The Lion’s Den [Shisu-Chan00&Hideki](Private)

[Shisu-Chan00]

Ezra was happy to hear the other man agree that Percival was more than happy to go on the hike with him. He thought it was super cute that the two of them had such a bond. Ezra knew that it had just been the dog and his master for quite some time so the bond between the two of them made sense. Ezra peered up at his master smiling gently as he watched him watch his dog. He really was a very handsome man.

 

He heard his master say yes, gently taking the cup from him as he did. He then watched as his master had opened his mouth only to close it again. He turned slightly as if to go back to making the food but instead he turned back to his master with a slight questioning glance. His master seemed like he was trying to mull something over so he just turned and started making food once again. He sighed softly tilting his head as he lightly hummed to a song that was left in his head. He heard his master turn and walk out of the room. Did he not like his clothes? Not like he had much to pick from this was all he had. He decided not to let it bother him and finished making the food. He put it into a bag and sighed gently as he sat it by the kitchen table.

 

Ezra heard the third stair of the staircase squeak and he quickly finished straightening the kitchen as he heard his master walk in. He peered up at him seeing the other had a different type of uniform in mind for him this time. He tilted his head and walked forward lightly brushing a hand over the pants. “Thank you. I was worried all we had was what I had on.” He chuckled softly and let his fingers slide under his shirt pulling it up and over his head. He laid it on the table and grabbed the schools shirt putting it on. He then slid his hands to his shorts pulling those off and setting them on the table as well. The stare of his master into the back of his person was intoxicating. He could feel those blue eyes scoring his entire body and back up again as he stepped into the dress pants. He then quickly put on a pair of shoes and called it good.

 

Once they were both ready he picked up the bag without even being asked to. He put it in the back seat with him smiling lightly to Glover who looked to be a little deep in thought. He didn’t mind being stuck back here, considering it was the law anyway. He knew that not much could be taken from him but Glover had so much in his life that he was living for. If he was found out then…Ezra would lose his master and possibly even his life and his master would be demoted so low he wouldn’t ever see the light of day. None of it was fair…love should be love…wait? Was that what this was or was it lust? He didn’t know but he could tell that there was a deep feeling for his master that he had never felt for another before. Didn’t that mean something?

 

As they drove out of the country into the city Ezra got his first real glimpse of the world after he had been stolen away from it. His mouth dropped and his eyebrows quickly pulled together. Why was everyone so upset? So angry? Oh wait that right because the laws of their country were bullshit and Glover had made a decision that no one else liked. He turned his face from the buildings and held the bag closer to his chest. He always felt so out of the loop, being a slave meant education wasn’t necessary. Thankfully when he was growing up with his first citizen family they had raised him to read. Able to write as well, making him better adept for the world outside if he ever achieved freedom. He couldn’t help himself from laughing on the inside. Freedom was this beautiful white dove, flying above the clouds after a heavy rain. It was something that he would never see though, a hope that would never be fulfilled.

 

They pulled into a parking spot at a shop and he perked up a little looking over to Glover. Of course the cold ‘stay here’ shouldn’t have shocked him but his heart hurt a little. He sat back in his seat and smiled softly at Percival, “I know I know…I’m just a slave.” He gently pat his head after Glover left and smiled. He sat back into his seat and waited patiently for his master to return.

 

It took him quite some time to come back. After about 30 minutes he sat up again seeing his master had finished and sat some bags in the seat next to him. He peered into one seeing beautiful tuxedos all in black. His mouth dropped and he pulled one onto his lap, letting his fingers run across the material. He heard his masters remark and nodded softly, “Alright…thank you…” he spoke softly before pushing one back into the bag. His hand stopped dead when he heard his masters next words. His eyes slowly turned up to meet him and he smiled softly. He peered around them seeing they had left the city and were ways away from any cars or any buildings. He pulled himself up and leaned into the front seat gently kissing his masters neck, “I’ll wear them for you. Don’t worry.” He winked and sat back into his seat quickly before pulling the bag back to his chest as if he hadn’t just kissed his master without being asked.

 

He got comfortable, realizing that the drive was probably going to take awhile. He tapped his fingers lightly on the bag in his hands before his eyes flashed up to the rearview mirror. “Master? Could I ask you something?” he spoke softly and felt his face grow warm. It had been a little while of silence between the two of them, and he was tired of that now. He decided not to wait for an answer seeing as they were far beyond simple master and slave relationships.

 

“Do you have any…other outfits you would like me to wear for you?” he asked, his eyes flicking to meet his. “I don’t see why we have to just have the one outfit…I’ll wear whatever you want me to.” He smiled softly and tilted his head looking rather cute if the master happened to look in the rearview mirror. I mean could you blame him? Why not tease his master about images of him on this long drive, since they had to go on it anyway. Couldn’t he have a little bit of fun with it?

[-Hideki-]

It definitely cost him to focus to not turn the steering wheel and to derail the car when he suddenly, without a warning felt those lips pressing right onto his neck causing electricity to stream through his body and right into his crotch, causing him to take in a sharp breath and widen his eyes a little. What the hell was that? No one had ever kissed him there obviously but could some piece of skin, some spot on his neck that was kissed cause something like that to run through him? The judge looked around out of the window to make sure that there had been no one who could have possibly seen this from outside and he was lucky enough that there really seemed to have been no body outside. So he collected himself and nodded into Ezra’s direction in return of the other thanking him for the tuxedos and promising him to keep wearing those leather panties for him from time to time, what he actually did like to hear because there obviously had been a reason why he had made his slaves wear stuff like that.

 

Silence was filling the car now and the wagging of Percival’s tail and the dog’s breathing, who was staring out of the window happily was the only thing to hear as they were getting closer to the destination. Glover liked the silence. Especially after the last days he had had at work which had been everything but silent but the silence in the car didn’t last because the auburn haired apparently wanted to ask him something, leading the judge to make a growling noise to make the man know that it was fine to ask what he wanted to know from him, glancing in the rear-view every now and then to get a glance at the handsome man. What the other asked him then was a surprise for him and he narrowed his eyes not quite sure if he was made fun of now or if the other could actually voluntarily sign himself up for wearing even more outfits like those tight tiny leather uniform. Then again the other was asking for it, no matter if he was playing with him or not and if he was he’d regret it. “I do.” He said and there was that half-smirk on his lips again and a certain cockiness in his voice. “In the cellar. We can have a little fashion show when we get back to the mansion if you so wish.” The judge promised him, examining the cute man who was apparently aiming to tease him the way he was carrying himself right now and although he seemed like it Fred didn’t stay entirely unaffected because he knew what kind of stuff he was hiding in his cellar. An outfit that was merely consisting out of thin black strings that would wrap around the pale white skin, leather harnesses, silky robes one could see through, latex bodysuits that only left the face, anus and cock free and other such things and yes he was imagining making the auburn haired wear those and it was an arousing thought indeed.

 

Would he have had time to think about it more he’d probably had gotten hard but the drive ended on a field and the border to a deep forest where he parked the car, let Percival jump out of it, waited for Ezra and the bag of food and then locked it. Percival was storming ahead into the coniferous forest, the mountains to see on the horizon, clouded by a deep fog. Glover was following the dog, letting some space between himself and the servant for about the first ten minutes they were walking on the way and then another fifteen as he had left the way and headed into the undergrowth following a wild river, occasionally throwing sticks for Percival to retrieve. When they were deep enough in the undergrowth, far from the way, he was walking a little slower so that he was getting onto the same pace as the shorter male and he was also gradually getting closer to him until, without a word, he reached out and took the slaves hand into his own, squeezing it, continuing the way holding his hand, from time to time looking at the man next to him until he couldn’t take it anymore, stopped on his heels, turned to him, grabbed him by the waist and kissed him deeply, his tongue greedily challenging Ezra’s, the tension and the longing to be close and to touch the man unfolding in that passionate heated dance of tongues.

 

After they had continued their way, walking for two hours they had left half of the way behind and came to a nice glad and Frederick was whistling back Percival and telling the auburn haired that it was time to rest and eat some of the food. But just when they had arranged the food onto the blanket and had sat themselves down and Percival had stolen a sausage without asking there was something rustling in the bushes and the dog started to bark, Glover pulling his gun out of his pocket aiming at the bushes as he expected a wild animal and depending on what kind of animal it was it might be a threat to them. The figure stepping out of the bushes definitely was a threat but it wasn’t wildlife. Hands in brown leather gloves were raised up high from a torso covered in a pine-green jacket, a distorted smile to see on the scarred face that lacked the lips for it, a cunning, intelligent eye looking at the three parties on the blanket, the other covered by a wooden coloured eye patch.

 

“Now, now, hold your horses! It’s just me!” the man spoke and Fred would have much rather faced a pack of wolves or a hungry bear than this stitched back together man who was setting his entire body on alert. “Agent Fox.” He addressed him calm and neutrality in his voice. “Right.” Fox or however his real name was said putting his arms back down as Glover was lowering the gun. “I don’t mean to disturb your lovey-dovey picnic for long Judge Glover,” he began to speak and the scars that were his lips curled up when his sharp eye settled on Ezra and then going back to Frederick, “I just want to hear your decision about my offer of cooperation. Time is valuable and I have given you enough to think about it.” The man said and Fred was getting incredibly tense, his whole body constricting and his eyebrows narrowing, his eyes turning into slits as he was looking at the man.

 

“I had. And I will stay out of this. Politics aren’t my field. The law is.” he answered and agent Fox grinned, grinned ever so sweetly, well as sweet as one could without lips. “How unfortunate.” He said regretfully. “It’s always a pity to see people making the wrong decisions judge! But I won’t have a choice but to ask you to accompany me then as I have incriminating evidence that you are not only an alcoholic who interprets the law under the influence of alcohol but that you too are a homosexual who molested and had affairs with his male slaves.” Fox stated throwing another look at Ezra and Glover’s heart was racing in sheer panic, his eyes were wide and he felt like throwing up hearing someone say this, hearing those accusations thrown right at him.

 

Yes the man had previously said he had compromising information about him but he had expected that to only concern his alcoholism as he had otherwise assumed Fox would have let him get arrested a long time ago had he known that he was gay and acted on it, with slaves on top of that. “Is that so? If you knew this about me all along, why haven’t you let me get arrested? Why would you have let me stay the top judge of our nation?” he asked and agent Fox was smiling. “You were a good judge. You hold a powerful position. And I have the knowledge and information to take it from you and let you drown in the dirt whenever I wish, Glover. An ideal situation! Or do you think that I’d really care whether you drink yourself into delirium or into whom you stick that dick of yours or if you molested a slave?” the man informed him. “So I’ll ask you again: Will you cooperate? Or are you going into the labour-camp, degenerate!”

 

Frederick was running his hand over his face, whipping the cold sweat away from his forehead and upper-lip. “Alright! Stop it ! I’ll do it! I’ll justify her!” he almost yelled at the secret service agent who seemed fully relaxed, leaning against a tree. “Splendid.” The man rejoiced and came close, leaning down to Glover, whispering into his ear: “I’ll expect you in the cellar of the Golden Jug on Monday, 10pm.” Then he stood straight again, lifted his hat and nodded into Fred’s and Glover’s direction. “Have a nice day! Enjoy the fresh breeze, both of you!” he said with a grin and turned around about to leave. “Wait! If I do it I want full immunity for all of that! You will forget it forever!” the blond man yelled and Fox turned around with a questioning face. “For what? Forget what?” he asked and then disappeared through the same bush he had appeared, hearing his steps rustling through the undergrowth and leave them behind and alone where they were, seemingly in peace but there was no peace in Glover.

 

The judge’s heart was still racing, his body was tense and now starting to tremble as he was holding his breath until he was sure that agent Fox was gone. “Fuck!” he shouted and collapsed, smashing his fist onto the ground. “Fuck!” he yelled another time, desperation in his voice before he was just huddling there, thousand of thoughts running through his mind and all of them painting his downfall and doom.

