Redemption
Disclaimer: Watase Yuu owns Fushigi Yuugi, but I do lay claim to my OC's Hitsuro and Yumike.
Warnings: No Yaoi yet folks.. Shounen ai for the moment. Strong language.
Chichiri climbed slowly but with purpose. He knew he would soon reach the paths patrolled by the bandits and wanted to be careful not to present a threat to them. He shivered in a cold breeze and held his kesa closer to him.
"Halt!" Chichiri stopped as soon as he heard the cry, knowing what happened if you didn't. Two bandits appeared from the trees, the younger one leading, both holding torches that they lit as they drew closer. Chichiri sighed in relief as he recognised the older bandit, the younger must be new.
"Konbanwa, Hitsuro-kun no da." He greeted him pleasantly and was shocked when he noticed the younger bandit glaring at him. He looked back to Hitsuro, confused and Hitsuro sighed.
"Konbanwa Chichiri." He returned sadly.
"So, Chichiri has returned?" The younger bandit asked scathingly and received a glare from Hitsuro.
"Ano, sumimasen no da?"
"You don't deserve my respect." The boy's tone was bitter and full of anger. Hitsuro cuffed him on the back of the head.
"Yumike, leave it be. Yer not strong enough t' take him on." Chichiri looked between the two bandits, curious and a more than a little surprised. Yumike glared at Hitsuro and spat at the ground in Chichiri's direction.
"Che, who says I ain't?" He asked quietly before turning and running at Chichiri with speed Tasuki would have been proud of, but not fast enough. Chichiri instinctively threw up a strong barrier, which Yumike rebounded from and was sent sprawling in the dust.
"Ah, gomen no da. Instinctive reaction, na no da." Secretly, Chichiri was pleased Yumike had ended on the ground, a view that was clearly shared with Hitsuro as the older bandit laughed at the boy who was in the dust.
"Told ya so, kid." Yumike picked himself up, muttering darkly and glared at them both. "Go on ahead Yumike, we'll follow." With a final glare, Yumike started off up the path, stopping and waiting for the other two to follow once he was a good distance away
"Ano... What just happened, no da?" Chichiri asked, completely confused and not liking the look in Hitsuro's eyes as he watched Yumike walk out of hearing distance. He turned to regard Chichiri solemnly, as if debating whether to give him an answer.
"Heh, by all right's I should have ya thrown off th' mountain." Hitsuro's words shocked Chichiri, even if they were spoken half in jest, but he held up a hand for silence and Chichiri let him continue. "But in view of our friendship I'll explain it t' ya. Yumike... Well, he admires Genrou a hell of a lot, an' when ya left Chiri... It affected him. The life seemed t' leave him. Hell, he's been sober a week!" He glanced quickly at Chichiri and hurried on. "Of course, most of us knew Genrou must've pissed ya off somehow. But Yumike's young, he just saw his hero brought down an' reacted t' it. I don't know what happened between you two but yer leavin' like that almost destroyed Genrou. Ya...ya are here t' fix thin's, right Chichiri?" Hitsuro looked across to Chichiri again and he was surprised to see fear in the older bandit's eyes. My leaving must have really hit Tasuki hard. Chichiri thought guiltily as he resolved to ease Hitsuro's fears.
"Hai, Hitsuro." He replied quietly with as much confidence as he could manage. If it can still be fixed. Hitsuro nodded once, satisfied.
"Then I'll let ya up. I wouldn't wan t' be ya of Kouji got a hold of ya though." The two feel into silence as they continued up the mountain, joining Yumike shortly. Yumike said nothing, travelling sullenly half a step ahead of Chichiri and refusing to look at him. Chichiri's thoughts strayed back to how he ended up here, perhaps in an effort to avoid thinking about what would happen once he reached the top of the mountain.
Chichiri had awoken one morning to see Taiitsukun in front of him, which was not something one wanted to see when having just woken up.
