Fake Fan Fiction ❯ Greek Love ❯ Estrangement ( Chapter 7 )

No lemons here, but there's sugar-sweetness! (Ok, some bitter-sweetness too...)

 

Disclaimer: Me no own fake. Me sad.

 

 

After that first night together, Dee lavished his blond-haired lover with gracious attention. No matter if his day was hard and long, he would pleasure his companion late into the night until Ryo was relaxed and replete. And then the darkly handsome man would coax his lover's body back into readiness by furtively caressing every angle, every curve along his skin until it sparked with anticipation and the young man leaned into his touch, yearning for more. Then Dee would swiftly spread the man's legs and mount him yet again. But there were no more tears; Ryo was falling into pace with their love-making. The intensity of it all still, at times, caught him off guard- as it did for Dee as well. But when it seemed they would burst into pieces from the emotion swelling between them, they clung to each other harder and tumbled over the edge of ecstasy together.

 

Only one matter seemed to mar Dee's happiness, and that was the fact that Ryo still seemed to keep a part of himself at a distance. There was nothing in particular the raven-haired man could say that his companion did that was cool toward him, but there WAS something... he could feel it deep in his heart.

 

Still, Dee was content with having the man in his arms every night. For it was always at these times that was was the most open, when Dee was the most free to love him. And, surely, Ryo would grow to trust him... he just had to give him time.

 

But patience was not one of Dee's virtues, and what little he had was severely put to the test when, about a week after their fateful night together, he walked into his lover's room to find the man crouched on the floor, talking and laughing in a jovial tone with a small boy of nine or ten. Then Dee remembered the favor Ryo had asked of him. He'd completely forgotten that he'd sent for the boy. Not that he grudged Ryo the favor, but now that he'd gotten the man into bed, he wanted to keep him there. The boy was a complication. Especially the way he was glaring up at him at the moment.

 

"Oh! Dee!" the blond said cheerfully as he turned to see the man watching them in the doorway. The small boy looked surprised to hear Ryo address his master in such an informal manner, but he remained wary of him nonetheless.

 

"Ryo," he replied simply. Although he hadn't meant for his voice to sound so cool, he was annoyed at the boy's angry glare. He'd done nothing to deserve such a look. In fact, he had just pulled him from a long life of difficult labor and plopped him into an easy, luxury-filled existence. But even more than that, it irritated Dee to see his Ryo laughing so easily with this strange youngster, when he had never done so with him. How did this boy elicit the man's trust so swiftly? Dee had assumed the younger man was still steeling his emotions, still warily holding himself back from joy in order to protect himself. But here he was smiling and laughing with ease. Was Dee so untrustworthy?

 

Although he wouldn't have admitted it, the idea wounded his heart, and Ryo could see the pain reflected in his eyes, even if he didn't understand it. If anything, the blond simply thought the other man now regretted having to share him with someone else. He couldn't see the larger matter at hand. He didn't know how much he had hurt Dee.

 

Of course, Ryo was aware that he had shielded his heart from the dark-haired man to a degree. From the moment he awoke that first morning after Dee had made love to him, he'd been in conflict with his heart. His body had ached, but pleasantly so, and he was refreshingly worn out. He'd been through so many emotions the previous evening, he now felt wonderfully purged; released from the bonds of sorrow that had held him captive for so long. Deep inside his mind, though, were emotional scars that refused to healed, and walls of defense built around his heart that would not yield. Would he really allow himself to love this man? Could he truly open his heart to him? After all, when all was said and done, he was still a slave in service of his master. Although, had he realized it, it had been impossible for him not to fall in love with the tall, handsome man. But it would be a long time coming before he could admit it. In the meantime, he let himself enjoy the carnal pleasure of his nights and was kind and polite to his master during the times he saw him in the day. That would have to be enough.

 

"Bikky," Ryo said, pulling the young boy up from the floor to present him. "This is your new master..." Ryo stumbled, unsure if he should simply call him 'Dee' as he normally would, or if this would be inappropriate- if it was an exception made only for himself.

 

"Call me Dee," the tall man finished for him, stepping up to the small boy and towering over him. His words were soft, but his stance was anything but.

 

"You're the one that sent me to those horrible people!" the boy spat out in fury, undeterred by Dee's height and presence.

 

"They are a very respectable family," Dee replied coolly. The statesman knew that Bikky's life must have been demanding at his old residence, but he did indeed respect them. Taking a quick appraisal of the boy, he noticed he had been well-feed and there was no evidence of beating or whippings. He'd actually been lucky, considering his status. However, Dee knew he had no chance of convincing the boy of that right now. Or ever. He looked rather stubborn.

 

"Yeah, right," the boy muttered.

 

Luckily for Dee, Ryo intervened. "Bikky! Don't say such things to people who only wish to help you! You don't look malnutritioned or bruised, I'm sure Dee did his best to place you with a decent household. In any case, you'll be staying with me from now on, and that's Dee's doing as well. You should thank him," Ryo said firmly. Then added, "He's a good master."

 

Dee winced at the last comment. Again, without knowing it, the young blond man had sent a sharp pain searing through his heart. Is that all he thought of him? His master? Was he only a servant doing his duty by sleeping with him? Dee hadn't thought so... he didn't want to think so now, but the idea lurked in his brain. Ryo might enjoy having sex with him and still feel nothing toward him than dutiful. But Dee wanted so much more from him. Didn't the young man before him know that? From the start he had told him not to think of himself as a servant. Dee certainly had never thought of him that way. The raven-haired man's unusual background had made him uncommonly egalitarian for his time and place. He didn't see much difference between himself and Ryo beyond what circumstance had brought to him. Hadn't he shown that to him? And still, the younger man insisted on drawing a line between them. Maybe his pride would never be able to set aside their difference in status, maybe he would always keep Dee's claim on him as a wall between them. But he hoped not.

 

His thoughts were broken as the small boy's whine filled the air. "But Ryoooo... I hated it there, and I don't know if I like it here either! I want to go home!" he cried, choking back his tears.

 

"I know," was all Ryo said as he kneeled down to wrap his arms around the small, sniffling figure. "But you'll be happy here, I promise. I'll take care of you. I'll even teach you how to read and write. Dee said it's ok, didn't you?" Ryo said, looking up.

 

But Dee barely heard him.

 

He stood watching them, feeling Ryo's empathy for the boy like a palpable force on his heart. Dee knew that the man shared in the boy's sadness, he could see him fighting back his own tears and it was more than he could bare. Maybe he had been wrong to ever think Ryo could consider this his real home. He turned his face from the tender scene and left.

 

There was no place for him there. How could be possibly share their despair when his own people were part of the reason they had to endure it?

 

As far away as both the foreigners were from their true homes at that moment, it was Dee who felt the most alone.

 

 

 

******* Kinda short Ch., but I really wanted to stop there... let Dee's melancholy hang in the air a bit b/f the next chapter. I usually am not a huge fan of angst, but I really enjoyed writing this Ch. I think there's more heartache than angst in it, though. Anyway, hope you enjoyed it as well!

Reviews welcomed!