Be Mine

by Higuchimon

Otogi just wanted to do a little research for a college project. He didn't expect what he really found. Boy, did he not expect what he found.

Disclaimer: All canon-based characters, situations, and plotlines are copyright to their original owners, creators, and designers. I make no profit, nor want any.
Title: Be Mine
Rated: R
Type: One-shot
Word Count: 10,321
Characters: Otogi Ryuuji, Pegasus J. Crawford
Romance: Pegasus x Otogi
Genre: Supernatural, Romance
Notes: This was written for the fourth round of the sixth season of the Yu-Gi-Oh Pairings Challenge. It takes place in something of an AU, but one which mirrors manga canon in many respects. I can't really say much more, for fear of spoiling some plot points. Also, this explores some of Pegasus's darker side and has some not fully graphic sex between two consenting (for varying values of consent) adults close to the end.
Summary: Otogi just wanted to do a little research for a college project. He didn't expect what he really found. Boy, did he not expect what he found.

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Otogi Ryuuji stood at the side of the ship and stared out towards the island just visible through the mists. If you could call it visible when he had to squint and tilt his head a little in order to get more than a few vague glimpses of the building. There were some smudges that he presumed were lights here and there, but for the most part, it was dark.

This had better be worth it. He needed to do this research, and Pegasus's castle was the only place that had the books and manuscripts that he needed. And Pegasus J. Crawford never left his island, which meant if he were going to do this research, he was going to have to do it there.

"Sir, we will be docking shortly." He turned slightly to see one of the ship crew there. He hadn't gotten beyond mild introductions to most of them, and this wasn't one of those he'd even exchanged names with. "Mr. Crawford will have someone waiting to escort you to your room once we arrive."

Otogi nodded; he'd be staying here at least a week, maybe even two, depending on how long it took him to do everything that he needed to. "Thanks." He grinned a little as he did, tossing the crewman a sly wink. A little bit of flirting never hurt anyone, in Otogi's opinion, and in his experience, it tended to help.

But he never flirted for too long. He turned his gaze back to the castle that was still not quite visible, even though they were closer than they had been. The mist almost seemed to cling to it. That had to be some kind of trick of the light, though. Sure, it was getting on towards evening, but that was probably just helping deceive his eyes.

He shrugged a bit and headed to his cabin to get his bags. He would have preferred to get here earlier in the day, but Pegasus was the one who had allowed him to come here at all, and he had sent the boat when he wanted to. At any rate, he was certain he could get everything that he needed done in the time that he was allowed.

Just the fact he was here at all was a miracle. Pegasus was well-known not only for having created the world-famous Duel Monsters card game, but for his researches into the occult and his collection of rare and valuable manuscripts, books, and artwork of the same. There were people who said the two interests had co-incided more than once and that Duel Monsters was a hideous tool of evil. But there were always people like that. Otogi had suffered some flak himself because of his own interests in gaming. But the opinions of idiots never bothered him.

Pegasus was known for something else as well: as being one of the world's most reclusive…recluses. Hardly anyone had seen him in public in years, and there had been more than one rumor that "Pegasus J. Crawford" wasn't even his real name.

Less than an hour later, he was being escorted down a castle hallway. He had expected a mansion of some sort. Pegasus was rich beyond most people's comprehension, so obviously wherever he lived would be impressive. This was just not what he had expected. A real, live, castle. There were statues of armor in the halls, beautiful paintings everywhere, and he didn't think he'd be able to find his way around without an escort. Maybe not even with one. What would he do if his escort got lost?

"This is really not what I was expecting," he said mostly to himself as he looked around. How many corridors had they come down or how many corners turned since he'd been let inside? He'd lost count already. "It's…so big."

His guide, Crocketts, chuckled a little. "Mr. Crawford has had a great deal of time to indulge many of his whims. This, by the way, is your room." He stopped and gestured at one of the many doors lining the hallway. "I would presume that you are hungry?"

"Starving." Otogi hadn't bothered to eat too much while he was on the ship. There'd been so much else that he was thinking about. "Is the kitchen around here still open?"

Crocketts almost appeared to hesitate for a moment, and Otogi wondered why. It wasn't that strange of a request, was it? Then he finally spoke. "Something will be brought to you, if you require it. Our kitchen staff is…unavailable at the moment."

That was a little strange. Who let someone come to their house when the staff was all on vacation or whatever? But, if he still got some food, that was more important. "I can manage with just a sandwich or something." He shrugged some; as long as he didn't starve to death, he wasn't that bothered by it. For all he knew, Pegasus didn't even really have a kitchen staff. He could want to cook for himself. You never knew with these weird recluse types.

"You'll have something soon," Crocketts nodded slightly, then opened the door to the room and gestured him inside. Otogi entered, exploring with his eyes, and trying not to let his jaw drop too hard. He had seen some nice hotels in his time, and the Kaiba mansion was pretty swanky too, but this place…this was some kind of a dream.

Otogi scarcely even noticed when Crocketts left. He was too busy exploring this new place with eyes and hands both. There was an odd combination of the modern era and the past here. A fireplace, with a fire crackling merrily in it, and a table that had a laptop situated on it. He glanced at it curiously and blinked to see a message waiting for him: clearly waiting for him, as his name was on it.

Otogi, my dear boy. I intend to meet with you shortly, but circumstances prevent me from doing so upon your arrival. Do make yourself at home. I know that you have a laptop of your own, but make use of this one if you like while you're here. I have internet access available for you should you desire it, to keep up with the other calls on your time.

We will speak more soon. I quite look forward to making your acquaintance in a more formal manner.

And it was signed Pegasus J. Crawford.

Otogi read and reread the message once, twice, three times. This wasn't quite something that he could say that he'd expected, but it wasn't something he was going to throw away either. He'd brought his laptop, hoping that Pegasus would have some form of internet connection, which would enable him to keep up with his friends and a few assignments that would be due while he was here. This was exactly what he'd been hoping for.

