Passion in Season
Deception
A/N: Gorgeous Carat is a lovely book with daring and fiery characters. The interactions between the two men is something that you can play with, so this is my version of what can happen if the two ever were to be at odds with the other. By the way, I stake no claim to either one of them. Thanks Lilly for the help in the title!
-NightStaker617
Florian is sitting on the side of the bed wondering if he should stay, now that the Viscount has come back into his life. He looks around the room, knowing he cannot stay, but he is afraid to leave his home. His home, now that is a laugh. This is not his home; this is the home of his benefactor, the infamous thief, Noir. The same man that holds the deed to the worthless piece of land that his family mansion once stood on; he is also the man that he is indebted to, and the way things were going, he might never be able to obtain his freedom. Florian has come to terms with the fact he may never have a home to call his own.
He lies back on the bed, knowing that this is not his home of choice, because the Du Rochefort mansion has long since gone up in flames, along with his childhood mementos. However, somehow, he has come to feel this is his home, and Noir, with his band of unsavory companions, his family.
He rubs his temples as he thinks about running into the Viscount earlier. If only he had stayed in this morning and not left the confines of Noir's mansion, he would not be put in this position now. He listens as he hears footsteps outside his door. He slowly sits up in bed with a frown, watching the door because they have paused as if waiting for an invitation to enter.
He looks around feeling trapped; he should have left when he had the chance, but now it is too late. He raises a hand to his brow, brushing the hair out of his face. The seconds tick by slowly as he waits for what he knows is coming in the form of punishment or humiliation.
Beads of sweat run down in rivulets under his expensive suit as he pulls the ascot at his slender throat. Suddenly his heart is racing at breakneck speed. He jumps up, moving away from the bed. Florian is unaware that he is backing towards the window. He feels the ledge behind his back and thinks this is a way out of this mess if he leaps down; it is not that far up after all. He turns to the window when the door opens without preamble. He hears his name being called sharply, so he turns back slowly. He looks up at two sharp bits of emeralds turned coldly towards him.
Both gaze into the other's eyes as the clash of emotions threatens to overwhelm them. One is backing up at the rage he is confronted with, while the other stalks him as a lion stalks his prey. He circles his game as he closes off his exit to the window; he knows that he will not hesitate to leap out even if he breaks a limb in the process. However, this is not what the predator wants at all. He has been protecting this man since he came under his care, and he has gone beyond the call of duty in making sure he came out of his ill-fated escapades in one piece. Florian is always trying to be the hero for someone else, but never for him, no, never for himself; as if whatever providence has in store for him, he accepts without question.
Noir pulls the man close to him as he stands with his back to the window. Now that Florian's exit is effectively cut off, all he can do is look up at the man that now holds his destiny in his hands.
Noir looks at Florian in anger, tempered with a passion he did not know he felt for the blonde haired man. He can see the fear in his eyes, fascinated with the knowledge that even after all the time spent together, Florian can still look at him with terror clouding his amethyst eyes. However right now, he expects this look from him, as he tightens his grip on Florian's wrist.
"Were you seriously thinking of leaving that way? You think I will let you get away from me that easily, Florian?!" He breathes heavily with rage at the older man.
He pivots and propels the blonde-haired man into the wall next to the glass, barely missing the small table on which the lamp is sitting. Noir holds his hands over his head as Florian looks him in the eyes. His bottom lip is trembling as he tries to speak, but nothing comes out. He knows he has no defense for what he has done, but maybe Noir will understand if he explains it. Then again, he did not understand why he would do something that he knows Noir would never approve of under any circumstance.
Noir narrows his eyes into mere slits as he watches the emotions on his captive's face. He knows that Florian runs head long into trouble without thinking about it first, but this! This is too much, even for him, and it could all come crashing down if he did not do something and soon! Sometimes he wonders if the most prized jewel in his possession is worth the headaches and upheaval that he causes his household.
