"Finally. That's the last of it." Kagamine dropped his pack to the floor. "I suppose we ought to get you out of that kimono."

Shion stood up, smiling. At that precise moment, the screen slid open. They both stared in its direction.

These men- they were samurai. He glanced over at Kagamine, watching for his reaction. The boy's face registered a hint of surprise but little else.

"Kagamine," he whispered quietly. "Are they-?"

His counterpart made the slightest nod.

Two men entered the room. One was tall and serious-looking. The other, slightly shorter, man stayed behind him, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

For a moment, no one spoke. Then Kagamine bowed politely.

"Lord Hatori sent us out in advance," the tall man began, as if in response to a question which was both unspoken and unnecessary, "in preparation for his arrival." He glanced down at their packs on the floor, then back again at Kagamine. "It appears you were intending to leave here.”

The boy kept his head down. He didn't answer.

"You must understand I cannot allow you to go."

"I will not defy you," Kagamine breathed, "but, please, this man is free."

The tall samurai turned his attention to Shion. His amber eyes were intense, and Shion fumbled at the little scroll his master had given him, holding it out with trembling fingers. The man snatched it away, reviewing it with utter disinterest, while Shion held his breath. He glanced nervously at Kagamine, whose head was still down, his shoulders slumped in utter defeat.

"Very well." The samurai handed it back to him, giving a nod to the man standing behind him. "Lord Hatori only sent us here to detain Kamui's messenger-boy. He has no interest in anyone else."

The second man made way for him to leave, but Shion hesitated. "Kagamine, I-"

A hand grabbed at his arm. Its grasp was as unyielding as steel.

"You have to leave, Shion. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine, I promise."

"But I-"

He felt himself being pulled roughly away. Shion stared back at Kagamine's lowered head until the screen slid shut behind him. Not a kiss nor a word of farewell, not even a last look at that dear and beautiful face-

The samurai dragged him along until they were some distance away, with Shion stumbling over his own feet as though all strength and purpose had left him. At length, the man stopped and gave him a thoughtful stare. The smile on his face seemed strangely cold, and Shion averted his eyes, desperate to avoid it.

Callused fingers took hold of his chin.

"Lord Hatori will not take kindly to knowing another man has gotten to that boy before him."

Was this a threat? He felt as though it must be. His legs felt weak, as though they would no longer support him. His knees were shaking.

"What would you have of me, my lord?," Shion asked quietly, struggling to keep his voice from breaking.

"I have not yet ascertained what you might be capable of giving." The man paused. "What is your name, little peasant?"

"Shion Kaito, my lord."

"Tell me, Shion Kaito- have you been selling yourself for very long?"

He blushed indignantly at this suggestion. After all, he had never-

The kimono. Shion's eyes went wide.

"No, my lord," he answered softly.

"Someone must have been well pleased with you to buy you such expensive clothes."

He'd forgotten he still wore it. Shion stared down at its inky darkness.

"Have you any food, or a place to stay the night?"

"No, my lord," he repeated tonelessly.

The man paused. "If you would be so kind as to offer me your favors, I would be willing to buy."

That was the absolute last thing Shion wanted. This man had just dragged him away from his beloved Kagamine, whose face he would most likely never see again-

"My lord is most gracious, but I would rather not." Shion bowed low, hoping the man would let it go at that and not insist upon carrying this uneasy conversation any further. "Good day to you." His feet moved hastily of their own accord.

"You must be very attached to that boy."

Shion's pulse pounded in his ears. All other movement stopped His body froze into place.

"I have only known him a few days," Shion answered softly. Tentative footsteps echoed behind him. He heard the peculiar sound of metal grinding against metal. It grated at his heart.

Torture. This was utter torture. He desperately wanted to run, but where was he to go? There was no longer anywhere, or anyone, left to run back to. He'd been left entirely destitute.

A hand fell on his shoulder, and he shuddered beneath it.

"If you had not insisted on being so stubborn, I would not have treated you so roughly."

Was this the man's way of apologizing for it? It sounded like nothing more than another warning. The samurai was standing entirely too close and acting entirely too familiar-

"Come," the man whispered, close against his naked neck. "I want to hear your story, Shion Kaito.”

The man brushed past him softly as he stood there, absolutely still, barely even breathing. Shion felt his stomach knot. Why did he feel such wavering indecision? The choice should have been clear, so why- why was he tempted to follow?

Shion stared at the man's armor-clad back for what felt like an eternity. Food. Shelter. Safety.

He hated his body and its incessant demands now more than ever.

Sighing, he hurried after the man at last. The samurai turned for a moment, acknowledging his presence, as he led Shion through largely-unfamiliar corridors, all seemingly abandoned, and stopped before one unassuming screen.

