Tasuki POV
Chapter 2
by Mikazuki
Tasuki was disgruntled. Walking slightly ahead of Chichiri, he
rubbed a hand over his nose as though trying to wipe off the freckles the older
man had mentioned earlier. He pulled his hand away from his face and studied
it, half expecting to see the offending blemishes resting in his palm.
It
wasn't about the freckles.
In
spite of the vigorous chafing he'd just given his nose, he could still feel
Chichiri's touch. And that bothered him. Remembering Chichiri's gentle fingers
brought back the tight feeling in his chest that had been plaguing him lately
whenever the monk was nearby.
He shook
his head slightly and turned to face his companion, hoping that the blush he
could still almost feel on his cheeks was invisible.
"Ne,
Chichiri, I don't s'pose there's a town around here, is there?"
We
haven't been walking that long, no da..." Chichiri had the same half-amused,
half-annoyed look he always wore when Tasuki complained about walking. "It's
still morning, no da."
Tasuki
gave an exaggerated sigh.
Chichiri
shook his head. "You'd think that a mountain bandit wouldn't mind walking so much,
no da. And you yourself said that today was perfect."
"It
ain't that I mind walkin', Chichiri, but that's all we've bin doin' fer
days..." Tasuki was quiet for a moment, then tilted his head to one side.
"Where're we goin', anyway?"
Chichiri
put his mask on. It flashed a cheerful smile at Tasuki. "Wherever we end up, no
da!"
Tasuki
sighed again, this time resignedly. "C'n we at least 'end up' somewhere with
sake?"
"Is
getting drunk all you think about, no da?"
Tasuki
put on an offended look. "A' course not!" He paused, a grin creeping onto his
face. "I think about gettin' laid, too..."
Tasuki
didn't know what Chichiri's expression looked like under his mask, but he was
willing to bet that his friend was either smiling or blushing. Possibly both.
"Seriously,
though. It does take thought ta plan a raid, y'know."
"I
know. I was just kidding, no da. I know you think...occasionally..." Chichiri
had laughter in his voice, but it was kind laughter. Tasuki knew that he was
still teasing, but even so, he was not one to take insults lightly.
He
managed to growl a little, but was unable to keep a grin off his face. "Why,
you..." With that, he pounced playfully on the monk.
Chichiri
was still laughing as Tasuki struck, and he continued to chuckle as Tasuki's
momentum sent them sprawling into the tall grass by the side of the road.
Chichiri didn't struggle, and within a few moments, Tasuki had him pinned to
the ground and was staring him in the face.
Or,
rather, in the mask. Chichiri was still wearing the covering. For some reason,
this bothered Tasuki a great deal. Reaching down, he quickly found its edge,
and with a deft twist of his fingers, removed it, never noticing the way
Chichiri tensed and stopped laughing when Tasuki's fingers brushed his temple.
Smiling,
Tasuki set the mask aside and looked back at Chichiri. The expression on his
face was one of surprise, and unless Tasuki was mistaken, Chichiri was blushing
slightly.
All of
a sudden, Tasuki realized what an awkward situation they were in. Still, he
couldn't move, though he knew he should. Staring at Chichiri like that was
causing him to feel nervous and fluttery. They weren't feelings Tasuki was
accustomed to, and he wasn't sure how to take them. All he knew was that looking
Chichiri in the eye like this was making him want to...
....To
kiss him?! To Tasuki's shock, he realized that he was leaning downward a
little...
Jerking
out of the half-trance he'd been in, Tasuki rolled off of Chichiri, apologizing
profusely as he helped Chichiri up.
Chichiri
looked somewhat shaken. "Th...That's all right, no da..."He picked up his mask
and returned it to his face. As he watched him, Tasuki noticed that Chichiri's
hands seemed to be trembling. Biting his lip, Tasuki hoped that he hadn't
caused his friend's obvious distress.
But
what else could it be?
As the
minutes ticked away silently, Tasuki studied the air around him, half-expecting
the tension to be visible.
When he
saw nothing, Tasuki's gaze strayed to the man walking a few paces ahead of him.
' How
could I be so stupid?' He wondered. ' I can't believe I actually tackled
Chichiri.'
Chichiri
was walking at a steady pace. Every so often, he would look back to see if
Tasuki was still behind him. His mask was smiling, as always, but he didn't say
anything.
"Chichiri?"
"Hm?"
"Are ya
mad at me?"
"Of
course not, no da." Chichiri's voice matched the smile Tasuki was now getting
from his mask.
"Take
yer mask off an' tell me that."
Chichiri stopped walking and turned to face Tasuki completely. He
reached up and pulled the mask off. There was a serious look in his mahogany
eye as he regarded the bandit before him.
"I am
not angry with you, Tasuki, no da."
Tasuki
smiled with relief. "Well, good, 'cause yer stuck with me fer a while."
Chichiri
smiled back.
'I like
it when Chichiri smiles for real.' Tasuki thought happily. 'He's beautiful
when—wait a minute...' Tasuki blinked. ' Where the hell did that come from?
First I tackle him, then I almost kiss him, and now I think he's beautiful?
' What
in Suzaku's name is wrong with me?'