Disclaimer: Shinji and Aiko are mine. Nobody else is, unfortunately.
Title: Carnival Kisses (3/?)
Author: lorien
Pairings (in this part): Hotohori+Nuriko, a bit of Mitsukake+Soi, and we're slowly progressing towards Tamahome+? (Ah, not like anybody doesn't know what the 'mystery pairing' is by now. *g*)
by lorien
That evening found the five boys piled into Hotohori's car, driving into town to go to the carnival. Hotohori was driving, with Nuriko in the passenger seat; Chichiri, Tasuki and Tamahome were sitting at the back. Nuriko and Tasuki were loudly singing along to the music on the radio.
"...PROMISE MEEEEE, YOU'LL WAIT FOR MEEEEEE~..."
"This was supposed to be a slow song, no da..." Chichiri informed the pair.
Nuriko beamed at his friend. "We know!"
"But it #(% sounds better this way," grinned Tasuki.
Tamahome flattened his face against the window in mock fear, both palms pressed against the glass. "Aargh! Lemme out! Lemme out!"
Turning in his seat, Nuriko tossed the magazine he'd been reading at Tamahome, pretending to be offended. "Hey, our singing isn't that bad!"
"Damn straight!" agreed Tasuki.
"Straight?" Hotohori blinked comically. "Nuriko?"
Everyone groaned at the bad joke, and Nuriko poked his boyfriend in the elbow, chuckling. "Eyes on the road, you."
Tamahome smiled to himself. The evening wasn't turning out so bad after all...in fact, he was having fun already, thanks to his friends. And afterall, Miaka was just a little crush...he could always find some other nice girl, right? With those thoughts, his spirits lifted considerably, and he started singing along to the radio with the other two boys.
"Yatta, Tama-chan!" grinned Nuriko, while the verses of the song were being played. Mercifully for Chichiri and Hotohori, the chorus of the song was the only part that Tasuki, Nuriko and Tamahome knew the lyrics to.
"Hey, guys," said Tasuki. "Chorus."
Getting ample warning, Chichiri clapped his hands to his ears, while poor Hotohori, who was driving, simply rolled his eyes and stifled a laugh.
"...I NEED TO KNOW YOU FEEEEEL THE SAAAAME WAY TOOOOO~..."
They finally reached the carnival about twenty minutes later.
"Whoa..." Nuriko looked around, wide-eyed. "This place is so crowded!"
"It's Friday night no da," said Chichiri. "Most of the town is probably here as well."
"True," agreed Nuriko. Then, catching sight of a cotton candy vendor, his eyes lit up. "I'm gonna get some cotton candy," he announced. "Be right back!"
"Nuriko, wait!" yelped Hotohori, as his boyfriend disappeared into the throngs of people surrounding them. "You'll never find us again in this crowd!" Hurrying forward, he just managed to grab the tip of Nuriko's violet braid.
"Find us at the #%#@ coconut shy!" yelled Tasuki after the pair, satisfied that they - or Hotohori, at least - had heard, when the brown-haired boy turned and nodded his acknowledgement before disappearing into the crowd.
Chichiri raised his eyebrow. "Coconut shy no da?"
"Yep!" Tasuki grinned at his two friends. "Challenge you two. Bet I'll win!"
"Yeah, right!" scoffed Tamahome, chuckling. "C'mon, let's go. I'll beat you two flat!"
"Hey," remarked Chichiri, squinting through the crowd. "Isn't that Mitsukake no da?"
"Oh, yeah," said Tasuki, spotting the tall boy. "He's with that )@$ girl I told you guys about."
"Yup, that's Soi all right," Tamahome said, seeing the pretty redhead hanging onto Mitsukake's arm.
At that moment, Mitsukake spotted the three boys, and waved to them. "Hey, guys!" He made his way through the crowd to join them. "Group outing? How come I didn't get invited?" He looked a little hurt.
"We tried calling you," explained Chichiri, "but you weren't in no da."
"Yeah. You - " Tasuki poked Mitsukake's arm for emphasis. " - were @(*% on a hot date, that's why!"
Mitsukake grinned sheepishly, scratching his head awkwardly. "Oh. Yeah."
"Sheesh." Tamahome rolled his eyes and laughed. "Enjoy yourself, yeah? We expect details later."
"Yeah," grinned Tasuki. "Nuriko's #@#$ dyin' to fish for details."
Tamahome snickered. "And you're dying to hear the dirt too, admit it."
