The Recluse and The Optimist (StainedCrimson & MaryWeather) 18+

[StainedCrimson]

The water having helped him to wake up, Kaito still barely manages to hear or process the meek request. Turning to face the door, he blankly stares at the form on the other side of it, his hands in his hair mid-shampoo. After the mental wheels turn a bit more he finally realizes what he's being asked. "Ah." That one grunt is his acquiescence to the request as he turns back to getting ready.

 

Turning, he tilts his head back to the let the water rinse out the suds before moving on to the condition and the rest. When the clothe is lathered up to wash his body, he hands it to Leo to help him finishing washing up before the smaller male gets on to his own shower.

 

"...I should shave." He mutters to himself as he feels the whiskers on his jaw. Grabbing his razor, he looks into the special water repellent mirror he'd installed just for this reason, though most times he uses the regular mirror in the restroom.

 

Once done, he fully rinses off then looks at Leo. "Finish up. I'll get breakfast going." That passed along he grabs a towel to dry off then pauses only to pull on some pants and grab his stick. All set he trudges to the kitchen where he gets the coffee going and starts to throw a simple breakfast together.

[MaryWeather]

Was that a…. Yes? Leo cocked his head to the side and watched as the sleepy Kaito continued to wash himself. Perhaps… Kaito wasn’t as much of a morning person as he seemed. It was… Cute. Leo smiled when the towel was handed him and he helped Kaito finish his shower. It was odd seeing him so out of it, so tired and sleepy, so out of tune with whatever was going on around him. Odd, but amusing. Like seeing that his master was truly human.

 

Then it was Leo’s turn for a shower. He didn’t waste much time in there. He washed his hair and his body, making sure he washed away any evidence of the previous night. Perhaps he didn’t get to shower with Kaito, but he was beginning to think that would be a rarity in it’s own right. Assisting him with showers, sure… Taking them with him… Probably not.

 

The start to this morning was already better than the start to the last one. With a content sigh, Leo turned the water off, dried himself, brushed his teeth, and headed to the kitchen. He was already getting used to his morning routine, it was nice to even have one.

 

“You said I could try to make dessert today, right?” he asked Kaito, still naked due to his punishment. “I think I’m going to do it! Oh and maybe you can find a pack of cards while you’re out? Possibly?”

[StainedCrimson]

Yawning he gets rice going then starts making some eggs for omelets. Just simple ones though with a few vegetables and cheese in it. Soon the food is read along with some toast, tea and coffee. Food set out he hears Leo approaching then speaking. At the cards bit, he frowns slightly at the other. "...I thought we discussed the cards thing yesterday." He mostly mumbles to himself.

 

Pointing to Leo's seat, he gives the unspoken command to sit. Sitting down himself he takes a long swallow of his coffee before taking a bite of food. "Be sure to be careful while making dessert, and to clean up any mess you make." He says after a few bites. While not overly worried about it, he doesn't want to come back to his kitchen or anything else being a complete mess.

 

"If I don't come across any cards while out we'll save getting a deck until your punishment is over. That way you can pick one out yourself." He comments offhandedly while steadily finishing his food. Once done he puts the dishes in the sink then goes to get dressed to take care of his errands.

 

When ready he looks over at Leo. "Make sure to not let anyone in while I'm gone. If the phone rings just let the machine get it." Instructions done he leaves the house and begins his rounds of getting materials that he's either low or out of. While out, not once does his trademark green stick leave his lips. And despite all of his going around, none of the places he goes to has cards for sale.

 

"Maybe he found a deck in the house while cleaning..." He mutters to himself while going to open the door and enter his home.

[MaryWeather]

There was such a thing as being productive, but not efficient. Today, after Kaito left, Leo wondered if he was being productive, but not efficient. He immediately went through the dessert book, looking for something that would be easy for him to make for Kaito. As he scanned through the book in the back of his mind he thought of all the cleaning that needed to get done. He knew he needed to do that first before anything, but it was hard… It was hard when this opportunity to make something nice for Kaito presented himself.

 

So he instead, made a decision. Clean the bedroom, the hallway, and dust over the books again (as well as scan them to see if there’s something interesting that catches his eye) and then cook.

 

Time to get to work.

 

So he cleaned, and cleaned, and cleaned. It surprised him how naturally it came to him. Or perhaps he was doing it completely wrong and he only thought he was doing it right. But he had enough common sense to know when something was dirty it needed to be cleaned. By the time he was done the various rooms he cleaned sparkled brightly and he was excited to reward himself by cooking.

