Title: Game of You Authors: Epeeblade and Shinri Ayase Series: X/TB Previous chapters can be found at: http://www.geocities.com/epeeblade/fanfics/game WARNING: Though this chapter is fairly tame, this story deals with adult subject matter, including sexual relations between MALES. If this offends you, please do not read! The Game of You Part Two: Marriage Chapter Two: Party On Subaru *** Tokyo 10 years ago A young boy stood under the mysterious Sakura, entranced by the petals swirling in the wind. He closed his dark eyes, so he could better feel the wind through his hair. That’s when he realized there was no wind. Then how could the petal…? “Beautiful, isn’t it?” A deep voice murmured from behind him. The boy turned, gaping at the tall stranger in the long black coat. “Who’re you?” He asked, his voice holding a hint of a Kansai accent. The stranger laughed. “It doesn’t matter. Do you know why the petals of this Sakura are pink? It’s because of the bodies buried beneath. The blood seeps up through the roots and colors the normally white flowers.” He waited, seeming to expect that his words would shock the young boy, who could be no more than 7 or 8. “Well,” said the boy, “If the bodies are dead, it is good that they give nourishment to this tree.” He knelt and touched the earth gently. “At least dead, they can no longer cry.” The dark stranger frowned, his golden eyes flashing. He knelt to look the boy in the eye. “I will make a bargain with you. Someday, we will meet again and I will ask you a favor. You will do this favor for me because I will let you go now. All right?” The boy shook his head. “No.” “No?” the stranger asked, raising an eyebrow. “I want some ice cream too. And some donuts an’ some Pocky ™ …” the boy began to ramble on. The stranger laughed. “Very well….Sorata-kun.” *** Tokyo Present Day “Hokuto-chan, what are you doing?” Subaru asked. He had just woken up and rolled out of bed, to make his way to the kitchen for his daily breakfast. His sister had insisted on staying in the small guest room in his apartment instead of going to a luxury hotel, which they could afford. He decided he liked having her around. After all, he hadn’t seen her in years. Now he found her in the kitchen, furiously cooking up a storm. He slid into his usual stool and watched her in amazement. He had never seen anyone move so fast in the kitchen (except for perhaps those guys on Iron Chef, but that was in a different context entirely.) “Silly, I’m preparing for the party.” “Party?” Subaru gulped. “What party?” “Your engagement party! You didn’t expect the Head of the Sumeragi clan to get married without announcing it to all the proper channels.” She chided, waving a custard covered spoon at him. “Tell me you didn’t,” he breathed, looking at her in horror. “What? I invited the best and brightest of Tokyo’s spiritual world.” She grinned at him. “And they’re all coming tonight.” “Tonight!” Subaru gasped. “Don’t worry, Subaru. I’ll have the food cooked by then and the place cleaned I’ve already picked out your outfit for tonight. You look so marvelous in red.” She mused to herself. Subaru felt faint. The last thing he felt like was entertaining a bunch of stuffy old mystics. *** Seishirou grinned at the young man sitting across from him in the ice cream shop. The years had been good to Sorata-kun. He was a good looking young man, but much too genki for his tastes. He preferred the quiet, submissive beauty of his Subaru-kun. The Sakura chuckled in his mind, Seishirou reminded the Sakura, “So, Sakurazuka-san,” Sorata said carefully. “Why did you need to see me?” Seishirou smiled charmingly at him, the same smile he had used to charm and seduce most of the young men in Tokyo. “Just one reason, Sorata-kun. You owe me a favor.” Sorata looked down into his ice cream. He had known this day would come, knew he had made a bargain with the devil himself, or someone close enough to it. He knew Sakurazuka Seishirou was the playboy of Japan. Sorata’s greatest fear was that Seishirou would try to seduce /him/. Although he was strictly heterosexual, he knew that even he could not resist the older man’s charms. “What do you need?” his voice squeaked embarrassingly. “Sorata-kun, I need you to marry me.” Sorata gulped, it was even worse than he had thought. “B-but, I’m already married!” Seishirou laughed. “No, no, I need you to perform a marriage ceremony for me. To marry me and the Sumeragi head.” Sorata scratched his head thoughtfully. So, Sakurazuka-san needed the services of Teen-Priest. He grinned to himself, picturing himself in a cape, going across Japan performing marriages for those who needed him. Then something occurred to him. “Wait a moment. Men can’t be legally married in Japan.” Seishirou grinned evilly. “Exactly.” “I see. So this is an elaborate scheme to get the Sumeragi in bed.” Sorata murmured with the brilliant insight he only possessed ever so often. “And how did you deduce that?” Seishirou asked, his eyes bright. “Sumeragi Subaru’s famously celibate. Well-known among our circles.” He sighed, “Which is why I was pledged to marry Kishu-chan, when Ise’s first choice was the Sumeragi.” Seishirou grinned as he stood. He tossed some bills on the table. “Tonight, 8pm, be at the Sumeragi’s apartment. You will spontaneously perform the ceremony there when I give you the signal. Remember, you owe me, Sorata-kun.” Sorata swallowed nervously. He nodded. “Hai.” TBC