[Yami no Matsuei] "His Master's Required Reading" (PG-13)
Author's Note: Written for < lj user="kink_bingo">'s "begging". Featuring Muraki and Tsuzuki in a somewhat alternate universe situation, where Tsuzuki has been installed as Muraki's companion and pet.
Tsuzuki swore that Muraki made him kneel at his (Muraki's) feet just for the sheer pleasure of seeing him in that ridiculous and uncomfortable position. The rules of their arrangement obliged Tsuzuki to kneel in an erect pose, rather than sitting back with his haunches on his heels, which would have been much more comfortable. His immortal flesh made it easier for him to kneel like this for as long as it pleased Muraki, but still, it got tiresome sitting this way, while Muraki worked on writing up his reports or answering messages or taking phone calls, one free hand wandering over to Tsuzuki's head to stroke his hair.
The same happened at home as well, only there, Tsuzuki had the luxury of kneeling while Muraki read, often out loud, usually from the classics that Tsuzuki had never thought to read while he was alive or now during his after life. This broadened his horizons, but at other times, Tsuzuki wanted a say in what his master read to him.
"Can't we read something lighter tonight, master?" Tsuzuki asked from his place at his master's feet, looking up into the pale man's face as he pored over the stack of books on one of the library tables.
"If by 'lighter' you mean one of those cheap, trifling romance novels I've seen on your bedside table, I'm going to have to refuse," Muraki replied, sternly, but Tsuzuki could spot a flicker of amusement in his master's good eye, while his glass eye seemed bored with the notion. "Your education needs to be continued: I want you to be more than a mere pretty face."
"Whatever you think, master. As long as it isn't Shakespeare," Tsuzuki replied, with a sigh. "I mean, the stories are good, but the old English is way beyond my reading level."
"And that is why you need to hear it, or better still, to see it performed when we have the chance," Muraki replied, moving aside several volumes. "We're still working away at the Tale of Genji ."
"Oh, that's true, but when you read it, you make it sound so proper and orderly and dry," Tsuzuki grumbled. "Sometimes," he added, quickly. Muraki darted a Look of Warning at him: some things were permitted, per their agreement, but this kind of talk would easily land Tsuzuki a thrashing or even a flogging, depending on how uppity he got. "You're treading on dangerous territory," Muraki warned.
"Yes, you're right, Master, the serious stuff is for my own good," Tsuzuki replied. "But it's like always having salad for dinner and never getting any dessert to go with it."
"You *do* need more vegetables in your diet," Muraki replied, lightly, as he took up the second volume of the several thick volumes of the Tale of Genji and leafing through it to where he had left off on a previous night.
"Please, Master, can't we read something lighter some night?" Tsuzuki begged, putting his hands up like a begging puppy, giving his keeper a soft-eyed look, his head on one side.
Muraki paused on his way back to his armchair, eying Tsuzuki, his good eyed narrowed in amused annoyance, his glass eye still impassive. "There you go with those pleaded violet eyes of yours," he said, with a sigh. "Very well, go and fetch one of those Regency trifles I've seen you curled up with," he said, putting aside the book he held.
Tsuzuki hugged his master's knees, gratefully. "Oh, thank you, master! I'll get one of the better ones, I promise. You won't regret this."
"I know that I won't," Muraki replied, putting a hand on Tsuzuki's head, stopping him before he got up. "Because there is one condition I must attach to your request and to my agreeing to it."
"A condition? What is it?" Tsuzuki asked, wanting to tilt his head back but unable to do so.
Muraki tilted Tsuzuki's head back, looking into his pet's face. A smirked crossed his face, his good eye snapping mischievously. "The condition is quite simple: no dessert for you for every night that I read some of this treacly stuff that you've asked me to read to you."
"Awww! That's not a compromise, that's criminal!" Tsuzuki retorted, trying to work loose from Muraki's grip.
His master let him go and reached for the volume he had selected. "It is what it is: your mind needs proper nourishment as much as your body, and I won't have you over-indulging in the things don't necessarily maintain either."
"Yeah, but... well, sweets and romance novels nourish my soul, and you said it yourself, master, that you don't like seeing me moping," Tsuzuki argued.
Muraki sighed. "You do try my patience, Tsuzuki, but my order stands. One night of romance novels, one night without dessert. It's all a matter of balance. No amount of begging is going to change that." And with that, he took up the volume, striding back to his chair.
