Cherry Blossoms
By: Neko-chan
A/N: *stares at readers with Pixy Stix hanging out of her mouth* ... *blinks* ... Mkdeiiiiihehsfghs?
WARNING: Shounen-ai. Seto*Ryuuji. Seto POV.
DISCLAIMER: *hands lawyers Pixy Stix, Krispy Kremes, and Pocky* Bribe? Yes yes?
Props go to Nephthys-san for being a wonderfuls, wonderfuls beta reader! *hugs*
~ * ~
It's almost morning. I can feel the dawn pressing against our bedroom curtains, lighting the cherry blossom trees outside and turning them into a perky shade of pink. From the beginning, you knew how much I hated cherry blossom trees--they were too frivolous, too feminine. And you planted them, knowing that I would wake up each morning, staring at their black branches, their open faces. I've learned to care for them, as much as I would deny it to you. You've made me care.
You shift closer to me, and I know you're still asleep. You've never been much of a morning riser--never have and probably never will. That's who you are. But even sound asleep, you still unconsciously reach out to me, edging closer and cuddling closer. Even while asleep, you want me, molding your body ever-so-lightly against my own.
I love moments like these. Times when I have hours to go before I'm needed in my office; times where I'm content with just holding you while you sleep, watching the sun peek out from behind the cherry blossom trees and turn our bedroom into a golden paradise. Why can't these moments last forever?
There's an annoyed meow from your side of the bed and suddenly the mattress gives a little, as if something had jumped up onto it, making its way slowly across the comforter and sheets. I slowly blink and light blue eyes blink back.
The small Siamese cat makes her way to me and looks up expectantly. I stare back, not blinking. I swear to Kami that a flash of annoyance shoots across her eyes. She stares at me for a moment longer, then hisses angrily. Rolling my eyes and sighing, I lift my arm and raise an eyebrow, still staring at the cat. She seems to smirk and slinks up my body until she's cradled against my chest, curling up into a contented little ball of fluff.
'I hate cats. Really, I do,' I think to myself as I begin to pet her, rubbing her belly and scratching under her chin. She loves it, I know that she does because we've gone through the same routine, morning after morning after morning, for the past year and a half.
And it's all your fault.
One night, when I came come from KaibaCorp., there you were, sitting on the couch and giving me the most innocent of expressions...with THAT curled up in your lap, asleep. You continued to stare at me with those cat-green eyes and simply said: "Her name is Mei-Ling."
I still don't know why you brought her home. I've been trying to figure it out--ever since that first morning that I woke up with her curled against the two of us. I looked down at her and could only feel puzzlement. She stared at me, much as she does now, yawned deeply enough to make her light pink tongue curl slightly, then went to sleep.
I'm jerked out of my reverie by a light, wet sensation on my nose.
My eyes refocus and I stare at the Siamese cat--who had just given me an Eskimo kiss. Yet again: Another thing that has become a custom over the past year and a half. Her way of thanking me for letting her curl up against the you and myself.
I hate cats. Really, I do.
So why does it feel like I'm lying to myself?
You snuggle closer, and wrap your arms tighter around my waist. Touch has always been the primary sense for you--I learned that early on. Each touch, each caress, each kiss that I trail lightly against your skin--I know that you treasure and remember each and every one that I've given to you.
"Morning," you mumble in the sleepy voice that annoys you so much. You yawn and sit back, idly rubbing a green eye as you do so. I love your eyes, did you know that? Calling them emerald green would be an insult. They're much too rich, too fine, for such a tame description as that. Jade-green. Cat-green. Either description would suit you better. Eyes so green that the color is rarely found in a human. Someone once told you that it looked as if your mom had fooled around with a cat to get your eyes _that_ intense of a green.
And I watched in sadistic amusement when you knocked that someone unconscious.
"Morning," I reply softly as you slowly blink, clearing away the last of the sleep. You see a side of me that I rarely ever show--a softer and kinder me, someone who would be ripped to shreds in the real world. But... we're not in the real world yet, are we? Paradise filled with cotton sheets and cool silk. I sometimes wish that _this_ was the permanent real world.
"Morning, Mei-Ling," you say to the cat and rub her belly. Her purring intensifies and she raises her chin even higher for you to scratch. Stupid cat. And no--I am NOT jealous, thank you very much.
You look up at me then and suddenly grin as if you know something that I do not. I raise an eyebrow at you, almost daring you to say that I'm jealous of that bloody cat again. But you've learned your lesson from last time and never say a word. (True, I guess that locking you out of the mansion _was_ a tad bit on the extreme side, but I am NOT jealous of a stupid Siamese cat!)
Mei-Ling continues to purr and settles herself closer to me. I look down at her, my expression skeptical, but she ignores me and continues to pay attention to only you.
Stupid cat.
Why couldn't you have brought home a _dog_?
A nice, big, ferocious dog that would--of course--have to end up sleeping outside, not a loud and annoying Siamese cat that insists on sleeping in our bed. MY bed. Like I've said before, I am NOT jealous.
You finally look up, blink, and grin. I've seen that grin before and I don't know which reaction would be better. Should I groan in frustration or hide myself in our bathroom before the plot that you're scheming will fully hatch?
"I want another cat, Seto," you finally say, giving me that charming grin of yours.
My eyebrow twitches. I know that it does--I can distantly feel it through the roaring in my ears. Cat? Another one? No--never. "I think we need a dog."
The same argument, the same grin, the same happy purring that Mei-Ling gives as she nestles even closer to the two of us. Really--I _do_ hate cats. Just like I hate the cherry blossom trees growing outside our window and the mischievous glint in your eyes.
And no--I am NOT lying to myself, thank you very much.
~Owari~
Neko-chan: *points to PM* She's sending us subliminal messages through her stories! She's trying to brainwash us into liking Seto*Ryuuji!
Nephthys: *snickers* She is! She is!
Neko-chan and Nephthys: *proceed to beat PM with blunt 'n' heavy objects... like the Frying Pan of Doom*
. . .
Neko-chan and Nephthys: D