Chapter –6: Allure

"What?" Kamui frowned, tossing his Gatsby up into the air and catching it in a bored manner. "Are you sure Kyle spoke to you right? That doesn't sound very…real at all. And why me?" He looked round to Fai and Yuui for an answer, even if Ashura was the one who doled out the information. The twins shrugged and continued on trying to knock each other off of the rickety chairs in the shared bedroom.

Ashura continued to watch the twins for another long moment, smiling, and then turned to Kamui with raised eyebrows. "I heard Kyle fine. And I know that Kyle was the one who recommended you to this person. You are becoming one of the best, after all. A better newsboy than even Fai." Upon hearing that, Fai stuck his tongue out before proceeding to tackle his brother onto the bed. "He's a wealthy customer. What could it hurt? You do not have a choice anyway."

Kamui looked into his lap. "I know." He was just starting to observe the linen fibers in his breeches when a pale, slender hand appeared on his knee, and he widened his eyes to see Fai kneeling before him—lively blue eyes, scarily flawless smile and all.

"You aren't sulking, are you?" Fai said, resting his arm on Kamui's leg. He smiled and hoisted himself up, both hands now on Kamui's legs. "Or wait…you aren't nervous?" The sun seemed to shine straight from the pale golden strands flying this way and that right from Fai's head. Kamui couldn't answer. He could only watch Fai smile and laugh and touch him, just like Ashura and Yuui could only do. Just like everyone—even the customers Fai delivered to—only could.

Fai was just like that. He was so alluring, he even somehow managed to allure his brother to such an extent—Fai was more Yuui's baby than anything else. Yuui followed Fai like a ghost—followed him to his deliveries, and helped him before and after. But of course, Yuui was immune to the allure to a point, whereas Ashura was just being pulled in and in and in and deeper and deeper and harder and it never stopped.

In a way, Kamui pitied Ashura. He was in no way a character to be pitied, but his obsession for Fai was. Or "love" as they might put it. Although Kamui didn't believe in that sort of love, and certainly not between newsboys, especially since they were the age they were. Either that, or he was just absurdly jealous that Fai had everything—the best clients, the best rooms, the best treatment, the most spending money—and then also had Ashura.

But like everyone else, he also couldn't help but love Fai. Love him intensely.

"I'm kind of nervous," Kamui said quietly. And he was. It wasn't all that rare that some customers requested a recommendation newsboy as a long-term deliverer, but it was usually something rare that the boys who went ever came back. Kyle kept his newsboys safe, but some newsboys…well…became too attached and opted to leave. And no one ever really saw any more of them. In other words, no one really knew what happened to them.

Fai reached up and kissed his lips so lightly, it was less of a kiss and more that their lips simply touched. "Well, you shouldn't be." He stood up and twirled around, his hands resting behind his head. Kamui couldn't see his expression now, but from the tone of his voice, he was livelier and more perfect than ever. "Ashura, when does Kamui have to leave? I want to help get him ready."

Ashura was standing beside the bed that Yuui was perched on. All four of them were wearing their newsboy attire. "In just a few minutes—ten, at most," Ashura said, as Fai more or less floated his way up to the eldest boy's arms. Kamui watched as the blond head tilted to one side, looking up into Ashura's eyes—Kamui watched as the dark eyes misted over.

"But I wanted to help him get ready," Kamui could just barely hear Fai murmur—most likely right against Ashura's lips. "That isn't enough time. It'll be well and good if we end up a bit late, right? You can tell them for us, right? Please?" Kamui closed his eyes and looked at Yuui's left ear when he heard the two kiss. And he continued to stare at Yuui's left ear—which was slowly reddening at the following sentence—when Fai further spoke. "I love you."

Kamui looked back when he thought it was safe. Ashura now just had his hands on the small of Fai's back, their faces still undeniably close to one another. "Sure," he heard Ashura say softly. "I'll do that. Go ahead. But please…not too long?"

Fai laughed, and kissed him again. Keeping one hand fisted around Ashura's right suspender strap, he turned to Yuui and Kamui, smiling. "We have to get Kamui ready. Yuui, go to my room and bring Kamui with you. You know where everything is."

