The next day was busy for Heero and boring for me. Heero was up early, trying to get his workout in so that he would be ready if the doctor allowed him to come. Which the doctor did, sending a messenger with a note saying that Quatre was doing better but would probably need to stay for several days for observation until they were sure the infection was gone. The doctor also said that Quatre had been asking for company, a comment which had Heero bolting for the door. I had watched the friendship bloomed and I was only just beginning to realize just how few friendships, not alliances, were allowed in Collar. I knew just how tenacious Heero could be, and was certain that he would be at the hospital the minutes they allowed and would not return until they kicked him out.
Though I missed Heero, I soon realized that it was for the best. Later that day the Duke sent me an invitation to his party, reminding me that I needed to come pick up my new slave. I wasn't sure how Heero or Quatre would react to having another face in the apartment, so I decided it would be best to go alone, while Heero was out.
The Duke's party was not as... inventive as Scrub's had been. There were plenty of naked or almost naked slaves present at this party, but there didn't seem to be an actual theme to the gathering, other than lust and decadence. I was dressed in a Victorian suit, which fit in quite naturally with the lush carpets and dark draperies that hung around the large room. Two or three masters would gather on a couch with six or seven slaves gathered around them, bending to their will. The Duke's slaves, as it was his party, were all dressed in a similar fashion.
"Alone tonight I see," Duke said, coming up behind me, a young Asian boy on his arm.
"Yes," I replied, unperturbed, "I didn't want the other two to influence my choice."
Removed for content.
Once my drink was in hand, I made my way to the stage. I chose one of the benches lined up along the wall instead of one of the small french tables in front of the stage where the night's entertainment would be performed because I was feeling a little like an outsider and because I didn't want to seem lonely or antisocial. I needn't have worried, though. Immediately upon sitting down two of the Duke's slaves knelt before me.
"May we join you, Master Zechs?" they asked. Surprised, I nodded, and the two fluidly rose and gracefully sat beside me, their legs pressing up against mine. The one who had spoke, a blue-eyed boy with a lithe figure and light brown hair or about shoulder length, smiled at me. I think he was trying to be seductive, but there was something in his eyes, the nervousness of a hidden purpose, which made the smile come off as less than appealing.
The other boy was taller with darker brown hair that fell to conceal all but one deep green eye. He did not speak, nor did he look me directly in the eye. At first I thought he might be contemplating leaving, but I soon saw from the way he held his arms close to his body, making himself as small as possible, that he was merely shy. He was slim, with long legs, and looked athletic from the tone of his upper body and shoulders. The most noticeable thing about him, however, was that he was pierced everywhere. Everywhere! There must have been two hundred of them! As far as I could make out, there were none on his face, but there were enough to create patterns on his chest and stomach, all the way down to his thighs. Before I could get a better look, however, the other slave spoke.
"My name is Weave," said the smaller one. "I hope you don't think me too bold, but I wanted to come see you. The Duke said you might be taking one of us and I wanted to meet you first."
I was about to reply, when an offended growl came from behind the bench. I turned around to see an angry slave, brown eyed with chocolate hair and a delicate build, glaring at the two slaves the sat with me. Beside him was a fair-skinned slave with blue eyes and honey-colored hair.
"Weave!" the slave snapped, "That's cheating. You can't just walk up to a potential buyer and start talking yourself up," the slave complained.
"You're just mad you didn't get here first," Weave protested, glaring at the other slave, "Don't tell me that's not what you were coming over for."
"You just can't let anyone..." the other hissed, and I decided it was time to put a stop to it.
"Gentlemen," I said in a commanding tone. The arguing stopped and all eyes turned to me. "If you please, let us move to the table. I'm not certain what you're here for, but if you move to the table I'll be able to much more clearly hear you out."
With that, I rose and walked to the nearest table, taking a long drink from my glass. I wondered if I could send one of the slaves to get me another, or if only their master was allowed to do that.
There was a flurry of movement behind me and, as I sat down, the two louder slaves sat on either side of me. The honey-haired slave sat quickly beside the brown-eyed slave, leaving the slave that had come with Weave to pull up a chair. He did so, his eyes constantly downcast, but I watched the muscles of his back play as he moved the chair, and I could see the athletic skill hidden inside the tall body. The others were not nearly so toned, instead trying to be slim and graceful. Not that the tall boy lacked for grace, simply that the others had a flowing, natural grace, and his was more catlike and practiced.
"My name is Jaz," said the other loud boy.
"I'm Honey," said the soft-spoken boy with honey-colored hair.
"An apt name," I said and he blushed prettily. "And you?" I said, turning to the tall, withdrawn boy at the other end of the table.
"Nanashi," he said quietly, but his thick baritone was pleasing to the ear. Still, I frowned.
"Nanashi?" I questioned, "I haven't heard that name before."
"It means no name," Jaz interjected helpfully. "He came with the name, and the Duke simply decided it was too much trouble to give him a new name. Besides, Nana has a hard time remembering things, and he was already used to that name."
"I see," I said, not liking the way in which these boys spoke of the quiet slave. I hadn't seen anything yet to lead me to believe he was slow, but I hadn't known him all that long. I certainly didn't want a slave that wasn't intelligent, but I was also wary of trusting what the boys said. "So, if you don't mind my asking, why are you four here?"
"You're planning on taking one of the Dukes slaves with you, right?" asked Weave, "Well, we're the only slaves he'd be willing to part with, so it's going to be one of us. We just wanted to let you know about us."
"Ah. I see. Well, I'm glad you boys took all the trouble of coming to see me. So, what can you tell me about yourself, Weave?"
"Well," the boy said, a proud smile on his face, "I've practiced piano for four years, and other master's are always saying how well I play. I can dance and I make a delicious chicken teriyaki. I can clean and give back-rubs. I can help you at home or you could train me for Collar. I'm very versatile."
"That's wonderful. I would love to hear you play sometime," I said, and the boy preened. "Now, Jaz, I'd like to hear more about you."
"I play the guitar, sing, and dance. Unlike other slaves who can only cook one decent dish, I'm a great cook. I love to talk to people and I've been told that my singing could be good enough for Collar."
"Sometimes he talks too much, though," Weave said, glaring at Jaz for the barely concealed insults. I repressed the urge to sigh. Did I have to pick any of them?
"What about you, Honey?"
"Well, I am trained in cooking and one of my dishes placed top twenty in Collar."
"You mean twentieth," Jaz interjected. Honey glared, which surprised me, because I had previously assumed that he was ver shy.
"That's better than either of you. You've never even been trained for Collar, let alone completed," he growled. That got all three of them glaring at the other, with Nanashi being the only one to abstain from the conversation. If his intelligence hadn't already been pinned as low, I would have thought he was the smartest of the group. "Besides, I would have placed higher if the master had continued my training," he protested, "but the Duke was so busy with his new pet that I was pushed aside," he said, glaring hotly at Nanashi. I was starting to see the bigger picture, as dark and ugly as it was. "Anyway, I can also clean and I do great foot massages. I play the harp and I can recite poetry."
"Lovely," I complemented. Then, my curiosity piqued, I turned to Nanashi. "And what do you do?"
"My skill are basic," he admitted quietly, a cloud of gloom hanging over his head. "I was an acrobat for a time," he told me, "and now I am able only to please my master to the best of my ability."
"Why are you no longer an acrobat?" I questioned. His eyes were far away and masked, as Heero's had been.
"My rings would get stuck on the mats or twist in my body," he admitted. I allowed my eyes to flow down his body, truly seeing his rings for the first time. Removed for content.