[Laruku] [Tetsuhai] Taste of Love

[radhaj]

Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Those people are not mine. I only wish they were
Warnings: All sorts of ickness: slavery, bdsm, bondage, all sorts of kinks, including the fact that Hyde is a minor in this one. Like, really a minor. You have been warned.
Summary: In a country where slavery is the main source of income, Hideto sacrifices his own freedom to protect his sister's. Young and impressionable, he finds himself giving his trust to the kind slave trainer that bought him, but there is no hope anymore for the inexperienced boy to ever experience what love is now that he's no longer in control of his own life... or is there?


Chapter 13

Since his owner left still without giving him any instructions about what to do, Hyde ended up going back to his room and picking up the book on table etiquette again as Yukihiro had suggested to him, hoping to get a little bit more ready for this day's dinner when it came. He really wasn't the fastest of readers, but he tried to work on that at the same time, remembering Tetsuya's comment on how he should improve his reading and writing skills, and time seemed to fly by when he was busy. Before he knew it, he had to go down to the dining room for dinner again. His owner was back by then as well and Tia seemed to be the one responsible for dinner today as the older of the girls was sitting at the table when Hyde entered the room this time.

He was far less nervous tonight. The faces around the table were much more familiar to him by now, and his reading seemed to pay off as he was no longer as much at a loss when facing the myriad of forks before him on the table. There was less shock at seeing all the food too, as well as less worry about being kicked away from the table for eating too much. So in general, he was able to enjoy the affair and taste the actual food much better without all the distractions.

There wasn't any talking this time at all. At least not for Hyde – Tetsuya and Yukihiro were silently discussing some kind of business issues, but that was it and Hyde couldn't even hope to understand any of that. When the dinner was over, however, Tetsuya did finally come up to the young boy again and told him to expect him in his room in a few minutes before walking away, presumably heading for his own room. Not quite knowing what he should expect, Hyde went upstairs and entered his room. Each time he did that today, he had to remind himself not to close the door, remembering the rule regarding that. He didn't quite understand what its purpose was, but he assumed it had something to do with getting him used to not seeking out privacy or maybe just not hiding anything. In any case, he wasn't about to question it.

Not knowing how much he would have to wait other than that it shouldn't be too long, Hyde found himself nervously passing time by making sure that everything in his room was tidy and in order. But the only thing out of place was the book he had been reading which he quickly put back onto the desk. He was admittedly anxious – he wanted to know how Tetsuya's visit at his home went, if he met his sister and whether or not he delivered the letter (though he told himself it was silly to even doubt that, considering the older man had promised to). But he didn't even know whether he a allowed to ask about it. And he was so absorbed with such thoughts right then that, despite having been waiting for him, he ended up getting truly startled when his owner finally stepped into his room.

“Did I interrupt something?” Tetsuya asked with bubbling amusement in his voice as he noticed the slave's scattered-mindedness, and Hyde hurried to shake his head mutely as he observed the slave trainer approach his bed-side table and deposit a few items onto it that he couldn't quite make out from this angle, “Answer out loud when asked, Hyde,” Tetsuya reminded him with a soft reprimand in his voice, “Even when the conversation is not serious.”

“Uhm, no Sir,” Hyde spoke up guiltily, “I was just lost in my thoughts, that's all.”

“And what thoughts would those be?” the man inquired with light curiosity, and Hyde almost literally jumped at the opportunity. Sure, normally he wasn't allowed to be too demanding for information and was rather supposed to wait for his owner to impart with any off his own will, but now that Tetsuya asked him about it, he was actually required to answer, right?

“I was wondering if you got to see my sister, Sir,” the boy revealed eagerly, barely managing to keep his eyes down, “I just really wish to know how she's doing...”

Tetsuya smiled sympathetically at him, but shook his head.

“She was out when I came by the house. I ended up just leaving the letter there. I'm sure she'll write you back soon, however,” he told him with a slightly apologetic note in his voice, but refused to dwell on it, “I did manage to wrap up all my business with Kurimoto-san, so you might be happy to hear we managed to settle the issue of your contract getting canceled prematurely. Now, come over here to the bed, there's a few things I want to do,” he urged and, although without a doubt disheartened a little by the news, Hyde immediately obeyed and came closer. Tetsuya sat down on the edge of the bed and gestured for him to follow suit. The smaller man couldn't help but tense up a little as he expected to be touched again now, but the older man rather reached out towards the nightstand and picked up one of the items he brought with him from it. Hyde recognized it as the round, wrapped up package that his owner got from the jewelry story during their trip to the city that morning, but just like then, he still had no idea what hid under the brown wrapping paper.

“Can you guess what this is?” Tetsuya asked casually, holding up the package. The boy shook his head but then remembered to reply out loud as well.

“No, Sir,” he whispered hastily.

“It is one more incredibly important thing when it comes to establishing your new status, like the tattoo, like the papers...” the older man explained serenely, starting to unwrap the package slowly, “Every time you get a new Master, they will gift you with their own replacement of this, and it will be the most obvious sign of who owns you for everyone to see. For the next few months while you'll be trained by me, you will wear mine. And despite how reluctant you might be, for now, to appreciate its significance, you must treasure and take care of it. Wearing this will give you a place in this world, and afford you protection. In fact, it is something that will hold your whole identity.”

At this point, the brown paper had been removed and Hyde could only stare at the dark leather collar that was revealed. It positively glowed with how new it was, obviously specially made, crafted elegantly and impeccably. Black leather lined with a silver thread and a metal plate at the front with clearly engraved words:

Hyde
Property of Tetsuya Ogawa.

