Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/ works/675968. Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Major_Character_Death, Underage Category: M/M Fandom: Alice_Nine, SID_(band), the_GazettE Relationship: Saga/Hiroto, Tora/Hiroto Character: Tora, Saga_-_Character, Hiroto, Aki_(SID), Uruha Additional Tags: Historical, Smut, Drama, Slavery, Romance Stats: Published: 2013-02-08 Updated: 2013-06-02 Chapters: 4/? Words: 13891 ****** Conspired loyalty ****** by Juusangatsu Summary To save his parents' lives, Hiroto has sacrificed himself to servitude under the rule of Tora, the local landlord. Little does he know, his life is about to become a whole lot more complicated. Notes I'm a horrible person. Yes. I'm here uploading the first chapter of this new fic while I have another going. I'm planning to finish both, but since I haven't felt that inspired the past week I figured I could give you at least this. I hope you guys enjoy this story! ^^ ***** Trouble *****   Hiroto brushed his mother's fussy hands off of him and grunted in a nervous yet annoyed fashion. She huffed but didn't attempt to straighten out her son's robes again. "Just leave it already... It's not like I'm supposed to look good anyway." He wasn't going to the landlord's castle for a fancy occasion after all. "I still can't wrap my mind around what you're thinking... Foolish boy." Hiroto just ignored his mother at that point, knowing that though she usually kept a harsh front, she cared about him. He didn't want things to get all emotional now, or perhaps he would cower out of his decision. "I'm gonna go now, I don't know when I'll be back." His mother's face told him she knew he probably wouldn't return, but thankfully she didn't comment on it. Pulling on his shoes and checking his backpack once more, Hiroto opened the door and stepped out. "Tell dad to throw out any stuff of mine he finds a nuisance." With those words the teenager set out on his journey. While he walked along the rocky path his thoughts wandered. Could he still flee? No, even though no one knew his whereabouts right now, if he wouldn't arrive at the landlord's castle before nightfall, his parents would undoubtedly face the worst. They were actually the entire reason he was in this situation right now, or more specifically, his father was. He had found precious gems in one of their fields, and had tried to sell them. Anything that was found in the earth though, belonged to their landlord. Naturally, when said landlord found out about these unlawful practices he'd summoned their family to court. At first both his parents had been sentenced to death, but upon pleading to let them live, Hiroto had been offered a deal. His parents would walk free if he offered his services to their landlord for however long the powerful man desired them. In such a way he could repay their debt, while keeping his parents from harm. By the time the young teenager could see the majestic building their landlord resided in, the first night dwelling animals had come out of hiding underneath the colorful dusk sky. Trying to calm his nerves, he adjusted the servant's robes he had been sent and accordingly dressed himself in. He prayed he would be treated like the rest of the servants and not more harshly because of the reasons that brought him there. When he approached the guards at the gate they looked at him sternly and called him to a halt. "I was summoned by the landlord... My name is Ogata... Ogata Hiroto." He showed the two men the document which confirmed his words, signed and completed with the landlord's official seal. The men allowed him to pass then, without saying another word, and Hiroto thus continued to walk into the courtyard. Everything about this castle was huge and the entrance equally so, and it left Hiroto a little clueless as to where he needed to report himself. He saw some people a small distance away, holding lights and walking towards a large door. Judging from the fact that they wore the same robes as himself, he guessed they were servants as well. Hiroto followed them and entered the building, surprised as to how warm it was in there. The hall which he had just entered was awe inspiring. From the great pillars which supported the high sealing, to the statues that decorated it. After a moment he snapped out of his daze and looked at where he needed to go. The servants he had been following had somehow disappeared though and now he was all alone to figure out where he needed to go. Frowning, he just walked up to a large staircase in the middle of the hall and started to ascend it. It couldn't be long before he would run into someone who he could ask for directions, right? When at the top of the stairs the hallway split into two directions, he just randomly turned right, trying to focus on finding the right way while his new surroundings were distracting him from that task. He was curious, too curious for his own good. He knew it too, but he couldn't find it in himself to stop himself. His heart sped up when after minutes and minutes when he still hadn't encountered anyone and he began to feel strangely like he was sneaking around. Just as he decided he needed to turn back and wait in the hall until someone would pass through there, Hiroto realised he hadn't really been paying attention to which ways he had been turning. This place was huge and it was probably easy to get lost, a fact which he found confirmed when he tried to find his way back to the main hall but kept ending up in hallways and corridors he'd never seen before. When he'd hit another dead end, he started to panic a little. Turning around quickly, the youth wanted to walk back in the direction from which he'd come but he was met with a face full of chest as he bumped into someone. Stumbling back a bit, he blushed and looked up at a smirking face. "I- I'm sorry!" The man who was looking down at him in a mixture between amusement and badly suppressed curiosity was dressed in extravagantly brightly coloured robes which looked intricate and expensive. This was without a doubt no slave. In Hiroto's favour, this wasn't the landlord either though, because he knew what he looked like and this man's face was distinctly different. "Hmm... What kind of business does a little servant like yourself have in Tora's guest quarters?" Guest quarters!? Hiroto's expression turned even more self-conscious and shocked at those words. He wanted to explain, to make some excuses, plead not to be punished, but all words left him when the taller man stepped closer and lifted one hand to softly brush the servant's cheek. The hand progressed towards his right ear, brushing away his somewhat long, dark brown hair, and Hiroto could only stare, petrified in shock. The strange man frowned slightly upon seeing the youth's unmarred ear, feeling it between his fingers momentarily. Another voice interrupting the silence startled Hiroto out of his daze and he pulled back. "Don't tell me you're harassing my servants again, Saga." The stranger who was apparently called Saga turned around and snorted. "Even though this boy does look positively fuckable, no I wasn't harassing him... Not yet." With a smirk he added. "Besides, I am doubting whether he's even a real servant." Tora frowned and turned his attention to the younger boy who was looking as guilty as can be. He knew all his servants by face, and certainly the ones who were allowed on this floor, and this boy wasn't one of them. He did recognize his face from somewhere though. He cocked an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest. "Care to explain who you are and what you are doing here, boy?" Saga was watching the scene with that same mirth and curiosity as he initially had, wondering about the youth's identity as well. He hardly looked like a spy or an assassin, especially with the cute way he was pouting up at Tora. "I-I am Ogata Hiroto, m-mister landlord, sir... I was summoned here by your decree." Looking even more sceptical than before, Tora continued to question Hiroto. "You were summoned... To my guest quarters, in servant's clothing?" Realising once again he'd done something bad even before officially becoming the landlord's servant he pulled nervously on his robes and tried to explain. "N-no! I mean, I came here by accident! I w-was looking for someone who could tell me where to go and what to do because I'd just arrived and there was no one, and I had to report in before nightfall and so I went looking but then I got lost and couldn't find the entrance any more. I-I'm so sorry!" Tora couldn't help but snort at Hiroto's stupidity and approached him. "Well, this floor is off limits for low ranked servants, so I'll be so kind as to guide you back down." He reached out to lift Hiroto's hair in the same gesture as Saga had and confirmed his suspicions. "And we might as well pay Aki a visit while we're at it." Hiroto had no clue what Tora was talking about, but for now he was glad that he wasn't going to get punished for getting lost. Saga watched the two walk away and chuckled to himself. It seemed as though Tora had noticed the youth's good looks too or else he wouldn't have been so forgiving. On top of that, his uncle had quite a sadistic strike, and the prospect of seeing this new servant receive his mark of enslavement most likely had him in good spirits as well.   