Caged (rewriting) (boyxboy)

Chapter Five

A/N this story gets updated more than any other one because of all the awesome positive feedback I get from you guys, many kisses to all of you 🐣 the koala up top is basically just Jase's spirit animal. Cuddly and sleepy. I like koalas. I like Jase. Nuff said.
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Dominick's POV
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"And his stitches?" I asked, while Cortez watched Jase resting against me with the smile of a man who looks at you as a child still. Cortez has been my doctor since I was young and my parents passed away. He's like a professional father to me.
"The stitches will dissolve on their own. I don't recommend sitting or lying on them though, the extra pressure won't help anything. And definitely no corporal punishment there for a long while. You have to be one hundred percent sure that he is completely healed before any of that takes place."
I nodded, understanding, then bite down on my lip as one of the stronger concerns I had pushed to the front of my mind.
"And his.. his mental state isn't very good. I'm worried that he won't heal," I whisper, hating admitting to my concerns. I feel like a bad Dom to show such vulnerability. But the truth is I'm scared he won't get better, that he's already too far gone for me to help him.
"Dominick," Cortez sighs, and I glance at him nervously. "He will heal. You haven't met others escaped from the Market. I know two, Marcus and Allison. I'll send them over, you can talk to them, and Jase can too. See for yourself that they can get better."
I nod slowly, thanking him with my eyes.
"When can I meet them?" I ask, and Cortez smiles gently.
"I can call them today and have them come over as soon as possible. When would you like them?"
I deliberate for a second and sigh, looking down at Jase with a pang in my heart.
"Tomorrow morning, if at all possible?" I ask, and Cortez nods.
"I'll ask, and when I get an answer I'll call you. Now, rest. You look as exhausted as him." He said, and I nodded, pressing the intercom button next to my bed and telling Maia to escort the doctor out. They leave and I curl around my pet, stroking his hair and rubbing his back, hoping he'll stay peacefully resting.
Naturally, as soon as I think it he starts to stiffen in my arms. I immediately shake him enough that his eyes flutter open, and he has tears in them.
"You looked like you were having a nightmare," I explained. "What's wrong?"
He didn't answer me, just buried his face into the comfort of my jacket, and I was elated at his disregard of my question, whether he was entirely awake or not. Moderate, half-conscious defiance was better than total, terrified submission. So I wrapped my arms back around him and let him sleep.
**
The next morning I woke up to my phone ringing.
"Blair," I answered, my voice rough with sleep, and as I stretched over Jase to pick up my phone he woke up and stared at me with wide, innocent eyes. Gently trying to soothe him back to sleep, I rub circles into his back and hug him to my chest. He relaxes again, and I feel his lips press against my chest where the too-big shirt had slipped down a bit. I grin and let my own lips linger against his blonde hair, glad he's being more forward.
"Hello Dominick, it's Dr. Cortez. I just wanted to let you know that Marcus and Allison will be by around eleven. It's nine now."
"Alright, and thank you again for this."
"Of course. I hope it helps." He hung up and I sat the phone on the nightstand, turning to see Jase watching me again with those wide eyes.
"Gotta get up and ready, love," I murmur, and he nods slowly, looking confused.
"Do we..." He blushed hard. "Do we have to off?" He asked, looking longingly at the bed. I immediately shook my head; if he was going to actually going to request something from me instead of never opening up, I wasn't going to discourage him.
"Relax. You can lie here a while longer, while I take a shower and get ready."
His eyes blew open wide and I could hear his breathing pick up, but he seemed to force himself to nod.
"Yessir," he whispered, trembling slightly, and I lean in closer to him.
"Jase," I say, tugging him into my lap and pressing his head to my chest, stroking his hair softly. "If you're uncomfortable with something, tell me. That's an order, and failure to act on it will result in punishment."
He hesitated, toying with a string on the pants he loved so much and still tucked under my chin, my arms around his painfully small form. I had no doubt that if I constricted my arms around him I could break bones; he was so ridiculously delicate, so fragile after years of malnutrition and abuse. The thought made me take a deep breath in an effort to stay calm.
"Don't like leaving," he finally whispered, shuddering, and I smiled softly and net my head down so I could murmur into his hair.
