Er. I was in a bad mood when I wrote this :-\. Surely you can't tell. FY isn't miiinee. Curses! Please review! Even if its flames... teehee.

He finally reached the emperor's chamber, drumming on the door politely.
No answer.
He knocked again, this time a little more loudly.
No answer.
He carefully touched the ornate handle on the door. It wasn't locked, so he pushed the door open ever so slightly. Nuriko didn't see anyone in the small section of the room that was now visible, so he stepped in shyly. Still, no one was to be seen. Hotohori must still be sitting in the garden.

Nuriko turned to go, leaving the door open carelessly.
The seishi had only gotten a few feet away before he heard a loud THUD coming from Hotohori's room. He turned around quickly, going back to see what had made the noise.
He stuck his head back in the room, but still saw no one, nor did he see any object on the floor that might have fallen. He went inside, looking around to see what had caused the noise. He saw nothing out of the ordinary. Nuriko was just about to leave, dismissing the thud as his imagination, when he noticed a door standing slightly ajar. It must have led to some kind of side-room. Nuriko meekly opened the door further, letting out a small cry in alarm, jumping back slightly.
Inside the room, a small sitting room containing a few chairs, a table, and books, Hotohori looked up at Nuriko from where he kneeled on the floor, his eyes glassy and red blood smeared on his forehead and cheek.
"Hotohori-sama!" Nuriko's eyes flew wide as he stood frozen to the spot.
Hotohori looked down, seemingly noticing for the first time the blood that soaked his thin white shirt. The blood was pouring darkly from several places on the emperor's chest and stomach, and was dripping slowly from cuts all down his arms. He clutched the dagger that was lodged in his stomach, pulling it out stiffly, his face screwing up in pain as he let out a gurgling gasp. Nuriko let out a strangled kind of noise, unable to do anything else. He lost his balance and staggered toward the doorframe, clutching it for support. He couldn't believe this.
Hotohori paid Nuriko no mind as he stared at the knife he held shakily in his hand. He simply stared at it for a few seconds before clenching his eyes shut and suddenly jabbing it forcefully back into his chest. He let out another ragged gasp in pain, staring eerily straight ahead of him, wide eyes unblinking.
"No!" Nuriko ran over to him, suddenly realizing what was going on. He hastily sat down beside the bloody emperor, his robe becoming soaked in the massive amounts of blood pooled on the floor. He stared at Hotohori for a split second before reaching over with violently trembling hands to where the handle of the dagger was sticking out of Hotohori's bloodstained shirt. Nuriko pulled it out slowly, his chin shaking involuntarily. Why had Hotohori done this? He threw the knife across the small room, spattering blood around where it landed with a clank.
Hotohori still kneeled there, staring at the floor now.
"Hotohori-sama..." Nuriko's voice cracked as he started breathing hard, "Lay down..." The emperor absently leaned back into Nuriko's supporting arms. Nuriko situated him gently so that Hotohori's head was propped in his lap.
He started unfastening Hotohori's wet shirt with wildly shaking fingers. Nuriko pulled it away from his chest delicately, cringing as blood dripped out of the soaking shirt. Hotohori's muscular chest was covered in smeared bright red blood, four or five deep stab wounds exuding more dark red blood. His wrists were covered in many shallow cuts, not really bleeding much, but still managing to look very painful.
Nuriko studied him for a moment before letting out a single choked sob. He looked around the room, searching for something to help him not be so completely terrified.
"Lay still, Hotohori-sama... for just a minute," Nuriko blurted out as he set Hotohori's head down softly on the damp floor. Nuriko stood up.
He was about to take a step before running at top speed to get Mitsukake, when Hotohori's hand, wet with blood, feebly grasped Nuriko's ankle to stop him. Nuriko flew back around.
"Don't," Hotohori said softly, as if he could have spoken it more firmly had he the will. Nuriko let his tears of panic fall from his eyes, "But you'll die...!" he sobbed, "Why did you do this?!"
Hotohori said nothing.
"Why?!" Nuriko screamed, suddenly growing silent, "It wasn't because of..."
"No..." Hotohori stared up at the ceiling. "Why did you come here...?"
"To see you! Because I care about you!"
Hotohori frowned slightly as he rested his hand on top of his freely bleeding stomach. He shook his head a little.
"It's true! Hotohori-sama you can't die! You're the emperor! The people need you!"
"No they don't... I've been a horrible emperor..."
"I need you! What about me? And all the rest of us? We won't be able to summon Suzaku if you die!"
Hotohori was silent.
"I'm going to get Mitsukake..." Nuriko stood up again, noticing that his white robe was now mostly red. He wiped his eyes as he ran out the door, adding to his macabre look by smearing the blood that was on his hands onto his face. He turned the corner. He rounded the corner, almost to Mitsukake's room. That's when he felt it.

