Poor Nuriko... All alone on Christmas... Actually, I don't think the seishi would celebrate Christmas (seeing how FY takes place many years before Christ's birth according to Christianity), but oh well. I don't own this. I make no money. It's the holidays (or at least, it was when I wrote this...), be kind.
Nuriko stood on the balcony just outside his room in his usual harem outfit. He sighed. He missed Hotohori. Why couldn't that ambassador wait? Why did Hotohori, the emperor, have to deal with such lowly matters? But, Hotohori was the emperor, so Nuriko was used to long waits to see his beloved. He was even more used to being alone. The other seishi all had things to do. Chichiri was ordered by Taiitsikun to return and train more. Chiriko, being so young, had felt homesick around the hollidays and went home. Mitsukake was visiting Shouka's grave, just like he did every year. Tamahome was visiting his entire family's gravesite with his new wife, Miaka.
Nuriko felt sorry for Tama. He had lost his entire family, just after his father had gotten better and was able to live on his own. Nuriko felt bad. All he had lost was his sister. Tama had lost his entire family, and dealt with it. Nuriko had dealt with his loss in his own way. He finally came to realize that Korin could not live through him, and he needed to live his own life. And the life he chose was chasing after a man that didn't want him.
A warmth rubbed against Nuriko's leg just as it started to snow. "Tama?" Nuriko bent down and picked the cat up. He purred and rubbed his head against Nuriko's cheek.