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Previous part of Workin' For the Weekend.
***
“Hey. You ready to get goin’ again?”
“Yeah.” Tony acceded, straightening up gradually. “I am. Thanks for the break. Guess I kinda needed it.”
“Nothing wrong with that either. Everybody has to define the important words for themselves. Strength, courage, love… we all understand them differently and we all see the world through that filter.”
“Unless someone comes along and changes it… for better or worse.”
“True. Jethro’s on the better side, yeah?”
“More than anything or anyone I’ve ever known. My history isn’t exactly roses and lollipops, but he’s showing me I can get past it… get to a place where I live as who I really am, not who I used to be or what other people try and convince me I should be.”
Cody grinned and murmured, his gaze becoming distant momentarily.
“Sunshine…”
“You’re kidding me.” Tony interjected brightly. “You actually know that song?”
“I do. It was one of my mom’s favorites. Petulah Clark I think…”
“Could be. Hard to remember. I always loved that song.”
“That surprises me. Not really your style, is it?”
“That was *why* I liked it. It wasn’t chamber music or any of the stuff my parents listened to and it was a break from the rock and pop I usually favored. Plus, girly music made my dad stay out of my room. He was too afraid of what he’d see if he barged in at the wrong moment.”
“Classic.” Cody laughed. “How old were you?”
“I don’t know. Seven, maybe eight. It was most the rebellion I could get away with, so I took full advantage.”
“Really…. Hell, that could be your answer right there.”
“What could be?”
“Not now, okay? Jethro knows you a lot better than I do. If I muck around without his insight, I could really make a gigantic mess. Let’s wait and we’ll explore my theory when he gets back.”
“Ooookay. So… what are we doing instead?”
“Anything you want. Name it.”
“Some Q and A would be great.”
“Subject?”
Tony blushed beet red and looked down before he answered.
“I’ve, uh… I’ve been scanning the internet… for toy catalogs. Just to kind of see how far some of this stuff might go. They don’t get real specific about the how and why… and especially not the where.”
“How about the real world?”
“At the house. Twice. That cabinet…” Tony murmured then let the thought trail off into silence, shaking his head.
“Oh, yes. I know it all too well.”
“Jethro took me to Paper Moon a while back, too. He wanted us to have brand new things to play with… nothing with past associations that could start me wondering.”
Cody’s face lit up.
“Paper Moon… I haven’t been there in forever. I’ll have to stop and visit with Marcus before I head home. So? What treasures did you and Jethro find?”
“A vibrator, padded cuffs… and one of those... harness and ring pieces. There was a lot more stuff I wanted to ask about… but at the time I wasn’t even close to being ready for that conversation.”
“Now you are?”
“It’ll be easier with you. I think…” Tony said, finally raising his eyes.
“Let’s give it a shot and see. What piqued your curiosity the most?”
“Catalog or store?”
“Either.”
“Well… this one site I was checking out had what looked like a hammock… but I read the dimensions and it’d be way too small. They called it a swing, but…”
Cody grinned lightly and felt heat rising mildly in his own face.
“Yeah. That… mostly, I think it’s used for fisting.”
“Fisting… you mean… you can’t be serious.”
“I’ve only experienced it once. Have to tell you it was pretty incredible, but it’s definitely not for beginners or the faint of heart. Took most of a night… about six or seven hours. I’ve never been taken care of like that.. never felt so loved. A long massage with scented oils, soft jazz in the background, passionate, gentle words filling up my head and setting my body on fire… It was almost two hours before he even*started* to prep me and open me up. Every time I got nervous or tensed up even the tiniest bit, he stopped, kissed me and talked to me… waited ‘till I was ready to go on. By the end… well, let’s just say if I could guarantee it’d always be like that, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
A moment later, Cody was shifted sweetly out of his reverie by the sensation of a tissue brushing over his cheeks, wiping away tears he didn’t know he’d been shedding.
“You said you lost someone. Was that…”
“It was.”
“I wish I could’ve known him. He sounds like an amazing person.” Tony offered quietly, continuing to absorb the evidence of Cody’s still raw grief. When he felt the mini-storm had passed, the dom touched Tony’s hand and the tissue was withdrawn.
“You… good Lord, kid, I thought only Texans had hearts that big…”
“It was nothing. I’m just glad I could help.”
“Nothing? Hell’s bells. Sometimes just being there is everything, Anthony. You know… Russ would’ve adored you. He was a sucker for anybody who really cared and wasn’t afraid to show it. From what you said last night, it’s clear you’ve been hurt pretty bad. How did you ever manage to hold onto that caring? How did you not lose it to bitterness… or to anger?”
