petshop au anyone?
Before I get into the fic at hand, I've recently gotten feedback that my layout is difficult to read, especially when reading fic. I hope this hasn't been causing a problem for many people, but if it has been, please feel free to view my site using ?style=mine (for example, http://faded-lace.livejournal.com/?style=mine should show you my whole journal in your chosen layout style)! Additionally, if you feel that your own layout doesn't solve the problem, as of semi-recently, I've been archiving all of my works at my dreamwidth, which has a white background and dark grey words. Hopefully that should be easy on the eyes, but I'd still love comments on the LJ page (or the DW page if you have a DW account), if it's not too much trouble! Please feel free to let me know if you have any troubles!
Moving right along, uh, this is all the fault of the Arashi kink tumblr. All of the Kimi wa Petto images and gifs and videos, plus this post finally got to me, and this fic is the result. XD; Honestly, I don't think it's so horrible, but please read the warnings to make sure nothing makes you uncomfortable before reading! I know I've posted weird things here before, so this shouldn't really seem off, but still. Proceed with caution?
And, of course, enjoy!
Title: The Good Boy
Disclaimer: Arashi is not mine.
Rating: PG
Warnings: This fic centers around a human as a pet! Additionally, there's a medical scene. If either of these things bother you, please be forewarned.
Pairing: Ohno/Jun in the very loosest sense
Word Count 5,761
Beta: yomimashou
Author's Note: Inspired by this post on the Arashi kink tumblr. Written for rainbowfilling for my Jun/Ohno free square.
Summary: "Won't you come out?" Satoshi asks, and without another moment of hesitation, Jun comes. To please his new master, he thinks, he will do anything. AU in which human pets are the norm and Jun catches Ohno's eye one day in a petshop.
There are so many pretty pets in the window of the petshop where passers-by can see, all lined up in clean cages with shiny silver locks. There are exotic birds in bright reds and blues and greens looking out with glassy eyes from their perches and a litter of four kittens all in one cage together with a pink blanket folded beneath them as they curl together in a communal nap. There's a black miniature daschund with long curly hair on its ears and tail and little brown spots like eyebrows on its brow, and there are a few cages with hamsters and gerbils, running in their neon colored wheels, and there's a boy with sandy hair and pale skin who can't be more than eight or nine years old. The boy is especially pretty, and women come in and ooh and ah over him all the time; he'll probably be gone within the month if not sooner. He has a sweet disposition and smiles so often that even the store owner is won over and takes the boy for walks sometimes, a luxury unknown to the other inhabitants of the shop.
The ugly boy can see everything that happens in the front of the store with some ease from his spot in the back. Unlike the pretty boy, who's kept in a spacious cage open to the air where people can (and do) reach in and pet him, he's left in a transparent plastic case that's barely big enough for him to lie down. But it hardly matters anyway, because no one wants to pet the ugly boy anyway, no one ever even sees him off to the side, quiet and forlorn, black leather muzzle strapped over his mouth despite the fact he would never dream of making a sound. And certainly, no one would ever think of buying the ugly boy, not with his curly, messy black hair and disproportionately lanky limbs, not now that he's already sixteen years old and not young enough to be cute and sit in the lap of some young woman, not broad enough to be useful in terms of protection or manual labour. He thinks that he'll probably spend the rest of his life inside of this box, but he supposes it's better than always doing the wrong thing and getting punished for it. He doesn't do anything here, so it's hard to do anything wrong, but before this, before he was thrown out for being worthless, he couldn't do anything that wasn't wrong.
He probably shouldn't think this way, but it was worse, really, when he had an owner. He's sure most of the children he's seen come in and out of this petshop are thrilled when they're purchased, happy to move into a friendly home and out of the perpetual captivity of their cages. But the ugly boy is leery, the ugly boy is afraid, because all that being owned can possibly mean to him is punishment. Whether for not coming when called or coming when unwanted, whether for seeking affection at the wrong time or shying away from his master's hand at others, his old home had hardly felt loving and safe when he spent more time being beaten and caged and licking his own wounds than he did enjoying any of his master's favors. Here in the petshop, he might not ever get to step foot outside his box, he might never breathe fresh air or see sunlight again, but he doesn't bleed or bruise, he isn't berated and abused. Captivity is far easier than pain, as far as the ugly boy is concerned, and outside of captivity, pain is all he's ever known.
But then one day, a man comes into the petshop. That on its own is strange enough; there are usually mothers with children, young businesswomen, teenage girls swarming in at various times of the day to gawk at the pets, and occasionally, a husband will come in with his wife, a father with his children, a teenager with his girlfriend, but rarely ever does a man come in on his own. And this man seems different, too, especially strange, because after giving the front display a long glance, he passes right by, moving farther into the store. The petshop owner asks if there's anything he's looking for but the man says that there's not and just keeps looking, and suddenly, the ugly boy's heart starts beating in his chest, because the man is getting closer. He's not sure whether to be excited or frightened, because, sure, he's always been just a little envious of the pets in the front window who get attention from customers, but the ugly boy has never had a particularly good experience with pet owners, and he doesn't want to get hit again.
It's silly, he reminds himself, the man can't even touch him through the plastic box, and it's not as if he's going to buy him. He'll just look and pass by, of course, but despite knowing this, the ugly boy still can't help but cower just a little bit as the man approaches, curling up his knees to his chest and trying to make himself as small as possible in the farthest corner of the box. He's practically holding his breath as the man comes closer, waiting for him to pass by, only as he sees the man's feet step nearer and nearer, they slow, stopping. Despite the fact that he knows he's safe, the ugly boy's heart is beating in his chest as he peers up and is shocked to see the man smiling back at him. The ugly boy presses himself harder against the corner of his box, misplaced fear playing across his face, but the man kneels down to be at his eye level and smiles at him, just smiles.
The ugly boy wonders what he's smiling for; it's not the patronizing smile that women often give the pets in the front window, but the ugly boy isn't sure what it is. The man's eyes are gentle as they gaze at the ugly boy, although he isn't entirely sure if the man is really looking at him or past him, through him. After a moment, however, his fear eases; this man looks anything but cruel, honestly, and curiosity forms where the fear has dissipated. Uncurling, the ugly boy can't help but creep forward a little on his hands and knees, though not too close, peering out at the face of the first man who has taken interest in him since he's ended up in this petshop.
