Part Two
The only hope that Seishirou had, as he stood on Subaru's doorstep with a bundle of pale roses in his arms and wearing one of his nicer suits, was that Mitsuki wouldn't leave the two of them alone for more than a minute at a time. That, he knew, would just get awkward. He took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, cursed himself for a coward, and rang the doorbell.
"Kon! Ban! Wa! Sei! Shi! Rou! San!" Sakura opened the door and glomped onto Seishirou's leg.
Seishirou smiled a little, blinking down at her. "Konban wa, Sakura-chan. May I come in?"
"Haaaaiiii!" She let go of his knee and grabbed him by the wrist, then gave him a cheerful smile. "Are the flowers for Daddy?"
These children don't miss much, Seishirou reflected. "Yes, the flowers are for your father."
"Good!" Sakura took a deep breath, then bellowed, "MOMMMM! DAAAADDDDYYY! SEISHIROU-SAN IS HERE!"
Mitsuki hurried into the front hallway and gave her daughter a long-suffering and reproving look. "How many times do I have to tell you not to scream across the house?"
"Three hundred and seven!" Sakura said cheerfully.
"Konban wa, Seishirou-san!" Tsuki bounced into the room and glomped onto his sister.
"They certainly are cheerful," Seishirou said dryly. He was amused to see that they were another pair of non-identical but still look-alike twins, as Hokuto and Subaru were. In fact, they looked like young miniatures of the original twins, only with lighter hair. They both had the huge green eyes and cheerful smile. Both of them, however, seemed to have inherited Hokuto's bouncy personality.
"Tell me about it," Mitsuki said. "I think they want to make up for the fact that Subaru mopes so much."
"Did you tell him that I was coming?"
"Yes, we had a battle about it last night, in fact." Mitsuki smiled calmly. "And I won. Let me take your coat."
Seishirou managed to get out of the coat without squashing the flowers. "So he didn't want to let me come?"
"Actually, that wasn't it," Mitsuki said. "He said it's my house too and I'm welcome to invite whoever I want and to please not blame him for eating out and spending the evening with his Grandmother."
Seishirou's face fell. "If I'm even below his Grandmother in terms of pleasant company, I really am in trouble."
"Actually, that's almost exactly what I said to him, and he had to admit that you were better company than her. Subaru-chan can't talk his way out of a paper bag when he's confused. Especially if it's about you. Sakura, Tsuki, have you washed up for dinner yet?"
The twins looked innocent.
"Well, go on. No one eats at my table with dirty hands."
They scampered off.
Seishirou and Mitsuki looked at each other.
"You need any help with anything?" Seishirou asked.
"No," she said. "Let me get a vase for the flowers since my husband is apparently going to hide in his room so he doesn't have to accept them."
Seishirou sighed. "This is asking for a disaster."
"Yes, well, I'm sure you've done less intelligent things." Mitsuki led Seishirou into the kitchen and got a vase for the flowers. Then she stood at the foot of the stairs. "Subaru-chan! Dinner's ready and Seishirou is here!"
"And you tell your children to not bellow," Seishirou said, shaking his head.
Mitsuki laughed. "I call. They bellow."
"You do have a point."
Subaru emerged from wherever he'd been sulking a few minutes later. He was dressed in 'house clothes'; a sweater and jeans. Seishirou still thought he looked damned good. "Konban wa, Subaru-kun." He gave him a hesitant smile.
Subaru gave him a sideways look. "Konban wa, Seishirou-san."
Seishirou was glad that at least he'd stopped calling him 'Sakurazuka-san.' "How's your cat doing?"
"He's fine." Subaru paused, then added, "Thank you."
Mitsuki shooed them in to the table and made them all sit down, bombarding Seishirou with questions about his life and dropping bits of information about Subaru's so Seishirou wouldn't have to ask. Seishirou found himself liking Mitsuki more with every minute that passed by. "Kids, go upstairs and do your homework," she said when they were done eating.
Tsuki and Sakura grumbled, but obeyed.
