Pup (Bratt)

Chapter Twenty: A Reward Undeserved

The guilt consumed Matt. He couldn't even look his master in the eye anymore because of the lie he had told. And he hadn't really thought much of his and Zacky's friends-with-benefits experience before, but ever since he lied it seemed to plague his thoughts, as harsh reminders of the lie he told. To make matters worse, Brian was treating Matt like a prince lately, commenting on what a good boy he was, giving him undeserved cheek nuzzles and nose kisses and scritches behind his ears, and letting Matt come in and out of his headspace as he pleased.

As Brian's work became more and more demanding, Matt spent a lot of time outside in the wooded area behind Brian's house. He would lie on the ground surrounded by the trees in his headspace, listening to the birds and the wind, relishing the cool bite of early October that promised cooler weather. Once when Brian left for one of his meetings, he suggested Matt go see what Zacky was up to, but Matt had politely declined. He couldn't see Zacky, not after his guilt reminded him so much of his best friend.

Today, Brian found Matt when Matt was sitting on a bench by the pond, tossing pieces of bread to the ducks. Brian sunk heavily at Matt's side, and Matt murmured, "Hello, Master."

"Mm." Brian turned to Matt, tilting Matt's face gently so he could kiss him. He pulled away and looked into Matt's eyes. Matt saw the pain that lingered in Brian's expression; he was sad, lonely even. He looked away. What could he do? He was a disgrace to his master, he wasn't worthy to even be in his presence. He lied, which was an awful thing to do in itself, and what he had lied about was sure to make Brian tear up the contract. He would be kicked out, on his own again, and that thought terrified him.

He should have asked his master how his day went. He should have offered to blow him, or to rub his shoulders, or to kiss him and assure him that Matt would always be there for him. But Matt didn't do any of those things. His shame wouldn't let him. He sat on the bench, back rigid, tossing the last piece of bread to the ducks.

Brian didn't wait for Matt to ask him how his day went. He heaved a sigh, settling his arm around Matt's waist. "I had a very stressful day today, Puppy." He murmured softly, "Too many people are expecting too much of me at once. I can't... I can't do it anymore. On top of that, my illness is getting worse. I can't help but think about how much I've failed as a businessman, as a son and a brother, as a master. Sometimes I just want to..." he looked down at his hands, and Matt saw they were curled tightly into fists. There was silence for a while. Matt bit his lip. "Jimmy's been trying to help me," Brian whispered, "He tries to cheer me up, but it doesn't work like that. More often than not I feel... dead." Brian murmured, "So much so that I wish it was true."

Matt's eyebrows shot up. He looked at his master. "S-Sir?" he asked. Brian withdrew his arm and folded his hands in his lap.

"Yes, pet?"

But Matt didn't have anything to say. He didn't know how to process this new information. In a voice that he meant to sound seductive, but actually sounded impossibly meek and feeble, he asked, "Shall I blow you, sir?"

Brian's brow wrinkled, then he shook his head. "No, no, don't do that." He kissed Matt gently. "No, right now I need to appreciate you. My beautiful submissive, my puppy. At least I have one thing going right for me. Everything else might be crashing down around me, but I still have my perfect, little pet."

Matt felt his cheeks heat up. He wasn't perfect, he was far from it. He couldn't believe that he could feel any guiltier, but that was disproven as the shame coiled in his stomach pulsed and grew.

Brian's lips traveled down over Matt's skin, ghosting from his jawline to his neck. Matt tilted his head back, giving his master better access, letting out a soft pant as Brian suckled and nipped at the sensitive flesh. Brian's tongue soothed over the bruises he had created, before continuing to pepper kisses down, over Matt's collarbone, down to one of his pects, where his tongue flicked over Matt's right nipple.