The Promise : A Tasuki and Miaka Love Story
By KittyLynne
(Please insert the usual Watase Yû/ Shogakukan Comics/TV Toyko/StudioPierrot/Pioneer ownership disclaimer in this space.)
Author's Note: Spoilers for TV series and OVAs. Chapter Rating: 14+ for coarse language 9/24/07-edited. A huge thank you to Roku Kyu for her immensely helpful concrit. This chapter is much improved as a result. :)
Chapter Three: Code Red
Keisuke Yuuki stepped off the elevator and trudged down the hallway leading to his apartment with exhaustion born of having overextended his brain. The final exam of his college career had been the most taxing and challenging one he'd ever taken, even though he had thought he was more than prepared going into it.
'No second guessing or looking up the answers. It's done, I'm done, and I could care less if I ever open up a textbook again.' He thought, as a yawn split his lips. 'Please let there be some beer left. A cold one and a nap is just what the doctor ordered.'
As with everything else that had happened this day, he was denied relaxation. He had just reached the outside to his home, but before he could even try the handle, the door was yanked open and his roommate appeared to greet him with a glare. "It's about time you got here! Where the hell have you been?"
"So nice to see you too! Went late on my exam and I had to run for the last bus off campus!" Keisuke retorted.
After taking note of the stooped shoulders and weary expression of the man standing in front of him, Tetsuya relented. "Kind of a rough one, huh?"
"Yeah, but a passing grade is all I need." Sighed Keisuke. Entering the apartment, he dropped his backpack on the entryway floor with a loud thump and turned to his friend. "What's with the doorman routine? I thought you and Yui had a dinner date tonight."
"We canceled." Tetsuya replied. There was a crease between his brows, and his dark brown eyes radiated concern. "Something has come up."
Keisuke frowned. Tetsuya not wearing his Ray-Bans usually meant there was some kind of trouble. "What?"
His roommate turned and gave a jerk of his head in the direction of the apartment's living room. Following the gesture, Keisuke saw Yui sitting upon the sofa with her arm tightly wrapped around a hunched up mass that looked like his sister. Dread replaced bewilderment as Miaka straightened up and he got a clearer look at her face; her stricken expression spoke volumes. There was only one person who could make her look like that.
He turned to Tetsuya and murmured, "Taka? Please tell me Taka is all right?"
"Taka's fine. But listen to this! Miaka got a letter from him today that said he's been assigned for special ops training in the United States. The training locations and coursework are top security clearance, so they won't have any contact for the next six months...no letters, no phone calls...nothing."
"Wow." Keisuke's gaze shifted to his sister's slumped posture and back to his best friend. "He had to put in for it, right? Why didn't she let him know before she wasn't okay with it?"
"She didn't know he was trying for it!" Tetsuya stated, not bothering to hide his disapproval of that fact. "Taka waited until the whole thing was a done deal to tell her, said he knew she'd understand that he was doing it for their future."
"Really."
"Yep."
"This would be the same future as someone who was ranked in the top ten percent of his university class in international finance, who could be writing his own ticket at a bank or corporation...who then decides that he prefers to go into the military at entry level pay?"
His roommate shrugged. "Could also be a great opportunity. He'll make contacts, get to practice his English every day. And it gives him a chance to get some status on someone who's rep has been haunting him."
Keisuke frowned. "You mean Tamahome? But why? Isn't it enough to know Miaka chose him over his book version?"
"It's not so much that she chose him, but that Tamahome had to give him his memories and disappear for Taka to exist." Tetsuya pointed out. "It's my opinion that Taka won't ever feel secure until he feels he's as good as he was in his past life as a Celestial Warrior. This training would give him skills that a seishi would never have, and he'd still be taking care of Miaka while doing it."
"I suppose that makes sense." Keisuke said slowly, after a moment's pause to think. "He can make money and prove to Miaka that he's as good or better at fighting for her at the same time."
"Exactly."
"Still, I don't know what he has left to prove. He got the girl. When they came back from defeating Tenkou, he was oozing confidence. Reading the book, it seemed he'd made peace with the whole idea."
Tetsuya looked grim. "I thought so. But after awhile, with any victory, the high wears off, you know? Everyone moves on, but he can't put the past totally behind him when it's looking back at him in the mirror every damn day."
"Too true." Keisuke acknowleged. "But even if he can't do anything about looking like him, the mistakes he's been making lately are the same ones Tamahome used to make. You'd think he would've learned from-"
"Keisuke? Is that you?"
The two men cast warning glances at each other before Keisuke answered his sister. "Yeah, it's me! Home, all safe and sound!"
He ambled over to the living room, doing only marginally better in trying to look cheerful as Miaka attempted to smile at him.
"Hey, Sis. Hey Yui."
