Commodity and Corruption

[WeaverofWorlds]

(Closed for Lexavier)

Men were nearly the cause of the extinction of humanity.

They drove nations to war, ravaged the earth of its bounty, and had men dying, all for greed and power. Even as they found ways to save lives, they invented so many more to kill. Until, in the end, they found the one weapon they couldnt find a cure for in time. A weapon of their own design.

A bioweapon, a virus, was unleashed as a new way to render the opposition obselete. Deadly in origin, it targeted the Y chromosome, using it to trigger its only deadly purpose and ultimately killing the host. Over the next week, millions were infected. By the end of the month, men were dying by the hundreds of thousands. By the end of year, men were a rarity.

Women took the stage, quickly taking over as presidents, generals, and any other essential position that needed filling. New nations arose, and for many, it was a new era of peace. For those few men who had proven immune, however, they were given a new life, untrusted by the fairer sex to lead humanity any longer. They were a commodity, to be carefully managed and maintained, until enough men existed to be sustainable. And then, they became a status symbol, equivalent to a car or mansion, something to be collected, traded, used by those with money and power.

Companies arose, dealing in men, and quickly followed by criminal elements of a similar nature. To combat and govern both, new agencies were set in place, constantly watching for indescretions and illegal activites.

This is one such investigation

---------------------------

Hunter ducked backwards, evading the wild swing aimed at his face. He felt his back press against the wooden barrier that formed the edge of the makeshift ring he now occupied, and he took the moment to get his bearings. Sweat dripped from his long, unkempt black hair, making it stick to his face and half cover his sharp green eyes. A thin coat of sweat covered his bare half naked body, the only clothing permitted to him a tattered pair of sweats. His chest heaved, rising and falling rapidly as he tried to suck in fresh, albeit stinking, air. Around him, the crowd of women roared, eager for blood and violence the pit offered them as entertainment. He felt like there was something smart he could say about that, but he found himself quickly distracted as his opponent, the cleverly named "Brute", took another swing at him.

Hunter ducked under the blow and slammed his fist into the man's stomach, doubling him over, before driving his knee into the man's now vulnerable jaw. He felt the satisfying crunch as tooth and bone gave way to force, and his pants, dirty and stained as they were, were stained with another layer of red blood. Brute reeled back, clearly dazed, and Hunter turned towards the crowd, raising a fist in clear showboating. The women roared all the louder, and Hunter felt himself smile. This much enthusiasm, he was sure to get an extra serving of food.

A growl sounded from behind him, and Hunter turned just in time for Brute to tackle him, sending them both to the floor. Instinctively, Hunter drew his arms in over his face, protecting it from the savage rain of blows that quickly followed as Brute hammered away at him. But even then, Hunter knew his opponent was tiring, still dazed and acting more out of desperation than sense, as each blow came with less force behind it. All he had to do was wait for an opening and sieze it...

 

[Lexavier]

"What was a woman of virtue and honour doing in a place as disgusting as this?" This was the predominant thought that constantly ran through Ariana's mind. She winced hard, her petite nose scrunching up and her perfectly straight white teeth grinding together in shared empathetic pain as she watched the men tussle with each other. She quickly recovered, guiltily looking around at the other women to see if anyone had noticed her indiscretion. Luckily, they were all too busy cheering and hollering at the pair to notice the gentle soul in their midst.

Ariana's fingers itched to reach for the phone in her pocket as she once again scanned the crowd for signs of her elusive, so called friend. Instead she curled her digits into a fist. It would not be good to flash her government issued high-tech here, immediately labeling her as an outcast. She dared not think about her fate in such a situation.

"Where are you Simone?" She breathed. It was typical of the woman, the instigator of this ludicrous plan that somehow Ariana had become central in.

Resigning herself to the fact that she was alone, her gaze went back to the men in the ring. Her breath caught as one seemed to gain advantage, pummeling the other with such violent intensity. Were they all like this? This was the first time she had actually seen a Man in person. Of course she had seen photos of them, it was mandatory study for everyone under the Ethical Treatment of Males branch of the government, even someone as inconsequential as her. On top of that were the stories that floated around, usually along the lines of a manager or colleague being introduced to some high flying socialite with a Man in tow. Her eyes lingered on the toned muscles, glistening with perspiration...

