Sean lifted his chin defiantly at the mention of his name. He didn't like this 'Mark.' Any man that bought another person was sick in his eyes. Whatever sick pleasure he was getting out of this, he was going to pay for when he got free. Mark tapped the bars with his finger, firmly telling him. "Better get used to these bars with a glare like that. I'm your master. Not your enemy." Sean kicked the bars at Mark's face level. Amy nervously stepped away, anxiously murmuring out. "Oh dear... He's not very well trained." Mark chuckled, replying over his shoulder to her. "He's not trained at all. But I'm going to fix that." When Mark glanced back at him, he told him with a stony expression. "First rule. You show me some respect. I'm not asking for a lot. But you play nice... Or you don't eat. Simple as that." Mark rose to his feet, telling Amy firmly. "Don't interact with him from here on out. Tonight, he goes hungry. That should take some fight out of him." Sean shifted uncomfortably in his cage, his stomach already growling at the smell of food being put on the table.

Listening and watching Mark eat was torture. He hadn't eaten for hours and hadn't drank anything for longer than that. Amy chatted with Mark about the things she did around the house. Then they talked about special items that he wanted her to order. When the hours ticked by and Mark finished his desert. He shifted in his seat to look at Sean. Sean weakly looked away from him, his mouth dry and his stomach aching. Putting up a fight had burned up a lot of his energy. Now he just felt tired and light-headed. Staring numbly at the matt, he considered laying down for a bit. When the soft tapping of the bars drew his attention back to the cage door. Mark held up a round ball of food, asking him curiously. "I'll make you a deal. I take your muzzle off without a fight and you can have a dinner roll. Sound fair enough to you." Sean just looked away from him. Mark let out a heavy sigh, then told him gently. "Sean... I need an answer. My offer expires. Three... Two... One."

Mark climbed to his feet swiftly, muttering out. "Fine. Have it your way. Good Night, Sean." The lights turned out and Sean laid down. He had never been so uncomfortable in his life. Sleeping in a straightjacket gave him shoulder cramps. His legs had to be bent all night long and the house was cold. Wearing nothing but a leather thong made his lower half shiver through the night. On top of that, it was hard to go to sleep with hunger pains. When morning finally came, Sean was exhausted and irritable. Amy's hologram turned on inside the kitchen and she began making breakfast. She didn't once look at him and he hated that. He didn't like being ignored. Mark came down the stairs about an hour later in his white robe, stretching as he greeted Amy nicely. "Morning Peebles. What's for breakfast?" Amy perked up, answering sweetly. "For you, I have bacon, waffles, and honey muffins. For Sean, I made as you requested last night. Oatmeal."

Sean sat up a little in the cage. Was Mark going to let him eat? It all smelled so good. Mark approached the table, asking her curiously. "My coffee?" Amy jumped and quickly snatched the cup off the counter, answering apologetically. "I'm sorry, Master Mark. I made it. I just forgot to put it with your breakfast." Mark took the cup from her, nicely retorting back. "Don't apologize. I know, I changed the schedule around. It will take some getting used to." Sean watched Mark sip his coffee, desperately wanting to lick his own dry lips. When Mark didn't so much as glance in his direction, he resorted to lightly moaning reluctantly. Mark lowered his cup, finally looking at him as he stated aloud. "Good morning, Sean. Sleep well?" Sean groaned, shuffling in the cage restlessly, until he saw Amy bring a plate of warm muffins over to Mark. Sean's stomach growled loudly, causing Sean to bow his head and groan with frustration. He hadn't been this hungry in years. He was beginning to wonder if his insides were eating each other.

Mark took a dog bowl off the table, dipping a finger in to check the temperature of it. Then licking his finger, he moved to kneel in front of the cage. Mark shook the dog bowl a little, asking him softly. "What do say, Sean? You wanna behave enough to eat?" Sean lifted his head, his pride wanted to resist. To hold out... but his body was begging to eat. Closing his eyes, he nodded. Mark very cautiously opened the cage and extended a hand inside. Sean stared at his hand, but submissively lowered his head. Mark's hand touched his head, causing him to inhale sharply. He wasn't used to being touched. Even in the Slums, he tended to hurt those that did touch him. Mark unbuckled the straps one at a time, letting the muzzle fall to the matt. Immediately, Sean licked his dry lips and opened his mouth wide to stretch it. Hanging his head, he smiled to himself. It felt good to have that off. Mark removed the muzzle from the cage, then reached back in slowly. Mark's fingers coaxed him forward. Sean inched forward on cold and stiff legs.

