CW: Fear of punishment, fear of noncon, semi-fainting, exhaustion, fed by hand, pet whump, slavery whump, comfort, begging, intimate (but not sexual) whumpee/caretaker, whumperee, carewhumper
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When he was a monster, Rolan had often been told by his coworkers that he didnāt sleep enough. Heād brushed off these comments and concerns like a fool, intent on always doing work.Ā
When his masters had taken on the duty of teaching him better, heād spent days without sleep, terrified of every sigh and scream in the darkness. Only after heād been branded did he give into exhaustion and sleep properly for the first time in weeks.Ā
And as time had gone on, Rolan had learned to sleep hard, and sleep fast, taking every precious minute he could to rest. His dreams were strange and easily forgotten, and heād considered that yet another curse. How nice it would have been to escape his cruel world into the sweet land of dreams!
Ironically, now that he wasnāt being disciplined as often, Rolan found that he was dreaming more. And the dreams were never kind, gentle things to escape into. They were filled with screams, the smell of his skin burning, the gleaming reflection of artificial light off vials and syringes he used on his masters before heād learned his place.Ā
He had more time to sleep now āĀ everyone did ā in beds Mistress Sascha had ordered repaired for them all. It was more kindness than any of them deserved, and Rolan couldnāt even enjoy it. He hadnāt slept well in days, and it was showing.
Heād almost fallen over twice today alone, and he was shaky, even on his knees. Master Ćrik had had to call his name three times before Rolan heard him, and he was more than grateful the master had seen fit to forgive him this time for it. Even if it worried him how so very kind the master had been latelyā¦.
Focus. He needed nourishment. Water, and maybe a slice of bread. As soon as heād finished eating he would make himself presentable to the masters for work again. He couldnāt go to them in this state. His masters deserved him at his very best, always.Ā
As soon as he was dismissed from Attending Master Ćrik, he made his slow way to the kitchen. It became difficult to remember where he was going, and how to get there, but he was wary of asking the other slaves. He didnāt want them to get in trouble for associating with him any more than they wanted to.Ā
His head began to pound as he continued to crawl, and Rolan realized he was breathing hard. Too hard, like heād just a run a marathon instead of crawling for a few minutes. He tried to press forward, placing his hands and knees carefully, slowly, on the final staircase to the kitchens. He realized too late that his vision had turned dark ā he couldnāt see his hands anymore, or the steps!
He was too stunned with horror to even attempt catching himself as he fell. His arms came up to protect his head, and even though it didnāt take long for him to end up at the bottom of the stairs, he cried like heād taken an hour long beating.Ā
His whole body hurt. He felt bruised and battered all over, and the thought of moving made him sick. He was lucky he hadnāt thrown anything up when heād fallen, the way he was feeling now.Ā
No one came for him. Maybe no one had heard? He couldnāt hear any footsteps, or even any voices. That was odd for being so near the kitchens, but he didnāt question it. He didnāt want anyone to force him to move, even if they were trying to help him. He just wanted to stay here, huddling in his fetal position, until everything stoppedĀ hurtingĀ so much.
Rolan sniffled, curling in on himself even more. He would definitely need more than a few minutes of rest before he could Attend properly now. He was soĀ worthless. Such a spoiled excuse for a slave; hadnāt his masters spent all their time and effort training him these last few years? There was no excuse for this. He needed to get it together before one of them found him being useless and rightfully punished him.
And he would. In justā¦just a few minutes.Ā
āRolan.ā The voice was deep and rough, but not angry. Rolan shot awake anyway, scrambling into a proper kneeling position while his scattered brain tried to figure out where he was. He was kneeling on a soft, deep blue carpet without patterns, and the air was chilly, despite it being summer.Ā
How had he gotten here? Why was he just waking up? Had he been asleep? Yes, heādā¦he must have dozed off when resting before! How had he mistaken this place as the hall near the kitchens? How could he have fallen asleepĀ hereĀ of all places?
āM-Master Olehā¦ā Rolan whispered, dread lodged in their throat like a stone. The tall man whose bones were made from metal, whose muscles were made from steel, and whose heart was made of stone, looked down his nose at the trembling man kneeling before him.Ā
He wouldnāt be forgiven for this, Rolan knew. His largest, strongest master enjoyed his solitude. He rarely spoke to anyone but a few of his favorite pets and the other masters anymore, and everyone knew not to enter his room without asking, though he never had it locked.
