Disclaimer: You know, you know, I own Tansho but not FY and Tasuki. Leave
me the hell alone!!! Waaaaahhhh!!!!
Warning: Ok, let's see.a bit of cussing and some interesting humor that shouldn't offend anyone. If it does however, let's just say that you really don't need to be reading this story. ^_^
Chapter 12 They Know
I wake with a start. At first, my hazy mind tells me that it must have been a nightmare, but then my ear is bombarded with such an unnatural sound that I gasp in fright. I sit up straight and rub my eyes vigorously until they focus. What they see makes my lungs release a heavy sigh of relief. Tasuki lies on his back with his head next to where mine had been, his arm draped heavily over my waist, his long legs entangled within the single sheet spread over our naked bodies, his mouth open in a deep and boisterous snore. Then I realize that his snoring was what startled me out of my sleep.
I settle back in beside him, careful not to wake him up. I rest my face next to his cheek, grinning at his appearance. His flamed hair is even more unruly and unkempt than normal, making me unable to keep my hands off it. I let my fingers glide through the tangled strands, gently straightening and smoothing them until they appear too perfect. I frown at my work, annoyed and frustrated, and I gently ruffle the red and orange mass back to its previous state. Tasuki emits an even louder and longer snore and swats at my hands with the arm that had been resting on my stomach, mumbling incoherently. Then, unexpectedly, he rolls over onto his stomach and buries his face in the midst of my breasts, sighing happily. I laugh to myself as he wraps his arms around my waist and squeezes me gently, making it obvious to me that he's awake.
"Good morning," I whisper into his hair.
"Mmmm..." is the only answer I receive.
"Comfortable?" I ask.
"Mmmm..."
I roll my eyes slightly, but I realize with happiness that though other men have done the same thing, I enjoy the feel of Tasuki pressed close to my bare breasts. The feel of his breathing on my skin, the weight of his warm body, the strength of his arms wrapped around me-it all makes me realize yet again that this man is so different from others that I have known. It is even more fascinating to me that the little things such as this that would normally not even cause me to raise my eyebrow in acknowledgement are actually dictating my feelings. When other men touch me, I ignore it. But when Tasuki touches me, I revel in it. I beg for it.
Even now, as his red hair tickles my bare breasts, causing me to giggle lightly, I realize that he is so very different from the other men. It is not his unnatural beauty, though his face and body are a rare treat for a veteran whore; it is his voice and his words, his hands and his movements, his eyes and his touch that are so wonderfully different. They ask for absolutely nothing. And yet I am in love with giving to him.
I find myself worrying about him. About myself. After sleeping with such a man-- such a gentle, kind, compassionate, sensual man, could I continue to sleep with other men just to earn a single gold coin? Then my mind beats me back into my reality. I am not earning a single gold coin; I'm earning my bed and my food. I'm earning my living. And I also remember my unfortunate situation, a situation that none of the other whores have to endure, a reality that they do not have to live with every day of their lives. The truth about why I am really here in this goddamned place.
Tasuki shifts again, kissing my chest before rolling onto his side and resting his chin in the palm of his propped-up hand.
"Good morning," he says sleepily. I smile, and run my finger down the bridge of his nose.
"How does your ankle feel?" he asks.
I suddenly remember the injury that I received the night before. I lift my foot from beneath the linens and flex it at the ankle, relieved to find that it doesn't hurt at all. How odd
"Well, it's not painful," I answer, "I guess you made me forget all about it."
He smiles at me, showing his fangs.
"I imagine that I am in a great deal of trouble at the moment," I say.
"How come?"
"I never came back to the floor last night," I answer, "And I know that the other women saw you carry me up here."
"Maybe they'll think that you were just...just doing your job," he replies hesitantly, his words low and hushed. My heart sinks at the sadness so evident in his voice. My job. He knows it just as well as I do- - probably better. I frown deeply and look away from him, suddenly feeling insecure of myself.
"Is that what you think?" I ask in a clear voice, determined not to appear weak.
"It's not if it isn't what you want me to think," he answers quickly, his words calm and lucent. I smile in spite of myself. He's a clever one. He knows me better than I know myself; it's painfully obvious in his sincere words.
