What is this life?

What is this life?

Chapter 13


Hiro's eyes fly open and he springs up from his bed. Sweat is dripping from his forehead and he's gasping for breath. He looks at the clock. It’s 10:12a.m. He looks at the sleeping form next to him cuddled under the blue comforter. Remembering where he is he whispers "Shuichi." He lays his head back down on the pillow. Another bad dream, the same one he’s had for the last nine nights has awakened Hiro from a restless sleep. Hiro covers his eyes with his hands, trying to block out the images running through his head. The face of his tormentor, laughing as he flails Hiro with that whip, is replaying over and over in his mind. Why can't he forget it? He’s out of there now?

"It's okay, Hiro. You're safe now. Sakuma-sama brought you back to me.” Shuichi reaches over and gently strokes his friend's arm. “You just had a nightmare. No one’s going to hurt you ever again."

Lowering his hands, Hiro turns his head and faces his friend. Shuichi is smiling that calming smile, the same one he has every time Hiro wakes up from that nightmare. "I'm alright, Shu. I know where I am now. It's just so real. I keep hearing his voice, feeling the pain. It never goes away."

“I know. It’s only been a little while since you got back. At least you slept for a couple more hours this time. The doctor said it’ll get better. The bad dreams will go away with time,” Shuichi reassures his friend. “How are you feeling?”

Hiro runs a hand over his bare shoulder. The cuts from his old Master’s whip have started to heal. There are some remnants of the scabs that covered them. Hiro wiggles his toes and ankles. The pain is almost gone from the burns he received from the hot irons. Scars will forever remind him of the punishment he received for attempting to escape the intolerable beast. Memories of that ordeal in Turkey cause Hiro to shiver hard, almost as badly as a convulsion. “I just can’t shake the feeling, Shuichi. I know I‘m here with you, but it’s like I’m still under that man’s control.”

“It’ll pass. You heard the doctor. He says that you suffered a trauma and that you’ll probably have some residual effects for quite some time.” Shuichi rises on one elbow to look straight into Hiro’s eyes. “I’ll be here to take care of you. Sakuma-sama promised that we can stay together.” He gives his friend a little kiss on the cheek and puts his arm around Hiro’s chest, giving a gentle squeeze.

Sakuma-sama. That’s right, he’s the new Master. Hiro remembers when the man came to purchase him from the Turk. Theee are questions that Hiro has yet to ask. “Shuichi, how did Master Sakuma know where I was and who was that man with him?”

“The man is Seguchi-sama’s brother-in-law. I think his name is Eiri-san. He knew where you were taken and told our Master.” Shuichi is surprised at Hiro’s memory lapse. “Don’t you remember him from when you got to Turkey? He’s the one that handed you over to the Sheik.”

“Shuichi, so much happened so fast, it’s all a blur. All I really remember is being dragged from Seguchi-sama’s harem room, you being knocked out and the guards forcing me into a car.” Hiro runs his hands through his auburn locks and locks his fingers behind his head. “There was a blindfold placed over my eyes and then someone stuck me with a needle. I was asleep within minutes. I didn’t wake up until I was in Istanbul. I may have seen Eiri-san’s face just before I was traded to the Sheik. I was so confused and scared nothing really registered. All I saw was the Sheik and his men as they dragged me out the back door.”

Hiro throws his hands over his ears, grasping at the sides of his head. Another pounding headache strikes, causing his head to feel like it is going to explode. “Agh! Shuichi! It hurts! Make it stop!”
Hiro starts crying in pain.

Shuichi reaches over to the night table and takes a small bottle. He pops the lid off and pours two blue pills into his hand. After taking the half-filled glass of water from the table, he presents both to Hiro. “Here, take these. They’ll help.”

Shuichi puts the pills in Hiro’s mouth and holds the glass to his friend’s lips. Hiro swallows the pills with some of the water. The quick dissolving medicine starts to alleviate the throbbing, reducing it to a dull thud within a minute. Hiro lowers his hands, and glances over at his friend. “Thanks. These headaches are so intense. I wish they would stop. I don’t know how much more of them I can take.”

