Series: Saiunkoku Monogatari, Season One
Chars: Mainly Shuurei/Ryuuki, some Shuurei/Seiran & other main cast
Genre: Humour/Romance/Gen
Rating: PG-13?
Disclaimer: I don't own KokuMono!
AN: This story takes place during the time Shuurei worked as Ryuuki's 'tutor' in the palace… and I took a few liberties. Apologies to anyone who's quite attentive to canon!
WEEK ONE
Grand Guardian Shou Taishi stood with his arms folded behind his back, looking out over the capital from the balcony of the Sages' Tower. He hid a smile as he sensed the Emperor's frown behind him.
"You're expecting 'great things' of Us by the end of the month?" repeated Ryuuki. He was tempted to glare at the sly man before him.
"Yes, we are," added Sa Taiho, setting his teacup down gently on the table at which he was seated. He was surrounded by books and scrolls about the Imperial genealogy. "Your Consort has helped you a great deal; we've all noticed the improvement from your old, lazy ways." Ryuuki twitched at this, insulted, but Sou Taifu interjected before he could reply.
"You need to show the people of Saiunkoku how much you've changed," advised the burly, grizzled military man as he carefully fingered a delicate children's toy. "Show them how great a leader you are. You're responsible for them as a General would be to his troops; as a father would be to his family. How you've learned new skills and are now brave, fruitful, productive. These skills and qualities would also impress your Imperial Consort, your Highness…" He paused, letting the meaning of the last sentence sink in with his listener, and pretended to not notice the small toy duck in his massive, calloused hand. Behind the Emperor, Kouyuu and Shuei glanced at each other and groaned internally; the old buzzards were about as subtle as dung heaps in the summer swelter.
"And why the end of the month?" continued Ryuuki, carefully watching the old men.
"Plenty of time to practice and have Consort Kou assist you!" grinned Shou Taishi knowingly, hands tucked into his sleeves in front of him. He faced the young Emperor now, "I'm sure you'll be able to do your ancestors proud, your Highness," he added meaningfully.
"And it doesn't necessarily have to be Consort Kou—any woman of good breeding would do, really," interrupted Sa Taiho gently, but hopefully. "I happen to know some lovely— ow! " He glared at Shou Taishi who'd magically appeared behind him, grinning forcefully (and was that mildly threatening, too?) down at him.
Eyebrows furrowed, the Emperor glanced at the two odd old men. Something fishy was going on here, he decided.
"At the end of the month, we'll celebrate the announcement of your new productive leadership to the nobles and ministers to reassure them and the populace of your responsible, family-like protectiveness towards them," repeated Shou Taishi, hands gripping Sa Taihou's shoulders in a friendly manner—his white knuckles gleamed in camaraderie, in fact. The seated man smiled and nodded, wincing in support.
"With Consort Kou," grumbled Sou Taifu from his position at the table.
"And you have 'great expectations' of Us for this announcement," muttered Ryuuki a third time, turning away. "Fine, We'll speak with Consort Kou this evening. But no interfering!" he suddenly called back at the hopeful-looking Guardians. The Sages smiled and waved innocently at him as he stalked off, still mumbling something about 'weird old men and their plots,' Shuei and Kouyuu following silently behind him.
xXxXxXx
"—We just don't always understand what those old geezers are trying to do with their little intrigues and plots—and Sou Taifu's going mad now, too! Did you see him playing with that little toy duck, of all things?" The youngest of the men stomped down the hall away from the Sages in a childish huff, all imperial decorum forgotten. A few paces behind him, Kouyuu pushed his greenish hair back from his face in irritation while Shuei shrugged noncommittally. They were used to their ruler's tantrums.
As they rounded a corner on their way back through the palace, however, Kouyuu grabbed the still-complaining Emperor and held him back.
"Shh, Your Highness," interrupted Shuei's silky voice for Kouyuu, who looked just about ready to throttle the nation's immature leader, "listen."
"—all I'd ever want is a kind man," sighed one servant to her colleague as they cleaned a nearby vase, out of sight of the men. "Though I admit a handsome face wouldn't be so bad to wake up to, either!"
The women giggled as they continued gossiping.
"Children would be wonderful, if I had a man," added another enviously.
"I'll take two men—one to cook and one to clean!" joked a third woman, and they all laughed harder as they left the room, following the hallway away from the eavesdropping men.
