Title: The Prisoner
Pairing: Shuurei/Tan-tan
"You are really completely useless, aren't you?"
The person the guard was addressing turned over and opened one eye. "What's that?"
"You've done nothing but lie around since we captured you. It's been three days! Shouldn't you at least try to escape or get information or something?"
The prisoner closed his eye again. "Why? Shuurei will come rescue me eventually."
"If I were your wife, I'd leave you to rot in here," the guard muttered. "I told Miya-dono this plan wouldn't work."
"Ah, so he is the one behind all this."
"Shut up!"
"First you want me to talk, now you don't," Suou muttered. "Well, whatever, it's all the same to me."
Having nothing else to do, Suou watched his surroundings from beneath half-closed eyelids. The only source of light was a flickering torch, and the only movement was the slight fidgeting of the guard. When the guard suddenly crumpled and fell, it took him a few moments to realize what had happened.
"Seiran? Are you there?" he called out, rising to his feet.
"Yes," Seiran replied. "And ojou-san is right behind me."
The guard was slumped against the bars of the cell; Suou found the keys in one of her inner pockets, and unlocked the door. The poison had left her immobilized, but still conscious; she was breathing heavily and looked quite angry.
"Tan-tan!" a voice cried as he opened the door. A moment later, Shuurei stood in front of him. "They didn't hurt you too much, did they?"
"Not too much. And oh yeah, Miya-dono was the one behind it. The guard there can testify if you need her to."
"No!" The guard's eyes widened. "It—it wasn't Miya-dono at all! It was all me!"
Shuurei knelt before the guard. "You're Yun-san, right? I'm afraid we've already assembled a lot of proof against your boss. He was involved in far worse than he told you about."
She straightened and turned to Suou. "Were you able to get them?"
"The letter and the earrings? I have them right here." As he removed them from his tunic, Rei sputtered.
"YOU? All the time we've been searching, and you had them the entire time?"
"He wasn't being watched as closely as the rest of us," Shuurei said. "And they were even safer after you kidnapped him. Now, Yun-san, I'm afraid I have to place you under arrest. Seiran, would you tie her up please? The poison may wear off soon."
"Of course, ojou-san."
Suou was still watching the guard, so he was a bit startled when Shuurei slipped her hand into his. "We just need to go to Miya-sama's house to make sure everything went smoothly there, and then we can go home." She smiled. "I'm glad you're safe, Suou."
Suou could feel himself flushing; he manfully ignored Seiran's snickering. "Well, uh, let's go then."
She was still exhausting, Suou thought as she pulled him along behind her. But really, that wasn't so bad.