Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Aishiteru...zutto ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: Still own nothing.

Rating: PG13 (Still)

//Chichiri's thoughts//

*Tasuki's thoughts*

"I'm almost there no da." Chichiri stated happily.

He'd gotten over his trepidation about seeing Tasuki again. //I'm not going to have a problem as long as I keep my love for him to myself.// With each step he took, his heart grew lighter. Soon he couldn't keep the real smile from curling his lips, which rivaled the permanent one he usually wore. //I should have come back a long time ago. Oh, Suzaku, I've missed Tasuki. I wonder how long he'll let me stay with him. No matter. I'll enjoy his company for as long as I can. Maybe when I leave I'll ask him if he wants to com with me. I know he loves his position as the bandit leader, but I believe he's got a love of traveling as well, since I've given him a taste of it.// His smile grew wider at the thought of things that hadn't changed throughout their time together. //He never did like sleeping on the ground. And I doubt he's eaten fish since he got back to the hideout.//

Tasuki's words, spoken often, drifted through his mind, overlaid with images of annoyed amber eyes. "Aww....I gotta sleep on the ground again Chiri? I might as well just go find a fuckin' rock ta sleep on, It'd be 'bout as comfortable." "Fish. Again. I swear ta ya Chiri, I ain't ever goin' ta eat another fish. One of these days I'm jus' gonna refuse, and then yer goin' ta hafta find something else ta eat, or watch me die of starvation."

Chichiri was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't see the human whirlwind coming at him until it was too late. He suddenly found himself with an armload of fiery haired bandit, clutching him so tight that Chichiri's arms were starting to go numb. "Chiri! Fuck man, it's good ta see ya again. How are ya? Where've ya been buddy?" Tasuki said, his voice thick with emotion, arms tightening even further.

Surprised at the emotional response from the younger man, Chichiri jerked his gaze down, his own arms reaching up to encircle Tasuki's slim body of their own accord. Tasuki's eyes were squeezed tightly shut, his face pressed against Chichiri's neck, long lashes tickling the sensitive skin. He couldn't stop the startled gasp from escaping his lips. "Tasuki?" Chichiri whispered, a question clearly in his tone.

*Fuck. Why don't you just start crying already? It's just one step up from what yer doin' now. Practically throwing yerself at him. What the fuck are ya thinkin' baka? Could ya act anymore like a woman?* He couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of Chichiri's arms around him though. *I wish he'd do this without me bein' ta be the one who starts it.* No matter how much a part of his mind was disgusted at this display of weakness, the rest of his mind, not to mention a certain part of his body, was reveling in the chance to be this close to Chichiri. *Oh shit!*

Chichiri felt Tasuki's body stiffen in his arms the moment before he loosened his grip and practically jumped away from him. Chichiri tried to look the bandit in the eye, but found that Tasuki's gaze kept skirting away, focusing on a distant point past his head or at his boots. Looking a bit closer at him Chichiri was surprised for the second time in the last few minutes. //He's blushing!//

Tasuki was, in fact, blushing. His tanned face was flaming in embarrassment.

//It's too bad he let go. It felt so right to be holding him in my arms.// He noticed another part of his body was definitely agreeing with his mind. //It's just as well he didn't stay so close any longer. I would I sent him running and screaming for his tesson. I hope his embarrassment is from hugging me so long, not because he felt something else.//

Blushing himself now, thankful for his mask, he tried to recall what Tasuki had said before he had gotten distracted. //Um....oh yeah!// Clearing his throat made Tasuki's head snap up to meet him. "It' good to see you too Tasuki-kun no da. I'm doing just fine. I learned a lot while I was gone no da. Do anything interesting lately no da?"

