Disclaimer: I own nothing. Gate 7 is the property of CLAMP and no one else. This is just something out of the fantasies inside my head.
Warming: this is first time wrote something Gate 7 related. i haven't read the manga in a while so the character might be OOC.
Also shounen-ai but just fluffs. I'm not brave enough to write something yaoi related.
i put a number next to some statements, there are more details on the statement on the bottom, but i suggest reading it after you are done reading. anyway enough of what i am saying, lets move on to the story.
His classes ended early that day when his professor called in sick. His classmates were talking to one another, planning on what they are going to do for the afternoon. One by one they all left the university. He looked at his watch; the time was 12:45.
'Hana is still probably at the nursery helping Yukimaru with the little kids. Sakura work as a male attendant for Geiko and Maiko, and who knows when he will be back. And then there's Chikahito, the free loaner who got Hana's attention, he is probably still in school', Tachibana thought to himself.
Even though it was lunch time, he wasn't particularly hungry. He complete most of his assignments and projects and the ones left are not due for another week. He sighed a little with nothing left to do.
With nothing in mind, tachibana packed up his books and head back to the Urashichiken. The weather has been getting warmer and warmer recently even though it's still spring. He was wearing a dark gray button up shirt with a black jean. He often wears a lot of black but with summer approaching, even he felt a little hot. (1)
When he passed by a ramen shop, Tachibana wonder if he should buy some ramen on the way home for Hana since Hana loves noodle more than anything else. However, he reframed himself when he remember Hana doesn't like it when the ramen gets too sticky, instead he brought fresh pasta from the market and hoped that Sakura would be back by evening to make dinner. He doesn't dislike the food made by Chikahito but his pride does not allow him to admit it.
Tachibana arrive home faster than he thought and just as he expected no one was home yet. He dropped off the food in the fridge and headed to his room on the second floor to finish one of his projects.
They live in a tradional japnese house with sliding doors. All the rooms have cushins instead of chairs except the living room and beds was replace with futons. However this does not mean they don't have any western furitures. For example, Tachibana have a computer in his room, it's a very old model but he use it quite frequrently for work purposes. Checking up on anything supernatural related going on in kyoto such as murder mysteries. (2)
Everything was quiet for awhile; his room was filled with the sound of his key board.
Clatter
Clatter
Clatter
Thud
Tachibana heard the sound of something heavy falling onto the ground and the noise came from the first floor. He panicked for a second but quickly regains his cool and rush to the direction of the noise.
Tachibana hates violence. He was not suite for combat. If it were to be a one on one battle, his chances of victory are low. (3)
'Is it a supernatural creature? No that's impossible since the barrier prevents them from entering. Then what-', before he could finish his thoughts Tachibana heard the sound of glass breaking. The noise came from the direction of Sakura's room.
He slide the door open without hesitation and he was relief but a little disappointed with what he saw.
Bottle of empty sake and alcohol were lying around. The futon was folded into quarters and was pushed to a corner. Sakura was in the middle of the room with a small sake cup in his hand. Near his feet was pieces of shatter glass and the tatami got a wet stain on it from the bottle he dropped.
"You…what are you doing", Tachibana said slightly annoyed. Tachibana hated the smell of alcohols, he cover his nose with his arm trying to prevent himself from inhaling anymore of the air. (4)
"Ah. I'm sorry, my hand slipped. Don't worry, I will clean up the mess", Sakura said with a smile on his face and was about to reach for the shattered pieces.
"Don't. I will do it", the younger one demanded and he left to the kitchen to pick up the bloom and dust pan.
Tachibana quickly cleaned up the mess and put all the empty glass bottles in a black plastic bag. Sakura was sitting in a corner watching and continuing to drink. Tachibana did glare at him telling him to stop drinking but Sakura just smiled and act like nothing was out of the ordinary.
When he was done, he pulled the sake and sake cup away from Sakura. "Stop drinking and go take a shower. You smell".
