Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ To Fight for Life and Love ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

It was quiet. That was the first noticeable thing about the school. The next was that it was practically empty. Except for the slaves wandering about doing their jobs, and the few gladiators lounging in the training fields, there was no one at the school. The sun shone down brightly on the scene, making everything more relaxing and calm. It was peaceful; Ken couldn't think of any other word to describe what he was feeling at the moment. It was peaceful and he had been spending the day doing nothing but sitting by Omi's side. That one simple fact made his day even brighter and better than anything else. However, all good things had to come to an end and the brunette ruined the calm with one simple statement.

"Omi, I'm bored." He whined, looking up at his blonde companion.

Not bothering to look away from his previous task, Omi chided Ken. "If you're bored, I'm sure there's something for you to do. Go play with one of the other gladiators; cards or something."

Ken refused to back down, poking at Omi's leg with a finger while his head rested on the boy's knee, "I don't wanna play with them. They're no fun anyway, always telling the same stories, laughing at the same jokes."

Still, Omi kept his attention on his sewing, only bothering to kick at Ken's finger with his free foot. Sighing, Ken pulled his finger away, shifting the position of his head to find a more comfortable spot on Omi's thigh. A few of the younger slaves ran by carrying baskets of clothes, laughing and chatting as they went on their way. Ken's eyes followed them for a moment before quickly returning back to Omi's toes. Reaching out, Ken grabbed at the appendages.

"Com'on, Omi. Do you really have to do that now?" Omi smacked Ken's head lightly while tucking his toes out of the gladiator's reach.

"Unless I want to run around naked, then yes, I have to do this now." That remarked earned a light blush from Ken as well as a giddy smile tugging at his mouth. He bit his lip to keep from remarking, however, sure that he would be stabbed with the needle if he did. Shifting slightly, Ken stared up at Omi, happy for the time being to watch his friend's face while he worked.

"Can you teach me to dance?" The soft hiss of pain from Omi caught Ken's attention. He quickly rose from his seat on the ground and sat beside the boy, searching him for any sign of where he was hurt. Omi had shoved his finger into his mouth and was currently sucking on it, glaring at the needle in his other hand. The finger was forcefully removed by Ken as he wiped it off and looked at the damage.

"Idiot," He muttered under his breath. The glare the needle had been receiving was now turned on Ken as Omi pulled his hand away from the brunette defensively. Ken pouted at the action but didn't try to push the issue. Instead, he leaned back against the wall casually, watching Omi from the corner of his eye, "So. Will you teach me?"

It was interesting watching the shades of red that Omi could turn. A light blush crept up the boy's neck and across his cheekbones, making him appear remarkably innocent. Feeling Ken's gaze, the blonde turned slightly and stared back at the older boy. The way Omi was sitting, the blush across his face, the way the wind blew his hair around, the almost half-lidded look in his eyes, it was enough to make Ken's heart pound. Swallowing nervously, Ken cast his eyes to the ground, unable to look at Omi much longer without doing something.

"If you don't, ya know....I understand. I think. But...well, I was...well, ya know..ummm..." If Omi could turn some interesting colors, Ken was sure that he had the boy beat. He could feel the heat rising from his own cheeks as he waited for his friend to answer, hardly daring to breathe lest he scare the boy.

"All right," was the soft response. Ken's head snapped up, nearly hitting the wall behind him. "You want to learn to dance? I can understand why, though." Ken was sure his eyes were falling out at the moment. Omi turned to face Ken fully, his eyes twinkling mischievously, "I mean, you are a pretty bad dancer."

The comment was meant in jest, but no matter what the gladiator told himself, the remark still hurt. Omi's opinion of Ken meant a great deal to him. Soft giggles broke his train of thought as Omi grabbed Ken's hand, pulling him off the bench and out into the field.

"Don't worry, Ken." Omi looked up and gave the brunette one of his biggest smiles, "You'll learn and do just fine. I know it." And for some reason, Omi's words brought of surge of confidence to Ken. If Omi thought he'd do well, then he knew he would.

"Ok. What do I do?" A few of the gladiators lying around had noticed Ken and Omi by now and were watching the two, waiting for some entertainment. The slaves didn't seem to notice and went about their business but would cast a quick glance every now and then. Ken suddenly felt very self-conscious; he had never before been aware of people watching him but now found that he didn't like the feeling. Ignoring the spectators, Omi stepped up to Ken and grabbed his hand, reaching to wrap one of the brunette's arms around his waist. In one moment, everything except Omi disappeared from Ken's mind; he felt giddy at the ability to touch the blonde.

