Jack felt warm—almost too warm, edging on hot, like Rhys had just bitten into a pie that had yet to cool. He’d always sensed that heat, that energy within Jack’s body, but before know they’d never been this close. Jack tasted almost as he smelled, of burnt meat and singed aromatic wood, and though usually the scent of death and wasted land would have Rhys panicking, instead a little thrill rose up in his stomach as Jack pushed his lips apart.

Rhys knew little about kissing—generally thought himself above romantic entanglements, after all, he’d always been far too busy practicing his magic to consider mating partners—so he had no option but to follow Jack’s lead, his tongue meekly tangling with the older dragon’s as he invaded Rhys’ mouth.

Jack burned through the remaining oxygen in Rhys’ throat like a flame as he kissed him, hunger fast-growing unrelenting. The mage’s chest tightened, lungs twitching at the lack of air. Finally Jack pulled away and allowed Rhys to wheeze sorely needed breath as he chuckled, amused by the bright red cheeks and trembling lips of the younger dragon beneath him.

“You’re so sweet…it’s fun to see you shake and gasp like this. Like a pretty little landed fish.” Jack’s clawed hand grasped the mage’s chin and tilted it from side to side as Rhys gulped and groaned his way back to a normal heart rate. Not that he could tame the aroused throbbing within his body, driven by fear yet also undeniable attraction not hampered by Jack’s rough treatment.

“I…I’m not an animal…” Rhys whined, though he made no move to resist as Jack started undressing him, unwrapping the filmy blue robes from about his body, letting them fan to the side like water spreading out across the bed. Rhys flinched instinctively as Jack bared his naked body, but the older dragon kept him pinned to the bed, unable to move much as the dragon nuzzled down from his tattooed chest all the way to his trembling belly.

Even when Jack’s claws left Rhys’ wrists the mage left them where they were, paralyzed by lust as the predatory dragon drunk in his nude form.

He watched helplessly, looking down his own body as Jack crouched between his legs, heavy jaw opening to reveal the thick, fiery tongue that’d been invading Rhys’ mouth moments earlier. Claws gripped the inside of Rhys’ thighs and forced them wider around the dragon’s head as he lowered his mouth right where his legs met his pelvis and pressed the flat of his tongue against the little, smoothly-scaled slit tucked there.

Rhys tossed his head back, spine arching upwards as the older dragon’s unfathomable warmth pressed inside this most intimate area, the large tip of his tongue pressing easily between the little folds. The foreign feeling of pressure had fear starting to throb in Rhys’ chest just as arousal wended in his stomach, the mix of the two confusing the hapless mage as Jack shrugged his legs atop his craggy shoulders and probed deeper.

dragons

“White and Blue”

Fear staked Jack’s heart as cold as the snow clinging to his jacket, and while he shook that off with a couple quick pats nothing but seeing Rhys alive and well will quell the terror in his chest. So he stalked forward as carefully as he could, searching for packed and icy areas of the snow so he won’t fall through and doom the both of them. He cupped his hand around his mouth and called his PA’s name, voice echoing around the mountain. He wondered how long he’d been out—the sky did seem darker, though not yet dark enough that Jack had to worry about a serious fall in temperature, but time was a factor and if Rhys had been buried under the ice for a long while there was no telling what Jack would find.

If he ever found him.

I just really wanted to write a hurt/comfort fic where Rhys gets hypothermia. That’s all there is here. Set in mostly-canonverse.

Usually, Jack’s reckless abandon didn’t backfire this spectacularly.

Rhys would probably say different. His PA was privy to a lot more bullshit than the usual grunt, and more than once Jack had debated airlocking him after Rhys witnessed the CEO spill coffee down his chest or send a message without writing in the recipient. But try as he might Jack could never bring himself to jettison someone as useful, no matter what kind of embarrassing information he was privy to. Besides, the kid made for some nice eye candy whenever Jack was bored.

Damn it, he really wished he could see Rhys’ face right now.

But the mission had gone south. North. Whichever pole of Pandora they were on, Jack found it hard to recall when a chunk of tumbling rock had nearly taken out half his face and left him a bit stunned and trying to figure out the aftermath.

It should’ve just been a standard bandit ambush. Jack expected it, even this far out in the snowy, mountainous regions. He could hardly arrive on the planet in secret, and never traveled anywhere without at least a small entourage of armored guards or loaders accompanying him. And with Rhys trekking alongside him—eager to case rumors about a buried deposit of raw eridium—he didn’t skimp.

But all that protection amounted to nothing when Jack, in the rush of battle and pumped to wipe out bandit lives himself after such a long drought—fired a crackling shot into the pack of bandits trying to snipe them from atop the cliff, and missed.

Jack remembered the initial crack that jabbed into his heart moments before the rumble built to a crushing roar. He remembered tossing aside his gun as the cliff above them crumbled in a cascade of grey stone and fountaining white. He remembered throwing his hand out to Rhys when he turned and looked at Jack in panic, legs still and waist awkwardly twisted around. He doesn’t remember much from when the rock clocks him in the face, only coming back into consciousness who-knows-how much later with snow painted over his clothes and the terrain around him irrevocably changed.

Much of the cleared path they’d been hiking along had been swept away, steel steps and guide ropes completely gone. The cliff above looked like a huge chunk had been bitten out of it and spit out all over the ground below. Jack could see the harsh angles of a couple loaders poking out from beneath the snow, their exposed arms and legs fizzing and broken.

By some sheer miracle Jack hadn’t been buried, but as he staggered to his feet and blinked against the popping colors in his vision, he realized Rhys was nowhere to be found.

Fear staked his heart as cold as the snow clinging to his jacket, and while he shook that off with a couple quick pats nothing but seeing Rhys alive and well will quell the terror in his chest. So he stalked forward as carefully as he could, searching for packed and icy areas of the snow so he won’t fall through and doom the both of them. He cupped his hand around his mouth and called his PA’s name, voice echoing around the mountain. He wondered how long he’d been out—the sky did seem darker, though not yet dark enough that Jack had to worry about a serious fall in temperature, but time was a factor and if Rhys had been buried under the ice for a long while there was no telling what Jack would find.

If he ever found him.

After a couple of close falls thanks to crumbly rocks and hidden powdery pits, Jack was almost ready to give up hope.

He’d already pressed the emergency beacon in his pocket, but there’s little guarantee the rescue team would be ready—or willing—to search for Rhys once they had secured their top priority. In any case, Jack refused to sit on his ass and twiddle his thumbs while his PA could potentially be out here buried and freezing to death. It wouldn’t sit right with him if Rhys died and Jack hadn’t even bothered trying to save him.

Perhaps if he’d been in a sounder state of mind—AKA, not partially frozen with his temple smashed in—maybe he’d stop to think about why the hell he cared this much about Rhys. Skilled PA or not, he wasn’t exactly worth his weight in gold. Helios had no death of employees hopping at the chance to work directly under Handsome Jack himself, and he wouldn’t life a finger to save any of them even from something as piffling as a skag pup. And yet he was dragging himself through precarious avalanche territory in the off-chance that his PA had survived the ordeal.

Stupid, Jack might say to himself, if he had half the mind to focus on anything but Rhys’ safety and any sign of life that might lead Jack to him.

That first sign of life, unfortunately, ended up giving him a one-two punch to the gut. As Jack carefully descended a small, rocky slope, he spotted a bright patch of red staining the gritty snow. His stomach plummeted even as his heart raced, and he slid down towards the blood, rocks and hard clumps of ice skittering down besides him as he scraped his fingers against the ground to slow himself. Now on the level with the blood he found himself across from what looked like a small outcropping, topped with a heavy layer of snow and featuring one stylish-looking boot sticking out from beneath the shade.

The blood dripped a direct trail to it.

Jack scrambled forward, breathing tight in his chest from stress and the thin atmosphere. He fell to his knees in front of the little cave, crawling the rest of the way as he pulled himself up besides Rhys. His lungs squeezed in worry as his eyes roved over his PA’s form, taking in the death-pale skin and the blood crystalizing down one side of his face. He lied completely still even though all Jack wanted was for him to sit up and grab his hand and say something so Jack didn’t have to be the one to reach out and confirm the worst thoughts running through his mind. His stomach twisted and clenched, fear mounting until he finally pressed two fingers in the slim gap between Rhys’ jaw and neck.

His skin felt cold. So cold. Jack pressed harder, seeking, until just barely he could make out a pulse, and relief hit him so quickly he nearly felt warmth.

Rhys cracked a groan at the pressure, his eyelids fluttering into life. They barely opened a sliver, and all Jack saw when they did was glassy and dim, but it was something. He carefully crawled over Rhys and slipped his hands beneath the boy’s body, lifting him up as gingerly as he could manage.

“Easy…easy Rhysie, I’ve got you, I’ve got you…” Jack murmured as he propped Rhys up against his body, wrapping his arms tight around as he let Rhys lean into him. Another moan escaped Rhys’ lips, this one louder, laced with confusion. Jack hushed him, patting him softly on the back as he tried to sweep away excess snow from his body. Hyperion had made their winter wear about as warm and waterproof as possible, but it wouldn’t help if Rhys had been laying covered in snow for very long. Or if he had a concussion.

Though he felt chilly himself, Jack’s was considerably more warm and conscious than his PA, so he bit the bullet and started to shed his jacket, one arm at a time, shifting Rhys’ position until he managed to shrug it off his shoulders. With a grimace he stripped Rhys’ own stiff, chilled jacket from his body and tossed it aside before wrapping the younger man up in his own. He looked a bit ridiculous all wrapped up in the puffy yellow fabric, like some kind of nerdy marshmallow, and Jack might’ve found it funny if Rhys wasn’t still barely conscious and cold-beyond-shivering.