"You know that it's not," I answer slowly, "You know that it's different...between us."
He nods and rolls over onto his back, slipping a hand beneath my body and bringing me onto his chest. I come willingly and wrap my arm around his waist, settling my face in the hollow of his neck. I run my hand down his chest, feeling its smoothness and warmth. I feel so calm here. I feel collected. I feel as if I am separated from the world and all that's in it.
"I know," is all he says. And I realize that it is enough-for both he and I.
We lie there for what seems like only seconds, though I am sure that half the morning has slipped away. I am content to hear his breathing beneath my ear as he and I doze lightly in the soothing warmth of the sun seeping through my window. And he seems content to breathe in the scent of my hair. Neither of us speaks, only listen.
But then I hear them. Just like I heard them that first time Tasuki was in my room-in my bed. I hear their voices and the sound of their feet padding across the slick wood. But this time I hear something I didn't hear the first time. This time, the whores are not alone. This time I hear Shingen's deep voice and his heavy footfalls echoing around the soft steps of the women.
My head snaps up and I see Tasuki's eyes widen. He hears what I hear.
"Oh, fuck!" I whisper. "They can't find you here!"
In a mad scramble of linens we try to disentangle ourselves without making too much noise. I grab my gown and have it wrapped around my body in less than a minute, but Tasuki is not as lucky as I to have just one article of clothing. He grabs his pants and jumps up and down to get them on, then shoves his feet in his boots as I wait next to him with his shirt and coat. After he dresses the lower half of his body, he lifts his arms for me so that I can pull his cotton shirt over his head as if I were dressing an infant. After tucking it into his pants, I tell him to turn around and I slip his black coat up his arms and onto his wide shoulders. I then buckle his belt around his waist. I hand him the sheath with the iron fan in it and he hastily straps it to his back.
"Hurry!" I whisper madly, taking him by the arm. It suddenly dawns on me that with them so close to my door, he is trapped in my room. My eyes search frantically for a place to hide him. They settle immediately on my wardrobe. "There's no way out until they leave, so get in!" I whisper to him, grabbing his shoulders and shove him through the open doors of my wooden wardrobe. "Stay quiet and I'll try to get rid of them!" I say. He nods and does as I say.
Just as I close the door, the double doors of my room are thrown open and Shingen's bulky body shadows mine.
"Tansho!" he yells, "Why the fuck are still in here? You go to bed early last night and then sleep 'till goddamn noon the next morning? What the fuck's wrong with you, woman?!"
I let go of the wardrobe door handles and back up toward my bed, away from Shingen. I know that my hair is a tangled mass and my clothes are wrinkled from being wadded up on the floor last night-- with Tasuki's clothes.
"Uhh..." I mumble, searching my mind for an excuse, any excuse. Then I remember my ankle and how I hurt it last night. I remember that Okichi saw Tasuki carrying me up the stairs to my room. Even though my ankle strangely doesn't hurt any more, I try to turn and walk to my bed, limping intentionally as I do so. "Ohh," I moan as I put pressure on my foot, "My ankle. I fell last night by the latrines and twisted it. One of the customers was kind enough to carry me to my room. You saw him carrying me, didn't you, Okichi?" I raise my eyebrows at the young woman and at Shingen, whose face has gone from rage to worry.
He turns and glares at the creamy-haired woman behind him. "Well? Okichi?"
"I saw a guy carrying 'er up here," Okichi replies in a tranquil tone, "He's a regular...but he only likes Tansho...doesn't take to none of us..." I can hear the switch of tones in her melodious voice. It has a tint of malevolence.
I see Koi, Misa, and Asako grin suddenly as my facial expression acknowledges Okichi's sudden switch. They know. Okichi told them. They know that I slept with Tasuki. I pray furiously to the gods that their jealousy and rage of loosing our game doesn't cause them to divulge me. They might know that he's still here. They might have planned this.
My muscles tense in anxiety. My mouth goes dry.
Oh Gods...Tell him that you saw him leave, please Okichi , my mind begs her.
"He only stayed for a couple of minutes though," Okichi finally answers, showing her toothy grin to me, "I guess Tansho really must have hurt her foot if she didn't wanna bed that guy." Once again, her nightingale-pitched voice substitutes cunning and noxious malice for humor.
