Diem Perdidi

Errrr... this is very weird.  Apologies to everyone who thinks that the tree is OOC.  It is.  I'm just having so much fun with it, too!  Anyway... things are explained this chapter.  Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I am simply borrowing these characters as lab rats.  CLAMP is their true master, as much as I wish it was me.

Part 4: Dealing

Hokuto wiped the sweat off her forehead and glanced at the clock.  It was well past three and she was beginning to think that attempting to seal Subaru's powers unaided had not been the smartest move she could make.  She could do it, she was still confident of that, but the repercussions would be hard to handle.  She had never really learned how to fend off sakanagi like Seishirou and her brother had.  

Mentally sighing, she turned back to the wards she had set around the room and silently prayed that the sakura tree would keep its promise to bind Seishirou's magic as well.  It certainly wouldn't do to have Subaru helpless with the Sakurazukamori in the same house.

This was definitely going to be interesting, she thought.  Of course, there was no guarantee it would turn out the way she hoped... but one could dream, right?

*	*	*	*
	
He had been dreaming that Hokuto had come back.  He had dreamt of her, of the apartment... of everything, he was sure of it.

Subaru woke with a feeling of warmth and safety.  Belatedly he realized that it was because someone's arm was around him.  Whipping his head around, his worst fears were confirmed.  Seishirou.  He breathed a sigh of relief as he realized that they were both fully clothed and the older man was still asleep.  Not for long, he reminded himself, and became determined to be far away by the time it happened.  Wriggling slightly, he tried to get out from under Seishirou's arm.  Instead, the Sakurazukamori's arm simply tightened its hold on his waist.  

Frustrated, Subaru tried to gingerly slide the offending limb off of him and was rewarded by finding himself pressed tightly against his enemy's chest.  
	
"Good morning, Subaru-kun." Seishirou's voice rumbled gently against his ear and Subaru froze as he realized that the assassin had been awake the entire time.
	
"Let.  Me.  Go." Subaru hissed, twisting away from Seishirou and rolling off the bed into a half crouch, ready to defend himself against an attack.
	
"Mou!" A third voice exclaimed from behind them, and both men turned simultaneously to the newest arrival in the room.  "Can't the two of you behave yourselves after I went through all of this trouble to set it up?" Hokuto was visibly exhausted, there were dark circles under her eyes and she glared at the two of them, daring them to challenge her.
	
"H-Hokuto-chan!  It wasn't a dream?" Subaru looked at her, stunned.  He had almost been certain that Seishirou had conjured the whole thing up until this moment.
	
"I think you had better explain what's going on here.  I don't mind finding myself here in this situation..." Seishirou smiled suggestively at Subaru as he said this.  Subaru glared. "...But I would really like to know why my powers aren't working." Seishirou's mouth kept smiling, but his eyes did not.
	
"That's simple!" Hokuto beamed at both of them, wagging a finger delightedly at the two men.  "The tree and I are working together!  The tree took your powers away and I've spent all night sealing Subaru's.  That way the two of you can work things out!" she grinned widely despite the fact that exhaustion was threatening to claim her.
	
"Work... things out?" Subaru growled.  "You mean to tell me that after all this time, you still want me to be with this... murderer?" Subaru stood up, gesturing towards the Sakurazukamori, who was still sprawled on the bed.
	
"Well, I thought the reason you wanted to kill him was because he killed me.  Since that isn't the case... I had hoped you'd give up on this silly revenge thing." Hokuto looked at him sternly.  "You don't have a reason to kill him anymore."
	
"He's the Sakurazukamori!  How much more of a reason is there?" Subaru grabbed her shoulders, shaking.  Hokuto noticed this in time to catch his weight as the young onmyouji collapsed against her, crying.  "Nee-san... I can't...." She was surprised, she hadn't expected Subaru to break down like this right off the bat.  Then again, she supposed, it must have been one hell of a shock.
	
"Hokuto.  What do you mean by 'the tree took my powers'?  What the hell do you want us to do?" Seishirou's voice was uncannily rude.  Hokuto began to have second thoughts about the whole idea.  Seishirou rose from the bed and stalked over to her.  "Explain.  Now."
	