He held the PA close, sharing his body heat to the best of his ability. If his own fingers weren’t numb and he had a little more space in this cave maybe he could do a little more than wish the that the help on the way would move faster.

Still, twitches and little mumbles occasionally resonated throughout Rhys’ form, an encouraging sign even if the kid’s drooping eyelids were not.

“Hey.” Jack clicked his tongue, starting Rhys out of another fugue. “You fall asleep, pumpkin, and I’m tossing you off the mountain myself.”

“I…but…” Rhys hadn’t managed much more than disjointed words and indefinite sounds, but any talk was good talk. Meant he was still conscious.

“Seriously now. You’ve already had enough tinkering going on in that head of yours. The last thing you need is more brain damage.” Jack tilted his chin down, brushing his cheek against the top of Rhys’ snow-crusted hair.

“Kinda…thought…t-total goner…” The PA stuttered after a long moment’s silence, his teeth clicking together.

“What, you think I was gonna leave you behind?” Jack shifted Rhys in his arms, pulling the jacket tighter around him. The twitches in Rhys’ body were getting a little stronger and might break out into shivers soon Maybe even before the rescue team tracked them down. It wasn’t much but it would put Rhys on the road to recovery. “You know how many PA interviews I had to sit through before I got to you, sugar? Ugh. Never doing that again. You’re stuck with me, no matter how many times you get yourself buried in snow.”

Rhys laughed weakly, breathing fogging at Jack’s chest. The older man leaned back, resting his back against the wall of the little cave as his own strength waned, exhausted by the ordeal himself.

He managed to keep Rhys conscious until he started hearing other voices shouting from outside in the cold, though he had the energy to do little more than roar back and help the rescuers zero in on their location. Though he loathed to let Rhys go, especially as the PA had finally started to shiver properly, he relinquished him into the hands of the medics, who quickly wrapped Rhys in a crinkling, reflective sleeping bag and dragged him atop an emergency stretcher. Jack yearned to stay by his side but he was quickly flanked by medics and wrapped up in a similar blanket, artificial warm instantly kissing his frigid body. He grumbled as they checked his face wound, jostling the injured skin, but Jack was far too tired to think about anything other than Rhys’ wellbeing as his PA was carted off towards the emergency transport.

Once the medics finished checking his injury they carefully helped him to his feet and led him out of the small cave. The thrusters of the idling transport kicked up the powdery snow all around them, making it difficult to see much as they struggled towards it. Jack kept his eyes fixed on the bright yellow bag Rhys had been zipped up in as the medics wheeled him up the gangplank and into the transport’s belly. Jack nearly tripped as he tried to walk faster, eager to be inside and again watching over his PA.

Finally he hobbled his way inside, breaking away from the two medics supporting him as he clomped over to where Rhys’ gurney sat. An attendant had partially unzipped the bag, leaving Rhys’ upper body exposed. Jack watched the slight but steady rise and fall of his chest, and though his face remained cold and mostly unresponsive aside from his fluttering eyelids, Jack felt encouraged.

The transport soon kicked into life, hull around them humming with energy as the whole thing lifted off of the ground. Jack wobbled slightly on his feet, groping behind him for some purchase quickly provided as an attendant pushed a chair up behind him. Jack fell into the seat with a grunt, impact vibrating through his whole sore body, and given the ordeal no one would blame him if he decided to sleep.

And yet, it felt crappy to take a nap when Rhys still wasn’t fully out of the clear, so he pinched the cold skin on his wrist to keep himself awake before leaning forward to watch his PA.

Rhys finally moved when the attendant began to connect him to the surrounding machines, the touch of the little plastic sensors sticking against his chest and neck causing him to turn his head to the side. His eyelids still fluttered involuntarily but he managed to open them a little wider, fixing Jack with a stare that looked a little more lucid than the one he’d had on the mountain.

“…S’ warm…” Rhys managed, slurring through heavy lips. He spoke almost surprised, like he hadn’t expected to feel anything but cold again. Jack’s ribs hurt.

“Yeah, kiddo, it is. We’re gonna get you home, ‘kay? Nice and comfy in a real bed. Sounds good?” Rhys nodded weakly.

“Can sleep then, right…?” He mumbled, and huh when did Jack’s hand end up on his forehead? Rhys’ skin still felt chilly, but less so than it had when they’d both been half buried in snow.

“Sure, sure. And I’m gonna stay by you until then to make sure everything’s peachy, all right?”

Jack stroked limp strands of hair off of his PA’s face, combing them back into some semblance of Rhys’ usual style. He must appreciate the gesture on some level, because a little smile crossed his lips. They’re starting to go back to their usual pink hue, which was a good sign. Much better than white-going-on-blue.

Jack stayed true to his word, remaining at Rhys’ side and fighting off both his own exhaustion and the concerns of the medics until the transport reached Helios. Only when they got Rhys properly settled in the hospital did they manage to convince Jack to lie down, providing another bed in the same room when the fiery look in his sunken eyes told them he wasn’t leaving.

With the starchy sheets and thankfully soft pillow cushioning his body Jack finally let sleep grab at him, with a steady heart-rate monitor and Rhys’ peacefully sleeping face the last thing he saw before his heavy eyelids finally fell shut.

For day 2 of the ABO Week Challenge, the prompt “Nonstandard Endotype Pairings/Roles!” I did alpha!Rhys and beta!Jack with Rhys having a submissive streak.

Rhys had never thought he made a very good alpha.

Most people fit into their endotype niche fairly well, but he’d never felt all too comfortable with the social role being an alpha entailed. Sure, it helped him get opportunities and promotions within Hyperion, but with respect to more—personal endeavors, he seemed to strike out.

It didn’t help that barely anyone who hooked up with an alpha wanted to land the only one on the entire station with a submissive streak. He’d experienced more than a few uncomfortable dates thanks to the fact that his needs just didn’t match up with those he tried to take back home with him. Lately, he’d almost completely given up on dating—which was fine, considering he’d also just landed a golden opportunity to work hands-on with Handsome Jack himself.

He just hadn’t realized just how literal it might be.

When Jack had first backed him against the huge window in his office Rhys’ brain had practically short-circuited, and it took the press of warm lips against his own to finally get the gears turning. Not that it mattered, as even as a beta Jack was far stronger than he was, and easily kept him pinned agains the window as he pushed his tongue inside Rhys’ mouth.

Yeah. Handsome Jack was a beta. Rhys, wisely, had never brought it up, not even when he’d detected those telltale scent markers beneath the heavy spray of alpha pheromones Jack had probably soaked his clothes with. Rhys wasn’t all that surprised, considering Jack’s ego—he wouldn’t want anyone on Helios knowing he was any less than the most alpha, most apex human on the station.

But Rhys didn’t really care. While it’d felt like a juicy tidbit at first, Rhys had honestly found himself a little relieved that his boss wasn’t an alpha. He didn’t really enjoy spending time around alphas anymore, considering he constantly felt he didn’t measure up to them in stature nor scent. It felt like a relief to know Jack was a beta, and it made him relax with a pleasured sigh as Jack started to pull the hem of his shirt out of his waistband.

Most alphas would consider submitting to a beta beneath them, but considering that beta was Handsome Jack Rhys didn’t care. Jack knew what he was doing too, as his hand wrapped around the alpha’s cock Rhys shivered with pleasure, his thighs falling open and ready for whatever the beta had planned.

Once Jack stripped his pants completely off of Rhys’ legs, discarding his boots in the process, he hoisted the alpha up and around his waist and pressed Rhys’ spine firmly against the cold glass of the mirror. Rhys whined, his voice pitching high at how easily Jack could heft him around.

Jack chuckled, pressing their foreheads together as he winked.

“You’re pretty submissive for an alpha, ain’t ya?” Rhys frowned, his fingers digging nervously into Jack’s shoulders.

“I…that’s not a problem, is it?” He gasps, hoping Jack wouldn’t leave him hanging now that he’d wound him up so badly. But Jack keeps smiling, tilting his head to catch another kiss from Rhys’ lips.

“Nah. This actually works out perfectly.”

Jack deepens the kiss, distracting Rhys with a quick make-out session before flicking open a tube of lube in one hand, slicking his fingers before working them beneath the alpha. Rhys tensed, fingers and toes curling with anticipation. It’d been so long since his sexual needs had been properly taken care of, and now Handsome Jack of all people was about to take care of him in all the ways he most craved.

He got pretty loud when Jack started to properly scissor his fingers inside him, moaning when the beta brushed up against Rhys’ long-neglected prostate. His cock stuck up red and wet in the air, caught between his stomach and Jack’s own, soon to be grasped by the CEO as he pumped the shaft in time with the fingers in Rhys’ ass, the alpha impossibly suspended between Jack’s hips and the unyielding sensation of the window behind him.

But that feeling was nothing compared to when Jack finally pushed his cock inside of him.

Rhys often found himself wishing he had the flexibility and natural slick of an omega, but Jack had prepared him so well that the sudden stretch felt like utter bliss. Rhys moaned, nearly knocking his head against the glass behind his as Jack bottomed out inside his twitching ass, buried as deep as Rhys needed him.

“All good, pumpkin?” Jack asked right against his cheek, and instead of responding properly Rhys let out a weak, reedy whine, which the beta immediately took as assent. He kept one hand grasping Rhys’ ass as the other continued pumping his cock, now in time with the movement of his hips.

