Devotion

(By "Been writin too much fer Teishi" Zarla)
(Note: I am not responsible fer any mental damage caused by readin this fic.)

"Drak-sama..."
Teishi had never gotten out of that habit and most likely never would. Drak claimed it bothered him, but Teishi knew it didn't bother him as much as "sir" did. In a way, his new title was better then his old one. More true to his feelings. His master. His only master. Drak- sama.
"Yes, Teishi?" Drak smiled brightly, his dark eyes shining. Teishi found himself smiling in spite of himself. It made him happy to see him happy.
"Where are you sleeping?"
"I think I'm going to sleep in the hallway...even though it isn't all that comfortable."
"Would you like me to bring the chair from the living room up here for you?" Teishi rubbed at his arms, noticing with happiness that the usual burning pain he found at them being touched was gone. Without his constant abuse, the bruises were fading quickly.
His master got the same look he usually got when he offered to do something for him. Teishi didn't particularly mind.
"You can't bring that in the hallway...it's too heavy."
"I'm sure I could do it, Drak-sama. Just give me some time."
"I don't want you exerting yourself, Teishi. You need to become healthy again. You're still unnaturally thin."
"I could watch while you slept in the living room, if you want to sleep there instead."
"How did you know I wanted to sleep in there?"
"You like sleeping in chairs...I've seen you nap in some. But I know you're frightened of what happened to you before."
Drak was about to protest when he realized that Teishi was right.
"I'll watch you. You won't have to worry."
"Aren't you going to sleep?"
"I don't have to sleep-" Teishi braced himself for the usual barrage he would get for such a comment. He was correct in doing so.
"Teishi, you're going to sleep just like every other human being! You aren't some machine...you need to stop pushing yourself this hard!"
"I'm sorry, Drak-sama." Teishi looked down. He hated to make him upset, but could not find other words to express how he felt. He always spoke what he felt and what he felt was somewhat warped by most's standards after his years in the PGRI. He felt Drak touch his shoulder gently, causing him to look up into his dark eyes.
"Listen, I didn't mean to make you upset. I know you just want to help me. But you have to think of yourself, sometimes. It's just not healthy, otherwise."
"It's hard for me, Drak-sama. I'm not supposed to think of myself...I'm not supposed to be considered human...it makes it easier for those who like to hurt me."
"Stop talking like that." Drak said severely, causing Teishi to fall into a dark silence. "Listen, come with me when we go to sleep. I'm going to make sure you go to sleep if it's the last thing I do."
Teishi simply nodded, not wanting to speak anymore.

~~~

While Drak was walking down the hall, he found Colt. He was sulking...apparently he had lost an argument with Caleb. Drak had sent Teishi to help someone around the kitchen. He knew from experience from staying in the house that there was always someone in the kitchen.
He noticed Colt eyeing him darkly, apparently wanting a target for his anger. He knew that Colt was simply frustrated at not using his strength to win an argument. He knew that Colt always wanted to win an argument after he lost one, which caused Colt to start fights constantly. So he waited for Colt to make a comment.
"What's with that kid that follows you everywhere?"
"Teishi?"
"Yeah, him." Colt had his arms crossed, looking off to one side. Drak couldn't tell by his face, but mentally guessed that Colt was slightly embarrassed for starting an argument out of nowhere on this topic. "Why does he always follow you around?"
"He just does." Drak shrugged. "I'm the only person he knows."
"And why does he call you Drak-sama?"
"He used to call me Sir..." Drak smiled at his memory. As far as he knew, Teishi called everyone Sir, Ma'm, or Miss unless he was speaking to him. "But I got him to stop."
"Do you know what that means?"
Drak shrugged, having guessed mentally himself, but never giving it enough importance to actually ask someone.
"I asked Atelli. It's almost like "Master Drak", you know that?"
"Really?" Drak was not surprised.
"He's like your servant."
