DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi or anything in around, about or seen in it. No suing.

WARNINGS: Swearing, (and I'm not censoring it either folks so be prepared), spoilers, and other Pg-R stuff. You know the drill.

Archive: Sure... just give me the site addy.

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AN: I'm writing this straight from the rough draft, so it may get a bit fuzzy here and there. I'm not good at writing Tasuki's accent so it'll probably be muddled up as well. AU to a point as in the final installment of FY isn't known to me yet so I can't work around it, so guess what? In my world, it never happened!!! Muhahaha!!! Oh...hehe. Also the prologue where Tasuki talks is taken word for word from the Animerica translation. So copyrights to them are not to be infringed upon either. This is the fic that was once called "Destiny's Fire", but I had to change that title because another author was using a title similar to it so I didn't want to get the two confused. I hope you enjoy this, (especially Lynne). The Prologue is really for the benefit of those reading this who are not fans of FY or haven't seen it, or this episode... etc. So major Spoiler warning for the prologue.

Editors Note: Unfortunately I haven't had the privilege of seeing FY so am not sure how badly I have changed the prologue with what minor editing that was done. Yes, I am deprived :p

FIRE ON THE WATER
PROLOGUE: RECALL

He looked inside the debriefing room with narrow eyes. //That bastard Eiken! What in the HELL does he think he's doin'? // He had to catch himself from letting out the growl that was on the verge of escaping his throat as he heard Eiken scream out his name. He looked up at the person doing the "interrogation measures" and then was forced to look at the tormentor a little harder. //Shit... is that a man or a woman? // He shook his head as if to clear it of it's confusion then his eyes came to rest upon the young girl who looked as if she was about to jump up and down and do cartwheels at the sound of his name.

//Hmph. What's she so excited 'bout? So I have one of those fuckin' constellation names. Big deal. // He took a better look at the scene. //Damn, I bet he'd been fondlin' that girl... or maybe the bastard finally got himself a wife, huh? // He shook his mane of fiery hair in disgust. // Either way it's disgustin'. // He looked at the auburn haired girl closely. She couldn't be more than 15 he figured. She was dressed funny too. //Parents probably auctioned her off to him as wife to buy a damn loaf of bread. One way or another... it's me or him and the girl comes with the package. //

He didn't know why but he felt an urgent need to protect her. A need to do so that went far beyond his chivalrous nature. It was as if she was calling to him. She turned and he caught a full, lasting glimpse of her face. She was uniquely pretty. //Damn oaf doesn't deserve a prize like that. Only one thing to do...//

In a single bound he jumped forward and with the god given speed he had been granted that exceeded any normal human's capabilities he whisked her to the other side of the room where the door was. All she felt was something grab and a full whisk of air on her face.

All looked in his direction and in a surprised voice he heard his best friend say, "Gen... Genrou..."

He glanced briefly at Koji then back at the startled faces of Eiken and the two companions the girl was with. He could feel the girl struggling vainly over his shoulders. He tightened his grip around her to keep her secure. Raising an eyebrow and adopting a superior stature, he waited for Eiken to let it all sink into his dumb head. "Y-y-y' didn't tell me you'd be back..."

"MIAKA!!!" screamed the tall one with long dark hair. //Well at least I know THAT one's a guy. //

Casually Genrou replied, "It's been a while Eiken. I take a little trip an' suddenly yer the chief!?" He glanced in the girl's direction that lay limp now across his shoulders. She must've decided it was pointless to fight because she had stopped wiggling. "Even an ugly- ass bastard like you managed to find yerself an old lady."

She heard the other 2 gasp and give him looks of bewilderment, then looked at Eiken disgusted.

"NO! I'm not his wife!" screamed the girl practically in his ear.

Genrou couldn't help but snicker. He again glanced in an indicating gesture to her. //So the rotten son of a bitch was gonna rape her... bastard... Only one way to take care of this once and for all... Get her out of here, and then replace the memory of that ugly toad's face with mine- a far more pleasant one to her eyes I hope. // Besides he wasn't going to force himself on her. If she said no then no.

"She's mine now. You wanna get her back; it's you 'n' me. You win y' even get to be boss. But tonight her cute li'l' ass is MINE!!"

"WHAT???" he heard the girl scream.

Then a mad rush of sentences and screams ensued as he pulled out his paper talisman. With a chuckle he held them out and threw them forward. "PLAY WITH MY BOYS!"

He heard Eiken scream and he couldn't help but laugh. Genrou turned to the door's opening, "The woman an' meal see you 'round." he laughed again hearing screams and shouts from those behind them as he faded into the night with the girl slung over his shoulders, listening to her scream "HOTOHORI!" in a desperate plea for help.