Yuui stood up, not speaking until he was beside Kamui. "Are you coming along?"

"Of course." Fai turned back to Ashura. "Just give me a few minutes, please." Yuui and Kamui couldn't walk faster, but they could certainly shut the door with a rather offended slam.

By the time Fai had gotten back from whatever Kamui didn't want to know they were doing, and Yuui and finished on Kamui, he had been scrubbed until his skin was raw and oiled and perfumed until he was sure the customer would have a royal headache when the delivery was through. But it was no wonder Fai had all of these ridiculously expensive items in his and Yuui's rooms. Even if Yuui didn't deliver regularly, he was Fai's twin brother and Fai's substitute. They Fluorite twins were more prized than even Ashura and Seishiro.

Kamui knew he was just as beautiful as they were, but he didn't have the almost creepy…something they both possessed that kept the customers continually asking for them. Even at this moment, as he walked down the streets, alongside Ashura, he was terrified that he would disappoint the customer.

He glanced up, looking at the back of Ashura's sleek head—how the hair fell just so beneath the Gatsby. And the more Kamui looked, the more he couldn't help but wonder. How did Ashura and Fai have sex? Because it was more than obvious that they did—even though it was highly forbidden, and if Kyle actually caught them red handed, hell would surely arrive.

"What?"

Kamui blinked. Ashura raised an eyebrow, and repeated, "What?"

"What?"

"What." It didn't sound like a question, anymore now. Ashura laughed and smiled. "You do not have to be so nervous. I was just about to ask you the reason you were staring at me for. I could feel it burning a hole through my head."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

Ashura laughed again. "No. It doesn't matter to me. But…why?"

Kamui looked straight ahead—Ashura had fallen into step with him—and attempted his best not to turn red. He didn't blush as easily as the fair-skinned Fluorites, but he blushed easily enough. "I…well…it was about Fai. And you." He gauged Ashura's expression. The head newsboy simply shrugged and inclined his head for Kamui to continue. "Do you…?"

"Well, yes. We do." Ashura placed his hands behind his back and shrugged one shoulder. "Is that all?"

"You do know that it's…?"

"Certainly."

"And that if you were…?"

"Of course."

"But you still…?"

Ashura smiled sadly.

Kamui's mouth fell into an "oh", and he was silent. But still, he had to think—his mind still wondered. What did it feel like to have someone love you? What did it feel like to love someone—the same someone who loved you? What did it feel like to be able to touch someone like that whenever you wanted and for…no money? To touch them because you wanted to and because they wanted you to—because it was you and not because you were young and your face was the face of a seraph. What did it feel like to have someone who would die for you?

"Here it is." Ashura jerked his head up, indicating the door to the penthouse that shadowed them against the setting sun. "Your customer resides on the seventh floor and within the third room from the left. His name is Senryuu Kurohyou." Kamui appraised the building with frightened eyes, and jolted when Ashura's hand appeared on his shoulder. "Good luck," he said softly, smiling. "And relax. Fai will kill me if I let you go in there as nervous as this."

Kamui wisely didn't say about how he thought Fai would probably rather kill himself than Ashura. He simply spat out a "thank you" and trudged on to meet Senryuu Kurohyou—his customer for the next…year.

Kamui had imagined that Senryuu Kurohyou would be at least thirty, probably married, and with at least five children, and out of his mind bored with his scarily successful life and fortune. Instead, Senryuu Kurohyou was eighteen, engaged, with no children and out of his mind bored with his father's money and his father's successful life and fortune, all of which he would inherit when his father kicked the bucket.

Senryuu Kurohyou was also incriminatingly and dangerously brilliant with dark blond hair that fell stick straight over and around his eyes and touching the crook of his shoulders and nape of his neck ever so. And his eyes shone like bloodied silver in the light of the setting sun that streamed through the windows. The closer Kamui walked across the plush carpet in the vast bedroom—toward Senryuu, seated at his desk—the more Kamui thought that his face was carved like a cat. Feline and perfect and so devilish. But much, much too beautiful.

Kamui couldn't even breathe, as Senryuu simply smiled and held out his hand, gesturing to the bed. He could only obey, and walk silently and trembling and move to sit on the edge of the bed that was three times as big as any of the boys back home had. And with a canopy. Of course with a canopy.