"Back when I was...there..." Drak tried to avoid the topic of his imprisonment. "He had to take care of me. So he had to do what I told him to. I was technically his master."
"I don't get it..." Colt never looked at Drak. "Why is he here?"
"I promised I'd bring him here. He needed someplace to stay where people wouldn't beat him."
He noticed Colt's eyes widening. "Beat him?"
"Yes."
"Hmmph...I don't like it. He creeps me out. And I think his name means something strange..."
"Go and look it up, if you want." Drak was tiring of this conversation.
"I will." Colt began walking away. "But I don't trust him."
"I'm not asking you to." Drak stood silently until Colt left his sight. Sighing, he walked back to the living room. He knew that bringing Teishi would cause questions and he felt guilty for bringing yet another person into the overcrowded house. But as far as he knew, Teishi never fought with anyone, helped out as much as he could, and generally tried to stay out of everyone's way. And stayed constantly with Drak unless Drak told him to leave. He didn't see why everyone was reacting so badly.
At least the girls liked him. Atelli and Ella E had both reacted favorably to Teishi's presence, nearly fainting with surprise when Teishi offered his help to them whenever he could. They viewed him almost like some kind of orphan and thought that they had done him a great favor by keeping him in the house. Atelli had particularly felt pity towards the younger boy and seemed to dote on him whenever possible. But as for everyone else...no one else seemed to trust him. It bothered Drak, as it isolated him from everyone. Even his Mewtwo was wary of Teishi and did not speak to him as often as he usually did. It didn't bother him unduly...the time he had spent away from Mewtwo had granted him some independence from their link and didn't speak with him as much as he used to. Mewtwo had his mother, he had Teishi. This was noticed by everyone else, but never commented on. He walked into the living room and heard the typical conversation in the kitchen, considering it's inhabitants.
"Teishi, you're such a help. Hold this please, would you?" He could hear Atelli's voice.
"Yes, miss."
"Don't call me miss." Drak knew such reprimands were useless on Teishi...except for one instance. Besides, Atelli sounded distracted. "Let's see, two eggs...Teishi, could you bring me two eggs?"
"Yes, miss."
"Put the bowl down first! You need to learn to do one thing at a time, really." Atelli laughed.
"I'm sorry, miss. I'll get them now."
"Hee hee..." He could hear Atelli mumbling to herself. "That would be Gomenasai, I think..."
Drak found the chair in front of the recently replaced window. It was still the same as it was before he was kidnapped, but he approached it warily. He sat down, put a quilt over himself, and leaned back.
Instantly four Meowth's lept on top of him. Sighing, he didn't knock them off. He had learned that wherever someone sat or lied down, some Meowth's would jump on them. It was simply something he had come to accept.
He sighed as he heard Atelli asking Teishi to help with more ingredients. It bothered him slightly to hear her ordering Teishi around without hesitation. He tried as hard as possible to avoid telling Teishi to do anything for him, wanting to help him gain the feeling of independence. But everyone else, after finding that Teishi would do almost anything they told him to, didn't hesitate telling Teishi to do almost everything. He hated that, as it undermined his efforts to help Teishi realize he was his own person. It also bothered him that Teishi would never protest in the least. He wished everyone else knew how he felt...he always felt so isolated.
He stared at the couch where Colt had slept so long ago. He could hardly believe what had happened to him the last time he had slept in this chair. He closed his eyes. He was safe now though...he knew he was. He just had to get over his anxiety.
Without fully intending to, Drak fell asleep.

~~~

Teishi finished with Atelli in the kitchen. She was baking a cake, although he did not know why, and she soon told him to go off and do something fun. Unsure of what to do, he simply decided he would find his master and see what he was doing.
He found his master sleeping in the chair near the window. He smiled at the thought that his master had overcome his fear and closed the door to the living room, sitting and watching his master carefully.
As soon as he sat, a small Meowth jumped on his lap. The Meowth's had learned that Teishi was a small target to sit on after much trial and error, and now only small Meowth's attempted to sleep on him. He didn't mind.
