to accept what he was willing to share.
Dick didn’t know, he honestly didn’t know. From this point looking back, it was hard to not see himself as the root of every problem.
2 hours later, Jason’s intel came, a thirty something man dressed in a white suit with a big cigar in between his teeth. A nasty scar ran from his forehead down over the bridge of his nose, and as his hair was pulled back and gelled, Dick doubted the man was ashamed of it.
Dick looked at his hand when he reached out to shake Jason’s. Big rings, two callused fingers, a sign of regular use of a firearm, patchy knuckles showed a frequency of violence, but still, nothing missing.
This man wasn’t just a yakuza, he was an oyabun, the absolute head of a yakuza group. Dick was so having a conversation with Jason after this.
He sat down on the couch, flicking the tar of his cigar down in the nearby bonsai pot, and grinned at Dick. His eyes darted up and down, peeking through the hems of his newly changed yukata, publically stripping him with lust burning in his pupils.
Dick didn’t like this man.
“I didn’t know you brought company.” He spoke in Japanese, dragging the words out slow and decent. He must think Dick didn’t know the language on his tongue. He looked at Dick again before turning to Jason, grinning wolfishly. “I like your taste, very high-end.”
Jason just pulled a poker face. He must have been used to this kind of attitude while doing business with his men. “Eyes on the subject, Tobu. I asked you a favor.”
“Ah, straight to the point, and calling my name too. You’re never the polite one, Tengu.”
Tengu, a disruptive demon, a harbinger of war in Japanese mythology. The man must have worked with Jason long enough to witness what his wrath could bring.
The yakuza threw a paper file on the desk, crossed his leg over his knee and took a long drag of his cigar.
“Yakoshi’s group, big guys, one of the giants in the yakuza. Never liked them but business keeps me around with those bastards. They own around a dozen human trafficking rings all across the continent. Lately they joined a new industry, same resources, but more beneficial, dirtier too, even for our standards.”
It didn’t take much time to click. “Organ harvesting.”
The yakuza nodded. “They hooked up with a guy in Italy, who once distributed their supplies to purchasers, that guy’s dead now. So they’re looking for a new partner.”
Jason flicked through the file. Dick left the arm of the couch and went to sit next to Jason, peeking at the documents. Too many faces, a lot of information, no surprise if they were from such a large group. This shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes or so to memorize.
Jason’s hand wormed around to touch Dick’s waist, he was still digging his nose into the file, finding out who should be the main target, while rubbing little circles on Dick’s hipbone.
The yakuza watched. “Where did you get him?”
The question was obviously not for Dick.
“None of your business.” Jason casually answered.
“Come on, I did you a favor. At least tell me how much it costs to have a night with him.”
Jason looked up from the document, brows arched, face seeming unimpressed. “Put that thing away first.”
He meant the cigar. The yakuza huffed, brows drawn up in surprise. “This? Never thought you would say that one day.”
“Throw it out or I throw you out. He doesn’t like it.” He turned to Dick and switched to Romani. “Do you, my dear?”
Dick laughed. Gosh, his man knew how to romance, even in moments like this. He leaned forward to kiss the corner of Jason’s lips, only to have his husband push the back of his head for a deeper one.
The yakuza whistled when they pulled apart, the cigar missing from between his lips. “Alright, I’m turned on. Do I get a discount or not?”
“For you, sure, why not?” Jason shrugged.
“Spill, how much does it cost me?”
“Your dick.” Jason grinned, sharp teeth flashed.
The smug look slipped off the yakuza’s face. “Oh,” He suddenly seemed sheepish. “And that is with the discount?”
“Between your dick and your life, which one do you prefer?”
“Okay, so it’s a no. Shame though, a beauty like this should be shared around. I bet Yakoshi’s guys would think the same.” Dick understood that was this man’s way of warning Jason not to let Dick get involved in this mess.
Huh, so this man had a lot more to himself than he showed.
He eyed Dick again, up and down. This time Dick felt the arm slung around his waist tighten a little bit.
“Do you speak Japanese?”
This time, the question was directed at Dick. It went out in a Kansai accent, harder to catch even to some locals, harsher, quicker, a little deeper too. A test.
Dick smiled, hands coming up to rest on Jason’s shoulder, his chin rested on them.
“Only when I want to.” He purred.
The yakuza didn’t ask further after that.
Dick stayed on the couch while watching Jason part with the yakuza. They talked to each other at the door a lot more than at the table. The yakuza tried to lower his voice, now that he knew Dick understood everything.
