Here's part nine... it's kinda weird. Some vague angst, but that's really it for warnings.

Part Nine

Seishirou woke up feeling just as exhausted as he had when he'd finally passed out. He lifted one hand to his eyes, rubbing them, trying to force himself to wake up. Where the hell am I? he wondered, looking around the room.

::Hokuto's. She brought you here after you fainted yesterday.::

::Yesterday?::

::Yeah. It's midafternoon now. Go back to sleep, Seishirou -- you're still tired, I can tell.::

::I'm going home.:: Seishirou sat up, ignoring the wave of dizziness. Hokuto had left a note on the bedside table.

'Good morning, or afternoon, whichever. Your clothes are in the dryer downstairs. I bandaged your arm for you -- it was just a small wound; it bled a lot but it was okay other than that. That's probably why you passed out, you know! Anyway, I'm over at Subaru's making sure that Mitsuki is okay. I called your office this morning and told Akia-san that you'd been injured in a fall and probably wouldn't be in for a couple days. Stick around and I'll feed you dinner. I think Subaru wants to talk to you anyway. -- Hokuto."

Oh, I'm sure Subaru wants to talk to me, Seishirou reflected bitterly. He probably wants to tell me how sorry he is things couldn't work out. He got out of bed, realizing that someone -- he hoped to God it was Hokuto -- had stripped him down to his boxers before dumping him in bed.

He got his clothes from the dryer and dressed.

::Not staying for dinner?:: the Tree asked.

::No. Why should I?::

::At least leave her a note.::

Seishirou paused, but that was reasonable. He left Hokuto a note saying he was sorry he couldn't stay, but he wanted to go home and rest some more.

::She won't buy it,:: the Tree told him.

::Yeah, I know.::

He took a taxi home, then crawled into bed.

::You going to go back to sleep?::

::Yeah. I'm tired.::

::You should probably eat.::

::Later.::

::Oh, yeah, I know all about you and 'dinner later,':: the Tree replied, but Seishirou was already asleep.

****

Subaru woke up to find that his arm was pinned underneath Sakura at an extremely odd angle. He pulled it out carefully from where it had gotten buried underneath his daughter and shook it, waiting for the blood to return to his fingers.

Sakura giggled a little in her sleep and snuggled closer. Tsuki was curled up between Sakura and Mitsuki, whose arm was draped over both her children, her fingers wound through Subaru's.

They had just barely had enough energy the night before to collapse into the bed Subaru and Mitsuki usually had to themselves before all four of them were asleep. Hokuto had volunteered to get Seishirou's arm taken care of and see that he found himself a bed as well.

The Tree had spoken in Subaru's mind long enough to say that it would make sure no one 'rekidnapped' them. Something about not letting all that effort go to waste. The memory wasn't clear, but Subaru was positive that the Tree was pissed at him.

He wasn't sure he really blamed it. He felt bad about Seishirou getting shot, and more than little guilty about practically ignoring the man afterwards.

Well, he'd just have to see Seishirou and apologize and straighten it out. That was all.

He would admit that his heart had done a complete backflip when he'd seen Seishirou collapse. Fortunately for him, Hokuto anticipated his reaction and hastened to reassure him that the older man was all right. Just blood loss and too much magic on too little sleep, that was all.

He'd wanted to see that Seishirou got home all right, but Hokuto had promised to take care of him. As he was tired enough to collapse himself, and none of his family were doing any better, he took her up on the offer and went home. It was kind of spooky, sleeping in the same house they'd been attacked in. He made a mental note to start looking at real estate advertisements.

He wanted to stay in bed for a while yet, safe and cozy and knowing that his family wasn't going anywhere. However, gnawing hunger -- and knowing that the rest of them would be even more hungry when they woke up -- pried him out of bed.

He could already smell breakfast cooking as he padded down the stairs.

"You're the best sister ever." He gave Hokuto a grateful hug as she looked up at the sound of his voice. "How can I repay you for this one?"

She opened her mouth.

"Ah, so I'm to talk to Seishirou-san?" He smiled a little. "I figured."

She sighed. "You're incorrigible," she said, poking him with a spatula. "But you promised last night, anyway."

"Did I?" Subaru frowned. "When?"

"When you were grilling me mercilessly to make sure I'd take proper care of him." Hokuto grinned. "I asked you if you would talk to him and you said yes, you felt terrible about him getting shot and all."