They look back at one another for a long moment, the man smiling and the ugly boy tense, waiting for something to happen. He waits so long, though, that it's almost disappointing when the man rises, out of the ugly boy's line of vision. He isn't sure what he was expecting, perhaps the man to rap on the plastic of the box or to jeer at him-- at any rate, that's really the only sort of attention he gets around here, when young mothers bring in their young boys who think it's funny to bother the ugly boy in the box. But instead, the man stands, and the ugly boy's heart falls despite himself. Logic tells him that he doesn't like attention, and yet, he can't really convince himself that this man would have hurt him, not with those soft features, those soft eyes, that soft smile. Disappointment sinks in his chest like a rock, and he's about to curl back up in the bottom of his box when he sees the man turn to the petshop own and hears him say, "How much for that one?"
"That one?" the petshop owner asks as the ugly boy's brain is working overtime, his heart beating out of his chest. "Not much. Didn't think he was going to go."
"I'll take him," says the man, and the ugly boy begins to cry, unsure of whether he's terrified or thrilled.
...
The ugly boy goes home with his new master in a large carrying case on wheels with a metal grate on a hinge at the front and opaque plastic on all other sides. It's only slightly smaller than his plastic box in the store, but it feels much more oppressive somehow, especially as he's being led away into some unforseen future. He spends the ride curled up in the back of the box, whimpering at the ocassional bump in the pavement, eyes wet and throat tight. The petshop owner had rolled his eyes at the ugly boy's tears in the store and barked at the ugly boy to behave himself, but the man-- the ugly boy's new owner-- had moved in to pet him, or perhaps touch his face before the petshop owner had swatted him away. "He's behind on his shots," the petshop owner explained, and the man had seem unperturbed but let the petshop owner pack the ugly boy away into the travel case all the same.
The walk to the man's home seems awfully long, but eventually, they slow down at a gate. The house inside is small, even for the city, from what the ugly boy can tell, but then he realizes that it's only got one door, which means that the whole thing belongs to the man, and suddenly, it doesn't seem so small anymore. Inside, he's heaved over the lip of the genkan and pushed down a dim entrance hall into a lit kitchen, where, finally, the door to the case is opened.
The ugly boy is hesitant-- suddenly, it feels safer inside of this box with solid walls to protect him from the outside world than to venture out into the unknown, and he lingers, curled in on himself in the back of the case. But he can hear the man beconing him out, gently and quietly, and so he takes a deep breath, bolstering himself and trying to gather all the courage he has left after all these years. Slowly, he peers out of the opening in the box, crawling out onto the linoleum, cold and hard on his knees through the holes in the plain muslin pants he's been wearing ever since he was returned to the petshop. He sits in the floor and looks up at his new master through his untidy, frizzy bangs, breath catching in his throat and his heart pounding in his chest. The man looks just as soft and kind as he did in the petshop, though, and some of his fear begins to dissipate despite the fact that he can't help but flinch away when the man reaches down to pet him.
"It's okay," the man says quietly, bending down as he runs his hand through the ugly boy's hair, and it feels good. The ugly boy isn't used to this sort of attention, and he leans into the touch instinctively, a soft hum of pleasure in his throat as his new master's long fingers rub against his scalp.
"You're a good boy, aren't you?" his master says with a smile, and the ugly boy looks up at him with wide eyes, unsure of how to respond, if at all. Is it a trick question? His old master never used to call him good, only bad, worthless, good for nothing, but his new master is smiling, his hand brushing over the ugly boy's cheek gently. The leather of the muzzle is in the way, however, and his new master frowns. "We'll have to get you your shots so that we can get this thing off of you."
The ugly boy tenses at the mention of shots; the thought of going to the vet is horrifying, but he's distracted when his new master begins to scratch behind his ear, and his eyes fall shut as he hums again, a little louder this time. His master keeps up for a moment before drawing back, his smile a little wider this time, and "You're really sweet," he says like he means every word of it. The boys' eyes shoot open again, but he doesn't have much time to be shocked before his master is speaking again.
"Jun," he says slowly, thoughtfully, before nodding decisively, "I'll call you Jun."
The ugly boy's eyes widen. His old master called him "Boy" or "Hey you," but he's never had a name before. But now, he's not just the ugly boy-- he's Jun. Even as he thinks about it, a smile grows on his face despite the fact that it's covered by the muzzle, and he practically beams up at his new master.
His master ruffles Jun's hair one last time before rising, smiling serenely down at him. "I'm Satoshi," he says, "Can you remember that?"
And despite the fact that they've just met today, Jun knows that he'll never forget it.
...
Jun spends the night in the kitchen trying to remind himself that the night will only last so long. Satoshi has piled a couple of blankets on the floor and left him a dish of water, smiling at him fondly and reminding him that it was only until he got his shots before bidding him good night. It was just as kind as he had been to Jun thus far, but still, now Jun is all alone in the dark kitchen. It's daunting, almost, to be locked in a whole room when he'd been kept in such a small box for so long now, and when sleep evades him, he wanders around, simply because he can. It feels strange, just to be upright, to walk, when he's been kept huddled low to the ground for the majority of the past six months, and he runs his hands over the counters, the cabinets just because he can. Nothing in th kitchen has been pet-proofed; the pantry and the refrigerator free of locks, the stove and microwave ready to be turned on, but Jun doesn't dare. His master hasn't specifically told him no, but he's learned the hard way that that doesn't mean it's okay, and he never wants to make Satoshi upset with him, not so soon after coming home with him, not ever. Satoshi seems kind and gentle and perfect and Jun only wants to make him happy, only ever wanted to make anyone happy...
But despite the openness of it, the loneliness and newness of the situation begin to sink in, and Jun begins to feel very small and unsure soon enough. His heart pounds when he remembers Satoshi's promise of a visit to the vet, and the fact that he's inside a house of which he's seen nothing but the kitchen is vaguely terrifying. He tries to settle in his few blankets on the cold, hard floor, despite his body shaking with adrenaline and emotion, but luckily, it's been a long day and his body can only hold out for so long. He falls asleep curled up just as small as if he had still been in his box, blankets bunched up around his face not to keep him warm but because they smell like Satoshi.
...
The visit to the veteranarian's office the next day is traumatic. It's true, despite awaking disoriented, Jun enjoys his breakfast of dry cereal in a ceramic dish he's pretty sure isn't made for pets on the kitchen floor by his master's feet, he enjoys being patted on the head and told he's a good boy, he enjoys all the pleasures he's pretty sure he's never experienced before, but all too soon, he has to face his afternoon appointment. Satoshi apologizes as he slides the muzzle back over Jun's face, but really, that's the least of Jun's worries as he's guided back into the travel case and dragged back out the door. He's been to the vet before, he knows what happens there, and despite the fact that he's been told what gets done to him is for his own good, Jun has difficulty believing that prodding and poking and puncturing him can possibly be for his own good. Still, he finds it less likely that his new master's incentive is to torture him, and so he tries his best not to shake inside his box as he rolls along the pavement, eyes affixed to the consistency of Satoshi's legs before him for comfort.
