One-shot with lemons inside. Idea comes after watching episodes 13 and 14. I should warn you – OOC, or very OOC for Miaka. Spoilers hidden among the story. Not read by my beta.
Summary: Miaka is not a brat and she can prove it. In her own, strange way. Did a certain bandit realize it and will stop calling her like that?
I'm not a brat!
First what she registered was that her head was aching and she was lying at the cold floor. When all her senses started to work properly and headache slowly faded she opened her eyes and saw that she is no longer in the forest but she's lying under the wall in a big room and her wrists and legs are tied. She shot her head up too see that her friends were here too.
"Hotohori! Nuriko!" She cried out. They were lying senseless at the floor. She was frightened that they're dead, but then she heard a soft groan. She heard that Hotohori called her name and felt relieved.
"Thank goodness! You're both alright!" She said in a cheerful tone, happy that guys were ok. "But what are we doing here?" She gazed curiously among the room.
"The last thing I remember was running towards you both." Said Nuriko looking around. Miaka's glance fall at the Hotohori's bleeding arm.
"Hotohori you're bleeding!" She shouted in a worried tone and swiftly jumped up to him. He was trying to reassure her that's nothing, but it doesn't worked. Her worried gaze was locked up with his. They sat in silence just looking at each other. Miaka's mind was racing through the not so distant memory of her being nearly kissed by the emperor. Her cheeks flushed with red and her heart was beating faster when his head started to drawing forward. It was inches apart, and she could feel his tickling breath at her cheeks when the loud crack of opening door and loud voice of the bandit interrupted them.
"Hello there! Looks like you're awake now!" The guy with blue cloth and a headband said in a merry tone. Behind him stood four other bandits who captured them. All looked a little bit drunk.
"Who are you?!" Hotohori yelled and gave them hateful look. Bandits glanced at each other, looking amused.
"Aw, you mean you haven't heard of us?" They heard response from the previous bandit who did use a false-hurt tone. "All right, we tell'ya! We're the Bandit's of Mount Reikaku."
Miaka looked at them with wide-opened eyes.
'When we were riding before the character in mirror meant "mountain" so among these bandits may be one of Suzaku Warrior's.'
The bandits yelled when Miaka started throwing herself at them, biting them and ripping their shirts off. Nuriko and Hotohori gazed in amazement and fear at her not wanting bandits get irritates and as following, killed them. Suddenly someone pulled Miaka off from guys and was holding her by her jacket. She turned her head and saw a tall bandit, with midnight blue hair and a scar at left cheek. He looked slightly amused by all this situation.
"My, my. And what we have here, huh?" He looked at the rest of the bandits. "Who is this brat?"
"It's a girl that we captured. Also there are other two." Man pointed at the Nuriko and Hotohori who were still sitting at the floor. "Ano Kouji, why did ya came here?" The bandit was scratching back of his head.
'His name's Kouji? Sounds nice.' She turned her head slightly to have a better view. 'He isn't holding me firmly, I can tell that he even loosened his grip now. A bandit, huh? He is really looking good. I mean, hey in comparison to the other guys here he's handsome.' She watched him closely. He was talking with the guys now so he wasn't paying attention to her and her eyes could roam his body freely. 'That scar look nice on him and he also has green eyes like me! Oh, he is smiling. Cute!' She felt a tint of pink at cheeks but quickly brushed it off. 'He must be strong, I mean look at these muscles. I know Nuriko is muscular too and Hotohori isn't a weakling but they have more feminine bodies and – what was his name? Ah, Kouji – have very well-developed body.'
"I came 'cuz the boss told me to take one of these captives to him." He looked at Miaka. "But I didn't know that you caught a girls." She could hear the bandit's laughing.
"Yeah I know, but I think it wasn't a 'bad catch'. These two cuties can serve us, but troubles are with this brunette. She started to biting us!" The younger one exclaimed, pointing his finger at Miaka.
Kouji looked slightly confused and entertained with this whole situation. Not everyday hostages are biting you.
