~CHAPTER TWO~
by
*PreciousCherryBlossums*
Ojisan shot a sneaky look up at his rearview mirror.
Still.
His eyes took in the same sight as before.
His young master with a girl.
And not just any girl.
His hands gripped the steering wheel as he tried to refocus his attention on the dark road ahead.
Ryoma had quietly placed the girl onto the open seats to the left of him so that she was lying across the seats on her side. As soon as he retracted his hands, she moved her head slightly so that it was resting against his thigh. Ryoma narrowed his eyes suspiciously but let her the unconscious girl be.
He leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms and with that familiar stoic expression on his face, closed his eyes as well. The Prince appeared to be in deep thought.
After a couple of moments of silent driving in the dark car, Ojisan cleared his throat. He began hesitantly:
"A-hem. Young Master…?" He had to proceed carefully. There was no telling how Ryoma may act. Ojisan waited.
There was no response from the backseat.
"…..About the young lady….. The…" Here Ojisan's determination to go forth with this confrontation wavered. This was a very serious topic and the tense atmosphere in the car was making Ojisan nervous as he tried to multi-task talking with nighttime driving.
Oji turned into the long driveway of the Echizen Residence.
No, this was Ryoma and who, in his opinion, was still a young boy, and one he had to look after. He had to take the plunge. Ojisan parked the car and then turned around:
"If you are not already her Master then I think-!"
The older man fell silent.
Ryoma's head was nodding off, completely unaware that Ojisan had said anything at all. Apparently all the tension was one-sided. One particularly strong nod caused the Prince to jolt awake.
Ryoma looked up.
"Oh. We're back."
He turned and picked up unconscious girl who did not respond to being moved. He opened the door and exited the car, carrying the slender girl easily in his arms. The door then shut close with a muted click.
Ojisan remained sitting in his driver seat, back still twisted, looking blankly at the now vacant backseat. Ojisan was at a loss.
Surely….surely his Young Master was not-
The door opened and Ojisan looked up in surprise and sudden renewed expectation and hope.
Ryoma stuck his head back in:
"Thanks for the ride."
And shut the door once again, leaving the now resigned Ojisan sighing alone in the car.
His young master did not know what he had gotten himself into.
…
As it was about 3:30am, there was dead silence in the Echizen Residence. Except for the steady steps belonging to a lone boy which echoed in the expansive building.
The footsteps stopped in front of a door, one of many which lined this particular hallway.
The door swung open:
"Hey!"
His voice woke up the girl on the bed who sat up with a start. Looking over with bed hair, her eyes widened with surprise at the figure standing in the doorway:
"Ryo-! Kya-ak!" She fell off of the bed, trying to get up to greet him properly. As she lay on the ground, tangled up in the bed covers, she looked up toward him, "Ah! Who is that-"
"First aid kit and clothes."
"I-"
"15 minutes. My other room."
And then exited without another word.
Bewildered, Tomoka remained on the floor, staring at the empty doorway. Was that a-
Ryoma's head suddenly popped back in view in the doorway, startling her. He eyed her disheveled appearance with a discerning eye.
"Ryo-"
"The smallest size."
And then he was gone.
…
…
Tomoka stared blatantly at the pair sitting in front of her, mouth slightly open, eyes wide and disbelieving.
"Hey! Do it properly!"
Tomoka jumped with a start off the ottoman she was sitting on and hurriedly averted her eyes back down to the cut on the arm she was treating. The cotton ball damp with alcohol, gently dabbed the injury. Tomoka tried to concentrate on cleaning the cut, but before long, she was peeking up again.
Ryoma was sitting on the large high-back plush chair in front of her, a somewhat dark expression on his face. His back was to the closed door. His chin propped up on his palm, bent elbow on the armrest, he glared at the girl not applying first aid properly but then looked off to the side again, seemingly lost in thought.
And curled up, sleeping in his lap, head resting against his chest, was a girl. She had her arms wrapped loosely around Ryoma's neck.
Tomoka could barely contain her burning curiosity. This was the first time she had seen Ryoma so close to a female and she wondered who the heck she was. Did Ryoma pick her off the road? Was that she was so injured? Maybe Ryoma saved her from a group of thugs and she turned out to a runaway and so Ryoma, being the perfect kind boy he was, took pity on her and decided to take her in and-
As if Ryoma had read her rambling thoughts, he gave her a sideways warning look. Tomoka ducked her head hurriedly placed a bandage over the cut.