“I don’t know. Being a cop, I guess. Kinda hard to give in to selfishness and personal angst when you know people are depending on you. Brutal murders, drug addiction, battered wives and kids… seeing all that totally puts your own stuff in perspective.”
“Yeah. Guess it would. Jethro’s able to help, too, I hope?”
“He’s amazing. Wednesday, after… after what happened, he took me someplace private and he let me get it all out. He just took it off my shoulders… soaked it up.”
“Like that tissue.” Cody responded, gesturing to the crumpled item still clutched in Tony’s fist.
“Right.” Tony chuckled.
“You’re not ready to talk, yet, hmmm?”
“About that morning? No.”
“In that case let’s shake off this blue vibe and do something fun…”
***
“Get the pillows set up again, okay?” Cody asked. “Better do it for all three of us. Jethro comes home in the middle of this, no way is he sittin’ on the sidelines.”
Tony grinned at the thought as he watched the other man stride into his room and return with a small metal case, setting it down off to the side of the grouping of cushions Tony had swiftly laid out on the floor. “Looks great. Out of the jeans and tee and get comfortable on your knees.”
Tony swiftly shed his clothes and settled in as he’d been commanded, shivering slightly with anticipation. “Are blindfolds a problem?”
“No. Not at all. During that same play date… he did that before he started in with the scarves and the vibrator.”
“You took some really big steps that night. You should be proud of yourself.” Cody offered as he dug into the case and pulled out a few items, including a length of dark blue satin. He used this to cover Tony’s eyes.
“I was… I am.”
“There won’t be any need for restraints, right? I can trust that when I ask you to keep your hands at your sides, you’ll be able to do it?”
“Absolutely, sir.”
“We’ll see.” Cody chuckled. “It’s my job not to make it easy and I love my job, sweetheart.”
“Ummm... no pain, please. I know I should’ve said it earlier…”
“Relax. I’m no more into that side of the life than Jethro is. I could never do it. Far as I’m concerned, it’s a way for people with big guilt complexes or oddly wired brains to fill up an empty place inside. This, what you and Jethro share… this is how it should be. Discipline taught through love and trust.”
A sudden noise made Tony tense up, but Cody quickly reassured him. “Easy, it’s just Jethro. Hang on a minute. Hands at your sides.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good man.”
Moving to greet his friend, Cody patted his shoulder lightly.
“You have fun at recess?”
“Found some great new wood. Got it out in the truck. How’d the lesson go?” Jethro asked, lowering his voice. Cody followed suit, not wanting Tony to hear until they were ready to tell him.
“Not too well, but it isn’t his fault. Least I don’t think so. Sounded like he pretty much grew up under a tyrant… not much leeway or freedom. I think he still has trouble buckin’ the system, maybe even when it would get him somethin’ he really wants.”
Jethro lit up.
“You’re kidding me. You seriously think it could be that simple?”
“Worth a shot. Not now, though.” He told the other dom with a wicked grin. “You’re just in time for a game of ‘Body Language’.”
“One a’my favorites. Let’s go.”
As Jethro walked up to the pillows, he noticed the case and his smile got even broader. Dropping carefully to his knees, he kissed his sub deeply.
“Hello, love.”
“I’m so glad you’re back, Jethro.”
“Me too. It was good for both of us…but nothing compares to coming back and finding you like this. Naked… skin flushed a gorgeous pale pink… burning to dive into a new erotic experience. Watching you learn how much pleasure your body can give you… how much I can give you *through* your body… is the hottest… thing… ever.” He murmured, separating his last few words with three more kisses. “You can touch me, Anthony.”
“I want to, God I really want to… but I promised Dom Cody to keep my hands down.”
“Yeah, I forgot, it’s part of the game. Good job, sweetheart, for reminding me.”
“No problem, sir. Now, if one of you wouldn’t mind…”
Cody ruffled Tony’s hair and laughed quietly.
“Smart-aleck kid. The game is ‘Body Language’. The purpose is to increase your awareness of your body… but mostly it’s just a crap-load of fun. Jethro and I will be body painting words on your skin with our fingers… and maybe one or two other things. Your job is to tell us where the words are being placed. It’ll start out pretty G-rated… and get more sensual as it goes.”
“Man,” Tony chuckled. “I’m starting to think I might need a B-12 shot by Sunday night.”
