Different Seasons: Fall- Chapter 9: Sparring Partners
A/N: Hello all! Thank you as always for your kind words. I do appreciate it. It's been a bit (allergies are SO much fun) but we're back. The clock has spun to the next day, and the universe has gone back to normal with Tori greeting the sun and Gure arising at the crack of noon. We get of a bit of Gure's memories of growing up with Tori as well as a bit of angst. But in the end things work out. Plus Mayu has her first fitting and finds out how serious Aya can be. There is also be a bit of lemony goodness at the end! So I do hope you enjoy.
As always I do not own Fruits Basket or the characters therein
Mayu's Early Bird Chants Om!
The next day, the status quo had been reestablished. I woke to find an empty bed beside me. My early bird had already flown. But instead of smelling distant smells of cooking food, I smelled a delicious smell emanating from my bedside table. A domed container sat there, along with a note.
Darling,
it read,
Please enjoy your breakfast at your leisure. I needed to rise early to prepare for today's match so I hope you will excuse me if I don't join you. I love you and will see you later.
XX
I lifted the cloche and found a well-rounded breakfast. Eggs, coffee, toast and fruit salad sat on the tray underneath tempting me to indulge. I knew it would be delicious and I could tell it was still piping hot, but my interest lay in where Tori had gotten to. So while I knew he had intended me to relax in bed and enjoy my breakfast, my curiosity about how Tori would prepare for the day and if I could help overruled my love of eating a languid breakfast in bed. So I quickly finished my meal and went on a hunt for my missing mate. I found him seated on the living room floor in lotus position with his eyes closed. (As always he amazed me with his ability to fit his long legs into a complete pretzel) He was the picture of complete concentration. I tiptoed quietly into the room and sat beside him to wait until he finished as I didn't want to startle him. Despite my best efforts to silence my steps, he smiled right at me even though his eyes were still closed. I was a bit startled and his voice contained a bit of a chuckle when he greated me.
"Good morning my love."
"Oh I didn't mean to startle you."
"Don't worry, I heard you come in. And now that you're sitting beside me I feel your presence. Very keenly actually."
"I'm in your bubble?
"Oh yes. As I might have said before, everyone has a magnetic field that surrounds them. And some people are more sensitive to it. I myself feel your presence like a tingling down my spine."
"Am I interrupting you? I can go do the dishes while you prepare for your match."
"You aren't. I was just centering myself before I start my daily kata and was just about to begin them. I generally do my exercises early in the morning so that I can be with you when you wake, but as I plan on sparring today rather than just going about my day I wanted to warm up later than usual. Sorry for not greeting the sun with you."
He then opened his eyes leaned into me and kissed me deeply. Any feelings of missing out on our normal morning activities moved out of my head. I sat breathless for a bit as his kiss was breathtaking. While I sat recovering myself, something occurred to me.
"Wait, you're telling me you get up before me, get dressed to do your exercises and then get back into bed so that you can wake up with me?"
He cupped my face in his hands and said
"Of course. I cherish my time with you in the morning. I'd hate to have my morning ritual get in the way of that. But that being said, I should start now."
He kissed me again and then rose. I sat down on the couch to get out of his way and watched him move gracefully through a series of motions designed to prepare his body for his match with Gure. He was simply beautiful. Not for the first time I found myself wondering how I ended up with him.
Tori Prepares
As I moved through the paces of my familiar routine my whirling mind calmed and centered. While I knew the bout was mostly a bit of harmless fan service for Chris (something I had no problem providing for him given how sweet he was to Gure) I had been a bit nervous about the conversation I planned to have with Gure while we sparred. I had finally decided that I needed to get him in a position where I knew he couldn't retreat so that we finally had that conversation and the Judo match was the perfect setting for this conversation. Gure was phenomenal at sidestepping conversations he didn't want to have. It was his super power. If I didn't know that Aya had been the host for the Snake I would have sworn that Gure had been imbued with His preternatural ability to slither away from things he found uncomfortable.
I knew I was potentially going to put him in an awkward spot as I had decided to call upon him to act as my go-between with the Kami. I wanted him to strongly suggest that they absent themselves from the wedding. Or at least severely limit their exchanges to a simple blessing of the wedding. I hoped that it wouldn't go over poorly. But as I continued my practice, I gained resolve. I had every right to ask for this given my experience with the Dragon. Given Mayu's experience.