He cleared his mind, as he usually did when waiting for something, and began staring off into space.
He wasn't sure how much time passed before he heard someone knock at the door. When he went to open it, after carefully lifting the Meowth off him and placing it on the ground, he found Colt staring at him.
"Where's Drak?"
"He's asleep, sir."
Colt did not seem happy at this. Teishi was not surprised.
"What are you doing?" he asked suspiciously.
"I'm watching him, sir."
"Don't call me sir. Are you sure he's okay?"
"He's sleeping peacefully, sir. Did you need something?"
"I want to see."
Teishi opened the door, letting Colt into the room. He stared at Drak's sleeping form for a few moments, then turned on the small blond boy.
"I still don't trust you. I'm going to keep my eye on you."
"Yes, sir." Teishi answered emotionlessly. He had learned long ago to remove all emotion from his voice. Betraying any emotion, he had found, when answering someone's question could cause him pain. It was a natural instinct.
"Where are you sleeping again?"
"With Drak-sama, sir."
Colt narrowed his eyes at the mention of Drak's name. He paused before speaking. "I know where you came from. Don't try anything, or I'll kill you."
"Yes, sir." Teishi kept his voice emotionless. Colt paused, as if trying to think of something, then turned and left. Teishi eased the door shut, turning back to his master. He was still asleep. He walked over to him, noting the darkness through the window. How much time had passed?
He found himself overcome with exhaustion. He tried to fight it, but then remembered what Drak-sama had told him. He needed to sleep, or else he would be angry...
Teishi wasn't sure what to do. He kneeled near Drak's chair, staring at his master quietly. He yawned silently, closing his eyes.He rested his head on Drak's knee, not sure of where else he could sleep. He fell into his usual dreamless sleep. He never dreamed.

~~~

Drak woke sometime during the middle of the night. He was a uneasy sleeper by nature, finding himself always waking in the middle of the night. He felt a weight on his leg. Expecting another Meowth, he became fully awake when he realized it was Teishi.
He felt both satisfaction and vaguely uncomfortable. He was happy that Teishi had actually slept, but felt uncomfortable that he had fell asleep at his feet. The blond boy was breathing evenly except for the shivers that constantly ran through his body. To counteract all this expenditure of energy, the small bracelets that Teishi still wore to control his pulse blinked slightly faster then they usually did.
Drak sighed and shook his head. Even though he had fallen asleep, he had not gotten himself a blanket when he was cold. He hadn't even taken some of Drak's quilt. This annoyed him.
He gently pulled the quilt off himself, noticing the Meowth's that fled from it. He was about to put it around Teishi when the fact he was on the floor came to him. Teishi was sleeping, without complaint, on the floor. This also annoyed him. Teishi was a person...Teishi should sleep in a chair or bed, like anyone else.
So instead of draping the quilt around the smaller boy, he gently lifted him by his arms onto the chair with him. He felt Teishi start at his touch, but he didn't seem to wake. As soon as Teishi was nestled against him, he replaced the quilt. The Meowth's that had been displaced instantly jumped back on the quilt and fell asleep instantly.
Teishi stopped shivering and sighed. He wrapped his cold arms around Drak, smiling in his sleep. Drak was surprised for a moment, then shrugged to himself. Whatever made Teishi happy. Teishi never seemed to think about himself...he wanted him to be happy for once, to do what he wanted.
So he let him hold him.
He gently stroked Teishi's hair, slowly closing his eyes. It was unlike him to try and fall asleep so soon after waking, so he couldn't fall asleep instantly. Instead he just kept his eyes closed and thought of Mewtwo. He could sense it was asleep...he got no clear signals.
He released his link to find Teishi's sleepy green eyes staring at his own.
"Drak-sama..." Teishi spoke slowly. Drak, knowing that a protest was coming, put a finger against Teishi's lips, silencing him. He could almost detect a slight hint of a blush forming on Teishi's cheeks.