"Oh." Subaru shrugged. "Don't remember it, but there's a lot about yesterday night that's blurry. How is Seishirou-san, anyway?"

"He's fine. I took him to my house, bandaged his arm, and put him to bed. He was still sleeping when I left this morning. I left him a note saying to stay for dinner and he could talk to you then."

"Great." Subaru gave his sister a look. "Why didn't you just write 'run away'?"

"Oh, he won't run off," Hokuto said. "He wants to talk to you, too."

"No, he doesn't."

"Why wouldn't he?"

"Because he's going to be moping about last night."

Hokuto regarded him skeptically. "Just because you and Mitsuki had a tearful reunion . . ."

"Come on. This is Seishirou-san we're talking about."

"Hmm, good point."

"Besides, the Tree is mad at me."

"Mad? What for?"

"Beats me. But trust me. It's mad."

"Well, if Seishirou does run off, I'll just give him a call tomorrow," Hokuto said with a sigh.

"I still need to talk to Mitsuki, too."

"About what?"

Subaru turned to see his wife standing in the doorway. "Oh, you're up." He walked over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine this morning." She smiled and accepted his hug. "Now what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Um . . ." Subaru turned bright red.

"Have some tea, Subaru-chan, Mitsuki-chan." Hokuto shooed them over to the table and gave them both a mug of tea. "Think the kids would like breakfast in bed? I bet they would. I'll just go bring them that." She grabbed two plates of food and left the room.

Mitsuki raised an eyebrow at her husband.

He sighed. "You were right, you're always right, I'm in love with Seishirou-san. But I don't know what to do."

Mitsuki clapped her hands gleefully, a huge grin blossoming on her face. "I knew this would get you to come around!"

"You being kidnapped?"

"No, me harrassing you as often as possible," she clarified. "Though I bet the kidnapping helped. Because Seishirou helped you find me, ne?"

He nodded. "Some other stuff happened, too."

"Well, tell me." She gave him an imperious look.

Subaru had no choice but to obey. He started at the beginning and left nothing out.

Mitsuki had to bite her lips to keep from grinning a few times, but managed it in the end. "So now what?"

"Well, for starters, I thought you should know."

"Good. You're learning."

"But I don't know what to do."

"Why not? Don't say because you're married. I'll hit you."

He laughed a little. "No. Because I know . . . you'd let me do whatever made me happy. But . . . I don't know what to do. Because if I just told him . . . I don't think he'd believe me."

"Hm." Mitsuki folded her hands together. "That is a problem."

"Especially after last night. I mean, me kissing you and all. And ignoring him. I was . . . I was glad to see you again. But I don't think he really understands that. Or maybe he does, and he's just taking it the wrong way."

"I bet if you kissed him a few times, he'd get the picture."

Subaru blushed.

"I'm right, aren't I?"

He nodded. "I guess. But kissing isn't believing."

"Well, it can't hurt to try!"

"I'm just afraid that he'll start avoiding me."

Mitsuki rolled her eyes. "If he does, I'll just call him and say he's doing to you exactly what you did to him. I bet that will get him to stop."

Subaru blushed again. "Thanks, Mitsuki. For . . . for understanding."

She leaned over the table and kissed his forehead. "That's what wives are for."

****

::Get up.::

"No."

::Why not?::

"I don't feel like it."

::Seishirou, you have slept for, at this point, forty-two hours. Minus an hour to get from Hokuto's to home. You don't need any more sleep. You're not even tired. Now get up.::

"I didn't say I was tired. I said I don't feel like it."

::You mean you don't feel like facing the eight thousand messages from a certain set of twins who are wondering if you've fallen off the face of the planet.::

"Take it however you want. I'm still not getting up."

::At least eat something.::

"I'm not hungry."

::Yes you are. Don't be an ass. If you want me to let you sleep, get up and eat something first.::

Seishirou gave the ceiling a suspicious look, which was rather unfair, as it hadn't done anything wrong. "Really?"

::Yes. But go eat something. I'll even make a deal with you.::

"Deal?" Seishirou looked even more suspicious.

::I'll help you out this time. Under one condition.::

Seishirou listened to the terms and agreed.

::Good. Now go eat.::

"Okay." Seishirou hauled himself out of bed, went to the kitchen, and made tea and some lunch. After forcing himself to eat a rather large portion of it, he crawled back into bed. "Wake me when you're hungry," he said, then closed his eyes and drifted off.