"Now," Omi broke his reverie again, "when I step here, you'll follow, okay? Then, move your hand here....this one here and we spin."

Concentrating on Omi's instructions, Ken forgot about everything, including Omi. The sun rose higher in the sky as they continued to dance. Slowly, Ken began to pick up on the steps and soon found himself dancing as freely as Omi could, though not as gracefully. The gladiators quickly lost interest in the pair as the day wore on. Every once in a while, a slave would walk by and comment the two, causing Omi to blush and Ken to laugh and hold the boy more tightly.

"No, not to the left. To the right. Yeah, that's it....now, let go, spin and..." Ken did as Omi instructed, but found upon turning back around that one of the other gladiators had grabbed a hold of Omi and was pinning him tightly against the bigger man. A deep laugh rose from the other man's throat as he looked down on the smaller boy, totally ignoring Ken.

"Why don't I show you how to dance? You don't seem to be getting it." Omi stiffened as the other gladiator turned him around and grabbed at his waist. His breathing became fast and shallow; his body didn't seem to want to move. He was trapped in the man's pseudo-embrace. Everything stood still for one, long moment. Nobody appeared out in the field; all the gladiators had left or weren't paying attention and no slave ran across the open area. Ken could hear the blood pounding in his veins as he watched the other man handling Omi. He saw the fear in Omi's eyes, immobilizing him as the gladiator looked down on the boy in a disgusting manner.

It was a fight to remain calm as the gladiator ran his hands down Omi's back. Carefully, slowly, Ken approached the two, reaching out and placing a hand on Omi's shoulder lightly. "That's okay. I think we were done for the day anyway, right?"

Ken tightened his hold on the blonde's shoulder, not losing eye contact with the other gladiator. The older man stared back for a moment, his grip on Omi tightening. They could both hear the boy's quick breaths in the tense silence. The other gladiators finally noticed the confrontation and had turned their attention to the two men. Wide eyes peered over the gladiator's arm at Ken. Risking a glance at Omi, Ken gave his friend a small smile before returning his attention to the bigger man. The tension was thick in the air; the voices of other men could be heard in the background, rooting for one gladiator or the other. Ken's body tensed as the other man shifted Omi slightly, allowing him to have one hand free.

"What's going on?!" A loud voice rang out across the field as one of the school's guards ran out into the area. Immediately, the older man let go of Omi and backed off, glaring at the smaller guard. Ken pulled Omi to him and started to back away as well, leaning down to murmur something in Omi's ear.

"Both of you! Get out of here. Get back into your rooms!"

The guard drew his sword and advanced on the bigger gladiator until the man moved. Grunting, the man stalked away, not even bothering to look at Ken. Snarling in response, Ken turned and made his way back to his room with Omi still in his arms.

******

Wine poured freely into the glass Ran held. It was empty in the box without Aya or Youji around; but that was how Ran liked it. Without any distractions, he was free to concentrate on other matters. Frowning, Ran leant over the balcony a little more to get a better look at the arena. The game was nearly over; another two days and the city would go back to normal, all the gladiators would leave. And he still had yet to see Ken. Growling softly, Ran placed his glass on a nearby table and stood up.

Instantly, the slaves snapped to some form of attention and hurried to prepare for the red head to leave. Ran's robes swished around him as he strode down the hall. The slaves jumped out of his way quickly, bowing as he passed them as well as breathing a sigh of relief. The clamor from the crowd echoed down the hall as Ran searched out his friend. The clean kept halls of the aristocrats soon gave way to the filthy, lower level halls of the public. Ran ignored the stench and continued on his way, fueled by some unknown anger. The grimy halls of the regular public slowly merged with the halls leading down to the gladiators' area.

Instead of the dirt and slime coating the walls before, these halls were covered in blood and mud. Every few feet, a dead animal carcass would block the path causing Ran to sneer at the conditions as he stepped around the thing gingerly. The nauseating mixture of sweat and blood assaulted Ran at once, causing him to gag. Covering his nose and mouth with some of his robe, Ran continued on his way, intent on his search. Descending into the gladiators' quarters, it didn't take long for the aristocrat to spot his friend. As quickly as possible, Ran made his way across the crowded room to Youji, glaring at any and every gladiator in his path.

