Chapter 5: First Night Together
The rest of the day passed in relative silence, as they trekked onwards towards Sairo through the forest. Miaka and Tamahome had resolved to keep a sharp eye on their almost-but-not-quite-ally, so they walked behind him. Actually, they still weren't sure if they could trust him. They wondered what his motives were. If what they knew about Nakago was accurate, the blonde shogun never did anything without a motive behind it…and he probably had dozens of motives behind his ulterior motive. It was enough to make anyone nervous.
You never know when you're going to wake up one morning with a dagger sticking out of your back…Tamahome thought darkly, his eyes focused intently on the vulnerable place between Nakago's shoulder blades. If he sensed the suspicion and general enmity both Tamahome and Miaka had towards him (which Tamahome was sure that the blonde man did), Nakago did not show it.
It was almost dusk when they stopped for the night. For once, Tamahome found no cause to argue with his arch enemy. Trekking during the night was dangerous, because many large predators prowled about under the cover of darkness. Becoming a meal for a tiger or a pack of wolves did not rank very high on Tamahome's list of things to do.
Besides, they had spent the whole day travelling, and Miaka looked dead on her feet. She had not complained or asked for a rest. Not even once. She did not want to give Nakago any additional excuse to insult her, Tamahome realised, feeling a surge of pride. She looked ghastly pale with fatigue, her eyes dull and shadowed with exhaustion. She's probably been operating on sheer willpower for the last few hours, Tamahome thought, as he knelt down beside her.
"Miaka…daijoubu?" he asked softly, concern etched on his face.
"Hai…I'm just tired, Tamahome…" she cracked a small smile to show him that she was all right, "You worry too much."
"There is no such thing as worrying too much when HE is around," Tamahome cast a wary glare at the person seated across the fire from them. It did not help matters that Nakago was currently polishing his sword with a level of concentration that was extremely unsettling…
A soft snore answered him. He looked back to Miaka, and found that she had fallen asleep leaning against him. He sighed, and gently shifted her so that her head was cradled in the crook of his shoulder. He smiled tenderly down at her peaceful face and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
Unbeknownst to Tamahome, his gesture had not gone by unnoticed.
Soi…
An image of her appeared in Nakago's mind unbidden, along with a small pang of regret. The emotion however, was swiftly and ruthlessly repressed. He studied Tamahome's actions with the Suzaku no Miko. It was blatantly obvious to anyone with eyes that the two were in love. Soi and himself…they had been physically intimate many times, yet that could not compare to the intimacy he was confronted with now.
The Suzaku no Miko and Tamahome…they were intimate in all the ways that really counted. They were united in their hearts, seeming to share a single soul. He was hers, and she was his. It was as simple as that.
Nakago had been aware of Soi's feelings towards him, but he had always pushed her away. He'd allowed her to have his body, used her for his own gain even, but he had never let her near enough to truly touch his soul…She was perhaps the only person who had come close to understanding him. However, it didn't matter now anyway. None of it mattered anymore. Soi was gone, like all the others he'd lov—….like all the others he'd cared about.
The former Seiryuu seishi gave himself a mental shake, banishing all thoughts of Soi from his mind. He examined his now gleaming sword with exaggerated feigned interest before sliding it home into its sheath in one smooth practised movement. It was all a show for Tamahome's benefit, of course. He knew his preoccupation with the sword was making the other man nervous… Nakago could feel the Suzaku seishi's wary gaze on him and it gave him a strange sense of satisfaction to know that Tamahome was unnerved by him. A thought suddenly occurred to him and he nearly smirked outright.
He looked across the fire and met Tamahome's suspicious gaze squarely, throwing the dark haired man a mocking look before settling back against the tree behind him and closing his eyes.
Tamahome gaped in disbelief. Nakago is going to SLEEP?? That's not fair!! The blonde bastard can go to sleep like there's nothing wrong because he knows that we won't try to kill him in his sleep, but I can't afford to close my eyes because I don't trust him! KUSO!! He glared across at the relaxed figure, and had the vicious urge to stomp over and kick him awake. Unfortunately, if he moved, he would awaken Miaka as well and she needed all the rest she could get. Tamahome sighed inwardly in defeat, looking down at Miaka once more. It was going to be a very long night…
