disclaimer: see ch1
ok, most likely this is gonna be the last one i write for a while, with the exception of 1 or 2, out of any of my stories, at least untill im done unpacking and setting up my computers, but when im done i will update, cuz I have become connected to these stories and i don't know why :)
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"Well, if you're not going to let us in, then you leave us no choice," Shouted Nuriko, hoping it would reach the man hiding on the other side of the door.
The purple-haired seishi turned to his friend Chichiri and whispered, "Ready?"
"Ready no da," Came the reply.
Nuriko closed his eyes and braced himself, for when he opened his eyes he would, hopefully, be on the other side of the doorway. When he did open his eyes, it took him a while to get used to the overwhelming darkness that lay before him, but he had reached his goal, the two men were in the room of their seishi companion. While Chichiri stood still, Nuriko walked across the room to his friend's bed.
"Tasuki, what's wrong? You've been in your room ever since you came home after lunch, and even then you didn't look at anybody, let alone talk to us. Your hand was covered in blood. Will you please tell us anything?" Nuriko gently coaxed.
"What tha-how did ya get in here?" Tasuki completely ignored his friend's questioning.
"With my help no da. Are you going to answer him or are we just going to stand here and stare at eachother no da?" Came Chichiri's voice from a far corner.
The bandit hesitated, not sure if he should answer or not. He spoke quietly, "Be-because, she broke my heart again. I-I tried ta talk with 'er. Tried ta-ta make things right between us, but she still rejected me. Still treated my like I was crazy. Like I was gonna hurt 'er."
Feeling bad for Tasuki, Nuriko leaned in and hugged his friend. Whispering, he comforted the bandit, "It's gonna be ok. Everything will be alright."
The purple haired seishi heard a soft, muffled question, "Ya promise?"
Lifting Tasuki up gently, but still holding onto his shoulders, Nuriko allowed his own violet eyes to pierce through his companion's crimson.
"I promise."
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The next morning, everyone was relieved to see Tasuki out of his room. Although he didn't say anything at all, they were still glad that he remained at the palace and had not run away, perhaps even died. Nobody talked to him, other than Nuriko and Chichiri, for fear of what he might, or might not, say. This only discouraged him more, Ok, so I was half-right. Not everybody hates me, just everybody that's not Nuriko or Chichiri. If they just talk ta me, I would talk back. Tasuki walked up to Nuriko and asked, "Nuriko, will ya do me a small favor?"
"Sure, what is it?" Tasuki held up his bloodied hand and showed a sad smile, "Could ya ask Mitsukake for some bandages? I would myself but I'm not talkin' ta anyone unless they talk ta me first. Just cuz of weird self-esteem issues," The bandit assured his concerned friend, who then relaxed his features and said, "Sure, I'd be glad to help. Just give me a minute, ok?" With that Nuriko stood up and jogged off to Mitsukake's study.
While he was waiting, Tasuki sat down in the chair next to the one Nuriko had been sitting in and picked up a nearby scroll. "Helpin' yer friends deal with depression. Jeez," He rolled his eyes as he set the scroll back down, to pick up another one. "Kickin' ass. He's reading 'Helpin' yer friends deal with depression' an' 'Kickin' ass'," He laughed at this. Tasuki just sat there and read the scroll called 'Kickin' Ass' untill Nuriko got back.
"Here, he told me how to use them too, so I'll put them on for you," Nuriko said, jogging back down the hallway. Tasuki quickly put the scroll down and said, "Oh, ok, thanks."
While Nuriko was bandaging his hand, Tasuki quietly said, "Um, Nuriko, 'bout last night, Gomen fer bein' such a baby. I just wasn't myself, an' I felt like I really needed someone ta talk ta, so...thanks fer comin' in. An' also, Gomen for yellin' at ya like I did too."
"Hey, it's ok. You had a reason for acting like you did. But, would you mind telling me why your hand has this huge cut?"
"Uh, sure."
Nuriko finsihed bandaging Tasuki's hand and sat back in his chair.
