Title: Rouge
Pairing: Subaru x Seishirou
Rating: T (implicit sex)
Disclaimer: Tokyo Babylon isn't mine…everything belongs to CLAMP. I'm so jealous that they own Subaru.
Author's Notes: Love this series…but their romance didn't need to end so tragically in X. Oh, before I forget, this story takes place during Tokyo Babylon…before "the year" is over. I wanted a happy ending for them…so sad. Same with Houkuto as well. Enjoy, spoilers lie ahead.
-START-
"I can't believe it…so many sales to hit all in one day…and all of them selling candy half price," the twin sister chimed as she and her brother walked along the dark streets of Tokyo. "It's just too good to be true!" She dropped the bag down at her side and dashed ahead to where street lights illuminated the busy sidewalks and children could be heard begging their parents to stay at the playground or play in the park longer. "You always worry so much about these cases…take a night off and just enjoy yourself, okay?" Subaru nodded to Houkuto and ran ahead to meet her, knowing that if he didn't she'd leave him behind in a heartbeat.
"I guess you're right…" he replied meekly, pressing an opened palm to his cheek. "I haven't been eating or sleeping lately…a small break would be good for me…" he said as his sister beamed a sinister smile at him and threw her arm around his shoulders. "H-Houkuto…?"
"Hey, by the way, when are you going to tell Sei-chan? It's been a while since you two have spent time alone together…" she chimed, patting his shoulder and laughing sadistically as his visage became utterly humiliated.
The exorcist flushed and turned away. "W…what are you talking about…?"
"Don't lie! I know you love Sei-chan to death," she screamed, rattling him. "He's already confessed several times…when are you going to realize that it's not one-sided!"
"One…sided?"
"You're so dense! You love him back, and don't pretend you don't," she pressed, slamming a finger into his shoulder and pushing him back. He fumbled a few spaces, struggling to catch the groceries.
"N…No I'm not…" he fibbed, face turning red as a cherry as the interrogation continued. "He's just a close friend. You've got it all wrong," he tried to explain when his sister shook her head furiously and cut him off with a brisk slap to the chest.
"Nu-uh! I see how red your face gets when you see him. Lately, it's been even worse…and he's hitting on you more and more. Subaru, it's now or never! He's a totally great guy, and you just blow him off!"
"I…I do not blow him off!" he yelled defensively, fingers clenching the shopping bags until they almost tore under the stress. "It's embarrassing, having him say those things when I'm not sure how I feel…let alone if he actually feels that way!"
Houkuto looked pained after those words escaped him. She looked down at the ground and shuffled her feet sadly.
"Houkuto…what's wrong? Hey…"
"…Even if he doesn't love you as much as he says…wouldn't it still be nice to get it off your chest?" she asked, looking up at him with sparkling green eyes. Subaru gasped as he looked at her, seeing his own sorrow in his twin's expression. His gaze softened and he closed his eyes, nodding to himself.
"I'll…I'll see…I guess I can try…"
The girl leaped upwards into the air and did a small dance that a ballerina would envy, twirling and spinning happily at her brother's decision. She grabbed his arm and pulled him along violently towards his apartment where a tall, broad-shouldered shadow lingered in the kitchen. "All right, it's settled, you run in there and confess right now!" she ordered like a drill sergeant, pushing him into the main building and running off towards town, kicking up ample amounts of dust as she fled.
"W-Wait…Houkuto!"
She turned back and waved to him. She yelled, "Good luck Subaru!" and vanished into a sea of headlights.
He couldn't help but smile and blush as he walked up the stairs to his home, heart thumping louder with each step. "She's relentless…that girl…"
XOXOXOXOXO
"Oh, so you're back, Subaru?" Seishirou asked from the kitchen, waving to him merrily as something sizzled loudly on the stove-top. He nodded and walked into the kitchen with the bag of groceries glued to his chest, his nervous arms crossed over the bag so tightly that he flattened the fruit he'd purchased earlier. "Hey, Subaru…don't you think you should stop hugging the shopping bags…orange juice is leaking out the bottom…" he said, eyeing a bright orange puddle that was slowly forming on the counter. The black-haired teen blinked and slowly moved his emerald eyes over to the bag which, surely enough, was leaking copious amounts of acidic juice.
