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The continuing stories of Robbie, Martin, and co. If you can come up with something better, note me!", "count": "14", "submission_left_submission_id": "1751900", "submission_left_file_name": "4009672_squirrelfox_a_wider_world.doc", "submission_left_thumbnail_url_huge": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/huge/4009/4009672_squirrelfox_a_wider_world.jpg", "submission_left_thumbnail_url_large": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/large/4009/4009672_squirrelfox_a_wider_world.jpg", "submission_left_thumbnail_url_medium": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/4009/4009672_squirrelfox_a_wider_world.jpg", "submission_left_thumb_huge_x": "120", "submission_left_thumb_huge_y": "120", "submission_left_thumb_large_x": "120", "submission_left_thumb_large_y": "120", "submission_left_thumb_medium_x": "120", "submission_left_thumb_medium_y": "120" } ], "description": "HOLY SHIT, HE LIVES. See, I've actually been writing!\n\nAnyway, here's a Chuck story.\n\nExcellent description.\n\nBut seriously, there's tags and a content warning, and if I missed any important tags, go ahead and suggest them.", "description_bbcode_parsed": "HOLY SHIT, HE LIVES.  See, I've actually been writing!

Anyway, here's a Chuck story.

Excellent description.

But seriously, there's tags and a content warning, and if I missed any important tags, go ahead and suggest them.", "writing": "OBLIGATORY CONTENT WARNING: Because these things are basically my trademark these days. The following story contains… uh… a nightmare, I guess? There’s no real naughty stuff to warn about, but there’s like, I dunno, drama and shit? LET’S GO WITH THAT. DRAMA and CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT and ADVANCEMENT OF PLOT WITHOUT SEX TO KEEP IT INTERESTING. Oh, and I guess bedwetting? OH WAIT SHIT AND IMPLIED RAPE. THAT'S PROBABLY IMPORTANT TO WARN ABOUT. So let's add a trigger warning. If any of this offends you, DO NOT READ ON. By reading beyond this point, you waive your right to be offended by my work, because YOU WERE WARNED. For those of you whom I haven’t scared off… enjoy~\n\n\n\n\n\nThree years. Three years Chuck and his mother had lived in this house in Massachusetts. Three years since his mom had put him in the car and started driving east. There had been many new things to adjust to: the changing seasons, the snow, the trees, the much nicer home, the relative stillness of the suburbs. In all of that time, though, never had Chuck ever been left alone with Isaac.\n\n“I’m sorry, baby, but mommy’s work needs her,” his mom had explained.\n\n“But why?” he had asked.\n\nHe understood why, of course. She had her new job at a nursing home, and they needed night staff. But that didn’t make the prospect of being alone with the cat any easier, no matter how nice he may have seemed.\n\nChuck sighed. For the last half hour, he had sat in the middle of his room, staring into space, replaying that conversation with his mother over and over again in his head. There was no getting around it. It wouldn’t be so bad, right? Isaac wasn’t like his daddy, right?\n\nA knock at his door scared the pup half to death. He yelped, his fur standing on end as he curled up in a ball in the middle of the room.\n\n“Chuck?”\n\nThe pup trembled as he heard the door open a crack.\n\n“Is it OK if I come in?”\n\nChuck whimpered, hugging his legs to his chest. Abject terror rattled his bones, memories of dark nights alone with his father flashing before his eyes. The door creaked open, and the pup squeezed his eyes shut tight.\n\n“Chuck, are you alright?”\n\nHe could hear the cat crossing the room towards him, could sense the adult’s presence close behind him. Why was he feeling like this? Not once had Isaac ever hurt him the way daddy had, never once had he yelled at him, and yet here he was, crying like a little baby.\n\n“Chuck, it’s OK,” Isaac whispered. “Can you turn around and look at me, please?”\n\nFear paralyzed the pup. He couldn’t bring himself to move. His body betrayed him.\n\nIsaac sighed. “Listen. I ordered Chinese. It should be here any minute. You wanna come downstairs and eat?”\n\nAgain, the pup found himself unable to speak. He shivered uncontrollably. A block of ice seemed to have filled his chest, chilling his heart, making it hard to breathe.\n\nThe doorbell rang.\n\nChuck heard the retreating paws of the cat, and the click as the adult turned on the light. \n\n“I need to get that. Come down when you’re ready, OK, pup?”\n\nA few seconds of silence followed the adult’s words. Then the doorbell rang again, and the door clicked shut.\n\nAs soon as the cat was gone, Chuck relaxed. He panted heavily, feeling as though he’d just run a marathon. His body trembled, a thin sheen of sweat covering him under his fur. Slowly, the pup rolled onto his back and took a few deep breaths, then opened his eyes and sat up.\n\n“It’s OK, Chuck,” he whispered. “Isaac’s nice…” His stomach rumbled, and that decided it. The pup pushed himself to his paws, a little shaky at first, then grabbed Mister Stuffy before heading to the door. His paw quaked for a moment as he turned the knob, but he shook it off and left the room, tip-toeing down the hall to the stairs.\n\nReaching the stairs seemed to take an eternity. Twice Chuck almost lost his nerve and ran back to his room. Only a hug from Mister Stuffy kept him going forward. \n\nBy the time he reached the stairs, Isaac had already paid the delivery man, and had spread out the containers on the living room table. He could smell the aromas of fried rice and orange chicken, his favorite. Isaac had even put two plates out.\n\nThe adult didn’t seem to notice him at first. He was sitting at the edge of the couch, his own plate loaded up with food in front of him, the TV remote in his paw. When the adult glanced toward the stairs, Chuck almost bolted. The cat smiled up at him, then put his focus back on the TV.\n\nChuck took a labored breath, and grabbed the railing with one paw, his other paw holding his beloved bunny plush tightly to his chest. He took the stairs one at a time, leading with his right paw, the left following. Each step seemed to take an eternity. The staircase stretched out for miles before him. But at long last, he reached the bottom of the stairs. As he did, he heard the familiar theme song of his favorite cartoon.\n\n“Come on over, have some dinner,” Isaac said.\n\nChuck squeaked when he was addressed. Again, he fought the instinct to run away. He hugged Mister Stuffy tighter as he crossed the room. His bunny would protect him. Mommy always told him that. He just had to believe, to trust his mommy, to trust Mister Stuffy, to trust Isaac.\n\nThe cat was sitting on the far end of the couch. Chuck tentatively set his plushie down on the couch opposite the adult, then turned his attention to the food containers.\n\n“Fried rice, orange chicken, veggie mix in a spicy sauce,” Isaac said. “I got two egg rolls, too. Didn’t know if you wanted one, but it’s there if you’re interested.”\n\nThe pup stood trembling before the food. His arms refused his orders to move forward and start putting some food on the plate before him. It could be a trap. What if he took too much? Would Isaac yell at him? Hit him the way his daddy had? The pup felt paralyzed.\n\nNearly a minute passed before Isaac broke the silence. “Do you want me to get a plate ready for you?”\n\nChuck nearly leapt out of his skin. He stumbled backwards onto the couch, grabbing up Mister Stuffy and hugging his beloved plush tight. The pup curled into a ball and stared at the cat. His muzzle hid behind his plush, a barrier to protect him from the scary grown-up. Bump, bump, bump, beat his heart.\n\nWithout a word, Isaac leaned forward and began piling food up on the empty plate. He put a generous portion of rice and chicken on the plate, then looked over at the pup. “Veggies?”\n\nChuck nodded. His arms and legs were still frozen, but he could get his head to respond, at least a little bit. He watched as the cat added some vegetables to his plate. Once he was finished, Isaac settled back down in his corner of the couch.\n\nThe pup looked from the plate to the adult and back a few times. His heart rate slowed down as he watched the cat pick up his plate and start eating. Chuck tried moving his arms. Now they responded! He took a few deep breaths. ‘It’s OK,’ he told himself. ‘Isaac is nice.’\n\nHe turned his attention to the TV. There was something calming about watching the cartoon hijinks. \n\nHis body moved on autopilot as he reached forward and grabbed the plate. Chuck’s eyes were glued to the TV as he started to eat.\n\n“Floor it?” said the sponge on TV.\n\n“Yes — No! No! Don’t floor it!”\n\n“Floor it?!”\n\nA smile broke out across the border collie’s face as the sponge floored it. “Oh, Spongebob. Why?” he muttered alongside the boating school instructor.\n\nBy the time the episode came to a close, Chuck had calmed considerably. He’d almost forgotten for the moment that it was just him and Isaac. As the segment ended, though, the show went right to the second half of the episode.