Love Finds A Way 2
Florian and Ray belong to You Higuri, as do all the jewels not in Noir's possession.
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Chapter 2
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Noir and Florian head to the Captain's table for dinner. Florian is wearing the suit that Noir insisted on having tailored for him. He had planned to wear the clothes he came on board in but they were now a rumpled heap along with Ray's things.
He pulls the sleeves over his wrist and fiddles with his tie. Noir sighs and says, "Florian stop fidgeting with your clothes, you look fine."
"I can't help it, everyone is looking at us and I feel like all eyes turned to us when we entered and now we'll be sitting in the middle of the room as if we're on display!"
"If you rather not sit with the captain then we don't have too. We can sit with the others but I think it just may be interesting." He smiles down at Florian with a wicked look and Florian knows that he is up to something.
He sighs and says, "No we can have dinner with the captain I'll manage somehow."
Noir puts his hand in the small of his lover's back and leads him over to the table.
The dinning car is filled with passengers and they are indeed looking at the two handsome men as they make their way to the captain's table. Some of the women are whispering about the fact that the two men are eligible single men and marrying either one would be a feather in their caps.
Marrying a Duke or a Count would be something to be proud of in polite society. However, there is one woman in particular that is only interested in Florian and has been for quite awhile. She and Florian have been friends for years and at one point were almost engaged, as children before her parents found out he was penniless.
Looking at Florian now, makes it hard to tell if what they heard was indeed the truth. The clothes he wore were of the best quality and the cut is of the latest style.
"It seems that the rumors I heard weren't true if what I see of him is to be believed. He certainly looks well taken care of and he acts as if he hasn't a care in the world." She thinks as she looks at him behind her fan.
"Lady Margaret, is something wrong my dear, you look a little flushed?" Her companion looks at her with a worried expression on her lovely face.
"No my dear Cecile I'm find, I've seen someone I knew a long time ago and it brought back memories. I'm sorry if I made you worry."
No dear, it's just that you look as if you were in distress for a moment. However, I'm happy to see that all is well. Whom did you see that has you so distracted?"
"He's over at the captain's table. See, the one with the light blonde hair. His name is Florian du Rochefort we were children together. I don't know who his companion is I'm afraid."
Cecile looks over at the captain's table and see the man sitting next to the blonde man and says, "Why that's Count Ray Balzac Courland. He is a very wealthy man. They say he has homes in several countries, if you can believe it."
"The two of them are traveling together, are they related in some way?" She looks at Cecile with a slight frown.
"I can't say…I've never seen the young man before. Perhaps you can be reacquainted with him after dinner. They are supposed to have music or some form of entertainment later. I am sure you will see him there. I would like to meet Count Courland and with you knowing his companion that should be easy."
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Ray and Florian are having dinner with the captain and several other passengers' aboard the ship. The captain looks to Florian and says, "I hope you are enjoying your meal."
Florian looks over at him and answers, "You must forgive me Captain Camden, I don't have much of an appetite this evening. I have not been feeling well of late. However, I am hoping that the sea air will improve my digestion." He smiles politely and continues to push his food around his plate.
Ray looks at Florian with a frown on his face as he says, "Did you want to go back too the cabin and lie down for a bit. You could turn in early tonight and hopefully you will feel better in the morning."
He looks at Ray and says, "I'm fine, I'll just have to adjust to this and hopefully the medicine will have the right affect on me. Now let's talk about something else."
"That sounds good young man. After dinner, we have entertainment in the blue room. I do hope you are feeling up to attending. The piano player we have is here from the Americas. She had her début there and now she's traveling around the world."
"Maybe you have heard of her since she is from Paris. Her name is Lady Margaret Du Ponte. She's sitting over at the third table with her traveling companion, Lady Cecile Cavanaugh."
Ray turns his head to look and notice that the women were looking at their table. He raises an eyebrow, turns back to the captain, and notices Florian has turned pale. He stops what he is about to say and puts his arm around the older man's shoulder.
"Florian are you alright?" He tilts his face up with his finger under his lover's chin, searching for the cause of his distress.