It's not the same veteranarian's office as Jun has been to before, and he has hope as they sit in the waiting room. There are other pets there with their masters, dogs and cats and children, shiny collars around their necks as they sit beside or beneath or on top of their masters, but yet Jun remains confined to his cage, and the fact builds on the worry knotting in his stomach. Perhaps Satoshi doesn't really like him at all. Perhaps, depending on the results of this visit, whatever they might be or mean, he will chose to keep or return Jun. It's a terrifying thought, but Jun doesn't have much time to consider it, because soon enough, someone is calling Satoshi's name and they're moving along, into a smaller room with familiar bright fluorescent lights that make Jun's pulse race with dread as to what is to come.
Someone opens the grate to Jun's box, but he hesitates to move, hoping that somehow, he can avoid his fate. After a moment, though, his master comes into his line of vision, peering into his box with a look on his face that's not a smile but somehow comforts Jun all the same. He looks at Jun for a long moment and Jun looks back, his trembling subsiding slightly, and then, with one hand, Satoshi beckons.
"Won't you come out?" Satoshi asks, and without another moment of hesitation, Jun comes. To please his new master, he thinks, he will do anything, even face this terror with the bravest face possible.
There's a woman with a gratingly sugary voice and a man who doesn't speak waiting to shepherd Jun onto the large metal table and take away his clothes. The flimsy shirt and drawstring pants hadn't really been much, especially after half a year in the petshop, filthy and ridden with holes, but somehow, he feels bare and unprotected without them, as if the thin muslin had been his last line of defense against whatever was going to be done to him. Maybe, he reminds himself, it will be different than before now that Satoshi is his master, but his hopes begin to disintegrate as the man holds him down against the cold table and the woman reaches for something that Jun recognizes with terror to be a thermometer.
They poke and prod at him in ways that make whimpers form in his throat and tears in his eyes, but Jun does his best to stay strong, for Satoshi. It helps, too, that his master stands beside him the whole time, petting his hair, his face as Jun quivers against the table. Jun is almost beginning to think that maybe, maybe he'll make it through this ordeal when suddenly, the woman has a syringe in her hand, and suddenly, Jun can't take it anymore. He trembles, squirming in the man's grasp and flinching away from the woman, bursting into tears and crying pathetically in hopes that somehow, Satoshi will understand and save him.
But Satoshi only holds his shoulders and murmurs calming things to him, which might work in any other situation, but not this one. Jun continues to sob as the woman sighs, setting down the needle, and for a moment, Jun feels a spark of hope. She returns instead to Jun's face holding some sort of plastic mask, and Jun doesn't understand as she presses it over his nose and mouth, telling him to take deep breaths.
Jun doesn't know what's going on, but the mask doesn't hurt, and maybe, he thinks, this means that they're not going to give him the shot after all. Maybe this will be it and soon he'll get to go home... Only it gets harder to think at that point, because he's suddenly feeling sleepy, and he can't keep his eyes open, can't keep on...
Jun awakens much later on a cold surface, and in a moment of sudden terror, he's afraid Satoshi has left him at the vet's office. But then he manages to lift his heavy eyelids, and as the world slowly comes into focus, he realizes that he's in Satoshi's kitchen again, laying on the floor. His master is kneeling beside him, and he smiles when Jun looks up at him, ruffling Jun's hair affectionately with one hand and caressing his cheek with the other. In some corner of Jun's mind, he's aware that the muzzle is gone, and he wonders exactly what happened after he passed out.
"You were such a good boy today," Satoshi informs him gently, as if reading Jun's mind, and suddenly Jun doesn't care what else happened. He still feels worn out, as if all of his limbs are made of something far too heavy to lift off the ground, but he angles his head up to lick his master's palm affectionately before letting it drop back to the floor.
"It's okay if you want to sleep," Satoshi says, and so Jun does, feeling truly safe and wanted for the first time a very, very long time.
...
It's dark when Jun wakes up the next morning, which makes sense, really, considering he'd been asleep since the middle of the afternoon. He feels incredibly thirsty, and manages to locate his water dish without overturning it in the dark, thankful that his master has been thoughtful enough to leave it out for him. After draining the dish, he explores the kitchen again, but finds it unchanged from last time, spacious and messy, like his master has never really been bothered to organize it. Jun knows he shouldn't touch anything, but, he thinks, his master couldn't possibly mind if Jun returned the dishes left sitting out to their proper cabinets, could he? And besides, Jun wants to be helpful, and so he picks up a little here or there, this or that. It feels better to him to see things in their places, anyway.
After making his way around the kitchen, Jun comes to the door. He isn't sure if he's locked in, but he would never dream of leaving a room where his master has enclosed him, and so he settles back to the ground, leaning against the wall and hugging his knees to his chest. It's only at that point that he nottices: he's wearing new clothes, a clean and fresh white cotton shirt and set of pants. It's nothing special or fancy, but the knees don't have holes and the fabric is much softer on his skin, and Jun feels as if he's in heaven. He'd long been jealous of the pets whose masters bought them fancy outfits, dressed them up to show them off (though whether it was solely because of the clothes or also because he so desperately wanted his master to want him in any way, he wasn't sure), but even just this is more than Jun had ever hoped for, and even if he's too ugly for clothes to make him look nice, the fact that Satoshi cares enough to get him something new and clean and comfortable is more than enough.
It's a few hours (probably; naturally, Jun doesn't know how to read a clock) before Satoshi comes back to the kitchen. It's light out by then, and he's clearly been out shopping, because he has bags in his hands when he opens the door. Jun hurries to sit at his feet, practically radiating up at him as Satoshi sets down his bags and pets Jun on the head.
"Good morning," Satoshi says warmly, rubbing affectionately behind Jun's ears, and "Good morning," Jun replies, humming in appreciation before he realizes that it's the first time he's spoken to his new master. His old master very clearly prefered Jun to be seen and not heard, but Satoshi's smile only grows.
"Looks like you're feeling better," he remarks, and Jun nods enthusiastically, nuzzling against his master's hand. Satoshi laughs pleasantly, ruffling Jun's hair before turning back to the bags. "I got some things for you," he continues, and Jun perks up, looking to the bags with new interest.
It turns out that Satoshi has had an extensive shopping trip at the pet supply store; he's come back with large bags of food and various kinds of pet treats and brand new plastic bowls for Jun to eat and drink from. He has stuffed toys, too, and a new brush for Jun's hair, and fancy bottles of pet soap and shampoo. But most exciting is the last thing Satoshi shows Jun, kneeling down and carefully opening a small box to display it to him: a brand new leather collar with a shiny gold tag on the front. Jun can't read it, of course, but the fact that Satoshi has gotten this for him, to label him, to identify Jun as his own pet... It means that Satoshi really and truly does want to keep him, and as he buckles the collar around Jun's neck, Jun bursts into tears of joy.