\n\n“Huh?” He looked first at Isaac, then back at the TV. “Where’s th’ commercials?”\n\nIsaac chuckled and set his plate down on the coffee table, then took a couple steps toward the TV and pulled out a box from beside the DVD player. “DVD box set,” the cat explained. “Bought the first four seasons. Your mom mentioned that you liked it, so I figured this way you can watch it whenever you want.”\n\nChuck blinked. Had Isaac really bought those DVDs just for him? His paws trembled, and he set his now-empty plate on the coffee table.\n\n“You alright, little guy?” Isaac asked.\n\nThe pup nodded. “Y-yeah. F-fine,” he said. He settled back on the couch and pulled his legs up, then grabbed Mister Stuffy and hugged him.\n\nIsaac shrugged, and put the DVD case back on the shelf. “Alright. They’re right here if you ever want to watch them. You know how to use the DVD player, right?”\n\nDid he know how… what kind of question was that? Chuck had never gone near it! He didn’t want to break any of Isaac’s things or get yelled at. He knew how to use the remote to turn on the TV and navigate the cable channels to find the shows he wanted to watch, but that was really it. The pup shook his head.\n\n“It’s not that hard,” Isaac said. He sat back down on the couch, then grabbed up the DVD player remote, and gave the pup a quick tour. The feline kept a respectful distance, pointing out buttons to the pup. Once he was finished, he put the remote back down and looked over the food. “Did you want the egg roll?”\n\nChuck looked down at his plate. While he’d eaten everything Isaac had put on his plate, he wasn’t quite full. And Isaac did get it for him, right? “Umm… m-maybe? U-unless you wan’ it,” the boy muttered.\n\nIsaac chuckled and picked up the bag with the egg roll, and emptied its contents onto Chuck’s plate. “Have at it, lil guy.”\n\nThe pup picked his plate back up and picked up the egg roll. It was still warm, but not not burning. He settled back into the couch and chowed down as he let his mind escape back into the cartoon.\n\nThree more episodes slipped by before the pup caught himself yawning. A glance at the clock told him it was nearing nine thirty. Bed time. His ears pressed to his head as he realized what that meant.\n\n“Getting sleepy, bud?”\n\nChuck yipped and squeezed Mister Stuffy tight. He’d almost forgotten that Isaac was sitting just a few feet away. He blushed and gave a curt nod.\n\n“You look it,” Isaac said. The cat chuckled, then picked up the remote and turned off the TV. “Why don’t you head upstairs and get ready for bed, and I’ll be up to tuck you in. Sound like a plan?”\n\n“O-OK.” He slipped off the couch and ran for the stairs, clinging tightly to Mister Stuffy with one paw.\n\nOnce he reached the top of the stairs, he paused. He could hear Isaac moving around downstairs. Plates clinked. The pup took a breath, then tip toed down the hall into the bathroom.\n\nHe shut the door behind him. His body worked through the rest of his night time routine. Pee, wash paws, brush teeth, then to the bedroom.\n\nThe pup froze up as he got to his bedroom. His mommy wasn’t here to help him get into his jammies. Well, guess he’d just have to do it himself. He shook his head to clear it, then pulled off his t-shirt, followed by his pants. His paws froze again as he got to his underwear. It was fine, he told himself. He could get changed before Isaac came up, surely. No way the adult would see him naked, or his pull-ups, or anything like that.\n\nHe took a breath, then pulled his underwear down. He felt so exposed without any clothes on. So vulnerable. He checked his bedroom door to make sure it was closed, then ran to his closet and dug around. It took a little digging, but he found where his mommy kept his pull-ups. With a quick glance to make sure his door was closed, he pulled one of the crinkly garments from the bag, and hastily pulled it up.\n\nOnce his night time undies were on, he ran to his dresser and pulled out a pair of pajamas. He still had a lot of footy pajamas. They were more snug. He selected a yellow set and pulled it out. The pup ran over to his bed and looked down at it. It’d be a little hard to do this on his own, but it shouldn’t be that hard, right?\n\nChuck sat down on his bed and unzipped the front. OK, just had to get his legs in… which would be easier if the material would just. Hold. Still! He grunted and squirmed as he fought his way into his jammies.\n\nHis limbs betrayed him. His paws quaked as he struggled with his pajamas. He could feel his heart beating in his ears. It took nearly a full minute to finally get his legs into his jammies. The pup laid back on the bed for a moment, panting. His ears flicked as he picked up the familiar creak of the stairs. Crap! He sat back up and got his arms into the top of the garment. Thankfully, that went a lot easier than the legs.\n\nA knock on the door punctuated the pup pulling up the zipper.\n\n“Chuck? May I come in?”\n\nThe border collie hesitated a moment before he replied. “Y-yes.”\n\nThe door opened, and Isaac walked in. “All ready for bed, little guy?” he asked.\n\nChuck nodded, the pup curling up on his bed.\n\n“Peed? Brushed your teeth? All that good stuff?”\n\nThe pup nodded again.\n\n“Good, good,” Isaac said. The cat walked over to the side of the bed and grabbed the top of the blanket around Chuck. “Your mom said you like to be tucked in, so…”\n\nChuck squeaked as the adult leaned over him. It felt weird to have an adult male looming so close. He squirmed as the cat pulled the blanket back, and reluctantly stretched out. The pup trembled as the cat covered him with the blanket.\n\n“There we go. All snug,” Isaac said. He reached a paw for the pup. Chuck flinched. Isaac withdrew his paw. “Well… good night,” he said. The cat stood up and walked out of the room, turning off the light and closing the door behind him.\n\nChuck’s body grew heavy as he settled in under the blankets. The Chinese food was catching up to him, lulling the boy into a deep slumber. Funny how it always made him sleepy.\n\nThe warmth of the blankets hugged the border collie. Everything felt safe.\n\nUntil the shadow monster crept in.\n\nThe pup sat bolt upright in bed. A chill ran down Chuck’s spine. The room hadn’t been this cold when he went to bed, had it? His fur stood on end.\n\n“Hello?” Chuck called.\n\nSilence.\n\n“I-is anyone there?” Chuck whispered.\n\nThe closet door creaked open.\n\n“Peekaboo…”\n\nThat voice. Chuck knew that voice. He fell back down in bed and pulled the blankets up over his head. \n\nPlease don’t find me, please don’t find me, the blankets will protect me…\n\nThey didn’t protect him. An unseen force tore the blanket from Chuck’s paws, and with it too went his pajamas. The pup squeezed his eyes shut. His paws instinctively covering his sheath.\n\nThis isn’t happening this isn’t happening this couldn’t be happening oh please oh please oh ple—\n\n“You thought you could get away from me, you worthless cunt?!”\n\nChuck tried to open his mouth, but it was sealed shut. He had no mouth, but he had to scream. Against his will, his eyes flew open. Before him loomed a shadow. A massive dark figure. He knew the shape of that creature. It was burned into his memories. The beast before him was cloaked in blackness, wearing shadow like a cloak. The only color was the red extension of flesh protruding from between the monster’s legs.\n\nThe pup trembled as he was flipped over, his butt raised into the air. The creature grabbed his hips and squeezed. Chuck squeezed his eyes shut. He could feel hot flesh pressing between his cheeks. No no no no NO NO NO NO N-\n\nWith gargantuan effort, Chuck tore his lips open and let out the loudest scream he could.\n\nHis bedroom door burst open. A flash of light blinded the pup.\n\n“Chuck?! Are you OK?!”\n\nThat voice broke through the shadows. The monster evaporated, and Chuck was back in his room, fully clothed. His blanket lay discarded on the floor. Isaac rushed towards him.\n\nInstinctively, Chuck scrambled away. He curled up in a ball in the corner of his bed, hugging his legs to his chest. He didn’t realize he was still screaming until his knee collided with his chin, silencing him.\n\nIsaac dropped to his knees next to the bed, his arms outstretched, but stopping short of the terrified pup. “Chuck, what’s wrong? Are you OK?”\n\nThe pup panted heavily. His heart was pounding, threatening to leap right out of his chest. A thin sheen of sweat covered his body, as well as a much warmer fluid between his legs.\n\nIsaac laid his paws on the bed. “Did you have another nightmare?”\n\nChuck nodded and whimpered. “M-mommy. W-where’s mommy?”\n\nThe feline sighed. “She’s still at work, little guy.” He sniffed, and scrunched his nose up. “D-did you wet yourself?”\n\nA blush crept across the boy’s face. He squirmed, feeling the squish of his pull-ups under his jammies. They weren’t enough to hold his nightmare emission. He sniffled, then shut his eyes as tears began to roll down his cheeks.\n\n“Chuck,” Isaac whispered, “Would it be alright if I hug you?”