Distractions

[ravery]

By the third day of the fourth week back home, Julius was feeling... drained.

He\'d forgotten just how taxing all of this internal politics could be; everything from the rumours of the court of his father\'s illness, to the damage control he\'d been required to conduct over his squire\'s previous behaviour, to the suspicions (and Julius found that these were the most ridiculous) that he might himself be a spy for Elaria\'s neighbouring nations. And he was still stuck on this Gods damned letter to Doctor Galen Boivin, for his own less than... admirable behaviour. He couldn\'t believe that he\'d allowed himself to act in such a crude, unthinking way, and especially in the middle of the local market place too.

In short, Julius was exhausted, and his lack of sleep over the past week or so was not helping.

Pressing his fingers against the bridge of his nose, the knight exhaled slowly before turning his attention back to sheets of paper in front of him, mouth tightening into a scowl as he struggled to find suitable words. Dear Doctor Galen? No, that was far too familiar. To Mister Galen Boivin? ... No, he needed to include the man\'s title in there. Addressed in absolute humbleness and fidelity to a certain  Mister Doctor Galen Boivin from his loyal servant, Julius Brodwick of the King\'s Guard?

Talon save him. This was just getting ridiculous.

Shaking his head to try and clear it, Julius glared down at the sheets of paper for a moment in the attempt to will the letter to write itself before snorting softly, sliding his chair back. He was never going to get anywhere with this letter if he didn\'t find some way to get his thoughts in order, and at the moment, he was just too damn distracted. Pushing himself up, the knight stretched absently before pulling a face at his doublet, fingering at the buttons leading towards the overly-stiff collar as he walked around his study desk towards his door. His clothes were obviously not helping. He had no idea why anyone would willingly subject themselves to such gaudy, starchy attire.

Opening the door to his study and stepping back out into the hall, Julius decided he might as well take a break and get changed. It was a pleasant enough day outside, and a walk through the countryside might help to clear his head.

[w0rmy]

Dee was worried. He half regretted saying those words to Robin, especially the ‘cock’ bit. That wasn’t a good move. Robin was going to tell Julius how rude he had been and then force him to apologise, all that boring stuff. Dee sighed lightly but continued to hold Blake’s hand, he wasn’t about to let go just because they were in public. Anyway, it was no one’s business except theirs. Only a few feet ahead, two girls saw the linked hands and began to whisper eagerly to one another, Dee made a face at them. He didn’t like people gossiping but at the same time, the boy felt pleased. He was happy to be with Blake again, he had missed the boy. Dee squeezed Blake’s hand.

As they grew closer to Brodwick manor, the knot in Dee’s stomach tightened. Despite the fact he was happy being with Blake, he didn’t want to see Julius. That is, he didn’t want to make his Knight stressed again. God, the boy was talented at making Julius stressed. He didn’t do it on purpose… most of the time.  

Julius’s dwelling was now in sight, Dee had it in mind to tell Robin not to stress Julius. “What he will he do?” Dee lent in close to Blake, whispering into other’s ear. “If he does anything, I will not be happy.” He looked over to Robin, eying the man’s back with dislike.

[DoTheLimbo]

The trip had taken around forty minutes due to Robin having trouble with the little tips of direction Dee reluctantly gave him now and then. His cheeks were softly flushed at the walk, but only from endorphins. He carried the boy’s equipments over his back. Glancing around as they approached the manor, Robin looked over his shoulder at the two boys. He kept his gaze on Dee, wondering exactly what the boy’s story was. Robin was also curious as how the two met. After all squires usually are a tad too busy to associate with noble boys. The instructor shifted the equipment on his back before bringing his attention back to how he was going to introduce himself to this knight.

Blake kept his hand grasping Dee’s hand. His eyes continued to glance at the other boy. For a few quiet minutes when they were walking, he could have sworn it was all a dream. Not many of the few boys he got involved with ever would let him hold their hand in public. They were all worried about their image, reputation, and families. Blake scoffed to himself at the thought.

As they reached the manor, Robin suddenly stopped in his tracks. His delicate hands went up to his hair, making sure it was neat and that his ribbon was perfect. After tapping the tip of his ring finger against his lower lip to check that his gloss was well done too, he continued on.

Blake looked over to Dee as the boy suddenly spoke up. He blinked before glancing at his instructor with a confused expression, “I actually have no idea.” He responded quietly, “This has never happened before. At least he never brought me along if he’s done this before.” Blake’s gaze lingered on Dee, his hand squeezing the other’s. “But I’m sure it’ll be alright.” Blake trusted his instructor and was sure that Robin wasn’t going to condemn them for their actions. If Robin wanted to punish Blake, he would have merely told his mother instead.

[ravery]

After having cleaned up and changed into more comfortable clothes, Julius was starting to feel a hell of a lot better about everything. Sitting himself down in one of the chairs not already occupied with books and travel bags, the knight tugged on his boots before pushing himself up again, brushing his shirt off absently and he headed towards the door. He was considering going to find Dee to ask if the boy would like to come with him, when he remembered the squire was already out, practising his archery.  Despite Julius\'s misgivings about letting the boy out of his sight, and especially after everything that had happened with Doctor Galen and Lord Dubhdara, the knight had decided that so long as Dee was doing something constructive, there could be no harm in allowing him at least a little independence.

Heading out through the doors of his bedroom and closing them quietly behind him, Julius made his way down the hall, stretching absently before tying his hair back with one of the cords he kept around his wrist. He was just about to head down the stairs when one of the maids caught his attention, dropping a quick curtsey before alerting that it appeared Dee would be arriving home shortly, at with a few guests too. Rather surprised at the news, Julius thanked the girl before stopping by the window, tilting his head and looking down through the glass at the pathway leading up to the manor. Why, the girl was right! There was Dee- he could never mistake that hair- with another short-ish boy, and a young man accompanying them.

As they drew closer to the house, Julius was able to make out a few more details. Dee appeared to be holding hands with the boy beside him. That was... strange. And worrying, given the number of arguments they\'d had about the squire\'s social life. Frowning a little, Julius paused for a moment, trying to place where he had seen the other boy before, before just blinking when he realized it was the curly haired boy from the disaster at the Pencawr Manor.

