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tampered2007-08-31 05:29 pm
elegantorchid.livejournal.com) wrote in tampered2007-08-31 05:29 pm
[ Complete ] Subaru & Ranmaru - Reunion again
When; August 31
Rating; PG
Characters; Subaru [![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ikigainashi] & Ranmaru [elegantorchid]
Summary; Ranmaru plays with Hokuto the kitty and a stalker appears. Pokemon battle ensues! Only not. ♥ But cuteness does?
Log;
For him, it had not been a month of absence. He had been gone less than a couple days, only to suddenly wake up in his old bedroom in his apartment in the City and recall that he had actually returned three days prior...and that was when the memories of the age reversal curse hit him.
It was like a nightmare. Seishirou had pretended to be his old kind self, and he had of course believed him. Having to recall those feelings of utter love and devotion and trust just about made him physically ill. Those memories were no longer from years ago. They were just from yesterday.
He had spent Monday still disjointed and trying to get used to being back in the City, only to recall that Ranmaru had tried so very hard to keep his younger self away from Seishirou. That was when he went hunting for the old photos he had that Hokuto had taken when she had still been in the City.
...Any that included Ranmaru were all gone. A confrontation with Seishirou had revealed that the older onmyouji had actually destroyed any one of them, and Subaru was quick to throw him out the following day. The small white kitten named Hokuto-chan wasn't even around... Subaru was secretly glad that Ranmaru had taken her. She was in better care with him and his friends.
But he couldn't resist visiting him any longer. It would already be awkward, as he had been gone for a month. Would Ranmaru be angry? Would he have moved on? Though he doubted the latter, he secretly hoped... It would be better for the young warrior.
Finding him in the same room in the same apartment was easy, and as Subaru stepped up to Ranmaru's window to see the young man playing with Hokuto-chan, he nearly smiled. Then paused. Ranmaru was dressed...very differently. Was this a new curse? He hadn't seen others affected.
Curious, and silent, he leaned over to rest his arms on the windowsill and simply...watched.
A month of separation, right after he had said the words that were often said to be magical ones in any relationship? Ranmaru had certainly been wary of saying it again, even in memory of him, though it had been easier when there was no one to say it too. By now, he had adapted himself to one important thing, after having seen the side of Subaru that had arrived into the city. The young, gullible and friendly side who held nothing less than deep-rooted affection for that madman...
Their time in this city was the only time they would ever realistically have together. If he ever went back to his world, that would be the end, and there was no changing the fate of those who were never meant to meet anyway.
A sad thought, but it had kept him strong in his own loneliness. Perhaps he had moved on in his own way, which was what was good about this. Work had kept him busy as it was, body guarding Cain Hargreaves and now, Sayu Yagami, though he had yet to hear from Radu on that. Since it had been an official meeting after that awkward Family curse, he had a good reason to be in his uniform, other than hiding Nobunaga's influenced affections from that day, which were still healing under the collar from the spell he'd cast on his skin.
Hokuto was on the floor with him, where he knelt, and he'd just returned from work, so he was playing with her. Music was playing in the radio in the corner, some soft tunes that Lawrence had been listening to and he left them playing, while Hokuto playfully attacked him dangling a toy mouse by it's tail, letting the little kitten try and reach for it playfully, laughing to himself.
"You'll have to fly to get the mouse, Hokuto-chan~" he teased, only to be surprised by the kitten pouncing on his chest and trying to climb up onto his shoulder, which made him start laughing and he fell back against the floor, spreading himself out comfortably against the rug and holding Hokuto up under her front legs above him. "Little devil!" he exclaimed, and she seemed to be offended at that, freeing herself and pouncing down onto his face, causing Ranmau to flail comically, before he pulled her off by the scruff of her neck, laying down sideways and letting her down on the ground, where he seemed content to watch her dart after the toy mouse and he shook his head, flopping back down against the floor, arms spread to his sides and staring at the ceiling.
"Mm... he probably never wants to see me again, does he, Hokuto-chan? I offended his Seishirou-san..." he murmured to himself. The balcony was partially opened in his room, to let the cool air in, so his voice would be audible to anyone nearby. He wasn't exactly being discreet in talking to the cat.
Ranmaru's one-sided conversation with the kitten made Subaru shake his head a little bit. Of course poor Ranmaru hadn't known that it was a curse... How could he? That explained why Ranmaru hadn't tried to contact him since.
Though it was tempting to just keep on watching, Subaru wasn't so rude as to eavesdrop...even if it was on somebody who was practically talking to themself. So he stepped back and glanced to the side, spotting the glass door pulled slightly open. Still silent, Subaru moved over to slide the screen door open to let himself in. The quiet movements and steps were merely out of habit from years of practice. It was almost disgusting that he could stalk nearly as well as Seishirou... But it was never something he enjoyed.
Once he was inside the room, he looked down as the kitten trotted over to him, and the onmyouji knelt down to let her sniff at his gloved hand, finally speaking without looking up from her. "I have a feeling 'he' will forgive you."
Either he had been far too distracted, or the presence hadn't been ominous enough for him to have worried about it. However, when he heard the voice that he had, he immediately sat up, gloved hands to the ground and his upper body raised so he could turn and look at who had just arrived, though he knew, as always, the sight of him was enough to make his heart skip a beat.
