Yay! Chapter 5 is finally done. I know this is a short chapter and it's been a really long time since I posted a new chappie but I've been busy. I hope this short one lives up to your expectations and rest assured, this fic is going to be going on. I just have to squash my brains for new ideas..
iNsAnEbEl: You have your request. Seiun and Seishin will be going to Clamp Campus, although the school life details will be in another chapter.
Tink: Actually, the names of the kids are actual Japanese names, if rather rare. And I'm glad that you bothered to follow my fic here from Clampesque.
Redrose Moon: Thank you for your support.
Heirs of the Clans: Chapter 5
"Seishirou, can I use the study tomorrow?" Subaru requested as he stuck his head out of the bathroom, a damp towel on his head. "Seiun-chan needs to start her training."
Seishirou looked up from the book he was reading, an amused smile on his lips. "Would you like me to sit in? Seiun-chan's shikigami isn't what I would call 'controlled'. I'm inclined to believe that about the rest of her onmyoujitsu until I actually see it myself."
A faint frown crossed Subaru's features as he considered Seishirou's words. "I shouldn't think she'd cause that much trouble…"
Seishirou smirked as he ran an admiring gaze over the half-naked body of the Sumeragi. It was a sight he would never tire of. "It wouldn't necessarily be intentional, Subaru-kun."
"Fine, have it your way, Seishirou-san." Subaru rolled his eyes. "Just be careful when you train Seishin tonight."
Seishirou raised an eyebrow, a slightly offended look on his face. "Surely you don't think that Seishin could hurt me?"
Subaru shook his head, sending a splatter of water droplets over the bedroom floor. "I'm not worried about you, Seishirou-san. I'm worried that you'll scare Seishin off onmyoujitsu for life."
"Does that mean you don't care for me, Subaru-kun?" Seishirou's expression turned into one of hurt – and barely managed to dodge the towel thrown at him.
Subaru wore a look of tired amusement. "Seishirou, that ceased being funny a long time ago."
Seishirou straightened his expression almost immediately, knowing that he had touched a raw, if healing nerve, indirectly reminding Subaru of the year of the Bet and its conclusion with Hokuto's death. "I'm sorry, Subaru-kun. I shouldn't have done that." Seishirou spoke softly as he rose from his seat and strode forward to pull Subaru into an embrace.
Subaru relaxed into the warm hug. "I guess that I should be used to it by now."
"Uncle Seishirou!"
The shrill cry from the living room was frantic and had both adults rushing out of the bedroom at once.
Both Subaru and Seishirou skidded to a halt in front of the living room as they took in the chaotic situation.
Seiun's raven shikigami was crouching beneath the glass table, cawing furiously as a pale grey falcon screeched at it from its perch above the table. Seiun was trying to help her raven by swatting at the falcon with a lightly charged ofuda while Seishin was chanting a spell to dismiss the falcon. Needless to say, the spell failed.
"Enough!" Seishirou silenced the room, including the shikigami with the single word, summoning up a ward that separated raven from falcon with a sudden gesture.
Instantly, the raven scuttled out from under the table and dashed towards its ofuda-wielding champion, squawking its distress whilst the falcon keened its frustration and defiance at the barrier, flapping its wings in a display of thwarted rage.
Seishirou sighed. "Is that your falcon, Seishin-kun?" He didn't need a reply. One look at the terrified guilt on the boy's face was sufficient. He sighed again. "When did you acquire a shikigami, Seishin?"
"I...I-I… err…" Seishin blushed deeply as he stared at the ground. "I-I learned from... my father taught me." He finished miserably.
"And why did you summon it now?" Seishirou inquired.
"I-I wanted to... to practise, in case… you wanted me to summon it tonight." Seishin stuttered.
Subaru stifled the urge to press his thumbs against his temples.
