Someone to Live For: A Keeperverse Story (Chp. 9 3/27)

[fire07]

Yay! I'm so glad you've returned to this story. That was a wonderful addition. I hope you keep it up.

[Crimson_Wolf]

Please continue this story, this has been a great and captivating story with a nice steady place that shows a lot of feelings between the two characters.

[SGTbaby]

I. Am ecstatic to see this back! Great chapter and it is great to see them finally realize what was going on.  Although it was fun to watch the interaction as well. Can’t wait for more!

[Jugemu]

Guys, the words of support have really meant a lot. Probably would've dropped this thing otherwise.

I feel like I should reassure the reader that DL content is going to become a lot more central very soon.

Chapter 7

Dinner that night was a grilled chicken breast with mashed potatoes – presumably the gentlest food Sandra could think of. In spite of its relative blandness, I dug in like it was my first meal in days. In my zeal, I barely noticed the wince of pain that came from my left hand. Looking down, I saw that I had cut one of my fingers with the dinner knife. A small trickle of blood came out and dripped onto the plate.

“Oh, you poor thing,” Sandra said, “Let me see.”

Taking my hand in hers, she wrapped a napkin around my finger to contain the bleeding.

“Does it hurt?”
“Not really.”

“Well, that’s good. Come on, let's get your patched up.”

She led me over to the kitchen sink where she ran my cut under the tap for a few seconds before drying it, applying some antibiotic ointment, and bandaging it. It was honestly more trouble than the injury warranted, but there was something touching about the gesture. She seemed to have accepted accepted that it was her role to keep me safe. Was it really okay for me to start thinking of her in that way? As my protector?

As my Keeper?

Once we returned to the table, she said “I think you'd better leave the cutting to me from now on.” She removed the knife from my side of the table, and just like that, my cutlery privileges were revoked. It struck me as something of an overreaction. Surely any adult could’ve had an accident like that! You wouldn’t ban someone from a library for giving themselves a papercut. In spite my frustration, I held my tongue and allowed her cut up the rest of my food for me.

“We're going to have to find you a proper place to sleep,” she said as she worked the cutlery with a dexterity I could apparently no longer match.

My heart sank a little when I heard that. “I assumed we'd, you know, sleep like we did earlier today.”

She stopped cutting. “Earlier today… I wish I'd understood our situation better when I came over today. There are certain lines I wouldn't have crossed otherwise. There's a bond between a Keeper and a Pet, but it’s not what you'd call  romantic. At least I don't think it is.”

Those words stung. We’d become so close in such a short time, and this was the first time she had taken a step away from me. Just like her “house rules,” I understood at once that it was only natural for a pet to have boundaries. But the insatiable desire to be close to her was as strong as ever.

“Dylan, you're pouting,” she said.

“No I'm not,” I said, which obviously wasn’t true.

She let out am exasperated sigh. “Fine, you can stay with me, but only for tonight, ok? We’ll call it a Pet/Keeper bonding ritual.”

I didn't even try to hide my elation.

We spent the rest of the evening cuddling in front of the TV, talking about each other's lives. I learned more about who she was, and she learned more about who I used to be. The conversation took a distressing turn when I realized I could no longer remember the name of my elementary school. Other details had become faint as well – the address of my childhood home, the names of distant relatives… It was like my old life was fading away. Was this also part of becoming a Pet? How much more would I forget? I chose not to voice those concerns to Sandra. I didn't want her to think I regretted Bonding with her, not on our first night together.

True to her word, she showed no intention of doing anything more than cuddle as we settled into bed. She held me from behind as she drifted off. I didn't really mind leaving it at that, but I couldn’t stop myself from becoming aroused at her touch. This in turn brought my attention to my new undergarment. It's just a precaution, I told myself, and hoped that it was true.

We had only been in bed for about an hour when I felt the now familiar jolt from my bladder. I didn't want to wake Sandra getting up, but I knew I didn't have much time. I detached myself from her as carefully as I could and stood up.

“Dylan?” I heard her say sleepily.

“B-bathroom,” I replied. She muttered something incoherent and rolled over. Another spasm from down below spurred me onward. 

Only after seeing the hallway full of identical doors did I realize that I had never asked which led to the bathroom. Doing my best to clamp down, I began to check them one-by-one. The first was a closet. The second, a study. Doubled over from the aching fullness, I opened the final door to and spotted my objective. Perhaps the relief I felt mentally had spread into the rest of my body - mere moments before I could get the brief and sweatpants off, I lost the struggle.