Even now, and it was so odd that it would have such an impact on him, and he absently found himself contemplating the irony of the situation.
Of course he had to return right when this had to happen, and of course right when the other side of him... that younger side.
Lifting himself up then, Ranmaru smoothed down the front of the uniform, looking up at Subaru with an almost casual ease, though the yearning to run up to him and embrace him tightly was so strong that he knew he couldn't hide it in his eyes.
"When one loves someone that strongly, one is ready to refuse any sort of ill words spoken against them." He replied calmly, unable to tear his eyes away from the sight of the onmyouji standing in his balcony door. Then, he moved a hand behind his neck, an almost shy gesture and looked down, before shaking his head and facing him again as he lowered his hand once more.
"Of course, there is the chance of some people growing up, isn't there?" he added, with a weak laugh. It was clear Ranmaru now understood what might have happened, considering the curses that had hit the city during those days.
Subaru slowly stood up as Ranmaru walked over, mismatched eyes carefully watching the others' for any sign of animosity. What he found was quite the opposite, which was a blessing and a curse all at once. Taking one more step inside, Subaru reached back and shut the door completely so that the kitten couldn't scamper on outside to get lost.
He was itching for a cigarette, but resisted the urge as he responded somberly. "There is always a chance. Isn't that what you're often reminding me of?"
He didn't think he had the energy to be angry at Subaru anymore, nor any reason to. Until and unless he was off to hurt himself, which was when Ranmaru would truly show his rage, how he had with the younger form of Subaru he had met no more than a few days back within the city.
That had been self-destruction, hadn't it? Just like what he was doing now.
Now stopped a few feet away from the other, enough for him to be standing in the other's shadow with him backlit against the evening outside, Ranmaru merely looked up into the other's dual-colored gaze and gave him a nod of acknowledgement. "Looks like you can hear me after all, can't you?" a small smile played on his lips, silver eyes calm as he hesitantly raised a hand to brush his fingers against the older man's cheek, before he gently cupped it.
He didn't say anything else. All he did was to lean in and capture Subaru's mouth with a kiss, letting it say more than he could with his words.
He'd missed him. Everything in the world could take a backseat to this.
The commentary on whether or not Subaru actually heard Ranmaru whenever he went off on one of his tangents didn't get an immediate response, as he was suddenly being kissed. The action drew a warmth out of his cheeks, not to mention his heart, as he shyly leaned down to return it.
Both arms wound around Ranmaru's waist to hold him secure, though there was plenty of give should the warrior choose to check his sanity and flee. After all, any who shared a love with the onmyouji was sure to suffer disaster. He knew that Ranmaru already had, but life never took into account what was fair. Not life, or death.
He kept the kiss chaste, though even that much made him flushed as he straightened up and dropped his arms to his sides. "I always listen."
The knowledge of what he had now probably saved him a lot of trouble from any sort of negative reactions he might have had at Subaru's departure. However, he didn't move away from him right at that instant, savoring the heat of his face under his glove before he drew it back and looked up at him.
"A bit too well. Then you forget to act." Hokuto had retreated to the basket in the corner of the room with her victory toy, and casting her a sidelong glance, he then turned to face Subaru again. "Where did you go?" he asked in a softer voice. "Fuuma left... so did Kamui. And..." he trailed off, sighing and smiling a bit.
"Took you long enough to return. It has been a month, you know." he pouted a little then, folding his arms loosely in front of his chest.
He was a bit startled that Fuuma was gone of course, but the knowledge of Kamui's departure was already old news to him. Doing his best to not be flustered by Ranmaru's pouting, Subaru shook his head a bit.
"I know. A month here... It was only a few days there. I saw Kamui purely by accident, and he told me you were fine." Then, he tried to force a smile onto his features for Ranmaru's sake, though it came out as more of a grimace than anything. "I'm sorry. I was unable to control it. The City does as it pleases. I'm glad you are well, though."
Subaru's gaze drifted to the kitten in the corner. "She's happy here. You should keep her."
Shaking his head, Ranmaru turned around to glance at her, before moving his hands down and then, turning to observe Hokuto for a moment, he moved away to undo the coat of the uniform he was wearing, then began to pull it off, leaving him in his shirt and tie and his shorts and leg-covers. He'd taken off his shoes before entering, as it was, so he was barefoot without his house slippers and in this state as he hung up his uniform coat, he definitely looked younger than he was. Leaving his gloves on, it had become a habit for him without him realizing it, he turned to remove his tie.
"She missed you." he told him in response. The attempt at a smile was appreciated, and Ranmaru then paused, looking as though he remembered something.
"But, while you were gone, the oddest thing happened! Ranmaru's Nobunaga-sama appeared! And so did Oichi-hime, his sister and Ranmaru's best friend... and her husband Nagamasa-dono." He turned to smile brightly at Subaru, and then moved forward to take his hand. "They will all be happy to meet you when they return from the temple." As Subaru knew, the house was big enough to give them enough private space without being intrusive on each others' and Subaru's own room remained clean and kept ready for him to return to, though Ranmaru was't forcing it on him now.
"The City now requires us to work... so Ranmaru is doing a job too." He chuckled weakly. "Paradise never does seem to be forever, ne?"