Shuichi sighs. ”Haven’t they gotten any better? The doctor said they should only last a short time. Lack of food and water really messed up your system.”

Hiro nods his head. “Yeah, they’re getting a little better. It’s just they come on so fast. I never know when one will hit me.” He turns toward Shuichi and their conversation is interrupted by a knock at the bedroom door.

Hiro gets up and opens the door. It’s now kept unlocked all the time, unless he or Shuichi lock it from the inside. Standing there, behind a metal cart, is Suguru.

“Well, I see you’re finally awake. Here’s your breakfast. Sakuma-san wants you two to eat and then he wants both of to come to his suite. Now get up and don’t make him wait. You have fifteen minutes.” With that, Suguru walks out and closes the door.

“Friendly guy what’s his problem?” Hiro looks at Shuichi. “Someone needs to take a chill pill.”

“He’s mad and we’re the only ones he can vent his anger on. He’s still pissed about what happened.” Shuichi continues. “I overheard him talking on the phone to K-san. It seems they’re lovers and K-san didn’t tell him why he was leaving for Istanbul. He’s upset that K-san didn’t trust him to tell what was going on. There’s that and the fact that K-san betrayed Seguchi-sama. Getting you back is going to really anger Seguchi-sama. He doesn’t want you around me. You have to remember, Suguru-sans’s also Seguchi-sama’s cousin.”

“Well that’s interesting. What did K-san say?” Hiro reaches over and grabs a plate off the cart. “Here. You can talk while we eat.”

Shuichi takes the plate, and looks at the food. Does Sakuma-sama know what they’re given to eat? It’s the same thing every morning, one small pile of scrambled egg and one piece of dry toast. He makes a mental note to talk to his Master about it. “I think Suguru-san purposely doesn’t feed us very well. I know that when we eat with the Master, we get really good food. When Suguru-san prepares food for only us, it’s this crap.” Shuichi takes a bite of the egg. “Damn! It’s ice cold again.”

“Just eat it, Shu, it’s better than what I had in Turkey. I don’t even know what that slop was supposed to be. It was so bad, totally inedible. At least we have real food.” Hiro finishes the toast and puts his plate on the cart. He gets up and goes to select a shirt and pair of pants for himself and Shuichi from the closet. “Here, get dressed.” Hiro tosses Shuichi his clothes.

As he gets dressed, Hiro asks what Seguchi-sama’s reaction was when he found out about the trip to Turkey and the fact that he’s back in Japan. Shuichi just shrugs, indicating he doesn’t know anything.

Shuichi changes the subject. “Hiro, there’s something I have to tell you. I guess this is as good a time as any.” Shuichi looks at the shirt in his hand, keeping his eyes averted from his friend. “I promised Master Sakuma that if he got you back here, we wouldn’t try to escape. I assured him that we’d stay here with him.”

Hiro finishes buttoning his shirt and turns to Shuichi. He stares at his friend. “Why’d you do that? How can you stand this situation? I can’t believe you want to be his slave for the rest of your life.”

“It’s not that, it’s just, it’s the only way he would agree to help you. He’s not a bad man, really. He doesn’t want us just for the sex.” Shuichi looks up, a smile almost gracing his face and his eyes sparkling. “He’s kind of fun. We play games, color and watch TV. And he’s really kind, for a Master. He’s not like Seguchi-sama. He’s never even hit me. He even stopped locking our bedroom door at night.”

“So, we’re just supposed to live out our lives playing with and pleasuring him? I don’t want to do that.” Hiro finishes zipping his pants and tucking in the shirt-tail.

“Hiro, I promised! If we break the promise and escape, he said Seguchi-sama is going to hunt us down. He might even kill us.” Shuichi gets teary-eyed. “I’d rather stay here and be safe, than have Seguchi-sama get mad. You remember what he’s like, don’t you?” As an afterthought he adds, “And the sex isn’t so bad. I’m kinda getting used to it. He makes it fun.”

