Tsubasa Chronicle Fan Fiction ❯ Mizerable ❯ Chapter 2
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: hentaimonkey 
Anime/Manga: Tsubasa Chronicle Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Angst / Shounen | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 01.18.2006 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.7K | Visits: 429 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Tsubasa Chronicle Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Angst / Shounen | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 01.18.2006 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.7K | Visits: 429 | Status: Completed
realize that it’s been an eternity since I’ve updated this story and I would like to apologize for that. I’ve been very busy restoring my computer (which crashed and burned horrifically) and hope that my long hiatus from this story (much of which for the future was already written and saved… I’ve had to start over again) will be forgiven. If not, I apologized, I can’t do much more than that. Thank you!
Fai shivered in his hidden corner in the room. Ashura would come bursting through that very door and he would be pissed off. He would want nothing more than to bring him pain. And Fai loved him enough to let him continue to control him. He wanted to be free of him, but he couldn’t bear to be alone again. And he was afraid that if he was left alone, if Ashura left him, he would be easy prey for the bullies. He would be easily targeted.
There was nothing wrong with the fact that he had wanted to make a friend. There was nothing wrong with being friends with others in the school. He wanted to have friends, he didn’t want to be left alone in the school. He didn’t want to be alone again. He would make it up to Ashura. He would apologize and beg for forgiveness, he had to, if he didn’t, he would be alone again. And if he was alone again, he would probably end up dead.
Ashura threw the door open, his handsome face contorted in a mask of barely concealed rage. He stalked to Fai, his fists clenched at his side. Growling, he thrust his left hand into Fai’s short blond hair, grabbing a handful and pulling it toward him.
“Are you proud of yourself whore?” Ashura asked, his voice deep with rage.
“I didn’t… I didn’t do anything wrong!” Fai pleaded softly, pushing against the hand that held his hair. Fighting against the man who would hurt him. Who would have his way with him.
“You are a whore. What did I tell you about talking to other guys?” Ashura asked, shaking Fai’s head back and forth, a mockery of a nod.
“I know!” Fai whimpered. “I didn’t do anything. I ran into him! I ran into him and all we did was eat lunch!”
“How do I know that?” Ashura growled. “No more. You can’t see him anymore. You will not leave this room without me unless you are going to your classes. If I’m not here, then you can not leave the room. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Fai tried to nod, pushing against the restricting hand, begging silently for it all to end. He closed his eyes, trying vainly to stop the flow of tears.
Ashura growled deep in his throat and threw Fai back, smirking softly as Fai’s blond head smacked against the wall behind his thin body. “You deserve everything you get, you whore.”
Turning angrily on his heel, he stalked away from the prostrate form of his lover and roommate and stormed from the room. “I can’t stand to see your face right now.”
Fai didn’t move again until Ashura was gone. The door was closed and Fai moved to kneeling. He hugged himself tightly, rocking back and forth, praying the pain in his head would go away. He wouldn’t dare to disobey Ashura, not again. Not after what just having lunch with a friend had resulted in.
Sobbing softly, Fai mourned the loss of a friend, though he wasn’t gone, he just wouldn’t be allowed to associate anymore with him. It would be better if one of them just died.
*
Kurogane walked slowly through the halls. He was lost. Again. It had been pure luck when he stumbled across Fai as he was looking for a lunchroom to eat it. This school was a maze and Kurogane had a hard time sometimes just finding his room. Sighing, and too stubborn that he was indeed very lost, Kurogane continued to walk slowly through the halls. His roommate, Kinomoto Touya would probably be able to help him, if he could just find Touya.
Sighing to himself, he stalked slowly along the halls, intent on finding something familiar so he could find his way back to his room. He couldn’t even find the cafeteria he’d entered to eat lunch with Fai. Fai, the pretty little blond who had fled the moment his boyfriend came in the room. Why would he do that. Weren’t they lovers, equal parts of a partnership where love was shared and they enjoyed each other’s company? Didn’t they share enough trust to allow Fai to interact with other men?
The blond guy was a cutie. He was petite, nervous, and a little stand-offish. But he had unusual blue eyes that were deep and emotional, unlike most of the Japanese students he also knew. Fai was timid and unsure and he was so damn cute. And that timidity made Kurogane want to know just a little more about the little guy.