Kouyuu released the Emperor and looked ready to make a comment about gossipy servants and good-for-nothing women, but Shuei clamped a hand over his mouth, silencing him. The military official looked confidently at the young leader, and asked smoothly, "do you understand the Sages' advice now, your Highness?" Kouyuu struggled fiercely under Shuei's grip, but Ryuuki didn't notice—he was thoughtfully looking in the direction the servants had exited.
A moment later, the pale young man brightened, a smile transforming his surly, confused expression to one of joy and anticipation. "A-ha! We think we know exactly how to please Shuurei and the people now!" His cheeks were pink with excitement as he looked back at his close friends. "Thank you both—we'll see you tomorrow!" With that he rushed off in the direction of the Imperial Harem, enthusiastically calling, "Shuurei! Shuurei!"
Releasing Kouyuu once the Emperor was out of range, Shuei allowed himself a small smile as he rubbed a hand over his face wearily.
"Jerk! Don't do that to me! How dare you? And what have you done—that idiot Emperor probably doesn't have a clue what the Sages meant! What'll we do then?" raged the impatient scholar, pacing back and forth before jabbing a finger in Shuei's chest to emphasize the last point.
"Now, now. Children shouldn't meddle in the affairs of grown-ups," evaded the dark-haired man cryptically with a glance at his colleague. He smirked before adding, "though if you're interested, the next time I head out to see Kochou, you're welcome to join me and we'll see about you entering the ranks of 'grown men'—"
This of course infuriated Kouyuu who proceeded to rifle off a morality-lecture to his counterpart, the tirade effectively distracting the scholar while the two made their way back to Court.
"You're debauched! You corrupting, amoral, goat—"
Shuei prayed the geezers knew what they were doing…
xXxXxXx
"I think you'd do well to temper your gluttony, your Highness," remarked Shuurei tightly as Ryuuki ate another bun. Really, it had to be the fourth in a row and he showed no signs of stopping. She put down her embroidery in a small drawer in a stand in her palace residence and sighed. It was too late to argue with the exhausting man, anyway.
Waving her serving-women away for the night, Shuurei poured him and herself the last of the tea and tried to ignore the Emperor's thoughtful gaze as it rested on the gentle features of her face.
He picked up another bun and held it in front of him a moment.
"We're glad you made these for us," he smiled over at her openly. Surprised at the compliment, Shuurei bowed her head away and nodded slightly, making an affirmative noise in her throat and hoping her blush didn't extend beyond her cheeks.
"I had to sneak away to make them at home since I'm not allowed access to the kitchens here," anymore , "so make sure they don't go to waste—and I mean that you're to share them, not eat them all yourself in one night!" she ordered, removing the tray from his reach as he went for another. With a sullen twist of his mouth, he withdrew his hand. She primly looked away. In actuality, his compliment had been well-received by its intended, and she was just trying to downplay his praise and her resulting blush.
"Thank you very much for making them," he returned sincerely. "We weren't expecting them and they're a wonderful surprise—we'll even share them with Seiran and the others," he offered cheerfully.
"Really, you're like a rich man spoiling his friends or family sometimes," she admonished lightly in jest, but paused when she saw the Emperor's eyes light with excitement. Oh no. "Eh?" she asked, perplexed at the look.
"Shuurei, you're brilliant! That's exactly what we'll do!" he cried happily, bouncing like a young boy. He rushed around the table and grabbed her in a crushing embrace.
"Wait-- hey, put me down! Your Highness! Emperor! Ryuuki!"
"Come on, we're going! We need to practice!" not-explained the enthusiastic young man, dragging his protesting Consort behind him by the hand. He gave her soft fingers a quick squeeze from his calloused ones, trying to reassure her.
Feeling his grip on her hand tighten, though, Shuurei only panicked further.
"Where are we going? What's got into you? Would you stop for one minute and— argh! Seiran, help! Where are you? The Emperor's gone mad!"
Stumbling after the determined young man, Shuurei felt herself pulled out of her wonderful suite and back to the main palace, completely certain the leader of her nation had finally lost his last marble. She knew her brother-guardian was always near at hand, but somehow he didn't seem to be interested in making himself known that night.
Following at a discreet distance in the shadows, Seiran shook his head and chuckled softly at the delightful antagonism between his Highness and her Ladyship. Of course, it wasn't his place to interfere with the Sages' 'guidance' and the Emperor's diligence… within reason. But seeing him so close to her… His hand idled over the hilt of his sword unconsciously.
