The Promise: A Tasuki and Miaka Love Story
By KittyLynne
(All rights to Fushigi Yugi and its characters belong to Yû Watase/Shogakukan Shoujo Comics/TV Tokyo/ Studio Pierrot/Pioneer Entertainment.)
Author's note: The single quote symbols and/or italics denote a character's unspoken thoughts. Warning: Contains spoilers for TV series and OAVs. Individual Chapter Rating: 15+ for some cussing, adult conversation and a bit of sensuality
This chapter is dedicated to The Kitten, with all my love.
Chapter 16- Plans and Consequences
Miaka was grateful for the respectful silence her two guardians maintained. She definitely needed the time to collect her thoughts.
Her gaze moved from the monk's unmasked, solemn face to the modest ring that she had faithfully worn for more than five years. When Taka had come into her life he had given it back to her as a symbol of his love, but that happy day had never supplanted the memory of the first time she had received it.
Had Taka known that she thought of Tamahome, the giver of the ring, every time she looked at it?
At age fifteen it had been tough to learn that true love wouldn't always prevail. After the summoning and Nakago's defeat, she had survived the blow of being separated from her love. She was heartbroken, hurting, but she had moved on, thanks to newfound maturity and a broadened perspective on life. It was true that the feeling of what it had been like to love so intensely had never left her. The feeling haunted her dreams when she was sleeping and sometimes when she was not. But she was truly grateful for having had the opportunity to love without reservation, and it had taught her not to settle for less.
Then a miracle had appeared; Keisuke had found Taka, Taka had found her, and they had picked up the relationship where she and Tamahome had left off. Their past connection seemed buried in the mists of time and another world until the rise of Tenkou forced them to endure the tortures of the damned to recover Tamahome's lost memories. She had almost lost Taka...and he had almost lost himself to despair. When he had joined with her in making the ultimate sacrifice for love and to unseal the four gods, she had thought that finally they had overcome the final obstacle and written the ending of the book.
But then Taiits-kun put a twist to that ending by giving them a choice as to which world they would prefer to rematerialize in as a reward for their sacrifices. A continuation to the story, as it was. Her first impulse and dearest wish had been to remain with her guardian stars, the friends that she had come to love more than life itself. She had cried as she voiced that desire, but her seishi had other ideas as what was best in giving her their blessings and an admonishment to return to their own world.
Of course they had been right; it was where she needed to be at that time in her life. Taka had wanted to go to college, and so did she. And quite frankly, the thought of dealing with marriage, motherhood, and the emotional consequences of leaving her world for good at age sixteen scared her silly. Taka had deferred to her choice, but she knew he was extremely happy when she had chosen to return them to the 'real' world. As Tasuki had said, running around like fresh faced kids all the time was no good. It was best to learn and grow up in the place they were born in, a place where they could be supported by friends and loved ones as they sought to find and define their place in the universe. And yet...in the final moments of farewell, when she'd met her bandit seishi's gaze, when he'd tousled her hair and told her she was going to be a knockout, the stirrings of intense regret could not be denied.
She knew the arguments against a return; the priestesses had all been summoned, the story was finished, nothing more to be accomplished, time to stop living in a fantasy world, real people belonged in reality. But reality was subjective, and a story that had been completed could always be continued. No matter how or by whom they had been created, no matter where they dwelt, she knew her warriors were as real as the abiding love she felt for them. These deep feelings coupled with the latent power she had as priestess had told her she would see her warriors again if the need arose. If she were fated never to see them again, she would honor them by making a positive impact on other lives. The teaching career she was pursuing at the University would fulfill that promise.
Given the chance to be Priestess to the Four Gods, she would be accountable for the peace, security and well being of four nations . They thought she had what it took to make an entire world a better place. It was humbling and scary and incredibly exciting all at once.
She glanced up at the man who held her, wondering what his thoughts were on the matter at hand. He'd been showing a great amount of restraint in remaining quiet, though the expression he was presently wearing silently shouted things that he hadn't permitted to pass his lips, doing his best not to dictate, to let her decide what she should do. It was deeply sensitive thing for her most impetuous and outspoken seishi to be doing.
Tasuki.
He had made her laugh and cry. He had soothed her and made her angry, had scared and defended her...and through it all, had remained a devoted friend. He was exciting, strong in character, steady and sure, highly physical and yet thoughtful. He was someone with a well developed sense of justice and responsibility who could devote his life in service to his country and priestess while not turning his back on the places and people who had shaped him. By following his example, couldn't she strive to find a way of keeping the people she treasured most close to her no matter where she chose to live?
Being with Tasuki made her feel that she could. With him, there would be no limitations, no preconceptions of what she could or couldn't do. She could make her own rules; she would write a brand new story.
The price of going for such a dream was leaving Taka and her comfort zone behind.
Her gaze fell to the ring. The first step. The hardest?
'The only way to begin.'
She grasped the band, slowly drew it off her finger, and then turned to place it in the palm of the her seishi's outstretched, waiting hand. "Thank you, Chichiri. I know you'll take good care of it." She watched his hand close around the precious artifact as he murmured an incantation. Rays of soft red shot out from the crevices between his fingers; after a few seconds he stopped chanting, and the light faded away.
When his hand opened again, the token of love and fidelity was gone. The sight hit her hard, even though she had been willing to give it away.