"Would you like some tea, Seishirou?" Mitsuki asked.
"Please," Seishirou said.
"I'll be right back," she replied, bustling out of the room.
Subaru and Seishirou blinked at each other.
"So, um . . ." Seishirou found himself at a loss for words, which didn't happen very often. "Are you enjoying the married life?" he couldn't resist asking.
"Yes," Subaru said firmly. "I . . . I care for Mitsuki a great deal. I couldn't ask for a better wife. We're quite happy together." There was a hint of a threat in his tone that warned Seishirou not to ask any further questions.
I really hold no place in his life anymore, Seishirou thought distantly. If he's truly happy with her . . . he would never want me again. "I'm glad," he finally said, and he was, in a way that hurt. At least he's happy. If he couldn't be happy with me, at least he's found someone he can be happy with.
"Why are you here?" Subaru asked harshly.
Seishirou raised an eyebrow. "Because your wife invited me."
"You didn't have to come."
"I know."
"Then why did you?"
Because I wanted to see you. Because I wanted to know if there was any chance that you would ever forgive me. Because I wanted to set things right. Because you're what I think about every night as I go to sleep and every morning when I wake up. "Because it would have been rude to turn down the invitation."
Subaru looked away as Mitsuki came back in with the tea. For the rest of the evening, which was mercifully brief, Seishirou and Subaru remained relatively quiet.
"Subaru-chan, see Seishirou out, will you?" Mitsuki asked. "I need to put the kids to bed."
Subaru nodded briefly, then got Seishirou his coat. "Have a good night, Seishirou-san," he said, not looking at the older man.
"Aa," Seishirou said. "You too."
"You know," Subaru said as Seishirou began to walk away, "if you really want to set things right between us . . . it would help if you'd stop lying."
Seishirou turned around to reply, but Subaru had already shut the door.
****
"Well, you were in top form tonight."
Subaru sipped his tea and stared out the window. "I promised to be civil. I never promised to be pleasant."
"Hmph," Mitsuki said. "See if I ever try to do you a favor again."
Subaru turned to her. "Mitsuki-chan, what on earth are you trying to accomplish here?"
"In case you hadn't noticed," Mitsuki said with a sigh. "I'm trying to help you patch up the three-mile wide chasm between you and Seishirou-san."
"Why?" Subaru asked flatly. "You're my wife, Mitsuki-chan."
"Exactly," Mitsuki said. "And as your wife, it's my job to see to it that you're happy." She gave him a long, steady look. "And I really wasn't under the impression that you were."
Subaru sighed and looked away. "Mitsuki . . . what happened between Seishirou and I was a long time ago. I most sincerely doubt there's any hope of the two of us ever being friends again, let alone anything more than friends. And if I can accept that and move on, then I think you ought to be able to as well."
"Fine, then," Mitsuki said. "You let me know when you've accepted it and moved on, and I'll stop. But until then - "
"That wasn't what I meant," Subaru protested.
"I know it wasn't," Mitsuki said. "But if you're going to try to convince me that you've gotten over him, I'm simply not going to believe you."
Subaru looked away again. "He lied to me."
"And apologized. Do you know how hard it is for a man like Seishirou to accept that he's wrong and ask forgiveness?"
"Do you know how hard it would have been for me to grant that forgiveness?" Subaru asked in a low voice.
"If he was willing to do the first for you, you should have done the second for him," Mitsuki replied. "That's what love is, Subaru-chan . . . being willing to endure hardships for the person you love. Even if it's only saying 'I forgive you' or 'I'm sorry.' Even if it's only trying to patch up a rift that you can tell is slowly tearing them apart from the inside out." She leaned over him and kissed his forehead. "You know I love you, Subaru-chan."
"I know," Subaru whispered.
"Then don't lie to me," Mitsuki said. "And don't lie to yourself."
Subaru shrugged.
"You miss him, don't you." Mitsuki pulled out a chair and sat next to him.
He nodded silently.
"Then why won't you at least talk to him? Just be the pleasant person I know is in there."
