[O] Trapped

Chester squeaked as Aleksandr entered the room and knelt at his feet.

He looked down at the man with worry, this was wrong, and he could feel the surge of emotion rolling off of the man.

"Master..."

He whispered, leaning over and cradling his head as he pressed soft kisses to his forehead.

His hands ran through his hair tenderly, trying to sooth him as much as possible.

It was the gentle kiss and strokes that set Alek off.

His shoulders shook in loud, wet sobs as his tears and snot (something that he hadn't had when crying for a long, long time) wetting Chester's bare chest.

He didn't deserve this gentleness.

Chester whimpered as his strong, able Master crumbled in his arms.

The man had always seemed so unwavering, so in control.

The boy lowered himself onto his knees and wrapped his arms around the man tightly, hugging him close.

"It's alright Master, it will be alright..."

He muttered, pressing kisses to the man's neck as tears smeared up his body and over his shoulder, being covered in his Master's tears, it was something very few Slaves would ever experience.

"Not this time."

It couldn't be all right this time, no matter how many sweet words he was graced with.

He'd condemned one of the most important people to him to a slow and uncomfortable death that he couldn't bring himself to lift.

Chester frowned softly, a knowing look in his soft gaze.

Aleksandr hadn't been alright since the day he had crawled back into bed bloodied and bruised.

He hadn't asked what had happened, even after the night he was sure all the wolves in the coven were brought to their knees by his command.

He had heard Aleksandr's shout from all the way upstairs that night and he couldn't stop himself from falling to the ground even though the order wasn't directed at him, he had heard others around the coven saying the same thing, they had heard it and they hadn't been able to stop themselves.

Who ever it was that Aleksandr had down there was tearing his Master apart emotionally.

If he had been allowed to he would have gone down there himself and scolded who ever it was until he was red in the face.

"What happened?"

He asked softly, stroking his hair, his face and his back as the man sobbed, he carried the world on his shoulders and now it was crushing the man.

Alek shook his head slowly as he raised an arm to wipe his nose in a very inelegant way, smearing snot up his forearm.

He didn't want to say it out loud.

It would make him feel even more sick.

He hardly wanted to remember it as it was, let alone dredge the newly formed memories up.

"Master... I've never second guessed your judgement at all, or even questioned it..."

The boy chewed his lip for a moment as he held onto the most dear person in the world to him.

Speaking out like this, scared him beyond belief, but he couldn't watch this any more.

"But what ever it is that you're doing down there... it's tearing you apart, please stop...I couldn't stand to lose you."

He wanted his happy, carefree Aleksandr back.

"It's ending," the tall man sighed softly, pulling away from the boy and pushing himself to his feet.

He stepped around Chester and moved to lay on the bed, pulling a pillow down to cover his head as he heaved a heavy sigh.

"Very soon."

Within a matter of days.

Chester moved to grab a hand towel and wipe down his chest and shoulder before slowly crawling up onto the bed and cuddling in behind the man, wrapping a small arm around him protectively.

"Will you be happy again then?"

He asked, a hesitant little smile gracing his lips. That was all any Slave ever wanted, for the one they served and cared for to be happy and healthy.

At the moment he knew Aleksandr was neither of those things.

The man gave a soft non-committal grunt.

Would he be happy after killing off Zephyros?

Of course not. This was something that weighed far too heavily on his shoulders.

But he had given the man an ultimatum and he had chosen. Going back on that would make him weak.

Chester gave a soft sigh and pressed a kiss between the man's strong shoulders, just below his neck before nuzzling in against him.

"Is there anything I can do to make this easier on you?"

If he could ease Aleksandr's suffering, even just a little bit, he would do it.

Chances were there was nothing he could do, but he would sure as hell try his best.

"Water," Alek murmured softly into the pillow.

"Give him some water."

With water the man could live just a little longer. as cruel as making him live longer was, the longer he lived, the longer he could try and put off the guilt he felt for killing him.

Water.

It dawned on the boy what could be happening, Aleksandr was very clear with his requests and orders.

If he only said water, he only meant water, no food, the man wouldn't overlook something like that.

"Do you want me to make him comfortable?"

He asked softly, he could easily bring down some blankets for the man, he had seen the cells in the dungeon, they weren't exactly homely.

"He'd bite your hand off if you tried."

Alek gave a soft, humourless chuckle.

Zephyr had made his metaphorical bed and he was determined to lie in it. He had always been like that.

He didn't expect that to have changed.

Chester nodded softly and pressed another kiss to the man.

"I'll go bring him some water, Master I think you should rest."

He murmured softly, his hand stroking over the man's back slowly as he moved to get dressed.

He didn't want to venture down to the dungeon naked without his Master right beside him.

"I love you."

He muttered, as he shuffled off of the bed.

Chester was met with another soft sigh at the suggestion.

That was all he could do right now. Just lay around and rest and wait for it to happen.

His hand raised to press over the pillow still covering his face.

Could he smother himself? It would make dealing with this easier, at the very least.

His idle thoughts drifted away at Chester's soft words. "I love you, too," he murmured softly.

Chester gave a soft, warm smile as he pulled on a fresh change of clothes, it had been a long while since he had actually had to get dressed.

Once he was dressed he headed out to the kitchen to grab some bottles of water, enough that they would last a few days.

He had to admit as he walked down the stairs to the dungeon he was filled with nervous excitement.

That took on an edge of fear when he saw the shattered wall.

The man he saw inside when he wandered into the back of the dungeon was not what he had expected at all, the way he held himself, despite sitting in a large cage, he still looked formidable and proud.

The man never acknowledged his existence as he placed the bottles through the bars of the cage and left them on the ground.

"Aleksandr sent me to give you water..."

He muttered, getting only a grunt in return. The boy's cheeks puffed out as he let out a soft huff, stubborn and proud, reminded him of someone.