Chapter 7: Drop
"Brian, we need to talk…"
The boy climbed up onto the couch to sit next to his partner, fingers fiddling nervously with each other. He was shaking but only slightly! He didn't want to seem too weak, especially right now, even if his face was surely betraying him.
God, was he nervous about this...
The dog looked up from the book he was reading, seemingly surprised to have Stewie next to him all of a sudden. He looked at Stewie and frowned slightly. The child seemed...off…
What was going on…?
"...Ok, what is it?"
Stewie's eyes met his, and Brian recoiled slightly under the gaze.
Oh… This was about him, wasn't it.
The child cleared his throat and reached out to take the book from Brian. He slowly placed it behind him where it could no longer get in the way.
"We need to talk…"
The canine blinked at him.
"I know… You said that already… What do we need to talk about?"
Stewie hesitated a moment, the frown on his face deepening as he let out a sigh.
"It's just that…"
He diverted his gaze for a second before quickly looking back.
"I feel like...you've been acting distant with me lately."
The dog arched an eyebrow.
What was Stewie talking about? Distant? How could they be distant when they were practically always together? Where was this coming from?
Then again…
He and Stewie had been together for a good while now. Maybe he just hadn't recognized it? But, it wasn't exactly abnormal for couples to eventually grow a little too comfortable with each other. Is that what Stewie was sensing?
Because he was pretty sure that hadn't happened.
All he could do was shrug at this.
"I have?"
Stewie nodded, expression growing sterner. He didn't want to come across as a nag or anything, but he definitely wanted to get his point across to his lover.
"Y-Yes, and to be completely honest with you, Bry...I don't much appreciate it."
Brian nodded his head, wanting to let Stewie know that he was listening even if he really had no clue exactly what Stewie was expecting from him. He was just hoping that he could nip this in the bud before it became some kind of huge, overblown issue. He really didn't need that drama, right now. He didn't feel like he ignored Stewie or anything, and he basically did every little thing the baby ever wanted. What more could he want?
"I'm sorry. I don't really understand where this is coming from."
The dog sighed, knowing that response wouldn't be satisfactory, but maybe Stewie would make this easy on him and just tell him what he wanted now.
The infant scoffed a bit. He tried to keep it in, but it had practically been an impulse.
Oh, well. He really couldn't be blamed. It wasn't like this answer was surprising, but he had still been hoping for something...more.
"You just seem...I don't know… The best word I can think of is just...distant. Anytime we're together, it's like you spend half of your time lost in your own little world when you should be present with me."
Ok. That was a pretty clear complaint. Now, he just needed to reel it in some.
"Is there...something wrong…? Anything you need to talk about? Because you can tell me anything, babe."
Stewie didn't feel like he was...present? What? Stewie was practically all he ever thought about! He thought about Stewie enough to drive himself insane! And Stewie was going to complain about being ignored!?
This accusation was nothing but frustrating to the canine, but he really wasn't looking for a fight. So, he opted to try and defuse the situation.
Brian smiled and sat up straighter than he had been, trying to give off a confident air.
"Oh, come on, Stewie. You never struck me as the insecure type. You can't believe that's true. I'm fine! And I'm never ignoring you."
He chuckled and smirked at the boy.
"You know you're my main squeeze kid."
Stewie blinked at this comment, not sure how to respond. It felt like Brian was just brushing his concerns aside, but… Was he really just being...insecure?
"...Your...what…?"
Brian chuckled again, this time a little more nervously as he scratched behind his neck.
"Y-You know…"
He cleared his throat.
"My...main squeeze. It's a euphemism, you know?"
What did… What did that have to do with anything? Stewie couldn't help but feel even more confused. What was Brian trying to say?
"Ok… Then...why the… Why the distance, then? Did I… Did I do something?"
Brian had to keep himself from groaning as he shook his head rapidly.
"Of course not! And I'm not trying to be distant, Stewie. I genuinely don't know where this is coming from, but also… I'm not… Well, you know...I'm not that great at this kind of thing!"
He laughed again.
"How many times did I have to fail before I ended up with you, huh!?"
He had meant for that to be funny.
Stewie wasn't smiling, though. The child wasn't too sure where to go from here. For once, he couldn't find the words he felt would properly get across exactly what his concern was.
First time for everything.
"...I know...I'm sorry…"
He was sad, and he wasn't even entirely sure why… What had he even hoped to accomplish again? What was the point of this conversation?
Maybe...Brian did have a point. The dog was far from a relationship expert. Maybe he had expected too much? Maybe he should be more willing to work with Brian in a way that no one else ever did?
Then again...hadn't Brian been much more enthusiastic in those past relationships?
Stewie couldn't help but feel like that was the case…
After all, what had he been envying all this time if that hadn't been the case?
What was missing here…?
