A/N: So, my first story that isn't about Naruto. How exciting. XD This story, as a warning, was actually written several years ago (back in 2010, actually, if I can trust the dates on my computer), but I thought it was still worth posting. Pairing is AgnixSoma, and since I didn't actually know the ages of the two, I just pretended Agni is around 25 or so while Soma is 18. Probably off, but the ages aren't mentioned in the actual story below, so you can imagine any age you want. XD Again, this is an AgnixSoma story, so if that's not your thing, this is my warning. Also, as another warning, this story strongly implies a lemon, but there is no actual lemon, which is why it's only rated T. Anyway, hope you enjoy the story! :)
"Ag-niiiii!" I heard My Prince whine from just down the hall. Despite the hugeness of Ciel Phantomhive's summer home, My Prince had insisted that I take the room nearest the one he chose for himself. He didn't want me to lower myself to the servants' quarters. I had argued with him multiple times regarding the issue that I belonged in the servants' quarters, considering I was his butler, but he wouldn't let up. Not that I wanted him to let up and make me live there. Personally, I wanted to be as close as possible to My Prince at all times. Not only was it my duty to protect him from harm, but—and even now I feel it is so scandalous to admit to this—I had fallen in love with the boy.
I had only been working for him for three years, yet it felt like we'd known each other since birth. He was my master, my God, my love. Before My Prince had come to my rescue, I had been a thief and a killer—the lowest of lowlifes. I had been expecting my execution in a way akin to looking forward to it. I would finally be released from my sins, even if this release sent me into the very depths of Hell.
But then, my savior ran up onto that dais, slashed through the noose with his dagger, cutting nearly all of my then-long white hair with it. As soon as I was out of danger, he spoke to me.
"You will become my butler. Your sins will be eliminated. You will have a new life. And with this new life comes a new name … Agni."
Since that day, Agni I have been. I will go so far as to say I no longer remember the name I went by in my past life. That life no longer matters. That name no longer matters. That person no longer matters. All that matters now is Agni and My Prince and keeping My Prince safe and happy.
And that night, My Prince didn't sound very happy.
I had never really minded the spoiled nature of My Prince. He was really only spoiled because I made him so. He was my God after all. He certainly deserved every inch of love and attention he received. But then, his beloved maid Mina had run away with that dastardly Englishman, and My Prince had insisted we follow. I had tried to get her back. After all, My Prince wanted her. There was nothing I wouldn't do for My Prince, but Mina refused to return, and My Prince didn't dare force her. He had been broken by her words, so harsh were they, speaking of how she truly hated him, despised how he pushed everyone around and only cared about himself. Of course, he had heard the same words in a slightly kinder tone from the young Ciel Phantomhive and Ciel's dear Sebastian just days earlier, but he held his beloved Mina at a higher standard than the earl and his butler.
Since that day, My Prince had improved enormously. He no longer called me to take care of every little thing, and was truly becoming independent. I should've been happy for him, but in all honesty, the change only made me hate young Mina all the more. How dare she make My sweet Prince so guilty that he completely changed his personality? It wasn't right! Him changing his personality made him stop calling me so much, so I was left to cook and clean rather than spend time in his company. I had been reduced to a maid. I almost never got to see the handsome, yet somehow feminine, face of my love. My only chance to glimpse him was when I brought him his meals. Other than that, I was hidden behind the scenes while he went out to explore the world on his own. No more Agni to protect him. No more Agni to care for him. No more Agni to love him.
I was so deep in thought, that I nearly forgot My Prince had called for me. My first thought was that he was calling out in his sleep. However, even if that was the case, I wouldn't ignore the plea. Not only was it my duty to follow his beck and call, but I wanted to see him. I wanted to gaze upon that gorgeous face that I had been so deprived of during the past weeks. He truly didn't know the effect he had on me.
I walked down the long hallway until I reached the door to My Prince's bedroom. I knocked gently before sliding the door open, careful not to let it creak.
"My Prince? You called?" I muttered in a quiet voice that wasn't quite a whisper.
"There you are, Agni." It was obvious that he was trying his hardest to make his voice sound tough, yet it was also just as obvious that he was feeling shaken up and vulnerable.
"My Prince, did you have a nightmare?"
"Yes," he answered in a broken voice, ashamed.
"Would you like me to sleep with you, My Prince?"
