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

Rating : M

Genre : Romance/Humour

Warning : Yaoi. Rated M.

Pairing : Li Koyu/Ran Shuei

Summary : Koyu moves in with Shuei

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Chapter 5 : TWIN IRISES

Shuei looked at the smooth skin of the freshly naked Koyu. Then at his own, full of goosebumps.
How on earth does he keep so warm?

Shuei pressed his body against Koyu's, not wholly out of passion. He wanted the feel of Koyu's warm skin. The warmth of Koyu's body and Koyu's caresses soon brought about an answering heat in Shuei.

Koyu moaned as Shuei penetrated, revelling in the familiar tightness. Even after countless times, the moment never loses its magic. And somehow, knowing what to expect next makes it all the sweeter. Shuei enjoyed the "incubation", holding still, allowing the heat of Koyu's body to work on his cocooned erection. Koyu felt Shuei harden and grow. He instinctively wanted to tilt his pelvis, to feel the friction. No, not yet.

Outside the closed glass windows of Koyu's office the wind suddenly picked up, sending the falling snow into a mad eddy. The windows were not made for such strong gusts. A draught entered Koyu's office.

Shuei shuddered. His erection diminished. He sneezed. His erection vanished.
What do I do now? Get it up again? But I've got snot all over my face! What am I going to wipe it on? I can't reach the clothes. Hands? Then I will be smearing snot all over Koyu!

Shuei apologized and withdrew. As he was wiping his face on the sleeve of his white shirt, Koyu hugged him from behind.

"Get dressed, Shuei. I'll go home with you tonight."


Koyu was led into the bathroom with his eyes closed. Other than the warmth and humidity of the heated bathroom, Koyu was enveloped in the smell of plants.
Plants? Shuei's got plants in his bathroom? And how many plants must there be to give off such a dense smell?

"You can open your eyes now."

Koyu looked around in amazement. This was a greenhouse! The space they were in was at least six times the size of Koyu's bathroom in Kijin's manor. Through the lush greenery, Koyu caught a glimpse of falling snow outside the double-glazed windows. Koyu looked up and saw stars through the glass (double-glazed, of course) skylight.

At the far end of the huge bathroom was the ceramic bathtub. The external cladding of the tub and the shelves on the wall were done in aged pine. Contrasting against the mellow beige of the aged pine was the brilliant hues of blue mosaic tiles on the walls.
Mosaic! Exotic tastes!

Koyu waved his arms to encompass the opulent surroundings.
"All this, just to bathe?"

"Well, not really. I wanted a greenhouse, and also a heated bathroom. The architect suggested combining the two. See the table and chairs over there? That's where I take breakfasts. I spend a lot of time in here, especially in winter."

Shuei grinned.
"As you already know, I wilt in the cold."

Shuei led Koyu to the bathtub. "Did I get it right?"

Shuei looked expectantly at Koyu. Koyu bent over the bathwater and inhaled deeply.

"Cedar and thyme. How did you know?"

"It lingers in your hair, your skin, your clothes. Just the smell of cedar and thyme alone is enough to turn me on."

Shuei began to undress Koyu. He undid Koyu's belt.

"These bath oils ... how did you know that I would come home with you tonight?"

Koyu raised his arms to allow Shuei to slip his tunic off.

"I don't. I'm just superstitious."

"Huh?"

Koyu's "huh" was muffled by the silken folds of his cowl-neck collar as Shuei pulled Koyu's shirt over his head.

"Well, like the dog tag, Koyu. I made the tag BEFORE I asked for a dog. So, too, I got the cedar and thyme bath oils ready before I asked you to move in with me."
Shuei grinned sheepishly, his eyes becoming crescents.

Shuei undid Koyu's silk pants and let it fall to the floor. Koyu, standing naked except for the dog tag, wasn't sure if he was amused or touched by Shuei's superstitious practice.

"And see, it worked both times."

Shuei cupped his hand over the dog tag on Koyu's chest.
"After 20 years I finally got my dog."

Shuei's hand left the dog tag and caressed Koyu's chest. Koyu whimpered.
"And after 5 months and more than 20 times of asking, you finally came home with me."

Shuei looked at the dog that he had brought home -- beautiful, hair tousled, eyes dewy, panting, and wagging excitedly at him. Shuei's hand traced a line down Koyu's torso as he knelt down in front of Koyu.

[Time lapse]

Koyu couldn't ever remember lazing in a bathtub. Bathing had always been a very business-like affair. To laze in this luxurious tub with Shuei in it, and the lush plants, and the stars, he could really get used to this! Koyu sighed.
"Oh Shuei, this is wonderful, thank you."

"Want to thank me?"

Koyu turned to look at Shuei.
Now, what is he up to?
"Um-mm. What do you want?"

Koyu gave his best seductive look, and reached for Shuei through the bathwater. His hand was caught by Shuei, and very deliberately, placed on Koyu's own crotch.

"I want to watch you jerk off."