Setting the dog bowl down just inside the cage, Mark told him casually. "Go on. Eat." Sean glared at the mush in the dog bowl, before raising his eyes to tell him stubbornly. "What the fuck is THAT shite?!" Mark nonchalantly shrugged, answering casually. "It's oatmeal. Try it." Sean struggled with his straightjacket, growling out. "I can't. Take this off!" Mark shook his head firmly, upon telling him. "No. I don't trust you yet. You have to earn that. Now bend over and eat. I want that bowl licked clean." Sean clenched his teeth, hissing out bitterly. "Fuck you! I'm not a damn dog!" Mark raised an eyebrow, smugly stating out. "Funny. You wear a collar like one and you're caged up like one. You even have the manners of one." Sean spit at Mark's face, snapping out. "You're sick!" Mark wiped the spit off his cheek, before calmly telling Sean. "Since when does giving a person a home and a hot meal make me sick? Do the Slums have things so backwards?" Sean jerked against the chain that still kept him in the cage.

Taking the dog bowl from the cage, Mark told him in a stern voice. "Fine. I tried to be nice. Now you're going to start being punished for that kind of behavior." Sean huffed defiantly, mockingly purring out. "What are you going to do? Bore me to death? You already don't feed me!" Mark set the bowl on the table, stating out icily. "Whose fault is it that you're going hungry, Sean? I keep offering and YOU keep rebuffing me. I refuse to feed an aggressive dog. I won't reward your bad behavior. That's common sense." Mark removed his robe to reveal his tank top and shorts. Hanging the robe on his chair, he strolled off to one of the first-floor bedrooms. When he came back, Sean saw a large flat clear item in Mark's one hand and a chain leash in the other. Mark cleared off the coffee table in the living room, before moving back to the open cage. Sean raised an eyebrow, panic setting in as he asked him. "Wait... What are you doing?" Mark clipped the leash on him, then unhooked the other chain.

Dragging Sean out of the cage on his knees, he led him over to the coffee table. Sean jerked to bite Mark's hand, only to be backhanded across the table. Sean groaned, spitting blood from his bitten tongue. A firm hand pinned his neck to the table, while the cold flat item pressed against his bare ass. In a clear and loud voice, Mark told him sternly. "Clearly, I have to beat into you some manners." The fact sank in on what Mark was about to do, seconds before the first strike from the paddle struck his ass. Sean jerked over the table with a surprised yelp. Mark held him firmly to the table, taking his time to reset before striking him again with the acrylic paddle. Sean gritted his teeth taking it without too much complaint... until it started to burn. After so many, his ass was getting sensitive to it. Making these bearable strikes become increasingly painful. With another strike, Sean jerked in pain and blurted out desperately. "Stop! Please! I'm sorry..." Sean braced himself for more. He strongly believed that Mark would keep going... but he didn't.

Mark set the paddle down on the table, asking him in a nice voice. "Are you ok?" Sean nodded, hoping that he wouldn't continue. Mark's hand on the back of his neck lifted off, drifting back to rest between Sean's shoulder blades. In a sweet tone, Mark leaned over him to say gently. "Easy now. Relax." Sean stayed still feeling Mark's paddle hand stroke the back of his thighs lovingly. Mark's hand was so warm compared to his cold legs that he rather enjoyed how he rubbed them. After a minute, Mark told Amy casually. "Peebles, fetch me a spare blanket. He's a little cold." Mark's hand then moved to his lower back to pet him, causing Sean to lift his head to ask curiously. "Why are you suddenly being so nice to me?" Mark smiled at him, answering warmly. "I was never being mean. I'm not trying to hurt you. I'm simply teaching you a lesson. The better you listen, the greater the reward. The more you fight me, the greater the punishment." Mark's hand moved from Sean's back to be held out close to his face without touching him.

