Part Two

Why was he even here? The longer he waited, the more it seemed like a bad plan. He should have just sent Gustav in his stead, but it had been three long months since he'd last seen his lover, and he wanted to be there to welcome him back personally.

Robert was never going to feel comfortable with public shows of affection. Even now, he still had to steel himself for the inevitable barrage of kisses in front of the crowded terminal.

Not that he didn't enjoy Michael's special breed of shameless adoration; he just would have preferred to receive it to be behind closed doors, where he could let his guard down and reciprocate it.

He had learned his lesson about allowing people to see - and judge - his relationship with his American counterpart. The press coverage of that one careless kiss in the middle of that fateful baseball game had seen him cut off from his family, and his loyalties questioned by the BBA.

At the time, he insisted he didn't care, but there was so much damage control to deal with. Why did everyone care so much about his personal life? Why couldn't they just leave him alone, and let him be happy?

Michael, however, thrived on attention. He was the bad boy of American Beyblading, and an international romance with another man was just the kind of news to whip the entire sporting world into a frenzy - and he loved it. Good or bad, he lapped up the publicity; his only concern was making sure the photographers got his good side.

It was one element of their personalities which still clashed; Robert was traditional and private in the way he expressed himself, and he was dating quite possibly the world's biggest show-off.

So now, as he stood waiting for the passengers of the plane to start filing into the airport, he cast a wary look behind him, hoping - just once, there were no reporters nearby. Sure, he had the money and power to have them escorted away, but that would only stir up more controversy. And the last thing he needed was that.

It had been almost two years since Michael had first come to his bedroom and seduced him. With the exception of his uncle's abusive phone calls, Robert's family weren't talking to him, but at least he had regained the trust of Judy, and with her support, the remaining three All Starz followed. Not that any of them knew why their coach had a sudden change of heart, Michael included.

Robert's family, however, were another matter altogether - one that wouldn't go away by signing some trivial piece of paper. They wanted him to marry a girl they had approved... and Michael was neither a girl, nor in the running for their approval. He was just a common boy who had brought nothing but shame to the illustrious Jurgens family, and that was all they were ever going to see in him.

Robert hadn't wanted them to find out through the media. He wanted to wait, and tell them personally, when the time was right. It was a delicate subject; after all, how does one tell their family that their long line of fine knights was going to end with him?

Johnny constantly told him that it was just some infatuation with the forbidden that he would get over soon enough, but it never happened. He was still as much in love with Michael as he had been the moment he had given his virginity to him.

And that was why he was waiting, despite every other sense and instinct urging him to run back to his castle and receive his guest there. He couldn't bear to be without him for longer than necessary, and the drive back into the mountains was an hour's trip... an hour he didn't want to spend alone.

The crowd began to swell, and Robert's impressive stature proved useful as he looked over the heads of the travellers in search of that wild burgundy mane, tamed by a patriotic baseball cap.

Flanked by two grinning girls, Michael was smiling just as broadly as they complimented him on his Beyblading skills and his looks. They propositioned him, and invited him back to their house, but he had to refuse. There was only one reason he was here. And the closer he got to the outskirts of the crowd, the more he could see of his tall lover.

"I'm sorry, ladies." He waved them off, much to their disappointment. "I have a boyfriend."

It made him feel so proud to say it. His old self would never have turned down an opportunity with two willing girls, but now... now, he was involved with a man he adored, and couldn't imagine going back to his days of empty pleasure; even if it meant going for months without another's intimate touch...

If someone had told him he would one day be in a long-distance relationship and living in celibacy for most of the year, he would have laughed in their face. But here he was, doing just that... and his body was aching with the memories of the last time he had felt Robert's hands on him.

Three months was a long time when he barely used to last three days without having to seek out a nameless partner for the night.

"Robert..."

If there were reporters and photographers, Robert didn't see them as Michael's arms wrapped around his shoulders; his body pressed tightly to him; his lips clumsily making contact with his jaw, his chin, and finally his lips.

Robert closed his eyes as he surrendered to his need to respond. He embraced his lover's waist, as his tongue tasted the kisses he had missed so much. The world raced around them, but they were content to stay locked together in their silent reunion.

"Get inside me." The American boy slurred into the kiss.

"A normal person would greet me with 'Hello' first." Robert said, turning his head to the side so that he could talk through the onslaught.

"Yeah, yeah... hi." Michael's hot breath raced across the knight's face as his lower half ground against him. "Now, why aren't you fucking me?"
There was that loathsome word! A deep red stained Robert's cheeks, because despite wanting to call the act anything but that, there really was no other word to describe what he wanted to do to Michael after so long without him.

"Not here." He insisted, his hands seeking the redhead's hips in an attempt to stall his inappropriate behaviour, until they were somewhere a little more private.

Michael was used to being told no, but that didn't make it easier for him to stop. He was only allowed out of Judy's sight for a few days, and he wanted to make the most of his time with his lover - which, to a boy like him, meant writhing on his back, moaning for his knight in shining armour to go faster, harder, deeper.

The lapse in his affection's intensity was exactly what Robert needed to successfully pry him away.

"Do you have any luggage?" The German boy asked, holding him at arm's length to avoid any more of his ill-discipline.
Michael shook his head. "I was hoping to be naked most of the time."

He was genuinely disgusting, and Robert found it irresistible - even though his frown said otherwise.
"I hope this visit is not some sort of international booty call?"
Michael managed to stifle his laugh into a less offensive snicker at hearing Robert's aristocratic voice using such terminology.
"Are you seriously telling me you'd be upset if it was?"

The taller boy's frown deepened. Sex was nothing to joke about; he was committing all sorts of abominations to his family's strong beliefs on the subject just by taking someone to his bed before marrying them, let alone a commoner... a male commoner.

He refused to answer the question. "Let us get you to the car before you have us both thrown out of here."

Gustav opened the door to the limousine and gave a bow of respect to his master and guest.
"Straight home." Robert confirmed the course as he filed in, and sat beside Michael.

The car's wheels had barely begun to roll before the American moved to straddle his lover's lap.
"I've missed you." He sang sweetly, twining his arms around Robert's shoulders and leaning in to kiss him.

Robert's horrified eyes met with Gustav's in the rear view mirror, and the butler was quick to avert his glance. A moment later, the darkened privacy screen slid from behind the front seat, separating driver from passengers. Even though he was head of the household, and knew everything about his master's doings, there were some things better left to the imagination.

"I have missed you, too." Robert answered carefully, his hands staying firmly by his sides; not returning the affection, but certainly not discouraging it.

Despite all his attempts to act proper and decent whilst he had a window at his side, he had to bite his lip as Michael moved deeper into his lap, rubbing his brazen erection against Robert's groin.

"How about fucking me now?" The All Star invited, pushing himself closer.

Robert had let Michael get away with a great deal of things he would never have tolerated from anyone else. This was why he had never met the boy at the airport before... this was why he would never announce the exact time his private jet was scheduled to arrive when it was his turn to visit America. It made things awkward; it was easier to avoid it than to try saying no to an offer he knew he couldn't refuse.

The nobleman's hands sought his lover's hips, his fingers splaying across his buttocks. It was his intention to stop him, but the more Michael ground against him, the more powerless he became. His breathing was heavy, his face was flushed, and his loins hungered for exactly what his lover was demanding... but here, in his car - on his perfect upholstery - as his most trusted servant chauffeured them through populated streets?