Disclaimer
: *sigh*. Do I have to? Fine, be that way. Seishirou, Subaru, and all of the other X characters belong to Clamp. However, the interpretation of their characters is my own.Author's Note
: This fanfic is going to be mostly about Seishirou, written from his perspective (but not first person), during the course of the Battle. Which means that yes, Dark Fuuma will make an appearance. I'll decide as the story evolves whether to make this a lemon or not; and which pairings will be included are still undecided. Angst and drama included for your viewing pleasure. Enjoi.*****
You didn't come here to kill me. I can pay you double what they paid you. I have a wife and children. I have too much to die. I'm too powerful to die. I'm too young to die. I'm too nice to die, what have I done? What do you need, money, jewels, stocks, blood, servants, women, I can give it to you.
Just don't kill me. Just don't kill me. Just don't kill me.
The smoke curled artfully, purposefully around the slender cheek of the Sakurazukamori. They were all the same, his victims. All trying to escape the same fate that they themselves trapped them in. Causality. A rare word to find these days, these days of destiny and foreordained. No. Any action is the result of a carefully orchestrated series of events prior to that action. A person does something wrong; the State requires their silent removal. They beg for mercy not because they wish for life but because they refuse to take responsibility for their actions, offer bribes, the Sakurazukamori remains amused. But in the end, they all die.
Except one.
That Seal has something to do with you. His wish is something only you can grant, yet it is different than your own
.How fascinating. Subaru-kun still managed to surprise him every now and then, rare for such a naïve boy. Naïve, but powerful in his own right.
"Ahh, isn't it such a beautiful night, Sakurazukamori-san?" Seishirou didn't move, would hardly be fitting for him to show his surprise, even though the boy knew full well that Seishirou hadn't heard him approach. He was about to turn around to face /Kamui/ but decided against it.
"Yes, it is. I come here often, when I seek to be alone." A bit of ash dropped from the cigarette, flirted with the open trenchcoat, then decided against it and fell nameless to the ground below.
Fuuma laughed softly, managing to be utterly mirthless at the same time. "But isn't that all the time?" The teenager walked around the metal beams until he stood opposite Seishirou. "The Earth cries out for the blood of men, Sakurazukamori-san. Not the Sakura. Choose your alliance carefully."
Seishirou still didn't face the youth. "I am the Sakura's keeper; I do what I please. Would you like to eat something? I'd hate to see this particular section of Tokyo destroyed without sampling a restaurant one more time."
Out of the reflection in his sunglasses, he watched Fuuma consider several different emotions, as if trying them on for size. How /Kamui/ could be so expressive without actually feeling anything was a mystery to Seishirou; anything beyond amusement was beyond his own capacity.
"Actually, I wanted to take you somewhere. It might interest you maybe even amuse you." Without waiting for a response, Fuuma dropped off of the balcony and landed lightly on the sidewalk.
Seishirou lit another cigarette, and walked slowly down the stairs to the street, wiping his hand on a black cloth before tossing onto an inert form that lay nearby. It wasn't often that /Kamui/ wanted to do something. Probably dangerous of him to refuse. Oh well. He followed the flowing cloak up the street.
*****
The light shrill of laugher pierced the merry air of the ice cream parlor. "Oh really, Shiyuu-san?" Yuzuriha dipped her spoon into the sundae and tried to feed it to Inuki. The dog refused by staring at it, and she laughed again. "*bounce* So one time you really did forget to bring your parachute but landed safely? Wow, you must be lucky!"
Kusanagi sucked on his spoon lightly, a small sweatdrop forming on his brow. He had almost told this young girl that he had special powers but had managed to avoid the topic. "Aa. My friends all wondered how I did it." The pair continued to chatter aimlessly. Inuki stirred from Ojou-chan's side and stared at the door.
"Ahhh, Kusanagi-san. What a pretty young lady you have here. Something you haven't been telling us? Konnichiwa." Kusanagi froze at the sound of that voice. Cool, modulated deadly if you knew what to look for. In a split second, he recovered and looked up to see not only the young /Kamui/ but also the Sakurazukamori as well.
"Ahh hai. Would you like to sit down?"
Seishirou watched with intense amusement. The girl bubbled on obliviously about how cute Kusanagi's friends were, how mature they looked. Why, you look familiar, what's your name? Do you go to Clamp Campus? Seishirou understood why /Kamui/ had insisted that they come here. She was, after all, a Seal. /Kamui/ sat down next to Kusanagi and smiled to himself, watching the army man wrestle with his emotions. He walked over and sat down next to the young girl. "So how are classes going for you?" He smiled amiably, affecting a relaxed yet composed posture. The waitress came by and took the newcomers' order, with the girl ordering seconds. Kusanagi didn't order anything else. Seishirou smirked again.
"Aiiiee they're going pretty well. I'm having a bit of difficulty with anatomy but a friend of mine is helping me out. He said he knew a veterinarian when he was younger, so he's been very helpful. By the way, have we been introduced?" The girl reached out and clasped Seishirou's hands her own. For the second time that night, the Sakurazukamori was startled, but he smiled. Her hands were warm "I'm Nekoi Yuzuriha!" She winked at Seishirou, who smiled back.
Seishirou took off his glasses, and tried to ignore the leers that /Kamui/ was lobbing in his direction, obvious reminders of the allusions to the Blossom Star's prey. He slipped them into his pocket and dipped his spoon into the newly arrived ice cream. "I'm Seishirou."
"Eh? Only Seishirou? Well, I'm glad to meet you, Seishirou-san! ^_____^." She opened her eyes and looked at Seishirou. "O.o what happened to your eye? Did it hurt?" Her eyes watered a bit as she bit her lip. The hand came up and she stroked Seishirou's face. The touch left a trail of stimulated nerves He carried on a light conversation with her for awhile longer, enjoying the complete irony of the situation. Oh, I was helping a friend of mine and I lose the eye. Yes, I suppose he was important to me. *smirk* If you wouldn't mind, I could come over to tutor you if you would like. Oh, don't worry about contacting me. I can find you easily enough. If you wish for it hard enough, I'll know. Yes, I know where Clamp Campus is.
"Well, Yuzu-chan. I'm sorry to have to cut this short, but Seishirou-san and I have some business to attend to. Gomen for interrupting your small date." /Kamui/ got up serenely, radiating calmness and warmth.
"*sparkle* Aye! It was a pleasure Seishirou-san! And ?? ?? ?? I didn't get your name, I'm sorry. I'm Nekoi Yuzuriha! Would you like some Pocky?" Completely unabashed, Seishirou watched as she whipped a box of the chocolate sticks from under her skirt and waved it in front of /Kamui's/ nose. He politely declined, and left.
Seishirou followed soon after, putting his glasses on and taking a separate path. /Kamui/ had chosen that moment for a reason, and it was not to embarrass Kusanagi.
The Earth cries out for the blood of men, Sakurazukamori-san. Not the Sakura.
Choose you alliance carefully
.Kusanagi was knowingly fraternizing with a Seal. Did /Kamui/ suspect Seishirou doing otherwise? He doubted it, but /Kamui/ did not make such statements lightly. He was an Angel by fate, not by choice, so maybe that was one reason. But his wish involved the death of a Seal, though not the person; his loyalty to that person could not be questioned. Seishirou saw no particular reason to join the Seals; but then, he saw few reasons to do anything beyond his interest. The world could go on functioning; if humanity ended, he wouldn't be around to notice. If it went on, then so be it. But one fact clouded Seishirou's mind as he walked towards Ueno Park.
His cheek still burned from where Yuzuriha had stroked it, the warmth of a genuinely friendly touch.
*****