"It's in a very secure place, you know. I can retrieve it for you at any time, you only have to ask. " Chichiri told her in his gentlest voice. "I thank you, Priestess, for your trust in me. I'm deeply humbled and honored that you have entrusted the shinzaho to my care."
She simply nodded, conscious of the gaze of the man whose grip on her had tightened as soon as she'd taken off the ring. His eyes were burning coals, he was pale beneath his tan, and his mouth was set in a straight line.
"Tasuki, how do you feel?" She asked, concern for him overriding everything else.
He closed his eyes. When he opened them a moment later, the fierceness within them had softened. "Fine. Just tryin' to take everythin' in, that's all."
She nodded, partially reassured by the half-smile he gave her. They were in this together, and both of them were struggling to get their bearings. For her part, she felt a wonder akin to outright shock that she had been able to remove the ring without breaking down, a ring with a companion that belonged to Tamahome and to Taka.
Was it just a few hours ago she had been seriously considering a proposal to leave her home, friends and family to follow him to America. She had been upset over his decision and his assumption she'd gladly leave the life she knew behind. But wasn't this doing the same thing? And was doing the same thing to him made easier for her because she was angry with him?
'Not anger.' She thought. 'It's about taking responsibility.' Being honest with herself about her life, her feelings and goals was why she was able to take off the ring. She'd made herself accountable, for better or for worse. There was nowhere to go but forward.
How ironic that in doing that, her past could end up being her future.
"Mi-chan? Are ya okay?"
She leaned into her protector's arms and laid her head on his chest, feeling her resolve strengthen with each thump of his heart.
"I will be." She said.
"Do you think I should go in there?" Yui asked.
"Yeah. Miaka needs all the support she can get." Tetsuya's gaze darted to his grim faced roommate. "Maybe this is the time for Keisuke and me to go find some clothes for Tasuki and Chichiri."
Yui went on tip-toe to give him a kiss on his cheek.
When she stepped away, Tetsuya felt himself blushing, and adjusted his shades. "Wow. What was that for?"
"For being wicked cool," she said, smiling at him.
He smoothed back his hair. "Oh. Well. Thanks."
He made sure to wait until Yui had turned her back to let his smile to grow to a lovesick grin.
He had always known the key to winning Yui's heart was to give her the attention and affection she had desperately craved from her workaholic parents, her best friend from childhood, Tamahome and finally, her own seishi. She had been badly hurt, and it had taken him a long time to break through the thick wall of reserve, but all the set backs he suffered had been worth it just to experience the joy a spontaneous expression of affection from her brought. As far as he was concerned, she could kiss him any time and any place...and those who would criticize them for not observing traditional roles and public etiquette could go burn in the extremely hot place with Tenkou.
"I'm going to talk to Miaka!"
Tetsuya turned his attention to his roommate, who was getting ready to make a bolt for kitchen. "No you aren't! You're going to pick out some clothes for Tasuki!"
Keisuke glowered at him. "Give me a break! My sister is-"
"-in excellent hands!" Tetsuya insisted. Grabbing his sputtering friend's shoulders, he spun him in the opposite direction. "Go do what you have to do and let her be! Tasuki will take good care of her."
"Yeah, he will," Keisuke growled. "He'll take really good care of her and she'll like it, and then they'll-" He swallowed, and then said in an undertone, "Dammit, Tets, you know the circumstances, we've been down this road before! The fact is, the guy is still just a character in that cursed book! Has she forgotten? Do I need to remind her?"
"She hasn't forgotten, I can guarantee that." Tetsuya stated. "But for now...save the brotherly rant for later, okay? Yui wants some chat time with her and she won't thank you for interrupting."
Keisuke looked as if he were going to object, but a glance at his roommate's folded arms and uncompromising expression had him yielding. "Fine! Let's go!" He strode to his bedroom door, pushed it open, then directed a glare over his shoulder. "My bomber jacket is off limits, is that clear?"
"Perfectly."
"And so are my Calvins!"
"As you wish."
"Don't patronize me!" Keisuke snapped, before he disappeared into the room. After a moment, the sound of drawers opening and slamming shut amidst a string of muttered curses could be heard.
With a sigh and a shake of his head, Tetsuya went to do what he could to take the edge off his friend's bad temper.
Tasuki lifted his head and felt his cheeks grow hot as Yui came into the room. Not that the blonde seemed taken aback by the sight of him openly embracing Miaka; on the contrary, she was giving him a look of warm approval. Even so, he wasn't sure he liked that others knew exactly how he felt about his priestess, for it brought on a feeling much too akin to him standing naked in a room full of strangers.
He was distracted from that uncomfortable sensation by Miaka burrowing her face into the curve of his shoulder, and his grasp on her tightened protectively at the sound of her long, shuddering sigh. To hell with embarrassment, he didn't ever want to let her go! After dreaming about this for so damn long, being able to hold her and touch her soft hair, to smell her perfume and feel the warmth of her breath was bliss.
Yui suppressed a grin; everything Tasuki was thinking was showing on his very expressive face, but she wasn't about to tell him that. "Um, I'm really sorry to interrupt, but you and Chichiri are needed in Keisuke's room so you can try on some of his clothes."
Chichiri slipped on his mask. "No problem. Thank you, Yui."
"You go ahead, Chiri, I'll be there as soon as Miaka's feelin' a bit better." Tasuki said, shifting his stance so that he could pull her closer.