It was curious to watch Ranmaru remove his coat... He wanted to ask about it, but then the comment on having a job seemed enough explanation. Curious about what sort of job, but thrown off by all the new information, he blinked a few times silently while staring.
Three people from Ranmaru's time had appeared while he was gone? Wait, there was something familiar...something... Oh! Oichi. He had met her already, though...he had been cursed. He doubted she would even recognize him, but he recalled her talk of her husband, and was silently glad that she had found him here.
The knowledge of Nobunaga was a little disconcerting. Mitsuhide had seemed to like him well enough, but what would Nobunaga think?
...And... "Requires us to work? Money?" After everything, that was what he chose to comment on. It was the safest topic.
Ranmaru chose to respond to that with a swift nod. A few minutes then went into explaining the whole process of the rain and how money had fallen from the sky. Then the jobs coming into the picture and everything relating to it. He motioned to Subaru to take a seat while he explained, and he kept talking until he managed to explain enough, ending with "... and because of that, Lawr-kun will now work in a lady named Tifa-san's bar. As for myself, Dietrich-san recommended me to Cain-sama of the Rozenkreuz Orden and now this person works as a bodyguard." He couldn't help but chuckle. "Ranmaru has had to learn a lot of the language of Germany for that." He motioned to a pile of books next to his futon, and then he stopped, keeping his back towards Subaru.
"Do you plan to stay now?" he asked softly, not asking him if he wanted to stay in this house, but if he was truly willing to stay with him.
He would have preferred to stand where he was, but that would have seemed rude since he was still right in front of the balcony door. As Ranmaru started to explain, Subaru removed his boots and set them aside before sinking onto his knees to carefully listen. Not only money was a factor now, but villains actually went to jail?
...So curious. It was actually acting like a real city now. All of this had happened in only one month? The question threw him off, interrupting his thoughts, and he glanced down to his hands while choosing his wording carefully. "I didn't plan to leave before."
That made him a little nervous inside, imagining what his expression would be like right now and he kept is back turned, before managing to bring a quiet smile onto his face and looking over his shoulder. Then, he fully turned around, kneeling before him, not really caring about taking up his personal space at this point as he extended his own gloved hand to take Subaru's and hold it tightly in his own.
"There is so much happening now, Subaru-san..." he sighed and then looked up at him, focusing on his eyes. "Perhaps there still is a chance for things to work out, isn't there?" Smiling a little, he turned over Subaru's hand in his own, then glanced to a side. "Ranmaru... has avoided speaking of you to Nobunaga-sama, though he has brought up question once after seeing your image." He sighed. "He hasn't died yet, from where he has come. He is very possessive, and..." trailing off for a bit, he shook his head then looked back at Subaru.
"If he is to know about you, then this person does want to request that he meets you face to face. Will you?" It was a strange thing to ask, but possibly Subaru would be aware of the fact that the historical Mori Ranmaru and Nobunaga had a very close bond with each other. It was almost amusing in a way, because it was like asking if he would meet his family.
Meeting Mitsuhide had made Subaru nervous enough. Nobunaga would be far more of a challenge, and he highly doubted there was any way he could impress Ranmaru's lord. The mention of a possessive nature did not escape his notice, but it was no surprise. Not because of the written history, really... It was just easy to understand why somebody would be possessive of Ranmaru.
How could any sane person ever let him go? The warmth of his hands calmed him even more, and the man gently gripped them back, thumb brushing over his knuckles.
"Of course. As soon as you wish it." He took another glance over what Ranmaru was wearing, then looked back up to his face curiously. "You must be happy with so many old friends here to be with you now."
The fact that Subaru had agreed made his face light up in a more than genuine smile, and he nodded in response to the question. "Ah. Ranmaru is happy..." and with a bit of a twinkle in his eye, he added, "And now you've returned. There could be nothing better." He didn't miss the way Subaru's thumb moved over his hand, and he felt a bit of blush rise up to his cheeks, before he returned the affectionate squeeze and then held Subaru's hands between his own for a bit.
"Ranmaru will ask Nobunaga-sama... don't be nervous. He is very kind even though he acts like a demon sometimes." At that, Ranmaru crinkled his nose. "And a brat, but I think he does that to get attention." The mind games just never ended, though Ranmaru was used to them like a second nature, he was certain they would frustrate others more than anything. "But what is important that he knows... since he comes from a different time, he needs to be given this information a little more gently."
He chuckled then, looking up at Subaru again. "This feels a little exciting, though. Almost like that one story Isaak-san told Ranmaru to read... anou..." he tried to recall the names. "By Shaky Spear-san!"
As Ranmaru chattered excitedly about Nobunaga, Subaru was careful to observe the constant changes in expression and tone. Even if it had only been a few days, he really had missed him greatly. It was bizarre how much he thought of Ranmaru whenever he was away for him. At one point, it had always been either Hokuto or Seishirou on his mind.
The teenager acting so happy in front of him was certainly someone special; something Subaru hardly deserved. The horrible mispronounciation of Shakespeare's jerked him out of his daze, only to bring about an even stronger surge of emotion. It was those adorable little quirks that Subaru could hardly get over.
