Okay I know this happens every time, but I really am sorry about the delay. Family emergency that has lasted a long time and shows absolutely no signs of going away for a while will be affecting my updating. It's really hard to write when you're trying your hardest not to kill someone and when you're stressing out so much you're making yourself sick. I can't promise updates will get more consistent, but I'll try

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The silence was beginning to make Hisoka twitch. He had sat there for several minutes watching as Tsuzuki rubbed his wrist with a far away look. Just when he was about to shout or shake him to at least get some sort of reaction the other neko shifted and set his hands down in his lap. "I don't really know when he first saw me, or how he decided or how he paid for my time. All I really know is that I was sent out to him . . . I think I had just hit adulthood a few weeks ago so it wasn't my first time being sent. I wasn't nervous or anything." Hisoka sat back keeping still and keeping his movements to a minimum. He didn't want to distract the other from his story.

"I remember seeing the big castle, although it's not as big as the palace, but at the time it was the biggest building I'd ever seen. When he first looked me over he seemed to be trying to figure something out. I dunno what, but I guess he did because he paid the guy then agreed to return me the next week." Tsuzuki shifted in the seat his ears lowering and his tail curling around him. There was nervousness in his movements and in the air that told Hisoka he hadn't spoken much about this. "F-for the next few days he . . . did . . . did stuff . . ." He shifted a bit awkwardly as if he was trying too hard to push himself.

"Take your time. Other than lessons there really is nothing else for us to do today." Hisoka decided he needed to slow Tsuzuki down before he pushed too hard and broke himself. While he didn't know him that well the young prince guessed that he was that kind of neko. The brown tail curled protectively around his waist was proof. "Don't push it too hard." He said quietly.

"Y-yes . . . it's just . . ." Tsuzuki shifted again then began rubbing the scar again. "I never told anyone . . . T-tari doesn't even know . . ." He said quietly keeping his head as low as possible. Hisoka watched as soft brown hair covered most of that face and he had to hold tightly onto his hands to keep from reaching over and brushing them back. They still twitched and he considered sitting on them. He was pulled out of his thoughts by a voice. "They . . . were experiments . . . he said." Hisoka's ears twitched and flicked up. What was this about experiments? "He'd cut me . . . then time how long it took to heal . . . for the full week." Tsuzuki shivered curling up slightly in the chair.

"I went back to the slave house. Got sent out for other people, but I had to go back to him a few weeks later. He did it again, but for a longer time and with deeper cuts. A few weeks after that he drew on me then . . . then he traced the marks with a knife . . ." Brown ears lowered slightly. "It happened again and again . . . I was getting used to it, but then . . ." Hisoka blinked slowly looking over holding his breath waiting for to hear the rest of the story.

Tsuzuki's fingers stopped running along the scar and instead gripped his wrist as if covering or even protecting the area. Hisoka knew he just might hear what that had come from and he forced himself to breath. "He took me to a room . . . W-when he opened the door there was . . . there was a head . . . a human head sitting there." Emerald eyes widened as a shudder ran through Tsuzuki. "It was just sitting there on the bookshelf like it was a statue, but . . . h-he made me touch it . . . it was warm . . . l-like i-if I touched you now . . . H-he said it was his b-brother." Hisoka didn't think his eyes could widen anymore until they did. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, but he knew there was no way he'd been able to think of that on his own.

"He t-tied me to the t-table there and b-began carving everything he'd done before, but he was saying stuff I didn't understand . . . I-I think it was a spell 'cause it's how Tari did it and it sounded kinda similar, but M-muraki's w-was longer 'nd it hurt." Tsuzuki rubbed his eyes curling up more on the chair. After hearing that and seeing the struggle he was having there was no way Hisoka could just keep his hands to himself. Hesitantly he reached out to brush some of his hair back in a comforting gesture. He wasn't sure it had an affect, but Tsuzuki continued on.

