Large raindrops beat down upon the windows of the little blue, family sized Toyota van as it pulled out of the driveway. The iridescent icicle which hung at the dash board swung with every move of the car and Tamahome’s eyes meticulously followed as he quietly sat in the back seat alone. The rain had succeeded in cooling everything off though, a little too much. The shivering boy put the charm out of his head and began to sigh loudly, grabbing the attention of the two fair men who sat in front of him.
 “How are you? It won’t be much longer until we make it home so, don’t worry.” The shorter of the two and also, the darker, turned his head from the passengers seat and cracked a smile at the boy who couldn’t help but smile back.
 “He’s real pretty.” Tamahome thought to himself as he peered into glossy eyes. “I am kind of.....well, freezing.” he said softly to the lovely man as he pulled his knees under his chin.
 “Sorry Tama-chan,” the man began to whisper as he removed his top hat of sorts. “Hikitsu-sama likes it cold.”
 The driver of the car turned the air conditioner down as he threw out a little “Gomen” to his passengers. His silky, silvery, and pretty long hair flew in all directions which made it difficult for Tamahome to make out his features. “Are you any warmer?” he asked in a silky voice.
 “No.” responded Tamahome after a few seconds of thought.
 “No problem Hikitsu-sama, I’ll warm him!” The tan complected, brown haired, now hatless man pulled himself to a position of sitting on his knees and climbed over the front seat and into the back where he fell aside of Tamahome.
 “Tomite-chan! I told you not to do that ever again!”
 “I’m sorry, goodness. At least this time we didn’t get into a wreck.”
 Tamahome listened to the men bicker for a while as he looked at his shoes and thought that they must be insane. It seemed to him that they had married some time ago and were becoming just slightly sick of each others company. “The silvery haired one is Hikitsu.....” Tamahome thought, “And this one is,.....” He locked gazes with the man, frowning. “What is your name again, please?”
 “I’m Tomite but, why do you frown so?”
 “I’m freezing and tired.When do you expect we will reach this new home of mine?”
 Tomite smiled and let out a small burst of pleasant laugher. He placed his strong arms around the boy and hugged.
                                                                       *

 As the family sized vehicle pulled into the driveway of a beautifully cozy, country style house, Hikitsu stretched his arms to the ceiling and let out a long, slightly loud yawn that awakened the two sleeping beauties in the back seat. He adjusted the flat, black patch which hung over his right eye and opened his car door.
 “Wake your self darling, it’s time to get up. You too Tama-chan. We are home now.”
 As the half asleep Tomite struggled himself to a sitting position, Tamahome rolled out of the man’s warm, soft arms and moaned.
 “Look, Tama.” Began Tomite, yawning. “What do you think of our home?”
 Tamahome gazed awfully at the sumptuous house and gardens which surrounded. He hadn’t ever seen roses like the roses that he saw then. Everything was so incredibly beautiful!
 “Oh, Tattara is still here.” Began Tomite. “Why don’t you come and meet him. I see that you are looking at the roses, well it’s because of him that they look so lovely.”
 Tomite pulled the wrist of Tamahome out of the car and walked with him, hand in hand to the front door. A tall, smooth complected, thin man stood in the doorway smiling as he clung to a thick ‘Better homes and gardens’ magazine. His long and flowing brown hair sat pressed against his chest, tied with silky white ribbon.
 “How is everything?” Hikitsu began, walking into his home. “Where is he?”
 “He’s playing in the rain under the willow tree. He told me that he had some sort of funeral to attend to.” Tattara shrugged.
 “How very like him.” Hikitsu thought as he smiled and motioned for the others to enter.
 As Tomite walked through the door he held tightly to Tamahome’s hand and smiled at the lovely Tattara.
 “Tattara-kun,” he began, “This is Tamahome. Hikitsu’s and my new son. Tama, this is a dear friend of ours, Tattara. He is your new uncle.”
 “You two do go for the attractive ones don’t you? Nice to meet you Tamahome.”
 The two shook hands as Hikitsu approached, arms around a smiling Tomite.
 “Tama-chan,” he began, “Why don’t you go into the back yard for a look around. The rain is slacking pretty much.”
 Tamahome nodded to his new parent and walked towards the back door as three happy men disguised the day’s excitement of car trips and ‘baby sitting’.
 As Tamahome walked away, he wondered little things about his new family. “Who do I call mother?” he asked himself as he stepped onto the puddle covered porch.
                   *