“Oi, Kurogane!” Touya’s voice called into the quiet halls. “Where are you going?”
“I was looking for the room,” Kurogane answered, sticking his head into the door. He smiled sheepishly as he realized, somehow, he’d managed to stumble across the room.
“Well, looks like you found it. Kurogane, I’d like you to meet Tsukishiro Yukito. He’s being a little shy right now, but he’s not really this shy,” Touya murmured, pointing at the figure lying beside him on the bed. The blond raised his head and smiled shyly at the tall American.
“Nice to meet you,” Yukito smiled, bowing his handsome head quickly. He was a pretty boy, large dark green eyes, pale blond hair and a pure face, void of any imperfections. He was long, slender as he lay beside Touya. His roommate, however, was not so pretty. He was handsome, rugged looking almost. He had short, dark black hair that he preferred to keep looking as messy as possible. His deep brown eyes were silky, like melting chocolate. The lines of his face were strong, reminding Kurogane of the depictions of cowboys he would often see in the metro stations. It was a childish comparison, but one he liked.
“Same here,” Kurogane nodded. Turning his attention to his roommate, he asked very seriously, “How long does it take to get familiar with this damn place?”
“It’ll take forever if you don’t have somebody show you around. You may want to get a classmate soon to show you around. Not me or Yukito, somebody you can get to know. When we’re freshmen, we’re assigned seniors to help us find our ways through the halls, but since you’re a junior, you won’t get that. Find somebody who’s a junior and who is willing to help the new kid out.”
“Shit. I was hoping you would help me out. I got so lost coming back, it wasn’t even funny!” Kurogane growled, moving to his bare side of the room and plopping down on his bed.
“Well, it is kind of funny to think of the new kid roaming the halls looking for his bedroom,” Yukito smiled softly, chuckling in a whispered voice.
“Eh, nobody asked you,” Kurogane growled, turning to the small nightstand and pulling his CD player out of it. “I’m ignoring the both of you now. You who have plotted against me!” he sighed dramatically, throwing himself back to lay on his bed in mock despair. The two laughed before returning to each other in hushed tones.
‘I need to find somebody who’s willing to walk me through the halls so I don’t get lost. Somebody willing to be my new friend and help me find my way. Without making fun of me either,’ he thought slowly.
As he closed his eyes and listened to the thrum of his music, he let his mind wander back to the blond. There was something that just wasn’t right about him and that Ashura guy. Fai, his name was Fai. Fai was a quiet person. What was he doing with somebody like Ashura. Even if he’d only just walked into the room, Kurogane had been able to see the looks of admiration that decorated the other students faces as they looked at Ashura. The looks of jealousy as they turned hateful eyes toward Fai. What had Fai done, what was Ashura getting out of it?
Growling to himself, Kurogane folded his arms behind his head and studied the inside of his eyelids. Fai was an interesting person. He’d never met anyone like him before. And he’d met a lot of people. There was something almost vulnerable about the way Fai presented himself. About the way Fai behaved with other people. He had almost been friendly toward Kurogane, while nearly ignoring completely, the rest of the students in the cafeteria. For a school so isolated, it was unusual. He should have been very familiar with the rest of the student body. Especially since they liked to keep things done by grade level.
Sighing, he opened his eyes to stare at the blank ceiling. The loud music in this CD player was calming his nerves, but he was confused about his new friend. What were they hiding?
*
“Oi, you gonna lay there or are you going to join us for dinner?”
“What time is it?” Kurogane asked softly, blinking his eyes slowly, trying to focus on what was happening around him.
“It’s dinner time. You coming or are you starving?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be there in a second.”
“You couldn’t find your way alone. Get up. We’ll wait a few minutes for you,” Touya smiled.
Kurogane rolled his eyes and groaned. He had fallen asleep contemplating the pretty blond. He hadn’t meant to fall asleep, he just had. He rolled himself out of bed and trudged from the room. Closing and locking the room door, he followed Touya and Yukito, who were walking hand in hand like lovers, to the cafeteria. He was surprised to see so many students milling around the cafeteria this evening, compared to the lunch hour.