“They meet at 6, tomorrow night. You know the location, I already booked you a place at their table. Try to act less like yourself, they don’t like partners they can’t control.”
“Alright, thanks for the help.” Jason grinned, already opening the door.
The yakuza turned back to look at Dick, before whispering to Jason.
“I’m serious, Tengu. If you refuse to share him with anyone, then he must be special. But if you’re planning to mess with these guys, I would suggest keeping him far away from this. They are not me, and organ trafficking is just one of the Yakoshi’s activities.”
Jason went silent after that.
“No.”
“I haven’t said anything yet.”
“Yes, but I know what’s on your mind, so no.” Jason deadpanned. His face didn’t show any sign that he could be moved.
“But‒”
“Didn’t you catch what I just said? No means no.” Jason didn’t waver for once, and just like that, he turned back to his current task. Sitting opposite him, Tobu glanced between them, seemingly amused.
“So, 10 members, 5 guards, and 3 outside?”
Tobu nodded. “Yep, 30-story condo, guards on every floor, the meeting will be on top. I told you, they’re a huge group, and far less honorable than they used to be.”
“They won’t talk easily, will they?”
“You wish. We’re yakuzas, we’d rather gut ourselves before letting anyone hurt the group. And even then, Oikawa doesn’t trust anyone. Even if you suddenly gain the magic to defeat all of his army, you think digging something out of him would be easy?!”
Dick watched them and bit the inside of his cheek. He had waited all night until today’s lunch to add in his opinion, had to break through the middle of his husband and the yakuza’s discussion on the attack plan to do it, and he didn’t plan to be discarded easily like that.
“Since when do you get to be in charge of this mission?” Dick voiced, frowning. Not what he should have said, but still, he was bordering on anger.
Jason didn’t seem amused either, his head snapped back and he stared at Dick. “What did‒In charge…? Is that what you fucking think? This isn’t about me taking the lead, this is about you. You think I was comfortable watching Tobu stare at you like that?”
Next to him, Tobu winced, eyes darting around to take in the heavy tension in the room, until he decided. “Okay, I’m out. Call me back in when you two are done.”
“No, you stay here.” Jason growled, and Tobu dropped right back to his place at the table, holding his hands up in surrender. He knew better than to test Jason’s temper.
Dick groaned, feeling beyond tired. When exactly did Jason form a problem about this, he had no idea. Dick only knew one day, undercover suddenly became a sore spot for Jason to mention.
“This is ridiculous, there are kids out there, waiting to be opened up and here we are, arguing over whether to pass up the opportunity to help them in the fastest way.”
Dick knew he had taken the wrong leap when Jason stormed over and stared down at him. He looked giant up this close, dangerous, like a direwolf ready to rip Dick’s throat out. It was fascinating how Jason could change from a loving, gentle husband to this creature in front of him when he felt the need to, in a matter of seconds.
“Listen here, I want to help the kids just as much as you do. I am pulling every connection I have on this land to help them.” Jason stepped forward, looming over Dick and forcing him to stumble back. “But don’t you ever think that the urgency of this mission means I would ever hand you out like bait. You said this is ridiculous, the only ridiculous thing is that you’re more than ready to throw yourself out like this.”
When Jason brought it to this point, no further discussion could be made. Dick knew when his husband had made up his mind, when even the strongest voice couldn’t change what he had set out.
But Dick was angry, this was their mission, not Jason’s. Their meant it included Dick’s part in this. He refused to sit tight like a toy and wait for Jason to go save the day. This wasn’t what Bruce would expect of him.
“Our relationship shouldn’t be the obstacle of progress. I’ve told you that countless times.” Dick grunted.
Jason snarled at him. “I said this is about YOU! You need to stop trying to impress him, you need to stop trying to prove yourself. You left us, you left me, wasn’t that enough? I refuse to let you sacrifice yourself in exchange for something you’ve already had.” His head dropped down, resting powerless on Dick’s shoulder. From the Tengu he was called to be, Jason turned tired, weak and hurt with a mere switch. “How could you do this to yourself, ready to let them have their way with you just to speed the process? Those people are not me, their hands aren’t meant to love you.”
Oh.
Oh. Dick blinked, once, twice, too damn amazed.
So that was what had been nagging him.
Behind Jason’s shoulder, Tobu sat tight cross-legged with a stupid toothy smile on his face. He seemed to take in their conversation as an entertaining performance in a theater.
“You two should sign up for a Japanese reality show. Believe me, there’re some girls here who would kill to see this.”
