Bondmates

A/N: Yay! So this time I bring you a new chapter in less time than before ;D

(Aren’t you all proud of me? =D)

Thank-you tashery for another review :) (Everyone should thank tashery and Nathaniel too since they’re the only ones reviewing, hence the only ones keeping me motivated to post new chapters…hint hint =D)

In that line of thought, I would like to ask readers to review more and tell me what you think (and who your favorite character might be so far…) and also if you point out grammatical errors and such, I can go back and fix them (since I don’t really proof-read the chapters before I post them). Obviously, you don’t have to…but it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Oh, and there will be more sex scenes later (hopefully ;P), but for now I’m focusing more on you getting to know the characters, and inching the plot forward (What plot? There’s a plot? O_O). Yes, there is a plot…there is…

Um…I think that’s all =D

Happy reading!


(Edit) My thanks to Nathaniel for pointing out the error of me writing “Elijah Wood” rather than “Elijah Steele.” Just to make sure everyone knows, while Elijah Steele is my character…I sadly do not own anyone named Elijah Wood…XD

I think I need more sleep…

Chapter 5

Taylor tilted his head to the side as he surveyed the boy in front of him.

It seems that he’s recovered completely…Now we just need to wait for his friend to wake up…

He glanced over at said friend. “I take it that he hasn’t woken yet?”

The boy (Max wasn’t it?) nodded shakily.

Taylor frowned. That was no good. The kid was waaaaaay too tense—like he was afraid to make the slightest mistake.

“Ya…well I guess it’s expected—he was in pretty bad shape when you lugged him here…” Taylor said conversationally as he proceeded across the living room to smack the brown-haired boy upside the head.

That earned him a startled look of big quivering blue eyes.

But no sound of protest.

So he repeated the action…a little bit harder.

“I-I’m sorry!”

Taylor’s frown deepened. It really wasn’t the reaction that he was looking for, but…

“And what would you be sorry for?”

“BeinganuisanceandwastingyourtimesinceI’msureyouhavebetterthingstodothantakecareofaworthlesspersonlikemeand…”

Taylor whacked him again. “Wrong.”

The boy rubbed his much abused head silently.

The Asian sighed. “Well, the most immediate thing that you should be sorry for is for not making Jos finish the action of giving you food the minute that you woke up.”


Elsewhere…

A young man paused in mid-stride as he walked down the street.

There was something that he knew he was supposed to do…

His gaze fell upon a nearby sign in bright yellow lettering that said, “Feed the poor, suffering souls…”

“AAH!” Pause. “Taylor’s going to kill me!”

Never mind of course that the sign was for some neo religion where the rest of it was, “…with the heavenly word of God.” It was the feeding and the suffering parts that mattered.

High-class people, dressed in the newest styles, gave him strange looks as they passed by. It may have been the fact that he seemed like an idiot, having been ambling along just fine until he suddenly yelled that someone was going to kill him, and had fallen to his knees in the middle of the walk-way.

…Or it could be the fact that he was wearing an overly large tan bucket hat bedecked with various random pins and baubles. And as if the hat didn’t already cover half his face, he also wore a pair of completely black, old-fashioned plastic ski goggles. His clothes consisted of ripped up old khaki shorts (or maybe they were pants that had been cut up at the knees) that revealed smooth creamy-skinned legs, a worn white shirt with a huge yellow smiley face on it, a pink floral opened button down shirt over it, and cheap plastic sandals decorated with cheerful waving kittens. To top it all off, purple wool mittens covered his hands… though it was the middle of summer.

After a few more minutes of his standing, staring into space, he scared more than a few passing people when he suddenly rose and proceeded on his way, jauntily whistling some little known tune.


Max watched Taylor flow about the kitchen. He had unconsciously edged forward to watch the strange dance before him.

He had never seen a traditional kitchen before. The only “kitchen” he had ever known was the little space in the corner of his home that consisted of a standard AFPU (Automatic Food Processing Unit) and a disposal shelf for the dishes and leftovers. A kitchen with such things as refrigerators, ovens, and the like were ancient mysteries to him.

And that the strange and exotic older boy seemed so at ease with those archaic devices…was just fascinating. He moved with such grace as he expertly sliced vegetables (where did he get such a sharp knife? The sharpest knives Max had ever needed were butter knives…), formed dough (with some kind of magic? How else could powdery white stuff and liquids come together so substantially?), and performed all sorts of other mind-boggling things that Max couldn’t even begin to comprehend.

Naturally, he had long since forgotten all about being thwacked multiple times.

In the end, the meal that was laid out before him was like nothing he had ever seen before in his life. And the smells were enough to make his tummy rumble greedily.

Taylor grinned at his stupefied expression…or maybe it was the drool dripping from the corner of his mouth. Max didn’t bother checking.

“Like what you see?”

Speechless nod.

Max had never seen most of these foods before in real life. Some of them he recognized from pictures while others he simply didn’t know. He was pretty sure he had never eaten any of them. Rice, he recognized from some oriental food catalogue. There were also some type of noodles, a steaming bowl of sharp-smelling soup, and unusual sprout-like green vegetables among other things.

