Chapter Text
Alphas are big, protective, and well-known for being aggressive. This combination of traits would lead one to think that their second gender would put them in charge of the world. And they were for a while. Once the world became more civilised, people became aware that alphas didn’t make good leaders.
Through the years, prejudices arose, and through careful selection, omegas began to push alphas down the totem pole. Nowadays, omegas are in charge and seen as gentle, intelligent leaders. Alphas are nothing more than human chattel, something to be used for breeding purposes and sold to the next person.
...
John had zoned out approximately 15 minutes ago when his parents started talking about starting his life. They had invited him over for breakfast and ambushed him again. He sighed quietly, trying not to draw his mother's ire. John leaned against the counter, hoping his mother would finish this conversation.
He had no desire to find some knothead alpha and make a bunch of babies for his mother’s happiness. Sure, at some point, he’d like to have a pup or two, but the thought of dealing with the attitude of an alpha made a headache flare up.
“John, are you listening to me?” His mother scowled and opened her mouth to scold him further.
“Mam, I don’t need an alpha. I’m happy the way things are.”
“Just look for one. You don’t have to get one; just look. Maybe you’ll find someone, and maybe you won’t, but I’ll back off if you go looking. I’ll even text you some of the breeders that we looked at but didn’t use for when we had you.”
He pointed his finger at her, “You swear that you’ll back off.”
“I promise I’ll back off for a few months.”
“Alright, I’ll go sometime soon.”
Truthfully, he didn’t know when he would go, but he’d figure something out if it got him some reprieve from his mother’s constant nagging. He left shortly after to see Gaz, as was his tradition after visiting his parents and needing a cool down. The man had a way of talking him down from the ledge of cutting his parents out of his life.
Without knocking, he stepped into the man’s house, hoping that his mate was at work and it would be just the two of them. John could hear the shower and hadn’t seen Price’s car, so he assumed the man was at work.
“Gaz, you in here? I need to talk.” He shouted out, sitting on the man’s bed.
“Yeah, I’ll be out in a second. What’s going on?”
“My mam is pressuring me again about an alpha. I’m just so sick of it.”
“I hate to be that guy, but maybe your parents have a point.” John rolled his eyes at him.
“And what would that point be?” Gaz walked out of the bathroom, a towel around his hips, and got clothes from his dresser.
“Do you want pups?”
“Sure, who wouldn’t? They’re cute.”
“How do you plan on getting those pups without an alpha. A beta is rarely fertile, and omegas can’t get someone pregnant. The obvious conclusion is that you need an alpha.” He knew Gaz had a point, but he didn’t want to give his friend the satisfaction of that.
“I don’t like their attitude, you know that. They’re always weirdly aggressive. I just doubt I’ll find one that gets along with me.”
“You don’t need to get along with them. You could just use the alpha to have a child and get rid of it.”
“I don’t want to do that, I want a partner. I feel weird about using an alpha like it’s an animal.”
“Tav, they are animals.” Gaz rolled his eyes. “How about this? Price is managing a games arena, and today they are having a sale on some alphas they don’t necessarily want anymore. I’ll take you.”
John thought about it and nodded, following Gaz out the door to the fellow omega's car. The arena wasn’t far away, and John realized that calling it an arena was a bit of a lie. It was a large tent with wooden walls that reached high enough to keep someone from jumping over. A small group of people was waiting for the doors to open, and he and Gaz quickly joined them. They didn’t chat as the others did. He just gave Gaz a look.
“I want to make it known that if this makes me uncomfortable in the slightest bit, I’m going to leave and we won’t speak of this ever again.”
“Agreed, but I don’t think that will happen. Price says the people here keep a tight security on the alphas, and none of them can go after a person.”
“You haven’t been here?” He was surprised. He and Price were usually inseparable; he’d assumed that included visiting his mate at work.
“Nah, I’m not interested in the games and don’t need to purchase an alpha.”
“Makes sense. Speaking of Price.” John trailed off, looking at the gate where Price stood, opening the doors.
Gaz lit up upon seeing his mate, holding himself back from bouncing over and embracing the beta. Price caught their eyes and tilted his head slightly in confusion about why they were there.
“Hello, everyone. Welcome to Pit Stop Games. While there is no betting or fighting today, we have alphas for sale.” A few sighs, and people walking away at that. “For those of you staying and wanting to look, please stick to the guidelines on the ground and be careful not to pass them. A few of our more reactive alphas may take any opportunity.”
