Tears Of The Neko - 13. Chapter 13

Kayden was glaring.

Damien was trying not to laugh.

The cobbler had left an hour ago, and Damien had barely stopped laughing before the tailor arrived. The shoemaker had brought a trunk-full of the smaller shoes that he had in his store ready-made. The older man and his apprentice had quickly become frustrated with the neko stomping around in the various shoes he'd tried on. While Kayden never said anything, his displeasure at having to put shoes on at all was clearly noted in the frown etched on his face.

The slip-on loafer were obviously less heinous than the boots the apprentice nearly got kicked with while lacing them on Kayden. The neko had stomped around the room dramatically in them like they were lead weights on his feet, emphasizing his dislike of them.

Damien had tried to hide his laughter behind his hand while the cobbler took note of measurements to make other shoes. In the end, the man had left a pair of loafer and the pair of boots that Damien insisted that Kayden needed if they ever went outside for any length of time. He had ordered two more pair of shoes for the cobbler to make in different leathers.

Now, the tailor had arrived and was measuring Kayden to make new clothes. The man had brought several of his smaller size clothes and had asked Kayden to try them on. Kayden didn't like the way the man stalked around him, and he had to stay still. He couldn't see the man when he walked behind him, and then his cold hand would touch him and tug on the shirt or pants.

"It's been a while since I've made clothes for one so small," the tailor mumbled. Being a higher end tailor, he usually dealt with grown men, but when the duke demanded his presence in fitting his new slave, the man had no qualms making do.

"I'm sure we'll be having you make more later," Damien said from where he was lounging in his wing-backed chair, propped up on one elbow.

"Of course, sir," the man said. "Whatever his Grace needs, I'm at your service."

"I want a full set of clothes--warm, cold, several casual, a more formal set, and of course lounge clothes."

"Not a problem, sir. I can leave these two smaller pants with him, they nearly fit, so he has some pants that fit him better than what he had."

"Good," Damien said, rising from his chair as the tailor finished, and Kayden darted to his room.

"Is there anything else, sir?" the tailor asked as he gathered the last of his things. "Anything for you, perhaps?"

Damien shook his head then dropped several gold coins in the man's hand. "Not today, thank you."

The man's eyes gleamed with gratitude. "Thank you very much, your Grace."

After the man was gone, Damien stepped into Kayden's little room, which had not been used lately, except to store his clothes, and found the boy sitting sullenly on the cot.

"What's wrong?"

Kayden peeked up at him over his folded arms. "His hands were cold."

Damien chuckled. "Is that all?"

"And he kept touching me," Kayden said softly.

Damien sobered at those words, not having realized how much the boy was bothered by the tailor. He knelt down in front of the little neko. He placed his hand gently on the boy's knee.

"I touch you," Damien reminded gently. "You don't mind when I hold you or touch you, or do you?"

"It's ... it's different," Kayden said. He had gotten so used to no one but his master touching him in the last few days that he had recoiled at the touch of the stranger. He had always hated being touched before, but he'd endured it. Before touches were painful, cruel, startling. He never knew what was going to happen when someone touched him.

"How so?"

Kayden's teary eyes looked up at him, and Damien swept the pad of his thumb across the wet cheek. "I know you won't hurt me," he whispered, and Damien felt his heart clench. "I-I don't k-know what others will do."

Damien was nodding, feeling tears prickle at the corners of his eyes at the fear and torment the boy had been through in his young life. "I see," he croaked out, barely able to get his emotions back under control. He wanted more than anything to make this boy feel safe, loved. "No one's going to hurt you while you're with me now, kitten. I promise."

Kayden nodded, biting on the edge of his lip. He believed his master would protect him if he could. But what would happen if his master wasn't around?

--Neko--

A couple days later, Geoff Brenner was heading to the Duke's study when he heard giggling from inside the study. He paused to listen in confusion, but when he heard a startled cry, he burst open the door in worry that someone was attacking the duke.

He froze at the sight that greeted him.

Kayden had leapt at Damien, latching himself to the taller man, wrapping his slender legs around his master's lean waist. Damien had cried out in shock at the playful attack that caused him to stagger, the back of his legs bumping against the couch as he fell onto it. Kayden was perched on the duke's chest, tail flicking excitedly.

Both of them looked back at the door as it burst open. Damien fell back laughing, as Kayden tried to jump away, but Damien held him in place.

"Yes, Captain Brenner? Something I can do for you?" Damien asked casually, as Kayden tucked his face away from the guard, hiding the blush that crept over his cheeks.

"Uh," Geoff stammered, unsure of what to say, and suddenly forgetting why he'd needed to see his master anyway. "Sorry?"

And Damien laughed even more. Geoff finally smiled at the relaxed sound of his master's laughter. "I thought you were being attacked or something."

Damien grinned mischievously, petting Kayden's silky locks. "I was."

"What's going on?" Roman suddenly appeared next to the captain, eyes narrowing at the sight of the neko wrapped around his brother.

Kayden abruptly squirmed his way between Damien and the back of the couch, and Geoff noted that it seemed more fearful than playful now. Of course the little thing was afraid of everyone but Damien it seemed.

"Ouch," Damien swatted gently at the figure burrowing behind him, still laughing. "I think we need to get those nails clipped soon."

"Nothing's wrong," Damien told his captain, sitting on the couch casually as if he hadn't just gotten caught practically making out with the young neko by the captain of the guard.

"Fuck," Roman cursed as he turned away from his brother's study.

Geoff Brenner frowned at the marquis's attitude before turning back to the duke. "I see things are better," he surmised, crossing his arms with a smirk.

Damien grinned at his captain. "Much. You might have gotten an eyeful if you had burst in here like that a little later."

Geoff rolled his eyes, groaning, noticing that the poor little neko seemed to shrink in more behind his master. "Next time, lock the door."

Geoff Brenner turned and ran into Roman as he went back out of the doorway. "Looks like you are going to owe him a thousand pounds," the captain joked, nudging the young marquis congenially.

"The damn thing doesn't even talk," Roman ranted, frustrated, "It's so ....How can Damien stand to even be around it? "

"Just because he doesn't like you," Geoff said, "doesn't mean he's not likable."

--Neko--

Damien watched as the door closed, then stood and turned to Kayden. As soon as his brother and guard were gone, the little neko uncurled itself. Damien couldn't believe how important this little creature had become to him in such a short time. He never thought he'd want anyone, much less feel this strongly for someone.

He reached down and easily picked up the boy, gathering him in an embrace. Kayden's thin limbs wrapped around him, arms around his neck and sleek thighs squeezing his waist. Kayden nuzzled against his neck, and Damien tucked his head against Kayden's, the boy's ears tickling his cheek.

"I love you, kitten," Damien breathed against the fine ebony hair.

Damien felt Kayden's claws dig briefly into his back as the boy buried his face against his chest. He could feel the boy's breathing hitch under his hands, and for a second he thought Kayden was crying.

Then he felt the breath against the skin at his throat, barely a whisper. "I love you too, sir."