Jesters & Kings

Jesters & Kings Part 6
A Love Mode Fanfic

"Pick the best...There are no more words of rejection than this."


Katsuki found his respite from the company of his admirers had not helped. If anything, it had made things worse. He could still taste Jin's kiss; could still feel his touch. The group surrounding him seemed little more than rabble by comparison. They'd scattered at Noe's approach, let alone if they had to face Jin. But, damn it, who could compare with him? Was that what the host expected of him? To find someone who could compete with him? Wasn't that asking a bit much?

Before long he found he was excusing himself again, heading for the refreshment table for another break. Even as he made his way across the room, he was berating himself for running off. If he kept it up, his potential lovers would lose interest. That was something he couldn't afford now. Jin's words about not wanting this lifestyle replayed in his mind. He scowled at the drink he'd just gotten. Why did everything keep going back to Jin?

'I refined you myself...' The word's echoed in his head. Had he been some kind of pet project then? Something for Jin to while away on when he was bored? The idea didn't sit well with him. But what other explanation could there be? What else could he be to the enigmatic host? Although that certainly didn't explain the man's infuriating habit of kissing him when he got upset. Let alone why he'd slept with him. Or what he wanted from him now - here tonight.

"You seem troubled." One of his admirers had followed him.

Squashing his irritation, Katsuki offered a half-smile. "Perhaps."

The man took a glass of wine for himself, leaning against the table. "Such a mysterious reply."

Katsuki resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he wondered if the man was always so obvious. Still, he was the only one tonight to have the gall to follow him. His personal opinion had little to do with the current situation. "But a perfectly honest one."

"If you need a...friendly ear." The man offered, glancing over at him.

Katsuki paused, recalling Akechi's words earlier in the evening. He caught himself before his thoughts wandered too far. Akechi, perhaps had meant the words. But they were just another pick-up line to the man he was speaking to now. He wondered where Akechi had gone briefly, and spent another brief moment wondering why he had such infuriating taste in men, before turning back to the conversation. "A friendly ear...and a shoulder to cry on?" He suggested. If the other man wasn't going to be subtle, why should he?

"At your service." Akechi's voice broke into the conversation.

Katsuki started, and the man turned. "And you are?"

"Akechi Imura..." He draped Katsuki's missing jacket over his shoulders in a motion that looked positively proprietory, looking over at the other man. "And you are?"

"Just being friendly." The man straightened hastily. "A good evening to you both."

Katsuki was too bewildered to respond as the man disappeared into the crowd. But he shook himself out of his stupor, whirling on Akechi. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Stopping you from making a mistake." Akechi answered as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "That was Sanada Keiji. The only thing worse than his pick-up lines is his financial situation. He's thousands in debt, and digging deeper as we speak."

Katsuki shrugged. "And if he was willing to get several thousand deeper putting me up for a time that would be his problem. At the very least it would buy me time to do a little more fishing."

"That's cold, beautiful."

"Life is cold." Katsuki countered. "Besides, whose fault is it I need a new benefactor so soon?"

Akechi crossed his arms. "I'm supposed to feel sorry for breaking up your liason with the village idiot? I'll have to disappoint you."

"That shouldn't be too hard."

Akechi paused, confused. "What shouldn't be too hard?"

"Disappointing me. Few people in my life have done anything else." He turned to walk away.

"Wait, beautiful - "

Katsuki whirled back, cutting him off. "I have a name! Katsuki, remember? Use it." Not giving him a chance to say anything more, Katsuki turned again and walked away.

Akechi sighed, and snagged a cup of wine from a passing server. "Expertly handled." A voice drolled from behind him.

Akechi froze with the cup to his lips, and shot Jin a glare. Lowering his glass he swirled the wine in it. "And?"

Jin walked past him without replying, but paused to glance over his shoulder. "And I guess that explains why you were never entrusted with the difficult guests."

Akechi glared after him as he disappeared among the guests, his hand tightening on the glass until it shattered. Several guests looked at him, then quickly away. One of the servers ran up to check on him, but Akechi waved him away - handing over the broken glass. He paused when he saw the red wine staining his hand and sleeve. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them - slipping the jacket off as he followed Jin's path into the party.


Katsuki had not returned to his admirers. Retreating to the hallways of the hotel, he was trying to sort through the total wreck his evening had turned into. And how he was going to turn it around. He was beginning to think the easiest route was to move his things to a cheap hotel, and find another party one of the following evenings to attend. He didn't have enough money to last long on his own. Though he could think of a few pieces of jewelry Noe had given him he could hack off for the money if neccessary...

"Giving up?"

Katsuki froze at the sound of Jin's voice. He turned to look at him, where he was standing a few feet away from him. "Maybe. Maybe not." Even though he had been thinking of doing just that, Katsuki refused to admit it to the host.

"You know, I told you to mix with the rabble, when did the Court Jester get involved?"

Somehow Katsuki knew exactly who the other man was referring to. He couldn't help the chuckle that escaped. "Court Jester, eh? That strangely seems fitting..."

"More than you know." Jin responded. "You didn't answer my question though."

