Contracts and Surprises (Xayden)

[Aito Satoshi]

How long had it been since Xayden had uttered the heart wrenching words that he had to stop seeing him?

How many nights had he sat in the corner of the common room and cried himself through the pain?

All of his days and nights ran together into a world of absolute pain. There was no sleeping, no laughter, he couldn't concentrate, he didn't even want to breathe through the stabbing pain in his heart. Even if he caught the scent of Xayden in the hall, his eyes became glued to the floor and an inconspicous trail of tear drops on the stone would follow him everywhere he went. He was as destroyed as he could be without simply dying. And Merlin...he begged for that daily.

His family sent for him the previous night and brought him home to prepare for the meeting and the giving of the ring from him to the ther person. Through the choice of ring, everyone around him tried to appear happy and full of excitement, where he...he stared blankly, muttering a dark, 'I don't care.' to everything they said and showed him. Black eyes had lost their warmth and love, they had become dark pools into the abyss that had become his heart.

The ring had been chosen and the two were to meet in the middle of the orchard in front of the mountains. The family deemed it to be lovely and picturesque, perfect for the beginning of something so beautiful. All he could see was dead flowers and dark skies. Nothing held joy or beauty anymore. All he'd ever wanted was destroyed.

The hour was growing near. Once the other was there, Aito was to approach them, exchange pleasantries, and then ask them. Quick, business-like, and to the point. He would have picked this place, but not like this...he'd had it planned out in his mind. But, the dream faded with Xayden's smile. He just ached, and his heart barely beat. If anything was certain, he was not going to love this person. Not anywhere close to how he felt for Xayden.

He sighed, brushing away miserable tears as his mother brushed away matching tears. "Baby..I'm so sorry. It wasn't in my hands..." He looked down at her, a broken shell of a man. He knew it wasn't her fault. Quietly, he looked up to his identical twin uncles. Ren pursed together glossy lips, trying to take attention away from the streaks of red down his face. Takumi removed his glasses to use his wrist to brush the tears away. They all felt the sheer pain coming off their youngest blood.

Takumi sighed, he was charged with bringing the person to the arranged spot so that Aito could appirate there and get things going. "I won't say anything to them, Qi...I'll just be a silent guide." Aito nodded darkly, sitting down within the temple with a forelorrn expression.

Time to get this bullshit over with.

[Deleted]

It seemed like it had been forever since he had ended any sort of contact, any sort of relationship with the very person who had brought meaning to his life, and without him he had become something similar to what he had been before he had met Aito, before he had known what true love was. His eyes had lost their playful light, instead becoming dull pools of dark blue. His face was often blank, emotionless. He couldn't remember when the last time he had smiled, the last time he had laughed was, though he was sure that he had been with Aito when that had last happened.

He had lost the will to live without Aito in his life, without him by his side. He was only being kept alive by the will of his brothers, the will of his father.

He had been brought to his family's residence in Japan along with his older brothers and his father just the week before in order to be lectured by the head of his family, the future head of his family, and in some bitterly funny twist, his mother. It took four wands being pointed at her for her to realize that her advice was neither wanted or appreciated, and she left the men of the Andrews family alone.

The week had flown by fast, and soon the day had come in which the two were supposed to meet in some orchards that lay in front of the mountains of Japan. The Roubsouay males and females were gathered in the main hallway, waiting eagerly for the arrival of the person who would escort their problem, their burden away to meet his future partner. One had even dared to make a comment about it, something that had turned out very badly. As it turned out, his brothers and his father were in just as foul a mood as he was, and that comment had been all that was needed to push a certain someone over the edge.

Let it never be said that Edward could not throw a punch.

That small fight had been all it had taken to cause Arun to lose his patience. "Everyone but my son, sister, and the Andrews are to get out of here. Immediately." Fearing the worst from the angry head of the family, the room was quickly deserted leaving only the remaining seven in there.

Xayden stared ahead blankly through out the entire scene, not caring about anything that was going on around him. Life as he knew it was over, he just didn't care about anything, about anyone anymore. His father frowned, and walked over to Xayden wrapping his arms around him as he whispered quietly, so that only Xayden could hear him:

"I'm so sorry that I couldn't stop this. I wish there was something that I could have done. I'm so sorry Xay. I'm sorry. I hope that you can forgive me one day my dear son. I promise that it will all be okay." If he hadn't felt so numb, so empty he would have laughed. Who was he trying to kid? Xayden would spend the rest of his life in a loveless marriage. It wasn't going to be okay. It was never going to be okay again.