\n\nThe pup’s eyes flew open again, large and round with terror. He stared at the feline. His arms were still outstretched, and that look on his face. It looked like how his mommy looked at him when he was feeling scared.\n\nIsaac leaned a little closer, and the pup recoiled. His body was responding automatically. He didn’t want to shy away from the only adult who could help him right now, especially when he was being offered comfort. But he still didn’t know if he could trust the cat.\n\n“It’s OK, little guy. I understand,” Isaac said. He gave the pup a reassuring smile. “Well, can I at least help you get cleaned up? Would that be OK? Or would you prefer to clean up yourself?”\n\nChuck thought about that. His mommy gave him baths all the time after he’d wet himself. But that was different. His body shook, but the words that came out of his mouth shocked even him.\n\n“Y-yes… p-please clean me?”\n\nIsaac’s eyes widened. He stood up and gave the pup another smile. “Alright, Chuck. Come on, let’s get you cleaned up and in some fresh jammies. Sound like a plan?” he asked, holding a paw out toward the border collie.\n\nChuck nodded. A paw drew forward and grabbed onto the adult’s outstretched fingers. The pup knew that it was his paw reaching out, but it felt like it wasn’t part of his body. The hollow husk he inhabited leaned forward, and was led out of his bedroom to the bathroom across the hall.\n\nOnce they were in the bathroom, he released Isaac’s paw. The cat stepped further into the room, then turned to face the pup. “Do, uh, do you want me to undress you, or can you do that yourself?”\n\nChuck shivered and shook. Part of him wanted to have the adult undress him. With how his paws were shaking, he was certain he wouldn’t be able to do it himself. But part of him was still scared of the cat. Of this big adult who could easily overpower him. Even if the door was at his back and there was nothing stopping him from getting away, he was scared.\n\nIsaac watched the pup for a few seconds, then sat down on the floor in front of the pup. “Chuck, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m going to sit down, so you’re taller than me and I can’t chase you. Not that I’m going to chase you. But you can leave any time and I wouldn’t be able to catch you. See?” He folded his footpaws under his knees and spread his arms, demonstrating that he couldn’t get up.\n\nChuck’s breathing quickened. His heart was trying to break out of his chest again. He wanted to run, but he couldn’t move his legs.\n\nThe cat’s voice broke through the growing haze in his mind. “Chuck, I want you to breathe with me. Inhale through your nose, hold it for a second, exhale through your mouth.” He lifted his paws and straightened his back as he demonstrated. “Can you do it with me?”\n\nThe pup blinked a few times, but did as he said. He inhaled deeply, following the cat’s lead, held it, then slowly let it out. In, hold, out. In, hold, out. A few more repetitions, and he could feel his heart rate slowing down. His fear seemed to be melting away.\n\n“There we go,” Isaac said. He smiled at the pup and settled back down on his paws. “Feel a little better?” The pup nodded, and Isaac continued. “OK. Can you undress yourself? Or would you like me to undress you?”\n\nChuck took a couple more breaths, following the example Isaac gave, before responding. “W-will you? P-please?”\n\nIsaac nodded and patted his lap. “Sure thing, Chuck. Come here when you’re ready, and I’ll help you undress.”\n\nFor a minute, Chuck stood stock still, frozen in place. Maybe more than a minute. For all the pup knew it was an hour or more. It took gargantuan effort, but he stepped forward.\n\nHis feet felt like lead. His body shook uncontrollably. A voice in the back of his head screamed at him to run away. But he pressed forward, until he was standing right in front of the adult.\n\nIsaac smiled at Chuck, then slowly raised his paws and unzipped the front of his jammies. As the zipper reached the bottom, the instinct to run flared up again.\n\n“It’s OK, Chuck,” Isaac whispered. He locked eyes with the pup as he straightened his back, and brought his paws up to border collie’s shoulders. “I’m going to touch your shoulders so I can get your jammies off, alright?”\n\nThe pup took a couple of breaths. Isaac breathed with him, his paws making little circles in front of him as he instructed the boy. In, hold, out. In, hold, out. His stomach was still tied in knots, but he nodded to the cat.\n\nChuck gasped as he felt the contact of the adult’s paws on his bare fur. It took all of his will power not to run away. After all, Isaac wasn’t anything like daddy. Isaac was nice. Isaac wouldn’t hurt him. Not like daddy.\n\nBefore he knew it, his arms were free. He felt so cold now that his top half was completely exposed. He hugged himself, shaking a little as he felt the top half of his jammies fall backwards.\n\n“There we go. Now I just have to get the bottom half down,” Isaac whispered. “I’ll do it from the outside.”\n\nThe pup’s eyes followed the adult’s paws as Isaac dragged the rest of his pajamas down, revealing his very wet pull-up. As Isaac got it down to his ankles, he stepped out, first one paw, then the other.\n\n“Alrighty. That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Isaac asked.\n\nChuck whimpered softly. He felt so exposed standing before the feline in just his night time undies. He took a few more breaths, trying to distract himself from what he knew was coming next.\n\nIsaac sighed and leaned back. “Chuck. I wish I could make this easier for you,” he whispered. “I just… look, it’s going to be alright. Just a quick sponge bath, then we can get you into some fresh jammies.” \n\nBump, bump, bump. Chuck’s heart beat in his ears. His tail tucked between his legs, but his knees were locked in place.\n\nThe cat remained motionless, his eyes locked on the pup. “I’m not going to remove your undies until you say it’s OK, Chuck. Tell me when you’re ready. Breathe.” He lifted his paws and worked them in circles, raising them as he breathed in, lowering on the exhale, his chest rising and falling.\n\nChuck followed the cat’s lead. In and out. In and out. In and out. His heartbeat slowed down, returning to normal. Whether it was several seconds or several minutes, Chuck couldn’t say. But he certainly felt calmer. Not completely at ease with the adult, but not as scared.\n\n“O-OK,” Chuck whispered. “I’m ready.”\n\nIsaac nodded and reached forward. He paused as he laid his paws on the pup’s hips, his fingers touching the waistband of the boy’s undies. “Alright, on three. One…”\n\nA shiver ran down Chuck’s spine.\n\n“Two…”\n\nOhgods what was he doing why was he letting this adult do this remember what happened last time remember what the icky shadow did pleaseohpleasenodon’tdothisnotag—\n\n“Three.”\n\nThe pup wasn’t sure what he had expected. A sudden pull, like ripping off a bandaid? No. No, Isaac was working it down slowly. He could feel the cold air licking at his exposed sheath, the lingering dampness of his urine making it feel all the colder. He shivered as the cat drew his undies to his ankles.\n\n“There we go. Two steps, and we can toss these.”\n\nChuck lifted his right footpaw. It felt like lead. He caught the wall with a paw as he felt his balance falter. His footpaw landed on the floor. He expected a thud, but it was no heavier than his usual step. Another quick raise and lower of his left, and he was completely nude.\n\nHe squeezed his eyes shut. Terrified as the pup was of what Isaac might do, he didn’t want to watch. He couldn’t. He heard the cat moving around. The sink turned on. Running water. Then the slight squeak as the tap was turned off, and the water’s noise ceased.\n\n“Alright, Chuck, I’m going to wash around your groin now. I’m not going to touch your sheath or scrotum,” Isaac announced.\n\nThe pup hugged his arms tight around himself. He still couldn’t bring himself to open his eyes. He felt the cat rest a paw on his hip. A few moments later, it was followed by the feel of a warm, wet washcloth working around his groin.\n\n“Chuck, do you want to wash your sheath yourself?”\n\nThe pup shook his head. He didn’t want to touch those parts. Nope nope nope. They weren’t good.\n\n“Do you want me to wash it for you?” Isaac asked.\n\nNow that was a question Chuck didn’t know how to answer. Part of him wanted to say yes. It would be nice to be clean before getting dressed again and heading back to bed. And he had asked Isaac to help clean him. The cat wouldn’t be here if Chuck hadn’t specifically asked him to help. But letting the adult touch his privates? Even though Isaac was nice, Chuck wasn’t sure if he could trust him that much.\n\n“I won’t touch you there unless you say it’s OK,” Isaac said.\n\nChuck began to whimper. Everything was so overwhelming. He wished his mommy was there. He needed a hug. But the only adult around he could get one from was…\n\n“It’s fine if you’re not comfortable with me touching you there,” Isaac said. “Look, we can call it done here. You’re mostly clean down there now, anyway. We can just go back to your room and get some fresh jammies on. Do you want to do that?”