Series:
Tokyo Babylon, slightly before the first tankubon.
Date: 10/24/03
Rating: PG for shonen-ai and horrible misuse of a sumeragi
Disclaimer: CLAMP owns Tokyo Babylon, I don't. And I'm writing these characters agaisnt their will. Subaru himself would probably swear to hunt me down if he read this, so I'm denying all claim to the series to protect myself from lawsuits, or worse, an attack from shikigami.
What Dreams May Come
Despite her passionate love of sleep, Hokuto was an early riser. She had to be, to take care of her only brother who definitely didn't know how to take care of himself. Subaru, he'd waste away if it wasn't for Hokuto's cooking, or worse, he'd be a fashion disaster if Hokuto didn't design his wardrobe for him. Seriously!
And it had been only a month since they moved to Tokyo on their own. Subaru had demanded that he have his own apartment, for "privacy reasons", but Hokuto spent more time at her brother's place, practicing her domestic arts. She finished making breakfast at Subaru's apartment at exactly 6:45. She'd decided on American-style this morning, so the rich smell of coffee wafted with the spicy smell of sausage. Surely that would entice Subaru to eat something.
By 6:47, Hokuto was worried. Not even a peep from her brother, not a single sign of life. Resolute in her mission, she crept stealthily up to his room and knelt over his futon.
Something was wrong. Immediately, she could sense residual jitsu lingering in the room.
Masaka... Was Subaru was doing it in his sleep...? The backlash from that would be overwhelming, maybe even fatal.
No. Her brother wasn't careless.
She knitted her brows. What was that light? A faint silver-blue glow radiated from his chest through the light blanket, or make that his hands which were folded over his chest. Arms crossed, hands resting on opposite shoulders.
Panic began to overtake Hokuto, but she forced herself to be rational. Subaru probably overworked himself and stayed up until early morning to finish a job. That would explain the aura. But the light... and the crossed arms in the spooky posture? She had to wake him, quickly.
"Subaru, me o samashite! ...You need to get up! Subaru!" She lifted the corner of the blanket, and her brother's eyes snapped open. He was breathing heavily, as if he'd had a nightmare.
"H-Hokuto-chan!! What are you doing here?"
She paused. "What do you mean, what am I doing here? I'm your sister, and I'm allowed." Her voice wavered, caught between concern and uneasiness.
Subaru was clenching his hands under his forearms. "Gomen, nee-san... You startled me, that's all."
"Subaru, something's wrong. I can see it in your eyes." His pupils were dilated, he was breathing heavily. "Warui yume mitta ka?"
"Iie... I really don't remember. Could you give me a minute to get dressed?"
"Well, of course..." she rose to leave. There was a wall between them now, and it seemed thicker than ever. "Breakfast is ready for you," she said to fill the awkward silence.
Subaru frowned. He was sorry, but he wasn't sure how to express it in words. It wasn't exactly lying to Hokuto, but he had secrets now, and that distanced him from his twin. "Hokuto, forgive me... Just, please, I don't want to talk about this." The was a steel edge to his voice that told her he was apologetic, yet serious in his request.
"Don't worry about it." She gave him a sad smile at the doorway, then left to the kitchen.
Immediately, Subaru was painfully alone. He flopped backwards and raised his hands above his head, staring at the vivid scar pattern. Hokuto was right, there was something wrong. His nightmare must have triggered the reaction, even if he couldn't remember exactly what he had dreamed.
It must have been about the Sakurazukamori.
---
Sakurazuka Seishirou tapped the bottom portion of the x-ray slide. "It seems Neko-san has broken her right paw. Would it be alright if I wrap it to secure it for her?"
"She'll be okay, right Sakurazuka-sensei?" asked the small boy, stroking her fur reassuringly.
The veterinarian beamed from behind his glasses. "She'll be just fine. She's going to stay here with me for a little while until she's better, okay?" The young owner looked sad to part from her, but agreed out of concern for his furry friend.
And as the day pulled to a close, and Seishirou cleared his office of the day's work. He filed the appropriate papers, wiped down the surfaces, and turned off all of the lights. Before leaving, he checked in with the animals in the back room, carefully checking their levels of water and food. He closed the front door, locked it, and began his commute to the apartment.
Days were usually this organized and predictable. Seishirou had a schedule and a plan which he followed with utmost care, healing pets which needed aid. It was respectable, it was admirable, and Seishirou was known in the area for being the most kind and gentle practitioner of animal medicine.