As I finished my routine, I became aware of Mayu's eyes on me once again. I had been so completely in my zone that she had disappeared from my consciousness. Seeing that I noticed her, Mayu smiled and said,
"I hope you don't mind the audience. I love watching you move. It looks like you're dancing."
"Well, as I'm a certified Judo instructor I'm used to people 'watching me move.' And there are definite parallels to dance and my exercises. I'm glad you enjoyed it."
She rose and pulled me to her by the collar of my gi. After kissing me, she said,
"I wish I could come and see you spar.
"And I'd like you there but Aya needs enough time to get your kimono finished. Plus I need to talk to Gure and it would be easier to do that without you. I hope you don't mind."
"Ahhh. You're going to talk about the Kami."
"Yes. The Kami."
She put her head against my chest and held me tighter, saying,
"Thank you for doing this for me. I know this must be awkward as Gure's your best friend."
I held her close and said,
"I want you to be as happy as you can be at our wedding."
"When do you meet him? I have a 1pm appointment with Aya."
"We left it that he'd call when he was ready."
So we sat on the couch and waited, thinking that Gure would call any minute given his newly discovered responsible side.
Gure Reminisces
The next day returned to the status quo. As I was no longer goaded by my guilt, and as I was bathing in the afterglow of Chris' thanks for actually being a responsible adult and writing a good portion of my book, I found myself feeling very lazy. While I was on the edge of waking for most of the morning, I just couldn't bring myself to rise and shine and do the preparations I knew I needed to do before my bout with Haa-San. As I lay in bed, I thought about how Judo had been a huge part of my life for so long. At one point I practiced every day, and had been at the level of an Olympic athlete. But as other interests grew in my estimation my dedication slipped away until I only occasionally practiced.
I wasn't precisely worried about going up against Haa-San even though I was very rusty. I knew our bout was mostly going to be for show given the disparity in our skill levels. While I was a competent student of Judo, and had been told I had the potential of being great, I was nowhere near Haa-San's level as I didn't apply myself. We had trained beside each other since we were young boys (Aya had no interest but he kindly documented our progress) and it soon became clear to our Sensei that Haa-San would be his successor. I served as his faithful sparring partner and generally kept up with him so that I could play this role as we were so evenly matched in all respects save ambition. We earned our belts, gained in proficiency and continued on as a matched set. But as I got older, and discovered my talent as an artist and writer; as I discovered boys and girls; and as I discovered the effect I had on boys and girls my mind began to wander and I became less present in my practice, something that was not good as one could get severely hurt that way. Haa-San noticed and, as he didn't wish to keep me involved in something simply for his sake, he took me aside on the night before our black belt examination. Looking at me earnestly, Haa-San said,
"I know this isn't your passion Gure. I know you're only here to help me. If I might ask you a favor, I'd like you to follow me through this step. It would be better for you to be at a similar level as me if we are to remain sparring partners." He added quietly, "That is, if you still want to be my sparring partner."
I thanked him for putting voice to things that had only started to gel in my mind and, after taking time to think, I replied,
"Well I still want to be your partner, as I know I'm your ideal match and I'd be hard to replace given your height. But I don't see myself progressing further. professionally."
He thanked me for my honesty and we entered the dojo ready for the examination. We were successful. And after we achieved that hurdle, which was only the beginning for Haa-San, I bowed out of formal training and stepped into the shadows, helping him to shine. And shine he did. As the years passed, he gained in proficiency and eventually qualified as a full instructor. Our practice session's dwindled as he spent most of his time teaching classes rather than preparing for competition and thus didn't need me as much. I occasionally served as the teaching model when he had to demonstrate a complicated move, especially when he wanted to show why one didn't do something as he knew I could move in a way to demonstrate the point safely. But other than that I only brushed off my Judo skills when I found someone like Chris who liked the martial arts vibe. (Yes I wasn't above using my talents as a pickup shtick, wouldn't you if you were once a black belt in Judo?)
At the time of our bout Haa-San was a fourth Dan black belt and I knew he could wipe the floor with me should he feel like it. But as my loving Chris wanted to see us spar, I was all for it even if it meant that I would likely be thrown across the room several times. However the morning chill drove me under the covers. After what seemed to be a few minutes, but in fact was several hours, Chris strode in, sat down next to me, took me by the shoulders and shook me.
I started as I woke to Chris staring down at me. Stifling a full on startled shriek, I rasped,
"Ah! Chis! Hi!"
