by CK SwordSkill
Author's Notes: R/R!
"Okay, Taka, let's get on with this."
Nuriko led Taka outside of the apartment to the front lawn. "Let's say, I'm Miaka, and I'm meeting you for a date. To start the mood, what would you say?"
Taka eyed Nuriko up and down. "You're looking more and more like a boy, Miaka."
WHAMMM!
"Oww!" moaned Taka, rubbing his head. "What'd you do that for?"
"Baka!" grumbled Nuriko. "Do you want me to cross-dress for you?"
"Well, I can't imagine Miaka looking like you..."
"Of course not, she can't be as pretty as I am." A twinkle shone on Nuriko's teeth.
"And I thought you turned over a new leaf."
Nuriko chose to ignore the comment. "You give compliments to Miaka on how she looks great, how her clothes just match the color in her eyes, how she walks with...uh...grace..."
"No problem with that," said Taka dreamily, slipping off into a trance.
"Oh, please." Nuriko shook his head and slapped Taka awake. "Listen to me. Tell her you can forget everything that's surrounding you because of her presence...oh, wait, that's a bit too exaggerrated."
"No, no, that's great," said Taka, taking notes. "You know, you won't make bad a poet."
"I'd rather not. Anyway, say you've finished all the compliments, blah blah blah, and she reciprocates, Taka-you-look-soooo-handsome kind of stuff..."
"Oh, Miaka, you're so kind!" swooned Taka, forgetting himself and letting himself fall on Nuriko's arms.
"Get offa me!" Nuriko dropped him like a hot potato. "You can't do that to Miaka! If you do, I'll be mortified for life...afterlife!"
"Gomen!" said Taka in a small voice. "Whenever I think of her..."
"All the same, you can't do that!" said Nuriko, looking horrified. "That is an absolute no-no, do you hear? Why, in my times in China, it was taboo to touch anyone opposite of your gender!"
Taka's eyes slit into narrow openings. "Then tell me why you glomphed me as Tamahome back then...why, you even ki-"
"That will be quite enough," said Nuriko, reddening. "I had my reasons, and it was definitely not you."
"And I have news for you: we're not on your time."
Nuriko rolled his eyes upward and groaned, "Why do I bother?" He turned to face Taka and said, "You're not making this any easier, for me or for you."
"I know," said Taka miserably. He ran a hand over his dark-green hair and held up his hand. "Okay, I promise not to make any more sarcastic remarks, and I'll try to be smart, all right?"
Nuriko gave a quick grin. "Are you saying that you're baka?"
"I, uh, of course not..."
"I'm not opposing that idea, of course," said Nuriko, trying to hold off a sudden urge to laugh. "But face it, you're a bakayarou when it comes to Miaka...and I love the looks of that."
Taka suddenly saw Nuriko in another light...as a noble man, a Seishi, who loved Miaka, who even died for her happiness, and who was now coaching him to get married.
"Taka-kun? Earth to Taka! Helloooo," called Nuriko, waving in front of him. "Are you still there?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, of course," said Taka, snapping to reality. "What were you saying?"
"I said we had enough complimentaries, let's move." Nuriko sat cross-legged on the grass. "So, Taka. Where will you take me?"
"You?" asked Taka, puzzled.
Nuriko frustratedly blew a strand of hair from his eyes. "Miaka, Taka, I mean Miaka!"
"Oh, yeah." Taka looked heavenward. "Let me think."
"That's a surprise," muttered Nuriko.
Taka glared at her. "Talk about sarcasm."
Nuriko held up his hands. "Sorry. I couldn't help it. So, got an answer?"
"Sure do." Taka rubbed his hands. "I know Miaka loves to eat, so I'll take her to the restaurant." He struck a scholarly pose. "Smart, huh?"
"Eh heh. Yeah right, Taka baka."
"Doshite?" asked Taka, looking hurt.
"You, of all people, should know that the restaurant is the last place to take her." Nuriko looked a bit nettled. "You know how she loves food, and that's what she'll be concentrating on."
"Well, she'll be able to hear me, won't she?"
"Yes, but the point is to have her focused on you. Grab her complete attention when you say it. There is nothing that must distract her. NOTHING."
"All right, all right, I get your point, don't yell." Taka crossed his arms. "Okay, how about this. Say I pay her a house call."
"A house call?" Nuriko frowned. "Have you no originality? That is so last century ago."
"I don't care how original I get, as long as I get to say it!" said Taka.
"Yes, but you have to do it with style."
"Style shmyle, I don't see the difference."
"You're this old already and you still don't?"
"Cute. Look, I just want to get over this as quickly as I can, okay, Nuriko?" Taka threw his hands up. "I mean, just because I led her to the wrong place doesn't mean she's going to love me less."
There was a silence. Then Nuriko said, "Okay, let's try this one more time."
Taka groaned.
"Ah-ah-aah!" Nuriko pointed at him. "You promised!"
Taka nodded resignedly and brought up his hands.
"Now. You are going to propose to Miaka. Where would you bring her?"
"I don't see why I have to guess. You obviously have the perfect place planned out, so why don't you tell me?"
"It's time you thought for a while," said Nuriko not unkindly.
"Okay, okay."
"Think of when you met, what you shared...what was it that brought you two together?"
Taka looked at Nuriko curiously. "You want me to propose to her at the library?"
"No." Nuriko leaned towards Taka. "There's a place I saw over Lady Taiitsukun's mirror. It's a temple, not too big, kind of like a pavilion. Open air, pillars, altar, everything..."
"We're going to a temple?"
"A Suzaku temple." Nuriko winked.
Taka arched his brows. "Suzaku temple? You're pulling my leg! Is there such a thing here?"
"Oh yeah. It surprised me too, but there it was."
"I don't know where..."
"I'll show it to ya'."
"So this temple is to bring to her memories when we met?" Taka asked.
"Hai."
"Ohh. Hey, that would be great!"
"Of course. That's why I'm the one tutoring you, remember?"
"Umm, yeah."
"Okay, now that that's settled, what would be the first thing you would say to Miaka when you get there?"
"Hey, Miaka, rememember this place?"
"Taka, please. You've never been there before. Now try something like this..."