Much as he’d wished it, Rhys wasn’t an omega and thus had no need for a knot, so Jack’s cock satisfied him perfectly as it sunk in and out of him. He moaned, squirming at the feelings rushing through his body as his boss pounded into him. Rhys felt little of the shame he usually did, when he compared himself to other alphas, merely enjoying the way Jack easily took control, dominating him.

By the time Jack came inside him Rhys had already splattered his release against his stomach—he’d never had the best endurance, after all. The alpha moaned at the hot feeling filling out inside of him, clinging to Jack as the beta’s hips slowly ground to a halt against him.

“Oh, kiddo,” Jack purred, all surprising affection as he pressed his face against the side of Rhys’ neck, inhaling deeply, “that was magical. We should’ve done this lots sooner.”

“Ah…agreed…” Rhys panted as Jack carefully let him down out of his grasp, though he swayed between the beta and the window, resting.

“Never thought I’d find an alpha that didn’t just think with their knot…” Jack’s arms looped around Rhys, grip possessive as he leaned the taller man into his embrace. “I’m not gonna let you go, sugar, not after this.”

To anyone else, that might sound like a threat, but after months of failing to find someone who wanted him for what he was, Rhys felt pretty all right with it all.

First prompt for the ABO Week Challenge done! For “going through heat/rut” and I ended up doing a mix of both!

More PA Rhys cause you guys love that stuff, as do I.

Rhys was one day away from heat leave.

Already he could feel the stirrings of it in his stomach, and if he really wanted to he could probably get Jack to let him off the rest of the day. Jerky and violent as his boss could be, he seemed to have a soft spot for omega, something that’d probably saved Rhys’ butt more than once in his early, more inexperienced days as Jack’s PA.

But Rhys had work he wanted to finish and besides, he wasn’t feeling too bad yet. Really, his heat would probably take a couple days to get going, and with only a few hours left of work, he felt he could probably push through it.

So Rhys kept to his desk, scrolling through Jack’s e-mails and answering those that didn’t require all that much thought, while forwarding the rest to the alpha’s inbox. It was mostly mindless work but that didn’t bother him much. Better than trying to keep focus in some kind of meeting or project proposal when he was already distracted by plans for his upcoming heat. He’d stocked the fridge at home with water and easy-to-eat food, cleaned all his favorite toys, and laundered his sheets in preparation. Once again, he’d be going his heat without an alpha, but ever since a particularly unfortunate incident with one of Hyperion’s escort agencies the idea had left a bad taste in his mouth. He trusted himself and understood his own needs far better than any alpha ever could, anyway.

Rhys had just finished clearing Jack’s inbox of any new messages when a sudden shift in noise and color to his left had him switching his attention. For a moment his brow furrowed when he found Jack had somehow transported right to his side, and he’d just opened his mouth to ask what his boss wanted when broad hands grabbed either side of his face and pulled him up into a hot, crushing kiss.

Rhys shouted in confusion, the noise muffled into Jack’s mouth as a tongue probed between his teeth. Even agitated Rhys resisted the urge to bite down—much as Jack fancied him, he knew it’d be a one-way ticket out the airlock—but he did try slapping against the alpha’s chest. To no avail—Jack merely lowered one hand to grab around the omega’s waist and yank him up out of his seat. Rhys gasped, finally breaking the kiss as the edge of his desk jabbed uncomfortably against his hip. He tried to put space between the two of them but Jack had him trapped between the desk and his bulk, giving Rhys no leverage with which to struggle away.

“Wh—what the hell, Jack?” Rhys cried as he wiped a hand over his mouth, staring at his boss’s face. Jack looked strange, expression crossed between need and irritation, though he didn’t appear angry. His pupils were small and tight, and his breath came out in short, hot pants that nearly felt wet against the PA’s face.

Rhys’ nostrils flared, scent markers immediately setting alarm bells off in his head. Jack’s scent had always been strong, but the musky aroma Rhys had grown used to was nothing like what he currently smelled radiating off his boss. And though he hadn’t been with an alpha properly in a long time, Rhys instantly new what it was.

“Jack, are—are you rutting?” He braced his hands against the alpha’s shoulders, trying for some breathing room between them as Jack tried to push ever closer. Sure enough, Rhys could feel something long and hard against his thigh, the CEO’s bulge straining to frot up against him.

“S-sorry, pumpkin…I…ah…” Jack full on moaned, his throat vibrating with the sound. He lurched forward and again tried to capture Rhys’ lips and, when the omega turned away, he settled for biting possessively against his jaw.

Rhys’ hips bucked against his will, the little trills of his heat blossoming thanks to Jack’s touch. He might’ve been able to stave off his cycle ’til the end of the day before, but now that he had an apex alpha grinding against him that chance was slipping away.

“You…nngh…h-how did this happen?” Rhys whined, still confused and blindsided himself. Sure, Jack knew about his fanboy crush—that admission had helped to get him the job in the first place, as the CEO loved getting his ego stroked—and they’d exchanged teased flirting disguised as barbs and banter for months now, but Rhys had never expected things to turn for the serious. And he was—or had been—still in preheat, not nearly enough to trigger a rut even in an apex like Jack.

And yet here they were, and Rhys—who hadn’t spent his heat with an alpha in years—wasn’t going to fight it.

Imagine that when Rhys gets his outie belly button during his pregnancy, Jack becomes obsessed with trying to make it go back inside. He just keeps poking it when they’re cuddling together.

anon you called me out on one of my favorite dumb things so. a small drabble

Rhys was about to fall asleep when something warm tickled his belly. He shifted, one foot kicking lightly at the covers draped over him. He moved to roll away, forgetting the weight in his stomach thanks to his half-asleep state. He furrowed his brow and let out an annoyed moan as the pressure on his middle kept at it, poking and prodding at the little nub of his belly button. Sensitive tingles squirmed in his loins and he finally fluttered his eyes open, frowning as he got a proper look at the culprit.

“Jack…” His voice weighed heavy with exasperation as he watched his alpha push lightly at his belly button, as if trying to pop it back inside.

“How many times do I gotta tell you…not gonna go back to normal until this is outta me…” He rested his flesh palm against the side of his stomach, but his complaint did little to deter his alpha.

“No harm in trying, though…and you’re real fun to touch.” Jack stopped pushing and instead rolled the little nub gently between two fingers, smirk on his face spreading wider.

“Noo…” Rhys whined, clumsily trying to pull the hem of his shirt back over his belly, to hide the skin Jack had so rudely revealed. “I just wanted to sleep…”

“Aw, kitten, I’m just teasing…” Jack nuzzled in close, kissing his omega’s pouty lips. “You’re just so cute.”

“Won’t be so cute when I kick you out of bed for poking me,” Rhys grumbled, though now that Jack had fidgeted with one of his new sensitive spots his interest was stirring. He could probably tamp it down and get back to sleep as long as Jack kept his hands to himself, but the alpha was already calling him cute and peppering his face with kisses…

“Hmm…I think you owe me an apology for waking me up…” He shifted his legs beneath the covers, silken pajama bottoms sliding effortlessly together. “And for trying to push my belly button in…you gotta do all the work.”

“Oh babe, I’ve been doing all the work since month five,” Jack snickered, brushing Rhys’ lips in one last kiss before he squirmed down under the covers, getting to work on something that would really give Rhys sweet dreams whenever he next fell asleep—though if the alpha ended up having his way, who really knew when that would be.

who’s got some

fall rhack ideas

“Seizing Opportunity”

The transport rumbled as it neared the surface of the planet, landing gear shifting into place and sending little vibrations through the floor beneath Rhys’ feet. The omega hummed, fiddling with the seatbelt strapped atop his belly as he watched the twinkling city come into view below.

At least from afar, it looked impressive. Towering skyscrapers, sprawling development cut in a neat hexagon in the middle of a vast sea. Hyperion banners visible even from hundreds of meters up. Jack hadn’t struck out just yet.

The familiar sound of the landing thrusters hissed from outside the transport’s hull as they cut down to a small bridge connecting the city to the landmass, and here Rhys pulled away from watching the outside world to sit back in his seat. Landing, like takeoff, usually made him queasy, and he’d rather not throw up all over his clothes and earn undeserved teasing from his husband.

This fic is literally just mindless banter and fluff with Jack taking his expectant omega Rhys all around Opportunity, thats literally it. I probably could’ve made it better but I was also just tired of having it in my WIP pile so….just take it for the meandering noncanon mess that it is lmao.

“You’re going to love Opportunity, babe,” Jack said, not for the first time, from the seat besides Rhys. He’d spent the entire transport trip blabbing on about how great his newly constructed city was, how much Rhys would love it, how much their kids would love it. Rhys didn’t miss that—kids, even though the trips to the doctor over the past few months had confirmed without a doubt that he was only having one pup, much to Jack’s consternation. He knew the alpha wouldn’t be satisfied with just one kid—Jack’s ego was way too big for that—but he’d have to wait until this one was raised before he even dreamed of putting Rhys through this again.

“You keep telling me that…but it’s not just me that I gotta think about here. It’s gotta be safe for the pup, too, and wasn’t there just some problem with bandits a month or so ago?” Rhys spoke to Jack without looking at him, watching the planet outside the transport window. Pandora was a hellish place Rhys avoided if he could help it, and while he’d seen the plans and progress photographs from Opportunity’s construction, he didn’t exactly trust the planet’s crazed, anti-Hyperion denizens.

“Babe, Rhysie, c’mon. Think I can’t smash some stupid bandit invasion? If those bastards didn’t take me seriously when I blew half their numbers sky-high then they’ve got slag-for-brains.”