\n\nThe pup took a deep breath. He hugged his chest tighter, and swayed a little before the adult. “W-wash my sheath…”\n\nIsaac was silent for a few seconds. “You’re sure you want me to do that? You can say ‘no,’ Chuck. I won’t do it unless you’re one hundred percent sure you’re OK with it.”\n\nChuck wasn’t sure at all. He was terrified of the adult. But he felt icky. He wanted to be clean before he went back to bed. “I-it’s OK,” Chuck whispered.\n\n“Chuck, I want you to open your eyes and look me in the eye and say it,” Isaac said.\n\nThat caught Chuck off guard. “W-why?” the pup blurted out.\n\nHe gasped as he felt the cat’s paws on his elbows. Instinct drove him to recoil, the pup taking a step back.\n\n“Because I don’t want to hurt you, Chuck, and it’s pretty clear you don’t trust me,” Isaac said. “Look, I don’t know what the hell happened to you before you came here. Your mom won’t tell me a damned thing about it. If you’ve told your therapist, she certainly isn’t telling me anything. But… look, Chuck. I care about you, and want the best for you. Please, look at me?”\n\nThe words bounced around Chuck’s head. Slowly, he opened his eyes, afraid of what he might see. He half expected to see the adult towering over him. But Isaac was still sitting on the floor right where he had been before Chuck closed his eyes. The cat was looking up at him. His expression looked a lot like the way his mom looked at him when he was feeling like this. He was clearly concerned. \n\nBut there was something else there, too. Something he hadn’t seen from his mommy since shortly after they left Arizona. It was something he’d never seen from an adult male, something so alien to see on an adult that the pup almost didn’t recognize it.\n\nIsaac looked scared.\n\n“Chuck. I just want to help you,” Isaac whispered. “You don’t trust me. I get that. I don’t know why, and frankly, it’s probably none of my damned business why. But I don’t want to violate your trust, Chuck. I want to earn it. I promise you that I won’t hurt you.” The cat drew a paw vertically, then horizontally over his chest. “Cross my heart. So I ask you one more time, truthfully: are you really OK with me washing your sheath?”\n\nThe pup’s breathing quickened. Here he was, being put on the spot. Isaac’s paws started moving in circles again, and the pup picked up on the cue. Breathe. In and out. In and out. In and out. Once his breathing was under control, he took in one more breath. “I… I’m scared. B-buh I wanna be clean b’fore bed.”\n\nIsaac nodded. “I don’t know if there’s anything I can do to make you less scared,” he said. He sighed, then picked up the wash cloth that he had left on the sink. “I can try to make it quick if that would help.”\n\nChuck shivered a little, then took a step forward. “O-OK,” he whispered.\n\nThe cat nodded and smiled at the pup. It looked like the adult was trying to comfort him. Maybe Isaac wasn’t so bad.\n\nThen the adult’s paw came in contact with his sheath, separated only by the material of the washcloth. A sharp intake of breath. His knees quaked. Chuck grabbed onto the first thing he could get for support. That happened to be Isaac’s shoulders.\n\nFor a few seconds, the adult scrubbed his sheath and scrotum. His paw delicately worked the fur on his genitals, freeing the last of his soaked urine. Then he brought his paw away. Cold air met the wet, but freshly cleaned fur.\n\n“There we go,” Isaac said. “All done.”\n\nChuck found his feet, and the first thing they did was rocket out of the bathroom.\n\nThe world was a blur. One moment he was leaning on Isaac in the bathroom, the next he was curled up in the corner of his bedroom, clinging to Mister Stuffy.\n\nHe heard the sound of the cat’s footfalls as he entered the room. Part of him expected the adult to approach him, to touch him, to do… things… to him. But that wasn’t like Isaac at all, was it?\n\nThe sheets rustled. Chuck dared to look over his shoulder, and saw Isaac pulling off his old sheets. He watched as the adult gathered up the sheets and put them in the hamper just outside his door. His eyes followed the adult as he left the room.\n\nIsaac returned a minute later with another wash cloth. He wiped down the vinyl mattress cover. As he finished, the adult gave Chuck a weak smile. “Gotta get your bed ready,” he explained. The cat tossed the washcloth into the hall, then walk over to the dresser and pulled out a fresh set of sheets.\n\nIn no time at all, the pup’s bed was made again, ready for him. Isaac patted the freshly made bed and took a step back. “I’ll give you some privacy to get dressed again,” he said. “Call me when you’re ready to be tucked in again.” With those words, he left the room, closing the door behind him.\n\nChuck stared at the door after the cat. That was it? He wasn’t going to yell at him for wetting the bed? Wasn’t going to hit him? Nothing? Just clean him up and let him get ready for bed, like mommy would? It didn’t make sense. His daddy wouldn’t have done that. He shivered as he thought back to the house back in Arizona… and shivered again as his current nude state got to him.\n\nThe pup slowly pushed himself to his footpaws. He staggered to the closet and dug out another pair of pull-ups, his body directing itself all on its own. With his bits covered, at least, he felt more secure. He returned to his dresser and pulled out another pair of pajamas, selecting a sky blue pair this time. He stared at the garment, remembering his struggle to get into his pajamas alone earlier. Could he ask Isaac for help?\n\nHis heart beat faster. Chuck shut his eyes and breathed. In and out. In and out. In and out. He got his heart back under control, then went to the door and opened it a crack. “I-Isaac?”\n\nThe cat had been leaning against the wall opposite the pup’s bedroom door. He straightened up as the pup called his name. “All set, little guy?” he asked.\n\n“C-could you h-h-help me get dressed?” Chuck whispered.\n\nIsaac stepped toward the door. “Sure thing,” he said.\n\nChuck gasped and leapt onto his bed. His ears flicked as the door creaked open.\n\n“What would you like me to do?” Isaac asked.\n\nThe pup pointed to his pajamas, discarded on the floor, then rolled onto his back and lifted his legs. “Umm… c-c-could you g-g-get the legs on me?”\n\nThe cat smiled at the pup and lifted up the footy pajamas. He unzipped the front and gathered up the material of one of the legs. “Alright, here we go,” he said.\n\nChuck flinched as he felt the cat guide his left footpaw into the leg. He shivered as the cat guided it down. His shivering increased as the adult guided his other leg back and maneuvered his right footpaw into the other leg. He squeezed his eyes shut, so tight he could see brilliant multicolored patterns before his eyes.\n\n“Sit up, please,” Isaac said.\n\nIt took a moment for the meaning of the words to sink in. Once they did, Chuck brought his legs down, then pushed his body up. He whimpered as Isaac pulled the top half of the garment up and guided his arms into the sleeves. This part he could do himself, but he didn’t dare say that to Isaac.\n\nThen the cat’s paw was back down at his groin. He whined louder than ever. The paw was only there a moment, though. As soon as the cat found the fly of the zipper, he pulled it up, zipping the pup into his jammies.\n\n“There we go,” Isaac whispered. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”\n\nChuck had no words. He collapsed back on his bed, his arms flailing about as he tried to find Mister Stuffy. “Nnnngh… b-bunny.”\n\nHe heard Isaac move away from the bed, then felt a familiar weight on his chest. He wrapped his arms tight around his beloved plush and rolled onto his side, facing away from the adult.\n\nThe pup realized too late what he had just done. His eyes popped open again, but he didn’t look back. He couldn’t. Out of the corner of his eye, he spied the adult’s paw. It was bringing the sheets back up.\n\nIsaac tucked Chuck back in, then patted the pup’s shoulder.\n\n“Sleep tight, little guy,” Isaac whispered.\n\nThe cat stood by the bedside for a few moments. Chuck could feel the adult’s eyes on him. Then Isaac left the room, turning out the light and pulling the door shut behind him.\n\nThe pup relaxed as he found himself alone again with Mister Stuffy. His heart was still beating hard, almost like it was trying to break right out of his chest. But maybe, just maybe, Isaac wasn’t so bad.", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "OBLIGATORY CONTENT WARNING: Because these things are basically my trademark these days.  The following story contains… uh… a nightmare, I guess?  There’s no real naughty stuff to warn about, but there’s like, I dunno, drama and shit?  LET’S GO WITH THAT.  DRAMA and CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT and ADVANCEMENT OF PLOT WITHOUT SEX TO KEEP IT INTERESTING.  Oh, and I guess bedwetting?  OH WAIT SHIT AND IMPLIED RAPE.  THAT'S PROBABLY IMPORTANT TO WARN ABOUT.  So let's add a trigger warning.  If any of this offends you, DO NOT READ ON.  By reading beyond this point, you waive your right to be offended by my work, because YOU WERE WARNED.  For those of you whom I haven’t scared off… enjoy~