Mitsukake woke with a start. He sat up in his bed, staring off into the darkness of his room. He blinked, wondering what it was that had woken him up. Nuriko suddenly bound into his room, knocking the door off its hinges as he did.
"Mitsukake! Wake up!" he screamed violently. Nuriko tried to ignore what he knew. Hotohori had already died.
The boring man looked at Nuriko's shadowy form, "It's no use," he knew precisely what had happened. Well, not precisely. He just knew that Hotohori was no longer alive. He could feel it. Nuriko crumbled to the floor, staring straight ahead, his long hair surrounding him, some of it clumped together from the drying blood that was in it.

Tasuki twitched. "Damn it! The hell was that?" He looked to Chichiri for an answer.
The monk took off his mask, murmuring in a low tone, "Hotohori- sama... Something's happened to heika-sama no da..."
"What?! I thought the bastard was safe in Kounan!"
"I don't know no da..."
"I guess we'll find out when we get back?" Tasuki said, turning away and walking toward the Kutou palace.
"Right no da... We have to get Miaka-chan back no da..." he followed after the bandit. ( Chichiri isn't gay! And if he were, he wouldn't be with Tasuki! hehe)

Tamahome looked up. It felt as though he had suddenly been snapped out of a trance. Little did he know, that yes! He had! He wondered what the shuddering feeling that crawled over him was. Somehow he knew that something had happened to someone... but who? The young man ran his hands through his hair to make sure it was still silky smooth, pulling off the headband that he was wearing. He was utterly shocked to find that he was wearing a headband, as he thoroughly detested the things. Agh! What was this?? An earring? He pulled it off and threw it on the floor and stomped it thoroughly. In his opinion, earrings were for girls and homosexuals. And even if he DID wear earrings, he would at least have picked out some that matched his eyes. He jumped in shock as he looked down and noticed the clothes he was wearing. Monochrome outfits? Random earrings?? Headbands??? There was obviously a very serious evil plot going on here. The dark haired boy shook his head, eyes perking up as he remembered his promise to meet Miaka. He glanced out the window, cursing as he realized that he was late. He bolted out the door. About three seconds later, he stormed back in hastily pausing in front of the mirror. Fluffing his hair up with one fluid motion, he winked at his reflection and made a snapping- pointing-nodding gesture before once more running out the door.

Nuriko slowly opened his eyes, pulling the covers back over his face to block out the bright light that shone in from the window. After taking a few moments to wake up, he pulled the blankets off of himself, getting up slowly to get dressed, dragging his feet. He wasn't too sure how he wound up in his own bed, as the last thing he remembered from last night was being in Mitsukake's room. He decided that he liked talking to Mitsukake. He was such a good listener. Sure, his attention seemed to be more focused on his toes than on what Nuriko was saying, but that was alright... it just felt good to get it out. He told Mitsukake all about what happened with Hotohori... the whole story, starting from way back when he first came to the harem and instantly fell in love with him. After hearing Nuriko's ramblings for hours, Mitsukake finally spoke up, telling Nuriko how he didn't think that what Hotohori did was his fault. He said it in such a way that Nuriko had to believe him. Man, Mitsukake didn't talk often, but when he did, he made his point. Nuriko jumped a little as he saw himself in the mirror. Dry, brownish blood was smeared in excess on his face.
Nuriko vividly remembered last night, slightly surprised at how much blood one body could hold, and how it could all spill out, soaking everything in sight. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to banish those thoughts. He picked up a washcloth, dipping it in the bowl of water that was on his dresser, a deafening silence making every sound seem punctuated. Carefully, Nuriko wiped off the blood, which didn't come off as easy as he thought it would. He sighed. He was covered head to toe in dried blood. Nuriko purposefully emptied his head of all thought as he set to work washing the blood off with trembling hands before putting his clothes on.

------------------------------ I don't know where the Tamahome thing came from... XD mwahaha! It amuses me to no end though... Erm. Sorry for the random killing off of Hotohori x.x;;; I was pissed at him for two timing my Nuriko... or something... teehee. It's ok. You like it.