diclaimer-i dont own fushigi yuugi

i know i said i wasnt gonna update unless i got five, but then i just figured SCREW THAT cuz nobody was reviewin cept three peeps so ya

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Tasuki walked over and sat next to Miaka, who then go up and sat on a nearby boulder.

"It's ok ta sit by me, I'm not under a spell er anythin'."

"Are you sure?"

"I promise. I won't do anythin'. Cept eat. An' talk. Eat an' talk. I swear."

"Well, I-I don't know. You freaked me out. Pretty bad too." Miaka started eating a meat bun that she had taken from the sack. "No offense or anything, it's just that-well, you tried to rape me Tasuki. Not to mention you smacked Tamahome in the stomache in the forest and then tried to kill him right in front of me."

"I was under a spell!"

"Well, yeah, but-" She was cut off by a very pissed off bandit.

"Ya know what? Forget it. I dunno why I came here in tha first place." With that he picked up the sack of meat buns and threw it by her feet. "Enjoy," He said, right before he walked away.

"Tasuki-wait!"

Tasuki, still walking away, held up a hand to silence her without even looking back. I knew it! I knew I had no chance! I knew she hated me! Why did I let this happen? He wanted to cry. He wanted to scream. He wanted to run, to destroy things. But he couldn't, because he was still within sight of Miaka, who just sat on her little rock and stared at his back. He wouldn't allow himself to cry in front of her, but yet a single tear flow freely from his eye as he walked away.

Great going. Now he hates you, Miaka thought as soon as he was out of sight. While he was walking away, she could've sworn she had seen a tear fall from his cheek. She had denied it, though. Wait-was that...? No, it's not possible. Tasuki hardly ever cries. It must have just been dust, she had told herself. She hoped that when she got back to the palace, everything would be normal, he would realize that he was in the wrong for walking out on her like that, and he would apologize. But he's not wrong-he's right. Although can he really blame me for thinking he may be under a spell? No, he can't. It's not my fault he tried to rape me. He's just like Nakago. And Suboshi and Tomo. But a tiny voice in her head told her, except he's your friend. Miaka hung her head in shame for even comparing Tasuki to Nakago, Suboshi and Tomo. Oh yeah. She just sat there and thought for a little while.

"Miaka! Dinner!" She heard her beloved Tamahome calling her.

"Coming!" She shouted in reply. Looking up, she noticed that the sky was getting dark. How long have I been out here? She wondered. It had been about noon when she came out for lunch, And now, I'm guessing it's about 6:30. (-She has to estimate cuz there are no clocks in ancient China, duh.-) She stood up and ran back to the palace.

About ten minutes later, when everybody was sitting down to the everyday-occuring feast, Miaka noticed that something was wrong. "Where's Tasuki?" She whispered to Nuriko, who was sitting next to her. "In his room, I think," The man whispered back, taking some chicken and putting it on his plate. "He came home a while ago, then went straight to his room. He hasn't come out since. I'm a little worried, to tell you the truth. He didn't even say anything to anybody-oh, arigatou," He said to the servant who handed him a bowl of rice. "Well, anyway, when he came in, he had blood on the side of his hand, and he didn't say anything at all, even though both Chichiri and I asked him what was wrong and why he was bleeding. He just walked right past us without even looking. And it looked kinda like he had been crying, because his eyes were a little red and his cheeks were shiny, but it could've just been the light, I guess I didn't really think about it much. I wonder if he got into a fight..?" Nuriko was mainly whispering to himself now.

"What are you two ladies gossiping about today?" Asked a smiling Tamahome, earning himself, as Hotohori called it, 'A new Tamahome imprint in the wall, right next to all the others'.

Tasuki layed in his bed, staring at the ceiling, silently crying, just like he had been for quite some time. Why don't anyone come an' check up on me? Doesn't anyone care 'bout me anymore? Does everyone hate me now? I bet Miaka already told everyone what happened. Or maybe nobody asked. Maybe nobody even noticed that I'm gone. He didn't try to stop himself from thinking any of these thoughts, for when he stopped himself from thinking about whether or not Miaka hated him, Tasuki got his hopes up, then got his heart broken.

