Disclaimer: No, Fushigi Yûgi isn't mine. It belongs to Shogakukan Comics, Pierrot Studios, TV Tokyo and Pioneer. No copyright infringement is intended.
kuroi hane- :squeezes a Hotohori plushie: I love him and Miaka and him together is my second favorite paring, but you are correct when you say that we can't have him trying to intrude! But I do have some conflict in store. But don't worry! Nothing too big and disastrous will happen. As much as I love Tama, I love him as a warrior, not Miaka's lover. So I can guarantee that his obsession with dealing with his and Miaka's future before what's happening in the present will get in the way, like it does with almost every fic. And all I can say about the time Miaka spends at Tasuki's house, is that a certain bishie will have a hard time keeping his hormones in check ;)
RainbowSerenity- Why thank you! I'm very glad you like it ^-^ Stick our hot tempered bandit anywhere, anytime, anyplace and he'll still be as feisty as ever! That's one of the many reasons why I love him so.
KittyLynne- Ahh. The black hole glitch. Don't worry about! I contemplated whether making Hikitsu the teacher rather than one of the Seiryu seven for a long time, which was one of the reasons why that chapter took so long. But anyway...I knew exactly where you were talking about with Hikitsu's thoughts. I tend to do that sometimes. It's one of those bad habits that I need to break.
I haven't talked about Miaka's feelings yet have I...Le sigh. I have to say, I'm neglecting her and I shouldn't be. This chapter will hopefully show a little more of her feelings.
pretty moon kitty- :scratches back of head and blushes: Yep. Grammatical errors are my specialty. As it says below :points below: The program I use is crummy. Not perfect at all like it says it is. But thank you very much for your review! I'm glad you like it! ^-^
Authors Note- I'm sorry in advance for any grammatical errors that you may see in any of my chapters. I use WordPerfect 9 and it doesn't correct everything that should be corrected. If you see anything that needs to be corrected, please drop me a review or email me at weathered_photoalbums@msn.com
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Large curious green eyes peered out around a small piece of paper and gazed up at an apartment complex that resembled hers. Looking back down at the small paper with directions, Miaka carefully read the writing that was scrawled across it in handwriting that was characteristically messy to a male. Eyeing it carefully, she tried to see if she had read the directions correctly. All to many times had she embarrassed herself with small things such as calling the wrong telephone number because she had read it wrong. Heat rose to her cheeks as she remembered the time when she had thought she had called Tamahome (when the first met of course. By now she had his phone number memorized) and had asked him if he wanted to hang out, only to find out that she had called some random Japanese resident.
Miaka wearily trudged up to the stairs to the lobby of the apartment and over towards the elevator. She gently pushed the up button with a smile on her face and thought about what might happen over the weekend on her date with Tamahome. A sudden jerk of the elevator shocked her out of her reverie and she blushed slightly to herself.
As the elevator jolted to a stop and the doors slowly slid open, Miaka heard boisterous laughter that was being emitted from a small crowd of five young women. When Miaka stepped from the elevator, another older women came into view. Miaka guessed that the older woman was some sort of mother figure. All six women entered the elevator and the loud noise immediately stopped as the elevators doors closed.
Hesitating slightly, Miaka timidly knocked on the door to what she thought was Tasuki's apartment. From within the apartment Miaka heard a loud, aggravated growl before the door cracked open.
"I heard ya before Ma! The food is in the..." Peaking his head out of the crack in the door, Tasuki trailed off as his amber eyes locked on the petite women in front of him. "Oh...It's you, Miaka. Come on in!" As he opened the door completely, Miaka was able to take in Tasuki's appearance. He wore his slightly baggy blue jeans a little lower around his waist then they should have been, exposing a bit his plaid boxers. Miaka wondered if her cheeks glowed red with mortification as she caught herself staring at the bare skin of his torso where a tee shirt should have been. She just couldn't help it, he was well built for only a boy of 17 and she guessed he probably worked out in his spare time.
Tasuki noticed her eyes upon him and smirked slyly. Turning and heading for his room, he felt her eyes on his back. "I'll be right back. I just have to get a shirt on." He could have sworn he heard a faint gulp. "Just make yourself at home!" His voice faded away as he closed the door to his room.
Miaka relaxed as she sat down on the living room couch. Feeling the soft cloth conform to her body was enough to drive away her embarrassment and get rid of the tension that was building in her body. For some reason, when her eyes had lain upon Tasuki's bare skin, she felt like she had committed a horrible crime. Getting lost in her thoughts as she closed her eyes, she didn't notice Tasuki come in fully clothed.
"Before we get started, would ya like anything ta eat? It's almost dinner time n'…" Tasuki started but was quickly interrupted by an overjoyed squeak. Miaka's orbs of delight opened wide as she jumped off the couch.
"Do you have any cookies? I haven't eaten since before I headed over here." Clasping her hands together in a display of blissful merriment, Miaka started rambling on about how long it had been since any sweets had had the chance to take a journey to satisfy her stomach.
Raising an eyebrow out of fascination and curiosity, Tasuki watched with a soft chuckle of amusement. "Yeah, sure. Whatever satisfies tha' stomach of yours." Tasuki headed for the kitchen with a jumpy Miaka in tow, wondering about how big this girl's stomach was. She had said that she had just eaten a few minutes ago, before she had left for his apartment. Already she was asking for more food? Shaking his head slightly with another low chuckle, he walked to the far end of the kitchen and opened the door to one of the cupboards in which the sweets were kept. "Ma just went shopping. So yer in luck."
Another squeak rung throughout the small kitchen as Miaka tried to reach for the jar of cookies on the top shelf. Hearing a sigh of disapproval from beside her, heat rose to her cheeks out of embarrassment from her petite size. Tasuki's strong arm passed hers as he reached out for the cookie jar and their skin brushed up against each other's. The sudden and unexpected brush of skin caused her cheeks to deepen in their rouge color.
"I'm sorry for the trouble of feeding me. Mom and Keisuke-kun hide the sweets from me in the apartment." She watched his hands as they brought down the heavy clay jar and placed it on the counter, unscrewing the top.
Tasuki shot her a small smirk. "Ya owe me one." Being someone who just loved to joke around, he just couldn't help but try and play games with her. Plus, she seemed like the kind of girl to joke around with him.
As she leaned in close to him, she felt like she was having an out of body experience while she watched her body act on its own. Lips twisting into a smirk, Miaka wondered why she wasn't holding herself back. Normally, she wasn't even this straightforward with Tamahome! "That's what you thi--"
Tasuki's smirk widened as he popped a cookie onto her mouth while it was open. "Why don't we take these," He held up the jar of cookies as he spoke, "and your books into my room. We can work in there."
Miaka's eyes blinked rapidly for a moment, wondering what he was talking about. She had completely forgotten the Chemistry project, the whole reason she was there. "Of course!"
Waiting in his room for Miaka, Tasuki placed the jar of cookies on his desk and did a once over of his room. The twin size bed was set in the corner of his room. His desk sat perpendicular right next to his bed with a computer sitting on top of it. It wasn't the best, fastest computer, but it did its job.
He winced slightly as his eyes looked over the disheveled bed and a small clutter of clothes scattered across his floor. Being in a rush that morning, he didn't have time to properly clean up like he normally would have done. No, he wasn't a neat freak but he did like to keep his possessions in order.
