Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, only Corcoran.
A/N: Okay, from this point on, the jumps in time between the chapters of the story increases, as everything starting with this chapter is a vingette.
Enjoy.
Dropping the file into the seat next to him Dieter picked up the next one. Using the cover of opening the folder he glanced at his godson. Robert was reading his own file, forehead furrowed as he stared down at the paper. Under his left hand was a black jeweler's box that he hadn't stopped touching since they had taken off.
It had been a year since he had learned of Robert's partner and short of asking about his welfare he had never pushed any further. There had been no rumours about the Jurgen heir that had crossed his way, but he wasn't overly surprised. The Jurgen family was notorious for being able to keep their personal business out of the public eye. Now however, with what was clearly a ring box distracting Robert his curiosity was roused.
"Robert."
He waited until he had his godson's attention before inclining his head towards the box. "Your partner. He isn't someone you know from school is he?" Robert shook his head and Dieter leaned back in his chair. "He isn't someone from our circle either."
Robert shook his head. "Not at all. He's-" He swallowed. "You know him. Bryan Kuznetsov, from the World Championships three years ago."
Shock rendered Dieter mute. He had followed Beyblading because of Robert and he remembered the pale, cruel teen well. Much to his dismay, part of him had been glad his godson had not been the one to go against him, though after seeing what had happened to the neko-jin he had felt sick.
Sensing the older man's feelings Robert pushed the file in front of him away, both hands wrapped around the box. "What happened at the Championship was not the fault of any of the Demolition Boys. They were all taken at an extremely young age and abused. Bryan has more scars than many people three times his age. BBA took them into custody afterwards and the four of them went through two years of therapy with councilors and psychiatrists."
"Dieter, he cut a tattoo out of the back of his wrist rather than let Biovolt have even that much over him and nearly bled to death. What happened at the Worlds is never going to happen again. I know few people who witnessed it would believe me, but I trust Bryan with my life and nothing will ever change that."
Dieter couldn't help but smile. When Robert's father had died almost four years ago he had pushed against having Robert named as the Jurgen Enterprise CEO. He didn't doubt his godson's abilities as Robert had been groomed since early childhood to take over the holdings. And Robert had done an amazing job of running the company, asking for help from the older board members and at the same time showing that he was Ehren's son.
Never had Dieter heard such conviction in Robert's voice as now, not even in the middle of the numerous overtakings he had orchestrated in the past four years. Now, hearing the emotion in the clipped words he found that he believed Robert, believed that despite what had happened at the Worlds that his godson was in no danger from Bryan.
"And the box?"
Robert handed the box to his godfather. "A promise."
He accepted the box and opened the lid. Inside, nestled in black velvet was an exquisitely crafted platinum ring, the wide oval etched with a gryphon in front of a flail, Robert's personal coat of arms. "Beautiful."
Closing the box he handed it back to Robert with a slight smile. "Best of luck Robert."
-----
Robert set the box on the table near the bed, knowing Bryan would see it. His lover was extremely observant and tended to notice things that were out of place. The box, on the normally clean table would catch his attention in seconds.
He whistled and Corcoran bounced up and followed him from the room. Corcoran flopped on the floor in front of the unlit fireplace with a bone Gretchen had given him and Robert settled in at the desk, pulling the newest papers requiring his signature close.
Halfway through the stack Robert raised his head when Corcoran barked.
Bryan was standing in the doorway, his hair dark from the shower. Water droplets slid down his chest and darkened the band of his jeans. His eyes were hard and Robert could see the ring box clenched in one big hand, Bryan's knuckles white from the strength of his grip.
"What is this?" Bryan's voice was tight, his accent thick and Robert had to fight the urge to apologize. He hadn't meant to set his lover on edge and hated doing it, not ever wanting to make Bryan feel like he wasn't in control of his own life. His lover didn't deserve to have that done to him ever again.
Leaning back in the chair Robert met his lover's gaze. "A promise, that if it ever becomes possible, that I would like our partnership to become legal."
Robert watched as Bryan's eyes narrowed and with that small flicker he knew he had managed to push his lover even further up the precipice. It had been a calculated risk, to phrase his words in such a way. They were still young and there was no guarantee that things between them wouldn't change but Robert couldn't even bring himself to think that. Only a year together and already the thought of Bryan leaving him made his heart clench.
He licked his lips. "I know this is unfair of me, to spring this on you, but I wanted, needed you to know."
The tension eased from Bryan's body and Robert watched as his lover opened the box and withdrew the ring. Heart fluttering, time seemed to freeze for the noble as Bryan slid the band onto his left ring finger. Something eased in his mind and heart when the pale-haired teen smirked at him.
