.hack//SIGN Fan Fiction ❯ Yasashii Ryoute (Gentle Hands) ❯ Chapter 4

Yasashii Ryoute (Gentle Hands)  by Sakura (aka L-sama no Miko)             Ch apter 4   The silver haired angel panted heavily. He’d only started the final round of the tournament five minutes ago and he was already tired. Not given a chance to rest between matches hadn’t helped either. “Must you continue to bore me so?” came the breathy voice of the sky blue haired demon emperor. He looked as immaculate as he did when they had started. Not a scratch was on him, not a single hair was out of place. Haseo glared at him, more determined than ever to defeat him. “There’s… there’s no way… I’M GONNA LOOOOOOOOOOOOSE!!!” he screamed as he rushed and started to blindly slash at the emperor. The sky blue haired man sighed boredly as he deftly dodged every strike. “Why are you so intent on throwing your life away?” he asked again with that breathy tone that gave Haseo odd feelings every time he heard it. “I… I can’t lose,” the silver haired angel panted again, falling back to catch his breath. Not one to be dishonorable, Endrance remained where he was and waited for his opponent to recover. “Why is it that you want to win my throne so much? Is power all you fools ever care about?” Haseo glared at him again, clutching and unclutching his twin blades. “I don’t give a *beep* about your damned throne!” he yelled. One elegant eyebrow rose in confusion. “Oh? Then why are you fighting?” Endrance knew that the boy had to have been forced into this tournament, but he wanted to hear it from the boy himself. “Because I have no choice!” Haseo shouted, “If I didn’t fight and win, Ovan will…” He stopped, not wanting the demon to know of his friend’s situation or about what the cornflower haired demon had done to him. “Ovan? That boorish fool?” the sky blue haired demon asked, intrigued. Endrance scanned the audience and spotted the demon lord in question. He frowned when he saw that Ovan hadn’t even been watching their match for he was currently otherwise occupied with a much smaller boy in his lap. “So that’s why you’re fighting. You’re the same as me.” “I’m nothing like you!” Haseo spat, charging him again only to have the blows blocked by the emperor’s katana. Endrance smirked sadly. “Oh but you are,” he said, causing the odd little shivers to run through the angel’s body again. They were especially stronger now that they were so close. The emperor laid a gloved hand on Haseo’s cheek. “We both have someone we want to protect. Am I not right?” Haseo gasped. How did he know?  Had that bastard told him? Endrance smiled again. He had gotten it right. Ovan had to have been using the other boy against his opponent in some way. He truly did feel sorry for the silver haired boy, but he too had someone he couldn’t lose. He didn’t want ‘her’ to think he was a weakling and leave him all alone again. “I’m afraid I can not allow myself to lose either,” he said forlornly. “She’ll leave me if I do.” “’She’? Haseo asked. Instead of getting an answer, Endrance had knocked him all the way back into the kekkai(barrier) at the other end with one punch to his solar plexus. Haseo coughed as he struggled to get up as the sky blue haired demon started to walk calmly over to him. “I do not wish to harm you any further,” he said coming to a halt a scant few feet away. “Will you please forfeit the match?” he pleaded in a tone that was unusual for a demon – at least unusual for the demons Haseo had fought in the past. Haseo continued to cough and glare at him. “You can not possibly win against me. Even with Skeith’s help,” he said matter-of-factly. The silver haired angel’s head shot up in shock. “Oh yes, I know a Knight of Morganna has been helping you in the past two matches,” Endrance said, glancing at the audience again and nodding in greeting to a yellow and black demon standing far off into the black. “However, I’m afraid that she is much stronger than your ‘friend’. I do not wish to see you lose someone who obviously cares a great deal for you.” “J-Just who is ‘she’?” Haseo demanded, opting to kneel since he hadn’t the strength to stand anymore. “Do you yield?” Endrance asked again, lowering his katana to the angel’s throat. “Tch,” Haseo muttered under his breath. >>Skeith?