Pup (Bratt)

Chapter Thirteen: Breaking Down

When Matt awoke the next morning, Brian was nowhere to be seen. He frowned slightly, sitting up and yawning, before getting to work collecting the sheets from the bed as well as Brian's clothes from the floor, and taking them down to wash.

He started up the washer, putting in the sheets and adding detergent before wandering into the kitchen. Brian wasn't there. Matt sighed, going through the empty living room, passing by the empty study, before knocking on his master's bedroom door. "Master?" he asked, and when he heard no reply, he slowly opened the door.

Matt stepped inside the room, looking around for Brian. The shower in the ensuite wasn't running, and Matt whined. Where could he be?

A bit of commotion caught his attention, and he turned his head to look towards the balcony. Brian stood there, in a dark blue robe, arms resting on the railing, cigarette poised between his fingers. Matt slowly approached the doors, opening one up so he could slip out.

Brian didn't move. Matt was wondering if he even noticed Matt was there, when Brian said, "I didn't give you permission."

Matt bit his lip, staring at his master's robed back for a moment, before whispering, "Sir, I couldn't find you, and when you didn't respond when I knocked, I-"

"No response should be read as no. That's why if you ask someone to go out on a date and they don't reply, you don't take them. That's why agnostics are atheists. No response is no. If you knock on someone's door at their house and you don't hear a reply does that then mean it's perfectly alright to enter?"

Matt flinched at these words. "M-Master, I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"Leave me alone at once." Brian snuffed his cigarette on the railing, before flicking the butt so it landed somewhere in the yard. When Matt didn't move immediately, Brian spun around to face him.

"What? Have I gone soft? Am I a little too lenient with my submissives that when I ask things of them they think they have the right to shirk their responsibilities? Should we go over the contract again, Matthew? Or should I punish you?" Brian was yelling. He reeled his hand back, and Matt flinched and closed his eyes, not daring to move, bracing himself for impact.

The blow never came, and Matt slowly willed his eyes open. Brian had frozen, hand in the air, fingers slowly curling into a fist. He sighed, pressing his knuckles to his forehead and taking a deep breath.

"Leave me." He whispered, "I-I'm ill and I need to be alone."

"Master, if you're sick, let me take care of you." Matt reached out to touch his master. "Sir, I care for you, very deeply, and I want to help you however I can."

Brian's teeth were clenched as he muttered, "You can help me by doing as I say, when I say it." His eyes glared daggers at Matt, and the disappointment in his eyes was evident.

Matt bit his lip, slowly stepping back. "Yes, Master." He turned and left his master's room, shutting the door behind him.

What was that on his face? Tears? Was Matt seriously crying? He growled at himself, brushing the tears away. There was nothing to cry about, no reason to be upset. He was obeying his master's command, he was doing his duty.

But that look in Brian's eyes... he was upset with Matt. Maybe even furious. Matt huffed, going up to the bathroom near his room and shutting the door, turning on the shower.

What was his problem?

All Matt did was try and please his master, and everything had built up wonderfully to... this? And what the hell did Brian mean, he was 'ill?' Like what? Mental illness? If it turned out Brian was crazy Matt didn't know what he would do. And he sure as hell wasn't physically sick, he had worn Matt out last night.

Matt scrubbed at his body viciously with the soap. And why had he suddenly lashed out at Matt for no reason? So what if he opened the bedroom door, he was worried! If Brian had been dying on the floor, would he have wanted Matt to just ignore that? 'Oh, well, sorry for caring about you, I'll try and do less of it next time!' Matt let out an exasperated huff as he lathered shampoo for his hair.

What had happened out of the ordinary last night that could have sparked this? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. There was the whipped cream, then the handcuffs, Brian was going to use the blindfold but forgot about it and then he would've gagged Matt but didn't when Matt said he trusted him. Figures. As soon as Matt admitted his trust to Sterling, he began to get violent, too.

Matt froze at this realization, hands gripping sudsy hair. Oh shit, oh motherfucking shit.

He leaned his back against the wall, slowly sinking to the floor. This was it, this was the beginning of the end. Brian would continue to get worse and worse and eventually it would all spiral out of control and the contract will be violated and Matt will be broken. Fuck! He knew he had bad luck with Doms!

Matt was hyperventilating. He forced himself to calm his breathing. It was cool, it was okay. Matt was going to get out of this, everything was going to be just fine.

He leaned his head forwards, letting water run over his head, washing out the shampoo. He needed to make a plan. What could he do? If he just disappeared Brian would no doubt hold on to all of his wealth, which sure as hell wasn't much. Brian had his apartment now, Brian had everything. Brian had complete control over his life and Matt would just have to bear the beatings that were undoubtedly heading his way.

He would take some mandatory free space. He would take advantage of that and go stay with Zacky for a while. When he was safe with Zacky, he could get Brian to terminate the contract. And if Brian wouldn't agree to terminate it, Matt would call the police.

He took a deep breath. Okay, this was good, he had a plan and it would work. Thank god Brian had that part in the contract. Matt's hand reached down to trace over the scar on his thigh. He was going to be okay.

The longer he sat in the shower, the more he thought. Had Brian even done anything to violate the contact so far? Matt mentally scanned everything he could remember from the contract, frowning when he drew a blank. Hell, Brian was even afraid to gag Matt because Matt wouldn't have been able to say the safe word!

Okay. New plan. He would wait until Brian violated the contract, even in the slightest way. As soon as Brian broke anything written in that packet, Matt was out of there. And he would get all of his stuff back. And he would never have to see Brian again.

His breath hitched in his throat at those words. He actually did care about Brian. Matt stared down at the tile, eyebrows furrowing. God, his emotions were all over the place. He didn't want to leave his master. He wanted to be there for him and do everything in his power to keep from disappointing him and to please him in every way possible. He felt terrible because of the disappointment he saw in Brian's eyes.

Matt sighed. Now what to do?

He guessed that maybe he wasn't giving Brian the benefit of the doubt. Brian had treated him so well so far, maybe he was just frustrated and stressed. It was probably hard to be a CFO of such a huge company in addition to having a sub to take care of. And, although he had acted like he was going to, Brian didn't hit Matt. Even though Matt would have deserved it as a punishment.

Matt was jerked from his thoughts when there was a knock on the door.

"Matt?" Brian's voice was soft and gentle, filled with caring. "Matt, you've been in there a long time, are you okay?"

"Uh," Matt scrambled to his feet, reaching to turn off the water. "Y-Yes, Master, I'm fine."

He stepped out of the shower, toweling off a little before wrapping the towel around himself and opening the door. Brian stood on the other side, and they just stood there, looking at each other. Brian took the towel from Matt, stepping into the bathroom to hang it on the rack before murmuring, "To my bedroom, Matt. You owe me an apology. And I owe you a punishment."

This was it, the moment of truth. Matt nodded slowly, afraid that if he spoke his voice would waver and he wouldn't be able to stop the tears. He wasn't sure whether or not he was upset because he disappointed his master, or if he was dreading his punishment. Maybe it was a little of both.

Matt bit his lip, before opening his mouth and barely managing a whispered, "Yes, sir." Then he was following his master back to the room.