This could not be a good sign. Straightening and stepping back from the window, Julius turned to continue on down the stairs, running his fingers over the stair banister absently and worrying at the inside of his lip. He didn\'t want to jump to conclusions. He\'d already proven to himself that doing so generally lead to even more trouble, and Julius was already up to his neck in it.

[w0rmy]

Dee sighed as Blake spoke. So this has never happened before? Great. He shifted on the spot, irritably running his hand through his hair. This was a situation he would rather not be in. Never the less, he kept his grasp onto Blake’s hand.

As the three waited, Dee wondered vaguely how Julius would respond to this. Oh, plus the fact that Blake and he was linking hands. And anyway, it wasn’t as if Blake was thirty or something ridiculous like that, in fact, the boy was only a year younger than him! Oh Talon, Dee’s eyes widened slightly. He had just remembered that Blake thought Dee was seventeen, not fifteen! Oh Talon…

Dee looked down at Blake nervously, imagining what the reaction would be when he found out. There might be yelling… or that soft, angry talking which Dee detested. The only reason he had lied was to make Blake feel better. How would Blake feel if his father had slept with a fifteen year old boy? Dee shuddered slightly.

“Is Julius there?” Dee asked impatiently, whipping his hair back. “If he isn’t…” He didn’t finish his sentence. He could have sworn he saw a figure in the window…

Talon damn it!

Julius was, indeed, here. Dee bit his tongue and waited for his knight’s arrival.

[DoTheLimbo]

Robin reached the door, knocking lightly on it with his knuckles. He stood, his posture trying to make his small frame as tall as possible. His hazel eyes flickered about the manor, admiring it. It didn’t take long until the door was open by a servant. Robin spoke up as soon as he saw the servant, “I’d like to speak to… Julius Brodwick.” He said, remembering the name from his thoughts. Robin leaned in just a bit, his eyes catching a figure on the staircase. He spoke up a bit loudly, “This is Mister Robin Chaput,” He waited for a few seconds for the figure to reach the lobby. As soon as Julius was in hearing, Robin glanced down the other. He was sure that this must be the knight. Robin could tell by the figure’s contours. He had been in the sporting world long enough to tell the difference of one proficient in sports and especially swordsmanship by just a mere glance. Robin continued, “I’m here to speak about his squire, Dee.”

Blake kept a hold of Dee’s hand as they stopped in front of the manor. He glanced at Dee before looking back towards the door. Blake really didn’t know Julius all that well. He knew that it was this man that took Dee away from him however. Frowning at the memory, he bristled a little bit. His hand squeezed Dee’s painfully this time, feeling a similar feeling to jealousy wash over him. He wondered if Dee had ever slept with the man. Blake glanced at Dee as he thought about this. It would explain why Julius seemed so protective of Dee when Galen was trying to help after the dinner. He waited to listen to what Robin was going to say.

[w0rmy]

(lol...so, I\'m an idiot and accidentally replied. XDDDD I hope you don\'t mind. I DIDN\'T MEAN TO...)

Dee started when Blake had squeezed his hand. He looked down at the boy, his forehead slightly creased. Dee looked over the other, trying to figure out Blake was thinking. It was impossible tell. He gently squeezed the other’s hand, his thumb stroking the flesh. Even though Dee wasn’t able to tell what Blake was thinking, he could tell by the look on his face that it wasn’t a happy thought.  

Once the door had opened, Dee had tugged Blake forward and slipped past Robin. He didn’t wait for the man. He couldn’t bother being polite now, it was far too much effort. Dee wished this wasn’t happening, he wanted to be alone with Blake. Dee looked back at Blake, his odd eyes twinkling, the corners of his lips curling. It was obvious what was on the squire’s mind. He hoped that Robin and Julius would talk in private. If they did, who knows what the boys could get up to!

Dee was so rapped up in his thoughts, he didn’t notice Julius walking towards them. With a free hand, he twirled Blake’s locks with his finger. He had forgotten how soft it was. “You’re hair smells like pineapple. Where did you get such a shampoo?”

[ravery]

(edited: ack! Sorry, didn\'t see your reply, w0rmy. Lemme just edit my post, alright?)

Heading down the stairs to greet his visitors, Julius frowned slightly as the  man he\'d seen approaching earlier offered his name. Mister Robin Chaput? The name wasn\'t familiar to him at all, but then again, that wasn\'t very surprising. Julius had been decidedly absent in certain circles, much to his father\'s chagrin. He hoped that he hadn\'t already been introduced to the man, as it would be unforgivably rude of him to forget someone, but then again, he doubted very much that a complete stranger would know where he lived. Unless, of course, Dee had brought him there. There was always that possibility.

Straightening his shirt absently as he stepped into the lobby, Julius raised an eyebrow, finally close enough to see his guests properly. Dee was there with the boy from before, and with a small frown, Julius noted that their hands were still linked. He had not previously thought that Dee and Blake would have had such a connection but, well, there they were. And he doubted very much that that sort of contact- especially such blatant contact- was entirely platonic. Frown deepening as Dee reached a hand up to play with the other boy\'s hair, Julius found that his suspicions were confirmed. Damn it, there was another guest, right there next to him! The boy didn\'t even think! Inwardly cursing at his squire\'s lack of consideration,  Julius turned his attention back to his other visitor before blinking in slight surprise.

The young man he\'d seen from the window was strikingly attractive up close, with hair unusual enough for Julius to know that he definitely had not met the man before, as he would have remembered him if he had. Feeling somewhat self-concious all of a sudden given his less than formal clothing, he straightened a little before giving his visitors a short bow.

“Sir Julius Brodwick, at your service,” he said, inwardly cringing a little at how awkward he still was when it came to introductions.”To what do I owe this visit?”

[DoTheLimbo]

Blake giggled when Dee began to play with his hair. His eyelashes fluttered flirtatiously towards the boy. He was enjoying such young displays of affection. It made him feel important and special. The fact that Dee blatantly ignored his knight too caused a surge of accomplishment in Blake’s chest. He smiled sweetly at the other’s question, “A shop at the markets. I could show you it sometime.” Blake did not mind his instructor or the knight. His instructor was used to Blake, therefore no manners were needed between the two in such a situation. The knight, Blake did not care for and was going to make it as obvious as Dee had made it that he didn’t care for Robin.

