Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Captive Complications ❯ Love Slave ( Chapter 12 )

Disclaimer:

Digimon's not mine... although, I may try to lay limited claims to Pervy!Yamato... if only for my own personal amusement. *cough*

Warnings:

No E.T.A. for the next chapter. But you knew that already, ne?

Author's Notes:

For shits and giggles, a zipped MP3 of Yamato's song can be found in the 'Fun' section of my website. Also on my website (and at my LJ), new sections of DM's sixth chapter will be posted weekly starting Jan 19th for at least 2 months.

12. Love Slave

"King Yamato?!" Koushiro yelped in a very unmanly voice.

Head tilted to the side and eyes blinking, the royal was unable to come up with any sort of response. There, by the fire, (and more importantly) between him and Taichi's food, the knight and the nymph were frozen in a half-naked tumble. Contrary to Yamato's expected logic, 'half-naked' for the pair did not mean that the grumpy knight was fully clothed while Daisuke enjoyed a natural state. No, the pair's tunics had been stripped off and suspicious marks covered the nymph's torso.

Daisuke was thoroughly enjoying his time with the knight, and while he was upset about being interrupted, he did not want to lose this potential mate to Yamato's possible murderous rage. So, when Koushiro opened his mouth again, he firmly clamped his hand over it. And sternly reminded himself that he didn't need to ask the King about his pigtails. "Your Highness," he greeted, rolling Koushiro off to the side so he could sit up. "Did you need something?"

Yamato blinked. He knew that the nymph was merely trying to be polite, but the creature's voice automatically inserted all manner of distracting innuendos into the words. He forced himself to focus on his mission. "Taichi's hungry." He gave a darting glance toward the stew pot. "I'll just grab him a bit to eat and be off."

He quickly ladled a medium-sized portion into one of the bowls that had already been laid out. Yamato and the pair both kept a wary eye on the other... each wondering just what had been happening, some imagining with more elaborate detail than others. By mutual decision no one spoke until the King had left.

Yamato returned to Taichi's side quickly. He knelt before the Prince and offered up the bowl of stew.

The brunet gave an un-Princely grunt as he took the food and began eating with ravenous gusto.

Yamato remained silent for the short time while Taichi devoured the fragrant meat and vegetables. He wasn't looking forward to what would come next. All too soon, the Prince set the bowl down.

The King bowed low. "Your further orders, Master?"

Though the stew had warmed Taichi's belly, cold nipped at the chest exposed by the dress' plunging neckline. He twitched his shoulders in annoyance. He was in charge here and there was no way he was going to remain in these idiotic clothes. "I want you to retrieve suitable garments for me to wear."

Yamato would miss seeing the Prince in the pink dress, but the pink haze around him left him no choice but to obey. "If there is nothing else you require at this time, I shall go now."

"No, wait a moment. I think without you, I might catch a chill even with the blanket. Your clothes look warmer. You should lend them to me until you can find suitable replacements for yourself." The King didn't appear to be worried or alarmed yet, so Taichi made his command more specific. "Strip."

Yamato shivered at the thought, but moved to comply. "As you desire it, Master." He removed the belt of supplies and folded it neatly near the base of a tree. His tunic and undershirt followed, then his boots. He was becoming quite chilled by this point. His fingers trembled as he undid the stays to his trousers and pushed the cloth down over his hips.

"Good," Taichi said, nodding in approval.

Yamato could feel the nymph's spell spark in him. He'd made the Prince happy! It was almost enough of a jolt to drive the cold away. What was more, the Prince's gaze upon his nearly naked body was enough to make a block of ice feverish. He expected the Prince to begin changing then, but the man did not.

"Now the rest of it," Taichi commanded. The Prince's conscience twinged and a part of him felt like he was taking an unfair advantage of the situation, but he firmly told that voice to be quiet, since he knew the King would have had no such hesitations had their positions been reversed. He had a limited amount of time to fully embarass the King and he was going to take every liberty possible.

