"We sell the idea of love, of romance to our patrons. Do not buy into the idea yourself or else it will ruin you." This was the idea that Cloud had instilled in his boys at a young age, however whenever they spoke of certain samurai there voices took a dreamlike quality to it or a blush would dust their cheeks. Cloud could only pray that the samurai would not break his boys hearts, he did not think he could handle it, and he would do his best to make sure that his boys did not suffer the same heart ache he once faced. However all that would be put into jeopardy when a prince sets his eyes upon his youngest boy.

Terms to understand

Machiai : A waiting house where guest are entertained by geisha.
Kofurisode: The kimono that maiko wear through the day when they are not dressed for entertaining.
Taikomochi: male geisha
Okiya: House where geiko and maiko live with their Okasan. Independent geiko must be associated with an okiya.
Okasan: Mother. Geiko and maiko also call the mistress of their okiya, Okasan. (But I will be using father)
Koto: A thirteen stringed harp type instrument, played flat on the ground.
Shamisen: Also spelt samisen. Three string banjo like instrument used in dance and singing. One of the geiko/geisha's main instruments.
Joro: A prostitute
Danna: A patron of a geiko/geisha. Like a husband

Also note that the hair is longer for any of the taikomochi because it gives them a more feminine appearance. Also the people in this okiya treat each other like family.

The most important lesson that a taikomochi learns is that love is taboo it is only to be acted out, and not acted upon or else it would ruin you. This is what, Cloud was the owner of a small okiya and he had had told this to his boys from the very beginning of their training. However his boys were young and naïve, when it came to certain customers, just as he was once. Still he could see it in the way Sora looked at the young samurai Riku or the subtle glances that Roxas threw at the brash warrior Axel, or the way Ventus would softly touch the knee of Terra who was another proud samurai, and in the end all it would do was break their hearts and his. He was once a taikomochi, and he had perfected his skills in as many areas as he could, earned enough money, gotten a dana, and eventually proved that even at a young age he could and should be be the next owner of this okiya.

He had no idea where his boys had gone since breakfast and the okiya was silent which meant they were not doing anything productive. Pushing the shoji door he saw he saw his boys sitting about wearing their simple kofurisode, there hair was in a simple and messy bun, chatting with each other and not practicing with their instruments, or trying to improve their dance skills, or any of there art skill. His ears picked up some commotion from outside, so he made his way over to the shoji and quietly opened it, leaning against the wall he watched and listened to his boys. The four of them all together made quite a sight whenever all of them ventured out into the small city. Whether it was due to the blond hair on three of the four taikomochi or all of their lovely eyes, people tended to stop and stare.

"I wonder if Riku-sama will be here tonight?" That was Sora's voice was filled with a dreamlike quality to it as he thought of the silver haired samurai.
"Falling in love Sora?" Roxas questioned. "Because you know the rules." The blonds tone became teasing, he has been at the okiya longer then the other two and he hoped that Cloud would choose him to be the next one to run the okiya. "We sell the idea of love, of romance to our patrons. Do not buy into the idea yourself or else it will ruin you." The blond mimicked their father's voice whenever he spoke of love.
"Oh? Then why do you still have this?" Sora has reached over and pulled a fan out of Roxas's obi and opened the fan to reveal a pure red fan with of gold lining the top and tossed it in the air and caught it.
"Give that back." The blond snapped. "That was a gift from Axel-sama, from the time he spent in the capital."
"Now who's in love?" The softer voice of Ventus spoke out, Ventus had been the most recent to arrive but had taken on the life of a taikomochi quite well, with the help of both Sora and Roxas.

(Flash back)

Five year-old Ventus was curled up in a ball, crying in his small futon, he was scared and away from his family for the first time and he knew he would never see them again.
"Hey don't cry." Ventus looked up to see the burnet who was at most a year older then him, named Sora make his way over to his futon and began to rub his back.
"Yeah." The next voice was from Roxas, who two years older then Sora moved to sit in front of the other blond. Roxas took the younger blonds hand in his own and gave it a firm squeeze remembering what father had done for him the first night he was here.
"B-b-but I miss my mom and dad and m-my h-home."
"It's ok, that I felt that way my first few nights, but I had big brother to help me." Sora whispered and shared a smile with Roxas's.
"And now you have two big brothers who are here to help you." Roxas's voice was firm leaving no room for argument once again imitating his father's voice and Roxas's pulled his new younger brother into a hug. Sora followed suit wrapping his arms around Ventus promising that he would always be his big brother.