<< he asked, praying what the emperor had said was lies. >>Answer me!<< he demanded when he received no immediate reply. There was a rumbling sigh before the yellow and black demon finally spoke. <<What his majesty said is true.>> The silver haired boy grimaced, slamming his fist onto the stone floor of the stage in frustration. <<Should I help you, Haseo. His protector will be forced to join the fight as well and she is indeed much stronger than I.>> Haseo shook as he tried to fight the angry tears and failing. He was going to fail. Silabus would be tortured or worse and it was his fault. ‘Ovan knew I wasn’t strong enough, even with Skeith!  He knew and still made me fight! Damn him!’ The silver haired angel stifled the sob that fought its way out of his throat. “I-I yield,” he whispered, utterly defeated. “Y-You win.” The demon emperor removed his katana. “You’ve made a wise choice,” he said and turned toward the officials to announce Haseo’s decision to forfeit. However, the sky blue haired man never got to make that announcement. The silver haired angel sprung back to his feet and quick as a snake pounced the man while his back was turned. He hated to resort to such sneaky tactics, but there was no way in hell he was going to let that bastard lay another hand on him or Silabus! Endrance found himself pinned from behind and a spiraled twin blade was poised at his throat and the emperor’s eyes went wide in surprise. “Do you yield?” Haseo asked, mocking the emperor’s former plea as the silver haired boy pressed the blade into his skin. Tiny pricks of black blood appeared where the spiraled edge had cut. The sky blue haired demon felt his heart skip a beat. Not in a hundred years had anyone ever gotten so close to him let alone been able to catch him off guard. “Why must you be such a fool?” he scolded. <<En-sama?>> came a feline voice. >>It’s all right Macha(pronounced Mah-hah),<< the emperor sent back. >>There is no need for you exert yourself.<< <<As you wish,>> she acquiesced. “I already told you, I can’t afford to lose!” He pressed the blade harder to prove he meant business. Endrance sighed and began to glow with a bluish purple light. Within seconds, the sky blue haired demon vanished from within Haseo’s grasp only to reappear behind the angel. With equal speed that Haseo had used earlier, he struck the angel from behind and knocked him down to the floor, the edge of his katana pressed into Haseo’s throat. “Now,” the emperor said calmly with just the tiniest hint of annoyance. “Do you yield?” The silver haired angel could feel the shivers again and the blood rushed to his face hiding the tattoos over his eyes slightly. Haseo struggled against the demon’s vise like grip on his head. “Do you really want me to ruin that lovely body of yours do you?” he purred into his ear. Haseo saw red. There was no way he’d let another demon touch him. Especially after what Ovan had put him through. “Y-You can… go to HELL!!!!” he yelled he pulled the same trick he did with Alkaid, rolling them onto their backs. Endrance, however held onto the angel’s arms, the gloved hands squeezing none too gently. “There’s no need for such language,” the emperor chided. “It doesn’t become you.” Haseo kicked violently, desperate to break free of the demon’s hold. >>Skeith!!!<< he called, pleading for the demon’s help. But unlike the other times, there was no rush of power. <<I-I can’t Haseo,>> the yellow and black demon replied guiltily. <<Even if it were just him, the two of us wouldn’t win.>> >>PLEASE!!!<< he begged, openly sobbing now. There was no further reply. Having had enough, the sky blue haired demon flipped them back onto their stomachs and painfully wrenched Haseo’s arms behind his back, dislocating his shoulders. The silver haired angel screamed in sheer agony before passing out from the pain and exhaustion. There were several shouts of disappointment at the lack blood, but they were soon drowned out by the cheering of the bishounen emperor’s many legions of fans. Endrance ignored them as he had done during the previous tournament. Instead he gently cradled the silver haired angel against his chest then carried him away from the stage. A purplish cat demon wearing a gown that resembled a flower came to greet him. <<Omodetou(Congratulations) En-sama,>> she said, her eyes shining brightly. <<It seems you’ve managed to keep the throne for a few more years.