 Hikitsu had been right, the rain was slacking and a cool front had come through. Tamahome stretched his legs, yawned, and took a good look at his surroundings as he slowly walked from the porch steps and onto the crispy wet grass. Lovely lilies covered in sparkling rain drops out lined a small pond at the center of the expanse. Roses of all shades sat beautifully in their lush bushes behind a small, white fence.
 To his far left, Tamahome noticed a glorious weeping willow, completely separated from the other beauties. He slowly walked towards the large tree in amazement. Something seemed to be drawing him in, something seemed to want to reach out and grab him.
 As the young boy grew closer to the willow, a mysterious golden glow of sorts grabbed his attention. From aside the thick tree trunk sat a mess of soaking wet golden hair that shone as every tiny beam of sunlight shot through branches and hit droplets of water. Tamahome’s curiosity pulled him yet closer to the sight. He wondered what this beauty could possibly be. All that he was certain of was, that he was extremely attracted.
 Under the shade of long willow branches, crisp grass crunched under Tamahome’s shoes as he approached the head of golden hair. The wonderful glow jerked quickly around as Tamahome fell gasping to his back against soft dirt. The body belonging to the yellow hair sat atop the frightened boy and held a sharp, soil covered gardening spear to his throat. Tamahome closed his eyes tightly in a panic and rested against the willow’s trunk. His heart beat as though it would jump out of his chest if he wasn’t stabbed to death first.
 Tamahome took several deep breaths, after a few seconds of time, and cautiously opened his eyes to see the most beautiful, prodigious, deep blue eyes glaring into his own. A slight blush swept across his cheeks as he stared speechlessly at the gorgeous face. Long strands of gold fell into the wonderful eyes and a single drop of rain water dripped down the brim of the mysterious person’s nose.
 “My god!.............She’s so...so..beautiful!” Tamahome thought as he lost his breath and felt his cheeks burn terribly. “Oh my god.....” he thought again.
 Tamahome closed his eyes and concentrated on the feeling of being sat upon. He couldn’t help himself, he was so incredibly attracted to this person. He lifted his shaking hands with the full intentions of pushing against shoulders but, from having closed eyes, he missed, pressing lightly against a cold chest. Tamahome, surprised, opened his eyes widely as the beautiful blond narrowed his a bit more.
 “....y-you’re.....a boy...” Tama’s voice cracked as he shook and cold rain began to beat down upon the two.
 “What the hell did you think?” scowled the other boy with still glaring eyes and soft voice.
 “.......it’s just.....just that......uh,.......you don’t have to kill me, you know.”
 The boy pulled his glaring blue eyes away from the gaze of questioning violet colored eyes and slowly placed his spear into the hole which he had been digging. Tamahome rested his dripping face into his grassy hands and took a moment to breath.
 “What’s your problem and what do you want?!” The silky tone of the boy’s voice rang through Tamahome’s ears and jerked him from dreamland, back to reality. He looked at the boy who sat somewhat away brushing long pieces of hair from his forehead.
 “So, do you talk?” snickered the boy, staring intently at Tamahome. “I mean, other than informing me of my gender.”
 Tamahome stared blankly at the boy and dug his fingers into wet soil. He thought of the dirty spear against his throat and muttered under his breath, “Curiosity killed the nako.....that’s what I get.”
 “Who are you?” he asked after a while.
 “What do you care?”
 “That’s a good question.”
 The blond boy pulled a tiny, lacerated, yellow bird from a small red shoe box and carelessly dropped it into his dirt hole. “Sleep well.” he whispered, brushing his hands over the little grave, spreading what was now mud to cover the opening.
 “My name is Nakago. What’s yours?”
 “......Tamahome.”
 “Why are you here?”
 “Uh,.....this is my home now. I take it you know Tomite-san and Hikitsu-san. They adopted me today.
 Tamahome’s head fell to looking intently at a flower that his hands picked apart roughly. Rain fell in his hair and caused his little pony tail to stick against the back of his blue jean jacket.
 “It bothers you to talk about that. I can tell. You are a weak person, aren’t you little boy? How old are you anyway?”
 “I’m 13.”
 “Ah,....13....not bad. Are you pleased with your new parents?”
 “I don’t know.” Tamahome looked from his now dead flower to Nakago’s pretty face, blushing only slightly. “They strike me as being a little on the,....insane side. They argue a lot and I get the impression that I was adopted just to amuse them. I don’t know if they really want me.”
 “So you don’t like them.”
 “I didn’t say that, I just don’t know them.”
 Tamahome’s eyes intently followed Nakago as he stood from the dirt and threw his head backwards, wringing the water from his long hair.
 “Oh my, your so emotional.” Nakago sighed, rubbing his eyes with tight fists. Hopefully living here will do some good for you. Maybe teach you to be strong.”
 Tamahome, frowning, stood himself and brushed petals from his pants. “I’m emotional.......and your strangely rude.”
 “Strangely rude?!” Nakago laughed evilly, lightly patting Tamahome’s soaking blue hair. “We should go in now, before we both end up sick and pampered like babies. You might like that though.”