And he'd even be meeting Pegasus later. He couldn't help but feel something of a thrill at the concept. Though he was here, in Pegasus' very home, he hadn't quite dared to think that he would meet the great man. Despite being so reclusive, Pegasus had to be busy. He still ran Industrial Illusions after all.

I'm not going to meet him like this, though! He hunted around the suite until he found a bathroom, and stared at it for a few moments. It was larger than his own bedroom back home was, and that wasn't exactly the size of a walk-in closet. But it was missing something, something that startled him, once he thought about it.

"No mirrors…" Not even the smallest kind. Nothing on the wall, nothing on the counter. But he didn't need a mirror to get clean. He quickly showered and got into a set of clean clothes, running a brush through his hair even as a knock sounded from the door. That had to be his sandwich.

He hurried over and opened it, flashing his warmest, most charming grin at the servant on the other side. "Thanks, I really needed that!"

"My pleasure, Otogi-boy," the tall, silver-haired man who stood there, a push-table full of covered trays by his side, replied. Otogi blinked several times before the other spoke again. "Let me introduce myself. Pegasus J. Crawford."

Otogi very seldom blushed. You had to have shame for that, and it was one of the few words that he'd never bothered to learn the definition for. But now, he was scarlet all over. "I'm sorry. I was expecting a sandwich." That didn't even sound intelligent. Some first impression he was making.

"Oh, it's quite all right. I have very few people around here who can make sandwiches, so I thought perhaps something else might be more suitable." Pegasus entered casually, with Otogi falling back to let him do so. It was Pegasus' own home, after all. The little table followed, rolling on its own, and Otogi stared at it. Pegasus glanced back and smiled briefly. "It's computer operated, my dear boy. I can't always push things around, so the things that I need follow me."

The black-haired man blinked a couple of times, then shook his head. He had to be more intelligent than this! "Right. That's pretty creative. I wish I had one back home." It would make carrying his books around campus quite a bit easier, for one thing. Whatever was on that tray smelled pretty good, and his stomach rumbled quite loudly.

"Now, now, we shan't be talking when you should be eating." Pegasus gestured towards a pair of couches. "Shall we sit down?"

Otogi reacted a little more quickly this time and headed over there to do just that. His stomach was doing most of his thinking for him, and it rumbled yet again, even more loudly this time, when the scent teased his nostrils once again. Was that filet mignon? It certainly smelled like it might be. And there were other scents there, ones that he couldn't identify.

"I do hope you enjoy this." Pegasus removed the covers from the plates and set them on the coffee table before Otogi. "I had all of it made for you."

Now that was yet again something that he hadn't expected to hear. "You didn't have to do that. I really would have been happy with a sandwich."

"Nonsense, dear boy. You're going to be doing quite a lot of research, and you can't keep your strength up on sandwiches. As I said, not many of my staff knows how to make them anyway. You'll simply have to make do." Pegasus gestured once more and Otogi didn't need any more encouragement to start eating.

After a few minutes, when he'd nearly cleaned everything off of the plate, he noticed something else. "Aren't you eating?" he wondered. Pegasus had simply sat there the whole time, watching him devour his meal quietly. Otogi noticed almost absently the way his silver hair fell across his face, concealing one of his eyes, and the way his long-fingered, strong hands were folded across one knee.

"Oh, no. I've already dined this evening, before you arrived. I tend to eat alone, regardless. It allows me time to reflect on certain matters that I must deal with." Pegasus smiled just a touch, and his choice of words reminded Otogi of something else.

"Did you know there aren't any mirrors in the bathroom? Anywhere?" Of course, Pegasus probably did now. His place, after all. But asking wouldn't hurt.

Pegasus's lips curved up slightly. "Yes, I know. I have no need for them myself. No one comes here to see me, after all…except you." The smile widened a bit. "But if you truly need one, I can have one brought here for you."

Otogi shook his head; he wasn't going to start making demands. Besides, now that he thought about it, he was pretty sure that he had one in one of his bags. "No, I can manage. I just thought I should mention it." He drank down the last of the wine that had been provided; it was probably some of the best that he'd tasted. Pegasus obviously had made the selection himself. That was something else he was known for: being a wine connoisseur.

He tried to bite back a yawn, and wasn't as successful about it as he would have wanted to be. It had been a long day, after all. A long three days, after all, since that was how long the trip had been. Pegasus certainly enjoyed his privacy. "I'm sorry, I'd love to talk to you more, but…"

"Oh, no, dear boy, it's quite all right. And you'll be here more than long enough for us to have many conversations." Pegasus chuckled as he rose gracefully to his feet. "You get your sleep. I'm terribly afraid I won't be able to see you until…quite likely after dark, however. My business requires my attention until then. But I will join you for dinner, if you don't object, while you are here."

There was no way that Otogi could have possibly objected to that, and once he'd agreed, Pegasus showed himself out with yet another swirl of grace and silver hair.

As the door closed behind him, Otogi leaned against it, overwhelmed. He'd actually done it. He'd actually met Pegasus J. Crawford, and against any and all expectations he'd had, the man actually seemed to like him. Not that he'd thought the other would hate him, but the friendliness and welcome had been far beyond what he'd even considered. There was so much that he hadn't even had a chance to say, a thousand questions and thoughts that now surged into his mind when he was out of that commanding presence.

At least, he felt, he hadn't come off as a complete idiot. Pegasus would, hopefully, write off anything stupid that he'd said or done as the result of being tired from the trip. And he was, really. Now that he had a good meal in him, his thoughts turned one way and one way only: towards getting some sleep.

The bedroom was every bit as opulent and decadent as the rest of the suite was. Otogi blinked and rubbed his eyes some as he stared down at the bed. Was he actually seeing red silk sheets? He reached out to touch them carefully and wasn't sure to be amazed or aghast at the sight. It was real silk. He knew silk, and this was some of the most expensive available.

