Morning
by Leareth
Chapter Four
Kamui never slept well nowadays, haunted, as he was by the time he had lost the two people most precious to him. He had bad dreams almost every night, dreams that made him wake up sweating to stare at the ceiling until he either fell into an uneasy doze or morning came. This night had been no different, and, trying to keep his mind blank, he had blearily watched the red numbers of his bedside table clock count the minutes from 3:57, 3:58, 3:59 … it seemed to take a month to get to 4:30 and a year to get to 5:00 during which his mind kept swirling around thoughts of Kotori and Fuuma, Fuuma, Subaru losing his eye, the other Seals who fought for him despite only just meeting him, himself and Fuuma … it went on and on. A century later he had thought he heard the front door open and close, which he knew was Sorata going out for an early morning jog, and Kamui suddenly made a decision: he got up, threw on some clothes and shoes, and jumped out the window to try and walk off the tension. He chose streets at random, taking turns on impulse as long as he generally kept heading in the same direction. It took a while, but eventually the quiet solitude of pre-dawn began to calm him and by the time he got to the tree that marked Kotori's grave he could breathe without feeling as if his chest was wrapped in iron bands. Strangely enough Kotori's tree was one place Kamui was able to feel something like peace, as if his childhood friend was reaching out to shelter him, and when he sat down Kamui actually managed to sleep there for a short time until the sunlight was strong enough to hit his eyes. That made him feel better, enough that breakfast actually seemed attractive, so with a small, sad pat to the tree Kamui headed home thinking that maybe yes, could face the day ahead. Unfortunately when he got back, the day turned out to have a nasty surprise in the kitchen.
"What. The. Hell?!"
Kamui felt as if his eyes were bugging out of his head. There, standing in the kitchen holding Sorata's best chopping knife, was a Dragon of Earth. Not just any Dragon of Earth, oh no, but the Sakurazukamori, the one who had single-handedly fought four Seals, a Dreamgazer and a wind-user under the Diet Building, who had attacked him and Kotori, and the one who was far too deeply and badly involved with the person Kamui now considered his closest friend— "How the fuck did you get in and what the hell are you doing with Sorata's cooking things if you're here to do anything to hurt Subaru I swear I'll—"
"Good morning, Kamui-kun," said the Sakurazukamori with irritating cheerfulness. "You're looking well, and no, I haven't done anything to hurt Subaru-kun and yes, I have permission to use the kitchen. Would you like some soup?"
To this audacious reply Kamui could only splutter and stare. The Sakurazukamori merely raised an eyebrow, and that was the final straw. Without thinking Kamui began to summon his power, making the air crackle as he prepared to attack—
"Don't!" Startled, Kamui lost his concentration as Yuzuriha suddenly stepped in front of him frantically waving her hands. Not only Yuzuriha, Karen was also stepping between him and the Sakurazukamori with a concerned expression. Kamui had barely noticed them earlier, so shocked was he to see the Sakurazukamori in the house, but now he certainly did, especially since they seemed to be stopping him from attacking— "It's okay, Kamui-chan!" Yuzuriha said quickly, "Sakurazuka-san isn't going to hurt us!"
Kamui gawked at her. "Are you crazy?!" he demanded. "He's a Dragon of Earth of course he's here to hurt us! Hell, even if he wasn't a Dragon of Earth he's the Sakurazukamori assassin so yes, he's here to hurt us!"
"Except he hasn't yet," said Karen calmly. Kamui whipped his head around at her – Yuzuriha being irrational was one thing, but the older Seal was a different matter entirely. The woman gave him a reassuring smile. "It's a very ah, unusual situation, but Sakurazuka-san has been here for a quite a while now and the only thing that has been hurt is the tofu, so there's no reason to start flinging power bolts yet. Adversaries we may be we're all capable of having a civilised conversation."
If muscles had allowed it Kamui's jaw would have dropped to the floor. What was going on? Was he maybe still in the middle of a bad dream, albeit one completely nonsensical? Or did the Sakurazukamori include mind control in his bag of tricks? Certainly Kamui couldn't think of any other way to explain why Karen was not only completely unconcerned by the fact that a Dragon of Earth was in the kitchen, but calling him by name and behaving as if having deadly mortal enemies dropping in for a house call was something that happened every day. And where was Subaru in all this, did he know that his nemesis was under their roof or – heaven forbid – had the Sakurazukamori already done something to him?
