After the company had vacated his chamber, Jordan spoke softly to Dan.

"Those weaklings. I can't believe them." His tone was rough and angry, but he spoke almost silently. This was how he usually communicated for fear of being overheard.

"What did they do? Did I missssss sssomething?" Dan hissed.

"Nothing you could've fixed." Jordan slammed the end of his cane on the ground. "They had sympathy for that Aleks kid. The ghost. Sympathy!" his voice grew slightly on volume, "I though we'd trained that out of them!" He knocked his top hat off as he ran his hand through his shaggy, brown hair. Dan lunged in and caught it before it hit the ground.

"Here you are, my liege." Dan bowed down with his hands up, cradling the hat and offering it to Jordan.

"Place it upon my head. Treat it like the crown I deserve," Jordan demanded. Daniel complied, gently placing it upon the crown of his head and stepping away silently.

Jordan sighed happily. "Thank you for being the one person I can depend upon."

"You're welcome, sssir," Dan said, barely daring to glance in Jordan's direction.

"Oh," Jordan said, eyebrows raised, "Now you're afraid to look me in the eyes? Look at me. Stare at me. You know I thrive with attention." Dan's golden eyes focused on Jordan, linear pupils dilating and constricting, his tongue whisking over his lips as his sensed the other's heat. Though the sensory organs for feeling differences in temperature were lined up across his cheeks, he had a tendency to lick his lips when he concentrated on using them. Jordan laughed. "Even licking your lips. How thirsty you are."

Dan blushed a bit. "I am not. I wasss sssensssing your heat. It'sss kind of a habit." Though his words were a bit defensive and bitter, his tone was sweet and respectful.

Another chuckle shook through Jordan's throat. "Sure you were. Either way, you were looking at me longer than usual," he chirped. "I enjoy as much and think you might be looking for a reward, huh?" Jordan's eyebrows quirked high and his eyes narrowed seductively.

Dan gulped. Jordan's 'rewards' were more to satisfy himself than to give tribute to another. "N-no sssir. I'm not nearly worthy enough for sssomething of sssuch high caliber."

"Hmm? Calling my acts high caliber? You must be out for a reward." Jordan's eyes glimmered deviously. "I'd be happy to oblige."

"J-Jordan, really, I'd rather not," Dan pleaded, trying to sound apathetic. Jordan took the moment of shock to pounce. Dan's breathing hitched as Jordan pinned him to the floor.

"Come now," Jordan chirped, hands pressing on Dan's shoulders. "Let's have some fun." He threw his hat off and began to unbutton his tux jacket. He threw the expensive garment across the room and pulled at the buttons on his shirt, exposing his chest.

"Touch me, Daniel. Rub your hands across my bare flesh," Jordan demanded, his eyes blackening by the second. Dan whimpered in response. "Fine. I'll just continue on then." He reached down and tugged at the hem of Dan's shirt. He soon grew impatient with the slight bit of teasing and grabbed his cane. He slipped the blade out and sliced through the thin fabric exposing Dan's muscular, scaly chest.

"Mmmmmmm," Jordan said, hands gliding across the other's chest. "This is what I like. You're too submissive, darling, and I absolutely adore it." He pressed his lips to Dan's neck and grew rougher and rougher as he continued. He soon bit down violently and broke the skin. The taste and scent of blood threw him over the edge and lust engulfed him.

Jordan ripped off all remaining clothing covering each of their bodies, and set about finishing his business. Moans devoid of pleasure ripped from Dan's mouth as tears poured down his face from the lack of sympathy and tenderness. Jordan merely roughly satisfied himself, leaving the other panting, crying, and far from completion. He pulled away, breathing heavily with a devious smirk upon his lips.

"Thanks darling, I really needed that," he said, pulling away and licking his lips. "Now clean me up. Come on, now." Dan reluctantly licked the other clean, knowing there would be worse consequences if he refused. "Good boy. Yes, you're my good little snake," Jordan cooed as the other did his bidding. Jordan patted Dan's head as he went about his business. Dan fought back gags as the salty taste hit his tongue.

