Warnings and Disclaimers on Chapter one!!

Thanks: Thank you to Neko-chan and Chibi Leelee Milo who read this especially after all the problems that fanifiction.net has been having! I am very grateful that you all still enjoy my story!

NOTE!!! This changed a bit… just Nuriko's dream (Thanks to AniDragon, aka Riona-chan for pointing that out! You're the best!)

Willow's Heart-- The Awakening

Hotohori lead the way in through the gates of the palace. The guards and concubines bowed and curtsied to him. The grooms guided the horses back to their paddocks after the riders had dismounted. Miaka stepped out of the carriage slowly, her face downcast before Tamahome ducked inside the carriage, taking Nuriko into his arms. Everyone was quiet and even the servants were silent, just doing what needed to be done to make the emperor, seishi, and miko comfortable. Tasuki walked over to Tamahome's side and took the unconscious seishi from his arms. The bandit's golden eyes spoke volumes and Tamahome immediately relinquished his hold to comfort Miaka.

"We really should get him inside, Tasuki-kun, no da. He needs to rest and replenish his energy. I will go to the kitchen to get some food, no da." Chichiri brought his concerns to Tasuki's attention. The bandit nodded and followed a servant into the palace. Once getting to the room, he placed Nuriko down gently on the bed, making sure that the lithe seishi would not be sleeping on his own braid.

"Nuri-chan." Tasuki sighed and pulled up the stool from the vanity to sit by Nuriko's bedside. Nuriko shifted and moaned in his sleep, perfect brow setting into a slight 'v'. "Nuriko? Please wake up." As if the willow-marked seishi had heard the bandit, rose eyes suddenly came into focus.

"Nakago?" He asked of the blurry figure, still feeling quite unstable and unfocused. His hoarse voice was mistaken for confusion.

"No, it's me, Tasuki." The rose eyes snapped wide open and he sat up in the bed. "Relax, Nuriko!" Tasuki placed a gentle hand on his comrade's shoulder. "Please, rest, ne… you need ta recover from wut happened ta ya." Nuriko just nodded, remembering the reason why he was with the Suzaku seishi. He couldn't resist meeting the golden eyes that were full of concern for him. Their eyes seemed to lock together until Nuriko saw something in the pool of gold that frightened him. Tasuki cared for him as more than a friend. Well, cared for the Suzaku Nuriko, but he wasn't that Nuriko. However, he could use this to his advantage… it was really too bad that the bandit wore his heart on his sleeve.

"Ne, Tasuki-kun, stay with me?" He turned his rose eyes upwards to meet the golden ones, feigning pain and self-loathing to gather the sympathy factor from the golden bandit. Nuriko noticed the faint, barely controlled blush that rose in Tasuki's cheeks and bit off the urge to laugh. "Please, Gen-chan… just hold me." Where did that come from? Nuriko was slightly alarmed when he heard the name Gen-chan come out of his mouth, but played along, keeping his eyes set and expressions proper. He tried again to reach the seemingly frozen bandit. "N…never mind, Tasuki. You can go now. I need to rest." Nuriko shifted his body on the bed and turned his back to the bandit. He knew that the owner of those golden eyes could not stay frozen in that chair forever, but he was still shocked when he felt another weight on the mattress and a strong arm wrapped along his torso. Nuriko slid backwards and didn't know why, but delighted in the feel of the warm body pressed into his back. "Thank you, Gen-chan." Nuriko fell into a deep sleep followed by Tasuki's own slumber for the feel of having Nuriko in his arms was comforting… and slightly wrecking havoc on his nerves. He was so glad that Nuriko was back.

******

~Nuriko's Dream~

"What are you doing here?"

"Listening to the wind through the willow tree." He smiled at the scruffy bandit whose flame red hair contrasted intensely with the green around him. "I'm just enjoying some peace away from the palace."

"Maybe I shouldn't bother ya then." Tasuki's head almost disappeared behind the shower of leaves.