He finished his speech and stepped out of the way for the people to file past him and into the tent. John could hear the snarls and growls and smell the scent of displeased alphas. He wasn’t looking forward to going any further. He tried to remember why he was doing this and psych himself up to walk in. Price walked up to the pair, giving Gaz a brief hug.
“What are you two doing here?” He questioned.
Gaz cut in before he could answer, “John’s mom said she’d leave him alone about finding an alpha if he went and looked at some.”
“Oh, okay, well, there are plenty here, and John, I don’t know what you are looking for in an alpha, but we have a lot of different personality types. I’m sure you’ll find one you like.”
With that, he returned to supervise the people walking around, shopping for an alpha that worked for them. Gaz patted him on the back and urged him forward. He did so reluctantly. The arena wasn’t all that big, but it felt larger as you stepped onto the sandy ground.
The cage he was in felt small. He learned quickly that trying to stand was futile and curling up was the best way to stay comfortable with the occasional leg stretch to make sure his limbs didn’t fall asleep. He wasn’t sure what he had imagined when he was taken away from his family and forced into a life of servitude, but it wasn’t this.
He couldn’t have imagined the way they locked him up, fed him the barest amount of food to keep him fit, and took away his ability to speak. It left him feeling isolated, with only his mind for company. He shivered against the breeze from the slats in the wooden walls and through the cages in the early morning. It woke many of his fellow alphas, and the harsh hissing and growls now filled their room.
They may be the same second gender, but he couldn’t stand the constant posturing of many of them. Like most mornings, the man with the beard and boonie hat walked the aisles, putting the flavorless protein nuggets they gave them daily into the buckets hanging from the cage door. Simon didn’t actually mind this man all that much. His scent was calming, and he never snapped or punished them for a small mistake.
He ate quickly; he wasn’t keen on the taste in his mouth and choked it down. Most days, the man would take a few of them out at a time and let others watch as they fought each other for better food and the promise of a release that wouldn’t come.
He’d been here long enough to learn that better food and empty promises weren’t worth the wounds you would gather in the arena. His spirit broke down, and it didn’t make a good show when one of the bigger alphas didn’t fight back. It meant he didn’t get as much time out of the cage, but at least he didn’t nurse injuries that would never heal quite right.
This morning, however, when he had finished the food, the man came and slowly pulled out almost every alpha to take to the arena. Long wires ran in sections across the pit, splitting into smaller wires that hung down to connect to the collars around their throats. The boonie hat man took him to the far side of the pit and clipped him like a dog on a leash. His collar had never felt so tight.
The boonie hat man talked to the other beta, whose scent was sharp and unpleasant, and pointed toward the hose in the corner of the arena. The beta went to each alpha and gave them a thorough spray down. When he got to Simon, the water had cooled from where it had gotten warm in the sunshine.
He pulled away from the cold water that soaked him. He took a deep breath, trying to escape the water that constricted his breathing. Simon heard the beta laugh before the man deliberately sprayed him in the face with no reprieve. The soothing scent of boonie hat man came near, sharpened with anger.
“I said wash them off, not waterboard them.” Boonie hat man told him sternly.
“What does it matter? It’s not like they can tell anyone. All of them stink anyway, I’m just making sure they are clean.” The beta argued, throwing his hands to the side in exasperation.
“I don’t care whether or not they can tell anyone. We need to treat them with as much respect as we can. They already live in these conditions.”
“Whatever.” The beta left Boonie Hat Man to put away the hose.
The beta gave him a look of apology as he walked away. The other alphas around him pulled as far as the wire would allow, trying to attack the alpha closest to them. He couldn’t let out most of the sounds they were making without harming his throat, and even if he could, he would have found himself staying silent.
The oppressive scent of irritated alpha was overwhelming. Boonie Hat Man had opened a door the furthest from him, and the intoxicatingly sweet smell of omega wafted in.
Almost all in pairs, they walked around the arena, carefully staying on the lines painted in the sand. Simon could understand the need to bite and tear in that moment. The source of their freedom was at the wall furthest from him, and all he would need to do was break the collar around his throat.
Omegas passed by him without a second glance. They wanted the ones that postured and proved they were strong and suitable for breeding or fighting.
Simon had enough room in his line to sit and place his back against the wall. The sand grated against his skin, and the wood splintered in his back, but it was the most comfortable he had been in a long time. He had relaxed enough to notice when two omegas stopped before him. They weren’t small or dainty like he had thought an omega to be.
