Chapter Text
Jack strolled into his penthouse, his gait a powerful stride despite being tired from a long day of being the boss. He felt great, they had gotten most of the backed up paperwork and more importantly they had landed that deal with Torgue, negotiations had been tough but they got everything they wanted. It would be months before they realized they had gotten the short end of the stick and by that point it would be too late.
Jack looked forward to adding the Torgue deed to his trophy case.
Rhys was a few steps behind him, the young man groaning softly as he kicked off his shoes and closed the door behind them. While Jack looked like he could take on the world Rhys appeared to be about to collapse under its weight.
“Wanna join me for a shower pumpkin?” Jack inquired with a sly grin looking at Rhys over his shoulder. His grin fell however when he took in just how worn down the younger man looked. His shoulders were curled and his stilts were bow legged as if waiting to drop the man at any moment.
“Nah, I think I’m gonna lay down for a little bit…” Rhys trailed off and Jack turned fully to face him. He started a bit when he felt large hands gently cup his face.
“Do you want to put your collar on?” Jack asked and it took Rhys a moment to gather his thoughts enough to respond, too distracted by the thumb rubbing circles on his cheek.
“Yeah.” Rhys answered nuzzling into the older man’s calloused palm.
“Alrighty kitten, go get dressed up I’ll meet you in the living room after my shower.” Rhys glared weakly at Jack’s teasing tone but nodded, a small smile quirking the corner of his lips. He whined softly as Jack pulled back his hands and he pouted.
Jack pulled off his coat then hung it on a hook by the door and Rhys stepped around him to head toward the bedroom, his business jacket was too nice for a hook. He shed his jacket and laid it out on the bed so it wouldn’t get wrinkled. While unbuttoning his shirt he used his foot to knock a small box out from under the bed.
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Jack padded out into the living room wearing a comfy pair of old sweatpants, his skin still damp from his shower. He stretched his arms over his head and his joints gave a few satisfying pops. He was more than ready to kick his feet up and relax for the rest of the evening. He turned his head and a grin split his face at the sight he was greeted with.
The glass of the large window was tinted purple by the light from Elpis, the glow seeping into the rest of the dimly lit room. Along the bottom of window was an incredibly cushy window seat, the cloud-like cushion impressively had a thread count higher than his IQ and was stuffed with feathers from some kind of genetically modified bird. Though as much as Jack enjoyed spending exorbitant amounts of money that wasn’t what had him smiling.
Curled up on the silky, cream colored seat was his kitten.
Rhys shifted a bit and the golden bell hanging from the simple black band around his throat tinkled. A blue eye cracked open and a moment later Rhys flopped over on his back exposing his bare chest and belly to the man across to the room. Hands resting just above his chest with his fingers loosely curled so they looked more like paws.
“Happy to see you to kitten.” Jack chuckled softly be sitting down on the similarly cream colored sofa. He picked up the tablet from the coffee table and turned it on.
Rhys’ eyes narrowed and the false brown ears on his head tilted backwards thanks to the discreet little echotooth plug-in in his port. He rolled over onto his belly and sat up, resting his weight on his thighs. After a moment of looking at his owner and not getting so much as a glance he turned his back to him with a huff to look out the window. His mechanical tail hung off the edge of the seat and it thumped irritably against the wall.
The stars outside the windows were bright and some were close enough that he could see their energy flares. Rhys lifted a paw and placed it on the icy glass and he lifted himself up slightly to get a better view of a distant shooting star. He followed the streak of light closely enraptured by the sight and his false ears made little mechanical clicks as they twitch.
It was nice. Being able to sit there and stare out into literal space without a single worry was refreshing and if there was anything to worry about Jack would handle it. The reassuring thought almost had him purring but he stopped the sound in his throat as he remembered the man hadn’t pet him yet.
