Title: It's always raining – Chapter One
Disclaimer: "Tokyo Babylon", "X", "xxxHolic" and all characters and/or contents are belonged to CLAMP and their publishers. The author does not have any legal ownership of these works, and they are being used on as a fan fiction material. This is a non-profit writing, and the author never receives any incentive for her work. All original characters are belonged to author and forbidden to use without permission.
Warnings: Crack(?). This work contains relationship between two men. Don't like it, don't read it. This is an AU scenario based on manga.
Spoiler: Nothing, for who know "X" and "Tokyo Babylon".
Notes: Inspired from previous story: It's Always Raining (oneshot). Continuation of that rainy day. This fic is humor-oriented, for I'm incapable to write angst.
Status: Unbeated.
Summary: It's all started from a piece of can.
It's Always Raining
Chapter One
Dark. It's so dark here.
Here?
Where is here?
Why does he here?
And pain. So much pain. Unbearable pain.
Pain. Pain. Painpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpain.
A light. It's pulling him. It's painful too.
Don't want to.
Hate pain.
"But pain is pleasure, ne."
Someone once said so.
Who?
Ah, the light is getting closer. It has swallowed me.
The first thing Subaru sees as he opens his eyes is white unfamiliar ceiling.
It's looked blurry and staring at the bright neon on it made his eyes hurt. He shuts them off to block that bright light. It reminds him to that painful light.
He opens his eyes again when hears a soft chuckle near his feet. Someone is sitting on a chair at the end of bed he is currently laying, a man to be precise. He has a magazine on his lap which seemed suitable to sit on. Blink. Feeling confused why he had that thought, Subaru lifts up his head to stare at a pair of mismatched eyes whose owner looks at him amusedly.
"Really, Subaru-kun," the man said lightly," tripping on an empty can is a very undignified manner for 13th Head of Sumeragi Clan. What would Hokuto-chan said if she sees you now?" he chided. "Though, I'm glad the damage is not too serious." He said the last sentence in soft and gentle tone.
Subaru looks at him with blank face. "Um," raising his hand hesitantly, his expression turns puzzled," I'm not trying to be impolite, but… who are you?"
The effect is instantaneous. The man's smile who previously looked amused turns a bit strained. To say Sakurazuka Seishirou surprised is an understatement here. His prey just stated that he doesn't remember him. Someone is going to pay for this.
Soothing out his somewhat stiff expression, Seishirou is about to open his mouth when suddenly the door opens abruptly with bang.
"Subaru!"
Seishirou just could sighs inwardly as a very disgruntled Kamui, along with parade of Dragons of Heaven, enters the room. What made him raises his eyebrows though is the fact that /Kamui and the rest of Dragons of Earth trailing behind them. It is a wonder the hospital is still intact.
"Subaru!" Kamui immediately positioned himself next to said person who looks a bit startled with previous dramatic entry. It's pretty cramped inside the room now, with 13 people inside. "Are you alright?" he said in worried tone," he said you fell and hit your head."
"Yeah, he said you tripped on a can," Sorata made a face," that's a joke, right?"
"No, that's the truth."
All heads immediately whip around to stare at the person who said it. Said person stares back calmly.
"You!" Kamui instantly in fighting stance, ready to fight," Sakurazukamori! You did it, didn't you?"
"As much as you believe I'm an evil person," Seishirou said patiently under accusing glare or a pair of amethyst eyes," it's not my hobby or my taste to trip someone, especially my property, just for fun. And with a can too." He made a disgusted face. "I've better taste than that, believe me."
"Just say that you're telling the truth," Sorata puts his hand on Kamui's shoulder and shakes his head after giving a brief glance at very puzzled Subaru. Kamui, still very upset, catches on the meaning and albeit reluctantly resume his normal stance. Seishirou noted half-amusedly how the rest both Dragons fellow also turned to relax; electrical cables from stop-contact Satsuki summoned turned lifeless. The only one who didn't even twitch from all the commotion is /Kamui who just like him also looked amused. Sadist, thought Seishirou.
"Okay, let me said it again," continued Sorata," just say that you're telling the truth, which is still unbelievable actually, you're there when it happened?"
"No." Came the curt answer.
Collective blinks.
"You're not there?" Seiichirou asked hesitantly.
"That's correct." An amused smile followed this.
"How did you know if it's the truth then?" Yuuto couldn't help himself to ask.
"I saw it."
"You saw it?" asked Yuzuriha, wide-eyed.
"Yes."
"How did you see it if you're not there?" This time Kamui also confused.
"Oh I have my way. This and that." The smile turns into leer. The word STALKER! screamed inside every heads.
