Title : Non-Existent Breasts

Disclaimer : I don't own Saiunkoku Monogatari. It belongs to Sai Yukino.

Rating : T

Genre : Humour/Angst (a little)

Warnings : Yaoi

Pairing : Koyu/Shuei, Reishin/Kijin

Summary : "Damn it, Shuei, I'm not a woman!"

Time-fit: Within Chapter 4 of Twin Irises. The day after Koyu/Shuei consummated their relationship.

"Damn it, Shuei, I'm not a woman!"

Shuei stared at Koyu, his stomach knotting.
Did I hurt him last night? Was I too impatient?
"Koyu, I'm sorry, I've never done it with a man before . . ."

"That's exactly my point! So why start with me?"
Koyu paused, his perfectionist nature taking over.
"And that's 'for', not 'with'."

Shuei blinked.
"Huh? Koyu, what are you talking about?"

Koyu glared at his new lover.
"What are you talking about?"

"I'm, uh . . ."
Shuei caught himself, suddenly reminded of Koyu's aversion to euphemisms.
"I'm talking about last night, about penetrating you. Wasn't that what you were referring to?"

Blushing, Koyu stammered.
"No! Well, alright, yes, sort of, indirectly."

"Indirectly?"

"I'm talking about your behaviour today. Why have you taken to running ahead of me to open doors? Didn't you see the look on His Highness' face when we entered his office this morning? Or Lord Reishin's more than usually arched brows in the corridor this afternoon? I know you do that for women, even palace maids, and I can tell from their blushes and titters that they appreciate it. But I don't! You are embarrassing me!"

Taking a deep breath, Koyu continued.
"Besides, I find it downright insulting! What happened last night doesn't make me a woman, Ran Shuei! What's it going to be next? Am I expected to wear jewellery and cosmetics? Must I learn to pout, stomp my foot prettily, and wiggle my non-existent breasts? I refuse to be molded like Lord Reishin!"

Koyu's voice broke.
"Don't turn me into a woman, Shuei."

"Koyu, I . . . can I hold you?"

Getting a nod from Koyu, Shuei stepped forward and held him tightly, and for a long time.

"I'm sorry, Koyu, I didn't even realize that my behaviour had changed. Now, it frightens me. Is this how it started? I mean, with Lord Kijin and Lord Reishin? I assumed that Lord Reishin had always been the way he is now."

"He wasn't, not when he first adopted me. He became more feminine over the years. I don't know, Shuei, if Lord Kijin's responsible for that change. I just know that he treats Lord Reishin like a woman. His gifts are jewellery, little pretty things, and he pampers Lord Reishin silly! And, even with his mask on, I can still see his response when Lord Reishin puts on lip-colour. It makes me wonder how much of the Lord Reishin we see today is his true self."

Still holding Koyu, Shuei spoke against Koyu's ear.
"Koyu, promise me that you'll scold me if I should do anything of this sort again, alright?"

o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Reishin couldn't hear that last utterance, but he had heard enough. He pulled his ear from the office partition. He returned to his desk and sat down heavily, grateful that he had very few scruples, and none at all when it came to eavesdropping.

He frowned.
How COULD Koyu blame Kijin?
He laughed mirthlessly.
Non-existent breasts.
His pretty lips set in a thin straight line.
Oh, Koyu, you can be so cruel.

Shoka poured the tea in silence, glancing at his younger brother's inscrutable face. Reishin had requested the use of the Archives for this, and judging by the expressions of the others present, no one else was any better informed.

"Thank you, Brother Shoka. Here's the gist of the matter. Koyu lost his virginity last night, and Shuei has gone daft and runs around opening doors. And the reason we are all here is to discuss my non-existent breasts. For the details, please refer to Koyu."

Shoka sifted through the thick silence that followed Reishin's announcement. The Black Wolf's finely honed instincts zoomed in on the most threatening sound – Kijin's deceptively light breathing.
He's dangerous. He's not in the know. He senses Reishin's hurt. He's ready to pounce.

"Koyu, I would like to know about Reishin's non-existent breasts."
Kijin's deep voice was almost purring.

The Black Wolf felt the hair stand on his neck. There was a shift in the vibes.
Koyu's frightened. Shuei's hackles are up, his breathing has changed.
They both know what Reishin's alluding to.
What game is Reishin playing?
Why does he want me present?

"I'm waiting, Koyu."

Shuei cut in.
"Lord Kijin, perhaps you should ask yourself why Lord Reishin's breasts should be an issue at all."

The wooden mask shifted a fraction.
"Explain yourself, General Ran."

"Why love a man, and yet want him to be a mock-woman?"

Shoka started.
THIS is why Reishin wanted me present!

"Stop! Secretary Ko, you don't need to answer that question."
Shoka turned to Koyu.
"Koyu, you have it in reverse. Reishin had always been feminine, ever since he was a child. Due to . . . pressures, he learnt to suppress that as a young man. The only thing Secretary Ko did was to allow Reishin's true nature to re-surface."

"Thank you, Brother Shoka. I hope that satisfies you, Koyu. At the very least, you can stop blaming Kijin for your disgrace of a father. It wouldn't stop you mocking me, of course. All I ask for is that you do not do it in your office. The walls are thin."
Reishin stood up, nodded at Shoka in a sign of respect, and left the Archives.

Kijin spun around to face Koyu.
"What the hell did you say, Koyu?"

Kijin spent an extra long time combing Reishin's hair. Because he knew that it soothed his Dumpling.
"Koyu didn't mean it the way it sounded."

Reishin sighed, but said nothing.

"Give him a chance to explain himself, Dumpling."
Kijin ran the comb through a couple more times.
"You heard the context, didn't you? Koyu was afraid of losing himself. Talk to him, Reishin."

"Oh, alright, Kijin, stop nagging already. Tell him to come to my office tomorrow morning."

Reishin looked quizzically at his stricken adopted son.
"You are not making any sense, Koyu. Try something less complicated."

Koyu opened his mouth to speak, but was stopped by Reishin's raised palm.

"Not more than ten words."
He watched in amusement as Koyu mentally counted the words.

"That wiggle suits you, Lord Reishin. Six words."

Reishin felt the tug at the corners of his lips.
"Indeed? Even with non-existent breasts?"

"Especially with non-existent breasts."
Koyu paused.
"Please forgive me, Lord Reishin."

"Of course I will, on one condition."
The hazel eyes glinted.
"Wiggle, Koyu."

The End

Notes:

The full story behind the "pressures" Shoka mentioned that caused Reishin to suppress his natural feminine mannerisms is in Brother Shoka.