Title: The Incubator: Ohana
Rating: NC17
Characters/Pairings: Steve/Danny, Kono, Chin, Kamekona, OC's
Summary: Adjusting to life with a baby is strange but rewarding. Danny springs a surprise on Steve that expands their 'Ohana' even further. But incidents occur that affect the household in a way no-body expects and Steve realises how precious and fragile his relationship is with his Owner and how much he has to lose.
Warnings: AU/AR!Future, M-preg, slash, slave!fic, mentions of miscarriages and adoption.
A/N: A continutation of the 'Incubator- verse' which began with 'The Incubator'. I have a few stories written at various time stamps for this 'verse'. Just trying to get them all to connect up.
I'm not discharged from the hospital for a week. Danny stays with me and together we muddle through having to contend with a baby now taking up our lives. It's bizarre. We were two and now we're three and Grace is the centre of our world. My existence doesn't shape just around Danny now, but her as well.
They are both asleep, Grace in her cot by Danny. I lay in the dark staring over at them, impatient to return home and get back to normal. I get stronger everyday and Chin seems to know I'm desperate to leave the hopsital, assuring me it won't be long now. I want to be back home, with everyone else and I'm sure they are missing the loss of the two of us. Danny has been fleeting between the hopsital and the house for weeks now but it must be hard on them to not have the stability of him around all the time. I feel a little guilty, taking up most of his time and energy.
I think about Grace, the little bundle of perfection that grew inside of me. When Danny looks at her it's like everything in him is open, you only have to look at his face, his expression to see it's everything he's ever desired. A stranger could look at him and see how he is completed. I feel strangely wicked when I think of how lucky Grace is, to be born free. She may have been born from a slave, but the owned slave of a free man. I've done my duty, fulfilled my purpose and she has everything to look forward to in her future with a father like Danny. I'm thankful that she is free and doesn't have to face the same life I do, she may be my daughter too but her world is completely different to mine.
I'm lucky - in fact lucky doesn't even come close to describing my circumstances. Life is strange, how different roads lead you to places. I was born a slave, I was sold at eighteen to a man who wanted children and could afford the high price of an Incubator. His name was Charles and he was tough but kind, he didn't wait before he tried for a child and I'd not experienced what changes my body would go through from repression to Incubation. You feel the change, deep inside you, like you're metamorphising into something different. The body gives off pheremones to your potential mate, in my case my owner, who's own body is affected by them, driven to copulate with you. All these changes help bring on the seeding process but it takes time.
The first time Charles took me in this pheremone induced haze, it was the first time I'd been taken so roughly. My body reacts with equal passion to my mate but afterwards, when you spiral out of the coitial haze, I felt battered and bruised. It was a jarring and painful experience. Seeding doesn't usually take place first time round, so we were caught up on the carousel of the sudden need to take and be taken.
The hormones affect you also. I felt close to Charles after the seeding took hold and I adjusted into Incubation mode. I fell under a hormonal spell, thinking that he cared, genuinely cared for me. I thought the soft words, the caresses, the care and attention he showered me with meant I was more than a mere slave to him. I was young and naive and tricked myself into thinking he loved me.
It was my first Incubation, so when the pains occurred a few months in I didn't know what it meant. It's like your insides are being cut through, like being awake for surgery but unable to do anything about it. I didn't understand what was going on, the doctors ignore you, you don't exist. Charles was told any relevant information and all I knew was I had sufferred a negative harvest. The Incubation had failed.
Charles changed towards me after that. He cut me off, I was kept in hopsital to recuperate alone and when I was returned home he informed me I was being sold on. He had no use for a Incubator who couldn't fufill their purpose. A few days on he'd transferred me to a holder to be sold.
The failed Incubation meant I was on the market for a few months. I was taken on by a Mistress, a city dweller, because I was strong and capable of hard work. I was used as part of a labour force, building housing complexes for her company. Slave labour is cheap, we're easily replaced. I never met her, though I caught a glimpse of her once as she came to oversee the progress. I was there for four years, regularly fucked by the foreman who had personally selected me from the markets. Being an Incubator on repressant medication meant I needed regular fuckings to keep me ripe. A perk for him, not so for me.
After the work was finished we were returned onto the markets to be sold on. My physique had improved, a well toned body, tanned from working out in the sun most days. Healthy and maturing and becoming wiser to my status of life. I was bought by a couple, who wished to start a family, but they were kind enough to give me a chance to settle into life with them first, unlike Charles. It was strange being the bedmate of not one, but two people. They both used me equally and it was hard to find the balance of where I stood within their lives. I struggled to fit in, though I hid that struggle. I was a slave and nobody cared I went through troubles.
Months later they took me off the repressants and it was another bizarre experience, attracting not one but two potential mates in the copulation process. It didn't take more than two tries though for the seed to take. But after three months the same occurred as with Charles. I was more attuned to what was going on this time and though everything was done to stop it, my body rejected the incubation.
