by Madam Blue
This is a work for private enjoyment and no money was made off these characters.
~Then~
Altair was bored.
Nothing quite seemed the same since Atlantis fell.
Oh, sure, the gods still gave their parties, typical Greek or Roman affairs... but they left him unamused. (Well, all except for Baccus's. No one else threw a party like that old letch.)
Finally the tedious monotony became too much and with a resigned sigh he kissed his favorite lover goodnight and let the earth reclaim him. Maybe things would be more interesting after a few centuries' nap. He slowly returned to his mother's embrace, sloughing off his mortal disguise and letting the secure bedrock's warmth lull him to sleep.
~Now~
Crashing timber echoed through cold mountain air as the last hell beast charged through the woods.
The five Ronins had been enjoying the final day of their camping trip when a shimmering gate opened above their heads and a dozen slavering beasts were dropped in their laps. Each the size of a wild boar with hateful red eyes and wicked long tusks, they charged the startled boys almost before they hit the ground. The rest of the day quickly degraded into a greased pig wrestling match from hell.
The hunt had started around noon and the sun was already sinking past the western range as they closed in on the last one. A barrage of arrows herded it down the mountainside, slipping and sliding on a suddenly muddy slope, tumbling to a stop just as the earth around it erupted. Great gouts of solid rock flew quicksilver fast up and over and around the beast, trapping and holding it still. Twin flashes of silver arced through the air from opposite corners and the beast's head went rolling.
He awoke with a jerk. It was the oddest sensation, almost as though someone had yanked the sheets right out from under him. Being as he was currently an incorporeal form, and the closest thing to sheets around him was the earth's own mantle, it would be an understatement to say his curiosity was peaked.
It was well past dark by the time they'd come down off the mountain, so the five Ronins decided to just leave unpacking till morning and headed to bed. They were all still feeling the adrenaline rush from their chase and were eager to creatively expel it.
Well... four of the five headed up to bed.
Kento sighed and leaned against the banister, waiting for the twin slams of bedroom doors; or maybe there would only be one door shut and one bed used as those four bodies burned off their energy on one another.
All he knew was that he was not part of their plans.
They'd never really talked with him about it, never shown any interest in him in that way and eventually he'd given up hoping.
The lovely swans just didn't want the ugly duckling to join in their reindeer games.
With an angry grunt, Kento grabbed his keys, wallet and fake I.D. Mixed metaphors always gave him a headache and he really needed a drink.
Searching, searching, up through the sediment, skimming the Earth's crust... there! There was the powerful being who broke his slumber... Human? Who'd have guessed! This might turn out fun after all!
A crowded bar, a cold beer, lots of noise and lights to keep the party mood high... what more could a lonely soul ask for? (Besides the only four people who meant anything to you, the only four who were out of reach.)
Rich's, one of the few gay bars that Kento liked when out alone and clubbing, had a good crowd for a Sunday. He could see some of the regulars scattered across the dance floor below him, interspersed with the inevitable newbie and thrill seeker. Everyone out for one last bright moment to carry them through the week ahead.
Turning away from the railing, Kento headed back to the bar. Fewer people came up to the second floor, if only from fear of hurting themselves on the steep cement stairs that hugged the back wall. Even Kento after a full day of fighting demons and beasts found those narrow steps intimidating.
One couple walked past him, obviously heading toward the little art gallery out back. A small room on the other side of the building, it featured local 'out' artists and dark private corners. He motioned to the barkeep for another drink and felt even more alone. All alone, with no one else... Grabbing the icy bottle, he headed for the overstuffed couch by the window. All alone...
**WHAM**
...except for the person he had just walked into.
"Jeez, man, I didn't even see ya there! Are you ok?" Kento quickly held his jostled, foaming beer away from the stranger. Looking for any stains he might have caused with his drink, he realized he was staring at a broad, chiseled chest barely covered in shimmering white silk. Looking higher he noticed strong shoulders draped with ink-black hair, curls framing a handsome face and ravishing strawberry colored lips. Then he made contact with starfield eyes and was lost.