"Right, hahaha," Sorata laughs uneasily, trying to lighten the mood. With the way how Kamui glares, he is sure the Sakurazukamori should be at least feels a little threatened, not leering like that. Their leader sure knows how to glare…
"Putting all trivial matters aside," Seishirou waves imaginary fly away, ignoring intensified glare of Kamui," we've more urgent matter to handle here."
"We?!" Kamui is seething now. Sorata who is standing next to him saw how dangerously blood vein on his forehead in verge of bursting, he is worried his younger fellow will die from bursting blood vessel before the Final Battle.
"Yes, unfortunately, we," Seishirou nods and stares at the occupant of bed which is the reason of all glares he received. "Do you remember your name?"
Subaru blinks. "My name?" "Yes." "Um, no…" This caught everyone's attention and soon he's bombarded with endless question, especially from Dragons of Heaven fellow. While the Dragons of Earth…Well, they couldn't give a damn about someone well-being, but they're all curios with this piece of information. Of course, with the exception of Nataku and Kusanagi, one is only here because their leader said so and the other is really concerned.
Great, thought Seishirou sighing softly, watching his Subaru frantically trying to calm down all worried exclamations he received.
The doctor rubs his temple tiredly. The patient in room 206A made him so. It's not that said patient is difficult to handle, in fact he is very polite and well-mannered. No, it's his visitors that drive him mad.
From the man who brought his patient here whom he really doesn't know how he gets inside the room in the first place (security camera even didn't catch his image, for God sake!), he is informed that not only his patient got malnutrition, but he got a memory loss. Great. Though the man is very helpful and willing to give tidbit of information to better assess his patient, who goes by the name Sumeragi Subaru whom the hospital director specifically warned him countless times to give best treatment, his insistent to stay for questioning session is very unhelpful.
To make matter worse, all his patient's visitors insisted so too. He had explained patiently, tiredly, even fiercely with a little bit threat to disband them from hospital which is very futile in reality (the boy with violet eyes had dangerous glares, mind you), in order to subdue their intention. Though, he immediately reconciled and let them do as they please when one of said visitors, a teenager with yellow glasses, approaches him and said in a low voice: "It's their wish. Please respect it." He doesn't know whether it's from the way he said it in dangerous-low kind of tone, or how he suddenly turned looked like a nurse he secretly had eye on since his first year in same hospital, that made him relent. He suspected both.
So, the supposed private and peaceful questioning session has turned into not-so-private and not-so-peaceful group visit. Peachy, he just loves his life.
Clearing his throat to catch his patient attention that looks as clueless as himself, the doctor positions his notepad and pen to start writing.
"Okay, we'll start with the first question. Are you ready?" he asked, with a small patient smile he practiced everyday. His patient also smiles and nods, though it's really unfair his smile is better than him.
"Could remember who you are?"
"Um, they said my name is Sumeragi Subaru…" his patient glances hesitantly at his visitors whom some of them nod eagerly.
"Mm, let me rephrase it then. What do you remember yourself of who you are?"
"Um…no, sorry." His patient looks so dejectedly and guilty he starts feeling guilty too, which is very silly.
"Ah, no need to apologize," the doctor hurried to say," well, what they said is actually right," he glances warily at the bunch of fortunately silence audience. Weird silence audience. His patient has very unlikely and weird combination of visitors; he could swear one of them is working in Soapland while the other… is the scarf just moving?? Shaking his head and told himself fervently that he is tired and having a strange hallucination, he decided to let the matter alone, for his own poor sanity sake.
"Your name is indeed Sumeragi Subaru," the doctor told his patient who nods unsure. Poor guy, he must be so confused. "You're 25. And live in Tokyo. Do you remember any of this?"
His patient hesitates a moment, thinking, and shakes his head. The boy with violet eyes, who earlier looks ready to kill him, looks forlorn and dejected. Damn, did he need to look so adorable now? …Wait! That's a kid! And male too! Come one, focus!
"That's quite alright, Sumeragi-san," he assured his patient," I'm just want to confirm just how much you remember. Then…" he glances briefly at the audience. Should he do it? …Well, it's better to give it a try. "Could you try to remember any of these people here?" he sweeps his hand on their direction. "And please, don't mention your name to him," he added to them when the teenager in Kansai dialect starts to open his mouth. "We need to know how much Sumeragi-san remembers." Nodding in approval, the Kansai guy smiles lightly and keeps his mouth closed. Good. The doctor turns expectantly at his patient.
After a moment of hesitation, his patient nods and turns his head to look one by one of each his visitors. He spent at least a minute or two to each person, look of concentration fixed on his face as he tries to remember. No such luck so far.
When his patient's gaze falls on the violet eyed boy, he keeps his concentration and soon a look of recognition appears on his face. "Kamui." His patient nods and looks expectantly at the violet eyed boy who looks surprised. Shortly that look turns hopeful.
