Title: Scarves and tartans
Subtitle: I'm marrying whom?
Author: Lady Snowblossom
Pairing: Kai/Johnny, Johnny/Kai
Rating: PG-13
Note: Clan McGregor honors an old promise
"I won't do it!" Johnny shouted, as he slammed the door of his father's study and stormed down the hall, the servants scattering at the expression on his face. The fiery redhead stamped into his bedroom and threw himself on his bed.
Growling softly, he rolled over and looked toward his dresser. Salamalyon having picked upon his companion's distress was glowing with a confused mixture of orange and green. Johnny sighed and went to retrieve his blade. Walking back to his bed, he sank down on the soft surface and clutched the blade to his chest, drawing strength and comfort from the feel of the metal biting into his fingers. "Oh, Salamalyon, of all the people in the world, why him?"
A sense of concern and puzzlement washed over him, and Johnny stroked the bit chip with his thumb. "They want me to marry Dranzer's companion, and you know what I think of Kai." He whispered to his bitbeast. "Father says that years ago, he and Voltaire had been youthful companions and drinking buddies, and that one night that they had pledged that they would marry their heirs to each other, no matter what. So, now father expects me to honor his pledge. Damn Voltaire, why couldn't he have forgotten all about that drunken promise!"
A soft knock on his door pulled Johnny from his thoughts. Sighing again, he slid from the bed and went to the door and opened it. His mother's worried eyes met his, and she smiled sadly. "May I come in?" She asked quietly.
Johnny stepped back and bowed shortly, "please."
Lady Greer McGregor stood in front of her son, and allowed the fingers of one hand to trail down his cheek, before she walked regally to the sole chair in the room and sat down. Johnny went and sat on the foot of his bed, absently picking Salamalyon up from where he had left him lying on the bed. "What can I do for you, mother?"
Sherry colored eyes swept over the flushed features of her only child; her chest aching for his pain. "I hear your father has told you."
Johnny nodded and looked away; his free hand fisting the bedspread. "Mother, I don't want to marry Kai! I hate him and he hates me, what kind of marriage would that be?" The plaintive note in his voice made him sound years younger than he really was.
For a moment, she heard a three-year-old voice asking in that same tone, why his dead puppy wouldn't play with him anymore, and had to blink back tears. "Johnny, your father doesn't really want you to marry against your will, but he made that vow, and now . . ." She sighed, "Now, that Voltaire has demanded that he redeem that pledge. Its' become a matter of honor."
"Honor." the young knight spat in anger. "Sometimes, I hate that word! How can it be honorable to force an unendurable marriage on your son!"
"Jonathan!" Lady McGregor snapped, "If there were a way out, your father would have taken it!" Rising, she went to her son, and sitting beside him, she gathered his stiff body into her arms. "My little lion," she whispered, "you will do this, because you know you must. And besides, who knows perhaps in time the two of you will find love with each other. Your father and I did."
Shocked, the youth pulled away from his mother and stared open-mouthed. "Ours was an arranged marriage, our two families being friends for generations, they felt it was time to cement the bonds of friendship with a blood bond. We were fortunate in that we gained a mutual respect for each other and we found love." She smiled softly and again gently caressed her son's cheek, her eyes bright.
Johnny accepted the caress; knowing that his mother was right, honor demanded that he bow to his clan's wishes and accept the fate thrust upon him, but that didn't mean he had to like it. As for falling for Kai Hiwatari, snowballs in the Sahara had a better chance! And except for their wedding night, he would demand the right to bar Hiwatari from his bed!
An icy calmness settled over him and he pulled away from the comforting warmth of his mother's embrace. "Very well, mother. Since honor demands that I accede to the demands of my clan, I will do so, but . . ." He gazed into the sorrowful eyes of the woman in front of him. "I have one condition of my own, I will even go so far as to allow the marriage to be consummated, but after that I want it understood that Hiwatari will never share my bed, again."
Lady McGregor sighed, and rose, Johnny following her. "Very well, my son, I will inform your father of your demand. He can discuss with Voltaire your condition. I will go speak with him at once." She turned and headed for the door.
