Tree-san's Disclaimers: /Nobody but CLAMP owns us! Nobody! 
Mwahahahahahaha! Ehem...Don't sue these girls. I like them./ 
 
The Game of You

Part II: Marriage
Chapter 3: And He Said...

Kuzuki Kakyou strode through the apartment building's 
corridors with a purpose. He had only arrived in Japan the hour 
before, but found it pointless to stop for a rest.
Because, he told himself, even then he'd be late for the 
party.

He paused in front of a mahogany door, giving himself time to 
smoothen his wrinkled robes of vivid purple and yellow. He smiled 
inwardly. Hokuto had given him the outfit.

He knew that he wasn't exactly invited to the party, but he 
was enough of a yumemi to know that his presence would be welcomed. 
Lifting a graceful hand, he knocked on the door.

It was opened by a young man who looked remarkably like the 
love of his life. Had he not been a good seer and had he not known 
of his girlfriend's twin, he would have kissed the person by the 
doorway.

But, as luck would have it, he foresaw this event and knew 
about Sumeragi Subaru.

"Sumeragi Subaru," the dreamgazer began, "I congratulate you 
for your union with the Sakurazukamori. I hear he's quite a catch."
The young man before him sputtered, blushed and twitched 
before he squeaked, "Name?"

Kakyou smiled serenely, cocking his head to one side, 
platinum hair brushing against his cheek. "Kuzuki Kakyou," he 
replied.

There was a joyful squeal, a rush of footsteps, and a flurry 
of lace, ribbons and tafetta as Sumeragi flung herself toward her 
most beloved yumemi. "Kakyou! You came! How did you know?"

The man merely smiled in his quiet way and changed the 
topic. "I see anyone who's anyone in the business is here."
Indeed, the room was crowded with representatives of the 
different clan. Kakyou noted without surprise that most of them were 
rather young. He knew, of course, that it had been by unspoken 
agreement between the clans that responsibility be passed to the 
young while their youth lingers. That way, they had reasoned, they 
would be slip into the role of head more easily.

That had been the case with Subaru, and, of course, with 
Kakyou.

Hokuto sashayed into the living room, serving drinks and food 
(to Subaru's chagrin, most of the snacks included banana) while she 
dragged her boyfriend along. Some time later, Kakyou excused himself 
to wander amongst the guests.

He could see Aoki Seiichiro, the wind master, with Kasumi 
Karen, the fire mistress. They were together, as they had always 
been the best of friends. Right beside them were inugami mistress, 
Nekoi Yuzuriha; her cousin, Yatouji Satsuki; Satsuki's betrothed, 
water master Kigai Yuuto and; Hinoto, an ageless and powerful yumemi.
Right across the room stood the dreamwalker Kanoe, younger 
sister to Hinoto. She was flirting with a rather distracted Monou 
Fuuma, heir to one of Japan's most respected temple guardians. Not 
far from them was the quiet form of Shirou Kamui, apparently the 
first boy-child of a Magami woman, and therefore one of those with 
potential to spiritual power. He was speaking to a beautiful girl 
Kakyou recognized as Arisugawa Arashi, formerly Kishuu Arashi of the 
Ise Shrine. Standing somewhat nervously behind her was her husband, 
the Kouyan monk Arisugawa Sorata.

For a moment, the yumemi hesitated. But then, he decided to 
go on and have a quiet chat with the rather nervous monk.

Seishirou walked casually through the Tokyo streets, savoring 
the illusion of freedom it presented. It was almost time for him to 
go to the engagement party...and marry Sumeragi Subaru. The very 
thrill of the idea of having Subaru in his bed was simply...delicious.

/So hurry up, already!/ the Tree complained. /The sooner you 
get married, the sooner I'll see some hardcore action. Say...you 
think he's still practicing that water blowjob thingy?/

The Sakurazukamori chuckled. "I hope so. That would be 
rather...useful. Wouldn't it?"

Still, the assassin didn't change his pace. The Tree became 
impatient. /Hey! Why aren't you hurrying?/

The man's eyes glinted in the moonlight. "Haven't you ever 
heard of the idea of being fashionably late?"

/Seishirou, I don't think it's fashionable for someone to be 
late on their wedding day./

"Have you _ever_ gotten married?"

/Well...no.../

"Then shut up."

/Nope. Sorry. I'm a tree. I don't move around much. This 
is my only means of amusement./

"You'll never let me have any peace, will you?"

/Frankly? No./

"I hate you."

They walked (actually Seishirou walked, the Tree just rode 
around in his consciousness like a parasite that won't quit) for a 
while longer.

A few blocks from the building, the most horrible thing 
happened.

The rain began to pour. In buckets.

/Feeling fashionable?/

"..."

/Well?/

"...Shut Up."

