thebastion | Day 127 | Open | Enjoy the Gardens!

Entry tags:

Day 127 | Open | Enjoy the Gardens!

Who: Seimei and everyone/anyone
Open: Open
When: Day 127
Where: The new and improved Hitachiin-Abe Estate
What: Kaoru wanted Seimei to have a house-warming party ages ago and he declined. Now he intends to because its not just his home anymore.
Format: Prose
Warnings: SHOULD be safe...

Yesterday the southern Bastion was suddenly dominated by the rise of a beautiful, elegant Japanese estate. Trees, two ponds, a deck reaching out and resting atop the river; a work of historical art nestled away from the noise and bustle.

Having sent Kaoru out for food and to talk with people about the home being open to others for use of the garden, Seimei himself was reclining on the deck over the river, stretched out and dozing while Taisan sat nearby, eyes closed as his hands moved fluidly over the strings of a plain koto, the music rising and falling in harmony with the rush of water beneath the deck.

The doors in the home were open, front and back, leaving a clear line from the entrance to the gardens where the music drifted on the breeze. At Seimei's request, there was a little sign at the door illustrating taking off one's shoes. Not a demand, simply a request. It was a garish thing he didn't want to keep, but he wanted to at least initially indicate it was polite to do, for those without knowledge of the preference.

The home was now open, and Seimei himself was open as well. He had brooded and been bitetr long enough. With recent revelations between himself and Kaoru, and the sudden influx of newcomers, it was simply unreasonable to remain a hermit.

The onmyoji was back in service, socially and professionally.

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Taisan watched, blue eyes glittering with mirth though his fingers never stopped moving. He only bobbed his his head in a nod of acknowledgement and smiled. When Kaoru was close enough to appreciate the gesture the shikigami winked appreciatively, then closed his eyes as though to give a semblance of privacy.

For his part, Seimei remained still and quiet, drifting on the notes or asleep, one couldn't readily tell. The muffled whisper of feet on wood and the soft rattle of dishes on the tray created an alert tension in his ears, dark lashes raising to unveil darker eyes as his head swiveled to see who was there - then it was all he could do not to look utterly flummoxed, scramble to his feet and bark his appreciation like an excited dog.

He managed to push himself up into a rigid sitting position and keep his eyes from falling out of his head at least, but it was too obvious that the change of clothes had gotten a reaction from the man, color creeping into his face and heat rising making him clear his throat and nearly go for his fan. That would have been even more telling, so he avoided it. He couldn't stop himself from staring, however.

Eventually he found his voice, the back of his neck burning, fists pressing against his lap.

"Kaoru you...you look very lovely," he murmured, wondering precisely where he words had fled to.

"Thank you." Not without a slight blush of his own as Kaoru sat still and tried not to fidget. He was fine. He'd checked himself in the mirror nearly a hundred times before leaving so there was no need to adjust or check anything... but he knew precisely why he wanted to.

"I know you already have tea, but I brought something a little stronger, if you want it?" He gestured to the bottles, one containing sake, and the other sweet plum wine. He knew hosting parties could be hard work, especially on Seimei, who didn't really like to. "And sweets as well, if you want them. I thought you could use a break..."

He tried not to speak too much. He had this terrible habit of shooting his mouth off when he was nervous, though the fact that Seimei liked how he looked in the kimono certainly served to set him at ease a little bit.

Seimei might have noticed anything out of place on someone he didn't care for - any reason to turn his nose up - but in Kaoru's case, the boy could have showed up with everything tied in the front and a turtle on his head and the onmyoji would have thought he was trying to make an artistic statement.

"Stronger? Why yes, I would love some!" came the enthusiastic reply. Perhaps too enthusiastic, but at least he didn't choke or have his voice crack. Since admitting their feelings it had been something of a rushed decision on Seimei's part to invite Kaoru to live with him. He had always been against communal living, but he shared a great deal with Alucard in terms of their former lives, and Kaoru...well, he wanted to boy close, if he had to admit the truth. He was courteous enough, not at all demanding and made sure the red-head had space of his own in case - heaven forbid - things changed.

Since then, however, Seimei had seemed even more nervous and careful than usual - which was saying something, considering to some degree he could come off as the biggest prude in the Bastion. Outdoing himself was a talent in itself.

He was never rude, never avoided the boy. He simply seemed afraid of the progress they were suddenly making when silence alone had previously kept them at a polite distance. With the words out between them, the sky was barely a limit. Anything was open to them and that knowledge unnerved the reserved magician.