Entering his small but stylishly minimalist apartment, Seishirou took off his jacket and hung it on the coat hook of the entryway. His keys were placed similarly on a smaller hook. His shoes came off next, followed by his nonprescription glasses, and putting on his fuzzy house slippers he made his way to the home office to see what new faxes had arrived.
There was only one this evening. Tree-san would have to suffice, but that would mean Seishirou had more time to do what he liked. He reheated some takeout, set water to boil for tea, and smiled, planning what to do with his night.
Before 11:30 that evening, Seishirou had done the job, showered, pinned a note of apology to his dry cleaning ("Please excuse the stains, I couldn't ignore stray Pochi-san who was hit by a car"), and even changed into more… appropriate clothing.
The night was now his to do with what he wished.
---
Subaru drew is covers more closely around him and wove a subtle jitsu around the room to protect from stray disquieted spirits. It wouldn't do much for his nightmares, but it'd prevent them from being worse than they already were. A spirit in agony would be drawn to distress and amplify it, and his dreams were bad enough already without a second consciousness in the area. He would be overloaded.
The Sumeragi didn't even bother taking off his gloves before going to bed. This morning when Hokuto had crept into his room… it was an event he didn't feel like repeating. He figured he just wouldn't take them off anymore. That's all. He cleared his mind of all thought, meditating briefly before settling into a light sleep.
Predictably, the nightmare surfaced again, beginning with the subtle shift in smell.
He knew he was dreaming because he was unable to use his jitsu – it was like being numbed. During dreams, he couldn't sense immediate danger, as if he were blindfolded magically. He confirmed that he was dreaming when he attempted to reach out gingerly with his power, and felt nothing. He inhaled deeply, noticing that the air blew slightly cooler and more fragrant, smelling of something in between tiger lily and strawberry. An icy lurch in the pit of his stomach warned him to prepare for the worst.
He slowly looked around him, and realized he was suspended in a blood-red dreamscape again. A figure was approaching from the distance. He tried to call out, but his voice was absorbed in the surroundings; the silence was unnerving and wrong.
"Sakurazukamori" his brain supplied before Subaru could think, and the mad grin on the figure's face confirmed it.
He was coming nearer, and there was nothing he could do. He swallowed heavily and tried to brace himself for an attack, but his pulse and breathing gave him away. A light sheen of sweat reflected the eerie crimson light on his skin, and the assassin crept closer and closer.
The dark onmyouji paused approximately a yard from Subaru. His voice was like a honey-coated razor, "You're so beautiful."
That was the last thing Subaru expected to hear. Threats, incantations, anything would have been more appropriate. Unsolicited compliments? Hell, nothing got under Subaru's skin more than that. He wanted to react violently. He wanted to attack this predator, but he made the fatal mistake of looking up into his eyes.
Liquid gold met softest jade, and a small bird was enchanted by a vicious snake. He couldn't move, he was frozen, trapped in the dangerous, ethereal beauty of those eyes. He squirmed uncomfortably, noticing that he was trapped more than psychologically – something prevented his limbs from their free movement.
And the assassin closed the gap between them.
The predator purred with contentment, pressing his cheek against the young onmyouji's chest. Subaru's breathing involuntarily sped up. "Your pulse," cooed the evil man, "it's so quick, isn't it? I like that."
Subaru wanted desperately to get away. He wanted to wake up. He wanted to be as far away from this man as possible, but he also wanted to hear that delicious voice again. Subaru whimpered as his emotions conflicted painfully within him. He closed his eyes, blocking out any extra stimulus.
Before he could resolve the inner conflict, and before he registered significance of the sudden contact, something warm and sweet closed around Subaru's mouth, petal soft, gently moving against his lips. The gentleness surprised Subaru, and he inaudibly whimpered against the feather-like pressure. His lips parted in surprise, and something else, something nearly white hot, yet marvelously sweet entered. Pleasure welled up inside of him, saturating his brain and spilling out down his cheeks.
"You are mine," registered in Subaru's consciousness, and as quickly as the kiss had begun, it ended. The tongue flicked out to catch one of the droplets on his cheekbone.
"I… I am…" he sighed, unable to finish the phrase. Soft hands drifted across Subaru's neck, pausing once again over his rapid pulse.
"You are mine," the thought came again, and a hand clasped his, bringing it up to the dark onmyoji's face. Lips brushed over the sensitive skin on the back of his hand, and the pentagrams flared dangerously. It stung, yet it tingled enticingly. White hot nerves were soothed by a balm of rich pleasure, and Subaru wasn't sure if he liked the intense feeling or not.
A hand met his eyes, blocking his view, and the dreamscape sifted. The world righted itself beneath him, and he could feel his futon solidly under his back once more. He realized he was still in his own familiar room, where nothing had changed.
