"Finding ways around the rules the program sets out," he answers, finding the dropoff where bone stops and it's only muscle protecting Jesus's body from the outside world. He doesn't say it like it's a bad thing, just something he's noticed.
"Finding loopholes to defy the Dominants and the guards."
"Some of their rules make sense." And he obeys them. He pays for his coffee, he goes to work.
"But there's no reason you and I shouldn't be allowed to stay together if we want. We obey all their other rules. We even have sex sometimes. I'm better in a lot of ways when I'm with you."
In the dark he smiles, though, the mischief maybe lost between them. Or maybe not. How well can K see? "But yeah. I don't mind finding ways to make our lives easier even if it bothers them."
He can see it. Even if he couldn't, he'd be able to hear it. For a moment he just soaks that in, tries to let it salve the hurt wrapped around his heart like barbed wire.
"I don't know how much easier it makes things for us," he hedges, because he knows how missing quota has gone, how housing violations might go, how tonight might end if Denis comes in before he has been the other two nights, "But you do make my life better. I prefer that."
"If you ever don't want to take the risk, we won't." Nothing they can do to him here compares to the horrors of home. He doesn't want to be forced. He doesn't want any of the things they can and will do to him to make him comply. But the punishments aren't like what he's come to expect.
He doesn't have the right to decide what K risks, though.
no subject
Date: 2022-11-06 05:46 am (UTC)"Finding loopholes to defy the Dominants and the guards."
no subject
Date: 2022-11-06 05:48 am (UTC)"But there's no reason you and I shouldn't be allowed to stay together if we want. We obey all their other rules. We even have sex sometimes. I'm better in a lot of ways when I'm with you."
In the dark he smiles, though, the mischief maybe lost between them. Or maybe not. How well can K see? "But yeah. I don't mind finding ways to make our lives easier even if it bothers them."
no subject
Date: 2022-11-06 05:52 am (UTC)"I don't know how much easier it makes things for us," he hedges, because he knows how missing quota has gone, how housing violations might go, how tonight might end if Denis comes in before he has been the other two nights, "But you do make my life better. I prefer that."
no subject
Date: 2022-11-06 05:55 am (UTC)He doesn't have the right to decide what K risks, though.