"Youji!" He called for the blonde, pushing a slave out of the way, "Youji!"

The blonde calmly turned around to face his friend. A strained smile seemed to lift his lips as he greeted the angry red head. "Yo, Ran. What brings you down here?"

Ignoring the fact he had just interrupted Youji's conversation, Ran grabbed his friend's shoulders and spun him so he was completely facing Ran, "Where is he?"

Youji just stared at Ran in out-right confusion. He blinked at the red head before slumping out of his grip. "Who?"

"You know who. Where. Is. Ken." Violet eyes narrowed dangerously as Ran stared at Youji.

The red haired woman Youji had been talking with had backed away slightly but not enough so her hearing was impaired. Making sure to school her face into a neutral expression, the woman listened to the exchange keenly.

Ran paid the woman no attention; too intent on Youji was he to notice her eavesdropping, "Why isn't he here?"

Straightening his clothes with nonchalance, Youji coolly faced Ran. The blonde was well aware of Erica's presence and kept his voice low, "Ran, he's been to three games within the past six months. He needs a break. You know it's impossible for me to bring a gladiator to every game. You shouldn't show yourself to be so eager around here."

Youji's warning went unheard by Ran as he glared past the blonde. Erica watched the scene before her cautiously. The red headed aristocrat was visibly upset by the news and would most likely vent physically. No sooner had she thought this than she watched Ran spin on his heels and stalk out of the room, shoving aside a slave that had gotten in his way. A soft sigh caught Erica's attention as Youji turned to face her once more.

"I'm sorry about that. Where were we?" He apologized, looking over his shoulder as if expecting Ran to show up once more.

Erica shrugged slightly before leaning in closer to her master. "That's all right. But why was he looking for that person?"

Quirking an eyebrow, Youji appraised the woman before him before leading her down a fairly empty hall. "Oh, he's just interested in the progress of one of my gladiators. He likes checking up on things every once in a while. Probably has a bet going with someone else; you know how aristocrats are."

Nodding her head in acceptance, Erica wondered about the blonde's evasion. There was obviously more going on than he was willing to tell. Scowling at her inability to gather information, Erica tucked the small bit she had found out into her mind and turned her attention back to their interrupted conversation.

******

It wasn't quiet at the school anymore. The games had ended a few days earlier and now the gladiators were back, filling the halls and fields with their loud voices and stories of glory. There were, of course, a few missing. Ken noticed that the man living next to him had not come back. The brunette idly wondered how long it would take for the replacement to arrive. But, at the moment, there were other, more pressing matters that demanded Ken's attention. With the return of the gladiators came the return of practices.

He couldn't really complain, however. Now that he was back to all day practices, there wasn't much time for him to sit around and be bored. This also meant that he had less time to spend with Omi; a double-edged sword. The end of the week was slow to arrive. Each day seemed to drag on as Ken was forced through one exercise then another.

"All right, that's all for today. Your little break seems to have made ya'll lazy! Don't think it'll get easier either! Go and eat." Ken slumped to the ground thankfully. He had never remembered practices being so hard; even at the beginning, they were fairly slow paced. And a break making him weak!

"My ass that break made me lazy. That guy's just become crazier is all," Ken muttered as he handed the slave his equipment. The young man went scurrying off as Ken made his way to the eating area. Hopefully, there would be good food. And then, if things worked out well, he'd be able to find Omi. The food landed on Ken's plate with a sickening plop. Grimacing at his portion, the brunette grabbed a cup and quickly found a free seat. "Tomorrow'll be better."

But tomorrow did not turn out to be better. In fact, if anything at all, tomorrow turned out to be worse. The weather had decided to take a nasty turn and during the middle of the night, a storm had struck the school. But a little rain and wind was not enough to keep the gladiators from practicing. So, over and over, Ken found himself falling face first in the mud; his only condolence in his embarrassment was that his opponent was falling just as much as he was. The end of the practice was received quite well by all the gladiators. They trudged to their rooms, hardly bothering to clean up before walking down the halls.

With a sigh, Ken slumped onto the floor of his room. He wasn't dumb enough to cover his bed with mud, "Things can't get any worse."