The blonde greeted him in subdued tones.
"How was your exam?" Miaka asked.
After a glance at her clenched hands, Keisuke decided to lie. "It went great! It might be possible I got honors!"
Her expression brightened. "That's wonderful! I knew you could do it! I kept telling Mom...she's going to be so proud of you!"
Yui said nothing, but gave him a sharp look that Keisuke ignored as he forced himself to follow through with the fib. "Well, thanks, it's nice to know someone around this place believes in me!"
"I always have." Miaka's gaze shone with admiration as she surveyed her only sibling. "My big brother is going to be a University graduate! How about that!"
"Kind of crazy, right?" Keisuke forced a laugh. "It seems like I've been in school forever, but now I'm close to graduating, I almost wish time would slow down so I could savor every moment."
"I know what you mean," His sister said.
Keisuke reached out and tousled her hair. "I understand you heard from Taka?"
Miaka's face took on the expression of a wounded doe."Yes. I...I'm afraid I don't have such nice news for you." She took a deep breath. "Taka is...he's..."
"You don't have to explain, Tetsuya told me what happened." Keisuke broke in quickly. "And we're gonna talk about that, but not on an empty stomach! Let's figure out what we're having for dinner first, okay? I thought maybe we could order in. "
Miaka sighed. "All right."
"So Miaka, what sounds good?" Yui asked.
"I honestly don't care. You guys pick."
Miaka refusing input on the ordering of food? Yui, Tetsuya and Keisuke exchanged glances of concern.
"How about that new Italian place over by the bus station? They don't deliever, but they do takeout." Tetsuya suggested.
Keisuke gave a thumbs up. "Great idea. Italian is the ultimate in comfort food!"
"Tets-kun and I will go." Yui suggested gently. "You and Miaka have had a long day. Stay here and relax."
"Just what I was thinking." Tetsuya said. "No, put it away. It's on me," he added, as the other man made a move for his wallet. "I'll get double sized everything."
"Thanks man. But I think you might want to triple size." Keisuke told him seriously. "Miaka needs some extra comforting."
"You got it." His roommate agreed heartily.
"Don't get extra for me! I'm not hungry!" Miaka protested, then hiccupped a laugh at the disbelieving expressions that surrounded her. "Fine. Chicken alfredo. I'll try to eat some of that."
"That's my Miaka-chan!" Yui hugged her dearest friend, then relinquished her to her brother's care as Tetsuya came over to help her to her feet. Once standing, the blonde gave him an impulsive kiss of thanks on the cheek. The object of her affection reddened and grinned, pleased by the spontaneous display.
"It's a lovely spring evening." Yui said to him, as they turned in the direction of the door. "Want to save on gasoline?"
"That would be nice, but..." Tetsuya paused to cast a meaningful glance over his shoulder at Miaka and Keisuke, "but even with a call in, it's going to take awhile to get the food. It'll save time to take the Lexus. Maybe we can go for the walk after we've eaten?"
"That's a better idea." Yui agreed. "Mi-chan needs to eat as soon as possible. She'll feel better."
As Tetsuya and Yui quietly departed the apartment, they felt confident that Keisuke's indisputable ability to boost Miaka's lagging spirits would prevail. They made their way down to the brightly lit parking lot where Tetsuya's Lexus was parked, absorbed in quiet discussion of Miaka and Taka and the relationship test facing their two friends.
Once ensconced within the shadowy confines of the car, however, Tetsuya and Yui stopped talking, turned to each other and embraced. The kiss they exchanged was long and heartfelt, a wordless reassurance to each other that their own romance was no fantasy, but as real and as vital as the world around them.
They took a break so that Tetsuya could call in their take out order, then came together once again. An increasingly passionate kiss followed the first one, and thoughts of their errand temporarily fled to the backs of their minds, and neither noticed the crimson flash of light that briefly backlit the building they had just exited.
A world away, in the flickering light from the candle ensconced in the solitary bedroom lamp, Tasuki finished polishing the diamond-hard surface of his prized tessen with the special cloth he reserved just for that purpose. When he finished, he sheathed the weapon in the scabbard strapped on his back, then made minor adjustments to the straps fastened across his chest and around his waist. Feeling the familiar weight of the holy relic between his shoulder blades made him feel more secure and confident about everything.
Even seeing her again.
'In a few minutes I'll be seeing Miaka.'
He couldn't ignore the gigantic leaps his heart was taking or the butterflies that swarmed in his gut at that thought, but he was determined to keep them in check. 'It's stupid to get so damn excited!' He scolded himself. 'She's a friend and the priestess-you're her friend and seishi. There's nothin' more to it than that because th' woman loves Taka. It's not ever gonna happen for you and her so be a man and deal with it!'
