X (X/1999): Fuuma x Arashi x Subaru
Author:
bibliophile_42
Fandom: X (X/1999)
Pairing: Monou Fuuma x Kishuu Arashi x Sumeragi Subaru
Disclaimer: This is CLAMP's neglected child, not mine.
Spoilers: Everything, including the beginning chapters of X19.
Special Thanks: To
solo____ and
areku1993 for beta reading.
& S L E E P I N G W I TH G H O S T S
you never get your old skin back
once you have loved like that
Welcome. This is a ‘ship manifesto for the threesome of Monou Fuuma, Sumeragi Subaru, and Kishuu Arashi from the CLAMP manga X (X/1999). There are SPOILERS for the entire series throughout the essay, so be warned if you haven’t read through the opening of what would be X19 for some shameful reason.
& I N T R O D U C T I O N
leaking some crazy
1999. The year the world ends. That’s the premise of CLAMP’s popular manga series X, known in the United States as X/1999.
Shirou Kamui is the main character, the chosen one, the one with the fate to decide the world’s future. He can choose join the Dragons of Earth and fight for the Earth’s destruction, or he can choose to join the Dragons of Heaven and fight to save the world. His choice? The Dragons of Heaven, or the seven Seals.
Unfortunately, his choice means that his twin star, childhood friend Monou Fuuma, must fight on the opposite side. The main storyline follows the conflicts between the seven Seals and the seven Dragons of Earth, or seven Angels, as the promised day of the final battle approaches.
That’s the basic premise of X, but it in no way expresses what makes this series so wildly popular or what makes its fans so passionate. I think it’s safe to say that the characters are the heart and soul of this series. There’s an enormous cast - the seven Seals, the seven Angels, and dozens of supporting figures - and every single character is three-dimensional, with the possibility to seize the reader’s imagination.
X is in many ways a work both typical of CLAMP and unique among their canon. It’s a far more violent series than anything else, filled with blood and severed limbs. It’s also darker than many of their works, more similar to RG Veda and the later chapters of Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle than to Cardcaptor Sakura and Wish. However, there are two themes common to CLAMP that surface in X. One is the idea of a Wish, a deep-set desire in a person’s heart. The other is the concept of soul mates: two souls so deeply connected that they are always together, even in different incarnations across different worlds.
Let me preface this manifesto by saying that the relationship I’m about to discuss is in no way canon. I am a firm supporter of Fuuma/Kamui and Sorata/Arashi, and a passionate fan of Seishirou/Subaru. The Fuuma/Arashi/Subaru threesome is not intended in any way as a substitute for canon pairings. In my mind, it is an extension and complement to the pairings of X. It is about three people who have lost their soul mates finding solace in one another.
& P O I N T S
alone in my head
walking the edge
|| sumeragi subaru ||
Sumeragi Subaru’s story begins in Tokyo Babylon, nine years before the main storyline of X. In Tokyo Babylon, we learn that Subaru is the head of the Sumeragi, a clan of onmyoji, or yin-yang sorcerers. He is sixteen years old, soft-spoken and pretty, and he lives in Tokyo with his twin sister Hokuto.
Into Subaru’s world comes Sakurazuka Seishirou, a friendly veterinarian. At first, Seishirou seems benevolent: a kind if slightly pedophilic man who drives Subaru to his exorcisms and teases him mercilessly. The series culminates when Seishirou jumps in front of Subaru to save him from a woman wielding a knife. In the process, Seishirou loses an eye and Subaru realizes that he loves Seishirou.
Their relationship, though, is not to be. Seishirou reveals that he is actually the Sakurazukamori, the head and sole member of a clan of onmyoji assassins. Nine years ago he came across the young Subaru and made a bet: upon their next meeting, Seishirou will stay with Subaru and protect him for one year. If Seishirou feels something for Subaru in that one year, he will let him live; otherwise, he will kill Subaru.
Seishirou admits that he feels nothing for Subaru, and Subaru is left devastated. Enter Hokuto. She sees her brother’s state and leaves to track down Seishirou. When she meets him, he kills her, but not before she places a spell on him. Subaru snaps from his trance at Hokuto’s death and vows to hunt down and kill Seishirou.
Nine years later, when X begins, Subaru is a far cry from his younger self. Instead of being the shy, gentle boy he once was, this Subaru is bitter, solemn, and broken by nine years of - here’s the operative word - angst. He dresses in monochrome colors and smokes heavily.
Subaru is a Dragon of Heaven, one of the souls fated to protect the world. He makes an instant connection with Kamui, the chosen one, and encounters Seishirou for the first time in nine years. He also loses an eye, so he and Seishirou are now mirror images.