"Ok, so since you seem so enthusiastic, I'll take you." He said with smile, not bothering of Hotohori and Nuriko's yelling. Miaka pulled out from Kouji grasp and with a small smile she jumped to two sitting warriors.
"It's alright guys." She said in a cheerful tone, then she lowered her voice to the whisper. "It's our chance to know is beside these guys is next Suzaku Warrior." She turned her head slightly. "You two stay her-Ack!" She was quickly pulled away by a scarred bandit.
0o0o0
First thing that he did when he closed the door behind them was cutting ropes from her legs that she could walk freely but to prevent her escape he was holding her by her arm.
'Man, he isn't very talkative.' She looked at him assuming that he doesn't notice her stare, but she was wrong. He did the same thing and their gaze met. He gave her questioning look making her rapidly turning her head away.
'Damn it! He notice it. I should be more careful. By the way I wonder how their boss will look and is there really Suzaku Warrior among them." She was snapped out of her state by the unusual cheerful voice of bandit.
"Oi girly, I wonder what you guys were doing down there." He turned his head and now he was face-to-face with her. "You know, Reikaku isn't a safe place for a brats like you." He plastered teasing smile.
Miaka felt slightly annoyed. Who the hell he thinks he is, to calling her 'a brat'. She was a woman after all and she could feel her hormones gone high. She's not a child nor a brat! She is the priestess of Suzaku after all and she won't be treated like that. Oh no, he will not go away with that so easily. She spun her head around and looked at him. Sparks of anger filled her eyes.
"Brat?! Who the hell gave you permission to call me like that!" She spat. "For your information – I'm not a brat. I'm 16 years old women and I want to be treated like that Mr. Bandit!" She yelled at him but instead of making him scared or worse – angry she just saw that he lifted up a brow in a surprise and teasing smile was still playing at his lips.
"I must say that you have guts. And don't call me like that. My name is Kouji, not Mr. Bandit." He shook his head. "And you're not a woman for me just a brat." He locked his eyes in hers. "An angry brat I could say." The last part he said chuckling slightly.
He was starting getting on her nerves. She was thinking about how to shut him up but instead of many ideas, the only one instantly popped in her mind. She blushed, knowing that's crazy and unfair to the others-especially Tamahome, but she wanted to silence him and make him see that she is not a brat. Beside, his lips were tempting. Her hands weren't free and this could be an obstacle but she was determined.
"Ah, a brat you said." She hung her head and her tone was quiet. Kouji looked at her alarmed of her suddenly change.
'She's really weird. A second ago she was angry and I could tell that if she wasn't tied she would punched me, and now she look upset. Strange girl.'
"Yep, an immature brat." He nodded his head, still looking at her, crossing his arms at his chest.
"Did a brat could do this?!" Miaka's eyes flickered shut as her lips swiftly pressed against his.
He didn't have time to response. His hands automatically embraced her tiny silhouette before he could register what happened. At first his eyes were big from a surprise, but after a second he slowly closed them and surrendered to her. She sensed that he relaxed a bit and felt that her own lust was arising. It was a new, overwhelming sensation for her and she didn't wanted to stop it but she was aware that he was hesitating so she must act quickly. She slowly started to licking his lips, begging for an entrance which he gave her. His lips had now parted slightly and her tongue could wander freely inside his mouth and lick him passionately. A soft moan escaped through his throat which encouraged her. After that there was a sudden change and now he was starting to taking control over her. One of his hands was still at her waist when second started stroking softly her cheek. He lifted her head and deepened the kiss, now playing with her tongue. Soft moan escaped from her mouth. She never imagined that a simple kiss could be so exciting. Her body was burning almost as if fire was flowing down her veins and she was starting to loosing control. His hand was caressing her cheek lightly as a feather giving her an additional impression. When his tongue took control over hers and was slowly wandering in her sweet cavern, licking her skillfully she forgot about the whole world and now she could only think about was his tongue who was assaulting her mouth greedily. After a while much to her dislike, he broke the kiss and rested his forehead at her. Both were panting heavily.
"So, I think that supposed to teach me something, right?" His eyes were closed and his voice was shaking a little. His hand was still at her cheek, caressing it gently. When he spoke she felt his tickling breath at her face.
