Slavery Legalized

by Draugr & Element

Chapter 12: Of Play, Of Punishment, Of Proclamation

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This work is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License](%5C)

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Kana smiled, walking over to a small drawer and pulling out a key. "This is your master's spare key; we can take it with us in case we need it." The shepherd went to the door, shutting it behind her and locking it. Randall was already shaking a bit - he'd officially stepped outside his safety net. When he heard the mechanical click of the lock, it hit with a sudden air of finality that terrified him. He held on to Kana's paw for dear life, as though she were the only rope that kept him from drifting away in a torrential sea.

"Randall? You okay? This isn't too bad for you so far, right?" Kana said, noting his reaction. "We're just going next door, okay?" Kana walked out and around with him to the house next door, a large blue home. "Masters? I'm home. I have Randall with me, are the boys ho-"

"KANA!" Two young cubs, neither of which could have been older than ten, ran down the stairs and pounced her, knocking her back. Randall yipped in surprise, moving around behind Kana to hide himself.

"My, my...I suppose that answers my question, did you have a good day?"

"We sure did...you didn't pick us up from the bus, we were worried!" one said, a young Dalmatian pup covered in spots, including a large one over his right eye. He was wearing shorts and a t-shirt that had a Disney character on it.

"Yeah, but Dad said something about you being with the slave next door, did you bring him to play with us?" the other asked, an orange and black tiger cub. He was dressed similarly to his brother, but had on a sleeveless solid gray shirt.

Kana just chuckled and pointed back to 'the slave next door.' "Yep, he's right there, now be nice, alright? Introduce yourselves, boys." They both nodded and smiled, darting over in front of the wolf, who tried to further use Kana as a shield - this obviously didn't work with the two inquisitive cubs.

"Hi, I'm Jordan!" said the young dalmatian.

"Yeah, and I'm his older brother, Cody. I'm ten, and he's nine," the tiger said, being sure to let Randall know who was the elder of the two.

"I'm nine and a half!" Jordan corrected.

"I'm...I'm Randall, I'm twenty-four," the wolf said quietly, looking at the floor. He was still holding onto Kana's arm, nervous at all the sudden appearances and not sure how to deal with it. With his master gone, Kana was the closest thing he had to a 'protector.'

The two cubs giggled, seeing Randall holding Kana's hand, as if he were a cub himself.

"Randall, are you Kana's girlfriend?" Jordan asked inquisitively.

"No, I..." the wolf tried saying, before he was interrupted.

"She can't be his girlfriend, Kana likes girls, remember?" Cody said, missing the subtle difference between a 'boyfriend' and a 'girlfriend.'

"Oh yeah...hey, Randall, come play with us!" Jordan said, switching gears. Both of them grabbed his paws. Kana let go and followed them while they dragged Randall off. The wolf was a bit scared, but Kana was right behind him, so he didn't fret too much. In second, he found himself upstairs in their playroom. A small TV with a game system attached dominated one corner, while other toys were contained in boxes spread on the other walls. The dalmatian pup ran over to one side of the room, where several clear plastic crates contained countless amounts of Legos.

"Come play with meeeee, Randall!" he pleaded.

"No, over here, pleeeeease!" Cody countered.

Randall about broke down just then and there - he was already overstimulated, and was confused as to what he should pick - there wasn't a clear right choice. Luckily, Kana rescued him in the nick of time.

"Seems the boys already like you, Randall, what will you do?" she joked. "Hehehe...boys, I think he needs to go see your fathers first, alright? Come on, Randall." Both cubs groaned, upset, but went about playing while she led Randall down to the kitchen where John was busy making a few sandwiches. He looked back over his shoulder, smiling, seeing the two slaves come in.

"Kana, I'm glad to see you're home...and hello, Randall, I heard the tussle when you walked in...I hope the boys didn't scare you!" John laughed. "Would you like a sandwich? I'm making the boys peanut butter and jelly, if you want one."

