The lights gave the town a faint glow as night time approached fast. The Suzaku ceremony may have been a disaster, but with all Seven Seishi now - hope was definitely in the air. A few of the more carefree Seishi decided to take the night off, enjoying what may be one of their last nights on Konan soil before a long journey ahead.
"Bartender, get me another!" Yelled a half-inebrieated Nuriko.
"My my... the Suzaku Seishi are big spenders." Commented the man behind the bar.
"Forget what I am. I just 'm Ryuuen... Chou Ryuuen... hopelessly drunk Ryuuen..."
"Ryuu-chan, is that you?" Spoke a young, dark haired girl. "I almost didn't recognize you! You seem so... healthy now. Where have you disappeared to these last few months? You don't visit the shop anymore."
"Ah... Siu Lin, nice to see you again. I haven't really had to... I mean, 've been real busy." He turned in his chair and placed a hand on his glass. Nuriko chugged another drink of what smelled like a very strong alcoholic beverage.
"That's no way to treat a friend." She pouted briefly, hand sliding across his shoulder and then down his back to graze his shoulder blades. Traveling back up, her hand touched gently at the back of his neck and stopped there. Siu Lin had a smirk across her face. Her body carefully poised. With a quick movement, she slid into his lap. Siu Lin's arms wrapped around his neck for support. "Whatever did happen to us, Ryuu-chan?"
Nuriko... no, Ryuuen looked into the other girls' eyes. "I don't know. I was a different person back then. I'm not any better now..." He looked down. He glanced at a sharp enough angle to shade his eyes away from her look.
* * *
Miaka clothed in an appropriate decorative dress for festival time and cruised the town square area with Tasuki in tow.
"He just walked out, saying not to wait up for him." Tasuki shrugged his shoulders. "He's probably upset that you dumped him."
She glared daggers at the obnoxious Seishi. He stuck his tongue out. "It's true. You haven't spent more than five minutes in a room with him except for meals. No wonder I hate wome--" Tasuki was promptly smacked upside the head by the exasperated Miko.
"What the hell'd ya do that for!? It's the tru-- hey... isn't that Nuriko?" He pointed over to a chair with the young purple haired Seishi on it and a woman draped around him in his lap. Miaka stared wide eyed, her heart caught in her throat.
Tasuki noted the 'Deer in headlights' look. He grabbed her, dragging Miaka to a hiding place appropriately closer to the situation.
"Siu Lin... I can't do this." He murmured.
"Don't you miss me? I thought we were close. You didn't mind before."
"That was back when it mattered."
"Ryuuen? I don't understand."
"We were all together. Me, you, and An-chin. So innocent back then..."
"Ryuuen, you're really not making much sense right now. You're drunk."
"I'm drunk!? I'm more than just DRUNK. I'm a fool!"
"You're not a fool, Ryuuen..." She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him warmly. "It's not your fault that things happened the way they did. No one knew about you two. Not even me."
"He was so gentle. Why wasn't I there for him?"
Miaka, in the distance, covered her mouth. 'Him!?' she thought. The look of disbelief crossed her face. Tasuki whispered into Miaka's ear. "Oi... what's that look for?" Miaka shook her head violently with a mumble of "Nothing" listening further into the conversation between the girl and Nuriko.
"Ryuuen, he was in a war. There was no way you could have STOPPED a war."
"I'm a SUZAKU SEISHI!!" He yelled, the expression on his face now filled with anger. "Those Kutou bastards had no right to attack a city so far from their borders. It's all about war... and I hate it! I'll destroy that shogun for taking his life!"
"Ryuuen, stop. I know you're not like that... you were the same as him. You wouldn't hurt a fly. You're heart isn't right with all this 'revenge' talk. What happened to the flirtatious boy I once knew?"
Nuriko sighed, letting out a faint laugh. "I'm still here... only a bit bitter. Everytime I thought that I'd found something worthwhile... I lose my grip, like I was destined for something else entirely different."
"Destined for something or not, you're a beautiful man. I missed you, old friend." The girl smiled, her voice lowered with each word, until she had her sweet, thin lips pressed softly to his. Nuriko's sad eyes closed, arms wrapped carefully around the girls body, bringing her close to him.
Tasuki commented to Miaka, "He sure is slick... if not indecisive." Her eyes locked onto the two as they intertwined with each other.
'How horrible', She thought. 'He's not even himself....' With that thought, she suddenly bolted from her position, and yelled angrily at the two. "Nuriko! Stop!"
They did indeed stop, Nuriko's eyes widened at Miaka's presence. Siu Lin raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Who is this girl, Ryuu-chan?"
"That 'Girl' is Suzaku No Miko, Miaka. Miaka... this is a child hood friend, Siu Lin."