Jason growled low in his throat, and Dick shuddered, worse, the sound and scene only made Tobu snicker harder. Jason’s hands went down to hold Dick’s waist, pulling him flush to his chest, his head rubbed into that corner between his neck and shoulder like a needy cat, dropping feather kisses down on his skin.
When Tobu whistled, Jason snapped and pointed a gun that Dick had no idea he had strapped behind his back.
“One more word and I swear I’ll blow your head off.”
Tobu only shut up then.
Dick looked at himself in the mirror. He looked like a freaking clown. Jason’s friend, the yakuza Tobu had wandered around the room he was in, eyes darting toward him at every chance he had.
Dick sighed and ignored him, focusing on the eyeliner in his hand. He tried to remember the way he had seen Babs use it, the way Steph used it. It was hard to follow, and he poked himself in the eye, twice. It stung, and he had considered putting on the Hypnos lens, but then reframed himself, the point was for them to see his face, and nothing else. Tobu watched him, staring down at his painted lips, and took a moment before returning to his eyes.
“The kimono brings out your eyes.”
Dick touched the hem of the cloth. It felt nice, soft and silky, with hand-knitted details. Dick stared down at the gold phoenix spreading its wing on his chest, the cherry blossoms blooming on the sides, the gold strings running along the edges of the kimono, the mystic blue that drafted over the whole of his body, black glitters glowing at any movement underneath every seam line.
Jason’s money never disappointed.
Dick styled his hair, made it fall down the sides a little bit more. He put on earrings, wincing because of the newly pierced holes, and reached out for the other accessories when Tobu appeared behind his back, gently putting something on his head. It felt heavy, suspiciously heavy.
Through the reflection of the mirror, Dick saw the gold glittering under the light, tiny stones at the top shone different colors when his head moved. A gold halo.
Dick’s eyes widened.
“This is too much.” He turned, attempting to accuse Tobu when the yakuza shrugged and put his hands up, defending himself.
“Trust me.” He said.
Dick sighed while waiting by the door. The kimono felt heavy, dragging his upper body down, the belt hugging a little too tightly on the waist, not too uncomfortable, but would definitely leave some lines. The upper half of his chest was more or less exposed, as the collar of the cloth hung loosely on the edge of his shoulder. Nothing else was underneath, Dick anxiously thought as he touched the back of his upper thigh where he usual strapped his escrima. He didn’t like the feeling of this, but again, going undercover never did the best for his taste in fashion.
There was a bell, and Dick understood that was his cue to walk in. On his steps, he remembered the way Tobu tugged on his arm after he had finished getting ready, the way the yakuza eyed him from tip to toes, concern and uncertainty painted all over his face.
“I don’t like this.” Before Dick could comment, he added. “Not the look, I mean. You’re a work of art, don’t deny it. But if something happens, you need to bail right away. You’ll come back to me and let Tengu handle it himself.”
The man thought Dick couldn’t handle himself, thought Dick was just some pretty accessory Jason had picked up along the way and grew a short-term affection with. Well, whenever he stood next to Jason, people tended to think so and Dick let them. Instead of being chaotically controlled by pride, he made an advantage out of it.
When he walked in, the room fell into silence. Dick could feel the eyes shoot out for him like bullets from a machine gun. He remembered the steps, back straight, hips swaying, one leg upfront and crossed over the other, just enough to keep his line straight, and  enough to expose a part of his bare legs, long, cleanly shaven, and all the way up to two third of his thighs. His shoulders hunched a little, showing the shoulder blades more, his hands folded upfront, so the sleeves slid down the sides of his path.
Dick blinked his hooded eyes, took a quick glance around the room. He felt like an idiot, but also recognized all the faces he had memorized just the night before.
He marched toward the middle, stopping at where he was sure everyone could get the best view of him. Dick spotted Jason at his 9 o’clock in a black yukata, the cloth hung loosely on his body to hide all the speciously powerful muscles underneath, a red cloth drafted over one shoulder down to his side. A dark look painted over his face as none of the attention was on him anymore, his mouth agape, eyes pinned on Dick in full surprise.
If Jason was amazed, then it should be a success.
“Well, isn’t this a nice surprise.” Someone, on his left, spoke. Grey hair, bright eyes, early forties. Oikawa Noiri, head of the Yakoshi’s group, the big grey wolf.
Bingo.
The man turned his gaze towards Jason, who had retreated to his casual character when all the attention was on Dick.