He smiled and said,
"Well good morning sunshine. Any plans on getting up? Tori's on the phone asking what your plans are for the day. It's almost noon."
I groaned and said,
"Oh shit! why don't you get me up?"
"I tried. Several times. You were sleeping like the dead."
"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought I closed my eyes for just a minute. It was just so chilly; and the bed is so warm; and I was thinking about when Haa-San and I were young. I must have drifted off. Yup I'm getting up. Tell him to drive over. I'll be ready when he gets here."
I got up bleary eyed, let my brains gel for a moment and looked through the closet for my gi. It was in the very back next to my high school uniform. Chris returned as I tied my belt.
He smiled, held me close, and then held me at arms length to properly take me in. After giving me a very appreciative look he said,
"Oh wow you're a black belt! I can't wait to see you spar. I always wanted to take lessons but my grandmother wouldn't let me as I might've broken my hands, which would have jeopardized my career as a musician."
He looked at me in awe. Clearly Chris grew up loving the Karate Kid. So I decided to be honest about my current situation.
"Yes, I'm a black belt. Or I was. It's been a while since I practiced so if I retested I'm not sure I would be."
He looked at his watch as if to put a fine point on the fact that time was slipping away and asked,
"Do you need to do anything to warm up? I don't want to keep you."
"Yup I have a set routine to get ready. It's not as elaborate as Haa-sans but it will get me moving."
We went into the living room and I moved through a simple series of exercises. My muscle memory soon kicked in and my flow became more graceful. Chris watched me with rapt attention and when I finished he smiled saying,
"I love watching you move."
"Well thank you."
Haa-San arrived then and said,
"Glad to see you're finally upright."
"Glad to be upright. Although I have a feeling I won't spend much time that way in the near future."
"Don't undercut yourself Gure. If you had decided that Judo was something you wanted to continue to study we'd still be equals."
"Well we shouldn't keep Chris any longer. He's been looking forward to this."
We walked to the family's dojo in the crisp fall air. I was happy to have my warmer jacket as the breeze was a bit cutting. Walking into a place that had been a huge part of my childhood and adolescence brought back so many memories. Everything from the tatami mats to the calligraphy panels emblazoned with the words of important historical figures speaking about honor, dedication and tradition spoke to me of a time long lost. After allowing myself to indulge in my memories of my glory days, I stripped off my jacket and took my place in front of Haa-San and waited while he stretched a bit. We then bowed to each other and began.
Tori Presses His Point
Moving towards Gure, I eased myself back into the familiar motions of sparing with him. I soon remembered his strengths and weaknesses and planned accordingly. I decide to go soft at first to lull him into security. I began with a bit of flattery, knowing he would respond.
"See, you're doing fine Gure. You haven't forgotten everything."
"You're too kind, Haa-San. I'm rusty as an old bucket. But I have to say it feels good to be in here with you again."
He words were modest but clearly my compliments hit their mark. As he relaxed into our practice, he continued congenially,
"Oh, I meant to ask you, how's Mayu?"
"She's quite well."
"I bet she is. After your lovely day in bed."
"Well sometimes the doctor orders bed rest."
"While you're at it would you order some of that for me too?"
He seemed to be warming up and began moving more confidently. He had successfully grabbed my collar and was pulling me towards him. I felt like we could progress to more complicated moves and complicated subjects. Grabbing his collar, I said,
"It wasn't that great to be so lazy yesterday. We left poor Aya hanging. I know he needs to finish her kimono. There's so much to be done. We need to plan the food, complete the wardrobe, set the guest list."
He walked into both my physical and mental traps when he moved blithely forward to push me down.
"Well I imagine most of the family will come to the party but won't it be just be us, Mayu's parents, and the match maker for the actual ceremony?"
I easily side stepped his lunge, got behind him, grabbed his collar and pulled him into a hold. My arm locked across his chest, pinning him closer to me. I whispered into his ear so that Chris couldn't hear.
"Well that is a great question Gure. One I'd like the answer to."
Gure Is Trapped
He held me tightly from behind. While I did remember how to break his hold, his question gave me pause. Of course I knew he was talking about the Kami, especially the Dragon, so I remained in his hold while I considered my next move. But as he applied pressure, I began to wriggle both physically and mentally. Taking on a nonplussed attitude, I quipped,
"You think I have any sway with them? They're Gods!"