"Aw, geez," Tsuzuki muttered, knee-walking to the rug at Muraki's feet.
Tsuzuki swore that Muraki made him kneel at his (Muraki's) feet just for the sheer pleasure of seeing him in that ridiculous and uncomfortable position. The rules of their arrangement obliged Tsuzuki to kneel in an erect pose, rather than sitting back with his haunches on his heels, which would have been much more comfortable. His immortal flesh made it easier for him to kneel like this for as long as it pleased Muraki, but still, it got tiresome sitting this way, while Muraki worked on writing up his reports or answering messages or taking phone calls, one free hand wandering over to Tsuzuki's head to stroke his hair.
The same happened at home as well, only there, Tsuzuki had the luxury of kneeling while Muraki read, often out loud, usually from the classics that Tsuzuki had never thought to read while he was alive or now during his after life. This broadened his horizons, but at other times, Tsuzuki wanted a say in what his master read to him.
"Can't we read something lighter tonight, master?" Tsuzuki asked from his place at his master's feet, looking up into the pale man's face as he pored over the stack of books on one of the library tables.
"If by 'lighter' you mean one of those cheap, trifling romance novels I've seen on your bedside table, I'm going to have to refuse," Muraki replied, sternly, but Tsuzuki could spot a flicker of amusement in his master's good eye, while his glass eye seemed bored with the notion. "Your education needs to be continued: I want you to be more than a mere pretty face."
"Whatever you think, master. As long as it isn't Shakespeare," Tsuzuki replied, with a sigh. "I mean, the stories are good, but the old English is way beyond my reading level."
"And that is why you need to hear it, or better still, to see it performed when we have the chance," Muraki replied, moving aside several volumes. "We're still working away at the Tale of Genji ."
"Oh, that's true, but when you read it, you make it sound so proper and orderly and dry," Tsuzuki grumbled. "Sometimes," he added, quickly. Muraki darted a Look of Warning at him: some things were permitted, per their agreement, but this kind of talk would easily land Tsuzuki a thrashing or even a flogging, depending on how uppity he got. "You're treading on dangerous territory," Muraki warned.
"Yes, you're right, Master, the serious stuff is for my own good," Tsuzuki replied. "But it's like always having salad for dinner and never getting any dessert to go with it."
"You *do* need more vegetables in your diet," Muraki replied, lightly, as he took up the second volume of the several thick volumes of the Tale of Genji and leafing through it to where he had left off on a previous night.
"Please, Master, can't we read something lighter some night?" Tsuzuki begged, putting his hands up like a begging puppy, giving his keeper a soft-eyed look, his head on one side.
Muraki paused on his way back to his armchair, eying Tsuzuki, his good eyed narrowed in amused annoyance, his glass eye still impassive. "There you go with those pleaded violet eyes of yours," he said, with a sigh. "Very well, go and fetch one of those Regency trifles I've seen you curled up with," he said, putting aside the book he held.
Tsuzuki hugged his master's knees, gratefully. "Oh, thank you, master! I'll get one of the better ones, I promise. You won't regret this."
"I know that I won't," Muraki replied, putting a hand on Tsuzuki's head, stopping him before he got up. "Because there is one condition I must attach to your request and to my agreeing to it."
"A condition? What is it?" Tsuzuki asked, wanting to tilt his head back but unable to do so.
Muraki tilted Tsuzuki's head back, looking into his pet's face. A smirked crossed his face, his good eye snapping mischievously. "The condition is quite simple: no dessert for you for every night that I read some of this treacly stuff that you've asked me to read to you."
"Awww! That's not a compromise, that's criminal!" Tsuzuki retorted, trying to work loose from Muraki's grip.
His master let him go and reached for the volume he had selected. "It is what it is: your mind needs proper nourishment as much as your body, and I won't have you over-indulging in the things don't necessarily maintain either."
"Yeah, but... well, sweets and romance novels nourish my soul, and you said it yourself, master, that you don't like seeing me moping," Tsuzuki argued.
Muraki sighed. "You do try my patience, Tsuzuki, but my order stands. One night of romance novels, one night without dessert. It's all a matter of balance. No amount of begging is going to change that." And with that, he took up the volume, striding back to his chair.
"Aw, geez," Tsuzuki muttered, knee-walking to the rug at Muraki's feet.