"I am-" The young man stretched languidly, bright yellow shirt ridding up on his flat stomach. "One hundred percent sure!" He finished in a sing-song voice. He flashed an engaging grin at his lover, strands of bleached white hair tumbling over his eyes.

"Why? Jealous?"

"As long as you come back, I have no problem with it." Aiden allowed, inspecting the revealed skin with interest. "Only a couple days? I can survive that."

"Awww. You sure you don't want to come? It's your Key." Kumi Amoroso frowned at that. "I'm serious, you know."

"I know, I know." Aiden waved his hand. "The idea is tempting, I haven't seen Kin since-" He paused, and smiled wryly. "Since meeting you. Or should I say, since you barged into my apartment?"

"Pft. Minor detail. Besides, I thought it was my apartment. Your fault for leaving the door open." Kumi ran his hand through his hair distractedly. "You want to see him?" He asked, anxious.

"No, no." Aiden stood up from the office chair and drew the small man into a hug. "Kin was a friend when I needed to get away from things. I feel I owe him for that, even if he is just a Key."

"Okay…" Kumi murmured into Aiden's shoulder, green eyes shut. "Are you coming then?"

"Sadly, I can't. Meeting with the board of directors tomorrow. Can't avoid it." Aiden sounded harassed. That made Kumi smother a laugh. "Well, it was worth a try. You sure the Palace knows I'm coming?"

"The Palace staff has a frightening tendency to know everything." His lover answered, perfectly honest. "Disturbing, but efficient. So suffice to say, yes, they are aware of your visit."

"Kay." Kumi mumbled, not quite willing to move away from his boyfriend. "Dun' wanna get there and find they're all, 'who the fuck are you?' 'cuz that would be bad."

"Indeed." Aiden swept his hand through the multi-toned hair of his younger companion, watching as occasional silver flowed between his fingers. "Kumi? Do you actually want to go?"

The half Japanese man pulled back, blinking. "Of course! I've been curious about the Palace from the moment I heard about it on the 'net. Then I find out you have a Key? That's awesome. You don't even mind if I go and sleep with another guy. Although I really, really would prefer it if you came. Have a nice ménage a trios." He added wickedly.

"You are so odd." The businessman decided, curling his hand around Kumi's nape. "You don't even care that I have a Key. Well, not in the expected way."

"Why should I?" Kumi closed his eyes and made a sound at the back of his throat. It sounded suspiciously like a purr. "I don't see anything wrong with it. As long as you aren't sneaking off to have sex with your Key without telling me or something. And really, that poor guy must feel kinda bereft. You haven't visited in what-" He let one eye open. "Nearly two years?"

"Mmn."

"You send him presents, don't you?"

Aiden coughed, caught off guard. "What?"

Dark green eyes peered up at him, not angrily. "Heh. That's typical of you. What do you send him?"

"Uh." Aiden cleared his throat, not totally sure he could be as casual as Kumi. Weren't Japanese people supposed to reserved? "He likes birds. So I send books and art about them. He doesn't like caged birds."

"Birds?" Kumi hummed, apparently drawing himself into a flurry of thought. "Curioser and curioser. Can you finish packing for me? I need to go buy something." "…Kumi…" Aiden said slowly. "What's going on in that mind of yours?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all." The young man answered with a chirp. "Be back in about two hours. Shouldn't take longer than that. 'love you." He added, kissing the tall American on the lips. Then he was out of the room, shirt still hiked up on his stomach, leaving Aiden shaking his head in bemusement. 'Twenty-five and he still acts like a kid.'

"Plane, plane, plane, airsickness, plane!" Came the distinct, harried grumbling from the passenger side. The pilots exchanged vaguely amused glances. They were long time employees of the Palace, and had seen their share of odd people. This new guest however was strangely charming, in an erratic, jarring way.

"Which Key did he say he had?" The copilot whispered, leaning over. The Captain bit back a laugh.

"The Morning Dew."

"Isn't that-?"

"He's his lover. The illegitimate son from the Amoroso family."

"Oh. Oh!"