"You were asking for that." She slowly opened her eyes and her spring green meet his green ones. "And still you think that I'm an immature brat?"
"Maybe you are not a brat, but surely you're out of your mind. You know that you're playing with fire?" He asked her with a sly smile still resting his forehead at her. His earlier composure was broken off and now she saw in his eyes a hint of desire and a promise of everything she could ever wanted from a real man. She still felt his fiery kiss which filled her body with fire and surprisingly sweet taste of his mouth. For her he was tasting like a cinnamon or the finest chocolate-candy.
"I'm not scared of a little burning." She said unhesitatingly and after a second, when she stood at tip of her toes and was slowly drawing closer to his lips she added in a seductively whisper "And now let's make it for real."
Her lips crashed hungrily onto his and their tongues united again in a crazy dance. She could feel that this time kiss was authentic, pure bliss without holding back and he possessed everything she expected – lust, burning desire and sweetness. This time he was holding her closer and wasn't hesitating like before - was more demanding. Shortly, after their lips united he broke the kiss once again and was slowly giving her a trail of butterfly kisses along her jaw line. When she shifted back her head, completely overwhelmed by the pleasure he was giving her, he got full-access to her neck and he started covering it by the softly kisses till her collarbone. When his hand left her cheek and now traced her breast she gasped in a surprise that so small touch could stir her. He was sucking at her collarbone skin when she lowered her head to his ear.
"Kouji." Her velvet voice was trembling. "Please, untie my hands." She whispered charmingly.
He leaned to her ear "Girl, are you thinking that I was born yesterday?" He said in a husky tone. "I will untie you and you will ran away. I'm not a fool." His hand was still rubbing gently her covered breast making her shiver from delight.
"I will not-" She sucked the air sharply when he licked her earlobe tenderly. She was summoning all her remaining strength to not melt into him and finish her sentence. And it was hard, because his actions were putting her into a dazing state.
"I will not run away." Her voice was trembling and was near to collapse but she continued in a pleadingly tone "I just want to touch you. And my name is Miaka, not a girl." She buried her head into his arms, biting him a little and giving him an alluring view of her milky neck and collarbone. He slowly lowered his head from her ear and started licking her throat. Still going down he spotted an immersion between her neck and collarbone and when he touched it with tip of his tongue Miaka's body shivered immediately from a new wave of pleasure and a quiet groan slipped through her mouth. He smirked and knowing that is her weak spot he started to biting it gently, caressing with his tongue and laying smoothing kisses onto her skin driving her insane. She couldn't do anything, except biting and licking his neck, because her hands were tied up behind her back and she's just surrendered to his skilled tongue and hands. She wanted to touch him. Caress him almost like he was caressing her. Every nerve in her body was screaming from a satisfaction. Every spot he touched was burning from a turmoil. Even in her wildest dreams she couldn't imagined something like that. He was setting her ablaze like a true man which he was. She tilted her head and started nipping his neck making him groan sexily. He stopped rubbing her breast and used his now free hand to draw out the knife and cut the ropes off from her hands tightening his grip at her waist in the same time. She bit him in his neck again and then brought her hot lips upon his ear.
"I see that you believed me." She whispered hotly into his ear bringing her hands upon his neck. Her sweet breath sent shivers down his spine. "You will not regret this." She placed her palm at his scarred cheek and turned his head to her and after a trail of wet kisses at his other cheek she captured his mouth in a lustful kiss, swallowing his tongue. She buried one of her hands into his dark-blue hair when the other one was dancing at his chest. Tips of her fingers were stroking his torso smoothly making him quiver. She slipped her hand under his shirt and now she wandered freely over his muscles – she was brushing them delicately making him flutter.
'Damn that woman, she's nuts! How the hell come to this. She's a hostage I shouldn't do that! But, heck! She's the one who started this, not me.'