Yamato tried not to become flushed as Taichi watched him remove his final piece of covering. He had nothing to be ashamed of, and if he was pleasing the Prince, he would do anything. Standing completely bare, though, he realized that he was very definitely cold. At least his hair, brushing softly over his buttocks provided a minimal buffer against the night's chill.

Breathing through his open mouth, Taichi felt a shiver that had absolutely nothing to do with the cold. "Good. Now turn around. Don't move."

When Yamato obeyed, Taichi stepped closer to the blond. He couldn't stop his fingers from running through the man's hair and down his back. He even dared to feel the soft skin covering the twin moons of pale flesh, rubbing them reverently as if, like a Buddha's belly, they would bring him luck.

Gentle hands touched him and Yamato's breaths became more rapid. Yes. This was what he wanted. "Taichi..."

Taichi pulled away when the King spoke his name, horrified at what he'd allowed himself to do. "Stay still," he ordered again, just to be sure. He unwrapped the blanket and draped it across Yamato's shoulders. "Hold this so it stays."

With some difficulty, Taichi wriggled out of the dress. He was uncomfortable with the intimacy associated with sharing undergarments, so he stowed the King's beneath the folded belt and changed into the remainder of Yamato's discarded clothes.

"You can turn around now." The King obeyed and Taichi held the dress out to him. "I don't want you catching your death, so wear this." Taichi had to help with the laces and the dress was tighter on Yamato's larger frame, but finally the King was garbed in the pink garment that he had teased Taichi so mercilessly about. "Now I want you to go to your wardrobe bags and get me an outfit that is respectable and well suited to me. Do not displease me by picking something with garish coloring."

Yamato smiled at the special stipulations. As if Yamato even owned something that could be considered 'garish'. He was the epitome of dashing and handsome. But he merely said, "Yes, Master."

Taichi smiled. "And, while you're there in the guards' camp, I want you to do something else that pleases me. It occurs to me that you are not so friendly with the very men that guard you. Before taking the clothes, I want you to go to each of them and pay him a sincere compliment that is based upon what you have observed about the man. Then I want you to ask your Master of the Guard to provide you with lubricant so that things will be easier on yourself. You are not allowed to tell them that this is something that I have ordered you to do. You must accomplish this in as natural a manner as possible. Get clothing suitable for me and return here. Understood?"

"I will do as you command," Yamato said. A part of him knew that Taichi was trying to get him to humiliate himself. He minded, of course. But he had to respect the intellect that could come up with something terrible that merely damaged his image. And for Yamato, image was everything, yet... for Taichi's sake... maybe he didn't mind. It wasn't like he had a choice anyway. He'd play this game if it could help get him what he wanted. However, the part of him that was thinking this was looking at the world as if through a pink frosted window pane. And Taichi was a warm candle inside. For the Prince's smile, Yamato would do anything.

Taichi looked into Yamato's love-struck eyes, saw a flicker of annoyance surface and abate in the blue orbs, and then the Prince smiled a wicked smile. It was enough. He would have to thank the nymph eventually for giving him this opportunity. The thigh-length pigtails and pink ballgown were enough to avenge his dignity. Yamato would remember him when he was gone. Of that Taichi had no doubt.

************************************************

"My dear sir, that's a fine tattoo of an ogre you have there," he said to a man who had stripped down earlier for training. "It makes you look very fierce."

The man, whose name he could not remember, drew up to his full height which put his head much, much higher than Yamato's and the King was left looking at a very sculpted set of pectoral muscles. "That's my mother, Your Highness," he growled.

The lack of respect in the voice was chilling. It had been an honest mistake. Or perhaps the artist's fault. Yamato had to remind himself that these men were loyal to him.

There was one guard remaining. Yamato was done with enduring this unusual form of torture so he picked some random physical attribute on the man and began waxing poetic, but the slow hardening of the man's eyes stopped him. The King looked at him. The man's face was familiar. "Your name is Teota, isn't it?"

The man's eyes went wide and soft with surprise. "Yes, Sir."

