Pictures of Me, Pictures of You
Slight AU or a future fic.
I do not own Loveless.
Yet my another attempt at creating something readable...
Pictures of Me, Pictures of You
The bell rang at the Aoyagis residence. Its sole occupant, sixteen-year-old Ritsuka, opened the front door to find a postman smiling kindly at him.
- Good morning - he said bowing slightly - Is Aoyagi Seimei at home?
Ritsuka furrowed his brows. Seimei hadn't been home for more than five years now, why would someone ask for him? Then, he noticed a parcel the man was holding.
- Yes. It's me - he declared.
- Ok, I've got something for you, Aoyagi-san. From France - he gave some papers to Ritsuka to sign - Thank you. Have a nice day!
- Goodbye!
Ritsuka closed the door, focused on a small package he was holding. What could it be? What would Seimei order from France? And, most importantly, what was he planning to do with it?
Coming to the stairs he realised there was an envelope attached to the mysterious package, so he took the letter out. Unfortunately, it was written not only in the Roman alphabet, but also in a language Ritsuka didn't understand. French, perhaps? Since when Seimei spoke French? He used to take classes in elementary school, but rather quickly resigned choosing to learn English instead.
So the letter was of no help to Ritsuka but he still had the parcel.
And Soubi was waiting for him in his bedroom.
- Who was that, Ritsuka? - he asked from where he was laying on the bed.
- A postman. He brought something for... Seimei - his cat ears flattened in discomfort.
- Seimei? - Soubi sat up - And what's that?
- I don't know yet. The man said it's from France.
- Rather suspicious.
- Rather much! There's a letter, but I can't read it. It has some kind of a logo - he showed the piece of paper to his fighter.
- I'm sorry, Ritsuka. I don't know French.
- Doesn't matter, at least for now. We're just going to check the parcel - he brought a pair of scissors and cut the carton. Inside, there was a book.
- A photo album? - Soubi sounded surprised.
- Seimei's never been the one to collect photos - noted the sacrifice - But still, it could have been an act.
- Maybe it's just a cover - mused the older man - Open it.
The first page was covered in some elaborate drawing in the Middle Eastern style, done in brownish ink.
- Henna, probably - decided Soubi.
Then, on the second page, there was a photo of peacefully sleeping Seimei, head nestled in a plush blue pillow, curly hair spilled on it like an aureole, rays of the morning sun caressing his face. In his hand, he was clutching... A chocolate?
- Look - someone had added a red arrow pointing to the praline, accompanied by several exclamation and question marks of various sizes.
- Weird photo - Ritsuka voiced his thoughts.
- There is another of him - Soubi pointed to a photo of Seimei sitting at a retro table, glasses perched on his nose and a book in his hand, looking sternly at a photographer. Next to it there were words written in Seimei's neat script: 'SOME of us actually intend to pass their exams'. Soubi and Ritsuka exchanged glances.
- Turn the page.
Next was a picture of Seimei standing in the door, clad only in a towel, hands on his hips, dripping wet and with... Blue hair? His face could send a pack of wolves running in dread. The title, written in the Roman alphabet and not by the older Aoyagi, said: 'Seimei' shampoo - 98 yen; A bottle of blue hair dye - 153 yen; Seimei's face when he looked in a mirror - fucking PRICELESS!' Ritsuka couldn't help but chuckle and Soubi was too shocked to speak up.
Then a photo of Nisei followed. Ritsuka wrinkled his nose with what could have been only called a disgust.
The Beloved fighter was standing in a modern spacious kitchen which seemed to have barely survived a cyclone: flour spilled all over the floor, squished tomatoes dripping from the cupboards, five pots standing on the stove, fridge wide open with vegetables and cheese falling out. Nisei was mixing something in a bowl, smiling madly to the viewfinder. Seimei commented it: 'Attempts at poisoning me'. Someone, probably Nisei, crossed out the word 'poisoning me' and wrote 'cooking' in red.
The Loveless pair quickly agreed that the previous note about the hair dye was also Nisei's. His handwriting was flowing, a little difficult to read as well as in romaji rather than kanji.
- Next one.
This one was taken somewhere in the mountains. Seimei was on a slope, skies on, observing something in a distance. There were a lot of people around, all of them skiing or snowboarding. A small flag of Switzerland was glued in its corner.
Two smaller photos were just below that one. First of them was showing Seimei as a graceless heap of limbs and skies entangled with a long purple scarf, laying under a pine. The note was saying: 'That's what happens when you don't listen to your instructor ;-)'. The next one was of Nisei sitting flat on his ass under the very same pine, all covered in snow, with an icicle sticking from his long hair. He was pouting, obviously offended. Probably at the title: 'And THAT is what happens when you don't respect your Sacrifice ;-P'
- It's... Hard to believe - Soubi said carefully.