He put more power into his words and actions and I actually felt the pinch from both.
"You have sway with the Dog. I was hoping you'd ask them to stay away. Or at least limit their presence to a blessing. For Mayu's sake. And mine."
"Oh yes. That conversation will go well. 'Oh hi, Mr. Dog, do you mind if I ask you to stay away from the one event that will give you more strength than any event save the birth of Haa-San's baby? Yeah that will go over really well, especially since they see their presence at the wedding as their right as family guardians and Gods. Kureno will call out to them during the ceremony asking them to join the celebration for gods' sake! They're meant to be there!"
He pulled me a bit closer and hissed in my ear,
"See it from my side Gure. You weren't there. You didn't feel that…Dragon in your mind. It was...It was...It wasn't good. And I don't want Him to dampen the spirits of our wedding. Or to scare Mayu's parents. Or to do something to Mayu."
It was a masterful tactic. He had a hold of me both physically and mentally. His arms were like iron bands and his words held the weight of belonging to my brother and best friend. I wasn't going anywhere even though I wanted to be anywhere at that moment and I keenly felt the pressure from someone who I, under any other circumstance, would oblige without question. But I knew I really couldn't do much. And besides, I selfishly wanted Inu at the wedding to bask in the family's prayers so that He could gain strength. I truly was torn. My indecision made me a doll in Haa-San's hands and he easily spun me around. Firmly holding my collar, he looked me in the eyes, waiting for my answer while thrusting all of his frustration and anger at me like a breaking wave. I could almost feel the cool fire of his emotions lap against my face. Suddenly, I felt myself going limp as if caught in the undertow of his pain. I was falling. Haa-San looked genuinely concerned as he took my weight and supported me while calling my name. Just as I blacked out, I heard in the back of my mind,
"Don't worry Gure. I'll talk to him. Take a rest now."
I felt a warmth embrace me as if a warm wave broke over me. I let myself go and I floated in the gentle ebbing tide.
Tori Concedes
After a minute of supporting Gure's limp body and calling his name, he rose before me, proud and strong. I knew I wasn't holding Gure any more. It was the Dog. His eyes flashed like burning embers and his face molded into a disappointed moue. Easily disengaging from my grasp, he shot out an arm and held me in a tight hold. I struggled to break free but he held me fast. He didn't take me down to the floor as I expected but held me where I was and whispered into my ear,
"I hear you have questions about our possible presence at your upcoming nuptials? Well, you could have just asked you know. You could have gone to the shrine, burnt offerings to me, and talked to me in a civilized manner instead of using Gure as a go-between, a go-between meant to ask me and my brothers to stay away from an event we're meant to bless. Do you think that is fair?"
It was at this moment I realized I had fucked up. I let myself relax in his grasp as I knew I wasn't going anywhere. Instead, I tried to explain myself.
"Nooo…..I just….."
"You know, it's pretty funny that you are touted as the traditional son, the one that upholds the old ways. You are even having a Shinto wedding before the Kami. But you don't want the Kami to come to your wedding and bless it. Does that make any sense to you?"
"I know….But look…."
"Oh I do see your point. The Dragon has always been a hothead. And when backed into the corner of the breaking curse….he must have been unbearable. And I know you want to protect Mayu. But the three of us along with the rest of the Kami are weakened now that the curse is no longer there to bind us to strong human souls. Without prayers we will shrivel and die. And you don't want to know what will happen if we lose our power. Let's just say it could be quite...explosive. So yes, we will be at your wedding when we are called. We will dance, and eat, and listen to the exclamations of how blessed the event is. We will enjoy ourselves and take in the power of your prayers. The Dragon will be on his best behavior as he wants to be restored. And in turn, the three of us, as your personal guardians, will bless the wedding and bestow gifts on you. And when you have your baby, we will be there to do the same."
"But how…."
"You can introduce us as your uncles Inu, Hebi and Doragon. Her parents will think they're endearing nicknames. And we will be simply charming, even the Dragon. Now Chris must wondering what is going on so I'm going to go. But I'm going to give Gure a gift for his trouble. It isn't nice to use your best friend as a pawn in your game. Have fun."
And then he left leaving Gure there. He shook his head, cracked his neck and then our bout started in earnest.