"You were the commander of the search parties formed for last year's winter rescues." The man nodded. "That was a good decision you made, to move the camp. How did you know there was the danger of an avalanche?"

The man flushed with pleasure and embarrassment at the praise. "I grew up in the mountains. There's a certain smell and sound that comes as a warning. Loving the mountains means you learn to be wary of hidden dangers. A pass that is easy in the spring can be treacherous in the winter. Many things in this world are like that."

Yamato was about to reiterate his praise and leave, but a thought struck him and he paused. "You're part of my personal force now. Do you miss working there, with the people?"

Teota's eyes flickered towards the Master of the Guard. "It is an honor to keep Your Majesty safe."

"Do you miss the mountains? Truthfully?"

"At least once a week, Sir," he admitted with a wistful smile.

"I'll arrange a formal audience for you once we return."

The man twitched nervously, but quickly composed himself. "There's no need for special treatment, Sir. I'm just doing my duty."

Yamato nodded. "True. In that case, I will arrange separate meetings with all of my personal guards. I should know you all better." He turned to address the group. "I'm sure you all have lives as interesting as Teota's. I look forward to meeting with you individually." He turned to the Master of the Guard. "See to setting up the meetings, will you?" Yamato, wrapped up in his own amusement, missed the man's dark nod. "I'll have to thank Taichi. I should have done this earlier."

"Of course, Your Highness. It will be my priority upon our arrival at the castle." He caught Yamato's elbow and steered him away from the line of guards. "As you were," he barked back at them. The men broke and resumed camp operations, the chatter of conversations becoming a murmur of background sound. "Are you feeling well, King Yamato? Prince Taichi isn't exerting any undue influence upon you, is he?"

The King grimaced. "I'm wearing a dress and my hair is in pigtails. What do you think? But no. Everything is working out as I wish. I can play the fool as long as it wins his heart." He thought next to what Taichi had required him to ask and flushed. "I, um... along those lines... I want you to bring me some lubricant." He forced his teeth to unclench. Natural. He had to say this naturally. "So that I may make things easier on myself." The Master of the Guard had an odd expression on his face. Yamato didn't blame him, but he wanted this done and over with. "Now," he snapped.

The man spun on his heel and returned a short while later with a small skin. Yamato accepted it in silence.

"Your appearance tonight will cause the men to talk," the man said, choosing not to comment on the unusual request, but disapproval clearly evident.

Yamato didn't care for the man's tone. "I was not aware that I was paying them to talk," he said cooly. "You'll see to it that order is kept. That's what I'm paying you for."

"Of course, Your Excellency. I've forgotten my place. Forgive me."

Yamato looked up at the man whom he had relied so heavily upon since his father's death. "It's all right. I need you to keep me in line, too, every now and again. Honestly, when... I would have been lost without you. Thank you."

He slapped the man affectionately on the shoulder in parting and made his way back through the forest to Taichi's side, the bundle of requested clothes tucked under one arm. He didn't look back to see the Master of the Guard's smile turn into a dark stare.

************************************************

"Master," Yamato announced himself, sweeping down into a low bow before Taichi.

The King had held still the arm bearing a pile of clothing through the elegant gesture, Taichi noticed. Atop the stack was an oiled skin pouch used to hold ointments. "Did they laugh at you?"

Who? Yamato wondered. Lots of people had. That had obviously been Taichi's plan. "Your knight laughed," Yamato said.

"And your soldiers, did they laugh as well?"

Yamato didn't want to think about it, but he had to answer the question. "Yes, Master. They laughed."

"Good. Set the clothes down and leave me. I don't want to see you ever again."

Nope. Not gonna be that easy. Yamato placed the bundle at Taichi's side and backed up a few paces. He made no move to leave.

"I said go!"

Yamato bowed his head and kneeled.

"Go! Leave!"

"Master, I am trying to please you, but I cannot do so if I am out of your presence."

"Well, that's what I want, so do it!"

"I don't think that's true," the King replied quietly, staring up knowingly into Taichi's eyes.

The Prince gritted his teeth. "You have to obey everything I say, right?"

