View source for Mistress and Servant Boy

{{trope}}
[[File:yuuko watanuki.png|link=xxxHolic|frame|Oh, yeah. [[Sarcasm Mode|Real subtle.]]]]

{{quote|'''Delenn:''' You can look up, Lennier of the Third Fane of Chudomo.
'''Lennier:''' It is forbidden.
'''Deleen:''' I can't have an aide who won't look up. You'll forever walk into things.
|''[[Babylon 5]]''}}

The archetype of a young man kept under the heel of his often older female employer. Usually she takes a certain amount of pleasure from teasing him, [[You! Get Me Coffee!|asking him to get coffee]], and generally watching him squirm. The fact that she's often a [[Bunny Ears Lawyer]] means that he usually rolls his eyes at her exploits, but nonetheless follows her diligently, so there's often overlap with [[Beleaguered Assistant]].

However, it should be noted that the woman usually ''does'' genuinely care about the guy, she just shows it in a very strange way. She's often a grown-up [[Tsundere]] or a [[Defrosting Ice Queen]], and may act the way she does because she has trouble showing affection.

Note that this relationship doesn't have to be romantic or sexual in nature, and may simply be a mentor/student relationship meant to help the young man develop. There are often elements of [[UST]], but more often than not it goes unresolved.

Compare [[Lady and Knight]].

