More of the Continuation...

Here is yet more of the Continuation of Falling Stars. The original characters belong to CLAMP. The original story idea belongs to Joydrop. Email me all comments to Laraniadrake@msn.com

Sorata didn’t know when he stopped bounding to his room to get changed for their date- he was in front of his door, when it hit him.

He’d NEVER been this enthusiastic to go on a date, with anyone, before now. Then he stopped even more dead. He’d never been out on a date.

Well, technically, this really wasn’t a date. He was going out with Kamui and Miss.

Wait- he was thinking he was going on a date? With who? Kamui or Miss? It had to be Miss...

Kamui had set him up on a date with Miss. His brain was about to explode at any moment.

Opening his door he went in, and shoved around through his closet trying to find some clean pants and a shirt...

Reaching into a pile at the bottom, he pulled out a serviceable pair of jeans, not exactly clean but not dirty, pulled them on, and a button down shirt. As he started fastening the buttons he turned to walk out and nearly ran over Kamui.

“HEY!” He felt like he was about to have a heart attack, as they fell backwards. Kamui was knocked off balance as well- and without thinking about it, Sorata managed to put himself underneath so that he took the worst of the landing.

Kamui didn’t say anything, stunned for a moment, and just lay there against the Star of Kouya. His eyes widened- Sorata’s face had the same startled expression as he stared back. The smaller teen pulled away like he’d been burned.

“I was coming to get you- the restaurant is near the Sunshine 60 building... We’ll be roof hopping to get there,” Kamui muttered, his face stained with blush. Sorata turned bright red as he realized his shirt was mostly open and he quickly started to finish buttoning it.

Kamui turned on his heal and all but marched down the stairs, and Sorata followed-

What was THAT about? Was Kamui embarrassed seeing me with my shirt open? Did I enjoy him being embarrassed? No, no, no, I was just, er...

Sorata was running out of excuses for himself.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~



Kamui was not a tactile person. He did not enjoy being touched with impunity by anyone... Yet he had noticed that Sorata touched everyone he came into contact with. He could clearly remember nearly breaking the monk’s wrist a time or two... Yet Sorata was one of the few people who would ever touch him at all. Sorata- his self-proclaimed protector.

His eyebrows knitted together as he remembered walking into him- and Sorata putting himself between the floor and Kamui’s body.

Then he blushed again... remembering the fact that Sorata did look good with his shirt open.

He didn’t hold a candle to Subaru’s beauty, Kamui reminded himself. Though he was more fun.

Shaking his head to get rid of the thought, Kamui saw that Arashi was waiting for them, clad in a simple white dress, her hair pulled back with a ribbon. He heard Sorata stop behind him and whisper.

“Wow... she’s... so beautiful...”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~



Sorata had been lost in his own troubled thoughts as he followed Kamui downstairs, the looked up when he sensed Miss’ still presence. Then was frozen into place himself.

The white dress she was wearing was beautiful, simple in cut but accentuating her frigid beauty. Sorata found himself mooning over her all over again- admiring her knife-edge loveliness.

I am SO screwed up... I care about both of them. She needs someone to care about her so much... But so does Kamui. He shook his head to clear it a bit. In the end, does it matter who I choose? I’m still dead. Those weren’t normal Sorata thoughts, and he looked down from his Miss-gazing.

His mind went back to the other Kamui. Change his destiny? Who was he kidding? It was probably some elaborate mind game to screw Sorata up so he wouldn’t be able to do something at the right moment...

Yet the promise of living was very, very tempting.

Screw that, Sora, he finally hissed to himself, as he offered his arm to Miss- who turned away and walked out the door. If you DON’T go through with your Destiny- you are dead anyways- the other Kamui isn’t going to let you live then.

His mind settled for a little while, as Kamui, Miss, and himself hopped building to building to wherever Kamui had picked for their meal. His mind decided to pay attention to that instead of the dark thoughts that kept bugging him.

Sorata’s mouth watered as he went through whatever it was that Kamui had planned... Ribs, steak, salted innards... Grinning, he didn’t say a word as, occasionally, Miss’ skirt would flip up to show her long legs...

He didn’t see Kamui looking annoyed at his lecherous grin.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~



They place Kamui had picked out was a nice, mid-range restaurant, with an all you can eat barbeque buffet. While his expression didn’t change, he felt a small smile blossom in his heart as Sorata joyfully began attacking the food... He didn’t think he had ever seen ANYONE eat as much as Sorata... or with as much gusto.

All three of them were sitting at a booth- and Kamui decided now was the time to make his graceful exit, if he was going to get Sorata and Arashi to actually spend time together.

Excusing himself, he walked to the bathroom, and then looped around, paid for their food and left, hoping up onto the roof of a building to wait for them.

He watched Arashi and Sorata interact with an odd, leaden feeling in the pit of his stomach- wondering why he was so disturbed by it.

In fact- he was so distracted that he didn’t even notice that something was wrong until the buildings around him started shaking. He gasped, and looked around, trying to find the source of the disturbance-

Looking up-

He saw a dragon.

Following it with his eyes, they fixed on a familiar pair- Fuuma and Nataku. Terror gripped him as the remembered pain of what Fuuma did to him- seeing Kotori stabbed and dismembered… Fuuma was at Sunshine 60- and going to take down another kekkai.

He couldn’t let it happen… Not again. Leaping, he ran to the Sunshine 60 building, and skidded to a halt as Fuuma suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of him.

His breathing shuddered in his chest at the memories-

“Fuuma…” His friend, his childhood protector- the person whom he had sworn to bring back, even if he claimed to be someone else.

