Moon at Apogee (XXXholic/CCS, 1/6)
Moon at Apogee
~ An XXXholic/Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ~
by aishuu
Summary: The past comes back to bite Yuuko as Clow's final legacy shows up on her doorstep.
Notes: I've been working on this for about two years, and I decided to release the first part before I get completely screwed over by XXXholic canon. Thanks to sophiap for editing.
Although Yuuko was used to having visitors show up at all hours, that didn't mean she was happy to be woken up at two in the morning by the wards on her gates. She hadn't been expecting anyone, and she was admittedly cranky as she wrapped a robe around herself, prepared to chase the intruder off. She just wasn't in the mood to deal with people, not unless they managed to find the right price - and since she'd gotten out of bed, it would be very, very expensive.
It was drizzling slightly, small sputters of water that didn't deserve to be called "rain." Pushing her door open, she scowled as she tried to find the presence lingering on her property. Something was itching at the back of her mind, the warning that whatever was outside wasn't human.
Maybe she should have grabbed her baseball bat.
There wasn't anything that could be an active threat to her, not in her own territory, so she brushed the thought aside. Nothing would be here without purpose; she should rein her temper in and remember that she had a job to do, even if it was at an ungodly hour of the night. She'd just factor her discomfort into whatever price she was to charge.
It was too still out; there should have been the sound of rain upon the ground as it struck the earth, but she could hear nothing. Other noises, like the chirp of crickets, were missing as well. It was likely someone had cast a silence spell.
So, whatever the intruder was could use magic. Forewarned was forearmed, and she mentally began to prepare herself. Yuuko usually performed magic using tools, but that didn't mean she couldn't cast something nasty off the top of her head. More than once she had done so when something hostile tried to attack. She made a few motions with her hands, readying a spell, just in case.
She didn't feel any kind of threat, but she had never had a true gift of prophecy, not like Clow did. Her specialty was seeing into the hearts of others, and finding out what made them tick. Clow had been good at that, too, but then he'd been good at everything.
Taking a deep breath to keep from screaming in frustration, she counted slowly backwards from ten to give herself some time to think. If it was indeed a silence spell - and Yuuko was convinced it was - it only had a range of around 15 meters. Logically, the person would be in the middle of the spell... which meant the caster was close.
Glancing around, she looked for things that were out of place - and noticing how thick the shadow at the base of the large oak tree that dominated the far corner of her yard was. Waving a hand, she dispelled the magic which had gathered the shadows and enveloped the area in silence.
She recognized him immediately, although they had never met. There was nothing else in this world - or many others - with wings like his, white and gracefully arching above his head, framing his slender body. His clothes, made of white and violet silk, draped over his form gracefully. He would have cut a dashing figure, had he not been huddled on the ground miserably, his arms wrapped around his knees.
Her face drained of blood. Already fair, her skin took on the shade of the belly of a dead fish. She took a few unsteady steps toward him, uncharacteristically unsure of herself. She had never wanted to meet this creature, this being Clow had created of magic and moonlight and unfulfilled dreams.
"Yue-san?" Yuuko whispered.
Yue jerked as she spoke his name, startled out of his reverie. He focused his gaze on her, and she saw the terror and loneliness reflected in his eyes. "Who are you?" he asked, trying to sound imperious. Instead, he merely sounded like a lost child.
She could deal with this, she told herself. She moved closer, using a gliding step that would convey subconscious control and power. When she was an arm's length away, she spoke. "I am the Dimension Witch," she said, pulling herself to her full height. "You may call me Yuuko," she said. "I was a friend of Clow Reed's."
Yue had tensed at her approach, but the name of his creator was like a magic, casting a spell of trust. It wasn't overt, but she noticed how his wings relaxed on his back, and he didn't seem so ready for flight. "You... knew him?" he asked, his voice broken.
"I did," she reaffirmed. "Quite well, in fact." Yue was getting wet, she noticed, as a drop hit his cheek and rolled down it like a tear. "Come inside, and let's get something hot to drink," she said. She would have held out a hand to help him rise, but she couldn't stand the thought of touching this creature.