Chris Wonders What's Going On
The bout began as I thought it would. I could tell something was up as the tension was palpable. After a terrifying moment when I thought Gure was going to pass out he suddenly gained in power. Tori, who had been looking quite green, looked startled as Gure grabbed him and nearly sent him flying. The bout began in earnest. It was impossible to tell who would be the victor as they were so well matched. It was as if Gure was a new man.
The fight continued and neither seemed to be gaining ground. It was thrilling and sexy to watch the two of them fight. I was happy that Gure seemed to have knocked the rust off his abilities. He was gaining ground and it seemed like he could actually win. And then I thought back to the scene that had played out before Gure seemed to miraculously regain his abilities. While I couldn't hear what had been said I thought I had seen a flash of red light in Gure's eyes, as if the gleam of an igniting coal. Had Inu taken Tori to task and provided Gure with the power to defeat him?
As if to answer my question Tori exclaimed,
"Wow. You're fighting like you did when we were kids. I'm impressed."
"I don't feel any younger, but the movements have come back to me as if I hadn't ever stopped my practice."
"Well I think you should continue. The work out would be good for you."
"Are you telling me I'm getting chubby?"
"Well no, I'm telling you this is a great workout. Plus now that we've both quit smoking we have the potential of being truly great."
"Hmmm. I might take you up on that. You should have seen the way Chris looked at me when he saw I was a black belt."
"I can only imagine it was like the way Mayu looked at me."
As they continued to spar, Gure found an opening when Tori leaned a smidge too far towards him. He was able to follow through and send him flying to the floor. As the two looked a bit winded, they agreed that Gure was the victor. Bending down Gure helped Tori up and the two embraced, showing that despite the awkwardness, they were still the best of friends."
Tori said,
"I'm sorry about that Gure. I was completely out of line."
"Nope I totally would have done the same to protect Mayu. But I honestly believe that everything will be fine."
They walked over to me and Gure turned to Tori and said,
"Well, while I won, I really only know Judo from the practitioner's side. So you're going to have to teach Chris to flip me."
"You always were a great teaching model."
Tori then took me through the steps of a basic Judo take down. Gure obliged and soon he was lying on his back. He smiled up at me and said.
"You'll have your first belt in no time."
Tori smiled and said,
"I had thought about reconvening my classes. Let me know if you're interested."
"Well I'm still concerned about my hands so I'll decline the offer but I'd love to watch."
Tori's phone rang and he greeted Mayu. After asking her to wait a minute the three of us said our goodbyes. None of the tension remained fortunately and I had all confidence everything would be fine. After hugging Tori, Gure and I went home. I hoped he would tell me what happened but he seemed happy that I respected his boundaries by not asking. He held me close to him while we walked back home but seemed miles or perhaps years away from me. I finally put my hand on his should and asked,
"Are you ok?"
He turned and gave me a goofy smile and said,
"Just a bout of shoulda woulda coulda. Nothing to be concerned about."
"Are you ok with Tori?"
"Tori and I might squabble. But even if throw a few punches, we'll always come up hugging. Don't worry my love. Every little thing is going to be alright."
I didn't press further and we returned home in companionable silence.
Mayu Goes For Her Fitting
After waiting around for Gure to call (Tori finally had to call Chris to see where he was) I had lunch and said goodbye to Tori. I then rested until my appointment with Aya came around and made my way to his shop. He smiled at me, and said,
"Did you have a lovely day with Tori yesterday?"
I couldn't help but blush as his tone put a teasing spin on his words. I felt my cheeks go crimson and I said,
"Ummm…yes…."
He then became quite frank, which I actually found refreshing as I really didn't want to be teased by him.
"You shouldn't be embarrassed about taking pleasure Mayu. It's only natural to be attracted physically to your partner and to indulge when you can. I understand that your schedules are tight and that you don't get many opportunities to indulge. But we're on a bit of a schedule ourselves."
And then he gave me a hug, putting my mind at ease that he wasn't upset about being stood up.
With that bit of awkwardness dissipated, he led me over to the pedestal where a mannequin wearing the mockup of my kimono stood. He carefully removed it, reminded me to be careful of the pins, and gestured to the dressing room. The kimono fit beautifully. And while the train and sleeves were a bit too long, I could see the future kimono in my mind and it was beautiful. Walking back with the kimono hiked up so that I could walk easier in my bare feet I came face to face with a very displeased Aya making a horrified face. His voice took on an authoritative tone that I had never heard from him.
