Phoneix From the Ashes

Chapter 5

by Bottou-chan

recca.lamssu.net

Fuuko sat on the steps on the front porch, clutching a large stuffed animal that Ganko had left lying around outside. Her eyes were tearstained. Domon sat next to her, just being there to support her and to listen.

She had told him all about the morning's happenings. Yanagi would be sympathetic, and Recca would be furious, but Domon was better able to understand. Initially, it had been awkward talking to him about his rival… but he didn't seem to mind at all.

She got dumped for a guy! he thought exultantly. Raiha's history!

Aloud, Domon said in his kindest voice, "You know that guy could never make you happy. You're better off without him." He tried very hard to keep his voice non-judgmental. "There's just too much that's fishy with him."

Fuuko gave a quavery laugh, punctuated by a hiccup. "Yeah. He's impossible to figure out… I'd always be wondering. Doubting. Unsure about him, in the back of my mind. His most important person is Kurei. It's always been Kurei. There's no room for me."

"Too bad he can't go and marry Kurei," grinned Domon.

Fuuko giggled again. "It's not like that at all," she said, watching the moths fluttering around the glowing porch light. "He's so… loyal… and that loyalty… it totally consumes him. There's no room for other people in his heart. I mean, there is… but he's so dedicated to serving Kurei, that he'd give up anything for Kurei's sake."

"What a fanatic. You don't need to go moping about over someone like that. You know what he's already done to you. Don't let him have another chance to hurt you more."

"Yeah… But that's just it," said Fuuko. "He's got such dedication… if I was on his side, like, if I was working for the same goal he was… he would be there for me. We'd be unstoppable."

Domon eyed her. "So, what you're suggesting is that you run away from home, join the remnants of an assassin band, and run around stealing and murdering with a guy who tried to kill you once, under the direction of another guy who tried to kill you more than once?"

Fuuko giggled, and this time it was genuine. "Yeah, it does sound pretty stupid, doesn't it?"

"He's way off in another world," said Domon. "You don't need anything to do with it. You've seen part of it. It's the world that people like Mikoto and Mokuren thrive in. You really want to give up what you have, in favor of running with the likes of them?"

She nodded. "I see what you mean."

Domon beamed. At least verbally, she was beginning to understand the situation. Anything with Raiha had too much baggage and uncertainty to be involved with. She seemed to be feeling better. She was saying all the right words; maybe in a few days… a few weeks… a few months… her heart would see the reason her brain was beginning to accept.

"Anyhow, Fuuko," he said, his voice becoming more playful, "It was pretty sneaky of you to try and sneak past our date ban."

Fuuko blushed crimson.

"That… wasn't a date…" she said feebly. Pretty lousy date if it was, she added to herself.

"Skipping school for a tryst," he grinned. "A romantic tea-shop encounter, and who knows what afterwards!"

Fuuko's was now red to the tips of her ears. "You make it sound so bad! He just wanted to talk!" Not that I wasn't hoping for who-knows-what, she admitted to herself.

"Heheh. I'm just teasing you. But… I've kept the date ban."

"You have?" Fuuko looked at her feet. Had anything at the shugaku-ryoko been in violation? No… we just talked both times, and it was just for a few minutes, she reassured herself. Just talk. Nothing more. She touched her face where Raiha had touched it moments before they had been interrupted. There wouldn't have been anything else. Just talk.

"Yeah," said Domon. He was looking at his shoes as well. "Because… well… you asked for it. And you're my important person. It's just a year. Everyone needs to figure out what they feel. People change and stuff."

"The year's almost up," said Fuuko.

He nodded. "Yeah. I've got it marked on my calendar at home."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

She glanced around, opened her mouth as though to ask a question, and then snapped it shut. They sat in silence for a few moments, and then she tried again.

"So… how do you feel?"

He gave her a half-smile. "My toes hurt. I think I need a bigger pair of shoes."

Fuuko laughed and punched him affectionately in the shoulder. "You know what I mean!" she said, grateful for his joke. It was an awkward moment.

The half-smile looked almost shy now. "You've always been my most important person," he said quietly.

"You've… always been good to me," said Fuuko slowly.

He looked at her silently, waiting for more.

She gathered her thoughts. "We've… been through so much together. You're great to have to fight with. I know you've always got my back, you know? We can team up, and I know we're both looking out for each other… my speed, your strength, my brains, your strength, my skill, your strength…" She giggled. "It's good to have a strong friend."

"You're so kind," he said, with abrupt sarcasm. "Yeah. We've been through a lot. You're still my important person, and I can say so. But I can't make you feel something you don't feel… or maybe something you don't want to feel. I'll never be like Raiha. I'll never look like Raiha. I'm just me. If after all this time, and with everything that's behind us, all you can acknowledge about me is my strength… well… maybe both of us need to start looking elsewhere."

He stood up.

Fuuko reached out a hand in alarm. "Domon! Don't go… I didn't mean it like that. I was just trying to be silly, but it ended up stupid."

He didn't return to his seat on the step. Instead, he watched her, his arms crossed expectantly.

"It's so… difficult for me," said Fuuko, trying to verbalize her feelings. "You're both very precious to me. You and Raiha are both good fighters, each in your own way. You and Raiha are both dedicated to me, each in your own way. You and Raiha have both saved my life. You and Raiha have so much in common…"

"Except he's tried to kill you, he's hurt your feelings how many times, and he turned you down flat this morning because he has someone more important that he has to go run after. But he's cute, so it's all good," said Domon bluntly. "Poor you. What a dilemma."

"It's not that he's cute—yeah, I think he's cute—but it's just the chemistry! The chemistry, it's so strong… and he's so mysterious…"

Domon shrugged. "Fine. Keep your chemistry and your mystery. If that's what you want, there's no use in me waiting around. You were starting to make sense there, for a minute, and I thought your mind was kicking in. You say you're the smart one out of the two of us. If you haven't figured it out by now, you still won't have decided by the time the year's up. I already know your answer." He turned and began walking down the sidewalk. He paused at the gate. "And you know what?" he asked, raising his voice so that it carried properly. "The date ban was a stupid idea anyways. But I did it because I cared for you."

In a few moments, he was gone from sight.

Fuuko was left sitting on the porch, alone. Great. Now I've alienated both of them, she thought miserably. Raiha doesn't want me, and now I've gone and hurt one of my best friends.

Her vision was blurred by fresh tears as she sat on the porch, hugging her knees under her chin. This whole love business was way overrated. She wanted to be strong and independent, just like she used to be. Why was it that love could turn you into a weak, sniveling, dependent mess?

It was probably due to her preoccupation that she didn't sense the shadowy presence beside the porch, or notice it as it slipped away into the darkness.