Anomie: The Tale of Voldo and Vercci

Author: Xanthos Samurai

Rating: R

Warnings: Yaoi/slash, whatever you want to call it – this fic features two men in a homosexual relationship. Also, violence, cannibalism, coarse language and hints of sadism/masochism. Read at your own risk.

Disclaimer: Voldo belongs to Vercci and Vercci belongs to Namco, so I don't own any of them. weep

Feedback: Please!

Thank You: Bubonic Apple (I totally agree with you that Voldo is underappreciated and disrespected. I'm hoping to change that at least a little bit with this fic! Thanks for reading!), lord stevey (It makes me feel good to hear that someone thinks that I'm getting Vercci right. I read all the canon information that I could find on him and Voldo and even then there wasn't much, so I just had to go with my instinct. Please keep reading – hopefully it'll only get better!), kaoru3 (Lemons, eh? You'll just have to keep reading and find out but there may be some citrus in the future…), Daryl-chan (Yes, a craving for odd pairings must be something we have in common. There should be more Voldo fanfiction, but it does make me feel special being one of the few and proud Voldo authors.), Bree (Oh good! Someone else who thinks that Vercci is coming across nicely. I had hoped that he would have an ominous air about him. And I'm afraid that you'll just have to get used to the cliffhangers… I happen to love them.)

Notes: Many apologies for this chapter coming so long after the first one. I had intended to update much sooner, but the college admissions process is determined to destroy me, so I haven't had much time to devote to the antics of my favorite creepy crawler and his beloved Master Vercci. Hopefully this chapter will make up for it. grin

If Voldo had had misgivings about following Vercci, they weren't allayed any by the sight of the mansion looming over the horizon. Dusk had already fallen and lamps had been lit in the windows, indenting to give a welcoming appearance. To Voldo, they looked like the glassy eyes of a dead corpse. He didn't like this situation. He no longer wanted to follow the human and especially not into the human's own den where he would be at a severe disadvantage if violence became necessary. Vercci was walking a pace or two in front of him, the huge dog a pace behind. Voldo knew that he could escape from them, but this was not the time to do it. Wait.

"You have nothing to fear from me, Voldo." Vercci did not turn to face Voldo, but his calm, confident voice carried through the warm summer air clearly. "I wish only to help you."

The feral man growled in his throat. Humans lie. This one was lying as well. Behind him, the huge dog growled back at him – a warning to show proper respect to the master.

"Roman, Voldo is our guest. You do not growl at guests – you treat them with respect." Now Vercci turned to face them, tossing his dark brown hair back. Voldo stopped so that he was a few feet away from him and stood eying Vercci mistrustfully. Roman remained standing, his eyes trained on Voldo. Vercci gave Voldo a smile, a smile that verged on a predator's smirk. "We will treat our new friend Voldo with respect and he will treat us respectfully in return, yes?"

Why was the human baring its teeth? Was it preparing to fight? Voldo narrowed his eyes, watching Vercci critically. No, that was not a fighting stance. Then he remembered that pulling back the lips and displaying the teeth was not a sign of aggression among humans. Then what was it? He couldn't decide and the human was waiting for him to say something. Finally he spoke,

"You attack in house." His speech was rough and broken, but Vercci understood his meaning.

"I assure you, nothing will inflict any injury upon you so long as you are within my home. I intend only to perform actions to benefit you, my derelict friend." The merchant replied. Voldo continued to look at him suspiciously. Vercci then realized that it was entirely likely that the cannibal did not understand his elaborate speech. He would have to speak in a manner that Voldo would comprehend.

"Nothing will attack you. I want to help you."

Voldo was still not convinced. "How?"

"Give you a bath and some food first. We'll see what else needs to be tended to after that." Vercci turned and approached the gates that barred the way to his magnificent home. A porter scurried out of the dimness like a rat and quickly unlocked the gate for his master. Voldo stood still, deliberating. This was the time to get away if he intended to get away, but the allure of food and a hot bath was strong. And humans lie, but this human was different from other humans. He smiled like a beast. Voldo decided that he would go with the human. He wouldn't trust him, but he was curious to see why the human wished to help him. He followed Vercci through the gate and pushed aside the twinge his nerves as the gate shut with a creak and a clang behind them. No turning back now.

"Master Vercci… Are you bringing in this… this thing?" The porter was eying Voldo as if the tall, lanky man were some sort of vile, dangerous insect. Voldo did not understand all of the man's words, but he recognized the scornful, disgusted tone. He growled, lifting a thin lip in the manner of the gutter mongrels he lived with.