"Don't. EVER. Walk. Like. That. EVER! It hurts my soul!"
I tensed up and I was sure that my hair was flying backwards with the force of his words. I gulped and said,
"I'm sorry. I'm terrible at walking in these things. I barely got through the fashion show. It was trailing so much I nearly tripped."
He sighed, took out a pair of high lacquered platform shoes and sat me down so that I could slip them on. He said in the same authoritative voice while he clasped the buckles,
"These are the shoes I bought for you to wear. They are the right height for the kimono's drape. I need you to wear them while I hem your kimono and I NEED you to get used to them because you'll be in the spotlight all day and you don't want to face plant during your walk to the shrine."
It was amazing how different Aya was when talking about his craft. He was very direct, and clearly he would brook no questions. I conceded and, with his help, I stepped onto the pedestal. After pinning the hem and sleeves to the correct length, he pulled on a similar kimono and platform shoes and showed me how to hold the hem so it draped beautifully while still being safe for walking. He then helped me down from the pedestal and I tottered about on my platform shoes using Aya as a crutch while trying to hold the train like he did. He wasn't impressed.
"Clearly I need to give you homework. I'm sending you home with this kimono and the shoes. I expect you to walk gracefully in these by the time of your next fitting."
"And," he added, when he saw me sigh at the idea of being graceful on such ungainly things,
"Once you have that mastered, you'll need to practice walking up and down stairs in them."
I sighed once again and said,
"Ugh."
"And finally," he snapped,
"I'll give you a dry run at the shrine in the whole ensemble. Tori will be able to hold you up but it's up to you to make it look graceful. And not to stumble."
I was completely overwhelmed. I had seen pictures of the shrine. It was impossible. I muttered,
"Couldn't he just carry me?"
"Well he certainly could. He could carry me if he wanted to. We could also get you a palanquin, which certainly would be showy, but it would be such an accomplishment to follow in our ancestors footsteps and walk to the shrine on your own two feet."
"They all walked huh? I bet they juggled while doing it."
"Well no, from what I've been told, Tori's mother was a lot like you. She was not very comfortable being the center of attention and was a bit awkward when she had to dress in traditional garb. She spent hours practicing walking in her platform shoes, and she made it up and down without any issue. But there was almost a terrible accident with her hair ornaments when she bopped them when bowing to the Kami. I think there must be at least one chip in them as antique lacquer is very fragile. SO don't think this is impossible or that my ancestors were superhuman. Well, at least the non-zodiac member portion at any rate. That reminds me, I'll have to have Koreno take you through the actual ceremony as I'm not as versed in that as he is. You'll need to learn the proper movements and how to do them in the kimono, wig and hair accessories"
That gave me a bit of relief. Somehow knowing the woman I wanted to emulate wasn't a perfect being made things easier. By the time Mine came in with a cup of tea I was greatly improved on the shoes but I was grateful to get change and relax for a bit.
Aya Remembers
As Mayu stumbled around my studio I was reminded of the first time she had come to see me. She had gained in confidence since that time. Her posture was straighter and she took time in front of the mirror to admire the flattering drape of the kimono. I could only assume that her relationship with Tori had changed her for the better. And I was so pleased to see it. But I could also tell she was happy to be out of the shoes and I could fully understand. They weren't built for comfort. I'd have to consider what she would wear for the rest of the day as she clearly couldn't last in that kimono all day. Or more properly, those shoes.
As we sipped our tea, Mayu relaxed and turned to me saying,
"Thank you so much for working so hard to make my wedding perfect. I know it will be hard, but I will do my best to make you proud!"
I was touched by her beaming smile. I felt bad that I was putting her through her paces. But I felt it was all for the good as it would give her so much confidence in herself to know she beat all odds to be the star at her own wedding. Otherwise I knew she would be swallowed up by the pageantry of it all. I had seen so many Sohma brides balk at a fraction of what she would face that day. Theirs wasn't even the BIG Sohma wedding that Mayu's would be. I vowed to do anything to make her ready for her sake. For Tori's sake. For my sake. For I knew full well that their wedding was my final farewell to a love I knew could never be and a hello to my new life. Once I successfully got them up and down those ancient stairs I knew would be ready to consider the circumstances my own marriage for real. I was rather happy that Mine wasn't pushing me and was content to wait for me to see Tori and Mayu married.
