Tsubasa Chronicle Fan Fiction ❯ Stuck In The Middle With You ❯ Stuck In The Middle With You ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I do not own X/1999 or Tsubasa Chronicles, CLAMP does, which is the reason the characters within them are subjected to so much torture and angst.

 

Summary: Seishirou and Subaru are trapped in an elevator together. Kamui is freaking out. Fuuma is enjoying the whole situation immensely. Beware the madness…

 

A/N: Numbers within parentheses indicate a footnote explained at the bottom.

Stuck In The Middle With You

 

Subaru sighed as he pressed the button for the elevator and waited for it to come to a stop on his floor of the huge skyscraper where he was job-applying. No, scratch that, where he had been job-applying. Unfortunately, his potential employer had seemed more interested in the physical attributes he could offer, not his mind and skills. Subaru shivered as he remembered the balding glasses man groping him inappropriately and hoped he could escape the building before the man's secretary discovered her unconscious boss and the massive dent in his office's wall. The only good thing Subaru could manage to see in the whole situation was that Kamui hadn't been there to witness the act. His little brother was a bit over-protective of him (and might he say obsessed too?) and would probably have snapped the guy's neck and flung him through the large glass window instead of delivering a minor bump on the head.

 

So far, from the amount of time they had spent in this current world, Subaru had decided it was worse than the one from which they had just come. That world still confused him. When they had arrived in that country, Subaru had been surprised to see that the society had been divided into two classes: those with cat ears and tails and those without. (1)He noticed that children were in the majority of those who possessed feline features while most adults were earless. More startling was the fact that he, himself had somehow grown cat ears and a tail, while Kamui did not. He had never discovered the reason behind this odd happening, although he suspected that his brother had in their time there, for one day Kamui had come home to their apartment red-faced and had holed himself up in his room. Subaru had pressed his ear against the door in concern but only could make out angry cursing and stuttering and muffled phrases such as, “Fuuma…kill him…even if…hot night…this world SUCKS!”

 

They left that world as quickly as possible, and Kamui had declared the only good thing about that world had been seeing that his onii-chan's ears were still intact. Subaru was still perplexed but Kamui had never bothered to explain what that had meant.

 

So now they were in this world, which seemed like an echo of a 21st century Tokyo, and both vampire brothers were out searching for a place to stay and a temporary position to support them in their brief stay. The elevator bell dinged and the doors opened. Subaru stepped inside and silently hoped Kamui was having better luck than him.

 

oOoOoOo

 

Kamui growled low in his throat as he stalked angrily down the crowded sidewalks, causing several little kids to scream in fear at his deranged expression and flee madly away. Aside from the fact that he was still extremely pissed off at the last world he and his brother had visited (stupid freaky cat people and their Unspoken Rules of the Ears), he wasn't having much luck finding a new place for them to live. So far, he had had ten landlords laugh uproariously and slam a door in his face when he told them no, he didn't have a job, no, he couldn't give any references, of course it was none of their damn business why he was dressed up in “some weird cosplay outfit”, no, he wasn't some super teenage idol and they weren't on a game show to win a million dollars, and did they want their throats ripped out if they continued laughing at him?

 

He had had to dodge several run-ins with the police for “threatening the safety of innocent civilians” and had had to resist the rising vengeful urge to suck every one of those idiots dry and discard them like empty husks. He knew his brother wouldn't be pleased if he gave in to his violent temper. Subaru possessed a kind, gentle nature and did not like seeing people hurt. He and his twin brother really were polar opposites.

 

Kamui turned a corner and yelped as he smacked right into someone's broad chest, causing some delicate bones in his nose to crack. That was it! He didn't care if it was an accident or not, he had had enough! Today was not a good day to get on his bad side!

 

Kamui's mouth turned upward in a smirk, showing his sharp fangs as he readied himself to attack the person in front of him…a person who seemed awfully familiar with that dark hair and red-tinted glasses…

 

“FUUMA!” Kamui exclaimed, his pupils narrowing to slits in shock. “What are you doing here?!”