His story climaxes in a battle on Rainbow Bridge. Subaru goes in hoping that Seishirou will kill him. In a stunning twist, Subaru actually ends up killing Seishirou. Seishirou’s last moments are spent explaining that the spell Hokuto cast forced Seishirou’s death if he ever tried to kill Subaru. His final words are whispered into Subaru’s ear and are heard by him alone, although much of the fandom speculates that he confessed his love for Subaru.
Subaru disappears for several months, only to be tracked down by Fuuma, the leader of the Dragons of Earth. Fuuma offers Subaru Seishiriou’s remaining eye and his position among the seven Angels. Subaru accepts, and the last time we see him he is conversing with Fuuma. He is now the Sakurazukamori.
For readers new to X, this lengthy summary is necessary to understand the depth of Subaru’s connection to Seishirou and his current position in life. Subaru and Seishirou are one of CLAMP’s “soul mate” pairings, and any other relationship Subaru has is overshadowed by his love for and hatred of Seishirou.
Pesonality-wise, Subaru is a solemn, broken man. He never recovered from his twin sister’s demise, and with Seishirou’s death he loses any interest he had in living. Beneath his pain, however, he is still the same kind, gentle boy that he was in Tokyo Babylon.
Subaru is represented by the tarot card The Hanged Man.
|| kishuu arashi ||
Kishuu Arashi is the Hidden Priestess of Ise, a solemn, calm girl with a nevertheless quick temper. Her ability is based on her maidenhood: a sword emerges from her hand whenever she wills it. She was raised at the temple of Ise, after her mother, also an Ise priestess, died and left her on the streets. She is brave, seriously, and scholarly, and a master of the blade. She stays calm in battle, and is always reserved; some might say that she represses her feelings to an unhealthy point.
Arashi, like Subaru, is one of the seven Seals. Her suitor is another of the Seals, Arisugawa Sorata. Sorata is the exact opposite of Arashi: he’s open, cheerful, brash, and loud. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and he’s not afraid to show it.
Sorata meets Arashi and promptly declares that she is the one he will die for. He explains that he’s known from a young age that there’s a woman that he would fall in love with, and that he will die for that woman. Arashi is taken aback, but Sorata continues to declare his love as the series progresses.
When Sorata saves her from a deadly attack, Arashi finally realizes that she loves him in return. Weeping beside his hospital bed, she confesses her feelings. The scene cuts to their first kiss, and then to the two of them naked in Sorata’s bed the next morning.
Arashi soon discovers that because she has lost her virginity, she has lost her powers as a priestess of Ise. She goes to the dreamseer Hinoto, and Hinoto converts her to the seven Angels. This is wear the series currently ends; however, it is my belief that Arashi will be forced to kill Sorata while she is under Hinoto’s power.
Arashi is represented by the tarot card Temperance.
|| monou fuuma ||
Monou Fuuma is the wildcard in X. He is introduced as Kamui’s childhood friend and the protective older brother of Kotori. However, when Kamui makes his decision to fight as a Dragon of Earth, it is revealed that he is Kamui’s twin star. Because Kamui has chosen to fight with the Seals, Fuuma must fight with the Dragons of Earth.
He ties Kamui up and kills his sister Kotori. Afterwards, he leaves to gather the rest of the Angels. His personality seems to undergo a complete change: he is cold, dangerous, occasionally whimsical, and always unpredictable. He has immense psychic strength, the ability to break through wards or "kekkai," and the power to see what people wish; a side effect of this is that he looks different to different people, taking the face of the one they love most. To Subaru, he looks like Seishirou; to Karen, he looks like Aoki; to Yuzuriha, he looks like Kusangai. He also takes to calling himself “Kamui,” and trades his former unfashionable attire for some of the awesomest coats in all of manga-dom.
Although one interpretation is to label Fuuma as possessed, there are some clues that suggest he is the same person as before. He kills Kotori because that is her wish: she is a fledgling dreamseer, and she wishes the she would break instead of the Earth. Similarly, he gouges out Subaru’s eye because Subaru wishes that his eye to be blind instead of Seishirou’s. He also seems desperate for Kamui to learn his own heart’s desire, because unless Kamui knows his own wish, he cannot win the final battle.
Fuuma, like Subaru and Arashi, is serious and reserved. After he becomes the Kamui of the Dragons of Heaven, he seems cold and dangerous.
Fuuma’s tarot card is unknown, although many have speculated that he will be represented by Judgement or The World.
& L I N E S
birds of a feather
An analysis of the sub-couples that make up this threesome is crucial to understanding the real dynamics in the Fuuma/Arashi/Subaru relationship. My goal here isn’t to anaylyze the couples individually, but to point out some of the interactions and parallels that have bearing on all three.
|| subaru | arashi ||
While Subaru may be more like Kamui in terms of circumstance, I personally believe his personality is more similar to Arashi’s. They are both, as far as we know, orphans, both trained in their spiritual powers from a young age. They both have a certain gravity to them, a seriousness and a reservation, as well as a characteristic that marks them as distinctly the children of a strong Eastern tradition. Traditional is the operative word: traditional in looks, in personality, in upbringing, and in behavior.
