Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Poison ❯ Chapter 7: Sceptic ( Chapter 7 )
Anime/Manga: Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Romance / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 05.03.2005 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.9K | Visits: 292 | Status: Completed
Poison
Author: Nekocin
Genres: Drama, Romance, General
Warnings: Major OoC, lots of uhm—naughty thinking?
Pairings: mainly Touya+Yukito, other (implied) pairings like Sakura+Syaoran
Rated: PG13
Disclaimer: Card Captor Sakura doesn't belong to me. It belongs to CLAMP. Kaiba doesn't belong to me either. He belongs to Takahashi Kazuki-sensei.
Chapter 7: Sceptic
Touya wakes up in a start. He blinks his eyes open, feeling completely disoriented and pushes himself up. His muscles immediately protest at the strain he's made himself sleep. Both his back and neck are feeling sore, maybe even stiff.
Where is he again?
He rubs his eyes absently and looks around.
The TV is still on--the open channel which is usually reserved for watching VHS tapes, is on screen. He's in the living-room, having fallen asleep on one side of the couch. Some empty snack bowls are on the small table... Yukito, his friend, is peacefully sleeping on the other end of the sofa, curled up on his side.
For a moment Touya watches Yukito's serene face, faintly listening to Yukito's light breathing. His friend is going to feel the pain on his sides and in his legs if he keeps on sleeping in that position. Besides that, the couch isn't one of those comfortable places to fall asleep upon.
Touya carefully stands up from the couch, stretched himself by reaching out as high as he could with his arms, and looks back down at his slumbering guest. He kneels next to the sofa and carefully slides his arms under Yukito's neck and knees, shifting him into position. Ever so slowly he stands up, holding his friend in a damsel-in-distress in his arms and again, looks back down at his slumbering friend to see if he's rudely woken him up.
He didn't.
Yukito continues to sleep, oblivious to the shifting.
Touya lets out a small sigh as he slowly makes his way to his bedroom and places his friend on his bed, tucking him in under the navy blue sheets. Almost immediately Yukito lays on his other side, snuggling closer to the pillow and lets out a small, curt happy sigh.
Touya smiles down at his oblivious friend... he must be dreaming of paradise. Suddenly he notices the patterns of Yukito's baby blue pajamas. He has to bit back a laugh when he affirms what he's suddenly noticed just by staring at the patterns again.
One side of Yukito's baby blue pajamas is decorated with half and quarter moons, while the other side is decorated with little, white bunnies. So cute!
Yuki buries his face into the pillows almost hugging them.
He has never really watched Yuki sleeping before—no, wait, maybe once he did, but he cannot remember anything from that time—he sleeps like a rose?
That's not a good comparison.
Yuki's lips are drawn firmly, controlled together as if he's about to lash out something thoughtless. His face is set straight, a bit harsh even if it's unconsciously done, like a distant mask. As for his closed eyes, they seem to frown once in a while...
What has made the easy-going Yuki to sleep so restless?
Touya isn't sure if he wants to know. Yukito has been so happy and untouched at times when Touya is taking his time to observe him unnoticeably. After all this time he hasn't paid much attention to his friend until he has caught himself looking at Yuki differently.
Has it always been there—the frown on Yukito's seemingly carefree face—?
How selfish of him, only knowing the pain of losing his sister. He's been so set on his pain that he's almost forgotten his true nature of being the one who's born to protect. And the thought has sounded like a contract...
Without knowing why, Touya runs his fingers through Yukito's tousled hair. He combs the strands of hair back, almost too tenderly, and—stops. He immediately comes back to his thoughts—this is wrong—. Touya guiltily pulls his hand away as if having done something out of the ordinary, which is true nonetheless.
Now he has to convince himself completely that him seeing his friend runs deeper or rawer than normal friends would see each other. It's so daring... This is too troubling.
He forces himself out of the room and steps into the bathroom, leaving Yukito in his oblivious state.
Work.
Work has never been so fun to him before. There's this blind eagerness inside of him that urges him on to finish his work quickly. It's as if he has just noticed how wonderful the air he breathes in is. The eager feeling swells up, touching his insides willingly and making him feel as if having been reborn to this world. Finally!
There's this sense of being so damn happy and carefree today that Touya has to resist smiling on his way up to his office. A carefree smile that can never be seen on Kinomoto Touya's serious, emotionless or rather distant face. He cannot allow his fellow-colleagues to get a glimpse of his perfect good mood.
