He knelt and sat back on his heels to wait, feeling a soft breeze from the air vent caress his naked body. He ignored it and concentrated on what he had done wrong. He knew his master would not be inclined to forgive so easily — he never were — and that he would have to show a great deal of repentance before forgiveness was gained.
Soft steps on the floor alerted him to his master's presence, but he didn't move a muscle and remained as he was. His back was straight, yet deferring, his head bowed, and his hands on his knees. A pair of shiny, black boots entered his view.
"Akudou," his master said.
So that was his name for the night. Bad boy. Yes, he had been a bad boy. Akudou slowly bowed forward until his forehead almost touched the floor, his hands resting lightly by his head, refusing the impulse to reach out the last two inches to touch his master's boots.
"You know why we are here." It wasn't a clear question, but he knew he had to give his master an answer.
"Hai, Nushi-sama." Nushi. A word that meant so many things. Owner. Master. Lover. God. And his master was all those, yes.
"Good. Tell me."
Akudou hesitated only for the briefest of moments before he quenched his pride and spoke. "I didn't see your suggestion as the order it was, and I embarrassed you, both by denying your will and by being firmer than I had to be." He thought he'd managed to summarize all his faults into that short presentation. "I deeply regret my offence against you, Nushi-sama, and gladly submit to whatever punishment you deem appropriate."
He knew they were walking a thin line in their relationship, but he couldn't imagine what his life would be if it ended. He knew that he would probably be dead by now if his master hadn't instigated it. His master was the second half of his soul: fire where he was ice, strong where he was vulnerable, light where he was darkness, and emotional where he was... detached. But due
to their dual-natured relationship, it was hard to know where the line was drawn. To treat his master publicly as a pupil was draining, and he so needed their privacy to help him relax. It had now been almost a week since they'd had time to be alone, and it had obviously been taking its toll.
"First of all, Akudou," his master said, "I think an apology with the concerned parties present would be in place, don't you think?"
Akudou shied from the thought of meekly apologizing before those two, but his master had said so, so it couldn't be helped. "Hai, Nushi-sama."
"Good. Second, I think you ought to make it up to me by pleasuring me until I tell you to stop."
"Hai, Nushi-sama," Akudou replied, sat up and walked forward on his knees to his master. Standing on his knees, he deftly unbuttoned his master's uniform jacket, and slid it down to catch it, fold it, and put it aside. Next came the shirt, which was as green as his master's eyes. Such a beautiful colour. The shirt, too, was neatly folded and laid aside on top of the jacket.
His master's torso was milky white and smooth. He was suddenly filled with an aching desire to worship the vessel that contained his master's soul.
As if he hadn't wanted to before.
He started from the waist, softly caressing the beauty he beheld, deftly avoiding the few spots where his master was ticklish. He followed his hands with his mouth, kissing and licking, nibbling carefully at the pinkish nipples. He reached out and combed the coppery golden hair between his fingers, delighting in the soft, silken touch of the curly tendrils, and his master's faint smile. It was with deepest regret that he sat down to return to the task of undressing his master.
With his mind he diligently formed something like a chair from air, gently prodding with it at his master's thighs once. His master sat down, and Akudou began removing his master's boots. They would have to be cleaned and polished again tonight. His master was quite pedantic when it came to appearances. At least his own. What would people say if they knew whom it was that polished his boots every night till they shone brighter than a star? What would they say if they knew whom it was that hand washed all the uniforms, with that cherry scented detergent that was so well associated with his master?
It was a daunting task of keeping his master comfortably seated while still submissively serving him. Air had never been his element. Fire he could handle without problem, as well as thunder. Darkness he excelled in, but air alone? No, it was definitely not his favourite element. And that was why it was all the more important to use it now, to show his master how much he cared, show him how determined he was to repent.
He took a deep breath, and then started to ease his master's pants off, adjusting the air seat with minute precision to accommodate to the removal. When he'd got as far as to his master's knees, he was damp with perspiration, and breathing heavily. He was inwardly grateful that that particular ordeal
was over.
"So dedicated," his master murmured in a humoured tone of voice, and he felt a flare of pride at his master's praise.
He gently slid the pants off, folded them and put them on the pile of clothes. Then he glanced up at his master. "If you would please go and lie down on the bed, Nushi-sama," he said deferringly, "I would be happy to give you some massage to relieve the tensions of the day."
"I prefer your own bedding, Akudou. Do you think you can handle it?"
Akudou paled a little at the thought of holding his master's body while giving him a thorough massage. It would be straining, and he wasn't sure whether it was possible, but he didn't want to fail his master. "I will do my best, Nushi-sama," he said.
His master was silent for a few moments, considering. "It will do," he said then. "Just remember to tell me if you find your hold slipping. I would not appreciate falling to the floor."
Akudou felt the blood drain from his face at that prospect, and nodded. "Wakarimasu, Nushi-sama."
"Good."
Akudou reached out with his mind and fetched the bottle of scented oil from the bath room, breathing hard from dividing his attention. Then he extended the cushion of semi-hard air so that it would support his master's length and braced himself for the added strain when his master lay down.
Once his master lay still and he had got used to the pressure on his mind, he rose and poured some of the massage oil into his hands. Rubbing them together to warm the oil to body temperature, he then proceeded to gently but firmly working those stiff muscles.
He took his time, knowing his master would tell him to stop when he deemed the time right. He felt such pride that he was allowed the feel of his master's body beneath his hands, and there was a certain satisfaction that he so far had been able to divide his attention between controlling the air and serving his master. On the other hand, it wasn't quite that hard to just hold it still. It was the moulding of air that was difficult. He wanted to give
his master a double massage, using the air as well as his hands, but he knew he wasn't up to that.