"Oh…oh my god—" he yelped, reaching for a role of paper towels and scrubbing the counter with them. The veterinarian laughed and went back to cooking, tossing rice in a large, circular pan.
"Why is my heart beating so fast?" Subaru thought, clutching his chest.
"Ha! You can be so clumsy sometimes…" he chuckled as he reached over to rub Subaru's stealth-jet colored hair. Subaru blushed and jumped back like a scared kitten, trembling at the sudden contact. "But that's what makes you so adorable," he concluded, laughing as the exorcist's face changed from embarrassment to immense shock.
"Oh…thank you very much…"
"It's nothing…I'm just speaking the truth after all."
"He's so nice to me…I wonder if he's telling the truth when he says he likes me…it seems sincere…but I can't tell if it's just friendship or not…" Subaru thought in distress, wondering what he should do or if he should say anything. The older man pushed his glasses up further and sat the pan down on the table. "Seishirou…you made this?"
"Yes…it's just rice with butter and a few spices…you haven't been eating lately so I thought I'd make you a traditional Japanese dinner," he replied, pulling another chair up to the table and setting two bowls and chopsticks down for the pair. "I'll get you something to drink," he offered, about to go back to the kitchen. Subaru freaked and grabbed the older man's hand.
"N-No! I'll get you something…it's the least I can do after you went through all this trouble—" he started when he was shoved back in his seat.
"No…I'm doing it. You need to start eating…I know you haven't touched food in days. C'mon, eat up, okay?" Subaru obeyed and slowly started to break his chopsticks evenly, starting to put some of the light brown grains in his mouth when a glass of water was placed beside his elbow. "Good?"
"Yes…I don't understand why Hokuto cooks all the time…you're amazing," he said, eyes widening at how good the dish was. He swallowed took a long sip of water. Seishirou cocked his head and smiled, cool eyes dancing with pleasure.
"You really like it?"
"Yes!"
The older man said he was happy and reached across the table to wipe two sticky pieces of rice from Subaru's cheek. He cleaned his face tenderly, strong fingers caressing his cheek and cupping it carefully, like he was made from glass. Subaru averted his gaze and stared down at his food uncomfortably. "Uh...Seishirou…?" The vet gasped and pulled his arm back to his side almost reluctantly, eyes glossed over with longing. He pursed his lips together and took a huge drink of water to calm himself.
"Is…something wrong…?"
"What do you mean?"
"You just…seemed to look sad just now."
"Sorry…guess it was just a whim," he whispered quietly. "I'm actually going to make some coffee…want any?" Subaru blinked, obviously confused, and shook his head. The older man shrugged in indifference and excused himself from the table, his food barely touched. The exorcist stared at it and sighed sadly, eyeing the man with large green eyes. "I…have to go in early for work…and I have a lot of appointments over the weekend…I won't see you or Houkuto for a while. It was nice to have dinner with you, Subaru," he said kindly, about to pour himself a large amount of coffee to take to work.
"You'll be…that busy?" he said, hesitating. "Really?"
"Yeah…sorry."
"I…have to at least say something…it's been almost half a year since this has been going on…I can't hold it in any longer!"
He clenched his teeth and stood up, his chair rocking back on its back legs. He slammed his hands on the table and let the chair crash to the floor loudly, causing the vet to turn around and almost spill the scalding liquid. "S-Subaru! Are you okay? What happened?" He put down his drink and rushed over to him, hands gliding over his small bony body. "You aren't hurt, are you?"
"Seishirou…"
"That's good…you don't seem injured…but why in the world did you stand up so suddenly…?" he questioned, grabbing Subaru's shoulders and squeezing them gingerly, as if he was try to console him.
"He cares so much about me…I'm his first thought…always."
