Part Ten

It was late afternoon by the time the crowd started to disperse, and Robert did not want to stay out longer than necessary, especially when he was being taunted by a creature of the night.

Michael, unaware of the danger he was in, was loath to leave. This was where he belonged - the poster boy of Beyblading; envied by all who saw him.

He had been in hopeless tears the previous night, hating himself for what he was. But here, he was celebrated.

Getting him to turn away from the praise of his fellow bladers was difficult - the boy kept stopping to talk to anyone who complimented him; some fans even grabbing him to slow down Robert's determined march to the car.

Whilst Robert was horrified, Michael was still just as excited as he had been when they first arrived. They were still as opposite as ever.

Robert knew he couldn't consistently provide the kind of environment Michael thrived in. There were just too many negative influences in his life. It was tiring enough dealing with his family, and now, Sanguinex had decided to make things even worse.

"Who was that guy you were talking to, anyway?" Michael asked as they began the drive back to the castle.
Robert waved off the question. "He is no one you need concern yourself with."
"I saw him last night. He's a blader. I would've liked to have versed him!"

"He is dangerous." The older boy warned.
"Just my type."
His joke was met with a serious warning. "Keep away from him!"
"Okay..." Michael agreed warily, subconsciously touching the wound on his neck. "So, what's his problem?"

"Like most of my unworthy rivals, he is desperate for a re-match."
Michael snorted. He had left his fair share of angry opponents in his wake, too.

The PPB would filter any correspondence given to the All Starz, but messages from an occasional angry rival slipped through. He and the boys would read them out in high-pitched, whiny voices. They would laugh about it for hours; even bring up memorable phrases days later during training, and they would laugh all over again.

Nothing touched them. Nothing hurt them.

If only he could go back to the anonymous hatred of a jealous wannabe. He gave a choked sigh. He didn't want to think about Robert's family, not after such a fun day, and he didn't want to start crying again.

It was embarrassing enough that Robert had seen him so vulnerable the previous night. He didn't want to repeat it.

He turned away, looking out the window whilst he blinked back the tears prickling his eyes.
"I'm not after your money." He said softly. That was a phrase he wished he could forget.

"I have never thought you were." Robert was confused by sudden admission, and then angered by his equally sudden realisation. "My uncle?"

Michael gave a single, sad nod.

"Whilst we are denying his accusations - I am not just using you for sex."
"Not even a little?" Michael raised an eyebrow.

"My uncle believes me to be that unlovable, and you to be that shallow. How perfect we are for each other."

Robert ran his hand across the boy's jaw, guiding him into a gentle kiss. It was so soft, so innocent, but Michael didn't have that kind of restraint. He wanted tongue; he wanted to gasp for breath as he ground himself in Robert's lap.

"I want you to use me for sex." The redhead whispered against his lover's lips.

"No."

"Whenever... you... like." He drawled, offering the temptation right then and there, before craning his neck for another kiss.

His mouth was open and hungry. He sucked on Robert's lips and chin. He wanted to taste him. He wanted to devour him.

Robert pulled away, slapping his hand over his mouth.

Michael had... bitten him? It was not a playful nip; it was a proper bite that broke the skin! Surely, it was an accident; the boy was so enthusiastic about everything. But with Sanguinex's threat still ringing in his ears, he was worried.

"I'm so sorry!" The American boy was more horrified by his actions than Robert was. "I didn't mean to..."

The knight turned away, staring out at the setting sun, and pressing his fingertips to the wound. "The fault is mine."
"How's that work?" The younger boy reached over in show of comfort.

Robert pushed his hand away. "Do not worry about me."
"I want to make sure you're okay!"
"I do not need your concern." He waved any show of affection off, before changing the subject. "I have some paperwork to attend to after dinner, so please refrain from fighting with Johnny, if you would be so kind?"

"Okay... sure." The younger boy agreed sadly.

The rest of the drive was made in awkward silence. Robert kept daubing his wound with his handkerchief, and Michael tried not to make it obvious he was watching him.

Michael sat at the table in silence with his head bowed. Judy always warned him that one day he would end up hurting someone if he didn't learn more self-control. He felt awful about biting Robert, and even worse by the nobleman's reaction.

He reached for one of the forks by his plate. He knew it was probably the wrong one, and his refined lover would bluntly correct him. So when his dinner was not at all to his taste, he kept his criticism to pained facial expressions, in case it was something else his common self didn't understand.

Johnny, however, was very vocal about the sheer amount of garlic piled into the evening meal.

"What the hell, Robert?" The Scot demanded from his setting at the opposite side of the room. "This would kill a fucking vampire!"
"Do not speak like that at the table!" The master of the castle warned him, his eyes wide with... was that fear?

"Oh, shit..." He sunk back in his chair, visibly agitated.

Robert turned to Michael. "I apologise for Johnny's behaviour."
"I'm not sorry, so don't apologise for me!" The redhead shouted with his mouth full, despite his complaints.

Michael shrugged. It was average banter for him and the boys. If Johnny wasn't so stuck-up, he would have fit right in with the All Starz.

"It is pretty bad though, Robert." He admitted. He'd never eaten anything that actually caused him physical pain before. It wasn't just the taste; it was something else, like his very blood was stinging from it.

He excused himself, heading up to guest wing. It was the part of the castle he still felt the most comfortable in, and the best place for him sort himself out and work on a proper apology whilst Robert was busy.

"So, when were you going to tell me they're back?" Johnny asked from across the dining table.
"I do not think they ever truly left."
"You know what I mean. He's got you worried enough to be eating this." The redhead gestured at his plate. "Should we all be wearing crucifixes, too?"
"It is not a terrible idea." Robert sounded almost bored as he said it.

