Chapter 2: Heel
It was perfect. Everything. The day was perfect. This moment was perfect. What they had, what they were...that was the most perfect thing of all.
The infant breathed in deep, absorbing the fresh air before exhaling in a big contented sigh.
"It's such a BEAUTIFUL day. Isn't it, Brian?"
He looked up at the dog of his dreams and smiled at the canine as they continued walking through the park. They had been walking for the majority of the day, slowly making their way downtown, occasionally stopping in a shop here and there, even grabbed some ice cream. Perfect. Absolutely perfect…
Now, though, the day was winding down, and Stewie and Brian were on their way back to Brian's Prius which had been left parked nearby.
Even with all the walking, Stewie didn't feel tired at all. He was practically skipping, elation in his heart at just how perfect life had become for him. A little giggle bubbled up from his chest as he admired the dog beside him.
The dog shrugged.
"It is pretty nice out, I guess."
Stewie laughed again and did a little twirl right there on the sidewalk.
"So. Nice."
He reached out and took his love's paw, giving it a tight squeeze.
"You know, the day doesn't have to end just yet. We could stay out a little longer. I hear there's a good movie playing at the old cinema a few blocks from here. We could check that out."
He stared up at the dog hopefully, waiting for a response to his suggestion.
Apparently, though, Brian was pretty lost in thought as he made no indication that he had heard his small companion.
Stewie shook his head, still smiling, figuring Brian must just be caught up in this perfect moment, too.
He cleared his throat to get the dog's attention.
"Brian?"
The canine turned his head and look down at Stewie.
"Hmmmm?"
Stewie paused, taking a moment to appreciate those beautiful, perfect eyes before replying.
"The movie theater nearby, I hear they're showing a pretty good movie tonight. Wanna go?"
Brian tilted his head, considering the question for a moment before answering.
"Oh! Y-Yeah. Sure. We can do that."
The child leaped in the air in joy before coming back down to Earth and giving his partner a big hug.
"Yes! You're the best, babe. It'll be great!"
He felt Brian go stiff against him before a lone arm was draped over his shoulder.
"A-Anything for you, Stewie…"
Stewie couldn't help but laugh once more.
Anything for him…
Brian would do anything for him…
He gave the canine one last big squeeze before finally releasing his captive and retaking his paw.
"Come on!"
He immediately picked up speed, practically dragging Brian towards the car. Didn't want to be late, after all. Nope. Not for this perfect evening.
And to think...there were going to be so many more perfect days like this in his future...
Brian sat on his step, foot tapping impatiently. He sighed softly while running a paw through his fur.
"Stewie…"
It had been a little difficult today. Stewie wouldn't acknowledge Brian's presence. If anything, he was choosing to just isolate himself entirely...huddling close to the corner of his cage. Needless to say, it was aggravating for Brian who was desperately trying to get the boy to open up...at least be vocal about his discomfort. Anything! They couldn't make any progress until Stewie started responding to him!
The mutt continued to tap his foot, the beats growing a little heavier, a little more sporadic as the seconds ticked by. The dog definitely did not appreciate being ignored by the kid.
No...that had always been a problem with Brian.
He did not enjoy having to be confrontational, but here he was...well, here was Stewie forcing him into this situation.
It didn't have to be like this...
He groaned and finally slapped the palms of his paws onto his knees.
"Okay, Stewie. Come on...I know you're hungry. You have to be. You didn't eat at all yesterday. I would really appreciate seeing you eat."
The boy ignored him still. Brian watched the kid cuddle more into his fetal position, back to him. It really made the matter worse for the dog who was slowly losing his patience. There was only so much he was willing to take for a day.
"Seriously. I know you can hear me. I'm not going anywhere...so maybe instead of being so difficult, you can actually make this easier on yourself. I'm here offering you food. Look, I even got you your favorite!"
Brian grabbed the fast food bag, gripping it tightly and gesturing the damn thing in Stewie's direction to at least get the boy interested in looking towards his line of sight. Brian watched the boy simply curl further, actually digging his head into his chest.
That was it.
Brian stood up, growling a little in frustration, voice growing just a tad louder while he addressed the child.
"Stewie."
Nothing.
He began to approach the cage, one paw still holding the bag while the other clenched into a fist. His eyes bore deep into the boy's back, sending daggers in his direction. This wasn't how things were going to be. He wouldn't allow it.
Brian always knew that Stewie was a stubborn one, but he wouldn't let that stubbornness interfere with what had to be done.
It wouldn't be like this. No, the dog would make sure of that. He wasn't going to play nice just because Stewie was scared. Stewie didn't have to be scared of him, after all. The kid should be smart enough to know that!
"Stewie!"
Still nothing.
