A/N: Hi lovely people! I can taste things again now, thankfully. I hope all of you are healthy and cocooning in the winter chill ❤ This was written in a rush, so it might be a mess. I'll fix it ASAP!

Chapter 5. 

When the sun was high in the sky, Aviy was finally permitted leave. He limped to the river and slipped into the water, hissing at the touch of cold on sore spots. He spent longer than he meant to and was late for breakfast. 

"Out again?" His mother said in exasperation. 

Aviy pressed against her back and nuzzled her slender neck. Her hair was thick and long, just like his. He remembered when she used to comb and plait his hair when he was younger, now he was lucky if she allowed him to hold her for a few moments, like now. He released a small needy whimper. 

"What did you do?" She turned to draw him into her arms, nuzzling him back, and his heart just about burst. 

He was too ashamed to tell her, but he couldn't lie, so he just mumbled something incoherent and crooned happily at the comfort. 

She kissed his cheek and pushed him away. "Go wake your brothers." 

Aviy went. His younger brothers grumbled at him, as always, but ended up racing each other to the kitchen. 

He put their room to rights, tidying up the mess the twins inevitably left everywhere. Then he went to Sepri's room. Roka hadn't returned, but a young tothaw could stay out occasionally. 

Aviy didn't look towards the slave at all, but went straight to Sepri's mat. He trilled and rubbed his brother's spines, hoping for another cuddle. 

He was beyond thrilled when he received one, which meant Sepri had forgiven him for the bedroll incident.

Aviy kissed his brother's jaw and crooned, offering himself. Sepri accepted, rolling onto his back and encouraging Aviy to ride him. 

He braced his hands on Sepri's hard chest plates and sank onto his cock. He tossed his head back and started a slow rhythm, enjoying the way his hair brushed his hips and the base of his tail. He knew his opening would be slick and soft after last night. Sepri would like that. 

He lightly ran his hands up his brother's chest, his shoulders, giving plenty of warning, before he feathered his fingertips over Sepri's venom sacs. 

Sepri shuddered and drew in a sharp breath, then he was flipping Aviy onto his back and pounding into him. It was a little painful, especially after the many tothaws he'd entertained, but he wrapped his legs around his brother's waist and urged him on. 

Sepri came with a grunt. Then he jumped up and rinsed himself at the basin. He dropped his washcloth carelessly on the floor and left without a backward glance. 

Aviy stood carefully, wincing when his back cracked. He wiped himself clean with Sepri's discarded washcloth and took it with him to clean it.

"Avee..." The slave called softly. 

He hesitated in the doorway and kept looking straight ahead. He knew he should keep walking, but he couldn't bring himself to ignore that timid voice. Not completely anyway. 

"Will you be back?" 

Aviy cringed, feeling torn. Helping the slave was wrong, but not helping him felt wrong too.

"I don't know." He hissed honestly and stepped into the hallway, before Jamie convinced him to stay. 

He managed to avoid the slave for the next four suns. Roka was still angry with him, so he was on his best behavior; cleaning, cooking, caring for the hatchlings and being available for any tothaw that wanted him. 

He didn't try to get out of chores or sneak away at all. He would prove that he could be the perfect onus. Loyal and indispensable to their clutch.

But on the fifth day, Sepri caught his eye and gestured him into his room. 

"I'm tired of forcing him." Sepri explained with an annoyed hiss. "I want him to please me." 

Aviy curled his tail nervously around his calves. The slave was sitting upright on his bedroll. His bruises were lighter, but there were fresh claw marks on his waist and arms. He kept his head down, hiding his expression. 

"I can't teach him." Aviy said in a small voice. He was ashamed to admit it, when he was trying his best to be good. But he couldn't be anymore involved with the slave. It was too dangerous.

Sepri ran a hand over Aviy's hair. "You're the best teacher there is." 

Aviy looked up in surprise, a pleased warmth spreading through his chest. He crooned.

Sepri smiled and gave him a light push towards the slave.

Aviy's smile faded and he hung his head. "I don't know his kind."

"He's got a cock, doesn't he?" Sepri sprawled on his bedroll and rolled his wrist, telling Aviy to get on with it. 

Aviy sat and met Jamie's shadowed gaze. He seriously doubted he could get this male to do anything - but Sepri would punish him, if he didn't at least try. 

"You need to pleasure him." Aviy said with an encouraging croon. "Then he won't hurt you."

Sepri hissed a laugh. "You talk as if it understands you." 

Aviy's eyes flew to the slave's blue ones. Sepri still didn't know Jamie could talk and now was the perfect time to tell him. It would be such a relief to get it off his chest and in this context, Sepri might not even be angry with him. 

Aviy opened his mouth, but Jamie suddenly leaned into his space and reached for him. Aviy backed away with a startled hiss.

"I think he likes you." Sepri propped his head on his fist and motioned for Aviy to keep still. 

Aviy remembered the first day those knuckles had rammed into his face and left a throbbing bruise. It was difficult to remain still and allow the slave to move closer. Soft lips brushed over his mouth and Aviy drew in a shocked breath.

Jamie withdrew for a short moment and then pressed his lips determinedly back against Aviy's. Those lips were warm and moist, nothing like the smooth hardness of crii lips. 

"Kiss him back." Sepri ordered. 