I sufferred badly for it. My owners turned on me, angry that I wasn't capable of carrying out my purpose, like it was somehow my fault. But instead of following Charles's actions in selling me on, they kept me, hoping that eventually they could try again. It was hard, after an Incubation period time must be allowed for my body to readjust to the various changes it had undergone. In the months of repression in between they turned cold and brutal against me and I was hazed for the tiniest of errors. There were times when weeks would pass when I was hazed daily. Sometimes they beat me for no reason, just because they could. It's how it is with some owners - you're a outlet for them to vent their troubles. Theirs was an unhappy marriage and I was the one who suffered for it.
I became hardened to it. Daily hazings, being constantly yelled at, treated like dirt on their shoes, never coming up to their standards. Through it all I was fucked and touched and used, but never with a tender touch or kind word. When the time came to try again I was depressed, afraid of failing another incubation, afraid of what they would do to me. I was stuck in a limbo of harvesting mode for weeks but no matter how hard they tried a seed wouldn't take. It felt different that time, I didn't respond to their copulations as I had before, something had changed and perhaps my body was reflecting my lack of want in helping them conceive.
Eventually something had to snap and they gave up. They lashed me so hard for it I thought I was going to die, before they had me taken back to market, worthless and useless. The holder had to wait for me to heal before he could even consider selling me on. I was lucky with him, he was kind, made sure I was taken care of, let me rest and recuperate fully before he put me back out to sell.
My next owner, Victor Hesse, had a power complex. Insisted on being called Sir or Master and ran a tight household, ruled by fear. He wanted an heir to carry on his lineage and I was there to serve this purpose. In some households you are given a little freedom but in his eyes I served one purpose, to keep his bed warm at night until he was ready to begin his family. My existence was his bedroom, my world was the four walls that encompassed it. I barely knew the names of the many other slaves he owned and we dared not strike up anything resembling a friendship or kinship for fear of his wrath.
It was some time before he decided to use me to my full purpose and I think he enjoyed merely having my body at his beck and call for the first several months I was there. An incubation period began and I nervously waited as the days passed hoping this time I'd be successful. The last two times I'd reached two or three months before I lost the babies. When I reached four months I was beginning to have some hope that I'd go full term.
I writhed in pain on the floor of his bedroom for hours before someone found me. The same story as before only this time my fate was worse. Victor was a powerful man of the state and after my history of already two failed negative harvests, he felt I needed to learn some harsh lessons in how to serve my masters to my full potential.
Two months later I was put into the pound, given eight years because of my history. A new fresh hell began as I was sentenced to hard labour. Because of my status as an Incubator the prison guards took extra interest in me, fucking me on a regular basis to keep me ripe. My only respite from this constant, harrowing routine came when a new warden was put in charge of the pound, Pat Jameson. She didn't approve of my mistreatment, even if I was a mere slave and prisioner. I was put under the charge of one guard who was to act as a sole guardian in my final years there.
I wouldn't call him a friend, but he showed a little care, gave me a little attention and always watched out for me. His affection was touching to an ageing slave whose prospect of being owned again were dimming each year I was in the pound, especially after three failed incubations. Put back out onto the market I felt old, I was old. It's rare a slave gets to my age without being bought and made part of a household for a long period of time. My history made it hard to sell me though my holder didn't care. He got paid to keep me until I was sold and got to fuck me so it was a win win for him.
He didn't expect one Owner Daniel William's to come along. Neither did I.
That's how I'm lucky. Because Danny saw me and wanted me and ain't that a fucking turn up for the books? I was wanted, truly wanted, not just as a slave, but as something much more than that. If there were more owners in the world like Danny, this world would be a much happier place. As it is, we few slaves he owns are the luckiest fucking people on the planet. And I'm the luckiest. Because he loves me, truly fucking loves me and I love him. It's scary, being in love, especially for a slave. It took me a long time to convince myself I was capable of being loved, of returning those affections without fear of being hurt by it. But Danny has this way of worming his way under your defences and breaking you open, forcing you to reveal everything.
We're going home. When Chin says I can be discharged as soon as Danny wants to sign me out I shoot Danny a desperate look hoping he won't keep me there any longer. Thankfully he's as eager as I am to get us home and within a few hours I'm impatiently pacing in the hospital foyer as we wait for Lei to arrive. Danny forces me to sit down before I get told off for getting in the way and I sit there, tense, holding his hand and wishing Lei would put his fucking foot down. Grace is asleep in the baby carrier set beside Danny and he gives my hand a squeeze.
"Take it easy baby, we'll be home soon," he assures me.
When I see the car pull up I jump to my feet and Danny chuckles at my behaviour and hands me a couple of bags as he picks up Grace's carrier. Lei gives me a warm smile as we approach the car and pats me on the back.
"Good to see you Steven," he says before opening the car door and giving Grace a long stare. "She's beautiful boss."
"Ain't she though," Danny agrees and they set to work fastening in the seat in while I dump the bags in the trunk.
Arriving home is like a reunion. Before we even reach the steps up to the house the door is flung open and Kono hops down the steps to throw her arms around me to give me a hug. She's been part of the household a mere few months and yet I hug her gratefully back like she's been with us forever. Maui follows close by and I'm glad to see he seems happier and more at ease within the household. I manage to reach the top of the stairs to a grinning Kamekona who rocks on his heels and admonishes us for being late for supper.
