The Color of Chinese Bellflowers
Chapter thirteen: Snow bunny
Disclaimer: Loveless is property of Yun Kouga.
A/N: This is an original AU fic. This chapter is still in mid January, but the next will be early February I guess. Well atleast by the begining of the next chapter you'll definately be familiar with the flow of time again XD
Itai - ouch!
Iie - no
Gion was enshrouded by a thick veil of snow. All of the usually brightly colored teahouses, storefronts, and okiya were all blended into a boring dull white. Clumps of ice mixed with the dirt on the side of the streets, turning into a mucky brownish color. The clouds high above were swelling a dark grey promising that another load of newborn snow would fall soon. Soubi stood by the front door, his back leaning against the sturdy wooden frame. He pushed the smoke out of his lungs and let it mingle with the moist condensation of his breath on the cold air, before it disappeared into the atmosphere. His piercing eyes scanned the street before he pushed himself off of the doorframe and peered back inside, everyone was supposed to be ready by now.
"Are you all coming or do I have to brave the cold by myself?" He called into the empty front room. A few moments later Youji's voice echoed down the stairs from his room. "We're coming, we're coming! Geez, I hate being rushed." The blue haired boy grumbled loudly. Today when the household woke up to find their district coated in several inches of snow they decided it was time for a serious manhunt, and they had all agreed to go out and look at the same time. Kio and Yuiko were the first two to meet Soubi at the door, after they had finished cleaning off the breakfast dishes together.
Both of them looked tired and haggard, Kio's hair was it's usual mess but in his eyes you could see it all. All of the worry over Soubi's fresh scars, the touchy way he had to handle talking about Ritsuka around Yuiko and how much sleep he hadn't been getting lately. After all who could sleep when your best friend was a virtual zombie who never slept and spent all of his time sitting by the front door waiting for someone to come home? Yuiko had been having trouble getting to sleep as well, and deep down inside Kio knew that she had been suffering from guilt. She had drilled it into her own head that Ritsuka left because of her actions, which wasn't entirely wrong. But then again it wasn't entirely true.
Everyone's eyes turned to the stairway as two of the okiya's remaining geisha bounded down the stairs just as energetic as the pubescent boys they were. Lately their faces had both taken on a more masculine shapes, sharper lines and deeper angles. Natsuo's keen eyes glanced around everyone in the room, "the tension is rising isn't it?"
Stretching out his stomach and leaning backward slightly, Kio grunted. "Where have you been? This okiya has been nothing but a big bundle of tension since Ritsuka left."
Youji smiled, and tried to cheer them up in his own strange way. "Don't worry I'm sure he isn't frozen!"
Like the idea hadn't crossed her mind before, Yuiko's eyes popped open and her mouth dropped slightly. "There isn't a chance that he's frozen is there?!"
Inwardly Soubi winced, but no one else around him saw. "Of course there is a chance. But I don't think that would happen to a sweet boy like Ritsuka." He placed his hand comfortingly on Yuiko's head, between her usual two pigtails. "So let's not think about that okay?" He summoned a smile, something he hadn't been able to do since the cat boy left. Catching on Yuiko smiled too, and those two small gestures seemed to left a bit of the sadness off of everyone's backs.
"Yeah yeah positive mind and all that, let's get started. Youji, Soubi and I will take the western half of the district. Kio and Yuiko take the eastern side since it's smaller and your team has less people. Does that sound okay?" Natsuo directed. One would never guess but the teen actually had good leader skills. The group around him nodded in response, and both teams set off in their respective directions.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Youji's shoes crunched through the snowy streets, leaving another trail of footprints that walked alongside Natsuo's and Soubi's. They had been searching for about an hour now, and he didn't know about everyone else but the end of his nose was about to freeze right off. He was sure they were looking for Ritsuka. He was sure the little star had ran away. What he wasn't sure of was why the had geisha left and ran away in the middle of the night in the first place. It seemed that everyone but Natsuo and Youji knew why. Did we miss something? Raising his arms so his hands could rest against the back of his head he decided to ask. "Hey Soubi, why did Ritsuka leave in the first place?"
Soubi stiffened, inhaling a new lungful of smoke so he could delay answering. After a brief moment of silence he looked over to the teen. "He ran away somewhere in-between me catching him doing something private and me telling him what he apparently didn't want to hear."
The blue haired boy scrunched up his nose. "Something private? That sounds nasty."
Natsuo knew Youji was playing around and that he had already guessed correctly about what Soubi caught Ritsuka doing. But for Soubi's sake he spoke up, "it's just as nasty as it is beautiful." The two exchanged a small smile. Soubi didn't speak up again for a long time, thankful that the two boys entertain themselves by having a conversation completely based on trying to say what the other was thinking. It's almost like they're telepathic twins. Soubi thought. Just one conversation like that could keep a teahouse room entertained for a good while. Well, it might scare off some of the more superstitious patrons but it would give everyone else a nice laugh.