Hiro is a bit shocked at the last statement; Shuichi having sex with the Master is fun? Shuichi is right about one thing, it’s better than being at the other place as Seguchi-sama’s sex slave. Hiro remembers what that was like. Having a master that doesn’t give pain during sex will be better. After a several quiet minutes he reluctantly accepts the current terms the situation. “Shuichi, I can’t promise that I’ll never try to get out of here, but for now, I won’t try to leave. I could be a lot worse off back at Seguchi-sama’s mansion or in Turkey.”

“Thanks, Hiro. I know it’s not gonna be easy.” Shuichi is somewhat relieved and finishes getting dressed. He slips on a pair of shoes and looks at Hiro’s loafers. “Can you wear those yet?”

Hiro tries to put his foot in the loafers, but he winces and withdraws his foot. “Nope, still hurts too much. I guess I still have to wear these for now.” Hiro slips on a pair of faux-fur lined thong sandals.

There’s a knock at the door and Suguru just walks in. “Come on you two, your Master is waiting.” He motions them through the door and pulls the cart out. “It’s late, now get going. You know the way.” Hiro and Shuichi exit the room and quickly walk to the next door on the left.

They knock. “Come in.” The pair enters the room, bowing their heads to their Master.

“Good morning, you two. Did you sleep well?” Ryuichi Sakuma is in a good mood today. He’s back to his bubbly persona, the events of the previous week a thing of the past for him. It’s like this is the way it’s always been, and he plans to keep it that way.

“Morning Master,” The pair chimes in unison.

“Well, don’t just stand there, come over here. I got a new video game today and we can play it together.”
The man is more like a big kid than the Master of the house. He goes over to the shelf and pulls out a DVD. “Come on, sit down and we can play. Who wants to go first?”

Shuichi walks over and sits down in front of massive entertainment center. “I’ll go first and Hiro can play next.”

Hiro stands there looking at the pair. Visions of Tweedledee and Tweedledum flash in his head. He mumbles something almost inaudible, “Whatever.” He shakes his head and moves to sit next to his friend. Ryuichi turns on the TV in the middle of the entertainment center and the game loads. He’s just about to pick his character for the game when the doors to the room burst open. Standing in the doorway is Tohma Seguchi, and he is fuming.

“Ryu, I want to talk to you!” He shouts and casts a glare upon the two slaves. “Get them out of my sight!”

Ryuichi gapes at his friend. He’s never seen Tohma this angry, at least not directed towards him. He motions to the seated pair. “Go into the bedroom and close the door. I need to talk to Seguchi-san alone.”

Hiro and Shuichi scramble to their feet, bow and practically run into the bedchamber, and close the door.
They place their ears to the door and listen to the exchange between the two Masters.

“Welcome home, Tohma. It’s good to see you, too. I hope you enjoyed your trip to China.” Trying to defuse his friend, Ryuichi asks as innocently as possible. “What’s the matter?”

“What’s the matter? How could you do it? Why did you do it?” Questions start flying from Tohma’s mouth faster than Ryuichi can assimilate them. “Did you think I wouldn’t find out about this? How could you go behind my back and buy Hiro from Taki-san? Whose idea was it to take K?”

When he finally takes a breath, Ryuichi has the time to start answering. “Calm down Tohma. You’ll give yourself a stroke. I did it because I wanted Shuichi to be happy being here. I knew you wouldn’t want me to do it, so I didn’t tell you. It’s that simple.” Ryuichi is no longer in a good mood, and it’s showing on his face and in his voice. “You shouldn’t have sent Hiro away in the first place. Hell, you shouldn’t have taken him at all. But now that he’s here, I want him to be as happy as possible. He’s staying with Shuichi and me.”

Tohma can’t believe his ears. Ryuichi wants the slaves to be happy. “Ryu, he’s a slave. He doesn’t need to be happy. He needs to make YOU happy. Who’s the Master of this household, anyway?”

