Chichiri walked slightly ahead of his remaining suzaku brother. The monk seemed to be walking calmly down the path, ignoring his sulking friend, in fact though, almost every part of his attention was on the fiery bandit grumbling softly behind him. A smirk formed under the mask, carefully concealed and the monk chuckled to himself. 'Poor Tasuki, no da. He doesn't know what hit him.'
The monk's thoughts drifted back to breakfast this morning, when the bandit had been cooking a rabbit over a spit, to give them some meat for breakfast as well as some for lunch. Chichiri had escaped, after catching and cleaning the rabbit, and gone to the nearby spring to bathe. The summer sun had been beating down on them the previous day and the monk was starting to stink of sweat.
Chichiri sighed and sank into the water, eye closing with delight at the cool fluid that washed over his heated body. Even for such an early morning, it was still hot. Running after the rabbit had seemed like fun at the time, but it had really made Chichiri work up a sweat. He cast a glance at the quickly drying shirt and trousers spread out on rocks along the banks of the river and smiled in satisfaction that they were drying so well.
The monk sighed and swam in the river, playing around and basically enjoying himself. He suddenly heard stomping through the bushes nearby and playfully dove underwater just as Tasuki entered the clearing. For as much fun as Chichiri was having bathing, there was another purpose to getting clean today.
He could sense his companions confusion along the bank and swam towards him. Faintly he heard the bandit call out his name and was about to emerge when Tasuki's voice reached him again. "Dammit, Chichiri, this ain't funny, where the fuck are ya?"
Chichiri grinned and rose gracefully from the water, standing in a flowing cascade of river water, not 5 feet from Tasuki. The water level stopped at mid thigh. "I'm here, Tasuki, no da. What do you need?"
Chichiri watched with satisfaction as his fellow warrior stared at him, his face rivalling his hair. Chichiri watched as Tasuki's eyes travelled downwards and the monk felt himself respond to the heat he saw there. Mahogany eye closed, willing his body quickly to cool off and not rise to the occasion and he had just succeeded when he heard a soft hiss ahead of him. He opened his eye again and was confronted with a slightly aggitated Tasuki. "Shit, Chichiri. Don't jus' pop outta the water like that, ya near about gave me a heartattack." The bandit turned from the monk, face still red and Chichiri let his eye wander like Tasuki had before him. 'Hmmm, so I did have an effect on him, excellent.'
The monk inwardly smirked and then spoke calmly to his friend. "Gomen, Tasuki-chan. I heard you calling and you sounded frantic, so I thought it best to show myself to you right away. Are you ok?"
The bandit refused to look back at him and nodded, moving towards the brush again "Yeah, yeah. I was jus' comin to tell ya that breakfast is ready." With that he darted into the brush, Seishi power activated and disappeared from sight. A satisfied smirk crossed Chichiri's face and he dipped back into the water, rinsing off one more time before moving to his now slightly damp clothes. He quickly got dressed and followed, all the while pleased with Tasuki's reaction.
Chichiri almost sighed to himself, remembering that scene and couldn't help the grin forming not only on his mask, but also on his face. He was pulled from his mussings by a soft 'thud' and a string of cursing. He turned with a soft sigh to face Tasuki, who was pushing himself up from off the ground. "What happened, Tasuki, no da?"
The redhead cursed softly again and looked away. "Nothin. Just wasn't watching where I was goin and fell in a hole." He glared back at the offending pit in the road. Chichiri returned to his friend's side and reached out a hand. "Come on, no da. We still have a ways to go till the next village."
Tasuki seemed to deflate at this and he grabbed Chichiri's hand and allowed himself to be pulled up. "Do ya think we will make it there by tonight?" Chichiri gave a nod. "Hai, if we keep moving, we should make it there by nightfall." The monk watched the bandit sigh again and slump forward. "Awwww, Chichiri, why are we always walkin? I think we should just stay in one spot for awhile sometimes."
Chichiri cast a worried glance at his friend. "Are you tired of walking, Tasuki-kun, no da?"
The wing seishi shook his head. "It's not really that I'm tired of walkin, I just would like to stay more then a night in a place, get a feel for it, see the sights." He gestured wildly as he spoke and Chichiri smiled at the movements. "Well, alright, Tasuki-kun. We'll stay a few days in the next village, I promise, no da."
He was rewarded for his words with a large, fanged grin. "Ya really mean it, Chichiri? Great, let's get moving then." He started forward and put his weight down fully on his left foot, the one that had discovered the hole in the ground, and let out a small yelp, pitching forward, his leg buckling. "Fuck"
He was caught in strong arms just as he pitched forward and turned to stare wonderously at the monk. "Uhmmm, thanks?"
