{ "submission_id": "3635269", "keywords": [ { "keyword_id": "1209", "keyword_name": "bdsm", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "23972" }, { "keyword_id": "21442", "keyword_name": "character development", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "1342" }, { "keyword_id": "11418", "keyword_name": "chipmunk", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "13381" }, { "keyword_id": "9101", "keyword_name": "d/s", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "379" }, { "keyword_id": "123", "keyword_name": "female", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "1102582" }, { "keyword_id": "165", "keyword_name": "male", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "1212472" }, { "keyword_id": "5717", "keyword_name": "mole", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "1573" }, { "keyword_id": "4530", "keyword_name": "slice of life", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "1808" }, { "keyword_id": "10144", "keyword_name": "story progression", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "2039" } ], "hidden": "f", "scraps": "f", "favorite": "f", "favorites_count": "3", "create_datetime": "2025-06-05 18:53:28.357804+00", "create_datetime_usertime": "05 Jun 2025 20:53 CEST", "last_file_update_datetime": "2025-06-05 18:50:58.886848+00", "last_file_update_datetime_usertime": "05 Jun 2025 20:50 CEST", "username": "TerraMGP", "user_id": "46355", "user_icon_file_name": "60251_TerraMGP_terramg.gif", "user_icon_url_large": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/usericons/large/60/60251_TerraMGP_terramg.gif", "user_icon_url_medium": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/usericons/medium/60/60251_TerraMGP_terramg.gif", "user_icon_url_small": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/usericons/small/60/60251_TerraMGP_terramg.gif", "file_name": "5592601_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_16_rehab.doc", "file_url_full": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/full/5592/5592601_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_16_rehab.doc", "file_url_screen": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/screen/5592/5592601_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_16_rehab.doc", "file_url_preview": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/5592/5592601_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_16_rehab.doc", "thumbnail_url_huge": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/huge/5592/5592601_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_16_rehab.jpg", "thumbnail_url_large": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/large/5592/5592601_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_16_rehab.jpg", "thumbnail_url_medium": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/5592/5592601_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_16_rehab.jpg", "thumb_huge_x": "196", "thumb_huge_y": "300", "thumb_large_x": "131", "thumb_large_y": "200", "thumb_medium_x": "78", "thumb_medium_y": "120", "files": [ { "file_id": "5592601", "file_name": "5592601_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_16_rehab.doc", "file_url_full": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/full/5592/5592601_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_16_rehab.doc", "file_url_screen": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/screen/5592/5592601_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_16_rehab.doc", "file_url_preview": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/5592/5592601_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_16_rehab.doc", "mimetype": "application/msword", "submission_id": "3635269", "user_id": "46355", "submission_file_order": "0", "full_size_x": null, "full_size_y": null, "screen_size_x": null, "screen_size_y": null, "preview_size_x": null, "preview_size_y": null, "initial_file_md5": "b23ba8194186b88cc007905bfdadf7e7", "full_file_md5": "b23ba8194186b88cc007905bfdadf7e7", "large_file_md5": "", "small_file_md5": "", "thumbnail_md5": "17d29c9604eea49c70d2128768856177", "deleted": "f", "create_datetime": "2025-06-05 18:50:58.886848+00", "create_datetime_usertime": "05 Jun 2025 20:50 CEST", "thumbnail_url_huge": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/huge/5592/5592601_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_16_rehab.jpg", "thumbnail_url_large": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/large/5592/5592601_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_16_rehab.jpg", "thumbnail_url_medium": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/5592/5592601_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_16_rehab.jpg", "thumb_huge_x": "196", "thumb_huge_y": "300", "thumb_large_x": "131", "thumb_large_y": "200", "thumb_medium_x": "78", "thumb_medium_y": "120" } ], "pools": [ { "pool_id": "99555", "name": "Leashed", "description": "A functional yet isolated young man finds himself stumbling into something he never expected.", "count": "19", "submission_left_submission_id": "3629450", "submission_left_file_name": "5583025_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_15_kill_the_pain_away.doc", "submission_left_thumbnail_url_huge": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/huge/5583/5583025_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_15_kill_the_pain_away.jpg", "submission_left_thumbnail_url_large": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/large/5583/5583025_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_15_kill_the_pain_away.jpg", "submission_left_thumbnail_url_medium": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/5583/5583025_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_15_kill_the_pain_away.jpg", "submission_left_thumb_huge_x": "196", "submission_left_thumb_huge_y": "300", "submission_left_thumb_large_x": "131", "submission_left_thumb_large_y": "200", "submission_left_thumb_medium_x": "78", "submission_left_thumb_medium_y": "120", "submission_right_submission_id": "3640318", "submission_right_file_name": "5601081_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_17_restart.doc", "submission_right_thumbnail_url_huge": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/huge/5601/5601081_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_17_restart.jpg", "submission_right_thumbnail_url_large": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/large/5601/5601081_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_17_restart.jpg", "submission_right_thumbnail_url_medium": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/5601/5601081_TerraMGP_leashed_chapter_17_restart.jpg", "submission_right_thumb_huge_x": "196", "submission_right_thumb_huge_y": "300", "submission_right_thumb_large_x": "131", "submission_right_thumb_large_y": "200", "submission_right_thumb_medium_x": "78", "submission_right_thumb_medium_y": "120" } ], "description": "So, after the last story was so... fucked.\n\nI figured some cool down and aftercare was needed. For both Simon and the reader.\n\nAnd for me, honestly. I remember when I wrote 15 it hit me hard so... yeah.\n\nEnjoy!", "description_bbcode_parsed": "So, after the last story was so... fucked.