****

Ring.

"Pick up the phone, Sei-chan."

Ring.

"Now."

Ring.

"Damn it, Sei-chan, where the hell are you?"

Ring.

"It's been three days and you haven't even called me. That's unfair and I don't like it. Now pick up your phone."

Ring.

"Sei-chaaaaaan!"

Click. "Hai, Sakurazuka desu. I can't come to the phone right now . . ."

After leaving a rather nasty message that consisted mostly of, 'I don't know why I'm leaving this, seeing as you haven't returned any of my others,' Hokuto slammed the phone back into the cradle.

::He's not going to call back.::

"I know he's not going to call back!" Hokuto said furiously, then jumped. "Don't do that!"

::Sorry. I'd like to speak with you. In person.::

"Why?"

::Because it takes energy to communicate with anyone other than my master, and it'd be far easier if you came to me.::

"Oh. Okay."

Ten minutes later, Hokuto was on her way to Ueno Park. When she finally rounded the corner before the Tree, she saw a tall, slender figure leaning against it. "Sei-chan!" she yelled, almost ready to forget her anger in her pleasure in seeing him again.

Then the figure turned.

"Ah, gomen," Hokuto said, trying not to look disappointed. "I thought you were . . . were . . ." Her eyes began to widen.

The figure bowed. "At last we finally meet."

She stared. Tall, thin. Almost willowy. His hair was so pale that it was practically white, and reached just past his chin. His skin was dead pale; his eyes a light grey. He was wearing a grey trenchcoat that was the same shade, that covered a darker grey button down shirt and slacks.

"I didn't know you could take human form," she said, finally recovering from her shock.

"I can't, technically," the Tree replied. "But where did you think Seishirou learned to do his illusions?"

Hokuto paused. Seeing as the illusions weren't technically onmyoujitsu, she supposed he must have learned them somewhere. "So you aren't really there?"

"Not technically. Would you like to join me for tea?"

She regarded him suspiciously. "Why?"

"I said. I'd like to speak with you."

"Okaaaay . . ." Hokuto's tone of voice implied that she wasn't sure she was too fond of the idea.

"You'll have to pay," he said smoothly. "I would, but any illusional money I appear to have will disappear as soon as I end the illusion."

She sighed. "That's fine."

They settled fairly quickly in a tea shop that the twins and Seishirou had often frequented when they were younger and still went to Ueno Park on a regular basis. "So?" Hokuto asked.

"I thought you'd like to know why Seishirou isn't answering his phone."

"It'd be nice."

"He's asleep."

Hokuto blinked. Then she waited as a waitress took their order. "Asleep?"

"Yes. He's asleep."

"The phone wakes Seishirou up. I know; I've done it by accident. He keeps odd hours sometimes."

"It's because he occasionally has to be up late feeding me." The Tree paused, a faint frown creasing his face. "All right, he's not 'asleep.' Have you ever seen anyone go Within?"

She frowned. "No . . ."

Another pause while their tea was set down in front of them.

"It's a simple process of hiding within one's own mind. Some people stay awake and just go blank, some people sleep. Seishirou sleeps."

"And why is he doing this?"

The Tree shrugged. "He doesn't feel like being part of the real world right at this moment, and I don't really blame him. He's simply choosing to not wake up. He's relying on me to wake him at dusk every day so he can eat a meal, and thus he will not die. When I am hungry, he'll come out for longer so he can ensure my safety as well. Other than that, he is not 'here.'"

"Then why did he never do it before? He's had reason."

"He has."

"Come on. I'd have noticed."

"No you didn't."

"When?"

"Remember that week right after he realized that your brother wasn't coming back to him?"

"He was sick."

"No he wasn't."

Hokuto glared at the Tree. "Explain."

"He was miserable, Hokuto. He hid. I let him; he needed a vacation, even if a self-induced one probably wasn't the best idea in the world. I woke him up so he could eat. He told you he had -- what was it again?"

"I don't remember anymore. Pneumonia or mono or something."

"Whatever it was. On occasion he would call you and reassure you that he was still alive. But he wouldn't see you, because you would've noticed. He was sick, Hokuto -- but in the heart, not in the body."

"And now he's sick again?" Hokuto surmised.

"Yes. But this time I thought I had better explain properly."

"Why? Why not just let him fool me again?"

"Because Seishirou and I made a deal. I'm helping him, by keeping him asleep except at mealtimes. In exchange, I don't want him to see your brother anymore."

