Saiunkoku Monogatari, Reishin/Kouyuu, first meeting/prostitution - 3/3
The boy hesitated for a moment. "I'm doing okay, I guess," he said uncertainly. "I won't fall asleep on you by accident if that's what you're asking."
Now Reishin did laugh. "It sounds as though you're still a bit tired, but I am flattered that you intend to stay awake to serve me."
"Uh...right."
Reishin's eyes danced with amusement and he hid his smile demurely behind his fan. "Now then, come closer, my boy." He sat up fully on the couch and extended a hand. "In fact," he added, inspired. "Come sit in my lap."
The uncertainty in the boy's face was endearing, but he crawled forward and seated himself gingerly in Reishin's lap. He twisted around to try to look at him, his lips pursing, but Reishin wrapped an arm around the boy's chest and turned him back, then reclined once again.
The boy whimpered softly, a light weight on Reishin's chest with his head resting on his shoulder. Wonderfully comfortable. He stroked the boy's hair until he began to calm.
After a few minutes, the boy shifted faintly. "Um, Kou-sama?"
"What I require is simple," Reishin said. "You will stay where I put you until I give you a new instruction."
"Don't you want me to... do stuff?" the boy asked uncomfortably.
Reishin smiled. "If I did, I would leave you with no question in your mind."
"Yes, Kou-sama," the boy whispered.
He stroked the boy's hair for a while. Gradually the tension drained out of his limbs, and it was only a few minutes after that that he heard his breathing ease into that of sleep. As he'd suspected, the poor street rat was utterly exhausted. He'd probably even been given some sake to relax him before sending him into the room with old, nasty Kou Reishin.
He let his own eyes drift closed, but only for a few minutes. He'd have a few words with the mistress, ensure that the boy was fed once again and properly clothed before being sent back out into the cold, cruel world.
But he had to admit, he liked this boy's spirit. If he ever had children of his own, perhaps he would like a boy just like this one.
~ ~ ~
It was a few weeks after that that Kouyuu looked up to see those same gold eyes peeking out of the window of his carriage, mouth hidden by that same fan. Reishin showed no signs of recognizing the dirty street rat running the lottery, or connecting him to that terrified child who'd been sent in to pleasure him.
He'd only been suffering from a whim, jealous of his brother Shouka and looking for someone to adopt when his eye happened to fall on Kouyuu. There was no reason to believe that the man even recalled that night.
But sometimes Kouyuu did wonder whether Reishin knew, and just never said.