Snacks and alcohol seemed like the perfect answer and he could have kissed the boy for his thoughtfulness. If the idea of that didn't horrify him as much as anything else. At least on the outside he was largely the picture of calm, aside from poor eye contact and the occasional creeping blush.

"Have you had time to explore the home fully? I plan to continue my outings into the Skyway, of course. Its a very empty home, yet, but I hope to fill it with bits of curio from other worlds and any creature comfort you might wish for. And, please, don't hesitate to add things you enjoy as well. Ah...paintings? Or...perhaps...plants?" he asked, arching a brow and reaching for a treat to distract himself.

Plants? Really, Seimei? Blast it all.

Edited 2013-11-17 08:53 (UTC)

If anything, Kaoru's smile widened a little more, eyes lowered as he turned his attention to the cups as he poured, gently sweeping his sleeve out of the way with his left hand.

"...I take it you approve? I'm glad." He poured one cup of each - the umeshu Kaoru favoured for himself, but wanted Seimei to try. The sake, Kaoru wasn't much a fan of - he preferred it clear rather than cloudy, but he knew Seimei liked it. And the sweets? Who didn't like sweets?

He unloaded the tray an item at a time to keep from knocking anything over, and tried to ignore the way his elbow brushed against the knot of the obi behind him. He would definitely get help next time.

"It's still... a little weird." He admitted carefully. "Not in a bad way, just... weird."

He had never dreamed they'd end up with as beautiful a home as this - he had to remind himself, sometimes, which was strange in itself - he was a Hitachiin, he wasn't supposed to settle for anything less than the best in life. What had the Bastion done to him?!

"You know, the apartments were so cramped and dingy I thought I was never going to get used to them. But I must have done because now having the light and space and knowing I have people I care about very nearby... I feel very lucky." Tama-chan, on the other hand, had taken the whole thing in her stride. She had vetted the place on the first day, giving all the the rooms a good looking-over, before settling down contentedly by the cookfire, as if to express her approval.

"I think maybe it will seem more real to me once we've both had a chance to put our own marks on the place. Not that I'm not perfectly content with waking up in the morning and realising everything all over again. There are worse ways to start the day."

Edited 2013-11-17 09:48 (UTC)

Seimei listened toughtfully, a small smile playing about his lips that was somehow very different from his usual fox-like curl. This looked more content and happy than taunting or knowing. It actually reached his eyes, for once not squinted in amusement.

Anyone else could have seen it for precisely what it was - a man looking on in adoration of the thing he loved. Even Seimei didn't realize he'd started doing it, lost as he was listening to the cadence of Kaoru's voice and pleased that things had come together without terrible boundary issues getting in the way. If anyone was having a hard time with it all, it was probably the onmyoji, who had willingly allowed people to invade his privacy in a sudden attempt to force himself off balance and into a place closer to something the red-head could understand in terms of social interaction.

He found himself oddly comfortable now. with enough space to get away if he needed to, and Alucard being such quiet company, it had turned out far better in the end. He hadn't realized how much he needed space and freedom. Now he had that and Kaoru? He could have been the Mikado and he wouldn't have been so pleased.

"I approve," he remarked with a soft snort of amusement. As if he wouldn't have? Well, then again, even he had his limits as to what kind of fashion faux pas he could tolerate. Sipping the umeshu, dark brows flicked up in surprised pleasure. The sweetness was unexpected and the scent was rather nice. Nodding his head to indicate he liked it, the onmyoji game himself a moment with closed eyes to just enjoy all that had transpired and what it had gained him.

Taisan, on the other hand, opened one eye and hissed softly for Kaoru's attention.

"Psst. Psst. Kid. Hey...next time just holler for me, yeah?" he nodded, indicating Kaoru's obi, then the house, before closing his eyes again. Seimei might gush over Kaoru and ignore the finer details, but this shikigami had been helping the onmyoji dress most of his life and could spot details without trying. He was a servant God, after all. He knew what he was doing and knew Kaoru could be just as obsessive.

Kaoru shifted position slightly to set his back to Taisan. Not that he didn't appreciate the offer, just… not right now. He couldn't resist a delighted smile, seeing Seimei's reaction to the umeshu, and leaned forward to fill his own cup before settling to look out over their new home in companionable silence.

Their home. It still gave him thrills to think of it.

His eyes kept straying in Seimei's direction, one of his hands rising to tuck back his hair - a habitual movement, since it started to grow a little long - but lowering again when his fingertips grazed one of the kanzashi he had held it back with. Gosh if he wasn't acting like a school girl with a crush, but he couldn't help it.