Tasuki quickly gathered all of the clothes that were randomly scattered across his room. Tossing them in the closet to just get them out of sight, he sighed and walked over to his bed. He was straightening out his sheets as Miaka found her way into his room.
Walking over to him and his bed, she dropped her big yellow backpack down on his bed. "So…" She shuffled over to his desk and shoved a cookie in her mouth as she sat down in the chair in front of his desk.
"I was thinkin'…how 'bout we just do a report? Seems easy enough, dontcha think?" Tasuki sat down on his bed in a boyish fashion. His legs hung over the side wide open as he leaned back on his bed. Miaka had turned around and shoved another cookie into her mouth while she turned on his computer. This gave Tasuki time to take in her appearance.
Miaka was still wearing her school uniform that gave him a great view of her rear as she leaned down to switch on the computers base that sat on the floor under his desk. He cocked his head to the side slightly as he continued to gawk, eyes traveling up her sides. Lucky for him, Tasuki had a loose fitting shirt on along with loose fitting jeans; otherwise he would have been in big trouble. Just looking at her aroused him a bit. He crossed his arms and rested them on his knees as he leaned forward; closing his eyes as he let the combination of her unique feminine sent and perfume intoxicate him as it passed through his nostrils. Her sent was just like how he had imagined in his dream, pleasing and not overbearing. Before he knew it, his mind was wandering off into his dream world again, imagining his body pressed against her cool skin.
A soft 'ehem' snapped him out of his reverie, and his amber eyes opened to meet curious, worry-filled green ones. Jumping slightly at their closeness, Tasuki leaned back, fearing that if he stayed that close, he might actually try and make his dreams a reality. He kept trying to remind himself that they had only just met, that she had a boyfriend, but a voice in the back of his head kept telling him that those things shouldn't be a problem. The voice talking was the bad-boy side of him, the side of him that he let loose during his time in the US. All the girls back in his city in the US were attracted to his flaming red hair and crisp amber eyes, and he had used that to his advantage. But with Miaka, he felt something different, his compassionate side seemed to seep through his tough exterior and he wanted something more. He wanted to please her along with protect her and he didn't understand it. All of a sudden, her comfort and happiness came first.
"Are you okay, Tasuki? You suddenly got quiet." Oh, the way his named rolled of her tongue. It sounded so beautiful when she said it, making Tasuki's internal struggle between his conflicting emotions hard to subdue.
Finally, lust won over his good intentions, but they weren't ready to just give up the fight. Instead of just pulling her face to his, Tasuki decided to use the Chemistry report to get closer to her. A grin spread across his lips as he stood up and walked behind the chair that Miaka was now sitting in. "'Course I am, Mi-chan!" He pushed the chair in a bit, sliding her closer to the computer. Leaning in close behind her, he set one hand on the desk to one side of her by the keyboard. His other hand grasped the mouse on the other side of her. He moved his head so it was right next to hers as he looked at the computer screen. "Let's get started. We don't have all night, now do we?" A grin continued to dance upon his lips.
Meanwhile, Miaka's insides were twisting into nervous knots. Did he know what he was doing to her? She was having conflicting emotions herself. What was she doing being this close to another man? And why did she feel the need to get closer? Her relationship with Tamahome was going great! They went out…almost never. Maybe it shouldn't have come to such a surprise to her that she was a bit attracted to Tasuki physically. Tamahome and her hadn't indulged in any of their lustful desires in how long? Miaka wasn't even sure if Tamahome had any lust left for her.
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About an hour later, a ringing cell phone interrupted the laughter and merriment. Tasuki had changed positions around Miaka several times as they researched for their Chemistry project, but had stayed relatively close. She stood up and walked over to the bed with a sigh and pulled her cell phone out of her backpack. Taking one quick look at the caller ID screen was enough to send her emotions into a conflict all over again. It was Tamahome. She glanced at Tasuki who was giving her a curious look.
"Sorry, I have to take this." She apologized as she exited his room, walking down the hallway and into the living room, leaving Tasuki alone to ponder about the past hour.
Flipping open the phone, Miaka pressed the speaker to her ear. "Hey, Tamahome." She spoke with a smile and joy in her voice.
"Hello, Miaka. I called to talk to you about this Saturday." Tamahome's voice rung in her ears, his words causing her mouth to twist into a frown. She already knew the words that he would say next. "I'm going to have to cancel." Her mouth silently formed those words along with him in a mocking fashion. Letting out a heavy sigh, Miaka listened quietly as she waited for an explanation. When no more words met her ears, she put a hand on her hip in a display of annoyance and frustration.
"What's the reason this time?" Her voice buzzed with the choler she was feeling inside.
"You know that I'm a senior this year..." Tamahome spoke softly into his telephone, feeling her anger radiate through the speaker that was pressed up against his ear. "My father is taking me on a little road trip to check out some universities."
A long silence loomed over their heads as Miaka sorted things out. She mused about how he was always canceling a date. Yes, it bothered her that he was always canceling, but what really made her cross was that he never took the initiative to establish another one. It was then that it really sank in. She had always felt that in a relationship, both people gave their all to try and make everything work. They would sacrifice thing's to make each other happy. Since when had he sacrificed anything for her happiness and comfort? As far as she remembered, it had been a very long time. She was always prepared to do anything to salvage their relationship, but maybe she was the only one who felt that way.
Tamahome's voice broke the silence. "I'm doing it for us, Miaka. I've got to go to collage so I can get a good job and earn a living for the both of us..." His voice was even softer than before, trying to give her a sense of comfort. "You know that I love you."
His words took her anger and frustration and turned them into guilt and regret. How could she have gotten angry with him for something so minuscule? 'Maybe it's the fact that he is always walking all over you.' An angry voice echoed inside her head. "I know you do, Tamahome. Listen, I've got to go. I'll see you in school tomorrow, bye!" And with that, she hung up.
For the first time in a long time, Miaka did not confess her love for Tamahome to him. This left her, as well as Tamahome, in shock. Sighing and closing the phone, Miaka made her way back into Tasuki's room, plastering a smile on her face. Inside, she was still irritated with the thought that she was the only one who wanted to commit themselves to their relationship. Tamahome was looking far into the future, but what about now?
Tasuki was deep in thought, sitting on the ground and leaning up against his bed with his knees pulled up to his chest. His crossed arms were laid across his knees with his eyes closed. In the time that Miaka was gone, he had admitted to himself that he definitely was attracted to Miaka, in a way he was never attracted to a girl before. He didn't know why, but parts of him still wanted to deny it to protect himself from pain and sorrow. After all, she was still with Tamahome and they didn't seem like they would be breaking up any time soon. Since he couldn't fathom his own feelings for Miaka, how could he ever understand Tamahome's feelings for her? Yes, he had vowed to himself that he would make Miaka his, but his morals restricted him from ever doing so as long as she was with him. Another thing that troubled him was how quickly this change of emotions had occurred. Already his feelings were strong and he hadn't even known Miaka for a week. All he really knew was that he needed to get to know Miaka better.
Miaka sat down next to Tasuki, pulling her knees up to her chest just like him; only she wrapped her arms around her legs and hugged them close. She leaned her head on its side, down on her knees as she watched him. "You alright, Tasuki?"
Eyes fluttering to life, he glanced at her with a surprised look. He hadn't realized that she had come back in. A small smile flashed across his lips as he nodded once. "Yeah. Jus' thinkin', Mi-chan."
A grin flourished upon Miaka's lips, her troubles with Tamahome seeming to melt away more and more with every moment she spent with Tasuki. "Don't think too hard. You don't know what could happen with that small, fragile brain of yours."
