It'd been about a week since Charlie moved in when a problem arose.
"You can't sleep with Jing," Ryan ordered.
Charlie, who was in his human form, cocked his head. "Why not? You sleep with Ms. Shadow most nights."
"That's different," he insisted. "She's a pet."
"So am I," Charlie replied.
Ryan shook his head. "You have a human mind- it's different."
"Please consider it. I get nightmares if I sleep alone."
Ryan's fingers paused on his keyboard. He'd been typing in his credit card to order clothes for Charlie, but that could wait. He knew his dogboy servant had...
issues
and he wanted to accommodate. He looked over at where he lounged on the couch across the room, having completed miscellaneous chores around the apartment. Jing had left after his Friday Zoom class, meaning he was free to roam the apartment on two feet.
"Seriously?"
A nod. "Seriously," he echoed back.
Ryan resumed typing. "Okay, but you have to stay in your animal form. Deal?"
Charlie's tail thumped against the couch. "Deal."
~~~
A few weeks went by and nothing remarkable happened. The two men fell into a routine that aroused little to no suspicion from the oblivious party. Jing absolutely doted on Charlie- taking him on a walk every week day, rain or shine. Ryan sometimes wondered if Jing should've found Charlie instead- he was much better at talking to people. Plus, Charlie wouldn't have to leave his country at the end of the semester.
He figured it didn't matter now- even if he did want to hand Charlie over he knew the poor guy would take it personally. For Charlie, Ryan was his whole world- and while he tried to encourage autonomy, he had to admit he liked the attention. Growing up an only child, there was always a distance between him and others. Even with Evan, there'd been a gap that grew and grew until one conversation had everything crumble apart.
But with Charlie, things were different. He was always chatting him up, trying to get to know him better. He changed Ms. Shadow's litter and did the laundry and cooking, allowing Ryan to put a little extra time into his studies. Charlie also joined Ryan's Friday night ritual of watching TV late into the night. As expected, Charlie was unfamiliar with new TV shows. On the other hand, he was very knowledgeable about older shows which Ryan hadn't seen before, his two favorites being Golden Girls and Cheers.
They were going to watch the latter when Ryan ran into Evan's Instagram story. The girl he had dated before him was beaming into the camera, holding a baby in her arms.
"Is something wrong?" Charlie piped up.
"Yeah, no- it's fine."
Charlie sniffed the air. "You smell different," he said. "Let me know if there's anything I can do."
Ryan stood up, clicking his tablet off and placing it face down on the coffee table. "Have a drink with me," he said. He watched as Charlie's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion.
"Pardon?"
"You heard me. I'll be right back."
He returned with a bottle of strawberry vodka and two shot glasses.
"Master, do you think this is a good idea? If-"
"I'm fine." He poured two shots and downed both- then a third.
"You're turn. You don't have to, though."
"I'll pass, if that's alright."
Ryan gave him a pair of lazy finger guns. "No problemo."
~~~
Something was definitely bothering Master Ryan, but he wasn't sure what. He knew him well enough not to pry, but that did nothing to help his curiosity.
He watched as Ryan's glazed over eyes stared at the screen, thoughtful but unfocused.
"I get lonely sometimes," he blurted out.
"Oh?" Charlie said.
A sleepy nod. "I miss my ex."
"Your ex-wife?"
"What? No, no no. I'm
way
too young for that shit. Also, I'm gay- but don't tell Jing."
Charlie could've mentioned that he didn't talk to Jing, anyway, but he wasn't one to backtalk one of his masters- so he merely nodded. "Alright."
He took another shot- that was his seventh. Alcohol didn't affect him but he was well-acquainted with the effects via secondhand experience. He had no idea why humans drank the stuff when all it seemed to do was make them stupid, sad or "happy". Sometimes, not even that- if they drank too much they could get sick and die.
Ryan took another shot.
That made eight.
"What was your ex like?" he asked.
A moment of silence.... Then, an answer.
"Warm." He turned around and placed his legs on top of Charlie's as he sprawled out across the couch. He craned his face to look up at him.
"Is this okay?" he asked.
"Yes." Charlie paused the show. He turned his attention toward the alcohol. Maybe if he drank it all, Ryan wouldn't get more? "I'll have some, actually."
Ryan's face lit up. "Really? Good, good~ There's more in the kitchen if vodka's not your style." He pointed a thumb lazily behind him.
"No, this is fine." He took a large swig of the foul-tasting drink. The sweetness did nothing for the sharp taste. "Blech! Ugh...."
Master Ryan erupted into giggles. It was the happiest he'd seen him throughout the entire time he'd known him, which was a problem. He should be like this more often without it taking several drinks. Charlie made a mental note to work on that, and took solace in the fact that Ryan's capability for laughter had been confirmed.