Not even a little movement. Brian was seething. His mind screaming that this wasn't how it was supposed to be.
No, not going to happen. Definitely not. Not to Brian. No, this was IMPORTANT. His plan, not Stewie's and the boy could act out all he wanted, but the dog was going to get his way regardless. He had the upper hand here.
"STEWIE!"
He found himself grabbing the cage, shaking it violently while the boy laid there inside the cage. The movement must have awakened Stewie from his trance or whatever place he was mentally. Brian heard the boy yelp and even shift to grab anything that would stable him.
Pointless.
The boy quickly found himself meeting the bars from the impact, hitting the cold and harsh metal with a thud.
Brian growled, loud...annoyed. Annoyed that Stewie would be making things so hard on himself. For Christ sake, the kid was so weak he could barely stand!
"I don't WANT to do this to you, Stewie, but you have to stop being so FUCKING stubborn! Do you UNDERSTAND?! You're not in control here! I am! Me, Stewie! And I'm trying to make this easy on both of us!"
The dog's breath grew quick, labored, hot. His eyes bore deep into the child just below him now that Stewie was forced to look into his eyes and actually see the severity of the dog's expression on his face. Brian wasn't playing around. The situation wasn't going to change, Brian was going to remain in control and continue to enforce the new rules here.
The notion alone must have been a terrifying thought, but Brian didn't care how that made Stewie feel. Sometimes a little tough love was necessary.
The dog watched on, his teeth showing while he gripped the cage...just in case Stewie decided to continue being a pest. Luckily for him, Stewie...sort of finally gave in to his situation. He watched the boy loosen his stiff muscles, watched him relax on his back. Though their eyes never once left each others.
"Good."
Brian then reached to grab the food, gripping it tight as he carefully pushed the bag in between the bars.
"Now fucking eat. You need something in your stomach. There's no sense in hurting yourself just because you're mad at me, kid."
The boy cringed and Brian watched for a moment, thinking that he would curl back into his fetal position. When nothing more seemed to happen after a while, he was about ready to shake the cage once more, but eventually, the boy took the bag of food and began to open it. That was good. Brian was satisfied...at least for now.
After a small amount of time of deliberation, he slowly let go of the cage, now standing straight up, but he didn't move away just yet. He needed to make sure that Stewie wasn't going to do anything smart.
After all, if anyone knew Stewie, it was Brian. He knew how the boy could be, how unpredictable he was which was why he took great consideration into making sure nothing...absolutely nothing could go wrong while the boy stayed in these new accommodations. Brian would keep him here for as long as he felt the boy needed to. He had the means to do it and nothing was going to stop him.
It would all be worth it in the end.
Though for now, that needed to be kept quiet. Stewie was still suspicious and unruly, so Brian didn't want to speak about his intentions and the motive behind this. Especially since discussing the situation was a pointless endeavor.
At least for now...
The dog watched Stewie reach into the bag and pull out the burger he brought him. He watched the kid unwrap the food and stare at it for the longest time, mouth watering...eyes begging to eat it.
Yet the boy didn't make a motion to eat.
Brian scoffed.
"Dammit, kid. I didn't poison the fuckin' thing. What would be the point of that? You're not here because I have plans to kill you. I...I would never do that to you..."
The canine shook his head and took a seat on the step, fingers crossed and feet tapping at the ground like before.
"Just fucking eat, Stewie. God. I've been down here for hours, and we both know you're going to have to have something eventually."
Though regardless of Brian's consoling words that the food was fine, the dog still witnessed the look of untrustworthiness written on Stewie's face. His lips curling downward in a frown since he must have felt conflicted about the food before him. Brian knew that he wanted to eat it...because he looked absolutely starved. He could tell just from that look on his face. A desperation that wouldn't go unquenched until his hunger was sated.
"Stewie. I PROMISE the food is okay. Please. PLEASE believe me. I'm not looking to hurt you."
Brian tried to be as patient as he possibly could, but he was about to give up for the day. He almost got up from the step and was set to turn off the light and just leave the boy to wallow in whatever depression he was in.
Wasn't like he was getting anywhere quickly...
"..."
Then...what appeared to be a miracle.
The boy actually took a bite of the burger.
Finally! Maybe they actually were getting somewhere!
Slowly...very slowly and a small bite, but a bite nonetheless.
It brought a warm smile to Brian's face, seeing the boy actually eat the food. It made him smile even more when the boy began to eat the burger like mad.
Obviously beginning to lose all control due to just being able to eat anything.
The dog remained quiet for a while, letting him eat. Those tiny hands shaking while his small bites turned into bigger bites. Ferocious and wild.
"There we go. That's good, Stewie. Good boy."
