Title: Now I See You…
Author: Sophie
A/N: This is a sort of re-telling of the episode where Miaka met Tasuki, only it's the very end where Tamahome appears and…anyway it's extremely short (sorry), and obviously some spoilers for episode 14. Also please be kind, it's my first FY fanfiction piece! ^_~
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I couldn't breathe, his fingers were digging into my throat so deeply, pushing upwards, cutting off my air, but still I persisted.
"And you-" I gasped for breath and tried again. "And you-" Again I failed to finish my sentence, but suddenly there was no need to.
"And you call yourselves men?" I couldn't move, my muscles were so tight I was frozen. Suddenly I was free and I looked up. He was there, his blue hair brushing in front of his violet eyes. Beneath them the oni symbol blazed bright red, and all I could do was let out a long-held breath of air- "Tamahome…"
It didn't matter how he got here, when, or anything. In that moment it was all perfection. I watched with my hands clenched between my breasts as he beat every single man there who was the enemy into submission.
I vaguely saw Genro and Koji stare wide eyed and open mouthed at the man who had mysteriously appeared. As if in slow motion the last man to challenge Tamahome hit the ground and then he turned to me. His lips turned upwards in a tender smile. I took a hesitant step forward, and then, when he was still there, the looking his eyes telling me to come to him, I ran. I ran faster then I ever had before, even though he was merely feet away from me. Finally out of desperation-I knew something was wrong, even if I couldn't accept it-I dove towards him, my eyes swimming with tears. I cried out his name in desperation.
I grabbed onto nothing. Like a mirage of water to a dying person Tamahome had disappeared, and I could do nothing. Still in slow motion a slip of paper fell in circling waves down the ground, where it hit noiselessly. I closed my eyes, not wanting to accept. When I once again opened them it was right there in front of me. It swirled in different directions, just like the tears in my eyes, so that I couldn't read it, but I knew exactly what it said. Exactly. Beneath the messily scribbled out command for wolves Genro had written was my own handwriting. Two characters and a tiny heart. Tamahome, and a heart.
I grabbed the slip of paper and held it to my heart with both hands, my tears bathing the ground below my bent head. I hated to be weak when so many others had it worse than me, when I need to be strong most of all. As hard as I tried, though, I couldn't make myself stop crying, couldn't make myself stand up and move on. I tried to think about how I was probably hurting Hotohori, but I didn't care. I tried to think about how I shouldn't show weakness in front of these bandits, but I didn't care. I didn't care about anything for a moment as I sat crouched over a worthless piece of paper on a dirty floor with many pairs of eyes trained on my back. And then I stood.
I turned towards my group, the paper still clutched in my hand. Genro looked at me uncomfortably as I spoke to him. "So where is this Tasuki?" I asked, trying to concentrate on my mission. He cleared his throat.
"Well…"
As he spoke I tucked the piece of paper in my pocket. It was worthless now, but still I kept it. The day I saw Tamahome next would be the day I throw it away, but until then I will keep it in the pocket close to my heart.
"Tamahome…"
***