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inkpawprintsThis is all Becky's fault. COMPLETELY. Also I went to an eye doctor recently and now know far too much about the structure of the eye and what can go wrong with it.
S&S oneshot, takes place after Subaru's blinding by Fuuma in X and the destruction of Shinjuku. Can be read as a prequel to this other fic of mine hence the title.
---------------------
The Moonlight is Morning's Prelude
It's the work of a moment to undo the lock, and two to carefully open the balcony door ensuring it makes no sound. The spiritual barriers that protect this house would have made access more difficult, but the marks burned into his prey's hands help negate that. Magic calls to magic, after all, and the bonds between them are too strong to be denied. Catching the curtains in one arm, he shuts the door behind him before letting the heavy cloth fall filling the room once again in shadow. Only a sliver of moonlight, bright and cold, is allowed to pierce through and illuminate. It doesn’t quite reach the bed.
Three, four, five steps closer. Just like that morning with Hokuto-chan nine years ago his shoes are silent on the wooden floor but even if they weren't it's unlikely that the bed's occupant would hear him. Soon he's standing by the head of the bed looking down, and even in the shadows he can see his prey, a restless, huddled shape beneath the quilt dressed in what looks like a yukata, a shock of black hair against the pillow. The face is turned away, but the white bandage, that is obvious, and the sight of it brings a cold fire to his chest. Whether the fire has a name he deliberately chooses not to know, instead grimly reaching out to tear, to touch, to claim--
A pale hand flashes out to catch his wrist. Subaru's good eye is wide. Effortlessly Seishirou pulls on his usual smile. "I see you've learnt to react when an enemy sneaks into your bed," he says.
The hand around his wrist tightens. Now that Subaru is facing him Seishirou can see the bandage over his prey's eye in all its blatant wrongness replacing what he knows was bright emerald and sending the cold fire within him higher. It's not a feeling he likes. "What are you doing here," asks Subaru hoarsely.
"I thought I'd drop by to check on you. You have been having a rather rough time lately." He raises an eyebrow at Subaru's grip. "Do you plan on doing anything to me, or do you mind letting go so we can get more comfortable?"
If Subaru hesitates it's not for long. Silently he releases Seishirou and shifts to make room on the bed as Seishirou slips off his shoes. Suit jacket and tie are also removed and hung on the bedpost like discarded shadows. Then Seishirou climbs onto the bed to sit with a pillow at his back leaning against the headboard, and gathers Subaru close. The Sumeragi lies with his head against the Sakurazukamori's thigh and allows his eyes to shut, if not to sleep, then at least to deeply breathe. Seishirou rests his hand on Subaru’s shoulder trying to calm the icy flame. "Polka dots," he murmurs.
"Hm?"
"I was just remembering, the morning Hokuto-chan and I snuck into your bed, you were wearing black pajamas with white polka dots. What happened to them?"
It's hard to tell what expression Subaru has on his face right now, whether it's anger or pain or simple resignation. "I threw them away," he replies softly. "Along with all her clothes."
"Ah. Pity, those pajamas were very adorable." The bandage seems to glow in the moonlight and Seishirou reaches to trace its edge skimming the skin of Subaru’s face. "Does it hurt?"
"Why do you care."
"I’m curious." Avoiding answers to questions is second nature by now, and the bandage is rough against his fingertips. "Especially since I’ve been in your position myself. I know how it throbs, how when you try to sleep the pain pushes like blunt nails into your skull, and how when you blink you can feel your eyelid scrape against the jagged remains of your cornea. I know what it’s like to look at the world and find it flat--"
"Stop it." The words are thin and laced with hairline cracks, there are fingers digging into Seishirou’s leg. Seishirou marvels at the pain wondering once again how the hell Subaru could have let his guard down so badly as to let the Dark Kamui blind him-- "Stop, stop talking, stop reminding me of that--"
There are hot tears soaking into the cloth of his trousers. Seishirou moves his hand away from the bandage, the cold fire beneath his ribs turning to hollow dark. "What would you like me to do," he asks quietly.
Slowly, hesitantly, Subaru curls up closer. "Just ... just stay here. With me. Until I fall asleep."
"... Very well."
He feels, rather than hears, the sigh from Subaru's lips in response. The fingers against his leg loosen and fall, the head on his lap grows heavy. Seishirou finds himself relaxing into the bed. Soon there is nothing to be heard in the room but the sound of their breathing if not in harmony, then at least close together.