I figured some cool down and aftercare was needed. For both Simon and the reader.

And for me, honestly. I remember when I wrote 15 it hit me hard so... yeah.

Enjoy!", "writing": "Leashed Chapter 16: Rehab\nBy TerraMGP\n\n\t“When you said we were going to breakfast, I didn’t think I was picking you up.”\n\n\tSimon glanced at his surroundings. The upper floor of some typical ‘main street’ style building. There was another restaurant downstairs, so he wasn’t exactly sure why they split it up like this. Save perhaps that the metal chairs and brick walls gave it the ‘hipster’ feel so much of Kalamazoo seemed to enjoy. Best of all, his home city was doing it before Grand Rapids, so before it was even cool!\n\n\tThat thought made him smile. He hated himself for smiling. He hated himself for everything right now.\n\n\t“Hey there, and what can I get you?” The chipper voice of a golden-furred bunny girl with a nose ring shoved ice picks right into Simon’s ears. He looked up at the scrawny woman with the little burner phone so many PoS systems relied on these days. The overly happy bunny woman tapping a stylus away on the rubberized case.\n\n\t“I’ll have the Blueberry French toast with eggs and a fruit cup for sides. Plus a Hazelnut French Soda to drink.” A digger shot up before Simon could say anything. Gretchen’s beaten-down tone just a tiny bit forceful. Snotty and demanding in a way that almost made her endearing. “He’s going to have the Croque Madame, Pancakes with blueberries, eggs and potatoes for sides, the fruit smoothie and the chocolate coffee. Plenty of water too. Uh, Please…”\n\n\tThe menus were handed back and the woman began to walk off. Simon scowling even before she was out of sight.\n\n\t“What was that about?” He whimpered\n\n\t“What was ‘what’ about?” Gretchen grumbled back “I just ordered food.”\n\n\t“You ordered ‘my’ food. After dragging me out. You don’t even know if I’m allergic to anything there, or if I have any diet restrictions. Heck you don’t even know if I have the money to pay for it!”\n\n\t“Do you think I’d drag you out here and not pay?” one paw went over her muzzle as Gretchen huffed a heavy breath. Her own stubby little mole tail thudding against the thin metal rim of the seat. “Look, how much ‘actual’ food have you eaten in the last week?” The way she eyed him felt crushing. Simon hadn’t really bothered to dress much. A ratty tee shirt full of holes and sweat pants that had served him during all of his Nintendo-based workout sessions. \n\n\t“I don’t know what I think” Simon’s breath heavy “Honestly I don’t know why I’m here. Except I’ve spent the last week doing a lot of… things…”\n\n\tGretchen smiled that odd smile of hers and nodded “Things that wore down your will a bit?” She huffed at his shock and waved a paw. “Please. I know ‘exactly’ how that all goes. It doesn’t take a rocket surgeon to figure out your coping strats. You’re not as special as you seem to think.”\n\n\t“When did I ever say I was special? Ok hold it, what do you mean ‘coping strats’? What do you… what do you think I was ‘doing’ all last week?” Fluffy femmy chestnut hair fell in front of his face. Simon shrank down slowly into his seat. Nobody was looking at them, but it sure as hell started to feel like it. All that hard work to wear himself out and go numb over the past week was somehow so easily undone. Self obliteration though masturbation proving little cover for his inner neurosis in the face of other people being around.\n\n\t“What I mean is you shut yourself up and spent most or all of your free time, well, doing what ‘we’ do.” Gretchen put crushing weight on that word. We. Her digger claw touching at her collar. “You think I didn’t spend days, weeks at a time even? Spending every free moment trying to lose myself that way? You think I don’t know about the little training aids Master had Mistress make for you?” There was a hint of jealousy in those words. The mention of this Mistress, someone Simon had only ever seen once and never really spoken to, feeling like a threat as much as anything.\n\n\tThere was a shyness in Simon. A shyness which was criminally vulgar, as the man had said. He’d done his best to beat it back over the years. Hide when he could, nod along and learn how to play the game with social bullshit. Do what’s expected, say what’s expected. A comfortable shield, strong and easy to wear. He was finding it hard to hide behind that shield right now. He was feeling things right now. He was aware of people, and he hated it.\n\n\tHell, he hadn‘t even paid attention to the restaurant’s name. His sex-hazed brain was too fucked up on overtaxed petrochemicals and the occasional popper to think clearly. He barely even registered when the waitress set down their water glasses. Not until he was looking at the ice rushing towards his nose. The physical sensation of hydration was impossibly strong to the point that it made him feel ill.\n\n\t“I don’t think” He began, already cursing the words that his brain refused to control “What you were doing and what I did are on the same scale.”\n\n\t“No?” Gretchen huffed. Her judgmental little mole face leaned in closer.\n\n\t“I didn’t just do it ‘after work’ Simon huffed. His eyes fell on Gretchen’s glass, and she casually picked it up, pouring the contents into his water glass with all of the petty malice she could muster. Simon downed it as well. Slower, but only just. Only after slamming his second drink down did he feel his body starting to perk. “After work is how I usually operate. I’m not some novice” The words ‘fake slave’ ringing in his head as he said it “I called in to work. I called in to school. Homework’s sitting in the cloud. Haven’t touched it. I’m nearly out of paid sick days. That was half the reason I picked this god damn place to intern. I figured any place offering that shit would be great to its employees. I hope I was just wrong because that place is insufferable, too.”\n\n\tThe rant paused for a moment when the waitress passed by. The munk boy didn’t even realize he was eyeing her tray. There was no way to even pretend he was checking her out like some ‘normal’ guy. The way his neck craned made it impossible for any onlooker to imagine he was checking out her chest or her ass.\n\n\tGretchen snorted when he turned back and slumped down. Naturally that did nothing to get rid of her smug superior smile. “You ordered in all week, right?” She scoffed “Didn’t drink enough even though you chugged all the water. Didn’t move around enough. You’re sore right now. Probably went too far with some things. Burned though everything on your computer and all your ‘normal’ sites?”