Brian had just remained sitting there, watching the distressed Stewie carefully, not sure what to say himself as he tried his best to figure out just what thoughts were running through that kid's head. After a while, though, he realized he was going to have to break this uncomfortable silence if things were going to finally move forward.
He sighed and shook his head as he reached out, placing a paw on each of Stewie's cheeks as he pulled the infant's face closer to his. He looked at the boy seriously.
"Hey, come on. Why the long face, kid?"
Stewie shivered.
Brian smiled warmly at him.
"You're my main squeeze. Remember that. MY main squeeze."
Stewie listened to these words, soaked them in. They weren't…they weren't perfect, but maybe...they were enough, for now.
He nodded his head slowly, another shiver shooting up his spine as he felt his love beginning to stroke his cheeks affectionately, something that couldn't help but smile about.
This.
This is what he wanted.
"...Main squeeze…"
Brian kissed him on the forehead then before releasing him, a paw sneaking around behind him to retrieve that book.
He went back to reading then, and Stewie knew that meant the dog considered their conversation over, which made sense.
That moment had been nice.
It was exactly the kind of moment you would want to resolve things on.
What had been resolved, though?
Stewie wasn't entirely sure, but he also couldn't find it in him to keep making a fuss about it. Brian was clearly pretty enthralled with his book, and he didn't want to disturb the dog anymore than was necessary.
That hadn't gone at all like he'd pictured it, but maybe it had actually gone pretty well?
Brian had tried to reassure him, he supposed. Maybe he should just accept that?
Because, if nothing else, Brian did clearly love him.
And that was certainly something.
He'd spent so long pining for that love, and now, he finally had it…
Right?
He shook his head and turned to face the opposite direction, eyes focusing in on the wall now in front of him.
Of course! He'd successfully won Brian's affections! What was he doing complaining? This was everything he had wanted, right? And Brian loved him! Good god, that dog was actually in love with him!
...Right…?
"Lois...are you okay?"
What had once been a vibrant woman, full of zest for life was slowly becoming a woman completely devoid of it. Brian had made many attempts to console her, to try and perk her up to believe that the possibility of finding Stewie wasn't out of reach.
Yet he felt so dirty.
She had appeared to become obsessed with the idea she needed to expand the search and begin looking in the outskirts of Quahog. The dog could tell she was growing frustrated with law enforcement because they weren't using every resource available anymore.
Much to the dog's relief.
The police weren't going to look farther out, and they had explained to Lois, apparently, as to why they felt it would be a waste of time doing just that.
She didn't accept any explanation, though. Lois would go into fits of rage, feeling as though the police weren't taking the case seriously and that, if they weren't going to do everything they possibly could, then she would take matters into her own hands. Brian hadn't been there during these tirades, but he knew it was bad when he received a phone call from Peter who sounded so frustrated. He begged the dog to come by the house and talk sense into Lois.
To ask such a thing...Brian had felt so wrong going over there and seeing the same thing each time. Lois hunched over the kitchen table with photos of Stewie scattered everywhere. Her eyes just peering hard while her arms and legs shook.
Brian felt immediate heartbreak.
"Lois…are you okay?"
The dog repeated, actually reaching to take her hand that was trembling violently as she held onto a picture of Stewie.
"Do...do you think this...this is a good picture…?"
Lois wiped her eyes, having a hard time keeping her tears at bay. Brian knew...he knew that she was beginning to lose hope of finding her son, but she just kept on trying despite the odds not being in her favor.
She had been doing this for a long time now, looking at photos of Stewie so she could make 'LOST' signs to hang around Quahog. She was doing everything a mother could do in such a situation and Brian felt remorseful.
Just as regretful as anyone could get.
"...Yeah...it's a good photo, Lois."
She hiccuped softly to herself and Brian watched her swallow back a sob.
"B-Brian...someone...someone has my baby…"
"..."
Brian couldn't look at the picture. He just couldn't stand looking at these photos because a good majority of them were of him and Stewie together; they had always been together. Before their relationship began and even during their relationship. God only knows...how it hurt the dog to see these pictures again and be reminded every time that he...he had her baby.
He had her baby locked away.
He had him.
"I miss him so much, Brian…"
"I know…"
It was getting to be too much. It was getting harder every time.
Coming here...and having to play the role that he was just as clueless as everyone else. It was such a sickening sensation.
Oh, but...how he in a way lived for it.
Before Peter had even called Brian, before Peter had even told Brian he could no longer handle dealing with his wife, the dog still came by the house and he would tend to the family like he always did.
He would reminisce with them and talk about Stewie with them. He would even pretend to be as heartbroken as everyone else, feigning tears and choking on his words just at the mention of Stewie.
Then he'd drive to that warehouse and he'd sit there on that concrete step and he'd bare witness to the baby he had shed crocodile tears for.
