TB and GD characters belong to CLAMP. I'm just torturing Subaru for fun. It's not as if they don't do it.

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Necessary items

It was cold day of winter, very much like the one that had marked his arrival on the drugstore. Kazahaya, even without the memories of that Christmas, had never liked winter and avoided going outside in days like this as much as he could. It was far much better to stay inside, where it was warm and safe.

It had been a very quiet day; Kakei-san said it was still too early in the season for the drugstore to be full of people seeking a cure to the headaches caused by the celebrations and too late for the colds that marked the start of the winter. It was, however, a perfect time to reorganize the shelves, which is why Kazahaya was now placing hundreds of aspirin boxes in the shelf nearest the door.

Kakei-san was standing behind the counter, writing something from time to time and humming something that sounded vaguely like a Christmas song while Saiga-san was no doubt sleeping somewhere in the back. In all his time working in Green Drug, Kazahaya had never really understood what Saiga-san did in the drugstore, besides smoking and sleeping. Rikuou, when he had asked him, had only said that if Kazahaya was so oblivious not to notice, he was not telling him.

He was mentally cursing Rikuou when a flow of cold air announced the appearance of the first customers of the afternoon. A young pair, a boy and a girl, dressed in bright blue and white clothes entered the store, closing the door behind them. The two of them where obviously brother and sister, so alike, Kazahaya guessed they were twins. He felt a faint twinge of guilt as he remembered his own sister. Kei had never liked the winter either.

As soon as she had cleared the snow from her hair, the girl started dashing excitedly around the drugstore, going from shelf to shelf. The boy, in contrast, stood rather subdued near the door, staring at the floor.

Kakei-san didn't move to offer his help as he usually did with other customers. Not that he could have really helped: the girl was moving with such enthusiasm Kazahaya had trouble just following her with his eyes.

"Subaru!" The girl yelled, quite loudly, but still Kakei-san didn't even twitch. "How are you supposed to choose one if you stay there?!"

The boy, Subaru, reddened at his sister's behavior. "I don't want to choose one." He mumbled.

"What was that? I can't hear you if you stay there Subaru!"

Her brother didn't move but to grip the door handle as if preparing to escape any moment, but raised his voice a little. "I... I'm... not so sure about the idea anymore, Hokuto-chan."

"Nonsense! As Japan's most powerful onmyouji you must be prepared for everything!" Making a resolute pose, she extended an arm and grabbed a package from the nearest shelf.

Now, Kazahaya was almost sure Kakei-san had twitched.

"I'm pretty sure that when grandmother said "Be prepared" she didn't meant this." The voice was now verging on panic.

The girl pouted and walked resolutely towards her brother. Now that she was close enough, Kazahaya could see the package the girl had taken. It was a small box with white letters on a black and red background. As the girl moved her fingers, Kazahaya was finally able to read the name on the box....and he felt his face go red with embarrassment. Thank god Rikuou had the day off, or he would have teased him to death.

Poor, poor boy. After all, it was his sister the one who was buying him...

"Condoms. They are just condoms Subaru. They don't bite. " With that she tossed the box at him. The boy, showing excellent reflexes, grasped the package easily but threw it from hand to hand, as if it burned him.

" But.... I don't...."

"Listen Subaru," The girl had taken a more serious tone and Kazahaya felt as if he was intruding on something private. There wasn't much he could do about it, seeing as he was right next to them. "I can't be with you all the time. I want to make sure that no matter what happens in the future, you will be okay."

"But I'm not planning on doing that and.... "

"Of course you are not thinking about it now, silly! You haven't found that special person yet! But when you do- and after that person gets my blessing, obviously and never on the first date- you are going to want to have sex and..."

"....I'm not...I mean yes...no"

"Just make sure that person makes you a good breakfast afterwards..."

"But I.... I ..."

"...I know the gentlemanly thing would be for you to cook the breakfast, but that's not such a good idea. You are very sweet Subaru, but you hardly know how to take care of yourself. Look at you! You would be just skin and bones if not for your wonderful sister!"

Kazahaya had to admit he was pretty scared when she started to laugh maniacally "Ohohohohoho!" No wonder the boy was so quiet. His sister was loud enough for the two of them.

Kakei-san smiled as they paid for the package and mentioned, much to the girl delight, they had those in a wide range of colors. And flavors.

Kazahaya completely understood why the boy fainted on the floor. He was feeling a bit dizzy himself.

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A year later...

Seishirou Sakurazuka was not easily surprised. Most of the time he was the one surprising people and not the one staring for five minutes at a blue jacket with his mouth open.

He had invited Subaru to dinner (Hokuto-chan was conveniently out on a date) and, as the gentleman he was, he had taken Subaru-kun's jacket. It had been just a mere coincidence that he had felt a small package in one of the many pockets and had felt curious about it. Now he was curious about this.

This went completely against what everything he knew of Subaru-kun. Cute, kind and innocent Subaru-kun who blushed at the mere mention of kissing could not be the same Subaru-kun who carried condoms on his jacket.

It did bring interesting possibilities to their little bet but, seeing as he had chosen the well-mannered-veterinarian disguise, those were impossible to pursue without destroying his cover.

He suspected Hokuto-chan's hand in all this. It was the only logical explanation.

Still... Seishirou was determined to have an interesting evening. Stepping into the living room he tried his best to put on a mask of shocked disbelief.

"Subaru-kun this is quite forward of you...."

Yes, it would be a remarkable evening.