'I can hear you, you know.' Kumi thought with a flare of irritation. Then his stomach gave a rebellious swirl and he winced, sinking deep into his seat. He had never, ever been a very good traveler. Not by car, not by train, particularly not by boat, and not by plane. Swallowing despite a dry throat, Kumi shut his eyes. While the excitement at going to visit the Palace was still there, in the back of his mind, he was starting to regret not insisting Aiden come with. Or just waited until their schedules were less hectic. Which, Kumi realized, was never. If it wasn't Kumi's own troubles trying to handle the family business-that yes, he had been born a bastard child-it was Aiden's busy schedule as head of the Penchant Corporation.

'I'll be surprised if I get to 30 at this pace.' The man thought, managing to stop his fingers from digging into the upholstery. 'And Aiden will be lucky if he manages to get to 45 without a heart-attack.'

Letting out a inaudible sigh, Kumi reached into his bag and gazed at the small bottle with resignation. He hadn't really wanted to take sleeping pills-but by his calculations, they still had four hours to go before arriving at the destination. Warily, he broke one pill in half and swallowed it down with a gulp of bottled water.

'Hope I wake up before landing.'

- Predictably enough, he hadn't. The pilots looked somewhat abashed, but Kumi waved them away. It was the sort of thing that happened to him all of the time, he was pretty much used to it. Within minutes of landing (and an abrupt awakening), he got his first glimpse of the Palace as staff took the little luggage he had brought.

He couldn't even decide on the architectural style the Palace was. For it was, indeed, a palace. It seemed to be a very strange mix of Eastern and European styles thrown together, except at the same time it was modern and too soon he was getting ushered up the steps and into an elegant foyer.

"Mr. Amoroso?"

"Yes?" Kumi drew to a stop and faced at the young man who had called out to him. He was of some sort of Eastern descent if Kumi hazarded a guess, but with the palest ash blonde hair he had ever seen outside of Hollywood. That alone earned him an interested look, but the young man gave a quick and stylish bow, missing it.

"I am called Nirav. I will be your guide for the remainder of your stay. Your needs outside of a Key's duty will be provided by me." He introduced himself in a fluent, if husky English. Kumi nodded quickly in acknowledgement, having thought for a second that perhaps this was Kin.

"Here is the Key, sir." Nirav produced a slim box from somewhere and offered it with all the respect as if it were the Holy Grail.

Kumi tossed him a dazzling smile before plucking it out of his fingers. So much silly formality. Nirav seemed to take this in stride and as a brief dismissal. He walked away to speak with the servant bringing in Kumi's bag.

The box wasn't anything spectacular. Just smooth, worn down cherry wood. Upon being opened, Kumi found the Morning Dew Key nestled between folds of night-sky blue silk. Again it wasn't anything flashy or elaborate. Just a key made in the old, clunky way. Not finding much interest in it, the box was closed and Kumi called for Nirav's attention.

"Could I possibly be shown to my room now?" He asked, smiling lopsidedly. "Or do I need to do anything?"

"No, everything is in order. Please, follow me." Nirav gave again one of his curt but smooth bows, which Kumi just barely withheld himself from returning. 'Too much influence from my Asian family.' He thought wryly, and followed the tall guide.

Perhaps Nirav was lucky that Kumi found himself entirely too fascinated with the surroundings to start asking him questions. There was an avid gleam of curiosity in the guest's eyes as they traversed up two hallways and arrived at the base of a tower. Kumi tilted his head.

"Up there?"

"Yes. The only occupied room in the tower. There are three in total, but the other two have been unused for a very long time."

"I see." The green-eyed man murmured. 'A tower? Aiden could have warned me of this.' He thought, thinking grimly of his slight antagonism with heights. Regardless he steeled his nerve and ascended the stairs. Up, up they went, and he felt just a bit sorry for the man carrying his bag, even if it was light.

After a couple minutes, they were at the top and Kumi's eagerness was beginning to bubble up to the surface. He turned to Nirav and the unnamed Staff member, barely squashing the urge to bounce on his feet. "This is the room right? I'd like to be left alone now."

Nirav bowed his head in acquiesce and Kumi was patient enough to wait until both men were gone to open the door.

"Hello?" Kumi called out, stepping past the doorframe, bag slung over his shoulder. He inspected the archaic setting inquisitively, mostly attracted to the tapestries. They were unexpectedly-wistful, he thought, scrambling for a word. Kumi tilted his head to the side and finally looked away, only to meet a set of deep blue eyes at nearly his height.