:I would have asked you to summon it tonight, Seishin-kun." Seishirou confirmed, idly wondering why he still terrified his nephew. "Didn't you realise that summoning your shikigami the same time Seiun's shikigami is around would result in a fight, considering that they are of different classes(1)? And to make things worse, you didn't introduce them to each other as allies. In fact, I'm surprised that you didn't remember to do that, Seiun-chan."
Seiun blinked at the sudden change of subject and blushed. "Ano, I … err… forgot about that."
: That explains a lot, you know. : The Tree pointed out unhelpfully.
"Well, since you're so eager to start lessons, meet me in the study in half an hour, Sei-kun." Seishirou ignored the Tree entirely.
"Uncle Seishirou?" Seishin ventured softly. "Are you angry with me?" The boy looked altogether too much like Subaru did at a younger age.
"No. I'm not angry with you." Seishirou reassured the stricken boy. "You two just need to work on your oversights."
"Yes, uncle Seishirou." The kids chorused before they vanished into their room.
"You know," Seishirou began conversationally as he accepted the mug of tea that Subaru handed him silently. "I'm beginning to wonder if having them sent to Clamp Campus was a good thing. Seishin never took this much initiative with onmyoujitsu before he went there."
Subaru rolled his eyes in mock exasperation. "You of all people should know that initiative is a good thing. Besides, we get less than half the trouble with Seiun at Clamp Campus than at the school they used to go to. And," Subaru finished decisively. "They're getting good reports."
Seishirou snickered. "That's because they're in the Rijicho's good books." His tone was full of amusement. "Seiun charmed the shoes off Imonoyama when you enrolled them."
Subaru shot a pained look at the older man. "It's still no excuse for teasing Takamura-san."
Seishirou chuckled. "It wasn't my fault that he tensed up the moment he heard you introduce me."
Subaru grimaced. "He's Nokoru-san's bodyguard. Can you blame him for being wary in the presence of Japan's most feared assassin?"
"Not really." Seishirou replied, unperturbed. "Although the expression on his face when you told him we were… involved was priceless."
Subaru winced at the reminder. He remembered that day all too well.
Flashback
"Sumeragi-san, it's good to see you again." Imonoyama Nokoru, current Rijicho of Clamp Campus said brightly as he welcomed Sumeragi Subaru, Thirteenth Head of the Sumeragi Clan into the decorated, yet ironically, functional-looking office. "I haven't heard from you since before your battle at Rainbow Bridge. All of us feared the worst when we saw the bridge collapse." Without batting an eye, Nokoru ushered Subaru and Seishirou into comfortable chairs as his friends and bodyguards, Takamura Suoh and Ijyuin Akira took their customary places behind him. "It's good to finally know that you're well. Also, you look much better. May I have the name of the person who aided you so? Nekoi-san has often told me of your lack of appetite when you were living with the other Seals."
Seishirou stood and extended his hand to Nokoru with a charming smile. "That would be me. Sakurazuka Seishirou at your service."
Immediately, both Subaru and Seishirou saw Suoh tense, the bodyguard's long fingers straightening to allow the smooth transition of the daggers he surely kept up his sleeves down to his palms. A faint whisper of "Sakurazukamori…" from the Takamura heir's lips told them that Seishirou's alternate identity had been exposed.
"Don't worry," Seishirou smirked at the edgy bodyguard. "Far too many people prefer the Rijicho of Clamp Campus alive."
"Seishirou!" Subaru blushed and glared at his smirking partner. "I'm sorry, Imonoyama-san, Takamura-san."
"It's alright, Sumeragi-san." A fan appeared out of nowhere, flipping open before Nokoru's face. "I'll take it as a compliment that people don't want me dead."
"Rijicho!" Suoh's protest was waved off by the same fan, which now had the word 'Daijoubu!' written on it in bright red.
"So what brings the Sumeragi Clan Head and the Sakurazukamori to see me on the same day?" Imonoyama's expression switched from jovial to serious. "If it involves both of you working together, it must mean severe trouble for Japan's spirituality, since you two are the ones governing the balance of that aspect."