The battle would be lost if he let Sanguinex get into his head. He had allowed the vampire to goad him earlier, getting so angry he laid his hands on him! He could not make that kind of mistake again. He was better than that.

"Wait! Do you think I should go home?" Johnny asked. If Sanguinex was causing trouble, his brother was likely doing the same.
"I always think you should go home." Robert replied dryly, his blank expression making it difficult to tell if he was joking.

The moonlight shone on the outer wall of the castle and across the cobblestones. It was so different and peaceful to the bright city lights Michael was used to seeing out his window back home.

There was a movement in the stillness that caught his attention. There was someone down there - standing where the road through the forest met the outer gate.

The longer he looked at the figure, the more he realised he was staring straight back at him! His red eyes pierced through the evening mist, locked onto that one tiny window amongst a hundred others.

It was the strange blader!

How about that match, Michael? I want to meet that Bit Beast of yours!

Michael jumped away, pushing his back against the wall beside the window. Was this the kind of situation Robert wanted to know about?

It didn't matter what sort of weird feelings of guilt were between them, the American bolted down the staircase as fast as his athletic legs could run.

The dining room had been cleared. Not even Johnny was lurking about, having his usual second serving of dessert.

Michael knew he shouldn't disturb Robert from doing his paperwork, when he was specifically asked not to, so he hesitated as he reached the door to his private office.

"Robert! Are you in..." He trailed off softly, as he cracked open the door and peered into the empty room. "Here?"

He wandered in, sitting down at the desk, and looking at the pens and papers laid out neatly in front of him. There was an important-looking document sitting open several pages in, with a pair of reading glasses sitting on top. It looked like Robert had left the room suddenly. The castle was so big; it would be quicker to wait for its master to return, than to go looking for him.

Michael put the glasses on. They weren't very strong, but they were enough to make his vision blurry. He pulled open the top drawer and grabbed a loose piece of paper, unfolding it, and squinting at it through the glasses.

Even blurry, he recognised the All Starz logo on the letterhead.

He took the glasses off; the page practically begged him to read the rest. A contract? It mentioned him, it threatened Robert with all sorts of legal action... and it demanded they split up in the event of a tournament where both their teams were competing.

At the bottom of the page was Robert's signature, so curly and florid. He even signed his ordinal in Roman numerals, like kisses under his name. He often boasted about his family line, but he never detailed just how long it was. An unbroken chain spanning hundreds of years - until now. Until him.

Michael took a deep breath. There was so much going on behind his back. Maybe Robert's family were right?

Maybe Judy was right?

Was their relationship really that wrong, and that fragile?

He was so hurt and confused. He had enjoyed two years of ignorant bliss, whilst Robert had been desperately trying to keep all the negativity hidden.

The one positive was that the Majestics weren't an official team, and they hadn't mentioned any plans to compete in any future tournaments as one.

Robert often talked about the individual titles he was going to win, including ones he was going to take from the other three members of the Majestics when he toured their respective countries. At least, if he was being signed away, there was no chance of it actually happening.

Michael could hear a muffled footsteps getting closer in the hall outside. He quickly put the contract back into its hiding spot, and tried his best to look like he hadn't just had his heart torn out.

"Michael?" It was a startled question, rather than a statement of his name.

"Robert, I never meant to..."

Snoop? Bite you? Be one big disappointment?

"I know." The knight nodded like he understood. "Is something wrong?"

Michael shook his head. Compared to what was happening around him without his knowledge, the few things he did know about were unimportant. Even his initial reason for being in the room seemed trivial.
"It's nothing."

Robert moved closer to him, his eyes wide and serious. "Understand that everything I do is to protect you."

His hand was around Michael's neck, his fingers stroking the bite mark. It didn't feel as swollen. Perhaps the garlic had helped staunch whatever curse Sanguinex had passed on? He almost laughed out loud at the sheer foolishness of his paranoia.

The redhead gave a disbelieving grunt. He'd just found out his so-called protector had signed him away instead of defending him.

"Ich liebe dich, Michael..."

Robert had only ever spoken perfect, cold English to his boyfriend. Michael knew exactly what he had said purely by the tone. It made him physically shiver.

"...No matter what."

The younger boy wrapped his arms around his lover's shoulders. There were so many conflicting emotions running through him, he just couldn't return the sentiment in words. It only made him feel worse, because he did love Robert.

But... it felt wrong as strong hands relieved him of his jersey, like he was cheating on the relationship he thought he had. His own hands were no less treacherous, blindly tracing the lines of Robert's outfit with perfect recollection.

He wanted it. He ached for it. But to moan Robert's name, spread for him on the very desk that terrible contract sat in? That contract which would see them torn apart for doing what they both loved?

"Robert...!" He bit his lip, tremors in his voice as he said it.

It felt so good to have those hands on him. He had taught his lover everything he knew about how to touch him. No one else would ever be able to make him feel the way his knight in shining armour did.

As he was laid down on the antique hardwood, he thought about how much the Jürgens hated him; how monocles would fall out at the sight of him arching against their heir's caresses.

He found the words that eluded him before, moaning how much he loved his boyfriend.

When Judy phoned Robert the following morning to confirm Michael would be on the next flight back as planned, she was fully prepared for an argument. Instead, she was met with an unusually polite and agreeable conversation.

Of course Robert didn't want to let his rare visit come to an end so soon, but Sanguinex's appearance had changed things. Michael needed to be back across the ocean as soon as possible, for his own safety.