To someone who had never experienced it as an adult, wetting the brief was a strange sensation. I could feel it coming out of me, but it wasn't going anywhere. I just felt my crotch get warmer, and the brief get heavier. Far more acute were the feelings of shame and disgust. I hated that this was part of the deal. I felt like crying, but couldn't bear the thought of becoming any more infantile than I was at that moment.

I supposed I should change into a fresh pair, but I wasn’t sure where Sandra had left the package   I reasoned that, having just emptied myself, I wouldn't really be at risk of another nighttime accident. Confident that all would be well, I returned to bed. Maybe Sandra doesn’t even need to know about this one, I thought before dozing off again.

***
Like the meal that preceded it, breakfast was selected to be as gastrically inoffensive as possible. The bowl of oatmeal that was presented to me wasn’t as nearly appealing as meat and potatoes, but food was food. I would have loved a cup of coffee then, but didn't bother asking. I just meekly accepted a glass of water, finding myself quite thirsty.

“Umm, Sandra?” I asked between mouthfuls of oatmeal, “what exactly do Pets do all day?”

She mulled over the question. “Whatever you feel like, I guess. I have books, you can watch TV… just as long as you stay in the house.”

“Is it really okay for me just be here in your house? And not, you know, contribute anything?”

“I haven't really thought that far ahead. It was instinct that drove us to where we are now. Whatever instinct doesn’t tell us we’ll have to figure out for ourselves. But we will figure it out.” She touched my arm gently as she said that.

“However you decide to entertain yourself, I’m afraid you're going to have to start now. I've got to get ready for work.”

She collected the empty bowls and silverware and dropped them in the sink before heading to the bedroom. I wanted to follow her, to keep talking, to feel her touch again. But I knew I'd only be making myself a nuisance. I wondered if I would ever get enough of her attention.

Seeing the dirty tableware in the sink, I decided that I could at least thank her by taking care of that chore. As soon as I got started I began to feel nervous. Every deliberate thing I'd done for the past several days had been a disaster. Surely I’d end up breaking a dish or splashing water everywhere. I focused all of my attention on my hands, making every movement slow and careful. I managed to maintain my coordination until the end, and was strangely proud of myself for if.

Shortly thereafter, Sandra reemerged looking like the very image of modern professionalism.

“I did the dishes!” I blurted out, and immediately became embarrassed at my childish bid for attention.
“Well, what a helpful Pet you are!” she said cheerfully, favoring me with a few scritches. I knew she was just humoring me, but I felt too good to care.

“You're going to behave while I'm gone, aren't you?”

I nodded.

“I'll come by in a few hours to see how you're doing, ok? Be good!” And then she was out the door.

What followed was longest, loneliest two hours of my life. I tried channel-surfing on her TV and looking through her Blu-ray collection, but nothing could distract me from the low feeling of being in the house alone. I even thought I might pass the time by sleeping through the rest of the morning. This idea yielded only mixed success.

That morning I discovered, to my great relief, that I had more or less maintained control over my bowels. When it came, the need to go was a bit more urgent than I was used to, but there wasn’t any doubt that I would make it to the bathroom in time. Upon entering the bathroom, I remembered that I still hadn’t put on a new brief since the previous night. My first instinct was to go looking for the package right away, but then I reconsidered. The next time I needed to go, the toilet would only be a few feet away - and this time I would know exactly where to go. Maybe I didn't need to surrender this aspect of my adulthood so completely after all.

As I was having this internal debate, pangs of hunger started to appear. My appetite had been much stronger lately, and one bowl of oatmeal wasn’t going to cut it. Of course I remembered Sandra’s rule about only eating what she have me, but the signal from my empty stomach was so strong.

I decided that if I was careful, I could sneak something out of the kitchen without her noticing. In the fridge I found some deli meats and cheeses. All that was missing was a couple slices of bread. I began rummaging through cabinets, some of which were so high I needed to stand on a chair to reach them. It was on one of these shelves that I found a half-eaten loaf, sitting next to some ceramic dishes and glassware. 
Propped up on the chair, I reached my hand into the cabinet. But before I could grab it, I was startled by the sound of the telephone ringing. I instinctively lurched backward, causing me to lose my balance. I came crashing to the ground, taking a couple of cups and glasses with me. As soon as I hit the floor, I felt my bladder release, and a warm puddle began pooling around me.