Three years.  Three years Chuck and his mother had lived in this house in Massachusetts.  Three years since his mom had put him in the car and started driving east.  There had been many new things to adjust to: the changing seasons, the snow, the trees, the much nicer home, the relative stillness of the suburbs.  In all of that time, though, never had Chuck ever been left alone with Isaac.

“I’m sorry, baby, but mommy’s work needs her,” his mom had explained.

“But why?” he had asked.

He understood why, of course.  She had her new job at a nursing home, and they needed night staff.  But that didn’t make the prospect of being alone with the cat any easier, no matter how nice he may have seemed.

Chuck sighed.  For the last half hour, he had sat in the middle of his room, staring into space, replaying that conversation with his mother over and over again in his head.  There was no getting around it.  It wouldn’t be so bad, right?  Isaac wasn’t like his daddy, right?

A knock at his door scared the pup half to death.  He yelped, his fur standing on end as he curled up in a ball in the middle of the room.

“Chuck?”

The pup trembled as he heard the door open a crack.

“Is it OK if I come in?”

Chuck whimpered, hugging his legs to his chest.  Abject terror rattled his bones, memories of dark nights alone with his father flashing before his eyes.  The door creaked open, and the pup squeezed his eyes shut tight.

“Chuck, are you alright?”

He could hear the cat crossing the room towards him, could sense the adult’s presence close behind him.  Why was he feeling like this?  Not once had Isaac ever hurt him the way daddy had, never once had he yelled at him, and yet here he was, crying like a little baby.

“Chuck, it’s OK,” Isaac whispered.  “Can you turn around and look at me, please?”

Fear paralyzed the pup.  He couldn’t bring himself to move.  His body betrayed him.

Isaac sighed.  “Listen. I ordered Chinese.  It should be here any minute.  You wanna come downstairs and eat?”

Again, the pup found himself unable to speak.  He shivered uncontrollably.  A block of ice seemed to have filled his chest, chilling his heart, making it hard to breathe.

The doorbell rang.

Chuck heard the retreating paws of the cat, and the click as the adult turned on the light.  

“I need to get that.  Come down when you’re ready, OK, pup?”

A few seconds of silence followed the adult’s words.  Then the doorbell rang again, and the door clicked shut.

As soon as the cat was gone, Chuck relaxed.  He panted heavily, feeling as though he’d just run a marathon.  His body trembled, a thin sheen of sweat covering him under his fur.  Slowly, the pup rolled onto his back and took a few deep breaths, then opened his eyes and sat up.

“It’s OK, Chuck,” he whispered.  “Isaac’s nice…”  His stomach rumbled, and that decided it.  The pup pushed himself to his paws, a little shaky at first, then grabbed Mister Stuffy before heading to the door.  His paw quaked for a moment as he turned the knob, but he shook it off and left the room, tip-toeing down the hall to the stairs.

Reaching the stairs seemed to take an eternity.  Twice Chuck almost lost his nerve and ran back to his room.  Only a hug from Mister Stuffy kept him going forward.  

By the time he reached the stairs, Isaac had already paid the delivery man, and had spread out the containers on the living room table.  He could smell the aromas of fried rice and orange chicken, his favorite.  Isaac had even put two plates out.

The adult didn’t seem to notice him at first.  He was sitting at the edge of the couch, his own plate loaded up with food in front of him, the TV remote in his paw.  When the adult glanced toward the stairs, Chuck almost bolted.  The cat smiled up at him, then put his focus back on the TV.

Chuck took a labored breath, and grabbed the railing with one paw, his other paw holding his beloved bunny plush tightly to his chest.  He took the stairs one at a time, leading with his right paw, the left following.  Each step seemed to take an eternity.  The staircase stretched out for miles before him.  But at long last, he reached the bottom of the stairs.  As he did, he heard the familiar theme song of his favorite cartoon.

“Come on over, have some dinner,” Isaac said.

Chuck squeaked when he was addressed.  Again, he fought the instinct to run away.  He hugged Mister Stuffy tighter as he crossed the room.  His bunny would protect him.  Mommy always told him that.  He just had to believe, to trust his mommy, to trust Mister Stuffy, to trust Isaac.

The cat was sitting on the far end of the couch.  Chuck tentatively set his plushie down on the couch opposite the adult, then turned his attention to the food containers.

“Fried rice, orange chicken, veggie mix in a spicy sauce,” Isaac said.  “I got two egg rolls, too.  Didn’t know if you wanted one, but it’s there if you’re interested.”

The pup stood trembling before the food.  His arms refused his orders to move forward and start putting some food on the plate before him.  It could be a trap.  What if he took too much?  Would Isaac yell at him?  Hit him the way his daddy had?  The pup felt paralyzed.

Nearly a minute passed before Isaac broke the silence.  “Do you want me to get a plate ready for you?”

Chuck nearly leapt out of his skin.  He stumbled backwards onto the couch, grabbing up Mister Stuffy and hugging his beloved plush tight.  The pup curled into a ball and stared at the cat.  His muzzle hid behind his plush, a barrier to protect him from the scary grown-up.  Bump, bump, bump, beat his heart.

Without a word, Isaac leaned forward and began piling food up on the empty plate.  He put a generous portion of rice and chicken on the plate, then looked over at the pup.  “Veggies?”

Chuck nodded.  His arms and legs were still frozen, but he could get his head to respond, at least a little bit.  He watched as the cat added some vegetables to his plate.  Once he was finished, Isaac settled back down in his corner of the couch.

The pup looked from the plate to the adult and back a few times.  His heart rate slowed down as he watched the cat pick up his plate and start eating.  Chuck tried moving his arms.  Now they responded!  He took a few deep breaths.  ‘It’s OK,’ he told himself.  ‘Isaac is nice.’

He turned his attention to the TV.  There was something calming about watching the cartoon hijinks.

His body moved on autopilot as he reached forward and grabbed the plate.  Chuck’s eyes were glued to the TV as he started to eat.

“Floor it?” said the sponge on TV.

“Yes — No!  No!  Don’t floor it!”

“Floor it?!”

A smile broke out across the border collie’s face as the sponge floored it.  “Oh, Spongebob.  Why?” he muttered alongside the boating school instructor.

By the time the episode came to a close, Chuck had calmed considerably.  He’d almost forgotten for the moment that it was just him and Isaac.  As the segment ended, though, the show went right to the second half of the episode.

“Huh?”  He looked first at Isaac, then back at the TV.  “Where’s th’ commercials?”

Isaac chuckled and set his plate down on the coffee table, then took a couple steps toward the TV and pulled out a box from beside the DVD player.  “DVD box set,” the cat explained.  “Bought the first four seasons.  Your mom mentioned that you liked it, so I figured this way you can watch it whenever you want.”

Chuck blinked.  Had Isaac really bought those DVDs just for him?  His paws trembled, and he set his now-empty plate on the coffee table.

