Disclaimer : I do not own Saiunkoku Monogatari. It belongs to Sai Yukino.

Rating : T

Genre : Humour/Friendship

Warning : Yaoi, beginnings

Pairing : Li Koyu/Ran Shuei

Summary : Just friends?

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Chapter 2 : PINK

Koyu stared at Shuei in consternation.
"Shuei! What are you doing here?"

Shuei raised an eyebrow. He looked at the surroundings in a very pointed manner.
"This IS the lavatory, isn't it?"

Shuei's lips twitched as he watched the battle going on in Koyu's face. Koyu's facial expressions never failed to amuse Shuei. Shuei could see Koyu struggling, trying to decide whether to walk out of the lavatory, or to give in to the urgent need to pee. Nature won.

Koyu couldn't very well turn away from Shuei who was standing on his right. He HAD to face the urinal afterall. He tried, without much success, to cover himself from Shuei's line of vision with his right hand.

Shuei stared unabashedly. He whistled softly.
"Impressive. "

".........."

"But mine's prettier, don't you think?"

Before he could stop himself, Koyu automatically looked down at Shuei's. Koyu turned bright red, then looked resolutely ahead, biting his lip.

"Well, so what do you think, Master Koyu?"

"I REFUSE to think about this!"
Koyu wailed.

Koyu looked like he was about to have a seizure.

I'm really enjoying this.
Shuei thought wickedly.

He's as adorable as a puppy.
"refuse to think about this" -- how did he come up with that one?
Shuei chuckled.

What's this?

Koyu suddenly looked very composed. Shuei felt a prickle down his spine. This was a different Koyu, the Koyu of the terrifying silver gaze and vice-like grip. Watching Koyu calmly shake himself off, arrange the folds of his pants, put down the front panel of his tunic, Shuei felt the urge to flee. But he was held captive by the fact that he wasn't done peeing.

Fearing for his package, Shuei held his breath as Koyu took a step towards him and slowly squatted, bringing his face level with Shuei's pelvis. Seconds ticked by. Koyu did nothing. Shuei sweated. The sound of his own pee hitting the porcelain urinal was deafening.

Finally Koyu stood up, looked directly into Shuei's eyes and intoned,
"Yes, it is prettier. Lovely pink."

Shuei's face turned the same shade of lovely pink. Watching Koyu walk out of the lavatory, Shuei knew that, this time, he was beaten at his own game.

Koyu was waiting for him outside the lavatory.
"Going to the Archives?"

Shuei nodded. They smiled, turned and walked down the covered walkway together.


Shuei put down the book he was trying to read. He was bored. He looked across at Koyu. He peered at the cover of the book Koyu was reading.
CROP ROTATION: ADVANTAGES & RESTRICTIONS
Agriculture? Koyu never fail to amaze Shuei with his choice of reading material. Three days ago Koyu was reading a book on the strategies of war. As Koyu had a live army general next to him, he bombarded Shuei with questions. Shuei was impressed. Koyu's questions showed a good grasp of the subject. All that from just reading a book? Shuei had begun to see what was meant by the Walking Brain.

Koyu was a voracious reader. Being stuck in the Archives every afternoon waiting for the emperor to appear for tuition was no torture for him. Unfortunately Koyu's work back at the Department of Personnel was piling up. Shuei had offered to help carry Koyu's work to the Archives. However, most of the files were highly confidential and couldn't be brought out of the department.

Shuei continued to stare at Koyu.
More interesting than the book I was reading, at least.

Koyu finally put down his book.
"Shuei, could you please stick out your tongue?"

That request, coming from anyone else, would have been flatly denied. This, however, was Li Koyu. Shuei obediently stuck his tongue out. Koyu leaned forward, looked at Shuei's tongue, nodded twice, and resumed reading.

! ! ! !

Shuei forcibly removed the book from Koyu's hands.

"Li Koyu! You do not ask someone to stick his tongue out, nod, and then forget the whole matter! Now, what was that about?"

"I wanted to see if it was the same pink. And it was."

Pink? What pink? Oh! THAT pink!
Shuei blushed.
There HAD to be more to this.
Shuei dug deeper.