Robin watched the two boys go ahead into the house and followed hesitantly. He kept an eye on the boys for a few seconds. Robin wasn’t sure if he wanted them to run off, but then again he supposed it would be best if he spoke to Julius in private. He brought his attention back to the knight, his charming smile beaming. Robin noticed the other seemed a bit awkward, but didn’t mind. He enjoyed it when nobles seemed actually human opposed to perfect mannered robots.

Reaching out to shake Julius’s hand, he continued to smile, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He responded before continuing, “I came to speak to you about your squire, Dee. He came to an archery lesson with Blake today. I am Blake’s archery instructor. I just would like to talk to you about some concerns I have.” He glanced towards the boys before looking back at the knight, “If we can, I’d like to speak in private.”

Blake glanced over at Robin hearing the word ‘private’. He looked back at Dee with a small mischievous smile playing on his pouty lips. His fingers played with the other’s hands. The boy didn’t even bother to say hello to the knight. After all, it was Robin that wanted to speak to Julius, Blake could care less. Though the boy was a tad curious as to what Robin was going to talk about.

[w0rmy]

Dee smiled widened. He liked seeing Blake giggle. He continued to play with the boy’s hair, twining his index finger within the curls and then releasing it. Dee couldn’t take his eyes off the other, there were urges rampaging throughout his body. He stopped playing with Blake’s hair, his hand had now drifted down to the other’s waist, his fingers gripping the fabric. “Yes.” Dee had forgotten where they were. And whom they were with. It was as if, the two boys were in their own little fantasy world. He squeezed Blake’s waist. “I would love to go with you to the markets.”

Despite how much he wanted to stay in the fantasy realm, he was snapped back to reality upon hearing Julius. Dee kept his hand on Blake’s hip, he knew Julius would disapprove but… but he couldn’t help it. It had been far too long since Dee had actually touched Blake, it felt far too nice to stop now.

“Hello Julius.” Dee said, odd eyes twinkling. Even though he wanted to keep all of his attention on Blake, he supposed talking a little wouldn’t hurt. “So you’re going to talk in private? I’ll take Blake to the kitchens, I’m hungry. Are you hungry, Blake?” Dee looked back at his companion, “Come on, let’s go!” He tugged on Blake’s hand, running towards to the kitchen. He wanted to leave before Julius could have a chance to speak. The little bastard.

[ravery]

Raising his eyebrows at Dee\'s smirk, Julius\'s eyes narrowed, realizing that the boy had no intentions of sticking around for an answer. He watched both Dee and Blake head further into the house, tilting his head as his frown deepened a little.  Their behaviour had been exceptionally rude- almost foppish, with all of that bouncing and pouting- and more than a little inappropriate given their positions.  If it weren\'t for the fact that Mr Chaput was still standing there, Julius would have stopped them both and asked them to explain exactly what they thought they were playing at. Of course, he highly doubted that either one of the boys would bother stopping, and unfortunately, Mr Chaput was still standing there.

Sighing softly and rubbing at his forehead as he watched the boys go, Julius shook his head again before looking back at the other man. He was met with a rather bright smile, which came as a surprise. It had been a while since Julius had a smile like that directed at him (well, there was always Dee, but Dee didn\'t count), and Julius wasn\'t entirely sure why it did nothing but make him feel even more ungainly.

Blinking and looking down at the hand being offered to him, Julius made a face at himself before returning the Mr Chaput\'s smile and shaking his hand, albeit awkwardly. At the other man\'s words, Julius\'s smile lessened a little before tightening into a frown again, and letting go of Mr Chaput\'s hand, he stepped back, nodding and gesturing for the other man to head into one of the waiting rooms. He certainly didn\'t like the sound of what he suspected Mr Chaput\'s  had come to talk to him about, and if he was right about Blake and Dee, he doubted very much that it would result in anything positive.

At least the other man seemed pleasant enough, though. It had been some time since he\'d actually spoken to someone here who didn\'t end up a mad-man or a complete and utter bore, and Mr Chaput\'s hair was rather fetching. “A pleasure to meet you too,” he said as he followed the other man into the waiting room, pausing for a moment before closing the doors behind him. “Please, take a seat. Can I offer you a drink?”

[DoTheLimbo]

Blake felt a happy shock run through his spine when Dee touched his hips. He was enjoying the complete attention and it showed in his face, which was practically glowing. He glanced over at Julius to follow Dee’s sudden switch in attention. He gave Julius a rather pouty, smug look as if teasing the other. Blake placed a hand on Dee’s chest lightly before nodding at Dee’s words. Of course, he was hungry. The boy leaned forward as Dee suddenly tugged at his hand, easily keeping up with Dee to go to the kitchen.

Robin watched the boys’ actions with his smile still in place. He clicked his tongue in habit as the two ran off. Once Julius had shook his hand, he let it fall in front to clasp at his other hand. His hazel eyes scanned the knight, finding the awkwardness of the other rather refreshing compared to most uptight and formal knights. He wondered why Julius seemed much more worldly than the knights he saw around Oberon. The frown didn’t throw him off as he continued to smile.

Following Julius into the waiting room with his bouncy skip of a step, he looked around the room. After a second, he went to a wall. The man set down the boys’ archery equipment gently on the floor before looking back over. At the offer of a seat, he sat down. His ankles crossed as he sat down. He flipped his hair before placing his hands down neatly in his lap. Smiling, he shook his head, “That’s quite alright…Lord Julius?” He spoke the latter word as a question, finding that he wasn’t sure how to address the other man. Robin wasn’t sure if Julius was a sir or a lord, he went for the better one just to make sure his mistake wouldn’t be too terrible.

Once settled in his seat, he glanced around the room as he began to speak, “I came to talk to you about Dee.” He brought his gaze to Julius, “I just met him today, but his relationship towards Blake is very obvious. As I have been a mentor to Blake for a few years now, I am also interested in the wellbeing of his close…” Robin paused, his smile disappearing as he tried to think about how to word his thoughts, “the boys he is close to.” His thumbs began to twirl absently as he questioned Julius, “As the boy’s mentor, are you aware of Dee’s relationships?”