She's saving me, I realize. My mind feels as if it's collapsing in on itself as the relief washes over me.
"Well, you should stay in bed for a few days, then," Shingen says, satisfied with Okichi's answer, though he seems skeptical. "I'll send for the Healer."
He turns to leave and begins to try to herd the other women out, but they stand their ground.
"You go on, we'll be down in a minute. We just want to catch up a little with Tansho before we go to work, alright Shingen-kun?" Koi asks, taking a strand of blonde hair between her fingers and twirling it. The other women tilt their heads at their pimp and pout their lips.
Shingen frowns for a moment, but then the colossal features of his face soften at Koi's loveliness and the sweetness of the other women's demeanors. "Alright, but just for a minute. Nothing good can come out of a group of whores together in one room...but one thing..."
Koi giggles lightly, and Shingen smiles at his crude joke. He leaves and closes the door heavily behind him.
My heart quickens. What will they do? Do they know that he's still here? I am unsure of what to do, so I stand still as if they could overlook me.
Asako is the first to act. Her voluptuous body sways across my room and some to a stop in front of me. She smiles broadly, showing the gaps in her teeth, and helps me to sit down on my bed before standing back up in front of me. Suddenly, her hands come together and she begins to clap slowly and softly, her applause sounding like waves washing against sand. Soon, the others are smiling and clapping as well. I am no fool; it doesn't take me long to realize that they are mocking me.
"Bravo, my little Tansho!" Asako says quietly so that Shingen can't hear, "You have succeeded in bedding our little red-head, have you not?" They stop their sarcastic clapping after she speaks. I feel the heat of their gaze on me, and my skin feels as if it's on fire.
I don't know whether I should tell the truth, or lie. Which is better? Which is safer? Which will save my lover and I? I decide to go the course I decided on last night. It would be better to tell them that I did succeed, so that they would not discover Tasuki and I later on and expose us to Shingen as lovers. If I told them that Tasuki had finally given in to a whore and paid me for my services, then it would make no matter if they discovered us later on or not. They would think he was merely a customer who liked what he had and was simply coming back for more.
"Unfortunately for you, I believe I did," I say boldly, lifting my head and meeting their gazes. They hide their emotions so well, and it disturbs me. I cannot tell if they are pleased or spiteful at what I have accomplished.
The silence smothers me. They continue to stare at me. I wonder what they are thinking. They are of course angry that I will be getting my reward-the reward is, after all, their own wages out of their own pockets. But how angry? I notice that I am breathing too heavily and I have to tell my lungs to slow down.
Suddenly, Okichi lets out a loud "hump!", startling me. She frowns deeply and crosses her arms.
"Goddamn it, Tansho!" she cries, "I was gonna buy a new bracelet with that damn money!"
"Yeah, you little tramp," Misa spits, "I wanted a new pair of slippers and one of those new dresses that you can clasp instead of having to buy a damn sash to tie around you!"
They are angry, but they are still good-spirited toward me. Thank the gods.
"I wanted a pretty necklace to match my new earrings you gave me for my birthday, Tansho," Okichi moans, making her eyes water to try to get me to pity her.
"Sorry," I say, "You'll have to make due 'till next year!"
"I knew she'd do it! He never even wanted to touch me... even to get me away from him!" Misa cries, crossing her arms over her ample chest, mimicking Okichi.
It takes a while, but soon they are laughing with me and begging me to tell them all that happened the night before. Even Asako, who I was sure was angriest of all, is eager to hear about the night that Tasuki and I shared.
"Tell the truth, Tansho," Koi says seriously, "How big was he?"
They explode in laughter, and I think I can almost see the embarrassed frown on Tasuki's blush-reddened face. He can probably hear every single word. Then my mind gasps in utter terror. He can hear. He heard them talk about our game. The reward for bedding him. My mind races back to try to remember exactly how much of our game was revealed. Will he be upset, knowing that he was the center of our game? Our goal? Does he know that I have earned four months' wages for sleeping with him?
Does he know that the money doesn't matter to me? Oh gods, please tell me he knows this!