"I don't drink," he said.
"It doesn't need to be alcoholic," she replied, refraining from rolling her eyes. Really, how could anything Clow created not enjoy tossing back a bottle or two?
He shook his head, denying the offer. "I meant I don't need food for nourishment," he said. "I get my energy elsewhere."
That would be like Clow, she decided. He was just arrogant enough to create a being that didn't require food, just to prove he could. "Fine. Come in and dry off, and we'll talk. You did come here to see me, didn't you?" As if anything could enter her yard without needing to see her.
He remained quiet, those inhuman, cat-slit eyes watching her like she was a quantity he hadn't quite identified yet, but knew enough to be cautious of. She took a few steps, before turning to cant an inquiring eyebrow in his direction. "Well?"
He still looked suspicious with narrowed, lavender eyes, but rose to his feet in one swift movement. He moved like flowing water, and she noted after a second that his bare feet hovered about an inch above the moist grass. He smoothed a hand over his robes, before coming to float beside her, utterly silent.
The door opened, seemingly by its own will, as they approached. She usually didn't indulge in casual displays of magic, but tonight she wanted to create an impression. Clow had always used his power for even the most mundane things, and it would work well to getting the upper hand on Yue, establishing herself as a force to be reckoned with. Clow wasn't the only one who had mastered the game of minds.
Maru and Moro met them at the door, ready as always to serve her needs. "Get Yue-san a towel, and I could use something warm to drink," she said, handing her umbrella off to Maru as she turned her body enough to look at Yue without being obvious. "It will just be a moment."
The two chirped in cheerful acquiescence, scurrying away quickly to fulfill her bidding. Yue looked even more out of place in her home than he had outside. In the light, she noticed how the damp had made his clothes cling to his body, the drapes over his shoulder not falling as gracefully as they should. He looked bedraggled, like a doll that had been left outside overnight.
Yue seemed indifferent, one of those people that didn't feel the need to fill an uncomfortable atmosphere with words. Despite her usual attitude, Yuuko was an incredibly patient person as well, and both of them were stubborn enough to wait for the other to break down first and indulge in idle conversation.
Her eyes tracked the slow movement of a bead of water down Yue's right hand, before it fell to the floor in one perfect moment. He didn't seem to notice, but the smell of his feathers as they started to dry made her nose itch. If it had been anyone but Yue, Yuuko would have took him to task. What kind of being sat out in the rain getting wet moping? It was melodramatic and tacky, and now she had to smell the consequences.
Finally Maru popped up from behind, carrying a thick, red towel that was twice the size of an average bath towel. She bowed, proffering it to Yue, who stared at her blankly.
"Dry yourself off," Yuuko ordered. "I don't want you dripping all over my floors."
He blinked at her slowly, his eyelids coming together in a manner that resembled a lizard. He glanced at the towel, and then Yuuko, before sighing a bit. Lifting his hand, a faint glow lit his fingers, and the water began to gather into a shining blue sphere. He wasn't drying himself off so much as collecting the water that had soaked him through. She watched quietly, realizing that he probably wasn't aware of the arrogance implied through the gesture. It was considered rude to use magic in the home of another practitioner without asking first, but Yue probably used magic with the same ease of a fish breathing underwater.
It took only moments for his clothes to return to a pristine state. Tossing the ball gently, it dissipated into the air. His eyes challenged her, his posture just a bit straighter, as he waited for her reaction.
Apparently he did know better.
"That works, too," she said drolly, not rising to the bait. She handed the towel back to her helper, before raising a hand to gesture. "Follow me, Yue-san," she ordered.
He was obedient, wordlessly floating beside her. His wings stayed idle, more for ornamentation than anything else, raising the question of what he had them for. Clow had been a big believer is aesthetics, but he also had a practical streak. Everything had a purpose in Clow's world, but that didn't mean it couldn't be beautiful.