[w0rmy]

Dee didn’t bother to see if the coast was clear. His urges were far too strong to be thinking right. As soon as the entered the kitchen, Dee pushed Blake onto the wall. He cupped the other’s cheek, then running it down towards the contour of the boy’s shoulder. Yes, it had been far too long since their last physical encounter. “Blake.” Dee dropped his hand, wrapping it around Blake’s waist. “It’s been far too long since we… since our last encounter.” The bandaged hand had now joined the other, bringing Blake closer. As soon as their bellies touched, a delightful shiver galloped up his spine.

Dee couldn’t take it anymore. He kissed Blake’s neck. He had forgotten how soft the boy’s flesh was. The kisses at first were quite gentle but as time went by, they grew rougher. Dee even delivered a love bite. “Mnn, Blake.”

From the neck, the squire moved up to the lips. Dee wrapped his arms around Blake even tighter. Even though it had just started, little moans of pleasure rumbled deep from his chest. It was obvious that Dee had been yearning this… for quite a while. He was pretty sure Blake felt the same way. He just had to.

[ravery]

Rolling his eyes at the sound of the boys scampering off down the hall, Julius turned back to his guest, blinking as the other man set the equipment he\'d been carrying down. He shifted a little uneasily as he watched Mr Chaput take his seat, tugging his own shirt down absently in the attempt to make himself look more presentable. It wasn\'t very likely that the man had come with very good news if he wanted to talk to Julius about Dee, regardless of how fond the knight was of his squire, and regardless of how polite Mr Chaput was being.

Nodding slightly at the other man\'s question, Julius bit the inside of his lip out of nervous habit before sighing softly, pressing his fingers against the crooked bridge of his nose in the attempt to keep a hold on his temper. Talon damn it, he was just about at his wit\'s end when it came to Dee. He\'d tried  and tried and tried to get through to the boy, but no matter what he did, it didn\'t seem to have any effect. He honestly did not know what else to do with his squire anymore.

“Yes,” he said slowly, finding it a little difficult to meet the other man\'s eyes all of a sudden. “I... Yes, I am. I apologize if my squire\'s behaviour has offended you in any way.”

[DoTheLimbo]

Blake gasped when he was suddenly pushed into the wall the second they entered the kitchen. He quivered with excitement from the action. He glanced over Dee’s shoulder, noticing a figure in the back but when he was pulled closer to Dee he had no choice but to look at the other boy. He couldn’t but help and grin up at Dee, knowing exactly what was on the other’s mind.

Placing a hand on the other’s chest, Blake softly moaned when Dee kissed his neck. His thoughts of being angry at Dee disappeared for the moment of lust. While he had also been angry since the dinner, since the hunting trip Blake had been longing to be with the boy again. There were so many other things he wanted to try.

“Dee,” Blake gasped at the bite, his hands moving to wrap around the other’s neck. His back arched, leaning in closer to the other, his head tilting so that his neck was more accessible.  Kissing Dee back with force, his nails dug into the other’s back. The cloth underneath his fingers however made a flashing memory of his ripping of Dubhdara’s arm. At the memory, anger resurfaced over the lust. Bringing his hands to Dee’s chest, he pulled away. Pushing the other away from him, he stepped away from the wall. “No.” He said curtly, an angered pout on his lips. The boy crossed his arms over his chest as if trying to make a barrier from him and the other boy.

Meanwhile, Robin watched as Julius seemed to listen with great concentration. It looked as if what the instructor was saying was nothing new, and probably a tad wearisome. Robin’s expression disappeared into a slightly serious one. Taking a deep breath, he watched the other look away as if ashamed for the answer. Robin, however, listened to the man’s apology before flicking his hand at the wrist, “Oh,” He couldn’t help but suddenly giggle, “No no! I’m not offended at all.” Robin shrugged in a light-hearted manner, “Boys will be boys. I just wanted to make sure you were aware and supportive. I’m hoping that you act as Dee’s mentor in the manner or that at least he has a good role model to follow after so he still grows up respectable.” He paused, now smiling, “Though I must say that I think you should have a talk with him about jealousy. It looks like that may get him in trouble if he continues to be in a relationship with Blake.” Robin spoke frankly and without hesitation, it was obvious that homosexuality even between young boys was no strange issue to him.

[w0rmy]

Dee hadn’t noticed the figure and even if he did, he wouldn’t have cared. The lust within was over whelming and there were so many things he wanted to with Blake, even if it meant doing it right here in the kitchen. Suddenly, Julius’s face came to mind. How would the man feel if he found two boys now? Shock and once he recovered, proceed to pull them apart. Dee hoped that didn’t happen, he had waited too long.

When Blake arched his back, his grip had tightened. He never, ever wanted to let the boy go. Dee returned Blake’s kisses with the same enthusiasm, entering his tongue into the other. Oh Talon! More little pleasurable sounds could be heard, Dee as obviously enjoying the experience. But then, to his displeasure, the kissing had stopped. Why? Dee’s face fell with confusion and disappointment, did he do something wrong? Judging by those previous moans, he hadn’t… but the look on Blake’s face, it wasn’t a happy one.

“No?” Dee scratched the back of his head, confused. “Why not?” He wished Blake wouldn’t pout like that, it was distracting. Dee lifted his hand and played with Blake’s curls, “Come on. Please, Blake.” The kissing had to continue! But, he was a tad curious about the other’s behaviour. What would cause such abruptness?

[DoTheLimbo]

Blake flipped his curls out of the way, only letting Dee touch them for a second. He took another step away. The pleading that left Dee’s lips made Blake’s position of anger falter a bit. Not showing the falter in his expression however, he spoke up, “You just left me.” His tone was quiet but deadly. He didn’t bother to explain that he was talking about the dinner.  The boy kept his arms crossed, “You just left me all alone with my father.” His foot suddenly tapped against the floor. He expected an explanation before anything went even further.

