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Seiran rubbed at his tired, tired eyes as he accepted the strong cup of—he took a deep inhale, ohthankthegods—coffee that was shoved enthusiastically at him.

"The GPS says we're almost there," assured the lively young man at his side as he pulled the car away from the Him Tortons 24-hour donut shop drive-through window.

Seiran nodded through a yawn, laying his head back against his seat, his eyes still closed.

A few minutes later, he felt his brother pull the car onto a rougher surface, the driveway to the Pavilion, he imagined, and slowed to a halt.

The engine was turned off, and the older man chanced a glance at the dash just before the key was retracted.

4:55 a.m. glowed gallingly at him in the darkness.

He stifled a very feeling groan.

Then he felt his brother's eager gaze on him.

"Ok, Seiran—I'm ready for my skating lessons!"

Pushing his silvery hair from his face, Seiran looked sympathetically down at his younger sibling who was sprawled on his back on the ice.

The light was just starting to peek over the trees of the surrounding forest that rimmed the frozen lake, and it was just possible to make out the look of dejection on Ryuuki's face below him.

"I'm not going to get this in just one morning, am I?"

Seiran shook his head, kneeling down to offer his gloved hand.

At his brother's honest response, Ryuuki sighed, his head falling softly down onto the frigid surface once again.

"Be nice," Seiran hissed through his smile as he escorted his fiancée through the snowy parking lot. "He's nervous enough as it is."

The confident beauty smirked as she arched an elegantly shaped eyebrow at her beloved. "Don't trust me? Seiran, I'm hurt."

"You have exactly one feeling left in your heart, and I know for a fact exactly what moves it. And it certainly isn't by my brother's potential for embarrassment," he gave her a look.

Kouchou returned it, of course, knowingly.

Shaking his head lightly, he followed her lead now as they entered the surprisingly open, wooden-beamed structure. Hardly a shack, the ski and skate pavilion was part of a private country club that catered to the upper class… among other elites. With a quick nod of her head, the 'host' recognized them and turned away. They were never there.

Somehow, neither he nor Kouchou were surprised when they learned that Kou Shuurei was, instead of patronizing the establishment, rather, employed there to serve its clients and members. Despite her own prestigious background, and the fact that she attended school with most of the families who held memberships with the club, she seemed able to fly under the radar—for the most part.

"Oh, is that that Seiga she's mentioned before?" Kouchou asked softly as they settled in at a table near the rear, behind a busy section.

Seiran glanced up to see Shuurei arguing—politely, but tightly—with another co-worker.

"I think so."

She chuckled knowingly, observing the young man's body-language around Shuurei. "Ahhh, I see…."

As their drinks arrived, they settled in to people watch—Kouchou tortured Seiran with a diabolical game of footsie beneath the linen-covered table—and soon enough, they caught sight of their game as he parked his car in the lot.

"You reminded him to leave his driver at home?"

"Yes."

"His security detail came in advance."

Seiran sighed while his stomach started to knot in anxiety.

"At least they're being subtle about it."

His knuckles paled with the tension of holding his cup, as his eyes moved to Kouchou's.

She grinned back at him.

His eyes narrowed, and he gave the waiter a nod to double his next round.

Just relax and be yourself. Just relax and be yourself. Just relax and be yourself.

His breathing slightly shallower than normal and his after-shave perhaps a bit stronger than he meant it to be, Ryuuki reminded himself it was just a casual meeting.

Snow crunched under his boots as he made his way to the door of the sprawling, two-storey farmstead-turned-chalet.

There were going to be plenty of people around (to watch him fail), it was meant to get to know each other (not like those god-awful arranged marriage meetings, omiyai, he'd had to suffer through), and if all went well, enjoy their time together and possibly arrange a second outing (or return to his residence with his manhood-related confidence in a box, to be stowed away and forgotten for the foreseeable future-at least until graduation).

At least he'd arranged back-up.

"Your Highness," greeted Shuei as he met his sovereign in the lobby. His bow was more of a tilt of his head, but it was more than the young monarch had wanted, and he quickly glanced around to see if anyone had noticed.

"Shhhhh!"

Shuei's grin widened. Oh, he was just too easy to tease. Especially now that he knew the identity of the mystery woman who had captured his superior's attention for so long.

"Kouyuu has a table for us so you don't need to wait alone, sir."

Ryuuki stiffened.

"We're your 'wingmen' for the night."

"I didn't ask for flying servants!"

Shuei tried not to wince—or laugh aloud.

"You won't even notice us," assured the dark-haired man, leading his leader to their table.

"What's that man doing here with him?"

"Calm down, Seiran, he's probably just acting as back-up."

"But he's a known womanizer—think of his reputation! This is going to reflect poorly on Ryuuki! What if Shuurei judges him by the company he keeps?"

"They're keeping him from bolting—you should send them flowers and thank them."

Seiran twisted his napkin in his lap, his expression placid, but the woman at his side knew better.

"Oh lord love a duck," she muttered, and signaled the waiter to refill Seiran's glass.

"Why did I have to come?"

"Because we need to make Ryuuki look better."

Kouyuu turned furious eyes on his colleague-slash-frenemy.

"And what's that's supposed to mean, huh!"

Shuei chuckled, and Ryuuki sat tensely, sipping at his water.

"Is she looking at me?"

Kouyuu half-stood from his seat, and craned his head all the way around to find out.

"Stop that! She'll know we're looking!"

"What the hell is wrong with that, isn't that what you want!"

"Oh Kouyuu," chided Shuei mildly, as if he were scolding an innocent, ignorant child.

"Please stop making a scene, please stop making a scene, please stop making a scene," begged Ryuuki quietly, his eyes focused on the table in front of him.

"Relax, she knows you're coming. She didn't book out early," chuckled Shuei.

"Did you find the time to practice skating this week?"

Ryuuki winced.

Physically.

"That well, huh?" nodded Kouyuu sympathetically. "Don't worry, skating isn't for everyone."

"Says the man who has the grace of a swan on the ice, and yet who got lost half-way around the oval. On the lake. Right outside the Pavilion."

"WOULD YOU SHUT THE HELL UP?"

TBC.

AN: Thanks for reading!

This fic posted December 10, 2010. Hope you enjoyed!