>> “It would seem so Macha,” he said starting for the infirmary. <<So what are you going to do with him?>> she asked, gazing at the boy in his arms curiously. She could sense that something had happened between them during that fight, but she couldn’t figure out what. “He needs to have those shoulders looked at,” he explained, frowning as he remembered seeing the scars that weren’t hidden by the black leather. ‘Just what did that savage do to you?’ he wondered. <<That’s not what I meant.>> Endrance halted in mid step, almost tripping himself. “W-Wha?!” <<Oh come on, En-sama. I can tell you’ve got something going for him,>> she teased, smirking like the cat she was, though like the other Knights of Morganna, she didn’t have a mouth to smirk with. “I-I most certainly do not!!” he stammered, blushing profusely. <<Suuuuuuuuure you don’t,>> she purred back. “S-Silabus…” Haseo moaned, startling the two demons. <<Silabus?>> Macha asked. “His friend, I think. I have reason to believe that he may have been fighting under duress.” There was the sound of someone clearing their throat. Both demons turned to find Ovan standing before them. A honey brown haired boy was trembling greatly beside him. Macha narrowed her eyes at him, having developed an immense dislike of the man almost the moment they met. She gave the boy a pitying look, knowing of the reputation he had regarding treatment of his servants. “I believe that’s my property you have there, heika(your majesty),” the cornflower haired demon said with mock courtesy. “I was merely taking him to the infirmary,” Endrance said with veiled displeasure. “As generous as that is, I have equally skilled healers of my own at my estate.” “Yes, but the infirmary is much closer,” argued the sky blue haired emperor. Ovan raised an eyebrow in surprise. Had Endrance fallen for his pet? He couldn’t have that. Haseo was needed to insure Silabus’ continued obedience. “I’m really afraid that I must insist on declining.” Endrance narrowed his garnet eyes. “Do you really want your servant to lose the use of both his arms?” “As I’ve said before, my healers are quite skilled.” The demon emperor inwardly cursed. That boorish savage just wouldn’t back down! Seeing that he was attempting to protect the silver haired boy for some reason, Macha decided to lend a hand. <<Perhaps you could buy him and  his friend perhaps?>> she suggested. >>What a splendid idea Macha!<< he sent back, grateful for her support. He smiled lovingly at his feline companion. “This is getting us nowhere and your warrior needs medical attention,” he said addressing the demon lord. Ovan looked at him quizzically. “What are you proposing?” “I have need of such a skilled fighter,” he explained, “And my cousin could use a new valet. If you are willing, I would like to purchase your lovely pets.” Ovan raised his eyebrow again. ‘So he has taken a liking to him,’ he mused. “I am truly sorry, heika. But neither of them are for sale.” Endrance let out a mirthless laugh, “Come now, Ovan. We all know everything has its price. Money is no problem.” “You would deprive me of my only company?” he queried, running his reddish black hand through Silabus’ hair. Sensing his master was angry, the angel gulped, but leant into the touch, not because it was an attempt to calm his master, but because he actually liked it. “Of course not,” the sky blue haired demon replied. “I’m a fair man, perhaps you’ll part with just one of them then?” “And I am a stubborn man,” Ovan said, “I must yet again decline.” “I see,” Endrance said grimly. “You leave me no choice then. As your emperor, I command you to give me them at once.” Silabus was shaking horribly during the exchange and he now stared back and forth between his master and the emperor. “What do you think, little one? Should I let his majesty have you and Haseo?” the cornflower haired demon asked his pet. The poor angel looked like he was going to have a heart attack. He did want Haseo to get away from their cruel master, but he knew Ovan would never allow for both of them to leave him. “I-I…” he sputtered. What was wrong with him?! Why was he suddenly afraid to leave now that he may have a chance