 

[WeaverofWorlds]

Hunter continued to endure, waiting and watching for an ooportunity. It came suddenly, when Brute took just a little too long to draw his arm back into a proper guard. Hunter's fist shit iut into a jab, inflicting superficial damage at best, but causing the man above him to flinch. The next moment, Hunter had reversed their positions, his fist smashing repeatedly into his opponent's face. He didn't relent until his opponent was moaning feebly beneath him and his hand was covered in blood, his own(from fresh cuts across his knuckles) and Brute's(from the man's bleeding face).

Hunter rose back to his feet, stumbling slight. He tried to keep his breathing even, taking slow deep breaths to steady his nerves and calm his rapidly beating heart. He turned to the crowd again, letting out a shout of "fury", which set the crowd going again. Hunter's eyes swept the crowd, not really looking for anything as he showboated appropriately, until his eyes fixed on the one oddity in the crowd. The woman wasnt surprising, in and of herself, except for two things. Her clothing, for one, was far more clean and put together than anyone else here, including his current owner, Madam Pain(or Jessica, if you ignored her self styled bravado). And second, she wasnt screaming or shouting or joining in the general activities of the crowd. His eyes fixed on her, drinking in the sight of someone who didnt seem to be thrilled at the violence, before a call drew his attention back to the task at hand.

All around him, the crowd was chanting the word "kill". It seemed it was time for the final act in the day's spectacle. Hunter glanced up at the "private boxes", towards Jessica. As if noticing his look, she smirked and thrust a hand out, wavibg in a dismissive gesture. Always one for theatrics, she was. Hunter stalked the edge of the arena, trying to look "predatory" and "masculine" for the crowds, before turning away entirely, more intent on the reward of food and rest them thr crowds cheers and shouts.

The announcer started his usual post match rambling as Hunter was allowed out of the ring and towards what might be called his room if one was being kind, but would more realistically be called a pen. He collapsed into the thin mattress he called a bed, weariness seeping into his body. Even if he was rather good at it, he had quickly found it was never easy to kill, especially when half of those who died were men you'd been raised side by side with.

 

[Lexavier]

The crowd surged and those that until a moment ago had been cheering suddenly began booing, and those who had almost torn up their betting slips launched into exultant shouts and woops. Ariana watched with a morbid fascination as a man was beaten half to death. Her stomach heaved as she looked at the warm blood splashing across the pit arena floor. "It's just fake, all fake, just an entertainment show..." she told herself, but it wasn't helping. As quickly as it had shifted, it ended, with the clear victor rising to his feet.

It didn't seem to matter now. Everyone cheered whether he was their favourite or not. The blood had enraged them and they screamed for more. Ariana felt like a beacon in a stormy sea, and even more so when the man locked eyes with her. At first she thought it was an illusion, that he was just looking in her direction, but the more he stared, the more she felt those eyes penetrating her.

The moment moved on, and following the man's gaze, she looked up at the woman who casually sentenced a man to death. This was clearly someone in charge, and Ariana carefully noted the woman's appearance. Slowly the chant invaded her thoughts, and she watched in horror as she witnessed her first kill. She gasped, putting a hand over her lips and fighting back the tears. She didn't know the man, didn't know if he was good or bad, or had a family. But his death shook her and she very nearly took flight. Only fear of reaction stilled her feet.

Finally, the crowd was beginning to disperse and Ariana worked her way through it. Luckily for her, the occupants of the private box had yet to move on by the time she had fought away through the throng and found the way upstairs. There were two heavy security thugs, giving her the evil stare as she approached. Ariana tried her best to look casual, brushing red trestles from her face and giving her best, business like expression to hide the shaking in her sensible heels.

"I need to see the owner of Hunter. I have a business proposition for her?" she told the two women, amazed at how steady her voice was.

 

[WeaverofWorlds]

The thugs eyed the woman before them warily, clealry suspicious of the possible threat. Still, one of them moved into the box itself, briefly exchanging words with someone inside. Moments later the thg reemerged and took up her place once more, folowed by anoher woman, dressed in what paassed for oppulence in the pit, clean clothing.