Johnny hurried to the door and opened it; he bowed his mother through and murmured, "thank you, my lady." The redheaded Scottish woman nodded and watched as her son closed his door. Sighing, she whispered, "Ah, laddie, I would spare you this, if I could. I can only hope that you won't find this the ordeal, you think it will be." Then she hurried off to speak to her husband.
After closing the door, Johnny went to his bed and laid down, his mind racing. "Aye, mother, I'll marry him, I'll even screw him or allow him to screw me, but I've said nothing about STAYING married to him. Besides, what am I getting worked up about, there's no way in hell, Kai will marry me!" Smiling with satisfaction, Johnny buried himself deep in his pillows and curled up for a nap.
Laird Hamish McGregor looked up from his desk as his wife walked in and glared at him. "He'll do it, but he has one condition that I find no fault with!"
Raising his hand against his wife's ire, he said quietly, "What is the lad's condition? I'll honor it if I can."
"Johnny wants it made clear that after the wedding night, there will be no further conjugal rights demanded by his husband." She snapped as she walked to the desk and leaned on it. Her eyes blazed as she continued, "I canna believe that you are going through with this! Voltaire tried to take over the world, and it was only with the help of the Bladebreakers and many other bladers, our son, included, that he failed. And now, you're going to just hand Johnny over to that madman!"
"He'll be marrying Voltaire's grandson, not Voltaire! And woman, need I remind you that Kai Hiwatari, the captain of the Bladebreakers is that grandson!"
"No, husband, you don't need to remind me! But, perhaps I need to remind you of the fact that Johnny has no love for that boy! According to Robert, they are not exactly civil to each other!"
Johnny's father leaned back in his chair and looked regretfully at his wife. He motioned for her to come and sit on his lap. Eyeing him with annoyance, she obeyed. Wrapping an arm around her trim waist, the man sighed. "Lass, I know you think that sometimes I'm too harsh with the lad, but I don't treat him any differently than my father treated me, or his him. I'm sorry that the lad is hurt, but I swore by the honor of the clan, and my hands are tied. Johnny must marry Kai, and that is the end of the matter." He drew her head down for a kiss.
"That may be what you think, husband. But, I doubt that we've heard the last of this subject. I have a feeling that getting them to the church will be the least of our worries." She thought as his lips closed on hers.
Kai crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it violently into the trashcan, pivoting on his heel, he headed up to the room he shared with his best friend: Rei Kon. Reclining on his bed, the neko-jin looked up in surprise from his book, as the door slammed open and the angry Russian entered. Taking one look at Kai's face, Rei sat up, dropping his book on the floor.
"Kai? What's wrong?" The concerned neko-jin asked, as Kai stamped over to the dresser and grabbed up Dranzer and his launcher. The Russian ignored him to disappear back out the door. A confused and anxious Rei chasing after him. "Where are you going?" Rei shouted down the stairs at Kai's disappearing back. "Out. Don't wait up." Came the cold reply.
Max and Tyson came out of the living room to investigate the noise. "Hey, Rei, what's going on?" Max asked, as Rei hurried down the stairs.
"Don't know, Max, Kai just came in our room looking angry, grabbed Dranzer and left." The puzzled cat-boy replied. Tyson shrugged and burped, "Cuse me! Hey, don't worry about it! Ole Grumpy Pants will let us know what's bugging him in his own sweet time. So, there's no need to worry about it" The bluenette waved his hand in unconcern, as he began to stare at Rei with wide hopeful eyes.
"Uh, Rei?"
"What, Tyson?"
"When's dinner?"
Rei and Max sighed.
Kai stormed into his favorite private training ground, an old abandoned warehouse. He quickly set up an obstacle course of packing crates, soda cans and bricks. He loaded up the phoenix and sent the blade flying toward the first of the obstacles-a heavy crate. The fiery phoenix blasted through the wooden crate like it was paper, sending shards and chunks of wood flying in every direction. Kai screamed encouragement at his beast.
