A Special Gift
Eight years since a certain lapine has seen his family, three years being a pet to a fox. How do all of these combine to make one night extremely special for an entire family?
Snow, something that the gentle, white rabbit had seen so many times in his life. The rabbit continued to stare out of the first floor window until the door behind him began to squeak to life as it opened. The rabbit quickly turned around, the gently burning fireplace being the only illumination that the room he was currently in had. It was enough however to reveal that the one who opened the door was not a lapine like himself, but a fox. The red furred vulpine, who was dressed in a white robe, looked across the moderately sized room at the rabbit. "There you are." he spoke out in a quiet tone, not wanting to interrupt the usually silent nature of the night time they were currently in.
The rabbit, whose name was Jesse, calmed down immediately as he saw who it was that entered the room. He looked at the other male on the opposite side of the room, gently lowering his head down. "I'm sorry master, did you need me for something?" he asked in the same tone that the fox had addressed him in. Jesse didn't live in the two story house he was currently in alone, in fact it wasn't even his own home. He was indeed the slave of the fox whose name he rarely remembered, only referring him to the call of Master as he had been taught. But unlike what many may think, he was not taught that by the same fox that was his current master.
Back when he was only thirteen years old, Jesse had been walking home from school one day. It was a cold winter day just like the ones he dealt with this very month. School had ended early due to a snowstorm that was currently over the area, dealing blizzard like conditions which made the trek alone very difficult from his school to the place he was forced to call home. He didn't like to call it home however, since it was nothing but a homeless shelter. He had only a few members of his family that lived with him inside of the building, which made him the perfect target for those who had been eyeing him from the sides. For on that cold day in the cover of the snowfall and wind, a truck that was the same white as the snowfall pulled up beside him on the street. When it pulled away, nothing remained in that spot but the rabbit's schoolbag.
From that day on for the next five years, the rabbit was trained to be nothing but a slave. The thirteen year old was under the "guidance" of a no-nonsense, brutal master who was an Equine. He never figured out his name or even what kind of Equine he was, because they taught him that he didn't deserve to know. All he needed to know was when his master wanted him and to do everything he said no matter how odd or how painful to Jesse. They went as far as to take his only piece of identity he had away from him, his name. For the entire five years that he was being trained he was only referred to as "Slave", "Worthless", and in many cases "More useless than trash."
Those were the bleakest times of the rabbit's young like. Going from bad in being in an orphanage with no family to being brainwashed and trained to being a slave. He thought this was how his entire life was going to be spent, however short that was going to be at this rate. However he may not know it yet, but the date of November twenty-first was the date that was going to change his life forever once again. It was on this date that the Equine had decided he had enough of Jesse, he had just waited until the time where he had purchased and had delivered another slave. Even though Jesse had done everything that his master had ordered, the Equine had enough of him. In his eyes the rabbit wasn't up to his standards so he was getting rid of him. He gave Jesse up to the local slave auctions, not even wanting any amount of the sale which masters usually got when they put up their slaves to the auction. He wanted nothing else to do with this rabbit and he didn't care what happened to him anymore.
There was someone who did care about him though. In the crowd on that day of the twenty-first was a wealthy fox by the name of Jake. He had been searching through these auctions for the past few times, but always passing by them for one reason or another. He didn't want just a slave, he wanted someone that would help him around his house and keep him company. Every slave up to this point had done just one thing, wanting to serve him and they were happy doing just that. In fact it was all that they wanted to do, thats all their life was to them now.
But something had attracted Jake to Jesse. Whether it be the look on his muzzle was different from what he usually saw or he could tell deep down that this lapine was tortured in more ways than one. No matter what the reason when he saw Jesse he knew that no matter what was needed, that rabbit was going home with him. When he did finally come up for bids, there was a bidding war between him and a wolf. The wolf was well fit but just by the look on his face anyone could tell he was not caring. He knew that the rabbit couldn't go to him, so he went to every length he could to win the bid. The bidding went up into the thousands where at the five thousand dollar mark, the wolf finally gave up. Nobody wanted to even come close to the amount that was currently on the table, so the gavel went down with Jake being the new master of Jesse.
When the auction was over and all of the new masters went to claim their slaves, pets, or whatever they wanted them to be, he could see just how degrading these furs were. Though he was built for the cold, standing out in the forty degree temperatures were having their effects on the nude Jesse. From the tip of his pure white ears down to his equally as pure white footpaws, he was shivering. Every strand of fur on his body was cold to the touch and his teeth were chattering just a bit. The fox wanted to do something, but right now the most important thing to him was his new purchase. He removed his jacket from his body, showing off that he did have a thick sleeved shirt underneath of it, and quickly wrapped up the rabbit in his jacket. He fasted a few of the buttons, hoping to get some warmth into Jesse.