"Well, Tansho?" Koi hollers restlessly, "Speak up!" I'm hurled back into reality, and I see her leaning over me, her eyes eager for my answer.
"Not the biggest I've had...but...you know as well as I do..." I pause for a minute, "That's it's not all about the size..."
"It's what they do with it," all the women say in perfect unison. Then our rambunctious laughter resumes, loud and even more turbulent than before.
Finally, after a good hour of hesitantly revealing the happenings of mine and Tasuki's night together, they leave. And as they leave, I am given my reward by each of them--the month's wages of four whores. A very good amount of money. Even though they all know very well that Tasuki has become more than a mere customer to me, they still insist I take their money.
I don't bother limping to try to prove my injured ankle. They think that it was just a clever ploy to get Tasuki to take me to my room. I doubt they know that I actually did hurt it--and that Tasuki was the one who assisted me in doing it.
"It was the deal, m'girl!" Koi protests a little too loudly when I try one last time to give the money back to her. I know that Tasuki can hear. I just don't know how much he has heard, or how much of it he understands. I don't want the money, but I take it anyway.
Just as Okichi is about to walk out the door, I take her arm and stop her. I wait until the others are downstairs before I speak.
"You know he's still here, don't you? Do the others?" I whisper to her. She doesn't try to bullshit me, thank the gods.
"Yes, I know," she answers, "But they don't. And it's better if you never tell them. They'll still find out about you two eventually...but they'll never betray you to Shingen, so don't worry about that. Not even Asako will. But still, don't let it go on for too long, Tansho." She frowns and pats my hand comfortingly. "You belong to the Black Dove. Have fun as long as you can, but not too long. Shingen isn't stupid. And you aren't either."
She begins to walk away, but stops and turns around just before she reaches the stairs. "And you'd better use the hidden door in the linen room to get him out. It's at the end of the balcony, right next to your room. It leads out to the latrines...instead of sending him downstairs into the tavern. All our men use it when they visit us after hours..." She winks at me and grins, flipping her pearl-colored hair over her shoulder as she begins to walk down the stairs.
"Okichi!" I call out after her. She turns and looks back at me. "Thank you." My words are so soft that I fear she didn't hear me. But I see her eyes light up, and I am relieved to know that she did.
She smiles, but then shakes her head sadly. "Never tell a whore 'thank you', Tansho," she says, almost mournfully, "We're not used to it...and we don't need to be." She looks at me long and hard, as if trying to see within me. "I guess you did win after all, little Tansho," she says with a smirk. "I knew you would." Then she descends the stairs and goes to prepare the sake and beer for the night.
I know that she won't tell. I know because I caught her with a lover not too long ago, and I never said a word of it to Shingen. I know that the others will never tell if they ever find out. They too have had countless lovers who they have had to keep secret from Shingen. And none of their lovers were ever discovered. And now that I have my first, I know that he won't be either.
I know they won't tell because we trust each other. We always have and always will. They are all I have--and it is the same for each of them. I am all they have. And, until I die or am released from this hellish place, this is the way it will remain for me. For us.
A/N: Ah, the ever entertaining morning-after scenes. I thought of maybe adding a little half a lemon or something, but as you all know, morning breath (even fictional) can be a deadly killer that even the most fervent lovers try to avoid.
Anyways, did Tasuki hear all the talk about the game? Will his and Tansho's new found love be able to survive long? Oh, the devious cliffhangers that make you want to hang me off a cliff!!! *Iseult suddenly realizes what she just said* Wow!! Am I a witty little authoress or what??!! ^_^
Replies to reviewers:
Frenchiecangal: Thank you so much!! And sex is always worth the wait!! ^_^
Shadow priestess: Her past is soon revealed, I promise!! But the suspense only makes finally finding everything out only better!
Zerianyu: I wasn't annoyed.quite the opposite.very flattered!!