"It appears I have the ability to interpret certain orders for myself. As long as the order doesn't force me from you forever, I will obey."

"Stand on one leg. Cross your arms. Hop around in a circle. Sing I'm a Dinky Duck."

The King sighed.

"Do it," commanded the Prince.

Yamato couldn't ignore the direct order, so he performed the ludicrous dance as ordered until it came to the song. "I don't know that one."

The Prince's brown eyes took on a malicious glint. "Then sing I've Been a Giant Prick and I'm Sorry. Make up the words as you feel necessary."

"Make up a song?"

"You have two minutes to think about it. And then I want to hear your melodic apology."

The allotted time was spent with Yamato wrinkling his brow in tense thought and Taichi experiencing sharp anticipation for the King's humiliating downfall. The Prince's self-satisfied smirk grew as Yamato began muttering to himself and shaking his head. Pleased with how much effort was being put into the song of apology, Taichi let him have a little bit longer than he'd originally planned, but eventually he called out, "Time's up! Sing."

The King bowed his head, then looked up with an expression that could only be called seductive. "I've Been a Giant Prick and I'm Sorry," he announced. "This pathetic song is written for Prince Taichi of Yagami with my most abject apologies. If you find fault with the melody or words, please do not doubt the sincerity of my remorse for the wrongs that I have committed against you."

The cultured words had rolled off the King's tongue as easily as the opening speech of a banquet. No doubt, Yamato would probably start singing some love-sick ballad about a lover's misery when denounced by the object of his affections. Yamato gave Taichi a slow, quiet, sad nod... before his eyes sparked and his mouth opened in amused, spritely song.

"Theeeeere once was a fool from Ishida,
who was a bit of a jerk.
He pissed off a Prince
by catching a glimpse
and now his limbs won't work.

"'I've been a giant prick and I'm sorry,'
he said to his truest love.
And down on his knees
he was ready to please
if only he had a glove!

"But, nay, his love was a shy one,
and cared not for that sort of thing.
So he sat by his side
and swallowed his pride
And opened his mouth to sing:

"'I've been a giant prick and I'm sorry,
have mercy upon my plight.
Forgive me please?
I'm down on my knees.
Just kiss me but once this night.'

"And, yes, his love was a kind one,
and touched his face so surely.
Their lips met with bliss
As the Prince pressed his kiss
And thus the King loved him purely.

"For he'd been a giant prick and was sorry
he'd caused the Prince any distress.
And now all could see
his true loyalty
as he was the one in the dress.

"So hark to my words kindly sir,
and remember the peace of the dove:
Good-will to all men
And breakfast at ten
to be shared with your one true love.

"So, please, Taichi, show some pity.
I know that I've done wrong.
I love you, I do,
Even more than my shoe.
Don't make me wait too long."

Yamato repeated the last line, then finished with a bow.

Taichi just stared. The tune had been an old one -- nothing fancy (and possibly a bar song, if he was remembering correctly) -- but Yamato's singing... the words... his voice... It had been amazing. He was touched. And couldn't keep himself from smiling. But Yamato's expression had turned from jovial to quiet earnest and Taichi found the humor he'd held slipping away as the moment grew.

"That was well sung. Thank you," he murmured, so as not to break the atmosphere.

"I meant it, Taichi."

The brunet quirked an eyebrow. "What's up with loving me more than your shoe? That's not a highly flattering comparison."

Yamato blushed. "That was just for the rhyme. Besides, I'll have you know, these boots are absolutely fabulous. They're my most prized possession."

"Sure, it was and sure, they are," he said, completely unconvinced, but it didn't really matter. He scuffed the ground with the toe of his boot. "So, if you'd do all this stuff that I asked you to do -- embarrassing yourself in front of your men, hopping around, singing -- why won't you leave when I tell you to?"

Yamato was formulating his answer when, apparently, Taichi grew impatient.

"Answer me," the Prince ordered.