“When you said you brought along a small gift, I had a less colorful idea.” The yakuza smirked. His subordinates sat around chuckling at his words. He turned and eyed Dick again, up and down, stripping him with the lust burning through the bright brown pupils. “Do you speak Japanese, my dear?”
Despite the presence of his translator right next to him, Oikawa’s English was perfect, as expected.
“Not even a word, sir.”
“Oh, I doubt that.” Oikawa laughed, all teeth on display. He reminded Dick of an old wolf, dangerous just from looking from afar.
Smart man, really smart man.
Dick smiled and analyzed the man. His brows curved up, but the edge of his mouth dangled heavily. Oikawa had looked bored and tired before Dick walked in, his look was merely a breath of fresh air to change the man’s mood.
The yakuza looked interested, but not enough. Not revealing his ability would give Dick an advantage, people always let their guard down when underestimating someone, but Dick needed to gain his attention even more. He needed to get this man interested.
Dangerous men liked having their ego and temper tested.
“I had hoped you wouldn’t notice.” Dick switched to Japanese, speaking so fluently the brows of the other yakuza shot up close to their hairlines.
Oikawa grinned wolfishly, one of his leg uncrossed and came up, stamping the sole of his foot down on the edge of the zabuton. His finger came up and he called. “Pour the sake.”
Demanding, nothing new.
Dick walked over to his table, trying to mimick the flow of a fountain, he tried drawing all the gazes towards him if they had not already been.
He remembered the technique to pour out the traditional alcohol, had seen it countless times from the geishas. He knew how to make his movements graceful, knew how to keep himself addicting. He ignored the burning lust Oikawa was shooting at him, the way his legs moved to make more room for his crotch. No need to look, Dick already knew Jason was grinding his teeth from behind his shoulder.
Up this close to the enemy, in this disguise, Dick had had himself prepared, still he was caught off guard when a rough hand came up and harshly grabbed his chin, pulling his face up close.
“Hm, very beautiful.” Oikawa purred, breath stinking of sake, blowing on Dick’s skin. “Your eyes, they tempt me.”
Dick hoped Jason wouldn’t paralyze this guy for good after this.
The yakuza spoke slowly in Japanese. “I can make a fortune with these eyes.” He licked his lips. For a moment, Dick thought he would have been kissed. “But that would be a shame, taking them away from such beauty would be a sin. Who am I to ruin a work of art like this?”
Up this close, too close, Dick saw everything. The pores in his face, the edge of his wide grin, the blown pupils. And of course, up this close, Dick felt everything, the gun barrel poking out from the side of the yakuza’s hip, a tissue in his inner pocket, and something small, metal-like. When Oikawa pulled him closer and licked his cheek, Dick figured it out. A flash drive.
Bull’s eye.
Oikawa pulled back, and Dick faked a heavy sigh. He knew how to look like a shy, inviting mess. Without a word, Oikawa grabbed on Dick’s wrist and whisked him aside of the table. His hands were everywhere all of the sudden, resting on Dick’s hips and he pushed him to fall down to the side of his chest.
Dick felt urged to punch the bastard. He hated playing the mindless toy that anyone could grab and play with. Even the king of Gotham’s underworld had to kiss his feet if he wanted to sleep on a bed at night, who did this moron think he was?
The hand on his wrist left and squeezed a handful of Dick’s thigh, bringing it up to rest on the yakuza’s folded leg, the edge of the kimono slid down, exposing too much skin.
Now Dick wanted Jason to paralyze this guy for good.
God, marrying a mob boss did serious damage to his vigilante morals.
Still, that aside, Dick had a role to play, and a burner to take. He had spotted the form of the thing in the yakuza’s pocket. Get that too, and everything would be over.
Oikawa dipped his head down to whisper into Dick’s ear. “Be nice for me, and I’ll promise you pleasure.”
Jerk. Dick went with the flow anyway. He rubbed his cheek on the side of the yakuza’s neck, shook his breath just enough to make it sound lustful, hands wandering around the man’s chest. Oikawa wanted to show off his power to an outsider, which meant Jason. Dick could give him that. A sweet reward before the bitter penalty.
From this position, Dick could spot his husband, laughing idiotically with the other yakuzas. His brows slightly knitted together at the forehead, and the edge of his laugh seemed tense. His knuckles were white with the grip he had on his knees.
Underneath the disguise, Jason was furious.
“So, tell me, how many facilities do you have in the States?” Noiri asked Jason in Japanese, and let his translator do the job. An emperor’s ego.
