Strange Love
 

Zaidu, a naga prince, was out hunting in the woods. You would think, being a prince, that he wouldn't have to hunt. But that isn't the case. He, like all naga, was required to hone his hunting skills. The one thing that being a prince afforded him was having a place of his own in the nearby town. You might be wondering how a naga could live in a human town. Zaidu, like other naga, had the ability to pass as human. Most naga, even royalty, preferred staying in their true form. Being in human form was tiring and even the most skilled naga would have to return to his true form and rest.

Currently Zaidu was in his true form. He had just skillfully completed his kill and was heading back to town. As he neared the border of the woods he heard a scuffle. Changing into his human form he went to investigate. He saw a group of young men attacking another young man. Looking at this young mans eyes he could tell that he was blind.

Zaidu couldn't stand anybody who would attack somebody who was defenseless. Quickly changing back to his true form he attacks the attackers. At the sight of him the group screams and runs off. Turning back to his human form he approaches the young man.

"Are you alright?" He asked kneeling down next to the young man. There is a bit of blood but to his eye it looks like nothing life threatening.

TanaChan: ((Oh my character looks like this only with shades of green and tanner skin and in his human form he doesn't have the horns. http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/i/20...ko-d5y87d5.jpg

Tenshi nodded at the question, wiping the blood from his lip with the back of his wrist. His clothes had mud on them from where he had been pushed down into the muck. The blind man used the wall to help himself stand, blood still trickling from his split lip. He had tried to hold them off, but three on one was not a fiat fight, even if he could see. Milky blue eyes stared at nothing and Tenshi smiled at his Rescuer, "thank you." He said softly, his left hand clasping his arm, blood seeping through his tightly closed fingers. He clenched his jaw as he tried to stand and nearly slid back down into the dirt.

"You are hurt." Zaidu gasped going and catching him before he could fall. "We aren't to far from my home. I'll check the wound then." Zaidu scooped the young man into his arms and headed into town to his house. Soon he was laying the young man on his couch. Zaidu gently removed the young mans hand from his arm so he could see the wound.

http://www.menewsha.com/forum/pictur...ictureid=55440"I will be fine." Tenshi tried to protest before he was picked up. He yelped and put his good arm around the man's neck tightly till he was put onto the couch in the man's home. He gave a hiss as the sleeve of his shirt was pulled away from the wound. He bit his lower lip and turned his head away, he did not feel as in danger as he had been around the three men who had dragged him off his street, but he still did not know this man. "M-my Name is Tenshi...what is yours?" He asked softly.

"My name is Zaibu." He said as he went and grabbed the first aid kit. "I am going to clean out the wound with peroxide. It might sting a bit." He put Tenshi's arm over a basin and slowly poured peroxide over the wound to clean it out. He applied the peroxide until it ran clean. He then gently patted the arm dry and gave it a second look.

Tenshi only flinched a little as the cut was cleaned and as Zaibu started to pat it dry he turned his head back towards his rescuer. "That is a strange name...you are not from around here are you?" He asked softly, his cheeks tinted a light pink, he liked the man's voice and his hands felt nice as well.

"No I'm not." He stated as he got out a bandage. He put it on the wound after adding some antiseptic cream to keep it from getting infected. "Though I have lived here for many years. Would you like anything for the pain?" He asked as he fought down the urge to run his fingers through the young mans hair.

Tenshi shook his head gently and smiled at Zaibu, "No, the pain is fine and will fade fast enough, there must be something I can do to repay you though." The blind man spoke softly, his head bowed and unseeing eyes lowered as well. He was a little emberassed that he had needed rescuing, he had always done his best to say that he could manage on his own.

"You truly owe me nothing. I am just glad I was there to help out." Zaibu said with a smile that did reach his voice. "Do you live on your own? Because I have plenty of space, you could move in and I could protect you." He knew that inviting Tenshi to stay with him would anger his father. And that was one of the reasons why he had extended the offer. The other is that this young man fascinated him.

Tenshi blushed darkly, "I live in my parents house...they passed away two years ago, and it has a Kiln in the basement that I need for my job." the young man pulled away a little, he did not get a bad feeling form this man, but he knew something was different, besides, "You just met me...how do you know I am not just some theif with contacts or something." Tenshi seemed to close in on himself as he spoke, turning his head away from Zaibu, he held onto himself, "I do not need pity." he told the other and moved to stand. He liked the feeling he got from this person, but he wasn't sure of himself, and having the help around the house would be great, he had a hard time making sure the home was kept clean.

"Well then I will move in with you." Zaibu said. He didn't know how he knew but he knew this young man wasn't a thief, and wasn't pretending to be blind. "So I take it you are an artist." He commented. "I have always been envious of those with artistic skills." He himself had no artistic skill what so ever. This was much to the disappointment of his mother.

Tenshi smiled lightly at Zaibu, "Alright then...I could use the help, and the company." He said softly and held out his hand, "Do you know where the nearest bus station is at, that is where I was going before I was...in the alley." He shivered, he hated it when people would take advantage of him just because he was blind just as much as he hated the help for the same reason.
"You can take me home so long as we find the station and line three to Main and Third."