Now satisfied, the canine leaned a bit back, but he kept his eyes focused. He was still very wary of Stewie and he felt he needed to always keep the upper hand; definitely not let it be known that he was playing things by ear. Though the overall motive was there, Brian was still figuring out small details.
He couldn't afford allowing the boy to get to him mentally. Brian knew how capable Stewie was, how manipulative he could be. That needed to change.
There couldn't be any kind of ideas that would allow the child to swoop in at any opportune moment to take back his control. That couldn't happen here if Stewie was to come out better for the experience.
No. That couldn't happen.
"You know…"
Brian began, actually snickering a little as he rubbed the palm of his paw against his knee. He felt talkative. He didn't care if Stewie said anything, but he certainly wanted to communicate just how eager he was to start making progress and maybe help Stewie begin to see that things weren't really all that bad.
"This situation is actually pretty decent for you. I mean...when I think about what you had to deal with when you were at home, you can't really see this...well, this as something much worse, right? It can't be any worse than what you had at home. I know your parents. So...really...this is actually nice, don't you think? You get some time away from all that, and we get to see each other again. That's nice, right?"
The dog chuckled and gently scratched at his cheek with a single finger, his body positioning just the slightest.
Stewie didn't say anything, well...what with him having food in his mouth. Brian wasn't going to make him speak, anyway.
He just let the boy continue eating.
Though that wasn't going to stop him from trying to at least make this whole ordeal out to be a good thing.
"I just think all in all, you're better off, right now. I can't imagine what it must have been like. Living in a place like that where you were suffocated and forced to keep your intelligence to yourself. I do know that it gets exhausting, though. You've told me that much before, Stewie. You don't have to hide anything here. You don't have to hide anything from me. Isn't that kind of...liberating?"
Though Brian must have told himself this countless times on the drive here. He must have told himself that this was for the better. Having Stewie locked up because he must have felt somewhere deep down that this wasn't the best method to get back on Stewie's good graces. Yet he didn't know what else to do. Stewie was stubborn. Would they really be having the this talk, right now, if he hadn't bothered locking him up?
Drastic situations called for drastic measures, even if no one would probably ever understand.
Besides...he had felt desperate, and he wanted to have Stewie back at all costs.
Even with all the frustration, this was still already so worth it. He had missed Stewie so much...
The basement took on a silence that was deafening, then...the only noises that could be heard were Stewie's fingers clutching onto the burger wrapper while he finished the last few bites of his food.
A part of him felt foolish...having to defend himself. Why should he have to? Did Stewie even deserve an explanation? Shouldn't the kid just be able to trust him after all they had been through? Perhaps not...after all, he figured anybody had a right to be suspicious of their kidnapper...but in the end, the boy should be able to realize his reasoning. The dog simply couldn't continue fighting his needs and his desires. That's what Stewie had wanted all along, anyway, though...right?
Both Brian and Stewie...before this had even happened...were in a relationship that had been promising. Well...maybe to Stewie, but Brian had had different thoughts about it while they were together.
Really...the mutt did feel remorseful for his behavior during that period, but it wasn't until he realized when he had lost Stewie, until the boy was gone, that everything had finally clicked into place. That was when everything sort of took a darker turn for the worst and Brian found himself needing Stewie in a bad way, in a worse way than he had ever needed anything or anyone.
He had tried to move on. He had wanted to move on; he wanted to find love.
He tried to find another person that would fill the empty void he felt, but everything went to shit once Stewie left. He had been foolish for thinking he would ever find anyone who could take Stewie's place.
Stewie was special, irreplaceable.
So really...how dare...Stewie even leave to begin with? Why did he do that? How COULD he do that? Stewie had said that he LOVED him! You don't abandon the ones you LOVE!
Brian's fingers tightened and he cleared his throat, leg bouncing now.
He sighed.
He let Stewie stay quiet. Whatever. It didn't matter to him now, because at the end of the day, Brian again...was the one determining Stewie's fate and it would be the fate that worked out best for both of them. Whether the kid decided to cooperate was entirely up to him. Brian would act as he needed to. He was determined to make this work.
It was completely quiet all except for the two individuals...the only individuals here...both breathing slowly.
Brian was now aware that Stewie was looking at him, glaring...disgusted and it was with that glare in his eyes that Stewie finally began speaking.
With a Timid voice and a little shaky, but the boy spoke coherently.
"...I...haven't seen you in months, Brian. Months. So you can try to tell me that...this...is fine, but let's be realistic. This is not normal, this isn't good, and you're not doing me any favors by keeping me locked up in here no matter what you tell yourself."
Still stubborn. That was ok. At least he was finally talking. Progress.
"Ah...so you're finally willing to talk."
Brian sighed.
"You're just not seeing the bigger picture here."