Touya immediately throws himself into his work, passionately perfecting the models of the newest neat toys and writing down the toys' proper statistics. (After all, there needs to be a memoir of new toys somewhere, especially when Daidouji-sama is a successful business woman) He suddenly thinks of doing something nice for her, and anyone who's worthy of his attention.
Daidouji-sama is a bit hard to please since the both of them aren't that close enough to know each others' likes and dislikes. But there's one think he does know about Daidouji-sama's simple 'like'—it's Nadeshiko—his 'kaa-san. Some fresh nadeshiko flowers on Daidouji-sama's doorstep sounds like a nice thing to do.
Sakura—he should do something nice for her too—is easy to please; she appreciates any gift given to her. What about that gaki—his brother-in-law? Hmmm—sending something nice to Sakura is probably enough.
Oh! He's almost forgotten Tomoyo. Even if they aren't that close, Touya thinks Tomoyo deserves -at least- something too; she has always stood by Sakura's side.
His mind slowly wanders to Yukito.
Before he has left his apartment, he's left a little scribbled note on the night table next to the bed, saying that he's at work and breakfast is already made.
Yukito is probably still asleep, lying on his bed either stretched out carelessly on his back gripping the covers lightly, or curled on his side snuggling his face into his navy-clothed pillows. In his baby blue pajamas—Touya smiles faintly.
~--He slowly tilts his face to the side, exposing his bare beck despite the collar of his sweatshirt.--~
Yes, and his friend is probably exposing more than just his neck side. Sleeping is a sentimental thing that lays one nakedly sensual in its wake—whatever that means. If only he could touch Yukito—
Touya immediately stops his train of thoughts—his strange thoughts—his strange and shameful thoughts—, and he rearranges his papers. He shouldn't be thinking like this about his friend.
He'll never get a chance to have him anyways.
It's so strange to see things like this. To see himself -liking- his friend more than just a friend. If he were lucky, Yukito probably wouldn't even notice the affections running deeper. He doesn't want to lose the small relationship—the small base, which he's built along with Yukito. The little peaceful bond—
Touya sighs in defeat. He quickly banishes his troubled thoughts from the surface of his mind and busies himself with leafing through the thick phonebook in search for flower shops and gift shops.
Why isn't he panicking about this turn of event? Is it because he has always knowing the feeling is there? Or maybe because he knows he'll get over these feeling— someday?
~--and he kisses the lips tenderly, silently asking for encouragement--~
His daily routine are eagerly done: waking up at 5, preparing for work, digging his way through the mountain of work on his desk, going to Madam Butterfly for a drink or two and spending time with Yuki as long as he can.
He seems to be operating on autopilot as each day goes by without noticing it himself. Like a movie. There's a darker side in this movie which Touya absolutely doesn't want to evaluate--this darker side has made this emptiness, this hollow feeling known in his chest. But he has no idea what it really means--and why.
He is back in normal state, right?
Everyone—well, sort of everyone not counting those who dislike him--is proud of his work, right?
He likes to spend his time with Yukito at night, right?
So what is actually wrong? Touya isn't sure about the latter, but—it has something to do with this re-born feeling. And Yukito is still oblivious of his subtle affections!
Nothing could be done about that one, he sighs in defeat. But what if Yukito responds to his—subtle hints? Touya isn't sure how to react if Yuki were to return his feelings.
"Courtesies from your fans, To-ya!" Yukito flashes a teasing smile as he elegantly raises two glasses of rum in front of his line of view.
Touya glares -not with malice- at his friend, who places the two glasses near his half-empty Light Moon Beam. After placing the glasses down, Yukito rests his elbows on top of the counter and easily reflects Touya's sitting position across the counter.
It doesn't feel awkward sitting across him and have a staring contest with Yukito like the first time they had one. Touya had to suppress the unexpected blush when his friend had stared into his eyes trustingly that time. It seems like Yukito was trying to understand him.,,
However, this time Yukito has stared at him for only two seconds before shifting his gaze some place else.
Touya frowns lightly.
"This has to stop," Yukito mutters under his breath barely loud enough for Touya to hear. But heard it, he did.
Touya raises an inquiring eyebrow. "What has to stop?"
"This!" The bartender gestures at the space between either of them. Immediately Touya feels the blood drain from his face.
'This'—as in -their- relationship?
He chokes.
-b-but why? Has he done something wrong in Yuki's eyes? Has he mistreated him?
Or—has Yukito discovered the truth through looking into his eyes?
"Why?" Touya bites back another choke. He didn't get his answer.