He was thrilled when he spotted Fai’s blond head, but Fai refused to acknowledge him. Pouting slightly, he joined Touya and Yukito at their table, a bowl of rice and a plate of skewered chicken on his tray. He slumped in his seat and picked at his food.
“What’s the matter?” Yukito asked in that quiet voice of his.
“Nothing,” he pouted. He turned his crimson eyes in the direction of Fai and saw he was sitting quietly with Ashura. That bastard was playing a game with Fai and it was irritating.
“You don’t want to mess with that,” Touya murmured softly. “Fai and Ashura are the only two in this school that aren’t messed with. Fai will never talk to anyone else, his mind is focused entirely on Ashura and schoolwork. Ashura is an open person, but he refuses to let Fai be so open himself.”
“Are they lovers?” Kurogane asked softly. He couldn’t understand the twinge of jealousy pulling at his heart.
“You could call them lovers, but you would be lying. Fai and Ashura sleep together and when Fai is with people, Ashura will pretend to be kind and loving and attentive, but Ashura never keeps the same bed twice, if you understand,” Yukito answered softly. “I feel so sorry for Fai. He’s stuck in that relationship and there’s nothing anyone can do.”
“Why doesn’t he try to leave him. Why doesn’t he just say no?”
“Because Fai doesn’t know the meaning of the word no, especially in light of someone as powerful as Ashura.”
“What do you mean?”
“This is a very private school. Only certain people are allowed in. You’ve paid the tuition in full, haven’t you? So has nearly everyone else here. It’s not a secret that Fai is one of just a handful here on a scholastic scholarship. Fai is an orphan. He grew up in an orphanage and he went to school. He’s smart, there’s no denying it, but he couldn’t afford the tuition. He’s here on merit alone. And everyone around him is from a different social caste than he is. He can’t help but feel overwhelmed. Ashura is the only one who ever pretended to care about Fai.” Yukito explained quickly. “You’re best to just pretend he doesn’t exist. Ashura doesn’t like him talking to other guys. He’d have a shit-fit if he found you two alone together.”
“Why did Ashura pick Fai?”
“You haven’t noticed?” Touya asked incredulously. “Look around you. I’m sorry babe, but you know it’s true. Fai is the prettiest boy in this school. The handsomest kid with the prettiest kid makes for a pretty powerful pair.”
“I’m so ugly!” Yukito droned in mock despair, throwing his head to the table.
His table mates laughed and he raised his head, winking. “I know, I get so jealous of him sometimes,” Yukito confessed softly.
*
Fai raised his blond head slowly. He had heard laughter, and in his experience, laughter meant poking fun at him. He looked around the full room and spotted the new American, eating dinner with Kinomoto and Tsukishiro. He was a little jealous. Kurogane looked like he was having fun. The other two were probably being very helpful and kind.
He remembered when Ashura was like that. Maybe something had happened to him and he had had to change into something meaner. Sighing, he hoped nobody would speak too loudly, his head was roaring softly, a headache as a result of his confrontation with Ashura. He hoped nobody would notice that his eyes were still red from crying all afternoon. He hoped nobody wanted to talk to him. He wouldn’t be able to handle it.
Ashura sat across the table from him. He was handsome and in appearance, he was perfect. He was talking animatedly with a friend sitting to his left and looking as though nothing had happened that afternoon. Fai wanted to cry. He probably would when he returned to his room. Looking around again, he noticed that Kurogane had his head down, his thoughts trailed far away into deep territory. Fai wanted to know what he was thinking about. He was curious about the American who had captured his interest.
Ashura saw the looks that passed between Kurogane and Fai. How neither of them wanted to pay attention to the other, though they clearly wanted to. Ashura hoped that Kurogane’s friends were smart enough to warn him against playing with what so clearly belonged to him. If Kurogane came around Fai again, somebody would have to pay for it. There was no doubting it. That was just the way it was. Smiling to himself, he moved around the table to sit beside Fai, in his way of seeing the American.