"I know what you're going to say, so don't say it." Drak whispered. "You can't just freeze on the floor. I won't let you."
He removed his hand. Teishi was staring at him with both disbelief and almost sadness. "But, Drak-sama..."
"Shh. I won't hear it. Just go to sleep, okay?"
Teishi let his head fall back where it had been, then seemed to notice where his hand was. He withdrew it quickly.
To his surprise, Drak stopped him. He stared at him in confusion. "Drak-sama..."
"Listen. I want you to be happy, Teishi. If this is what makes you happy, I don't care."
"Drak-sama, I can't. I can't do that..."
"Is it because I didn't tell you to? Fine. Teishi, hug me."
Teishi's inner sense of obediance automatically made him comply. He tried to disobey, and found he couldn't. Perhaps if it was anyone else, he would not have done anything, but this was Drak. He would do whatever he told him to, without question. He tried not to think of the guilty pleasure he got from doing it. His face burned with embarassment.
"See?"
"But...I can't..."
"Why not?"
Teishi closed his eyes, trying to frame his next words. "Because...you don't want me to..."
"Would I have told you to do it if I didn't want you too?"
"No, Drak-sama, it's not...you're letting me just because you want me to be happy, not because you want me to."
"You're just assuming things about what you don't know is true. What if I DID want you to hug me? I wouldn't ask you to do something unless I wanted it too. For instance, if I said 'Teishi, kiss me', and I didn't-"
Teishi's inner sense of obediance again came into force. Although his mind did not register it as a real command, his inner being claimed that it was, so he did it. Perhaps his heart was too eager for the chance. The light on his bracelet blinked faster as his heart increased its pace, exhilaration flooding his normally passive system. As soon as he realized what he was doing, he broke away, feeling deep regret, closing his eyes instantly. He felt he had done something wrong and therefore expected pain of some kind.
"I'm...I'm sorry, I don't...it sounded like you told me too, honest, Drak-sama, I'm really really sorry..." Teishi mumbled to himself, trying to prepare himself for the blow that he was sure would come.
After a few seconds pause he opened his eyes, staring at Drak with confusion. Drak stared back at him silently.
"I'm so sorry, Drak-sama, please forgive me...please..." Teishi closed his eyes, both feeling shame and joy at the same time. He had secretly always wanted to do that, but he had never worked up the courage to do so. But if Drak was mad at him...what was the point? Above all, he could not let Drak be unhappy. Even at the expense of his own welfare.
"Teishi..." Drak spoke with undecipherable emotion in his voice. Teishi looked into his master's dark eyes again. He wondered what Drak would say as punishment, if he wasn't going to hit him. "Do you really think I would hit you because of something like that? Do you think I would hit you at all?"
"I'm sorry, Drak-sama..." Teishi looked off to one side, breaking off the eye contact he almost constantly kept. As soon as his eyes were focused on something other then his master's, he wished to see them again. "It's just...I usually get...you know...whenever I do something wrong..."
"Did it make you happy?"
Teishi stared at him with confusion. "Drak-sama..."
"Did it? I want to know."
Teishi wondered whether or not he should tell the truth, but in the end finally decided to. "...well...yes, it did..."
"Then I don't care."
"Drak-sama, I kissed you...you didn't even ASK me too...aren't you angry?" Teishi wasn't sure how to react to Drak's response. He was always faced with this problem when speaking with Drak. "What about how YOU feel about it?"
"Teishi, don't you ever think about yourself? Don't you want to be happy?"
Teishi felt some of his more hidden emotions coming forward from his one admission. He wasn't sure whether or not he should speak, but decided he may never get another chance. "I want to be happy so badly, Drak-sama. You don't know how badly I dreamed of being happy...but I can't...because everyone else has to be happy first. I always come second, Drak-sama...I can never BE happy...I can only make others happy..."