"Ken? Ken, are you there?" The door to the gladiator's room opened cautiously as a familiar blonde head poked inside. Instantly, Ken was on his feet and pulling Omi into a tight embrace.

"Omi!!" He cried happily, covering the boy with mud, "I'm so happy to see you! You wouldn't believe what we've had to do!"

Extracting himself from the brunette's over-exuberant hold, Omi smacked Ken's head hard. "Idiot!! Look what you did!"

Omi's whining and the slight pain from Ken's head caused him to calm down and look at the blonde. Omi was now covered in most of the mud that had been on Ken and the slave didn't look happy about it. Giving his friend a goofy grin, Ken scratched at his hair self-consciously.

"Ahhhh, sorry, Omi. Guess I got carried away." The sound of a wet smack filled the room as Omi threw himself on top of Ken, pulling the taller boy down into a wrestling match.

"Idiot! You got me all dirty! You're going to have to clean my clothes because of this!" Laughter soon replaced Omi's yelling as the two boys rolled around on the floor, trying to best each other. Finally, once both Ken and Omi were covered in mud, as well as the floor to Ken's room, they stopped wrestling; they lay next to each other on the floor, panting softly from the exertion.

"Hey, Omi," Ken spoke up after a moment. He turned on his side to get a better view of his companion. Omi was stretched out, his arms above his head and his eyes closed as a smile played on his lips. "Yeah?"

"I'm bored. Ahhh!! That hurt!" The brunette rubbed his head once more as Omi glared at him, "What was that for?"

"You have stuff to do now. It should be keeping you busy. And you're being bored is making me fall behind with my work. The only clean, repaired tunic I had was just ruined by you!" Ken's face flushed as his eyes traveled over Omi's body. Tearing his gaze away, Ken gave Omi a small smile.

"Sorry. Maybe I could help you? Then you could teach me to dance again." His smile widening, Ken missed how Omi's face deepened in color and the slight stammer in the boy's voice as he answered.

"Th-that's not it! And if you're that bored, then, well...there is another party tonight. If you want to go. If not I understand..." Omi rushed out, not meeting Ken's eyes. Ken shifted closer to Omi, reaching out to touch him lightly. Omi's head twisted so he could look at Ken, the boy's eyes wide with surprise.

"Sounds like fun. But, you'll still have to teach me to dance."

A small, tentatively smile formed on Omi's lips to answer Ken's broad one, "That's fine. But, it's tonight actually. We'll have to leave late and be quiet. It'll be easier to escape this time since there won't be so many guards around and most of the slaves will probably be going as well."

Omi stood to brush some of the mud off him, not succeeding in the least. Frowning at his now dirty hands, Omi glared at Ken before heading for the door.

"I'll come get you. Just make sure you're clean." The door creaked close and Ken found himself alone in his room. It took a moment after Omi had left for a giddy smile to break out across the gladiator's face. A date; it was like he was going on a date with Omi. Ken could feel his heart racing at the thought of being able to see Omi dance again, to be able to dance again. He wouldn't make such a fool of himself this time. Humming quietly to himself, Ken went out to wash up, little fantasies of the night playing out in his head.

******

Ran paced his room frantically. He was losing control. All of his thoughts were centered around the gladiator named Ken; and Ran was losing control because of it.

Snarling, he grabbed the closest thing and threw it against the wall. The vase shattered on impact, hardly even fazing the aristocrat. Ran resumed his pacing again, mindful of the shards of pottery. The sun had set long ago and now the moon was starting to rise, thousands of tiny stars dotting the sky as the sky grew darker. A slight breeze entered the room and drifted about, playing with the loose fabrics.

Ran noticed none of this. In his mind, all he saw was Ken and all Ran heard was the brunette calling for his friend, Omi. It was bad enough to be brushed off by someone as low as a gladiator; but to be turned away for a slave? That was the worst kind of humiliation.

Tearing at his hair, Ran flung himself onto his bed in frustration. He had to see Ken. Ran was sure that with a little time, Ken would either forget Omi, or would be forgotten. But, at the moment, Ran just needed to see Ken.