 The tall blond walked ahead with his hands running water from his hair. Tamahome walked behind with pure aggravation scratched across his face. “Who is this guy?” he wondered, crossing his arms across his chest. “Who would pamper him that would pamper me? Maybe he was related to Tattara or, just a friend?” Whoever he was, and no matter how pretty he was, Tamahome was growing less attracted.
 The younger boy followed Nakago into the glowing, refreshing warmth of his home and was happily greeted by the usually smily Tomite. The older man ran to the two boys who stood against the back door, dripping puddles on the wooden floor, and threw thick white towels over their hair.
 “You two should wash up and change. Dinner is almost ready and Hikitsu-sama made you some tea.” he smiled happily.
 Nakago cracked a smile towards Tomite as he walked down the lighted hallway and into the bathroom.
 “How do you like him, Tama-chan?” Tomite asked ounce the two were alone in the kitchen.
 “I’m not sure yet.”
 “Well, what’s your personal opinion of him?”
 Tamahome puzzledly looked up to the older man from the corner of his eye and thought for a second. “Well,...” he began. “He is horrible, rude, and the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen in the entirety of my 13 years of being alive in this world!!”
 The young boy was surprised to see his new parent with larger eyes and quit a shocked expression on his face.
 “What’s wrong?” he asked, slightly afraid of the soon to come reaction.
 “Well, Tama-chan, uh.....” Tomite scratched his head and brushed soft, blue hair from his eyes. “I didn’t expect that from you. I guess that......that...means, you don’t like him or,..what?”
 “I really don’t know him yet.” Tamahome began with a small blush. “I don’t know any of you yet but, I will and, who does he think he is? .....Who is he ?”
 “.......Your brother as of now, Tama.*” Tomite smiled delightfully, leaned over, sweetly kissed Tamahome’s cold cheek, and continued to cook his dinner.
 “Just what I need.” Tamahome thought. “That means that we have to live together, share the same bathroom, the same sink,.......the same bedroom too?”
 As the blue boy walked slowly down the hallway, he passed a small silver mirror that revealed to him, his own bright pink cheeks. “Dammit Tamahome! Stop this!”
 On his way towards the bathroom, or so he thought, the boy brushed shoulders with Nakago who had briskly emerged from a large room at the far end of the hallway. Nakago was a few inches taller that Tamahome and he believed that he was also somewhat older.
 “I suppose, that you need me to show you to your room, don’t you?” smiled the freshly changed and dry blond.
 “Not if it will put you out any, Nakago.”
 “It’s this way.”
 Nakago’s smile was anything but friendly, Tamahome thought. He looked as though he would kick you if you happened to turn around. His smile, his eyes, he looked down right evil.
 “So, Nakago?” began Tamahome.
 “What?”
 “When were you adopted? How long ago?”
 The tall blond stopped in his tracks and stood in silence for a few seconds before turning around and smiling.
 “Does it bother you to talk about it?” Tamahome could sense something in Nakago’s expression that ate away his evil.
 “No. I really don’t care anymore so I’ll tell you if you really want to know.”
 “You make it sound like it’s interesting and special.”
 “...That’s your room, my room, Hikitsu-san’s and Tomite-san’s room, and the bathroom.” With blank expression and extended arm, Nakago pointed in every direction as he explained locations and finishing, walked into Tamahome’s room.
 The room was a decent size and pleasantly cozy. Piled on his bed were new things bought specially for his arrival. New pillows, covers, clothing, books, and anything that a boy might need.
 Tamahome sat on his hard bed and awaited Nakago’s story. He watched Nakago’s every move as the blond wondered around the empty room.
 “I was 13 when they took me, just like you.” he began. “I lived on the streets and in the orphanage since I was 6.”
 “How old are you now?”
 “I’m 16 now. These past three years have been pretty good. Now that your here, I just want to warn you not to mess anything up.”
 “I don’t see how I could.”
 “You’ll find someway. Where did you live before you became an orphan?”
 “With my father and siblings until,...until he...died, and they were adopted. What about you?”
 “Don’t ask. You don’t care. You wouldn’t. I’m sorry I brought this up.”
 Tamahome looked into Nakago’s eyes and noticed a type of pain being concealed. He wanted to get it out, to be horrible and mean to him. He wanted to see Nakago cry. Maybe it would allow him to like the beautiful boy.
 “Well, you did and it’s kind of late. Tell me. I won’t laugh if that’s what your afraid of.”
 “I wouldn’t care if you did laugh, Tamahome. I just don’t care.”
 “If you don’t freaking care then why not tell me?!” Tamahome stood from his position and frowned at the slightly surprised other boy. “Nakago, better yet, don’t tell me.” he began as he walked out of the doorway to his room. “If you don’t want me to know then, I won’t. We just met and though you may already hate me, I only dislike you slightly. I want to give you a chance.”
 Nakago gazed in amazement at the empty door frame as Tamahome walked away. He fell to the hard bed and for twenty minutes, looked at a small picture of the strange blue haired boy standing with his brothers and sisters, before he was called for dinner.
                                                                       *

End of Part 1
 
 

 Part 2
back to fics