He stayed close enough to keep them in sight and safe keeping, however—not that he didn't trust his younger brother, but a young man was a young man, and young men definitely had intentions beyond baking when cooking.
xXxXxXx
"No, use your hands like this," instructed Shuurei patiently after they'd successfully infiltrated the kitchens. Luckily, the usual staff were absent. She demonstrated the dough-kneading movement again, more slowly, so Ryuuki could imitate.
"It's sticky," he noted. "Is it always like this?"
"It'll get easier, with more practice. We just need to cook them in the steam basket for a little while, now. You've been a good student, I'm proud of you," she remarked, a little surprised at his eagerness to learn how to bake the manjuu buns. Her curiosity got the better of her as he continued. "But what makes this a 'brilliant idea'? Why did you want to learn?"
Her attentive student grinned at her from behind a heavily-floured face—and robes… and if she hadn't insisted on tying it back for him in a top-knot prior to starting, likely would have been his hair, too. His tone was more serious, however.
"The Great Precepts told Us we were expected to have 'great accomplishments' to show Our citizens and advisors by the end of the month, to reassure them We could provide for them and demonstrate our dedication to Saiunkoku as a 'family' man," he recited, pausing to look at the dough a moment. "They want Us to make our ancestors proud and reassure the populace—and they thought you were doing an impressive job, too, Shuurei," he added quickly, noting her increasingly anxious expression. "They thought you'd really help Us become a 'great' man!"
Eyebrow twitching mildly, Shuurei smiled through clenched teeth. "They did, did they? Did they happen to mention anything else? More specific to this 'great accomplishment' and their… expectations ?" she ground out, removing the cover of the steamer and sliding the basket of dough in to cook.
Ryuuki paused for a moment to reflect.
"Ah!" he snapped back happily, remembering. "Sa Taiho said a woman of any noble, good breeding would do! Yes! But We prefer Shuurei's company and teaching. Oh! Shuurei, are you alright?" he exclaimed when she slammed the lid overtop of the buns, seething.
"Oh-hohohoho!" she laughed sweetly, forcing her pale fingers to release the steamer handle. "How clumsy! I'm fine." Why those meddlesome old… "But how does my helping you bake manjuu buns satisfy the Precepts?" she asked him curiously. She was missing the link between the two puzzles somewhere – Ryuuki's baking and the Precepts' obvious attempts at procuring an heir.
"We'll be a good father to Our people if We can provide for them to eat!" exclaimed Ryuuki proudly, a small amount of flour going 'poof!' in the air before him as he proudly held up the dough.
The sound of a man coughing as if trying to smother a laugh leaked through the doorway into the kitchen, but they ignored it. (Seiran covered his mouth with his hand and hoped he hadn't been too loud.)
The young woman appraised the confident man before her before she, too, gave in and laughed. He'll frustrate those old busybodies and spite them better than I could ever do, and unintentionally, too! she marveled, leaning on the counter for support and trying to hold her sides together.
"Isn't this a good plan?" he asked, seeking her praise. "Shuurei, are you sure you're alright? Shuurei? Will you help? We want to become a better man, for Saiunkoku," he intoned sincerely. For you, spoke his eyes.
Giddy at the prospect of pulling one over on the intrusive, conniving Sages, Shuurei's eyes gleamed with determination as she grabbed Ryuuki's hands tightly within her own. "Let's do our best to impress them, your Highness! We'll practice every night if we have to!"
"Shuurei," he said in a happy, quiet voice, pulling her to him. I'm so lucky to have a woman so devoted to her country by my side, he thought, grateful.
"Ryuuki," she sighed, only protesting a little at the close contact between their light—though now, quite filthy from cooking—robes. I'm so lucky to have such a clueless 'husband' when dealing with the Sages' manipulations in such matters, she conceded in relief.
Leaning against the wall just outside the doorway, Seiran wondered ruefully how much rest he'd manage over the next several weeks while his charges would be so 'diligent'…
WEEK 2
The Emperor stifled a yawn as he held council over the results of a recent investigation into salt-smuggling in a far-reaching province. His Ministers and Advisors surrounded his dais in Court. He and Shuurei had been baking almost every night—but he vowed to keep up his hard work until he perfected his new skills.
