THANKS TO: panatlantic (glad to see i didn't scare you off), marian (borrow... subaru? *smacks head* i never would've thought of that... guess i'm as dense as Kamui. wait, i am borrowing him for the purposes of this fic. but sadly, i'm no professional subaru-stalker ;_;), Akiya (i'll try to keep the chapters coming!), Silver Hawk (ahahah, yes! i love silly sei-chan), and Hitori (glad people are finding this funny; that was my intention ^_^).
PREMISE: Tokyo Babylon and X both occur in the year 1999. This means that Seishirou, Subaru, and Hokuto retain their TB ages/personalities.
DISCLAIMER: Tokyo Babylon/X and their characters are not mine.
Be Careful What You Wish For
Chapter 6: Okay, Here's the Plan
Hokuto leaned half across the table, gossamer wings attached to her back fluttering. "What we need," she announced grandly, "is a gameplan!"
"What gameplan? My life is over," Subaru despaired. "If I couldn't make him feel anything in ten months, what chance do I have with only two?"
"That's because you were too shy for it to go anywhere." Hokuto sat back, looking a little put-out. "I was hoping he'd eventually wear down your resistance and you'd be happy together, but I guess that's not going to happen."
"Obviously not," Kamui snorted.
Hokuto sighed, then brightened with usual optimism. "So instead, you have to take the initiative. Subaru-chan, you're going to seduce the Sakurazukamori."
"Oh, really?" Seishirou produced his glasses, which he obviously didn't need, from his coat pocket. He slid them back on his face anyway. "This should prove interesting," he said smilingly at the agitated boy next to him.
Subaru mumbled something.
"What was that, Subaru-kun?" Seishirou inquired politely. He slid closer along the vinyl booth, trapping Subaru against the wall. "I didn't quite catch it."
Rather than answering, the embarrassed teen leaned forward toward his sister. "I-I can't seduce him," he whispered.
"Do you want to die, Subaru?"
There was a small shake of the head.
"Then you have no choice!" she chirped, sounding far too happy with the situation.
A waitress, different from the one that had taken their order earlier, came by to set down small plates of dessert and serve cups of tea and coffee. The shiny gold-plated nametag pinned across her obviously braless bust read 'Kanoe.'
Seishirou thanked her warmly, and emboldened, she shot him a flirtatious look. He was certainly a welcome change from the obnoxious teenagers or parents with grubby children that made up most of her clientele. And if his simple yet classy clothes were any indication, he would be a good tipper.
"Is there anything else you need?" Kanoe asked coyly.
Hokuto glared at her, eyes hard flints at the blatant come-on. "We're perfectly fine," she cut in loudly before Seishirou had a chance to answer.
Kanoe was about to snipe back, but realized that this girl might be the man's younger sister. She was certainly too young to be his girlfriend, and the flamboyant way she was dressed would embarrass anyone but a relation into not being seen with her in public.
So Kanoe held her tongue and directed a sultry smile at Seishirou. "I'll check back in a while," she cooed and clicked away in her heels, confident that he was checking out her ass.
"That was a little rude, Hokuto-chan," Seishirou revoked mildly, when Subaru didn't. He poured cream into his coffee and stirred it. "It isn't like I'm interested. She was just doing her job."
"I know... but... it just made me so mad!" Hokuto admitted with a rueful grin. "You belong only to Subaru, and Subaru only to you."
Next to her, Kamui glowered. Why did she automatically assume Seishirou and Subaru would be perfect together? Subaru certainly didn't look happy; in fact, he looked downright miserable.
Currently, the Sumeragi head was shredding a napkin to halves, fourths, eighths, sixteenths, thirty-seconds... he stopped only when the pieces became too tiny and the stack too thick to rip through. Then he'd empty the fragments on the table, grab a new one, and repeat the cycle.
"Subaru-kun." Seishirou put his hands over Subaru's, forcibly stopping the nervous action. He pried the napkin shreds from reluctant hands and dumped them on the table. "Your tea is getting cold."
Obediently, Subaru picked up his cup and took a small sip. He set it back down but kept his hands wrapped around it.
Kamui sulked. His tea was getting cold, too, but did anyone care? Nooo...
Not that he expected or wanted Seishirou's attention, but it would've been nice for someone to notice and comment.
If Sorata was here, he'd be picking on me to eat right now, saying I need the nourishment if I want to grow.