His mind was racing. The sensations she was giving to him were amazing. He was kissing many girls before, with many of them he was having sex but this time was different. He couldn't describe why, but Miaka's kisses tasted different. They were full of sweetness and passion and they were overwhelming. It was childish innocent that was making her different from his previous girls. They were still kissing passionately when she removed his hand from her waist and lead it to her tight and then to her knee. He tucked his hand under it and hooked her leg at his hip drawing her closer to himself. His hand was moving slowly at her tight, giving her gooseflesh. She was spinning little circles around his chest and her fingers were traveling upwards and downwards. She was enjoying every inch of his muscular, trained body and she knew that he is enjoying her every touch under which he trembled and groaned softly. She left his lips and now she was memorizing his every feature by her mouth. She hooked one of her hands at his neck when her lips along with second hand were wandering at his chest and below. When her wet lips touched his hot skin he growled. She laid her hand under his shirt at his hip to support her weight and continued playing with him when he rested his head at her arm. She was making small circles at his skin, nipping his flesh and leaving a watery trace down to his stomach.
It was driving him crazy. Never before any girl was capable to put him into that state. Her mouth at his skin, her pecks and moist kisses, her teeth scratching him gently were urging him to carry her in to his room and fuck passionately with her.
Immediately they heard a quick footsteps from afar and Miaka quickly raised her head, gave him last, swiftly French-kiss and they rapidly split up. They did it in the very last second, because they saw Hotohori and Nuriko running towards them.
"Miaka!" Both exclaimed seeing their bellowed friend. Hotohori hugged her tightly. "Are you ok?" He said in a worried tone.
"Yes, I'm okay!" She said happily. "How did you guys managed to escape? I told you to stay there." She laid her hands at her hips.
"Me and Nuriko served them for a while, then when they were drank, Nuriko just pushed them at the wall using the table." Miaka looked at her seishi who was playing innocently with his hair. Hothori glanced at the bandit, who stood up near them with wide-open eyes from shock.
"You!" Emperor pulled out his sword and walked towards Kouji but Miaka shielded bandit making both of her friends gaping at her in astonishment.
"Stop Hotohori." Miaka said in a demanding tone making him froze in his place. "Hide your weapon, he's not an enemy. He actually released me and we need him to complete our quest, you know." She said in a not objecting tone.
"But Miaka, he's a bandit like the others and he could kill you. Why you're defending him?" He said in a calm voice but with his sword still in his hand.
"I must talk with their boss, you know that." She said crossing her arms. "And he must took me there otherwise they'll attack us." She looked straight into emperor's eyes.
"But Mia-" "No buts!" She interrupted. "I must do this!" She glanced at her friend with desperation in her eyes. She opened her mouth to give them one more reason to agree with her when Kouji spoke.
"I'm sorry for interrupting you, but your friends are right. It's dangerous and not only because you will be alone in his room." He immediately got their full attention.
"What do you mean by that? We can just walk in and punch him straight into face." Nuriko said self-confidently, crackling his knuckles. Kouji looked at him and sighed heavily.
"I didn't said that he's strong or something." He crossed his arms at his chest. "He's not even our true leader. He just took the command when our old boss died and with that he got magic fan."
"Magic fan?" The trio echoed curiously.
"Yes, a fan which can shoot fire and fry you in split of a second. That's why nobody set against Eiken yet." He looked at Miaka. "If I take you to him you will be in danger and I don't think that your friends could help you."
She intended. Her mind was proceeding everything trying to find a solution. Then she lifted her head and stared at mans.
"I have no choice. If I don't do this we won't find Suzaku warrior." She said. Then she added anxiously throwing her fist into the air. "All right! Let's go!" She grasped Kouji wrist and pulled him behind her but she stopped immediately when he hit her lightly at the head.
"Don't burst so fast. You know where's the boss room that you're going first?" She looked at him, then at her friends and she scratched back of her head smiling sheepishly. "No I don't."
Nuriko and Hotohori fell at the floor and Kouji sweat-dropped. He put his hand at his forehead and sighed. "Today's not my day. Definitely."
0o0o0
"Excuse me! Yes, who is it? It's Kouji with one of the captured girls for the boss to see! Ah, well, glad you're here! Come right on in! Thank you!"