Tasuki's smile transformed into a playful grin as he took her chin in his fingers like he did when they had first met, bringing his face close to hers. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm sure you stole those words out of someone else's mouth." He realized all too late that his words, along with his husky tone of voice, might make his feelings for her more apparent, and he didn't want her to reject him.
Miaka's hormones kicked into high gear and she found herself not knowing what to do. She felt like she was sitting with Tamahome, about to kiss him. But then she realized that Tamahome never teased her like this, which brought on a surprising feeling of heavy disappointment. Tasuki's teasing was sweet and in some strange way it made her feel like she was wanted. He made her feel comfortable and like she was able to be herself. This past hour that they had spent together made her feel as if she'd known him for all of her life. Excuse the cliché, but that's how it was. In a short amount of time, she felt as if she could be open with Tasuki. She wanted to be able to feel comfortable enough to tell her loved one anything. Could she do that with Tamahome? The more she thought about it, the more she realized that when she was with Tamahome, she felt like he didn't want to be bothered with her problems. Like they would be a heavy burden on his shoulders.
So many things were happening at once inside of her head and she couldn't deal with it. Her love for Tamahome kept on surfacing as she mused. Yet, she continued to think about Tasuki as well. Underneath that bad boy facade, Tasuki seemed like a sincere, straightforward man with many morals. It appeared as if he wouldn't make her do anything she didn't want to, that he would let her be independent, yet protect her. 'Why are you even thinking like this, Miaka?! You're in a relationship already! You are neither single, nor are you looking!' But she wasn't listening to her conscience anymore. Instincts took control of her body as all of her conflicting thoughts and emotions died away. All she knew was that she was in a room with a heavenly looking guy. And she was actually being treated like a woman for once! Closing the gap between their faces, Miaka's eyes flickered shut as her lips gently pressed against Tasuki's.
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Tamahome stared at the phone that he held in his hands, dumbfounded. What had just happened? Miaka had always told him how much she loved him before she hung up. Every time that they went their separate ways for the day, she had always made sure he knew how much she loved him. What had made this time different, he didn't know. Jealousy welled up inside him as he thought it had something to do with that fiery headed jackass that she was with.
He was probably filling his darlings head with words that were vacant, nothing but lies. Those words, he knew, would get in between them and pull them apart. He would do everything in his power to not let that happen.
What was he thinking? Their love was strong enough to withstand anything. Especially just a few empty words. He grit his teeth in annoyance, mostly with himself for thinking that Miaka would ever let another mans words sway her feelings. Angrily setting down the phone, Tamahome walked out of the kitchen and down the hallway to his father's room, his hand forming an aggravated fist before he tapped his knuckles against the wooden door. He desperately needed approval from his father; he needed to know that what he was doing was right.
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It was as if an electrical circuit had been closed and electricity was allowed to flow freely between the two of them. Tasuki wondered if Miaka felt the sparks that were flickering to life where their lips had connected. Lust that had been kindling deep in his abdomen the whole day was now spreading through his body like a wildfire. Desire coursed through his veins, tickling his skin as it replenished his muscles and skin with warmth. The fact that her lips had now parted ever so slightly, didn't help in the controlling of his libido. He needed to act fast and pull away from her face, but things were a lot easier said than done. How could he deny the chance he was being given? The chance to have his tongue gently caress hers? Could he give up what ever else may follow?
What was he thinking, anyway? She had a boyfriend. But...then why was her lips pressed against his?
All thoughts of her boyfriend were completely lost as part of Tasuki's mind struggled to keep control over his limbs. The other half tried vigorously to move his hands to Miaka's body. He wanted to touch her milky skin. To caress it. Every inch of her. To put it bluntly, he wanted to be on top of her clothesless body as she writhed beneath him in complete pleasure.
Before he knew what had happened, his eyes were closed and a soft moan had escaped his lips and collided with the soft, lush ones that were pressed against his. His tongue swept into her mouth, uniting with hers in an act of courtship. Capturing her cheek with his hand, he let his tongue gently slide further into her mouth as he tilted his head tenderly. Gingerly leaning over her body, Tasuki was careful not to break the kiss as he placed his hand on her thigh that was furthest from him. With a bit of clever maneuvering, Tasuki was able to slyly bring her leg over his.
Miaka was too busy being amazed at how incredible it felt to have Tasuki's tongue wondering over every feature of her mouth to even realize that she was now straddling his waist. Staying on her knees as she pressed her torso against his, she felt his determined hand as it roamed around on the back of her thigh, traveling up her skirt to her rear.
Blood boiling with passion and confidence, Tasuki slowly pulled away. Although his tongue had gently slipped from her mouth, he wasn't ready to stop yet. He slowly left a trail of butterfly kisses down her jaw line, delicately pressing his moist lips to her heated skin as he continued down her neck.
"Tasuki..." A faint whisper blossomed from Miaka's lush, reddened lips. "Don't..."
Although her lips were saying one thing, her actions urged him to go on. Pleading for more, her head shifted back to give him better access to her neck. She couldn't believe what she was doing. Giving Tasuki an all-access pass to her body was absolute ludicrous. She was being ridiculous, forcing a handsome male to kiss her. Why did she press her lips to his, anyway. It wasn't like she liked him.
Miaka was ignoring all the distinct signs of lust and desire. She had felt it too, the collision of intense passion and adoration when their lips had made contact with one another, but she pushed those thoughts and emotions to the back of her mind. Tamahome was her love. And she would be with him forever.
Tasuki's lips hugged the curve of Miaka's neck one last time. He savored every last moment that his lips were pressed against her hot, soft skin. Every moment was pure, heavenly bliss. Opening his eyes, he gazed at her creamy skin drowsily. It had been a long day and his mind was swimming.
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Laying across his bed on his front, Hotohori gently stroked his long ebony hair. 'It's just my luck that I get paired with the man that thirsts for me.' He mused silently as his majestic eyes darted back and forth over the text book before him. The feminine, violet-haired male was snuggling next to him was beginning to become a little too close for comfort. Nuriko was propping his head up with his hands and felt the need to nuzzle Hotohori's shoulder with his cheek.
Hotohori had had just about enough. But when his crisp golden eyes locked with Nuriko's light plum, his frown faltered. Not wanting to hurt Nuriko's feelings, he forced his frown into a somewhat pleasant smile. 'He's not that bad looking...' Hotohori pondered within the confines of his mind. 'But I am defiantly more elegant and beautiful than he.' Gently twirling a lock of silky hair around his index finger, he went back to the book in front of him.
After a few moments, Nuriko's tender voice interrupted the silence. "So what do you think of that new kid? Tasuki was his name, right?"
An image of the male with molten hair flashed in front of him. Tasuki's radiant eyes flashed as a cryptic grin was dispersed across his mouth. Hotohori mentally grimaced in disgust as he remembered how straightforward he seemed to have been with Miaka that morning in school. He found it revolting that Tasuki was warming up to Miaka so quickly. Tasuki had no right to, Miaka was his.
Keeping with his suave facade, Hotohori merely shrugged as he carelessly flipped to the next page in the textbook.
Nuriko eyed Hotohori closely. He wasn't stupid, he knew all too well Hotohori's feelings for Miaka. Nuriko secretly despised Miaka for that, even though they were good friends. Of course, those feelings of hatred were coupled with his feelings of love and adoration. Yes, he was attracted to Hotohori, but Miaka always had that cheerful attitude. She could light up a room with merely a wave of her hand; everyone seemed to flock to her. 'Another rival in love...' Nuriko mused silently.