Yukito raises his eyes over Touya's shoulder and nod once. A costumer behind Touya must have ordered something. "I'll be right back,"
The bartender reaches for two empty glasses under the sink and grabs a bottle of vodka. He uncorks the bottle slowly, almost hesitantly and stops, looking thoughtful.
Touya watches, transfixed, but instantly drops his eyes when Yukito's own hazel ones meet his by accident. Maybe Yukito knows. Then it's for the best to stop their friendship. But why does it have to hurt? He unconsciously grips the front of his collar—his chest constricts—it's as if he couldn't breathe anymore.
"This has to stop." Yukito repeats firmly.
The words seem to taunt him, piercing his chest mercilessly. Why this pain? It's different from the pain when he has lost Sakura—but it's still pain.
"Decline their offers next time. I don't want to see you hurting yourself with alcohol," Yukito continues as he comes near Touya's side, holding the two glasses filled with vodka.
Decline the offers?
Touya blinks and lets his mind backtrack. It doesn't sound like a break up... so he waits for Yukito to continue, nervously -for the first time- holding his breath as he clams on the counter as if his life depended on it.
"Drinking yourself silly is not an option. You can't keep Sakura-chan to yourself!"
Touya blinks, looking up in surprise. Sakura? What has she got to do with anything?
"I know you love her the most but she's an independent woman now, a fully-grown woman who pursues a well-paid career and sharing her life with a nice man. And-," Yukito abruptly stops and nervously raises his eyes once again to meet Touya's own.
Guilt. He's looking guiltily at his taller friend.
Touya's heart makes an abnormal leap.
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—It's none of my business," Something flashes through Yukito's eyes, immediately skittering away before Touya could understand it. He shakes his head mentally. He must be seeing things, he assures himself.
Yukito drops his eyes, looking ashamed.
This is getting too awkward, Touya notes.
He grabs for something nearby—a fork—picks out a random piece of cake from his plate and leans on the counter.
"Yuki," His tone has come out firm and a bit too demanding. But at least his voice sounds controlled compared to his thumping heart.
Yukito flinches visibly and opens his mouth to release a string of apologies. His friend instantly takes advantage of this opportunity and shovels the cake into Yukito's mouth.
"You know—for a moment there, I thought you were going to end our friendship," He pulls the fork gently out of Yukito's mouth, watching with amazed eyes as Yukito's graces the plastic fork when he bites into the cake.
Widened hazel eyes stare back at him in question.
"As long as I can be with you, nothing matters," Touya gives him one of the rare smiles the second time he has flashed the smile which he usually reserves for his family.
"I admit it hurts whenever I think about her. But at least I know she's happy. And besides, I have you to turn to," He says truthfully. Wherever he's gotten those words, they're closer to a well-thought out confession even if it's unintentionally spoken.
Yukito doesn't seem to notice the double meaning. He simply smiles gratefully and raises his eyes to meet Touya's face, seemingly content with Touya's speech and glad for he's shared something both deep and personal with him. Yukito's smile changes slightly. It turns playful.
"Have you ever heard of 'sister-complex’, To-ya?" He suggests.
Touya glares immediately, having caught the subtle meaning. He stabs the last piece of cake on his plate with the fork and takes a bite, glaring with narrowed eyes. Of course he has heard of that word! But it sounds so accusingly coming from Yuki's mouth.
"Sakura-chan has mentioned about you being mean to her telling me I have to watch out for you," Yuki adds good-naturedly, probably having forgotten their awkward moment a few minutes ago. The heavy air, which has settled between them without any notice, evaporates.
"Shut up!" Touya grumbles.
Yukito chuckles. He looks at the glasses (filled with vodka) he is still holding and puts them away, guiltily smiling up at Touya. "I think you have had enough,"
Touya raises an elegant eyebrow.
"From your admirers," Yukito explains. "I'm glad you're still here,"
Not really knowing what Yukito is trying to say, he just nods. He feels his chest getting both lighter and heavier at the same time. And the heart increases its beating as the night goes by.
"Are you free after work?" Touya has finally gathered his courage to ask -that one- question suddenly. That one simple question that will either lead him to a place of luck or to a place of pain depending on the one being asked.
Yukito gives him a funny look, clearly confused and answers with an unsure, "Yes".
After work they usually walk back home together or eat at some cheap noodle shop—it's their way of spending time together. So why exactly-?
"Let's go some place else tonight!" Touya answers the unspoken question, looking eagerly at his friend in a Touya-like way.
