Chapter Text
Your love leaves a mark, but never a scar. You're always gonna be the other half of my heart. - Half-hearted by Hands Like Houses
Kaiya had known this day was coming. It was undoubtedly inevitable.
She knew this day would come the moment she sat down for her classification evaluation that day after her 18th birthday.
It was much like taking a dna test to determine your long last father.
They confirmed your classification with bloodwork. Apparently, Dominant, Switches, and Submissives all slightly different dna make-ups that didn't develop until around the age of seventeen and a half. Regular folk had no idea how it worked, except for government officials and scientists. They did their best to teach the basics in biology classes and that always went about as well as one would expect.
This was how the system had worked all over the world since just about the beggining of time.
The system worked as long you looked over the the clear disenfranchisement of submissives in society.
So, yes. Kaiya had seen this coming. She knew that day that she would classified as a submissive. She had never been as boisterous as her dominant siblings. Kaiya knew she would have to work nearly triple as hard to get what she wanted in life. Kaiya knew eventually the government would essentially get bored of leaving submissives to their own devices, and they'd start to crack down again. It was a direct result of the disproportionately conservative politicians that were currently in office.
Her baby brother had been the one to catch the news report. She hadn't even really been taking particular attention to the television while she spent some much needed time with her family, eating dinner.
‘Breaking News: Congress passes new bill stating submissives 18-26 must be mated to a dominant within the next six months, effective immediately. It has no quite been relayed what consequences one might face if non-compliant.’
Valentine nudges the sibling closes to him and points toward the television with a look of concern on his face. Micah, the oldest, bats her youngest brother’s hand away from her shoulder. She glanced over at him with a slight sneer, mildly pissed about her eating being interrupted. “What do you want, Val?” Valentine silently points in the direction his eyes have been glued.
Just at the same time Micah makes the effort to pay attention, the sibling’s parents notice the commotion.
A sharp gasp is heard causing the rest of the family, except for one, to look up at the T.V. “Oh no, I knew this would happen.” Ames, the second oldest stated as he sat his plate aside. His steak and potatoes long forgotten.
His mother looked at him curiously, “What do you mean? Why didn’t you tell us?” His mother’s dark growl of a voice forced him to turn away from her slightly, “Professor Murillo might of mentioned it a few weeks ago in my constitutional law class.” He whimpered as his mother growled at him, “And you didn’t think to tell your father and I?” Ames pouted, trying to slip behind Valentine to interrupt his mother’s line of sight, “I didn’t want to scare her.” Ames gestures to the last member of the family.
The only one who still hasn’t looked up from her food, the only one in the family that this new law really affects.
Kaiya frowns as she chewed. She’s getting that feeling again. That feeling that there are people staring at her. As an unmated submissive she’s used to it for the most part. Dominants always watching her to be the first to steady her if she trips. Or the occasional appraisal from a switch looking to try new things. This feeling was different, however. Because she’s at home with her family, and they are undoubtedly talking about her.
Despite not knowing what about specifically, she can hear the concern in her older brother’s voice. One that could only be described as a dominant trying to protect a sub.
She finally gives in to the feeling and makes eye contact with her father. She specifically picks him because he, being the only other submissive in the family, would not be trying to protect her. Well at least protect her more like a dad would and not a dominant.
“Why is everyone staring at me, daddy?” She asks sweetly. She can see her mom's mouth twitch. Obviously mad that she hadn't been paying attention in the first place.
He rubs the dark skin of his cheek slowly. He gestures toward the television and waits for Val to rewind it back.
Kaiya watched with a grimace. She of course had seen something like this coming, but this seemed a bit overdramatic even for the American government. It also seemed unconstitutional but that was neither here nor there at this point.
Instead, she had more pressing thoughts on her mind.
Martha urges for Ames to explain the situation more clearly. He does with a gulp, “Okay mom, I'm sorry I didn't say anything but I didn't want to freak anyone out. I know how you guys get.”
“Cut to the chase, Ames.” Micah reaches over to slap her brother's arm.
“Ow, fuck. I'm getting there. Okay, so Dr. Murillo said that apparently the government thinks this is a good way to stop all of the submissive empowerment movements. They're tired of the civil unrest and of course the solution was punishment. Also, the census reported a 15% drop in dominant class children last year and the easiest way to get more dominants is to force dominants and submissives to reproduce together. Dr. Murillo said he honestly didn't think it would make it off the House floor."
The room is silent until Kaiya spoke in a small vulnerable voice.
“Mama, what happens if I can't find someone?” Kaiya twiddled her thumbs, she suddenly looked to be engulfed by the love seat she was in. She was almost 25 and she hadn't found anyone yet. Not for lack of trying. What made the government think she could turn that around in six measly months?
Martha softened completely at the sight of her daughter. She looked so vulnerable and weak. This was not a look Martha tolerated on any of her children, dominant or not.
“You are the best submissive a dominant could ask for. You will find someone. In fact, family project.”
“Uh oh.” Valentine mumbled under his breath. Receiving a soft glare from David.
“I want everyone to work in finding Kaiya a suitable mate. Who ever finds the best fit for Kaiya, wins the keys to my car. I've been looking to get a new one anyway.”
All three of her siblings roll their eyes. Nobody wanted that sack of rolling junk. They'll just leave this quest up to their parents. Besides, despite being eighteen, Val still couldn't drive.
Kaiya only stared unblinking at the news program still playing on the TV.
~•~
“So they're just making you shack up with some random dom?”
Kaiya watched as her best friend kicked the soccer ball around. Occasionally showing off with tricks.
She nodded somberly. “Yeah, I've only got from now until the end of January.” Kaiya pouted at the dominant in front of her. “What happens if you don't meet the deadline?”
“The government continuously fines my current dominant until I do. And you know my mom makes good money but she has to put Micah through med school, Ames through law school, and Val through undergrad."
She was desperate for some sympathy from her friend. The only kind she had been able to get so far was from her dad.
Kelley rolled her eyes before stopping her blue and green swirl soccer ball with her cleat. She walked toward the bottom bench of the bleacher where Kaiya was seated. Simply opening her arms, she waited for the other girl to settle in them.
The submissive did with an accomplished snort.
“You need a shower.” Kaiya explained nonchalantly. She failed to notice the second eye roll she got.
“Thank you. Well I'm done here. We should probably head to training. Almost time for practice to start. I gaurentee you Rose is shitting her pants about this whole thing too.”
Kaiya nodded, and with that they both headed off to the training grounds. This particular national team camp being in her hometown of St. Louis had been mighty convenient.