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0ctobre · 2 months

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Good boy

Brutus does his best. Is good boy.

“Fucker!”

Brutus cowers at the back of his cage. Stranger is not talking to Brutus, but stranger is angry, and fucker means bad. Bad means Brutus hurts.

Dog on the right is barking. Brutus can’t see him but can smell him. Angry. Scared. New.

Big female talks to stranger, but Brutus doesn’t recognize any of the words.

“Well, with the amount of drugs they found at his house, he’s not coming out anytime soon.”

Big female always gives treats when she comes in. Brutus likes treats. Master never gives Brutus treats, but Master is Master, so it’s okay. Brutus hasn’t seen Master since Brutus stopped a bad man who came in the basement. Brutus didn’t like being in the basement all day, but Brutus still wants to go home.

Stranger sits in front of Brutus’ cage, not looking at him, and Brutus growls a warning and shows teeth. Big female says words Brutus doesn’t understand, but voice is soft and calming.

Brutus keeps growling.

Stranger is smaller than big female, but bigger than some of the humans who come in groups and leave with dogs. Those dogs don’t come back, but Brutus has seen stranger leave with other dogs and they always come back.

Stranger throws a treat at Brutus, and Brutus inspects it. Same treat as big female, so Brutus knows it is a good treat and eats it. Stranger puts hand in front of cage, and Brutus growls. Hand goes in pocket. Stranger throws another treat, and Brutus catches it. So good! Another treat lands halfway between stranger and Brutus. Stranger is not looking at Brutus, so Brutus gets closer and nabs the treat, then returns to the back of the cage. Stranger throws several other treats, and Brutus dares to get closer every time. So many treats!

Another treat lands at the front of the cage.

Stranger offers hand again, and Brutus sniffs it. Stranger smells like dogs and food and sweat and dirt. Brutus licks hand through the gate. Tastes like treats.

“Good boy.”

Brutus doesn’t understand the words, but stranger gives another treat, so he knows they are good words.

Big female opens the gate and closes it behind, then straps a metal cage around Brutus’ snout. Brutus doesn’t like it but knows what it means, and tail starts wagging.

Walkies!

Walkies is a new word that Master never used, but Brutus learned fast because walkies is best word.

Big female clips leash to Brutus’ collar and leads him out of cage. Stranger gives treat, and Brutus licks hand. Stranger scratches Brutus’ head, just behind the ears.

“Don’t get too attached,” big female says. “He’s due on Thursday.”

The scratches stop.

“Why?” Stranger sounds angry. Brutus tenses. Almost growls, but the scratches start again. Slower. Deeper. So good!

“I don’t make the rules. We’re overcrowded, and almost ripping off someone’s arm ain’t exactly a selling point.”

“The owner’s the one who should be put down,” stranger says.

Big female doesn’t answer.

Walkies is long!

Stranger even took out the metal cage around Brutus’ snout!

They are taking a route Brutus has never walked before, and Brutus needs to find out all about the dogs around here. Brutus picks up a trail he wants to follow and pulls on the leash. Stranger stops walking and makes angry clucking noise, but Brutus doesn’t understand. Pulls again. Angry noise.

Brutus stops pulling, waiting to see what Stranger wants.

“Good boy.”

Brutus wags tail. Treat? No treat. Crushing deception.

Stranger scratches Brutus behind the ears. It is almost as good as treats.

Walkies is really long! Walkies usually end too fast, but it is dark, and they still haven’t returned to the shelter.

Brutus doesn’t want to miss his meal and pulls to turn around, but Stranger pulls back and makes angry noise.

Stranger scratches the back of Brutus’ ears, despite angry noises.

“Don’t worry, you’re not going back there.”

They stop for the night at a park, hidden between a hedge and some bushes. Stranger takes off her backpack and pulls out a bowl and kibbles for Brutus, and meat sticks for herself.

Brutus starts to suspect that walkies will never end.

“Sit.”

Brutus sits. Is good boy.

“Stay.”

Stay means don’t move, even when a treat is in front of is face. Brutus doesn’t move. Is good boy.

“Down.”

Brutus lays down on his belly. Is good boy.

“Belly.”

They’ve done this routine several times already. Brutus rolls around, and his tail wags knowing what is coming.

“Good boy,” New Master says, bending down to scratch his belly. So good! Then it stops.

“Sit.”

Brutus sits even though he wants more belly scratches. Is good boy.

“Stay.”

New Master backs away. Brutus stays. Is good boy.

“Stay,” New Master repeats, even though Brutus hasn’t moved. Is Brutus good boy?

Then something happens. Brutus feels like when he stretches after a nap, but he hasn’t moved. Joints pop on their own and Brutus doesn’t understand. Whines.

“Stay,” New Master draws out the word.

Brutus’ body keeps popping and cracking and he is getting bigger. What is happening?

“Stay.”

Brutus stays. Is good boy.

Brutus watches.

Watch means sit and stay and bark if someone comes.

Master comes back before anyone comes, a bag of kibbles in one arm and human food in the other.