“Pandorans aren’t exactly known to listen to reason…”

“Well,” Jack smirked, hand stroking the back of Rhys’ neck, “that’s what the wall-to-wall cryo shield is for, babe. Keeps the city cool too, all the while turning all those nosy bastards into bandit-sicles.”

Though the way he phrased it—clearly amused by the idea of freezing any and all invaders to death—was a little sick, the idea of a shield certainly had Rhys breathing a bit easier. Sometimes Jack lost track of important little things like security while he mapped out where all his statues would go and how many naked hot tubs per-square-meter were needed, but he’d clearly paid attention to keeping Opportunity defended.

Rhys still wanted to wait and see the city for himself before he made any further decisions.

The transport rumbled as it neared the surface of the planet, landing gear shifting into place and sending little vibrations through the floor beneath Rhys’ feet. The omega hummed, fiddling with the seatbelt strapped atop his belly as he watched the twinkling city come into view below.

At least from afar, it looked impressive. Towering skyscrapers, sprawling development cut in a neat hexagon in the middle of a vast sea. Hyperion banners visible even from hundreds of meters up. Jack hadn’t struck out just yet.

The familiar sound of the landing thrusters hissed from outside the transport’s hull as they cut down to a small bridge connecting the city to the landmass, and here Rhys pulled away from watching the outside world to sit back in his seat. Landing, like takeoff, usually made him queasy, and he’d rather not throw up all over his clothes and earn undeserved teasing from his husband. His stomach flipped a little, independent of his pup’s activity, as the transport slowed to a hovering stop, shaking for a couple seconds as it settled upon the ground.

Rhys was a few months away from giving birth, but Jack still offered his hand when he moved to get out of his seat. The omega sighed, but let Jack help him up nonetheless, even allowing him to sling his arm about his waist as they strode down towards the opening hatch of the transport. Surprisingly ambient air blew at Rhys’ hair—Jack hadn’t lied about the cryoshield staving off Pandora’s notoriously scorching weather.

Sunshine and blue skies were always a bit of an adjustment whenever Rhys went down planet-side, and with his unfortunately delicate constitution thanks to the pregnancy that usually led him to avoid unnecessary trips. Everything always felt too big on Pandora, too far removed from the cozy, solid walls of Helios he grew used to as he laid in his nest, everything he needed within reach from the position of laying down. Rhys almost felt like swaying as they walked down the gangplank, thankful for his alpha’s arm around his waist though his vertigo had him feeling a little ridiculous. What kind of apex omega feared open spaces? Get it together, Rhys.

Focusing on the city that raised up above him helped ground his wandering mind, fortunately. Jack gave his hip a tiny squeeze as Rhys’ crept his eyes upward, tracing Opportunity from the front gates where they stood up to the top crest of the largest skyscraper. The sun glinted off the walls and spires of the buildings, making the whole thing glow like the facets of an irregular jewel.

“Is it always this sunny here?” Rhys commented, unused to such natural lighting. It wasn’t his first time on Pandora, but since the planet was hardly the place for an omega carrying a child, it’d been quite some time since he’d been.

“Always sunny on Pandora, babe. Did you know days here are ninety hours long?”

“Ninety hours?” Rhys balked. “No wonder everyone is insane…”

“Don’t you fret though, pumpkin. Got a nifty little feature of the cryoshield to help us out.” Jack pointed skyward. “Artificial light blocking technology all around us plus a holographic day-night cycle to ensure proper circadian rhythm in each and every resident…”

The omega whistled as they walked on towards the city’s front gates.

“Fancyy…good thing, adjusting to a whole other whacked-out sleep schedule would not a happy Rhys make.” Jack had already experienced what a grumpy omega, roused at 4 am by the urge to pee or the incessant kicking of their pup, was like, and Rhys knew he wasn’t eager to deal with that again anytime soon.

Armed loaders and turrets lined the perimeter of the city, some fixed atop the walls and others patrolling the path leading up to it. Groups of human soldiers, clad in bright yellow body armor, mingled in as well, coming to stand to attention as Jack passed by. Rhys smirked slightly, unable to totally rid himself of the giddy little thrill that wriggled through his body at these casual displays of Jack’s power. People parted for him—and Rhys, now—like a moonshot slicing through the ocean.

The entry plaza that greeted them as they finally walked into Opportunity proper looked just about how Rhys had expected it to. Jack’s image dominated nearly every inch of decor, from the murals plastered on the walls to the advertisements floating in the air, to the massive statue rising up out of the center. He would scoff at the excess if he wasn’t already used to it. Being mated to someone like Handsome Jack quickly got you acclimated to the size and scale of their ego.

“Pretty cool, right?” Jack murmured as he led Rhys down towards the main statue, before quickly pointing out the others dotting the plaza. “And look! There’s little kiosks at each one that tell you stuff about me. You know, just in case not everyone coming here knows. Isn’t that awesome?”

“I’ll be impressed if it’s actual trivia, and not just things you made up,” Rhys joked. “They should’ve run the scripts for those by me first, so I could fact check them, maybe even give them some real juicy ideas.”

“Aww come on, sweetheart, no one needs to know what color underwear I have—I mean, aside from the freaks like you,” Jack shot back, though he pulled Rhys away from the direction of one kiosk when the omega started to wander over towards it.”

“Anyway, enough of all that. How’s about we start with a little bit of shopping to ease us in, sweetheart? Opportunity’s already the most fashion-friendly city this side of the galaxy—with all the swankiest stuff you could ever want—and it ain’t even open to the public yet!”

Rhys already had a wardrobe stuffed full of designer clothes back on Helios, and sincerely doubted he’d find much he didn’t already own four pairs of—but if Jack was in a spoiling mood, then Rhys was going to take advantage of it.

He let Jack lead him away from the main plaza, down one arm of the city decorated with geometric hedges and even more murals featuring the CEO’s exploits. Rhys liked one in particular, even stopping to admire it with a smirk. His eyes roved over the striking lines and bright colors depicting Jack fending off a group of psychos, one arm wrapped protectively around a wide-eyed pup who stared up at the heroic alpha with an awe beyond its understanding.

Very cute.

They finally moved out into another, albeit smaller plaza, hemmed in by storefronts on either side and centered around a statue of Jack—this one in a nice, sharply cut suit, its hand raised with a champagne flute to toast the shoppers blowing more of their money on Hyperion products. Rhys wished he’d wear something like that suit more often, but even today on an allegedly special occasion he still sported his same tired outfit. Which was fine—it wasn’t as if Rhys had dressed nicely or anything, only putting on the best tailcoat and dress shirt his belly could handle.

The first boutique they stepped into boasted a new line of seasonal swimwear in their storefront, shiny gold mannequins modeling trunks and bikinis in a pleasing if predictable palette of black and white and yellow. Rhys hoped there’d be more of a variety inside and indeed, once they walked into the store proper he saw more colors aside from the usual Hyperion livery. A rack lined with clothing and accessories in various shades of blue in particular caught his eye, and he ambled over, running his fingers over the soft spandex and examining each item as Jack wandered to the other end of the store.

Rhys ended up finding a cute pair of shorts he liked—after a moment’s despair at passing up his usual size for the one his pregnant body now needed—holding them against his hips as he awkwardly modeled in one of the full-length mirrors. He saw Jack coming up behind him before the alpha tried to grab his shoulder and spook him, whirling around to meet him with a warning growl that quickly turned into a bemused snort when he saw what Jack was holding.

“What is that?”

Jack held the hanger up a little higher, the stripes of gold on the bathing suit shining in the boutique’s bright lights.

“Something you’d look damn sexy in.”

Rhys draped the blue shorts over his arm before taking the hanger from Jack’s hand to twirl it slowly by the hook.

“I can look damn sexy in just about anything, but it doesn’t mean I’m going to wear it willingly…” He examined the outfit closer, drawn to the black and gold briefs but wrinkling his nose at the ruffled bikini top.

“Why are you always trying to get me into two-piece suits? My body just ends up looking like a pregnant-belly sandwich,” Rhys grumbled as he tried to imagine how they suit would look on his body. Much as Jack wanted to ogle him at all times, he had grown a bit sensitive about showing too much skin as he’d gotten bigger. Even with the curse of stretch-marks kept at bay for now with a strict regime of lotion and soothing baths, sometimes it was hard to feel sexy while looking like he’d just been stuffed with a beach ball.

“Get the bottoms, I’ll actually use those, but my tits aren’t nearly big enough to justify wearing a bikini top.” Even with hormones running amok, his chest hadn’t grown that much, though that didn’t stop Jack grabbing and squeezing him there whenever they had sex.

“And don’t you try to pull a fast one and buy it a size too small like those shorts from last week,” Rhys scowled, remembering how he’d ended up burying his tears of frustration into his pillow as those traitorous shorts had clung unbuttoned on his hips. When Jack had finally copped to buying a smaller size because he liked seeing Rhys’ butt and thighs all squeezed he’d been banished from the bedroom until he returned with a “sorry for being an asshole” snack.

Thankfully, when Rhys checked the bags after Jack had made his purchase, he was pleased to find his alpha had behaved himself and bought the correct size.

“Good. Now I won’t have to punish you again for being an asshole. I’m getting way too tired to do any of that stuff,” he teased.

From there, Rhys raided the beauty care boutique next door where the attendants practically fawned over him, complimenting his skin and hair and insisting he needn’t change a thing about his current while obviously still trying to get him to buy their products. The flattery still won Rhys’ favor, and since Jack was footing the bill he decided there was little harm in splurging and upping the commission for these nice people.

On their advice, he picked up some product for his hair as well as some special cream to help stave off the marks on his belly, knowing he’d need it especially as he moved into the literal final stretch. He felt pretty pleased with all his purchases and couldn’t wait to try them all out back at home.