"Well, actually, it would make more sense if I told ya tha whole story," So the bandit told his friend basically everything in chapter 1 and the beginning of chapter 2. "So as soon as I was out of sight, I just started runnin' just ta run, cuz that's what I do best, is run. It just helps clear my head..." Nuriko decided this was not the time to make jokes about how easy that must've been for him, "...After 'bout 5 minutes I had no idea where I was, an' at tha time I just didn't really care what happened ta me. But then I recognized where I was, cuz I been there ta steal before, cuz they used ta be really rich an' all..." Tasuki noticed Nuriko's confused glance, "I was on Mt. Zinsharu bandit turf, an' they got real pissed cuz Reikaku bandits an' Zinsharu bandits er enemies, always tryin' ta steal eachothers' stuff. An' they're always pissed at us cuz everytime they try an' steal from us they get beat real bad, an' everytime we try ta steal from 'em we usually make it without 'em even noticin' 'till after we leave. An' then a few of 'em was walkin' 'round an' recognized me as tha leader of tha Reikaku bandits, an' I was alone an' I didn't have my tessen or my usual armor, but they called fer backup an' so I had ta fight 'em with only my bare hands, which isn't so bad cuz even Nakago himself said I was equal ta Tamahome in martial arts even without my weapon, an' since I was a bandit I had to know how ta use swords an' bows an' arrows real well, but I didn't have any of those either. It just hurt a little more than normal an' it took a little longer too. I took a body count an' there was 27," Tasuki smiled proudly. Nuriko just patiently listened, "An' then when I was tryin' ta leave, tha guy that was second in command found me an' took me on, an' then a few more Zinsharu bandits showed up too, so I tried ta take tha second in command guy on first, ta save tha other guys fer later, but when I was tryin' ta punch tha second in command guy with tha side of my fist he threw up his sword real quick an' cut my hand like that-" He held up his bandaged hand for dramatic effect, "So while he had 'is sword up defendin' himself I grabbed it with my other hand an', well, I cut tha bastard's head off then put 'is sword back by 'im. But tha other guys that I saved fer later ran back after they saw me kill tha dude an' tha other 27 guys with my hands an' then I walked in an' threatened that wimp of a leader of theirs an' told him that if he didn't send one of his men ta bring me back ta tha palace then I would kill 'im right then an' there an' he said only one guy knew where tha palace was an' he would gladly send him with me. So tha guy brought me here but I killed him cuz he was tha only one that knew where tha palace was cuz they're all morons an' so they couldn't get their allies ta come attack here or somethin'. An' so I came inside an' I went ta my room an' started bein' all pathetic, I guess," Tasuki took a deep breath and then both men realized that Mitsukake was standing right in the hallway, listening to the story.
"Oh, Mitsukake, how long have you been standing there?" Nuriko asked.
The large man shrugged his shoulders and spoke softly, "Long enough to hear the whole story. I just came to bring you some ointment to help clean out the wound. I hadn't known the bandages were for Tasuki, I assumed they were for you, Nuriko." Mitsukake walked over to Tasuki and handed him a small container and a roll of fresh bandages, making sure not to make eye contact. "Every night, before you go to bed, take off your bandages and put on the ointment and new ones, otherwise it'll get infected," He said before he turned and walked away.
"Uh, thanks!" Tasuki shouted to Mitsukake, who was now walking back to his study. "I don't get it. Nuriko?"
"Hai?"
"Be honest, does everybody cept you an' Chiri hate me?"
"Of course not, why would you think that? Nobody hates you, Tasuki."
"Well then howcome nobody talks ta me 'cept you an' Chiri?"
"I don't know, but I know it's not because they hate you. I think they can sense your unhappiness, is all," Nuriko kindly explained.
"Oh," Tasuki said sadly, "Well, if I was one of 'em instead an' one of 'em was me, I'd hate me, I think," Tasuki stuck his nose up. "I don't deserve friends. Everyone should hate me."
"Oh, Tasuki. Stop being such a drama queen. Nobody doesn't deserve friends. Especially when they were under a spell the only time they did something wrong. You couldn't help it-"
"But that's just it! Even if I could've stopped anytime I wanted, if Tamahome had never shown up I probably would've still gone an' done it an' I probably would've enjoyed every second of it!"
"Tasuki, you know that's not true," Nuriko put a comforting hand on Tasuki's shoulder.
Tasuki pushed his friend's hand off and stood up. "Yes it is. Because I loved 'er too, an' Tamahome didn't deserve 'er. He always made 'er cry. I wanted ta make 'er forget 'bout him, cuz I could've made 'er happy!" He yelled, oblivious to the fact that for the past few minutes he had been yelling so loud, everyone in the palace heard him.
Now Nuriko jumped up too, rage showing in his eyes. "Well what do you want me to say? Do you want me to agree with you? To say you're so horrible that you don't deserve to have anybody at all like you? Do you want me to hurt you? To kill you? Well answer this, if you're so sure you would've done that and liked it, why haven't you done it since? You're strong enough that you could just waltz right into her room and do it right now. Why is Tamahome still alive and healthy? You're strong enough to just go find him and kill him whenever you feel like it and you know it! Why did you stop yourself when you were about to kill Tamahome once and for all? Why did you stop yourself when you could've had her?" Nuriko screamed back. Tasuki sat back down in his chair and put his head in his hands. Nuriko did the same. Running his hand through his hair, Tasuki calmly said, "Yer right. Yer absolutley right."
"I know. That's why I said that stuff," Nuriko turned to face Tasuki, "Tasuki, nobody hates you, and I'm not just saying that."
After a few minutes, Tasuki spoke again, "Thanks. Fer gettin' me back in line. Gomen, I don't know what keeps comin' over me. Maybe Miaka was right. Maybe I am still under a spell."
"Well," Nuriko said, standing up and dusting himself off. "Only one way to find out," he said, reaching his hand out for Tasuki to grab onto.
Tasuki smiled and grabbed on.
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Author lady's notes.
NOTHING IN THIS IS SHOUNEN AI/YAOI
just strong friendship
just so you know
personally, my favorite scene so far is the first one on this chapter, I just think its so kawaii