It was the first time he had laid eyes on Miaka, the Priestess of Suzaku. He could have had no idea how this meeting would change his life or what he'd have to face in the future. He had gone over it so many times since it happened. Each passing day Miaka worked her way more and more into his heart. For the longest time when he first met the other warriors, he had thought Hotohori was her beau, yet constantly heard the name "Tamahome" upon her lips. He thought perhaps that Tamahome was either her brother or ex-boyfriend or something, never imagining he was her lover, not Hotohori, Hotohori's affection was very easy to see. Nuriko's was more subtle as was the affection or camaraderie of the others. But none were more subtle than his. He hid it under a mask of machoism and chivalry.

When he finally met Tamahome, he hated him. Not only had he hurt Miaka physically and emotionally, but crushed her very spirit. It was when he saw that weapon flying at Miaka that Tamahome wielded that he realized he loved her. He wasn't sure how exactly, but all he knew was that even if this Tamahome was deemed to be a warrior of Suzaku, if Tamahome or anyone was going to hurt Miaka they'd have to go through him first. As a result, he nearly died in battle with Tamahome. Later after Tamahome returned to normal again he gradually came to look at Tamahome as a friend.

Not necessarily a best friend though. Tasuki always fought an inner war within himself over his love for Miaka. He had resolved (or at least thought he had) that she was like a sister to him. Yet there was always an inner jealousy towards Tamahome he couldn't explain. He couldn't explain a lot of things about himself as far as Miaka was concerned. The biggest was that he hated women, but not her. Never her. Somewhere along the line, he realized he didn't hate women as much as he thought he did before. He also couldn't explain why he would always end up charging forward just as recklessly as Tamahome when Miaka's safety was threatened. Why when she cried his heart cried with her. Why when she was away form him she dominated his thoughts. Numerous times he had questioned himself about how he really felt about her. But every time he had come to the real, factual conclusion that he loved her not as a brother, but as a man- as a lover, he freaked out. It hurt to know that she was happy with Tamahome. And he concluded he was happy as long as she was happy.

But once Tamahome was reborn and had become Taka, after 2 years of not seeing her then finally seeing her again for the first time in so long he couldn't deny that he was IN love with her. That he noticed her as a woman not just some weird girl. It was hard to fight off every natural instinct he had to hold her, feel her close to him. To beat off the urge to taste her lips. Especially when he had seen how weak Taka was. He couldn't protect her. He could love her, without a doubt, but not protect her. Not keep her from crying. Her tears were what hurt him the most.

Yet, she stayed with Taka. A man who couldn't even walk in straight line without smacking into something. He was mad at him and at himself. He was jealous with love for her and powerless to do anything about it. But she wanted TAKA so again he stayed out of sight and out of mind, and played the ever-faithful role of big brother. He even went back to deluding himself that was all he felt. Yet finally when he had to save her from drowning he slipped. He kissed her. It hadn't been the first kiss he ever had, but the first one he ever truly desired so much. It's effects on him spun his emotions and focus around. How could he deny it anymore? He'd never hurt her. Never do anything to make her cry....

All the feelings kept twirling around into a raging storm to be released in all it's fury when he was struck with a spell, and kidnapped Miaka to take her to the Inn. The fateful night when all came to a head. He had hurt Taka- beat him up, then took Miaka and under the influence of the spell tried to force himself on her. Yet when the spell was broken, humiliated and scared to death of even himself- Taka and Miaka had both forgiven him. Perhaps they both assumed it was just the spell working and twisting his affections around, but Chichiri and Mitsukake knew that the spell had only forced his true feelings to come violently out. He could no longer deny them, but could no longer hate Taka either. Nor resent him having Miaka, because through it all he still believed in him. He still trusted him with Miaka.

And Miaka... to her it seemed as though nothing had happened. She still believed in him too. But once it was all said and done, he was still in love with her. He still wanted her. And it wasn't the spell that had kept him fixed on her, but it was the spell that had (despite all its evilness) brought forth the need to come to terms with his real feelings for her. But from that point on, seeing that Miaka truly was happy with Taka he made his mind up that whatever it took, those 2 were going to stay together, no matter how it hurt him to watch every time they embraced or kissed. As long as Miaka was happy from that point on. He resolved even at the end of their 2nd set of adventures, as he watched the light around Miaka and Taka fade into oblivion on their way home, they were meant to be together and he would have to find happiness in that.

However as fate would have it, their destinies were still intricately interwoven, and his love for her would have another chance to redeem itself....