Disclaimer: I do not own FY…cause I'd end up trying to make all the warriors happy…and that would end up with a very thinly stretched Miaka! XD
AN: Been some time since I wrote this, guess I just slammed headlong into a wall…but now…we shall BUST DOWN THAT WALL!
Put a Smile on
Chapter 3: Double Order
"This place seems so…dingy? Is that the word?" He said, looking around the room with a slight grimace.
Miaka was not exactly certain how he'd gotten her to take him to her hotel room…a few sparking smiles, some jokes…and an offer to buy the two of them lunch if they ate there found Miaka navigating her way through the homicidal American traffic far sooner than she had planned.
"Not exactly 'dirty'…but…" The man called Anthony went on, inspecting the small area that held her bed and nightstand.
"I thought you were here for lunch." She said, raising an eyebrow.
"Ah…right…" He nodded, sitting carefully on one of the chairs. "But…how do you live here? I might report it myself if it did not mean losing you your housing."
She shrugged. "Ta-Logan kicked me out of the truck and demanded I stay here. Blame him."
"Did he?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "It sounds exactly like him."
She shrugged as he opened the wrapping of a double quarter pounder with cheese.
"If you like, I could provide you with better accommodations. I have a guest house, you know."
"N-no…that's okay."
"It's not like I plan to 'attack' you or anything!" He laughed. "It's just, once Logan sees this place, he's bound to drag you away to his place…and unless you felt his truck was quaint—in which case I may have to object to you staying in my guest house—you may be disturbed by his very bachelor-esque layout."
She laughed lightly, trying not to picture a house filled with proportionally as much filth as Tasuki's truck had been. "I'll think about it."
"The security in this hotel is notoriously poor. I would be aghast if anything were to happen to you."
"I'll be fine, Ho-er-Anthony!"
"What were you going to say?" He asked with an amused smile. "Your boyfriend's name?"
"N-no!"
He looked around the room again. "I find it strange."
"Wh-what?"
"Unless your man is a flower…" He said, indicating the painting of a rose hanging on the wall, "Why is it I do not see any pictures of him?"
"Ah…er…" She stuttered. "I haven't seen him in three years!"
"Still…" He said with a sly smirk. "Very interesting."
She frowned at him. "Don't just give me that sexy smile and think I will swoon! I have a boyfriend! For five years now!"
"Five years…and not even your fiancée yet?"
"Ah…er…I…uh…we…have been in different countries for three years now!"
"A cross-country relationship?" He shook his head. "Cross-continent, even?"
"What?"
"Oh…nothing…" He glanced down at his watch. "I am sorry…but I must be leaving now."
"Oh! Anthony…" She said, standing with him. "I…could I get a ride?"
"A ride?" He asked, giving her another sly smile. "Well…so soon?"
"What's 'so soon'?" She asked, narrowing her eyes. That smile was suspicious.
"Now…I know I am ravishing, but…"
"H-Hotohori!" She gasped. "How could you?"
His eyes widened in surprise. "What does that name mean? What again do you call Logan?"
"I…uh…sorry…uh…"
"It's…cute." He said, smiling. "Assuming it's not an ex-boyfriend."
"N-no! Nothing like that!"
"He laughed lightly. " Don't worry, I don't intend to try to kill you over it like Logan did."
"Hey! I did not try ta kill her!" Came a familiar voice. "She tried ta kill me!"
Surprised, Miaka glanced up at the doorway. Tasuki stood just inside the room, leaning on the doorjamb with one fist and glaring at Anthony.
"Ta-Logan?"
"Ya tried ta call me it again!" He fumed, throwing his hands up in the air. "What's wrong with ya!"
"She called me 'Hotohori'." Anthony said, smiling cordially, and pointing at her. "I find it cute."
"Ya find anythin' a girl does cute 'til ya get in her skirt!" Logan scoffed. "She's got some serious issues!"
"I do not!" Miaka and Anthony replied in unison.
"What d'ya call not bein' able to call people by their real names" Tasuki/Logan snorted. "An' ain't ya gonna be late, Anthony?"