When Jordan was content, he spoke, "Daniel." Dan looked up nervously, golden eyes shimmering. "You're fine. You've done well." Dan pulled away, regaining his own personal space. "Now clean yourself up. I'll be waiting."

Dan gathered his clothes and stepped into the bathroom that was connected to the room, making it seem it were a suite. He put his hands on the cool stone of the counter and let his head fall. His muscles pulsed as shock continued to surge through him. This wasn't the first time, nor would it be the last, that Jordan did something like this. The truth of it all was, though, Dan would never betray or disobey Jordan. No matter the extent of his torture, Dan would merely clean himself up and go back to stand at Jordan's side. He always knew there was some sort, some fragment, of sensitivity left in Jordan. He had experienced it first hand, way back when they had first met.

~~~

Dan was hiding away in the bathroom, tears threatening to fall. Everyone, every single person, in the highschool was afraid of him. His reptilian eyes, slightly scaly skin, and large fangs seemed to deter any soul who laid eyes on him. He just wanted a friend.

He had been so excited to be allowed to go to public school for his junior and senior years of highschool. He had been homeschooled and stuck in the lab for as long as he could remember. The idea of going into the world and meeting new people was thrilling to him.

Though his DNA had been merged with that of an array of snakes, mainly the king cobra, he was increasingly gentle and friendly. He never wished to hurt anyone, purposefully or accidentally, or for anyone to get hurt. Though his sharp, hooked fangs surged with deadly neurotoxins, he wished to use them for no more than happily smiling at others. Even being created to be no less than a killing machine, Daniel wanted nothing more than friends.

Today, on his first day of public school, his dreams had been shattered. He let tears drip from his glassy, yellow eyes as small sobs racked his body.

"Hey, what's wrong?" a soft voice said, surprising Dan. A large, but gentle hand rested on his shoulder.

"What'sss it matter to you?" Dan said, turning away from the figure. "You'll jussst run away like all the ressst of them. Jussst go now; sssave yourself the fear."

"I won't run away. I promise," the voice said. "I mean, how scary can some normal guy be?"

"That'sss jussst it. I'm not normal." Dan sighed. "Jussst go already."

"Even better. Normal is boring. Just turn around already! I won't run!"

"Really?" Dan asked.

"I promise."

Dan hestitantly turned around, not entirely believing the other. He looked up a bit to lock eyes with the other.

"Wow! Look at your eyes! They're really cool." Dan couldn't help but let a smile cross his face at this comment. "And those fangs! You're part snake somehow, aren't you?"

"Yup. My DNA isss part human, part sssnake. Mossstly cobra, but there'sss a lot of other ssstuff in there to make me a perfect ssspecimen," Dan said, nearly bragging.

"Cool! And your tongue flicks around when you says S's too." The other boy laughed. He continued to observe Daniel. "You've got a bit of a scaly complexion too. Is there any other cool stuff about being part snake?"

"Well everything you can sssee functionsss asss it normally would. I've got venom, night visssion, and extra protection. Besssidesss that I think there'sss a bit of increasssed healing ssspeed just becaussse of the ssspliced genesss," Dan said, actually not entirely sure of his own abilities.

"Cool! Honestly, I have no idea why people would run away from you. You're just really cool. I'm way scarier than you." Dan would later find out that this was most definitely true.

"Thanksss..." Dan's words trailed off as he realized he didn't know the other's name.

"Jordan." He stuck his hand out for a handshake.

"Dan," he said, accepting Jordan's hand and shaking it.

"I think we are going to be really good friends," Jordan said, putting an arm around Dan's shoulders.

~~~

Dan smiled at the memories of their first meeting. The years that were between then and now made him a bit uneasy, though.