He stood up, making Stewie shrink just a little, but the mutt did not take a step forward. Instead he opted to just cross his arms, shrugging.
"You're here for a reason, yes...but honestly...Stewie, I'm doing this for you. You know that, right? I'm doing this because I know this is what you need. Besides...I'm risking a lot, but I'm doing it for you. So I think you should be grateful. That's all."
Brian shrugged once more, letting his words reach Stewie, letting the boy have a moment to really think it over if he had to. Though it wasn't long before the kid was barking in uproarious laughter.
The laughter was so loud it seemed like it could make the walls shake and it even made Brian's ears ring.
"Oh! That's RICH! So charitable, aren't you, dog? Oh my god...how delusional are you? Really, Brian. The only reason you're feeling the way you are is because YOU are not in this cage. You are outside of it. You can leave whenever you please. So, I say this with love...you're full of shit, Brian."
Such foul language. Brian frowned.
He actually looked disgruntled for a moment...yet he didn't seem too surprised by Stewie's behavior. If anything, he looked as though he were prepared to take it on. Even though it would be a task in itself and really a waste of time.
He shook his head, feeling a migraine come on.
"This attitude needs to change, Stewie. I'm not putting up with it. The sooner you are to realizing your position, the better you'll feel. Then we can actually get somewhere. Then I can tell you why you're here, but...if you're just going to act like this then I can easily leave you here by yourself for the rest of the night. I don't think you want that."
He softly huffed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Really...Stewie...you have no idea how much I don't like seeing you this way. I want to help you, but you need to help me first. Like I said...if you want answers, you need to start behaving because I'm not going to reward bad behavior."
The boy shook his head.
"I'm not a dog, Brian."
There was a beat and then Brian smirked as he responded, unable to fight the urge to be just a bit condescending.
"Yet you're the one in the cage."
Yet Brian looked on to the boy, his eyes growing softer the longer he looked at him. Those supple cheeks...that always were pink. How Brian thought the boy was so adorable. He couldn't deny he wanted to grab him, hug him, hold him...he wanted him in that moment and really...nothing would stop him. After all, no one was there watching these two, but...again...there needed to be some boundaries. There needed to be a trust formed; a trust between them before any sort of affection like that could be shared again.
That was when the mutt saw Stewie begin to crawl towards him. The motion perked his interests.
What was Stewie doing?
"What...you want me to start begging? You want me to bark, Brian? Whimper? Hm? Do you get a kick out of that? Are you enjoying this? Do you like to see me this way? What, Bry...should I start acting like a dog? Is THAT what you need to get off later tonight?" Alone in your shitty apartment?!"
Brian's breath stopped, his heart stopped. His body froze.
What...was...he...doing?
The canine was stricken to silence. He had no idea what to say, no idea what to do. He almost felt his walls cave in, almost crumble before him. He actually began to shake just a little...not because he was frightened of Stewie, but because he had forgotten just how Stewie could make any situation his own and dig underneath Brian's skin with only a few perfect words.
He always had that capability.
And it was terrifying.
"Be...be quiet…"
The dog saw the kid smirk. He saw him...smirk and dare to move just a little closer to the bars, letting his forehead meet the material. The boy began to whimper, egging Brian on, making him succumb to his insecurities.
Brian did not falter, though. He couldn't.
He clenched his teeth, growling in warning. He wasn't playing around right now. He wasn't going to let this happen, not today, not ever.
"I said...be quiet."
The baby laughed.
"Oh...I'm so scared of you, Bry. You're such a scary person…"
The child feigned fright. Brian could see it...Brian could tell when the child was being a bullshitter. It was happening...it was really...really happening. The boy was taking control. For a moment, the dog panicked. How? How was this happening?
No.
Brian...calm down. He's just messing with you. Stop. Take back control. He's feeding on you.
No.
He took a deep, deep breath.
"You're not getting anything from me, kid. Not with how you're acting right now. I'm not playing. So until you start behaving yourself, you can stay here for as long as it takes...forever...for all I care."
Stewie must have gotten a kick out of this...it was clear by the look on his face, the look of pleasure in his eyes.
He giggled underneath his breath.
"Hehe!"
Brian hated this. This was really getting out of hand. He took a seat at the step, letting his body slouch. He watched on...perplexed, annoyed, baffled. He didn't know if he had it in him for the rest of this evening to try and get the child to cooperate.
It wasn't going to happen tonight...maybe not even tomorrow or the next day.
Damn…
Brian groaned, whimpered even...he rubbed his eyes with the back of his paw, growing exhausted with this while the boy carried on in the cage. The child wiping his mouth of the mustard and ketchup stains...while he smirked and bathed in the dog's depression.
"Don't fret, Bry..." the kid mocked, smirk growing, "we'll play...we'll play all you want."