"And why WOULDN'T it be the same pink?"

"If it wasn't the same pink, then it's likely to be cosmetics. Cosmetics can't stay on the tongue without being washed off, see?"

Shuei sputtered.
"You think I use cosmetics? Down there?"

Koyu held up his palm in a gesture for peace. "It was just a passing thought."

Shuei glared at Koyu.
Passing thought? Just what kind of thoughts pass through that brain?

"Li Koyu, for that passing thought, you are going to get a really awful dinner."

With that threat, Shuei left the Archives.

Koyu smiled as he watched Shuei leave. Two weeks ago Shuei came to know that Koyu, in order not to waste time procuring dinner, bought manju at lunchtime to eat for dinner. The next day Shuei disappeared in the late afternoon and came back twenty minutes later with a dinner tray. And it wasn't just any dinner tray. Koyu was taken aback by the insignia of the Royal Kitchen. The Royal Kitchen cooks for the emperor and no one else. Asked about it, Shuei had winked at Koyu and said, "I have my ways".
Indeed, Shuei has his ways. He can charm the socks off anyone if he puts his mind, and of course his good looks, to it.

So, for the past two weeks, Koyu ate dinners fit for a king. Shuei didn't partake of any of these ill-gotten dinners.

[Flashback]

"I prefer to have dinner AFTER."
The long lashes fluttered seductively.
"One must not eat too much before vigorous exercise."

Koyu couldn't help smiling as he recalled Shuei, demure and modest, fluttering those killer lashes.

Things have settled into a routine. 5huei would bring Koyu dinner, stay and chat while Koyu ate, then escort Koyu from the Archives to the Department of Personnel. After which Shuei would head for the Red Light District, and would take his dinner at Koga House (AFTER, of course!). Koyu, nicely fed, would work overtime to clear the pile of work on his desk. After four hours, at the sound of the Hour, Koyu would tidy up and wait for Shuei. Like clockwork, Shuei would appear ten minutes after the Hour to walk Koyu home.

"Koyu ... "
Shuei cooed from the doorway of the Archives. He entered carrying today's dinner selection. Koyu's heart filled with affection for this friend of one month.


"Koyu ... "

Koyu got up from his desk to join the smiling Shuei leaning against the door of his office. Koyu locked up, and they made their way along the palace walkways. Koyu glanced at Shuei walking next to him. He marvelled at the energy of the man. It was late and Koyu was tired from four hours of overtime work. Shuei, however, still walked with a bounce after three hours of sex!

Koyu, honest even in his musings, caught that last thought.
Actually, i wouldn't know if four hours of overtime is more or less tiring than three hours of sex.
Why is sex so important to Shuei? He lives and breathes sex.

Shuei had once blithely announced that his only talent was pleasuring women. Koyu was reminded of the feel of Shuei's hand on his when he had gently wiped the blood off Koyu's palm.
What would it be like to be caressed by that hand?

Aghast at the direction of his own thoughts, Koyu stopped short in his tracks.

"What's wrong, Koyu?'

Concerned, Shuei stepped in front of Koyu. Breathing fast, Koyu fervently hoped that the glow of the lamps lighting the walkway would hide his blush. Koyu's pale grey eyes reflected the lamplight and glowed a soft silver-gold. Looking into them, Shuei's pulse quickened. Surprised, Shuei stepped back. His gaze fell on the soft aqua fuzz on Koyu's upper lip. Shuei felt an over-whelming desire to brush his lips against that aqua fuzz.


Koyu sank into his bed. His emotions were in a turmoil. What had he seen in Shuei's eyes? Whatever it was he thought he saw, Koyu's body had reacted. Recalling, Koyu felt the warmth spreading again. Koyu closed his eyes and indulged in his first ever sexual fantasy. Koyu was of course no stranger to masturbation, but he had never done it with an object of fancy in mind. Almost shyly, Koyu's hand reached into his pants.


Spent, Shuei's sweaty body fell back against the rumpled sheets. He laughed weakly.
Li Koyu, what have you done to me?


[CHAPTER END]