He kicked off his shoes, and watched as Senryuu stood up agonizingly slow, the silvery silk robe wrapped around his body swinging against the floor, and turned off the lights, closed the curtains, until only the slightest, yellow glow covered the room. With that same painstakingly slow pace, he walked toward Kamui and a smile spread on his full lips. "Ka-mu-i," he said softly in a voice that Kamui drank with his ears. "Correct?"

The newsboy could only nod.

Senryuu knelt in front of him, just as Fai had done only hours ago. He looked up from beneath his dark blond bangs and smiled flawlessly. "You are awfully young," the city accent coated his voice in a different way than it did to all his other customers. "How old are you?"

"Twelve."

"So young," Senryuu murmured, almost to himself, rather than Kamui. "And how long have you been making deliveries?" The way he let the last word roll in his mouth made even Kamui blush.

But wait…why was there an interrogation before the…? "Since I was eight." Kamui suddenly inched away from the edge of the bed, sitting farther back. Senryuu felt too close—the heat coming from him was too hot. Much, much too hot. It wasn't a burning heat, but rather a slow, melting warmth. Gradual, but stifling.

Senryuu's eyes—his beautiful navy eyes—were…wait. His…navy? Weren't they silver? They were silver in the light. Kamui looked intently at them—into them. They were pained and hurt and so sad. But he himself was still smiling right up. "That is immensely young." Kamui flinched, only slight, when the large hand went up to cup his cheek.

"It didn't hurt," Kamui lied defensively. "And aren't you young, too?"

That made him stare, his lips parted in surprise. And then it made him laugh. Laugh and laugh and laugh. Laugh like Fai and Ashura laughed. Carefree and perfect and alluring. "Not nearly as young as you. When I was your age, my mother wouldn't let me go outside after dark. She was afraid I would get robbed because it's such a large city."

Kamui smiled. "Oh. I don't…aren't I supposed to be young? All my customers always say that being small and young is a good thing…for…" he looked down into his lap, at his clasped hands. "For what I do."

Senryuu abruptly grabbed Kamui's hand and threaded their fingers together with an almost violent roughness. His eyebrows were knotted together tightly. "Never let me hear you speak like that again," he said. "I know you do not do what you do because you want to. And I might be a spoiled young man, cocooned in his father's world, but I'm not stupid. You were eight—of course it hurt. And someday, you'll be a young, powerful man, and whichever one of those customers was unkind to you, you'll throw them to prison."

Kamui's eyes widened, his eyebrows knitting up at the center. His shoulders began to cave in. No one had ever spoken to him like Senryuu was. It wasn't…frightening, but it was so…different. Unnerving. Disconcerting. He didn't know if he liked it…but he knew he definitely didn't dislike it. But it made something in his stomach clench and tighten. And…it felt…good. The strangest sort of good he'd ever felt.

"Are we still…" he dared to continue in a tiny voice, "going…you're not going to…then…?"

Senryuu laughed again. Angelic. Seraphic. Perfect. His eyes were gentle—so gentle. Silver or navy or whatever color they were. "Do you want to? It all depends."

For the first time in four years, Kamui felt like a complete whore as he nodded, staring into his lap again all the while. He closed his eyes shut for a few seconds, waiting for Senryuu's response. When none came, he whispered, "I know I'm a—"

"Young boy who's forced to sell himself, and is about to get taken by a recklessly bored and awful young man?" Senryuu finished, with a light smile. He touched the tip of Kamui's ear and tugged teasingly. "Has anyone ever let you know that you need to relax?"

"Once."

"Well, now it's twice." And with that, Senryuu straightened and kissed Kamui long and deep and warm and perfect and brilliant.

If Fai was alluring, so was Senryuu. The only difference was that Fai was taken and Senryuu was just engaged. Engaged. Kamui would have to remember that. Senryuu had some pretty girl in the wings, waiting to marry him and raise a family with him. Kamui was just some boy on the sidelines. But even so…

Allure was allure.

A/N: I should warn you. If you read the Secrets series, I highly recommend keeping an eye on Senryuu. Especially with Compelled going on and Unveiled coming up.