Hidden Destiny

Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yugi or any of its characters.

Kouji paused outside the door to Miaka's room, hands on his hips.

Damn Genrou for putting him in this position! If the stubborn idiot didn't want the girl, he should have told her face to face instead of sending another guy to do his dirty work! But out of respect for Genrou, and because he was his best friend, he'd have to do as he was told.

The dark haired bandit opened his mouth to recite his usual entrance routine, and then promptly shut it. He couldn't just go barging into the girl's room like that at such a touchy time. Running a hand through his hair in agitation, he finally reached out to rap lightly against the wooden panel in front of him.

Almost immediately, the door opened to reveal a smiling Miaka and he couldn't help but grin back at her. No one had ever known it, not even Genrou, but he had always had a thing for the petite priestess and time hadn't changed that.

"Hey, you get settled in all right?" He asked.

She nodded and stepped back so he could enter the room. "Did you talk to Tasuki?" She asked quickly, obviously anxious to see the man she loved.

"Yeah well, about that…" Looking down at the ground, Kouji shuffled his feet then stopped when he realized what he was doing. "He said he'd talk t'ya in the mornin'." The lie slipped easily from his lips. Glancing up, he saw that it had been the right thing to do, and the light of hope shining in the young girl's eyes even made him glad for the deception.

"Did you hear that, Nuriko? Tasuki wants to talk to me!" With an exuberant giggle, Miaka practically skipped to the bed and flung herself upon it. "See? I told you everything would be okay!"

Nuriko raised an eyebrow at Kouji, but nodded. "So you did." He tilted his head slightly towards the door indicating he would like to speak to the dark headed bandit alone. "I'll be right back, Miaka- I'm going to go get us something to eat." He said over his shoulder as he headed out of the room.

"That sounds great, Nuriko- thank you !" The priestess responded enthusiastically, her stomach choosing that moment to growl loudly.

The seishi forced a smile as he shut the door behind him, but it immediately fell once he was alone with Kouji. "Now, how about telling me the truth? Tasuki won't see her, will he?"

"What makes ya say that?" The bandit mumbled, looking anywhere but at Nuriko.

"Because if he wanted to talk to her, he'd be here instead of you. So tell me what he really said!"

Sighing heavily, Kouji nodded. "All right. He said t'tell ya t'leave. He don't wanna see her and wants nothin' t'do with her."

Sadness filled Nuriko's eyes and he glanced at the closed door. "I was afraid of this. There's no changing his mind? I mean, you're his best friend, surely he'll listen to you."

Kouji shook his head sadly. "Not this time. I don't know what happened between those two, but he's pretty pissed- and real hurt too, although he'd never admit to it. I was hopin' maybe he'd change his mind after he slept on it."

"Maybe he just needs more time." Nuriko murmured. He bit his lip thoughtfully, then looked Kouji straight in the eye. "Please don't say anything to Miaka- I haven't seen her smile like this in days."

"Sure thing. My lips are sealed." the bandit replied gravely.

"Thanks Kouji." Nuriko smiled. "Now, could you steer me in the direction of your kitchen? I'd better bring her some kind of food or she'll know something's wrong."

"Follow me, ever since we met her we've been keepin' double the food supplies we used to." Laughing softly, the bandit and the seishi headed off down the hall in search of a snack..

On the other side of the door, Miaka slowly walked back to the bed and sat down, tears filling her eyes. She had known Kouji was lying to her; he was just like Tasuki, not looking at her when he wasn't telling the truth.

Her greatest fear had been realized; Tasuki was refusing to see her. Well, then, she had nothing to lose. She would just have to make him see reason. Closing her eyes, she tried to remember the way to the leader's office, then got to her feet and walked to the door.

Cracking the panel open, she glanced both ways then slipped out, careful to shut the door behind her. She needed all the time she could buy, and if Nuriko saw an open door, he would immediately come after her. As she made her way through the halls, Miaka was amazed that she remembered so much from her short visit before. Finally, she came to what she hoped was the correct room. She smoothed a nervous hand over her hair, gathered her courage- and then opened the door without knocking.

It was the right place, but her heart sank at seeing the empty room. Her gaze came to rest on the open window and quick tears stung her eyes at the realization that not only did he not want to talk to her- he didn't even want to be in the same building with her!

Falling to her knees, Miaka laid her hands and forehead against the doorframe, completely surrendering to the rising tide of misery in her heart. When Kouji and Nuriko found her several minutes later, she was still sobbing and hadn't moved an inch. The seishi quickly knelt down, drawing her into his arms as he whispered comforting words in her ear.

Kouji looked on helplessly. Nuriko had filled him in on what happened and he couldn't believe that his best friend could have been so blind and now…well, any fool could see how much pain the girl was in!

Glancing over his shoulder the bandit noticed the open window and scowled. ~Genrou, what d'ya think yer doin'? It ain't like you to run away from a fight…hey, wait a minute…~ He smiled as an idea popped into his mind.

"Hey you!" Kneeling down next to Miaka, Kouji nudged her shoulder gently. "Don't cry. I think I know where he's gone to."

