Koda.

Get stuck in

Koda sat, his back against the painted metal bars of the prison. He could barely keep his eyes open, yet he refused to let sleep take over his beaten body.
With the blackout curtains closed, the bedroom door locked, he could barely see the shadows of objects in front of him. It felt as if he hadn't slept in days, weeks even.
The only thoughts swimming in his fragile breaking mind grew darker the longer he stayed awake.
Im was better off dead.
I am never going to fit in here.
I doesn't understand!
Why him?!
Why this!?
He began to feel as if he'd rather be taken advantage of. His body to be used sexually. At least that way he wouldn't feel so guilty for feeling so worthless.
A part of his twisted, broken mind began rationalising this abuse to him. He's being fed. He's warm and loved. What is so bad?
His free will has been taken!
Where is his choice?!
Where has his life gone?
Koda sits, silently up against the bars of his cribs, feeling his warm salty tears free fall down his cheeks.
He tilts his head up, letting out a shaky, uneven breath.
He knows Adrian can hear him, the baby monitor will pick up his crying. The last thing he wants is Adrian in here comforting him from the trauma he caused.
At some point through the inaudible, choked crying Koda curled up into a ball permitting sleep to take him.

Over the next few days Adrian kept extremely busy trying to placate his board members. Crossing and dotting all the letters he could to ensure trust and resilience from the community still ensued.
Adrian was extremely thankful for his nannies appearance during the week. The extra set of hands to help with his baby boy was appreciated. Although, as all new jobs it takes some time to get used to things. Maxwell was finding his first week hard. Difficult in a way he did not anticipate.
Adrian didn't seem to want max to do much as per hands on work.
Whatever max offered to do he was quickly shot down with instructions to do small little tasks like wash baby bottles, warm towels for after kodas baths. Max did not understand in the slightest. Did he really accept a job that pays more than any job he's ever had in his life, did he pack up his whole life and move across country just to hand his boss warm towels and clean baby stuff?
It was an evening where Adrian asked for help putting Koda to bed, an evening where all max did was lower the crib bars and clean away a dirty diaper.
He decided to go and speak to his new employer. As always Adrian sat in his office replying to emails and analysing data.
"Mr. Pennington?" Maxwell lightly knocked on the open door.
Adrian looked up briefly for all of one second then his eyes became glued to his computer screen once more.
Maxwell took the small acknowledgment as permission to enter the office.
"I was wondering if we could have a conversation." Maxwell cleared his throat as he looked authoritatively at Adrian.
"Sure. What's up?" Again, the billionaire flickered his gaze at max, leaned back in his chair still scanning his screen.
Max waited several long seconds.
Clearing his throat more aggressively this time he began to speak when it became apparent to the young man he was not going to get his bosses full attention.
"Actually it seems you are quite busy, I shall come back in the morning, or if you would find it more convenient I could write you an email. It seems you pay a lot of attention to them over actual people standing right in front of you." Maxwell tried to keep the bitter tone out of his voice.
This was still his employer after all. He could still send him packing back home without a second look.
Adrian was taken back. He didn't expect anyone to speak to him in such a way. At the same time he became quite embarrassed someone had called him up on his manners.
The billionaire prided himself on respect and charm.
"Woah," Adrian stood from his chair.
"Maxwell, I am deeply sorry. Please don't mistake my ignorance for disrespect I was assuming you wanted some company this evening to casually chat. Please let's sit and you will have my complete undivided attention." Adrian gestures to the chairs infront of his desk.
Max nods accepting the apology and takes a seat.
Adrian walks around his desk to a side unit with his favourite whiskey on. Pouring himself a generous glass he turns to offer Maxwell some. He politely refuses, informing Adrian he has never been a big fan of alcohol.
"So how can I help?" Adrian sits back down on the other side of the desk.
"I wanted to talk to you about my job role sir, this past week has been great getting to know young Koda. Im concerned though, I was under the impression I was coming out here to be a second pair of hands for you, to help you with daily care of Koda. It feels as if you are quite reluctant to allow me to help you at all let alone leave me to care for Koda. Im wondering if you could explain to me what exactly my role is here?" Maxwell cut straight to the chase.
The young man was never one to beat around the bush. He will always be upfront. Honesty is the best policy is what Max's father would tell him.
Adrian leaned back in his chair taking in what the nanny said. He thought about it deeply for several minutes.
Heaving a deep breath Adrian straightened up in his seat.
"I understand you are worried about the amount of control I have over Koda and the amount of care you have actually been doing this past week. You are right to come and speak to me about this. I have been very attached..." Adrian paused.
"For many reason, I know you have seen Koda is very quiet this week. Very reserved he has barely said a word all week. He has never been like this before. He's always been aggressive, assertive and defiant. I feel we are coming to a turning point in his behaviour and I want to..." Adrian is trying very hard to choose his words carefully.
"I want to mould his behaviours to meet my expectations of him." Adrian paused.
"You want to groom him, manipulate him to be the good little baby you have always wanted. I understand." Maxwell stated.
Adrian looked shocked once more but couldn't find an argument with maxwells statement.
"I have done this before Mr. Pennington. I have regressed unwilling littles. I have held squirming adults down while someone has diapered them and put them in baby blue rompers. I've forced lockable hand mitts onto them so they don't keep taking their clothes off. I have done this before. If you feel Koda is in a fragile state of mind right now I get that too. Let's sit down together a figure out a plan. Tell me all your expectations. Tell me your progress plans. I want to help you help him. This is the reason you sought me out so vigorously." Maxwell spoke determined.
Yet again Adrian was left speechless. He was humbled my this man's determination to be of help to him and his baby.
For the rest of the evening the men sat and spoke openly and sought a rough plan to aid in kodas regression.
Maxwell went to bed with fresh determination that tomorrow he will truly be able to earn his keep and help Adrian and Koda.
Adrian ended the evening feeling as if for the first time since he bumped into Koda in New York he was no longer crazy or alone in his ambitions. He feels things are just falling into place.
~
Please, leave me alone.
All I want is sleep.
I'm so tired.
Please. Let me sleep.