Well, that was highly unexpected. Kumi blinked, studying the young man before him. He had to be the Morning Dew Key, and some voice in Kumi's mind expressed approval of his outfit. Finding someone even smaller than him was something he really wasn't expecting, but he smiled and gave a little wave.

"Hello! You must be Kin?"

The other man nodded, looking at him with a trace of interest. "I am the Morning Dew Key… Kin. You are-Master Penchant's guest." He finished politely. Kumi grinned and nodded, crossing the room in an instant.

"Yep! I'm Kumi Amoroso. Pleased to meet you! Aiden wanted to come, but he got tied up." He explained, stopping a few feet short of the Key.

"You can call me Kumi, if you want. My name's not long enough to warrant a nickname anyhow. Can I call you Kin? I won't if it bothers you, but Aiden always calls you that so it's kind of stuck in my mind now." He confessed, blinking when his hair tumbled into his eyes.

"Kin is fine." The Key answered, extending his hand. "Would you like to set down your burden?"

"Mn? Oh!" Kumi slid the bag into his arms. "No worries, I only packed for two days. Not heavy. Hold on a sec. Aiden told me you liked birds?" He called over his shoulder, now dumping the duffle bag onto the bed. The fact that it was suspended above the floor earned it a faint, dismayed look but he thrust the concern aside. It took him nearly a minute of pawing through his things to find the little box, somehow it had been shoved down to the bottom with his shoes. He quirked an eyebrow at that but pulled the velvet box free, glad he had thought to pack it that way.

"I do like birds." Kin answered serenely, approaching from the other side of the bed. "Do you need assistance?"

"No, no, for once I actually found it." Kumi inspected the box critically before handing it over. "This is yours. In my culture-well, half of-it's customary to bring a gift when you visit someone's home, or stay over." He explained. "You like birds, and your name is 'Kin'… which means golden. So."

Kin was already opening the box as he spoke, graceful fingers finding the uneven line. The box flipped open easily, and the Key found himself staring at a fragile little Nightingale made out of glass. There were odd glints to it however, until he realized that the beak, eyes and little feet were either coated in or actual gold. From the weight of if as it sat delicately on the center of his palm, it was the latter.

"I hope you like it." Kin looked up to see Kumi's sweet smile directed at him, and nodded in reply.

"It is precious. Thank you."

"If you're happy, I'm happy." Kumi answered before peering in what was now a mess of clothes and other items. "Aw, bugger. Where can I put my stuff? I'll put it back in order later. M'starved now."

Replacing the figure back in the box, Kin showed his guest where he could place his things. All in the meanwhile Kumi chattered casually, usually not straying on the subject of Aidan much. While Kin found it marginally strange, he kept up his side of the conversation smoothly, answering questions about the Palace when he could. His Owner's friend seemed endlessly curious about his life, but picked his questions in a way that weren't really offensive or pried too deeply. That itself was a relief. Kin had his own secrets to guard.

Kumi Amoroso was quite plainly his Owner's lover. His real one. There was no sense of jealousy or bitterness as he realized that. Aiden Penchant was a generous, clever Owner, but that was all he was. For the past two years he had had led a quiet existence much as he always had. And, he suspected, very much the same existence he would maintain for the rest of his life.

Well, if he survived the next two days that is, he added privately. Kumi was vividly describing a dinner party he'd attended that had gone awry.

"-so mixing politics and lovers? Really not a good idea. So when the champagne started flowing-and I mean 'flowing' as in being thrown at people-I decided it would be safest under the table. Hell hath no fury like a bitter politician. So who do I find under the table already? A reporter, that's who. I don't even want to know what pictures he was taking under the table-"

Kin blinked and found himself smiling, watching as Kumi's hands and facial expressions matched the tone of his tale. There was a trace of cranberry sauce from their dinner at the corner of his mouth, and Kin found his attention gaining a new definite focus. With other Owners (at least those he liked) he wouldn't have hesitated to lean over and lick it clean, but Kumi had so far not shown any hint that he expected anything to happen between them.

"-wrong?"

"Mn?" Kin looked up. "Forgive me, could you repeat that again?"

