Title: The Servant and the King
Authoress: Ankaris123
Genre: General
Start Date: August 15, 2008
End Date: August 15, 2008
Summary: One-shot. JunxNozomu. Jun tells his teacher a story in the infirmary that held more facts than fiction.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
The sliding door rattled behind him as Jun slid it to a close. He inhaled deeply to still his nerves, taking in the typical scent of antiseptic that lingered in the school's infirmary.
"K…Kudou-kun?" a raspy voice called out from behind the off-white curtains that barely hid the bed from sight.
Bringing a congenial smile to his face he stepped forward, brushing the drapes apart.
Lying quite still on the bleached linens was his classroom teacher, Nozomu Itoshiki, looking peaky and a shade lighter in skin colour than per norm. The visible imprints around his thin neck told Jun that the cause of this under-the-weather behaviour to be the result of yet another suicide attempt.
Attempt.
He shivered inside, holding up his smiling front. His fingers curled tightly around the paperback novel clenched in his hand.
He took a breath to steady himself once again.
"Hello, sensei. How are you feeling?"
His teacher groaned loudly at the question.
"Like the whole world is against me."
Jun chuckled softly at the response before pulling up a chair; a chair normally occupied by their student counsellor. He wheeled the chair as close as he dared to the bed's side before taking a seat, all the time keeping his attention away from his teacher.
"How about a story, sensei?" He didn't seem to protest but made no word of agreement.
Jun placed the novel on the desk, suddenly unsure why he had brought it with him in the first place.
With a sharp intake of breath, he began.
This is a story about a servant and a king.
The king was the ruler of a small insignificant kingdom that seemed to house all the troubles in the world.
Everyday the king would toil away on dealing with these problems
The servant of the king knew all this as he accompanied his king everywhere, ready to serve him at his every whim.
The servant loved the king secretly from the shadows, supporting him from behind.
But the king never noticed, too preoccupied with the troubles of his people.
The servant loved the king so much; he couldn't bear to see the pain on his face after a long day's work.
The servant knew that if he professed his feelings to the king, it would only add to his problems.
The servant knew that such a relationship was forbidden.
So the servant never told the king.
And even though he never said a word about his love, he stayed fatefully by the king's side.
The king never noticed his servant and the servant never spoke a word.
The unlikely pair survived through a silent connection.
The king through the help and tentative attention of his servant.
The servant through the knowledge of being able to ease the king's pain.
The king's joy was the servant's joy.
The king's sorrow was the servant's sorrow.
The king's pain was the servant's pain.
And even though the servant loved the king with all his being.
The servant never told the king.
Jun licked his dry lips as he spoke the last syllable before casting his gaze to his teacher.
As usual Nozomu was suppressing his outflow of tears that were coaxed out by the melodic words of Jun's storytelling. He sniffed and rubbed his eyes with his sleeve, allowing the tears to soak into the fabric.
"Beautifully told, Kudou-kun," he croaked with his strained voice. "It sure holds up to your reputation and calibre as a genius storyteller."
"Thank you, sensei," he replied quietly and modestly. He made to stand, forcing his limbs to move against the sudden stiffness that befell his joints. A strange tightness, like panic, wrecked through his chest making it a little difficult to breathe properly.
Scooping up the discarded book off the medical desk, his knuckles turned ghostly white as he held it tightly in his hand once again. Silently he mouthed an apology to the abused literary work for his unjust treatment.
With the other hand he grasped the handle and slid the door open, stepping outside with a heavy heart which gave a skip when he heard a voice speak up from behind him.
"Kudou-kun?"
Jun didn't answer this time nor did he turn around. He gripped the door firmly, waiting for him to continue.
"It was…a wonderful story…but…"
Jun had to strain his ears to hear the last part that was spoken so softly it was barely audible despite the piercing silence.
"…I only wish…that the servant told the king…in the end."
The room went silent again, soft breaths signalling the unconscious state of his slumbering teacher.
As Jun pulled the door shut behind him, he gave his reply,
"I wish he did too."
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
A/Ns: Um…omfgcheesy? Signs point to yes. The fairytale Jun told in this was kind of…bad. Oh well. What do you think about the cheese? Review! And thanks for reading.