Dropping the box to the floor Bryan stalked to the desk and rounded the edge, pulling the chair back. Fingers digging into the worn leather he knelt over his lover, knees wedged between Robert's thighs and the arms of the chair. The chair creaked and groaned under the extra weight but Bryan ignored it, focusing entirely on his partner.
With his free hand he cupped Robert's face, thumb stroking the line from nose to the corner of his mouth. His partner's eyes were dilated and his breathing a little short and it had nothing to do with arousal. Nineteen years Robert had lived without thinking about being in a sexual relationship with a male and now, at twenty he was practically asking his male lover to marry him.
Bryan couldn't imagine what it had taken his lover to come to terms with everything.
Leaning down Bryan kissed his lover's forehead, cheeks and the corner of his mouth, watching as Robert's eyes fell shut under the tenderness. He slid his hand back, fingers tangling in the warm dark hair at the base of Robert's neck and touched their foreheads together.
"I'm never going to leave Robert."
Robert relaxed and blew out a sigh. "I love you."
Fingers ruffling Robert's hair Bryan tilted his head down, licking at his lover's upper lip, nipping at the full lower before taking his mouth in a proper kiss, hand dropping from the chair back to his shoulder, squeezing gently.
He kept it slow and tender when Robert tried to push for more, trying to convey his feelings. A year together and he hadn't said the words, still found that they wouldn't come but he did his best to let Robert know his feelings with other words and his actions.
Hand sliding up to cup Robert' jaw he deepened the kiss, drawing a moan from his lover before pulling back. Another short kiss and Bryan canted his head, lips following the sharp line of Robert's jaw to his ear, breath teasing the curve.
"Let me love you."
-----
Robert arched up to meet Bryan's thrusts, arms wrapped around broad shoulders, feeling the push and flex of his lover's body against the sensitive skin of his inner thighs.
This was what he had been afraid of losing. The slow, painstaking preparation of his body, the slow push of Bryan's fingers into him. Bryan's weight pressing him deeper into the mattress, the press and glide of Bryan's cock deep inside of him, the overwhelming pleasure as his prostate was stimulated with every thrust.
Bryan shifted over and in him and Robert couldn't stop the cry of pleasure that escaped when the move pushed him further into the bed, trapping his cock more firmly between their bodies.
His lover's arms slipped around him, at shoulders and waist, driving Bryan deeper.
Breath tickled his ear, words coming between pants, literal meaning lost in the language barrier, but Robert understood the feeling behind them, promises Bryan could never make in English.
The muscles under Robert's hands tensed and Bryan slowly sat back, his superior strength pulling Robert up with him, pressed chest to chest, his cock in the hollow between them.
Robert cried out as the shift in position pushed his lover deeper, body trembling, the muscles in his lower back locking up.
A hand settled on his back, rubbing in circles and Bryan's voice, low and smooth. "Easy love. Relax and breathe."
Eyes shut Robert listened to Bryan's voice, the word love doing more to ease his body than the hand.
A moment more and Robert started moving, hands on Bryan's shoulders, thighs tensing. One of Bryan's hands remained on his hip, holding and guiding and the other curled around his cock, thumb teasing the slit on each upstroke.
Fingers digging into Bryan's shoulders Robert came, semen spilling over their chests and stomachs, dribbling over Bryan's hand.
Head dipping down Robert caught Bryan's mouth still rocking on his lover's cock through the aftershocks of his own orgasm, intent on bringing Bryan off.
The hand on his hip tightened, keeping him from moving and with three sharp thrusts Bryan came, his grunt of completion echoing through Robert's body.
Robert didn't move when Bryan carefully eased him back to the bed and couldn't hide a wince when his lover pulled from his body. Strong hands glided over his thighs, rubbing out the tension and a hot mouth touched the head of his cock in a kiss before moving away.
He slid his hands into Bryan's hair, fingers following the curves of his lover's skull as Bryan licked the seed from his chest and stomach. A tongue touched his nipple before his partner slid further up and kissed him, tongue teasing his lip before drawing back again.
Bryan slipped from the bed and got a rag. Kneeling on the bed he gently cleaned his lover and himself before dropping it to the floor. He grabbed the blankets at the foot of the bed and pulled them up, curling around Robert, arm draped around his waist. Robert's fingers curled around his wrist and raised it to his mouth, pressing a kiss to the thick scar there.
Breath catching in his throat Bryan waited until he was sure his lover was asleep before nuzzling at the sweat dampened hair behind Robert's ear.
"I love you."