"I don't know, Mitsuki-chan . . . it's complicated."
Mitsuki gave her husband a long look. "You," she finally said, "think he's angry with you."
Subaru turned red. "That's not it."
"Yes it is. I see right through you. You're afraid that he won't forgive you for being so cold to him and not speaking to him for eight years."
"Okay, that's part of it," Subaru admitted. "But that isn't all of it."
"Well, to begin with, that reason on its own is silly. He brought you flowers, for Kami's sake. He obviously isn't angry with you. Now what are the other reasons?"
"Too many to count, Mitsuki-chan."
Mitsuki wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a comforting hug. "Subaru-chan . . . you know what your biggest problem is? I can say this, because I love you."
"What's my problem?" Subaru asked skeptically.
"When it comes to love, you are a complete and total coward." Mitsuki stood up. "I'm going to bed. Come up whenever you want."
****
It was past midnight when Subaru was done moping and decided to go to bed. He and Mitsuki hadn't shared a room in the early stages of their marriage, but after a year Subaru had decided that having her next to him at night was comforting, in an odd sort of way. So they had agreed to start sharing a room. They had only slept together three times; then Mitsuki had become pregnant and it had no longer been necessary. Subaru never touched her after that beyond a friendly kiss, but Mitsuki had been well-prepared for that
"Do you mind?" Subaru had asked.
Mitsuki had put one hand on the slight swell below her stomach and smiled. "Of course not, Subaru-chan. I knew what I was getting into when I married you."
He had smiled back, relieved. They understood each other.
Still, Subaru reflected as he climbed the stairs, he had never expected her to start throwing him at Seishirou. Or Seishirou at him.
Somehow, he thought, that's just kind of strange.
He heard a giggle from the twins' room and went to investigate. They were huddled together in Sakura's bed, under a blanket and using a flashlight for light. "You two are supposed to be sleeping," Subaru said, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Whoops," Sakura giggled, poking her head out.
Subaru couldn't help but smile. "Come on, you two, don't get me in trouble . . . your mom will have my head if she knew you'd been awake this entire time. And you'll be sleepy in the morning."
"But we're not sleepy now," Tsuki protested.
"Hm . . ." Subaru said. "What if I make you some hot chocolate? Will that make you sleepy?"
"Haaaaiii!" the twins chorused.
He smiled at them. "I'll be back in a minute, then." He went down to the kitchen and made some cocoa, then brought them each up a mug. I can just picture Mitsuki-chan, he thought. 'You're giving them sugar this late at night?' Oh well, hot milk is a soporific, right? He gave each of the twins a mug.
"Wai wai, chocolate!" Sakura gave her father a hug.
"Don't tell your mother," Subaru said warningly.
"We won't," they replied.
He waited until they were done with their cocoa, then tucked them in. "You two go to sleep now," he said firmly.
"We will," Tsuki replied, sounding tired.
"Oyasumi," Subaru said, and left to their sleepy replies.
"You're late coming to bed," Mitsuki said as he walked in.
"I was thinking," Subaru said, changing and getting into bed.
"About Seishirou?"
Subaru sighed. "Mitsuki-chan, I have a wife and two children. I cannot go reconciling with him."
"Why not?" Mitsuki asked calmly.
"Because . . . we're . . . we were . . ."
"You were never lovers, unless there's something big you neglected to tell me," Mitsuki interrupted.
Subaru turned red. "Mitsuki-chaaaaan . . ."
"What?" Mitsuki asked. "Are you going to say that just because you weren't doesn't mean you didn't want to be?"
He went even redder.
"Ah, so you did." Mitsuki looked smug. "And so you still do."
"Mitsuki, you're my wife!" Subaru protested.
"And that gives me the right to tell you that I don't care if you become friends with him again," Mitsuki said. "Or anything else, for that matter."
Subaru shook his head. "I won't be unfaithful to you."
"Subaru-chan, you're my friend. Just because a little piece of paper says we happen to be man and wife, doesn't mean that you'd be betraying me by getting together with Seishirou."
