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His entire body hurt to move. He felt like one giant bruise. Even the pads of his feets hurt when he eased down onto them. He moved slowly, hunched over like an old man because standing straight made his ribcage hurt. The chest of drawers was old and heavy and had ornate carvings on the front. Jesse was grateful he wasn’t given the top drawer because he wasn’t tall enough to even see into it. The second drawer stuck a bit like it hadn’t been opened in some time. He had to jerk and wiggle it a bit, but finally it popped open.
The young boy stared into it, utterly dismayed by what he saw inside. Pinks and purples, floral prints with dainty lace trim and satin lingerie, all folded neatly and displayed side by side like trophies. It was all women’s clothing. How Toran had managed to get hold of them inside a men’s work camp, Jesse could only guess, but they had been collected and stored carefully. They were obviously meant for a woman...for his wife. For him.
A tiny whimper escaped Jesse’s throat as he reached for the delicate fabrics. At the last moment, he changed his mind and slammed the drawer shut. Angrily he jerked open another drawer and then another. In the first drawer there were shirts and pants folded neatly. In the next drawer down, there were a few things like coats and gloves and hats and thick woolen socks. Jesse took out a shirt and a pair of socks for his cold feet.
But, what would Toran say if he came home to find Jesse wearing his clothes? It hadn’t been an express order, but it was certainly implied that Jesse was to wear what was in the second drawer. It wouldn’t do to start out with blatant disobedience. So far Toran had proven himself to be somewhat...gentlemanly, but what would he do when angered? Many men that seemed nice could have terrible tempers when crossed. Jesse put Toran’s clothes back.
He paced, his thumb idly rubbing the bare wrist where his shackle had been. Toran had said he didn’t need it. Jesse wondered where he had put it.
The next drawer had a box inside that was filled with raw diamonds. There were hundreds...maybe even thousands. And there was even a second box behind the first. It was obvious Toran had been secretly collecting the gems for years. Akihito threaded his fingers through the stones in awe. It was an unimaginable fortune. And it would never be of any use to a prisoner in a mining camp.
In the very bottom drawer was a stack of vintage magazines. They were yellowed with time and looked so fragile that Jesse was afraid to even touch them. Carefully, he slipped one out and laid it on the table so he could get a better look. It was an old women’s magazine- all about cooking and homemaking. It was full of pretty women dressed nicely while doing things like serving their husbands dinner, washing dishes, vacuuming, sewing. They wore red lipstick and aprons over their dresses. All had tiny waists. A few looked delightedly out the window as their businessman husbands walked up the driveway. One wore lingerie while lounging at her husband’s feet in front of a fire. It was a glimpse into a time long past, a fantasy life and obviously, Toran’s fantasy. For what other reason would he have these secreted away in the bottom of his dresser?
A sad melancholia stole over him, for himself and for Toran, neither of whom could ever have their dreams come true. Neither of them would have what they really wanted. But the memory of what had almost happened to him in the shower was fresh in Jesse’s mind. Toran was willing to feed him, shelter him, clothe him and protect him from the other men. That was worth something. Actually, it was worth everything in a place like this.
There was no fate worse than death. Anything was better than that. All he had to do was play the part and pretend to be Toran’s doting housewife. He needed to secure Toran’s affections and keep his attention. Regardless of what Toran said, he might still cast him aside if he got bored. Men did it all the time. And the best way to avoid that...was in the second dresser drawer. He would do what he had to do. He would survive, as he had always done.
Jesse sighed and closed the magazine. He carefully slid it back into the pile and closed the bottom drawer.
He went back to his designated drawer and picked through his options. Nothing with lace. Nothing pink. He wasn’t ready for that yet. But there was a plain blue dress. The thought of wearing it didn’t make his stomach hurt quite as bad as the others. And the faded fabric was delightfully soft against his skin. The hem hung down to his calves. Of course, he had to hitch it back up again to go pee. There was a clawfoot bathtub and a latrine hidden behind the screen in the corner, and while he appreciated Toran’s gesture of leaving the water pitcher beside the bed, he had no intention of using it. He ended up having to squat carefully over the latrine to do his business, one hand struggling with his skirt while the other held his cock.
He felt ridiculous, but also tired and hurt. He just wanted to sleep and forget his pain and his embarrassment and what was surely coming next. Toran had already given him one night’s reprieve from his ‘wifely duties’. It was unlikely he would receive another. Jesse sniffed into the pillows, but he held back his tears. There were much worse things. He knew that now.
Chapter 7
His heart racing faster than he would have wanted anyone to know, Toran unlocked the door. He opened it slowly, so as not to startle the boy inside, and called his name gently, so he would know who was coming in.
“Jesse, honey, I’m home.”
The boy gasped and twisted from where he’d been lying on the bed. Their eyes met and his lovely face blushed bright red as Toran’s pupils widened with arousal. He thought perhaps it would take him longer to get Jesse into a dress, but apparently, his little bird had come around faster than he anticipated. He looked...mouthwatering.
The dress was plain and not the first one Toran would have picked, but the color was exquisite on him. It brought out the delicate, cornflower blue of his eyes and creaminess of his skin. The thin fabric molded to the hollow of his waist and the curve of his hips. The hem had ridden up and exposed his soft, pale thighs.
Somehow the sight of him in that dress, looking so disheveled and shy, was more alluring than his nudity had been. Then, Toran had been focused solely on his injuries. Now, he was focused on his...vulnerability. It was not so much the femininity of the garment that aroused Toran, but rather the submission Jesse displayed by wearing it for him.
He growled unconsciously and Jesse shivered. The boy stood up by the bed, his hands clasped nervously together, “W-welcome home.”
“You look beautiful,” Toran said sincerely.
“Thank you.”
His blush scorched his cheeks and Toran didn’t even try to hide his smile. He changed subjects, so as not to embarass his timid little wife any further.
“Are you hungry? I brought dinner.”
He placed the tin containers down on the table. In his distraction, he’d almost forgotten he was carrying them. The way Jesse’s eyes lit up when he removed the tops and the delicious scent of roasted potatoes and pork chops filled the cabin was all the reward he needed for a hard day’s work.
Mindful of his manners, he pulled out Jesse’s chair and made sure he was seated before laying out the silverware and taking his own seat. He poured them both a glass of water from the fresh jug he’d brought home.
Jesse’s long lashes closed as he took his first bite of savory pork. The juices melted in his mouth. “Mmm,” he hummed appreciatively. “Thank you.”
“You are quite welcome,” said Toran in a deep voice.
They ate quietly. Jesse found his mind embarrassingly blank. He wanted to make small talk to break the silence, but every question he thought of seemed stupid and trite. He decided to just focus on the food and not eating it so fast it gave him a stomach-ache.
“Are you feeling better?”
Toran’s question broke his concentration. The bite he had just eaten got lodged in his throat. The large man asked it in a way that seemed innocuous, but it was a loaded question. If Jesse said yes, would he take that to mean he was ready to...fuck? He swallowed hard and decided to be honest.
