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Sebastian looked down at his leg, pulling the towel back over it. That had been too much. He looked up at the question, shaking his head.
"No, I'm fine," he said, offering Brenn a smile. He stood, fixing his towel without revealing anything. He looked at the bird on his shoulder, smiling lightly.
"I'll go get dressed, and come get you when I'm ready." He held a finger out to the bird, lifting him down back into the counter and he turned to leave.
Brenn relaxed when the man left, breathing a deep sigh of relief, that had been awkward for him. Too awkward actually. He picked up Moose off the table and headed back to his room, "It's time for you to go take a bit of a nap okay? You've had you fun today, so now it's time for me to have mine." He said softly to him as he closed the door to the bird's cage. "I'll see you later, okay? But now, I guess I have to find a necklace or something, because I don't want to have to wear that collar."
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Sebastian made his way into his room, closing the door. He pulled the towel off, pulling on a casual outfit of dress pants and shirt. He didn't dawn a tie, running his brush through his hair. He took his time. He wanted Brenn to wonder what was going on, if he would actually go out today. He smirked to himself, then let his face fall into indifference. He headed out once he was ready, holding a necklace for Brenn. It was a plain silver chain, the tags from the collar on it.
"Hey, Brennon, did you need help finding a necklace?" He asked, standing in the doorway of the other man's room.
After finding nothing, and honestly just aggravating himself, Brenn flopped down on his bed and opened up a book, about to start reading it. He had laid down on his stomach, facing away from the door, so when he heard Sebastian's voice he jumped slightly. "Y-yeah." He said quietly as he sat up and moved to the edge of the bed, for once meeting the other boy's gaze. "I didn't really see anything among the stuff you had gotten me." As he spoke, he looked Sebastian over in confusion. I thought that we were going out today. . . He thought with a small disappointed frown, But then why did he bring a necklace? Wait. . .my tags -no wait that still feels weird to think about- the tags are on there. So then we should be going out today? He stood up and walked over to Sebastian, his hand outstretched, "I can take the necklace and put it on so we can go." If we are going out that is. . . He didn't want to ask and get Sebastian upset or something, so he just stayed quiet, the only noise being Moose chirping and squeaking from his cage.
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"Ah, here, I've got it," Sebastian said. He walked around to behind Brenn, undoing the clasp and putting it around his neck.
"This necklace can be a bit hard to put on alone," he explained. "It's quite…" Sebastian finessed the necklace ends together, still standing behind Brenn a moment.
"Tricky." He smiled softly, moving around to look Brenn up and down once. "There. Most people wouldn't think twice about you wearing this, but if anyone bumps into us that knows about this situation, this would satisfy them." Sebastian put his hands in his pockets.
"What do you think?"
"Okay, I-I can do it though." He mumbled, Sebastian already putting the necklace on, "I'm sure I could've figured it out. . ." Brenn added, his cheeks turning a light red when he felt Sebastian studying him, looking down at the ground, then looked up when he heard the question from the other boy. He moved over to the mirror by one of the bookshelves and looked at his reflection in the mirror. "I like it, it looks nice." He said as he turned around, "Now, are we ready to go? I want to see the outside, I want to actually do something." Brenn said hapilly as he moved out of the room and to the front door.
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"Yes, we're ready to go." Sebastian smiled, moving to the front door as well. He looked seeing Brenn blush, to do things that could be taken many different ways and see that Brenn always ends up blushing.
"Were would we like to go?" He asked, opening the door. He stepped out, watching Brenn as he waited for an answer. From this point forward, the moment Brenn stepped foot out the door, Sebastian wouldn't let the man out of his sight. There would be constant monitoring, constant appraisal.
"Anywhere honestly, I'm pretty sure that you know about all the fun places in town, don't you?" He said with a small as he followed Sebastian towards the elevator. "The only place my friends and I ever go to is some pizza place, but we can't go there because they might be there and stuff and see me and freak out or something." Brenn said with a shrug, he had been told that his friends had been told some sort of cover story or something so that they wouldn't worry about where he was, but he didn't want to possibly run into them. Wait, if we're going out and stuff, do we still have to act as if we . . .? Brenn glanced over at him, "Do we have to. . .you know, act as though we?" He trailed off awkwardly, unsure if he was making a situation out of nothing. He really didn't want Sebastian to decide that he was going to have to stay in the apartment again today.