Somewhere along the way Tora had placed his hand in Hiroto's neck, making the youth feel slightly like a small child. He didn't dare say anything, knowing this man was higher in status than he would ever dream to be, and therefore it wasn't his place to speak. They walked all the way back down and out of the door, turning left and heading for a smaller building. By now it was dark outside and the crickets had quieted down, making the torches which lit the path they were walking down seem even brighter. They entered the building, the inside of which was looking distinctly less clean and wealthy. Servants were speeding past them, some looking like they'd been caught doing something they shouldn't have. All of them kept their heads bowed low and softly murmured a greeting when they passed Tora. It made Hiroto wonder whether he was being impolite by not doing the same. After meandering through some narrow corridors they passed through a door. Behind it lay a surprisingly spacious room, littered with various tables, cabinets and one strangely shaped chair. In a corner there was someone sitting at a desk, scribbling something on a paper. "Aki." Tora spoke in a commanding voice, leading Hiroto towards the large chair. "I've got a job for you." The man in the chair turned around and stood instantly from his chair. He walked up to the chair with a smirk and looked down at Hiroto. "There there young pup... Don't look so scared... The first time is the worst." Hiroto hadn't even been that scared, just nervous because of his new surroundings. At Aki's words however, he did get scared, his eyes widening and heart leaping. A firm hand urged him down onto the chair, and though he didn't want to sit down he knew he didn't have a choice. He slid over the smooth surface until he was half lying down, hands starting to tremble in nervousness. He wanted to ask what was going to happen but didn't dare to. He got another shock as the man named Aki walked into his view, a smirk still on his face; this man looked unlike anything he had ever seen. His ears, lips and even his nose were all littered with iron rings and balls. He wasn't sure how they stayed there but it looked scary anyway. "Like what you see? Well, you better because it's going to adorn you as well in a few moments." In response to that, Hiroto gripped the armrests of the chair and watched Aki's every move. He couldn't help but whine softly when he saw what all the metal laced man took and placed on the table next to him. There was a small metal barbell with two round balls at both ends, there was some kind of clamp and even a needle. Finally, after a few minutes, Tora let up and decided to explain to his new servant what was going to happen. "Ear piercing is my personal way of marking my servants. A low ranked servant has only one, but if you do well you can earn privileges, and rise in rank. As a sign of that you will receive another piercing... That said, you will also pay proper respect to servants who are superior to you." Aki grabbed a bottle of some fluid, pouring it onto his hands and rubbing them together before rubbing it onto Hiroto's earlobe as well. Hiroto had listened to Tora's words and yelped when Aki touched him, even though it didn't actually hurt. He scrunched up his nose when the scent of the fluid wafted into his face. He recognised the scent as somewhat similar to his parents' wine, but without the pleasant sweetness. "I'm actually the only one who is allowed to diverge from the system... Since I'm the only one around here who can pierce people without having them bleeding to death..." Tora grunted at those words and whacked Aki on the side of his head. "And because since you are a pathetic masochist, I don't really have anything to use against you." Chuckling softly, Aki nodded in agreement and turned his attention back to the horror struck teenager. He took a small cork block and his lighter in one hand and the needle in the other, glancing at the terrified youth as he started running the needle through the flame of his lighter. "Calm down, pup... It's not that bad... If you relax it might even feel a little good." Hiroto didn't believe a word of what Aki was saying, and it took all his self control not to bolt from the chair. Tora walked around the chair so he was standing on the opposite side from where Aki was standing and reached out to turn Hiroto's head the right way and brush his hair aside. He had to admit that though he didn't know Hiroto's skill set he would make a nice addition to his household even if only because he had such a pretty face. He couldn't help but smirk a little when Hiroto's large eyes turned on him and he suddenly remembered where he'd seen him before. "It's okay... It'll only hurt for a moment." Hiroto kept his eyes trained on Tora, not wanting to see the needle coming. When he suddenly felt a sharp, burning pain in his earlobe he squeezed his eyes closed and held his breath. Aki was precise in doing his job, and didn't waste a second after pushing the needle through Hiroto's ear to pull it out and quickly replacing it with the metal barbell, earning a cry of pain when he pushed it through. Soon he screwed the little ball onto the backside of it and patted the young boy's shoulder. "There, done. It looks darling on you too." Hiroto sniffled softly when Aki said he was done, his ear feeling searing hot and a throbbing pain still present in the spot where he'd been pierced. Tora had watched Hiroto's reactions with greedy eyes, wanting to try and read what kind of personality the youth had. When it was over he stroked the boy's cheek almost tenderly, deciding he wouldn't mind to have Hiroto gracing his sheets some time in the future. "Now come, I'll show you to your quarters, there will be someone there who can tell you where you need to go in the morning."   ***   His room mate, Hiroto had discovered, was rather nice. He was a low ranked servant just like himself called Uruha. He didn't seem too bright but he was kind and had explained the basics of living as a servant in Tora's household to him. His work as a servant varied from cleaning out the stables to helping serve the landlord's food. Today Tora would be having tea with a high ranked officer of the national army and thus many of his servants had been employed to prepare for the occasion so everything would be perfect. Hiroto himself had been put on the task of plucking unwanted plants from between the flowers, an activity that had him in high spirits since the weather was rather nice, despite that autumn sun was weak and the air chilly. He was silently but contently pulling the little green plants out of the ground, just musing in his head about how his life as a servant wasn't that different from his life back on the farm at all. He was almost done on this flower bed, he only needed to finish the last few feet that ended in one of the castle walls. Suddenly he heard voices coming from the open window in that particular wall and though Hiroto did his best not to eavesdrop, the subject at hand was simply too incriminating for the youth to ignore. "I'm glad I'm not the only cook any more who is in on the plan..." "But what I don't understand is why we don't just poison his food. Get rid of him nice and quick." Hiroto's eyes widened and his heart jumped at the word poison and he crouched beneath the window. Were these people planning to kill someone? Who? And why? Hiroto wanted to know, though he knew he shouldn't at all be overhearing these kind of conversations. "I know right, I'm tired of getting bossed around already... I want freedom." Hiroto frowned, concluding from the cook's words that they were preparing a plan to earn their freedom by killing the one in charge here. Tora... "Hiroto! Hey!" Hiroto was so badly startled by Uruha's voice suddenly calling out to him that he lost his balance and fell to the ground with an inelegant yelp. "There's someone there! At the window!" Before Hiroto managed to get back up, a head was already looking down at him from the window. Shrieking in panic, Hiroto scrambled to his feet and bolted, hearing the cook yell threats at him. Uruha was staring dumbfounded when his room mate sped across the lawn, an angry cook yelling at him. Had his new friend done something bad? In the end he just shrugged and continued his own work. Hiroto grasped at his heaving chest as he pressed himself up to one of the stables in a spot where no one would be able to see him. He was in trouble. He was most definitely in trouble. Thanks to his room mate those cooks now knew he had heard them, they even knew his name and appearance. What could he do? They would find him eventually and who knew what they'd do? In the end he decided to report to the person in charge of him and pretend to be sick, that way he could at least hide away for now and try to think up a plan to avoid getting hurt or even killed. After he'd reluctantly been let go, he entered his room, slamming the door behind him and sitting down on his grimy bed bunk. After pulling the blankets over his head, he sat there, panicked and scared. No matter how much he mulled it over in his head, he couldn't think of any watertight plan. Perhaps the best chance he had was to try and feign innocence and hope they'd believe him. Just as his own thoughts were starting to lull him into sleep, there was a loud knocking on the door. With a thundering heart and his head still under the covers he answered in a soft voice. "W-who is it?"  ***** The guest quarters ***** Chapter Notes My updates aren't going to be really frequent the coming month or so because college is keeping me busy, but have a chapter for now ^^ Enjoy! "W-who is it?"  