Drak shook his head slowly. "Teishi, you're not a servant anymore. You're your own person. You can do what YOU want now. You can BE happy."
"I can't, Drak-sama, I can't..." Teishi felt tears beading in his eyes. Teishi was secretly frustrated that his master simply would not let this go. Everything that Drak tried to change within him was part of his nature, and it hurt Teishi to both have to obey Drak's wishes and at the same time change everything he knew about himself. He didn't want to disappoint him, but he wished that he would not try and make him equal to him. Teishi did not feel equal to him in the least, thus it made him feel uncomfortable when he would try to bring him to the same level. "You're my master, you always will be. I'm indebted to you, forever. You saved my life, I have to repay you."
"It would repay me to see you happy."
"No, it doesn't work like that..." Teishi pushed back his tears after a great struggle, angry at Drak's response. That wasn't what he had expected. "It doesn't work like that, Drak-sama...It just-"
Drak placed a hand underneath Teishi's chin, stopping his next words. His dark eyes stared into his own. At his touch, the small lights on his bracelet began to flash faster. "Teishi, listen to me. I'm not your master. I don't own you. I never did."
"You do, Drak-sama." Teishi struggled with his words, trying to find some way to tell Drak what he never seemed to understand. "You always will...because...you have power over me."
"No I don't. I don't have any power. I can't make you do something you don't want to."
"Yes you can! You can make me do anything you want, Drak-sama, anything you tell me to do...I would do it." Teishi wasn't sure what emotion was in his voice as he spoke.
"But why? Why would you listen to ME?"
"I..." Teishi looked down, wishing that Drak would stop arguing. "I...I just have to obey you, no matter what. That's what everything in my body tells me. Everything tells me that you are my master and I will always have to obey you."
"You're so wrong..." Drak mumbled. "I wish there was someway I could make you realize that."
"You're my life, Drak-sama." Teishi blurted out, against his will. He wasn't sure where this sudden admission came from. "You're everything I have, you're everything that I know, you're everything that matters to me. You're the only person that...the only person I ever cared about."
"You care about me?" Drak spoke slowly.
"More then anything, Drak-sama. I don't know what I would do if you were hurt. I don't want you hurt, ever again. Especially not for me. I couldn't stand watching you be hurt by anyone...because I care about you so much."
"So..." Drak continued staring into Teishi's eyes. "This isn't about me being your master at all."
"It is, Drak-sama. It is..." Teishi said softly. "You own me."
"I don't own you...Teishi, you just care too much about me...you..."
"Tell me to do anything and I'll do it for you, Drak-sama." Teishi wished that his voice didn't sound so hopeful.
"Teishi, tell me the truth. How much DO you care?"
Teishi knew he could not lie, not after he had been commanded not to. Not that he would have in the first place. "Drak-sama...I...I..."
Drak stayed silent.
"I...I...love you." Teishi whispered. Drak seemed to nod.
"That explains everything then."
"Don't hate me, please...I'm sorry, I can't help it...I just..."
Teishi noticed the look in Drak's eyes and instantly grew worried. "I'm so sorry...please forgive me..."
"Teishi..."
"It's so stupid, I know it is, I'm so sorry..."
"You shouldn't be sorry about anything, Teishi."
Teishi looked up, confused. He hadn't expected that. "What?"
"You shouldn't regret falling in love with someone."
"But, Drak-sama-"
"Shhh." Drak again put his finger to Teishi's lips. He thrilled at his touch. "Don't explain it away. If it's how you feel, that's how you feel. There's nothing you can do about it."
Teishi wanted to say something, but knew that he couldn't. There was nothing he could say now that would change anything.
"The important thing is it makes you happy."
With that, Drak lifted his face near his own and kissed him.
Teishi's eyes widened with surprise, unbelieving of what was happening. He feared that his fragile heart would burst at the speed it suddenly accelerated to. He was vaguely aware of his hands shaking gently, out of his control. After a moment, he let himself sink into what he was feeling, trying to ignore his body and focus on the moment. He had to enjoy this while he could. He wished it could have lasted forever, but it seemed to end all too soon.