"Who's the Sakurazukamori," Subaru said bitterly.
"So?" Mitsuki asked.
"So! He kills people!"
"He isn't going to kill you," Mitsuki said bluntly.
"That doesn't mean I can forgive him for all the other people he's killed." Subaru lay down and stared at the ceiling.
Mitsuki sighed. "I suppose you do have a point there, but just . . . think about it. Okay, Subaru-chan?"
"Okay," he said. "I'll think about it."
"Good." She nestled up next to him. "That's all I ask."
****
Subaru coughed. And coughed again. And kept coughing.
He was not having a good day.
He pushed his sopping wet hair out of his face and kept walking, his slim frame practically swept off his feet by the storm. It had been pouring for hours, but a job was a job and somebody had to do it. Unfortunately, someone was Subaru. He thought longingly of home, hot soup, and bed. But he was so tired after two nearly sleepless nights that he wasn't even walking straight anymore.
And where the hell was a taxi when he really needed one, anyway? He didn't like to take taxis; walking was good for his health and, while the Sumeragi had money to spare, he preferred to save it for more important things. An education for his children, for one thing, though if their lives went anything like his, they'd probably never make it through high school.
He leaned against a wall, coughing so hard that he thought he might throw up. Too many cigarettes lately - that was a habit Mitsuki would kill him if she knew he still had. He had started shortly after he'd stopped seeing Seishirou, and she'd been trying to get him to quit ever since. He didn't usually smoke, more out of fear of her anger than consciousness of his health, but sometimes he used cigarettes to destress.
He was thoroughly soaked from the walk home, and so tired that he'd somehow taken a wrong turn and now wasn't even entirely sure where he was. Why did I stop paying attention to where I was going? he asked with an inward moan. Now he'd be out in the storm even longer, and he was willing to bet that he already had a fever. He looked around for a landmark, and let out a near hysterical laugh. Why do my feet take me here when I stop paying attention?
He stared up at the Tree, eyes slightly unfocused. Of course his feet would bring him there - whether he liked it or not (and he most certainly did not), he was still irresistibly drawn to Seishirou and everything he attached to the man.
Damn the man anyway, Subaru thought uncharitably, pulling out a cigarette. He could light it while still under the sakura. At least from here he knew his way home.
If it can even really be called home, Subaru thought, then shook the thought off immediately. He was happy with Mitsuki, in a lukewarm sort of way. Subaru believed that there was no such thing as true happiness, so why sneer at what life gave you when it was a beautiful wife and two wonderful children?
"Those are bad for you, you know."
Subaru began coughing again, leaning against the Tree to keep his balance. He finally managed to breathe properly again and looked up at Seishirou. His eyes widened.
Seishirou was leaning, giving an appearance of complete indifference, against the Tree. He wasn't even looking at Subaru, but instead was staring up through the petals. He also seemed completely unconcerned with the fact that Subaru was there at all, even though his gloves were dripping blood.
"You - " Subaru began, and stopped himself.
Seishirou turned to him with a cheerful smile, taking the gloves off and dropping them at the foot of the Tree. "Fancy meeting a man like you in a place like this."
"S-S-Seishirou-saaaan!" Subaru sputtered.
Seishirou smirked. "What brings you here, Subaru-kun? I thought you wanted to have nothing to do with me."
"You thought correctly," Subaru said stiffly. "I was just coming out of the rain to light my cigarette."
Seishirou chuckled. "And that's why you've been standing here like a rock, staring up at the Tree, for the past ten minutes?"
Subaru turned red. I didn't even know I was doing that, damn it. "You were watching?" he asked.
"Of course," Seishirou said. "It's a treat I don't get very often. Now why are you here?"
"I got lost," Subaru admitted sullenly. "I was wandering around and somehow ended up here."
"Hm," Seishirou said. "Fancy that."
"Oh, be quiet," Subaru replied. His eyes kept straying to the gloves. "I see you've been busy," he snapped.