When the door was opened without another word, Hiroto peaked from underneath the blanket and saw two servants entering the room, looking back at him. "Ogata Hiroto?" Hiroto answered with a minute nod. "Your presence was demanded by the landlord's cousin." Hiroto was lost. He'd expected anything from these men barging into his room except being summoned to one of Tora's cousin's presence. It relieved him a little though, because at least he would be protected from those angry cooks as long as he was in the presence of such a powerful man. He dropped the blanket and stood from the bed, hoping the men wouldn't question him on why he was in his room and not working. He walked along silently, from the poor servants' housing up to the large building reserved for Tora and his guests. He felt rather uncomfortable walking up that staircase again, now aware that he wasn't officially allowed up there even though it wasn't his own choice this time. They meandered through halls until finally entering a room. In the middle of the large room stood a lounge sofa, on which Tora's cousin, who Hiroto knew to be named Saga, was sprawled out flamboyantly. Several servants were present in the room, all tending to the man's every whim. "Ah, there's our little eavesdropper... You always seem to know how to get yourself in trouble, hmm boy?" Hiroto was puzzled for a few long moments before things suddenly clicked into place in his head. Panic immediately gripped at his heart. He was in the lion's den, about to be devoured like a prey. Saga chuckled and beckoned the youth. "Surprised, I see... Come here, boy... Don't be afraid." When Hiroto wouldn't move, he was given a harsh push by one of the men who brought him here, causing him to stumble forward. Knowing he couldn't reject any of Saga's orders, he stepped closer still and bit his lip. Saga smirked and reached out to grab Hiroto's wrist and pull him even closer, causing the youth to fall face first into his chest much like the first time they'd met. He waited until the brunette had managed to push himself up a little, though kept a firm grip on his wrist so he couldn't escape. "Now what should I do about you?" He murmured under his breath while looking down into those pleading eyes. "Perhaps you have qualities that could be of use to me so I don't have to kill you..." "I-I do! I'm good at all sorts of things!" Hiroto didn't know himself what he was talking about but he would do anything to escape such an untimely death. "Hmm... I still need someone who can get underneath the big boss' skin... Persuade and pry into his darkest secrets... Seductive yet seemingly trustworthy." "I-I-I'll do it! Anything! Just d-don't hurt me, please!" Hiroto wasn't so sure he would be able to do what Saga asked of him, but he sure as hell wasn't going to die without trying. Saga looked thoughtful for a few long moments before turning the youthful boy's face a little this way and that. "Tora seems to fancy you... I understand why. Perhaps I'll keep you for myself when this is over..." Hiroto wasn't sure why Saga liked him so much, let alone why he thought Tora liked him as well, but he wasn't going to complain as long as it meant he'd be kept from harm's way. "You work for me now. And your job will be to find out Tora's darkest, deepest secrets and report them to me accordingly... Before I trust you on that job though, I will personally teach you some skills that you will need without a doubt.” Only when the pretty brunette had nodded in acceptance to all the terms did Saga let him go so he could stand upright again. With a small pout and a thundering heart, Hiroto agreed to what Saga offered him. He knew his involvement in this kind of conspiracy could get him killed, but if he refused he would be dead in less than a minute anyway. It might be better to do this and if Saga's plan succeeded, hope to be released in return for his good services. When Hiroto stayed silent, Saga just chuckled and beckoned one of his other servants to him. “Are my sleeping quarters all cleaned and vacant?” The servant nodded with a soft mumbling. “Yes they are, master.” Smirking, Saga stood from his lounge chair, two servants immediately speeding towards his side to adjust his elaborate robes so they looked perfect once more. “Walk with me, boy.” Hiroto was stunned by the way these servants all doted on Saga, even more than they did on Tora. There had to be something about the mysterious cousin of the landlord that had all these servants want to fulfil his every need. He walked after the taller man, careful not to accidentally step on his train which dragged behind him. Really, his robes looked like those of royalty, with the amount of brightly coloured layers and intricate patterns on expensive fabric. When several servants followed behind them on a small distance, Saga waved his hand in a careless gesture. “I wish to be alone with him, go do something useful.” They entered Saga's sleeping quarters through a large door, the room just as beautifully cleaned and decorated as every other part of the landlord's castle. The bed, which no doubt belonged to Saga judging from the brightly coloured sheets with golden dragons embroidered on them, was larger than the youth had ever seen and he gaped at it for a few long moments. He had the sudden childish desire to run up to it and launch himself onto it's no doubt soft and cushiony surface. He knew that wouldn't be appreciated though, so he held back and shot Saga a questioning look. He wasn't sure what the other was going to teach him, since he knew little about the art of seduction, but he was feeling a little nervous because the moment he closed the door behind them, Saga looked back at him with a smirk. “Come.” Heaving a small, anxious sigh, Hiroto walked as close to Saga as he dared and continued to just stare at him in wonder, earning himself a correcting sound from the taller male. “Tssk, don't stare like that, boy. It's rude. Now, what was your name again?” Looking away quickly, Hiroto tried to decide what to focus his eyes on instead. In the end he went with his own feet, trying not to look up again when he was asked a question. “I-It's Hiroto... sir. Ogata Hiroto.” Saga's smirk widened at Hiroto's reaction and he reached out to tilt the youth's head up just a tad. “I prefer if you call me master... It sounds less... distant. Head up, eyes low. Back straight. And relax.” Hiroto tried to follow the string of orders he was given, standing up straight while keeping his eyes lowered. He wasn't sure what purpose this served, but his guess was he needed to act more decently. More like the rest of the servants Saga had converted. “Good, that's a start... Now undress me.” With that same smirk on his face he saw Hiroto's eyes widen and shoot up at him in confusion, and he was quick to raise his hand and deal a swift flick to the boy's head as a punishment. “Eyes low.” “S-sorry!” Hiroto was starting to panic a little because of how strict Saga was being, having never really had to be so aware of his every move. “Sorry, what?” Saga warned softly, before the teenager was correcting himself. “Sorry m-master.” It took a second for Hiroto to remember the order he'd been given and another to start moving. With trembling hands he reached for the easiest to reach tie on the older man's waistband and fumbled with it, trying to undo it. “Remember this well, because you can't be caught struggling with knots or layers when you undress Tora.” Hiroto continued to try and work out how to best peel every layer off, taking a considerable amount of time since he'd never worn this kind of clothing himself, nor had ever been enlightened on their workings. “I'll just be teaching you the basics today. I want you to act like yourself... Because to successfully seduce, means to be able to emphasize your good points, while hiding the bad ones. Being a better version of yourself, instead of trying to be someone you're not.” With every layer of fabric slipping through his fingers and meeting the ground, Hiroto felt his heart beating more rapidly. He couldn't help but peek up at Saga's face every once in a while, wanting to be able to read his expression. Saga wanted to correct Hiroto on his behaviour again, but then suddenly saw something charming in that habit of his. Smirking at his own brilliance He took Hiroto's wrists in his hands to stop him from moving. The youth shot him another surprised glance and the taller man chuckled. “Normally I don't tolerate my servants looking me in the eyes... But Tora might fall for something like that. You're adorable when you're trying to suppress the urge to peek, but fail nevertheless.” Blushing slightly in embarrassment, Hiroto wasn't sure whether to apologize again or to stay quiet. When his wrists were released, he just continued on his job, reaching for the final layer of pristine white, incredibly soft fabric. With a soft intake of breath he brushed it off the taller man's shoulders, laying eyes on the flawless, pale golden skin of Saga's chest. It was pretty, and unlike Hiroto had ever seen. His family and himself all had darker skin tones as a result as how they lived, and they had rough and marred skin because of the daily physical labour. He wanted to touch, feel how soft it was, but he couldn't without permission. “Go on... My undergarments as well.” Saga urged on softly when the youth had paused. He hadn't missed the admiration in Hiroto's eyes, and he didn't show it, but he revelled in it. He loved to be worshipped, especially when it was in such a genuine matter as the boy was doing currently. Hiroto's shaking fingers went to undo those final knots which held in place the underwear that was hiding Saga's lower body, allowing his fingertips to tentatively brush the skin just above where the piece of clothing ended. Smirking again, Saga made a mental note of Hiroto's inability to suppress any strong urge or curiosity. It was a strong point as well as a flaw, and he'd have to train him to use it to his advantage. As soon as he was completely nude, he stretched slightly, his body feeling good now it didn't any longer have to support all those heavy fabrics. Hiroto watched the ripple of muscle underneath skin, unable to keep himself from taking in Saga's entire unclothed body. He was so beautiful, the youth found himself enchanted by it. “You will prepare a scented bath for me. You know how to do that, right?” Nodding quickly in affirmation, Hiroto looked around for the bathtub and found it nearby the window. As Saga