Dranzer responded by tearing into each object with a vengeance, the mighty bird's strength augmented by his companion's suppressed anger. With a scream, the fiery bird burst free of its' bit chip and obliterated the last obstacle; two stacks of three bricks placed back to back. With a savage cry, Dranzer digitized and returned to his blade. Panting, Kai stared at the destruction in front of him, the rage in his blood, barely blunted by the devastation.
With a snarl, the angry youth went to find more objects to use for a tougher obstacle course.
Rei sat on the window seat, his golden eyes clouded with worry; it was after one in the morning and Kai wasn't home, yet. "Where are you?" Rei demanded, as he thumped the cushion of the seat with a fist. "Damn it, Kai, do I have come looking for you?" He pulled his fist up for another shot at the hapless cushion, when he froze, his fist hovering in mid-air. He turned his head toward the door: his keen hearing having picked up the soft scuff-scuff of slippers outside his and Kai's room.
The knob of the door turned, and Rei held his breath, as a dark shadow slipped into the room. The bright moonlight lit up Kai's face, as the Russian halted halfway to his bed, having just noticed the neko-jin perched on the window seat.
"I thought I told you to not wait up." Kai was the first to break the silence, as he finished his journey to his bedside. Rei shook his head and slid from the seat. Slowly, he made his way to his friend's side and settled down uninvited on the bed. "It's called caring, concern, worry; need I go on?" His sharp vision took in the lines of strain around Kai's eyes.
"No." the bluenette said, as he stood to strip off his shirt. He noted that Rei was still staring at him, so he shrugged and headed for the bathroom. He had only taken a couple of steps when a pale hand grasped his forearm, bringing him to a halt. "Kai, you haven't done something like this, since forever, so what is the matter?" The Russian closed his crimson eyes against the gentle plea in his best friend's voice.
"Not now, Rei. I really can't talk about it." He turned to face the neko- jin; the look of honest concern that graced that beautiful caring face was nearly his undoing. Slowly, he raised his hand and his eyes never leaving those golden pools, he gently removed Rei's hand from his arm. "I promise, Rei, as soon as I can talk about it, I'll let you know."
For a second, Rei just stared at him, then slowly the Chinese nodded, "All right, Kai. I'll be ready to listen, when you're ready to talk."
Gratefully, Kai nodded and headed into the bathroom, leaving Rei to frown after him. Sighing, the neko-jin turned and went to bed. Moments later, the bathroom door opened and silently Kai went to his own bed and crawled in.
Neither boy got much sleep that night.
Scrubbing at his blood-shot eyes, Rei blinked, as he tried to bring the eggs he was scrambling into focus. He yawned, as the smell of the eggs began to fill the kitchen. "Tired?" Rei jumped and squeaked, at the soft voice at his elbow. Whirling, he glared at Kai, of course it would have been more effective, if he hadn't yawned again, right in the middle of it. "Yes." he said shortly. "I spent half the night worrying about an idiot friend, who doesn't have enough sense to come home at a decent hour."
Kai sighed. "Look, Rei, I'm sorry." he began, but Rei waved him silent. The Chinese shook his head and picked up the skillet, moving to the table with it. "Never mind, Kai. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you, but you can't fault me for being worried." He said, before beginning to scoop out half of the eggs onto a plate, as he motioned for Kai to take a seat.
The bluenette moved to comply, when Kenny walked into the room, a puzzled look on his face. "Kai," the young tech said, "I just got the strangest message from Johnny. He wants to know when you want to meet to discuss the wedding. Why would he want to talk to you about a wedding?"
Rei froze, spatula poised over the eggs. Kai cursed, 'Damn that McGregor! His timing couldn't have been worse!' Taking a deep breath, Kai said slowly. "According to my grandfather, he and his old drinking buddy, Hamish McGregor once pledged to marry their heirs to each other."
"And" Rei managed in a strangled tone.
"Johnny and I are those heirs." Kai said tonelessly. "The wedding is ours."
Rei dropped the skillet.
Well, this another fine mess, I've got myself into.
Does this seem as lousy to you as it does to me?
Should I continue this or deep-six it?
I'll be waiting to hear.
Johnny and Kai: Deep-six it!
I already know what you two want-so zip it! I'm talking to my readers.