Hokuto looked from her brother, whose body was shaking with silent sobs of protest, to the Sakurazukamori, who was staring at her with a look rather like a cat playing with a canary which frightened her immensely (although she wasn't going to admit it) and sighed.  "I suppose I'd better tell you the deal.  Why don't we go into the living room and sit down?" She pulled her brother up gently and led him towards the door as Seishirou followed silently, his footsteps making no sound on the carpet.  Funny, she had thought he used a spell to do that.
	
As the three of them sat in the living room, Hokuto mentally chided herself for doing everything too fast.  Subaru hadn't been ready for this.  Of course, she didn't have much time (after all, the Promised Day was just weeks away now), but she still felt slightly guilty about doing this to him.  He was seated next to her on the couch, his crying subsided, with his head in his hands.  Seishirou was sitting in a chair across from them, looking every inch the businessman.
	
"Well... here's the deal.  The tree and I have a common goal.  That is, we both want to make you happy." Seishirou raised his eyebrow at this, while Subaru raised his head slightly to look at her.  "Therefore, we decided to lock the two of you up together in a house for a while, without your powers, and see what happened.  I assure you, your powers will return after the time is over."
	
"There's a time limit?  How long?" Seishirou questioned casually, though Hokuto could have sworn she'd seen a spark of amusement in his eye.
	
"One month.  It should be sufficient enough time for the two of you to realize how stupid you're being." Hokuto smiled as she said this.  Subaru simply stared at the floor, taking in her words.
	
"And... if we do not care for each other at the end of that time?" Seishirou chose the words carefully, while searching Hokuto's face for something she couldn't comprehend.  
	
"I will let you go.  Although I do not think it will come to that." Hokuto met his gaze, challenging him to continue his train of thought.  "Oh... and there are rules too."
	
"Rules?" Seishirou's smile began to widen, he wasn't bothering to conceal the hunters intense gaze coupled with a dangerous smile.  Hokuto was really beginning to have second thoughts now.
	
"You may not hurt each other, obviously.  You may not leave this apartment.  I've set up barriers and wards to insure this, as well.  And... you have to sleep in the same room."
	
"But not in the same bed." Seishirou countered.
	
"No, I was rather hoping you'd get to that on your own." She met his gaze teasingly and he grinned wolfishly in return.
	
"What about the End of the World?" Subaru's voice caught her off guard; he hadn't spoken since they had come into the living room.
	
"I should think that they can live without an angel and a seal for a little while.  Without your powers you wouldn't be much use to them anyway, Subaru-chan." She smiled at him affectionately before returning to business.  "So... do the two of you agree?"
	
"Alright." Seishirou answered smoothly.  "I don't suppose it would hurt.  I haven't had time to play with Subaru-kun lately.  It might be fun."
	
"..........Fine." Subaru bit out.  "There really isn't any other choice, is there?"
	
"Good!  Now that it's settled, we should have breakfast, don't you think?  You're far too skinny, Subaru.  I know I fed you last night... but... geez!  You look like you haven't had any food since I left!" Subaru opened his mouth to protest, but promptly shut it when he saw Hokuto glaring at him.  Resignedly, he followed her to the kitchen, leaving Seishirou lounging in the living room alone.
	
The Sakurazukamori silently watched the two of them exit the room.  He wasn't quite sure what Hokuto expected to get from this.  Granted, Subaru was a very beautiful young man, but he had lost the bet, after all.  How could she think it would be any different now?  He stared at the onmyouji's retreating form and realized that Hokuto was right.  Subaru was very thin.  He had noticed it this morning, when he had woken up, but it was painfully obvious now that Subaru was standing.  He was fairly sure that he could have fit his hands around Subaru's waist if the young man had let him.
	
"Seeeei-chaaan!" Hokuto's voice woke him from his reverie.  "Come help!" Smiling to himself, he followed her voice into the kitchen.  This was going to be a very interesting month.
	
