Big Poppa ~ Part II

13.
“I always thought Jean was a cat-person...” Poppa had frowned at the news Delwyn told him, about Jean having a dog. “I never thought Siarl would want to have a mutt in his club either. Are you sure? What did he say?”

“He mailed me Siarl has given him a puppy,” Delwyn said with a grin. “Blond, sweet, and a real cuddle, he said. His name is Pryce, and he’s really fond of him. So apparently, we’ll have a dog at Christmas.”

“I hope he’s trained enough to do his needs outside,” Poppa muttered. “Far from the lake, preferably. Say, we will see them soon, don’t we? I thought they were coming earlier than the holidays, to check that new built next to ours?”

“Oh, yes. They’ll be with us next weekend. No plans have been changed. You don’t mind, do you? Of having a dog over? They’re like kids, you know... and you are very good with kids.”

“Good. We can feed an orphanage with all that food you bought. I wouldn’t want it to go to waste.” At the other questions, he thought for a moment. “Well, as long as Jean takes care of it, I’m okay. He didn’t send you a photo? Is it big?”

“No, he didn’t tell me the breed either. But it’s blond, so perhaps it’s a Labrador? We’ll see, won’t we?”

“Yeah, we’ll see. We have to leave now, pretty, or we’ll be late for work.”

Delwyn sighed. He didn’t really want to go to work. Despite Poppa’s assurance they wouldn’t talk about their marriage, he felt like they talked behind his back all the time. He was so glad he worked together with the big man... He would never keep up without him at his side.

*

“Mm...” Poppa sniffed in the fresh air of the lake, and groaned pleased. “I love this place,” he said, to no one in particular. He turned to the cabin, checking the built next to it. As it was all prefab, building the proper foundation had taken most of the time. They had really hurried to get it done before the frost, and now the cabin could rise. With a bit of luck the other couple could spend New Year’s Eve in their own hut.

“Oh, the tub is here! Did you know that?”

“Mm. No, I didn’t. I guess the workers have accepted it for us. It looks nice, doesn’t it? You can not only feed an orphanage, you can bathe one too!”

Delwyn pushed up at the round side, looking in. He yelled, listening for an echo. It sure was big enough for it.

Even Poppa was impressed. “Very nice... I’m glad they didn’t put it on the porch. We wouldn’t have room to sit.”

“Let’s fill it before they arrive, shall we?” Delwyn opened the door, dragging a bag with him. “Then it can heat up, so we can have a dip after dark.”

“Good idea. It will probably take hours to fill and warm up.” He had picked up a thick envelop from the porch, containing the manual. He would check that out first thing, while Delwyn prepared the cabin for the weekend. It was special, to have their friends over. Since their weekend was on Monday and Tuesday, and they had a lot of work to do, they wouldn’t spend every weekend of the year together.

“Poppa...?”

“Yes, pretty?” Poppa was reading, peering through reading specs. He glanced over them. “What’s bothering you, love?”

Delwyn waved the worries away. “They’re not nice, at work. But that’s alright. I just wondered if we could live here also during the week...? I adore this place. It’s private.”

Poppa pulled his glasses off, and hummed. “You know it’s far away from the shop, pretty. You already have a hard time getting up early on Monday. Would you really be willing to do that every day?”

With a huff, Delwyn sat down. “I would do anything to be at peace,” he muttered. “I’m so sick at all those people, looking at me as if I’m a... a...” He couldn’t find the proper word, and sighed. “You have no problems, Poppa,” he continued. “No one ever dares to stare at you, or talk behind your back. But I have the feeling I’m looked at all the time. It’s not nice, you know... It stresses me out, when I leave the house. I’m glad we have no dog, like Jean. I wouldn’t be able to go to the park alone, at all.”

“Baby...” Poppa reached out, to take his hand. “You really shouldn’t stress like that. People don’t talk behind your back. It’s all in your head. No one judges you, no one despises you. I’m sure about it.”

Delwyn sighed again, nodding. “I really should see someone about my issues, shouldn’t I?” he asked quietly, glancing up. “I really hate that whole coming-out thing. I only feel at ease with you and Jean. And Siarl. I’m not ready for the real world yet.”

