Title: The Gala Chapter 4
Series: Monoshizukanohi//Naruto AU
Author: Darkprism
Genre: Drama/Romance/Kink
Rating: Mature
Pairing: Primary is Itachi/Kimimaro/Haku with references to three-quarters of the Monoshizukanohi world.
Word Count: Almost complete.
Warnings/Notes: THIS CHAPTER: denial, oral, toys, voyeurism, D/s relationships, angst, language, leather, unapologetic sap. OVERALL: BDSM, D/s Relationships, heavy crossover, language, impact play, nudity, language, gothic motif, side story, anal, oral, voyeurism, etc.
Spoilers: None whatsoever.

Summary: Upon their return from a cruise of the world, Haku suggests that Itachi and company throw a party...

A/N: This is a birthday gift for my friend, Kimya, who said she would love to see, "Haku playing the piano." The rest evolved from there.

I'd like to say that there are 22 people represented in this story from six fandoms. Because I like to make things easy on myself. XD

I'd like to shout out to my readers, commenters, supporters, donators, and beta listening crew who are entirely too kind. Much love and many thanks. ♥



Together they stood, and Itachi steadied Kimimaro while Kimi took his tux from a hook and started to put it on, beginning with the snug briefs that would keep the toy safely lodged in his ass. They did delightful things for the shape and curve of his cheeks, and Itachi had to battle and conquer the urge to take Kimi right there against the wall until he screamed for mercy.

Itachi shook himself, tidied the room, adjusted Kimi's collar and jacket, and helped Kimi with shoes and laces. As he stood, Itachi cupped the cock cage and pressed his other hand firmly against the base of the plug. Kimi's soft cry of startled helplessness grayed the edges of Itachi's vision, and he simply stayed still until it passed, staring Kimi down and rhythmically pushing against the vibrator. Kimimaro rocked in time, and Itachi moaned his approval.

"We will go next door, we will make our entrance, and take our seat for the show." Itachi droned the words, unable to contain their greed or airy quality and not caring in the slightest to show his boy the effects Kimi had upon his bearing. "You will sit square, resting against me so I may hold you through your next wave of torment." Itachi paused for Kimimaro's beautiful whine and licked Kimi's ear when the sweet man rested forehead on Itachi's shoulder. "You will enjoy the performance, and you will endure pleasure in silence, as it is Haku's time in the spotlight. Too much and you may whisper safeword."

"It won't be," Kimimaro slurred. "Master... I..." He clutched Itachi's lapels.

Itachi hummed. "Tell me, sweet boy." It took a moment for Kimimaro to gather wit for the phrasing, and Itachi waited with anticipation beating a war song in his bloodstream.

"An honor, unparalleled, to suffer for Master in a room of my betters while my lovely brother steals their hearts." Kimimaro kissed Itachi's throat, moist and hesitant and practically irresistible in its trembling invitation. "I want it. So much, Master. P-please."

A tendril of control frayed and snapped within Itachi, and he shoved fingers against fine wool and into the cleft of Kimi's ass. He gripped a fistful of Kimi's hair, pulling back until Kimi's head was on a wicked angle. Kimi melted into the clutch, hands on the bends of Itachi's elbows. "Sweet... boy..." Itachi rasped, the effort and intensity so thick as to be misinterpreted as fury. He fixated on the rapid rise and fall of Kimimaro's chest. "I will give you what you want. And when the hour grows late, I will thrash and fuck you until I eradicate every last scrap of sanity and consciousness from you." Itachi yanked Kimimaro into a biting, brief kiss; met a vacant stare. "Never. Fear."

"Thank you, Master," Kimimaro mumbled, and Itachi shoved and turned until they stood side by side, Itachi clinging to Kimi's waist. Grabbing his hat and cane, Itachi marched out of the bathroom, sucking deep draws of air to calm himself, else he demand his house to empty and his boys to prepare for an exhausting night of sadistically fueled lust.

The fire still roared in Itachi's gut as they swept by the servants standing at the double doors leading into the rounded ballroom. Perfectly spherical, the ballroom was painstakingly created by experts over one hundred years ago, and they shaped the space by hand, inch by inch. Above the cherry wainscoting, the walls were mustard gold covered in black silk filigree patterns. The windows along the far wall were curtained by rich, midnight drapes. The ceiling was domed and painted with a vivid color mural: arch angels wielding weaponry to battle a score of clawing demons, and cherubs sounding trumpets to call all of heaven to arms.