The cook gave him a look. “Well? Eat. You need to replenish your strength.”

Oh how he wanted to. The only problem was…

What was he supposed to eat with?

As if reading his mind (or maybe he was, Max really couldn’t say), Taylor held up a pair of think wooden sticks.

“Chopsticks,” he said simply.

Blank stare.

“They’re the eating utensils that Asian people like me used back in the old days…and mostly still do today even.”

More blank staring.

Sigh. “Fine, fine. We’ll save that lesson for another day.”

Happily taking the Multi-ware from him, Max dug in to the feast before him. As needed, the Multi-ware switched from fork to knife to spoon for Max to devour the various dishes.

Taylor patiently sat watched him as he shoveled food into his mouth. Had he not been as ravenously hungry as he was, Max would probably have been embarrassed at his lack of manners. As it was, he didn’t have time to notice between mouthfuls.

When he began to slow down, he looked up into unreadable dark eyes, and blushed.

“Keep eating.”

Becoming redder, he did as he was told.

When he finally set the eating utensil down, Max carefully folded his hands in his lap and looked at them, not wanting to have to meet those strange dark eyes again. The other must think him to be such a pig…

“Don’t think that way.”

Max was startled into looking into those eyes. He quickly looked back down.

“Are you also…?”

There was a sigh. “I’m not psychic, but I am an empathy, so I can sense your feelings. Then I can make assumptions about your thoughts.”

Oh.

“So, I don’t know if you had time to really talk with Jos, but you probably have questions, right?”

Max nodded.

………

Taylor raised an eyebrow.

Max flushed again. “Um…Reese…”

“Is fine. He was much worse off than you when you appeared on my doorstep.” At this, Max ducked his head. “So it’s not odd that his body needs more time to recover from the shock. He’ll probably be awake tomorrow or the day after. Next.”

“…Do y-you…uh…know…if…uh…”

“Oh, spit it out already!”

“Ifthere’sbeenanynoticeofusmissing?!”

“Hm…not that I know of. But I try not to watch the news too much…” For a brief moment, Taylor had a dark look on his face. Then it passed. “But I’m sure your parents are worried…maybe you should call them…”

Max bit his lip. “Uh…well…about that…”

Taylor looked at him quizzically.

“…I-I don’t have any p-p-parents.”

Taylor’s eyes softened. “I see. Do you have any family at all?”

“Well…I do have a b-b-brother…”

“You seem awfully hesitant to mention him,” Taylor noticed.

Max nodded. “It’s just…um…he…we…we kinda don’t keep in touch too much.”

The other simply nodded. He was probably the first person to not pressure him or give him pity. Maybe that was the reason that Max felt he had to explain.

“H-he and I n-n-never got along. W-when he w-w-was alive…he t-tended t-to ignore me. M-m-mom an-and Dad always yelled at h-him. I don’t kn-know why…b-but they w-w-would c-call him…a…a…f-f-f-freak…and th-that th-they wished he’d n-n-never b-been born.” Max sniffled. “Th-then th-th-they died. Th-there was a c-car crash. B-b-both the other d-driver and th-them…Th-they were all d-d-d-d-dead. Th-th-the weird th-thing was…” Max’s tearing eyes looked up into Taylor’s gentle dark ones. “…The other driver had supposedly died several days before of a heart attack,” he said unbrokenly, a question in his eyes.

Taylor breathed out, his eyes distant.

“That’s not true…is it?” Max whispered. It was something he had always wondered…and here was the first person who might be able to answer him.

Taylor’s eyes met his and he slowly nodded. “There are people that can command the dead. They’re called Death Mages…necromancers, if you will. But Death Mages aren’t born naturally. They’re what happens when people attempt to use Dark Magick…and fail.”

“So the person using the…magic…becomes the D-death M-m-mage?”

“Sometimes. More often…” Taylor paused. “Don’t make any assumptions when I tell you this, okay?”

Max nodded once.

Taylor continued. “More often…they’re born from someone else’s dabbling in Dark Magick. Perhaps the most common case of this occurring is when a couple have a miscarriage. The baby that was the proof of their union dies. In desperation, the couple would turn to Dark Magick to force the child back to life. In return…the child grows up filled with Death Magick.”

Max stared. Flashbacks of his parents looking at his brother with fear and disgust filled his mind. Was it possible…?

“So…my brother…?”

“I told you, don’t make assumptions. Whether your brother is a Death Mage or not isn’t certain. Your parents may have just known something odd about him and were killed by someone else entirely. Or the reports may have been wrong and the person who hit them had been mistakenly reported as dead. This world is filled with uncertainties.”

“But Andrew…”

Taylor interrupted him. “What about your friend, Reese wasn’t it? Does he have any family that you know of?”

Max’s gaze flickered to the boy lying in the other room. “We’re not friends,” he said softly.

He didn’t notice the other roll his eyes. “Sure. You just carried the dying body of a random person all the way here with no light injuries yourself…and you’re not friends. More than friends if you ask me. Anyway, his family?”