"Seishirou…I really…really…" he stammered, blushing moronically as he tried to confess his feelings to the man standing above him. He swallowed and braced himself, like he was expecting Seishirou to hit him. "I…the truth is…I—"
Just as he had begun to finish his sentence, a loud telephone ring screamed through the apartment walls. Subaru gasped and turned towards the patent black machine, sitting on a small table towards the back of the kitchen. He hesitated before walking over and picking it up. His gloved hand seized the phone and held it up to his ear. "Hello…?"
"Subaru-kun…it's me, Detective Kono."
"K-Kono-san? What's wrong?"
"I have to thank you for solving that case earlier, the subway murders, but I need you to come down to the station. It seems there's been a recent homicide downtown—a prostitute. A piece of paper was found at the scene with some kind of writing on it and it looks like her body's been scratched up by some kind of animal…we think it's one of those curses you were talking about earlier."
"It sounds like an invocation towards a demon… yes that's definitely it. Do you want me to come down there?"
"You're a medium, right Subaru-kun? Can't you break the curse?"
"Yes, of course! I'll be right there," Subaru said, setting the phone down on the receiver.
"One moment."
"Oh…"
"It's not serious…it appears the paper was badly burned…and it's late. If you can't come now, then tomorrow is fine. I'll be here if you end up coming down to the precinct."
"Okay Detective Kono…I'll try to be there unless something comes up."
"Thanks, kid."
He let it slide out of his hand until it dropped and landed with a soft clicking noise. He turned around and flashed his friend Seishirou a soft, sad smile. "Sorry…" he mumbled, teetering over to the table to clear the plates and dishes that had been barely used. The vet was disappointed that dinner had to end so early, but he understood. The twenty-five year old adjusted his coat and glasses and walked calmly towards the door with his hands shoved inside his pockets. Beneath the thin fabric, it looked like they were balled into fists. "Seishirou…I'm really sorry."
"Do you need a ride?" he asked abruptly, not bothering to turn around.
"No…" he said, lowering his head and letting his black bangs cover his eyes. He tried to pile the dishes up on his elbow like a skilled waitress as he spoke, causing the vet to worry. "Go ahead, I'll finish up here," the sixteen-year-old remarked, trying to balance the heavy amount of glass as best he could. When everything was stacked up, he made his way towards the sink slowly and skillfully. He was about to enter the kitchen when he felt himself being pulled towards the floor, the china about to crash on his face. He gasped and folded his arms across his features, screwing his eyes shut as his head hit the hard floor.
"SUBARU!"
The dishes crashed around him angrily like waves crashed around a seashell on the shore. He felt one piece break off and cut him under his eye, leaving a fine line of red shining liquid against his cotton-colored skin. "Seishirou…?" he questioned, opening his eyes to see the older man on top of him, his broad back protecting him from the glassware.
"Oh, no…"
Seishirou sat up, gasping as the deep bruises and cuts in his back sent pained shrills up and down his spine. He clenched his teeth and got to his knees, using Subaru's shoulder to support himself. He smiled through the pain, making sure the medium wouldn't realize how much he had been hurt. "Are you alright Subaru?"
"Oh my god…Seishirou, I'm so sorry," he screamed as the vet's face went pale and he fell into his arms, glasses crashing to the floor beside the exorcist's calf. "I…must have not cleaned up all the orange juice, and I slipped. I'm sorry, are you okay!" He shook him, face clouded with hurt and anguish. He leaned over him, trying to lift him from the floor and move him to the couch. "Please…can you talk!"
Seishirou ended up laughing as the scrawny boy tried to carry him. He reached up and curled his fingers around the back of Subaru's neck, pulling them close until their lips were mere centimeters apart. Subaru fell on top of him found that legs had spread themselves right on top of Seishirou's hips. He flushed as realized this and, also, that he had placed a hand atop his chest, feeling how firm and tone his body was. He felt himself start to become horribly aroused and tried to get up. "I…I'm so sorry!"