 

Bananas, chocolate ice cream, vanilla ice cream, strawberry ice cream, chocolate syrup…. A banana split would be perfect. Except that all Kaito had was vanilla ice cream and bananas. He did have chocolate bars though… With a smile that could only be described as a the smile of a slave experiencing freedom for the first time, Leo quickly figured out how to work the microwave and melted all of the chocolate bars he found. It was makeshift, a simple excuse for a banana split, but he did it. The vanilla ice cream was in the bowl with the bananas covered with the melted chocolate. Simple… But hopefully delicious.

[StainedCrimson]

Shuffling the bags, and unconsciously gripping his stick with his teeth to keep it in place, he opens the door to enter his home while hoping it's still in one piece. "I'm back..." He calls out while setting the various bags into the entry way before closing the door. That done he takes only a few at a time to cart them back to his workroom.

 

On his way back with the first few he looks around as he goes. "Hmm, nothing looks out of place..." He mutters to himself. In fact, things look surprisingly well taken care of. Well, mostly. Not professional level or anything but it's a start. That and everything is still intact.

 

Seeing Leo in the kitchen, he notices the other is making something. "Be sure to clean up when you're done. I need to put these away and then I'll get an early dinner going." He calls out. It only takes one more trip then he goes into the kitchen and sees a bowl of something. "What did you make?" Kaito thinks it's a banana split of sorts, but he wants to be sure and let the other have some measure of satisfaction in telling him himself.

[MaryWeather]

Leo’s excitement rose when Kaito announced he his return. He could show off his creation now, the first thing he ever cooked. Cooked was a strong word… He did little to change the ingredients or form something spectacular out of them, but it was a start. He had created something from nothing, made something for himself and Kaito which would never have been allowed in the ring.

 

It was only natural he wanted to be praised for his work.

 

“Look, look!” Leo slid the bowl in front of Kaito and proudly announced dessert. “I worked so hard on it because I didn’t have all the ingredients! But I managed. Like I melted the chocolate bars you had sitting around--sorry if you were going to eat them. But I was able to make a kind of chocolate syrup with them. Anyway, it’s a banana split, but it’s not like… Exactly what’s in the book. There’s only vanilla ice cream, but next time I’ll make it perfect.”

 

But for now… For now this was wonderful. For now Leo couldn’t have been more proud of himself. For now Leo was excited to show Kaito his creation, let the other man try it and critique his work.

 

When had he ever been this excited? When had he ever smiled this widely?

 

“Can I--I mean… May I have a kiss, Kaito?” His eyes thinned as his smile grew even wider, all of his pride and joy forming into that one action. Surely after all he did he had earned one little kiss?

[StainedCrimson]

Kaito blinks a bit taken back by the over exuberance shown by Leo. All over a faux Sunday. He's not quite sure what to really do in this situation. Clearly it's not a real Sunday, Leo even acknowledged it, but he did try to make something within the restrictions given. "Ah... Good boy." His voice comes out a bit flat due to the surprise but he reaches over and runs a hand through the other's hair.

 

Hearing the excited request while still wriggling from pride and joy at making the Sunday, Kaito pauses once more before slowly nodding after thinking about it. "You may." Shifting he tilts the other's face up by the chin then slowly presses his lips to the smaller male's. Steadily he deepens the kiss then pulls back with one last soft peck.

 

"Now then, go get a spoon out of the drawer and we'll try this." Even though he's not expecting much, it's guaranteed to not be horrible. It's just ice cream with some chocolate and a banana after all. "I'll have to go to the store soon..." He murmurs to himself while waiting for Leo to return with a spoon. Once it's given to him, he takes a bite then scoops another and holds it to Leo's lips. Tasting is an important part of cooking after all.

[MaryWeather]

To be called a good boy… To receive such wonderful, full kisses from Kaito… Leo was quickly becoming addicted to the little affectionate actions, the little things Kaito did to show him that he cared. It scared Leo to think that just by chance he could have lost out on this… All someone had to do was bid more than Kaito could afford and Leo could have been nothing more than a sex slave. Just a sex slave.

 

Sex slaves didn’t receive such sweet, tender kisses. They weren’t allowed to cook or share a bath with their master or sleep in their bed…. Kaito treated Leo as so much more than what he was supposed to be. He treated him like a human and that was more than Leo could have asked for.

 

A soft moan escaped Leo as he was kissed, his hand running along Kaito’s lean but muscular chest. The feel of him, the taste of him… The smaller one's eyes fluttered shut as he indulged himself in everything that was Kaito.

