It had been a day or two at this point since Jin had become the Kirin's slave. And in this time, there had been a bit of bonding. Nothing so great as that first night though. But if anything, Jin was slowly getting used to the idea of being owned. Of following rules and being treated well for doing so. Even if some of the rules were degrading, humiliating, or downright infuriating. So far, the kirin had respected him and done exactly what he said he'd do without falter. 

The kirin was good at communicating when he wanted to be.  And used that to his advantage. He'd be intentionally vague over little things, or big things indiscriminately though, just to keep the little deer guessing as to what was and was not vague intentionally. And for the most part, It did leave Jin having to always guess the next move so deeply, that by the time it came to make his next move, he was forced simply to comply rather than avoid things or possibly screw them up.


The kirin on the other hand had indeed been getting quite used to having a servant. Not so much a fuck-toy, or a pure slave. But someone who could do the menial tasks that had formerly eaten up so much of his time. He found the deer inept at cooking though, something he'd have to remedy. And he found him more than a little hesitant to groom either of them. Something the kirin both loathed and loved. He loved getting the chance to groom the buck properly. Those small moments helped them bond quicker after all. But at the same time, he needed help with his own extensive grooming routine, and would not trust someone who could not properly groom themselves.


In both cases though, his instructions were clear and succinct enough to not only order but teach the buck. He was doing his best to teach him how to be a chef, how to pamper himself, and how to hold himself in proper posture in public. All of this was something new to the buck. Who until recently had slid by on doing the bare minimum. But now it was quite clear, that would not be enough anymore. Excellence was not only encouraged, but expected. In private he was trained. In public, he was scrutinized. And in his increasingly growing free time, he was finding himself... not entirely unhappy with his new life. Taking small matters of pride in it already such as enjoying those long hot baths. And loving the chance to groom his fur out fully with the tools generously provided by his owner. The food he was treated to in public was moderate. Often being allowed only to eat the kirin's scraps. But in private, he chose what to eat for the both of them. And it was becoming a point of pride that he could cook more delicious things. Even if it was more for himself. He was reaping the benefits of the kirin's nearly unlimited checkbook. And the constant renting of suits with fully stocked kitchens was a bonus as well.


Things were going great for them. Things could not be better. But that is only because the kirin had not yet started truly subjecting the slave of his to the real world. The real reason he was in the position he was in. That was changing though. And it started being most apparent on about the second week. When the kirin started having guests over. 


During those times the buck was ordered to kneel silently at his master's side, and serve drinks when needed. But otherwise, he was muzzled and treated like he didn’t exist. But tonight would be the first dinner-time guest. A guest where the buck was expected to cook dessert if nothing else. Deserts being one of the things the buck mastered quickly, enjoying making cakes as the recipes were simple and often impossible to mess up unless he didn’t follow instructions exactly. Something he’d found he’d always been skilled in even if he loathed it.

No tonight was so different in that he was informed it was a female guest. The first female the Kirin had brought over. It was hinted that it was indeed a dinner-date. Hints at romance being a key interest for the evening. The buck was cleaned by his owner, his every inch thoroughly scrubbed, and groomed. The Kirin himself looked more regal than ever. His horns freshly polished, his beard tidely trimmed and oiled. His fur all slicked down and properly groomed with not a single hair out of place. 

The buck would speak up as the two were getting dressed together. “Master, this guest. She must mean a good deal do you to go through all of this trouble. Who is she?” He asked, his direct nature a counterpoint to the kirin’s often elusive one. Though he did stop himself and bow to his master before amending ”I-if I may inquire Master.” 

The kirin would not skip a beat, still adjusting his coat, cuffs, and accessories as he was finishing up his wardrobe. “She is indeed special to me. The details of our relationship do not concern you. But I will say she has known me for many long years. And we have been apart far too long. Just... Don't let her appearance fool you. She is old enough to be your mother boy. And I expect you to treat her like the gilded rose that she is.” 

The kirin shut the dresser as he finished off his attire by stuffing his daily items in his pockets, his watch, old style phone(modern to us), and of course his pipe and halo. “Oh. One last thing boy. She is a rare Dragon mixed breed. Her other lineage is that of a tiger. Don't let her appearance frighten, or shock you. I want you to keep your emotions muted tonight. Practice that detachment we trained. Keep your face as blank as you can, and don't recoil. She enjoys preying on the emotions of ‘lessers'. She will toy with you. I hope you don't give her the satisfaction of reacting. Though I hold out little to no hopes of that being the case.”

The kirin left the room and indeed left the suite altogether. Leaving the buck to finish dressing and preparing his meal for the evening. Something he was looking forward to doing. He’d taken time to study some new cooking techniques and while all he was required to do was a simple dessert. He felt he could also handle appetizers, or perhaps the first light course. 