\n\n\tSimon’s exasperation with her correct guesses only fueled her self satisfaction. He didn’t look at her. He didn’t really want to. It was tempting to drag his phone out of his pocket and check it, except he was quick to realize he hadn’t even put it in his pocket. The thing was probably still on his desk.\n\n\t“I took breaks” He muttered “Artemis still needed to be cared for. My bird” he clarified when he saw her confusion. He’d given out his number but not explained his precious birb? That almost felt vulgar. “A pet owner still has to be responsible. And I was drinking at least a gallon a day.”\n\n\t“While doing serious physical activity.” The mole maid was quick to note. She sighed and pulled her paws behind her head. Those garnet eyes glancing down at the table. “This isn’t a competition you know. If it was, you’d lose. You just described every summer my last few high school years. Any time my parents went on vacation and it was too much trouble to deal with my ‘moping’. There are rules to what you did. Like no fast food pizza because of the sodium levels. The need for prep time. Keeping the right toys out in the right places. Be sure what things you’re gonna wanna see ahead of time-”\n\n\t“Can you stop, please?” The words were barbed. Not just frustrated, but genuinely snapping back at Gretchen with the same energy she’d been pushing on him since they met. “Please, just… I get it. You’re better than me. I am so freaking tired and sore and burned out I can’t even. You still haven’t made it clear why you’re hanging out with me and yet here you are negging the crap out of me. It’s exhausting. I. am exhausted. Please.”\n\n\tShe fell quiet. Neither fur looked at each other or spoke for a long time. Not until the food came. No sooner was his first plate set down than Simon felt his paw dart to the fork heavy waves of salt and fat and acid flooded his mouth before he was even aware of what he was doing. Rodent teeth mowed though the bread, meat and cheese with only the occasional pause as he gulped down an overly-thick fruit concoction which flooded his body with eye-opening sugar. \n\n\tArcane lore from long forgotten science classes passed told him that he wasn’t digesting enough of this yet for it to really impact his body this way. This was simply his body shunting out chemical rewards for the first time in days. Something other than the brain, drowning agonized elation of his self destructive goon session.\n\n\tFruit and coffee and crispy edged pancakes all flooded his taste buds faster than he could really process it. Before he’d realized it the whole croque Madame, most of his eggs and the smoothie were all vanquished. He felt them churn down and clash ever so slightly with a sea of cheap pizza and other fast food atrocities. Real nutrition for the first time in over a week felt unreal and frankly a bit terrifying all on its own. \n\n\tNot once did Gretchen say anything. To her dubious credit his breakfast companion had managed to down her whole French toast serving and order another by the time he’d finished his own ravenous devouring spree. It was nowhere near the same quantity of food, Simon simply felt it was likely another dig at him, specifically. How and why? Who knew anymore.\n\n\t“I don’t hate you.” Gretchen finally muttered. Her voice back down to its nasal paper whisper. “Well, not more than anyone else.”\n\n\t“You don’t hate your owners.” Simon shrugged\n\n\t“Mistress is a goddess. Master is a god. That’s totally different. I get along with Ozzy and Willa because I live there and I have to. And I guess Ozzy’s music isn’t ‘so’ bad. If you can stand punk and old rock, that is. Plus Willa does get some pretty cool crystals for her silly business.” Gretchen sighed and sipped the odd drink they’d brought her. Presumably a pop, though not at a consistency Simon had ever seen. “Because Mistress is a goddess, she’s also right. Like when she says that I do have more fun with you as my, I guess comrade, against Xiulan. Collin. Whatever.”\n\n\t“Because I up your odds of winning?” Simon scoffed\n\n\t“You actually got to him last time. We’re so hecking close and you don’t even seem to care! I tried to go after Xi when she showed up yesterday and I got my butt handed to me. This current rotation took away everything I’d built up! Ok, sorry. It doesn’t matter” both of Gretchen’s paws lifted up as she took a few breaths to calm herself. “My point is that this clearly hit you hard. And I guess, in my own fucked up way, I was kind of… worried.”\n\n\t“Worried. About me?”\n\n\tIt wasn’t clear what possessed Simon to laugh. He sure as hell didn’t’ want to. If it felt like people were looking at him before, they absolutely were now. Dozens of eyes all on the two of them. All on ‘him’. Some raving lunatic who probably looked like he’d just gotten out of the mental hospital. \n\n\tHis ‘Friend’ pouted. Her cheeks puffing up like mochi. The borderline anime-ness of it only renewed the laughing fit until he was almost collapsing in on himself. \n\n\tThe laughter eventually stopped. Simon took the chance to fork a few berries out of his bowl and shovel them into his maw. He gazed up at the pouting girl and offered the bowl up to her, which she quickly pushed back towards him. “Look, I’m sorry. But as far as I know this is ‘not’ typical friend behavior. I get that you want to follow orders and please, but you don’t have to force it with someone you clearly don’t want to be around. Pretending you have some kind of fucked up vendetta against your future in-law or whatever they are isn’t even a good excuse.”\n\n\t“Oh yeah?” Gretchen huffed “So what do you do with ‘your’ friends for fun, huh? Come on, Chat. Let’s see you do better.”\n\n\t“Who ever said I have friends?” The glib words felt wrong on his tongue. Probably because they were true. “I told you, What I’ve been doing for the last few days is what I did after work or class every day for a while now.”\n\n\t“how long is a while?” Gretchen’s eyebrow raised now and she watched her food set down in front of her.\n\n\t“I guess since I started college?” He shrugged “I’m a Junior right now So almost three years. Didn’t really have friends before that. Not since eight or ninth grade. I just didn’t like em, so why be around them? It’s easier to just be polite and avoid people. Don’t talk shit, don’t get hit. Shut up, they leave you alone. Right?”