Subtitle: I'm marrying whom?
Author: Lady Snowblossom
Pairing: Kai/Johnny, Johnny/Kai
Rating: PG-13
Note: Clan McGregor honors an old promise
"I won't do it!" Johnny shouted, as he slammed the door of his father's study and stormed down the hall, the servants scattering at the expression on his face. The fiery redhead stamped into his bedroom and threw himself on his bed.
Growling softly, he rolled over and looked toward his dresser. Salamalyon having picked upon his companion's distress was glowing with a confused mixture of orange and green. Johnny sighed and went to retrieve his blade. Walking back to his bed, he sank down on the soft surface and clutched the blade to his chest, drawing strength and comfort from the feel of the metal biting into his fingers. "Oh, Salamalyon, of all the people in the world, why him?"
A sense of concern and puzzlement washed over him, and Johnny stroked the bit chip with his thumb. "They want me to marry Dranzer's companion, and you know what I think of Kai." He whispered to his bitbeast. "Father says that years ago, he and Voltaire had been youthful companions and drinking buddies, and that one night that they had pledged that they would marry their heirs to each other, no matter what. So, now father expects me to honor his pledge. Damn Voltaire, why couldn't he have forgotten all about that drunken promise!"
A soft knock on his door pulled Johnny from his thoughts. Sighing again, he slid from the bed and went to the door and opened it. His mother's worried eyes met his, and she smiled sadly. "May I come in?" She asked quietly.
Johnny stepped back and bowed shortly, "please."
Lady Greer McGregor stood in front of her son, and allowed the fingers of one hand to trail down his cheek, before she walked regally to the sole chair in the room and sat down. Johnny went and sat on the foot of his bed, absently picking Salamalyon up from where he had left him lying on the bed. "What can I do for you, mother?"
Sherry colored eyes swept over the flushed features of her only child; her chest aching for his pain. "I hear your father has told you."
Johnny nodded and looked away; his free hand fisting the bedspread. "Mother, I don't want to marry Kai! I hate him and he hates me, what kind of marriage would that be?" The plaintive note in his voice made him sound years younger than he really was.
For a moment, she heard a three-year-old voice asking in that same tone, why his dead puppy wouldn't play with him anymore, and had to blink back tears. "Johnny, your father doesn't really want you to marry against your will, but he made that vow, and now . . ." She sighed, "Now, that Voltaire has demanded that he redeem that pledge. Its' become a matter of honor."
"Honor." the young knight spat in anger. "Sometimes, I hate that word! How can it be honorable to force an unendurable marriage on your son!"
"Jonathan!" Lady McGregor snapped, "If there were a way out, your father would have taken it!" Rising, she went to her son, and sitting beside him, she gathered his stiff body into her arms. "My little lion," she whispered, "you will do this, because you know you must. And besides, who knows perhaps in time the two of you will find love with each other. Your father and I did."
Shocked, the youth pulled away from his mother and stared open-mouthed. "Ours was an arranged marriage, our two families being friends for generations, they felt it was time to cement the bonds of friendship with a blood bond. We were fortunate in that we gained a mutual respect for each other and we found love." She smiled softly and again gently caressed her son's cheek, her eyes bright.
Johnny accepted the caress; knowing that his mother was right, honor demanded that he bow to his clan's wishes and accept the fate thrust upon him, but that didn't mean he had to like it. As for falling for Kai Hiwatari, snowballs in the Sahara had a better chance! And except for their wedding night, he would demand the right to bar Hiwatari from his bed!
An icy calmness settled over him and he pulled away from the comforting warmth of his mother's embrace. "Very well, mother. Since honor demands that I accede to the demands of my clan, I will do so, but . . ." He gazed into the sorrowful eyes of the woman in front of him. "I have one condition of my own, I will even go so far as to allow the marriage to be consummated, but after that I want it understood that Hiwatari will never share my bed, again."
Lady McGregor sighed, and rose, Johnny following her. "Very well, my son, I will inform your father of your demand. He can discuss with Voltaire your condition. I will go speak with him at once." She turned and headed for the door.