"Daa!" He exclaimed loudly, super-deforming and shooting backwards. Taiitsukun had glared at him and spoken sharply.
"Chichiri! We have serious matters to discuss." Chichiri returned to his normal size and knelt respectfully, fearing what it was Taiitsukun wanted to discuss.
"Gomen nasai, Taiitsukun." He murmured respectfully.
"Daijobu. And get up will you." She waved him off and Chichiri rose gratefully.
"What brings you here, Taiitsukun no da?"
"The fight between Tasuki and yourself."
"I thought so, no da." Taiitsukun looked carefully at Chichiri. He looked tired, he had not slept well for a while now being too tormented by memories and indecision.
"Sit down Chichiri." She said gently and moved to sit beside him. "To be honest I have left this far too long, both you and Tasuki have suffered." Chichiri looked up quickly at that but she calmed him.
"Chichiri. What are you doing?"
"Nani?"
"Why are you still out here wandering around?" Chichiri hesitated. He knew Taiitsukun well by now and knew she would not accept a vague answer. She knew the details of the fight and it would be foolish to try and hide anything from her.
"I am still undecided over what to do, Taiitsukun. My head is telling me one thing while my heart tells me another. Meditation no longer helps and I grow more confused by the day. I feel a longing to return to him while at the same time a want to distance myself from him, least I hurt him as I hurt others." Taiitsukun regarded him sadly.
"So that's it is it?" She sighed; Chichiri was determined to repeat his mistakes until someone set him on a different path. "Chichiri, our not being with him is hurting him now. I will not force you one way or the other, but know this. If you do not return to Tasuki soon... He may do something you both regret. He has lived without you for two months and the separation is proving unbearable. Tasuki is ready to give up everything." Taiitsukun paused and saw her words were having a dramatic effect on her pupil. He had paled and was looking at her in shock.
"Return to Tasuki now, or never return again. The choice is yours Chichiri. Know our own heart and you cannot go wrong"
With those final words, Taiitsukun faded, leaving Chichiri to his thoughts. He wished she had been less cryptic. Does she mean that if I do not return now Tasuki will never want me back? Or that I will never have the chance to return because... Chichiri feared it was the second one and quickly struck his camp and set out, still with a divided heart, for Mount Reikaku.
Chichiri sighed; neither bandit had said a word as they climbed. Well, here I am. And I still don't know what to do. He looked up to what he could see of the star filled sky through the tree branches. Suzaku. I pray you are watching over me and will guide me in what to say. Know my own heart... How can I when it seems to be telling me two different things? Chichiri felt a twinge of foreboding as he saw they were almost upon the stronghold. He tried to stay his trembling as he faced the two gate guards. One took one look at him and ran off into the stronghold. Chichiri winced; no doubt that one was running to get someone higher up. The other looked him over with a sneer, Chichiri recognised him but had never struck up a close friendship.
"What have you brung him up here for?" The bandit's words were directed to Hitsuro but Chichiri had expected this sort of reaction from what Hitsuro had told him earlier. Hitsuro looked him down easily and calmly.
"Because I trust him." The other bandit grunted his acceptance and stepped aside to allow them to pass.
Chichiri entered the stronghold nervously, although Hitsuro's words had boosted his confidence a little. That little confidence was quickly knocked down as someone stepped from the shadows behind him and punched him hard enough to send him to the floor, Shakujou clattering from weakened fingers. Chichiri sat up quickly but before he had the chance to raise a barrier he was pinned to the ground, arms above his head, with his captor sat on his chest.
"K...Kouji..." He gasped, having had the wind knocked out of him. Hearing loud laughter to the side, Chichiri looked up in time to see Hitsuro attempting to drag Yumike away from the entrance hall.
"But, I wanna see this!" He protested as he slowly lost the battle.
"Leave him t' Kouji." Hitsuro told him quietly as he succeeded in getting him to the door. Casting a sympathetic glance back to Chichiri, Hitsuro left the room with a still protesting Yumike behind him.