She led him to her sitting room, the one she re-decorated whenever the mood struck her. It'd been a decade since she'd gotten into one of those moods, however, and she noted with suddenly fresh eyes that the upholstery was starting to wear. She should do something about it.
Yuuko wondered how he would sit with all the feathers on his back, but she waved him to a chair anyway. He must have learned how to cope.
Yue nodded, and then his wings vanished, and along with it, some of the intense aura of moon magic. He was still exceptional, but it no longer had the pull of power that would make him irresistible to those strongly aligned with the moon. It was a relief to her, since most of her magic was oriented to the dark. He sat in the chair primly, his hands folded into his lap. His eyes never left her as she reclined gracefully across her favorite chaise.
Moro appeared from behind her, handing her a cup of instant hot chocolate. With a sigh of satisfaction, Yuuko quaffed the mug before handing it back. Maru offered a second one, and Yuuko held it in her hands, letting the warmth permeate her chilled skin. "Thank you," she said to her assistants, although they required no courtesy. "That will be all."
The two chirped a cheerful goodnight before darting away.
Yue had just watched silently, no reaction on his face. Smiling, she tilted her face toward him. "So, Yue-san, can you tell me how you came to be in my yard in the middle of the night during a rainstorm?" she asked, lifting a wry eyebrow.
"I woke up," he said after a long moment, "and didn't know where to go." He spoke in a monotone voice, but she could see his confusion from the tense set of his shoulders. "I'm not supposed to wake up before Kerberus, but he's still sleeping in the book."
She remembered the preliminary drawings of the proud, leonine beast Clow had created to guard his cards. Now that Clow was gone, he would be sealed away, waiting for a new master. Clow had told her enough for her to know that. Yue should have been asleep as well, but something had changed.
"What do you remember of being sealed?" Yuuko asked, tilting her head back, sending her long black hair flowing over her shoulder. She had a case of bed-head, but she'd learned to act as if that was intentional. Nothing was more intimidating - or annoying - than someone who was always in control of every situation.
Yue thought on the question, and a slight furrow appeared between his eyes, like a wrinkle in white satin. "I can't remember," he said, his soft voice sounding confused.
"What's the last thing you remember?" A suspicion was starting to take root in the back of her mind.
"I..." His expression smoothed over, like the clouds hiding the moon at night, offering little light. "Clow had died," he said. "I remember carrying him out to the woods, and Kerberus cast a fire spell to cremate him."
"And then?"
"Waking up beside the book."
There was a memory gap, Yuuko thought with annoyance. She supposed the gap could be explained by the trauma of losing his master, but Yue was a magical creation. His recall should have been perfect. Clow had tampered, even after his death. That smug, sanctimonious bastard. "Do you remember being sealed?" she asked, just to confirm.
"No."
Yue was an unusual person, she thought. Throughout the conversation, he hadn't fidgeted or shifted at all, instead maintaining his perfect posture with a stillness that was unnatural. It reminded her of Clow, just a bit, since he had often carried a sense of serenity that aggravated her to no end.
Clow must have messed with Yue's memories. It was just the type of heavy-handed thing he did, justifying it to himself because he knew better. That had been one of their most vehement points of disagreement; Yuuko wouldn't act unless asked, while Clow tried to arrange events to come to the "best conclusion." His manipulations may have been subtle, but she hated them. She preferred to think of the future as fluid, but Clow froze the waters of time into ice, guaranteeing a certain course would be taken.
"Why did you come here?" she asked again.
"Can you... help me return to the book? Clow said that the Dimension Witch granted wishes."
It wasn't a surprising request. In the book, he would be sealed away to sleep dreamlessly until he was awoken for the Final Judgment. Since he was a magical construct, he shouldn't have held dreams of his own, but Yue had been created by Clow. He was as exception to all the rules.
"I don't think you can pay the price," she told him honestly. His lips firmed as he prepared to protest, causing her to continue, even though she didn't want to. "I can offer you a room for tonight," she said. "Then we will discuss what is to become of you."
"What is the cost of that?" he asked, taking her aback slightly. She hadn't expected him to understand the subtle rules of her world.