They were still shorter than he, but they had muscles that indicated they worked out regularly. He took a deep breath to smell the soft, comforting scents from both of them. Boonie Hat Man must’ve noticed they stopped because he came to stand with him.
The omega with shorn hair on the sides, styled into a mohawk, wore a scrutinizing look. The omegas appraised him as nothing more than chattel to be sized up and sold to the highest bidder. He wanted to puff out his chest, show the omega he was strong and could take care of him, but he couldn’t find the strength even to stand.
“John, what are you thinking?” the boonie hat man asked.
“What’s wrong with him?” Mohawk man, John questioned. The prospect of his thinking something was wrong with him stung a little, but he swallowed his hurt.
“Ah, we haven’t quite figured that out. Simon was found wandering in the wilderness for who knows how long. We know he can’t speak. Someone did some damage to his vocal cords. It used to be standard practice, y’know, to harm the vocal cords enough that they couldn’t talk. That was before we realized how much damage it caused to their ability to breathe.”
“What does he do when it comes to the games then?” The omega looked away from him, staring at the Boonie Hat Man.
“We don’t really use him for those anymore. He stopped fighting back one day, and no one wants to see the big guy just stand there and get the shit beaten out of him.”
The omega beside John looked thoughtful, his expression matching John's.
“John, you’re always saying you hate the regular alpha attitude. Simon is perfect for you.” The omega near John pointed out.
Simon was in shock; they couldn’t seriously be thinking about choosing him. He was broken, had no voice, and had no will to prove himself. He was everything an alpha wasn’t. They should be looking at the alphas beside him who were practically frothing at the mouth for an opportunity.
“I’ll think about it, Gaz,” John told him, following Gaz out of the arena.
Once they were out of sight, Boonie Hat Man turned to look him up and down, “You better hope he wants you, I don’t know how much longer they’re going to keep you past your usefulness.”
...
John hadn’t really been expecting to find someone in the arena. He had expected all of them to be near wild. Simon. He tested the name on his mouth. Simon was quiet, not even bothering to stand when they approached.
Logically, he knows Simon can’t speak, but he has this air of peace around him that speaks to his character. The scent coming off him wasn’t typical alpha either. It was strong, sure, but it didn’t come with that sharp scent that felt like it was burning your nose.
He waved goodbye to Gaz and unlocked the door to his house. The pitter-patter of paws on the flooring comes running around the corner. He stooped down to her level, and the small mixed-breed dog crashed into him. He’d gotten a puppy on a whim when he drove past the animal shelter.
She looked so sad, curled up alone in a small cage after the rest of her siblings got adopted. Bonnie was a beautiful cream color with a big, boxy head that looked goofy on her body. He absolutely adored her, and it wasn’t lost on him that Simon’s hair was a similar color, albeit his was much dirtier, caked with the sand from the arena.
He wasn’t joking when he told Gaz he would consider buying Simon. His phone buzzed, and when he looked down at it, a text from his mam showed up. He clicked on the link she’d sent him, showing a bunch of alphas that he could use for breeding. They were all for rent, and he quickly clicked out of it with no interest in renting an alpha that he couldn’t have as a partner.
John stood back up from petting Bonnie and walked to his room to look at the alpha cage already installed when he bought the house. It would give the alpha more room than that wire leash did. He’d be able to stand and walk a few steps comfortably. A mattress pad covered half the floor, making a comfortable space for the alpha to sleep on. He needed to sleep on his decision; the morning would bring more clarity.
The morning brought no more clarity. John barely slept last night, trying to think about what to do, and once he had fallen asleep, Bonnie woke him up for breakfast. He fed her and sat, scrolling on his phone as he ate a simple breakfast. He was heavily conflicted on what to do about Simon. Gaz texting him brought him out of his thoughts.
Gaz
So what are you thinking about, Simon? Price wants to know.
John
Honestly, I don’t know.
Gaz
Really, dude, this is the perfect opportunity.
John
You’re right, I’m just worried.
Gaz
About what?
John
I’m worried I’ll get attached.
Gaz
And that’s bad because…
John
Everyone will want me to get rid of him when I’m done.
I want a partner, not something temporary.
Gaz
So then don’t sell him.
John
But everyone will expect me too.
Gaz
Screw them, it’s your life and your decision.
John
That’s true
John
Tell Price I’ll be there today.
Gaz
YES!!
Telling Gaz his decision made him more confident in what he had said. John really wanted a companion, and while he always thought that would be an omega or a beta, things don’t always go according to plan.
