Title: Red Light Adventure
Pairing: Seiran / Ryuuki, Shuuei, & Kouyuu
Rating: PG
Summary: Ryuuki is still curious about the red light's district. Seiran decides that if his little brother is going to sneak out there anyway, the visit is going to be a supervised one.
Author's Note: This one is based on a fic challenge at Saiunkoku Monogatari LJ.
"Aniue . . . ?" Ryuuki softly asks while tilting his head and sitting across from the table.
"Yes, Ryuuki? What is it?" Seiran replies with a hint of annoyance and embarrassments.
"...Just curious, Aniue. Why are you here?" all the while staring at him with a still surprised look on his face.
"I'm here to supervise you." He answers bluntly.
Ryuuki cannot shake off his surprise and yet, mesmerize the way his brother was here to supervise him. He knows he can't secretly leave the palace without a bodyguard especially with Seiran who happens to be on duty when he saw Ryuuki sneaking out. Knowing that Seiran would be the one who finds out didn't surprise him; however, the idea of how Seiran supervises him is beyond belief.
"Ryuuki, close your mouth. You'll let a fly in." Seiran asks politely while looking away seeing that the curtain is more interesting.
"Oh." He closes his mouth for a brief moment and asks with his stern voice, "Ani–, no, Seiran, I'm here to view the city and other places to see how it is. There is not a need for any supervision."
"Emperor, there are things outside of the palace is beyond your comprehension. It is my duty to protect you from any situation, no matter how insignificant it is." As he states clearly.
"Sei–" as he gazes into Seiran's determined and listen-to-me-or-else look. He sighs in defeat and elegantly picks up his cup to drink his tea. As his lips were an inch away from his lips, he can't help to look at Seiran, his brother. He was excited to find out that his brother came back, but not as Seien though. Even though, in his cherish memories of his Seien-aniue, Ryuuki's new memories with Seiran are far happier than he can imagine. And this memory, he will remember forever even if Seiran tries to make him forget.
"Seiran . . . " as he finally broke the moment of silence between them.
"Yes?" Seiran responds while drinking his tea.
Ryuuki blushes as he looks around and gaze Seiran's eyes, trying not to . . . stare endlessly. "Your . . . outfit. Why?"
"Tell Shuurei-dono or anyone else and I will not acknowledge you as a brother again." With his dangerously low voice for only Ryuuki to hear.
Ryuuki shudders and nods obediently knowing how Seiran keeps his words. In his imaginative mind, he could picture himself crying as a kid as Seiran ignores him if he calls him out as siblings than their status. He whimpers as his body falls forward with his forehead hitting the table first. Seiran sighs as he carefully pulls back his long sleeves and strokes Ryuuki's soft, bronze hair.
"Don't worry, Ryuuki. I believe that you will keep this day a secret. No matter what, you will always be my precious little brother." As he continues to stroke his hair and smiling softly.
"Really?" with his childlike voice as he rises up to see his brother's soften expression on his face. Feeling giddy, he quickly reverts from his depression as he picks up his chopsticks when his stomach decides to growl loudly.
"Heh heh . . . " feeling quite embarrassed while rubbing the back of his head.
Seiran chuckles as he takes a piece of beef from the plate and happily offers it to Ryuuki. His eyes shimmer with happiness and smiling joyfully as he takes the bite. He melts in happiness and pleads with his puppy eyes for Seiran to feed him again. Seiran smiles while shaking his head and continues to feed a very happy Ryuuki.
"After we're done with dinner, I will show you around the place." As Seiran states while feeding Ryuuki.
"Really?! Even the Red Light's District?" while munching happily.
"..." as he pauses. "Even the Red Light's District."
Seiran sighs in defeat as he watches his little brother beams him his goofy smiling face and decides to feed himself instead while trying to place most of the food on Seiran's plate. He smiles happily as he eats his share of food. Dinner ended quietly and Ryuuki was ready to explore with their first stop being the infamous Red Light's District.
"Whoa . . . " as Ryuuki gazes in awe and amusement with all the sparkling, bright lights and sounds of the busy district.
"It seems we came in their festive night. Let's go explore, Ryuuki." As Seiran firmly grabs Ryuuki's hand and strolls into the festive street.
His breathe hitches and his heart was pulsing rapidly as he can feel the warmth from Seiran's hand. He tries quickly to breathe normally and keeping his heart from beating out of his body, but it was difficult to stay sane while walking hand to hand with his dear older brother. He chuckles the fact that everyone else thinks differently. Hurriedly, he quickens his pace to walk alongside with Seiran and instinctively, holds onto his arm too. Seiran almost halted in his tracks, but quickly, continued since they were in the busy streets and anyone can easily get trampled especially when someone is wearing a dress.
Thinking through his minds. Seiran still cannot believe why he thought of this ridiculous idea and to even go through it. Luckily, he was able to find any type of women's clothing when Shouka-sama was going through his wife's items. Beside Ryuuki, Shouka was only other person who knows about this and he wanted the secret to stay that way. Remembering how Shuurei's mother put on her make-up, he was able to carefully mask himself; however, the tough part was putting on the dress.
