rp log; complete

[prettywithawhip.livejournal.com]

when; 4 June, afternoon.
rating; PG-13.
characters; Mori Ranmaru (elegantorchid), Kigai Yuuto (prettywithawhip).
summary; Some tea helps to soothe Ranmaru’s soul.
log;

A bouquet gathered together, with a beautiful assortment of lilacs and daisies, Ranmaru cradled it on one arm as he headed up the building to where Yuuto had asked him to meet him. He wasn't entirely happy about it, but... he appreciated that the offer had been given at all. Dressed neatly and in a presentable manner as he always was, since this was his first visit to Yuuto personally, he upheld his tradition of giving people flowers.

As soon as he got to the door, he paused, wondering if he should just give him the flowers and leave, before he knocked thrice and then sighed. He was a warrior, he wasn't to fear... then what was driving him away?

The fact that he, too, is a Dragon of Earth. He sighed, then reached out to ring the bell, keeping himself to a side.

Why was his sadness becoming apparent to everyone now? It was as though everyone was... mocking him.


Now, whether or not to use the rose petal tea, the genmaicha, or the earl grey…? The decision was too difficult to make on his own. Would Ranmaru-san prefer the traditional matcha? Well, he wasn’t the best at making tea traditionally like that, but he had a certain flair for English-style tea. Ah, he remembered well when Kanoe-san had first complimented his tea, too – just after he had displayed his little trick to her.

How odd it was that he seemed more inclined to reminiscence around a fine pot of tea.

Yuuto’s musings had been stirred when he heard the small knocking on his door. Of course, he was expecting a guest – how rude of him. He smiled a little, crossing his finely decorated den to the door. And the moment he opened the door, he saw … flowers. Lilacs – one of his favourites – mixed in with daisies. How cheery. He chuckled before looking beyond the flowers to the person who served as their temporary vase.

“Ah, superb timing, Ranmaru-san,” he greeted before stepping aside to let him in. “Come in, come in….”


The boy however, didn't have the same sort of cheer the flowers he held displayed, but it wasn't showing to such an intense degree. Broadcasting his sadness wasn't something he was proud of doing and he was seriously curious as to how bad it was getting. Surely not everyone could tell...?

Blinking at him, Ranmaru forced a small smile on his face, then offered the bouquet to Yuuto, bowing his head to him. "These are for you, Yuuto-san. A meeting in person for the first time... it is tradition for this person to do this." he extended his arms, offering the lilacs to him, before he bowed once more and whispered "Shitsurei shimasu" and entered. Looking around, and blinking when he saw no room to remove his shoes, he turned to look at Yuuto.

"Your invitation did come out of the blue." he stated, as a means to converse about what exactly he was up to.


“I apologise about that, Ranmaru-san,” he called, gesturing to the baseboard behind the door. He had seemed to be lost as to a place to remove his shoes, and no wonder – it was hidden as to keep up the aesthetics. He shot the other a kind, gracious smile before taking the flowers and heading toward the kitchen. “I know it was short notice, but I thought it would be a friendly gesture, anyway.”

He looked outside the window over the kitchen sink for a moment; it was a fine, pretty day, and the sunshine almost made the pale purple petunias on the windowsill look transparent. He had obviously taken great pains to make his living space a cosy one, and it was evident in the fine taupe silk curtains on every window, the elegant lines of the beige sofa in the middle of the den, and the splashes of dark red and gold in some of the spare pillows he had lying about. And thankfully, Ranmaru had brought fresh flowers. He then eyed the wilting calla lilies that stood in a clear vase on a counter not too far away from him – they needed to be replaced.

He reached for the vase and, in a swift, fluid motion, he had the browning flowers in his hand to toss them rather harshly into the waste bin beside him. “But you must understand – you are a close comrade of Subaru-san’s.”


Ranmaru was, simply put, taken by the interiors of this place. Once he'd entered after removing his shoes, blushing a little at being unable to find them, he slipped into the house slippers and began to move in, looking around the place.