Kitty Lynne: Long time no type, my friend!! ^_^ I loved that you mentioned the "pillow talk". You know, Cosmopolitan magazine says it's the best time to get a guy to admit he loves you! Uh-uh.that's right! ^_^ And 4 InuYasha novels!! You lucky little turd.I had to wait 3 whole months for EACH of mine!!! * fumes and glares are Kitty * ^_^
Warning: Ok, let's see.a bit of cussing and some interesting humor that shouldn't offend anyone. If it does however, let's just say that you really don't need to be reading this story. ^_^
Chapter 12 They Know
I wake with a start. At first, my hazy mind tells me that it must have been a nightmare, but then my ear is bombarded with such an unnatural sound that I gasp in fright. I sit up straight and rub my eyes vigorously until they focus. What they see makes my lungs release a heavy sigh of relief. Tasuki lies on his back with his head next to where mine had been, his arm draped heavily over my waist, his long legs entangled within the single sheet spread over our naked bodies, his mouth open in a deep and boisterous snore. Then I realize that his snoring was what startled me out of my sleep.
I settle back in beside him, careful not to wake him up. I rest my face next to his cheek, grinning at his appearance. His flamed hair is even more unruly and unkempt than normal, making me unable to keep my hands off it. I let my fingers glide through the tangled strands, gently straightening and smoothing them until they appear too perfect. I frown at my work, annoyed and frustrated, and I gently ruffle the red and orange mass back to its previous state. Tasuki emits an even louder and longer snore and swats at my hands with the arm that had been resting on my stomach, mumbling incoherently. Then, unexpectedly, he rolls over onto his stomach and buries his face in the midst of my breasts, sighing happily. I laugh to myself as he wraps his arms around my waist and squeezes me gently, making it obvious to me that he's awake.
"Good morning," I whisper into his hair.
"Mmmm..." is the only answer I receive.
"Comfortable?" I ask.
"Mmmm..."
I roll my eyes slightly, but I realize with happiness that though other men have done the same thing, I enjoy the feel of Tasuki pressed close to my bare breasts. The feel of his breathing on my skin, the weight of his warm body, the strength of his arms wrapped around me-it all makes me realize yet again that this man is so different from others that I have known. It is even more fascinating to me that the little things such as this that would normally not even cause me to raise my eyebrow in acknowledgement are actually dictating my feelings. When other men touch me, I ignore it. But when Tasuki touches me, I revel in it. I beg for it.
Even now, as his red hair tickles my bare breasts, causing me to giggle lightly, I realize that he is so very different from the other men. It is not his unnatural beauty, though his face and body are a rare treat for a veteran whore; it is his voice and his words, his hands and his movements, his eyes and his touch that are so wonderfully different. They ask for absolutely nothing. And yet I am in love with giving to him.
I find myself worrying about him. About myself. After sleeping with such a man-- such a gentle, kind, compassionate, sensual man, could I continue to sleep with other men just to earn a single gold coin? Then my mind beats me back into my reality. I am not earning a single gold coin; I'm earning my bed and my food. I'm earning my living. And I also remember my unfortunate situation, a situation that none of the other whores have to endure, a reality that they do not have to live with every day of their lives. The truth about why I am really here in this goddamned place.
Tasuki shifts again, kissing my chest before rolling onto his side and resting his chin in the palm of his propped-up hand.
"Good morning," he says sleepily. I smile, and run my finger down the bridge of his nose.
"How does your ankle feel?" he asks.
I suddenly remember the injury that I received the night before. I lift my foot from beneath the linens and flex it at the ankle, relieved to find that it doesn't hurt at all. How odd
"Well, it's not painful," I answer, "I guess you made me forget all about it."
He smiles at me, showing his fangs.
"I imagine that I am in a great deal of trouble at the moment," I say.
"How come?"
"I never came back to the floor last night," I answer, "And I know that the other women saw you carry me up here."
"Maybe they'll think that you were just...just doing your job," he replies hesitantly, his words low and hushed. My heart sinks at the sadness so evident in his voice. My job. He knows it just as well as I do- - probably better. I frown deeply and look away from him, suddenly feeling insecure of myself.
"Is that what you think?" I ask in a clear voice, determined not to appear weak.
"It's not if it isn't what you want me to think," he answers quickly, his words calm and lucent. I smile in spite of myself. He's a clever one. He knows me better than I know myself; it's painfully obvious in his sincere words.
"You know that it's not," I answer slowly, "You know that it's different...between us."