He'd look at Stewie and he'd tell the boy exactly what was happening at home and the boy would listen so intently. He'd let the dog speak as much as he'd like, but always chime in on every occasion. Just to remind Brian that he was sick.
"You're such a sick fuck, dog."
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
Each time, Brian would grow defensive...and his blood would boil. Stewie always had such a way to make him infuriated. Infuriated because the boy never felt the need to hold back; he always...could count on Stewie to be brutally honest.
"You're a predator, Bry."
Predator.
Predator.
Brian scoffed at the thought. He couldn't believe Stewie would say such a thing to him, but was he really surprised to hear such fowl and vile words from the child?
No.
No...certainly not.
The dog sighed softly, squeezing Lois's hand in his paw. This woman shouldn't be doing all this...shouldn't be having to deal with such loss and slowly let it eat her away.
Brian didn't know what he could do for her.
Though each time coming to this house, the idea of giving her some hints as to where Stewie was...was growing ever more tempting. It wasn't as though he were slowly beginning to regret his decision about taking the child. If he felt anything at all, it wasn't guilt.
It was fear of being caught.
Yet he had a yearning to...feel a rush. Perhaps let slip some new info so he could bask in that risk for just a moment. There was no way he would give the gory details, but he certainly wanted to feel something other than paranoia.
Lois squeezed the dog's paw in return and it made Brian flinch a little, but she didn't dare let him go.
"I miss him...Brian, I miss him so much…"
She repeated, her voice choking and her body vibrating.
Brian could only imagine the pain she felt.
"...I know…"
The dog had no way of providing anymore comfort than he was already giving. Really...Peter should be the one doing this, but ever since Stewie disappeared, both Peter and Lois were having more and more issues handling one another.
Brian could tell they were having problems and he wasn't sure what he could do about that. Perhaps they were doomed at this point...but he wasn't going to give up Stewie for their sake.
No. Stewie was his.
And no one was going to take the kid from him.
He was about to get up to leave; he had already overstayed his welcome and he needed to check on Stewie, anyway.
After all, he hadn't seen him since yesterday and he made a point to check on the kid this morning. Of course...that hadn't happened on account of Peter.
So he was prepared to leave until he heard a knock at the front door.
His ears perked, a little surprised since usually if anyone were to come by, they'd just let themselves in. That meant...it was someone who wasn't from the neighborhood. The police, maybe?
"I...I think I'm going to take off, actually."
Brian laughed a little nervously as he tucked in his chair. He didn't want to be here if it was the police.
It was bad enough having to be here, anyway. Having to stay with the people that had the potential to lock him away was too much, but the dog noticed Lois look towards him with such desperation in her eyes.
"Brian...please just stay here for a moment longer…"
She had never asked him to do such a thing before.
God…
Brian stood there, his eyes a little wide and perplexed.
Fuck...he wanted to leave, but he knew that he had no choice in the matter right now. If he wanted to remain on good terms...and not throw shade in his direction, he needed to be prepared to be in these situations.
So he reluctantly nodded and followed Lois to the living room so she could answer the door.
Upon doing so, Brian remained close behind her...his heart racing and his paws clenched. Though nothing prepared him for who...he saw before his very eyes.
Oh...the mockery of everything.
The dog almost laughed hysterically! He recognized this person. Yes, it was Stewie's...it was definitely Stewie's boyfriend. The canine could see it now...the familiar features. The dirty blond hair, the lean body build...not too tall, not too short. Awkward...with boyish charms that only Stewie would like.
Oh...this...was...Seth.
This damn guy...this same guy that had no business touching Stewie...no business having his arms around Stewie.
No. Fuck no.
His Stewie.
HIS Stewie!
"Good afternoon, ma'am."
Brian cringed.
"My name is Ryan...and I'm here to ask you a few questions about Stewart Gilligan Griffin. Do you mind if I come inside?"
The dog watched Lois just...stare. It must have been something so...hard. She obviously hadn't seen this guy before.
Quite telling, but Brian wasn't surprised.
Stewie was pretty sure to keep his affairs to himself. Besides, the dog knew that whatever Stewie did wasn't his parents concern; it had been that way since the kid was born.
"O-oh…" Brian heard Lois practically squeak and she moved aside to let…Ryan into her home. He entered the residence as the poor woman looked upon this man with extreme fear.
It must have been the suit...it must have been the idea that someone else was getting word about Stewie...and it must have been daunting to see someone who wasn't familiar to her.
That must have been it.
Brian softly growled towards Seth before taking the door and...wanting to slam it shut, but gingerly closing it once this fucker stepped inside. He gestured for Lois to sit down and of course...she did do as such.
That was when Brian and Seth made first eye contact and there it was...an immediate mistrust, but Seth didn't seem at all fazed by the look of hatred on Brian's face. He just smiled...coyly and reached into his breast pocket to retrieve a notepad and a pen.