And no sooner had she stuck the adhesive onto her skin, Ryoma abruptly stood up, startling Tomoka.
He turned around and placed the sleeping girl down onto the chair he had just vacated. There was a couple seconds in which Ryoma did not move from bending over the girl; Tomoka craned her neck trying to see what he was doing but then Ryoma straightened up, which made Tomoka fumble to sit politely again. But when Ryoma moved away, Tomoka could see the slender girl curled up tight on her side, on the soft cushions, eyes shut.
He looked over his shoulder at Tomoka who sat up at attention: "Don't do anything weird and just get her to change clothes and sleep."
Tomoka nodded furiously, mouth pressed tightly together, tying to look the part of a housemaid's obedient daughter. But Ryoma only narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her obviously fake facade. But he turned away and walked past the occupied chair to the door.
"I-I'll take good care of her!" Tomoka called out over to him in an attempt to assuage any worries Ryoma may have. But Tomoka's words were not heard as he was already out of the door and gone.
Tomoka looked back down, thinking about how Ryoma was always so cool and suave.
"Ah!"
The girl was waking up now, eyes slowly blinking, her head slightly moving and body uncurling.
"Did I wake up you up? Sorry, I guess I was too loud. Ha ha. People are always saying that I'm too noisy."
The speed at which she sat up, eyes wide open, startled Tomoka.
"Should you be getting up that fast? Aren't you dizzy? I know I always get dizzy when I sit up that…"
The Pet gave a quick startled look at the rambling girl sitting across from her but then shot wide-eyed looks all around her. She stood up suddenly and looked around again in a panic. She wrapped her arms around her slender frame tightly, rubbing herself, as she surveyed the room.
"What's wrong? Are you cold? Oh! You're confused right? Well, let me introduce myself. I'm Tomoka! And this is place is owned by…."
Her words were unheard as the frightened girl slowly backed away from the approaching talkative girl.
"I was really surprised when he suddenly showed up like that. And especially with you too! I mean, you're really pretty and all but …."
Looking left and right and not seeing what she wanted to be seeing, the girl spun around and noticing the open door, dashed towards it.
"He probably knew that I don't need beauty sleep so that's why he woke me up specifically. Hey! Where are you going? Stop! You can't go! Are you listening to me?"
The girl paused at the doorway, cautious of her unknown surroundings. Leaning out slightly, she looked out and turned her head back and forth quickly and saw that she was in a long hallway. It was extremely dark either way but if she peered closely down to the right, she could just barely make out a door at the very end of the dark hallway.
"Hey running isn't good when you're injured like that! It's dangerous! And you shouldn't leave because he said that-"
One hand on the doorway, the Pet took an eager step towards the right but her body suddenly turned rigid. There was a grasp on her wrist; the sensation caused her breath to be caught in her throat. Wide-eyed, the girl stiffly turned her head saw Tomoka holding her back. The talkative girl shook her head:
" 'You can't go out.' "
The Pet stepped back into the room.
Tomoka blinked in surprised confusion at the abrupt change in the girl. "Oh, well uh, c'mon then. Let's go back in." One hand still loosely holding on the strange girl's wrist, Tomoka led the now docile girl back to the chairs.
"Here, you sit right there." She was still a little bit confused by the girl's personality change but let go of her to walk over to the bag that she had brought due to Ryoma's orders.
The girl sat down on the chair she had previously vacated.
Tomoka placed the bag onto the ottoman between them before sitting down herself on the couch opposite of the stranger girl.
"I wasn't sure what Ryoma meant and I had to make a decision really quickly, so I only grabbed these."
Tomoka reached in the bag and took out a pair of pink pajamas. "But I'm pretty smart aren't I? Teehee." Tomoka smiled self-satisfied. "I mean, you can't sleep in those dirty clothes, right?"
The girl did not reply.
Tomoka misunderstanding her silence as shyness said kindly, "I don't know what happened to you but first of all you should," she reached over and placed a comforting hand on her knee, "change into these pajamas." Tomoka smiled brightly before leaning back in her chair.
Looking downward at the ground but not really looking at it, the girl began undressing herself silently.
Sitting across from her, Tomoka as forward as she was, took this opportunity to scrutinize and stare at the random girl Ryoma had brought.
"Wow~ I didn't get a good look at you before but you're really pretty."
The girl did not respond; she slipped the dress over her head.
