Title : Courtyard
Disclaimer : I don't own Saiunkoku Monogatari. It belongs to Sai Yukino.
Rating : T
Genre : Family/Humour
Warnings : Yaoi
Pairing : Koyu/Shuei, Reishin/Kijin
Summary : On a full moon night, Shuei finds fulfillment of his long-held secret desire . . . in Kijin's courtyard!
Time-fit : One week after the "wedding"( the day Shuei officially brought Koyu home to the Ran Manor), when Koyu and Shuei arrive at the Ko Manor as dinner-guests.
Notes : Written in response to the LJ Saiun-Challenge prompt "Secret Desire".
Shuei watched in mild amusement as Koyu's large eyes devoured the courtyard.
"One could be forgiven for thinking that you didn't live in this manor for the best part of your life, Koyu."
"Hmm?"
"I said, why do you act like you've never been in this courtyard?"
"Because I haven't."
Shuei straightened up from leaning against the heavy wooden door.
"Really? Why not?"
It was Shuei's turn to look around. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. It was a very standard courtyard, a very decent size, with a pavilion at one end. His gaze fell to the stone tiles.
"Koyu, the way the tiles are worn out, does Lord Kijin train in this courtyard?"
"Uh-huh."
Shuei whistled softly, his eyes scanning the damaged tiles in the diminishing evening light.
"Impressive. I would love to watch his routine."
"No one gets to watch it, ever, except Lord Reishin."
Koyu indicated the wooden door panels.
"These are always bolted when Lord Kijin trains and Lord Reishin watches."
Shuei raised his brows.
"Interesting. And here I am, exposing myself to all and sundry when I go through my routines! AND, you never watch, not even once."
"You want me to? Why didn't you say so?"
Shuei shrugged, and laughed.
"No, no, not really."
He changed the subject.
"So, you were not allowed in this courtyard, at any time?"
"Not exactly. The courtyard is not locked the rest of the day."
Koyu's brow furrowed a little.
"It just feels so private somehow, this courtyard. You know, I stand at this doorway, and . . . I don't know how to explain it, Shuei, I feel like I'm trespassing."
"So why are you showing it to me?"
"I told you, we have time to kill. We arrived early. Dinner's not for another half hour."
"Ahhhh . . . I get it. You want my company to explore it. Come."
Shuei caught hold of Koyu's hand and dragged him across the threshold, and into the forbidden courtyard. As they approached the pavilion, they automatically glanced up. They stared at the plaque.
"Whaaaat?"
Shuei laughed.
"Good grief! I would give a lot to know the story behind that name!"
". . . I'm honoured to be having my first dinner at Ko Manor, Lord Kijin, Lord Reishin! "
Shuei raised his teacup in a toast.
Reishin and Kijin met the toast with theirs.
"There's no need to be so formal, Shuei. You're family now."
Shuei sipped, and set down his teacup.
"Can this new family member ask why the pavilion is named 'Fluttering Thighs Pavilion'?"
Koyu jumped. Kijin's teacup froze. Reishin emitted a strangled sound.
[Flashback]
It was only the slightest breeze. But it was enough. Enough to make the fine white silk wrap around and accentuate every movement, as Kijin's muscled thighs crossed and uncrossed in a hypnotic slow-motion crab-walk across the courtyard.
Watching from the pavilion, Reishin's own thighs fluttered uncontrollably.
Koyu squirmed. Reishin gave his lover a venomous side-long glare. Shuei burst out laughing.
"Ohhh, ahhh . . . so you're a thigh-man, Lord Reishin!"
Ignoring Shuei's undignified comment, Reishin turned to his son.
"Koyu, for your part in this matter, it's only fair that you reveal which part of Shuei's anatomy arouses you."
Koyu, unexpectedly, didn't sputter. He stared, his eyes as large as saucers. When he finally spoke, his tone was more incredulous than scandalized.
"Isn't there only one answer to that question, Lord Reishin? I mean, not just for me, but for everyone. Which other part can it be?"
Reishin blinked.
"Oh, for goodness' sake! Do you have to take everything so literally, Koyu?"
"What?"
"I meant, you idiot, anatomical parts that are NOT directly involved in the act itself!"
It was Koyu's turn to blink, several times in succession.
Kijin chuckled.
"Give him time to digest that, Dumpling. We'll hear Shuei's answer first. Shuei?"
