Relations of the King to Kirin
- Why Boredom and Curiosity Are the Most Dangerous Forces in Existence
The visiting party of Kei arrived earlier than planned, coming early in the evening, rather than the following morning. Servants were dispatched to take care of the party, and Keiki, having his own question for the king of En, went to seek out him and his taiho, Enki. Enki, however, was not in his rooms, and the servants answered that the king and taiho were having a private debate in the king's quarters. This was not unusual; Keiki felt justified in knocking and then, upon getting no response, walking in. He came in on silence, and was five steps in before he stopped dead in his tracks.
"I – I beg your pardon." Keiki stammered. "I'll -seek my question later." He managed in a strangled tone of voice, before turning and leaving quickly.
Enki straightened awkwardly and sighed. Shoryuu leaned his head back.
"Looks like Kei arrived here early." Enki observed.
"I didn't think Keiki could manage 'flustered'."
"Oh, he manages fine. I'm surprised he could blush that darkly." Enki pulled free and sighed, stretching lightly and then looking a wry grimace at Shoryuu. "I think we're expected to go meet them, you know."
"And have to answer all those questions?" Shoryuu returned. "I'll blame it all on you, see if I don't."
"Relax," Enki soothed, hunting for his clothes. "He may not even ask."
IIII
"What, precisely, do you think you were up to?" Keiki demanded. His cheeks were still stained pink, although, judging by Youko's irritated expression, he had not mentioned the cause of his outrage.
Shoryuu immediately put a hand over Enki's mouth and then sat down. Enki scowled back at him.
"I wasn't going to say it."
"You were thinking it."
Enki merely shrugged and looked aside. Youko finally sighed.
"What is going on?"
"I –" Keiki stumbled to answer through his flustered mood, and finally settled on, "I simply wonder about precisely what kind of discussion they think can occur in the way they conduct their private meetings."
Shoryuu started chuckling, a strangled sound with the embarrassment behind it. Enki was smiling tightly, relaxed in his chair. Clearly, neither had any desire to elaborate. Finally, Enki coughed and managed,
"The discussion actually had already been finished. We were just relaxing."
Keiki made an angry noise. "It didn't look relaxing."
"I was actually extraordinarily comfortable." Shoryuu drawled. Enki gave him an irritated look; he'd been about to speak himself.
"I thought it was a nice change in pace." He added.
"Keiki," Youko demanded, "what is going on?"
Keiki drew himself up to his full height, and shivered in outrage as he glared at Shoryuu. His frown deepened at their quiet amusement, and answered as seriously as he could, "I had the misfortune to walk in on … It is just not right for a king to have carnal relations with his Kirin!"
Youko's eyes widened, and Enki burst into quiet laughter, a little shrill with nerves. Shoryuu snorted. "Carnal relations?" He asked. "Was that the best you could come up with?"
"Oh, Shoryuu." Enki shook his head softly. "It's Keiki. I'm surprised he even managed to say that."
"Shoryuu!" Youko yelled. "What on earth were you doing?"
Enki snickered again. "What, doesn't 'carnal relations' cut it for you?"
"Both of you stop laughing!" Youko demanded. "I just don't believe it!"
Shoryuu raised a placating hand. "Youko, there's nothing wrong with it." The ire in her face didn't diminish, so he went for the next tactic. "Besides, Enki initiated it."
"Hey!" Enki yelped. He shot a worried look at Youko's face, and returned in a sullen voice, "Your servants were the one who put peaches in your bathwater."
Youko frowned for a moment, and then asked incredulously. "What, were you … licking him?"
Enki and Shoryuu both blushed and Keiki disdainfully added, "That was not 'licking'."
"It started that way." Enki admitted sheepishly. "I wanted to know if he tasted like peaches too, and his whining was getting irritating." He shrugged again, and added impishly, "He stopped whining."
"Yes, and then I think we have a conversation much like this one." Shoryuu drawled.