Max was embarrassed at how much blushing he did. “I don’t really know. I don’t know much about him…only that we go to school together…really.”

Taylor sighed deeply. “I guess we’ve no choice but to check the news. What’re your full names?”

Max opened his mouth, then paused, realizing something. “You don’t know? Jos did…”

“Jos is somewhat more psychic than me. Empathy doesn’t allow for me to guess your whole name.”

“Oh.” More blushing. “Well, he’s Reese Ferralan. And my name is Max. Max Harris.”

Max watched as Taylor suddenly stiffened when he mentioned his own name.

“What’s wrong?”

“Max…Harris…you said?”

He nodded, confused.

“…And you’re brother is called Andrew?”

Another puzzled nod.

“This may be completely wrong…but…he wouldn’t happen to twenty-three with blond hair and brown eyes, would he?”

Max’s jaw fell open. “…You know him?”

Taylor smiled fakely. “Er…maybe? Or I’m just good at guessing…

Dead silence. Max looked at him, doubt evident on his face.

“So…” Taylor began. “Any other questions?” His voice’s forced lightness made it obvious he was trying to change the subject as he slowly edged toward the computer terminal in the corner of the room.

Max took the time to gape in awe at the state-of-the-art computer that he only just noticed. The console itself was small, not any thicker than olden-day notebooks. However, it’s sleek black design indicated that it was a Gyro Corp computer—only the most advanced computer company of the age. They were the ones that had invented projection monitors and keyboards, which then made it possible for them to create a console that projected multiple monitors and keyboards at once. Hence, for those computer nerds that needed them, they could pull up the necessary extra monitors without taking up more space.

And in the present overcrowded age, every bit of space mattered.

As Max looked around, he realized that the apartment he was in was surprisingly large for the two people that supposedly lived there.

Just who were they?

To say the least, he had a short attention span.

“Just who are you anyway?”

Taylor tilted his head at him. Max quickly remember how very very attractive he was. He shivered.

Taylor’s lip twitched. He seemed amused.

“Interesting you should ask that.”

Max’s heart skipped. He whirled around…and found himself face-to-face with none other than Elijah Steele.

The most desirable man in the nation.

“Gah?”

Max mentally slapped himself on the head. What kind of a sophisticated reaction was that? The least he could’ve done was actually say some type of coherent words.

He was too focused on the sudden presence of Elijah Steele to see Taylor stick his tongue out at his long-time crush. “Jeesh. And he was finally getting to the point where he was saying full sentences without stuttering….”

Max’s face burned as one Elijah Steele laughed.

He really had a sexy, beautiful laugh. Really.

“Oh dear. Well that’s just terrible of me isn’t it? Maybe I should come back later then.” He turned to go.

Max’s eyes widened. He quickly turned to Taylor, his eyes pleading.

…Except Taylor’s attention was back on the computer terminal. “Okay, bye then.”

No….

Max looked back at the model…who no longer looked like he was about to leave. He had a disgruntled expression on his face. “Well! I feel slightly unwanted…”

Max wanted him.

Taylor waved his hand airily. “I suppose if you’re here, you may as well at least answer the question that you returned just in time to hear.”

“Slave driver.”

Max blinked as Taylor turned to smile brilliantly at the green-eyed man. “Who? Me?” he asked innocently.

Elijah apparently noticed Max’s floored expression at having seen the Asian smile for the first time.

“Na, Tae-darling. Don’t tell me that just now is the first time you’ve smiled in the presence of the poor kid.”

Taylor’s gaze turned thoughtful. “Huh…it may just be.”

Elijah shook his head. “Oh dear. It may take a while for him to recover from the brilliance of your smile.”

“Are you making fun?” Taylor asked with narrowed eyes.

Grinning cheekily, Elijah replied. “Never. Who am I to make fun of the great Kim Taewoo?”

“Exactly.”

All the while, Max wordlessly witnessed the playful banter between the two. His brain was mush.

“Soooooo…about his question?” Taylor prodded.

“Pushy pushy,” the famous model whom Max finally realized must be the boyfriend that Jos said Taylor lived with said. “Yes, well, I’m sure you know who I am, right?”

Max nodded. Taylor snorted and muttered, “Arrogant models these days…”

“Hey, he doesn’t care, do you?”

The green eyes focused on him.

He shook his head.

“See? Anyway, as for him…” he paused, as if thinking. “…He’s just some random computer programmer. No one really special.”

Too fast for Max to follow, Taylor had somehow acquired a pillow and thrown it at his lover, who easily caught it. All Max saw was the end picture of Elijah Steele calmly holding a light gray suede pillow.

“Control yourself. We have a guest.”

Taylor stuck his tongue out at him. Max found himself amazed at how Taylor was acting. It was nothing like the serious, knowledgeable side he had shown before.

Maybe Elijah was a psychic too. “This is how Taylor usually is. When there’re serious subjects about, he’ll be more serious. But for the most part, he’s really very childish.”

Another pillow was subsequently thrown and caught.

Elijah smirked. “Anyway, while he is a computer programmer now…he used to be the biggest pop star ever to hit the Asian world. Korea’s Kim Taewoo.”