Max, Kim and Halia also make a fuss as we get ourselves inside but it's Grace who garners all the attention. Suddenly Danny and I end up outside the bustling circle as she meets the rest of her family. Kono jumps in feet first to her role in the house, picking Grace out of her carrier and Kamekona starts introducing everyone like she understands everything he says to her. She woke up in the car and her blue saucer eyes take in everything as her mouth pouts and puckers at the attention. Maui looks stunned as Kono advances on him, baby cradled in her arms and takes a few steps back as she nears.
"Want to her hold her?" Kono asks and he darts Danny a look before he looks back at her, head shaking virgorously.
"No, I'm good, I'm fine," he says sounding terrifed.
I hide a laugh, rolling my eyes as he backs away a little more, afraid he might somehow break her even at a short distance. Kono just rolls her eyes at him and gives him a frown.
"You hungry boss? I got supper cooking," Kamekona turns to us. "Even got bottles already made up for lil Gracie."
"Yeah Kame, whenever you're ready," Danny tells him as Kono heads off, Kim and Halia in tow, to show Grace her room.
I follow them down the hall and lean against the door post as they coo over her, tinkling some chimes and fascinated by her tiny reactions.
It feels good to be home. I've missed the house but more importantly I've missed the people. They put the finishing touches to the nursery while I've been away and I take it all in, feeling a hand rest in the small of my back as Danny comes to stand beside me.
"You okay?" he asks.
"Yeah, I'm good," I reply with a smile. "Good to be home."
"Yes it is," Danny agrees.
I stifle a yawn as Kono sets Grace down in her cot, the women lean down over her and I know Grace is never going to want for attention. I'm tired, maybe it's the excitement of getting home, the relief at being out of the hospital. Chin told Danny I still had to rest and recoup even if I was being allowed to return home.
"You should go to bed," Danny tells me and I shake my head but he gives me a little push. "It isn't a suggestion Steven."
"Just, let me have supper with everyone Danny," I ask him hopefully. "Please. We spent so long cooped up in the hospital, I just want to spend a little time with all of us together again."
Danny looks at me closely and finally nods his head. "Fine, only for a little while. You've plenty of time to settle back in and see everyone but you need your rest, you still aren't back to your normal self."
"I know," I nod my head in agreement. "Just let me have tonight."
As it happens I wish I'd just done what Danny had told me. By the time Kamekona brings out the main course I'm drifting, not keeping up with conversations, even if it is about Grace and how beautiful she looks and how perfect she is going to be. Danny looks over at me with concern and leans over to me.
"Bed," he says firmly and I don't even think about arguing.
I excuse myself from the rest of the gathering and Danny follows me to the bedroom to make sure I actually make it to bed. It's strange being in our room again, I look at the bed longingly. We've spent weeks in seperate beds, it will be nice to curl up beside Danny properly again. We've made do with the odd cramped moments of closeness in the hospital. After a quick moment in the bathroom, I strip down and collapse into bed as Danny is dipping the blinds. I roll onto my stomach and cuddle the pillow to my face, another comfort of home I've missed. I'm already drifting off as Danny leans down over me and presses a kiss to my cheek before he leaves me to sleep.
"Danny," I mumble sleepily without opening my eyes as he pulls away.
"Yeah?"
"Leave the door open to the nursery," I say, a hopeful request.
We have a connecting door directly from the bedroom to the nursery. The bedroom is strangely empty without her, but I'll be able to hear her if she wakes.
"Kono will take her of her," Danny assures me.
"I know, I just-," I sigh heavily, too tired to explain myself. "Please."
"Okay," Danny agrees.
It's been a long time since I responded to Danny for sex. During the Incubation I went through weeks of not wanting him to even touch me in any fashion. We're both impatient for that special connection as Danny puts off pushing me for sex in the first few days of my being home. But I can't wait any longer and neither can he. His hand has been itching at the small of my back all evening and he follows me into the bedroom, closing the door behind us. I go over to the connector door to the nursery and push it shut, feeling Danny's hands slide up my back before I can turn back around. I just stand there and relish the feel of him pressing close as his fingers push my t-shirt up before raking down over my skin.
I pull the t-shirt off, settling my hands against the door again as his arms slide around me, lips warm against my spine. I can feel my arousal growing, my need of him easing throughout my limbs. I want him to touch me everywhere to remind me every part of me belongs to him. His fingers make light work of buttons and zipper, pushing my pants down over my hips and I kick them away as he presses his mouth against my back again. His hands slide everywhere, trailing fire all over me and my skin tingles in response like it's forgotten how it feels to have him touching.
I turn and attack his own shirt as he kisses me, blindly undoing every one and hungrily kissing him back. Eventually I can push it off his broad shoulders and his hands withdraw to pull of the shirt before he's pushing and pulling and we tumble onto the bed. We take time, desperate for each other but aware we shouldn't rush, to savour the moment. I go to help him undo his trousers but he pushes my hands away, stretches out over me and kisses me again.
