A/N To all those who want to read this, be warned: there is a little citrus in it- and it's supposed to be funny. If you are not into that kinda thing- don't read it. Let me know what you think. JUST TO LET YOU KNOW NATALIE DUMAS MADE ME POST THIS! I was just playing around when I wrote and I don't think it's all that good.
This takes place in 1873, between the time he plays for her and she complains about him being better than her and before Hagi talks to Joel about Saya and her lack of aging.
Saya clasped her hands behind her slender, tiny frame as she moved to the bay window of the music room. Rain was still coming down in sheets, distorting the world beyond in a sheen that looked like the waterfalls she had seen in her books. The grass always seemed to be greener after the storms.
Her companion was playing for her, making her feel cross. He was so much better than her. A flash of something Joel had said came to her mind: Practice makes perfect. Indeed, Hagi practiced a lot. She often heard him playing late at night and early in the morning, honing a skill she had taught him. Instead of being overjoyed that her student had surpassed her, she was jealous.
Out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of him. His shining ebony hair fell to his shoulder in unruly waves that somehow fit him perfectly. If she would have been in a better mood, she would've smiled or teased him that the humidity made his hair a little more unruly than usual.
As he finished the piece, she shifted her weight to her other foot, causing her skirts to rustle under the pink gown Joel gave her only a week ago. It was becoming a favorite of hers.
Hagi's eyes never missed a thing. She was upset about something and as her companion, it was his position to find out what it was and solve the problem- a job he had resented a decade ago. She hadn't really changed all that much to him, she was still selfish and proud, but one day had changed him.
She had shown him a brief moment of compassion and gave him hope that she could become a close friend, someone that he could talk to and spend time with. She had unwittingly molded him into the perfect man for her not because she felt anything deeper than companionship for him, but because he had fallen for her.
"Would you like for me to play something else?" his deep voice echoed through the room.
She turned abruptly and gave an exasperated sigh. He was looking at her, his expression completely unreadable, causing her to feel even more vexed that he could read her so well. Yet she couldn't read him at all. She exhaled as she turned back and gripped the window ledge. "I wish this rain would go away… I want to go for a walk."
His footsteps echoed through the room as he came to her side and gazed out the window with his hands clasped primly behind his back. His almond shaped, blue-grey eyes considered the weather and the clouds as the torrent had let up considerably. "It is not raining so much anymore, Saya. It should completely stop by this afternoon," he reasoned.
She groaned as she pushed away from the window. "That's hours away, Hagi," she complained as she went to the piano. Her hands trailed over a simple melody before she missed a note. Her companion came up behind her and reached around on her left side, playing the melody correctly.
Hagi didn't mean to upset her, he was trying to help, but it had the opposite effect.
Her cheeks puffed angrily and she stomped from the room, leaving him standing there wondering what he had done to upset her.
She wondered into the library and shut the door. In her anger, mixed with a bit of anxiety about the weather and her day being ruined, she began to pace back and forth. After a few rounds of this, she grabbed the back of her neck, to keep her from pulling her own hair out or at least messing it up. With a loud growl, she flopped into a chair.
Hagi, being the caring companion he was, had followed her and leaned against the door to hear what was going on within the library. When she growled loudly, his eyes shut. "What have I done to upset her?" he thought. Rather than come into the room and upset her further, he opted to find something else to do. Perhaps he should go to practice more, but he somehow knew that it would only upset her. Instead he chose to go to the kitchens and assist with preparations for lunch.
Saya wanted to take a nap in the chair, but every time her eyes closed, she would see her companion. Her conscience was screaming at her, "You are being unfair to him!" She gave a long sigh. She had to agree, it was unfair to him that he was better than her and she resented him for it.
But he was so nice about the whole thing. He never did anything wrong, but she was still cross. He was just too… perfect. What happened to the unruly boy that used to play pranks, steal from the kitchens, and gamble with the staff? At many of the business dinners Joel hosted, they thought he was a gentleman of noble birth! He carried himself with such grace, but remained so very quiet.
She had no idea that the change that had occurred in him was because of her. His desire for friendship had blossomed until recently. He was approached by one of the businessman from England Joel associated with. He wanted Hagi to meet his daughter. She was a pretty little thing with ringlets of blonde hair and a glowing complexion. While he was civil to her, he realized he could never feel for her the way he did for someone else- someone with dark hair that reached her hips and beautiful brown eyes.