Damn Clow. He knew this was going to happen; he had set them up. Touching the pendant she wore at her throat, she managed a lazy smile. "The price has already been paid."
"By whom?" He wasn't going to let it go.
"Your master," Yuuko conceded.
The tension in Yue's body faded. She could practically read his mind. If Clow had wanted him here, Yue was thinking, then it was best he stayed. Had he been human, she would have smacked him for his meekness.
"That would be kind of you," he said. Although polite, his words were devoid of meaning since he knew enough of her to realize that she possessed no kindness. She was the ultimate capitalist, and compassion had no place in her business.
Rising to her feet, she gestured for him to follow. "I'll show you to a room. Moro and Maru can get you anything you need," she offered, although she knew it was an idle politeness. If he didn't eat or drink, chances were he wouldn't have any material needs. The idea of Clow creating an ascetic was humorous, from a certain point of view. For Yuuko, who enjoyed material comforts of life, it was almost an insult. It was like Clow had created Yue to be her complete opposite. She wouldn't put it past him, but hoped he hadn't been that petty. Clow usually had reasons that even she couldn't decipher for why he acted the way he did.
On cue, her servants appeared, offering Yue their hands. He folded his own in his sleeves, politely declining the suggestion that he needed to be led so closely. He wasn't a tactile creature, not at all, another difference from Maru and Moro.
He looked over at her once, a fleeting, passing glance. It was his nature to judge, and she wondered how she was faring. She hadn't given him what he wanted, but maybe she could offer him what he needed.
And then she would make sure their paths never crossed again. Surely that wouldn't be too high a price to charge. She wanted a bottle of sake, something smooth and strong that would help her wash away her thoughts just for a little while. While she often remembered Clow, it wasn't often she was so directly confronted with evidence of their mistakes. Once she had been full of pride, but she had paid to learn about humility.
Dwelling on the past would bring her nothing except regrets, and she wasn't going to indulge in self-pity. For now, she was going to go to bed and get a bit more sleep. Tomorrow she might find it easier to solve the problem of her unwanted house guest.
Part 2
~ An XXXholic/Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ~
by aishuu
Summary: The past comes back to bite Yuuko as Clow's final legacy shows up on her doorstep.
Notes: I've been working on this for about two years, and I decided to release the first part before I get completely screwed over by XXXholic canon. Thanks to sophiap for editing.
Although Yuuko was used to having visitors show up at all hours, that didn't mean she was happy to be woken up at two in the morning by the wards on her gates. She hadn't been expecting anyone, and she was admittedly cranky as she wrapped a robe around herself, prepared to chase the intruder off. She just wasn't in the mood to deal with people, not unless they managed to find the right price - and since she'd gotten out of bed, it would be very, very expensive.
It was drizzling slightly, small sputters of water that didn't deserve to be called "rain." Pushing her door open, she scowled as she tried to find the presence lingering on her property. Something was itching at the back of her mind, the warning that whatever was outside wasn't human.
Maybe she should have grabbed her baseball bat.
There wasn't anything that could be an active threat to her, not in her own territory, so she brushed the thought aside. Nothing would be here without purpose; she should rein her temper in and remember that she had a job to do, even if it was at an ungodly hour of the night. She'd just factor her discomfort into whatever price she was to charge.
It was too still out; there should have been the sound of rain upon the ground as it struck the earth, but she could hear nothing. Other noises, like the chirp of crickets, were missing as well. It was likely someone had cast a silence spell.
So, whatever the intruder was could use magic. Forewarned was forearmed, and she mentally began to prepare herself. Yuuko usually performed magic using tools, but that didn't mean she couldn't cast something nasty off the top of her head. More than once she had done so when something hostile tried to attack. She made a few motions with her hands, readying a spell, just in case.
She didn't feel any kind of threat, but she had never had a true gift of prophecy, not like Clow did. Her specialty was seeing into the hearts of others, and finding out what made them tick. Clow had been good at that, too, but then he'd been good at everything.
