Huck and Stephen 07
Before: Pet Sitting
OC Nonhuman Whumpee and OC Master fic
This is a series - link to 01. Masterpost here <3
A/N: This is the next update of the Huck and Stephen story, but here set before Huck ends up on dear Stephen’s doorstep. In this, Huck is called Pet, which was the name given to them by their previous owner, Master Parry. These new fics are much much more hurt & no comfort than some of the other ones I’ve done, but I promise Huck will get the nice treatment they deserve from Stephen soon enough! (I know because I’ve written up to it aha). But there’ll be some heavy stuff between now and then so please ask me for specific tags or warnings if you need them or I miss something :) Hope you enjoy this, I will be hiding under the desk.
ALSO! @haro-whumps did some gorgeous fanart for Huck (LINK) and it’s so lovely!! Thank you so much!! I hope you like these new updates.
Also, I want to thank @geodes-whump-cave, @deluxewhump and @newbornwhumperfly so much for their support and interest in the Huck and Stephen saga, without whose encouragement I probably wouldn’t be posting. And thanks to @redstainedsocks and @gimmethatsweetwhump for your encouragement always, you’re the best <3
Content warnings: verbal and physical abuse, dehumanisation, (brief) xenophobia, and (brief) choking
Crouched at the foot of the bed, Pet watched anxiously as Master Parry packed his things, meticulously folding up his work shirts.
Flicking his wrist, Master checked his watch with a scowl. “Where is that kid?” He glanced down and Pet reflexively leant backwards, curling their tail close to their paws. “What’re you doing?”
Pet flinched, crouching down lower with a soft whimper of apology, their ears flattened. It didn’t help.
“Always under my fucking feet.” Master kicked Pet in the ribs, hard enough to knock the air out of them with a thud, though Master was only wearing his slippers this time.
They didn’t know what to do, what Master wanted from them these days; pressing close to Master annoyed him, but trying to keep out of the way was no better. Being quiet made Master accuse Pet of ‘sneaking’ around, but every noise they made infuriated him. They used to be able to please him, if they behaved nicely and didn’t speak, but somehow, without meaning to, they’d lost the ability to make Master look fondly at them.
Master curled his lip. “Get out.”
Pet seized on the direct order and hurried to obey, only to yelp when Master suddenly lurched towards them and grabbed a handful of their hair, jerking their head back. Tears came to Pet’s eyes, even as they tried so hard to repress them. Only weak creatures cried. Master’s expression was twisted with loathing as he looked down at them, his grip agonising in their hair, and it was that hatred that hurt more than Master’s kicks or careless cruelties. Pet wanted more than anything for Master to look at them with affection, just once, like he used to.
“You know the one thing that makes this crappy work trip worthwhile, Pet? Being packed into those cheap, filthy planes like sardines, the disgusting hotels and disease-infested foreign food? Not having to deal with you, you and your pathetic snivelling.” He shoved Pet away and they collapsed on the floor, curled into a ball around the pain in their chest, shaking as they tried so hard not to cry. “Dirty animal.”
Master strode away into his en suite to wash his hands, getting Pet’s germs off him, he said, because no matter how often Pet showered, Master never thought they were clean. And Pet never felt clean, not with how Master always looked so disgusted by them.
Sobbing now, but silently, Pet dragged themself off the floor and scurried out the room, tail between their legs, not wanting to make Master even more furious by disobeying when he’d ordered them to leave.
The doorbell finally rang twenty minutes later, to Pet’s great relief. Master had been pacing the floor and muttering in annoyance for ten minutes and Pet was wound tight as a coil. They hurried to open the door as they were normally expected to, but Master was in too much of a hurry and Pet, like usual, was in the way.
“Move!” Master barked, knocking past Pet even as they tried to get out of the way. They stifled a soft whimper as they barely managed to stay upright, not wanting to draw Master’s attention when he was as angry as he was.
Master flung open the door hard enough that it hit the wall and Pet flinched from where they were hovering in the corridor, a few paces behind Master.
“Why are you never on time?” Master demanded of the smartly-dressed young man at the door.
It was Harrison, Master Parry’s son and Pet’s heart sunk at the sight of him, but they made themself sit up straight and tuck their paws and tail in neatly, not slouching like Master hated.
Harrison strolled inside, tall and angularly handsome. He’d changed since he used to live with Master and Pet, before he left for university a few years ago. He’d grown his hair out longer and lost some weight, which left his cheekbones sharper and his eyes, always cruel, now seeming even colder behind the lock of hair that seemed deliberately styled to fall across one eyebrow.
“Come on,” Harrison said, easily, “it’s only just after-”
“I don’t care, I really don’t.” Master waved Harrison inside. “Just take the mutt and get going. I have a plane to catch.”
Harrison, his hands in the pockets of his slacks, looked down at Pet with a smile that looked soft, but barely even reached his lean cheeks. Pet shivered, their skin prickling under their fur.
He came forward to rub Pet between the ears. “Hello there.” Harrison’s touch itself wasn’t unpleasant but Pet still had to force themself not to flinch away from it. “We meet again, mutt.”
“Harrison.” Master put his bag down in hall loud enough to make Pet flinch. “Just take it and drop it back in a week. In one piece.” Harrison’s hand briefly tightened in Pet’s hair and, their scalp still tender from Master grabbing their hair just a moment ago, Pet winced. Harrison noticed and goosebumps passed over Pet’s arms at the slight smile that passed over Harrison’s cold face.
Harrison finally dropped his hand from Pet’s head and Pet’s shoulders slumped in relief. Turning to his father, Harrison grinned rakishly and held out a hand. “Cash up front, dad. Pet sitting is expensive; those shelter places would charge you a fortune.”
Master scowled, but he was already digging out his wallet, glancing again at his watch. “How would you know what it costs?” he said as he shoved the money into Harrison’s hand. “You do nothing but bleed me dry, kid.”
Harrison just smiled, pushing the notes into the pocket of his jeans, which looked like they’d been torn at the knees by the claws of an angry creature.
“Hasta leugo, dad,” Harrison said as he grabbed Pet’s leash and muzzle off the hook by the door, carelessly fastening it around Pet’s neck. He gave his dad a jaunty wave. Without waiting for Pet to get their paws under them, he towed them out the door and onto the pavement outside. Pet coughed, half-choked, and dragged in a lungful of air as they hurried to catch up with Master Harrison, their stomach sinking. A week. Just a week.
I know this one is only short, I’ll post the others over the next few days probably, Please do let me know what you think, and my inbox is always open for thoughts, requests, feedback and ideas <3