First off, he would put on long-sleeve white inside dress, wrapping a long white fabric belt around his waist to hold it, putting on a shimmering lavender jacket with rose petals embroider along the edges over another layer of a long-sleeve pale purple shirt with golden lines above the silver edges on the sleeves, wrapping it all together with wide lavender fabric and lastly tying it up with a long white fabric ribbon around the waist. Adding a few strings here and there around the waist and placing his hidden sword under this outfit, he ties his hair with a string along with a beautifully golden decorate hairpin that has seven golden dangling pieces with seven different color edges. Pleased with the new look, Seiran sneaked off to where Ryuuki was earlier after overhearing him talking to himself again in his own room.
Still thinking over and over again of why he dresses up like this, he didn't notice a blurry, red stick was waving in front of his face until he felt something soft, warm, and wet quickly disappear on his lips. Seiran blinks. Did he just imagine or did Ryuuki actually kiss him?
"Hello? Are you there, Seiran?" as Ryuuki continues to wave the red stick in front of him while smiling.
"Aa . . . " as he takes the stick with a puzzled look. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." As he happily munches on the sweet dessert on a stick. "So, what do they actually do in the Red Light's District?"
Seiran almost chokes on his piece when Ryuuki moves quickly to his side and rubs his back to help him. Should he tell him what's going on this place or not? He's definitely not like Shuuei to tease endlessly about it without having it to explain as he offers to be with him in bed. And without Kouyuu being there to tell Shuuei to shut up and asks him to go check his head again.
"Shuuei told me about this place a couple of times and he even told me that he comes here every so often when he's on a job." Ryuuki explains while patting his brother's back.
"I see . . . " still recovering from shock and choking of his food.
"Ryuuki, I . . . " as he was abruptly interrupted.
"Oh ya? Ryuuki?" someone said afar.
Ryuuki turns around to see who called him out and became stunned when he found out whom it was. He whispers to Seiran and he was also stunned with the revelation. He moves a bit more to the side, hiding Seiran behind while his back is turn, and greets his fellow surprisers.
"Shuuei. Nice seeing you here." He greets while staring at a female who was walking with him and greets fully bows at her. "Nice meeting to you, miss."
The female just blushes furiously and turns around quickly to hide her face. Ryuuki tilts his head to the side and watches her confusedly. Shuuei chuckles. Her outfit was similar to Seiran's only it was pale green with her dress forest green jacket; her sleeves were embroider with plum blossoms with hints of amber branches on it; her hair neatly tied up in a pony-tail with golden butterfly along with four dangling silver thin, slightly curve sheets hairpin.
"Oh? Who's that with you, Ryuuki?" Shuuei asks normally, knowingly that calling him Emperor out in the open calls for trouble to come.
Seiran turns about gracefully while covering part of his face with the sleeve and bows politely to Shuuei as he tweaks his voice lower. "Pleased to meet you. My name is Sei."
"Pleased to meet you, Sei." As Shuuei looks suspiciously at her. "This is Yuuri."
Yuuri turns around quickly and starts to yell at Shuuei for coming up a ridiculous name. Hence, both Ryuuki and Seiran found it who it was obviously by the yell.
"Maa maa. Calm down, Yuuri. I'm sure you'll learn more composure once Sei teaches you, isn't that so?" as he winks at Sei.
Sei blinks.
"Let's go see the fireworks near the river together! How's that sound?" Ryuuki gleefully announces.
"Sounds good. Let's go, Yuuri!" as he takes her hand.
Yuuri was ready to smack Shuuei in the head, but she had to calm herself since crowds are staring at them. Ryuuki takes Sei's hand and all of them walks together to the river that was located at the edge of the city at the end of district.
All four of them line up at the edge of a river bank as trees were beautifully decorated with red lamps, long red streams of decorations with fishes and flowers, and simple fireworks cracking here and there near the bridge. The night was very festive especially under the full moon. As the last bell rings in, sprays of confetti showers along the foursome and near the river with howling shots of fireworks lighting up the sky. Simply, it was magical as all four of them gaze up. Each of them still holding each other's hands, Seiran swiftly gives a peck on Ryuuki's cheek along with Shuuei who successfully gives a kiss on Yuuri's forehead. Dumbfound, Yuuri steps back from surprise and slips on the edge of the river bank as she tries to grab Sei's arm which pulls her along in the river.
"Kouyuu!!"
"Seiran!!"
Suppressed laughter and lingering chuckles can be heard from both Ryuuki and Shuuei as they were trying to drink their alcohol. Both Seiran and Kouyuu had to go back to the palace to warm up and change from their soaking experience. Once again, they all gather around one of the palace's sanctuaries near the pond as Seiran and Kouyuu continues to dry their hair.
"I wouldn't have thought that you would dress up too, Seiran. It was such a rare sight." Shuuei comments.
"Even I wouldn't believe that you would dress up too, Kouyuu." Ryuuki chirps in.
Kouyuu mumbles. "Shut up."
"How about keeping this among the four of us?" Seiran suggests.
"Sounds good." Shuuei agrees.
Kouyuu and Ryuuki nod in agreement.
"Drink for a wonderful night and secrets." As Shuuei lifts up his cup.
"Aa . . . " Seiran responds and lifts his cup up.
"Wonderful night and memories." Ryuuki lifts his up along.
All three stares at Kouyuu who grumbles at the thought and reluctantly follows with them. "To our secrets."
"Cheers." As all four of their cups chimes together.