Chapter 2
Kamui had been wandering for a couple of hours, ignoring the strange looks he got, just trying to figure out how to get back to CLAMP campus. He wanted to know if the others were alright, where Fuuma was, and generally what happened. He was still lost though, not to mention confused, lost, tired, hungry, dirty, bruised, and any number of unpleasant states to be in. Fighting back tears of frustration, he collapsed in another alleyway, back against the wall, elbows on his knees and hung his head, wondering what he could possibly do at this point. After a few moments of silence, a small whimper caught his attention and he looked up to see a puppy, lying half covered by the snow. Kamui reached over and brushed it off, discovering as he did so that its leg seemed to be broken. He hesitated for a moment, knowing that injured animals didn't normally take well to human contact but decided it didn't really matter at this point and took his uniform jacket off, ignoring the chill as cold winter air seeped easily through his dress shirt. He wrapped the puppy up in it, being as careful as he could to not move the broken paw and held it close. To his surprise, the puppy didn't resist or try to bite him; in fact it seemed to snuggle closer, seeking warmth. Memories of a rainy day and another puppy drifted to the surface and Kamui wondered again where Fuuma was.
"-cones! Snow cones! Snow cones!"
Kamui's head snapped up as a familiar voice drifted from the end of the alleyway and the sudden movement caught the girl's eye. She turned and peered down at him curiously, her bright yellow coat and rain boots splashing color across the grey city and white snow. "Hi there! Are you okay?"
A tall teenage boy with the sort of face that always seemed to be smiling even when he wasn't appeared behind her. "Eh, what is it?"
"Yuzuriha-chan…" Kamui croaked, relief coursing through him. "Sorata-san…"
The two both gave him a surprised look then looked at one another.
"Is he a friend of yours?" Sorata asked.
"I don't think so… Do I know you?" Yuzuriha replied to him over her shoulder before turning back to Kamui.
All the relief dissipated.
"Ah! Is that a puppy?" Yuzuriha cried, delighted when she noticed the squirming bundle in Kamui's arms. "It's so cute!" she reached forward to pet it and the puppy gave a small yip, licking her hand happily.
"Um, yeah, but I think it's hurt…" Kamui replied, still somewhat dazed.
"Hey, I think there's a vet nearby, we could take it there." Sorata offered a hand to Kamui, pulling the boy to his feet.
Kamui numbly nodded and followed the pair silently, still clutching the puppy and watching the two of them joke good-naturedly with one another. He wondered if he too, looked like a stray to them.
"Ah! Here's the place!" Sorata announced triumphantly, striking a victorious pose before a veterinary clinic. "See, I told you I remembered where it was!" He stuck his tongue out at Yuzuriha.
"You tried to go the opposite direction at first!" She reached up to smack the back of his head.
"I was just testing YOUR memory!" he quickly retorted, pulling open the door.
"Yeah, yeah, sure you were."
Kamui followed them into the building, grateful for the warm air that washed over him, easing some of his shivering. One of the veterinarians was talking to the secretary at the front desk so the three of them paused until they were finished. Kamui's eyes widened when the vet turned his head just enough for him to get a glimpse of his face.
"Su-" he cut himself off, realizing that if Yuzuriha and Sorata didn't recognize him, Subaru probably wouldn't either.
"Ah! Hello there!" the secretary cheerfully called, noticing the teenagers.
"Hi!" Yuzuriha bounded up to her, eliciting a strange look from Subaru. "We found a hurt puppy! Can you help us?"
Subaru glanced back at Kamui and Sorata, his expression carefully set into something unreadable. "Sure, let's take a look at it."
It didn't take long for him to reset the broken bone and wrap the puppy's paw and when he was finished, Subaru looked up, his expression still blank and asked who the dog belonged to.
"It's his!" Yuzuriha pointed to Kamui, who quickly shook his head.
"No, I just found it." He had no idea what he would do with a puppy at this point, given that he didn't even know what to do with himself now.
"Oooh well in that case- Sora-chan, let's keep it!" Yuzuriha eagerly grabbed at the older teen's arm, her eyes sparkling. "You know I've always wanted a puppy!"
He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, yeah, I know, but are you really going to take care of it?"
She huffed. "Of course I am! What kind of person do you take me for?"
"I can give you the address of a dog trainer not far from here if you really do want to keep it." Subaru offered, taking a sticky note from the front desk to write it down.
"What'll we name it?" Sorata asked as she gingerly gathered up the puppy who began happily licking her cheek, causing her to giggle and hug it tighter.
"Hmm." She held the puppy up, pressing her nose to its. "How about Inuki?"
"Inuki?"
Subaru coughed and handed them the note. "He's open every day but Sunday, so you'll have to go in after school or something I'm afraid."
"That's alright!" Yuzuriha flashed him a sunny smile. She spun around to face Kamui who had been silently standing by, unsure of what to do. "Are you okay?"
"Fine." He mumbled.
Sorata and Yuzuriha exchanged a glance.
"Do you want us to walk you home?" Sorata offered.
Kamui shook his head. He didn't know how he was going to explain to them that he wasn't sure he even had a home right now and just didn't feel like dealing with that conversation at the moment.
The pair both hesitated before wishing him a farewell and bounding out into the snowy city with the puppy.
