I know you all say that my dust-collecting isn't bad compared to yours, but I still feel bad when I take too long to get a new chapter up... ::shrug:: Anyway, this chapter contains the infamous drunk Tasuki scene. ^_~ I hope you enjoy it! I am now officially improvising. I have a hard time planning stories out. I'll try to keep this one from getting too far off track.
Disclaimer: Does anyone know how I can buy FY? Or at least a couple characters?
Warning: You've read this far and you don't know it's yaoi?
--------------True Happiness--------------
I'm wondering where Tamahome is. He rode off yesterday, no explanation; he just turned and left. I can only assume he was looking for Miaka. This left Chichiri, Chiriko, Mitsukake and me to look for a place to camp, since we were now solidly in the middle of the desert.
At least, it looked that way for a while. Then, just before sunrise, we spotted lights.
"Is that Sairou, no da?" Chichiri asked.
"What else could it be?" Chiriko replied.
We headed for the lights, which spread across the sand dunes like a web. "It wasn't such a long ride, after all," I said.
The city was busy. Chichiri stopped a passerby and asked if we were in Sairou. The man replied that yes, we were.
"Well, we can just wait here for Miaka and Tamahome, no da!" Chichiri said happily.
So that's what we decided to do.
***
We somehow managed to find someone who would allow us to stay in their house. It was a beautiful house; large, with its own library, and comfortable rooms.
Tasuki had quickly discovered what was, to his mind, the most pleasant feature of the house. I walked into his room to see him sitting at a table with a near-empty bowl of sake in front of him. It was immediately clear that this wasn't his first, either. How did I know? Well, for one thing, he didn't act sober. For another, the table was covered with sake bowls...
And then there was the fact that he wasn't wearing a shirt.
I turned bright red behind my mask and looked back at the door I'd just come through. It was too late. Tasuki had seen me.
"Hey, Chichiri!" He began, only to be cut off by the arrival of a servant.
"Would you like some more sake, sir?"
"Yeah, if it ain't too much trouble for ya…" Tasuki grinned as the servant left. "Isn' the hostess great, t' let us stay in this house? They even give ya all the sake y'want!"
I nodded, distracted. "Do you know where Mitsukake and Chiriko are?"
"I think Chiriko's in the library, studyin'," he slurred. "An' Mitsukake's researchin' medicine, 'r somethin'."
"I wanted to contact Hotohori-sama, but something's interfering with my magic...I'm worried," I started to explain, but stopped. Tasuki obviously wasn't listening to me. He was yelling something about breasts, and Miaka dumping hair all over the place, making various gestures with two sake bowls from the table. I sighed and shook my head.
I left for a few minutes to track down the servant who had promised Tasuki more sake. I informed him that Tasuki wasn't in any condition to drink more, and asked him to please forget about bringing the drink. He nodded, wearing the same impassive expression as everyone I'd seen since arriving in Sairou. It was starting to grind on my nerves, and I wondered if this was how people felt when I wore my mask all the time.
I walked slowly back to Tasuki's room, wanting to make sure he was going to be all right, but also not sure I could deal with seeing the bandit shirtless again.
I didn't have to worry. When I got back to his room, I found that Tasuki had fallen asleep on the floor. I shook my head again, but I was smiling this time. I lifted him onto the bed and pulled the thin sheet over him.
"Sweet dreams, Tasuki," I murmured, and pulled a chair over to the side of the bed. Tasuki was going to have an awful hangover when he woke up, and I doubted Mitsukake would use his once-a-day healing on that. I wasn't sure about my ability to help hangovers, but I'd try.
Tasuki smiled at something he was dreaming, his fangs poking out slightly over his lower lip. His face looked so peaceful. Late-afternoon sunlight shone through the widow, lighting his hair and making it look even more like fire than usual. The room was quiet, and I could hear his breathing, slow and even. I watched his chest rise and fall in time with the breaths.
Tasuki whispered something in his sleep. I didn't hear it, but then he repeated it, louder.
"Nuriko!"
My heart froze, then made an odd attempt at beating that was worse than the feeling when it had stopped. 'Idiot,' I cursed myself. 'You knew he was with Nuriko.' I stood up, wanting to leave, but I couldn't. When he woke up, Tasuki would feel awful. Aside from Mitsukake, I was the only one of us with any knowledge of healing.
As I made myself sit down, a single tear slipped off my cheek and landed on Tasuki's hand.
-------To be continued.
Poor Chichiri, getting the wrong idea about that dream... somebody should've told him Tasuki and Nuriko broke up. Sorry this chapter's so short. The next chapter will explain the dream. I ought to have it up soon—Really soon, in fact, since I already know what's going to happen. I know I told you I was improvising, but I do have the next chapter clear ::grin:: Anyway, tell me what you think! Reviews are greatly appreciated.
~Mikazuki