They have both come to tragedy because of a great love: Subaru lost his sister and Arashi lost her powers as a priestess. I believe, too, that they will be put in the similar situation of having to kill the one they love most. They are also the only two Seals who have turned traitor - although Arashi seems to be under Hinoto’s control. It’s possible to see the two of them forming a bond because of their shared situations.
Frankly, these two interact very little, and when they do it's almost always in a group setting with the other Seals. Arashi does visit Subaru when he's in the hospital after loosing his eye - with Sorata in tow - and she seems concerned about him after Rainbow Bridge. Whether these two will interact more as the manga draws to a close is yet to be seen.
|| fuuma | subaru ||
Fuuma and Subaru. They're one of the more popular underground pairings; the manga even shows that they form some sort of relationship after Rainbow Bridge.
Their pasts are incredibly similar; they both had a sister who was killed and a loved one from whom they're separated. Fuuma is able to look like Seishirou, and Subaru is in many ways similar to Kamui. It's possible that they would be attracted to each other just because of a superficial resemblance.
However, after Seishirou dies, Fuuma tells Subaru quite bluntly that now he's able to see Fuuma's true self. Subaru seems to have lost any illusions about the other, and yet they continue to interact; in fact, in both volume 17 and volume 18 of X, the only times Subaru appears are when he's talking with Fuuma.
|| arashi | fuuma ||
I'm sure this is, for many people, the most difficult part to digest in this threesome. Arashi and Fuuma do not interact in the manga at all. Still, it's not so far of a stretch to see the two of them forming the same sort of bond that Fuuma might share with Subaru. Fuuma is, in a way, as much of a side-swapper as the other two, and he's also close to Arashi in age.
They do share very grounded, practical personalities. I think Arashi would quietly appreciate Fuuma's rare moments of whimsy, and he would accept her as she is without trying to pressure her to become more open. They have both been separated from the ones they love, and that's another potentially powerful tie. I'm not sure if I see them becoming romantically involved without Subaru in the picture, but there is at least the possibility of a strong comaraderie.
& T R I A N G L E
you didn't flinch
|| evidence ||
I see this relationship developing prominently post-canon. There's not so much canon evidence as there is parallels between the three storylines. There is plenty of analysis on the Subaru/Arashi and Fuuma/Subaru relationships, and even I am skeptical that Fuuma/Arashi would come to fruition without Subaru to shape the relationship.
Honestly, there's not a whole lot more I can say about canon evidence. I've discussed plenty the similarities between Fuuma, Arashi, and Subaru, and while there isn't aren't blatant canonical indications that this relationship could happen, CLAMP is notorious for allowing the possibility of alternate pairings while still holding up the soul mate ideal.
|| scenarios ||
Subaru is nearly ten years older than Fuuma and Arashi, and for that reason alone I shy away from works set prior to the main X storyline. I find this relationship unlikely during X as well; Fuuma, Arashi, and Subaru are all completely consumed by their significant others. At most I can see a strong friendship among the three, or perhaps a sexual relationship between Fuuma and Subaru.
If all three did enter into a mutual romantic relationship during X, I see it as being after Rainbow Bridge and Sorata and Arashi’s consummation. I also don’t see this as being a lasting relationship, largely because I don't believe Fuuma would stay around. The most likely possibility is that Subaru and Arashi would have a relationship after the deaths of Sorata and Seishirou, and Fuuma would occasionally come to them for comfort.
To my mind the most likely scenario takes place after the series ends. If Sorata survives, I can only see the Subaru/Fuuma aspect of the relationship coming to fruition, and if Kamui survives, I again see this as a temporary relationship.
However, if Sorata dies - and I believe he will, either by Arashi’s hand or Fuuma’s - and if Kamui dies as well - perhaps as a shadow sacrifice for Fuuma or someone else, in the tradition of the Magami clan - then I could see these three coming together in a long-term relationship.
I’m sure there are plenty of other ways this relationship would work, and I didn’t even attempt to breach alternate universes and the multiverse that is Tsubasa. Still, with the open-ended interpretation possible because of the unfinished ending, I believe this pairing would happen late in the series or after the final battle.
|| interpretation ||
One of the main reasons I see this as a feasible relationship is simply: nobody wants to be alone. These three, who of all the characters are among the most likely to be misanthropes, deliberately and repeatedly seek out human company. Why wouldn't they seek, then, the company of others who can understand exactly the pain they're feeling?