“No more than we will, sweet boy. No more than we will.” Jethro murmured in Tony’s ear, following it up with a soft, lingering kiss. Tony jerked faintly in surprise at first, but a moment later he was grinning broadly. “That was interesting. You liked not knowing it was coming?”
“Mmm-hmmm. Not sure why, but… I did.”
“Good thing, ‘cause you’re in for a whole lot more of that in the next little while. Cody?”
“On it.”
Choosing a small bottle of color from among the items he’d pulled out earlier, the other Dom studied Tony carefully then picked up a long feather. He tickled lightly just to pull a laugh before dipping the bare shaft into the paint and beginning the game with slow, delicate strokes over Tony’s upper back. “First word. Take your time… soak in the experience before you answer, okay?”
“Oh… oh wow, that feels so strange…”
Jethro kissed him again then picked up a bottle and began another word.
“Focus. Concentrate on your skin… on the sensation of being touched.”
As he complied, Tony’s chin dipped slightly toward his chest and a fleeting, barely audible hum emerged.
“That’s it.” Cody exhorted. “Exist in your senses, Anthony. Revel in this moment. Where are the words, kiddo? Tell me…”
“M-my back… and my forehead.”
“You got it, beautiful. Great job.” Jethro added softly as he lifted Tony’s left hand and used the tip of an unsharpened wood pencil to stretch more letters from the base of his knuckles to the wrist. For nearly an hour, both doms continued to praise and occasionally question Tony, working to fit words wherever they could find space, until only the nape of the neck was left untouched. By this point, Tony was shaking and groaning continuously as he battled to maintain the breathless peak of arousal he’d gradually been lifted to. Finally, Jethro and Cody relented and raised their creation carefully to his feet, leading him into the guest bedroom where the only full length mirror in the house resided. Cody moved to the dresser and returned with a large hand mirror to show his back as well, determined that the sub wasn’t going to miss a single inch of the masterpiece he had become.
Once Tony was in position, Jethro stood beside his right leg and Cody gently removed the blindfold. Blinking, Tony gasped , held the air in for a few seconds then released it on a sob as he realized what the other two had done.
“Sir… oh my God… oh my God…”
“Read it, baby. Read the words.” Jethro urged, on the edge of tears himself at seeing his lover’s reaction.
“I can’t… I can hardly talk right now…”
“Try. Please.”
“Love… strength…desire… respect… courage… angel…”
Before Tony could beg them to stop, which Jethro was all too aware was only moments away, the older man reached out and gave his sub’s rigid cock four firm, quick strokes. This was all Tony needed to finally orgasm. When the young man’s legs buckled, Cody was there to hold him. Tony tried to turn away, pull away to hide that he was crying, but he wasn’t allowed.
“No, no, no. Don’t you go anywhere. Tears aren’t shameful things, Anthony. They prove it’s all workin’ like it should inside you. Let ‘em run.”
“I love every bit of you, sweetheart, you know that. You don’t have to hide anything from me.” Jethro soothed. “Here, look again…”
“Sir…”
“One more time, that’s all I ask. Right over your heart… see that?”
“It… it says ‘mine’.”
“And you are. Forever. Your feelings might get messy or crash the party when you least want them to, but they’re part of the package called Anthony… and I want all of it. Clear?”
“Clear.”
“Atta-way. You ready for a shower now?”
“Not just yet.”
“I’ll bite. What?”
“Ummm… anybody got a camera?”
Cody burst out laughing and squeezed Tony a bit harder.
“Hellfire, there’s no end to how incredible you are, is there? You’ll find a digital one in my bag down beside the bed, Jethro…”
***
12:45 P.M.
After they’d all washed and Tony was dressed again, the younger man made lunch. The other two devoured his grilled steak sandwiches and a large cup of homemade basil and tomato soup a piece. Tony, too excited to focus on eating, chose the soup only.
“You sure that’s enough?” Cody questioned.
“Oh, I’m positive. I’ll make up for it at dinner, believe me.”
Jethro shot his sub a mock glare.
“And not gain a pound, damn it.”
Tony rose, gathered most of the dishes and favored Gibbs with a light kiss and a smile before he headed to the sink.
“Hey, between work, Tai-Chi and the adventures you cook up for me at home, how am I supposed to gain weight, huh?”
“Yeah, yeah.” Gibbs grumped, but returned the grin. “You decide the plan for the afternoon, then.”
Tony contemplated as the water warmed enough to wash the plates, mugs and silverware.
“Quiet music, talk… naps if we feel like it. Maybe out to eat tonight?”
