DISCLAIMER:  None of this is mine...must you rub it in??  *sob*

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a little real-world-AU-fic I wrote for m'dear friend Kokkei, who went out of town a few days ago and wanted something to read while she was gone.  Thus, this fic contains very little plot, very little point, and a great deal of Tomo.  Ah, but dinnae worry...interspersed among the passages is, of course, a great deal of Nuriko, as well...along with a few other old friends, as well. :)  Anyway.  I thought I'd post this simply because I believe in posting all that I write, regardless of what I personally think of it.  Ah, and for those who don't know--Chuin is Tomo's real name, and Ayuru is Nakkie-poo's.  ^_^.

AUTHOR'S NOTE2:  There's a song from the first OVA, called "Tenderness."  It's an instrumental track--the song that plays when Miaka and Yui are floating through the very...uh...pink whatever-it-is on the way back the "real world."   I dunno, it seems to fit the mood of this sappy little fic. :)  Gomen ne, just thought I'd mention. :)

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"The Sunrise Club"

by Ryuen

~ ~ ~

 

The sun was just beginning to rise over the distant hills, casting a flush of contrasting pinks, oranges, and reds over the pale blue of the sky, making everything brighter and warmer...Ryuen sighed contentedly, wrapping slim arms around himself and drawing in another fresh, clear breath.  Morning had always been his favorite time of day, even before they began this ritual--he remembered very clearly his early childhood, Korin's slender fingers digging into his shoulder, dragging him up and out of bed when it was still dark and cold.  He would rise from his bed to her anxious pleas almost immediately, wrap a thick blanket around their two shoulders and then pad down the hallway to the balcony.  There they would sit, pressed together for warmth, and watch as the sun rose, chattering about whatever came to mind and watching the chill steam of their breath rising up into the sky.  It had been magical, those mornings.  The dew lie crystal and sparkling on the grass beneath them, spreading like tiny glittering gems out over the land below...and, when the sun rose...  Ryuen smiled.  Korin would leap to her feet to feel the warmth on her face more quickly, raising her arms over her head as if trying to touch the sky...

The smile turned bittersweet.  He missed her.  But, the mornings were still theirs, weren't they?  Even if he was now sharing them with someone else...even if now his thoughts were elsewhere, his emotions bound into a tight, secretive ball deep within...the mornings were still theirs.

The sound of the roof door swishing open broke the boy from his thoughts, made him glance reflexively over his shoulder.  Catching a brief glimpse of silken dark hair and a tall, slim figure, he turned back to the view of the city below, rested his elbows against the railing.  As he waited for the other man to join him at the railed edge of the roof, Ryuen closed his eyes, let the soft, summery morning wind wash over his skin, sweep the sweat-sticky hair back from his face.  A moment later, he heard a rustle of cloth and felt the weight of the older man's presence just beside him.  The cool metal of the railing jostled slightly beneath his elbows as additional weight pressed against it, and finally, Ryuen opened his eyes, glanced over at the first of his companions.

The twenty-one-year-old leaned lightly against the railing in much the same posture he did, slim arms held out before him, hands clasped lightly together over the edge.  Face lifted to the rising round of the sun, nothing more of the man's features was visible but the pale outline of his profile--a small, pert nose, thin lips, a rounded, curving jawline.  The exotic amber of his eyes was covered by a thick mass of eyelashes and two slim, flickering eyelids, slim strands of dark hair sweeping rhythmically back and forth over his forehead and cheeks.  Ryuen took a moment to examine the rest of his companion, taking in the plain, button-up dress shirt, the neatly-pressed black slacks and agonizingly-shined shoes.  The man's hair, to contrast, hung in wild, rippling waves over his face and shoulders, tumbling in thick, dark tangles well past the middle of his back.

"Glad you could make it," he said softly, turning back to the view and inhaling a long, cleansing breath of the morning air.

He sensed the other man's eyes opening, felt that soft amber gaze pressing against his face.  "I'd never miss it," Chuin said, matching the younger man's soft, light tone.  "Ryuen..."

He glanced back at his friend, found that gauging gaze staring calmly back at him.  "Hm?"

Chuin hesitated for a moment, seemed to spend a moment pondering over what he was about to say.  Then, finally, he sighed softly, turned back to the growing sliver of the sun cresting the hills.  "Do you think he'll come?"

Ryuen made a face...but quickly swept the expression back beneath the smooth mask of his features, drew a soft breath before answering.  "I think he'll consider it," he replied at last, careful to keep his tone neutral.

Chuin smiled, briefly.  "You don't like him very much, do you?"  His voice was that same oddly-high, light tone that helped so much in his singing, gave his words an edge of mystery, mysticism.

"It's not that I don't like him..."

"No, that's all right."  He leaned more heavily against the railing, sighed softly.  "If I didn't love him as much as I did...I think I wouldn't like him all that much, either."

Ryuen opened his mouth to respond...but, was cut off as the roof door swung roughly open, bashed loudly back into the wall.

"Oi!  I didn't @#(*$# miss it, did I?"

Ryuen grinned.  "Nope," he called back, watching a the flame-haired boy sprinted across the roof, was soon standing just beside him.  The younger boy, however, didn't bother to lean placidly against the railing, opted instead to bounce anxiously from side to side, looking as if he was either feeling immensely impatient...or was the victim of a very, very full bladder.