He didn't even bother to correct him, instead acting on impulse and pulling him into his lap in a careful embrace. Always careful, as if afraid he might break him, despite him being a capable warrior. Still, it was an unusual move from Subaru, and his face was hot as he held Ranmaru close and buried his face against his neck, speaking in a hushed tone.
"Which story?"
Startled by the action, Ranmaru did go still momentarily but allowed the shifting movement so he could settle comfortably on his lap. His hands went to Subaru's chest, then slipped around to hesitantly return the embrace, unable to believe what was happening right now. Subaru was hugging -him-? His hands on Subaru's back moved to his shoulder and now with his face against the other's jaw, feeling the heat from his face emanate against his neck, the way his voice sounded right now almost drove him crazy with want.
His own cheeks burning red, Ranmaru whispered the next words just by Subaru's ear, tilting his head to a side a little as though trying to savor the feel of the older man's face so close to his neck. "Th-they were the lovers... Romeo... and Juliet... it was a sad story... and hard to read, but Ranmaru tried hard to read it!" Was that his voice shaking? He closed his eyes, moving his face further into the side of Subaru's neck and prayed against all the prayers in the world that the cure spell completed and there were no more blemishes on his body to make it look like Ranmaru had willingly embraced another man. He didn't want this to be ruined and is it was, that was a curse day!
"Ranmaru... thought the ending could have been better... has Subaru-san read..." he trailed off, embracing Subaru more tightly now, face buried in his shoulder, suddenly feeling like a small child.
"Don't leave me again...?"
The plea to not leave left another crack in his heart. One of hundreds. He treated Ranmaru like he was fragile, when it was himself that Subaru was always worried about breaking. Feeling Ranmaru's hands on his back forced him to recall the episode that had brought about those marks. He never wanted to lose his small grasp on sanity again. Not like that. Romeo and Juliet had not had a favorable end.
Staying near Ranmaru was a danger to him...but he had given up on running away. He still had his own apartment of course, but this had always been more a home to him, anyhow. The extra apartment was more for show than anything.
Still, he didn't respond, keeping his mouth in a thin line and shutting his eyes, quietly drinking in the warmth Ranmaru's embrace offered.
Far too used to his silence, Ranmaru restrained a sigh and slid his hands forward to Subaru's chest, then to his shoulders as he pulled himself closer. He was mildly disappointed, but not too much... he never expected Subaru to come up with assuring loving comments or suddenly burst out with confessions- those were reserved for the curse days on which they would occur.
With a soft breath exhaled, he drew his face back slowly, until he was facing Subaru face to face, and smiling quietly at him. He didn't say anything, but letting his eyelids drop shut, he leaned forward and gently kissed his mouth again, this time, leaving no room for Subaru to call it chaste, until he broke it enough to whisper, "Welcome home." And his hand slid to Subaru's cheek, pulling him right back in for another deep kiss, savoring the cherry blossom scent that made up Subaru's entirety.
He was telling him that without telling him. He wanted him back home. And he was welcome here... again.
When he broke the kiss again, his smile was shy and he merely brushed his lips against the onmyouji's as he whispered, "I missed you so much."
Ranmaru seemed to know just what to say and do to leave Subaru in a daze when he pulled back. Then, as he gazed down at the smaller man, he seemed to grasp just what was being said. Realization flickered to life in his eyes, and he drew back a bit in surprise.
"Home? Here?" Was Ranmaru really suggesting what Subaru thought he was? He could still remember being kicked out before... The two of them had shared moments since, but there had never been any solid invitation to return. It made him hesitate... But what reason did he have to leave?
...Seishirou. Seishirou was always a danger to Ranmaru...but though Subaru wanted to believe leaving Ranmaru could keep him safe, he doubted it. The prior Sakurazukamori was too smart to buy that. Maybe staying near was the best choice.
Wanting to actually feel Ranmaru's skin, he pulled his arms back to pull a glove off of one hand. Then he reached up to let his fingertips brush across Ranmaru's lips, tracing along the line of his jaw to finally thread through his silky hair. "...Home."
It was an oddly familiar feeling, he had to admit. Though it was long overdue, and Ranmaru had enough bad experiences with being touched against his will in this period of time to have enough reason to loathe it, somehow, the feel of Subaru's fingers against his skin had been something he had missed more than he could express. Perhaps because they were so few and far in between that they felt like a treasure every time he managed to have them. Closing his eyes for a while, as though savoring his touch, Ranmaru wondered what went on in Subaru's mind, before he found himself smiling and with his own hands pulling off his gloves, he tilted his face up to gently nuzzle the side of Subaru's mouth.
Then, with a somewhat playful smile, he poked noses with Subaru and chuckled softly. "And there's going to be curfew for you." He was teasing, but he said it softly and his own hand went to the back of Subaru's neck, looking up into his eyes with a satisfied smile.
"Do be sure to let your world know that Ranmaru doesn't plan to return you to it anytime soon?"
Curfew. The very concept of the Sakurazukamori having a curfew was downright ridiculous, not to mention either of them having any say in when the City felt like playing musical worlds with them. He just smiled, or at least tried to, before nodding a bit.
The close proximity was making him blush again, and he hoped it wasn't too obvious as he closed the short distance to offer a tentative peck on the lips. "I'll try."