"Wakey, wakey, baby." Maxwell cooed as he rubbed circles on kodas fleeced clad back.
"I know you're awake." Maxwell sang.

His eyes still closed Koda frowned. This wasn't Adrian's deep, husky voice. This one was lighter charismatic... it made Koda feel relaxed, at peace.
If only he would stop nudging his shoulder.
"Fuck. Off." Koda growled into his pillow as he angrily shoved maxwells hand from his back.
"Yes and good morning to you too grumpy boy!" Maxwell didn't react to the foul words. Instead, he lifts the bars of the crib back up and decides to get baby clothes out for him and a morning bottle of milk from the kitchen.
Maxwell wanted to bring Koda downstairs for his milk as he knows that's what Adrian does with him every morning. He wants to keep things as similar as possible to what Adrian normally does.
He reassures himself that he's still giving the milk first thing in the morning regardless of where he is.
Fifteen minutes later Maxwell walks in with fresh, warm milk.
Deciding to take a more direct approach he doesn't speak to Koda. Clicking the bars of the crib down he lifts the fragile boy up and brings him to his chest.
Koda startled awake from the light sleep he crept back into. Instantly he tries to push away from person holding him.
"What the fuck dude." Koda cries as he pushes against maxwells chest.
Max holds him firmly in place.
"Settle down and I will put you down." Max instructs.
As Koda feels max squeeze him he knows he needs to calm down. This dude is strong.
Slowly Koda stiffens up feeling uncomfortable in this man's arms.
"Good boy." Maxwell hums. He walks over to the changing station sitting Koda down on it.
Ensuring the small boy is strapped down Maxwell makes quick work cleaning koda up. Trying to avoid any uncomfortable and unnecessary embarrassment.
For some reason Koda woke up feeling a vengeance, he has kept quiet a whole week, felt defeated and beaten down for too long. As max was the one to wake him he was first in the firing line.
"Now, now koda." Maxwell effortlessly pins Koda to the changing table, as he undone the straps Koda took a swing for the nanny's face.
Max, obviously being too quick and ready had him pinned within seconds of the swing.
"What would your daddy say to such behaviour this morning?" Maxwell chided.
"Or maybe the better question is what would he do?" Max sat Koda up so his legs dangled off of the edge of the changing table.
Briefly Koda looked remorseful, or maybe a little scared at the thought of what Adrian would do to him for acting such a way.
It left the boy wondering whether the nanny was going to be the same abusive man as his captor is.
Biting his lip, Koda looked up at maxwells disapproval.
"Daddy had to go into work for a meeting this morning. The time is 9am right now. Daddy will be back at 11 just before lunchtime. I want to be able to tell him you were a good little boy like we both know you can be." Max told Koda.
Koda didn't care in the slightest that Adrian had left him with Maxwell.
"Are you going to spank me?" Koda whispered.
"No." Maxwell told the boy.
Koda looked up a small smile graced his features.
"That doesn't mean you are not going to get punished you cutie." Maxwell pinched kodas cheek.
Shoving his hand away he looked up at Maxwell annoyed once more.
He left Koda sitting on top of the unit and rummaged in the bathroom cabinet.
He came out with two blue padded mitts.
Kodas mouth opened in shock. They looked more like unpadded boxing gloves than baby mittens.
"You can't be serious." Koda looked disgusted as Maxwell began unfastening them.
"Would you rather I spank you? Because that means I have to fill out paperwork..." max sounded sad at that.
This only confused Koda.
"Paperwork? For spanking me?" He asked bewildered.
"Yep." Max grabbed one of kodas hands and gently slid on the first mitt.
"I work for your daddy, and when I signed the contract for the job I had lots of rules I had to agree to, some of them are disciplinary proceedings and what I am allowed and not allowed to do with you. All to keep you safe of course." Maxwell explained to Koda as he placed the other mitt on.
Koda held is covered hands up and punched his knuckles together.
"They look like boxing gloves." He grumbles.
Maxwell grabbed a little hook that was attached to the glove by kodas wrist.
"You see this? It's a little hook and chain. You try and hit me again I'm going to hook it to the other glove."
Maxwell let go of the little hook.
"Like handcuffs." He added.
"Yeah, thanks for that." Koda looked up at max.
Even though he's strapped his hands in the boxing glove things. He hasn't raised his voice, he hasn't hurt him.
Thinking along those lines he hasn't helped the boy either.
Koda felt conflicted. A big part of him is grateful, wanting to like Maxwell. Another part of him sees him as a traitor. How can any other human being see this and join in? Help?!
Koda refused to drink his milk or eat breakfast after that.
He was left having an internal battle with his mind once more.
Some time before Adrian turned up Maxwell had taken the mitts off of the boys hands.
He could barely hear max filling Adrian in on their morning as he zoned out sitting on the multicoloured spongy floor. disassociating,
Letting his mind leave his body.