The wooden floor was softened by blue and red oriental rugs, and the sofas, settees, lounges, and chairs were arranged in an artful half-moon around a regal grand piano and a polished violin held aloft on a stand. Flameless candles topped every table, ledge, shelf, and flat surface in the room. The flickering light smoothed the features of the guests, highlighted thread and fabric in glowing sheens, and filled watchful eyes with dancing luminescence. En mass the gathered horde stared as Itachi and Kimimaro went to their reserved lounge and settled upon it. Kimimaro pressed along Itachi's right side from shin to thigh to hip to flank, and as Itachi's arm drew the man even nearer, servants began hastily recalling china and dinnerware.

Nagato sat holding Soubi to Itachi's left, long fingers caressing the scars on Soubi's throat. Itachi nodded, and Nagato returned the sentiment, expression speaking volumes of contentment and approval. Vaguely, Itachi made note of the other guests, and saw that Abel and Miroku were not among them. Too much for the monk to accept, Itachi supposed, though he knew Abel would mourn being unable to stay. Neji sat on a lounge with Shikamaru, whispering in the boy's ear. Deidara knelt on the floor at Sasori's feet, head in Sasori's lap and gown spilling in mounds of silk across the rugs. Gunji and Kiriwar sat next to Sasori, both men absently petting Deidara's heaving shoulders. Comfort needed from punishment doled, no doubt. Ibiki and company occupied a horseshoe divan. Kiba and Gaara sat snugly together on a loveseat, mostly in shadow. Kisame sat in a lone chair, evidently lost in thought, and Starrk lounged on a wide sofa, hat tossed carelessly on the floor.

Conversation died swiftly, the crowd sensing that the night's entertainment was afoot. The staff exited in a practiced scurry, and a clock chimed the hour. An air of mystical wonderment rose in the room with each toll of the time, growing in the hushed silences between the prolonged pauses. With the last clang, the men at the doorway rapped their heels in thunderous synchronicity. Heads turned and curiosity piqued to fever pitch when the servants raised and rang a pair of bells. They played the chimes so they counted the seconds, musical and pretty and seemingly riding the waves of attention wafting from the men waiting in the makeshift ballroom wings.

Two figures appeared, silhouetted in the threshold. One was cloaked in swaths of dark velvet that tumbled to drag in a train, a hood obscuring any hint of face. The other was Merek, garbed in a sleek black uniform complete with silver tassels, shining buttons, and the Uchiha crest. His shoulders and spine were locked in a military stance that never wavered as he slowly escorted the other individual through the crowd and to the center of the room. Every neck pivoted, every pair of eyes studied, and multiple lips parted when Merek dipped a bow to Itachi and Kimimaro, smartly positioned himself behind the smaller, draped figure, and respectfully removed the hood and cloak to reveal Haku.

Collective gasps and startled sounds arose from the group, Itachi's among them. Haku was completely nude save for ropes of dazzling diamonds in his hair and thicker cuffs of the clear gems about his throat, around his wrists, slung low on his hips, and encircling his ankles. Haku's pale pink nipples were hard, his cock filling and elongating beneath the scrutiny of the room. His finger and toenails were lacquered black, kohl liner highlighted his eyelids, and his rouged cheekbones could cut glass. He'd added black roses to the complicated arrangement of his thick curls, and a petal fell to the rug next to Haku's foot while the people in the room remembered how to breathe. The scars earned from a former life only added to Haku's beauty and did nothing to mar the pale, hairless skin. Haku had smeared some sort of faintly shimmering body ointment everywhere, enhancing the surrealism. He stood with his arms loosely at his sides, eyes cast down in classic respect, expression soft and neutral. Before them all, Haku appeared to gleam, a misplaced member of the dark court of Faerie, a foundling left for dead upon Itachi's door, taken and nourished by love and blood and repaying the service with his unabashed, unashamed, and unmatched beauty.

