~An American Miko~
Chapter Three
Realizations & Acceptance
Two things woke Myst in the middle of the night. One was Hotohori shivering from the chill air since he wasn't under the blanket; the other was the quite sound of the door opening. She looked up to see the doctor, whom she had come to know and like quite well, walk in.
The kind man started for a moment when he saw that she was awake. "Oh! You're."
She quickly hushed him and uncurled her arm gently from around the sleeping emperor's shoulders to show the doctor her prize.
The doctor's eyes widened for a moment and then softened as he stepped up silently to the bed. He whispered quietly to Mistyc as he poured a bowl of liquid painkillers for her. "I'm glad you're finally awake. How do you feel?"
She smiled and whispered back after drinking the potion. "Not too bad except for the pain. Happy though."
He nodded. "It's so good to see his majesty in someone's arms at last. I'm very glad it's yours. I've been with his family since his father was first emperor. He's been so lonely for so long and I could do nothing for him but be a friend and someone to talk to. Now that you're here though, there seems to be a new life in his eyes."
She smiled gratefully and whispered back, "He's cold and I don't want to wake him to get him under the blankets. Would you be able to find one to cover him with?"
The man smiled and walked to the end of the bed where a chest sat. He was back a few moments later, draping a large plush quilt with silk lining over the two. Hotohori stirred and opened bleary sleep-fogged eyes, lifting his head a little.
Myst smiled to herself. 'He looks just like a child when he wakes up.'
Hotohori's hair was a lion's mane around his face and he turned his head with a small frown to look at who was behind him.
The doctor smiled and pulled some of the stray stands of hair out of Hotohori's face. This showed that they were truly as close as the doctor had said. "Go back to sleep your majesty. I was just checking on our friend here."
Hotohori nodded, shifted and buried his head back on Myst's shoulder.
Myst started to get drowsy again as the medicine began to work and wrapped her arm back around her loves broad shoulders. She closed her eyes, kissed Hotohori on the top of the head and kept her face pressed against his soft hair. She fell asleep whispering, "I love you Hotohori. Always, always love you."
The doctor smiled as he left and quietly shut the door. 'I told you when you were younger Saihitei, some dreams will come true. Not that it will be any time soon hopefully, but now I can and will die a happy man knowing that yours came true. You always were like a son to me."
**********
Hotohori woke slowly. 'So warm.' He opened his eyes and came face to face with. a neck. He furrowed his brow until his brain caught up with him and he remembered what happened.
Myst waking up, the forgiveness, the love. He whispered to himself. "The love."
The hand on his back softly trailed up and down his spine. "Hotohori? Are you awake?"
He looked up and smiled into the strange eyes that he had fallen in love with.
Myst smiled warmly. "Did you sleep well?
He nodded, smiled, and kissed her collarbone. "Truth to tell, I haven't slept that well, or that deeply since I was a child. I felt so safe, and it was the first time in a long time that my loneliness hasn't woken me in the middle of the night. I had very good dreams."
Myst touched her fingertips to his soft lips. "I'm glad. The best part of the night was holding you as you slept. Felling and listening to you breathe made me feel so peaceful."
She would have said more had a small rumble not filled the room and made Hotohori blush. Myst chuckled. "You haven't eaten in three days have you? Go eat. Get a bath, change your clothes, and take care of that loin's mane you call hair."
As if to emphasize her point, a puffed tangle of hair fell over Hotohori's forehead and into his face causing his eyes to cross.
Myst burst out laughing then gasped and held her side again in pain. Her vision seemed to go black for a moment and when the world came back into focus, Hotohori's frantic face was inches above hers. His warm hands were on the sides her face and he appeared to be shouting for someone, though she couldn't seem to understand what he was saying. A moment later the doctor's face came into her line of vision next to Hotohori's.
Myst blinked a few times. "What. what happened?"
Hotohori sat back and let the doctor check on her, but kept hold of her hand as he spoke in a worried voice. "You laughed, then you passed out. I couldn't wake you. I was so afraid!" He closed his eyes and pressed the back of her hand to his cheek, but not before she saw the shine of tears in the shinning gold orbs.
Myst smiled sweetly as the doctor got to his feet. Hotohori looked up at him but kept a hold of Myst's hand.
"She'll be fine once she heals a little more and gets something to eat. You need to eat too your majesty. I'll have something brought in for you two."
"Thank you. That would be much appreciated." Hotohori and Myst nodded their thanks as the doctor left again.
Myst squeezed the hand that held hers and he turned back to her. "While we wait for the food, go get a bath and take care of yourself. Change into something more comfortable. I'll be waiting right here my love."