It was, quite frankly, very Yuuto- the man was quite western in his approach, and it showed in the interiors he kept. Looking around, the young soldier walked in, not moving anywhere out of respect until he was told to, though despite the warmth of this place, he couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. A natural reaction, perhaps, to the fact that he wasn't sure whether to trust the man who had invited him, but still behaving well, he turned to observe the living room.

However, it was Yuuto's next words that made him pause and look, he blinked twice, before his expression became unreadable and he brought his hands forward, half-gloved as they were to keep Subaru's seals out of view, into the other as though to protect him.

"What does that have to do with anything?" he asked, though a hint of bitterness tinged his tone as he looked to a side. "Subaru-san is not bound to me." He's already Seishirou's.


“Subaru-san is one of our comrades,” he replied factually, though with a soft lilt as though to distract the other from the small edge he had in his voice. He wanted to keep things pleasant. Besides, it was a first meeting – that was the prerequisite, wasn’t it? And his gentlemanly smile remained as he sat down the fresh vase of flowers on the small table in the kitchen area. “Any friend of a comrade should be on friendly terms with me, as well, wouldn’t you agree?”

When he heard the small whistle of the steaming tea kettle, Yuuto abruptly turned about and removed it from the stovetop. “You wouldn’t mind if I made some Lady Grey tea, would you?” he asked over his shoulder as he busied himself rather like a housewife.


His attitude surprised him, perhaps even to the point that it amused him and Ranmaru couldn't help but watch in amazement. He really was quite a housekeeper, wasn't he? Following Yuuto to the kitchen, Ranmaru blinked, surprised to see the way it was spread out. Impressive... almost curiously, his former bitterness forgotten, he treaded in and looked around. His own kitchen, he had learned to grow accustomed to it, but it was still a very traditional one- and he was impressed by how this one looked.

Blinking then, he tilted his head to a side and repeated, "Lady... Grey?" a little bit of confusion lined his face. "Whatever Yuuto-san deems appropriate..." he paused, his manners kicking in. "Would Yuuto-san like any help with that?" he walked over, though the other's words made him wonder. "Ranmaru didn't know Yuuto-san's job was to keep good personal relations between the Dragons of Earth." He couldn't help but comment.


His reaction was just about as amusing and befitting of a patient, kindly mother; he turned to chuckle and brightly smile to Ranmaru when he heard that last comment. “Oh, it’s not a task I was given – I took it upon myself.” And with just the patience required, he poured the steaming water into the tea pot without spilling a drop. It was a way of alleviating stress and those nasty moods that even he wasn’t immune from, really. And not simply the product, itself. The process, in a way, was just as soothing.

“After all, why not try to keep the civility up?” he remarked as he set up the tea tray. Even though he knew well enough that a civil tongue could only go so far, he knew the value in it. Not for the camaraderie, per se – he was wise enough to know better than to expect camaraderie from the entire faction. A certain flourish of civil behaviours, though, would keep it all toned down. “It’s only somewhat professional.” And there – it was all set up perfectly.

Tea tray in hand, he whirled about and moved over to the den. However, he stopped just before Ranmaru, blinking a little in confusion. Had he remained standing there the entire time? He snapped out of the ponderous mood he had and then frowned a little at his guest. “My apologies… my manners seem to be a little off today. You are more than welcome to sit if you’d like….”


The boy blinked when the man turned to face him, wondering what had happened, until he spoke. Then he moved a hand behind his head and looked to a side, then back at him, before lowering his hand, realizing the other hadn't heard him while talking to himself.

"That's alright. Ranmaru can wait for you." he told him assuredly. "Ranmaru wanted to see if you needed any help." Enemy or not, he was still a guest and at the same time, being the one who usually served others made it hard to break the habit of not doing the same. Taking a step back to give Yuuto room, he waited for him to move.

This little trip was growing stranger and stranger with its seeming normalcy, and the strange feeling Ranmaru was getting wasn't sure whether to be alert or let things be.


“Oh, I have everything ready,” he replied sunnily as he continued on his way to the den. “And you shouldn’t need to act like a servant, Ranmaru-san. You are a guest, after all.” Now he had an idea why the other seemed so tense around him; Ranmaru seemed a very servile sort, and quite a polite young man. The thought entertained him enough as he set the tray down onto the nearby table. Such politesse was rare, really. As though to encourage his guest of his status, Yuuto looked directly at him kindly and gestured to the sofa welcomingly.

