A slave for you
As the limo pulled up to the Kaiba house, a black haired boy threw open the front doors, running toward the car as it pulled to a stop. He happily opened the door, before tackling the aqua haired boy sitting inside, a smile on his face. "Onii-san!" He cried. "I missed you soooooo much!"
The boy jumped a bit, laughing and patting the younger boy's hair. "I missed you too, Moku-chan.."
Mokuba smiled, getting out of the car to help his brother out. "Its been SOOOOO boring since you came last Christmas! Nii-sama's been working non-stop and then only company I have is the slaves!"
"Awww..." He laughed lightly. "I'm sorry, Mokuba."
Smiling, Mokuba took his hand, dragging him toward the house. "Wait till you see all the new slaves! Nii-sama just bought one a few days ago! Its great!"
Noa smiled lightly, letting himself be dragged. "I'm sure it is Mokuba.." He muttered, rolling his eyes.
Opening the front door, the black haired boy walked into the entrance, a smile on his face as all of the maids stopped and bowed politely, saying: "Welcome home, Noa-sama." and "Welcome back, Kaiba-kun."
He smiled lightly, still holding Mokuba's hand.
At the top of the double stairs stood Seto, who snorted and nodded to Noa, before turning and walking away.
Noa stuck his tongue out at the older boy, before starting up to his room.
Several males carried his things up to his room, rushing past him, although careful not to run into him. As he passed one room, he could see a single male sitting in there, his head down, his long hair pulled back into a low ponytail.
Noa blinked, stopping to examine this boy slightly.
The boy's eyes, which stayed staring into his lap, were a brilliant forest green color. His hair, about to his waist, was black against his pale skin, which was most likely that color from being inside much too long.
He furrowed his eyebrows as he bit his lip. This boy was attractive, indeed, he'd never seen anyone...so...so indescribable.
"Noa-sama!" One of the maids cried, reaching in front of him to close the door. She frowned at him. "You musn't look in there, Noa-sama! It is your brother's room!"
He blinked as he was pulled away, shaking his head. "I'd forgotten, I'm sorry..."
She nodded, understanding, before saying: "Dinner will be ready in a few, Noa-sama."
"Hai..." He nodded to her, before heading back off to his room. He just -- couldn't get that boy's image out of his mind. He found it a bit odd.
Mokuba stood happily outside his door, hugging him again as he walked up.
He found himself back in reality at Mokuba pressed up against him and he laughed. "Why, hello again."
The black haired boy smiled. "I'm happy your home for good, Nii-sama! Then again, in a year, I'll have to go off to the same stupid school..."
"It's not that bad, Mokuba. Don't worry." He told him, patting his head lightly.
"Yeah, I guess... at least it won't be as boring as sitting home with Seto all day. All he does is work and stay in his room..."
Noa nodded, before trying to pry the smaller boy off of him.
His brother pulled away reluctantly with a frown.
"Something wrong..?" Noa asked, kneeling down to be at Mokuba's level.
"Nothing," Mokuba assured, smiling warmly, before: "Nii-sama got me the latest gaming system! Want to try it out after dinner!?"
"I'll think about it, okay?" Noa told him, standing up.
Nodding, the black haired boy ran off.
Noa sighed lightly, before pressing the door to his room open and stepping inside quietly.
Everything was how he had left it since Christmas, except it was all dusted and cleaned. The room looked like something that only a fairytale could think up.
He wandered over to his bed, throwing himself onto it nonchalantly and letting out a breath.
After a few moments, a knock came on the door, followed by a girl's voice, saying: "Noa-sama. Dinner is served."
"Hai..." He muttered, getting off of his bed and brushing himself off a bit, before making his way down the stairs.
As he entered the kitchen, Seto glanced at him. Beside the oldest Kaiba brother sat the same boy that had been in Seto's room, still looking at his lap.
Noa shook his head, telling himself not to stare again in his mind as he took his seat across from Seto, fidgeting and sighing.
Eyes narrowing, Seto said: "This is Otogi Ryuuji. Otogi, this is my brother, Kaiba Noa." The boy only nodded. Seto glared at Noa. "You will not speak to him unless I tell you to, got it?"
He blinked, nodding. "Yes."
Mokuba walked in, sitting beside Ryuuji without so much as a glance to the other boy.
Noa shook his head again, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.
"Hello, nii-sama," Mokuba said to Seto, flashing a fake smile.
"Mokuba," Seto said by way of greeting, nodding as the maids came out and set the plates in front of them.
Noa looked up, staring at the plate blankly.
They didn't give Ryuuji as much as they did the Kaiba's. The green-eyed male waited until Seto took a bite to even pick up his fork.
Noa tried to stare away, at anything, maybe Mokuba...
