The Promise: A Tasuki and Miaka Love Story

By KittyLynne

(All rights to Fushigi Yûgi and its characters belong to Yuu Watase/Shogakukan Shoujo Comics/TV Tokyo/ Studio Pierrot / Pioneer Entertainment.)

Author's Notes: Warning, major spoilers for second OVA. Individual Chapter Rating: 15+ for language.

Chapter Six: Perceptions

Miaka gasped as Tasuki suddenly lifted her into the air as he spun them in a circle. The gesture was startling, yet she couldn't say she was surprised that he hugged with as much exuberance as he did everything else in his life.

Her laughing gaze traveled from her seishi's red head to Chichiri, who winked at her and said,

"Tasuki, please! Miaka isn't some little kid, you know!"

"Shaddup! This is my way of sayin' welcome back! Ya already had your turn!" Despite his retort, Tasuki lowered his priestess back to the floor with care but obvious reluctance, for he figured she'd back away from him the moment he loosened his grasp on her waist.

When she burrowed deeply into the circle of his arms instead, he clasped her to him and cast a look at the monk that was meant to convey that this hug was just as good if not better than the one Miaka had given to him.

As his fellow warrior acknowledged that with a smiling nod and turned away to engage Taiits-kun in conversation, Tasuki's frown relaxed to a smirk. The edge of his temper had been expertly blunted by Chichiri, who knew damn well how much he was enjoying this contact with Miaka, and was willing to run interference with Grandma to buy him a little more time. Holding her like this was bittersweet and not likely to happen again, but here was no way he was going to turn down the gift of the chance his friend was giving to him.

Lost in her own perceptions, Miaka was unaware of the byplay going on over her head.

During the trip through the portal she had actually started to worry that her warriors might not want her disrupting their lives; as she saw it, Chichiri and Tasuki had been under no obligation to come to her aid. Yet here they were. The bond she shared with her warriors had withstood the test of distance and time, and had brought them to her side once again.

To see Chichiri stepping forward to greet her had brought on a pure and simple sense of happiness she hadn't known for some time. The smile on his dear, scarred face was a beautiful thing to behold, and she'd had no qualms about running into his embrace. The sight of Tasuki waiting for her to say hello was more of a shock, and had brought on an intense melange of emotions. Having that fierce glare being directed her way, she'd experienced something close to paralysis. Thank goodness for an endearing fanged grin and his sense of humor, or she'd still be frozen in place...

There had been plenty of time to think and to take a hard, thorough look at the times she'd spent with her guardians in the past three years and she had done so often...probably way too often in one particular case.

She'd replayed everything he'd gone through for her, all the thankless tasks he'd performed, every hardship that he'd endured on her behalf. He'd walked away from a good life with the Reikaku bandits in order to protect her. He'd risked his life countless times, including coming all the way to her world to face down Nakago. He'd become her friend, had fiercely defended her feelings, as well as her wish to be with Tamahome. Being Tasuki, he'd always forgiven her each time she'd unwittingly hurt him.

What she'd given to him in return for his friendship and loyalty hadn't been enough.

Closing her eyes, she thought back to the night things had gone heartbreakingly awry for both of them.

Celestial Warrior Mitsukake had said that only the most despicable kind of spell made prey of people naïve in the ways of the heart. In Tasuki's case, that kind of spell had taken his brotherly concern for her well-being and twisted it into a would-be lover's jealous rage. As far as she was concerned, what had happened that turbulent night was the fault of Hikou, the demon lord who had possessed Tasuki. Hikou was the one who had assaulted Taka before lying to her and then taking her away to an inn. Hikou had been the one who had gotten her drunk and tried to seduce her. Hikou had been the one who had fought and come close to killing Taka.

'He fought such a powerful spell...fought and beat it because he cared more about us than saving himself!'

But no one had been able to convince her mortified seishi of that. Tasuki had taken full responsibility, blaming his actions on his own personal weakness. When pressed for an explanation, he had flatly refused to elaborate, saying he didn't want to make her more leery of him than she already was. Those had been his last words on the subject, and they should have settled matters between them. Instead, they'd left her confused and stinging with regret that she couldn't convey to him how much his sacrifice that night mattered, and how great an impression it had left upon her heart.

