Tokyo Babylon: One Moment Seishirou smiled softly, leaning back against the cherry tree. A blossom drifted loose from a branch above his head, and he opened his hand, letting it land in his palm. So beautiful, so delicate.... ... So like Subaru. Perhaps that was why sakura intrigued him so. They reminded him of Subaru's delicacy and gentleness. They reminded him of his opposite and counterpart. Subaru was the light, and Seishirou the darkness. One could not exist without the other, but neither could they touch. But still... just as the darkness watched the light, so did the light need the darkness. Subaru had always been fascinated by him, even when they had first met, nearly eight years before. Seishirou had known that the beautiful child grow into a gentle, beautiful young man, and that he had merely to wait - he would recognize Subaru when they met again. The marks he had placed on Subaru's hands, marking Subaru as his own prize and adversary, were not only physical. Ties between the two of them existed on so many planes... magical, destined, physical, and... no, never emotional. If Seishirou had ever truly had emotional ties to Subaru, then none of the others would exist. "Seishirou-san?" a soft voice interrupted his thoughts. Seishirou looked up, and saw that the very person he had just been thinking of was standing before him. How coincidental... or perhaps not. "What is it, Subaru-kun?" Seishirou asked. "Ummm... nothing, really. I just saw you, and you looked... sad. Is something wrong?" Subaru asked. "Nothing that can be fixed, I'm afraid." Seishirou smiled. "Where is Hokuto-chan?" he asked, looking around. "She's with a friend, shopping. I'm supposed to be studying, but I'm done. I thought I'd take a walk, and then I saw you...." "Oh," Seishirou said. "Well, it's good that you manage to keep up in school despite being absent so often." He sat down on the ground in front of the cherry tree. "Please, have a seat." "Thank you," Subaru said, accepting. Seishirou thought, watching Subaru as the sakura drifted around them in a pink curtain, spinning slowly to the ground. Subaru deftly caught one of the drifting blossoms and held it in his hand. "Whose blood turns you this color?" he murmured to the cherry blossom. "What do you mean?" Seishirou asked softly, not wanting to break the spell. "I think that someone with a beautiful spirit must have died for this tree, for its blossoms to be so beautiful" Subaru replied. Seishirou was taken aback for the space of a heartbeat. If read a certain way, Subaru's statement had a double meaning that was for him alone. Was it intentional...? Did Subaru remember their meeting so clearly that he knew who he was...? "Perhaps so," Seishirou answered carefully. The sakura drifted down around them for several long minutes before Seishirou moved. Reaching out to the air, in his palm landed a white cherry blossom. "A white cherry blossom?" Subaru asked, leaning over to look at it. "Incredible...." "Why would this one be white if all the others are pink?" Seishirou asked, wanting to know what answer Subaru could formulate. "... I don't know," Subaru admitted. "Neither do I," Seishirou lied. He placed the flower in Subaru's hand. "For you, since you admire the blossoms so." "Seishirou-san!" Subaru exclaimed, blushing. "I couldn't!" "I insist," Seishirou said, closing Subaru's hand gently around the flowers. "I have no use for them, and you like them. A gift." "Thank you, Seishirou-san!" Subaru said, his face lighting up with boyish delight. He examined the two cherry blossoms he held in his hand for a second longer, then placed them in the breast pocket of his shirt, over his heart. He smiled, leaning back against the trunk of the tree and closing his eyes. Something about the moment caught at Seishirou. It was perfectly still, perfectly peaceful.... he thought to himself. The second it took to decide was so long that it seemed like an eternity. Seishirou quietly slipped off his glasses and placed them in his pocket. His lips gently met Subaru's. He could feel Subaru start below him, his eyes no doubt flying open in startlement, but Seishirou didn't end the kiss until a long second later. "Whatever happens in the tomorrows, this moment will have always been shared," he said to Subaru. "Wha- what do you mean?" Subaru stuttered, obviously scared out of his wits. Seishirou looked deeply into Subaru's eyes and mind, touching, soothing. A simple flex of power, as he passed his hand before Subaru's eyes, and the boy fell unconcious, a cloud descending over his memories, obscuring them. He would not remember this moment.... Subaru relaxed against the tree, his eyes going vacant as they closed in peaceful slumber. Seishirou put his glasses back on, and waited for the sleeping boy to awaken, checking closely within himself to see if he cared about Subaru any more now than he had before. "Subaru-kun!" a familiar voice called. "Sei-chan!" "Ho- Hokuto-chan!" Subaru gasped, waking suddenly and scrambling to sit up as his twin approached. "Where have you been?!" she demanded. "You're supposed to be doing homework!" "I'm finished!" Subaru defended himself. Seishirou laughed softly, leaning back against the tree and watching everything return to normal. If anyone had looked closely enough, they would have seen a glint in the back of his brown eyes. he thought to himself. Author's Ramblings: Subaru-san has warned me that I'll probably get massive flames for this story, but I'm posting it anyway, for anyone who might *possibly* enjoy it. If you liked it, thank you for liking what I wrote. If you didn't, well, I apologize for wasting your time and space with this story. If you want to criticize me, I would appreciate it if you would give me a basis. Letters saying "you suck, and I hate your story" don't help me get any better as a writer. And Shi-chan: I apologize for not sending the revision to you this morning, but I woke up late and had to rush out the door. I don't have it on the shop computer, so I had to wait until this evening....