Tomoka noticed something, "Hey, is that a choker around your neck? It looks really pretty, can I-" Recoiling, the girl abruptly slapped Tomoka's outreached hand away. The girl shook her head furiously and then realizing what she had done, stopped. She bit her lip and looked at Tomoka apologetically and shamefully.
But the latter was unaffected and breezily dismissed the girl's odd actions, "Oh, I get sensitive about my personal belongings too. But not as much as Ryoma-kun, he's freaking anal about his possessions! But anyways how did you grow your hair to be so long? And don't think I'm weird or anything but dang you have a really nice body. No wonder Ryoma-kun said to get the smallest size. "
Seeing how the potentially awkward situation had passed, the girl continued dressing again. She dropped the ripped dress onto the floor and reached for the pajama bottoms and slid her feet through them. "I'm jealous, your legs are really long and slender…ohmigosh I know! You must be a model right? Wait, wait, no obviously you must be a maid like me! Amiright? Amiright? I knew it! "
Tomoka laughed triumphantly.
"Hey y'know, you're kinda quiet but it's okay, I'll talk enough for the both of us!" Getting carried away with her big mouth again, Tomoka leaned in, "Hey it seems you're staying here as well, so let's be friends! After all, us pretty girls need to stick together! I was getting a bit tired of being the only beautiful girl here because after all you must know how draining it is to be this amazing. I think I totally understand how Ryoma-kun must feel like all the time." Tomoka was lost in her own delusional world again where only her and her words exist. "Speaking of Ryoma-kun, you know it's pretty weird that we're in Ryoma's other room." She leaned in confidentially to the long-haired girl who was paying her attention to the pajamas.
"Actually this whole east wing is for Ryoma's personal use," Tomoka held up a hand and starting ticking off her fingers, "the private onsen, the indoor tennis court, the library and his two bedrooms. He keeps most of his stuff here but doesn't actually sleep here. Well, he does sometimes takes naps in that bed over there," Tomoka indicated with her head at a large white bed against the wall. "But he usually sleep in his private room," Tomoka leaned in even closer, dropping her voice, "it's the one at the very end of the hallway. No one's allowed in it, not even Ojisan, Ryoma's number one steward."
The girl stuck her arms though the long sleeves of the pink top and started buttoning it up mechanically.
Tomoka straightened her back, "I don't know why he has two rooms." She shrugged. "But anyways I'm really excited that a girl my age is working here too! Now we can have lots of fun together and protect the Prince from the hordes of crazy fangirls out there! They're always getting all up in Ryoma-kun's business and bothering him by like taking too many pictures, following him everywhere and talking too much! It really bothers Ryoma-kun. Gosh, don't they have any self-restraint?"
Done dressing herself, she sat there for a moment and then the long-haired girl hugged herself. She closing her eyes, trying to remember something.
Tomoka noticed her odd behavior and got off the ottoman she was standing on, ending her speech. "Are you cold, my friend? Am I keeping you up? Oh don't worry about me!" Tomoka smiled at her newly-formed pretty friend "You need a lot of rest." She placed an understanding hand on her shoulder. "Sleep on that bed over there." Sakuno's head snapped up, large brown eyes now open. Raising both arms over her head, Tomoka yawned widely, "I'll see you tomorrow. Don't worry I'll show you around." Without a word, the girl stood up and started heading over to the bed. But before she got under the covers, she stopped for a second to peek over her shoulder at Tomoka. She nodded her head ever so slightly and then quickly disappeared under the fluffy blankets. Tomoka laughed and shaking her head, exited the room thinking what an odd but cute girl her new friend was.
…..
…..
…..
"Ojisan." A muscle twitched in Ryoma's forehead. The older man was standing at attention by the Prince's chair in the living room, where every morning without fail at 8am the steward informs him of his schedule for the day. Ojisan shut the little notebook he had been reading out loud off of.
"Yes, Young Master?"
Ryoma closed his eyes, emitting a small sigh of exasperation. The side of his head was leaning against his right hand whose elbow was propped up on the armrest, his left hand's fingers drumming the other armrest agitatedly.
"I already knew what you just told me." His voice was level but there was a forced quality to it.
Ojisan nodded his head patiently waiting for him to continue, "Yes, Young Master."
Ryoma gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the extremely annoying sensation at the back of his head.
"They are mute. They are slaves. They obey their Masters."