It seemed as though the world wanted to agree with him, for it was almost immediately after his father had tried to reassure him that it would all be okay that the person who would escort him to the meeting place showed up. Dull blue eyes stared up at the man with a blank, empty look. He felt nothing as he stared up at the man that was leading him to his prison, to his doom. He couldn't even bring himself to hate the strange man, and perhaps that was the thing that troubled the Burman the most.

"Have fun Xayden!" The words were spoken in a cruel sarcastic tone, and he didn't even have to turn around to see who had said them. He heard a small series of rapid words, and heard the sound of a hand meeting the back of the brat's head, and the ghost of a smile appeared on his face before fading away. Xayden sighed and stood up from the place that he had been seated, and made his way over to the strange man.

"Let's get this over with." He heard a warning cough from his uncle, and dull blue eyes seemed to darken as they turned on him. 'What more do you want from me?' They seemed to ask, and that was all it had taken for his uncle to fall quiet. It was immediately after that that they had began their journey to their chosen destination.

Although the journey was silent, it was not entirely unpleasant something that had honestly surprised Xayden. The man that walked next to him seemed no more thrilled with the arrangement then he did, and that was something that eased him just a little bit as strange as it sounded. It felt reassuring to know that he wasn't the only one displeased with this arrangement.

All too soon, it seemed as though they had reached their destination before Xayden was left alone to await the arrival of his contracted fiancé. The orchards were in bloom, and in the past Xayden would have probably thought them to be beautiful, but as he stood there gazing at the beautiful scenery, hands shoved into the jacket pockets of his suit, all he could think of was the love that he had lost. His beautiful, amazing, sweet, loving Aito. He hoped that whereever he was, he was happier than he was at this moment in time. He wouldn't wish this curse, this burden on his worst enemy.

[Aito Satoshi]

Takumi had returned with a saddened expression. "They're here." Aito rose up to his feet and sighed. His mother fussed and fretted over his hair, and bits of unseen cat fur on this dress pants for a moment before she let him go. He only said one thing, "I'm not appirating. I'm just going to walk. No need to rush this." They said nothing, and obviously he was not going to wait for such because he left without another word.

The orchards held no love for him today as he maneuvered through the trees. Sacrificing his happiness just to keep these trees was bittersweet. Ah well, wasn't that life? The closer he got to his designated spot, the more he could almost smell Xayden again and once he had to stop moving to gather up his stregnth to keep walking.

Finally, he stared to see the other person through the trees. He found his eyes straining slightly, but he felt like that stance was somehow familiar. The smell was growing stronger. Aito blinked roughly, licked his lips out of instinct as his steps started increasing in pace. Something akin to the joy he'd been missing all this time tried to spasm through his heart as his name rose on his lips, "Xayden?!?!"

The tone was hope, desperation, loneliness, and love all at once. The boy was close enough for his heart to see who was waiting...in the designated area...waiting for him. At that moment he couldn't hold back from running to him, to his one love. "Xayden!!!"

[Deleted]

It seemed as though Xayden had been waiting for hours for his fiancé to show up, and in his heart he was starting to feel the smallest bit of hope. Perhaps something had happened and the person wasn't going to show up. Perhaps the deal had somehow fallen through, and now the both of them would be free to return to the people that they loved. Maybe now he would be free to return to Aito and salvage was what left of their relationship. He would explain to Aito what had happened, and apologize. Hopefully he would be forgiven, and they could continue their relationship.

Even if they couldn't, he would be content with just by being by his side. Just being by Aito was better than not being near him at all. Merlin, how he missed him so much. He swore that if he tried hard enough, he could smell the faint scent of Aito's cologne on the wind through the sweet of the flowers growing stronger and stronger with each slowly passing moment. His hope began to grow bigger and bigger. This person wouldn't show up. He would be free. He could run away, and go find his Aito now!
He had been just about to apperate out of there when his blood ran cold. He heard them. Footsteps slowly heading to where he was standing.

He had decided to come after all.

