Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Hell's Mirage ❯ Watcher in the Darkness ( Chapter 6 )

Hell's Mirage

 

Warnings this chapter: Angst, suggestive language. Tamahome lovers beware! He's not so nice a guy in this fic; I love him too but for the purposes of the next few chapters he is a vewy bad boy!

 

Rating: 14+

 

Thanks for the wonderful reviews! I love you all!

 

“Hugs KittyLynne” Thanks so much for your help in this chapter, if not for you I would have squicked my entire audience! Three Cheers for KittyLynne! Hip, Hip HORAY! Hip, Hip HORAY! Hip, Hip HORAY!

 

Part F: Watcher in the Darkness

 

Things were not going according to plan.

 

They were supposed to be proving him right, damnit! Instead they sat silently on either side of their campfire, picking at whatever food Tasuki had killed and pretending they didn't know how to act around each other.

 

No, things were definitely not going according to plan. `I figured that after their tender little moment in the pond that they'd be all over each other! What the hell is going on? Why aren't they proving me right?' Doubt clouded blue-gray eyes as the objects of his attention moved around their campsite, apparently preparing to bed down for the night.

 

As he watched them curl up on the same bedroll, anger cleared away whatever misgivings he had had about the validity of his theory and caused him to gnash his teeth against a scream of both anguish and glee.

 

He was right! Seeing them laying next to each other on the same bedroll had solidified his argument for retaliation. `Just wait; I have the perfect thing in mind. It's going to be so satisfying to see those two hurt the way I do!'

 

His anger dissipated for a moment and he watched the couple with longing. `Why, Miaka? Why am I not enough? What could I have ever done to deserve being hurt like this? I loved you and you threw it back in my face!' Anger returned in full force, `Fine! If you want him I'll let you have him just long enough for it to break you when I make him leave you.'

 

`I'll have my revenge…' was the last thought that passed through his mind as the events of the last two days finally took their toll.

 

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

 

Miaka lay with her back to her unwilling bed partner and sighed. She wanted to ask him some questions. She was almost too shy to actually give voice to them, but if she didn't ask she would be left to wonder for the rest of her life. Another soft sigh passed her lips as she mustered her courage and rolled to face her warrior's broad back.

 

“Tasuki? Are you sleeping?” She whispered as she inched closer to the warmth in front of her. She dared not touch him especially after their encounter in the pond. It had felt somehow both strange and right to be cuddled to his naked chest; when she had hugged him from behind she felt another thrill as her naked breasts had pressed flush against his bare skin.

 

An image of Nakago holding her close swept away all the budding feelings she had briefly entertained. A shiver chased down her spine, and she unknowingly burrowed into Tasuki's back while a soft sob pushed its way out of her. When he tensed, she abruptly let go and scooted away.

 

“Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. Go back to sleep.” She softly crooned the words, hoping that he would drift back in to unconsciousness.

 

“I wasn't sleepin'.”

 

“Sorry,” she whispered again, and moved further away.

 

“Damnit Miaka, stop apologizin'! If ya need somethin' tell me and I'll do what I can.”

 

His voice was gruff but held a note of worry. She was quiet for a few moments before she nodded to herself, `I can do this. It's just a simple question and if he tells me to shut up then at least I can say I tried.'

 

Before she could speak, Tasuki sat upright. For a moment she was afraid that he would get up and stalk away, but he only turned and lay back down facing her. Meeting his questioning gaze, she breathed a sigh of relief. `Not everyone is going to leave you, Miaka! A voice in her mind groused. `He was just rolling over to look at you!'

 

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath for courage, opening them again she forged ahead. “Tasuki, have you ever been with a woman?”

 

Startled golden eyes stared back into her own, and she lost her nerve. “Never mind, forget I asked.” She rolled over and scooted to the farthest edge of the bedroll drawing her knees up to her chest.

 

Everything was silent for a few moments and Miaka started to relax a bit.

 

“Yeah, but why do ya wanna know that?” His voice sounded in her ear, causing her to flinch slightly.