“You alright, little guy?” Isaac asked.

The pup nodded.  “Y-yeah.  F-fine,” he said.  He settled back on the couch and pulled his legs up, then grabbed Mister Stuffy and hugged him.

Isaac shrugged, and put the DVD case back on the shelf.  “Alright.  They’re right here if you ever want to watch them.  You know how to use the DVD player, right?”

Did he know how… what kind of question was that?  Chuck had never gone near it!  He didn’t want to break any of Isaac’s things or get yelled at.  He knew how to use the remote to turn on the TV and navigate the cable channels to find the shows he wanted to watch, but that was really it.  The pup shook his head.

“It’s not that hard,” Isaac said.  He sat back down on the couch, then grabbed up the DVD player remote, and gave the pup a quick tour.  The feline kept a respectful distance, pointing out buttons to the pup.  Once he was finished, he put the remote back down and looked over the food.  “Did you want the egg roll?”

Chuck looked down at his plate.  While he’d eaten everything Isaac had put on his plate, he wasn’t quite full.  And Isaac did get it for him, right?  “Umm… m-maybe?  U-unless you wan’ it,” the boy muttered.

Isaac chuckled and picked up the bag with the egg roll, and emptied its contents onto Chuck’s plate.  “Have at it, lil guy.”

The pup picked his plate back up and picked up the egg roll.  It was still warm, but not not burning.  He settled back into the couch and chowed down as he let his mind escape back into the cartoon.

Three more episodes slipped by before the pup caught himself yawning.  A glance at the clock told him it was nearing nine thirty.  Bed time.  His ears pressed to his head as he realized what that meant.

“Getting sleepy, bud?”

Chuck yipped and squeezed Mister Stuffy tight.  He’d almost forgotten that Isaac was sitting just a few feet away.  He blushed and gave a curt nod.

“You look it,” Isaac said.  The cat chuckled, then picked up the remote and turned off the TV.  “Why don’t you head upstairs and get ready for bed, and I’ll be up to tuck you in.  Sound like a plan?”

“O-OK.”  He slipped off the couch and ran for the stairs, clinging tightly to Mister Stuffy with one paw.

Once he reached the top of the stairs, he paused.  He could hear Isaac moving around downstairs.  Plates clinked.  The pup took a breath, then tip toed down the hall into the bathroom.

He shut the door behind him.  His body worked through the rest of his night time routine.  Pee, wash paws, brush teeth, then to the bedroom.

The pup froze up as he got to his bedroom.  His mommy wasn’t here to help him get into his jammies.  Well, guess he’d just have to do it himself.  He shook his head to clear it, then pulled off his t-shirt, followed by his pants.  His paws froze again as he got to his underwear.  It was fine, he told himself.  He could get changed before Isaac came up, surely.  No way the adult would see him naked, or his pull-ups, or anything like that.

He took a breath, then pulled his underwear down.  He felt so exposed without any clothes on.  So vulnerable.  He checked his bedroom door to make sure it was closed, then ran to his closet and dug around.  It took a little digging, but he found where his mommy kept his pull-ups.  With a quick glance to make sure his door was closed, he pulled one of the crinkly garments from the bag, and hastily pulled it up.

Once his night time undies were on, he ran to his dresser and pulled out a pair of pajamas.  He still had a lot of footy pajamas.  They were more snug.  He selected a yellow set and pulled it out.  The pup ran over to his bed and looked down at it.  It’d be a little hard to do this on his own, but it shouldn’t be that hard, right?

Chuck sat down on his bed and unzipped the front.  OK, just had to get his legs in… which would be easier if the material would just.  Hold.  Still!  He grunted and squirmed as he fought his way into his jammies.

His limbs betrayed him.  His paws quaked as he struggled with his pajamas.  He could feel his heart beating in his ears.  It took nearly a full minute to finally get his legs into his jammies.  The pup laid back on the bed for a moment, panting.  His ears flicked as he picked up the familiar creak of the stairs.  Crap!  He sat back up and got his arms into the top of the garment.  Thankfully, that went a lot easier than the legs.

A knock on the door punctuated the pup pulling up the zipper.

“Chuck?  May I come in?”

The border collie hesitated a moment before he replied.  “Y-yes.”

The door opened, and Isaac walked in.  “All ready for bed, little guy?” he asked.

Chuck nodded, the pup curling up on his bed.

“Peed?  Brushed your teeth?  All that good stuff?”

The pup nodded again.

“Good, good,” Isaac said.  The cat walked over to the side of the bed and grabbed the top of the blanket around Chuck.  “Your mom said you like to be tucked in, so…”

Chuck squeaked as the adult leaned over him.  It felt weird to have an adult male looming so close.  He squirmed as the cat pulled the blanket back, and reluctantly stretched out.  The pup trembled as the cat covered him with the blanket.

“There we go.  All snug,” Isaac said.  He reached a paw for the pup.  Chuck flinched.  Isaac withdrew his paw.  “Well… good night,” he said.  The cat stood up and walked out of the room, turning off the light and closing the door behind him.

Chuck’s body grew heavy as he settled in under the blankets.  The Chinese food was catching up to him, lulling the boy into a deep slumber.  Funny how it always made him sleepy.

The warmth of the blankets hugged the border collie.  Everything felt safe.

Until the shadow monster crept in.

The pup sat bolt upright in bed.  A chill ran down Chuck’s spine.  The room hadn’t been this cold when he went to bed, had it?  His fur stood on end.

“Hello?” Chuck called.

Silence.

“I-is anyone there?” Chuck whispered.

The closet door creaked open.

“Peekaboo…”

That voice.  Chuck knew that voice.  He fell back down in bed and pulled the blankets up over his head.  

Please don’t find me, please don’t find me, the blankets will protect me…

They didn’t protect him.  An unseen force tore the blanket from Chuck’s paws, and with it too went his pajamas.  The pup squeezed his eyes shut.  His paws instinctively covering his sheath.

This isn’t happening this isn’t happening this couldn’t be happening oh please oh please oh ple—

“You thought you could get away from me, you worthless cunt?!”

Chuck tried to open his mouth, but it was sealed shut.  He had no mouth, but he had to scream.  Against his will, his eyes flew open.  Before him loomed a shadow.  A massive dark figure.  He knew the shape of that creature.  It was burned into his memories.  The beast before him was cloaked in blackness, wearing shadow like a cloak.  The only color was the red extension of flesh protruding from between the monster’s legs.

The pup trembled as he was flipped over, his butt raised into the air.  The creature grabbed his hips and squeezed.  Chuck squeezed his eyes shut.  He could feel hot flesh pressing between his cheeks.  No no no no NO NO NO NO N-

With gargantuan effort, Chuck tore his lips open and let out the loudest scream he could.

His bedroom door burst open.  A flash of light blinded the pup.

“Chuck?!  Are you OK?!”

That voice broke through the shadows.  The monster evaporated, and Chuck was back in his room, fully clothed.  His blanket lay discarded on the floor.  Isaac rushed towards him.

Instinctively, Chuck scrambled away.  He curled up in a ball in the corner of his bed, hugging his legs to his chest.  He didn’t realize he was still screaming until his knee collided with his chin, silencing him.

Isaac dropped to his knees next to the bed, his arms outstretched, but stopping short of the terrified pup.  “Chuck, what’s wrong?  Are you OK?”

The pup panted heavily.  His heart was pounding, threatening to leap right out of his chest.  A thin sheen of sweat covered his body, as well as a much warmer fluid between his legs.

Isaac laid his paws on the bed.  “Did you have another nightmare?”

Chuck nodded and whimpered.  “M-mommy.  W-where’s mommy?”

The feline sighed.  “She’s still at work, little guy.”  He sniffed, and scrunched his nose up.  “D-did you wet yourself?”

A blush crept across the boy’s face.  He squirmed, feeling the squish of his pull-ups under his jammies.  They weren’t enough to hold his nightmare emission.  He sniffled, then shut his eyes as tears began to roll down his cheeks.

“Chuck,” Isaac whispered, “Would it be alright if I hug you?”

The pup’s eyes flew open again, large and round with terror.  He stared at the feline.  His arms were still outstretched, and that look on his face.  It looked like how his mommy looked at him when he was feeling scared.

