I OWN NOOOOOOOTHIIIING
By the way, sorry for not editing out mistakes. This is because if I take the time to do it, the computer will die. I'll fix later.
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One by one, the guardians left the garden. Rima first, having to hurry as fast as her little legs could carry her to a parent. Was it her mother's scowl that looked upon her? The father's grimace?
Next was Amu. She had no more bussiness there, other than some last questions, stuffing her mouth and pockets with left over snacks for the road, trying to help any way she could before she left, asking if she could help with this or that. It was hard to tell her everything was fine, and no, help was not needed at the present, but at last she left.
Lastly, Yaya. She would not leave until she was /sure/ the party was over. Making sure no treats were left unfinished. That all fun was sucked out until the meeting was dry. That nothing would happen, nothing entertaining in the slightest. That she had ranted every single detail of not wanting to go see Tsubasa pampered. But when she was struggling for anything more to keep her, defeat finally wriggled it's way through her and she submitted and left.
Tadase and Kairi were left alone at last.
"Well, it took long enough!" saidd Tadase, character changinging almost immediately as the crown formed on his head. "You could have chased them away sooner. Peasants need to be told when to leave, or they never will!"
"Yes, yes." Kairi hid how weary he was of this. Sure, he was used to serving; he was practically a slave to his sister, but that didn't mean he enjoyed it. Not at all. There wasn't a single person who would find it enjoyable. Satisfying and redeeming, maybe. Enjoyable? Not at all.
"What do you need, King." He learned long ago this was the proper term at this time.
"Bring me tea!"
"Yes, of course."
"And some soft bread to eat with it!"
"Will do."
"Make sure it is sweet, with cinnamon!"
"Affirmative."
Kairi sounded every bit a robot. In fact, he sounded, looked, felt and probably tasted every bit a robot. Not that he planned to test that theroy. And he also hadn't felt his Jack chair, either. That was probably why he felt like a robot.
Kairi was all work, no play. He never let him, much less anyone else touch him. Not a handshake, hug, or playful poke. He had no time for games, always wearing a professional air about him and acting overall like an automated machine bent on working himself to death. Death, or exhaustion.
When wearing his character changing crown, Tadase hated worrying for his servant. This was supposed to be his time to be pleased, to boss, to order, to command, to /not care/. To throw away that kind, caring prince and become a true king.
"Here," was all Kairi said as he set down the order, then stood at his side so he could hear the next order without it having to be repeated. How professional. How efficient. How, almost, thoughtful.
How infuriating.
Something seemed wrong. It wasn't wrong with the last Jack. Kuukai was his friend. Not only did he serve, but he joked and laughed, and let Tadase silence his jokes and laugh louder than he could. Fooled around so Tadase could order him to stop. Messed with him, ruffled his hair, more than the peasants, a companion he could trust.
But something was wrong with this Jack. Like he had no mind of his own. Like this was required only to get rid of him. It tired him as the King. He felt like Yay; struggling and grasping for some thing to order Sanjou san to do, some way to make the expirence feel less incomplete.
Yes, Kairi was definitely a robot. A robot with no mind of his own.
"Jack!" He yelled, but what was the point in using his voice to the fullest if Kairi would hear him whisper? Yelling was supposed to be fun.
"Yes, King?" came the rehearsed response.
"Speak."
With this command, there was utter confusion. What was he? A dog? What was he supposed to do?
"...King?"
Said king pouted. "That isn't good enough." He stood up straighter, taller, and then looking up at him he commanded again, "Speak!"
Again, confusion. "King, I don't know what you want me to do." This only angered the king more, just like every act Kairi did.
"Do you have any imagination? I want you to try improvising something! To speak of your own free will! To do /something/ that has no command attachtched!"
"...but there is a command attatched-"
"Don't insult what I say!" This was exactly what he wanted. to make himself feel better. To knock the other down. Why couldn't he get that?
It was impossible for Kairi to get. When he was interrupted and scolded, he mentally tucked away that he should not speak out again. It only angered the king. That's what he thought, anyway.
"...Jack."
"Yes, king?"
"I command you to call me something."
"King." A brow furrowed with this.
"To usual!" Now Kairi was confused.
"Tadase sama?"
"No!"
"Tadase kun?"
"No!"
"...tadase?"
"No honorific? Are we really that close?" Now, there was a question. "...Maybe we should be that close."
This caught Kairi off guard. Something, maybe some life, sparkled in his usually straight forward eyes. What was going to happen? This whole day had thrown off his cool.
"Jack, no, /Kairi/, I order you to pay attention to me!"
"K-king-"
"It's TADASE!"
"T-Tadase, I assure you I do pay attention to you!" The little king narrowed his eyes. Even his speech was polite and matter-of-fact. Why could he not just be frank?
"No. You do not pay attention to me." Throwing his head to the side, he stared Kairi straight in the eyes. "You pay attention to my commands, but none at all to me. Tell me, what do you see?"
Another thing to throw him off. "I-I see you, Tadase." he blushed a bit using such a /familiar/ and /intimate/ name.
"What about me, Kairi?" Tadase seemed unfazed and not embarrassed in the slightest. Typical.
Kairi tried looking closer, actually looking. "You're angered. and you're pouting at me. You expect something. You want something from me."
Tadase wished to yelled, wished to say 'Do not tell me what I want!'. But from expirence, he was starting to learn that if he yelled, Kairi would actually stop doing what he told him to stop doing.
...That actually made sense.
Instead, he said "Good. Now tell me what I want."
"I don't know what you want," he replied, "that's for you to tell me."
"Guess. Guess what I want."
"But-"
"/Try./"
Kairi thought a bit befpre answering. "You want... to get closer, like you said before, and for me to get to know you."
Tadase blinked. That may be exactly what he wants.
"...Am I supposed to do more without being ordered?"
"...No. You're supposed to do this." And then, Tadase on pure whim decided to grab Kairi and pull him down so he could better look him in the face.
Now, lwt this be known; Tadase had been in a chair. Kairi had been standing. The height difference had been spectacular.
Kairi came crashing down, his knee caps hitting the tile floor hard. When the inital falling was done and he was no longer a blur, Tadase could see him cringing, now nearly nose to nose. He looked hurt. He looked like he was in pain (which he was). And he looked slightly more human.
But again, he looked hurt. And that made the character change come off.
"Kairi, are you all right? I'm sorry if I hurt you!" Tadase leaned impossible closer, his breath ghosting over Kairi's cheeks. Kairi kept his eyes closed, trying to just control his breathing until it was even. He had gotten hurt and destroyed Tadase's character change. Nevermind it was Tadase who pushed him down; he had still failed.
But Tadase was so close to him now, and he found his cheeks fogging in spite of himself. Still, he sat there, his eyes closed, listening to Tadase's breathing.
It was... soft. Soft and warm.
"...Kairi?" Kairi didn't respond. he just took it all in.
He looked like he was at peace. Complete and utter peace. Nothing like an automated beast. Nothing like a robot. His breathing was even and in tune with Tadase's, so they were almost linked. Both found their mouths open as they breathed, Kairi's breath soft in sound and feel as it touched his cheeks and flushed them. He sucked in Tadase's every breath, and in turn Tadase could taste Kairi's. It was sweet, almost intoxicating. Drawing him in.
He didn't sound like a robot.
He didn't look like a robot.
He didn't feel like a robot.
And as Tadase moved closer, closing his own eyes as their lips touched, he realized he didn't taste like a robot either.