[Shisu-Chan00]

Ezra knew that his little kiss would distract Glover but he didn’t know it would be so distracting. He smiled a little to himself with a light laugh as he settled back into his seat. Of course he would have fun playing with such a serious guy. It was apart of the fun. It was interesting to see what took him off guard and what didn’t. Sometimes the simplest little things threw the all powerful Glover for a loop, and that’s what he wanted. He saw him looking around as if to make sure no one was around, but of course no one was. Ezra wasn’t stupid, he knew the laws and he knew when it would be safe and when it wouldn’t be. Then again…seeing his beautiful façade crumble was what Ezra wanted to see. Those hints of a smile, of a laugh, are what he lived for.

 

Silence did fill the car afterwards though; they didn’t speak to one another. The only sound that was in the car was the Doberman’s breathing and his tail lightly thumping against the door. He wouldn’t have minded some music, but then again the silence left him a lot of time to think. He knew that their relationship was something he couldn’t really mess with. It was all in the hands of Glover, he decided when, where, and how long they interacted with one another. Tomorrow, he could throw him out and never talk to him again. That alone was terrifying all in itself. He remembered not too long ago when he had made him so mad that he threatened to get rid of him. For a rather dumb reason too, but Ezra was devastated. Going from this job back to the one he already had would not be welcomed and he would most likely be sold back into slavery at the lowest level. He wasn’t young anymore, the slums were not a place he needed to be, even if Glover said it was safe. He knew better, slaves went missing or dead all the time.

 

He did have a question though and as he said it and waited patiently for a response from his master he couldn’t help but wonder what other outfits he might have for him. It made him blush just thinking about the wild shit that Glover could think up. When his master finally spoke he was not surprised to hear the ‘I do’ ring from his lips. Ezra watched in the mirror as he saw a glimpse of a smirk coming through his masters mask. He couldn’t help but smile lightly as he listened to him speak. He sat up slightly and nodded, “Maybe…you can show me the ones you really want me to wear…and maybe I can pick some that I like…” he smiled a little. “If I like it too I’ll be more likely to wear it for you.” He winked into the rearview mirror before settling back down.

 

He would have to wait to get home and see those outfits. The conversation quickly died as they got to their destination. It was beautiful, the trees were incredibly green and dense. Ezra didn’t get out often, this was rather a new sight for him. Glover got out, and so did the dog, and then Ezra with the bag of food. He knew that they were hiking alone together. He wasn’t allowed to walk right next to Glover but he also wasn’t allowed to hang back because of their other supposed relationship. It was difficult…he wanted to be equal with Glover but this little venture out and about shocked him back into his status. In his tall mansion with tinted windows it felt like no one else existed in the world but him, Percival, and his master. He liked it that way…they were equal that way. Going out into the real world meant his status slapped him in the face…as much as he loved spending time with Glover he didn’t think he could do this too many more times.

 

Percival took off as soon as his paws hit the ground, disappearing into the foggy underbrush of the woods. Glover didn’t seem phased and made sure he was following before going after Percival. The space between them was deafening. Not only did Ezra have smaller legs but, it seemed that Glover didn’t want to be closer than 15 feet of him. Well, okay that was an exaggeration but still. It hurt his feelings all the same, even if he knew he had to be that way. The slave hugged the bag to him and used his other hand to push back foliage as he went. He was small for a man his age and so the underbrush was a little harder to get through than it was for Glover. They were following the river, its soft brushes of sound against the woods was refreshing. Its slow rushing reminded him of how simple things could have been. Now everything was so complicated he didn’t know left from right when it came to his own job that he was born to do.

 

He lightly shook his head, watching from afar as Glover and Percival played fetch with one another. After about 25-30 minutes he noticed that Glover was slowing down, or he was catching up but that didn’t make any sense. For awhile he had tried to catch up to him but his short legs couldn’t handle it. He didn’t really think too much of it and just kept walking. Hesitantly he walked almost alongside his master when he felt a soft brush of fingers against his own hand and finally, his masters hand enveloping his own. His eyes flicked up to his face but realized his master wasn’t looking at anything other than what was infront of him. The small gesture made him feel better and he squeezed back gently.

 

They continued walking, every so often it felt like his master was stealing glances at him, but that was just his imagination right? He thought so, until his master stopped him and pulled him against his chest in one slick motion. He blushed lightly, “What are-“ he didn’t get the rest out as he felt lips against his own and a passionate kiss overcome him. His body instantly relaxed and his arms wrapped around Glovers waist, lightly balling his fists into his jacket. He felt the others tongue challenging his own and he couldn’t help but let a faint moan escape him. This…this made him feel even better. It’s like he didn’t have to say anything, Ezra knew everything he had been thinking up till this point. The want, the need, the desire to kiss him or hold him was there. It wasn’t just him and he needed this to keep him going.

 

After a moment or two the kiss broke and Ezra was panting softly, he blushed and smiled a little before lightly tugging on Glover’s hand to keep going. They continued on their path for awhile, walking hand in hand the entire way. After about two hours the woods opened up into what looked like a meadow and Ezra was so happy Glover said they could stop. Ezra quickly got ready laying out their little picnic and arranging the food, I mean he was still a slave. They all sat down and Ezra made a plate for everyone, including the dog and sat them all out. They joked because Percival had gotten in trouble for eating a sausage, it was nice. That was…until he heard him growl.

 

Ezra had never come across a wild animal, being a slave meant he had one job, stay inside. He was supposed to do any of his masters wants, within his reasons of course. He was still human but he had to do anything they said, even if it was against his own wishes. In his luck none of those ever meant hunting, or fishing, or going on crazy hikes at the asscrack of dawn. He heard Percival growl and his head snapped up instantly. It was unlike the playful little growls he’s heard the pup do before. Ezra’s eyes quickly flicked to Glover, who pulled a gun from somewhere and was pointing it into the bushes. Great, he was going to die today from a bear.

 

Thankfully this bear had a human voice and the nervousness and panic left his sails quickly. It was a rather…odd looking man that went by the name of Agent Fox. He was sort of tall wearing a green jacket that covered most of his lower half, brown gloves, and a very very ugly smile. Ezra’s eyes didn’t know where to look, the scar on his face or the eye patch over his eye. Then again he didn’t need to because when he spoke it was to Glover.

 

Ezra didn’t know what this was about, but he stood and lightly pat Percival’s head to calm him as Glover addressed the man. It became apparent that their situation did not look like a master and slave having a break from their professional hike. Ezra couldn’t help but wince at the choice of words, knowing all too well that Mr. Fox knew. It was after this moment that he felt that eye on him and his eyes quickly flicked down to the ground, where they should be. Plus, Fox was a very scary looking dude and Ezra did not like the way he was looking at him. It wasn’t like Ezra was blackmail or anything to Glover because he didn’t love him…he wouldn’t give in to someone because he was hurt or raped or kidnapped. They were still just master and slave with extra steps, he didn’t get the feeling he was being stared at for nothing though. A shiver of fear ran through his spine as he listened to them speak.

 

Ezra didn’tk now much about Glover’s work but it didn’t sound like this had anything to do with his job. Offer of cooperation? Politics? None of it made sense. Ezra knew that Glover was a judge, a powerful one at that, but he didn’t think he had any holdings in politics at all. What was all of this about?

 

Obviously Glovers decision to not cooperate with the agent meant something bad for the both of them as he felt another look being thrown to him. Ezra couldn’t hide the pure shame of getting his master in trouble as he heard the other words fall from Fox’s mouth. Tears threatened to escape him as he realized that this man had all of the power to take Fred away…for good. He wanted to say something, wanted to bark back at him, but…his status left him silent and biting on his tongue. Ezra’s eyes snapped up when he heard that his master was going to jail though and his eyes flicked between both him and Fred for a few moments. He wasn’t an affair, Fred didn’t…well he did molest him but not anymore it was all mutual. If Glover was going to go down so was he, he shouldn’t be shunned for their…want of one another. He was close to saying something when Glover opened his mouth and crumbled. He agreed to whatever term it was and the agent quickly left.

 

Ezra didn’t hear anything after that until he heard a very loud thud on the ground. His body was shocked back to life and he walked around to Glover before calmly crouching next to him and gently taking the fist he had just slammed into the ground into his hands. “Are you okay?” He asked, pure concern in his voice as he let his hands leave the others and lightly brush his chin, lifting his head. He then pulled him into a hug that spoke more than he meant it to. He buried his face into his shoulder and felt his own slowly start to shake. “I…was sure he was going to take you…” he spoke softly into the crook of his master’s neck. He squeezed him tighter before letting go and lightly wiping his eyes.

 

“I probably shouldn’t…hang on you right?” he asked gently and put a little bit of space between them. His eyes looked down at his hands for a moment before they trailed up to Glover. “What does he want?” The sentence was simple yet behind it there was so much worry, so much concern toward his master that something other than just being his slave could be seen. It was no shock to him that he was slowly falling in love with Glover, but it was still hard to accept it sometimes, specially when he knew he was nothing special to him.

[-Hideki-]

Frederick didn’t even notice the slave moving, his body was so tense, rage and desperation burning in every single cell of it and it felt as though the pure anger that he had suppressed for decades, since when he had been a teenager was breaking through his skin making its way onto the air now. There were holes in the ground where Fred had brutally punched his fists into that were getting all muddy and dark as the holes in the forest ground were getting deeper. It was an amazing strength his body was showing there and at the same time it was ugly and undignified for someone of his status to show such raw emotions but there was no way he could hold that back. It was like a beast that had been locked into a cage for years and had been poked with a stick by some evil brat continuously and now the chains and the cage were broken and the beast was tearing the brats head off its shoulders.

 

He only stopped when he felt Ezra’s gentle hands on his mud coated fist, that voice asking him if he was okay. Of course he was not, he obviously wasn’t! But regardless of the redundancy of that question his body lost its intense tension and his muscles relaxed, his shoulders shuddering at the other’s touch and gentle tone. Glover felt the immediate impulse to pull away his face to not let the other see it when his face was lifted up but he didn’t have an opportunity because he was pulled into a tight embrace and his taller, broader body sagged against the other’s, his arms closing around him, his fingers digging into the fabric of that uniform the slave was wearing, his forehead laying on the servant’s shoulder, his face hidden against the other’s neck, feeling the auburn haired man doing the same. The blond man didn’t want the other to let go ever again! He wanted to be held tight and close like that forever, wanted to feel that affection even though he clearly didn’t deserve it, even though he had doomed himself and his star was burning out and he might be a ruined, branded man who didn’t have any other opportunity than to witness his own downfall powerlessly.

 

When Ezra then expressed how he had thought the secret service agent would have taken him away, squeezing him tighter there was another swell of desperation and anger and hurt breaking out. “Maybe he should have! I wish he had! Then it’d all finally end! It’d all be over! Over for good! Over forever! They’d know what I am! They’d finally have their sensation!” he yelled and his eyes were feeling as though they were burning, making him shut them. In that moment he really thought that maybe Fox should have just arrested him. Yes, he’d have tried to defend himself, he’d have lost and would have been thrown into the labour camp but the constant paranoia he was feeling since he had been thirteen, the shame, the hiding, the never ending pressure, the hyper-awareness and caution, to endure the slander and the speculating behind his back without being able to address the issue, that would finally come to an end and be over. If everyone knew that he was gay, if he was degraded for it, if his reputation was ruined, if he was tortured and forced to do physical hard labour in that camp, there was nothing left to hide and his mind and psyche would be set free for once after all those years even if he’d die in that camp like so many did. Not to mention that he wouldn’t be Fox’s marionette and that he wouldn’t be blackmailed but he knew that he’d never had gone down that route, he’d never have given up his status and his position even if it meant hiding or bending into unrecognisability.