reclined on his bed in his full, nude glory, Hiroto tried not to let himself be distracted as he quickly but carefully prepared a hot bath with scented oils and flower petals like he'd been taught to do for Tora. Why in the hell these rich men needed to bathe so often, he didn't know. It didn't seem like Saga could get any cleaner than he already looked and smelled after all. He himself was used to being dirty, since back at home water had been precious, and here servants simply weren't worth the water most of the time. They were royally allowed to bathe every new and full moon in shared tubs, of which the water was usually not much cleaner than they were. Higher ranked servants got to bathe more often, but since Hiroto was still on the lowest rank such luxuries weren't reserved for him. When the bath was finished, Saga stood and sauntered over to it, testing the temperature before humming appreciatively and stepping in. The entire time, Hiroto just stood there by his side, trying to keep his gaze on nothing in particular and once in a while letting his eyes drift over his master's moist skin. When finally Saga decided he was clean enough he stepped out and looked at Hiroto expectantly. The youth wasn't sure what to do at first but then he figured Saga wanted to be dried off. He took one of the neatly folded towels off a shelf and walked back to the older man. “M-may I?” With a smug nod Saga allowed his servant to dry him, watching the way the youth's eyes studied each piece of skin before and after the towel had passed over it. He was teasing the teenager purposefully, making him yearn for him so he would fold to his every push and pull later on in their encounter. “That's enough. Now take a bath yourself. I don't wish to touch you when you're indecent.” Saga kept surprising Hiroto with incredulous orders, causing the youth to doubt whether he'd misunderstood. There was no way the other man really meant for him to use his bathwater right? That was something so out of his league that he only could've imagined Saga saying something like that. “I-I'm sorry...?” “The water. Get in and wash up. After that you will join me on the bed.”   ***   Being chosen to be an important link in a conspiracy, Hiroto discovered, had many good sides. After washing up in the most deliciously smelling water, and drying himself with the softest towel, he'd been ordered to sprawl naked on luxurious sheets and let Saga touch him as he pleased. Long fingers traced his sweetly smelling skin, giving him goosebumps whenever they would pass somewhere sensitive. “You're just as pretty as I'd hoped...” Saga trailed off with a smirk as he circled his fingertips over a particularly sensitive patch of skin on Hiroto's lower belly. “You're enjoying this, aren't you?” The small teenager could only nod, remembering to be polite by also speaking out loud. “Yes, master.” He wasn't sure whether he was supposed to be enjoying this, but Saga didn’t seem mad at him for it so he guessed it was okay. “When you're seducing Tora, there are some basic rules you need to follow... and some basic techniques you'll need to learn. I'll show you them, so pay close attention.” Hiroto nodded again and tried not to be distracted by those wandering fingers as he listened and watched. “Your ultimate goal will be to get him to fall for you... Start to trust you... Crave for your presence. That's how you can gain control over his emotions. The fastest way to achieve that goal... Is through having sex with him.” Saga brushed his fingers over a chocolate nipple as he said his words, watching as innocent eyes widened, and an inexperienced body shuddered. He didn't have to ask whether Hiroto had ever had sex before. He was an open book for Saga to read. “There are many sexual practices... but all of them involve getting physically really close to each other. And all of them include this part of your anatomy.” He cupped Hiroto's privates and watched his expression go from clueless to surprised. He let his words settle in for a moment before proceeding. “But you have to be careful. If you try to get too close too suddenly, without the right set of attitudes, he will become offended. That is why I need to teach you to read body language.” The taller male raked his manicured nails up Hiroto's thighs and watched his reaction, before explaining. “Your gasp and widened eyes show surprise at my action, a little apprehensiveness even, but the arching of your hips tell a different story. You've got a little masochistic streak, even though you probably don't even realize it.” Hiroto's breath hitched when Saga read him so perfectly, impressed with how he seemed to be able to know what the teenager was feeling. Even he himself was surprised at how the slight burn on his skin had pleasurable prickles shoot up his spine, yet Saga was one step ahead of his thoughts. “Those are the kind of details you need to notice and deduce from, whether you're taking the right course of action, or whether you need to adjust.”   ***   Hiroto was going crazy, he was sure. He couldn't handle this kind of pleasurable torture any longer. Saga had proceeded to touch and tease him in all sorts of ways, at some point causing a hot fire to spread from his lower tummy to between his legs and set his entire body alight. He was being opened up and broken down, his every move revealing more of his insecurities and habits to Saga. It was pure mental and physical torture, so good but too overwhelming. Too much at once. “Please...” He whined, unsure what he was asking for. Saga lifted his lips from where he'd been nipping Hiroto's inner thigh when he heard the plea, his chest rumbling with low laughter. He knew he was being cruel, but he needed to break Hiroto down to his core in order to be able to train him as he wanted to. The youth was nearly at his limit though, so he figured it was time to proceed from wet kisses and slow strokes on the smaller male's length, to actually having intercourse with him. Hiroto whimpered when Saga suddenly stopped all his ministrations and reached over to the cabinet beside the large bed. This didn't really make things any better. His entire body tingled and burned from sensory overload and there was a distinct ache between his legs. “Please...” He still didn't know what he was pleading for, but he just wanted relief from all this. When Saga was back over him, he looked up at him with glassy eyes, his eyes focusing on the small glass bottle the other male had retrieved. It contained a translucent lilac fluid, which was being spilled out over long fingers as his legs were spread with another hand. “Hnn...” At the slightly desperate whine, Saga felt his own length throb. This boy was more than delicious. He was perfect. After slicking his fingers in the lavender oil he brought them down and softly pressed them against the sensitive patch of skin between Hiroto's balls and opening. A surprised moan fell from the youth's lips when the other man had managed to find another weak spot on his body and as those devious fingers rubbed and pressed, his body writhed. “Now relax... breathe deep...” It was a soft warning before Saga's middle finger slid down and pressed deep into Hiroto's tight hole in one smooth motion. Hiroto didn't even have the coherency of mind any longer to obey an order like that, especially not when prickles of pained pleasure shot up his spine when he was invaded so suddenly. His body clenched and he mewled softly, biting his lip in confusion at the opposing sensations he was experiencing. “Focus, Hiroto... Embrace the pain, don't try to escape it.” Saga knew how this worked, since he'd experienced it first hand. Hiroto's mind had that same power to mingle pain and pleasure into one amazing sensation as his own, he'd seen it before. He just needed to utilize it by overcoming his fear. The more that finger moved inside of him, the more freaked out Hiroto was becoming and he shook his head in response to the order. “Can't-” Saga held back a growl in frustration, seeing how Hiroto's defences which he had so carefully broken down were kicking in again. He needed to bring him back into that accepting state, to get him to feel before thinking. Hiroto's entire body jolted when suddenly two fingers were harshly jabbed into him, the sharp sensation washing through him like a hot fire, setting his nerve ends alight with pleasure. He relaxed back into the sheets and gasped for air, his eyes opening and focusing on Saga's smirking face. “Feels good, doesn't it?” Hiroto could only nod in response to that, his hips moving out of their own accord, pushing back against the burning feeling. It felt amazing, and suddenly he remembered the scary piercer's words. “If you relax it might even feel a little good.”He couldn't think on it for too long though, because soon those fingers were moving, thrusting in shallow but hard blows. Moans and whines tore themselves from his throat, and he couldn't hold them in if he wanted to. Saga was starting to become impatient with the exquisite way the youthful boy was responding to his ministrations. No matter how much he enjoyed watching Hiroto fall apart underneath him, he needed relief. He pulled his fingers out, knowing he could've done a better job in preparing the smaller male, but too impatient to wait. On top of that, with his current demeanour he doubted whether the teenager would mind. Hiroto whimpered at the loss of touch and watched Saga's movements. His hips were lifted just slightly, and he instinctively wrapped his legs around the other man's waist. The bottle was once again utilized and Hiroto groaned when he saw the taller man slick his own erection, knowing how good that must feel. Up until the very last moment he was clueless as to what Saga was going to do, and that proved to be a good thing because there was no time for his fear