Mayu cleared her throat then, and I realized I had been quiet too long. So I coughed, apologized, and said,
"Tori is my brother. I couldn't not make things perfect for him. Plus I've come to see you as a sister. And soon you shall be."
Mayu Amuses Tori (Lemon)
Mayu
I gave him a big hug and he packed the loaner kimono and my accursed shoes into a bag and handed them to me saying in his stern voice,
"Now practice! Practice! Practice! I'll know if you don't. And you don't want that to happen."
I was deeply concerned what would happen if I didn't practice. But I decided to diffuse the situation by saying,
"You sound like me before a test."
"Well then, as a teacher you should understand the importance of practice."
"Now I'm afraid that I won't make the grade. Is there a cram school?"
"I don't have time to help you but I'm sure Tori can. As an advanced practitioner of yoga he has perfect balance on his feet so he can show you how to center your weight correctly."
He hugged me again and he was back to himself again. He said in his normal voice,
"I'm sorry for being such a task master. I just know what could happen if you half ass walking in those. If you can't do it perfectly you won't do it at all and we'll dust off the family's palanquin and find a few burly bearers to carry you up to the shrine. Tori would agree with me fully as I'm sure he would not be amused if we needed to rush you to the emergency room on your wedding day. Because stumbling in those will mean your ankle's gonna shatter."
"I get it. I get it. I'll practice."
When I arrived home Tori scooped me up in a hug saying,
"Welcome home my love. You know I love you so very much, right?"
He seemed very nervous as if about to give me bad news. I sighed as I knew what he was going to say. I knew he would have done everything in his power to bar the Kami from our wedding, so the fact that he couldn't do so told me that I best resign myself to their presence. So, as we ate supper (Aya had kept me several hours), I said,
"I take it we're going to have three strange uncles at our wedding?"
"Yes. It was explained to me that really this was meant to happen. And there was no argument I could have done anything to change that."
"Oh well. I know you tried."
I hugged him to let me know I didn't hold it against him. He quickly changed the subject, saying,
"So, how do you like your kimono!"
"It's going to be beautiful. But Aya gave me homework. I need to learn to walk in high platforms. I feel like Baby in Dirty Dancing. Just cue up Wipe Out! If I go down it's gonna be bad. And besides that, Aya said he will know if I haven't practiced while giving me the most stern gaze. It was really, really scary actually. I didn't think he could be that serious. It almost rivaled some of your glances at Gure when he's being too Gure."
"Aya can be a task master. He's a perfectionist when it comes to his vision for events. He always puts us through the paces during the prep for New Year's. I''ve always been an excellent student so he was always pleased with my performance. But just ask Gure what happens when you don't give him 110%. It's not pretty."
Tori
She blanched and started to quiver her so I took the bag and led her to our bedroom.
"It wouldn't be that bad as you're a far more attentive student than Gure is. So your 90% would be much better than his 110%. I'd be happy to be your sparring partner. I'll be making that walk up those stairs in a similar kimono so I could use the practice as well. So lets see what we have to work with."
I found one of Aya's less formal kimonos and a pair of six inch platform shoes. Looking at Mayu I asked,
"Did he happen to mention why they needed to be so tall?"
"So the hem draped properly."
"Hmmm...Well that may be the case but I think our Aya is showing a bit of his sadistic side. He does prescribe to the theory that beauty is pain after all."
"Well that's the women's fashion industry for you."
"In sodality I'll wear a pair as well. I'll talk to Aya tomorrow so we can practice together."
After that, I helped her into the kimono and shoes and we took a few tentative steps around the bedroom. She bobbled and I held her close while she gained her feet. I groaned silently thinking,
"Oh Aya, what have you gotten her into?"
I resigned myself that I was going to be Johnny Castle to her Baby Houseman. I definitely needed a pair to make sure I could walk in them under the proscribed situation. Because if I couldn't, I was going to put a stop to the madness. Aya's vision be damned. I gathered my composure and said,
"Ok, how do you feel just standing in them?"
She looked very uncomfortable and said,
"Even standing in them is a trial. They hurt my feet so much and I'm not sure I'll ever get used to them. Do I even look good in these things?"
