Nine Lives

28. Lessons

Entry #71: August 07, xxxx
Shirogane’s familiar came for a visit today. He brought a gift basket for me and he and Sei went out to sit on the porch together. They sat there for hours, just talking. I didn’t listen to anything they said or interrupt them, but I watched them every once in a while. Sei looked so relaxed talking to him. I’m not surprised, but it felt strange to watch. I remember learning about the two of them when Dad taught me about our Coven’s history. They were the first Familiars of the Shirogane and Kuroko families. They’ve known each other since the very creation of our Coven. I wonder what it’s like to live that long. For some reason when I looked out the window at Sei, I felt sad…
Kuroko Yuzuki
-

Kuroko is quiet the entire ride home. He can see Sei glancing at him, worried. Whatever spell the familiar cast stopped the headache, but he still can’t remember anything about he day that picture was taken.
“Tetsuya?” Sei finally breaks the silence once they’re in the apartment. He stands by the door, eyes worried and hands anxiously flexing at his sides. Kuroko looks over at him, expression blank.
“I’m fine.” Kuroko says, Seijurou just frowns. Kuroko sighs, reaching up to brush his fingers up against the scar on the back of his head. “I’ll remember eventually, right?”
“Most likely.” Seijurou confirms. He steps up to Kuroko, cupping his face so he looks the familiar in the eye.
“Then it’s fine.” Kuroko says, watching the familiars expression. “I can wait. Those memories, aren’t that important right now anyway.”
Kuroko reaches up pulling Sei’s hand down so he can plant a kiss on his palm. Seijurou’s eyes flash, watching the boy in his hands carefully.
“You. And us.” Kuroko glances away, embarrassment tinting his cheeks pink. “That’s more important right now, right?”
Seijurou pulls him closer, bringing their lips together in a swift kiss. “Yes.” He breathes, voice soft. “You will always be this most important thing to me.”
Kuroko smiles, leaning forward to kiss the red head once more. Seijurou melts into him, relieved. Kuroko hums agains his lips, tugging the familiars hands. Seijurou relents only a little, pressing his forehead against Kuroko’s.
“Let’s do this in bed. I’m exhausted.” Kuroko’s suggests.
Seijurou nods, letting the younger boy lead him to his room. He doesn’t let go of his hand. He doesn’t let him out of reach, even while they change into comfier clothes to sleep in. Seijurou hovers, hands always brushing skin, lips pressed on shoulders and cheeks. Kuroko just smiles, taking his hand when he can, planting kisses to his nose and knuckles.
Seijurou is star struck. He never wants Kuroko out of his hands. He pulls him close for a kiss before they get in bed and Kuroko smiles wide. The familiar purrs.
Kuroko tugs him over to the bed, and they crawl under the covers. Hands on hips, lips on jaws. Seijurou’s content purring filling the room. 
Kuroko tucks his head into Seijurou’s neck while the red head strokes symbols into his skin softly. Kuroko doesn’t ask, but he wonders if they mean anything.
“I’m sorry.” Kuroko says after a moment. Sei frowns, looking down at the boy under his chin.
“For what?”
“It must have been painful for you to watch me dating Kagami. I can only imagine how hard it must have been to not kill him.”
“It was.” Sei sighs, tightening his arms around Kuroko. “I tried to keep him away from you but as a cat, there’s not much I could do.”
“I’m sure you could have come up with something.” Kuroko smiles.
“Oh, I did. But there was no way I could actually go through with it when you seemed so happy…” Sei says sadly. Kuroko lifts his head, meeting the familiars eyes.
“I’m sorry.” He apologizes once more. Sei just smiles.
“You have nothing to apologize for.” Sei leans down, kissing his nose. “I will do anything to make you happy.”
Kuroko hums, tucking his head back into Seijurou's neck. They’re quiet in the dark of the room, Seijurou almost thinks the boy had fallen asleep when he speaks up once more.
“He took my virginity, didn’t he?” Kuroko asks, tone casual. Seijurou bristles.
“What!?” he looks down at Kuroko and the boy snorts.
“Sorry, but he did, right?” Kuroko's eyes shine playfully in the light from the window. Seijurou pouts.
“Yes.” He mutters, tightening his arms around Kuroko.
“When did you loose yours?” Kuroko asks.
“A long time ago. And I don’t consider it a loss of anything, it was an experience I gained while trying to understand love.”
Kuroko hums thoughtfully. “Was it one of your masters?”
“No. It was… a friend.” Sei says. Kuroko looks up at him with a frown.
“Midorima!?”
“No!” Sei exclaims back before breaking out in a smile. “Go to sleep already!”
Kuroko laughs, but curls back up in Sei's arms. “Fine.”

