It’s been a while hasn’t it? I have been…unwell. I’m chronically ill and I’m used to that. However, these are all new problems: trigeminal neurology, anemia so severe they’re planning a transfusion for me, massive herniation (from the small one in my midline I’ve had for years). It’s wearing on me but I’m trying to get back on my feet. My engagement on the snippets has been low too so I took a break. Maybe that’ll help.

I’m picking up where I left off with my SF thing. Kaleo was meeting Aneurin’s brother Rhisart and is left at lose ends afterward. Content Warning: human trafficking, mentions of nonconseual sex.

Kaleo didn’t know what was wrong, but he knew he wanted the solitude of his bedroom for the moment. He locked the door, content Shyroth was busy with his brother and Grimoald would probably not seek him out unless told to. Flopping on the bed, he took a few deep breaths in. He should have been enjoying the time free of forced sex. Well, enjoying it as much as he could with the whole uncertainty of his future hanging over his head. The best he could hope for was to be Shyroth’s plaything.

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

My research presentation is in less than 2 days. Maybe after that I will get back into this better. Until then have more of the space opera. This time the brothers discuss Kaleo’s fate

Aneirin huffed, staring at his empty glass. “I need more alcohol to get through this day.”

His brother fussed with the fastener of his long blond braid. He wore his hair in the current popular style for Merchanters and anyone emulating them. Long hair got in Aneirin’s way at work so he cut his hair unfashionably short. “You’re going to keep him then. Seriously?”

Aneirin nodded. “Unfortunately, it’s the right thing to do.” That, at least, he knew for certain. He couldn’t knowingly abandon someone to a terrible fate.

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’m falling behind in all of this. I’m still dealing with the trigeminal neuralgia (to the point I was in the hospital for hours), my uncle died last weekend and I’m slammed with my sabbatical research presentation (it’s in a week) and then went with the family on a trip that went better than I imagined it would.

So I’m getting back into Kaleo’s story. He’s still in the middle of meeting Aneirin’s brother and they just learned he is not a sex worker by choice.

Kaleo stared at him, his eyes hardening. “No one is this nice.”

“Oh, he is that nice.” Rhisart reached over and shoved Aneirin. “Don’t worry, my brother isn’t perfect. If you let him get back into his office, you might not see him for days, and you’ll be rambling around here by yourself…well, I suppose Grimoald is almost always here.”

Kaleo wrinkled his nose. “I don’t think he likes me being here.”

Aneirin waved him off. “It’s his job to make sure my life runs smoothly and he takes that seriously.”

“In other words you’re the asteroid belt in the middle of an otherwise smooth flight plan.” Rhisart smirked.

So I’m having some issues with trigeminal neuralgia. It’s like having the left side of my face on fire and all those teeth aching. So I’m just going to launch back into my sf thing where I left off two weeks ago (because last week was even worse with the face pain than today)

Aneirin, Kaleo and Aneirin’s brother Rhisart are still talking and some hard truths are about to drop. CW – discussion of kidnapping and human trafficking

“If I had a clue, this would be a lot easier. I don’t even know all the regulations and rules about owning a Toy. I’m not sure I can put him to work doing something,” Aneirin replied as Grimoald came in with refills for their drinks.

“If it helps, they told me when I signed up to trade work for release from the slums, I’d be a gardener or someone like him.” Kaleo jerked a thumb at Grimoald.

“You have to go to school to learn everything required to be a majordomo,” Grimoald replied, glaring blaster fire at Kaleo.

Unfazed, the young man shrugged. “What do I know? I’m just saying what I was told.”

“Wait? You didn’t sign on to be a Toy?” Rhisart’s eyes widened.

“Who would? Do you have any idea what they do to us in that training center?” Kaleo growled, and Grimoald took a step back, nearly dropping his drinks pitcher.

“Not really, no,” Rhisart replied. “And seriously? You don’t ask to be a Toy? Then how did you end up here.”

“They lied. To all of us. They promised one thing and when I woke up, I was in the Toyhouse with this fucking thing screwed into my flesh.” Kaleo slapped a hand over the pain inducer hidden by his shirt. “I don’t know if we all ended up there or how we were chosen. Don’t know what they did with the others. Spaced them, maybe. Slaving away somewhere?”

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’m exhausted. First I had to have the landlord out here because the seal on the toilet broke. They were coming back later in the week. The next day a pipe broke under the apartments and it took 48 hours to cap off. And now the creek is under the apartment because it’s been raining so much. It’s not helping the creativity.

But I’m still continuing on the SF wip. Kaleo is meeting Aneirin’s brother Rhisart.

Kaleo huffed, a little too satisfied by Rhisart’s answer for Aneirin’s comfort. “If you’re asking what I’d like from your brother, I’d like for him to find me something I could do and let me stay in his home. I’d be lying if I said I’d ever lived anywhere better. I’m not dumb. I know a good thing when I see it. Even if I had to be a Toy to stay, I know I could have had worse but like I said, I don’t know him well yet. I might regret saying that.” He shot another look Aneirin’s way as if judging him secretly violent.

“I don’t know exactly what he gets up to in the bed room, but I’m fairly sure my brother isn’t a sadist.” Rhisart pulled a long face then reached for his drink. Aneirin wished the drinks were stronger.

“Guess I’ll eventually see.” Kaleo shrugged. Aneirin didn’t know what he could say to convince the young man he wasn’t going to be forced into sex. “I don’t know what he’s going to do with me, but he can’t just let me sit around watching his holos all day and eating his food. It’s not like I’m a dog or something that’s gonna die in a few years. I don’t know what happens to Toys when their masters get bored.” He hunched his shoulders, his face pinching. “I don’t want to know.”

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