Moonlight stretches and fades as Seishirou absently strokes his prey’s hair. Subaru feels warm. Eventually, they sleep.
~owari~
S&S oneshot, takes place after Subaru's blinding by Fuuma in X and the destruction of Shinjuku. Can be read as a prequel to this other fic of mine hence the title.
---------------------
The Moonlight is Morning's Prelude
It's the work of a moment to undo the lock, and two to carefully open the balcony door ensuring it makes no sound. The spiritual barriers that protect this house would have made access more difficult, but the marks burned into his prey's hands help negate that. Magic calls to magic, after all, and the bonds between them are too strong to be denied. Catching the curtains in one arm, he shuts the door behind him before letting the heavy cloth fall filling the room once again in shadow. Only a sliver of moonlight, bright and cold, is allowed to pierce through and illuminate. It doesn’t quite reach the bed.
Three, four, five steps closer. Just like that morning with Hokuto-chan nine years ago his shoes are silent on the wooden floor but even if they weren't it's unlikely that the bed's occupant would hear him. Soon he's standing by the head of the bed looking down, and even in the shadows he can see his prey, a restless, huddled shape beneath the quilt dressed in what looks like a yukata, a shock of black hair against the pillow. The face is turned away, but the white bandage, that is obvious, and the sight of it brings a cold fire to his chest. Whether the fire has a name he deliberately chooses not to know, instead grimly reaching out to tear, to touch, to claim--
A pale hand flashes out to catch his wrist. Subaru's good eye is wide. Effortlessly Seishirou pulls on his usual smile. "I see you've learnt to react when an enemy sneaks into your bed," he says.
The hand around his wrist tightens. Now that Subaru is facing him Seishirou can see the bandage over his prey's eye in all its blatant wrongness replacing what he knows was bright emerald and sending the cold fire within him higher. It's not a feeling he likes. "What are you doing here," asks Subaru hoarsely.
"I thought I'd drop by to check on you. You have been having a rather rough time lately." He raises an eyebrow at Subaru's grip. "Do you plan on doing anything to me, or do you mind letting go so we can get more comfortable?"
If Subaru hesitates it's not for long. Silently he releases Seishirou and shifts to make room on the bed as Seishirou slips off his shoes. Suit jacket and tie are also removed and hung on the bedpost like discarded shadows. Then Seishirou climbs onto the bed to sit with a pillow at his back leaning against the headboard, and gathers Subaru close. The Sumeragi lies with his head against the Sakurazukamori's thigh and allows his eyes to shut, if not to sleep, then at least to deeply breathe. Seishirou rests his hand on Subaru’s shoulder trying to calm the icy flame. "Polka dots," he murmurs.
"Hm?"
"I was just remembering, the morning Hokuto-chan and I snuck into your bed, you were wearing black pajamas with white polka dots. What happened to them?"
It's hard to tell what expression Subaru has on his face right now, whether it's anger or pain or simple resignation. "I threw them away," he replies softly. "Along with all her clothes."
"Ah. Pity, those pajamas were very adorable." The bandage seems to glow in the moonlight and Seishirou reaches to trace its edge skimming the skin of Subaru’s face. "Does it hurt?"
"Why do you care."
"I’m curious." Avoiding answers to questions is second nature by now, and the bandage is rough against his fingertips. "Especially since I’ve been in your position myself. I know how it throbs, how when you try to sleep the pain pushes like blunt nails into your skull, and how when you blink you can feel your eyelid scrape against the jagged remains of your cornea. I know what it’s like to look at the world and find it flat--"
"Stop it." The words are thin and laced with hairline cracks, there are fingers digging into Seishirou’s leg. Seishirou marvels at the pain wondering once again how the hell Subaru could have let his guard down so badly as to let the Dark Kamui blind him-- "Stop, stop talking, stop reminding me of that--"
There are hot tears soaking into the cloth of his trousers. Seishirou moves his hand away from the bandage, the cold fire beneath his ribs turning to hollow dark. "What would you like me to do," he asks quietly.
Slowly, hesitantly, Subaru curls up closer. "Just ... just stay here. With me. Until I fall asleep."
"... Very well."
He feels, rather than hears, the sigh from Subaru's lips in response. The fingers against his leg loosen and fall, the head on his lap grows heavy. Seishirou finds himself relaxing into the bed. Soon there is nothing to be heard in the room but the sound of their breathing if not in harmony, then at least close together.
Moonlight stretches and fades as Seishirou absently strokes his prey’s hair. Subaru feels warm. Eventually, they sleep.
~owari~