Gods! It's like his throat is constricted, like he couldn't even breathe properly at the moment. Holding his breath for anything, which may come out of his friend's lips, he waits patiently.
Yukito is unsure how to react to this. He hasn't counted that Touya could be suggestive, for his friend is pretty secretive about certain aspects of his life.
So—this must be a good sign. A good sign that Touya is trying to move on, sharing something with Yukito again. All this is overwhelming to Yukito.
He looks at his friend's barely-noticed nervous face—why is it always set straight like a mask?
Touya seems genuine to have him come along. He doesn't want to lie to him--and besides, he's already feeling quite excited himself. It's not his every day that he sees Touya at least visibly excited like now.
"--Okay. Clow knows about our routine walks and there at night, so—I think it's all right," He slips a quick smile on his face as he responds to Touya's suggestion,
Hearing that, Touya unconsciously lets out a sigh of relief. He feels as if the heavy weight of the world has lifted from his shoulders.
For the moment there, he has been guiltily thinking about what Yukito might say about his strange question. It's already weird when one has these strong, haphazard feelings whenever Yukito is around. There's a deep longing for comfort perhaps.
Touya waves his thoughts dismissively and watches Yukito busy himself with uncorking some new bottles of drinks. Hazel eyes raise to meet his briefly only to drop instantly and focusing back on his work.
Yukito looks worried, he notes.
"You know, To-ya. You've been acting pretty strange tonight,"
"I'm okay,"
"You sure?"
"There's nothing strange about my behaviour. I'm just trying to adjust,"
Yukito raises a skeptical eyebrow.
"Oh right, I forgot. Do you want some more cake, To-ya?" He smiles sheepishly for forgetting his duty as a bartender who is supposed to ask his clients if they want extras.
"No thank you,"
"But you've let me eat all yours," Yukito points out.
"I'm just not too hungry tonight,"
"Oh—okay. But you cannot waste your cake on me. Customers will suspect you being—odd about whatever you've bought,"
"Not that I care what they think,"
"To-ya—!"
"All right. I just notice how you like—no, -love- cake. More than I myself. So I let you have most of them," Touya confesses. His lips twitch into a fond half smile.
"You look so content while eating them,"
Yukito's face flushes lightly. It's embarrassing to hear that coming from his friend. It makes him sound like—a hog or something.
"Thank you, I think—but you don't have to feed me with your cake,"
Touya smirks instantly. "As long as you're happy there's nothing wrong about eating my cake."
His friend blinks once with his hazel eyes behind the big pair of glasses, having struck speechless by that comment and his hazel eyes flashes slightly in color.
Touya is strange whenever he is trying to express himself properly. Curt, short sentences while using that disciplined stance—such a mysterious prince charming to all his admirers.
Touya's eyes turn sad for a moment. "But there comes a time when you don't need me anymore,"
"Huh?"
"Nothing," He quickly mutters out and drinks his glass of Light Moon Beam empty in one gulp.
It's a wonder he hasn't choked himself to death yet. Or getting himself dead drunk yet. His alcohol tolerance is probably getting higher as each night passes.
Yukito drops the issue instinctively and starts wiping the counter after having filled Touya's glass with Light Moon Beam again. How slender his arm—how elegant his moves—
Touya sighs unconsciously, rests his chin on his palm while leaning his elbow on the counter and watches the on-goings around his friend. The loud parties, The drunkards. The youngsters.
He brings his eyes back on Yukito and takes a good look at him.
There's not much Touya could describe Yukito. He is short compared to his height. Slimly built and lithe compared to his own lanky form. He instantly catches himself running his eyes over his friend from head to toe.
Yukito is simply a bit effeminately built with his slim shoulders and hips, slender arms and legs, cute head and a pair of shortsighted romantic hazel eyes. Nothing seems out of the ordinary and still there is something—something strange about Yukito.
So he is really checking his friend out. It's just too unreal to think of himself separated from Yukito's side—there's another catch than just staying friends forever and that is—
"You like what you're seeing?" A deep voice startles him before Touya could identify what exactly the 'catch' is in his mind. He immediately recognizes the deep voice and places a face to the owner in his mind's eye.
Mr. Kaiba slides down on the bar stool on Touya's right, without looking at his face for he is just busy studying someone—the bartender for that matter.
"Good evening, Mr. Kaiba," Touya bids nonchalantly downing his drink quickly. The liquid burns as usual as it foes down his throat. He unconsciously lets out a sigh as soon as the burning has subsided a bit.