It had been downright idiotic of me to think I didn't need some kind of protection. I'd had three accidents in the past two days, after all. I just sat there on floor, listening to the telephone ring and feeling my backside grow warm and wet.

Just then, I heard the door opening and I began to panic. Sandra had returned at the worst possible moment. There was no question of hiding what had happened – I was caught.

“Dylan?” she called, “Are you being g-“

The instant she saw me she froze. I had been expecting her to fly into a rage, but instead she just looked surprised and sad.

“Those glasses were a gift...” she said, “What were you doing up there anyway?”

“I was looking for something to eat,” I admitted.

“Didn’t I tell you that you could only eat what I gave you?”

“I'm sorry.”

The dreaded anger finally came. “You’d better be sorry!” she shouted, “You've been in my house one day, and already-“

Only then did she notice the puddle I was sitting in.

“Why aren't you wearing the underwear I got you!?” she exclaimed with increasing exasperation.

“I d-didn't think I'd n-need it,” I stammered.

She then did something completely unexpected. With one high-heeled foot, she pushed me back by my chest, pinning me to the ground. My own urine was soaking into the fabric of my shirt.

Towering above me, she said, “It doesn’t matter what you think. You are MINE, do you understand? You belong to ME. That means you will wear what I tell you to wear. You will eat when I allow you to eat. I will command you, and you will OBEY.”

Listening to her scold me, a strange thing happened. The fear that had been building up inside me gradually turned into something resembling excitement. Then excitement gave way to arousal. I realized that I wanted to be reminded of her dominion over me. I wanted to submit, to be completely under her control, to be given commands, to be put in my place. The experience of submission overwhelmed my senses. I began to lose awareness of where I was and what was happening. I surrendered myself completely to the moment.

 

And I was no longer afraid.

 

That serenity did not last. When I came back to my senses, I was alone in her living room, naked except for another disposable brief. Sandra must have bathed and changed me while I was zoned out. She hadn’t fed me though. I was starving. But that was only trivial concern. Far more upsetting was the thought that I had once again let the woman I loved down. She had endured so much for me, and I’d been nothing but trouble. What if she decided she no longer wanted me? I didn't ask to become a Pet, but now I couldn't bear the thought of living without her.

I dreaded her return, and yearned for it at the same time.

[SGTbaby]

I wonder if she did some more research while away as to why she was so forceful? I like it though and love seeing how this is developing 

[Jugemu]

42 minutes ago, SGTbaby said:

I wonder if she did some more research while away as to why she was so forceful? I like it though and love seeing how this is developing 

Truthfully, that was inspired by a scene from the original Keeperverse story itself - wherein Lana straight up grabs Kara by the throat and pins her against a wall. My understanding/interpretation was that when met with resistance or disobedience, a Keeper's domineering instincts go into overdrive.

[Sarah Penguin]

[CDfm]

Well I continue to be impressed with how you are moving this story along. We are getting close to the point where he will have given up his life and I am actually curious to see how you go about that. I was happy to give this a like and do look forward to reading more. 

[Jugemu]

 

For anyone still following this story, I think I can refer to this as "the moment you've all been waiting for."

...or maybe just the moment I've been waiting to write ;)

Chapter 8

It didn't take long for doubt to set in. Sandra hadn’t been merely forceful with Dylan, she’d been downright violent. She knew she shouldn't treat anyone that way, be they person or Pet. And yet the urge to overpower him had been so strong. The feeling of control it gave her was like a drug. But unlike a drug, the high she was chasing came from within. It was the product of instinct, it was part of her nature.

Nevertheless, that didn't mean it was right. She worried about how far she might go the next time. What if she couldn't stop herself from truly hurting him?

What if she already had?

While she was scolding him, his whole demeanor had changed in an unsettling way. He became slow and passive, and hardly seemed to pay attention to his surroundings. And yet he was responsive enough that she was able to get him cleaned and changed without too much trouble. She had assumed that he was just feeling guilty and sad, but what if she came home to find that he hadn’t snapped out of it?

She was forced to confront the reality that she had no idea what she was doing. She had made herself responsible for his well being, but she didn't know how to take care of him. It wasn't something she could just play by ear. She realized that what she’d said to Dylan that morning wasn’t true. She had more than instinct and improvisation to guide her.

She had the internet.