Jessica, or Madam Pain if you wanted to butter her up, was by no means a powerful figure. While her flair for the dramatic and flashy made her an ideal candidate for presiding over the pit fights, it was widely accepted that she'd be a liability anywhere else. She was far too vain, and short sighted, to be of any use in more lucrative enterprises.

The moment the criminal laid eyes on Ariana, a clear look of contempt slipped across her face. For a moment, she simply eyed the other women, with her clean, well made clothing. For a moment, Jessica preened herself, smoothing out wrinkled in her clothing and trying to look haughty and important.

"I hear you have a proposition for me, Miss...?"

 

[Lexavier]

"Simone", she said instantly, it being the first name that popped into her head. Her friend wouldn't like her using her name but since she left Ariana to the mercy of facing these thugs alone, she'd just have to cope. "Just call me Simone."

She eyed the thugs apprehensively before concentrating on the self titled Madam Pain. Ariana realised she was scared of this woman. She was someone who flaunted a law that Ariana had dedicated her life to uphold, and she did this without regard. She had gathered the respect and loyalty of these lackies and could probably squish Ariana with her ambivalent thumb. So it was with trepidation that she said...

"Hunter. I want to buy him."

Fifteen minutes later, she was being led by the swishing hips of Jessica herself, who opened the door to a small bedroom where the Fighter was resting. Ariana was in shock at how simple a transaction it had been, she guessed that criminal organisations didn't have a lot of use for paperwork. She had given the aggressive woman an extortionate amount of government sanctioned money and now she was face to face with her new purchased commodity.

Seeing the man lounge on a bed when a few moments ago he was killing a man was surreal. Her mind couldn't make the connection. She could smell the iron tang of blood and sweat within the room, making her want to be sick all over again. With just enough poise to maintain dignity, she stepped inside and allowed Jessica to make the introductions, such as it was.

 

[WeaverofWorlds]

Hunter sat up as the door to his room opened, and was on a knee as a woman, the woman he remembered from the crowd earlier from her clean clothing, and Jessica entered. He tensed slightly, aware only that two woman, one his owner and the other in much nicer clothing than he'd ever seen, were currently here, more than likely for him. Did the rich and famous have pit fights? Was he being sent to another fight so soon?

"Hunter, this is Simone. She's to be your new owner from here on. Now-" Jessica turned towards the self-proclaimed Simone, a smirk appearing on her lips, viscous and predatory. "-he has no belonging or articles you need to worry about having moved. I expect both of you gone within the hour."

Jessica turned on her heel and strode from the room, clearly smug, but Hunter paid her little more attention than a passing notice of her departure and the thought that he wouldn't be getting that extra serving after all. Instead, he turned himself slightly to "face" his body towards this Simone, body rigid and waiting for some sign of dominance or a command, as his new owner found appropriate. He didn't dare speak out of turn, for fear of being disciplined.

 

[Lexavier]

The sudden realization of the responsibility she had just purchased hit her like a freight train. Ariana was left standing before this kneeling Man, with no clue as to his upkeep, needs and what the hell she was actually going to do with him. A few moments ago it had all seemed so simple. Buy a Man and take him on righteous crusade against Y-Genetics. Her niavity was foolish and she knew that now. Still, it had been done and she must make the best of it. Simone would have taken charge of the situation, the young woman was brash and confident, completely at odds with Ariana's meeker personality.

She knew that she would have to explain the whole situation to Hunter at some point but now she just wanted to leave. The walls were likely to have ears here and if anyone discovered her true purpose, then she probably wouldn't get out with her life. "Uh... Hi..." she started lamely. "My car is parked down the street from here... if we can... you know... leave now?"

 

[WeaverofWorlds]

"As you wish, Mistress."

Hunter followed along behind the woman, idly wondering if perhaps this was someone new to the ownership of a male. In his experience, mainly from watching others purchased, there was generally a clear show of dominance somewhere in the exchange... maybe she preferred to do that privately? Regardless, it would be best to just do as he was told.