 

Feeling the other’s body retreating from him, air and space getting between them and hearing the man say that he shouldn’t hang on him the judge’s eyes widened and his strong arms pulled the servant back against himself. “No!” he disagreed clearly. “No!” he repeated strongly. “Don’t let go!”He whispered and held the other tight, so tight that he’d not be able to struggle free even if he wanted to and when he realised that he loosened his grip on the slave and let go of him as the man had wanted to get distance between them. Fred’s hand reached for that iron flask he had put into that bag and downed half of the rum in it in one gulp, wanting nothing more than to go numb. He then looked at the man though; blue meeting brown, staring for a while, a weird feeling he wasn’t familiar with that might have been something like regret overcoming him. “I’m sorry.” He apologised. “For forcing you by order to…do those things…” the blond continued and even though he could barely say it he had and this was the first time he had apologised to one of his slaves for having done that, for having molested them. The accusations Agent Fox had made against the judge had been true and old too. This man had known all of this for probably years and had waited for the right moment to use it against him, to play his cards and to gain control over the top judge of the nation to use him like a playing piece for his purpose and political motivations.

 

The blond man rubbed his forehead and closed his eyes when Ezra was asking him what Fox wanted from him and Frederick was regaining at least some of his composure. “It’s a coup.” He told him and even though he wasn’t a talker he knew that this was too little information to explain anything to the handsome man. “Fox and others are planning a coup to overthrow our bratty king Konstantin and replace him with his sister to get reformations Konstantin is blocking through to ideally prevent uproar of the libertarians, to focus to throw down those religious, reactionary lunatics you’ve seen protesting in the city. If not we’d be heading straight into a civil war where more than two parties would all clash and fight each other. They at least want to take the measures necessary to enable the state to stay in control and beat down the uproar if it can’t be prevented, which Konstantin too is blocking because he is resistant to advice and thinks he knows everything better than actual experienced professionals, what happens when your king is a dumb, bratty teenager.” Glover explained and cursed, leaving out the slaves that were already uprising on the country side too, as well as the libertarians wanting to put an end to the hierarchy and slavery altogether that was no information for a slave ears. “And he wants me to legally approve of Konstantin’s ‘removal’ and declare his sister the rightful heir to the crown by law.” The blond man said rubbing his eyes, taking another gulp of rum.

 

And as things were now the only chance for him to survive this was the coup being a complete success. Because now he was a part of it even though he didn’t want to get involved into something like that, didn’t want to risk his live and his position for anything what maybe meant he was a coward but he really had no interest in dying and as a part of this he’d hang or be shot if they’d fail and Konstantin survived. Not to mention what’d happen to him if either of the revolutionaries won. The religious lunatics would hang him too, for sentencing their ‘martyr’ a murderous scumbag who had tortured and killed two gay guys to death or they’d kill him for being a gay guy himself because they were advocating to kill homosexuals… and adulterers for that matter. And the libertarians would hang him because he had enabled the totalitarian, authoritarian regime of injustice and had judged by that law of their state; he for them was a part of that inhumane system, a perpetrator, not to mention that he was a master what would mean the uprising slaves wanted his head too. Hence, although he had many reasons to actually be in favour of the libertarians ideologically as they wanted to free men like him and decriminalise their love he couldn’t hope for them to triumph as this would mean his own end. It was a tricky situation he was in and their nation everything else but stable these days even though the party liked to pretend it was in full control and Konstantin was oblivious because he felt indestructible and didn’t pay close enough attention.

[Shisu-Chan00]

Ezra had never seen so much emotion on this mans face before. As much as he wanted to see it, a breakthrough from that mask of his he didn’t want this. He imagined the first time emotion came rushing from this man was when he finally accepted his feelings for the slave. Then again, no one really got what they wanted anymore. He didn’t mind it but it did slightly frighten him, how strong his master was. Ezra let his gentle and small hands cover the judges large and strong ones. He wanted so badly to take everything away, to take all the pain and put it on himself. He knew all too well that he couldn’t, so instead all he could do was hug him.

 

He couldn’t help but hide his face in his masters neck, enjoying his arms around his body. It was like his master was so tense before and all the sudden he was able to relax. Ezra didn’t know if that was the realization that he was not alone or if that was due to him…comforting him. Ezra liked to think that it was him…but he knew that it was probably not. Ezra did not expect the masters response to his words though. He felt the other mans chest push out as he yelled out the words and Ezra couldn’t help but get a little frightened at the ferocity in it. This was when he told the master he probably shouldn’t be hanging on him. Of course this was not because he didn’t want to hold onto him, it was because he assumed his master didn’t want him doing something so…personal in a public place.

 

He started to retreat, started to pull away from his master without really wanting to but he couldn’t. His master yelled at him, telling him no, and to not let him go. The other man hugged him so tight Ezra thought he was going to die from lack of oxygen. He gently hugged him back, kissing his head gently. He knew that this was something he couldn’t help, if his master needed comfort he would be there. Then again it was too late and he was slowly breaking the hug. He didn’t leave him completely though, his hand gently rested on his masters thigh as if gently giving him comfort from afar. He watched as his master pull out that flask he often had and pulling from it. Ezra felt his heart sink slowly, his master was so hurt and stressed that he was drinking again. He felt eyes on him and he peered up, their eyes met and he felt warmth slowly seep into his heart. He wanted too badly to crawl into this mans lap and help him forget about all the horrible shit that was swirling around them.

 

Once more the pure realization that his master was beautiful sank into him. His eyes were glued to his blue ones, feeling as if he could escape into them for days or even years. They were the color of the ocean, breaking against the shore on a beautiful summer day. Or in this case, the deep color of rain on a warm spring afternoon. There was sadness within those eyes that made Ezra want to cry, and yet their beauty made him want to wipe that sadness away.

 

All of this was shattered when his master apologized to him. He blinked a few times and was even more shocked to hear the following sentence. For a few moments he couldn’t say anything but he slowly opened his mouth and sighed. “Thank you…” he smiled softly up to his master. He knew that that alone took a lot out of him, he wanted to badly hug him but his curiosity won out. His master started telling him about the horrible conditions within his workplace and the entire nation as a whole. He felt sickness swell into his heart and he wanted to hurl. He shook his head slowly as he listened intently to his masters words.

 

He felt like there was nothing that either of them could do to make this better. A coup? Overthrowing the king? Even if he was a bratty teenager it wasn’t like overthrowing him was the best idea. Ezra hated the system, obviously, he was a slave and he was the lowest of the chain. Everything was always last for him and there were hardly any rights as it was. He didn’t mind seeing some changes but the sister probably wasn’t going to be a better option than the bratty teen. He ran a hand through his hair with another heavy sigh and he peered over to his master as he finished speaking.

 

“This is crazy…” He moved closer to his master and gently took the flask from him taking a gulp of it himself. He blushed and handed it back. “You shouldn’t drink anymore…I don’t think it will look good if I’m the one driving you around.” He chuckled softly and felt the smile die on his lips. “I wish…I could help…I feel like there isn’t anything I could do to make you even feel remotely better.” He moved closer and gently brushed a hand over his masters. “It’ll work out…you’re incredibly smart I don’t doubt that you’ll be able to wit your way out of this.” He kissed his cheek softly and smiled. “I believe in you Master.” He then shifted a little and looked down at his lap thinking.

 

After what felt like a little while of silence he peered up to Glover. “Want me to take your mind off it?” he asked, more confident than he thought it would come across. He was worried he would blush, or stutter, but he didn’t. He wanted his master and he wanted more than anything to make him happy. Plus, who would miss out on sexy outdoor sex with a man that probably had enough anger to pound him into the next year. He wouldn’t mind a rough session with his master against a tree. Then again it would all depend on if his master was even feeling up to it. It felt like he didn’t want to let go of him earlier and it also didn’t sound like he really wanted to talk about it. Why not just…enjoy one another to get it all out of their systems?

[-Hideki-]

Glover nodded his head when the auburn haired man expressed how crazy what was about to come and what Fox wanted from him was. “Crazy measures in crazy times.” the judge said seeming a little distant when he said that. There was no denying that high servants of the state and military trying to eliminate the king was at least somewhat insane but at this point their options to prevent the worst for the current state and system were incredibly limited. If Konstantin stayed king they’d dive head first into the chaos of the civil war that would last for years. It wasn’t like Fred wasn’t seeing where Fox was coming from or that he’d place a personal judgement on the treason, it was just that he didn’t want to be a part of this.

 

He looked at the servant curiously though when he felt the flask being taken out of his hand and the shorter man was taking some gulps of the rum in it and judging by the blush he couldn’t handle it too well, returning the flask to Fred. What followed was unexpected and not appreciated in the slightest and in the first moment he wanted to tell the man to mind his own business when he was telling him that he shall quit on the drinking and that it wouldn’t be looking good if Ezra drove him around. While this was true - slaves weren’t even allowed to drive a car to begin with - Frederick didn’t want anyone pointing out his drinking issues and much less someone to tell him to stop drinking. He was an alcoholic, a functional one but an alcoholic nonetheless and being a smartass telling him that he shouldn’t drink as though he didn’t know about his unhealthy relationship with alcohol himself was just making him mad especially since he couldn’t just stop drinking although he’d like to. If he wouldn’t drink at least enough his hands would start to shake and he’d not be able to focus properly and would definitely be much more of a risk for traffic than if he drank himself to a level that he needed to stay functional. “Don’t worry. I can drive just fine.” He grumbled in response the mask like facial expression already re-establishing itself.

 

However his hard features were softening some again when the servant’s smile faded and Ezra expressed how he wanted to help and that he was feeling as though there was nothing he could do to make Glover feel better and the judge immediately knew that this was far from reality. He’d never have calmed down that quickly again, he’d feel as if he was drowning and to not feel that he’d drown his feelings in liquor a lot more if it weren’t for the other man and his touch and him being there. It was odd that the other man managed to give Frederick the feeling as if he wasn’t alone while the blond male had felt alone since he had been a kid no matter how many people had been around him. No one had managed to make him feel as if he wasn’t completely on his own before but this man, this slave, he had. “You did.” He made himself say. “You do.” He admitted further peering to the side as the confession was difficult enough to make without eye contact but his hands were seeking the other’s, holding them as they found them.

 

When he felt that gentle kiss on his cheek and the other man telling him that I’d all work out for him in the end and that he was an incredibly smart man and that he didn’t doubt he’d be able to wit a way out of this, adding that he believed in him, Fred actually felt flattered. And while it wasn’t the first time he was complimented or people tried to flatter him it was the first time that it did cause the desired feeling within the blond judge. But as flattered as he was there was reality and reality didn’t care to follow the auburn haired man’s flattery. Yes, Glover was a much smarted man compared to the average person. Yes, he might have been as smart as Fox but Fox was certainly a lot more cunning than Fred had ever been and not only that, intelligence was certainly able to make one aware of one’s options and possibilities, to play strategies through, to calculate, to find the best possible ways to act, to make plans but neither Glover’s nor Fox’s nor any man’s intellect was capable of implementing possibilities that were unrealistic, that didn’t exist and where there were no means to make them exist. He only had so many options to consider. Sure there were more than just those few but every other option contained leaving the nation and his home behind and go somewhere else, another nation where his status could definitely not be maintained considering that his nationality wouldn’t make him exactly popular nor would some immigrant immigrate into the highest ranks of a foreign society. Hence those were only last resort options to safe his head because it was still better than death. Although if he had to flee and one caught him fleeing….well… he’d be done for too! “Let’s hope for the best.” He just said.

 

Dumbfounded he looked at the shorter man opposite to him and looked into those gorgeous brown eyes when Ezra confidently asked him if he wanted him to take his mind off of it. The judge didn’t know why but it was rather charming how he sat there and brought that across and Fred placed his muddy hand onto the servant’s knee patting it, his hand roaming higher, rubbing the other’s thigh. “No.” he told him. “Not here. Not now.” the judge added to not let it sound as if he wasn’t interest in having sex with the attractive man anymore. The timing was just off and he wasn’t feeling like fucking in that moment. “I want to show you something.” he then told the man and wanting to show the other that place was the reason as to why he had driven that far away for the hike anyway and why their first hike was rather long too. “Before we continue walking there let’s eat though.” Fred said and took some water and wipes to clean his hands from the mud. The already dry layer of dirt getting washed away the white of his pale skin shining through again, contrasting against the layer of mud, until his hands were almost perfectly clean again, except for some remains under and around his nails which he would have to clean properly when they’d be back home again.

