8. Observation.

T: Well I enjoyed the brief holiday and now I'm back with a vengeance so watch out world! Comixoriole… firstly I'm glad you're still sticking with me despite the irritation, the fics take time to upload now as there are two schedules to consider, mine and Silver salamander's…as to the spelling issue the only thing I can think of is that I deal with UK English rather than US, otherwise I'm stumped considering I have both a spell checker and Silver Salamander to make sure that my mistakes are a minimum! Anyway moving on…X is not mine and the warnings remain the same, so on we go!

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His neesan had, under his instructions, gone home to get some rest and thus apart from the occasional visit from one of the nurses he is now alone within his room.

Its is, therefore, strange that he feels as though someone is watching him…as though some invisible eye is regarding his every action.

After an hour as such he risks the incantation of a warding spell and is pleased when he does not feel overly affected by this exertion.

He is healing well.

The feeling of being watched does not fade and he is tempted to put it as a figment of his imagination before another possibility enters into his head.

Pushing himself up out of the bed he cracks open the window and breathes in the air a moment before returning to the bed.

There had been a faint smell on the winter air that should not have been there, the fragile sent of the sakura and he had known, the moment he smelt it, what it meant.

It was Seishiro who was watching him.

He knows that he should be unnerved for the fact…knows that there is a good chance that Seishiro is here to see if there is a need now to kill him and yet…

Yet there is the other possibility also.

When he feels the eyes regarding him again he smiles and stealing his nerve remarks,

"You need not hide in the shadows, Seishiro-san."

There is a chuckle and then the older man is there in the window, his face still in stark silhouette.

"I had thought that I had alluded you and yet…" He steps then into the room and Subaru finds himself shivering for the emotions there in his one remaining eye.

"Thank you for visiting me while I was unconscious, Seishiro-san."

"Your sister was very afraid for you, Subaru-kun."

"She had a right to be, what I did was very selfish and silly."

"Do you regret the choice you made?" He enquires as he comes to stand at Subaru's bedside.

"Never." He replies as he stretches to tangle Seishiro's fingers into his own.

"You have changed so much through my actions on 'That Day' and yet still you are so very kind, Subaru-kun."

"I know and that kindness proves still my weakest aspect."

Seishiro releases his hand and settles onto the bed, his weight enough to tilt the mattress and force Subaru's body to slide into his back.

Though the air outside had been chilled Seishiro is warm, a fact that Subaru marvels a moment in before the older man remarks,

"I do not understand why you have done as you have done for me, Subaru-kun, especially considering what I did to you on 'That Day' and yet…

"Yet though I do not know whether this shall prove a disadvantage for me, I wanted to thank you for that choice."

He feels his cheeks heat and he is thankful now that the older man is, for the moment, turned away from him.

"I love you, Seishiro-san, that is why I did as I have done and why I do not wish for your thanks."

He has closed his eyes tightly in hopes of vanishing completely now that the confession has at last broken free of him, thus he hears, rather than sees, Seishiro standing and thus believes the older man is making to leave.

Though he had not had any true hope that his feelings might be reciprocated he feels traitorous tears stinging at the insides of his eye lids and he rolls away from the older man, the IV line tangling about him as he does as such.

"Subaru-kun…will you open your eyes, please?"

Though he has every right and every good intention he finds he can not disobey that command and opening his eyes he is met with the gentle, caring, smile that he has dreamt so often of since 'That Day'.

"Sei…shi…ro…san…"Again he mumbles that name from his lips as though it is poison and yet this time it is not the comfort of his sister that he receives but the comfort of Seishiro's embrace.

Here in the arms of the one he loves beyond all others he can forget that 'That Day' ever occurred…can make believe that he is still the Subaru he had been within the Year of the Bet and yet…

With a sudden startling realisation he recalls the dream that Kakyo had shown him…recalls how dismissive the Seishiro within the dream had been of the Subaru of that time…

He pulls away and looking the older man squarely in the eyes he enquires,

"What, if anything, do you feel for me, Seishiro-san?"

He raises a hand to caress Subaru's face and he responds,

"You are special to me, Subaru-kun…enough that the thought of harming you…of another taking you from me…hurts.

"Yet I do not understand how you are special to me and thus I shall not take the easy rout and tell you that I love you."

His honesty stings a little, yet it is as comfort that he is being honest and not wishing to loose the opportunity Subaru enquires,

"Do you think of me still as a possession, Seishiro-san?"

"No."

"Do you think of me as you think of Hokuto-chan?"

"No." He smiles then and pulls me again into the comfort of his arms, "Subaru-kun is unique in my heart."

Feeling more than a little daring Subaru places his hands to either side of the older mans face and enquires,

"Do not some people define love as a feeling that one person, and one person alone is unique to you?"

"I have heard some say as such."

"Then perhaps it is possible that you love me…or begin to do as such."

"Perhaps."

He feels his heart leap and touching his lips he realises that he is smiling wider than he ever had before.

Seishiro takes his hand into his own and he looks deep into Subaru's eyes a moment before he dips and they are locked into a kiss.

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T: Da dah! One kiss and it only took eight chapters! Seriously this moment just evolved as I was writing and so though it seemed oddly spontaneous I left it here because clearly the chemistry was right for it! R+R And I'll be your friend for life!