Enough!
The canine then quickly turned away from the child and began to head up the stairs but not before cutting out the light, leaving the boy to spend the rest of the night in the pitch black as a punishment for his disobedience.
You'll get another chance tomorrow.
The laugh track echoed throughout the apartment for the umpteenth time that night, trying its damndest to force undeserved laughter out of the dog who was sitting on his couch and leaned over his coffee table. Brian sat there with his paws cupping his face, deep in thought, barely paying any mind to the atrocious sitcom he had eventually stopped on. If nothing else, it was a fairly decent distraction at times, more than he could say for anything else currently on.
He sighed as dejection washed over him.
Things were not going as smoothly as he had wanted. Then again, maybe he'd been foolish for thinking that any of this could have gone smoothly. He told himself time and time again that Stewie would not give in easily, but he had still maintained a small amount of hope that the kid would have at least been willing to hear him out initially.
Well, that hadn't happened at all, and worse yet, just like he had feared, Stewie had already asserted himself into a position of dominance even while completely subdued. All that damn kid needed was his mouth and that sharp tongue.
...He'd almost given in…
Stewie had gotten under his skin so...easily tonight, and for a brief moment, he had seriously considered giving up on his plan and just letting the stubborn boy go free. And Stewie had made him feel that way with only a few well-aimed words.
Was he completely out of his depth here?
No, if anyone could get a hold of Stewie it was him. He really believed that, and he wasn't going to just give up. He was in too deep to do that now.
It was kind of funny, though, because there had been a time when he could remember Stewie being willing to do ANYTHING to please him. What a stark contrast between then and now. He snorted, a complete absence of mirth in his expression.
Is he really so defiant simply because of me taking him? Or is he still a little bitter over how things ended between us?
He had no way of knowing for sure what was going on in that kid's head, but it didn't strike him as too crazy a thought to think that Stewie was acting the way he was out of some kind of spite he was still holding onto from their earlier engagements.
Well, whatever was causing Stewie to be the way he was, one thing was clear. This was going to require a change in tactics if he was going to start making any real progress with the baby.
"It doesn't have to be this hard… If he would just…"
The canine leaned forward and buried his face in his paws. He was so desperate for an answer, but he simply didn't have any, right now.
It was incredibly frustrating.
His foot began to bounce against the floor as he thought long and hard. How? What did he need to do to get Stewie to just LISTEN to him? There had to be something… And if anyone could figure it out it was him. No one understood Stewie like he did.
No matter what they may think…
He huffed, anger swelling in his gut, but he quickly repressed it. He couldn't afford to get himself worked up too much, right now. He had to maintain a level head if he was to have any hope of gaining control of Stewie.
Because that's what Stewie needed more than anything, even if the boy didn't realize. He needed someone to control him, reel him in, make him see the big picture. That's all Brian wanted here. That was the whole point. He was doing this for Stewie, and damn it, he was going to succeed no matter what it took!
Maybe he'd been too gentle?
Maybe it was going to take something more direct, more harsh to get Stewie to cooperate?
It made Brian's stomach turn a little. He didn't want to do anything too harsh, not really...but he also wasn't really willing to completely rule out the possibility of needing to go that route.
But...what could he threaten Stewie with? What would strike genuine fear in him? Stewie had the odd fear here and there, but there wasn't really anything that consistent that he could think to rely on, not for this.
The dog removed his paws from his face and grumbled to himself, still no closer to the answer he was seeking.
Patience, Brian. It will come. You'll figure this out, and in the end, Stewie will thank you for having the determination to stick this out. For caring about him so much. He'll never leave again. It will all be the way it should be.
"I'm doing this for you, Stewie...for us...for our relationship…"
He fell forward, head smashing against the table as mental exhaustion began to set in. He remained there for several moments, not moving until suddenly noticing that the bulb in the lamp beside him had burned out. He turned to look at the lamp and groaned to himself.
"Great...one more thing to worry about."
The spare bulbs were only a few feet away, but for now, he was more than content to just lay where he was stewing in the dark as the television continued to blast throughout the room loudly and obnoxiously.
Today would be the same. Though that didn't prevent Brian from trying. Like he had done the day before, he had gone to get Stewie food. Always making sure he got a generous portion before he made the long trek outside of Quahog.
The drive to the rundown warehouse had been a pleasant one when Brian felt more confident, felt more eager, and of course...felt determined. Though with Stewie doing his damndest to turn the tables; practically succeeding without much effort, it made the dog feel as though his cause was growing pointless.
However, he couldn't...and he wouldn't allow this to continue any longer.
Not anymore.
Stewie had had his fun and had been able to fight Brian to this point, but...mark his words, the dog would get his way.