******

"Ken?" Omi's head poked through the doorway once more as the door creaked open. Ken quickly sat up on his bed as he heard Omi call. A quick look out the window indicated that it was getting close to midnight and time for them to leave. Holding his breath so as to not make any noise, as well as to calm his heart down, Ken slipped out his room and followed Omi as the boy scurried down the halls. It was easier to follow him this time since Ken knew the school's halls well. However, to his disappointment, Omi had been right about there being less security. They were able to slip from one hall to another with hardly a care. Any other slave they meet on the way waved them on, some making comments about meeting at the party.

The trip to the party was also a lot shorter and less dangerous. Omi followed a beaten path in the forest for most of the way, only disappearing into the forest at the very end of their journey. Making sure to keep the blonde in his sight, Ken paid little attention to their surroundings until a large fire appeared through the trees. It seemed that immediately after they emerged from the forest, people were surrounding them and talking all at once. Or, they were at least gathering around Omi, which Ken wasn't too happy about. Casually pushing his way through the small group of people, Ken approached his friend and grabbed his arm.

"Com'on, Omi. Let's see if your lessons taught me anything." Smiling up at the brunette, Omi laughed merrily before pulling Ken off to the group of dancers. Feeling rather smug, Ken glanced over his shoulder and shot the dispersing crowd a victorious grin.

Everything was how he imagined it would be. The music was quick and loud as people pressed in on them. Omi's hair shone beautifully in the firelight as he twirled and moved with as much, if not more, grace as before. Ken felt as if every person were watching them, jealous of they way they moved together. It was an incredible high to dance with Omi again, feeling the boy's body press against his, watching his eyes light up as Omi enjoyed the dance. Ken lost himself in the moment. He still made mistakes with his dancing but it didn't matter; here was a group of people that didn't care about his status as a gladiator, that accepted him for being whom he was. It felt like home, if even for a small moment in time. Ken's moment was quickly brought to a halt as a small girl rushed through the other dancers and latched onto Omi's leg.

Ken frowned at the little bundle while Omi just laughed and bent to pry the girl off of him. Two eyes, nearly as large and bright as Omi's, peered up at the pair through a mess of blonde hair.

"Omi! You came!" Perdita, Ken thought sullenly. Not feeling like fighting with a child for Omi's attention, Ken waved them on as he made his way to the outside of group. The air was a lot cooler away from the fire and bodies. Suddenly grateful for the break, Ken flopped down on the grass and stared up at the sky. Not long after, a soft voice caught Ken's attention.

"You there, boy! Get up for a moment. Come keep an old man company." Rising up on his elbows, Ken searched out for the owner of the voice and soon noticed an old man waving him over. Crossing the short distance between them, Ken respectfully sat on the ground before the man.

"You called for me?"

"Yes, yes I did. You're that gladiator, aren't you? The one Omi is friends with?"

Giving the old man a lopsided grin, Ken rubbed at his neck as he answered, "Yeah. I didn't know I was so well-known."

"Heehee. Things get around to us old fold fairly quickly." The old man smiled and winked at Ken. Turning his attention back to the party, the old man continued to speak to the gladiator, "How do you like your life? Is it hard being a gladiator? Is it a good life?"

"To tell you the truth, I'm not happy with it." Ken turned his attention back to the dancers, searching out Omi as he replied. "It's not that it's a bad life, I'd just rather be back home. Our village was attacked when I was little; became a gladiator a few years after. 'S not that it's bad or nothing; it's just not for me. Other'n that, it's a good life. They feed us good and, other than the games, life is fairly easy."

Ken had finally found Omi in the mass of people, dancing with Perdita. Scowling slightly, Ken focused his attention on watching Omi's movements, making the mental excuse that he was trying to learn the steps to the dance. The old man watched Ken for a moment before following his gaze. The old man chuckled softly to himself before clearing his throat.

"And what do you think of Omi?" Ken didn't answer for a moment. With only silence as his answer, the old man cleared his throat to speak again before being interrupted.

"He's beautiful. How he dances, the way his eyes light up, the way he smiles. He's the most beautiful thing I've seen. I envy him a lot, but at the same time feel the need to protect him. He's my best friend, but I also feel more than just that. I-I mean, meant was...was...Omi..." Blushing suddenly, Ken froze before slowly turning to face the old man. Worried about how he would react to Ken's confession, the gladiator held his breath while waiting for the man's response. To the boy's surprise, the old man just smiled down at Ken before clapping him on the back.