He’d decided to try his hand at sushi, nigiri, and sashimi. All of the ingredients were rather expensive even for the elite. Fish has become a bit of a commodity that was increasingly rare. After all the lakes, rivers, and oceans were very hostile these days both to those above it on the ship and along its shores. Never mind the fact it was a harsh place for that which lived beneath its waves. 


Pair that with fish being seen as a less cruel food than eating the poor or desperate who sold themselves as meat to provide for their families. It was a fad food, one with which the farms could not keep up with demand. Fish had become this symbol of the rich and wealthy trying to empathize with the lower castes. The rich choosing to not eat the poor, but eat the fruits of their labors.


As Jin lay a slice of fish on the oblong riceball he’d just made the thoughts flashed through his mind of the kirin deciding to eat him one day when his usefulness no longer outweighed his cost of living. “Sorry little guy. Maybe one day I will join you on his plate...”


As Jin cooked, he realized another reason he had enjoyed deserts, and why the kirin had instructed him to start there. Deserts, for the largest part, were at least borderline vegetarian. Sure eggs were used but most of them were non-fertile. Little more than proteins. And the dairy used supported lower-status families who produced the milks. But this, his first dish of real food was already a challenge to his mind. Even as nonsapient, and primeval as fish were, jin could not help but feel a pang of sadness for the death that now adorned his once-proud plate of rice he’d taken such care to mold into the proper shapes.


He was able to hold back his emotions as he worked though, soon having a half dozen bits of fish and rice arranged somewhat orderly on each of the two plates. A mix of the 3 styles of sushi, all a different flavor, and meat. He set them aside to get back to what he truly enjoyed. Deserts.

On his mind tonight was a bit of a unique dish he was going to try and make on his own. He’d learned how to make pies quite well, and was enjoying experimenting with all of the fresh fruits there where he’d never had the joy of knowing about before. Tonight he’d chosen fig. He made the crust of the pie while reducing figs and their juice in a pan and added some strong spices like cinnamon and star anise. The resulting reduction was brought to a near caramel-like consistency before he poured it over fresh diced figs and plumbs where he had made half of the pie of one flavor and the other half the other, but both were covered in that nearly caramel-like reduction of sugar, and spice.


When it was all done, the crust was crumbly and flakey, the shape a little malformed sure, but the scent alone was one of mouthwatering delight. He set the table with moments to spare, the pie set in the center as a centerpiece of sorts alongside candles and flowers. He then had the rest of the food he’d ordered for the night sent up by the dumbwaiter as he prepared the dishes one after the other for bringing them out to his master and his guest.


The buck’s collar buzzed as his master’s phone pinged him that they’d come home. He’d not enjoyed having a collar on but knew it could have been worse. The one chosen for him was seemingly fairly discrete and thankfully not containing any torture devices in it that he’d noticed. Though he was still getting use to the implant he’d had placed under his ears and in his jaw. This allowed the collar to communicate with him, and him with his master nearly silently. The text coming from the phone stating clearly that he was to be kneeling before the door for their arrival. 

The buck did as instructed, kneeling before the door, straightening out his slacks and button-up shirt he’d been permitted to wear tonight, though he’d also had on a skirt overtop of the slacks as a bit of current fashion. The skirt itself was not designed to be solo-wear. It had an angular cut to it that was almost like a flower petal, where the front of it was less than an inch long, but it quickly swoop down around his right hip, and in the back to be a full-length skirt by the time it got to his left hip. Though often worn with shorts that where of contrasting color and the same length as the skirt, tonight it was black on black with his slacks, and that vibrant blue shirt did his lovely eyes justice-making them pop.


Hearing the click of the security bolts unfastening as the duo walked upto the door that slid out of their way as they approach, the buck lay his upper body down in a deep bow, still on his knees as he prostrates himself before his owner and their esteemed guest. The two ignored him entirely as they came in, the door closed and their conversation carried on. The dragon-tiger speaking in an exasperated tone “I’d told him to not handle those packages until he got the authorization from the department heads. But no, he went behind their backs and opened them anyway. Needless to say, we have need of a new imports officer in the South Arania branch.”


The Kirin nodded and once inside closed doors turned to face the woman with a smile, his arms outstretched as if ready for a hug. The buck was peering up at the two, though not part of proper form to do so without first being acknowledged or ordered to do something. What he saw was this lovely woman, so strong yet elegant in nature, and he heard her deep, almost growled purr before she all but threw herself at the Kirin. The adoring call of “Master!” from her as she did so only serving to befuddle the buck. To say this confused him was an understatement, as this large, powerful-looking female, who was also so elegant and beautiful, dressed in a stunning evening dress, and speaking of ruling over divisions of labor in far away places all but broke down into hysterics, calling the Kirin ‘Master’ and clinging to him more like a daughter than a slave. Who was this woman? What on earth was her relation to him? Was she really his slave? Clearly former slave... right? And if so,... why did she seem to be so smitten with him?