So down the rabbit hole she went, clicking one link after another until she ended up on a site called Keeper's Corner, the largest (and only) community of Keepers online. In the FAQs section she found articles on all aspects of Pet care – diapers, diet, discipline, even hypnotic conditioning. She found a list of all the various mental and physical changes observed in Pets after bonding. In the discussion forum there was a fierce debate about sexual attraction between Pets and Keepers (good to know she wasn’t the only one).

Much of the time that should've been spent working that afternoon was instead spent reading as much as she could. She made a list of things she would need to buy and considered systems of discipline she would need to implement. Her research instilled her with a new feeling of confidence. She could do this. And she could do it right.

***

The rest of the afternoon was a whirlwind of contradictory emotions. I was upset about disappointing Sandra, but excited about being dominated by her. I was afraid of being abandoned, but I was slowly beginning to trust that she wouldn't do such as thing. Strongest of all was my anxiety about what would happen when she came home. I had no idea of what to expect, and that made me uneasy. So much so that when I finally did hear her key turning the lock, I did the most immature, irrational thing imaginable.

I hid.

I ducked into an unlit room and closed the door behind me, nervous thoughts flooding my brain.

“Dylan?” I heard her call, “Are you there? You can come out, it's alright. I'm not mad anymore.”

I peered out from behind the door like a shy child. She was standing with her arms outstretched, inviting to come closer.

“That's right, come here, Pet. Come to your Keeper.”

There was no question of resistance. I approached, but did not return her embrace. Keeping my arms at my sides, I simply let her envelop me. She gently stroked my hair and made little shushing sounds. I found myself thinking that holding someone would never feel as good as being held. To my surprise, I was silently crying.

“I’m sorry I was so mean to you earlier,” she said, “Can you forgive me?”

“But,” I choked, “I made you upset. I was b-bad!”

“You weren't being bad, you were being you. You look the same as any other person, so it's hard for me to remember that you don't have the kind self-control you used to. But you don't, and that's why you need a Keeper. I make the rules, and when you can't follow the rules, it's my job to restrain you.”

Something about that last sentence made me uncomfortable, but I didn't ask for details. Instead I voiced the thought that had come to me so many times over the past week.

“I'm just a burden, aren’t I?”

She was slow to respond. It obviously wasn’t a question she was expecting.

“When I took you into my home, I gained new responsibilities. I didn't fully understand what they were at first, I'm not sure I fully understand them now. But I've accepted them. I was meant to take care of you, Dylan. I can't say how or why it happened, but now that you're in my life, I can't imagine living without you.”

I was almost relieved by her words, but something was missing. Sure, she had accepted that I was now a part of her life. But did she like having me here? She didn't say anything about that, and I couldn't bring myself to ask.

Damn this Pet brain I thought. It had taken my ability to live, work, and even eat like a normal human. Why couldn't it at least make me too dumb to notice an omission like that?

We passed the rest of the evening much as we had the evening before, but when night came, she held firmly to her decision that we would sleep in separate rooms.

“I don't want you thinking this is some kind of punishment,” she said, “Pets need boundaries as much as they need food, shelter, and affection. Keepers provide those things.”

This explanation did little to assuage my dejection.

“Have a seat here next to me,” she said, motioning for me to join her on the couch. I obeyed. She placed a hand on my head and guided me down until I was resting in her lap. She ran her fingers through my hair and spoke to me in soothing tones.

“I'll be right here until you fall asleep. And then I'll be just there in the other room. We're still together in this home. Our home. You’re mine, and that's not going to change.”

I was, as always, helpless against her. With just her words, she could make me feel anything. That was the kind of power she had over me.

And maybe that was for the best.

***

I awoke to an array of enticing sounds and smells emanating from the kitchen. At some point during the night, Sandra had placed a pillow under my head and thrown a blanket over me, which I’d thrown off in my sleep. Even without any covers, I felt uncomfortably warm.

“You’re finally up,” Sandra said cheerfully as I entered the kitchen, “Hungry?”

I nodded enthusiastically. It seemed like I was always hungry these days. There was a cold, damp, squishing sensation when I sat down and I realized I had wet myself in my sleep. I wanted to change into something dry, but wasn’t sure how to excuse myself without admitting what I had done. So I decided to endure it until after breakfast.

“I've got some good news for you,” Sandra said between mouthfuls of food, “I found a site with recipes made specifically for pets. So you might have some better tasting food to look forward to soon.”

“This isn't bad though,” I said truthfully. I actually felt that I was becoming less particular about I ate lately. Food was food, and that was all there was to it.

