A.J. was talking with Mister Seth behind me as we walked up to the door of my home. Even after living with Master Roman and Master Dean for a while now, it felt nice to know that I could call this place home. The only other home I ever had was the cage back at the pet store, but now I realize that wasn't a real home. Master Dean taught me that.
He heard me refer to the cage as my old home once and got really upset about it. I always wondered why he would get so upset and anger about certain things, but never felt that it was right to ask my masters why. Luckily A.J. seemed to know the answer.
"It's because he likes you."
"Well, isn't a master supposed to like their pet?" I asked, not really knowing what she meant.
"Not that kind of like silly. It's the kind of like that is between Master Seth and Master Punk and I. The kind where you aren't just master and pet, but lovers."
Master Dean would never look at me like Mister Seth looks at A.J. I'm not pretty enough for Master Dean to look at me like that. I'm sure there are a lot of other pets and human women that Master Dean would like.
"Master Dean doesn't like me like that. He has Master Roman for that" I said, curling my legs to my chest.
"Yes, he does" said A.J., pushing up on the couch so she was in my face. "And Mister Roman likes you like that too."
The smirk on her face gave away that she knew something I didn't, but did I really want to know what it was? What if Masters told Mister Seth or Mister Punk something? Maybe she is right and they really do like me that way. But what do I do? Do I want to be with as more than a pet? No, don't think like that! I do whatever my masters want. My own wants don't matter… but Master Dean said that what I want does matter.
If I'm honest, I want to be with Master Dean and Master Roman like A.J. is with Mister Seth and Mister Punk. I'm jealous of the way they are. How close all of them are and how, without a single word, entire conversations can be had with just actions and looks. I'm nervous that one day Masters are going to tired of me and bring in a new person or a new pet to replace me. I don't want to lose Master Dean or Master Roman. I don't want to share Master Dean or Master Roman. They're mine! My masters!
"It feels weird being selfish, right?" questioned A.J., resting her head in her hand while she sat, with her legs crossed, facing me on the couch. "I remember the first time I admitted to myself that I was jealous of the girls Master Seth and Master Punk would bring home for playtime. I almost clawed one girl's eyes out, but that's a story for a different time."
"I am wondering if I ever want to that story" I inserted.
I knew A.J. was possessive of things and people, but never to the point of clawing a person's eyes out.
"Oh, it's a great story! It involves a…. Wait, I'm getting off topic" said A.J., calming down after getting really excited. "What I'm saying is that it's okay to be selfish and say that they are only your masters and you don't want to share them in any way. It is just going to take a while to get over. It's another part of training that you are going to have to break."
Breaking training. Why does everything have to go back to that? Is the training I was given really that bad? I thought training was what every pet needed and was taught. So, why is it suddenly something that everyone wants me to forget? But Master Dean doesn't like my training. Master Roman doesn't seem to mind it, but the smile he gets when I do break it is really handsome. It makes his entire face light up like I did the best thing in the world. Maybe I don't have to understand it to actually do it? Or maybe I will understand it after I finish?
"Of course, it's going to be harder for you than it was for me. The training you were given was the extreme version. It was the kind that they only teach to certain pets, while mine was just the basic stuff" continued A.J., closing her eyes and thinking.
The door opened before I could even knock and a smiling Master Roman was the first thing I saw. Without thinking, I jumped up and wrapped my arms and legs around him. Even though I was with A.J. and Mister Seth for a few hours, I missed my masters like crazy.
"Master Roman!" I said, purring as his scent flood my senses.
He smelled like the ocean and coconut and something that can only be described as Master Roman. I remember the first time I saw the ocean. It wasn't something I wanted to remember but if Master Roman smelled like it… maybe it isn't entirely bad.
For some reason Miss Sherri had brought us to this weird place with this light colored dirt that went off into a bunch of water. Like a lot of water. So much that I can't see the other side of the water. She said the dirt was called sand and the water was called an ocean. All the other people around us were calling this place a beach.
She was throwing things into the water for all of us to go get. All the bigger and older pets were going in the water and bringing the stuff back, but how did they not get covered by the water? How did they come back?
"Runt! It's your turn! Go fetch!" shouted Miss Sherri, throwing one of her toys in the water.
I looked at her and at the toy. How am I supposed to get it?
"You're half mutt, aren't you? Go fetch!" She shouted again.
"But how?" I asked, looking back at the toy.
"Are you really that stupid of a hybrid? That you don't even know how to swim! I told them that you were useless when they brought you to me. I told them that you would never amount to anything more than a worthless hunk of flesh! You, the old hairy one, go get the toy. And all of you can thank the runt right here for cutting our little outing short since she can't do anything."