“Many, and you can trust me on that. I have some connections in Europe too, in case you’re interested.” Jason laughed stupidly, the curve of his lips was lacking the usual predatory vibe. He was playing the underdog. It made Dick itch to slap him out of it. Undercover was never Jason’s strong point.
Noiri seemed interested. He turned to speak to his men, his hand still laid firmly on Dick’s hip. “How much cargo do we have left in Italy?”
“28 in Genoa, could be two containers. Meca died right when he was supposed to deliver.” His subordinate answered. From afar, Jason cocked his head aside and pulled a poker face, pretending he didn’t even understand a word, even when the man had written Dick a haiku for Valentine’s before.      
Genoa, Meca. For two containers, there must be a warehouse. If the assets they were talking about were humans, living breathing humans, then the place must be far away from the other warehouses that grounded up around the port. Less eyes and ears, and easier to transport.
How many men with a last name of Meca were in Italy, how many could own a warehouse in Genoa, and how many could own a warehouse on the outskirts of Genoa. Their search range just narrowed down significantly.  
“The more we drag it out, the worse it becomes. This foreigner is our only option at the moment.” Noiri’s man informed. His eyes glanced at Dick for a second, looking at his eyes and then the leg Noiri had dragged up on his. Dick understood when he frowned, not all men swung that way, even with how tempting he could look.
Noiri snorted and caught Dick’s chin with a hand, pulling it up to face him like he had read his subordinate’s mind. “Very well then, but keep a good chain on him. He’s a rabid dog, too eager to prove and not wise enough to win.”
On his other side, another henchman added in. “I don’t trust this man. He just came here, and we don’t know how deep his experience runs.”
Noiri huffed and as expected, turned down to look at Dick. “Oh, I trust this man’s experience.”
Jason had done his part well, now it’s time for Dick to do his.
The room was soon cleared out for only Noiri and his dirty intentions with Dick left behind. Dick got Jason’s dark gaze towards them when he was kindly invited out. Let’s just pray that the power of their comfy Crime Alley home’s couch would be able to stop Jason from bringing his wrath on the life of this yakuza.  
When the room was just the two of them, Dick patiently waited while Noiri casually sipped on his sake.
“I heard that you’re a very dangerous man.” Dick started. A man full of ego like Noiri, waiting and baring his neck wouldn’t do the trick, this man craved something new, something for him to conquer.
Noiri only snorted back. “And are you scared of me?”
Dick looked at him, straight in the eyes. He knew no one could ignore when his eyes demanded attention.
He cocked his head and made himself appear innocent. “Should I be?”
Noiri’s eyes widened, then he huffed out a laugh.
Dick half grinned, this time for real. It was too easy, kingpins, they were all the same. Dick married one, it wasn’t too hard to manipulate another. They all found joy when their partners were full of mysteries.
“My eyes, you said they tempted you. Do you like the ocean, sir?”
Noiri looked at him, staying silent for a couple of seconds before huffing. “I’m starting to.” He put the cup down. “What about you?”
Dick smiled. “Very much, sir.”
Come on, talk.
“Is that so? Then you’ll enjoy the east coast of Japan.”
East coast, that would be where they should scan next.
Dick was suddenly pushed down not so gently. He felt himself puddled in the kimono, the collar sliding off one of his shoulders.
Noiri stood up and only then did Dick realized how big this man was. He was not Jason’s size, not many men could come close to Jason’s size. But Noiri was big, with a wide chest and hard abdomen. He knelt down, back straight and muscle tensed like the way of a samurai, his hands, strong and decisive, grabbing on Dick’s ankles and pulling him onto his lap.
“You have distracted me from the very first moment you walked in.” He purred into Dick’s ear, face suddenly too close. “Be nice to me, and I won’t sell you out in pieces like I’ve done to so many before.”
Rude, still, Dick had too much history with rude men already. All the attitudes were just to cover up their swelling egos. Besides, Dick doubted the weight of that threat. Noiri was the mastermind of a human trafficking ring, he understood the value of a body, and Dick understood his advantage.
Dick pulled Noiri’s tie off, and the hand came out to catch his wrist was exactly like his calculation. Dick stared back at the yakuza and blinked, acting innocent and hurt. He knew a man like Noiri wouldn’t normally take off his clothes while screwing someone, he knew he had pushed a button, but he also knew that he would be an exception.
