by Sessha Batto
“These performances are our biggest source of funding,” she replied tersely. “Patron or no, I expect you to do everything required for the success of this okiya. Just because you have a rich man in your pocket doesn’t mean you can do as you please. I’ve heard you are very popular with the tourists. Times are changing, we need foreign business to survive. Besides, if you perform well then I can tell your lord your training is complete. Surely you want to go home?”
“I’d love to go home.” Yoshi spoke so softly the okasan almost missed it. “But I won’t get to. If my choice is here or the Shuhan’s estate, I definitely choose the okiya.”
“He’s been urging me to hurry and send you back. Apparently you are greatly missed.”
“No doubt,” the shadow wolf said drily. “I am, after all, his favorite victim. Life must be very boring with no one to torment.”
“By the way, the music mistress has requested extra sessions with you. When you finish your regular classes you are to report to her for additional instruction.”
Yoshi saw no point in arguing, tilting his head slightly in acquiescence. “I shall head there directly.”
The music school was at the far end of the hana-machi from the okiya. Even with months of practice his high center of gravity and narrow hips made walking in heels difficult. At times like these shinobi instincts took a back seat, and the shadow wolf passed through the throngs of tourists unaware of the many eyes following his progress.
“Miss, excuse me. May I take your picture?”
The voice startled Yoshi out of his thoughts and he was shocked to find himself surrounded by a ring of foreigners. “Nani?”
“Your picture.” The speaker held up a camera. “You are very beautiful.”
Remembering the okasan’s warning about cooperation he waited while they snapped frantically. “I must go now. I will be late for my lesson.” He resisted the urge to push through the crowd, and the even stronger urge to kill everyone who’d seen him in his womanly disguise.
For once Yoshi was glad to see the music mistress, at least here he was free from prying eyes. “The okasan said you wanted to see me?”
“I know it isn’t traditional for a geisha, but I’m at my wit’s end and it is a traditional instrument, at least.” She held out a long bamboo flute. “You do have exquisite breath control. Shall we give it a try?”
“Shakuhachi?”
“In time, perhaps. Let’s start with the yokobue, it’s a bit easier at first.” The music teacher lifted the flute to her lips and played a simple passage. “You blow across the hole, like so.”
He reluctantly took the flute he was offered, lifting it tentatively and mimicking her actions. Based on his previous musical attempts, the shadow wolf expected, at best, an ugly squeak. Instead a clear, pure tone emerged.
“Wonderful,” the mistress clapped her hands in glee. “We’ve finally found your instrument. Now we just have to get you ready for next week’s performance.”
Never had Yoshi been more thankful for his eidetic memory. The fingering sequences were complex and he had enough to concentrate on without worrying he’d forget them. “Once more,” his teacher instructed. “With more emotion this time. It’s a sad song about lost love. You need to make the audience feel your despair.”
After hours of practice the music mistress finally released him for the night. “Same time tomorrow,” she reminded him. “We still have a lot of work to do if you’re going to be ready.”
The moon had already risen, and Yoshi studied it longingly. He briefly considered simply fading into the night, never to be seen again. The oath of loyalty he had taken made him reconsider. As much as he longed for his freedom, he would not abandon his shuudan so callously. The point was made moot, in any event, when Zenshiro stepped out from the shadows of the engawa.
“What are you doing here?” Yoshi’s chilly tones made it clear he did not welcome the company.
“I am tasked with guarding you, like it or not. The okasan told me where to find you. Certainly you didn’t think I’d let you walk home alone looking like this?”
“I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself,” the shadow wolf hissed. “You forget who you are dealing with. I am an elite ninja of Kobayashi shuudan.”
“So you keep telling me,” his guard sneered. “If you were really so valuable I doubt your Shuhan would consign you to duties better fit for a kunoichi. I know you’re pretty, but there must be another reason why you’re doing women’s work. Perhaps you aren’t as strong as you like to pretend.”
“Would you like me to prove myself? A fight to the death, perhaps? Win or lose I’d be better off.”