{{examples}}
== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==
* Yuuko and Watanuki in ''[[×××HOLiC]]'' (see page image). From making him get her expensive and rare types of alcohol to having him follow her around carrying her stuff while she ''slices a woman's computer clean in half'' without scratching the table. Yes, with a baseball bat. As employers go, Yuuko is pretty... unique. Watanuki considers himself to be her slave, but she cares far more about his well-being than is initially obvious.
** [[CLAMP]] also have a male example in ''[[Legal Drug]]'' with Kakei and his store workers Rikuo and Kazahaya, whom he loves to make squirm and whom he sends on shady missions to retrieve supernatural objects that he intentionally withholds important information on (in one case: that Kazahaya is going to ''drown''). The mirroring of dynamic in ''[[×××HOLiC]]'' is ''very'' apparent.
* Ryoko and Izumida in ''[[The Case Files of Yakushiji Ryoko]]''.
* Ekaterina and Kukrachyov, the pilots of Valspinner from ''[[Shinkon Gattai Godannar]]'', which actually used the combination command "Slave On". It even became a plot point of how submissive and "unmanly" Kukrachyov is when {{spoiler|the male pilots one after the other flip out from the virus}}. Just to drive the point home, Shadow, one of America's lesbian pilots, {{spoiler|is the only girl affected by it}} because she's the "[[Bifauxnen|manly]]" one of the two girls
* Louise from ''[[The Familiar of Zero]]'' takes the "Mistress" bit just a ''bit'' farther than most, treating Saito more like a slave (to the point of [[Whip It Good|having a whip]]) but over time she becomes [[Tsundere|less Tsun and more Dere]] towards him.
* Rin does this to Maeno a few times in ''[[Mnemosyne]]'', comparing finding him to finding a lost puppy, when she first meets him. She also intentionally plays up the [[Les Yay]] with her assistant Mimi in order to make him squirm. As time goes by she respects him more and more, to the point that {{spoiler|he turns into an angel to save her}}.
* Tohko and Mikiya in ''[[Kara no Kyoukai:]]'' are a more subtle example (plus Touko [[Ambiguously Gay|flirts with Shiki too]], so her orientation is anyone's guess), but Shiki and Mikiya also have aspects of this at times, especially considering how much he follows her around (to the point that when she's in a coma the nurses at the hospital call him "Puppy-kun" since he [[Unbroken Vigil|visits so regularly]]).
* Revy and Rock's relationship in ''[[Black Lagoon]]''. In a conversation with Eda; Revy does reveal that she hasn't been able to make Rock sleep with her yet. Of course, [[Tsundere|Revy]] [[Will They or Won't They?|has a]] [[Celibate Hero|funny]] [[Slap Slap Kiss|definition]] [[Axe Crazy|of "trying"...]]
* To an extent, Haruhi and Kyon in ''[[Suzumiya Haruhi]]'' qualify, as Haruhi is the brigade leader and Kyon basically has the lowest rank. They even employ the [[Necktie Leash]] trope on occasion but they are generally more peaceful than others as Haruhi doesn't do harm to him for emotional reasons. In the later novels, Kyon seems to acknowledge her as the leader.
** This is definitely how the rest of the school views them. "Right, Kyon, you're normal. Sure. You're Suzumiya's minion and you're trying to pull that?"
** Haruhi seems to think of them this way. In the movie after a long list of outrageous titles for Haruhi the credits say "Menial Labor: Kyon".
* Benika and Shinkurou of ''[[Kure-nai]]''. Mostly a mentor/protégé relationship, as Shinkurou earnestly admires Benika and constantly seeks her approval.
* Katina and Russel's relationship in the ''[[Super Robot Wars]] Original Generation'' games occasionally carries undertones of this.
** It's actually a recurring element with some individuals. Viletta's pretty stoic, but she is a pretty harsh teacher especially when it comes to Ryusei. They spend a good deal of time relatively alone in Alpha Gaiden (it makes sense in context), and she works him to the bone. However, she has never acted in a way that contradicts her role of a mentor.
* Eva from ''[[Monster (manga)|Monster]]'' has an episode of this.
* Opposite of this exists in ''[[Hayate the Combat Butler]]''. Hayate is the servant to Nagi, Nagi is the younger and also the one Hayate's attempting to teach. She also clearly has a crush on him.
** It's also possible that it's again opposites in Wataru and Saki's case.
** The dynamic is probably strongest with Hayate and {{spoiler|Athena}}, however.
* ''[[Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]]'' [[Fanon]] often portrays [[Dark Action Girl|Adiane]] and [[Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain|Viral]] as an example of this trope, mostly based on Viral's stoic acceptance of Adiane's abuse for letting her lover be killed by Team Gurren.
* While not a direct mistress/servant relationship, Yoruichi and Ichigo of ''[[Bleach]]'' fulfill this trope when training together, She seems to enjoy teasing him by going naked every once in a while.
* In an early episode of the ''[[Trigun]]'' anime, badass gunslinger Vash the Stampede (who ''really'' doesn't know how to deal with women) falls immediately into such a relationship, [[Played for Laughs]], with a beautiful female engineer who arrives to fix the town's power plant.
* In ''[[Seto no Hanayome]]'', Lunar attempts to force Nagasumi into one of these relationships despite (or rather, because of) his engagement to Sun.
* The relationship between  {{spoiler|Haji and Saya}} began this way in [[Blood+]], with  {{spoiler|Haji}} as a surly [[Cute Shotaro Boy]] and  {{spoiler|Saya}} as a [[Spoiled Sweet|well intentioned but tyrannical]] teenager. After finding out the reason for  {{spoiler|Haji's antipathy--he was sold as a slave to her guardian, Joel--Saya}} becomes friendlier and their relationship improves.
* In hindsight, {{spoiler|Battler and Beatrice}} had something like this relationship going on for the first four games or so of ''[[Umineko no Naku Koro ni]]''. The aesthetics in particular of that couple tended to be very similar to xxxHOLiC. Fitting, considering both Beatrice's and Yuuko's [[Sayaka Ohara|seiyuu]].
* Age-flipped in ''[[Angel Links]]'', where the teenage yet well-endowed Meifon Li has a twenty-something [[Girl Friday|Boy Friday]] named Kosei Hida.
* Sumire and Momo's relationship is like this in [[Tramps Like Us]], although unusually, Momo is quite enthusiastic about being Sumire's pet.
* Liang Qi and Cummings of ''[[Canaan]]'' are a particularly dark example of this trope. Liang Qi couldn't care less about Cummings and mostly vents her frustrations on him using an airsoft gun, and Cummings harbors a one-sided affection for her to the point that he eventually starts to like her abuse, while Liang Qi harbors her own one-sided love for [[Dark Action Girl|Alphard]] to a truly [[Yandere|obsessive]] [[Psycho Lesbian|extent]]. Cummings' loyalty to Liang Qi is so great, in fact, {{spoiler|that he's the one who gives her a [[Mercy Kill]] after she tries to give herself synethesia and it backfires horribly, and at the end of the series he's shown to have become a monk and still thinks of Liang Qi fondly}}.
* Now, while Ren has [[The Ojou|three separate masters]] in ''[[They Are My Noble Masters]]'', it’s invoked by both [[Lovable Sex Maniac|Shinra]] & [[Older Than They Look|Miyu]]. Both are older than he is. Both [[The Tease|tease]] him mercilessly. Neither one have any issue invoking an [[Accidental Pervert]] scenario upon him. And for the icing, he has [[UST]] with both sisters, involving his [[Chivalrous Pervert|wandering hands]] with Miyu and Shinra’s various come-ons that lead nowhere. {{spoiler|Well, that is until the [[Grand Finale]] where [[Spit Trail Kiss|Shinra rams her tongue]] [[Big Damn Kiss|down Ren’s throat.]]}}
* This trope is explored with [[Tsundere|Ririchiyo]] and [[Bishounen|Miketsukami]] from ''[[Inu x Boku SS]]'', though it's not enough to be called a [[Deconstruction]]. Both of them are trying to become more humane<ref>They are technically not human, but that's besides the point.</ref> to each others, and it's an awkward process.