As long as she lived, she would never forget the utter despair and horror she experienced watching Tasuki turn his tessen on himself rather than to use it to kill the man she loved. A painful lump formed in her throat every time she recalled kneeling in the dirty grass outside the burning inn with her healed but barely conscious warrior cradled in her arms.

She had cried, cussed, and called him all kinds of an idiot for frightening everyone. She had hugged him, giving thanks to Suzaku for giving Mitsukake the corporeal form to pull her bandit out of his self-inflicted hellfire, and the ability to cure the horrific burns those flames had left behind. Much to her and everyone else's surprise, he had simply leaned into her and quietly agreed with everything she said.

Looking back, that moment had been a turning point in how she viewed Tasuki. While holding him and wiping away tears of anguish at the thought of the hell he had been put through, she had acknowledged in her own mind that she saw him as a man well worth loving. He was honorable and loyal, courageous and selfless, straightforward and decisive; there was no guesswork when it came to how he felt. Tasuki laid everything out there, both good and bad, for everyone to see.

But did he always? Despite the painful honesty he'd displayed in his profuse apologies to her and to Taka, she was certain Tasuki had kept his deepest feelings about the incident well hidden. The excruciating politeness he exhibited towards her after that night was proof, as was his avoidance of being alone with her. She had never realized how much she enjoyed his reckless irreverence and teasing, or how much she'd come to depend on those things and his unflagging optimism to bolster her spirits until they'd been withheld.

His determination to put distance between them had hurt her more than anything that had happened at the inn.

And now...she could only hope and pray that his initiation of a hug was a signal that they'd come to a reconciliation that moved beyond the last time she had been taken into his arms.

'I'm so glad you're here, Tasuki. First chance I get, I'm going to tell you how much seeing you again means to me.'

"Oof! Mi-chan...could ya...ease up a little? I gotta breathe!"

It was embarrassing to discover that she had been squeezing her warrior with enough force to deny him oxygen. She released her grip and stepped back, wincing apologetically as he exhaled in relief.

"Please forgive me!" She said, then bowed, bracing herself for the inevitable 'Baka Special'- a sharp knuckled rap administered to the top of her head that had been Tasuki's usual response to past goof ups.

But the bandit seishi simply laughed and reached out to haul her back against his chest.

"There's no harm done!" He said, his grin evident in his voice as she blinked up at him in astonishment. "Although it's been awhile, so ya really shoulda reminded me that 'lil body of yours contains the strength of ten men!"

"I didn't know it did!" She defended herself.

Tasuki laughed again and gave her a last, lingering squeeze before releasing her. As he stepped back, her gaze clung to him with what she refused to admit was an inordinate amount of eagerness. Yes, it had been awhile...

A first glance showed that he was as well turned out as ever. But a second, much longer look gave proof that fine and familiar bandit trappings brought out the subtle differences in his appearance.

He hadn't lost his penchant for dangling earrings, but only one necklace circled his throat while two jeweled straps now adorned the holster for his tessen. His hair was as vibrant and unruly as ever, but had grown long enough to be pulled back and bound into a braid. High, strong cheekbones, a sculpted nose, an undeniably sensual mouth and a rock solid jawline showed the added fullness of manhood, as did the impressive ridge of muscle running from his neck to his shoulders.

He was taller; she'd grown an inch or two since age fifteen, but he could use the top of her head for a chin rest; she estimated his present height to be a little over six feet. He still favored a silk tunic over white breeches, a leather leg strap for his knife, and a pair of the tall deerskin boots that she had always coveted because they were the softest, supplest footwear she had ever touched. But his body, like his face, had filled out to its manly potential, with powerful looking shoulders and a chest that appeared broader and more defined. And if she could accurately judge by what she had felt during their hug, his abdomen was a flat wall of muscle, his hips were lean and hard, and his long legs were as toned as any world-class athlete's.

'Wow.'

Her bemused gaze remained on his boot clad feet as she let her her lips part on a silent exhalation of wonder at the changes time and nature had wrought. In the back of her mind, she had always thought of Tasuki as handsome, but that was far too insipid a description for the glory of the man standing in front of her now.

Incredibly sexy. Breathtakingly beautiful. A living work of art.

'All that time, right under my nose, and I didn't even notice how gorgeous he was.'