With his hope instantly crushed, his eyes that had begun to regain their light had returned to their dullness. He felt a pair of eyes locked on his form, and he knew at once that the other person had seen him, he could not escape now. The lump that had formed in his throat seemed to grow bigger, and his eyes burned with the effort of him restraining the tears that longed to fall free. The footsteps that had been walking towards him seemed to increase their pace. Aito's scent seemed to grow stronger on the wind, and now Xayden could have sworn he heard his voice calling his name.

The sound of rapid footsteps filled the air, breaking through the silence of the orchard. The scent was the strongest that it had even been, and he knew that he definately heard his name being called. Frowning, and hardening both his heart, and his eyes he turned around to face his fiancé only to freeze. His heart filled with hope, and for the first time in a very long time he felt as though he could breathe again. Running towards him was none other than his angel. His reason for living, for breathing. Running across the orchard towards him was none other than his Aito.

Slowly a smile made it's way across his face, and his arms opened wide, wrapping around the younger male as they finally made it to one another. He burried his face in the other's hair, and held him tight and close, not wanting to let go of him in case this was some sort of sick, twisted dream.

"Aito..." His name was whispered quietly, hopefully. "Please tell me you're the one that I am supposed to marry. I don't think I can handle seeing you again, holding you like this again if I'm just going to be expected to let you go again."

[Aito Satoshi]

Black eyes shut tightly in an attempt to swallow down what was a forming sob as his arms wrapped tightly around him again. It felt like forever since this was allowed to happen and his forehead remained on Xayden's shoulder for a near eternity as he could do nothing but tremble and shake in the older boy's arms. Was he asleep again? Was this a nightmare? He'd had the same dream over and over again, but this one seemed different. A mutual air of hope lingered between them and finally, he brought his gaze up to look at his present and his future. "It...it is. It's my family that signed with yours. It was me that you were promised to. Merlin's breath...I had no...I was ready to give up."

His battered heart swelled almost painfully. But, he had one last thing he needed to do. This was the most important thing that he'd ever done, but this was less about the contract and about their families than it was them. There was no business, no plan for what he was going to do, and there were no prying eyes or ears to witness it. He grasped Xayden's hand and breathed softly, "Come with me."

He led him through the orchard, holding his hand with a renewed purpose to ensure that no person could take him away from him again. Through the trees, he finally drew him out into a secluded section of the property and looked deep into those blue eyes with his whole soul brimming with a rush of adoration. "Xayden...contract or no...you were always going to be the man I loved more than life itself. I would have loved you until my soul departed this life...and I would have loved you after. I never want to be without you. I couldn't take it then and now I would not accept it. My family expects a simple, business transaction. You deserve far more. It will be done right."

That plain ring, the one that lacked any real creativity or meaning...he withdrew it and his wand. It would not do for the amount of love he had for this man. Nothing would ever be quite perfect enough, but, he would do his damndest. He whispered a slos incantation with his wand glowing blue for a moment before going back to dark. The wand was replaced within his pocket, the cherry wand he used for his most precious spells, and he did as he was contracted to do, but also so much more than that.

Onto one knee, against the river rocks, Xayden's left hand clasped in his palms, he felt his stomach flutter as he drew in a breath. "Xayden Andrews Roubsouay...my life would never be complete without you in it. Would you allow me to honor your family, honor your ancestors, and honor you...would you allow me to protect you, love you, care for you, and serve you for the rest of my days, nights, and all those moments in between? Will you marry me?" His palm slowly produced his labor of love and carefully guided the ring onto his finger.

For honor? For pride? Bah. No. This man was asking for only one thing, and the only thing he ever really cared about. For love. For always.

[Deleted]

When it had been revealed that he had been promised to none other than Aito, that it had been his family that the Roubsouays had contacted, Xayden felt as though he had just been given the breath of life again. Suddenly, his chest did not feel constricted and the pain that was in his heart seemed to vanish as if it were nothing more than just a figment of his formally depressed imagination. It got easier to breathe, and the world did not seem to be as dark as it had been only a moment ago. He felt hope, he felt content, he felt happy. His angel, his reason for living had come back to him, and now they would stay together for the rest of their lives.

"Thank Merlin. I didn't know how I was going to last without you in my life Aito. You are my everything. I wanted to die when I thought I could never hold you like this again. I didn't even want to try and live without you." He pressed a gentle kiss on his forehead. and his grip on his lover tightened. He did not want to let him go.