At least that's what he tried to think.
He could tell himself over and over that today would change, but when he stepped into the warehouse and walked towards the basement door, he felt anxious and more nervous than anything.
Especially when he knew that Stewie would be berating him, forcing him to lose his temper and his wits.
"Do you feel better now that you've eaten something?"
The mutt sat in his usual place.
At the step where he could watch Stewie closely and determine the atmosphere.
Brian still tried to keep the mood light. He tried to keep the situation from escalating as much as he possibly could. Regardless of how much harder it was seeing Stewie in the cage. The cage Brian had built himself. Now...it just looked too small.
I should have made it bigger...that might be a contribution to why Stewie is acting the way he is. Please just...understand. I'm doing this for us, kid.
Asking Stewie how he was feeling was such a simplistic question, but at least it would get some form of communication between the two. Even if it was just small talk and even if it were deliberately annoying conversation, at least it was conversation.
He sighed a little, his mind racing at other possible inquiries he could ask that would get the young boy to chime in.
However what could he possibly ask him without making it out as some form of mockery?
How did you sleep?
That was beyond inconsiderate; stupid even.
How are you feeling?
Right. That was much better, wasn't it. Of course Stewie wasn't well. Brian knew that. He knew that the boy's condition was most likely fragile. At least physically...the dog wasn't sure how the boy's mind was functioning right now. Even though he had a sneaky suspicion the wheels in Stewie's brain were running at max.
The kid must have been thinking about a way to get out of there and even a way to incriminate Brian for his crimes; to get him in trouble.
It was a little...exaggerated. What with Stewie still barely able to stand up without difficulties. Surely being down in a dark, damp, and humid basement didn't make it easier as well or...or it made the child that much more determined to get out.
The boy worked in strange ways, but Brian had been prepared for that. That was why he built the cage the way he had. To keep it small, to give Stewie the impression he wasn't going to go anywhere.
That was how he needed it to be.
To condition him...groom him slowly.
Still...it was a relieving sight to see the boy eating and be more willing to eat now that he knew Brian hadn't messed with his food. He still kept his back to the dog, but he ate nonetheless.
A good sign.
No, a promising sign.
So Brian let him eat, he let him have that moment of peace, but again...today needed to be different. There needed to be some ground rules put in place now.
"Listen…"
Brian shifted on his step, scooting a little forward.
"I think we should discuss some things. I'm not...going to go into full detail quite yet, but I will tell you the basics. Like I told you yesterday...you are here for a reason. That you can trust me on, but I promise you...that I will not hurt you. I would never, ever...hurt you."
He heard Stewie snicker.
It made him stop for just a moment, his blood boiling just a little. If anything, that was what he didn't appreciate the most. Having to prove himself.
He felt he shouldn't have to.
Still...that snicker just continued while the boy ate the rest of his food.
Please stop it.
"Stewie, I'm serious...look, I was really worried about you when you refused to eat. You need to believe me...would I offer you food if I had the intention to kill you?"
Brian's voice was growing more desperate, he was even starting to shake. Again...Stewie was barely doing anything and he was causing the dog to react in such a way. He took a deep breath, slowly...exhaling...and letting his racing mind cool off.
The boy could believe whatever he wanted, but Brian wasn't going to act out heinous punishments. Well...not severe punishments. He wouldn't go so far as to get too physical with the baby, but...he had met the possibility of needing to lay his hands on the child. Though only in drastic measures and luckily for him, that hadn't come about.
Not yet, anyway.
"Really."
Soft voice, still timid...still weak. Brian's ears perked up and he lifted his head to look at the boy's back.
"I'm sorry?" Brian asked, fingers reaching to brace on his kneecaps.
"Really."
The boy repeated, now turning to look at the dog over his shoulder, eyes burning with a deep desire to kill Brian, to hurt Brian, to make Brian pay. He carelessly tossed the empty wrapper elsewhere, fingers now tugging on his overalls...overalls that needed to be cleaned.
Brian hadn't thought of that.
He would need to get the boy a pair of clean clothes.
"So...let me...get this straight. You were worried about me not eating, but...you're not at all worried about me being in this cage. Not at all worried about what the long term consequences will be like for me...once I have served whatever purpose you have by me being here. You really have your priorities in the right place, Brian. Really...do you have any idea...what being here in this place is doing to me?"
Brian visibly sagged his shoulders, dejected...tired.
He didn't sleep well the night before and he hadn't slept well last night, either. He was already tired, but having to deal with Stewie's smartass remarks was truly trying him.
He sighed loudly, having a terrible time trying to keep focus.
"Stewie...please don't do this...I'm trying to help you. Why can't you see that?"