"Is something wrong? Do I have something on my face?" Kumi looked around for a mirror or at least a decent reflective surface to check. He wasn't prepared when his face was rubbed with a cloth napkin, but only tilted his head curiously at Kin.

"What was it?"

"Sauce." The Key answered. "How did you meet Master Penchant?"

"Ah…" If possible, Kumi's inquisitive look grew. "By accident, the first time. I was moving into the same duplex he was in. Mistook his door for mine-since it was open, and I thought I'd left mine open with all the moving, but…" He shrugged nonchalantly. "So in I barge into this poor guy's apartment, and he's just barely taken a shower, and wow did he look hot. I'll kill to have a body like that at 42. Anyway. That got cleared up pretty quick, but it was kind of like fate. Our businesses aren't really related to each other, but we do move around in the same social circles. I've never been too quiet about being gay, neither of us were in a relationship… an invitation for a cup of coffee that I can't even remember who made, and somehow we're still together nearly two years later." Kumi pulled up his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. "Are you angry?"

"No." Kin shook his head. "Aiden is just my Owner, even if he's a good person. Aren't you?"

"Angry?" Kumi mused. "No, of course not. I'm really not a jealous person, and this is… different. Besides, he hasn't come here since he met me. Nothing at all to be upset about." He blinked. "I'm sorry, that was insensitive."

"I took no offense." The Key answered, soft honey-blonde hair gleaming in the fire's light. Almost without noticing, the entire night had gone by. But neither man moved from the table. "Pardon my asking… your looks are… and name are… unique."

"Mn? Oh." Kumi gave an evanescent smile, touching the silvery-white strands of hair framing his face. "I'm a bastard child of the Amoroso family. Half Italian, half Japanese. But I'm the oldest, so I ended up inheriting most of the business anyhow." He shrugged. "Got 'officially' adopted by the Amoroso family when I was fourteen by my father since it was obvious that I was going to be the only boy of the brood. Was raised for most of my life in Japan, then Europe… I'm odd, I know." He added. "I'll return the question-how old are you? I get the feeling you're not that much younger than I am."

"I'm twenty-three."

"I see. I'm your senior by two years." Kumi seemed to turn over that information in his head. "What do you do all day?"

"I… sew. I watch the birds, and the view." He gestured towards the window overlooking the dark ocean, then noticed his short-term Owner seemed adamant to avoid looking.

"You are… frightened by heights?"

"Uh. Maybe?" The older man coughed sheepishly. "A little bit. Not so much afraid as I get nauseated by them. Took a long nap in the plane ride here to avoid throwing up, so I don't feel tired at all anymore…" He paused. "You can go to bed if you want though. I brought my laptop, I have plenty to amuse myself with." "I am not tired yet." Kin declined the suggestion, wondering if they were to share a bed at all. It was… pleasing, to speak with someone near his own age, yet blatantly unlike him. All he had to do was skive tricky questions relating to his past.

"How about the other Keys?"

"…the other Keys?" The other man echoed, unsure.

"Yes. What are they like? Don't you get to meet them?"

"The more pleasant ones I do." Kin confessed. "But not often, as most are usually busy with their own lives and Owners. The Palace does not believe keeping people in total isolation is healthy. Some Keys are still shyer than others. There are many Keys I have yet to meet."

"Do you-" This time was an uncharacteristic Kumi who paused in hesitation. "Since Aiden isn't around, who do you have sex with? If you do at all?"

Kin gave him a bit of an astonished look. "No one." He answered at last.

Kumi blinked right back at him. "You… haven't gotten laid in two years?" He asked incredulously. Then he winced at his own words and raised his hand. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. That was very stupid. Wow, though." He blinked. "Uhm. Aiden wouldn't mind, you know. He'd want you to be content."

"I would still feel the need for his permission." Kin looked towards the window. "There is also to consider that the other Keys have Owners. It has been simpler to become abstinent." Was he starting to feel a tiny bit heady? A quick surveying glance at the late dinner meal revealed that both had drunk a glass of wine each. Not enough to cloud his thoughts then.

"I," Kumi volunteered, shyly. "could be your lover, while I'm here. Maybe not go all the way, even I don't feel that comfortable despite Aiden giving his okay, but…" He shrugged, looking vulnerably unsure. "I would like to, since you're really, really attractive and I like you, but I'm not going to touch you otherwise."