“If I see you talking to him, or if I see you around him, you won’t be very happy,” Ashura whispered in his ear. “Now, if you are done, I’m ready to go back to the room, and that means you are as well. I’m not leaving you here where you can flirt like the common whore you are.”
“I’m done,” Fai whispered, pushing his plate across the table from him. It was still half full.
Standing, he followed Ashura from the room and smiled at those who smiled at him and nodded to those who nodded. He refused to leave Ashura’s side and he could feel the hot glare of the American as Ashura moved them directly past them.
“Fai, don’t you remember your friend from lunch? Why don’t you say hi?” Ashura murmured silkily, indicating Kurogane.
“Hello. Thank you for eating lunch with me today,” Fai whispered, nodding to the suddenly mute Kurogane.
He nodded in return and turned his gaze to Ashura, daring him to start something. Daring him to get something going so Kurogane would have a reason to pick a fight. He wanted to. He really, really wanted to fight with Ashura, but he was going to be good and not resort to violence.
Ashura moved gracefully away from the table and Fai followed, head bowed and body subservient in posture. Kurogane watched him leave and he wanted to help Fai. But he couldn’t. Not yet. He couldn’t figure out what to do with them, how to help.
Sighing heavily, he turned to the table, ignoring the rest of the cafeteria as they watched the handsome duo leave the cafeteria. He smiled at his roommate and his boyfriend and watched them staring slack-jawed at him.
“You know Fai?”
“I met him at lunch. He was cool. But when Ashura came in, he changed. I wanted to know why. I thought you would be the best way to figure it out. After all, people who’ve been here a while will know all the best… how you say, gossip.” Kurogane smiled.
“You know them? Gods you are going to be in for a world of trouble when school gets started. Take my advice. Don’t talk to them anymore. Don’t talk to them anymore,” Yukito murmured softly.
“Why not? Fai was cool until Ashura showed up.”
“You don’t want that kind of trouble. You’re going to have a hard enough time fitting in with most of the students as an American. At least you speak decent Japanese. You don’t have to worry about people thinking your accent is weird or your speaking skills are poor.”
“Shut up. I can be friends with whomever I choose to be friends with. And if that involves Fai, then I’m going to be Fai’s friend too,” Kurogane pouted. I’ll find a way to make it work.”
“Ashura’ll kill you or Fai,” Touya stated softly.
“Just for being my friend?”
“Just for being your friend. You see, Ashura runs his relationships on a hierarchical basis. If you mess with what is his, then he’s going to destroy you. You don’t mess with what belongs to Ashura. It just isn’t done. It’s like having an affair with a queen. You understand?”
“No. I don’t understand. But I’m not going to let it discourage me. I’m going to be his friend, whether Ashura likes it or not,” Kurogane growled softly.
“Well, I’m not going to be with you when you do that. Just make sure you make it known that I am not promoting your being friends with Fai. If Ashura asks, I was against it from the start!” Touya smiled at Kurogane, waving his hands in a pleading manner.
“Whatever,” Kurogane sighed, rolling his crimson eyes.
*
“You’ve got an interesting friend. Didn’t even want to talk to you today, did he?”
“No, he didn’t,” Fai whispered, curling in on himself in the solitary chair in the room.
“I talked to you though. And I have just proved to you a point you need to remember. I am the only one in this school willing to be with you. Nobody else in this school even likes you,” Ashura murmured, his voice silky as he moved to stand behind Fai. “Nobody cares for you like I do. Nobody at all. Not even the teachers who pretend to care.”
Fai whimpered softly and turned his head away. He didn’t want to look at Ashura. He didn’t want to think about what it would mean to look into his handsome eyes and be swept away yet again. But he couldn’t help himself. Turning to look into his roommate, his lover’s eyes, Fai smiled sadly and wrapped his arms around Ashura’s waist. “Don’t leave me,” he whimpered softly. “I need you.”
“I won’t leave you. Don’t you worry about a thing. I won’t let anything happen to you,” Ashura smiled, running his long fingers through Fai’s silky hair.
“I’m sorry for earlier,” Fai whispered.
“I know. And I’ve forgiven you. But for your protection and my own reassurance, you’ll still have to obey the rules.”
“I know. I will,” Fai nodded.