Isaac leaned a little closer, and the pup recoiled.  His body was responding automatically.  He didn’t want to shy away from the only adult who could help him right now, especially when he was being offered comfort.  But he still didn’t know if he could trust the cat.

“It’s OK, little guy.  I understand,” Isaac said.  He gave the pup a reassuring smile.  “Well, can I at least help you get cleaned up?  Would that be OK?  Or would you prefer to clean up yourself?”

Chuck thought about that.  His mommy gave him baths all the time after he’d wet himself.  But that was different.  His body shook, but the words that came out of his mouth shocked even him.

“Y-yes… p-please clean me?”

Isaac’s eyes widened.  He stood up and gave the pup another smile.  “Alright, Chuck.  Come on, let’s get you cleaned up and in some fresh jammies.  Sound like a plan?” he asked, holding a paw out toward the border collie.

Chuck nodded.  A paw drew forward and grabbed onto the adult’s outstretched fingers.  The pup knew that it was his paw reaching out, but it felt like it wasn’t part of his body.  The hollow husk he inhabited leaned forward, and was led out of his bedroom to the bathroom across the hall.

Once they were in the bathroom, he released Isaac’s paw.  The cat stepped further into the room, then turned to face the pup.  “Do, uh, do you want me to undress you, or can you do that yourself?”

Chuck shivered and shook.  Part of him wanted to have the adult undress him.  With how his paws were shaking, he was certain he wouldn’t be able to do it himself.  But part of him was still scared of the cat.  Of this big adult who could easily overpower him.  Even if the door was at his back and there was nothing stopping him from getting away, he was scared.

Isaac watched the pup for a few seconds, then sat down on the floor in front of the pup.  “Chuck, I’m not going to hurt you.  I’m going to sit down, so you’re taller than me and I can’t chase you.  Not that I’m going to chase you.  But you can leave any time and I wouldn’t be able to catch you.  See?”  He folded his footpaws under his knees and spread his arms, demonstrating that he couldn’t get up.

Chuck’s breathing quickened.  His heart was trying to break out of his chest again.  He wanted to run, but he couldn’t move his legs.

The cat’s voice broke through the growing haze in his mind.  “Chuck, I want you to breathe with me.  Inhale through your nose, hold it for a second, exhale through your mouth.”  He lifted his paws and straightened his back as he demonstrated.  “Can you do it with me?”

The pup blinked a few times, but did as he said.  He inhaled deeply, following the cat’s lead, held it, then slowly let it out.  In, hold, out.  In, hold, out.  A few more repetitions, and he could feel his heart rate slowing down.  His fear seemed to be melting away.

“There we go,” Isaac said.  He smiled at the pup and settled back down on his paws.  “Feel a little better?”  The pup nodded, and Isaac continued.  “OK.  Can you undress yourself?  Or would you like me to undress you?”

Chuck took a couple more breaths, following the example Isaac gave, before responding.  “W-will you?  P-please?”

Isaac nodded and patted his lap.  “Sure thing, Chuck.  Come here when you’re ready, and I’ll help you undress.”

For a minute, Chuck stood stock still, frozen in place.  Maybe more than a minute.  For all the pup knew it was an hour or more.  It took gargantuan effort, but he stepped forward.

His feet felt like lead.  His body shook uncontrollably.  A voice in the back of his head screamed at him to run away.  But he pressed forward, until he was standing right in front of the adult.

Isaac smiled at Chuck, then slowly raised his paws and unzipped the front of his jammies.  As the zipper reached the bottom, the instinct to run flared up again.

“It’s OK, Chuck,” Isaac whispered.  He locked eyes with the pup as he straightened his back, and brought his paws up to border collie’s shoulders.  “I’m going to touch your shoulders so I can get your jammies off, alright?”

The pup took a couple of breaths.  Isaac breathed with him, his paws making little circles in front of him as he instructed the boy.  In, hold, out.  In, hold, out.  His stomach was still tied in knots, but he nodded to the cat.

Chuck gasped as he felt the contact of the adult’s paws on his bare fur.  It took all of his will power not to run away.  After all, Isaac wasn’t anything like daddy.  Isaac was nice.  Isaac wouldn’t hurt him.  Not like daddy.

Before he knew it, his arms were free.  He felt so cold now that his top half was completely exposed.  He hugged himself, shaking a little as he felt the top half of his jammies fall backwards.

“There we go.  Now I just have to get the bottom half down,” Isaac whispered.  “I’ll do it from the outside.”

The pup’s eyes followed the adult’s paws as Isaac dragged the rest of his pajamas down, revealing his very wet pull-up.  As Isaac got it down to his ankles, he stepped out, first one paw, then the other.

“Alrighty.  That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Isaac asked.

Chuck whimpered softly.  He felt so exposed standing before the feline in just his night time undies.  He took a few more breaths, trying to distract himself from what he knew was coming next.

Isaac sighed and leaned back.  “Chuck. I wish I could make this easier for you,” he whispered.  “I just… look, it’s going to be alright.  Just a quick sponge bath, then we can get you into some fresh jammies.”  

Bump, bump, bump.  Chuck’s heart beat in his ears.  His tail tucked between his legs, but his knees were locked in place.

The cat remained motionless, his eyes locked on the pup.  “I’m not going to remove your undies until you say it’s OK, Chuck.  Tell me when you’re ready.  Breathe.”  He lifted his paws and worked them in circles, raising them as he breathed in, lowering on the exhale, his chest rising and falling.

Chuck followed the cat’s lead.  In and out.  In and out.  In and out.  His heartbeat slowed down, returning to normal.  Whether it was several seconds or several minutes, Chuck couldn’t say.  But he certainly felt calmer.  Not completely at ease with the adult, but not as scared.

“O-OK,” Chuck whispered.  “I’m ready.”

Isaac nodded and reached forward.  He paused as he laid his paws on the pup’s hips, his fingers touching the waistband of the boy’s undies.  “Alright, on three.  One…”

A shiver ran down Chuck’s spine.

“Two…”

Ohgods what was he doing why was he letting this adult do this remember what happened last time remember what the icky shadow did pleaseohpleasenodon’tdothisnotag—

“Three.”

The pup wasn’t sure what he had expected.  A sudden pull, like ripping off a bandaid?  No.  No, Isaac was working it down slowly.  He could feel the cold air licking at his exposed sheath, the lingering dampness of his urine making it feel all the colder.  He shivered as the cat drew his undies to his ankles.

“There we go.  Two steps, and we can toss these.”

Chuck lifted his right footpaw.  It felt like lead.  He caught the wall with a paw as he felt his balance falter.  His footpaw landed on the floor.  He expected a thud, but it was no heavier than his usual step.  Another quick raise and lower of his left, and he was completely nude.

He squeezed his eyes shut.  Terrified as the pup was of what Isaac might do, he didn’t want to watch.  He couldn’t.  He heard the cat moving around.  The sink turned on.  Running water.  Then the slight squeak as the tap was turned off, and the water’s noise ceased.

“Alright, Chuck, I’m going to wash around your groin now.  I’m not going to touch your sheath or scrotum,” Isaac announced.

The pup hugged his arms tight around himself.  He still couldn’t bring himself to open his eyes.  He felt the cat rest a paw on his hip.  A few moments later, it was followed by the feel of a warm, wet washcloth working around his groin.

“Chuck, do you want to wash your sheath yourself?”

The pup shook his head.  He didn’t want to touch those parts.  Nope nope nope.  They weren’t good.

“Do you want me to wash it for you?” Isaac asked.

Now that was a question Chuck didn’t know how to answer.  Part of him wanted to say yes.  It would be nice to be clean before getting dressed again and heading back to bed.  And he had asked Isaac to help clean him.  The cat wouldn’t be here if Chuck hadn’t specifically asked him to help.  But letting the adult touch his privates?  Even though Isaac was nice, Chuck wasn’t sure if he could trust him that much.

“I won’t touch you there unless you say it’s OK,” Isaac said.

Chuck began to whimper.  Everything was so overwhelming.  He wished his mommy was there.  He needed a hug.  But the only adult around he could get one from was…

“It’s fine if you’re not comfortable with me touching you there,” Isaac said.  “Look, we can call it done here.  You’re mostly clean down there now, anyway.  We can just go back to your room and get some fresh jammies on.  Do you want to do that?”