A moment passed in awed appreciation, and Itachi finally noticed that Kimimaro clung to Itachi's jacket. Itachi squeezed Kimimaro tighter, both of them unable to tear their sight away from Haku. With some unspoken signal, Merek extended an arm, and Haku took Merek's hand. Haku swept one leg behind the other, covered his heart with one palm, and dipped a low bow in a graceful arc of lithe limbs. A smattering of conservative applause met the gesture, and Merek helped Haku rise and take his seat on the piano bench.

The sight of candlelight in Haku's cascading hair and of the man's slender form bedecked in the Uchiha family jewels made Itachi physically hurt, eyes stinging with pride, joy, and affection. That was his boy smiling at Merek, who picked up the violin and stood at the ready. That was his lovely Haku who poised dainty fingers over ivory keys and took a deep breath, the swell of diaphragm entrancing every human in the room.

And then Haku began to play, and with the first few chords of Moonlight Sonata, Haku spun a spell that transported them all into an alternate plane. Beyond the walls and doors, everything gave way to darkness; stars and supernovas and spiraling seas of galaxies. Merek chimed in, the bow awakening the violin's strings to sing in mournful accompaniment, and the second instrument sealed their collective fate: lost to the music must they be for however long their captors deemed it fit.

Kimimaro's minute trembling stole Itachi's attention, and with a light touch, he brushed away the tears coursing across Kimi's cheeks. Kimimaro's happy, proud smile lit up every dank corner of Itachi's life-weary soul, and Itachi encouraged Kimi's head onto Itachi's shoulder. The swell of a sigh moved Kimi, and Itachi became reacquainted with all the reasons he now longed to live forever.

Haku played through all three movements of Sonata Number Fourteen, the transitions flawless. When the composition drew close to its ending, Haku lightened the touch of finger to instrument, flowing from one piece of music to the next. Rachmaninov's Elegy in E-Flat Minor seemed to be made to come after Beethoven, and Merek's masterful string work supported Haku with passionate grace.

In a credit to the talent before them, the assembled guests didn't so much as shuffle or cough for the first half hour that Haku and Merek played. Itachi wasn't sure what some of the pieces were, but he did know that Haku had arranged them masterfully. The mood began sleepy, somber, grew to longing and eerie, and gradually transformed into notes that had everyone swaying in time. Haku and Merek communicated with looks and nods, words unnecessary, and Itachi thrilled for some minor mishap that Itachi didn't catch, but that had Haku laughing and shaking curls.

Sometime during the fourth piece, Itachi slipped a hand into his pocket and turned on Kimi's vibrator. With a keen enthusiasm that bordered on mischievous, Itachi amused himself by timing the increase and decrease of vibrations to the music. When that became too obvious, he set the speed to barely noticeable for the first half of a lively tune, and then turned it up all the way when the song quieted. Itachi had selected the particular toy not only for its size and capability, but also for its insulation. It wouldn't be heard by anyone else but Itachi, and the noise was merely a faint hum.

Kimimaro behaved beautifully. Despite the tensing, sighing, jerking, holding breath and exhaling shudders that Itachi could clearly feel and see, it would take a discerning eye to decipher what was happening beneath Kimimaro's clothes. Haku and Merek kept the audience enraptured, affording Kimimaro some leeway to move as necessary to maintain absolute silence.

Nagato's knowing glance, however, was not lost upon Itachi. But he merely kissed Kimi's hair, smirking at his old Master, who chuckled and stroked a single finger in a line that followed the contour of Soubi's thigh.

The musicians didn't pause for the duration of the performance, and to Itachi it flew by on rainbow wings, the tunes inspiring pretty color pictures when he shut his eyes and lost himself to the beauty of harmonious creation. When Haku finally trilled soft notes that drifted into nothing, and Merek stepped forward with the clear intention of addressing the crowd, Kimimaro was shaking with the effort of restraint. Itachi shut off the toy, and Kimimaro slumped. Itachi could smell sweat and arousal, and knowing that Kimi's dick must be straining and leaking in its cage had Itachi gritting teeth on a triumphant shout of dominance.

"Dear friends and guests of the manor, our final piece of the evening is a special one." Merek threw an affectionate glance at Haku, who resituated on the bench to face everyone, gaze indirect and Cupid's bow mouth tipped in a tiny smile that kept threatening to widen beyond Haku's sense of propriety.