"Would you, Agni? I've tried and tried to get back to sleep, but every time I close my eyes, the vision returns! I've been up for hours! The exhaustion is getting unbearable," he sighed pathetically.
"Of course. And there is no need for an explanation, My Prince." He was already scooting over as I pulled up the bedcovers and lowered myself down beside him. "I don't mean to intrude, but may I inquire what the dream was about?"
"You may inquire all you want, Agni, but that doesn't mean I'll tell you," My Prince sighed.
"I apologize, My Prince."
"You know, Agni, you don't have to call me 'My Prince' all the time."
"What would you like me to call you, My Prince?"
"I just mean that you don't have to constantly call me anything. There's never anyone else around, so it's always obvious that it's me you're speaking to. You don't have to clear up that fact further by calling me by a name. But if you want to, it's fine to just call me Soma. I mean, we're friends, right?" He was concerned, looking up at me with those huge brown eyes of his. He didn't want to show his weakness, but he was so scared that I would leave him, just like Mina did.
"Soma, I will never leave your side. I am bound to you until the end of time, and not just because I am your butler. I truly care for you as a person, My Prince, and I protect and care for you because I choose to, not because it is my duty."
"Thank you, Agni." He yawned hugely, stretching his muscular arms high above his head. "I think I'd like to go to sleep now."
"Of course, My Prince."
We settled down to sleep, as far away from each other as the bed would allow. My head hit the pillow, but before I closed my eyes, I stared at My pretty little Prince. He truly didn't know how beautiful he was. I sunk into a deep sleep …
… And woke up quite suddenly when I felt an odd sensation on my lips. It felt as if something was pressing against them. Something wet and soft …
My eyes shot open, taking in the scene. There was My Prince, kissing me with all his might, eyes scrunched tight and hands braced on my shoulders. Goodness, it couldn't have been more than fifteen minutes since I had fallen asleep! Had he just been faking his own exhaustion, simply waiting for me to drop off so he could kiss me without judgment?
My Prince pulled away with a sigh, then slowly opened his eyes. It took a moment for him to react to the sight of me, fully awake and aware, but when he did, it would have been quite comical if I was not still swooning from the effects of kissing my most precious person.
His eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, he let out the most unmanly squeak I had ever heard issued from the mouth of any human, including young females, and leaped clear to the opposite corner of the bed, immediately folding in on himself as soon as he landed there.
"I'm sorry! So sorry, Agni! I thought you were sleeping! I'm sorry!"
"My Prince? Why did you kiss me?"
" … You're not going to leave?"
"No."
"Then I have an order for you. I beg of you to follow it, even if you feel like you can no longer serve me in the morning. I'll let you go without consequence. Just please, follow out this final order, then stay with me until I wake. That's all I ask of you."
"My Prince, I told you earlier tonight that I am not planning on ever leaving you. I thought I gave you a suitable explanation as to why that is."
"Yes, but … this order is a bit different than most."
"Well, what is it, My Prince?" I asked after a long pause.
"I don't think I can say it. Just … go along with what I do." All of a sudden, he lunged. He was on top of me again, arms wrapped around my torso, lips glued to mine. Before I could collect myself enough to kiss back, however, he pulled away again and stared reprovingly into my eyes.
"You promised you would follow the final order to go along with what I do. That means that if I kiss you, you have to kiss back," My Prince chastised.
"Of course, My Prince." He pressed his lips to mine again, begging me to join in the kiss with tiny licks of his tongue. I happily obliged this time, no longer taken by surprise as the first kiss had done, barely believing that this was actually happening. My lovely Prince was kissing me! How could he ever think ordering me to kiss him would make me leave him? Couldn't he tell to what extent I truly cared for him?
The night was long, and kissing was certainly the most innocent thing we did. Minutes after the climax of our activities had finished, we lay, sticky and sweaty, side by side. My Prince had his arms around my waist, while mine were around his shoulders.
"Thank you, Agni," he murmured. I felt his warm breath on my ear as he continued to speak. "My final request of you is that you stay until I wake in the morning. Then you may leave if you so choose."
I nodded tiredly, truly not having the energy to do anything else. My heart was full to bursting. What did My Prince mean by that? Did he want me to go? Did he expect me to go? Or was he only giving me the option so that if I, for some insane reason, hadn't wanted to be so intimate and loving with him wouldn't be able to punish him with glares or looks of fear for the rest of his life? Did he want to avoid living with the guilt of forcing me to do things I might not have wanted to do, like he did when it came to Mina?