"My turn, my turn!" Youji shouted. He stared long and hard into Natsuo's eyes, his face scrunched up pretending to strain. "Iriomote cats!"
"You're right again." Natsuo said with a smile.
"Hey, are you two still looking or are you playing?" Soubi interjected.
"We're looking and playing at the same time." They said in unison. Youji was about to say something when his body slammed into someone else's. "Ouch! Oh sorry about that I-" he looked up at the face of who he'd bumped into. His eyes stared back into cold obsidian ones, a girl he once knew with medium length black hair. "Koya?"
The geisha nodded to the two boys, her face remaining emotionless. "Natsuo, Youji. And who is this?" She asked, glancing over at Soubi.
"That's Soubi. He's our new owner." Natsuo said with a bright smile.
"I see. Well then I have to go, I'm-"
"wait!" Youji proclaimed. Koya looked confused at his outburst. "Have you seen Ritsuka around? He's a geisha, and a little bit shorter than us. Dark girly hair, pretty much looks like a girl?" At least he wasn't lying, Ritsuka was very feminine.
"Yes I know who Ritsuka is. I saw him this morning-"
Soubi's breath hitched in his throat.
"- I asked him what he was doing out in the snow but he wouldn't reply. Then he started walking off." She said.
Suddenly Soubi took charge of the situation, "Do you know where he was going? Or at least what direction he was going?"
Wordlessly, she pointed to a street that branched off to the side.
"Thank you very much, Koya. Natsuo and Youji both of you go home."
"You're going to go off and find him by yourself?" Youji complained. He wasn't going to admit it but he wanted to see Ritsuka soon too.
"If he went down that road, then I know where he is."
Natsuo's eyes narrowed at the older man. "Don't get lost in the snow, and bring him back safe okay?"
Soubi nodded warmly and with no further words the blonde bolted off down the street Koya had pointed to.
They watched him leave, and the two boys looked up at the popular geisha of their former okiya. "Bye bye Koya." Natsuo said with another smile.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
"Itai!" (1) Yuiko sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth. Looking up at a lump of garbage at the corner of an alleyway with wide eyes, she sighed. Her eyebrows were pulled together in disappointment. "I thought it was Ritsuka..." she pouted.
Kio let out a laugh, "even if you do see Ritsuka don't jump and start running to him. If anything you'll scare him. And we don't want you tripping up in the snow again now do we?" he kneeled down in the moist white powder next to the cat girl, extending his hand out to her. "Are you okay? Nothing's broken is there?"
Yuiko's haggard eyes looked up into Kio's bright ones. Since when did they become so ... warm? She thought. After a few moments of staring at him like an idiot she shook her head, giving a small laugh. "I'm just fine!" She put her hand in his and pulled herself into a sitting position. The icy touch of the snow didn't seem nearly as cold as it should have.
"I'll take a quick look just to make sure you didn't hurt it." Kio's hands young yet callous from a lifetime of maid work found their way to Yuiko's ankles. "Which one did you fall on?" he asked.
"That one." she pointed to it and twitched that leg.
"Hmm." Kio looked at it thoughtfully as his fingertips traced over her anklebone pushing here and prodding there. "What I'm doing doesn't hurt does it?"
She felt her blood rush up towards her face, filling in her cheeks. Why was she blushing. "Iie. (2) My ankle is just fine. Thank you, Kio."
"No problem, I'm glad you didn't hurt it stumbling over in the snow like a lost kitten." He stood up, running his fingers through his thick unusually colored hair.
Yuiko stood up too, only she tripped again. But this time instead of landing in the frigid powder she landed on something warmer, and quite softer. Kio's chest.
"Gomen ne! I tripped again, I'm too clumsy for my own good. That's why I'm not a geisha." She giggled nervously, but seemed quite content on staying pushed onto the older mans front side.
Kio noticed this, and on the inside he jumped for joy. "You're not clumsy, the road is very slippery right now because of the snow and ice. Don't degrade yourself like that." He paused, taking a look around the rounded and soft features of her face. "You're too cute for your own good. Especially when you look so helpless like that."
And Yuiko did look pretty helpless, staring up at Kio with all manners pushed aside. Her mouth hung open slightly and her eyes were wide not sure of what to do. "H-helpless?"
Kio laughed. "Okay well maybe not helpless." Without shame his hands which had been holding on to her arms supporting her, moved so that his arms could encircle her body, pulling her into a loose and comfortable hug. Her height making it so that the top of her head fit underneath of his chin and buried into the crook of his neck perfectly. Yuiko took a good breath of the mans scent, which smelled like cigarette smoke mingled in with sakura blossom. A strange mix, but she took it in all the same.
"You're not cold are you?" Kio asked.