Subaru locked the bathroom door behind him. He took a deep, 
calming breath. He did _not_ want to encounter Kanoe again. She 
was just so...what was the word? Ho-ish. She tried to slip her 
hands under his pants, for crying out loud. He groaned and covered 
his face.

He definitely wants to avoid Kanoe.

On the other had, his sister _did_ go through all the trouble 
organizing this party. If he wasn't there, it would break her heart.
With a sigh and a prayer for inner strength, he opened the 
door and plunged headlong into the party. He immediately felt a tug 
on his shirt sleeve. "Subaru!" Hokuto hissed in panic. "Sei-chan's 
still not here, and the guests are getting bored. Help me think of 
something to entertain them..."

The onmyouji blinked. "Hokuto-chan, I don't know anything 
about entertainment. That's your department."

The woman looked like she was about to cry. "But I'm running 
out of ideas!"

Subaru tilted his head a bit. "A game then," he said.

Hokuto thought about it. and then a grin graced her 
lips. "Oh, I think I know the perfect game..."

"A pact is a pact," the monk said as he smiled 
sadly. "Didn't you think I knew the consequences of their union? I 
_know_ it will hurt him, but..."

"But you made a promise," Kakyou continued for him. " And a 
Kouyan monk always keeps his promises. I understand. I just thought 
I might try to change things...But they cannot, can they? Unless 
Sakurazukamori and Sumeragi themselves attempt to change it, nothing 
will mar the things to come."

The sound of someone clearing her throat caught their 
attention.

Hokuto stood on a coffee table, grinning like a hentai fairy 
high on pixie stix. Standing on the floor right beside the table was 
an embarrassed Sumeragi Subaru.

In his hands was a bunch of rather large bananas and a 
pitcher of water.

"I can see you're all getting bored," the emerald-eyed lady 
began. "And Sei-chan seems to be running a little late. So, I 
propose that we all play a game to pass the time."

There were murmurs of agreement from a large number of 
people. Their hostess beamed. "Yosh! The name of the game is 
Banana Deep. The object of the game is to finish a banana in the 
least possible time without choking and/or leaking any of the stuff 
out your mouth. There is a catch: You will have to eat the banana 
while holding water in your mouth."

A few faces turned blue, others turned red, and the rest 
split into grins so wide you can see the back of their skulls.
There was a pause before Hokuto said, with a straight 
face, "Subaru will demonstrate how it's done."

There was another pause before the younger Sumeragi 
screeched, "What?!"

Some minutes later the emerald-eyed man took a tentative sip 
from a glass of water and held it in as he slowly peeled the banana. 
All eyes were on him.

'OhmygodohmygodwhydidIletmysistertalkmeintothis?' he thought 
as his heart pounded fiercely. He closed his eyes and put the banana 
into his mouth...

The door opened, revealing a drenched Sakurazuka Seishirou. 
Locks of his hair stuck to his face, accentuated by streams of water 
running down the bridge of his nose. His clothes clung to him like 
second skin, leaving nothing to the hentai imagination (picture the 
author drooling...a very happy birthday to the author indeed...). 
Dripping with cold H2O, he smoothed his hair back.

"Sorry I'm late," he muttered. "Someone dropped by..." 

"Sei-chan!" the older Sumeragi cried gleefully.

Subaru's eyes opened, and he found himself choking.
Hokuto went on, giving her brother a teasing glance. "We 
were playing a game, you wanna join?"

Despite his dissheveled state, the tall man managed to 
leer. "Ne, Subaru-kun, you looked like you were having fun..."

The shorter man covered his face in embarrassment. "Anou..."

Sorata stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Sakurazuka-
san," he said, forcing a grin. "Did you want a Shinto wedding or a 
cliche 'Do you take this man...'- type thing?"

The assassin smiled engagingly. "I think the latter will 
take much less time, don't you think?"

There was general confusion among the guests and the hosts. 
What were those two talking about?

Finally, Sorata grabbed the younger Sumeragi's hand and 
asked, "Sumeragi-san, you _do_ want to marry Seishirou, don't you?"
Quite taken aback, the only reply Subaru could manage was "I 
do?"

Satisfied, the teenage monk looked over at Seishirou. "And 
you, Sakurazuka-san? Do you take Sumeragi Subaru as your husband?"

"You know I do," was the man's prompt answer.

"Okay," the boy said with faked enthusiasm. "You're married, 
you may now rock the casba or whatever you guys do on your honeymoon."

Seishirou grinned and grabbed Subaru, the bunch of bananas, 
and the pitcher of water. "Come, Subaru-kun! I'll show you what 
else you can do with these."

Before anyone else could comment, the couple disappeared in a 
flurry of sakura petals.

For five minutes, the place was quiet save for the indignant 
and upset sounds from the general direction of Fuuma and Kamui.
Finally, Kanoe spoke up. "So...does this mean we're not 
playing the game anymore?"

Tsuzuku...