But a moment later, Jun is forced to quell his emotions, because the collar isn't all; from another similar box Satoshi produces a matching leash. Jun is still in the process of rubbing his eyes to make sure he isn't seeing things when Satoshi asks if he'd like to go on a walk, and Jun thinks that even if he died tomorrow, he could die happy.
He's never been on a walk before, but it lives up to all of his expectations. The sun is shining when they step outside of Satoshi's front door, and the world seems so much more expansive now that Jun is no longer inside his box. The sky seems bluer, the grass greener than it ever did from through the petshop window, and Jun wonders how he ever lived without this. The length of the leash is long, but he walks alongside Satoshi the whole way, never wanting to be too far from the master who has actually cared for him. The world may be beautiful, but Satoshi is more than that, and Jun can't help but look at him just as much as he looks at his surroundings, and he can't help but wonder if this is what it's like to really love one's master the way he's heard talked about by others.
"Good boy," Satoshi says with a smile as Jun waits with him patiently to cross the street, and Jun thinks he would do anything to hear those words, anything to see that smile, no matter what.
...
By the end of a month, Jun hardly remembers what life was like back in the petshop. Satoshi treats him better than he could ever have imagined, better than he knew was possible. Aside from daily walks, Satoshi goes out of his way to play with Jun whenever Jun is looking particularly lonely, and feeds him scraps from the table when Jun is looking dejected with his kibble. Jun would never think of asking his master to spend time on him, would never dream of begging at the table, but yet, Satoshi does it anyway. It's like he thinks more about Jun than Jun thinks about himself, but whatever it is, Jun loves him for it, loves him more than he thought he could ever love a master. He doesn't quite know how to show it, doesn't know how to express just how much Satoshi has changed his life, but he does what he can. Satoshi laughs when Jun licks his face, smiles when Jun lays at his feet, and so Jun does his best to be as physically affectionate as possible. If he can show even a fraction of the love that he has for his master, then it's worth it, and besides, Jun loves any chance that he has to be close to Satoshi.
And so things go on like a dream, Jun following Satoshi practically everywhere he goes-- Satoshi doesn't spend much time outside the house, and he even allows Jun to lay on the floor of his art studio, so long as he's careful-- and staying in contact with him every opportunity he gets. The only time that he chooses to be away from Satoshi is at night; Satoshi has invited Jun to sleep in his bed, but the idea is daunting when Jun is so afraid of doing anything that will upset his master. If he were to irritate Satoshi in his sleep, if Satoshi were to then change his mind and bar Jun from his bed, Jun doesn't think he would be able to live with himself, and so he chooses to lay on the floor beside his master's bed instead, licking Satoshi's fingers when he drapes an arm down to pet Jun's head in the morning.
Of course, Jun does other things to try to make up for everything his master does for him, too; he fetches the paper in the morning and tidies up when Satoshi leaves his kitchen all cluttered and messy and remembers where things are when Satoshi misplaces them. It's hardly any work, after all, and Satoshi always just looks so pleased when Jun comes bounding back to him, practically tripping over his own limbs in his eagerness to bring back the paintbrush his master absentmindedly left in the kitchen. And then Satoshi ruffles his hair and Jun nuzzles into the touch, humming his pleasure, and everything about it feels right, perfect.
But then one day, a month down the line, Satoshi gets up early in the morning, earlier than usual. Jun isn't really awake, but when he feels his master's feet brush past him on the floor, he drags himself up, following Satoshi dutifully but confusedly downstairs to the kitchen for a brief breakfast. Jun sits at his feet as always, but his master seems preoccupied, and after he eats, he fills Jun's bowl with pet food, pats him on the head, and heads out the front door.
It's strange, but as Jun sits at the edge of the genken staring at the place where his master had been a moment earlier, he thinks that there could be any number of reasons behind it. Satoshi probably has errands to run, or an appointment of some sort, or maybe he's meeting a friend, and he'd be back soon enough. Meanwhile, Jun would wait for him, like a good pet should, and so he settles in the front hall. He isn't really hungry if Satoshi wasn't there eating with him, and it isn't as if he has anything to do with himself without Satoshi here. His new life revolves around his master, and Jun doesn't mind waiting for him.
But Satoshi doesn't come back that morning. He doesn't come back by noon, when Jun finally gives up and picks at his food, eating less than half the portion of dry pellets, more unappetizing without the usual supplements from Satoshi's own meal. He doesn't come back by the time the sun is setting, and it's around then that Jun's faith begins to waver. After all, what could possibly have happened? Satoshi has never left him this way, and for the first time in a month, Jun begins to worry. What if he's worn out his welcome? What if Satoshi has gotten tired of him, or if Jun isn't good enough for him?
It makes no sense, because why would he leave Jun alone in his own house if he wanted to get rid of him? But as it begins to get dark, fear gets the best of Jun, fear that he's a failure yet again, fear that he'll never see Satoshi again, and, with nothing else to do, he presses himself against the door and begins to cry. Maybe, he thinks, maybe, if Satoshi ever does come back, he'll hear Jun crying and realize how much Jun loves him and wants to please him and come back to him. It's really stupid of him, he knows, but he's just a stupid pet who loves his master more than anything, and as he whimpers pathetically in the genkan, he thinks he'd rather die than not be able to see Satoshi again, than be abandoned again...
But then, long after dark, there's the sound of a key in the door, and Jun stumbles back as suddenly, there's Satoshi in the doorway, looking tired and worn out but very much real. Jun's eyes widen as he struggles to his feet, overwhelmed with emotion, and when Satoshi meets his eyes, he melts in a smile that means so much more to Jun than anything else in the world.
"Welcome home," Jun croaks, his voice hoarse as he wipes the tears from his cheeks with the back of his hand, and Satoshi only smiles back at him, setting down his bags before pulling Jun into an embrace. It's the best feeling in the world, and Jun nuzzles close, licking his master's face in hopes of showing just how happy he is that Satoshi has returned.
"I'm beat," Satoshi says after a moment, kicking off his shoes in the genkan, and then Jun follows eagerly at his heels all the way upstairs to the bedroom. He can't bear to let Satoshi out of his sight, despite the fact that he's only brushing his teeth and washing his face, and shadows him between the bedroom and bathroom until finally, Satoshi sits down on the bed. He looks at Jun for a moment, having mostly given up on trying to get Jun to sleep in bed after this whole time, but at that moment, Jun can think of nothing else in the world that he wants more than to be closer to his master, and so he crawls onto the mattress, tags jingling at his throat as he snuggles in beside Satoshi, who, despite looking like he's on the verge of passing out from exhaustion, is beaming at him, just beaming.
