Author's note: This is based in Clamp's Clamp Campus Detectives.
This story contains Shounen Ai (two guys in love). If you find that icky or otherwise have problems with that, that's between you and your sexual identity issues. Don't bother me with it, you've been aptly warned.
Here's the end. Thanks for reading Elihice. lol Sorry this was a little late, too.
Oh and of course I own none of these characters, save my three terrors. If I did, I wouldn't be posting here now would I?
Games We Play
Nokoru woke to an obnoxious beeping off to his left. He vaguely recognized it as his phone. Numbly he pulled himself up and suddenly became aware that the heavy weight on his chest was Souh's arm. With a suddenly red face, he picked up the phone. "Imonoyama residence." It was silly to still blush but at this rate he wasn't sure if it would ever stop.
Suoh stirred at the sound as the voice answered. "Nokoru san, did I wake you?"
"Chairman! Ah... yes, I'm afraid I stayed up too late last night. What can I do for you?" he asked innocently as Suoh raised his head.
"I would require your presence at my office today at noon."
"Your office?" he asked and sighed. "I am afraid I will have to disappoint. I… cannot enter the campus." As he said this Suoh sat up and pulled him close. Nokoru looked up at him and smiled softly.
"Yes, I am aware of the stipulations of your dealings with Ayashiko san." Nokoru stared with his mouth agape, not quite sure what to say, but she continued. "But, I have it from Ayashiko san that he will permit you this entrance today. I believe he said something about as you were such a gracious looser, that he could only be a gracious winner."
Again Nokoru sat in silence before saying, "I see."
"So, Nokoru san, I trust I will be seeing you here promptly at noon?"
"Oh! Oh, yes Chairman, of course. Certainly."
"Then, I will see you then," she said and hung up.
Nokoru leaned back against Suoh's broad chest as he hung up and Suoh wrapped him up tightly. "What was that about?" his lover asked.
"The Chairman wishes me to come to her office at noon today," he said distractedly, letting the possibilities run through him. He couldn't imagine what she needed him for now that he was no longer a member of the school, but he had to admit the "gracious" offer from Ayashiko san was believable enough given his odd personality.
"She was willing to meet elsewhere, then?" the deep voice above him asked.
Nokoru shook his head, looking out the window before him. "No, it seems she has gained permission for me to enter the campus for this once." He felt Suoh suddenly stiffen. "You shouldn't be angry with him. It was my decision to gamble, not his, and it's been over three months since then." Suoh sighed heavily and stood, wrapping a robe around himself before he walked to the bathroom.
Three months had passed since the poker match and Nokoru thought he was doing surprisingly well. He and Suoh and Akira would be attending Eritsuma Academy when the new school year started. They were all far a head of the other students so a few months off was something they could afford. While he was always happy to slack off, it had been Suoh and Akira that had insisted for the time off. They had all needed it desperately.
He and Suoh had gotten an apartment near the new school with Akira's apartment taking up the floor directly below their penthouse. None of them had ever lived in an apartment for more than a few nights stay, so this was a fun endeavor. Nokoru was having a great deal of fun decorating the rooms (while Suoh made faces). Nokoru's latest favorite thing was a set of tiny penguin figurines that he had set on the main coffee table. It had earned a huff from Suoh, so Nokoru knew they were good. (Suoh always hated the best things.)
They had separate rooms, to maintain appearances, and Nokoru kept sneaking in fun things into his nearly empty, traditional room. Suoh used the room to relax and practice, and often he came storming out with a penguin figurine, stuffed jellyfish, flower sculpture, or some other thing, sit it down on the coffee table, and head back in. It had reached the point that Nokoru was specifically looking for things to stick in his room just to see him storm out with that expressionless face.
The door to the shower opened enough for his arm to reach out and set a shower poof (shaped like a duck complete with little washcloth wings and a beak) onto the dresser and re-close the door. Nokoru giggled at the sight, burying his face in a pillow in his amusement.
The first time Suoh had brought something out of his room in front of Akira, Nokoru had laughed as soon as Suoh's door slid closed. Akira had joined him, enjoying Suoh's discomfort just as much, but suddenly Akira had stopped laughing. When Nokoru looked to him questioningly, he found himself tackled in one of Akira's childlike hugs (a little startling, if not painful given he was larger than Nokoru was). "Wha-?!"
Akira pulled back quickly, all smiles. "You're back! You're really back. I didn't think you'd ever be the same," he explained, tears starting to show in his eyes. Nokoru hadn't even noticed he'd started playing again. He knew he had gotten much better just after that first night with Suoh, but Akira was right, he was coming back to himself more and more. Since then, he thought he was even better than he had been before the whole disaster had started.