Miss Sherri left and told us that once the toy was returned, we had to meet her at the van. Being the youngest pet, I kept my head down while all the older and bigger pets yelled at me for making her mad and cutting our time here short. That was when one of the bigger dog pets threw me in the water, shouting I needed to learn to swim.
I tried to breath, but water filled my mouth. I tried to stay above the water, but I kept getting pushed under by more water. I was turning underwater and couldn't remember which way the air was. That was when everything started to go black.
I don't know how I got out of the water or how I ended up in the cage in Miss Sherri's van, but that is where I woke up. I was still locked in the cage in the back of the van. No one else was around and by the lack of noise and light from outside, I knew it was already well into the night. That is where I stayed until late the next day when Miss Sherri's sister-in-law, Miss Elizabeth, brought me food and water.
No, the ocean isn't bad. Miss Sherri and those other pets are bad. If the ocean smells like Master Roman, the ocean isn't bad.
"I missed you too baby girl" said Master Roman, wrapping his arms around me and holding me tighter to him.
I caught Master Dean's scent on him too, but that only made it better. A smile formed on my face as I buried my head in the crook of his neck. My master.
"Baby girl's back?"
"Master Dean" I said, popping up and looking over Master Roman's shoulder.
I looked all around the apartment that I could see until I saw him coming from the hallway with a pair of loose shorts on. Ever since I had walked in on them naked in bed that one morning, Master Roman and Master Dean hadn't been shy about covering up their bodies. Not that I really minded. I liked their bare skin. I just don't like the looks they get when they don't cover up.
"Master Dean. Master Dean. Master Dean" I chanted, squirming out of Master Roman's grip and running to wrap around Master Dean.
Nuzzling my head under his chin, I could smell the fresh woody smell of his shower stuff and the undeniable Master Dean scent.
"I take it you missed us" said Master Dean, holding me as tight as Master Roman was.
I nodded my head, not wanting to let go of him just yet. It wasn't often I got to cuddle with Master Dean. Master Roman was the touchy-feely one. He was the one who wanted to hold me while he and Master Dean relaxed after work. Master Dean always said that he smelled bad or something else, so I reveled in the chances I got to latch onto Master Dean and not let go.
Not saying I don't do the same to Master Roman. I just do it more often with him than I do Master Dean.
"Timber, you don't have to do anything. Dean went to go get dinner. Just come sit down and relax" said Master Roman, patting the spot beside him on the couch.
"But…" I was about to go back to the kitchen when he stopped me again.
"Timber, I mean it. Come sit down before I carry you over here."
I nodded my head and went to the couch, snuggling into Master Roman's side. It wasn't often he commanded me to do things, but when he did, it wasn't like the other people who taught me or were my masters.
"Timber! Go get my date more food" said Mister Angle, holding the plate out to me.
I went and got more food on it before bringing it back. It was always like this ever since I got here. I was told that he would enhance my training. Make me ready for adoption and more suitable for a master. Maybe this was just part of it?
"What is this? I told you to get her more food" shouted Mister Angle, holding the plate.
"But I did" I squeaked out, knowing he was already furious.
"You got her the wrong food. And did you just talk back to me! That's it! You are going in the kennel! If you can't do anything right, you don't deserve to be out in the open."
Mister Angle grabbed the back of my head and pushed me into a bent position while he walked me to the back of his house. He kept the kennel in the small storage/ porch area behind the house. It was a small, dark room with no light. He said that it was a better punishment and would make sure I only make a mistake once. But this is the fourth time this week I've been put in it.
Once he had me locked in the small four feet by three feet by two feet kennel, he shut the door, continuing to yell at me. Everything went dark and I knew what would happen. He would forget I was here until one of the other pets reminded him. It happens almost every time he puts me in here. I'm starting to wonder if he even really forgets and is just doing it on purpose.
No, Mister Angle is supposed to be helping me. Training me. He would never do something like that on purpose, and if he is, I deserve it.
"What are you thinking about?" asked Master Roman, pulling me from my memories.
He was stroking my head and running his fingers behind my ears. While I was in my head, he must have pulled me onto his lap because I don't remember being cuddled into his chest. But the constant beating of his heart wasn't something I wanted to miss. It reminded me that I was safe and cared for and loved.
It made me question everything I thought in the past about everything, but I knew one thing for sure. Master Roman and Master Dean love me. Master Roman and Master Dean care about me. Master Dean and Master Roman want me. Master Dean and Master Roman will protect me and won't lie to me. They are the good people in the world, and the people they trust and care about are good people too.
"How lucky I am that you and Master Dean are my masters. How different Master Roman and Master Dean are from every other person who's been in my life. And how much I really do love Master Roman and Master Dean" I said, burrowing closer to the warmth coming off Master Roman.