Sean looked over his palm, then turned his head to look away. Mark's hand returned to his back to rub his tense shoulder blades, casually informing him. "Normally after a punishment, it is customary to show even a hint of affection. Shows me how apologetic you are and let's me know that you're ok with what I did." Sean stared at the distant wall, grumbling out bitterly. "I said I was sorry. And you're lucky to even get that... I didn't ask for this. So, why would I fucking want YOU to be ok with it." Mark's hand touched his tender ass, causing Sean to jerk. Mark gently stroked his swore ass, stating out in a calm tone. "You're lucky that I didn't let Duke Cannova feed you to his pet. Otherwise... right now you'd be his breakfast. Do you know that his striped reptilian wouldn't have killed you right away? It would cover you in its paralyzing salvia first. Then it would go for your soft bits next." Mark's fingers eased down his ass to slide between his legs. Sean jerked his head up off the table, inhaling sharply as Mark's fingers traced the crotch of his leather thong.

The touch was light and fleeting, before Mark continued on playfully. "Then, while you are still alive... It will go to your feet and start biting off your toes. Most bleed out before the pet gets to the shin... but I've seen one slum dog make it to the ass. It still amazes me what the body is willing to live through." Sean panted heavily, feeling Mark's hand slide down his leg lovingly. After a minute more, Mark climbed to his feet, telling him with a small chuckle. "Now aren't you glad that I'm offering you breakfast? And not making you someone's Breakfast. I'd say that's worth a little appreciation at the very least." Sean turned his head to glare at Mark. He didn't trust this guy and he certainly didn't like that he was supposed to be indebted to him. Mark picked up the dog bowl of oatmeal, asking him in a gentle tone. "Now. Shall we try this again? Or would you like to continue to go hungry until we try again at lunch?" When Sean didn't respond, Mark told him more hopefully. "Would you feel better joining me at the table to eat?"

Sean straightened up off the coffee table, grumbling out through his teeth. "Remove the jacket and I'll eat." Mark sighed, setting the dog bowl on an empty placemat. Without looking at him, Mark told him casually. "Eat and I'll think about it. That's my final offer." Sean staggered to his feet, glaring down at his ankle restraints. He could barely walk with these things on him. Frustrated, he snapped out. "Fine! Then can you at least take these cuffs off my ankles!" Mark slowly turned his head to look at him, smugly telling him with a smirk. "Stop barking orders at me... and say please." Sean bowed his head starting to mutter fowl curses in Gaelic. Mark pointed a stern finger at him, stating out in a sudden cold voice. "Watch what you say about my mother, Sean. One more outburst and I'll punish you again. And this time, I'll use the wooden horse." Sean raised an eyebrow, muttering out curiously. "What the hell is that?" Mark smirked, lowering his hand as he informed him lightly. "Keep up your attitude and you'll find out soon enough."

Mark strolled up to him, locking eyes with him. Sean refused to look down, until Mark snapped his fingers from somewhere between them. Sean looked down, flinching when Mark's breath tickled his ear to tell him very softly. "I'll take them off, but you kick me... and I'll put you in your room for the rest of the day within a sensory deprivation tank." Sean didn't know what that was either. He wasn't sure he wanted to know though. So, he just nodded his understanding. Mark took a knee, taking ahold of his leg to uncuff it. The second the cuff came off, Mark rubbed his ankle and leg, telling him in a smoothing voice. "Good. Very good." Sean clenched his teeth. He both hated and liked it. Amy distracted him by descending the steps and apologetically informing Mark. "Sorry it took so long. I did laundry yesterday and a few of the blankets are still wet... However, I did find this one. It's a bit small though... Will it do, Master?" Mark rose a bit to peek over the couch, happily telling her. "Perfect! Bring it over to the third placemat, Peebles. Thank you." Sean watched her skip to the table, when Mark suddenly stood back up.

Mark tossed the cuffs onto the coffee table, then pointed with his index and middle finger to the table. Sean hesitated; the hand gesture caught him off guard. Mark kept his hand like that, telling him with a smirk. "You're observant. That's good. That means you'll pick up on this fast. When you see me do this. It means that I want you to go and preform a task that I've given you. In this case. Go sit and eat." Sean snorted, dragging his feet toward the table as he muttered out. "Why not just tell me...? You don't like talking?" Mark followed him to the table, answering with a brilliant grin. "Talking can only get you so far. I find hand signals are not only universal, but through silence you get to know a person much better." Sean stopped by the seat, letting Amy pull it out for him. Staring at the dog bowl, he dryly retorted over his shoulder. "How can you learn anything about a person through silence?"

Mark touched his shoulder, making him flinch again. Coaxing him into sitting down by applying gentle pressure to his shoulder, Mark sweetly replied. "You'd be surprised what I can learn from just watching you. Maybe one day, I'll even tell you about it." To Be Continued...