“Are you wet?” she asked. I was a little surprised by the bluntness of her question.

“Yeah,” I replied, my face turning red, “I was going to take care of it after breakfast.”

“I'll do it,” she said, “There are some new rules I wanted to go over as well.”

I immediately thought back to her earlier remark about “restraint.” I didn't like where this was going.
After the dishes had been put away, she motioned for me to come into the living room, and I dutifully followed.

“Sit,” she said. I dropped to my knees. She seemed impossibly tall from my vantage point on the ground.

“Yesterday I understood something for the first time. When we bonded, your mind began to change. Your impulses became stronger, your emotions became more intense, and your self-control became weaker. I can't leave you alone all day and expect you to follow all of my rules. Which means I need to ensure that you can't break them.”

She took a large shopping bag down from a shelf and pulled out a long leather strap, which I quickly realized was a leash.

“This is going to keep you from getting near anything dangerous or fragile. I've cleared out a 'safe zone' in the living room where you can roam about as you please. That's where I'm going to keep you.”

Bending down to my level, she clipped to leash to a loop on my collar.

“Now you might get tempted to break free,” she continued, “so I'm going to give you these as well.” 
She produced a pair of think winter mittens – the kind that essentially rendered your fingers useless. They had drawstrings which she fastened around each of my wrists, ensuring I wouldn’t be able to take them off on my own.

“Now that that's out of the way, let's take care of your accident.”

I started to get up, but she placed a hand on my shoulder. “No, I want you to lay down on your back for me.”
Once I was on my back, she gripped the waistband of the brief. I instinctively lifted up my behind, allowing her to slide off the sodden garment. She reached into the bag one more time and pulled out a pack of disposable wipes, followed by a large, white plastic rectangle.

“But that's-“

“Yes, Dylan, it's a diaper. This is what you’re going to wear during the day. It’s more absorbent and about half the price of those other briefs. And nobody's going to see it except for me. I knew you wouldn't be crazy about the idea, but this is not up for discussion.”

Knowing there was no point in arguing, I let her get on with the humiliating task. She unfolded the diaper, revealing its large hourglass shape. She then grabbed both of my ankles, raised my legs into the air, and slid the diaper under my behind. I felt a cool, damp wipe gliding across my bottom and smelled a clean, gentle fragrance. I could hear the crinkling of plastic as she lowered me onto the soft, padded surface. She slowly folded the front over me, pressing it flat against my private area. She tucked the left wing underneath me, followed by the right. One by one, the tapes were fastened into place, each one encasing me more tightly. And then it was done. 

Taking both of my hands, she drew me up into a kneeling position.

“There,” she said, patting me on the head, “That's not so bad, is it?”

 
“Umm, Sandra? With these mittens on, I won't be able to, you know… take it off.” 

“Well, that's kind of the point.”

“You mean…”

“I don't want you taking your diaper off while I'm out.”

“But… why!?”

“Because you showed me yesterday that I can’t trust you to keep yourself protected. And I'm not sure you have the coordination to change yourself now. Honestly, I would rather come home to a wet diaper than a wet carpet.”

I stared at the ground, unable to say or do anything. Just when I was coming to terms with being a Pet, I was degraded even further.

“I’ll repeat what I said last night - this isn't a punishment. But we have to face reality. It's my job to give you what need, and sometimes that means giving your something you don't want.” She continued petting me as she said this. “Show me how good of a pet you can be by trusting me and accepting my decisions. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes, Keeper.” It was the first time I had called her anything other than her name. In that moment of ultimate submission, it seemed like the most natural thing to do.

“That's a good Pet.”

And so I found myself alone in Sandra's home, collared, leashed, and wearing a diaper I couldn't remove. I knew I would have to wet it before the day was through, but that didn't stop me from fighting the inevitable when the urge to go came. I pawed helplessly at the diaper, but it was no use. I couldn't possibly grip the tapes, and it was fastened too tightly for me to wriggle out of it. My mittened hands just slid uselessly over the plastic, and I was forced to accept defeat.

Of course, even if I had managed to get the diaper off, there would still be the problem of getting to the bathroom, restrained as I was. But lapses in reasoning had become the norm as late. I supposed being trapped in a wet diaper would now become the norm as well.

My sulking was interrupted when I heard the familiar tone of my cell phone, which I had hardly looked at in the past few days. I wouldn't be able to answer with my hands locked away, but I could read the incoming message. It was from my older brother.