to rear it's ugly head again, before he was met with a mind-blowingly full sensation. Saga groaned deeply when he was encased in tight heat, trying not to lose his mind and just fuck the boy senseless. No, he would draw even this out, make sure Hiroto felt his every inch before finally allowing him his release. With a downright nefarious grin on his face he pulled out slowly, watching the youth's face as it distorted in pained pleasure. “Tell me what you feel... Hiroto... Every word that comes to your mind.” Another slow, deep thrust later, Hiroto was moaning out incoherent words. Trying to describe what he felt only intensified the sensations and it was driving him to the verge of madness. “Hng... Hot... it burns... s-so hard...” “Does it feel good...?” Saga sat up slightly to be able to watch his engorged cock slowly pushing back into that clenching heat, biting back a moan himself. Hiroto nodded furiously at the other male's question. “S-so good... pain... but good pain... aahn...” It took every inch of Saga's self control to pull out completely, before just pressing the sensitive head of his length in and repeating that motion a few times. “I-It's slipping... p-please... need...” Saga rewarded Hiroto's begging by pushing back in deeper this time, the youth's back arching and his hips pushing back against him. “Like that?” Hiroto's eyes started tearing up and he nodded again. It was simply too much and not enough, and he was falling apart. “D-deep... Is good... P-please... push it... harder.” Hiroto's words were pushing Saga's patience as well and try as he might he couldn't hold back much longer. Complying to the smaller male's wishes, he wrapped his arms around the teenager's lower back and sped up his thrusts. “Hn-aahh! Hng- tha- can't-” Hiroto wanted to continue explaining his feelings like he'd been told to do, but he just couldn't any more, the sounds escaping him ending up somewhere between moans, screams and sobs. Saga couldn't hold back some of his own sounds, so to save his manly pride he muffled them against the skin of Hiroto's small but muscular chest. “Gods you're good...” He wouldn't last long at this rate, but he wasn't worried because judging from the clenching around him and the desperate moans, Hiroto was much closer than he was. It would just take a little extra to get him to topple over the edge. That little push was provided when Hiroto bucked his hips in time with Saga's thrusts and his prostate was hit dead on, causing the youth's body to tense and spasm. His vision washed over white and he sobbed out his long awaited release, tears wetting his sweat stained cheeks as his seed splashed onto his stomach and chest. Saga couldn't handle seeing Hiroto's mind being blown to a million beautiful pieces, feeling his passage clench even tighter. The taller male just thrust into the youth uncontrolled, seeking out his orgasm and finally following the servant into oblivion a minute later. When Hiroto's sanity started slowly returning he tried to stop crying but he couldn't. He felt broken and bare, yet so sated and even completed. His only stronghold through all those feelings was Saga who was now panting above him, his eyes still closed and his hips still strained against the youth's. When Hiroto reached up with shaking limbs to wrap his arms around him, the older man opened his eyes slowly and his smirk returned. This was exactly what he'd been hoping for. Hiroto was now completely and entirely dependant on him, and would do his every bidding. “Shh... It's alright.” His smirk melted into a smile and he used his grip on Hiroto's lower back to hoist him up into his lap. Brushing a few wet strands of hair out of the servant's face, he looked up at the youth and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. Hiroto's sobs slowly died down as he was being comforted, slowly bending forward to nuzzle Saga's neck. He whimpered as he was lifted up off the taller man's softening length before being lowered again. He sniffled and looked up through his eyelashes to meet Saga's eyes for a moment, before quickly lowering them again. “Will you be teaching me anything more, master?” “Not today... You can wash up again and be on your way. I'll have you summoned to me again soon.” ***** The first mission ***** Chapter Notes I'm sorry it took me this long to update! m(_ _)m I haven't been feeling all that inspired to write lately and college is keeping me busy again. On top of that, I've always been a lousy updater. Gomen, ne. Comments and kudos motivate me to write more ;3 Enjoy ^^ Hiroto tried to walk silently through the halls, as not to be noticed. By now he was fairly sure it would be easier to find his way back to the large staircase and not get lost again, not running into any superiors while he was sneaking around here though, was a bigger problem. He wasn't too fast either, because his backside was starting to ache quite a bit now the final remnants of pleasure were wearing off. He was relieved when he turned the last corner and saw the large staircase leading down and to safety. When he looked again, however someone was already on that staircase, heading up. He realised just a moment too late that it was Tora, and when he was spotted he yelped inelegantly and tried to turn tail and bolt in hopes of escaping a no doubt angry landlord. “Don't you dare!” Tora yelled in anger when he saw that Hiroto tried to run off when he was spotted in a place he should definitely not be. Hiroto froze in his spot and turned back around, knowing he was in big trouble. He did his best to look sorry when he was approached and Tora stood still in front of him. “And where, may I ask, have you been?” The much taller man asked, clearly not amused with the servant's behaviour towards him. Still, his temperament was relatively mild, because usually he would've just backhanded a disobeying servant at this point. Hiroto tried to think of an excuse because he knew he couldn't say he'd been in Saga's quarters. He had to appeal to Tora's better nature somehow and tried to think about what all Saga had taught him. Adorable was what Saga said he liked in him. He needed to be cute and aware of his every move. “I... I uhm...” He bit his lip and peeked up at Tora shyly. “I was tricked... Another servant told me I was needed in my lord's guest quarters...” It was only partly a lie, which was why Hiroto could say it without stumbling over his words. Tora was visibly thrown off by Hiroto's explanation, completely falling for the act the youth was putting up. He couldn't stay angry with the young servant and cleared his throat a little uneasily. “Well, don't get tricked again... Or I might need to punish you. Now be on your way.” He hoped Hiroto would stay silent on this turn of events, because if other servants heard how mild his response was he would certainly have an uprising on his hands. Most of his servants were scared of him, and he wanted to keep it that way. Hiroto bowed and walked past the landlord, hardly able to contain his excitement at getting away with this. “Hiroto.” The youth was surprised that Tora still remembered his name, but he stopped and turned again. “M-my lord?” Tora had noticed something odd about the teenager's movements and walked up to him with a slight frown on his face. “Are you limping?” Hiroto couldn't suppress a blush at that question, unsure what to answer. In the end he nodded just barely visibly and bit his lip again, this time out of habit. “Did you sprain your ankle?” Tora cupped Hiroto's heated cheek in his hand, unsure why the youth was blushing, but finding it cute either way. If the little servant hadn't looked so damn innocent there was no doubt he would've coaxed him to join him in his quarters tonight. There was nothing wrong with just a passing touch though, he convinced himself. Glad that Tora offered him an excuse, Hiroto took it gladly, leaning in to the touch on his cheek just slightly. “Yes, my lord...” Tora couldn't help but stroke the soft skin in his palm with his thumb when it seemed Hiroto didn't mind the touch, slight worry visible in his light brown eyes. “Is it bad? Maybe you should let someone take a look at it. Hiroto unconsciously looked up at Tora at those words and instantly found himself mesmerized by those unnaturally light irises looking down at him with concern. “I...I th-think I will be... fine... my lord.” Tora couldn't help but smile when those pretty almond shaped eyes stared at him for a few seconds. “Very well then.” It was the first time in a long while that any servant had dared to look him in the eyes for such a long time and he found it more endearing than offensive. Then again, he was already charmed by the teenage boy so he would tolerate more from him than from other servants. “Be careful.” Hiroto blushed more, this time out of shame for fooling Tora like this, but he nodded and finally pulled his gaze away. “Thank you, my lord.” And with that he slowly turned and walked off, wondering why he suddenly felt like there were butterflies dancing around in his stomach. ***   Hiroto rested his head on his arms as he lay flat on his stomach on the large bed, peeking sideways to where Saga was standing naked in front of his large mirror. He wondered fleetingly whether he could ever be as beautiful as the older male. This divine creature that was just too radiant to be able to deny. He knew now why all the other servants doted on Tora's cousin like they did. It was impossible not to want to please him when he looked at you with those smirking lips, demanding to be served. It was impossible even, to forget about him while not in his presence, at least for Hiroto. He often caught his thoughts floating to his time with Saga and the impressions he left on his mind and body, when he was actually supposed to be focusing on his work. He still officially worked for