 

He was putting some food onto their plates giving Ezra two large waffles with caramel syrup, putting some onto his own plate afterwards only to coat his just freshly cleaned fingers with syrup again, narrowing his eyebrows, looking at his hands seeing the caramel syrup running over his index and middle finger, down the back of his hand and his palm.

[Shisu-Chan00]

Ezra knew that his master was an alcoholic and yet…he still worried about him. He didn’t want him to get in a situation that took him away from him…like being intoxicated on the job. He knew that he was probably out of line by telling him to stop drinking but it was more of a worried “be safe” rather than actually stop. He could tell that it hit a nerve when his master quickly pulled his mask over his face, hiding those emotions that Ezra was enjoying so much. He couldn’t help but sigh hearing his voice but thankfully he was learning his master…and he could tell he had a way with him.

 

Apart of Ezra didn’t want to sleep with his master…but normally when his master was overthinking he seemed to want to hold him so it was a good option. Another part of him though…was thinking of all the different kinky things they could have done. Had he been a little younger and maybe freshly slaved he would be ashamed of the thought but now, he didn’t really care. His master was just as lustful as himself and they complimented each other really well during sex so…it worked.

 

The harsh ‘no’ shocked him though. He blinked once and then smiled softly with a nod, “Alright.” He gently squeezed his masters hands that had reached out for him, not minding the mud that was coating them. The masters though of food made his stomach growl and he blushed a little. “Yes, food I’m starving.” He said scooting back onto the picnic blanket and handing out plates to his master. He was shocked to be handed a plate with two large waffles on it with syrup. He met his masters eyes and thanked him before sitting the plate down to get their drinks ready.

 

Out of the corner of his eye he could see syrup dripping down his masters fingers and hands. He chuckled lightly and reached between the space between them and took his masters hand. “You’re making a mess Master…let me clean it for you.” He grabbed a napkin and started to clean up the syrup on the back of his masters hand. His eyes were glued to his hands and he reached forward without much thought and licked the rest of the syrup off of his masters fingers. Once he realized what he did he blushed lightly and peeked up at him before flicking his tongue over the middle finger that had gotten most of the syrup on it.

 

He then put the napkin in his hand and looked away in embarrassment and partially shame. He felt a little bad for trying to tease his master but he couldn’t help it. He was so fun to tease and they had fun together. He pulled his plate toward him and gently moved over pushing a small bowl of food to Percival who had been so good throughout their journey. Ezra was silently eating for awhile until he paused and looked up from his food. “So…where are we going? It must be pretty special if you took the time to drive all the way out here.” He was excited to say the least. He had never been hiking and this was already a lot of fun.

 

The small, brief touches between the two of them were what he had been living for. Holding this mans hand and walking through the woods together was an experience all in its own. He couldn’t help but bask in how unfamiliar everything was. He depended on his master, even in this situation to get him back safely. His master looked so out of place in nature though. His hair was still perfectly in place as it was this morning and that perfection that followed his master was unmatched with the wildness around them.

 

He wanted to really badly know where they were going. It had to be something worth all this traveling right? They had to be about an hour or two into the wildness and whatever it was his master hadn’t told him about it yet, and maybe he wouldn’t. Ezra didn’t mind the surprise if the surprise was for him. He didn’t know if his master brought him specifically to show him this or if this was where he normally went but he was excited all the same.

 

His mind wandered back to the situation they were in. The world was unraveling as they knew it and his master, and in turn himself, were stuck in the middle of it. This Agent Fox was threatening their world alone, and his master was stuck with an ultimatum. He, as a slave, was unable to help his master out of this situation. Fox knew about their playful little romances together, as well as all the other slaves. Ezra knew he wasn’t the first and apparently so did Fox. He didn’t know if there was anything he could do to make this any better, but he would try his hardest to keep his master happy while he went through this. He would be his very quiet assistant in the matter, that is, until they are probably imprisoned.

[-Hideki-]

Fred turned towards his chuckling servant who moved towards him as he was staring at the syrup running down his fingers and hand unhappily, asking himself since when he had become that clumsy or whether this was a result by the inner turmoil all of this caused him. Ezra was grabbing a napkin telling him that he was making a mess and that he’d clean it for him. To that the judge nodded and let the shorter man wipe the back of his hand clean from the syrup but the man suddenly stopped wiping, confusing Glover for a second before he could feel the auburn haired man’s wet, warm tongue sliding over his hand and fingers and it send a wave of heat rushing through his body that only got more intense as he was looking at the man licking the syrup off of his hand eagerly, the tongue playing around his fingers, his mouth sucking on them and then there was that blush on the other’s face. It was arousing! It made his cock respond! And when his fingers were clean a bulge had formed in his pants and he took in a sharp breath and then coughed: “Thanks.”

 

Ezra wasn’t looking at him anymore, he looked away embarrassed, apparently ashamed for having acted like that and that reaction made it even more arousing to the judge who was still fucked up enough to find it exciting to see the men he found hot in embarrassing situations although the judge hadn’t known that this had been an embarrassing situation before the man had showed his embarrassment right now.

The embarrassment seemed to be gone from the slave though and Glover’s body was calming down again as they were eating quietly and only after a while the auburn haired started to speak asking him where they were going, adding that it must be really special if they drove all the way. “You’ll see when we’re there.” The blond just told him but truth be told it was special to Fred. He liked the place, he liked to go there, he felt a certain ease there and he wanted this place to be special to the other man too as cheesy as it sounded.

 

When they had finished eating and everything was put back into the bag they continued their way again and this time Frederick didn’t have to wait to take the other male’s hand into his own, to walk close to him while Percival was running ahead, back to them, then off ahead again. It were another two hours that they walked and they were really deep in the forest by now, when loud rushing was to hear and the judge led the young man through the thick forest, through some bushes arriving at a powerful waterfall, standing at the shore of the lake that parted them from a cave with sparkling stones at the entrance. The place was untouched and raw and the water clear. “This.” Fred said moving closer to the water. “I wanted to show you this.” He added before he just stood there for about five minutes looking at the waterfall and the cave and the lake to see if he could catch sight of some fish in there before he wordlessly got out of the boots he was wearing, orderly putting them aside, dropping one piece of clothing after the other until he was completely naked and all his stuff folded at the side, his toes digging into the grass of the ground, the chilly air greeting his cock and balls, the wind caressing his skin before he was stepping into the lake.

 

It was cold. Cold as fuck. Cold enough to make goose bumps appear on his skin when only his legs up to his knees were inside but he didn’t care. Bending a little he threw some water over his body before he let himself sink into the lake completely, swimming a bit towards the middle before he was stopping, not moving anymore, letting his body sink like a stone to see how deep he’d get without moving, feeling weightless and freed in the dark, cold silence of the lake that was greeting him like an old friend, hugging him tight. And that cold was getting colder the deeper he sank. And he sunk for a while, wishing he could just stay like this forever, until he really couldn’t hold his breath anymore and absolutely had to get up again. His head was appearing, gasping for some air, blinking the water out of his eyes when he saw Percival in the middle of the lake swimming towards him. Percival wasn’t a big swimmer. He could swim like all dogs could, sure, but he wasn’t too fond of it unless it was mud a large mud puddle he could throw himself into and not some lake. But the dog had apparently thought that his owner needed his help and had jumped right into the water when he had not seen him anymore. “Idiot!” Fred said with something that bordered on warmness, that half-smile on his lips again as he patted the dogs head who had now reached him.

[Shisu-Chan00]

Ezra didn’t know what he was really doing when he licked the syrup off. It just looked yummy…so he decided to clean it for him. His masters reaction was what made him blush. He didn’t know he was capable of making his master so hard without even really trying. It was a feat to himself. His eyes flicked up just in time to catch the bulge that had grown in his masters pants. He smiled a little before going back to his food and eating the waffles.

 

When they finished eating his master said that they could get back on the trails. He helped clean everything up and put it back in the bag before they quickly got back on the road. His master didn’t wait to take his hand this time. Instead he walked next to him while playing fetch with Percival, who kept running ahead of them. They seemed to be walking for awhile but Ezra didn’t mind. He liked the break from normal housework and the quality time with Glover was just a plus. It helped that the scenery wasn’t too bad either. As the day was getting later and later the sun was falling through the trees in a very beautiful way. It filtered through the branches high above them, and left dotted speckled sunspots over the two of them as they walked.

 

After about two hours Ezra started to be able to hear a very deep rushing, like water. His head tilted and he peered up to Glover for a moment before lightly squeezing his masters hand. He was guided through the thick underbrush until they came through a set of bushes. They were pushed back and the beautiful sight was shown to the slave. His jaw dropped and he gasped, a smile forming on his face as he looked at the waterfall and the beautiful lake that it gave way to. The water was so clear and looked so inviting, he wanted to go swimming so badly. Apparently his master wanted to stare at it for a moment and they did. He didn’t mind the silence between the two of them as they watched nature work its magic around them.

 

After about five minutes his master started to take his boots off. Ezra was confused for a moment but as new pieces of his masters body became visible he realized he was going to go for a swim. Ezra’s smile grew wider and he couldn’t help but laugh as he watched Percival jump into the water to chase after his master. He chuckled softly and pulled his own shoes off before quickly removing his clothing and folding them next to his masters. He stepped in and shivered from the chill. It was freezing, thankfully though he didn’t care and he dived under the water swimming out to meet his master. He came up out of the water laughing like a small child that had just gotten a new toy. He gently scratched Percival’s head and smiled up to his master. “This is beautiful. Thank you…but I think we should probably get him back to shore don’t you?” he motioned to Percival who was shivering because his body didn’t have the ability to warm up as quickly like theirs.

 

Ezra knew as soon as he got out of the water he was going to be freezing but that didn’t matter at the moment. Skinny dipping with his master looked way more fun anyway, and who knows maybe their day could end on a good note still. He hoped that his master could forget about todays events eventually. Hell he hoped he could forget about todays events by the end of the night. He wondered if he ever could, the danger of his master being taken from him was very prominent now and that was highly terrifying for him.

[-Hideki-]

In his amusement of the silly but endearing rescue mission his dog had gone on he hadn’t noticed that not only Percival but Ezra too had gotten into the water by now and hence he turned his head when the other was getting closer to him and the Doberman smiling happily, thanking him and telling him that what he had shown him was indeed beautiful. His blue eyes watched the other when he went on about how they should get Percival back onto the shore. It was reasonable but they couldn’t just get him and park him there as the dog would follow them again anyway not to mention that Glover already had plans for them.

“Yes.” He said. “This shore.” The blond added and pointed to the opposite side of the lake where the entrance to the cave was.

 

Before he moved to swim there though his hand grabbed the auburn haired male by the hips and he pulled the other man against his chest, leaning down to kiss him passionately and greedily, their cocks touching under water, their legs entangling as they were moving to hold themselves up. When he let go of the servant then he turned around without another word and swam towards the other shore, Percival following along. A shiver was going through his body when he was getting out of the water and the wind was meeting his wet skin, water running down his body, tracing his muscles and his figure. The blond reached out his hand for Ezra to take when Percival was shaking the water off, making that amused half smile reappear on his face.

 

The beautiful stones and crystals at the entrance of the cave were nothing compared to what was inside. The whole place seemed to shimmer and to glitter and at the same time it was raw, natural and imperfectly random. The way the judge navigated them through the cave, seemingly knowing exactly where he was going and where he wanted to go, made it clear that this was not the first time he had entered the cave and it had not been. Fred liked this place. It was relaxing and whenever everything had been feeling like it had been too much he had gone there to take a time out, to enjoy the astonishing beauty and the silence. Though whenever he had visited he had always feared that the place would be discovered by other people soon and turned into some kind of tourist attraction or a ‘gold mine’ due to its panorama and its resources soon, knowing full well that his mother and other ladies of her status liked to wear jewellery containing such stones and crystals.