Seishirou gave him a steady look. "We all have to eat, Subaru-kun."
"Do you mean you or the Tree?" Subaru retorted.
Seishirou raised an elegant eyebrow. "I was referring to myself, though I suppose you could take it the other way if you were in a morbid mood. Which I see you are."
Subaru was going to come up with what he was sure would be a really sharp comeback, but he was overtaken by another coughing fit and had to catch hold of the Tree to keep from falling.
"That doesn't sound good," Seishirou said conversationally, lighting a cigarette of his own. "You shouldn't be out in this weather."
"I was working," Subaru wheezed.
Seishirou shook his head. "You always did have an over-zealous work ethic, if you ask me. Why didn't you take a taxi?"
"Couldn't find one." Subaru finally managed to get in a full breath. "But you're right. I should be going."
"May I walk you home?" Seishirou asked, smiling.
"No thanks," Subaru said.
"I have an umbrella . . ." Seishirou said with an infuriating smirk.
Subaru paused, sorely tempted. They would probably only end up walking together for about ten minutes before he managed to find a taxi, and the thought of getting even more drenched was not an appealing one. How much damage could Seishirou really do in ten minutes? "I suppose, then, if you're that enthusiastic," he said half-heartedly.
"Anything to spend time with my Subaru-kun," Seishirou said, dropping his cigarette and opening his umbrella.
"I'm hardly yours," Subaru said irritably.
"And I mourn your loss," Seishirou said with a charming smile.
Subaru ground his teeth. "Do you have to make this as unpleasant as possible?" he asked as they ventured out into the storm.
"I'm having fun," Seishirou pointed out. "You're the one being a - " He cut himself off abruptly.
"A what?" Subaru stopped, arms crossed, facing him.
"Never mind." Seishirou kept walking.
Subaru hastened to catch up with him and not be left in the rain. "A what?" he persisted.
"The words that leapt to my mind were 'spoiled brat', but somehow I didn't think you'd appreciate that."
Subaru gave him a disdainful look.
"Exactly," Seishirou said, lighting another cigarette.
Subaru began to cough again, and Seishirou stopped midstep while Subaru nearly bent double, trying to catch his breath.
"You really are sick, aren't you," Seishirou said thoughtfully.
Subaru gave him a disgusted look.
"In that case, my apartment's only a block away; why don't you come up and you can call Mitsuki to come get you?"
Subaru looked alarmed. "No!" He coughed again, regaining his composure. "Thank you, but no. I'm sure we'll find a taxi soon."
"It's getting late," Seishirou said doubtfully. "I'm really not sure you will, and you shouldn't walk all the way back to your house in this condition." He reached out suddenly and put a hand on Subaru's forehead; it took a concerted effort for the Sumeragi to not flinch away. "You have a fever," he said.
"Who's surprised?" Subaru muttered.
Seishirou laughed. "You do get fevers at the drop of a hat, don't you. Must be all the magical backlash. Come on. I'll make you some tea and you can wait for Mitsuki. I won't even talk to you if you don't want."
Subaru sighed; there was really no way he could refute the good sense in the plan. "Oh, all right," he said.
Seishirou smiled brilliant and turned around a corner. Within a few minutes, he and Subaru were in his apartment. "Let me get you some towels and dry clothes," Seishirou said.
Subaru tried not to blush. "Arigatou. Can I use your phone?"
"Go ahead," Seishirou said, disappearing into another room.
Subaru picked up the phone and dialed his home number.
"Sumeragi desu."
"Mitsuki-chan, it's me."
"Subaru-chan! I was just getting worried. Where are you?"
"Promise not to laugh," Subaru said warningly.
Mitsuki blinked. "All right, I promise not to laugh."
"I'm at Seishirou-san's."
There was a muffled noise as Mitsuki forcibly held back her giggles.
"You're laughing at me, aren't you."
"Of course not, Subaru-chan. How did you end up there?"
Subaru sighed. "I got lost coming home because I was so tired, and Seishirou-san and I ran into each other. He offered to walk me home, as he had an umbrella and I had none, and I couldn't find a taxi anywhere. The problem is - " He broke off, coughing.