He brought a hand up to start twirling a curl as he pouted at the other. Dee had better have a good explanation, reason, excuse, apology or whatever. Blake wasn’t about to let the boy have anything more until he got some sort of promising words that it wouldn’t happen again. He hoped that Dee would figure it out, because inside he really wanted to continue with what they were doing.

[w0rmy]

Ah, so that was it. Dee’s hand fell, he rubbed it along his jaw line. The slight twinge of guilt that been hiding in the back of his mind, well, it came right into the open now. Yes, Dee had expected Blake to say this, but now? He had predicted the boy to say something ages ago, there was nothing in the letter either. The letter had simply an invitation to archery practise, nothing more.

“I’m sorry.” Dee spoke softly but unlike Blake, his voice was gentle. “I didn’t mean to, I didn’t know what to say.” He rubbed the side of his neck, thinking what to say next. Out of the corner of his eye, Dee could have sworn he saw figure. In any case, he chose to ignore as there more important matters at hand. “I just wanted to get out of there… I was… scared, okay? Fucking scared.” Dee frowned, looking away from the angry blue eyes. It had taken a lot of effort to admit that, Blake should consider himself lucky. “I felt terrible though. I didn’t like leaving you alone. I’m sorry. I’ll never do it again, I promise”

Dee fumbled with the hemming of this tunic and looked back at Blake. He took the other’s arms, gently tugging so that his lips met Blake’s forehead. “I told Julius about my social life you know.” The corners of his lips twitched, “He wasn’t happy. He was pretty angry. I also don’t think he was pleased about how I was acting…  I mean, how I was touching you like that. I don’t care though, I wanted to touch you.” Dee paused, his lips curling. “I still want to touch you… I’m finding it hard not to actually. You’re so fucking cute, I want to do everything to you. Everything.”

[DoTheLimbo]

Blake listened to Dee’s words. He waited on them as if Dee was about to give a final sentence to a trial. The boy’s blue eyes were wide as he watched the other’s expression for any hesitation. He kept his arms crossed as he considered Dee’s words. After a moment, he answered, “You didn’t. You didn’t even think about me at the time.” This time, the words were filled of hurt instead of anger.

At Dee’s tugging, Blake let the other kiss his forehead. Glancing up at the other, his expression softened for a moment. He blinked at the words social life. Blake wondered if that’s what it was called. He listened, a blush steadily gaining on his cheeks at Dee’s charming words. The boy however visibly bristled at the mention of Julius. He kept his arms crossed despite staying near Dee.

“Have you fucked this knight of yours?” He asked, taking the opportunity to get this jealous thought out of the way. Blake was unsure what he would do if Dee said yes. But he was sure that if the other said no, forgiving the other for leaving him behind was becoming steadily easier as his body longed to touch Dee again.

After a moment of consideration, he spoke up, “Everything?” His lips became especially pouty, “To just me?” He pointed at himself, before giggling softly, “And you want to touch me?” The boy leaned in, his mouth coming close to the other, “Then how about we play a very special game…”

[w0rmy]

Dee bit the inside of his lip. He didn’t like hearing the hurt in Blake’s voice. He sighed and apologised once more, meaning every word. “I’m really sorry, Blake.” Dee squeezed the boy’s arms lightly.

“Wh-what?” Dee stammered, shocked at the question. Was this… was this… wait what? He couldn’t believe Blake actually asked it! It almost sent him into a fit of giggles. Him and Julius? Together? Fucking? That very idea sent a chill down his spine. Yes, Dee liked Julius but the relationship was strictly platonic. Fucking Julius? Ugh! Dee shuddered again. “No! No, Blake!” He shook his head, “I have not fucked him and nor do I plan to.” He shook his head again, appalled at the thought.

 “Just you…” Dee faltered, Blake was pouting again. God, it drove him crazy! It he had to wait any long, Dee wasn’t sure what he would do. “Oh?” Raising an eyebrow, “A special game? How do you play and what are the rules?”

[DoTheLimbo]

Blake was happy to see the disgust in Dee’s face at the mention of fucking Julius. He smiled at this before continuing on.

He brought a hand to Dee’s chest, gently touching it before taking it away. He raised his hands up in the air as if surrendering, “Well here’s the game. You get to kiss me, and I get to kiss you.” Blake smiled in his mischievous way, “But, the catch is. Neither of us can touch each other while doing so. The first one to touch loses.” He leaned in closer to Dee, his lips in rather close proximity of the other’s, “The winner gets to do…” His voice became deeper and more teasing, “whatever he wants to the loser.” The last words were strung out and it seemed like an eternity for Blake to say.

After explaining the rules, Blake grinned and went, “Ready? Go.” Without giving time for Dee to do anything, Blake pressed his lips up against the other. Licking his tongue against the squire’s bottom lip, a soft gasp left his lips. His hands, however, stayed up in the air in a surrendering position as he kissed the other.

[w0rmy]

Dee listened carefully. With every word, the smile on his face stretched. It sounded fun and the prize was most tempting however, he knew he was going to loose. Dee loved touching.

“Sounds fun. I’ve never played it before.” In the past, Dee had played a few games but nothing like this. “Though, I think I might loose.” He giggled, not bothering to stifle it behind his fingers. There was no one around so why bother to hide it? If Dee lost, it wouldn’t matter. It’ll be interesting to see what Blake would do to him.

Before he could even make a reply, Blake had pressed his lips against Dee’s. He almost lost the game too. His hands were an inch away from the other’s shoulders! He moaned in frustration, the temptation was so strong.

As Dee rolled his tongue against Blake’s, his hands began to wonder again. He was terrible at this. With an obvious amount of effort, Dee snatched back his hands . He clenched the hem of his tunic, nearly ripping it. Blake was too good at this.  More moans could be heard deep from his chest, they wouldn\'t stop. Dee was about to give in.

[ravery]

Julius was a little taken aback by the other man\'s laughter, and lifting his head to watch him, the knight found himself smiling as well. Whilst Mr Chaput\'s honesty came as a surprise, it was rather refreshing, especially given the fact that so many people here in Oberon tended to avoid the truth if they could at all help it.

