Ties that Bind (crazypuddingcup and HalosandHorns)

Dark green eyes stared out the window, slanted pupils further narrowed to peering in to dimly lit room across the hall. His ears twitched before flattening, tail thrashing in aggravation. Had he known that this would happen, he would have left the disgusting thing to die in the forest or left him to the slavers but his wife had taken pity on the young human boy. At the time, he had chalked it up to her being pregnant, mother hormones or something like that. They had needed some help around the house. He was gone most of the day and brought his work home with him. She was in a delicate condition and would need help with the baby when it arrived. It seemed like a perfect arrangement at the time and for a few years, it did work out well.

As his daughter got older though, he had noticed her getting fonder of her human caretaker. Nuria had always been the shy type growing up, because of this she didn't have too many friends and those she did have were very dear to her. It was innocent at first, but now that she was turning in to a young woman... well, he was a male and had been that age. He knew the types of looks the human had been giving her but what bothered him more was he recognized the looks she was giving him.

"It just isn't right, Remei. She needs to be with her own kind. Have you heard what the neighbors are saying?"

His wife sighed softly, walking over to him and placing a hand on his shoulder, tugging him gently to face her.

"It shouldn't matter if he is human or not; what matters is they have feelings for each other. It makes sense she'd be close to him. They were pretty much raised side by side. He's been there with her through everything, including her own kind breaking her heart. Personally, I think it is sweet."

"Then you're just a doe eyed, love struck fool like they are."

A loud smack resounded through the halls as the palm of her hand collided with his cheek. His name might have been on everything they owned, but it was clear who really ran the house. He sighed softly, eyes apologizing for the harsh statement he made.

"You might not like it, but the fact is, Nuria is growing up and if you separate them now she is going to hate you for it. What you need to do is stop considering him as our servant and let her have him. As her pet, he'd have a little more freedom and she might come to realize that he isn't the one for her. It might not stop the neighbors from talking but I'm sure a relationship with a pet is more fondly looked upon than one with a slave, if you're really so worried about what other people think."

Domon's days had quickly become filled with physically demanding chores in an attempt to drain his extra energy when he was around Nuria. The sun was beating on him as he finished trimming dead branches from the tree. As the last branch hit the ground, he saw a lone figure staring at him from a window. He knew it wasn't Nuria. She was near the pool reading while he worked. Luckily for him this was the last chore for the day until dinner.

He sat on the branch that he had been using to stand on as he relaxed for just a moment. Whoever decided to pile these chores on him was definitely succeeding in wearing him out. His body ached while he sat there and let his mind drift to foggy memories of how he ended up where he was.

He had only been three years old when His current owner had saved him from a savage beating from the slavers that had captured his family. He had failed to do as he was told and ended up injuring one of them in the process. Before he knew what happened he was whisked away buy a pregnant lady and her scary husband.

He helped with small tasks at first. Getting towels, and assisting the other servants in anyway he could. before he got distracted further he snapped out of it and almost fell from the tree.

After he got down he dragged the larger branches near the wood storage for firewood. It just happened to be by the pool and his lifetime crush. He began trimming and chopping them into manageable pieces.

The book had mainly been a pretense. Sure, a day spent lounging around the pool and soaking up some sun was all well and good but what she was enjoying most was watching Domon. Ever since she could remember, he had always been by her side. Of course, he had always done what she wanted him to. While her parents and the other servants might have considered him a slave, she always viewed him as a friend. Of course, having to do what you're told did come in handy whenever she wanted to play dolls and tea parties when they were younger but even then, it seemed like he didn't really mind all that much. When they started getting older, he was the one who served as her conscience and kept her in line. Not even her father's stern warnings could keep her adventurous and often mischievous spirit in check.

Before he had chores that let her be around him, even help him on occasions if there wasn't anyone else around to see. Whenever he got a small break, she'd be right there at his side, eager to take up his free time if he'd allow it. Lately though, it seemed like her father was putting more and more on him. More than that, coming up with ways where she wouldn't even be able to be in the sidelines like today. Nuria knew that any sort of distraction from her could cause him to get hurt and she might have been strong enough to drag some of the smaller branches back but definitely not the pieces he was carrying. So when he finally made his way to the shed, she smiled brightly at him, shutting the book that she hadn't really even been reading.

"He's got you working hard today, huh?"

Her lips pursed forward in a state of contemplation, worrying that he might take it the wrong way.

"Will you have a break before it's..."

Her sentence was cut off by her mother opening the back door.