Well, maybe that was just what Pegasus put on his beds? It wasn't going to hurt to sleep on. He'd done it a few times before, usually when he had someone special over to share the bed with, but he'd never slept alone on silk. First time for everything, he decided, and quickly stripped himself down for bed.

It was warm underneath the sumptuous sheets and blankets, and before long, Otogi found himself drifting off into the realm of sleep. Yet, oddly enough, at the same time, he remained aware of everything that was going on in the room. There shouldn't have been anything going on, but even as he slept, he retained an awareness of the room itself. That had never happened before.

Am I having one of those lucid dreams? Bakura was studying dreams and dream therapy and had mentioned them during a study session once. Otogi had heard of them before, but hadn't ever had one, to his knowledge.

He heard nothing, but another kind of awareness intruded itself on his mind, and despite the fact his eyes were closed, he was completely aware that Pegasus now stood by his bed. In contrast to the laughing, affable person of before, he now looked down on Otogi with a slightly cruel tilt to his lips, and a possessive gleam in the eye that was visible.

Otogi wanted to ask what he wanted, but try as he might, he couldn't so much as move, let alone speak. The sheets and blankets unrolled themselves from him, leaving him completely bared to Pegasus's hungry gaze. Hungry was the exact word for it as well. Otogi had never seen someone look so eager to feast. One elegant, long-fingered hand caressed up and down his chest and stomach, then pressed against his heart briefly, as if to feel the beating of it.

Nothing was said at all. Pegasus stood there, staring down at him. Then his hand moved up higher, touching against the pulse in Otogi's throat. It sped up at that, and Pegasus smiled briefly and even more cruelly, before he shook his head. Then, he leaned down to kiss Otogi on the lips, more than a little roughly.

It wasn't the first time, by any means, that Otogi had been kissed. Nor was it the first time that he'd been kissed by a man. But this kiss was more powerful, more potent, and more passionate than anything he'd ever experienced before. His senses spun and if he'd been standing, he was certain he would have fallen over.

Pegasus pulled back, that cruel smile still there, and the blankets rolled back on top of Otogi as if they'd never left in the first place. Then, he was gone. Otogi still couldn't move, but the awareness of everything around him faded away completely, until he opened his eyes, and sunlight was streaming in through the windows.

"That…was a hell of a dream…" he murmured as he sat up and shook his head. That was all that it could have been. At least he didn't appear to have made a mess in the bed or anything. That would have been awkward to try to explain to Pegasus or whatever passed for a staff around here.

Well, it was morning. That meant he had work to do, or research to be more precise. After a morning shower and breakfast.

Breakfast which turned out to be sitting on the same table that he'd eaten with Pegasus on the night before, and was once again some of the most expensive and luxurious food he'd ever seen or eaten. He cleaned the plate off in no time, and left it there, not sure of what else to do with it.

Almost as soon as he'd finished, a knock came at the door. Crocketts stood there, and bent his head politely as soon as Otogi answered. "Whenever you'd like to visit the library, sir, I can escort you there."

"Right. Just let me get my things." Otogi grabbed his laptop and a few other odds and ends he thought that he might need and followed Crocketts through the twisting corridors of the castle until they came to a wide set of double doors.

"All of Mr. Crawford's materials are in available in here." He pulled out a slender memory stick and handed it over. "This contains a chart to the library contents themselves. You will need it. Lunch will be provided here or in your rooms."

Otogi nodded, itching to get to work and forget that dream that still lingered in the back of his mind. He could almost feel Pegasus's hand on his chest still, even now that he was awake and dressed. As the doors swung open, he hurried in, more eager to immerse himself in his searching than ever.

He'd barely taken five steps inside before he stopped and looked around. This was something of a researcher's dream…or nightmare. Dozens and dozens of shelves of every size, shape, and description rose all around him, and he could see at least four, possibly five doors that led to other rooms. A quick look showed that they were the same, filled with bookshelves that were equally filled with books, manuscripts, scrolls, and everything else that humanity had ever bothered to use to record information on.

He set his laptop and books down on the nearest table and took a few more steps around, just staring at everything. With all of this, it was almost impossible for him to breath as he gaped in awe. Malik would love this. The young Egyptian's love for books was as deep as the Pyramids themselves were tall. Maybe he'd try to find a way to bring him here, if he ever had a chance to come back. If Pegasus didn't mind.

But first, he really needed to do his own work. He glanced at the memory stick Crocketts had given to him, then went to get his laptop powered up. At first, he hadn't really thought that a library could or would need anything other than the basic organization system. But now…now he knew a little better.

It appeared that this library also had wireless internet available. Otogi checked his mail and surfed a bit, trying to get his mind organized and ready to start researching. That didn't take long, not once he started to peruse Pegasus' organizational system.

"Let's see," he murmured to himself as he began to page through it. "If I were information about mystical items and games played with them, where would I be?" That was easy. He'd would be right where he could find himself, so he could do the research more easily and then spend a few days enjoying being around Pegasus.

Otogi blinked slightly at the thought as it dawned on him that he'd thought it in the first place. It was strange. He'd scarcely spent a full hour with the man, but he'd already had one semi-erotic dream about him, that he couldn't seem to forget so much as a moment of, not to mention that Pegasus just wouldn't escape his thoughts. He was always there, watching, smiling, even when he wasn't there. No one had ever affected Otogi like that before. It made him nervous, to tell the truth.

He shook his head to try to get rid of the thought (which didn't so much vanish as it did slide into the back of his mind to lurk devilishly until he wasn't paying attention before jumping back out at him) and got back to trying to find what he'd been looking for in the first place.

With so many rooms and books to check through, it was going to take him a while to find what he was looking for, even once he found the books that he wanted. He'd heard rumors for years of seven powerful items that had been forged in Ancient Egypt. Malik hadn't been very forthcoming about anything, but Otogi was fully willing to pursue other avenues of information: such as Pegasus.

