A/N and disclaimer: I've been thinking about using this song in some way for awhile now. And I finally found the perfect scenario. I did consider making it another Tasuki/Miaka songfic but I think a couple of other people deserve some more attention. If you haven't seen the second OVA's I don't recommend reading this as it has spoilers but if you're that interested... This is about Chichiri back when he was still called Houjun, his fiancée and his best friend Hikou. After listening to the song again I decided that this would fit quite nicely. I don't own the song, "St. Augustine in Hell". That's by Sting (whose work I do love). And I own none of the characters or the Fushigi Yuugi world. Miss Yuu Watase still does. :)

If somebody up there likes me somebody up there cares
Deliver me from evil save me from these wicked snares
Not into temptation, not to cliffs to fall
On to revelation, and lesson for us all

They had all three grown up as playmates, the best of friends. Hikou and Houjun had been like her two older brothers. As they grew through the years feelings between the three of them began to change into other, more confusing things. Kouran began to see Houjun in a different way and thought that he was looking at her in the same light but she never seemed to find a moment with him alone to ask him. At least, not until the day her father called her into the main room one warm day.

She knelt as she entered and shyly looked up to see why he would have asked her here so formally. Her father doted on her, even around most of the family friends. To her shock and surprise she saw Houjun sitting across from her father with a nervous look on his face. Why is he here? she wondered. Is he ill? Did something happen to his family? To Hikou? Fears flitted through her mind and she sat, petrified.

"Kouran," her father began. "Don't look so frightened, child. No one is going to cane you." He laughed and even Houjun and Kouran managed smiles as the tension eased a bit. "Houjun came here today to ask me something and I can not give him an answer until I know your feelings on the matter."

She looked at her father, puzzled. "Why do you need to know what I think?"

"Because this involves you as well. You are my only daughter and I want to see you happy, even if it earns me strange looks from some people." She sat quietly, pleased but unsure of what to say next. Her father continued in her silence. "Kouran, this young man has come here to ask me for your hand in marriage."

Her head snapped to look at Houjun. She stared at him in amazement while he seemed to examine the woodwork of the floor. "Houjun, is that true? You want to marry me?" Her voice was thin and shaky, even to her own ears.

Her childhood friend's face flooded with color and he sat silent for a few moments. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity he looked up at her and spoke. "Kouran, I know that we've grown up together and I'm not sure if you ever thought of me as more than your friend but…," he faltered, trying to find the right words. "I…I love you. I want us to be together, for the rest of our days."

Kouran didn't answer him with words. She didn't have to. Her bright smile lit up the room like a beacon.

She walked into the room on the arm of my best friend
I knew whatever happened our friendship would end
Chemical reaction, desire at first sight
Mystical attraction, turned out all my lights

Hikou looked around for his best friends anxiously. It seemed like the entire town had been invited to a gathering at Kouran's house but no one knew why. What seemed strangest to him was that Houjun was no where to be found as well. Perhaps he was running late. He had said that he had some things to take care of this afternoon.

"May I have you attention?"

The buzz of conversation in the room died away as all heads turned towards Kouran's father. He waited for complete silence before continuing. "Thank you all for coming. Today is one of my happiest and saddest days and I would like to share it with all of you." He made a gesture and a maid slid open the door beside him. There stood Houjun and Kouran, arm in arm, smiling.

Hikou took in the sight of them together, wearing smiles that seemed brighter than any sunny day and felt the blood drain from his face when he heard Kouran's father's next words:

"Houjun and my daughter, Kouran, will be married in two months!"

Distantly Hikou heard the applause and the quiet congratulations to the happy couple. He too, stared at them, not wanting to believe. He had been trying to work up the courage to talk to Kouran as well. For two years now he had been in love with her but felt that to say anything would put their friendship at risk. But Houjun, his best friend, had now managed to steal the woman he loved from right under his nose.

The minute I saw her face the second I caught her eye
The minute I touched the flame I knew it would never die

Somewhere, deep in his heart, the heat of jealousy began to grow.