Tora after all. Tora... “Master...?” Saga turned and smiled at the pretty, young boy that was resting on his bed, the sheets he'd pulled over him slipping to reveal just a curve of his round, bare ass. “What is it, pup?” Hiroto was slightly surprised with the nickname, since that was what Aki had called him as well. He wondered faintly whether the two knew each other at all but then focused on the topic at hand again. “I ran into Tora-sama the other day...” At those words, Saga's interest was piqued and he walked back over to the bed, sitting down on the edge and looking down at those pretty round lips, still plump and swollen from what they'd been doing not too long ago. “Oh? And what did you do, my mischievous little sprite?” Hiroto felt a little insecure about telling Saga this, because he didn't know whether he had done well or not. He hadn't managed to really advance on the landlord after all. “He was mad because I was just returning from upstairs, where I'm not allowed by him...” Saga was a little afraid that the youth had said something about their activities to Tora, which might lay some suspicion on him. “What did you say?” “I told him I'd been tricked into going upstairs by another servant... He believed me... And he was worried for me... He touched my face and I looked up... He didn't mind that.” It was the truth, though at the time he hadn't really been able to stop himself from staring. It hadn't been intentional like it should've been. Saga smirked a little when Hiroto told him what had happened. It was clear that Tora was interested in the servant or else he would've reacted entirely different. “Anything more?” Hiroto shook his head slowly. “No master...” “You did good.” Saga reassured the youth, sensing his anxiety. “The next time you can try and tempt him a bit more... I bet he won't mind.” There was a short silence in which Hiroto stretched, causing the covers to slide off his buttocks altogether, drawing Saga's attention. “As much as I'd like to have another go with you... I really shouldn't stretch you too much or Tora will be able to tell you're not a virgin.” He also had some business left to conduct, so he really shouldn't be wasting too much time on sex. Plus, he'd already received a pretty good blow-job from the youth today, under his professional guidance of course, so he couldn't complain. “After another session or two you'll be ready to start to seduce our mighty landlord... I already conjured a plan to properly introduce the two of you.” Hiroto just smiled and nodded at that, getting the hint and making a move to get up. It was time to go back to his usual work.   ***   Tora grunted, annoyed, as he slipped on his bathrobe and walked into his favourite bathing room. It was spacious and light, and had a breathtaking view, but the scenery wasn't what had him in a bad mood. A disease had broken out under his servants, especially those with a high rank since they all lived in the same area. It had left him deprived of his usual luxuries, and having to do with lower ranked servants who didn't know how to do things properly. Perhaps a nice hot bath would do him good. He pulled on the cord connected to a small set of chimes, the sound they produced light but clear. As per usual the door opened and a servant came rushing to his side. He turned and looked at them, surprised at who he had before him. “Hiroto...” He'd been thinking about the boy a lot lately, even when he hadn't wanted to. The youth was just popping into his head all the time and distracting him from his business. And here he was, looking up at him with those almond shaped eyes. Hiroto blushed the moment his name was spoken, mainly out of nervousness. This was his first real assignment he had received from Saga and the pressure to do well was high. Spreading the disease had actually been Saga's doing as well, or if there even really had been any disease. The servants in on the plan had feigned feeling ill and the fear of disease had done the rest. He was the key factor though. The whole thing had only been started so that he had access to Tora's quarters. “My lord?” He questioned softly, figuring the taller man wanted a bath, but being polite by asking. Tora smiled a little at the obviously nervous servant. It was adorable, and suddenly he didn't feel so bad any more. Perhaps I'll have him go up a rank so he can serve me personally more often... “I would like a bath. A warm, spicy scent.” “Yes m'lord” Hiroto quickly scurried off, preparing the bath and picking out oils he thought suited Tora's current scent preference. Tora leaned against the wall as he watched Hiroto prepare his bath, thinking to himself how he wouldn't mind to have the young servant join him in his bath. Just as he was thinking that, he saw Hiroto who had been leaning over to pour some more oil in the water slip on the wet floor beside the bath and fall face first into the full bathtub. Tora was quick to act, speeding up to the bath and grabbing any limbs he could reach to pull the youth to the surface. Sputtering and gasping for air once he was pulled up, Hiroto tried to focus on the next step. He'd fallen into the water purposely, it being a part of the plan Saga had thought up. Concerned as well as a little amused, Tora adjusted his grip on the smaller male's waist and hoisted him up out of the water with ease. Hiroto yelped softly when he was suddenly raised into the air, his hands clamping to Tora's shoulders in a reflex. This wasn't part of the plan, but he wasn't about to object as the powerful man urged him to wrap his legs around his waist and carried him over to the nearest bench. The raven haired man gently put the young servant down and looked at his dishevelled state, trying to ignore how positively attractive Hiroto looked with his hair wet and dripping, sticking to his face. “I-I'm sorry, my lord!” Tora just chuckled and shook his head. “Are you hurt?” He couldn't help but pick a few drenched locks of hair out of the youth's face, wanting to relieve the urge to touch the smaller male. “M-my ribs... are aching... a bit...” They were, it wasn't a lie, but his leg hurt much more from where it had hit the side of the bath. That wasn't what he wanted the older man to focus on though. “Let me see...” Tora unknowingly played along perfectly to Saga's plan, unaware that his cousin knew him so well and was using that knowledge against him. He reached for Hiroto's servant robes and untied them, knowing he was doing this for all the wrong reasons but unable to stop himself. There was a slight red line just beneath Hiroto's dark nipples and Tora reached out to softly ghost his fingertips over it. The action earned him a soft gasp from the youth and he couldn't help but go a little further, blowing out a stream of air over damp skin, watching as goosebumps erupted all over Hiroto's skin, his nipples hardening. “Hnn-” It had been a spontaneous sound, out of both surprise and and slight excitement, but it had the desired effect. Light eyes looked up at his own chocolate ones and as he blushed slightly and bit his lip he saw Tora's self- control snapping. Tora's heart skipped a beat when he saw that expression pass over Hiroto's face, wondering how the youth could look so innocent yet so seductive at the same time. He couldn't resist, leaning up and pressing his lips to the teenager's plump ones, his hand coming up to rest on the side of Hiroto's neck, ensuring the slave couldn't pull away. Hiroto was taken by surprise when he was kissed since Saga had never kissed him before. He knew it was a display of affection though, and took it as a good sign. Still, he was unsure of how to kiss back and for a few long moments he just remained still. When a warm, wet tongue touched his lips he gasped, allowing the slick muscle to enter his mouth. It felt strange, but good and Tora's mouth tasted of expensive wine and something spicy. Or was that the water still dripping down his face? It hadn't surprised Tora that Hiroto didn't really actively participate in the kiss. He was just glad that the youth hadn't attempted to pull away. After a few more moments he pulled back slightly and looked the smaller male in the eyes. “I need to have you.” ***** Between the sheets ***** Chapter Notes So sorry for the long wait, but college and finals and all that shit kept me busy. Also, I got kinda stuck at some point because I wasn't sure whether I liked the direction the story was heading... So I brainstormed and completely changed my plans XP Look forward to some more conspiring in the next few chapters <3 Enjoy! Sex with Tora was completely different. After he'd been hurriedly carried over to the tall raven haired man's bedroom and placed down on a bed rivalling Saga's in size and softness, Tora had pulled the remainder of his soaking wet servant's robes off him and proceeded to kiss him harshly. Hiroto learned how to respond more with every kiss, every flick of slick tongues. It was rushed and unpractised but that was what made it all the more intense. Hiroto didn't have to act his responses, they all came naturally as Tora touched him. And he felt at ease somehow, trusting he wouldn't be judged for the ways his body arched or the sounds that he made. When his thighs were parted he moaned in anticipation, needing this more than he'd expected he would. Tora didn't have the patience for elaborate foreplay at that moment, just wanting, needing to finally sink between those pretty, wet thighs and have Hiroto scream for him. The young servant was gorgeous like this, his body damp and smelling of spices, writhing so beautifully and it was pure sex. He spit in his palm and stroked himself a few times, knowing in the back of his head he should be more careful since this was most likely Hiroto's first time, but too impatient to actually do anything about it. Hiroto whimpered when he