"We're going to be eating a little earlier than usual today Nuria. Come inside and get ready, then I'll need your help setting the table."

Setting the table? Her ear twitched with curiosity. To her knowledge, they weren't having any guests over tonight. Still, there wasn't much point in questioning or arguing. Her dad, she could usually manipulate with a pout or whining. Her mother was an entirely different story. The young neko slowly rose, grumbling something under her breath but stopped in her tracks at her mother's next statement.

"Domon, we'd like you to join us tonight too. Feel free to get cleaned up in the guest bathroom."

Nuria squeaked with delight, not even stopping to think what it may have meant. Normally, the servants would just eat at a community table in their quarters. The only time they were ever invited to their table was if something was wrong, or they'd be asked to go away for awhile to run errands in one of the nearby towns. Her steps were more like bounces as she went over to Domon, wrapping her arms around him and tugging him towards the door. This behavior elicited a sigh from Remei.

"At least try to behave like a lady."

Domon smiled warmly when she came over to him. He could never take anything she said to him in the wrong way. She was too sweet to make any kind of rude comment, to him anyway. "It needs to be done anyway. And who else is agile enough to get up there and get done as fast as me?" He said as he brought the ax down on the wood. A little harder than necessary to show off a bit.

He glanced up at the door as it opened, but went back to work when he was not addressed right away. Of course he knew nothing of any guests they might be having that night. It only meant he had to finish sooner so he could cook their meal. However, when her mother asked him to get cleaned up and join them he faltered in the wood chopping and almost hit his foot with the ax. "Y-yes Mistress Remei." To his knowledge he had done nothing wrong and they never sent him away for errands. He didn't even know the route to the town. He most certainly did not think that anyone had known about their feelings for each other. But such was the naivety of youth.

"I must take my leave Miss Nuria." He said as calmly as he could. He only put on the formal facade when they were around her parents or was nervous. He wasn't sure she could tell which was the case this time. As he bowed slightly and went to the guest room to get ready for dinner.

"I still don't think this is a good idea."

Enric spoke to his wife as she put the food out; he tried to sneak a biscuit and was promptly smacked on the hand with a wooden spoon. He shook his hand and looked up at her, brushing off the admonishment.

"It's only going to encourage the matter."

"Isn't that the idea as a parent? To encourage her to explore her feelings, experience new things under our careful guidance? Besides, you agreed to try it out for a little while."

"Try what out?"

Nuria asked as she entered the dining room. It seemed to only take half of the amount of time she normally took to get ready, but even Remei was amazed at how much she was able to clean herself up in that time. He hair was brushed to a velvety sheen, pulled back out of her face with gold colored ribbons. She had even put on one of her better dresses, knowing that they wouldn't be having guests, but only Domon eating with them. It was modest, but figure flattering. Her mother sighed softly, trying to mask a smile. It was certainly a telling sign. Her attitude was as well as she went about setting the table without even having to be asked to do so. Nuria made sure everything looked perfect before taking her seat at the end of the table.

On his way to get cleaned up, Domon passed several other servants. Each of them gave him knowing glances as if they had heard something, but told him nothing to ease his nerves. Once he reached the guest room he quickly washed the dirt and sweat from his body in the shower. Most of the shampoo and body washes were designed for neko use, but wouldn't necessarily harm humans if used. After his shower he went to his bunk in the servants quarters to get his only clothing he did not use while working. Simple black slacks and a black button up shirt given to him by her father a year ago.

He arrived a few minutes after Nuria and noticed that the table was already set and the food being filed out by other servants. It felt strange not being the one doing all of this for them, but he pushed the feeling aside and took a seat to the right of Nuria. He glanced at the stunning young neko from time to time, hoping she would clue him in to what was going on. But before he could get anything from her he met her father's eyes and locked his eyes on the table. Now he knew something was up. This wasn't how getting reprimanded would be. And if it was as simple as him going into town someone else would have said something.

Domon caught Nuria's eye and silently begged her to kill the silence.

Nuria picked up the look from Domon. Her tail gently wrapped around his ankle under the table and she offered him a smile of reassurance. She tried to read the atmosphere, figure out what was going on without having to ask. In some ways, it was just like any other meal but there was a tension in the room that was palpable. Her mother was cutting up her food in to tiny portions which she would chew quietly before taking a sip of her wine and dabbing her napkin against her lips; the epitome of manners and what a lady should be. Her father, on the other hand, was making more of a show of it. His utensils squeaked across the plate as they tore through his food, focusing on the task like his life depended on it. He was using it as a distraction so he didn't have to look at the two teenagers, besides a few infuriated glances. Each bite was a full one and eaten with a vigor, like he was intentionally keeping his mouth full so he wouldn't have to engage in any conversation.