(End of flash back)

"It's not love." Roxas snapped as he snatched the fan back from Sora and tucked it back into his obi. "It's a lovely fan and a gift and it would be rude not to use it." He told Ventus. "You two are so rude to your big brother, if father was here he would…"
"He would what?" Cloud cut off Roxas as he stepped out onto the porch and into his boys line of sight and regarded his oldest boy with a raised brow.
"Hello father." All three boys bowed their heads in respect. All three were lucky to be under Cloud's care, they had heard stories from other taikomochi and even some geishas in the area, that there father's or mother's were mean, or cold, that some took away any and all gifts or all the money earned from patrons, and while Cloud did take a small portion of the money that was given to the boys, and they all understood it was meant to keep the okiya in good condition, as well as food, their kimono's, and even a bit of education that went outside the typical studies of a taikomochi.
"Now tell me." His eyes focused on Roxas, who should have made sure that his brothers were refining their skills. "Why is that all three of my boys are lazing about?"
"I am sorry father." Roxas shifted to his knees to give a proper bow his head did not touch the ground and his arms were straight and in front of him with his fingers pointed just barely touching. "It was such a nice day…and we were going to practice."
"That's right father…I have my flute with me, and Sora has his koto out." Ventus informed his father.
Roxas glanced over his shoulder and sent a sharp look at his youngest brother he did not need the other to defend him.
"Going to practice and actually practicing are two different things." Cloud replied.
"Yes father." All three boys responded.
"What would happen if any of you embarrassed yourself tonight, in the presence of three samurai?" He questioned his boys, arms crossed over his chest, trying to hide the smile that was similar to the one that crossed the young taikomochi faces. "People would talk about how I cannot raise and train proper taikomochi's. Is that what you want?" His face was stern but his voice didn't quite match up, because he knew his boys always did their best to make him and their okiya proud.
"No father." Came the reply in unison once again. With a sigh Cloud placed his hand on his lips, he swore that these boys would give him gray hair one day.
"Sora I need you to go and fetch some sake for tonight, you'll find some money on your sandals, and when you return home you are to practice your dancing." Cloud waved off the brunette who gave a bow and rushed off to do as he was told. "Ventus go and practice your flute, you may stay outside if you wish. Roxas, come and follow me." Cloud walked back inside hearing the sound of Ventus shuffling papers and the sound of Roxas walking behind him.

"Father, I wish to apologize." Roxas began as he followed the older man walking down the hall that led to Cloud's office his head was bowed in apology. "I am sorry for allowing my brothers and I to be so lazy, when we should have been practicing."
"I know you are." Cloud replied as he slid the screen door to his office open and stepped inside waiting for Roxas to enter before closing the screen door. Cloud moved to sit behind his desk, old and new scrolls and books lined the wall behind the man, an abacus was on his desk next to a scroll and brush with a bottle of ink next to it.
"Sit down, I have something important to discuss with you." Roxas moved to sit in front of the desk, slightly nervous. "We have known each other for a number of years haven't we? Longer then I have known your younger brothers."
"Yes." Roxas had a feeling where this conversation might head.

(Flash back)

Roxas was five and a half when he first came to the okiya and he was scared and wanted nothing more then to run away. So he stood on the porch looking at the large tree that was taller then the fence and stretched over to the next roof.
"Don't do it." Roxas turned around to see the seventeen year-old blond named Cloud was resting on the porch, his eyes were looking at the smaller blond, who looked close to tears.
"Don't tell me what to do." He snapped. "I don't want to be a joro….I wanted to be a samurai." Tears escaped his blue eyes and Roxas's stubbornly whipped them away but they came back just as fast and rolled down his cheeks.
Cloud pushed himself up and went to embrace the younger boy, who small fists hit his chest.
"You won't be a joro." Cloud whispered the promise to Roxas. "You will be a taikomochi, and you will make people stop and stare at your beauty. Men will walk into walls when they look at you, when they see your eyes you will leave them breathless, and with a single glance you will bring any samurai to his knees." Cloud ran his hands through Roxas's hair trying to comfort the boy who was now his baby brother.
"You're lying." Roxas's sobbed out, he had stopped beating Cloud's chest and held onto to loose fitting night robe.
"I am your big brother and one day I will be your father, I have no reason to lie to you." The two had spent the night like this, under the stars ,and the next day Cloud took Roxas under his wing and began to train him in the ways of being a taikomochi as well as a big brother.