 

It was never enough for Leo. The kiss that was given to him didn’t last nearly long enough. The special attention he was given just didn’t last long enough. But at least he got to spend his time with Kaito. At least he was home now where they could enjoy each other’s company and eat their little sundae.

 

“Do you like it?” Leo asked once he retrieved the spoon and watched intently as Kaito took a bite. After taking his own bite, Leo giggled and eagerly took another. He thought it tasted fine, but he had little to compare it to. Still, he thought that if it tasted this good then surely he could make it even better.

[StainedCrimson]

"It's good." Kaito says without much else happening besides taking a few more bites then letting Leo finish it. While it's not bad, it's hard to mess up icecream after all, it's not quite a real sundae and he can only handle so much sweet at one time. After the treat is finished and everything cleaned up, he lightly taps the other's butt to get him to move.

 

"I'm going to finish putting things away that I got while out. If you got your chores done you can read until I'm done then I'll have you help me prepare something to eat." Orders given he goes to head back to his work room where he goes about putting items away or setting them out where needed for his current project. Close to an hour later he finishes getting everything organized and put away.

 

Stretching with a soft grunt of satisfaction he leaves the room to go and survey what they have to make some food. Though it'll have to be fairly simple so it doesn't overwhelm Leo right away. Maybe he should make watching cooking shows a part of the other's day. Entering the kitchen he goes through the food and settles on basic pan fried food.

 

"Alright Leo. Come here. You're going to watch and then take over some of the easier bits. We're going to start with how to get the rice made." He pulls out the rice bag and measuring cup along with the mini-strainer to help clean it. Once everything is out, he sets out telling Leo how to measure out the right amount of rice, how to clean it without all the rice going down the drain, and then how much water to add. "After that you just put the cleaned rice in the here and add the water to it then just put on the lid and push the button."

 

That done he pulls out some of the vegetables and chicken that's going to be in the fry along with the pan and oil.

[MaryWeather]

It was nice to finish chores early. Leo got to reap the rewards of finishing everything he had to do ahead of time. As the days went on he would work hard to keep up that momentum and energy if not for himself, then for Kaito. Perhaps in a way, Kaito was relying on him… It was a stretch, but the thought made Leo happy. It made want to work hard and to keep working hard. Not only would he be rewarded but Kaito too would benefit from him working so diligently.

 

In the meantime though, until Kaito was done with whatever it was he was doing, Leo would read more Poe. He had grown fond of this author and his melancholy stories. Perhaps it was just because Leo enjoyed seeing others more miserable than him… Which was a bit sickening, but true. Then again, since he had finally left the ring and wound up with Kaito he had experienced more happiness in just a few days than he had his entire life.

 

Still… Someone had to suffer. It had been his way of life for so long. Characters from fiction, however, were good alternatives to real people.

 

Closing his eyes to his odd, sociopathic thoughts, he read a few poems before Kaito called him into the kitchen to teach him to cook rice. He watched and absorbed the information, and when it was his turn he thought he did a pretty good job of doing what he was supposed to. A wonderful job even.

 

“Housework seems good for me,” he said with a smile. “I think I’ve taken to it well.”

[StainedCrimson]

Kaito glances at Leo hearing the comment. "Be careful of growing a large head. You've only just started and while doing well, becoming overconfident or complacent will only harm you." He cautions. After the rice is on its way, he motions the smaller male over to show him how to clean and cut the meat and vegetables next.

 

Once he's demonstrated with a few pieces of each, he motions for Leo to try. "Now, normally before you do this you turn on the stove to heat the pan and oil but I want you to learn to use the knife first." Keeping a close eye on his new housemate, he quickly corrects the hold on the knife and how he's holding the food to be cut. "Take your time. There's no need to hurry or get it perfect." Once all the meat and vegetables are cut, he shows the proper setting to turn the stove to for the pan and the amount of oil to put in.

 

Next he dashes some salt and pepper into the oil. After it's had a few more moments, and having added seasoning to the meat as well, he puts the meat into the pan causing a loud hiss as it hits the now heating oil. "For chicken the meat must get white all the way through before you can eat it. Otherwise you risk getting sick." He explains while letting the meat cook, it steadily turning white. While that's cooking he prepares another pan for the vegetables and starts cooking them in the same manner, but then eventually moves the food to the outer edges to leave an opening in the middle, into which he cracks two eggs and starts to scramble them with long cooking chopsticks.

 

The whole time he's cooking and showing Leo what to do, the movement and lighting bounce off of the bobbing stick sitting firmly in its owner's mouth.