Hotohori smiled brightly at the endearment and nodded. He leaned forward and kissed her tenderly on the lips. "I love you. I'll be right back."
She kissed him and smiled back caressing his cheek one last time before he rose. "I'll be waiting." Hotohori got to his feet and reluctantly let her fingers slip though his. He turned and looked back at her once more as he stood in the doorway leading to his private bath, then turned and slipped inside.
**********
The food smelled wonderful, and steam rose from it as she watched. Myst stomach growled angrily, but she had decided to wait for Hotohori to come back. Plus, she couldn't exactly get up and walk over there.
Right on cue, Hotohori walked back into the room looking refreshed. and took her breath away. His wet, brown hair was pulled back into a tight, almost strict ponytail at the nape of his neck. Only a few stands of his bangs fell in damn tendrils over his high forehead. He wore nothing but a thin, body-length robe that clung to his damp body like a second skin accentuating the lines and slim yet powerful build of his body.
He smiled at her as he passed the bed and walked over to a large wardrobe. He opened it and pulled out one of his imperial lounging robes.
Myst spoke up at this a little confused. "Why are your clothes in here?"
Hotohori walked behind a screen as he answered. "They've always been here. These are my main chambers and personal sleeping quarters."
Mistyc gave a small gasp. "This is your bed? I've been sleeping in your bed this whole time?! Then where have you been sleeping?!"
Hotohori chuckled and stepped out from behind the screen now dressed in the beautiful lounging robe. He picked up the tray of food and sat beside her on the bed again with the tray on his lap. I've been sleeping on a smaller bed in the next room."
"Why? Why didn't you just put me there in the first place?"
Hotohori shook his head as he divided up the rice and the other food with ornamented chopsticks. "You were injured and this is the best bed in the palace. It's also the most peaceful and well guarded."
She smiled and touched his thigh gently causing him to shiver a little. "Thank you. . .... You have nice thighs you know that?"
Hotohori blushed as she rubbed his thigh. "Um. th-thank you."
She chuckled and her stomach growled.
Hotohori smiled then. "Well, how shall we do this? You can't very well sit up and eat."
She struggled to sit up a bit. "I can try."
He pushed her back down with his hands to her shoulders. "No. Stay down. I'll feed you."
It was her turn to blush now. She reached up to scratch her head and glared when she reached the bandage.
Hotohori shook his head and leaned over, beginning to unwrap her forehead. "You can take this off now. Just be careful not to scratch the wound. It's a little bit bigger than it was now, but the doctor says it's healing nicely and might not even leave a scar. Do you heal like that all the time?"
She nodded. "Most of the time." She noticed how he winced as the bandage pulled away. "That bad huh?"
He shook his head. "Not at all. It's just that I helped cause it."
She squeezed his thigh a little, careful not to upset the tray. "No more so than I. Don't worry about me, I've had worse. Now lets eat before it gets cold."
Hotohori obviously wanted to say more, but only sighed. He smiled with great love in his eyes and picked the chopsticks back up, alternating between feeding her and himself. They talked and laughed and smiled, and brushed their hands against each other, and every once in a while, stole a quick kiss. The meal was punctuated every so often with a tenderly spoken 'I love you'.
After that, Hotohori put on a formal robe and promised to be back later, saying that he had been neglecting his duties and they could wait no longer now that she was on the mend.
**********
This became the routine everyday for the next month and a half. Even though Myst was almost fully healed and could even sit up after a while, Hotohori still fed her when he had the chance. It became an act of love and every once in a while she would pick up a small piece of food in her fingertips and put it to his lips for him to eat.
Hotohori had told her about the legend of Suzaku no Miko and what duties, and rights, and gifts came with the title. She agreed that it sounded a lot like what happened to her, and agreed to accept the role. It had been announced formally that she was now Suzaku no Miko, however, she would not worry about the duties until she was fully recovered.
Hotohori had started sleeping in the same bed as her after that first night. They no longer wore clothes to bed, but to them, it was an act of innocence and trust. Plus they didn't even need the physical except to be held in each other's arms. For now, life was content in their world as their love and trust grew beyond bounds.
**********
A.N.: There's another chapter for ya. Hope ya liked it ne?! I'm having fun writing this story. Tell me if you're having fun reading it ok? The next chapter gets REALLY steamy so be forewarned. I'll have a warning at the top of the next chapter too so don't worry about that. It WILL be a lemon by the way. By the way! *smiles* did I mention that this fic happens to be about 90 to 95% sap? It gets better. Just wait until I happen to introduce Nuriko into it. *Evil maniacal laughter*. Any who. Gotta go. Enjoy ne?!