Merek gesticulated with his bow as he spoke: "It was chosen by the lovely sir in tribute to our Lord Itachi, who rules his kingdom with a firm hand, watchful eye, and loving heart. I've heard both My Lord's sweet partners refer to their life and time here as a fairy tale come true, and so it seemed only appropriate to the lovely sir and I that we end in homage to happy endings manifesting outside the pages of storybooks. We hope you forgive the heavy helping of happiness that inspired such a choice, and we hope some of it reaches and resides in each of you." Merek's countenance struggled for sincerity, and the grin nearly won. "For, as my lovely sir stated to me during our practice, anything is possible once upon a dream."

Merek bowed low and smartly to Itachi and Kimimaro, and Itachi could scarcely contain the continual thrills exploding within him. He was exceedingly grateful that he only had to graciously nod and not speak, because he was absolutely sure language was beyond him.

Haku's chuckle at Merek's speech was rich, Merek's reset was exuberant, and they smiled at one another before Haku turned to the piano, straightened shoulders, and played the opening notes of Tchaikovsky's, Sleeping Beauty's Waltz. Laughter from those who recognized the piece rose and crested above the waves of music, and there wasn't a weary, worried, or wretched piece or part in any of the men listening with undisguised rapture to the rhythmic arrangement. Merek couldn't stop smiling, and Itachi caught a tell-tale sign that one final surprise was coming just as Merek's violin faded into the background and Haku took the fore.

Measures and bars resounded, softened, and Merek let the violin and bow fall to his sides. In perfect time and precise pitch, Merek began to sing--

"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream..."

--and his rich voice caused a riot of applause and a single squeal of delight from Deidara. Perhaps in someone else's home or on another stage, the final touch would have been frivolous, but Merek's perfect blend of humor and humility allowed the vocals to walk the line between serious and silly. Itachi was sure a few pairs of eyes rolled, but even Nagato was smiling openly at Soubi's expressive, childlike joy.

Voices rang in alarmed delight, and Itachi turned to see Kiba pulling Gaara around in a playful twirl. Gaara staggered through the steps, laughing out loud. Ibiki was crouched over knees, head in hands, but clearly amused. Starrk conducted from the lounge with amateur sweeps through the air, and Genma mimed a merry jig that was far more jest than jeer. More laughter swelled when something inspired Shikamaru to launch at Neji, kissing with a dramatic flair that had the Hyuuga pantomiming the wave of an invisible white flag. Kiriwar and Gunji sat with crossed arms and unimpressed expressions, but Deidara stood and swayed in place, and when the song was done, the cheers hurt Itachi's ears. Kimimaro's clapping was violent in its appreciation, the whistles and catcalls shrill, and Itachi had risen, walked to Haku, and lifted the boy off the bench into a ferocious kiss before Itachi even knew what was happening.

"I love you," Itachi said against Haku's cheek, the three words infused with a riot of emotion that strained at being so condensed.

"And we you," Haku answered. Kimimaro had come closer, and Itachi grabbed both his men and kissed them breathless. Chaos unfurled, and everyone drew around the trio in a circle. In the congratulatory babble, even Sasori, the most stern of the guests, forgave Haku the finale with a quick embrace, citing that the rest of the performance spoke of skill beyond anything anyone else could do. Hugs, kisses, and kind words filled every nook and cranny of the ballroom, and servants entered to bring up the lights, slowly signaling that the night was at its end. Itachi kept his arms around Kimimaro, charmed at the way Haku could be so completely bare and so utterly at peace.

Gradually, the guests' high began to fall, and the farewells began. When the mood reached that particular tipping point, Haku returned to Itachi's side without needing to be beckoned. Itachi passed the remote control over to Haku, who palmed it discretely. Merek was magically there, draping the cloak around Haku's shoulders, and Haku took up position on Kimimaro's other side. Haku looked at Itachi, expectant, and Kimimaro leaned hard against Itachi, suddenly panting.

"Shall we continue, sweet boy?" Itachi murmured, oblivious to the chatter of conversation in the room or of anyone's attempts to gain his attention.

"Yes, Master. It's all been... so... wonderful."