The ministers occasionally mumbled to themselves about the Emperor's lowered alertness—but no one dared gossip. Yet.
xXxXxXx
Shusui looked up from the tray of tea and snacks Kourin had recently left them, peering over at her ladyship and remarked, "is everything all right, my Lady Shuurei? That's the sixth time this morning you've stretched to 'wake yourself up'! You're normally so full of energy – are you not well?" she asked in concern. She didn't dare bully the Consort to take a nap, but she was surprised – Shuurei wasn't the type to laze about as she'd been the past several mornings. She'd barely played her erhu at all…
"Oh! Everything's fine, fine!" waved Shuurei, stifling another yawn. "Don't worry, it's just been very busy, these past few nights," the dark-haired woman evaded, hoping her reassurances would be enough to discourage further inquisition. She mentally sighed as her attendant smiled comfortingly at her and nodded, returning to her latest attempt at embroidery; a lily. It resembled like a yeti.
The young woman sipped at her stronger-than-usual tea, her thoughts wandering to the kitchen escapades she'd become accustomed to. Her stupid 'husband' still couldn't mix the dough properly. On the plus side, he had managed to successfully measure the water—after an hour.
She felt her shoulders slump in anticipation-- they'd be at it again that evening, she was sure of it.
xXxXxXx
The sous-chef checked the inventory again—and concluded it wasn't just his imagination. The imperial stores and kitchens were definitely a little lower-stocked than he'd expected.
Shrugging his shoulders, he made his way back to report everyone would have to pull up his socks and measure a little more accurately, since the Emperor wouldn't appreciate waste. Er, rather, head Consort Kou would not, he corrected himself with mild embarrassment, remembering the one time she'd visited the kitchens. It was like being routed by an invading force: an invading force of efficient experts. Her re-organization had turned the entire cooking staff into resourceful, budgeting tacticians—but they'd had to draw the line at her actually cooking alongside them, as it would have caused a scandal. ("A noble woman, cooking? At the palace?!") They'd been forced to ban her from the cooking premises, to prevent her family, and the Emperor, from losing face.
Returning to the head chef, the servant made his report and went back to his duties, temporarily forgetting the provision levels.
xXxXxXx
"…I know, it looks like Consort Kou's robes are being dragged through a bakery mishap!" commented one of the laundry women to another, massaging the fine silk with a delicate detergent. She clucked her tongue as she hung the next garment up, ready to be cleaned. "What could she be doing to get into this state?" she wondered aloud.
"Perhaps a good roll in the hay with the Emperor—on the kitchen floor!" called one woman in jest, making a knowing motion of her hand.
The outlandish notion caused laughter to ring out merrily down the nearby hallways. Little did they know, they actually had it half-right.
xXxXxXx
(Several nights later)
The palace guard paused and listened—yes, he was sure of it. There were sounds coming from the kitchens. Someone could be trying to poison the Emperor's food!
He crept closer to investigate, holding himself still to prevent his armour clanking and alerting his prey to his presence. Light seeped out from the doorway to the large room, and he saw two shadows moving about. He didn't dare move into sight, though; best to assess, just in case it was just diligent staff, he reasoned.
"…yes, that's the way—see, your hands already know how to do this!" encouraged Shuurei cheerfully as Ryuuki finally kneaded the dough properly. "That's it! There you go—see, it works much better when you massage it gently with your palms and knuckles, instead of roughly with your fingers," she explained expertly.
The guard paused, not entirely unconvinced they weren't harmless—and crept closer still.
Ryuuki's smile illuminated his face in the faint light of their lantern, as Shuurei's praise embraced him. He spun around to proudly show her the latest batch of dough balls ready to be put in the steamer, but slipped on the mess he'd made earlier that night, careening towards the tabletop. "Shuurei, look at— waaaaaaaaah!"
"Your Highness!" she cried, diving forward to stop him.
They landed side by side on the floor, the dough smeared traitorously across their clothing (and liberally on everything else within reach).
"Shuurei, your robes!" lamented the young man, dismayed at the sorry state of his beloved's attire. "And the buns! Oh no, We're so sorry! Let Us help you clean them!" He sat up and reached over to his Consort's outer robe, but she smacked his hand away, eyes living and lips tight. She was about to yell at him that she needed none of his assistance undressing when she heard a shout from the doorway. Oh no, with a sinking feeling in her heart, she cringed. It's getting worse.
"What do you think you're doing!" hollered the guard, seeing only Shuurei at the time from his angle just inside the doorway. She quickly realized she must look like a stable hand in her disheveled state, and immediately stood to address the unwanted guest. "I'm just about to tidy up and return to my apartment," she assured him nervously, quickly pushing Ryuuki aside with her foot as she put away the leftover ingredients. "No need to worry, I'm just about done!"
