Eye Glasses

Hokuto was staring: that special stare that always spelled trouble.

'What is it, Hokuto-chan?' Subaru asked, attempting to quell the uncomfortable feeling that was creeping along his gut. He had the feeling that, whatever his sister was thinking about, it was something that was going to cause the blood to rush to his head.

Of course, he did make it particularly easy for her.

Although he wished he was a little resistant when it came to entertaining his sister's whims. Especially when a snarky grin laced her face.

'I was just wondering,' she said, lightly tapping her chin as she cocked her head, neko ear slipping down a little. 'How you would look with Sei-chan's glasses on your adorable face?' Ignoring, Subaru's consequent splutters, she turned her heard toward Seishirou who was lounging on the single couch. 'What do you think?'

'Uhh…' he began, somewhat caught off guard. 'I don't –'

Later, he would wonder exactly how the elder Sumeragi managed to cross the living room and steal the frames off his face. Perhaps because, boisterous as she was, it was Subaru who was the reckless twin. And marching up to the Sakurazukamori like that was nothing short of suicidal.

Of course, she didn't particularly know that. But it was rather infuriating how he'd failed to react. Perhaps he had, he reflected thereafter, really started changing after prolonged contact with the onmyouji's pure heart.

No. He couldn't. He was the Sakurazukamori. He could not afford that. Especially since the alternative was to be killed by Subaru, an action he doubted the sixteen year old was capable of.

But in the present moment, Hokuto had taken his glasses before he could even blink.

'There,' she said triumphantly, going over to her brother and sliding next to him.

'H-hokuto-chan!' Subaru spluttered, scooting away slightly. 'Give those back to Seishirou-san.'

'Ah, he can last a few minutes without them.' The female grinned as she looked over at the older man, but it wasn't a wholly playful grin. 'He seems to be quite fine without them.' Her tone suggested she saw more than she revealed.

Troublesome girl, Seishirou grumbled to himself.

Then he bit back a sound of annoyance when Hokuto slipped the glasses over her brother's nose. Then she stepped back and scrutinised the face identical to her own.

'Hmm, the frames are too small,' she mused. 'And they really dull your green eyes. Maybe wider…'

Subaru blinked, then reached up to touch the bridge of those glasses. 'I can see fine,' he said with a hint of wonder in his tone.

Yes, well that was a given, Seishirou thought. Considering they were only necessarily to hide his hardened gaze.

Hokuto, frowned. 'You've been working too hard, haven't you? Not to mention studying till three in the morning for exams –'

'It's not that, Hokuto-chan,' Subaru reassured, lifting the frames so he could peer out from beneath before replacing them again. 'Apart from the frames, it's like I'm wearing nothing at all.'

'Oh?' Hokuto raised an eyebrow suspiciously. 'You sure it's not your eyesight?'

Subaru offered her the glasses, and she took them after a moment's consideration. Neither twin noticed Seishirou quietly stand.

'You're right.' Hokuto blinked from behind the square lenses. 'Things do look the same. That's –'

Seishirou reached them, touching the female's forehead lightly with his forefinger. 'I need my glasses back now,' he said quietly, a hint of something dangerous in his voice. The teen's eyes flickered softly, before she was falling backwards.

'Hokuto-chan!' Subaru exclaimed, making to stand, before stopping short as Seishirou's other hand found itself touching his forehead. A moment later, he had slumped over in his seat, unconscious.

The Sakurazukamori replaces the frames, shielding the worst of his eyes from view, before his lips twisted into a smirk. Then he wondered why he was somewhat glad his secret remained safe.

When questioned later by the twins as to their cause of their fainting after they awoke, he merely replied with a toned down version of the same smirk: 'It seems my lenses were too strong for the two of you. It happens, particularly when you're not used to wearing prescription glasses.'

Silently, he pondered to the direction of their bet. Or perhaps worried was a more accurate term.