Without being anything other than her self, Saya had become the object of his affection. It was why more than a century later, Hagi would call himself Saya's lover. In these times, the word meant admirer.
Saya grabbed a book from the stack in front of her. She was behind on her studies, as usual. Joel gave them homework, which she mostly ignored while Hagi did his right away. He even would study more on a subject than what was assigned. She grunted as she slammed the book shut and decided to gaze out the window.
She recalled something Joel had told her once, when the subject of Hagi's study habits came up: "Hagi was brought here ten years ago. He was nothing more than a common street performer. He had no money, no name, and no future. He was given more than any of his kind could ever dream and hope for. You can't blame him for taking advantage of all of this." Joel waved his arm, indicating the library around him.
She gave a small sigh as she pressed her forehead to the glass window. Through the droplets of rain, she saw the garden beyond and watched the rain falling in a drizzle. Spring, a time of new birth and flowers. There would be many rainy days and mud for the next couple of months. She noticed two squirrels frolicking in the garden. They would chase and dart through the flowers and trees. Finally one stopped, and faced the other. Its tail flicked a few times and brought Saya's thoughts to her studies.
Joel had separated them for the lesson on Reproduction. Saya knew that the squirrels were in a courtship dance and that would result in mating, and later, little squirrels. It was nothing to be ashamed of, so why was she blushing? The male squirrel began to rut the female. The event was over quickly, but it left Saya feeling a bit curious.
She looked at Joel as he explained the mating process to her. Her eyes widened from the thought of something being inserted into her.
"Will it hurt?" she asked with wide eyes.
Joel reassured, "Perhaps the first time, it will be painful, but the pain will subside."
"Does this have to be done for the female to conceive?" she asked in horror.
He smiled, "Saya, yes it will hurt a little, but the pain stops. With time, it begins to become pleasurable. It is why all creatures on the earth do this."
She nodded. "So it will feel good after it hurts."
She smirked at the memory that Hagi was to be taught the same thing… by Amshel. "Poor Hagi," she chuckled as she thought of her friend having to learn what Joel called "the birds and the bees" from… from… Amshel.
She was startled at a knock on the door. She knew before he spoke that it was Hagi, telling her it was time for lunch. As she left the library she noticed the subtle way her companion glanced away from her and the slight droop in his shoulders. She stopped mid-stride and faced him, knowing the moment she'd stop, so would he.
Catching his gaze, she spoke, "Hagi, I know I don't normally do this. Actually, I don't do this enough. You have done no wrong, yet I have treated you ill. I am sorry."
He blinked before he gave a small smile. "You have nothing to apologize for, Saya. I am happy enough that you are not cross with me." This response earned him a look, which he was rather surprised by.
"Hagi," she asked, "why do you have to always be so… so… perfect. You always say the right thing- do the right thing! It is driving me completely mad that you outdo me in EVERYTHING!"
Her rant caught him by surprise. He had no idea how to respond. All he wanted to do was to better himself so that she and Joel would not be embarrassed by his brutish behavior, reminding them of his upbringing. He looked at her as she continued on her way toward the dining hall. There was nothing he could do but follow her.
Lunch had left her in a more petulant mood than before. Her companion was silent and barely ate. It kept nagging at her conscience that she never seemed to do right by him. Her apology was sincere, but he unwittingly upset her by telling her she did nothing wrong. Was this man a saint? His perfection and humility were boundless!
The rain had let up and the sun beamed down upon the brilliant green that covered the grounds in trees and grass. Knowing the ground would be muddy, Saya opted to practice her fencing. She thrust the slender practice blade through the air in swift movements. Her skin had broken into a sheen of sweat due to the humidity still in the air and physical exertion. Her mind was on her practice, not considering for a moment that anyone was watching.
As he looked out of the window in the music room, Hagi wondered what it was that upset her so. Perfect? Him? Impossible. He was merely trying to do what was right. His hand went to the glass as he let out the smallest sigh and closed his eyes. How could he remedy this situation? All he wanted was her smiles and it seems he had done nothing today but made the situation worse.
He cringed inwardly as his mind was brought back to those lessons Amshel had been giving him.
"It is a perfectly natural thing and something you must do soon," the imposing man informed his student.
Hagi simply gave him a questioning look.
He smirked as he responded, "It doesn't matter how you do it. You can rape her if you must, but we need an offspring to study."
