"What one Sees in a cup of Tea"

by Shelly Webster and Arsen Dalavaccio

Disclaimer: Well…I was in the mental hospital for thinking I owned Escaflowne, but then they convinced me I was wrong.

A/N: whimpers I hate my muses. Now I will never hear the term lightswitch again and think innocent thoughts.

Shout-outs:

Sakura Shinguji-Albatou: Much love to you. Sorry for the delay, but things have gotten more, not less, crazy around here. Anyhow, enjoy the Sei. We're flattered you want this in the C2, even if it can't be there. I'm more of a chai gal, but Earl Grey is a classic. Umm…oh, and if Sei and Folken ever are drawn by you, link me? Please?

Strangedream: Tea is a serious art. The British are so serious about it. It makes me giggle. And yes, love. smirk

Chapter 7

The Lightswitch.

After another hour of deliberation, Folken decided to go pay Sei a visit. Shortly thereafter, Sei heard a quiet knock at the door.

He hadn't moved other than to get more tea. He looked up, still too much shock to get up. "Come in."

The Strategos moved to his favorite spot and sat down. He still looked dazed. He continually glanced at Sei out of the corners of his eyes.

"Tea?" Sei waved at the cup, still where it was left on the table.

Folken nodded and took a sip. The older man kept glancing at him, looking away when he saw Folken looking back.

"You know..."

"Hmm?" He looked at Folken properly again.

Folken scratched the back of his head. "No one ever argues with me like you do, except for Dilandau. And he's never won before."

"Oh?"

"...yes..."

"Is that good or bad?"

The younger man smiled a bit. "I'm not sure. It's different. More interesting than winning all the time, of course."

"Ah." Sei raised his eyebrows at the vague explanation. "Glad to be of service."

Folken smiled, laughing and shaking his head. "So...you really do care? I'm still surprised that I bother you so much..."

"You would question if I care? I do care about you. But bother me?"

"I mean what you view as my problems. I'm surprised you're so bothered by them."

"Someone has to worry about you," the doctor pointed out.

The stern man smiled, looked over at him. "Would you like to be that someone?"

"How do you mean?"

Folken smiled, leaning in close. "What do you think I mean?" He was as close as he could be without touching.

"Do you mean this, or is this just a challenge?"

"What do you think? I mean it, Sei." For once, he sounded quite sincere.

"Do you believe in love, then?"

"I don't know. I suppose so."

Folken's smile was quite cute, quite endearing, in Sei's opinion. He leaned in the small space between them, kissing him.

Slowly, but gradually, the shock that Sei actually liked him back wore off of Folken.

Somewhere in Sei's head, the thought What are you doing! floated around, but he ignored it for the moment.

Folken, for once, wasn't exactly thinking about anything. He deepened the kiss and gently caressed the side of Sei's face.

Sei leaned into the touch, which almost tickled.

Folken pulled away for a moment, looking at Sei.

Sei looked away, what he had done finally hitting him.

Folken blinked, shook his head. This was a strange turn of events. He sat back in his chair, not looking at Sei. He looked at the floor instead. "I..."

Sei also sat back, looking into his cup. Maybe the tea would give him answers, or something he could offer to the young man to explain his actions.

"...what did you say your feelings on love were again?"

Sei looked up from the tea. His voice didn't seem to want to work. "Urm...There are few lucky enough to find it..."

"We are an unusual pair, would you agree?"

"Perhaps."

Folken nodded and glanced at a clock. "It's...getting late."

The remark clicked. Sei remembered Dilandau's presence and looked to his cot; thankfully, he was sleeping. "It is."

With this present turn of events, Folken had forgotten his fatigue.

Sei blinked hard, hiding a yawn; it had been a long, stressful day.

Folken drank some more of that tea. He leaned against his arm, looking a tad sleepy.

"We should probably get to bed..."

Folken nodded, but didn't move.

Kicking Folken out was the last thing on the list of things Sei would hate to do, but this was definitely going to be awkward.

