Carry Your Reflection
Chapter Two: Hunter
By Seishuku Skuld (skuldsai@magicgirl.com)
Series: X/Tokyo Babylon
Pairing: Seishirou + Subaru
Warning: implied non-consensual sex in this chapter.
This chapter is dedicated to: Charmii! For her wonderful thoughts of Seishirou and Subaru in matching red thongs. O_O
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Subaru awakens slowly, his mind reluctantly lifting itself from the haze of slumber. He groans, and rolls over, pressing himself against the warm bedsheets underneath him. He sighs contentedly, wondering what it was that happened last night that makes him so satisfied in the morning.
His eyes suddenly snap open as he remembers.
::Sakurazukamori.::
He sits up, fully alert, his eyes scanning the room. He can barely make out the furnishings in the room, only a thin ray of the morning sunlight streams in through a tiny crack in the black curtains. He sees a shadow of a chair, a lamp, a full-length mirror, the closed doors to a large closet.
This is not his bedroom. Subaru turns, he is lying naked in one side of the bed, the other side is mussed, the pillow obviously recently slept in. His clothes lie in a disheveled pile on the floor. Subaru throws the blankets from him, and shifts his body, putting his cold feet on the richly carpeted floor.
::Ouch.::
He hurts. His heart stops, his eyes widen.
::No.::
He shakes his head, his breathing quickens.
::No…he didn't…::
Seishirou is nowhere to be seen, but Subaru will stake his life that this is his apartment, and that this is Seishirou's bedroom, he is sitting in Seishirou's bed, sore in places he never knew he had. Sore in some places he hasn't even touched himself.
::No…please…don't let…::
Unbidden tears rise to his eyes.
::Please…::
He shakes his head again, in disbelief. It just couldn't be. Why is he here in Seishirou's apartment? Why is he not dead? Why didn't Seishirou kill him? Why won't Seishirou just leave him alone? Why did he have to…to him?
Subaru dresses quickly, his mind still whirling. He remembers being bound by Seishirou's illusion, Seishirou touching his cheek gently, telling him to sleep. And after that, he remembers nothing. His breath catches in his throat and an unexpected tear falls from emerald eyes. Seishirou did…when he was asleep…
He pulls his clothes on quickly, intending to find the Sakurazukamori. What would he do then? Try to kill him? Try not let his shame and embarrassment show? Just the thought of Seishirou doing that to him, when he was unconscious…it makes him want to disappear, melt into the floor and which he never existed. It makes him question why he is still here, why he hasn't yet fled the apartment, and the hell that Seishirou has put him through.
He opens the door cautiously, cheeks flushed with shame. He fervently hopes that Seishirou has gone on his business, but the man sits quietly at the counter of his kitchenette, an ashtray in front of him and a cigarette in one hand. The curtains of the room are also drawn, the man is wreathed in a heavy, oppressing darkness. He is still, like the shadow of a giant vulture. At the sound of the door, he looks up slightly at the figure of the Sumeragi, tears spilling down the boy's cheeks.
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Subaru-kun," the Sakurazukamori says coolly. No smile. No feeling. Just a 'good morning.'
Subaru-kun freezes for a moment, wondering what to say. What could he say? What could he possibly say that would change anything? It is obvious now that despite everything, he belongs to Seishirou. Seishirou made him his last night…and he hadn't even the chance to offer resistance.
"Let me go," the Sumeragi finally whispers, his voice breathy, racked by the uncontrolled sobs of his body.
Seishirou says nothing, turning back to his cigarette, and staring into the darkness, looking anywhere but at Subaru.
"Let me go," the Sumeragi insists again, his entire fragile frame shaking with the effort of the passion of his words. "I don't want you in my life anymore."
Seishirou sits quietly, listening to Subaru begin his angry tirade. Let him expend his emotions. It has obviously been too long since the boy has let himself go like this.
"LET ME GO!" Subaru shouts, clenching a fist, taking a step forward towards Seishirou. His eyes are green daggers, boring angrily into Seishirou's frame, trying to pierce him with the sheer force of all his pain and shame. "I don't want you in my life, Sakurazukamori." He spits the title like a plague. "I hate you! I wish I'd never met you, I wish you'd never come in on my life!"
::You taint everything you touch.::
"I want another chance at life," the young onmyouji continues, some of his heat expelled. He now stares at the ceiling, as if hoping for strength from the gods. "I want to take a chance at life again, on my own. Let me go!"
Seishirou sets down his cigarette slowly, and turns to look at Subaru. For a moment, the boy trembles, but he remembers what the Sakurazukamori did to him last night, and his anger gives him strength to face his adversary.
"I want to leave. I want you out of my life. I want it back again, untouched by you."
Subaru pauses, looking at Seishirou's expression. The other man betrays nothing, just simply stares back at Subaru. Subaru looks longer, Seishirou's silence reinforcing his flagging willpower. What does he see behind the veil of darkness? A flash of pity? Subaru is about to wonder, but it disappears as quickly as it comes. Did he even see it there?
"I'm leaving." Subaru turns away. Seishirou makes no effort to stop him. He walks to the door, gathering what is left of his pride and dignity. He hopes this is the last time he has to see these walls.
Subaru has his hand on the chill metal of the doorknob before Seishirou finally speaks. "You could have left any time, Subaru-kun," the assassin says quietly. "You were always free to go." He gestures, a simple movement of the arm that suggests that Subaru should proceed.
The Sumeragi does, even though Seishirou's words were a lie. "Goodbye, Seishirou-san," he says stiffly. No thanks for his 'hospitality,' no thanks for anything, only lingering feelings of anger and hatred.
Will Seishirou really leave him alone? Has Seishirou really let him go? That, he doubts. But nevertheless, he has told the man what he wanted to. He opens the door quickly, walks out, and lets it slam behind him. Then he breaks into a run in the hall, trying desperately to get away before the Sakurazukamori decides he wants to keep his prey after all.
Seishirou lights another cigarette, the orange glow of the burning tobacco the sole source of any light in the dark room. He let Subaru go. As a wise man should. A small part of him examines himself critically.
{Why did you do it, Sakurazukamori?}
Seishirou exhales, and taps the ash from the butt of his cigarette.
{Because you cried in your sleep, Subaru-kun.}
End Hunter