"Um...I already ate, thank you, sir,"

"Well, I'll make you one, Kana, if you're hungry, but go grab Tom in the office, would you?" She nodded, walking away down the hall. Randall noticed this, turned around, and whined, not wanting to see her go. As he watched her round the corner, disappearing from sight - he realized he was completely alone with John - so he ducked behind a counter, grabbing his knees, and huddled up into a little ball. All this was so much to handle at once for him, and he wasn't sure what to do.

If only Master were here... he thought. I'm going to have to learn to deal with this eventually...Master can't spend all his time dealing with me...but...it's so hard, right now, I wish I could just hide... The wolf was tearing up from frustration.

John had given him a few seconds behind the counter, thinking maybe he had dropped something, but when he heard sniffled, he walked over and knelt down beside him. "Hey, it's okay, little guy..." He pet his head, his big paw running down to his neck, trying to comfort him a bit. Randall didn't react much, he was trying to withdraw, and pretend whatever was going on, wasn't. Just then, Kana walked back in with Tom, both of them looking confused.

"I think he's a little overstimulated...maybe we should have lunch in the backyard today...kind of relax him a bit?" Kana said, as she went over to finish up the sandwiches that John had started.

"Yes, how about we go out back and have lunch there, okay?" Tom repeated to Randall. "You can just sit and enjoy the fresh air, alright?" Randall nodded, letting himself be helped up and led out to the backyard. He seemed to loosen up a bit - perhaps the fresh air was helping.

"Hey, not everything in one day, right? You're doing better than I thought you would, so don't be too hard on yourself, okay?" Tom said, noticing what a hard time Randall was having. The wolf nodded silently, keeping his gaze downward. It was nice for him to have someone who at least seemed to understand what he was going through, and that made him feel a bit more at ease.

In short time, both boys came out with Kana, helping her carry the food. John took the plate of sandwiches, set everything down. John and Cody began eating immediately, Kana taking her place between her masters. Randall kept his distance on the outskirts, nervously darting his eyes back and forth. The cubs, in their boyish youth, didn't recognize this as having anything to do with an abusive history - they just thought he was feeling left out. The beckoned him over. Randall went and sat between them, interpreting their gesture as a command, rather than a request.

"Hey, do you want one, Randall?" Jordan smiled. "And will you play with us after, Kana told us we were upsetting you so we can play together in the backyard if you want if you like it here better."

"Umm...I guess I can eat one," the wolf said, quietly. He was a bit full from eating at his master's house, but his appetite was slowly increasing as his body began to get used to eating a proper amount of food.

Cody handed him one. "They're really good."

"Yeah, Papa John makes the best sandwiches." Both cubs took a few turns petting his head and scratching him behind the ear, hoping to calm him down a little. They knew Kana liked that when she was stressed out. Randall flinched the first few times they moved their little paws around his head, not knowing what to expect - but he did enjoy the attention, once he figured out what was going on.

He began to eat, hoping the two cubs wouldn't think it was weird that he wouldn't look them in the eye. They seemed like decent kids to him, and he didn't want to make a bad impression. That had been one of the biggest problems with his first master's kids - they always wanted to look him right in the eyes, and he had never been able to handle that very well, even before that behavior had been reinforced by literally beating it into him.

"It's okay, Kana didn't look us in the eyes at first, too," Jordan chimed in, correctly guessing the wolf's thoughts.

"Randall, hey! Can you play with us after?" Cody repeated, since the wolf hadn't answered that question the first time.

"Oh...I can play after, sure," he said, finishing the last bite, displaying an unusual amount of bravado. Randall was trying extra hard to be good after the laundry room incident, and figured playing with the two cubs, despite his fears of being away from Kana, whom he'd latched onto fairly strongly in their few short hours together.

John gave a grin to Tom, pleased that the slave was beginning to feel more at ease, then looked over at Randall. "You seem to be in better spirits, Randall, the fresh air better for you maybe?"