The Emperor let out an "oomph!" as she accidentally kicked him in the ribs in her haste. She winced in sympathy. "Sorry!" she mumbled under her breath.
The guard didn't miss the sound, though. "And who's that there with you?" he called authoritatively as he moved further into the room, searching for other intruders. He swiftly brandished his sword, alert to any new developments.
"Don't worry, Shuurei, We have a plan," whispered Ryuuki from beside her.
Shuurei groaned as Ryuuki popped his head up genially from behind the counter. "Hello!" he called to the guard. The guard was taken aback by the ghost-like grinning head that had popped up beside the young woman, but stood his ground. "Good job on the guarding, all's well here. You can return to your post!" He smiled broadly at the heavily-armed man and waved him away in dismissal.
This was your great plan?! Flared Shuurei internally, head whipping around to glare at him.
See, no problem! His smile attempted to convey. His confidence wavered when the guard raised his sword at them. Or not.
"Both of you—out, now!" ordered the sentry in no uncertain terms.
You stupid, idiot Emperor! Shuurei's cheeks flared pink in anger and embarrassment as they were led away.
xXxXxXx
Glancing up from his architectural plans with Shou Taishi the following morning, Sa Taiho interjected into the combative conversation, "but it does sound like it's going well, don't you think?" Shou Taishi harrumphed and turned back to the miserable-looking young man before them.
"You could learn some self-control, your man," he advised coldly, though there was a glint of mischief in his eyes.
Ryuuki glared back, missing the spark. "We slipped—it was dark. We only see her at night and these things take time. You'll have what you want at the end of the month, so go away 'til then!" he grumbled, annoyed.
"Oy, that's no way to speak to your elders," admonished Sou Taifu. He was sitting on the floor, sanding the sidebars to what looked like an ornately-carved crib. "You need to set an example, for future generations. The entire country is expecting great things of you as Emperor—it is our job to see you accomplish these." He paused, looking down a moment at his project. "And what are your favourite colours?" he asked gruffly, scratching his beard as he mused.
A little thrown, the Emperor replied, "ah, red, yellow…," he glanced at his robes, "and purple." What was going on?
Sou Taifu snorted in derision. "Bah—those'll look terrible," he muttered to himself, ignoring the Emperor's outraged expression. Ryuuki was sure he heard the old general mutter something cryptic about 'poor taste and no creativity'.
"What are you old fogies talking about?" yelled the exasperated, golden-eyed ruler as he threw his arms up and stomped away. "Enough, We're going to sleep!" The door shut abruptly behind him, not bothering the Sages in the least.
Shou Taishi leaned over Sa Taiho, perusing the building plans his colleague had drafted.
"I think the change-table would be better here, and the Eight-Enlightened Ones mobiles can then dangle over the crib here," he indicated, ignoring the spoiled leader's stormy exit. "Good job, Enjun," he said, patting his friend on the back. "We'll start construction in a few days' time." Enjun nodded and scribbled in the adjustments.
Smirking, Shou rubbed his beard appreciatively.
The kitchens, eh? He mused, coming to another decision. "Enjun, pull up more drafting paper," he instructed suddenly. "I think the harem needs another addition, too…"
xXxXxXx
"…heard he's quite good with his hands," whispered one woman as a group of young servants casually swept a room clean that afternoon. She paused and wiped her forehead, itchy from the dust.
"Yes, something about being a natural with massage!" giggled another from the other side of the deep room.
"And quite direct, too—I was so surprised to hear he was taking her clothes off while they were right there on the floor! Imagine, being caught by a guard, in the middle of things!" exclaimed one scandalously. "Not that I'd really complain, either…"
"I hear they've been at it almost every night!" tittered another jealously, hiding her blush.
"And they both look exhausted."
"Consort Kou is always so cheery and kind, though, despite how little sleep she's getting. She must be very much in love with his Highness to be trying so hard for an heir."
"Do you think it'll happen soon?" asked one girl after a pause.
The others looked at her and one giggled, clapping excitedly. "Oh! I just remembered—one of the girls on garden-duty said there was to be big news from the Emperor about a 'big accomplishment' at a banquet at the end of the month!"