 

After a while of walking through the ways of the cave and admiring its stunning beauty and quietness there was steam coming their way and the temperature was rising and Frederick was walking straight ahead towards it and it didn’t take long and they were standing in a natural hot spring surrounded by stones which’s colours were reflecting on the water. “Here we are.” Glover said and without hesitation he stepped inside and let his body sink into the hot spring, his muscles staring to relax as he leaned his head back, his eyes closing. “Come in.” he then said to the auburn haired, waiting for the man to join him to pull him towards himself and to kiss him and touch him again. This was a much better place for that than the space where they had had the picnic and Ezra had suggested to distract him from the unpleasant events in his life.

 

Suddenly there were noises to hear though and Glover’s eyes narrowed as he was peering into the direction where they came from. They were steps and it didn’t sound like animal steps but this was impossible! He didn’t want other people at his place! This was his place! His alone and no other person was allowed there. However his blue eyes were suddenly staring into the grey eyes of a middle aged man who had a towel around his waist and was holding a bath brush in his hand. The man who had a buzz cut who had previously been chattering happily instantly stopped and came to an abrupt halt when he saw Glover inside of the hot spring, then Ezra and then the dog laying next to the hot spring. This caused the second man, a tall, long boned, skinny guy the same age, with long wavy golden hair that fell down to his arse to run against the first man’s back. “Ouch! What the hell are you doing you moron! You can’t just stop walking all of a sudden without a warning…” but the other man was just reaching his hand out and pressed it onto the golden haired man’s mouth. “Cameron, there are …. people….!” He informed the other not amused in the slightest, looking at them as if they were intruders, looking as if he’d have liked to get his gun out of the cupboard and chase them off his property.

 

“Are you seeing things now!? People! Bullshit!” said Cameron, making fun of the other man before he looked around the somewhat shorter but broader guy to then see that the other was right, his caramel eyes narrowing as he raised his head high, as high as one could imagine and looked down onto Ezra and Frederick while the judge was doing exactly the same, trying to stare the other two down and exuding authority. “What are you doing here! Piss off! This is my place. I come here since years.” Fred barked not happy about the interruption in the slightest. The man with the elegant face and the long hair named Cameron was laughing but not amused. “Your place! Certainly not, we’ve been living here since twenty years. You’re basically sitting in our bathtub and I demand you to get out!” the man barked. “Tobias, throw them out!” he told the other man who sighed deeply and rolled his eyes. But before either of them could say anything a baffled and severely confused Fred was yelling:” You live here?” at them completely disbelieving and the man with the buzz cut nodded. “Yeah! I’m putting up with his attitude since twenty years. I sometimes wonder how my life would have gone had this arrogant, narcissistic entitled diva not stepped through the door of my store demanding a life-size cake of himself for his wedding and wouldn’t have gone out of my head again ever since.” Tobias who was a citizen and a baker answered.

[Shisu-Chan00]

Ezra smiled lightly as his master pointed over to the other side of the shore and nodded lightly. He was just about to head toward it due to his limbs being slightly tired but his body was grabbed before he could. He blushed lightly feeling his cock brush against Glovers under water. His hands gently rested on his chest as he peered up into those blue eyes with a questioning look. Then again he should have known. His mouth was quickly replaced with Glovers lips and he let out a gentle sigh against them. Ezra welcomed the passionate kiss and showed just as much want for him. Then again it was gone too quickly and Glover was pulling away from him and swimming toward the shore.

 

Ezra blushed lightly and followed taking Glover’s hand in order to get out of the lake. He instantly felt the chill and goosebumps covered his skin as he hugged his waist. After a moment Ezra noticed the master was waiting for him and he slipped his hand into the others with a light smile. It was a nice feeling and their hands seemed to fit together just perfectly. The cave entrance was beautiful. It was full of crystals that caught the light just right and bounced the light around the beautiful cave walls. His eyes didn’t know where to look first and he didn’t have to because his eyes landed on Glover, who seemed very concentrated.

 

He guided them through the ever darkening cave until Ezra started to feel warmth brush against his skin. He moved a little closer to Glover, he was tired of surprises for the day. When it was an opening finally he felt like he couldn’t see anything anyway. Steam filled the room and a moisture hung over the air that made it kind of hard to breath. When it did clear a little though Ezra couldn’t help but laugh as Glover got into the hot spring.

 

Ezra moved and sat on the edge of the spring putting his feet in. It was warm and he wanted to get in further but his masters apparent shift in mood stopped him. Then he heard it too, footsteps. His arms covered everything that was private to him as he awaited the approaching intruders. Of course he didn’t know what he expected. Agent Fox? Probably. Thankfully it wasn’t him and he could hardly hide the sigh that left his mouth. Then again these people probably weren’t much better. As the first one walked into the room Ezra took him in. He was handsome for an older man but wasn’t really his type. The second man was cuter and had incredibly long hair that hung at his butt. He was attractive, and seemed to be the one in charge too as he realized that there were people in here.

 

Ezra noticed that Fred and the other man were staring each other down. He realized that these men were both of higher status, but living here? It was strange. As Glover called them out they found out that they were living there. Ezra smiled lightly and chuckled as he heard the middle age mans complaining. “He really asked for a life-size cake of himself for his wedding?” Ezra didn’t have the looks of a slave right now. Without the signs of his uniform and no other apparent servant gear on him he could be of any class. He liked that and therefore he spoke to the citizen as if he himself were one. He sort of liked that about this sort of situation. He peered around to look at the slightly smaller male and noticed he looked like the type of guy who would want a life sized cake of himself.

[-Hideki-]

Tobias nodded his head when Ezra questioned what he had just told him about Cameron having come into his store demanding him to bake a life-sized cake of him. “If I tell you.” the man said looking at the other man next to him. “I was going about my business as per usual, had just handed a birthday cake over to Misses Zimmerman when this arrogant bean sprout of the Master class strutted into my shop calling me a peasant saying that he wanted me to bake the greatest cake that had ever been baked and that he’d pose for it so that his wedding cake would look exactly like him. I thought what a weird narcissistic jerk is that as he was hijacking a table in my store to stand on! And when I asked that spoiled man where his wife would be on the wedding cake and that she needed to be portrait on it too he told me that it was bad enough he had to marry that hag and he wouldn’t want to have an ugly cake portrait of her ruining his appetite.” Tobias told the other. “I tell you, if you meet such a weirdo you’re never gonna forget him.” He added and Cameron crossed his arms in front of his chest.

 

“Weirdo!? Who’s the weirdo! If you had seen her you’d have known what I’ve been talking about. Her chest had fat, wobbly shit dangling on it, her arse was massive, her body looked disfigured, it even went in waves and stuff and they wanted me to touch and marry that! It was a nightmare!” the man justified himself, shuddering at the image on his mind. “I’ve seen her. That lady was a normal, rather pretty woman. You’re certainly not normal though.” Tobias found. “Oh yeah, why didn’t you marry her then if you liked her that much better! Don’t you dare touch me tonight.” the other man said and the baker with the buzzcut rolled his eyes in annoyance and punched Cameron into the hot spring. “Because I was stupid enough to let a bloody narcissist idiot steal my heart while he was turning my bakery upside down posing for a life-sized cake of himself!” he said as Cameron was standing in the middle of the hot spring, the towel clinging to his lower half, his hair covering his eyes like curtains.

 

While Tobias was laying his towel to the side, getting into the hot spring Frederick was getting intensely annoyed by them, his carotid starting to stick out but he tried to keep his composure. “We got it, you two are an obnoxious diva and an eccentric baker and both idiots but why do you live out here in the wilderness ruining my hiking trip? I don’t want people on my hiking trip!” he hissed, turning to Ezra. “Except for you! I want you.” He stated as quietly as possible to make that clear to the servant in case he would have misunderstood but both Cameron and Tobias had heard that too. “It’s none of your business. You should rather ask yourself why you have more chest hair than I do and look like a beast while I’m living out in the wilderness.” Cameron hissed back and Tobias sighed. “As if you’d even grown chest hair Cameron! Those three hairs don’t count!” he shook his head before he started to explain. “Just as you and your boyfriend here,” He nodded to Ezra, “we’re a homosexual couple! About twenty years ago, our timing wasn’t great though, we fell in love when he was supposed to marry that lady of his own class but we couldn’t deny it and we didn’t want to either. So we decided to be together no matter what in secret, behind the back of his future wife, behind the backs of society, we wanted to be careful to not be found out. Well, we’ve apparently not been careful enough. When the day of his wedding arrived and I brought that enormous cake to the location they celebrated in, we were left alone in that room and we kissed, it was supposed to be a quick kiss, it escalated a little though with all the feelings running through us at the prospect of him marrying, and we were caught by his future wife’s sister who dropped what she had held and stormed out of the room.” The man let them know and Cameron hissed. “That fat ugly wench.” Before he turned towards Glover and Ezra his hair sticking onto his skinny, tall frame.

 

“Of course we knew that this cunt wouldn’t keep it to herself! That she’d run to her sister straight away, that in a matter of minutes my and her families would know. And we too knew, that they’d report us, that we’d get arrested, convicted and send to labour camp. Hence we did the only thing that we could, we ran and fled into this forest, with the head of my cake as provisions, knowing that if we ever returned we’d be send into the camp immediately.” The golden haired man stated. “And while living out here is ugly, tough, not luxurious, and definitely beneath someone as glorious as myself, it is still a lot better than dying in that camp. And we’re together.” Cameron told them, taking off the drenched towel placing it onto the stone. “That is true. And after the first few years of him nagging and complaining because he was used to luxury and everyone doing everything for him, having plenty of slaves and so forth, he got relatively used to it too.” The other man nodded his head, wrapping his arms around Cameron’s hips from behind kissing the man’s jaw, his eyes looking at him affectionately.

 

The judge by now was looking at them with fascination and interest in his eyes, pointing his finger at them. “The trial without the accused!” he said and both of them looked at him questioningly. “What?” they asked. “You two are famous! Famous for disappearing without a trace!” Glover told them. “Twenty years ago when I was still in law school and not yet a judge, there was a case against two men going on which were nowhere to find. They searched for them in the whole nation, even the neighbouring states, showed their pictures on TV but nothing. Hence they convicted them for sodomy in absence. Those men are you two.” The judge said. “They couldn’t find you. But you’ve been here all along. They predicted you far away but you’ve just been around here this whole time.” The blond man said. “We wouldn’t have come far had we tried to flee the country.” Tobias said. “It’s a clear case of missing the forest for the trees.” Cameron added with a cheeky grin.

 

“So… you’re a judge….” Tobias said musing. “Even though I am a man living in a cave I’m not envying you in the slightest. I couldn’t do that. Judging by those laws! Sending men like myself into those labour camps.” The man stated absently playing with Cameron’s long hair before he turned towards Ezra. “And what do you do for a living? Where did you two meet?” he wanted to know.

[Shisu-Chan00]

Ezra couldn’t help but smile as Tobias started to tell him the story of how Cameron and him had met. He didn’t know how cute it might be but when he realized that Cameron and Tobias were in a relationship together his interest peeked even more. The entire situation they had been in seemed to have sucked a lot. Having to watch your loved one marry, touch, and be with someone who wasn’t yourself had to have been hair. Apparently though that didn’t matter because before they could live their lives together, even in secret, Cameron’s future wife found out.

 

He felt bad for this couples horrible gamble with relationships. He knew all too well that labor camps were where people were sent to die without actually being sent to death. No one wanted to end up in the camps, especially not a gay man. Ezra listened patiently to the two men who sort of told the story together. After they were finished his eyes peered over to Glover seeing that he was a little annoyed. Thankfully though after Tobias finished the story his master’s face had turned from boredom to interest. His eyes quickly brought back to the couple as they were ruled out to be the couple who were never found for a report. He thought it was kind of nice that they were hidden, together, within this forest. It was beautiful here and they didn’t have to worry about anything or anyone but themselves.

 

Ezra up until this point had been very quiet, just listening to the conversation. That was until he heard a question directed at him and he paused a minute looking shocked that he had been addressed in the first place. Cameron had asked him what he did for a living and how he and the judge had met. Apart of him wanted to tell the truth, it wasn’t like Cameron was going to tell anyone. They lived in a cave high in the forest as fugitives from the law, he thought he might be alright. Another part of him peered out into the small group of men and loved the look of respect that came from both Tobias and Cameron. If he told them that he was a slave it would all go away, or maybe it wouldn’t. He looked over at Glover for a moment before smiling lightly.

