Fandom: Tokyo Babylon / 東京Babylon
Title: You think one way, I'll look the other
Pairing: Seishirou + Subaru
Rating: PG
Description: Hokuto tells somewhat of Subaru's and her childhood. But it's something that Subaru would rather not discuss. In the end, Seishirou finds himself trying to comfort Subaru not really knowing what to do because he already knew some of this childhood recollection.

Disclaimer: Tokyo Babylon is by Clamp.

You think one way, I'll look the other.
by Miyamoto Yui

Chapter 2 - The guilty smile.

"What's so bad about that?" Seishirou drank his coffee and added more sugar into Hokuto's.

"I didn't tell you the embarrassing moment yet! That was just one of the memories!" Hokuto-chan grinned. "Subaru and I are like the two opposite sides of our mom. You can probably guess what. But we got our father's eyes while we look more like our mother."

Hokuto looked at Seishirou. "I think our father loved sakura too..."

"But wait." Seishirou was now sitting down and sipping from his cup. "How come you're telling the story as if you're your mother?"
Hokuto blinked at him. "I memorized her diary...before it was lost."

Seishirou nodded his head understandingly. "Okay, continue."

Hokuto smiled in nostalgia as she turned her head to look out the window. "Our mother was the strongest medium until her powers passed onto Subaru. And now, Subaru surpasses her by two to three times that."
Then, she glanced at Seishirou. "The only thing I had was that diary, but it's gone now. I think that's why grandmother wanted us to go to Tokyo. To live a normal life than what we would have had in Kyoto."

At this, Seishirou also grinned with a twinkle in his eyes as if this news was a happy one to him also. "Yes..."
"Yes, what, Sei-chan?" Hokuto gave him a curious look.
"That you came to Tokyo."
She nodded and waved her hand. "Well, it's no use crying over spilt milk, so let's go back to the subject. Embarrassing Subaru moments part two! Ever wonder why our grandmother likes Subaru so much...?"

(From Mom's perspective again)

I think Mother will never forget today. And I don't think I will either. It's a funny thing really.
It just shows my Suby-chan is a healthy baby! -_-;; Yes, that and that Hokuto is adapting my...ahem...weird sense of humor. Eh heh heh...

It was a nice and sunny day. I had taken the children out to the garden and even out of the complex so that they could walk around the outside, to a world beyond these blue tiled walls.

We were slowly walking the streets of Kyoto. But reminding myself now, I know that I will never take them out again until they've reached the age of two.
* sigh * Mental note: Never leave Hokuto without some kind of leash. She'll smile and try to steal fruit because she's hungry. Suby-chan should always have a pacifier or his mouth will give us away. ^^;;;
But I wish it could have been a regular walk. Though I smiled at my babies, I was always aware of my surroundings and glanced back. The guards had to keep close by. I had ordered for them to follow me, but to never bother me in whatever I did or else.

I want them to have a normal life...

Sometimes, I wished they were not born from me...
Then they wouldn't have to face what they should.

As I pushed them in their stroller, I sighed. My two children.

"You must be under close surveillance," Mother advised. "All of you cannot wander too far. You are the heir, Shisei. You should know this better than anyone."

In other words, "You are all open targets."
But my mother was gentle that way. She was stern, yet never too domineering over me. I just had to obey dutifully because it was part of my fate.

Do nothing but smile for your children.

I'm glad Subaru and Hokuto know that their mother always smiled in their minds. * laughs * Ryu, your children are as active as you are.
Except, I am not sure about what kind of clothes your little girl likes. ^^;;; And Subaru has a thing about chewing on my white gloves. They're your children when they're being strange. That's how it goes, Ryu.
Oh, did I mention that Hokuto has perfected my 'Hohoho' laugh? * sweatdrop *

Anyway, going home, I left them in their playpen outside while I did the laundry. Well, that was simple enough...until Hokuto yet again found her way out. Subaru was no better and followed her glorious example.
As Hokuto was going back to the crib to see if I'd seen her escape, I caught her only to find that now Subaru was lost. Looking to Hokuto as if she knew what I was saying, I shook my head and said, "Wait here, Hoku-chan. Mommy has to get your little brother."
Hokuto laughed and waved her hands as if to tease me.
Subaru was turning the corner when I ran into the hallway. He stood up and tried to push himself against the wall while making his way to Mother. Mother just stood there watching and nodded her head to me silently.
Holding her hands out, Subaru gurgled and struggled to get to her.

Oh! You should have seen him! He crunched his eyes and grinned like crazy until he'd found himself walking towards her.
"Go, Baby!" I cheered and looked around embarrassed.
As Mother looked down at him, she knelt to hug him. He held his hands out in front of him and hugged her when he finally made it to his goal.
At that moment, my mother tilted her head and gave me a confused look as Subaru turned around in his blue jumper smiling like the little punk he was and walked towards me with open arms. Laughing, I knelt waiting for him.

That was when I heard my mother laugh. After 10 years.

She looked up at me, laughed, and pointed to me in shock. "He bit me on the stomach. He really bit me on the stomach…"
I gawked as I scooped my Suby-baby from the ground and scolded him. "You've been teething, haven't you, Subaru?"
Pouting with a big lip out, he blinked his eyes. He somehow knew that when mommy said his full name, that meant that he was in BIG trouble.
Then, he waved his hands happily and giggled with a single tooth finally showing itself.

Mother got up and shook her head as she smiled. Going down the hall silently, she walked on with an incredulous, yet happy look on her face.

(back to Hokuto)

"Subaru actually bit the Mistress Sumeragi?" Seishirou was on the verge of laughing, putting his cup on the table.
Hokuto couldn't help herself and giggled as she covered her mouth, desparately trying not to betray herself.

So when Subaru walked through the door, Seishirou and Hokuto-chan looked at him with eyes that tried so hard to hold in the laughter.
That's like asking them to not go to the bathroom after drinking two liter bottles of soda. Ha. Yeah, right.

But of course, Hokuto just let it all out. Seishirou got up to get more coffee, passed by Subaru and ruffled his hair. "You really are adorable."
Leaning closer to his ear, he whispered in a low flirtatious tone, "Maybe you should try biting me sometime too."
Winking while grinning evilly, he cackled a bit while pouring more water into a kettle to boil.

[Omake –
Insert drooling author here. * glomps a chibi Seishirou *
"Uh, Miss Miyamoto? You can stop glomping me now."
Shaking her head in protest, she replied, "No, I just can't."]

Tsuzuku… / To be continued…
-
Author's note: I like where all this is going...

February 2002