It was lust at first sight.
The man smiled and shook his head. "Oh no, I'm fine, but I've managed to spill your drink! Let me get you another one? It's only fair...
By the way, my name's Altair. What's yours?"
One little known fact about the Ronin household is that the quality and quantity of breakfast each morning increases exponentially with how well Sai got laid the night before.
Carefully sliding steaming cranberry-orange muffins onto a tray already piled with light, fluffy biscuits, Sai glanced at the thickly sliced ham frying on the stove and decided to add another half dozen eggs to be scrambled. He was half way to the icebox when his three companions from the night before walked into the room.
Sage, as always, appeared wide-awake and immaculately dressed. Opening the paper as he sat, he set the sports section to the side and began reading. Everyone knew he read the funnies before the stocks, but by silent agreement it was never brought up.
Ryo was next through the door, looking slightly disheveled in t-shirt and jeans. Blindly reaching for a cup of coffee, it took a moment before his fuzzy brain realized the newspaper had to be moved aside for the precious cup of caffeine to reach his mouth.
Finally Rowen staggered in, bringing half the bed with him. Only a Dynasty threat or the promise of Sai's cooking could get him up this early, but that didn't mean those toasty warm and comfy sheets had to be left behind... So there he sat, wrapped like a mummy in his own blue (with glow in the dark yellow stars) bed linens, resting his head on a can of Surge.
Sage set down his paper and looked around for a moment. "Where's Kento?"
With a worried frown Sai turned off the stove. Kento was NEVER late for breakfast. He turned to go look upstairs.
"Oh, you won't find him upstairs."
Everyone froze. Who said that? Surely none of the four, and no one knew that voice...
"You won't find him at all..."
Where was that voice coming from??? Ryo would have sworn the speaker was standing right next to him, but there was no one there!
"Or, I should say, you won't find him without my help."
Between two heartbeats a figure appeared, standing next to Ryo and nibbling on a muffin. He was a little creature, slim and tan with a cascade of white hair cinched between his shoulder blades. Silver gray eyes laughed at them, ever shifting from playful to powerful depending on his mood.
He couldn't have been taller than five feet nothing... maybe... in platform heels.
"In fact, the faster you get your wayward friend home, the happier I'll be!"
Sage, Ryo and Rowen stood in a flash. Sai just gaped from where he was by the stove. To one degree or another they all figured they should feel threatened right about now, but the feeling refused to come. Taking in the stranger's pointed little ears, billowing ruby poet's shirt and skin tight leggings with matching ankle boots (which spouted silver glitter with every tap of his foot,) they just couldn't bring themselves to think 'enemy'.
If anything, 'Renaissance Festival reject' came to mind.
Shaking his head, Ryo asked, "Who are you? How did you get in here?" At the same time, Sai demanded, "What have you done with Kento?"
White teeth flashed as the stranger bowed, the half-eaten muffin disappearing in a flash. "You may call me Robby and I assure you I've done nothing to your friend. As for how I got here, there are very few places a first class Sprite like myself can't get into. Now about your friend..."
"So you're a Fairy?"
Robby paused and looked at Sai. Arching one eyebrow in a way that just screamed 'The pot and the kettle, Honey!' he took a deep breath. "Sprite. I'm a Sprite. I'm not a Fairy, not an Elf, and not a Pixy. Call me a Leprechaun and I'll have to hurt you. I am a Sprite."
A quick mental conference between the Ronins and the boys decided to believe the intruder for now. He obviously had some kind of power at his disposal but if there had been anything evil about him White Blaze would have been on him in a second. Besides, who were they to argue against powerful non-human type beings? At least this guy wasn't bent on world domination!
Sage coughed to get everyone's attention. "Ok, you're a Sprite. No problem. So where's Kento?"