Nuria also made a point to sigh loudly, before pushing her plate away. These two actions caught the attention of her parents. She leaned back in her seat, swirling her wine around in the glass casually before taking a few sips.

"It isn't that the food isn't wonderful, which it is... but it feels more like a pretense to something else. Can we just get to whatever it is you wanted to talk about? I heard you and Daddy talking when I came in and it was obvious I interrupted something important, so let's just go back to that. What is the thing you wanted to try out?"

Nuria was very different from her mother. She could be loud, boisterous, and often lacked the tact afforded to someone of her station. They weren't, by far, one of the richer families but they certainly weren't the poorest either. In a way, Nuria felt that she didn't belong to either and that wasn't a bad thing. She appreciated what she had and she treated others with the utmost respect. She just didn't like sugar coating things or dancing around issues. This was one of those time where her unique personality sparkled.

Her parents exchanged glances. Her father only snorted and shoved another fork full of food in to his mouth. Her mother sighed softly, taking an especially long drink from her glass.

"Well, you're sixteen now and you're birthday is fast approaching. Girls half of your age have their own personal attendants to see to their every whim. While Domon here sort of filled that role when you were younger, as you both got older he took on a larger role for the entire household."

She took another sip before continuing. This time her soft gaze fell on Domon; she offered him a smile that could rival her daughter's any day. It was no secret that she was very fond of him, even at times treating him like her own son so finding the right words to say was going to be a difficult task.

"Domon, I don't want to downplay you as a person in any way. To both myself and Nuria, you've been a positive model. You've helped me without asking many times. You've always been there for her and no matter how much Enric over there protests, he also knows that you've added a lot to our family. We all know that humans are... a rare commodity... in this day and age. It feels wrong to me to call you a slave, and while I certainly hope that you don't feel that way, it feels even odder to me to call what used to be such a prevalent a, well, a pet."

Enric finally sighed, following his daughter's example by pushing his now empty plate forward and heaving an agitated sigh.

"What she is trying to say is that she... we... want you to be Nuria's pet, personal servant, minion, or whatever you want to call it. In short, we're giving you to her. Some of the others are already preparing the adjoining guestroom to hers for your personal living quarters. You'll stay here in the house and do whatever she asks of you. This also means that he'll be your responsibility Nuria. Whatever his needs are, you'll see to them."

Nuria couldn't help but giggle at this; her tail tightening around Domon's calf. Her mind already treading the line of the gutter. Her father quickly picked up on this fact and growled softly.

"What I meant to say was, his needs like food, clothing, or whatever else you intend to have him take care of is going to come out of your allowance and savings. You want him to have new clothes, you buy them. You want him to go pick something up for you in another town, you see to his travel expenses. This place is going to be yours one day and if you can't manage one person, then I can't expect you to take care of household."

It was a bit clearer now what was all involved in this and it was a bit overwhelming to the girl. Her lips pursed in thought as blue eyes glanced over to Domon, her new companion. She shared her mother's thoughts about him. She was never going to treat him like some lowly animal, but neither was she going to treat him like a slave for her. It was certainly a unique arrangement.

"So, umm... how do you feel about this?"

Her voice was tentative, curious.

Domon relaxed slightly as she wrapped her tail around his leg. She always knew just what to do to put him at ease, but he still kept his eyes down until he was addressed. Remei's words got a smile to break through a bit, but he let the gravity of the conversation take it away. "Rare commodity" was an understatement. Even if both parents of a child were human. The odds of the child being the same were twenty percent. Hence the human race being on the edge of extinction. This is the result of genetic alteration. But that was history.

Domon stiffened when Enric sighed heavily and started his part. It was clear he was against the idea, but would go along with him being Nuria's pet. "Whatever his needs are. You'll take care of them" Those words made him blush slightly as his mind went to the exact place as hers, but the growl that followed made him shrink visibly.

"How do you feel about this?"

He took a moment to pick his words carefully before speaking. "You all know I have never lied to any of you. Nor will I start now." He paused as he took a sip of his wine. "I'm happy and nervous, but excited." He smiled shyly before placing his hand on Nuria's.