"Missed doing this," he whispers breathless against my my mouth he comes up for air, before he dips back down again. "Fuck Steve, missed having you like this."
I wrap my arms around him, equally hungry with need for him. Eventually he peels away to take off his pants and grab the lube from the bedside cabinet. I pull him back to me impatiently as he lingers and looks me over, eyes roving over my flesh with a predatory stare. I'm quite happy to be the object of his watchful gaze, I greedily look at his nakedness with equal appreciation often, but right now I need him touching me. I wrap a leg around his hip and arch up, our cocks connecting and we both groan at the friction. He buries his face against my neck and we push into each other again.
"Danny," I groan in pleasure and he nips at my neck with his teeth in reply. "Danny please, fuck,-"
"Getting to that baby," He mutters darkly against my skin.
Slick fingers soon press against my entrance and it's been too long, I arch and moan at the preperation and feel a desperate lust for more of him. When he lines up and pushes into me I can't look at him, squeezing my eyes tight shut and lose myself in the overwhelming feel. I take in deep shaky breaths and lay there, tightening a leg around him, needing to feel everything. He stills and I know hes looking down at me but I can't bring myself to look at him. Too fragile a moment, I know the look his eyes will hold, dark, possesive and owning. He starts to move, deep, firm thrusts and our grunts and moans meld together.
He bows down low to me and I wrap my arms around him, our skin slick with sweat as we move against one another. He slows and his thrusts are shallow as he buries deep, feelings of pleasure pooling into my hips and belly, he knows every move drives me closer to the edge. I force myself eventually to look at him and his eyes are full of light and pleasure, a small knowing smile on his lips. I feel a hand slide over my thigh where it's wrapped around him, fingers squeezing into my muscles.
We're too close and desperate to really drag this out, and it doesn't take much more of him fucking and filling me to get me close to coming. He keeps me on the brink long enough to catch up with me, but when he reaches down between us and finally takes me in hand, I come. Two strokes of his hand and a twist, cock pushing up into me with intention and I shudder and groan with pleasure. He strokes me through it as liquid splashes my skin and he grunts out my name with a fierceness when my shuddering body takes him over his own edge. He gives short shallow thrusts and grinds his hips as he comes, cock spasming inside me.
We lay a tangle of limbs, sated for now but I know it won't be the only time we fuck tonight. We've gone too long not to take time to reconnect again.
A few weeks is all it takes for me to be back to normal and life settles into a familiar routine. When I wake it's late and I frown when I find Danny still in bed beside me. He's usually at work by now and he didn't mention he was taking the day off. I roll over to him, pressing close, giving him a small shake as I press my lips to his shoulder waiting for him to wake.
"Danny?" I ask slightly worried as he starts to slowly come around.
"What? Whats the matter?" His body jumps like he's been shocked. "Steve? Something wrong?"
"You've slept in," I point out.
He gives a groan and buries his head into the pillow, pulling the covers further over himself.
"Not going to work today," he mutters. "Got other plans."
"Oh," I say, hoping for more information but none is forthcoming. "Mind if I get up?"
"Nope," he replies not shifting.
I quickly shower and dress before going into the nursery where I find Kono curled up in the window seat with Grace giving her morning bottle. I close the connecting door so as not to disturb Danny and give Kono a smile as I sit down by them.
"Danny got visitors or something coming today?" She asks curiously. "It's just, Kamekona is already planning todays meals, it looks extra special and there's enough to feed an army."
"If he has he hasn't told me," I shrug at a loss as much as her.
"I want everyone in their best clothes," Danny tells us. "And on your best behaviour."
I'm intrigued as we go off to change, I assume he's invited some of his clients home but why not just tell us? Why shroud it in secrecy? I hold my tongue and change into my suit. We all own a outfit for 'best' occasions, it's very rare we get to wear them. I pull on my jacket, check my tie in the mirror and go back to the living room to find Danny. He's rocking on his heels by the window, looking anxiously out.
"Danny?" I ask, curious and a little worried by his behaviour. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah, of course, why wouldn't it be?" Danny asks me surprised.
I give a shrug as I walk over to him. "You just seem a little anxious is all."
"I'm fine baby, believe me, everything is great," He assures me with a smile, looking past me and frowning. "Maui, hair."
I turn to see Maui rushing off back to his room to try and put a comb to the mess he calls hair. Danny rolls his eyes at the oversight and turns back to looking out the window expectantly. Kono comes in with Grace and sets her down in the bassenette we have set up in the living room for her and gives me an inquisitive look. I give her a shrug, still as in the dark about what's going on as she is. I look at Danny sharply as he yells a small 'whoop' and heads out of the room to the main hall muttering 'they're here'.
Kono and I are at the window before he's out of the room, standing a little way back so as not to be caught ogling the visitors. I see two men emerge from the car as Danny appears on the porch.
"Who are they?" Kono asks me.
"I don't know," I start to answer, watching as the men approach the house. I stare out and take in their appearances. They are both older, much older than Danny or myself. One an Owner, the other a slave, that's evident enough yet there's something about them. "Well fucking hell," I whisper, receiving a dig in the ribs from Kono.
