Disclaimer: Not mine, never mine…

X/Arslan Senki crossover. Spoilers abound for X… death… elderly people…

Shounen-ai, angst, not much else.

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The wind died down inside the kekkai that the 13^th head of the Sumeragi clan had cast to protect the area surrounding the battle. The bridge itself creaked but not enough to disturb the two figures on it. The stark tableau revealing the victor in yet another battle of Angel against Seal.

The shorter of the two cradled his fallen opponent in his arms, his eyes frozen wide in shock. Tears spilled down his face as the words of his fated opponent, his most beloved person, echoed in his mind.

"You never give me the words I’m expecting to hear." He repeated softly, knowing that his grief fell on deaf ears.

Subaru bent over the cooling body, holding close the shell of the man he loved. Holding on to Seishiro as he’d never had the courage to do in life.

For so many years he’d tried to pretend that it was hatred that drove him, the desire to put an end to the life of his sister’s killer. For so many years he had lied to the world and sometimes, even to himself. But his wish, the one thing that had kept him alive had nothing to do with revenge. His one true wish… that had turned to dust with the death of the man he loved.

All he had wanted was… was…

Sitting in a large chair facing the gardens, the ancient DreamGazer of clan Sakurazuka unconsciously mirrored the frequent pose of the elderly Lady Sumeragi, on the far off Sumeragi Estate in Koyoto.

Today was unusual, since he usually slept into the mid-afternoon so the servants were quietly keeping out of his way. Having risen early that morning, he had settled himself into his, rarely used, armchair and set about staring into the distance. He hadn’t moved since. Refusing to pay any attention to the servants that tried to persuade him to eat breakfast or perhaps take a short walk. The continual starring at things unseen prompting some of the bolder servants to begin speculating that perhaps old Lord Narsus had finally lost it. Unfortunately for those bold servants their abortive attempt to move him had resulted in a flurry of ofudas and one of the kitchen staff singeing her hair.

Silence reigned over the Sakurazuka Estate before suddenly, during midmorning, a strange, shrieking wind blew up, tearing the leaves from the trees and scattering cherry blossoms across the ground in a crazy patchwork.

Narsus bowed his head for long moments and when he looked up he was blinking rapidly, as if to clear unshed tears.

"Sei-chan, dear Sei-chan, what have you done?"

With the last of his strength Seishiro forced himself to lean forward, his lips brushing Subaru’s ear. Gasping unsteadily, so that his voice dropped almost to a whisper. His final words for Subaru alone.

"I… … you…"

And Subaru’s heart shattered.

Oddly it seemed to Seishiro that he could feel a strange warmth wash over him as the darkness swelled. But he wasn’t afraid to sink into it. Let the darkness take back what it had granted, steal back into itself the life of this Sakurazukamori.

Within the pocket of suspended time the faintest sound reverberated, like the shattering of glass as the kekkai faded. As the 13^th Head of the Sumeragi clan, former Dragon of Heaven, fell into darkness.

The wind died down almost as suddenly as it had started, leaving the cherry blossom to shower gently down of their own accord. Watching the petals flutter in the latent breeze, Narsus’ smile was bittersweet.

Later, when questioned by people of importance in the clan he would point out that despite Seishiro’s hopeless love for the Sumeragi; yes, he would argue it was love, the Sakurazukamori had fulfilled his duty. The light of one of the Seven Seals had been extinguished, even as one of the Dragons of Earth had fallen. And as he continued to watch the ephemeral beauty of the falling blossoms, Narsus could still see, in his mind’s eye, instead of blossoms, feathers from an angel’s wings.

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Possibly, somehow related to my ‘As If’ series? And/or ‘Changes’?

I don’t know where CLAMP have placed the Sakurazuka Estate if they’ve even mentioned it. I just figured that since the Sumeragi have one, they should too.

A kekkai is the protective shield that only the Seven Seals can create. It moves everything into another dimension so that they can fight without harming innocent passers-by.

Ofudas are the spell cards or talismans used by onmyouji (literally ‘Yin-Yang magicians’).

The Seven Angels are also called the Dragons of Earth; while the Seven Seals are the Dragons of Heaven.

No one knows exactly what it is that Seishiro says to Subaru because even in the manga we don’t get to see the middle word.

And Narsus-sama gets to reprise his role as a Sakurazuka DreamGazer… just because.

So to justify it all… I’d say… the world needs more Sei-chan.

00:55, 10/03/03