I don't own Fushigi Yuugi or Star Trek: Deep Space 9.

Chichiri woke slowly at first, the comfortable warmth of the body beside him causing him to drift awake instead of instantly coming awake like he would in a new place. The monk smiled slightly as Tasuki stirred beside him and then his one eye opened wide as the bandit rolled in his sleep and cuddled up to the monk. A deep blush formed on the blue haired figure as his bandit friend cuddled into his side and sighed in contentment as an arm wrapped around Chichiri's waist.

The monk turned his head to gaze at his dearest friend and smiled slightly, one hand raising to move wayward bangs off of Tasuki's forehead. Affection and love, long supressed, rose within the monk of Suzaku for the speed warrior and for once, Chichiri's love for Tasuki was not withheld from his gaze. For a long time now, he had loved Tasuki, even before Suzaku was finally summoned. He assumed he hid it well, for Tasuki had never questioned him on it. Suddenly Chichiri smiled about their situation. At least he wasn't alone. If he had to be stranded in a remote place, unknown to him, he was glad Tasuki was the one with him. He would have been lost with out the wing warrior.

The monk sighed and closed his eyes, arms closing around the bandit and he enjoyed the feel of his friend in his arms. Tasuki slowly started to stir, and Chichiri evened his breathe out, to appear asleep, as he didn't want to remove his arms and he felt Tasuki's ki rise in surprise. He felt the bandit tense in his grasp and then relax completely and cuddle to his side. Chichiri's eye almost flew open in shock at this. Tasuki was now awake and cuddling with him.

Suddenly the low rough tones of Tasuki's early morning voice reached his ears. "I know you are awake, Chichiri."

An impish smirk crossed the monk's features and he spoke low "I have no idea what you are talking about, Tasuki-chan. I'm still asleep, no da."

A deep laugh sounded from the figure in his arms and the body moved, reaching over to hold the monk as well. Chichiri's eye opened in shock this time and he stared at the slightly flushed face of Tasuki, who was smiling at him. "Who cuddled to who?"

"You cuddled to me, no da. I thought we both could use the comfort, so I held you back." Tasuki's eyes roamed over Chichiri's unmasked face and he smiled slightly. "I'm so glad you told me that without the mask." With those words, the bandit moved and closed the distance, kissing Chichiri lazily for a moment before pulling back.

Chichiri's mahoghanny eye was wide with shock now and he stared into Tasuki's golden ones and sighed out "Daaaa." The bandit smirked more, although Chichiri caught other emotions in his friend's eyes and Tasuki pulled back out of Chichiri's grasp. "Yep, glad you didn't have the mask on." With these words, Chichiri was alone, the bandit leaving at his celestial speed and Chichiri lay on the now lonely bed, trembling fingers rising to his lips. He spoke in a whisper to the empty room. "Did that just happen, no da?"

Meanwhile, Tasuki was leaning against the closed door of his room, cursing himself softly. "Tha was the dumbest thing ya have ever done, Genrou. How the hell are ya going to pull that off? Ya went and kissed a monk for Suzaku's sake. Not just any monk, but Chichiri. I can blame it on stress of the new situation, which would work here, but ya know that when we get back to Konan, it will mean the end of travellin together. Damn it."

The bandit moved forward and kicked at the wall in anger at himself. Waking in Chichiri's arms today had been a dream, one of a long time. It was back when they were travelling to Hokkan. Tasuki had noticed Chichiri sitting on the stern of the boat. It had been to close to the water for Tasuki's sake, but he had sat against the cabin of the boat and just watched the way the wind whipped the blue hair. That had been the start of his attraction to the monk. Through all the danger of their journey to summon Suzaku, he had been comforted in just the presence of the monk. Now that life was calmer, mostly, he was still attracted to Chichiri. In the past months he had begun to realize that he was in love with his friend. Not knowing how to handle this realization, he had ignored it, not ready to part with Chichiri. Now he had just ruined it all. He could tell that Chichiri wasn't attracted to him. Hell, Chichiri had been engaged to a woman at one time, why would he want a foul mouthed bandit?

The fire seishi put his head down on his hands as he sat on his bed and lost himself in his misery. He was still in this position when Chichiri knocked. He didn't hear it and the monk let himself in, pausing uncertainly at the forlorn sight of Tasuki.

The monk put his own confusion aside and approached his friend softly. Tasuki's eyes raised to Chichiri's and the monk sat beside him, gathering his crying friend in his arms. "Why are you upset, Tasuki?"

Tasuki tried to pull away from Chichiri, but the monk wasn't having any of that and held tight. "I scared ya off."

The bandit's words were low, but Chichiri heard every word. "How did ya do that, no da? I'm right here." Tasuki nodded "For now, but when we get back we will probably be seperating all because I have no fuckin' self control."

He turned bitterly away, realizing he was really losing it for admitting that, then next thing he would be admitting he loved the monk. A gentle grasp of his chin had him turning to face the monk. "Do you want to stop travelling together, Tasuki, no da?"

Tasuki shook his head "No, but ya probably will after I kissed you."

Chichiri chuckled "Yes, about that. Why did you kiss me?"

Tasuki flushed and glanced at his hands "Spur of the moment."

The monk's voice was disappointed to Tasuki's ears when he spoke "Was that all?"

Tasuki raised his head and gazed into Chichiri's eye, and felt he could drown in that mahoghanny depth. "Do you want it to be more, Chiri?"