“Another time. It’s late and I need to get you home. It wouldn’t do for such a lovely flower to fall ill.”
“Call me a flower again and I swear I’ll cut off your balls while you sleep.” Yoshi drew himself to his full height, glaring at the look of amusement on Zenshiro’s face.
“Anything you wish, Ama-chan.” The guard settled a hand in the small of the shadow wolf’s back and urged him out into the street. “I’m sure you’re ready to get home and freshen up.”
By the time they reached the seclusion of their apartment Yoshi’s energy was nearly gone. “It’s late and I’m exhausted. Do you think we could skip our ‘lesson’ for tonight?”
“But I’ve been looking forward to it all day.” The guard seemed to consider the request, feigning deep thought despite the smirk twisting his lips. “Since you are so very tired, I’ll give you a break. We’ll play while you get clean, and then you can go right to bed.”
“Break, my ass,” the shadow wolf muttered as he quickly stripped off his restricting layers and yanked the pins from his hair. “If you’re coming, hurry up. I’d like to get this over with.”
“Cooperation, Ama-chan.” Zenshiro dropped the last of his clothes on the tile floor and slid into the shower. “Pretend you’re happy to see me, at least.”
“I’m too tired to pretend. Just do whatever it is you have planned and let me rest.” Yoshi turned his back on the guard and began removing the heavy makeup.
“Ama-chan, you’re ignoring me.”
“Insofar as is humanly possible while we’re sharing a shower, yes, I am,” the shadow wolf snapped back.
A hard shove flung him into the tile wall, knocking the breath from his lungs and trapping his hands. “Just for that, I’m going to take you dry. Maybe then you’ll be more cooperative.”
Knowing what was coming made it both easier and more difficult. Yoshi was barely able to resist the urge to tense his muscles, instead directing all his energy into remaining as relaxed as possible in hopes of minimizing any damage.
For his part, Zenshiro tried to make his entry swift and brutal. The blood coating his length when he withdrew almost a disappointment, an albeit painful lubricant he would have loved to forgo. “See what happens when you resist me, Ama-chan? You brought this on yourself.”
The shadow wolf surrendered his body to the assault, mind wandering away to contemplate the various tortures he’d like to inflict on his so-called teacher.
“Talk to me, slut. Is this what you like? It must be, you aren’t even fighting back.”
The whispered taunts edged their way into Yoshi’s consciousness. He knew better than to listen, but the long day and months of stress had eroded his self-protective instincts. “You want to fight? Fine, let’s fight,” he muttered.
The sharp elbow driven into his solar plexus caught Zenshiro by surprise, as did the crushing heel strike that fractured his foot. “You bitch,” he roared, struggling to regain his feet. “I’ll kill you for that.”
“And how would you explain it to your master?” The shadow wolf wrapped a surprisingly strong hand around his guard’s throat and hoisted him up to eye level. “You can’t kill me without forfeiting your own life. Take this as a warning, my patience with you has run out.” He removed his hand and Zenshiro slumped to the shower floor, gasping for air. “I am going
to bed … alone. Bother me before morning and it will be the last thing you ever do.”
Yoshi turned off the water and grabbed a towel. “By the way, call me a woman again and I swear I will castrate you. And get that foot looked at, if it isn’t set properly you’ll end up permanently crippled.”
***
The news of Zenshiro’s split lip and obviously painful limp spread like wildfire, and it wasn’t long before the other maiko started digging for details. “So, Ama,” Tsubaki whispered as they twisted and turned through an elaborate fan dance. “What happened? Were you actually attacked?”
“Of course not. What on earth are you talking about?”
“Your guard. I heard he was injured rescuing you from some yakuza who were trying to kidnap you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. He’s a clumsy oaf who slipped in the shower.” The corners of Yoshi’s mouth quirked in a near smile. “Whatever you do, don’t pay it any mind. He’s full enough of himself as it is.”
“Girls, stop gossiping and pay attention,” the dance teacher barked. “We only have a few days left to get this right. Now, once more from the beginning.”