Koyu's eyes opened wide. After five months of being lovers, Koyu didn't think that he would be embarrassed by any request. He felt his face flushing. The idea was somewhat indecent, but tantalizing. So, for the first time in his life, masturbation became a performance, not something done in secrecy. It was exhilarating, liberating. And with every moan, every gasp, Koyu saw his own mounting excitement mirrored in Shuei's voilet eyes.

[Time lapse]

Towelling himself down, Koyu's eyes strayed to the net of voilet and aqua strands of hair floating on the bathwater. He scooped them up and laid them on the white towel. Shuei came to stand beside Koyu, looking at him quizzically. Koyu slipped his arm around Shuei's muscled waist, smiling at him.

"I want to keep that. First bath momento."

They both turned to look at the hair drying on the towel.

"Shuei, look!"

They looked at each other.

"The Twin Irises!"

Shuei's strands of dark voilet hair had bunched to form two voilet blooms. Koyu's aqua strands provided the leaves and two stalks, joined at the base. Standing with their arms around each other's waists, Shuei and Koyu shuddered, feeling a thrill, a sense of destiny. THEY were the Twin Irises. After His Highness had presented them each with a Japanese iris as a sign of trust, Shuei and Koyu came to be called The Emperor's Twin Irises as they were inseperable.


Koyu couldn't sleep. Not unexpected, this being his first night in a different bed. Alone with his thoughts, Koyu pondered his decision to move in with Shuei.

Shuei did ask many times, but it was always couched in a joke, a wisecrack, even a mock complaint. Koyu had wanted more than that. A romantic at heart, he had wanted a profession of love, of commitment. In all this time together, Shuei had never said the three simple words "I love you". Koyu sighed. He wondered, if sex were removed from the equation, what would be left of their relationship.

No, that's not fair to Shuei.

Koyu knew that Shuei always put Koyu's wishes before his own in whatever they do. And Shuei was always sensitive to Koyu's moods and insecurities. As for commitment, without making any pledge, Shuei had already committed. The moment they became lovers, Shuei had stopped going to Koga House for sexual services. And though Shuei made weekly visits to Koga House as part of his job, to keep his finger on the pulse of the underground gangs, he had not availed himself of the courtesans' services on those visits.

I can't ask for anything more, really.

Koyu turned his head to look at the sleeping Shuei.
I've never seen him asleep. He looks even more beautiful.
Beautiful ... and pampered.

Koyu smiled. And of course he would be. Born into aristocracy, and being the 4th son, without any responsibilty. Shuei indulged himself in all aspects of his life, the almost decadent Ran Manor, the nightly visits (previously) to Koga House, the extravagant dinners. Yet this same man had enough discipline to train to become one of the most renowned martial artists in the country.

Koyu let his eyes travel over the body of the sleeping Shuei, sprawled naked in bed, in the midst of winter. Shuei disliked sleeping under heavy covers, so the bedroom was heated to allow him to sleep in the nude. In the naked body lying next to his own, Koyu saw the contradiction that was the man, the lean hard muscles that were the result of iron discilpline, and the nudity in winter that spoke of extreme self-indulgence.

Maybe it's just me. Shuei always did say that I was too uptight, too serious, that I should learn to enjoy myself more.

Shuei had once said that Koyu needed to get over the adoption hang-up, and just relax, and live his own life, instead of trying to live up to Reishin's expectations.
And how does he expect me to do that? I owe Lord Reishin everything. Shuei is always so casual about things.

Koyu smiled ruefully.
And Shuei says I'm always too uptight.

Koyu shrugged.
For whatever it's worth, I'm here now, in the Ran Manor.

Koyu cuddled up to Shuei, fitting his body snugly against Shuei's.
And it feels so right.

Koyu could feel Shuei's heart beating against his own.
The Twin Irises. Our destiny.

And with that thought, Koyu finally fell asleep.


Manju and tea, in a lush tropical setting. The only thing missing from this breakfast was the sound of chirping birds. Koyu was about to make that comment out loud, then changed his mind. Knowing Shuei, and how attentive he was, a passing comment like that might very well result in birds the next morning! And Koyu hated the idea of birds in cages.

Shuei watched as Koyu took in the surroundings of Shuei's sanctuary. Shuei had never shared the pleasure of his personal haven with anyone. Although Shuei was popular in the capital, he had not felt close enough to anyone to want to bring them here. And here was Li Koyu. Finally. After five months. Shuei had been afraid to ask Koyu to move in with him. To avoid the awkwardness of rejection, Shuei had always asked the question flippantly, to allow both Koyu and himself a way out.
Why did Koyu decide to move in with me last night? Out of pity for my snot-covered face? I guess I will never know, since I don't even know why he turned me down more than 20 times.

Shuei put down his cup of tea and looked at Koyu.

"Koyu, now I know why you were reluctant to move in with me."

Koyu was surprised. Shuei was always allergic to "serious" talk.

"You snore, AND you drool in your sleep."

Shuei caught the flying manju aimed at his head. He also caught the lean body that lunged at him.

The Twin Irises ended up very late for their morning meeting with the emperor.

[CHAPTER END]