The dog's breath hitched, but he remained firm.
"Please relax, ma'am. I'm here on behalf of law enforcement and I'm only here to ask you a few questions. Is that alright?"
Brian watched Lois sit up a little on the couch, her hands tucked into her lap while her leg bounced.
"Does...does that mean…? The police...have they…?"
Seth immediately raised his hands in an almost defensive manner, making Brian's stomach curdle.
"They haven't stopped looking. They're merely using other resources available since this is now a special case. There isn't any further evidence...which is why they contacted me to come and ask you a few questions about Stewart's disappearance. I understand that this is hard, but if you could please cooperate, this will go more smoothly."
Brian shivered.
That voice...that silky voice...it drove the mutt absolutely crazy. All of him wanted to bolt. All of him wanted desperately to leave.
Fuck!
Fuck!
"...Okay…"
Lois had wiped her eyes a little, now giving her full attention to Seth who was beginning to uncap his pen. He cleared his throat.
"When was the last time you saw your son?"
"...Oh, it...must have been… It's been a little over a month now…"
"Okay."
Seth was beginning to write. Whatever he was writing...Brian wasn't sure, but whatever the case may be, the dog didn't like this at all. When had this asshole gotten involved!? Why couldn't he just go find a corner to shed his crocodile tears over Stewie!? How long had he been looking for Stewie, now?
Fucking prick.
The dog could feel that boiling anger rising from deep within himself. Why was this fucker insisting on being a nuisance? How dare he try! How dare he even think he could have what he and Stewie had!
Ludicrous, hilarious, naive, baffling, ridiculous!
"Do you recall him acting strangely before the disappearance?"
"...No…he's always been resilient."
"Okay."
He was jotting down something on his pad again and Brian was beginning to think that he was actually making fucking notes or maybe just acting as though he were. The dog fucking knew that this was a charade. No way was Seth a real fucking law officer. He had TAILED this guy and Stewie! He KNEW!
He fucking KNEW and he couldn't do a damn thing about this!
FUCKING MAKE IT STOP!
"Have you received any strange phone calls lately? If Stewart has been kidnapped, the kidnapper will sometimes leave ominous voice messages if they were to contact you."
Lois shook her head.
Seth nodded.
"Okay."
The man began writing again, the only sounds in the room coming from his pen scratching the paper before he addressed Lois once more.
"What about any suspicious persons coming around your premises? Have you noticed any unfamiliar faces, recently?"
Brian couldn't help it. He chuckled nervously trying to appear more confident than he actually felt.
"You mean besides you?"
Lois shot him a glare.
"Really, Brian? You're going to make jokes now?"
She shook her head before turning back towards Seth.
"No. I...can't recall seeing anyone new in the neighborhood."
The man smirked; it was subtle, but Brian knew he had caught a smug grin coming from this phoney.
"Okay."
You're so lucky I can't just knock that look right off your fucking face right now…
Seth wrote in his pad again but then hesitated for a few seconds before closing the notepad and placing that and his pen back in his shirt pocket.
"Mrs. Griffin, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to have a look around your home."
Lois blinked at him before slowly nodding her head.
"Of… Of course… I'm not sure what you could possibly find, though."
Seth didn't say anything else before moving to stand up.
Brian could feel his body beginning to vibrate.
"Excuse me for a moment, Lois. I just...need to use the restroom real quick."
It was a perfectly good excuse, anything to get him out of the room and away from that man. He hurried his way up the stairs and bolted for the bathroom, quickly locking himself inside before falling against the door and sliding down it to the floor. He reached up and gripped the top of his head as he began to breath heavily, whispering under those labored breaths.
"Fuck! What am I going to do!?"
He didn't want to move, didn't want to risk going back out to face the terrible and cruel world he was so carelessly birthed into. He never asked for any of this!
He never asked to be born.
He never asked to become part of this family.
He never asked to become close to their baby.
He never asked to be seduced by said baby!
He never asked for the confusion.
He never asked for the obsession.
He never asked for the need.
Who could rightfully blame him for any of this?
Fate was so fucking cruel.
He must have remained sitting there for sometime, long enough to begin worrying about the others in the house becoming suspicious of his absence. So, he took one last deep breath to compose himself before finally standing up. He flushed the toilet just in case anyone was listening in and then ran the water in the sink for a little while before shutting it off and proceeding out the door.
"You feeling alright, buddy?"
The dog could have hit his head on the ceiling if he'd jumped as high as he wanted to.
"Ahhhh!"
His eyes went wide as he turned to see Seth standing in the hallway.
Had he been waiting on him?
What a creep!
"I'm...fine."
The man took a couple of steps towards him.
"Yeah? You seem tense, but you were in there for a while so maybe you're just feeling ill."
The canine gulped and squeezed his paw into a tight fist.
"I said...I'm fine."