The younger man's gaze darkened, "What you are asking me to do is a despicable act. I would never do such a thing…"
"Your kind have been known to do far worse than that. Need I remind you that you were bought for a purpose. This is that purpose."
He closed his eyes and felt the pang in his heart as images of Saya writhing below him as he rutted her ripped his heart. He could never do such a thing to her and he could never force her to feel for him the way he felt for her. There was only one way out of this, he had to run away.
Saya would have no idea of what transpired. He would simply leave forever. It would crush her, but she would recover. Her feelings for him as a friend would be replaced by another, but he would have no guilt in what they did to her. Turning from the window, his heels clicked on the floor as he made his way back to his room. He would write a note to her and leave it hidden in her room, letting her know the reason he left.
As Saya finished her practice, she came into the mansion and made a direct approach to where he was. She could sense it, somehow, that he was in his room. Being such close friends, they had no secrets from one another, so it was no great intrusion for her to just walk into his room without knocking.
She noticed him leaned over his writing desk in deep concentration of what he was writing. She gracefully sat on his bed, emitting a rustle of the sheets. He turned abruptly, with a slight blush to his cheeks that confused her. "What are you writing?" she asked.
"It is nothing," he responded as he placed the note in a drawer and shut it.
She looked past him to the drawer and asked with a furrowed brow, "If you are my closest companion and friend, why do you keep a secret from me?"
He sighed sadly and came to sit beside her, taking her hand. "Saya, you are my closest friend and it is not my intention to keep any secret from you. It is…"
Before he could lie, she interrupted with a relieved smile, "I'm sorry I interrupted you. That must be some extra notes you were going over for your lessons with Amshel."
"Yes," he answered reluctantly as his gaze went to the drawer. It wasn't a complete lie, the note was due to Amshel's lessons. Her small warm hand cupped his cheek and turned his face to her.
She was mere inches from him as her liquid brown eyes gazed into his sad blue-grey ones. The sadness made her voice break as she told him, "I'm sorry I hurt you." She pressed her forehead to his and placed a finger to his lips, "Please don't say anything more than that you accept my apology."
He tried to hide the reaction his body had to her close contact, not of passion, but of sorrow. "I accept your apology," he murmured.
She began to laugh quietly. "Why are you so serious, Hagi? I have apologized and you have accepted. I am no longer cross with you." She smiled at his somber look and informed him, "All that is left to do is kiss and make up."
He gave a small smile and kissed both her cheeks as he felt her warm lips caress each of his cheeks. The pain in his heart eased as he felt her embrace him in a gesture of friendship. His arms went around her frame.
"Hagi," she said as she caught his gaze, "you are more dear to me than you shall ever know. I could not imagine my life without you."
His heart soared at her words only to crash and burn, knowing what he had to do to her. He kissed her forehead and embraced her as he held back the tears that threatened. He murmured, "Saya."
The rest of the day went on without any other misunderstandings, but the sorrow that seemed to be an aura around Hagi did not leave with Saya's improved mood. It was when the clock struck 10 that Hagi removed from the discussion in the parlor to his room. Only then did he allow his emotions any release and fell asleep with tears still streaking his face.
Saya knew something was troubling her companion ever since this morning. Maybe something she had said was more than hurtful to him. She would speak with him in the morning. Resolved, she scrunched her pillow under her head and tried to fall asleep.
When the clock struck twelve, Saya was still tossing in her bed. This would not do, her conscience was bothering her to the point of insomnia. She had to speak with him. Not bothering to cover herself with a robe, she tiptoed through the hallway to his room. It had often piqued her curiosity as to why his room was so close to hers and so far from anyone else. She had no idea that it was Amshel and Joel's plan that they could have secret a rendezvous in the night without anyone knowing.
She opened the door to his room, knowing it would be unlocked. His heavy breathing revealed to the girl that he was asleep. Knowing this, she thought she should leave him to his slumber, but something in the air had told her he had been crying.
The mattress dipped as she sat next to him. He turned to his side, facing her, but his eyes remained closed and his breathing even. His face glowed pale blue in the moonlight that shined through his window. His lips were slightly parted and his black locks were pulled back into a braid so it wouldn't tangle during the night. The shorter locks had escaped and fell across his cheek.