"Not at all! I-"
"She looks pretty warm from where we're standing." Youji snickered. "Youji, you weren't supposed to say anything!" Natsuo playfully elbowed his counterpart. Kio and Yuiko jumped, Yuiko choosing to back up a good three feet. A mix of adrenaline and sudden fright pulsed through her veins, and her hands trembled as her fingers nervously picked at the collar of her haori. She could think of the most perfect thing to say at a time like this but the words failed to rise up out of her throat.
"What are you two doing here? Shouldn't you be on the other side of Gion searching for Ritsuka?" Kio could find more than enough words for Youji and Natsuo.
"Yeah, we should." Youji said plainly, kicking aside a clump of dirty ice.
"Then why aren't you?!" The poor man looked terribly flustered. His eyes darted around the street, narrowing in suspicion. "Soubi you can come out now, ha ha you got me whatever!" The maids fists came up to rest on his hips angrily.
"Soubi isn't here." Natsuo said with a smile, while twirling a wavy lock of hair with a thin pointer finger.
Kio looked straight at him in disbelief. "Did he get hurt? Why aren't you with him?"
Youji yawned and stretched, his young bones popping lightly. "We were coming over here to tell you about that but we thought it would be rude to disturb you." he snickered.
Kio's eyebrows which had bee pulled together before fell flat, "you did that anyway."
"Yes well," Natsuo began. "We bumped into Koya while we were looking for Ritsuka. She told us that she saw him walking down some street and Soubi told us to go back home and then ran off."
A large uncontained smile crossed Yuiko's lips as her fingertips laced together lightly. "So Mr. Soubi found him?" her tail waved excitedly.
"I guess so. He said for us to go home so all we can do is wait." Youji said.
Kio gave a large and annoyed sigh. "We're going back to the okiya then and Soubi will bring him back to us, okay?" he asked, looking mainly at Yuiko.
"Okay!" she chirped happily. Natsuo and Youji both sniggered to each other.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Soubi trudged down the frozen street. As the newspaper warned earlier that morning the snow had started up again. But Soubi kept heading forward, he knew where Ritsuka would be hiding. This was the road that led out of Gion. The lavish house Ritsu had bought him years ago was nestled alongside this road. The same house with the large garden that Ritsuka loved so much. He flipped the icy locks of hair out of his face, brushing out any bothersome snowflakes that would get it wet. Out in the snow wet equals freezing and no matter who you are that's never pleasant. The familiar home appeared out of the flurry white haze and Soubi's heart sped, his feet finding new speed and he pushed forward with re-ignited determination.
His feet pounded up the icy path to the garden. He was careful not to slip up, since the path had frozen over. The once beautiful and breathtaking garden had overgrown and withered from a combination of winter and having not been cared for in months. Pushing past the foliage that had grown outward messily into the walkway that snaked through the garden Soubi flashed back to the night he'd taken Ritsuka here. The air was just beginning to cool down from summer, but it was early enough in the autumn season to keep the vibrant colorings of summer. Finally he reached the familiar bridge. His eyes wandered to it's peak, seeing the balled up figure he was praying to see. Almost silently he crossed to the center of the bridge, kneeling before the figure.
"Ritsuka?"
It said nothing.
"Ritsuka?"
This time it trembled in response.
"I'm sorry. I'm apologizing to you, and I want you to come back. We all do. We've missed you very much."
Ritsuka raised his head slowly and shakily. His body shook with violent tremors brought on by the cold, beneath the haori he wore. Soubi wondered where he got it but then shrugged off the thought, being glad he at least had one. Large and slightly rounded eyes stared up at the older man and warm tears spilled over the brim of them down his face.
"S-s-soubi?" his teeth chattered together.
"It's me, I'm here." Soubi's arms pulled Ritsuka into a tight hug, and he heard a sharp sob escape from the boy. Ritsuka cried as he tried to hug the man back but he was shaking too much and his body was stiff. Scooping him up and holding him close, Soubi started on the walk back to the okiya. "You're okay now, I'm taking you back to your home where you belong."
Inside of his mind Ritsuka repeated the words to himself.
Home ... where I belong ...
Everyone in my house is getting sick . I hope I don't catch it. Stay happy and healthy minna!
PREVIEW FOR CHAPTER FOURTEEN - February 15th, 2008
Ritsuka had used an overly generous amount of soap in his hair, making it a sudsy mess that dripped down the back of his neck. Taking a finger he wiped off some, rubbing it into a line under his nose. "You want to rinse the hair of a man with a mustache???" He giggled.
Soubi chuckled and just stared at him for a while, finaly wiping off the soap mustache from Ristuka's face with his thumb. "Having a mustache doens't make you a man. And yes, I do." He grabbed Ritsuka's small shoulders gently and turned him to face away before he poured a full bucket of warm water over the teens head.