Disclaimer: Not mine. Never mine. *sigh* Oh well.
This contains yaoi. Which means Male/Male relationships. If you have a problem with that then, please don't read and then complain. Tasuki and Chichiri are cute together. J
Swimming Lessons
By Lady Firebird
Tasuki could never remember a time when he had walked this far in one day. When Chichiri felt like going somewhere, they traveled at breakneck speed.
"So, why can't we use your kesa? We'd get there a whole lot faster." Tasuki looked over at his friend and sighed. Chichiri was having no problems with the speed, or the heat of the day.
"Because Tasuki, Taiiskun wouldn't respect our questions if we didn't arrive at
her mountain on our own two feet." Chichiri smiled. "Besides, it's fun walking, no da?"
"No, not really. But it's getting close to sunset. Can we look for a place to sleep now?" Tasuki pouted at Chichiri who grinned and nodded.
"I recognize where we are. There's a hot spring through those woods. So we can take a bath and clean off all the dust that we collected on the road. Besides. You smell!" And with that Chichiri took off running, laughing all the while. Tasuki swore, and ran after him, but Chichiri was to fast, soon Tasuki arrived at the spring, but Chichiri was nowhere in sight.
"Here, let me help you, no da!" Chichiri's voice came from somewhere behind Tasuki, and as he turned to find his friend he felt hands pushing him. Before he knew what was going on, he found himself under water. He struggled, and tried with all his might to get to the surface. He was running out of air, since he had let most of it out as he hit the water. Soon he felt hands grasping his arms, and lifting him above the water. He took a beep breath of air, and looked up to see a crying Chichiri.
"What's wrong Chichiri?" Tasuki reached up a shaky hand and wiped at a tear that was running down his friends face.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't think. I'm so sorry. Tasuki, I didn't mean to…." Chichiri took in a shaky breath and helped Tasuki out of the water.
"It's okay. I'm okay, really. Now what about that bath? The water's really warm. And you smell worse than me." Tasuki smiled and started taking off his wet cloths. Chichiri gave a small half smile, and started to take off his cloths too. The water was really warm, and Tasuki found a nice rock to sit on, where he could soak off all the dirt. Chichiri soon joined him on the rock. He had his mask off.
"You're sure that you're okay?" Chichiri's voice without the mask was dark and husky. Tasuki shivered at the sound. He looked over at his friend, and then quickly looked away. Tasuki sighed inwardly. He was in love with the monk. No matter how much he tried to convince himself otherwise. But he could never tell Chichiri his feelings. Chichiri was a monk, and he probably couldn't have a relationship like that. And if he could, he had been engaged to a girl before he became a monk, so he probably didn't lean that way.
I'm okay Chichiri. Really. I'm fine." Tasuki's voice was low, and choked with repressed emotion. "Let's just get clean and then go to bed. I'm really tired, and we have a long way to go tomorrow." Tasuki grabbed the soap that was on the shore and started to wash the grime that covered him. "I do wish that I knew how to swim though. It's really a disadvantage as a warrior."
"I could teach you. On Taiiskun's mountain there's a spring like this one. The Nyan-nyan's use it lots. But it's clear, and not too deep. It's perfect for learning to swim." Chichiri brightened at the prospect of doing something nice for his friend after almost killing him. Chichiri looked over at Tasuki and saw his back. It was a wonderful back. It was just another thing that Chichiri loved about Tasuki. He could never tell Tasuki about his feeling though since it was obvious that the ex-bandit didn't lean that was. He had kissed Miaka, and she was a girl. He would just sit and admire. Tasuki would never know.
When both men were clean and fully dressed, they ate some left over fish, and went to bed. Without knowing it, they both dreamed of each other.
And up on a mountain, a Creator and a Priestess watched the two men and plotted.