The words came out in a growl, prompting Seth to throw his hands up defensively.
"Whoa! Calm down, boy. I'm just a concerned citizen here."
What a joke!
"Heh… Right. I'll keep that in mind."
He went to head down the stairs, but another comment from Seth caused him to pause.
"Shame what happened to that boy. What kind of monster kidnaps someone so young?"
Brian's leg began to shake slightly.
"Your guess is as good as mine, Ryan."
The man chuckled.
CHUCKLED!
Did he think this was a joke? Some kind of game to be played?
"It's just funny… Because I actually did a little investigating before coming here, and as far as I can tell, the last time anyone saw Stewie…"
Oh my god, would you just shut…
"He was getting into a white Prius."
His leg ceased twitching. His whole body froze really, breath catching in his throat as he turned to look at the man in absolute shock.
"No one… No one ever mentioned that. Shouldn't we have been informed of this?"
The man frowned.
"That your Prius out front, Mr…what was it now...Brian?"
He had to keep his cool. He couldn't let this man get to him!
"It…yes, it is. Why...? Are you trying to insinuate something here?"
Seth shook his head.
"No. No, not at all. If anything, that's what I'm trying not to do. Because you're a family friend, right, Brian? Do you really want law enforcement going around telling everyone that the kidnapped baby was last seen getting into a car that matches yours?"
The dog's eye twitched.
I'll kill you. I'll fucking KILL you!
"I guess…I guess that would be a little strange for me…"
He cleared his throat.
"So, maybe we'll just keep that between us until you learn a little more. Like you said, you're not trying to insinuate anything here, so you must not have any other evidence to point to ME."
The dog glared at the man and spoke with all seriousness.
"Because I would never hurt Stewie. I love that kid."
There was complete silence as their gazes remained locked onto each other, neither one of them seeming like they wanted to budge first.
It was just the way they both remained fixated on one another, both looking and...daring either one to make a first move.
Ultimately, it was Brian who had to turn away, though. He had to leave, had to get out of there.
The canine made his way down the steps, calling out to Lois as he reached the bottom floor of the house.
"Ok, Lois, I'm going to head on out. Sorry, but I really need to get some things done today, but I'll be sure to come around again soon!"
He didn't wait for a response before rushing out of the door, walking at a brisk pace towards his suspected vehicle. As he slipped into the driver's seat, he was able to make out the voice of Seth speaking to Lois.
"Well, I think I've gotten everything I need. I'll be in touch, Mrs. Griffin."
Shit!
He slammed the door and started the engine. He went to back up but had to wait as a mother with a stroller suddenly appeared behind him on the sidewalk.
Oh, come on! Now!?
A frustrated growl oozed through his teeth as he took a glance towards the house just in time to see Seth walking towards his own car which was parked on the side of the street. He turned back around to make sure the woman impeding him had finally passed.
It was clear.
Without wasting another moment, the dog threw his car into reverse and peeled out of the driveway and onto the street before speeding off. Residential area or not, Brian knew he had to get the fuck out of there as quickly as he could. Unfortunately for him, after taking a quick look into his rearview mirror, it became clear that he was actually being followed.
Seth's car was right behind him.
Oh, ok. It's going to be like that, then? You don't want to play this game with me, buddy!
Brian didn't consider himself a particularly reckless driver, but he had gained a decent amount of skill behind the wheel due to his many adventures with Stewie. There was no way this guy was going to keep up with him.
The dog slammed on the gas, pushing the pedal all the way to the floor as he rushed right past a stop sign, swerving just in time to avoid a vehicle that had already been making its way through the intersection. He then took a sharp right turn, followed by a left, bringing him onto the next street over. He checked his mirror again. The car was still there, but it was further behind him now than it had been before.
He scoffed.
"I'll give you this, you're one determined motherfucker."
The dog continued down the street until they had reached the downtown area. A series of stop lights could be seen up ahead.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four of them right in a row.
The dog gripped his steering wheel with both paws and continued forward.
Keep up with this, asshole.
The Prius rushed right through the first light not long after it had switched to red, weaving in between the cars that had already begun crossing over to the other side. Horns honked, indicating very pissed off drivers, but Brian mostly ignored them, only granting them the smallest understanding that they at least had a right to be mad but he had to lose Seth at any cost.
They didn't matter.
Nothing else mattered.
He barreled through another light, which just happened to be green, normally a good thing, but right now, it frustrated him as he knew it didn't help him in his escape.
Light number three was a different story, fully red with a sea of cars already flooding the lanes. The dog focused and expertly dodged them all, inciting more road rage as he avoided several close calls.
He smiled. As dire as his situation was, at least this was one hell of an adrenaline rush! How badass was he, right now!?