Upon getting outside and taking a short walk, Hunter found himself at a car, one that was far nicer than anything he'd ever ridden in. Usually it was the back of a rundown van, or sometimes in the front seat of a half-running car if he was lucky. This one, though perhaps plane, was clean and in reasonable condition. He hesitated upon reaching it though, unsure if he was supposed to be getting into the vehicle. Or if he was, whether he was supposed be dirtying it with his presence. Maybe get into the trunk? He'd seen that a couple of times...

 

[Lexavier]

The walk to the car was done in silence, and Ariana almost forgot Hunter was there as her eyes darted nervously to each group of aggressively dressed rowdy women. Their eyes seemed to be upon her more as she left then when she entered, sizing her up or just staring with hostility. It wasn't until they managed to get back to the street and she glanced round to ensure her new acquisition was behind her did she realize that it was likely because of Hunter's presence that she had both the attention and wasn't attacked.

She'd parked quite far down the street so as to avoid suspicion, her car was easy to spot amongst the carcasses of burnt out motors or the scrap that these people called transport. A not quite new business woman's car, spotlessly clean and well maintained. She unlocked it and clambered in without thinking, starting the car and simply glad that it was still all in one piece. She glanced to her side and saw Hunter was still waiting outside the car.

Confusion marred her soft features as she lent across and opened the door. "It's ok, you can get in." she called up to him.

 

[WeaverofWorlds]

He hesitated a moment more before climbing inside, gingerly closing the door and feeling very out of place, dirty and crudely dressed as he was. Hunter pushed the thoughts from his mind quickly though. The Mistress wanted him to ride in the front, he'd ride in the front. All he could do was resolve to keep his mouth shut and wait for his instructions.

He even managed to keep to his own resolve for a good five minutes, before the urge to ask a question nagged him enough to open his mouth and risk punishment.

"Mistress... are we going to a new arena of some sort? I didn't think there were any besides Mistress Jess- I mean..." Instinctively he flinched, half expecting the punishing cuff of one of Jessica's hired muscle at his slip of the tongue. Not that he didn't know they couldn't reach him anymore, he didn't belong to Jessica, but all the men she'd owned she'd made sure didn't step out of line. At the same time, he remembered his place, and quickly tried to back out of the possible breach of etiquette. "Apologies, Mistress, I spoke out of turn."

 

[Lexavier]

As soon as she pulled away and was driving down the quiet street, Ariana let out a huge sigh of relief and settled back in her chair as if a great weight was removed from her shoulders. She flicked a switch and the on board A.I took over the driving with a bleep of acknowledgement. Night had descended quickly though the moon was bright tonight and the reflected brilliance mingled with the electronic lighting of the streetlamps.

She pulled out her phone, even as Hunter began to speak. She looked up and watched him curiously and almost flinched herself when he did, expecting it to be some kind of attack he was launching into. Luckily she just about held the unexpected squeal that stuck in the lump in her throat. "No..." she said with something like a laugh as she let out a breath. "No, you're not going to another arena."

She cleared her throat, supposing now was as any good time as another. "Look, I can't tell you everything, but what I can tell you is that I work for the government, the ETM division? What we're doing is very important, and very dangerous. We're going to be mingling with socialites who own the latest models and fashions and if things get hairy then you're going to have to defend me. These high class individuals have their own personal armies and it'll be up to you to get me out of any tough spots. Think you can handle all that?"

It was strange, now that she was out of harms way, she seemed a little more confident, especially when she spoke about her goals. Ariana was a determined individual. She still had no idea of what she was going to do with him between now and stage 2 but that was another thought for another time.

 

[WeaverofWorlds]

Sosha...lites? The word was unfamiliar to Hunter, he hadn't been trained to escort people, though he could assume that those that were learned fancy words like that. The few he'd met did seem to talk with very large words after all. But he understood most of what she'd said. She needed a bodyguard, something he'd done from time to time when Jessica had gone to deal with another faction to set up a fight. He didn't know about having to fight any armies, but... well, she was the Mistress, and he would do his best to ensure she was safe.

EMT... He knew the word, mostly from the looks of disgust and hatred Jessica had worn whenever it was brought up. Some sort of... policy agency, or something like that? He'd never encountered it, whatever it was, himself. He knew they didn't look kindly on arena fights though. Well... he thought they didn't. If his Mistress was there, maybe they didn't mind them so much? He didn't know.

