by CK SwordSkill
Author's Notes: (sighing resignedly) Due to public demand, I must now henceforth call Nuriko a boy/male/he/him/his (that is gonna be so tough since I prefer calling Nuriko a "her"...am I the only one with that problem?...arghh! ^^). R/R as usual!
Taka fell asleep at about four the next morning.
Some time later, the alarm clock rang.
"Hmm-mmm." Taka snurked in his sleep and rolled over.
"Taka..."
"Mmm?"
"Time for school...
"Later, Miaka..."
"Miaka? What have you two been doing?"
WHIPP.
Taka felt a breeze between his legs. He opened an eye.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
There was Nuriko holding his blanket and him dressed in nothing but boxer shorts.
He immediately jumped up and grabbed the blanket, wrapping it around him. "What are you doing?!" he screamed.
Nuriko waved his hand. "Anou, Taka, relax. I'm a boy too, remember? There's nothing to be afraid of."
"I'll bet," grumbled Taka, grabbing the clock to turn the alarm off. That was when he noticed what time it was. "Five o'clock?! Nuriko!"
Nuriko shrugged. "Hey, we have to practice. Today's the big day, slugger, and practice makes perfect." He went back to riffling through Taka's wardrobe.
"Nuriko."
"Hm?"
"What are you doing?"
"Watashi?" said Nuriko innocently. "Still remember me? The guy who came last night to tell that I'm gonna help you with Miaka?"
"Oh, and you think looking at how much underwear I have will help," said Taka dryly. "Not to mention waking me up in an unholy hour just to remind me that today's the 'big day'."
Nuriko straightened up. "Now Taka, this is a big favor I'm doing for you." He bent back. "The least you can do is shut up. Oh, and by the way, you've got a disgraceful body. Don't you work out?"
Taka tried not to yell. Besides, he really did need help. As long as Nuriko didn't overdo it.
"Why do you say that?" he asked, gritting his teeth.
Nuriko replied, "Where are the pectoral muscles? The six-pack abs? You don't seem to have them."
"Oh, and you do," challenged Taka before he could stop himself.
Nuriko stood up straight and made his way towards him. "I do so," said the Suzaku seishi and puffed out his chest. "Feel it."
Taka backed away. "I'd rather not."
Nuriko rolled his eyes. "Naw, come on. We're both guys and this is guy stuff."
Taka hesitated, and gingerly poked a finger on Nuriko's chest and quickly pulled it back.
"Well?" asked Nuriko.
"Hard as a board," mumbled Taka.
"Ah." Nuriko smiled triumphantly.
"But that's not fair," whined Taka. "You're a Suzaku Shichiseishi, and a strong one at that."
"You were a Shichiseishi too," said Nuriko, moving to the pile of clothes which was supposed to be Taka's wardrobe. "Just because you aren't now is no reason to stop working out."
Taka grumbled.
"What class of clothes do you call these?" Nuriko threw away half a dozen clothes to the floor. "Nothing but junk!"
Taka caught a pair of blue jeans hurtling towards him. "Hey! This is my best Calvin Klein pair!"
"Calvin nani?"
"Klein. Calvin Klein. You don't call that junk. And stop messing up my wardrobe!"
Nuriko shoved his hands up in the air. "I give up. There's nothing here that can spark up Miaka."
Taka rolled his eyes. "I don't need to 'spark up' Miaka. She's the one doing the 'sparking up.'"
Nuriko looked at him curiously, cat ears growing out from his mop of purple hair. "Nani?"
Taka blushed and mumbled, "Nothing."
"I know!" Nuriko snapped his fingers. "I'll give you a set of my clothes."
"That's a laugh."
"Hey, I was once revered as the best clothes designer in ancient China," he said, waving his index finger in front of Taka's face.
"There is no way you're dressing me up like that." He pointed to the very-much-Oriental coat and pants Nuriko was wearing. "It's a bit too early for Halloween."
Nuriko pointed to himself."This? Who said anything about this?" He pulled out something he was hiding behind his back. "I meant this! Now hold still!"
One minute later.
Taka was dressed in one of Nuriko's dresses during his cross-dressing days, complete with the flowery gown, the twisted hair on top of the head, and the bangles and ornaments and make-up.
"NURIKO!!!!"
Nuriko gasped with the hands-on-cheeks pose, apparently pleased with himself. "Now that's becoming! Kawaii, Taka-kun!"
"Get me out of this!!!"
"I am so, so good!"
"Nuriko!"
"Don't you look adorable?"
"Iye, NURIKO!" Taka struggled to rip out of the dress.
Nuriko complained, "Hey, watch out for the silk! It's expensive! Oh, you're going to ruin it. Do you know how much time all the Suzaku Shichiseshi used to make that?"
Taka finally extracted himself from the dress. He flung it down and crossed his arms. "Try me," he growled.
"One week!" Nuriko shook his head. "And poor Tasuki went nearsighted because he worked so hard in stitching it!"
"And I suppose he was just dying with laughter." Taka stormed to his wardrobe and pulled out a checkered polo shirt and black jeans.
Nuriko paused. "Well, come to think of it, he was."
"Naturally." Taka buttoned his shirt and pulled over his pants.
Nuriko coughed.
"What?"
"If you don't like what I just gave you a minute ago, then I insist you wear this then."
Five minutes later, Taka was dressed in one of Nuriko's more manly yet ancient garbs.
"No," said Taka stubbornly. "You're not doing this without a fight."
Nuriko put up his fists. "Bring it on, Taka-kun," he said merrily.
Needless to say, Taka was no match to Nuriko's Herculean strength. In one minute flat, he was down the floor, moaning.
"No more!" he gasped through his knocked-out teeth."No more!"
"Good. I'm glad we've come to an understanding." Nuriko pulled him up and pushed him out of the door cheerfully. "Time for practice!"