The Strategos didn't want to leave the infirmary to another cold, lonely night in his quarters.

Sei made an offer, somewhat timidly. "There are beds here, if you don't want to walk back to your quarters."

"Oh...thank you." Folken smiled, quite relieved Sei asked, pleased as Sei smiled back. He took off his cloak and set it on the chair neatly.

Sei turned away and crossed to his cot, getting out his pajamas. He wasn't going to let himself watch Folken undress.

Folken began taking off his toga as well, carefully laying it out on the same chair his cloak rested upon.

Sei pulled off his tunic and shirt, then sat on the cot to remove his boots; he snuck a glance at Folken. He pulled on the loose gray blouse he used as pajamas, switched his trousers, and pulled down the covers.

Folken stripped down to his boxer shorts. He then walked over to one of the empty cots, sheet tucked tight around it in hospital corners.

The older man got into bed, laid down. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Sei." Before laying in his own bed, he walked over to Sei's. He leaned over him.

Sei leaned in, closer as Folken put his hands on his shoulders, leaned in and gave him a kiss. He kissed back, placing a hand on Folken's real hand, though it was an awkward angle for his arm. Their mouths opened, the kiss deepening.

Folken sat down on the bed, scooting closer to Sei. Sei scooted over enough so Folken was in no risk of falling; his free hand traveled around Folken's waist, feeling his warm back, his realness, and keeping him close and steady.

Folken slid one hand behind Sei's neck, pulling him closer. Sei leaned in, needing little encouragement.

A part of him knew he had never really thought he would be involved with another man, but he had always felt love to be beyond that. His tongue darted to Folken's lips, not going on.

Folken parted his lips, opening his mouth ever so slightly. His tongue lightly caressed Sei's.

Sei was shocked by how good this feels; his tongue teased Folken's in response.

Folken slid his other hand beneath Sei's back, pulling his body closer.

The older man ran both hands up Folken's bare back. He opened his mouth wider. Meanwhile, Folken attempted to help Sei out of his shirt.

Sei wasn't sure they were ready for that so soon, but Folken wasn't really thinking much about what he was doing, just going with it.

The other man tensed for a moment, then decided this was ok; but no farther yet.

Folken proceeded to try unbuttoning Sei's shirt.

Sei let Folken unfasten it, running his hands up and down his sides; he could feel Folken's ribs, and his muscles.

Folken finished removing the shirt and cast it onto the ground.

Sei's hands returned to Folken's back, one stroking his hair.

Folken rubbed his hand up and down Sei's back, slowly, in a calm repeating motion. He moved his mouth down to Sei's neck, licking it.

Sei moans; this felt really good

He moves down lower, to Sei's chest.

Sei's fingers traced out patterns on Folken's back.

Unbeknownst to either, Dilandau was stirring across the room, the light and unpleasant dreams finally troubling him too much.

Dilandau was surprised to hear something going on in the room; he did not yet open his eyes. An enemy would underestimate him if he thought Dilandau was asleep.

Folken began tonguing Sei's neck again, wishing to hear him make that lovely sound again. He succeeded, the low moan sounding louder because the room was quiet; their movements caused the cot to creak.

Dil sat up, his eyes open now. "Are you ok, Sei?" He looked to Sei's cot, eyes still not entirely clear of sleep.

Stunned, Folken stopped mid-lick. "We forgot about him…"

Sei groaned, scooted back. "Yeah..."

"What the hell! What's he doing here and why is he in your bed?"

Folken's eyes shut tightly together.

"Errr..." Sei pulled away from Folken completely. "He's staying here tonight."

Folken looked at the wall in front of him, not saying a word.

Sei was not ashamed of the relationship, but death by Dilandau for either one of them didn't sound like a pleasant way to start it. He hoped Folken would understand this.

Folken tried to help. "You should go back to bed."

"Not until I know why you're here." Carmine eyes flashed with anger; he hated secrets.

Folken stared at him. "Why do you think I'm here? Getting a full physical, of course." He looked away. It was hard to tell if he was joking or seriously trying to get Dilandau to believe that.

