Spliced: Hollis/Nuit Interlude the 2nd (Revised)

[flighty_dreams]

TITLE:  Spliced - Hollis/Nuit Interlude the 2nd (Revised)
AUTHOR: flighty_dreams 
WARNINGS: Slavefic, M/m.
WORD COUNT: 2,033
SUMMARY: Hollis lets it slip that he's thought about freeing Nuit. What happened after that?
NOTES: Spin-off from Part 3, Chapter 2. See recap after the cut for more info. Spliced Index found here.

 

 

RECAP: The first Hollis/Nuit short is here. This is a sequel to that story and also spins off from Part 3, Chapter 2. That's the chapter right after Min's disappearance when Matt tells Hollis that Min is gone. Matt also questions Nuit about Min and gets into an argument with Hollis. During the argument Hollis is pressured into admitting that he might free Nuit someday. This story is the aftermath of that little revelation.

 

 

*                                  *                                  *

 

Hollis glared at the report in his hand with disgust.

 

He'd been staring at the same page on his PC's screen for the past half hour, but couldn't remember anything about the witness's testimony. Instead his mind kept replaying the scene at Muldane's and what he'd said in front of Nuit, wondering what he was going to do about it. He and Matt had had similar arguments before, but the idea of freeing Nuit someday had been just that - an idea in his head. He'd never said it out loud before, much less proposed it to Nuit. And that certainly was not how he'd ever meant to bring it up. Damn Muldane for pushing him.

 

He glanced down at the clone, who was lying in bed next to him, his head on Hollis' stomach. Nuit had one arm curled across his waist, and his legs were tucked under the sheet covering them both from the waist down. Hollis knew Nuit had chosen the position carefully, making sure he wasn't interfering with Hollis' reading, but still cuddled close to his master. Considering how many documents Hollis had to read on a regular basis, this was a familiar scene. And it was a tableau Hollis didn't mind at all, enjoying it whenever Nuit showed his affection for him, which thankfully was often.

 

After leaving Muldane's a while earlier, the ride home had been quiet. Once the initial tension caused by his bombshell passed, they'd been fine while Matt was around, the issue obviously tabled for private discussion later. But once they were alone in the car, the uneasiness between them returned, both of them obviously thinking about it again.

 

Not ready to talk about it yet, Hollis had remained silent, and Nuit of course followed his lead. But once they had pulled up to the house, Hollis turned to the clone. Feeling that he at least should tell him something, Hollis said, “Give me some time to think. We'll talk in a while, Nuit. Okay?”

 

Predictably, Nuit had acquiesced and Hollis had let out a sigh of relief, appreciating the reprieve. He would talk about it, but he wanted time to choose his words carefully.

 

Glancing at the clock, Hollis noted that they'd been home almost an hour now. He obviously wasn't going to get any work done until they settled this, and he'd had enough time now to think, so he dropped his pocket-comm onto the mattress beside him. He reached for Nuit, one hand brushing through his silver hair while the other stroked his back. Nuit leaned into the hand petting his hair, which made Hollis smile, a warm feeling coursing through him.

 

Hooking his arm around Nuit, he gently pulled the slave closer, until his head was lying on Hollis' shoulder. “I'm ready to talk. Are you? Or do you need some more time?” he asked the clone.

 

“Master,” Nuit answered, and Hollis could hear a familiar tinge of amusement in his voice - so faint it had taken months with Nuit to recognize it - as he continued, “I won't know what to say until I hear what you have to say. So I'm ready if you are.”

 

A short, abrupt laugh slipped out of Hollis. “I see your point.” He had to explain what he'd meant exactly, or how much he'd even meant it, before getting Nuit's opinion. Always careful, Nuit wouldn't want to express his opinion before hearing the full story.

 

Looking back on their relationship, Hollis knew that their discussion some months back, the night he'd proven to Nuit that he’d never physically punish him, had helped them a lot. Nuit wasn't scared to talk to him anymore, or to ask him things. Of course he was still polite and respectful - Hollis didn't think those formal manners would ever disappear permanently, but Nuit had lowered his guard more and more over time.

 

Almost a year ago, as they became more comfortable with each other, he'd told Nuit that he could use his name in private if he wanted to, that he only had to call him 'master' in public.

 

A light sparkling in those dark eyes, Nuit had replied shyly, “But I want to. With you it's different. I never meant it when I said it to anyone else the way I do for you.” Hugging Hollis, hiding his face against his shoulder, Nuit had whispered, “I am yours, master.”

 

Touched, and a primitive part of him deeply pleased, Hollis hadn't mentioned it again.

 

Sighing now, Hollis focused his thoughts. Rubbing Nuit's arm absently, he said, “I don't want you to feel trapped. If you want more than. . . this, then tell me. And I don't just mean today. If something changes and you feel differently sometime in the future, the offer will still be open.”

 

“I don't understand what you're offering, master,” Nuit told him, when the lengthy pause made it obvious Hollis was waiting for his response.

 

“Freedom, Nuit, like I mentioned at Muldane's. If you want it,” Hollis replied, surprised he had to spell it out even as he was reluctant to do so. “I’m sorry it just came out like that while I was arguing with Muldane. I’d thought about it some, but I wanted to talk to you in private about it.”

 

“You’ve really been thinking about it for a while, master?” Nuit asked curiously.

 

“Yes,” the Monlean told him honestly. He felt himself tensing as he asked, “So do you want me to free you? Today or someday?”

 

Nuit sat up, and Hollis looked up to meet his troubled eyes. The clone gazed down at him for a moment and then turned his head to the side, staring blankly out the darkened window. His gut clenching as he wondered what Nuit's answer would be, Hollis forced himself to be patient and gave him time to think.

