I feel a bit strange putting this one up since I had already taken it down once. Originally this appeared as part of three small shorts called "Conversation, Kindness, Candy" which were all Setsuka-centric. But since I think I finally got down what I wanted with "Blossoming" I don't really see the need to post more drabbles for her.
But this one is Subaru-centric and going back and re-reading it I found much to my surprise and delight that I still loved it. And so here, once again I post it - not only for my own satisfaction but because I'd like to get around to posting that heterosexual! Subaru magafic I've been working on and I think this is as good a transition as any.
Time wise this takes place right after Rainbow Bridge.
The sheets that were pulled over his head turned the light coming in from the window the color of soured vanilla; deceptively soft and sweet like the sound of feminine singing that could sometimes be heard wafting in from abandoned parts of the house. The notes teased Subaru's senses, a perfume that lingered after its wearer had long gone.
Sometimes when the light had drifted from vanilla to bourbon he dreamt that he could feel soft slender fingers stroking back the hair on his forehead that had matted against his face with sweat and grime. Those fingers had been cool, and on the rare occasion when they ventured inside his mouth they had tasted like bone left in salt water.
Subaru tried not to move too much because moving would cause the dried blood on his skin to crackle and fall off, turning into papery soft ashes that stuck to the bedspreads and blinded him when they got in his eyes. In his mouth they tasted like candy and when he told her this she had laughed and promised to make him something sweeter if he would only get up and clean himself. He had clung to the sheets for three more days until he finally got up to find the house empty and still around him.
xxx.