Too much lust blinded the mind of even the wisest. Dick licked his lips, batted his lashes as he watched Noiri shrug off his clothes, leaving his pants on. Dick ran his hands on those thighs, searching for any devices left. Noiri only grinned back, too out his head to even doubt Dick’s little action for a slight.
He pulled on Dick’s hair, forcing his neck back and dug right in the juncture of his shoulder. Dick moaned when the bite stung his skin, legs scrambling up to tighten around the yakuza’s hip. His toes found the leather on the handle of a pistol there. Noiri kept on working around his neck, like a rabid dog he seemed determined to rip off a chunk of Dick’s neck.
Dick kept faking moans and little shudders, patiently waiting until Noiri was drunk on lust enough to follow his rules. The man took some time to mark Dick’s skin as if he was a dog craving to prove his new found territory. Jason would definitely be pissed about what the yakuza had left on Dick. So, the sooner he ended this game, the better chance Noiri had to be alive until he ended up in a cell in which he would serve around 150 years for all the crimes he had committed.
“Please,” Dick breathed, whispering right into Noiri’s ear. “Kiss me.”
Noiri’s eyes turned darker, his grin turned wicked, like he had dosed himself with a whole can of Joker’s gas. Letting go of Dick’s wrist, the man immediately dug his head even lower to bite on his earlobe.
“Oh baby, you and I are going to have so much fun from now on.”
Nothing else.
This time, Dick was sure this man had nothing else valuable for him. It was time to drop the blinds. Show time was over.
Dick curled his hands around Noiri’s neck, spreading his fingers in his hair. It was a slight grab at first, merely hurt and only turned the yakuza on further, but then Dick tugged hard.
Before a cry could come out, Noiri choked on his breath as Dick’s hand came up cutting right on his windpipe. Dick pulled the gun out from behind his back with his toes and threw it on the other side of the table. As expected, Noiri’s hands came scrambling to find the item behind his back, his eyes went furious when he realized it had gone missing.
With that hit, the yakuza wouldn’t be able to scream, and Dick only needed that. With his legs still wrapped around the man’s hips, he flipped them over, forehead smashing into Noiri’s and sending him down. He ripped the halo off his head and hammered it right down on Noiri’s neck to keep him in place. Jewelry or not, in his hand anything could be a weapon.
Too easy, the man was blinded by lust, and was caught by surprise. It wasn’t even a fight, but it was neat, and exactly what Dick had wanted it to be. Noiri went down and out cold, laying out on the floor like a puppet without strings.
The big wolf was down, now came the subordinates. They would soon get suspicious when the inside was too quiet. Two? No, maybe four. And that was just outside this room, who knew how many more men were guarding this facility. Dick could take four, but four with guns and a condition to not make a sound would be quite a challenge.
With the interference of Jason’s growing, over-paranoid, and overprotective gang, and Bruce’s growing crime fighting clan, night life in Gotham had been spontaneously boring lately.
Dick was dying for some fun.
“I told you this wasn’t a good idea!”
Tobu screamed as he shot another thug coming at them. Next to him, his henchmen were all putting up quite a good fight. Jason didn’t worry about them much, the bodies could be cleaned, excuses could be made, he could always blame all the dead bodies on Tobu. They were yakuzas after all.
“Oi, you go back to check on your little boy toy.” Tobu grunted when the floor was clear. He ripped another clip out from his pocket and loaded it.
“He can handle it.” Jason didn’t want to think about what Dick was dealing with right now.
“Hey, I’m not joking. If that was me, then fine. But he’s in there with Noiri, alone. Noiri is the kind of psycho you don’t want to lay your precious doll near.”
“He’s not a doll.” Jason grunted, landing an extra kick on the already downed thug nearby. “And he’s not a boy toy either.”
“Then that makes it worth checking on him even more.” Tobu suddenly grabbed his arm. “Tengu, I don’t like putting civilian in the middle of shit like this. But that boy, that boy is important to you, isn’t he?”
Haiz, Jason didn’t like showing his weaknesses to others, especially his partners. And Dick was by far his biggest weakness.
Boy, if that man told Jason to blow up a planet, he would probably ask which one.
It took too long for Jason to answer, and that was enough of a confirmation for Tobu. The guy huffed.
“Let’s go get him then.”
“Get who?”
Jason burst out a laugh. He shook his head, and even with his eyes down at his feet, he could still imagine Tobu’s stupid expression when Dick marched out from the end of the hall.
Dick looked like a mess, with two fully sheathed swords in both hands, one sleeve of the kimono, Jason vividly remembered getting massively angry about because Tobu had made it too well and suited Dick too much, was now torn and the collar slipped off his bare shoulder.
