Title: Scars
Author: gyuumajo
Fandom: Fushigi Yuugi
Characters: Tasuki, Koji, Chichiri, bandits of Mt. Leikaku
Rating: FRT for colorful bandit language
Word Count: 853
Summary: Tasuki returns only to find Koji shunning him.

He might be reading a little too much into things but whenever he's back at the stronghold, Koji would suddenly be too busy to bother with him. The older bandit would hurriedly mumble some excuse, scratch absentmindedly at his scar and refuse to meet his eye. A sure sign of the surrogate leader's hiding something. Determined to uncover the abrupt change in attitude (towards him exclusively, it seems), he began questioning some other members at the stronghold but didn't come up with anything useful—just that the leader seemed to be very interested in medicinal herbs recently. It wasn't until he made full use of the snooping technique Chichiri taught him (not that Chichiri would ever consider using that technique to snoop or agree to teach him that particular technique without some "persuasion" on his part) did he find out the reason. The reason behind his best pal's behavior shocked and amused him to no end.

And so, he quietly left the stronghold and came back as quietly exactly seven days later. It was very late at night and the only person not passed out on booze was the guard who, upon seeing his bright mop of orange hair, waved him in with a drunken hand and saluted with the other, fingers still wrapped around a sake bottle. He couldn't decide whether to reprimand his proxy for putting a drunkard on guard duty or to praise him for making the wise decision of putting the one with best alcohol tolerance up on that tower. With a light shake of his head, he utilized the ill-gotten but very useful skill and snuck into the leader's quarter. Koji was sprawled on the bed, cheeks flushed from all the sake the guys poured down his throat earlier. He grinned. Koji had always been the lousier drinker between the two of them. Not that Koji's tolerance for alcohol was terrible or anything... he'd managed to make his way back to his own quarters even after all those rounds (Mt. Leikaku bandits don't stop even after 50 rounds!!!) while the ones who took turns trying to drown him in sake were all draped across the furnitures of their mess hall. He'd saw the aftermath on his way up. They must've gotten some pretty good loot for them to get so smashed.

He pulled off his boots and dove in to huddle with his deputy. Through the blissful alcohol-induced haze, he felt Koji shift and lean into his arm. He then pulled out a small box and with a quick downward stroke, dabbed the content of said box onto the right cheek of the sleeping man. Immediately, blue eyes flew open and he quickly caught hold of both of Koji's wrist before the man could swipe at the sudden stinging on his cheek.
"Goddamnit Genrou!! What didja do?! Fuuuuuuuuuck!!!!"
"Jus' bare wit' it, ya big baby. Da worse will be over soon," he laughed at his obviously-in-pain and still-cussing captive. "Promise me ya wun touch ya cheek?" His best friend glared but nodded obediently. He then released his death grip.
"Oww... Dat fucking hurts... Genrou! What da hell is dat!?!?! Ya didn't slap dat fan o' ya on my face didja?" This time, he laughed at the absurdity of his friend's words.
"Now why would I wanna do dat?? Ya didn't do anything dat needs me ta slap ya on da face didja?" He knew it would sting but he just couldn't resist messing with Koji head.
"What??!! Of course not! How couldja even think dat??" The indignant look his deputy's face was enough to make him double over with laughter and pull the man into his loving embrace.
"I don't think dat," he pecked Koji's other cheek affectionately.
"Seriously Genrou, what da hell was dat? It's still stinging..."
"Dat's fer ya scar, princess. I didn't know you minded it so much. Thought it looked mighty cool on you," he teased. "Chichiri said it'd help but I don't see him try it on his own scar... musta been too scared of dat stinging ta try."
"...I can see why he didn't..." Koji pouted. "Say, didn't ya get some on ya fingers too? Does it sting?" The older man pulled the ointment covered fingers and turned them over, examined both the front and back thoroughly.
"Nope. Guess it only works on scars. Lucky me," he grinned. Koji dropped his hand and he could almost hear the gears grinding in his friend's head.
"Say, Genrou... where's da rest o' da cream?" Koji was asking him too sweetly. Something's bound to be up. He quickly tucked the box deeper into his coat and shrugged. "It's uh, finished. I used everything on ya prissy cheek,"
"Don't lie, Genrou. I know when ya lyin'."

Bright and early in the morning, the bandits of Mt. Leikaku could hear their bosses bickering, wrestling and (god forbid) giggling up in the leader's quarters but all were too wasted to put much thought into the gusto shouts along the lines of "Wait 'til I strip ya naked!" and "I'm gonna spread dat all over ya, ya big git!".

End.