Mornings

By Cassandra Sisenta

A/N: This little insert was inspired by a very funny "forum" Senashenta and I had last night with our characters. Hahahahahaha! I hope you enjoy. ^^ We have Knights galore!

DISCLAIMER: I only own all eight Knights. Yuki belongs to Senashenta. The rest is Takeuchi-original.

INSERT

Morning Inspection

Another morning in the capital of the Kingdom of Kinmoku.

The sun hadn't even risen yet, but a certain red-haired former Knight was already fully dressed and looking far too awake than he should be at such an hour. Akai Akari was walking down the hall towards a particular door with a very determined look on his face, his boots shuffling slightly against the carpeted floor.

It was the look that he wore whenever he was going to battle.

He stopped in front of the door that was the third before the last in this particular Castle Wing and took his position. A gloved hand reached inside his dark green cloak and just before he was able to pull out whatever weapon he had on hand, a voice made him pause.

"Do tell me you're not doing what I think you're doing, Akai."

There was silence in the halls as the former Captain of the Imperial Knights stopped and seemed to freeze at the sound of the voice.

There was a familiar sigh and the sound of shuffling footsteps as whoever the speaker was came closer.

"What is it this time?"

Akai's posture was tense as the speaker approached. He made no sound, no movement to show what he planned to do next. He waited until the speaker had stopped his progress behind him. And then, with a quick movement that could have startled anyone else, Akai whirled—

--and folded his hands before him as if in prayer as he bowed low from the waist, his eyes to the floor under his feet.

"Please don't turn me in, Rui-chan!" He begged, his voice several octaves higher than usual as it usually was when he was in one of his mischievous moods.

And before him stood Rui Akari, his former Vice-Captain of the Imperial Knights. The effeminate-looking Rui was not with his smile that morning, probably because it was still far too early for Akai's idiot games. Dressed in his favorite mauve sleeping robe over nothing but a pair of lounging pants and slippers, it was obvious he had just gotten up from bed.

"You were being far too noisy for a time so early." A voice called from the side and there in the shadows stood one Kagami Akari.

Akai rose into a standing position once more and peered curiously at the silver-haired mind reader as he approached, bells jingling quietly over the silence that otherwise characterized the Knights' Wings early in the morning.

"Kagami, don't you sleep?"

What he got in answer was a twisted half-smile that still sent shivers up his spine no matter how many times he saw it.

"And when the shadows hold so many secrets? I don't think so, Akai." Kagami answered smoothly, his voice quiet and caressing.

Akai perked when he heard a certain word. "Secrets?"

Rui actually sighed, not in the mood to put up with Akai's enthusiasm. "Please don't get him started, Kagami."

"You got information for me, Kagami?" Akai positively looked gleeful and it was almost exhausting to watch.

"I just might, but then again, my information might not be what you are looking for…"

"You know something! I know it!"

"I always know something you don't, Akai-san."

"Exactly! So tell me now!"

"What is he doing awake so early in the morning?"

Rui turned to cast a weary smile at the newcomer. "Ohayo, Tohma."

Tohma Akari was walking down from his room towards them. It looked like last night had been one of those rare nights when Tohma actually slept in his room and not in the library.

Hm…interesting…

Akai was on him in a heartbeat.

"What were you doing in your room last night?"

If Tohma was guilty about something, he didn't show it. He stood tall and unimpressed against Akai's intent expression, his hazel eyes bereft of whatever intense expression as always.

"I was doing the same thing you were last night, Akai."

Akai blinked curiously. "You were eating ice cream in bed last night too? Ooooh, you better watch out for stains. They're hell to get off from the whites."

For a moment, Tohma actually looked exasperated before the expression disappeared again.

"I was sleeping, baka."

"Ooooooh…."

Blink.

Stare.

Akai whirled around quickly and once more headed for that door he stopped in front of.

"Yosha! Back to business!" He declared triumphantly just as he held something high above his head like a sword, jiggling metal grating on everyone's sensitive ears.

Kagami was looking at it. "Is that a key?"