After dinner, Nuriko debated on whether or not he should check up on Tasuki. He finally came to the conclusion to go into the kitchen and get some of the leftover food before the maids threw it away. Then he would take it to Tasuki and, well, he was just make it up as he went along from there. So, he went into the kitchen and, very politely, asked the maids for the leftover food. There was only slightly more than one plate of food left, they had said, and (being the wonderful person Nuriko is) he said that it would be plenty and then gave them a tip (he he).

When he reached Tasuki's door, he hesitated for a second. Am I really going to do this? Yes, I am. With that, he reached for the doorknob, only to find it locked. "Uh, Tasuki? Are you in there? You, uh, you missed dinner, so I brought you some food. Umm, there's not much left though because Miaka ate most of it..."

"HEY!" Miaka popped her head out of her room. "There were 6 other people eating, don't blame me!" She went back in her room and closed her door.

Nuriko stared for a moment, then gradually turned back to face Tasuki's unopened door. "Oookaaay...Well, can I come in? Are you even in there or am I just standing out here talking to your door? Are you going to answer me? Any of my questions?"

A small, cracked voice came from inside the room, "Please, just go away. I need to be alone right now."

Nuriko, clearly hurt by this, asked, "Are you sure? Do you need to talk? Please let me in, Tasuki."

"NO! I SAID GO AWAY, SO FUCK OFF! WHAT'S GOIN' ON IN MY PRIV'T LIFE IS MY BUISNESS AND MY BUISNESS ONLY!"

Nuriko, even more hurt by Tasuki screaming at him, not so much by the profanity, hung his head and turned to walk away. "Go-gomen, Tasuki, but if you change your mind, you know where my room is. I'm gonna leave the food right here by the door, incase you decide to eat."

"Ar-arigatou, Nuriko." Tasuki's voice was once again small and cracked.

Inside the room, Tasuki was, infact, starving. He also felt bad, screaming at Nuriko like that. After all, Nuriko had been the only one to come and check up on him, and not only that, but he brought for the pitiful bandit. Look at me, I must seem pathetic. He covered his face with his hands. I've been sittin' here half tha day poutin' an' cryin'. I been layin' here hopin' one of em would come ta check up on me, an' when one of em finally did, I told 'im ta leave an' them cursed 'im out! He was tha only one that didn't hate me an' now he probably hates me too! I hate my life...I'm so pathetic... He cried some more.

In the hallway, walking to his bedroom, worried about Tasuki, Chichiri bumped into Nuriko, who seemed to be doing the exact same as himself.

"Gomen no da."

"Mmmhmm..."

"Something wrong no da?"

"Mmmhmm..."

"Daa...you want to talk about it no da?"

"Mmmhmm..."

"Nuriko no da?"

"Mmmhmm..."

Desprate times call for extreme measures. "Your foot's on fire."

"Mmmh-NANI!"

"Ok, we're gonna try this again. Is something wrong no da?"

"Yes Chichiri," Nuriko said, rolling his eyes.

"Would you like to talk about it no da?"

"Not particularly, but I will anyway."

"What is bothering you, Nuriko no da?"

"I'm worried about Tasuki. In case you haven't heard, I got cussed out and yelled at to leave."

"Yes, I believe I heard that no da. Well, at least I heard Tasuki yelling some stuff that should probably not be repeated no da."

"Will you help me?"

"Pardon?"

"Will you help me try to figure out what is up with Tasuki?"

Chichiri smiled, "Gladly. Where should we start? Would you like to teleport into his room or try to coax him into letting you in no da?"

"Well, we could try to coax him in again, but if that doesn't work, then we could teleport."

"Sounds good to me no da," The monk bounced down the hall to Tasuki's doorway. "Taaassukiiiii, will you please let us in no da?"

"Pretty please? We really want to help. Truly and honestly," Nuriko was on his knees at the door, untill Chichiri suddenly spun around, and, much to Nuriko's dismay, knocked the purple-haired man face-first into the plate he had left behind for Tasuki. Getting up, Nuriko wiped all the food off of his face in one swift move, then glared at the monk. "What the hell was that for?"

"Gomen, Nuriko, but-" Chichiri took off his mask, then started to whisper, "Whatever is wrong with Tasuki has nothing to do with magic, but it is very bad, he's crying no da."