"Steve," she says irritated, by my language and by the still intriguing arrival of the two strangers.
"I think that's Danny's dad."
Danny told me about his father and his slave, Laka, some time back. I hadn't even asked if they were alive or dead and they'd not come back up in conversation so I'd just assumed they'd passed on.
"Who's the other man?" Kono asks, leaning in close to get a better view.
"His slave, Laka," I tell her not really paying attention to her.
The two men mount the stairs and I see the one who looks like Danny only several years older pull him into a tight, warm embrace. Kono pokes me again.
"Don't tease me Steve," she grumbles. "How can he be a slave?"
She's doesn't believe me because of his age. I've never seen an older slave myself, not of the age the two men are standing on the porch of the house. I see the other man, the slave, hug Danny as well, equally as warm. I know it's them, I just know it. I could fucking kill Danny for springing this on me as a surprise. What if they don't like me? What if I screw up and say something or do something wrong?
Fuck this is nerve wracking.
"Steve," Kono starts again but I tell her to hush and push her back from the window following her as the men and Danny enter the house.
Kamekona is in the hall and I hear their voices filter through to the room as they exchange pleasantries. Kono is a little nervous and hovers just behind me as they walk in, I drop my eyes respectfully, resisting the temptaion to stare at them.
"Dad, Laka, this is Steven," I hear Danny say as they draw near to me and I take it as my signal to finally get a closer look. "Steve I'd like you to meet my dad, John Williams."
Danny is so like his dad it's evident he's the natural father, though I've never asked Danny about his conception. He's obviously not adopted, which leaves either surrogate or an implantation. Danny has his eyes, they are expressive and they see everything. His dad holds out a hand pleasantly to me with a 'pleasure to meet you Steven' and I have to get my brain in gear to respond, grasping his hand firmly.
"Very good to meet you Sir," I reply.
His eyes dance mischeviously like Danny's and I'm guessing he knows I'm not just another slave in Danny's life. He's figuring me out and trying to see what kind of man his son has fallen in love with.
"And this is Laka," Danny continues.
Laka is strange to me. I've never known or seen a slave his age before so he's a little bit of an intrigue. Slaves don't have long life expectancies, once we grow older and slow down, we're removed from homes and taken to the colonies. It's rare an owner will keep slaves into their old age because it's an extra mouth to feed when a younger slave has been purchased to take over their duties. Owners like Danny and his father are rare indeed, who care about their slaves and treat us like as family. Or fall in love with us and don't deny themselves or us of that special bond, despite our status.
He gives me a warm smile, nodding his head and I try not to stare at him. He's not too tall, has dark brown eyes, raven black hair, tinged with silver and richly tanned skin. Age lines linger around his eyes and his mouth. I incline my head to him a little humbled by his presence and say 'hello'.
A piercing cry interrupts any further conversation and Grace breaks the slightly nervous tension of our little group by making her presence known. I see Danny's father and Laka exchange a proud look as Danny's goes over to the bassinette to retreive her.
"And this, is Grace," Danny says proudly introducing her to her grandfather.
Grace settles at the attention after a few uneasy cries, staring up at Danny as he talks and rocks her in his arms. His father draws close and takes in the sight of his grandaughter, easing her out of Danny's arms so he can cuddle the bundle of delight.
"Well Laka, have you ever seen anything so precious in your life?" He says, turning to Laka who catches one of Grace's hands with his fingers and gives it a little wiggle.
"She's certainly a pretty little thing," Laka agrees. "She's beautiful Daniel."
Grace takes in the newcomers with her grey blue eyes before he mouth twists and pouts, little face becoming red before she starts wailing again. Laka and her grandfather give a small chuckle as Kono, who's been taking all of this in nervously standing to one side, scurries past us.
"Time for her feed," she says breezily. "I'll go get her bottle."
Danny's father rocks Grace as she laments for her dinner and Laka gives him a pat on the back.
"Careful iHaku/i, it's been a long time since you held a baby," Laka teases him.
"But I remember it like yesterday," comes the reply and they move to sit down on the sofa. "Been a long time for you too. In fact I remember you being terrified when you met Danny, thought you were going to break him."
Laka gives a shrug and pets at Grace with a smile. "That's because Danny was the first baby I had ever met. And now I'm meeting his daughter. Life is strange hmmm iHaku/i?"
"Yup Laka, strange indeed," John agrees.
It's like they are in their own little world and Danny slides his hand into mine, pulling me to sit down with him on the sofa opposite as they talk and coo over Grace who is momentarily settled by their talking. Kono comes back with the bottle and looks at Danny for help, nervous of disturbing our guests.
"Hey Dad, why not let Kono give her bottle while we catch up?" Danny suggests.
"Sure, sure," John agrees with a nod and a smile as Kono approaches to take her off him.
They dissappear off to the nursery to give us some privacy.
"So, how are you feeling now Steven? From what Danny has told me you went through a lot having Grace," John says to me.