"I'm afraid that your deduction is incorrect, Imonoyama-san." Seishirou smirked as Nokoru raised an eyebrow. "The reasons for Subaru-kun and I to be here do not involve Japan's current spirituality. Or rather, it would only involve Japan's spirituality in future terms."
"Oh?" Nokoru's fan flipped over to the other side, revealing a question mark. "I confess, you've piqued my interest. Why else would the Sakurazukamori and the Sumeragi Clan Head approach us, here at Clamp Campus? It must be of great importance for both of you to be working together."
"Suffice to say, we wish to enroll our two children in Clamp Campus." Seishirou smiled charmingly upon seeing the startled look on Nokoru's face. Of course, the astounded expressions of the Rijicho's two aides only added to his amusement.
"Your children?" Suoh looked disbelieving. "Since when do the Sumeragi and Sakurazuka enroll in the same school together on purpose?"
"Technically it was, as of two weeks ago." Seishirou said thoughtfully. Then he smirked. "Especially when they'll be enrolled as siblings."
Subaru blushed as he saw Akira's and Suoh's jaws drop. Even Nokoru looked stunned.
"Do your clan members know… about this arrangement?" Nokoru ventured, trying to be delicate.
"Would walking in on us count?" Seishirou smirked, and watched as the faces around him turned various shades of red, with Subaru's being the darkest.
"Seishirou-san!"
"I do not want to know…" Suoh was shaking his head in mortification.
"I agree. Sakurazuka-san, that was more information than necessary." Nokoru was fanning his face, as though he could wave away his embarrassment.
"Then it is best that we discuss what we came here to discuss." Seishirou said reasonably, his voice smooth.
"Very well. Is it possible for me to meet with your children?" Before I consider their enrollment?" Nokoru was, as usual was the peacekeeper. However, he did want to see the children. He wondered what they would be like, being brought up by the leaders of two clans with obvious rivalry.
"Of course, we left them in the reception area, downstairs." Seishirou smirked and stood. "I'll just go get them."
Subaru stood abruptly. "I'll go with you, Seishirou." He did not want to be subjected to the questions he knew that Takamura would fire at him the moment Seishirou left the room.
The three men in change of Clamp Campus could only stare at the retreating backs of both Sumeragi and Sakurazuka, left to wonder how two such unlikely people had gotten together. While all of them knew that the Sumeragi Head had some form of contact with the infamous and opposing assassin in his past, none of them had any idea how close the two actually were and having the facts laid out plainly – too plainly when it came to the exact relationship the two shared – was shocking, to say the least.
As they waited, Nokoru idly speculated. "What do you think Sakurazuka-san's child will be like? Sumeragi-san's child will be adopted from his family since he is… otherwise involved, so there should be no trouble there since the Sumeragis tend to be very proper people."
"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, Rijicho." Suoh said grimly. "I vote that we keep a close eye on the Sakurazuka and his kid."
"Come on, Suoh, he can't be that bad." Nokoru laughed. "I'm quite sure that someone with the reputation of the Sakurazukamori knows how to keep a low profile."
"That's what I'm worried about. And I'm still going to keep my eyes open." Suoh said by way of reply.
Whatever argument that might have started between Nokoru and his long-time bodyguard was cut off as the door to the office opened to reveal the odd family they were discussing.
Subaru stood beside a small boy who was looking around timidly and appearing awed by the austere splendor of the room. The moment the boy's green eyes met Nokoru's scrutiny, he tried to hide behind the Sumeragi Head and the boy on his other side. At that, Nokoru smiled, trying to reassure the shy child.
Suoh, on the other hand, was eyeing the boy standing next to the Sakurazukamori warily, not liking the way how the child had glanced around the room. The contemplative gaze could have just been simple curiosity but the trained bodyguard knew better. Suoh could envision the child taking note of each and every weakness he could exploit to break into the room.