Mokuba ate silently, looking up as Noa stared at him. "Nani, Onii-san?" He asked, tilting his head to the side.
He shook his head, looking back at his plate. "Nothing."
Seto watched them both without interest, his eyes not even moving to look at Ryuuji, who would only do something after Seto had done it.
The middle Kaiba picked up his fork as he began to slowly prod at his food.
Ryuuji's eyes slowly lifted when he thought that no one was looking to fall on Noa silently.
The other looked up carefully at that one moment, holding his breath without realizing it.
Eyes widening, Ryuuji's head snapped back down, his eyes resting once more on his lap.
Noa smiled lightly, noting how much more beautiful the boy was than he'd previously thought, before looking back down at his plate.
Seto, having noticed the little exchange, glared at Ryuuji, before saying: "Otogi. Go."
Without a word the boy stood up, pushing his chair in.
The middle Kaiba pouted to himself, before taking a sip of the water that was next to him.
As the other left, Seto went back to his meal without a word, glaring at Noa out of the corner of his eye.
Noa blinked, before attempting to eat.
When he was done, Seto stood up and left, not speaking still.
After the oldest brother closed the door, Mokuba let out a breath he had been holding.
"Something up, Mokuba?" Noa asked as he looked over at the younger boy.
"Nii-sama saw Otogi looking up," Mokuba pointed out. "Otogi's a slave, but Nii-sama doesn't like people talking to him, so he lets him eat at the table as long as he doesn't disobey the rules. By looking at you he did."
The older boy furrowed his eyebrows. "That broke a rule..?"
Mokuba nodded. "He's not aloud to eat or drink before Seto does, he's not supposed to speak, or look up from his plate. He can't leave the table until Seto tells him to do so, and Seto gets to pick how much he eats. He says it because Otogi used to be starving, and if Seto gives him too much he'll make himself sick."
Somehow, Noa barely believed that. "Oh."
"I suggest you stay downstairs if you don't want to hear Nii-sama yelling..."
"He -- yells at the boy?"
"Well, yeah..."
Aqua eyebrows furrowed, before Noa stood up, pushing his seat in.
Mokuba frowned. "Where are you going?"
"My room."
"Okay..." the younger didn't question further as he went back to eating.
Noa made his way up the stairs quietly.
Shouting could he heard from Seto's room, but it was too muffled to make out.
The middle Kaiba sighed, feeling extremely guilty as he wandered off to his bedroom.
After a while the shouting stopped and Seto stormed down the hallway, disappearing into his office, slamming the door.
Noa blinked, opening his own door to venture outwards.
Small sobs came from Seto's door, which was slightly open.
The blue-eyed boy looked around carefully, before stepping through to reach Seto's door and stop in front of it.
Barely visible through the crack was Ryuuji, laying on Seto's bed, his face buried in the pillows, his shoulders shaking as he sobbed lightly, trying to control himself.
Noa couldn't help himself as he pushed the door to Seto's room open and stepped inside, forgetting all the pain he'd go through if he were caught.
The black haired boy looked up, before quickly looking away, trying to franticly wipe away his tears as he sat up straight, his head down.
The younger boy walked up to him slowly, hands behind his back as he stared at the boy sadly.
Green eyes stayed on the boy's lap as he tried to fight back more tears.
"Gomen nasai," Noa muttered.
The black haired boy winced lightly at Noa's voice, but said nothing.
"I know I'm not supposed to speak to you," The Kaiba began in the same, soft voice. "...but I feel like it's my fault that you were yelled at, and I'm very sorry."
Green eyes slowly lifted to meet his sadly.
Noa had the sudden urge to touch the other boy's face, as his hand lifted slowly.
Ryuuji's eyes snapped shut, but he didn't move.
The younger boy carefully placed his hand on the other's cheek, as gently as possible.
The green-eyed boy didn't move, his eyes still clenched tightly.
Noa breathed a small sigh, pulling his hand back carefully. "I'm sorry." He whispered.
Ryuuji's eyes slowly lifted to look up at Noa, surprised at the words.
The younger quickly put both hands behind his back, rocking on his heels. Looking around, he remembered the room he was in, and the thought of what kind of punishment he'd go through if he was found in there.
Realizing he was breaking a rule, Ryuuji's eyes fell back on his lap silently, his body tense, as if expecting to be hit.
Noa noticed the other boy's reaction. "I'm not going to hurt you..." He muttered.
Believing him, Ryuuji relaxed, though his eyes still remained on his lap.
"But..." The middle Kaiba began. "If Seto finds me talking to you..."
"He won't blame you," Ryuuji whispered, speaking for the first time. "He'll blame me."