There a bitter beauty to this threesome, something very lyrical that surrounds it. Isn't it easy to see Arashi grounding Subaru when he's slightly unbalanced, or Fuuma holding Arashi as she remembers her lover, or Subaru going out for ice cream with Fuuma? Subaru and Arashi would be drawn to each other because of their similarities, and Fuuma would act as a nice counterbalance to that. I think there's also the potential for healing; where one or even two of them together might remain shattered, all three of them would be able to support and love each other while they start building a new life.
They've all three known the darker side of life, too, and that creates a lack of shame and a sense of empathy. Where Fuuma might feel perpetually guilty with Kamui, in this relationship he can be free from that shame because the other two have also acted in shameful ways.
I think they also have the potential to help each other rediscover their own charity. These three are all shown to be incredibly kind characters until circumstances force them to harden their exteriors, but with time I think they could let that magnitude of spirit and urge to help resurface.
Each one has something unique to contribute. Fuuma seems like he would be the strong, responsible one, harkening back to his days as a dutiful older brother. He would be the rock for Subaru and Arashi. Arashi brings a pragmatism and a a feminine touch to the relationship, and also a fire that would rattle the other two's stoicism. And Subaru, oddly enough, strikes me as the one to soften the others. He could teach them to be gentle, and I think he also retains an underlying innocence that Fuuma and Arashi especially would find refreshing.
Ultimately, this is a relationship about a communion of pain, a shared burden and strength, and maybe - just maybe - a chance to pick up the broken pieces.
& F A N D O M
enough shards
for something whole
|| reasons ||
As with many CLAMP fans, I started with one series and felt drawn to read everything else they’d done. I personally began with Cardcaptor Sakura and Magic Knight Rayearth and moved on from there. When I first read X, I thought it was, to quote, “bloody and weird.” Then I picked up Tokyo Babylon, fell in love with Seishirou and Subaru, decided to return to X, and became a convert. For me, this fandom will always be dominated by Seishirou and Subaru, and many of the other pairings I enjoy involve one of them. I like non-canon pairings as “sides,” intended to complement and explore existing relationships. Seishirou/Subaru, Fuuma/Kamui, and Sorata/Arashi are and always will be the canon, the most enjoyable, and ultimately the proper pairings in the X fandom.
Still, I do enjoy my non-canon pairings. I started shipping Fu/Su/Ar as I worked on my
fanfic100 challenge for Subaru. To jolt myself out of writing exclusively Seishirou/Subaru, I began pairing Subaru with other characters. Arashi has always been one of my favorites, so I experimented with a few Subaru/Arashi fics, and for one of those I wrote a single sentence about Fuuma coming to sleep - just sleep - between Arashi and Subaru. The few interactions between Fuuma and Subaru in the manga have always fascinated me, so from there it seemed natural to add Fuuma as an equal partner. In my eyes, Subaru is ultimately the connective tissue of this threesome.
The sheer possibility between these characters is incredible. They all have a fair chance of surviving the series, and they have enough similarities to draw them together while still being different enough to create interesting interactions. I always have an image, too, of three fallen dragons who have lost their soul mates, who have survived the battle for the end of the world, clinging to each other because everyone else has forgotten them.
I love Seishirou/Subaru, Fuuma/Kamui, and Sorata/Arashi as well, and that also adds another, ever-present factor to their dynamics. I have to admit that this is the first threesome I’ve shipped, but there’s just something about them that draws me in.
(And they're pretty together too XD)
|| recs ||
Frankly, if you like this threesome, your name is probably
bibliophile_42. In five years of kicking around the X fandom, I’ve yet to find a single Fuuma/Arashi/Subaru fic that I didn’t write - and I haven’t written that many of them. To say this is a rare ‘ship is an understatement. (If you’ve written something and I missed it, apologies!)
The closest thing is probably Subaru/Arashi or Fuuma/Subaru.
hinikuish has written a Subaru/Arashi manifesto and
mefiant has done an essay on Fuuma/Subaru; they're both excellent guides that plumb the depths of the couples and recommend where to start within the fandom. There isn't much Fuuma/Arashi out there, sadly.
If you are new to the fandom, I have an introductory guide I'm writing for a friend. The best resource is this link directory at
prophecie. I'd also recommend that you look into the Seishirou/Subaru, Fuuma/Kamui, and Sorata/Arashi pairings.
And now for the tackiness ^.^; I hate to rec myself, but as far as I know I'm the only one into this threesome, so...here's my Fuuma/Arashi/Subaru fiction. I also run a new community for in-character, non-canon X pairings,
x_altlove.
If this inspires you to write/draw/preach/convert/create, I'd love if you posted a link here so I can take a look. THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE FUUMA/ARASHI/SUBARU .