 

Shaking her head mutely she inched farther away. “Nothing. Never mind. Just go to sleep.”

 

A warm hand touched her shoulder and turned her to face him. “It's not nothin', if it didn't matter ya wouldn't have asked. Right?” His voice was soft and soothing, she could feel the curve of his thigh pressing into her own as he hovered over her. “Ask me whatever ya want and I'll answer if I can.”

 

Miaka's eyes welled with tears. “Did it hurt her? You know, down there?” Her voice was soft but a blush stained her cheeks and a few tears slipped free.

 

“Nah, it was just some whore in a brothel…” He broke off and sat up further, turning his face away from her searching gaze. “I didn't wanna do it, but I had no choice if I wanted ta be part of the gang. Why do ya wanna know anyway?”

 

Miaka turned her face away and sighed, “There's something wrong with me, I guess. There was blood on me but… I've been told it was normal to hurt… but I don't, not there anyway.”

 

Her words died off as a hand came around to clasp her jaw in a gentle grip. Looking into his eyes, she was surprised to see sparks of hope.

 

“Then it's possible he might not have had Th' chance to finish what he started. Women always hurt th' first time, cause a small part of them is torn to allow room for… well, ya don't need ta know that. We can have Mitsukake examine ya ta see if ya are still… ah, untouched.”

 

Her cheeks burned at the thought. Shaking her head she pulled her chin from his grasp, “No!” She cried out. “I don't want him looking at me down there!”

 

He recaptured her chin, “Then Th' only other way is… uh, never mind.” He released her and turned away. “It's a bad idea, so don't ask!”

 

She sat up slowly and rolled to her knees. Grabbing Tasuki by the hair, she forced him to look at her. Her eyes searched his carefully, taking in the emotions that were flitting through them; surprise, followed closely by worry, before settling on an emotion that she couldn't place.

 

With a sigh she brought her forehead to his, then released him and sat back. “I know I am freaking out about this… but even so, if you have another idea please share it with me. I just might try it since I'm kinda desperate to know if he…really…” Her voice trailed off as humiliation overwhelmed her.

 

Tasuki blushed as he stammered out an answer. “Um, I was thinkin' you could have someone ya really trust… um, ah…” he held up his first and middle finger and began motioning strangely. He frowned when she didn't seem to understand and circled his index finger and thumb around the outstretched fingers of the opposite hand and began wiggling them.

 

Miaka's eyes widened and all color left her face, “You mean, by putting your fingers…in there?” She broke off and turned away.

 

“Not mine!” His eyes widened in panic. “I said someone ya trust!”

 

Miaka's eyes had clouded over. “Sounds like I'll have to take my chances with Mitsukake and mortification.” Laying back on the shared bedroll, she turned to face the fire. “Goodnight, Gen-chan.”

 

Tasuki allowed his eyes to wander over the dejected looking priestess for a moment before resuming his place behind her. `It's gonna be all right, Miaka-chan. I know you've been put through hell, but I got a feeling that things will get better from here on out!'

 

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

 

Deep amber rays of light slowly moved over the sleeping couple, heralding the start of a new day. The taller of the two occupants of the bedroll lay sprawled out on his stomach, arms falling to either side of his bed while his legs stretched outwards, slightly bent in at the knees.

 

The smaller of the two lay on her back, arms to either side of her, while her legs cradled her companion's body as he slept peacefully against her stomach. The long, thin shirt that she had been loaned had ended up rucked up around her smooth thighs due to her bedmate's sleeping position.

 

So was the sight that greeted blue-gray eyes as their owner woke from his troubled sleep and turned to observe the targets of his anger.

 

`How dare she? After all I went through for her, how fucking dare she sleep with HIM?' Anger and pain welled within the young man's heart as he forced himself to his feet. `I can't stay and watch this anymore, it hurts too much. But, if I leave now, how will I make them pay?'

 

Ideas whirled in his mind, `Tokaki lives in Sairou- I'll go to him and ask if I can bring the Suzaku seishi and the priestess to his house. Once I get everyone there and I can confront her in front of all of him or her! They'll despise her just the same as I do.'