"Ah, right, right." The man nodded grimly, walking toward the door. "It was a lovely lunch, by the way."
Miaka glanced down at her unopened burger a moment, and could not help a small smile. "Yeah, it was…"
"Oh, Miaka?" He said, pausing and turning toward her.
She glanced up quickly. "Yeah?"
"Why not the three of us go out tonight? You don't have any dinner plans, do you?"
"Er…no…"
"Good then!" He gave a dazzling smile. "Tonight around eight—I'll pick you up and we'll meet Logan in McDonalds."
"Are ya kidding!" Tasuki-Logan snorted. "You come near her at night and ya won't be leavin' the room until dawn!"
"Hey!" Miaka growled. "I resent that! I have a boyfriend, you know!"
"So ya keep sayin'!"
"You keep making me remind you!"
Anthony smiled, and waved his hand. "Fine, Logan can pick you up in his truck instead."
Miaka frowned at the thought of her last 'adventure' in Logan's truck…she had been lucky to escape with her life. By the redhead's pale face, he was thinking of it as well.
"Ya know…mebbe--" Logan started.
"Are you sure you can't pick me up, Anthony? I could always walk, of course…"
The man gave a triumphant smile. "Eight O'clock it is."
XDXDXDXDXDXDXDMiaka sighed as she interlaced her fingers behind her head on the sparse mattress the hotel had provided her. 7:40—seven hours after her visit from 'Anthony' and 'Logan' (Who had only arrived to fetch Anthony), and she had found nothing to do. She did not dare go out into the maniacal traffic again, and her hotel room had only the barest essentials.
I should have taken him up on his offer…I bet his guesthouse has stuff to do… or at least eat.
Her stomach growled at the thought of food, she had not eaten since her lunch, and her body was about to stage a full-scale revolt if she did not get food soon.
Only a few minutes and Hotohori will be here…he'd never be late. She smiled softly. I can't wait to see Taka's face when I tell him I found Hotohori and Tasuki's reincarnations! Even if they don't remember now, I know I can get them to!
She nodded determinedly. Yeah! I will get them to remember! I'll start tonight…but how? She frowned slightly. There has to be a way to jog their memories…what can I do? It's not like I can try to déjà vu them with the same stuff we did last time—that would be kinda impossible…
Her eyes lit up as an idea came to her. I know! Suzaku! I can tell them stories or something…I mean…'Anthony' at least seems to be trying to woo me, so I'll bet he'll listen to some of my 'half-baked' tales! And then he'll remember and help me get Tasuki back! She was grinning now, as she nodded along with her thoughts. And it'll give me an excuse to go to his place instead of staying here! Chiriko couldn't have thought up a better plan himself!
A sharp rap on the door interrupted her thoughts. She glanced over at the clock flashing on her nightstand—eight o'clock on the minute. I bet he was standing outside the door just waiting for eight o'clock so he could make a stunning impression!
She frowned slightly as she opened the door to reveal a smiling 'Anthony', sports jacket pressed smooth, and hair brushed to perfection—although that might have simply been his natural haircut.
He wasn't standing out here in the cold, was he? What an idiot!
He frowned slightly. "Is something the matter, Miaka?"
"You…uh…weren't standing out here in the cold for a half-hour, were you?"
He gave a hearty laugh and shook his head, smiling down at her. "You've obviously been listening to Logan!"
"N-no I haven't!" She sputtered. "It's just…you knocked exactly when it hit eight!"
He gave a slight chuckle and shook his head, pointing to a slim gold watch on his wrist. "Your clock is slow…I waited three minutes before knocking! And I waited in my car for only five extra minutes where its nice and warm, I assure you."
"Why did you wait at all?" She sighed, shaking her head.
"It would be unseemly to come before I said I would!" He objected. "It would make me look no better than the hormone-driven man Logan makes me out to be!"
She gave him an amused grin. "Five minutes is not going to make me think of you as hormonal, Anthony!"
He gave her a devilish smile. "Oh, my lady, but you would be surprised what I can do in five minutes."