\n\n\t“So what, you just edged?” Gretchen whispered, still too loud for his comfort. “I mean I’m impressed, but come on. You had hobbies, right?”\n\n\tHe touched his index finger to his lips, then pulled I back with his other hand, followed by a second, and a third. All the while looking up thoughtfully at the ceiling. “Well I have to take care of Artemis. Then there’s a few games I like. Cyberpunk 2077 is obviously the big one. I think we already went over that a few times. Before meeting Mistress I’d sometimes go to other events at the clubs. I mean, I was there when…” Simon stopped. He was blushing like crazy now. So was she. Both looked away quickly with different but equally severe lip-bites. The two squirming in their seats a the unspoken memories of Gretchen’s very public and very shameful collaring ceremony.\n\n\t“O-okay, I get it.” She finally sighed. “Honestly I think that’s why you’re a little less stupid.”\n\n\t“Less stupid?” he blinked.\n\n\t“Than other people. But only a little. You’re not going out and drinking or screwing or partying all night like the normies.”\n\n\tSimon sat up and did his best to look straight laced. A difficult task indeed given what he was wearing. “I’m not twenty one yet. I couldn’t drink if I tried.”\n\n\t“Doesn’t stop some people.” Gretchen growled, mostly to herself. “B-besides, would you really do it? Go out with the other normies and drink, I mean.”\n\n\tHe shook his head and slumped back down into the seat. “No” Simon sighed. “I’ll probably try one on my birthday. Not sure what. But that’s about it. If I’m going to be out of my own control then…” he sighed and slumped more “I admit, I’ll do poppers. I’ll enjoy some ‘hypno’. Even though it doesn’t really do anything. But I’m not really looking to get messed up. I don’t want to be out of control that way. I want…”\n\n\t“You want?” Gretchen parroted. For once she actually seemed interested in what he had to say\n\n\tExcept, he didn’t have anything to say, did he? Nothing at all. He had what he wanted. He had something that was safe. Domination with no real risk. Submissive, perverse, degenerate pleasure to drown out the hell of his work day. All he had to do was smile and nod at the people he hated and he could have gone on along with this forever. For as long as ‘she’ would have had him.\n\n\t“Why did I fuck with a good thing.” It was a sob more than a statement. Elbows on table, head in hands, hanging over the mostly cleaned plate below him while rocking his closed eyes against the butt of each palm. The inky blackness filled with odd yellow-green geometric images seeming to stream before him. Something he didn’t at all understand, but still confusing little comfort going back to his childhood. Some odd ‘thing’ to focus on instead of his own stupid thoughts.\n\n\t“I get it.” Gretchen finally sighed.\n\n\t“Get what.” He squeaked back.\n\n\t“That feeling. Being lost. Hopeless. Confused. Realizing life is a big existential void. I mean I don’t think I felt exactly the same, but…”\n\n\t“Are you trying to empathize with me?” Simon’s words between a growl and a sob. He looked up at her, eyes bloodshot. He knew they were. He could feel the sting. Feel his whole body ache. He glowered, then paused, then hung his head in his hands again. “I, I’m sorry. That’s not… I don’t’ know.”\n\n\t“Yeah you do.” She sighed. But at least it’s not normie crap. Look this is new to me, too. I don’t ‘like’ people. If I wasn’t basically told to be here I wouldn’t be. That’s why I got your number off of Master’s phone and… ope!”\n\n\t“Waitwat?” Simon quirked his brow “I thought you said…”\n\n\t“Look, its not that big a deal. He had it from when he was helping you with the car thing and he never deletes anything. I saw it, realized you might have done something stupid and… and look, you’re the one who didn’t show up to the game.”\n\n\tOnce upon a time, Simon had fucked his computer up. He’d gone into the registry to edit something in the hopes of making Windows be a tiny bit less invasive… and bricked something. Badly. It was why he still to this day always made a point of backing his files up on external drives. \n\n\tHe now knew what his poor computer must have felt like in that moment. For all of his work and struggle to feel empty. For his strain to emotionally and mentally core himself out and stop the pain. ‘This’ was what did it? This shattering moment o uncomfortable and confusing clarity.\n\n\t“You… um… you ok?” Gretchen whimpered.\n\n\t“You… really thought I’d do ‘that’?” he expected the first words out of his mouth to be anger. Justifiable rage at this kind of utter violation. Someone who claimed to be his friend going out of her way to get her hands on his personal info without his consent. Then lying about it! Then browbeating a man she knew had to be mentally compromised into going out for food. It was all beyond fucked up. He should have stormed out of there now and let her find her own way home. He should have screamed at her. How could she do this to him? \n\n\tExcept… why? Why would he be mad? What was she to him, or him to her? This felt like a violation, yet she was just some random girl. A random girl he happened to play Magic with sometimes. A random girl who was trying to teach him tabletop games. Who lied about knowing them herself. Who rubbed in the fact that she was a ‘real’ slave and he was just some poser. Who kept competing with him when he didn’t want to and struggling to demonstrate why she was cooler and better and smarter.\n\n\t“Oh fuck me.” Realization hitting. His eyes slipping shut.\n\n\t“What now?” Gretchen muttered. The second serving of French Toast she’d gotten now all but destroyed.\n\n\t“Nothing.” he sighed. Did he have a friend? Did Simon Miller actually have a friend again? His over-full gut churned at the thought. “You know what you did was fucked up, right?” he sighed\n\n\tGretchen nodded. For a girl so sure of that fact she also seemed shockingly content with herself.\n\n\tOne more deep breath. A snoot full of the admittedly delicious smells wafting around in the room from the kitchen and the other patrons. “Ok” Simon sighed. As much to himself as to her. “So we ate, what now?”\n\n\t“Now?” Gretchen shrugged “I donno.”\n\n\t“Yeah, I know.” He sighed. “I gotta figure it out. Don’t I?” He lifted the bowl up to his muzzle and nommed the last few bits of fruit in a profoundly unceremonious way. He then glanced back at her and smiled a deflated little smile. “Hey Gretchen?”\n\n\t“Yeah?” She blinked\n\n\t“Thanks.”", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "Leashed Chapter 16: Rehab
By TerraMGP