He nods and rolls over onto his back, slipping a hand beneath my body and bringing me onto his chest. I come willingly and wrap my arm around his waist, settling my face in the hollow of his neck. I run my hand down his chest, feeling its smoothness and warmth. I feel so calm here. I feel collected. I feel as if I am separated from the world and all that's in it.
"I know," is all he says. And I realize that it is enough-for both he and I.
We lie there for what seems like only seconds, though I am sure that half the morning has slipped away. I am content to hear his breathing beneath my ear as he and I doze lightly in the soothing warmth of the sun seeping through my window. And he seems content to breathe in the scent of my hair. Neither of us speaks, only listen.
But then I hear them. Just like I heard them that first time Tasuki was in my room-in my bed. I hear their voices and the sound of their feet padding across the slick wood. But this time I hear something I didn't hear the first time. This time, the whores are not alone. This time I hear Shingen's deep voice and his heavy footfalls echoing around the soft steps of the women.
My head snaps up and I see Tasuki's eyes widen. He hears what I hear.
"Oh, fuck!" I whisper. "They can't find you here!"
In a mad scramble of linens we try to disentangle ourselves without making too much noise. I grab my gown and have it wrapped around my body in less than a minute, but Tasuki is not as lucky as I to have just one article of clothing. He grabs his pants and jumps up and down to get them on, then shoves his feet in his boots as I wait next to him with his shirt and coat. After he dresses the lower half of his body, he lifts his arms for me so that I can pull his cotton shirt over his head as if I were dressing an infant. After tucking it into his pants, I tell him to turn around and I slip his black coat up his arms and onto his wide shoulders. I then buckle his belt around his waist. I hand him the sheath with the iron fan in it and he hastily straps it to his back.
"Hurry!" I whisper madly, taking him by the arm. It suddenly dawns on me that with them so close to my door, he is trapped in my room. My eyes search frantically for a place to hide him. They settle immediately on my wardrobe. "There's no way out until they leave, so get in!" I whisper to him, grabbing his shoulders and shove him through the open doors of my wooden wardrobe. "Stay quiet and I'll try to get rid of them!" I say. He nods and does as I say.
Just as I close the door, the double doors of my room are thrown open and Shingen's bulky body shadows mine.
"Tansho!" he yells, "Why the fuck are still in here? You go to bed early last night and then sleep 'till goddamn noon the next morning? What the fuck's wrong with you, woman?!"
I let go of the wardrobe door handles and back up toward my bed, away from Shingen. I know that my hair is a tangled mass and my clothes are wrinkled from being wadded up on the floor last night-- with Tasuki's clothes.
"Uhh..." I mumble, searching my mind for an excuse, any excuse. Then I remember my ankle and how I hurt it last night. I remember that Okichi saw Tasuki carrying me up the stairs to my room. Even though my ankle strangely doesn't hurt any more, I try to turn and walk to my bed, limping intentionally as I do so. "Ohh," I moan as I put pressure on my foot, "My ankle. I fell last night by the latrines and twisted it. One of the customers was kind enough to carry me to my room. You saw him carrying me, didn't you, Okichi?" I raise my eyebrows at the young woman and at Shingen, whose face has gone from rage to worry.
He turns and glares at the creamy-haired woman behind him. "Well? Okichi?"
"I saw a guy carrying 'er up here," Okichi replies in a tranquil tone, "He's a regular...but he only likes Tansho...doesn't take to none of us..." I can hear the switch of tones in her melodious voice. It has a tint of malevolence.
I see Koi, Misa, and Asako grin suddenly as my facial expression acknowledges Okichi's sudden switch. They know. Okichi told them. They know that I slept with Tasuki. I pray furiously to the gods that their jealousy and rage of loosing our game doesn't cause them to divulge me. They might know that he's still here. They might have planned this.
My muscles tense in anxiety. My mouth goes dry.
Oh Gods...Tell him that you saw him leave, please Okichi , my mind begs her.
"He only stayed for a couple of minutes though," Okichi finally answers, showing her toothy grin to me, "I guess Tansho really must have hurt her foot if she didn't wanna bed that guy." Once again, her nightingale-pitched voice substitutes cunning and noxious malice for humor.