"Yessir, the outside air helps," the wolf nodded, keeping his gaze downward.

"Hehe, well, don't be afraid to tell the rugrats to leave you be if you don't want to play, you don't have to be nice, they understand."

"I'll be nice sir, I promise," Randall said, not having really understood what seemed like quite an odd statement to him. The wolf wasn't used to being able to tell a free fur to leave him be, no matter what their age. Besides, he actually did want to play a bit, despite his nerves.

"So...what do you do out here?" the wolf asked them. The only 'games' he had ever played outside were ones he didn't enjoy at all, and everyone else did.

"Well, we like lots of games...like...um, hide and go seek, pretend games, tag, all sorts...what kinda games do you like, Randall?" Cody asked.

"Yeah, tell us a game you like, we can play that, or we can get out one of the board games and play it out here if you want!" Jordan suggested. Both of them sensed that Randall seemed kind of unhappy, and wanted to do whatever the wolf wanted, whatever would put him at ease.

The wolf twisted his fingers together, getting a little nervous. He didn't know any real games, at least not any that he'd have fun playing, and trying to imagine this family playing any of the awful 'games' he'd endured was almost comical. He didn't think for a minute that was what they meant.

"Umm...a board game would be nice, I guess." Randall said, trying to smile a little. That didn't involve any running around or loud voices, and the wolf's nerves were already pretty strung out. He looked over in Kana's direction, hoping she'd stick around as well.

Tom got behind the two kids and whispered in their ears:

"Don't get too rambunctious, it's hard for him to be away from his master, and he's really trying to be good for us, okay?" He gave both of them noogies, which sent them into fits of laughter.

Both kids giggled, and nodded. "Okay, papa." They hugged him and giggled again, finding pleasure in everything and nothing, as cubs are prone to do.

"Okay, Randall, wait here, we'll get something fun." The cubs ran inside, and quickly re-appeared with a stack of board games.

"We got a couple...Snakes and Ladders, Candy Land, and Clue! You pick, Randall!" They set the games in front of the wolf. At the same time, Kana walked up and sat beside him.

"I think I'll stay and play too if you don't mind, Randall, I'll make sure the boys don't get out of hand."

"Okay." Randall said, feeling a bit better now that he had Kana to latch onto, in a metaphorical sense.

Randall had no idea what any of the games were, so he just put a paw over his eyes, and moved the other back and forth until he dropped it straight down, landing on a box, and said "This one!" He opened his eyes to see that he had landed on some game called "Clue."

The kids quickly opened it up, setting everything in place up on top of the table.

"I wanna be Colonel Mustard!"

"Well I get to be Mr. Green!"

Kana just chuckled at their exuberance, then leaned over to Randall. "I promise, they're just really excited to meet you and play with you is all." While they continued to get the cards and pieces and everything in place, Kana explained the rules of the game.

"Boys, mind if we play at the table with you?" the shepherd asked. They both stopped and looked at one another, then Kana, nodding.

"Sure, come on Randall sit up here with us." Kana took a seat beside Cody, patting the seat beside her, not taking any offense at the tiger's momentary obsession with Randall.

"Come on, Randall, it's okay, you heard them, you have permission, as do I," Kana told Randall, seeing that he hadn't moved from his position on the floor.

Randall hopped up on the seat, after he was sure it was okay. He picked the purple piece, liking the sound of "Professor Plum." It rolled off the tongue quite easily. As the game began Randall found he rather enjoyed it. There was a clear set of rules, it seemed very orderly, and there was a logical process to it involving process of elimination - very easy for him to follow.

As the game went on, Jordan began leaning into Randall, nuzzling his arm, looking up at the wolf and smiling. "Hehe, you're so nice, Randall...can you come play with us more often? Pleeeaaase?" He put on his best act, even adding a little sad whimper to the plea.