Chichiri laughed.
"Well," chuckled Mitsukake, "I'd better be getting back to Soi. Catch you guys later!"
Tamahome nodded. "We'll probably be going back to my place later. Pop by whenever you can, 'kay?"
"Sure thing!" Waving, the broad-shouldered boy made his way back through the crowd to his date.
Tasuki eyed Tamahome critically. "You're not )#@ upset about Miaka anymore? You didn't even look a bit jealous when you saw Mitsukake with Soi."
Chichiri thwapped Tasuki on the arm. "That was tactful no da."
"Oops," the flame-haired boy grinned sheepishly, then looked expectantly at Tamahome for his reation.
"Nah, it's okay." The aqua-haired boy shrugged philosophically "If it's not meant to be, then it's not meant to be. No point getting upset, right? And besides," he perked up a little, "there are lots more fish in the sea!"
Tasuki burst out laughing. "I was @)% getting worried for a while there...but that sounds like the Tamahome we all @*%# know and love!"
Chichiri grinned at Tamahome too. "Glad you're feeling better no da." He inclined his head towards the coconut shy. "Now let's show Tasuki who's the best shot no da!"
Despite all Tasuki and Tamahome's bragging, in the end it was Chichiri who won their impromptu shooting match. Grinning smugly as they walked away from the stand, the blue-haired boy declared, "all right, both of you now owe me a treat no da!"
"Hey...we (*# never agreed to that!" protested Tasuki.
"It's okay," Chichiri gave him a Cheshire cat grin. "You can still give me a treat no da."
"Hey - " Tamahome paused as he felt something bump into his leg. "Eh?"
A little boy, about eight years old, with big blue eyes and short blonde hair, stared up at him, rubbing his head where he'd bumped into Tamahome's leg.
Tamahome blinked. //He looks vaguely like someone I know...who...?//
"I can't find my sister," the little boy informed him seriously.
"Oh?" Tamahome knelt down so that he'd be at the same eye level as the boy. "What's your name?"
"Shinji. What's yours?"
"Eh? Oh...I'm Tamahome."
"Oh. Oh."
The gray-eyed boy blinked at this cryptic response. "Uhm. Okay, then, Shinji, let's go find your sister, 'kay?" Taking the little boy's hand, Tamahome turned to his two friends. "You guys stay here and wait for Hotohori and Nuriko, 'kay? I'll help this little guy find his sis, then I'll come back and find you guys."
Grinning conspiratorially, he added as an afterthought, "hope Shinji's sister is a pretty girl..."
"Ah," Tasuki grinned smugly. "I knew there had to be a #%* catch."
"Hey!"
Chichiri grinned. "Have fun, Tamahome. We'll wait here for you no da."
Tamahome nodded and turned, disappearing into the crowd with Shinji in tow.
"There she is!" exclaimed Shinji, disengaging from Tamahome's hand and running over to a small pond with some people crouching around it, trying to catch the goldfish that swam inside. "Aiko-chan!"
Tamahome blinked as he saw the girl that Shinji latched on to. //Yep, his sister's pretty, alright...//
//...but about twelve years too young for me,// he concluded gloomily. The girl had long blonde hair, neatly bunned up, and huge blue eyes just like Shinji...and she looked about five or six years old.
Shinji grabbed the girl's hand. "Aiko-chan! I was worried about you!"
"Sorry..." she blinked up at him innocently, and pointed at the pond. "Look, aren't the little fish cute?"
"Hai," Shinji smiled. "Where's 'niichan?"
"I thought 'niichan was with you...?"
"No..." The little boy blinked. "Tamahome-niisan brought me to find you." He grabbed Tamahome's hand, and pulled the surprised aqua-haired boy over. "Aiko-chan, this is Tamahome-niisan. Tamahome-niisan, this is my sister, Aiko-chan."
"Hi, Aiko-chan," Tamahome smiled gently at the girl, who regarded him with wide blue eyes.
Aiko turned to her brother, opening her mouth to ask a question, but was interrupted by another voice before she could say anything.
"Ah, Shin-kun, Aiko-chan, there you are. I was looking for you."
Tamahome spun around in surprise.
"'niichan!" squealed Aiko, laughing as her older brother swung her up in the air.
Tamahome gaped. "Nakago?!"
TBC...
A/N: Please note that this story is AU...so don't tell me that Nakago's an only child, etc. etc...'k? ^^;;