Siu Lin, as if on cue, stood elegantly and bowed in such a way that infuriated Miaka. First, she's all over Nuriko, and now she's showing her up? It was almost too much for her to handle. Miaka growled, her hand left her side to strike the woman forcefully across the face.
"How dare you take advantage of him! Look at him! He's drunk... old friend or not, you don't have ANY right to kiss him!"
"Is this that girl who broke your heart, Ryuu-chan?" Siu Lin glanced at Miaka, who seemed shocked at her perception. She raised an eyebrow and looked back at Nuriko. "Of course... it all makes sense. The way he's acting, and the look in your eyes... I can see that much now, Miko-sama. He may be your Seishi, but unless you have a leash around his soul and take FULL responsibility as a lover for your actions, you haven't ANY right to be angry over a kiss between friends."
Nuriko stood, for the first time this evening really, and put a hand on Siu Lin's shoulder. "She's not here for a fight, right Miaka?" He waved a hand to calm the girls.
Miaka looked upset. She turned away from the group despite herself. 'What are you doing, Miaka? You have to break up with him. You can't touch another man with love, remember?' Her thoughts urged her that this was the best solution.
Siu Lin snapped, her cheek still red from Miaka's hit. "Look at him! I don't care who you are or how important you may be... but I don't respect you for what you have done here!"
"ENOUGH!" Yelled Tasuki from a nearby area. "You won't solve anything squabbling like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off." He rubbed the back of his head, straightening out his red hair. "C'mon Nuriko, let's get ya back to the palace."
Nuriko nodded, Tasuki put an arm around his shoulder helping the inebriated Seishi home. Miaka followed behind them from a distance, fighting with herself the entire way.
* * *
"Where'm I? This isn't my room." Nuriko, now awake. He put a hand to his face, groggily rubbing his eyes.
"So you're up finally." Tasuki grinned from the chair. "Do you remember much of last night? We got smashed."
"All I remember were screaming girls. Am I close?"
Tasuki laughed, then asked, "Are you some sort of playboy? You had Miaka and that girl who was in your lap going into some sort of cat fight."
Nuriko sat up, stunned. "What girl in my lap? I'm NOT a playboy... and why would Miaka even CARE? She dumped me for Tamahome."
"She is not with Tamahome. Where'd you get that screwed up idea? As far as I know, She's yer girlfriend."
The purple haired boy fell back onto the bed, letting out a deep sigh. "She's been avoiding me since he got back. I even saw them together in the garden. I thought I'd be a real man and just... let go, for once."
The younger Seishi smiled with his fanged mouth, "You're a definite character. Tamahome can't measure up at all. Miaka loves you, man. I feel sorry for you. Girls are NOTHING but a big mess o' trouble... and what about that dark haired beauty you had all over you last night? Where did you find her?"
"Dark haired beauty? I don't really know that many girls... she was in my lap? I really must have been drunk to forget this..."
*Knock Knock Knock*
The shirtless Tasuki wandered to the door, opening it with a chuckle. "Speak of the devil. Hey playboy, your mistress is here."
"Mistress!? Tasuki! C'mon!" Exclaimed an exasperated Nuriko.
Siu Lin walked into the room, giving a slight bow to Tasuki. "They told me I'd find you here, Ryuuen. I... came to apologize for last night."
"Siu Lin!?! It's been ages!" He obviously didn't remember anything from the night before. "How've you been?"
"Ryuuen, I've been well... but really, I saw you last night. It hasn't been THAT long. You did have a good amount to drink." She paused, glancing at a half naked Tasuki, then whispering to Nuriko in a low voice, "He isn't..--"
Nuriko shook his head NO furiously.
Tasuki blinked and thought to himself, 'What the hell was that about?!'
"Well... I hope that you are feeling better. You seemed a bit down before. You always seem to get this way this time of year."
"I'm okay, really... I slept it off. I'm okay now." Nuriko looked down.
Tasuki knew that he was missing a HUGE piece of the puzzle, but did he care? The bandit seemed heartless at times, but a slight squint and a raised eyebrow meant differently.
"So you're leaving in a day or so for HokkanKoku?"
"Yeah... Hotohori-sama is still trying to plan the best route. I bet you never thought I'd leave Eiyou, huh?"
"I always knew there was something special about you, Ryuuen. Now look at you... sitting in the palace, all important to protect your Miko. You finally found your dream, didn't you? I'm proud of you."
She smiled and stepped over to hug Ryuuen, placing a soft kiss on his cheek in what looked like a sad goodbye.
This would have been a perfectly normal and innocent circumstance, had Miaka NOT been in the door frame to watch Siu Lin hug and kiss the half naked Nuriko.
"That's enough! Nuriko! How could you? Before... I understood you were drunk. But now..." Miaka growled. "You make me sick! I hate you!" And stormed away down the palace hallway.