"Now, now, Jordan," Kana began, laughing, "He has his own master to serve, you know...he's not your father's or yours, he has his own responsibilities."

"Awww...but can't he ask Uncle Georgio at least?"

"Well, I suppose, but Randall still has a lot to learn and understand before he gets some free time."

"Um...Kana's right, I still have a lot to learn before I can do this a lot," the wolf said quietly. He felt a bit better knowing that the kids seemed to have taken a liking to him, and he was even feeling a little bit better in their company. Hearing his master referred to as 'Uncle Georgio' was odd - but the sound of it kept ringing in his ears. It was kind of pleasant, a warm feeling.

Is that what it feels like to have a family? Randall wondered. What little he remembered of his family consisted of coldness and distance.

Jordan nodded, but it was clear he was pouting a little bit. "Okay, that's fine, I guess...then can we come over there and play with you, maybe?"

Before anything else could be added, John stuck his head out the back door.

"Hey, Randall, your master is on the phone in here."

The wolf got up, darted inside without so much as a word.

While Randall was talking on the phone, Tom walked out to the kids to answer Jordan's question. "I'm sure Randall would love having you over there, but you're gonna have to check with Georgio to see if it's okay. And with us, young man." Tom knew that Randall had just started a radically different part of his life and some days might be harder than others for him - luckily today seemed to be working out okay. The rhino was actually surprised at how well Randall was doing - he had half expected him to lock himself in a room somewhere or hide in a closet, or just completely shut down. He was happy to see him engaging with his kids and with Kana.

"Okay, dad," the kids responded.

~

"Master?" Randall asked, once he had picked up the reciever, his voice seeming a little bit happier. "I'm doing okay, we're playing a board game."

"I'm glad you're well, Randall, boys haven't driven you crazy yet, have they?"

"It's a little hard for me to be with all these furs in a strange house, but I'm coping. Having Kana stick with me helps a bit. When are you coming home?" he asked yet again, hoping the answer might be "Now," despite the fact that he was having quite a bit of fun.

"No, Randall, not for about another hour, okay? John said you're playing Clue, so have fun with that - you should be close to another phone call when you're done. Are you scared about us talking when you're home, Randall?" the lion asked, detecting a tense note in his wolf's voice.

Randall wanted to make his master happy, and he wasn't sure whether being honest or telling him what he'd like to hear would be better. Finally, he decided on being honest, remembering his lesson with the pizza delivery mouse.

"Yeah..." he said, his ears and tail drooping a bit. Randall didn't know what to expect, and he didn't like uncertainty. To be honest, he was shocked his master hadn't screamed at him, or rushed home to beat him or worse. He'd never done anything so horrible under his previous masters, and they'd done whatever they damn well pleased with his body any time he acted up, and even when he didn't.

"Well, don't be scared or worried...and as of right now, I have no plan to punish you before or after we talk, alright? We can talk about what went on when I get home, I haven't seen anything yet. And remember, have something in mind for when I come home, we'll do anything you like for the night. I'll see you in a bit, goodbye."

Randall hung up the phone, a bit puzzled. His master had mentioned something about "no punishment" before, but it hadn't really sunk in. That was just incredibly confusing. He'd been bad. Misbehaved. Destroyed his master's belongings. How was his master not furious with him? If he wasn't punished, how would he know not to do it again?

All these questions ran through his head as he went over and sat back down at the table to continue the game. About thirty minutes later, Cody piped up, asking his "Papa John" to come out and check his answer. The rhino came out, and grabbed the little envelope.

"Um, okay...Miss Scarlet in the Conservatory, with the...lead pipe, right?" John shook his head.

"Sorry, Cody, that's not it."

"Awww, and I though I had it..."

Randall went through a few more rounds, trying to narrow down the results, focusing in on the puzzle so he didn't have to think about the talk he and his master were going to have. He finally put forward his guess, a good twenty minutes after Cody had.

"Colonel Mustard, in the Conservatory, with the Rope?"