Most people would have considered the rumors of ancient magic and items of wonder and power off as the stuff of children's tales. Otogi had seen enough in his lifetime, the scant twenty years or so it had lasted, to know otherwise. His mother had taught him of magic and mysteries from his earliest youth. One of the stories she'd told him had been about his father, who had died before Otogi himself was born, thanks to a powerful and mystical board game he had played that had cost him his life when he'd lost. Otogi had always wanted to find a way to avenge his father, but it had never happened, and eventually he'd come to realize it never would.

The thought of proving magic to the modern world had never been far from his mind as he'd grown older, linked inextricably with his own taste for games. While he didn't know if he'd ever be able to do it, the thought of this particular class project reporting on the link between games of power and magic in ancient Egypt and possibly modern games, Duel Monsters among them, was one he couldn't pass up. He'd simply awoken with the idea in his mind a few weeks earlier, and the thought to request permission to come to Pegasus's island to do the research had been too strong to ignore.

So, here he was, looking up anything he could find about games, magic, ancient Egypt, and tools made over three thousand years earlier that somehow involved all three. Finding all of the information would require sifting through books, speculation, maybe a few artifacts if Pegasus had any…but it would be worth it in the end. So he got down to business.

Hours trickled by, and Otogi scarcely even noticed when lunch was brought on the same sort of mobile tray that Pegasus had had with him the night before. He simply ate his way through it, and went on working. He was finding quite a lot more than he'd expected to, really, and wandered from laptop to bookshelf, gathering a few volumes here and there, and then going back to start reading through them, taking notes about anything that caught his attention.

These people really believed that those seven Items had been made. And he believed it too. He'd heard rumors for years. Bakura's father had mentioned them once or twice, stirring up his interest, but no one that he knew of had ever seen one, at least not one that could clearly be identified.

"Otogi, dear boy?" Pegasus's cultured voice spoke up, and Otogi jerked a little. This was the second time he'd been taken by surprise, and this time, there hadn't even been so much as a knock on the door to warn him. "Really, you don't need to get some wrapped up in your work. You never know who could sneak up on you around here if you do."

Otogi laughed a little. "Who else is around here to sneak up on me but you?"

That got a small smile. "Exactly what I just said, my dear boy. After all, what did I just do?"

Pegasus strolled closer, wearing the same outfit, or one just like it, that he had worn the day before. Otogi was reminded somewhat of a hunting cat by the grace of his movements, and the way that he simply sat down, taking over the other chair in a way that he'd never seen someone else sit before.

I have got to shake this. I'm going to start thinking I like him. Which he did, he realized. Pegasus was an amazing man, and not just because of his exotic good looks. Everything about him drew Otogi towards him, like a moth to the flame. Moths die when they get too close, Otogi tried to remind himself. Unfortunately, the burning taste of that kiss made death by fire seem to be more than a little attractive. Even though the kiss hadn't actually happened outside of his own mind.

"I see that you've made some progress." Pegasus gestured towards the stacks of books. "Perhaps you'd like to take a little time off. I can show you around the castle. The sun has set, but there's still plenty to see inside."

Otogi glanced at his watch, then out the window. The day really had flown by. He'd been here just over a full day and hadn't even noticed it. Wait, Pegasus had asked him something, hadn't he? Right. Yes. "That sounds good." He didn't want to seem too eager if he could help it.

Was this what his fan girls felt like when they were around him? This inability to so much as think straight if he smiled in their direction? He'd always kind of hoped so, but to experience it for himself…that was a bit unusual.

He tried not to think about it at the moment. Instead, he gathered up his books and closed down the laptop, saving everything he'd done. "You have a huge collection. I've never seen anything like it. Even the university library isn't this big."

"Yes, well, my family has been in the research business for quite a long time. Centuries, in fact. This is the patient result of nearly four hundred years. We've carried it with us wherever we've went." Pegasus smiled slightly as he gestured to include the entire library, and possibly more. "It makes moving quite the hassle, let me tell you."

Otogi laughed a little. "I can imagine. It's been a pain whenever I have to move and I don't have half as much as you do. Not even a quarter." If he had a twelfth, he would have been surprised. But, his family hadn't been building up a huge accumulation of wealth and power for four centuries either.

"That's why I've decided to stay here for the remainder of my life," Pegasus told him, guiding him out of the library. "It's quite comfortable, it suits my needs perfectly, and I'm very used to it after all of these years."

"How many years?" Otogi asked casually. Pegasus was something of an anomaly. He'd done research before coming here, and there were very few records of Pegasus as a child. That wasn't so unusual; coming from a rich family with roots in Las Vegas, he'd probably been tutored at home and sheltered to an extent. There was a birth certificate, of course, which had specified that his mother had died in childbirth, and his father had died shortly after he'd turned eighteen. But no one really knew that much else about him.

"Quite a few." Pegasus did not seemed offended by what might have seemed an impertinent question, given the short duration of their acquaintance. "Perhaps I'll tell you someday, if you've earned the right to know." His grin took any sting out of the words, and made them into a game.

And they also made Otogi quite interested in finding out what he could, if he could. The thought of uncovering Pegasus's secrets appealed to him deeply. He wanted to know more about him. He wanted to know everything about him.

"I see you're interested in playing my game, too," Pegasus said, a smile that brought up memories of the dream. "But you should know the rules to the game, then."

A very pleasant shiver made its way down Otogi's spine at that. "So what are the rules?"

"The rules are simple: find out what you can about me, before I tell you." There was a heat to those words, one that burned deeply and one that lit a flame within Otogi as well. "And I will only tell you when you aren't there to listen."

Riddles instead of rules. But Otogi liked the way that sounded regardless. It was interesting, and it had been a while since someone had really caught his attention. If Pegasus was actually flirting with him…he couldn't say what he'd do, but the thought of flirting back wasn't such a bad one. He grinned his best, most enticing grin.