“Hungry, kitten?” Jack asked as soon as they exited the beauty boutique, lade with yet another bag full of little bottles and tubes. Rhys hummed, scenting at his mate’s shoulder to make his pleasure known—though not too much. He didn’t want to already pump Jack’s ego to capacity before he approved the rest of the city.

“I could do with a snack…tell me you didn’t just drag and drop the eateries from Helios down here, because I’m interested in trying something different for once.”

“Please, I know how much you love your food, I wasn’t about to skimp out on that,” Jack snorted, leading Rhys away from the shopping and towards a cute storefront crowned by an awning decked out in yellow and white stripes, capped by a sign proclaiming it the “Handsome Jack’s Decadent Confectionary and Ice Cream Shoppe.”

“Ooh? What’s this?” Rhys cooed, smirking sidelong at Jack as he led him into the shop. “Don’t tell me, you built me my own ice cream parlor? That you…named after yourself?”

“Shoot, pumpkin, you want that name changed and I’m on it, we can have it be “Squeezy Rhysie’s Bountiful Creamery’ or something like that.” Jack smirked with a feigned grab towards Rhys’ chest.

The omega leaned away and wrinkled his nose.

“No. Noo. Please, don’t even say that again,” he mumbled as they walked inside, a little chime sounding out above the entrance.

By the look of the place Rhys knew Jack must’ve allowed someone else to design it. The quaint, sublime decor, akin to a very vintage scoop shop from the old feature programs that he sometimes found on the ECHOnet. He was delighted to find stripes splashed over the walls and chairs and even the clothes of the employees working behind the counter.

“Aww. You remembered how much I love stripes.” Rhys snickered as he led Jack for the first time in their tour of Hyperion, even his heavy baby belly unable to slow him down when ice cream was involved. He skirted around the stanchion forming the corner of the line, any guests in front of them quickly parting to the side once they saw who was barreling up behind them with a major sweet tooth.

Rhys pressed his hands up against the sneeze guard like a little kid, the impact of his cybernetic palm sending the glass shuddering so violently he worried it might break—or he would worry if he wasn’t busy ogling all the brightly colored flavors of ice cream. Though his enthusiastic expression dropped somewhat when he read the little placards next to each tub.

“Really? Bandit Blood? Thresher’s Delight? Skag Piss?”

“Aw come on. Those are just names, sugar.” Jack murmured as he slid in besides him. “Well, maybe not Skag Piss. That’s for the real adventurous out there.”

Rhys made a face.

“You better be joking…I don’t want to think about how many people are walking around here with pee-breath.”

“Well, everyone here’s only here on my permission, so if anyone breaths the wrong way in your direction, tell me and I’ll have ‘em shot.”

“No thank you,” Rhys replied flatly, scanning the rest of the menu, eyebrows furrowing as he tried to figure out which of the bizarre flavors he might actually like.

“How about Cryo Crunch?”

“Unless you wanna freeze yourself from the inside out, no. Not something I’d recommend while you’re growing a person.”

“…I’m guessing Firemelon Spice Sherbet has a similar problem.”

“For you, kitten, that’d be heartburn city.”

“Pandoran Passion sounds pretty safe…”

“Pfft. People down here don’t know the meaning of safe or passionate but…I guess it’s not too bad. Just a blend of a couple fruits from the Highlands.”

“I’m not sure if I trust anything grown on this planet…might just go with Aquatorian Sea Salt Vanilla.”

“Vanilla? Well, if you’re sure,” Jack snickered, earning an annoyed huff from Rhys and a jab towards the cash register. The omega crossed his arms over his stomach as he watched Jack order, ensuring he didn’t try to slip a fast one and get Rhys to try one of those nasty flavors.

Thankfully when the cheery employee handed him the overladen waffle cone, it looked normal. A quick lick confirmed it was indeed vanilla—but no run of the mill ice cream. Rhys’ eyes lit up with pleasure as he smacked his lips, before taking a large bite out of the top of his treat, enjoying the creamy sweetness with a hint of fine salt. He nearly forgot himself and let out a moan, his craving finally satisfied.

Rhys turned back towards Jack, only to find his alpha with a double-scooped cone of his own in hand.

“You got something?”

“Yep. Eden 5 Forbidden Fudge. Wanna try?”

“As long as it’s not secretly bullymong crap or something…” Rhys mumbled, leaning forward with a testing lick. After confirming yes, that was chocolate and not anything else, he went back for seconds.

Jack next guided him towards an area of the city relieved from the massive shining walls and modern architecture, instead giving way to greenery beyond the geometric hedges that peppered the rest of the districts. Rhys was impressed—Jack had actually put some time and effort into making a decent little park here, full of lush vegetation and colorful flowers and quaint, well-maintained stone pathways.

“Didn’t think you cared about preserving natural beauty,” Rhys teased, his flesh hand playfully squeezing Jack’s own as they ambled together into the park. The shade from the trees above felt pleasant on his skin, keeping him cool beneath the layers of clothing. It felt so normal, to walk through a park eating ice cream with one’s mate, so far removed from the lavish dinners and exotic vacations he’d grown used to as Jack’s chosen omega. He felt charmed at the quaint nature of the park, though Hyperion’s mark still filtered through, yellow and white logos glaringly obvious on the receptacles and benches lining the path.

Rhys found himself stopping periodically along their walk to take a closer look at the trees and bushes, delighted to find they differed from those grown on Helios. He was sure he hadn’t seen anything like them before, not even on the occasional trip to Research and Development, where most exotic flora found its way to.

“There’s no way these plants come from Pandora, right?” Rhys reached out, letting the long, silky leaves of one particular tree weave between his fingers. “It’s not like….biting me or poisoning me or exploding or anything.”

“Pfft, babe I’m not about to stuff this place with bushes and flowers that wanna kill you. Most of these are imported from other, less shitty planets.”

“Good. Last thing I need is a heart attack. Or an early labor…” Rhys grumbled as he rubbed his stomach, pup doing battle with his stomach as the latter tried to digest his ice cream.

The pair walked in quiet for awhile, broken only by chitchat and quiet observations as Jack pointed out various plants and told Rhys where exactly his landscapers had swiped them from. Rhys nodded along, happy to zone out to his alpha’s voice until they rounded a bend in the path which opened out into a large, forested plaza crowed by a towering golden figure.

At first, Rhys figured it was another statue of Jack, to continue the trend set by the rest of Opportunity. But much to his surprise, his own sculpted face looked out over the clearing, points and contours scintillating in the warm Pandoran sun.

“Oh my god. Is that…that’s me?”

“In the flesh—uh, gold, kitten.” Jack corrected, throwing out his arm and gesturing dramatically towards the statue. “Are you surprised? What do you think?”

Rhys stared up for a moment, taking in the full impact of seeing himself huge and artfully sculpted just like the hundreds of Jack’s statues he’d seen in his lifetime.

“It’s…surprisingly tasteful.”

“What, did you thing I was gonna have you spreading your legs all over the park or something? Jeez, pumpkin. Give me a little credit.”

“Never,” Rhys retorted. He ambled around the statue, getting a better look.

“You really made my ass pop out…”

“Damn right. Too bad I didn’t wait a few more months though, for you to get a bit….plumper…” Jack’s grin turned lecherous as he tried to grab for Rhys’ butt, only for the omega to lean away with a scowl.

“No thanks, I think I prefer how it turned out…and I’m glad you didn’t decide to slap this on.” Rhys grabbed his belly in both hands, giving it a very slight jiggle.

“Oh, don’t tempt me. There’s still time, pumpkin, if you wanna be immortalized as the patron omega of all Opportunity.”

Rhys let out a humorless laugh.

“No. Absolutely not. You already take enough photos of me all round and huge.”

“Because you’re frikkin’ hot. Not all alphas can appreciate a pregnant omega the way I can.” Jack leaned in with a grin, breathing through his fangs. “With lots of cash, and sex.”

“You’re luck plenty of one can always make up for lack in the other,” Rhys retorted as they finished rounding the statue, before continuing on a little further through the rest of the forested space. Thankfully, no further, lewder statues of Rhys jumped out to surprise him, leaving the omega feeling fairly satisfied—and impressed.

He tried not to let his pleasure bleed out much lest Jack’s ego over-inflate itself, though some happy pheromones inevitably seeped through. Jack’s city was certainly something to behold, and if Rhys’ feet hadn’t started hurting by the end of the park tour he would’ve wanted to see the rest. Thankfully, Jack had a plan that sounded pretty appealing to his omega.

“I still haven’t shown you the house yet, babe. The rest of the city can wait, but you gotta see the place I made for us. It’s perfect.”

“As long as I can put up my feet and relax, I’ll take most anything,” Rhys winced, flexing his toes within the confines of his shoes. He’d picked out his roomiest pair of flats and still his feet ached after only an hour or so of slow walking. Jack carefully helped him off the park bench and to his feet, supporting the omega as much as Rhys would allow before he grew too embarrassed. Jack’s hand squeezed against his weight, supporting his unwieldy omega against his body as they shuffled off towards the opposite end of the city, cutting back through the main plaza towards a quieter, less metropolitan district.

Rhys puzzled as they moved further away from the towering skyscrapers that dominated the Opportunity skyline, where he’d first assumed Jack had built their new home-away-from-home. He kept close to Jack’s side as the alpha led him down a street lined with dormant security loaders that ended in a large, scintillating metal gate. Jack tapped a couple of buttons embedded into a console on one of the high steel walls flanking the gate, knocking out a couple security questions as the software analyzed his voice and face and finally let the gates slide open with a metallic swish.

