How much is that human in the window? [Shinka-sama]

[Chocolat]

Ken wished that he had been born into a different family. He wished it every day with all of his heart and soul. But every day he would wake up on the same grubby mattress, dress in clothes that were either too small or too out of fashion, skip breakfast, and spend most of the day getting picked on by other students while he tried his best to keep up with his studies. Then he would go home to his over worked father and good for nothing mother to hear his chores for the day. Most of them revolved around watching over his siblings and taking care of dinner. He knew that things could have been worse. At least his parents never beat him; but that didn’t change the fact that their house was falling apart, bills weren’t being paid, and three out of the nine children in the house had already dropped out of school.

Then Ken’s father had a massive heart attack and died. Things had to be sold to take care of his funeral expenses, and the widowed woman sold anything that she could get her hands on, even the children. Ken protected as many of them as he could, giving them a bag of clothes and some food and telling them to run as far and as fast as they could, but it left little time for Ken to save himself.

He now lay curled up on his side, eyes red and nose running as he glared at the pile of hay across from him. Ken was allergic to it, but the owner of the pet shop didn’t seem to care much. He sneezed and cursed his fifteen years of life, trying not to wonder just what type of person would even want to buy a human for a pet. All he could do was hope that his thin frame, messy red-brown hair, and pale skin wouldn’t attract any attention to the potential buyers.

 

[Shinka-sama]

The door to the pet shop opened with a jingle of the bell. Avery, a tall-dark haired young business man, walked through with an air of cocky confidence. He flashed his ID to the clean and was admitted to the backroom where all the FUN pets were kept. This had been his third time to the pet store…the pervious two were such a disappointment. One he ended up selling off to a friend while the other just perished from the earth all together. It was time for something different.

“I’ve already done women…and peers…” he told the man, his voice smooth and full of arrogance. “I want a boy, younger…but well into puppetry,” a slight snicker at the last word. The clerk laughed and told how he had a freshly caught youth just around the corner. Avery stepped up to the boy’s cage and looked him over. He looked a little skinny and sickly but with a good bath and a few meals there was certainly potential. “Not previously owned?” he asked. “No” came his reply. “Well, I’m not about pay full price as he looks near dead…but I think this should be enough?” he asked handing the man his wad of cash.

The boy was quickly pulled from his cage, hands bound behind him, ankles hobbled with cuffs and chain. A collar was attached to his neck and the leash handed to his new master. Avery grinned as he took the length of leather. The boy certainly had pretty eyes.

 

[Chocolat]

Despite his allergies, and the poor condition of his…accommodations, Ken was able to get a bit of rest, even though it was light and fretful. The sound of voices near his cage brought the teen out of his sleeping state. His neck pained him as he sat up and looked trough the bars at the owner and a man who was either a customer or an accountant judging by his business suit and neat appearance.

The man’s words soon confirmed that he was indeed a customer. Ken blinked sleepily as his befuddled mind tried to process things, but his efforts were cut short as he was yanked from the cage and was quickly and expertly put into restraints. “No need to be gentle at all, it’s not like I’m a person or anything,” he said as he was roughly handled about.

He groaned lightly and rubbed at his dripping nose and scratchy eyes. The only positive thing he could find in this situation was that, wherever he was going, he would at least be able to recover from his hay allergies.

 

[Shinka-sama]

Avery walked his new pet to the counter and paused to write out a check with a fancy pen. It was indeed a very nice amount. With his thanks he turned to the boy and smiled again. "I suppose you'll need a good meal and a bath before we can have any fun," he sighed a little having now a better view of him in the light.

The walk to the car was short, thankfully so considering his pet was bound in a hobble. Once in the car Avery strapped Ken into the front seat with the safety belt. "A little uncomfortable but we shall be home soon enough," he assured with a ruffle of the boy's hair. The passenger door shut and locked. "Why is your eyes all red, don't tell me you have been crying already. I've not even given you anything to cry about," he demanded.

 

[Chocolat]

Ken stood there, trying to ignore the fact that someone was actually buying him. He didn’t reply to the man and simply followed him into the car. He glared slightly as he was strapped into the seat like a child. He could have done it himself…maybe. Eventually Ken would have figured out how to do it with his limbs bound. His glare intensified when the man had the nerve to ruffle his hair. Bastard.

“No. They hay in that cage makes me have an allergic reaction.” Ken turned his head away, looking out of the passenger window, hoping that this would be the end of their conversation. He didn’t feel like talking. All he wanted was food and sleep, and above all, not to be this man’s pet.