The monk shook his head "I don't think it's about what I want, Tas-chan. It's about what it was to you."

Tasuki shook his head, his face and voice serious. "No, no matter what I want it to be, it also is dependant upon what you want it to be." The redhead turned away again.

Chichiri was silent for awhile and Tasuki finally got the courage to look at the monk again. He saw the pain and confusion in Chichiri's eye, but also the love that was there also, a love he had never seen in the monk's gaze before. "Chichiri?"

Nimble fingers smoothed red hair as Chichiri hugged his friend. "What was it to you, Tasuki-chan?"

The comforting feel of Chichiri and his presence had the bandit leaning against the fingers in his hands. Tasuki knew then that he had to admit it, even though it would cost him the monk, he couldn't keep it inside much longer. "I love you."

The fingers stilled and Tasuki felt his heart plummet. He tried to pull away when Chichiri pulled him closer, grip tightening. "I get no say in this before you run off, no da?"

Tasuki shook his head "Sorry Chichiri, go ahead and say it."

The monk almost laughed at the posture of his friend. Tasuki looked like he was about to get slapped. Chichiri leaned in and kissed Tasuki's temple. The monk pulled back and smiled softly. "I love you too."

Tasuki stared at him, sure he had heard wrong. "I don't mean as friends, or fellow warriors, but I am in love with you Chichiri."

The monk chuckled and leaned down to softly kiss Tasuki on the lips, his lips brushing against the bandit's softly before he pulled back. "And I am in love with you, Tasuki. I have been for awhile."

The monk smiled at the shocked expression on Tasuki's face and was leaning in for another kiss when the bell sounded signalling someone was at their door. Chichiri chuckled at the irritated look on Tasuki's on face and swooped the rest of the way in for a quick kiss before rising. "Let's see who it is, no da."

Both warriors walked to the sitting area and Chichiri called "Enter!" uncertainly. The door opened to reveal Worf and Jadzia, two people they had seen and been briefly introduced to, but not spent any time with.

Dax smiled "We thought we would greet you. We didn't get a chance to talk the other day and overheard your conversation yesterday with Quark and found it interesting."

The monk smiled and gestured for the alien couple to enter the room. "You heard us tell Quark about summoning Suzaku, no da?" They nodded and Worf spoke "And that you were warriors."

Jadzia smiled "Worf is part of a very warrior like society. Battles in your time must be more personal then the ones that take place here."

The next hours were spent exchanging stories about the different cultures they were from. Jadzia explained about her symbient and Worf told about growing up a Klingon with human parents and also some of the history of his world. Tasuki and Chichiri, having told their story, gave more indepth details about certain parts and even agreed to demonstrate their powers given by Suzaku. Tasuki used his speed and Chichiri went chibi form.

Finally Jadzia asked about Chichiri's face.

"If you are human, why does your face stay so smooth like that?"

Tasuki chuckled as Chichiri smiled. "It is a mask, no da." Worf frowned "A mask?"

"Hai." With these words, Chichiri reached up and removed the enchanted mask. "It was enchanted to move with my expressions if I wish and to bond with my skin when on"

He gazed at them with his one eye, the scar closing his missing left one. Jadzia stared in shock at the injury. "What happened?" she breathed and then flushed. "Sorry, that was rude."

Chichiri shook his head "It's ok, I get that alot." He sighs and puts his mask down before answering. "When I was younger, I was engaged to be married. The day before our wedding, I walked in and found her in the arms of my best friend. She swore it was the only time, but I grew angry and challenged my friend to a fight on the banks of the river. We fought and as we fought, it was raining. The river flooded and the ground under my friend's feet gave way. In that instant I lost my anger and grabbed him. I didn't mean to let him go, but he shouted for me to watch out and I looked to my right and got hit in the eye with a log. With the pain and shock of it, I let go of him and he drowned in the water."

Jadzia's eyes showed pain. "What of your fiancee."

Chichiri looked away and Tasuki took up the story for his love. "The flood hit his village as well. He was one of the few survivors of it. He lost his family and his fiancee and best friend that day." Chichiri sighed "The scar reminds me of what I lost due to my anger. So I will never make the same mistake again." He glanced at Tasuki and both smiled at each other.

Worf and Jadzia shared a smile at the look, correctly reading it. The group moved down to the Prominade and sat in Quarks, Tasuki and Chichiri, whose mask was back on, learning more about space and different worlds and the others learning about their world. Eventually they were joined by Major Kira, O'Brian, Odo, Jake and Julian. Captain Sisko eventually wandered in as well. "Well, this is quite the gathering here."

Jadzia smiled "Ben, you wouldn't believe some of the stories these two have." Sisko smiled at Dax. "Oh, I would, Old Man, I have heard about their universe and their God's remember?"

Tasuki frowned at this. "Old Man?" Jadzia laughed "Benjamin knew Dax's previous host and the nickname still persists." The two shared a friendly grin and Worf suddenly put his drink down, forcefully.

He looked at Tasuki "How about a battle?"

The bandit looked shocked at this. "A battle?" He nodded "Just to test your skills. It has been a long time since I have had a new opponent to battle and you are a warrior." Tasuki grinned at this. "I can use my weapon of choice then?" Worf nodded and Tasuki gave a fanged grin. Chichiri just sighed. "That might not have been the best idea."

The group stood and moved towards the holosuite in Quarks, a mock battle arena set up. Chichiri sat to watch, prayer beads out, ready to protect the spectator's from the Tessen's effect.