Eyes already filling with tears, Rolan pressed his forehead to the floor. He was in so much trouble. Maybe if he told Master how it had been an accident he could escape the worst of his punishment, though he knew he deserved whatever he got for this.Ā WhyĀ had his confused brain thought this was the way to theĀ kitchens?
āWhy did you sleep in front of my room?ā Master Oleh asked directly. In front of? Oh! Thank goodnessā so he hadnāt barged in after all! That meantā¦that meant Master Oleh had carried him inside, so gently that Rolan hadnāt noticed until heād been put down.
Master Olehā¦he was being so kind to him. Rolan was grateful. More than grateful! He inched forward on his knees until he could bury his face in the manās legs. It felt nice to touch him. It was so rare now that he was touched. By anyone.
He kissed both his feet in deference. Master Oleh didnāt call him good, but he didnāt step away either, and Rolan peeked up at him with shining eyes. He hadnāt seen Master Oleh in so longā¦and heād become so kindā¦.
Snap out of it, he yelled at himself internally. He needed to explain himself right now! He had to ingratiate himself to Master so that he would allow Rolanās touch just a little longer and escape the worst of the coming discipline!
āIāve been so tired, Master,ā he said nervously, clutching his masterās legs. āM-My dreams are keeping me from getting any rest. I got confused trying to go to the kitchens. And-And then, I fell down those s-stairs and I must have fallen asleep by accidentā¦.ā
His master said nothing, as usual, and Rolan inched his way up his legs so that he was nuzzling his thigh. He spoke softly, as his master liked, and tried to look sweet and cute. Master Oleh liked sweet, cute things.
āI didnātĀ meanĀ to fall asleep there, sir, I promise. I just needed a few moments to rest. It was an accident. Now that Iāve slept a little more, I feel much better.āĀ
A large, rough hand in his hair stopped him. For a moment, the memory of it being yanked, of him being dragged, sobbing, overtook him. It was gone in the next moment, leaving him shaky, and he blinked up at the black eyes watching him with new fright in his own.Ā
āThank you so much for letting me rest on your soft carpet, Master,ā he said, leaning into the touch he loved and feared so much. āI truly am grateful.ā
āStill tired?ā Master Oleh asked softly. Rolan bit his lip, pressing his stomach and chest fully against his masterās leg to protect them, just in case. He trembled as he hid his face in the manās stomach, silently pleading for mercy.Ā
āY-Yes, Master,ā he whispered. āIām sorry.ā He should be serving the master drinks or providing massages, not clinging to him and making excuses for his unacceptable behavior!
He trembled, kissing his masterās stomach through the soft fabric to apologize. He hadnāt meant to trouble Master Oleh like this. He hated disrupting the carefully curated routine the man had made for himself. His poor master just wanted to be left alone and his useless pet couldnāt even do that.
Master Oleh detached himself from Rolan, making the human whimper at the loss, and walked to the desk that held all his snacks and tea. Rolan followed on his knees and waited obediently at his masterās feet.
He swallowed nervously when he realized Master was heating water, but he didnāt try to beg. He just hoped it would be poured on his hands or legs rather than his face. His other masters, especially Master Yuri and Master Ćrik, would be angry if anything happened to his face. The scar under his eye was the only blemish they ever wanted to see there.
Rolan was so busy worrying about what his other masters would say that he didnāt notice the teacup until it was at eye level. Hesitantly, nervously, the slave looked up at the creature that was his master. Master Oleh was watching him, and though there was no anger or malice in his eyes, Rolanās heart stuttered.
āM-Master?ā he squeaked, struggling not to cower away.Ā
Rolan obeyed, holding the mug in both shaking hands, and prayed to the gods that he wouldnāt drop it.
Rolan obeyed again, realizing with some relief that it wasnāt hot enough to burn him. The tea smelled likeā¦likeĀ something. Something familiar. What was it?
A cracker, round and brown, covered with small slices of cheese and meat was given to him next. Rolan eyes widened and his stomach growled, reminding him of just how hungry he was. It smelled soĀ goodā¦he really needed to eat, didnāt he? A nap and then a snackā¦Master Oleh was being so kind to him today.Ā Wasn't he angry?
