pup-saber:

I’ve been practicing a bit on my rope skills, learned a few new knots, and this is the result. They’re rather dashing knots, if I say so myself. ^_^

The three flat knots in the center of the harness are new. The two small ones at the bottom are ‘double coin’ knots, the larger on top is a ‘prosperity’ knot. Compared to that other knot I knew (see this post), these are much flatter and look better. Thanks to @mastera6 for pointing out some useful resources on this.

*sits, arms behind back, wags a little*
Like this? This will get me cuddles, right?

Wruff!
Saber

Dustin gave his tied up pup a fond look. He was adorable, and beautiful; young and feisty. Dustin considered the boy to be his favorite thing in the world. He’d hired a houseboy one April and had gotten so much, much for the value: a pup, a playmate, a lover, and a friend. Working 50 hours a week made it hard to find any of these things, and he’d gotten them all in one. Nothing could bring a smile to Dustin’s face like the greeting he was used to getting upon arriving home from work. And as he stared at his denim-clad pup, tied up smartly in knotted rope, Dustin knew he had made the right decision about their future. Now all he had to do, was break it to the boy and hope.

“Huntley?”
“Roo?” The boy said, still in pup mode.
“Now that you’re all secure there, I want to talk to you about something.”
He got a classic head-tilt for that question. “Roo?”
“Now, you’ve been my houseboy for …what? Almost three years now?”
Huntley nodded. “Arf.”
Dustin said cross legged across from the boy, who looked a bit concerned his Master was coming down to his level.
“Well, as we both know, I am terrible at articulating my feelings. So I’m going to be blunt. You are the best thing to ever happen to me, and your impact on my life has been nothing but positive.” Dustin sensed that Huntley was blushing under the mask, and was delighted.
“I mean that, boy. I fully do. Having you in my home, in my bed – in my life, really, has allowed me to focus on myself and work like I could never do before. I’m going to the gym more. My cholesterol is back to normal. I’m more focused at work. And my boss um, noticed.”
Another head tilt.
“Huntley,” Dustin began, “I’ve been promoted.”
“Arf! Arf! …arf? Huntley began, then stopped, when his Master did not share the excitement.
"My boss wants me to take a new position that focuses more on the part of my job I’m best at. She wants me to bring those skills to our smaller, satellite office. That means moving.”
Huntley got still and was staring at Dustin. He whimpered.
“Huntley, I’ve been asked to relocate to Singapore.”

“SINGAPORE?” Hunter cried, alarmed.
Dustin startled. “Yes.”
“You can’t!” Hunter said, the words sounding odd coming from the mask. “You can’t go,” he whimpered, throat tight. “Please don’t leave me.”
Dustin felt himself shaking. “Shh it’s ok. I want you to come with me.“

Hunter was so astonished that he just sat there, still. "To Singapore?” he said quietly.
“Yes. The contract is for two years. They’ll help us find a place. Plus, it’s very central. We can easily travel to Bali, Thailand, Tokyo, Hong Kong… but, Christ, Hunter, the idea of coming home to an empty sterile apartment? I can’t do it. I need you. I need you in my bed, in my kitchen, your scent on my sheets, your pup toys under my bed…the Hunter touch-…” Dustin had to stop talking for a moment. “I’m sorry you had to see me so needy. Your instructions are to sit there in your ropes and think about it ok?”
Hunter nodded dumbly.
“I know you’d be giving up some things. So think about it. I’ll untie you in an hour, and we’ll go to bed. Tomorrow you can talk it over with your Mom, since you’re close, then give me an answer ok?”
Another nod.
“You are such a good boy,” Dustin noted with a sigh.
“Arf.”

Dustin smiled. “Now you think.” He got up, gave the boy a pat on the head, and went to make him some of those no-bake peanut butter chocolate ball things Huntley loved so much. Regardless of his answer, Dustin wanted to give him a treat for all of his love.

Hunter took two days to decide. He said yes. Dustin startled him a good bit when he uncharacteristically collapsed on the sofa and cried.

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Captions are fictional. Saber’s a cutie <3