Anyway, that's why Fubarushi is love ^.^
bibliophile_42
Fandom: X (X/1999)
Pairing: Monou Fuuma x Kishuu Arashi x Sumeragi Subaru
Disclaimer: This is CLAMP's neglected child, not mine.
Spoilers: Everything, including the beginning chapters of X19.
Special Thanks: To
solo____ and
areku1993 for beta reading.
& S L E E P I N G W I TH G H O S T S
you never get your old skin back
once you have loved like that
Welcome. This is a ‘ship manifesto for the threesome of Monou Fuuma, Sumeragi Subaru, and Kishuu Arashi from the CLAMP manga X (X/1999). There are SPOILERS for the entire series throughout the essay, so be warned if you haven’t read through the opening of what would be X19 for some shameful reason.
& I N T R O D U C T I O N
leaking some crazy
1999. The year the world ends. That’s the premise of CLAMP’s popular manga series X, known in the United States as X/1999.
Shirou Kamui is the main character, the chosen one, the one with the fate to decide the world’s future. He can choose join the Dragons of Earth and fight for the Earth’s destruction, or he can choose to join the Dragons of Heaven and fight to save the world. His choice? The Dragons of Heaven, or the seven Seals.
Unfortunately, his choice means that his twin star, childhood friend Monou Fuuma, must fight on the opposite side. The main storyline follows the conflicts between the seven Seals and the seven Dragons of Earth, or seven Angels, as the promised day of the final battle approaches.
That’s the basic premise of X, but it in no way expresses what makes this series so wildly popular or what makes its fans so passionate. I think it’s safe to say that the characters are the heart and soul of this series. There’s an enormous cast - the seven Seals, the seven Angels, and dozens of supporting figures - and every single character is three-dimensional, with the possibility to seize the reader’s imagination.
X is in many ways a work both typical of CLAMP and unique among their canon. It’s a far more violent series than anything else, filled with blood and severed limbs. It’s also darker than many of their works, more similar to RG Veda and the later chapters of Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle than to Cardcaptor Sakura and Wish. However, there are two themes common to CLAMP that surface in X. One is the idea of a Wish, a deep-set desire in a person’s heart. The other is the concept of soul mates: two souls so deeply connected that they are always together, even in different incarnations across different worlds.
Let me preface this manifesto by saying that the relationship I’m about to discuss is in no way canon. I am a firm supporter of Fuuma/Kamui and Sorata/Arashi, and a passionate fan of Seishirou/Subaru. The Fuuma/Arashi/Subaru threesome is not intended in any way as a substitute for canon pairings. In my mind, it is an extension and complement to the pairings of X. It is about three people who have lost their soul mates finding solace in one another.
& P O I N T S
alone in my head
walking the edge
|| sumeragi subaru ||
Sumeragi Subaru’s story begins in Tokyo Babylon, nine years before the main storyline of X. In Tokyo Babylon, we learn that Subaru is the head of the Sumeragi, a clan of onmyoji, or yin-yang sorcerers. He is sixteen years old, soft-spoken and pretty, and he lives in Tokyo with his twin sister Hokuto.
Into Subaru’s world comes Sakurazuka Seishirou, a friendly veterinarian. At first, Seishirou seems benevolent: a kind if slightly pedophilic man who drives Subaru to his exorcisms and teases him mercilessly. The series culminates when Seishirou jumps in front of Subaru to save him from a woman wielding a knife. In the process, Seishirou loses an eye and Subaru realizes that he loves Seishirou.
Their relationship, though, is not to be. Seishirou reveals that he is actually the Sakurazukamori, the head and sole member of a clan of onmyoji assassins. Nine years ago he came across the young Subaru and made a bet: upon their next meeting, Seishirou will stay with Subaru and protect him for one year. If Seishirou feels something for Subaru in that one year, he will let him live; otherwise, he will kill Subaru.
Seishirou admits that he feels nothing for Subaru, and Subaru is left devastated. Enter Hokuto. She sees her brother’s state and leaves to track down Seishirou. When she meets him, he kills her, but not before she places a spell on him. Subaru snaps from his trance at Hokuto’s death and vows to hunt down and kill Seishirou.
Nine years later, when X begins, Subaru is a far cry from his younger self. Instead of being the shy, gentle boy he once was, this Subaru is bitter, solemn, and broken by nine years of - here’s the operative word - angst. He dresses in monochrome colors and smokes heavily.
Subaru is a Dragon of Heaven, one of the souls fated to protect the world. He makes an instant connection with Kamui, the chosen one, and encounters Seishirou for the first time in nine years. He also loses an eye, so he and Seishirou are now mirror images.