\t“When you said we were going to breakfast, I didn’t think I was picking you up.”

\tSimon glanced at his surroundings. The upper floor of some typical ‘main street’ style building. There was another restaurant downstairs, so he wasn’t exactly sure why they split it up like this. Save perhaps that the metal chairs and brick walls gave it the ‘hipster’ feel so much of Kalamazoo seemed to enjoy. Best of all, his home city was doing it before Grand Rapids, so before it was even cool!

\tThat thought made him smile. He hated himself for smiling. He hated himself for everything right now.

\t“Hey there, and what can I get you?” The chipper voice of a golden-furred bunny girl with a nose ring shoved ice picks right into Simon’s ears. He looked up at the scrawny woman with the little burner phone so many PoS systems relied on these days. The overly happy bunny woman tapping a stylus away on the rubberized case.

\t“I’ll have the Blueberry French toast with eggs and a fruit cup for sides. Plus a Hazelnut French Soda to drink.” A digger shot up before Simon could say anything. Gretchen’s beaten-down tone just a tiny bit forceful. Snotty and demanding in a way that almost made her endearing. “He’s going to have the Croque Madame, Pancakes with blueberries, eggs and potatoes for sides, the fruit smoothie and the chocolate coffee. Plenty of water too. Uh, Please…”

\tThe menus were handed back and the woman began to walk off. Simon scowling even before she was out of sight.

\t“What was that about?” He whimpered

\t“What was ‘what’ about?” Gretchen grumbled back “I just ordered food.”

\t“You ordered ‘my’ food. After dragging me out. You don’t even know if I’m allergic to anything there, or if I have any diet restrictions. Heck you don’t even know if I have the money to pay for it!”

\t“Do you think I’d drag you out here and not pay?” one paw went over her muzzle as Gretchen huffed a heavy breath. Her own stubby little mole tail thudding against the thin metal rim of the seat. “Look, how much ‘actual’ food have you eaten in the last week?” The way she eyed him felt crushing. Simon hadn’t really bothered to dress much. A ratty tee shirt full of holes and sweat pants that had served him during all of his Nintendo-based workout sessions.