The boy's head spun and he suddenly felt dizzy, his stomach churning. He thought that he was over it by now, but apparently he wasn't. It was still overwhelming to read those words stated so directly. His breathing quickened and he was about to slip into panic again, but then there was a heavy hand on his shoulder, anchoring him, and Hyde managed to pull himself up mentally again, repeating the same things that always worked in making him feel that it was all worth it. That it was okay, that it would be okay. At least as long as it was Tetsuya guiding him into this, the man he had learned to trust. The man he promised himself to surrender to.

“Better?” Came an unexpected question, and Hyde's head snapped up to stare at the other, who apparently knew exactly what just happened. Hyde suddenly realized that they've sat in silence for at least a few minutes by now, but Tetsuya had apparently waited patiently for him to take hold of his reaction and emotions, only putting a hand on his shoulder comfortingly to help him. It was almost unbelievable how understanding the slave trainer was sometimes.

“Yes,” Hyde answered him honestly. His heart was still beating fast, but the surge of emotions was away again.

“Good,” the older of them nodded, taking his hand away and holding up the collar again. Hyde could now look at it much more calmly, “Collaring a slave, especially for the first time, is probably an even more... involving and private act than buying or marking them is. Some people love to create whole ceremonies around it, and it's understandable, given the significance. But I prefer a rather humble exchange of vows, if you will. I will be putting this on you now. And in doing that, I will claim you completely. Once it is on, it can only be removed by me and noone else,” Tetsuya explained seriously, undoing the clasp to get ready to put it around Hyde's neck. The boy gulped but followed it all attentively with his eyes, and he could swear he could feel the magic radiating from the item, making sure that what Tetsuya said now was not just empty words, but reality enforced by it, “But as I'll put it on, it will also come to signify my promise to protect you, and guide you, and care for you in a way that only a Master can. Not only is it a symbol of you belonging to me, but also of me being aware of my duties to you, of me taking full responsibility for you.”

Hyde felt a bit like tearing up, and he was not exactly sure for what reason. Because he was sad? Because he was angry about how his life had turned out, how it led to this moment where he was being collared, not unlike a dog? Or maybe because he was touched by the unexpected kindness this man was showing to him. How even as he took his humanity away, he continued to treat him like a human? Was he really that ridiculous, that young and naïve to be taken in by something so small in the face of something so big and life-shattering? Because right now, he truly felt like he was being given something instead of having everything taken away as it really was. And he couldn't stop that feeling even if he tried.

“But this needs to be two-sided,” Tetsuya was still speaking in the meantime, “Do you agree to accept this and try to make the best of your situation despite never asking to be in it, Hyde? Do you promise to surrender to me earnestly and obey to the best of your abilities, to make an effort to learn what I teach you. Do you submit your will and body to me, and become my slave in every meaning of the word, in mind and soul?”

The moment felt so heavy Hyde almost felt like he was about to break under it. Tetsuya was only whispering, but his voice sounded incredibly loud to the boy right then. Of course, there was no fooling anyone: Hyde didn't really have a choice, there was no decision for him to make here. No matter how well-wishing and kind his owner was, if he were to refuse, to say that he would never willingly submit, Tetsuya would simply put the collar on him anyway, and he would be forced to wear it through the duration of his training regardless. He would simply disappoint the older man and make his life harder if he tried to rebel. That was the one truth that Tetsuya had been telling him the whole time, the one advice he had given him right after bringing him home. Fight, cling to your freedom, and you will only go insane. Submit, and get a chance to live a carefree and pleasurable life, even if it is one in captivity.

No, Tetsuya was not giving him a choice right now. He was giving him an opportunity to pledge (to himself even more than to his owner) that he would give in and won't fight pointlessly. To strengthen his intention to choose the path that would make his life easier in his mind.

“I... I promise,” he finally swore tremblingly, but Tetsuya didn't lift the collar to his neck yet as he had expected.

“I need you to say it,” he urged him further, and Hyde was about to argue that he just did, but the man continued, “You need to say the words yourself. Tell me what you are promising.”

That was a difficult demand, and Hyde sunk into silence for a minute again. He mulled over his own thoughts of before and remembered what Tetsuya had asked him to promise while he searched for appropriate words. Then he looked up into Tetsuya's eyes, finding it fitting to do so on this occasion. Despite the rule that told him to try not to, he felt sure that the older man agreed it was right to do so right now. Then he finally opened his mouth again.

“I promise to accept my life as your slave as well as I can,” he ended up saying quite simply but wholeheartedly, somehow not even stumbling over the word “slave” though it was probably the first time he referred to himself loudly as one, “I accept the collar as a symbol of me belonging to you.”

His owner smiled at him warmly after he was finished, obviously approving of his choice of words, and finally lifted the collar to his neck. Hyde found himself sub-consciously stretching it out to offer it up properly while the man fitted the leather around it and then with deft fingers fixed it in place.

It immediately felt weird to have it there. It wasn't really tight - just tight enough to be always felt, making it impossible to forget it was there. And that was probably on purpose, so he would always be aware of its presence and thus also of its significance. Hyde's hand rose to his neck to follow the stripe of leather around it curiously, and he closed his eyes, concentrating on letting his mind wrap around the new addition. Not that there was any real hurry. He had time to get used to it – it would stay there forever, after all.