"You're so cold, what happen if I fall asleep during the shower? I'll die you know." Sakura let out a little laugh which irritates Tachibana.
"Stop joking around. You won't fall asleep, or more like you can't fall asleep", he stated and his expression saddened a bit. He searched around Sakura's closet and tosses some cloths at the older one. He left the room with a grumpy face.
"Guess I went too far", Sakura whispered to himself. He gathered the cloths and went to the shower room.
Sakura took a very quick shower, and just like Tachibana said, he can't fall asleep no matter how much he tries. When he was on his way back to his room, he caught a glimpse of the younger one in the living room reading a book. He still wears a serious expression.
'Is he still angry?' he wondered to himself, 'I better think of a way to cheer him up before Hana and Chikahito gets back'.
With a little brainstorming he went to the kitchen with a marker. He took 2 chopsticks and labels one 'king' whiles the other '1'. Sakura took the seat on the table across from Tachibana and pulled the book away from him. He was reading a book on psychology.
"Alright, now that we have some free time, let's play the King's Game"
"Are you still drunk?" he said with slight irritation.
"No, no, I'm perfectly fine. Now then let's start"
"How stupid, I'm not playing any game", he tries to reach for his book but was out of his reach.
"But you know if you don't play the game with me today, I will keep on bothering you until you say yes. It could be weeks or months or even years."
"...I don't know the rules."
"Don't worry it's a very simple game."
"So what do I have to do"
Sakura hold out the 2 chopsticks. "Here are 2 chopsticks; one of them says the 'king' on it while the other is the number 1. You take one and I take the other. The one with the king gets to order the other person to do whatever they want. See simple as that."
Tachibana was a bit hesitant but went along with it anyway. Sakura hold out the chopsticks and he took the one on the left. It said 'king' on it.
"So what do I do now?"
"Give me an order. Any order at all. You could order me to tell you my deepest secret ot tell me to strip. King's orders are absolute so I will do whatever you say."
"Alright then...number 1, for dinner tonight, make something with the pasta I brought."
"Roger that. Now then round 2"
"We are still doing this?"
"Yap until I get bored"
the younger one sighed a little reminding himself of the mistake he made. This time when Sakura hold out the chopsticks, he took the stick on the right and it said '1' on it. This time Sakura got the king. Tachibana was a bit nervous on what Sakura was about to order him to do.
"Number 1 until the game ends you have to act like a tsundere" (5)
"Tsun- I'm not doing that"
"Too bad, king's orders are absolute and beside you are already a modern tsundere" Sakura stated with a giant grin on his face. (6)
"…" Tachibana didn't say anything. He just gave Sakura a death glare like he does to anyone that tries to go near Hana.
The game continues for another 10 rounds. The orders went from making Hana a pajama to how they felt about Chikahito.
The younger one finally got tired in the 13th round. When he got the king, his orders were, "The game will end in the next round".
"Aren't we just getting started", the older replied with a little disappointment.
"King's Order is absolute. The game will end next round", he stated.
"Fine, fine. Then let's make the last one interesting then". Sakura twirled the chopsticks and Tachibana took the one on the right.
Sakura got the king.
"Hmm, what should I make you do? I'm kind of tired. Number 1; accompany the king with his nap". The older one stated as he got up from his chair, he noticed the younger one's shocked expression. Sakura lightly tugged Tachibana's arm telling him to get up.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes", his usual smile did not leave his face, "now come on, which room should we go to?"
After a moment of silence, Tachibana got up from his chair and said in a low voice, "Let's go to my room".
Before he knew it they were in his room. Sakura had spread the futon and now both of them are lying on it together. He was lying on his side facing away from Sakura. He wasn't sleepy but didn't say anything because he knew Sakura needed the rest more than anyone else. Ever since he lost his oni, he couldn't sleep. The closest Sakura could get was lightly doze off but that's only because someone was sleeping next to him.
He hides his face under a smile and pretends everything is alright but he is the one suffering the most. Today was the same, he came back drunk yet Tachibana did not question him.