“Good. Come on, let’s go to bed,” Ashura murmured, pulling Fai up.
Pushing the blond in the direction of the bed they shared more often than not, Ashura was stripping as he moved. “I don’t have a lot of time this evening. I’ve got plans later on. But I want you first,” he whispered, pressing his erect length against Fai’s clothed behind. “Don’t fight with me and we’ll be good.”
Fai shivered in his hidden corner in the room. Ashura would come bursting through that very door and he would be pissed off. He would want nothing more than to bring him pain. And Fai loved him enough to let him continue to control him. He wanted to be free of him, but he couldn’t bear to be alone again. And he was afraid that if he was left alone, if Ashura left him, he would be easy prey for the bullies. He would be easily targeted.
There was nothing wrong with the fact that he had wanted to make a friend. There was nothing wrong with being friends with others in the school. He wanted to have friends, he didn’t want to be left alone in the school. He didn’t want to be alone again. He would make it up to Ashura. He would apologize and beg for forgiveness, he had to, if he didn’t, he would be alone again. And if he was alone again, he would probably end up dead.
Ashura threw the door open, his handsome face contorted in a mask of barely concealed rage. He stalked to Fai, his fists clenched at his side. Growling, he thrust his left hand into Fai’s short blond hair, grabbing a handful and pulling it toward him.
“Are you proud of yourself whore?” Ashura asked, his voice deep with rage.
“I didn’t… I didn’t do anything wrong!” Fai pleaded softly, pushing against the hand that held his hair. Fighting against the man who would hurt him. Who would have his way with him.
“You are a whore. What did I tell you about talking to other guys?” Ashura asked, shaking Fai’s head back and forth, a mockery of a nod.
“I know!” Fai whimpered. “I didn’t do anything. I ran into him! I ran into him and all we did was eat lunch!”
“How do I know that?” Ashura growled. “No more. You can’t see him anymore. You will not leave this room without me unless you are going to your classes. If I’m not here, then you can not leave the room. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Fai tried to nod, pushing against the restricting hand, begging silently for it all to end. He closed his eyes, trying vainly to stop the flow of tears.
Ashura growled deep in his throat and threw Fai back, smirking softly as Fai’s blond head smacked against the wall behind his thin body. “You deserve everything you get, you whore.”
Turning angrily on his heel, he stalked away from the prostrate form of his lover and roommate and stormed from the room. “I can’t stand to see your face right now.”
Fai didn’t move again until Ashura was gone. The door was closed and Fai moved to kneeling. He hugged himself tightly, rocking back and forth, praying the pain in his head would go away. He wouldn’t dare to disobey Ashura, not again. Not after what just having lunch with a friend had resulted in.
Sobbing softly, Fai mourned the loss of a friend, though he wasn’t gone, he just wouldn’t be allowed to associate anymore with him. It would be better if one of them just died.
*
Kurogane walked slowly through the halls. He was lost. Again. It had been pure luck when he stumbled across Fai as he was looking for a lunchroom to eat it. This school was a maze and Kurogane had a hard time sometimes just finding his room. Sighing, and too stubborn that he was indeed very lost, Kurogane continued to walk slowly through the halls. His roommate, Kinomoto Touya would probably be able to help him, if he could just find Touya.
Sighing to himself, he stalked slowly along the halls, intent on finding something familiar so he could find his way back to his room. He couldn’t even find the cafeteria he’d entered to eat lunch with Fai. Fai, the pretty little blond who had fled the moment his boyfriend came in the room. Why would he do that. Weren’t they lovers, equal parts of a partnership where love was shared and they enjoyed each other’s company? Didn’t they share enough trust to allow Fai to interact with other men?
The blond guy was a cutie. He was petite, nervous, and a little stand-offish. But he had unusual blue eyes that were deep and emotional, unlike most of the Japanese students he also knew. Fai was timid and unsure and he was so damn cute. And that timidity made Kurogane want to know just a little more about the little guy.
“Oi, Kurogane!” Touya’s voice called into the quiet halls. “Where are you going?”
“I was looking for the room,” Kurogane answered, sticking his head into the door. He smiled sheepishly as he realized, somehow, he’d managed to stumble across the room.