"Yes Sir," I nod. I'm still a little nervous by him but Danny gives my hand a gentle squeeze in support. "I'm good now, took a few weeks to recover but we've got there."
"Good, that's good," he nods with a smile, eyes drifting over to Danny with a knowing look in his eyes before he looks back to me again. "You gave us quite a scare for a time."
"As long as Grace was okay," I shrug, a little uncomfortable at the attention. "That's the important thing."
"Not the only important thing," Danny corrects me. I shoot him a look and he smiles at me.
We have lunch, just the four of us and Kamekona. Danny's dad and Laka share some insightful memories of Danny as a child and Kamekona is at ease as he talks to them like they are old friends. I can see how Danny has come to be the kind of owner he is, strict but fair and caring of the people he owns.
Danny and his father go out onto the lanai to talk, leaving Laka and I alone. I'm full of questions but I dare not ask many. Its Laka who starts the conversation as I muse on what to say.
"Daniel kept us up to date during Grace's incubation," Laka tells me. "We were relieved when we heard the news that she was delivered safely. But then there was your situation to worry about. There was a moment when we were preparing to fly here to him when he feared he was about to lose you. John was distressed a little from the situation, Daniel may be a grown man but he's still our boy and it was hard not being here for him. But then things took a turn for the better and you started to pull round. Daniel put us off coming until things were settled."
This is news to me. I knew Danny had been worried but he'd evidently been more distraught than he had ever implied to me. Laka gives a knowing smile seeing my surprise at the revelation.
"Our masters, they like to protect us from knowing some things hmm?" Lanka smiles, "They forget we know them as they know us. Sometimes you have to look closer to see what they try to shelter us from."
Danny knows I create barriers to stop myself getting hurt. Perhaps I need to see what barriers he holds around himself. I like Laka, I know there's a lot I could learn from him. I lean forward and look at him straight in the eye.
"Laka can I ask you something?" I ask.
He smiles like he knows what the question is going to be and nods his head.
"How old are you?" I can't help it, I'm still awed by his appearance.
He smiles and leans back in his chair. "I am sixty one." He informs me.
I shift so as to belay my shock, but sixty one for a slave is like a free person reaching the age of one hundred.
"And you've always belonged to Mr William's?"
He looks out of the window to where Danny and his father are sitting on lounge chairs talking and gives a small nod of his head.
"Always," he affirms.
He's unique. Old and owned by only one man his whole life. A man who loves him.
"I know I was blessed to be found by iHaku/i, like you were by Danny," Laka says knowingly.
"I wish he'd found me sooner," I muse aloud.
"Everything has a time," Laka replies. "Perhaps if he had found you sooner you wouldn't have had what you have now. We only learn from experience. Just because iHaku/i found me so early on doesn't mean we didn't experience many difficulties over the years."
I'm reminded of when Danny first told me of his fathers and Laka - I wonder how hard it must have for him to see the man he was in love with give his heart to another. It can't have been easy for him, love is a strong but fragile bond.
"Can I ask, what was Danny's other father like?" I ask uncertainly.
"He was a good man," Laka replies wryly. "Good for John, good to me. He never made me feel, unwanted. He adored Daniel, we all did. When he passed, it was a very difficult time, distressing to see how it affected them both. I wanted to protect them from something I had no control over. It took time and patience but they were able to move on eventually. The loss stays with you but its a burden you learn to bear."
Kono interrupts us tentatively, appearing at the door and shyly catching my attention.
"I was going to put Grace down for her afternoon sleep," she tells me, nervously eyeing Laka who is a bit of a wonder to all of us. "I didn't know whether to put her in the nursery or her basinette?"
I look out the window again, Danny and his father are still in deep conversation.
"Just put her down in the nursery," I reply, pausing and looking at Laka. "Actually, would you like to see the nursery? Perhaps you'd like to spend some time with her."
"I'd love to," Laka agrees with a wide smile and a nod.
I stand and Kono goes to hand me the baby but Laka steps up.
"Perhaps, may I?" He motions gently to her.
Kono smiles shyly again and whispers "Sure," handing Grace over to him gently. "She's a little sleepy."
"Always the best time of life being a baby," Laka teases and gives her a wink. "All that sleep, must be nice."
I lead the way to the nursery, its a bright, welcoming space and more often than not one of us in the household is hanging about in there 'helping' Kono. Its safe to say Grace is going to be spoiled with love as she grows up. Laka wanders about the space before his eye lands on a small table by the window, littered with a few old fashioned toys. Danny got them out when we were decorating, old pieces from his own childhood that he wanted her to have.
Laka stands over them and silently muses with a half smile on his face, perhaps remembering when Danny was a child. Grace breaks into a cry, she likes to be rocked to sleep (so tiny and already she makes demands), the stillness makes her restless.
He starts to rock her gently, chiding at her with a soft voice to settle her.
"I leave you alone for a little while and your already upsetting the baby," John says from behind me.
"She's just like her father, iHaku/i," Laka returns easily enough. "It must run in the family all this attention seeking."