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Sebastian lightened as Brenn spoke, looking at him out of the corner of his eye as the came to the elevator.
"We'll stay clear of the pizzeria, then," he said. He pressed the button for the elevator, hand going back in his pocket as he thought of his answer for the second question.
"Well… We'll need some semblance of it, but it won't be near as much as when my friends come over. We'll still be out in public, after all. Just… Keep calm. I'll lead, and set the peace. That should be enough for anyone who see us." Sebastian offered a soft smile, taking Brenn's hand in his own a the elevator started down.
Brenn nodded, listening and agreeing to what Sebastian was saying, "That's fair, I can do that." He mumbled quietly, a slight blush rushing to his cheeks when he felt the other boy take his hand, "I appreciate this though, I've missed the outdoors and actually seeing the city and stuff. I mean, your deck, or rooftop or something is nice, but it's not the same, I miss you know everything I had previously hated." He said with a shrug, as if he knew that what he was saying didn't make sense, "But really, thank you, I mean it."
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Sebastian nodded along as Brenn spoke. He understood what the other was saying. It wasn't hard for him to- he was used to listening to seeming nonsense and extracting the reason from it.
"You're welcome," Sebastian said softly. "Perhaps we could just go on a walk this time, and see what we find along the way." He fixed his shirt collar, a small smile forming on his lips.
Brenn beamed up at Sebastian, sort of meeting his gaze this time, but still avoiding the man's eyes. "That sounds like a lot of fun! I would really like that, I'm sure, just judging by the amount of people I've seen down on these streets and just from the amount of traffic this block gets that there ought to be some nice places out here." He said, enjoying the soft elevator music playing in the background. Then the elevator stopped on one of the floors. Thinking that it was the ground floor - after all, it had been a solid minute since the two had entered the elevevator- Brenn started to get out, but he felt Sebastian pull him back in and he watched as two more guys got into the elevator. At first he didn't recognize them, but from the way the two men were looking at Brenn with somewhat approval, he recognized one of them to be Fabian. Now sort of nervous, Brenn glanced up up at Sebastian, wondering what the boy was going to do.
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Sebastian was quiet as the two men walked into the elevator, offering a silent nod in friendly acknowledgement. He held Brenn's hand still. However, that wasn't all he did now. He wrapped his arm around Brenn's waist, pulling the man close to himself as he still held the man's hand. He wrapped his other arm around Brenn's waist as well, resting his chin on Brenn's head and holding him close.
Sebastian let out a soft hum, his version of a content smile. He knew his face didn't always corporate with him, so he'd come up with cues he could give. He rubbed Brenn's arm a bit, holding him a bit closer.
Brenn sort of had an inkling of an idea that Sebastian was going to do something, but not to that extent. But he tried to hide his surprise and make it seem natural, as if he and Sebastian always cuddled like this, even if they didn't. The two honestly never really interacted, Brenn tried to stay as out of the way as possible, normally spending his time on the window seat of his room, looking out into the city But, he couldn't really hide is blush too much, like at all, and forgetting about trying to make it seem really or whatever started to cover his face in the slleaves of the large cardigan he was wearing. After what seemed like forever to Brenn, but was only a couple of minutes they got to the ground floor and the two other men left quickly, while Brenn stayed nestled in Sebastian's arms, ow sort of enjoying the experience a bit, but still feeling awkward.
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Sebastian stayed still when the two men left a moment. He moved his head down to lightly rest it against Brenn's.
"How are you doing?" He murmured softly into Brenn's ear. He moved Brenn to his side, one arm still around the smaller man. He'd keep up the act for a bit, just in case.
Sebastian started out of the elevator, into the lobby. It was tastefully decorated, the entire place looking expensive. Very expensive. Just like Brenn. An expensive little toy.
Brenn moved a little to smile up at him, "I'm alright." He said quietly, his voice shaking a tiny bit, "I'm really fine." His blush fading a bit, and him now looking like his normal self, his hands now moved from his face and his eyes wide with shock at how expensive-looking the lobby was, "Is this a castle?" He said quietly, not exactly expecting Sebastian to answer or anything. He followed Sebastian out gawking at everything, "And you own this building?" He whispered into his ear, "It looks really expensive. . ." He was honestly yet to really think that Sebastian thought of him as a pet or anything. He figured that they were peers or something, not anything different. But his thoughts were interrupted when he noticed some people looking at the two in confusion, "Why are they looking at us? Do I look funny or something?" He had thought that most people knew about the arrangement or something, or that they at least thought that Sebastian had a boyfriend or something, so all the eyes on him made him feel a bit uneasy.
