Here it is! What you've all been waiting for! XD

I do not own Senkaiden Houshin Engi or Soul Hunter, it belongs to the guy who made the manga, Ryu Fujisaki. I dedicate this to him "smiles"

What Blooms in Autumn

By DayDreamer9

The air was cool, a small chill that snaked though the trees in the form of a gentle breeze, rustling the russet and orange leaves above. Multiple leaves clinging to their branches while even more lay on the ground, littering the green grass with spots of gold and brown and red. Very few leaves were still green, the trees in the forest all getting ready for winter that would soon be here in a few weeks time. The area outside the Chintou Outpost, right around the wooded area, was usually only occupied by those of the furred and feathered variety…but today was different.

Today a doushi was wandering through the forest for a change.

Watching the multi-colored leaves tumble to the ground and continued to pile high, Taikoubou took in a breath of the crisp autumn air before stopping beneath one of the said trees. He had a lot on his mind…particularly something that had happened not five minutes ago:

Flashback – A While Ago…

The wind had been blowing more then, whipping through the trees and causing a rain of leaves to fall over the head's of two individuals that were wandering through said trees, one red leaf being snatched from mid-flight by a yellow-gloved hand.

"So what did you want to talk to me about, Nataku?" Taikoubou asked, observing the intricate patterns of the leaf as he drew it closer, "you normally don't like coming out around this time of the month…"

The last part made him glance up and over at the redhead, noting how he looked a little pensive as he glanced over at the falling leaves around him. Ever since he was brought back, he'd obtained a deep aversion towards winter months, fearing that his plant-side would kick in if he stayed too long. Taikoubou knew that the fear was irrational, that he was more human than plant, but to Nataku, the fear was just there and there was nothing that he or anyone else could do about it. So, of course, when he'd asked Taikoubou if he wanted to go outside in the cold air of a winter month and in the woods in the state that they were in of all places, the green-eyed doushi was starting to wonder just what the heck was going on.

Had he finally faced his fears? But why drag him all the way outside, in the middle of the woods for that matter, to tell him that? And he obviously hadn't overcome the fear, as he was glancing tensely at the falling leaves and fidgeting every now and again, making Taikoubou wonder if the cold air was starting to get to him. His own clothing was fit to handle cold weather, but Nataku's wasn't. And the way he'd ushered them both out, almost begging the older doushi to come outside with him. It was like he was in a hurry…

"I just…wanted us to be alone…for this," Nataku said, somewhat hesitantly, looking at the ground.

That got Taikoubou's attention; not because of the alone bit, they often hung out by themselves, but the fact that Nataku spoke in an actual nervous tone. Normally when the redheaded Paopei Human had something to say, he just spat it out regardless of the consequences, always favoring the be brutally honest, but now he was practically borderline stuttering. He even looked uncomfortable and that was a first, even to him. It made Taikoubou nervous and a little bit worried…

"Alone?" he asked, blinking a bit in confusion before giving the other a small smile, "we could have had that back at the Outpost…"

Was it just him or did Nataku just look more nervous than before?

"No…I…didn't want my parents to be around," was the response, eyes not lifting from the ground.

Suddenly Taikoubou began to get a sneaking suspicion that it wasn't just the cold air and the sense of slumber that hung in it for all trees and plants that had Nataku unnerved.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, lowering the leaf that he'd been examining, worry now all over his face; was there some problem? Something that the other was afraid to tell his parents? Nataku normally didn't keep secrets from anyone, especially not his parents…well, his mother anyway, his father was another story…

Nataku looked up at him, briefly, and for a second, Taikoubou could have sworn that the other's cheeks were flushed red.

"I…" was the only response that he got, the younger doushi actually folding his arms in an almost self-comforting fashion.

The whole thing radiated insecurity.

That was most definitely not Nataku at all.

Crossing the gap between the two, in a heartbeat, Taikoubou reached out to the other boy, resting a hand on his shoulder. The redhead actually seemed to tense up upon feeling this touch, but did not pull away.

"Nataku, what is it?" he asked, thoroughly worried, "I've never seen you get this way before. Is something the matter?"

