It was a bright, sunny day. Subaru and his sister were sitting together in an otherwise deserted park, simply enjoying being together as they couldn't be in the real world.
Still, eventually awareness of what was happening outside began to creep into their conversation. "Subaru... It's the Final Day," said Hokuto, unsubtle as always, leaning back against an innocent Sakura tree.
"I know, 'neesan," he said, sighing.
"What are you going to do?" she asked, curiously.
Subaru shrugged, too relaxed to worry about it at the moment. "Wait, I suppose."
Hokuto stamped her foot, frustrated. "I meant, what are you going to do about Sei-chan?"
He smiled. "As I said, wait. It's up to him what happens." He traced a picture in the dirt - a bird in flight, wings stretched out to the sky. "Although, I would like to know how he feels without the world ending first." He lay back and looked up at the sky, watching the clouds slowly drift past.
"Subaru..."
All was silence for a long time, until Subaru sat up again to look at his sister. "Hokuto-chan... In case I don't ever get the chance to tell you... I love you."
She smiled brightly, as always, but there were tears in her eyes. "I love you, too." She hugged him, fiercely. "And don't you dare die unhappy."
He hugged her back. "I'll do my best," he promised.
"Good," she said. "And... I think you should wake up now."
"Not just yet," he said, softly. "Just hold me a little longer..."
She didn't deny his request.
~ * ~
Subaru paced his apartment nervously. He was worried, he couldn't deny it. Kamui was still so young, so lacking in self-confidence. If he faltered for even a second in front of his opponent - the one that had once been a friend - it would all be over. Subaru tried to have faith in the boy. But sometimes it was so hard...
He knew he wouldn't have been able to do it, if he was 16 again and his opponent was the Sakurazukamori.
He'd spent the previous night at Kamui's, returning only at nine in the morning to collapse into bed and dreams of his sister. Of all the Dragons of Heaven, Kamui was the one that most needed a friend. Subaru was glad to be there for him, holding the boy while he cried and listening to him when he spoke of his hopes and dreams for a better future.
Subaru had no wish to have the world end, even if he wasn't technically a Seal. There was too much to live for, now that he and Seishirou were finally coming to a civil agreement.
Seishirou.
The Sakurazukamori was out there somewhere. After all, it was the Final Battle.
He'd known the end of 1999 would come before the end of their year. Of course it would. But still, he'd hoped...
He felt tears slipping over his cheeks and scrubbed them away furiously. He was sick of crying over Seishirou. He wanted it all to be over, to be just an unpleasant memory.
He wanted resolution. He was tired of being so damn uncertain of what he was to the older man.
He wanted Seishirou to love him.
Faido nipped at his heel.
Subaru glanced at her. "Do I love him?" He paused for a moment in thought. "I don't know. I don't think I do, really. Too much has happened; I've changed so much since I was sixteen. He's practically a stranger to me, now. And I can't even forgive him until he genuinely feels remorse for what he did to me.
"But, if he loved me, I'd be happy. If the real Seishirou-san is the person I'm living with now, I could grow to love him back. And that's what's really important, right?"
Still, if Seishirou had fallen in love with him; if Seishirou told him he regretted what he'd done and wanted them to start over; if he won...
Subaru didn't know what he'd do.
~ * ~
Seishirou regarded his opponent warily. Tsuru didn't look like he was going to attack any time soon, but appearances could be deceiving. He raised an eyebrow at the onmyouji, idly toying with one of his ofuda.
"Damnit, why aren't you doing anything?" demanded Tsuru, after they'd been staring at each other for a good ten minutes or more.
Seishirou glanced at him mildly. "If I kill you, your cousin will never forgive me."
"But this is the Final Battle!"
"Well then, I suppose that means you've won this round."
Tsuru gave him a helpless look. "Subaru wouldn't ever speak to me again if I killed you without due cause."
"We're at a stalemate, then."
Tsuru glared at him. "Damnit, do you really care what Subaru thinks of you? I know what you did to him. You're the reason he quit his position as Clan Head, you're the reason he lost his eye, you're the reason he starts shaking whenever he sees someone that resembles you. If I were him, what you've already done would be unforgivable," yelled the Sumeragi, angrily.
Seishirou stared at him. "He starts shaking?" he repeated, softly. A thousand examples brought themselves to mind immediately.
"Are you cold, Subaru-kun? Here, have my coat."
"It's an interesting change in the weather, don't you think? I mean, it's a bright, sunny day, without even a cloud in sight. But in the shadows, it's ice-cold."
He had an odd feeling, deep down. It was almost a kind of pain.
Seishirou was slowly getting used to the odd emotion suddenly introducing itself to him. He supposed it was Subaru's fault - who else's could it be, when he only felt these things in relation to the onmyouji? Other people were still just...
Objects. He didn't care that sending their souls to the tree was a torture worse than the actual death. All he cared was that Subaru did. And so, he let their souls go.
Even if he wanted to, he didn't think he could bring himself to kill Subaru.
He wondered if Subaru was serious about killing him. It would be unfortunate if he did, because Subaru probably wouldn't even last a day as the Sakurazukamori. He'd just...
Seishirou stopped mid-thought.
He didn't want that to happen, either. He'd already hurt Subaru so much... Was this painful emotion 'guilt', then? He fought back amusement at the very idea.
So, it wasn't just not wanting to kill Subaru. He wanted Subaru to live. He wanted to live himself.
With Subaru.
And today, the world could end.
He had to tell him.