“Well, looks like you found it. Kurogane, I’d like you to meet Tsukishiro Yukito. He’s being a little shy right now, but he’s not really this shy,” Touya murmured, pointing at the figure lying beside him on the bed. The blond raised his head and smiled shyly at the tall American.
“Nice to meet you,” Yukito smiled, bowing his handsome head quickly. He was a pretty boy, large dark green eyes, pale blond hair and a pure face, void of any imperfections. He was long, slender as he lay beside Touya. His roommate, however, was not so pretty. He was handsome, rugged looking almost. He had short, dark black hair that he preferred to keep looking as messy as possible. His deep brown eyes were silky, like melting chocolate. The lines of his face were strong, reminding Kurogane of the depictions of cowboys he would often see in the metro stations. It was a childish comparison, but one he liked.
“Same here,” Kurogane nodded. Turning his attention to his roommate, he asked very seriously, “How long does it take to get familiar with this damn place?”
“It’ll take forever if you don’t have somebody show you around. You may want to get a classmate soon to show you around. Not me or Yukito, somebody you can get to know. When we’re freshmen, we’re assigned seniors to help us find our ways through the halls, but since you’re a junior, you won’t get that. Find somebody who’s a junior and who is willing to help the new kid out.”
“Shit. I was hoping you would help me out. I got so lost coming back, it wasn’t even funny!” Kurogane growled, moving to his bare side of the room and plopping down on his bed.
“Well, it is kind of funny to think of the new kid roaming the halls looking for his bedroom,” Yukito smiled softly, chuckling in a whispered voice.
“Eh, nobody asked you,” Kurogane growled, turning to the small nightstand and pulling his CD player out of it. “I’m ignoring the both of you now. You who have plotted against me!” he sighed dramatically, throwing himself back to lay on his bed in mock despair. The two laughed before returning to each other in hushed tones.
‘I need to find somebody who’s willing to walk me through the halls so I don’t get lost. Somebody willing to be my new friend and help me find my way. Without making fun of me either,’ he thought slowly.
As he closed his eyes and listened to the thrum of his music, he let his mind wander back to the blond. There was something that just wasn’t right about him and that Ashura guy. Fai, his name was Fai. Fai was a quiet person. What was he doing with somebody like Ashura. Even if he’d only just walked into the room, Kurogane had been able to see the looks of admiration that decorated the other students faces as they looked at Ashura. The looks of jealousy as they turned hateful eyes toward Fai. What had Fai done, what was Ashura getting out of it?
Growling to himself, Kurogane folded his arms behind his head and studied the inside of his eyelids. Fai was an interesting person. He’d never met anyone like him before. And he’d met a lot of people. There was something almost vulnerable about the way Fai presented himself. About the way Fai behaved with other people. He had almost been friendly toward Kurogane, while nearly ignoring completely, the rest of the students in the cafeteria. For a school so isolated, it was unusual. He should have been very familiar with the rest of the student body. Especially since they liked to keep things done by grade level.
Sighing, he opened his eyes to stare at the blank ceiling. The loud music in this CD player was calming his nerves, but he was confused about his new friend. What were they hiding?
*
“Oi, you gonna lay there or are you going to join us for dinner?”
“What time is it?” Kurogane asked softly, blinking his eyes slowly, trying to focus on what was happening around him.
“It’s dinner time. You coming or are you starving?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be there in a second.”
“You couldn’t find your way alone. Get up. We’ll wait a few minutes for you,” Touya smiled.
Kurogane rolled his eyes and groaned. He had fallen asleep contemplating the pretty blond. He hadn’t meant to fall asleep, he just had. He rolled himself out of bed and trudged from the room. Closing and locking the room door, he followed Touya and Yukito, who were walking hand in hand like lovers, to the cafeteria. He was surprised to see so many students milling around the cafeteria this evening, compared to the lunch hour.
He was thrilled when he spotted Fai’s blond head, but Fai refused to acknowledge him. Pouting slightly, he joined Touya and Yukito at their table, a bowl of rice and a plate of skewered chicken on his tray. He slumped in his seat and picked at his food.