"I know where to grab that bus." Zaibu said taking his hand and helping him up. Tenshi was radiant when he smiled. "There will be times when I have to go out of town." He said as he lead Tenshi to the door. Zaibu was very careful to make sure Tenshi didn't run into anything. He hated the times he had to go back to his home. It was always a very stressful time for him. He knew that if he denounced his right to the throne he would be exiled and never have to go back, but he couldn't seem to bring himself to do that. He also had to leave to hunt. He also hated that. He hated that it was so ingrained in him to hunt that if he didn't go out and hunt in the forest he would hunt the humans he lived among.

"For your job?" Tenshi asked as they went down the stairs and outside. He let Zaibu lead him, the bastards in the alley had taken his white cane, thankfully he had another one at home, but that would do him no good here at the moment. "What do you do?" Tenshi asked, the man knew what he did after all.

Zaibu was silent for a moment trying to think about how best to answer Tenshi. "It's not for a job, not really. My family is...." He stopped trying to think best how to word his answer. "My family comes from money. I don't work, though if I wanted I guess could. My family insists that I go home for a visit on a regular schedule." By this time they have arrived at the bus stop. "We're here." He said so that Tenshi knew why they stopped.

Tenshi nodded lightly and shifted about till he found the bench, put a hand on it, and sat down, "Mmm, I am jut glad that my parent's home is paid off, and the only thing I have to worry about is bills and property taxes. Some of my peices go for quite a lot." He said softly, his cheeks turning a bright pink. "I am glad that my parents decided to harvest my skill instead of just leav it in pursuit of other things." He smiled lightly as he sat back on the bench to wait for the bus. "It's starting to get cold, Autum is turning to winter...I don't like the cold." He said and shook his head, the kiln would help heat his home however when ever he fired it up.

"I wish my parents were like that." He said sitting down next to Tenshi. "I would give up this life in a heart beat if it meant I could be and do what I wanted." He said honestly. "My parents were, and still are very strict." He let out a sigh running his fingers through his hair. What would he be doing now, he wondered, if his parents had been less strict. Or if they weren't naga royalty.

Tenshi smiled lightly, "Well it comes with the territory of having a Hippy for a mother, and a father who just wanted her happy." He missed his parents, they hadn't been bad, just eccentric and very different than any of the other parents.
The bus they were waiting or rolled up and Tenshi climbed on, the bus driver informing him of an empty seat and how many rows back it was. He counted rows before finding the pair of seats and sat down, placing his hands in his lap. "All the bus drivers know who I am...it is my only mode of transportation." He said softly.

Zaibu followed Tenshi onto the bus. "Well at least you are able to get around." He said sitting next to Tenshi. He had made a choice while talking to Tenshi. The next time he was forced to return home he would give up the throne. He didn't know if it would work out with Tenshi but he was tired of living under his parents strict rules. He smiled to himself, it felt good to know he had a plan. If he were honest with himself he was looking forward to exile.

Tenshi nodded lightly, "It is really not that difficult, my hearing is much better than other peoples, since I can not see my other senses have to make up for it. I have exceptional hearing, I am learning to use a little bit of echolocation, it is hard when in the city proper, all the noise gets in the way, but at the same time I can use that noise to tell me where I am at." Tenshi smiled and relaxed into the seat, resting his head on the window.

"I wasn't aware humans could use echolocation." Zaibu said with a bit of awe in his voice. This is why he found humans so fascinating. There were so diverse and he was always learning new things about them. "So I take it, from the kiln in your basement, that you are an artist. What form does your art take?" He asked wanting to know everything about this young man.

Tenshi nodded, "Oh I should probably mention that I have a pet snake and several rabbits. Akasha eats the rabbits on occasion and I also sell the rabbits when we get to many of them. Hopefully she will like you." He told his new friend as their stop came up and he stood to get off the bus. He Automatically turned and started walking knowing exactly where he was though his going was a little slower with out his white cane.

Zaibu smiled to himself. He'd have no problem with the snake. Though the rabbits could be an issue but he would deal with that when the time came. "I have no problems with snakes." He said his hand gently on Tenshi's arm. "Do you have another cane? If you don't I could go out and get you one." He said as they make it off the bus.

"I have a spare at home, though I will need to get another one to replace the spare." Tenshi smiled lightly as he walked up the steps to his house. He opened the door and smiled as he heard the sound of Akasha slithering across the floor. "She has given the cleaning lady quite the scare several times, I don't keep her in a cage and we have several warming stones and light around the house, though when the kiln is running the floors on this floor get nice and warm. Tenshi took his shoes off next to the door before stepping a little further in and sitting down. After a moment Akasha made her way over and Tenshi ran his fingers gently over her scaly head with a smile, she did look at Zaibu and flick her tongue out to taste the air as she slithered her way to Tenshi's shoulders, the easily twelve foot albino red tailed boa looked perfectly at home wrapped around the blind man.

Zaibu watched Akasha for a moment after he stepped in. She was a gorgeous creature. He closed the door and slipped his own shoes off. He is grateful to know of the warmth. He always kept his house hot, being a snake being himself. He truly despised the cold. He watched Tenshi interact with Akasha and smile spread across his face. This man was truly amazing. He went and sat next to him wonder how Akasha would react to him.