The pup took a deep breath.  He hugged his chest tighter, and swayed a little before the adult.  “W-wash my sheath…”

Isaac was silent for a few seconds.  “You’re sure you want me to do that?  You can say ‘no,’ Chuck.  I won’t do it unless you’re one hundred percent sure you’re OK with it.”

Chuck wasn’t sure at all.  He was terrified of the adult.  But he felt icky.  He wanted to be clean before he went back to bed.  “I-it’s OK,” Chuck whispered.

“Chuck, I want you to open your eyes and look me in the eye and say it,” Isaac said.

That caught Chuck off guard.  “W-why?” the pup blurted out.

He gasped as he felt the cat’s paws on his elbows.  Instinct drove him to recoil, the pup taking a step back.

“Because I don’t want to hurt you, Chuck, and it’s pretty clear you don’t trust me,” Isaac said.  “Look, I don’t know what the hell happened to you before you came here.  Your mom won’t tell me a damned thing about it.  If you’ve told your therapist, she certainly isn’t telling me anything.  But… look, Chuck.  I care about you, and want the best for you.  Please, look at me?”

The words bounced around Chuck’s head.  Slowly, he opened his eyes, afraid of what he might see.  He half expected to see the adult towering over him.  But Isaac was still sitting on the floor right where he had been before Chuck closed his eyes.  The cat was looking up at him.  His expression looked a lot like the way his mom looked at him when he was feeling like this.  He was clearly concerned.  

But there was something else there, too.  Something he hadn’t seen from his mommy since shortly after they left Arizona.  It was something he’d never seen from an adult male, something so alien to see on an adult that the pup almost didn’t recognize it.

Isaac looked scared.

“Chuck.  I just want to help you,” Isaac whispered.  “You don’t trust me.  I get that.  I don’t know why, and frankly, it’s probably none of my damned business why.  But I don’t want to violate your trust, Chuck.  I want to earn it.  I promise you that I won’t hurt you.”  The cat drew a paw vertically, then horizontally over his chest.  “Cross my heart.  So I ask you one more time, truthfully: are you really OK with me washing your sheath?”

The pup’s breathing quickened.  Here he was, being put on the spot.  Isaac’s paws started moving in circles again, and the pup picked up on the cue.  Breathe.  In and out.  In and out.  In and out.  Once his breathing was under control, he took in one more breath.  “I… I’m scared.  B-buh I wanna be clean b’fore bed.”

Isaac nodded.  “I don’t know if there’s anything I can do to make you less scared,” he said.  He sighed, then picked up the wash cloth that he had left on the sink.  “I can try to make it quick if that would help.”

Chuck shivered a little, then took a step forward.  “O-OK,” he whispered.

The cat nodded and smiled at the pup.  It looked like the adult was trying to comfort him.  Maybe Isaac wasn’t so bad.

Then the adult’s paw came in contact with his sheath, separated only by the material of the washcloth.  A sharp intake of breath.  His knees quaked.  Chuck grabbed onto the first thing he could get for support.  That happened to be Isaac’s shoulders.

For a few seconds, the adult scrubbed his sheath and scrotum.  His paw delicately worked the fur on his genitals, freeing the last of his soaked urine.  Then he brought his paw away. Cold air met the wet, but freshly cleaned fur.

“There we go,” Isaac said.  “All done.”

Chuck found his feet, and the first thing they did was rocket out of the bathroom.

The world was a blur.  One moment he was leaning on Isaac in the bathroom, the next he was curled up in the corner of his bedroom, clinging to Mister Stuffy.

He heard the sound of the cat’s footfalls as he entered the room.  Part of him expected the adult to approach him, to touch him, to do… things… to him.  But that wasn’t like Isaac at all, was it?

The sheets rustled.  Chuck dared to look over his shoulder, and saw Isaac pulling off his old sheets.  He watched as the adult gathered up the sheets and put them in the hamper just outside his door.  His eyes followed the adult as he left the room.

Isaac returned a minute later with another wash cloth.  He wiped down the vinyl mattress cover.  As he finished, the adult gave Chuck a weak smile.  “Gotta get your bed ready,” he explained.  The cat tossed the washcloth into the hall, then walk over to the dresser and pulled out a fresh set of sheets.

In no time at all, the pup’s bed was made again, ready for him.  Isaac patted the freshly made bed and took a step back.  “I’ll give you some privacy to get dressed again,” he said.  “Call me when you’re ready to be tucked in again.”  With those words, he left the room, closing the door behind him.

Chuck stared at the door after the cat.  That was it?  He wasn’t going to yell at him for wetting the bed?  Wasn’t going to hit him?  Nothing?  Just clean him up and let him get ready for bed, like mommy would?  It didn’t make sense.  His daddy wouldn’t have done that.  He shivered as he thought back to the house back in Arizona… and shivered again as his current nude state got to him.

The pup slowly pushed himself to his footpaws.  He staggered to the closet and dug out another pair of pull-ups, his body directing itself all on its own.  With his bits covered, at least, he felt more secure.  He returned to his dresser and pulled out another pair of pajamas, selecting a sky blue pair this time.  He stared at the garment, remembering his struggle to get into his pajamas alone earlier.  Could he ask Isaac for help?

His heart beat faster.  Chuck shut his eyes and breathed.  In and out.  In and out.  In and out.  He got his heart back under control, then went to the door and opened it a crack.  “I-Isaac?”

The cat had been leaning against the wall opposite the pup’s bedroom door.  He straightened up as the pup called his name.  “All set, little guy?” he asked.

“C-could you h-h-help me get dressed?” Chuck whispered.

Isaac stepped toward the door.  “Sure thing,” he said.

Chuck gasped and leapt onto his bed.  His ears flicked as the door creaked open.

“What would you like me to do?” Isaac asked.

The pup pointed to his pajamas, discarded on the floor, then rolled onto his back and lifted his legs.  “Umm… c-c-could you g-g-get the legs on me?”

The cat smiled at the pup and lifted up the footy pajamas.  He unzipped the front and gathered up the material of one of the legs.  “Alright, here we go,” he said.

Chuck flinched as he felt the cat guide his left footpaw into the leg.  He shivered as the cat guided it down.  His shivering increased as the adult guided his other leg back and maneuvered his right footpaw into the other leg.  He squeezed his eyes shut, so tight he could see brilliant multicolored patterns before his eyes.

“Sit up, please,” Isaac said.

It took a moment for the meaning of the words to sink in.  Once they did, Chuck brought his legs down, then pushed his body up.  He whimpered as Isaac pulled the top half of the garment up and guided his arms into the sleeves.  This part he could do himself, but he didn’t dare say that to Isaac.

Then the cat’s paw was back down at his groin.  He whined louder than ever.  The paw was only there a moment, though.  As soon as the cat found the fly of the zipper, he pulled it up, zipping the pup into his jammies.

“There we go,” Isaac whispered.  “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

Chuck had no words.  He collapsed back on his bed, his arms flailing about as he tried to find Mister Stuffy.  “Nnnngh… b-bunny.”

He heard Isaac move away from the bed, then felt a familiar weight on his chest.  He wrapped his arms tight around his beloved plush and rolled onto his side, facing away from the adult.

The pup realized too late what he had just done.  His eyes popped open again, but he didn’t look back.  He couldn’t.  Out of the corner of his eye, he spied the adult’s paw.  It was bringing the sheets back up.

Isaac tucked Chuck back in, then patted the pup’s shoulder.

“Sleep tight, little guy,” Isaac whispered.

The cat stood by the bedside for a few moments.  Chuck could feel the adult’s eyes on him.  Then Isaac left the room, turning out the light and pulling the door shut behind him.

The pup relaxed as he found himself alone again with Mister Stuffy.  His heart was still beating hard, almost like it was trying to break right out of his chest.  But maybe, just maybe, Isaac wasn’t so bad.", "pools_count": 1, "title": "Minutes to Midnight", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "text/rtf", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "1", "rating_name": "Mature", "ratings": [ { "content_tag_id": "2", "name": "Nudity", "description": "Nonsexual nudity exposing breasts or genitals (must not show arousal)", "rating_id": "1" } ], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "t", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "16", "views": "1916" }