"It will be nice to see both our hands in it, when we're done decorating it," he ventured with a smile. He would have gone further. He could have gone further. He could have gone as far as saying it was plenty full enough at the moment, just with Seimei there, but he stopped short of the admission. "Though I wouldn't go so far as to say it's empty. It's just a blank canvas... but only for now."

"Indeed," came the quick, distracted reply on a soft sigh of relief. Simple conversation was good. It kept him from staring and allowed him to think about other things that didn't have to do with going home and taking the red-head with him, lavishing him in the wealth Seimei never spent on himself. Or perhaps going forward, following Kaoru, adapting to the future and accepting modernity. Even just staying here, in this place.

Of course the more he thought about anything involving the two of them, the more the repressed teenage years of his life struggled to the surface, pressuring him with interests he viewed as entirely inappropriate and poorly timed - though Taisan and Kaoru might have laughed at him for considering chaste kisses to be so unseemly. The boy just looked so perfect that Seimei felt inspired to foolishness. And kisses, however innocent at first, lead quickly down the path of intimacy he did not believe they were prepared for. At least he wasn't.

Taisan might have argued that if he was thinking about it, he was more ready for it than he believed. But what did he know?

"It is fine enough for now. I will continue my excursions and I am certain you will join me from time to time. We can bring things back, or collect the shards necessary to purchase specific things. In the meanwhile I believe we have enough to keep ourselves busy. I do invite you to decorate as you see fit. At least in the common rooms and our wing of the house. Alucard is entirely within his rights to decorate his side as he sees fit."

A sidelong glance, smile widening a little.

"Mmm. I'll see what I can do." He would no doubt find all kinds of things that required his attention, but for the time being he was perfectly content with the house as it was - just having the space and light and Seimei. Somehow that was all enough.

He folded his hands in his lap - all the better to keep them from fixing things that didn't need fixing - and tilted his head back, closing his eyes for a moment. He would have been more comfortable reclining than sitting - but the kimono made that impossible. Regular clothes were another matter... had he been dressed as normal he might have slid into Seimei's space the moment he had arrived, settling against him before he had even a chance to react to his presence.

...well, Kaoru could always hope. But the kimono wasn't without a certain impact of its own.

"Did you ever think this was going to happen, when we first came here?" He asked softly, linking his fingers together as he spoke. "I mean... did you ever think we'd end up this happy?

He paused, staring at Kaoru for a moment after the question was asked, lips parting to answer. He was instead interrupted by Taisan who started playing music again, earning a sour look from the onmyoji. He said nothing about it, however, taking the opportunity to think a bit more. eventually he he shook his head, setting his drink down and resting his hands on his own lap.

"I never expected to be happy at all, Kaoru. My life was not one easily understood by those around me. While the people of our country are fairly well adjusted in terms of accepting spirits and demons, compared to some, they are still not wholly accepting. I never imaged I would truly find anyone I could be happy with. Even my interest in Hiromasa was little more than complete folly. I knew he would never see me as more than his good friend Seimei. I frightened him sometimes. That, I believed, would be my life. Frightening friend and nothing more. This house and everything else pales in comparison to the gift of your presence in my life."

He sighed softly, tilting his head and watching Kaoru thoughtfully.

"Thank you, Kaoru. For being you."

He was startled into silence and unable to do much more than stare wide-eyed at Seimei for a few moments before catching himself, ducking his head slightly. Not that it would hide his blush much. Ugh, screw the hiding. He had confiscated Seimei's fan for this very purpose - if Seimei didn't get to hide, neither did Kaoru.

Breathing a sigh, he shifted a little again, this time so they could sit face to face, so that he could reach for Seimei's hands instead of twisting his own into impossible knots.

"…you know, I wouldn't say I need much thanks. Not for something that comes naturally." He gently closed his hands around Seimei's. "I won't lie; I won't say it doesn't make me a little sad to think that you never thought that happiness was something you could have - or would ever have, because people saw you that way. Because it does.

Am I allowed to say that I'm here now? Am I allowed to act like my being here makes all that doubt go away, or is that horribly self-centred of me?"

Edited (Silly slightly similar icons...) 2013-11-29 11:20 (UTC)

When his hands were taken, Kaoru could feel the nervous heat in them, though Seimei conducted himself well, even chancing to rub his thumbs gently against the boy's fingers while he spoke.

"You are allowed to say whatever it pleases you to say, Kaoru. Between us I would rather no silence or deception, however kindly it may be meant. Silence and deceit is what robbed me of my family. It was never meant as a cruelty but in the end it took everything away from me. I would not have that happen again, even out of fear of the unknown. I do not imagine that can be self-centered at all," he remarked with an uncertain smile.

