Information Wants to Be Free
Ginji and Ban have sex on a sunny afternoon.
Ginji moaned, head tipped back, hair darkened with sweat, and tightened his hands on Ban’s hips.
Arc: GetBackers
Arcs in GetBackers: Standalone | Ivory Bridges
Hanging Upside Down
Ban is having a bad evening dealing with his ghosts. Shido chooses to help.
He remembered things he’d never experienced.
Things he had experienced, he couldn’t forget.
There were days he thought that was the curse.
The Flower and the Bird and the Wind and the Moon
Pre-canon. How Fuuga came to part, and how Kazuki came to leave.
Saizou named him Prince of Terror. Kazuki never objected. It was true enough, and if some of the terror that had lodged in his bones for years seeped out to touch the people they fought, the ones who threatened even the tiny corner of life he had managed to cling to here… well, perhaps that would mean less for him which was all to the good as far as he was concerned.
A Theme in Pentatonic – One
Post Infinite Fortress arc. Kazuki takes care of Juubei while he recovers from their fight, and they find their way back to each other—even if Kazuki still can’t entirely admit his place in the relationship.
After the shouting was over and the rush of people had ebbed away again and all the wounded had been marched back to Gen’s back rooms by a frowning Ren, Kazuki had a chance to finally think about what he had found by returning to Mugenjou. He listened to the crunch and hush of medicines being mixed, to Ren scolding Emishi, to Sakura’s quiet as she sat beside Juubei, and hoped that this time he and Juubei could say what they meant, to each other, and not what they feared.
A Theme in Pentatonic – Interlude One
Sakura and Kazuki reach an understanding of their own, though Sakura understands it rather better than Kazuki does at this point.
Sakura walked with her hands clasped and her eyes down. She knew Makubex had run ahead with Juubei to leave her with Kazuki. Kazuki didn’t walk out with them very often, and Makubex had taken his opportunity promptly, leaving her with a meaningful look and a bright smile as he tugged Juubei off.
Sometimes, Sakura wished Makubex were a little less perceptive.
A Theme in Pentatonic – Two
After the Kami no Kijitsu arc, Juubei brings Toshiki home to Kazuki and the three of them fit themselves together with a little more honesty and understanding this time.
"Do you object?" Kazuki murmured, knowing eyes holding his, and Toshiki flinched under that question, reminded now of exactly why he had followed Kazuki so long. That one question was everything he had tried to take by force from Kazuki, everything Kazuki had no need to force from him, laid bare as a drawn blade between them. He closed his eyes.
"No."
A Theme in Pentatonic – Interlude Two
Toshiki needs evidence that he’s wanted and welcome by the one who brought him back to Kazuki.
Toshiki knew what he wanted; he just didn’t know how to ask for it.
A Theme in Pentatonic – Interlude Three
Kazuki tops Juubei, which is a new experience for Juubei though not an unwelcome one.
Juubei was puzzled.
Moreover, he was puzzled by Kazuki, which didn’t usually happen. Well, hadn’t happened in years at any rate. And had certainly never happened in bed.
A Theme in Pentatonic – Interlude Four
Post-canon. After everyone returns from the Beltline, Sakura talks with Kazuki about what Fuuga is to him. Kazuki finally accepts it.
She looked at him with a faint smile. "You called us back together."
"I didn’t mean to hold you, after," Kazuki murmured, half apologetic.
Her glance turned direct. "Didn’t you? After fighting so hard to reclaim us?"
A Theme in Pentatonic – Three
Saizou has been watching Kazuki and the others only from a distance, and Kazuki finally corners him and convinces him that his proper place is with them again.
Kazuki felt a stray breeze brush his cheek and sighed. Saizou seemed determined to be the most troublesome one of all for him.
Juubei had been the first to detect him shadowing them, never coming close, only watching, but never leaving them. Kazuki had tried, once or twice, to drift closer, but every time Saizou slid away. Thinking about it, Kazuki didn’t suppose he was actually surprised.
A Theme in Pentatonic – Interlude Five
Kazuki takes Toshiki to bed thoroughly, to reassure him and to work out his own understanding of what he is to Fuuga.
Toshiki liked being with Juubei, cherished the opportunity to feel wanted, needed. He liked it when Saizou was with them, because Saizou knew that sometimes you really did need to laugh, in bed. But sometimes it was good to belong only to Kazuki, for a while. That was how he thought of it, anyway.
He hadn’t realized that Kazuki knew that.
A Theme in Pentatonic – Four
Sakura wants Saizou to stop holding back from them, and from her in particular; it takes some coaxing, but she eventually succeeds in style.