"You sound awful," Mitsuki said.
"I know, that's the problem," Subaru managed. "He said I shouldn't be out in this weather and as his apartment was very close by, I should come up and call you to come get me."
"Quite the gentleman," Mitsuki said, sounding amused.
Subaru sighed. "Could you please just come pick me up, Mitsuki-chan?"
"Subaru, the kids are in bed by now!" Mitsuki sounded surprised he had even suggested such a thing. "It's far too late to get anyone to come over and watch them. And you know how grumpy they are if you wake them up in the middle of the night." She paused. "You'll just have to stay there tonight."
Pause for Subaru to have another fit of coughing. "Mitsuki-chan, you have got to be kidding me."
"And what would you suggest I do?" Mitsuki asked.
Subaru ground his teeth. Again. "Hold on a minute, Mitsuki-chan."
Seishirou had walked into the room during this last pause, looking at him questioningly and holding a stack of towels. "What's wrong?" he asked, handing two of them to Subaru.
"She says the kids are in bed and she can't come get me," Subaru said helplessly.
Seishirou's lips twitched.
"This is NOT FUNNY!" Subaru protested.
Seishirou pressed his lips together firmly to hold back a smile. "Of course it isn't, Subaru-kun."
"And stop patronizing me!" Subaru yelled. He heard a stream of giggles from the phone. "Oh, some help you are," he snapped.
"Gomen, Subaru-chan - " Mitsuki managed before breaking into laughter again.
Subaru waited until she had calmed. "You're enjoying this, aren't you."
"Immensely, my dear husband. I'll see you tomorrow morning!"
Subaru stared helplessly at the phone, then even more helplessly at Seishirou. "She hung up," he said weakly.
Seishirou somehow managed to keep a straight face. "I'm sorry to hear that, Subaru-kun." He handed the Sumeragi some dry clothes. "Why don't you dry off and change while I make some tea?"
"H-hai," Subaru said, still seeming somewhat bewildered.
"Bathroom's down the hall," Seishirou said, motioning with one hand.
Blushing, Subaru headed down the hall.
Seishirou picked up the phone and hit redial, tucking it against his shoulder so he could make tea while he talked.
"Sumeragi desu."
"Mitsuki, what are you doing?"
Mitsuki snickered. "I'm giving you a hand, Seishirou, what else?"
Seishirou closed his eyes with a pained expression. "You should probably know that your husband is quite ill."
"It's all right, I trust you to take care of him," Mitsuki said cheerfully.
"And you do know that tomorrow morning, Subaru-kun will go home just as angry with me as ever?"
"I can hope, can't I?" Mitsuki asked.
Seishirou paused. "Subaru's right. You're having altogether too much fun with this."
"Just wait until Hokuto-chan gets back from her honeymoon and I can get her in on the act!" Mitsuki said cheerfully.
Seishirou paled. "Oh God."
"Exactly!" Mitsuki said. "Jaa ne, Seishirou!"
Seishirou sighed as she hung up and put the phone back in the cradle. Subaru wandered out of the bathroom looking dazed and adorable, swimming in Seishirou's clothes. Seishirou suppressed a smile and handed him a cup of tea.
"Arigatou." Subaru accepted it and sipped at it absently.
"You should probably get some rest," Seishirou said. "Less time you have to actually spend with me, that way."
Subaru blushed crimson, glaring at him. "Can't you drive me home?" he asked.
"I don't own a car, Subaru-kun," Seishirou said. "I don't need one."
Subaru sighed. "All right, all right, I'll sleep," he mumbled.
Seishirou propelled him towards the couch and gave him a blanket, listening to him cough. "You should probably go to a doctor tomorrow," he said.
"Hai, hai . . ." Subaru's voice trailed off.
Seishirou sighed. He was not going to get any sleep.
****
Author's Notes: I claim no personal responsibility for that scene. This is what happens when I try to write and I'm dead tired.