A lavish courtyard greeted them first, followed by what Rhys could only describe as the fanciest mansion he’d ever seen—and in his younger days with Vaughn he’d spent hours pouring over multi-billion dollar homes on Eden-6 they were totally going to own someday. The lines of the home followed the sleek, modern design of the rest of Opportunity, only with more Jack-style embellishments, such as two statues holding up the gilded canopy overhanging the massive dark-wood door and plenty topiaries lush with garish gold and blue flowers Rhys had never seen before. Presumably, if they weren’t from another planet Jack had already conquered, then the CEO had engineered them himself.

“First impressions, what do you think, babe?” Jack beamed as he led him around the ornate fountain spitting water into the sky and towards the door just as the gates slid closed behind him. Rhys let out a little chuff of interest, delaying his judgement until he got to see the inside.

Following another security check, the massive front doors swung open with a click and a grind and not a single finger lifted towards the glossy H-shaped knobs. Jack turned, offering his hand palm up to Rhys’, who rolled his eyes but nevertheless let his alpha lead him daintily over the threshold into the foyer, where they found themselves surrounded by light fixtures shaped like stylized crystal deposits and two large oil paintings on either sides of the hallway, depicting a continuous scene between them that—upon closer inspection—detailed an intimate progression of Jack’s life. Far from the more grandiose depictions littering the rest of Opportunity, these paintings detailed their relationship outside the prying eyes of the rest of Hyperion’s elite in a way that had Rhys’ heart leaping warmly in his chest.

“I didn’t know you were having these done…” He murmured, reaching out to tenderly brush his fingers against the ornate frame of the painting to the left, eyes lingering on the little scene of his and Jack’s wedding on the sunset-stained cliffs of Aquator. His alphas arms wrapped around him, lips pressing a kiss to the side of the omega’s neck.

“Of course not. This whole place is sort of a surprise.”

“I mean, I knew you were building a mansion…”

“Yeah, but you didn’t really know what it looked like or what was in it.” Jack lifted his finger to tap at the skin beneath Rhys’ port. “I know some tricks to keep your nosy little eyes outta things.”

Rhys chuckled softly, one hand coming up to rub against Jack’s fingers, enjoying a quiet moment with his alpha, before they continued to walk down the foyer. At the end of the hallway the mansion properly opened out into a massive living room ringed with panoramic windows, shining natural light into the fully-furnished space. Rhys could see lush gardens and little paths outside and, beyond that, the bright glittering aqua of the lake Opportunity sat upon.

“Honestly…I’m kind of more surprised you didn’t put all this in that giant skyscraper.” Rhys leaned into his alpha as he took in every detail of the living room, eager to explore them all more closely after Jack’s full tour of the mansion finished.

“Oh please, I already got the biggest seat in the house,” Jack snorted as he pointed towards one of the large windows, where Helios could now be seen hanging high in the sky, “the whole east bank of Opportunity is ours though, kitten. That’s impressive enough, right?”

Rhys raised an eyebrow and turned his chin towards his mate.

“Okay, okay,” Jack backpedaled, “I definitely also have the topmost penthouse in the biggest skyscraper here reserved just for me. You know, if you ever want to appreciate the view.”

Rhys smirked.

“There’s the Jack I know.”

Honestly though, Rhys appreciated having his feet on the ground rather than hundreds of feet in the air. In Helios things were different, but planet-side, where gravity came into play, he found himself hating heights. Transports were doable, but he couldn’t stand the idea of living anywhere high up permanently, especially in his current, hyper-vigilant state. He didn’t want to admit Jack may have taken that into account, but the idea that his phobia might’ve be enough to thwart part of Jack’s ego in this self-centered enterprise of a city had him feeling a little fuzzy inside.

“Besides…I just couldn’t resist the idea of giving you the surprise you’ve always wanted. And once I saw the design plans, well…I knew you wouldn’t settle for anything else.”

Rhys pursed his lips in confusion.

“What surprise? The mansion isn’t the surprise?”

“The mansion holds the biggest surprise of all, sweetheart. C’mon.” Jack nudged him softly before leading him on out of the living room, down a hallway full of framed pictures, some of which Rhys recognized from his ECHOeye screens database, and while he wondered how exactly Jack had gotten those, as well as what all the other doors they passed by held beyond that, any further concerns were wiped away as the hallway opened up into a smaller sitting room complete with a pair of wide, crystalline sliding doors that looked out into the massive yard.

Only this time Rhys didn’t see vibrant gardens and little walking paths, but rather the biggest, bluest, fanciest pool he’d ever laid eyes on.

He gasped audibly, unable to hold back even as he clapped a hand over his mouth. Jack laughed, sound giddy and pleased as he slid open the doors and led Rhys out onto the natural-rock porch, a cool breeze tumbling over them both as they stood at the edge of the massive pool. Until Jack spoke up, only the trickle of an artificial waterfall cut through the awed hush.

“This is the one time I’d say silence is the biggest compliment.” Jack beamed, hand not resting on Rhys’ waist planted proudly on his hip. He looked over to his omega as he struggled to compose himself.

Rhys had never disliked the penthouse up on Helios—in fact, he’d dreamed of living there himself long before he and Jack had ever met—but while it certainly had the fanciest jacuzzi tub in all of the station, he’d always longed for a proper pool to relax and cool off in. And while they’d traveled to resorts on various planets that offered such an amenity, Rhys had long yearned for one that belonged to him and no one else. And Jack, in the midst of building a city-wide monument to himself, had taken a moment to build something huge and lavish that his omega had wanted for as long as they’d lived together.

“So? What do you think of Opportunity now, kitten.”

“I—it’s fine.” Honestly, he was more than a little choked up, but Jack breezed right past that, his eyebrows prematurely shooting up at Rhys’ sparse reply.

“Just—just fine? I—Come on kiddo! There’s shopping, ice cream, a fancy park, a frikkin’ statue of you and a mansion that’s half pool! What more could you want?”

“Hey, easy there—,” Rhys eked out a correction, hand now resting on his agitated alpha’s forearm. “I think just have to try this out first…I’m sure it’ll pass with flying colors…maybe.” Even as he tried to mollify his mate, Rhys couldn’t resist the teasing wink.

“I guess neither of us are really beach body ready but…oh well.” He started to shrug off his coat, ready to strip down right here rather than waddle around looking for a bathroom. Jack only shot him an offended look.

“What? I’m always beach body ready, kitten—“

“Jack, I love you, but I’ve seen you naked, this is a brand new pool and if you dip in it’s gonna immediately get clogged up with old man hair.”

Honestly, Rhys didn’t mind his alpha’s body hair, but he admittedly liked to see him a little groomed. Jack turned red at the latest bout of teasing, furrowing his brow in annoyed thought.

“Why I…ugh….all right, why don’t you go ahead and try it out first…I’m gonna go…do some stuff…!” Jack dropped their shopping bag against the deck as he rushed back inside, Rhys chuckling softly to himself, imagining what his alpha would try to do to impress him even more. He watched his alpha amble back inside and down the hallway, before turning his attention to the shopping bag, grateful he’d decided to go ahead and buy a couple of swimsuits early on.

Rhys grimaced as he noticed Jack had after all somehow bought the bikini top without him noticing, so he left that draped over the back of the deck chair for now as he slipped the gold and black swim briefs up his legs, carefully bracing himself against one of the rocky decorative walls lest he fall over. The garment fit snugly over his newly ample ass and hips, but to his relief they didn’t dig into his skin the way he hated. Jack may like seeing red fabric marks pressed against his body—one of many unexpected kinks Rhys had discovered over the years—but lately tight clothes only chafed and itched against his most sensitive areas. Which was kind of….all of him at the moment.

Once he got his swimsuit on he started to step carefully towards the pool, unable to see his feet beyond the pale belly rounding out from his middle. The deck was thankfully dry—untouched by anyone save those who constructed it and Jack, probably. Rhys would be the first to try it out.

He grasped the railings once he got close enough to the edge and soon eased himself into the shallow end, moaning in relief as the water kissed his stinging feet and legs—he’d enjoyed walking about the city, but even with his flat-bottomed shoes his muscles protested at the added weight. But the perfectly temperate water soothed his aches, and he soon slid in the rest of the way, until the surface of the water lapped midway up his belly.

Rhys paused a moment just to relax, to take in the feeling of the tranquil pool around him. The sun above bathed him in light, warming his skin even as below the surface the water cool

He grabbed a bright yellow float from the edge of the pool in case he grew tired, folding his arms atop it as he gently kicked off from the shallow end, swimming with long, lazy strokes.

His body glimmered beneath the surface, water and sunlight making his skin look almost luminescent, and with his tattoos swirling down his arm and chest like the easy current he almost felt like a merman—some exotic find on a more elegant, more beautiful planet. Indeed, he’d almost forgotten he was on Pandora.

Rhys floated forward, pushing his toes against the bottom of the pool until he drifted towards the deeper end. He liked being in the water—he felt nice and buoyant, so far removed from the awkward heaviness he dealt with on the daily now whenever he decided to move. He almost felt like he did buried in his nest—relaxed and floating like crisp scent on the breeze.

He wondered if Jack would mind if he built a nest out here by the pool. Some of those huge chairs looked like they could be stuffed with pillows and made into a nice alcove bed for him to rest and relax underneath the artificial stars. Jack could join him, and if he kept his mouth closed, it might even end up kind of romantic.

As he floated towards the end of the pool he decided to dive beneath the surface, taking a huge breath before he plunged his head into the water, swimming down a foot or two before opening his eyes.

