Keith led Kaiba away from the village, silently. "You are lucky," he
finally said.
"How am I lucky? I'm being taken away from the only person who has ever been nice to me by a black elf that probably has no intentions but to hurt me. I was beaten to near death. And now you're leading me into the damn woods for *what* reason?"
"This is where I live. I can't stand the village. First time I've been there. And the younger prince is the first person I've spoke to in a decade or two. I don't really like people. And don't worry, I promised the boy I wouldn't hurt you."
"Why are you taking me--"
"Keith!" A ball of white and spotted red fur launched itself at Keith and shape shifted to a very naked red-haired pale boy.
Keith quickly hugged the boy close, covering the boy in his robes. "Kentay, meet..."
"Kaiba," he said softly, a bit startled. "What is that?"
"A demon. "
"I thought there was no more demons. Only half-demons."
"They're immortal. No matter what I do they won't die," he teased the boy, pressing his finger into the boy's nose, smiling. "They're natural form is quite close to a rabbit or cat...or a fox, I suppose. But they shape shift to human looking things."
"Naked," Kaiba finished, nodding.
"Yes, they're free creatures." He picked up the boy, still keeping him covered. "Silly boy," he whispered. He continued on, motioning Kaiba to follow. Kaiba trailed behind, eyes to the ground.
Keith set down the hyper demon and sat down in a chair, closing his eyes.
Kaiba looked around the one-roomed home. In the center was a small round table. Next to the door was a bed pressed into the corner. Next to it was the chair Keith was in. Next to the chair was a small table covered with books and papers collecting dust. Another corner and a shelf filled with vials. Next to it was a smaller bed, another chair in the corner, window, door. Very small and cramped.
"What do you want me to do?"
Keith didn't look up, waving his hand to the other chair. "Sit if you like. Stand if you want."
"Why did you take me here?"
"To let you keep the life I saved for you. You can leave whenever you like."
Kaiba sat in the chair and stared at the black elf. He took a good look at him. "Why aren't you abusing me?"
"I don't hate white elves," he said softly, still looking like he was sleeping. "Call me strange, I suppose. I was once the leader of my people and my kindness was rewarded with my exile. I still love him, though."
"Love who?" Kaiba asked confused.
"Pyrrus. A white elf. Couldn't stand me. Though I don't hate, I still don't understand. My ignorance and pride kept me from love. So let me ask you, Kaiba. Why do you allow them to treat you the way they do?"
"He is the king. And the prince--"
"No, us. The black elves."
"I haven't met many black elves. A few are cooks at the palace. But they raised me since I was young so I know nothing then what they taught me. Ignorance, I suppose."
"And the humans?"
"Because I have nothing else. I was taken from my parents by Gozaburo the slave trader. That's all I know."
"But you let them starve you and paint you up like a women. Why?"
"So I am more pleasant to look at."
"You are ignorant and broken. You could easily be more, I know it. Just looking at you. You love that young prince?"
"I've never been taught about love. I don't know. But I care for him."
"He loves you. It shows in his eyes." Keith finally sat up and studied Kaiba. "Are you his concubine?" he asked a bit strangely.
"No. I am not a slave. I am a servant."
"Are you his whore?" he tried again.
"No, I am his..."
"Nanny?"
"Yes, I suppose so."
Keith smiled. "You don't expect that to last long, right? I sure hope you are not that stupid."
"Yugi would never--"
"A boy would never. But all boys become men. Just like Yami. He hurts you all the time, doesn't he? But like a true white elf, you except defeat like it's a blessing. Like it's all you could ever ask for in life. No one deserves to be beaten the way you were. Everyone saw you had nothing to do with it."
"I didn't protect him. That is my job."
"That is no matter." He got up and leaned in close to Kaiba, studying him. "So confused. Allow your savior but one favor before you leave."
"Yes?"
"Just a kiss. A sweet kiss from a white elf. That is all I want."
"Do I look like your love?"
"All white elves look the same," he whispered, leaning in for a kiss.
Kaiba blinked back tears, allowing the black elf his pleasure.