"It's well enough. Seeing you two together makes me happy. You make Omi happy and that's what counts. I'm not one to judge; I once had a male lover myself in my youth." The old man's good mood turned slightly as he glanced back at the fire and the dancers. "But what do you know of the boy? You haven't known him for too long, am I right? You probably know less about him than you think."

With a sigh, Ken ran his hand through his hair, glancing back at the old man sheepishly. Chuckling, the man patted Ken on the back before turning his attention back to the fire and the dancers. "There are some things he should tell you himself. But, there are others that you should know now."

"Will you tell me, old man?" Ken found his attention divided between watching Omi and listening to what he was being told.

"He hasn't had a very easy life. I knew his parents for a time. His father ended up dying a few months after they were brought to Rome. His mother was very kind and did her best to give Omi a happy childhood. Unfortunately, she always felt responsible for him growing up into a slave. I'm not sure if you know the rule, but if a slave gives birth, the child is considered a freeman. Omi was born a few days before the Romans took over his village; his mother was nearly torn up about it. She tried to bargain Omi out of slavery while we were on our way here. No one listened to her; even the father tried, though not quite as persistently."

Ken remained silent throughout the story. His eyes took on a hard glint as he stared at the fire, letting Omi disappear from sight.

"So, Omi and his parents were bought by a wealthy aristocrat. That's where I meet them; we were all bought together." With a quiet groan, the old man stretched slightly before continuing, "However, about nine or ten years after that, the man died and we were to be sold once more. Left his children in debt so they were forced to sell stuff. That's where Omi got his break. His mother was bought by another aristocrat while Omi was bought by the school's previous owner."

The fire flickered off Ken's hair as he bowed his head in thought. The old man paused for a minute as if he were finished. But he began once more before Ken was able to ask any question. "I never thought I'd see the boy again; I was quite surprised to see him sneaking out to join these little parties a few years ago. He was so happy at the time. I only wish his mother had been able to see him. Last I had heard, she had died in some accident at her new home. Quite a tragedy."

The old man paused a moment, sighing at the memory. Ken remained silent out of respect.

"Omi was just as I remember him being. Happy, outgoing, energetic; it was hard not to like him. But, after a while, he stopped going out so much. Every once in a while he would show up with bruises on his arms and such. He began to avoid people, even those that had been close to him. Omi just wasn't himself. No one's found out what happened to him; we don't ask. A few of us older people can take a guess at what's happened, but in the end, it doesn't matter. He's been able to stay alive so far; he wouldn't accept help even if it was offered, though. But, I'm sure you've noticed." Ken nodded solemnly, remembering his own encounters with these strange occurrences.

It was no wonder that Omi hadn't trusted Ken at first, why he shied away from Ken's touches. The scent of fresh earth drifted upward as Ken's fingers dug into the soft ground. The world darkened before him and the music lost its joyous lilt. Everything seemed to fit, now. Omi's disappearance, the way he had avoided Ken at first. Even the way he still tensed when touched by Ken. A dark haze clouded Ken's thinking.

People continued to pass by, some dancing while others ran, caught up in a game. Omi flickered in and out of Ken's sight; smiling all the while he was dancing with Perdita. The song ended quickly, leaving the dancers a moment to pause and catch their breath before the next dance began. Slipping out of Perdita's grip, Omi glanced at the people around him before he noticed Ken sitting away from the crowd. Eyes brightening, Omi waved at Ken, asking him silently to join the dance.

The dark feelings that had crept up on Ken slowly receded as he focused his attention on Omi once more. That had been before. Everything that had happened to Omi had happened before Ken had known. A wave of protectiveness washed over the gladiator as he watched his friend weave in and out of the crowd, making his way to Ken. No, he vowed, he would never allow anyone to hurt Omi ever again, even if it meant his life.

A moment later, Omi appeared by Ken's side, tugging at his arm, "Come on, Ken! Come dance with me!"

Barely remembering to excuse himself from the old man, Ken allowed the slave to pull him along. "I'm just borrowing him for a moment, Cerek. I'll bring him right back!"

Waving the boy off, Cerek smiled at the two knowingly. The music started up with a fast-paced dance. Nodding his head to the beat, the old man watched as everyone danced and enjoyed themselves.