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Sebastian pulled Brenn a bit closer when he heard the shakiness in his voice. It was more of a knee jerk reaction than anything- Brenn seemed like he wasn't completely fine like he claimed, and needed to be protected.
"Yes, I own all of this," Sebastian said with a soft voice.
"Ah… Well, not everyone who lives here works for me. I'm also not really know for my… Social interactions. They could also be people who know about you, and might be confused as to why you're out of the apartment You look amazing, I promise it's not that."
Brenn grumbled a little bit when he felt Sebastian pull him, and gave him a tiny look of annoyance, "I'm fine, it's not like I'm scared or anything. It's just kind of nerve-wracking to share an elevator with the man who kidnapped you? You know?" He said a bit grumpily under his breath, so that only Sebastian could hear his voice. But he didn't exactly mind being this close to him, it was kind of nice, not that he'd ever admit that.
"Wooooow, you really are rich then?" He said, still kind of surprised about the vastness of this man's wealth, "Wow. . .just wow. . ." He said in complete awe, "But really? You haven't had a partner or something stay at your apartment before? That's kinda sad." He commented, not really thinking about what he was saying, "But even if they know, wouldn't it be okay if I go outside? Doesn't everyone deserve to get to go outside? Even dogs get to, and I don't think I'm a dog, but still if a dog can, why can't I?"
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Sebastian loosened his hold on Brenn then, his face hardening a bit as he moved so they were just holding hands again. That term could apply to himself, after all. In reality, he didn't much care. Brenn had no reason to want to be comforted by Sebastian.
"I don't have time for relationships." Sebastian looked away a moment. He didn't have time for a relationship, but he seemed to have time to keep a human pet.
"And they wouldn't hold it past you to run. I wouldn't either. You've been forced to stay inside a stranger's home for a month, completely trapped. And you've had access to the roof top, many would consider that outside enough."
Brenn smiled a bit, happy to be out of the other man's arms, at least just a little bit. Much better, it's like he has a death grip on me or something. He didn't mind holding hands with him tough, it wasn't too much for him or something, although he would've preferred no contact.
"That's sad, I think everybody should have a somebody to keep them happy and to love them. I mean, I didn't, but I liked it that way, I liked my space. But a guy like you is pretty much everyone's dream guy, you're rich, you're hot, you're kind of nice, but except for the scary mob boss part, you're a good guy, I think. I don't know you all that well." He said with a shrug, "But, I don't want to be caught, and have to have you hurt me, or get killed or something. I may be a fool, but I value my life too. But the rooftop doesn't really count, I don't get to talk to anyone. You haven't let me use a phone or really any devices because you think I'll contact someone, and on the rooftop all I can do is look outside, or swim, that's it, and I can't even bring Moose with me, because he could fly away, since I didn't want his wings to be clipped cause that's mean." He stopped to take a breath, "So I appreciate that you aren't as mean as other people could be."
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Sebastian looked down as they talked, leading Brenn outside with him.
"You think I'm hot?" He asked, glancing at Brenn. He was hyperfocusing on that point. He didn't handle compliments that were to things he could control.
"And I'd rather not have to hurt you, or you be killed either. You're a nice man, you don't deserve that." Sebastian thought a moment.
"We could set up some way for you to communicate with others," he finally said. "So long as you're okay with monitoring when you do."
Brenn nodded awkwardly, now realizing what he had said, "I uhm, yeah. . ." Then regained a bit of his previous confidence to add, "I don't just say things just to say them, if I say you're hot, then I think you're hot, but being hot doesn't mean much of anything really, just means you have a really sexy outward appearance." Then he heard the rest of what the man said, "Wait, does that mean that I could take off running from you right now, and you wouldn't do anything?" He felt Sebastian's grip on his hand tightened and he backtracked a little but, "I'm not saying that I would do that, I was just asking. I mean, that's blatantly defying your rules and stuff. Plus if there isn't any sort of punishment or whatever what's to stop me from trying to leave, or anyone in this position to do so?" He beamed happily at Sebastian, then his smile faded a bit, "But they wouldn't buy any of the lies I'd tell them. . ." Brenn said sadly, "They know me, and they know that I wouldn't just go and live with a guy that they haven't even met, or even go and live with someone. But I thank you, that was sweet of you to offer."