"I... think I can, Mistress. No... No, I can, Mistress." Better to be confident, or she'd take him back and look for someone better.

 

[Lexavier]

"Good..." she said, not sure what else to say. They sat in silence as the car hit the highway, with Ariana casting quick glances at her new purchase, taking in all the details of his face, the shape of his chin and cheek bones and the colour of his eyes. She scrutinized every aspect, and found that under the grime, blood, rough stubble and mistrustful gaze, he wasn't entirely unpleasing to look at.

Eventually, uncomfortable with the atmosphere, she had to say something. "I uh... can you call me Ariana?.. That's my name... I know they said Simone but, that's my friend. She flaked out on me. She tapped the phone in her hand but still hadn't heard from her. A niggle of worry was born in the back of her mind.

 

[WeaverofWorlds]

"As you wish, Mistress." Ariana, not Simone. Got it. Not that it mattered to Hunter. She was Mistress one way or the other. Or Ma'am. Or milady. Or a dozen other names and titles a woman could come up with. Still, a name to a face gave him an idea if someone was talking about her and he needed to keep an eye out. It certainly wouldn't be good if he failed just because he'd missed something because of a name. As for this Simone... he didn't know her, didn't know anything about her, but if she knew what was going on, and she was missing... criminally speaking, that meant she wasn't having a very good day at the moment. Hunter chose to keep that thought to himself, however.

He was silent after that, eyes gazing out at the world around him as it changed from rundown slums to the more sleek, clean look of the inner city. It made him feel more out of place, dressed as he was, but it was definitely a change of pace to the constant bickering and fighting of criminals and people just trying to get by. Hopefully, Hunter wouldn't have to go back to that. Ariana seemed intent on using him for a job, and he wondered if that meant he'd get shuffled off to someone else once it was done. It wouldn't be surprising, all things considered. The government probably saw him as a one off, do what he needs to do then get sold off to make up the loss.

 

[Lexavier]

She rolled her eyes at the formality but chose not to say anything. From the way this man acted, she could tell he had been mistreated, and from what she saw in the arena he was a competent fighter. What must have happened to him to have such fire beaten down into submission? She couldn't imagine. It was this sort of thing that the ETM sought to abolish. The Male species were still vital to the ongoing survival of the human race, and it was this mistreatment that threatened to push Humanity over the edge.

However, Ariana had bigger fish to fry than a small time arena.

The rest of the journey was spent in quiet contemplation, until the A.I alerted Ariana that they were nearing their destination. She took back the controls, preferring to navigate the familiar streets herself. She pulled her car into a shared garage, filled with cars similar to hers. "Come on." she said as she unbuckled and clambered out of the vehicle.

She led Hunter up to her apartment. Her job provided the accommodation, a functional three room apartment that focused on modern additions as opposed to space. The lights automatically came on as the door recognized her, allowing her access immediately. The place was already warm, having picked up that the car was returning home. It was sparsely decorated, with only a few framed photos dotted around. A comfortable couch dominated the center of the first room, pointing towards a screen built into the wall. A small kitchenette sat in one corner although Ariana rarely cooked. The white washed walls gave the whole thing a very clinical look but one that Ariana found soothing. She liked things... uncomplicated.

"You'll be wanting to get cleaned up I suppose." she said, frowning. It was another thing she hadn't considered. Her living space wasn't really designed for more than one. "I think I've got some towels for you... somewhere."

 

[WeaverofWorlds]

Hunter's gaze flickered across the space he could see. It was nicer than anything he'd ever been in, though even he could see it was fairly small. Still, it was better than his previous resting space. Hopefully that would come with better food as well. Or even just more, he could live without good taste. The moment Ariana started speaking, Hunter's attention snapped back to her, ready in case she gave him in order. Instead, it seemed she was intent on ensuring he was clean.

Which was likely a good idea. Hunter admittedly felt a bit bad, he'd already spread dirt and grim across the passenger seat of her car, and he found himself reluctant to touch any of the clean walls or furniture here. He didn't see a hose about, perhaps in a different room, but that did little to stop him from "preparing" himself by removing his only form of clothing and holding it somewhat confusedly. He didn't want to just leave it on the floor. Hunter turned slightly, eyes searching for anything that clearly screamed "dirty" to him, but found nothing, and frowned in thought before resolving to risk punishment and ask.