Rui sighed, looking far too tired with all of this and holding a hand over his eyes. "He actually got spare keys for all the rooms in this Wing."

Tohma actually frowned with displeasure.

"Yare, yare I see everyone's awake."

"Ohayo, Endo."

The tallest Knight was leaning by the frame of his open door that was just across the room Akai was busy trying to break into. He had his muscled arms crossed over his broad chest as he took in the sight of his fellow Knights standing around and looking like idiots.

His amused brown eyes fell on Akai who had pulled out an iron ring laden with several keys and he clucked his tongue as he came to a conclusion.

"Morning inspection?"

Tohma looked over at him wearily. "Aa." 

The axe-wielder could do nothing but shake his head and moved forward to join his fellow former Knights to see what was going to happen. This could certainly turn out to be interesting.

It took some time before Akai was able to get the right key and when the door opened, the red-haired Akai had to control himself so as not to shout in triumph. With the door unlocked, all he had to do was turn the knob and—

Clink.

Chain-lock.

Endo nodded his approval.

"Looks like the gaki's playing it safe."

Kagami was chuckling behind Rui at the dumbfounded look on Akai's face and no one was stopping him. Rui was looking relieved. Tohma's eyes were gleaming with what looked like amusement.

Akai glared at them then—

Grab.

Click.

Stare.

"You wouldn't."

Pull.

"He would."

The chain gave way easily as if it had been nothing but a piece of string. Akai carelessly tossed the chain over his shoulder and pushed the door open, admitting himself in.

Endo grinned.

"Nice one."

He followed Akai into the room, Kagami trailing in behind them.

Rui looked as if he couldn't believe it even though he knew that Akai would have done it anyway. He was looking at the fallen chain with a morbid fascination that he usually reserved for, well, more morbid things. He only looked up when he felt a hand close over his shoulder.

"Let's just make sure no one gets hurt, all right?" Tohma's tone was leveled and serious.

Rui straightened and followed in resignation.

Then all hell broke loose.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?? THIS IS BREAKING AND ENTERING YOU KNOW?"

"Now, now Ren—"

"I will NOT calm down! NOT UNTIL I'VE KILLED THIS BASTARD!"

"Er, I was disowned. I'm not illegitimate."

"URUSEI!!"

"Goodness, no matter what the time you're still grouchy aren't you, gaki?"

"WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING IN HERE???!"

The sight that greeted Tohma and Rui in one of the bedrooms of that particular apartment was a hysterical Ren who was being held back by the arm by an awfully amused Endo. Kagami had made himself comfortable on Ren's still unmade bed and Akai was standing in front of Ren with a very serious expression on his face.

Once more, Ren palmed a hand over his eyes.

"It's far too early for this…far too early…" He repeated it over and over again until it became a mantra.

Beside him, Tohma stood quietly and was silently in agreement with the effeminate man's distress.

"Look Ren, I just want to know something all right?" Akai said, trying to appease the enraged Ren whose purple eyes were gleaming with bloody murder. "I just want to know."

Ren was growling and struggling against Endo's grip. The look on his face seemed to tell that he knew what Akai was going to ask. After all, this wasn't the first time that Akai had ever done this.

"Was a certain blond haired, magenta-eyed Starlight here last—"

"Ren-kun!" A feminine voice called in from the door and everyone inside the bedroom froze.

"Are you all right? I just came in because the door was open." The voice came closer. "Is anything the matter? What's going on? I've never seen the door open before. Is there anything that I—"

Pause.

Blond hair and magenta eyes.

A little bunny backpack.

A stricken expression on an otherwise genki face.

Yukiko Kou stood in the doorway to Ren Akari's bedroom.

Tense silence.

It was interesting how someone so fair could become so many shades of pink and red in such a short time.

"I, I, I have to go! I'll see you later, Ren-kun!" Then she turned and ran out as if there were hellhounds coming after her.

But then footsteps came sounding back as she peered in again.

"Oh and good morning to all of you!"

Then she was gone.