His story climaxes in a battle on Rainbow Bridge. Subaru goes in hoping that Seishirou will kill him. In a stunning twist, Subaru actually ends up killing Seishirou. Seishirou’s last moments are spent explaining that the spell Hokuto cast forced Seishirou’s death if he ever tried to kill Subaru. His final words are whispered into Subaru’s ear and are heard by him alone, although much of the fandom speculates that he confessed his love for Subaru.
Subaru disappears for several months, only to be tracked down by Fuuma, the leader of the Dragons of Earth. Fuuma offers Subaru Seishiriou’s remaining eye and his position among the seven Angels. Subaru accepts, and the last time we see him he is conversing with Fuuma. He is now the Sakurazukamori.
For readers new to X, this lengthy summary is necessary to understand the depth of Subaru’s connection to Seishirou and his current position in life. Subaru and Seishirou are one of CLAMP’s “soul mate” pairings, and any other relationship Subaru has is overshadowed by his love for and hatred of Seishirou.
Pesonality-wise, Subaru is a solemn, broken man. He never recovered from his twin sister’s demise, and with Seishirou’s death he loses any interest he had in living. Beneath his pain, however, he is still the same kind, gentle boy that he was in Tokyo Babylon.
Subaru is represented by the tarot card The Hanged Man.
|| kishuu arashi ||
Kishuu Arashi is the Hidden Priestess of Ise, a solemn, calm girl with a nevertheless quick temper. Her ability is based on her maidenhood: a sword emerges from her hand whenever she wills it. She was raised at the temple of Ise, after her mother, also an Ise priestess, died and left her on the streets. She is brave, seriously, and scholarly, and a master of the blade. She stays calm in battle, and is always reserved; some might say that she represses her feelings to an unhealthy point.
Arashi, like Subaru, is one of the seven Seals. Her suitor is another of the Seals, Arisugawa Sorata. Sorata is the exact opposite of Arashi: he’s open, cheerful, brash, and loud. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and he’s not afraid to show it.
Sorata meets Arashi and promptly declares that she is the one he will die for. He explains that he’s known from a young age that there’s a woman that he would fall in love with, and that he will die for that woman. Arashi is taken aback, but Sorata continues to declare his love as the series progresses.
When Sorata saves her from a deadly attack, Arashi finally realizes that she loves him in return. Weeping beside his hospital bed, she confesses her feelings. The scene cuts to their first kiss, and then to the two of them naked in Sorata’s bed the next morning.
Arashi soon discovers that because she has lost her virginity, she has lost her powers as a priestess of Ise. She goes to the dreamseer Hinoto, and Hinoto converts her to the seven Angels. This is wear the series currently ends; however, it is my belief that Arashi will be forced to kill Sorata while she is under Hinoto’s power.
Arashi is represented by the tarot card Temperance.
|| monou fuuma ||
Monou Fuuma is the wildcard in X. He is introduced as Kamui’s childhood friend and the protective older brother of Kotori. However, when Kamui makes his decision to fight as a Dragon of Earth, it is revealed that he is Kamui’s twin star. Because Kamui has chosen to fight with the Seals, Fuuma must fight with the Dragons of Earth.
He ties Kamui up and kills his sister Kotori. Afterwards, he leaves to gather the rest of the Angels. His personality seems to undergo a complete change: he is cold, dangerous, occasionally whimsical, and always unpredictable. He has immense psychic strength, the ability to break through wards or "kekkai," and the power to see what people wish; a side effect of this is that he looks different to different people, taking the face of the one they love most. To Subaru, he looks like Seishirou; to Karen, he looks like Aoki; to Yuzuriha, he looks like Kusangai. He also takes to calling himself “Kamui,” and trades his former unfashionable attire for some of the awesomest coats in all of manga-dom.
Although one interpretation is to label Fuuma as possessed, there are some clues that suggest he is the same person as before. He kills Kotori because that is her wish: she is a fledgling dreamseer, and she wishes the she would break instead of the Earth. Similarly, he gouges out Subaru’s eye because Subaru wishes that his eye to be blind instead of Seishirou’s. He also seems desperate for Kamui to learn his own heart’s desire, because unless Kamui knows his own wish, he cannot win the final battle.
Fuuma, like Subaru and Arashi, is serious and reserved. After he becomes the Kamui of the Dragons of Heaven, he seems cold and dangerous.
Fuuma’s tarot card is unknown, although many have speculated that he will be represented by Judgement or The World.
& L I N E S
birds of a feather
An analysis of the sub-couples that make up this threesome is crucial to understanding the real dynamics in the Fuuma/Arashi/Subaru relationship. My goal here isn’t to anaylyze the couples individually, but to point out some of the interactions and parallels that have bearing on all three.
|| subaru | arashi ||
While Subaru may be more like Kamui in terms of circumstance, I personally believe his personality is more similar to Arashi’s. They are both, as far as we know, orphans, both trained in their spiritual powers from a young age. They both have a certain gravity to them, a seriousness and a reservation, as well as a characteristic that marks them as distinctly the children of a strong Eastern tradition. Traditional is the operative word: traditional in looks, in personality, in upbringing, and in behavior.