Shrugging slightly and taking the other man\'s lack of acknowledgement of his offer as a no, he turned to take a seat, settling down in one of the chairs opposite Mr Chaput quietly. His smile lessened a little as he listened to the other man speak, and bit the inside of his lip out of habit, still feeling a little awkward given the other man\'s obvious awareness of both his relationship with Dee and of Dee\'s relationship with... well, just about half the countryside, apparently.

“I... I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me about this, Mr Chaput,” he said, straightening his shirt absently. “To be honest, I\'ve been nearing my wit\'s end trying to find some way to deal with him. I\'ve been trying to be supportive, but nothing I say seems to be getting through to the boy.”

Frowning absently, he shook his head, rubbing at the back of his neck absently. “I know it sounds rather wretched of me, but I honestly don\'t know what to do with him anymore.”

[DoTheLimbo]

Blake couldn’t help but return the giggle. He kept his arms up, making sure that he wasn’t touching the other. As the kissing became more passionate, his fingers clenched before he placed his hands on the back of his head. Clenching at his curls, his tongue pressed against the other’s. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to win, since he was unsure what he would want to do to Dee if he won. Yet his stubbornness made him want to be the victor and so he put his best effort into it. Panting against the kisses, he stepped even closer to Dee so that their hips were touching. He wondered how soon would Dee give in.

---Meanwhile----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robin watched Julius as he sat down as well. His fingers tapped on his thigh lightly. He was very comfortable speaking with the knight about the matter. His smile didn’t falter at Julius’s less than enthused reaction. Robin had not expected the man to be entirely happy about the situation. After all, Dee’s jealousy was a problem but Robin wanted to make sure the basic groundwork of support and a mentor was there before he even began to talk more in-depth about the problem.

His smile went back into a polite, serious expression as Julius responded. Robin’s fingertips continued to tap on his thigh absently in thought. For the first time since he entered the room, a light frown appeared on his expression. It wasn’t a frown of anger or frustration but instead of confusion. He brought a hand up, flipping his bangs back. It appeared that Dee was quite the handful for Julius.

“Well, do you know how long exactly this has been going on?” Robin asked in a curious tone. He was unsure of when Blake and Dee had begun seeing each other, but right now his attention was on Dee. In the little time of knowing the boy, Robin had taken it upon himself to make sure that Dee was in a caring environment. He was aware what happened to confused, young boys who began relationships in families that were the opposite of caring or supportive. Having close experiences, Robin found that he could never let a boy stay in such a dangerous situation. While the instructor was sure that Julius seemed like he wanted to be supportive, the knight wasn‘t sure how. Robin’s confused frown disappeared for a moment and a small smile played upon his lips, “How active are you in being the boy’s role model? Has he been able to see how you act around situations such as parties, get-togethers, or meeting lovers?” He was aware the latter was a tad bit odd for some people, but it was also important to know if Dee had taken any information from taking part in such a scene.

[ravery]

Despite being rather grateful to Mr Chaput for how polite and understanding he was being, Julius couldn\'t help but feel a little disturbed that Dee\'s age didn\'t seem to be an issue for him. He didn\'t want to offend the other man though, especially given the fact that he\'d come all the way out just to speak to him, and Julius knew that things could be much, much worse considering the situation.

Watching as the man\'s long fingers tapped against his thigh for a moment, Julius then looked back up at Mr Chaput, wondering why he was continually being caught off guard by the red head\'s smile. It made him feel as if he could trust the other man, even though Julius knew that he had only really known him for less than half an hour, and that it would probably be unwise to do so straight off the bat. Then again, the man hadn\'t said or done anything malicious in the short space that they\'d been in each other\'s acquaintance, and from the sounds of things, he knew what he was doing.

Raising his eyebrows slightly at the next question he was asked, Julius sat back a little, not entirely sure what to make of such a personal inquiry. Whilst he was awkward about talking about such matters with someone who was essentially a stranger, he realized there was always the possibility that this Mr Chaput might actually be able to help him.

“Well,” he finally said after some thought, “no, I don\'t suppose I have been very active, to tell you the truth.” Shifting absently in his seat, he made a face at his hair, brushing it back out of the way and tightening the tie slightly to try and keep it out of his eyes. “I\'ve been out of the country for quite some time, you see, but the boy was quite adamant about staying in Elaria. I didn\'t want to force him to leave his friends and family behind.”

Fidgeting unconsciously with the hem of his shirt, the knight frowned slightly, tilting his head and watching the man opposite him. “And as far as I\'m aware, he has been... pursuing these activities for just over a year.”

[DoTheLimbo]

Robin’s fingers continued to tap against his thigh as he watched Julius’s expression. He could sense weariness, awkwardness, and uncertainty in the man. Despite this, Robin was glad to see that Julius was being compliant in answering his questions. He knew it could be much worse, such as being thrown out and banned from the manor. Robin was glad that Julius was accepting the conversation and seemed to truly want the help.

As Julius sat back, Robin instead leaned forward. His elbows propped on his knees, as he watched the other with complete attention. The instructor’s foot began to tap gently in a fidgety sort of way. Robin almost felt like he should stand up and pace as the two talked, but he stayed sitting.

Robin watched as the knight played with his hair as he talked. His foot continued to twitch absently as Robin listened. He leaned back at the confirmation that Julius was not an active role model for Dee. Putting his index finger against his cheek in thought, he hummed softly. The absence due to traveling, though Robin barely knew Julius or Dee, explained a lot and let him know more about the situation. He softly clicked his tongue as if disapproving of Julius’s words.

“Just over a year…? And I figure he’s around Blake’s age, perhaps… fifteen?” Robin asked, certain that he was close to the boy’s age. The instructor paused before suddenly speaking up, “By ‘these activities‘, you are suggesting that Blake isn’t his first relationship, correct?” Robin wasn’t surprised to hear this idea but he wanted to make sure that he was correct in his assumptions. He stopped twitching his foot, shifting his legs so that the ankles were no longer crossed. The instructor decided to continue on before Julius answered the last question, “I figured so, the way he spoke towards me and his jealousy factor seemed much more serious and sophisticated for a couple young boys’ puppy love.” His index finger tapped his cheek, “I am thinking that Squire Dee needs a constant male role model in his life that he can look up to and follow so he doesn’t fall into a scandalous lifestyle.” Robin spoke with so much confidence that it was obvious by the tone of his voice that he must have had personal experiences pertaining to the situation.