Cody stepped up behind him and placed the remainder of the dishes under the stream of water, careful to avoid splashes or sprays.
“Sounds terrific. I’m in. Can I dry?”
“Sure, if you want to.”
“I do. It’s funny the things you miss, you know? You’d think it would’ve been his laugh or his smile or just his voice… but the first night without Russ, I fell apart when I realized nobody was there to do the dishes so I could dry ‘em.”
“Mmmm. I, uh… I used to make my mom’s before-dinner drink every night. After she died, the housekeeper found me zoned out in front of the table where all the glasses and decanters were kept. I’d fixed the drink on auto-pilot… then realized I didn’t know what to do with it.”
Jethro moved close and briefly laid a hand on Tony’s back then moved into the living room to power up the stereo. Cody drew warm, damp fingers slowly down the sub’s cheek and spoke softly to him.
“Thank you for that. It always helps to know somebody else has been where I am… that they genuinely understand.”
“I wish I didn’t.”
“Yeah, me too. Let’s finish these up and get on with our peaceful afternoon, hmmm?”
“Please.” Tony responded with a half-hearted chuckle.
The pair were done in only a few more minutes and wandered in to join Jethro, who had settled on the couch. Tony took the space beside him and gestured, with a hopeful expression, to the cushion on his far side, which Cody happily occupied. Grinning, Tony lay down on his side; head in Jethro’s lap, legs pulled up close to his body. When Cody drew the young man’s bare feet and ankles across his own legs and began a gentle massage, Tony startled a bit, but recovered his composure swiftly.
“You don’t have to. I mean…”
“It’s my pleasure. Like I said this morning, it’s the least you deserve.”
Jethro added slow strokes up and down Tony’s back and over his hair and the three men spent several minutes in silence, appreciating the opportunity to simply relax and not have to make conversation. Eventually, however, Tony spoke up, his voice so low the doms had to concentrate to understand him.
“If it’s okay… I think I’m ready to talk about Wednesday. I don’t know how far I’ll get, but I need to try.”
“Go on, sweetheart.” Jethro encouraged. “You stop when you have to. No judgment.”
“Okay. I know I’m not good with kids. I want them to like me so I push too hard instead of letting them come to me. I’ve always done that. It doesn’t stop me from wanting one of my own. A little person I can make things right for… prove that the way I grew up isn’t how it has to be. The more years that go by, the more it weighs on me that I have less and less time to make it happen.”
After a deep sigh and a few moments to collect himself, Tony continued on to the heart of the story. “I was actually thinking about it when we got called to that house. Walking in and seeing somebody who had exactly what I want and… and literally threw it away… it just shook me down to my core. The worst part is that he was on drugs. They’ll say he wasn’t responsible and let him walk away.”
“No high lasts forever, Tony.” Cody gently reminded him. “By now he’s fully aware that he killed his child. He’ll carry that ‘till the day he dies.”
“I really hope so.” Tony replied with a touch of bitterness, then went quiet. The other two continued the touches until he was able to fall asleep then gradually followed suit.
***
4:00:
Jethro grunted softly and shifted a bit as he woke up, then quickly looked down to be sure Tony hadn’t been disturbed. When he saw drowsy green eyes blinking at him he felt a moment of regret, but it passed as soon as Tony smiled.
“Hey, you. Feeling better?”
“Yeah. Pretty much.”
“That’s enough for now. With more time, you’ll resolve whatever’s left over. If you want, I’ll be sure you stay in the bullpen next time we get a case with a kid.”
“No. They don’t come up all that often and like you said, I’ll have the time in-between to find peace with what happened. Besides, maybe the next one… I won’t be too late.”
“Great way to think about it.”
“Only way. Where’s Cody?”
Jethro directed an ear toward the guest room.
“Shower’s running. You and I better get ours in, too. Making him wait for supper is never a good idea.”
“I hear and obey, my master.” Tony chuckled as he swung his feet back to the floor and started to rise. Jethro held him back for a moment, one hand on Tony’s chin to guarantee his sub’s attention.
“You remember the talk we had in the car that night, on the way to the club?”
“Absolutely.”
“I’m not your master. I know you were joking, but you really need to get this. Masters have slaves, Anthony, and that’s a whole other world… one I don’t want you to ever see or experience.”
“I understand, I promise I do. We’re about mutual respect. I show it by calling you sir, you return it by treating me like I’m valuable and giving me your trust.”
“That’s right. If you ever start getting curious about the other side of this life, you come to me and I’ll go into more detail, but don’t you ever go exploring on your own, you hear me?”
