Sulkin'

by kitsunephoenix

Tasuki's been overly sensitive again, in Kouji's opinion, and has run off to sulk, leaving Kouji with the problem of tracking him down and retuning him to the stronghold. No pairings.

Sulkin'

Disclaimer: They belong to Watase, no matter how much I wish for them.

Author's note: Written for Tasuki's birthday back on April 18th. No pairings at all, but I enjoyed writing this :D
Apologies to those on my LJ, you'll have read this before, I only changed a few of the words and added a few sentences.

Warnings: A little swearing from Tasuki.

Summary: Tasuki's been overly sensitive again, in Kouji's opinion, and has run off to sulk, leaving Kouji with the problem of tracking him down and retuning him to the stronghold.

"Oi, Genrou!" Genrou sighed, making a few of the leaves around him dance in the slight wind. He looked down from the branch he lay on to the grinning man beneath him.
"What is it Kouji? Can't ya see I'm relaxin'?" Kouji smirked at the irate red head laying stretched out along a thick branch, head pillowed on his arms.
"Well, at least you've finally got over your habit of fallin' outta tree's when I call ya." Kouji called as he began climbing the footholds placed in the tree's trunk.

Genrou snorted and turned his gaze back to the patches of sky he could see through the branches above him.
"Shut up. I can relax better on my own, ya know." He growled. Kouji chuckled as he continued climbing.
"You really haven't grasped subtlety yet, have ya?" Genrou ignored him.

Kouji settled himself in the hollow between two branches across from his friend and watched Genrou for a few minutes. Genrou insistently ignored him, finding sudden interest in a bird nesting several branches up.
"I'm surprised ya found a branch that supports your weight." Kouji remarked quietly.
"I told ya t' shut up." Genrou muttered, still looking at the sky. The bird he had been watching took off suddenly with a loud squawk.
"Aww, ya scared it away." Kouji laughed. Genrou lifted himself up a moment on his elbows to glare at Kouji, who spread his hands in a placating gesture. "Hey, not my fault ya got a scary face." Genrou didn't answer him, flopping back down without a word. Kouji frowned briefly, but shook his head. Fine, I can be just as stubborn as he can. Kouji relaxed back against the tree, making deliberate noises as he settled. Genrou grit his teeth over Kouji's annoying behaviour.
"Just bugger off, will ya?"
"Nope."

Genrou let out a huff of air in exasperation and decided the best course would be to ignore Kouji until he went away.
"Nah, ya ain't relaxin',"
"No shit." Genrou snorted. "I got an annoyin' idiot buggin' the hell outta me." Kouji ignored the interruption and carried on.
"You're sulking, Gen-chan." Kouji told him, the playful hint dropping out of his voice.

"So what if I am?" Genrou asked petulantly as he brought his arms back under his head once more. "An' don't call me that." Kouji crossed his arms in front of his chest as he watched Genrou.
"If you're not gonna use proper terms of address, I don't see why I should."
"Yeah, yeah." Genrou muttered.

"Look, just come back to th' stronghold already."
"No. They obviously don't want me there." Kouji sighed and stood, stretching slowly. He glanced casually down at Genrou before suddenly throwing himself forward, almost landing on top of Genrou but catching himself on his hands, his arms either side of Genrou's chest.
"Hi." He said, forehead inches from Genrou's own.
"Don't Goddamn 'hi' me!" Genrou yelled. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Kouji just grinned.
"Gettin' yer attention. Ya kept ignoring me."
"Well ya have it now!" Kouji shifted slightly to accommodate Genrou's struggling.

"Now now, Gen-chan, be careful. We wouldn't want you to fall from the very high branch would we? Again." He said in a silky voice. Genrou froze. "That's better."
"Yeah well, you'd fall too." He muttered.
"Would I?" Kouji asked in that same tone, knowing it irritated Genrou
"Yeah. What do ya want anyway?"
"I told ya. I want you to come back to the stronghold."
Genrou turned his head away from Kouji. "Don't wanna."
Kouji smiled. "You're actin' like a spoiled brat."
"And?"
Kouji laughed softly at Genrou's tone. "Fine, we'll just stay like this then. An' when the guys come lookin' for us, you can explain why we're in this position."
Genrou paled slightly at Kouji's veiled threat.
"You wouldn't."
"Try me."