He wouldn't, of course, because Seishirou was paying for it, and eating the scrumptious-looking pie a la mode in front of him would be giving in to his one-sided rival for his one-sided love.
Vanilla ice cream melted temptingly down the sides of the flaky crust, and Kamui's mouth began to water.
Damn the man for attacking his weakness in such a sly manner. He was the evilest of evils!
Kamui glared accusingly at Seishirou, silently blaming him for his vanilla ice cream fixation.
"Mm... this is delicious!" Hokuto enthused, not having lost her appetite in the least.
"I'm glad it meets to your liking."
"Your cake look good, too, Sei-chan!" she said, as if all was normal with the world and she wasn't sitting with an old friend who turned out to be a family nemesis threatening her brother's life.
Seishirou obliged by sliding his plate toward her. "By all means."
Hokuto stuffed a generous helping into her mouth. "Yummy!" she squealed, after she had gulped it down. "It's so good! Ne, Sei-chan..." she started sweetly.
Familiar with that calculating I-want-something-and-I'm-going-to-get-it expression, he retaliated with an innocent smile of his own. "Did you ever go on that diet, Hokuto-chan?"
"Hidoi~!!!" Hokuto cried, but pushed the cake back to its rightful owner.
"Wouldn't you like to try some, Subaru-kun?" Seishirou cajoled, prying off a forkful and holding it out.
"I- No thank you." Subaru gripped his cup tighter, staring down into the translucent liquid to avoid eye contact.
He had to remind himself that in truth, Seishirou didn't care for him and that the kindness was just an act. It was hard not to be lulled back into a sense of security though, listening to the usual inane chatter and the teasing innuendos about his and Seishirou's so-called relationship. It was almost as if he had imagined the whole part about Seishirou being the Sakurazukamori.
Seishirou feigned disappointment. "You don't like this place, Subaru-kun? I regret that I can't afford anyplace fancier, but I'm merely a poor veterinarian," he lied. "Not nearly good enough for someone like you."
"We all know that's not true," Kamui said disgustedly.
"You mean I am good enough then?" Seishirou beamed, neatly twisting the words to his advantage. "Thank you, Kamui-kun. I know Subaru-kun will feel better about us now that we have your blessing."
"That's not what I meant!" Kamui objectedly hotly, slamming his fists down in frustration. Cups rattled, and Subaru yelped as tea sloshed over the rim and onto his hands.
"Subaru! I'm so sorry! I wasn't—" Kamui flustered, reaching across the table for some napkins. He only succeeded in knocking over his own cup and making a bigger mess.
"It's okay," Subaru reassured. "I was just startled. It wasn't hot or anything." He considered taking off his gloves, as they were getting heavier and clammier as tea soaked into the fabric.
"I guess I don't even need these," he said doubtfully, "since they didn't hide me from Seishirou-san in the first place."
Subaru contemplated the situation. It had always bothered him how naturally Seishirou had come into his life, and stuck around despite the large age difference and his inherent reservedness. He had harbored the suspicion that Seishirou liked the much more bubbly Hokuto, and simply put up with her twin as part of the package. It made sense then, that Seishirou was just being agreeable in playing along with Hokuto's jokes, as Subaru did nothing but blush and stammer like an idiot in return. Seishirou couldn't possibly be interested in someone as shy and uninteresting as him!
But now, he was learning that it was the other way around; that Seishirou was putting up with Hokuto for Subaru's sake, and that it was because of him that Seishirou had been around for the past ten months. True, it was with the intention of winning a bet by not liking him and eventually killing him — hardly a flattering reason — but still. At least his fears of coming between the two people dearest to him wouldn't come true.
Subaru reached a decision. Turning, he held his hands up.
"Would you?"
A faint look of surprise crossed Seishirou's face at the other's forwardness, but he removed the wet gloves, laying them side by side on the table while Kamui and Hokuto gaped.
"Subaru-chan?" Hokuto said questioningly.
"You're the one who said I need to seduce him." Subaru turned a delicate shade of pink. "I don't want to die, and it would be unfair to make Seishirou-san go back on his promise."
"Always so concerned about others," Seishirou said fondly, entwining their fingers together. The skin was perfectly smooth and white, and faint tracings of the Sakurazukamori mark became visible as he raised the hand to his lips.
Subaru followed the movement breathlessly. He waited impatiently as slightly parted lips hovered, not quite touching his hand. When it became apparent that Seishirou was waiting for something — permission, perhaps — Subaru looked up and raised a brow.