There was a moment's pause before anyone moved. Ren pulled his arm away from Endo's grip and almost fell to the floor. Muttering curses under his breath, the black-haired, purple streaked former street kid straightened himself up and stared Akai head on, his purple eyes furious.

"She visits me every morning to wake me up and she comes to me when she can't sleep at night. And yes, she was here last night." Ren told Akai, his tone clipped and a touch frustrated. The expression on his face was not pleased at all, but he continued on speaking before Akai could put a word in.

"She's a good girl, Akai and I would be damned if I do something dishonorable to her."

Akai just continued to look at him, gold eyes seeming to try to see if what everything he had just said was the truth.

Ren glared right back and as if disgusted, turned his back on his former Captain.

"And if I've answered all your questions you could just leave and take all of them with you. I'm meeting Yuki for breakfast."

Everyone was waiting for Akai to speak. All of them except for Kagami, who obviously knew what was going on before everyone did and showed it by smiling his infuriating knowing smile.

"I just have one more thing to say to you, Ren."

Ren steeled himself for the threats and whatever else that would come from Akai's mouth. He was ready for it. No one touch the Starlights. You better make sure you treat her well or else—

"OMEDETOU, REN-KUN!!"

And Ren's eyes almost bugged out as he was pulled into a vicious noogie.

"I knew you had it in you!"

As Ren was starting to choke, Endo had began laughing on his little corner before he theatrically sniffed and wiped away one side of his eye,

"Our little gaki has finally grown up."

Rui, who had been standing by the side, now leaned his forehead against Tohma's upper arm.

"It's far too early for all of this commotion."

Tohma sighed for the both of them.

"Aa."

"Anou…?" A tentative voice called from the bedroom door and all heads turned to find Kitto there with a questioning look on his face. His turban was loosened into a length of cloth that he had draped over one arm, leaving his white blond hair free.

"What's going on in here?"

And he was wearing the clothes he had on last night.

Akai's eyes gleamed and he launched his attack on the blond-haired Prince of the Sands.

"Where were you last night, Kitto? I didn't see you go back to your bedroom!"

Ren had landed with a thud on the floor, passed out from lack of air because of Akai's furious noogie.

Kagami took one look at him and declared as if he was talking about the weather,

"He's alive."

Endo was slowly gaining control of his chuckles from his corner.

"Ren-kun! Daijoubu?" Kitto made to rush towards the unconscious Ren, but Akai blocked his path. He was not getting away that easily.

"Ne, ne Kitto-kun? Where were you, huh?"

The blond-haired, jade-eyed Kitto was sweatdropping and looking desperate. "But what about Ren-kun?"

Akai waved his concerns away.

"He's still alive. Right Kagami?"

"Hai…"

"So—" Akai drew back and pointed his finger right at Kitto's face with a dramatic back sweep of his cloak. "Where were you, KITTO-KUN?"

Kitto certainly looked uncomfortable.

"Could we just postpone this wonderful conversation later on?"

"Oh no we're not! Not until you've laid down the gory details."

"But there isn't anything to tell really…"

"You could start from where you were last night."

"Akai-san…"

"Naaaa! No need to be shy now, Kitto-kun!"

Rui raised tired indigo eyes to Tohma.

"What do you say to us getting away from this madness?"

Tohma nodded.

"The most intelligent idea I heard all morning."

The two exhausted looking former Knights snuck off. As they were walking down the hall toward their rooms, Tohma noticed something.

"Have you seen Akuma?"

Rui glanced at him. He did not look too good.

"He probably managed to sleep all through out that racket Akai created."

Tohma sighed.

"Lucky him."

"Yeah."

***

Thump.

One molten amber eye opened at the sound.

Groaning, Akuma Akari turned over into his stomach as he pulled his large pillow over his head.

"Damn Ren." He murmured under his breath and under the pillow. "Endo and I already left so that he'd get his privacy and we won't be hearing things going bump in the night, but did it work? Noooooooo….damn castle walls have to be almost paper thin."

He reached over his head and pulled his pillow to his chest like he would a teddy bear.

A few grunts and rearrangements later, Akuma was asleep again, blissfully unaware of all that had transpired that morning.