"Me? Oh, alright. I like Koyu's long legs. And that includes the pelvis, of course. From the back. It's the best, the back view. I like how he moves when he walks, how his hips roll, and those endless legs! His waist accentuated by the black belt, his long legs by the slim-cut back panel of his long tunic, and of course, that red-rope ornament swinging against his thigh really gets me . . ."
Shuei paused, noticing Reishin's strange inscrutable expression.
"Did I say something out of turn, Lord Reishin?"
"Hardly, Shuei."
Reishin hid his smile behind his open fan.
"It's just that, in your enthusiasm, your speech pattern has completely changed. Not quite the suave General Ran."
"Indeed, Dumpling. Closer to a stuttering teenager."
Shuei blushed, much to his own surprise, and to the wicked delight of his incorrigible new family members. He glanced at Koyu. No help from that quarter, Koyu appeared to be absorbed in his own thoughts.
"Lord Kijin, which anatomical part is the inspiration for 'Dumpling'?"
Kijin laughed. He grabbed his protesting Dumpling and attempted to spin him around to answer Shuei's question. Shuei pounded the table in encouragement. In the commotion, Koyu slipped out.
"Koyu."
Shuei sat down next to Koyu, on the worn stone tiles of the courtyard. He studied Koyu's pale profile in the moonlight.
Koyu sighed. He spoke, without taking his gaze off the Fluttering Thighs Pavilion.
"I'm sorry to have ruined the evening, Shuei."
Shuei made a non-committal sound, and waited.
"I don't have a fetish for any particular part of your anatomy, Shuei. Am I abnormal?"
If not for the earnestness in Koyu's voice, Shuei would have laughed at the question. Instead, he edged closer, and put an arm round Koyu's shoulders.
"I don't know what's normal, Koyu. I just know that it's not important. Why does it upset you?"
Koyu rested his head against Shuei's shoulder.
"Shuei, your laughter was a little off earlier when you said that you didn't really want me to watch you train. It does bother you, doesn't it?"
"No, it doesn't. It's just that sometimes, it crosses my mind to wonder why you don't. But it's not important, Koyu."
"Not important, no, but these little things do count, don't they? You didn't say it, but earlier on, when we were in this courtyard, I could see you were touched by the fact that Lord Reishin sits in on Lord Kijin's training routine."
Koyu sighed.
"It has never occurred to me to watch you train. I guess it's because the act is logically pointless. And if you extrapolate on that, a sexual fetish more or less falls into the same category. Shuei, I think I'm shortchanging you on romance."
"Screw romance. You fuck good."
Koyu's head snapped up to stare at Shuei. He had never heard Shuei this uncouth. He watched as Shuei's eyes disappeared into crescents in a broad grin.
"Don't be an idiot, Koyu. You are not shortchanging me on anything. Your 'romance' comes across differently, that's all."
"Really? Like how?"
"Really. But I'm not going to tell you how. Knowing you, you'll become so self-conscious that all those little delicious bits will just shrivel up!"
Koyu stared into Shuei's eyes for a long moment. Then he smiled.
"I believe you."
Shuei gazed at the transformed face. The guileless smile. The pale grey eyes sparkling silver in the moonlight. The deep voice softened by trust and love.
Right here, Li Koyu, is one delicious bit of romance.
What Shuei really wanted, was to make love to Koyu, right there, on the worn tiles of the courtyard, under the full moon, as befitting this romantic moment. But that was just wishful thinking, for a lot of reasons.
A glaring one being that dinner-guests did not generally make out in their hosts' courtyards! And this was obviously not just any courtyard. Shuei had earlier noted, tucked away discreetly inside the cloisonné vase in the pavilion, an object that would suggest that Reishin's fluttering thighs were not left unattended to!
And there was the other thing about this courtyard. Koyu had used the word "private". Shuei knew exactly what Koyu meant. He felt it too. More like "intimate". Shuei had the fanciful notion that every tile, every brick, every plank, was imbued with the personalities and thoughts of the lovers that used this courtyard.
Another reason, equally important, for it being wishful thinking, was Shuei's sneaking suspicion that Koyu would scoff at any such suggestion. Shuei had always harboured the secret desire to see Koyu naked under the light of the full moon. But, the truth of the matter was, he was a little too afraid of his uptight and strangely strait-laced lover to open his mouth and ask.
Shuei settled for a chaste kiss.
"Come on, we've got to get back. Lord Reishin and Lord Kijin are worried sick."