to escape? Silabus just couldn’t understand it. Endrance smiled kindly at the frightened boy. “You needn’t fear, young one,” he said cupping his cheek, “My cousin and I are fair and reasonable masters.” “P-Please don’t… don’t s-send me a… away,” Silabus pleaded, genuinely surprising the cornflower haired man. Ovan didn’t know what to say. He looked to the green and gold clad angel. Silabus bit his lip, pleading silently with tear filled eyes. Blinking in shock, Ovan shook his head to clear his mind. “As you can see, my dear Silabus wishes to remain with me,” he said almost lovingly rubbing the angel’s back in soothing circles. “I will not dishonor the wishes of such a pretty boy,” Endrance said, causing Silabus to blush and cling to Ovan’s arm. “But I must insist you give me this one.” He clutched tightly onto Haseo’s limp body. “And if I refuse?” “Are you disobeying your emperor?” he asked loud enough for those gathering to watch the argument to hear. Ovan cursed inwardly at the growing crowd and hushed whispers. “Of course not, heika,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “Haseo is yours.” He then jerked the chain connected to Silabus’ collar and started to leave, the honey brown haired angel silently following. The sky blue haired emperor stared at the slave, pity etched on his bishounen face. “I have failed you, my lovely one,” he murmured quietly, “Forgive me.” Macha laid a sympathetic hand on her friend’s shoulder. <<You did what you could. It is too late for the other.>> Endrance looked at her, puzzled. <<He is a lost one.>> she explained. The sky blue haired demon’s garnet eyes widened in shock and pity. To become a lost one was the saddest fate any angel could suffer. He knew the dangers of keeping an angel as a pleasure slave. There was always the risk of said angel becoming addicted to their master’s touch to the point of needing it more than life itself if they had been kept and used long enough, thus turning into an incubus. If she had said the boy had become a ‘lost one’ as incubi were more commonly called, then there was no hope for him. Incubi were extremely loyal to the one who turned them and just as dependent as a druggie was on their pusher. “Forgive me,” he whispered to the bundle in his arms again, “There is nothing I can do.”   *************   The sky blue haired man jolted out of the light doze he’d been in when he heard the sleeping angel stir. Moving the chair closer to the bed, he watched as the silver haired boy blinked groggily, then sat up, wincing slightly when he tried to move his now relocated arms. “How do you feel?” he asked. “It’s you!” Haseo said, noticing the demon sitting beside him. “You should take it easy with your arms for a bit,” Endrance advised as he helped the boy to sit at the bed’s edge. “I lost didn’t I?” the silver haired angel said sullenly. He and Silabus were in for it now. “You needn’t fear that savage, lovely one,” the demon emperor said smiling warmly. Haseo started to protest, but found he couldn’t move an inch when the man locked his garnet eyes onto his. The silver haired angel shivered as the sky blue haired demon was suddenly on top of him and he was flat on his back. “He’ll never touch you again, my silver rose,” he purred into Haseo’s ear, nibbling on the lobe. The boy gasped and let out a shuddering moan, before struggling against his attacker. Why did every demon he met have to want that from him? Endrance chuckled but held on tight enough to prevent escape. “Relax, lovely one. I’ll not touch you in that way if you do not desire it. I do however have to claim you or any demon could take you from me.” Before the silver haired angel could protest, the demon emperor lowered his mouth to the junction of Haseo’s neck and shoulder. The boy shivered and moaned at the sensual licks as Endrance’s tongue flicked across the skin there. He began to whimper, fearing that the demon would go back on his word about not touching him. “Shh, my rose,” the sky blue haired man murmured, locking eyes with him again. The angel ceased his whimpering and felt a strange warmth flow over him, making it hard for him to concentrate. He felt as if he were floating somewhere far away. “It’ll all be over soon.” Endrance stroked Haseo’s cheek lovingly, waiting patiently