- It's impossible! Can you imagine Seimei behaving like that? - Ritsuka's tail was all puffed.
- Maybe the next ones will make it clearer.
The following one, however, didn't.
Nisei was sitting near a window, probably at a Ferris wheel, as you could see sky and birds through it. He was turned with his back towards the window, eyes screwed shut and hiding half of his face in a dark grey scarf. He had his hands clutching his black leather jacket so tightly that his knuckles turned white. On the opposite side, a little girl was pointing a finger at him, laughing and tugging her mother's sleeve to take a look. 'My brave Fighter', the note was saying.
- Is he afraid of heights? He looks worse than Yuiko during our last ride.
- Who knows - shrugged Soubi.
Then there was a series of photos with a fluffy puppy. In the first one, Seimei was lounging on a floor, resting his head on a sofa (occupied by the dog), a book in his hands and the puppy half laying in his hair. The young man was looking up at it with half amused, half irritated expression. The second one was with the dog sitting on a heap of socks and boxers, with remains of what used to be a flip-flop in its mouth. It seemed to be extremely proud of itself. Seimei commented it in angry, red script: 'I told you to feed him, idiot!' The third was of the puppy and Nisei on a bed, both in the same position: flat on their bellies, heads tilted up and to the left, arms and paws crossed, staring expectantly on the photographer. 'As if one dog wasn't enough...', the note said. The last one was of the Beloved fighter laying of his back, the puppy standing on his chest, licking his face passionately. Nisei seemed to be trying to push it off, but only half-heartedly.
- 'Defeated by a doggy - how scary' - Ritsuka read aloud.
- They keep a dog? - Soubi wondered - But Seimei used to hate animals...
Several pictures of the fighter followed. With him leaning against a green wall, a stark contrast to it in a black coat and jeans, gazing into space with a hostile expression, eyes unfocused but cold nevertheless. The next one was pretty much the same, only Nisei was smiling gently to the camera, pupils lit up with something warm. Hope? Adoration maybe? But was he even able to feel such emotions?
Then, the Loveless pair laughed. There was Nisei, standing next to a black Vespa, clad in a short black jacket, baggy grey trousers, aviator-like sunglasses on the top of his head, smiling cutely at a police officer who was looking sternly at him, holding a notepad. '35 minutes of flirting and he still had to pay a fine...' - Seimei pointed out.
The next one was once again of Nisei, jumping on a sofa, kissing a scarf with 'E viva España' on it, a Spanish flag on his back like a cloak, cheeks flushed with excitement. 'And he's not even in the representation...' - said Seimei's comment. Below, Nisei wrote: 'We won the Mundial! We are the champions, mis amigos de La Roja!'
After that one, there were lots of other photos, of Seimei or Nisei, on a beach, playing tennis, on a yacht, in a shop, restaurants, their flat probably...
On the last page, there were three photos. The first one was of Nisei, standing on a cliff, wind playing with his long hair and a scarf, gazing longingly at a stormy sky and white sea gulls above, reaching with his hand in their direction, as if asking to be taken away. It was clear he wasn't aware of the photographer. A lonely ray of sun was caressing his face. 'I know how you long to be free' - somehow, Seimei's note didn't sound mocking, or hurtful. Something wet had fallen on the word 'know'.
The second one was of Seimei's profile on the same stormy sky, cheeks red from the strong wind, smiling softly to himself, hugging himself slightly, eyes a little bit sad. 'But I want to be with you so much more' - Nisei's script was small, unsure.
The very last picture was of both of them, standing on a beach, probably under the cliff. Dark sea seemed to be endless behind them, sea gulls the only points of light. Seimei was embracing Nisei from behind, his bigger hands resting on the fighter's pale ones, his taller and bulkier body protecting the porcelain doll-like frame from the wind. A scarf was encircling two necks, the tanned one as well as the white one. Seimei's head was laying on the narrow shoulder of his companion, his lips kissing the milky cheek. Nisei was flushed a shade of light pink, smiling gently at the bigger man, eyes soft and warm with... It was now clear what it was. Not adoration, not hope. Love. True love that was giving him a peaceful aura, something that neither of the Loveless unit had ever seen before.
There was something wrong with the picture, though. Probably that Seimei was kissing Nisei. Probably that it wasn't a sacrifice's place to protect a fighter like Seimei was apparently doing. Probably that...
