Title: Sweet Love (4)

Title: Sweet Love (4)

Author: Yih

Written: March 2001

Dedication: To the following Reviewers- Kuja no Miko/Ghaleon no Aijin, tina, Celestial Phoenix, Shadowess, Stormlight, hikaru shidou, and Iona.

Please review (explanation why on Side Note to Stormlight)

Disclaimer: All rights are Yu Watase.

Part 4: Discovering the Power

Tamahome felt his heart stop beating when he saw the roof collapse onto Miaka and Hotohori. While his fighting earlier with the warriors had not been too strenuous, it still had taken something out of him. He screamed, "help the Priestess! Help the Emperor! Help Miaka!"

A soft voice from behind him uttered, "let me handle this."

He was stunned to meet the eyes of a beautiful lady. He stepped aside when he saw that she was completely serious. He watched with amazement as she easily threw the rubble off the place where Hotohori and Miaka were trapped. But he soon found he was in a dangerous position as a rock went whistling by his ear at an extremely close proximity, he moved away to a safer position several feet away from the lady hurling the rubble.

"WOAH!" yelled one of the warriors, dodging the thrown rocks.

"Watch out!"

The lady ignored the comments from the soldiers and pay her full attention to lifting up the huge column that Hotohori had used his body as a barrier to keep it from crushing Miaka. She glanced at the pair in each other's embraced and asked, "are you two still alive?"

"Huh?" murmured Miaka incoherently.

"So you're alive? You both are very lucky."

"Who's that?" asked Hotohori in a pained voice.

"Are you two alright?" asked Tamahome, helping Hotohori into a sitting position. But his main concern was for Miaka, gazing at her intently after he asked the question.

"I'm fine," Miaka responded. "Hotohori protected me very well. Who saved us?"

Tamahome pointed to the beautiful lady tending to Hotohori. Miaka felt a surge of jealousy as Hotohori's sweaty face was being wiped by the silk sleeve of their rescuer. It did please her that he was looking at her though, worry on his face over her condition. She didn't know why she felt this way. But she knew she shouldn't feel this way. She should be glad that whomever this beautiful woman was that she had had the strength to save them.

Tamahome also felt a twinge of jealousy as he saw the way Miaka's face was frowning when she saw the way the lady was tending to Hotohori. He didn't know what he'd do about these feeling that he had for Miaka. He couldn't say what he felt if the emperor had his sights set on Miaka. And Tamahome was sure that Hotohori liked Miaka, after all he had seen the looks Hotohori had sent Miaka's way when he thought she wasn't looking. He didn't have a shot, unless this attractive young lady could possibly steer Hotohori's attentions.

Miaka was surprised, while Tamahome was intrigued when Hotohori asked the young lady, "are you from the inner seraglio?"

"Yes, your majesty," replied the young lady in a demure voice.

"Because… the power you displayed could it possibly be of one of the celestials?"

"I am Kang-lin," answered the lady, showing them her sign just under her collarbone. "Or Nuriko, as the constellation."

Miaka got over her strange emotions when she saw the sign. She leaped toward Nuriko and grabbed the lady's hands. "So you're the third constellation? That's great! That means we only have to find the others four! Thank you for rescuing me! I'm Yuki Miaka!"

"The only one I wanted to rescue was him," exclaimed Nuriko, hugging the hurting Hotohori to her.

"HOTOHORI?"

If Hotohori hadn't been in so much pain in that instance, he would have fully enjoyed the look of jealousy on Miaka's face. As it was, he was glad he saw it because it did make him feel a little better. He had held a secret envy at Tamahome's relationship with Miaka, but now he had his own bond with Miaka. He didn't regret anything he had just done. He had wanted to protect her. And if jealousy would help draw her attention to him… away from Tamahome, he wasn't about to argue with a good thing.

Tamahome knelt down beside Miaka's injured leg and cleaned it with the wash cloth gently. "Does this hurt?" he queried.

"A little," Miaka replied, grimacing. "But thank you for taking care of me, Tamahome. I can't say how much I appreciate it."

Tamahome suddenly grinned. "How about paying me then?"

Miaka knocked her uninjured foot into Tamahome's side and asked, "is money all you think about?! I can't believe this is happening!"

Tamahome caressed her cheek with a tender expression on his face, surprising her. "You haven't asked me how I'd like it to be paid in," he reminded her.

"Money?" Miaka replied, squirming under the intense gaze. She felt uncomfortable, and she didn't know why. Before she'd be jumping with joy that a guy was looking at her in this--this raptured way. But why didn't she feel like that now? Her mind was as confused as her heart was sure that it was not excited over Tamahome.