"You always overreact…I'm fine. Now get back here," he commanded gently, pulling the teenager back on top of him. The exorcist yelped and their hips rubbed together and sent a dull but pleasurable pain through his core, making him shiver.
"I…need to go…" Subaru said, trying to push himself away. "I need to meet Detective Kono…"
"No you don't," Seishirou teased, pulling their faces together. They were so close that the younger man could feel their foreheads touch and the tips of their noses connect. The only thing separating them from combining completely was their lips. "You aren't going anywhere…not when you've done something so cute," he pulled, gliding his tongue up and down Subaru's neck. "There's no way I'd let you got after that…"
"But…but I—"
"You love me."
"?"
Subaru couldn't believe it. He couldn't move, so he sat there motionless atop his lover, watching a sadistic smirk spread across his tired face. "It's true…right?" Subaru felt himself tear up at the suggestion. He tried to get away squirming and lifting his wrists into the air desperately, like an animal that was trying to struggle from a predator's jaws.
"T…that's not true! I don't…I don't…" Subaru cried, horrified at the situation. The man below him had suddenly transformed into something else. The calm, sweet veterinarian, who he had known for months, was gone. It was like Seishirou was a thin shell, and he'd evaporated. Underneath the vapory gossamer of a human was this lusty being below him. It felt evil, malicious and inhuman. His green eyes widened in terror at this unforeseen event. He thrashed about angrily, mumbling a purifying chant under his breath.
"Chanting won't help," Seishirou said, closing his eyes and tossing the teen his usual smile. "Subaru…are you scared of me?"
"Stop it…" Sumeragi asked shakily.
"You know…I'm not going to hurt you. Don't you remember our contract…?" he asked mischievously, grinning at his friend's perplexed expression. Subaru's thrashing was instantly halted. He looked down at the man in confusion. For some reason, he felt like he knew what Seishirou was talking about, but he couldn't put the pieces together. Subaru's whole body vibrated uncontrollably as he wracked his mind for an answer. "Remember, Subaru? I told you about it when you were little, under the sakura trees?"
"Sakura…" he mouthed out, his body slowly sinking into the older man's. As Seishirou gripped the younger man's shoulders, a sensation of numbness began to spread violently, from his chest to his appendages. He began to fall on top of the veterinarian, their bodies slowly meshing into one, cohesive mass on the floor. "A…promise…?" his younger self said in a boyish, innocent voice that echoed throughout his mind.
"Exactly," Seishirou said, looking at the younger boy with sharp eyes. Sumeragi stood motionless as the small bursts of wind blew the soft, candy tuft petals around him. As the teen leaned in closer to whisper his vow, the petals kicked up and created a swirling pink tornado around him. He strained to hear the teen's voices, but the zephyr was merciless. Even though their faces were mere inches away from one another, the rush of wind boomed in his ears.
"I-I'm sorry! The wind's too loud…I can't hear you!"
"We'll meet again, Subaru. If I can fall in love with you after one year…then I'll let you live…"
The young boy covered his face with the sleeve of his white, ceremonial garb to protect his eyes. He tried to decipher the words by reading the teen's lips, but he was blinded quickly when he left his gaze unprotected. He had no choice but to close his eyes and stand his ground, praying that the strange man would be there again to repeat his ominous message. Sadly, when the gusts died down and he could see in front of him, the figure was gone. All that remained where a few crushed blossoms where he'd been standing.
"That was…you, Seishirou…?" Subaru asked, now sleepily resting his face on Seishirou's chest. The vet raised his arms and wrapped the around the medium, using his fingers to twirl soft tufts of his hair.
"Of course."
"So…I'm going to die?" he asked, dazed from his dream. Seishirou chuckled and shook his head, tactfully positioning his face so that, when Subaru lifted his head, their lips would barely linger over each other's.
"No. Congratulations, Subaru. You completed your end of the deal."
"I…what?" he asked, rising slowly so he could make eye-contact with the man. He found himself a few millimeters away from him, and blushed furiously as the words finally began to seep in. "You…you mean…are you saying you love me?"