"Is there a time limit?"

Pegasus laughed warmly. "Only for so long as you're here." He gestured, and Otogi saw that they had come to his bedroom door. "You may leave your belongings here. I'll take you on that tour, and by the time we're done, dinner will be awaiting you."

There was little point in arguing that, so he simply dodged inside to put his things away and came back out. "How do you not get lost around here, though? What do you do, have a GPS or something?"

"Something of the sort. For the most part, it's simply experience. I know every stone of this place. I watched as it was being built, and designed a good deal of it. You might say that it's a part of me in a way. But that's how it is with anything that someone creates, isn't it?"

Otogi nodded a little, hearing a faint echo of his own games, especially Dungeon Dice Monsters, in the words. He knew that Pegasus loved Duel Monsters, crafting so many of the cards himself even these days, when he employed a full army of designers. "There's nothing like making something."

"To say the least. Making games. Making castles." Pegasus's gaze flickered towards him in amusement. "Making love."

Otogi was too experienced in the world to blush. But he was taken a little by surprise. "Yeah, that's not something that's like anything else in the world."

"Have you ever truly made love, Otogi?" Pegasus asked as they walked along. Otogi was certain he'd never been in this part of the castle before. Pegasus's conversation had distracted him to the point he wasn't even sure how far they'd gone from his own room. "And I don't mean just the usual coupling of two bodies. I mean truly made love, with someone that you've given your entire heart to."

Well, when he put it like that. "No, I don't think that I have." He'd slept with probably a dozen or so people in his life since he was sixteen, and sex itself meant little to him. He'd always suspected that somewhere, somehow, sometime in his life, he would meet someone that he could or would actually be in love with. It just hadn't happened as of yet.

"Mm. Good." The words were spoken so softly that Otogi wasn't entirely certain if he'd actually heard them in the first place. He was about to ask if Pegasus had said them when the other stopped outside of yet another set of double doors. "I think this would be a good place to begin your tour." Without another word, he flung the doors open, almost not even appearing to touch them as he did. Otogi eagerly stepped inside, and as he had almost every other time he'd seen a room in this exotic castle, he simply stared in awe.

This room was devoted to art. That was the only way to express it. Paintings hung from the walls and were set on easels, each one an exquisite rendition. Colors were bright and vivid, the frames and easels of polished woods, some framed by velvet drapes and golden tassels. Otogi had taken a few art classes in school, and that had helped when he was designing his games, but whoever had made all of these was a master with decades of experience.

"This must be worth a fortune!" Just one or two of these could probably paid his rent for a year or two.

"In some ways, some of them are. The artists of many of these died many years ago, and that always does drive up the price." Pegasus guided him through the myriad of paintings, gesturing towards some of them in particular. Otogi tried to drink it all in at once, but that was difficult, even for him. "But this one is more precious to me than silver or gold."

Otogi turned to see which one he was pointing at this time and simply stared even more. The painting was framed in the richest ebony he'd ever seen, but that only set off the portrait's own beauty. It was a woman, a young woman, perhaps not even yet twenty, with cascading golden hair, and eyes of a rich, laughing warm blue. She wore a lovely sapphire gown, and her hands were crossed neatly in her lap. Mischief filled those painted eyes, and she appeared almost ready to get up and join the two of them.

"Who is that?" Otogi wondered. Who had painted that, he wondered even more.

Pegasus sighed briefly, and now Otogi could see the sadness in his one eye. "This was my Cyndia. My beloved and betrothed, when I was but a child. We had known each other for years, and we intended to spend our entire lives together. But before we could, she was struck down by a disease that had run frequently in her family line. We had hoped she would be spared, and I had been searching for a way to avoid that fate. I'd hoped that I had found it, but by the time I was certain it would work, it was too late. She was already gone." He laid one hand on the painting's frame lightly. "This was painted nearly a year before she died."

Otogi nodded some; he hadn't heard a story like that in his entire life. It came near to breaking his heart. "Who painted it?"

Pegasus's smile was just a little sadder somehow. "I did. When I was young, all I wanted was to be an artist. I didn't even consider using any of my family's wealth or creating Duel Monsters or anything else that I've done. But after she died…everything changed."

Everything was quiet between the two of them, then Pegasus straightened up and turned away, his visible eye bright and cheerful. "But enough of that. My sordid past is not all that interesting, and I've already told you too much, far more than you need to know about me for our game." He smiled, though Otogi thought there was something a bit thin and brittle about it. "Let's continue our tour."

He guided Otogi out of the art gallery and down several other corridors until they reached a door that led outside. "My garden is quite magnificent as well," he said. "I tend it myself, when I have the time."

A full moon had risen over the castle, and now drenched everything in silvery light. Otogi explored, enjoying the cool night air and the way the moonlight gleamed off of the spray of a fountain and coated everything in a shimmering aura of white.

He glanced back once to see Pegasus standing there, his clothes appearing much darker in the shadows, and his silver hair glistening in the moonlight. Even after the story of Cyndia, he wondered if some of what Pegasus had been doing was flirting with him. From the way he looked now…Otogi was quite certain that he wanted to flirt back.

"Moonlight suits you," he said quietly, his gaze going up and down the older man's form. The age difference didn't seem that much at the moment. If he had to say so, he would have called Pegasus ageless. Time seemed to refuse to touch him, except to make him wiser.

"As it does you." Pegasus's own attention flicked briefly across him. Otogi knew it did; he'd seen himself before in mirrors in the moonlight. And Pegasus most certainly wasn't the first person to tell him that. "It has been some time since I have had anyone other than Crocketts or myself here, Otogi. Other than the occasional servant, of course, but they never last very long. The isolation gets to them, you see."

He moved closer to Otogi, who stood beside a fountain that had been made in the shape of a Blue Eyes Toon Dragon. The moon reflected quite prettily in it, as did Otogi himself. He glanced down, running his fingers a bit through the water to see the ripples. "Is this a wishing fountain?" the younger man asked, not looking up as he kept on playing with the water.