The dog checked his mirror again quickly, he saw no sign of Seth. That last intersection was a mess, right now, too. There was no way that man was going to be able to follow him. With that in mind, Brian made a turn at the next intersection, followed by several more onto varying streets as he made sure to make his path random and untraceable. He didn't slow down until he was nearing the outskirts of town again, his heart thumping wildly in his chest as the foot that wasn't currently on a pedal vibrated rapidly.
"Yes!"
He slammed his paw onto the steering wheel several times, grunting loudly in triumph, feeling very satisfied with himself..
Take THAT you fucking LOSER!
It had almost been too easy.
And Stewie would rather get fucked by that guy than him?
He laughed at the absurdity of it all.
"And I'm the crazy one!"
What a rush!
Brian had never felt so alive! So absolutely exhilarated!
Upon ditching Seth in what appeared to be a hot pursuit, the dog immediately headed towards the warehouse. He was so eager to tell Stewie about how he had single handedly got away in what seemed an unlikely situation.
He felt so good!
He felt that rush, that high, that profound emotion of taking a risk and succeeding flawlessly!
So when he pulled up to the building and stumbled inside, practically swinging the heavy door aside that led to the basement, he charged down the stairs.
"Stewie! Hey, Stewie!"
He laughed, an obnoxious sound that filled the basement area in such a way. The canine just couldn't believe it. He felt so powerful, so fantastic!
Though upon seeing Stewie, the boy didn't at all seem...fazed or really eager to ask why Brian was in such a state of euphoria. As far as he was concerned, the child didn't appear at all like he cared.
"What is it."
Brian snickered happily and fell onto his rump, taking a seat at the last step like he always did. He was grinning so big, white teeth showing...he look crazed almost, but even then Stewie obviously had no real curiosity.
And in a way, Brian knew that, but he felt like if he could relay the imagery perfectly, then the boy would be impressed.
The dog slapped his knee, laughing once more. An uproarious sensation that sent him into such glee.
"You will NEVER believe what just happened! It was so awesome, kid! There was this new guy who came by the house earlier today...asking questions about you, you know. The whole disappearance thing."
Stewie then raised a hand up to silence the dog.
"I'm sorry. A new...guy?"
"Yeah, but that's not important!"
Brian wasn't going to tell Stewie that it had been Seth who had stumbled upon Spooner Street. Actually...how had he known which house, anyway? Surely Stewie never brought Seth to the house.
So...how...did he know?
Regardless, Brian didn't want to think about the consequences right that moment. He just wanted to live in this state of ecstacy and believe he was slick.
Slick enough to elude a desperate and horny guy.
"So, anyway! Stewie, he was chasing me down the streets and it was such an amazing chase! I was passing red lights, I was cutting in front of cars and I was doing all these cool stunts! It was so...amazing, kid!"
Stewie sat there with his hands on his lap.
Even then...he didn't appear impressed. If anything, Brian noticed annoyance.
"...That's nice."
Brian's smile was slowly dissolving, but he was chuckling to himself.
"You would have thought it was incredible if you had been there, Stewie. You live for dangerous situations like that."
"Well, as you pointed out...I wasn't present, so...who cares?"
Brian's euphoria was...dropping fast.
God...he just wanted one thing and Stewie was being such a buzzkill. Would it really kill the boy to at least pretend the dog was suave? Would it really...be that difficult?
"It was really cool, kid. Come on, aren't you a little curious as to how I managed to get away?"
"Not really, Bry. I don't care and the fact you're on a high over something ridiculous like a high speed chase is just pathetic. Besides...you mentioned that this was a new guy that came by the house. That obviously means...police are expanding and bringing in other departments. That doesn't exactly sound...incredible to me."
"..."
Brian's smile was dropping faster.
It...no, it didn't matter!
Seth wasn't a real police officer, after all!
He was just some idiotic guy who couldn't handle the idea of letting Stewie go. That's all this was! The guy was all talk and no action. Besides, if Seth had been holding onto that small piece of information...about the details of his car, then why hadn't he gone to the police with such vital information?
Seth was a downright fool and Brian was smart.
...Right?
He...he had it handled.
"You're just…" Brian began, laughing a little nervously. He was beginning to lose the good sensations and slowly his anxiety was creeping up on him; the...actual sincerity of the situation and the very dangerous, realistic...scenario of Seth knowing that information.
Still, the dog wanted to embellish his own glory.
Stewie was just being silly. Clearly.
"You're just jealous, kid."
"Jealous of what exactly? Your continuing disregard to the finer details? The fact you're making yourself more and more suspicious? Sure...the thrill is very much there, but if you for one second believe you've gotten away scot free, that makes you more of a fool than I initially assumed."
"..."
Brian reached to rub the back of his neck.
It was...there was no use anymore. Stewie was right. He had been behaving poorly and to get caught up in a little fun was dangerous. Besides, Seth seemed to be holding out on more information.
That was terrifying.
The very idea...was horrifying.