“You’ve been hiding for twenty-four years. You can’t expect you feel at ease just like that, can you? You shouldn’t force yourself. Take your time. And you shouldn’t hide in this cabin either, because that won’t help you, will it?”

“No.” Delwyn had to admit it was a bad idea. He would crawl back in that closet, in a way. “Okay, we won’t live here.” He heard a car outside, driving up and parking. “I believe our dog-owners are here...” He stood up to open the door. One minute later, he called out to his lover again.

Poppa quickly stood up. Delwyn didn’t sound right. And as he saw the ‘dog’, he knew exactly what the young man was feeling.

*

Siarl and Jean greeted their friends as if nothing was wrong. They were both dressed to impress, but good for a stay in the woods, and they walked around to see the progress on their cabin, making happy comments about it. As he saw the hot tub, Jean squealed. “Look at that! It’s huge!”

Poppa and Delwyn followed the two, mainly with their eyes, pressed up to each other. They couldn’t keep their eyes off the slender, blond man on the leash, following Jean everywhere he went. Poppa backed away one step as Delwyn’s best friend stopped in front of him, his eyes flashing to the ‘dog’. Finally, he couldn’t help himself any longer. “I don’t know you, anymore,” he growled. “Siarl, what the fuck have you been up to?”

The dark-haired man leaned against the balustrade of the porch, looking very much at ease, as always. “I gave my lover a dog,” he said calmly. “He wanted one, remember? It’s called Pryce.”

“It? You say ‘it’? That’s a man!” His hand trembled as he pointed at the meek blonde. “You gave him a slave? And you brought him here? Jesus!” He jerked away, and legged back inside, slamming the door shut.

Delwyn winched. “Uhm... Maybe you should have told us. Don’t you think...?”

“Maybe, yes...” Siarl sighed as he pushed away. “I’ll see if I can talk to him, alright? You enjoy yourselves out here for a moment.”

Quiet as the man got inside as well, Delwyn waited until the door was closed. “Jean,” he then sighed, shaking his head. “Poppa is right. We don’t know you.”

Jean’s eyes teared up. “Don’t say that! You’re my best friend, Del... Please! It hurts me when you say something like that!”

Delwyn looked at his friend’s hands, fiddling nervously with the leash. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Okay, Jean... Unleash him, and we’ll talk. Can you do that?”

“Of course,” Jean muttered, unclasping the leash. “He won’t run away, you know... He’s really sweet,” he wanted to continue, but he shut up as Delwyn raised a hand. “Sorry. You go first.”

Delwyn walked to the slave, and took good look at him. The green eyes looked back, but not straight in his eyes, and he saw the slight smile. “Do you think it’s amusing?” he asked, scowling. “I’m sorry, but I’m not used to this whole master-and-slave stuff. I’m in a healthy relationship with the man I love and adore. We don’t need collars and tags.”

Pryce looked down. He looked at Delwyn’s ring, and looked up again.

Delwyn gasped. “Oh no,” he said. “That is not the same. We’re married!”

Jean stepped next to Pryce, running his hand through his hair. The slave moved his head into the hand like a real dog, smiling a bit more obviously. “Take it easy with him, will you?” he said softly. “He’s my best friend since forever.”

Pryce nodded. He stepped forward, up to Delwyn, and before the blonde could pull back, he wrapped his arms around him. He put his head against his chest. Delwyn froze to the spot, stunned for a moment. When he could control his muscles again, he grabbed the slave at the shoulders, and pushed him away. “I’m not ready for this,” he said under his breath. “Jean, can we talk in private?”

“No.” Jean tugged at the collar. “Pryce is at my side. Relax, man... He won’t judge you. He likes you, don’t you?”

Pryce nodded frantically.

“Gods... Can he talk?”

“Yes, of course he can. But he will only speak when spoken to. He’s trained, you know.”

“Trained.” Delwyn snorted. “I can’t begin to imagine what he’s trained to do. It’s probably more than sit up and beg, and fetch.”