She brushed the hair from his face, feeling the silken texture of his hair. He murmured something she couldn't understand, but remained asleep. She felt the dried tears on his cheek as she caressed it. She whispered, "Oh, Hagi, what have I done to cause you this much pain?" He did not stir as she continued, "I would do anything to take your pain away."
She had no idea that every day, he felt the same way about her. He would anything to keep her from any discomfort and pain. She brushed his cheek again as she felt a slight shiver come from him.
In a brash action that she could not explain no matter how hard she tried, she climbed under the covers, facing him. Her hand reluctantly came up and caressed his jaw line, feeling the prickly stubble there. It sent shivers up her spine and a coiling feeling deep inside her. Color rushed to her cheeks as her thoughts went to the squirrels she had seen that morning.
Her mind reeled at the images of creatures she had seen rutting and she nearly gasped as a fantasy of her companion doing the same to her. He was indeed quite attractive, but could she even consider doing that with him?
Her hand moved between them to his bare chest and slid down. What did he feel like… down there? Her entire body was flushed as her hand came to the waist band over his undergarment. She had seen him in this state many times, but never acted on her curiosity of his anatomy. Her finger brushed over the mound of course, curly hair to the smooth, velvety skin it encircled. The waistband had come loose in her explorations and she was able to push the garment away and looked upon his naked body. It was like the image in the book she studied from. She knew that the outside world would burn those books, but it was Joel's private collection.
Finally, her embarrassment caught up to her and she quickly covered him. "What am I doing?" she asked herself. "This is my best friend and I should not take advantage while he sleeps. He would be so upset if he knew what I was doing." She hurried to remove herself from his bed, but the sound of him stirring stilled her actions.
She turned to see him rub his face and return to his previous state of sleep. His face glowed peacefully in the moonlight as he heaved a deep sigh. She regarded his truly handsome face and the long lines of his slim yet muscular body she thought, "It wouldn't be so bad if he wanted to… How does he feel when I touch him?"
Knowing he wasn't disturbed by her previous actions she wondered how he felt, what was the texture, how it would go inside her. She reached between them again and felt the smooth skin. Emboldened that she had not been discovered earlier, she stroked her finger over the short length and wrapped her hand around it. She nearly giggled as she realized it felt squishy, like jelly (what we would call Jello in this time).
Her hand pulled away in surprise as she felt it growing beneath her fingers. Her eyes widened as the member became longer and thicker. The reaction of her body, too, surprised her. She felt that coiling and now a pulsing sensation deep down. What was this feeling?
Her eyes as well as her hands moved on their own volition to the same place- down there. She couldn't resist touching him again. She was surprised that it was now hard like metal and much bigger than it was earlier. The member seemed to pulse in her hand as she wrapped her fingers around its girth. Her companion gasped in his sleep as he thrust his hips forward, rubbing his needy sex in her hand. One word caused her to jump from the bed and hide in the darkness of a corner in the room- Saya.
The name was uttered from his lips in the state of dreaming. Oh and what a dream it was. It was the same dream that always roused him from his sleep with an aching demand in his groin. He reasoned that it came from the events of the day as he rubbed his face, not noticing the nearly naked object of his fantasy was standing in the corner of his room.
He rolled onto his belly, hoping to sleep off the sudden demand that had awoken him. His head was turned away from her.
She couldn't move. Oh my god what if he had seen her! She covered her gasp of horror and embarrassment as she watched him flex his hips against the mattress beneath him. The thought that she had done something unspeakable to her companion tore at her heart. "This man has done nothing to bring me harm. He has been the best of companions to me. Why would I do this?"
His grunt of frustration startled her from her self-loathing. He turned on his side, facing away from her. His hips flexed again and he let out a moan.
Frustrated and stiff, Hagi rubbed his face. His member was fully aroused and would not relax. The more he ignored it, the more it began to throb. His erection was becoming painful. There was only one thing to do. He began to sit up to relieve his situation.
Saya watched with a mix of curiosity and mortification as he perched on the side of the bed. His hand moved over the member she had touched only moments ago. She wondered at his actions as another, more modest part, shrank from it. It wasn't long before his hand moved faster and her deepest parts pulsed in time with his movements.
His hand finally stilled as he gasped. Thick, white bursts erupted from the tip and splattered on the floorboards as he gasped out, "Oh, Saya."