Dubhain san had been right (he'd finally conceded); living with only brick and stone had been a bad idea. Nokoru laid back down and snuggled into the covers on Suoh's side and breathed in his scent happily. He hadn't cried at night since Suoh had taken him. Though he had cried during the days, mourning the loss of the school, he didn't cry out of loneliness anymore. That pain was gone now, and it felt like a vice had been removed from his chest. Twice now Suoh had saved him from loneliness. To this day he didn't know how he had kept from sobbing incoherently when Suoh first promised to stay with him. Perhaps it was only because he hadn't really believed it, no matter how much he'd wanted to.
It had taken weeks for it to totally sink in. The sheer unbelivability that someone, after being kidnapped with him, would want to be his friend still made it hard to trust what Suoh said. As ever, Suoh didn't say anything he didn't mean and this time around, he'd believed Suoh far faster when he said he loved him. He missed Clamp desperately, but he was happy with Suoh, and that was happier than he'd been in a very long time.
Seeing the clock read 10:30 and hearing the shower turn off, Nokoru slowly drew himself upright to ready himself for his visit to Clamp. He wasn't sure if he was happy or fearful, but either way he was wound like a top: all jittery and even the thought of Suoh couldn't calm him any longer. He was getting to go home!
He stepped out of the car at the main gates that were thankfully rather unoccupied. The chairman had chosen a good time, as the school year had just ended yesterday and everyone was enjoying their break. He had a good walk to reach her office and a large crowd was the last thing he wanted, but then again, he was happy for the long walk and didn't intend to rush. He ambled down the walkways, looking around at the beautiful landscape. Everything was new with spring and had a clean smell to it. He was aware that The Triplets were still operating there, but it still felt so clean and pure. He sat down under a tree for a moment and sighed. He hoped he wasn't being too greedy by stopping for a moment. He was just so homesick.
After he'd watched the sunlight dance through the leaves a bit too long, he drug himself up and headed to the chairman's office. He couldn't very well be late, and perhaps he'd be able to take his time on his way back out. Nokoru made a mental note to have the car meet him at the other gate so he could walk through another part on his way out.
He reached her office just on time (though he'd had to run a bit in the halls), and knocked lightly at the door. When there was no answer he opened it slowly. "Chairman?" Again he received no answer and he stepped inside, letting the door swing closed behind him. The spacious indoor garden that served as her office was silent as ever and he made his way within. As he neared the large parasol that shaded the blanket, he could make out the figure seated there. Not the chairman in her kimono, sitting properly in the shade, but rather lounging there like some pleased cat, was Ayashiko san as if he owned the place. At the sound of a giggle, Nokoru looked right to see Dubhain san wiping off his face that had just been splashed by a scared koi. Kameko san was standing at the shore, content watch as the red head waded through the water. "Ayashiko san," he said as he stopped before the ringmaster.
He smiled broadly up at him. "Well, hello, Kaichou. Did you enjoy your stroll?"
As he motioned him to sit, Nokoru did and answered, "Yes, very much so. I trust it was you from whom the actual invite came."
"Yes, yes. Couldn't risk you not coming because it was from me. Thankfully your lovely chairman was happy to assist, and I must say, she has some good taste." He whistled at the garden around himself and gestured to the tea before him. "She left it for us, so if you want some feel free."
Again Nokoru thanked him and took a cup. "I had thought our business was done, Ayashiko san. You have Clamp and I am exiled from it. Why did you call me here?"
"Boy, you try to give someone a treat and let them visit for a little bit and you automatically have ulterior motives," he said with a dramatic sigh.
"From what I know of you, I believe you always have ulterior motives, save where they're concerned," Nokoru countered, nodding towards his two companions. "But if this was only to allow me to visit the campus again, then I thank you. It is certainly nice to see it again."
"I'm glad," he said with a grin. "You look far better than you did the last time we met, Kaichou. Not quite so ragged."
Nokoru nodded. "Yes, I am much better. Thank you. I trust your affairs are going well?"
"Oh,d ridiculously so. I'm sure you can just imagine."
"I can."
Ayashiko san looked at him, as if sizing him up as he pulled a deck of cards from his pocket. Idly, he slipped the cards from the pack and began to shuffle them, doing all sorts of little tricks with his hands. "You realize of course you never had a chance at winning before?"
Nokoru nodded again. "Yes, but I don't regret it. While I was far from my best at that point, there was no other option before me."
"Too true, too true." He continued to play with the cards for a bit, before asking, "I assume Ijyuin san is still hail and hearty?"
"Yes, very. His wedding is next week."
"How nice. Did you happen to tell him what the final bet was in our game?"
"Of course not. It would have hurt him to know that that lost the game."
Ayashiko san watched him again, though Nokoru wasn't sure what about. He only had the distinct notion that he was being tested, run through hoops. "I hear he engagement between Takamura san and Azuya san has been ended."