"I will never leave you. If you want to come with me, you are more than welcome to do so. If you want to stay on the bed, you can do that too."
He curled into my arms and I almost didn't catch what he said.
"Come with," he whispered, and I grinned and nodded.
"Well than let's go. We have guests coming over that I want to talk to you about."
Jase froze but stiffly unfolded himself and waited for me to get up before standing himself, following me into the bathroom nervously.
I shut the door and turned on the water for a shower, watching carefully as he flinched away from it but stared. I want to see if he can do the shower; he won't be submerged at any time, he would just be standing under it with me. The thought should have been provocative, but I'm still so worried about him. I don't want to do anything until I'm totally sure he trusts me and I can trust him to speak up and be honest with me.
I lean against the sink counter and find him staring at me with that look in his eye again. I don't know what it is, but I've noticed it.
"Shower with me," I murmur, and he blinks once, then his hands hesitantly reach for the hem of his shirt. I step forward and pull his wrists away, smiling widely when he looks at me questioningly.
"Allow me," I breathe in his ear, turning him so his back is against my chest and sliding my hands under his shirt, trailing my fingers over the skin there that should've been soft but was crossed with scars and callouses.
Slowly pulling the shirt off him, I press kisses to his bruised shoulder as lightly as possible. He shudders and leans back against me as I let the sweatpants pool around his ankles and help him step out of them. He turns to face me, nuzzling his head underneath my chin and I smile, holding him to me.
"You're safe now darling," I whisper, and I realize with a shock that he's crying. "What's wrong, pet?"
"I... you... I am thank you," he struggles with the speech, and I wait while he tries to formulate the phrases. "I am scared." His voice dropped to a breathy whisper. "Scared to lose."
"Lose?" I ask, and he nods. "Lose what?"
"Scared to lose all," he whimpers softly and I understand this time.
"You won't," I say, and then stand, reaching in the shower to make sure the water isn't too hot for him. It's fine. I strip quickly and then look at him over my shoulder. He's staring at me. I should be pleased, but all I can focus on is how pale he is, and how I can see his ribs clearly.
"Come on," I hold my hand out and help him into the shower, feeling him jump at the feeling of the water. I chuckle and stand under the water, pulling him there with me. He's stuff and jumpy, but not as frozen as in the bath.
"It's just like rain, pet," I say, and he looks at me in confusion.
"Rain?" He asks, and I remember that he's probably been outside very, very little in his life.
"Nothing," I mutter, reaching for shampoo and squeezing it onto my palm. I carefully turn him to face me and then rub it into his hair, massaging his scalp. His head falls back and his lips part, pushing into my hands. I love that feeling, that nudge when he wants me to keep going. I wash the rest of his body carefully, and he winces when I run the soap over his bruises. Every time this happens I kiss his temple gently in apology, carefully brushing my lips against the skin there.

"Quiet darling," I whisper when he whimpers at the soap touching a particularly sensitive spot. "That's it."
By the time we were both clean, Jase had warmed up to the shower, holding his hands out under the stream and letting it touch his face.

"So you like the shower?" I ask him as I pull down two big white towels. He nods sheepishly and then gasps as the towel comes in contact with his skin, curling it more tightly around him, sighing contentedly. I mentally note that he likes towels.

"Come on pet, time to get dressed." I pull him along with me into the room gently, and he looks around the room again in awe, eyes lingering on the bed. His eyes water and I frown in concern, motioning for him but he just drops to his knees in a kneeling position, head bent.
"Jase?" I ask, and when he speaks his voice is shaky and timid like always, but there's conviction there too.
"Thank you, sir. So lots. For getting me and keeping me," he whispered, and I smile and tug him to his feet- he weighs hardly anything, unhealthily light.
"Are you ready for the meeting?" I hand him a new pair of sweatpants and a large jumper, as he nods. The jumper pushes his hair all over and I grin when his face pops out, slipping ink my own clothes.
"Come on babe," I murmur. "Breakfast is downstairs and they should be here soon."
Just as I lead him out of the room, the doorbell rings and if I'm being honest my stomach lurches and I have to steel myself before coming down the stairs.