"Drak-sama...?" Teishi looked at him as Drak pulled away, almost locked in the previous moment. "Why..."
"To make you happy. I'm so tired of everyone taking advantage of you. I've seen how they order you around. No wonder you don't think you're worth anything...well, if anything, I'm going to prove to you you're more then a servant tonight."
Teishi felt something in his soul that told him what he meant. He began trembling all over, barely able to form words. "Drak-sama, you don't have to-"
"I want to make you happy. You've had too much sadness in your life."
"Does...does that mean...?" Teishi was too afraid to hope.
Drak smirked. "Maybe."
He pulled Teishi close to him. Teishi did not resist.

~~~

Colt found himself concerned for Drak. He didn't trust the small boy that followed him everywhere, with his simple answers and submissive nature. Something about it did not seem right to him at all. Perhaps it was his own strong, resistant nature that made him instinctually distrust him, but all that he knew was that he did not trust Teishi at all and probably never would.
He was also jealous.
"Drak was always my only friend..." he smirked slightly at the thought of 'friend', "and now he's always hanging out with Teishi or Teishi is hanging all over him. I don't even get to talk to him anymore..."
He wandered back to the past. He remembered how grateful Drak was to have a friend, and now he seemed so distant. He usually never would have kept the argument going with him earlier. It bothered him how protective Drak was being towards Teishi. Without Drak's influence, Colt was getting even more irritable. And his arguments with Caleb were getting less logical. He need Drak to level him out. He was feeling off center and he hated it. He wished that Drak was with him right now. He was feeling lonely, a feeling he had more often these days.
Maybe his mistrust was from his envy of Teishi and jealousy towards Drak. He wanted Drak all to himself...this bothered him immensely. He wondered whether Drak had forgotten about what they had done completly. He wondered, with a smile, whether or not that was possible.
He snickered softly to himself.
"What...are you awake?" Caleb groaned from beside him, shaking away his remnants of sleep. Colt sat up, staring forward.
"I'm just thinking...go back to sleep."
"Crazy idiot..." Caleb muttered to himself, turning on one side and mumbling constantly. Colt watched as he fell back asleep. He then turned his thoughts back to Drak.
He wished things weren't as complicated as they were. As it was, he believed he was in love with at least three people, and there was the matter of that other girl who was in love with him. He hadn't seen her, but it bothered him to think about her. He didn't think of himself as being attractive at all, but he supposed that he was to most people.
Three people...he thought to himself. Was that allowed? He wasn't sure it was. Especially at the same time. But then again, the four boys that had followed Ella E here were in love with one person...and he was sure that Ella E must love all of them to some degree. But then why did he feel so guilty? He didn't understand...
He thought again to himself. Technically, it should have been four people, but the last was only a one sided kind of love, love from the other to him. Like the girl. He didn't return the love in any way. He didn't really consider that love.
He smiled. There was also that Cyrus person...he was interesting. He didn't know enough about him to decide completely as of yet, but it didn't matter to him. The odd creature (he was not comfortable with calling him a human after Drak had told him who he REALLY was) simply hung around the house, leaving and coming whenever he pleased. It was a relief that he rarely ever chose to sleep here to everyone else. The simple independence of that was attracting to Colt, but he had a feeling that Cyrus was already taken, but he didn't know by who.
He was a very posessive person. It was in his nature. So Teishi was bothering him...he wondered just how deep the relationship between Teishi and Drak ran. He put his chin in his hands and stared off into space. Things hadn't gotten simpler as time had passed...they just got more complicated.
A cry suddenly rang through the house. Normally, Colt would have been worried, but the content of the cry did not make him think someone was being attacked. Also the sound of it didn't seem to be asking for help.
"What the...what was that?" Caleb was shaken from his sleep again. He sat up irritably, looking around. "Did you hear something?"