The younger boy blinked, taken aback at the sound of his voice. He thought to himself how silly it was to think the boy couldn't speak. Shaking his head, he sighed. "Shall I leave?"
"If you wish to, Noa-sama."
Blinking again, small blush came to Noa's cheeks. "I don't…really want to, but I don't want to get you in any more trouble because of me..."
"It nothing that I am not used to, Noa-sama. If you wish to stay then do so. I cannot tell you what to do."
"I shall leave, then..." The aqua haired boy muttered, a bit sadly. "But only for your sake."
Green eyes widened lightly at that, but the other boy didn't move.
"I suppose I'll be seeing you a lot, though." Noa smiled at him lightly, before leaving the room with a little, "Baibai."
As Noa left the room, he rammed right into a very pissed looking Seto, who had his arms crossed over his chest.
The aqua haired boy's eyes widened as he tried to run off to his room.
The older brother grabbed his arm, turning him around to face him. "Noa," he barked, his eyes narrowed nearly into slits. "I'll give you a break since you just came home and don't know the rules. But never go in my room and never talk to Otogi."
Noa knew it was extremely stupid, but he couldn't stop himself. "But -- why? Why can't I talk to him?"
"Because I run this house and I told you you can't."
"That's not really a good reason..." The younger trailed off, before attempting to pull away.
Seto gripped his arm tighter. "Because he's a slave and you don't need to converse with slaves."
"I converse with the other slaves, Seto. It's not like we're plotting anything.." Noa winced.
"He isn't like the other slaves. He doesn't cook or do dishes. He doesn't dust or mop. I'm sure you've noticed this. No, he's lower class then any of the other slaves here."
The younger Kaiba furrowed his eyebrows at this, slightly confused.
"He's a pleasure slave, Noa. A whore, if you will."
Noa's eyes widened and he shuddered at the thought of what Seto must do to that poor boy.
The older Kaiba released his brother's arm, his eyes still narrowed. "You will not speak with him again. If you do, believe me, you both will be punished."
The younger boy nodded, trying to get the images of the other boy's pain out of his mind.
With that said, Seto turned and headed into his room, closing the door behind himself.
Noa rubbed at his arm where Seto had grabbed him, before starting on his way back to his room.
~*~
Breakfast the next day was served with silence. It seemed even Mokuba had nothing to say, as the boy tried to figure out why Seto and Noa were on edge. Ryuuji barely ate, seeming embarrassed about being caught talking to Noa.
The middle Kaiba brother sighed, staring at the plate before him. He hadn't been hungry at all since he'd come home, and the silence wasn't helping any.
"Otogi." The black haired boy turned his head toward Seto, his eyes still down. "Go."
Without a word Ryuuji stood up, leaving his plate, which was almost completely full.
Noa felt like protesting, but didn't.
Ryuuji closed the door behind himself, and Seto glared at Noa.
Said boy looked up. "What!? What did I do?! Breath!? Or something? Did that upset you?!"
Without a word the older boy stood up, leaving the room.
Mokuba frowned. "Why are you guys so angry at each other, anyway?"
"It's nothing, Mokuba."
"You... you didn't call me Moku-chan. Now I know something is up."
Noa blinked, smiling at him.
"Its about Otogi, huh?" He leaned in, placing his elbows on the table. "Because you sure act like you like him."
"Well...no! Mokuba!!"
The little boy grinned. "Nii-sama acted the same way when we bought Otogi. Always staring at him. He got angry because everyone else in the house would do the same, and finally, he ordered everyone to pretend like Otogi wasn't there."
His brother furrowed his eyebrows. "Hn."
"I have no idea why he moved Otogi into his room. I mean... the guy had his own room in the beginning..."
Without a word, Noa stood up, heading toward the door.
"Hey!" Mokuba cried. "You did this last night! Why are you leaving me this time?"
"Mokuba, I..."
"No! You know what, its fine! Go ahead, storm off because Seto is being a jerk like he always is, and leave me here! I don't care, really!"
Noa blinked, walking over to Mokuba slowly. "Moku-chan..?"
"What!?" He yelled, glaring at Noa, tears in his eyes. "In a year I won't even be in the house! And all you can do is sulk over some stupid slave that Seto has locked in his room!"
"Mokuba, please..." Noa whispered, petting the other boy's hair softly, even though he knew it was true, what the boy had said.
"Leave me alone!" Mokuba screamed, shoving Noa away from him. He got out of his chair and ran for the door, bursting through it.
Noa sighed, watching the younger boy leave. After a couple of seconds he attempted to follow him.
Mokuba disappeared into his room, slamming the door and locking it.
Upon reaching the youngest Kaiba's room, the aqua haired boy knocked lightly.
