Even Die For You

Author's Notes: This is an AU, making Nuriko NOT, I repeat, NOT a cross dresser. It's been a while ever since I last watched or even read anything related to Fushigi Yuugi. So, forgive me for any mistakes.

            It's been a long time ever since Chou Ryuuen's death. Everyone in Eiyou that knew Ryuuen was devastated by the news, but only one person got ruined by it. Aya Yamazaki lives in Eiyou, Konan with her family. Ever since the death of her best friend and lover, Aya tried to kill herself. She slit her wrists, using a dagger. Scars can be found on her body, making her to wear long sleeved clothes.

            Aya's pink hair swayed behind her back as she tied it into a braid…to neaten it up and to remember…him. She refused to love again. Men tried to court her. But each one, one by one, she rejected them. Her heart only belongs to one person. And that was Ryuuen.

            Aya remembered the day when Ryuuen told her that he'll be leaving for a journey.

            "I promise I'll come back"

            Those were the words Ryuuen told Aya before he left.

            "I'll marry you when I get back"

            But he never did. He never came back. Aya felt tears falling down her cheeks as she remembered those words. She also remembered the day when the Suzaku no Miko told her the news.

[Flashback]

            Miaka Yuuki, also known as the Suzaku no Miko knocked on the wooden door. She looked at Tamahome and the rest of the Suzaku Seishi who were behind her. The door was opened by a woman, no older than 18. She had pink hair and bright purple eyes.

            "Yes? Can I help you?"

            "Are you…" Miaka paused for a while, unsure what to say, "Are you Aya Yamazaki?"

            "Yes, I am" Aya said, opening the door wider

            "I'm Miaka Yuuki, otherwise known as the Priestess of Suzaka" Miaka said nervously and bowed down at Aya

            Aya looked at her and the people behind her. Everyone had serious looks on their faces. Aya couldn't even tell if one of them was crying. Aya's attention turned back to Miaka.

            "I'm afraid I have some bad news for you. You see…"

            Miaka looked down at her feet, holding back the tears. She just couldn't tell Aya. Miaka turned around; hugged Tamahome and wept.

            "I can't tell her; it'll break her heart"

            "What's going on?" Aya asked, growing worried

            Tamahome sighed heavily

            "It's about…Ryuuen"

            "What happened to him?"

            "Well, there are a lot of things you don't know about him," Tamahome said, reaching for his pocket and took out a letter, "Here. He told us to give you this before…before he died"

            Aya paled.

            "W-What happened?" Aya asked, as tears streamed down her face

            "I think it's too morbid if we told you. All I can say is that he was killed by a beast. A beast named Ashitare. Nuri – I mean, Ryuuen lost a lot of blood and couldn't go on. He's buried in the city of Hokkan, on top of the snowy mountain."

            Aya paled even more as her hands trembled, trying to open the letter. Her hands stopped trembling and finally opened the letter.

To my beloved Aya,

            Before anything else, there's something I need to tell you. I'm a Suzaku Seishi, destined to protect whoever the Suzaku no Miko is. That's why I have my strength. And I'm also known as Nuriko. I know I was supposed to tell you this long before I left but I never had the strength to. I was afraid you would get angry at me for not telling you right ahead. That's why I'm telling it to you now, in this letter.

            I am writing this down while resting in a small pub in Hokkan. Just to tell you, I cut off my braid. It was getting in the way. You don't have to worry about me. I've been thinking about you ever since I left. There wasn't a second I stopped thinking about you. Remember what I said before I left? I promised myself I would come back and marry you right away.

            I love you, Aya. Nothing can change that. I belong to you and you belong to me. I was born into this world to find and love you.

            I'll protect you just as I protected everyone. You're the only thing that ever mattered to me. If I lost you, I would feel incomplete, lost and dead without you. I will do anything for you. Even die for you.

            I love you.

Forever in love with you,

Ryuuen

[End of Flashback]

            Aya wiped away a tear. She clutched the silver necklace Ryuuen gave her before he left. It was half a heart with Love written on it. Underneath it was the letter R. Ryuuen also has the same thing, except it was My and had the letter A.

            'Just to let you know," Aya thought, 'I love you too. I always have. I never stopped loving you. I truly believe that your spirit is right beside me everyday. Wherever I go, I feel your presence; protecting me with all your strength. I sometimes have the strange feeling that you're either hugging or kissing me. You're my guardian angel. I love you.'

Well, that took some time for me to write. It's been a VERY long time since I last wrote my last FY fan fic. I think it was two years ago. Anyway, don't forget to R+R!! Tell me if it sucks coz I'll take it off if it does. And I chose the name Aya because I couldn't think of anything else. It was better than Rini. And I'm sorry for any typographical errors. I suck at grammar.