The sound of his bedroom door shutting startled him completely awake. Someone was just in here. He dashed from the bed as he righted his undergarment. He peered out into the hallway to see nothing but darkness. No candlelight gave an indication of the intruder. Resolved that it was merely part of some dream he was having, he returned to his room, shutting the door.
Saya was panting as she silently shut her bedroom door. Had he seen her? Did he know she was the one that caused his predicament? The rest of the night brought her into a fitful sleep. Her dreams were filled with images of her companion standing before her- naked and aroused. At first she saw him… doing that. Later she was gasping his name as he was doing that inside her.
She awoke before the sun wondering what her companion was to her now. That feeling she had- would she be able to even look at him now without blushing?
The sunrise found her among the flowers of the garden. The rain had completely gone, leaving a beautiful pink sunrise in its place. She decided to go about her day as if nothing had changed. She would figure out how to deal with her situation and Hagi when the time came.
She picked the lilies Joel loved as a gift. She noticed squirrels frolicking near the edge of the garden and her gaze darkened. Her grip on the lilies tightened as she felt that coiling inside her once again. "If it weren't for my curiosity none of this would've happened," she grumbled as she placed the lilies on a nearby seat. Lifting her skirts, she took off at full speed and frightened the small creatures away. "It's your fault!" she cried out. She stopped and let out a small sob, "Why did I have to be so curious?" She continued to scold herself until her tears were all spent.
She had missed breakfast, but she wasn't really hungry. Her emotions were still a bit raw as she put on a cheerful smile. She could do that for her beloved Joel. He was a father to her and no one did she love better than him. As she came to his door, she heard the unmistakable voice of her companion. Her hand went to her mouth as she felt her heart race with anxiety. She leaned her ear to the door and relief flooded her face as she heard the conversation.
"It's a simple transfusion," Joel informed him. "Saya needs blood to live."
"Why?" Hagi asked, "It's not as if she has lost a lot of blood."
"The history of life goes back ten million, maybe a hundred million years. There are mysteries that cannot be explained, but as sure as we exist right here and now, so too does Saya," he explained. "I have yet to figure out exactly why she is the way she is."
He continued sadly, "I wish I could learn everything about her and to see how she turns out in the future, but I'm not sure how much longer I will last." He added, "I can tell you this- for me the passage of time has certainly been merciless."
She clutched the lilies to her chest as a tear left her eye. She hurried past the inquisitive servants to the sanctuary of her own room. She missed the entire end of the conversation.
Joel looked to Hagi and said, "I hope that you remain Saya's companion as long as your life allows, Hagi. Once Amshel and I are gone, there will be no one to care for her."
Hagi looked away and responded, "I don't think that I can do what you ask of me."
Joel gave a look of surprise and asked, "Why, Hagi? I thought you would be happy with the idea of taking her as your wife."
His surprised gaze met Joel's. He nearly stammered when he spoke, "I thought… Amshel said that you wanted offspring to study. You wanted me to do anything to create that offspring."
He gave a sigh and looked at the desk in front of him. "Perhaps that was my original intention of bringing you here, but I suppose Amshel is right. I have become attached to Saya." He continued as he looked out the window, "It is only right that Saya should live out her life in peace. She cares for you more than she even knows, Hagi." He looked at Hagi seriously and told him, "I know how you feel about her. You would be an excellent husband to her."
He placed a small, simple box on the desk and motioned for Hagi to take it. "It is my intention that you should give this to her when the time is right. You will both take the Zoo as your home and live out your lives here. Any children you have should be yours and never a test subject. I want this experiment to end with my death."
Hagi was indeed surprised as he looked inside the box to see a small band of gold. It was simple, yet somehow fitting of a wedding ring. He thanked the aging man as he took the box and returned to his room. He no longer had the need to leave and tore the note he had intended to give her. Instead of saying farewell, he wrote another note, requesting her company for a picnic on the cliffs just before Joel's birthday party.
One thing stopped the happy engagement from happening as planned. Amshel refused to release Diva or stop his experimenting. When Saya released Diva, all the happy dreams Hagi and Joel had planned were not destroyed, but suspended for a day when Saya and Hagi would be free from the war and free from Diva.
Saya's awakening in 2037- over 150 years later, brought joy back into all the lives she had touched, but mostly to the one who stood by her side from the moment Diva was released. Hagi presented the ring to her on the beach after her memories returned. She blushed as she happily excepted the ring and him.