Saiunkoku Monogatari, Reishin/Kouyuu + Shuuei, voyeurism 1/3
“Kouyuu! Hey, Kouyuu!” The blue-haired offical made a face and started walking faster down the corridor. Shuuei smirked and gave chase.“General Hou and I are going to visit the Kogarou.” Shuuei announced brightly as he finally caught up to Kouyuu, slinging a friendly arm around his shoulder to prevent the younger man from running off. “Come with us this time.” He smiled brightly; Kouyuu’s grip on the huge stack of books and papers he was carrying tightened. He took one deep breath. And then another, which really should have been Shuuei’s warning signal.
“SHUUEI! JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE A GIANT PERVERT WHO NEVER HAS ANY WORK TO DO DOESN’T MEAN THAT THE REST OF US ARE!!!” Shuuei ducked his head contritely, looking around for a way to escape. Kouyuu’s lectures were legendary, when you managed to piss him off enough. Civil Affairs must be really swamped. “I HAVE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO THAN WASTE MY TIME WITH A BUNCH OF GIGGLING IDIOT WOMEN. I. DON’T. LIKE. THEM. GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEAD AND STOP BOTHERING ME!!!!”
And with that he stomped off in a huff, papers flying off in a little trail behind him, in the general direction of the kitchens. Shuuei rubbed his ears, waiting for them to stop ringing, and reflected that it hadn’t gone so badly, for an opening salvo. * * * Kouyuu was in the archives, the next time Shuuei found him. The boy gave him a suspicious glare as he came in, but Shuuei only smiled apologetically. “Don’t give me that look. I took what you said to heart; you don’t like women? Ok, you’re missing out, but that’s your decision, right?” The glare relaxed just a fraction. “Look, I even brought tea; you’ll forgive me, won’t you?” “Fine.” Kouyuu bit out, letting Shuuei pour him some of the excellent pu-erh he’d bought just for this plan. “As long as you understand…”
“Mmm. Exactly. Which is why I thought of you immediately when the Emperor mentioned to me that he wanted to show him some of the other kinds of houses.” Shuuei sipped his tea and grinned and waited for it.
“SHUUEI!!” * * * After that, Kouyuu managed to avoid him entirely for almost two weeks before Shuuei was able to corner him outside the Emperors outer offices. The younger man barely glanced up at him, lips pulled into a tight line. “Don’t talk to me,” he bit out. “I’m leaving.”
“No, you listen to me,” Shuuei heard himself say sternly, grabbing the other boy’s shoulder. “You’re what, twenty? You don’t go out, you won’t sport with a boy OR a girl, I’m your only friend. All you do is work. It’s not right!” Kouyuu’s face… shut down, went as calm and closed as the most accomplished courtier.
“I’m leaving,” he repeated. “Thank you for your advice, Ran-sama.” And out of the corner of his eye as he turned to watch Kouyuu storm off, Shuuei thought he saw a flutter of red silk. * * *
Even the runner from Civil Affairs looked like he hadn’t slept in a week. “General Ran!” Shuuei took pity on him and let his sword drop immediately. “Kou Reishin-sama requests your company for tea after the end of business next Wednesday.”
“Reishin does?” Shuuei frowned at the runner, but the man was already looking off towards the Ministry of Finances distractedly. “Mm. Please tell him I’d be honored to join him.”