They lay like that for a few more moments. Kouji shook his head at Genrou's stubbornness.
"You still sore the gang forgot your birthday?" He asked quietly. Genrou didn't reply, but his jaw tightened slightly.
"The rest of 'em might have forgotten, but ya still got my gift." Genrou turned his head back with a look of disbelief.
"You got me a gift?"
"Sure I did! You didn't give me time to give it to ya before you stormed off. It's still back at the stronghold." Genrou glared at him.
"You're just tryin' to get me back to the stronghold."
"Partly, but I really do have a gift for you. C'mon, stop being an idiot an come back with me." Genrou sighed in defeat.
"Alright, have it your way."
"Thank you, I will." Kouji said as he pushed himself up. He grinned and offered Genrou a hand. "Need some help getting down the tree?" Genrou pushed away the hand and stood quickly.
"Like hell." He muttered and started down. Kouji shrugged and followed him.

XXXXXXXX

They were soon back at the gates. The two guards nodded to Kouji and Genrou as they passed. Kouji nodded back while Genrou ignored them. The two of them walked up the hall a little way until Kouji stopped before a door. Genrou looked at him questioningly.
"I left it in here." Kouji told him, grinning again as he threw open the door.
"Surprise, no da!"
"Chi… Chichiri!" Genrou yelled in shock as the super-deformed monk bounced out of the room and into his arms.
"Happy birthday Genrou!" He exclaimed, hugging the startled bandit. Genrou looked down at Chichiri and then back to Kouji in shock. Kouji laughed at the expression on Genrou's face as Chichiri hopped down, returning to his normal size.

Genrou continued to stare at Chichiri until Kouji nudged him.
"What's wrong Genrou?" He asked slyly, knowing exactly what Genrou was staring at. Genrou pointed at Chichiri.
"Chichiri. Why in all the seven hells are you wearing a bow?" He asked flatly. Kouji started laughing again as Chichiri touched the red ribbon tied in a bow around his torso, contrasting sharply with the blue of his kesa.
"This, no da?" Genrou nodded. Kouji slapped him on the back.
"Can't ya guess?" Genrou shook his head, still staring at Chichiri. "He's my gift to you! I got you the monk, idiot." Genrou finally joined in Kouji's laughter, getting the joke at last
"I have a name, Kouji." Chichiri admonished. Kouji tried to look serious but burst out laughing. Chichiri frowned.
"What is it, no da?"
"Ah, I'm sorry Chichiri. But I can't keep a straight face while being told off by a mask like that." Chichiri laughed too and took off his mask.
"Better?"
"Much." Genrou answered and Chichiri turned back to him.

"Well, aren't you going to unwrap me, no da?" Chichiri asked playfully. Genrou shook his head wonderingly but reached forward and untied the ribbon.
"There ya go. Now what're ya doing here?"
"Kouji contacted me and told me that you were kind of down and suggested that a birthday visit from me might cheer you up. It has been a while since I last visited, Gen-chan." Genrou glared at Kouji.
"What did you go teaching him that nickname for?" He demanded.
"It's a nice nickname, Gen-chan!" Kouji replied.
"Better than kitsune-san, Gen-chan." Chichiri added with a smile. Genrou smiled back.
"I suppose it's better than some of the names you called me at first, Kouji."

"That's the spirit! Now c'mon." Kouji told him, pushing him towards the main hall.
"Hey, wait. Where are we going?"
"Chichiri's hungry after his journey, ain't ya Chichiri?" Kouji winked at Chichiri behind Genrou's back.
"Sure I am, no da." Genrou grunted and allowed himself to be led. As they reached the doors Kouji jumped ahead, throwing them open once Genrou had reached them. Chichiri shoved him from behind and sent Genrou stumbling into the room.

He started to curse them both but stopped when he noticed Hitsuro and the other bandits stood in front of him.
"Happy Birthday, kashira." Hitsuro said quietly, stepping aside along with the rest of the gang to reveal the large feast placed on several of the tables. Genrou looked around in surprise as Chichiri stepped up next to him.
"It's a surprise party, no da."
"But, I thought you guys forgot."
"How could we forget our leader's birthday?" Hitsuro asked as Kouji appeared at Genrou's other side.
"We've been plannin' it for a while, Genrou. Of course, you running off in a sulk wasn't part of the plan." Genrou laughed as he cuffed Kouji on the back of the head.
"I wasn't sulking. Well, let's not let this food go to waste. Let's eat!"

Genrou's words were met with raucous approval from the bandits, who fell on the food and sake. Kouji muttered for a moment, rubbing his head, but soon followed Genrou and Chichiri who had grabbed some food, and sake in Genrou's case, and moved to a quiet corner to catch up. They spent the next few hours talking and watching the other bandits getting drunk.