“What’s the matter?” Yukito asked in that quiet voice of his.
“Nothing,” he pouted. He turned his crimson eyes in the direction of Fai and saw he was sitting quietly with Ashura. That bastard was playing a game with Fai and it was irritating.
“You don’t want to mess with that,” Touya murmured softly. “Fai and Ashura are the only two in this school that aren’t messed with. Fai will never talk to anyone else, his mind is focused entirely on Ashura and schoolwork. Ashura is an open person, but he refuses to let Fai be so open himself.”
“Are they lovers?” Kurogane asked softly. He couldn’t understand the twinge of jealousy pulling at his heart.
“You could call them lovers, but you would be lying. Fai and Ashura sleep together and when Fai is with people, Ashura will pretend to be kind and loving and attentive, but Ashura never keeps the same bed twice, if you understand,” Yukito answered softly. “I feel so sorry for Fai. He’s stuck in that relationship and there’s nothing anyone can do.”
“Why doesn’t he try to leave him. Why doesn’t he just say no?”
“Because Fai doesn’t know the meaning of the word no, especially in light of someone as powerful as Ashura.”
“What do you mean?”
“This is a very private school. Only certain people are allowed in. You’ve paid the tuition in full, haven’t you? So has nearly everyone else here. It’s not a secret that Fai is one of just a handful here on a scholastic scholarship. Fai is an orphan. He grew up in an orphanage and he went to school. He’s smart, there’s no denying it, but he couldn’t afford the tuition. He’s here on merit alone. And everyone around him is from a different social caste than he is. He can’t help but feel overwhelmed. Ashura is the only one who ever pretended to care about Fai.” Yukito explained quickly. “You’re best to just pretend he doesn’t exist. Ashura doesn’t like him talking to other guys. He’d have a shit-fit if he found you two alone together.”
“Why did Ashura pick Fai?”
“You haven’t noticed?” Touya asked incredulously. “Look around you. I’m sorry babe, but you know it’s true. Fai is the prettiest boy in this school. The handsomest kid with the prettiest kid makes for a pretty powerful pair.”
“I’m so ugly!” Yukito droned in mock despair, throwing his head to the table.
His table mates laughed and he raised his head, winking. “I know, I get so jealous of him sometimes,” Yukito confessed softly.
*
Fai raised his blond head slowly. He had heard laughter, and in his experience, laughter meant poking fun at him. He looked around the full room and spotted the new American, eating dinner with Kinomoto and Tsukishiro. He was a little jealous. Kurogane looked like he was having fun. The other two were probably being very helpful and kind.
He remembered when Ashura was like that. Maybe something had happened to him and he had had to change into something meaner. Sighing, he hoped nobody would speak too loudly, his head was roaring softly, a headache as a result of his confrontation with Ashura. He hoped nobody would notice that his eyes were still red from crying all afternoon. He hoped nobody wanted to talk to him. He wouldn’t be able to handle it.
Ashura sat across the table from him. He was handsome and in appearance, he was perfect. He was talking animatedly with a friend sitting to his left and looking as though nothing had happened that afternoon. Fai wanted to cry. He probably would when he returned to his room. Looking around again, he noticed that Kurogane had his head down, his thoughts trailed far away into deep territory. Fai wanted to know what he was thinking about. He was curious about the American who had captured his interest.
Ashura saw the looks that passed between Kurogane and Fai. How neither of them wanted to pay attention to the other, though they clearly wanted to. Ashura hoped that Kurogane’s friends were smart enough to warn him against playing with what so clearly belonged to him. If Kurogane came around Fai again, somebody would have to pay for it. There was no doubting it. That was just the way it was. Smiling to himself, he moved around the table to sit beside Fai, in his way of seeing the American.
“If I see you talking to him, or if I see you around him, you won’t be very happy,” Ashura whispered in his ear. “Now, if you are done, I’m ready to go back to the room, and that means you are as well. I’m not leaving you here where you can flirt like the common whore you are.”
“I’m done,” Fai whispered, pushing his plate across the table from him. It was still half full.
Standing, he followed Ashura from the room and smiled at those who smiled at him and nodded to those who nodded. He refused to leave Ashura’s side and he could feel the hot glare of the American as Ashura moved them directly past them.
