"Hey, what about this one? You think Hotohori will like it?" I held up the piece of jewelry to show Tasuki.
"Uhh...listen, Kit, ya do realize that His Highness probably has everythin' here? He's a rich guy, bein' the emperor and all."
After a brief walk, the group had finally arrived at the town Chichiri had mentioned. It was a busy place, people hurrying around, going about their business. I felt quite out of place in this ancient Chinese setting, but I was probably the only one of my friends to notice the stares we received. The others were too busy hanging over the men we were with to pay attention to anything else. Everyone had gone their own ways, Mu and Laura with Chichiri, Megan was with Miaka and Tamahome, Li wouldn't let go of Nuriko's arm, and I went with Tasuki. Chiriko and Mitsukake went their own ways, probably glad to be away from us.
"Well, then, smart-ass, what do I get him?!" I growled, putting the silver necklace back.
"Hey, now! I'm bein' nice 'ere and helpin' ya out! Don't get snappy at me!" Tasuki growled back and I sighed heavily.
"I know. I'm sorry. It's just, I want to show Hotohori how much I care about him..."
The red head gave me a fanged grin, setting a hand on my shoulder. "Well, I ain't one to really be askin' 'bout love and all that shit. I dun like girls."
I blinked, looking up at him. "So...you're gay?"
"Gah!!" Falling backwards, Tasuki tripped over a food stand, sending the whole thing crashing to the ground on top of him. Jumping to his feet quickly, sending all sorts of food flying around him, he got right up in my face, yelling at the top of his lungs. "NO, I'M NOT GAY!!"
I couldn't help myself as I began to laugh. He looked as though he was about to kill me, and here I was, laughing. The people around us stared with wide eyes, while the owner of the food stand stood frozen in shock.
"What's so damn funny, eh?!!"
"Just...heh...your expression. You look so funny!" I grinned, struggling to hold back my laughter. "Sorry. Couldn't help myself."
Strangely, Tasuki's expression lightened and he stepped away, brushing himself off, grinning lightly. "Yeah...guess yer right. It was pretty funny."
I smiled and pointed behind him. "Although, I don't think the owner of that stand it too amused."
"Wha??" Turning, Tasuki found a rather large piece of fruit shoved into his face as the owner began screaming at him. An argument broke out as Tasuki began shouting back at the angered owner, only making the man even more pissed off.
Smiling to myself, I leaned back against a nearby wall, watching the fight. I had to admit, Tasuki and I were a lot alike. And he was being nice, to help me like this. I'd have to pay him back somehow...
I shivered as I felt a cold wind against my back, glancing around. It was getting rather cloudy. A storm was approaching fast. But...I felt something strange about this storm, about the clouds. What was going on?
Suddenly, I heard Tasuki's voice fade, even as the man continued to yell. Turning towards him, I saw his red eyes searching the storm clouds. "This ain't good...somethin's up..."
"Tasuki, what's wrong?" Before I knew what was happening, from above me lightning crashed down, coming straight towards my body. I froze, shutting my eyes tightly, getting ready for the pain.
A force shoved me. Hard. And sent me flying into a nearby building. My eyes shot open as I hit the building and widened as the lightning that had been meant for me struck someone else. Struck the person who had saved me. Struck Tasuki.
"TASUKI!!"
His scream echoed in my mind, even as the lightning bolt disappeared, leaving the fiery haired man laying on the ground, motionless.
"Uhh...listen, Kit, ya do realize that His Highness probably has everythin' here? He's a rich guy, bein' the emperor and all."
After a brief walk, the group had finally arrived at the town Chichiri had mentioned. It was a busy place, people hurrying around, going about their business. I felt quite out of place in this ancient Chinese setting, but I was probably the only one of my friends to notice the stares we received. The others were too busy hanging over the men we were with to pay attention to anything else. Everyone had gone their own ways, Mu and Laura with Chichiri, Megan was with Miaka and Tamahome, Li wouldn't let go of Nuriko's arm, and I went with Tasuki. Chiriko and Mitsukake went their own ways, probably glad to be away from us.
"Well, then, smart-ass, what do I get him?!" I growled, putting the silver necklace back.
"Hey, now! I'm bein' nice 'ere and helpin' ya out! Don't get snappy at me!" Tasuki growled back and I sighed heavily.
"I know. I'm sorry. It's just, I want to show Hotohori how much I care about him..."
The red head gave me a fanged grin, setting a hand on my shoulder. "Well, I ain't one to really be askin' 'bout love and all that shit. I dun like girls."
I blinked, looking up at him. "So...you're gay?"
"Gah!!" Falling backwards, Tasuki tripped over a food stand, sending the whole thing crashing to the ground on top of him. Jumping to his feet quickly, sending all sorts of food flying around him, he got right up in my face, yelling at the top of his lungs. "NO, I'M NOT GAY!!"
I couldn't help myself as I began to laugh. He looked as though he was about to kill me, and here I was, laughing. The people around us stared with wide eyes, while the owner of the food stand stood frozen in shock.
"What's so damn funny, eh?!!"
"Just...heh...your expression. You look so funny!" I grinned, struggling to hold back my laughter. "Sorry. Couldn't help myself."
Strangely, Tasuki's expression lightened and he stepped away, brushing himself off, grinning lightly. "Yeah...guess yer right. It was pretty funny."
I smiled and pointed behind him. "Although, I don't think the owner of that stand it too amused."
"Wha??" Turning, Tasuki found a rather large piece of fruit shoved into his face as the owner began screaming at him. An argument broke out as Tasuki began shouting back at the angered owner, only making the man even more pissed off.
Smiling to myself, I leaned back against a nearby wall, watching the fight. I had to admit, Tasuki and I were a lot alike. And he was being nice, to help me like this. I'd have to pay him back somehow...
I shivered as I felt a cold wind against my back, glancing around. It was getting rather cloudy. A storm was approaching fast. But...I felt something strange about this storm, about the clouds. What was going on?
Suddenly, I heard Tasuki's voice fade, even as the man continued to yell. Turning towards him, I saw his red eyes searching the storm clouds. "This ain't good...somethin's up..."
"Tasuki, what's wrong?" Before I knew what was happening, from above me lightning crashed down, coming straight towards my body. I froze, shutting my eyes tightly, getting ready for the pain.
A force shoved me. Hard. And sent me flying into a nearby building. My eyes shot open as I hit the building and widened as the lightning that had been meant for me struck someone else. Struck the person who had saved me. Struck Tasuki.
"TASUKI!!"
His scream echoed in my mind, even as the lightning bolt disappeared, leaving the fiery haired man laying on the ground, motionless.