Running Away

Chapter 7

Chichiri sighed, setting down the glass of saké on the table. A clink of glasses could be heard from the other side of the bar as a waitress walked around the tables, smiling at the customers.

"So… he just left ya' there, did he?"

"…yeah…"

Taikisei looked down at the older man. In his mind, Chichiri and Tasuki had always seemed just right for each other. This sudden step was a big surprise.

"Maybe… maybe you should just give him time."

"… I… don' t know…" Chichiri went over the events again over and over in his head, replaying everything: stopping in the middle of the road, Tasuki telling them they should split up, the… the kiss…

It had felt wonderful… God it had felt wonderful. He had never wanted it to end, never thought he'd ever feel that way. He wished… he wished he could feel it again. Wished that he could hold Tasuki in his arms the way he had before.

He had come to face the facts in his head: he loved Tasuki. Tasuki had been right, they both knew it, deep inside. But why? Why oh why…?

Chichiri had come back to the inn, tears gone by then, but he felt worn out, tired, and completely emotionless. He'd told Taikisei, about Tasuki leaving that is… but he hadn't told him everything. He'd conveniently left out the part where Tasuki kissed him.

It had been two days… two days already. Chichiri was beginning to think that he couldn't even go on anymore… not without Tasuki. Everytime he turned around, he expected the bandit to be there, making some crack about something he said or did.

Tears started to come to his eyes again, but he wiped them away as fast as he could, not wanting Taikisei to see him cry.

"D..daijobu, Chichiri?" Taikisei asked, a concerned look on his face.

"I'm alright… just got something caught in my eye… no da…"

Taikisei turned his eyebrows up. "Yeah… whatever. Look, if you miss him that much, you should go tell him. You know where he went… I know you do. You just… won't go there, will you?"

Chichiri looked away. If he went after Tasuki, he knew that he'd only hurt the two of them even more. What would Tasuki do? Welcome him back with open arms? No… not after that… He knew that going back would only make the wound deeper. And then, and then, if Tasuki ran away again? Chichiri knew he couldn't go through with that again.

"I can't…"

"What do you mean you can't? Why? Tell me why."

"I just can't. You wouldn't understand… Tasuki wouldn't… no, it would only make things worse…"

Taikisei was silent, looking at the back of the monk. He felt a sudden breeze sweep in through the bar and shivered, pulling a lock of hair behind his ear.

Chichiri raised his head, turning towards the bar-tender who was standing not too far away. He held up his cup. "Please…"

The bar-tender nodded and walked over, refilling Chichiri's cup with a fresh round of saké.

"Arigato…" Chichiri took a deep sip of the drink. He wanted it to take his worries away, make everything just go away. Didn't Tasuki always feel happy after he drank? So then, why shouldn't it work for him?

"Chichiri… that's your fifth cup. Don't you think you've had enough?" Taikisei asked worridly.

Chichiri looked into his now empty glass, not saying anything. For some reason, his brain wouldn't register why the glass was empty all of a sudden.

Taikisei walked over to Chichiri, gently resting his hand on the other's shoulder. "Come on, Chichiri. Let's go back to the inn. You can sleep on it…"

Chichiri looked up at Taikisei, not fully taking in what he was saying. "…yeah…" He slowly got up, feeling a little wobbly. He balanced himself on Taikisei's shoulder and the two of them walked out.

It didn't take them very long to get to the inn, as it was only about five minutes away. When they got there, Taikisei walked Chichiri to the door of his room, opening the door for him.

"You think about it, alright? I'll wake ya' up in the morning." He watched Chichiri walk into the room, and then silently shut the door behind him.

He stood there for about a minute, just staring at the door, and then he went on to his room, still deep in thought.

Chichiri leaned his back on the now closed door, looking into the dark room. He squinted his eyes, trying to make out shapes in the darkness.

He slowly walked forward, looking down on the small bed that just a couple nights ago he had shared with Tasuki.

"What the hell's with this? How're we supposed ta' sleep in here?"

He felt a wetness in his eyes as he remembered Tasuki's comment about their room. He tried to smile, tried to think of those times with happiness, but all he could do was think about how much he missed Tasuki.

He looked over at the small drawer that held the bath-towels. He noted with a small grin that the tiny towels they had been given had been replaced by two full-size towels.

"What kind of @#$%ing place is this that doesn't even have @#$%ing big enough towels?!?!?!?"

A single tear slid silently down Chichiri's face. He sat down on the bed, gripping the fabric of his pants tightly in his hands. "Tasuki…"