"And you love me, right?" the vet grilled in his husky voice. With those words, he took a closer look at his lover. When he cross-examined him again, he saw that the cool, mellow face of his best friend had returned. His visage was handsome and radiated specific warmth that had been missing mere moments before. The medium over-flowed with happiness at having his friend back with him and felt tears finally escape from his eyes. As they fell on Seishirou's cheeks, he laughed and nodded.
"Yes…thank goodness you're back, Seishirou."
The older man reached out and wiped away the young man's tears gingerly, careful to not harm his precious face. Subaru turned crimson at the gesture shuddered involuntarily, in turn, causing the vet to snicker at the obvious sign of embarrassment and take Subaru's face in his hand. Slowly, he lowered his lips onto the medium's, and kissed him delicately.
The kiss only lasted for a minute before they broke away. However, Subaru continued to hold on to the him desperately. Seishirou found this terribly amusing and removed his glasses, saying in a low voice, "Do you want more?" Subaru seemed to jolt in pleasure at the sound of his smooth, dreamy voice. Both men stared at one another deeply, lost in thoughts and memories of their past few months together.
"Thank you Hokuto-chan…for making me do this…thank you."
Their lips crushed together again and Seishirou, who now seemed completely healed from the incident before, took the young man in his arms and lifted him into the air. Realizing his emotions, Subaru gave in to what he'd always wanted from the moment he'd seen the man appear before him, framed elegantly in darkness and the blood-stained petals of sakura trees.
The older man slipped his tongue into Sumeragi's mouth, causing the young man to purr and throw his arms around and man's broad shoulders, letting his strong hands caress his small body as he pleased. Seishirou and Subaru tasted each other hungrily, panting feverently between each dual. The exorcist felt his friend's tongue glide along the backside of his teeth and probe every corner of his pulsing, virgin cavern. He gasped breathlessly as he began to peel the medium's jacket away. One by one, different articles of clothing drifted to the floor silently.
Subaru was struggling to remove the veterinarian's clothing, hands gliding up and down Seishirou's strong core. Chuckling, the older man assisted him, but not before he carried him off into the bedroom so they could rest more 'comfortably'.
The man lowered Subaru down upon a cluster of white pillows and flicked the light switch, allowing the moonlight to sensually illuminate his lover's body. He reached in between Subaru's small legs, spread welcomingly, and began to stroke his shaft. "Oh…ah! Seishirou…oh…" he moaned, head rolling over his shoulder, lips parted to allow subtle noises of pleasure to escape him.
"Subaru…I want to make love to you…" he growled sexually, leaning in to kiss his tip. Sumeragi's back arched into the touches, begging the veterinarian to continue. "Will you let me?"
"Yes…oh god, yes…" he hummed, glassy orbs staring up at his lover. A smile broke upon his face as he nodded and the tears of joy that had been lingering on his lashed finally rolled down his cheeks. "Sei…Seishirou…ah," he yelled as the older man to his shaft into his mouth, massaging him with his throbbing tongue.
"Hm?"
"I…love you!" he admitted, fists clenching the sheets so tightly he feared he might rip them to shreds. "I always have…so please…stay here…with me…." he begged between breathless pants, his slightly bruised lips contrasting with the paleness of his skin so strikingly that the vet became distracted by the sight. "Seishirou…don't stop, keep doing!" he yelled, body slowly sinking into the mattress, indirectly tell the older man he wasn't intent on running away.
He smirked to himself and lifted the underside of Subaru's leg to dot warm, slick kisses along his inner thigh, finally taking all of Subaru's length inside of him again, which caused the medium to cry out in ecstasy. "Sounds perfect to me."
