A/N and disclaimer: Written as a challenge from yahnkehy here is my first attempt at a Tasuki/Tamahome pairing. Nothing graphic, just something sweet and simple. As usual, I own nothing, not Tasuki, Tama or Fushigi Yuugi. Miss Watase continues to own them unless she wants to sell them to me for any reason. :) If you need a timeline setting...this should be about the middle of the second season.

"Tama! What th' hell are ya doin'!"

Tamahome looked up from where he was sitting on the floor of Tasuki's room. The fanged bandit was staring at him with an expression of frustration and surprise. Glancing down at the empty sake bottles that lay around him the understanding swam up to him from the alcohol induced haze.

He'd drunk nearly all of Tasuki's stash of sake.

Now he looked back up his friend and tried to smile. "Sorry, Tasuki. I needed a drink," he said quietly as his smile faltered.

Tasuki watched his friend's expression change back into one of misery and he felt his own irritation evaporate. Closing the door behind him he walked over and sat down next to Tamahome and leaned his back against the wall. "Wanna tell me what's gotcha so upset ya had ta go into my sake?"

For a long moment Tamahome was silent. Then, without meaning to let them, the words tumbled forth. "It's Miaka. We had another fight today."

Another fight? Tasuki thought. I can't remember th' last time they went a day without one. "Tama, ya gotta talk about it sometime. What've you two been arguin' about all the time?" He wondered if Tama had been caught with another woman, or if he'd hurt Miaka in some way. The answer that came from Tama wasn't at all what he was expecting.

"I'm in love with someone else, Tasuki. And Miaka knows"

That did floor the bandit. As long as he'd known them both, after they'd gotten Tamahome free of the kodoku, the pair had been as inseparable and sometimes as unbearable as lovebirds. To hear Tama state that not only did he love someone else but that Miaka was aware was a bit of a shock. "So I guess Miaka's kinda mad at ya."

Tamahome sighed and took another drink from the bottle of sake in his hand. "Yeah, but it's because I won't tell this person. She says she wants me to be happy. I keep thinking that if I stay with her I'll be able to change."

Now Tasuki was confused. "Change what? Why dontcha just tell whoever it is? Ya'd make Miaka happier and ya'd probably feel better and stay outta my sake."

"I don't think he'd take it too well, that's why," Tamahome whispered, not daring to look anywhere but at the bottle in his hand.

"Who wouldn't mind ya lovin'…." Tasuki trailed off. The actual words of Tama's answer finally caught up in his brain. "Wait a sec…you're in love with another guy?" Tama nodded, not saying anything. Tasuki continued to stare at his friend carefully. "And what's stoppin' ya from tellin' him. Hell, Nuriko always went on about Hotohori an' never cared."

Tamahome couldn't help but smile at this thought of their purple-haired friend. "Yeah, but Nuriko was different. Besides, I don't think that this guy even feels the same at all." There was no way he'd be able to say anything, he knew it. Tamahome bit his lip, trying to keep from telling Tasuki everything. At that moment Tasuki's hand reached into his line of vision and ended up laying over Tamahome's hand that was still had the sake bottle in a death grip. Stunned, Tamahome jerked his head around to stare directly into Tasuki's golden eyes.

The bandit gave Tama his fanged smile. "Didn't ya hear me when I said tha' I don't like girls?"

Tamahome's mouth opened in shock. How did he know? He thought, scared and suddenly relieved at the same time.

Then Tasuki leaned in to press his lips against Tamahome's and he stopped thinking for a long while after that.