They have both come to tragedy because of a great love: Subaru lost his sister and Arashi lost her powers as a priestess. I believe, too, that they will be put in the similar situation of having to kill the one they love most. They are also the only two Seals who have turned traitor - although Arashi seems to be under Hinoto’s control. It’s possible to see the two of them forming a bond because of their shared situations.
Frankly, these two interact very little, and when they do it's almost always in a group setting with the other Seals. Arashi does visit Subaru when he's in the hospital after loosing his eye - with Sorata in tow - and she seems concerned about him after Rainbow Bridge. Whether these two will interact more as the manga draws to a close is yet to be seen.
|| fuuma | subaru ||
Fuuma and Subaru. They're one of the more popular underground pairings; the manga even shows that they form some sort of relationship after Rainbow Bridge.
Their pasts are incredibly similar; they both had a sister who was killed and a loved one from whom they're separated. Fuuma is able to look like Seishirou, and Subaru is in many ways similar to Kamui. It's possible that they would be attracted to each other just because of a superficial resemblance.
However, after Seishirou dies, Fuuma tells Subaru quite bluntly that now he's able to see Fuuma's true self. Subaru seems to have lost any illusions about the other, and yet they continue to interact; in fact, in both volume 17 and volume 18 of X, the only times Subaru appears are when he's talking with Fuuma.
|| arashi | fuuma ||
I'm sure this is, for many people, the most difficult part to digest in this threesome. Arashi and Fuuma do not interact in the manga at all. Still, it's not so far of a stretch to see the two of them forming the same sort of bond that Fuuma might share with Subaru. Fuuma is, in a way, as much of a side-swapper as the other two, and he's also close to Arashi in age.
They do share very grounded, practical personalities. I think Arashi would quietly appreciate Fuuma's rare moments of whimsy, and he would accept her as she is without trying to pressure her to become more open. They have both been separated from the ones they love, and that's another potentially powerful tie. I'm not sure if I see them becoming romantically involved without Subaru in the picture, but there is at least the possibility of a strong comaraderie.
& T R I A N G L E
you didn't flinch
|| evidence ||
I see this relationship developing prominently post-canon. There's not so much canon evidence as there is parallels between the three storylines. There is plenty of analysis on the Subaru/Arashi and Fuuma/Subaru relationships, and even I am skeptical that Fuuma/Arashi would come to fruition without Subaru to shape the relationship.
Honestly, there's not a whole lot more I can say about canon evidence. I've discussed plenty the similarities between Fuuma, Arashi, and Subaru, and while there isn't aren't blatant canonical indications that this relationship could happen, CLAMP is notorious for allowing the possibility of alternate pairings while still holding up the soul mate ideal.
|| scenarios ||
Subaru is nearly ten years older than Fuuma and Arashi, and for that reason alone I shy away from works set prior to the main X storyline. I find this relationship unlikely during X as well; Fuuma, Arashi, and Subaru are all completely consumed by their significant others. At most I can see a strong friendship among the three, or perhaps a sexual relationship between Fuuma and Subaru.
If all three did enter into a mutual romantic relationship during X, I see it as being after Rainbow Bridge and Sorata and Arashi’s consummation. I also don’t see this as being a lasting relationship, largely because I don't believe Fuuma would stay around. The most likely possibility is that Subaru and Arashi would have a relationship after the deaths of Sorata and Seishirou, and Fuuma would occasionally come to them for comfort.
To my mind the most likely scenario takes place after the series ends. If Sorata survives, I can only see the Subaru/Fuuma aspect of the relationship coming to fruition, and if Kamui survives, I again see this as a temporary relationship.
However, if Sorata dies - and I believe he will, either by Arashi’s hand or Fuuma’s - and if Kamui dies as well - perhaps as a shadow sacrifice for Fuuma or someone else, in the tradition of the Magami clan - then I could see these three coming together in a long-term relationship.
I’m sure there are plenty of other ways this relationship would work, and I didn’t even attempt to breach alternate universes and the multiverse that is Tsubasa. Still, with the open-ended interpretation possible because of the unfinished ending, I believe this pairing would happen late in the series or after the final battle.
|| interpretation ||
One of the main reasons I see this as a feasible relationship is simply: nobody wants to be alone. These three, who of all the characters are among the most likely to be misanthropes, deliberately and repeatedly seek out human company. Why wouldn't they seek, then, the company of others who can understand exactly the pain they're feeling?
