The headmistress, a stern old woman with glasses, didn't even look up from her paperwork.
"Yes, what is it?" she barked irritably. "I'm very busy." The human cleared his throat, and sounded like he was almost launched into a coughing fit.
"I-I would like-" his voice cracked, and his cheeks flushed. "I would like to purchase this fairy from you." That got her attention. She peered up at him through her gilded spectacles, and then her eyes shifted over to scrutinize Viktor.
"You want that one?" she asked, nose wrinkled. Cold settled in the fairy's belly.
"Yes, why?" Viktor could hear defensiveness rising in the other man's voice.
"I feel like I should have transparency with you." The headmistress removed her glasses. "He's marred."
"What do you mean?" A waver of worry had creeped into the Asian man's tone.
'This is it,' Viktor thought. 'He won't want me anymore once he finds out.' His heart thudded heavily in his ribcage in dread.
"You really don't know?" The headmistress asked disbelievingly.
"No," the dark-haired man retorted, fiercely yet civilly.
"I see." She examined him with her piercing blue gaze. "Whatever your name is," she snapped, directing her command at Viktor, "Roll up your sleeves." The silver-haired man hesitated for a moment, pulse racing wildly. He gradually pushed up his left sleeve, and then his right. The human gasped when he saw the bloody, bandaged stump.
"Did you do this to him?" he demanded, gesturing in Viktor's direction.
"Of course not," the headmistress laughed. "His previous master did." The fairy shivered as he remembered the way that a knife saws through bone and flesh.
"That's appalling." The other man sounded as if he was on the verge of tears.
"That may be so, but I don't call the shots, kid. Could've been a lot worse." She smirked. "Consider yourself lucky. I'll lower the price because he's damaged goods." Viktor felt like crying himself, but kept a pleasant smile plastered on his face. He silently braced himself for the human's response, waiting for the inevitable decline now that the other man was aware of his injury.
"No." Viktor's heart sank, and his smile disappeared despite his best efforts. Of course this would happen. He never should have gotten his hopes up in the slightest- "I will pay full price for him," the human announced, eyes firm. Both Viktor and the headmistress' mouths fell open in startlement.
"Wha-?" The older woman looked flustered and bewildered. "Why? I was offering you a discount."
"Because I believe that he has no less value as a person just because he has been a victim," the Asian man told her fiercely. "So I will pay you in full."
"Have it your way then," the headmistress snorted, a greedy glint in her eyes.
"I'll buy him right now. How much?" The human had taken out his wallet and opened it, his trembling fingers the only thing that gave away the nervously hidden under a facade of bravery.
The headmistress smirked and named her price; Viktor cringed. Surely the other man would change his mind now? But he was unfazed, and dropped the contents of his clutch onto the desk. The headmistress' eyes were as round as the titanium coins rolling over her papers.
"I included the amount for last night as well."
"Yes," she croaked weakly. "Um… You just need to fill out some forms, and then you can be on your way." She shuffled in a folder for a second, and extracted a document before handing it shakily to the dark-haired man. He picked up a quill and began filling it out. She watched him. "Yuuri Katsuki?" she exclaimed. "You're part of the Katsuki family?" He ignored her.
Yuuri. So that was his name. It was beautiful. It melted off the tongue like a lemon drop candy. Yuuri released the feather pen and whirled around. The two of them left the room, and Viktor felt like he was walking on air. As soon as the curtain was closed, it seemed that the human's confidence vanished. He let out a slow breath, his shoulders relaxed, and he looked at the floor as he started walking. Viktor was too stunned at what had just happened to speak, so he just followed behind.
Yuuri swallowed audibly.
"Do-do you have anything you want to take with you? I'll buy you nicer clothes if you want them." Ah, he was so kind. Viktor didn't believe that he really deserved it. He thought about his cheap, filthy, torn kimonos that he didn't technically own anyway. They were badges of being a whore, and the thought of taking them with him felt wrong. He shook his head docilely.
"No, master."
"Oh." Yuuri sounded a bit uncomfortable and concerned, although Viktor could not fathom why. "Alright, then." The human offered a small smile. The pair exited the poorly-lit brothel and stepped out into the brilliant sun. Viktor couldn't help but hope that his new life would be this bright.
(Please leave a comment, it encourages me~ Thanks for reading!)