Colt was frowning. "Nothing that concerns us, anyway."
"I bet you know and you just won't tell me." Caleb flopped back over, pulling the blankets nearly over his head. "You're so annoying."
"You're right, I do know what it was. And I won't tell you either, how about that?" Colt leaned back, trying to wrestle some blankets from Caleb. Caleb wasn't keen on letting them go, however.
"Go away. I'm trying to sleep."
"Hmmph." Colt put his hands behind his head. He was sure of it now. Teishi's voice crying Drak's name. So he had a reason not to trust him. At least his thoughts were confirmed. He sighed softly. So he had lost Drak. That was depressing.
"Will you shut up?" Caleb's sulky voice came to him. "You're always sighing or laughing, you psycho..."
"And you're never happy." Colt turned on one side, pulling Caleb close to him.
"I'm trying to get to sleep." Caleb mumbled. Colt sighed again.
"Fine, go to sleep. I don't care." He muttered to himself. It appeared his comment was a little late as Caleb had apparently already drifted off. He released him and sat up again, unable to sleep.
The loss of Drak had saddened him. Drak was one of the few people he thought really cared about him. But now Drak had Teishi...no doubt he would be forgotten. Who was he left with then? He sighed once more.
Only Ella E and Caleb...
"Shut up!" Caleb sat up again. "Do you know how distracting that is?"
He paused for a moment, studying Colt's face. "Ah...you have that 'nobody loves me' look on you again. Idiot."
"Shut up." Colt said sulkily, turning away from him.
"Is THAT why you can't sleep? Because you're having an attack of low self-esteem?"
"My self-esteem isn't low." Colt mumbled to himself. Caleb made a sound of frustration.
"Couldn't this have waited until tomorrow? I haven't slept for what feels like two days..."
"Like that's MY fault."
"I didn't say it was." Caleb made another frustrated noise. "You're a presumptuous idiot."
"That makes me feel SO much better." Colt glared at Caleb. Caleb, without warning, reached out, grabbed Colt's face, and kissed him hard. After holding this for a few moments, he then flopped back to his original position.
"There. Now go to sleep."
Colt stared at him for a few moments, then reluctantly lied down. He shook his head slowly. Sometimes he absolutely hated Caleb and the feeling seemed to be likewise, but then there were other times Caleb seemed to adore him. He didn't understand it. That didn't help make things simpler either. He closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep. He'd confront Drak and Teishi tomorrow...he had a feeling they wouldn't want to be disturbed tonight.

~~~

"Teishi..."
"Yes?" Teishi looked up at Drak, not sure of what he wanted. His hair hung in his face, free from the short ponytail it was usually in. He was also shaking uncontrollably, but so was Drak, so this wasn't noticed. Drak had his eyes focused on Teishi's narrow chest.
"Where did that come from?"
"What?"
Drak gently placed a finger on the deep scar that ran across Teishi's chest, spreading from his collarbone near the base of his rib-cage. The original injury had never been treated, therefore the scar was irrregular and jagged.
"That."
Teishi blushed deeply. "Oh...that...um..."
"Did someone do that to you? Don't tell me someone did that to you. No one could be able of doing something like that to someone else."
Teishi, viewing Drak's statement as a command not to speak, only stared into his eyes sadly. Drak seemed to be waiting for a response, then thought of his statement.
"I didn't mean that as a command. Teishi, tell me what happened."
"It's...it's a long story, Drak-sama...it happened a long long time ago..." Teishi stared down at the scar's ugly track across his chest. "It was my previous master-"
Drak mumbled something under his breath that Teishi couldn't hear, but he could guess what he was saying by the dark tone in his voice. "I generally served him as well as I could...I brought him his food and drinks when he required them. That was what he used me for, usually, to bring him his meals."