Florian closes his eyes and then opens them with a wounded look on his face. "I think I'm going to be sick. I need to go back to our cabin, Ray." He is looking at Noir with a pained look on his face.
"I'm afraid Florian isn't feeling well after all, Sir. I should get him back to his cabin as soon as possible. If you would all excuse us."
Ray gets up and helps Florian to his feet. He sways against Ray and looks up into his face in embarrassment, "I'm sorry I felt dizzy for a moment."
The Captain stands and says, "I could get someone to help you Count Courland if you like." He snaps his fingers at one of the pursers and he comes right away.
"Help the Count and the Duke back to their cabin, right away!"
The man reaches for Florian and Ray knocks his hand away. "Don't touch him! I mean, I've got him just bring us some ice if you will."
Ray puts his arm around Florian's waist and leads him out of the dinning hall as the other diners look on. Not at the fact that Florian was ill but at how protective the Count is of the young man's welfare.
Lady Margaret watches as the two men leave out of the dining car to return to their rooms. She studies how delicately Ray is holding Florian up as he makes his way across the room. It looks like there is more then meets the eye, she sighs as she thinks their reunion will have to wait for another day.
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Ray pushes the door close with his foot as he slowly leads Florian over to a chair. He goes into the small bathroom and returns with a damp cloth for his forehead.
Florian stands and takes the cloth from him ands says, "I'm feeling better, don't worry about me. I just had to get away from all that powerful smelling food. It was making me nauseous. How could you stand to eat like that?"
Noir pulls his tie from around his neck and throws it on the sofa. He looks at Florian and smiles. "I worked up quite an appetite before we went in to dinner, remember?"
Florian blushes and removes his waist coat and folds it neatly before laying it across a chair. He turns his back to Ray as he unbuttons his shirt. "I remember perfectly Ray; however from the sound of your voice I'm thinking that you want a repeat."
Ray goes over to the bed and sits down. "Florian, contrary to what you think, I can control my urges. I love making love to you but…all I want now is rest. It has been a long day, my love."
Florian drops his head and smiles. He wanted to rest also and resting in Ray's arms was what he wanted most. He removes his shirt, places it on top of his waistcoat, and turns to Ray with a smile of gratitude.
Ray looks up in his amethyst's eyes and smiles. Whenever he stared in Florian's eyes he was always reminded why he took a chance on keeping this man by his side.
He knows how Florian feels about him and canceling his debt was the smartest move he could have made. The gratitude he showed was heartwarming and he was basking in his love.
As he looks up at Florian's slim but well-defined abs, he could not tear his eyes away. The man had a beautiful body even with the marks that Noir has left all over his chest and limbs.
Florian looks down following Noir's eyes to look at the front of his chest. He looks back up meeting Ray's eyes and smirks.
"Admiring your handiwork I see." He is smiling at his lover as he says this.
"Even if you are not indebted to me, you're still mine… right?"
"I'll belong to you as long as you want me, Noir."
"Come here Florian."
The blonde walks over to the bed and crawls over into his lover's arms. He slides his hand under his shirt and says, "Do you want me to remove this?"
Ray lays back and puts his arm over his head as he smiles up at the older man. "I belong to you as is everything I have, so do what you want."
Florian starts to unbutton the shirt, removes it, and puts it at the foot of the bed. He unbuckles his pants and removes them. Standing he lets, his pants drop, places all the clothing on the sofa, and returns to the bed in his under clothes.
Florian gets in bed and pulls Ray into his arms kissing him on the lips. "Now remember, we're just going to sleep, okay?"
Ray chuckles and says, "Whatever you say love, tomorrow is another day after all."
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Laila stands outside the lovers' door about to knock but changes her mind. Tomorrow is soon enough to let The Phantom thief Noir know that they were being followed by non-other then his nemesis, Solomon Sugar.
She goes back to her room, looks down at the young boy in her bed, and sighs. If only she could be in Noir's bed instead of here. He was everything she could ever want in a man and yet…well there was no use crying over spilt milk. She knew that one day she would find her soul mate and when she did, she would be as happy as Noir is with Florian.
