A Brother's Bond (Yaoi. 1x1. Open/Accepting)

[chibi_blue_mouse]

It begins . . .

Nicodemus and his brother, X, eight and ten years old respectively, were running behind their mother who held onto them by a hand each. Flames from burning buildings lit up the night as the bandits raided their small village. Suddenly, Nicodemus tripped and lost his hold on his mother’s hand. He cried out as he fell down, scraping his knee in the process. X and his mother turned quickly and ran to him. But only X was able to make it to the boy. In the few seconds it took for the boys’ mother to realize her younger son had fallen behind and turn back for him, one of the bandits appeared out of the shadows and quickly ended the woman’s life.

“Momma!” Nicodemus screamed in horror, X’s equally terrified “Mom!” was screamed in unison as the boys saw their mother’s throat slit in the light of the burning village. They wanted to run to their mother, but more bandits had caught up to them and the boys found themselves restrained and dragged over to a wagon the bandits were using to collect the items they stole from the village. The brothers’ wrists were tied to the wagon after being thrown roughly inside. Being young children, the boys cried for some time, but when the wagon started moving, Nicodemus looked up at his brother, eyes wide with worry.

“What’s going to happen to us, X?” he asked, his voice choked and wavering.

“I don’t know. But we’ll stick together. Got it?” X replied, his expression hardening with determination. He had lost his village, his home, and his parents all in one night. He was not going to lose his little brother as well. Also, he had to make sure he was the strong one. He was the older brother after all . . . He had to be strong for Nicodemus.

Nicodemus nodded and then got as close to his brother as the ropes around his wrists would allow. The boys soon fell asleep, the movement of the wagon as well as the exhaustion that came from crying putting them both into a deep slumber.

When they awoke, it was to loud, drunken laughter as the bandits came in and cut them free from the ropes, although strong arms made sure neither boy could run away. The boys struggled, and X struggled all the more fiercely when he noticed that Nicodemus was being pulled away, separated from him.

Nicodemus, meanwhile, didn’t notice that he was being dragged away from his brother until he was thrown down onto a hard, wooden stage. He groaned as he pushed himself up onto his feet before gasping as he saw the crowd gathered in front of the stage. He froze in fear. He wanted to run, but there were guards on every side, and no place to run to! He didn’t register what exactly was happening until the loud bang of the gavel sounded and the auctioneer’s voice rang out, “SOLD!”

It was a slave auction. Nicodemus shivered as he realized that he had just been sold as a slave. He didn’t know until now that these things were real. He had only heard them as horror stories told to frighten young children into obedience back at the village. “You’d better mind your parents, or they’ll round you up and take you to the slave auction with all the rest of the naughty children!” X and Nicodemus had often been warned since they often got into trouble around the village, but never had Nicodemus or X ever thought the stories would be true.

As a hand grabbed his arm to pull him offstage to where his new master would be waiting, it was as though all the feeling returned to his body and he began to struggle. Hitting, kicking, biting, screaming, crying, anything that could possibly get him out of the situation! No! X said that they needed to stick together!

Suddenly, shouts rose up from the other side of the stage as X managed to maneuver out of the clutches of the bandits and make his way out onto the stage, racing for his brother. “Nico! Grab my hand!” he cried as he got near his brother.

But the bandits were quick on their feet, and the guards weren’t slouches either and even as Nicodemus reached for his brother, bandits and guards swarmed on X, pulling him backwards despite his struggles.

X and Nicodemus fought to stay together, but it was a losing battle. Just before they could pull Nicodemus offstage, X, realizing he might not see his brother again, shouted, “I’ll find you! I promise! I’ll free us both and I’ll find you!” Then a swift fist met the side of the boy’s head and X was knocked unconscious as Nicodemus was dragged offstage to his waiting master.

. . . With loss.

 

[chibi_blue_mouse]

The designs of fate . . .

Before I get into anything else, first thing I must say is that this is mostly going to be the story of the two brothers. Yes, there is some yaoi, but it won't be my primary concern or focus. This is the story of two brothers, the younger of which just happens to be gay. Whether or not the older one is also gay is up to you.

Plot points: You will play X, who after being carted from household to household, escapes six years into his enslavement and is found by a group of mercenaries/assassins who wish to bring him into their guild. At first, X is hesitant about this offer, wanting to immediately find Nicodemus and fulfill his promise. However, after the group informs him that the nature of their job allows them to go to many places and therefore maximizes the chance of finding one person in the large city they live in, X agrees to join them.

On the other side of the spectrum, Nicodemus has been faring decently as a slave. His masters have not been unduly cruel to him, and he's only switched households around four times, finding what seems like will be a permanent home by the time he's eighteen. Not being as spit-fire as his brother, Nicodemus gained a good reputation as a loyal slave and hard worker. That got the interest of the Lord of the city and he was bought to be a companion to the man's son, Y, whom you also shall be playing. To help him in daily tasks, train with him as he learns to defend himself and to protect him when Y cannot protect himself are the main duties that are set upon Nicodemus's shoulders. And after an initial dislike of each other, Nicodemus's loyalty and hard work do garner respect from Y eventually and by the time that Nicodemus has been there for a year, they've grown to be more like best friends than master and slave. Nicodemus would die for his master, and more than that, he's found himself with feelings for the man, feelings which he now tries to suppress. Nicodemus hasn't forgotten his brother's promise, but with every passing year, he grows more and more doubtful that X would be able to fulfill it. He celebrate's X's birthday in secret, making a small cupcake for his brother in the dead of night every year since he learned how to cook at age 12.