John checked the envelope again.

"Well...Cody, it seems you were the one who did it in the end, so that means you're right Randall!" John kissed Cody's head and gave him a pat on the back.

"Congrats, Randall, you won!" Kana said. The boys likewise congratulated him, jumping up to hug him from both sides - they had apparently been quite well raised, and didn't pout about who won and who lost.

"Yay, Randall, you did it!" Jordan said.

John just laughed at their exuberance. "Sorry, the boys are a tad affectionate with those they like," he said, trying to hint to Randall that he was more than welcome here.

Randall squirmed a little bit, uncomfortable with all the sudden affection, but he stayed put like a good boy and endured it. He was glad to know that the kids liked him. It helped him feel like he was worth something - having someone like him for who he was, rather than...what he could offer.

His tail was wagging back and forth out the back of the chair, however, so he couldn't have been terribly uncomfortable. He looked up at the clock and saw it was only seconds away to five...his ears drooped down a little bit as he became a little apprehensive.

He smiled a bit despite himself and said "Thanks, everyone."

This time, John's cell phone rang, rather than the house phone.

"Hello? Oh, yeah, here he is...come on kids, back off him, let him breathe," he said, passing the phone to Randall.

"Hey, it's five, like I said...and I have a treat for you, open the front door..." Georgio was waiting outside the front door, only the clothes on his back with him, having put his other things inside his house first.

Randall turned and looked inside, dropping the cell phone as soon as he realized his master was there. Despite his apprehension, he darted over, a flying mass of blurred colors and fur, and launched himself at his master, embracing him in a tight hug.

"Master! You came back!" he said, his tail wagging, happy to see his master - at least for the moment. The sight of the lion had chased all thoughts of the talk they were going to have from his mind.

Georgio had luckily braced himself, catching his wolf, and holding him tight.

"You act like I went to war or something, Randall!" he laughed. "It was only work." He kissed his ear, nuzzling him gently as he put him down. "Now, have you been a good boy for John and Tom?"

Kana entered the room, answering the question for Randall. "He's been the picture of perfection, Master Georgio." The wolf nodded his head to indicate that he had been good, just like Kana had said. He buried his face in his master's chest and nuzzled him a bit. Randall felt like he had been gone for several lifetimes. Kana went over to him, whispering something in his ear, quiet enough that Georgio wouldn't be able to hear.

"You should tell him how you feel about him tonight."

"I will. Definitely. Even if I'm being punished," he replied, equally as quiet.

"Hey, Georgio, don't worry, he's been a good boy, I promise," John said, entering from the kitchen. "The boys really loved him, they asked if they could have him over more."

Georgio chuckled, rubbing Randall's head. "Well, my tame little wolf does have a way of being likable. Are you ready to go home, Randall?" Georgio held up the leash and smiled at him.

Randall turned around, folded his arms, and scrunched up his nose. "I'm not tame..." he pouted, but let his master clip on the leash anyway, which certainly painted a very different picture than his words.

Tom laughed a little upon hearing that. "Hoho! Definitely not, you should have seen how ferociously and tenaciously he tracked down the dangerous Colonel Mustard."

"You won? Oh, that's awesome, Randall...and yes, you're not tame at all," the lion said, scratching him behind his ear while the other scratched his belly. "Look at this ferocious beast of mine," he added, laughing. Randall pouted a bit more at the physical attention, but nothing in his nature could allow him to ignore that, so he let himself enjoy it.

Tom went ahead and walked the duo to the front door. "Let me know if you need Kana to take care of him tomorrow or any other day, for that matter, we're glad to help out while he's adjusting. He's quite well behaved, even if he isn't the least bit tame," he said, smiling down at Randall.