Here Robby paused and seemed to blush. "Well, it's like this. There's this guy, a really great guy, dreamy even... and he, kinda went away for a while... but apparently your friend caught his eye so... rightnowthey'rehavingaonenightstandandIwantyoutobreakitupsoI'llhaveAltairtomyself!"
Four sets of eyes blinked as they tried to understand that last sentence.
Rowen shook his head. "Huh?"
With crossed arms, Robby pouted. "Altair picked Kento up at a bar and they're having a one night stand. I want you to break it up so I'll have Altair to myself. Ok?"
Sage looked at his three friends in shock. "I... I don't believe it!"
More glitter piled on the floor with the Sprite's aggravated movements. "Look, it's simple! I'll take you to them, you grab your friend... say he's needed at home or something, I don't care... and that's the end of that!"
Ryo shook his head. "I don't understand..."
"YOUR Kento is currently having sex with MY MAN! SEX! They're boinking, shtupping, doing the nasty! Docking the shuttle and hitting the springs! Knocking boots in the horizontal tango! Bumping uglies and stuffing sausage! Sex sex sex sex SEX! What about that DON'T you understand?!?"
"So you're saying Kento's gay?"
"ARG!!!"
Sai continued. "But... but he never said anything! Surely he would have mentioned it! All this time we've tiptoed around him to keep him from being uncomfortable and all we've done is alienate him! Oh dear..."
Robby pouted. "Okay people, you can work on your communication skills later! I've been waiting three thousand years for Altair to wake up. THREE! And what's the first thing he does? Tracks down a... a... human! Well I want him back, so there!"
With a petulant mew, the little sprite stomped his foot, streams of glitter flashing where his boot hit the floor.
"Gee Sai, this guy makes you seem butch."
"...Rowen?"
"Yeah Sai?"
**THWAP!**
"So, are you guys ready to go? Time doesn't exactly work the same where we're going and I don't want to waste any more of it!"
Ryo looked at the others and nodded. "We're in. Obviously we need to straighten some things out with Kento, and the sooner the better."
Then Rowen spoke up while gingerly rubbing the back of his head, "Just give me a sec to get dressed and..."
"Oh, no time for that. Here!" With that, Robby snapped his fingers and Rowen was dressed, hiking boots and all.
"That's it? You just snap your fingers?"
Robby just gave them a grin. "You were expecting a bunch of bad rhymes in iambic pentameter?
Another snap of his fingers and the band of four with their little Sprite guide found themselves standing on the sloping bank of a great river. Along the shore sat an old plank dock and a skiff was waiting for them on the calm water.
Robby grinned as he herded them toward their transportation. "See? Told you I had it all set up!"
Gingerly walking across the rotting planks, they soon stood in front of the tall skiffman. An ominous figure robed in black, he silently blocked their way, one imposing hand open and waiting for payment.
While the Ronin's blinked in confusion, Robby simply huffed. "Come on Charon, don't be such a stickler. My friends just need one little trip across. It's not like you haven't looked the other way before! One little freebie, please?"
The skiff shook at the angry insistence of the skiff driver's response "Oh, no! Not after that last stunt you pulled! I'm lucky they didn't fire me! Hell, I get audited if you so much as look in my direction!". They still couldn't see past the shadows under his hood, but the pleading seemed desperate when the figure turned to them. "Come on guys. You've got to have something on you, right? Work with me here! I can take silver, gold..."
"Do you take Platinum?"
Sage pulled the credit card from his wallet.
The wooden hull skimmed the brackish water smoothly, leaving its passengers with little to distract themselves from their odd journey.
Robby was talking with Sai and Ryo on one side of the skiff while Rowan and Sage sat on the other trying to figure out how to explain a credit card receipt signed by 'Charon the Skiffman' to their accountant.
"So, Robby, how long have you... uh... known Altair?"
A true smile came with the answer. "Oh, it's been ages. At first we only got together occasionally. He was always so busy in the Mediterranean and I worked the British Isle...."
