Chapter Text
It’s been a week since he decided to keep me.
The collar around my neck was heavy and rubbed my skin raw and even though I couldn’t see it, I could tell that a rash was forming.
My captor, Strade, kept me and one other “pet” named Ren. I tried my best to look out for him in hopes that he would do the same for me.
We mostly kept to ourselves until Strade came home. Every now and again he’d bring some poor soul with him and drag them down to the basement, and it was our job to clean up the mess afterwards.
It wasn’t long until I decided that I needed to make an escape attempt.
When I had my turn in the basement there was no way to get out, but now I had the whole place to sift through.
I slowly unreeled my plan to Ren by suggesting that we should tidy up the house next time Strade leaves, that way he’ll be in a good mood when he comes back. Ren was hesitant.
“He - he doesn’t like his things touched.” Ren said softly.
“Well… Okay.” I muttered. “Maybe… Hey, tell you what. If he gets angry, I’ll take all the blame. You don’t even have to worry about it.”
His ears perked up for a minute, but then immediately dropped back down. His tail slid between his legs.
“He might hurt you, or - or worse.” Ren whispered.
I sighed and looked around the musky living room. Anything would be better than this, even death.
“How about we start small?” I offered. “Sweeping? Dusting?”
He looked like he’d cry at any moment. I let out a frustrated sigh.
“Oh no, oh - please don’t get mad! I’m sorry, I’m sorry - I didn’t -”
I dismissed it with a gentle wave of the hand. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have rushed you. I’ll try tidying up the place myself, and then we can see how he reacts. If he throws a fit, I’ll take the beating. If he likes it, I’ll share the credit. Is that alright?”
He rubbed his hands together timidly. “I… I guess that would be okay.” He said.
I got to work immediately. I tried my hardest to avoid disturbing his things when I searched for the broom that I soon found in a dark closet, covered in cobwebs.
As I swept up the living room, I felt a tiny bit better about the situation. Just this touch of normalcy brought me back to the outside world. What my life was like before this. I closed my eyes and tried to bring myself back to that happy place doing the chores I once hated, but the strong scent of dust and metal served as a dire reminder of my situation. I ground my teeth and got back to work.
Strade came in when I was finishing up. I hadn’t realized how much time I’d spent sweeping, savoring the tiny chore that occupied my mind.
He didn’t have anyone with him. That meant he wasn’t going to be happy.
An intense grin on his face, he asked with a clenched jaw, “What do you think you’re doing?”
I took a deep breath and clutched the broom handle. “I - I hope you don’t mind. I thought you’d like it.” I hesitated as he stared me down, his expression impossible to read.
“I… I just wanted to make you happy…”
His eyes twitched upward a bit. It seemed as though he liked my response.
“If you really want to make me happy,” he said, “Ask permission first.”
With that, he walked off behind me and into the kitchen. Just as I let out a breath of relief, I felt a swift blow to the back of my knees.
I dropped to the ground and turned to face him, biting my tongue to avoid making any noise.
“Is there anything else you want?” he asked, stepping on my wrist. I squeaked and tried to wriggle away, but his muddy boot held fast.
He pressed down a little firmer, maniacal grin on his face. “Well?” he asked. “Is there?”
I shook my head vigorously. “No, no, I’m sorry, I won’t do it again!”
He grunted and eased off me a bit. “No, you’ll clean. You’ll make this place spotless.”
I nodded but said nothing. He seemed appeased and walked into the kitchen to grab a drink, then dismissed me. I walked into another room, rubbing my wrist gingerly.
Ren was cowering in the corner, trembling. I shut the door behind me and looked around our tiny room.
I’d scoured this closet-sized area at least once every day since my capture, but I figured that one more time wouldn’t hurt.
The gray cement walls were barren of any cracks or crevices, and the floor was the same. The tattered brown rug on the ground was paper-thin and scratchy. There was a ratty twin sized bed against the wall with holes chewed in the mattress and claw marks on the wooden posts.
I looked back at Ren, ears down and tail between his legs.
“He liked it.” I said softly.
His ears perked up and a sweet smile spread across his face.
“Really?” he asked, a little too loudly.
