A/N: I love Sekirei so I decided to write a fanfiction for it! Homura's gender in this fiction will not flip around or act all weird, he will be male. Sorry, I just prefer him that way because I think he's hot. /mauled
Anyway, please enjoy and let me know how I'm doing!
Disclaimer: I do not own Sekirei!
COLD FLAMES
chapter one: caught
The first thing I noticed was muted chatter - an occasional soft laugh. The second was lighting: sconces burned dimly on the walls beside each round table.
I had never seen a room quite like this one; the layout was open and barely furnished aside from those tables. Two stools accompanied each, never three, never four, only two. Privacy was the nature of a host club. Now, before jumping to conclusions, you should know this:
I am Yukari Sahashi, and I was 'caught' by a mysterious (and equally charming) man named Kagari.
The moon was up in the sky, being adored by its nightly entourage of stars. I walked on the edge of the asphalt, tugging the thin sleeves of my sweater over my fingers. It probably would have been snowing had there been any storm clouds anywhere, but the sky was clear.
I was alone and the streets were completely empty. Most girls probably would've been in a hurry to get back to the safety of their home, especially in a place like the Capital - you never know who you're going to run into. I wasn't afraid though, not even close. I embraced the freedom, the danger.
"You shouldn't walk in the streets, it's dangerous you know."
I spun around, my short black hair cascading across my face. My breath hitched. Those were the first words he ever said to me. Funny how that one sentence would define our entire relationship.
"Oh really?" I retorted, then looking around added, "There aren't exactly a bunch of cars around."
He chuckled and moved under a streetlamp. The artificial light made him look pale; silver hair framed his delicate jaw and I could just see the glint of his ruby eyes. He was, for lack of a more eloquent phrase, sexy as hell. I shivered a bit as the sound of his throaty laugh rippled through me.
"You look cold - I can take you somewhere warm," he said, extending a hand toward me.
My face heated up and I shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. I knew immediately that he was a host. I had seen them approach other girls before; they called it 'catching' someone. Well, I was caught. My head nodded of its own accord, whether it was the promise of warmth or company that made it move, I'm not sure.
He took my hand just then and I noticed the heat emanating from him. He was hot, like, temperature-wise. I thought about Shiina back at our shared apartment and felt a pang of guilt. I didn't tell him how long I'd be gone but he would still worry. I was his ashikabi after all.
Thoughts of my cute little sekirei kept my mind busy while we walked in silence. The club was only a few blocks away and once we arrived he held the door open while I crossed into the room. A shiver went down my spine at the sudden rush of perfumed air.
Then a different scent filled me: it was like fire and sweet smoke. I blushed again, realizing this particular smell was coming from the man who had brought me here and was now leaning over me to hang his suit jacket on the coat rack. I cursed myself for heating up at his closeness. Still, I breathed him in, savoring the uniquely pleasant scent.
He smiled and directed me to a table where we took a seat.
"I'm sorry for not introducing myself before, you can call me Kagari," came his husky tone.
I paused, forgetting my name for a minute as I watched his ruby eyes like a deer in the headlights.
"Oh, uh, I'm Yukari!" I said dumbly, suddenly feeling very out of place.
No one had stopped to stare at us as we came in and even now I knew they were all too busy tending to their own affairs but I still felt this weird weight in my chest. I shrugged down the lump forming in my throat and my attention snapped back to him as he spoke again.
"Well Yukari, if I show you a magic trick will you tell me your last name?"
The offer was too tempting to resist so I nodded and let a smile slide across my lips. He returned my smile with his own and I found myself looking intently at his lips before he slid a cigarette inbetween them. I redirected my gaze to the one finger he was pointing at the unlit cigarette and before my very eyes a flame appeared at the end of that finger. Smoke filtered from the flame and after he lit the tobacco he shook his hand, dousing the small fire. My dark blue eyes widened and I whispered,
"Sahashi, my last name is Sahashi."
I knew right then what he was: a sekirei. His eyes shot up, the half-lidded look he wore morphing into one of shock. I thought I heard him whisper something about Minato and I could only speculate how he knew my brother's name. But at that moment I didn't register his quiet words, I was too focused on the fact that he was a sekirei.
"You- you're a- a sekirei!" I stammered, standing up but still not drawing anyone's eyes.
Kagari looked up at me, his eyes still full of surprise but now it was mixing with something else; something that looked like fear, regret, and possibly even hatred. His secret was out. I knew what he was and we both knew the subject couldn't just be dropped.