"I don't know what happened, but the next thing I knew I was back in my room at the slave house with every doctor in the slave house and Tari watching me with worried eyes. He wasn't allowed back at the slave house again . . . b-but one of the . . . one of the times I got sent out the lord handed me over to him . . . H-he said I had messed him up 'nd had destroyed his brother's head . . ." Tsuzuki shivered rubbing his wrist again closing his eyes tightly. "He decided I . . . I was 'intriguing' enough that he wanted to 'study' me more . . ." The prince had thought it was the end, but as unbelievable as it was he realized there was more and it was what had hurt Tsuzuki more. He seemed to be having a much harder time talking about this part. Gently Hisoka pet him.

"It's all right. You don't have to tell me right away." His voice was much gentler than he had intended and he found it impossible to prevent the blush. Tsuzuki didn't notice as he shivered curling up more in the seat. Hisoka couldn't stand to see him like this so he let his instinct kick in. He wrapped his arms around the trembling shoulders and pulled his head to rest on his own shoulder. After tensing for a few moments Tsuzuki slowly wrapped his arms around him and clung to him. Hisoka blushed lightly, but ran a hand through his hair to comfort him. He didn't even realize how much time was passing by outside of the two of them.

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Watari blinked slowly as Tatsumi unclipped the chain and used the clothes to hide the collar around his neck. It wasn't like princes didn't own slaves. Why was his master trying to hide his status? He blinked a bit his ears flicking in curiosity. Not only was he curious about his behavior, but he wanted to know where his master was taking him. His curiosity was beginning to overwhelm him since he seemed to need fixing up to go there. Tatsumi had even begun playing with his hair and had tied it back with a ribbon. "Master?" He finally asked as Tatsumi continued to fuss with the collar of his shirt.

"Tatsumi." Watari blinked a bit. "Just call me 'Tatsumi'. I hear enough of the titles I'm beginning to hate the caste system." The last part was a mumble, but they were so close that Watari could hear it perfectly. This closeness was causing a small blush to flutter to his face and Watari didn't blush all that often.

"T-tatsumi then." He blushed again then shifted glancing at him. "W-where are we going, Tatsumi?" The prince continued to fuss with the collar until his slave collar was hidden then took a step back to examine his work. A faint smile on his face expressed his approval and Watari felt his knees weaken at those blue eyes.

"It's the day I visit my mother. She's uncomfortable with palace life so I try to get rid of some of it before visiting her." His master explained as he was led out of the room and down the hall. He focused on memorizing the route they took as they walked out of the palace. His reasoning was so he would know that the palace at least ended on one side. It just seemed so big from the inside as if it wasn't enclosed in thick stone walls.

"Mast—I mean Tatsumi…" He shifted nervously at the informal tone. "Aren't you and Prince Hisoka brothers? W-wouldn't the queen be your mother?" Watari asked hesitantly trying hard not to sound like he was pushing his luck. It was just very confusing to him. Hearing Tatsumi's sigh he felt really bad instantly.

"We have the same father, but our mothers are different. Hisoka's mother is the queen while my mother still lives in town. She works in her uncle's dress shop." The prince seemed to be a bit upset so Watari held in his other questions. He'd wait and see if he could ask another time. They stopped in front of a small shop and Watari recognized it. He'd been sent here a few times to help pick up orders for the owner of the slave house. He had never seen a woman here before, though. Tatsumi led him around the back of the shop and to a small building to the left. He opened the door. "Mother?"

"Tatsumi! There you are! I was beginning to worry that you wouldn't come this week! You being an adult and all—I thought you might have discovered you are too old to be visiting your mother like this." The quiet voice broke through the silence of the house and reached them at the door. Watari followed him into the house searching for the owner of the voice.

"Mother, I promised you I would come visit. I'm not going to break that just because I turned another year older." Tatsumi walked into a room and Watari blinked. A woman was sitting at a sewing machine. There was a beautiful dress on the machine, but it looked like she had stopped working when they had come in. She was beautiful and Watari didn't have a hard time understanding what the king had seen in her. When she smiled Watari saw where his master had gotten those amazing blue eyes.

"Oh, some day you will." She smiled a bit sadly, bit it instantly brightened when her eyes fell on Watari. "You brought a guest today. Is this Prince Hisoka? I haven't seen him since you guys were ity bity." Watari blinked a bit shifting a bit nervously.