I whispered, “Yes, yes, we should definitely clean more tomorrow.” I eyed the door as loud footsteps grew near. Ren whimpered and scurried over to my side. I crouched down next to him and licked my lips in fearful anticipation.
Strade burst into the room, beer in his hand. He mumbled something in German and tossed the half-empty can onto the floor.
“You were… Talking about me…” He slurred, saliva dripping from his lips.
Ren was trembling, eyes wide in horror. It looked like it was up to me again.
“We were - we were just talking about what we were going to do tomorrow - to - to clean the house --” I clamped my mouth shut so I didn’t wind up digging my own grave.
Strade’s smile bloomed and he squinted his bloodshot eyes together.
“Don’t… don’t you lie t’me now…” God, he seemed exhausted.
Ren and I shook our heads vigorously.
“We aren’t, I swear!” I cried, feeling my composure slipping away.
“You guys…” he trailed off, his words mumbling together.
Ren’s ears perked up and I cast an uneasy glance at him. He seemed slightly relaxed for once.
Then Strade stumbled toward us, his weight straining in every step. I tensed up and felt Ren do the same, but to a much lesser extent than I had anticipated.
Strade wrapped his arms around us in a tight bear hug. We both stood with our arms clamped to our sides awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Was he… crying?
“Yer the best.” He said between sniffles. Almost instantly, he pulled himself together and teetered backwards.
“Le’s get food.”
I furrowed my brows in confusion, then looked down at Ren’s trembling frame. He nodded slowly, then eased his way over to Strade.
“W-what is it that you want to eat?” he asked.
Strade dropped down suddenly, his ass hitting the ground in a loud “whump” noise. He cringed and rubbed his behind tinderly.
“S’mplace that delivers. No way in hell ‘m I about ta let you punks make a break for it, not after all the hard work I put into gettin’ ya.”
He let out a hearty laugh, the same one that made me feel so at ease in that bar a week ago.
“I can call a pizza place, if you want.” I offered quietly.
Strade waved a hand in approval, then gestured for Ren to sit next to him. He obliged and Strade set a hand on his head, rubbing between his ears.
I backed into the kitchen and opened a phone book. Tony’s would do. I dialed up the number and waited for someone to pick up, darting my head around the corner every so often. Strade was having Ren give him a blowjob. Perfect.
“Hi, this is Tony’s Pizza. What can I do for you?” some kid droned.
“Uh, hi,” I began timidly. “I’ll take a large pepperoni, please.”
“Uh-huh. Is that all?”
“Yes, yes. Thank you so much. You may be hearing from us every now and then. Keep this address somewhere, please.” And with that, I gave the address to him and hung up.
I could call them and tell them to send police, that there’s been a kidnapping.
I walked back into the room I shared with Ren just as they were finishing up.
Strade shot me a look that must’ve been a mix between a pout and a scowl.
“Y’missed it. Could’ve used something to toy with.”
He wiggled his filthy hands at me tauntingly and laughed again. God, that fucking laugh.
I looked at him as apologetically as I could muster and said, “I’m so sorry. But the pizza should be here soon, if that makes you feel any better. Want me to get the door you when it gets here?”
Strade scrunched up his nose and glared at me.
“’M nah’ stupid. Of course yer n’t gettin’ the door.”
His words were falling together even more now, barely coherent.
“You aren’t, I’m sorry. I’ll wait in here when the delivery comes.”
He grunted and pulled himself up, barely able to stand. I was worried that he’d collapse on the ground and accuse us of sabotaging him when he woke up. If he woke up.
Push him over. Knock him out. Kill him. Call the police.
“Hey.” Strade said, yanking me out of my trance. He couldn’t even stand up straight, that’s how bad he was teetering.
“When th’ pizza comes… When it ge’s here, uh…” He sat back down for a moment. “Then i’ss yer turn t’ get to work.” He gestured openly to his crotch.
I nodded submissively and scratched at my metal collar.
Before long, the doorbell rang. Strade barely made it to the door without tumbling over, but somehow he managed to make the transaction fairly smoothly and set the box down on his living room floor, shoveling slices into his mouth, chomping and smacking the whole time. It was disgusting.
The sound of a can hissing open brought me back to the situation. Ren, who was clinging to the tattered rug, looked up at me with glassy eyes.
Strade yelled vaguely and we both made our way to him.