"And thus we have no choice but to make it better." Itachi cupped both of Kimi's cheeks and kissed his forehead before addressing Haku: "Take him to the Master chambers' sitting room and prepare him with my permission, lovely boy."

"I live to obey, My Lord," Haku answered, ducking under Kimimaro's arm. They exited without further fanfare through the hidden panel door leading into the bathroom Kimi and Itachi had made use of earlier.

Of all the phases of dinner parties and social affairs, Itachi hated the ending rituals with the most passion. Exhaustion always ate at him after being in public for appearances, and the complicated tango of falsely regretful good-byes, artificially hopeful promises to meet again, and last complimentary exchanges tended to drain the rest of Itachi's reserves.

So when Merek stepped deliberately in front of Itachi and roused the guests toward the ballroom doors, Itachi tried not to wilt to the ground in abject relief. Merek herded with the insistence and skill of a cowboy to cattle, leaving Itachi to follow along like a ranch hand initiate. Merek's ability to manage niceties -- "Why, yes, I have played the violin for years, is that your coat being brought forth by the charming Christopher? It is? Well lest us perish in the thought of making the urchin wait. He does it poorly, blessed lad." -- with direction was as amusing as it was functional. Gloves, hats, scarves, coats, jackets, and cell phones were passed out to their owners in an organized flurry, every item tagged with a name, and Merek stood by Itachi's side as the grand entry doors were opened to the frigid night air.

"Lovely to see you, good-bye," Merek said, over and over, not letting anyone dally longer than it took to shake Itachi's hand and praise the party's success. It was quick, professional, courteous, and no one would dare complain, especially when a member of the staff paired up with each exiting group or individual to brave the cold, open doors, and wave at tail lights. Itachi actually had enough presence of mind to feel the pangs of regret that the evening was at its public close. He pressed two fingers to his lips in wonder and leaned against the iron maiden to recover from the whirlwind.

"Staff, both hired and familiar, will take care of the rest of this unpleasantness, My Lord," Merek counseled from his position at Itachi's elbow. "We all wish for nothing to keep you too long from your gentle sirs."

Maybe Itachi still basked in the enchantment of Haku and Merek's performance. Perhaps the enthusiasm for the coming events infused Itachi's blood with recklessness and made it difficult to find typical restraint. Some of it was certainly Merek's sublime service and capable calm.

But whatever the combination of reason or misplaced logic, Itachi was helpless to stop himself from pushing off the torture chamber, tucking his cane under one arm, grasping Merek's shoulders, and kissing the man on both cheeks and the lips, the final touch softer but lingering far longer than polite society -- gay or otherwise -- would allow.

"Thank you," Itachi said, pleased by Merek's ripe flush and rapid blinking. "You were exquisite tonight."

"Welcome, My Lord, and thank you," Merek said, recovering at the speed of experience and training. "Yours to command as you deem it fit, My Lord." And then, quieter, Merek's bright brown eyes alight with inner resolve and spirit, "Always."

"Good man," Itachi said, squeezing Merek's arms and letting go so Merek could bark dictatorial remarks to underlings and Itachi could dash up the curving stairwell. He undid his jacket and vest as he strode toward the Garden of Eden doors, and saw them ajar when he rounded the final corner. When he got close enough, Itachi grasped both golden handles and threw the doors wide, stopping to relish every detail of the picture before him.

The wide sitting area had been rearranged, the scattering of serviceable chairs and benches covered in striped silken fabrics moved out of the way. The single chandelier dimly glowed along with more flameless candles. The drapes were drawn, a curtain encircled the nook housing the baby grand piano, and the thick, blue rugs covering the wooden floorboards had been moved to lie beneath the seven-foot tall, dark oak suspension rig that stood in the middle of the room. It resembled a set of monkey bars, D-rings attached along the closely and regularly-spaced flat rungs that lined the tops and sides. Four heavy struts jutted from each corner to maintain the rig's balance. The entire piece weighed a ton, could support up to one thousand pounds of stress, and had been built by skilled craftsmen in this very chamber over the last couple of weeks while Itachi's boys had been occupied elsewhere.

Two tables flanked the wooden rig. One held lube, condoms, a medical kit, and bolt cutters. On the other was a collection of canes and floggers, a blindfold, several lengths of chain, and a pile of metal clasps. A footstool was tucked out of the way beneath the second table, and the pile of cuffs and straps that Itachi had set out were now in splendid use.