\t“I don’t know what I think” Simon’s breath heavy “Honestly I don’t know why I’m here. Except I’ve spent the last week doing a lot of… things…”

\tGretchen smiled that odd smile of hers and nodded “Things that wore down your will a bit?” She huffed at his shock and waved a paw. “Please. I know ‘exactly’ how that all goes. It doesn’t take a rocket surgeon to figure out your coping strats. You’re not as special as you seem to think.”

\t“When did I ever say I was special? Ok hold it, what do you mean ‘coping strats’? What do you… what do you think I was ‘doing’ all last week?” Fluffy femmy chestnut hair fell in front of his face. Simon shrank down slowly into his seat. Nobody was looking at them, but it sure as hell started to feel like it. All that hard work to wear himself out and go numb over the past week was somehow so easily undone. Self obliteration though masturbation proving little cover for his inner neurosis in the face of other people being around.

\t“What I mean is you shut yourself up and spent most or all of your free time, well, doing what ‘we’ do.” Gretchen put crushing weight on that word. We. Her digger claw touching at her collar. “You think I didn’t spend days, weeks at a time even? Spending every free moment trying to lose myself that way? You think I don’t know about the little training aids Master had Mistress make for you?” There was a hint of jealousy in those words. The mention of this Mistress, someone Simon had only ever seen once and never really spoken to, feeling like a threat as much as anything.

\tThere was a shyness in Simon. A shyness which was criminally vulgar, as the man had said. He’d done his best to beat it back over the years. Hide when he could, nod along and learn how to play the game with social bullshit. Do what’s expected, say what’s expected. A comfortable shield, strong and easy to wear. He was finding it hard to hide behind that shield right now. He was feeling things right now. He was aware of people, and he hated it.

\tHell, he hadn‘t even paid attention to the restaurant’s name. His sex-hazed brain was too fucked up on overtaxed petrochemicals and the occasional popper to think clearly. He barely even registered when the waitress set down their water glasses. Not until he was looking at the ice rushing towards his nose. The physical sensation of hydration was impossibly strong to the point that it made him feel ill.

\t“I don’t think” He began, already cursing the words that his brain refused to control “What you were doing and what I did are on the same scale.”

\t“No?” Gretchen huffed. Her judgmental little mole face leaned in closer.

\t“I didn’t just do it ‘after work’ Simon huffed. His eyes fell on Gretchen’s glass, and she casually picked it up, pouring the contents into his water glass with all of the petty malice she could muster. Simon downed it as well. Slower, but only just. Only after slamming his second drink down did he feel his body starting to perk. “After work is how I usually operate. I’m not some novice” The words ‘fake slave’ ringing in his head as he said it “I called in to work. I called in to school. Homework’s sitting in the cloud. Haven’t touched it. I’m nearly out of paid sick days. That was half the reason I picked this god damn place to intern. I figured any place offering that shit would be great to its employees. I hope I was just wrong because that place is insufferable, too.”

\tThe rant paused for a moment when the waitress passed by. The munk boy didn’t even realize he was eyeing her tray. There was no way to even pretend he was checking her out like some ‘normal’ guy. The way his neck craned made it impossible for any onlooker to imagine he was checking out her chest or her ass.

\tGretchen snorted when he turned back and slumped down. Naturally that did nothing to get rid of her smug superior smile. “You ordered in all week, right?” She scoffed “Didn’t drink enough even though you chugged all the water. Didn’t move around enough. You’re sore right now. Probably went too far with some things. Burned though everything on your computer and all your ‘normal’ sites?”

\tSimon’s exasperation with her correct guesses only fueled her self satisfaction. He didn’t look at her. He didn’t really want to. It was tempting to drag his phone out of his pocket and check it, except he was quick to realize he hadn’t even put it in his pocket. The thing was probably still on his desk.

\t“I took breaks” He muttered “Artemis still needed to be cared for. My bird” he clarified when he saw her confusion. He’d given out his number but not explained his precious birb? That almost felt vulgar. “A pet owner still has to be responsible. And I was drinking at least a gallon a day.”

\t“While doing serious physical activity.” The mole maid was quick to note. She sighed and pulled her paws behind her head. Those garnet eyes glancing down at the table. “This isn’t a competition you know. If it was, you’d lose. You just described every summer my last few high school years. Any time my parents went on vacation and it was too much trouble to deal with my ‘moping’. There are rules to what you did. Like no fast food pizza because of the sodium levels. The need for prep time. Keeping the right toys out in the right places. Be sure what things you’re gonna wanna see ahead of time-”

\t“Can you stop, please?” The words were barbed. Not just frustrated, but genuinely snapping back at Gretchen with the same energy she’d been pushing on him since they met. “Please, just… I get it. You’re better than me. I am so freaking tired and sore and burned out I can’t even. You still haven’t made it clear why you’re hanging out with me and yet here you are negging the crap out of me. It’s exhausting. I. am exhausted. Please.”