Could it be that--that the one I want to look at me in this way is… Hotohori? Tamahome is so cute and handsome, but he isn't Hotohori. He doesn't have Hotohori's life or his heart. I like Hotohori; I think I might even be falling in love with him. If not, is it merely girlish infatuation? And that girl--Nuriko, why did she have to hold Hotohori so close like that? At least he wasn't returning his embrace, and I was the one he kissed…

"No," answered Tamahome. "I'd like to kiss you."

I can't! I don't like Tamahome in that way! I can't… Hotohori. "No!" Miaka said loudly, nearly jumping off the bed.

Tamahome barely had enough time to grab her before she would topple off the bed. "Be careful," he warned her. "And don't worry. You don't have to kiss me. It's just that I'd like it," his voice was filled with incredibly wistfulness.

Miaka felt like the worst person in the world. He's saved me three times, she thought. And he's never asked me to really pay him. Can't I give him one simple kiss because I don't have any money? But I can't, normally--if I hadn't met Hotohori, I could… kiss him. It's different now. I can't imagine kissing anyone but Hotohori. Still, he has done so much, and he's so cute. Besides, he has helped me so much; he must care about me. Why would he want me to kiss him? He likes me! I don't even know if Hotohori likes me… why am I being so silly? Of course I'll kiss him! It's not like I even know if Hotohori feels the same way about me.

"I didn't mean 'no, I wouldn't kiss you,' I was just taken by surprise," Miaka said as she moved her body closer to him. "It's just I've never really kissed a guy before." That was an outright lie, she thought. I've kissed him--Hotohori. "So you just surprised me and all. I hope that you aren't disappointed if you still want that kiss."

"No, I promise I won't be," Tamahome vowed, secretly thrilled.

He leaned toward, his lips slightly parted. He had wanted to kiss her since the first time he saw her. His eyes slowly shut as his lips descended upon her lips. Miaka closed her eyes, ready for the kiss to begin. She wanted to kiss him; she wanted to know if it would be that much different from--from when she kissed Hotohori.

A loud knock invaded their senses and Tamahome again had to catch Miaka as she almost toppled off to the floor. Hotohori appeared in the entrance of the room, holding a tray of delicious smelling food. Miaka leapt off the bed and rushed forward to Hotohori, much to the disappointment of Tamahome. She stared meaningfully at the food and asked, "is this for me?"

Hotohori smiled. "Yes, would you like to eat it here or would you rather go outside?"

"Outside!" exclaimed Miaka, giggling.

"Would you like to join us, Tamahome?" inquired the emperor politely.

Tamahome shook his head. "No, thank you. I'm tired. I was only here to make sure that Miaka's okay."

"You know where your room is, right? If not," Hotohori paused and gestured to the servant behind him, "my servant will show you where your room is to be. I guess he should come with you to help you settle in and get some water for a bath, if that is what you want. Just tell him what you want and you will get it if it is within the palace."

"Thank you, your majesty," Tamahome replied, bowing before following the boy servant out of the room.

Hotohori turned back to Miaka once Tamahome had left the room and asked with concern, "how are you feeling? I feel so terrible that I was not able to be here for you while you were injured. Was the care of my physician satisfactory? But I'm really sorry, Miaka. I--I--well the girl, Nuriko…"

Miaka wanted to scowl, but she managed to keep a straight face when Hotohori mentioned the young lady's name. "What Hotohori?"

"She wouldn't leave me alone," he blurt out, slightly flushed.

Miaka smiled. Suddenly the day didn't seem so gloomy! She was glad she hadn't kissed Tamahome now!

She and Hotohori…

She could see the picture in her head, but what if he didn't return her feelings?

Side Note: (to Stormlight) The lack of reviews don't discourage me from writing a fanfic, but I feel more OBLIGE to write for fanfic series (I have 4 going simultaneously) that have more reviewers (which usually means more readers). And I really enjoy writing, I never run out of ideas, but this will be the only Fushigi Yuugi fic I do in a long while. Because Neon Genesis Evangelion is a funner fandom to write for, more possibilities and I'd also like to delve into Ayashi no Ceres (also Yu Watase, an excellent site is ayashi.net) and create a Yuuhi x Aya fic. ^_~

Author's Note: Does anyone know where there is a really good manga translation for Fushigi Yuugi? Because (I've been using English Volume 1, but I can't get a hold on the other volumes…) Because I want it pretty detail with scenes… if possible. But who knows? At worse I'll probably have to use the summaries at www.miakaandtamahome.com which isn't that bad, but it is geared toward the M x T pairing. And the other volumes will probably be shorter parts in this series because I don't have the actual graphic novel in my hands. This is at 4 parts, and Volume 1 should be done at the most in 6 parts, but it depends what I decide to do. ^_~

P.S. If you'd like me to respond to the review (i.e. email you), just say so in the review ^_~.

Remember: Reviewing is Doing the Giving to Caring authors Slaving over Working on Writing fanfics!