After rehearsal the other maiko hurried back to the okiya for dinner while Yoshi trudged to the music mistress’s for another evening of tedious repetition and correction. Hours later he finally emerged, ignoring the lounging guard who ghosted after him as he unsteadily picked his way through the crowded streets. Catcalls and whistles directed at him fell on deaf ears, and any foolish enough to approach the seemingly vulnerable maiko changed their mind when they caught sight of the scowling man limping determinedly after her.
The shadow wolf showered quickly and made his way to the futon, fighting off the urge to sleep as he waited for retaliation that never came. Zenshiro instead opted to sit at the kotatsu and drink his way through the night.
Just after dawn Yoshi felt the futon shift, eyes snapping open as he rolled to face his obviously inebriated guard. “It’s morning, damn it,” Zenshiro slurred. “Like it or not I need to rest. Shake me when you finish showering. Don’t know why you need two showers a day, anyway. You sure act like a woman.” Before a retort was even formulated he was snoring loudly.
A quick breakfast of miso soup and rice and a short shower later and the shadow wolf found himself shaking the unconscious guard. When he got no response after three attempts he gave up and hurriedly finished his preparations, setting off to enjoy his small taste of freedom.
As the day drew on without any sign of his omnipresent shadow Yoshi’s mood lightened. He even gossiped with the other maiko when the dance instructor’s back was turned. He caught himself laughing and realized his deception was getting too easy, and, perhaps, some of Zenshiro’s taunts were truer than he’d like to admit.
The rest of the afternoon went by in a haze. The shadow wolf went through the motions perfectly, but his mind was miles away, dissecting every action of the last few months in an attempt to salvage his battered psyche. By the time he left the music mistress Yoshi was almost glad to see his guard leaning against the gate.
“I’m surprised to see you’re still here.” Zenshiro moved closer, looming over the seemingly fragile figure in the brightly colored kimono. “I would have thought you’d run while you had the chance.”
“I can’t run. Like it or not my orders are clear. I am to do as the Mochizuki no Shuhan bids until I hear otherwise. As he sent me here, I’m duty bound to stay.”
“Well, I guess that means it’s time for me to take you home.” A shiver ran down Yoshi’s spine, the threatening undertone in his guard’s words was clear.
“About the other night…”
“I don’t want to talk about that,” Zenshiro stated flatly. “In fact, I don’t want to talk at all.”
Once they reached the apartment the shadow wolf tried again. “Did you get your foot looked at?”
“Can you, just once, do as I say? Hurry up and get undressed, I have no patience for your slow shit tonight.”
Yoshi quickly shed his kimono and pulled the pins from his hair. “Where do you want me?”
“Bathroom,” his guard grunted. “I’m going to give you an enema first.”
“That really isn’t necessary,” the shadow wolf squeaked.
“Yes, it is.” Zenshiro shoved the startled shinobi into the shower compartment, pushing him down on all fours. He admired the trembling figure for a moment before roughly inserting the nozzle. A sadistic grin twisted his features as a single tear tracked down the finely boned face.
Once, twice, three times he was filled and emptied. The humiliation was worse than any torture Yoshi had ever suffered and he vowed to get his revenge when the opportunity presented itself. “Okay, I think you’re clean enough.”
The shadow wolf tried to stand, but his shaky legs didn’t want to hold his weight. “Dry yourself off and go kneel on the bed,” his guard commanded. “And be quick about it.”
Eager to get whatever was in store for him over with, Yoshi hurried to comply. He knelt submissively, head bowed, while Zenshiro watched with approval. “Since you don’t want to continue our games, I’m going to give you a break,” he explained. “Instead, I think we’ll try some deprivation training.”
Large hands reached around and grabbed the shadow wolf’s cock, stroking it roughly until it hardened. Then a slotted steel cage was quickly slipped over it, a small padlock ensuring it could not be removed. “And now for the other side,” Zenshiro proclaimed. “You’ll be thankful for that enema, I don’t plan on removing this until you’ve learned to appreciate my attentions.”
