— Okay. He can hug her. He's pretty good at hugs. Less good at hugs with people who he doesn't know, mostly because he's pretty sure you're not supposed to pet the hair of a stranger you're comforting, but he can figure it out. 

And now she's crying on his shoulder.

"I thought-- I thought everyone hated me now--"

"I don't hate you. — I have no idea what happened and I'm not actually sure I know your name, is it Sonja or am I thinking of someone else —" 

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm Sonja. --I don't know, she knows everyone, I thought--" and then more crying.

...This seems like a complicated human interaction and he is going to stay over here, within earshot, in case someone needs to be sung to or something.

"I only know Lilith insofar as I try to keep an ear out for her social drama so I don't wind up getting swept up in it. I'm sorry she happened to you." He's just gonna keep hugging Sonja. 

"We were dating-- secondary partners-- and I promised I wouldn't ever leave her-- and then I wanted to break up with her because she kept ignoring me for Rose-- and then-- I kept forgetting that I wanted to, or it didn't seem important, or--"

Sonja's words are interrupted by hysterical sobs.

Oh no. 

"I'm so sorry — did you wind up breaking up with her, or —" 

"Yeah-- and then she said I couldn't because she's a princess--"

Fuck.

He will deal with that later. "Pretty sure you get to break up with princesses just like anyone else. Did she hurt you, do you need someone to walk you anywhere, my boyfriend is six foot one —" 

"That-- that would be nice," she says, half-sobbing into his shoulder. "I don't-- I don't think anyone would hurt me, I just-- I don't have friends anymore, they're all on her side--"

"I'm sorry." They'll need to keep the conversation Sunnydale friendly, but — "You can sit with me and Leo and Marlo at lunch if you want? We have this place in the hall by Brennan's room." 

"That would be," hiccup, "that would be nice."

"Where's your next class, I can walk you there —" 

It's not far from Sasha's next class.

She gives him a teary little smile once they get there.

He smiles back and nods and then meets Leo in sixth period. 

"She knows."

"Yeah. She knows. I think if we keep you out of mind and keep her looking for a dog rather than a human that's going to be our best shot but if there's anything else you can think of —" 

"We've got to make the claim that you own more credible than the claim that she owns me."

"— I know you. I've named you. I've given you orders. I could pick you out of a lineup. She doesn't, hasn't, and can't." 

"I'm a royal slave, she's the daughter of a king, and you're a distant descendant of King Solomon. I was, in fact, created to be hers."

"— that first day. You said something about an oath." 

"If I swear an oath to obey you then she can't take me, no matter what. You can't break oaths. --She still might be able to punish you for theft."

"Better than her being able to take you."