~~~
"He asked me to give this to you," Kaiba said, holding out a piece of paper, careful not to touch the emperor's hand.
Kaitio scanned the paper. "He says he doesn't want you?"
"He says he can't stand people. They bother him."
"Yes, he wrote that." He sat back, letting the paper be ignored. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Yes my lord."
"Yugi, he is growing up to be a fine, healthy boy, right?"
"Yes, quite beautiful."
"Teach him to become a man, Kaiba."
"Pardon?"
"Would you stay with Yugi even if I stopped paying you?"
Kaiba took a second to consider it, then nodded. "Yes, I would. As long as you allowed me."
"Then lie with him; teach him to be a man. Someone he can trust. Of course, I plan to continue to pay you anyway. In fact, you deserve a raise."
Kaiba's eyes widened and he fell to his knees. "Thank you," he said quietly.
Of course, it wasn't until later he understood Kaitio's...request. ~I am to take the boy's virginity~ he broke it down for himself, helping the boy into his nightclothes. He shook his head to clear it from his thoughts. ~I could never do that. He is just a boy. No he isn't. He is 16 now. Kaitio was only 16 when he became emperor. Someday Yami will be king. And I will be dead.~ He picked Yugi up and carried him to his bed. "You should sleep," he said softly, lying the boy on his silk sheets.
"No." Yugi looked up at him, arms crossed, like a stubborn little kid.
"Don't play this game, Yugi. You aren't a boy anymore."
"I'm not going to bed," he said, a small twinkle in his wide, innocent eyes, "until you tell me a story."
So Kaiba obliged, lying on the corner of the bed, telling him a story. When he was at the part where the man kissed the girl, he felt hands on his shoulder, straining to pull them up. Yugi stared into Kaiba's eyes as he continued to tell the story. "He took the...what are you doing, Yugi?"
Yugi didn't answer, but continued to stare.
Kaiba continued again. "He took the beautiful lady in his arms and pressed his lips--mmmmph..." Yugi closed his eyes and pressed his lips against Kaiba's. It was a very long, chaste kiss, leaving Kaiba feeling panicked and Yugi staring at him without a readable expression.
"Yugi..." Kaiba said, his voice low and with urgency. "Why did you do that? Are you trying to get me in trouble?"
"N-no..." he said softly, as if scared Kaiba was mad at him. "I...I..."
"Yugi, why did you do that?" Kaiba insisted quietly. Just because he was to be Yugi's whore, it did not allow him to kiss the boy-prince. Yugi blinked back tears and ran from Kaiba. Kaiba caught him, though, by the wrist, before he was even on the bed. "Don't ever try running from a white elf, silly boy," he said, though his voice was no longer the warm tone it had always been.
Yugi grabbed Kaiba, who had stood up, and began softly crying into Kaiba's chest. He said something into him that he could not hear. He began stroking the boy hair, but said in his new-found emotionless voice, "Stop crying; you aren't a child anymore."
"I know," he whispered, staring up at Kaiba, his eyes filled with tears. "I will be a man. And I will have to chose a partner."
"Yes, a wife. Your father will see to that. You will mar--"
"I want you," Yugi whispered earnestly. "Only you..."
Kaiba stepped back, a stricken look in his eyes, but his mouth was set in a thin line. He slowly backed away from the prince. "Please, Yugi," he whispered. He felt his back hit against the wall as he stared at Yugi.
"Please, Kaiba," he whispered, making his way closer to Kaiba.
Halfway to him, Kaiba fell to his knees, breathing heavily. "I beg you, Prince, reconsider. Not me. Not a lowly plaf. Please, anyone but me. I am not worthy."
Yugi took Kaiba in his arms, hugging him. "I love you, Kaiba. I want only you. Please, as my friend. Accept my pledge of undying love. For only you. I promise," he said, tears rolling down his cheeks.
Kaiba laid his head against Yugi's chest, a single tear rolling down his eye. He hated the way a man's touch felt. It was rough and urgent. Now he would have to except it from the one person he had trusted. He nodded, not trusting his voice. It seemed like only this morning Yugi was a small child and here he was now, insisting Kaiba marry him. If only he knew what Yami would say.