"You don't like him do you..." Nuriko's soft voice echoed in Hotohori's ears.
"Well...I .... He seems like a nice guy..." Mumbling under his breath, Hotohori turned another page with aggravation. It was besides the point that he hadn't completed the other page. He just needed something to focus his mind onto. Something other than Miaka. And the new male that seemed to be competing for Miaka's heart.
It was then that Hotohori declared to himself that he would make Miaka his, just like Tasuki had done. Plus, he was the heir to Konan Inc., the largest, most profitable company in Japan. He could give Miaka anything her heart desired and that Tasuki didn't have the power to do that. He could make her live like a princess, which is how he believed she should be treated, with utmost care. 'She deserves everything in the world, and I could give it to her.'
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Miaka stood in front of the mirror inside Tasuki's bathroom, tenderly touching her lips. They still tingled with the taste of him. Staring at herself in the mirror, she watched as she moved her tongue across her lips, savoring the last bit of devine sugar that had adorned her lips. He had tasted so sweet, yet so mischievous.
'Something is wrong with me. Why has Tasuki struck a nerve with me?!' Her thoughts rang loudly inside of her head. Along side those thoughts, crept a small voice. 'Tasuki will offer you more than you could ever dream of. More than Tamahome can offer...' Shutting her eyes tightly, Miaka shook her head recklessly to wipe her mind clean of her conflicting thoughts. She gripped the sides of the porcelain sink before her tightly to steady herself.
Meanwhile, down the hall Tasuki sat on his bed leaning back on his hands. As he stared up at the ceiling, he became lost in thought. Closing his flashy eyes, he let himself fall back onto his bed. His molten red hair followed, his bangs shadowing his eyes.
"I should never have made a move on her." Tasuki mused softly.
After a few more thoughtful moments in silence, his brilliant eyes opened and he sat up. He was starting to get worried about Miaka, so he decided to go check up on her.
As he made his way out of his room and down the hallway, he continued thinking. He had forced himself on her and that wasn't what he wanted to do. He didn't want to make her feel bad, he wanted to make her happy, to comfort her. So that's what he was going to do, apologize for what he had done.
Hesitation plagued him as he got to the end off the hallway. Standing before the bathroom door, he suddenly felt the need to run. But he'd have to make things right between them. After all, he didn't want things to be awkward between the two of them. If he couldn't be her lover, the least he wanted was to be her friend.
He knocked on the closed bathroom door with much apprehension. "Mi-Miaka?" He cleared his throat before going on. "Are you alright?"
Opening her emerald eyes, Miaka glanced at the door before opening it slowly. Smiling slightly, she nodded at Tasuki.
"Listen. I uh," Tasuki stared nervously at his feet as his mouth fumbled with his words. "I'm really sorry...'bout before. Back in my room I mean. I...dunno wha' came over me. I...can...can we still be friends? W-we...can pretend nothin' happened." He felt butterflies manifesting themselves in the pit of his stomach. He could imagine them floating up his throat and flittering out of his mouth.
To her surprise, Miaka found his fidgety behavior bringing a smile to her face. Was it possible for a guy like him to be so incredibly sexy and adorable at the same time? Miaka shook her head mentally to rid herself from those treacherous thoughts.
Throwing her arms around him, Miaka beamed her approval. "Of course, Tasuki."
Tasuki lifted his head as his eyes widened in astonishment. "R-really?" His arms hung limp at his sides as he was squeezed.
"Mhmmmm." Miaka was so happy that it had come down to this. Thing's weren't turning out to be as awkward as they could have been.
A smile cracked upon Tasuki's lips as he timidly put his arms around the petite form in front of him Thing's were looking up for him and he couldn't help but be happy. "Thank you." He mumbled softly as he held Miaka a bit more closely and tightly.
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The following day, things were going off without a hitch. First period Chemistry went well and all the classes after that did too. Until lunch came around.
Tasuki hadn't bothered going to lunch the previous day, so he didn't know who he had it with. He had just wandered around the school a bit to get used to its layout a bit more.
As he opened the double doors and stepped inside, his eyes surveyed the surrounding tables and their occupants. He was praying to the gods that he would know someone in the room when suddenly a feminine voice met his ears. It was then that he noticed all the eyes that were on him throughout the cafeteria. He felt like yelling out, "Yes I'm tha new guy! Now will ya please leamme the fuck alone!" but a maiden had caught his eye.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, Tasuki sauntered over towards Miaka with a small grin playing on his lips. Standing at the front of the table, Miaka and Tasuki exchanged greetings before Miaka turned to her fellow table-mates. Tasuki recognized a few faces.
Tasuki flashed a smile at Chichiri and his smile flourished into a wide grin as he spotted Kouji all the way at the end of the table. At least there wouldn't be any dilemma's with Kouji and the few new friends he was making.
Miaka, who was oblivious to the conflict brewing between Tasuki and Tamahome, started by introducing her boyfriend.
"This is my boyfriend Tamahome. I think you've met him already." Miaka smiled sweetly at Tamahome as she identified him with a wave of her hand. Tasuki gave an irritated nod as he acknowledged his presence.
"This," Miaka gestured towards the platinum blonde across from Tamahome. The girl's big cerulean eyes glanced up towards the hot-headed boy next to her best friend. She offered Tasuki a smile as Miaka continued. "is my best friend Yui-chan."
Tasuki offered back a smile as Miaka continued. "That," Miaka began as she motioned towards a dark-haired male. The boys bright caramel eyes flashed emotions of jealousy as he looked towards the newcomer and gave a delicate, formal nod. "is Hotohori." Tasuki wondered why he was being given a look like that as he nodded politely in return.
Gesturing across from Hotohori, Miaka pointed out Chichiri as someone he already knew. She quickly moved onto a lavender haired male that Tasuki immediately thought was a women, even though he was dressed in a males uniform. The light maroon eyes that watched him behind thick eyelashes smiled along with the boys lips as he gave a small not while being introduced. "That is Nuriko."
Tasuki's eyes followed Miaka's hand as she motioned towards a very tall male with short, jet-black hair. His dark eyes glanced up towards Tasuki and he offered a very small smile. "That is Mitsukake."
"And next to him," A small boy with coral colored hair and olive green eyes smiled childishly up at Tasuki. "is the boy genius, Chiriko." Tasuki smiled and nodded at both Mitsukake and Chiriko. They all seemed nice. Even Tamahome, he admitted. 'If we weren't fightin' for tha same woman, I'm sure we'd be friends.' Tasuki thought to himself.
"Nice ta meet all of ya!" Tasuki flashed a fang-filled grin before striding down towards Kouji at the end of the table. Stealing Kouji's bottle of beer, he quickly took a swig before glancing down at the end of the table, eyeing Miaka for a moment before getting into an in-depth conversation with his own best friend. He didn't know it, but Miaka glanced at him out of the corner of her eye every now and then throughout the lunch hour. But her glances didn't go unnoticed by Tamahome.
To be continued...
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Well there we go!
This chapter was a little longer than the last few.
And it took a little longer to write (sorry!)
But I tried putting a lot more effort into it.
Did it work?
Review please ^-^
Oh! I almost forgot.
I've got two more ideas for two more Fushigi Yûgi TasukixMiaka fics.