This woman was also clearly of noble blood. A slave of noble blood was unheard of. Even amongst the highest of elites. So much so that some nations outlawed it, and even then some species were globally banned from ever being slaves as it would damage their reputation too significantly. In such rare cases, a noble would lose such status, they were often forced to commit ritual suicide to preserve the integrity of their lineage. Dragon species specifically were among those that preferred death to servitude. Even mixed breeds such as herself were intensely rare to find in lowborn jobs or society in general.


Clearly, something was going on here. She couldn’t be his slave, no. Jin smirked to himself as he reasoned that he figured it out. It was some kinky game clearly. She pretended to be his slave and did things for him behind closed doors. That was it. Some form of role play. After all these nobles had to escape their lives in their own ways. No matter who you are, all lives need some escapism Jin realized.

As he lay there, and the two dragons hugged the female would purr loudly nuzzling her head up against the neck of the much taller deer-dragon who had stooped down a bit to let her get a better grab of him. Only stopping when pushed away lightly. “Now, Kiri straighten up girl. We are being watched after all.” Said the large male nodding towards the still bowing male near the door who quickly moved to close his preying eye and straighten his head out before the female could turn around and start to straighten out her dress. She walked over towards him silent as creeping death itself, towering over the thin kneeling figure. “So; this is the new little toy you told me about... A bit scrawny isn’t he?”

The female smirked and looked back at the more dominant male with a devious, almost shit-eating grin plastered across her face, “Oh that’s right. You don't like them to be able to fight back too much at first. I remember you had them starve me for a week before we even met. My claws filed, my jaw wired shut. You had me feeling entirely helpless. And oh so very confused and at odds with myself. After all; it’s not every day you’re abducted and forced into servitude.”

The master of the duo chuckled aloud before moving to set down in one of the various seats, picking a corner seat today so he could watch the interaction. As he pulled out his pipe and nod he spoke, “Ah yes. But you know you’d never trade it girl. Even though it was hard. In the end, it was all worthwhile wasn’t it?”


As the tiger-dragon turned to address the alpha male in the corner, she placed one of her bare foot paws on the back of Jin’s neck and pressed down on it hard enough to make it hard for him to breathe. “Hmm.... Hard... I can attest to that much. You never beat me. You never left a mark you didn't intend to stay for life. But it was hard indeed.” As she spoke Jin wanted so badly to squirm and struggle under her. He had pangs of panic run through him but it was barely contained by the fact he was able to still breathe, but just barely.


As the Dragoness spoke, the wheezed squeaks of the buck under her heel told her all she needed to know. So long as she could hear those sounds she’d not press harder, but not let up either while she spoke. “So Mi’lord, what is to become of this new toy? Will you violate him as you did me? Leave him a panting, writhing mess as well Sire? Perhaps even put him on display, or offer to your guests as you did with me.” As she spoke that pressure mounted little by little, her speech taking on more precedence from her attention than the slave under heel. This making Jin press up against her and let out a muffled plea before she stepped off, and the buck lean up a bit rubbing at his throat and neck with a sputter and cough.


The dragon in the corner smoked his pipe and simply watched as their past was dredged up before his newest slave. As Jin was finally able to look over he saw his master holding up a hand, and the tiger-lady now bowing properly to him. The kirin had silently ordered her to stop, and spoke up “What I did to you was done out of necessity for the majority. But it is true... I’d be lying if I said I didn't give in to temptation, now and then. But these are matters of the past. And tonight, much like nearly all nights that remain between us, is a time for matters of the future.”

With that he clapped shut the metal cover on his pipe and stood back up exhaling a thick plume of that smoke before extending a hand towards the dining room where Jin had prepared their meal. The Master looked over at Jin and saying “Boy, you will kneel at my side and keep quiet. If you are lucky, you will then get the honor of serving Kiri’s needs for the night. She seems to have taken a liking to you. I expect you will have to learn a great deal tonight that I’d not planned for you to put to use quite yet.”

And with that, the two walked away towards the dining area, leaving the buck still lightly panting and rubbing his neck. He simply grit his teeth and said nothing, doing as ordered and following behind them and taking his place at his master’s side like a pet dog would at the dinner table. He kept his eyes on the floor as the two ate and discussed things of no consequence to him. Business, new laws, metrics, analytics, and statistics. Things that interested him much less than the conversation they’d had before. About her past. A glimpse into his future he feared.

The unshakable thought of ‘being offered to guests’ and knowing that.... Tonight he likely would be offered to her. And already, her cruelty was on full display. Anxiety rose, anticipation pushing that feeling forward in his mind, setting it on loop as he ran through the scenarios over and over. In his mind... he was little more than a scratching post and a chew toy for someone with such predatory instincts as her. After all; his species were valued for their flavor. More so than a good deal of other species in fact. After all, there was hardly a predator alive who didn't have a taste for cervines of some kind. The sounds of the pair eating only set his skin crawling as if his fur was infested with a myriad of insects. 


Tonight... Much like all other nights for the rest of his life was a night for the future business. And future business, he did not think he would enjoy.