"My name is Teru," the man told him, glancing back over his shoulder. "My rank is not significant. Once the others come, I will share the common chamber with them, but, for now, this room is mine alone."

With a ceremonious air, he pushed the screen aside. "I am afraid it does not offer much in the way of luxury, but it will suit our purpose."

Shion hesitated. Was this it, then? Did he really intend to-?

The man tilted his head back, regarding Shion thoughtfully for a moment. This uneasiness must have been far from convincing. He took a tentative step inside as Lord Teru seated himself on the floor and motioned for Shion to join him.

He thought of running away once more, but the man's gaze held his intently. Shion summoned whatever was left of his frail courage and knelt down beside him.

"Were you born in this province, Shion?"

He nodded.

"Do you have any family here?"

"No, my lord," he answered quietly, staring down at the tatami.

Lord Teru laughed softly. "You are not exactly forthcoming, are you?"

"My apologies. I am not used to speaking with men such as yourself."

"This is a poor province, is it not? There cannot be much business for you here. If you were in the capital, however, I think you would do very well indeed."

Shion blushed at the man's insinuation. "Perhaps so, my lord," he murmured, "but I do not intend to do this forever."

"No one ever does," Teru answered, rather darkly. The man paused. "Is there anything you would like to ask me?"

"Only if you are much in the habit of this."

"No, Shion. I did occasionally, back when I was younger, but they were all women, and I invariably found them all rather uninteresting." His voice grew softer, more thoughtful. He gave Shion a searching look. "There is a desperation about you which I find very appealing. Once a person has lost everything, they finally reveal their true nature."

Shion stared back at him, unable to tear himself from this man's gaze. Lord Teru- was dangerous. The danger he sensed- he felt it like a sort of creeping chill, not in his body, nor in his heart, but in his very soul-

The screen slid open abruptly. The other soldier stood there, frowning with the most intense displeasure.

"What are you doing here, Teru?"

The man simply smiled at him. "Whatever I want, cousin. I have made certain arrangements." His voice dripped with intimation. One large hand settled possessively on Shion's quivering knee.

"Do it on your own time," the tall man snapped impatiently. "If Lord Hatori arrives to find there is no sake in the storehouse, he will have both of our heads."

"My lord," Shion murmured softly, "I know where you may find some. Might I be allowed to accompany Lord Teru there?"

"Of course you may," Teru answered, disregarding the second man completely as he rose to his feet. The tall samurai glared at him.

"Do not get distracted," the man warned through gritted teeth.

Teru bowed to him, a bit mockingly, as the other man stomped away.

"That is Yuma, Lord Hatori's first lieutenant," Teru murmured, watching him go.

First- lieutenant? Shion had little enough idea what that meant exactly, but it sounded important. He glanced up at Teru's smiling face.

"Forgive me, my lord, for so saying, but- that seemed rather disrespectful."

"Indeed, Shion. That was my intention." He held out his hand, and Shion stared at it for a moment before finally taking it.

"Do the two of you- dislike each other?"

"No. We are, in fact, extremely close." Lord Teru wore a strange sort of smile. He couldn't quite decipher its meaning.

"You called him your cousin-"

Teru nodded. "We grew up together, and when Yuma was sent off to the capital, I went along with him. We acted like idiots, constantly trying to outdo each other." He sighed. "At some point, I accepted that he was a more capable fighter, better suited to command, and that my true talents lay in strategy and support." He gave Shion a conspiratorial smile. "Make no mistake. He would not be half so successful without me, nor, at this point, would he even be alive."

The man half-lifted him up to his feet and gathered Shion's arm in his own, leading him outside.

The sunlight was warm and blindingly bright. He'd walked like this with Kagamine, and with Kamui before him-

Shion stopped suddenly, pulling away from the man’s grasp.

"Such an innocent touch, and yet you are shaking and your face has gone pale." Lord Teru gave him that familiar searching look, frowning slightly.

"I think I may be cursed, my lord. Nothing but misfortune comes to those who touch me."

Teru's fingers brushed across his cheek. "There are no such things as curses, and we make our own fortune."

"Even if you believe that is so-"

"Shall we test this belief of yours?" Shion gazed up at him, somewhat taken aback by this suggestion. "I will touch you however I like, and if some great misfortune befalls me, I will concede you are indeed cursed. Likewise, if it does not, you must concede there is no such curse upon you."

"My lord, that is not quite what I meant.”

The man smiled at him. "If this is but a clever ploy to avoid me, it will not work." Teru took his arm once again, gently but insistently. "In all honesty, I do not understand what you seem to find so objectionable."