At this moment was the only time Jesse had seen the fox's name physically. When the auctioneer came over and gave Jake the papers which officially made him Jesse's new owner. Jake snatched the papers away from him, simply giving the auctioneer a deep stare of anger and displeasure. Something needed to be done about this, but it would have to come later. For now his main concern was getting the rabbit home and getting him warm. He assisted Jesse in walking to his car and unlike many of the slaves who were riding in the backseat or even in the trunk, Jake opened the passenger side door and sat Jesse inside of it.
For the entire hour long drive the rabbit was silent, having been taught that he only needed to speak when he was addressed first. They were now miles from the city, far out into the countryside where soon they made a right-hand turn onto a paved driveway. At the end of the quarter mile long paved surface stood the two story five bedroom, 3 bath house that the fox owned. He had purchased it far out of the city so he and however many others would be living with him could enjoy the peace and privacy that the location gave them.
Stopping the car at the end of the driveway, not yet having built a garage addition yet, he shut off the vehicle before exiting his seat and walking over to the passenger side. Jesse had been able to warm up to a comfortable level on the ride which caused much of his strength to return. He didn't need assistance to get out of the vehicle or walk to the house, all he needed were his master's orders. Jake gave him the orders, though reluctant to do so while he unlocked the door and Jesse took his first step inside.
That was now a little over three years ago and still he tried to undo the teachings that his previous master had forced into his mind. He was able to give Jesse more freedom of his name back, clothing, and to do what he wanted after ten at night, Before that time though he still would have to do what Jake said but it was nothing from what he was told to do before. All Jake asked of him, not told him to do, was help with the chores around the house and outside of the house. It took a good few months to a year to get used to this laid back and much more gentle style of a master but he did grow accustomed to it.
But there was still one thing that Jesse just couldn't do. No matter how many times he told Jesse to call him Jake and not master, it simply bounced away from him. He could only call him Master, anything else never even registered into his mind. But Jake didn't give up his own hopes. In the three years that Jesse had lived with him he had never called him anything that his old master had referred to him as. Before Jesse could remember his name, which took a few months, Jake simply called him "Rabbit." It was the only thing he could think of at the time that wasn't degrading but it also showed Jesse that he was an individual.
Now however Jesse stood in the same room with his master on the opposite corner by the door. The fox dressed in his robe which was a pure white as his own fur while Jesse wore a pair of blue jeans and a sweatshirt. Jake just blew out a puff of air, hearing that he was once again called master like he had been for three years now. "No Jesse, I was just wondering where you had wandered off to." Jake spoke to Jesse, walking closer and closer until they stood side by side at the window. There was a slight reflection in it which showed the twenty-one year old rabbit next to the twenty-eight year old fox. Jake gently placed his paw on Jesse's shoulder which in turn Jesse looked up and over at him. If it had been one year earlier, Jesse would have winced and jumped away from the paw as he was expecting to be struck in the muzzle or head.
However he knew that Jake would do nothing of the sort, so he let the fox's paw rest on his shoulder for however long he wanted it to. But after a few short minutes, the time was beginning to draw late into the evening. Jake didn't like to stay up too late usually, but there was another reason why he wanted to get Jesse to bed. "Alright Jesse, lets call it a night and get up early for tomorrow alright?" Jake asked him, knowing that the rabbit was going to do whatever the older fox said. He nodded to Jake without a word, his white foot paws turned a complete one hundred and eighty degrees with his body as he and Jake retired to their own rooms for the evening. Their rooms were directly across from each other on the rarely used second floor of the house. Jake had purchased the house for many pets or slaves, however over those few years he never had the urge or the want to buy another one. However he had been successful in shutting down the operation in which he did acquire Jesse.
But that was the past and he wanted to focus on the future. After making sure Jesse had all he needed to sleep, he went into his own bedroom but didn't get into bed just yet. He had a surprise for Jesse, one he knows the the lapine isn't expecting. He looked over books, maps, and made calls for the next few hours before finally yawning greatly and getting into the bed. Things were coming together for his plan, and right on time.
The days went by like normal for the two of them until it was late at night of December twenty-fourth. The fox had spent the last few nights making sure the timing was correct and everything was still in order for the surprise for the lapine. Luckily for him that earlier in the day, he had gotten a call from someone and informed him that indeed things were still going on for later on in the night.
As the time got closer, Jesse could tell that something was different in the fox's demeanor over the day. They usually didn't celebrate Christmas together so nothing was different in or around the house, but it felt like his master was constantly thinking. At times he began to worry and ask him if he was alright, but every time he would answer with the same response. "Master, are you sure you are okay?" Jesse asked again, causing the fox who was sitting on his chair to turn to his pet. "Yes Jesse, nothing is..." he started to answer, however there was a quick knock at the door which drew his attention away at the moment.