And strangely, Yamato didn't feel a burning need to obey. The dust was wearing off. But Taichi doesn't know it yet. "I'm thinking," he said to stall for more time while still seeming obedient. He let his eyes rake up and down Taichi's body. Despite the way his worn clothes looked baggy on Taichi's smaller frame, the Prince was looking utterly fine. Uncertain brown eyes showed none of their previous anger. Taichi was ready to listen.

Yamato took a soft step forward. "I think..." Another step. "I didn't leave when you asked, because you would be unhappy if I truly left. Maybe that's presumptuous of me, but it's the reason that I hope is right. I know now that how I've been treating you has really upset you, but I think there's a part of you that cares for me, for whatever reason, just as much as I care for you. I find you to be very attractive, I won't deny it. But more than that -- your sense of humor, your enthusiasm for life, the way you took charge when that batpig attacked -- you're a person I could spend a lot of time with. We could get along really well together. I think we just got off on the wrong foot."

The King reached out slowly, so as not to startle, and caressed the brunet's cheek. He let his hand drop even though everything inside of him was screaming to grab the Prince and kiss him thoroughly. "Do you like me, even a little, Taichi?"

"When you treat me like an equal, I like you a lot." Taichi knew his anger had drained out of him. It seemed too difficult a thing to call it back. "Do you think that when the spell is over, you can continue this good behavior?"

Yamato traced his finger along Taichi's lower lip. "I don't know. Would you call this behaving well?"

"What?"

"Am I satisfying your every will, Master?"

Taichi's breath quickened. Had the dust already worn off? A test. "On your knees."

Yamato took a knee, but only because it suited him.

The Prince couldn't tell if the King was still under his command. True, he had obeyed, but there was something in his eyes... "Get up and dance for me."

Yamato smiled and took Taichi's hand in his. "Taichi, would you give me another chance?"

Yamato's free! Panic flooded through him. But... Taichi wasn't being groped. The King was, in fact, treating him courteously, holding his hand like a knight wooing a fair maiden. The maiden image annoyed him a bit, but Yamato was the one wearing the dress and the blond wasn't laughing or making fun.

"On my honor as a King, I'll treat you properly for this ritual. And if, after that, you want to leave, I'll let you and the knight take the horses with you." He bit delicately at his lip. "But maybe, if you like, we could spend some time together?"

Taichi stiffened. "Doing what, exactly? Sex?"

Heat smouldered in cerulean eyes. "If that's what you want. I won't pretend that I'm not interested, but like I said before, there're other admirable qualities about you."

"If you admire me so much, why have you made my life a living hell from the moment I was dumped in a pile of curtains on your throne room floor?

"Oh, I don't think it's been as bad as all that."

And there he goes again, discounting my feelings. Taichi was done. Finished. He'd heard enough. Hopefully the nymph's dust had worn off on him as well.

Yamato caught up to the Prince before the younger man could attempt to leave. "Now wait, don't be angry. What I mean is that while, yes, I think of you with amorous intent, I haven't forced you to do anything too uncomfortable, have I? And I won't. You have my promise. You never exactly told me to stop, either... so I thought you were just feeling shy. Instead of telling me no, you ran away. And when I'm on the hunt and something runs, I chase. You didn't tell me no, so I thought you were enjoying it, but were too shy to admit it. I thought you wanted me to chase after you. I care for you, Taichi. Won't you stick around just a bit longer so I can show you?"

"I did say no," Taichi grumbled. "And keeping me in that ridiculous dress? How was that showing you care for me?"

Yamato had the presence of mind to look abashed, but his tone of voice didn't quite follow through. "Oh, that. That, um, was for fun," he said absently.

Taichi was of half a mind to get angry again, but Yamato stood suddenly and brought their bodies into very close, very intimate contact. The feelings overwhelmed him and he couldn't bring himself to shove the taller man away.

"Believe me," the King husked in the Prince's ear. "I very much appreciate the fact that you are male. It creates numerous opportunities that would be otherwise unavailable. Forgive me for amusing myself at your expense and forgive a harried ruler for taking pleasure where he can find it."