 

Smirking in bitter satisfaction, Tamahome turned and set out to put his plan in motion.

 

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

 

`Mmm… warm an' comfortable. Best night's sleep I've had in weeks.'

 

As he awakened, a frown creased Tasuki's brow. `Comfortable? What th' hell's so comfortable? Wasn't I sleepin' on th' ground last night?'

 

His eyes snapped open, and he froze in place. A flutter of white caught his attention as it touched him softly on the end of his nose. `What th' hell?' His eyes darting around he took in what little he could see.

 

From his viewpoint he could see the fire that had burned out sometime during the night, and he could see a small hand flung out to the side almost completely covered by long sleeves. His eyes widened in horror as he realized that Miaka wasn't beside him on the pallet, she was under him!

 

Gently he rose up on arms that had begun to shake in both shock and dismay, and attempted to move from her embrace. A soft grumbled moan broke the silence as a tiny hand came down on his back and pulled him back in to place. “Mmm… safe…”

 

Biting his lip to stave off a hysterical laugh, Tasuki attempted to slide from her embrace again, but was doomed to failure as her other hand buried itself in his flame colored locks holding him in place against her flat stomach.

 

With a sigh he slowly reached up and tugged her hand from his hair and swiftly rolled on to his back and away from his sleeping Miko.

 

A frown wrinkled her brow and she re-adjusted herself against him, flinging one leg over his hips, hugging his torso and laying her head on his chest.

 

Panic filled him at what the sleeping woman would think of him when she awoke. He gently lifted her hand from his side and tried to scoot out from under her. “Stop moving… sleeping…”

 

He froze fearing that he would wake her if he continued trying to escape. With a sigh of acceptance he gently lay a hand against her hair, smoothing the tangled mass against her back and allowing himself to enjoy her presence for a few minutes, safe in the knowledge that their position could not be misconstrued to be his fault.

 

As delightful as it was to have Miaka's sleeping body latched on to his own flesh, nature called and he were helpless to do anything but heed it. Slipping slowly from her embrace he managed to finally disentangle himself and staggered to a nearby bush to relieve his screaming bladder before blearily wandering to the pond to wash up for the day.

 

`We gotta find th' others today, we've got some simple rations but eatin' stale rice cakes fer breakfast isn't gonna keep us alive. It was all I could do ta find that fox-like creature last night and I get th' feelin' that huntin' ain't gonna be getting' any easier as we get deeper in ta th' desert. Chiri's got th' supply horses wit' him so I know they're fine.'

 

He splashed the cool water over his face and neck, rubbing vigorously to wash away the sweat of the previous day.

 

He glanced over at his priestess to assure she was still sleeping before silently stepping over to his horse to dig out a shaving kit and a drying cloth. Walking back to the pond he cast one last glance over his shoulder. Then, after stripping out of his pants, he stepped into the pond.

 

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

 

She had awakened the moment he had slipped from her grasp; the cool rush of air against previously warm skin had told her that she had been pressed rather intimately against his side. Shock and embarrassment had kept her from letting him know she was awake, and now she watched him through slitted eyes as he walked away from the pond towards his horse.

 

His eyes had darted towards her several times and she almost feared that he was going to leave her but he had only searched through the saddlebags, pulled out a soft white towel and a small slim box before heading back to the pond.

 

`Must be going to wash up a little.' The thought died a quick and painful death as he cast one last glance at her and stripped off his pants and walked into the pond.

 

`Oh gods, he doesn't wear underpants!' Tearing her mind from that frighteningly delicious though she allowed her eyes to travel over his strong back, taking in the supple movements of muscle as he snagged a reed from a nearby bank and crushed it in his hands. A blush tinged her cheeks as she found herself allowing her eyes to drift over the firm curves of his backside down to the place where the water covered the rest of his body from view.

 

The muscles in his arms flexed slightly as he lifted his hands to his head to crush more of the reed essence in to his hair and scrubbed rapidly, forming foam in the glossy red strands. He lathered his skin and face with the foam before lifting a small tin cup from the box resting on the log and poured pond water over his head.