~~~
"How am I lucky? I'm being taken away from the only person who has ever been nice to me by a black elf that probably has no intentions but to hurt me. I was beaten to near death. And now you're leading me into the damn woods for *what* reason?"
"This is where I live. I can't stand the village. First time I've been there. And the younger prince is the first person I've spoke to in a decade or two. I don't really like people. And don't worry, I promised the boy I wouldn't hurt you."
"Why are you taking me--"
"Keith!" A ball of white and spotted red fur launched itself at Keith and shape shifted to a very naked red-haired pale boy.
Keith quickly hugged the boy close, covering the boy in his robes. "Kentay, meet..."
"Kaiba," he said softly, a bit startled. "What is that?"
"A demon. "
"I thought there was no more demons. Only half-demons."
"They're immortal. No matter what I do they won't die," he teased the boy, pressing his finger into the boy's nose, smiling. "They're natural form is quite close to a rabbit or cat...or a fox, I suppose. But they shape shift to human looking things."
"Naked," Kaiba finished, nodding.
"Yes, they're free creatures." He picked up the boy, still keeping him covered. "Silly boy," he whispered. He continued on, motioning Kaiba to follow. Kaiba trailed behind, eyes to the ground.
Keith set down the hyper demon and sat down in a chair, closing his eyes.
Kaiba looked around the one-roomed home. In the center was a small round table. Next to the door was a bed pressed into the corner. Next to it was the chair Keith was in. Next to the chair was a small table covered with books and papers collecting dust. Another corner and a shelf filled with vials. Next to it was a smaller bed, another chair in the corner, window, door. Very small and cramped.
"What do you want me to do?"
Keith didn't look up, waving his hand to the other chair. "Sit if you like. Stand if you want."
"Why did you take me here?"
"To let you keep the life I saved for you. You can leave whenever you like."
Kaiba sat in the chair and stared at the black elf. He took a good look at him. "Why aren't you abusing me?"
"I don't hate white elves," he said softly, still looking like he was sleeping. "Call me strange, I suppose. I was once the leader of my people and my kindness was rewarded with my exile. I still love him, though."
"Love who?" Kaiba asked confused.
"Pyrrus. A white elf. Couldn't stand me. Though I don't hate, I still don't understand. My ignorance and pride kept me from love. So let me ask you, Kaiba. Why do you allow them to treat you the way they do?"
"He is the king. And the prince--"
"No, us. The black elves."
"I haven't met many black elves. A few are cooks at the palace. But they raised me since I was young so I know nothing then what they taught me. Ignorance, I suppose."
"And the humans?"
"Because I have nothing else. I was taken from my parents by Gozaburo the slave trader. That's all I know."
"But you let them starve you and paint you up like a women. Why?"
"So I am more pleasant to look at."
"You are ignorant and broken. You could easily be more, I know it. Just looking at you. You love that young prince?"
"I've never been taught about love. I don't know. But I care for him."
"He loves you. It shows in his eyes." Keith finally sat up and studied Kaiba. "Are you his concubine?" he asked a bit strangely.
"No. I am not a slave. I am a servant."
"Are you his whore?" he tried again.
"No, I am his..."
"Nanny?"
"Yes, I suppose so."
Keith smiled. "You don't expect that to last long, right? I sure hope you are not that stupid."
"Yugi would never--"
"A boy would never. But all boys become men. Just like Yami. He hurts you all the time, doesn't he? But like a true white elf, you except defeat like it's a blessing. Like it's all you could ever ask for in life. No one deserves to be beaten the way you were. Everyone saw you had nothing to do with it."
"I didn't protect him. That is my job."
"That is no matter." He got up and leaned in close to Kaiba, studying him. "So confused. Allow your savior but one favor before you leave."
"Yes?"
"Just a kiss. A sweet kiss from a white elf. That is all I want."
"Do I look like your love?"
"All white elves look the same," he whispered, leaning in for a kiss.
Kaiba blinked back tears, allowing the black elf his pleasure.
~~~
"He asked me to give this to you," Kaiba said, holding out a piece of paper, careful not to touch the emperor's hand.