"Mistress, where do I place this until washing is done?"

 

[Lexavier]

Having just pulled some towels from a cupboard, Ariana turned and her gaze instantly rested on Hunter's naked form. It started in her cheeks, the rosy flush that spread across her face and even down her neck to the top of her chest. She opened her mouth but no words formed and she couldn't break eye contact with his impressive stature. Even in this day and age, in normal society, the male form was kept private. Any form of pornography or imagery was frowned upon, even illegal in some places. So it was that, although Ariana fully knew the anatomy in scientific terms, this was the first time she'd ever been presented the opportunity to look... standing in the middle of her apartment.

"I uh... uh... you're uh... no clothes... um..." she pulled herself away, covering her eyes with one hand, trying to think but the image seemed burned into her retinas.

"Uh.... the bathroom... through there." she pointed without looking, "just chuck it on the floor, we'll deal with it later." She turned back, trying to only look at his face as she held out the towels for him to take but it was impossible, it was like the elephant in the room and it simply drew her fascinated eyes.

 

[WeaverofWorlds]

Hunter cocked his head to the side in silent confusion, unsure why Ariana seemed uncomfortable, or why she was staring at him with a focus that slightly disturbed him. He hadn't ever been looked at so much before during washing. Then again, those at arena were used to being around and dealing with men. Ariana, admittedly, seemed much less experienced in that regard. Best not to think about it and get on with things.

He accepted the towels quickly, noting with mild irritation that his fingers were leaving trails of grime across them, before making his way into the bathroom he'd been directed towards. He dropped his pants on the ground as instructed, set the towels off to the side and got into the smallish shower. A little fiddling and the water was going, nice and warm. A welcome relief from the cold water he was subjected to normally. For a moment, Hunter let the water pour down his body, enjoying the feeling of it. Then his eyes turned towards the various bottles around him. A quick check revealed that all smelled of various flowers and fruits. Lacking any idea of what Ariana might prefer he use, he randomly selected the appropriate soaps and got to work, washing himself as quickly as possible.

Then, a mere three minutes later, he stepped out of the shower, drying himself with just as much efficiency. He spotted himself in the mirror, and paused as he realized his skin had lightened considerably. A grimace found its way quickly onto his face, that didn't speak well for his hygiene before today. Hunter glared at his old set of sweats, then decided it might be best to question his Mistress on the matter of cleaner clothing. He stepped out into the first room again, glancing around for her.

"Mistress? Would you happen to have cleaner clothing prepared for me?"

 

[Lexavier]

As the door closed to the bathroom, Ariana let out a sigh of relief mixed with a nervous laugh and shook her head. How naive she had been only this morning. Simone of course would have made some ludicrous lewd comment and made her laugh. Simone... she grabbed her phone and dialed her friend with a touch of a button. Nervously, she held to her ear as she paced the small living room. No answer, not even a connection. The phone was off, which was totally unlike her as Simone lived on her phone. Perhaps it was just out of power, she told herself as she disconnected the line and chucked her phone down on the sofa. She didn't believe the lie she told herself.

At that moment the door opened and a cleaner looking, still naked Hunter returned. Once again, as she looked up, she flinched and flushed a deep beetroot. Oh, if her Mother could see her now. "Uh... clothes.. yes, good idea. Ah...." leaping up, she rummaged through her drawers. "I've got drawers and drawers full of my friends stuff, she is a bit taller than me so they might fit. I'm sure we can find something that isn't too feminine.. ah.." she produced a pair of ordinary jeans and a plain white t-shirt. Without looking, she chucked them at him and waited patiently till he was looking decent.

Peering over her shoulder, she spun when she was done. "You'll uh... sleep on the couch if that's ok. I've got a blanket or two to make you more comfortable... um... oh, what do I call you? Is Hunter your real name?"