What if Seth knew more? Did that mean he knew where Stewie was? Did he have any indication to believe he could find Stewie?
Brian's heart began to race at the prospect of it all; the very seriousness of the situation.
Stewie was right.
"I...I…" Brian huffed a little, his paws shaking now. He buried his face into his palms and he began to rock himself.
Reality was setting in.
It was all coming to a crashing halt.
He didn't realize just how fucked he was until now.
"I...I don't know what to do anymore…Stewie...I...what do I do?"
"Dunno."
The boy shrugged, but Brian hadn't seen it...still...that tone was so convincing that Stewie just didn't care about the dog's mental crash. He perhaps was milking it and really enjoying the sight before him.
His former lover...the family pet succumbing to turmoil so sweetly.
Brian knew that Stewie lived for moments like this; moments of vulnerability in others.
But Brian didn't want to give the kid anymore ammunition, he didn't want Stewie to have the upper hand. Not ever.
No.
He needed to keep anymore trouble at bay. He needed to make the bed he had decided to lie in. This was HIS responsibility, but god...he was not Stewie. The kid with a gifted talent for getting out of horrendous situations like this.
So for the boy to say he had no idea how to help Brian was a downright lie.
In a way, the dog wanted to scream at the kid.
He wanted to call him out on his bullshit.
Though that wouldn't make the situation any better; it would just prolong this and Stewie would probably revert back to being harsh and cold.
Well...more dismissive than he was now.
"Come on...Stewie, you have to have...some idea…"
The boy laughed and it sent Brian still. It was menacing, it was filled with thrill. Oh, this kid was really enjoying this, wasn't he?
He must have truly been in his element, watching Brian melt into a pathetic puddle before him. This boy could be so cruel and so apathetic...it was almost incredible.
"Even if I did...why should I help you? You're the one that decided to do this. Your actions have finally...come back to bite you in the ass and really, I stand by what I said to you before. You deserve this. Besides, your execution was messy from the beginning."
"..."
Brian then lunged forward, his hands reaching out to grab the bars. His eyes were wide, his mouth curling and he was growling now.
Growling and seething.
Stewie was… Stewie was such a monster sometimes.
That articulate way he spoke, the way his words could sting longer than any harsh slap. Stewie's words were so much more forceful.
And it just made Brian that much more frustrated.
"Stewie…! PLEASE! I'm asking you for help!"
"Again. Why should I help you?"
"Because…! They'll… They're going to take me from you! Do you REALLY want that?!"
The child shrugged and Brian shook before the boy, his paws clenching just a little tighter.
"If you're so concerned, then...you shouldn't have done this at all. If you can't handle the pressure, then you're going to fail. It's inevitable, Bry. You're too much of an idiot to carry on with anything of this magnitude."
"But-"
"You're going to fail, Brian."
The mutt growled a little louder, but he didn't dare say anything. He just watched Stewie slowly crawl towards him now...and he watched this kid reach out to trace a single finger over the length of his arm.
It...it sent shivers down the canine's spine.
"However...if I were you and I didn't want to be caught...I'd have to resort to drastic measures at this point...I'd...have to bring the big talker here."
"W-wait...what?"
Brian arched an eyebrow. He kept his eyes on the child...this boy that was looking so deeply into his eyes and feeding him a yearning in his heart that had been long overdue. It was just so amazing...the chemistry between them right now.
At least...Brian could feel it. How he wanted to open this cage and take this boy over and over and over again.
"What are you...saying…?"
"I'm just saying that...if I were yoooou, then I'd bring the person hereeee...it would get him...or her to stop talking, right?"
Brian nodded.
Oh...yeah, he could...he could definitely...do that. Could he?
Stewie did have a point.
He did.
Brian sat back, his eyes darting in different areas of the basement. Could he actually bring someone else here? Could he...get away with that?
Perhaps.
Perhaps he could do just that, but it was also dangerous. What if he failed? Then...he'd be done for. Maybe that was what Stewie was hoping would happen.
Brian knew Stewie. This kid was obviously hoping he'd fail and he'd get caught. Then it would be home free for the child.
And Brian would be locked away.
But...he...knew that Stewie had a point.
He made to get up, then and he backed away from the cage. He rubbed the back of his back, tongue clicking a little out of a nervous habit.
"Maybe…"
...I...
"Hm?"
...should.
"...Nothing...don't worry about it. I'll take care of it."
Brian was turning, actually making a point to head upstairs. That was when he heard Stewie shift in his cage a little. Maybe an attempt to get the dog's attention once more and Brian did look over his shoulder.
The baby was still looking at the dog.
He looked a little perplexed if anything, but he also seemed annoyed in a way. Just the way he was sitting there with his hands gripping the bars.
"Where are you going? You don't think you should be going back, do you?"
Brian turned completely, then and he gestured towards upstairs with his thumb.