Akira was thoughtfully observing the same boy Suoh was watching with such prejudice. The child next to the man who had introduced himself as Sakurazuka Seishirou was triggering all his inner alarms with the way he examined the room with glancing but intense, sweeping look; taking stock of what was valuable and what was not, reminding him keenly of a thief.
"Are these your boys, Sumeragi-san, Sakurazuka-san?" Nokoru said genially, to grow confused when Subaru choked and flushed while Seishirou smirked. "Did I say something wrong?"
"Seiun-chan here," Seishirou laid a hand on the golden-eyed child's head. "Is a girl."
Nokoru blinked. "My apologies," he smiled at the grinning girl. "I should have known better than to suppose that you were a boy."
The girl waved away his words without much concern. "You're not the first and I don't think you'll be the last," she glanced briefly at Seishirou and her grin seemed to become more mischievous. "Imonoyama-san."
"Call me Nokoru." Nokoru beamed, not seeing the grimace that his right-hand Suoh hid, although he did not miss the long-suffering look the bodyguard wore. "Please, we can discuss your enrollment more comfortably while seated. It would be a crime to let you all standing, especially a young girl like you."
"Thank you." The shy boy slid onto one chair, bowing.
"It's quite alright, Sumeragi-kun." Nokoru's answer was kindly.
Instantly, the Rijicho of Clamp campus was treated to a variety of reactions from the family of four. Subaru covered his face with his hands whilst Seishirou smirked once more. Seiun had stared before bursting into hearty laughter, making the boy beside her blush and moan softly in embarrassment.
"Did I say something wrong again?" Nokoru was bemused at the number of mistakes he seemed to make with this odd family.
"Nokoru-san," Seishirou was no longer hiding his amusement, smiling outright. "Seishin-kun," he waved a hand at the boy Nokoru had addressed seconds earlier. "Is from my side of the family. Seiun-chan," he smirked at the laughing girl. "Is the Sumeragi you have mistaken Seishin for."
Three identical looks of incredulity greeted this revelation.
"Surely you are joking," Nokoru said weakly. He was not used to being surprised so many times by one single group of people. At his side, Suoh looked stunned. "The resemblance Seiun had to you is… remarkable."
Seishirou smirked. "It is uncanny."
Seiun grinned at Nokoru. "Don't worry, Nokoru-san. You aren't the only one who doesn't want me to be a Sumeragi."
Subaru looked horrified. "Seiun-chan!"
"What?" She blinked at her uncle, entirely ignorant of tact or discretion. "It's true. The Old Bat's wished it a dozen times already. I know, I heard her!" She added indignantly when Subaru choked.
"Seiun-chan, this isn't something to be discussed in public." Seishirou rested a hand on the impetuous girl's shoulder. It was times like this when Seiun made it evident she was a Sumeragi. She demonstrated the blatant honesty that Subaru shared all too plainly.
Nokoru chuckled, utterly charmed by the impulsive child. "I'm sorry if I'm offending you. Perhaps I can make reparations by admitting you into Clamp Campus?"
Seishirou's and Subaru's eyebrows rose. "What's the catch?" Seishirou asked, knowing that he need not hide his suspicion, earning a nudge from Subaru. "Subaru-kun, I was only joking."
"So, can we come here?" A shy voice caught Nokoru's attention and the blonde looked at the boy who managed to seem invisible even while sitting in a chair.
Nokoru smiled kindly at Seishin. "Yes, we have more than enough reason to accept you two. We do have to repay Sumeragi-san for helping to keep the world intact."
At that, Seiun asked in a loud whisper. "Why didn't he say anything about you, Uncle Seishirou? Didn't you help Uncle Subaru?"
Instantly, Subaru's expression turned into one of embarrassment mingled with horror while Seishirou smirked. "I wasn't busy helping to save the world, Seiun-chan. I was trying to destroy it."
Two identical gaping mouths greeted him with his answer. "Why… why did you want to do that, Uncle Seishirou?" Apparently, Seishin was shocked out of his silence by Seishirou's reply.
