Changing Oneself (Entangled side story)

7, For Them, Not Me

"From now on, we'd like for you to focus on keeping your anger at bay," Ieli told me just before we headed down for dinner, "I want you to decide what is and isn't worth getting upset over. If it's not something you need to be getting worked up over, then ignore it and move on."

"Okay..." I mumbled. Ieli patted my head and then kissed my cheek, something I grimaced at. 

"Since your pet outfit got soiled with your blood, you're going to have to wear this for dinner tonight," Yenthyr said. We were all collectively standing by the closet, and Yenthyr emerged with a pair of slim black boxers, and nothing else.

"What- that's all?" I asked, already taking a few steps back to show my reluctance towards wearing a single piece of underwear. 

"Yes. Put it on," the vampire replied, tossing it at me. I caught it, but still protested. "Can I not get some pants or a big shirt or anything?" Yenthyr gave me an unperturbed look, bored and uncaring. 

"I think this might also help with dwindling your pride. You shouldn't worry so much about what others think, especially the servants," he said. "So what if you're just wearing boxers? Your dick isn't out, so there's nothing to gawk at. Put it on already so we can eat."

"But- but- it's just underwear! You can't go out in public with just underwear," I responded, still trying to get him to at least give me some pants. "It's frowned upon."

"The main area of the castle isn't 'public', it's just exposed to the other vampires and the servants. Ignore what the servants have to whisper about, and ignore what my clan thinks. You are my pet, I can do with you what I wish. If they have an issue with you being just in underwear, then they can take it up with me," Yenthyr reasoned. Ugh, this fucking vampire...! I growled in my head.

"Please can I have pants," I tried again, hoping that by asking nicely he'd relent. 

"No," Yenthyr answered. 

"Ple-"

"Put them on before I make you go down there completely naked."

I clenched my jaw shut and simmered in growing anger. I pulled the boxers on, which fit a little too snug. Ieli clasped a collar and leash around my neck, and together the two vampires headed out of their quarters, pulling me along behind them. 

I thought about Ieli telling me to consider if my anger was an appropriate response to whatever I was angry at, and currently, I thought I had every right to be angry. Why was it so hard for them to give me a pair of pants? Why did they have to embarrass me in front of everyone? I already had to be forced into a submissive position, couldn't they give me a break before humiliating me again?

"Ah, I forgot something," Yenthyr said when we were just heading down the corridor to the spiral stairs. He stopped and turned around, heading back into their quarters. Ieli stopped as well to wait for him, which caused me to stop with him. It was just us two out in the corridor.

Ieli took a deep breath and looked out at the treetops. Based on his relaxed face and loose shoulders, he seemed calm and in a good mood, so I thought it safe to ask him. "How come I can't have any pants to wear?" 

Ieli smiled knowingly and turned his gaze to me. "We're keeping you in just boxers to help you grow out of your pride. Like my partner said, it doesn't matter what others think."

I looked away and huffed in annoyance. "Although," he continued, "I'm not really one to talk. I worry about what Yenthyr's family thinks of me all the time. Sometimes I even lose sleep over it. I can understand why it's hard to not care, because it can affect your social standing. But the only people you need to worry about is your Masters."