There was a rattle of keys, and Kamui whipped his head around to see Sorata and Arashi in the front door followed closely by Seiichiro Aoki. "Ah, good morning, Kamui-kun!" said the wind-master, grocery bags in hand. "How are you this morning, are you well?"
Kamui ran towards them desperate for some kind of sanity. "Where have you been!" he demanded. "The Sakurazukamori is—"
"In the kitchen, we know." Sorata scowled as he kicked off his shoes, both arms laden with bags. "Trust me, everyone knows and we're not happy about it, however since he's behaving himself and cooking us all breakfast we're giving him the benefit of the doubt but if he even sneezes funny we all get to whack him. Has he done anything?"
"Cooked soup and rice, had a lovely chat with Karen-san who is now kindly taking care of the omelette, and patiently waited for you to return with the rest of the food," came the answer from behind Kamui. Kamui jumped and whirled to find the Sakurazukamori smiling at him, Yuzuriha by his side, and all in all acting as if he were welcoming the returning Seals into his own house. "I hope you bought enough, because it's looking to be quite the breakfast party. Yuzuriha-chan, why don't you help them with the bags?" Kamui stared goggle-eyed as the inugami mistress obeyed the assassin's directive and went to relieve Aoki of his load. "You too, Kamui-kun."
Kamui glared defiantly at the Sakurazukamori. "What makes you think I'm going to do as you say?"
"The fact that you're one of the youngest here, the wind-master has just walked several blocks carrying heavy bags of food, and cute little Yuzuriha-chan can only manage so much by herself. You contributing some assistance should be such an obvious courtesy that shouldn't even have needed to say anything – or did I give you too much credit?"
Ears burning, Kamui sullenly gave in and went to help. Thankfully no one seemed to have heard the exchange, but just in case Kamui took not only the rest of Aoki's load but some of what Yuzuriha had taken. Both arms thus weighed down, he hurried down the hall in Sorata and Arashi's wake to the kitchen to off-load it all, all the while plotting creative ways to smash the Sakurazukamori's face into the wall. Which he wouldn't actually do because attacking the Sakurazukamori would undoubtedly result in a full-on fight and Imonoyama Nokoru would definitely not appreciate the residential area of CLAMP Campus being turned into a battlefield. Also, there was some kind of truce going on. Also, there was still Subaru to think about.
Just where was Subaru anyway?
In the kitchen, Karen was in command at the stove. "Perfect timing," she called out as everyone filtered into the dining area – staggering a little with all the bags, Kamui quickly and gratefully set them down by the pantry. "I'm almost done with the omelette, so the stove will be free in a minute. Sakurazuka-san, what else needs to be done?"
Kamui tensed as the Sakurazukamori stepped past him. "The fish needs to be cut up and grilled," he said. "Other than that, it's just the natto and nori that need to be taken out – is there enough of that, Arisugawa-kun?"
"If there wasn't before, there is now," Sorata replied shortly. He was helping Arashi put the groceries away. Meantime, Aoki had gone to Karen's side to whisper into her ear. "And by the way, since I am the resident chef in this house if you don't mind, Mr. Sakurazukamori, I'll be the one cutting up the fish since truce or not, I don't like the idea of you holding the knives."
The assassin's response to this was merely to shrug. "If you insist. Kasumi-san, how's my soup going?"
"Smells good, though you might want to see for yourself …"
It seemed to Kamui that he was in some incomprehensible alternate universe. The Sakurazukamori was joining Karen at the stove and along the way cordially greeting Seiichiro Aoki who politely inclined his head in response. Sorata, while he was sending regular suspicious looks at the assassin searching for the slightest hint of trouble, was otherwise calmly going about the kitchen preparing to cook as though this were any other morning, even keeping up his flirtatious teasing of his 'lovely spouse' Arashi who remained studiously unmoved even as she assisted him. And Yuzuriha, she was flitting around getting out plates and cutlery with help from Aoki who had evidently and wisely decided that there was too many people in the kitchen and it would be far more practical for him to help set up the table. That, or maybe he shared Kamui's low opinion about the Sakurazukamori's conversation.
