On Unions Civil and Otherwise

by Kita-Ysabell

Ten years have passed- ten years to the day- and when Utena and Anthy's engagement party goes somewhat awry, Saionji finds that some things are not so easily forgotten, and faces the bitter possibility that to make good his escape from Ohtori, he must rescue his oldest and closest friend- whether that friend wants to be rescued or not.

10. A Certain Kind of Young Man

If one was a certain kind of young man, then a time came when school uniforms gave way to Italian silk shirts and discreetly ostentatious accessories, the routine of classes and club activities to a lofty place in the family company, and the scant forbidden indulgences of adolescence to a whole banquet of pleasures laid out before one. It was only natural.

It was probably less natural for all of this to lead one back to the Academy that one had attended through high school, but Akio had his ways. And, no doubt, a whole cadre of men in well-tailored suits at his disposal. He had always been more than he seemed, after all.

In the interim, Akio had finalized his ties to the Ohtori family, exchanging his engagement to their lovely daughter Kanae for marital vows. It had been a matter of some speculation, back in the day, as to how long he would put the marriage off. Apparently, the answer was not, as it had once seemed to be, forever.

And yet, upon meeting an acquaintance of several years prior, Akio had shown no hesitation in taking said acquaintance to his bed. It was a brazen show of dedication to the pursuit of self-satisfaction—impressive, if not entirely admirable. And one couldn't really turn it down.