Tachibana understands him more than anyone else because he too lost someone important, his twin sister, Sugi-hime.
They slept together before, after they lost their oni and Sugi-hime, they share a futon together many times. They comfort each other when they are feeling down. However as time pass, Sakura began to grow distant towards him which eventually leads to him drowning himself in sake or sleeping with the women he works for.
Tachibana turned around to examine Sakura's face. Sakura is sleeping on his side facing Tachibana, he got a little bit darker but it was not noticeable. His eyes were close and his lips were partly open, inhaling and exhaling. It reminded him of a little boy sleeping with his favorite teddy bear; he looked almost as if he was really asleep.
Tachibana was about to touch Sakura's face until Sakura suddenly pulled Tachibana towards him. He was surprised but he didn't say anything since when they slept together before, Sakura had a habit of cuddling.
With one arm around his waist, Sakura buried himself in Tachibana's hair, inhaling his scent.
"Tachibana, you smell like Tachibana" (7)
"Is that supposed to be a pun"?
"No it just means you smell nice", Sakura whispers as he continue to draw in the younger one's scent.
Tachibana could feel the others breathe going down his neck. It sent chills down his spine.
He began to wonder if the other one was doing it on purpose.
"Hey, cut it out", he began to struggle, trying to push himself away from the older one. He failed when Sakura pulled him back into an embrace. "Stay like this for a little bit longer", he whispered to his ear.
The younger one stopped moving and was now facing Sakura. "Thank you", the older one said as he light dozes off.
The younger one didn't know how to respond to that. More like he didn't know what to respond with. He just stays quiet. The only thought that popped into in his head was 'why are you thanking me' and 'idiot'.
Time pass by very slowly. Tick tock, tick tock, he could hear the sound of the clock from his room.
He just stayed there within the older man's embrace. He felt warmth from every part of his body. He leans into Sakura's chest to listen to his heartbeat. 'It's beating. That's good, it means you are still alive', he thought to himself. Tachibana smiled a little. He felt relieved.
Soon the only thing he could hear was their heart beating.
The younger one didn't know why but his face felt a little hot. Was it because of hug or because of the futon, he didn't know. But he doesn't need to know.
He felt relaxed for once in a long while. His eye lid got heavier and heavier, until they finally gave in.
Even though it was for a short time period, both of them have fallen asleep. No one disrupted their rest.
(1) Throughout the manga, Tachibana have been seen wearing nothing but black.
(2) The part about the computer and Iemitsu is completely made up. They do live in a traditional japans house but it was never shown in the manga if are any western furniture. I assume they do since they have cooking utensils.
(3) We have never seen Tachibana in a battle throughout the manga (up to chapter 21). We saw him creating weapons for Hana and Sakura but he never use one himself or was in a physical fight. I always thought that he is the strategist type or the type that does not like violence.
(4) It was never stated if Tachibana dislike alcohol, every time Sakura is seemed drinking, Tachibana is not around. Also in chapter 22, it's stated that Tachibana likes sweets; people who like sweets tend to dislike alcohols.
(5) Tsundere is a Japanese character development process that describes a person who is initially cold and even hostile towards another person before gradually showing their warm side over time.
(6) In one of the chapters, Sakura told Chikahito that Tachibana is a modern tsundere.
(7) Tachibana is named after the orange trees in front of the throne hall of Heian palace.
Extra:
~sigh~
Author: "I don't know how people does it but reading and writing felt like two completely different things. it took so much motivation for me to do all of this. I don't know if I would be able to finish my other story with Ritsu."
Ritsu: "..."
Author: "ah, Ristu you were there"?
Ritsu: ~nod~
Author: "I'm sorry, i promise i will finish your story soon. on second though i cant promise that"
Ritsu: ~leaves~
Author: "Ritsu? RITSUU!
And that's the end. please review and tell me what i can improve on. Have a nice to you who are reading this.