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Solomon looks around the dining car and sees Ray helping Florian to his cabin. He wonders what has happen to the delicate young man now. The blonde took up all of his black cat's attention now that he has come into his life and if the rumors were to be believe then there was more to the relationship then met the eye.
To Solomon, Florian is as beautiful as any of the noble ladies in high society. His delicate features and graceful manners told of his up bringing. However, he has a stubborn streak that rivaled Ray's arrogance.
Sometimes watching the two of them it was hard to tell who was really in charge. Ray catered to Florian in such a way that he treated him like an indulgent pet.
However, he knew that the two men were almost inseparable. Being that the two of them were very protective of the other he found out that Florian would not admit to Ray being the Phantom Thief Noir.
The young man was not above lying to protect Ray but he knew that if he just stayed his course he would one day prove that Noir and Ray were one in the same.
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The next morning as Ray and Florian meet up with Laila for breakfast they hear someone call to Florian. Both men turn at the sound of the high-pitched woman's voice.
Florian schools his face into a smile as he tries to compose his emotions at seeing Lady Margaret.
At one time they were to be married and he has not seen her since her family broke off the engagement talks. He looks at her cool beauty and elegant manner of dress wishing he were anywhere but here.
"Florian darling, it is so good to see you. How have you been?" She wraps her arms around the young man and leans back searching his face with dark blue eyes.
Ray looks at the both of them with a frown on his handsome face. He is wondering who this woman is and why is she holding on to Florian that way.
He clears his throat and says, "Laila is waiting Florian, we must be going." He looks straight at the woman as he says this.
"Oh you must forgive me, Florian and I were childhood sweethearts and I haven't seen him for quite awhile. Why don't we have breakfast together so we can catch up on old times?"
Florian untangles himself from her arms, bows over her hand, and says, "I would like to introduce Count Ray Balzac Courland. Ray this is Lady Margaret du Ponte."
Ray bows his head after the introductions, gives her a brief smile, and says, "I'm sorry Lady Margaret but Florian and I have a business breakfast this morning and I'm afraid it would just be boring for you. Perhaps some other time… like say, lunch?"
She looks at the Count and then at Florian and says, "Oh of course, I understand. Lunch it is Count Courland. I'll look forward to seeing you then Florian."
She leans in next to his ear and whispers, "I have such delicious memories of you and you're still the most handsome man in the room as always."
She turns away and makes her way to her table smiling at Florian over her shoulder.
Ray storms off heading for their table where Laila is waiting as she watches the whole thing in amusement.
Florian takes his seat with his head down because he knows from the way that Noir stiffly sat in his seat he was angry. He just hoped that he would not explode before they had returned to their cabin.
Florian looks at his menu, peeks at Noir over the top, and sees he is glaring at him. He turns to Noel and asks him what he wanted to have for breakfast.
Noel looks from Florian to Noir and says, "Uh…can I have pancakes with strawberries?" Noir is about to say something when Florian cuts him off saying, "of course and I'll have some also."
He looks over at Noir with his eyebrow raise and he backs down and calls the waiter to their table. "We will all have pancakes and coffee with milk for the child."
He sits back with his arms folded across his chest. Glaring at the blonde across the table. Florian looks at him and smiles sweetly.
"Will you be joining me for lunch Ray?"
"Don't push it Florian, it isn't noon yet. Anything can happen between then and now."
Noel looks up at Florian and says, "Is Ray mad again at you Florian?"
"No, he's mad at one of my old friends."
Noir sits up and says, "What makes you think I'm mad at all?"
Laila chuckles behind her hand and Florian says, "Oh I'm sorry, are you upset with me for some reason?"
Noir opens his mouth and then closes it. He knows that Florian has done nothing wrong but greet an old friend but it still irked him how familiar she was with him.
He hated when they ran into any of his old crowd of stuck up aristocrats. He knows he should not blame Florian but he can't help himself. He feels like he is acting like the child that Florian says he is just because he has a couple of years on him.
He is pouting so much that he misses when Solomon takes a seat at their table.
"Now what has your lip poked out like that? Are you having a tantrum, my black cat?"