He leaned into Georgio, whispering something in his ear - this time something Randall couldn't make out. "Don't go and be too much of a big 'ol softy on him, Kana seemed a little shook up by his temper, although she's a real trooper and doesn't show that much. We aren't very upset by that, but I don't want that causing problems for you two down the road." The last thing Tom wanted him or John to do was be called out to Georgio's residence on an issue of "undesirable slave behavior," which he knew he'd have to do if anything happened as he was right next door. Randall still had several unexpired marks on his behavior record, and any further incidents meant he might be castrated, taken away from his master, or even worse, put down.

"Of course, Tom, I'm kind but firm, you know that...now, come on, Randall, thank them and let's go home," Georgio ordered, tuggling the leash after the wolf had done so. He walked his slave back to the house before closing the door behind him.

"Okay, Randall, we're alone, you can take that off now, and show off all of yourself," he said, chuckling a little. He didn't want to get too suggestive and spook Randall, but he couldn't help but tease him a little.

Randall didn't think anything of it, and removed his loincloth. Even after wearing it all day, it felt kind of odd to have it on with just him and his master in the house. He was trying to figure out where to put it when he felt another tug on the leash.

"Come on, let's go see the damage," Georgio said. Randall dropped the loincloth on the floor, having found no place to put it, and followed his master quite reluctantly toward the mess he had made. He followed so slowly that he got several tugs before they'd even gotten there.

"Well, this isn't too-holy hell!" the lion exclaimed, surveying the laundry room. He saw the rippe dup wallpaper and put his paw over his face and sighed. "Alright, Randall...you see this? This is what I'm talking about, that anger of yours...no, I can't, and I won't tolerate it..." He reached behind him and pulled out a spray bottle from his bag, spraying the wolf's face.

"Bad Randall, shame on you! Shame!" he scolded him, like a disobedient puppy.

"Ackpth!" the wolf exclaimed, shaking his head back and forth. He seemed more confused by this treatment than anything else. But Georgio wasn't done, not yet. He looked down at him, with a stern look in his eye.

"From now on, once a day, and also before you go to bed, you are going to come right here, kneel before this tattered wallpaper, and say 'I will be better for Master and for myself,' ten times. This is going to stay as a constant reminder in my disappointment in your ability to control yourself." Georgio held him, unclipping the leash, and holding him tightly - but it wasn't a grip of a master preventing his slave from escaping, the feeling was almost as though he were afraid Randall was going somewhere, away from him.

"I don't want to lose you, Randall. Please....please control yourself for me...I don't want them to take you away because you had a tantrum, alright?"

"If they try and take me away from you, I'll kill them!" he said, terrified of that possibility. He hugged his master back tightly. "But...I'll try and be better for you, Master. Sorry I ruined your clothes..." he said, spotting some of the tattered remnants that Kana had gathered up. He stayed there a minute, before speaking up. "But how come you aren't punishing me or anything? This is...it's...it's..." he trailed off. "I've never done something this awful..." Randall was confused. Not that he wanted to be punished or anything, no slave enjoyed that, but he couldn't help but be curious.

Georgio pointed to the wallpaper. "Rethink what happened here and do just as I said, then tell me if you aren't being punished."

Randall seemed confused, but he did as he was told. He knelt before the wall. He made sure to keep in mind everything he'd done, and how bad he felt for letting his master down, and Kana for that matter.

"I will be better for Master and for myself."

"I will be better...for Master and for myself."

"I...will...I will be better for Master and for myself."

"I...will...b-be..."

By the time he got to the tenth repetition, it was very hard for him to say, and he was choking on the words. He got it out, but it was barely intelligible, and unless one already knew what he was going to say, his words would have just sounded like jibberish. He turned toward his master, looking at the ground, tears dripping off the end of his muzzle. He felt absolutely horrible, and knew what his master meant - this wasn't a free ride at all. It was almost as bad as a physical punishment, and in a few ways, worse. How could he have let his temper get away from him like that?

"I'm sorry...I'm a disappointment..." he managed to choke out.