"Y-You do?"

"Yeah. Do ya remember that place he took ya to after he snatched ya from Eiken?"

In spite of her tears, a small, hopeful smile curved her lips. "Of course! Will you take me, Kouji?"

"Why else would I tell ya 'bout it, ya little baka?" He said, tousling her hair affectionately. "C'mon, dry your eyes and let's go."

Miaka spontaneously threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you." She whispered, kissing his cheek lightly.

Kouji could feel his face turning hot, but he fiercely returned the miko's hug before pushing her away, saying gruffly, "Don't mention it-that's what friends are for." Rising to his feet, he glared over at Nuriko. "So what are you grinnin' at, Bucko?"

"Oh nothing." Nuriko replied innocently. He coughed to cover up the laughter bubbling within him at seeing the normally confident bandit looking so flustered and uncertain.

After watching how Kouji acted around her, it had become very apparent to him that Miaka had an astonishing effect on all the men who knew her, not just her warriors.

"Ya sure ya don't want me t'stay in case he tries to bolt again?" They were standing a short distance from the small building, barely able to see one another in the darkness. Kouji could just make out the shake of her head.

"No, he's going to mad enough at you for bringing me here. I'll be fine." Miaka said softly.

"Well…all right. Good luck." He replied, before awkwardly patting her on the shoulder and taking his leave. Miaka watched his retreating figure for a moment before carefully making her way to the structure. ~Okay, it's all up to me now. I hope I don't blow it. ~

When she reached the heavy looking door, she raised her hand to knock but stopped in mid gestured. If you knock, he'll know who it is, dummy. Better to just barge in. Don't give him a chance to run. Nodding her head in affirmation of her thoughts, she shoved the door open and quickly entered the room beyond.

Tasuki whirled around, his hand reaching for the tessen on his back. When he saw her, his hand dropped but the angry glare remained. "What are ya doin' here?" He all but snarled.

Miaka leaned against the closed door. She put her hands behind her back so he would not see them shaking. "I-I wanted to talk to you."

"I told Kouji I didn't wanna see ya and I meant it! Now get out!"

"No!" The single word, spoken with determination, reverberated throughout the room. Her eyes narrowed as anger began to build in her. "Neither of us will leave this room until you hear me out!"

A reluctant grin tugged at the seishi's mouth, which he quickly squelched. Crossing his arms over his chest he shrugged. "Fine, talk."

Her face softened as her heart skipped a beat. He was finally ready to listen. "You didn't see what you think you saw."

He smirked. "Ya followed me all the way here just t'tell me that?"

"I wasn't finished!" She exclaimed, pushing away from the door and moving towards him. "Although I can't lie and say that I'm sorry for what you walked in on because I'm not."

She saw the bandit's face harden before he turned away. "So ya aren't sorry for tellin' him that ya loved him?"

"You heard me say that?" She gaped at him in dismay, and then shook her head. "No wonder you thought…well, that doesn't matter now .What matters is that you know that I said it but I wasn't allowed to finish the rest of what I was going to say. If I had been, you would have heard me say, 'I love you and always will…but I'm in love with Tasuki'."

Seeing at once that her explanation was having no affect on him, Miaka sighed in frustration. There was only one option left to her now. Angrily, she reached up and began to unbutton her blouse. Quickly and quietly, she stripped herself of all her garments, leaving it in a pile on the floor, then cautiously padded over to put a hand on his shoulder.

"Look at me." She commanded softly.

"What…" His voice trailed away as he turned, seeing her standing naked before him. "What the hell?" A dark blush came to his cheeks and he averted his gaze.

Miaka reached out to take his face in her hands, and turned it toward her. "Tasuki, please don't look away. I want you to see there's nothing standing between us any more. I don't care if you see me like this now, because I've already let you see the most private part of me-my heart. You know the real me, Tasuki. You know that yes, I am that clumsy, greedy girl who eats almost constantly. But you also see the side of me that no one else does, the side that hurts and is scared to death of the responsibilities given her You have always protected me, as well as given me laughter and understanding -and I now know why I was brought here. It was to love you as you should be loved."

Pulling from her embrace, he turned and walked to the other side of the room. "Put your clothes back on, Miaka."

Tears pooled in her eyes as his rejection struck at her. "I'm sorry I was a coward before. Can't you see that I'm trying to prove how much I love you? That I would do anything to make you love me?"

Tasuki stood there for a moment, not moving, before removing his sheath with the tessen inside. He dropped it to the floor; the heavy weapon making a loud clang as it hit the hard surface. Shrugging out of his jacket, he turned and made his way back to her, wrapping it snugly around her shoulders. Miaka gasped when he looked down at her, love shining in his eyes.

"Ya don't have t'prove anythin' t'me." He said quietly. "An' I'm sorry I've proved to you what a damn fool I am! You're right, I do know ya and I know ya wouldn't do anythin' t'hurt me. When I saw Tama lyin' on top of ya, I just lost it…guess that proves that I'm a jealous bastard too!" He finished with a grin.