Satisfied that he had Subaru's full attention, Seishirou lowered his head and took in a finger, sucking lightly.
"Gah!" Kamui's eyes bugged out.
Instead of pulling away, Subaru scooted closer, practically in the older man's lap. He rested his free hand on Seishirou's thigh, tentative at first but gaining certainty as an arm encircled his waist, drawing him closer still.
Hokuto sputtered, speechless for the first time in her life.
"Guys! We're in a public cafe!" Kamui kicked them under the table, not caring who he hit.
"Oh, right." Seishirou casually stopped what he was doing, although he kept his arm possessively around Subaru. He signalled for the check and paid, with Kanoe slipping him the receipt with her phone number written on it.
"We must continue this later," Seishirou addressed Subaru smugly. "Perhaps you'd like me to stay over tonight?"
Hesitantly, Subaru started to nod.
"No," Hokuto said firmly, finally finding her voice. "No nookie."
Everyone looked at her in surprise. Kamui looked grateful as well.
"No? I thought you wanted him to seduce me," Seishirou said curiously.
"I do, but the bet is to have you fall in love with him. And men lose respect for girls — er, boys — that are easy, viewing them simply as sex objects."
"I see."
"So, Subaru-chan, do whatever else you can to make him fall for you, but save the sex for marriage, 'kay?" she said flippantly.
"You're telling him to be a cock-tease," Seishirou stated with morbid amusement.
She met his gaze steadily. "Right."
"He won't be of age to marry for over a year, you realize."
"Yes, I realize."
"And you expect me to be patient and wait?"
"What's another year when you've already waited so long?" Hokuto asked rhetorically.
"True." Seishirou loosened several bills and threw them on the table as tip. He pocketed the receipt and Hokuto narrowed her eyes.
"Sei-chan, no sleeping with the waitress," she admonished.
He gave her a guilty look, but pulled the receipt back out and handed it over. Hokuto crumpled it into a ball and chucked it into Subaru's cup, where it met a watery death.
"Score!" she whooped.
That done, the four trooped over toward the exit, Hokuto humming happily, Subaru fluctuating between apprehension and excitement, Kamui looking royally pissed off, and Seishirou thinking pensively.
Seishirou reached it first, and held the door open for the others in his customary gentlemanly fashion. He stopped Hokuto as she passed by.
Looking very serious, he asked his question.
"Does a blowjob count as sex?"
*whump*
Subaru had fainted.
tbc...
----------
October 19, 2002
PREMISE: Tokyo Babylon and X both occur in the year 1999. This means that Seishirou, Subaru, and Hokuto retain their TB ages/personalities.
DISCLAIMER: Tokyo Babylon/X and their characters are not mine.
Chapter 6: Okay, Here's the Plan
Hokuto leaned half across the table, gossamer wings attached to her back fluttering. "What we need," she announced grandly, "is a gameplan!"
"What gameplan? My life is over," Subaru despaired. "If I couldn't make him feel anything in ten months, what chance do I have with only two?"
"That's because you were too shy for it to go anywhere." Hokuto sat back, looking a little put-out. "I was hoping he'd eventually wear down your resistance and you'd be happy together, but I guess that's not going to happen."
"Obviously not," Kamui snorted.
Hokuto sighed, then brightened with usual optimism. "So instead, you have to take the initiative. Subaru-chan, you're going to seduce the Sakurazukamori."
"Oh, really?" Seishirou produced his glasses, which he obviously didn't need, from his coat pocket. He slid them back on his face anyway. "This should prove interesting," he said smilingly at the agitated boy next to him.
Subaru mumbled something.
"What was that, Subaru-kun?" Seishirou inquired politely. He slid closer along the vinyl booth, trapping Subaru against the wall. "I didn't quite catch it."
Rather than answering, the embarrassed teen leaned forward toward his sister. "I-I can't seduce him," he whispered.
"Do you want to die, Subaru?"
There was a small shake of the head.
"Then you have no choice!" she chirped, sounding far too happy with the situation.
A waitress, different from the one that had taken their order earlier, came by to set down small plates of dessert and serve cups of tea and coffee. The shiny gold-plated nametag pinned across her obviously braless bust read 'Kanoe.'
Seishirou thanked her warmly, and emboldened, she shot him a flirtatious look. He was certainly a welcome change from the obnoxious teenagers or parents with grubby children that made up most of her clientele. And if his simple yet classy clothes were any indication, he would be a good tipper.