He could see where the deep end of the pool met the surrounding lake, separated only by a huge, floor to surface panel of crystalline glass. Rhys gasped at the sight as he swam closer, bubbles of air blossoming from his lips before he remembered to keep his mouth closed. Light from above filtered through the surface in little slanted columns, shimmering clearly off into the distance beyond the boundary of the pool. He could see shapes way out there, some large and dark, others thin and silvery, clustered together and mostly likely a school of fish. He swam a little bit closer, blue light reflecting off the glass as he activated his ECHOeye, trying to get a read on a couple of the fauna swimming around on the other side. A group of small yellow and blue streaked fish fluttered close, tiny bodies shimmering and perfectly in synch. His eye quickly zeroed in and etched out the info—Pandoran Azurstripe Snapper, juveniles, indigenous to the open waters of Lake Shining Horizons, feeds on shrimp and plankton—just as the school turns abruptly at the glass and swims back off into the clear depths.

Rhys wondered if they tasted good. Maybe Jack would wanna try fishing? Seemed like an old guy kind of thing, though if he mentioned that Jack might shy away from cooking him a fancy, fresh-caught fish dinner.

He finally had to break for the surface, pushing himself up through the water until his head popped up for air. He took in a deep breath and smiled to himself, before slowly swimming back towards the edge of the pool—and a waiting Jack. Who had apparently stripped down all the way and slipped on a pair of Hyperion-branded swim trunks Rhys had never seen before. Not only that—Jack’s chest also looked far shinier and sleeker than normal, and even from a distance Rhys could see his watery eyes and little winces. He snorted bubbles into the water, realizing his boyfriend, in desperation to impress him, had actually gone and waxed himself just the way Rhys liked it—keeping hair on his arms and legs while leaving his chest and stomach silky and smooth.

Finally feeling as happy and content as a pregnant omega could be, Rhys lifted his head with a wide smile, pleased pheromones drifting like smoke on the pool’s surface as he addressed his alpha.

“Hey long, tan, and handsome. You joining me?”

“Mmm. I take it you approve of the pool, huh?” Jack’s voice, though still tight, sounded relieved by his mate’s human, pleased scent.

Rhys nodded, kicking his feet lightly in the water.

“I’ll like it even more of you come share it with me,” he murmured, low and sensual tone not lost on his alpha. His smile pinched at his cheek, a bit of fang showing over his lower lip.

“Don’t mind if I do, sugar,” Jack barked, before taking a running jump into the water.

I ended up writing something pertaining to this post about Rhys being given as a gif to king!Jack. It’s not beta’d and I wrote it super fast but I kind of like it, so I hope you guys do too!

Jack knew exactly what the Atlas ambassadors expected him to do with the omega they brought into his throne room. Jack had enough experience dealing with their condescension, barely masked by sycophantic words of praise and arbitration, to understand what they meant when they presented the young man standing obediently between them as a “gift” to the King of Hyperion.

Thanks to his own spies, Jack knew exactly how the Atlas propaganda machine functioned. How all those of low and high blood alike in the enemy kingdom conceived of Hyperion’s denizens as brutish and vile—especially its alphas, and especially its apex king. Presenting an omega as a gift, to them, was akin to sending him off to the gallows.

Safe to say, Atlas didn’t think all that highly of him.

So Jack sat, slouched on his throne, propping his cheek up with a lazily curled fist as he listened to the ambassadors snidely flourish on, suppressing his mounting anger through twitches in his fingers. As much as he wanted to toss the whole Atlas entourage out of his kingdom, he’d get blasted by Tassiter later if he flaunted royal decorum in such a flagrant fashion. Ugh. He figured once he became king he wouldn’t have been beholden to anyone else, but he still had to answer to dub advisors who waggled fingers at him if he strangled too many assholes. Such crap.

His blood boiled way too much when he looked at either advisor, so instead he fixed his attention on the omega standing stiffly between them. Honestly, he wasn’t too bad looking. To Atlas’ credit, they’d actually bothered to pick an attractive omega to ply him with, rather than slapping powder and rouge on some raggedy thing in an attempt to pass them off as upper-class. Though Jack doubted Atlas would sacrifice someone of high blood to give an omega plaything to the king of Hyperion, at least they’d chosen someone Jack wouldn’t kick out of bed.

Though he looked a bit too tall for the typical omega, his neck sloped beautifully from the gentle curve of his jaw, pooling against the high white collar encircling him throat like clouds drawn around a mountaintop. His clothing fell out beneath him in glorious robes, bright and pure save the occasional splash and stroke of red hems and golden chains. Jack’s nostrils twitched around his smell—obviously perfumed vanilla and lavender, but pleasant nonetheless.

His long fingers clasped over his stomach beneath a belt of gold and red stones, and though he kept his chin lowered in a slight bow of submission, Jack could see something different in his eyes, even at a distance. Maybe it was the strike of blue in the left iris, standing out from the regalia of red and white and gold chosen by those who kept him. It drew Jack like a beacon, a lighthouse standing out against a thrashing storm building onto the shore.

“So, what say you, Your Majesty?” The ambassador spoke louder, as if sensing Jack’s shift in attention. “Do you accept this humble gift of Atlas?”

Jack wouldn’t exactly describe the presentation of such a lavishly dressed, sweetly-smelling omega humble, but he understood throwing this “gift” back into Atlas’ face might not be the best thing for the relations between the two kingdoms. And while Jack had spent many a night dreaming about plundering all of Atlas’ vast mines and rumored richly lavished tombs, his military might still had room to grow.

So he’d play along for now.

“Uh, yeah. Consider it accepted.” Jack waved his hand, watching as the ambassadors fell away from the omega in the middle with a cloying bow of concession. He saw one of their mouths move, undoubtedly speaking to the omega as he strode forward. Each step echoed around the silent throne room, drawing Jack’s attention to the high white boots clicking out purposefully from under the hem of the omega’s robe. The heels were painted red, glossy and wet like the omega had stepped through a pool of blood to get to the king’s knees.

“Thank you for accepting me, Your Majesty,” the omega spoke as he bowed low before Jack’s throne, one long leg skirting out in front of him. Jack’s lip curled at the rote motion and delivery, though the ambassador’s seemed pleased at their trained gift performing his duty. Jack still wished he could toss them out of his presence, but he settled for rising, cloak unfurling down his back as he clapped his hands together in dismissal. He saw the omega bowed before him flinch, which made his lip only curl further in annoyance.

“Enough. Your king wishes to retire for the evening.” Jack waved off the ambassadors, leaving Tassiter and his other advisors to see to the proper goodbyes as he swept off to his chambers, his new omega starting before following in his wake.

———

The look of surprise that passed the omega’s face when Jack opened the door to the guest chambers didn’t escape the king’s notice. The young man struggled, lips slightly parted as he glanced furtively from Jack to the humble quarters. The king waited to see if he’d speak up, but the omega only settled for biting his lip. With a terse sigh, Jack answered the obvious.

“You’re right, kiddo. These aren’t my bedchambers.” He couldn’t stop the disgust from hanging onto his words. “Listen. I’m no fool. Those Atlas curs didn’t bring you over here to play bridge and take long walks in the garden.”

The omega said nothing, keeping his head bowed. Jack huffed, lifting his hand to clap him on the shoulder when he remembered the flinch from earlier.

“Lemme just say, I’m not interested in screwing an omega that obviously doesn’t wanna be here. Who’s too scared of me to say no. But I’m also not gonna let them take you back to their crappy, Hyperion-hating hellhole, so as far as I’m concerned you live here now. Got it?”

The omega lifted his head slightly, and while the confusion on his face still bugged the hell out of Jack, he eventually gave the king a slight nod. He lowered his hand and settled for a careful pat to the omega’s forearm that, thankfully, didn’t result in a flinch this time, though the young man still didn’t meet his eyes.

“All right. I’ll send a servant up in a moment to make sure you’re all settled in. They’ll also be sure to summon you for supper later. You’ll be dining with me tonight. Fair?”

Another nod. It seemed Jack wouldn’t get much out of the omega at the moment, so with little else to say he took his leave, closing the door behind him as he strode off down the hallway towards his own bedchambers, mind swimming.

Jack refused to prove Atlas right, no matter how attractive this omega looked, no matter how lovely and natural his scent smelled beneath the false perfumes he’d been sprayed with. And besides—any thick-headed alpha could forcibly submit an omega, could take advantage of a poor pawn trained to take the abuse of a foreign king.

It would take a real apex to win this one’s heart.

Labor day prompts? You got it! Rhys is pregnant, but Hyperion’s a busy company, so he keeps going to work anyway, as Jack’s PA. Ends up going into labor during a very long, very, very important business meeting, but tries to hide it for as long as possible for the sake of their company.

im sorry if this has mispellings but i wrote it while drunk (apparently that was the only way i was gonna write anything today)

Jack hadn’t expected much from the day’s meeting.

Rhys’ due date was still a couple weeks out, and though Jack would prefer he stay off his feet all things considered, he still let Rhys give the presentation, on the promise he’d spend the rest of the day letting Jack pamper him. Naturally Rhys had agreed, eyes already alight, presumably thanks to everything he knew he could make Jack do.

Still, Jack kept an eye on his mate as Rhys stood up to start the presentation, jacking his port into the podium at the front of the meeting table and projecting the slides against the largest wall in the room. He watched Rhys support his bulk against the the stand, supporting his belly with one hand as he directed the meeting’s attention towards the information regarding the preliminary evidence pertaining to the latest eridium mine uncovered in Pandora’s western hemisphere. Rhys had taken a personal interest in this project, his first major discovery since signing on as Jack’s personal assistant. Jack knew Rhys had been eager to prove himself competent despite the fact that he was pregnant and about to birth Jack’s child. He wanted to be more than just the omega rearing the next Hyperion heir.