"No, mother. Hisoka is back at the palace. He didn't think it was right to intrude on our time together. His words not mine." Tatsumi explained then led Watari closer. "This is my friend Watari." Instinct kicked in and Watari bowed to the woman before he remembered he wasn't supposed to be a slave in front of her. He straightened with a small smile.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, ma'am." His eyes instantly shot to Tatsumi for approval. When there was no negative emotion in his eyes Watari relaxed. He then looked back at the woman and smiled gently. She was eyeing him trying to figure him out, he assumed. Then she looked over at Tatsumi and grinned.

"Come over here." She held up her hands and Watari moved over slowly more than nervous. What was she up to? He knew she was planning something. When her hands shot to his shoulders and turned him around he was a bit shocked. It hit harder when she began playing with his hair. "You have such pretty hair! How could you hide it like this? Honestly you're worse than him. His hair is flat so it looks good tied back, but yours . . ." She shook her head and began playing with it. "You should leave it down and wild. Taming it will only conceal its beauty." She flipped some of it around his shoulders then turned him around. Her hands moved quickly and curled it around her finger then framed the curls around his face. "There. Doesn't he look stunning now?" She turned him back around to face his master. The shock left a small blush on his face and he shyly looked up at the prince. "Compliment your mother's work, dear. You wouldn't want to see an old woman cry, would you? Now, doesn't he look stunning?"

"Yes." The prince admitted quietly and Watari felt his face heat. Those blue eyes met his own and his knees really did get weak. They were focused so intently on him and only him and what he saw there shut his mind down completely. He was so utterly lost in blue that he forgot the woman was behind him until hands tightened on his shoulders.

"I see how it is." Her voice held the hint of a grin and Watari really wished he could crawl in a hole right then. He knew that she knew he was completely and totally head over heels for his master. It wasn't like that hurt his predicament nor should it affect his master's life, but if she knew and she didn't know he was a slave she may push for something that Watari knew was impossible. Tatsumi was a prince, maybe not next in line for the throne, but he was royalty—an asset to the kingdom while Watari was a slave and so very expendable.

"You're old mother can see what's going on." Watari looked up to see the confused look on Tatsumi's face and realized the woman was answering it. "I'm so happy for you both! If your father has any problems with it don't worry. I'll happily sneak you out of the kingdom!" Watari's eyes widened at the same time as Tatsumi's and his face heated up just as the slight blush spread over the prince's. "Now of course you can't tell your father that, but I know your uncle will gladly help. He's proud to see you doing so well." Out of the corner of his eye Watari could see a hand reach out. He stepped aside and watched as she pulled Tatsumi into a hug. There was a small ache in his own heart at seeing the mother and son, but he quickly let the idea drop. "I am, too."

"Thank you, Mother. Tell Uncle I'll try to help both of you out in the shop some if I get a chance." The woman swatted his shoulders frowning. She pushed him back giving him a stern look. It was a bit odd to see her scolding a prince.

"Don't you dare. He has plenty of help in that rat of your cousin. You are a prince so you don't belong in a clothing shop." There was a small sigh from Tatsumi and he hugged her again.

"Of course, Mother." They spent most of the day talking with Tatsumi's mother. Watari felt a bit awkward since every ten minutes she would play with his hair again. The look on his master's face kept a small blush on his face and his mouth shut about the whole thing. He also seemed to be grateful that his own hair wasn't being played with. It did make Watari a little happy to be able to help his master out a little.

"You two should head back to the palace. If it gets dark it gets dangerous especially for two beauties on their way to the palace. I'm sure your father will worry." She pulled both of them into a hug then smiled up at them. "Let Prince Hisoka know he can come visit me any time." Tatsumi smiled softly.

"I will. See you next week." The prince gave her a hug then stepped back. Watari smiled softly bowing to his head to the woman. He straightened with a smile to play on his earlier slip. She could just assume it was part of his behavior.

"And bring Watari with you. He's such a doll and I've got some great ideas." The gleam in her eye frightened him a little and Tatsumi took his hand walking out of the room. "Of course, Mother. We'll see you." He said with a gentle smile before they walked out of the dress shop.