raisedbymoogles (raisedbymoogles) wrote in fictunes, @ 2008-05-31 23:29:00 |
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Current mood: | cheerful |
A Vast Legacy of Good - Ryuuki/Shuurei/Seiran [Saiunkoku Monogatari]
Whew! Just made it.
Title: A Vast Legacy of Good
Author: Pepper
Fandom: Saiunkoku Monogatari
Pairing: Ryuuki/Shuurei/Seiran
Rating: PG for the kissing, R for the incest-between-consenting-adults theme.
Music: Bill Callahan, "A Man Needs A Woman Or A Man To Be A Man"
Word Count: 945
Summary: Ryuuki and Shuurei's wedding night.
The festivities were still going on - would be until at least sunrise, likely - but Ryuuki had made his excuses and left the party early, citing a bit too much to drink and an early day tomorrow. While both of those were demonstrably true, it didn't stop his advisors from giving each other knowing glances from over their sake cups. When the bridegroom leaves his reception early, it can only be for one thing, they were all thinking.
And that wasn't - well, it was, but Ryuuki could wait for that. Really.
At the moment the place he needed to be was the royal consort's chambers. Shuurei, with Seiran at her side as always, had retaken the exalted position of the emperor's bride only that morning, but the room already bore the signs of her: her clothes freshly washed and folded on the bed, her combs, her scrolls (she was always working, and Ryuuki happily anticipated scolding her about staying up too late), a wooden chest that when Ryuuki peeked turned out to contain makeup. The bedspread was new, and not something Shuurei had picked out for herself: birds of paradise hand-embroidered on soothing sage green silk from the far south. Ryuuki hoped she liked it.
Careful not to disturb the stack of clothes, Ryuuki lay down across the end of the bed and watched the sunlight play across the paneled ceiling. It was cool in the room, pleasantly so, and Ryuuki was happy. He thought Shuurei was too, though he wondered if she was angry that, when he was saying his vows, his eyes kept traveling to his brother's. It was one of the things he couldn't help, even after all this time - the selfish little boy who wanted his brother was still strong in him, though hidden under the Emperor and the man that Shuurei had brought forth.
The sunbeams across the ceiling had deepened to gold when the door opened again, and Shuurei graced Ryuuki with her presence: resplendent in her crimson-and-gold bridal gown and flower combs shining in her hair, Seiran draped over her shoulder as another grand accessory to the new Empress.
"The Rose Bride," Ryuuki murmured, then sat up. "Elder brother, are you drunk?"
"Only a little," Seiran murmured, allowing Shuurei to deposit him gently on the bed next to Ryuuki. He reached out half-blindly; Ryuuki clasped his hand with his own. "Wine was stronger than I thought," the older man complained faintly.
"I told him it was okay," Shuurei said fondly. "Tonight of all nights." She accepted Ryuuki's outstretched hands and sat in between them, her skirts billowing out over their knees. Eyes half closed, Ryuuki curled an arm over her waist.
"Lie down with us," he pleaded.
Shuurei didn't respond, though her hands found their way to Ryuuki's arm; for a sinking moment, Ryuuki thought she really was angry. "I'm sorry," he started impulsively. "I love you, Shuurei, you know I do, but I also love Elder Brother Seien. There's room in my heart for both of you, I promise..."
Shuurei startled in a rustle of silks and looked back at him, eyes wide under inky lashes. "You're the one who taught me to become worthy of my rank," Ryuuki went on desperately. "But I still have so much to learn. I need you both."
Shuurei parted her lips to respond, but it was Seiran who spoke for both of them. "Little brother, sometimes you are an idiot."
"Elder brother!" Ryuuki protested in a whine, but Shuurei was already laughing, laughing and falling back on the bed between them, clasping them both to her as her hair fell out in disarray.
"I love you," she said. "Both of you. If you ever forget it, I'll - I'll pinch your ear."
Ryuuki ducked his head with a laugh, resting against her shoulder, as Seiran curled up on her other side. "Yes, Shuurei."
***
They must have fallen asleep like that; the next thing Ryuuki knew he was curled up in Seiran's arms, and Shuurei was shaking them both awake, her eyes luminous in the darkness. "Look, look," she insisted. "Out the window."
Seiran was on his feet before he was quite awake, dragging Ryuuki along with him; his soldier's training stronger than the lingering effects of alcohol and sleep. "What is it," Ryuuki complained, rubbing at his eyes and not at all objecting to Seiran's arms around his shoulders.
"Just come see," Shuurei insisted, breathless, and tugged at their sleeves. Seiran and Ryuuki exchanged dubious, sleepy-eyed glances, but acquiesced to their lady. Shuurei laughed and towed them to the window, just in time for all three to be drenched in delirious blue light.
"Fireworks!" Ryuuki exclaimed, breathlessly thrilled as a child, and his loves laughed and hugged him as the blue trickled down out of the black sky, to be replaced by red and green and gold. The brilliant sparks spiraled in the air, wrote the names of the Emperor and his consort in the sky, glittered and fluttered down like blossoms.
"Beautiful," Shuurei whispered as she watched, eyes sparkling.
"Yes," Seiran murmured, though he wasn't looking out the window anymore. Ryuuki was moved to glance at him by the tone in his brother's voice, and their gazes met over their shared love's head.
Bowing to destiny, Ryuuki dipped his head and kissed Shuurei softly. He pulled back when he felt her breath hitch, only to let Seiran take over. He watched fondly as they kissed, clasped and parted, so lost in love that he was almost taken by surprise when Seiran pulled him closer to kiss him too while the fireworks glittered in Shuurei's eyes.