His heart beat painfully against his ribs, beating only for the person who it belonged to. His eyes looked at Aito with a look of such love and adoration that there was no question, no doubt about how he felt about the man that was to be his husband. He was young, he was in love, and now the person that he loved was about to be completely, and fully his until the day that death separated them, and even far after that. He would always belong to Aito, just as Aito would always belong to him.

When Aito grasped his hand in his, whispering quietly for Xayden to come with him, he did so without question. He was led through the orchard, the grip on his hand tight. They walked past and through the trees until they finally reached a beautiful and secluded area of the orchard, where a small series of waterfalls fell over some rocks and into a small river. It was absolutely beautiful, and yet Xayden's eyes kept falling back on Aito, finding him to be the more pleasing thing to admire. Blue eyes met black, and he felt his heart swell at the look of adoration that he was given.

When Aito began to speak, Xayden listened intently to his loving words, a small smile making it's way on his face as he did. He had known that Aito loved him, but before now he had never known just how far, just how deep that love had extended. He watched with curious eyes as Aito drew out both a ring, and his wand before uttering a slow incantation, watched as his wand glew with a beautiful blue light before falling back to it's normal color.

Then it happened.

Aito dropped down onto one knee with his left hand grasped in both of his hands. He spoke about his life not being complete without him, and asked him for the chance to honor his family and his ancestors along with asking for the chance to love, protect and care for him for the remainder of his life. He asked Xayden if he would marry him.

He felt his heart swell as the ring was slipped onto his ring finger, and slowly Xayden dropped to his knees so that he was level with the younger male. His hands moved to cup Aito's face, his forehead moving so that it was pressed directly against Aito's. Loving blue eyes stared deep into beautiful black and his lips were tilted upwards in a caring smile.

"Of course I will marry you Aito Bae Thresh. I love you more than I could ever love anything or anyone. You are the reason I breathe, the reason that I live. You are my sky. My sun, moon, and stars and everything in between. I love you so much and contract or not, I want to spend the rest of my life side by side with you." With that said, he leaned forward pressing his lips against Aito's in a sweet yet passionate kiss, pouring all of the love and adoration that he felt in his heart for his future husband into the simple meeting of their lips.

[Aito Satoshi]

That kiss could have been enough to bowl him over with the spark that ignited his blood. It could have been the fact that he was kissing his future husband, or it could have been the fact that he simply needed to kiss this man...but something of a groan left his lips as his arms wrapped around Xayden's middle and his lips found their harmony so perfectly.

There was no way to describe the passion trying to overcome the young Satoshi aside from a growing wildfire. His hands gently gripped the small of his angel's back and kissed a trail along the sweet slope of his neck, his eyes closed as he leaned chest to chest with his one and only. For a lingering moment, their hearts pounded in perfect sync before his lips eased from the only set he would kiss for his life.

Half lidded eyes gazed at him as he caught his breath, "Thank you...my love." His body trembled inside his love's arms, aching for his closeness. "Blessed...Merlin. I love you so much and all I want is to show you every day." He bit his lip roughly, "You've no idea how much I want you...but...I've never...."

[Deleted]

There was something that was different about this kiss than all of the others that the two had shared together. Perhaps it was the fact that he was kissing the person that he knew he would be spending the rest his life with, or perhaps it was because he was kissing the one person that he had thought he would never get the chance to kiss again, but this kiss was different, it made him feel different, as though his blood was on fire. When he heard the groan that left Aito's lips, and he felt Aito's arms around him, pulling him closer to his body, he couldn't help but release a small groan of his own at the contact.

There was something that seemed to be growing within him, something that wanted to be closer, and closer to Aito. He sighed as he felt lips being pressed to the flesh of his neck again and again in a series of small and loving kisses. They were now chest to chest and for a moment he could have sworn that their hearts were beating together as if in perfect harmony. Their lips met together in one final kiss before they parted, and Aito spoke to him.

Strong arms held Aito's body close to his, listening to each and every word that spilled out from his lips, smiling softly when he felt the small trembles from Aito's body. It appeared as though he wanted to be just as close to Xayden as he did to Aito.

" Of course Aito." He smiled, and chuckled quietly, nuzzeling his face in the side of Aito's neck, pressing a series of gentle kisses on the visable skin there. "I love you too, my angel." His face colored slightly when he heard Aito admit that he wanted him, and he pulled away from the skin on his neck, instead choosing to press his forehead against Aito's. He gave him a small, gentle smile as he stared deep into the eyes that he loved so much.