“Not a chance, sir.” Tony responded with a slight shiver. Jethro gathered him into his arms and held him tightly for a minute or two.
“Glad to hear it. Now go get some dinner clothes picked out while Cody finishes washing up.”
“On my way.”
As Tony jogged up the stairs, Cody emerged from his room in tailored black pants, a jewel-tone blue button down and stylish boots, a towel still curved around his neck.
“You hear any of that?” Jethro asked quietly.
“Enough. He’s not the type, bud. Pain, blood, humiliation… they’ll never interest that boy. You’ve been too good to him. Showed him how much green grass there is on our side of the fence.”
“Yeah. I just can’t help wondering, ya know? If I hadn’t made a move, if he’d been offered a life over there, convinced that what he needed was to have his fear and insecurity beaten out of him…”
“Quit, Jethro. Just quit it. Tony knows how much he’s loved. Why would he ever go anywhere near the darkness? I heard him acknowledge that you trust him. When are you gonna start trusting yourself? Damn it, put your big boy pants on and find some faith in what the two of you are building, here. Which, by the way, is one of the strongest bonds I’ve ever seen.”
Jethro finally grinned, just a little.
“I guess your evaluation is done, huh?”
“Just about. If you agree to help me try out my theory when we all get back tonight…”
“Definitely. I really hope you’re right.”
“We’ll see. High hopes an’ all that…”
-------------------------------------
5:15: A LOCAL SAFOOD RESTAURANT
“You sure this is okay, Tony?” Gibbs asked as they slid into their seats. “No allergies?”
“Nah, fish and shellfish are no problem. The only things I worry about are blackberries and macadamias and even those just get a mild reaction.”
“I’ll remember that.”
“I know.” Tony responded softly, a light grin curving his lips as he studied the menu.
“You Rule 5 the server, just in case.”
“Yes, sir.”
Once their orders were in and the drinks arrived, Cody looked to Tony and asked a question he’d been hoarding, even though he wasn’t sure he’d get an answer.
“It’s clear you took to being a sub pretty quickly, Tony. Have you thought about why that was?”
Tony paused for almost a minute, before deciding Cody had earned the full truth instead of an evasion.
“Only every day. My parents weren’t… casual drinkers. There was luxury everywhere you looked in their house. Just not the one I really needed and wanted.”
“Security, stability.”
“Nail on the head.” Tony confirmed. “When Jethro started all this, I was anxious, unsure… and everything else, all at once. The first time he knelt with me, though, suddenly the only thing I felt was safe. I mean, yeah, I depend on him all the time at work, trust him to have my back. This was different. He made promises and for probably the first time in my entire life… I had absolutely no doubt they’d be kept.”
Jethro stared at him, captivated and completely focused.
“You actually said that, remember? That you felt safe. Up until that moment, I have to admit… I couldn’t see it.”
“Yeah, well… I trusted you, sir. It was myself I had no faith in. It took so long that night to even *start* believing that what I felt was real… that someone could say the things you did and mean every single word.”
Sharply aware that they were in public, and not in a business run by someone in their world, Jethro caught himself reaching for Tony’s hand and shifted the touch to his sub’s shoulder instead, giving it a strong squeeze.
“You’ve walked a long road since then, kiddo.”
“Not alone. Never alone.”
***
TWO HOURS LATER:
The trio walked into the house together, Cody and Jethro moving to immediately hang up their jackets and Tony following his usual routine. Cody shot a brief look at his friend and once more received silent permission to be the one who released Tony. The younger man slipped out of his coat as well and returned to stand before the two doms. His focus, however, was completely for Jethro.
“What’s the plan for tonight, sir?”
“One last session. Go get out of your good clothes and into something ratty and comfortable, okay?”
Tony smirked faintly and the other man amended his wording. “Yeah, ratty doesn’t mean more holes than a tree full of woodpeckers. Just so you don’t mind getting it dirty.”
“Intentionally… or just in case?”
“As in ‘we don’t mean to, but you never know.’ Now go on.”
Tony moved quickly up the stairs, Cody grinning lightly as he watched him disappear then turning the look on Jethro.
“You may not mean to, but don’t speak for me, bud. Seeing him deep in an orgasm, so free and unguarded… it just does my heart and soul too much good. If the opportunity comes *up*, so to speak, I might not be able to resist.”
“You damn well better, at least until we know whether your theory pans out. Any fooling around before that would just be a distraction.”