******

A gently breeze drifted in through the open doorway as Ran stared at the sky. Frowning, the red head moved away from the balcony and began to pace his room once more. Something was tingling on the edges of his nerves; something important that he couldn't see at the moment. It was frustrating, to say the least. And to make matters worse, his need to see that boy-gladiator, Ken, was getting more insistent as time went on. There was something about the boy that Ran just couldn't resist. The boy seemed to have a demanding presence, yet, there was nothing forceful about him. It was this nameless thing that had Ran intrigued, making him want to learn more. Yet, the slave stood in his way. Ken had made it obvious that he would much rather spend time with someone as lowly as a slave rather than an aristocrat.

Sneering, Ran's fingernails dug into his palms. An insult. It was an insult to be treated in such a manner by such...entertainment. There was a slight change in the wind, making Ran's hair stand on end. Something was going on and he was missing it. Taking his place by the entryway to the balcony, Ran waited. It wouldn't be too long until he had what he wanted; he could feel it.

"Sir. A group of slaves have been spotted leaving from the house. A few were caught but the others managed to escape. One of our men went to search for them and bring them back." A young guard stood in the doorway, saluting Ran's back.

"So?"

"Uhhh...that is. We came to see what you wanted done to the captured slaves." Ran stopped himself just before he was about to dismiss the guard.

"Follow the slaves. Find out where they're going. Report back to me." The guard saluted smartly before turning and hurrying to follow his orders. The breeze picked up once more as Ran watched the sky once more.

Interesting.

******

Ken was entranced by the moment. Never before had he felt so alive. The energy surrounding the crowd was high, heightening all of Ken's senses. Somehow, he was always aware of where Omi was, even if the boy was hidden by other people. The brunette could feel the eyes of the other people on him, was aware that he was being watched for more than one reason. The flames from the fire heated his skin but also edged him on, making him move faster, catch Omi's hand more firmly. Partners were swapped repeatedly throughout the dance, but Ken was never more than a person away from the blonde. Laughing, Ken reached out and grabbed Omi once more. The boy didn't resist and wrapped his arms around Ken as they moved together. For one eternal moment, their eyes caught and they held each other's gaze. Just as quickly, Omi ducked his head down, looking away from Ken. There was a moment of odd tension between the two that was broken only when the sounds of screaming was heard.

Instantly alert, Ken moved in front of Omi and scanned the surrounding area for the source of trouble. It didn't take long for anyone to find out what was happening. People ran by Ken and Omi, crying out for friends and family. They were closely followed by a number of soldiers who were quickly catching the slower peasants and slaves. Omi stiffened behind Ken, grabbing at his arms as if in protection. Not waiting a moment longer, Ken turned and ushered Omi along with the crowd, all the while keeping an eye on the soldiers. Pushing the blonde ahead, Ken took note of their surroundings. Not too far away was the edge of the forest. If they made it there, they would be able to hide. Putting on a burst of speed, Ken nearly dragged Omi behind him as they dove into the forest.

Once the noise from the party and ensuing chaos had died down some, Ken slowed to a fast walk. Omi took the reprieve gladly, gulping down air as he took Ken's hand. Deciding they were safe, the brunette stopped for a moment to let Omi catch his breath. The boy plopped down on the ground while running a hand over his face. Ken knelt beside Omi a moment later.

"That was close." Was the remark that was taken back a moment later. Branches cracked loudly in the forest clueing both boys in on the fact that they were not safe. Following closely was the sound of deep male voices and clanking metal. Two heads snapped up as two pair of eyes locked on to each other. Without a sound, Omi stood up and took Ken's hand as they began running once more.

"What's that?"

"Over there!! Follow them!"

They had been spotted. Trees flew by as the boys ran for their lives. Who knew what would happen if they were caught. Not wanting to discover the answer to that question, Ken ran faster, his chest throbbing painfully. A yelp of surprise from behind caught his attention; then, it all happened in an instant.

Omi slipped dangerously down a small hill, his arms flaying to catch his balance. Ken turned back and reached for the boy, just barely able to grab him. A small hand wrapped around Ken's arm, causing his eyes to widen in surprise. The soldiers were getting closer; Ken could feel them and knew he and Omi would be caught. Then, just as the first soldier broke through the underbrush, Omi fell backwards down the hill, taking Ken with him. On instinct, Ken pulled the blonde close and maneuvered so he would take the brunt of the fall. Biting his lip to keep from making too much noise, Ken rolled down the hill; Omi's cries were thankfully muffled by Ken's chest. They reached the bottom of the hill with a painful thud, Omi clutching the gladiator as the brunt of the impact wore off.