Taichi shivered, then struggled to form enough coherent thought to scowl. "You're doing it again. You're discounting what I think."

"Maybe. Maybe not," he said. Although, he did put some much-needed (at least to Taichi's mind) space between them. "Just quit thinking for a moment and simply feel. Do you hate me being near you?"

"No," the Prince admitted grudgingly.

"Do you, perchance, like me being near you, like this?"

"No!" Yamato's immediate crestfallen look caused Taichi to try very hard to come up with an honest answer that he could actually live with saying out loud. "Maybe," he whispered.

Yamato smiled then, an I'm-actually-a-nice-guy-and-everything-is-going-to-be-okay smile. "I can work with 'maybe'." He examined Taichi's face for any signs of annoyance or hesitation. "Are we good then? Can we head back to the others?"

Taichi sighed. It would be easy to say yes, to let bygones be bygones. At the same time, it would be easy to say no, because really, Yamato hadn't changed a bit. He was still a pervy, groping, letch. Yet... his mind flashed back to when Yamato had held them tightly together. Was it really all that bad? If only...

"Promise me something?" Taichi asked.

"As long as it proves no danger to my kingdom, I promise you anything."

The King's easy agreement surprised Taichi and made him a little suspicious. "Don't you even want to know what it is first? What if it's something horrible?"

"Taichi, when I was under that spell, you could have had me do anything, injure myself or whatever, and I couldn't have stopped you. But all you did was make me run errands and look silly. And after what I've put you through these past few days, I think you're entitled to whatever I have in my power to give." He got a worried look on his face. "It is something that I can do, right? You're not gonna ask me to go on a quest for the legendary crests or something, right? That'd be silly, right? Right?"

"Right?" Taichi teasingly mimicked the panicked man. "Yes, it is something that you can do. Maybe even easily. But you might not want to, or maybe you can't..."

Pride ruffled from being mocked, Yamato grouched, "Just say it already, sheesh. It's like you're trying to ask me to marry you."

Taichi blushed. "No, nothing like that. Just... would you treat me like a friend?"

A friend? The idea was... foreign. Yamato was close with Takeru, and he and his father (although the man had always been busy with running the kingdom) were close until the end... he didn't really have any friends. There were advisors, followers, and the Master of the Guard... but none of them were really friends. Aside from Takeru, he'd never had to interact with an equal. Maybe that was why Taichi found him so infuriating.

Taichi, seeing Yamato's expression go blank with a little crease between his brows, assumed the worst. And he was surprised how much it hurt that Yamato didn't want to be his friend.

"Hey," the Prince offered quietly. "No worries. Let's just go back. Koushiro and I will leave after the ceremony."

"Wait. That wasn't supposed to be taken as a rejection. I... I don't think I've ever had a real friend before, so I'm not sure how to go about it. I don't know if I can, but I swear I'll try. For you." Yamato wasn't sure if Taichi believed him. It was the truth, though. All of it. He really didn't have a clue, but he wanted to try. The only question remaining was did his word mean anything to Taichi now?

Taichi stepped closer. Yamato looked so unsure and miserable. The Prince tried to imagine what life would have been like without his sister, without Koushiro, or any of the others he considered friends. The King wasn't meeting his eyes, so Taichi turned his chin with a soft hand.

"I would be honored, King Yamato, to be your first friend."

They smiled at each other and just when Yamato began to feel tears pricking at his eyes, Taichi leaned in closer and lips kneaded against his own.

When they parted for air, gone was the King's smug self-assurance. Instead, Yamato was left feeling slightly dazed. Maybe he'd been going about this business of wooing the Prince in entirely the wrong way... "That's friends?"

The Prince smiled and kissed him again, for looking so adorable. "That's friends with benefits," Taichi told him, pulling Yamato close.

Hands slid. Clothes were removed. And if either man noticed the cold while they learned and tasted the other's skin, neither said a word.

When they'd redressed in the fresh clothing and Taichi then led Yamato from the clearing, no fog appeared to cloud their path.