He was silent for a little while until his arms wrapped around me and a kiss was pressed to the top of my head. Looking up at him, I could see that there was deep emotion behind his grey eyes, but couldn't place what it was. The smile on his face was a small one but it was one of the best ones I've ever seen.
"We love you too, Timber."
It was at that moment Master Dean opened the door, holding up bags that smelled amazing and a cardboard thing that held what sounds like drinks. He was caught off-guard and asked Master Roman what was going on. While they talked, I set everything out as Master Dean told me who's food was what. As their conversation switched from recapping what happened while Master Dean was gone to other things, I continued to sit on the floor, enjoying the food. Normally, Master Dean and Master Roman would make me sit on the furniture while I ate, but I guess they decided to let it pass since I chose to sit on the floor and am not doing it out of training. Also, probably because I'm smiling while eating and my tail is swishing back and forth behind me. What? The food is really good.
"I'm guessing you like the chicken sandwich" asked Master Roman, petting my head as I took a bite.
I looked up at him and nodded, savoring the taste. It was amazing! Master Dean just chuckled before tossing the television remote control to Master Roman.
"Do you wanna watch anything? Because I can't find anything good on" said Master Dean, leaning back against the couch and continuing to eat.
That reminded me of the thing A.J. had me watch earlier today while Mister Seth was out running an errand. She told me that I should watch more stuff like it at home, but I don't know if Master Roman and Master Dean would like it since we had to turn it off when Mister Seth got back. But she didn't say I couldn't watch it around Master Dean and Master Roman. And Mister Seth did let us turn it back on again after A.J. talked to him.
"Actually, can I watch something? A.J. showed me something new to watch and I'm curious" I asked, looking up at my masters.
"Go ahead" said Master Roman, handing me the remote control.
It took a second for me to punch in the right channel, but when the channel popped up, I knew I got it right. On the screen, it showed the same logo that A.J. had showed me earlier and it was pretty much the same thing as earlier except with different people. However, I knew something was off when Master Dean and Master Roman stopped moving.
"A.J. showed you this?" questioned Master Dean, putting down his food.
"Yeah, we were watching it earlier while Mister Seth was running an errand, but we had to turn it off when he got home. She talked to Mister Seth later and we were able to watch it again while he was there though" I explained, looking up at them.
Was there something wrong? A sound came from the screen and I turned to see what was happening. But suddenly the screen went black as Master Roman pressed the power button on the remote control.
"I'm going to kill Seth" seethed Master Roman, leaning his elbows on his knees.
"You can have what's left of him after I get my hands on that gym rat" spit Master Dean, getting up to pace in front of the television.
Why are they mad? Mister Seth said that it was okay to watch that type of stuff. That is was educational.
"Master Roman" I started, placing my hand on his shaking hands. "Did I make you and Master Dean upset? Is it because I wanted to watch that? If that's why you are mad, I won't watch it ever again. I promise."
It seemed like an eternity until Master Roman finally responded. The shaking in his hands and body had gone away and he seemed a little more relaxed when his grey eyes met mine. However, Master Dean was still pacing in front of us and mumbling curse words under his breath, thinking I couldn't hear them.
"It's okay, Timber. You didn't make us mad by wanting to watch… that type of stuff. It just caught us by surprise is all."
"It's not okay, Roman. Seth fucking let her watch…"
"Enough Dean. Just come sit down before you make her upset" commanded Master Roman, pulling me onto the couch.
Once Master Dean sat down, I crawled into his lap and wrapped my tail around him while purring, hoping that would help calm him down. I didn't like to see Master Dean angry or upset. I liked seeing him goofy and silly and happy. It seemed to be working as he wrapped his arms around me and relaxed back into the couch.
"Now that that's all over with, let's find something else to watch" said Master Roman, turning the television back on and to a different channel as fast as possible.
"I'm still going to kill Seth" muttered Master Dean, holding me tighter as he continued to pet my head.
"Dean."
"He let her watch fucking porn!"
Author's Note:
So, some of you said you wanted a longer chapter. Hopefully this was what you were looking for! :D I thought a longer chapter would do better in Timber's POV since I could add in flashbacks and let all the readers see into her past and her mind. It was fun for me to explore that part of Timber's character. :)
Anyway, I want to thank all of you for being patient with my weird update times and also reviewing and reading this story. I've probably said this before but it's amazing to me to know people actually like reading what I write.
Not a long author's note today (or maybe it is a long one?) because it's about 1:35AM right now and I have to be up to go to the gym at 7:30AM. Fun fun. (Totally sarcastic right there.)
Please favorite, follow, and review. (Reviews really make me smile and know that I'm going in the right direction with this story.)
And from me to you:
Have a nice day. (Keeping it simple. ;) )
BoV