"What would I do without you?" Satoshi muses in a sleepy mumble, draping an arm around Jun fondly, and despite that Satoshi probably won't even remember saying it in the morning, just knowing that his master really and truly does want him is enough to make Jun the happiest boy in the world.
Moving right along, uh, this is all the fault of the Arashi kink tumblr. All of the Kimi wa Petto images and gifs and videos, plus this post finally got to me, and this fic is the result. XD; Honestly, I don't think it's so horrible, but please read the warnings to make sure nothing makes you uncomfortable before reading! I know I've posted weird things here before, so this shouldn't really seem off, but still. Proceed with caution?
And, of course, enjoy!
Title: The Good Boy
Disclaimer: Arashi is not mine.
Rating: PG
Warnings: This fic centers around a human as a pet! Additionally, there's a medical scene. If either of these things bother you, please be forewarned.
Pairing: Ohno/Jun in the very loosest sense
Word Count 5,761
Beta: yomimashou
Author's Note: Inspired by this post on the Arashi kink tumblr. Written for rainbowfilling for my Jun/Ohno free square.
Summary: "Won't you come out?" Satoshi asks, and without another moment of hesitation, Jun comes. To please his new master, he thinks, he will do anything. AU in which human pets are the norm and Jun catches Ohno's eye one day in a petshop.
There are so many pretty pets in the window of the petshop where passers-by can see, all lined up in clean cages with shiny silver locks. There are exotic birds in bright reds and blues and greens looking out with glassy eyes from their perches and a litter of four kittens all in one cage together with a pink blanket folded beneath them as they curl together in a communal nap. There's a black miniature daschund with long curly hair on its ears and tail and little brown spots like eyebrows on its brow, and there are a few cages with hamsters and gerbils, running in their neon colored wheels, and there's a boy with sandy hair and pale skin who can't be more than eight or nine years old. The boy is especially pretty, and women come in and ooh and ah over him all the time; he'll probably be gone within the month if not sooner. He has a sweet disposition and smiles so often that even the store owner is won over and takes the boy for walks sometimes, a luxury unknown to the other inhabitants of the shop.
The ugly boy can see everything that happens in the front of the store with some ease from his spot in the back. Unlike the pretty boy, who's kept in a spacious cage open to the air where people can (and do) reach in and pet him, he's left in a transparent plastic case that's barely big enough for him to lie down. But it hardly matters anyway, because no one wants to pet the ugly boy anyway, no one ever even sees him off to the side, quiet and forlorn, black leather muzzle strapped over his mouth despite the fact he would never dream of making a sound. And certainly, no one would ever think of buying the ugly boy, not with his curly, messy black hair and disproportionately lanky limbs, not now that he's already sixteen years old and not young enough to be cute and sit in the lap of some young woman, not broad enough to be useful in terms of protection or manual labour. He thinks that he'll probably spend the rest of his life inside of this box, but he supposes it's better than always doing the wrong thing and getting punished for it. He doesn't do anything here, so it's hard to do anything wrong, but before this, before he was thrown out for being worthless, he couldn't do anything that wasn't wrong.
He probably shouldn't think this way, but it was worse, really, when he had an owner. He's sure most of the children he's seen come in and out of this petshop are thrilled when they're purchased, happy to move into a friendly home and out of the perpetual captivity of their cages. But the ugly boy is leery, the ugly boy is afraid, because all that being owned can possibly mean to him is punishment. Whether for not coming when called or coming when unwanted, whether for seeking affection at the wrong time or shying away from his master's hand at others, his old home had hardly felt loving and safe when he spent more time being beaten and caged and licking his own wounds than he did enjoying any of his master's favors. Here in the petshop, he might not ever get to step foot outside his box, he might never breathe fresh air or see sunlight again, but he doesn't bleed or bruise, he isn't berated and abused. Captivity is far easier than pain, as far as the ugly boy is concerned, and outside of captivity, pain is all he's ever known.
But then one day, a man comes into the petshop. That on its own is strange enough; there are usually mothers with children, young businesswomen, teenage girls swarming in at various times of the day to gawk at the pets, and occasionally, a husband will come in with his wife, a father with his children, a teenager with his girlfriend, but rarely ever does a man come in on his own. And this man seems different, too, especially strange, because after giving the front display a long glance, he passes right by, moving farther into the store. The petshop owner asks if there's anything he's looking for but the man says that there's not and just keeps looking, and suddenly, the ugly boy's heart starts beating in his chest, because the man is getting closer. He's not sure whether to be excited or frightened, because, sure, he's always been just a little envious of the pets in the front window who get attention from customers, but the ugly boy has never had a particularly good experience with pet owners, and he doesn't want to get hit again.
It's silly, he reminds himself, the man can't even touch him through the plastic box, and it's not as if he's going to buy him. He'll just look and pass by, of course, but despite knowing this, the ugly boy still can't help but cower just a little bit as the man approaches, curling up his knees to his chest and trying to make himself as small as possible in the farthest corner of the box. He's practically holding his breath as the man comes closer, waiting for him to pass by, only as he sees the man's feet step nearer and nearer, they slow, stopping. Despite the fact that he knows he's safe, the ugly boy's heart is beating in his chest as he peers up and is shocked to see the man smiling back at him. The ugly boy presses himself harder against the corner of his box, misplaced fear playing across his face, but the man kneels down to be at his eye level and smiles at him, just smiles.
The ugly boy wonders what he's smiling for; it's not the patronizing smile that women often give the pets in the front window, but the ugly boy isn't sure what it is. The man's eyes are gentle as they gaze at the ugly boy, although he isn't entirely sure if the man is really looking at him or past him, through him. After a moment, however, his fear eases; this man looks anything but cruel, honestly, and curiosity forms where the fear has dissipated. Uncurling, the ugly boy can't help but creep forward a little on his hands and knees, though not too close, peering out at the face of the first man who has taken interest in him since he's ended up in this petshop.
They look back at one another for a long moment, the man smiling and the ugly boy tense, waiting for something to happen. He waits so long, though, that it's almost disappointing when the man rises, out of the ugly boy's line of vision. He isn't sure what he was expecting, perhaps the man to rap on the plastic of the box or to jeer at him-- at any rate, that's really the only sort of attention he gets around here, when young mothers bring in their young boys who think it's funny to bother the ugly boy in the box. But instead, the man stands, and the ugly boy's heart falls despite himself. Logic tells him that he doesn't like attention, and yet, he can't really convince himself that this man would have hurt him, not with those soft features, those soft eyes, that soft smile. Disappointment sinks in his chest like a rock, and he's about to curl back up in the bottom of his box when he sees the man turn to the petshop own and hears him say, "How much for that one?"