“You’re right, I know.” Cody reluctantly agreed, gazing longingly up the steps. “He’s just so remarkable… ”
Cody suppressed a shudder, left his sentence unfinished and turned away. Jethro gripped the back of his neck gently for a few seconds as he spoke what he hoped was reassurance.
“I know, but you’ll find somebody, Cody. It’s just gonna take a while. Losing Russ is still too raw. He’s too close, too much with you… so tight sometimes you feel like you can’t breathe without smelling and tasting him. One a’these days, though, you’ll come home and realize it’s not that way anymore. Then the person you’ve been fightin’ off, the one you’re determined not to love… their face’ll pop into your head and you’ll know. That’ll be your sign that Russ approves of whoever it is and he’s lettin’ you go.”
Slowly Cody turned back and stared at his fellow dom in astonishment.
“Since when are you capable of saying that many words at once, Jethro?”
“Three guesses, first two don’t count.” Gibbs replied, drawing a barely audible laugh from Cody.
“Second question; are there any synonyms for ‘amazing’ I haven’t used yet?”
“Probably, but I’ve about reached my limit on words for the night.”
“How’d it happen?”
“He thinks the more I talk to him when I’m tied into knots inside, the less I’ll need purge sessions. Little by little…I’m startin’ to believe he might just be right.”
Following that revelation, both men fell silent momentarily as Tony, clad in faded green sweatpants and a rock concert tee from a now illegible band, bounded down the stairs to rejoin them. His excitement instantly transformed the somber mood.
“Okay, Sir? I only found one or two holes and you can barely see them.” Tony teased lightly.
Jethro grinned and dropped a kiss on his cheek.
“I like you better in nothing but skin… but this’ll do fine.”
“Keep that up and it’s gonna turn into that kind of night whether you mean it to or not.” Tony snarked.
“Yeah, yeah. Just you wait ‘till Cody goes to sleep. You and I… will play ‘Quaker Meeting’ grown-up style.”
Tony swiftly ran the childhood rhyme through his mind and his eyes widened, accompanied by a wicked grin.
“Seriously? But what’s the…”
“Later. C’mon…” he encouraged, tugging his sub toward the spot where Cody had set up the cushions one final time. Once all three were seated, Cody began the second attempt at helping Tony to fall, hoping against hope that his earlier idea would be proven right.
“Okay. Remember the visual we used before?”
“Yes, sir. Floating in warm water, bright sun countering the cooler breeze… and I’m turning in a clockwise circle.”
“Very good. The turn is slow… you’re relaxed… peaceful…” he reminded Tony, once again grasping his wrist gently. “First rotation…”
“… I sink deeper into headspace. The second… a little deeper. Sir, I… it’s still not…”
“Hang in there. Just one more circle. You’re safe… only a few feet from the beach. Relax, Anthony. Let calm wash over you… warm, just like the water.”
The limb he was holding began to tremble and Cody knew they had to move soon or their work would be for nothing. He shot an intent glance at Jethro, who slid his hand into place and took over the session as Cody pulled back.
“Anthony. Pay attention.”
“Y-yes, sir. Please… I’m afraid. I can’t do this…”
“You can, Anthony. You can because I give you permission. You have my permission to let go and fall.”
Abruptly, the image in Tony’s head shifted radically. He was turning faster and faster and being drawn farther under the surface with every spin, but the terror had evaporated. In moments he saw himself, not drowning or struggling to breathe, to escape, but standing in a dim, silent space with Jethro by his side. “Anthony?”
“Sir.” Tony responded very softly, his tone utterly serene and composed, with the barest hint of anticipation. Both Cody and Jethro finally drew and released the deep breaths they hadn’t dared to for several minutes.
“Where are you right now?”
“Our world. Nobody else allowed. Just us.”
“What do you see? What’s around you?”
“Not enough light. Don’t need it. I feel you here, that’s what matters. You’re all I need.”
Jethro shoved down the sudden assault of emotion Tony’s words caused and forced himself to focus, to finish and bring his sub back. As he slid his hand up to Tony’s bicep, he could feel the change happen physically. The younger man was still down, but now more alert and aware of the outside world.
“Reach up and find the water, Anthony. Reach… swim back up. I’m waiting for you.”
A few minutes later, Tony began to blink then turned to gaze at Jethro, incredulous.
“Sir… Jethro. I did it. Sir, I did it!”
“You sure as hell did, baby. You sure as hell did…” Jethro choked out as Tony lay down and rested his head in his dom’s lap. Jethro petted and praised his precious sub, distantly noticing that Cody was doing the same for him.
***
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