I am frazzled. Graduation is now closer to m id-month and I’m not used to that. I had way less time to get prepared for my work conference in a few days. That said I probably won’t be here next saturday because I’ll probably be up to my eyeballs in convention.

Continuing on with Behind Blue Eyes. It’s the next day and Aneirin has to face the fact he wasn’t drunk and imagining his gift.

By the time he got to the shuttle and programmed the flight plan to auto-pilot them back to his section of the orbital colony, Rioke had brought Kaleo to the shuttle bay. The young man had obviously not slept well. He was still in the finery from the night before but his painted-up eyes were rimmed red and puffy. The spiky hair-do had wilted. Aneirin could almost feel Kaleo’s fear from here.

“Get in,” Rioke ordered, propelling Kaleo along with a nudge. “He has no baggage, Doctor Shyroth.”

Aneirin frowned.  Of course he didn’t.  Was he supposed to leave the boy mostly naked? The answer to that was probably a big yes. He’d have to have Grimoald get Kaleo’s measurements so they could buy his new Toy clothing. “Thank you, Rioke,” he replied, hoping the bitterness didn’t shine through.

The Rainbow Snippet group can be found on Facebook. It’s a fun low-pressure snippet sharing group for LGBTQ+ fiction. Come join us. https://www.facebook.com/groups/RainbowSnippets

I am so late and it’s 100% down to how much work I have on my plate. I feel bad about the gaps in taking part but there isn’t much I can do about that. So let me get right into it Picking up with Behind Blue Eyes.

It’s now the day after Aneirin gets his gift and he isn’t any happier about it.

He held up a hand. “It’s done, Pherick. I’ll figure something out. But for now, I’m going home. I’ve called ahead. Grimoald is preparing a space for Kaleo. I’ll be in my orbital condo for the next few days anyhow. It’ll give me time to figure out what to do before going home.”

“You do know they’ll recondition him if you send him back,” Masozi said, reaching for a drink.  His eyes gleamed as if he enjoyed the idea. “They’ll assume he’s defective and has to be retrained.”

Aneirin hadn’t known per se but assumed, given Kaleo’s reaction last night, it would be bad.  He wouldn’t take that step until he learned more about what reconditioning meant. “Yes. Thank you very much, Masozi. I’d better get going. The faster I get him situated and look into this, the better.”

The Rainbow Snippet group can be found on Facebook. It’s a fun low-pressure snippet sharing group for LGBTQ+ fiction. Come join us. https://www.facebook.com/groups/RainbowSnippets

It had been INSANE. I haven’t had a free weekend in a month and won’t until July. That said it’s all been fun stuff so I can’t complain but it’s making keeping up with this snippeting thing (and house work) hard.

Last weekend was the Ohioana book festival. Absolutely loved it. I went as a reader not an author (as everything long I have is current OOP)

Let me wrap up poor Aneirin’s birthday with this snippet. He was gifted what amounts to a sex slave by a clueless friend and an acquaintance who doesn’t think twice about the ethics or cruelty of it.

Aneirin sat down next to Mireio and reached for his glass of Supernova.

“Fill this back up, please. I need it.”

“Sorry Aneirin, it really seemed like the thing to help you relax,” Pherick said, his eyes red.

“I know you meant well, but you’ve dropped me into a sun here.” Aneirin sighed. Pherick started to protest, but Aneirin held up his hand. “I’ll deal with it tomorrow.” He took a deep drink of the Supernova, but it didn’t erase the reality of this gift. It didn’t even ease the guilt he felt over the fact that, in spite of his repulsion to the idea of a Toy, he had to admit Pherick couldn’t have picked a more perfect physical match for him. This birthday kept getting worse.

The Rainbow Snippet group can be found on Facebook. It’s a fun low-pressure snippet sharing group for LGBTQ+ fiction. Come join us. https://www.facebook.com/groups/RainbowSnippets

I missed last week because I was both ill and away at Rathacon. At least I had fun with my friends. This weekend brings Easter, Passover and Ramadan. If you celebrate, I hope you have a nice holiday.

I’m continuing with Behind Blue Eyes and we’ve met Aneirin’s gift who, to his horror, is basically an indentured sex worker who has been branded to make him Aneirin’s. (warning contains dark themes)

“It’s my House symbol,” Aneirin shook his head. “I don’t…damn it. I don’t want this.” Pherick looked crushed but Aneirin couldn’t worry about that.

“You’re sending me back?” Kaleo rasped, dragging Aneirin’s attention back to him. The young man trembled. Aneirin didn’t know exactly what happened in a Toy’s training, but obviously Kaleo feared it more than being given to a complete stranger with the knowledge he was there purely for his master’s entertainment. “No, not until I know exactly what that means. I’ve been given the responsibility for you.” Aneirin sighed.

The Rainbow Snippet group can be found on Facebook. It’s a fun low-pressure snippet sharing group for LGBTQ+ fiction. Come join us. https://www.facebook.com/groups/RainbowSnippets



I got behind again. Spring break was not break-like. Spent part of it in the emergency room with Mom (she’s fine now) and the rest of it helping her out. The weather in Ohio has been lashing rain and wind, certainly not as dangerous and bad as parts of the country but enough to take out my phone/internet/power at various points.

I’m picking back up with the Sci-fi wip, Behind Blue Eyes. We’ve gotten a good look at Aneirin’s utterly inappropriate and ethically horrifying birthday present.

trigger warning: branding and using people as commodities

“Tell him your name, Toy,” Masozi snapped. “Unless Aneirin plans on just calling you, toy. It’s what I do. It’s not really important you have a name.”

“It’s important to me,” Aneirin didn’t even look back at Masozi. He and Pherick were going to have a long conversation about all of this that Masozi would have no part of. “Please.”

The Mishani eyes softened a bit. “Kaleo.”

“Well, Kaleo, I really don’t know what to do with you.”

“I’m yours.” The young man ruffled the hem of that ridiculous piece of cloth and a different scar on his hip caught Aneirin’s eye. Aneirin brushed the cloth back, revealing the Toy’s cheek.

Aneirin spun around to face his idiot friends, his heart thundered. “They branded him!”

Masozi shrugged even as Pherick’s face paled. “That’s part of the top package so everyone knows who he belongs to.”

The Rainbow Snippet group can be found on Facebook. It’s a fun low-pressure snippet sharing group for LGBTQ+ fiction. Come join us. https://www.facebook.com/groups/RainbowSnippets