“I am Kamui,” the taller man said coldly, his eyes chill and emotionless, nothing but ice. He then sneered. “I am the one born to be your twin star. When you chose to become a Dragon of Heaven- I became a Dragon of Earth…”

Kamui choked back his tears, body shaking as he remembered this person taking Kotori- the dearest person to both of them, and crucifying her with wires.

“I filled the empty seat left by you when you chose. Your choice. Yours…”

He didn’t see the androgynous being, carrying an old man, walk up beside them until Fuuma turned to them, smiling that cruel, tiny smile.

“Perfect timing,” he murmured, and Nataku dropped the old man before Fuuma, like a dog displaying its kill for its master.

Fuuma laughed and used his power, slashing at the old man, and a stripe of his skin coming loose and flying off. Once. Twice. Three times-

“STOP IT!” Kamui begged, getting between them and shielding the old man. “FUUMA! PLEASE!”

“This is really none of your business,” Fuuma raised an eyebrow, and reached out to stroke his cheek, then tilted up his chin.

“Fuuma…”

“Or do you want to play, too?”

Kamui almost didn’t have time to move as Fuuma attacked him with energy, striking over and over again. He dodged, carrying the old man with him, ducking and weaving about.

“This building is going to collapse if you don’t stop Fuuma!”

“Of course it will- if you don’t make a kekkai. But you can’t make one, can you?” he taunted casually. Kamui trembled with both anger and despair at his inability. Fuuma was coming closer…

“I know everything about you,” now he was standing in front of Kamui, stroking his cheek. “After all-“ his fingers gripped Kamui’s throat like talons. “I AM Kamui.”

Kamui couldn’t move- he was helpless, again, like when Kotori was killed-

And like a white knight, Subaru arrived, tossing ofuda at Fuuma, jumping into the fray.

“Let him go,” the Sumeragi said quietly, putting his hands up to form a star shaped kekkai.

“Make me.”

Subaru ignored him, in favor of looking at Kamui- who was trying to speak to him. He couldn’t answer because Fuuma’s hand was still around his throat. With a gesture, Kamui was pulled away, bound by pipes and wires, wounded and bleeding from the previous fight.

Kamui couldn’t do anything- and he hated it. He was helpless, always helpless, as Subaru was attacked first by Nataku- who was easily defeated- then by Fuuma.

This battle did not go so easily.

He didn’t notice at first, but Subaru was hesitating, ever so often. Blinking like he couldn’t believe his eyes. What could he do about it?

In fact, he looked like he was about to stop entirely-

“SUBARU!”

Fuuma had somehow gotten in- and struck Subaru across the eye-

Oh god, his eye-

His eye was gone-

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~



Sorata and Arashi had felt Subaru’s kekkai almost immediately, and had dashed to the rescue, rushing into Subaru’s kekkai and trying to locate their comrades.

They didn’t make it in time- the star kekkai broke around them and they arrived to hear Kamui sobbing brokenly.

“I’m sorry- Subaru- I’m sorry-“

“KAMUI!” Sorata rushed to him, as the Sunshine 60 kekkai was destroyed- somehow Sorata and Arashi were able to get Kamui and Subaru out of there, even as the entire Ikebukuro area came down around their ears.

“I’m sorry Kamui,” Sorata whispered as he carried Subaru to the hospital, who was helped by Arashi. “I failed you.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sorata didn’t like hospitals. People were always sad, crying and anguished there. He couldn’t do a thing to help all those people in pain from the battle over Sunshine 60. All he could do was watch Kamui as he agonized over Subaru.

Miss had gone home… but Sorata couldn’t bring himself to go- not while Kamui flayed himself with guilt like this. He wasn’t there when Kamui needed him… somehow that hurt more than anything. What was he good for, if he couldn’t protect the person he was born to take care of?

“Kamui- you need to go back to CLAMP Campus,” he said softly, walking up to him. “If it makes you feel better- I’ll stick with Subaru.” He reached out and gently stroked his cheek before he’d realized it. Kamui’s eyes were dazed and tired, he’d been there for the past two days.

Of course, Sorata had been there with him- but he’d taken the occasional break to go back, shower, change and then return… He’d slept on the benches in the halls. Kamui hadn’t left the room.

He’d made sure to bring Kamui food… the smaller boy didn’t seem to remember to eat. He barely even acknowledged Sorata’s existence… He’d even tried to make Kamui mad a few times, just to see if Kamui realized he was there.

Sorata half wished that Kamui would go ape-shit on him again. It was better than seeing him a zombie- it was better than being ignored.

He didn’t get an answer from Kamui as he turned back to Subaru- who appeared to finally be waking up.

“SUBARU!” Kamui sobbed, kneeling down by the bed to take his hand. “I’m so sorry-“

“Kamui- it wasn’t- your fault,” Subaru sighed, clearly exhausted. Sorata could tell he wasn’t really wanted for this conversation- and turned and left.

He only turned around the corner and shut the door behind him- and he slid down the wall, curling up, as he felt like he’d swallowed broken glass.

The Star of Kouya couldn’t deny it anymore. No matter how much he wanted to, no matter how much his mind SCREAMED that the other Kamui was up to no good with his declaration about having Kamui- his heart had made its decision. It didn’t matter anymore that Kamui was hopelessly in love with Subaru… even though his heart quailed. He desperately tried to fix his smile back on his face. He couldn’t let them know… Kamui couldn’t ever know. He had enough shit on his plate. Subaru was injured- and he knew Miss had wanted to stay as well. She had gone because he thought she was going to get him a gift…

So he was left alone to sort out these bizarre, painful feelings.

“Grandfather Stargazer… I wish you’d told me… I love Kamui.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~