Dick threw the swords down and walked over. Next to Jason, Tobu’s jaw fell to the floor.
“How did you get out?”
Dick quirked his eyebrow. “I fought my way here.”
“Where’s Noiri?”
“Unconscious and tied up.”
Just as expected, Tobu’s face turned comical. “What?” He screamed.
Dick only shrugged and got close to Jason, hooking his arms around his neck. Jason gladly welcomed him into his embrace. It felt nice to smell his scent, feel his warmth and his body in his arms again.
“Did you clean all the top floors?” He asked.
“Yes, I did. You guys seem to have handled it pretty well down here.” Dick grinned back.
Jason noticed the eyes Tobu was giving him now. Jason enjoyed it when Dick flipped the table and redefined the order of this world. He never ceased to amaze anyone.
“A phone and a flash drive. Noiri didn’t trust anyone but himself, it only made it easier for me.”
No wonder Bruce always pushed Dick to go undercover. He knew how to make impossible tasks possible.
“I contacted B. He’s already sent Batwoman to Italy. The authorities have already circled the area. The kids will be released soon.”
Dick nodded, smiling. He liked it when missions went smoothly and without much casualty. Behind Jason’s back, Tobu’s men had already cleaned up what was left of the Yakoshi’s. He looked at Dick’s eyes, those ocean eyes that never seemed like they came from this mundane world.
“Let’s go home.”
Dick smiled back. He thought everything would have ended with Noiri behind the bars, he thought the mess they created would be enough to draw the authority’s attention. He didn’t know Tobu was the head of the third biggest organized crime group in Japan, didn’t know the police wouldn’t come because even they knew gang rivalry between the yakuzas was not their fight. Dick didn’t know that Tobu didn’t come here to just help, he came here to claim the victory they left and cross the name Yakoshi off the top of the list.
Jason was fine if Noiri landed on Tobu’s hand. For now, he only wanted to go home, after Tobu was done with him, Jason would get his take. A psycho that made interest from the sale of children’s organs didn’t deserve an easy death. And under that no matter how hard he tried to hide under the loose cover of the kimono on Dick’s shoulder, Jason could still see through it, the marks that rabid dog had left on his husband.
It had been a while since Jason last had a smoke. His tongue was dying for the taste of it, his fingers were literally trembling when holding the little paper stick. Dick would shout at him, probably wouldn’t let him kiss him until he rinsed off the smell for good.
He tapped the cigarette and watched the tar fall, still shimmering like a New Year’s bonfire.
“So, it took us a week to clean everything up. Nothing major, just a bit of paperwork and adjustment around the area, but all things considered next time you come by, I’ll be staying in a new place.”
Jason huffed, blowing out the smoke. “I can tell you’re enjoying it.”
“Oh hell, I am. I really owe you big this time, Tengu.”  
Tengu. Jason liked the nickname, it reminded him every time of the time they met. Jason was in the middle of personal business, mining his knuckles with seven meathead bastards that busted his operation for small profit along the way. Tobu had just happened to be there and witnessed it all. The first thing he said when Jason noticed him, was “fuck”.
It must be because of the red hood, Jason had first thought, but throughout the time they worked together, Tobu had confessed. “It was partly the helmet, but just partly. When I first looked at you, with blood painting your clothes, bodies littering around in the snow, and your knuckles dripping with another’s blood, you immediately reminded me of that ancient demon that haunts wars and chaos.”
The nickname just came along since then.
“The cargo is already on the way. It should probably arrive at any minute now.”
Jason threw the cigarette down in the alley below, and took a quick look back into the bedroom.
“Good, how’s his condition?”
“Stable, didn’t break him too much since I got to leave all the best parts for you. I’ve heard you’re not very fond of his kind.”
“You’re not wrong.”
Tobu laughed, a short low sound that sounded like it came from an old man rather than his usual lively character.
“Anyway, how’s your little doll?”
“I told you, he’s not a doll.”
“He sure looks like one. My men took one look at him and just couldn’t fucking shut up all week. Keep your hands close on that one, Tengu. He sure is something, those Yakoshi guys he took down? None of them were dead, walking straight to jail with only bruises and broken bones and not even a fatal wound. Besides, I’ve never seen you look at anyone like that before, and that boy, with a face like that, in a world like this, you might lose him anytime without noticing.”
Jason looked back at the bedroom again, couldn’t see what was inside because of the one-way glass but still, he knew exactly where the bed was located, and where Dick was lying on the bed, probably had already rolled over on his side and curled into a tight ball.