"You're welcome, no da. Let's take a look at that ankle."
With a sigh, Tasuki sat down and pulled off his boot. Chichiri gingerly probed the ankle, and heard a soft hiss of pain come from the bandit. He glanced up through his bangs and saw the slight, pained look on Tasuki, one that was quickly masked. With a sigh he nodded, it would seem his plan was on hold, Tasuki really did injure himself.
Standing, he reached down and helped Tasuki stand. "Well, it would seem we are going to that village quicker then I thought. Come on, Tasuki, grab your boot."
Tasuki swooped down, grabbed his boot, his ankle throbbing wildly now that it wasn't constricted. He glanced at the monk, who seemed a bit disappointed and watched as Chichiri swung his hat down and over them, the two warriors disappearing into it.
The hat swooped through the air and came to hover lightly before the inn and tavern of the village that the two seishi had been travelling towards. In a soft flash, the two emerged and Chichiri caught Tasuki's wince as the bandit put his weight on his foot. "Come on, Tasuki-kun. Let's go in and get you off that foot."
With a nod from Tasuki, Chichiri enterred the tavern and sat his friend down in a nearby empty table and then made his way through the nearly empty tavern towards the bartender to procure a room for the night. The two seishi were given a room with two beds, much to Chichiri's disappointment and the bartender helped Chichiri get his friend upstairs, promising to send for the doctor and to also send food up.
He retreated out the door, pleased to have the two warriors within his inn and hurried downstairs to have food prepared and to send for the doctor.
Chichiri closed the door behind the man and turned towards the pouting Tasuki. "What now, Tasuki-kun, no da?"
"Why do I have ta see a fuckin' doctor anyhow?" The bandit proceeded to pout like a small child after saying this and Chichiri smiled again, totally amused by his companion. "Because we are travelling more and I don't want you to have a serious injury and not know it."
The bandit glanced up into the serious face of his friends mask and sighed, looking away, a blush coming to his face. "I guess so. Fine, if it will make ya feel better, Chichiri, then let the damn doc look at it. Although I would prefer Mits check it out." He sighed and glanced at the monk, who was nodding sadly.
"Hai, so would I, but we did agree we would not bother our fellow brothers while they are growing unless it was an emergency." Tasuki gave a nod and sighed even more. "Well, can I at least have some damn saki?"
Chichir came forward and patted Tasuki on the head, which earned him a scowl. "If the doctor says it's ok, then yes, you may."
"Why do I have to get the damn doctor's permission first?" The fiery bandit fairly growled this out at his friend and was met by that same serene smile, which just seemed to infuriate him more. "Because, no da, you might have to take some medication for it, I don't want the alcohol interferring with the medication, that is dangerous."
Chichiri reached up and took off his mask, staring deeply at his friend. "And I don't know if I could survive something happening to you too, no da."
Tasuki was stunned by the emotion in Chichiri's eye and gaped at his friend. He glanced away as a knock sounded and muttered "Fine, I will wait till the doctor says I can, if it means that much to ya." The monk rose at these words, slipping his mask back on and smiled. "Good, no da. I didn't want to have to get stern with you."
"Hey!"
The monk chuckled softly as he opened the door and bowed slightly to the doctor standing in the hallway, the innkeeper behind him. The doctor entered and the innkeeper went back downstairs as Chichiri closed the door.
The doctor was very quick in his examination of the frowning bandit. "Ah, just a sprain, but I would suggest you stay off it for a few days." He eyes the dusty clothes of Tasuki and Chichiri. "I take it you two travel alot, so give him a few days of rest and then you should be fine." He gave Chichiri a packet "This will help with the pain tonight, no sake with them, please. I will come back in a few days to check on how it is progressing." He smiled kindly at them both, knowing who they were already. "You are lucky it is a sprain."
Tasuki grumbled, having started to frown when the doctor mentioned no sake, but Chichiri convienently ignored him. "Thank you, Doctor. How much do we owe you?"
The doctor shook his head. "Not a thing, it was due to you and your fellow warriors that I was saved in the war 12 years ago and grew up to be a doctor, this is on the house for our last two warriors." He bowed to them both, and left the room.
Chichiri sighed softly and locked the door behind him. "I do not wish to use our titles in this way, I wish these people would understand this, no da."
Tasuki just nodded and pushed back up higher against the headboard. "Wha the fuck are we suppose to do stuck in a room for a few days?"
Chichiri turned and smiled behind his mask. "Oh Tasuki-chan, I'm sure we'll think of something. Now you need to take this medication." He handed the packet to Tasuki and then got the bandit a cup of water to wash it down with. The bandit took the medication without complaint and then sighed.