And he would, in so many ways. He would never make any promises that he couldn't keep... But he could always try.
In the end, it would be the effort that mattered. And so it would be.
Rating; PG
Characters; Subaru [
ikigainashi] & Ranmaru [elegantorchid] Summary; Ranmaru plays with Hokuto the kitty and a stalker appears. Pokemon battle ensues! Only not. ♥ But cuteness does?
Log;
For him, it had not been a month of absence. He had been gone less than a couple days, only to suddenly wake up in his old bedroom in his apartment in the City and recall that he had actually returned three days prior...and that was when the memories of the age reversal curse hit him.
It was like a nightmare. Seishirou had pretended to be his old kind self, and he had of course believed him. Having to recall those feelings of utter love and devotion and trust just about made him physically ill. Those memories were no longer from years ago. They were just from yesterday.
He had spent Monday still disjointed and trying to get used to being back in the City, only to recall that Ranmaru had tried so very hard to keep his younger self away from Seishirou. That was when he went hunting for the old photos he had that Hokuto had taken when she had still been in the City.
...Any that included Ranmaru were all gone. A confrontation with Seishirou had revealed that the older onmyouji had actually destroyed any one of them, and Subaru was quick to throw him out the following day. The small white kitten named Hokuto-chan wasn't even around... Subaru was secretly glad that Ranmaru had taken her. She was in better care with him and his friends.
But he couldn't resist visiting him any longer. It would already be awkward, as he had been gone for a month. Would Ranmaru be angry? Would he have moved on? Though he doubted the latter, he secretly hoped... It would be better for the young warrior.
Finding him in the same room in the same apartment was easy, and as Subaru stepped up to Ranmaru's window to see the young man playing with Hokuto-chan, he nearly smiled. Then paused. Ranmaru was dressed...very differently. Was this a new curse? He hadn't seen others affected.
Curious, and silent, he leaned over to rest his arms on the windowsill and simply...watched.
A month of separation, right after he had said the words that were often said to be magical ones in any relationship? Ranmaru had certainly been wary of saying it again, even in memory of him, though it had been easier when there was no one to say it too. By now, he had adapted himself to one important thing, after having seen the side of Subaru that had arrived into the city. The young, gullible and friendly side who held nothing less than deep-rooted affection for that madman...
Their time in this city was the only time they would ever realistically have together. If he ever went back to his world, that would be the end, and there was no changing the fate of those who were never meant to meet anyway.
A sad thought, but it had kept him strong in his own loneliness. Perhaps he had moved on in his own way, which was what was good about this. Work had kept him busy as it was, body guarding Cain Hargreaves and now, Sayu Yagami, though he had yet to hear from Radu on that. Since it had been an official meeting after that awkward Family curse, he had a good reason to be in his uniform, other than hiding Nobunaga's influenced affections from that day, which were still healing under the collar from the spell he'd cast on his skin.
Hokuto was on the floor with him, where he knelt, and he'd just returned from work, so he was playing with her. Music was playing in the radio in the corner, some soft tunes that Lawrence had been listening to and he left them playing, while Hokuto playfully attacked him dangling a toy mouse by it's tail, letting the little kitten try and reach for it playfully, laughing to himself.
"You'll have to fly to get the mouse, Hokuto-chan~" he teased, only to be surprised by the kitten pouncing on his chest and trying to climb up onto his shoulder, which made him start laughing and he fell back against the floor, spreading himself out comfortably against the rug and holding Hokuto up under her front legs above him. "Little devil!" he exclaimed, and she seemed to be offended at that, freeing herself and pouncing down onto his face, causing Ranmau to flail comically, before he pulled her off by the scruff of her neck, laying down sideways and letting her down on the ground, where he seemed content to watch her dart after the toy mouse and he shook his head, flopping back down against the floor, arms spread to his sides and staring at the ceiling.
"Mm... he probably never wants to see me again, does he, Hokuto-chan? I offended his Seishirou-san..." he murmured to himself. The balcony was partially opened in his room, to let the cool air in, so his voice would be audible to anyone nearby. He wasn't exactly being discreet in talking to the cat.
Ranmaru's one-sided conversation with the kitten made Subaru shake his head a little bit. Of course poor Ranmaru hadn't known that it was a curse... How could he? That explained why Ranmaru hadn't tried to contact him since.
Though it was tempting to just keep on watching, Subaru wasn't so rude as to eavesdrop...even if it was on somebody who was practically talking to themself. So he stepped back and glanced to the side, spotting the glass door pulled slightly open. Still silent, Subaru moved over to slide the screen door open to let himself in. The quiet movements and steps were merely out of habit from years of practice. It was almost disgusting that he could stalk nearly as well as Seishirou... But it was never something he enjoyed.
Once he was inside the room, he looked down as the kitten trotted over to him, and the onmyouji knelt down to let her sniff at his gloved hand, finally speaking without looking up from her. "I have a feeling 'he' will forgive you."
Either he had been far too distracted, or the presence hadn't been ominous enough for him to have worried about it. However, when he heard the voice that he had, he immediately sat up, gloved hands to the ground and his upper body raised so he could turn and look at who had just arrived, though he knew, as always, the sight of him was enough to make his heart skip a beat.
Even now, and it was so odd that it would have such an impact on him, and he absently found himself contemplating the irony of the situation.