"Stay here Jesse, I will be right back." Jake spoke as he slowly stood up from the chair and walked over to the front door. Jesse could see where he went or who was there, all he knew was that it took a good five minutes for him to return back to him. "Alright Jesse, it seems we do have a problem here. Come with me." he said in a serious tone, his eyes staring right at the rabbit. Jesse picked up the tone in which his master spoke, along with the glare that was going right through his soul struck fear right through him. Jesse slowly rose to his shaky knees, following him over to the front door.
Jake stood there with one paw behind his back, the other wrapped around the front door's doorknob. Jesse stood in front of the door, his pants shaking with his nervousness of what his master could want with him and why he was at the door. He couldn't see anything on the outside with there not being any windows, his head slowly turning to the orange creature beside him. Jake stood there for a few moments, taking a look over to the clock as he seemed to be waiting for the perfect time before he finally spoke once again.
"Now Jesse, we have had a great time here as I have been your... "Master" over the last couple of years." The vulpine started, seeming to have to struggle to speak out the word master. "And while I think we could have another great many years ahead of us, I don't really think.. its going to work out any longer." he stated, causing Jesse's eyes to open wide in shock. "Y..You're getting rid of me? You're not going to sell me back to them are you? If..If you want more I can give you anything you want. If you want sex then I can do it, I will bend over ri.." Jesse spoke out rapidly as he was scared of what was to come for him. However the paw that was around the doorknob, and the one farthest away from Jesse oddly enough, came over to close his muzzle and silence him.
"Stop Jesse, I have already decided. I am not going to sell you back to any slavers, but there is also nothing you can do for me to take you back. As I mentioned..." he started once again, his paw coming from his back and showing that it was a certain piece of paper. The paper was the contract which was the binding deal which officially made Jesse his pet. Both of his paws went to the top of the sheet, pulling apart until the paper was slowly ripped in two, and then many more times until it was simply small shreds that were dropped onto the floor below them.
The lapine was still nervous as he saw the sheet of paper that was on the floor between them now. His gaze slowly rose back up to his now previous master, his muzzle a mix of nervousness and confusion. "But.. if I am not your pet then where will I go?" Jesse asked the older male, wondering what the future would hold for him now. But Jake had that answer for him already as well. It was time for all of those late nights over the past few days to come to fruition.
"Well Jesse, I do have an idea for you. There are a certain few furs here that I believe have an idea for your future." he mentioned before the paw went back to the doorknob, turning it and slowly opening it up wide. As soon as the furs, four of them, were revealed to him Jesse's eyes immediately began to tear up. Though it had been eight years, he recognized at least two of them instantly. No matter how much time passes there are two furs in someone life that they should never forget and these were them, his parents.
The two older lapines, dressed in someone tattered clothing slowly stepped inside of the house. Their eyes weren't tearing up yet, but it was obvious that they recognized their son who they haven't seen in so long either. However following the two older lapines, two more stepped into the house as well. They were much younger than them, and somewhat younger than Jesse.
"Mom.. Dad.. is that really you?" Jesse asked with a shaken voice, his bottom lip shuddering as he tried his best to hold back his emotions. However he couldn't as following a nod from both of the older rabbits, he lunged forward and wrapped them up in a tight hug. In a few moments it was a large hug of all five rabbits, Jesse's entire family finally back together after eight long years. However as they soon broke it up, there was a question deep inside of his mind.
"Why.. are you guys looking so bad? I mean, did something bad happen lately?" he asked them, causing both of their parents to look at each other for a moment. "Well, yes Jesse, things over the past couple of years have gotten pretty.. bad. We lost our house when your father lost his job a year ago and since then we've been living in a homeless shelter. Its.. been hard for us to say the least over the past year." his mother let him know, causing him to look between the both of them. "Well, thats where Jake comes in. He has been looking for us so that we could reunite." she let him know, causing Jesse to look back over to the fox.
"However it doesn't end there." Jake mentioned as the fox slowly closed the door with all six of them inside the warm house. "I know of the problems that your family has been going through and I would like to extend out an offer to your entire family. If you would like, you can all live here with me. I have enough space in here for all five members of your family and it should be more than good enough to hold you over until you find yourself another job. From there you can live on with your family together again." Jake spoke to Jesse father, seeing that the older lapine was thinking it over for a moment.
His muzzle slowly leaned over to his wife, talking about it among themselves. The chatting went back and forth from male to female a few times before the older male lapine turned back to him. "We accept your generous offer Mr. Jake, thank you." he spoke out, showing his gratitude for giving a chance to get their life back together. Jesse on the other hand didn't speak. He slowly walked over to the fox, wrapping his paws around the taller male. As Jake slowly returned the hug to him, he heard the clock inside of his house striking midnight. The clock striking signaled a new day, Christmas Day.
As Jake returned the soft hug to his former pet, he gently leaned down to his ear. "Merry Christmas Jesse." he whispered to him, causing the lapine to turn his head up at Jake. "Merry Christmas to you too.... Jake."