I don't know if it's pain or pleasure that I seek
My flesh was all too willing, my spirit guide was weak
I was deadly certain thoughts for me weren't kind
A switchblade in his pocket, murder on his mind

The three friends sat on the grass at the edge of the lake. All three chatted about the warm weather, the upcoming wedding, and other things of the moment. Hikou managed to keep up his end of the conversation well enough without letting out a hint of the burning jealousy that was consuming him. His eyes picked up the little things that passed between his two friends. The way they shared looks and smiles, the way theirs hands lay interlaced on the grass, the way they often spoke and laughed at the same time.

"Hikou?"

The sound of his name brought him out of his private thoughts. He smiled sheepishly and continued to lie. "Just lost in thought, that's all"

"Oh?" said Kouran. "What kind of thoughts?"

Thoughts that would probably send you running in terror to your previous Houjun, my dear, he didn't say. "I was wondering how much longer we'll have such beautiful weather."

Houjun looked up at the sky. "I don't know. Let's hope it continues through the season." Then he glanced back at Hikou. "After all, we all have a wedding to be in, right?"

Kouran smiled and agreed. Hikou agreed as well, even if his response was just a little less enthusiastic. Neither of the lovers seemed to notice his expression freeze. So much the better.

Blessed St. Theresa the whore of Babylon
Madonna and my mother all rolled into one
You've got to understand me, I'm not a piece of wood
Francis of Assisi could never be this good

"It hurts! It hurts and there's nothing I can do about it!"

The words were out of Hikou's mouth before he realized it. Kouran stared at him, her mouth open in shock. This wasn't the way he had planned to tell her. Not here, not having her cornered like a small animal. And that's just how she looked, eyes wide, small frame hunched against attack. Yes, she even trembled at this moment. He cursed himself silently for bursting out with his confession like this. His anger started to melt in the heat of embarrassment. Or, it started to until he saw the slight shake of her head.

"Hikou…I love you, but not the way I love Houjun. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

The words he had always known but never wanted to hear were now spoken aloud. He watched as tears began to drop from her eyes and she moved to hurry past him. Desperation seized him and he grabbed Kouran by the arms and pulled her against him. In one swift movement he smothered her protests with his lips locking her in an unwilling embrace.

For Hikou the moment lasted for an eternity and yet, not long enough. For that moment she was his and only his. Consequences, whatever they were, he could face later. For now, there was only the woman in his arms…fighting to escape…

The minute I saw her face the second I caught her eye
The minute I touched the flame I knew it would never die

Lightning flashed overhead, silhouetting the two young men. The rain poured down as though the heaven's had opened a floodgate on the earth.

"How could you, Hikou! How could you steal the woman I loved?" Houjun stood only a few feet from Hikou. His eyes blazed with anger as he shouted the accusation. Rain plastered his hair and clothing to his skin and ran down his arm to drip off of the knife he held tightly in his left hand.

Hikou only watched him, saying nothing. There was no innocence that he could protest. There was nothing but guilt and hate.

Suddenly Houjun leapt at him, knife swinging upward. Hikou tried to duck aside but his footing failed him on the wet grass. He slipped and fell directly on top of the knifes blade. Pain blossomed in his chest as the knife buried itself to the hilt. But the pain was not over. Houjun still had the momentum from his attack and it caused them both to fall back toward the edge of the slight cliff overlooking the flooded river. Hikou hit the edge and started to slide off. The sound of the rushing water was all he could hear. His fall stopped short with a jerk, his lower half caught in the current of the river. Hikou looked up with an effort to see Houjun grasping his wrist, shouting something that he couldn't hear. Hikou just watched him with a feeling of distant betrayal , not really caring if Houjun were to let go or not.

But nature, or the gods, decided for him. In the blink of an eye a fallen tree limb came rushing down the river. At the instant that it slammed into Hikou's body one of the smaller bundle of branches caught Houjun square in the face. The last thing Hikou saw as Houjun let go was the blood streaming from his former friend's broken face. He let go, Hikou thought as the water dragged him down. I never thought he'd actually let go.

Relax, have a cigar, make yourself at home. Hell is full of high court
Judges, failed saints. we've got cardinals, archbishops, barristers,
Certified accountants, music critics, they're all here. you're not alone.
You're never alone, not here you're not. ok break's over.