She's saving me, I realize. My mind feels as if it's collapsing in on itself as the relief washes over me.
"Well, you should stay in bed for a few days, then," Shingen says, satisfied with Okichi's answer, though he seems skeptical. "I'll send for the Healer."
He turns to leave and begins to try to herd the other women out, but they stand their ground.
"You go on, we'll be down in a minute. We just want to catch up a little with Tansho before we go to work, alright Shingen-kun?" Koi asks, taking a strand of blonde hair between her fingers and twirling it. The other women tilt their heads at their pimp and pout their lips.
Shingen frowns for a moment, but then the colossal features of his face soften at Koi's loveliness and the sweetness of the other women's demeanors. "Alright, but just for a minute. Nothing good can come out of a group of whores together in one room...but one thing..."
Koi giggles lightly, and Shingen smiles at his crude joke. He leaves and closes the door heavily behind him.
My heart quickens. What will they do? Do they know that he's still here? I am unsure of what to do, so I stand still as if they could overlook me.
Asako is the first to act. Her voluptuous body sways across my room and some to a stop in front of me. She smiles broadly, showing the gaps in her teeth, and helps me to sit down on my bed before standing back up in front of me. Suddenly, her hands come together and she begins to clap slowly and softly, her applause sounding like waves washing against sand. Soon, the others are smiling and clapping as well. I am no fool; it doesn't take me long to realize that they are mocking me.
"Bravo, my little Tansho!" Asako says quietly so that Shingen can't hear, "You have succeeded in bedding our little red-head, have you not?" They stop their sarcastic clapping after she speaks. I feel the heat of their gaze on me, and my skin feels as if it's on fire.
I don't know whether I should tell the truth, or lie. Which is better? Which is safer? Which will save my lover and I? I decide to go the course I decided on last night. It would be better to tell them that I did succeed, so that they would not discover Tasuki and I later on and expose us to Shingen as lovers. If I told them that Tasuki had finally given in to a whore and paid me for my services, then it would make no matter if they discovered us later on or not. They would think he was merely a customer who liked what he had and was simply coming back for more.
"Unfortunately for you, I believe I did," I say boldly, lifting my head and meeting their gazes. They hide their emotions so well, and it disturbs me. I cannot tell if they are pleased or spiteful at what I have accomplished.
The silence smothers me. They continue to stare at me. I wonder what they are thinking. They are of course angry that I will be getting my reward-the reward is, after all, their own wages out of their own pockets. But how angry? I notice that I am breathing too heavily and I have to tell my lungs to slow down.
Suddenly, Okichi lets out a loud "hump!", startling me. She frowns deeply and crosses her arms.
"Goddamn it, Tansho!" she cries, "I was gonna buy a new bracelet with that damn money!"
"Yeah, you little tramp," Misa spits, "I wanted a new pair of slippers and one of those new dresses that you can clasp instead of having to buy a damn sash to tie around you!"
They are angry, but they are still good-spirited toward me. Thank the gods.
"I wanted a pretty necklace to match my new earrings you gave me for my birthday, Tansho," Okichi moans, making her eyes water to try to get me to pity her.
"Sorry," I say, "You'll have to make due 'till next year!"
"I knew she'd do it! He never even wanted to touch me... even to get me away from him!" Misa cries, crossing her arms over her ample chest, mimicking Okichi.
It takes a while, but soon they are laughing with me and begging me to tell them all that happened the night before. Even Asako, who I was sure was angriest of all, is eager to hear about the night that Tasuki and I shared.
"Tell the truth, Tansho," Koi says seriously, "How big was he?"
They explode in laughter, and I think I can almost see the embarrassed frown on Tasuki's blush-reddened face. He can probably hear every single word. Then my mind gasps in utter terror. He can hear. He heard them talk about our game. The reward for bedding him. My mind races back to try to remember exactly how much of our game was revealed. Will he be upset, knowing that he was the center of our game? Our goal? Does he know that I have earned four months' wages for sleeping with him?
Does he know that the money doesn't matter to me? Oh gods, please tell me he knows this!
