Kamui-rella, or, Candy-coated fluff: Chapter 6
Disclaimer: Nothing of X or anything thereof belongs to me! Only the twisted plot does...
Some Stupidity to start you off: Please, all comments welcome. This chapter, like the preceding one, has some mild hints of shonen-ai/yaoi. But of course, the main couple is Kam/Sub, although there is some Fuuma/Kam and Sei/Sub thrown in. So if you don't like shonen-ai, read no further. Enjoy!
Kamui woke late the morning after the ball; his eyes felt achy. The morning was crisp but not too chill, and there was a blessed quiet; his stepfamily had probably come home in the small hours of the morning, long after he'd left the castle. He smiled to himself for a little, remembering the Prince and his green-eyed smile. Tonight he would not let Fuuma interrupt.
Kanoe languidly appeared after noon, her hair disordered and Yuuto under one arm. "Good morning," she said, unusually civil. "I notice you failed to wash the clothes."
Kamui's eyes went wide. It was true; he'd fallen asleep as soon as he had closed his eyes. A wheedling fear nagged him. Would she know where he'd gone?....
Evidently the late hours she'd kept were addling her head, for she merely sneered and added three more outfits to the pile. "You'll have to do these to, then." She turned and went back upstairs.
Nothing else happened until about three in the afternoon; Satsuki shouted" Kamui-rella, come help me lace my dress" and the boy dropped his laundry soap and went.
His stepsister was halfway in a dun-green dress with laces up the front and both the sleeves. Satsuki glared at him when she looked up. "I see you didn't polish Beast." She smiled thinly. "Good luck trying that today." Her computer made a sound of clear menace, and Kamui stepped as far away from it as he could. Just as he finished the last lace Fuuma opened the door and dragged him out, ostensibly to help Fuuma with his tie.
Once Fuuma had closed the door firmly, he snarled, "Why didn't you clena Shinken?"
Kamui whimpered at the sight of the sword, which Fuuma was waving in his face.
"Well...since I had such a nice time last night..." Fuuma grinned his trademark malicious grin. "But don't forget tonight, little Kamui-rella." he nibbled his stepbrother's neck daintily and let Kamui return, pale-faced, to the mountain of laundry.
They departed near dusk, Kanoe decked out in scarlet and stiletto heels (her gown not much wider than the aforementioned stiletto), Satsuki in her laboriously fastened dress, wearing contacts again. Fuuma was in midnight blue, his pressed white lawn tie immaculate(When Satsuki marveled at its remarkable straightness Fuuma had laughed and told her Kamui-rella was quite handy with such things). Kamui watched them carry Yuuto (who resembled King Kakyou by now) out and into the coach which rumbled away on clods of dirtied snow. He gave them ten minutes to leave fully and then ran to the tombstone, where Hintoto was sitting. She went inside with him, that little glint in her eye, and ordered a bath. Kamui was then doused in herb-scented water, scrubbed with rose soap until his jade-white skin shone like the moon. "Lovely," she pronounced, and as he stepped from the magical tub she indicated a heap of white on a chair. "Put these on." He blushed faintly as he did so, for the shirt was of translucent plastic, and for all its fine cut left him feeling embarassingly bare. The long cargo trousers were marginally better,being of rather clingy velvet. His tie was even worse: it read "get rid of me, handsome". After repeated demands from her godson, Hinoto grudgingly shrunk the lettering until it was barely readable. But his boots tied with mock chains, and if one cared to look closely enough, the label was "bondage, inc."
Finally Kamui left the manor, to find that Hinoto had conjured up a large white coach which was inlaid with panels of sheer plastic to match its occupant's outfit. The footman was in a silver tunic and the horses glistened in the winter sunset. As they rattled off Hinoto sobbed into a lacy handkerchief. She was crying when Kusanagi tapped her on the shoulder. "Eh?" she gasped. "Yuzu-chan? Kusanagi-san?" She embraced them. "So, the gang fell apart after I went.."