"Why? Do you have a wish?" The voice was much closer than he'd expected, and he looked up to see Pegasus standing right in front of him. He blinked, then looked back down at the water. He could see himself, mostly clearly, only slightly blurred from the rippling, and where Pegasus stood, he should have been reflected as well.

But there was nothing there. Nothing at all.

"What in the hell…" A word floated into his mind, and Otogi tried to ignore it. Other things were twitching through his mind at the same time. The lack of mirrors. The fact that Pegasus only seemed to be able to show up after dark.

He had just started to take a step back when Pegasus's hand came down on his shoulder. He jerked his head up sharply, not sure of what to say or think or do, but before he could do anything, Pegasus's other hand touched his lips. "You don't need to know yet," the silver-haired man murmured quietly. "Not tonight."

Otogi wanted to say that this was something he did indeed need to know. But he couldn't seem to bring himself to say anything at all. Not with the way that Pegasus was looking at him, with a faintly scarlet glow to that one eye. Everything seemed to slide away in the light of that look. Nothing else seemed to matter except just standing there and looking at him.

Then Pegasus leaned forward briefly, and brushed his lips across Otogi's. It was different from the kiss in his dream in a few ways. Somewhat softer, more passionate, but every bit as possessive, if not more so. Otogi staggered some, and automatically clung to Pegasus to try to stay on his feet. His legs didn't want to support him, and everything around him went black.

When his eyes opened again, he was in his room, and it was morning. A quick check of the bedside clock told him that it was beyond morning, in actuality: it was shortly past noon.

He rolled over, trying to think of what had happened and where all the time had gone. He'd been with Pegasus, getting a tour of the castle. The painting room. The garden. Right. He'd been looking at the fountain, and Pegasus had…had…something about Pegasus…

Oh. Right. Pegasus had kissed him. He sat up, trying to remember what it had been like. It had been…breathtaking, to say the least.

Did I pass out or something? He didn't want to think that he had. That would have been one very bad impression, to say the least. But he couldn't think of any other reason for why he didn't remember what had happened after it.

Something crackled under his hand as he started to ride, and he looked to see a note had been there. The handwriting wasn't familiar, but the name it had been signed with was: Pegasus.

My dear boy, you simply must not overwork yourself too much again. Rest today, don't even bother to try to find the library again. I'll see you tonight.

Overworked? He hadn't really felt overworked. But what was Pegasus going to do, lie to him? For what reason? Otogi knew quite well that he didn't have anything Pegasus would want to lie to him about. But what if he has something that he doesn't want you to know? That dark moment teased at his mind again and he frowned, trying to think about it. He couldn't have been too tired. Researching was exhausting, but he just hadn't been tired.

And yet, he'd somehow passed out or been so tired he simply didn't remember coming back here in the first place.

It didn't make any sense, and he couldn't think of anything that would change that. Finally he just got up and headed for the shower. He'd ask Pegasus about it once he got there. Now that he thought about it a little more, taking a day off just to assimilate everything he'd been reading wouldn't be that bad. And he could look over a few of his notes anyway and see if any of them made sense now that he had had some sleep.

As much as he tried, however, his thoughts kept flickering back to that kiss. It just didn't seem to want to leave his mind. Obviously Pegasus wasn't going to mourn his dead fiancée forever. Otogi kind of liked that thought. But what was it going to lead to? He wasn't ready to just forget everything and come live here. A long distance relationship did have its points, he had to admit. It was something worth thinking about.

If that's what he wants. And if it's not just something I'm making up for myself. He couldn't have made up that kiss. And why couldn't he stop thinking about it? And whenever he could, the dream always kept intruding.

As the day passed, a few other memories began to flicker up through the darkness of what had happened. He remembered, vaguely, being brought back here and stripped down by Pegasus, who had looked at him with that same hungry look that he'd dreamed the first night. Another kiss, more passionate than the one before, and again he had touched the side of Otogi's neck. That made even less sense than everything else.

He was stretched out on his side on the sofa, going over some of his work, when that oh so familiar voice spoke again. "I thought that I told you to get some rest."

"I did. This is restful." Otogi was about to look up when Pegasus touched his neck again. Moving somehow became impossible as his limbs were wrapped in lethargy.

"Perhaps. But when I said rest, I meant for you to sleep more." There was a definite edge to Pegasus's words now. "You really should listen to me, Otogi. I only want what's best for you."

He managed to bend his head just a little, but he still couldn't really see Pegasus that well. "Why don't I remember what happened earlier?"

"You weren't feeling well. I brought you back here." Pegasus's fingers stroked the side of his neck gently, and Otogi arched his neck into the touch. "Are you going to do as you're told?"

Otogi found himself smiling briefly. "No, probably not." He didn't like to do as he was told. It was rather boring and restrictive. Pegasus laughed a little.

"Good. I wouldn't like you if you were like that. And I do like you, Otogi." He moved around until he was in front of the other, who now started to find that he could move once more. "I like you quite a bit, as a matter of fact. To the point I think I may have to abandon our game a little sooner than I had planned."

Otogi blinked a few times, trying to get his mind wrapped around that. "What?" He'd rather been looking forward to trying to find out about Pegasus. He didn't want that to end!

"Oh, you'll learn about me. More than you dreamed possible, I'm certain. But I will choose what I tell you, instead of you trying to dig up anything from the past." Pegasus leaned back in his chair, that same indefinable presence making it impossible for Otogi to take his eyes off of him. "Everything that I told you about Cyndia was true. But this did not happen some ten or fifteen years ago. Cyndia died over five hundred years ago."

Otogi had heard a lot of tall tales in his researches. This one felt like it should have been one of them, and yet it was not. He could not not believe Pegasus. His brain simply wouldn't accept anything he said as anything less than the complete truth. That eye began to pulse ever so slightly, with a hint of scarlet flame to it, and he waited to hear what else Pegasus would have to say.