As she stood before me waiting for my honest opinion of her sex appeal in the accursed shoes, I spent a long time gazing at my beautiful bride to be. The shoes of course were beautiful, and the long lines of her body were accentuated by their height. The kimono beautifully draped her body (I made a mental note to talk to him about buying the kimono for Mayu as a present as it suited her) Her statuesque height was brought up another six inches by the shoes. This was intriguing in itself as having someone able to look down at me was a novel situation. While Mayu was almost my height, she was shy one or two inches. We could almost look eye to eye; I could easily put my arm around her shoulder without straining my shoulders; and I could comfortably kiss her without stooping, something that was an eternal problem while I dated Kana. But the platforms brought her well above my head as I was wearing house shoes. Holding her while she wore the platform shoes caused our bodies to come together differently. I could feel her contours through the kimono as she brushed against me as I caught her and I suddenly very much wanted to know what it would be like to make love to a taller woman. Sliding behind her I whispered in her ear,
"You know I find you absolutely gorgeous in whatever you wear."
Mayu
As he spoke, his hands found their way beneath the kimono. I hadn't bothered putting on the kimono's underrobe as I only wanted to show Tori what we were up against, so I felt his cool, smooth hands cupping my breasts through my thin lacy bra. He kissed me on the nape of the neck and I felt my knees buckle as the warmth shot through my body. He held me up a bit and whispered in my ear,
"You've provided me with a perfect opportunity to help you get used to those shoes. Are you game for a bit of private tutoring on standing in platforms?"
I felt myself nearly swoon again and his strong arms held me closer.
"Mmmmm," as I thought about what he had me in mind, "I think that might help. Or at least be fun for a while until I collapse on the floor in a ball of pleasure and pain."
He chuckled and said,
"Well of course stop me if you can't take it any more. I don't want to have to explain to my collogues how you broke your ankle in a mysterious accident. Neither of us has Gure's gift of the blag so it would come out eventually."
"Yeah you do know everyone in the ER. Sota wouldn't let that go would he?"
"No, no he wouldn't."
He then slipped the loosely tied obi off and let the material slide down my body. He then slowly slipped the kimono form my shoulders and kissed my exposed skin. I moaned as his lips found the sensitive spot right between my shoulders. After he reverently took the beautiful kimono off and laid it delicately on a chair, I stood before him in my bra and panties and those accursed shoes. I bore the weight of his gaze, which was most appreciative.
"If I didn't know I'd think you were Gure. You're positively leering at me"
"There are days when I wish I were. Or perhaps Chris, as he's a lot more practical. I'd love to capture you as you are right now. But I have no artistic talent, so we'll just have to savor the moment and capture it with our minds eye."
He slipped back behind me, slipped off my bra and panties, and let his fingers travel down my body. I closed my eyes as I felt the warmth rise in me once again. He asked with a voice husky with passion,
"Are you ready my love?"
"Oh God yes."
He entered me and the angle was sublime. As we moved together, I soon forgot about the pain in my feet and I was transported on waves of ecstasy. As we crested, my knees finally buckled, but Tori was able to guide me gently to the floor. He rested his head on my chest and held me tight as we came down from the clouds. He asked,
"So survey says?"
"Well, my feet still hurt, but I was able to forget about the pain while you kept me focused on other things."
"Alright, so I can see part of our practice will include these conditioning sessions."
"Ok, apparently you're teaching me to associate the pain with pleasure? What an interesting take on Pavlov's dog. "Bow wow wow yippi yo yippe yay!"
"I guess you're right. But if it gets you through the day, why not."
He held me close and kissed me. We both felt a bit better about the prospects of getting through the day. At any rate our practice sessions would prove at least somewhat pleasant. I made a note to ask Gure what happened if you didn't please Aya. I wanted at least to know what the worst case scenario would be if I didn't make enough practice before my next fitting.
Tori
I picked her up and brought her to bed and cuddled with her. While the day hadn't gone precisely how I thought it would, I was hopeful that with a lot of practice, even more patience, and heaps of luck our special day would turn out alright. As Mayu fell asleep beside me, I closed my eyes and did something I never did, I prayed to the Dog to make things turn out alright. I heard in the back of my head,
"Better late than never I guess. But since you asked so nicely I think that can be arranged."
I breathed a sigh of relief and snuggled closer to Mayu.
A/N: I know this is a bit long but I wanted to make up for being silent for a bit. Plus the topics were so entertwined it was a bit hard to decide where to break it. Next up we get more wedding prep. There is a lot to do, so everyone is quite busy. And Mayu now has her own homework to attend to while grading her student's homework. Hopefully she proves to be an attentive student. Please R and R and as always I remain, Acta!