Ojisan cringed slightly. He had tried to be a bit more tactful and delicate about the subject but he nodded again, "Um, yes Young Master."
Ryoma couldn't take it anymore; he slammed his hand down on the armrest, standing up abruptly. He jabbed an extremely accusing finger behind him, looking at Ojisan in the eye,
"But can you tell why the hell it keeps staring at me? !"
His loud outburst shocked everyone present, the maids who were currently cleaning the living and Oji who was at a loss for words.
Ryoma's condemning finger was directed at a long-haired girl who was peeping at him from behind a corner. Her eyes widened at being caught and ducked behind the wall, alarmed. Ryoma threw a pissed off look at the offending corner where he could still see her long braids. But before long, large brown eyes were sneaking a look again but quickly disappeared when they met a pair of glaring green eyes. Oji was quite amused at the sight because she was doing a very poor job at hiding for the passing-by maids, all stared curiously at her and pointed her out, wondering what a girl dressed in pink pajamas was doing here.
"It's been like all morning! What is wrong with it? !"
Ryoma was visibly irritated and Oji was beginning to get concerned, "Young Master, we should go-"
"What kind of fucking Pet-"
"*AHEM* ! Young Master!" Ojisan cleared his voice loudly. Ryoma stopped talking with a sullen expression; he flicked his eyes from the corner to his steward.
"Let's go somewhere more private to discuss the matter of your new personal maid." Ojisan raised his voice on the last couple of words. The females servants in the room, all exchanged glances and tittered animatedly amongst themselves.
Ryoma rolled his eyes but stood up to lead the way, walking out of the living room and over to a door. Ojisan immediately began following him but then slowed down, "Should we perhaps tell the girl to come too…?"
Without looking over his shoulder, as he walked out of the door, Ryoma snorted, "Don't even bother."
Ojisan raised an eyebrow. Then he turned his head and saw a certain brunette girl now hiding behind the chair Ryoma had sat in. When the girl had peered around the corner and saw that he was leaving the living room, she immediately rushed to get closer. Brown wide curious eyes peeked out, staring at the door that Ojisan was about to exit through as well. She happened to meet the older man's curious eyes and immediately ducked her head down.
Raising both eyebrows, Ojisan turned to follow the Prince to Tennis, bemusing her antics. This Pet was not a typical Pet.
Now following Ryoma up the staircase, Ojisan noticed once again out of the corner of his eye, a little brown head at the foot of the stairway, doing a very poor job of hiding behind the railway. Ojisan wrote something down neatly in his notebook before entering the room.
….
Ryoma flopped down in the same chair he had occupied last night, or rather earlier that morning. He kicked the ottoman off to the side. As usual, Ojisan stood in front of him, standing a bit off to the side, holding his silver notebook. Ryoma's eyes were closed as he sat there, eyebrows slightly furrowed. They remained like that in silence for a little bit, Ojisan waiting. When it became clear that Ryoma was not going to move from his position anytime soon, Ojisan opened up the notebook and started writing in it. Minutes passed and the only sounds in the room was the steady scribbling of writing and the very faint chirping of a bird outside the window.
Then a pair of hands with pale slender fingers reached out and gripped the top of the back of the chair. Gradually the top of a head appeared above the chair and pair of large brown eyes peeked from behind the chair that Ryoma was currently sitting in. Ojisan was startled at her sudden appearance because just a few moments ago, he spotted her near the doorway, spying on them. He paused writing to observe the curious scene in front of him, much like Tomoka had last night.
The girl stared down at Ryoma, at the top of his black hair for a couple of seconds but then he shifted his head and she instantly ducked back down.
But Ryoma did not open his eyes; he remained sitting in his chair, apparently unaware of the gawking girl.
Ojisan stifled a laugh behind his notebook. Truly, this Pet was not just a normal Pet.
Now the small brown head was moving along the side of Ryoma's chair; she was crawling on her hands and knees somewhat stealthily. The soft brown head stopped by his armrest where his arm was placed. It didn't move for a moment and Ojisan lowered his notebook to see more clearly what was going to happen.
Then slowly a small hand reached up into the air, just barely above the armrest's height. Slim fingers landed on the very edge of the top of the armrest, near the elbow of Ryoma's jacket sleeve. The fingers paused momentarily and then little by little danced gently, along the length of his sleeve, closer and closer to the Prince's bare hand which rested loosely on the corner of the armrest.