"Go away!" Mokuba cried. "Leave me alone! Go bug Otogi!"
He sighed quietly. "Moku-chan?" He tried. "Please let me talk to you."
"I don't want to talk to you!"
"Why?"
"Because... because your a meanie!"
Noa laughed slightly at this. "Moku-chan...please?"
"No! Go away!"
"I promise to not be mean, if you'd let me speak with you."
"No!"
The older brother sighed, sliding down to sit at the bottom of Mokuba's door on the outside of the hallway. "Then I'm not leaving here. So if you ever get hungry, or need to use the bathroom, you have to talk to me first." Noa declared.
Seto stepped out of his room, grabbing a maid that was passing. "Call the doctor. Otogi's sick."
She nodded and headed off.
Noa looked up at that instantly. He thought about moving...but what point would that prove to Mokuba..?
Seto glanced at him, before raising an eyebrow in question.
"Protesting against Mokuba?" The middle Kaiba tried, looking up at him innocently.
"I have a window, you know!" Mokuba cried. "I can just use it!"
"And jump!?" Noa retorted. "I'd like to see you tr---" He stopped. "Moku-chan, please don't." He murmured, banging the back of his head against the door.
"Then leave me alone and I won't do it!"
"Why do you want me to leave so badly.?"
"Because I'm mad at you!"
"Will you let me come in so you can tell me why?!"
"No!"
"What if I let you let your anger out on me? Would that help?"
"I just want to be left alone!"
The older boy sighed, giving up and burying his head in his arms in exhaustion.
Seto snorted. "He's been acting like that a lot lately." He said, before turning back to look in his room, where Ryuuji got into a coughing fit.
Noa winced at the coughs, shaking his head. Too much was going on in his mind for him to be able to handle it. Getting angry, he stood, before cursing at nothing in particular and kicking the wall across from him. With a whimper, he fell back to the floor in tears.
Seto, ignoring him, went downstairs to wait for the doctor. Ryuuji stepped out of Seto's room, unnoticed, and walked slowly up to Noa, kneeling so they were even. "Daijoubu ka?"
The middle Kaiba blinked, looking up through teared up eyes. He blushed lightly at seeing the boy, before sighing and leaning his head back so he was leaning against the wall he'd previously kicked.
Ryuuji smiled weakly, looking down, before coughing a few more times.
Noa reached out to stroke the other boy's hair softly.
The other slowly leaned into the touch, his eyes closing. It had been a long time since anyone had been so gentle... it felt... nice.
Before he'd stopped himself, Noa had his arms around the boy, crying onto him lightly.
With a small smile, Ryuuji slowly rubbed Noa's back, whispering calming words to the crying boy.
The younger smiled at the touch, calming down slightly and letting out a breath.
Ryuuji let go of Noa. "Are you all right, Noa-sama?"
He nodded slightly, before thinking it over and changing his answer to a shake of the head.
"What's wrong, then?"
"I don't know..." Noa began in a whisper, looking down.
"Hmm..." The green-eyed boy coughed again, covering his mouth.
Noa winced again, curling his hands into fists.
Frowning, Ryuuji placed his hands lightly on top of Noa's. "Don't be upset, Noa-sama..."
The aqua haired Kaiba blushed more, looking up. "But..."
"Hmm...?"
"Seto's going to hurt us."
Ryuuji pulled his hands back, looking into his lap, knowing Noa was telling the truth.
"I'm sorry..." He whispered to the boy.
"For what?"
"For getting you in so much trouble! If I weren't here.."
"Its not your fault. I had a choice to talk to you."
"And why did you?"
"Because... because you're the only person who is nice enough to talk to me."
At this, Noa smiled lightly.
Ryuuji smiled back, but gasped as Mokuba opened his door, staring right at them.
Noa blinked, looking up at the boy from their position on the floor.
Mokuba blinked, looking from Ryuuji to Noa.
Noa stood immediately after the blinks were exchanged, holding a hand out for Ryuuji to take as he wiped at his own sapphire eyes.
Looking at Mokuba nervously, Ryuuji took Noa's hand, his eyes falling to the floor instantly. He coughed two times, covering his mouth.
Noa looked at Ryuuji silently, concerned.
Two sets of steps could be heard coming up the stairs, and Ryuuji backed away from Noa, his hand slipping from the other boy's hold. He went back into the bedroom, praying that Mokuba would not say anything.
Noa glanced over at Mokuba, then went back to his post in front of the boy's door.
"Oh, I see," The black haired boy snapped. "He's still more important then me, is he!?"
"Who's more important then you?" Seto asked as he walked up, the doctor in toe.
Mokuba looked at Noa, a glare on his face.
Noa stared up at Mokuba pleadingly.
"Well…"