~Celesta Hellewise Harman
Two things woke Myst in the middle of the night. One was Hotohori shivering from the chill air since he wasn't under the blanket; the other was the quite sound of the door opening. She looked up to see the doctor, whom she had come to know and like quite well, walk in.
The kind man started for a moment when he saw that she was awake. "Oh! You're."
She quickly hushed him and uncurled her arm gently from around the sleeping emperor's shoulders to show the doctor her prize.
The doctor's eyes widened for a moment and then softened as he stepped up silently to the bed. He whispered quietly to Mistyc as he poured a bowl of liquid painkillers for her. "I'm glad you're finally awake. How do you feel?"
She smiled and whispered back after drinking the potion. "Not too bad except for the pain. Happy though."
He nodded. "It's so good to see his majesty in someone's arms at last. I'm very glad it's yours. I've been with his family since his father was first emperor. He's been so lonely for so long and I could do nothing for him but be a friend and someone to talk to. Now that you're here though, there seems to be a new life in his eyes."
She smiled gratefully and whispered back, "He's cold and I don't want to wake him to get him under the blankets. Would you be able to find one to cover him with?"
The man smiled and walked to the end of the bed where a chest sat. He was back a few moments later, draping a large plush quilt with silk lining over the two. Hotohori stirred and opened bleary sleep-fogged eyes, lifting his head a little.
Myst smiled to herself. 'He looks just like a child when he wakes up.'
Hotohori's hair was a lion's mane around his face and he turned his head with a small frown to look at who was behind him.
The doctor smiled and pulled some of the stray stands of hair out of Hotohori's face. This showed that they were truly as close as the doctor had said. "Go back to sleep your majesty. I was just checking on our friend here."
Hotohori nodded, shifted and buried his head back on Myst's shoulder.
Myst started to get drowsy again as the medicine began to work and wrapped her arm back around her loves broad shoulders. She closed her eyes, kissed Hotohori on the top of the head and kept her face pressed against his soft hair. She fell asleep whispering, "I love you Hotohori. Always, always love you."
The doctor smiled as he left and quietly shut the door. 'I told you when you were younger Saihitei, some dreams will come true. Not that it will be any time soon hopefully, but now I can and will die a happy man knowing that yours came true. You always were like a son to me."
**********
Hotohori woke slowly. 'So warm.' He opened his eyes and came face to face with. a neck. He furrowed his brow until his brain caught up with him and he remembered what happened.
Myst waking up, the forgiveness, the love. He whispered to himself. "The love."
The hand on his back softly trailed up and down his spine. "Hotohori? Are you awake?"
He looked up and smiled into the strange eyes that he had fallen in love with.
Myst smiled warmly. "Did you sleep well?
He nodded, smiled, and kissed her collarbone. "Truth to tell, I haven't slept that well, or that deeply since I was a child. I felt so safe, and it was the first time in a long time that my loneliness hasn't woken me in the middle of the night. I had very good dreams."
Myst touched her fingertips to his soft lips. "I'm glad. The best part of the night was holding you as you slept. Felling and listening to you breathe made me feel so peaceful."
She would have said more had a small rumble not filled the room and made Hotohori blush. Myst chuckled. "You haven't eaten in three days have you? Go eat. Get a bath, change your clothes, and take care of that loin's mane you call hair."
As if to emphasize her point, a puffed tangle of hair fell over Hotohori's forehead and into his face causing his eyes to cross.
Myst burst out laughing then gasped and held her side again in pain. Her vision seemed to go black for a moment and when the world came back into focus, Hotohori's frantic face was inches above hers. His warm hands were on the sides her face and he appeared to be shouting for someone, though she couldn't seem to understand what he was saying. A moment later the doctor's face came into her line of vision next to Hotohori's.
Myst blinked a few times. "What. what happened?"
Hotohori sat back and let the doctor check on her, but kept hold of her hand as he spoke in a worried voice. "You laughed, then you passed out. I couldn't wake you. I was so afraid!" He closed his eyes and pressed the back of her hand to his cheek, but not before she saw the shine of tears in the shinning gold orbs.
Myst smiled sweetly as the doctor got to his feet. Hotohori looked up at him but kept a hold of Myst's hand.
"She'll be fine once she heals a little more and gets something to eat. You need to eat too your majesty. I'll have something brought in for you two."
"Thank you. That would be much appreciated." Hotohori and Myst nodded their thanks as the doctor left again.
Myst squeezed the hand that held hers and he turned back to her. "While we wait for the food, go get a bath and take care of yourself. Change into something more comfortable. I'll be waiting right here my love."