Florian looks at him, trying to put on a brave front. He then turns his head, looking away from the anger in Noir's face and voice, wishing he were anywhere but here, with this man and his anger that is rolling off him in waves, drowning him in an emotion that he knows Noir will find fault in, because he wants him to show a stiff backbone. He did not like for him to show weakness under any circumstance or for any reason.
"Please, Noir, you're hurting me. Don't do this to me." He drops his head, not able to look in his eyes any longer, not wanting to see the cruelty they contained.
Noir puts his finger under Florian's chin, raising his head to meet his eyes. Florian closes his eyes, refusing to look at the man that is looking back at him in fury. This is what he was hoping to avoid, hoping that Noir would be late in coming home, and maybe he could have made his escape, with him none the wiser. He should have followed his first mind and not returned. He did not need the clothes he has partially packed and placed under his bed. He did not deserve the things that Noir has brought for him when he knows he has betrayed him in this way.
"Look at me, Florian." He says this in a calm voice, causing Florian to look at him reluctantly, hoping against hope that maybe he has calmed down some.
As Emerald meets Amethyst, they both search for common ground. They both search for something in the other; one for forgiveness, the other a reason to forgive.
"I'm sorry, Noir; I didn't mean to hurt you this way."
"I think you did…mean to, that is. Do you hate me that much, Florian?"
He looks up in Noir's cold green eyes and in an inaudible voice says, "No, I…I could never hate you."
He looks down on the fair-haired man and his expression changes. He stands back as he releases his hand, but then holds onto his wrist again. He pulls Florian close to him with his eyes never leaving his face. He is trying to find a reason in the older man's face to let this go. If it had been someone else, he would already have dismissed him or her, but Florian…is different.
He could not just let Florian go. He belonged to him, body and soul, but he could not let this go without some type of repercussion. He has punishment on his mind to ensure this will not happen again. However, the punishment has to fit the crime and that would mean a trip to the dungeon. He tightens his hold on Florian's wrist and looks down at him. "You know you will be punished for this, don't you?"
"I'm not your child, Noir. I may owe you a debt, but you do not own my heart. I know what I did was wrong, but you do not get to punish me like you would a child." He snatches his wrist from Noir's hand and backs up, rubbing it.
Noir moves quickly as he slams Florian's shoulders back into the wall. His head hits the wall with undue force. His eyes roll up as he slides down in a heap. Noir kneels down and catches him before he hits the floor. He sweeps the older man up in his arms, looking down at him before he lays him on his bed. He always ends up, eventually, with the blonde man in his arms.
Noir lets out a sigh as he gazes down at Florian. He smoothes the hair off his cheek and feels his forehead. He forgets how weak Florian is and that he has no stamina. The slightest touch makes him swoon, but he can take a whipping without uttering a sound. Taking him to the dungeon will be a waste of time, since he can withstand the whip, even more so than Noir.
His punishment has to be something as unpleasant as possible. He pulls at Florian's ascot, sliding it off his slim neck and putting it on the pillow next to his head. As he gazes in his face, he can see the innocence in the relaxed muscles. This man is the most important person in his life right now, and he is not letting him go, no matter how foolishly he acts. He slides his hand under his head, probing his scalp and feeling a contusion at the point of impact. He shakes his head and stands, going over to the door.
When he opens it, he sees Laila standing on the other side, looking up at him with concern in her dark eyes. She tries to look past him into the room, but he moves quickly, blocking her view. She looks up in his face with a question in her eyes, not wanting to put voice to it knowing that she may encounter his wrath. However, with Florian, she knows that Noir can sometimes be unreasonable, causing the aristocrat to hide from his anger in trees and down at the pond to get away from him and his wrath.
"Bring me some ice and wet towels, and be quick about it." He closes the door in her face as he turns back to the bed. He looks down at Florian and his features relax. He notices the blonde-haired man has not moved from the position he has placed him. Noir sits down beside him and strokes the side of his face with the back of his fingers. Marveling at the softness of his skin, he pulls his hand back as if burned. He stands as he hears a knock on the door and walks over quickly to answer. He pulls the door open, expecting Laila but looks into the face of a stranger.
"I have come for Florian." The man looks at Noir with fury marring his handsome face.