"When I said that I searched for a way to cure her, that was also true. The way that I found would have given us both immortality…instead of just me. I would have gladly made her, as I was made, but before I could pass this gift to her, she was gone. I have sworn never to love another as I loved her since then, and I have not, and will not."

Otogi believed that as well. But now he began to wonder exactly what Pegasus had meant by the kisses to him. Before he could form the words, Pegasus continued onward. "This does not mean that I will deprive myself of pleasure, however. I have had many companions over the centuries, and will have many more in the future. I may not enter the world, but I watch it. I watch it through my researches, through games, and through my company. I have been watching you since you were a child, Otogi Ryuuji. When you were assigned that report, I determined that it was time to bring you to me."

"What?" He knew that he should have thought that was creepy. He wanted to think that was creepy. Unfortunately, he couldn't seem to think that it was. He couldn't think that it was anything at all, except a statement of fact.

"You are my latest consort, Otogi Ryuuji. I'm certain you'll last at least three or four decades." Pegasus leaned forward to brush his lips across Otogi's. "You don't have any objects to being mine, do you?"

If there had been any objections, they would have faded out immediately at that touch. Otogi began to kiss back, his thoughts chaotic and whirling but settling on one thing, guided by that light in Pegasus's eye. Pegasus wanted him. Pegasus had not in any way harmed him and had only given him what he'd wanted. He could leave if he wanted to, surely.

"Yes. You can leave here. I never require my consorts to remain here unless…and until…they want to stay with me. You'll have a life among mortals." Pegasus's hand traced down the side of Otogi's face. "Are you mine, Otogi?"

Otogi reached up to caress Pegasus's hand lightly. How could he be anything else? Pegasus wanted him. Pegasus would take care of him. "Yes."

Pegasus leaned in for another kiss, that trailed lightly down Otogi's neck until it brushed against the pulsing vein there. He pulled the younger man closer to him, until Otogi was on his lap, and licked there briefly for a moment or two. "This won't hurt," he murmured, his breath hot against Otogi's skin. For a moment, Otogi didn't know what he meant. Then, a quick, brief flash, much like the prick of a syringe, went through him, and he felt something wet trickling down. Other sounds came quickly: sucking and licking, and he could feel Pegasus sucking there. His head spun even more quickly and he leaned into Pegasus's embrace.

Gonna have a killer hickey there… his dazed mind thought, before Pegasus pulled his lips and teeth away and began to rise. He still held Otogi in his arms, and carefully carried him to the bedroom.

"It's too early to go to sleep," Otogi almost pouted, his thought processes still a bit slow from everything. Pegasus only smiled as he licked his lips, faint traces of red still on them.

"I have no intentions of going to sleep this early myself," he pointed out as he laid Otogi on the red silk sheets. "But I'm certain that you won't object to going to bed."

At those words, Otogi's mind snapped back into full focus. After what he'd agreed to, and the full awareness of what that meant all but glowed in his mind, he didn't think he could refuse, or should. But it was a lot quicker than he'd ever expected.

"Dear boy," Pegasus said with a faint chuckle. "I told you that I know you. That I've been watching you. I know exactly how much experience, and with whom you've gained it, that you have. Is it really that fast?"

Well, now that Otogi thought about it…

Pegasus chuckled again, then ran his hands through Otogi's hair. "I guarantee you that this will be like nothing you've ever experienced before." He slowly unbuttoned Otogi's shirt and slid it off of him, eyeing the exposed chest with a slightly predatory gleam to his eyes. "Otogi, you may well be one of the most attractive males I've seen in the last sixty years or so."

Otogi grinned a little as he started to reach for Pegasus himself. "Don't you mean in the last five hundred years or so?"

That received a chuckle, as Otogi began to work on Pegasus's own shirt. He wasn't going to let the other have all of the fun, or do all of the work, for that matter. The thought of making love to someone with five hundred or so years of experience was growing more and more interesting.

He ran his hands over the pale skin and wondered if it was pale because of what Pegasus was, or because he just didn't get out much as an artist anyway. He'd heard artists were pale. But he supposed it didn't matter. He leaned forward, Pegasus leaning back slightly, and began to kiss on that chest. It was warmer than he'd expected it to be, and he noticed something as he placed one hand over the center of his chest.

"No heartbeat."

Pegasus reached up to caress Otogi's own hand with his own. "Of course. What do I need one for? My heart hasn't beat in five centuries." He ran his fingers across Otogi's, then pulled him even closer. "But my blood runs enough for me to enjoy this."

He leaned to the side a bit and began to run his tongue across Otogi's earlobe and slide inside, teasing and flicking briefly, and chuckled at Otogi's shiver as waves of pleasure shot through him. Otogi wasn't entirely sure of what to think, or even how to think, at the moment. Perhaps thinking was overrated. Pleasure, pleasure was far, far more important at the moment, and the more pleasure the better. Surely, with five hundred years at his command, Pegasus knew how to pleasure someone to their fullest extent.

Pegasus gently pressed him back against the bed, and kissed him again. "Let me show what it's like to make love, Ryuuji," he murmured. Hearing his name, his own personal given name, whispered from those pale lips sent sparks of pleasure all through the young game designer. He wanted to hear it again. He wanted to hear anything that Pegasus wanted to say to him. He just wanted to hear Pegasus.

He nodded quickly, aching and eager, and in moments, Pegasus had completely stripped him. He lay splayed out on the scarlet sheets, with Pegasus looking down on him once more. Slowly, those talented artist's hands caressed across him, sliding in between his legs to caress his rapidly hardening length. Breathing was slightly difficult suddenly, and Otogi's hands clenched at the sheets tightly as Pegasus fondled and played with him. It was by no means the first time this had happened, but this was still somehow different. No one else had ever found that one particular spot of his that was so sensitive, but Pegasus went for it as if he'd known it was there all along.

