I don't know a title for yet, maybe you can help me

with it after you read it.

setting: 8th tape, after Hotohori offered to keep

Tamahome's family at his palace.

//...// --thought quotations

*********************************************************

As Miaka and Tamahome were leaving to see his family,

Tasuki mentioned he left something at the palace.

"Are you sure you left something, or is your fear of

water scarin' ya too much?" -Tamahome joked

"No its not! I really did leave something!" -Tasuki

fired back "Shouldn't you be leaving now?"

Before Tamahome left, he stuck out his tongue at

Tasuki, who also gave it right back.

As Tasuki was getting his horse ready Chichiri came up

to him.

"Ano, with all that's going on, it might be a little

dangerous to travel alone no da."- Chichiri said a

little worried.

"Yeah, I guess your right. Ano, you wanna come with me?"

-Tasuki asked a little nervously.

"Yeah, sure no da."

"Alright then, lets head out!" -Tasuki said while hoping

on the horse. "Ano, you wanna get on?"

"Uh, no that's ok, I'll walk. Thanks anyways no da."

While they both head out to the palace, Nuriko stared

at them with the biggest, evilest grin on his face.

"Looks like double time for me, hehe."

***

"Hey, you don't mind if we go through the forest do ya?"

-Tasuki asked, again nervously.

"Why's that?"

"Ano, I just don't really like the city area very much,

that's all."

//geez, I hope I'll be able to pull this off. This'll be

only time too for a long while.//

"That's fine, but be sure to be on guard no da."

"Right." -Tasuki nodded

//Just a little farther, then it should work...I hope.//

After about 7 minutes, Tasuki thought they should stop

for a minute for a drink.

They stopped as Tasuki jumped off the horse and grabbed

some water.

Tasuki plopped down against a tree and tapped his hand on

a spot in front of him.

"Come on, I won't bite."

"Oh, right. Of course no da."

Chichiri sat down in front of Tasuki as he handed him

some water.

"Ano, I don't mean to be a little nosy, but you don't

mind if I ask why you wear that mask?" -Tasuki asked as

Chichiri drank.

"Sure, I don't mind no da."

Chichiri set down his water and proceeded to tell him

almost the same thing he told Miaka, only a little more

in depth.

"Wow, I had no idea...I'm sorry..." -Tasuki tried to

comfort.

"You don't have to apologize, it's alright no da."

"Can I see it?"

::nods:: "Sure, it's pretty big though..."

Once Chichiri took off his mask and set it down, Tasuki

came up to him to see the scar a bit closer.

"Damn, that must've hurt like hell..." -Tasuki commented

as he reached out his hand to Chichiri's face where the

scar was.

"Ano.." -Chichiri said out as he pulled his head back a

little.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

But before he could finish his sentence, Chichiri

gently grabbed Tasuki's hand.

"Its ok, I don't mind. You just surprised me a little no

da."

Tasuki nodded as he started to gently rub his finger

across the scar as Chichiri closed his...eye.

//His touch is so warm no da. It..it feels nice. I don't

really know why, but my heart is racing, and I can

barely move no da..all I can think about is Tasuki..//

Tasuki soon stopped and moved his hand to the side of

Chichiri's face.

//No, don't stop now. It felt so good no da.//

Chichiri opened his one eye to see Tasuki's face inches

from his. Neither of them could move or hardly speak,

all they could do was look into each other's eyes.

//Damn, why can't I do it!? I've been waiting to do this

for so long//

Out of frustration, Tasuki pulled away and slumped back

against the tree.

//What the hell was I thinking!? I can't do this now, it

might affect the mission. Agh!//

Before Tasuki was about to get up and run outta there

in a blushing rage, Chichiri grabbed his hand, pulled up

his head, and gently kissed him right on the lips.

O.O //I-I don't believe it...It worked, my plan really

worked! I didn't think he'd feel the same way, but I'm

glad he does.//

With his free hand, Tasuki wrapped his arm around the

monk's body and pulled him closer, returning the kiss.

Chichiri soon broke away when he started to sense they

weren't alone anymore.

//damn// "What's wrong?"

"Someone's here no da." -Chichiri said while putting his

mask back on and standing ready.

"Where?"

A cracking sound from a tree was starting to sound

which gave away, causing whoever was in it to fall in

front of Tasuki and Chichiri.

"There no da."

The person who fell started to get up.

"N-Nuriko!?" -Tasuki exclaimed

Nuriko got up with the biggest grin on his face, nearly

almost ecstatic.

"What the hell is your problem, spying on us like

that!?!!!" -Tasuki yelled while constantly hitting

Nuriko on the head with his fan.

Nuriko laughed as Chichiri turned around blushing like

crazy.

"You better not tell a soul!! I'll kill you if you do!!"

-Tasuki said so loud in Nuriko's ear while blushing his

ass off too.

::rubbing his ear:: "Well, you two do look kinda cute

together."

"Would ya cut that out already!" -Tasuki blushed even

more while hitting Nuriko on the head again.

"Its ok, no da. We should probably get back soon though

no da." -Chichiri said as he mounted the horse.

"Well, I'll just leave you two 'Love Birds' by

yourselves. Ja!" -Nuriko hopped off to back to Hotohori,

giggling like a maniac.

Tasuki didn't realize that Chichiri was already on the

horse as he approached, and stagged back a little

apologizing. He started to walk the horse down back to

the dock, but Chichiri stopped him before he could take

one step.

"Go ahead and get on, I don't mind no da." -Chichiri

smiled down at him.

"Well...I dunno...I ano..."

::looks at him with a little puppy dog eye:: "Please?"

::can't resist that look:: "Well, ok, If you insist."

Tasuki hoped on behind him, Chichiri started to blush a

little when Tasuki wrapped his arms around his waist.

As they headed out to dock Tasuki whispered in

Chichiri's ear:

"Wo ai ni."

*************************owari**************************