 

Finally, Nuit met his eyes again, and his voice was soft but firm. “I don't know what I would do with freedom. Where would I go? I want to stay here with you, Hollis.”

 

The rare use of his name added weight to the statement, and convinced Hollis that Nuit was speaking the truth.

 

But his words had made Hollis realize something else, and his hand reached out to cover the clone's. "Nuit, I'm sorry I didn't make this clearer. I'm not asking you to choose one or the other. You can be free and still stay with me, if that's what you want. You can have both. We'd just... adjust some things."

 

Brows creasing, the clone gazed at him uncertainly. After mulling it over, Nuit said at last, “I like things the way they are, master.” He paused hesitantly before adding, “Maybe someday I’ll feel differently, or you will. But for now, I want to be yours.”

 

Sitting up to face him, the Monlean exhaled with relief. Placing a hand on Nuit's shoulder he murmured, “My boy.” Smiling gently at Nuit he continued, “I just want you to know you have the choice. And I like giving you the choice.” Sighing, he told him, “It feels better to know you want to be here, that you aren't here just because I brought you home.”

 

Mouth curving up a bit, Nuit replied, “Well you did bring me home, master.”

 

Hollis chuckled briefly. “True, I did.” Sobering he asked, “But you understand what I mean though, right?”

 

Nuit nodded. “You like me choosing to stay with you.” Smiling one of his rare full smiles, Nuit added, “You're not like anyone else I've ever met, master. I'm a slave. Who else would insist I have a choice?”

 

Even as he felt a pang for all the slaves out there leading miserable lives, Hollis couldn’t help grinning back at his sweet boy. “Glad I stand out.” Lifting his other hand to twine his fingers in Nuit's hair, he pulled the clone in for a kiss.

 

*                                  *                                  *

 

Nuit returned the kiss eagerly, still moved by his master's offer. He opened his mouth to him, letting Hollis' tongue collide with his own. His pulse sped with excitement, Hollis' lips and hands knowingly touching him in just the right ways. Needing to give back, he returned the favor, drawing a harsh groan out of his master.

 

He wanted to stay close to Hollis forever, to bask in his goodness and generosity. How had he been so fortunate? He thought of Min, chafing under Muldane's restrictions, and he thought of his former masters, who had alternately neglected and abused him. And then he thought of Hollis, who gave pleasure back in equal measure, never abused him, and actually cared about his feelings. Yes, he was so happy he had Hollis.

 

His master pulled away then, even though his body language told Nuit he'd done it only reluctantly. His eyes dark with lust, he flashed Nuit a wry grin. “As much as we're both enjoying this, I want to make sure this is settled first.”

 

Trying to steady his breathing, Nuit huffed out, “Okay.”

 

Hollis brushed Nuit’s bangs away from his face affectionately. “Even if you want to stay, and you don't want freedom, if there are other things you want, just tell me. I don't want you to feel like your life is empty, Nuit.”

 

“Empty? But I have you, master,” Nuit protested. How could Hollis think his life was empty?

 

“Hm, that’s the wrong word. I mean besides me, Nuit. There must be something you want that’s just for you,” Hollis insisted, his gaze intense. “Anything?”

 

“Anything?” Nuit asked, feeling incredulous. Even coming from Hollis, there had to be a catch somewhere, right?

 

A playful scowl from his master. “Well, not anything. But like I’ve told you before, if you're unhappy about something, or want something, talk to me about it and we'll see. I don't want to be like Muldane, who never had any idea what was going on with Min.”

 

Nuit smiled at him, shaking his head. “You aren't like him at all, master.”

 

“Good to hear,” Hollis replied, pleasure clear in his tone.

 

No, his master definitely wasn’t like Muldane. He loved that Hollis instinctively knew he needed repeated reassurances that it was okay to ask for things, or say if something made him unhappy. It was the direct opposite of what his training had taught him, so it was still hard to believe sometimes.

 

And yet after a year of being with Hollis and learning the kind of man he was, the man’s offer tonight had shocked him. Even before meeting Hollis, he wouldn’t have known what to do if offered freedom. Slavery was what he’d been created and trained for; although there might be a part of him that yearned for something more, he didn’t know how to be anything else but a slave. And with Hollis, he’d finally found something more, and he was content to leave things as they were. What if Hollis freed him and it changed things between them? He liked what they had too much to risk losing it. So he’d left the door open for someday, but told him no for today.

 

A temporary silence fell, before his master spoke again. “So is there something you'd like? Something that would make you happy?”

 

Frowning, Nuit thought it over. He was about to say he was fine, until his gaze drifted over to the PC still lying on the bed. He wanted to stay with Hollis, yes, but there were things he was curious about. Normally he would never have dared to ask, but it seemed acceptable now considering the huge, scary thing Hollis had already offered him tonight.

 

Lifting his eyes to meet his master's, he asked tentatively, “Can you teach me to read, Hollis?”

 

His master stared at him for a long moment, looking surprised. Then strong, warm arms were enveloping him, and Hollis murmured softly into his ear, “Of course I will. I feel like a fool. I'm sorry I didn't think of it a long time ago.”

 

Closing his eyes, Nuit nipped Hollis’ neck and then said contentedly, “I'm not, master. I'm glad you gave me the chance to ask.”

Comments

[flighty-dreams.livejournal.com]

Aww, I know. These two love each other (not that they've admitted it aloud) but I don't think Nuit fully understands what Hollis is offering him. And at this point he's just not ready for it. Will he understand it one day and accept it? *grins mysteriously* Who knows? But there's no fun in confirming it one way or the other. ;)

Thanks for commenting. :D