Kaitio scanned the paper. "He says he doesn't want you?"
"He says he can't stand people. They bother him."
"Yes, he wrote that." He sat back, letting the paper be ignored. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Yes my lord."
"Yugi, he is growing up to be a fine, healthy boy, right?"
"Yes, quite beautiful."
"Teach him to become a man, Kaiba."
"Pardon?"
"Would you stay with Yugi even if I stopped paying you?"
Kaiba took a second to consider it, then nodded. "Yes, I would. As long as you allowed me."
"Then lie with him; teach him to be a man. Someone he can trust. Of course, I plan to continue to pay you anyway. In fact, you deserve a raise."
Kaiba's eyes widened and he fell to his knees. "Thank you," he said quietly.
Of course, it wasn't until later he understood Kaitio's...request. ~I am to take the boy's virginity~ he broke it down for himself, helping the boy into his nightclothes. He shook his head to clear it from his thoughts. ~I could never do that. He is just a boy. No he isn't. He is 16 now. Kaitio was only 16 when he became emperor. Someday Yami will be king. And I will be dead.~ He picked Yugi up and carried him to his bed. "You should sleep," he said softly, lying the boy on his silk sheets.
"No." Yugi looked up at him, arms crossed, like a stubborn little kid.
"Don't play this game, Yugi. You aren't a boy anymore."
"I'm not going to bed," he said, a small twinkle in his wide, innocent eyes, "until you tell me a story."
So Kaiba obliged, lying on the corner of the bed, telling him a story. When he was at the part where the man kissed the girl, he felt hands on his shoulder, straining to pull them up. Yugi stared into Kaiba's eyes as he continued to tell the story. "He took the...what are you doing, Yugi?"
Yugi didn't answer, but continued to stare.
Kaiba continued again. "He took the beautiful lady in his arms and pressed his lips--mmmmph..." Yugi closed his eyes and pressed his lips against Kaiba's. It was a very long, chaste kiss, leaving Kaiba feeling panicked and Yugi staring at him without a readable expression.
"Yugi..." Kaiba said, his voice low and with urgency. "Why did you do that? Are you trying to get me in trouble?"
"N-no..." he said softly, as if scared Kaiba was mad at him. "I...I..."
"Yugi, why did you do that?" Kaiba insisted quietly. Just because he was to be Yugi's whore, it did not allow him to kiss the boy-prince. Yugi blinked back tears and ran from Kaiba. Kaiba caught him, though, by the wrist, before he was even on the bed. "Don't ever try running from a white elf, silly boy," he said, though his voice was no longer the warm tone it had always been.
Yugi grabbed Kaiba, who had stood up, and began softly crying into Kaiba's chest. He said something into him that he could not hear. He began stroking the boy hair, but said in his new-found emotionless voice, "Stop crying; you aren't a child anymore."
"I know," he whispered, staring up at Kaiba, his eyes filled with tears. "I will be a man. And I will have to chose a partner."
"Yes, a wife. Your father will see to that. You will mar--"
"I want you," Yugi whispered earnestly. "Only you..."
Kaiba stepped back, a stricken look in his eyes, but his mouth was set in a thin line. He slowly backed away from the prince. "Please, Yugi," he whispered. He felt his back hit against the wall as he stared at Yugi.
"Please, Kaiba," he whispered, making his way closer to Kaiba.
Halfway to him, Kaiba fell to his knees, breathing heavily. "I beg you, Prince, reconsider. Not me. Not a lowly plaf. Please, anyone but me. I am not worthy."
Yugi took Kaiba in his arms, hugging him. "I love you, Kaiba. I want only you. Please, as my friend. Accept my pledge of undying love. For only you. I promise," he said, tears rolling down his cheeks.
Kaiba laid his head against Yugi's chest, a single tear rolling down his eye. He hated the way a man's touch felt. It was rough and urgent. Now he would have to except it from the one person he had trusted. He nodded, not trusting his voice. It seemed like only this morning Yugi was a small child and here he was now, insisting Kaiba marry him. If only he knew what Yami would say.
~~~