“Fai, don’t you remember your friend from lunch? Why don’t you say hi?” Ashura murmured silkily, indicating Kurogane.
“Hello. Thank you for eating lunch with me today,” Fai whispered, nodding to the suddenly mute Kurogane.
He nodded in return and turned his gaze to Ashura, daring him to start something. Daring him to get something going so Kurogane would have a reason to pick a fight. He wanted to. He really, really wanted to fight with Ashura, but he was going to be good and not resort to violence.
Ashura moved gracefully away from the table and Fai followed, head bowed and body subservient in posture. Kurogane watched him leave and he wanted to help Fai. But he couldn’t. Not yet. He couldn’t figure out what to do with them, how to help.
Sighing heavily, he turned to the table, ignoring the rest of the cafeteria as they watched the handsome duo leave the cafeteria. He smiled at his roommate and his boyfriend and watched them staring slack-jawed at him.
“You know Fai?”
“I met him at lunch. He was cool. But when Ashura came in, he changed. I wanted to know why. I thought you would be the best way to figure it out. After all, people who’ve been here a while will know all the best… how you say, gossip.” Kurogane smiled.
“You know them? Gods you are going to be in for a world of trouble when school gets started. Take my advice. Don’t talk to them anymore. Don’t talk to them anymore,” Yukito murmured softly.
“Why not? Fai was cool until Ashura showed up.”
“You don’t want that kind of trouble. You’re going to have a hard enough time fitting in with most of the students as an American. At least you speak decent Japanese. You don’t have to worry about people thinking your accent is weird or your speaking skills are poor.”
“Shut up. I can be friends with whomever I choose to be friends with. And if that involves Fai, then I’m going to be Fai’s friend too,” Kurogane pouted. I’ll find a way to make it work.”
“Ashura’ll kill you or Fai,” Touya stated softly.
“Just for being my friend?”
“Just for being your friend. You see, Ashura runs his relationships on a hierarchical basis. If you mess with what is his, then he’s going to destroy you. You don’t mess with what belongs to Ashura. It just isn’t done. It’s like having an affair with a queen. You understand?”
“No. I don’t understand. But I’m not going to let it discourage me. I’m going to be his friend, whether Ashura likes it or not,” Kurogane growled softly.
“Well, I’m not going to be with you when you do that. Just make sure you make it known that I am not promoting your being friends with Fai. If Ashura asks, I was against it from the start!” Touya smiled at Kurogane, waving his hands in a pleading manner.
“Whatever,” Kurogane sighed, rolling his crimson eyes.
*
“You’ve got an interesting friend. Didn’t even want to talk to you today, did he?”
“No, he didn’t,” Fai whispered, curling in on himself in the solitary chair in the room.
“I talked to you though. And I have just proved to you a point you need to remember. I am the only one in this school willing to be with you. Nobody else in this school even likes you,” Ashura murmured, his voice silky as he moved to stand behind Fai. “Nobody cares for you like I do. Nobody at all. Not even the teachers who pretend to care.”
Fai whimpered softly and turned his head away. He didn’t want to look at Ashura. He didn’t want to think about what it would mean to look into his handsome eyes and be swept away yet again. But he couldn’t help himself. Turning to look into his roommate, his lover’s eyes, Fai smiled sadly and wrapped his arms around Ashura’s waist. “Don’t leave me,” he whimpered softly. “I need you.”
“I won’t leave you. Don’t you worry about a thing. I won’t let anything happen to you,” Ashura smiled, running his long fingers through Fai’s silky hair.
“I’m sorry for earlier,” Fai whispered.
“I know. And I’ve forgiven you. But for your protection and my own reassurance, you’ll still have to obey the rules.”
“I know. I will,” Fai nodded.
“Good. Come on, let’s go to bed,” Ashura murmured, pulling Fai up.
Pushing the blond in the direction of the bed they shared more often than not, Ashura was stripping as he moved. “I don’t have a lot of time this evening. I’ve got plans later on. But I want you first,” he whispered, pressing his erect length against Fai’s clothed behind. “Don’t fight with me and we’ll be good.”