She swallowed hard at the traitorous thought, and tried her best to ignore the flutters of excitement that were teasing her tummy. 'Okay, so I'm physically attracted to Tasuki. It's a natural response, given I'm this close to an exciting, good looking guy, isn't it? It's so much more important that we're still friends. I'm so grateful for that.'

Gratitude. She was warm and tingling with gratitude.

"Hey, Mi-chan! What gives?"

She gave a start. "Sorry...what was that?"

Though his tone of voice was offhand, apprehension was etched in his face. "You've been starin' at me kinda funny. Ya seein' somethin' that ya don't like or what?"

For a moment Miaka could only gape at her fidgeting warrior. 'Doesn't he know? Can't he tell how much looking at him pleases me?' "It's just the opposite!" She exclaimed, before caution could filter her words. "I was thinking what an extremely beautiful man you've become!"

Amber eyes widened. Perfect male lips parted slightly, showing the tips of his fangs. "Ya were?"

Her gaze was unabashedly admiring as she nodded vigorously.

Looking both pleased and embarrassed, Tasuki rubbed the back of his head with a hand. "C'mon. Ya don't have to go that far."

"Are you doubting my words?" She challenged, folding her arms and staring him straight in the eyes.

He stared back, then looked away while drawing himself up to his full height. "We would never presume to question the sacred word of our Priestess!" He announced loftily, in a voice completely devoid of its usual mountain accent. "We were only wondering why it has taken her this long to notice our splendid magnificence!"

Miaka grinned in delight while Tasuki pretended to preen in front of a non-existent mirror, alternating between sweeping, majestic gestures and striking cover boy poses. On their past travels together, he had often entertained her with his gift for mimicry; this one was an irreverent imitation of Hotohori, a brother warrior, dear friend, and beloved emperor of Konan who had been a stunningly handsome man... and also more than a bit of a narcissist.

"My humble apologies, O Splendiferous One!" She intoned with mock solemnity. "Your magnificence shines like a thousand suns, and puts the rarest of jewels to shame!" Her bow was deep, but her very audible giggle undercut its sincerity.

'His Majesty' arched a haughty brow, then broke into a grin as he reached out to sharply rap his kowtowing 'subject' on the top of her head. "Ha! Not too shabby for bein' way outta practice! Whaddaya think, Odango?"

She pronounced judgement while smiling ruefully and rubbing her head. "You do an excellent impression. You sound just like him, and you have all of his mannerisms right!"

Tasuki chuckled. "Thanks. But ya know, I gotta be fair an' say that even though all of us gave Heika a bad time about always lookin' in the mirror, I've never seen any woman or man yet who was half as beautiful as that guy was, inside an' out." His smile twisted a bit as she voiced her soft agreement. "I think the joke's kinda on me," he added wryly, "I get his manners an' way of speakin' right, but no one would confuse me as bein' a high class guy like His Majesty-"

"That's not true!" She exclaimed. "The people of Konan love and appreciate you for you! You're every bit a hero, and...and...I'm very sure any of the women of the Imperial court would be proud to be seen with you." 'They're probably falling all over themselves to get to him,' she thought to herself. 'And I don't blame them.'

"Don't care if they are." He stated with characteristic bluntness. "The upper crust ladies I've run across either treat me like I'm some sorta prize trophy, or try gettin' me into bein' somethin' I'm not. Most of them don't mean any harm, but there are some that are downright nasty when ya try to tell 'em 'no thanks'. I don't wanna insult them, so I avoid 'em."

"I see." She kept her tone carefully neutral, her instincts warning her not to let on how much this assessment pleased her. "I'm sorry."

"No need t'be sorry. You've never been that way, an' I've always liked ya for it, Mi-chan. You're th' only woman I've known that truly accepts an' appreciates people for who they are, not for what they can do for her or who she wants 'em to be."

It was an unexpectedly sweet thing to hear, especially from him, and Miaka had no qualms about giving in to the impulse to kiss his cheek in return for the compliment.

"Thank you so much!" She breathed, drawing back to look at him. "I think that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me!"

If she was feeling a bit amazed at her own audacity, Tasuki appeared totally stunned. He looked down at her with darkened eyes, his fingertips lifting to touch the cheek she had kissed, his mouth opened, but saying nothing. Miaka was further astounded to see a blush creeping across his cheekbones. That a simple kiss on the cheek from her could fluster him to this great an extent was a strangely exciting idea...