I drifted off to sleep, contemplating these important questions, My Prince still laying snugly in my arms.
Morning came much too soon for me, but at least it was a soothing awakening. Seems I had, for the first time in my career as a butler, slept in longer than my master. I woke to the feel of smooth, girlish hands running through my hair, smoothing my bangs off of my forehead and out of my eyes. I kept my eyes closed, trying not to make it obvious I had awoken. I didn't want the treatment to end. I never wanted it to end. I wished with all my heart that My Prince wouldn't force me to leave. It would pain me beyond words to have to leave him after I had finally gotten what I'd been yearning for all those years. He wouldn't dare be so cruel as to treat me so well, then just turn me out in the cold because he thought his choice was wrong, would he?
"Agni. I'm so sorry. It was so wrong of me to make you do that last night. I know you thought I was getting less spoiled, and I've been trying only for you. I couldn't bear the thought that you might leave me. I thought Mina leaving would be the worst thing I'd ever have to deal with, since I've been with her since birth, but over these past few days, the nightmares have made me realize how much more pain would come from living without you now that I've had you for this time. I love you Agni, as no prince should love a servant. As no boy should love a man. I'm so sorry, Agni. I hope I have not ruined your life. I am such a selfish prince. I would give up every bit of my power to you, if only I had the ability!" My Prince then broke down in sobs, burrowing his dark face into my chest, clutching tightly to my arms as if he would fall right off the earth if he didn't have something to hold.
"Soma," I whispered. The sobs abruptly stopped, and My Prince let go of my arms, raising his head from my chest.
"Thank you for staying. I do owe you my life, Agni. Again, I am so sorry for how inappropriately I acted the previous night. It was unwarranted, but you still humored me." My Prince let out a heavy sigh before speaking again. "I suppose you'll be taking your leave, now. Good bye, Agni. I shall miss you dearly."
"Soma?" My Prince looked at me miserably. " … Do I have to go?"
"But … don't you want to? Do you not remember what I made you do last night?"
"Soma, Soma, Soma. How could you have missed all the signs?" I chuckled, sitting up in order to wrap my arms around My Prince and pull him close, so that his chest was pressed tightly against mine. "Did you never notice how I look at you the same way Sebastian looks at young Ciel?"
"What does this mean, Agni?" My Prince breathed.
"I love you, My Prince. And I wish you wouldn't send me away. I shall go if you truly want me to, but it would break my heart to be forced to leave you after living through a night like the last."
"Oh, Agni!" My Prince cried, immediately beginning to sob into the place where my neck met my shoulder.
"Look at me, My Prince," I begged softly. "Please look at me."
Soma lifted his head, his eyes huge and shiny.
"I love you with all of my heart. I've loved you since the second you cut that noose from around my neck, and I will be your loyal, loving butler until the day you die, so long as you wish it." Soma looked incapable of speech, so I took the opportunity to place a sweet, chaste kiss on his plump lips. As soon as I broke away, Soma opened his mouth to respond.
"But Agni, I don't want you to be my servant anymore."
"What?" My voice broke. Everything had been going wonderfully. How could he send me away after everything that had happened? After my confession? After what we had done last night?
"That's right. I don't want you as my servant, because I want you to live as my lover. The lover of a prince can't be bothered to make meals or clean the house. We'll have to hire some new help, but that means we'll be able to spend a lot more time together." Soma had an evil gleam to his eye then.
"Oh, you are a wicked boy, aren't you?"
"You would know. Or if you don't already, you will know soon enough," Soma cackled before promptly tackling me to the bed, kissing me soundly and not nearly as chastely as I had him.
"I do love you, My Prince," I gasped as soon as we broke for air.
"I'm glad." He nodded, a beaming smile on his unlined face. I waited a moment, hoping that maybe, just maybe, he would confess his feelings too. I had just about given up and was going to initiate another kiss, when he pressed a single finger to my lips and opened his mouth to speak. "And I love you too," he said seriously, "with all my heart and soul."
A/N2: Just as an explanation as to why I always capitalized "My Prince" throughout that whole thing...Since this is in Agni's point of view and he considers Soma to be pretty much his god, I took it in the same way that people always capitalize pronouns referring to God. It's sort of showing how much Agni respects and admires Soma and such? It makes sense in my head. XD