"I have to go home?"
The child rolled his eyes.
"Really? Do you think you should be going home?"
"What are you talking about?"
Stewie groaned and slid back in his cage.
"You're such an idiot, it astounds me! I wouldn't go home tonight...if I were you. Especially since you had the ludicrous idea of eluding an individual that finds you suspicious. You're now on their grid which means...you should stay away from your home tonight. Fucking moron."
Brian scoffed.
"You're the one that keeps saying you WANT me to be caught. Yet now you're all about me staying here. What's your deal, kid?"
Another groan.
"Says the one that doesn't want to be caught! Look, I could care less, but you're being really stupid, Bry. You're not making this situation any easier on yourself and therefore on me! THINK for a moment!"
"Fine!"
Brian threw his arms up, doing so defensively.
He groaned softly and gently took a seat back on the step like he had earlier.
"Where do I sleep, then?"
"Where do you think? On the fucking ground, dog."
The internet was truly a wondrous thing.
It hadn't taken him hardly any time at all to look up Brian Griffin and to pinpoint his latest place of residence.
What a turn this plot had taken, though.
I knew you were an asshole, but are you seriously that fucked in the head?
He could almost kick himself for not thinking of looking into Stewie's ex sooner, but as bad as that situation had been for Stewie, from all he had heard, he at least wanted to give Brian the benefit of the doubt as the kid's former friend that he wouldn't do something so heinous.
So much for that idea.
This could also be taken as a decent turn of events, though. He didn't know why Brian would all of a sudden decide to kidnap Stewie, but there was at least a better chance now than there had been that Stewie was alright, for the most part. Brian must have some kind of motive beyond the usual reasons for children getting snatched up. He and Stewie knew each other. They had a long and deep history.
So, what do you want with Stewie, Brian?
It was a question he had every intention of getting answers to along with several others.
The man hopped out of his car and made his way across the street and into the rundown apartment complex. A quick trip up the steps later he arrived at apartment number twenty-two, Brian's apartment. He placed his ear on the door to see if he could make out any sounds coming from inside. He hadn't seen any sign of Brian's Prius when he had arrived, but there was still a possibility that Brian was home.
It was silent, though.
He knocked on the door as one last attempt to check if the residence was empty.
"Brian? You in there?"
He waited to see if there were any signs of activity coming from the inside.
Nothing.
Ok. This might make things a little easier then…
The man pulled out his wallet then and retrieved an old credit card. He then took the card and slipped into the space between the doorframe and the door that was next to the knob before starting to shift it up and down. He had seen this done in movies plenty, and it seemed simple enough.
Come on. Work with me he-…!
There was a click as the card finally slipped through allowing the door to swing open.
The man grinned to himself.
Alright!
He let himself into the dog's home, making sure to lock the door behind him. He took a moment to take in his surroundings.
The apartment was...passable...if that.
The thing that became the most apparent at first was just how much it stuck, so it didn't exactly surprise the man to see that it wasn't exactly all that clean on the inside, trash littering the floor here and there. Was that food still on the coffee table? And ouch...how could you even see anything on that television?
At least you're not living the life of luxury. Serves you right.
Despite the state of the place there were a few indications that Brian had at least tried to make a decent home here. There were pictures on the walls, which had patches of peeling wallpaper. Pretty much all of them were old family shots of him with the Griffins, but what really caught his eye were just how many there were of just the dog and baby pair.
It turned his stomach a little.
He didn't exactly like to be reminded that this piece of shit still had way more history with his boyfriend than he did. It was silly, sure, but then again, jealousy was a silly thing.
And who could actually say they were immune to experiencing jealousy?
He didn't dwell on these thoughts, though. He didn't know when Brian was getting back, but he felt like he had a little time before that happened so why not...explore a little?
The man proceeded to make his way through the apartment, making observations as he went. What really stuck out to him, though, was how he began to find scattered, unframed photos of Brian and Stewie, and sometimes just Stewie, just littering the place, no rhyme or reason to it. Was Brian really just looking at all these pictures and leaving them wherever he just happened to drop them? It began to look like a scene out of a fucking thriller or something, and if he could conclude one thing from all he was seeing, it was that this dumb dog had clearly not taken his break-up with Stewie well.
But why, though? Stewie told me how you acted. If he meant that much to you, why did you push him away? You fucking had your chance and you blew it, man. No sense losing your shit now.
It was sad and pathetic, but no sympathy was going to be spared for this mutt. Not after what he did.
He was obviously crazed, obsessed, and now, the possibility of Stewie still being alright was starting to seem less likely.
He wasn't going to give up hope, though.
He was close.
The man made his way back into the living room and took a seat on the couch.
"Ok, Brian."
He threw his feet up on the coffee table, carelessly knocking a cup with some soda onto the carpeted floor.
"I guess now I just wait for you to come to me."
