The Auction

Father

Atlas's POV:

I sit on the step of the back porch with my father, staring out at the woods beyond the house.

"You should eat. You're looking pale, Atlas," Dad suggests softly, nudging me with a small bowl of crackers.

I hesitate before accepting, knowing it will just stress him out more if I refuse to eat.

I don't know why I came back home... I suppose I just needed the comfort of my father.

"I should go before Mother gets home. I don't want you to get punished..." I admit softly, looking to where my dad sits beside me.

"She's happy you're collared. Well, errr..."

"I know," I admit, well aware mother isn't quite content with who I'm collared by.

"I'm allowed to see you now. That's the point," Dad says with a small smile, reaching out to give my hand a small squeeze.

I scoot over, leaning my head on his shoulder.

"I ran away," I admit, knowing I never exactly told him that bit of information when I showed up at the door.

"You... you ran away?" Father asks like I said I murdered my mistress.

"I parted with my mistress without permission in an... unfavorable exchange..."

"Atlas, you just told me about your residency," Father gasps, getting all anxious as he works out what that means.

"I know. I just didn't tell you it was her fault..." My throat tights and I fight to push my tears down. I don't want to cry anymore. Mother was right, she always had been.

No matter how hard I tried, the only place for a submissive like myself would be at home.

"Oh, Atlas. I'm... I'm so sorry. When your mother was telling me about your mistress. Well, your mother was so upset about her and how she was gonna let you do your doctor thing... I was sure your mistress was perfect for you," Father chokes up.

"She is," I admit, my throat clicking. "She is perfect. She really did support me and want me to become a doctor."

Father hugs me and I hug him back, biting my lip until it bleeds just to keep my tears away.

"It was just too much? Being a submissive is just so much work. I know you were worried it would be boring, but there is so much. I promise you won't get bored," Father tries to comfort, thinking Mistress made me resign.

I don't correct him. I don't have the strength too.

I'm too exhausted, emotionally and physically. I just want to curl up in a ball and never wake up.

I think of how if I was home, Mistress would probably let my lay on her stomach as she would play with my hair. I had been the one to tell her to stay away, but I changed my mind.

I need my dear Mistress to come hold me and tell me everything is going to be okay.

I know she didn't mean to get me fired and if I'm honest, if they fired me because Mistress wanted them to not work me so hard, they were looking for any reason to get rid of me.

"Do you think your mistress already knows you ran away? We can get you back home now before she notices. You won't have dinner ready but that's a small punishment compared to what you'll get for running away.

"Oh my gosh. My son is a runaway!" Father exclaims as if he just realized what that meant. "Atlas, what were you thinking? You can't run away from your owner.

"Do you know what they do to submissives that run away? And your mistress? She's going to kill you! Atlas, I know your mistress isn't as traditional, but you're still her property," Father says in horror, starting to pace.