Conspicuous
Title: Conspicuous
Series: Kyou Kara Maoh!
Characters/Pairings: Gwendal and Raven
Word Count: 203
Rating: G
Warnings: none
Timeline: set very pre-series
Notes: Originally written for kkm_challenge's Round 17: The Ultimate KKM Challenge and posted here on August 15, 2008.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or recognizable elements of Kyou Kara Maou. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit is being made.
Over the past week Raven had become increasingly aware that he was being watched. Every time he looked for the source of his unease he found Gwendal staring at him. The boy would hold his gaze a moment before turning away, but after a few minutes Raven would notice the staring resume. After years of being comfortably invisible unless needed this new scrutiny was unnerving.
It was something of a relief when the boy approached him after dinner. “How do you do it?”
“Do what, young master?”
“Make people not notice you,” Gwendal glared up at him. “I’ve been studying you all week and I can’t figure out how you do it.”
Raven stared at the boy, “Why?”
“Because I’m young there are those who want to use my inexperience to advance their own positions. And because I am inexperienced I can’t tell which of my would-be advisors are worth trusting.” He signed, “If I could learn to be less conspicuous it would give me opportunities to hear the things they don’t want me to know.”
Raven nodded, “It will be more difficult because of who you are.”
Gwendal smiled bitterly, “Of course. But Walde will not suffer because I didn’t try.”
Series: Kyou Kara Maoh!
Characters/Pairings: Gwendal and Raven
Word Count: 203
Rating: G
Warnings: none
Timeline: set very pre-series
Notes: Originally written for kkm_challenge's Round 17: The Ultimate KKM Challenge and posted here on August 15, 2008.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or recognizable elements of Kyou Kara Maou. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit is being made.
Over the past week Raven had become increasingly aware that he was being watched. Every time he looked for the source of his unease he found Gwendal staring at him. The boy would hold his gaze a moment before turning away, but after a few minutes Raven would notice the staring resume. After years of being comfortably invisible unless needed this new scrutiny was unnerving.
It was something of a relief when the boy approached him after dinner. “How do you do it?”
“Do what, young master?”
“Make people not notice you,” Gwendal glared up at him. “I’ve been studying you all week and I can’t figure out how you do it.”
Raven stared at the boy, “Why?”
“Because I’m young there are those who want to use my inexperience to advance their own positions. And because I am inexperienced I can’t tell which of my would-be advisors are worth trusting.” He signed, “If I could learn to be less conspicuous it would give me opportunities to hear the things they don’t want me to know.”
Raven nodded, “It will be more difficult because of who you are.”
Gwendal smiled bitterly, “Of course. But Walde will not suffer because I didn’t try.”