Roman smirked
again, knowing it was going to be amusing to watch his brother deal
with the little creature.
Oliver Druet laughed at the look on his
friend's face as he studied the little neko. "Well, he looks pretty
quiet. I think it'll be good for you to have him around."
"Don't worry, he doesn't talk," Roman added.
"But, he has run and attacked, so be careful."
"It was an accident ," Harrison tried
to placate again.
Damien's brow raised in shock. The little
thing didn't look like it could cause any trouble at all. "He
has?"
"Yes," Roman growled, "If he misbehaves or
hurts you in any way, just let me know. I will make sure he's taken
care of."
Damien noticed the flattening of the ears of
the tiny creature in front of him.
"He'll be fine, Damien. He's just nervous.
I've taken the liberty of having the old study next to your room
prepared for him to sleep in," Harrison announced gleefully, now
that his gift had been accepted, however grudgingly. He handed the
leash over to his brother.
Damien's eyes widened when he realized he
hadn't thought about where the boy would sleep when he agreed and
was glad that Harrison had thought of it. It was unusual for his
brother to be the one to think that far ahead. "That was very
thoughtful of you."
Oliver Druet laughed as he clapped his friend
on the back. "Good luck, my friend. I'm betting on you to win."
Damien grunted. "I think maybe I should
let...what was his name, again?"
"Kayden."
"...Kayden here settle down in his room.
Drystan," he called over a servant, "take Kayden to his room. It's
apparently the old study next to mine."
"Yes, sir, I know," the young man's eyes
gleamed mischievously, and Damien knew that he'd been in on the
preparations. He glared at his man-servant for being in on the
whole thing.
"But, Damien," Roman protested, "You have to
keep him with you."
He glared at his younger brother as he
watched the young neko rise to his feet shakily. "I think tonight
might be a little overwhelming for him with so many people here. I
think it would be best to begin this little foray tomorrow, when we
can all be a little more settled."
"Very well," the Marquis agreed.
Damien turned to his little charge as the boy
rose fully to its bare feet. The top of the little thing's head
barely reached his chest. He grabbed the arm of the boy to lead him
toward Drystan and was shocked at how thin it was. The boy's head
shot up at the abrupt movement, flinching, and Damien saw the young
neko's face for the first time.
Thick lashes framed eyes that were impossibly
large and green. The gaunt cheeks hollowed out to a narrow chin and
thin pink lips. What struck Damien's heart, though, were the trails
of tears glistening on the pale face, before the head dropped again
and silky black locks hid his face again.
Fuck , he cursed under his breath. He
couldn't deal with this now, and he briefly wondered what he'd
gotten himself into. He let go of the boy's arm and gripped his
neck to guide him towards Drystan.
He felt his hand nearly wrap all the way
around the thin tendons, but he kept his grip light and guiding. He
squeezed lightly, reassuringly as he handed the leash over to his
servant. He briefly felt the shoulders under his hand relax before
he let go.
He turned quickly away, forcing a grin as he
turned to his friends. "Well, shall we indulge in the delicious
cake that Garin has made?" he asked jovially, suddenly weary and
ready to be done with the party.
****
When Damien finally made his way to his room,
it was well past two in the morning. He'd drunk much more than he
usually did after Harrison's spectacular presentation. With a
glance at the closed door to the small study, now bedroom, he
grunted as he ripped off his tie. Stripping out of his shirt and
pants, he made his way to his washroom to relieve himself and wipe
a cool rag over his face. After brushing his teeth, he stripped
back the sheets and thick comforter on the bed and fell in.
He knew the boy was
again, knowing it was going to be amusing to watch his brother deal
with the little creature.
Oliver Druet laughed at the look on his
friend's face as he studied the little neko. "Well, he looks pretty
quiet. I think it'll be good for you to have him around."
"Don't worry, he doesn't talk," Roman added.
"But, he has run and attacked, so be careful."
"It was an accident ," Harrison tried
to placate again.
Damien's brow raised in shock. The little
thing didn't look like it could cause any trouble at all. "He
has?"
"Yes," Roman growled, "If he misbehaves or
hurts you in any way, just let me know. I will make sure he's taken
care of."
Damien noticed the flattening of the ears of
the tiny creature in front of him.
"He'll be fine, Damien. He's just nervous.
I've taken the liberty of having the old study next to your room
prepared for him to sleep in," Harrison announced gleefully, now
that his gift had been accepted, however grudgingly. He handed the
leash over to his brother.
Damien's eyes widened when he realized he
hadn't thought about where the boy would sleep when he agreed and
was glad that Harrison had thought of it. It was unusual for his
brother to be the one to think that far ahead. "That was very
thoughtful of you."
Oliver Druet laughed as he clapped his friend
on the back. "Good luck, my friend. I'm betting on you to win."
Damien grunted. "I think maybe I should
let...what was his name, again?"
"Kayden."
"...Kayden here settle down in his room.
Drystan," he called over a servant, "take Kayden to his room. It's
apparently the old study next to mine."
"Yes, sir, I know," the young man's eyes
gleamed mischievously, and Damien knew that he'd been in on the
preparations. He glared at his man-servant for being in on the
whole thing.
"But, Damien," Roman protested, "You have to
keep him with you."
He glared at his younger brother as he
watched the young neko rise to his feet shakily. "I think tonight
might be a little overwhelming for him with so many people here. I
think it would be best to begin this little foray tomorrow, when we
can all be a little more settled."
"Very well," the Marquis agreed.
Damien turned to his little charge as the boy
rose fully to its bare feet. The top of the little thing's head
barely reached his chest. He grabbed the arm of the boy to lead him
toward Drystan and was shocked at how thin it was. The boy's head
shot up at the abrupt movement, flinching, and Damien saw the young
neko's face for the first time.
Thick lashes framed eyes that were impossibly
large and green. The gaunt cheeks hollowed out to a narrow chin and
thin pink lips. What struck Damien's heart, though, were the trails
of tears glistening on the pale face, before the head dropped again
and silky black locks hid his face again.
Fuck , he cursed under his breath. He
couldn't deal with this now, and he briefly wondered what he'd
gotten himself into. He let go of the boy's arm and gripped his
neck to guide him towards Drystan.
He felt his hand nearly wrap all the way
around the thin tendons, but he kept his grip light and guiding. He
squeezed lightly, reassuringly as he handed the leash over to his
servant. He briefly felt the shoulders under his hand relax before
he let go.
He turned quickly away, forcing a grin as he
turned to his friends. "Well, shall we indulge in the delicious
cake that Garin has made?" he asked jovially, suddenly weary and
ready to be done with the party.
****
When Damien finally made his way to his room,
it was well past two in the morning. He'd drunk much more than he
usually did after Harrison's spectacular presentation. With a
glance at the closed door to the small study, now bedroom, he
grunted as he ripped off his tie. Stripping out of his shirt and
pants, he made his way to his washroom to relieve himself and wipe
a cool rag over his face. After brushing his teeth, he stripped
back the sheets and thick comforter on the bed and fell in.
He knew the boy was
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