At some point in time that Dan couldn't pinpoint, Jordan had begun to lose his humanity and general sense of emotion. Dan stuck by his side. Jordan developed a bit of an eccentric taste for being a ringleader of sorts, treating life like a show that he must take charge of. Dan stuck by his side. Jordan's ringleader-esque tendencies developed into a bit of a need for power, a need to be king. Dan stuck by his side. Jordan became obsessed with weaponry and the pain of strangers. Dan stuck by his side. Jordan's need for power and enjoyment of pain led to forcing others, including Dan, to inflict pain for his enjoyment. Dan stuck by his side. Jordan then became violent and controlling towards his friends, Dan included. Dan stuck by his side. Jordan's violent tendencies became worse, forcing Dan to suffer through abuse and rape amongst many other unsavory things. Dan stuck by his side.

Dan just couldn't leave. Jordan was the first person to ever make him feel accepted, to give him a sense of belonging. He had promised himself that he'd never leave.

All he wanted was to be accepted, and, at the end of the day, Jordan still did that. Even with every scar, emotional as well as physical, that Jordan inflicted upon him, Dan would go back to him. He hated hurting others, but, if it made Jordan happy, he would do it forever. He felt so betrayed each time Jordan used him, but would still end up doing his bidding unquestioningly. He never talked to Jordan with anything less than attentive respect and never spoke a single word against him.

Even after all of these years, all of the stuff Jordan had put him through, Dan felt indebted to Jordan. He felt as though he could never be able to repay him for what had been done way back when.

Dan pushed his weight off of the counter and stepped over to the shower. He turned it on and heard the comforting noise of falling water. He watched as the shower of liquid poured down to a disenchanting white, plastic floor. His tongue slid over his lips in concentration. Not warm enough yet. He waited for the water to achieve an acceptable temperature then stepped in.

The water washed over his body, heating his cold blood. As the water rinsed away the physical reminders of the previous events, it carried away the memory of it as well. Jordan was entirely forgiven in Dan's eyes. That's how it's always been and always will continue to be. Dan has an inability to hold a grudge, especially one against Jordan.

After he had got out of the shower and dried himself off, Dan found himself on a bit of a predicament. His shirt had been sliced apart in Jordan's previous frenzy. He pulled on the rest of the unscathed garments and decided that he'd go fetch another shirt from his room.

When he walked back through Jordan's chamber, he was greeted with a surprising welcome. Jordan's chest was still bare and he had been staring off in the direction of the bathroom, waiting upon Dan's return.

"I see you've decided to follow suit and leave a bit of skin exposed, Daniel," Jordan said, smirking.

"Actually, I wasss going to get a new ssshirt. It'sss a bit cold in here."

"Aw, come on. Have a little fun. Leave those muscles of yours exposed. Let's make everyone else jealous. You and I have the most beautiful bodies in the group, so why not give the rest a good look?" Jordan wasn't lying; both he and Dan had immensely toned figures and had spent longer than they'd like to admit trying to get there. Dan's muscles were also beautifully decorated and perfectly accentuated with his shiny scales, adding more definition and beauty to each.

Dan hadn't been lying either; he found it to be quite chilly, being one who wasn't able to produce very much body heat. He sincerely contemplated disregarding Jordan's desires just this once to keep himself warm. At the end, however, he submitted once again.

"Alright, Jordan. Let's give 'em something to look at," Dan said, a fake smile across his lips. He'd put up with a little chill for Jordan.

"Now, back up here where you belong," Jordan said, gesturing with his cane to the spot directly to his right where Dan often stood. Dan nodded and stepped up to his rightful place.

Everything was back to how it had been, albeit a bit colder. Everything had been forgotten except the things of the distant past. Jordan was still a perfect being in Dan's eyes, and Dan was still a perfect servant and right hand man. Everything in its designated spot.

All was perfect in its devious and far from perfect way.

~~~

A/N: *0* Some back story. How crazy!

And I know I've said it before, but I still don't know where to bring this story.

And still hope you enjoyed it so far!

XOXOXO ( ˘ ³˘)♥