"Yes," he said simply. "It seems they had grown apart. I hear that she has already shown interest in a man in the science lab."
"Grown apart, eh?" He took a drink from the coke can he had (obviously not favoring tea). "Odd, they seemed such a happy couple the night before our game."
Nokoru's eyes narrowed a bit. How did Ayashiko san know that? "Actually, it seems they were no longer a couple before the last school year. They were keeping it from me in order to spare me the disappointment." Ayashiko only nodded. "I was the one that originally put them together, they were only trying to make my life easier."
Suddenly, Ayashiko san thumped the deck down before him. "Cut for the highest card?" he asked with a smirk.
"Why?" Nokoru looked at the deck as if it might leap up and attack him.
"Amusement." The smirk had widened to the murder worthy grin.
"Whose?" he asked guardedly.
Ayashiko reached out and refreshed his tea. "Maybe both of us. Don't you trust me?"
"Not in the least."
"So mistrusting, so guarded, so jaded," he made a show of crying. "It's so beautiful. I've taught you so much." Nokoru just looked at him, mimicking Suoh's expression, as he took a sip from his tea. "Ah, well, looks like you also got a piece of ass, or someone got a piece of yours," he said off-handedly as Nokoru choked in his tea. While he coughed out a lung, Ayashiko laughed. "I take that as a yes." He continued to chuckle as he smacked Nokoru's back. Once he had settled he asked again, "So, you gonna cut?"
Again Nokoru looked at it. "What will I loose?"
"Nothing you haven't already, after all, I have everything I want," he stated with his smile intact.
With a short exhale, Nokoru reached out and grabbed part of the deck and flipped it over. "Eight of spades."
Instead of reaching for the pile himself he called out to his companions. "Tamae! Eight of spades!"
"Huh? Oh!" the psychic shouted back. "Six of swords: the travelers! "Your ride has been across rough, cold waters, but the calm cove is in sight! Troubles that once were all around you will soon be behind you!" he finished.
"Thanks!" Ayashiko san shouted back, before looking back to Nokoru. "Interesting." He reached out and turned a section of the deck over. "Ah, well, three of diamonds. Tamae!" the psychic looked back up from the fish. "Three of diamonds!"
The psychic looked frustrated for a moment but answered. "Three of disks: the new venture! Business plans that are new have shown good promise and show signs of gaining stability! The foundation is set!"
"Thank you! Well... looks like we both win in our own way, not that this actually meant anything."
"What didn't?" From what he'd heard the cards fit perfectly. He was leaving the stormy waters and his life was looking good, plus he'd moved to a new place and school. As for Ayashiko san's, he had a new venture: his acquisition of the school, and it was showing good profits. "The game? We weren't playing for anything at all?"
"No, we weren't playing for it. The cards were pretty much for my own amusement." Nokoru let out an angry huff at that and began to stand. "Leaving so soon? You haven't gotten your present, yet."
Nokoru stopped. "Present? What present?"
"Kumi," started Dubhain san as he walked over to them (bare feet still wet from the pond), Kameko san in tow. "What are you shouting out cards about? I thought you said you had something to give him." Behind the small man, Kameko nodded.
Ayashiko sighed. "What impatient people." At that he tossed a large envelope to Nokoru.
With a confused expression he opened it and peered inside, and pulled out the papers. His withdrawal papers? "I... I don't understand. Why...?" He let the words trail off as he saw there was more in the envelope. Upon overturning it, he found the scraps of paper that he had gambled in their game. With a few in his hand and his papers in the other, he looked up at the gambler with pure confusion.
"What? Do I have to spell it out for you? Your debts are wiped, go have fun at the wedding, give that temple all the money you want, and re-enroll to your precious Clamp," he stated as if he had a foul taste in his mouth.
"Kumi!" Dubhain san shouted as he wrapped him up in a crushing hug. Caught off guard, Ayashiko san fell over with a shout and squirmed in the smaller man's grip.
"Really?!" Nokoru asked, clutching the papers to his chest as he smiled purely at the struggling gambler.
"Yes, yes, unless you don't want to. I'd be happy to stay if you want," he stated as he got up while Dubhain babbled on about how wonderful he was.
"No, no!" Nokoru said quickly, drawing the papers closer. "I want it, very much so! Thank you! Thank you!" He turned to leave but stopped, the many slips of paper held tightly. "Can I...?"
"Yes, yes, have a nice day."
Nokoru laughed and ran out the doors. His heart was pumping so loudly he could hear it in his ears and he was just bolting out the main doors to the street when he saw Suoh and Akira out of the corner of his eyes. He slammed to a screeching halt and ran back to them. "Suoh! Akira! You won't... believe...." he panted out as he tried to catch his breath.
"What's happened?"
"Kaichou, did you get good news?"
"The best!" he spurted out, shoving the papers at them. "We can come back!"
