4: Despair.
T: As you can gather from the title things take a downward slide from now on in! Both my wonderful beta Silver Salamander and I are a little busy at the moment, hence the delay but hopefully I'll still manage to get a chapter out each week….fingers crossed!
kuraitsubasa: please note the warning below! I would tell you that its all going to be alright in the end but that would be spoiling things!
An increase in ANGST and SUNSHINE 60 which really does deserve a warning all of its own! It is Clamp's not mine…my version would have a great deal more of Subaru…naked!
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He is propped up in bed, his head buried in a book when Seishiro calls his name.
"What is it, love?" He enquires as he places the book, face down, onto the nightstand.
"I wish to know what that boy was talking about next week,"
"It does not matter."
"It does matter…ever since you met that boy you've been having terrible nightmares and Kamui has come to monopolise your time so much that I am lucky to see you for more than a minute."
"I am all the family he has, Seishiro; I have told you that before."
"I know, pet and I know that I can not ask you to stop seeing him…but…"
"But I am pushing you away?"
"Precisely. Before this we have never had any secrets between us, you even told me about the marks on your hands after you learned of them."
"Something Obaachan will kill me for when she finds out, I am sure…" He trails and turning he buries himself into Seishiro's chest before he remarks, "I did not want you worried over nothing."
"Subaru, I would prefer to know that you are in danger rather than be left ignorant… I had thought you would know that by now."
"I do and I am sorry…Seishrio, do you recall the case with the dial Q party line?"
"The girls who believed that the world was going to end in 1999?"
He takes in a little breath and replies,
"They were right. The world will indeed end in 1999 unless we can prevent it."
"We?"
"Perhaps that was not the best of wording…they wish for me to be involved but…"
"Subaru, whatever you decide I will support you one hundred percent."
"Thank you and knowing that helps a little…I still am not sure, however. The heart of me would say no, my life is content after all.
"But the Sakurazukamori has become involved and as a Sumeragi it is my duty to fight that person.
"Also Kamui needs someone at his side during this time, for he has the greatest and the hardest role to play."
"What role?"
"He must fight his Twin Star and the outcome of that battle will decide the outcome of the war."
"Then why is your involvement necessary?"
"Both myself and my fellow Dragon's of Heaven are meant to protect the Kekkai that support Tokyo.
"With each Kekkai that remains at the Final Battle Kamui will gain a little strength and with each that is broken his counterpart will grow."
"I see, so by supporting these 'Dragon's of Heaven' you are assuring that Kamui has the best of chances?"
"Yes."
"Then you must do it, of course, for it does you good to have someone other than Hokuto and myself to care for and to protect."
"It is dangerous."
"As is your life as an Onmyoji."
Seishiro is being sincere and it is this, along with the promise of the others support, that makes the choice for him.
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He feels the ground shift lazily beneath his feet and his body tensing he glances to the sky.
There is a flash of lightening and he moves, his body connecting a moment with a boy he recognises vaguely as one of Kamui's classmates, before he has passed him by.
Eventually he reaches an empty alleyway and he leaps….
Fuuma has Kamui pinned under one of his feet and the boy seems to have given in, his form limp and all but lifeless beneath the limb.
Grabbing for an Ofuda, he cries for Fuuma to let the other go…
For the briefest of instants he sees the shadowed face of the boy beneath the sakura laid onto Fuuma's own and them he is seeing again his 'true' face.
"How odd…it seems you have not completely settled on a true wish…" Fuuma remarks, a lazy smile crossing his lips.
Again there is the flash of the young Sakurazukamori and the Kamui is screaming his name.
It is thanks to this that he avoids the blow from behind him and reaching for more of his Ofuda he proceeds to fight off his new opponent.
Eventually Fuuma steps in and though the other is strong Subaru manages still to place a trap about his body.
Another flash of that shadowed figure and the momentary distraction is enough for his spell to backlash.
Fuuma pins him against a wall and grabs for his head, his form burring again into that other.
"Why…why do you?"
"Why do I look like that boy?" Fuuma enquires as his hand travels down for his right eye. "Because you wish to meet him again."
There is an instant of blinding pain and then he falls into unconsciousness.
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He waits until Kamui has gone with Subaru to the hospital and then he makes his presence known to the other 'Kamui'.
"It seems you are connected to that Dragon of Heaven."
"I have been playing a little game with him."
"A game that will soon have to come to a conclusion." Fuuma responds. "That person has two very different wishes and you are the one who shall decide which he chooses…what his future shall be."
The other leaps away from him then and he lingers while simply contemplating the words.
Eventually his mobile begins to ring and he has a discussion with Subaru's nurse before he makes his way to the hospital.
Kamui is sat with Subaru, his hands wrapped about the other man's in a manner that suggests he will not be letting go any time soon.
"How is he?" He enquires.
The boy flinches and yet his grip does not weaken, indeed he seems almost to grasp a little tighter to Subaru's hand.
"He has been blinded in his right eye and yet I believe that you knew that already."
"So you felt my presence."
"How could you allow Fuuma to do that?"
"I did not know what he was planning until it occurred and by that point it was too late."
"How can you be so calm? He could have died!"
"But he did not."
Kamui's eyes are burning now with the force of his anger and he smiles a little for the amusement of it.
"He loves you so very much and so I shall forgive you that comment.
"However, if you hurt him I will come for you."
"My, my! Such anger, Kamui-kun…I wonder if Subaru has drawn you in…"
The boy flushes and he smiles before he reaches for Subaru's free hand.
"He is mine, Shirou Kamui…"
His marks respond to his touch and Subaru moves a little in his sleep, his mouth opening to whisper his name before he settles again.
"Only ever mine!" He states, a cold, murderous smile clear on his lips as he utters the words.
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T: Yeh…things get even worse in the next chapter...now that I've scared away what is left of my readership R+R…because things can only get better!