- Soubi! Seimei has lost his ears!
I do not own Loveless.
Yet my another attempt at creating something readable...
Pictures of Me, Pictures of You
The bell rang at the Aoyagis residence. Its sole occupant, sixteen-year-old Ritsuka, opened the front door to find a postman smiling kindly at him.
- Good morning - he said bowing slightly - Is Aoyagi Seimei at home?
Ritsuka furrowed his brows. Seimei hadn't been home for more than five years now, why would someone ask for him? Then, he noticed a parcel the man was holding.
- Yes. It's me - he declared.
- Ok, I've got something for you, Aoyagi-san. From France - he gave some papers to Ritsuka to sign - Thank you. Have a nice day!
- Goodbye!
Ritsuka closed the door, focused on a small package he was holding. What could it be? What would Seimei order from France? And, most importantly, what was he planning to do with it?
Coming to the stairs he realised there was an envelope attached to the mysterious package, so he took the letter out. Unfortunately, it was written not only in the Roman alphabet, but also in a language Ritsuka didn't understand. French, perhaps? Since when Seimei spoke French? He used to take classes in elementary school, but rather quickly resigned choosing to learn English instead.
So the letter was of no help to Ritsuka but he still had the parcel.
And Soubi was waiting for him in his bedroom.
- Who was that, Ritsuka? - he asked from where he was laying on the bed.
- A postman. He brought something for... Seimei - his cat ears flattened in discomfort.
- Seimei? - Soubi sat up - And what's that?
- I don't know yet. The man said it's from France.
- Rather suspicious.
- Rather much! There's a letter, but I can't read it. It has some kind of a logo - he showed the piece of paper to his fighter.
- I'm sorry, Ritsuka. I don't know French.
- Doesn't matter, at least for now. We're just going to check the parcel - he brought a pair of scissors and cut the carton. Inside, there was a book.
- A photo album? - Soubi sounded surprised.
- Seimei's never been the one to collect photos - noted the sacrifice - But still, it could have been an act.
- Maybe it's just a cover - mused the older man - Open it.
The first page was covered in some elaborate drawing in the Middle Eastern style, done in brownish ink.
- Henna, probably - decided Soubi.
Then, on the second page, there was a photo of peacefully sleeping Seimei, head nestled in a plush blue pillow, curly hair spilled on it like an aureole, rays of the morning sun caressing his face. In his hand, he was clutching... A chocolate?
- Look - someone had added a red arrow pointing to the praline, accompanied by several exclamation and question marks of various sizes.
- Weird photo - Ritsuka voiced his thoughts.
- There is another of him - Soubi pointed to a photo of Seimei sitting at a retro table, glasses perched on his nose and a book in his hand, looking sternly at a photographer. Next to it there were words written in Seimei's neat script: 'SOME of us actually intend to pass their exams'. Soubi and Ritsuka exchanged glances.
- Turn the page.
Next was a picture of Seimei standing in the door, clad only in a towel, hands on his hips, dripping wet and with... Blue hair? His face could send a pack of wolves running in dread. The title, written in the Roman alphabet and not by the older Aoyagi, said: 'Seimei' shampoo - 98 yen; A bottle of blue hair dye - 153 yen; Seimei's face when he looked in a mirror - fucking PRICELESS!' Ritsuka couldn't help but chuckle and Soubi was too shocked to speak up.
Then a photo of Nisei followed. Ritsuka wrinkled his nose with what could have been only called a disgust.
The Beloved fighter was standing in a modern spacious kitchen which seemed to have barely survived a cyclone: flour spilled all over the floor, squished tomatoes dripping from the cupboards, five pots standing on the stove, fridge wide open with vegetables and cheese falling out. Nisei was mixing something in a bowl, smiling madly to the viewfinder. Seimei commented it: 'Attempts at poisoning me'. Someone, probably Nisei, crossed out the word 'poisoning me' and wrote 'cooking' in red.
The Loveless pair quickly agreed that the previous note about the hair dye was also Nisei's. His handwriting was flowing, a little difficult to read as well as in romaji rather than kanji.
- Next one.
This one was taken somewhere in the mountains. Seimei was on a slope, skies on, observing something in a distance. There were a lot of people around, all of them skiing or snowboarding. A small flag of Switzerland was glued in its corner.
Two smaller photos were just below that one. First of them was showing Seimei as a graceless heap of limbs and skies entangled with a long purple scarf, laying under a pine. The note was saying: 'That's what happens when you don't listen to your instructor ;-)'. The next one was of Nisei sitting flat on his ass under the very same pine, all covered in snow, with an icicle sticking from his long hair. He was pouting, obviously offended. Probably at the title: 'And THAT is what happens when you don't respect your Sacrifice ;-P'
- It's... Hard to believe - Soubi said carefully.