"Are you hungry, Tasuki?" The bandit frowned in thought, bringing another smile to Chichiri's lips. "Hai, I am."
The monk nodded and rose from the chair he had settled in. "Fine, I will be right back. I will get us a meal." The monk left the room quietly, intent on getting food and Tasuki sighed and leaned back, eyeing the door thoughtfully. There was something going on with that monk. He couldn't put his finger on it yet, but he knew it all the same. Maybe he was thinking of the others again.
Tasuki twisted his fingers in a nervous twitch and glanced at his hands as he did this. He had lately begun to have feelings for Chichiri that were more then friendship. If he didn't know better, he would say he was falling in love with Chichiri.
Leaning his head back against the headboard, he sighed softly. Even if he loved Chichiri like that, there was no way the monk would feel the same, not for a brash bandit like Tasuki. He glanced towards the door as it opened and revealed Chichiri again. The monk carried the food to a table and set it on it. Then he scooted a chair close to Tasuki's bed and moved the table over, food and all, being careful to not spill it. When it was close enough for Tasuki to reach with little effort, Chichiri sat and put Tasuki's plate in reach of the bandit and then removed his mask to eat.
This stopped Tasuki short. Chichiri almost never took the mask off, unless to sleep and almost never in a tavern, where others could see. "Are you ok, Chiri?"
The monk looked up and tried to not smirk at the bandit. "Hai, Tas-chan, I'm fine, why do you ask?" The bandit shook his head and dug into his food as a blush started. Chichiri smiled in satisfaction and ate his food with equal enthusiasm.
The meal was eaten quickly and Chichiri took the empty dishes and tray back downstairs and then returned. He once again slipped the mask off, almost upon closing the door this time. Tasuki blushed again and looked away. Chichiri was always so handsome without the mask. "what do we do now? Stare at the wall?"
He didn't even hear Chichiri approach and was startled into looking at his friend as he felt the bed dip. "Well, what would you like to do, Tasuki?"
The fiery haired Seishi stared into the scarred visage of his friend and wondered at the slightly frightened look on Chichiri's face. Oh it wasn't really visible, but the bandit prided himself in being able to read his friend like a book, mask or no. "Are you ok, Chichiri? It's just a sprain, it will heal in a few days."
The monk gave a nod and sighed, looking at his hands. "Hai, I know Tasuki. I wasn't thinking of your ankle."
"Then wha's got ya so worked up?" Chichiri glanced up and sighed, noticing the concerned look in Tasuki's eyes. "Nothing. Don't worry about it."
He made a move to stand and Tasuki grabbed his wrist. "Come on, Chichiri, ya can tell me. I'm your friend after all."
Chichiri stared deep into Tasuki's eyes and sighed softly as he said "Is that all we are, Tasuki? Friends?"
The bandit caught longing in his friends voice and blinked. "Do ya want more then friendship, Chichiri?"
The monk looked away and tried to pull his wrist from Tasuki's firm grip. "No, don't pull away from me. Answer the question, damn it."
Chichiri raised his eye back to Tasuki's face and then looked away again. "I would like us to be more, Tasuki." He blushed bright scarlette at this admission and made another move to stand, but Tasuki gave a sharp tug on his friend and pulled the bandit into his arms. As Chichiri pushed back, trying to raise up off of Tasuki's chest the bandit chuckled. "Then why didn't ya say so." Chichiri glanced up at Tasuki and his lips were instantly captured by the bandit's.
Chichiri let out a startled gasp and Tasuki took the opportunity to stroke his tongue into the monk's mouth. It crossed his mind for a minute that maybe this wasn't what Chichiri had meant. That line of thought quickly disappeared when Chichiri's tongue met Tasuki's and a small duel began as Chichiri wholeheartedly returned Tasuki's kiss.
The monk shifted in Tasuki's lap, not breaking the kiss, but now straddling his new love. His hands roamed into Tasuki's hair and felt the bandit's arms come around him before they broke the kiss, gasping for air. Chichiri smiled slightly at the breathless bandit. "I think we just figured out a way to stay occupied for a few days, no da."
In a soft whisper of agreement the bandit pulled the monk back towards him, their mouths meeting again. "Definately!"
(I had meant this to be a Chichiri seduces Tasuki story, but it didn't turn out that way rofl. This is a one shot, if I write another chapter, which I probably won't, it will be a fluke. I like how it came out, but failed in my mission to make it where Chichiri seduces Tasuki. Back to the drawing board. Hmmmm, maybe this will be a set of one shots of Chichiri and Tasuki, see if I can get it right. I will take suggestions too and try and write them. I will also say that the "extended version" will be posted on adultfanfiction, limes included. /wink. Everqueen)