disclaimers: Its mine I tell you! All mine! Sigh..not really

Title: To Melt a Frigid Heart

warnings: male x male love

This is A/U between 1x2, 3x4, and 5x6

Chapter 1

"Slave," came the harsh, demanding voice of the overseer. The man bent forward, hands grabbing roughly a hold of the boy's chin, forcing him to look up. "Very nice. You'll do." The owner had never seen such exotic features in any other slave. He was foreign, that much was obvious. The boy was near sixteen, his previous owner had informed him of as much. The boy's pale white skin clashed well with the ebony pants, his chest nude which highlighted muscles that had obviously came from hard labor. The man glanced at the brunette braid swinging behind the boy's back and raised an amused eyebrow. He was surprised the hair hadn't been cut, too cumbersome. The man's gaze flickered to the boys eyes. An amethyst, wider than average humans and there was a spark of innocence still retained in the wine depths. "Whats your name, slave?"

"Duo..sir," the boy's body trembled but his voice was clear of the fear he was feeling.

"Odd name. You'll be staying here until summoned. I'm sure that the prince would like you, slave. Trowa! Quatre! Show Duo the compound and have him settled in with you two."

Trowa was a hardened youth, same age as Duo, with expressionless emerald eyes. His chestnut hair was unbanged and glistened in the evening sun. Like Duo and Quatre, he was dressed in baggy breeches, his being white that showed the deep tanned pyhsique. Duo's eyes went to Quatre and was shocked to see the blonde smiling quilessly. The twinkling blue eyes were sparkling with a quality that Duo hardly ever saw; compassion and kindess. Quatre was the more weaker of the two boys, his body was however toned and clothed in blue pants. Duo did notice, however, the protectivness in Trowa's motions. The way he kept darting glares at all and any who happened to take too much of a liking to Quatre-mostly the other slaves. The way his hand somehow managed to be on Quatre. Duo immediately took a liking to the two boys.

Duo, who was a chatterbox, found himself surprised that one as shy looking as Quatre could talk so much! "So, what brought you here? Was your old owner bad? At least here we're better off than most. I know that when I was- "

Trowa clamped a hand on Quatre's mouth. "Quatre, allow him to answer."

Duo smiled at the other foriegn boys. "I was sold to Van-sama because my old owner is a perverse man who delights in younger boys." Duo's voice held so much loathing that Quatre wondered if there was a rain cloud over his head. "I got too old. So Van-sama bought me and brought me here."

Quatre darted forward, leaving Trowa's hand much to the other boys intense discomfiture. He was already shooting daggers at the other slaves. The blonde Arabian caught hold of Duo's braid. "I've never seen hair this long! Doesn't it bother you? Do you get hot with all that hair?"

"No and yes."

"Quatre!" Trowa hissed, nodding towards one of the slave handlers. "We're supposed to be showing Duo to our room, not playing with his hair!" Quatre sombered a little and Trowa allowed a rare smile to grace his lips in apology. Duo's grin broadened. "Come on. Quatre will explain things on the way."

Quatre nodded eagerly. The trio walked into the courtyard, two identical buildings on the far end. "Those are the quarters, where we're going now." Quatre pointed to a square, grim building. "Thats the messhall. Its not very nice and the food tastes bland put Van-sama does keep our bellies full. Whats the point of having a skinny slave thats weak?" Quatre's logic was true and it was unfortunate that during Feudal Japan, many slaves were malnutritioned. "That over there is the lavatory. Its an open bathhouse so, we have to share with the other slaves. And that, is Van's place. We're never allowed there. Thats the tour." The three boys stepped inside the open door into the dormitory. A few boys looked Duo over hungrily before Trowa darted his infamous death glares at them. "Don't mind them. If you're with Trowa, he won't let anything happen to you." Another affectionate smile passed between the two.

Duo followed behind until they reached the end chamber. "Guys, what exactly do we do as Van-sama's slaves?"

Trowa flinched and closed the door behind him. He didnt speak but he did sink onto one of the two beds. Quatre happily sat beside him, crawling into Trowa's arms. Duo merely beamed a knowing smile and dropped to the opposite bed. It wasn't the most comfortable thing but it was better than his last accomadations; straw hay. Trowa, seeing that Duo wasn't in the slightest perplexed by his cuddling Quatre, wrapped his arms around the other boy.

"Well....there are many different kinds of slaves but Van only specializes in labor slaves and," his eyes darkened, "pleasure slaves." Trowa's eyes narrowed at his love's reaction. He held tighter onto Quatre who continued again. Duo's eyes widened. "Duo? What is it? Whats wrong?!"

"Van said that I would remain here until summoned. He also mentioned something about the prince...liking a slave like me."

Quatre moved from Trowa's grasp to put his arm across Duo's shoulders. Duo noticed the pity in Quatre's eyes. "Its...true Duo. The prince enjoys himself with the slaves that happen to be considered exotic and you qualify."

"The prince?"

"You dont know? How did you manage to end up here in Japan?" Trowa asked from his bed, an eyebrow raised bemusedly.

"I was an orphan and was sold into slavery when I was five. Now, who is the prince? Is he mean?"

Quatre nodded solemnly. "Prince Heero is cold and cruel. He doesn't have an ounce of emotions in him besides anger and even thats pressed to an extent. He kills mercilessly and takes no prisoners. I've heard that noones ever seen him cry or laugh."

"Why does he take pleasure slaves?"

"Well...their more of gifts to the prince from his father, Emperor Odin. Odin sees it fit that his son learn all the sexual trades considering he will be needing to find himself a wife."

"So he uses the women for Heero to learn on? Thats twisted."

"Yes but not just women. Men too. A few have been sent to Odin and.....you're next it seems."

"Should I be scared?" Duo asked, trying to joke but it came out a frightened whimper.

"Don't be scared Duo. It'll be alright and well, you're strong, right?" Duo nodded. "See, you'll be fine! I have faith in you."

"Thanks Quatre. It means alot."

Quatre winked. "Thats what friends are for Duo."

Duo smiled and hugged Quatre, after getting a nod from Trowa. Trowa, deciding it was enough, spoke up, "We should get some sleep. We have an early morning. Did you forget? We have to fix the roof."

Quatre clapped a hand to his forehead. "Thats right. Are you tired Duo?"

"Yes. Pretty tired."

"Okay. Goodnight Duo."

"Night Quatre, Night Trowa."

"Hn, night Duo."

Duo slipped underneath the thin sheet and flipped onto his side facing the wall. Tomorrow would be a new day and he was glad that he now had people he could call friends. A smile came to Duo's lips when he heard the couple kiss and exchange their love before settling in the bed. Duo wondered...what exactly Prince Heero looked like and if he was really as bad as Quatre summed him up to be.

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