Sakura slipped up beside her quarry on soft feet until she was close enough to be heard by no one else when she asked, "Why do you hold yourself apart from us, Saizou?"
He stilled, laughter dying, eyes turning dark and distant though he didn’t look at her. "Is shame so hard to understand?"
A Theme in Pentatonic – Interlude Six
Saizou needs to know that Kazuki accepts all of him, and Kazuki is perfectly pleased to show him.
Every protective impulse in Kazuki urged him to gather Saizou to him, to hold and reassure him, but Kazuki knew from personal experience that protection wasn’t always what was needed. This time, instead, he made himself relax and lean into Saizou’s chest, let himself be cradled in Saizou’s arms. The catch of Saizou’s breath told him he was right. "I always trusted you," Kazuki said softly. "And I was never wrong."
A Theme in Pentatonic – Coda
Fuuga celebrates Spring and the new year together.
He’d had to threaten Juubei with a celebration at home, with Juubei playing the Oni, before he agreed, but once they were in the middle of the laughing, shoving, shrieking crowd Juubei lost his stiffness and shoved back with a will. Kazuki laughed as much at that as at the scramble for thrown candies.
Cat’s Cradle – Chapter One
Post canon. Kazuki wants to build a relationship with Yohan. Yohan wants to find a new way forward for his clan. Saizou wants to escape the fear of his years with Yohan. And his sister wants everyone to be reasonable for a change. Contains spoilers for Saizou’s backstory in vol. 33 and Yohan’s in vol. 36.
Kazuki didn’t think it was his imagination that this spring was more beautiful than any he remembered. Circumstances might be adding shine to the season, to the faces around him that looked up at the clearing light and the drifting petals, but they were circumstances everyone shared, that everyone felt even if they didn’t quite know the reason. He wondered a little whether Yohan let the seasons of the Beltline turn, let himself see and feel this.
He wondered things like that a lot these days.
Cat’s Cradle – Chapter Two
Saizou has to find some way for his House to be a part of the Fuuchouin clan when he can’t bring himself to face or follow Yohan, who now leads it.
Saizou trudged up the stairs of Yohan’s compound, trying to not think and just admire the falling leaves instead. He was also trying not to curse himself for an idiot, and a pathetically spineless one at that, out loud, which at least helped distract him.
His nerves were practically twanging.
Cat’s Cradle – Chapter Three
Kazuki watches Yohan and Toshi draw closer, and contributes some maneuvering in the background to move things along.
Kazuki had expected to see more of Saizou’s sister, as Toufuuin’s acting Master came and went from Yohan’s home. What he hadn’t expected was to see her at Yohan’s instead of his home.
Cat’s Cradle – Chapter Four
When Toshi makes her choice known, Saizou has to deal with everything that’s still between he and Yohan.
The thought that Saizou had been trying not to look at ever since Toshi first spoke to him darted up again. He could choose another. Or he could… not. He could return to Yohan’s side himself, to this smiling gentle-eyed Yohan who he was trusting with his little sister.
To Yohan, who had trapped him in service and torment for eight long years.
To Yohan, who had all the deadly grace of the Fuuchouin line and had held him with more than force alone.
Cat’s Cradle – Epilogue
Kazuki teaches Toshi the Phoenix, and she finds a new beginning for the whole clan in it.
Kazuki walked through the house grounds as evening fell, nodding to the little knots of people he met. They bowed and murmured his name respectfully, but without the edges of fear or hope or anger so many had shown at the beginning of the week.
Almost all of the four Houses that remained were here for the celebrations surrounding Yohan and Toshi’s wedding; Kazuki was fairly sure Yohan had extended the compound even further than usual for the occasion. There had been feasts and receptions and, this being the Fuuchouin clan after all, competitions every day.
Cat’s Cradle – Appendix
I extrapolated a good deal about the Fuuchouin style and clan history based on what little we are shown in canon. The appendix lays out the history and symbolism I came up with.
Cat’s Cradle – Omake One
Something that might have happened the second time Kazuki goes to visit Yohan, as both Juubei and Saizou are wound up over the fact. Saizou discovers a very useful way to distract Juubei and himself.
Saizou wanted to pace. Unfortunately Juubei was already taking up most of the room.
Cat’s Cradle – Omake Two
An alternate way it could have gone, the first time Kazuki makes Yohan take a nap, supposing that Maiya didn’t show up until considerably later.
Warning: Contains consensual sibling incest.
Yohan woke slowly.
He was warm, and the light through his eyelids was soft, and his pillow was a very odd shape… oh. That was right. Kazuki had made him sleep.