Guilt jabbed at her, and she looked away from temptation while silently chastizing herself. 'What the heck am I doing? No matter how much I like having his attention, it's unfair to use it to make myself feel better!'

She turned her face to her warrior once again, fully intending to apologize for her self-indulgent behavior. But the words died instantly on her lips the moment their eyes met. She didn't quite understand why he was looking at her in the way that he was, but something lurking in the depths of his steady gaze told her in no uncertain terms that voicing regret for the kiss would be a very big mistake.

'He seems to be okay with it, so why say I'm sorry? And it'd be an outright lie, anyway, because I'm not!'

And so her lips formed a smile instead of an apology, and her eyes shone with the joy and excitement she felt in being reunited with him. Tasuki's answering smile and subsequent tousling of her hair spoke of the brotherly affection he had treated her with in the old days, but his eyes retained the strange intensity that was making her feel all warm and fluttery.

When his hand fell back to his side, she continued to gaze at him in wonderment. It was if she were getting to see her fifth seishi in new light, one that transcended past squabbles and hurts. An intoxicating awareness filled the air, gaining strength as the seconds of silence ticked by. Strangely enough, the awareness didn't frighten or alarm her. She'd always known it was there...

His gaze lowered to her lips, and her breath caught in her throat. Unbidden images of being grabbed and kissed senseless leapt into her mind, and the potent stirring that followed those images shook her to the core. Her heart began to pound wildly as a specific memory pushed itself to the forefront of her mind; a bare-chested Tasuki, staring down at her with passion-darkened eyes, asking her in a low, sensuous voice if she'd ever noticed, even once, that he was a man...

She'd noticed, all right.

Chichiri was still talking, but Taiits-kun had finally gotten impatient and cut him off. "Enough! There will be time enough for your questions after I have spoken with Miaka." Turning to the room's other occupants, she said, "I know you two have much to say to each other, but it will have to wait. We shouldn't delay in dealing with the business at hand!"

The reminder of why she was there made Miaka jump and blush guiltily, but Tasuki took it in stride. "Yeah, yeah, we hear ya. So whaddaya say, Mi-chan? Do ya feel like hangin' around with Grandma for a while?" He snickered and nudged her gently with an elbow. "Get it? 'Cause she hangs in the air?"

Her full throated laugh made him grin.

The Oracle made a derisive noise. "I see you haven't been able to come up with any new jokes in the time the Priestess was last here!"

"Wouldn't make any damn difference if I had!" Tasuki shot back. "'You're so old you've heard 'em all!"

As Taiits-kun rolled her eyes, Miaka laughed again, feeling relieved and yet disappointed that the odd tension surrounding herself and Tasuki had been dispelled.

Chichiri had been following the exchange between his friends with enormous interest, and smiled at hearing Tasuki's reckless cheerfulness. It had been a long time since the redhead had sounded that way, and it wasn't hard to figure out the reason. 'Being around her is the best thing for him.' He thought with relief. 'Once he's able to confront her with his feelings, he'll be able to leave the past behind.'

The monk's masked face gave no clue as to what he was thinking as turned his attention to Miaka.

"Just tell me what needs to be done!" She was telling Taiits-kun with her trademark spunkiness. "I'll do my very best to help in any way I can!"

Chichiri smiled. She was so earnest and sincere, just like always. Although it was a serious subject they were going to be discussing, he couldn't resist teasing her just a little. "Priestess of Suzaku, don't you think it's a bit rash to agree to a request without knowing what it is first?"

Her reply was to pull down a lower eyelid and stick out her tongue at him. He laughed. "Ah, I see some things about you haven't changed at all, you know!"

"Even though Chichiri is joking, Miaka, I would urge you to heed his advice." The Oracle interjected firmly. "It's wise to read all the way to the bottom of a scroll before putting your seal upon it."

"Yes ma'am." The young woman replied dutifully. "Are you going to tell me what's written on the scroll for me this time around?"

Taiits-kun's reply was prefaced by her opening the room's double doors with a majestic wave of her hand.

"There is a more comfortable place for us to engage in discussing this matter."

To be continued...:)