Kamui stood in front of the clinic and watched them disappear down the street, then pulled his uniform jacket back on, brushing bits of dog hair off and wrapped his arms around himself, wondering what to do next. Evening was falling and although the clouds completely covered the sky, he could tell the sun must be setting as it was slowly getting colder and darker. The snow had started to fall again, soft white flakes quietly drifting through the air, coating everything in an icy blanket, muffling the sounds of the city and making it look cleaner, softer, but somehow more blank and distant. Kamui felt like an intruder in his stark black uniform and black hair. He watched the cars and people go by, wondering if it was even worth approaching someone to ask them where CLAMP campus was or if his appearance would scare them away. Besides, if Yuzuriha and Sorata didn't even remember him, what good could going to the campus really do? He looked down at the ground, watching his feet slowly be buried in the snow and wondered if he just sat down and waited how long it would take for it to cover him completely and just erase him from this world he so clearly did not belong to.
A hand on his shoulder startled him and he jerked and looked back to see Subaru standing behind him with an umbrella.
"Are you okay, Kamui?" he asked softly.
Kamui started to stutter out a "yeah I'm fine" when it occurred to him that he had never said his name in the clinic. "You- you remember me?" he asked, his voice wavering from hope and cold and exhaustion.
Subaru nodded. "So the other two really didn't know who you were? I thought they were acting strange around you. But why do you look like you did that day?"
Kamui shivered. "What day?"
"The day you made your wish…" Subaru tilted his head as Kamui felt himself tear up. "You don't remember anything do you?"
Kamui shook his head, embarrassed at how close he was to crying.
Subaru pulled him near, putting an arm around him. "It's okay. Sorry, you must be freezing standing out here dressed like that. Come on, let's get you inside."
Kamui numbly let Subaru guide him to his apartment and wordlessly did as he was told when Subaru suggested he take a bath to warm up and scrub off some of the dried blood and grime from the battle, the last thing he distinctly remembered…
When he stepped out of the tub, he found that Subaru had left some of his own clothes for him and Kamui dressed, feeling that the clothes were not too big but rather he was too small. He quietly hung up the towel he had used to dry off and padded out into the living room where Subaru was sitting on the couch, sipping tea. He indicated another mug on the coffee table for Kamui and reached over the edge of the couch to pull out a blanket which he wrapped around Kamui's shoulders once the boy sat down beside him. Kamui clutched at it gratefully then at long last looked up and asked Subaru what was going on.
Subaru shook his head.
"I'm not sure. I woke up this morning with the memories of two people. Well, two me's I guess. One of a normal, ordinary life that has led to me living like this-" he gestured around the apartment. "- and another in which I was dealing with the end of the world and in which my last memory was hearing you make your wish. I assume somehow your wish did this."
"I don't remember making my wish though." Kamui stared into the tea and was surprised to notice a stalk floating upright. He didn't feel particularly lucky today.
"You did though." Subaru replied. "That's why everything has gone back to normal I think." He eyed Kamui. "Except you it seems. You don't have any memories of a life here?"
Kamui shook his head. "No, the last thing I remember is fighting with Fuuma, and then I woke up in an alleyway."
"Hm. That's odd…"
"Hey, Subaru? How come Sorata and Yuzuriha forgot what happened?"
"I don't think it's just them. Seishirou doesn't remember either."
Kamui tensed up. "What?"
The front door of the apartment suddenly opened and Kamui felt prickles run up his arms in response to the man who entered the room. "I'm hoooome!" he called cheerfully.
"Oh yeah..." Subaru blushed. "We live together…"
"Eh?" Seishirou looked up from taking off his shoes and caught sight of Kamui. He gasped then put on a fake expression of anguish. "Subaruuu, are you leaving me already for someone younger and more beautiful?" he cried, a hand over his heart as though struck by an imaginary arrow.
"Nono it's not like that!" Subaru hastily protested.
Seishirou chuckled and settled on the arm of the couch next to Subaru, kissing his temple. "I know. But really, who is this lovely little creature?"
Kamui glared at him which only drew another laugh from the man.
"He seems kinda feisty. Did Hokuto have an illegitimate son you never mentioned to me?"
"No, he's um… our cousin, Kamui." Subaru scrambled to find an explanation. "He ran away from home and needs a place to stay for a few days until he can get things back together. Do you mind if he hangs out here?" Subaru gave Seishirou a pleading look, begging him to buy the flimsy story and Kamui resisted the urge to face palm.
Seishirou studied the two of them for a long, uncomfortable moment before breaking into another, slightly more sinister looking grin. "Absolutely." He leaned over the top of Subaru's head and Kamui drew back, frowning. "What do you like to eat, Kamui-kun? I was just about to make dinner." He gave Kamui a smirk he knew Subaru couldn't see.
Not knowing what to make of the previous Sakurazukamori asking him what he wanted for dinner, Kamui simply stared.
"Hmm, kinda quiet huh? You know, he actually reminds me a lot more of you Subaru." Seishirou laughed and walked off into the kitchen where the sound of pots and pans being shuffled around could soon be heard.
Kamui gave Subaru a Look, to which he merely shrugged.
"He's not exactly the same."
"You sure about that?"
Subaru gave him a wry smile. "Well he didn't murder my sister this time around so I think it's a fairly safe guess."
Kamui's eyes widened. "Your sister is still alive?"
Subaru nodded. "She's the head of a major fashion line now. It really suits her…." He smiled to himself.
In Kamui's mind Hokuto always looked just like Subaru but female and he suddenly tried to imagine Subaru designing fashion clothing and started laughing.
Subaru gave him a confused look.
"Sorry, it's just-" Kamui found he couldn't stop laughing and realized he didn't want to either. As weird as it all was, being in this warm apartment, talking on a couch as if he were just catching up with an old friend, he could feel tension starting to melt away and he felt just a little bit less misplaced. When at last the laughter subsided he reached for the tea and smiled down at the stalk floating in it this time. Maybe it wasn't so wrong after all.