"Is there anything else you need?" Kanoe asked coyly.
Hokuto glared at her, eyes hard flints at the blatant come-on. "We're perfectly fine," she cut in loudly before Seishirou had a chance to answer.
Kanoe was about to snipe back, but realized that this girl might be the man's younger sister. She was certainly too young to be his girlfriend, and the flamboyant way she was dressed would embarrass anyone but a relation into not being seen with her in public.
So Kanoe held her tongue and directed a sultry smile at Seishirou. "I'll check back in a while," she cooed and clicked away in her heels, confident that he was checking out her ass.
"That was a little rude, Hokuto-chan," Seishirou revoked mildly, when Subaru didn't. He poured cream into his coffee and stirred it. "It isn't like I'm interested. She was just doing her job."
"I know... but... it just made me so mad!" Hokuto admitted with a rueful grin. "You belong only to Subaru, and Subaru only to you."
Next to her, Kamui glowered. Why did she automatically assume Seishirou and Subaru would be perfect together? Subaru certainly didn't look happy; in fact, he looked downright miserable.
Currently, the Sumeragi head was shredding a napkin to halves, fourths, eighths, sixteenths, thirty-seconds... he stopped only when the pieces became too tiny and the stack too thick to rip through. Then he'd empty the fragments on the table, grab a new one, and repeat the cycle.
"Subaru-kun." Seishirou put his hands over Subaru's, forcibly stopping the nervous action. He pried the napkin shreds from reluctant hands and dumped them on the table. "Your tea is getting cold."
Obediently, Subaru picked up his cup and took a small sip. He set it back down but kept his hands wrapped around it.
Kamui sulked. His tea was getting cold, too, but did anyone care? Nooo...
Not that he expected or wanted Seishirou's attention, but it would've been nice for someone to notice and comment.
If Sorata was here, he'd be picking on me to eat right now, saying I need the nourishment if I want to grow.
He wouldn't, of course, because Seishirou was paying for it, and eating the scrumptious-looking pie a la mode in front of him would be giving in to his one-sided rival for his one-sided love.
Vanilla ice cream melted temptingly down the sides of the flaky crust, and Kamui's mouth began to water.
Damn the man for attacking his weakness in such a sly manner. He was the evilest of evils!
Kamui glared accusingly at Seishirou, silently blaming him for his vanilla ice cream fixation.
"Mm... this is delicious!" Hokuto enthused, not having lost her appetite in the least.
"I'm glad it meets to your liking."
"Your cake look good, too, Sei-chan!" she said, as if all was normal with the world and she wasn't sitting with an old friend who turned out to be a family nemesis threatening her brother's life.
Seishirou obliged by sliding his plate toward her. "By all means."
Hokuto stuffed a generous helping into her mouth. "Yummy!" she squealed, after she had gulped it down. "It's so good! Ne, Sei-chan..." she started sweetly.
Familiar with that calculating I-want-something-and-I'm-going-to-get-it expression, he retaliated with an innocent smile of his own. "Did you ever go on that diet, Hokuto-chan?"
"Hidoi~!!!" Hokuto cried, but pushed the cake back to its rightful owner.
"Wouldn't you like to try some, Subaru-kun?" Seishirou cajoled, prying off a forkful and holding it out.
"I- No thank you." Subaru gripped his cup tighter, staring down into the translucent liquid to avoid eye contact.
He had to remind himself that in truth, Seishirou didn't care for him and that the kindness was just an act. It was hard not to be lulled back into a sense of security though, listening to the usual inane chatter and the teasing innuendos about his and Seishirou's so-called relationship. It was almost as if he had imagined the whole part about Seishirou being the Sakurazukamori.
Seishirou feigned disappointment. "You don't like this place, Subaru-kun? I regret that I can't afford anyplace fancier, but I'm merely a poor veterinarian," he lied. "Not nearly good enough for someone like you."
"We all know that's not true," Kamui said disgustedly.
"You mean I am good enough then?" Seishirou beamed, neatly twisting the words to his advantage. "Thank you, Kamui-kun. I know Subaru-kun will feel better about us now that we have your blessing."
"That's not what I meant!" Kamui objectedly hotly, slamming his fists down in frustration. Cups rattled, and Subaru yelped as tea sloshed over the rim and onto his hands.
"Subaru! I'm so sorry! I wasn't—" Kamui flustered, reaching across the table for some napkins. He only succeeded in knocking over his own cup and making a bigger mess.