Jack already knew the information on the mine, having rehearsed this presentation at Rhys’ behest numerous times in the days before the meeting, but he paid attention anyway, admittedly getting lose more in the appearance of his omega than what he was actually saying. God, Rhys looked pretty. Following a couple hiccups of nausea and exhaustion early on, pregnancy had treated Rhys like a frikkin’ prince. His hair looked more lush, his skin softer and more vibrant, his libido heightened to ludicrous new heights. Rhys had been an absolute treasure of an omega beforehand, but carrying Jack’s kid had somehow made the CEO realize exactly how lucky he was to have him as his mate.

He nodded along dreamily to Rhys’ words, admiring how eloquent the omega had become since he’d first been hired as Jack’s PA. He remember the first time Rhys had come into this office, ostensibly for punishment, as Jack had been informed that the kid had been funneling funds into his personal account. He’d barely been able to get a couple words out in between panic at his impending death and awe at Handsome Jack’s presence, and yet the impressive way he’d covered up his tracks—as well as his sweet appearance and delectable smell—had spared him, garnered him a position at Jack’s side. And as far as Jack was concerned, that decision had paid off for the both of them.

When Rhys finally finished his presentation, Jack clapped his hands together sharply, leading an approving applause from the board members. Yet when the omega stepped away from the podium his face suddenly crumbled in pain, a whine fleeing from his lips where confident speech had sprung just a couple moments earlier.

Jack leapt up in an instant, striding the length of the table to his omega’s side. Rhys’ cheeks puffed out with effort as he cradled the side of his stomach, face suddenly growing red and sweaty as his knees wobbled. He braced himself up against the podium until Jack reached his side, hand bracing against the small of Rhys’ back as the other went to support his belly. Jack’s eyebrows shot up in alarm at the ripple of muscle tightening under his palm.

“Kitten? What the hell, what’s going on?”

A short laugh popped from between Rhys’ lips as he tilted his head up, meeting Jack’s eyes with a pained, slightly sheepish glance.

“So uh, funny story, I’ve sorta been having contractions since this morning…”

Jack felt like the air’d been punched out of him.

“What? You’re—the baby—you’re gonna—“

“Ooh—“ Rhys moaned, fingers pressing into his stomach, the fabric of his dress shirt crinkling. “I was trying to hold out, it wasn’t too bad but nngh, might need to go to the hospital now.”

“Y-yeah, uh, I’m thinking we needed to go to the hospital six hours ago,” Jack grunted, his heart and hands numb as he tried to maneuver Rhys into his arms. Shaken as he was by the sudden news that his omega had been in labor, somehow without him knowing, for hours, he still found enough strength to loop his arms underneath Rhys’ body and hoist the omega up into his arms. Rhys rubbed his face against Jack’s shirt with a tight whine, curling up around his round belly as Jack turned to look out over the rest of the shocked assembly.

“Safe to say the rest of the meeting is cancelled, huh?” Jack commanded before he swept out of the meeting room, all thoughts fixed intimately on the state of his omega and soon-to-be pup as he raced as fast as he could off in the direction of their doctor’s office.

“When the Weather’s Hot”

1k commission for @jksmwla ! They wanted some Rhack fluff so I went with a modern AU summertime situation. Enjoy!

“Jack,” Rhys whined, his sweaty cheek pressed up against the screen of his phone, “it’s too hot.”

His boyfriend’s voice crackled through the line, his amused laughter only serving to grate on Rhys’ nerves.

“Babe, I know. I read your text messages and I already called my guys to come fix the AC.”

“Yeah, but they aren’t coming fast enough.” Rhys knew he was being bratty, that even contractors on Jack’s hefty dime were still bound to the laws and physics and couldn’t instantly zap in and fix things, but he was sweating through his favorite tank top and pissed. He’d have to stick it in the laundry before he even thought of wearing it again.

“Easy, Rhysie, easy,” Jack still sounded amused, though his even tone told that he’d started taking Rhys’ suffering a little more seriously. “Don’t freak out, just drink some water, have some ice cream, chill out by the pool—whatever—until they come. Trust me, it’ll be fixed in a jiffy.”

“…Okay,” Rhys mumbled after a moment, a little chastised. He peeled the phone away from his cheek, keeping it close enough to still hear. “I trust you.”

“There’s a good boy. Love you!” Jack’s cheery goodbye had Rhys feeling just a bit more upset. Considering his boyfriend was holed up in the office with the AC on full blast, he couldn’t possibly understand Rhys’ pain. How much he was suffering alone in this stuffy, overheated house.

Seriously. He’d landed the perfect boyfriend—handsome, wealthy, and willing to spend that money on Rhys—and yet he still suffered the heat like someone who didn’t have a sugar daddy catering to their every whim. Rhys pouted as he resolved to hold out on Jack next time he wanted something from him—that would show how much he shouldn’t leave his boyfriend alone to melt in the heat.

Rhys sighed in frustration and ran his hands through his hair, grimacing at how stringy and sweaty his usual stylish do had become. He stalked off towards the bathroom, disgusted at how the heat in the house felt almost physical, like he had to push through it to get through the hallways he usually walked with ease. He threw open the door and stepped inside, grateful at least for the cool slate tile against his feet.

Rhys opened the drawer between the sinks, rattling around the contents as he pawed around his hair and skincare products in search of his hair ties. He grabbed a cute bright blue one and ran his fingers through his hair, messily pushing it back before he whipped up the ends into a loose bob. Cool relief finally graced the back of his neck and he sighed, flicking off the bathroom light before sauntering back out into the living room. He placed one hand on his hip as he fisted the other into his shirt, flapping it against his skin in a makeshift fan as he tried figuring out his next move.

At first, Rhys hadn’t even considered the pool—what with the sun beating down outside, he didn’t really want to leave the house—but as he pressed his hands against the glass door looking out into the backyard the sparkling blue waters looked really inviting. And if he got in the pool properly even the hot sun wouldn’t effect him that much.

He did have a brand-new swimsuit he hadn’t broken in yet. Jack had taken him shopping yesterday to a sprawling designer mall full of fancy food and air conditioning where Rhys had modeled swimsuits in between sips of boba tea much to Jack’s pleasure. And though his boyfriend wasn’t home to properly appreciate the swimsuit in use, Rhys was itching to try it out properly.

So he skipped to his bedroom, eager to slide off his remaining clothes and slip into the pool as fast as possible. He tossed his shorts and top onto the bed and dug through the shopping bag he’d yet to unpack, peeling the tissue paper off the garment before stepping into it. He slid it up his long legs until it clung perfectly to his ass and crotch. He struck a quick pose in the full length mirror hanging on his door before rushing towards the backdoor.

The heat outside felt merciless against his body, his already sweaty skin suffering as he slunk towards the shallow end of the pool. He braced himself against the railing and dipped his toes in the water, letting out a relieved sigh at the cool water. He slid in up to his knees, a pleasant shiver running up his spine. Goosebumps pricked along his thighs, fine hairs standing up as he sunk in deeper, until the water lapped around his waist.

“Ohhh my god,” he moaned, drifting further away from the edge of the pool until his toes left its bottom. Once the water rose up around his chest he finally dunked his head underneath the water. Silvery bubbles escaped his mouth as he swam, lanky figure cutting elegantly before he broke back up to the surface with a refreshed hum. He turned around and laid back, floating face-up as he let the gentle current of the pool carry him towards the deeper end.

Rhys easily lost track of time, aimlessly swimming back and forth. Even as his body adjusted to the temperature of the water, the pool proved far more relaxing than moping about the house and sweating out half his body weight. Honestly he wished he could spend the rest of the day here, at least until the AC was fixed.

He figured Jack’s men would’ve been here by now, but with the soothing water wrapped around him all he wanted was to float around and chill out.

The sun was starting to crest behind the house when Rhys snapped out of his daydreams thanks to movement inside the house. He raised his head, expecting one of the repairmen, but instead he heard someone familiar.

“Rhysie? You out here, kiddo?” Jack’s voice sounded over the slide of the backdoor, drawing Rhys back to the shallower end. His boyfriend’s shoes slapped agains the deck, and before long Jack’s shadow fell over him as Rhys looked up, resting his arms against the smooth edge of the pool.

“Finally, jeez,” he bemoaned, feet treading the water lightly beneath him, “About time you came home. I’ve really been suffering here on my own.”

Jack raised his eyebrow.

“Oh yeah. I can see that. This is real torture.” He gestured out over the pool, before crouching down besides Rhys. “You poor thing.”

“That’s right,” Rhys murmured as he rested his cheek against the pool’s edge, glancing coyly up at Jack. “You’re gonna have to make up for it one the AC’s back running.”

“Well, the guys will be working on it for a little bit…you sure you wanna wait that long?” Jack rubbed his chin, smile sleazy. “Been meaning to strip down and take a dip with my favorite little Rhysie for a bit now. Really relax and unwind you know?”

Rhys rolled his eyes though his smile stayed fond and playful. He knew exactly how things would go when they ended up relaxed and slippery in the water together. Neither of them would stay particularly unwound for long once Jack had him pressed up against the pool’s tile sides.

But now that he’d spent the last hour or so cooling off, he figured he could handle a little bit of heat at Jack’s hands.

“Sounds like fun.” Rhys pushed himself off from the edge of the pool, winking up at his boyfriend as he drifted off, long legs glimmering seductive and silvery beneath the surface. “But you’re going to have to catch me first.”