"I think you are very attractive as well." Kin answered automatically, but honestly. He liked the odd mix of features that fit together to form an unlikely handsome face. He reached over and touched the pale hair with curious fingertips. Kumi gave him an embarrassed, but cheery smile, allowing the touch.

"I also happen to like your hair." Kin continued, letting the strands slide over the pads of his fingers. Dormant nerves were beginning to come to life with a flair. He might have been willing to refrain from sex for the rest of his life if needed be, but his body plainly disagreed. The Key met Kumi's eyes, blue inspecting green. His temporary Owner stared back placidly, waiting.

Kin thought of Aiden, not of him as a lover or as his Owner, but as Kumi's lover. The man that had allowed an important piece of his life to reach out and touch his restricted existence. Exploring fingers dropped down to slide over a fine cheekbone, the contrast in color almost shocking. Kumi was golden and dark where Kin was nearly his opposite. They did possess several similarities however, his artistic eye discerned. They were both wiry of body and looked younger than their years. Kumi was still smiling lopsidedly, and Kin returned it on instinct. He was thinking too much, he decided. Then he lowered his head and placed a delicate kiss to the corner of the older man's mouth. He repeated the butterfly-light motion on the other side, lingering in indecision.

When warm hands curled and settled around his hips, Kin gave an imperceptible shiver. His self-imposed isolation was crumbling, leaving only want. He wasn't very much surprised when Kumi gave a low, friendly laugh and kissed him. There was nothing coy in it, only the lingering taste of cranberry. Kin slid his arms over Kumi's shoulders, keeping a gentle balance on his knees. The other man's hands were now running up and down his back in soothing circles, barely stopping short of his rear. With an united silent agreement they drew a makeshift bed in front of the massive fireplace, avoiding going into the bedroom. They lay down close enough to the fire to feel the heat and somehow along the way they had shed most of their clothing.

Afterwards Kumi was hard pressed to refer to it as lovemaking. It hadn't been, really. It had been slow and languid, warm and tender. But they hadn't made love, and he knew Kin realized that. It was still something special that he doubted he'd ever forget, and they both fell asleep together, united again in a sense of companionship. It was Kumi who woke before the dawn, and he drifted between awareness and sleep for several long minutes. The sheets covering them had grown warm with their heat, and the fire had long ago died quietly. He yawned delicately, trying not to jostle Kin. They were pressed neatly from hip to shoulder, warding off the coolness of the approaching morning.

Dropping his head back on the pillows, Kumi looked at the Key and thought about Aiden. He really wouldn't put it beyond the American's capabilities that he already knew something like that would happen. He also didn't think Aiden would really mind. They had a more open relationship than most. Besides, I invited him and he refused. Kumi thought with mock exasperation, then was unable to hold back another yawn. He must have only slept three hours. Why in God's name was he awake?

The slight movement was enough to gently drag Kin from his own sleep. Dark blue eyes opened slowly, seemingly unfocused until they met green. Then Kin relaxed, and blinked.

Kumi watched with avid interest as a single tear slid down, and then was joined by a twin on the other side. He studied his friend curiously.

"Aiden told me about that." He murmured drowsily. With one hand he softly wiped the tears away. "You're not unhappy with me, are you?" He teased, voice husky from sleep.

"No, no I am not." Kin found himself giving a wavering smile when Kumi yawned again and stretched, the movement unhurried. Every morning he woke up crying for a reason no one could discern. He'd long ago stopped caring about it much. It was just something he did, almost as natural as breathing. This was the first time someone took it at face value so calmly however. It figured. He gave a small, soft laugh and reached over to push the white strands out of Kumi's face. The other man tilted his face into the touch and gave another yawn.

"I'm going back to sleep." He decided firmly, curling an arm under his cheek like a child. "No self respecting person should be up this early."

The Key allowed himself to watch his new-found friend with his own curious gaze. For that was what Kumi had become in one short day, oddly enough. Kin couldn't even name another person whom he could call a friend, and not an Owner or servant. He felt an uncommon fondness for the strange, cheery man. Even if they never saw each other after he left, Kin knew he had a friend somewhere in the world.

One green eye cracked open.

"Sleep. It's good for you."

Kin willingly dug deeper into the covers and slept.