The more he thought about it, the more excited he was. John quickly realized he had no supplies for the alpha besides the cage and mat. What did they even need? He looked it up and quickly realized their needs were very similar: food, water, clothing, and things to wash oneself. There were some stark differences, though, like the muzzle required when they were outside the house, along with a leash to attach to a collar.
He went out shopping for basic supplies, anything more extravagant or extra he could get later. John bought a dark leather muzzle that clipped around and over his head to the collar on his throat. The collar was the same dark color, with sharp lines that would fit him nicely. The leash he bought was short and made of dark leather. It would clip on perfectly to the muzzle and collar.
It was an unspoken rule that omegas with alphas would always try to one-up each other. This included what the alpha wore and showed off. A muscular physique was common among alphas, but people exacerbated it with the diet and rigorous exercise they subjected them to.
Most didn’t put a shirt on their alpha, and the long skirts commonly worn by the alphas were often sheer. John didn’t stray from this; he guessed the sizing and hoped for the best. He could always make him go naked; there wasn’t any rule that forbade it. When he had everything at home and felt fully prepared, he left for Pit Stop Games.
The tent was precisely as he had left it, small and dusty. Unlike when he last went, plenty of cars were parked, and he could hear the shouting of omegas and betas betting on the fights happening.
The closer he walked, the more he could hear the alphas snarling and biting at each other. It was unsettling, and he hoped Simon was still as gentle as he had been. The doors that had been open previously were now shut, and the only way to enter was up a staircase and through a massive doorway.
The stairs creaked as he climbed, and he vaguely thought about how the arena was one small gust away from falling apart. The doorway opened to the viewing deck where omegas and betas had gathered to watch.
The fight happening was gruesome, and one of the alphas fighting was bleeding heavily and looked about ready to drop. Dark red blood dripped out of the other alpha's mouth like the alpha had bitten and torn into the other one. John shed his gaze from the scene when someone tapped on his shoulder.
Price stood, smiling, and gestured for him to follow. Price led him to an office space with only a small fan attempting to bring down the heat. Sweat rolled down his back from nerves and the oppressive heat. Price sat in the chair behind the desk, leaving the one in front empty for John.
“Gaz told me you were planning to buy Simon.” Price tried to hide his smile. “I was hoping that you would. Truth be told, since he stopped fighting, I’ve been having trouble arguing for keeping him. I was hoping I could get him a good home.”
John nodded and gestured to the papers scattered on his desk, “Is there a lot of paperwork to get him?”
“Not a ton, since we found him wandering, he doesn’t have papers. We just need to set up how you’ll pay and get him out of our system.”
“Okay, sounds good.” He clenched his hands together tightly, waiting for Price to get the paperwork together. He pointed to the places he needed to sign, then handed him a pen.
Price was right when he said it wouldn’t take long. It flew by, and the next thing he knew, they had finished paperwork and were heading to the back, where the company kept the alphas.
Walking into the room, the first thing he noticed was the smell. It wasn’t the specific scent of the alphas; it was the smell of uncleaned bodies, old food, and different body excretions. He almost gagged on the thick cloud of stench.
John didn’t know how Price could stand that smell day in and day out. Price led John down a narrow pathway with cages of varying sizes. Inhumane was the only word he could think of. Alphas curled up to fit inside the small cages, rattling the bars and snarling at him.
Simon was no exception to being curled up in the cage. He was quiet, staring up at them with wide eyes from the crate that forced him to lie on the ground. A muzzle secured tightly around his face. John felt pity fill him the longer he stared at those gentle eyes that spoke of mistrust.
Price opened the crate, attaching the leash he had brought to the collar Simon already had on. Simon climbed out willingly, and John’s eyes widened when he realized how tall Simon is. Price handed him the leash, and John didn’t have to tug for the big alpha to follow. They exited through the office and down the stairs, which felt like one harsh step away from breaking.
“I’ll check on you in a few days and see how things are going.” Price yelled from his space on the top of the staircase.
John waved him off and settled Simon in the seat next to him in the car. Being in a car with someone so big yet quiet was unsettling. The drive was slightly awkward, with John trying to breathe through his mouth so he couldn’t smell Simon's stench. He didn’t know how to interact with Simon and hoped that, with time, they would find a way to communicate.
When they reached home, John walked out of the car expecting Simon to open his door and follow, but when he turned, the man was still sitting where he had left him.
