“I’m lucky to be here,” Five said. “Out of all my houder’s servants, he chose me for this training. It means I won’t be in the dormitories when I go home – I’ll have a little room of my own.” Alex glanced at him. “I can see you’re wondering why my houder picked me for such expensive training.” Five grimaced. “I know I’m not very good at ironing, but I can cook, you see. Quite well.” Five went red from embarrassment. “That’s what swung it for me.”
“I feel sure I know him,” Three said, frowning as he pointed to Charles. The photo was grainy, and Charles had suffered particularly from the ripping-up process, otherwise Alex was sure they’d have recognised him; Charles’s level of fame would have reached even the lowliest IS.
“I don’t think so.” Alex pocketed the photo quickly.
“Wow! This lady is so pretty,” Five exclaimed as they finished piecing together Solange’s picture.
“Yes, she was.” Alex folded the photo and put it away. The men shared a glance, but nobody said anything.
“And who is this?” Two asked with an appreciative whistle as they finished Joe’s photo. “He’s quite the hunk.”
Alex smiled as he looked at it. “Yes, he is,” was all he said as he put it in his pocket with the rest.
They finished just in time as F entered the rec room to escort them back to the dormitory.
“Well done, One.” F grinned as he announced the results of the day’s work later that evening. “You’ve avoided the cage tonight. You must be looking forward to a night in your own bed.”
“Yes, F,” Alex said meekly, because now was not a good time to get into another pitched battle with him.
“Five’s in the cage tonight, and, because I’m in a good mood, he can take a pillow and blanket in there,” F announced. “And you know what? Because I’m feeling extra kind, you can have your mattress, too, Five.” He stripped the thin mattress off Five’s bed, doubled it up, and shoved it into the cage. It looked positively cosy in there as Five crawled inside and made himself comfortable. “And, because I’m generous, here’s a piss pot for you, too.” F threw a pot into the cage, then closed the door and locked it. Straightening up, he looked around dramatically. “Y’know, I could do with a piss right now. Where would be a good place?”
“The bathroom is next door,” Two pointed out.
“Nah.” F paced around the room and stopped next to Alex. “I think here would be better.” He unzipped his fly and pissed all over Alex’s bed. The warm stink of it, and the splashing sound as it hit his bedding, filled Alex with hatred, but all he could do was stand by impotently while F pissed all over his mattress, blankets, and pillows.
When F was done, he zipped up and surveyed the room with a grin. “Sweet dreams, loser,” he said, patting Alex on the cheek on his way out.
Alex stood there, fists curled, surveying his ruined bedding. There was no way he could sleep in his bed tonight, so he was in an even worse position than Five.
“Come on – let’s get it out of here. It stinks. We can sort it out in the morning.” Two and Three helped Alex move the soiled bedding into the hallway, where they left it.
Then Alex looked around the room, wondering what to do. He could sleep on the floor, maybe, and use his clothes to provide warmth. If he rolled up a towel from the bathroom that could work as a pillow.
“Alex – come here.” Two climbed into his own bed, lifted the sheets, and beckoned him over. “It’ll be a little cramped but there’s enough room for us both, if you don’t mind sharing.”
Alex nodded numbly, walking over to Two’s bed and climbing in. He felt tears pricking the back of his eyes and wiped them away.
“Hey, what’s this?” Two asked softly. “You’ve taken all F’s other tantrums without crumbling, but this has upset you?”
“Not him pissing on the bed,” Alex muttered into the pillow. “I wouldn’t shed a tear over that.”
“Ah.” Two stroked his hair gently. “I feel the same way. It can be harder to bear someone’s kindness than their hate sometimes.”
“Yeah.”
“Would you mind if I…?” Two wrapped his arms lightly around Alex and held him gently as he surrendered to the tears. He felt safe with Two. Although, at this point, he would have traded sexual favours for kindness, he instinctively knew that Two would make no such demands, so he was able to relax. Two stroked his hair and whispered to him, and eventually the tears subsided.
“Sorry,” Alex whispered.
“Don’t apologise. You have every right to be upset.”
“Still glad you asked your houder to send you here?” Alex asked.
He felt Two tense up. “Well, it’s harsh, but I’m sure we’ve all known harsher,” he murmured, and Alex couldn’t argue with that. “The main thing is that we come out of the experience having learned something and improved ourselves.”
“What do you need to learn?” Alex turned to look at him. “Seriously – you can already iron better than B. What’s the point of you being here?”
“I have some skills,” Two explained. “Others are a little rusty and some non-existent. The entire course won’t be taken up with ironing. You heard Five earlier – he’s a good cook but a beginner at ironing. This course intends to make us all-rounders and thus of more use to our houders.”