 

Roughly half an hour later, the food is ready to be plated and served.

[MaryWeather]

There was so much to do and so much to learn… For a moment Leo had become overwhelmed with the amount of information he was receiving, but once he calmed down and focused, it turned out to not be so bad. It would take practice. He would have to do this over and over again with Kaito in order to perfect the craft, but he was confident that he could do it. Somehow cleaning had come naturally to him. Perhaps cooking would too.

 

For now, Kaito took the lead. He showed him each necessary step, explained in simple ways what to do and before Leo even knew it the meal was complete. He wondered if the first time Kaito let him cook on his own he would manage this quickly. The prospect of cooking by himself seemed so far away, lightyears away from now. Would he even be able to do it? Would he somehow learn to cook like this?

 

Eh… Now wasn’t the time to stress about it. Now was the time to eat with Kaito, to enjoy his time with him, talk with him, and maybe even get to know him better.

 

“Can I ask what you bought?” Leo ventured, sitting next to him, and whining a bit as the cold seat met his naked bottom. His thin, malnutritioned body had to get used not only to a new type of home and setting, but a new climate as well, and while so far it hadn’t taken too much of a toll on him, he couldn’t wait to be allowed to wear clothes again. If only to protect him from the weather and temperature changes that he simply wasn’t used to.

[StainedCrimson]

Kaito raises an eyebrow hearing the whine as well as the question while setting his emerald behind his ear. Ignoring the whine, as it comes from the punishment the other got himself into, he nods to the question. "You may always ask questions but that doesn't mean I'll always answer them." He states while taking a few bites of food. After a few moments he finally responds further. "I bought materials for my projects. None of the places I stopped at had your cards so you'll have to see if you can find any hidden around here until I go out again."

 

Looking the smaller form over, his eyes narrow slightly seeing signs of Leo's body having a hard time adjusting to the climate. "If you're cold you may use a blanket or turn up the temperature a little. Outside is very warm and humid however so be mindful of that."

 

Taking a few more bites, then a sip of his drink, he taps a finger beside his plate. "After tomorrow you can wear clothes again. Well, the outfit I gave you that is. By that time I may have a few things for you to wear so I can take pictures to add to my portfolio." He's telling Leo as a courtesy since as the owner of the other, he's under no obligation to tell Leo anything or give any consideration to.

 

This courtesy Kaito is giving the other is due solely to his character. Not too mention he's already a tad fond of the other.

[MaryWeather]

Leo nods at the various things coming from Kaito’s mouth. It was disappointing that the other couldn’t find any cards while he was out, but the prospect of being able to wear his clothes and finally help him in his endeavors excited Leo more than he thought it would. While the guilt was still there at disobeying him on literally his first day, that was overpowered by the knowledge that soon he would be of use. Soon he would be the model he was meant to be for Kaito. Soon he would be able to learn how to cook more things, learn how to help him run his shop, learn all kinds of things just to help him. No more would Leo be a burden. No more.

 

But for now… He was a bit of a burden. Until his punishment was over with there was little he could do and now he was even more useless since the climate and temperature was finally getting to him. Thankfully, Kaito was generous. He had been generous since that first day and he still showed that same kindness when he offered a blanket to Leo. The smaller male decided against bothering with the thermostat… He never knew how to work one and the last thing he wanted was to damage something that didn’t belong to him anyway.

 

With a nod of his head, Leo finished his meal with Kaito, gathered their plates and washed them, dried them, and set them in their appropriate places. His chores were all done with the completion of that and he decided to take Kaito’s advice and wrap up in a blanket before he really did get sick and become that much more of a hindrance to his master.

 

“Did you want to lay down with me?” Leo asked softly, pressing himself against Kaito’s warm body, closing his eyes as the other’s heat radiated onto him. “Or rather will you? Or are you busy?”

[StainedCrimson]

Seeing the small male pretty much drown in the large blanket causes a faint smile to form. When asked to cuddle with Leo, he blinks a bit and unconsciously moves his stick into his mouth to bite and roll it around for a few moments. Finally he gives a small nod. "I've made good progress so far today so I can spend a little time with you. Go get your book and we'll read for a bit on the couch."

 

That decided he goes to the shelves to peruse for a book for his own reading pleasure. Finding a book that catches his interest, he pulls it out then settles down on one corner of the couch with one leg on the floor and the other laying along the back cushions as he waits for the other to come back. Laying back, head propped on the arm rest with the stick back behind his ear, he opens the book to start reading. When the little swaddled form of Leo comes back, he guides the other lay down between his legs and against his chest before going back to his book.