Aviy tilted his head, heart pounding against his chest plates, and opened his mouth. A hot wet muscle slid inside, hesitating briefly at the feel of Aviy's sharp teeth. 

He kept his hands clenched in his lap and responded submissively, only brushing his tongue lightly against Jamie's. It felt strange; it had rough filaments on one side and a sleek smoothness on the other. It didn't feel wrong...just different.

He wondered how his own tongue felt in Jamie's mouth...and whether he liked it. 

A warm hand slid around his neck and drew him forwards. He responded instantly, laying his hands gently on the slave's ribs, now that he had been given permission to touch. 

The skin against his palms rippled as Jamie inhaled and exhaled shakily, hot breath gushing into Aviy's mouth. Another hand gripped Aviy's waist and then he was pulled right up against Jamie's body. Aviy crooned and parted his legs, inviting the male into him.

"To think we're from the same clutch." Sepri spoke, startling Aviy into pulling away from the kiss. 

He felt dizzy with need, his vent was already half-open and pulsing, but his eyes focused on his brother fearfully. Had he done something wrong? 

Sepri was eyeing him contemptuously. "You would let anyone take you. Even a slave." 

Aviy's insides fluttered and cramped with shame and he bent his neck. He started to pull away.

"I didn't say stop." Sepri hissed and Aviy froze. 

He trembled with confusion, but leaned towards Jamie again, offering himself. He wasn't sure if Sepri really wanted him to continue, or if he would be punished afterwards, but the safe thing to do was obey. 

Jamie's eyes were blazing and the bones in his jaw shifted. He emanated aggression and Aviy nearly lost his courage. But then Jamie hauled Aviy back against him and resumed the kiss, hands roving over Aviy's body, feeling his back and rubbing his spines confidently. 

It was easy to submit when an assertive male touched him (even with Sepri watching and judging him for it). It was all Aviy knew. He could only try to enjoy whatever pleasure was given to him. 

Jamie's body was warm and firm and soft all at once and his mouth was so hot and wet. It was new and thrilling to feel tendons and muscles shift under fragile skin. It felt so raw. So dangerous. If Aviy's claws flexed, even a little, he might draw blood.

Aviy jumped, when the slave's member lifted and grew between them. He heard his brother's sharp hiss of surprise.

Aviy desperately wanted to look, but Jamie hadn't released him from the kiss, so instead he got up on his knees and rubbed his opening gently against that shaft.

Jamie groaned and suddenly Aviy was on his back and feeling that hardness enter him. It was so very warm. Hot, even. Taking his breath away.

He couldn't contain a trill of delight and he lifted his knees, bracketing Jamie's waist, encouraging him.

Jamie buried his face against Aviy's neck, gripping him tight, and panted, breathing damp air all over Aviy's venom sac, as his hips pumped, pushing that alien cock deeper inside. 

Those strange lower sacs were slapping against Aviy's rear with each thrust. Moving faster and faster. 

Aviy gasped and his sac throbbed. His cock was sliding against the slave's stomach and he was shocked to feel a warm palm enclose it. Squeezing him. A few strokes was all it took for him to come, pulling the pleasure from him in a fierce tug, making him clench and writhe.

Jamie stiffened and his thrusts faltered, became slower and uncoordinated, until he exhaled hard and stopped moving all together. Then he slumped on top of Aviy. 

Despite his smaller size, he was pleasantly heavy and his entire body seemed to thrum in time with his heartbeat.

Aviy crooned and nuzzled Jamie's curved pink ear. The slave's skin felt hot and damp all over. A lick to Jamie's jaw revealed salt and something sweeter, like rain. 

Jamie's arms squeezed Aviy's waist in response. It sent a wave of tenderness through him. It felt so good to be held. To be close enough to feel and scent another male so intimately. 

"Come here, Aviy." Sepri ordered and Aviy reluctantly wriggled out from beneath the slave. He scurried to his brother's bed, cowering and expecting a blow. Instead, Sepri fisted a hand in his hair and yanked him into a hard kiss. 

Sepri ravaged his mouth, tongue roughly exploring every inch, then he shoved Aviy face-first into the blankets and fucked him fast and hard. He came with a snarl and jerked out, kicking Aviy off his mat. 

"Get out. You're disgusting." Sepri spat.

Whimpering with confusion, Aviy obeyed. He pushed through the door hanging and fled through the kitchen. He climbed out, heading towards the river. He was disgusting and he needed to be clean.

He dove into the water and rinsed himself in the weeds. He wasn't used to feeling ashamed after sex, but Sepri's words stung in his ears. Now that his head was clearing, Aviy understood that he shouldn't have responded to Jamie the way he did. 

He shouldn't have offered himself to someone beneath him... but Sepri hadn't stopped him. He'd told him to keep going. Did that make it alright? Sepri clearly didn't think so...

But Jamie hadn't felt like a slave at all. He'd felt like a male. A tothaw. And Aviy couldn't help but respond to him. 

But most importantly, he had completely forgotten to tell Sepri that the slave could talk. And now his one safe opportunity to do so was gone. 

Unless no one found out. And the odds of that were very slim. Aviy couldn't avoid the slave forever. And the poor thing might rebel soon. It clearly wasn't meant to submit. 

And if Sepri told anyone what Aviy had done...

Aviy crawled up on the bank and buried his face in his hands.