"You remember?" asked Kamui the boy, a mix of fear and hope clashed on his face. "Just a bit," his patient smiles apologetically," how is your wound?" "It has already healed." The phrase is said in exasperated but fond tone. He is practically glowing with joy at the prospect being someone his patient remembered. The doctor wouldn't surprise a halo appears on his head by any minute.
Good. It seems the idea is not so bad. The boy probably some kind of relative his patient pretty close to, made him memorable. Although the wound thing is pretty concerning, it seemed the idea is not bad.
Satisfaction is the emotion the doctor felt as he optimistically lifts up his head from his writing pad to continue his question. He frowns as he notices his patient expression turns into one of confusion and uneasiness. Sounds of chairs scrap on floor near made the doctor more confused. And then, he felt it. How stupid of him for not noticing until now!
A trickle of cold and intimidating sensation behind him, pressing heavy weight, made his hair neck stands up. Don't look around. Don't look around. Don't look around. He chanted helplessly inside his head. He feels that he'll regret it if he turns around. But, curiosity kills the cat, doesn't it?
Slowly he turns his head, and understands that he really needs to heed his instinct more. Just say that if look could kill, Kamui the boy will be death by now buried under ten-feet ground. And he'll die in slow, long and agonizing way. That's the message the doctor received from the look from the man who brought his patient in. He really hoped he wouldn't have to encounter this man in someplace deserted or dark; he doubted he'll be able to leave unscathed, or even able to leave at all.
It seems he isn't the only one who deciphered the message as so. The other visitors have moved their chair far from said person, especially the person of receiving end said look; the doctor felt pity for Kamui the boy. All, except for the teenager in yellow glasses. He had positioned himself next to the man and keeps on his position even after the rest of his companions have moved faraway. Actually, he seems to contemplate something and throws meaningful glances between Kamui the boy and the man whom he realized now has mismatched eyes. Well, that increases the scary level more.
"Ano," his patient looks nervously at the man," is there something wrong with Kamui? I'm sorry if he had offended you…" His words made the man blinks and seemed to awake him from something. "Nothing you should worry for, Subaru-kun," the man said charmingly, so much different from the way he just looked. Made that a split personality scary guy.
Blinking at the sudden abrupt change, the doctor really didn't blame him for that, his patient gives a sweet beautiful smile at the man. "I'm glad then." A halo has appears on his head. It's probably contagious, for the man also gives the same sweet smile, albeit not as angelic…
As much as the doctor wishes to let them enjoy whatever had transpired between them, the session needs to keep going on. But he is having a hard dilemma to stand on between the man and obviously his object of affection. Though he has no qualm about two men together, which he doubt a healthy relationship but since his roommate and best friend is one of them and they're still being friend even after said guy declared pretty boldly he is going with his beloved Kei-chan so he's okay, undoubtedly it is unhealthy to get in the way of that man. So he wisely keeps his mouth shut and hope fervently to any deity to help him out from this predicament.
"Sensei, please continue the session," said the teenager in yellow glasses calmly. "Please don't mind Seishirou, he's just irritated a bit with the fact Subaru remembers Kamui and not him." This statement receives a brief glance from the man, which called Seishirou, and he resumes staring at his patient who is still smiling angelically obliviously. "Though the fact that he wished for Kamui to die is a pretty complicated thing," the teenager turns thoughtful," it's hard for me to decide whether to fulfill his Wish or not. Hmm, what do you say Kamui?" he turns to look at said boy who immediately jumps on his seat in surprise and glares at the teenager.
"That's not funny, Fuuma."
"I agree. I'm serious here."
The silence ensued is so thick and suffocating. A pin drops could be heard clearly even from hallway. Some visitors have already move around in their seat nervously, some even seem ready to bolt up out of room, but most of them ready to stand and fight if necessary. The doctor is fall in the second category.
"Um, is it okay if we stop here today?" Again, his patient is the savior here. The doctor decided that he'll built a small shrine for him and worship it everyday. If he still alive that's it. "I don't think you all should waste your time here," he continued in soft voice, the incident seemed to drain him as he looks paler now. This Seishirou guy seemed to notice it also, for he throws meaningful look at the doctor.
"Um," feeling uneasy at the look, the doctor clears his throat," as much as I want to end this session to let Sumeragi-san rest…" You just don't know how much I want it, thought the doctor bitterly. "There is still one necessary question I need to ask before I could conclude his condition." He really hopes the man with mismatched eyes could understand.
"Ah, alright then, please go on," answered his patient.
"Okay," the doctor puts on his pen, ignoring a disapproving look throws on him," what is the last thing you remember before you lost consciousness?" All eyes look intensely and expectantly as his patient turns thoughtful. Shortly after, he seems to remember something.
"Flying goldfishes."
