Addition and Distraction

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Ink Burns

This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

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Published on 2005-01-10 14:11:32.

Attributions can be made by author's name and a link to the archive.

This ebook edition was published on May 16, 2012 by the Ink Burns fanfiction archive.

Addition and Distraction

Yanagi talks with Belial. Drama, I-3

It had been a long practice, and only got longer when Hatter decided to tease Genichirou. Renji sighed.

"Enough," Seiichi intervened, at last. He came between the laughing demon and a bristling Genichirou, and took Hatter's shoulders, turning her to face him. "Enough, Belial," he repeated, "I won't have this during practice. And you and I will talk, later, about your habit of trying to destroy the things you want."

Hatter waved a light hand. "As you wish, of course."

Renji observed Hatter's parted lips and the quick flutter of her lashes down over eyes gone dark as Seiichi let her go. That was not entirely surprising; he had spent years watching one person after another fall to Seiichi's charisma. What surprised him more was the fire and sharpness in Seiichi's gaze. That was not the kind of look their captain shared with outsiders, other than the very best of his rivals. And even then, only during a full out match.

Renji waited for Hatter after practice.

"Another talk hm?" Hatter asked, looking him up and down. "One hopes you're less volatile than Sanada-kun. Not that it wasn't entertaining."

"If it isn't an imposition," Renji said, staying polite and noncommittal.

"So?" Hatter prodded, as they strolled through the school grounds.

"What is between you and Seiichi?"

"One could have sworn he explained that some time ago," Hatter murmured, trailing her fingers through the leaves overhead.

It was an outside chance, but Renji decided to try shock. If nothing else, Hatter's reaction should give him a range for the next shot. "He looked at you, this afternoon, the way I've seen him look down at me when his fingers are stroking inside me," he said, softly.

Hatter's step paused, and she directed a half-lidded look up at the sun. "One can imagine," she said, low and husky. She leaned against a tree and smiled at Renji from the corner of her eye. "You want to know whether one has been in bed with him, don't you?"

"I already know you haven't," Renji corrected. The faint wistful edge in her reaction had told him that much. "But I would still like to know just what's going on."

Hatter blinked, and then laughed. "You're very good at this," she complimented him. "One would have thought, though," she added, mouth quirking, "that what is going on would be fairly obvious to one of you."

Renji considered that, and added it to his previous suspicions. "Seiichi does believe very strongly in reciprocality," he essayed.

"One gathered that, yes," Hatter said, dryly. "Generally, a mortal soul isn't strong enough to hold one."

Generally, Renji imagined not. So. Seiichi really had decided to gather Mad Hatter up into the circle of his own. Which left the question of what the rest of them were going to do with their newest addition. "Are truth and honesty the same things, to you?" he asked, another thought coming to him.

Hatter raised her brows. "No, they are not," she answered, softly, eyes intent on him.

Renji nodded. Knowing that, he could work with it. Genichirou, on the other hand, wouldn't deal with such a division so easily. "Could they be?"

"Are you bargaining with one, Yanagi-kun?" Hatter asked.

Renji smiled. "The bargain has already been made, Hatter. Genichirou says that you've tasted Seiichi's soul. I doubt you can leave us, now. It would make things easier, though, if you could moderate your use of the team for amusement."

Hatter stared at him. "One will take that under consideration," she murmured. She tilted her head and added, "You... don't mind it?"

"Seiichi shares his soul very freely, once he chooses to do so at all," Renji answered, quietly. "It's one of the things we love in him."

Pain flickered behind Hatter's eyes before they became shuttered. "I will consider what you say," she said, and vanished into the rustling shadows of the leaves.

End