The monk's eyebrows went up, and his masked smile turned knowing.
"What ya starin' at?" Tasuki asked, glaring.
"For a guy who hates women, you've gotten awfully good at comforting them!" Chirchiri informed him, just before beating a hasty exit from the room.
Tasuki turned a long suffering expression to Yui, who was trying her best not to laugh. "Can you believe all the shit I put up with? An' from a holy man, no less!"
"I think it's endearing the way he teases you." She said, unfazed by the incredulous glower the ex-bandit sent her. "Only a really good friend would say that!"
"You women are all alike, fallin' for that routine of his! If ya think he's so endearin', wait 'til you hear about the time he changed himself into a girl and-"
Tasuki stopped talking as a hand covered his mouth.
"You don't have time to tell that story." Miaka said. "They're waiting for you."
"Let 'em wait!" He huffed when she removed her hand. "I ain't leavin' when it's my fault that you're-"
"It's no one's fault! Yui-chan and I will have a nice talk and then after you're done with the fitting, we'll- no really, Tasu-chan-" she talked over him as he started to object, "you're sweet, and I appreciate you wanting to stay. But honestly, I'm fine!"
It was clear to Yui that Tasuki didn't fully agree with that assessment, but after a long moment of eye contact with Miaka, he grudgingly gave ground. "We're gonna talk about it later, right?"
"Yes we will talk about it, but when my brother isn't around. Come on, now, I'll show you to his room."
'They need some time alone.' Yui thought, as she followed Tasuki and Miaka into the hallway. 'But how, with all of us hanging around? It's for sure that Keisuke won't leave them be while they're here. They need a reason to leave, and go somewhere together…but public transportation isn't exactly romantic…'
Yui's frown turned into a satisfied smile as a plan popped into her head.
'If Tetsuya agrees and I run interference with Keisuke, it's certainly worth a try.'
Miaka took leave of Tasuki at her brother's bedroom door and walked away without a backwards glance, knowing full well that if she did look, she'd be tempted to hurl herself right back into her warrior's arms.
Jaw set, she marched back to where Yui awaited her. As she entered the kitchen, she met the sympathetic gaze of her best friend. "Sorry about all of the drama."
"Don't apologize. It's been a long time since I've seen you this engaged in life and fired up." Yui's eyes twinkled. "Frankly, it's wonderful to see. And for what it's worth, I think you and Tasuki are good for each other."
"Yui-chan! Do you really think so?"
"Silly! I wouldn't say so if I didn't."
Miaka lurched forward and threw her arms around her friend, almost knocking Yui over in the process. Giggling, they righted themselves and then hugged each other tightly.
"Why don't I make the tea I brought before we sit down to chat?" Yui suggested as they separated. "I also have some cookies from that bakery on the corner. Want some?"
Miaka snorted. "You know you don't have to ask! That sounds awesome!"
Yui quickly prepared the tea and a cookie plate, and the two women went out to the living room and settled themselves on the sofa.
"That's wonderful." Miaka sighed, after taking a sip of tea.
"So, down to business." Yui said. "I was reading the scroll. But I want to hear about what happened with Tasuki in your own words."
Miaka was blushing as she set down her cup on the end table and picked up a cookie. "Ooh, are these chocolate chip with-"
"Walnuts." Yui confirmed with impatience. "We're on limited time, no stalling. I want details."
"Well, if you were reading, there's not much more to tell. We went for a walk in a lovely garden at Taiits-kun's palace. We talked about the past, got some things resolved from last time I was in the book. He told me what happened stemmed from his feelings for me, and then said he still had feelings for me but that I had nothing to fear because he wouldn't bother me. I realized I didn't want that, or for him to hide them because I felt the same. I confessed to him, asked him to kiss me, he did, we came back here and you know the rest. End of story."
Oh, puh-lease!" Yui scoffed, as Miaka finished off a cookie and reached for another. "You haven't even scratched the surface! A god you thought you were finished with comes and takes you back to another world where your warrior who hates women admits he's been head over heels for you for ages. You realize you feel the same, confess to him that you do, then remove Tamahome's ring, thereby rewriting what you once said was your only destiny. " She reached over to snatch up the plate, holding it out of reach as Miaka attempted to snare a third cookie. "This is a story that's just beginning! And no more cookies for you until I at least find out what it's like to be kissed by a bandit!"
"Oh, but he's not a bandit now-"
"He was! And not just any bandit, but their leader! Now dish!"
Miaka grinned. "Shouldn't the question be what it's like to be kissed by a Celestial Warrior?" She paused. "Oh wait. You already know about that. You said Suboshi-'"
It was Yui's turn to blush. "This isn't about me. We're talking about you and Tasuki!"
Miaka hesitated, though she knew Yui knew that she was dying to tell. After being threatened with withdrawal of the teapot, she finally broke down. "I honestly don't know if I can do it justice, Yui-chan!"
"Try your best."
"Passionate. Tender. Masterful." Miaka sighed. "Those words don't do enough..."
"Rate it on a scale of one to a hundred." Yui suggested.
"One hundred and ten!"
Yui had snagged a cookie, but abruptly halted its ascent to her mouth. "All right. One hundred I could see...but off scale? No way, he can't be that good!"
"The way he held me...the way his lips felt...I honestly thought I was melting. And I think..." Miaka's voice lowered to a confiding whisper, "...that he could do even better!"