[ravery]

Julius raised an eyebrow as the Mr Chaput\'s apparent level of confidence contrasted with his continual fidgeting. He still wasn\'t entirely sure what to make of this man- as attractive as he was, and as charming as he was being, Julius doubted it would be a wise decision to trust him completely, especially given the fact that he\'d known him for less than a day. Then again, what he was saying was valid, and it appeared the other man had had at least a little personal experience with these matters. Settling back in his seat, the knight tilted his head, watching as the other man\'s foot started to twitch.

“You clearly have had previous experience in this matter,” he said, choosing his words carefully. Whilst it did worry him that the other man appeared to have experience in handling children in these sorts of situations (what sort of children did this Mr Chaput tutor, after all?), he didn\'t want to offend him. “And yes, Dee is fifteen. I was just about to- oh.”

Blinking as he was cut off before finishing his sentence, the corner\'s of Julius\'s mouth tightened slightly into a small frown. Despite being rather glad for Mr Chaput\'s advice, he couldn\'t help but feel a slight twinge of annoyance at the fact that this man obviously thought he had all the answers to everything. However, knowing full well that getting irritated would do nothing to solve the matter, he shook his head clear of the thought, instead sitting up a little in his seat to watch the other man move.

He waited till the other man paused for breath before speaking up. “I\'m grateful to you for your help, Mr Chaput. However, I must admit, I have no idea as to where I might start.” He shifted, brushing his shirt down absently before continuing. “My traveling has already been put on hold for an... indefinite amount of time, but... But I would be most obliged if we could further discuss how I might go about this. If you have the time, of course.”

Along with the twisting irritation he was determined to ignore, there came another feeling, dangerously close to humiliation. Julius had never really seen much shame in asking for help before, but this just made him feel... well, useless.

[DoTheLimbo]

Robin had noticed Julius’s little twitch of annoyance a tad bit late. He returned the small frown with a much softer version of his own. The instructor wasn’t sure why Julius was annoyed, but decided perhaps it was just the whole situation that was making the other uncomfortable. He leaned back, wondering if he should back off for now. Or perhaps he shouldn’t have made it seem like Julius wasn’t an adequate role model. Robin had a hunch that Julius would be a fine mentor for Dee, if trained right in the complexities of Dee’s lifestyle.

He watched the other brush off his shirt before nodding at Julius’s words. Robin’s frown disappeared and was replaced by a thoughtful expression. The instructor brought his gaze away from the knight and placed it on the ceiling instead. Letting a deep sigh pass his lips, he stared upwards as if looking for a solution up there. His finger absently wandered to start twirling a strand of hair. The silky strand flipped around his index finger with sharp movements. His tongue clicked the roof of his mouth before he spoke up, “Well, of course. I always have time for boys in need. I…” Robin stopped, apparently lost in thought.

It took him another minute before he brought his gaze back to Julius. He offered another polite smile, “First of all, it’s important to know that past experiences, or one might call them mistakes, are learning opportunities. Reassure him that you understand everyone is human and our actions make us who we are.” Robin paused again, his finger giving a final flip on his hair before he set his hand back down on his thigh. “I need to know, do you have any anger pent up against Dee? If that’s the case, then you will first have to sort out your emotions before you can truly talk to Dee as a mentor.” Robin quickly added on, “That is, I am assuming that you want to help Dee as a mentor, am I correct?”

[ravery]

(Hey, guys. I\'m really sorry it\'s taken me so long to reply, our net down here has been ridiculously sporadic.)

Julius watched quietly as his guest appeared to give the situation some serious thought, and did his best to keep from raising an eyebrow at just how effeminate the other man\'s movements were. It was clear that the other man took great care to maintain such an appearance- the man\'s posture and the way his hands constantly fluttered up to toy with his fringe reminded Julius of those painted and strangely sexless boys he\'d seen in the Middle East, or like the women that they served. It was a little distracting, and Julius wasn\'t quite sure what to make of a man who acted more like a woman than anything else. Then again, if Mr Chaput  did follow that sort of lifestyle, like Julius suspected, his experience with people in Dee\'s and Blake\'s situation would be accounted for, at the very least.

Inwardly making a face at himself, Julius settled back. It wasn\'t really any of his business anyway.

He shrugged slightly at the other man\'s question, shaking his head and folding his hands in his lap, returning his guest\'s polite smile. “No. I\'m not angry with the boy,” he said, and was rather surprised to find that that was true. “I\'m... frustrated with him. And worried. But not angry.”

He shifted, bringing a hand up and rubbing at his forehead absently, trying to ward off the headache that had been threatening to grow for the past hour. “And I have been trying my hardest to let him know that I honestly don\'t care about his chosen lifestyle. It\'s just difficult when nothing I say seems to get through to him.”

[DoTheLimbo]

Robin watched Julius shrug and shake his head. He was glad to hear the answer and showed it with his smile. The instructor nodded. Frustration was normal and he was happy to hear the other was concerned. There were too many mentors in charge of young men that would merely be angry and kick them out. It was refreshing to hear the knight seem so open to the whole situation. Robin wondered if the knight had any experience in the lifestyle. He glanced down the other’s body trying to sense any hints towards whether or not Julius shared Dee’s affinity for males or if he was like most knights and chased after female skirts.

He nodded lightly, “Have you tried disciplinary measures?” Robin asked lightly, “Such as taking away his favorite horse for a week or not letting him go out to social events or meet anyone for a bit until he decides to behave?” He put up his finger to show he wasn’t quite done speaking, “But while that is very important, it’s also important to reward him when he does well and let him know you appreciate him having a respectful lifestyle. Give him allowances or something of that nature.”