"Good evening," Mr. Kaiba sounds amused and turns his face to look sideways at Touya.
"So am I right about you?"
So cryptic, so mysterious—Touya doesn't care which word sounds better and stares at the CEO, hoping to stare him down probably. Having the other's presence nearby just irks him even if he respects the CEO.
Tonight is supposed to be his night with Yukito. As special night, that is.
"Don't be so defensive. I have not done anything to you."
Touya narrows his eyes, annoyed. How does this guy read his mind?
"What do you want, Kaiba?" He blurts, rudely dismissing the formalities.
Mr. Kaiba doesn't seem to mind it. He gives Touya a little smile—coyly—and raises the drink he has been holding. "Just a drink before going home, Kinomoto,"
He eyes the CEO suspiciously and turns his attention back to Yukito. It doesn't matter if Mr. Kaiba notices him staring at his friend. He didn't care.
"You know, I've always thought you were more a ladies- man," Mr. Kaiba comments suddenly, gently shaking his glass in small circles while watching the amber liquid bump against the glass' insides, and then downs the drink without hesitation.
"I have been in your position before too, so I guess it's not a surprise," END Chapter 7
- 'kaa-san – mother (can also be 'okaa-san')
TheNekoTalks:
We're nearing the end and I guess it feels anti-climatic. :sighs: I just wanted to end the story -quietly- and make it look as original as it can be. After reading many of your wonderful responses, I feel as if this story needs more chapters... :shifty eyes: I might consider writing some side fics (one-shots in particular)... and post them here. I'm not making any promises... I'll just think about it.
And I need to read more Touya/Yukito or Touya/Yue stories too!!!! :cries:
I like to thank:
-korosu - That's all right. I don't mind. I didn't upload the said 2 or 3 chapters that fast... had been a bit occupied with reading others' fanfiction :sweatdrops: :blush: I hope I didn't embarrass myself with their characterization... :3 Thank you for reading and reviewing!
-FairyMage - :blush blush: You've read the -uncut- version? :blush: Aa, okay thanks. I'll probably upload it as a B chapter in the near future (would that make up for my incompetence?). I was afraid chapter 6 was going to be confusing... :sighs: Thank you for mentioning :333
-Fairy Mage (again) - Was it too sugary? I apologize for letting your teeth rot... ehm, Kaiba was supposed to be a supporting character, someone who was supposed to push Touya into -that- direction because he recognized himself in Touya. :blush: That's all right... I hope this is still considered good shounen ai/yaoi. I'd really worked hard on this story when my computer had crashed. Ah :smiles: reminds me of myself too—whenever I read such good shounen ai/yaoi and occasionally hetero I would get hyper and write very long reviews to the authors. Here's the new chapter, I hope it's still an all right one for you. "Poison" is the only story where I'd planned how many chapters it should consist and I didn't want this story to get dragging-ly long, making it 20-something chapters or so. I might bore you (I tend to write different styles). But there's still a sequel told from Yuki's side...:smiles: I need to work on that one soon (only one-fourth of chapter 1 is already done) Thank you for reading and reviewing (twice even :heart:)!
-heheangel kisses - :laughs: I tried to make it mysterious why Kaiba was acting a bit weird in the beginning, but I guess he came out hilarious. :blush: :heart: I'm glad you love this chapter. I thought it was a bit too sugary—but, but it had sounded so right in my head while I wrote that chapter. Really? I've never had one either. But since Yuki and Touya really do have 'slumber parties' (just studying mostly) in the anime series, I thought it would be cute to add that one too, to make at least Touya's feelings known. He's such a difficult character to express certain nice actions. I feel relieved when you say that, I thought Yuki-fans, or Touya-fans would fry me for changing a little of their favorite characters' attitude. :heart: Thank you for reading and reviewing!
-Rei Asakura - I'm glad you've fallen in love with this story... :looks down at you clinging on knees: :twitch twitch: I'mnotgoingtoyieldI'mnotgoingtoyieldnotgoingtoyield :looks at teary-eyed Rei: :twitch: ARGH! Here's the new update! :blush: That title makes me feel like any neko-person. (Don't worry about it, I'm not really a Japanese student-in-training) :3 Thank you for reading and reviewing!
Thank you for reading! Thank you for your wonderful responses!
I apologize for the long notes!
.:Nekocin:. (I'm changing my signs at the end of my stories, because the usual smiley face and neko ears I'd signed in my earlier works cannot be used anymore and I find it silly every time I sign out with :smiley face:cin)