Can You Feel My Heart Beating Away Chapter 6: Delusional, a fushigi yuugi fanfic

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi, Miaka, Tamahome, Yui, Chichiri, Nuriko, Hotohori, Tasuki, or any of the other characters.

Author's Note: I'm just now coming to the realization that it's been about nine months since I last updated this story! I'm terribly sorry! I've been so wrapped up, mostly writing other stories, or working on other various things. I apologize.

Enjoy the extremely delayed update!

Delusional:

"Did anyone catch that last one?"

Never in any of their of their lives had they seen someone eating at such an astounding rate, nor had it been thought possible that hands could snatch morsels so quickly, chew and swallow them in what seemed the blink of an eye. However, as they watched Miaka shovel food into her mouth, attempting to recall details of what had happened back in the woods.

Out of Miaka's overfull mouth came a stream of incoherent words, her cheeks bulging with food, giving her face the appearance of a chip-munk.

"You lost a bull?"

"Your head got caught between the legs of a stool? What kind of idiotic woman are yeh?" Tasuki asked, dumbfounded.

Shaking her head vigorously, Miaka swallowed the massive quantity of food jammed inside her mouth.

"No," she replied, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "I said it was terrible, and it was!"

"Why did you leave, Miaka?" came Hotohori's placid voice, as he brushed several long strands of olive hair out of his eyes.

"I.. I had to get away."

"To find Yui?"

"No," Miaka whispered, shaking her head from side to side. "Not so much to find Yui, just to get away."

"We were worried sick about you," Nuriko told her calmly, a hand coming to rest on her shoulder.

"All of us were," the Emperor added, with a small nod.

Miaka cast her eyes downward, her hands coming to rest atop her dirtied skirt. She spoke softly, not daring to look any of them in the eyes.

"I'm sorry you guys; I didn't mean to cause so much trouble."

"And poor Tamahome's been a wreck.."

Tamahome.

'Do you feel that? That is my heart beating away..'

'Tamahome..'

Beneath her quivering hand, Miaka could feel Tamahome's heart thumping inside the walls of his rib cage. The beating had grown steadily faster, and the symbol on his forehead was now glowing a vivid red. All at once she could feel herself falling into Tamahome's spell; his teal eyes were staring back into hers. His head was now tilted to the right, his lips merely inches from her own..

'Tamahome, I - can't.'

She couldn't kiss him; not if it meant betraying Yui again. She couldn't continue being with Tamahome if she knew it was the one factor driving a stake through hers and Yui's friendship. She could not go on loving him.

"Tamahome.."

".. and that's how I found him, lying on the floor, unconscious," Nuriko finished thoughtfully.

"Women, feh," scoffed Tasuki, crossing his arms tightly in front of his chest. "Not worth the trouble."

"Watch it, fan-boy. You're in the presence of two devastatingly beautiful women, and neither of us are afraid to apply force."

"I see one woman, and I see one Nuriko. I'd hardly call the pair of yeh 'devastatingly beautiful'."

There was a flash of purple hair, and in one flourishing motion, Tasuki's back collided with the hard floor, a loud groan escaping. Poise regained, Nuriko brushed her hands off on her pants.

"That'll teach him."

After a chorus of agreement from the remainder of the warriors, Nuriko's attention returned to the now sobbing Miaka. Gripping her shoulders firmly, the brunette rocked back in forth on the floor.

"Don't cry Miaka," Nuriko cooed, giving her a gentle embrace. "Tasuki didn't mean all of those things. You're beautiful too."

With those words, Hotohori rubbed his temple in frustration.

"Somehow, I don't think Tasuki's unfounded remarks are the reason for her tears."

Tamahome..

"I believe," he continued slowly, "that Miaka needs to speak with someone else right now. Perhaps it would be best if we gave her some time to talk things over with Tamahome, and let her explain everything to us in due time."

"Right," the others replied, nodding in agreement.

Reluctantly, Nuriko let loose the shaking girl, getting to her feet. Shuffling along with the others, she strained her ears to hear the last bit of conversation with His Majesty.

"Everything will be all right," Hotohori reassured her, wiping a tear from her cheek. "I'll send someone to fetch Tamahome for you."

"T-thank you," Miaka muttered, giving him a feeble smile as he rose to his feet.

"You're welcome."

Let him forgive me, please.

For several minutes, Miaka sat alone on the cold floor, her arms drawn close to her chest. Facing away from the large pair of doors, she prayed silently for Tamahome's forgiveness. And, after what seemed like hours, the door slowly creaked open.

"Miaka?"

Her heart skipped a beat. "I-I'm here."

As Tamahome approached her from behind, all Miaka perceived was the tapping of his shoes against the floor.

Please don't hate me, Tamahome.

"Is it really you?" the man asked, as he walked around the sitting girl, and stood directly

in front of her.

"Yes," she answered quietly, not daring to look up at him.

Without so much as an utterance of warning, the dark-haired boy fell to his knees before her. He bowed his head to her, and clasped his hands together. Surprised, Miaka glanced up, her eyes meeting his.

"Tamahome.."

Before she was able to utter another syllable, Tamahome held up a hand.

"Say nothing more," he told her, staring intently into her hazel-coloured eyes. Cautiously, he moved closer to her, his arms wrapping themselves about her shoulders. "Don't apologize. Just allow me to hold you, Miaka, this one, last time."

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Chapter Note: This story isn't over just yet! I still have some more writing to do -- and Miaka still hasn't chosen who she values more dearly: Tamahome, or Yui. Thank you for reading chapter six of "Can You Feel My Heart Beating Away"!

And if you will, before clicking off this story, leave me a nice, long review. Then maybe, just maybe, I'll be motivated to write the next chapter really soon!