 

[WeaverofWorlds]

Hunter pulled on the offered clothes, finding them to be comfortable, if a bit tighter than normal. Ariana had said they were her friend's though, so that made a bit of sense. Her continued embarrassment, however, was beginning to make him question if she actually knew what she was doing with this whole socializing with the rich and famous thing. She worked for a government group that dealt with men, didn't she? Wouldn't she be exposed to this sort of thing? Then again, maybe she didn't actually work with men. He couldn't imagine her going to the sorts of places illegal men were commonly found in her current choice of clothing. All things considered, what did he actually know about any of this? He'd have to trust she knew what she was doing.

At the mention of the couch, Hunter's eyes drifted to it, examining it briefly. It already looked more comfortable than the thing they'd called a mattress back at the arena. He was sure it would do fine, he'd probably sleep better than he had in his entire life. He nodded in response to her initial question, till the subject of his name came up.

"You may call me whatever you want, Mistress. Hunter is the only name I've ever known though. If you wish to change it, just let me know."

Though he'd grown rather attached to it. It had been the only thing he'd really been able to call his, after all.

 

[Lexavier]

A pang of guilt and sincere pity sparked in Ariana's heart as he spoke so nonchalantly about something as personal as a name. If he'd been a woman, she would have instantly taking him into her arms for a good ol' hug, but the idea of comforting this intense looking man simply felt too odd. Instead she nodded slowly, and tried to put on a confident voice that he would respect, "Hunter is fine, a good name. You may keep it."

As it was getting late, Ariana could feel the tension in her muscles that longed for the comfort of a good mattress. But there was yet more to do before she went to bed. It was yet another realization of the responsibility she had taken on. "Have you eaten? You're welcome to as much as you like, I have a good stock of Ready Rations." she walked over to the kitchenette, aware of his intense eyes on her. She opened a cupboard to see stacks of various coloured boxes. "Just open one up and slot it into the preparator." she showed Hunter the slot on the device above the cupboard which looked like a little microwave oven but specifically made for the Ready Ration packages.

"Do you need anything else?"

 

[WeaverofWorlds]

Hunter's eyes eyed the food with barely disguised interest. Ariana had said he could take what he wanted. While he doubted she meant all of it, and he doubted he could eat it all even if he tried, the thought that he could fill his stomach was appealing. He'd wait till she'd gone to bed, no reason to start now, but he would certainly be making use of the generous offer.

"No, mistress. I don't need anything else. Food and a place to sleep are more than I could ask for."

A true enough statement. Now if only he could get her to leave the room faster, so he could set about eating...

 

[Lexavier]

"I'll... just leave you to it then." she finished. She turned and entered her bedroom, pausing to look over her shoulder once at the man, "Goodnight..." the door closed with a soft click. His last sentence had affected her more than she realized. Even though her place was small, it was warm, cosy and full of time-saving gadgetry and still Ariana complained about it all. Then here was this man who was just happy that he had food in his belly and a place to rest his head.

She was reminded of the time her Mum's brought home a Dog. He'd been a playful pup and had required a lot of care. That feeling of unpreparedness came back and Ariana promised herself that she would give Hunter a home, at least for as long as she could.

It was several hours later and Ariana had been staring up at the ceiling instead of sleeping. It was like this every time she had house guests, the thought of someone else in her little domain was disturbing and it was even worse now that it was a man. Glancing at the closed door, she wondered if he was ok. More to sate her own curiosity, shes slipped from the covers and tiptoed over to the door. She didn't really know why she was doing this, but she moved on instinct. Slowly, she opened it and peered through the darkness at the sleeping shape on the sofa...

 

[WeaverofWorlds]

"Goodnight, Mistress."

Within minutes of Ariana departing, Hunter had made his way to the food, and the machine that would prepare it for him. It took a moment of fiddling to figure out what went where with the machine, but over the next twenty minutes, the man had consumed what was perhaps the best tasting meal in his memory. He wasn't even sure what an omelette was, though it was apparently delicious, filled with meat and cheese. He was tempted to follow through with his earlier thoughts and fill himself to bursting, but he doubted he would have food denied him anytime soon.

Hours later, and Hunter was sleeping relatively soundly. It had been difficult, at first, finding some way to get comfortable, but he'd managed it. He'd woken briefly in the night, the far richer food passing through his system quickly, forcing him to visit the restroom, but he'd settled back to sleep soon after.

Now, blanket only half covering his body, his chest rose and fell with the slow gentle rhythm of sleep.