Yuzuriha nodded somberly. "Yes. We don't know where Nataku-kun...eh, Nataku-chan...went. But the Sakurazukamori is close by, as is Yuuto." She told Hinoto of Kanoe and Satsuki's obvious infatuation with the watermaster. "And then there's Fuuma-san, Satsuki. And...that's it."
Hinoto nodded. Although she'd never been a real member of the Chi No Ryuu gang, she'd hung out with them in her younger, more foolish days. Yuzuriha only knew of Kusanagi, and so also not a real member. Fuuma was the leader and so rarely went on "missions". Kanoe, back in her unmarried days, had been extrememly lenient with her children's comings and goings. They returned to the manorhouse to bathe in nostalgia.
Meanwhile, Kamui was dancing with the Prince. It was a rapid dance, which did not allow for much conversation, but both were content with the simple sight of his partner. Kamui had forgotten about his tie and obsequious top, and Subaru, in green a few shades darker than his eyes, smiled at the younger man. Not too far away, two others watched this romantic interlude with some aggrievement. One was the Sakurazukamori, who was still wearing his patch. The other was Fuuma, fingering his tie and belligerent. The former was bemused, entertaining the thought of the green-eyed prince with another; the latter was somewhat annoyed, for he'd wanted another few hours with the violet-eyed beauty.
But the two dancers were wholly immersed in each other. The Queen, watching, smiled. Perhaps her son would find happiness with the adorable boy; he had gone without love for so long. Nataku, her adopted child, was sitting alone in a corner, and Karen slipped to the young man...girl...(A/N: uhhhh...."."())...thing...and knelt so that she saw his...her...its...eyes. "Nataku, dear, what's the matter?"
The biologically engineered being sighed. "I'm lonely."
"Oh." Karen patted his...its knee. "I'm sure there are plenty of young men...people..willing to dance with you, dear."
Nataku considered for a while and nodded. He...it went and bowed to a young man, who, startled, accepted. Karen, smiling more earnestly now, went back to her seat.
A new dance started, slow and passionate. Kamui tightened his hold on Subaru's shoulders (which were just within reach), and the Prince, smiling uncontrollably, grasped the lovely violet-eyed boy's waist more firmly. Suddenly, he thought of something and lowered his face so that his lips were near Kamui's ear. "What is your name?"
Kamui opened his mouth involuntaily but then swallowed his words. He could not tell the Prince..he would be beaten by Kanoe, certainly, and Fuuma...but he couldn't lie to Subaru either. The Prince blinked gravely at him, but a small bright lover's smile lit at the corners of his mouth. "I..."
Thankfully the midnight strokes of the bells began, and Kamui tore himself (painfully) from Subaru's hold and ran for the coach. The Prince called after him, despairing, "Sir!.."
He jumped from the coach just as the last of Hinoto's magic died away. She herself was there, astounded, for Kamui's face was red and tears slid down his cheeks, dropping form his faultless chin. "Hinoto..." he clutched her sleeve like a small boy and drew in a deep shuddering breath. "The Prince asked my name...and I...I...couldn't tell him.."
She made a small coo of pity and hugged him. "I'm sorry, Kamui-chan..." she smiled at him. "Go tell him tomorrow."
"N-no...I couldn't. Kanoe...and Fuuma would..." he broke off, sniffling.
Hinoto's voice was fierce, but he knew the fury wasn't for him. "They WON'T." She drew her wand, anger trembling her arm. "They certainly will NOT." She nodded at her ward. "Tomorrow.."
Yuzuriha and Kusanagi fed the boy some warm stew, and put him to bed. But he caught at Yuzuriha's wrist and murmured about laundry. "Oh, it's fine," she laughed cheerily. "Kusanagi-san and I are at work on it. Hinoto's helping also." Kamui smiled as she left, but when she was gone he let two tears fall. "Arigatou..." he fell asleep and dreamt of Subaru's hands.
A/N: heehee...did you like? Please write a review...oh yeah, only one
more ball to go, and Subaru still doesn't know Kamui's name! what suspense!!
*grins* stay tuned for the next episode!