By the end of the evening Genrou and Chichiri were the only ones still awake, Kouji having succumbed to the alcohol a little while before and the other bandits either having retired for the night or fallen asleep where they sat. They both sat together, watching Kouji sleep as they talked about anything that came into their heads. Every once in a while Koji would snore and Genrou would laugh quietly, laughing harder at Chichiri's suggestion to gag him.

Genrou was feeling pleasantly full and sleepy, but he didn't want the night to end just yet. He'd had quite a few cups of the sake, but he was still sober enough to function. He and Chichiri sat side by side in the flickering fire light. Chichiri was almost as tipsy as Genrou, the bandit having gotten him to drink with the excuse that, "It's my birthday, Chiri! Loosen up a little." Chichiri hadn't had quite as much as Genrou, but it had had the same effect on the inexperienced drinker.

Genrou reached across to pick up a bottled and refilled both his and Chichiri's bowls. He raised his in a slightly unsteady hand.
"A toast, Chiri." Chichiri grinned lopsidedly and raised his own bowl.
"To what, Genrou no da?" He asked, speaking carefully so he didn't slur his words. Genrou tilted his head and screwed up his eyes for a moment as he thought and Chichiri laughed.
"A toast to… A toast to… A toast to it bein' my birthday!" Genrou finally announced, looking pleased with himself.
"But we drank to that earlier Gen-chan." Genrou frowned briefly and then shrugged.
"Well, lets drink to it again then." Chichiri agreed and they drank the toast, both setting down their half-empty bowls afterwards.

"Ya see, Chiri. Ya can drink an' still have fun."
"I guess so. But let's not do it too often." Genrou squinted at Chichiri for a moment.
"What is it, Genrou?"
"That." Chichiri was confused now, not being able to follow Genrou's train of thought.
"That what, no da?"
"You callin' me Genrou an' not Tasuki. Why?" Chichiri blinked and then smiled again.
"Oh, that. Well, you're not really Tasuki any more, are you?"
"I suppose not… But I still got the symbol." Genrou told him, waving his bare arm in the air, his coat having been discarded long ago, the wing character shining brightly.
"I do too, no da." Chichiri assured him. "But our duties are over now, aren't they?" Genrou suddenly looked troubled.
"Does that mean ya ain't gonna visit no more, Chiri? If I ain't a seishi, then ya got no reason to come visitin'." Chichiri laughed.
"Don't worry Genrou, I'll still visit. You're my friend now, after all." Genrou nodded, seeming satisfied with that answer.

He leant back against the wall, thinking for a moment.
"But, if I'm not 'Tasuki', that means you can be 'Chichiri'." He said seriously. Chichiri considered it.
"I suppose you're right." He admitted with a small shrug.
"Well if you're not 'Chichiri' who are ya? I mean, what was your name before ya became a seishi?" Chichiri picked up his bowl again, peering down into it as he swirled the sake left there, watching the liquid spin.
"I've been Chichiri so long, I almost forgot it." He said quietly. He smiled softly as he looked back up at Genrou. "My name was, is, Ri Houjun." Genrou grinned back.
"Alright then, you be Houjun an' I'll be Genrou."

Houjun's smile became stronger as he raised his bowl again.
"To Houjun and Genrou, two friends." He said quietly. Genrou raised his bowl and clinked it against Houjun's.
"To Houjun an' Genrou. May they be friends forever." He replied in a louder voice and they both downed the sake.

They sat together for a while longer. Genrou kept pouring out sake, which Houjun accepted, being in no frame of mind to refuse. It wasn't long before both succumbed to the affect of the alcohol and fell asleep leaning against each other, Houjun's head on Genrou's shoulder. Two friends who had survived a great deal together and would continue to survive together whether or not their Suzaku marks shone. Two friends who had survived the trials of fate and needed no such physical evidence to bind them to one another.

For those who don't know, Kitsune-san is the nickname Miaka gives to Chichiri the first time she sees him. Translated to "Mr Fox face" in the english versions.

:D Yep, love it. Why is getting the monk drunk so much fun?
And yes, a bow ;)
You can get trees with branches that big, there's one near my house. Boy we've had fun with that tree... Such as getting stuck in it, pushing people into the stream below it...
And those 'insults' Kouji used on Genrou at the beginning are actual insults my brother used on me a while back -.-