Tea and Flowers, Part 1 (For imanewme)
Um, I guess I’ll just post this on my own if we’re not voting… I wrote a piece for the exchange but it went in really last minute and I haven’t seen it posted.
Title: Tea and Flowers, Part 1
Rating: G
Characters: Shuurei, Kouyuu, Shuuei, Ryuuki
Summary: Shuurei does housework and the guys come to bug her…
Word Count: 794
Author’s Note: This was somewhat inspired by the picture in the artbook of Kouyuu and Shuurei watering flowers. And apologies to imanewme. I was kind of burnt out on writing at the time and failed at getting this finished by Christmas. So, I had split it into two pieces and sent in the first with the intention of finishing and posting part 2 after the exchange. Unfortunately, I haven’t gotten to finishing it yet and it might still be a while because of Chinese New Year and other projects I have going. ._.;
Shuurei had spent her day off catching up on household chores. Piles of laundry had been washed and hung to dry in the summer sun. Floors were swept, pots were scrubbed, furniture was dusted. Now, she was outside, tending to the garden. The vegetables had been watered and she had just drawn another bucket of water from the well for the trees when she heard yelling from the direction of the street. She couldn’t quite make it out-something about demons moving things?-which didn’t make much sense. And oddly, the voice seemed familiar.
Looking towards a large hole in the wall that surrounded her family’s property, she saw something blue pass by in the street. She blinked when the blue thing went by again in the opposite direction several moments later. Was that…? Then, a third time accompanied by some aggravated yelling. It seemed likely.
Shuurei crossed to the broken section of the garden wall and peered out. Although she hadn’t been expecting any guests today, there was a certain aqua-haired scholar rushing down the street. “Kouyuu-sama? Did you come to visit?”
Kouyuu stopped suddenly at the sound of her voice and turned back. “Yes!” The agreement came a bit too quickly because he didn’t want to admit that he was lost and had actually been looking for his own home for over an hour. “Yes, Shuurei. I came to visit!”
“Oh, come in, then.” She smiled as he walked back to where she was. “I’ll make you some tea after I finish watering the garden.” There was still more cleaning to do and clothes to mend but she supposed it would be nice to take a break.
Kouyuu wasn’t about to risk getting lost again, looking for the gate; a demon must have rearranged the streets if he ended up in the wrong area of the city! He stumbled a bit as he ducked and stepped through the opening in the wall.
“Are you okay, Kouyuu-sama? You could have just walked around to the front.” Shuurei tilted her head and looked at him, thinking his behavior a little strange.
“I’m fine.” Embarrassed, he tried to change the subject. “Let me help you.” He reached out for the bucket and bamboo ladle.
The next ten minutes passed pleasantly. Kouyuu watered the single cherry tree and then the plum tree. Shuurei smiled as she pointed out the few flowers she had planted. And there were a couple of trips to the well to refill the bucket. The rest of their visit would have gone quite differently if two more unexpected guests hadn’t arrived.
“So, this is where you’ve been hiding, Kouyuu. Visiting Shuurei-dono without telling us.” Shuuei wasn’t going to miss such a good opportunity to tease his prudish friend. “Could it be that you’re trying to seduce her?”
“Only you would suggest such a thing, you pervert!” Kouyuu’s face took on an indignant scowl, which only amused Shuuei more.
“No? Then, you must have gotten lost again. You’re directionless as always.”
“I was not lost!” He shouted a denial although that was exactly what happened and tried to hit his laughing friend with the ladle. The bit of water in the implement flicked towards Shuurei with a few drops landing on her nose.
The girl flinched but before she could say anything about the water, Ryuuki latched onto her arm and whined. “Shuurei, we want to water the flowers with you.” The sight of her and Kouyuu tending the flowers together had induced jealousy. He let go of her arm to tug on the bucket and ladle still being held by Kouyuu.
The results of this action were unfortunate. The long handle of the tool snapped. Even worse, the wooden bucket went flying. It not only splashed the almost dry laundry but also hit one of the makeshift clotheslines that Shuurei had strung up to accommodate all the washing. The pole at one end toppled over, sending the clothes to the ground.
Shuurei stared at the wreckage for a moment and then turned to the troublesome trio with a glare and clenched fists. She was no longer so amicable about having visitors with all the housework she still had to do.
Kouyuu and Shuuei finally stopped their bickering. And Ryuuki cringed at her expression. “We are sorry, Shuurei!” The Emperor scrambled to pick up the ruined laundry but just made matters worse by stepping on a sheet in his haste.
Shuurei pointed angrily. “All of you are acting in an unseemly manner! Go inside, sit in the parlor, and behave!” If she had her broom at the moment, she would have shooed them into the house with it. “Now!”