 

“Ah well it’s not as exciting as your meeting story but it’s special in its own little way cause its ours.” He smiled a little and looked over to Glover for a moment. “You see after I got out of school I decided to become a chef and tried really hard to open up my own business. My parents helped me get it on its feet before finally it was open and running. It was just a small little ramen shop that just so happened to be on his way home. After about three months of constant business and pretty great marketing too Fred walked in through my doors for lunch.” He paused a moment and couldn’t help his eyes landing on Fredrick again as his legal name slipped off his tongue. He had never referred to him as anything other than master. Then again this was all a lie anyway.

 

Then again he sort of wanted his life to be this way…with Glover still in it…so it was a dream. He smiled a little and looked back over to the two men, “After that he came back pretty often but we never talked until he ordered my place for catering to his home. I delivered the food to his home only to be invited in, offered a drink, and practically getting shit faced over there. So he took care of such and me and I started having feelings for him. Finally we are…trying hard to stay hidden while we live out our lives which is rather hard seeing as Fred is a judge at the courthouse. Feels like there is always someone watching us.” He chuckled lightly as he lowered himself down into the hot springs with the other men.

 

He moved a little to Glover, looking up at him for any form of a silent okay for his little fib. I mean it was a good lie and could totally happen. It wasn’t like these guys knew Ezra so he could easily pretend that he was someone he wasn’t. After all it wasn’t like he acted like a slave around Glover anyway. It was only when there was other people present that he actually felt like a slave around his master. That or when he was ordered to do something specific. He hoped that the lie would go over all right with them. Being gay was one crime but being in a relationship with your slave was another. He could also get in trouble for impersonating a citizen, but that didn’t matter too much here did it?

[-Hideki-]

In response to Tobias question Ezra responded and he responded with a lie, not only a lie but with another crime as he was pretending to be from another status and societal class which was a crime as it was thus making Glover uneasy because they were already deep enough in the realm of illegality. Then again, did it really make a difference then? Probably not! The blond’s face however stayed completely blank like a mask and it was rather fortunate that neither Tobias nor Cameron looked towards the judge but to Ezra because he was displaying complete indifference to the story told which wouldn’t be if this was actually a true love story of two people.

 

But this was a lie. It had no meaning to the man. Not only that, it was absolutely unrealistic if one knew Fred. Frederick Glover didn’t eat out if he wasn’t forced to because of some social event. He hated the people in his back. Hated the noises. Felt watched as he ate. He detested restaurants. The idea of ordering food to his home where he could eat in private was much more realistic at least although he had never done that either because his slaves had always cooked for him. However he had to admit that this story was certainly a lot more flattering and nice than the truth. They’d probably look down on him and condemn him had the servant told them ‘I was ordered to his house as a servant and my master started molesting me by giving me inappropriate orders. Before that arsehole then developed feelings for me’.

 

His apathetic facial expression changed though when he suddenly heard Ezra say his given name. His blue eyes went straight to those brown ones and he was starting to feel funny again. The other man had never said his name. Well, strictly speaking he wasn’t allowed to but they also weren’t allowed to have sex nor was Ezra allowed to touch him without permission but the slave had never really cared about what he was and wasn’t allowed to. And now he had used his name and it felt nice to hear him say it. To address him in a more personal and less distant way and he was hoping that this meant something. That although everything in this story was a lie, that this wasn’t one.

 

He was ripped out of his focus by the long haired male’s voice though. “What is a ramen?” it came from Cameron who looked at the young man confused with one of his eyebrows lifted up. “I think its noodles in soup.” The baker answered although he wasn’t so sure either. “Peasant noodles probably if you know this and I do not.” The man remarked holding his face up with his long slender fingers only making his boyfriend roll his eyes again. “No. It’s foreign noodles if I am not mistaken.” He shook his head and turned to Ezra with a smile again, feeling some weird connection to the auburn haired man from this story alone. “It’s a really nice story and I wish you two the best of luck. More luck than we had. Then again, that we escaped here can be called a blessing in disguise although I sometimes ask myself how I deserved this narcissistic idiot who wouldn’t survive a day out here without me.” Tobias said and Cameron snorted: “Pfft, you wouldn’t survive a day without me!. Without me our cave apartment would look like a cave and you’d die from loneliness stupid proletarian.” That led Tobias to sigh and chuckle at the same time, turning back to Ezra again: “I guess he has a point.”

 

The baker smiled friendly. “You know, I’m glad that we ran into you and you told me your story. It’s so similar to ours you know. As you too face the combined struggles of your love being condemned for you being gay and for your difference in class and status which is too illegal! I shouldn’t be with him because I’m merely a baker, a citizen and not a master and you two know how that is. Not to mention the let’s call it cultural differences between someone of our class and someone of theirs.” Tobias said. “Did he think that he could order you around like one of his servants at first too?” the man asked. “I never thought that!” Cameron hissed and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I just wanted you to worship me accordingly and do a little something for me because I had no one anymore but you just wouldn’t do it. You’re damn lucky I love you so much.”

 

As Ezra was getting down to them into the hot spring, looking at Fred the man was immediately wrapping his arm around him pulling him close to his body while Cameron and Tobias had their little banter and Glover brushed a strand of hair out of the auburn haired man’s face, leaning his head onto his shoulder, his lips so close to the man’s ear that they were nearly touching it. “Ezra!” he whispered. “Did you actually mean that? See me like that?” he breathed into his ear. “My name…”

[Shisu-Chan00]

Ezra, while he was telling his lie, tried really hard not to look at Fred. Specially after the mans name slipped off his tongue like a prayer. He felt eyes touch his own features as the name slid from his lips and he couldn’t help but turn a little to face Fred. His brown eyes met those beautiful, intoxicating blue ones and he paused a little in his story only to keep going as if nothing had happened. He finished his story only to hear Cameron speak up. He could hardly keep back his laughter as the two of them started to bicker.

 

Their relationship was adorable and he couldn’t help but wish he could have something similar. To him, his relationship with his master was only nice when his master wanted it to be. It was really hard for him to read him, and he couldn’t help but feel that he didn’t feel the way he did for him. Ezra was pretty sure he was in love with Glover, despite his kinks and odd habits he still loved him. He didn’t see how Fred could feel the same way…specially when he was just a slave. Ezra sort of thought that Glover was waiting for someone of his own status to come along to fall in love.

 

These thoughts were running through his mind as he slipped into the hot springs with the other men. Finally, he didn’t feel so out of place thanks to Tobias’s offer of being sweet to the two of them. Their bickering picked up again and Ezra was left lightly leaning against the wall. That was, until his master moved.

 

He felt an arm slide around his body and pull him closer. Ezra blushed lightly and peered up to his master for a moment. A gentle finger brushed hair from his face as the other mans strong jawline found its home on the slaves shoulder. Ezra could hardly keep to himself as he felt the soft brush of air from his master exhaling against his skin. His name startled him slightly but he barely moved as he listened to his master.

 

A soft blush formed on his ears and his brown eyes slowly panned to those blue ones and he smiled softly. He gently moved a hand to caress Glover’s cheek and he nodded lightly. He figured that there was no need for words. He could still hear the other two men bickering so he leaned up gently placing a soft kiss on Glover’s lips as a reassurance that he did basically mean what he said. He pulled back peering up into Glover’s eyes before turning away and leaning into the small crook in his masters side that he had claimed as his own.

 

He sighed softly and after a few moments of listening to Tobias and Cameron he looked up at Glover. “Could we…go home?” he asked softly as he looked up at him. He wanted to go home, to get away from these people, and to be held by Glover in whichever way it mattered. This could mean cuddling, or sleeping, or making love, or whatever he wanted to do. He just wanted to be alone with his own master…in a chance where they could just be themselves without the peering eyes of others.He knew that they couldn't be together but it didn't change the fact that he wanted to pretend like they could be. His eyes went back to Tobias and Cameron and he wanted so badly to be them. He wanted to playfully banter with his master as if they were equal in status. He wanted so badly to just be normal...a normal couple with a normal love for one another. Unlike this strange thing they had that was hidden from the entire world.

 

Why couldn't life just be simpler? Why couldn't they be together? He didn't know why the world had to be so unfair. He wanted to be with Glover, to call him by his first name without repremand. To hold his hand without being thrown into jail. To kiss him infront of a crowd just to show everyone that this exquisite man was all his. Was that so much to ask for? Of course it was. This world was not made for a happy ending and he knew that. Life would never end up the way he wanted it to, it would always be at someone elses expense. Not once in his life, would someone ask him what he wanted and actually mean it, let alone actually give it to him. He knew all too well that this world was his own and it was cruel and unfair. It would never allow him to be himself, to fall in love, to be with Glover....it would never happen. The idea brought a pain to his chest that he was unfamiliar with. It shocked him, this emptiness inside of himself that lurked at the corners of his mind as he listened to the two men bicker playfully with one another.

[-Hideki-]

With his eyes glued onto the other man he was awaiting an answer and he was holding his breath without realising he was because there was only one answer he wanted to hear. It’d be disappointing - if he was honest not merely disappointing - if this part had been a lie as well. If Ezra would never call him by his name when they were together but would return to referring to him as ‘Master’ again when they were in private. It was like he was left to thrash around like a fish until the servant smiled at him softly, nodded slightly and he felt that hand on his cheek. And that was when he finally started to breathe again and the knot in his chest was busting open again, allowing him to relax when the other man’s lips met his. The kiss he received was gentle and sweet but it was so quick that it felt like a brush only and his lips were left yearning for the other’s, tickling when he the servant broke the kiss. Fred wanted to connect them again right away but Ezra was shifting, getting comfortable at his side.

 

The sigh the other left out made him look down at the other man in the same moment he looked up at him and in the first second he was a little confused or rather surprised to hear the auburn haired asking him if they could go home again. They haven’t been at the hot spring for long, didn’t he like this place after all or what was the matter? Or were it those obnoxious idiots? He too had not planned for them to be here but then again their story was interesting and to him Ezra had actually seemed to find them likeable. But maybe that had been an act as well? He couldn’t tell. One thing he could tell though - as he looked at his servant who looked at the two men he could see something like sadness or melancholy on his face and being used to his disarming smile this was new. He didn’t seem annoyed by those men’s behaviour like Fred who didn’t want people on his hiking trip was, looking at them seemed to make him sad for whatever reason and that reason the judge didn’t know.

 

“If you want.” He then answered and stood, reaching his hand out to the shorter man to pull him up onto his feet too. Tobias and Cameron turned around to them. “You’re leaving?” Tobias asked. “Yes.” Glover answered and now there was a slightly melancholic smile to see on Tobias face as he could not leave. Cameron and him could not leave the forest. They had not seen anything else than the forest and each other for twenty years! “It would be nice to see you again sometime.” The baker expressed. “We don’t have much company or any friends needless to say.” The man said and shook Ezra’s and then Glover’s hand. Cameron did cross his arms in front of his chest and raised his head as high as he possibly could but he didn’t say anything to the contrary. “I wouldn’t be opposed.” He then let them know what was costing him a lot to actually get over his lips. “I come here since years. We might as well meet again.” Fred told them and Tobias and Cameron would certainly pay more attention to the hot spring from now on.

 

Having said his goodbye to the two men he went the way back they had come and after the nice hot spring the cold lake felt even icier and he was swimming fast to get back onto the other shore where their clothing was waiting for them. The fabric clung onto his wet toned body when he was continuing the way that would lead them back to the car, holding Ezra’s hand for how long they were deep enough in the undergrowth. When they reached the way he had to let go of the other although he didn’t want to but there was no use. His heart felt heavy when he was back at the car and he wished they could walk the streets of the city like they could in the forest. That they could be like they had been in front of Cameron and Tobias in front of other people. Maybe in another world Frederick wouldn’t hate people’s presence and Ezra and him and Cameron and Tobias would have been friends indeed and they’d have met every weekend for a couples night, playing board games, drinking, having dinner, like all the other people did but it was ridiculous. It would never happen. Despite those libertarians wanting that… well, maybe it would happen one day but Frederick Glover would either already have died from old age, or would have been hung in front of the courthouse by said revolutionaries. Ezra would live in that scenario. Would he mourn his death? Would he be sad? Or would he feel freed? Unburdened? Become the lover of one of the revolutionary’s leaders who wasn’t such a spineless, paranoid, alcoholic coward working for the regime as he was?