"It seemed like a good idea," Seishirou answered with a shrug. "Besides, I had nothing else to do with my time."
"Seishirou-san!" Subaru protested.
The children sweatdropped at Seishirou's rejoinder. "Ano… Uncle Seishirou…"
"What can I say?" Seishirou looked innocent, an eye on Subaru to gauge the Sumeragi's reaction to his answer. "Subaru-kun wasn't around to keep me occupied."
"Seishirou-san!" Subaru regained his brilliant crimson colouring.
Meanwhile, Nokoru and his two seconds wore faint flushes as well, although the Rijicho had the advantage of using a fan to hide it. "Err… yes, well. Which level would your children be enrolling in?"
"They're both nine, so it will be third grade, I believe." Seishirou smirked as he responded, amused by the discomfort of those around him.
"Well then," Nokoru smiled, the blush still lingering on his face. "I'll accept their enrollment. I hope they'll be ready for classes soon. Next week, perhaps? Their grades are good enough for their admission."
"That would be fine." Seishirou nodded appreciatively at the speed with which Seiun and Seishin's admissions were done.
"We're sorry for troubling you." Subaru bowed apologetically.
"Oh, it's no trouble at all." Nokoru chuckled. "Your children will be, I believe, assets to Clamp Campus. After all, they are Sumeragi and Sakurazuka."
"Thank you." The shy Seishin bowed from his seat, managing to look remarkably like his Sumeragi guardian.
"Ano, Takamura-san, I'm not going to do anything, you can stop glaring at Uncle Seishirou and me now." Seiun piped up suddenly, making Suoh turn slightly red when he realised that his hostility was detected by a child.
"You know," Seiun continued wickedly. "If you want to prevent people from sneaking into this room, you might want to consider asking Uncle Seishirou or Uncle Subaru to set up wards. Or you could alter the window." She said sweetly. "If you change them into glass panels, you'd get a little better security."
Nokoru burst into laughter when Suoh stared speechlessly at the girl's insolence. "Well-said! Well-said! I haven't seen Suoh so surprised since… since…" Nokoru burst into laughter once more.
"Seiun-chan!" Subaru was mortified and scandalized by his charge's words. "Seishirou-san, say something!"
Seishirou, on the other had, was too busy chuckling. "What can I say, Subaru-kun? Seiun-chan is right."
His words only earned another bout of snickers from Nokoru, who found the family interaction hilarious, not to mention Suoh's speechlessness.
"Jaa ne!" Seiun added cheerily whilst her brother bowed his goodbye when Subaru decided that it was best they left before Seiun embarrassed them further.
"Thank you, Nokoru-san." Subaru reverted back to formality. "Suoh-san, Akira-san."
"Sayonara." Seishirou smirked as the odd family left.
End of flashback
Subaru moaned in embarrassment at the recollection. "You don't need to remind me, Seishirou. I never felt so horrified in my life."
"You remembered in on your own, Subaru-kun." Seishirou pointed out matter-of-factly.
Subaru sighed, resigned at his lover's logic. "Go meet Seishin in the study. It's about time for you prepare the room for the lessons."
Seishirou chuckled. "I like it when you insist on something." He murmured against Subaru's ear, having gotten up from his chair, making his Sumeragi turn red. "You're still so cute, Subaru-kun."
"Seishirou-san!" Subaru's protest went unheard as the Sakurazuka had already left the room.
-end chapter 5-
(1) Shikigami have different abilities and hence, 'classes'. Just like Subaru's shiki has three heads and can spilt up into three; and Seishirou's black hawk shiki affects both the material and magical planes. And since the shikigami have their own pecking order, they tend to be wary of shiki of different classes. So you have Seishin's falcon attacking Seiun's raven. (At least, that's how it goes in this story.)
I hope you all enjoyed this fic, I'll try to put the next chapter up sooner, but I can't guarantee when cause I run out of ideas from time to time.