Sai couldn't help asking. "Really? Around England? What ever did you do?"
The smile turned into a lecherous smirk. "It involved lots of naked sweaty men dancing around a bonfire in edible blue finger paint. Anything else you want to know?"
Sai blinked and opened his mouth. Then he blinked again, closed his mouth and walked to the other side of the skiff.
"This is just too weird."
Rowan just gave Sai a look. "Weird? Think about it. We're five teenage boys with mystical powers granted to us by glowing marbles. We've been to hell and fight demons on a regular basis. A pet guardian tiger lets us wash him with a garden hose and, even though we're all gay, we live in a girl's house just 'cause she likes us. Now considering all that, what part of this is weird?"
"... good point."
Stepping onto dry land, the boys were herded up a trail away from the water. The dusty path snaked its way over a hill only to disappear at the entrance of a large gaping cave. Stopping just outside the shadowy entrance, Sage asked a question of Robby.
"Why do you need all of us to get Kento? Couldn't you just go in yourself and tell this Altair person to take him home?"
Robby gave him a look. "And come off as some jilted lover?"
"Well, aren't you?"
Stamping his boot and sending glitter flying, Robby shook his head. "That's just not how it's done! We don't keep each other from other lovers, but after the fifth time in one night I got tired of waiting for your Kento to quit, okay?"
Sage blinked. "Fifth time?"
"And Altair's never been big on that whole unwilling captive thing, it's so passé...."
Rowen blinked. "Fifth time?"
"So if your friend has a reason to leave there won't be any problems with letting him go!"
Sai blinked. "Fifth...wow... Hey! Where's Ryo?"
Their dark haired leader was nowhere to be seen. "Maybe he went up ahead on the trail?"
Staring at the glitter strewn path behind them, Rowen frowned. "What comes after the skiff? I know I've read this... What *is* it? After Charon is... Cerebrus! Oh God. RYO!"
Tearing into the cave without a second thought, the blue haired Ronin barely heard the others running behind him. All he could think of was Ryo being shred to bits by some slavering three-headed beast.
Turning a sharp corner he stopped short at the sight of a huge black haired monster, twice the size of White Blaze with three ugly dog muzzles writhing on three thick hairy necks.
Said slavering beast was also laying on its back with its paws in the air, getting its tummy rubbed by their missing teammate.
"Hey guys! Come check out the puppy!"
Ryo was still picking coarse dog hair off his clothes when the group came upon a sprawling mansion in the middle of the woods. Marble columns rose to the sky and the sounds of laughter and cheering drifted on the wind.
Inside, it was the ultimate frat party. Togas in total disarray, satyrs and nymphs giggled and chased each other around tables overflowing with food. The four boys stared, overwhelmed by the blatant debauchery, trying to remember a few of the newer positions for later when they got out of this mess.
"Kento's somewhere in HERE?"
Robby shook his head, almost withering under the blonde's unhappy glare. "Oh no, Altair has him shacked up somewhere else. He would NEVER taken a human home, his mom'd kill him! Someone here had to have lent him a room."
Sage crossed his arms and glowered at the sprite. "And what are we supposed to do while you're asking about?"
"Hey! It's a party! Even you should be able to figure that out. Eat a little, drink a little, have fun!"
Rowan's head whipped around when he heard this. "No! We can't eat anything! Then we'll be stuck here and can't go home!"
A frosty white brow arched for a moment before understanding brought a snort from their small guide. "Oh! You mean that whole pomegranate thing? HA! Oldest pickup line in the book! 'You ate my food, now you can't go home. Sit on my lap while I console you.' Puh~lease! Trust me, it's all a bunch of hooey."
With a wave of his fingers and a flip of his hair, Robby was gone. He'd just melted into the throng of reveling flesh, leaving them alone in the throng. Eventually Sage decided to keep his back to the wall and stay away from the festivities while Rowan and Sai wandered off on their own.