His voice was pleading, he was so hungry for Stewie's understanding, so hungry for the boy to just see everything he had done for him. Why was this so difficult? Why was this turning sour so fast? Brian had made careful preparations, had thought everything through...had made sure he was mentally prepared for whatever the boy was going to throw at him.
Because he had known Stewie was going to try to do this.
He knew that Stewie would say these sorts of things.
He had known, but he failed to realize just how powerful this child was. He had forgotten...how this kid was such a perfect little devil.
"I just can't fathom what you're trying to do, Brian. Though I definitely doubt you have my best interests at heart. You can tell me all you'd like that you're thinking about me, but let's be realistic...you're not. You're just as selfish as you had been. You're not thinking about me now...just like you weren't when we were together."
What?
The air in the room quickly grew cold.
Brian's body stiffened, his eyes wide...disbelieving. Was that...was that why Stewie was so angry? Well...if that was the case, the dog didn't really have the right to blame the child. After all, he hadn't been the best boyfriend...hadn't been the perfect person when they had decided to try it out as a couple.
Though could Stewie really push all the blame onto him? Sure, Brian hadn't acted the best, but the boy hadn't been perfect, either. It had felt nice...had felt...almost wonderful to have someone like Stewie, but the dog hadn't felt entirely sure in the beginning of their relationship; hadn't felt content, secure.
So...no, Stewie trying to push all the blame onto him was a little unfair. At least that was how Brian saw it.
However, he couldn't say anything.
He just continued to stare at the kid, unable to think of anything to say in response.
The boy must have noticed this. Must have caught on very fast because he was snickering again, giggling.
"What. Cat got your tongue?"
"Stew-...ah…" Brian couldn't think of anything to say. Couldn't process how to feel, how to...think about what Stewie had just said, but Brian could admit he had been an idiot during their time together. He could have put more effort into sustaining it. He could have been a better person for the boy because truly...Stewie deserved that.
He deserved to have someone who was willing to buy the kid roses, be there whenever Stewie needed him. Have those little good morning texts, those random 'I love you so much' messages. He did deserve that and Brian hadn't been willing to provide.
The mutt stood up, now coming to the cage where he knelt down before Stewie, regret and remorse just completely masking his face.
"I don't know what else to say but that...I'm sorry...I'm sorry we ended on such bad terms. I was a fool…but I…" he sighed, knowing he couldn't defend himself and his actions. He also knew he had no right doing so.
There was also the notion that Stewie wouldn't care to hear his apologies. To hear the dog spill out his heart to try and convince him of just how horrible he felt.
It was hopeless to try because Stewie had such a hateful look on his face and had made his decision.
"You're sorry now, Brian," the child began, slithering towards the dog where he pressed his face into the bars...much like he had before. He did this to reach and take control. Brian knew that...which was why he drew back a tad, but he kept his eyes on the child, letting him talk, "you're sorry now...but I don't believe for a second...that you were remorseful for how you treated me. You didn't care then...and you certainly don't care now."
See? This is ridiculous. Stewie has made up his mind. There's nothing I can say that will make him change his mind.
Brian knew very well he was fighting a pointless battle, but he was just as stubborn as Stewie. Just has hard-headed and unwilling to let such accusations go unnoticed. He went to retort, fully prepared to tell Stewie that he was wrong...absolutely wrong for saying such a thing to him, but the infant had him cornered.
He was speechless.
"See?" Stewie laughed, slapping his knee at the very humor of the conversation, most likely finding it hilarious.
"I told you...I know you, Brian. I know you very, very well. In fact...I think I know you better than you know yourself. Even after all these months."
"..."
What could he do? What could Brian honestly do?
At this point, he felt clueless and he was growing more and more irritated at the given situation. He had meant so well by taking Stewie, by making these preparations. He had hoped having Stewie here...where they could talk, it would be a healing process.
A way to get them both back to how they had been before everything had gone downhill. That was Brian's intentions, but nothing was going as he had hoped and planned.
He softly whimpered, having the toughest time to keep his emotions at bay. It was just so difficult...it was hard seeing Stewie in this light. It was just so hard because Brian...wanted Stewie. He wanted Stewie to love him as much as he had before.
The dog had held onto the premise that if Stewie could love him as fiercely as he had in the beginning, he could love him again in such a fashion; maybe even more.
Was that just a pipedream now?
Was Stewie gone?
It just seemed likely and it was becoming clearer and clearer just from these last few days that Brian had lost Stewie. He lost him and it had been his fault.
If only he had just been grateful while he had the child. None of this would have had to happen. He wouldn't have needed to reach such a conclusion. After all...Brian did know the seriousness of this. He wasn't stupid. He knew he was risking a lot, but he had to try.
That's all it came down to...he had to try.