Kimimaro was on his knees, naked save for jewelry, collar, and caged cock. Heavy-duty suspension cuffs enclosed his wrists, ankles, and thighs, just above his knees. He wore a leather harness studded with rings that wrapped around his waist and the juncture of both thighs to body, framing his groin and ass and leaving both accessible. His arms were behind his back, and Haku's dick was in his mouth, splitting pierced, swollen lips with long, even strokes that bottomed out in Kimimaro's throat. Haku held the remote to the vibrator still buried in Kimimaro, and turned it up all the way. Kimi barked a shout that Haku stifled, relentless in the torment with a fist clutching Kimimaro's hair and a positively evil litany spilling from Haku's tongue that rose in volume upon Itachi's arrival.

"Our Lord is here," Haku said, light and loving while gagging Kimi with his cock. Kimimaro writhed, hands clawing at their grips on opposite elbows and chest heaving for air in the throes of suffocation, but Haku only pressed Kimi tighter into Haku's crotch. "May he forgive me for choosing such base methods to loosen your resolve, my brother." Haku's head tipped back and slowly pivoted toward Itachi, though Haku's lashes stayed lowered and the words grew forced as Haku struggled to rise above sensation. "Or may he outline my transgressions in whip marks and cane welts until I scream that my flesh and soul are his and only his, forevermore." Haku let go, stilled the toy and set aside the remote, and held Kimi close through a wracking coughing fit.

For an instant, the urge to fuck was so powerful that Itachi wasn't sure he could reign in that leash and keep that beast caged. It was overload, seeing his sweet boy suffering and his lovely boy in diamond dress obeying Itachi's commands so perfectly. He pivoted, not answering, and shut the doors, the latch clicks loud in the room. He spun again, clacked the cane on the floor and leaned upon it, seeming to consider the scene before him while in truth he regained his grounding. His silence inspired slivers of uncertainty in Haku, shown in the way Haku clung tighter to Kimimaro, bending so slightly at the waste to curl around Haku's brother in submission. Pleased, Itachi began to approach the pair, but he kept his pace measured and rapped the cane's end in an arrhythmic beat. A flash of memory overtook him: how many times had he been bound and blinded and struggling to breathe around the pounding of his heart as Nagato drew near? The anticipation had always ratcheted to impossible levels, and Itachi thrilled when his mimicry produced similar effects on his treasures.

For it may look as though Itachi simply walked across old boards and rugs, but really he balanced on a razor's edge. One false step and the blade would slice him in twain. Tonight Haku had been the focus of the crowd, and Kimi would be the center of their Scene. Itachi wasn't worried about managing Kimimaro at this juncture; his sweet boy's acceptance and give was evident at one hundred yards, and Itachi was free to deliver upon his promises and nurture Kimi's trusting vulnerability.

Haku, however, also had needs and presented challenges, and they were quite different than Kimimaro's. Haku knew enough about what was to happen so that Haku could agree to its terms and do what was required. He would even enjoy his role to its fullest, find fulfillment in playing the part of Itachi's second in command that Kimimaro never could. Itachi had no desire whatsoever to undermine the confidence Haku needed to wield weaponry and meet Itachi's expectations. Quite the opposite, really: Itachi wanted to feed Haku's wicked streak and watch it flower with thorns.

But much as Kimimaro only understood true worth and value in utter submission, however, Haku only comprehended his place in Itachi's world when at the mercy of true affection. Haku could accept praise and compliments like tithes to the altar of self all day every day. The words fed him and registered within, it was true, but often the meaning behind the expressions rolled off Haku like the boy could shrug pain. Getting through to Haku and encouraging the boy to grow in ways that would foster the good and continue to kill off the evil done to Haku in the past was an art form that Itachi likened to molding glass. The raw material was molten-malleable and magnificent in itself. When heat and proper pressure were applied by the hands of a master craftsman, the glass thinned and began to show its real potential. Shape, caress, and mold with patience, and the real beauty emerged with the delicate guidance toward the final goal. Work it right, and the outcome would be startling and eager only to please the man who understood the material's makeup so intimately. But pull or push too much, and the stems would break, the air bubbles would burst, and Itachi would be on hands and knees to gather the shards and start again.