It was just a dream.
Yet his hands still burned with a dull ache. He slowly opened his eyes again, peeled back the silk of his gloves, and frowned at the scar pattern.
And it was a few minutes until he realized he couldn't remember what he had been dreaming about. The memory had dissolved, been diluted in the familiar atmosphere of his room, and try as he could, he couldn't recapture it.
---
Seishirou's night had been a productive one. He retuned to his apartment, only slightly fatigued. He could get six hours of sleep and still be at the clinic by 8:00am, which was more than enough rest for him.
His hobby was also well worth it.
He smiled to himself and reluctantly went to shower once again, reminding himself that altering someone's memory shouldn't have any unforeseen long term effects. He had remembered to leave a scrap this time, just enough to allow him to go a little further in the future, but not so much as to preclude the game by giving it all away. No, he had to tread the razor's edge in leaving just enough of the memory to make the game interesting.
He remembered to set the coffee maker, his alarm clock, and the dish washer to start running. He put his dry cleaning by the door so he wouldn't forget it in the morning rush.
Seishirou took good care of his belongings.
"Pleasant dreams," he whispered to the night as he drew his curtains against the city lights.
-------
Subaru: "I OBJECT! I don't rememeber ANY of this! What do you think you're doing... It's just wrong!"
Gray: "Well, that's the point. You wouldn't remember any of it anyway, would you?"
Suabru: "I'm telling you, I did NOT have crazy dreams like that!"
Gray: "Sure, sure. And you're so naive in the manga. If you weren't thinking these ecchi things subconsciously, why'd you so violently react to the jokes?"
Subaru: *blushes and stammers*
Seishirou: *pops up* "You're awfully cute when you do that, you know."
Subaru: "Shut UP! All of you!"
Gray: "Ah, Sei-chan, I think we broke him..."
Seishirou: "I object as well. I'm not THAT twisted. And I'm a little dissapointed you didn't go with your earlier inspiration and make this an R rated fic. A kiss was hardly what you had in mind."
Gray: "I think Subaru would have died of mortification."
Seishirou: "I'll accpet your excuse for now... but I'm still not thrilled by it. It could have been much longer, you know."
Gray: "Fine, fine. Convince Subaru that it'd be a good idea. Maybe then I'll try again."
Date: 10/24/03
Rating: PG for shonen-ai and horrible misuse of a sumeragi
Disclaimer: CLAMP owns Tokyo Babylon, I don't. And I'm writing these characters agaisnt their will. Subaru himself would probably swear to hunt me down if he read this, so I'm denying all claim to the series to protect myself from lawsuits, or worse, an attack from shikigami.
What Dreams May Come
Despite her passionate love of sleep, Hokuto was an early riser. She had to be, to take care of her only brother who definitely didn't know how to take care of himself. Subaru, he'd waste away if it wasn't for Hokuto's cooking, or worse, he'd be a fashion disaster if Hokuto didn't design his wardrobe for him. Seriously!
And it had been only a month since they moved to Tokyo on their own. Subaru had demanded that he have his own apartment, for "privacy reasons", but Hokuto spent more time at her brother's place, practicing her domestic arts. She finished making breakfast at Subaru's apartment at exactly 6:45. She'd decided on American-style this morning, so the rich smell of coffee wafted with the spicy smell of sausage. Surely that would entice Subaru to eat something.
By 6:47, Hokuto was worried. Not even a peep from her brother, not a single sign of life. Resolute in her mission, she crept stealthily up to his room and knelt over his futon.
Something was wrong. Immediately, she could sense residual jitsu lingering in the room.
Masaka... Was Subaru was doing it in his sleep...? The backlash from that would be overwhelming, maybe even fatal.
No. Her brother wasn't careless.
She knitted her brows. What was that light? A faint silver-blue glow radiated from his chest through the light blanket, or make that his hands which were folded over his chest. Arms crossed, hands resting on opposite shoulders.
Panic began to overtake Hokuto, but she forced herself to be rational. Subaru probably overworked himself and stayed up until early morning to finish a job. That would explain the aura. But the light... and the crossed arms in the spooky posture? She had to wake him, quickly.
"Subaru, me o samashite! ...You need to get up! Subaru!" She lifted the corner of the blanket, and her brother's eyes snapped open. He was breathing heavily, as if he'd had a nightmare.
"H-Hokuto-chan!! What are you doing here?"
She paused. "What do you mean, what am I doing here? I'm your sister, and I'm allowed." Her voice wavered, caught between concern and uneasiness.