I'm afraid to start them because I'm afraid that I'll start lagging big time in all of them.
:sigh: Advice?
kuroi hane- :squeezes a Hotohori plushie: I love him and Miaka and him together is my second favorite paring, but you are correct when you say that we can't have him trying to intrude! But I do have some conflict in store. But don't worry! Nothing too big and disastrous will happen. As much as I love Tama, I love him as a warrior, not Miaka's lover. So I can guarantee that his obsession with dealing with his and Miaka's future before what's happening in the present will get in the way, like it does with almost every fic. And all I can say about the time Miaka spends at Tasuki's house, is that a certain bishie will have a hard time keeping his hormones in check ;)
RainbowSerenity- Why thank you! I'm very glad you like it ^-^ Stick our hot tempered bandit anywhere, anytime, anyplace and he'll still be as feisty as ever! That's one of the many reasons why I love him so.
KittyLynne- Ahh. The black hole glitch. Don't worry about! I contemplated whether making Hikitsu the teacher rather than one of the Seiryu seven for a long time, which was one of the reasons why that chapter took so long. But anyway...I knew exactly where you were talking about with Hikitsu's thoughts. I tend to do that sometimes. It's one of those bad habits that I need to break.
I haven't talked about Miaka's feelings yet have I...Le sigh. I have to say, I'm neglecting her and I shouldn't be. This chapter will hopefully show a little more of her feelings.
pretty moon kitty- :scratches back of head and blushes: Yep. Grammatical errors are my specialty. As it says below :points below: The program I use is crummy. Not perfect at all like it says it is. But thank you very much for your review! I'm glad you like it! ^-^
Authors Note- I'm sorry in advance for any grammatical errors that you may see in any of my chapters. I use WordPerfect 9 and it doesn't correct everything that should be corrected. If you see anything that needs to be corrected, please drop me a review or email me at weathered_photoalbums@msn.com
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Large curious green eyes peered out around a small piece of paper and gazed up at an apartment complex that resembled hers. Looking back down at the small paper with directions, Miaka carefully read the writing that was scrawled across it in handwriting that was characteristically messy to a male. Eyeing it carefully, she tried to see if she had read the directions correctly. All to many times had she embarrassed herself with small things such as calling the wrong telephone number because she had read it wrong. Heat rose to her cheeks as she remembered the time when she had thought she had called Tamahome (when the first met of course. By now she had his phone number memorized) and had asked him if he wanted to hang out, only to find out that she had called some random Japanese resident.
Miaka wearily trudged up to the stairs to the lobby of the apartment and over towards the elevator. She gently pushed the up button with a smile on her face and thought about what might happen over the weekend on her date with Tamahome. A sudden jerk of the elevator shocked her out of her reverie and she blushed slightly to herself.
As the elevator jolted to a stop and the doors slowly slid open, Miaka heard boisterous laughter that was being emitted from a small crowd of five young women. When Miaka stepped from the elevator, another older women came into view. Miaka guessed that the older woman was some sort of mother figure. All six women entered the elevator and the loud noise immediately stopped as the elevators doors closed.
Hesitating slightly, Miaka timidly knocked on the door to what she thought was Tasuki's apartment. From within the apartment Miaka heard a loud, aggravated growl before the door cracked open.
"I heard ya before Ma! The food is in the..." Peaking his head out of the crack in the door, Tasuki trailed off as his amber eyes locked on the petite women in front of him. "Oh...It's you, Miaka. Come on in!" As he opened the door completely, Miaka was able to take in Tasuki's appearance. He wore his slightly baggy blue jeans a little lower around his waist then they should have been, exposing a bit his plaid boxers. Miaka wondered if her cheeks glowed red with mortification as she caught herself staring at the bare skin of his torso where a tee shirt should have been. She just couldn't help it, he was well built for only a boy of 17 and she guessed he probably worked out in his spare time.
Tasuki noticed her eyes upon him and smirked slyly. Turning and heading for his room, he felt her eyes on his back. "I'll be right back. I just have to get a shirt on." He could have sworn he heard a faint gulp. "Just make yourself at home!" His voice faded away as he closed the door to his room.
Miaka relaxed as she sat down on the living room couch. Feeling the soft cloth conform to her body was enough to drive away her embarrassment and get rid of the tension that was building in her body. For some reason, when her eyes had lain upon Tasuki's bare skin, she felt like she had committed a horrible crime. Getting lost in her thoughts as she closed her eyes, she didn't notice Tasuki come in fully clothed.
"Before we get started, would ya like anything ta eat? It's almost dinner time n'…" Tasuki started but was quickly interrupted by an overjoyed squeak. Miaka's orbs of delight opened wide as she jumped off the couch.
"Do you have any cookies? I haven't eaten since before I headed over here." Clasping her hands together in a display of blissful merriment, Miaka started rambling on about how long it had been since any sweets had had the chance to take a journey to satisfy her stomach.
Raising an eyebrow out of fascination and curiosity, Tasuki watched with a soft chuckle of amusement. "Yeah, sure. Whatever satisfies tha' stomach of yours." Tasuki headed for the kitchen with a jumpy Miaka in tow, wondering about how big this girl's stomach was. She had said that she had just eaten a few minutes ago, before she had left for his apartment. Already she was asking for more food? Shaking his head slightly with another low chuckle, he walked to the far end of the kitchen and opened the door to one of the cupboards in which the sweets were kept. "Ma just went shopping. So yer in luck."
Another squeak rung throughout the small kitchen as Miaka tried to reach for the jar of cookies on the top shelf. Hearing a sigh of disapproval from beside her, heat rose to her cheeks out of embarrassment from her petite size. Tasuki's strong arm passed hers as he reached out for the cookie jar and their skin brushed up against each other's. The sudden and unexpected brush of skin caused her cheeks to deepen in their rouge color.
"I'm sorry for the trouble of feeding me. Mom and Keisuke-kun hide the sweets from me in the apartment." She watched his hands as they brought down the heavy clay jar and placed it on the counter, unscrewing the top.
Tasuki shot her a small smirk. "Ya owe me one." Being someone who just loved to joke around, he just couldn't help but try and play games with her. Plus, she seemed like the kind of girl to joke around with him.
As she leaned in close to him, she felt like she was having an out of body experience while she watched her body act on its own. Lips twisting into a smirk, Miaka wondered why she wasn't holding herself back. Normally, she wasn't even this straightforward with Tamahome! "That's what you thi--"
Tasuki's smirk widened as he popped a cookie onto her mouth while it was open. "Why don't we take these," He held up the jar of cookies as he spoke, "and your books into my room. We can work in there."
Miaka's eyes blinked rapidly for a moment, wondering what he was talking about. She had completely forgotten the Chemistry project, the whole reason she was there. "Of course!"
Waiting in his room for Miaka, Tasuki placed the jar of cookies on his desk and did a once over of his room. The twin size bed was set in the corner of his room. His desk sat perpendicular right next to his bed with a computer sitting on top of it. It wasn't the best, fastest computer, but it did its job.
He winced slightly as his eyes looked over the disheveled bed and a small clutter of clothes scattered across his floor. Being in a rush that morning, he didn't have time to properly clean up like he normally would have done. No, he wasn't a neat freak but he did like to keep his possessions in order.
Tasuki quickly gathered all of the clothes that were randomly scattered across his room. Tossing them in the closet to just get them out of sight, he sighed and walked over to his bed. He was straightening out his sheets as Miaka found her way into his room.