Shuei stood up, offered Koyu his hand, and pulled Koyu upright. They made their way out of the courtyard, and set off towards the dining room. After two turns along the covered walkway, Koyu stopped short, and spun around to face Shuei.
"NOW I know why you always end up falling behind me when we walk together! All those times, all those walks along the palace walkways, you were getting off on a colleague's anatomy! You pervert!"
Shuei grinned sheepishly as Koyu groped him with rough affection.
Koyu snorted.
"Just as I thought. It's a wonder you can still walk!"
"Aaa . . . Koyu, be gentle!"
Shuei was hopping by then.
"Really, Koyu, must you manhandle the Ran family jewels? We can't afford a clan feud."
Reishin paused, waiting for Koyu and Shuei to rearrange themselves.
"Well, Koyu, you seem to be in good spirits again. Like I've said before, your old room is always open to the both of you. Goodnight."
Reishin inclined his head, and turned to leave.
"Kijin, the box."
Kijin handed the lacquered box to Koyu.
"Wine. Cups. Snacks. The other thing you'll need is in the cloisonné vase. It's a full-moon night, and the courtyard is a lot nearer than your room."
Kijin laughed at Koyu's expression. He leaned forward and did a very loud stage-whisper, his deep voice resonating within his mask.
"Do it for Shuei. It's obvious that Shuei likes the idea. Goodnight."
Shuei watched as Koyu stood up and walked to the pavilion. In the moonlight, Koyu's aqua-green hair looked almost silver. His pale skin glowed.
So beautiful. Like a nymph, or maybe a god.
And that walk! That loose-limbed walk is so much sexier naked!
Shuei was startled by the realization that he had never seen a naked Koyu walking. In the bedroom, once their clothes were discarded, there really wasn't much walking involved! And although they slept in the nude, Koyu, unlike himself, would throw on a robe the moment he got out of bed. Shuei came to yet another realization.
There's something subtly different about Koyu tonight. There's something about how he moves . . . something wanton . . .
Shuei shook his head vigorously.
WANTON?
Koyu, wanton?
I must be more drunk than I thought!
Or this whole thing about realizing a long-held secret desire is getting to me!
Koyu had started his walk back from the pavilion, holding the bottle of oil in both hands. Not having his hands swinging naturally by his sides changed Koyu's gait, exaggerating the roll of his hips. No, that didn't describe it.
He's not walking, he's strutting his stuff.
No, no, staff, his staff!
Shuei stopped breathing.
A god, definitely, a sex-god!
As the sex-god started to move in him, Shuei had time for one last coherent thought.
I HAVE to get Koyu back in this courtyard every full moon night!
In a courtyard not so far away, two men lolled, both equally naked, each admiring the other in the moonlight. They smirked lazily at each other.
"You, my Dumpling, are a nymph."
"And you, a god."
[The End]
Notes:
The "crab walking"蟹步(Xie Bu) that Kijin performed is also called "clandestine steps". Crab walking is achieved by alternating 坐盤勢(Zuo Pan Shi) and馬勢(Ma Shi).
馬勢(Ma Shi), known as "horse stance" or "horse-riding stance," is a fundamental stance in nearly all styles of wushu (martial arts). The feet are parallel and point forward, the legs are positioned more than a shoulder-width apart. The back is naturally straight. The stance's height should be lower than one's comfort zone but not so low that the rear end is below knee level. Equal weighting (50-50) is given to each foot, making for a very stable stance.
坐盤勢(Zuo Pan Shi), or "sitting on crossed legs stance" is known by a number of names, such as the contemporary wushu "cross stance" or "rest stance." To make the transition from 馬勢(Ma Shi) to 坐盤勢(Zuo Pan Shi), one leg steps behind the other, locking the knee of the rear leg against the outer calf of the stationary leg for support. The body height must remain constant during the transition. The result is a cross-legged stance that can be used for initiating attacks or defending, while facing the opponent with one's side. The crossed legs protect the groin from attacks and prepare the practitioner for a side kick.
坐盤勢( Zuo Pan Shi) is the basis for蟹步(Xie Bu). From馬勢(Ma Shi), stepping to the side with either leg effects a transition to坐盤勢(Zuo Pan Shi). Using the other leg, the next step to the side returns the practitioner to馬勢(Ma Shi), and the process is repeated. The overall effect is rapid movement to one side.
In training sessions, however, crab walking can be done in extreme slow-motion, in a sort of meditative dance, usually combined with hand motions.