until the ruby eyes he found himself drowning in glazed over signifying that the spell had taken hold. He placed a quick kiss on the boy’s lips and went back to the boy’s neck. The silver haired angel let out a cry of pain as the demon’s fangs sank into the skin. The demon emperor let out a moan at the exquisite taste of the angel’s blood. He had heard that the blood of those of Lios was better than the finest of wines, but he found that words couldn’t describe the heavenly flavor of that red liquid. He continued to suck, lick and moan until Haseo had been drained of every last drop. Endrance stared at the rapidly cooling body he was currently laying on. “Merciful Helba! What have I done?!” he cried. He had only intended to take a few sips, and thus bind the boy to him, not kill him. He placed his head over the angel’s heart and sighed inwardly in relief at the faint beat. There was still time! He hadn’t planned on ever taking a mate since he hadn’t the heart to condemn anyone to a life of eternal night, but if he wanted that silver rose to continue to flourish and bloom, he would have to. Taking out a dagger he had stashed by the bedside, the sky blue haired demon quickly drew it sharply across his own throat. He then licked the blade clean, keeping the blood in his mouth. He then drew Haseo close to him and kissed him, forcing his mouth open with his tongue. The blood flowed from Endrance’s mouth and down the angel’s throat. “Come on, lovely one. Wake up,” he pleaded, gashing his tongue on a fang. He kissed the boy again letting the blood seep into the boy’s mouth again. He started at the tongue pressing against his, but continued to ‘feed’ the angel. Soon the tiny amount wasn’t enough for the silver haired angel. Sensing that, Endrance reluctantly pulled away, but gently maneuvered Haseo’s head to the still bleeding gash on his throat while making himself more comfortable on the bed. He gasped as his new mate began to lick and suck at the wound. “That’s it, my rose,” he said, moaning slightly as he tenderly stroked the angel’s silken hair. “Drink and live.” ‘Do not leave me,’ he silently added. He had felt his cold dead blood stir for the first time in over a hundred years when they had fought, but thought it was from having found someone worthy of his skills. However, that wasn’t the case. Now he knew why he’d felt drawn to the angel. He was a kindred spirit, one who was alone amongst many. He would understand him like no other, as a mate should. Endrance felt himself start to drift to sleep, but fought against it for the angel wasn’t stopping his drinking. Rolling them over, he firmly pushed against the smaller one and pulled away. The newborn silver haired demon made an angry growl and tried to force the emperor’s head back down. “Now, now, my lovely one,” the sky blue haired demon chided, smiling at his mate’s antics, “You mustn’t drink anymore for now or you’ll be the death of me. I promise you can have as much as you’d like tomorrow.” Haseo pouted, but backed off at the stern look on his sire’s face. “That’s a good boy,” he purred, pushing him back onto the blue, purple, and silver bed. “You need sleep and I fear so do I.” At the emperor’s words, the silver haired demon yawned, tiny fangs beginning to show themselves as the transformation started to kick in. Smiling lovingly at his mate, the sky blue haired demon lay down beside him and cuddled against him. “Good night, my rose,” he murmured, closing his eyes and placing his nose into the silver hair. Haseo turned and nestled against his sire’s chest as he followed him into sleep’s waiting arms.   ****************   ~TBC!~     Sakura: Hooboy. This thing just won’t quit. Not that I’d want it too. -_^   En-sama: T-Thank you so much for giving me my Macha and Haseo, Sakura-san!   Sakura: Anything for my sweet, sweet En-sama!!   Silabus: Um… Sakura-san…   Sakura: Don’t worry cutie, I haven’t forgotten about you. I wouldn’t leave you with someone like him with no one to talk to. Anyway, to all you Silabus fans, GOMEN, GOMEN, GOMEN, HONTO NI GOMEN!!!!!!!!!!! The more reviews I get the quicker I’d be able to help Sili-kun. So PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE gimmie all the reviews you’ve got!!! Canard needs its deputy guild master back!