Georgio knelt down and gently held his slave in his arms. He rubbed his back, holding his head to his chest while giving it a few kisses. "Shhh...I know Randall, you know what you did is wrong, and this is your punishment for it. It's okay to cry...you're not the only one crying, you know." Tears welled in his own eyes while he looked down at him, pulling his head back from his chest, and petting his cheek. "Randall...I don't want to lose you, you're...you're very...you're important to me, okay? Now I'm only punishing you with this because it is a reminder of what you did, and a reminder to learn to control yourself, alright?"

"I know...I understand..." he said. Suddenly he remembered what Kana had told him, and what he had promised.

"I love you," he added, simply, hugging his master back. For some reason that felt perfectly natural to Randall, even though he'd never loved someone at all before. Nobody had ever given him a reason to, until his master.

Georgio's eyes opened wide, pulling the wolf back from him a little bit, looking as best he could into the wolf's eyes, although Randall glanced away. "You...you what? Randall...what...what did you just say?" He blushed, thinking he had heard the words he hoped for...but didn't know if it was from his own desire to hear them, or if Randall had actually meant it.

Randall burrowed his face back into his master's shirt, feeling the soft fur beneath, seeking comfort.

"I love you, Master," he repeated himself.

Georgio continued to hold him, smiling. "You...you do? I mean, not that I'm upset, but...it's only been a couple days, I mean...how could you? Why?" The lion wanted to believe it, but still wasn't sure if Randall had actually meant it. Falling in love in such a short time was crazy...he wasn't sure if he could understand it...but looking down at his slave, he knew it. His heart could tell, but he still wanted to hear, to convince his mind.

"I don't even need two days for that, Master. You're been there for me when I need it. You treat me like I'm worth something. You...you make me decide things for myself, even when I don't want to because it's hard. You're patient with me...how could I not love you?" Randall managed to make brief eye contact as he said those last six words, but then quickly slipped away again, and he leaned back into his master, enjoying being held. However, in that split second where they had locked eyes - only love and affection were present in them; no resentment over his punishment, no hesitation, nor fear.

"You don't know what it's like...what it's like to be treated lower than scum," Randall continued. "You just start believing it after awhile. You don't know what it's like...the kinds of things I've been forced through. It scares me, and it hurts me to think about. But you put up with all those things. I don't know why you do...but you do, and that's what matters."

Georgio smiled, rubbing his slave's back gently. "I know why I put up with it." Georgio moved away again, then gently hold the wolf's chin, making him look him in the eye. "It's because...I love you too, Randall," he said, then leaned in, kissing him deeply on the muzzle, just allowing their lips to meet and enjoy one another for a moment. When he pulled back, tears stained the lion's face again.

"That's why I don't want you to leave me, or be taken away, because I love you more than I have any creature on this planet...I don't know how or why, but when I saw you...I saw a slave who was more than he looked...I saw someone who only wanted to be held and loved and told what a good boy he is and how proud I am of him...that's why I never want you to leave me like that, that's why I'm trying so hard to change this attitude of yours, without using methods those bastards used on you. I'm not doing this just because of your status, because you're a slave and I'm a master...it's because of my love for you." He kissed him again, briefly, and held him close to his chest, rubbing his back.

"I still don't think I understand it all...but I believe you," the wolf replied.

He let himself be held for a few moments, wishing tonight could never end. "I do want all that...I needed all that...and maybe...maybe you were right, what you said before...maybe it is because I like being your slave. It feels right."

Maybe...maybe I'm even tamed... he thought, the words sounding strange in his head, as his mind fought back against that idea...but he kept silent.

The two held eachother in a tight embrace for a few moments, before Georgio looked down at his slave and spoke up.

"Randall...would you like to take a bath together, my love?"

Randall didn't say anything to his Master's question, but he crawled up into his arms, and it was clear from his body language that yes, he did want that. Everything finally felt right to Randall. He was Master's slave, and Master was his master. All was as it should be. He wagged his tail, finally feeling like a "good boy" again.