"That one?" the petshop owner asks as the ugly boy's brain is working overtime, his heart beating out of his chest. "Not much. Didn't think he was going to go."
"I'll take him," says the man, and the ugly boy begins to cry, unsure of whether he's terrified or thrilled.
...
The ugly boy goes home with his new master in a large carrying case on wheels with a metal grate on a hinge at the front and opaque plastic on all other sides. It's only slightly smaller than his plastic box in the store, but it feels much more oppressive somehow, especially as he's being led away into some unforseen future. He spends the ride curled up in the back of the box, whimpering at the ocassional bump in the pavement, eyes wet and throat tight. The petshop owner had rolled his eyes at the ugly boy's tears in the store and barked at the ugly boy to behave himself, but the man-- the ugly boy's new owner-- had moved in to pet him, or perhaps touch his face before the petshop owner had swatted him away. "He's behind on his shots," the petshop owner explained, and the man had seem unperturbed but let the petshop owner pack the ugly boy away into the travel case all the same.
The walk to the man's home seems awfully long, but eventually, they slow down at a gate. The house inside is small, even for the city, from what the ugly boy can tell, but then he realizes that it's only got one door, which means that the whole thing belongs to the man, and suddenly, it doesn't seem so small anymore. Inside, he's heaved over the lip of the genkan and pushed down a dim entrance hall into a lit kitchen, where, finally, the door to the case is opened.
The ugly boy is hesitant-- suddenly, it feels safer inside of this box with solid walls to protect him from the outside world than to venture out into the unknown, and he lingers, curled in on himself in the back of the case. But he can hear the man beconing him out, gently and quietly, and so he takes a deep breath, bolstering himself and trying to gather all the courage he has left after all these years. Slowly, he peers out of the opening in the box, crawling out onto the linoleum, cold and hard on his knees through the holes in the plain muslin pants he's been wearing ever since he was returned to the petshop. He sits in the floor and looks up at his new master through his untidy, frizzy bangs, breath catching in his throat and his heart pounding in his chest. The man looks just as soft and kind as he did in the petshop, though, and some of his fear begins to dissipate despite the fact that he can't help but flinch away when the man reaches down to pet him.
"It's okay," the man says quietly, bending down as he runs his hand through the ugly boy's hair, and it feels good. The ugly boy isn't used to this sort of attention, and he leans into the touch instinctively, a soft hum of pleasure in his throat as his new master's long fingers rub against his scalp.
"You're a good boy, aren't you?" his master says with a smile, and the ugly boy looks up at him with wide eyes, unsure of how to respond, if at all. Is it a trick question? His old master never used to call him good, only bad, worthless, good for nothing, but his new master is smiling, his hand brushing over the ugly boy's cheek gently. The leather of the muzzle is in the way, however, and his new master frowns. "We'll have to get you your shots so that we can get this thing off of you."
The ugly boy tenses at the mention of shots; the thought of going to the vet is horrifying, but he's distracted when his new master begins to scratch behind his ear, and his eyes fall shut as he hums again, a little louder this time. His master keeps up for a moment before drawing back, his smile a little wider this time, and "You're really sweet," he says like he means every word of it. The boys' eyes shoot open again, but he doesn't have much time to be shocked before his master is speaking again.
"Jun," he says slowly, thoughtfully, before nodding decisively, "I'll call you Jun."
The ugly boy's eyes widen. His old master called him "Boy" or "Hey you," but he's never had a name before. But now, he's not just the ugly boy-- he's Jun. Even as he thinks about it, a smile grows on his face despite the fact that it's covered by the muzzle, and he practically beams up at his new master.
His master ruffles Jun's hair one last time before rising, smiling serenely down at him. "I'm Satoshi," he says, "Can you remember that?"
And despite the fact that they've just met today, Jun knows that he'll never forget it.
...
Jun spends the night in the kitchen trying to remind himself that the night will only last so long. Satoshi has piled a couple of blankets on the floor and left him a dish of water, smiling at him fondly and reminding him that it was only until he got his shots before bidding him good night. It was just as kind as he had been to Jun thus far, but still, now Jun is all alone in the dark kitchen. It's daunting, almost, to be locked in a whole room when he'd been kept in such a small box for so long now, and when sleep evades him, he wanders around, simply because he can. It feels strange, just to be upright, to walk, when he's been kept huddled low to the ground for the majority of the past six months, and he runs his hands over the counters, the cabinets just because he can. Nothing in th kitchen has been pet-proofed; the pantry and the refrigerator free of locks, the stove and microwave ready to be turned on, but Jun doesn't dare. His master hasn't specifically told him no, but he's learned the hard way that that doesn't mean it's okay, and he never wants to make Satoshi upset with him, not so soon after coming home with him, not ever. Satoshi seems kind and gentle and perfect and Jun only wants to make him happy, only ever wanted to make anyone happy...
But despite the openness of it, the loneliness and newness of the situation begin to sink in, and Jun begins to feel very small and unsure soon enough. His heart pounds when he remembers Satoshi's promise of a visit to the vet, and the fact that he's inside a house of which he's seen nothing but the kitchen is vaguely terrifying. He tries to settle in his few blankets on the cold, hard floor, despite his body shaking with adrenaline and emotion, but luckily, it's been a long day and his body can only hold out for so long. He falls asleep curled up just as small as if he had still been in his box, blankets bunched up around his face not to keep him warm but because they smell like Satoshi.
...
The visit to the veteranarian's office the next day is traumatic. It's true, despite awaking disoriented, Jun enjoys his breakfast of dry cereal in a ceramic dish he's pretty sure isn't made for pets on the kitchen floor by his master's feet, he enjoys being patted on the head and told he's a good boy, he enjoys all the pleasures he's pretty sure he's never experienced before, but all too soon, he has to face his afternoon appointment. Satoshi apologizes as he slides the muzzle back over Jun's face, but really, that's the least of Jun's worries as he's guided back into the travel case and dragged back out the door. He's been to the vet before, he knows what happens there, and despite the fact that he's been told what gets done to him is for his own good, Jun has difficulty believing that prodding and poking and puncturing him can possibly be for his own good. Still, he finds it less likely that his new master's incentive is to torture him, and so he tries his best not to shake inside his box as he rolls along the pavement, eyes affixed to the consistency of Satoshi's legs before him for comfort.