Hokuto raised an eyebrow. "For how long?"

"For his lifetime. The Sumeragi has hurt my master enough, and I won't let it continue."

She gaped at him. "And Seishirou agreed to this?"

"Seishirou has no wish to be hurt any more than he's already been."

"You . . . you . . . you stupid, idiotic, moronic, half-witted baka excuse for a soul-sucking Tree!" Hokuto fortunately didn't shriek. Instead, she kicked him in the shins under the table. "And you call my brother dense!! What the hell is wrong with you?"

He blinked at her.

"Subaru is in love with your master, you . . . you! I've used up all my synonyms for stupid. You ninny! He was going to tell him, but Seishirou ran off and now he's hiding like some . . . some pathetic lovesick teenager!" She pointed across the table at him with her teaspoon. "You wake him up and get him down here right this instant!"

He suddenly broke into a grin. "I like you," he said. "You're cute like your brother, but feisty."

Hokuto drooped all over the table.

"Well, I'm not going to wake him this instant," the Tree said. "But I will reconsider what I said. If you're positive."

"He told me," Hokuto said. "He told Mitsuki, too! They planned out how he was going to tell Seishirou, and then his Majesty pulled his damn disappearing act and Subaru's been moping ever since! He knows he screwed up that night, but come on. He's not in love with Mitsuki, but she's still his wife, he still cares for her, and she'd still been kidnapped and missing and possibly dead for two days! He was allowed to kiss her! And he would've said something to Seishirou about him getting shot if Seishirou hadn't immediately gotten up and told him to look elsewhere because he was going to start the carnage. Give my brother a small break, please."

"I wasn't sure," the Tree said, sounding defensive. "I can usually read people, but the Sumeragi had closed off his heart to me, and that made me nervous and angry."

"You . . . never mind. He closed his heart because he wanted to tell Seishirou. He didn't want you beating him to it."

"I suppose." The Tree sipped his tea. Hokuto watched, wondering, if the tea was real, and the Tree's human form was illusory, would the tea splurt everywhere when the illusion ended? Or maybe the fact that the level was going down in the cup was an illusion instead.

"Please." Hokuto sighed. "Let Subaru make your master happy. I know he can. And I know he wants to. Give me a small break -- I've been trying to set them up far longer than you have."

The Tree laughed. "I guess that's true. And I suppose I didn't help the situation at first."

"No. Why did you want Subaru, anyway?"

The Tree shrugged. "I see someone I like, I want to keep them with me for all time. Doesn't that make sense?"

"Sure, in a disturbing sort of way. You don't like me that much, right?"

"Perhaps, but Seishirou would never kill you, so it doesn't matter. That's why the Sakurazukamori usually comes to me when they die, you know. So I can keep them with me." He frowned. "Though I don't think Seishirou will like that much. I may just have to let him go. It's a pity; I'm rather fond of him. He's a terribly bad influence on me."

Hokuto laughed. "Oh, I did want to ask you something, actually. Why did you offer to protect me? I asked Seishirou earlier, but he said you wouldn't tell him."

The Tree shrugged. "I felt I owed you a favor. You, after all, are probably the only reason Seishirou didn't waste away after your brother. I can only do so much -- and the fact that you're always so disgustingly cheerful helped him, in an odd way. And you gave him a way to talk about the Sumeragi, which is something he never really liked discussing with me, because I was far too logical about it."

"Ah." Hokuto took a drink of her tea and nodded.

"Besides. As I said, I like you."

"Great. So what are you going to do?"

"About Seishirou? If I wake him up right now, he'll be suspicious. I'll wait until tonight, then do it. Or maybe tomorrow night. The trick is to keep him awake."

"Can you get him to come over Sunday?"

"Not likely. What day is it today, anyway?"

"Friday." Hokuto frowned. "I was thinking we could surprise him, but not if we can't get him to come over."

"Sure you can." The Tree smirked. "I'll get him to leave -- he'll need to buy groceries by then anyway. He keeps the spare key under the little rug in front of his door. Fairly obvious, I said, but he's never been robbed so I guess it's all right. You can surprise him in his own apartment."

"That's a great idea!" Hokuto grinned.

The Tree smiled back. "I guarantee you," he said after a moment, "that Seishirou will forbid the two of us from ever speaking again."

Hokuto just laughed.

****

For some reason, I think the Tree is terribly cute in that scene ^__^