The analogy applied to both Itachi's beloveds, but here and now, it was Haku to whom Itachi had to put the most delicate touch. So he took his time in the stroll, letting low-lying anxiety burble. He could soothe it shortly. Itachi kept quiet, letting Haku fret that the wrong thing had been said. Itachi could quell and dispel the doubts momentarily. He needed just enough leverage in the cracks of Haku's walls to worm within and plant more seeds of peace.

When he was within arm's reach, Itachi flung his top hat into a corner and the cane to the floor, the clatter making Haku and Kimi jump. Itachi pulled Kimimaro to him first, humming in approval and petting Kimi's hair when the man wrapped around Itachi's leg. Haku stared at Itachi's feet, breath quickening. The flash of diamonds was brilliant in the dull light. Itachi could smell Haku, lush like decadent fruit off the vine, and though he wanted to draw Haku into his clutches and whisper a prayer of praise, he kept his distance.

"My sweets, my beauties..." Itachi rumbled, and it was enough for Kimimaro to relax completely against him. Haku, however, went more rigid. Itachi stretched one arm to Haku, curled two fingers behind Haku's lower jaw, and pressed into the tender point. Haku relented to Itachi's lead, head going back until Itachi stopped the motion by hooking his thumb over Haku's chin. "My lovely, answer me true: what do good boys receive from me?"

Haku's lips parted, the tip of pink tongue darting to wet them. "Pain as they please, pleasure in abundance, and all as it serves My Lord."

"Well said," Itachi replied. He increased the pressure until Haku balanced on the balls of bare feet. Haku wouldn't look at him, and Haku's erection began to wilt. Itachi would fix that, too, but not yet. "And what do bad boys receive, my precious one?"

Haku whimpered. "Nothing, My Lord," Haku whispered. Itachi lifted his arm higher, forcing Haku on tiptoe. "They earn nothing," Haku repeated, louder, and Kimimaro hung on to Itachi so tightly the muscles complained.

Itachi ignored the discomfort, however, caught up in glory and basking in the righteousness of pride. Haku was undone by manageable fear, leaving Itachi open to remake him with what Haku needed: love. "Yes, Haku. And so tonight you understand that I am bound by my desire to give you both everything and anything you want, so great is my joy."

Luminous eyes widened and met Itachi's, and he held the painful pose for a few more seconds so the truth could sink and settle before relenting and cradling both his boys against him. Haku's embrace was fierce, the strength of it surprising for such a small frame. Itachi snuffed the urge to tell Haku how impressed and awed he was by the performance. Such things could come later when it wasn't a dangerous thing to unravel Haku's determination to perform by being so sincerely loving. He contented himself with kisses to Haku's hair, and he allowed Haku to squirm and drop to kneel.

"My Lord," Haku said, taking Itachi's hand and holding it to his mouth, nuzzling it like a kitten. "At your leisure, please impart upon me how I may best serve you and my brother. I am yours to command."

"Rise, both of you," Itachi ordered, and he made sure to support Kimimaro as the two men complied. "Feed me your kisses." Itachi spoke while looking at Kimi, and Itachi took equal time tasting Kimimaro and then Haku, in turn.

"Lovely boy, fetch refreshment for your brother. He thirsts."

"Yes, My Lord." Haku danced across the room to a small fridge and returned with a bottle containing a mixture that was part protein-infused sports drink and water.

"Thank you," Itachi said absently, uncapping the bottle and tipping the liquid into Kimi's waiting mouth. Kimimaro groaned, swallowing greedily, and Itachi gave Kimi most of the contents before handing the drink off to Haku to set nearby on a table.

"Tell me how you stop me tonight, my sweet boy," Itachi said to Kimi.

"Safewords, Master."

"Very good. Do you wish to speak them?"

Kimi adamantly shook his head, and Haku took his hand. "No, Master."

The affirmation set Itachi's resolve, threw levers on a fuse box and sent electricity surging through his nervous system. "Thank you, my boys. You honor me."

~*~

A/N: One chapter left! Coming soon. And!!! Check out the extras to see toys, reference photos, notes on wardrobe, and all kinds of other goodies! Click here for the refs!