"Aldo, do you not see that this man is my exalted guest?" Vercci's voice was calm and smooth, but there was a fair amount of acid running along the bottom of it. "His name is Voldo and you shall probably be seeing quite a bit of him from now on. Go inside and order a hot bath drawn up. And extra soap."

Aldo stiffened for a moment and then bowed. He did not want to incur Master Vercci's wrath.

"Right away, master."

They watched as the man scurried inside. Voldo thought that he might like to eat him one of these days and see if he tasted so much like the rats that he resembled. He made a snort of disgust in his throat and was surprised when Vercci began to laugh.

"I could not have expressed it better. Come with me, Voldo."

Vercci began to walk confidently towards the mansion, clearly expecting Voldo to follow him. Since he didn't have any other choice and had passed the point of no return, Voldo did so. Roman trotted behind them both. The wolfhound was still wary of his master's new find but was noticeably more at ease now that he was in his own familiar ground. Voldo did not mind the dog's presence in the slightest—he could understand loyalty of that caliber.

They reached a small replica of a Roman style bath—a small pool sunk within the marble-tiled floor and filled with hot water than had been piped in from the outside. The room itself was decorated with beautiful tile mosaics of ancient Roman hunting scenes lined the walls and drew the eye with their masterful craftsmanship.

"Remove your clothing and get in the water and clean yourself. We shall soon see what sort of beast is beneath all that grime," Vercci gestured to the water. Voldo slunk over to it and eyed the liquid in not so much of a suspicious way as just cautious. It looked and smelled like regular water, although he hadn't seen water this pure or clean in many a year.

He slid the rags off of his gaunt body and crouched naked at the edge of the pool. He felt Vercci's eyes on him, but didn't care. Animals have no sense of modesty. The water was hot, but not scalding as it closed around his body. It was about the same temperature as blood, but not nearly as thick. With interest, Voldo noted the chunks of filth that floated off his body and dirtied the water around him. This was the first he had bathed in a year, if not several years.

"Scrub or else you'll never be clean," Vercci walked over bearing a clean white cloth. "Use this and remove the grime from yourself."

Voldo looked blankly at the cloth. What did the human wish him to do with this? Vercci finally let out a sound of annoyance.

"You obviously do not understand. Come here," Vercci began to use the cloth to wipe off as much of the fetid grime from Voldo's back as he could without getting himself dirty or wet.

The beast stood absolutely still, his entire body stiff as Vercci cleaned him off. Contact. After so many years it was not a welcome sensation, but the harsh rubbing was tolerable. Voldo was silent as he endured the unfamiliar touch.

This is truly a fascinating creatures I've found, mused Vercci as he inspected Voldo's newly-clean back. The skin was smooth and abnormally pale. Could it be because he is active mainly at night? No… this is unnaturally pale.

"Were you born this way, Voldo?"

Voldo looked at him blankly and Vercci frowned,

"Bianco come un fantasma," he murmured. "Turn and look at me."

Voldo did so, although he wondered why the human wanted to see his face. Vercci's slim black brows raised in wonder with what he beheld.

The beasts' eyes were an alarming shade of maroon, almost hidden by a tangle of pale, wet hair. They were slightly slanted and seemed to reflect light, like a cat's do in the dark. They were the eyes of a predator—the eyes of death.

"By Pluto's gold…" Vercci's own blade-sharp black eyes were glinting with curiosity and a strange gleaming desire to possess. They were like rubies. Priceless rubies set within a sculpture of purest alabaster. Voldo was not just a beast or just a man… he was perfection. A work of art that defied even the skill of God.

"I want you," Vercci hissed through a throat constricted by desire. He wanted to bend this man to his will. He wanted Voldo to be his.

Voldo pulled away, eying the human. He hadn't understood the words, but he had not like the tone in which the human had spoken them. He could not trust the human, he told himself again.

Vercci was not normally a patient man, but to gain the trust of such a creature, he was willing to expend the time and effort that it would take to eventually claim Voldo as his own possession.

All in due time, Vercci. Be patient and soon you will be rewarded.

White as a ghost

To Be Continued…

Notes: Wah, this chapter wasn't as long as I wanted it to be either. I did take off some at the end, but that's going in the next chapter because I promised to get this out tonight and I'm getting tired, so unfortunately, the writing suffers. I hope you like this continuation!! And yes, Voldo is albino. It seems to me to fit his character, plus it gives great imagery. ;; Hopefully some of you will agree with me. I hope to get more up and soon!!