 

Glover had been deep in thought throughout the whole drive and he didn’t seem to lighten up when they arrived at the mansion. He went straight for the shower, washing himself and then going through his intense routine and while he was he was thinking about those two men again. Their story indeed had something familiar. Granted none of them was a slave but still. Only looking at that Cameron, despite the obvious differences, he could understand where this guy was coming from. Could picture how he had been brought up and how he must have felt. Even the arranged marriage! Hell, how often had his mother tried to set him up. He had just kept her from bothering him from sending him on other countless dates with high-class ladies of decent families by using excuses but she was getting older and Fred was forty and chances were that she’d not watch him continue like that or listen to his excuses any longer and his parents would try to force a woman onto him. She hadn’t called in a long time he then realised. That usually meant that he had to expect something from them and he’d probably not like it.

 

Having arranged his hair he was getting dressed in front of the mirror, a white shirt and dress pants, decent shoes, he forwent the tie, they were amongst themselves after all, he shoved his concerns about what his mother was plotting out of his mind and was getting downstairs again. He didn’t know where Ezra was, hence he stood in the entrance hall and called out loud enough that one would hear it throughout most of the mansion:“Ezra! Meet me in the kitchen!” he called, before he went there himself.

[Shisu-Chan00]

Ezra realized as he nodded that his master was waiting for him the entire time to say something. When he finally did it looked like all the weight that had accumulated on Fred’s shoulders shrank away and disappeared. Ezra thought it was kind of cute, how he needed Ezra now. Before he never thought his master would be so dependent on what he said or how he acted. Now if Ezra didn’t show some affection to Glover it seemed he got worried or upset. Ezra thought it was kind of sweet that he mattered enough for his master’s moods to change because of him. It was even pretty obvious when Ezra sighed that Glover was worried about him and why he wanted to leave.

 

In all reality, it was because of Tobias and Cameron. Their relationship was something he wanted and could never have. He would always be Glovers slave. He would never get to live in a world where they were on equal footings with one another. It was a sad thought and watching the two loud men talk to one another just deepened the thought. He wanted to go home, away from this romance he could never have and away from the outside world where he couldn’t even be with his master in the way he was now. Thankfully his master agreed and Ezra smiled softly as he was helped up. It was nice to be listened to, part of him thought he would be told no because Glover wanted to stay. He gently squeezed Fred’s hand as he helped him up and peered over to the other two men who were asking if they were leaving.

 

“Yea, I’m just tired. It’s been a long day.” He said softly and smiled over to the two of them. He did like them but he just wanted to go home. “We will come back and see you don’t worry.” He smiled gently and got out of the spring. Once they said their goodbyes they left the cave the way they came, hand in hand. He loved this, being held by his master even if it was in such an innocent way. He was guided through the forest and wasn’t let go of until they could see the clearings ahead of them. He understood that this meant they were getting close to people again, and handholding wasn’t something you did.

 

He crawled into the backseat and smiled lightly at the rearview mirror to his master. He didn’t mind being back here…I mean it did suck but he could live with it. Ezra was glad that his aster was in his own thoughts during the drive because he didn’t really want to talk anyway. His eyes scanned over the clinging shirt that shaped Glover’s shape. He thought he was super attractive when he forgot about being gorgeous. He was almost more handsome when he didn’t try so hard. Ezra wondered what his master looked like with an unshaven 5 o’clock shadow. It was strange because his master was always clean-shaven, always presentable. He wanted just for once to see him not presentable.

 

Once they got home his master went straight upstairs and Ezra did the same after unpacking all of their food and making sure that Percival was alright. Afterwards though he went up to his shared bathroom with the dog and quickly took a shower. After he finished he got into one of his new uniforms and made himself look presentable. He then tilted his head hearing his name from downstairs. He smiled lightly and double checked his auburn hair in the mirror before calling it good. He left the bathroom and descended the stairs, a hand trailing behind him on the banister as he walked.

 

He turned the corner into the kitchen and smiled softly at his master. “Yes?” He asked softly as he entered the room and went towards his master. He still had dishes to do so he pulled his sleeves up and started to clean them while Fred did his own thing. He didn’t know what it was that he wanted but he figured he could do something till he found out exactly what he wanted to do. He wondered if his master was going to ask about him calling him by his first name. Or his fib, or the entire hike in general. He didn’t know if he was ready to explain to Glover why he did either of those things. Apart of him was hoping his master wasn’t angry with him….

[-Hideki-]

Blue eyes widened as Ezra walked around the corner and entered the kitchen in the tuxedo he had bought him earlier that day, taking in the sight of his servant who now looked elegant, classy and dashing. He was sexy no doubt but without the lewdness of the revealing, kinky clothing he had given him before. It was sexy in a respectable looking way and it made Frederick admire the auburn haired man’s looks and body in a different way as well although desire was clearly underlining it. “You’re very handsome. It suits you perfectly.” He tried a complement. It probably was not a creative or witty complement to make but it was a complement wasn’t it? It was a complement he had said it and it was as true as it was plain.

 

The man’s appearance had distracted him from what he had initially wanted though and he was just standing there like something that had been ordered but remained unclaimed looking at the shorter man who was not even waiting one second before he started with the dishes, turning his back towards the judge doing his task. It didn’t make the situation easier for Fred who didn’t have much of an idea as to how to go about something like this in the first place as he had obviously never done that. He coughed. Made a step forward and laid his hands onto the servants shoulder’s leaning forward a little to be closer to the man’s ear. “Ezra I’d like to have dinner.” The man said and then he realised that it was sounding like a nicer version of his usual orders and was coming across as if he wanted the other to get his dinner ready and that was not what he had meant so he added: “With you.” He mused. “Together!” Why was that this difficult for him? “Both eating and preparing the dinner.” He finally got across what he wanted to suggest there. Glover had never done anything in the kitchen in his entire life. He had never cooked anything but he hoped that it could be nice anyway if the other showed him and they did that together. Maybe that could become a thing of theirs? Or was that too absurd? It was something one could do together indoors aside from sex after all.

 

As he was standing behind the man he was letting his hands roam down the other’s body from his shoulders on and when the hands reached the man’s hips he was wrapping his arms around him from behind, leaning his body against the other man’s, there was something he was asking himself, something he remembered to ask now. “I hope you enjoyed our hiking trip…. Despite the intrusions.” He expressed and closed his eyes when he let his chin rest on Ezra’s shoulder. “I did.” He confessed. “Enjoy it.” He added and although it was probably odd if one considered the more than unpleasant meeting with agent Fox he overall had enjoyed it and that was thanks to Ezra alone. Frederick then made the auburn haired slave’s body turn towards himself so that they were looking each other in the eyes. “Say it again!” he requested. “I want to hear it from you again!”

[Shisu-Chan00]

Ezra didn’t think much of his master’s wandering eyes. He went straight to doing the dishes, minding his own business. He started cleaning and blushed lightly when he heard the other man give him a compliment. “Thank you.” He said back gently peering back at his master for a moment before going back to his own task. They sat in silence for a little until he heard his master cough and move a little. Next thing he knew he felt hands on his shoulders, it caused the tension in his shoulders to relax slightly. He was washing one of the last plates as he felt lips close to his ear. His masters request was a little odd and he tilted his head slightly.

 

Before Ezra could say anything though his master added to the request asking if they could make dinner together. This made Ezra smile and he nodded, “Alright, what would you like to eat tonight with me?” His body leaned back a little into the other as his arms wrapped around his small waist. He liked this and as he put the last of the dishes into the little bin by the sink he couldn’t help but lean into his master. Then again it didn’t get to last very long at all because his master started talking again.

 

Ezra laughed lightly and smiled, “Yes, I had a very nice time. It was fun to get out of the house and see the outside world again.” He was gently turned in his masters arms to look up at him. His arms reached up and hugged around his neck leaning up to gently peck his masters lips. “What is it you want me to say again?” He tilted his head with a cute innocent look on his face that said he had no idea what his master was wanting. In reality he knew all too well what his master wanted. It didn’t go unnoticed that when Ezra spoke his masters name it change how his master acted. It had apparently taken him off guard and shocked him that his slave would say his name so blatantly. Then again under the circumstances calling him master would have been wrong. It would have ruined his fabricated tale as soon as it had started.

 

That would have spelled doom for both of them. He didn’t think a romance between slave and master would have gone over well. Even if those two men were also in a taboo relationship. He actually didn’t know if it would have gone over bad or not but he was glad that he had lied. It was nice to call his master by his real name and having the power to do so now was even better. It felt like they were closer, like the lines dividing them were dissolving into nothing. It made him feel a little better about being with his master since now he could be more like his equal. He also was noticing the differences in his master and loved those as well. He only hoped that something didn’t come between them.

[-Hideki-]

Standing behind Ezra, holding him, he was smiled at by the other again with that smile he loved, that smile that had somehow gotten through to him and to see it made him feel a lot better immediately. When the man then asked what it was that he wanted to eat Fred was thinking for a moment and then he threw all the thoughts he had had overboard again as a new, for him rather crazy idea came up on his mind. “Surprise me.” He said. “How about your favourite dish or something you’d like to show me.” He suggested. “Anything.” And he had never thought that he’d say the term ‘anything’ or ‘surprise me’ for that matter. That would have been too much control given to someone else under normal circumstance but he wanted to try. Wanted to try to let someone else make a decision and he was determined to not chime in and take over and he hoped that he’d be able to go through with that.

 

It felt great to hear the auburn haired man say that he had enjoyed the hiking trip too because he had not been so sure of it after the man had wanted to leave the hot spring that quickly to get to the mansion again. But if he had liked it too there was nothing speaking against going on more hiking trips together and maybe there were other things like hiking that they could do too. They could go to the beach for instance. Glover knew some places on the coast that were devoid of people.

 

The joyousness of hearing that the other man had liked the day with him died off though when the auburn haired asked him what it was that he wanted him to say again when he had asked him to say his name another time like this. Fred froze, it hurt, a stinging pain and then he was going numb, as if a layer of ice had been built back around his heart to shield him and his face went as blank as it usually was in mere seconds. Glover let go of Ezra and retreated, then turned his back on him. “Since you don’t even know what I am talking about it obviously didn’t hold any actual value anyway. It wasn’t what I expected it to be, didn’t hold the meaning I thought. Just a part of lie it seems.” He said with a voice cold as ice. Man, was he an idiot. He should have never even thought something ridiculous like this man genuinely having feelings for him to be true. For this to be something special! He should not have even let the guy get close enough to be able to hurt him if he wanted to and now he had a problem. Shit! But the more he felt the sting the more layers were rebuilding the wall around him.

 

The judge grabbed a bottle of wine, read the label and stepped closer towards the door. “I expect dinner soon.” He just said and whistled for Percival.

[Shisu-Chan00]

Ezra smiled softly and nodded a little, “Alright well I’m sure I can come up with something then. Maybe something light since its still hot out.” He nuzzled into Fred a little before he felt the other grow tense. Next thing he knew Fred was pulling away from him. Ezra’s smile fell and he looked really confused. He didn’t understand what he had said wrong, let alone what was hurting his master. He heard the cold voice come from Fred and his eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.

 

He walked quickly and grabbed Fred’s wrist pulling him around to face him. “What the hell Fred? I was only teasing you...of course I’ll say your name. As much as you want me to. I didn’t even think you were okay with it let alone wanted me to refer to you by your given name.” he sighed softly and let go of his wrist. “I just wanted to be playful with you but I didn’t know if was going to hurt you so bad. I’m sorry….” He trailed off a little and looked down.