"Even I, who has lived a life of silence and secrets, know there is no foundation there upon which to build a life. I am opening my world to you, Kaoru. If you feel so inclined to explore it, I will never close doors to you nor veil my words. It will always be honesty, however afraid of it I may be. No more paper fans," he added the last with a short chuckle.

"…though it's not about pleasing me and me alone anymore, is it?" Of course, he knew that Seimei would never want him to hold himself back - there was no question about that. A soft hum, and Kaoru closed his eyes at the gentle pressure of Seimei's hands on his. "And… you know, I can be stubborn. I can be tough, despite appearances."

…was he being too presumptuous? The last thing he wanted to was to make himself out to be stronger - braver - than he actually was. Then again, he knew how he could be when it came to people he cared about. He glanced down at their hands little shyly.

"If you ever need space, of course I'll give it to you. You only have to say. But I won't allow anything else to be stolen from you - not without a fight."

Edited 2013-12-02 13:53 (UTC)

"I will rarely need space, but I think you will know when I need silence. You are neither a child, nor a fool, and you are clever even beyond your years. If you cannot tell when someone simply needs silence for thought, there is no hope for the world," he drawled with a touch of sarcasm, shaking his head and chancing to move his hands, turning them over palms up to hold the red-head's palms open.

"This is my life for you, now. Open hands, empty but for what you want to see in them as offering. Sometimes strength, sometimes my heart or tears or words. All I ask in return is trust and love. And patience, perhaps. I fear I will require a great deal of patience from anyone close to me."

Taisan snorted at that and Kaoru could just see a flicker of annoyance in a twitch at the corner of Seimei's eye. Even so, he managed to keep a peaceful smile.

"You know he's proposing to you, right kid?"

Seimei's face turned a shade red so fast he looked faint.

"I am not," Seimei replied, his voice as cool and composed as possible, though it was obvious enough Taisan's word had thrown his entire mind off track. The shikigami stifled a chuckle and ducked his head to curtail any full-blown laughter as the onmyoji stared blankly at Kaoru for help.

"Shut it, Taisan." He had been quite content to pretend the shikigami wasn't even there. Alas that Taisan wasn't so content to be ignored, but perhaps he would take the hint? Or was that just wishful thinking on Kaoru's part? His words made Kaoru lean a little closer, looking into Seimei's eyes. No more paper fans, right?

"Seimei, I will always accept anything you offer me. I will always accept you. I can be childish - and I can be clumsy sometimes, but I will never deny you anything. And I'd like to think I have infinite patience for those I love."

He smiled down at their hands and spoke a little softer, trying to keep the words between the two of them. " 'I will love you when you are a still day. I will love you when you are a hurricane.' "

While not entirely certain what a hurricane was, as he'd never heard the word before, he assumed it was the opposite of a still day. He appreciated the words and had a moment for himself to cast a smug look Taisan's way. Childish of him, certainly, but the shikigami was fairly good about bringing out the worst in people. Or maybe he was trying to push the two together in his own backwards manner. Either way, Kaoru and Seimei were perfectly capable of continuing in their own little moment.

One that the onmyoji was unfortunately about to break.

"I need to tell you, I am leaving soon. For a week, possibly less, certainly no more. I want to take an excursion into the wilderness and...I am not taking you with me."

Bomb dropped. Now just to prepare for the fallout. At least he didn't pull away. In fact, he only clasped Kaoru's hands more firmly, forcing the boy to continue eye to eye.

Kaoru's body gave an involuntary sort of jerk - like it wanted to give several reactions at once but couldn't prioritise any of them. His mouth had opened to speak, but he ended up leaning forward and chuckling dryly instead.

"Your timing is awful, you know that?"

…how else would he have wanted it to be timed, though? Wasn't it better this way? Yes, Seimei had sprung this on him, but surely better now than later.

He sighed, staring down at their twined hands and returning the squeeze. Had it been up to him, he would have wanted a little time just to enjoy the house. A little time to make it a home - to enjoy being around each other for a while, before Seimei up and wandered off somewhere. Even though he knew Seimei had meant no harm, he couldn't help but feel like he was having something snatched away from him; something that he had barely managed to wrap his hands around.

"But what if you get hurt out there?"

Kaoru was under no illusions that he could protect Seimei on his own, but there were plenty of other people that Seimei could take along. Why did he have a niggling feeling that this wouldn't be the case?

He smiled slowly at the comment on timing, amused. He thought he really couldn't have timed it better, considering everything going on and how they were steadily progressing.