Yoshi tensed as a heavy metal buttplug was slowly inserted. Once it was seated he relaxed slightly, it was hardly the worst thing he’d had to bear. Then his guard slowly turned the protruding handle and it began to spread, forcing his inner walls wider and wider. “That should do for now.” Zenshiro chuckled as he inserted a small key and locked it in position. “A couple of days like this and you’ll be begging for my cock.”
“Don’t hold your breath,” Yoshi shot back. “Anything is preferable to you.”
By the next morning the shadow wolf was rethinking his rash defiance. Dressing was agony, the weight of the cage and the lock in his ass making every movement torturous. By the time dance rehearsal started his usual grace had deserted him, and he drew the ire of all the other maiko when they had to restart repeatedly because of his awkward motions.
On the way back to the apartment he tried to convince Zenshiro he’d changed his attitude, but the pleading fell on deaf ears. “I’ll be the laughing stock of the hana-machi if I try to perform like this,” Yoshi explained. “Our return to the Shuhan is dependent on my success.”
“I guess you’ll have a lot of explaining to do, then.”
By the time the third day of his confinement rolled around the shadow wolf was frantic. The dance instructor threatened to pull him from the lineup, prompting a round of giggling taunts from the other maiko. To make matters worse, the okasan lectured him for over an hour on the importance of taking his commitments seriously. For the first time in his life he was tempted to forgo his orders and just escape, although the thought of living indefinitely with his torture devices in place made him realize the futility of such action.
When they returned to the apartment late that night Yoshi swallowed his pride and prostrated himself at his guard’s feet. “I humbly beg that you release me so that I may properly serve you,” he whispered.
“Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Zenshiro stroked the shadow wolf’s tear-stained face. “Kneel on the bed.” The cock cage was unlocked and slipped off, and then, finally, the key was inserted in the anal lock and the spread leaves were slowly retracted so it could be slipped out.
The guard knelt in front of Yoshi, gathering him in his arms and stroking his hair. “See how nice this can be,” he whispered. “I so prefer it when you don’t fight me. Let me remind you of how good I can make you feel.”
The kiss was unexpectedly tender
, slow, almost chaste. Zenshiro’s tongue slipped out to trace the shadow wolf’s soft lower lip before gently teasing its way inside to map every nook and cranny of his mouth. Yoshi clung to him, bonelessly melting against his guard’s strong chest as his own tongue joined in the tantalizing dance.
They swayed together, both reveling in the unexpected sweetness of the moment. For the first time in his life the shadow wolf didn’t stop to analyze what was happening or second guess his feelings, surrendering, instead, to the draw of a loving touch in a life that had never known one. Zenshiro unexpectedly found himself in possession of what he had been craving all along. The thought of the reclusive shinobi willingly yielding to his advances filled him with heady pride, and he regretted the harshness of their earlier encounters.
“I'm sorry I've been so hard on you,” the guard murmured. “I just wanted you so badly, and you hate me.”
“I never said I hated you,” Yoshi retorted. “I don't appreciate having no control over my life, especially when it comes to sex. If circumstances were different, perhaps … but it's too late for that now. Time doesn't run backwards, I can neither restore my innocence or forget the things you've done to me. In a few days we'll be heading back to your Shuhan, and our time will be over for good. It's better for both of us to leave things as they've been.”
“And if I want more?” Zenshiro's question wrung a wry smile from the shadow wolf.
“Do you really want to defy your master? Leave behind everyone and everything you believe in for a man who will never trust you? Let it go, for both our sakes. I would prefer not to lose my life due to your Shuhan's jealousy.” Yoshi broke eye contact, once more submissively lowering his gaze. “Just do whatever you had planned and then let me rest.”
“I can't force you, not now. I wanted to, so badly, but … just go to sleep. You've had a hard week and you need to be well rested for your performance tomorrow.”
“Will you stay with me?” The shadow wolf's simple request twisted a knife in Zenshiro's heart. He cursed whoever set Yoshi on this path, consigning him to a life devoid of pleasure.