"It didn't seem to have made an impression." Keiki scathed.
Youko's face was a mask of incredulous curiosity. Shoryuu started laughing quietly, and Enki followed suit with quiet giggles. Keiki didn't seem inclined to speak again, and finally Youko scrubbed her hands over her face. "Did it actually taste like peaches?" She asked weakly.
Enki blushed and didn't answer. Youko finally looked up, and Enki, his face brilliant red, finally squeaked out, "It was some kind of sweet."
Shoryuu burst into laughter, burying his head in his hands. Enki refused to look at him and Youko just stared in horror. Keiki seemed unable to speak now, simply gaping helplessly. Finally, Youko managed to gasp,
"But you're … you're just a, a kid!"
"Hey!" Enki yelped. "I'm older than you are!" Shoryuu put his hand on Enki's shoulder and shook his head shortly.
"It was a bit odd, but Youko, he did start it. And he's as old as I am. I suppose you could attribute it to excessive boredom on our parts, and after a bit it was irritating enough that I just … forgot … that little detail … due to it being my Kirin so I could retaliate against the little shit."
Enki put on a completely innocent look at Shoryuu's mild glare.
Youko's outrage subsided a bit and she just returned to shaking her head in disbelief before she managed her own quiet laugh. "I suppose." She allowed. "Keiki, just … don't disturb them like that again."
Keiki muttered mutinously, "That was not licking."
"Keiki." Youko warned. "I just don't want to know."
Shoryuu and Enki burst into laughter again. "Really Youko, it isn't that scary!"
"I don't want to know!" Youko insisted. "Really! I hardly know how that would even work, and it's really not in within my interest, or even my concern what … whatever you two get up to. I'm sure it works just fine for you." She half-squeaked on the end, and blushed even worse.
Rokuta roguishly pointed out, "Youko, have you slept with Rakushun yet?"
"No!" She straightened angrily. "And how is that relevant?"
"Well," Enki grinned. "Surely you know the how of sex."
"I know quite enough to be getting on with! It just didn't cover two –two men, at any rate, and I'm not the least curious about knowing."
Things fell silent for a long moment, before Keiki stubbornly asked, "Enki, how did licking turn into that?"
"He said if I had to lick him, I could at least lick something that would appreciate it." Enki sent Shoryuu a shrewd glance. "Honestly, I wasn't thinking that when I started."
"Hey, you wouldn't leave me alone."
"I wasn't trying to be nice."
"Well, you didn't complain too much."
"Well, what if I didn't want to?"
"I never forced you-"
"It tasted funny!"
"You kept licking!"
"It was acting weird! I wanted to see how far it would go."
"Boys!" Youko shouted. All three looked at her; she was bright red, and finally just stood. "Maybe … I'll just leave until you get this sorted out. Really. Wow. I didn't need to know all that."
"I'm sorry, Youko, I'll stop." Shoryuu temporized. "Rokuta, pull up a seat. Keiki, if you are quite satisfied …"
"That was not licking." He insisted. "It looked hideously uncomfortable and unnatural."
"Maybe Keiki needs to get laid." Enki remarked. "Keiki, really. It's not that unnatural, I'd smack Shoryuu if I didn't want it, and it's quite none of your business. Just don't walk in and I'm sure you won't get so scarred."
"I notice you didn't refute uncomfortable." Shoryuu answered.
Enki opened his mouth, closed it, and frowned and kicked his shin. "You already know that answer; I won't scar Youko more."
Shoryuu chuckled warmly; Youko pulled Keiki down next to her and glared. "Not one more question about that, you hear me?"
Keiki subsided with a faintly grumbled, "That was not licking."
A/N: Slightly elongated, and to be joined by a second part. The idea mentioned in the previous incarnation is stalled until I get around to reading more of the stories in more detail. But hey! You have more, thanks to a darling friend. I do hope nobody is too offended - although if you got down here, you clearly didn't leave in a huff.
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