"I want you as well Aito. More than I have ever wanted anyone before in my life, however there is something that you need to know love. It's fine if you haven't any experience. I honestly haven't that much either. However, this gives us a chance to teach, to learn from each other."

A kiss was pressed to his nose.

"I'll teach you what feels good for me, and you'll teach me what feels good for you. We'll learn from each other, after all we have all of the time in the world, my love."

[Aito Satoshi]

Listening to him, Aito smiled warmly. "You're right, love. We really do. I wish..." He bushed darkly and bit his lip again. "I don't even really know what I like. You're the only person to ever touch me like you wanted me. And I've...never...experimented." Oh, Merlin, was he really telling his fiance this? Well, he would have found out eventually. Both of his hands lifted slowly and gently caressed the face that he had missed so much, and now he would be able to see it each day.

Dear Circe...he was going to marry this man.

That thought suddenly seemed to hit home in his mind and he leaned near Xayden again and gently pressed his cheek to Xayden's, nuzzling him affectionately. "I still can't believe it was you. No dream comes close to the feeling I felt when I could tell it was. You are my life and such you will remain." He leaned back and kissed his lips softly before rising up and helping him up to his feet. "My family is coming, love. I think mother will be surprised to see it is you. No one had any idea."

The first to find the couple was Takumi. He slid his glasses down with a crooked brow, trying to figure out the extreme look of joy when the two had been so miserable before. "I'm going to assume that you two know each other better than you thought." Aito was going to speak, when Ren came stumbling into the clearing after his twin, crinkling his nose slightly, "Taki, you're so. Nosey. Leave them be."

Sayuri was the next to peer first into the area, and at first the look of initial confusion at the joy all over her son's face melted away when she got a good look at the boy with him. "Blessed ancestors! Oh, Qi! I'm so happy that it's him. I'm so happy for you both!" The petite woman pressed a kiss to her son's cheek and placed a gentle hand on Xayden's shoulder. "Welcome to the family, sweetheart. Congratulations. Now, where is Cian?"

"Obaasan full body locked him this morning." Ren crooned, looking down at his fingernails daintily. Aito blinked, "She did what now?" Ren scoffed, "Full body bind." "She's...like 80 years old and can't even catch him!" "She just has to cast faster, which she can." Sayuri's eyes widened, "Oh dear! I'll go find him, poor dear. Okaasan forgets that she casts once the wand's away! Come, Takumi, Ren, let's find him." The adults hurried off, and Aito turned back to Xayden.

"Obaasan is a jokester when she needn't be so formal. You might like her. Do you want to go back to the house?"

[Deleted]

He couldn't help but laugh at the younger male's admission. Merlin, Aito was just too cute sometimes! His hands moved up to gently cup the warm flesh on Aito's cheeks. "It's not exactly that hard to figure this sort of stuff love. If we do decide to take things further, just pay attention to what it is I'm doing to you. If it feels especially good, then let me know and we'll take things from there." That was the point of sleeping with someone else, after all. One had to be sure to please their partner as well as themselves, at least that was how Xayden had always seen it.

A pair of sort and warm hands moved to cup his face and he sighed, calmly leaning into his touch, chuckling when Aito leaned forward to nuzzle his face with his own."I still can't believe that it was you I thought for sure that I was going to either end up with some sick old man, or a woman. I could never have imagined that even in my wildest dreams you would be the one I was promised to. I am truly fortunate." He smiled as he was kissed before he was helped to his feet.

He was told that Aito's family was coming towards them, and that his mother would be surprised to see that it was him. Sure enough, only moments later they were stumbled upon by the man who had escorted him here, along with a man that looked very similar to him, watching the small exchange between them with slightly amused eyes, before a woman came to the spot that they were at. She looked at her Son's face before her eyes locked on his form, and recognition sparked in her eyes. He watched as she exclaimed something to Aito before pressing a kiss to his cheek. She then turned to him, and placed a hand on his shoulder and welcomed him to the family. "Thank you Ma'am."

He watched the exchange between the adults with amused eyes. When they had hurried off to find someone named Cian, Aito turned to Xayden, and spoke again.

"I am good with whatever you want to do, angel."