Of course he had to return right when this had to happen, and of course right when the other side of him... that younger side.
Lifting himself up then, Ranmaru smoothed down the front of the uniform, looking up at Subaru with an almost casual ease, though the yearning to run up to him and embrace him tightly was so strong that he knew he couldn't hide it in his eyes.
"When one loves someone that strongly, one is ready to refuse any sort of ill words spoken against them." He replied calmly, unable to tear his eyes away from the sight of the onmyouji standing in his balcony door. Then, he moved a hand behind his neck, an almost shy gesture and looked down, before shaking his head and facing him again as he lowered his hand once more.
"Of course, there is the chance of some people growing up, isn't there?" he added, with a weak laugh. It was clear Ranmaru now understood what might have happened, considering the curses that had hit the city during those days.
Subaru slowly stood up as Ranmaru walked over, mismatched eyes carefully watching the others' for any sign of animosity. What he found was quite the opposite, which was a blessing and a curse all at once. Taking one more step inside, Subaru reached back and shut the door completely so that the kitten couldn't scamper on outside to get lost.
He was itching for a cigarette, but resisted the urge as he responded somberly. "There is always a chance. Isn't that what you're often reminding me of?"
He didn't think he had the energy to be angry at Subaru anymore, nor any reason to. Until and unless he was off to hurt himself, which was when Ranmaru would truly show his rage, how he had with the younger form of Subaru he had met no more than a few days back within the city.
That had been self-destruction, hadn't it? Just like what he was doing now.
Now stopped a few feet away from the other, enough for him to be standing in the other's shadow with him backlit against the evening outside, Ranmaru merely looked up into the other's dual-colored gaze and gave him a nod of acknowledgement. "Looks like you can hear me after all, can't you?" a small smile played on his lips, silver eyes calm as he hesitantly raised a hand to brush his fingers against the older man's cheek, before he gently cupped it.
He didn't say anything else. All he did was to lean in and capture Subaru's mouth with a kiss, letting it say more than he could with his words.
He'd missed him. Everything in the world could take a backseat to this.
The commentary on whether or not Subaru actually heard Ranmaru whenever he went off on one of his tangents didn't get an immediate response, as he was suddenly being kissed. The action drew a warmth out of his cheeks, not to mention his heart, as he shyly leaned down to return it.
Both arms wound around Ranmaru's waist to hold him secure, though there was plenty of give should the warrior choose to check his sanity and flee. After all, any who shared a love with the onmyouji was sure to suffer disaster. He knew that Ranmaru already had, but life never took into account what was fair. Not life, or death.
He kept the kiss chaste, though even that much made him flushed as he straightened up and dropped his arms to his sides. "I always listen."
The knowledge of what he had now probably saved him a lot of trouble from any sort of negative reactions he might have had at Subaru's departure. However, he didn't move away from him right at that instant, savoring the heat of his face under his glove before he drew it back and looked up at him.
"A bit too well. Then you forget to act." Hokuto had retreated to the basket in the corner of the room with her victory toy, and casting her a sidelong glance, he then turned to face Subaru again. "Where did you go?" he asked in a softer voice. "Fuuma left... so did Kamui. And..." he trailed off, sighing and smiling a bit.
"Took you long enough to return. It has been a month, you know." he pouted a little then, folding his arms loosely in front of his chest.
He was a bit startled that Fuuma was gone of course, but the knowledge of Kamui's departure was already old news to him. Doing his best to not be flustered by Ranmaru's pouting, Subaru shook his head a bit.
"I know. A month here... It was only a few days there. I saw Kamui purely by accident, and he told me you were fine." Then, he tried to force a smile onto his features for Ranmaru's sake, though it came out as more of a grimace than anything. "I'm sorry. I was unable to control it. The City does as it pleases. I'm glad you are well, though."
Subaru's gaze drifted to the kitten in the corner. "She's happy here. You should keep her."
Shaking his head, Ranmaru turned around to glance at her, before moving his hands down and then, turning to observe Hokuto for a moment, he moved away to undo the coat of the uniform he was wearing, then began to pull it off, leaving him in his shirt and tie and his shorts and leg-covers. He'd taken off his shoes before entering, as it was, so he was barefoot without his house slippers and in this state as he hung up his uniform coat, he definitely looked younger than he was. Leaving his gloves on, it had become a habit for him without him realizing it, he turned to remove his tie.
"She missed you." he told him in response. The attempt at a smile was appreciated, and Ranmaru then paused, looking as though he remembered something.
"But, while you were gone, the oddest thing happened! Ranmaru's Nobunaga-sama appeared! And so did Oichi-hime, his sister and Ranmaru's best friend... and her husband Nagamasa-dono." He turned to smile brightly at Subaru, and then moved forward to take his hand. "They will all be happy to meet you when they return from the temple." As Subaru knew, the house was big enough to give them enough private space without being intrusive on each others' and Subaru's own room remained clean and kept ready for him to return to, though Ranmaru was't forcing it on him now.
"The City now requires us to work... so Ranmaru is doing a job too." He chuckled weakly. "Paradise never does seem to be forever, ne?"