“Well, if you stand any longer, your feet shall curse you later….”


He'd honestly had enough of curses and the like, and the mere mention of them made him shake his head. "Surely you underestimate this person, Yuuto-san. Ranmaru has stood far longer without needing a moment's rest on watch." but as the host offered, he did not refuse. He had enough manners to not refuse Yuuto, though sitting in such modern surroundings was still new to him and he was trying his best to adapt to a world such as this.

Watching Yuuto, Ranmaru glanced at the sofa, before calmly heading towards it, and taking a seat. It felt awkward to be seated this way, but once he was settled, mildly resembling the image of a doll being made to sit on a seat for the first time, he raised a hand and absently touched back his hair.

After a moment of silence, he looked back at Yuuto with a curious look. "Do you... live alone, Yuuto-san? This place is rather big..." So was his, but he often had people staying over.


He paused a moment, likewise taking a seat in the nearby armchair. “Well, yes, but I do have a few people who stay for a little while,” he remarked after a moment’s pause. And, true enough, he did – for a short time, his Kamui had stayed, and the comings and goings of these guests were many and quick that he himself scarcely remembered the fine details. But one had to maintain that hospitality. It all was such good practise.

The tea was certainly done at this point – he looked at a clock that hung neatly on a wall opposite him – and he then took the pot before him in hand. “Do you take yours with cream, Ranmaru-san?” he asked carefully while golden-amber liquid poured into the cups. It was almost magnetic, how that sunlight made it sparkle like a fine champagne. A smile lit his face when he smelled the barely-citrusy sweetness of the tea. Lady Grey was, after all, a perfect blend on a good afternoon.


Quickly shaking his head, Ranmaru gave Yuuto an odd look when he poured him the tea... people taking it with cream was something he had only seen recently, but the smell of this tea was different, new in a way. He then shifted closer, wondering just what purpose this meeting served, and looked at the tea as it was being poured, eyeing it with a cautious look. When it was poured, and Yuuto had pretty much readied it with the necessary sugar, Ranmaru watched him and then tilted his head to a side.

"Such courtesy and hospitality, Yuuto-san. You take care of your guests well, it seems." He leaned back, still looking a little unsettled. "What made you think of inviting this person to your home, anyway?"


“Ranmaru-san merely seemed in need of some company, that’s all,” he remarked as he sat a cup down before Ranmaru. He had guessed that this particular fellow preferred his tea in a more traditional manner; a simple omission of cream and sugar would do, he suspected. He took a swill of his own, barely sweetened with a lump of sugar and a hint of cream, and he lay back in a casual sort of manner.

“Besides that, I don’t see another reason, really. But there doesn’t have to be one, does there?” That said, he smiled that million-watt smile once more before he took another sip. “Be careful, that tea is a touch warmer than I had thought.”


It was so awkward. He was so used to going places to people that would serve him some purpose, that to think he was just here on a courtesy meeting that was pretty much like being invited to meet with a host to pass the time, was disconcerting in it's own way. Once he'd accepted the tea he'd been given, smelling it and then tasting it-- how odd, it has such a fruity flavour-- he thought to himself, and not wanting to blow on it, he lowered the cup slowly.

Lowering his head a bit too, he caught his own reflection on the bronze surface of the liquid. He had enough company; he had Subaru-kun, the Turks... all of who were friends. He wasn't lonely...

Yet Yuuto's words made him wonder, and he raised his silver gaze, looking directly at him. "I... I wish to ask you, Yuuto-san. About Subaru-san and Seishirou-san..." his voice faltered, he must have sounded desperate. Biting his lower lip, he looked to a side. "Why are they fated to dance about each other this way? What is the purpose of being a Dragon of Earth or of Heaven...?" he looked up at him directly. "What good is it doing to any of you?"


Such perplexing questions, really. Not that Yuuto personally minded – such things were uncontrollable and required one merely to work with what one had. He had become quite skilled with such a task. A placid look seemed to overtake him while his hazel eyes looked off into some nondescript, imaginary space. What good did it do to any of them…? Well, that really wasn’t his place to say.

