2nd Treasure: Brother

"W-what are you saying?" Kiku's whole body had gone limp, just from this man's touch. His skin was tingling too. Why did he feel so funny?

Arthur's response was to incline his head so his nose touched Kiku's own. His apple green eyes seemed to glow in the candlelight. "Exactly as I said. I want all of you."

Now Kiku's body stiffened as Arthur forced himself on him. Kiku's skin prickled even more from the kiss. Arthur wasn't holding anything back. He even had his tongue in Kiku's mouth. Though his body was numb from the sudden assault, Kiku managed to chomp down on Arthur's tongue. He quickly recoiled, holding a hand over his mouth.

"Ow…you made me bleed…"

"It serves you right!" Kiku spat. "How dare you-you- try something so vulgar with me!"

Kiku expected his captor to get mad, but Arthur just smiled. "You're so defiant…I like that." He grabbed Kiku's wrists and held him fast. "I really think I'm in love."

Kiku struggled in Arthur's grasp, but he couldn't break it. He was still feeling weak. Arthur threw him onto the bed and let go. He undid the sash about his waist and tied Kiku's wrists to the headboard's bars. Kiku struggled against that too, but the knots were too tight. Arthur rest his hand against Kiku's cheek.

"We can't have you trying to escape, especially when I'm not through with you." He smiled again at Kiku's fierce glare.

"I hate you," he hissed. "You are the lowest and filthiest of men."

"Why, thank you for the complement. Now, shut up and kiss me."

In a swift movement, Arthur was on him again, kneeing over him as he started kissing. The kisses were hard, and each one used the tongue. Arthur's was reaching into places far more sensitive than Kiku thought they'd be.

"Mm…ngh…ha…"

Arthur at last released Kiku's mouth, but now started licking his ear. Kiku flinched and tried to turn away, but Arthur kept at it. His hands had drifted down Kiku's torso, pushing his loose shirt off and exposing his shoulders and chest. Arthur bent forward, his hands now bearing down on Kiku's own. His tongue traced the clean line of Kiku's neck and down to his collar bone. He nuzzled Kiku's pale white skin, soft as lamb's ear.

"Mmm…you're beautiful…just like a doll…" Arthur's lips paused at Kiku's pink nipples before continuing down the line. He was practically lying on Kiku now, his crotch riding right up against the other's. Kiku's body started from the sudden touch.

"No…please…stop…," he begged. He was close to tears now.

"How can I stop when I've only just begun?" Arthur answered in serious tones. "Your body doesn't seem to have any objections either…"

Kiku bit his lower lip, fighting back the tears. He could feel the heat rising in his body as Arthur's cavalier moves continued. As much as he wanted to deny it, Kiku couldn't contain himself. His back arched when Arthur thrust his hand into his pants.

"いいえ!" he screamed. Kiku was crying, so upset he had switched back to his native language. "嫌い...大嫌い!"

"Now, now, no need for that," Arthur chided as he kept fondling. "You're a bit small, but I can look past that. Just show me those eyes again…I want to see that fire!"

Kiku shut his eyes tight and turned away. Arthur shrugged at his brush off and returned his attention to more immediate details. He threw off his frock coat and the shirt was close following. His hot breath was far too close to Kiku's sensitive skin.

"Hah…n-no! U-untie me! Ngh, ah!"

Arthur's tongue had reached the most tender part. As Arthur made his final move, he shuddered from the caress. Unlike the kisses from before, this touch was gentler, more focused on pleasing the other. The sensation was driving Kiku mad; his mind turned into one big blank when he could no longer hold it back. Arthur pulled back before it came. He licked his lips satisfactorily, obviously pleased with himself. Both he and Kiku were breathing heavily.

Arthur climbed higher on the bed and kissed Kiku again, gentler, softer, kinder. He reached up and untied Kiku. Kiku fell limp into the pillows, his eyes full of tears. Arthur tenderly pushed back the stray hair from Kiku's face, settling himself next to him.

"Don't cry…," he whispered. "I want to make you happy. I can give you anything your heart desires! Just ask it of me."

Kiku sat very still amidst the silk pillows, his breathing very low. Finally, he looked up into Arthur's face and into his eyes. They had true concern in them, surprising after what he had just done.

"Please," Kiku started in a faint voice. "Take me back to my brother. Let me tell him I am alright. Then…then I will stay with you."

Arthur's face fell, troubled by the request. He sat up and sighed. "I'm sorry, but that I can't do. I just can't…"

Kiku grabbed Arthur's arm, his brown eyes wide. "Why not?" he demanded. "You said you would give me anything I wanted!"

"I can't grant your request because…because I'm really in love with you. I mean it. I don't want to give you up to anyone else."

Kiku let go of Arthur's arm, distressed by his enigmatic words. "How can you say you love me when you do not know me at all?"

"I don't have to," Arthur replied. "I know it sounds selfish, but that's the way I am. If you stay a little longer, you'll understand. Someday."

Arthur stood and picked his frock up from the floor. "You can sleep here tonight. I'll sleep out in the other room. Good night, Mr. Honda."