Nuriko and Hotohori looked at each other awkwardly, Miaka just shrugged. When they walked in her gaze fell onto huge, fat man in a helmet with horns. He was obviously drunk.
"Oh, Kouji! I've been waitin' for ya! He said and took a chug of his sake. Kouji looked at him with disgust then he gazed at Miaka. He felt that she's trembling softly and gulping inaudible with frightened face. Bandit's boss were eyeing her from tip of her toes to her head and when he ended he shoot an V sign to Kouji and started to laugh.
"Well, if you'll excuse me." Kouji bowed his head and went towards the door but before he shut them, his and Miaka's eyes locked once again. He silently assured her that they will be near. Then she turned her head and looked hardly at the still laughing man.
"Okay! I know you're the boss of these bandits!" She yelled. "Do any of your man have any marks written on their bodies?" He blinked few times.
"Well.. Considerin' how dirty these guys are-" She interrupted him. "That's NOT what I meant! I mean is they have any kanji characters on themselves!
"If ya do what I want ya to do I'll tell ya whatdaya want!" Eiken throw her at his bed and holding both of her hands he started unbuttoning her shirt. When she started to struggle he pulled out his knife and threatened her that if she don't start acting quietly he won't tell her anything. She instantly gone quiet and turned her head away, shutting her eyes tightly.
Then they heard loud crack and when Miaka opened her eyes she saw Nuriko standing beyond a huge hole stretching his arm. Beside him stood Hotohori and Kouji who was amazed by the purple-haired seishi strength.
"What the hell!" Eiken throw an angry glare at them. He loosened his grip at Miaka's hands and she took advantage of it and flee. She ran behind Hotohori and Nuriko quickly wiping her tears and bringing smile upon her face. Warriors looked at her happy that nothing happened to her. Then they quickly glanced at Eiken who were now holding fan in his hands.
"Ya rats! Ya think that you can stand against me?!" Hotohori charged at him with his sword ready to cut him in half but ball of fire stopped him in his tracks and make him hide behind the nearest table. Nuriko rapidly pushed Miaka off from the blast and jumped aside hiding from a devastating shoot.
"C'mon cowards! Yer had guts to set yourselve' against me, so why yer hidin' now?" Red aura started enveloping an iron fan in an attempt of next attack. Eiken spotted Miaka which were now standing at her legs, gazing over her friends. He targeted her and cast a new wave of fire into her direction. Nuriko and Hotohori yelled and dashed to her but they were too far away. Miaka looked at the coming fire with wide-open eyes. In the last effort she squeezed her eyelids and shielded her face by her arms waiting for the hit. But then someone abruptly pushed her off of the line and she landed on something soft. Her little body unconsciously pressed tighter to the soft form which she landed on.
"Girl you are really nuts. You could been killed." She heard Kouji's slightly annoyed voice. She opened her eyes and saw that they were lying at the floor, and her head was buried into his neck to avoid her getting hurt. Suddenly she remembered their kisses and she blushed. She lifted her head and saw a trace of worry in his eyes.
"K, we must get up quickly, or we'll be surely dead." She nodded her head. He helped her and soon they were standing on their legs. She gazed over – she saw that Nuriko and Hotohori were battling with bandit's boss and they were getting weak. Avoiding fire balls wasn't the easiest thing in the world and purple-haired seishi got his kimono slightly burned here and there when Hotohori panted heavily. They couldn't get near Eiken and situation was bad when all of them felt chilling breeze and a heavy wind started to blew. When everything calmed they looked at the window. There stood a tall figure of a man with fiery-red hair. He was wearing a long, black coat and white trousers tucked in his boots. He's got colorful earrings in both ears and many necklaces. His amber eyes were blazing strangely in a full moon.
"Y-Yer back?!" Eiken exclaimed terrified.
"Ge-Genrou." She heard a surprised voice of dark-haired bandit. She glanced at him. His eyes were big and his mouth hung open. Then she switched her gaze towards the man, called Genrou.