It was curious to watch Ranmaru remove his coat... He wanted to ask about it, but then the comment on having a job seemed enough explanation. Curious about what sort of job, but thrown off by all the new information, he blinked a few times silently while staring.
Three people from Ranmaru's time had appeared while he was gone? Wait, there was something familiar...something... Oh! Oichi. He had met her already, though...he had been cursed. He doubted she would even recognize him, but he recalled her talk of her husband, and was silently glad that she had found him here.
The knowledge of Nobunaga was a little disconcerting. Mitsuhide had seemed to like him well enough, but what would Nobunaga think?
...And... "Requires us to work? Money?" After everything, that was what he chose to comment on. It was the safest topic.
Ranmaru chose to respond to that with a swift nod. A few minutes then went into explaining the whole process of the rain and how money had fallen from the sky. Then the jobs coming into the picture and everything relating to it. He motioned to Subaru to take a seat while he explained, and he kept talking until he managed to explain enough, ending with "... and because of that, Lawr-kun will now work in a lady named Tifa-san's bar. As for myself, Dietrich-san recommended me to Cain-sama of the Rozenkreuz Orden and now this person works as a bodyguard." He couldn't help but chuckle. "Ranmaru has had to learn a lot of the language of Germany for that." He motioned to a pile of books next to his futon, and then he stopped, keeping his back towards Subaru.
"Do you plan to stay now?" he asked softly, not asking him if he wanted to stay in this house, but if he was truly willing to stay with him.
He would have preferred to stand where he was, but that would have seemed rude since he was still right in front of the balcony door. As Ranmaru started to explain, Subaru removed his boots and set them aside before sinking onto his knees to carefully listen. Not only money was a factor now, but villains actually went to jail?
...So curious. It was actually acting like a real city now. All of this had happened in only one month? The question threw him off, interrupting his thoughts, and he glanced down to his hands while choosing his wording carefully. "I didn't plan to leave before."
That made him a little nervous inside, imagining what his expression would be like right now and he kept is back turned, before managing to bring a quiet smile onto his face and looking over his shoulder. Then, he fully turned around, kneeling before him, not really caring about taking up his personal space at this point as he extended his own gloved hand to take Subaru's and hold it tightly in his own.
"There is so much happening now, Subaru-san..." he sighed and then looked up at him, focusing on his eyes. "Perhaps there still is a chance for things to work out, isn't there?" Smiling a little, he turned over Subaru's hand in his own, then glanced to a side. "Ranmaru... has avoided speaking of you to Nobunaga-sama, though he has brought up question once after seeing your image." He sighed. "He hasn't died yet, from where he has come. He is very possessive, and..." trailing off for a bit, he shook his head then looked back at Subaru.
"If he is to know about you, then this person does want to request that he meets you face to face. Will you?" It was a strange thing to ask, but possibly Subaru would be aware of the fact that the historical Mori Ranmaru and Nobunaga had a very close bond with each other. It was almost amusing in a way, because it was like asking if he would meet his family.
Meeting Mitsuhide had made Subaru nervous enough. Nobunaga would be far more of a challenge, and he highly doubted there was any way he could impress Ranmaru's lord. The mention of a possessive nature did not escape his notice, but it was no surprise. Not because of the written history, really... It was just easy to understand why somebody would be possessive of Ranmaru.
How could any sane person ever let him go? The warmth of his hands calmed him even more, and the man gently gripped them back, thumb brushing over his knuckles.
"Of course. As soon as you wish it." He took another glance over what Ranmaru was wearing, then looked back up to his face curiously. "You must be happy with so many old friends here to be with you now."
The fact that Subaru had agreed made his face light up in a more than genuine smile, and he nodded in response to the question. "Ah. Ranmaru is happy..." and with a bit of a twinkle in his eye, he added, "And now you've returned. There could be nothing better." He didn't miss the way Subaru's thumb moved over his hand, and he felt a bit of blush rise up to his cheeks, before he returned the affectionate squeeze and then held Subaru's hands between his own for a bit.
"Ranmaru will ask Nobunaga-sama... don't be nervous. He is very kind even though he acts like a demon sometimes." At that, Ranmaru crinkled his nose. "And a brat, but I think he does that to get attention." The mind games just never ended, though Ranmaru was used to them like a second nature, he was certain they would frustrate others more than anything. "But what is important that he knows... since he comes from a different time, he needs to be given this information a little more gently."
He chuckled then, looking up at Subaru again. "This feels a little exciting, though. Almost like that one story Isaak-san told Ranmaru to read... anou..." he tried to recall the names. "By Shaky Spear-san!"
As Ranmaru chattered excitedly about Nobunaga, Subaru was careful to observe the constant changes in expression and tone. Even if it had only been a few days, he really had missed him greatly. It was bizarre how much he thought of Ranmaru whenever he was away for him. At one point, it had always been either Hokuto or Seishirou on his mind.
The teenager acting so happy in front of him was certainly someone special; something Subaru hardly deserved. The horrible mispronounciation of Shakespeare's jerked him out of his daze, only to bring about an even stronger surge of emotion. It was those adorable little quirks that Subaru could hardly get over.
He didn't even bother to correct him, instead acting on impulse and pulling him into his lap in a careful embrace. Always careful, as if afraid he might break him, despite him being a capable warrior. Still, it was an unusual move from Subaru, and his face was hot as he held Ranmaru close and buried his face against his neck, speaking in a hushed tone.