Arthur gave Kiku one last smile before exiting the room and closing the door behind him. Kiku touched his lips with delicate fingers, feeling the ghost of Arthur's last kiss. He teared up again, sobbing into his hands. He was so confused and that man was even more of a mystery. One minute he was a kind gentleman, the next a brute.

"How…how can you say you love me? I don't understand at all…"

Arthur was stretched out on a sofa in his state room, which was adjacent to the bedchamber. His face was pensive as he stared off at nothing in the room. The pleading look on Kiku's face when he asked to see his brother one last time was heartrending. He didn't want anyone else to have his treasure; Kiku was his prize. He was the one who had rekindled his spirit.

Arthur turned over, his arm tucked under his head. He closed his eyes, remembering Kiku's sad eyes. All the fire in them had been erased when he'd denied his request. They'd become dead. That fire was what Arthur wanted. He wanted to feel the power of those eyes. But now he doubted he'd ever see it again. He sighed.

"I guess there's no way around it…"

The next morning Kiku awoke to bright sunlight shining in his face. He shielded his eyes and sat up in the bed. Someone had opened the curtains, as well as redressed him. He was dressed back in his old clothes. He must have cried himself to sleep last night.

Kiku swung his legs over the side of the bed, now able to see the things in the room more clearly. An odd assortment of baubles and hanging pieces of colored glass hung in front of one window, swatches of brightly colored light playing off the walls. Underneath them was a small dresser cabinet. There was also another door Kiku hadn't noticed the previous night. It led out onto a balcony.

Kiku pushed open the window-like doors and stepped out onto the veranda. He took a breath of the ocean air. The salty ocean breeze felt cool against his skin; a refreshing feeling to the stuffy air inside the room. The sun was still low in the sky, meaning it was early morning yet.

The floor boards behind Kiku creaked, causing him to whip around in surprise. He caught movement off to the left side behind the curtains. It was slight, but someone was definitely standing behind them. Very quietly, he snuck up to the curtains and whisked them back, expecting anything. What he found surprised him.

Trying very desperately to stay hidden in the red cloth was a blonde boy no older than ten or eleven. His wide blue eyes were terrified.

"Please don't tell Arthur I'm here! He'll get mad at me again!" he pleaded.

Kiku blinked at the boy. "Who are you? Why would he get mad at you?"

The boy stuck out his lip. "He says I'm supposed to stay at home with Grandad, but I want to be a pirate like him! If he finds out I snuck on the ship again…"

"Alfred!" came a very angry sounding voice. The boy flinched from it and tried to bury himself in the curtains. Kiku looked up to see Arthur standing in the room, hands on his hips and eyebrows knotted.

"How the bloody hell did you get back on the ship?! I thought I told you to stay home!"

"You're mean!" the boy retorted. "Just because you think I'm too young to be a pirate-,"

"That's no excuse! Grandfather worries about you when you sneak off like this! You know that!"

The boy pouted again. "I know he does…but at least this time I left a note!"

Arthur ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Oh of all the…"

Kiku softly cleared his throat. "Umm, who is this?" he asked, pointing.

Arthur crossed the room and grabbed the boy's arm. He roughly yanked him from the curtains. "This is my little brother, Alfred. He was SUPPOSED to stay at home with our grandfather, but as you can see… Alfred, say hello to Mr. Honda. He's going to be our guest for a while."

Alfred turned his blue eyes up at Kiku, clearly bummed he'd been caught. "That's kinda a funny name. What are you, Indian?"

Arthur clocked the kid on the back of his head. "Stop being rude just because I caught you again!"

Alfred rubbed his head with his free hand. "Sorry," he muttered. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Honda."

Kiku nodded his head. "Likewise. You may call me Kiku though."

Alfred seemed to brighten a little. "Really? Arthur always says I should call people older than me "mister". I think it's stupid though."

"Alright, that's enough out of you," Arthur cut in. "I can't take you home now. Go make yourself useful down in the galley. Cook could use the extra hand."

"You're forever sticking me down there in that smelly old kitchen! Fine!" He looked up at Kiku. "Hey, Kiku! If you get the time, you should come play with me!"

"OUT!" Arthur shouted. Alfred stuck his tongue out at his brother and ran out of the room. Arthur sighed. "Sorry about that…"

Kiku giggled a little. "It is alright. He is certainly energetic…"

"You can say that again. He's been a handful ever since I brought him home."

"Brought? You mean he is not your brother?"

"No, he is, but more so adoptively rather than by blood. I found him abandoned on a wrecked ship. He was the only survivor, just three years old! Grandfather took a great liking to him, but he's been insistent on becoming a pirate like me."

"It seems he really loves you," Kiku noted.

"I suppose so…listen, I've got a surprise for you. It'll take us a few days to get there, but I think you'll like it."

Kiku cocked his head to the side. "What is it?"

Arthur smiled down at him, making Kiku's face go red again. Why did that always happen when he smiled?

"If I told you, then it wouldn't be a surprise then, would it?"