However, he cleared his throat and once more redirected his attentions to Ranmaru. “Subaru-san and Sakurazuka-san, as I understand it, are twin stars of each other,” he started calmly, setting his tea cup down to prepare for a small lecture. “Something like a mirror image…. It’s the same with Shirou Kamui-san and my Kamui. Of course, it is such with all of us, really-” He cut himself short to satiate his longing for tea. It really turned out quite nicely.


Twin Stars... Ranmaru ended up thinking, even as Yuuto drank some of his tea, so he followed suit, suddenly feeling like he needed it. His head was spinning mildly and he sighed as he lowered his gaze once more. He had heard of Kamui and the Dragons' Kamui, he knew the story behind the Sakurazukamori...

"Does that mean... every one of you has some sort of counterpart?" he asked softly. Shaking his head then, as though telling him to dismiss the qustion, Ranmaru then looked over to the side. "If Seishirou-san and Subaru-san are each other's counterparts... what does the Kamui of earth have to do with them? Subaru-san... wasn’t even a Dragon of Earth, was he? Why does your Kamui not let him be?"


“Subaru-san has taken the role Sakurazuka-san had left,” he explained quickly. It was the pure, simple fact of the matter. One had to succeed the other. And it seemed as though Subaru himself had taken that quite seriously. He smiled, a touch of gravity weighing down his sanguine attitude as he took in a lengthy drink. “One had to fill the void when he died - Kamui had taken it upon himself to extend the invitation is all.”

He turned his entire body toward Ranmaru now. “Kamui believes in loyalty. You must always remember that, Ranmaru-san,” he continued with a light tone that seemed to counteract with the magnitude of the statement. He had played it off as less meaningful than he had liked, but what could he do now that it was said?


Ranmaru didn't take it as less meaningfully, however. The impact of the words were not missed, and he went very still, holding his breath for the briefest moment as the realization of the situation Subaru was in struck him. Surely, surely that had to be some way out?

Setting his cup down on the saucer, Ranmaru looked at Yuuto with what was correctly a pained gaze. "Loyalty, Yuuto-san? To what end? Subaru-san can barely..." Almost instinctively, he put the cup and saucer back down on the table, looking somewhat tense. "Can't he be let go? Now that Seishirou-san is here... aren't you all... an awkward number anyway?"


An awkward number. Yuuto had thought over that before when Seishirou’s younger self had been there. It seemed quite confusing, really, but in a way, it wasn’t so. He smiled patiently to Ranmaru; the answers would greatly affect him, and he was no dummy about such affairs.

“I would agree with you, Ranmaru-san…. But Sakurazuka-san is technically dead.” He paused, looking at the empty cup he held before deciding on pouring more liquid into it. “Whether he is here or not does not change the fact that he died at Subaru’s hand, you know.” Once the cup was again filled, he turned his gaze to Ranmaru and adopted a lighter sort of expression. “Are you in need of a refill?”


His cup still being full, or partly enough to still be full, he politely shook his head no before settling back. He hadn't thought he'd be getting information out of Yuuto though the question remained whether it was actually useful or not. With these odd folk, it was just so hard to tell sometimes.

It had sounded far too easy, and he closed his eyes, leaning back as he tried to gather his thoughts. Then, he leaned forward to retrieve his cup and sip it further, then settled it back and shook his head. "This person honestly doesn't know what to do in light of this situation." he was talking a lot, he noticed. Why to Yuuto? "With Seishirou-san, Subaru-san is complete. Yet they still oppose each other. And..." he moved a hand to his chest, looking down at the remaining tea. "I am present as an inconsequential being to things preordained for you all." he sighed and shook his head. "A better person may have stepped away when they could have."


“Well, what is it you would prefer to do, then?” he asked casually while he stirred the contents of his cup. “You do have options, of course, and I am certain you have some already listed in the back of your mind, no?” If someone was in doubt of something, typically, such a list had been fermenting within the dark recesses for at least some time. He could see the doubt as clearly as though he could see the word written on the other’s forehead. And he supposed that it wasn’t unmerited.