Johnny hurried to the door and opened it; he bowed his mother through and murmured, "thank you, my lady." The redheaded Scottish woman nodded and watched as her son closed his door. Sighing, she whispered, "Ah, laddie, I would spare you this, if I could. I can only hope that you won't find this the ordeal, you think it will be." Then she hurried off to speak to her husband.
After closing the door, Johnny went to his bed and laid down, his mind racing. "Aye, mother, I'll marry him, I'll even screw him or allow him to screw me, but I've said nothing about STAYING married to him. Besides, what am I getting worked up about, there's no way in hell, Kai will marry me!" Smiling with satisfaction, Johnny buried himself deep in his pillows and curled up for a nap.
Laird Hamish McGregor looked up from his desk as his wife walked in and glared at him. "He'll do it, but he has one condition that I find no fault with!"
Raising his hand against his wife's ire, he said quietly, "What is the lad's condition? I'll honor it if I can."
"Johnny wants it made clear that after the wedding night, there will be no further conjugal rights demanded by his husband." She snapped as she walked to the desk and leaned on it. Her eyes blazed as she continued, "I canna believe that you are going through with this! Voltaire tried to take over the world, and it was only with the help of the Bladebreakers and many other bladers, our son, included, that he failed. And now, you're going to just hand Johnny over to that madman!"
"He'll be marrying Voltaire's grandson, not Voltaire! And woman, need I remind you that Kai Hiwatari, the captain of the Bladebreakers is that grandson!"
"No, husband, you don't need to remind me! But, perhaps I need to remind you of the fact that Johnny has no love for that boy! According to Robert, they are not exactly civil to each other!"
Johnny's father leaned back in his chair and looked regretfully at his wife. He motioned for her to come and sit on his lap. Eyeing him with annoyance, she obeyed. Wrapping an arm around her trim waist, the man sighed. "Lass, I know you think that sometimes I'm too harsh with the lad, but I don't treat him any differently than my father treated me, or his him. I'm sorry that the lad is hurt, but I swore by the honor of the clan, and my hands are tied. Johnny must marry Kai, and that is the end of the matter." He drew her head down for a kiss.
"That may be what you think, husband. But, I doubt that we've heard the last of this subject. I have a feeling that getting them to the church will be the least of our worries." She thought as his lips closed on hers.
Kai crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it violently into the trashcan, pivoting on his heel, he headed up to the room he shared with his best friend: Rei Kon. Reclining on his bed, the neko-jin looked up in surprise from his book, as the door slammed open and the angry Russian entered. Taking one look at Kai's face, Rei sat up, dropping his book on the floor.
"Kai? What's wrong?" The concerned neko-jin asked, as Kai stamped over to the dresser and grabbed up Dranzer and his launcher. The Russian ignored him to disappear back out the door. A confused and anxious Rei chasing after him. "Where are you going?" Rei shouted down the stairs at Kai's disappearing back. "Out. Don't wait up." Came the cold reply.
Max and Tyson came out of the living room to investigate the noise. "Hey, Rei, what's going on?" Max asked, as Rei hurried down the stairs.
"Don't know, Max, Kai just came in our room looking angry, grabbed Dranzer and left." The puzzled cat-boy replied. Tyson shrugged and burped, "Cuse me! Hey, don't worry about it! Ole Grumpy Pants will let us know what's bugging him in his own sweet time. So, there's no need to worry about it" The bluenette waved his hand in unconcern, as he began to stare at Rei with wide hopeful eyes.
"Uh, Rei?"
"What, Tyson?"
"When's dinner?"
Rei and Max sighed.
Kai stormed into his favorite private training ground, an old abandoned warehouse. He quickly set up an obstacle course of packing crates, soda cans and bricks. He loaded up the phoenix and sent the blade flying toward the first of the obstacles-a heavy crate. The fiery phoenix blasted through the wooden crate like it was paper, sending shards and chunks of wood flying in every direction. Kai screamed encouragement at his beast.