Katsuki shrugged. "He involved himself, I guess." He paused to reflect on his run-ins with the other man. Much like his run-ins with Jin, he seemed to be lacking the WHY for his interference. Though Akechi, atleast, had been of some assistance. Still, he'd also caused his break-up with Noe to occur in a way that made his situation all the more difficult.

"A few of his admirers felt pushy earlier this evening." Akechi's voice broke into their conversation as he joined them. "I dissuaded them from acting rashly."

Katsuki flushed in embarrassment, and shot Akechi a glare for divulging the information. Jin noted the look, and found himself frowning over the familarity in it.

"I hope you don't mind me cutting in." He held up a tray with three wine glasses on it.

Jin frowned at him as he took a glass, but turned back to Katsuki. "I don't recall you mentioning that earlier." He pointed out.

"It was none of your concern." Katsuki replied, taking a glass to sip from.

"I'm afraid I'll have to disagree." Jin told him. "Tell me, just who was bold enough to try something like that in a place like this?"

"No need to worry, Kuniaki. They've been removed from the premises." Akechi mentioned casually, sipping at his own drink.

Katsuki looked over at him sharply at that news, but paused as what he'd called Jin sank in. "You two seem to be well aquainted."

"Unfortunately." Jin quipped.

"You needn't be so harsh, King..." Akechi only smiled when Jin stiffened at the name.

"That title isn't mine anymore." He told him pointedly.

"I heard you passed it on to another. But I invented it, remember? To me, you'll always be King."

Katsuki nearly choked on his drink. "Invented it?"

"Didn't you know?" Jin crossed his arms. "Jester here used to be a host at the B&B. Though not a particularly good one."

Akechi chuckled. "Yes, well, it was a lack of manners, not skill, that earned me that distinction.

"So you always insisted." Jin demurred. Akechi frowned.

Katsuki hesitated before speaking. "When did you work for the B&B?"

The question caught Akechi off-guard. He paused, looking into his wine glass. "I trained alongside Jin, in the early days of the company. When the previous owner passed on, I took my leave." He drained his glass, setting it aside.

"Not on the best of terms." Jin added.

Akechi looked over at him. "Don't you have a client to attend to?"

"He had to leave."

"Shouldn't you be reporting back to the B&B then?"

"Don't tell me how to do my business, Akechi." His tone held a warning.

"Is that what this is? Business?"

"..."

"How typical of you to refuse to answer the most important question."

Katsuki drained his cup, setting it down with a thunk. The two turned to him cautiously. "I take my leave of you." Was all he said, before turning on his heel and disappearing up the hallway.

"Hm...I do believe that was the wrong answer, Jin-san." Akechi pointed out. Jin shot him a glare, before setting aside his glass and making to follow Katsuki's retreating figure. Akechi stepped into his path. "Do you love him?"

"Out of the way, Imura."

"It's a simple enough question."

"I won't warn you again."

"I've never competed with you for anything, Jin. But I want that man."

Jin's hand clenched around Akechi's collar, but Akechi didn't flinch - only met his gaze. "Then you better prove you're worth it. That you aren't the same coward I knew. Got it, Jester?" Yanking him aside, Jin released him and strode on.

Akechi stood still for a long moment before his tense stance drained away. "In the end a Jester can only be a Jester, King. Nothing more."


Katsuki stormed up the hallway, trying to calm down. But Akechi's words were echoing in his mind. And his own words from another time and place.

"So, do you really love me?"

"You never answer when it's most important."

He chuckled, shaking his head. He wasn't sure what he was laughing at. Himself. The whole improbability of the situation. At Akechi being an ex-host who'd trained alongside Jin. The irony of that did not escape him, certainly.

He chuckled again, feeling near hysterics. A disaster. The night had been a complete disaster.

He reacted automatically to the hand that grabbed his elbow, whirling in an attempt to cuff whoever had grabbed him. "Let go!"

Jin caught his wrist with ease. "We aren't through talking."

"Oh, yes, we are!" Katsuki snapped, then hastily turned his head to the side. "And don't you DARE kiss me."

Jin looked amused. "And why would I do that?"

"You seem to make a habit of it." Katsuki remarked.

"You're the one who told me I could."

"...?!" Katsuki yanked away. "When did I-?!"

"Don't you remember? 'Kiss me as much as you want.' Your words."

"That was different!"

"How so?"

"How not? A different place; a different time; a different me! I don't mind being used, and I don't expect you to return my feelings. But I will not be a joke, Jin. I will not be a game."

"Is that what you think this is? A game?"

"You tell me, Jin." Katsuki turned to look at the other man, but his face was unreadable. Somehow, he wasn't surprised. "No answer? You seem to be such an expert - why don't you tell me what my next move should be? How did you put it? You'd pick the best for me? Well, go ahead - pick the best. Tell me who to choose; what to do. Then do me a favor, and stay away from me. For good."


To Be Continued...


Aw, Katsuki - you don't mean that!

*cough* Anyway, so who guessed that Akechi was an ex-host? Anybody?

Salmon