"Miaka? Wait! Miaka! It isn't what you..." He stumbled, holding his head just slightly. He tilted slightly off balance, then glanced at Siu Lin with a look of 'I'm very sorry.' His eyes moved over to Tasuki, "Go get her..."
Tasuki ran out the door to follow Miaka's course.
"She's the one, isn't she? Suzaku no miko... the girl you protect is actually the one you finally fell for."
"I think An-chin would approve. I always told him about my dreams growing up, and one or two did involve her. He told me 'If the exact girl of your dreams just happens to come out of them, never let her go. It's Suzaku telling you something, so I think you'd better listen'."
"An-chin didn't expect you to go straight either. He was always a dreamer and romantic though... I'm glad you found someone. You'd best make up with her, though... thin ice is never fun to walk on."
"I understand. Thank you, Siu Lin."
"Good luck, old friend." Those words were the last she ever spoke to him.
* * *
"Tasuki! Put me down!! Hotohori!! GUARDS!! My own Seishi is kidnapping me! C'mon! Put me down!!" She slammed her fists into Tasuki's back a few times. The guards laughed a little, he clearly showed that this was mere play, and not real serious. Well, everyone knew that except Miaka.
"I'm doin' you a favor. You can thank me later." He grinned, noticing Nuriko in the same hallway as him now. "Pass."
The red haired seishi handed Miaka over to Nuriko. He carried her over his shoulder in silence until he finally reached his room and set her down on the bed.
Miaka looked at the violet eyed seishi. Her hand poised and swift when she struck him forcefully across his left cheek.
Nuriko took the slap in stride. His bangs bounced back into place, his face taking on an extremely serious expression.
Her eyes widened a little at what she had done. Regret crept into her expression, and it was only then when he chose to kiss her.
Anger subsided, tears ran down her cheeks. Miaka placed a hand behind his head, fingers intertwining with his thick, purple hair. They stay like that for some time, until Miaka releases him with a sad look on her face.
"Miaka, what's wrong? Hey... don't cry... it's okay." He went to wrap his arms around the girl, but he was stopped. She pushed him back up.
"It's not okay." Miaka covered her face. "That can never happen again!"
"What do you mean? If this is about last night, I--"
"No Nuriko... I've forgiven you..." She laughed, a little bitterly. "Yuuki Miaka, Suzaku no Miko, never stays angry for very long!" She wiped at her eyes, tears continued to fall. "Taiitsukun told me 'Do not touch another man with love'... This meant stopping my relationship with you."
Nuriko blinked. The words sort of sank in after a long moment or three. He moved himself beside Miaka and sat next to her on the bed. He laid back to stare at the ceiling. A little wide eyed, he finally spoke up again. "I see... what about what 'Yuuki Miaka' does after being Suzaku No Miko is complete?" He reached over to pull Miaka back to lay down with him.
"Nuriko?" She asked as she guided herself back to lay next to him on the bed.
"I understand that right now... it's unsafe to have a Miko in love. But..." Nuriko propped his arm up, leaning close over her, his face hovering close - within an inch of hers. "You are also Yuuki Miaka. After you've done your duty as the Miko... I could do something hopelessly romantic like go on a picnic." He started to wipe her tears away, "Laying down on the blanket, like we are right now..." He lowers himself to whisper through warm, gentle breaths into her ear. "And ask you to be my wife."
For that moment in Miaka's life, time stopped. She would have forgotten to breath, if he hadn't kissed her again. Her eyes closed tightly, her heart beating in an excited rhythm in her chest.
He pulled away and looked into her eyes, his own shimmering with hope. "Please say yes."
Miaka whispered, "Nuriko... I don't know what to say to that." Her voice caught in her throat, "I... I love you... I'm... but I'm too young for marriage! Nuriko..."
"Just say yes. It would happen whenever you want... I promise to be patient. I just want you to be happy."
"Yes... yes of course!"
Nuriko and Miaka hugged close for a long time. He kept his promise though, nothing more than that. It was relaxing. The two lovers almost completely fell asleep when there was a knock at the door.
Tamahome entered. He stood in the door fame with a dumbstruck look on his face. "You two... sorry..."
"Nonono... wait. We're just uh..." Nuriko fumbled over his words, Miaka wasn't even awake. "We were hugging and... she... well, we fell asleep. Don't worry, Tamahome.. I wouldn't take advantage of her."
"I wouldn't think. Hotohori-sama has prepared the boat. And he's expressed to me that it's okay for my family to be brought to live near the palace. I was going to ask Miaka to go, but.... She's probably too tired now."
"What about Kourin? She hasn't traveled as much as I have... and she's a great cook."
"Hmmm... I'll go ask her. See you tomorrow when we cast off then. Bye."