It's not the same veteranarian's office as Jun has been to before, and he has hope as they sit in the waiting room. There are other pets there with their masters, dogs and cats and children, shiny collars around their necks as they sit beside or beneath or on top of their masters, but yet Jun remains confined to his cage, and the fact builds on the worry knotting in his stomach. Perhaps Satoshi doesn't really like him at all. Perhaps, depending on the results of this visit, whatever they might be or mean, he will chose to keep or return Jun. It's a terrifying thought, but Jun doesn't have much time to consider it, because soon enough, someone is calling Satoshi's name and they're moving along, into a smaller room with familiar bright fluorescent lights that make Jun's pulse race with dread as to what is to come.
Someone opens the grate to Jun's box, but he hesitates to move, hoping that somehow, he can avoid his fate. After a moment, though, his master comes into his line of vision, peering into his box with a look on his face that's not a smile but somehow comforts Jun all the same. He looks at Jun for a long moment and Jun looks back, his trembling subsiding slightly, and then, with one hand, Satoshi beckons.
"Won't you come out?" Satoshi asks, and without another moment of hesitation, Jun comes. To please his new master, he thinks, he will do anything, even face this terror with the bravest face possible.
There's a woman with a gratingly sugary voice and a man who doesn't speak waiting to shepherd Jun onto the large metal table and take away his clothes. The flimsy shirt and drawstring pants hadn't really been much, especially after half a year in the petshop, filthy and ridden with holes, but somehow, he feels bare and unprotected without them, as if the thin muslin had been his last line of defense against whatever was going to be done to him. Maybe, he reminds himself, it will be different than before now that Satoshi is his master, but his hopes begin to disintegrate as the man holds him down against the cold table and the woman reaches for something that Jun recognizes with terror to be a thermometer.
They poke and prod at him in ways that make whimpers form in his throat and tears in his eyes, but Jun does his best to stay strong, for Satoshi. It helps, too, that his master stands beside him the whole time, petting his hair, his face as Jun quivers against the table. Jun is almost beginning to think that maybe, maybe he'll make it through this ordeal when suddenly, the woman has a syringe in her hand, and suddenly, Jun can't take it anymore. He trembles, squirming in the man's grasp and flinching away from the woman, bursting into tears and crying pathetically in hopes that somehow, Satoshi will understand and save him.
But Satoshi only holds his shoulders and murmurs calming things to him, which might work in any other situation, but not this one. Jun continues to sob as the woman sighs, setting down the needle, and for a moment, Jun feels a spark of hope. She returns instead to Jun's face holding some sort of plastic mask, and Jun doesn't understand as she presses it over his nose and mouth, telling him to take deep breaths.
Jun doesn't know what's going on, but the mask doesn't hurt, and maybe, he thinks, this means that they're not going to give him the shot after all. Maybe this will be it and soon he'll get to go home... Only it gets harder to think at that point, because he's suddenly feeling sleepy, and he can't keep his eyes open, can't keep on...
Jun awakens much later on a cold surface, and in a moment of sudden terror, he's afraid Satoshi has left him at the vet's office. But then he manages to lift his heavy eyelids, and as the world slowly comes into focus, he realizes that he's in Satoshi's kitchen again, laying on the floor. His master is kneeling beside him, and he smiles when Jun looks up at him, ruffling Jun's hair affectionately with one hand and caressing his cheek with the other. In some corner of Jun's mind, he's aware that the muzzle is gone, and he wonders exactly what happened after he passed out.
"You were such a good boy today," Satoshi informs him gently, as if reading Jun's mind, and suddenly Jun doesn't care what else happened. He still feels worn out, as if all of his limbs are made of something far too heavy to lift off the ground, but he angles his head up to lick his master's palm affectionately before letting it drop back to the floor.
"It's okay if you want to sleep," Satoshi says, and so Jun does, feeling truly safe and wanted for the first time a very, very long time.
...
It's dark when Jun wakes up the next morning, which makes sense, really, considering he'd been asleep since the middle of the afternoon. He feels incredibly thirsty, and manages to locate his water dish without overturning it in the dark, thankful that his master has been thoughtful enough to leave it out for him. After draining the dish, he explores the kitchen again, but finds it unchanged from last time, spacious and messy, like his master has never really been bothered to organize it. Jun knows he shouldn't touch anything, but, he thinks, his master couldn't possibly mind if Jun returned the dishes left sitting out to their proper cabinets, could he? And besides, Jun wants to be helpful, and so he picks up a little here or there, this or that. It feels better to him to see things in their places, anyway.
After making his way around the kitchen, Jun comes to the door. He isn't sure if he's locked in, but he would never dream of leaving a room where his master has enclosed him, and so he settles back to the ground, leaning against the wall and hugging his knees to his chest. It's only at that point that he nottices: he's wearing new clothes, a clean and fresh white cotton shirt and set of pants. It's nothing special or fancy, but the knees don't have holes and the fabric is much softer on his skin, and Jun feels as if he's in heaven. He'd long been jealous of the pets whose masters bought them fancy outfits, dressed them up to show them off (though whether it was solely because of the clothes or also because he so desperately wanted his master to want him in any way, he wasn't sure), but even just this is more than Jun had ever hoped for, and even if he's too ugly for clothes to make him look nice, the fact that Satoshi cares enough to get him something new and clean and comfortable is more than enough.
It's a few hours (probably; naturally, Jun doesn't know how to read a clock) before Satoshi comes back to the kitchen. It's light out by then, and he's clearly been out shopping, because he has bags in his hands when he opens the door. Jun hurries to sit at his feet, practically radiating up at him as Satoshi sets down his bags and pets Jun on the head.
"Good morning," Satoshi says warmly, rubbing affectionately behind Jun's ears, and "Good morning," Jun replies, humming in appreciation before he realizes that it's the first time he's spoken to his new master. His old master very clearly prefered Jun to be seen and not heard, but Satoshi's smile only grows.
"Looks like you're feeling better," he remarks, and Jun nods enthusiastically, nuzzling against his master's hand. Satoshi laughs pleasantly, ruffling Jun's hair before turning back to the bags. "I got some things for you," he continues, and Jun perks up, looking to the bags with new interest.
It turns out that Satoshi has had an extensive shopping trip at the pet supply store; he's come back with large bags of food and various kinds of pet treats and brand new plastic bowls for Jun to eat and drink from. He has stuffed toys, too, and a new brush for Jun's hair, and fancy bottles of pet soap and shampoo. But most exciting is the last thing Satoshi shows Jun, kneeling down and carefully opening a small box to display it to him: a brand new leather collar with a shiny gold tag on the front. Jun can't read it, of course, but the fact that Satoshi has gotten this for him, to label him, to identify Jun as his own pet... It means that Satoshi really and truly does want to keep him, and as he buckles the collar around Jun's neck, Jun bursts into tears of joy.
But a moment later, Jun is forced to quell his emotions, because the collar isn't all; from another similar box Satoshi produces a matching leash. Jun is still in the process of rubbing his eyes to make sure he isn't seeing things when Satoshi asks if he'd like to go on a walk, and Jun thinks that even if he died tomorrow, he could die happy.