\tShe fell quiet. Neither fur looked at each other or spoke for a long time. Not until the food came. No sooner was his first plate set down than Simon felt his paw dart to the fork heavy waves of salt and fat and acid flooded his mouth before he was even aware of what he was doing. Rodent teeth mowed though the bread, meat and cheese with only the occasional pause as he gulped down an overly-thick fruit concoction which flooded his body with eye-opening sugar.

\tArcane lore from long forgotten science classes passed told him that he wasn’t digesting enough of this yet for it to really impact his body this way. This was simply his body shunting out chemical rewards for the first time in days. Something other than the brain, drowning agonized elation of his self destructive goon session.

\tFruit and coffee and crispy edged pancakes all flooded his taste buds faster than he could really process it. Before he’d realized it the whole croque Madame, most of his eggs and the smoothie were all vanquished. He felt them churn down and clash ever so slightly with a sea of cheap pizza and other fast food atrocities. Real nutrition for the first time in over a week felt unreal and frankly a bit terrifying all on its own.

\tNot once did Gretchen say anything. To her dubious credit his breakfast companion had managed to down her whole French toast serving and order another by the time he’d finished his own ravenous devouring spree. It was nowhere near the same quantity of food, Simon simply felt it was likely another dig at him, specifically. How and why? Who knew anymore.

\t“I don’t hate you.” Gretchen finally muttered. Her voice back down to its nasal paper whisper. “Well, not more than anyone else.”

\t“You don’t hate your owners.” Simon shrugged

\t“Mistress is a goddess. Master is a god. That’s totally different. I get along with Ozzy and Willa because I live there and I have to. And I guess Ozzy’s music isn’t ‘so’ bad. If you can stand punk and old rock, that is. Plus Willa does get some pretty cool crystals for her silly business.” Gretchen sighed and sipped the odd drink they’d brought her. Presumably a pop, though not at a consistency Simon had ever seen. “Because Mistress is a goddess, she’s also right. Like when she says that I do have more fun with you as my, I guess comrade, against Xiulan. Collin. Whatever.”

\t“Because I up your odds of winning?” Simon scoffed

\t“You actually got to him last time. We’re so hecking close and you don’t even seem to care! I tried to go after Xi when she showed up yesterday and I got my butt handed to me. This current rotation took away everything I’d built up! Ok, sorry. It doesn’t matter” both of Gretchen’s paws lifted up as she took a few breaths to calm herself. “My point is that this clearly hit you hard. And I guess, in my own fucked up way, I was kind of… worried.”

\t“Worried. About me?”

\tIt wasn’t clear what possessed Simon to laugh. He sure as hell didn’t’ want to. If it felt like people were looking at him before, they absolutely were now. Dozens of eyes all on the two of them. All on ‘him’. Some raving lunatic who probably looked like he’d just gotten out of the mental hospital.

\tHis ‘Friend’ pouted. Her cheeks puffing up like mochi. The borderline anime-ness of it only renewed the laughing fit until he was almost collapsing in on himself.

\tThe laughter eventually stopped. Simon took the chance to fork a few berries out of his bowl and shovel them into his maw. He gazed up at the pouting girl and offered the bowl up to her, which she quickly pushed back towards him. “Look, I’m sorry. But as far as I know this is ‘not’ typical friend behavior. I get that you want to follow orders and please, but you don’t have to force it with someone you clearly don’t want to be around. Pretending you have some kind of fucked up vendetta against your future in-law or whatever they are isn’t even a good excuse.”

\t“Oh yeah?” Gretchen huffed “So what do you do with ‘your’ friends for fun, huh? Come on, Chat. Let’s see you do better.”

\t“Who ever said I have friends?” The glib words felt wrong on his tongue. Probably because they were true. “I told you, What I’ve been doing for the last few days is what I did after work or class every day for a while now.”

\t“how long is a while?” Gretchen’s eyebrow raised now and she watched her food set down in front of her.

\t“I guess since I started college?” He shrugged “I’m a Junior right now So almost three years. Didn’t really have friends before that. Not since eight or ninth grade. I just didn’t like em, so why be around them? It’s easier to just be polite and avoid people. Don’t talk shit, don’t get hit. Shut up, they leave you alone. Right?”

\t“So what, you just edged?” Gretchen whispered, still too loud for his comfort. “I mean I’m impressed, but come on. You had hobbies, right?”

\tHe touched his index finger to his lips, then pulled I back with his other hand, followed by a second, and a third. All the while looking up thoughtfully at the ceiling. “Well I have to take care of Artemis. Then there’s a few games I like. Cyberpunk 2077 is obviously the big one. I think we already went over that a few times. Before meeting Mistress I’d sometimes go to other events at the clubs. I mean, I was there when…” Simon stopped. He was blushing like crazy now. So was she. Both looked away quickly with different but equally severe lip-bites. The two squirming in their seats a the unspoken memories of Gretchen’s very public and very shameful collaring ceremony.

\t“O-okay, I get it.” She finally sighed. “Honestly I think that’s why you’re a little less stupid.”

\t“Less stupid?” he blinked.

\t“Than other people. But only a little. You’re not going out and drinking or screwing or partying all night like the normies.”

\tSimon sat up and did his best to look straight laced. A difficult task indeed given what he was wearing. “I’m not twenty one yet. I couldn’t drink if I tried.”