Hotohori smiled brightly at the endearment and nodded. He leaned forward and kissed her tenderly on the lips. "I love you. I'll be right back."
She kissed him and smiled back caressing his cheek one last time before he rose. "I'll be waiting." Hotohori got to his feet and reluctantly let her fingers slip though his. He turned and looked back at her once more as he stood in the doorway leading to his private bath, then turned and slipped inside.
**********
The food smelled wonderful, and steam rose from it as she watched. Myst stomach growled angrily, but she had decided to wait for Hotohori to come back. Plus, she couldn't exactly get up and walk over there.
Right on cue, Hotohori walked back into the room looking refreshed. and took her breath away. His wet, brown hair was pulled back into a tight, almost strict ponytail at the nape of his neck. Only a few stands of his bangs fell in damn tendrils over his high forehead. He wore nothing but a thin, body-length robe that clung to his damp body like a second skin accentuating the lines and slim yet powerful build of his body.
He smiled at her as he passed the bed and walked over to a large wardrobe. He opened it and pulled out one of his imperial lounging robes.
Myst spoke up at this a little confused. "Why are your clothes in here?"
Hotohori walked behind a screen as he answered. "They've always been here. These are my main chambers and personal sleeping quarters."
Mistyc gave a small gasp. "This is your bed? I've been sleeping in your bed this whole time?! Then where have you been sleeping?!"
Hotohori chuckled and stepped out from behind the screen now dressed in the beautiful lounging robe. He picked up the tray of food and sat beside her on the bed again with the tray on his lap. I've been sleeping on a smaller bed in the next room."
"Why? Why didn't you just put me there in the first place?"
Hotohori shook his head as he divided up the rice and the other food with ornamented chopsticks. "You were injured and this is the best bed in the palace. It's also the most peaceful and well guarded."
She smiled and touched his thigh gently causing him to shiver a little. "Thank you. . .... You have nice thighs you know that?"
Hotohori blushed as she rubbed his thigh. "Um. th-thank you."
She chuckled and her stomach growled.
Hotohori smiled then. "Well, how shall we do this? You can't very well sit up and eat."
She struggled to sit up a bit. "I can try."
He pushed her back down with his hands to her shoulders. "No. Stay down. I'll feed you."
It was her turn to blush now. She reached up to scratch her head and glared when she reached the bandage.
Hotohori shook his head and leaned over, beginning to unwrap her forehead. "You can take this off now. Just be careful not to scratch the wound. It's a little bit bigger than it was now, but the doctor says it's healing nicely and might not even leave a scar. Do you heal like that all the time?"
She nodded. "Most of the time." She noticed how he winced as the bandage pulled away. "That bad huh?"
He shook his head. "Not at all. It's just that I helped cause it."
She squeezed his thigh a little, careful not to upset the tray. "No more so than I. Don't worry about me, I've had worse. Now lets eat before it gets cold."
Hotohori obviously wanted to say more, but only sighed. He smiled with great love in his eyes and picked the chopsticks back up, alternating between feeding her and himself. They talked and laughed and smiled, and brushed their hands against each other, and every once in a while, stole a quick kiss. The meal was punctuated every so often with a tenderly spoken 'I love you'.
After that, Hotohori put on a formal robe and promised to be back later, saying that he had been neglecting his duties and they could wait no longer now that she was on the mend.
**********
This became the routine everyday for the next month and a half. Even though Myst was almost fully healed and could even sit up after a while, Hotohori still fed her when he had the chance. It became an act of love and every once in a while she would pick up a small piece of food in her fingertips and put it to his lips for him to eat.
Hotohori had told her about the legend of Suzaku no Miko and what duties, and rights, and gifts came with the title. She agreed that it sounded a lot like what happened to her, and agreed to accept the role. It had been announced formally that she was now Suzaku no Miko, however, she would not worry about the duties until she was fully recovered.
Hotohori had started sleeping in the same bed as her after that first night. They no longer wore clothes to bed, but to them, it was an act of innocence and trust. Plus they didn't even need the physical except to be held in each other's arms. For now, life was content in their world as their love and trust grew beyond bounds.
**********
A.N.: There's another chapter for ya. Hope ya liked it ne?! I'm having fun writing this story. Tell me if you're having fun reading it ok? The next chapter gets REALLY steamy so be forewarned. I'll have a warning at the top of the next chapter too so don't worry about that. It WILL be a lemon by the way. By the way! *smiles* did I mention that this fic happens to be about 90 to 95% sap? It gets better. Just wait until I happen to introduce Nuriko into it. *Evil maniacal laughter*. Any who. Gotta go. Enjoy ne?!
~Celesta Hellewise Harman