Smirking, Ryuen exchanged amused glances with Chuin, then took a moment to study the newcomer.  Genrou was clad in his typical black-T-shirt/ripped jeans/old sneakers ensemble, the puffiness of his eyes and the wild flames of his hair giving him the look of someone who had just climbed out of bed and was stumbling towards the coffeemaker...but, despite the appeareance, Genrou seemed as awake as ever.

"Oh--hey, Chuin," the seventeen-year-old greeted suddenly, seeming to abruptly realize the older man's presence.  "Oi, is that @#($*head--I mean, uhhh...is Ayuru comin' today?"

Ryuen smiled.  "We don't know," he interjected.  "We'll see."

Genrou let out a heavy sigh, pressed a hand to his forehead and tried to look exasperated.  "Oiiii," he lamented, "bein' the only straight guy with a bunch of okamas is @#$(*$# hard...ow!  Hey, Ryuen, that hurt..."

Ryuen smiled angelically, returning his hand to its place over the railing.  "It was supposed to, Gen-chaaaaan."

"The sun is rising," Chuin said quietly.

The younger men turned to look at him, noticing the soft sorrow to his voice, the way his lips pressed tightly together as if holding something back...Ryuen sighed.  "It isn't up YET," he insisted, gazing out at the warm orange glow of the rising sun.  "Give him time, ne?"

A deep baritone rumbled from just behind them.  "Give who time?"

All three jumped, spinning towards the newcomer with wide, startled eyes.

"Maaaaaataku!" Ryuen exclaimed, letting out a heavy, startled breath of air.  "You move more quietly than that cat of yours, Myojuan..."

The tall man offered a slight smile, slid forward so he stood next to Genrou.  "Sorry," he said in a typical bass, the hints of a grin tugging at his lips.  "Shoka doesn't like waking up this early, so I have to sneak...I suppose I'm still in sneaking mode."

Ryuen raised a slim eyebrow.  "Sneaking mode?"  He shook his head, then, apparently deciding against bringing the question any further.

Genrou squirmed irritably.  "Where the @(*#$&$ are those guys?" he muttered after a moment, scowling out at the ever-climbing round of the sun.  "They're gonna missssssssss it..."

As if in response to his words, the roof door abruptly squeaked open.  The four men turned, gazed out over the subtle darkness of the roof to the door. 

Ryuen grinned.  "Took you guys long enough!" he shouted.  "You almost missed it!"

The three newcomers moved hurriedly forward, had soon taken their own places at the edges of the railing. 

"Gomen, gomen," So exclaimed breathlessly, running a brief hand through the tangled dark mass of his hair.  "I overslept."

"Which was bad for me na no da," the older of the three newcomers remarked, "since So-kun was giving me a ride..."

Genrou snickered.  "Oi, that was your own @#*( fault, Houjun..."

Taking a moment to brush the flickering strands of violet hair out of his eyes, Ryuen turned, gazed up at the chestnut-haired eighteen-year-old.  "What about you, Sai-chan?"

Saihitei offered a regal smile, opened his mouth--

"No, let me guess," Ryuen interrupted with a sly smile.  "Brushing your hair?"

"Oi!" Genrou exclaimed, tugging at the railing and nearly sending those leaning on it toppling to their knees.  "Oi, shut-up--it's @#*$(& time!"

The seven men exchanged brief, measuring glances...then, faced front, leaned lightly against the railing.  All was silent except for the far-off buzz of lingering night insects, the nearby twittering of a few early-rising birds, and the low, rising whistle of the wind slipping through the streets.  And, as they watched, a thick ray of golden sunlight flickered over the edge of the hills, streamed brightly against the back of the building behind them...and began to creep slowly downward, sizzling over the cool metal of the building's chimney, the darker grey of the roof door...  Then, abruptly, the sun swept up over the final edge of the hills, and the six men found themselves immersed in a bright, flickering well of golden sunlight.  The soft shimmers of light washed over their faces, warmed their bodies...drew a new, startling peace into their hearts.

Ryuen drew in a long, deep breath of the air, felt Chuin doing much the same thing beside him...and remembered, suddenly, the newest member of their group who had not come...who had missed the sunrise they waited all year long to witness...he sighed softly, turning to rest a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder...and paused, abruptly, as he caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye. 

Ryuen turned...and drew in a sharp, startled breath.  There, standing just in front of the closed roof door, hands clasped loosely in front of him, was Ayuru.  He stood gazing up into the warm glow of the risen sun, the golden flickers of light dancing through the thick blond tufts of his hair, glittering in the strange, foreign blue of his eyes.  His lips were pressed tightly together, his face consumed in its usual mask of calm and imperturbability...but, there was something different about him now, something...gentler, softer. 

Ayuru had seen the sunrise.  And he, like them, had been changed by it. 

Smiling, Ryuen turned back, leaned lightly against the railing, and gazed out at the glowing orb of the risen sun. 

 

We, like the sun, continue to rise, spread our warmth on the people we call our friends.  The warmest, purest moment is the first sunrise of the summer...so, we will meet here, each year, on the first day of summer...and remember that friendship, like that sunrise, is pure, warm, and constant.

It will come again.  And, so will we. 

~ ~ ~

end.