Robin paused for a moment, his hand rubbing his thigh absently for a moment before he shifted his legs. Crossing his ankles, he glanced around the room for a moment before bringing his gaze back to Julius, “I think it’s very important that you let him know you aren’t angry and just worried. But also at the same time, let him know he is still a child and you are looking out for his best interests to make sure he lives to be a healthy adult.” Robin’s expression turned a bit sad though there was still a smile on his lips, “Caring mentors are the only thing that keeps a child from following a path of destruction.” He gave a pause letting Julius speak. After a break in the speaking, Robin lightly mentioned, "Are you feeling alright?" It could easily be that the knight was merely overwhelmed at the whole situation, but Robin had to ask about the pained expression the man had made previously.

[ravery]

Julius bit the inside of his lip and returned his guest\'s smile as politely as he could. He was a little uncomfortable with the way the other man was studying him, as he wasn\'t especially used to such scrutiny. It reminded him of the way his father used to look at him when he came home from his trips, as if trying to determine whether or not the other nations had rubbed off on him and turned him strange. It wasn\'t a particularly nice feeling, but then again, he supposed the other man was simply trying to judge whether or not he was worth trying to help.

“I have tried disciplinary measures before,” he admitted, his stomach doing a small, guilty twist at the memory of the incident with the problem horse. “But I think you might be right about positive reinforcement. If anything, it will at least give him incentive to listen once and a while.”

Julius frowned slightly as his guest\'s smile turned a little sombre. He wondered why this man had taken such an interest in Dee, and why he\'d gone to such effort to advise Julius in how to handle the boy. Given Dee\'s behaviour before, he doubted his squire and this man had had a relationship, but, well, that was the thing, it seemed. He wasn\'t really sure of anything when it came to Dee these days.

Listening to the other man quietly, he settled his hands in his lap to keep them still. “He seems very much aware of the impact that his behaviour could have on his own well-being, as well as that of the people around him. He just doesn\'t seem to care about it. I\'ve tried to let him know that people here do worry about him, but honestly, that just seems to fuel it.” He gave a small smile. “And have you ever had any success in getting a child to accept that they\'re a child?”

Settling back in his seat, he blinked at the other man\'s question, before nodding slightly. “Oh. Yes. I\'m quite alright, thank you.”

It seemed a little rude to mention his headache, and so he didn\'t. He didn\'t want to make the other man feel unwelcome, especially when he had taken time out of his day to come and speak to him. However, the question of why Mr Chaput had even bothered at all was starting to bother Julius, and after a pause, he frowned slightly, tilting his head. “If you don\'t mind me asking, sir, why... have you taken such an interest in my squire?”

[DoTheLimbo]

Robin nodded, glad that the other understood the disciplinary measure approach. He had hoped that a knight, of all professions, would know how discipline works. But then again, Robin supposed it was a tad hard for some to translate discipline to children. Many people eased up on children because they seem weak. While it is important to be careful with children, they must still understand the world before they get themselves into any more trouble.

He listened to Julius carefully. Robin was sure that Dee did care deep down, but was just too stubborn to show people. Perhaps it stemmed to his family. Robin was aware noble families often were disconnected and broken, where the only way to get attention was from acting out and being stubborn. Dee needed to reprogram his thoughts to where he gets satisfaction from healthy relationships instead of ones fueled by immature stubbornness.

Robin glanced at Julius’s smile, wondering if it was happy or sarcastic. The next question however took his focus. His fingers tapped against his thigh as his thoughts ran. He nodded slowly, but allowed Julius to answer the question first. Robin was a tad worried that he was draining Julius’s energy. If the knight had more important things to do, Robin would feel bad for taking away his time. At the question, a flash of relief appeared on his face.

“Of course. I am an instructor for boys who go into sports thinking they can do what men can do. And if I have learned anything, it is that each boy is different in how he finally accepts the truth that he will have to wait till he grows up to say… javelin duel.” Robin tilted his head to the side as he answered the previous question Julius had asked. It was true, many boys wanted to javelin duel when he instructs them. It is simply not possible for boys under twenty to be in a real to-death javelin duel. Many boys acted stubborn, such as Blake or Dee, to get their way. Robin often had to teach these boys in a way that would show them that they were wrong and unfortunately it usually had to do with physical pain or humiliation. Both of which led to emotional pain until it broke down the stubbornness to surrender to humility.

He glanced over at Julius, watching the other frown. Robin hadn’t expected the next question. His lips pouted just a tad before he hummed softly in thought. Bringing a hand up, he began to twirl a strand of hair again, “Well,” He began, “I suppose, there are many reasons.” Robin replied, wondering if he should stop there. But Julius, as Dee’s mentor deserved more details, “First of all, he is involved with Blake who is practically my ‘squire’ in theory. Blake is already starting to show that he wants to go on a bad pathway. I hope that Dee will be able to keep him on the right path. But I suppose in order for that to happen, Dee has to be there as well.” He chuckled softly at this, there was something ironic about the situation between Dee and Blake, Robin just couldn’t pinpoint what it was. “And then, I am also naturally a rather helpful person. And all young boys are my children to me. I interact with them daily, I teach them everything I know, I make sure they are taken care of and that they will grow up well.” Robin nodded. The last thing he wanted to say, he debated on whether or not actually saying it. His hesitation was obvious in his expression and face before he finally decided on it. If Julius was going to listen to him, Robin figured the least he could do was be completely honest with the knight. “And Dee reminds me a little bit of myself when I was his age. I just want to make sure there is someone there for him, like there was for me.” Robin smiled at Julius in a sweet manner.

~~o0o0o0o0o~~

Blake continued to kiss Dee. His tongue rolling and darting against Dee’s. He gasped lightly, breaking the kiss for a second to get air before pressing their lips back together. Blake kept his eyes open, his gaze flicking down to watch Dee’s hands twitch and rip at his clothing. He could tell the other was getting very close to losing.

The boy smiled behind the kiss. He reached out suddenly, his hand going to rest gently on Dee’s crotch. His fingers stroked the cloth there. He broke the kiss yet again. “Oops.“ He said in a playful tone, “I guess I just lost.” Blake grinned. It was obvious that he had lost on purpose.

The red-head brought his other hand to rest on Dee’s chest. He moved to nibble at Dee’s ear before whispering, “I’m yours now.” Blake’s hands rubbed with a bit more pressure. It was easy to forgive Dee now, his body yearning for the other and overriding any sort of emotional grudges he was holding.