Pet

Chapter Three

A/N: tw for whipping and blood

His days passed slowly. He only tracked the time by the rising and setting sun through the small window and the delivery of his meals. They're served in what looked like dog dishes, even his water. He got the hang of it eventually but it's a messy learning curve.

The boy in the cage next to him started signing at him after his first meal was delivered. He frowned, mostly because he didn't know sign language.

He remembered part of the alphabet from primary school, but that was it. Still, the boy was determined and kept trying, but it was in vain.

He knew the boy's name started with an 'M' and ended with an 'X', but that was it. He was nearly sure it was Maddox, but he wasn't positive.

He couldn't say anything back except shrug and shake his head.

After his sixth meal, he was unchained and unmuzzled by a guard and led upstairs into the main part of the house.

He was taken down the hall and eventually into a large dining room and pushed to his knees in front of Ichirou where he sat at the head of the table.

"Good afternoon, Casey," he greeted.

"G-good afternoon, sir," he stuttered.

He smirked, resting his chin in his hand. "Now, I want you to tell me why I punished you."

"I-I was punished because I moved when I wasn't told to, and I sat in a chair I wasn't supposed to sit in," Casey replied, voice meek. "I won't ever do that again, I will wait for permission next time."

"Good boy," Ichirou praised. "Now stand and follow behind me."

Casey rose to his feet and followed Ichirou out of the room. He went upstairs to an office right off the stairwell, and he followed him inside. He knelt at his feet while he worked, occasionally being asked to do something and earning a pat on the head each time he did like he was being pet.

An hour or so later, Ichirou asked him a question. "Your father has begun paying me back, but it is too slow and not per our agreement. Obviously he needs more incentives to give it to them. Any ideas?"

Casey nodded. "You should go after what he cares about most, his prized possessions."

"Hmm, like you, Casey?" Ichirou drawled.

"N-no, sir," Casey stuttered. "I don't think he values me at all."

"Why do you say that?"

Casey explained through stuttering and rambling how his father has always treated him.

Ichirou hummed. "And what he does value?"

"He has a safe in the house with everything precious in it," Casey said. "But I don't know the code."

"Just tell me the location."

Casey did. He earned a pat on the head and Ichirou calling him a good boy again. His cheeks flushed each time it happened, and he hated to admit it even inside his own head, but he sort of liked it.

But this distraction turned into disaster when he dropped the pitcher of water he'd been holding, water spilling all over his pants and shattering onto the ground.

He gasped, kneeling down and slowly trying to clean it up without cutting himself too terribly all while spewing messy apologies from his mouth.

"Quiet," Ichirou ordered.

He snapped his mouth shut, bowing his head.

"You dropped the pitcher, yes?" Ichirou asked.

"Y-yes, sir," he whispered.

"Did you do it on purpose, pet?" Ichirou asked.

"N-no, sir, I didn't," Casey whimpered.

His hand tugged on his chin, forcing him to look up at him. "I can see it was an accident, pet, however I will still have to punish you. It will be light, just a warning, alright?"

He shakily nodded, blinking away tears.

"Lay face down on my desk, pet," Ichirou ordered as he stood and crossed his office, opening a drawer in the armoire behind his desk.

Casey did as he asked, pressing himself against the cool wood.

After a moment, Ichirou ran a finger down his spine, making him jump. "I'm going to whip you. I'll be doing it through your shirt to make this easier for you, but if I have to whip you again, it's going to be naked. Understood?"

"Y-yes sir, thank you, sir," Casey whimpered.

His hand disappeared. "Try not to scream."

Then the pain came. He bit his lip to avoid crying out but a whimper still escaped his sealed lips.

He hit him repeatedly all over his back, but by the fifth strike his shirt was turned to ruined, bloody tatters hanging off his back. Without his shirt in the way, he bled quickly and easily, crying out through clenched teeth and bitten lips.

Finally, he stopped and ordered Casey to apologize. He did, the words spewing out of him as he began to shake.

Casey was still shaking and sobbing as he was led back down into the basement and inside his cage by two guards. There, he found new clothes and was instructed to remove what was left of his old ones.

These were an exact replica of his old ones, so Casey didn't really care.

Once the scraps of his old shirt were discarded one of the guards began cleaning and wrapping his back.

He sniffled at each touch but soon enough he was done and dressed in clean clothes. Then he was chained and muzzled yet again and left alone.

Maddox tried to talk to him with his hands again, but Casey just curled up in his cot and passed out.

Soon enough his back was healed, or mostly healed. Soon enough he was brought in front of Ichirou again and forced go apologize. He begged for forgiveness and it was granted.

And he didn't mess up again. He didn't let his thoughts wander. Clearly, he couldn't afford to.

The days passed. Casey had no idea how long he'd already been here for, but he didn't mind too much. This was better then his father's house, after all.