was flipped over and his hips were lifted, bracing himself on his elbows and knees. He wasn't sure what Tora's plan was with this position until he felt a strong hand gripping his hip and a heat pressing in between his ass cheeks. Slightly surprised, yet quickly accepting this new way of doing this, Hiroto found himself pressing back slightly. Tora hadn't expected the youth to be this accepting since most servants he had debauched in the past had protested to his advances at some point. It seemed that either this particular boy wasn't as innocent as he'd seemed, or he was just made to do this. The landlord foolishly wanted to believe the latter option and didn't think on the matter any further, moaning low in his throat at the impatient whimper leaving the youth's mouth. The larger man started to push forward, his torso bending down slowly at the same time, so he slowly became engulfed in the youth's supple body while trapping him beneath him. “God you're tight...” Hiroto couldn't do anything but bend down further until his chest was pressed into the satin sheets, biting his lower lip to try and cope with the pain that blossomed from the spot they were connected. “Hnng...” Embrace the pain.He heard his master and teacher's words echo in his mind, but he couldn't right now, not with the feeling being so overwhelmingly strong, not while he had been nervous and tense about his mission to start with. Despite his own pleasure, Tora noticed the change in the pretty servant's demeanour and he started placing little love bites in the spot where his head had been resting in between Hiroto's shoulder blades. “Shh... It's okay... Try to relax, it'll become good...” He had to muster all his control to keep his hips steady while all he wanted to do was thrust into the body beneath him over and over, but Tora actually liked Hiroto and so he wanted him to scream out in pleasure, not in pain. Hiroto had just started to relax a little, listening to that voice that made his heart flutter for reasons unbeknownst to himself, when he felt a strong arm encircling his lower abdomen and pulling his hips up a little more so their bodies were flush against one another. The movement inside him caused a small spark of pleasurable pain to shoot up the youth's spine and he let out a tiny mewl. Slowly the burn deep inside him started to set the teen's entire body on fire, arousing him just as much as that first time with Saga had, if not more. Tora was considerably bigger than his graceful master in all his body parts, including the one between his legs, but at this point in time Hiroto couldn't say or even think he disliked it anymore. When Tora noticed Hiroto's body becoming a little more pliant again he couldn't help but try to loosen him up more by slowly rotating his hips against the young servant's smaller ones, earning a breathless moan for his effort. He grasped the teenager's sides and pulled back a little before making the first, languid thrust. “Hn... You're doing good my little one... Does it still hurt...?” Hiroto's hands pawed at the bed beneath him reflexively when the larger man started a gentle thrusting pace. “Ah-a little... I-I like it...” He admitted on a moan, surprising Tora quite a bit with his answer. “You like... the pain?” To test his theory the landlord thrust forward harshly, biting back his groan in favour of watching the young servant's reaction. The way the youth's back arched, a nearly desperate moan falling from those pretty lips, his small hands pulling at the luxurious bedsheets, all alerted Tora to the extent to which this particular boy actually enjoyed what they were doing. “Fuck, you're amazing...” Tora was all raw passion after that, completely losing his self-control and Hiroto happily receiving anything the landlord was willing to give him. It didn't last very long at all, since they were both too desperate and yearning for their release, but neither of them could care to try and prolong their tryst. When he felt Tora's nails raking down his chest, no doubt for the purpose of heightening his pleasure, Hiroto could feel himself tipping over that proverbial edge and falling, endlessly falling into a red hot sea of pleasure. “Hng-aahh!” He only came back to himself when he felt the larger man above him press into him impossibly deep once more and he could immediately feel Tora's release spilling into him. He whimpered softly in pleasure and struggled to catch his breath, feeling like he was choking even though his entire body was tingling from inhaling so much oxygen while panting. Tora pressed his forehead into the sweet skin between Hiroto's shoulder blades and tried to gather his thoughts much like the young boy. After a long minute he hummed contently and pressed a kiss to the spot where his forehead had just been. A smirk graced his lips as he pushed the smaller body down completely, lying down comfortably on top of him. “Mm... If I had known this, I wouldn't have waited so long to take you.” He didn't receive an answer to his statement and wondering why, he brushed a few sweaty locks out of Hiroto's face. The pretty servant was blushing slightly and Tora let out a huff of laughter. “Don't be shy... You did good.” Hiroto blushed deeper and tried to hide from Tora's face as he mumbled softly. “You're still... inside...” He received an amused chuckle in response which only made the young servant want to hide even more. “That I am.” The youth wasn't sure why he was suddenly feeling this shy but he guessed it had something to do with the fact that Saga usually abandoned him after sex instead of pressing up close like Tora was doing right now. He didn't dislike it though, not at all, it just took some getting used to. After a few more minutes, just when Hiroto felt sleep starting to drag at his eyelids, Tora suddenly pulled out of him and started moving. He was lifted into the air once more by those strong arms and carried back over to the bathroom. They settled in the slightly lukewarm bathwater and Hiroto sighed happily. The water felt cool on his heated and sweaty skin and it was good. Tora pulled Hiroto into his arms even though he usually didn't really like to snuggle after sex. It seemed as though Hiroto invoked more than just lust in him and he didn't question the impulses he felt, just going with them. And judging from the way the youth wrapped tentative arms around him and pressed his face against his chest, Hiroto didn't mind either. “I want you to work hard for me the coming couple of weeks... If you do good I'll have you rise a rank... Would you like that?” Hiroto looked up into Tora's eyes in surprise, having completely forgotten about the rules of what he could and couldn't do around the landlord. “... Very much, my lord.” He smiled a little before nuzzling into Tora's neck, inhaling the intoxicating mix of spices, oils and Tora's own scent. It was hard for him not to just fall asleep right there, but he remembered in the back of his mind that he hadn't yet completed his mission. He needed to get to know the landlord and try to pry into his secrets without seeming suspicious. That was when Tora seemed to notice the youth's demeanour and he smiled and stroked the boy's damp hair. “It's okay, you can sleep. I won't send you away for a while.” Whimpering softly, Hiroto couldn't do much else than complying and letting his eyes flutter closed. His mission could wait. He just felt too at home in Tora's warm embrace.   ***   Several weeks had passed since that afternoon on which Hiroto had graced Tora's sheets for the first time. The frequency with which the youthful servant found himself in the landlord's bed had increased rapidly, and at this point he felt almost more like a concubine than a servant. He played with the second ear piercing he'd gotten a few days back, a token of gratitude from Tora for his outstanding 'services'. Saga hadn't exactly let up on his 'training' either, especially since the landlord's cousin didn't seem pleased with the pace with which his inquiries on Tora's personal life were progressing. Sighing tiredly, Hiroto thought back to how a simple little mistake had wound up getting him involved in an elaborate scheme of royalties played out in the bedroom. He couldn't really complain all that much though, since he walked into both said bedrooms with eager feet and an impatiently throbbing heart. Both Tora and Saga were constantly on Hiroto's mind, making the youth lose his focus on the most inconvenient of times. Saga was still Hiroto's guiding light in these stressful times, and the teenager admired him more than anything in all his beauty, elegance, wisdom and mystery. Tora, however, appealed to Hiroto in an entirely different way. The landlord was a down to earth, regular kind of guy who up-close didn't even seem all that special enough to hold such a high position. But he was kind and there was something in the older man's disposition that had Hiroto's heart fluttering and caused his stomach to do odd little flip-flops. But the servant's life wasn't all that easy considering that between all the sex and conspiracies he still had to perform normal servant's work so he didn't attract any suspicions. And he was starting to doubt whether he even wanted to complete his missions anymore. He really liked Tora and wasn't sure he would be able to bear it be his fault the landlord would die. Hell, he was sure that even if it wasn't his fault he would still miss him like crazy. Their long and lazy talks between sex and work were one of the few things that served to calm the panic that often bubbled up inside him because of all the stress. He slowly walked back in the direction of his room, hoping Uruha would already be there so he could spend some time with him before he would be moved to the higher ranked servant's housing. If only he had someone he could ask for unbiased