She laughed in relief, the tears in her eyes falling down her cheeks. "You're neither one of those things. And if I hear you talking like that again, I'll have to punch your lights out."

They both laughed at her threat, but their laughter quickly faded as they realized the jacket had come open. Tasuki's eyes slowly traveled the length of her body and Miaka gasped at the fierce desire she saw in their depths. Heat flooded her face as her body responded to his silent question, and she moved closer to him, placing a hand on his chest as he wrapped his arms tightly around her bare waist.

Tasuki could no longer resist pressing his lips to hers; even though it had only been days since he had held her, it felt like forever. His grasp was gentle yet fierce as he pulled her even closer, deepening the kiss when he heard her moan in pleasure.

The kiss was like no other they had shared before; not only was it a reaffirmation of their love but also a promise to never part from each other again. Miaka closed her eyes tightly, giving herself over totally to the sensations running rampant throughout her body. She brought her arms up to wrap them around his neck, the jacket slipping unnoticed from her shoulders, falling silently around her feet. Oblivious to the cool air that touched her skin, she pressed her body into his, delighting in the way he responded. The fabric of his clothes rubbed against the most sensitive parts of her skin, causing her to gasp in surprised pleasure.

Tasuki groaned deep in his throat as his hands freely explored the silky perfection of her body unhindered by the presence of clothes. Every nerve in his body screamed for more. He had never wanted her so desperately, and knew he had to stop soon for if he didn't all would be lost. Fighting against every male instinct he had, he broke the kiss, grinning a little when she made a sound of protest.

He stepped away from her and bent to pick up the forgotten jacket, his eyes slowly traveling the length of her body once more as he straightened. Finally stopping at her eyes, he smiled and again wrapped the jacket around her shoulders; taking care to make sure it was properly closed this time.

"There's a time and place for this and it ain't here." Bending his head, he kissed her briefly. "I love ya, Miaka and we won't finish this until you're my wife."

Hearing Tasuki say that one word so matter-of-factly made her heart swell with love, and the shaft of fear that she had experienced in the past at the mention of marriage was replaced with an overwhelming joy. A smile slowly spread across her face. "You mean it?"

"About ya bein' my wife? Well, yeah, why else would I talk about ya stayin' here?" A mischievous look entered his eyes and he grinned. "Besides too much more of this is gonna kill me." Laughing, he dodged her feeble attempt to swat him, and went over to pick up his tessen. "Ya better get dressed. If we don't go back soon, those two knuckleheads are gonna come lookin' for ya."

"Don't be too hard on Kouji." Miaka said over her shoulder as she gathered up her discarded clothes, trying to calm her racing heart as she began to dress.

"Are ya kiddin'? I'm gonna beat the shit outta him. I'm supposed t'be leader, not to mention his best friend, and what does he do? Disobeys orders." Seeing her panicked look he laughed. "Don't worry, I'm just jokin'. How can I be mad at him? It's 'cause of him that we made up."

"Well, not entirely because of him." She commented dryly, buttoning the last button on her blouse.

Pulling her into his arms, he smiled softly. "Yeah, not entirely…" He repeated before capturing her mouth once again. The excitement she had barely been able to suppress rushed back in full force and she moaned, wrapping her arms around him.

"We really should…um…we should go." He murmured against her mouth as her hands began to make an exploration of her own.

"In a minute." She answered, enjoying the way his body felt and responded beneath her touch. Encouraged by his small groan of approval, her movements became bolder and she felt a rush of delight when he sought her mouth and kissed her deeply. Grasping her hips, he pulled her fully against him and she gasped as she felt evidence of the affect she was having on him.

"I guess this means you made up." A voice observed , sounding full of ill-concealed laughter.

They jerked apart, slightly disoriented. Tasuki was the first to recover and he glared at the amused looking young man standing in the open doorway. "Shit, Nuriko, do ya know how t'knock?"

"I've been knocking for five minutes." The purple-haired seishi answered mildly, studying his nails. "I guess you were too….busy to hear." Looking up with a grin, he winked at the red-faced bandit.

Miaka fussed with her clothes, unable to look at her friend. "Sorry, Nuriko. We were just about to…"

"Oh, it's obvious what you were about to do." Nuriko smirked, thoroughly enjoying the discomfort of the couple standing in front of him, and could no longer hold back his laughter when he saw Miaka's face turn an even darker red than her partner's. When Tasuki took a threatening step toward him he held his hands out in front of him protectively. "I'm sorry, but you guys are so easy….in more than one way." A fresh wave of laughter hit Nuriko and he had to kneel, holding his sides as tears of amusement leaked from his eyes.

"Jeez, it wasn't that funny." Tasuki mumbled, hands on his hips. He heard a small giggle coming from beside him and his mouth dropped open in surprise.

Seeing his shocked look, Miaka's giggles increased until she was laughing just as hard as the young man on the floor. She didn't know exactly how Nuriko had done it, but somehow he had completely relieved all the tension from the room. What could have been a highly embarrassing situation for them all would now remain a light-hearted but poignant memory.