"I see that you didn't waste your time and took a boss seat while I've been away." Red-head said with a smirk on his face. "But now I'm back, and your leadership is over." In a split of a second, he yelled "Shun Tarou!" and throw some paper-cards into Eiken's direction which immediately changed into many black wolves which surrounded fat-man, who were now throwing fireballs like mad in attempt to kill them.
Kouji hastily pulled Miaka behind the nearest wall in order to hide from a fireballs, who were now flying at the whole room.
"Kouji, why-" "I don't think that you want to end your life like that. Me not." She glanced at him with remorse but she knew that he's right. She didn't wanted to die and silently she thanked him. She peeked from the corner of the wall at the fighting scene. Wolves were fighting stubbornly. When one died there was three new at his place. Finally they did manage to come near Eiken and started to bit him hardly in his legs and arms. He dropped tessen at the ground, because of pain and now was trying his best in defending from the wolves fangs.
Genrou slowly walked towards a fan and picked it up. He immediately ordered his wolves to back off and he came closer to Eiken who now was kneeling with his hands at his head, bleeding heavily from the bites.
"It's over Eiken. I should fry your damn ugly ass, but know my mercy. I'll let you live but now you will be jailed and guarded in the cell." Then he turned over the injured seishi's. "And who the hell are you, huh?" He aimed in them with his fan. "Answer me!"
"They're my friends!" Miaka popped from behind the wall and ran towards her bleeding friends. "Don't try to harm them! We're your friends. We've been fighting with Eiken too." She helped Hotohori stand at his legs, encircling one of his arm at her neck.
"Ah, a friend, right? Intere-" "Yes Genrou, they're friends. Sometimes you should believe into people words." Kouji was leaning at the wall, looking straight at his fiery-haired friend. Genrou immediately changed the look on his face, from a dangerous to wide, fanged grin and walked toward his best friend and they make a little dance. When they ended they walked near Miaka and her friends.
"Forgive for my friend's behave." Kouji said with a smirk. "Sometimes he's unbearable." He then looked at Miaka. "He's our real boss." Miaka nodded knowingly her head and smiled. A sparks of glee were flowing in her eyes.
0o0o0
Bandit's were shouting happily at the new boss arriving. Many of them were drinking sake to celebrate Genrou's back. Even Miaka and her friends took a sip. They were told to stay for the night to get full rest and when the morning awake they could ask questions that were bothering them and go back to traveling. She, Nuriko and Hotohori gotten rooms next to each other for their own comfort. Two of her seishi went to sleep despite they didn't wanted to leave her alone, but she told them that she will be fine and they give up. She was standing near the exit door, looking at the stars and thinking about her family and her world. Wind blew hardly, tossing her hair and making her shiver from cold. All of sudden something was threw around her arms and she could feel warm and silk cloth at her body.
"Girl, if you'll be standing outside like that you'll surely catch a cold." She knew that voice. One man here was still calling her a 'girl'.
"Kouji I told you, my name is Miaka." She punched him playfully at the arm, making him chuckle. "I know, I know, don't be mad at me." He glanced at her with warm eyes and a smile showing his white teeth.
"Thank you for a coat. I'm appreciating it." She wrapped herself into it tighter couldn't detach her eyes from him. "And what about you? You'll catch a cold now." He look at her with a smug smirk.
"Don't worry about me. I'm used to the windy weather here, so I won't catch cold so easily like you. Brat." Last part he said teasingly, giving her adoring smile which she could hardly resist.
"Kouji don't start messing with me again." She turned her head and looked at him with mysterious smile. Then she walked closer swaying her hips. She put one of her hands at his arm and second she laid flatly at his chest and began stroking it softly. He sucked air sharply when she was caressing his chest then he locate his hand at her preventing it from further moves. She looked slightly surprised at him.
"Miaka, you know that you shouldn't do this? And this earlier situation. We shouldn't do that too." She looked at him. His hair and shirt been tossed by the wind giving him more sexy and tempting look.
"Why, bandit scared of a girl?" She gave him a wicked smile.
"It's not like th-" Her lips crashed with his eagerly. Her tongue was licking him passionately reviving memories about previous circumstances and igniting his blood. One of her hands was still squeezed by him but left hand she buried into his hair and was stroking them. She couldn't believe how soft were his hair and she enjoyed touching them. Kouji broke the kiss and looked at Miaka with dazing gaze. Their lips merely touched.