advice, or even to just empty his heart out without having to keep secrets. Then it struck him. Uruha. The teenager sped up his pace slightly, now more eager to go see his room-mate. He was sure Uruha wasn't in on the whole conspiracy thing, but he and Uruha had become good friends and he trusted him. On top of that the boy seemed trustworthy enough and he wasn't all that bright in the first place so Hiroto knew there was no way he would try to use any information he was given to his own advantage. “'Ruha?” Hiroto called softly as he entered the door, and soon enough the mess of limbs beneath the blankets on Uruha's bed groaned and started moving. It seemed the other boy had wanted to get a long night of sleep since it wasn't even that late yet. “Pon..? Hey...” Uruha showed a sleepy smile as he sat up before yawning and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. “Can I talk to you about some things...? I kind of need advice.” ***   They spent the entire evening talking, Hiroto explaining the entirety of the situation he was in and the conflict he was experienced. Naturally, Uruha was shocked and the boy had a hard time believing Hiroto at first, but when the youth showed him a couple of hickeys on his collarbones which Tora seemed to enjoy a lot, he was quickly convinced. And even now Uruha was sleeping soundly on the bed bunk beside him, Hiroto couldn't get a wink of sleep. He wasn't all that satisfied with the advice he had gotten, even though he felt he now had another pair of shoulders to help carry the heavy load he had been burdened with. “Don't do anything stupid. Save yourself.” It was the more sensible thing to do of course, let Tora be damned and choose to further get into Saga's favour so he might be freed and allowed to go back to his family some day. But it wasn't that easy to the young servant. His feelings for the landlord were getting in the way and the harsher Saga became, the more he wanted to run away and find safety in Tora's arms. But he wouldn't betray Saga, he couldn't. He didn't want to sink that low.   ***   The entire household was bustling with anxious activity, servants rushing back and forth, carriages coming and going. Hiroto didn't find it very hard to get to Saga's quarters unnoticed among all the other servants passing through the halls and he entered after announcing his presence and receiving confirmation he could come in. The teenager rushed to the large chair in which Saga was reclining as usual and kneeled as was custom. “I beg your pardon for interrupting, master.” Saga smirked and leaned forward to brush his fingers over the top of Hiroto's hair in a condescending manner. “Pardon granted.” “The landlord has requested me to accompany him on his journey... I require your permission to so so.” Saga sighed exasperatedly and rubbed his forehead. “Why did that chit have to die in an inconvenient time like this... Yes, fine. Go. Make sure to report anything of worth when you return.” Hiroto nodded curtly and bowed a little deeper before getting up and leaving the room. He had to prepare himself for the trip like Tora had told him to, they would be leaving the next day at dawn. One of Tora's sisters had been assassinated yesterday and the landlord of course wanted to be there for the funeral and to further inquire on who had presumably killed one of his family. Hiroto was worried, because according to rumour there was no apparent motive for the murder at all and neither a murder weapon nor any sign of the perpetrator had been found. What if Tora was in danger as well? He wasn't that surprised Tora had ordered him to come along though, because there was hardly any night currently on which he was allowed to return to his quarters and go to sleep without sporting a few more love marks and a distinct limp. Surely now he was grief stricken from the loss of his sister and stressed because of the long journey, Tora wouldn't want to go without him. And Hiroto wasn't complaining, apart from the imminent death by assassination part then.   ***   Hiroto shivered as two gentle fingertips slid down his sweaty spine and a cool breath spilled over the tiny nail-shaped wounds on his hip. He felt too boneless to move after two amazing orgasms and a particularly rough fucking and just let the landlord play with his body some more. “Hn...” He was thankful for the luxurious carriage they were in, the thick bedding and all the pillows making the ride across the bumpy forest floor a lot smoother than back in one of the servants' carriages. The young servant lazily opened one eye and turned his head a little so he could look at Tora hovering over him. “M'lord...” Tora's eyes met his and the rare vulnerability in them shocked Hiroto a little. “I am so sorry for your loss... a-and I do not mean to be rude... but I sense worry in you, my lord.” Tora was surprised Hiroto could read him so well but he quickly berated himself for that thought. He should've expected it, since the boy was rather smart and seemed to always know what the landlord wanted or thought at any given time. He helped Hiroto turn around on the bed so they could look one another in the eyes more easily, knowing he had been a bit rough this time and that the youth must surely be in pain. Hiroto was the only one he allowed to stare into his eyes as he looked back, almost as if they were trying to look into one another's soul. “You're not wrong in your assumption... my little one... But I'm afraid you need not worry your pretty little head over this matter.” It couldn't possibly be wise to tell a servant of what bothered him, even though he trusted Hiroto more than others. Without really thinking about his task to get more information out of Tora, and more out of sincere concern for the landlord, Hiroto pouted and sought to object. “Please... my lord... I might be able to alleviate some of your worries... I wish to try and be of service to you...” Tora had to hold back a groan at the expression on Hiroto's beautiful face, those pouting lips still swollen from their elaborate kissing. He bent down and placed a few kisses on Hiroto's delicate neck, inhaling that wonderful scent of his some more. “If I tell you... You have to swear not to tell another soul.” He lifted himself again and stared into those large brown eyes sternly until he received a firm nod and a muttered, “I swear.” “I received a letter at our last stop...” Tora distracted himself from the graveness of his words by slowly starting to trace patterns across alabaster skin. “It was from an anonymous sender... stating that they knew my secret.” He took a deep breath, trying to remain calm and be comforted by Hiroto's ever radiant presence. Hiroto's eyes widened when the word 'secret' was spoken. This was it. This was the kind of information Saga wanted him to find out so he could plot Tora's demise. “...Your secret, my lord?” Tora shook his head when Hiroto predictably inquired about that and tapped the boy's lips in a sign for him to be quiet. “I cannot tell you. It would be unwise and dangerous... But I have a secret... one that would certainly mean my demise if it ever be made public... That is why this anonymous sender plans to use it to gain power over my actions and decisions.” Horror filled Hiroto's mind, both at this knowledge that his beloved landlord was being blackmailed and that there was an unknown other party that could potentially ruin Saga's entire plan. This was bad news for Hiroto in every way, and it prompted him to inquire further. “But... my lord... If you do what this person says there will surely be no end to the things he will demand... What kind of secret could possibly be worth such a price...?” Tora felt himself getting annoyed at Hiroto's curiosity. He had merely wanted to vent his thoughts, not have a servant prying into his deepest secrets. Especially not a servant that swayed him so easily. “As I said, those words are not for your ears. I have already told you too much.” Hiroto bit his lip unsure why he wanted to press on because he knew he probably wouldn't have the heart to tell such a deep secret to Saga. But he somehow wanted to help. “Please my lord... I swear I will not tell any-” He was cut off when Tora's hand collided with his cheek, his head jerking to the side with the force of the blow. “Don't forget your place, servant! You may grace my sheets, but you are not and will never be my equal!” Tears formed in Hiroto's eyes at the demeaning words he was on the receiving end of, reality hitting him harder than the slap to his face. That's right, no matter how much Hiroto adored Tora and no matter how comfortable their time together often was, Tora still didn't see him as anything more than a servant. He was disposable to Tora. He was nothing to Tora. Tora was fuming with an unexplainable rage and when Hiroto closed his eyes seeming to want to sleep he jerked the boy's shoulder, watching him flinch, and got off of him, pointing at the curtains at the side of the carriage. “Out! I don't want to see you again until we arrive back home!” Hiroto choked back a sob and did as he was told, dressing back up before carefully exiting the moving carriage and running over to the one he had been appointed to, glad that the caravan was moving at slow speeds. He received some odd stares from the other servants when he clambered inside and curled up in a corner. He ignored them all, wiping angrily at his eyes. Uruha was right. Let Tora be damned, he was going to report everything to Saga dutifully, and he was sure that the landlord's cousin would take care of these men. He wouldn't let them interfere and would most definitely reward Hiroto for his good work. His future was with Saga, the man who saw him as a capable spy and someone worth putting his trust in, Hiroto was sure of that now.  Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!