Again, the silence that fills the room is thick and deafeningly soundless. The response is not something they expected. Yuuto has a face which said 'should I laugh now?', who is probably not so troubled if the Sakurazukamori is not in the same room as him. The look was scary.
"Subaru-kun, fishes don't fly," said Seishirou guy with very patient and calm tone, used usually on little children.
He receives a blink from his patient. "They don't?" he asked in very clueless tone, too honest to be a lie.
"No, unfortunately, they don't," answered Seishirou guy. "Even fly-fish could only jumps out from the water at short time. They couldn't fly."
"Oh. It's a pity then." His patient has a solemn look.
"Yes, it is." Seishirou guy also has similar solemn look.
No one dares to make a comment or remark at this point. Everyone is either too speechless or scared to do so. For exception, of course, Fuuma guy who still has this thoughtful expression on his face (the doctor really hopes he is just joking about the killing part) and the guy with scarf who has same blank look from the beginning of session.
"Ano…" One single hand raises slowly; it's the Kansai guy. "Could it be, he's experiencing lucid dream?" he asked.
"A what?" asked Kamui the boy.
"Lucid dream," repeated the Kansai guy," a condition when someone is experiencing a very vivid and real dream, where he or she is sometime having a difficulty to separate it from real experience. Some even thought the dream is a reality which occurred in the past and they are only reviving it inside their dream."
"Oh." Kamui the boy looks strangely at the Kansai guy, with half-awed expression. He is not the only one though; the beautiful girl clad in sailor uniform even has stranger look.
"My, that's correct-…"
"Arisugawa. Arisugawa Sorata," supplied the Kansai guy brightly.
"Arisugawa-san, that's a pretty impressive explanation there," praised the doctor.
"Haha, thank you." Arisugawa-san smiles sheepishly. "Then, may Sumeragi-san rest now? He looks pretty tired." Smart, and observant, thought the doctor.
"Ah, yes." The doctor nods agreeably. "Then, we better leave to let Sumeragi-san take a rest."
"I'll stay."
Talk about stubbornness, thought the doctor tiredly. This Seishirou guy really has a head as hard as rock. Unsurprising, the statement is received disapproving response, especially from Kamui the boy.
Wisely keeping his profile low and unobtrusive, the doctor slips past through the door out on hallway, leaving behind tense atmosphere inside the room. He's feeling guilty for letting his patient alone to deal with his crazy visitors, but it's not enough to let him risk his life.
"Excuse me, sensei." The words almost made the doctor jumps out from his skin. Turning abruptly, he meets face to face with Fuuma, the teenager with yellow glasses. When did you slip out from the room?! the doctor screamed inside his head.
"Um, yes?"
"May I borrow your time for a moment, please?" asked Fuuma pleasantly," there is something I must tell you."
Omake:
At certain wish-granting shop, a certain bespectacled youth serves a plate of cold udon on table with a loud thud. He is definitely not in a good mood.
Ichihara Yuuko lifts up her head from her reading to stare lazily at her employee.
"My, Watanuki-kun, if I don't know any better, I'd thought you're angry."
"Of course I'm angry!" Watanuki shouted, unable to control his anger anymore. "I can't believe you made me do-… do such--" his anger made him unable to find appropriate words.
"…A prank?" supplied Yuuko helpfully.
"PRANK?!" Watanuki aghast. "The poor guy could have died with crack on his skull for crying out loud!" He starts pulling out his hair in frustration. "That's not prank! That's a crime! Atrocity!" Points a finger on his employer accusingly. "And you made me do it!"
"Yes, yes, I've heard you loud and clear," Yuuko sighs in mock tired, which of course pushes Watanuki more on edge. "And if it's any consolation for you, Doumeki-kun is the one who puts the can. Of course you won't mind to put inside jail with Watanuki as accomplice, don't you, Doumeki-kun?"
The stoic youth, who is currently stuffing his cold udon without care for world, stops and gives a short nod only to continue eating again.
"Don't you agree with her, moron!" shrieked Watanuki," she made us committed a serious crime! He could be dead by now!"
"Now, now, no need to get paranoid-"
"I'M NOT PARANOID!"
"And beside," Yuuko completely ignored the loud complains," you've already called ambulance, and those people to pick him up, don't you?"
"Um, yeah," Watanuki suddenly subdued, fidgeted nervously," though I doubt they'd believe their friend trip on a can…" he made a face at that.
"Don't worry, he'll be fine," Yuuko returns on her reading," he's probably already up by now anyway." She starts to smile deviously at this.
"Well, you're probably right…" Watanuki sighs tiredly, completely missed her smile hidden behind her reading. If Watanuki sees the gleam in her eyes now, he'll definitely flip for things usually turns troublesome if she's like this.
Messing with fate is troublesome, but worth it. Yuuko smiles contentedly and flip a page.
A/N: A review from who read this would be much appreciated.