Yui's cookie crumbled within her fingers; she dropped the remains on the plate and reached for another. "Better than melting?"
"Yes." Miaka's small smile had taken on a sultry edge. "He was holding back. I could tell."
Yui deliberately set down the remnants of her second mangled cookie. "That does it!" She declared. "Fangs and attitude wins the day! He's your classic swashbuckler/fearless warrior/bad boy romantic thrilling fantasy come to life!"
Her friend snickered, remembering past girlish confessions. "I hadn't thought of it that way. I suppose I can't deny that's a small part of the attraction."
"What's the biggest?"
"That I love him." Miaka's smile wavered and disappeared. "I always have, but I wouldn't consider it as more than love for a friend before this." Her shoulders lifted, then sagged. "You don't look surprised. So you knew how I felt way before I did, didn't you?"
"Well..."
"Be honest, Yui!"
"It was pretty clear to me that things pointed in that direction." The blonde confessed. Setting down her cup, she handed the cookie plate to her friend. "Here -I think you deserve thirds and even fourths for that confession!"
Miaka gazed at the mess Yui had made of their snack. "Crumbs." She said plaintively. "You're giving me crumbs after I bared my soul."
"It will taste the same, so can we have a little focus here? We're discussing your love of Tasuki, not your love of food!"
"Oh all right." Miaka took the plate, and then surprised her friend by setting it aside in favor of being able to talk. "So when did you know? What gave me away?"
"I suspected from the last few times you and I have talked about the book, and the fact that you wanted to talk about it when Taka didn't want you to." Yui said gently. "And what gave you away? Well, I'm afraid you aren't very good at hiding your feelings. Your expression when you were talking to me about him…it was all soft and warm, with undertones of sadness and regret. And the way you talked about him...I could tell that you admired his courage and it bothered you that you never let him know. And then there was how much you wanted to talk about him, I got the feeling there were feelings you hadn't worked out..."
"All right, all right." Miaka was blushing again. "Why didn't you say something to me?"
"I never said anything about it because I thought there wasn't any point- you were done with the book, and would never see him again. But now that that's all changed…" Reaching over, Yui took Miaka's left hand in hers, and gave it a warm squeeze."The question in my mind has never been whether or not you loved Tasuki, but what kind of love it was. Seeing you two together and the ringless state of this hand has answered my question pretty decisively."
"Yui… after all we went through...after all that has happened to us...will you think me a terrible person if I end up leaving you and everyone to go back to that world?"
The blonde sighed. "Miaka, we both know at one time I would have said yes. But I'm not the same as I was, and I do not and will not think that of you. This is the truth of what you have taught me. If there's one thing in this world that I am completely certain of, it's that when Miaka Yuuki loves someone, she won't hold back. She loves them with her entire being, mind, body and soul. She loves them for all the things that they are, both good and bad. As your best friend, I know that you love me, and that you not being here every day will not change that. There isn't any limit on that kind of love, Mi-chan, and it would be so wrong of me to enforce one."
Miaka embraced her friend. "Thank you. That means everything to me."
Yui pulled out of the embrace to ask with mock sternness. "You do love Tasuki that way too, don't you?"
"Yes." Miaka 's voice was barely above a whisper. "And I have loved Taka that way. But love...it takes many forms. My love for Taka has become a different kind of love than what it was. It's still there, but it's changed..." She rubbed her forehead.
"Yes, and that means it wouldn't be fair to either of you to pretend that it hasn't." Yui said crisply.
"I've got a lot of flaws, but I never thought being fickle or disloyal was one of them."
"It's not being fickle or disloyal to be honest with Taka, it's the honorable thing to do. And Tasuki is a very straightforward guy who understands this is very hard for you. Your feelings and happiness are what's most important to him, or he wouldn't have stood there beside you as you broke the news or defended your honor to Taka the way he did- yes, we heard every word he said! The man's voice carries quite well when he's upset!"
Miaka gave her friend a sheepish smile, then turned glum. "I never, ever thought I could willingly leave Taka or hurt him in this way. I don't want to end up hurting Tasuki. How do I know that this isn't a mistake? What if things don't work out with Tasuki or I end up making him hate me? It's not fair to ruin their lives because I don't know what I wanted-"
"If that's how you feel, run away and join a nunnery!"
"E-Excuse me?"
"Abstinence and seclusion." Yui declared. "The only guarantee for not hurting yourself or someone else is cut ties and not have an earthly kind of relationship with anyone." She paused. "But you know... I get the feeling that's not what you'd want at all."
Green eyes glinted with rebellion as they met smiling blue ones. "Of course it's not!"
"That's right! If you wanted safety and guarantees, you wouldn't have gone with Suzaku in the first place! You would have stayed here, safe and sound, and waited for Taka to send for you."
"Yes. I...I haven't been happy, but I felt I should want to make it work! There are so many people that fought hard for Tamahome and I to be together! It seems so ungrateful...and I don't want anyone to feel cheated out of the happy ending they thought they had."
"Listen to me! The people who truly have cared about you, the people that really matter, won't be disappointed at all!" Yui stated with conviction. "Their wish for you is happiness in whatever you wish for yourself! What that wish turns out to be is something only you can decide. The injustice would be in lying to yourself and others, or not keeping an open mind to all possibilities."
Miaka bowed her head. "Thank you, Yui-chan. I'll do my best."