Hot breath mingled together as Ken lay on top of Omi, his head nearly resting in the crook of the boy's neck. Slowly pulling away from the boy, Ken froze as the sound of the soldiers approach grew louder. Carefully, the brunette raised one finger to his lips, signaling to Omi the need for silence. Wide eyes stared back at Ken as Omi nodded. The voices moved closer and closer to the boys' hiding spot. Nervous, Ken held his breath, silently hoping that the men would move away. Omi breathing sounded loud in Ken's ears; looking down, he saw that the slave was tense, his eyes wide in fear.

"Over there! Yeah. I think I saw them there." Omi's breathing picked up as the soldier's footsteps grew louder, the twigs cracking twice as loud as he got closer. Worried for more than one reason, Ken watched Omi's face intently. The brunette knew that his being so close to Omi was affecting him, and Ken was partly worried about how Omi would react later. But, if the blonde was any louder, Ken was sure they would be found. The footsteps paused momentarily, causing Ken to tense in suspense. If it came down to it, he would fight to his death to make sure Omi got away all right. Seconds turned into hours as they waited, suspecting everything and nothing.

Without warning, a sword crashed through the brush covering them, burying in the ground beside them. Ken's attention was divided as he stared in horror at the sword and watched as Omi opened his mouth, sure to scream. Without thinking, acting on pure instinct, Ken bent his head and covered Omi's mouth with his own. He felt the boy gasp in surprise, the scream dying before it could be heard. Immediately, Ken mentally kicked himself at the slip. He was kissing Omi; this would ruin everything he had worked for up to this point. The sword wiggled beside them, but neither boy noticed. Omi's hands fisted in Ken's tunic as the older boy's mouth remained on Omi's. Slowly, painstakingly carefully, Ken's mouth moved against his friend's. Ken felt his eyes closing as he fell into the moment. Omi's lips were warm, soft and so inviting. Ken pressed his own lips against the blonde's with more force, demanding a response.

The sword was retrieved by its owner, but had been forgotten by Ken and Omi. Just as slowly as Ken, Omi relaxed under the ministrations, finding it in himself to return the kiss. The moment was frozen in time as the two of them remained in each other's embrace, the kiss deepening shyly. One by one, Omi's fingers loosened on the older boy's tunic, splaying against his chest. Ken pushed forward, pressing his body against Omi's in an attempt to get closer. In sync, both mouths opened, allowing the other's tongue to delve inside. They pressed together shyly, innocently at first, moving with more passion and confidence as the contact continued.

The breaking of branches shot through the air like a shot. The soldiers' voices invaded the boys' thoughts, bringing them back into reality harshly. They broke apart in an instant, their breath coming fast and heavy. For one moment, blue eyes locked with brown, thousands of emotions and questions trapped in that one glance. Finally, as the last soldier disappeared, Ken and Omi turned away from each other. A bright blush graced both of their faces as they crawled out of the brush together. The next few moments dragged out painfully as neither boy was willing to face the other. Shaking his head, Ken turned back to face Omi, studying the boy's profile for a moment. Well, now he was going to have to deal with the consequences of his actions.

Slowly, Ken offered Omi his hand, noting the startled expression on the boy's face. Ken smiled down at Omi as he blinked rapidly. Hesitantly, the blonde reached up and grabbed the gladiator's hand, allowing the older boy to pull him up. Not a word past between the two as they headed back to the training school.

******

Glass shattered against the wall as the cup Ran threw connected with it. It was an outrage, a complete and utter outrage. His gladiator had been there...with that slave. They had been seen together; seen dancing together. It was an outrage.

A guard stood uneasily in the doorway as Ran paced. The clay jar, which was smashed on the nearby wall, was the only incentive the guard needed to scurry back to the barracks, leaving Ran alone in his rage. Ran paced the floor quickly, his anger only increasing with each step. He could have had Ken that night; could have finally had him in his possession because of the simple mistake of attending a slave party. Ran could have shown the gladiator that he was kind, allowing him to go free. But it wasn't meant to be it seemed. Calming down somewhat, the red head fell onto a nearby by chair. There had to be something he could to. He would not allow this...insult to go unchallenged.

I will not be denied.