Inside the kitchen, it was pandemonium.  Hokuto was attempting to make breakfast, a task made difficult by Subaru, who was hovering over her shoulder.  The onmyouji had never bothered to learn to take care of himself even after Hokuto had gone, and letting him near food preparation was a guaranteed disaster.  Seishirou simply stood on the fringe, handing Hokuto ingredients when she asked for them, enjoying the siblings' banter and observing the structure of the spells on the house with a careful eye.  Hokuto had been very direct at telling him that he had no choice but to stay here and he realized that she had been telling the truth.  The barriers around the apartment were well made, possibly even a challenge to him with his powers intact.  The thought that he had to stay here annoyed him, but it wasn't too bad.  After all, spending a month with Subaru was a prospect that he rather enjoyed.  Even if he couldn't harm the young man, there were plenty of ways to toy with him.  He had always loved the expressions Subaru made when he was embarrassed.  Wait... loved?  Seishirou shook himself mentally.  He didn't love anything; it was simply a slip of the tongue... but... Standing, he barred the thoughts from his head, bending instead to aid Hokuto as she attempted to carry the meal into the small dining room adjacent to the kitchen.
	
As they ate, Hokuto watched Subaru carefully, trying to ensure that he ate everything she had served him.  Much to her chagrin, he ate little, pushing the food around on his plate distractedly.  
	
"Subaru?  Aren't you going to eat anything at all?" She demanded, leaning over the table.  
	
"I-I'm sorry, Hokuto-chan, I just... am not hungry, that's all.  I think... I'll go take a nap, if that's okay..." His voice trailed off and Hokuto realized suddenly that he was very pale.
	
"Are you feeling all right?" Her hand brushed his forehead lightly and she froze.  He was hot, feverish.  She berated herself for not noticing earlier.  

"Subaru!  You have to get to bed right now!  You're sick!" She turned to Seishirou and in unspoken agreement he rose and picked Subaru up easily and headed towards the bedroom.  Hokuto followed, both of them ignoring Subaru's feeble protests.  Seishirou set him down gently, with a tenderness Hokuto had not expected, and pulled the sheets over him.
	
"Do you have a hot pad, Hokuto-chan?  We'll need some extra blankets too, I think." Seishirou's words surprised her.  She had not expected him to be this... caring.  Sure, she had hoped for it, but she had not expected results so soon.  Perhaps she had missed something, or maybe Seishirou was simply acting again.  Whatever the reason, she was grateful.  Subaru had never been hard to take care of when he was sick (which was an occurrence that happened far more than it should have), but it would be nice to have some help.
	
After depositing the necessary items by the bed, she stood up, resolving to do some other tasks.  "Seishirou, I need to go to your apartment." He started, then turned to her.
	
"Why, pray tell?" He challenged.
	
"Because you're going to need some clothes.  I have to get Subaru's stuff as well." She said, tiredly.  Instead of protesting, as she expected, he simply fished a set of keys out of his pocket and handed them to her.
	
"Don't mess with anything.  There are wards covering the place." His warning caught her off guard, and she smiled.
	
"See, you can be a nice guy." She kissed him on the cheek, a kind of sisterly affection.  "There's tea on the stove if you or Subaru wants any.  I'll be back in a few hours." She walked out of the apartment with a bounce in her step; her plan seemed to be working at last.  

Belatedly, she realized that she didn't know where either of them lived.  Doubling back, she obtained directions from Seishirou, as well as advice.  He told her it would be best if she dressed in Subaru's clothes again (smirking the whole time at her lack of preparation).  The seals surely wouldn't let anyone in their mansion without finding out exactly what was going on, something that Seishirou assured her would be a 'bad thing.'  Setting out again, she wondered briefly how she would ever pull this off.  It didn't really matter, in the big scheme of things, but it would be nice if she knew some illusions so she could hide her true appearance.  It was definitely going to be difficult.
	
Back in the apartment, Subaru had fallen asleep.  Seishirou smiled faintly at the onmyouji before leaning up against the headboard.  He was fairly sure that Subaru wouldn't wake up for some time, so this was probably a good time to take a nap himself.  He propped some pillows up around him and then gently dozed off, wondering vaguely if he was ever going to wake up in his own bed and discover that this had been a dream.  Faintly, he wondered why he had forgotten to ask Hokuto how she was alive.  He had been meaning to do that.  Oh well, he mused, it really didn't matter.  After all, he had plenty of time ahead of him to discover the truth.

End Part 4