"You darn well better, or I'll have to get back in the book and kick your tush!"
They laughed, and then hugged.
"Speaking of open minds..." Miaka joked awkwardly as they parted, both of them wiping their eyes, "...just how upset is Keisuke with me about all of this?"
The blonde looked pained. "Quite honestly, he's super worried. All issues involved with your going to live in the book aside, he's afraid you're mistaking a powerful physical attraction for love, and he's worried it will influence your decision like it did with you and Tamahome."
Miaka sat up, her back ramrod straight. "I'm physically attracted to him, but that's a result of falling in love with Tasuki, not the cause, and it's irrelevant to my accepting Suzaku's invitation! I didn't do it for him, and I had no idea how he felt about me! I actually thought he probably might not even show up!"
"I know. I read that part. But now that you know how he feels, can you honestly say that Tasuki isn't a crucial reason for you to stay in the book world?" Yui asked.
Miaka slumped back against the sofa. "No." She admitted. "Taiits-kun gave me the next month to think things through, and she said that I had to spend it in Konan. I wouldn't doubt that she already knew that I'd need the time to get to know Tasuki better in making an informed decision. I mean...it could turn out that we might not be able to live together happily." She averted her gaze from her friend's sympathetic stare.
"I don't want to heap on the troubles, but you must know that Keisuke is also worried that you'll cease to exist in this world if you decide to stay in the book." Yui ventured, after a pensive silence. "You are of this world, so he has visions of you fading away like Tamahome did if you decide to stay there."
Miaka's chin went up. "He hasn't done his homework if he thinks that will happen."
"He has an irrefutable point. Tamahome did start fading."
"Yes. But I've done a lot of thinking about this, and that was before you gave me your wish and I summoned Suzaku to this world."
Yui thought about it too, and her eyes slowly widened. "It's a connection. The connection that allowed Tamahome/Taka to live here?"
"Yes! And that goes both ways, doesn't it? Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't it say at the beginning of the Universe of the Four Gods book that once the page is turned, the story becomes real?"
The corners of the blonde's mouth turned upwards."It does."
"Well then, taking that statement into account, it would follow that we became an existing part of their world, and they were able to exist in ours if they know about us. And once we think we exist...well, don't we?"
Yui's eyes were filled with excitement as she nodded encouragement.
"I'm thinking that instead of activating a 'spell', turning that page was actually opening a portal to a different existence." Miaka reasoned. "When we went back last time, time had passed, and the people in that world had continued to age and go about their lives even if we weren't there to see it or here reading about it. How could there be that kind of continuity unless they exist? If they didn't, everything would have been put into stasis and be as we left it! In my opinion, the book is the portal cover for another plane of existence that is real as long as someone from this world knows about it."
"Stop!" Yui exclaimed, while putting her hands to her temples. "You're freaking me out! Since when did you become such a deep thinker?"
"Since the day a big red bird came into my life." Miaka said with a laugh. "And as far as that goes, I've even thought of a plan to help us stay in touch without the book or the scroll you've been reading."
"You have? Really? What is it?"
"I will ask each of the four gods to give me a wish if I consent to be their priestess. I could wish for permission to cross the barrier to visit with you and Tetsuya and my family from time to time. How often would be up to Taiits-kun's discretion, of course."
Yui was smiling ear to ear, greatly impressed by her friend's logic. The Mi-chan of old wouldn't have bothered to iron out details like that. "So if they grant that wish, where does Tasuki fit into your plans?"
Miaka bit her lip. "I...think that depends on what happens in the next thirty days. This is so new, I'm not certain how he feels about having a relationship...and after having to spend every single day and waking hour for a month with me and my quirks, in the end he might be perfectly happy to say sayonara."
"Not going to happen!" Her friend stated with conviction. "When you were together as warrior and priestess, you saw each other at your worst as well as your best, right? He already knows all about your quirks from traveling and living with you before, doesn't he? Which means knowing about them then didn't keep him from falling in love with you. Thinking he'd never see you again didn't change the way he felt, so why would this next month make a difference?"
"But we've never been together in this kind of a situation, Yui-chan! It's not just a friendship that's on the line anymore-"
"Well then, it's definitely good that you will have your month in Konan!" Yui retorted. "For that matter, it would be good for the two of you to get some time alone right now. Get all your feelings out about Taka here, then start a fresh page when you go back."
"That would be best," Miaka agreed, watching Yui lean forward to pick up the teapot."But how are we going to to do that? You know Keisuke won't want to leave us alone for a minute!"
"Leave your big brother to me." Yui said, while refilling their cups.
Miaka's heart leapt with delight as she spotted the mischievous glint in her friend's eyes, the one that always appeared whenever she was about to suggest cutting classes or any other guilty pleasure.
"Yui-chan!" She squealed. "Does this mean you've thought of a plan?"
"Why yes, Mi-chan, I do believe I have." The blonde's smile was filled with confidence born of having hatched and successfully carried out several such schemes. Nevertheless, she mentally crossed her fingers when she began to explain her plan to her cohort, for everything depended on her being able to get Tetsuya and Chichiri's full cooperation.
Several minutes later found the two women laughing and carrying on so loudly, they didn't notice that Keisuke had entered the room. He waited patiently for a lull in the conversation and then cleared his throat to draw their attention.
"We're done with Tasuki, ladies. Want to have a look-see?"