Taking a deep breath to keep from screaming in frustration, she counted slowly backwards from ten to give herself some time to think. If it was indeed a silence spell - and Yuuko was convinced it was - it only had a range of around 15 meters. Logically, the person would be in the middle of the spell... which meant the caster was close.
Glancing around, she looked for things that were out of place - and noticing how thick the shadow at the base of the large oak tree that dominated the far corner of her yard was. Waving a hand, she dispelled the magic which had gathered the shadows and enveloped the area in silence.
She recognized him immediately, although they had never met. There was nothing else in this world - or many others - with wings like his, white and gracefully arching above his head, framing his slender body. His clothes, made of white and violet silk, draped over his form gracefully. He would have cut a dashing figure, had he not been huddled on the ground miserably, his arms wrapped around his knees.
Her face drained of blood. Already fair, her skin took on the shade of the belly of a dead fish. She took a few unsteady steps toward him, uncharacteristically unsure of herself. She had never wanted to meet this creature, this being Clow had created of magic and moonlight and unfulfilled dreams.
"Yue-san?" Yuuko whispered.
Yue jerked as she spoke his name, startled out of his reverie. He focused his gaze on her, and she saw the terror and loneliness reflected in his eyes. "Who are you?" he asked, trying to sound imperious. Instead, he merely sounded like a lost child.
She could deal with this, she told herself. She moved closer, using a gliding step that would convey subconscious control and power. When she was an arm's length away, she spoke. "I am the Dimension Witch," she said, pulling herself to her full height. "You may call me Yuuko," she said. "I was a friend of Clow Reed's."
Yue had tensed at her approach, but the name of his creator was like a magic, casting a spell of trust. It wasn't overt, but she noticed how his wings relaxed on his back, and he didn't seem so ready for flight. "You... knew him?" he asked, his voice broken.
"I did," she reaffirmed. "Quite well, in fact." Yue was getting wet, she noticed, as a drop hit his cheek and rolled down it like a tear. "Come inside, and let's get something hot to drink," she said. She would have held out a hand to help him rise, but she couldn't stand the thought of touching this creature.
"I don't drink," he said.
"It doesn't need to be alcoholic," she replied, refraining from rolling her eyes. Really, how could anything Clow created not enjoy tossing back a bottle or two?
He shook his head, denying the offer. "I meant I don't need food for nourishment," he said. "I get my energy elsewhere."
That would be like Clow, she decided. He was just arrogant enough to create a being that didn't require food, just to prove he could. "Fine. Come in and dry off, and we'll talk. You did come here to see me, didn't you?" As if anything could enter her yard without needing to see her.
He remained quiet, those inhuman, cat-slit eyes watching her like she was a quantity he hadn't quite identified yet, but knew enough to be cautious of. She took a few steps, before turning to cant an inquiring eyebrow in his direction. "Well?"
He still looked suspicious with narrowed, lavender eyes, but rose to his feet in one swift movement. He moved like flowing water, and she noted after a second that his bare feet hovered about an inch above the moist grass. He smoothed a hand over his robes, before coming to float beside her, utterly silent.
The door opened, seemingly by its own will, as they approached. She usually didn't indulge in casual displays of magic, but tonight she wanted to create an impression. Clow had always used his power for even the most mundane things, and it would work well to getting the upper hand on Yue, establishing herself as a force to be reckoned with. Clow wasn't the only one who had mastered the game of minds.
Maru and Moro met them at the door, ready as always to serve her needs. "Get Yue-san a towel, and I could use something warm to drink," she said, handing her umbrella off to Maru as she turned her body enough to look at Yue without being obvious. "It will just be a moment."
The two chirped in cheerful acquiescence, scurrying away quickly to fulfill her bidding. Yue looked even more out of place in her home than he had outside. In the light, she noticed how the damp had made his clothes cling to his body, the drapes over his shoulder not falling as gracefully as they should. He looked bedraggled, like a doll that had been left outside overnight.
Yue seemed indifferent, one of those people that didn't feel the need to fill an uncomfortable atmosphere with words. Despite her usual attitude, Yuuko was an incredibly patient person as well, and both of them were stubborn enough to wait for the other to break down first and indulge in idle conversation.
