The boy walked in and bowed. Hoki smiled.
"My son. No need to be so formal." The boy smiled and went to his mother's side. "Tell me: How goes our plan?"
"Well, she was seen but not captured. She plans on staying close, still, but choose when they see her."
The empress nodded. "That is fine."
"Really? She was afraid it wasn't. I will contact her again and tell her."
They found the river, much to Tasuki's complaint. Chichiri sat on the edge, blocking out most of Tasuki's complaining while he set up camp. Chichiri sat staring at the water
"We had to get to the river. We just had to. He won't tell me why. He says he wants to fish. He's not fishing. He's staring at the water, which leaves me to do all the work..." Tasuki continued like this. Chichiri couldn't stand it anymore. He got up and started walking down-stream. "Where are you going?"
"To bathe. No da," Chichiri answered.
Tasuki sighed as he watched his friend disappear.
"You know you want to," a voice from above Tasuki said.
"I wanna what?"
"Follow him." Tasuki laughed. "I'm not joking. Even I would follow him, but I'm not into older men. You don't know what's going on."
"Why are you here?"
Li smiled. "My job. Now go. You're done here. Just don't be seen." Then he was gone.
"Stealthy little one." But Tasuki went to find Chichiri.
He settled into the water and sighed. He couldn't tell from where he was if the water was freezing. It was the middle of the summer, so it couldn't have been too cold. In fact, now that he thought about it, it would feel nice to be in the cool water. But he remembered what Li said, and stayed out of sight.
A groan from the water stopped Tasuki's train of thought. He watched his best friend, a blush creeping over his face as he did.
Chichiri ran a hand down his chest, his eyes fluttered shut. His fingers ran over his nipple. When his pointer reached it and pinched, he gasped. Tasuki licked his upper lip. He had a good view, but the water level went up to where Chichiri's hand was on his chest. And Chichiri was sinking further into the water with pleasure
Chichiri's hands had disappeared, and Tasuki could only imagine what was going on under the water. He ducked his head for extra hiding, closed his eyes, and listened to his friend's moans.
Tasuki was drowning, and he wasn't even near the water. There was a suddenly hissed name so soft Tasuki barely heard it. His eyes opened at hearing the name.
"Tasuki."
Tasuki looked at his friend again. Chichiri still had his eyes closed, his chest heaving. Tasuki sighed and snuck back to the camp.
"Mother! News."
"Tell me son. Was she successful?"
"Er, not yet. They aren't together, but one of them knows. He's in shock over it, but he knows." The boy stopped to breathe. "I- is that bad?" he studdered.
Hoki smiled at her son. "Not at all. It has only been two days. We must give them time. Is she still tailing them?" The boy nodded. "Good. She knows what to do."
When Chichiri's breath slowed to normal, he bathed, got dressed, then went back to the camp. He looked at Tasuki, who was still pink in the face.
"What's wrong? No da?" he asked curiously. Tasuki said nothing, but he looked away from his friend. "Come on, Tasuki-kun. You can tell me. No da." He sat down next to Tasuki
Tasuki looked at him like he had two heads (not two faces). "What's with you?"
"Da?"
"You were all grumpy when you left. Now yer all happy. What happened-?"
"Nothing. No da," Chichiri interupted quickly. "The...the cool water...calmed me down is all. No da."
"Mmm. Well, nothin's wrong with me either."