As soon as the invitation was out of his mouth, Miaka and Yui bolted for the bedroom.
"I'll take that as a 'yes'." Keisuke said to the empty sofa, and then turned to follow the path the charging women had taken.
Miaka's heart was thumping with excitement as she entered her brother's room. She had never even tried to imagine Tasuki in modern dress, and was intensely curious to see what kind of clothing he had picked out to wear.
Her first glimpse of him brought her to an abrupt halt and she barely noticed when Yui, as close on her heels, ran into her from behind. She nodded absentmindedly in response to her friend's murmured apology, not hearing a word of it or the amused greetings of Tetsuya and Chichiri as she ogled her warrior from head to his white sock-clad feet and back again. Nothing registered, save for the dazzling view presented by the flame haired man who was bending over to pick up his tessen. The stone washed jeans he wore outlined his muscular thighs and tight, rounded backside in a manner that was arresting and almost indecent.
As he straightened, she could see he was wearing a white designer t-shirt that clung to his flexing back and shoulder muscles in a extremely flattering way. His hair was brushed back, but otherwise unchanged, and he was still wearing his jewelry. It wasn't a look that many men could carry off, but the blend of cultures meshed perfectly on him. Simple, yet sexy. Practicality with a flair. Quintessential Tasuki.
"Oh my." She said.
He turned with gratifying speed at the sound of her voice. Seeing the open-mouthed look she was giving him, he looked down at his new clothing and then back at her with a self conscious smirk. Presented with his front, her gaze drifted from the ex-bandit's face to his shoulders and chest, dropped to his rock hard abs and came to a screeching halt just above the apex of his thighs. As bedazzled as she was, she wasn't about to court trouble by allowing herself to be caught staring at that particular area with her brother in the room, not to mention a monk!
"Ladies," Keisuke said, strolling forward from the doorway, "what do you think of him?"
"Well. He's...uh..." Miaka gestured vaguely, too overwhelmed to form thoughts into words.
"Magnifique?" Yui suggested. "Totally hot? Too sweet for words?" She paused. "Hunk-a- licious?"
At the last word left her lips, Tetsuya's eyebrows made an appearance over the top of his shades. The blonde quickly blew him a kiss, and followed it up with a reassuring smile.
"All of that." Miaka said, locking gazes with the person under discussion. She didn't make any attempt to hide her admiration for the man standing in front of her. It shone in her eyes like the sun. "You look awesome, Tasuki."
"Thank you." He mumbled. Setting the tessen aside, he picked up a pair of sneakers, pretending to inspect the laces in an attempt to hide the color that had flooded his cheeks.
'He's blushing!' Miaka thought with a welling of tenderness.'Crisp on the outside, but with a marshmallow center.' Smiling at the analogy, she turned to Chichiri, who was still wearing his traditional monk's gi and robe. "Aren't you going to change too?"
"Since I'm doing an imitation of Tetsuya, we decided I really didn't need different clothes, you know," the monk said with a shrug. " I just wanted to get an idea of what the clothing of this world looks like so I could cast them as a proper illusion."
"Wish I had your magical talents, Chichiri!" Tetsuya remarked with a grin. "It'd be great to wear pajamas to classes or to work with no one the wiser...right, Keisuke?"
"Heck yeah!" His roommate agreed. "The money we'd save on clothes could go for beer and snacks for Miaka." He added, laughing as his sister turned red and stuck out her tongue at him.
"It seems like a good thing until something disrupts the spell!" The monk warned smilingly. "It can happen at any time, you know- and it's even happened to me!" At seeing his listeners' skeptical looks, he continued. "It's true! Once, to save myself the trouble of having to go through a lot of tedious fittings for some ceremonial garments, I decided to conjure an illusion instead. To make a long story short- suffice to say something went wrong with my spell and the Empress Regent and the high council were definitely not amused when my clothes completely vanished in the middle of Tasuki's and my audience with the future Emperor."
A loud burst of laughter followed this confession.
"At least Boushin got a big kick outta the whole thing," Tasuki offered, chuckling at the memory. "The kid was totally cracking up- laughed so hard he just about fell off his throne! Even after Chiri left, th' little guy kept breaking into fits of giggles until Houki lost her temper an' sent him to his room!"
This bit of information provoked another laugh, as well as speculation as to how a future emperor might react to being disciplined. Using the lively discussion as a cover for her action, Yui sidled over to Tetsuya's side. Miaka watched with trepidation as her friend tugged on her boyfriend's arm and then murmured in his ear when he bent down. When he scowled her heart sank. But Yui continued to plead their case and eventually Tetsuya sighed and gave a nod, his glum expression brightening only slightly when Yui gave him a quick peck on the cheek.
'One down, one to go!' Miaka thought in relief.
The next target was Chichiri. The monk grew solemn as Yui spoke to him but nodded approval when she was through. She squeezed his arm lightly in thanks, then edged over to Miaka's side, thankfully with Keisuke none the wiser.
"We're all set," she muttered out of the side of her mouth. "Tetsuya said you can drive the Lexus over to your mom's apartment and Chichiri and I are going to take care of Keisuke. No, don't say anything to Tasuki now, or Keisuke's going to know something's up."
Miaka closed her mouth and reached for her friend's hand, pressing it in wordless thanks.
"That's what best friends are for," Yui whispered, with wink at the ex-bandit, who was watching them with a bemused expression.