Someone is running after Master but stops when they see Master jump on Brutus’ back.

“Go!”

Carrying Master on back is new, but Brutus likes it. Almost like walkies but better.

Brutus runs, and Master makes happy sounds.

That evening, they feast.

The night is cold, but Master is warm.

Brutus is not happy.

Master brought new dog, and new dog is bad dog.

Molly tries to bite Brutus, which is bad. Molly tries to bite Master, which is unforgiveable crime.

Molly is smaller than Brutus, even when Master isn’t making him big, so it should be easy to show her Brutus is top dog.

Molly doesn’t understand. Molly yaps and bites and runs and doesn’t follow Master’s orders.

Molly is bad dog. Brutus is good dog.

Molly is still bad dog, but less bad than before.

Molly sometimes listens to Master’s orders, but not always like Brutus.

Molly didn’t listen when Master said “stay” and was almost ran over by car.

Brutus always listens when Master says “stay.” Is good boy.

“Fucker!”

Brutus growls, protecting Master while she runs to Molly’s side.

“Take your fucking monsters away from me!”

Bad man shot at Molly and Brutus, but only Molly was hurt. Bad man points his gun at Brutus.

“Brutus, hurt him!”

Brutus attacks. Hurts bad man. Is good boy.

“Sit,” Master says.

Brutus sits, but Master isn’t happy. Is Brutus good boy?

“Drop.”

Brutus opens his mouth and drops the shovel Master took from a house on the way here. Master lays Molly next to Brutus and picks up the shovel.

The ground is cold even now that most of the snow is gone. Hard to dig. Brutus knows because Brutus likes to dig and can’t dig frozen ground unless he’s big.

Master can’t dig either.

She tries and tries and tries and screams. Kicks the ground. Throws the shovel. Fetch? No fetch. Master falls to the ground, still screaming. Howling.

Brutus is good boy, but Master said sit, not stay. Brutus is getting smaller, but still big enough to help.

Master’s howl breaks into smaller noises and hiccups as Brutus digs a hole and sends grass and dirt flying everywhere. Arms wrap around Brutus and hold so tight it would hurt if Brutus wasn’t big.

Master is cold. Master’s coat is wrapped around Molly, but Molly doesn’t need coat.

Brutus is warm, and Master holds Brutus tight enough to be warm too.

Brutus is hungry. Master is hungry too.

Brutus was never hungry with old Master, but is happier with New Master.

Master’s bag is empty. Master usually gets new food from store while Brutus listens for cars that make howling sound, but there are no stores here. No stores, no houses, no humans. Not even garbage cans. Only trees.

Only trees since Molly went in the ground.

Brutus likes trees. So many smells! Not dog smells, but other smells. Other animals.

Brutus picks up a trail, tail wagging, and brings it to Master’s attention.

“Kill!”

Kill means attack until the thing isn’t moving anymore. Squirrel stops moving fast, and Brutus brings it to Master.

“Good boy,” Master says, and Brutus wags tail so hard. Brutus is good boy!

Master puts squirrel on a stick over fire, with other squirrels Brutus has caught.

Brutus eats whole squirrel. Master doesn’t eat fur and bones. So weird.

“Don’t worry, we won’t be hungry much longer,” Master says once they are finished. Brutus doesn’t understand the words but doesn’t need to. Master scratches Brutus’ head behind the ears and laughs when Brutus licks her face.

New city, new dog.

Judas is good dog. Better than Molly was, but Master is still sad. Brutus knows because Master is angry and tense most of the time. It doesn’t help that they are around people once again. Some people look at them, others don’t. Some talk to Master, and Master tells them angry words.

It’s all fine until people in costume show up while Master is training Brutus and Judas.

Brutus growls a warning, and one man says angry words at Master before shooting lasers at them.

“Hurt them!” Master screams, face against Brutus’ neck to avoid the lasers. “Hurt!”

Brutus hurts the bad laser man. Is good boy.

They move again soon after, and keep moving as more costumed people come after them.

Until one day a man shows up and talks to Master, using words like “money” and “roof” and “as many dogs as you want.” Master calls him a fucker, but doesn’t tell Brutus and Judas to hurt him.

Master found a people pack, and Brutus found a home.

New home is big! Much bigger than basement Brutus had to stay in with old master. But new home is shared with Master’s people pack, and it takes some getting used to on both sides. There is growling and huffing and talks about whether dogs belong on couches (they do), but for the first time since Brutus left the shelter with Master, they have a roof over their head every night.

At first, Master has trouble sleeping in new bed, and scratches Brutus or Judas at odd hours during the night, but they eventually settle into a comfortable routine.

Angelica reminds Brutus of Molly, because Angelica is bad dog.

Angelica bites and pulls and makes Brutus bleed. Angelica doesn’t listen to Master.

But Brutus endures, because Brutus is good boy and Angelica will learn from the pack.

Still, sometimes, Brutus misses the times where it was just him and Master.

Brutus is big. Bigger than ever.

Fire girl smells like fear, and Brutus growls, ready to jump on her at Master’s word.