He purposefully avoided the question about where he had been. //For most of the year I stayed too near Mt. Leikaku. I'd grown much too attached to this place, to you Tasuki, to go too far away. I was no more then a two day walk from you. There were so many times when I almost came running back to you.//

Rubbing the back of his head, Tasuki grinned crookedly, one fang peeking over his lip, a snort of amusement preceding a short burst of laughter. "What d'ya think I've been doin'? I am a bandit ya know. Com on. Let's go back to my place. Oh man, have I got some great shit ta tell ya 'bout."

Turning around, Tasuki started to make his way back up the trail, oblivious as to whether Chichiri was following him or not. He was struggling to keep himself under control. His stiff leather jacket hid the bulge in his pants, but that wasn't what he was worried about. *Whatever ya do, don't fall apart in front of Chiri again dammit. Do NOT let him know ho lonely ya've been.*

Then Chichiri was there by his side, the jingling of his staff a much missed sound. With a deep breath, Tasuki started his story. "'Bout two months ago or sumthin', me and a couple of the guys ran across this coach, ne. It was real fancy, had all these gold patterns on it an' everythin'. The horses pullin' this thing were fuckin' beautiful. Two huge white stallions, that must've cost 'bout as much as the damn coach itself. Well anyways, I figure it's headed towards the palace and there ain't been all that many people comin' by lately, so we thought it'd be a great chance ta rob a bunch'a rich snobs. We stopped the coach, I whipped the door open waving my tesson, and who do I see? Some fat bastard from Hotohori's old court. The fucker didn't even know who I was! He was all, 'Don't kill me! Take what you want and let me go.' I ain't never killed anyone who didn't deserve it, and as far as I know, none of the other men have either. Probably took more then we were goin' ta, but hell, the guys lucky we didn' take the horses too. Ha! That fat fuck never would'a made it off the mountain."

Chichiri never said anything, but then he'd never really had any comments about Tauki's choice of profession. Chichiri didn't exactly approve of the things he does, but Tasuki never takes more then people can afford. And he knew that what Tasuki had said earlier was true. //Tasuki might be hot headed and impulsive, but he doesn't hurt people without a reason. Unless you count Tamahome. Even then, their comments to each other warranted the fights. I honestly think they didn't mean anything by the small bouts. Nothing ever came out of them but a few bruises, wounded pride, and in Tamahome's case, a few singed clothes.//

Seeing that they were back at the hideout, Tasuki pushed the door to his room open. Chichiri's mahogany eye swept over the room, taking in the place where Tasuki spends his private moments. It hadn't changed since the last time he was here. There wasn't much to it. The room was sparsely decorated. The only furniture were two chairs, a small table, and his bed, which was shoved into the corner by the window. Chichiri's eye lingered on the unmade bed, the rumpled sheets lying half on the floor. Surprisingly enough, there was a limited number of sake bottles collected in the room. There was a small pile of about four or five bottles right next to the door, and one sat on the table, half full from what he could tell. The cup however, was on its side on the rug.

Tasuki motioned towards the chairs before dropping into one himself, legs sprawled out in front of him. Chichiri lowered himself into the remaining seat, glad to be off his feet after a long day of walking. Tasuki was still rambling away, a brilliant smile on his face, hands gesturing wildly. Chichiri however, wasn't hearing a single word. //He was fine without me. He's done so much while I was gone. Well, what did you expect? He did have a life before you met him. He had THIS life before being called as a Suzaku seishi. I doubt he'd have had a tough time adjusting again.// Chichiri knew Tasuki was, firs and foremost, a bandit, but that didn't stop the pain from blossoming across his chest. //He doesn't need me. He really is a thief, isn't he?// He thought wryly. //He stole my heart, that's for sure.// He felt tears welling in his eye, threatening to spill over. He didn't care. The mask would prevent Tasuki from seeing anything.

Suddenly, one of Tasuki's fine boned hands was being waved inches from his face, startling him out of his morose thoughts. "Da!"

*He wasn't even listenin' ta me.* Tasuki thought, with a sharp pang of hurt.

Guiltily, Chichiri realized that Tasuki had stopped talking for a few minutes already. "Gomen nasai Tasuki-kun. It's been a long day, I'm having trouble concentrating no da."