There a bitter beauty to this threesome, something very lyrical that surrounds it. Isn't it easy to see Arashi grounding Subaru when he's slightly unbalanced, or Fuuma holding Arashi as she remembers her lover, or Subaru going out for ice cream with Fuuma? Subaru and Arashi would be drawn to each other because of their similarities, and Fuuma would act as a nice counterbalance to that. I think there's also the potential for healing; where one or even two of them together might remain shattered, all three of them would be able to support and love each other while they start building a new life.
They've all three known the darker side of life, too, and that creates a lack of shame and a sense of empathy. Where Fuuma might feel perpetually guilty with Kamui, in this relationship he can be free from that shame because the other two have also acted in shameful ways.
I think they also have the potential to help each other rediscover their own charity. These three are all shown to be incredibly kind characters until circumstances force them to harden their exteriors, but with time I think they could let that magnitude of spirit and urge to help resurface.
Each one has something unique to contribute. Fuuma seems like he would be the strong, responsible one, harkening back to his days as a dutiful older brother. He would be the rock for Subaru and Arashi. Arashi brings a pragmatism and a a feminine touch to the relationship, and also a fire that would rattle the other two's stoicism. And Subaru, oddly enough, strikes me as the one to soften the others. He could teach them to be gentle, and I think he also retains an underlying innocence that Fuuma and Arashi especially would find refreshing.
Ultimately, this is a relationship about a communion of pain, a shared burden and strength, and maybe - just maybe - a chance to pick up the broken pieces.
& F A N D O M
enough shards
for something whole
|| reasons ||
As with many CLAMP fans, I started with one series and felt drawn to read everything else they’d done. I personally began with Cardcaptor Sakura and Magic Knight Rayearth and moved on from there. When I first read X, I thought it was, to quote, “bloody and weird.” Then I picked up Tokyo Babylon, fell in love with Seishirou and Subaru, decided to return to X, and became a convert. For me, this fandom will always be dominated by Seishirou and Subaru, and many of the other pairings I enjoy involve one of them. I like non-canon pairings as “sides,” intended to complement and explore existing relationships. Seishirou/Subaru, Fuuma/Kamui, and Sorata/Arashi are and always will be the canon, the most enjoyable, and ultimately the proper pairings in the X fandom.
Still, I do enjoy my non-canon pairings. I started shipping Fu/Su/Ar as I worked on my
fanfic100 challenge for Subaru. To jolt myself out of writing exclusively Seishirou/Subaru, I began pairing Subaru with other characters. Arashi has always been one of my favorites, so I experimented with a few Subaru/Arashi fics, and for one of those I wrote a single sentence about Fuuma coming to sleep - just sleep - between Arashi and Subaru. The few interactions between Fuuma and Subaru in the manga have always fascinated me, so from there it seemed natural to add Fuuma as an equal partner. In my eyes, Subaru is ultimately the connective tissue of this threesome.
The sheer possibility between these characters is incredible. They all have a fair chance of surviving the series, and they have enough similarities to draw them together while still being different enough to create interesting interactions. I always have an image, too, of three fallen dragons who have lost their soul mates, who have survived the battle for the end of the world, clinging to each other because everyone else has forgotten them.
I love Seishirou/Subaru, Fuuma/Kamui, and Sorata/Arashi as well, and that also adds another, ever-present factor to their dynamics. I have to admit that this is the first threesome I’ve shipped, but there’s just something about them that draws me in.
(And they're pretty together too XD)
|| recs ||
Frankly, if you like this threesome, your name is probably
bibliophile_42. In five years of kicking around the X fandom, I’ve yet to find a single Fuuma/Arashi/Subaru fic that I didn’t write - and I haven’t written that many of them. To say this is a rare ‘ship is an understatement. (If you’ve written something and I missed it, apologies!)
The closest thing is probably Subaru/Arashi or Fuuma/Subaru.
hinikuish has written a Subaru/Arashi manifesto and
mefiant has done an essay on Fuuma/Subaru; they're both excellent guides that plumb the depths of the couples and recommend where to start within the fandom. There isn't much Fuuma/Arashi out there, sadly.
If you are new to the fandom, I have an introductory guide I'm writing for a friend. The best resource is this link directory at
prophecie. I'd also recommend that you look into the Seishirou/Subaru, Fuuma/Kamui, and Sorata/Arashi pairings.
And now for the tackiness ^.^; I hate to rec myself, but as far as I know I'm the only one into this threesome, so...here's my Fuuma/Arashi/Subaru fiction. I also run a new community for in-character, non-canon X pairings,
x_altlove.
If this inspires you to write/draw/preach/convert/create, I'd love if you posted a link here so I can take a look. THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE FUUMA/ARASHI/SUBARU .
Anyway, that's why Fubarushi is love ^.^