The three exchanged a look and wordlessly decided it would be wise to retreat.
To be continued…
Title: Tea and Flowers, Part 1
Rating: G
Characters: Shuurei, Kouyuu, Shuuei, Ryuuki
Summary: Shuurei does housework and the guys come to bug her…
Word Count: 794
Author’s Note: This was somewhat inspired by the picture in the artbook of Kouyuu and Shuurei watering flowers. And apologies to imanewme. I was kind of burnt out on writing at the time and failed at getting this finished by Christmas. So, I had split it into two pieces and sent in the first with the intention of finishing and posting part 2 after the exchange. Unfortunately, I haven’t gotten to finishing it yet and it might still be a while because of Chinese New Year and other projects I have going. ._.;
Shuurei had spent her day off catching up on household chores. Piles of laundry had been washed and hung to dry in the summer sun. Floors were swept, pots were scrubbed, furniture was dusted. Now, she was outside, tending to the garden. The vegetables had been watered and she had just drawn another bucket of water from the well for the trees when she heard yelling from the direction of the street. She couldn’t quite make it out-something about demons moving things?-which didn’t make much sense. And oddly, the voice seemed familiar.
Looking towards a large hole in the wall that surrounded her family’s property, she saw something blue pass by in the street. She blinked when the blue thing went by again in the opposite direction several moments later. Was that…? Then, a third time accompanied by some aggravated yelling. It seemed likely.
Shuurei crossed to the broken section of the garden wall and peered out. Although she hadn’t been expecting any guests today, there was a certain aqua-haired scholar rushing down the street. “Kouyuu-sama? Did you come to visit?”
Kouyuu stopped suddenly at the sound of her voice and turned back. “Yes!” The agreement came a bit too quickly because he didn’t want to admit that he was lost and had actually been looking for his own home for over an hour. “Yes, Shuurei. I came to visit!”
“Oh, come in, then.” She smiled as he walked back to where she was. “I’ll make you some tea after I finish watering the garden.” There was still more cleaning to do and clothes to mend but she supposed it would be nice to take a break.
Kouyuu wasn’t about to risk getting lost again, looking for the gate; a demon must have rearranged the streets if he ended up in the wrong area of the city! He stumbled a bit as he ducked and stepped through the opening in the wall.
“Are you okay, Kouyuu-sama? You could have just walked around to the front.” Shuurei tilted her head and looked at him, thinking his behavior a little strange.
“I’m fine.” Embarrassed, he tried to change the subject. “Let me help you.” He reached out for the bucket and bamboo ladle.
The next ten minutes passed pleasantly. Kouyuu watered the single cherry tree and then the plum tree. Shuurei smiled as she pointed out the few flowers she had planted. And there were a couple of trips to the well to refill the bucket. The rest of their visit would have gone quite differently if two more unexpected guests hadn’t arrived.
“So, this is where you’ve been hiding, Kouyuu. Visiting Shuurei-dono without telling us.” Shuuei wasn’t going to miss such a good opportunity to tease his prudish friend. “Could it be that you’re trying to seduce her?”
“Only you would suggest such a thing, you pervert!” Kouyuu’s face took on an indignant scowl, which only amused Shuuei more.
“No? Then, you must have gotten lost again. You’re directionless as always.”
“I was not lost!” He shouted a denial although that was exactly what happened and tried to hit his laughing friend with the ladle. The bit of water in the implement flicked towards Shuurei with a few drops landing on her nose.
The girl flinched but before she could say anything about the water, Ryuuki latched onto her arm and whined. “Shuurei, we want to water the flowers with you.” The sight of her and Kouyuu tending the flowers together had induced jealousy. He let go of her arm to tug on the bucket and ladle still being held by Kouyuu.
The results of this action were unfortunate. The long handle of the tool snapped. Even worse, the wooden bucket went flying. It not only splashed the almost dry laundry but also hit one of the makeshift clotheslines that Shuurei had strung up to accommodate all the washing. The pole at one end toppled over, sending the clothes to the ground.
Shuurei stared at the wreckage for a moment and then turned to the troublesome trio with a glare and clenched fists. She was no longer so amicable about having visitors with all the housework she still had to do.
Kouyuu and Shuuei finally stopped their bickering. And Ryuuki cringed at her expression. “We are sorry, Shuurei!” The Emperor scrambled to pick up the ruined laundry but just made matters worse by stepping on a sheet in his haste.
Shuurei pointed angrily. “All of you are acting in an unseemly manner! Go inside, sit in the parlor, and behave!” If she had her broom at the moment, she would have shooed them into the house with it. “Now!”
The three exchanged a look and wordlessly decided it would be wise to retreat.
To be continued…