He would be punished later, Rolan was sure, but right now Master Oleh was caring for him. That was his decision. Pets weren't meant to question their masters' motives. Rolan took the entire cracker in his mouth and chewed, swallowing it only after heād savored the savory, salty taste.Ā
āIām sorry, Master,ā Rolan said quickly, taking another gulp of the tea. Now that he wasnāt so afraid, he could taste the sweetness of honey on his tongue.
Rolan found himself smiling as he was fed. Master Oleh had never done this for him before. Heād heard rumors from the other pets that Master Oleh was gentle. That he was soft and careful and kinder than even Master Yuri if you were good.Ā
Rolan hadnāt known if he believed that, but he hadn't seen the need to worry about it. He was never called to Attend him anymore, and neither were Hans or Silvi, so it didnāt matter.Ā
Once the teacup was empty, Rolan considered leaving to wash it himself, but a soft growl stopped him. He hid his face as Master took back the cup, trying his best to look like the respectful, obedient pet he wanted to be while fighting the urge to yawn.Ā
HeādĀ justĀ had a nap! Why was he still soĀ tired?
āBed, Rolan,ā Master Oleh ordered gently, and Rolanās mind spun for a second trying to figure out exactly what that order meant. He peeked quickly, but could see nothing that needed tidying on his masterās bed, and everything looked like it had been changed recently, too. Was he being dismissed?
He tried to rise again to leave but a large hand touched the back of his neck. Rolan froze half standing, half crouching, not daring to even breathe. The hand didnāt tighten to choke or even hold him still. It justā¦stayed there. Letting him know Master was there.
āI-Iām sorry, Master,ā he squeaked, still frozen. āPlease in-instruct your slave f-further.ā
The next thing he knew, Rolan was in the air, mere inches from Masterās face. He wasnāt looking down at Rolan, though. Instead, he was walking towards something. Towardsā¦towards the bed. He was carrying Rolan towards theĀ bed.
Rolanās shoulders dropped and he bit his hand to muffle a sob. SoĀ thisĀ was to be the punishment. Out of habit, he then pushed his face into his masterās chest while he tried not to cry; Master Ćrik and Master Oleh both liked an affectionate pet. Maybe Master Oleh would be kind to him.
Heād been so gentle with Rolan today. Maybe heād be gentle in bed, tooā¦no. Who was he kidding? This was a punishment, one heād never heard of this master doing before. His first time. He wouldnāt be gentle with his disobedient slave.
Rolan tried to muffle another sob in the manās chest. It didnāt matter if he was gentle. Rolan still dreaded the idea of his master taking him now. Even if he could only use his fingers, tongue, or a toy, Rolan had just eaten! He would throw up everything and destroy Master Olehās bedsheets and then he would be in even more trouble! He didn't want the whip, or a beating, or a burning. He wanted to be good!
As Master placed him down in the bed, Rolan decided to gamble.
āM-Master, please,Ā pleaseĀ wait for just a few hours,ā he whispered, looking up at him through teary eyes. Master Oleh cocked his head to the side, grabbing the blankets.
āI-Iām not trying to escape punishment!ā Rolan said, unconsciously curling up to protect his stomach. āI justā¦I-Iāll get sick all over the bed since I just ate. Itāll be fine in a few hours!ā
Master Oleh frowned slightly, and Rolan felt his heart begin to break. Master Oleh had been so good to him today. And he'd been so kind to the others... He wouldnāt do this to his petā¦would he?Ā
āSleep, Rolan,ā the man said, pressing a hand āĀ a horribly gentle, kind hand ā into his hair, before pulling up the covers over his shoulders, turning, and leaving the room. Leaving Rolan alone. Wasā¦was that it? Itā heā noā¦no, Rolan would still be punished, he was sure of it.Ā
Master Oleh was still being kind āĀ it hadnāt been a trick, after all! Heād heard Rolan say he was tired, and he believed his slave when he said he felt better with rest, so heād given him a little food and sent him to bed, leaving him alone for later.
Butā¦to be inĀ Master OlehāsĀ bed of all placesā¦he could have just ordered Rolan back to the slavesā quarters. No, no. He shook the thought away. It wasĀ notĀ his place to question Master. Shame on him for even trying.
Master had told him to sleep. Rolan would not disobey him. He would thank his master for his kindness when he woke up, and accept whatever punishment he was given gratefully. For now, thoughā¦. Rolan snuggled into the sheets, breathing in the scents of massage oils and incense, the ocean and honeyed tea.
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