And so it was that exactly twenty five minutes later an astonished Tasuki found himself walking out of the large apartment building as Miaka's sole companion. Despite what he had said to her earlier, never had he seriously thought he would get an opportunity like this while they were in her world. Thanks to Yui and Chichiri's adept handling of Keisuke's protests, he was going to be allowed time alone with Miaka for the next three hours. Well, almost alone- they would be around her mother for a good part of the time, but that was okay with him. He was looking forward to seeing where Miaka had grown up and meeting the woman who had raised her, though the thought of the latter also was making him unaccountably nervous.
'Gotta make sure I don't embarrass her in front of her ma. This is a strange world, so I gotta expect to see and hear strange things. No reason to get worked up about anythin'. Gotta play along with Mi-chan- like she says, th' woman doesn't know anythin' about her bein' in my world so we hafta be careful what we say.'
Even though he understood why he had to leave it behind, he still wished he could have brought his tessen. You just never knew when trouble would strike and even though he was confident in the superiority of his fighting skills, they couldn't match up to the power of holy fire. He wondered if it even had an equivalent in this world, but dismissed the thought almost at once, thinking he'd be a lot happier not knowing if there was.
And besides, he had more important things to take care of at the moment. Miaka was checking out his new attire.
He smirked when she saw he was looking at her and slapped at the waistband of his pants. "All right, no one's around, so c'mon, be honest. Ya think I look weird wearin' these, don'tcha?"
"No way! Jeans really suit you!"
"I didn't wanna wear 'em at first, but your brother insisted. Said they were more comfortable than they look, an' he was right." He admitted. "I'm happy if ya think I look okay."
"Not okay!" She corrected. "You look great!"
Her gaze and emphatic words left no doubt she found his attire extremely flattering. He looked away, not knowing she could see the pleased grin that curved his cheek. "Well okay. Thanks."
They had arrived at a set of doors that opened to reveal a small room. Miaka quickly explained that it was called an elevator, and that it was a quicker way of reaching ground level than taking the stairs. The doors closed upon them and the room moved, but the motion was so very slight Tasuki couldn't be sure anything was happening. He looked up, spotted a panel with lighted numbers above the door, and watched in fascination the number decreased with each level they dropped.
Awareness of their solitude stretched like a tight wire between them as they waited to arrive at their floor. Tasuki cast lingering sidelong glances at his companion, which she returned with interest, escalating the tension to almost unbearable levels as the seconds ticked by. The wing seishi had just come to the conclusion that he'd have to grab and kiss her senseless, when a jingling sound from her hand attracted his attention. Looking down, he saw her fingers nervously manipulating the two keys to Tetsuya's horseless carriage.
"Are ya sure about taking this car thingie?" He asked, grabbing at the chance for a safe topic of conversation. "Tetsuya didn't seem to think it was safe enough for ya."
Miaka laughed. "That's because he's worried about the car getting hurt! He's never let anyone borrow the Lexus before and he's afraid I'm going to put a dent in his baby! It's his pride and joy…next to Yui-chan, of course. And by the way, you should know that she's the one we need to thank for setting this whole thing up."
Tasuki shook his head. "Gotta hand it to her. That Yui is one all-right chick!"
"Told you so." Miaka's smile was smug.
"Yeah, ya sure did." He admitted. "But don't push your luck- I'm still workin' on forgivin' the rest of the Seiryu!"
They laughed, both relieved that the heat between them had dropped to a manageable simmer.
They exited the elevator, and walked out of the building to a vast expanse of smooth, black pavement. Tasuki inhaled deeply once they were in the open air, and found it to fall short of fresh.
'T'here's one advantage for Konan; the air's a lot cleaner. Wonder if Keisuke's thought of that. He sure was ticked that we were goin' off without him- good thing Chiri's a damn good diplomat, or I think th' poor fool woulda ended up tryin' to kick my ass! After hearin' what Taka said, he must be havin' a lotta second thoughts about me. Don't wanna hafta hurt the guy because he's tryin' to protect his sister... '
The direction of his thoughts was sobering enough for him to blurt them out. "Mi-chan, your brother's worried about you an' me being alone together."
She scowled. "My brother needs to back off."
He looked askance at her, startled by the resentment in her tone. "Aw, give th' guy a break! He's your brother an' he loves ya."
Her smile was sad but determined. "I love him too, but he needs to face the reality that I've finally grown up! Ah...here we are!"
Conversation about Keisuke was dropped as they stopped alongside one of the sleek, gleaming vehicles in a line that stretched the length of the paved lot. Tasuki bent down to peer into the interior, then straightened and watched closely as Miaka unlocked the door and opened it.
"Go ahead!" She urged, as her seishi hesitated. "It'll be okay! Just think of it as riding in a palanquin with metal sides."
He gave her a dubious look. "Hotohori hated ridin' in his palanquin- he told me that the seat was hard, an' always cramped because of his imperial robes, and he had to hang on for dear life whenever they carried him up or downhill, not to mention the heat and all the dust and the times when one of the poor fools carryin' it had the bad luck to trip on a stone…"
Miaka laughed. "Okay, that was a really bad comparison! I promise this ride will be nothing like having one in Hotohori's palanquin!"
"That remains t'be seen!" The ex-bandit muttered, as he clambered into the car and gingerly settled himself into the soft leather seat. After a moment he looked up at her with a surprised smile. "Hey, this feels nice! It's like sittin' on pillows!"