XOXOXOXOXO
"Hi Seishirou! Is Subaru here with you?" a young teen girl with black hair and sparkling emerald eyes called. She stepped into the apartment and sat down a box of fast food products she'd picked up earlier that morning. "Subaru! Where are you?" she hollered again as she unwrapped a cheeseburger and went to shut the door. As she bent down to put on her slippers, she heard a delicate moaning sound escaping the bedroom door. Blinking, she stuffed the food in her mouth and walked over to the door, hands on her hips, and stared at the knob. Houkuto reached out to gently tap her knuckles against the door. "Hey…Subaru? Are you still asleep? Detective Kono called me this morning to ask where you were! You can't just skip out on work—" she had started to yell as she swung the bedroom door open to reveal two black haired men, bodies slumped over each other, embracing under the flimsy bed sheets, the nakedness of their skin silent testament to what had happened hours before.
Any other girl would have run out of the room and left them alone, but not Houkuto. She decided to do the opposite, in fact. She closed the door without a sound and crept towards the edge of the bed, cheeseburger clenched in her teeth, and pounced on the oblivious mass.
"Hou-Hokuto-chan!" he cried as the girl landed on top of him, all the while, giggling hysterically. "What are you doing here! I'm not dressed yet…" he said, blushing as he peeked under the covered and pulled them over his head in humiliation. Seishirou laughed and patted Sumeragi on the head. He didn't seem to mind that his lover's twin sister was seeing him almost completely nude.
"Hey there Houkuto…did you bring breakfast?" he said as he pointed to the burger hanging out of her mouth. She nodded and chewed quickly, struggling to swallow in such an intense fit of laughter.
"You know I did! Lots of junkfood, as usual…but that's not important! I feel like I need to congratulate you guys on your budding romance!"
She ripped the covers off Subaru's trembling head and tossed his signature black boater hat in his lap. "C'mon, hurry and eat! Detective Kono wants you down at the station, pronto!" she said in a sweet singsong, marching out of the room, humming to the direction of the finger she twirled above her head. "I'll prepare the plates and leave you two lovebirds alone."
As the door shut, the couple sat in silence for a few seconds. Subaru hugged the sheets around his shoulder and stared at the ground. "I…completely forgot about Detective Kono…I feel so guilty…"
Seishirou watched his eyes fill with sorrow and let his strong hand dance across his lover's jaw line. Shocked at first, Subaru then found himself moaning into the touch and turning his head to see the vet's head nearing his own. As he shut his emerald eyes and felt Seishirou's lips land upon his own, he felt back on the bed in rapture, nails scraping against the older man's strong back.
"Something as little as a kiss drives you that crazy?" he asked in a tauntingly lusty voice.
Sumeragi couldn't form words upon hearing the huskiness of Seishirou's tone. Lips quivering, he nodded in agreement, and pulled the older man against him.
"Didn't you say you felt guilty about Kono? You should get going, my little workaholic," he joked, playfully spanking Subaru's ass as he pushed him out of bed. Subaru stumbled across the carpet, the sheet he'd dragged with him to cover his lower anatomy becoming entangled in his legs. He smiled at the older man over his shoulder and began searching the room from his discarded clothing. "Tell you what…I'll make you a deal."
Sumeragi chuckled as he meandered across the room to pick up his wrinkled clothes. "Another?"
"Yes," the vet said, drawing the shades to their bedroom. As the brilliant sunlight flooded through the crevices in the window, both adults turned to one another…staring deeply into each other's gaze. "My promise is…that that if you stay the way you are now…kind, loving and tender, then I'll always be by your side, as a lover and hopefully, in the future, a spouse."
Subaru didn't even have time to respond before he found embracing the elder man tightly. "Seishirou…that sounds…" he responded, cheeks glowing from the blood rushing to his face. He locked his arms around Seishirou's waist and pressed his lips against the man's freshly shaven chest.
"Right now, you aren't old enough…but when you are…will you do me the honor of marrying me?"
"Yes…one day. For certain, you will be mine. Forever."
-END-
…I hate Subaru's haircut in X. It's just so…bleck. :X
Man, I love them so much. I wish we could of just had a normal ending for this pairing…tragedy is good, but it's just so…tragic.
But, I'm rambling. Feel free to flame my writing, but not the pairing. R&R, please! Thanks for reading!