*Disclaimer (I always forget these -_-;;;) Fushigi Yuugi and all its
characters belong to Yuu Watase. Wish I could have come up with something
like this. This is one of the shorter chapters. Second to last one.
*Oh yeah. I also have some of my fanfiction posted on my website. ^^ .
Chapter Three
Half an hour later, the six of them had gathered around the hole they had dug for Nuriko. Tamahome and Chichiri each took one end of his body and lowered it in gently. Then Chichiri straightened up. Suzaku, bless this friend of mine. He fought bravely and well till the end. Grant him peace. He bowed his head and pressed his lips together, trying not to cry. I must be strong for the others. Nu-Nuriko's not here anymore. He brushed the tears away from his face and raised his head.
Tasuki watched his friends bury Nuriko. He wanted to help, but it was too painful. Nuriko had told him that he had loved Miaka. He knew Miaka was hurting inside, but he didn't know what to do! He had never really been the brotherly type. His older sisters had made sure of that by teasing him every chance they had. But still, he had to try to take Nuriko's place for Miaka. No, he would help ease everyone by replacing what Nuriko did for everyone. But that sounded like he was trying to pretend Nuriko never existed! No. I won' do that. Nuriko was too good of a friend t' replace. Or however ya say it. He looked over to Chiriko, who shrank back from his glance. Damn, wha' was I thinkin' when I slapped the poor kid? He wasn' even doin' a thing ta me! "Yo Chiriko, I'm sorry 'bout what I did earlier. Could ya ever forgive meh for it?"
Chiriko looked at the snow. "If you promise to not get mad at Mitsukake. He did try, Tasuki."
Tasuki looked over to Mitsukake, who stood immobile by Miaka. "But he doesn' even seem sad 'bout all this, Chiriko. How could I forgive a stony like tha'?"
"He's just keeping it all inside," Chiriko explained. "He doesn't want to show it to anyone." He hesitated for a moment. "Maybe you should say something?" Chiriko suggested in a childish voice.
Tasuki paused. Mitsukake was someone he didn't know very well. And one thing he had done for sure was push him farther away. If he apologized, the bridge between the two of them might vanish. He stood up. "Mitsukake, can I have a word with ya? It's pretty important."
Mitsukake shook his head to clear his earlier thought. Had Tasuki been talking with him? "Tasuki, did you say something?"
The young man looked annoyed. "'Course I did. So you wanna or not? Yer choice."
Maybe Tasuki would forgive him for not coming in time to save Nuriko. Mitsukake nodded, and Tasuki walked toward the trees. Mitsukake stepped carefully through the snow and followed him.
"Mitsukake, I'm sorry 'bout what I said before." Tasuki began as Mitsukake started saying, "Tasuki, I'm sorry I couldn't save Nuriko." The two stopped talking and looked at each other. Tasuki burst out laughing. Mitsukake joined in hesitantly. After all, it had been a long time since he had last laughed.
Tasuki smiled. "Go on, say what you were sayin', Mitsukake."
"I, Tasuki, I apologize for not coming in time to save Nuriko. The best I could do for him was heal him so he would look like he was sleeping in the snow. I'm sorry."
Tasuki looked at a nearby stone. "Ya know, I used ta think you were some emotionless stone. Ya never really smiled or laughed around us. Ya just well, stood there. And I guess I got angry at you 'bout that. Ya didn' seem sad that Nuriko had died. But Chiriko explained it a bit ta meh. Still don't totally get it, but I get it enough. Yer just keepin' it all inside, aren't cha?" He looked up at Mitsukake. "Ah, c'mere, ya big stony!" He grabbed Mitsukake in a bear hug and hugged him tightly. Tears ran down his face. "I still miss Nuriko, but it's gettin' easier now," he whispered softly. "C'mon, let's go back to the others. They're probably waitin' for us ta return."
*Oh yeah. I also have some of my fanfiction posted on my website. ^^ .
Chapter Three
Half an hour later, the six of them had gathered around the hole they had dug for Nuriko. Tamahome and Chichiri each took one end of his body and lowered it in gently. Then Chichiri straightened up. Suzaku, bless this friend of mine. He fought bravely and well till the end. Grant him peace. He bowed his head and pressed his lips together, trying not to cry. I must be strong for the others. Nu-Nuriko's not here anymore. He brushed the tears away from his face and raised his head.
Tasuki watched his friends bury Nuriko. He wanted to help, but it was too painful. Nuriko had told him that he had loved Miaka. He knew Miaka was hurting inside, but he didn't know what to do! He had never really been the brotherly type. His older sisters had made sure of that by teasing him every chance they had. But still, he had to try to take Nuriko's place for Miaka. No, he would help ease everyone by replacing what Nuriko did for everyone. But that sounded like he was trying to pretend Nuriko never existed! No. I won' do that. Nuriko was too good of a friend t' replace. Or however ya say it. He looked over to Chiriko, who shrank back from his glance. Damn, wha' was I thinkin' when I slapped the poor kid? He wasn' even doin' a thing ta me! "Yo Chiriko, I'm sorry 'bout what I did earlier. Could ya ever forgive meh for it?"
Chiriko looked at the snow. "If you promise to not get mad at Mitsukake. He did try, Tasuki."
Tasuki looked over to Mitsukake, who stood immobile by Miaka. "But he doesn' even seem sad 'bout all this, Chiriko. How could I forgive a stony like tha'?"
"He's just keeping it all inside," Chiriko explained. "He doesn't want to show it to anyone." He hesitated for a moment. "Maybe you should say something?" Chiriko suggested in a childish voice.
Tasuki paused. Mitsukake was someone he didn't know very well. And one thing he had done for sure was push him farther away. If he apologized, the bridge between the two of them might vanish. He stood up. "Mitsukake, can I have a word with ya? It's pretty important."
Mitsukake shook his head to clear his earlier thought. Had Tasuki been talking with him? "Tasuki, did you say something?"
The young man looked annoyed. "'Course I did. So you wanna or not? Yer choice."
Maybe Tasuki would forgive him for not coming in time to save Nuriko. Mitsukake nodded, and Tasuki walked toward the trees. Mitsukake stepped carefully through the snow and followed him.
"Mitsukake, I'm sorry 'bout what I said before." Tasuki began as Mitsukake started saying, "Tasuki, I'm sorry I couldn't save Nuriko." The two stopped talking and looked at each other. Tasuki burst out laughing. Mitsukake joined in hesitantly. After all, it had been a long time since he had last laughed.
Tasuki smiled. "Go on, say what you were sayin', Mitsukake."
"I, Tasuki, I apologize for not coming in time to save Nuriko. The best I could do for him was heal him so he would look like he was sleeping in the snow. I'm sorry."
Tasuki looked at a nearby stone. "Ya know, I used ta think you were some emotionless stone. Ya never really smiled or laughed around us. Ya just well, stood there. And I guess I got angry at you 'bout that. Ya didn' seem sad that Nuriko had died. But Chiriko explained it a bit ta meh. Still don't totally get it, but I get it enough. Yer just keepin' it all inside, aren't cha?" He looked up at Mitsukake. "Ah, c'mere, ya big stony!" He grabbed Mitsukake in a bear hug and hugged him tightly. Tears ran down his face. "I still miss Nuriko, but it's gettin' easier now," he whispered softly. "C'mon, let's go back to the others. They're probably waitin' for us ta return."