== [[Comic Books]] ==
* ''The Masters of Barley'': As CEO of her late father's beer brewing company, Adrienne Steenfort has a younger male assistant who obviously has a crush on her.

== [[Film]] ==
* Variant tragic version: ''[[Sunset Boulevard]]'' has down-and-out writer Joe Gillis working for aging star Norma Desmond.
* The main characters of ''[[The Proposal]]'' are a [[Defrosting Ice Queen|mistress]] and servant boy who start off both [[Married to the Job]] {{spoiler|and wind up married to each other.}}
* ''[[The Princess Bride (film)|The Princess Bride]]'':
{{quote|Farmboy!
As you wish. }}
* Semi-parodied in ''[[The Emperor's New Groove|The Emperors New Groove]]'' with [[Evil Vizier|Yzma]] and [[Minion with an F In Evil|Kronk]].

== [[Live Action TV]] ==
* On ''[[Battlestar Galactica]]'' (the reboot), Laura Roslin's relationship with her aide Billy had elements of this.
* While he's not really her assistant, [[Defrosting Ice Queen]] / [[Magnificent Bastard]] Adelle DeWitt and [[Geek]]y [[Mad Scientist]] Topher Brink have this kind of relationship on ''[[Dollhouse]].'' Their relationship winds up seeming somewhat like a mother and son, though at first many fans thought it would turn romantic.
** Also, if you reverse the gender roles, Topher and Ivy interact about this way.
*  Delenn and Lennier in [[Babylon 5]].

== [[Tabletop Games]] ==
* The [[Fantasy Counterpart Culture|Shadows of Mexico]] setting for [[Vampire: The Requiem]] shows a deconstruction of this trope in the relationship between the [[Alpha Bitch|Harpy]] Mariposa and her poor PR agent/childe Colibri. Mariposa often humiliates Colibri in front of Mexico's other vampires, treating her as little more than a punching bag, but she actually does care about her in private. This just makes Colibri even crazier!
** ...actually, this pretty much sums up the relationship of most of the female and a few male vampires in this game with anyone with lower Status than them.

== [[Theatre]] ==
* A literal (but not precisely fulfilling the trope) and very tragic example comes from August Strindberg's play ''Miss Julie''. It's about class and lust and power and people end up dead.
* Candi and Buck in the musical ''[[Zanna Don't|Zanna, Don't!]]''.

== [[Video Games]] ==
* Taro gets the title "Rozy's Servant" in [[Disgaea]] 2 for a [[Precocious Crush|reason.]]
* In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess]]'', Midna initially considers her relationship with Link to be this. She comes to respect him more after her [[Character Development]].
* Pit and Palutena in ''[[Kid Icarus: Uprising]]''. Palutena seems to enjoy teasing Pit every now and then, but also is clear she cares for him.

== [[Web Comics]] ==
* [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|Mistress]] and Apprentice Ivan from the NSFW ''[[Oglaf]]'' very much have this dynamic, and she more than enjoys sexually teasing him.
* Sette and Duane from ''[[Unsounded]]'' have this dynamic, with the twist that Sette is prepubescent.

== [[Web Original]] ==
* While the "boy" in question is a robot and there's no caring involved, [[The Nostalgia Chick]] and her new [[Sex Bot]] fit into this. She uses it strictly for her own pleasure and it even calls her "mistress".

== [[Real Life]] ==
* What about [[Madonna]] and Carlos Leon / Jesus Luz / whoever?
* Inscriptions on Spanish [[Chastity Dagger|Salvavirgo]] knives often invoke [[Companion Cube|this sentiment]].
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Authority Tropes]]
[[Category:Always Female]]
[[Category:Duo Tropes]]
[[Category:Ensembles]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]