He felt terrible for lying to Tasuki, but he wasn't about to admit the real reason he hadn't been paying attention. His words seemed to satisfy Tasuki however, because he sat back in his chair and relaxed again. Chichiri studied the other seishi's face. He might as well have been wearing a mask himself. Emotionless. That was the only way Tasuki's expression could be described. His usually expressive eyes were flat and dull. Upon looking closer he saw that there were dark rings under them, which on Tasuki he knows isn't from lack of sleep, but a sign of stress. //There's something that's bothering him. But what?// "What's wrong no da?"

Tasuki just stared at him, as if trying to see past the mask to the man inside. Which was something he could usually do quite easily. Tasuki'd always had a knack for knowing what Chichiri was really thinking. The longer his question was left unanswered, the more uncomfortable he became. Finally, Tasuki seemed to come to some sort of decision, biting his lower lip and nodding to himself. The mask was dropped then, leaving raw emotion burning in his eyes. Loneliness, anger, and something Chichiri couldn't place, swirled in the amber depths. "I've missed ya so much Chiri. It ain't just that though. I've been so fuckin' lonely without ya here. I mean....I'm surrounded by the guys all the time, but.....I still feel so alone. Yer the only guy left that I know, who's been through the same shit I have. The only guy that I can talk to when all the crap comes back and reminds me of everyone and everything that I've lost. And for over a year ya weren't there. I had ta go through all those fuckin' anniversaries of our friends' deaths by myself. I couldn't tell any of the guys 'bout what I was feelin', 'cause they wouldn've understood."

Tasuki rubbed his face with his hands, then put one up to prevent Chichiri from saying anything. I just needed ta say that. I've been wantin' ta bitch ta someone for the longest time. I ain't mad anymore Chiri, 'specially at ya. I just really missed ya an all."

"I missed you too Tasuki. Don't ever think that I didn't. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you." Chichiri whispered, his emotions threatening to choke him.

"It's okay Chiri. Ya don't need ta apologize." *'Specially ta me. Why the hell did'ya say that shit ta him? Ya know he takes everything people say seriously.* "Yer tired huh? That I can fix. Er......the bed ain't made, but I swear it was. I was sorta having a nap 'fore I found out that ya were coming."

Blushing hotly underneath the mask, Chichiri realized that Tasuki wanted him to sleep here. Trying to keep his voice from squeaking, but failing, the monk asked, "I'll be sleeping in the same room with you? But...what about the place I usually stay?"

"Yea...'bout that. The thing is, we really needed the room so I kinda gave a couple of guys your place. I wouldn't want ta put ya in with any of the other bandits, and since there ain't anywhere else ya could sleep....." Tasuki trailed off, shrugging.

Resigning himself to his fate, Chichiri toed off his sandals and pulled his kesa off before settling himself on the bed. He hesitated only a moment before taking his mask off, placing it on the floor with his other belongings. It was then that he noticed Tasuki was throwing a blanket onto the floor. "Tasuki? Um...you're not sleeping on the floor are you?"

"Yea, the bed ain't exactly huge or anything."

"It's big enough for the both of us." Chichiri said, while hoping he wasn't making a huge mistake. "I'm not going to have you sleeping on the floor of your own room. If anything else, I should be the one sleeping there." He said, while nodding to the pile of blankets on the ground.

"Well, yer a guest. I ain't gonna make yousleep on the ground either."

*Oh shit, I'm in trouble now. Might as well get this over with.* With those thoughts Tasuki crawled into the bed, staying as far away from Chichiri as possible, without it being obvious. *Ya can do this Tasuki. Just keep yer hands to yerself.* With that chant repeating in his mind he laid there listening to Chichiri, waiting until his breaths were slow and even before turning to face him. *Keep yer hands to yerself. Keep yer hands to yerself. Keep yer hands to yerself.*

TBC

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