“Hey! Are you busy Saturday?”

[SGTbaby]

Great new chapter and I agree that I was looking forward to her taking charge. I know it isn’t over but I love it so far

[Jugemu]

 

A slower chapter in which the seeds of drama are sewn.

Chapter 9

“He wants to go to a bar,” I explained, “There's a place we used to go to together before he moved away. I guess he's back in town for the weekend.”

“Well, I hope you realize that drinking is out of the question,” Sandra replied, “You've been doing well on your new diet, but we're nowhere near ready to let any alcohol in your system. And if you do go, I'm going to have to come with you. I can't leave you alone with someone who doesn't know about your… condition.”

I had expected that. Her trust in me was at an all-time low, after all.

“I don't know if you’re planning on eating there, but we'd have to make sure there's something Pet-friendly. And a place to change in case you have an accident...”

With everything that had happened over the past few days, I’d hardly given any thought to my social life. In truth, I'd hardly thought about anyone besides the two of us. For a little while, it was like we were the only people in this universe. And I was strangely content with that.

Of course it couldn't stay that way. I had friends, and I had family. I couldn't just hide from them, even if I wanted to. Sandra may have been the center of my world at that moment, but sooner or later I would surely start to miss the people from my “old life.” Even so, I was terrified of how they might react after seeing what I had become.

Sandra continued, “It's going to be really complicated to do this without explaining our situation.” She looked me in the eyes. “Is there any chance that we can tell him the truth?”

“No,” I said without a moment's hesitation, “Gabe wouldn't understand.”

“Okay. Does it have to be a bar? A place like Lulu’s would have food and drinks that are okay for you, and they have a private restroom.”

Lulu’s was the café where we'd had our first date (in a sense, it was also our last). Gabe would be disappointed if we went there, but the fact was that I didn't really want to go to a bar either. I wasn’t ready to be surrounded by symbols of the adulthood I had lost.

“If we’re going out together, we should probably get some more presentable clothes. Which I suppose means we’ll be taking a trip to your apartment.”

My apartment. I hadn’t set foot in there for days. When we last left together, there was a sense that we were just “trying out” living together. As such, I hadn't properly moved out yet. The place was still full of  various belongings, though I knew I wouldn’t be using most of them anymore. We still hadn't decided what we were going to do about my rent – whether we'd make some arrangement with the landlord or just let it drain my savings until the lease was up. That sort of thing was for Sandra to decide now. I still wasn't sure if I liked being a Pet, but it was nice not to have to worry about things like that.

 We made a plan to stop by my place on Saturday morning and meet Gabe in the afternoon. Once that was decided we settled back into our nightly routine – dinner was followed by a bath, and then an hour or so of TV before bed. I loved being bathed by her, but always became a little anxious when she removed my collar. Wearing a collar was supposed to be degrading, at least that's what I would've thought before. Now that we were Bonded, nothing could be further from the truth – the collar was a reminder that she had claimed me and that I was hers. I felt that as long as the collar was there, my Keeper would be there too. I didn't like to go long without that reminder.

After that night’s bath, I was a little dismayed to see her take out another diaper instead of one of the cloth-like briefs.

“I think we'd better save the more expensive ones for when we’re out and about,” she explained, “these are more appropriate for wearing overnight anyway.”

I knew there was no point in arguing with her, and I was feeling too relaxed from the bath to try. As before, she laid me down on the floor, lifted my legs up, and slid the new diaper underneath me. But this time I felt something cool and soft on my behind. I caught the unmistakable scent of talcum powder.

“I thought this might make you more comfortable,” she said.

I tried my hardest not to think about the humiliation of the situation. I tried to just focus on the pleasant things – the feeling of being clean, the nostalgic smell, and Sandra's touch. The touch of this person who did everything for me, who gave me everything I needed. She probably didn't want to change diapers any more than I wanted to wear them. And yet she was making an effort to be as careful and gentle with me as she could. She folded the diaper around me and pulled its tapes closed. And I felt grateful that it was her taking care of me.

***

On Saturday morning, we went to my apartment together to retrieve some  clothes and other things. Most of the food in my refrigerator needed to be thrown out by that point, and Sandra kept a close eye on me to make sure I didn't sneak myself an unauthorized snack. I selected an outfit for the day, and she helped me get dressed – or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that she dressed me. I just stood there passively as she slid the pants up my legs, fastened my belt, and buckled my shirt. No arguments, no assurances that I could do it myself. This was just how our life together was.