“Tohma, I never really wanted a slave. I wanted to get Shuichi away from you.” Ryu looks at his friend and sighs. “I saw him that day in the mansion and he was so sad. You were yelling and telling K-san to beat him until he learned his lesson. I decided then to get him away from you. You can be so cruel sometimes.”

Tohma Seguchi is speechless, probably for the first time in as many years as Ryuichi has known him.

“Tohma, I’ve put up with your slave business for many years and never said a word. I watched you take so many young men and peddle them off like cattle. You’re little better than a pimp to the rich sex perverts all over the world.” Ryuichi stares at his friend’s gaping mouth. “I decided that enough is enough, and if I can’t stop it altogether, I would at least help one of your victims. Shuichi should never have been here, and you know it. Hiro got thrown in to keep Shuichi in line.”

How dare Ryuichi Sakuma try to dictate what Tohma Seguchi does! “Ryu, we’ve been friends for a long time. How can you stand there and try to tell me my business?” Tohma is about to explode. “Then, you go behind my back and involve Mika in your plot. I have never been so hurt by anyone in my life.”

“Tohma, I didn’t want to involve Mika. That was Eiri’s idea. I asked Eiri to help, because he knew Taki-san.” Ryuichi’s heart starts aching. “He just asked Mika to get you out of the country for a little while. I’m sorry you feel so hurt. We just knew that you wouldn’t let me do this. It was the only way.”

“And K, how did he get involved? He is my chief overseer, for Kami-sama’s sake!” Tohma’s not calming down.

“That wasn’t planned. K-san has been spying on me. Apparently no one trusts me.” Ryuichi has a sad look on his face. After explaining that he knows about his room being bugged, Ryuichi continues. “He overheard the plans when Shuichi and I were talking in the bedroom. He decided that it was too dangerous for Eiri and me to do alone. He was looking out for us. He knew if we got hurt, you’d get angry. Just look at how you’re reacting now!”

Tohma knows his friend is correct. If anything happened to them, he’d be furious. K was right to go, but that’s irrelevant. “The whole scheme was uncalled for. If you felt that badly about the situation, you should’ve come to me. I wouldn’t have liked it, but I’d have taken care of it myself.” Tohma started to calm a bit. “I don’t know if I can forgive you so quickly for this. You betrayed my trust. That’s something no one has ever done before.” He takes a quick breath adding, ”and lived to tell about.”

Tohma sees a look of sheer panic come over his friend. What has he just said? Did he just make a threat to kill his best friend? Knowing he’s scared Ryuichi, he apologizes. “Ryu, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I just feel like you stabbed me in the back. That’s what hurts the worst. I can handle it better if Mika or K does something like this, but, not you. You’re my dearest friend and I thought you love me.”

“Tohma, I’m sorry. You know I love you more than anything, but I really feel strongly about this.” He is about to cry. “You know I can’t stand for anyone to be unhappy, and, well, Shuichi is going to be here for a long time. I want him to be happy here. He really missed Hiro and was sad all the time. I couldn’t stand all the sadness.” Ryuichi’s looking like a hurt puppy.

Tohma can’t stand to see his friend getting so depressed. He takes a deep breath and exhales slowly. How can he stay angry with his best friend? Seeing his friend, standing there with that painful look on his face, tears at his heart. Yes, he does have a heart. He loves Ryuichi more than anyone else in the world. If this truly makes his friend happy, then, he supposes he can forgive him this one indiscretion. “Promise me you’ll never, ever, do anything like this again.” Tohma approaches his friend and gives him a hug. As he steps back, he whispers in Ryuichi’s ear. “I’ll let this slide. Do it again, I’ll kill you.”

Ryuichi releases the hug completely and looks at Tohma’s face. Tohma starts smiling at him. After examining that smile he knows. Tohma really forgives him. “I promise.”

Tohma decides the matter is now closed and he’s made his point to Ryuichi. Nothing more needs to be said or done. He silently turns and walks out, leaving Ryuichi standing there, somewhat in a daze.
TBC