Ryo found a bench to sit on, trying to not draw any attention to himself.
He should have tried harder.
There was a tap on his shoulder. Slowly turning his head, Ryo noticed a hulking man sitting next to him. Wine stained the man's skewed tunic and the laurel wreath in his hair was tilted to the side. "Hey little man. What's your name?"
"It's, uh... Ryo. My name's Ryo." The glint in this guy's eye was giving him a very bad feeling.
"Ah, Ryo. Such a pretty name. You're from the outside world, aren't you Ryo?"
"Yeah, I guess I am." The man inched ever closer but there was no room left on the bench for Ryo to scoot away.
"So, have you ever been in the cockpit of an airplane before Ryo?"
"Huh?" The man's hip brushed against his, the toga seeming to ride up between their legs. Ryo leaned away from the drunk, wishing more than anything that he'd stuck with the safety of the wall.
"Ever been inside a football team's locker room?"
"What?!" Now an arm was draped over Ryo's shoulders.
"Or maybe a Turkish prison?"
"I really don't..." This guy was giving him the creeps.
"Do you like... gladiator movies?"
"Look at the time, I've really gotta go, been nice talking to ya, see you later. Bye!"
Rushing to where Sage stood against the wall (while trying very hard to not look like he was rushing,) Ryo hissed a warning between his teeth. "Man, we have GOT to get out of here! It's just not safe!"
Glancing over the crowd, Sage had to agree. "You'd better get all that dog hair off before we get home. White Blaze would have a fit if you went home covered in another animal's fur." Sage thought about their oddly possessive guardian pet another moment as he scanned the crowd. "Have you seen Rowen or Sai?"
About to say no, Ryo caught a bobbing head of blue hair heading in their direction. "Here comes Ro, and... yeah, and he has Sai with him."
Sage and Ryo were able to catch the end of the other's conversation as Sai was dragged up to the wall.
"But Rowan! Don't you know who that was?"
"Yeah Sai, that was Poseidon. Whoopee. You are NOT going back to his place to see who has the thicker trident!"
Just then Robby reappeared, carrying an overflowing goblet of wine and a huge grin. "Guess what! I've found out where Altair is!"
Handing his ale to Sai, the sprite sat on the floor and pulled a map from somewhere to show the others. "They're at Narcissus' place. It's really not that far. We should be able to get there and find your friend soon! Then all of you can all go home and I'll have Altair to myself!"
Robby might have said more, but Sai interrupted him.
"Yes! We have to find Kento! Because we're here to find Kento, because we love Kento, just like I love you and you and you! And I know you all love me. I know you do because you say so, and you can be so nice to me, and, well, sometimes you do that thing with your tongue..."
Sage saw the now empty goblet in Sai's fist and hissed at Rowan. "Just how much did he drink?"
Sai turned to grab his blonde friend's shoulders. "...and I know that
you love Kento, Sage, in your heart." Then he turned to grasp the young
man next to him. "And Ryo, I see it in your eyes." He turned, swaying,
to drape himself against his blue haired lover. "And Rowen, darling, it
feel's so right, doesn't it?
So YOU love Kento, and YOU and YOU...
and *I*...
I LOOK SMASHING IN PURPLE!"
With that, he promptly passed out.
After waiting for Sai to come back around, and a little otherworldly finger snap to get rid of the poor Brit's hangover, they started off to finally confront their friend.
After walking another hour through the woods they found themselves in front of another house, a low lying one story structure made of muted green and white marble but with an obviously decadent aura. Vibrant blooms surrounded the porch and filled the breeze with their gentle scent.
Robby made an impatient gesture for them to hurry as he sprinted up the lawn. "Come on, come on, get the lead out, people! And be sure to wipe your feet on the mat! Last thing I need is mud tracked everywhere. Narsi would kill me!"
