“So,” Inoue said, swallowing a bite of food. “Exactly what kind of relationship do you have with Einosuke?” Her question came off as an obvious demand, willing to do anything to obtain the answer. She looked Takara straight in the eye while she wait, her finger tapping the edge of the table to show her impatience.

“Oh, lay off, Inoue. They’ve both had a long day without your constant nagging,” Alex sighed out. He’d already finished eating…about three platefuls. How he remained so toned was a complete mystery no one knew how to solve. He winked at Takara, showing her it was okay to ignore Inoue.

Inoue, however, scoffed at Alex’s comment. “You really expect me to allow Einosuke to be governed by a master who knows nothing of our kind?” She sent another ruthless glare at Takara, but averted her eyes to her plate angrily before pushing away from the table and stalking out.

“Don’t mind her.” Alex made a motion toward Hiraie, who then disappeared back into the kitchen. “She’s an ex servant. She’s unable to be governed because her master was a sickly girl who died in the heat of battle. Inoue never got over it and holds a grudge against masters that hold any sort of resemblance to her former. She classifies herself as ‘broken’ since her purpose in life has been destroyed.”

In theory, a servant can only be contracted to one master, but as time passed, it became proven that a servant could make multiple contracts. But it only worked if their destined master is dead. There were a handful of special servants, like Alex, who could contract with anyone without actually being bound to their will. They called them rogues or, in Inoue’s wording “broken”.

“She doesn’t hate you, Takara. Only jealous.” Einosuke looked up from his plate, which was empty, and gave his master a reassuring smile. “Inoue is jealous of servants and masters who are truly bound, who are able to serve their purpose. She believes that she failed Darla, her former master, which is why she takes such a vengeful attitude toward anyone.” He sat back in his chair and then looked to Alex, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “I’ve been wanting to ask you this,” he said.

Alex stared at him, his lips curving into a knowing smirk. “I sensed Takara,” he said simply. “I normally don’t sense masters who haven’t yet contracted themselves to their servants, but Miss Takara was giving off some powerful vibes. Her distress is what allured me here. So say it simply, I was curious to meet your true master, Einosuke.”

Just then, Hiraie returned holding onto a freshly baked apple pie. “Alright, enough of this mumbo-jumbo. You’re confusing the poor girl.” She set it down and then cleared her throat. “There’s something I do want to discuss with you, Miss Takara.” When she had her attention, she continued. “Alex and Inoue have requested rooming. They wish to move in.”

Lol! Ok that's fine.

I will reply tonight, but as I was posting....1.) comp shut down and I lost it. 2.) as I was replying to it, both my niece and nephew came tromping in and asking me a million questions about what I was doing. So, yeah.......

“Great, if you two are done making out, let’s eat.” Alex was standing in the doorway with his eyes averted. He seemed almost impatient. “Nice to know you both agreed to contract, ‘cause you’ll need that strength between you two.”

Einosuke caught on quickly. “Did he return?”

“Not exactly,” Alex said while rubbing his shoulder. “He left a nasty threat saying he’d finish you off. But now that you’re contracted you won’t have to worry as much. You’ll be able to gather energy from your master if she allows it.”

Alex waved his hand in the air as though he was waving the subject away. “Anyway, I’m starved. Let’s worry about it later.”

As if on cue, Inoue came sauntering into the room, gave her usual glare toward Takara and turned to Einosuke. “I’m glad to see you alive, Einosuke. You had me worried.” Alex merely rolled his eyes. “Hiraie has made a late dinner. If you are prepared, please come downstairs.”

Alex led the way and sent a warning look toward Inoue who shrugged it off. Hiraie was waiting by a large round table that was decked out in a different variety of assorted foods. Alex gave a contented sigh and took a seat, not bothering to wait for anyone else as he began to fill his plate. Inoue, of course, gave him an irritated look but nonetheless began filling her plate as well.

The moment her hand brushed his cheek, his eyes closed and accepted her touch entirely. But, he pulled away and did something he himself was not expecting. His movement was quiet and quick, but that hardly mattered when his lips brushed against hers. His arm looped around her waist and his hand found hers, their fingers entwining.

There was a piercing warmth on his bicep and to his surprise, the mark on his wrist disappeared for there was a new mark on his body. He pulled away and glanced at his arm, curious as to what symbol had appeared and was pleased it resembled something other than the rose.

“It appears we became connected without even trying,” he said. Einosuke looked back into her eyes and allowed on of his rare smiles to show. “Do you feel different?”

((Oooo, I like it! It's perfect!))

Her reaction to his words shook him deep. The mark on his hand appeared and began burning from inflicting pain on his master but it was nothing to the sudden guilt that sprang up and made his heart ache. Upon instinct, he sat at the edge of the bed near her and pulled her into his embrace. The mark still throbbed but he pushed it from his mind.

“I think it’s time we properly make a contract,” he said. As much as he despised the fact of placing her in danger, he knew that from now on, Takara was in bigger danger not contracted to him. At least with a contract he would be able to know whether or not she was safe, but was she ready for this next step; for a real contract?

“I’ll warn you now that when a submissive contract is made, we’ll be connected mentally and physically. If one of us were to get hurt, the other would feel the pain even if the wounds do not physically manifest. We would also be able to sense each other’s emotions. They would be hardly any privacy.”

Truthfully told, Einosuke didn’t know if he was ready for the contract. He had become free, then bound once more. But at the same time, a part of him screamed to make the contract right away.

“Are you ready to complete the contract?”

((OOC: I’m not sure what their symbol should be……… Any ideas?))

“Relax.” That familiar, serene voice floated through the darkness toward Takara. However, despite how calm he sounded, there was a hint of anger. “You forced a contract,” he stated simply. Einosuke was displeased by the fact Takara had taken Alex’s advice and forced him into something.

While he’d been unconscious, he was dreaming, but the dream quickly became a nightmare the moment he felt the burning sensation on his wrist, indicating a forced contract. What made him so angry…was that the mark that was now there was the exact same one that appeared when Takara’s father forced him into a contract. He hadn’t expected that to happen, but he assumed since they shared blood it wasn’t all that surprising after all.

“You could have gotten yourself killed, and for what?” he said. He stepped out of the shadows and into the light of the moon shining in. Takara had been out cold for three hours since she’d saved Einosuke’s life. “Why did you do it?”