Her eyes tracked the slow movement of a bead of water down Yue's right hand, before it fell to the floor in one perfect moment. He didn't seem to notice, but the smell of his feathers as they started to dry made her nose itch. If it had been anyone but Yue, Yuuko would have took him to task. What kind of being sat out in the rain getting wet moping? It was melodramatic and tacky, and now she had to smell the consequences.
Finally Maru popped up from behind, carrying a thick, red towel that was twice the size of an average bath towel. She bowed, proffering it to Yue, who stared at her blankly.
"Dry yourself off," Yuuko ordered. "I don't want you dripping all over my floors."
He blinked at her slowly, his eyelids coming together in a manner that resembled a lizard. He glanced at the towel, and then Yuuko, before sighing a bit. Lifting his hand, a faint glow lit his fingers, and the water began to gather into a shining blue sphere. He wasn't drying himself off so much as collecting the water that had soaked him through. She watched quietly, realizing that he probably wasn't aware of the arrogance implied through the gesture. It was considered rude to use magic in the home of another practitioner without asking first, but Yue probably used magic with the same ease of a fish breathing underwater.
It took only moments for his clothes to return to a pristine state. Tossing the ball gently, it dissipated into the air. His eyes challenged her, his posture just a bit straighter, as he waited for her reaction.
Apparently he did know better.
"That works, too," she said drolly, not rising to the bait. She handed the towel back to her helper, before raising a hand to gesture. "Follow me, Yue-san," she ordered.
He was obedient, wordlessly floating beside her. His wings stayed idle, more for ornamentation than anything else, raising the question of what he had them for. Clow had been a big believer is aesthetics, but he also had a practical streak. Everything had a purpose in Clow's world, but that didn't mean it couldn't be beautiful.
She led him to her sitting room, the one she re-decorated whenever the mood struck her. It'd been a decade since she'd gotten into one of those moods, however, and she noted with suddenly fresh eyes that the upholstery was starting to wear. She should do something about it.
Yuuko wondered how he would sit with all the feathers on his back, but she waved him to a chair anyway. He must have learned how to cope.
Yue nodded, and then his wings vanished, and along with it, some of the intense aura of moon magic. He was still exceptional, but it no longer had the pull of power that would make him irresistible to those strongly aligned with the moon. It was a relief to her, since most of her magic was oriented to the dark. He sat in the chair primly, his hands folded into his lap. His eyes never left her as she reclined gracefully across her favorite chaise.
Moro appeared from behind her, handing her a cup of instant hot chocolate. With a sigh of satisfaction, Yuuko quaffed the mug before handing it back. Maru offered a second one, and Yuuko held it in her hands, letting the warmth permeate her chilled skin. "Thank you," she said to her assistants, although they required no courtesy. "That will be all."
The two chirped a cheerful goodnight before darting away.
Yue had just watched silently, no reaction on his face. Smiling, she tilted her face toward him. "So, Yue-san, can you tell me how you came to be in my yard in the middle of the night during a rainstorm?" she asked, lifting a wry eyebrow.
"I woke up," he said after a long moment, "and didn't know where to go." He spoke in a monotone voice, but she could see his confusion from the tense set of his shoulders. "I'm not supposed to wake up before Kerberus, but he's still sleeping in the book."
She remembered the preliminary drawings of the proud, leonine beast Clow had created to guard his cards. Now that Clow was gone, he would be sealed away, waiting for a new master. Clow had told her enough for her to know that. Yue should have been asleep as well, but something had changed.
"What do you remember of being sealed?" Yuuko asked, tilting her head back, sending her long black hair flowing over her shoulder. She had a case of bed-head, but she'd learned to act as if that was intentional. Nothing was more intimidating - or annoying - than someone who was always in control of every situation.
Yue thought on the question, and a slight furrow appeared between his eyes, like a wrinkle in white satin. "I can't remember," he said, his soft voice sounding confused.