 

“What? No hello kiss?” Fuuma asked, smiling roguishly at him, “I was hoping you were missing me terribly from our last good-bye together and came to comfort you.”

 

Kamui snarled at the innuendo and leapt at him, his nails enlarging and lengthening several inches as he slashed them through the air in a sweeping arc directed at the other's face.

 

The next thing he knew, he was struggling to free his hand, which was stuck partway through a brick wall, and Fuuma was maintaining a firm grip on his wrist.

 

“Tch, tch, claws in, you naughty kitty!” Fuuma chided, tapping one finger lightly on Kamui's bruised nose. “Speaking of which, how did you enjoy the last world you were in? It was easy for me to pick up your trail there…especially since everyone could then see the after-effects of my introducing you to the pleasures of adulthood.”

 

“FUUMA, YOU BASTARD, I'M GONNA KILL YOU!” Kamui yelled, his eyes turning a dangerous shimmering yellow as he finally managed to wrench his trapped hand from the wall and took another swipe at the treasure hunter.

 

Fuuma dodged the assault easily yet couldn't resist taunting the vampire one step further, “Really, what is all the fuss about? I didn't hear you complaining that night…”

 

“SHUT UP!” Kamui swore, feeling his face flare up like it was on fire as he hurled himself through the air at the other in a frenzy, claws pointed outwards.

 

“I must say, though, it was a bit disconcerting to see my older brother suddenly spring cat ears though,” Fuuma said as he leapt over Kamui's attack. “Even I assumed he had some experience at that. I had no idea he was saving himself for your vampire twin he's stuck on.”

 

“What?” Kamui said, halting his attack, a kind of fear coursing through his veins at the words. “Your brother—”

 

“I didn't have fun at all there,” Fuuma stated, crossing his arms and grimacing in remembrance, “Between listening to him ramble on about how he couldn't betray his love then getting the Safe Sex Talk when he saw I didn't have my ears…”

 

“WHAT?!” Kamui squeaked, feeling a bit sick himself at the idea that that man knew he had been intimate with Fuuma.

 

“Yes, it was quite traumatizing,” Fuuma said, sighing dramatically as a sly grin broke out across his face. “I need some Kamui to make me feel better!”

 

Kamui ignored the last part, his mind only focusing on one thing.

 

“Your brother is here on this world with you?” he demanded an answer, raising his claws intimidatingly.

 

“Of course,” Fuuma said, smirking as he put his hands in his pockets and took a casual stance. “Now where do you suppose he is at this very moment?”

 

Kamui's eyes widened in realization and he did an about-face turn and hurled himself into the air to jump on top of the nearest building where he continued to race along the rooftops in a mad desperation, following the link that flowed between him and his brother.

 

If that man was here, then he might be too late.

 

Subaru...I'm coming.

 

oOoOoOo

 

Seishirou ran his hands across the top of his head for the umpteenth time checking to make sure his cat ears from the last world were non-existent here. That had been quite a humiliating experience once he had figured out what having cat ears there had meant. Fuuma had gotten a good laugh out of that and he had had to resort to Step 2 of The Talk just to shut him up. In the meantime, while tracking the vampire twins' trail, Seishirou had had to put up with points and stares from the people of that world who were far too curious for their own good about an adult man still possessing his cat attributes. One female even had the gall to walk straight up to him and give them a hard yank to make sure they were real. That incident had opened up a whole new can of worms, for then he had begun to receive dozens and dozens of requests from overly-eager women and men to “assist him in getting rid of those pesky ears”. Fuuma had nearly busted a gut trying to refrain himself from laughing, not looking forward to getting another Talk lecture.

 

Blast! This was all Subaru's fault anyway! Seishirou smoldered as he waited for the elevator to arrive at his floor.

 

He knew that vampire's number alright. Subaru might act all chaste and innocent, but he was really a tease, a minx playing hard-to-get, making him traverse universe after universe to catch him. Honestly, had the boy really been so frightened by a few passionate kisses that he had had to suddenly up and run away? Seishirou still remembered when he had suggested they do more than kiss.