Shion gave him a shy sidelong glance. His behavior must indeed seem very odd. He’d followed after this man, after all. There was nothing he objected to, exactly, apart from the situation he’d somehow allowed himself to fall into. Teru's mannerisms were odd but not off-putting. He was handsome, in a sharp-featured way, his body appealing in the way most soldiers' were. He seemed a bit cold, but not particularly cruel-

"I do not find you objectionable," Shion answered quietly. "I am yet ill at ease with the act itself."

"In other places, you know, it is not considered such a shameful thing. Some consider it a necessity of civilized life, an honorable profession for a certain class." Teru smiled at him. "If it makes it any easier, ask yourself what you want from me, instead of concentrating on what I demand from you."

What he wanted from- Teru?

Not love. Not kindness. The thing that he wanted, if anything, was-

"You already know, do you not?"

He stared at the man, his heart racing unaccountably.

"My lord," he murmured, eager to change this uncomfortable subject, "if I attempt to buy as much sake as your lord requires, it will be obvious that Kamui did not send me."

"The villagers will eventually learn of his passing, one way or another."

That was true, of course, but breaking the news in such a way seemed awfully cold-hearted. Shion frowned, unable to hide his unease.

"Do you object?"

"No, my lord. Of course not.”

“Your expression says otherwise.”

"The people here- thought very highly of the daimyo. They will be disheartened to know he is no longer with us."

Teru stopped walking and turned to regard him with a raised eyebrow. "Should I expect disloyalty from them?"

Shion's face blanched. "N-not at all, my lord."

Unexpectedly, Teru laughed. "You remind me of nothing so much as a little frightened bird dragging its damaged wing along the ground, desperate to fly away but with no means to do so."

Little bird.

Something in Shion broke free. He stood there, glaring up at the samurai, watching as the man took a step towards him, refusing to look away.

Lord Teru reached out a steady hand and quietly stroked at his cheek.

"You cannot decide whether or not I am a threat to you, can you?" He gave Shion a secretive little smile. "If I told you I was not, you would not believe me, and if I admitted that I was, you would not believe that either. You sense that I am deceitful, and your intuition is correct." His fingers trailed admiringly down along Shion's throat. "But I am no more deceitful than you are."

Then, Lord Teru knew-

His face flushed furiously.

"This little game has piqued my curiosity. I find it eminently enjoyable." Teru's hand traced out the lines of his collarbones, while he shivered beneath it. "Perhaps you do not care for it as I do. You seem to be losing, after all.”

Shion didn't answer.

"If you wish to leave after our business here is accomplished,” Lord Teru continued, “by all means do so. If, however, you desire to save your friend from an unpleasant fate, you will stay and do exactly as I say."

"If you lay a hand on him," Shion growled, "or breathe a single word, I swear I will-"

A cautioning finger fell gently across his lips.

"I am not the danger here, Shion. One way or another, Lord Hatori will make that boy his slave, until he has used him up entirely and there is nothing left of him but a beautiful corpse."

Was this man lying? Kagamine hadn't seemed exactly eager to go to the daimyo, and yet, he'd hardly seemed to view Hatori as any kind of threat.

"Kamui kept him away from that boy for years, not only because he was a child, but because he understood what would happen if the man ever laid hands on him. The daimyo is cunning, and I am certain he showered the boy with praise and attention. Kagamine would not think ill of him. Even now, held captive under guard, I doubt he fears what is to come."

Shion straightened himself and met Lord Teru's eyes. "If what you say is true, why should you care, one way or another? What is one peasant-boy’s fate to you?"

"Only dead men are useless," Teru replied, with an unpleasant smile. "I would see both of you kept alive, at least until the task I have for you is finished."

This man wasn't trustworthy. Not at all, and yet-

"You possess considerable intelligence, do you not? One must, in order to be so skilled one's master would specify you could not practice your craft within the same province."

The last lines of the document, the ones that had so filled Shion with dread and hesitation- the ones he'd dared not mention to Kagamine-

"One must have considerably sharp eyes to read at such great distance over someone else's shoulder."

He meant it as an insult, but Lord Teru apparently chose to view it as a compliment instead. "I am much accustomed to seeing what no one else gives mind to, Shion. You are alone and truly desperate. Why not accept what I offer? It may be the key to your survival."

"Survival is hardly everything, my lord."

"It may not be, to you, but-" The man paused, regarding Shion with those strangely mesmerizing eyes. "Would you deny it to him?"

Something about these words shook at him. He gazed out at Teru, helpless for an answer.

"Come, then. As pleasing as I find this, I have already been warned to avoid distraction.”