"It's okay," Subaru reassured. "I was just startled. It wasn't hot or anything." He considered taking off his gloves, as they were getting heavier and clammier as tea soaked into the fabric.
"I guess I don't even need these," he said doubtfully, "since they didn't hide me from Seishirou-san in the first place."
Subaru contemplated the situation. It had always bothered him how naturally Seishirou had come into his life, and stuck around despite the large age difference and his inherent reservedness. He had harbored the suspicion that Seishirou liked the much more bubbly Hokuto, and simply put up with her twin as part of the package. It made sense then, that Seishirou was just being agreeable in playing along with Hokuto's jokes, as Subaru did nothing but blush and stammer like an idiot in return. Seishirou couldn't possibly be interested in someone as shy and uninteresting as him!
But now, he was learning that it was the other way around; that Seishirou was putting up with Hokuto for Subaru's sake, and that it was because of him that Seishirou had been around for the past ten months. True, it was with the intention of winning a bet by not liking him and eventually killing him — hardly a flattering reason — but still. At least his fears of coming between the two people dearest to him wouldn't come true.
Subaru reached a decision. Turning, he held his hands up.
"Would you?"
A faint look of surprise crossed Seishirou's face at the other's forwardness, but he removed the wet gloves, laying them side by side on the table while Kamui and Hokuto gaped.
"Subaru-chan?" Hokuto said questioningly.
"You're the one who said I need to seduce him." Subaru turned a delicate shade of pink. "I don't want to die, and it would be unfair to make Seishirou-san go back on his promise."
"Always so concerned about others," Seishirou said fondly, entwining their fingers together. The skin was perfectly smooth and white, and faint tracings of the Sakurazukamori mark became visible as he raised the hand to his lips.
Subaru followed the movement breathlessly. He waited impatiently as slightly parted lips hovered, not quite touching his hand. When it became apparent that Seishirou was waiting for something — permission, perhaps — Subaru looked up and raised a brow.
Satisfied that he had Subaru's full attention, Seishirou lowered his head and took in a finger, sucking lightly.
"Gah!" Kamui's eyes bugged out.
Instead of pulling away, Subaru scooted closer, practically in the older man's lap. He rested his free hand on Seishirou's thigh, tentative at first but gaining certainty as an arm encircled his waist, drawing him closer still.
Hokuto sputtered, speechless for the first time in her life.
"Guys! We're in a public cafe!" Kamui kicked them under the table, not caring who he hit.
"Oh, right." Seishirou casually stopped what he was doing, although he kept his arm possessively around Subaru. He signalled for the check and paid, with Kanoe slipping him the receipt with her phone number written on it.
"We must continue this later," Seishirou addressed Subaru smugly. "Perhaps you'd like me to stay over tonight?"
Hesitantly, Subaru started to nod.
"No," Hokuto said firmly, finally finding her voice. "No nookie."
Everyone looked at her in surprise. Kamui looked grateful as well.
"No? I thought you wanted him to seduce me," Seishirou said curiously.
"I do, but the bet is to have you fall in love with him. And men lose respect for girls — er, boys — that are easy, viewing them simply as sex objects."
"I see."
"So, Subaru-chan, do whatever else you can to make him fall for you, but save the sex for marriage, 'kay?" she said flippantly.
"You're telling him to be a cock-tease," Seishirou stated with morbid amusement.
She met his gaze steadily. "Right."
"He won't be of age to marry for over a year, you realize."
"Yes, I realize."
"And you expect me to be patient and wait?"
"What's another year when you've already waited so long?" Hokuto asked rhetorically.
"True." Seishirou loosened several bills and threw them on the table as tip. He pocketed the receipt and Hokuto narrowed her eyes.
"Sei-chan, no sleeping with the waitress," she admonished.
He gave her a guilty look, but pulled the receipt back out and handed it over. Hokuto crumpled it into a ball and chucked it into Subaru's cup, where it met a watery death.
"Score!" she whooped.
That done, the four trooped over toward the exit, Hokuto humming happily, Subaru fluctuating between apprehension and excitement, Kamui looking royally pissed off, and Seishirou thinking pensively.
Seishirou reached it first, and held the door open for the others in his customary gentlemanly fashion. He stopped Hokuto as she passed by.
Looking very serious, he asked his question.
"Does a blowjob count as sex?"
*whump*
Subaru had fainted.
tbc...
----------
October 19, 2002