Title : Introduction
Disclaimer : I don't own Saiunkoku Monogatari. It belongs to Sai Yukino.
Rating : T
Genre : Humour/Family
Warnings : Yaoi, nothing graphic
Pairing : Shuei/Koyu
Summary: Shuei brings Koyu back to his family home in the Ran Province to meet his elder brothers.
Time-fit: Between Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 of Twin Irises
Notes: Written in response to a deviantART Sep 2010 Contest.
Shuei wondered if he had overdone the "prep" talk. Koyu was sitting right at the edge of the ornate rosewood armchair, his knees wide apart, the front panel of his aqua-green robe falling between his silk-clad thighs. Shuei looked at the white-knuckled hands gripping the delicately carved mother-of-pearl inlaid arms, wondering if Koyu was going to destroy the two-hundred year old antique.
"Uh, Koyu, if you break this armchair, it's going to be a real bad start. My elder brothers are very sentimental about the Ran family heirlooms."
Koyu released the endangered antique, and looked lost as to what to do with his hands. Finally he settled them on his thighs. Or rather, he gripped his thighs, much in the same way he did with the rosewood arms earlier.
It's my fault, really, I shouldn't have gone on and on about Brothers Setsuna's perfectionist and exacting natures. And of course, there's the issue of the three-in-one Ran Setsuna!
Shuei left his own rosewood armchair, and squatted in front of Koyu, placing his hands on Koyu's white-knuckled ones.
"I know it's nerve-wrecking meeting my family for the first time, Koyu. And it doesn't help that 'Brother Setsuna' is a set of triplets that share one name, live publicly as one person, wear identical clothes and hairstyles, and even have the same mannerisms! I think I kind of scared you unnecessarily. Brothers Setsuna can be quite gentle at times too."
He's not listening. Nothing's going in.
This won't do. I've GOT to do something to help Koyu relax.
And Shuei knew of only one thing to do. He lifted the front panel of Koyu's robe.
"SHUEI! What are you doing?"
Koyu clamped his hands down on Shuei's, staring at him in shock.
"We're waiting for your elder brothers!"
"It's alright, Koyu. We have fifteen minutes. I'll do a quickie. You don't even need fifteen minutes sometimes. It's the fastest way to get you relaxed."
Trying unsuccessfully to pry his lover's hands off his crotch, Koyu hissed desperately.
"Are you out of your mind? What if your brothers walk in on us?"
"That's the thing about Ran Setsuna, Koyu, always on the dot, never late, and never early. Stop fighting this, Koyu, you're already more than half-way there."
To Koyu's mortification, the bulge in his white silk pants was testament to the truth of Shuei's words. Koyu squirmed. There was no way he could explain to the Ran triplets why he was THIS happy to meet them!
"Oh dammit! Alright, make it fast, Shuei. And don't spill!"
[Fifteen minutes later]
The three identical elegant men exchanged amused glances. Their younger brother's intended appeared to be in a daze, staring at them speechless. And strangely, drenched in perspiration and flushed in the face.
One of the Setsunas broke rank, gliding forward to smirk at Koyu.
"Do you believe in love at first sight, or do you want me to walk by again?"
Coming to stand next to his brother, the second Setsuna cooed seductively.
"Or you could take a look at me instead, it comes to the same thing, my beautiful young man."
"Stop teasing him please, Brothers Setsuna."
The three Setsunas turned to look at Shuei, and, as one, their eyes opened wide at the sight of their younger brother. Their delicate brows rose in unison, their aristocratic nostrils quivered in synchrony.
The Setsuna nearest to Shuei spoke, barely able to contain his laughter.
"Little Brother Shuei. Milk does the body good, but damn, how much did you drink?"
As always with the triplets, another Setsuna picked up the train of thought seamlessly.
"Too much, obviously, It's spilling out of your mouth, little brother."
Shuei jumped. He wiped his hand across his mouth and looked at it.
Oh my god! Koyu's going to kill me! He warned me not to spill!
Fortunately for Shuei, Koyu, at that moment, had too much to deal with; namely, the Ran triplets, who had turned their attention to their brother's boyfriend.
"So, you must be Li Koyu. It's a beautiful name. And the 'yu' is particularly suited to you, young man."
Setsuna couldn't help smiling as he waited for either one of his triplet brothers to pick up the cue.
And of course, one did.
"Indeed, Master Koyu, 'yu' means flow, as in the flow of you have quite overflowed Shuei's . . . capacity."
"Alright, the two of you, I think that's quite enough."
The third Setsuna turned to Koyu.
"I apologize for my brothers' behaviour. Welcome to the Ran Province, Master Koyu. We are honoured that you came all the way from the capital city to meet us. Please, shall sit down for some tea?"
"Oh, little brother Shuei's already had something to drink!"
Two Setsunas sang in chorus. They piped down at the stern glare from the third Setsuna.
Five men sat down at the table. Two blushing, two smirking, and one pouring out the special Ran Province fragrant tea.
[The End]
WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO A deviantART SEP 2010 CONTEST
The prompt for this contest comes in two parts:
(1)Describe when a boy finally brings his boyfriend back to his place.
(2) The contest entry has to use two out of four quotes given. The quotes I have chosen are "Do you believe in love at first sight or do you want me to walk by again?" and
"Milk does the body good, but damn how much did you drink?"
FOR THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE SAIUNKOKU MONOGATARI FANDOM
The Ran triplets really DO present themselves as one person to the world, with just one name between the three of them! They are featured in Season 2 of the anime. The details of their three-in-one situation are found in the light novels.
The meaning of Koyu's name is explained in detail in anime Season 1 by his (adoptive) uncle Shoka, in an attempt to reassure Koyu that his adoptive father does love him. The character "yu" is explained as the flowing of water.