Just Like Animals

№ 7

Chris kneeled by Ricky, savoring the look of fear on his face as he brought the knife behind his back, beginning to cut through the rope.  When all of his limbs were free again, albeit numb, he was able to relax ever so slightly.  Of course he was still rather helpless and still terrified of Chris, but at least he wasn't bound up anymore.

After Chris decided he was done getting off on Ricky's struggle to right himself, he turned to leave.  Ricky cried out in pain as he managed to get up onto his hands and knees, elbows shaking and buckling under his weight.

"Can I use the bathroom?" He begged Chris, voice wavering as tried to get up onto his feet.  Without saying a word, Chris returned to his side and took the chain down from the hook, waiting for Ricky to start walking.  He was so unstable on his feet that Chris ended up having to hold him by the hips so he wouldn't completely topple over.

"Go quick." Chris insisted as he let Ricky into the little half-bath, shutting the door most of the way.

Being as exhausted and sore as he was, Ricky pulled down his bottoms and sat on the toilet, head in his hands and elbows on his knees as he urinated.  It took a minute for him to relieve himself and a fair amount of effort to then get up, but eventually he was in front of the vanity.

The mirror reflected someone he didn't quite recognize. Most of his visible skin was bruised, nose and lips bloody, wrists worn raw, and hair a knotted, tangled mess.  He couldn't help but tear up as the grave reality of his situation really started to set in.  He cleaned himself up as much as possible, leaning against the counter for support. 

Chris nudged the bathroom door open a bit, catching Ricky poking at his black and blue face, seeing what hurt the most.  "I'll get you ice." Chris assured as he pushed the door the rest of the way open, pulling at the leash and setting his hand on Ricky's back again.

"I don't trust you." Ricky stammered, throat still rough as he pulled away from Chris, holding his arms in front of himself as some sort of protection in case Chris decided to hit him again.

Looking into Ricky's welling eyes did evoke some sort of emotion in Chris, but it wasn't exactly regret. And certainly not sympathy.  It was the smallest pang of guilt, knowing that his actions caused this fear and how his blind rage could have more serious implications down the line. 

Apologies weren't in Chris' book, so he said the only thing he could actually, truthfully stand behind, "Behave yourself and it won't happen again." It wasn't an empty promise.  Chris wasn't an abuser who had an opportunist outlook on unequal power dynamics.  Sometimes he just got mad, and to him, the beating he delivered to Ricky was a fair response to Ricky thinking he could speak out or fight back against him.

Begrudgingly, Ricky let Chris help him from the bathroom, throwing the brakes on when the started towards the stairs.  Of course, being held captive skewed Ricky's previous view of Chris and the murder situation didn't help, but until that point, Chris hadn't hurt Ricky.  Now that Chris had shown every shade of his true colors, Ricky was incredibly unwilling to put any faith in him.

"If you don't walk I'll just carry you." Chris huffed, having little patience.  Ricky held his ground though, the threat meaning little until Chris grabbed him under the armpits and hauled him up onto his hip.  Being carried wasn't the worst considering Ricky's condition, so he just let it happen, Chris eventually sitting him down on the sofa in the den.

Chris held the end of the chain firmly as he moved the couch away from the wall by just a foot or two, revealing some sort of metal bracket near the floor.  He tethered Ricky to it and made sure it was secure before leaving the room. 

From the freezer he retrieved a soft ice pack, making sure there was another one ready to be rotated into use when the first thawed.  From the hall closet near the first floor bathroom he put together a makeshift first aid kit, including gauze, tape, antibiotic ointment, and a prescription strength painkiller.  Last but not least, he grabbed a few things to keep Ricky comfortable including a pillow from the guest bedroom, the blankets that were slowly becoming Ricky's, and the books he had started reading.

"I'm going to clean you up. Okay?" Chris assured, it being more of a statement than a question of consent.  Ricky agreed, not wanting to put up a fight and end up in even worse shape. 

Laying down on the chaise lounge, Ricky rested the ice against his face and got comfortable with his new accomodations.  Chris ran back to the kitchen to grab a wet tea towel, using it to wipe away any blood Ricky had missed and make sure his wounds were clean before he started to bandage him up.

It didn't take very long for Ricky to be straightened out and when Chris was all done fussing over him, he gave Ricky one of the books to read so he'd be occupied.  Ricky struggled to focus on the book though, having far too many thoughts in his head.

"Why is your whole house dog-on-lease friendly?" He wondered aloud, thumbing through the book pages as Chris went to the kitchen.  There was no response until Chris returned, a cup of water in hand and the bottle of pills in the other.

He thought about a reasonable answer and set the cup down, opening the orange, child-proof container and removing a tablet. "The basement was my doing, but everything else was here when I bought the place. Older houses tend to be... sturdy, I guess." With a shrug he held out his hand to Ricky, watching as he took the pill then chased it with water.

After a couple of minutes, the intense pain started to melt away and Ricky started to feel a bit loose. "Will you ever let me go home?" He mumbled, ever so slightly high.

Chris really had to think on that one.  While he didn't want to hold Ricky captive forever, if he let him go, he knew Ricky would go running to the police.  The longer he held onto Ricky though, the more likely someone would notice he was missing.  It was a double edged sword.  Either way he'd be investigated and arrested, it just depended if he also wanted to be charged with kidnapping.

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