Yo, how's everybody doing? You all ready for July? I wasn't totally sure about this one either, mainly because I wanted to do something a little bit challenging. Hope it comes out the way that I wanted it.

I do not own Senkaiden Houshin Engi aka Soul Hunter, nor do I own its characters and plots, those belong to Mr. Ryu Fujisaki, I just own this little pairing and the cuteness that comes with it.

Summer Daze
By Daydreamer9

The heat beat down on the outpost during midday, the sky spotted with few clouds and the air itself was warm, causing many to resort to wearing summer-styled kimonos and light-colored clothing. The well was visited more than three times a day by every family, five at most, but there was also much hustle and bustle as the Summer Festival drew near. Already colorful banners and lanterns were being hung up along the street while food stands sold more candies and toys for the young ones. The growing season was thriving, as shown by the various fruits, vegetables, and grains that were currently stocked in the markets.

And some were being purchased by a doushi, among other people.

Taikoubou smiled and gave a nod of thanks to the fruit seller before walking past the fruit stand and down the street. Li Sei and his wife were busy setting up the festival grounds by the main house, seeing as how Inshi was in charge of serving the refreshments this year. He'd agreed to grab some fruit to aid in the event, making his way back with a small sack filled with oranges, apples, and strawberries. It wasn't a long walk, seeing as how the market was in the center of town and the main house wasn't too far away from the front of the outpost. Taikoubou smiled as he watched excited children purchase handfuls of candy in fits of giggles and young girls chatter excitedly, speaking to one another about who would be taking them to the festival.

Looks as though things are bustling once again in Chintoukan, the doushi thought with a pleasant smile…which became sour when his stomach rumbled rather noisily, dammit… I can't believe that I skipped breakfast…and the hotcakes too! Melodramatic tears coursed down his face as he recalled how he'd accepted the 'mission' to find all the right ingredients for Madam Li's deserts. This was his third run; first was to get milk, the second was grains, and now he was bringing back the necessary fruit. And with the lines at every stall, it had taken a good portion of the day.

All meaning that Taikoubou, though loyal, was also hungry…and out of money to buy snacks.

And just my luck too, the young doushi continued to mentally moan, watching the kids wolf down their candy as they ran after one another down the street, I'm surrounded by such wonderful foods…

It was true; the smell of fresh fruit, barley, milk, and even the vegetables were starting to annoy his stomach more in terms of hunger pains. The fish and meat were farther behind him, but he couldn't be tempted by them even if he wanted to. Feeling his mouth water as he looked around at all the various foods and hearing his stomach growl once more, Taikoubou finally succumbed to his hunger as he looked down at the bag of fruit that he held. Feeling himself start to drool a little bit when he remembered the ripe red apples, the juicy strawberries, and the plump oranges that he had bought-

"Awwww, just one little berry," he reassured himself in a whiney voice, lifting up the bag to open, "for the road…"

He'd barely gotten the sack all the way open when-

"Take one and die."

"GAAAAH!" Taikoubou yelped, the bag jostling in his hands to the point where a few fruits fell free and the hapless doushi leapt nearly two feet in the air with legs flailing before crashing back onto his butt with a graceless 'thud', "owie…" Rubbing his rear end with one hand while still retaining his grip on the bag with another, he cracked an emerald-colored eye open to see a familiar redhead sta-er, hovering over him. "Yeesh, Nataku, a warning would be nice."

Not missing a beat nor looking away, the young Paopei Human continued to stare at the griping, dark-haired doushi.

"I just gave you one," he countered, voice unwavering.

Sporting a pouty face, Taikoubou slowly stood up as he dusted off his, ahem, rear as he continued to give his friend a pleading look.

"Aw, c'mon, Nataku," the doushi continued to whine, teary eyed, "I haven't eaten in three hours. Have a heart."

The redhead didn't even bat an eye at the other's antics as he continued to stair Taikoubou down with a firm stare; his mother had been all for making the refreshments and no way was she going to be disappointed today.

"She needs them all, Taikoubou," he told the other, "otherwise it won't be ready by sundown, you're already late." This, of course, made Taikoubou gape a bit, but Nataku continued in an almost casual manner…well, casual for him, anyway. "Though I figured you'd try something like this, so I came to check on you."

Taikoubou's gape became wider as he stared at the redhead incredulously.

"You were spying on me?" he gasped, then lapsed back into theatrics, "oh, say it ain't so good buddy; I thought that you trusted me enough!"

Nataku merely rolled his eyes and glanced down at the ground, noticing the fallen fruit with a small frown. Taikoubou quickly dropped the act and followed the others averted gaze and spotted what he was viewing. After five seconds of staring…

"That was your fault, by the way," he said, voice deadpan.

"Hmph," came the gruff response and the red-haired Paopei Human kneeled over, bracing his hands down on either side of him to keep his balance; he'd been practicing since the multiple times he'd fallen over.

"Hang on," a voice said from above, causing Nataku to look up to see Taikoubou kneeling down as well, "I'll do it."

Shrugging, Nataku continued what he intended on doing and started to pick the fruit up; by logic, he was technically like them in a sense, but considering that he wasn't planning on ingesting his mother's concoction, he figured that he was safe. It wasn't that he didn't like it, he actually used to enjoy it years back…but now, as both a doushi and the incarnation of a lotus, he was pretty much forbidden. It wasn't like he needed it now, anyway…

Besides…

"So," Taikoubou spoke up, suddenly, "you going to the festival?"

Nataku hesitated for a second before continuing picking up the oranges.

"No," was the short response.

Now Taikoubou hesitated for a second before he then continued picking up the apples.

"Why not?" he asked, curiously.

"I just don't feel like it."

"Really?"

"Yes," Nataku said, a touch exasperated, putting the oranges back inside the bag, "why?"

Taikoubou gave an innocent, leisurely shrug.

"Just asking," was his short response as he slid the apples back in with the oranges.

Staring at the other with faint suspicion, but deciding to let it drop, Nataku went back to the task at hand and started picking up the strawberries. After a few seconds…

"Are you going?" he found himself asking, abruptly.

Taikoubou once again hesitated in mid-grab.

"Huh?" he stuttered.

"Are you going?" the question was repeated, night-blue eyes not looking up.

Taikoubou stared at the other as he thought about the question before giving a shrug.

"It depends," he finally responded, grabbing the berry he'd been aiming for.

"On what?"

"Oh, I dunno…"

Shaking his head, Nataku decided that it was silly to ask to begin with and reached for the last berry in his sight…and allowed another hand to brush up against his as Taikoubou reached for the same one. A little bit startled, the redhead looked up to see the dark-haired doushi giving him a mirrored look and the two merely stared at one another for a long while as the hustle and bustle around them was momentarily ignored. Then, after a couple of minutes, both quickly averted their eyes and withdrew their hands; it brooked a familiar feeling in them both, and yet neither knew what it was…

"Well…"

Looking back up, Taikoubou saw that Nataku was looking to the side, normally stoic expression a bit thoughtful, if not a little bit pensive. After a while, his eyes flickered back to the older doushi's emerald green ones.

"……on second thought…maybe…"

Taikoubou heard the note in his voice and smiled at the other, warmly, the lone strawberry on the floor momentarily forgotten.

And there we go! "phew" I never thought that this would be finished; lots of personal crap going on in my life, but hopefully it's all been resolved by now. It was a little bit of touch and go with this one since I had personal stuff going on here, but, like I said, it's hopefully gonna turn around and be happy from now on as this last scene possibly portrays. See you in August!