Silence followed through for a few seconds after that; all that could be heard was the wind and the rustle of leaves, the scents of autumn wafting through the air.

"For almost a year now, I…" Nataku began, suddenly, still not looking at Taikoubou, opting to instead study the leaf-strewn grass, "…I've been…getting these strange feelings…inside, and…I don't know…or I didn't know……" He stopped for a few seconds, taking deep breathes as he finally managed to spit out what he wanted to say…sort of. "I-I do now…b-but, I…I'm just……"

He stopped speaking and turned away from Taikoubou, causing the older doushi's worry to just increase; what was going on? What was Nataku talking about? Feelings……did something happen? Silence reigned once more for a long time and Taikoubou noticed that Nataku's shoulders were beginning to tremble a little. At a loss at what to do, distressed that the younger doushi – and this particular doushi that he knew so well – was acting so strangely, Taikoubou did the first thing that came into his mind. Reaching out with his other hand, Taikoubou gently took the redhead's chin, and turned his head back to face him.

He was shocked when he saw that the other's face was contorted in a confused, almost pained grimace, his night blue eyes filling like tears, glistening the way that they'd been that night in the rain so many months ago. Had this all really been a year? He felt his cheeks warm for some reason, especially in the cold. He was so busy contemplating this, he didn't coherently notice that a red blur of hair zoomed right up into his face-

-and the next thing he knew, a pair of lips were locked onto his, adding more warmth to his face.

Taikoubou really didn't know how to react once he realized what had happened, noting absently that the redhead was gripping his arms as their lips were locked, almost perfectly. His eyes were closed, the silvery tears still swelling under his closed eyelids, and even then his expression seemed both relieved and still pained at the same time. Taikoubou's own emerald eyes were wide and filled with shock; this was the last thing that he was expecting to happen and he was simply too stunned to do anything else but awkwardly place his hands on the other's shoulders, unsure of what to do. He wouldn't shove the boy away, no matter how shocked he was…

And…also…he didn't really much mind.

This, to his shock, was the truth; he didn't feel any negative emotions at that point in time, no revulsion or anything related to it…instead, he was just…surprised. But…then again…he slowly started to realize something…

Before that realization had completely formed in his mind, Nataku's eyes widened and he suddenly pulled away from the other, who was snapped out of his state of bewildered surprise and stared at him…in fear? Taikoubou, absently raising a hand to his lips, stopped halfway when he saw the look on the other's face…and that realization fully hit him, starting with the things that the other boy had mentioned and it all became so perfectly clear.

And, like an idiot, he'd been completely blind to it until right now.

"Nataku…?" he was finally able to say, noting the totally scared look that had blanketed his face and wincing to himself when he realized what the younger doushi must be mentally going through; had it really been a year? It'd been that long and he hadn't even suspected…?

The redhead's expression just seemed to grow worse, making the dark-haired doushi's heart seize up and sink at the thought of the other being afraid of him. Before Taikoubou could say anything else, anything at all, the Paopei Human child whirled around and, in a burst of powerful wind and tame fire, bolted from the area, rocketing back the way that they had entered the forest.

"Nataku! Nataku, wait!" Taikoubou called out, desperately, even running after the redhead, even though he knew that the other was far too fast for him to keep up with. This in mind, he stumbled to a stop, watching as his friend – and possibly even more – flew farther and farther away from him.

"…wait…"

Flashback End…

Taikoubou reached up to touch his lips again; they were still warm from the kiss that they shared, the scent of lotus still hung in the air around him, but the one who normally carried the scent was nowhere to be found. Eyelids lowering in sadness, said emotion grew worse as he clenched his hands into fists, remembering how scared the boy looked before he had fled and, for the first time in a long while, he felt his own eyes mist over.

"I'm so stupid…" he muttered to himself, standing alone amidst the falling leaves, "how come I never knew…" The wind blew by then, carrying his words on the wind. "…that you'd fallen in love with me?"

Yeah, I know, it's a little beyond sloppy, but I'm still proud of how it turned out, despite not being the original idea. Well, the secret is out, but what can Taikoubou do about it now? You'll find out next month where things might just turn out right after all in a thrilling conclusion to Year of Love! See you then!