\t“Doesn’t stop some people.” Gretchen growled, mostly to herself. “B-besides, would you really do it? Go out with the other normies and drink, I mean.”

\tHe shook his head and slumped back down into the seat. “No” Simon sighed. “I’ll probably try one on my birthday. Not sure what. But that’s about it. If I’m going to be out of my own control then…” he sighed and slumped more “I admit, I’ll do poppers. I’ll enjoy some ‘hypno’. Even though it doesn’t really do anything. But I’m not really looking to get messed up. I don’t want to be out of control that way. I want…”

\t“You want?” Gretchen parroted. For once she actually seemed interested in what he had to say

\tExcept, he didn’t have anything to say, did he? Nothing at all. He had what he wanted. He had something that was safe. Domination with no real risk. Submissive, perverse, degenerate pleasure to drown out the hell of his work day. All he had to do was smile and nod at the people he hated and he could have gone on along with this forever. For as long as ‘she’ would have had him.

\t“Why did I fuck with a good thing.” It was a sob more than a statement. Elbows on table, head in hands, hanging over the mostly cleaned plate below him while rocking his closed eyes against the butt of each palm. The inky blackness filled with odd yellow-green geometric images seeming to stream before him. Something he didn’t at all understand, but still confusing little comfort going back to his childhood. Some odd ‘thing’ to focus on instead of his own stupid thoughts.

\t“I get it.” Gretchen finally sighed.

\t“Get what.” He squeaked back.

\t“That feeling. Being lost. Hopeless. Confused. Realizing life is a big existential void. I mean I don’t think I felt exactly the same, but…”

\t“Are you trying to empathize with me?” Simon’s words between a growl and a sob. He looked up at her, eyes bloodshot. He knew they were. He could feel the sting. Feel his whole body ache. He glowered, then paused, then hung his head in his hands again. “I, I’m sorry. That’s not… I don’t’ know.”

\t“Yeah you do.” She sighed. But at least it’s not normie crap. Look this is new to me, too. I don’t ‘like’ people. If I wasn’t basically told to be here I wouldn’t be. That’s why I got your number off of Master’s phone and… ope!”

\t“Waitwat?” Simon quirked his brow “I thought you said…”

\t“Look, its not that big a deal. He had it from when he was helping you with the car thing and he never deletes anything. I saw it, realized you might have done something stupid and… and look, you’re the one who didn’t show up to the game.”

\tOnce upon a time, Simon had fucked his computer up. He’d gone into the registry to edit something in the hopes of making Windows be a tiny bit less invasive… and bricked something. Badly. It was why he still to this day always made a point of backing his files up on external drives.

\tHe now knew what his poor computer must have felt like in that moment. For all of his work and struggle to feel empty. For his strain to emotionally and mentally core himself out and stop the pain. ‘This’ was what did it? This shattering moment o uncomfortable and confusing clarity.

\t“You… um… you ok?” Gretchen whimpered.

\t“You… really thought I’d do ‘that’?” he expected the first words out of his mouth to be anger. Justifiable rage at this kind of utter violation. Someone who claimed to be his friend going out of her way to get her hands on his personal info without his consent. Then lying about it! Then browbeating a man she knew had to be mentally compromised into going out for food. It was all beyond fucked up. He should have stormed out of there now and let her find her own way home. He should have screamed at her. How could she do this to him?

\tExcept… why? Why would he be mad? What was she to him, or him to her? This felt like a violation, yet she was just some random girl. A random girl he happened to play Magic with sometimes. A random girl who was trying to teach him tabletop games. Who lied about knowing them herself. Who rubbed in the fact that she was a ‘real’ slave and he was just some poser. Who kept competing with him when he didn’t want to and struggling to demonstrate why she was cooler and better and smarter.

\t“Oh fuck me.” Realization hitting. His eyes slipping shut.

\t“What now?” Gretchen muttered. The second serving of French Toast she’d gotten now all but destroyed.

\t“Nothing.” he sighed. Did he have a friend? Did Simon Miller actually have a friend again? His over-full gut churned at the thought. “You know what you did was fucked up, right?” he sighed

\tGretchen nodded. For a girl so sure of that fact she also seemed shockingly content with herself.

\tOne more deep breath. A snoot full of the admittedly delicious smells wafting around in the room from the kitchen and the other patrons. “Ok” Simon sighed. As much to himself as to her. “So we ate, what now?”

\t“Now?” Gretchen shrugged “I donno.”

\t“Yeah, I know.” He sighed. “I gotta figure it out. Don’t I?” He lifted the bowl up to his muzzle and nommed the last few bits of fruit in a profoundly unceremonious way. He then glanced back at her and smiled a deflated little smile. “Hey Gretchen?”

\t“Yeah?” She blinked

\t“Thanks.”", "pools_count": 1, "title": "Leashed Chapter 16: Rehab", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "application/msword", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "2", "rating_name": "Adult", "ratings": [ { "content_tag_id": "4", "name": "Sexual Themes", "description": "Erotic imagery, sexual activity or arousal", "rating_id": "2" } ], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "t", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "2", "views": "75" }