"You mean you're here to make my life miserable. You don't get physicals in the middle of the night anyhow." Dilandau was almost pouting.

"It's...erm...an evaluation." Sei was making this up as he went.

"Of endurance."

"He's staying here to better evaluate me."

"Yes."

"And he wanted to see if the lightswitch is similar to his own." The lightswitch was within Sei's reach from in bed.

"Yes, of course." Folken reached over and flipped it on, then off. "I think I'll need a screwdriver. I want to study this."

Off then on, the lights flickered once more as Folken rose to look for a screwdriver.

"Not tonight..." Sei groaned.

"Can't you just tell him to leave?" Dilandau pled.

Folken busily looked for a screwdriver. He was just a tad annoyed. And slightly jealous. Dilandau got to be with Sei for an honest reason.

"I don't think that would make for a good evaluation...Can we all just go to bed?"

Folken was just here because he's a traitorous bastard with no honor. He slammed drawers out of anger.

Sei looked concerned; he got up and crossed to Folken. Dilandau narrowed his eyes, watching

Sei knew Dilandau would watch, try to listen, so he whispered. "What's wrong?"

Folken glared at one drawer. He didn't answer Sei. "Just make him go to bed."

"We'll talk tomorrow, ok?" Sei touched his arm briefly. "Dilandau, can we get back to sleep? I'm tired."

Folken left the drawer and laid down on one of the cots.

"Whatever." The albino grumbled, but laid back down as well.

Sei turned out the lights again. Folken had his back turned to Sei now. "Goodnight Dilandau." His voice dropped. "Goodnight, my amoroso."

Folken didn't look over, but he did hear that word.

Amazingly enough, Dilandau didn't hear. He was too busy plotting how to get Folken to leave.

Folken waited a minute after Dilandau laid back down to make his way over to Sei's cot.

Dilandau snored softly.

"Sei!"

"Yes?"

Folken sat down next to him. "How on Gaea is this going to work with him right there all the time?"

Sei sighed. "I don't know...maybe I could suggest that he move to quarantine so he has more privacy or something."

Folken nodded. "We could go there now. If you wanted to...anyway..."

"Ok, but this is new, just remember that."

When Folken nodded, Sei took his hand. Folken smiled and dragged him off to quarantine.

"Shh!" Sei unlocked the door, holding it open for Folken.

The taller man walked in first. He then pulled Sei in quickly behind him and shut the door.

Sei locked it. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Folken obviously didn't want to talk about it now. "It's not your fault. You're a doctor. He's your patient." Folken couldn't really complain about this as it was his fault Dilandau was in the infirmary in the first place.

"The middle of the night isn't the best time to talk to him..."

"No, it's not." He put an arm around Sei's waist and pulled him close. "I'm not angry with you, Sei."

"Ok; good." He put a hand to Folken's cheek. He stroked it, then specifically stroked his tattoo.

Folken's face faulted at that. What with everything else Sei disliked about him, he was certain to dislike the tattoos.

Sei smiled softly. "It's a sad one."

"It is meant to be." He let go of Sei and sat down on the floor.

Sei sat beside him, but Folken looked away.

"I can't help who or what I am, Sei. You're going to have to accept the fact that I'm unhappy."

"I know. But that doesn't mean I should want you to be unhappy." Sei reached for his hand.

"You shouldn't obsess over it either." Possibly he was talking to himself at this point. He shut his eyes and leaned against Sei's shoulder.

Sei kissed his cheek, felt Folken snuggle up against him. He sighed, contentedly this time.

Folken put his arms around Sei, embracing him tightly. Sei's arms clasped snugly around him, trying to anchor him somehow. What have I done, getting involved with someone who wants to die?

Folken quickly fell asleep, feeling very at peace.

As he realized Folken was sleeping, Sei struggled to get him into a bed, deciding that it would have to be one in quarantine. He kissed his sleeping love and went back to bed, leaving the door open.