"Well, Tansho?" Koi hollers restlessly, "Speak up!" I'm hurled back into reality, and I see her leaning over me, her eyes eager for my answer.
"Not the biggest I've had...but...you know as well as I do..." I pause for a minute, "That's it's not all about the size..."
"It's what they do with it," all the women say in perfect unison. Then our rambunctious laughter resumes, loud and even more turbulent than before.
Finally, after a good hour of hesitantly revealing the happenings of mine and Tasuki's night together, they leave. And as they leave, I am given my reward by each of them--the month's wages of four whores. A very good amount of money. Even though they all know very well that Tasuki has become more than a mere customer to me, they still insist I take their money.
I don't bother limping to try to prove my injured ankle. They think that it was just a clever ploy to get Tasuki to take me to my room. I doubt they know that I actually did hurt it--and that Tasuki was the one who assisted me in doing it.
"It was the deal, m'girl!" Koi protests a little too loudly when I try one last time to give the money back to her. I know that Tasuki can hear. I just don't know how much he has heard, or how much of it he understands. I don't want the money, but I take it anyway.
Just as Okichi is about to walk out the door, I take her arm and stop her. I wait until the others are downstairs before I speak.
"You know he's still here, don't you? Do the others?" I whisper to her. She doesn't try to bullshit me, thank the gods.
"Yes, I know," she answers, "But they don't. And it's better if you never tell them. They'll still find out about you two eventually...but they'll never betray you to Shingen, so don't worry about that. Not even Asako will. But still, don't let it go on for too long, Tansho." She frowns and pats my hand comfortingly. "You belong to the Black Dove. Have fun as long as you can, but not too long. Shingen isn't stupid. And you aren't either."
She begins to walk away, but stops and turns around just before she reaches the stairs. "And you'd better use the hidden door in the linen room to get him out. It's at the end of the balcony, right next to your room. It leads out to the latrines...instead of sending him downstairs into the tavern. All our men use it when they visit us after hours..." She winks at me and grins, flipping her pearl-colored hair over her shoulder as she begins to walk down the stairs.
"Okichi!" I call out after her. She turns and looks back at me. "Thank you." My words are so soft that I fear she didn't hear me. But I see her eyes light up, and I am relieved to know that she did.
She smiles, but then shakes her head sadly. "Never tell a whore 'thank you', Tansho," she says, almost mournfully, "We're not used to it...and we don't need to be." She looks at me long and hard, as if trying to see within me. "I guess you did win after all, little Tansho," she says with a smirk. "I knew you would." Then she descends the stairs and goes to prepare the sake and beer for the night.
I know that she won't tell. I know because I caught her with a lover not too long ago, and I never said a word of it to Shingen. I know that the others will never tell if they ever find out. They too have had countless lovers who they have had to keep secret from Shingen. And none of their lovers were ever discovered. And now that I have my first, I know that he won't be either.
I know they won't tell because we trust each other. We always have and always will. They are all I have--and it is the same for each of them. I am all they have. And, until I die or am released from this hellish place, this is the way it will remain for me. For us.
A/N: Ah, the ever entertaining morning-after scenes. I thought of maybe adding a little half a lemon or something, but as you all know, morning breath (even fictional) can be a deadly killer that even the most fervent lovers try to avoid.
Anyways, did Tasuki hear all the talk about the game? Will his and Tansho's new found love be able to survive long? Oh, the devious cliffhangers that make you want to hang me off a cliff!!! *Iseult suddenly realizes what she just said* Wow!! Am I a witty little authoress or what??!! ^_^
Replies to reviewers:
Frenchiecangal: Thank you so much!! And sex is always worth the wait!! ^_^
Shadow priestess: Her past is soon revealed, I promise!! But the suspense only makes finally finding everything out only better!
Zerianyu: I wasn't annoyed.quite the opposite.very flattered!!
Kitty Lynne: Long time no type, my friend!! ^_^ I loved that you mentioned the "pillow talk". You know, Cosmopolitan magazine says it's the best time to get a guy to admit he loves you! Uh-uh.that's right! ^_^ And 4 InuYasha novels!! You lucky little turd.I had to wait 3 whole months for EACH of mine!!! * fumes and glares are Kitty * ^_^