Subaru was clenching his hands under his forearms. "Gomen, nee-san... You startled me, that's all."
"Subaru, something's wrong. I can see it in your eyes." His pupils were dilated, he was breathing heavily. "Warui yume mitta ka?"
"Iie... I really don't remember. Could you give me a minute to get dressed?"
"Well, of course..." she rose to leave. There was a wall between them now, and it seemed thicker than ever. "Breakfast is ready for you," she said to fill the awkward silence.
Subaru frowned. He was sorry, but he wasn't sure how to express it in words. It wasn't exactly lying to Hokuto, but he had secrets now, and that distanced him from his twin. "Hokuto, forgive me... Just, please, I don't want to talk about this." The was a steel edge to his voice that told her he was apologetic, yet serious in his request.
"Don't worry about it." She gave him a sad smile at the doorway, then left to the kitchen.
Immediately, Subaru was painfully alone. He flopped backwards and raised his hands above his head, staring at the vivid scar pattern. Hokuto was right, there was something wrong. His nightmare must have triggered the reaction, even if he couldn't remember exactly what he had dreamed.
It must have been about the Sakurazukamori.
---
Sakurazuka Seishirou tapped the bottom portion of the x-ray slide. "It seems Neko-san has broken her right paw. Would it be alright if I wrap it to secure it for her?"
"She'll be okay, right Sakurazuka-sensei?" asked the small boy, stroking her fur reassuringly.
The veterinarian beamed from behind his glasses. "She'll be just fine. She's going to stay here with me for a little while until she's better, okay?" The young owner looked sad to part from her, but agreed out of concern for his furry friend.
And as the day pulled to a close, and Seishirou cleared his office of the day's work. He filed the appropriate papers, wiped down the surfaces, and turned off all of the lights. Before leaving, he checked in with the animals in the back room, carefully checking their levels of water and food. He closed the front door, locked it, and began his commute to the apartment.
Days were usually this organized and predictable. Seishirou had a schedule and a plan which he followed with utmost care, healing pets which needed aid. It was respectable, it was admirable, and Seishirou was known in the area for being the most kind and gentle practitioner of animal medicine.
Entering his small but stylishly minimalist apartment, Seishirou took off his jacket and hung it on the coat hook of the entryway. His keys were placed similarly on a smaller hook. His shoes came off next, followed by his nonprescription glasses, and putting on his fuzzy house slippers he made his way to the home office to see what new faxes had arrived.
There was only one this evening. Tree-san would have to suffice, but that would mean Seishirou had more time to do what he liked. He reheated some takeout, set water to boil for tea, and smiled, planning what to do with his night.
Before 11:30 that evening, Seishirou had done the job, showered, pinned a note of apology to his dry cleaning ("Please excuse the stains, I couldn't ignore stray Pochi-san who was hit by a car"), and even changed into more… appropriate clothing.
The night was now his to do with what he wished.
---
Subaru drew is covers more closely around him and wove a subtle jitsu around the room to protect from stray disquieted spirits. It wouldn't do much for his nightmares, but it'd prevent them from being worse than they already were. A spirit in agony would be drawn to distress and amplify it, and his dreams were bad enough already without a second consciousness in the area. He would be overloaded.
The Sumeragi didn't even bother taking off his gloves before going to bed. This morning when Hokuto had crept into his room… it was an event he didn't feel like repeating. He figured he just wouldn't take them off anymore. That's all. He cleared his mind of all thought, meditating briefly before settling into a light sleep.
Predictably, the nightmare surfaced again, beginning with the subtle shift in smell.
He knew he was dreaming because he was unable to use his jitsu – it was like being numbed. During dreams, he couldn't sense immediate danger, as if he were blindfolded magically. He confirmed that he was dreaming when he attempted to reach out gingerly with his power, and felt nothing. He inhaled deeply, noticing that the air blew slightly cooler and more fragrant, smelling of something in between tiger lily and strawberry. An icy lurch in the pit of his stomach warned him to prepare for the worst.
He slowly looked around him, and realized he was suspended in a blood-red dreamscape again. A figure was approaching from the distance. He tried to call out, but his voice was absorbed in the surroundings; the silence was unnerving and wrong.
"Sakurazukamori" his brain supplied before Subaru could think, and the mad grin on the figure's face confirmed it.
He was coming nearer, and there was nothing he could do. He swallowed heavily and tried to brace himself for an attack, but his pulse and breathing gave him away. A light sheen of sweat reflected the eerie crimson light on his skin, and the assassin crept closer and closer.
The dark onmyouji paused approximately a yard from Subaru. His voice was like a honey-coated razor, "You're so beautiful."