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Sebastian's grip had tightened considerably as he held Brenn's head.
"There would still be punishment," he said, voice low and dangerous. "Just because I don't like the idea, doesn't mean it would happen. And someone might shoot you before I could give the sign not to. My people are everywhere around here, Brenn. They know your face, they know your place. There is no running." Sebastian took a moment to collect himself.
"I'm sorry to hear that," he said softly. "It would be nice for you to be able to talk to your friends."
Brenn's already somewhat pale face -due to being indoors so much- grew a bit more pale when Sebastian explained to him what could happen. "O-oh. . .I, well I don't plan on running at all. I may not like being pent up there all the time, but I mean, knowing what could happen if I tried to escape makes me just try to enjoy it a bit. I guess." He said softly, looking down at the ground, "And it's not like I have a place or something, if you mean by me belonging to you. I don't really, do I?" He said softly, now glancing over at him wanting to see his reaction, "Right? I still belong to me?"
He sighed sadly, shrugging a bit, "It's alright, they probably haven't realized that I'm gone yet, until they decide to go out to lunch, and I'm not there to pay for them. But don't think about it, it's fine."
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Sebastian was quiet a long moment.
"Those don't sound like very good friends." He was avoiding the question. In his own mind, Brenn completely belonged to him. Brenn was his, and he wasn't going to let this man leave him any time soon. And if Brenn ever did try to run… This sweet facade would drop.
There would be no more freedoms.
"It's just how our friendship works I guess, I don't mind the dynamic. I basically babysit them or something, but we have fun and stuff, I guess. They always invite me to hang out stuff, but I mean their ideas of fun and mine are kinda different, by just a little bit. I guess. . ." He said with a shrug, as if it was normal, "But anyways, are you going to answer my question or just ignore me? Also, I hate to bother you, but that restaurant across the street looks really nice, could we stop there? Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeee?"
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Sebastian nodded a bit.
"I understand that. My own friends and I have a stranger's dynamic like that too." Sebastian shrugged. His friends were much more… Overtly aggressive then he was. Sebastian chuckled softly.
"Alright, we can. And… I think it's a bit of both. Between us, your still your own. But with others… You're mine."
Brenn smiled a little bit, then raised an eyebrow looked over at Sebastian, as if he didn't believe him, "I'd like to believe you on that, but I don't know, it doesn't feel like it. But, I'll take your word for it. It's nice to know that I actually not your pet or whatever your friends think I am." He said as he pulled Sebastian over to the crosswalk, "Come on!!!" But Brenn wasn't really sure at all if the man believed his words. He could tell when a person was lying, and it seemed like Sebastian was, just a little bit, but he didn't want to say anything more and offend him. After all, the man was nice enough to let me out, and get me clothes, and protect me, and bring me, Moose. . . Does he like me or something? No kidnapper is that kind, I think. . . Brenn glanced over at him, hoping that Sebastian wouldn't be able to know what his thoughts were.
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Sebastian didn't like that Brenn didn't believe him, not fully at least. He'd need to find a way to convince this man to trust him fully. He followed Brenn into the restaurant, seemingly oblivious to anything Brenn was thinking.
"A table for two," He said to the man waiting at a small podium to seat people. He looked down at Brenn, offering a smile as best he could.
Brenn smiled up back at him, an idea forming in his mind. He had worked here before, and he knew that there was a way out of this building. As they had been walking, he saw the building and an idea struck. Well, somewhat of an idea. It's not like he didn't like living with Sebastian, to a degree, but he also wanted his freedom too. Being stuck in an apartment all day long, and only coming out when Sebastian was in a good mood was not his idea of fun. He followed the waiter to the table, making sure to sit facing the bathrooms so that Sebastian wouldn't be able to see the exit, although it was all the way across the building. He looked down at his hands, which were resting on the table, tapping his fingers ever so lightly. He knew what could happen if he was caught, and he knew that nothing like this would ever happen again if he was brought back, but he wanted his freedom more, he needed his freedom more. "Uhm, Sebastian. . .Could I go to the restroom?"