Slowly, Chichiri returned his gaze to Kouji. He was flushed with rage, but appeared sober, which Chichiri was thankful for. He was breathing hard from the exertion of getting Chichiri to the ground and hadn't relaxed, though Chichiri was offering no resistance.
"Ya came back. Why th' fuck did ya leave in th' first place?!" Kouji raged at him and Chichiri cringed away a little.
"Gomen nasai, Kouji-san." Chichiri murmured. Kouji looked down at him in shock, hearing the guilt in Chichiri's voice. Slowly, he reached one hand down and took off Chichiri's mask. The two stayed like that, each watching the other, for a minute. Kouji registering with shock the depth of the guilt in Chichiri's eye and Chichiri slowly watching Kouji calm down.
"Ya really are back fer him, ain't ya?" He asked slowly as he released Chichiri's other arm.
"Hai." Chichiri replied quietly.
Kouji glanced slowly around the hall, as if noticing for the first time where they were.
"Heh, boy am I glad none of the other bandits came in." Kouji said slowly, rubbing the back of his neck as he got off of Chichiri. Chichiri could tell Kouji was trying to lighten the mood as he was embarrassed by his display of temper.
"Daijobu, no da. No lasting harm done." Chichiri grinned at him. "Can I have my mask back though?" Kouji's expression turned serious again as he looked from Chichiri to the mask and back again.
"If yer gonna see Genrou I don't think ya should wear it, he's gonna be pissed enough at ya already an' he always hated this thin'."
"I guess you're right, no da."
"Chiri, I know why ya left. It was kinda obvious Genrou liked ya."
"Obvious to everyone but me." Chichiri sighed. "Then I went and messed it up."
"Well, ya got a chance now t' get it right. He's in yer room."
"My room?"
"Yeah, first time he's been back there in two months actually. Kinda funny ya show up on the one night he's gone t' mope in there." Taiitsukun...
"Arigato, Kouji." Chichiri turned towards the doors but stopped again at a shout from Kouji.
"Ne, Chiri?" Chichiri turned back and waited, Kouji looked back at him with anger in his eyes again. "I swear t' ya. If ya hurt him again, I'll kick yer ass off the top of the mountain myself!" Chichiri didn't doubt Kouji wouldn't keep that promise and nodded solemnly to him before starting off towards his old room. Kouji watched him go, doubt in his eyes over whether he'd made the right decision. This could either heal Genrou, or kill him. Guess I'll have to hope Chiri knows what he's doing. He sighed before heading off to the main hall to wait.
Tasuki had curled himself into a ball, sobs wracking his body as he cried for the friendship he'd ruined, for the love he'd never have. He could feel himself growing weaker, as though he was loosing the will to live, and he didn't care enough to stop it. Chichiri was never coming back. He barely registered the sound of the door opening but flinched as someone spoke his name.
"Tasuki." The voice was low and choked with guilt. If it's one of th' bandits... Tasuki's thought trailed off as he forced himself to turn and saw who stood silhouetted in the doorframe. The hair, the clothes, all of it was perfect. How dare an illusion be so real? He turned away with another sob, wishing for it to end so his heart could stop tormenting him with visions of what he could never have. The door closed and he heard footsteps approaching but ignored them, hoping they'd go away. It was a shock when warm arms encircled him and pulled him away from the bed. He stared up at Chichiri, tears running down the monk's face to match his own.
"Gomen nasai, Tasuki." He croaked before leaning in closer and whispering,
"I love you, Tasuki. Sorry it took me so long to figure it out." Chichiri closed the remaining distance and kissed Tasuki, the salty tears mixing with the sweetness of his lips as the two relaxed into each other, both finally where they needed to be.
So, Chichiri's back. But how will Tasuki react once he has his wits about him? Next chapter (possible final) Chichiri tells Tasuki about his months alone and how he came to realise he loved him.
A million thanks to tasukigirl78 and DarkTiger1991. Sorry I didn't reply to your reviews but my email decided to delete them DX