He paused a moment to take in the entire situation. Odd, it seemed, to be talking to a comrade’s seemingly former lover about such circumstances that seemed impossible. He had dealt with far worse, however. “And certainly you have discussed them with Subaru-san, correct?” he asked, looking up from his tea.


Options, yes. Decisive answers? None so far. Though he could make them, just as easily. He gave Yuuto a small nod, though it wasn't very firm. "Subaru-san is aware of the doubts and decisions, but this person does not feel that any further doubts need to burden him. This is... my problem, more than his." he sighed, then finished his tea, holding the empty cup in a hand and looking down for a while.

Then, as if coming upon some revelation, he whispered, "I just do not want to be forgotten." What Ranmaru didn't realize was that was his fear. Of those he loved forgetting him, everything he'd done for them. A fear that had pretty much taken shape with Subaru. He may have not forgotten, but he was well on his way to making it appear so.

At this point, Ranmaru was pretty certain there was no turning back. Feelings were feelings. They didn't cure insanity and they didn't bring love back.

He then smiled to himself an odd smile, as he looked up to Yuuto. "What would you do in my place?"


Yuuto himself returned a sympathetic smile of sorts to Ranmaru upon being asked. He knew that the situation was a complex one, perhaps, but whether or not he could actually toss about his influence in this case was seemingly inconsequential. Didn’t mean he couldn’t try, though.

“Well, Ranmaru-san….” He paused a bit to think, and another swig of his tea disappeared with a small, contented sigh. “You seem to know the consequences and the situation better than I do, really. So,” he rose from his seat, the cup he had just emptied in his hand as he started towards the kitchen once more. However, he paused after a few steps to look compassionately to his guest. “I believe you will make the right decision.”


Not helpful at all, Ranmaru thought to himself. What had he expected out of one of them, anyway? After all, if that Kamui of the Earth was any indication, the rest of them were probably just as bad. The thought made him laugh a little, oddly enough. It wasn't a humorous laugh, nor was it pleasant though it sounded sweet on the ears. It was soft, perhaps even condescending. A harsh tone from a person like him, who was always so gentle and kind.

"Yuuto-san is right." he replied, turning a half-smile to his host. But that decision won't be for everyone's best.

Something stood out in his memory, something that was making him speak this way. He -was- hurt, he was angry, but at no one but himself. He didn't mind being the second wheel, because that had always been his position. He was the supporter, and it was that role that gave him strength, and speaking to Yuuto was probably fanning the flames. And perhaps, somewhere, he just wanted the hurt to stop. He was tired of it, tired of being sad. And so, he closed his eyes.

The half-smile became full and Ranmaru's face lit up pleasantly now as he reopened his eyes. "The tea was delicious, Yuuto-san! I have never had such an interesting blend before. Thank you!"

It was never his place. He didn't belong with these people. It was why he kept failing.

Mentally, he readied himself. Odd, it was, to have discovered this from them... but it was a lesson worth learning. No longer would he pine. His feelings weren't going to change.

"We should... meet up more often, ne? Yuuto-san is good company to talk to." He smiled then, almost boyishly and watched his host at work. Who said you couldn't get anything out of the enemy...


He could just barely detect it. It had been there just for that brief second when his back had turned. All the same, Yuuto could hear that slight change in Ranmaru’s tone. He didn’t dare pause when he heard it – no, best not to let the guest feel the host is at unease. What was it, though? So harsh…. Almost even cold, one would say. And he had heard so much of the sweet disposition Ranmaru himself had possessed…. But he was aware also of everyone’s dark sides.

Intriguing.

When he turned about, his bright, sunny grin remained almost plastered upon his face. “I’m glad Ranmaru-san liked the Lady Grey. I shall stock more,” he replied with a short bow. As Western as he seemed to be, the innately Japanese traits still stuck with him. His eye, swift as ever, noticed that the cup that Ranmaru held still wasn’t even half empty.

A person could tell a lot about someone by what and how they drank. He had learned that first and foremost, and it was a lesson that stuck quite persistently.