Can You Feel My Heart Beating Away Chapter 7: Sweet Discourses, a fushigi yuugi fanfic

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi, China, Miaka, Tamahome, Yui, Nakago, Nuriko, Tasuki, Chichiri, Soi, Suzaku, or anything else in this fic.

Author's Note: Inspiration! Yes! It's come back to me!

I'd like to thank Lady Lunara for leaving reviews on this fic! She's so awesome! (And she's a good writer too! Check out her stuff!) Also, I'd like to thank Minako-hime for writing me such a great, long review!

Without further ado, read the next chapter of "Can You Feel My Heart Beating Away", and leave me a nice review when you're done!

Sweet Discourses:

One, last time?

"Tamahome?"

With his shoulders slumped, Tamahome relaxed his embrace, gazing into Miaka's eyes. Lining the pair of somber eyes, were several large, pearly tears.

"What did you mean by that?" the girl asked, gingerly using her hand to tuck a few of his longer bangs behind his ear.

"Mean by w-what, Priestess?"

"What did you mean by 'this one, last time'?"

There was a dead silence, as Tamahome cast his glance to the floor, his hold on Miaka releasing all together.

Please, speak to me.

Still, there was only silence.

Tamahome, please!

"I meant exactly what I said," he answered finally, closing his eyes. "I meant that I hoped you would permit me to hold you, just once more."

"I don't understand."

'No! Don't come near me! I hate you Tamahome! If I had never opened this stupid book, none of this would have happened!'

The memories.

'You are the reason that Yui-chan hates me! I was with you when she needed me most! She had to go through so many horrible things because I wasn't there to save her!'

'Miaka, what are you saying?'

'I never want to see you again! I hate you!'

It was all returning to her; the pain, the screaming, and the look in Tamahome's eyes. She remembered everything about that night, suddenly, as the memories of her departure flooded back into her mind.

"No.." the school-girl said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Wo ai ni."

The dark-haired fighter's eyes shot open, as he quickly glanced at Miaka's face. "W-what did you say?"

"Wo ai ni."

Hardly daring to believe that his ears rang true, he stared, unblinking, into her eyes.

"You taught me that, Tamahome. Wo ai ni; I love you."

"I love you," his voice echoed, shock taking hold of his emotions.

I do! I do love Tamahome!

Slowly, almost imperceptibly, Miaka bridged the gap between the two of them, one of her hands resting tentatively on his cheek. Inwardly shaking, she touched her lips to his in a timid kiss, which lasted all of two seconds. Pulling away, slightly embarrassed, Miaka blinked.

"T-Tamahome?" questioned her feeble voice.

"Yes?"

"I've missed you so," she told him, latching onto him with her face buried in his chest.

Returning to reality, Tamahome kissed the top of her head softly, and wrapped his arms snugly around her shoulders.

"And I've missed you," the young man told her, resting his head atop hers and closing his eyes. "More than you'll ever know."

- - -

"Soi, where is Yui?"

Haku Kaen, known as Soi to her fellow warriors, abruptly looked up from a small violet book she had been writing in. There were a number of diagonal smears of black ink on her fingers, as she held the calligraphy-style pen between two nimble fingers. Glancing at Nakago briefly, she returned her gaze to the pages.

"How should I know?" Soi asked curtly. "And why would I care? The brat's probably hiding in her room, whining about something."

Contorting her face into a shrewd impersonation of Yui's, and imitating the Priestess' voice, Soi sniffled pitifully. "No body likes me! They all wish I was dead! Tamahome doesn't love me, and Miaka stole him from me! Oh, boo hoo!"

Nakago cast a look of admonition upon the woman, shaking his head. "But Miaka did steal him. And thus, she should be duly punished."

"I honestly don't see why you waste your time with that deplorable creature. All day long, it's 'Yui needs this' or 'the Priestess wants that'," Soi grumbled boorishly. "I'm getting sick of it, Nakago. How long are we going to go on babysitting that selfish little wench?"

Striding limberly towards Kaen, the crude warrior gripped the woman's shoulder tensely. "As long as it takes," he stated resolutely. "Do you understand that?"

Taken aback ever so slightly, Soi nodded, muttering a few words of agreement.

"Good. There'll be no more discussion about it; you will endure and tend to Yui's every need or whim."

"Right."

Nakago, feeling that his business was finished, released her shoulder and turned sharply on his heel. Setting a brisk pace, he began towards the massive wooden doors. Even then, having just been ordered around and reprimanded, Soi's eyes followed him intently. She observed the way his hair swung from side to side, as though polishing his already gleaming armor. Soi watched languorously his shapely calves flexing and relaxing with each calculated stride.

Bestowing a parting glance on the man's back, Soi's hand came to rest timidly upon the shoulder Nakago had seized. Despite the dull ache in the limb, the woman smiled, and returned to her writing.

If only Nakago knew.

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Chapter Note: Yes! I finally finished the chapter!

Well, what did you guys think? I know it's a tad short, again, but I'm planning for the next chapter to be longer. It's getting pretty close to the end, I do believe.

Now, if you'll just click the 'Submit Review' button, and leave me some feedback, I'll start writing the next chapter!