Almost two years later Sora had come into the okiya and then a few months after that Ventus. Once Roxas had met his two new brothers and how scared they were when they first arrived, he made sure that he would be a good big brother just like Cloud had been to him.

(End of flashback)

"Roxas you have proven yourself a good big brother to both Sora and Ventus, you are a lovely taikomochi, and you are beginning to understand the finances of the okiya, which is why I am making you my heir."
"Father?" Cloud looked up at the shocked tone coming from Roxas.
"No thank you? Have I raised you so poorly?"
"Thank you father, thank you so much." Roxas's wanted to jump across the desk and hug his father, but that wouldn't do.
"However this means that you will have to find a dana, and this dana will most likely have sex with you." Cloud watched as Roxas paled slightly. "However when the time comes we shall deal with that. "
"Then I still have time before I am able to take over, since you are still young father." A wide smile stretched over Roxas's face.
"Cheekiness is not becoming of a taikomochi." Cloud pointed out, but it was true he was still young and still had men asking to spend time with him. "Now come over here, it's time you start your lessons about how to run the okiya."
Roxas's eagerly made his way over to where Cloud was as he waited for what ever lesson Cloud had, he would do his best as Cloud's heir, his father would not regret this decision. "However do not think this means you can skip out of practicing with the shamisen. Your responsibilities have now doubled." Cloud informed his heir and then began to teach Roxas about the basics of the okiya.

(With Ventus)

Ventus disliked the use of sheet music but still he needed to learn the songs that were popular. He was the youngest taikomochi here and he did not want to bring shame to their okiya, so he would practice as hard as he could to make his father and brothers proud of him. Tucking his knees under him as he brought the flute up to his lips while his eyes were drawn to the sheet music. A bright and happy tune escaped the flute, Vetus had loved playing the flute, even when he was younger and when he had gotten the beautiful black flute as a gift from his father and brother he nearly cried. Suddenly the tune stopped and Ventus's blue eyes gazed around looking for something or someone, but when he saw nothing he shrugged his shoulders, for a moment he could have sworn he felt a pair of eyes on him boring a hole into his soul. If Ventus had been more aware of his surroundings then he would have seen a pair of golden eyes gazing lustfully at him. However despite the unsettling feeling Ventus did his best to put the thought of someone secretly watching him out of his mind, and wanted to practice and be perfect for the brown haired samurai that he knew would be there tonight.
"Terra." The blond whispered out, enjoying the way the name tasted on his lips, no that was a lie, he loved the way the brown haired samurai's name tasted on his lips, he loved it when Terra came to their okiya and they spent time together, it didn't matter if it was serving him tea, or playing his flute, dancing for the samurai, or the occasion game of Go, which Terra had taught him how to play after buying him a board, his time with Terra was one he would hold close to his heart.

(Just outside the okiya)

The raven haired man had just climbed down from the roof that looked over the quaint looking okiya, it had been the sound of a flute being played that had piqued his curiosity and was glad he did. There he was sitting on the porch and looking like a porcelain doll with hair that seemed like flowing gold and eyes that matched the ocean.

"My prince, forgive me if this sounds rude but you should not be climbing roofs it looks unbecoming." A man with an eye patch and scars decorating his face spoke.
"Xigbar." The raven haired prince glanced over at the archer and at times rifle man with an annoyed and angered look.
"Yes prince Vanitas."
"If I wanted your opinion, then I shall ask for it." In a single motion he mounted his horse. "However I shall be returning tonight, I have found something that should entertain me." He nudged his horse into a trot. "Come Xigbar, I should not keep my father waiting." Vanitas could not help but smile to himself, as his mind went to the blond playing the flute. It would not be hard to seduce a taikomochi, he was a prince after all, and even if the taikomochi was silly enough to rebuke him, he could easily buy not only the blonds contract but the okiya's as well. 'I will have this golden flower.' The raven haired prince thought.