 

“B-But Seishirou-san!” Subaru had cried startled, his green eyes growing alarmingly shiny full of water. “We're…we're…we're not married yet!”

 

Alright, so maybe Seishirou regretted that he had stiffened in fear of the M-word and transported away in a flurry of sakura petals without saying anything further. It might have given Subaru the wrong impression of his intentions. Maybe that was why the vampire had taken off so abruptly across the vast void of worlds, although there seemed to be this rumor concerning him and Subaru's blood floating around now. He would have to put a stop to that somehow.

 

A bell dinged and the doors slid open revealing a much-crowded elevator. Seishirou was tempted to just wait for another one or take the stairs, but he changed his mind. He was on the 87th floor after all and that was a lot of flights to walk down and he had waited a full ten minutes for this elevator anyway. No telling how long the next one would be.

 

He stepped into the elevator and squeezed himself into a tiny space in the front. As the elevator started down, Seishirou wondered why he was at this building in the first place. It was true he could feel Subaru's presence, but then that had been true of all the worlds he had visited, and he had always been days, weeks, or months behind him. Subaru may have been here before, but it certainly didn't mean that he was here right now or even still on this world.

 

Seishirou's eyebrows furrowed further as his irritation spread. Damn, he needed a cigarette now!

 

The elevator stopped one story down from the floor where Seishirou had been waiting and the doors opened to reveal a young boy in a black and white sailor school uniform complete with a white hat. The kid was short in stature with tousled brown hair, brown eyes, and a face that held an expression between a blank slate and a scowl. (2)

 

Seishirou tried not to start violently at the sight of the boy. It seemed he had run into his former student Syaoran's doppelganger on this world. How peculiar. Other than a curious glance at him as the boy stepped into the elevator, it appeared this country's Syaoran did not have a familiar relationship with his own double (assuming he had one here).

 

The boy compressed himself as tightly as possible to the side near the button-panel where he pressed floor 85, one story down, causing the people in the crowded elevator to groan and moan loudly.

 

“Hey, kid, you're young! You could have just taken the stairs!”

 

“I'm on a tight schedule, you brat!”

 

“These elevators aren't exactly the fastest shooting rocket, you know!”

 

“You young whippersnappers have no respect or consideration for your elders!”

 

Syaoran said nothing, keeping his gaze directed in front of him, showing no outward signs that he had heard their lamenting.

 

The elevator dinged merrily as it stopped on floor 85 and opened, but the boy did not move to get off for a few seconds. Then in one brilliant and timed out act, the boy ran his hand down the control panel in one swift motion, successfully pressing every single button and jumped off the elevator just as the doors began closing.

 

“BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Syaoran laughed, an evil triumphant look on his face as he smirked at everyone's shocked expressions, which were slowly turning into outrage, but it was too late to retaliate.

 

The last they saw of the boy was of him blowing them all a raspberry as the doors slid shut and the elevator continued its trip downwards…or tried to anyway. However, when the control panel's buttons began twinkling out of sync like Christmas lights and the lift gave several violent shudders and jolts before careening to a halt midway between floors…Seishirou thought it safe to assume they weren't going anywhere for awhile.

 

Despite it all, Seishirou found a wide grin wafting across his face. This world's Syaoran appeared far more rambunctious than the original one he knew. It was a nice change.

 

Unfortunately, the other occupants of the elevator did not share his view.

 

“THAT LITTLE BRAT!”

 

“IF I EVER SEE HIM AGAIN, WHY I'LL—”

 

“I'M A PRIVATE EYE! I'M GONNA TRACK THAT LITTLE MONSTER AND SUE HIS PARENTS FOR ALL THEY'RE WORTH!”

 

“I'M CLAUSTROPHOBIC! OH DEAR GOD, THE WALLS ARE CLOSING IN ON ME! I CAN'T BREEEEEEEEEEATHE!”

 

“DON'T BE AN IDIOT! WE HAVE MORE CHANCE AT FALLING EIGHTY-SOME STORIES AND BEING SMASHED TO A PULP THAN RUNNING OUT OF AIR!”

 

“OMIGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWD!!!”