Walking over to him and his bed, she dropped her big yellow backpack down on his bed. "So…" She shuffled over to his desk and shoved a cookie in her mouth as she sat down in the chair in front of his desk.
"I was thinkin'…how 'bout we just do a report? Seems easy enough, dontcha think?" Tasuki sat down on his bed in a boyish fashion. His legs hung over the side wide open as he leaned back on his bed. Miaka had turned around and shoved another cookie into her mouth while she turned on his computer. This gave Tasuki time to take in her appearance.
Miaka was still wearing her school uniform that gave him a great view of her rear as she leaned down to switch on the computers base that sat on the floor under his desk. He cocked his head to the side slightly as he continued to gawk, eyes traveling up her sides. Lucky for him, Tasuki had a loose fitting shirt on along with loose fitting jeans; otherwise he would have been in big trouble. Just looking at her aroused him a bit. He crossed his arms and rested them on his knees as he leaned forward; closing his eyes as he let the combination of her unique feminine sent and perfume intoxicate him as it passed through his nostrils. Her sent was just like how he had imagined in his dream, pleasing and not overbearing. Before he knew it, his mind was wandering off into his dream world again, imagining his body pressed against her cool skin.
A soft 'ehem' snapped him out of his reverie, and his amber eyes opened to meet curious, worry-filled green ones. Jumping slightly at their closeness, Tasuki leaned back, fearing that if he stayed that close, he might actually try and make his dreams a reality. He kept trying to remind himself that they had only just met, that she had a boyfriend, but a voice in the back of his head kept telling him that those things shouldn't be a problem. The voice talking was the bad-boy side of him, the side of him that he let loose during his time in the US. All the girls back in his city in the US were attracted to his flaming red hair and crisp amber eyes, and he had used that to his advantage. But with Miaka, he felt something different, his compassionate side seemed to seep through his tough exterior and he wanted something more. He wanted to please her along with protect her and he didn't understand it. All of a sudden, her comfort and happiness came first.
"Are you okay, Tasuki? You suddenly got quiet." Oh, the way his named rolled of her tongue. It sounded so beautiful when she said it, making Tasuki's internal struggle between his conflicting emotions hard to subdue.
Finally, lust won over his good intentions, but they weren't ready to just give up the fight. Instead of just pulling her face to his, Tasuki decided to use the Chemistry report to get closer to her. A grin spread across his lips as he stood up and walked behind the chair that Miaka was now sitting in. "'Course I am, Mi-chan!" He pushed the chair in a bit, sliding her closer to the computer. Leaning in close behind her, he set one hand on the desk to one side of her by the keyboard. His other hand grasped the mouse on the other side of her. He moved his head so it was right next to hers as he looked at the computer screen. "Let's get started. We don't have all night, now do we?" A grin continued to dance upon his lips.
Meanwhile, Miaka's insides were twisting into nervous knots. Did he know what he was doing to her? She was having conflicting emotions herself. What was she doing being this close to another man? And why did she feel the need to get closer? Her relationship with Tamahome was going great! They went out…almost never. Maybe it shouldn't have come to such a surprise to her that she was a bit attracted to Tasuki physically. Tamahome and her hadn't indulged in any of their lustful desires in how long? Miaka wasn't even sure if Tamahome had any lust left for her.
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About an hour later, a ringing cell phone interrupted the laughter and merriment. Tasuki had changed positions around Miaka several times as they researched for their Chemistry project, but had stayed relatively close. She stood up and walked over to the bed with a sigh and pulled her cell phone out of her backpack. Taking one quick look at the caller ID screen was enough to send her emotions into a conflict all over again. It was Tamahome. She glanced at Tasuki who was giving her a curious look.
"Sorry, I have to take this." She apologized as she exited his room, walking down the hallway and into the living room, leaving Tasuki alone to ponder about the past hour.
Flipping open the phone, Miaka pressed the speaker to her ear. "Hey, Tamahome." She spoke with a smile and joy in her voice.
"Hello, Miaka. I called to talk to you about this Saturday." Tamahome's voice rung in her ears, his words causing her mouth to twist into a frown. She already knew the words that he would say next. "I'm going to have to cancel." Her mouth silently formed those words along with him in a mocking fashion. Letting out a heavy sigh, Miaka listened quietly as she waited for an explanation. When no more words met her ears, she put a hand on her hip in a display of annoyance and frustration.
"What's the reason this time?" Her voice buzzed with the choler she was feeling inside.
"You know that I'm a senior this year..." Tamahome spoke softly into his telephone, feeling her anger radiate through the speaker that was pressed up against his ear. "My father is taking me on a little road trip to check out some universities."
A long silence loomed over their heads as Miaka sorted things out. She mused about how he was always canceling a date. Yes, it bothered her that he was always canceling, but what really made her cross was that he never took the initiative to establish another one. It was then that it really sank in. She had always felt that in a relationship, both people gave their all to try and make everything work. They would sacrifice thing's to make each other happy. Since when had he sacrificed anything for her happiness and comfort? As far as she remembered, it had been a very long time. She was always prepared to do anything to salvage their relationship, but maybe she was the only one who felt that way.
Tamahome's voice broke the silence. "I'm doing it for us, Miaka. I've got to go to collage so I can get a good job and earn a living for the both of us..." His voice was even softer than before, trying to give her a sense of comfort. "You know that I love you."
His words took her anger and frustration and turned them into guilt and regret. How could she have gotten angry with him for something so minuscule? 'Maybe it's the fact that he is always walking all over you.' An angry voice echoed inside her head. "I know you do, Tamahome. Listen, I've got to go. I'll see you in school tomorrow, bye!" And with that, she hung up.
For the first time in a long time, Miaka did not confess her love for Tamahome to him. This left her, as well as Tamahome, in shock. Sighing and closing the phone, Miaka made her way back into Tasuki's room, plastering a smile on her face. Inside, she was still irritated with the thought that she was the only one who wanted to commit themselves to their relationship. Tamahome was looking far into the future, but what about now?
Tasuki was deep in thought, sitting on the ground and leaning up against his bed with his knees pulled up to his chest. His crossed arms were laid across his knees with his eyes closed. In the time that Miaka was gone, he had admitted to himself that he definitely was attracted to Miaka, in a way he was never attracted to a girl before. He didn't know why, but parts of him still wanted to deny it to protect himself from pain and sorrow. After all, she was still with Tamahome and they didn't seem like they would be breaking up any time soon. Since he couldn't fathom his own feelings for Miaka, how could he ever understand Tamahome's feelings for her? Yes, he had vowed to himself that he would make Miaka his, but his morals restricted him from ever doing so as long as she was with him. Another thing that troubled him was how quickly this change of emotions had occurred. Already his feelings were strong and he hadn't even known Miaka for a week. All he really knew was that he needed to get to know Miaka better.
Miaka sat down next to Tasuki, pulling her knees up to her chest just like him; only she wrapped her arms around her legs and hugged them close. She leaned her head on its side, down on her knees as she watched him. "You alright, Tasuki?"
Eyes fluttering to life, he glanced at her with a surprised look. He hadn't realized that she had come back in. A small smile flashed across his lips as he nodded once. "Yeah. Jus' thinkin', Mi-chan."
A grin flourished upon Miaka's lips, her troubles with Tamahome seeming to melt away more and more with every moment she spent with Tasuki. "Don't think too hard. You don't know what could happen with that small, fragile brain of yours."