Scentless man shouts angry words at Master, but Master doesn’t back down, and Fire girl runs away.

Now all of Master’s people pack is yelling at her, and Master rides away on Brutus’ back.

“Hurt him!”

Brutus tackles dragon man on the roof, then claws at his face. Dragon man hits Brutus on the snout, which hurt, but not as much as if Brutus wasn’t big. Behind Brutus, on other rooftops, are Judas and Angelica, carrying Master’s people pack. Brutus has to protect them.

Brutus charges dragon man, and they both crash on the street below.

Fire burns, but Brutus is quick and doesn’t give dragon man a change to hit him.

Later, once Brutus and Judas and Angelica are small again, they cuddle with Master on Master’s bed, and life is everything it should be.

Master opens door, and already, Brutus knows.

Intruder!

Brutus barks.

Master gives an order, and Brutus runs upstairs.

HURT!

Brutus and Judas and Angelica back intruder against the wall, snarling and snapping at anything they can reach.

“Call off your dogs!” Shouts the scentless man.

Brutus catches intruder’s arm and wrenches it like a toy. Intruder goes down, and Judas and Angelica attack.

“Call off the fucking dogs!” The scentless man shouts again.

Intruder lets out a cry, and Master whistles.

Brutus let go of intruder and walked away, tail wagging with the knowledge that he is a good boy.

Intruder is now member of people-pack. Even came with Master to Master’s secret shelter for bad dogs who haven’t learned to be good dogs yet. None of the other members of Master’s people-pack has come there so far, but Brutus accepts it because Master says so.

Intruder says words that make Master angry, but not angry at intruder. Master grabs Sirius, the newest dog, and they exchange more words.

Then, Master chains Sirius and makes him big, and Brutus doesn’t understand. Only good dogs get big, and Sirius hasn’t learned to be a good dog yet. Sirius yelps and pulls and fights back against the change.

Brutus makes sure no other dog disturbs Master. Is good boy.

Sirens are the worst sound in the world. So loud they hurt Brutus’ ears. Louder than anything Brutus has heard before. Brutus whines, as does Judas.

All humans had stopped moving when the alarm rang, but now they are talking fast and moving a lot.

“I don’t give a shit about that,” Master yells at the scentless man. “I need to check on my dogs.”

The scentless man replies something that makes Master angrier.

“If I may,” says the tall man with the slithering voice, “I can arrange to have them brought here. They’ll be as safe as can be while you attend the fight.”

Master says more angry words, but eventually accepts.

“Are you coming?” Asks the scentless man.

“Not before I know my dogs are safe.”

So many bad dogs! Brutus growls at them, but not all listen. Too many dogs. Too many new scents and new sounds and new people. Hard to keep them in check.

Master whistles loudly, and most dogs stand to attention. The few who don’t do it right away still do eventually because of the rest of the pack.

Just as Master is getting the most unruly dogs under control, someone barges in and draws barking and growling.

“What’s going on?” Asks Master.

“The Travelers think Leviathan is headed this way.”

The words make Master angry, and she says angry words at the man.

“Fucker said they would be safe here.”

“Things are going badly. Most of the forces, including your teammates, have been taken out of the fight. We have the order to evacuate.”

Master throws more angry words at the man, and he leaves. Master walks around and around, then kicks the ground and screams.

Bad dogs yap, then whine when Brutus growls at them.

Master turns to face the pack, appraising them.

“Brutus,” Master says, and Brutus straightens up, ready to obey. “Come.”

Brutus joins Master. Is good dog, but tail doesn’t wag. Something has shifted. He can feel it in Master’s voice.

“Judas.”

Judas comes, as does Angelica. Master pets her but doesn’t call her name. Instead, she says softly:

“Not you, baby. You’re still sick.”

With one last pet, Master, flanked by Brutus and Judas, moves to another group of dogs.

“Kuro.”

“Bullet.”

“Milk.”

“Stumpy.”

“Axel.”

“Ginger.”

Master lists out, and they stand to attention, awaiting orders.

“Come.”

Master opens door and walks out, holding the door open.

Some of the other dogs want to follow, but Brutus growls and they back down. Brutus is top dog.

Master closes the door behind the group, then walks to exit the base as the pack follows.

All the dogs Master has called out become bigger. So many dogs! Never this many big dogs before, but Brutus is still top dog.

Master gives order, and Brutus leads the way.

Monster is big. Bigger than Brutus. Bigger than dragon man.

Water is everywhere, but no time for splashies. Bad water anyways. Smells like blood and death.

As they get closer, Master jumps off Brutus’ back and points at monster. “Kill!”

Brutus attacks, and the whole pack follows.

Kill means attack until the thing isn’t moving anymore. Brutus bites and claws and rips and shakes, but monster is tough. Monster doesn’t stop moving.

Judas falls and stops moving. Bullet too.

“Kill him!” Master screams behind them. “Kill!”

Brutus does his best.

Is good boy.

#parahumans #worm #wormblr #worm fanfiction #rachel lindt #brutus #judas #angelica

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