"Which story?"
Startled by the action, Ranmaru did go still momentarily but allowed the shifting movement so he could settle comfortably on his lap. His hands went to Subaru's chest, then slipped around to hesitantly return the embrace, unable to believe what was happening right now. Subaru was hugging -him-? His hands on Subaru's back moved to his shoulder and now with his face against the other's jaw, feeling the heat from his face emanate against his neck, the way his voice sounded right now almost drove him crazy with want.
His own cheeks burning red, Ranmaru whispered the next words just by Subaru's ear, tilting his head to a side a little as though trying to savor the feel of the older man's face so close to his neck. "Th-they were the lovers... Romeo... and Juliet... it was a sad story... and hard to read, but Ranmaru tried hard to read it!" Was that his voice shaking? He closed his eyes, moving his face further into the side of Subaru's neck and prayed against all the prayers in the world that the cure spell completed and there were no more blemishes on his body to make it look like Ranmaru had willingly embraced another man. He didn't want this to be ruined and is it was, that was a curse day!
"Ranmaru... thought the ending could have been better... has Subaru-san read..." he trailed off, embracing Subaru more tightly now, face buried in his shoulder, suddenly feeling like a small child.
"Don't leave me again...?"
The plea to not leave left another crack in his heart. One of hundreds. He treated Ranmaru like he was fragile, when it was himself that Subaru was always worried about breaking. Feeling Ranmaru's hands on his back forced him to recall the episode that had brought about those marks. He never wanted to lose his small grasp on sanity again. Not like that. Romeo and Juliet had not had a favorable end.
Staying near Ranmaru was a danger to him...but he had given up on running away. He still had his own apartment of course, but this had always been more a home to him, anyhow. The extra apartment was more for show than anything.
Still, he didn't respond, keeping his mouth in a thin line and shutting his eyes, quietly drinking in the warmth Ranmaru's embrace offered.
Far too used to his silence, Ranmaru restrained a sigh and slid his hands forward to Subaru's chest, then to his shoulders as he pulled himself closer. He was mildly disappointed, but not too much... he never expected Subaru to come up with assuring loving comments or suddenly burst out with confessions- those were reserved for the curse days on which they would occur.
With a soft breath exhaled, he drew his face back slowly, until he was facing Subaru face to face, and smiling quietly at him. He didn't say anything, but letting his eyelids drop shut, he leaned forward and gently kissed his mouth again, this time, leaving no room for Subaru to call it chaste, until he broke it enough to whisper, "Welcome home." And his hand slid to Subaru's cheek, pulling him right back in for another deep kiss, savoring the cherry blossom scent that made up Subaru's entirety.
He was telling him that without telling him. He wanted him back home. And he was welcome here... again.
When he broke the kiss again, his smile was shy and he merely brushed his lips against the onmyouji's as he whispered, "I missed you so much."
Ranmaru seemed to know just what to say and do to leave Subaru in a daze when he pulled back. Then, as he gazed down at the smaller man, he seemed to grasp just what was being said. Realization flickered to life in his eyes, and he drew back a bit in surprise.
"Home? Here?" Was Ranmaru really suggesting what Subaru thought he was? He could still remember being kicked out before... The two of them had shared moments since, but there had never been any solid invitation to return. It made him hesitate... But what reason did he have to leave?
...Seishirou. Seishirou was always a danger to Ranmaru...but though Subaru wanted to believe leaving Ranmaru could keep him safe, he doubted it. The prior Sakurazukamori was too smart to buy that. Maybe staying near was the best choice.
Wanting to actually feel Ranmaru's skin, he pulled his arms back to pull a glove off of one hand. Then he reached up to let his fingertips brush across Ranmaru's lips, tracing along the line of his jaw to finally thread through his silky hair. "...Home."
It was an oddly familiar feeling, he had to admit. Though it was long overdue, and Ranmaru had enough bad experiences with being touched against his will in this period of time to have enough reason to loathe it, somehow, the feel of Subaru's fingers against his skin had been something he had missed more than he could express. Perhaps because they were so few and far in between that they felt like a treasure every time he managed to have them. Closing his eyes for a while, as though savoring his touch, Ranmaru wondered what went on in Subaru's mind, before he found himself smiling and with his own hands pulling off his gloves, he tilted his face up to gently nuzzle the side of Subaru's mouth.
Then, with a somewhat playful smile, he poked noses with Subaru and chuckled softly. "And there's going to be curfew for you." He was teasing, but he said it softly and his own hand went to the back of Subaru's neck, looking up into his eyes with a satisfied smile.
"Do be sure to let your world know that Ranmaru doesn't plan to return you to it anytime soon?"
Curfew. The very concept of the Sakurazukamori having a curfew was downright ridiculous, not to mention either of them having any say in when the City felt like playing musical worlds with them. He just smiled, or at least tried to, before nodding a bit.
The close proximity was making him blush again, and he hoped it wasn't too obvious as he closed the short distance to offer a tentative peck on the lips. "I'll try."
And he would, in so many ways. He would never make any promises that he couldn't keep... But he could always try.
In the end, it would be the effort that mattered. And so it would be.