The next morning the two of them are woken by a far too enthusiastic knock at the door. Sei growls, snuggling deeper under the covers with Kuroko. His internal clock tells him that it’s breakfast time, and that no one in their right mind should be disturbing them right now. But Mibuchi Reo has never been in his right mind, in Seijurou’s opinion.
“Sei-chan! Kuroko-chan!” The man sings, banging in the door again. Kuroko groans this time.
“Just let him in.” The boy says, not opening his eyes. “He won’t stop until you do.”
Seijurou sighs deeply, know it was true. His breath ruffles Kuroko's hair and he leans forward to plant a kiss on the boys cheek.
“Fine. You stay here. I’ll start breakfast and see what he wants.” See says, slipping out from under the blankets.
It takes him only a second to change and adjust his form to look like a proper human and not someone who just crawled out of bed. Seijurou opens the door and gives the witch before him a dead eyed stare.
“Reo.” He sighs, “What do you want? I haven’t even started breakfast yet, it’s far too early for you to be pestering us.”
“Not pestering! Teaching!” Reo smiles. “I promised to teach Kuroko-chan about witchcraft, remember?”
Reo pushes himself inside, ignoring Sei’s disapproving glare. Seijurou just sighs, closing the door behind the man.
“Tetsuya is still resting, at least wait until we’ve had breakfast.”
“Sure! I’d love to join you for breakfast!” Reo says, walking over to Sei's chair and taking a seat. Seijurou just sighs again.
“Of course you would.” He says, turning towards the kitchen. He starts pulling out ingredients, praying for a peaceful morning.
“How is Kuroko-chan? Is his headache better?” Reo asks after a moment.
“He’s fine.” Sei replies sternly. Reo is unfazed by the tone.
“Kagami-kun, was it?” He says.
“Reo.” Seijurou warns. “Its not your business, and you are already on very thin ice.”
“Right, right.” He sings, “Sorry Sei-chan! I won’t cause any more trouble! Cross my heart!”
“I’ll believe that when it actually happens.” See grumbles.

Kuroko exits his room just before Sei finishes cooking. He nods to Reo but says nothing as he trudges to the washroom.
Seijurou plates the food, leaving one on the table for Kuroko’s with a cup of coffee and handing the other to Reo.
“Don’t I get coffee?”
“Its in the kitchen.” Sei says, walking to Kuroko’s room and grabbing his clothes. Reo watches as he brings the folded pile to the washroom, knocking lightly before slipping inside. Sei comes out with his hair a bit damp and water on his shirt and Reo just smiles.
By the time Reo is halfway done his own coffee, Kuroko’s comes out. He’s awake now and greets Reo this time.
“Good morning, Mibuchi-san.”
“Good morning, Kuroko-chan!” Reo sings back.
“What are you planning to teach me today?”
Reo smiles, takes a breath in, then doesn’t stop talking for the next half hour.

Momoi arrives after Sei has finished cleaning the two witches dishes, notebook in hand and an excited smile on her face. Sei let’s her in with a smile and the three witches talk for hours.
Sei, not having much to contribute, and knowing Reo to be a competent teacher, takes his cat form and curls up next to Kuroko’s on the couch. Kuroko’s pets him absentmindedly like he’s done all his life and Sei purrs, content.