Keeping those thoughts rooted in his mind, Tasuki strode to his bed, knelt down, and looked beneath it. There it was, the heavy duty backpack that was useful and full of sentiment as a physical connection to his miko. At first he had wondered and had been sorely tempted to try to see if it still worked, but the thought of finding out that it didn't work, or worse, that he would be squandering whatever power that was left for an emergency connection when it was really needed kept him from invoking it.
He grabbed hold of a strap to drag it out, then got to his feet and walked over to a rough hewn wardrobe where he began to fill the pack with the various necessities pulled out of a half dozen small boxes that served as drawers.
'I'm gettin' as bad as Nuriko!' He thought wryly, when he realized he had crammed his entire stock of undergarments into the small space. 'Get a grip, Tasuki- a couple of 'em is all ya need, one to wear, one to wash.' Reaching into the pack, he started to remove some of its contents, and then hesitated as another thought struck him. 'No, I'm gonna take 'em all. No tellin' when I'll be back or where we're goin'. Can't have her seein' me wash the same crusty damn pairs-'
He was unaware that he was no longer alone, until a miniaturized monk unexpectedly popped up beside him.
"DAAAA! TASUKI!"
"AHHHHH!" Tasuki yelled. "Dammit, Chiri! Can't ya use the door like a normal person?"
Chichiri resumed his normal size and watched in amusement as the ex-bandit quickly stuffed his scattered unmentionables back into the bulging bag in front of him. "I could. But scaring you is much more fun for me, you know." He observed. "Good thing you're bringing extra underwear."
A ferocious grin touched the redhead's lips as he reached back to finger the handle of his tessen. "Ya know, your little joke reminds me of how much fun I used to have torching Obake-chan whenever he ticked me off…"
Chichiri quickly changed the subject. "Hey, isn't that Miaka's old backpack? I thought she took it home with her!"
"Didn't swipe it, if that's what you're thinkin'!" Tasuki asserted. "I asked her for a momento from her world, and she said she wanted me to have this." He let go of the tessen to hoist the bulging pack over one shoulder, smirking at his fellow warrior. "Guess she thought it might come in handy for a mountain desperado."
"Well, you could've let me know about it, you know!" The monk complained. "You could have brought on our trip, and I wouldn't have worn out so many pairs of slippers on the road!"
"HA! That's the reason I hid it! Why should I be the only one gettin' blisters on those marathon treks you insist on takin' while you pull that 'Look at me, I'm a tiny monk!' routine for a free ride?"
Chichiri grinned. "Then I guess that means you'll be extra glad to hear we're going to be traveling to Taiits-kun's by magic, you know!"
Tasuki's smile faded, then reappeared in force. "Sure." He said with false cheer. "That's good."
He was lying through his teeth. He absolutely despised traveling by transport spell; floating through the fluid nothingness reminded him too much of water- no, of being underwater.
Of course he would rather die than ever admit that to anyone.
"I already said our good-byes." He added, ignoring the queasy swirling feeling in his belly. "Kouji managed to drag himself outta his stupor long enough for me to tell him where we're headed."
"Great!" Chichiri approved. Removing his cape, he spread it out on the floor with a flourish. "We'll leave right away. I know how eager you are to see Taiits-kun again, you know."
"Yeah. As eager as I am to drink a jug of prune juice." Tasuki growled, while his friend chuckled at his sour expression. "An' by the way, would ya please try a little harder to find us a decent landing spot this time? I ain't in the mood to deal with hangin' from a tree or danglin' off the edge of a cliff!"
"Not to worry! I've been practicing, and I've gotten much better, you know! No rough landings, I promise!"
Tasuki's expression was dubious as he stepped into the center of the robe. "Fine. Let's get this over with."
Chichiri nodded. Putting his three-ringed staff in a firmly upright position, he began the ritual for teleportation, mixing a few unusual hand gestures with the arcane incantation Taiits-kun had taught him.
Tasuki watched the proceedings with fascination and a healthy measure of respect for his brother warrior's celestial gift. However, those positive feelings soon gave way to acute anxiety as the monk's staff tapped the cloth and the bandit seishi's body began sinking into the folds of the cape. He tried to remain still, but it was impossible. In spite of his knowing how dangerous it was to struggle, the urge to break free of the spell was close to overwhelming him.
'Shit, shit, SHIT! Losing control, I gotta do somethin'...'
In that moment of panic, the bandit seishi resorted to the technique that had proved infallable. He refused to feel any guilt over using it; desperate times called for desparate measures. It was the only time he hadn't been scared of the water, and knowing her good heart, she'd wouldn't mind him remembering it if it helped to distract him from his fear.
Eyes closed, he concentrated on one of his most precious memories of his time as a seishi, reliving every pleasurable moment of giving the kiss of life to Miaka.
To be continued!