“Yeah, no shit.”
“Alright, just called to report to you. Next time you come over, bring him along. He’s a real sight to‒”
Jason hung up and laughed alone when he looked up at the night sky. The clouds were heavy today, no stars, no moon. Still, Jason stared like he was expecting something.
“No shit.” He mumbled, and climbed back in.
In the bed, Dick had rolled onto his side, curling tight and hugging Jason’s pillow like it was his own belonging.
Jason smiled while walking over. He brushed Dick’s hair off his face, and felt a smile slowly forming on the corner of those fat lips.
“Don’t you dare kiss me with that chimney mouth.” Dick chuckled with his eyes still closed, wriggling himself deeper into the wrap of the comforter.
Jason kissed his hair anyway. Dick smelled sweet and clean, a different shower gel this time, different every time to be honest, but always the same scent. He always smelled like home, like Jason, and that alone untied the knots Jason didn’t know had been there in his head.
“Business?” Dick chirped, peaking open an eye to stare at him.
“Nah, it’s nothing. Just go back to sleep.”
He kissed Dick’s naked shoulder then went over to the bathroom. He just managed to wet the toothbrush when Beast followed and circled around his feet. The dog nudged on his legs a few times before leaving, probably going out to entertain Dick or something. Jason just hoped he still had a spot on the bed. King size or not, Dick always knew how to take over the whole damn thing.
A call came, and this time Jason didn’t even need to look at the screen to know whom it was from. He kicked the door closed and hit answer with the brush still in his mouth.
“You’ve got something for me?”
“A container. Big one, got Japanese on the tag. Is this what you’re expecting?”
He could barely hear Trevor’s voice. He heard his men yelling at each other, metal clicking and the sound of trucks.
“Hang on, we’re opening it‒Woah, what should we do with this?”
Trevor must have seen the cargo. Not an odd sight in this business, but still something.
“He’s from Japan,” Jason spit, then rinsed his mouth. “Has quite an abnormal job, makes profits out of poor kids.”
“What did the bastard do?” Trevor’s voice suddenly changed. That was what Jason liked about his men, they were all savages, but they were not that kind of savages.
“Depends on the request. Sometimes he sold them out at unique auctions, sometimes to the slave markets. And sometimes, to more customized orders, he sold pieces of them, organ transplants.”
Trevor went silent, and by the time Jason had dried his face, he only answered back. “Do you want him alive?”
Jason turned and stared at the door, on the other side, Dick was probably waiting for him. He could still remember the sight of him in that kimono, with fabric as blue as his eyes, and the gold halo nesting on top of his head.
Maybe Jason could ask him to wear it for him on some special night.
“There’s still one more thing.” Jason grabbed the phone, and headed to the door. “He touched Dick.”
On the other line, Trevor went silent again. This time it was longer. Jason drummed his fingers on the doorknob as he waited for a reply.
“Trevor?” He huffed, trying to hide the entertainment in his voice. He knew what his man was thinking, was already half grinning when the answer took this long to be dragged out.
“He touched Blue?!”
Ah, that was it. The rage. Trevor was one of his best men, it was so hard to drag that vivid anger out of him. Despite his look and his loose tongue, his right-hand man was not an easy man to piss off. But Jason knew Dick meant something special to his gang. Just imagine Jefferson’s expression when he heard the news.
“You know what to do.”
“Yes, sir. Goodnight, sir.”
Just like that, Trevor hung up. Jason huffed. Boy, wouldn’t it be a fun scene when he went to work the next morning.
He turned back to the room, and as expected, Dick was lazily playing with Beast on the edge of the bed. His head rested on his arm and he was clearly lying on Jason’s side.
“Come here boy.” Jason called, and Beast immediately dashed over his place like a rocket. Jesus, he just kept growing and growing every day. His dog must be the size of a fucking Siberian Tiger by now. Jason couldn’t count the time Beast got overexcited while playing in the park and literally knocked Dick off his feet.
“Go sleep in John’s room, big boy.”
On the bed, Dick had a shit eating grin directed at him.
“Did you brush your teeth, big boy?”
Oh hell, Dick would be his death, no doubt.
Jason crawled on the bed, towered over Dick, and planted his hands on both sides of his head.
“I did, my king. What else do you want me to do?”
Dick licked his lips; naked legs curling around his hips. “How about your husbandly duty?”
Oh hell yes.
“Gladly, your majesty.”
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