He sighed and left the door open where he had unlocked it for them. John could hear Bonnie running for the door and silently hoped she would stay close. Simon just stared at him from where he was sitting in the car, making no move to open the door.
He knew that Simon could tell he was slightly irritated. The alpha tilted his head in question. John rolled his eyes and walked out there to open the door. He grabbed the leash still around Simon and pulled him forward into the house.
Bonnie was waiting at the door for him when she caught sight of Simon. She lunged forward, barking at him and snapping at his heels. Simon tried to let out a growl, but he choked and caught on it. He stepped away quickly, pulling at the leash John had him on. John finally stepped between them, bodily blocking Bonnie from getting to Simon.
“Bonnie, no.” John snapped his fingers and pointed at her bed near the couch. “Go place.” He thought momentarily she wouldn’t obey him, but she turned and sat on the bed, staring intently at them. The alpha’s breathing was heavy as he tried to calm himself.
Simon kept his eyes on Bonnie, following John obediently. He took him through his room and straight to the bathroom. He took the leash off, started the shower, let it warm up, and turned back to Simon. John removed and held the showerhead, tilting it toward the shower wall. He only wore a pair of flimsy shorts that had maybe been white at some point but had long since turned brown.
“Alright, Simon, pull the shorts off and get into the tub.”
The alpha followed his instruction, standing in the tub. Simon had his eyes shut tight, and his muscles tensed like he was bracing himself for the water. Not wanting to scare him, John aimed the water at his legs, slowly bringing up his body.
Simon’s eyes shot open with surprise and looked at the water curiously. John would give anything to know what the alpha was thinking.
The dirt that had caked on his skin came off in clumps, leaving his skin pale. Small spots stubbornly stained him. He got a rag wet and scrubbed soap onto it. John brushed the rag softly over his body, trying to be gentle on the barely healed wounds.
He scrubbed harder on the parts where his skin seemed stained with the dust and dirt. The bottom of his shower was brown with specks of red mixed in from where a few of his cuts had opened back up. Simon didn’t flinch when he touched the reopened wounds.
He gently washed around the cuts on his body. Scars covered his body, most of which looked old and hadn’t healed well. One sat on his neck, where the collar would hide it. The scar was thick and looked like the only one that had been adequately cared for.
The small scar holes showing where the stitches used to be. It didn’t have a raised texture like the others; this one had some kind of scar cream applied to it. John raised his hand to graze his fingers against the scar. Simon’s body locked up, his fight or flight instincts kicking in. John yanked his hand back quickly, not wanting to stress Simon out more.
No matter how much Simon looked like he was ready to bolt, he stood still for him; his body was still tense, becoming tighter when he found sore spots on his body. He’d have to take him to the doctor to get him looked at. He finished washing Simon’s body off, but parts of him were a bit red from the scrubbing. Now, to tackle the mess of Simon’s hair.
“Simon, kneel for me so I can get at your hair.” He told the alpha.
Simon was quick to follow the order. He slammed down fast enough that John winced for his knees. The alpha flinched, and John noticed the slight pinkish tint to the water around his knees. He’d have to bandage it when they finished. He tilted Simon’s head back, using the shower head to get the hair wet.
It was long and knotted, and he’d have to clean it the best he could before taking him to a hair stylist to unknot it and cut the hair shorter. He noticed a dark tattoo around his ear as he moved his hair. It was a series of numbers, 64057. He was curious about it as he knew Price didn’t use identification tattoos on the alphas. John ignored it for now.
The muzzle on his face was tight, the skin around it pushed to the edge. It had to hurt with how it turned his face slightly red. John felt somewhat nervous about taking the alpha’s muzzle off. It had to be done at some point, so he needed to get over himself.
He didn’t think Simon would immediately snap and attack him, but he also didn’t know Simon well. He took a deep breath to steady himself, gently moving to unbuckle the muzzle on the back of his head. It came off, but not without peeling away at some of the soft skin on his face.
He winced at the top layer of skin that peeled off. It had to sting, but Simon showed no emotion. There was a shallow gash that sat at the edges of where the muzzle sat. The red lines weren’t deep enough to bleed freely, but they looked like they stung.
John put the showerhead back and began to work shampoo into his hair. His hands caught in the tangles and knots, and he tried to work around them as best as possible. His hair had blood flecks, and his scalp felt like a mess of small gashes.
The shampoo in his hair turned brown from his scrubbing. John tilted Simon’s head back and washed the shampoo off, keeping the soap out of his eyes. His hair, which John had thought was light brown, was actually light blonde. He didn’t think Simon’s hair was clean, so he added shampoo again and washed until it came away clean when he rinsed.