John gives a small chuckle and Laka flashes him a smile before looking down at Grace who is starting to settle, her cries getting weaker as she drifts.
"Would you mind giving us some time alone with her Steven?" John asks me lightly.
"Of course not," I shake my head, leaving them alone together.
I seek out Danny and find him still out on the lanai sitting. I join him, sensing something is wrong as I see a grim thoughtful expression on his face.
"Danny?" I ask, sitting by him. He doesn't shift or acknowledge me so I wait until he wants to talk, if he wants to talk.
It's late afternoon and the surfers are chasing small swells out on the water. Their speeds are a blur as they race the waves. Danny and his father had obviously had an important talk about something that's left him affected.
"Did Kono put Grace down for her sleep?" He asks distracted.
"Your dad and Laka are with her," I explain to him, trying to cheer him from his musings. "They wanted to spend some time with her. Laka was rocking her off to sleep after she gave him another display of her lung power. Everything okay?"
He slides a hand into mine and gives it a squeeze. "Fine baby." He tells me.
A lie but whatever it is he doesn't want me to know, not yet. Perhaps in time he'll tell me, for now I'll simply have to wait until he opens up. I give him a smal nudge with my shoulder and shoot him a look.
"Why didn't you tell me your father and Laka were coming?" I ask him, curious.
"Wanted it to be a surprise," Danny gives a half smile and looks at me. "They've been looking forward to meeting you."
"Hope I made a good first impression," I reply slightly worried. "I didn't exactly have any time to prepare for it."
"Don't worry he likes you," Danny assures me. "They both do."
"I think Grace has put them under her spell too," I grin before I sigh and look down over the sand to the shore line. "Laka is, curious. I've never known a slave that old before. I have to tell myself to stop staring at him."
"He doesn't mind, he understands his circumstances aren't the usual way of doing things. Knows other slaves may look at him a little differently, it's natural considering what is usually the order of things," Danny shrugs. "I just hope he's with us a little longer."
I look at him sharply, there's something in his tone as he speaks these words, a hollow dread in his voice. I can see his desperate attempt to conceal some distress as his fingers are tight as they entwine into mine. I want to ask him what's wrong but he just shakes his head, looks away and fights back tears.
"Later," he manages to whipser to me in a hoarse voice.
I nod in acceptance and don't ask the questions I'm wanting to ask, instead I just sit there, someone for him to lean on as he deals with his distress.
Laka is dying.
Danny's father is paying for the best medical care but no amount of money can buy special treatment for a slave. It's simply law that only so much can be done for him. So whilst Laka receives the treatment he needs to keep him somewhat stable in his condition, it's nothing compared to what would be done for him were he free man.
John and Laka have known for some time but have put off telling Danny, what with him starting a family of his own, dealing with problems in the buisness. That and they wanted to protect him, because no matter how old he is, he's their only child and to tell him this news is upsetting for all involved.
Danny doesn't tell me until they've left for the day, though they are staying nearby for a week so we can all spend time as a family. It isn't until we're alone in the bedroom Danny breaksdown and tells me, and cries against me as I hold him. He wants to stay strong for his father and Laka, but here, in the privacy of his home, just the two of us, he needs to vent the anger and hurt and distress the news has presented him with.
All I can do is hold him.
Over the week I become less tense and nervous around Danny's father. I start to notice things, mannerisms Danny has inherited from him. He and Laka dote on Grace like she's a precious gift. I wonder why Danny's father didn't have any more children. Perhaps the death of his husband made having any more too painful. I'm careful enough not to ask prying questions, Danny and I may be close but there are delicate unwritten rules about how much you can ask, especially directly to his dad. I curb my tongue and hold my questions.
Laka's illness doesn't show itself, not physically, aside from the tiredness that washes over him from time to time. But he takes it easy and relishes the oppurtunity of getting to know Grace. This may be one of the few times he sees her and we're all painfully aware of how precious this means to him and John. I catch myself staring at them sometimes, the way John carefully watches Laka for signs of distress. The way Laka carries himself, humble and respectful to his Master, to Danny, because despite everything his status remains unchanged. He is and always will be a slave.
"I like how he calls your father 'iHaku/i'," I muse to Danny as we lay together in bed, sating in a post coital haze.
"He always has," Danny sighs, his fingers draw lazy circles on my arm, making my skin tingle. "I think it started out as an old fashioned way of respect and then, I dunno, it just stuck as his name for him."
"I hope," I start before trailing off, burying my face against him with a sudden rush of awkwardness.
"What?" Danny asks, fingers digging into me like a poke to probe the words from me.
"Nothing," I say shaking my head and not moving.
"C'mon, now you have me intrigued," Danny laughs softly and pushes against me, rolling me onto my back so he can look at me. "What were you going to say?"
"Just that I hope we're still that in love when we're that age," I shrug, feeling a flush rise in my neck, my cheeks.
"What makes you think I'm keeping you around that long," Danny teases before he drops his mouth down to trail against my neck as he settles more comfortably against me.