„You. Are. Crazy." After every word he said she kissed him, slowly breaking his will-power.
"Miaka, if you'll continue this I'll stop holding back myself, so better think about it twice."
She could tell from his gaze, that he's not joking. One more action like that and he will loose it. She smirked.
"I thought about it already." She murmured before their lips touched.
0o0o0
He woke up before the sun. His gaze fell at the girl sleeping peacefully in his arms. Her head was lying at the spot between his neck and collarbone. She rested her hands at his torso and arms, smiling sweetly in her sleep. Moonlight was illuminating her face making her look like a beautiful, porcelain doll. He took a strand of her hair from her face and couldn't help but admiring her appearance. She was gorgeous girl, with smooth, milky skin and with delightful lips which you wanted kissing over and over again. In her eyes you could saw innocence and passion at the same time. And now she was sleeping into his arms after a night that any of them will forget. He was caressing her brown strands of hair when she opened her spring-green eyes and looked at him drowsily.
"Go back to sleep. It's still night." He whispered and kissed her at top of her head. She smiled and kissed him. Then she went back to sleep.
He looked at her smiling face and then gazed at the window. The sun was slowly rising.
0o0o0
The sun was high when she woken up. She yawned heavily and stretched her whole body. She noticed that she's alone in the bed.
'Kouji must gotten up already.'
She was slightly disappointment. Part of her wanted to woke up with him at her side but then her other half knew that couldn't happened, because if her friends spotted them in one bed. Could be problems.
She fell at the blankets one more time and now was glancing at the ceiling memorizing everything that they did last night. Started at innocent kiss outside the stronghold and ended in her bed. She blushed slightly when she recalled the memory of his skilled tongue licking every part of her making her twisting at the bed and his hands rubbing her breast driving her absolutely mad. She didn't regretted a thing. Kouji was a real man and a good-looking one. She still has an image of his brown, muscular chest and his strong arms. Her fingers touched lightly her lips. Even now she felt his hot kisses and savor of his mouth.
'Cinnamon and chocolate. He tasted like that.'
She looked at the window and sighing heavily she got up from her bed and started dressing.
0o0o0
All bandit's were gathered in a large room, even Eiken. Genrou was talking with a bandit about something when Miaka walked in with her friends behind. She shoot a quick glance at Kouji and blushed. Whole previous night stood before her eyes.
"Miaka are you all right? You aren't look well." Nuriko gazed at her with worrying look.
"No! I mean, yes I'm perfectly fine. Thanks Nuriko." She summoned a wide grin at her face to assure Nuriko that she's ok. Warrior just shrugged.
"My, my. Our guests. I hope that you've slept well." Genrou asked with his wolfish grin.
"Yes, we've been sleeping well." Hotohori answered. When the mans were talking, Miaka walked to the Kouji, who was leaning at the wall.
"Hello." She greeted him trying to sound cheerfully. She doesn't wanted to show him that she's not happy that they're leaving.
"Hi." He answered as cheerfully as she. "I see that you and your friends are leaving today and they seem enthusiastic about that. They didn't liked our beds?" He asked her jokingly with small smile at his face. She looked at him with sadness. She wanted to kiss him but she couldn't. Instead of it she laid her back at the wall the same as he and looked at her shoes.
"Something wrong Miaka? You aren't looking happy." His voice was questioning.
"Because I'm not happy at all." She said barely above the whisper that only he could hear her.
"I don't want to leave. Not after what happened." She lifted her head and locked her helplessly gaze into his. "I don't want to leave you, Kouji."
Images of previous day and night flashed through his mind. Suddenly everything comes back. Scent of her hair, taste of her lips, her hands stroking his hair and playing at his chest. He sighed heavily and closed his eyes for a second trying to ease himself. When he looked at her again, Miaka saw in his green orbs clear reflection of her own helplessly, grief and desperation.