That was the last thing Subaru expected to hear. Threats, incantations, anything would have been more appropriate. Unsolicited compliments? Hell, nothing got under Subaru's skin more than that. He wanted to react violently. He wanted to attack this predator, but he made the fatal mistake of looking up into his eyes.
Liquid gold met softest jade, and a small bird was enchanted by a vicious snake. He couldn't move, he was frozen, trapped in the dangerous, ethereal beauty of those eyes. He squirmed uncomfortably, noticing that he was trapped more than psychologically – something prevented his limbs from their free movement.
And the assassin closed the gap between them.
The predator purred with contentment, pressing his cheek against the young onmyouji's chest. Subaru's breathing involuntarily sped up. "Your pulse," cooed the evil man, "it's so quick, isn't it? I like that."
Subaru wanted desperately to get away. He wanted to wake up. He wanted to be as far away from this man as possible, but he also wanted to hear that delicious voice again. Subaru whimpered as his emotions conflicted painfully within him. He closed his eyes, blocking out any extra stimulus.
Before he could resolve the inner conflict, and before he registered significance of the sudden contact, something warm and sweet closed around Subaru's mouth, petal soft, gently moving against his lips. The gentleness surprised Subaru, and he inaudibly whimpered against the feather-like pressure. His lips parted in surprise, and something else, something nearly white hot, yet marvelously sweet entered. Pleasure welled up inside of him, saturating his brain and spilling out down his cheeks.
"You are mine," registered in Subaru's consciousness, and as quickly as the kiss had begun, it ended. The tongue flicked out to catch one of the droplets on his cheekbone.
"I… I am…" he sighed, unable to finish the phrase. Soft hands drifted across Subaru's neck, pausing once again over his rapid pulse.
"You are mine," the thought came again, and a hand clasped his, bringing it up to the dark onmyoji's face. Lips brushed over the sensitive skin on the back of his hand, and the pentagrams flared dangerously. It stung, yet it tingled enticingly. White hot nerves were soothed by a balm of rich pleasure, and Subaru wasn't sure if he liked the intense feeling or not.
A hand met his eyes, blocking his view, and the dreamscape sifted. The world righted itself beneath him, and he could feel his futon solidly under his back once more. He realized he was still in his own familiar room, where nothing had changed.
It was just a dream.
Yet his hands still burned with a dull ache. He slowly opened his eyes again, peeled back the silk of his gloves, and frowned at the scar pattern.
And it was a few minutes until he realized he couldn't remember what he had been dreaming about. The memory had dissolved, been diluted in the familiar atmosphere of his room, and try as he could, he couldn't recapture it.
---
Seishirou's night had been a productive one. He retuned to his apartment, only slightly fatigued. He could get six hours of sleep and still be at the clinic by 8:00am, which was more than enough rest for him.
His hobby was also well worth it.
He smiled to himself and reluctantly went to shower once again, reminding himself that altering someone's memory shouldn't have any unforeseen long term effects. He had remembered to leave a scrap this time, just enough to allow him to go a little further in the future, but not so much as to preclude the game by giving it all away. No, he had to tread the razor's edge in leaving just enough of the memory to make the game interesting.
He remembered to set the coffee maker, his alarm clock, and the dish washer to start running. He put his dry cleaning by the door so he wouldn't forget it in the morning rush.
Seishirou took good care of his belongings.
"Pleasant dreams," he whispered to the night as he drew his curtains against the city lights.
-------
Subaru: "I OBJECT! I don't rememeber ANY of this! What do you think you're doing... It's just wrong!"
Gray: "Well, that's the point. You wouldn't remember any of it anyway, would you?"
Suabru: "I'm telling you, I did NOT have crazy dreams like that!"
Gray: "Sure, sure. And you're so naive in the manga. If you weren't thinking these ecchi things subconsciously, why'd you so violently react to the jokes?"
Subaru: *blushes and stammers*
Seishirou: *pops up* "You're awfully cute when you do that, you know."
Subaru: "Shut UP! All of you!"
Gray: "Ah, Sei-chan, I think we broke him..."
Seishirou: "I object as well. I'm not THAT twisted. And I'm a little dissapointed you didn't go with your earlier inspiration and make this an R rated fic. A kiss was hardly what you had in mind."
Gray: "I think Subaru would have died of mortification."
Seishirou: "I'll accpet your excuse for now... but I'm still not thrilled by it. It could have been much longer, you know."
Gray: "Fine, fine. Convince Subaru that it'd be a good idea. Maybe then I'll try again."
WDMC Ch.2
Gray M&M's Fanfiction