Noir looks at Solomon in surprise and cruses under his breath, "What the hell are you doing here and at my table no less!"
He has found someone to vent his anger on and he rises to the occasion with gusto, letting out a litany of words that makes Florian cover Noel's ears.
"Ray! Not in front of Noel! Control yourself please!"
He stops and looks around at the furor he has caused and gets up slamming his napkin down on the table and walks out of the dinning car and back towards the rooms.
Ray is fuming as he heads for the back car. "First old friends now that dammed detective! Could this day get any worse?"
Florian is about to get up and go after Noir when Laila says, "You may as well leave him alone for now Florian. You know what he's like when he blows his temper like that. Come on and finish your breakfast and let him clam down some first."
Florian sits back down with a worried look on his face as he looks out toward the door Noir has just past through.
Solomon chuckles and says, "Now I wonder what could have caused him to get bent out of shape like that? Could it have been because of your encounter with Lady du Ponte?"
Florian looks at him and says, "Why would something like that upset him? I think it was because you came to our table surprising him Solomon. You know he doesn't enjoy your company and I'm sure he would not like seeing you before he has had his breakfast."
"Yeah, you should make yourself scarce before he comes back." Laila looks at him with a frown on her pretty face.
Solomon gets up and says, "Well tell your employer that I will speak to him later because he can't avoid me for the rest of the trip no matter where he hides."
He turns and leaves out the same way Noir did. Florian shakes his head and says, "This is going to be a long day and he told Lady du Pont we would have lunch with her today. I am not looking forward to that one bit. Noel finish your food so we can get out of here."
Florian pushes his food around on his plate not having much of an appetite with his stomach doing flip-flops. He looks down at his plate wondering if he should have taken the medicine Noir had the alchemist make for him.
Noel touches his arm letting him know he is finish and they all leave the dinning car. He smiles down at the boy and asks what he would like to do for the day.
"Can I explore the ship with Laila, I know you have to find Ray and make him happy again. No one else can do that but you, right?"
Laila chuckles behind her hand as she looks down at the boy. For a child Noel is very perceptive sometimes.
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Florian pushes the door open to his cabin and does not see Noir. He goes inside, opens the connecting door, and looks in the other room they have for show and he's not there either.
He leans back against the door thinking he could only be one other place and that is topside. He dreads going up to the deck of the ship but he knows he has to go if he is going to appease to Noir. He stills himself and heads for the stairway.
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Noir is looking out over the sea as he smokes one of his little cigars thinking about Florian. He knows that Florian has a past like he does however he did not like it to confront him when he least expected it too.
Although Florian has express his love, he feels as though he didn't give him much choice in the matter, but losing the older man is something he doesn't think he could take.
Since coming into his life, he is a very important part of it. Without him, he knows that he would be a shadow of himself. Maybe he is not being fair to Florian, maybe he wants a home and children someone to carry on his name after all he is a descendant of nobility.
His little Florian, the one he loves more than he loves himself a husband and father to a beautiful woman and handsome children. He playing the uncle and devoted friend. Watching him live his life with some else.
He tilts his head back looking up at the morning sky wishing that Florian would stay in his life forever. The power the blonde-haired man had over him was something he never anticipated. This time the hunter is captured by the game.
Florian stands in the entryway watching Noir as he gazes up at the sky deep in thought. Noir takes his breath away. He looks so beautiful standing there alone. His hair is dancing in the wind falling gently down to his shoulders and back up again into the air.
Noir grips the railings as he looks down into the sea. His face is a play in emotions as he throws his head back up as if he has come to a regrettable decision.
Florian walks up behind him and puts his arms around his waist and his head on his back. "Whatever you're thinking, I'm not leaving you and I'm not letting you leave me."
Noir puts his head down and strokes Florian's hand. "You dummy head, why would I think you're leaving me? I just needed a smoke, that's all. That damned detective gets on my nerves following me everywhere."
"Are you sure?" He lets go of Noir and moves to the side looking in his face searching for any signs of anger. "I didn't think he could upset you like that but I guess if you say so it must be the truth."
"You worry too much Florian. Let's go back to the cabin I have something to give you and it's a surprise."
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