Yup, another one written for the 10whores challenge community. Just to recap on what that is: 10 fics, Miaka paired with a different character in each. Simple.
"So Chichiri, do you ever smile underneath that mask of yours?" Miaka asked curiously. Chichiri turned his foxlike face to her.
"Sometimes I smile, no da," he replied. His voice was as calm as the smooth expression of his mask. Miaka sighed.
"Well, then you should take the mask off when you're smiling," she told him. "I – I mean, we – we like seeing you smiling."
"You do, do you?" Chichiri asked, his eyes fixed on hers. "I didn't know that, no da." Miaka's cheeks turned pink.
"Well, you're handsome and you look really nice without the mask," she said, then blushed and stood up. "Um, I should go, I think Nuriko wanted to talk, girly chat you know, that sort of thing…"
"I thought you wanted to see me smile?" Chichiri said lightly. Miaka looked back at him.
"You – you're happy?" she asked. Chichiri nodded. "Well, take off your mask then!" Chichiri reached up and lifted the artificial face from his scarred visage.
"There you go, Miaka," he said in his usual gentle tone, handing the fox face to her. "You can keep it."
"But – don't you want it any more?" she asked in confusion. Chichiri shook his head.
"No. You've made me very happy, no da," he said softly.
"How? What did I say?" Miaka asked. "I didn't say anything – oh!" she remembered telling him he was handsome.
"Yes," Chichiri stated. "You made me happy, Miaka – would you mind making me joyful?" Miaka looked at him.
"Um… how do I do that?" she asked, disorientated by the odd manner of courtship Chichiri employed. She was unfamiliar with this tangle of unspoken statements and quiet attractions, only used to Tamahome and Hotohori's bold statements and actions.
Chichiri didn't answer, just stepped forward to close the gap between them and kissed her. The kiss only lasted a few seconds, but Miaka felt the jolt that accompanies sudden realisation run through her entire body. She'd never consciously been attracted to Chichiri before, but when his lips briefly caressed hers she felt a sudden, strong affection for the Suzaku warrior.
"Chichiri – " Miaka began to speak, but he shook his head.
"You go and have your girly chat with Nuriko," he said, amusement glittering in his eyes. Miaka turned to leave, sure he knew she'd made it up, then turned back to him.
"You should keep your mask off," she said, and kissed his scarred cheek. Then blushed and rushed off to somewhere she could pull herself together.
Chichiri watched her rush off, and looked at the mask dropped on the floor. He touched his cheek briefly. Then he crushed the visage beneath his shoe.