Drak made a noise at the phrase "used me", but didn't say anything. Teishi continued speaking. "Once, he told me to bring him his dinner, but when I came up he was very angry. I don't know why. There was some other man in the room, and the two seemed very unhappy that I had interrupted them. I put the tray on the table and turned to leave, when my old master grabbed me...right here..." Teishi pointed to his upper left arm. "He asked if I had heard anything and I said I hadn't. The other man didn't believe me. He said if I didn't tell the truth something bad would happen to me. I kept saying I hadn't heard anything..."
Drak's eyes looked into his own, filled with pain. "Teishi..."
Teishi continued speaking, glad to tell someone about the scar after keeping the story a secret for so long. "My old master told me to tell the truth and I did, but they didn't think that was the truth. So my old master took his knife from the bedside table-"
Drak made an undecipherable noise.
"And he said if I was lying, he'd kill me. The other man said that he should, but then my old master thought about how all I could do was obey orders."
Another noise.
"I couldn't lie, not to him. He told the other man, but he didn't believe him. He said that he should kill me, because it would be dangerous if I had heard something. My old master asked me one last time whether or not I had heard anything and I said no. Then my old master took the knife and slashed me, from here to here." Teishi traced the scar. "He said that even if I had heard something, this would remind me not to tell anyone. I passed out after that and found the Professor was taking care of me. He said I was lucky. The scar's still there though."
Drak held Teishi close to him, holding his head to his chest. "Teishi...what you've been through..."
Teishi tried to focus with Drak so close to him. "It's okay, Drak- sama...it doesn't hurt anymore...unless it's going to rain...then it hurts a little."
"I can't believe people could be so cruel...it's enough to make someone lose faith in the human race..."
"It's okay, really." Teishi wasn't sure why this bothered Drak so much. "You shouldn't be so worried, Drak-sama."
"I'm sorry, Teishi." Drak whispered. "I'm sorry all this had to happen to you." His fingers grazed the area where Teishi's arms had once been mottled with bruises. "It isn't fair."
"Nothing is fair, Drak-sama." Teishi smiled to himself. "I learned that a long time ago."
"Teishi..." Drak sighed deeply. Teishi felt he was doing something wrong by making his master feel this way. He wasn't sure what to do. He had apologized. What was he doing wrong?
"Don't be sad, Drak-sama." Teishi wasn't sure of what else to say. "It's not your fault, really."
Drak was silent, only running his fingers through Teishi's blond hair. Teishi wasn't sure of what else he could say, having tried everything he could to make Drak feel better. He felt as if he was failing, and it was ruining the joy that he had been feeling.
"I won't let anyone ever hurt you again." Drak said finally. Teishi looked up at him.
"Drak-sama?"
"I won't." Drak had icy determination in his eyes. "You've had way too much pain in your life. I won't let anyone else ever hurt you again."
"Thank you." Teishi felt stupid because he could not think of anything better to say.
Holding Teishi to his chest, Drak closed his eyes slowly, letting out shuddering breaths that coincided with Teishi's own. Teishi was exhausted after his previous experience, so was only too glad to fall asleep.

~~~

Colt was the first awake. He snuck out of the room without waking Caleb and headed downstairs, knowing exactly where he wanted to go.
He entered the living room, encountering a sight he had fully expected. Clothes on the floor, a string near his feet, from Teishi's ponytail if he remembered correctly, Teishi and Drak asleep in the chair on top of one another. He shrugged and headed into the kitchen, where he found the Mewtwo sleeping sprawled across the table, snoring gently. Ignoring it, he opened a cabinet and poured himself a bowl of cereal then headed back into the living room, where he sat on the couch and ate silently.
"Good luck to you both." He knew the two couldn't hear him. "Because with the luck you two have, you're going to need it."

The End
(Author's Note: Darn it, this fic just wouldn't end. ^_^o It drove me nuts. But Drak and Teishi are SOOO cute tagether, doncha think? ^_^ I'm glad I finally finished da darn thing tho. ^_^o)

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