- It's impossible! Can you imagine Seimei behaving like that? - Ritsuka's tail was all puffed.
- Maybe the next ones will make it clearer.
The following one, however, didn't.
Nisei was sitting near a window, probably at a Ferris wheel, as you could see sky and birds through it. He was turned with his back towards the window, eyes screwed shut and hiding half of his face in a dark grey scarf. He had his hands clutching his black leather jacket so tightly that his knuckles turned white. On the opposite side, a little girl was pointing a finger at him, laughing and tugging her mother's sleeve to take a look. 'My brave Fighter', the note was saying.
- Is he afraid of heights? He looks worse than Yuiko during our last ride.
- Who knows - shrugged Soubi.
Then there was a series of photos with a fluffy puppy. In the first one, Seimei was lounging on a floor, resting his head on a sofa (occupied by the dog), a book in his hands and the puppy half laying in his hair. The young man was looking up at it with half amused, half irritated expression. The second one was with the dog sitting on a heap of socks and boxers, with remains of what used to be a flip-flop in its mouth. It seemed to be extremely proud of itself. Seimei commented it in angry, red script: 'I told you to feed him, idiot!' The third was of the puppy and Nisei on a bed, both in the same position: flat on their bellies, heads tilted up and to the left, arms and paws crossed, staring expectantly on the photographer. 'As if one dog wasn't enough...', the note said. The last one was of the Beloved fighter laying of his back, the puppy standing on his chest, licking his face passionately. Nisei seemed to be trying to push it off, but only half-heartedly.
- 'Defeated by a doggy - how scary' - Ritsuka read aloud.
- They keep a dog? - Soubi wondered - But Seimei used to hate animals...
Several pictures of the fighter followed. With him leaning against a green wall, a stark contrast to it in a black coat and jeans, gazing into space with a hostile expression, eyes unfocused but cold nevertheless. The next one was pretty much the same, only Nisei was smiling gently to the camera, pupils lit up with something warm. Hope? Adoration maybe? But was he even able to feel such emotions?
Then, the Loveless pair laughed. There was Nisei, standing next to a black Vespa, clad in a short black jacket, baggy grey trousers, aviator-like sunglasses on the top of his head, smiling cutely at a police officer who was looking sternly at him, holding a notepad. '35 minutes of flirting and he still had to pay a fine...' - Seimei pointed out.
The next one was once again of Nisei, jumping on a sofa, kissing a scarf with 'E viva España' on it, a Spanish flag on his back like a cloak, cheeks flushed with excitement. 'And he's not even in the representation...' - said Seimei's comment. Below, Nisei wrote: 'We won the Mundial! We are the champions, mis amigos de La Roja!'
After that one, there were lots of other photos, of Seimei or Nisei, on a beach, playing tennis, on a yacht, in a shop, restaurants, their flat probably...
On the last page, there were three photos. The first one was of Nisei, standing on a cliff, wind playing with his long hair and a scarf, gazing longingly at a stormy sky and white sea gulls above, reaching with his hand in their direction, as if asking to be taken away. It was clear he wasn't aware of the photographer. A lonely ray of sun was caressing his face. 'I know how you long to be free' - somehow, Seimei's note didn't sound mocking, or hurtful. Something wet had fallen on the word 'know'.
The second one was of Seimei's profile on the same stormy sky, cheeks red from the strong wind, smiling softly to himself, hugging himself slightly, eyes a little bit sad. 'But I want to be with you so much more' - Nisei's script was small, unsure.
The very last picture was of both of them, standing on a beach, probably under the cliff. Dark sea seemed to be endless behind them, sea gulls the only points of light. Seimei was embracing Nisei from behind, his bigger hands resting on the fighter's pale ones, his taller and bulkier body protecting the porcelain doll-like frame from the wind. A scarf was encircling two necks, the tanned one as well as the white one. Seimei's head was laying on the narrow shoulder of his companion, his lips kissing the milky cheek. Nisei was flushed a shade of light pink, smiling gently at the bigger man, eyes soft and warm with... It was now clear what it was. Not adoration, not hope. Love. True love that was giving him a peaceful aura, something that neither of the Loveless unit had ever seen before.
There was something wrong with the picture, though. Probably that Seimei was kissing Nisei. Probably that it wasn't a sacrifice's place to protect a fighter like Seimei was apparently doing. Probably that...
- Soubi! Seimei has lost his ears!