“He can do all that, if I want him to. Listen, Del, I don’t expect you to accept it as easy as that. But Siarl gave me a present, and I’m very happy with him. It’s great to have such a sweet beauty at my side in the club.”

“In the club, yes. But this is a cabin at a lake, for Christ sake. We don’t keep slaves here. Couldn’t you let him stay at the club?” Delwyn watched the young man being petted by Jean, and he was certain those expensive pants bulged up at the mere touch. “You sleep with him, don’t you?”

“Of course. He’s mine. I can do whatever I please.”

“Then don’t call him your ‘dog’,” Delwyn said. “That’s one thing I beg of you. Is he your lover?”

“No.” Jean nuzzled the slave’s cheek. “But I love him, and he loves me. Don’t you?” Again that serious nodding. “Siarl is my lover, Del. Like Poppa is yours. It’s just...” Jean shrugged. His hand was slowly stroking Pryce’s back and butt, much to the slave’s pleasure. He grew some more, Delwyn noticed. “It’s just that Pryce is there for me all the time. Siarl is glad he can leave me alone to work. He’s a busy man. I only distracted him.”

“So... What do you do with him...?” Delwyn couldn’t believe it himself, but he was intrigued.

Jean chuckled. “We’ll go into details, if you like. But I think we should see if Poppa is alright, don’t you agree? I wouldn’t want him to chuck us out.”

Turning on his heels, Delwyn hesitated for a moment. “Yes,” he eventually agreed. “Let’s see if Poppa is alright." He turned, and opened the door. Afterward, he wouldn’t be able to tell how he knew he had to duck.

Four men were looking worriedly at the pale figure on the porch. Jean was nearly crying, as he caressed the face with his hands. “Pryce! Wake up, please!”

“He will be fine,” Poppa rumbled, tilting his head. “He’s not dead, Jean... Has he eaten anything today?”

“Yes, Poppa, he has eaten!” Jean jerked his head to the big man. “He is unconscious, Poppa, because you threw a steel pan to my lover’s head!”

“I missed him, didn’t I?” Poppa shrugged. “I didn’t know Delwyn would open the door. Good reflex, pretty...”

“Fuck that, Poppa! You knocked out Pryce!”

The mechanic sighed, looking from Jean -angry- to Siarl -amused- and to Delwyn. As he saw his lover’s pleading eyes, he sighed deeper. “Oh, alright,” he gave in, rolling his eyes. “Let’s get him inside, and make a cup of tea for him.” He leaned down, lifting Pryce up in his arms. Just at that moment, the blonde opened his eyes, looking up. He was a bit groggy, but he smiled at Poppa. The man smirked. “See? He’s awake. But let’s get that tea anyway.”

Jean ran after Poppa, and knelt next to the sofa as the man put his little slave down. “How do you feel?” he asked, worriedly. “We will give you a cup of tea, and then you’ll be alright again, won’t you?”

Siarl sat down in the sofa, quietly watching them. He still looked amused. Delwyn followed his man to the kitchen area. “Why did you throw that frying pan?” he whispered.

“Because I was mad,” Poppa shrugged. “I was angry, Delwyn. We’re building a cabin next to ours, for our friends. We expected to have a good time with our best friends. We never expected them to bring their work with them, did we? That’s a slave, that is!”

“Yes.” Delwyn sighed, leaning against the sink. “I know what you mean. Suddenly it seems like bad idea, doesn’t it? They ask a lot from us, confronting us with their lifestyle like that.”

Poppa looked up, an eyebrow pulling up. “Are you mocking me?”

“What? No! Why do you say that?”

Turning to the lounge, Poppa looked at Jean sitting next to Pryce, and Siarl sitting like a true and noble Master. “It’s a lifestyle,” he repeated.

“Well, yes... I think it is, in a way. Isn’t it?” Delwyn wasn’t sure he got it right.

“It is a lifestyle, yes. Like we have, with our marriage and settling and peace. They are doing something like us, only... different. Hm.”

Delwyn hummed too. If you put it that way, it suddenly didn’t sound as bad anymore. The kettle brought them back, and they finished the tea. Delwyn brought the cookies with him. They went to the lounge, to have a peaceful cup of tea.