Everyone was busy doing something, except Kamui. Most likely this oversight was due to the fact that there was more than enough people in the kitchen and only so much to be done. Whatever the reason, it meant that not only was Kamui free, he was practically ignored. Slowly, trying not to attract any attention to himself, Kamui turned and headed for the stairs.
"And where do you think you're going?"
Immediately Kamui stiffened. Carefully turned to glare at the Sakurazukamori. "That's none of your business," he snapped.
"If you're simply going up to your room, yes, however if you're going to check on or do anything that involves Subaru-kun, then it is most definitely my business." The Sakurazukamori smiled, an expression which reminded Kamui too much of a transformed Fuuma, only older and more restrained. "Besides, everybody is helping out with breakfast, you should stay and help."
"There's nothing for me to do." Why was he even having this conversation? "In any case, I live here; I certainly don't need your permission to go upstairs or see Subaru if that's what I want!"
"On that last point, I beg to differ – particularly since you seem to claim a great deal of familiarity with 'Subaru'."
Kamui blinked. Stared at the Sakurazukamori, the way the apparently friendly smile was off-set by the iciness of his gaze. This was the first time he was seeing the Sakurazukamori up close, and he was far more unsettling in the flesh than the glimpse of memory Subaru had allowed when Within. "Are you saying I need your permission to be friends with Subaru?" Kamui asked incredulously.
"If you want to be so blunt about it, yes."
There was a stunned pause. "You're kidding."
"I'm perfectly serious."
For a moment Kamui could only stare in disbelief. When he opened his mouth, it was with the first thing that popped into his head. "You," he said flatly, "are a freak."
The Sakurazukamori shrugged. "I'm merely looking after what is mine."
"What is yours?" Kamui's voice level was rising with his outrage; he'd known the Sakurazukamori was a cold-hearted murderer, but this, this obsession was just— "Subaru is my friend, and what's more, his own person, not a pet or thing, he doesn't belong to anyone, least of all you. I know what you did to him, Sakurazukamori, and if you think I'm going to let you anywhere near Subaru—" Kamui broke off as the Sakurazukamori began to laugh. "What!"
There was a glint in the man's good eye. "Your claim that you won't let me near Subaru-kun has a fundamental flaw," he said, voice darkly amused. "You know nothing of what lies between us."
Kamui's violet eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
Before the Sakurazukamori could reply – if he was going to reply – Sorata had come up to them seemingly casual but the fact that he was backed up by Arashi and Karen said otherwise. "Is everything okay over here?" he asked innocently.
Inwardly Kamui told himself to calm down as the Sakurazukamori flashed a smile. "Everything's perfectly fine, Arisugawa-kun," he said amiably. "Kamui-kun and I are just having a little talk."
Sorata, obviously, didn't buy it. "Didn't look like it from where I was watching. Kamui?"
"… It's fine." Kamui took a deep breath – he was better than this, and he would not give the Sakurazukamori the satisfaction of being the one who ruined the breakfast truce. "I'm fine. Is breakfast ready?"
"Pretty much. Everything's on the table; I'm just finishing up the fish—"
"What's going on down here?"
The quiet interruption made everyone stop. Kamui whipped his head around to the stairs, eyes widening. "Subaru?"
There was no response. The Sumeragi was standing half-way down the stairs dressed in a light grey yukata that made his skin seem even paler than usual. He had one hand on the banister leaning his entire weight on it as if his legs were too unsteady to support him on their own. He seemed dazed as well, an impression that wasn't helped by the bandage around his eye, for he was apparently struggling to lift his head to look at everyone, and what could be seen of his face showed that his expression was heavy, almost groggy, like he was having trouble staying awake.
Yuzuriha was the first to react. "Subaru-san!"
"Subaru!" Automatically Kamui stepped forward intending to run up the stairs to help his friend – only to stop in his tracks as a shadow moved in front of him.
"Ah, Subaru-kun, you're awake." The Sakurazukamori spoke calmly, smoothly, even. As if now that this person had arrived, everybody else in the room was completely irrelevant. Kamui hated it. "You're just in time to eat, but I have to say I'm a little disappointed because I was hoping to bring you breakfast in bed. Did you have to break my sleep spell like that?"
Chapter Four Chapter Six