"Tell me , Hikou, do you want revenge?"

Hikou looked around him as though the blackness would reveal the owner of that silken voice but there was nothing to he could make out. "Revenge?" It took a moment for the memories of his death to come back to him. Floating in the nothingness he had forgotten those events. Now they rushed back to fill him mind with vivid images.

"Houjun and my daughter, Kouran, will be married in two months!"

"After all, we all have a wedding to be in, right?"

"Hikou…I love you, but not the way I love Houjun. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"How could you, Hikou! How could you steal the woman I loved?"

He let go. I never thought he'd actually let go.

The peace that had been with him slowly faded and was replaced with a cold anger. So cold that it reminded him of the river that had pulled him down. "Yes. Yes I want revenge," he replied to the darkness. "What must I do?"

A shape formed in front of him. A pale man with silver hair and eyes that burned with dark amusement. "I shall make you a minor god. Perhaps, considering the method of your demise, controller of the rains and water." A smile formed on the man's lips but did not reach his eyes. "And then you will wait."

"For how long?" Hikou asked.

"Until the time is right, my wrathful servant."

Hikou did not like that particular answer but worked to hide his displeasure. "And what do I call you?"

The pale man smiled. "Lord Tenkou is how you should address me."

The less I need the more I get
Make me chaste but not just yet
It's a promise or a lie I'll repent before I die

The battle raged while Miaka's pleas went unheard. "No, Chichiri! Don't kill your friend!" she yelled, her words muffled by the water bubble that trapped her. Even as she cried out her eyes started to sag, the lack of air finally affecting her.

"Miaka!" Two voices cried out in chorus. Taka and Tasuki turned to look at Chichiri in concern knowing that Miaka did not have long.

Chichiri stood before Hikou, a look of determination on his face. "I will fight you, Hikou. And this time I will save you." With a sudden hand movement he vanished and reappeared behind Hikou. The blue and white kesa formed a sort of barrier around them, closing over the water wall that Hikou had summoned.

Hikou looked surprised but recovered quickly. "You managed to get inside my barrier, but what will you do now, Houjun? The water pressure will tear you to pieces in here."

But Chichiri ignored him and instead yelled to his friends to burn his kesa. Hikou wondered about the logic of that plan for a moment. "What good will that do, Houjun? It might kill me but you will also die. So why are you in here?"

"I promise I'm not letting go this time." Chichiri smiled. "I failed last time. This time I won't. And the three of us will be united in heaven."

Hikou's eyes widened. "Why?"

"Because you're still my best friend. And I shouldn't have let go."

Voices rose outside the barrier and suddenly he felt the heat of flames. "Let go…," he whispered, suddenly unwilling to see Houjun die. Rather than letting go Chichiri only grasped Hikou's wrist tighter. Hikou fought to push his friend out of the barrier but to no avail. He yelled one last plea. "Let go, Houjun!"

And then there was blackness…..but not quite the same as the first time he died.

The minute I saw her face the second I caught her eye
The minute I touched the flame I knew it would never die

Hikou opened his eyes to a strange feeling. A feeling that he was made of water but not quite completely. As his eyes focused he saw Houjun, or rather Chichiri, grasping his hand.

"Why haven't you let go?" he asked.

Chichiri smiled. "Because I promised I wouldn't."

Finally Hikou was able to smile back with genuine warmth. His friend's words came back to him and his smile turned slightly wry. "The three of us will be united in heaven, eh?" He paused for a moment. It was time for the confession that should have come so long ago. "She never betrayed you…." He went on for a few moments explaining what had happened during that time. Chichiri's eyes widened but he said nothing. "How could best friends be so quick to mistrust one another?" Hikou mused, more to himself than to Chichiri.

"How can you say that! You're my best friend! You always have been! That's why…."

But Hikou was slipping away, his life dripping into the water as he faded. But he kept on smiling. We both held on this time, Houjun. It may not change things, but maybe it will allow all three of us some peace.

"To water I return, Houjun…"

Through his tears, the man once known as Houjun smiled.