Work Text:
The hellhound was made to hold other people’s purpose. Once given a name, its form would match its function. It would be a container for its master's feelings. It had no feelings of its own, save a hunger to be filled. It was so empty that any feeling would do. Wrath, hatred, fear, anything. It had had them all fed to it in Hell and none of them did anything but take a temporary edge off the emptiness. Something was better than nothing.
Dog. Now it, he, was Dog.
He was still hungry, but in a normal doggish sort of way. He wanted specific things rather than just anything. Dog treats were the best, but food, food was also amazing! And cheese! He was not supposed to have cheese, but Adam gave him cheese anyway, because he loved him
He wasn’t sure what to make of the love. He wanted it, but in a different way than food. There did not seem to be a limit to that. He could have as much of that as he wanted without ever becoming full. But he also had more specific wants.
If he was hungry, any dog kibble would do. He would eat until he was no longer hungry and then not think about it until he was hungry again.
Love though, that lingered. He thought about it long after he received it, so it never really left entirely. When Adam was gone at school, Dog could remember being petted, the way Adam talked to him, or Adam blowing bubbles for him to chase. He could look at the blanket and the ball and the squeaky hedgehog Adam had given him to make him comfortable while he was out.
He was loved even when Adam was absent. He was never truly empty anymore.
Other people loved him too. Mr. Young scratched his back a specific way he liked. Mrs. Young would open the curtains for him so he could lay in the sunbeam. Pepper would flip his ear over when it was inside out. Brian would towel him off with his jumper when they came in from the rain. Wensley would let him lick his hands after lunch.
Dog had never imagined there were so many ways to be loved.
And being so filled up with love, he now had enough to give it away. He showed Adam a baby bird that had fallen out of its nest and watched the boy place it back with its siblings. He brought Mr. Young his favorite ball to throw. He barked at the cat on the telly because it made Mrs. Young laugh. He tilted his head to listen to Pepper as she complained about things. He would lick Brian’s face clean. He would hold still for Wensley when he was taking pictures.
They were not the same things he was given, but it didn’t matter. That was the love he had to give as Dog, and everyone loved him for it.