"I must confess, that is precisely why I am telling you this now. I want to go before there is too much to risk and I am held back further by fear of loss. The swamp showed me precisely how reliant I am becoming on this. On us. If something happens, Gods forbid, we have not..." he sighed, pursing his lips before pushing forward, "...committed to anything that may further impede recovering from the loss. You have a home, you have people around you. If something happens I know I have given you what I can and leave you behind in comfort."

He waited a moment, watching Kaoru in though, dark eyes still before he added with a touch of humor, "I do not intend to be hurt or even risk myself unnecessarily. I am only trying to communicate with the creatures on the Skyway. If I fail to do so, I will simply return home and continue my work from here."

The timing was the best it could have been, but that didn't necessarily make it good timing. His hands closed around Seimei's at the purse of his lips, as if to help pull the words out of him.

"Still, though. It would have been nice to enjoy this just for a little bit longer." He wasn't going to try to talk Seimei out of it, as much as he wanted to - he knew he wasn't the only one of them who could be stubborn - nor was he going to dig his heels in and flat out tell him not to go, because that wouldn't be fair. Yes, he would be restless and nervous until Seimei came back but… there had to be some give and take on both sides, if they were going to last.

"…you have to promise me you'll do everything in your power to stay safe." Offering a small smile. "And of course you're going to have to make it up to me, you realise..."

"Any longer and my resolve would begin to falter even more. This is something I have to do, Kaoru. When you have the power to do something, you have a responsibility to do it. I can speak to these creatures and I have a duty to do so. If they cannot or will not hear me, then so be it, I return home defeated, but with my honor satisfied."

He sighed, chuckling softly and raising one of the red-head's hands to his cheek, pressing it there gently.

"Whatever you demand of me, of course."

"I know. I mean, I understand." He ducked his head slightly. "Less would be better but... not a day more. All right? Promise?"

It wasn't the end of the world - for that, he managed to hitch up a smile. It wasn't as though Seimei couldn't handle himself out there. Kaoru just wished he wasn't going alone, because shikigami didn't quite count. His thumb gently stroked Seimei's cheek.

"'My command is your wish', that sort of thing? Then I'll have to try to come up with some good ideas."

"I promise. No more time than one week. Allowing for a few days should I be held up by circumstances outside of my control. Barring any unpleasantness I have to take a long way around or any people that need my help out there, I will walk out three days, and spend the next three days walking back, giving a day of room to explore outside of linear travel. Hopefully this will satisfy everyone."

He chuckled again, tilting his head into Kaoru's touch, curious at his own interest in the physical connection, when usually so prone to avoiding it.

"I imagine you will not disappoint."

"Hmm~? " Unable to resist laughing as Seimei did, he lightly squeezed the hand he was still holding with a teasing grin, "Now I'm going to have to think of something good. Wouldn't want to waste the opportunity."

He hesitated before briefly removing his hand, only to lay the back of it against Seimei's cheek, asking the question but a little nervous of the answer.

"...when will you leave?"

Edited (icons :/) 2013-12-05 23:32 (UTC)

"One week," he answered honestly, not making any effort to hide his intentions. "I felt that should be long enough to sort out any additional issues with the home, gather a few more shards to fully round out the powers available to me after what I spent on the home and then set out. After that I will be in the Skyway for one week, or until I successfully communicate with some of the native creatures, whichever comes first."

He tilts his head into the touch once more before taking both of Kaoru's hands, gripping them gently and lowering them to his lap.

"I promise, if it looks too dangerous or anything happens that might impede me, I will return home even if I have failed. I want to see what is out there beyond where we have gone so far. I want to know if they can understand me, and I want to understand more of it myself. Most excursions have been to distract myself and salvage things, or the hunt for cores. We need to know just as much about this place as we need to know about what happened and why. If we cannot fix things, then we should have complete knowledge of our new world and its people, don't you think?"

"All right." Better a week in advance than a day. He nodded, just holding onto Seimei's hands and staring down at them as he listened. It wasn't that he didn't think Seimei had the sense not to rush headlong into danger. He was just scared of danger finding Seimei. And Seimei not being able to escape it.

"Just... please be safe out there?" He bit his lip for a moment, then raised his head, offering a smile, "And come back to me, when you're done."

Edited 2013-12-06 09:27 (UTC)

"I will, I promise. No silly wastes of energy, no stupid mistakes and no unnecessary risks. Beyond the entire trip itself, of course," he remarked, smiling slowly and reaching out to run Kaoru's hair through his fingers, always marveling at the color.

"For now, why not just enjoy the home? Don't think about the matters presented to us in the future, just concern yourself with what we have now."

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