Normally he might have tried to keep his noises down somewhat. Walls could be thin in apartments, and he hadn't bothered with hotels a great deal. But here in Pegasus's castle, Otogi knew he could let himself loose complete. Thick stone walls and they were hundreds of miles from anyone who mattered…

"Scream, Ryuuji," Pegasus's dark voice whispered in his ears…or was it in his mind? No difference was made. It was what Pegasus wanted. "I want to hear you scream until your lungs burst because of me."

As those fingers touched that spot again, Otogi arched his back and screamed wordlessly, the pleasure more intense than he had ever imagined could be possible before. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he could feel the sheets tearing where he grabbed at them. Pegasus wasn't even remotely done with him yet.

"My name, Ryuuji. I want to hear my name on those lips of yours." There was no way that Otogi could have denied him. He gasped for breath, just as Pegasus bent over and began to lick his tip a little, the long strands of his hair caressing against Otogi at the same time. That was something he'd never encountered before, and the sensation sent more chills all through him.

"Pegasus…" The word wasn't screamed, but groaned, wrapped in all the passion that he could muster at the moment. "Pegasus…" A little louder this time, as Pegasus continued to lick and tease with an expert's touch. Again the word came out, rougher with desire, and Otogi's hips jerked up higher with each moment, his eyes glazing just a bit.

Quicker and quicker Pegasus's mouth went, while his fingers continued to play and tease across Otogi's body, keeping him pinned down one moment, helping him to lean up a bit more, anything that he wanted or needed to do in order to increase the experience. When Otogi came, it was akin to a volcanic eruption within himself. Five hundred years of experience certainly came in handy then, and Pegasus's name echoed from the walls in the young man's voice.

The other licked his lips a little, cleaning everything up, and chuckled. "My, my, quite impressive." He played with Otogi's hair for a few moment as the other rested, trying to catch his breath. "Why don't you see if you can return the favor?"

"I…I don't think I can do it quite like that." Otogi was proud of his skills in bed, as well as everywhere else, but that had been mind-blowing in more than one way.

"You'll learn. Practice, that's all it takes." Pegasus caressed him again, knowing just where to go in order to arouse him more quickly. Maybe it had something to do with all of his experience? There were only so many places on the human body that could be aroused, right? "I want to feel you, Ryuuji. And don't you want to know what I taste like?"

There was the faintest hint of pressure somewhere in his mind, but Otogi hardly noticed it, not with that sudden desire welling up in him. Yes, yes, he did, he wanted it right now, too. He wanted anything that Pegasus wanted, and the more of it, the better. Pegasus moved around so that he was the one laying flat, and Otogi knelt between his legs once the pants were removed. He cupped everything there in his hands briefly, caressing and playing a little, trying to remember just what Pegasus had done to him and how it had made him feel.

He stroked slowly, searching for that precise method that would lead Pegasus to the same bliss that he had felt at his hands. Pegasus was certainly enjoying what he was doing, that much was obvious, but he couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed that the reaction wasn't quite as intense.

Practice, he heard Pegasus's whisper in his mind. That's all it takes. You'll learn more in time. We're going to be together for a long, long time, after all.

The thought of forever with Pegasus made Otogi ache even more, in the deepest and most best ways. It was everything that he could have ever imagined wanting in his entire life. He'd have to finish college first, and maybe work for a few years. He couldn't expect Pegasus to support him for his entire life, and it would just be wrong not to do something with his talents, after all. That wouldn't be what Pegasus wanted.

He had long since ceased to notice that scarlet gleam in Pegasus's eye.

Around and around his tongue swirled, and he slowly took more and more of Pegasus into his mouth, sucking a little as he did. He moved his head up a little, then down, humming a bit as he did, having picked up that trick with one of his previous lovers. He could feel Pegasus getting aroused more, and yet holding back somehow. He hadn't even known that was possible. Maybe it had something to do with that experience again? Who knew what someone could do with five hundred years under their belt.

Still, he wasn't anywhere close to being done, so he kept on sucking, teasing, and playing, putting in all of his experience for this. Anything that seemed as if it pleased Pegasus more than usual he tried again and again, grinning slightly as the other gasped a little here and there, with an occasional moan of his own name. To hear that in Pegasus's accented tones was as erotic as hell to him. He wanted to hear it again, and worked even harder to achieve that.

When that moment came for Pegasus, Otogi pulled his head back; as much as he enjoyed the act, he couldn't say he'd ever enjoyed tasting the results of it. But he did quite enjoy hearing Pegasus shout his name, at least as loudly as he had Pegasus's not that much earlier.

He wasn't sure how it had happened, but a short time later, he found himself being held in Pegasus's arms. Nothing else seemed to have happened, but he just didn't remember having moved. His neck hurt a little, but not all that much, and all things considered, he felt quite good. Tired, but that was it. Not hurting in the familiar way he did after sex, but replete and satisfied nonetheless.

"We can spend tomorrow in my bedroom," Pegasus said softly into his ear. "I can show you even more after we've rested. You can take more time off from your research. You have quite a bit to learn to be my consort, after all."

That sounded good to Otogi. While he wanted to get his education, being with Pegasus was just as important. He still wasn't certain of how, or if, he was going to explain this to any of his friends. The more that he thought about it, the less that he really wanted to. Maybe they'd just accept the fact that he and Pegasus had hit it off, and that was why he would be making periodic trips out there for a while to come. But that was a matter to think about later. He yawned some; he hadn't been this tired in a while. "I'm going to take a nap."

"You do that." Pegasus stroked his hair lightly. "You'll need all the rest you can get before you leave here, my Ryuuji."

Otogi smiled; he'd seldom let anyone else call him that, and hearing it on Pegasus's lips was beyond delicious. He yawned again and closed his eyes, drifting off in moments to a deep, dreamless sleep, where he was watched over forever.

The End