He sighed for perhaps the 5th time during this short visit and soon stood up straight. He wasn't going to get anywhere with the boy today, either.
I don't have it in me. I can't do it...I might just let him go tomorrow.
He looked down at the boy, letting the infant's eyes just bore holes into him. Such beautiful eyes this child had. Though venomous and vicious...but they had been his once upon a time. Once upon a time...he was able to look into those same eyes and see love there.
Now...there was no love. Only malice and hurt.
And Brian knew he had done it.
He shook his head, now making his way to the light against the wall. He was going to just let this be; he had had enough. So he reached out, ready to switch off the light when he heard Stewie shuffle loudly behind him. The boy must have been watching him, wanting to know what the dog was going to do.
"WAIT!"
Stewie had reached out, an arm extended pathetically in the dog's very direction.
Even though Brian couldn't see the boy, he knew that he was looking crazed, those eyes wide and fearful.
"Wait...Brian...if...if you're going to insist on keeping me here...please just leave the light on. Please...I don't want to be here another night in the pitch black."
And suddenly...a metaphorical light bulb lit in Brian's mind.
Oh…
Oh…!
Oh!
How could he forget such a thing? How silly! How absolutely silly of him!
He almost broke into a fit of laughter.
He had been so caught up in thinking of other ways to get Stewie to cooperate when he didn't need to think so hard. He could have just exploited the boy's fear of not only being isolated in darkness, but exploit the boy's obvious uneasiness of being in an unknown area where anything could happen.
Besides, Stewie never knew if the light would ever come back on.
It was perfect!
He grinned and looked over his shoulder at the boy, a dominance taking over now that he had...leverage.
"Sure thing, Stewie."
He withdrew his paw, making like he was going to do as the child wished. He watched the kid actually relax before he reached to rub under his chin, feigning thought.
Oh...he felt conniving, but he felt so damn excited.
"...Well…" he used his fingers to rub soft and long strokes over his chin, feeling dirty, but otherwise...giddy, "I'll keep the light on for you, but...but...you'll need to start behaving. If you don't, then this light will go off. How does that sound, Stewie? Do you think that's fair? Hm?"
The look on Stewie's face...Brian wished he could snap a photo.
That look...that horrified look screamed a thousand words. Here Stewie was...believing he had won this little game, had gotten the dog to succumb. Yet here was Brian...coming back now with such a power grab.
How could Stewie be so careless?
Well...no, Brian was certain that Stewie was convinced he'd never do something like this, but times have changed and Brian wasn't the same as he had been before. He was different now; he was willing to play along, willing to do whatever it took to get what he wanted.
It was a cheap trick, but it was perfect.
The boy looked so defeated, but he was battling with himself...battling over his irrational and childish fear. Though Brian knew that the boy didn't want to give in...not to him, not to anyone, but the dog was well aware of just how terrified the child was being submerged in a situation where he had no control over his surroundings.
The poor kid often confided in Brian about those pesky insecurities and here he was...willing to take advantage.
It needs to be done. I have to. For his sake and for mine. He'll understand eventually.
"N-nn…"
The boy had collapsed, finally broken in.
"Fine…"
Finally…!
Finally!
Bingo.
"Hi! You've reached Stewie Griffin. Unfortunately for you, I have missed your call, but if you'd like, you can leave me a message after the beep and I will decide whether or not I should bother getting back to you."
The phone beeped, then. The man didn't bother leaving a message. He'd already left plenty. Instead, he simply hung up and placed his phone back into his pocket.
He sighed.
Something was wrong.
Something was VERY wrong.
This wasn't like Stewie. Even though he'd only had a few months to get to know the boy, he knew good and well that Stewie wasn't the type to just up and vanish without a trace. If the kid was no longer interested in seeing him, he would have damn well said so. No. Stewie wasn't the type to ghost someone like that. Something fishy was going on.
It's been almost four days since he didn't show up at the theater…
The last time he had even seen the infant had been almost a week ago, but even then, they had been texting plenty. But, then, one day the texts had just...stopped…
Goodnight, Stewie.
That had been the last message he had sent. A goodnight from Stewie had never come. Neither did a good morning, something the man had allowed himself to start counting on. They had a routine, he and Stewie, and to see that routine so suddenly interrupted…
He was worried.
He was so worried.
What could he do, though?
Well, one thing is for sure, I'm tired of waiting around. I need to find out what happened to him. At this point, I'm practically wishing he is just ghosting me. Because if he's not…
He clenched his palms into fists as a horrible fear gripped him. He had to know what was going on. Had to know that boy that meant so much to him was ok.
He cared about Stewie...a lot...and he was going to get to the bottom of this.
If someone has done something to you… If someone has hurt you… I swear to god, I'll fucking kill them...