"What's the last thing you remember?" A suspicion was starting to take root in the back of her mind.
"I..." His expression smoothed over, like the clouds hiding the moon at night, offering little light. "Clow had died," he said. "I remember carrying him out to the woods, and Kerberus cast a fire spell to cremate him."
"And then?"
"Waking up beside the book."
There was a memory gap, Yuuko thought with annoyance. She supposed the gap could be explained by the trauma of losing his master, but Yue was a magical creation. His recall should have been perfect. Clow had tampered, even after his death. That smug, sanctimonious bastard. "Do you remember being sealed?" she asked, just to confirm.
"No."
Yue was an unusual person, she thought. Throughout the conversation, he hadn't fidgeted or shifted at all, instead maintaining his perfect posture with a stillness that was unnatural. It reminded her of Clow, just a bit, since he had often carried a sense of serenity that aggravated her to no end.
Clow must have messed with Yue's memories. It was just the type of heavy-handed thing he did, justifying it to himself because he knew better. That had been one of their most vehement points of disagreement; Yuuko wouldn't act unless asked, while Clow tried to arrange events to come to the "best conclusion." His manipulations may have been subtle, but she hated them. She preferred to think of the future as fluid, but Clow froze the waters of time into ice, guaranteeing a certain course would be taken.
"Why did you come here?" she asked again.
"Can you... help me return to the book? Clow said that the Dimension Witch granted wishes."
It wasn't a surprising request. In the book, he would be sealed away to sleep dreamlessly until he was awoken for the Final Judgment. Since he was a magical construct, he shouldn't have held dreams of his own, but Yue had been created by Clow. He was as exception to all the rules.
"I don't think you can pay the price," she told him honestly. His lips firmed as he prepared to protest, causing her to continue, even though she didn't want to. "I can offer you a room for tonight," she said. "Then we will discuss what is to become of you."
"What is the cost of that?" he asked, taking her aback slightly. She hadn't expected him to understand the subtle rules of her world.
Damn Clow. He knew this was going to happen; he had set them up. Touching the pendant she wore at her throat, she managed a lazy smile. "The price has already been paid."
"By whom?" He wasn't going to let it go.
"Your master," Yuuko conceded.
The tension in Yue's body faded. She could practically read his mind. If Clow had wanted him here, Yue was thinking, then it was best he stayed. Had he been human, she would have smacked him for his meekness.
"That would be kind of you," he said. Although polite, his words were devoid of meaning since he knew enough of her to realize that she possessed no kindness. She was the ultimate capitalist, and compassion had no place in her business.
Rising to her feet, she gestured for him to follow. "I'll show you to a room. Moro and Maru can get you anything you need," she offered, although she knew it was an idle politeness. If he didn't eat or drink, chances were he wouldn't have any material needs. The idea of Clow creating an ascetic was humorous, from a certain point of view. For Yuuko, who enjoyed material comforts of life, it was almost an insult. It was like Clow had created Yue to be her complete opposite. She wouldn't put it past him, but hoped he hadn't been that petty. Clow usually had reasons that even she couldn't decipher for why he acted the way he did.
On cue, her servants appeared, offering Yue their hands. He folded his own in his sleeves, politely declining the suggestion that he needed to be led so closely. He wasn't a tactile creature, not at all, another difference from Maru and Moro.
He looked over at her once, a fleeting, passing glance. It was his nature to judge, and she wondered how she was faring. She hadn't given him what he wanted, but maybe she could offer him what he needed.
And then she would make sure their paths never crossed again. Surely that wouldn't be too high a price to charge. She wanted a bottle of sake, something smooth and strong that would help her wash away her thoughts just for a little while. While she often remembered Clow, it wasn't often she was so directly confronted with evidence of their mistakes. Once she had been full of pride, but she had paid to learn about humility.
Dwelling on the past would bring her nothing except regrets, and she wasn't going to indulge in self-pity. For now, she was going to go to bed and get a bit more sleep. Tomorrow she might find it easier to solve the problem of her unwanted house guest.
Part 2