"Ne, Tasuki-chan, stay with me. It's nice to have someone to talk to." He motioned to the spot beside him before meeting endless pools of gold. "We can stay here for a while." Tasuki entered into the space and found himself suddenly very comfortable. The bandit looked down at him and smiled, one fang pointing over his lower lip. This caused him to laugh, his eyes sparkling with true joy, one that Tasuki had not really seen before. He turned to Tasuki and motioned for the bandit to sit beside him again and this time, the bandit sat, resting one arm on a raised knee.

"You didn' say much at dinner. Ya 'kay? You dun seem like yerself." Tasuki glanced at him and saw the rose eyes glaze over in sadness. Uncomfortable silence graced them with its presence.

"What happens after this?" Tasuki's eyes snapped wide at his question.

"I dunno. I'll probably go back ta Kouji and the others. Miaka and Tamahome will go back to her world. Hotohori will continue to be emperor. What didja think would happen?"

"Me, Tasuki. What will I do?"

"The palace…" His eyes closed painfully at Tasuki's words.

"No, Tasuki-chan, my place is not here. Now that I'm… who I am, I do not belong here. Everyone else has a place. After this thing is over and Miaka and Tamahome leave for their world, I cannot very well stay in the seraglio as a man. You all have your worlds to go back to, but this life is the only I have known and then I am lost."

"Nuriko…" Tasuki's attention was drawn to his profile. A beautiful, but sad face against a backdrop of weeping willow branches caused Tasuki to lose all proper brain functions for a minute. "Beautiful."

He turned at his companion's voice. "Tasuki?" He was slightly alarmed with Tasuki's statement.

"Oh, dun mind me. It's just that willow suits you perfectly." His rose eyes turned to the bandit's eyes. "Like I said, beautiful." He felt his cheeks grow red and was grateful for the slight darkness that came with the dome of the willow. That was not something that Tasuki normally would say to him… never!

"Tasuki-chan…" The special moment was broken by the first blasts of the Star Festival fireworks.    

******

Rose eyes snapped open in alarm and a blush immediately spread across the pale skin. He found his head cradled on Tasuki's chest, hands resting at the bandit's sides. Tasuki's arms were firmly wrapped around his torso.

"You're not a messy sleeper after all."  He whispered and wondered at his quiet proclamation. Suddenly, Tasuki gave a slight snore and turned towards the edge of the bed, bringing Nuriko with him and ended up dumping Nuriko rather clumsily onto the floor. "Itai!" He hissed under his breath. "Guess I was wrong." He lifted himself off the floor and righted himself. He glanced down and was transfixed by the golden bandit's face. He smiled despite himself and then remembered why he was here. Nakago… I feel for him… but then, what is this feeling I have for this uncouth bandit? What's happening to me? That dream must have something to do with all this. Tasuki shifted and ended up with his long limbs spread out wildly. Nuriko had to suppress a giggle and had the sudden urge to cover the bandit with the silken covers that had just recently fallen to the floor along with the violet-haired seishi. He tried to shake the feeling, but ended up just shaking his head and carefully pulled the sheets over Tasuki. It's probably nothing. He apparently has feelings for this Suzaku Nuriko I think I used to be. Luckily, I get all the important pieces of the puzzle just when I need them. However, some are more confusing, like this bandit and whatever past we supposedly had. Nuriko smiled emptily and turned for the door. I should explore my surroundings for Nakago.

"Nuri-chan?" The rose-eyed seishi froze and turned cautiously. "Nuri-chan? I… why are you gone? I still need to tell you how I feel!"

He talks in his sleep. Interesting and highly useful. He continued to listen.

"What have they done to you? You used to be so gentle, kind, and beautiful. Now, you are still beautiful, but all your kindness has disappeared! Come back to me, Nuri-chan. I need you here even if you don't feel the same."

"I do feel the same." Nuriko's eyes widened at his own response and he bit his lower lip. What in the world of the four gods what he thinking when he said that? He left the room in a hurry, going unconsciously to the palace gardens.

