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Charm was easy to fake. Everything was. And the more Brandon used this fakeness to gain whatever he wanted from whoever he wanted, the more he convinced himself that he was simply charming. At least, charm was one part of it. The other side was that he was surrounded by utter morons. Brandon had always viewed everyone on a hierarchy in comparison to himself of course. And you were either below him or above him. In truth no one should be above him, and if they were– Brandon’s mission in life would be to destroy them. Tear them down into their proper place underneath him. It wasn’t anything personal, in a way. It was more…Brandon was just naturally the smartest person in any room he walked into. That wasn’t his fault. It was the fault of those all around him who simply didn’t try hard enough. Or they just let anyone be born stupid these days. Brandon wouldn’t have been surprised.
There were two notable asterisk's to Brandon’s view of the world. The first one was Rupert. Brandon had never burned for another person like he did for Rupert. And it was so odd how much that man was able to effortlessly pull Brandon into his words. He spoke with such conviction, such passion, that Brandon might be inclined to think Rupert could rule the world if he wasn’t so…fastidious. And besides, he only liked to speak in the hypothetical. If Brandon had his way, he’d make it all real. For him. Another oddity; wishing to do something for someone else. Something not immediately beneficial to his own self-interests. Although at this point they weren’t simply Rupert’s thoughts anymore. Brandon would believe in Rupert’s philosophy as easily as any simpleton might believe in god. It almost made Brandon foam at the mouth, the idea of it all. The superior few… and the rest of the inferiors below.
But that led to the other exception to his rules. Brandon knew where Phillip Morgan lied. He lied below him, in any way Brandon would ask of him. That had been the first tell. It was written all over his face from the very first moment they’d made introductions. The way his eyes flickered to and from Brandon’s, unable to commit one way or the other, as if Brandon was staring right through him and all of his little defenses. Well, they weren’t very well-built in the first place if Brandon could make them crumble so easily. All it would take is one finger. And a very specific question.
One finger under Phillip’s chin, guiding him up to meet Brandon’s gaze while he uttered plainly, “you’d like to suck my cock, wouldn’t you, Phillip?”
Phillip’s mouth opening and closing, never able to give an answer when flustered like this. But they were alone, and that moment had given him the tiniest bit of confidence. Almost enough for Brandon to think that perhaps Phillip had some bite to his bark. But in the end he couldn’t speak, instead answering by nodding slowly as his face grew rosy in hue. Brandon’s smirk had widened at the confirmation. He’d gotten a few favours from his fellow boys, but this one was different. This one was like putty in his hands, and he seemed to like it that way. Brandon liked it as well. He’d always been partial to dogs.
So now he had a dog who’d lap him up whenever Brandon wanted. A dog who’d follow him around with sad, pouty eyes, and a little yelp when he was startled. It was like owning a pitbull and a chihuahua all in one, but Brandon could tell that no matter what, his dog wanted him more than anyone had ever before. And his dog could get very jealous. Because Brandon preferred men to dogs. And Rupert was all man.
Prep school was an odd time to be Brandon Shaw. Because he felt like he was king of the world, and yet his world was so small. He needed to think bigger. Beating up the others to get his way when the charm failed wasn’t working. And several boys were getting on his nerves. David and Kenneth seemed to believe that just because they all lived in the same dorms that somehow translated into Brandon wishing to be their friend and speak to them. They would tease Brandon for his odd affection for Phillip. Brandon wouldn’t call it affection per say, more keeping him in his place as he teased more. But to outsiders he supposed that looked like Brandon letting Phillip exist alongside him more than a boy in his grade might usually do. They just didn’t understand Phillip like Brandon did. No one could truly understand exactly how Phillip’s mind operated except for the one who had been programming it for months. Phillip was a regular Frankenstein’s monster to Brandon’s mad scientist experimentation. And Phillip wouldn’t have it any other way, so Brandon wouldn’t either.
That stint he did dating Janet really shook Brandon upon reflection. Why he ever thought he would ever be able to convincingly feign an attraction to women, he might never truly understand. But it was what was expected of him. And he had to hide the fact that his dog was getting jealous of the housemaster moving in on his precious Brandon. Janet was the cover for one at least, but never both. Brandon was always very good at multitasking. But Janet should have figured it out much sooner when Brandon refused nearly every attempt to kiss her or touch her. Women just…disgusted him. Men held hard lines, power, and they were usually closer to him on a formal ranking. Women by default were just below him, some men might rise to the occasion, but Janet Walker surely would never.
So many considerations, so many choices, so much to do. But it would all come together. It would all work. Brandon was going to make sure of it. He’d been planning it for months. Years even.
“Brandon?” Phillip said, pulling Brandon from his musing and reminiscing. “Are you coming to bed?”
A smile tracing up his face as he glanced over his shoulder to his loyal dog. “Yes. And when I arrive, you’d better be ready for me.” A wink as Phillip’s mouth twitched in response to the flirting.
It always made Brandon laugh when Phillip would go red with embarrassment from his teasing. But what else would you expect when they lived together? There was nothing stopping Brandon from taking and using Phillip in every way he wanted. Well, nothing had ever stopped him before, but here he got to do it in the comfort of his own home. That almost made it more satisfying.
Phillip scurried off to the bedroom as Brandon gave one last glance around, his eyes landing on the cassone he got in Italy recently. It would do just perfectly. Everything would go perfectly. Now to end his night perfectly, Brandon began to walk out of the living room, pulling his tie free as he wrapped it around his hands and yanked it taut. Brandon loved making his dog whine and beg for him.