He's never been on a walk before, but it lives up to all of his expectations. The sun is shining when they step outside of Satoshi's front door, and the world seems so much more expansive now that Jun is no longer inside his box. The sky seems bluer, the grass greener than it ever did from through the petshop window, and Jun wonders how he ever lived without this. The length of the leash is long, but he walks alongside Satoshi the whole way, never wanting to be too far from the master who has actually cared for him. The world may be beautiful, but Satoshi is more than that, and Jun can't help but look at him just as much as he looks at his surroundings, and he can't help but wonder if this is what it's like to really love one's master the way he's heard talked about by others.
"Good boy," Satoshi says with a smile as Jun waits with him patiently to cross the street, and Jun thinks he would do anything to hear those words, anything to see that smile, no matter what.
...
By the end of a month, Jun hardly remembers what life was like back in the petshop. Satoshi treats him better than he could ever have imagined, better than he knew was possible. Aside from daily walks, Satoshi goes out of his way to play with Jun whenever Jun is looking particularly lonely, and feeds him scraps from the table when Jun is looking dejected with his kibble. Jun would never think of asking his master to spend time on him, would never dream of begging at the table, but yet, Satoshi does it anyway. It's like he thinks more about Jun than Jun thinks about himself, but whatever it is, Jun loves him for it, loves him more than he thought he could ever love a master. He doesn't quite know how to show it, doesn't know how to express just how much Satoshi has changed his life, but he does what he can. Satoshi laughs when Jun licks his face, smiles when Jun lays at his feet, and so Jun does his best to be as physically affectionate as possible. If he can show even a fraction of the love that he has for his master, then it's worth it, and besides, Jun loves any chance that he has to be close to Satoshi.
And so things go on like a dream, Jun following Satoshi practically everywhere he goes-- Satoshi doesn't spend much time outside the house, and he even allows Jun to lay on the floor of his art studio, so long as he's careful-- and staying in contact with him every opportunity he gets. The only time that he chooses to be away from Satoshi is at night; Satoshi has invited Jun to sleep in his bed, but the idea is daunting when Jun is so afraid of doing anything that will upset his master. If he were to irritate Satoshi in his sleep, if Satoshi were to then change his mind and bar Jun from his bed, Jun doesn't think he would be able to live with himself, and so he chooses to lay on the floor beside his master's bed instead, licking Satoshi's fingers when he drapes an arm down to pet Jun's head in the morning.
Of course, Jun does other things to try to make up for everything his master does for him, too; he fetches the paper in the morning and tidies up when Satoshi leaves his kitchen all cluttered and messy and remembers where things are when Satoshi misplaces them. It's hardly any work, after all, and Satoshi always just looks so pleased when Jun comes bounding back to him, practically tripping over his own limbs in his eagerness to bring back the paintbrush his master absentmindedly left in the kitchen. And then Satoshi ruffles his hair and Jun nuzzles into the touch, humming his pleasure, and everything about it feels right, perfect.
But then one day, a month down the line, Satoshi gets up early in the morning, earlier than usual. Jun isn't really awake, but when he feels his master's feet brush past him on the floor, he drags himself up, following Satoshi dutifully but confusedly downstairs to the kitchen for a brief breakfast. Jun sits at his feet as always, but his master seems preoccupied, and after he eats, he fills Jun's bowl with pet food, pats him on the head, and heads out the front door.
It's strange, but as Jun sits at the edge of the genken staring at the place where his master had been a moment earlier, he thinks that there could be any number of reasons behind it. Satoshi probably has errands to run, or an appointment of some sort, or maybe he's meeting a friend, and he'd be back soon enough. Meanwhile, Jun would wait for him, like a good pet should, and so he settles in the front hall. He isn't really hungry if Satoshi wasn't there eating with him, and it isn't as if he has anything to do with himself without Satoshi here. His new life revolves around his master, and Jun doesn't mind waiting for him.
But Satoshi doesn't come back that morning. He doesn't come back by noon, when Jun finally gives up and picks at his food, eating less than half the portion of dry pellets, more unappetizing without the usual supplements from Satoshi's own meal. He doesn't come back by the time the sun is setting, and it's around then that Jun's faith begins to waver. After all, what could possibly have happened? Satoshi has never left him this way, and for the first time in a month, Jun begins to worry. What if he's worn out his welcome? What if Satoshi has gotten tired of him, or if Jun isn't good enough for him?
It makes no sense, because why would he leave Jun alone in his own house if he wanted to get rid of him? But as it begins to get dark, fear gets the best of Jun, fear that he's a failure yet again, fear that he'll never see Satoshi again, and, with nothing else to do, he presses himself against the door and begins to cry. Maybe, he thinks, maybe, if Satoshi ever does come back, he'll hear Jun crying and realize how much Jun loves him and wants to please him and come back to him. It's really stupid of him, he knows, but he's just a stupid pet who loves his master more than anything, and as he whimpers pathetically in the genkan, he thinks he'd rather die than not be able to see Satoshi again, than be abandoned again...
But then, long after dark, there's the sound of a key in the door, and Jun stumbles back as suddenly, there's Satoshi in the doorway, looking tired and worn out but very much real. Jun's eyes widen as he struggles to his feet, overwhelmed with emotion, and when Satoshi meets his eyes, he melts in a smile that means so much more to Jun than anything else in the world.
"Welcome home," Jun croaks, his voice hoarse as he wipes the tears from his cheeks with the back of his hand, and Satoshi only smiles back at him, setting down his bags before pulling Jun into an embrace. It's the best feeling in the world, and Jun nuzzles close, licking his master's face in hopes of showing just how happy he is that Satoshi has returned.
"I'm beat," Satoshi says after a moment, kicking off his shoes in the genkan, and then Jun follows eagerly at his heels all the way upstairs to the bedroom. He can't bear to let Satoshi out of his sight, despite the fact that he's only brushing his teeth and washing his face, and shadows him between the bedroom and bathroom until finally, Satoshi sits down on the bed. He looks at Jun for a moment, having mostly given up on trying to get Jun to sleep in bed after this whole time, but at that moment, Jun can think of nothing else in the world that he wants more than to be closer to his master, and so he crawls onto the mattress, tags jingling at his throat as he snuggles in beside Satoshi, who, despite looking like he's on the verge of passing out from exhaustion, is beaming at him, just beaming.
"What would I do without you?" Satoshi muses in a sleepy mumble, draping an arm around Jun fondly, and despite that Satoshi probably won't even remember saying it in the morning, just knowing that his master really and truly does want him is enough to make Jun the happiest boy in the world.