Down a hall, past rich tapestries and intricate statues, they neared what had to be the bedroom. Eyeing the imposing wooden door, the four boys came to a screeching realization. Sure they'd started this whole venture with the plan to find Kento and explain their big misunderstanding, but now that they were standing there... they had no idea what to say.
Ryo's eyes widened as an unwelcome thought entered his mind. "Uh, guys? What if... what if Kento never told us 'cause he's not interested in us? You know, sure he swings our way but what if he just doesn't want any of us?"
Rowen and Sai looked upset at the thought while Sage seemed almost insulted. Surely with everything they've gone through, everything they felt, Kento would understand. He had to feel the same!
Shocked into silence, they were surprised when the door opened from the other side. Standing just inside the doorway was a vision in silky flesh. Altair looked them over with a grin.
"Rob, darling? Who are your delightful looking friends?"
Robby sniffed and tossed his head. "Oh them? They're just friends of your little Kento, that's all. I hate interrupting you, dear, but it seems they need to take him home."
Opening the door fully and gesturing the travelers to enter the room, Altair led them into the dimly lit chamber. "He's just fallen asleep. I'd hate to have to wake him up."
None of the four boys spoke, they were too busy staring at a sight they'd never dreamed of.
Kento lay atop the covers, sprawled in sated sleep. Shadows cast by flickering candles were all that kept him from full exposure, and a fine sheen of oil made his skin gleam like molten copper. Long days of heavy fighting sharply defined his legs, drawing eyes up to his sculpted waist and rippling stomach. A broad chest and wide shoulders led them even higher. One strong arm curled along his side while the other arced up above his head only to disappear underneath a mound of satiny pillows. His face was peaceful and quiet, long lashes dusted the top of his cheeks while his lips were still fully kiss swollen.
THIS was Kento? THIS was the same guy who hoarded the chips during football games and would rather tinker on old cars than breath? Who knew ratty jeans and sports jerseys could hide so much! How could they have lived along side this same creature all this time and never seen this side before?
Well, now they had seen, and they were NEVER letting go!
Their drooling was interrupted by Altair's next observation. "You must be the friends young Kento mentioned to me. The souls in your eyes match his. It will do his heart well to know you all care for him enough to come get him."
Sage looked hard at the half-dressed speaker, hearing something in the other's voice and wanting to verify what he hoped was true.
Altair just stared back without giving ground. "Yes, I think this is exactly something he would like to know."
Robby clapped his hands in impatience. "Okay, well since you two are done, now seems as good a time as any to send them on their way. It's been a blast people, but time's a wasting and I'm sure you've got SO many other things to get done... Feel free to drop by any time, and I mean that, really. Don't call us, we'll call you. Toodles!"
A snap and the room was five people fewer. Altair sat on the bed's crumpled silk and held his arms open. "Come here, sweetheart. I've missed you."
Robby sank in that lap with glee, kicking his feet a bit when they no longer touched the ground. "I missed you too, honey." Then he pouted a bit. "So, was your little lover any good?"
Altair had to smile; his Robin was just too cute when jealous!
"Nowhere near as good as when I'm with you, baby, but yeah... the earth moved."
The sun was still low in the sky when Sai poured his first cup of coffee. The group had found themselves back home the day before, the four travelers standing in the kitchen and Kento asleep on the couch. There had been a lot to talk, especially now that they understood a few things better.
At first, they had all thought it was a dream. Then, since everyone seemed to have gone through the same dream, they thought it might have been some sort of mass hallucination. (Not like that's never happened to them before...)
But that couldn't explain away Sage's credit card receipt...
Or all the dog hair that still clung to Ryo's clothes (and White Blaze DID have a fit)...
Or the mounds of glitter still strewn across Sai's kitchen...
Faced with so much evidence that the weird trip had been real, the boys had turned to wake their sleeping friend and woke him up in the most gentle, loving and inclusive way they could think of.
Sai smiled as he thought of the night before...
"I'm going to need a bigger kitchen."