******

Hotohori walked through the cherry blossom trees pondering on the events of the day. His ashen brown hair was put in that low, flowing ponytail tied with a blood red ribbon. He snapped off a branch of a particularly tall cherry blossom tree, loving the lightly perfumed smell of the blossoms wafting through the air. He had just talked with Chiriko and Chichiri. Both of them thought that Nakago would make another move, but they didn't know when. Sometimes he just wanted to be free of all the troubles of being the emperor. If he wasn't an emperor, he would never have had to break up with Nuriko and he would have never had to see Nuriko in Seiryuu's possession with his coldness and dangerous accuracy. He still cared for Nuriko and hated himself for their brief, but inappropriate harsh words.

He didn't hear the silent steps of a certain violet-haired seishi behind him.

**

Nuriko spotted sight of the emperor that had fought him at the Yami Fields, Hotohori. He got a painful flashback as soon as he laid eyes on the emperor in his fancy palace clothes.

******

~Nuriko's flashback~

"Hotohori-sama, do you truly love me?" He asked of the emperor who was lying beside him on the silk-covered bed.

"Do not use the 'sama' phrase, Nuriko. We are not strangers, nor am I your superior. I do love you." He propped himself up on his elbows to gaze fondly at Hotohori's face.

"Say it again." Hotohori glanced up at him with questioning eyes.

"Do not use the 'sama' phrase…"

"No, not that." He slapped the emperor lightly on his arm. "You know what I mean." He felt his face turn into a pout. Hotohori smiled and pulled him down for a kiss.

"I'll always love you."

**

~Nuriko's second flashback~

"Hotohori-sama? You wanted to speak with me?" He walked tenderly into Hotohori's room and watched his lover turn.

"I… I don't think this will work out between you… and me. I need someone who can give me an heir." He felt his heart go cold and his face become stunned.

"What do you mean, Hotohori-sama?" He asked of the emperor, not really want to think about it.

"I mean that sleeping with you was fun, but that's all you'll ever mean to me!" Hotohori seemed serious. His expression was set and angry.

"I… Is that all I've ever meant to you? Your toy! Someone whose emotions you can play around with? How could you? You knew how I feel about you and now you do this!" He felt betrayed and hurt. He didn't want to believe that any of the words that had come out of Hotohori's mouth was true. However, when it all sunk in, he was in terrible pain. He felt the beginnings of tears form in his eyes. "I trusted you with my heart, Hotohori. Can you not see that I am truly in love with you?" He added the last part softly while his heart was full of pain.

"I would never be in love with something like you." That hurt him ultimately. A thing… that was all Hotohori thought of him. He was only worth enough to rate Hotohori's whore. He couldn't stop the tears and so let them flow, turning away in a flurry of violet hair, silky clothes, and diamond tears.

******

"Heika-sama." Nuriko bowed to the emperor.

Hotohori turned in surprise. "Nuriko-kun!" Nuriko put one hand on the bark of a cherry blossom tree and gave a small smile. "Are you feeling any better?"

Nuriko snorted. "Don't say that now. You hurt me, heika-sama, so don't pretend that you actually care. I trusted you and now you've lost my trust." The violet-haired seishi knew that he had shocked Hotohori and gave himself a secret smile. Let the emperor think that this Nuriko held him in contempt. Those flashbacks made even him hurt.

"Nuri…"

"Don't! Don't say anything, heika-sama. Go find yourself a pretty concubine and have yourself an heir. You used to be my friend." Nuriko left it at that and turned to exit the garden.

"Nuriko, please listen to me. I am so sorry I hurt you. I did not mean to do this to you. It is my fault you were captured and it is my fault you were forced to become one of them. Can you not accept my apology? I've already lost you as a lover. I don't want to lose you as a friend as well." Hotohori looked almost desperate, his eyes begging for forgiveness. Nuriko didn't know what the Suzaku Nuriko would have done, but this man did not deserve forgiveness.

"Apology not accepted, heika-sama."

~~~~~~~

Oki! Did ya like?? Finished this chapter… I'm so happy! Just a note, but I am not really playing along with the order of how things should be. Amiboshi is still here and they already had the Star Festival… I kno it's realli strange, but it works better with the story! I'll try to find the time to work on the next chapter and I'll get it up ASAP! R&R my friends!  

~Nuriko no Tenshi~