Tasuki's smile transformed into a playful grin as he took her chin in his fingers like he did when they had first met, bringing his face close to hers. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm sure you stole those words out of someone else's mouth." He realized all too late that his words, along with his husky tone of voice, might make his feelings for her more apparent, and he didn't want her to reject him.
Miaka's hormones kicked into high gear and she found herself not knowing what to do. She felt like she was sitting with Tamahome, about to kiss him. But then she realized that Tamahome never teased her like this, which brought on a surprising feeling of heavy disappointment. Tasuki's teasing was sweet and in some strange way it made her feel like she was wanted. He made her feel comfortable and like she was able to be herself. This past hour that they had spent together made her feel as if she'd known him for all of her life. Excuse the cliché, but that's how it was. In a short amount of time, she felt as if she could be open with Tasuki. She wanted to be able to feel comfortable enough to tell her loved one anything. Could she do that with Tamahome? The more she thought about it, the more she realized that when she was with Tamahome, she felt like he didn't want to be bothered with her problems. Like they would be a heavy burden on his shoulders.
So many things were happening at once inside of her head and she couldn't deal with it. Her love for Tamahome kept on surfacing as she mused. Yet, she continued to think about Tasuki as well. Underneath that bad boy facade, Tasuki seemed like a sincere, straightforward man with many morals. It appeared as if he wouldn't make her do anything she didn't want to, that he would let her be independent, yet protect her. 'Why are you even thinking like this, Miaka?! You're in a relationship already! You are neither single, nor are you looking!' But she wasn't listening to her conscience anymore. Instincts took control of her body as all of her conflicting thoughts and emotions died away. All she knew was that she was in a room with a heavenly looking guy. And she was actually being treated like a woman for once! Closing the gap between their faces, Miaka's eyes flickered shut as her lips gently pressed against Tasuki's.
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Tamahome stared at the phone that he held in his hands, dumbfounded. What had just happened? Miaka had always told him how much she loved him before she hung up. Every time that they went their separate ways for the day, she had always made sure he knew how much she loved him. What had made this time different, he didn't know. Jealousy welled up inside him as he thought it had something to do with that fiery headed jackass that she was with.
He was probably filling his darlings head with words that were vacant, nothing but lies. Those words, he knew, would get in between them and pull them apart. He would do everything in his power to not let that happen.
What was he thinking? Their love was strong enough to withstand anything. Especially just a few empty words. He grit his teeth in annoyance, mostly with himself for thinking that Miaka would ever let another mans words sway her feelings. Angrily setting down the phone, Tamahome walked out of the kitchen and down the hallway to his father's room, his hand forming an aggravated fist before he tapped his knuckles against the wooden door. He desperately needed approval from his father; he needed to know that what he was doing was right.
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It was as if an electrical circuit had been closed and electricity was allowed to flow freely between the two of them. Tasuki wondered if Miaka felt the sparks that were flickering to life where their lips had connected. Lust that had been kindling deep in his abdomen the whole day was now spreading through his body like a wildfire. Desire coursed through his veins, tickling his skin as it replenished his muscles and skin with warmth. The fact that her lips had now parted ever so slightly, didn't help in the controlling of his libido. He needed to act fast and pull away from her face, but things were a lot easier said than done. How could he deny the chance he was being given? The chance to have his tongue gently caress hers? Could he give up what ever else may follow?
What was he thinking, anyway? She had a boyfriend. But...then why was her lips pressed against his?
All thoughts of her boyfriend were completely lost as part of Tasuki's mind struggled to keep control over his limbs. The other half tried vigorously to move his hands to Miaka's body. He wanted to touch her milky skin. To caress it. Every inch of her. To put it bluntly, he wanted to be on top of her clothesless body as she writhed beneath him in complete pleasure.
Before he knew what had happened, his eyes were closed and a soft moan had escaped his lips and collided with the soft, lush ones that were pressed against his. His tongue swept into her mouth, uniting with hers in an act of courtship. Capturing her cheek with his hand, he let his tongue gently slide further into her mouth as he tilted his head tenderly. Gingerly leaning over her body, Tasuki was careful not to break the kiss as he placed his hand on her thigh that was furthest from him. With a bit of clever maneuvering, Tasuki was able to slyly bring her leg over his.
Miaka was too busy being amazed at how incredible it felt to have Tasuki's tongue wondering over every feature of her mouth to even realize that she was now straddling his waist. Staying on her knees as she pressed her torso against his, she felt his determined hand as it roamed around on the back of her thigh, traveling up her skirt to her rear.
Blood boiling with passion and confidence, Tasuki slowly pulled away. Although his tongue had gently slipped from her mouth, he wasn't ready to stop yet. He slowly left a trail of butterfly kisses down her jaw line, delicately pressing his moist lips to her heated skin as he continued down her neck.
"Tasuki..." A faint whisper blossomed from Miaka's lush, reddened lips. "Don't..."
Although her lips were saying one thing, her actions urged him to go on. Pleading for more, her head shifted back to give him better access to her neck. She couldn't believe what she was doing. Giving Tasuki an all-access pass to her body was absolute ludicrous. She was being ridiculous, forcing a handsome male to kiss her. Why did she press her lips to his, anyway. It wasn't like she liked him.
Miaka was ignoring all the distinct signs of lust and desire. She had felt it too, the collision of intense passion and adoration when their lips had made contact with one another, but she pushed those thoughts and emotions to the back of her mind. Tamahome was her love. And she would be with him forever.
Tasuki's lips hugged the curve of Miaka's neck one last time. He savored every last moment that his lips were pressed against her hot, soft skin. Every moment was pure, heavenly bliss. Opening his eyes, he gazed at her creamy skin drowsily. It had been a long day and his mind was swimming.
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Laying across his bed on his front, Hotohori gently stroked his long ebony hair. 'It's just my luck that I get paired with the man that thirsts for me.' He mused silently as his majestic eyes darted back and forth over the text book before him. The feminine, violet-haired male was snuggling next to him was beginning to become a little too close for comfort. Nuriko was propping his head up with his hands and felt the need to nuzzle Hotohori's shoulder with his cheek.
Hotohori had had just about enough. But when his crisp golden eyes locked with Nuriko's light plum, his frown faltered. Not wanting to hurt Nuriko's feelings, he forced his frown into a somewhat pleasant smile. 'He's not that bad looking...' Hotohori pondered within the confines of his mind. 'But I am defiantly more elegant and beautiful than he.' Gently twirling a lock of silky hair around his index finger, he went back to the book in front of him.
After a few moments, Nuriko's tender voice interrupted the silence. "So what do you think of that new kid? Tasuki was his name, right?"
An image of the male with molten hair flashed in front of him. Tasuki's radiant eyes flashed as a cryptic grin was dispersed across his mouth. Hotohori mentally grimaced in disgust as he remembered how straightforward he seemed to have been with Miaka that morning in school. He found it revolting that Tasuki was warming up to Miaka so quickly. Tasuki had no right to, Miaka was his.
Keeping with his suave facade, Hotohori merely shrugged as he carelessly flipped to the next page in the textbook.
Nuriko eyed Hotohori closely. He wasn't stupid, he knew all too well Hotohori's feelings for Miaka. Nuriko secretly despised Miaka for that, even though they were good friends. Of course, those feelings of hatred were coupled with his feelings of love and adoration. Yes, he was attracted to Hotohori, but Miaka always had that cheerful attitude. She could light up a room with merely a wave of her hand; everyone seemed to flock to her. 'Another rival in love...' Nuriko mused silently.