I know he doesn't mean it but I can't stop the tension that suddenly envelops my body. Fact is he's every right to rid himself of me, in no less than ten years if not less. Honestly it's a constant fear in the back of my mind, not having this any more. Danny senses my sudden nerves and lifts up to look at me in surprise.
"Steven I was only joking," he assures me, horrified I'd think any different.
"I know," I tell him, wrapping my arms around him and pulling him close again.
But part of me is always aware that the possibility will always be there.
John and Laka come to see us before they leave for the airport. I'm going to miss not having them around all the time. Every day they've been at the house to see Grace, to reconnect with Danny, inviting me into their family. We've spent long precious hours out on the beach relaxing and enjoying.
I'm in the kitchen helping Kamekona clear up after the rather large spread he put on especially for their last visit. I watch from the window as Danny and Laka walk off along the sands to talk. I sadly wonder if this is the last time they'll get to spend time like this together. John watches them from his position on a lounger, before his gaze drifts and he looks over at me. After a moment he makes a motion with his hand for me to join him.
I've not spent any time alone with him and I'm suddenly nervous again. I find Danny's father a little intimidating, though I'm not sure why. The way he carries himself, the evident fact that Danny is the kind of Master he is because this man. Around Danny I'm fine around him, I can settle into the calm Danny exudes and reflects to me but alone. I dry my hands and with slight reluctance walk back out on the lanai.
John gives me a smile and waits until I sit down nearby.
"We've not had a chance to talk one on one," he observes, waving a hand in a general direction of the beach. "I thought perhaps we could use this oppurtunity. Those two will walk and talk for hours if they're left to it."
"They've a lot to talk about," I reply carefully.
"Yes they do," John agrees with a nod and looks me straight in the eye. "So do we."
I try not to shift uncomfortably under that look but it's the same kind of look Danny gives me when he wants me to be completely open with him.
"I knew Daniel was in love with you when he first ever called me to tell me about you," John tells me suddenly and he sits back on the lounger and settles into a comfortable position. "Honestly every phone call after that it was 'Steve' this, 'Steve' that. But he's not always sure of his own feelings, not my Daniel. Like myself you see - self doubting. Takes us time sometimes to face up to reality. Laka says it's what we do to protect ourselves from getting hurt, not allowing ourselves to be vulnerable. Took him a long time to admit it to himself, even longer to admit it to you."
"Yes Sir," I nod in agreement. "Took me a long time to admit it to myself as well, or allow those feelings to become unburied."
"You've both been through some difficulties," John says, a grim look in his eyes as he takes me in. "I didn't approve of how he handled the situation of your first incubations. We went through some difficult times ourselves, our conversations tended to end in arguments."
I drop my eyes and try to ignore the heat on my cheeks. Danny and I haven't spoken about my first incubations since before Grace's incubation, there's nothing to say. It's the first time any one has spoken of them to me and I don't feel comfortable under the scrutiny.
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to cause you distress Steven," John assures me. "I just wanted to say that I'm thankful you've both managed to come through those situations. Danny honestly thought he was doing the right thing and he was still denying how he felt for you. It isn't easy you know, being an Owner and being in love with a slave. Our society doesn't prepare you for that, and it certainly doesn't accomodate for it. Even now I have people comment on it, wonder how I can love a slave? Why I still own such an old slave when I could trade him in for younger, more agile model. Selling Laka would be like selling my soul, our lives haven't been easy but we've come through our own struggles and became stronger because of them."
"I hated him," I admit suddenly. I surprised by my own admission but I feel I can tell him, that he won't punish me for it. "When he had the first baby adopted. I hated him so much for it."
Tears prick my eyes and I fight them back, taking a large breath. Fact is sometimes I secretly wonder, just for a few moments, what happend to our son. I've accepted that I'll never know, but now and then I think about him.
"Part of him hated himself for it," John points out to me. "He doesn't regret his decision, but he regrets putting you through it."
I nod knowingly. Danny has already told me the why's, his reasons. I have to accept that is the way it is, no matter if I personally find them selfish. But I don't doubt his personal distress in what he put me through because of them.
"We have Grace now," I say, smiling and thinking of my daughter. How precious and cherished a gift she is. "She means everything to Danny, to the both of us."
"Yes, you do," John agrees with me. "And you've both finally realised how important you are to each other. It isn't always going to be easy Steven, even now after you've both come to the realisation of the love you share. You have to work at it, both of you and finding that balance, between Master and Slave isn't always an easy thing to do. I'm glad I've finally gotten to meet you and know you. I needed to see it for myself, he may be a grown man but I'll never grow out of worrying over him. Being concerned for his well being."
"Thank you Sir," I reply, looking him straight in the eye. "That means a lot to me."
"The next few months are going to be hard for all of us," John says bitterly. "Daniel is like his pop, Nick always tried to hide and bury his distresses. But underneath there was so much hurt, so much to be cared for tenderly. I need you to watch out for him as we go through this situation with Laka. I need to know my boy is being cared for."
"Of course Sir," I assure him. "I promise I'll do everything to help him through it. I just wish there was more we could do for you. And Laka."
"Just take care of our son," John tells me with a soft smile. "That is enough for the both of us."