She snorted. "Anthony, stop flirting! I'm taken, I've said that over and over!"
"So you have." He nodded solemnly. "Would you like to have a drink or anything before going out?"
"Anthony!"
"I didn't mean alcohol!" He said quickly, waving his hands defensively.
"I'd rather just go eat…I'm famished."
He nodded slightly. "Alright then, we shall leave now."
With a fancy bow, he walked to his red Porsche, and opened the passenger-side door.
She shook her head slightly, with a laugh, and got into the car. His vehicle was the complete polar opposite of Tasuki's, not even a crumb dared to deface the smooth interior of his car. She found herself flushing slightly as she realized it smelled heavily of his cologne. The scent was neither oppressive nor overpowering, simply impossible to ignore. It was very much like the musky scent he had worn in the book.
"I still feel it is not the best idea for you to stay at this place." Anthony-Hotohori said, as he slid into the driver's seat.
"About that…" Miaka said, firmly putting out of her mind the memories that scent elicited. "I was wondering…if you still wouldn't mind me staying at you guest house?"
A brilliant, sparkling smile spread across his features. "Of course I wouldn't, Miaka! I would be able to rest so much more easily if I knew you were safe!"
She swallowed softly at his smile, a thought suddenly occurring to her that--in regaining his memories—he might rekindle the feelings he had held for her for a short time in the book…since he was already so flirtatious.
However, if he remembers anything, I'm sure he'll remember that he later fell in love with and married Feng-Qi…so there shouldn't be a problem. She resisted the urge to swallow nervously once again. But what if he doesn't? What if his new personality ignores that memory or something? I don't want to have to suffer through all of that again—I just want my friends back!
"Oh Suzaku…what are you planning?" She breathed, shaking her head.
"Nothing underhanded, I assure you!" 'Anthony' said glancing over at her with an antagonized smile. "You really have been listening to Logan too much! I'm not nearly as bad as he goes on about!"
She blinked. "No, no...sorry, I was talking to myself."
He laughed. "Ah, then…who or what is Suzaku?"
"It…"
"…It's one of our gods…'Seiryu', 'Byakko', 'Suzaku', and 'Genbu'. Suzaku is our god."
"It's just…a phoenix from a fairy tale." She suppressed a wince at her words.
Why did I say that? That was my chance! She sighed softly. Yeah right…as if he'd believe me.
"What's wrong?" Anthony asked, glancing over at her with interest. "Thinking of your boyfriend?"
"Er…no."
"Then why so depressed?"
She shrugged. "It's nothing…just—" She cut off suddenly as she realized the implication of his words. "Hey! What are you trying to say? Why would I be depressed about Taka? He's wonderful!"
"Taka, is it?" He said, a small, triumphant smile on his face. "No reason at all, Miaka."
She gave him a withering glare. "If you wanted to know his name, you could have asked!"
"Ah, we're here!" He announced, ignoring her statement. "Sometimes I worry Massachusetts will become another New York—traffic is even worse there, you know."
Before she could snap at him for ignoring her, however, he jumped out of the car and went around to open the door for her. Tasuki made it there first.
"Ya still alive in there? Still wearin' clothes?" He sounded almost genuinely concerned.
"T-TASUKI!"
"It's LOGAN, darnit!" The red haired man yelled, slamming the door in her face and continuing on, barely audible. " See if I ever worry about ya again!'
Although she could no longer hear much outside of the car, she saw Anthony/Hotohori laughing and shaking his head.
Ch END
AN: Yay! I finally updated! I roxorz :P So…am I mutilating poor 'Hori's personality too much?
For the record, I do not agree with Miaka's thoughts in this—Hotohori didn't stop loving her just because he married someone else—but I feel that Miaka, being the clueless way she is, probably felt he 'moved on' and no longer felt anything toward her when he married Feng-Qi (Houki, for the anime watchers)
So...Tasuki's place, or Hotohori's place? CHOOSE!
PS: Merry Christmas all!
-Yusagi Sombermoon
Completed: 12/25/05 3:28:32 AM