“Ahh, I’m starving,” Reo says after a while. “All these demonstrations are zapping my energy. What’s for lunch, Sei-chan?”
Sei flicks his ears, looking up. He hadn’t been paying attention, but now that Reo mentioned it, he realizes it’s already past noon.
“I’ll see what I can whip up.” The cat says, sitting up and stretching. Kuroko watches him with a light smile as the black and white cat jumps off the couch. Seijurou transforms back into his human form, and heads into the kitchen.
“If we’re taking a break, then excuse me for just a second.” Momoi says, standing as well. “I want to grab my book of spells from my apartment.”
“Sure thing, Satsuki-chan!” Reo smiles. Momoi smiles, excusing herself.
Reo turns to Kuroko. “Have you had a chance to check out your families book of shadows? I’ve heard impressive things about it.”
“I haven’t seen it since Sei put it away…” Kuroko’s frowns, just now remembering the book. Reo frowns a little, turning to look across the room.
“Isn’t it on the shelf over there?”
Kuroko frowns too, turning to his bookshelf. “Where?”
“Right there, the thick old looking book.” Reo says, pointing too it. Kuroko squints but can’t find the old hand bound book Midorima brought to the apartment. Rei stands, walking over to the shelf.
Kuroko’s watches him from his seat, looking where he's pointing but not seeing anything other than the usual well read books he keeps there.
“It’s here.” Reo says, grabbing the book. He slides it out of it’s place on the shelf and it’s as if Kuroko’s vision suddenly clears. The book is there, in Reo's hand where it hadn’t even existed before. Kuroko’s blinks in surprise.
“How did I not see that before?” He frowns, getting up and walking over to Reo.
“Sei-chan must have hidden it from you.” Reo says, flipping the cover open.
An envelope falls from the pages, fluttering to the ground. Kuroko reaches down, picking up the plain white paper. He flips it over to find 'Seijurou' written on the front in clear font. He raised his eyebrows.
“What is it?” Reo ask, curiously.
“The letter Momoi brought for Sei from Nijimura…” Kuroko’s says. “No wonder I never saw it again.”
“What does it say?” Reo asks, leaning closer, the Kuroko book of shadows forgotten for the moment as more juicy gossip presents itself. Kuroko holds it closer to himself, frowning at Reo.
“I don’t know, but I know Sei would kill you if you even tried to open it.” Kuroko’s says. Reo sighs
“You’re right. But he would never hurt you! Read it! And then give me a summary!” Reo's eyes shine.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Just put it back.”
“Come on! Those two are the most mysterious creatures in the entire coven, they were born together and lived for lifetime’s by each other’s side! They probably know more about each other than they know about themselves!” Reo says, voice lowered so Sei wouldn’t hear from the kitchen. “This is the gossip of a life time, you have to read it!”
Kuroko frowns at him and Reo sighs again. “Fine. Don’t read it. It’s your loss. But this is a prime chance to learn something about Sei-chan that no one but Nijimura-chan knows, and if I were you I'd want to know what my familiars past lover thinks of him.”
Kuroko blinks. “Lover?”
“He didn’t tell you?” Reo raises an eyebrow. “They used to be quite the pair, or so the rumors say. But they broke it off just before your family got cursed and they’ve been on shaky terms ever since.”
“Oh.” Is all Kuroko’s says, looking down at the letter. Reo just shrugs, turning his attention back to the book in his hands.
“You think about it, I’m gonna flip through your book of shadows!” He smiles, walking back over to Sei’s chair. Kuroko stares down at the letter in his hand. A lover. Certainly, Seijurou must have had many in his long life, but Nijimura? Kuroko would have never guessed. Sei had introduced him as a friend at the coven meeting.
A realization dawns on Kuroko and he turns around to look at Sei in the kitchen. The familiar is busy at work and doesn’t notice Kuroko’s gaze. Kuroko quickly grabs one of his favourite books off the shelf and slides the letter between the pages. Sei had said his first time was with a friend. Maybe Reo was right.
Either way, Kuroko wasn’t about to invade Seijurou’s privacy. He walks back to sit on the couch, sipping the last of his now cold tea. Once Momoi returns, Reo puts down the Kuroko family book of Shadows and turns to the two witches again. Even as Sei places down their lunch, Reo barely stops talking in between bites, continuing his lessons.

Surprise! I'm alive! And I've brought not one, but TWO chapters!! I hope there are still people reading this...