She quickly covered her mouth as several ministers glanced into the noisy room as they passed by, curious at the activity inside. The girls quickly made to work-- until they were in the clear-- before excitedly resuming elaborate plans for the gurgling 'little Emperor' they were expecting.
Against the wall outside the meeting room, Shuei calmly gripped the violently-protesting Kouyuu, one hand clamped over the other man's mouth, the other holding down his arms, and sighed mightily. "Guess we better go let Seiran know," he remarked in resignation, dragging his colleague behind him. He paused and looked patiently at Kouyuu (who'd gone a little blue from lack of oxygen in his iron grip), as another thought struck him. "Has anyone told Shouka yet?" he inquired soberly. Kouyuu slowly shook his head, "no."
Releasing the pacified young man, Shuei rubbed his chin.
The two men looked at each other warily another moment before simultaneously coming to a decision, nodding firmly.
"Seiran," they declared in unison, determination shining in their eyes. We'll leave it to him.
xXxXxXx
"Are you alright, Seiran?" yawned Shuurei in the warm breeze that floated over them. She looked over at her companion's sudden stiffening, lifting her head from the table of the small gazebo that overlooked the Imperial garden pools—one of the ponds, anyway. She was too tired to care which at that moment.
He smiled at her peacefully from his nearby seat. "Fine, my Lady, thank you. My shoulders suddenly felt an oppressive weight on them, but it's probably just my imagination. Please don't worry," he replied, petting her hair as she let her head down on her folded hands to sleep again, smiling faintly at him. His hand rested a moment longer as he watched her mouth open a little more and her breathing even out.
xXxXxXx
The sous-chef was dumb-founded—for the second time in as many weeks, they seemed low on basic baking provisions. Shaking his head and giving it a quick scratch, he sighed and returned to the main kitchen, determined to clean things extra-thoroughly that night to discourage any animals which may have been scurrying away with the missing food…
xXxXxXx
"Aaaaaaagh!" yelled the Emperor painfully from the kitchen. The sound had become absurdly routine by the end of the second week, but that didn't hinder his guardian's pace. Seiran rushed in, already prepared to defend his younger sibling to the last.
"Your Highness, are you—" He stopped dead and sighed tiredly. Not this again, mourned the former prince.
"Look, it came out shaped like a rock!" the younger man complained, picking up the bun he'd just finished cooking. "'bout as hard, too," he mumbled, hurt. He sulked and flopped down on a chair, refusing to look at his latest failure.
Seiran looked over at Shuurei; she waved him away reassuringly and went back to coaching Ryuuki. "You need to warm the steamer up properly first, geez, what have I been telling you?"
The pale-haired lord observed her skillful hands (again) with determined puppy-dog eyes as Shuurei (again) repeated the motions. "See?" she smiled encouragingly at him, "you'll have it perfect soon—look how far you've come already! You haven't burned water in over a week!" she complimented him sincerely. Though how you did it the first dozen times still escapes me, she admitted internally, still mildly concerned.
Renewing his efforts, the prince-cum-emperor steeled himself and got back to work.
He hasn't given up yet, I'll give him that, remarked the compassionate young teacher to herself as her charge carefully went about measuring ingredients all over again. She took a deep breath to revitalize herself and closed her eyes a moment. He's a good man, and he's truly doing his best. It can't be easy…
She felt the corners of her mouth turning up into a smile as she thought about how childish he could be at the same time, and nearly chuckled. Her brow furrowed though, as the next thought surfaced, unbidden. How the Sages thought that she and Ryuuki were…ugh... She let the thought trail off on its own, refusing to let her moment of peace be broken by the trio of advisors.
It was instead broken by Ryuuki's high-pitched screams of terror.
"Shuurei! Help, we've lit the water on fire again!"
"You WHAT?!"
Snapping out of her daze, Shuurei rushed to his side, coughing and sputtering as Seiran rushed in (again) and Ryuuki wailed at his misfortune.
Shuurei began beating the flames out with a towel. Well, it had been a nice, fire-less week while it lasted…
/end Part 01
AN: Also, this is my first time writing a 'Koku fic, and I've never actually read one before either (just recently signed up to the LJ comm!), so please forgive if I'm making use of an overdone cliché!
AN: Comm: saiunkokufic (where this fic was originally posted)
AN: Gift-Exchange fic for: grey-damaskena (LJ), who requested a Shuurei/Ryuuki fic
Saiunkoku Fic- Part One
March 2007 (posted to this site June 15/2007)