"Thank you, Akudou," his master said, and he blinked and removed
his hands. His master rolled over on his back. "You may continue."
Akudou did, gently working the muscles of his master's arms, chest and sides. He worked slowly, relishing in the time it took to reach his master's groin. He'd always been in awe of his master's beautiful cock, being of perfect length, slim like the rest of him. As always, he felt an acute need of having it inside him, of being well and thoroughly fucked, but restrained that feeling. Tonight was definitely not for him. If his master would take him, it would be to please himself.
He wrapped one hand around the currently soft and relaxed organ, and the other hand squeezed the balls oh-so-softly. And then he set out on making his master aroused instead of relaxed. His master made a low, contented sound, and Akudou smiled slightly. He bent forward and teasingly licked the cockhead a few times before taking him to the root. He had no problems at all with
that now, since it was still only half erect, but he planned on changing that. The hand that had previously worked the cock he slipped down between his master's thighs and further in between his ass-cheeks. Softly caressing the puckered hole there — he wouldn't enter, since he knew that it would not be appreciated — he felt his master's cock hardening in his mouth, forcing him to relax to be able to take it down his throat. He swirled his tongue around the shaft, tasting the soft, musky taste and smelling the faint trace of cherry blossoms.
He tongued his way up, finally only holding the head in his mouth, licking, giving the faintest scrape of his teeth to tease, and then he plunged back down, enjoying giving head. While licking down at the base, he swallowed, eliciting a gasp from his master. Akudou let his hands trail down his master's legs, caressing and worshipping, as far down as he could reach, and then up again. Up, beyond his master's crotch and up to his nipples, playing with them while he continued going down on his master.
"Enough," his master suddenly said, and Akudou reluctantly withdrew. He didn't allow his disappointment show, though, as he paused to see whether there were any further instructions.
"I believe," his master continued, "that we need relocation." He sat up and swung his slender legs over the edge of the air cushion.
"Hai, Nushi-sama," Akudou replied.
His master levitated down to the floor, and Akudou released his hold on the air with a silent sigh of relief. Then he followed his master to the bed.
Several hours later, Akudou was going on willpower alone, and had been doing so for quite a while. He desperately wanted to just sleep, but his master hadn't told him he could, or even that there had been enough pleasing, so he continued, though every muscle and mental facility ached with strain.
"Enough, Akudou," his master said softly, and pointed to the floor.
Akudou slid down onto the floor with relief, slipping into kneeling position not as easily as would have been preferred.
"You've pleased me well, Akudou," his master continued. Yet Akudou knew that his punishment was not through yet. As long as his master called him Akudou, he was not yet forgiven.
"I know you are eager for forgiveness, but I think you need something to remind you in public of our relationship."
"Hai, Nushi-sama," Akudou replied with a sinking heart, knowing exactly what the reminder consisted of. He knew that it would hurt, and that he wouldn't like it, but he also knew that it would be what was needed, and that once the reminder was there, he would be proud of it.
"Fetch the cane, Akudou."
"Hai, Nushi-sama," Akudou replied as he rose, his voice little more than a whisper. He crossed the room, and reverently opened the small illusionary locker with a gesture. Then he as reverently took the magically enhanced cane hanging there with both his hands, and carried it back to his master, presenting it to him kneeling.
"Stand against the wall."
"Hai, Nushi-sama." Again, Akudou rose, and this time walked to the wall, bending forward and pressing his palms against the wall, bracing himself.
"Count."
"Hai, Nushi-sama." That was something he didn't like, since it would force him to stay tuned in to the pain, and not float away on the endorphins.
He didn't have time to think of it anymore before he heard the half-second long swish that denoted the impending pain.
"One, Nushi-sama," he gasped when he could breathe again. He had barely time to catch his breath before fire again hit him, burning a line barely an inch from the last one.
"Two."
Due to counting, he knew exactly how many stripes of fire the cane burned across his buttocks and upper thighs. "Ten!" he managed in something like a mid-gasp, mid-wail. He tried to prepare for another, when he dimly realized that his master had dropped the cane, and then gentle arms straightened him up, and embraced him.
"There, there, Kun-kun," his master's voice whispered, and that was when he let go, and let his tears flow freely. He had endured, and finally his master had forgiven him.
"Aishiteru, Zoi-sama," he hiccuped between his sobs.
"I know, Kun-kun. Let's go to bed now."
"Hai, Zoi-sama." Gratefully, he followed his master to bed. He lay, exhausted, in his love's arms. His master caressed his hair gently.
"Sssh. Sleep now, Kun-kun. You've been wonderful tonight. Oyasumi nasai."
"Hai, Zoi-sama," he said, closed his eyes and instantly fell asleep.
"There you are, Zoisaito-kun."
Zoisite looked up at his mentor and smiled. He nodded to Nephrite and Jadeite and rose. "Hai, Kunzaito-sama?"
Kunzite nodded towards Nephrite and Jadeite as well, acknowledging their return nods and then turned to Zoisite. His face showed nothing, but his eyes flickered uneasily for a moment before he opened his mouth.
"I've been thinking, and... I think you had a point yesterday." In the corner of his eye he could see how Nephrite and Jadeite shifted in surprise. "I may have been premature in saying your idea was foolish."
Zoisite's eyes widened. "Kunzaito-sama? Is that an apology?"
Kunzite's jaw tightened undetectably. "It seems that way, Zoisaito-kun," he then said with a neutral smile, before taking half a step to the side, gesturing slightly towards the doorway he'd come through. "Now if you would be so kind as to come with me to the practice area, we might find a way to put your idea into action." It was not exactly a request.
"Hai, Kunzaito-sama," Zoisite replied, smiling, and strode out of the room. Kunzite followed, leaving two quite puzzled kings of Queen Beryl's army behind.
Owari
Notes