Stepping back to check her handiwork she asked, “How does that feel?”

“It's… a bit warm. And constricting.”

“Well, once this is over, we’ll get you home and into something comfy. We should probably be going now.”

Before stepping out the door, I took a moment to look over my abandoned apartment. How long would it be until I came here again?

***

Sitting in Sandra’s car in the parking lot of Lulu’s, we were both visibly anxious.

“I don't like the idea of lying to your brother,” said Sandra, “But if you say he's not ready to know the truth, then I trust you. If you start to feel uncomfortable, just squeeze my hand or something and I'll come up with a reason for us to go.”

With that she unfastened my collar, unbuckled my seat belt, and led me by the hand through the parking lot.

“Can't have you wandering off somewhere," she said half-jokingly.

Only when we reached the entrance did she let go. Gabe was waiting right behind the front doors.

“Hey dude!” he shouted before pulling me into a crushing bear hug. He was shorter than me, but more muscular. Whenever he showed affection, he did it in a way that showcased his strength.

“Good to see you too,” I replied.

“And you are?” he asked, turning to Sandra.

“I’m Sandra,” she said stiffly, “I'm… I'm a friend.”

The two exchanged a courteous handshake and then we all approached the counter. Sandra ordered for herself and for me – some kind of herbal tea that hopefully wouldn't upset my stomach.

Gabe did most of the talking while we sat and sipped our drinks. He caught me up his on his career and social life and I tried to do the same – albeit with some major omissions. He didn't seem to pay much attention to Sandra, and she didn't try to get his attention. She was probably just as uncomfortable as I was.

When she excused herself to go to the bathroom, he leaned in close like he was about to tell a secret.

“So,” he said, “You guys are obviously more than friends.”

“What makes you say that?” I asked in a pathetic attempt to feign innocence.

“You were holding hands outside for one thing. And she paid for you and she ordered for you. That is not friend behavior.”

“Alright, alright," I said with some exasperation, "We're seeing each other.”

"Right. And I'm guessing it was her idea to come here instead of our usual place?”

“Yeah.”

“I don't know dude,” he said, leaning back in his chair, “I mean, it's great that you’re getting some, but it kind of seems like she has you by the balls.”

I had no idea how to respond to that. Even when we were pretending to be to normal adults, we couldn't hide the balance of power between the two of us. I was still struggling to think of something to say when she returned.

“I just got Dylan here to tell me your secret,” he announced, clearly pleased with himself.

Her expression went blank. “Really? You told him everything?”

“That we’re dating,” I answered, hoping she would play along. I could just barely see the look of recognition on her face that told me she understood.

“Why did you say you were just friends,” Gabe asked, “You ashamed of him or something?”

“No, it's not that, I'm just… I get nervous meeting family members.”

“I'm not someone you need to be afraid of. So long as you don't fuck with my brother that is.”

“I'm only mean to people who deserve it,” she said. It was obvious that she didn't like his tone, and liked keeping quiet about it even less. She was holding herself back for my sake.

Gabe was obnoxious, but he’d always had a protective streak. I probably would've been bullied mercilessly at school it weren't for him. I knew that in his mind, “testing” a new partner like this was probably the right thing to do. I should have intervened, but I felt so small between the two of them.

All in all, it proved to be a very strange and uncomfortable afternoon. I was grateful when it was over. Once we were back in the car, we both breathed a sigh of relief.

“I'm sorry I didn't warn you about him,” I said, “I didn't think he would be that bad.”

“No, you didn't do anything wrong. I'm just glad to stop pretending. I can go back to being your Keeper and you can go back to being my Pet.”

She refastened my collar, and gave me a little scratch behind my ear. All of the tension immediately left my body. I couldn't wait to get home and curl up next to her.

That calm did not last, however. Moments later, I heard tapping on the window. When I turned around, there was Gabe, holding my cell phone.

“Hey, you left this on the t-“

 

 

 

“...What's that around your neck?”
 

[SGTbaby]

Uhoh! Love the drama here but definitely happens when trying to hide something 

[Jugemu]

2 hours ago, SGTbaby said:

Uhoh! Love the drama here but definitely happens when trying to hide something 

Yeah, pretending to be a normal couple was never going to work. But living in a world that doesn't understand the Bond yet, it seemed only natural that they would try.

[CDfm]

Well the cats out of the bag now. I can’t wait to see how Gabe reacts to this news.