It looked cute on him with his big cow eyes. Cleaned up, he looked a lot less scary. He didn’t think he could properly condition his hair, so he left it for the hairdresser to address after his doctor's appointment.
He dried the alpha off and pulled out the med kit he kept under the sink. He gestured for him to sit on the toilet. As he sat, John got a better look at the gash on his knees from where he had slammed to the floor of the tub. They were bleeding sluggishly but didn’t seem to be too deep.
John found some Neosporin in a small tube inside the med kit. He kneeled before the alpha, pulling a wet rag out to pat around the cuts. John dabbed the Neosporin on the gashes, slightly pulling away when Simon’s leg tensed at the sting. John petted the sides of his legs, trying to soothe him.
John pushed the alpha’s legs apart to stand between them, gently taking hold of Simon’s chin and tilting his head up. He hadn’t earned it in the slightest, but Simon looked at him with trust. John slightly smiled at him, Simon tilting his head slightly in his hand at the gesture.
The omega let go of his face to grab the Vaseline out of his medkit for his face. He spread the jelly across his face over the red lines that cut into his skin. Simon’s face relaxed in his hands, letting out a deep sigh. The Vaseline doing its job, soothing the wounds.
The collar on his throat was wet and gross-looking. He took it off and saw the red, irritated skin beneath it. It hadn’t broken skin, but the rash looked uncomfortable. John lightly touched it, but Simon flinched away, flashing his teeth momentarily. He was surprised when he didn’t feel scared at the display, only sadness.
“Sorry, Simon.” He apologized quietly.
John dipped his hand back into the Vaseline, grabbing a chunk to spread across his throat. The Vaseline must’ve been soothing because the alpha leaned into his touch, welcoming the cooling sensation of the jelly. With the medical problems he could take care of out of the way, he could see sleep pulling at Simon. His blinks were getting longer, and his head dropped more of its weight into John’s palm.
“Alright, Simon, let’s get you in bed.” He led the alpha toward the cage that sat in his room.
He felt a little bad about putting Simon in a cage after he had not made any aggressive moves toward him. He decided that the alpha would sleep outside the cage once he was more used to Simon.
The alpha followed him out of the bathroom but stopped when he spotted Bonnie lying on John’s bed. John didn’t reprimand him for not following and grabbed a pair of soft pants he bought for Simon to sleep in. Simon put them on but kept his eyes on Bonnie.
“Bonnie, come,” John called her over, putting his hand up in a fist to signal for her to sit.
She listened but sniffed in Simon's direction, still seeming unsure of him. Simon, for his part, hadn’t moved but had this tense look about him that showed he would run if she came after him again. John placed his hand behind Simon’s back and gently pushed him toward her. He moved a few steps and stopped an arm's length away.
“Crouch down and tilt your hand face up toward her.” The alpha followed his instruction, his hand only shaking slightly.
Bonnie sniffed around his hand, her tail wagging slowly but quickly gaining speed. She looked like she was struggling to stay in the sit John had told her to stay in. Simon smiled at her, the first smile John had seen on his face. It looked nice on him, showing off his large canines that somebody cared for despite the rest of him.
He let her out of the sit once he was sure Bonnie and Simon would interact positively. She launched herself at him, picking up her feet and placing them on his shoulders so she could lick at his face. Simon tried to laugh, John could tell, but what came out was more of a raspy breath.
“Alright, Bonnie, let him breathe.” He pulled her back, letting Simon continue petting her.
Simon tensed slightly when John moved his hair out of the way and placed a hand on the back of his neck. He wasn’t expecting to meet skin with the gnarled feeling of scar tissue. John quickly removed his hand, not interested in pushing Simon.
“C’mon, big guy, it’s late.” Simon followed willingly into the cage, where John held the door.
Simon didn’t look put off by the mattress on the floor or the thick, folded blanket with a pillow on top. If where he had got him from was any indication, Simon likely hadn’t had any better in his life. John left him be and shut the light out to lie down himself.
Simon had never felt more comfortable in his life. He was nervous when John came to pick him up, but he obeyed and kept his cool. He still slept in a cage, but this one he could stand in; hell, he could fully spread out if he wanted to.
He felt a rumble build up in his chest, but he suppressed the urge. It would only agitate his throat. Simon wished he could tell John how thankful he was for his kindness. For the first time in his life, Simon felt clean and safe.