The girl blushed, placing her other hand on top of his. Her chair squeaked back across the floor a few inches. It was clear that she could barely wait to talk to him more, in a private and less tense environment. However, her mother glanced over to the both of them. It was amazing how someone so demure could essentially be more intimidating than a tall, muscular man.

"You haven't finished eating Nuria, and I don't think Domon has quite finished his meal either. After desert, you're both free to go to your respective rooms."

She Reimei pushed Nuria's plate back toward her, and refilled her glass, giving her a knowing look. While the idea of her daughter with a human didn't bother her as much it did Enric, the thought with her being with anyone in an unbecoming manner did. They might have both had their hesitations over the arrangement, but for different reasons.

It took all she had not to just scarf down dinner, impatiently wait for dessert, only to shovel that down too. With Domon around, Nuria tried to take a page from her mother's book and behave in a more ladylike fashion. Sure, there had been times he had seen her at her worst. Playing in the mud and cursing like a sailor, throwing a tantrum, but things were different now, or she wanted them to be. There was no denying that she had feelings for him, and thought about the possibility of them being more than friends quite often. The fact her tail was still coiled around his leg spoke to that enough.

So, she waited, albeit impatiently. They all finished their plates. Dessert was a cold zabaglione custard. Nuria helped her mother clean up the dishes before taking Domon by the hand and leading him upstairs. The other servants were putting the finishing touches on his room. His few belongings were already placed inside and waiting.

Domon gently squeezed her hand before digging back into his meal. It was bizarre how Remei could scare him more than Enrin. He had rarely been in the receiving end of her version of intimidation. She had said it herself. He was a positive influence in their lives. Domon fidgeted a little as he waited for Nuria to come back from the kitchen. He was worried about how bare his room would be with only his clothes and a few books to decorate. Well, bare compared to anyone else's room. He was used to a bunk and a footlocker with his things.

When Nuria came to get him the tension visibly drained from his shoulder when it was just the two of them once again. "So...um. You know how I feel about this. May I ask you the same question? Mistress." He smiled, adding her new formal title iun both a teasing manner and a nervous one.

"Mistress?"

She pouted a bit as she advanced towards him. The word sounded so awkward. Maybe it was because she was younger than him, or they never had that type of relationship before. Then again, this was entirely new to both of them. It would certainly take some getting used to, that was for sure. In the past, they both had sort of watched each other from afar. Each knew the other had a strong attraction, affection, for the other but there was little they could do about it. She had seen how her father stacked harder tasks on him when he even suspected there might be more. To be honest, this whole arrangement had completely surprised her; she was sure her mother had a lot to do with it though.

Her arms wrapped around him, purring softly.

"That title makes me sound like an old woman. We'll find something that fits better as we go along."

Her lips met his cheek as she peeked in to his room. Even with all the previous furniture, the room seemed so empty. She frowned, looking up at him. Nuria walked in to the large room, taking a look around. There had to be something she could do. Her eyes fell on a vase with some flowers. Even though the room had rarely ever been used, mostly given to the children of guests who were around her own age or friends who had stayed over, her mother had an odd habit of making sure every room in the house had fresh flowers each day.

"Well, father said that you are my responsibility, and I'm to see to your needs. So tomorrow, I'll take you shopping and get you some things to get that place looking more like a home. Until then..."

She turned on her hells quickly back to face him, smiling mischeviously. Her hand 'accidentally' knocking the vase on to the bed. The water spilled out of the vase, soaking through the blankets and down on to the mattress.

"It seems that the room is not quite ready. You should probably share mine... just for tonight of course."

Domon tentatively wrapped his arms around her waist when she came up to him. He couldn't explain why if asked, but her purring was one of the most relaxing sounds to him. However, when she kissed his cheek and turned into his room his cheeks flushed with color. "Would you have me use your name in the meantime?" He asked as he watched her look around his room. 'What could she be looking for?' Before he could ask she started speaking again. He had never even been shopping before. He had heard stories of personal pets receiving marks of ownership such as tattoos, collars, or even bite marks. Such things intrigued him, but he didn't know how to bring it up with her or if she even wanted him marked. It would be useful if he were to get separated from her.

He was yanked from his thoughts as the vase was knocked onto his bed, spilling the water and soaking the mattress.

"It would seem that way wouldn't it." He said as he folded the blanket up and removed the sheet. After putting both on top of the hamper he returned to her and waited to go to her room. "Where will I be sleeping in your room?" He asked even though he had a good idea of where she wanted him after that little stunt.