 

Miaka's eyes widened and she sat up, unconsciously wanting a better look. She had never seen a naked man before and now that she had seen this man naked, even if only from a rear view, she felt that no other could compare to the raw masculine beauty before her. Heat filled her cheeks, but she refused to think of why that was, her mind shying away from thoughts of that nature.

 

The man she was eyeing with great interest turned to head back to the shore but stopped short when he saw her sitting up, blushing for all she was worth, but making no effort to hide that she was openly staring at him.

 

He blushed and quickly sank down in to the water to hide his nakedness. “Miaka, could ya turn around?”

 

His voice snapped her from her daze and she quickly pulled the blanket over her face. “Oh gods, Tasuki! I'm so sorry! I didn't see anything, I swear!” She cried, voice muffled by the material.

 

Despite his embarrassment, the seishi grinned at her blatant lie, and then darted over to the saddlebags. Drawing out a fresh set of clothes, he tugged on a pair of forest green breeches as fast as he possibly could.

 

“Alright. I'm decent enough, you c'n look now.” Turning away from his priestess, he dug through the bags and found his last clean shirt and a pair of the `panties', as she called them that had somehow gotten packed in his bag by `accident'. “Er, Mi-chan, a pair of yer smalls got mixed up with my clothes. Take `em and this shirt an' go get washed up, we gotta long day in th' saddle.”

 

As Miaka pulled the blanket away from her scarlet-cheeked face, she was relieved to see that her seishi was at least wearing bottoms. Turning to her, he held out a cream colored linen shirt and a small wad of lace with a sheepish smile.

 

Her eyes widened as they honed in on the scrap of pink. “Tasuki, I've been missing those panties since right before we tried to summon Suzaku!” Her blush deepened. “ Don't tell me…have you had them this whole time?”

 

Not waiting for an answer, she suddenly stood from the blankets and stalked over to him. “Pervert!” She accused, tearing the proffered clothes from his grasp.

 

Tasuki's face was a mottled red. “URASAI BAKA! I did NOT have them this whole time!” He protested furiously. “Nuriko used ta do my laundry, he must'a stuck them in there by mistake when we left the palace!”

 

“You're still a pervert! You don't even wear underpants!” Miaka retorted, effectively ending the argument as she stalked off towards the pond.

 

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

 

We had been riding for what seemed like hours but neither of us spoke. The odd tension of this morning's `peep show' and subsequent argument hadn't let up. I knew I had embarrassed him when I blurted out that I knew he didn't wear underclothes, but I was too shaken up by the thought that Tasuki had been carrying my panties with him all the way from Konan to offer an apology.

 

No matter what I had said, stealing them would have been very unlike him, especially considering that he was always saying how much he doesn't like women. It was also a silly thing to be thinking about given what just had happened to me, but yet I couldn't seem to stop myself from wondering just how long had he known about them…and how he knew that they were mine.

 

Grrr, men! I'll never understand them.

 

An odd sounding song drifted to our ears on the breeze, putting an end to the awkward silence and causing my head to snap up in relief. “That sounds like Chichiri's voice, Gen-chan! I think we found the rest of the seishi!” I turned in the saddle and hugged him around the neck out of jubilation, then quickly pulled back when I realized what I had done.

 

“Konichi wa, no da! Konichi wa, no da! Ko-oh-oh- nichi wa, Konichi wa, no da!”

 

“It is them! That's Chichiri's cute little `no da'! I'd recognize it anywhere!“ I exclaimed, my excitement causing me to bounce in the saddle slightly. “Let's hurry to meet them!”

 

To my surprise, Tasuki didn't look at all relieved; for some reason he was frowning, but he obediently upped our pace to a stiff canter, bringing us closer and closer to the rest of our friends.

 

 

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooo

 

 

Well, there's part F. Hope you liked it, and I'm sorry about taking so long and that it's such a short chapter. I swear that next time will be longer and will move more.

 

 

Love!

 

 

V.M.