By the time 12 years have passed, X, receives a mission. An outside party wishes to kidnap Y and use him to gain a ransom to become rich. X has become rather addicted to his work, since he has not been able to find his brother. It has disheartened him of the chance of ever being able to find Nicodemus, so he takes the job without any real enthusiasm. The jobs are only distractions from the disappointment he feels with himself for being unable to find Nicodemus in all this time.

When he does get to Y's manor, he is able to knock out the young Lord with surprising ease despite having taken the other by surprise. However, X is taken by surprise when he is suddenly rammed into from the side by one of the slaves of the household. Nicodemus has seen an intruder just knock out his master and friend. Not wanting Y to be hurt, Nicodemus tells a lie, one that can easily be believed since he has been treated well and given finer clothes than what most slaves wear. He claimed to be Y instead. Time has passed, and both boys have now grown into men. Men who are meeting again in unfortunate circumstances. After all . . . you don't see what you don't expect to see . . . and X believes the lie.

. . . Are often cruel.

 

[chibi_blue_mouse]

The order of the universe . . .

Rules:
I don't mind swearing, but don't overuse the expletives, thank you. Odds are, I'll use a couple of them myself.
Keep it PG 13. Means no cybering. Close the curtain on them, or timeskip, but I will not cyber with you.
Try to be literate please. I understand that writer's block can happen to the best of us, but at least try to write more than four sentences.
Give your characters some character. I will be bored otherwise. I will also try to give my own characters some character and stick with that character unless character development and growth say otherwise.
Do not give into the temptation to either make your character super powerful or give them knowledge that they shouldn't have. I will do likewise to try and prevent this in my characters. Also, if this does happen, I will grow frustrated and likely stop replying.
HAVE FUN!!!!

. . . Must be obeyed.

 

[chibi_blue_mouse]

Life is a chess game . . .

Profiles: PM THESE TO ME!!!!!!!!!!

Yours:

[b]Name:[/b] X (This is Nicodemus's brother. Give him a name)
[b]Age:[/b] 22 (He's 10 when sold into slavery, and 12 years have passed. Makes him 22.)
[b]Status:[/b] Mercenary
[b]Personality:[/b]
[b]Biography:[/b] (Previously stated, but you can elaborate on what sort of jobs he's done or how he escaped, but it's all up to you really)
[b]Appearance:[/b] (Either a really detailed description of him, or get a pic)
[b]Played by:[/b] (Your username here)

[b]Name:[/b] Y (This is Nicodemus's master and love interest. Name him as well.)
[b]Age:[/b] (Can be between 20-23)
[b]Status:[/b] Lord
[b]Personality:[/b] (Please don't make him a wuss.)
[b]Biography:[/b] (What has his life been like so far?)
[b]Appearance:[/b] (Either a really detailed description of him, or get a pic)
[b]Played by:[/b] (Your username here)

Mine:
Name: Nicodemus
Age: 20
Status: Slave
Personality: Nicodemus is loyal to the person he serves, determined to make the best out of his situation. He works hard and will persevere despite any setbacks. Determination is one the qualities he prides himself on. He's a calmer sort of fellow, usually able to reign in his anger, but if you hurt those he cares about, he will go to great lengths to make sure you pay for what you've done. What he doesn't like to show to the world is that he actually feels rather lonely in his position, and feels inadequate around the one friend he does have. He is, however optimistic about the future.
Biography: After being sold into slavery and separated from his brother, Nicodemus first served an elderly master who treated him kindly and allowed him to learn how to keep house without much fear of punishment. The worst punishment he received in that household was that if he broke something or made a mess, then he had to be the one to clean it up. Usually, without help from any of the other slaves. When his master died when he was 12, he was not returned to the auction, but instead willed to the man's niece. She treated him well, although he often had to skip a meal when he did something that displeased his mistress. When he turned 15, he was sold to another household. This one was easy enough to fit into and though there were many slaves to help with the work, Nicodemus did not slack off but worked as hard as ever. Then that master got into a bit of trouble with the law and Nicodemus and the other slaves were seized and taken back to the slave trade. Nicodemus was 16 when he was sold on auction again and he paid no attention to the crowd, his eyes looking past their faces to the past when he was last up on a stage. His brother did not come for him that day, but instead he was sold to a woman who often did not allow him to wear a shirt when he did chores. It was at that estate that he learned how to care for the grounds of a household as well as tend to animals, and went about these chores with his usual determination and hard work. And finally, a few days after he turned eighteen, Nicodemus was sold to the Lord of the city and given to his son to be a companion as well as a servant.
Appearance:
Played by: chibi_blue_mouse

(I'll likely add more characters as the story needs it.)

. . . And we are the pieces.