 

“I’ll have dinner ready within the hour…you’re more than welcome to stay and cook with me. I think it sounds like fun…and if you’re okay with it…I would like to call you by your name when it’s just the two of us.” He smiled softly up to him and squeezed his hand. He reached further and gently took the bottle of wine from Fred. “Maybe we could even drink this together instead of you going somewhere alone and getting wasted…” he was silent for a few moments and set the wine bottle on the counter.

 

He sighed softly and after a few minutes peeked up at Fred. “Maybe later I can make up for making you feel so horrible…I am really sorry Fred.” He said softly feeling like he had reversed all the progress they had been working towards all this time. The first time they slept together face to face, the first time Fred let him shower with him, and sleep with him, and go hiking. All of that would be ruined if this didn’t go over right. He hoped that his apology would be enough to make up for what he said. If not…he assumed he would have to do something humiliating in order for Fred to forgive him. Then again sex never was something he hated but with Fred…he wanted it to be special and if it felt like it did the first few times he would be broken. He just hoped that all of this would work out.

[-Hideki-]

Percival was at his side immediately and Frederick was blankly looking at the dog and then he was on his way out into the living room when he felt a grip around his wrist. Ezra! Ezra grabbed his wrist. He stopped him from leaving the room. Then he said ‘what the hell’ to him. Absurd! It was absurd! Even more absurd that the sting was getting back through again at the touch and he felt like yelling at the other! To blame him for having turned him into that! The judge had been fine before. Yes he had been an alcoholic, into sadomasochism and had molested his servants but nothing like this had reached him anymore, he had disconnected long ago, other people couldn’t touch him behind the wall he had build around himself and the numbness the alcohol created until this bloke had stepped into his life and had started to make the wall crumble, to ruin it all. Ruined his apathy, his detachment from his own emotions, his coldness! How dare he!

 

Looking away from the man covering the lower half of his face with his hand he wanted to pull himself out of the grip and at the same time wanted the man to pull him closer into a hug because it seemed he had lost it completely now and was confused. Why did he even grab him like that and say ‘What the hell to him’? This man really didn’t know his place did he? And as he was thinking that he had almost chuckled to himself. Wasn’t that how he had gotten him in the first place? How he had conquered a place in Glover’s heart? And when he heard the man say that he had been teasing him, that he’d say his name how much he wanted, that he hadn’t known that it’d hurt him nor that he’d even be fine with him to call him by his name before he mumbled: “So you did know what I was talking about….” and he was not happy about this still but although he wouldn’t have liked to admit it there was a sense of relieve overcoming him making his body less tense.

 

This guy! This guy would be the death of him! Tease him!? That idiot! The judge was not used to being teased. For one he was a master, a top judge with a status higher than most people and on top of it most people would be much too scared that he’d tear them into tiny pieces with his eyes alone if they ever were to even think about teasing him. Glover was a mystery, exuded authority, was strict and people found that he seemed outright dangerous, hence he was used to people paying him respect, bowing their heads before him and making themselves small to get past the lion unnoticed not daring to fool someone who seemed so prideful. Ezra was different once more. And had that teasing not been enough he now felt how the bottle of wine was taken out of his hand after the other had told him when he’d have dinner ready for him and letting him know that he was welcome to cook with him still, telling him that they could drink the wine together instead of Fred getting wasted alone again.

 

It made the blond remain how he was, frozen once more, when he heard that. It was bordering on being reprimanded. That definitely was not how a servant spoke to his master. It was blunt. Directly addressing his alcoholism once more and disapproving of it. It was like his slave calling him out. The silence was starting to settle in between them, lingering in the whole kitchen, Percival looked from one human to the other confused and Glover was just standing there, saying nothing but not leaving either. Again it was Ezra who broke the silence, this time he sighed before he spoke in that soft, gentle voice of his, suggesting that he could make up for having made him feel horrible like that later on, adding that he was really sorry about this, apologising another time saying his name once more and his dumbass heart was starting to race faster again as warmth was spreading through his stomach, streaming through his body at the mentioning of his name by the shorter man.

 

“Maybe you can.” He admitted. “It has to be quite something to make up for that though.” he granted and then went over to the kitchen counter. “So, what do we need?” the man wanted to know. “For cooking I mean!” he added, trying to put on an indifferent face and tone of voice when he said:”No more teasing though.”

[Shisu-Chan00]

Fred was silent for a long time, so long that it was beginning to worry Ezra. He felt worried, his master didn’t get this quiet unless something was really wrong. All the apologizing didn’t really matter though because it had hurt his masters feelings. It was often times hard for Ezra to remember that Fred was not like most people. He didn’t understand teasing very well and often times took things too seriously. Even Ezra’s gentle voice wasn’t seeming to do the trick. He realized as his hand grabbed his masters wrist that anger probably was welling up inside of him.

 

It was the last thing he wanted, his master angry meant he was going to be punished. Then again it had been awhile since his master was rough with him in the sense a punishment required. Then again as he took the bottle from his master he knew all too well that anger again was probably going to be flooding his veins. It wasn’t a lie though, Ezra didn’t want him to have to drink alone so instead he offered to drink with him, and make up for the things he had said.

 

After a long period of silence sweeping over them Fred finally spoke and Ezra’s eyes lifted to meet his. Light tears had been brimming in his eyes and he was worried his master was truly upset with him. That he had ruined everything he had worked so hard to achieve. Once he heard the maybe, and it seemed that Fred was alright Ezra smiled a little and nodded. “Alright…anything you want and I’ll do it for you.” He winked and leaned up gently kissing Fred’s jawline. “I mean anything…” he wrapped his arms around Freds waist for a hug before pulling back and hopping onto the counter. His cute little butt was arched out a little as he leaned forward with his legs hanging over the counter and facing Fred.

 

“What do you want to have tonight? I know you said I could pick but I honestly don’t know what all you like…ever since I’ve been with you I’ve had a strict diet plan to follow for you.” He blushed lightly and looked away from Fred. “I guess I don’t really know what you enjoy eating…you know?” He was silent for a moment before a bright smile formed on his face and he hopped down off the counter. “I’m gonna put on some music! It’s too quiet in here.” He excitedly ran off to the record player, putting on an upbeat and light jazz song.

 

Once he finished that he walked back to the kitchen with a smile. “You know maybe we could have tacos? It’s easy to make and I’m sure you couldn’t mess it up.” He walked up to Fred and smiled up to him. “Honestly an easy dish might be better…you’ve never cooked for yourself right?” His hands rested on the counter top as he spoke. After a moment or two he moved again grabbing two wine glasses from the cabinet and putting them on the bar. He opened the wine bottle and set the cork on the counter.

 

His arms fluidly poured the wine into the glasses before picking them both up and handing one to Fred. His brown eyes flicked up to meet those blue ones that he slowly started to realize he loved. Fred was a mysterious being and most people didn’t like him. Ezra though…he felt like he could see through the mask that his master kept around him and break down those walls. He felt like he was the only person that even remotely knew Fred for who he was, and even then he didn’t really know him. The though was sad, and he wanted to know more about him but Fred was hard to crack. His walls were so thick, so tight around him that Ezra couldn’t take a bulldozer to it and knock it down. It took a lot of hard work to chisel away at the bricks surrounding Fred’s heart. Then again it wasn’t like Ezra had anything better to do. He wanted to see what Fred was like under all that brick.

[-Hideki-]

Looking at the sweet auburn haired man as he smiled and nodded, telling him that he’d do for Glover whatever he wanted, that he’d do absolutely anything, placing a kiss onto the blond man’s strong jaw Fred was examining him, his blue eyes running over the man from head to toe. For anyone else saying or only thinking what the other had just expressed would have been ill advice. Had his former slave made such an offer to him after he had messed up he’d have made him wear something humiliating, tied his whole body up tightly, had shoved a gag-ball into his mouth whilst whipping and then brutally fist-fucking his arse immediately but now Fred was just standing there, staring and there was no urge to punish the other or to put him down within him. Absolutely not. In fact he didn’t even know what he’d want from the other to make this up to him.

 

Maybe he could wear something sexy for him, get close and touch him seductively whilst saying his name over and over again until he’d shut him up with a kiss? But he didn’t want to command him to; he wanted him to do it on his own. It was hopeless. He felt his world was upside down now and that everything had become abnormal while he was aware that this was probably much closer to how most people felt like, that this most certainly considered normal while he had been deeply abnormal before. Maybe he was healing but it scared him because he had no idea how it was to be intact. And would Ezra even still be into him if he’d be sane?

 

What he would want the shorter one to do stayed unanswered just as the question as to what he wanted to eat. He didn’t really care what it was weirdly enough. The silence didn’t seem to leave while Frederick was observing the other man, his blue eyes fixated onto his servant’s arse that was just too perfect and he wanted to squeeze it and slap it but he wasn’t making much of a move nor was his face doing much anything. His head just followed the man when he was turning some music on in the kitchen, noticing that it was jazz again. “You really like jazz huh.” He said and it was an observation and not a question. “Ever heard a band play life?” he then asked as he didn’t know what opportunities the other man had had when he had served the citizens.

 

The suggestion that they should make tacos was followed by a questioning look but he didn’t say anything, he let Ezra make his point which was valid. Glover had never cooked anything ever in his entire life. He had no clue how it was done and something simple would probably be better for a start and it was a lot more likely that they could actually eat what they’d make in the end. So he nodded while his slave was busy with the wine and when the man handed him his glass Fred looked into those brown eyes, musing. “It sounds fair.” He said. “But what are ‘tacos’?” the blond didn’t get past asking now. He, like Cameron, too had not known what ramen were, then again it had not mattered because it had been a lie anyway however he would have to have an idea what those tacos were if he was going to make them and if he was supposed to eat them. “What are all those foreign sounding foods to begin with? Is this something the citizens frequently eat?” he was curious to know but when he remembered that Tobias had only guessed about the ramen he kinda doubted that.

[Shisu-Chan00]

Ezra didn’t mind the silence that was slowly hanging over them. Something was going on in Fred’s mind and Ezra thought that he might just let him think. It seemed like he was being really quiet and Ezra was having to fill in the areas that he wasn’t speaking. When he came back from putting on music his master finally spoke and it pulled a soft blush to the slaves cheeks. “Yes, my first citizen home was really into jazz music and I guess it just sort of stuck. It makes you want to dance doesn’t it?” he smiled brightly to Fred as he poured them glasses of wine.

 

He wondered what it would be that his master asked of him to repay him for making him feel awful. Really it could be anything he wanted, even if the slave was hoping it wasn’t something too extreme. He liked to think that he and his master were slowly starting to work things out with one another. Slowly starting to live as equals, love as equals, and even exist as such. It was sort of nice, not being put down all the time and not being told he is a waste of space. He usually had good homes but he was starting to think that maybe Fred was going to be his favorite.

 

Fred’s next question made him shake his head. “No, slaves don’t really get those opportunities you know?” He smiled a little sadly and shrugged. “It just isn’t something my kind get to do.”

 

After a little bit Fred spoke once more and Ezra had to chuckle softly. “Basically a taco is a piece of tortilla, or bread, that you put meat into and eat it. It’s very simple…slaves eat it when we have nothing else to eat. It’s simple to make, and it sounds foreign to you because people of your class don’t usually eat…such simple things.” He chuckled a little and hopped off the counter with a sigh. “It’s kind of not what you’re used to. In the slums you usually have to put a piece of bread with like…really small amounts of whatever meat you can come across. Sometimes we just eat the bread plain.” He shrugged and moved to the pantry peeking his head in and looking around. “Hm…I’m not seeing the stuff to make it though, figures.” He sighed and shut the doors before leaning against them, his arms crossed over his chest.

 

“Maybe a pasta? Do you like pasta of any kind? It’s also pretty easy to make and we have noodles here.” He shrugged and smiled over to Fred. “Really, I think this would be much easier if you just told me what you wanted. No one has really given me the freedom to make whatever I want you know? This is a new concept for me and it’s a little confusing.” He ran a hand through his hair with a smile. “You’re the only one who has even remotely seen me as something other than a slave Fred…it’s not like these things are just going to come naturally to me.” He pushed off from the pantry and closed the distance between his master and himself. He was going to patiently wait till his master had something to say.