The Pet's eyes was shut tight in concentration, biting her lip. She was on her knees, bent over, trying to make herself as small a ball as possible with her right arm stretched up high above her. The side of her head pressed up against the chair, her fingers tingled for she could feel she was extremely close to finally achieving her goal. She scrunched her eyes even tighter together, when she made the decisive move.
But her fingers only felt the armrest.
She opened her eyes in confusion. She moved her fingers around a bit more boldly, wandering them around looking for the hand that she was sure was there.
Suddenly she felt a shadow loom over her and she froze. She cautiously lowered her hand back down and then sneaked a tiny look upward.
Two glaring flashing green eyes stared down at her over the armrest: "Get away from me."
Her eyes widened into huge round brown circle at being caught. With a silent yelp, she fell backwards on her butt and immediately scooted away from the chair like a crab at full speed. It wasn't until she hit the wall with her back with a loud thud, that she stopped. She met his pissed-off glare and dropped her head down, her bangs heading her face.
Ryoma turned his eyes away from her to Ojisan, "Don't laugh! She's been like all morning!"
Ojisan tipped his head apologetically, using his notebook to hide his smile.
"Ah yes, she does appear to be quite interested in you, Young Master."
Ryoma scowled, crossing his arms and leaning back further in the cushioned back of the high-back chair.
It was true.
Ever since Ryoma stepped out of his room this morning, things had been a little strange. As he walked down the hallway, he could sense something odd and when he turned his head, he saw the door of his other room close shut. And when he stepped out of the bathroom, running his fingers through his hair, about to head down for breakfast, he thought he saw a shadow around the corner even though he specifically ordered that no servant was allowed in his west wing without his expressed permission. But when he saw that there was a fallen hair brush on the floor, his suspicious was raised. And during breakfast, as he sat at the dining table, he didn't really have much of an appetitive. For some inexplicable reason he felt like he was in a horror movie, with the suspense climaxing. No longer able to take the oppressive feeling, he lifted the table cloth, expecting to see some horrendous ghost staring straight at him.
There was nothing there and the nearby cooks and servants all thought Ryoma was acting very odd. But the fallen over chair on the other side of the table and the glimpse of two long brown rope-like things whipping around the corner was enough for Ryoma.
In an accusing tone, Ryoma said, "This is not what I thought a Pet would be like."
Oji cleared his throat, "From what you told me about last night, it does appear that she is not a normal Pet." He riffled through the pages of his silver notebook. "I do have my suspicions, that she in fact maybe-"
"Don't touch me!"
She retracted her outreaching hand immediately, clasping both hands close to her chest.
Oji blinked; she was indeed a persistent one, she was no longer by the wall but was now standing next to Ryoma. But after being barked at by him, her head was down with an air of a chastised misbehaving puppy.
Ryoma scowled at her and then looked at Ojisan, jabbing a finger toward her, "It's worse than the stalkers!"
He crossed his arms again, looking away from her, "Go back to the wall." She instantly spun around and was about to leave when Ojisan reached out, touching her lightly on the arm:
"No, sit here," he indicated the ottoman next to her, near Ryoma.
She immediately sat down on it.
"Oji!" Ryoma complained loudly. "No, go over there."
She quickly stood up.
Ojisan stopped her from leaving by placing a hand on her arm again, "No, please sit here." She sat back down.
"It's just going to try to touch me again!"
"She is who we are discussing about right now and should be present." Ojisan rebuked.
Ryoma eyed her suspiciously while the girl avoided his gaze, looking down, clasping her hands together in her lap.
Ojisan gave her a pitying look, "Since you're Young Master's Pet, you have to live here. I will inform the others that she is Young Master's new personal maid though I think Miss Tomoka is already doing that…" He turned a page in the notebook, "Obviously, it is better if as few people as possible know that she is a Pet. It would be prudent to not cause any unnecessary trouble. Also I will make preparations for her room in the servants' wing-"
"No. It's staying here."
Ojisan looked up in surprise, "In Young Master's other room?"
"Don't make me repeat myself."
Ojisan raised an eyebrow at the Prince's short temper being even shorter today. While half-listening to Ojisan's words, he was still eyeing the girl suspiciously.
"Hey, why did it obey your words anyways? It's my Pet."
"Ah, you noticed it as well, Young Master?"
Ojisan closed shut his notebook and looked at Ryoma, intently, "I suspect it is because," the older man leaned in and dropped his voice a bit:
"she is a Pure Pet."