Dranzer responded by tearing into each object with a vengeance, the mighty bird's strength augmented by his companion's suppressed anger. With a scream, the fiery bird burst free of its' bit chip and obliterated the last obstacle; two stacks of three bricks placed back to back. With a savage cry, Dranzer digitized and returned to his blade. Panting, Kai stared at the destruction in front of him, the rage in his blood, barely blunted by the devastation.
With a snarl, the angry youth went to find more objects to use for a tougher obstacle course.
Rei sat on the window seat, his golden eyes clouded with worry; it was after one in the morning and Kai wasn't home, yet. "Where are you?" Rei demanded, as he thumped the cushion of the seat with a fist. "Damn it, Kai, do I have come looking for you?" He pulled his fist up for another shot at the hapless cushion, when he froze, his fist hovering in mid-air. He turned his head toward the door: his keen hearing having picked up the soft scuff-scuff of slippers outside his and Kai's room.
The knob of the door turned, and Rei held his breath, as a dark shadow slipped into the room. The bright moonlight lit up Kai's face, as the Russian halted halfway to his bed, having just noticed the neko-jin perched on the window seat.
"I thought I told you to not wait up." Kai was the first to break the silence, as he finished his journey to his bedside. Rei shook his head and slid from the seat. Slowly, he made his way to his friend's side and settled down uninvited on the bed. "It's called caring, concern, worry; need I go on?" His sharp vision took in the lines of strain around Kai's eyes.
"No." the bluenette said, as he stood to strip off his shirt. He noted that Rei was still staring at him, so he shrugged and headed for the bathroom. He had only taken a couple of steps when a pale hand grasped his forearm, bringing him to a halt. "Kai, you haven't done something like this, since forever, so what is the matter?" The Russian closed his crimson eyes against the gentle plea in his best friend's voice.
"Not now, Rei. I really can't talk about it." He turned to face the neko- jin; the look of honest concern that graced that beautiful caring face was nearly his undoing. Slowly, he raised his hand and his eyes never leaving those golden pools, he gently removed Rei's hand from his arm. "I promise, Rei, as soon as I can talk about it, I'll let you know."
For a second, Rei just stared at him, then slowly the Chinese nodded, "All right, Kai. I'll be ready to listen, when you're ready to talk."
Gratefully, Kai nodded and headed into the bathroom, leaving Rei to frown after him. Sighing, the neko-jin turned and went to bed. Moments later, the bathroom door opened and silently Kai went to his own bed and crawled in.
Neither boy got much sleep that night.
Scrubbing at his blood-shot eyes, Rei blinked, as he tried to bring the eggs he was scrambling into focus. He yawned, as the smell of the eggs began to fill the kitchen. "Tired?" Rei jumped and squeaked, at the soft voice at his elbow. Whirling, he glared at Kai, of course it would have been more effective, if he hadn't yawned again, right in the middle of it. "Yes." he said shortly. "I spent half the night worrying about an idiot friend, who doesn't have enough sense to come home at a decent hour."
Kai sighed. "Look, Rei, I'm sorry." he began, but Rei waved him silent. The Chinese shook his head and picked up the skillet, moving to the table with it. "Never mind, Kai. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you, but you can't fault me for being worried." He said, before beginning to scoop out half of the eggs onto a plate, as he motioned for Kai to take a seat.
The bluenette moved to comply, when Kenny walked into the room, a puzzled look on his face. "Kai," the young tech said, "I just got the strangest message from Johnny. He wants to know when you want to meet to discuss the wedding. Why would he want to talk to you about a wedding?"
Rei froze, spatula poised over the eggs. Kai cursed, 'Damn that McGregor! His timing couldn't have been worse!' Taking a deep breath, Kai said slowly. "According to my grandfather, he and his old drinking buddy, Hamish McGregor once pledged to marry their heirs to each other."
"And" Rei managed in a strangled tone.
"Johnny and I are those heirs." Kai said tonelessly. "The wedding is ours."
Rei dropped the skillet.
Well, this another fine mess, I've got myself into.
Does this seem as lousy to you as it does to me?
Should I continue this or deep-six it?
I'll be waiting to hear.
Johnny and Kai: Deep-six it!
I already know what you two want-so zip it! I'm talking to my readers.