"Miaka I don't want you to leave too, but what can we do. Nothing." She nodded silently at his words. "Apparently, it's not our destiny to be together." He said thoughtfully.
Miaka wanted say something to him but was abruptly interrupted by the Nuriko's voice.
"Oi, Miaka, c'mon. Ask those fellows about next seishi. Maybe they know something."
"Sure Nuriko." Miaka said in a emotionless voice and walked over them leading away by the Kouji's gaze. "Ok, listen to me. Did any of you has some kanji on yourselves or something?" Bandit's glanced at each other, then looked at Eiken.
"Don't look at me! I don't have any! But Tasuki has!"
"Tasuki?" Miaka put her finger to her cheek, thinking. "Ok, now is there anyone whom name is Tasuki?" Miaka shouted with excitement and shoot a questioningly glances at bandit's who were scratching their heads and looking skeptically at others. Then she heard a low and bored voice from behind.
"I know him." Brunette turned around to saw the fiery-haired bandit speaking. "But don't get too disappointed. Tasuki was a nickname of our old boss, which means that he's already death. Sorry, but that's the truth and you couldn't bring the dead back to life." She looked at Genrou with slightly-bigger eyes from disillusionment and fear. She hung her head in resignation and two of her seishi were trying to comfort her. Then they heard a bandit that was trying to speak timidly.
"Ano, boss? You see, I've heard a rumor that in Choko, to the North there's supposed to be somebody who can bring the dead back to life." Miaka's eyes immediately shined with brightness and she quickly walked up to the bandit.
"What?! Mister, are you serious?!" She yelled scaring the bandit.
"Well, it's a rumor. I haven't seen it done myself, so" He stuttered. Miaka turned her head to her two seishi's.
"Then let's go to Choko and check it out!" Nuriko and Hotohori looked at her. They saw that new hope was lightened in her eyes and they immediately agreed to travel to Choko.
0o0o0
"Bye everyone! Stay well." She waved from her horse at the bandits who were standing in front of a large gate at the rock. Genrou was looking at them with his fanged grin. Then next to him stood Kouji with one of his hands at his hip. Wind blew and was tossing wildly his hair. He was looking straightly at her with smiled face but one glance at his eyes and she knew that he's as sad as she. She smiled at him sweetly and gave him last, extended stare, before she turned her head away. Three horses were leaded away by the bandit's stares until they didn't vanished from the horizon.
"There they go." Red-head said looking at the three fading shapes. "We've been really acting strange, because of them I hope that we didn't forgot how to act like a bandit's. By the way, did it's something with my eyes or that girl was looking at you?" He glanced at his friend with curiosity.
"Sure Genrou. Stop imagining things." Kouji chuckled a little. Genrou looked somewhat disappointed by his friend's answer.
"Priestess of Suzaku or not I want to drink some sake now." He turned around and walked trough the gate with rest of the bandits but Kouji was still standing there looking at the direction where a moment ago was Miaka.
"Oi, Kouji? Are you going?" He heard the younger bandit yell.
"Yes, coming." He yelled back. He turned around and cast one, last glance over his shoulder.
'Apparently, it's not our destiny to be together.' He thought bitterly to himself while joining his companions.
0o0o0
Miaka was cuddled into Hotohori's arms to prevent her from falling from the horse. She was thinking to herself when she heard emperor speaking.
"Miaka, something wrong? You gotten quiet when we left stronghold." She looked into his golden, now troubled eyes.
"Nah." She shook her head lightly. "Just thinking to myself." She lifted her head ad grinned at him then when she went back to her thoughts her grin slowly evaporated.
She turned her head and looked in the direction of bandit's stronghold, which was now just a shadow on the horizon. Her fingertips lightly touched her lips and a smile spread across her face.
'Cinnamon and chocolate.'
Author's Notes
It was supposed to be a short one-shot but every time when I started to writing it I was getting a new ideas and here it is! Beside it's hard to settle Miaka and Kouji because they didn't met each other many times. I hope that even if Miaka was OOC you read it and liked it :) I was trying my best and in my humble opinion I did fine job. Ahem, uhm well. R&R please.
One more thing – sequel in development