Ryoma blinked.
"A what?"
Ojisan coughed lightly, and straightened back up; obviously his words did not have the dramatic effect he was hoping for.
"I mean, I do not think that she ever had a Master before."
The girl was sitting quietly on the ottoman, fiddling with the ends of her pajama top. She tried to stealthily sneak a look toward Ryoma but then hurriedly turned away again, lest she incurred his wrath again.
"I am quite certain that you are her first Master."
Ojisan tapped the notebook thoughtfully against his chin, "Yes…that may explain why she appears so uh, fixated with you."
Ryoma raised an eyebrow at the Pet whose fingers in her lap, were restless like they were itching to be touching something or rather someone.
"Don't." He warned.
Her fingers stopped moving.
"In fact, she may be actually an extremely rare kind of Pure Pet." Ojisan continued thoughtfully, "This is extremely farfetched and I sincerely hope this is not the case but it may be that she has ever been directly touched before."
At this, Ryoma's attention was piqued, "What?"
Ojisan clarified, "Based on what you told me, I suspect that is why those kidnappers were wearing gloves. Because as you know, if one touches a Pet's collar, he or she will become the Pet's Master."
Ryoma remembered last night's events.
Ojisan sighed. "Pets may be rare but for someone to purposefully keep them Pure and thus more valuable by forbidding direct contact is just terrible. It's a mystery what kind of life she had been living." He noted something down in the notebook. "Since she has no prior experience with Masters, she has built no resistance to commands. Over time most Pets are able to somewhat resist their Master's words but since you're her first, she has to listen to you completely. "
Ojisan gave a pitying look at the girl, "Being so Pure, that's why even if people besides her Master touch her and give a command, she has to obey it."
Ryoma sat there, digesting this information for a bit before speaking up, "You mean to say that I finally have a Pet and it's broken?"
Ojisan was confused. "Young Master? Broken? No, I mean she-"
The Prince held up two fingers.
"She doesn't just listen to my commands but to other people's too? What kind of Pet is that?" He ticked off a finger.
"It stalks me like a creepy fan and I don't need anymore of those." He put down the remaining finger and after giving a dissatisfied look at the girl, shook his head.
He leaned back, closing his eyes, sighing loudly.
"Why did I become its Master? It's just more trouble for me…" Ryoma's grumbling trailed off when he suddenly yawned.
The girl was watching him quietly and was startled when she suddenly felt someone's breath next to her ear. Ojisan said in a low voice, gently, "Please do not take Young Master's words to heart. He's only like this because he didn't get enough sleep. Young Master gets quite grumpy."
Without opening his eyes, Ryoma said, "I heard that."
The older man smiled and stood up. He lightly tapped the girl on top of her head with his notebook, "Don't be afraid of him."
He turned towards Ryoma and gave a short bow, "Young Master should get some more rest so he will be in a better mood."
And then, lightly chortling, Ojisan left the room.
The two sat there in silence.
The girl peeked a look at him and was startled to see his green-gold eyes open and looking directly back at her.
"Oji's right. The only reason I did that last night was because I was half-asleep. Otherwise I definitely would not have become the Master of such a weak and helpless Pet."
She continued staring back at him with her wide solemn eyes.
He leaned forward.
"To me, you're just a Pet and nothing more."
….
He stood up and headed toward the large white bed. She followed him with her eyes, turning her head, until she was looking over her shoulder at him.
Ryoma got under the covers and laid down. From her position, she could only see a large white mound on the bed.
"You better not touch me when I'm sleeping."
Even though he couldn't see her, she nodded anyways.
Within a couple of short moments, she heard very even breathing in that large quiet room.
She stepped carefully and quietly over to the bed, and stopped next to it. She stared down at the profile of his sleeping expression because he was sleeping on his side. He was in a very deep sleep; he must have been very tired. She crouched down on the floor next to him, holding her knees tightly to herself, still looking up at him.
She focused her eyes on his sleeping face and etched it all into her mind. His black hair with tints of dark green. His long eyelashes. His smooth skin. His handsome face.
Her fingers tingled with want and she tightened her grasp around her legs, resisting the urge.
She closed her eyes, and rested her chin on top of her knees.
His warm touch.
She tried to recall once more the feeling of being so close to him that night and what the sensation was like.
She turned her head slightly so her cheek was resting against her knees. As she drifted off to sleep, she dreamt of her Master and how warm and comfortable he had felt when he had held her.