"That's wonderful!" Akira cheered, but Suoh was too pragmatic to accept things at face value.
"How? The Chairman-"
"It wasn't her that I met with, it was Ayashiko san. He simply asked her to arrange it. He expunged the debts! Akira, if there's still a place, I can be in your wedding again!"
"Oh course!" Akira cheered again and started happily going over everything that would have to be done to put things back as they were, but getting it all done by the week wouldn't be too hard.
"But why?" Suoh asked, not joining in the celebration.
"Because we're off to greener pastures!" Ayashiko announced as he stepped from the doors with his accomplices in tow. "That and this place gives Tamae nightmares," he laughed as Dubhain san looked embarrassed.
"So, you're just leaving. Just like that?" Suoh asked further, and even Nokoru was shocked by this. He hadn't thought that was the case.
"Well, no, not just like that. We stayed the year out, ran the end of year tournaments, helped some kids out with their exams, and all that," he said with his smirk as Dubhain san giggled. "But now we are moving on, sadly. I'm sure you'll all miss us."
"Don't write." Suoh replied, his arms crossed.
Ayashiko san chuckled and bowed. "Happy to oblige. Well, Kaichou, enjoy your school." He patted him on the head as he stepped past.
"Yes, have fun," Dubhain said happily as he headed past. "You look so very good, now."
Nokoru thanked him and wished him well as Kameko san dipped his head as he left. Suddenly his smile returned full force and Nokoru leapt up and wrapped his arms and Suoh's neck, letting his feet dangle. He laughed happily as his lover started but quickly supported him. His happy hugging was interrupted as he heard Ayashiko san. "Damn!"
He was looking at Nokoru and Suoh and suddenly Nokoru was very self-conscious but he also turned to give the same look to his companions. "What am I running here? A dating service!?" he shouted into the air as he walked off but suddenly stopped to look at the two following him. "You know what, that could work! Calculator head here can memorize their bios and match the qualities."
"That won't work," Dubhain said quickly. "People are more than ones and zeros."
"What? We won't hook anyone up with an axe murderer. In fact, that'll be our motto, 'An Axe murderer free dating experience!'." He waved his hands in the air as if showing a marquee. Dubhain giggled and even Nokoru found himself smiling at the show.
"You do realize that would be legitimate, don't you." Kameko san replied.
"What have I told you about ruining things for me?" he scolded as their voices started to trail.
"You did a good thing, Kumi," Dubhain commented and Ayashiko threw his hands in the air.
"Are you two aiming to ruin my day?! I tell you what, if I could just have one day of peace, just one day..." Their voices were lost save the laughter of his friends and soon that was gone too.
Suoh shook his head and Nokoru smiled up at him coyly. "Do I aggravate you that much?"
"Yes," he stated and Akira laughed lightly behind him.
"Come on, let's go take a look at our council room!" Akira asked brightly, stepping that direction.
Nokoru nodded quickly. "We have a little more than two weeks till school starts so we'll have to get our stuff moved in quickly," Nokoru noted quickly. "Akira's tea set, my little puzzle boxes..."
"Your stamp and pens." Suoh added in, and Nokoru stopped like he'd been struck.
"Well, there's no reason rush things, Suoh. We must pace ourselves, after all."
"I can imagine the paperwork that's gotten left over the year change, what with the sudden switch in council members, plus all the beginning of year work."
"Su-oh... Can't I enjoy my coming back?" he asked looking like a lost puppy. "We can start that work tomorrow."
"You can enjoy it when your work is done," he said as he started to walk.
"Su-oh... you're so cruel to me..." he pouted as Akira laughed again, and grabbed Nokoru's arm to pull him after Suoh.
Authors Final Notes:
Hmmm... What to write? Well, as I type this into the angelfire window (yeah, there's tons of forethought that went into this), I'm trying to think about something worthwhile to say about this piece. I first came up with these three characters years ago. First the Triplets were basically the same per son three times and were a set of well meaning goofballs on Touya's soccer team.
Boy, did that change!
Kumi was the first personality to show up, but he started out as just the leader of the goofs, with the other two just his cutout followers. They didn't become gamblers till way later. All and all, they weren't anything really till the challenge was made.
It was then and only then that suddenly the three monsters jumped to reality. Kumi: a smooth talking, smooth looking, scruples-impaired gambler; Tamae: a sweet, half Irish, psychic bishonen; and Jun'ko: a tall, expressionless, human calculator with a soft spot for red heads. I adored them too much to stop with Ring Master so I had to make this, and as they were headed off to college when they left, Clamp School was too perfect of a target.
So where are these theoretical "greener pastures"? That's the question. At the moment I'm letting the basis for an entirely original piece for them roll around in my head. I'll see if it picks up any moss in its travels and who knows it may actually show some fruit.
Thanks for reading.