Disclaimer: X1999 and its characters are the property of CLAMP, and I am not profiting in any way from this story.
Warnings: Implied violence.
Author's Note: This was a prompt fill for Pharre on LJ, I'm only getting around to posting it here now. Hope you enjoy.
The Scent of Cherry Blossoms
By Sinnatious
A familiar face, walking side-by-side with a dog in an alley. The air feels suddenly thick, and the cloying scent of cherry blossoms fills his nostrils.
No. He doesn't want to. He's lost so many people already-
But the tree demands it. And the tree is what he left behind. It's fate.
"Eh? What is it Inuki?" The young woman turns, and her face lights up with recognition. "Is that... Subaru, isn't it? You're Subaru, right?!"
He doesn't reply - just stares, taking note of all the changes. Her hair is slightly longer, cupping her chin instead of brushing her ears, and she's grown taller. Matured. But there's still a sparkle of laughter in her eyes that not even the prospect of the end of the world managed to extinguish.
"It's been so long! Isn't this nostalgic? Look, Inuki's all grown up now!" It's true - the spirit puppy has returned to his former majesty. "What about you?! I haven't seen you in... what, it must be years!"
"You're looking well, Yuzuriha," he says softly.
She smiles brilliantly at him, and for one moment all he can see is Hokuto. But all he can smell is cherry blossoms. "Thanks, Subaru! And you're still looking handsome too." She giggles. "But don't be getting any ideas - I'm spoken for."
"...Kusanagi?"
"Nn. I guess it was fate after all. A good kind of fate, though." She clasps her hands behind her back and looks up at the skyscrapers surrounding them. "Isn't it amazing now? It's like it never happened." There's a touch of reverence in her voice, tinged with just a little bit of sadness.
Subaru makes a small sound of agreement in his throat. He wishes the bridge was never fixed. Some things you just can't fix after they're broken.
"The Tower won't be touched, though. It might disrupt the barrier. There are people in the Metropolitan who know about it - they'll make sure it stays. They'd have to get through him, anyway."
He nods, but doesn't comment. He's seen Fuuma a couple of times since then - usually when he drops near the Tower to pay his own respects. He wants to comment, though. To buy just a little more time.
"It's a little depressing to think about I guess. Sorry for bringing it up - I haven't seen you for so long and here I am going on about things you'd probably rather forget about, right? It's just that there aren't many people I can talk about it with, you know?"
The smell of cherry blossoms grows overpowering. He can feel his hands trembling.
"Eh? Subaru, are you okay?" Yuzuriha tilts her head and places a single finger on her lips.
Why did she have to wander the streets of Tokyo alone this night?
Inuki growls at him.
"You're not sick, are you? Your face is kinda weird. Oh, but I don't mean it in a rude way! It's just-"
Yuzuriha. Sweet, young, Yuzuriha - the one that deserved the future the most out of all of them. Even despite everything that happened, despite the lost lives and destruction, she's somehow remained pure-hearted. Even Fuuma couldn't touch her.
Purity. Innocence. Spiritual strength. The tree's favourite sort of prey.
It's not fair.
Inuki barks, but Subaru's hand is already covered in blood.
