Broken [boyxboy]

Chapter Six

Lawrence got me up and ready for his brother coming for half past ten. 

He had me wear an open-collared white shirt and slim-cut black trousers and smart shoes. He explained that he'd have let me wear jeans and a tee-shirt, but his brother would probably have something to say about that, and he wanted me to be well-dressed. He combed my hair into a very particular style and seemed very nervous himself. 

When we went downstairs, we sat in the den. Well, I sat on a small pouffe. Lawrence paced up and down the room, necking off several small tumblers of liquor. I swallowed. "Are you okay, Laurie?" I asked. He smiled at me, and I realised it was the first time I'd spoken to him directly, using his name. Then he frowned again. 

"I'm fine," he said, resuming his pacing. "It's just... well, Andrew, my brother... he can be really hard to be around a lot of the time, that's all." 

"Oh," I said. 

"I don't think you'll like him much," he admitted. "But if you could just... just try to get on with it?" 

"Sure thing," I nodded. He squatted in front of me. 

"And you remember our discussion on our first day together, don't you?" he said. "You remember our rules?" 

"I do," I said. "Sir." 

"Good boy," he grinned. Then the doorbell rang and Lawrence sucked in a breath.  "Ready?" 

"As I'll ever be," I replied, and he went to get the door. 

*** 

He returned with a man who looked somewhat similar to him. Their facial features were strikingly alike, but the second man was taller and he was almost overly-muscular where Laurie was nicely toned. He had darker hair and grey eyes too. There was a boy with him, with platinum blonde hair and blue eyes. He was very pale, but his porcelain white face was a mess of bruises and cuts. He was shaking. I assumed he was Mattie. 

Lawrence and his brother were chatting away about something I didn't care about enough to ask. Lawrence paused mid-sentence. "Have a seat, Andrew," he waved at one of the armchairs. Andrew sat and wordlessly clicked his fingers. Mattie scurried to his side and dropped onto his knees. "Do you want a drink, Andrew?" 

"I'll just have a coffee," Andrew said. "I'm driving." 

"Okay then. Myth'll do it, won't you, my sweet?" he said. He didn't smile at me when he said it, like he usually did when he spoke. He gave me a cold look, one that demanded authority and respect. I acted in what I thought was the appropriate way and bent my head. 

"Yes, sir," I muttered. I headed for the door, keeping my eyes on my feet. Just as I was opening the door, I heard Andrew say something indistinct, Mattie's mumbled reply, them a sharp thwack! sound. 

"Sorry, Master," Mattie sounded as if he was trying not to cry. I heard him stumble to his feet and he was behind me within seconds. 

We walked to the kitchen in silence. When we got there, I filled and switched on the kettle. "Do you want a drink?" I turned to Mattie. He looked alarmed at my voice. 

"N-no," he said. 

"Sure?" I said. "You sound as if your throat's dry - you could do with a glass of water." 

"I-I... I don't think I'm allowed," he said, dubiously. 

"What d'you mean?" I wrinkled my nose. "It's just water." 

"I-I know," he nodded. "B-but... I-I'm not supposed to. N-not unless M-Master says I can." 

"Well, drink it in here. He doesn't have to know," I said. Mattie still looked unsure. "Look, if they ask about the used glass, I'll take the wrap for it. Laurie won't mind." 

"L-Laurie?" he whispered. "Are you allowed to call him that?" 

"Not in front of people," I shrugged. "But when we're alone, sure." 

"Wh-what's he like?" Mattie swallowed. "I mean, I sort of know him. But as a master, what's he like?" 

"I don't really know," I admitted. "I've only been here for three days. He seemed really scary on the first day, but he's been pretty nice ever since." 

"Oh," was all Mattie said. There was silence for a while, then he spoke again. "Master and I stay over here sometimes. Lawrence is always nice to me when I'm here. Well. Not nice nice, but nicer than Master. He never beats me and he always helps me to clean myself up after Master does." 

The switch on the kettle clicked as it came to the boil and I started to pour the drinks. "So I was meaning to ask, Mattie," I said. "How old are you?" 

"Me?" he said. "I'm eighteen. You?" I was shocked - from the way he looked, I thought he was thirteen. Fifteen at the most. I certainly didn't expect him to be older than me. 

"Sixteen," I said. "How long have you been doing this?" 

"About five years now," he shrugged. "I was with another Master before Andrew but he got bored with me when I was about fifteen. So he passed me on to Andrew." 

"Oh," I said. 

"It's not as bad as people make it out to be," he said. "Master can be quite kind, really." 

"Kind?" I said, involuntarily raising one eyebrow. He blushed. 

"Yeah," he said, hiding his face behind his hair. "I-I know the bruises say otherwise but he only hits me when I deserve it." 

"Oh. Okay," I said lightly, because I knew not to question him on it. I knew how Mum and Raven and I had felt, with that horrible Paul. I put the drinks on a tray with a jug of milk and a small bowl of sugar. 

"Here, I'll do it," Mattie offered. 

"It's alright," I said. "I've got it." 

"Master said I have to..." he looked down. 

"Oh," I said. "Well, I suppose you should then. Here." 

"Thanks," he smiled at me, taking the tray. 

*** 

I noticed over the course of the day how horribly Andrew treated Mattie. 

Mattie was clearly expected to be perfectly still and the smallest movement earned him a slap across the back of his head. He was also expected to be silent unless he was spoken too - and he was very good at it. Until he coughed. Wordlessly, Andrew kicked him in the ribs. Hard. Mattie collapsed, curled up in a ball on the floor, coughing crazily. Then Andrew stood up. 

"I'm going for a cigarette - coming?" he asked Laurie. Laurie stood up too. 

"Sure," he said, like he didn't even notice Mattie. But when he bent to kiss me, he whipered in my ear "Help him." 

I scurried over to him as soon as the two men had left the room. I knelt at his side. 

"Um. Are you alright?" I asked stupidly. He met my eye and quickly scurried into a sitting position. 

"Yeah, I'm fine," he insisted, though he was clearly lying. "It um... it didn't hurt." 

"Yes it did," I said. "He hasn't broken anything, has he?" 

"I hope so," he sniffed, looking away. I blinked at him. 

"Beg pardon?" I said. He shrugged. 

"He's broken bones before. When he does, I get a few days off of rape and beatings," he said. Then he bent his head. "S-Sometimes... I mean, more than once... I break things myself so I don't have to..." 

"Mattie, you can't do that to yourself," I said, apalled. He shrugged. 

"It's better than puting up with him," he said. He felt his chest. "Anyway. He's not broken anything this time." 

"Are you sure?" I asked, dubiously. 

"Positive - we shouldn't be talking about this," he said. 

We sat in silence until Laurie and Andrew returned.