He turned his head to look over his shoulder at Jack and his tail tip twitched when he saw the other was still on his tablet. Rhys dropped his hands from the window and lifted himself up onto his hands and knees. He carefully lowered his paws down to the floor before letting his knees drop down to the plush carpet. The kitten trotted across the stretch of white carpet slipping between the coffee table and the couch. His back arched as he pressed his side against his owner’s knees.
A large hand came down and lightly scratched along his spine, Rhys arched up into the touch. Jack cracked a smirk as Rhys lowered his chest closer to the floor and lifted his rear as Jack’s fingers neared the hem of the younger man’s tight, brown shorts. He raised his hand and ran his palm down the kitten’s back, his fingers loosely circling his tail as they carded over the long brown ‘fur’.
Rhys waited for the pleasant touches to continue and when they didn’t he threw Jack an accusatory glare. The older man was back on his tablet and Rhys nearly hissed because honestly, how dare he? Couldn’t he tell the kitten wanted attention?
He backed up a little so he could hop up onto the sofa next to Jack. Rhys slid into the man’s lap under his arms and he may or may not have purposely bumped Jack’s elbow to jolt the tablet. He rested his cheek on the arm of the chair as he made himself comfortable in the other man’s lap. He purred softly as Jack’s hand brushed over his side and his eyes slowly fell shut as he went limp in Jack’s lap.
That treacherous hand however started to slow after a few moment and Rhys brown eye opened to see what was distracting Jack. He saw him reading that goddamn tablet again and his tail lashed. He rolled onto his back and reached up to bat at the man’s wrist, missing how the older man’s smile threatened to form a smirk. When the method of lightly pawing at him didn’t work he leaned up to bite the bottom corner of the device and gave it a gentle tug.
“Alright, alright needy little thing aren’t ya?” Jack chuckled and Rhys let the tablet go as the older man turned it off then tossed it to the other side of the couch.
Rhys laid back to eagerly await the pampering he so rightly deserved but instead the man’s hands closed around his face, squishing his cheeks. Then Jack was upon him crowding his space and peppering his face in wet, overly enthusiastic kisses. The kitten squirmed, pawing in protest at the man’s chest as he made a displeased ‘murr’ing sound.
“What, you don’t want my attention now?” He cackled as he released Rhys’ pouting face. “Aww don’t look at me like that sweetheart, I’m just messing with you.”
Rhys’ tail lashed again but Jack’s smirk stayed in place. Finally Jack started to pet him without distraction, running his rough hand over the kitten’s soft skin and as his hand worked its way up Rhys tilted his head back giving Jack access to more of his skin. The bell on his collar jingling as Jack’s hand moved over it. The kitten heard a click that made him bristle, if he opened his eyes and Jack was back on that tablet he was going to lose. His. Shit.
He opened his eyes just in time to see Jack putting his echocomm down. He placed his elbow on the arm of the sofa and rested his cheek in his palm, grinning lazily as he looked down at his kitten. Rhys however knew that gleam in the other man’s eyes and he tilted his head as he waited for Jack to do something.
“I have some good news kitten.” Jack began and Rhys perked up a bit though it was a little difficult to pay attention with Jack scritching under his chin.
“Your favorite puppy is coming over tomorrow.” Jack informed him and a deep purr rumbled out of the kitten. Jack moved his hand and leaned down to press kisses to Rhys’ throat. “You know I’m starting to think you like him more than me.”
Rhys snorted and tilted his head to nuzzle Jack’s temple. He lightly licked the other’s skin and he felt the other man chuckle against his skin. It was a warm, deep sound that rumbled across Rhys’ nerve endings and made him melt. Jack leaned back comfortably on the sofa and kicked his feet up onto the coffee table, jostling the kitten some. Rhys made a small sound and turned his body toward Jack, curling around him.
One of his false ears twitched as he heard the TV behind him power on but he didn’t move to turn around much too comfortable at the moment. Jack’s heavy hand rhythmically passed over his skin coaxing all his muscles into relaxation.
It was nice.