29 oct 2010 to 26 jan 2011

Snapped

by Zuzanny

lionette AT mailcity DOT com

Part 4

The door burst open (making Subaru automatically fall into a defensive stance and reach for cards that were not there), and in bounced Hokuto like she owned the place. She was dressed in a lolita style dress of fluorescent orange that made Subaru's eyes hurt and barely covered her backside. It was absolutely covered in bows. She also wore black thigh-high stockings and elbow length gloves, as well as matching orange platform stilettos that had Subaru wincing at the potential injuries sustainable were she to fall from them. But Hokuto being Hokuto, she flounced around the room in them like that was what she was born in.

"SUBARU!" She cheered and practically strangled him when she jumped on top of him to hug him. "I was so worried! We had thought maybe you had finally worked yourself into a stroke or something. What happened to you? Are you feeling better now? Grandmother told us you were a bit confused."

Subaru breathed deeply her scent of vanilla and cinnamon, rubbing his cheek against her silky black hair- still in the style he remembered of her but with the same colour orange bow pinned on the side. He gently returned the embrace with hesitant, shaky hands , almost afraid she would turn to smoke and vanish if he were to actually touch her.

"Hokuto," His voice caught in his throat as he breathed out her name. "You're alive!" Then he was the one clinging to her while she protested and questioned and he sobbed into her shoulder. "I'm so sorry!"

Eventually she was able to pull out of his hold some. "Of course I'm alive." She said as though there was no possible question otherwise. "You must have had one horrible nightmare to be thinking someone as Adorable and Wonderful as I am could have died."

Subaru found himself laughing at that while Hokuto smiled and wiped his tears from his face. "There now," She almost scolded him. "No need to cry. It wasn't as bad as you thought it was, right?" He found himself nodding like a child. "Besides," Hokuto leaned back (and Subaru thought she may have been considering finding a handkerchief to lick for his face now). "your Mister Seishirou is here. That should cheer you up."

All warmth Subaru had been feeling at her presence instantly bled out of him and was replaced by ice in his bones. "Why does everyone keep saying that?"

"Saying what?"

"MY Mister Seishirou. Like I own him. Like he's property of mine. You know that's not true." Subaru almost added that it was the other way around, but Hokuto just gave him the oddest look and then pressed her palm against his forehead.

"No fever," She murmured. Subaru slapped her hand away with irritation which made her frown deepen. "What's gotten into you?" She hissed.

"I'm serious! Why does everyone keep telling me Seishirou-san and I are..." He blushed red and had to look away from her. "Together?"

"Because we are." Came the deeper voice that Subaru both loved and loathed, sliding over his skin and making his heart beat faster.

Seishirou stood just inside the door, both his golden-brown eyes glinting from under his wire frames. He was holding a bundle of brightly coloured flowers wrapped in tissue wrap.

"Seishirou-san." Subaru breathed, and Seishirou inclined his head and stepped into the room and up to Subaru.

"Hello Subaru. I thought we were WELL past formalities."

Subaru's blush deepened, and although he desperately wanted to, he found he couldn't take his eyes away from the older man's.

"Maybe he hit his head, or something." Hokuto said to Seishirou, like Subaru wasn't even there. "He's been acting funny. It almost is like he has lost his memory."

Seishirou's eyes had not once left Subaru's face, and he now inclined one eye brow and said "Oh?" in a manner that was speculative and... Subaru wasn't sure if he should be blushing harder,or backing away with terror.

"I've not lost my memory." Subaru blurted out, then found himself lowering his gaze meekly, much to his own confusion and frustration.

"Oh?" Seishirou leaned in so close to Subaru that Subaru had to lean back or taste the air the man breathed. "What did we have for breakfast yesterday?"

"None of your business!" Subaru snapped automatically just as he had over the last nine or so years when ever anyone who thought they had the right to impose upon him got too nosy. Sometimes he found it wouldn't make them back off the way he wanted, but most people did... at least after a while.

Both Seishirou and Hokuo exchanged shocked looks, then Hokuto said "I-I think I will give you two some privacy." and virtually ran from the room. Probably to get a doctor. Subaru thought darkly before he turned his attention back to the man in the room who looked so much like His Seishirou, and just watched him. Subaru wondered if this man would be like the Seishirou from his teen aged years, or the later 1999 event one? He had already noticed that this one still had both his eyes, and they were equally movable, so he had never lost one to begin with. Maybe that was where the main change began? And that cigarette scent that had always clung to His Seishirou's clothes was absent. Subaru wondered how that happened, or if this one was just more inclined to hide it? Perhaps this one was still playing that game, still trying to seduce him... Although from all the talk he had already been successful in that regard. There was no underlying scent of blood either. Subaru had always passed it off as animal blood from surgeries. But he had later realised that that just showed his ignorance as surgeons always wore gloves and protective clothing.

"Let me see your fingers." Subaru demanded abruptly. Seishirou froze, tensing and tilting his head slightly to the side like a bird of prey.

"Why?" Seishirou asked. Subaru raised his own eye brow, set his jaw, and waited. Seishirou stared a few moments before rolling his eyes and extending his hands out. Subaru grabbed both hands and peered closely at the finger tips, grasping each finger one after the other and examining them closely for any sign of blood under the nails. "Satisfied?" Seishirou's voice was a warm rumble of amusement mixed with curiosity. "Found what you were looking for?"

Subaru dropped the very warm hands after he gave them a sniff. "Almost." Subaru interrupted what he knew would be a comment full of innuendo about just where those fingers had been. "I just have one question, and I want you to answer honestly."

Seishirou waited with an amused twitch to his mouth.

"Are you still the Sakurazakimori?"

The instant paling of Seishirou's face was all the answer Subaru needed.

To be continued...