"You don't like him do you..." Nuriko's soft voice echoed in Hotohori's ears.
"Well...I .... He seems like a nice guy..." Mumbling under his breath, Hotohori turned another page with aggravation. It was besides the point that he hadn't completed the other page. He just needed something to focus his mind onto. Something other than Miaka. And the new male that seemed to be competing for Miaka's heart.
It was then that Hotohori declared to himself that he would make Miaka his, just like Tasuki had done. Plus, he was the heir to Konan Inc., the largest, most profitable company in Japan. He could give Miaka anything her heart desired and that Tasuki didn't have the power to do that. He could make her live like a princess, which is how he believed she should be treated, with utmost care. 'She deserves everything in the world, and I could give it to her.'
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Miaka stood in front of the mirror inside Tasuki's bathroom, tenderly touching her lips. They still tingled with the taste of him. Staring at herself in the mirror, she watched as she moved her tongue across her lips, savoring the last bit of devine sugar that had adorned her lips. He had tasted so sweet, yet so mischievous.
'Something is wrong with me. Why has Tasuki struck a nerve with me?!' Her thoughts rang loudly inside of her head. Along side those thoughts, crept a small voice. 'Tasuki will offer you more than you could ever dream of. More than Tamahome can offer...' Shutting her eyes tightly, Miaka shook her head recklessly to wipe her mind clean of her conflicting thoughts. She gripped the sides of the porcelain sink before her tightly to steady herself.
Meanwhile, down the hall Tasuki sat on his bed leaning back on his hands. As he stared up at the ceiling, he became lost in thought. Closing his flashy eyes, he let himself fall back onto his bed. His molten red hair followed, his bangs shadowing his eyes.
"I should never have made a move on her." Tasuki mused softly.
After a few more thoughtful moments in silence, his brilliant eyes opened and he sat up. He was starting to get worried about Miaka, so he decided to go check up on her.
As he made his way out of his room and down the hallway, he continued thinking. He had forced himself on her and that wasn't what he wanted to do. He didn't want to make her feel bad, he wanted to make her happy, to comfort her. So that's what he was going to do, apologize for what he had done.
Hesitation plagued him as he got to the end off the hallway. Standing before the bathroom door, he suddenly felt the need to run. But he'd have to make things right between them. After all, he didn't want things to be awkward between the two of them. If he couldn't be her lover, the least he wanted was to be her friend.
He knocked on the closed bathroom door with much apprehension. "Mi-Miaka?" He cleared his throat before going on. "Are you alright?"
Opening her emerald eyes, Miaka glanced at the door before opening it slowly. Smiling slightly, she nodded at Tasuki.
"Listen. I uh," Tasuki stared nervously at his feet as his mouth fumbled with his words. "I'm really sorry...'bout before. Back in my room I mean. I...dunno wha' came over me. I...can...can we still be friends? W-we...can pretend nothin' happened." He felt butterflies manifesting themselves in the pit of his stomach. He could imagine them floating up his throat and flittering out of his mouth.
To her surprise, Miaka found his fidgety behavior bringing a smile to her face. Was it possible for a guy like him to be so incredibly sexy and adorable at the same time? Miaka shook her head mentally to rid herself from those treacherous thoughts.
Throwing her arms around him, Miaka beamed her approval. "Of course, Tasuki."
Tasuki lifted his head as his eyes widened in astonishment. "R-really?" His arms hung limp at his sides as he was squeezed.
"Mhmmmm." Miaka was so happy that it had come down to this. Thing's weren't turning out to be as awkward as they could have been.
A smile cracked upon Tasuki's lips as he timidly put his arms around the petite form in front of him Thing's were looking up for him and he couldn't help but be happy. "Thank you." He mumbled softly as he held Miaka a bit more closely and tightly.
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The following day, things were going off without a hitch. First period Chemistry went well and all the classes after that did too. Until lunch came around.
Tasuki hadn't bothered going to lunch the previous day, so he didn't know who he had it with. He had just wandered around the school a bit to get used to its layout a bit more.
As he opened the double doors and stepped inside, his eyes surveyed the surrounding tables and their occupants. He was praying to the gods that he would know someone in the room when suddenly a feminine voice met his ears. It was then that he noticed all the eyes that were on him throughout the cafeteria. He felt like yelling out, "Yes I'm tha new guy! Now will ya please leamme the fuck alone!" but a maiden had caught his eye.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, Tasuki sauntered over towards Miaka with a small grin playing on his lips. Standing at the front of the table, Miaka and Tasuki exchanged greetings before Miaka turned to her fellow table-mates. Tasuki recognized a few faces.
Tasuki flashed a smile at Chichiri and his smile flourished into a wide grin as he spotted Kouji all the way at the end of the table. At least there wouldn't be any dilemma's with Kouji and the few new friends he was making.
Miaka, who was oblivious to the conflict brewing between Tasuki and Tamahome, started by introducing her boyfriend.
"This is my boyfriend Tamahome. I think you've met him already." Miaka smiled sweetly at Tamahome as she identified him with a wave of her hand. Tasuki gave an irritated nod as he acknowledged his presence.
"This," Miaka gestured towards the platinum blonde across from Tamahome. The girl's big cerulean eyes glanced up towards the hot-headed boy next to her best friend. She offered Tasuki a smile as Miaka continued. "is my best friend Yui-chan."
Tasuki offered back a smile as Miaka continued. "That," Miaka began as she motioned towards a dark-haired male. The boys bright caramel eyes flashed emotions of jealousy as he looked towards the newcomer and gave a delicate, formal nod. "is Hotohori." Tasuki wondered why he was being given a look like that as he nodded politely in return.
Gesturing across from Hotohori, Miaka pointed out Chichiri as someone he already knew. She quickly moved onto a lavender haired male that Tasuki immediately thought was a women, even though he was dressed in a males uniform. The light maroon eyes that watched him behind thick eyelashes smiled along with the boys lips as he gave a small not while being introduced. "That is Nuriko."
Tasuki's eyes followed Miaka's hand as she motioned towards a very tall male with short, jet-black hair. His dark eyes glanced up towards Tasuki and he offered a very small smile. "That is Mitsukake."
"And next to him," A small boy with coral colored hair and olive green eyes smiled childishly up at Tasuki. "is the boy genius, Chiriko." Tasuki smiled and nodded at both Mitsukake and Chiriko. They all seemed nice. Even Tamahome, he admitted. 'If we weren't fightin' for tha same woman, I'm sure we'd be friends.' Tasuki thought to himself.
"Nice ta meet all of ya!" Tasuki flashed a fang-filled grin before striding down towards Kouji at the end of the table. Stealing Kouji's bottle of beer, he quickly took a swig before glancing down at the end of the table, eyeing Miaka for a moment before getting into an in-depth conversation with his own best friend. He didn't know it, but Miaka glanced at him out of the corner of her eye every now and then throughout the lunch hour. But her glances didn't go unnoticed by Tamahome.
To be continued...
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Well there we go!
This chapter was a little longer than the last few.
And it took a little longer to write (sorry!)
But I tried putting a lot more effort into it.
Did it work?
Review please ^-^
Oh! I almost forgot.
I've got two more ideas for two more Fushigi Yûgi TasukixMiaka fics.
I'm afraid to start them because I'm afraid that I'll start lagging big time in all of them.
:sigh: Advice?