Title : Teapot
Disclaimer : I don't own Saiunkoku Monogatari. It belongs to Sai Yukino.
Rating : T
Genre : Family/Friendship
Warnings : Yaoi
Pairings : Shuei/Koyu
Summary : On the morning after their wedding night, Koyu asks Shuei's indulgence in using an old, chipped, over-sized, poor quality teapot as their "bedroom teapot".
Time-fit: The morning after the "wedding".
Notes: Written in response to LJ_Saiun Challenge prompt "Teapot".
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Shuei woke up because his stomach growled. He groped the other side of the bed for his lover.
Where's Koyu?
He opened his eyes, and immediately shut them tight against the sunlight.
Good grief! It must be close to noon.
Staring through the blood-red screen of his closed lids, Shuei smiled, correcting himself.
No, not lover, husband. We're married now.
His new husband was more than ordinarily lustful this morning, even after a very exhausting session the night before. Shuei's smile broadened into a gleeful grin. That was why they missed breakfast – they never got out of bed!
His stomach growled again.
I need FOOD!
Shuei chuckled. They just have to put the honeymoon thing aside long enough to obtain sustenance!
We have three days, afterall. His Highness was generous.
Hearing Shuei's chuckle, Koyu turned towards the bed, smiling warmly.
"So. You're up. I've ordered lunch. Half an hour more before it's ready."
Blinking rapidly to adjust to the harsh light, Shuei looked at Koyu squatting among the pile of boxes. He laughed.
"Unpacking your dowry, Li Koyu?"
Their eyes met, the understanding between them unspoken. Not dowry, but a whole lot more significant, those boxes of stuff that came over with Koyu on their wedding day.
When Koyu had moved into the Ran Manor the first time, he basically just brought himself. As such, when they had their fight, and Koyu moved out, Shuei felt almost as if Koyu's presence in the Ran Manor had been erased. Koyu had come into the Ran Manor light, and had left the same.
This time, it was different. Shuei had no idea what was in all those boxes, but it gave him a lump in the throat just to look at the sheer number of boxes! Koyu, this time, was putting down roots.
"Oi, husband."
Koyu stood in front of the bed, holding a very old teapot, smiling a little uncertainly.
"Is it too much to make this our bedroom teapot? I know it's old, has a few chips, and is totally below your usual class. Not to mention, it's way too huge for two."
Shuei reached out and cupped his hands over Koyu's that were holding the teapot in question.
"Not at all, Koyu. It obviously has sentimental value for you. And I won't even ask for the story behind it as a condition!"
Koyu put the teapot on the side-table, and came back to sit on the bed, snuggling up against Shuei.
"If, Ran Shuei, your condition is to have another round before lunch, the answer is 'no'! I'm about to faint from hunger!"
Shuei laughed, pulling Koyu against him.
"No conditions. I accept the old, chipped, over-sized, poor quality teapot without conditions."
Koyu's pale grey eyes laughed back at Shuei.
"I want us to use the teapot, out of deep respect for Lord Kijin."
[Flashback]
Suddenly assailed by unspeakable thirst, Koyu tried to recall the way back to his room. He had been adopted by Reishin only a week ago, and the Ko Manor was a terrifying maze of corridors and walkways, in a lay-out that was confusing in its repetitiveness. He could of course open his mouth and ask the servants. But, Koyu squirmed, blushing. He didn't like the way the servants looked at him. He couldn't tell if it was amusement or something worse, but he didn't like it anyway.
It was mid-afternoon, and in the hottest part of summer, and Koyu had been lost for what felt like a very long time. His last fluid intake was tea at lunch. Koyu gave up trying to find his way to his room, where a pot of chrysanthemum tea was always kept at the optimum temperature on a burner.
Koyu launched a room-to-room search for tea, water, anything. Looking into the rooms, he guessed he must be in the servants' wing. The finishing of the rooms was very decent, but not of the usual standard Koyu had seen in the Masters' wing and the main halls.
A teapot! Finally! And a huge one at that! Koyu lifted it, and almost cried in gratitude – it was three-quarters filled! He didn't mind that the pot felt cold to the touch.
Cups! Why are there no cups?
Koyu looked at the teapot in exasperation. His throat hurt. Desperate, Koyu lifted the pot with both hands, put the spout into his mouth, and drank.
He stopped drinking when he felt someone's gaze on him. Pulling the spout out of his mouth, he turned to look into the painted wooden mask of the Master of the Manor. Ko Kijin, whose name ki-jin meant "weirdo", who was never seen without his mask; his adoptive father's "friend". Koyu froze, even as the sweat coursed down his back.
Shuei's voice rose in indignation.
"What? Lord Kijin made you drink the entire pot of tea as punishment? You were only eight! That's too strict!"
"He said I showed no consideration for others, that I could have taken aim and poured the tea, without touching the spout to my mouth. Since I had contaminated the entire pot of tea with my saliva, I was responsible for finishing every drop in that pot."
Koyu paused, his eyes faraway.
"I hated him, this masked demon that stood by and watched as I sputtered and forced the tea down."
"Why did you keep the teapot then?"
"Lord Kijin made me. As a reminder. He also said, one day, when I look at this old teapot again, I would feel differently about the whole incident."
Koyu smiled.
"When I was sorting my stuff to bring over, I finally saw this teapot in a different light."
"Did you tell Lord Kijin?"
"Yes. I couldn't see his expression, of course, but Lord Reishin told me later that Lord Kijin was pleased."
Shuei kissed Koyu on the forehead.
"We'll make our first pot of tea in that teapot right after lunch, Koyu."
[The End]
Notes :
The inspiration comes from an incident when I was in Primary School (seven to twelve years old). My school was sponsored by a Chinese Clan Association, philanthropists who believe in giving back to society by promoting education. The discipline was strict, but the culture was warm and nurturing.
One of the things I was grateful for was this big pot of Chinese tea in the Staffroom. The staff, as well as all students, were welcome to it. All that was asked of the user was to wash his/her own cup after use. The janitor kept the pot filled at all times. And the tea was always warm as the teapot sat in a padded tea-cozy.
I was running errands for a teacher when I witnessed a boy drinking from the spout of the teapot. His excuse? He was too lazy to wash a cup! The disciplinary master was called, and the punishment meted out was to drink up the whole pot of tea.
The boy, by the way, was twelve. There was great "debate" over the choice of punishment (the standard options being to stand in the field in the sun, caning, and for boys, push-ups). Some thought it too strict, others thought it was too lenient.