Grinning, his priestess proceeded to show him how the seat belt worked. Satisfied that he was comfortable with using it, she shut his door then walked around to the driver's side and got in beside him. When she shut her door, the noises from the world around them were cut off, leaving them in a cushy, silent cocoon.
He watched as she inserted the keys in the ignition, then jumped and cursed as the engine roared to life.
"What is it?" She asked, at seeing his startled look. "Oh, Tasuki, I'm so sorry, I should have warned you! That noise you just heard comes from a place called the engine. It's not alive or anything- it's just a assortment of hoses, wires, metal parts and other stuff located behind that panel in front of us that work together to make the car move."
"I gotcha," he replied, nodding. "Wow, that's pretty amazin'. Never heard a sound quite like that before, but I'll get used to it."
She reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Tasu-chan, I want you to know you don't have to worry about asking for me explanations on anything you see here! Like I said, I know how difficult it is to be surrounded by strangers and strange things. Trust me, nothing you ask will ever sound stupid to me."
He felt better just having her touch him in the way she was, but a fit of shyness prevented him from telling her so.
"Thanks, I'll be doin' that." He said instead, turning his head to look out the side window as her hand left his shoulder to put the car into gear.
As the Lexus came to a halt at a stoplight, Miaka took the opportunity to assess the mental state of her passenger. She was relieved to see that Tasuki had finally released his death grip on the dashboard and had relaxed back into his seat. "Doing okay?" She asked hesitantly. Even for a native, Tokyo drivers were scary. She didn't blame him one bit for wanting to hang on for dear life as cars zoomed perilously close to them, or cut in front of them with mere inches to spare.
"Yeah, I'm doin' fine." He said, and then gave a slight start when a vehicle screeched to halt alongside them in the next lane. "Dammit, I wish they'd quit doing that!" He muttered, and then gave her a sheepish grin. "I think I'm startin' to get used to it."
Miaka turned her head to smile at him, but her grin soon became an open mouthed gape as she spotted the occupants of the car that had pulled up outside the window behind Tasuki. Apparently the young couple had decided to take advantage of the red light to exchange a very deep kiss. She stared, transfixed by the display of passion, a rare sight to behold in any public venue.
"What's up?" Tasuki asked, turning his head to follow her line of sight. "Whoa, what's that?" He shifted his body to get a closer look. "He's slippin' her some tongue in broad daylight! Can ya believe it?"
To her relief, the blaring of car horns behind them precluded an answer. The light had changed. Miaka tore her gaze away from the couple- who had just ended their heavy clinch- and slowly started to pull away from the intersection. As she did so, the driver of the other car spotted Tasuki, who was still staring at them, and quickly lifted a finger in response. The seishi grinned and promptly returned the seemingly friendly gesture, but to his bewilderment, his gesture invoked the driver's wrath. The young man scowled fiercely and shook his fist, mouthing silent obscenities at the puzzled redhead before turning the corner and roaring off down a side street.
Tasuki scowled after the retreating vehicle. 'Same to you buddy! Whatta jerk! '
He replayed the encounter in his mind, trying to figure out what he had done wrong, and finally came to the conclusion he'd have to ask. "Hey Mi-chan, I have a question if ya don't mind."
"Of course I don't mind! What is it?"
"What's it mean in your world when someone salutes ya with one finger?"
Her lips twitched at the possible reason for his query, but she kept a straight face to spare his feelings. "Depends on the situation and which finger."
"Well, when the guy back there saw me lookin' at him and his woman, he held up his middle finger. Figured I'd salute him back, but it pissed him off! D'ya think that maybe I didn't do it right?"
Miaka had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. "If it made him mad then you did it right."
"Eh? I don't get it."
She explained.
"What! So it's obscene and an insult?"
"Well yes, but think of it this way- you gave it back so you got even with him!"
Tasuki was fuming. "The asshole's damn lucky my window wasn't open- I'd have shown him how a real man insults another!"
"That would have been quite an education," Miaka agreed.
Suspecting sarcasm, the ex-bandit eyed her with suspicion. After a moment, a sly smile crept over his lips. "Maybe Chichiri should learn how to do the one fingered salute. It could come in handy on th' road, an' make for some fun encounters at the taverns Keiske's takin' us to tonight!"
"Tasuki! Don't you dare!"
He laughed gleefully at her outraged expression. "Relax! I'm kiddin'!"
"Right!" She snorted.
"Maybe not," Tasuki admitted. "But don't worry! I've spent the last three years on the road with th' guy an' believe me- when it comes to brawlin', Chichiri can take care of himself!"
"Oh, that's comforting! Spent a lot of time in taverns, did you?"
"There really ain't any other places to stay when you're out on the road, little baka."
"I guess that's true." She acknowledged. "I hope you kept out of trouble."
"Didn't go looking for it." Her seishi replied, eyeing her with a mischievous expression. "Hey, what's with that face? Worried that I got cozy with a few of the locals or somethin'?"
"Why would I mind you swapping stories with a bunch of drunken, horny old codgers?" She countered.
He snickered. "Not what I meant!"
A surge of jealousy filled her with the reckless urge to tell the truth, and she acted on it. "I know perfectly well what you mean, and yes, it does upset me to think of you 'getting friendly' with any women but me." She said steadily, keeping her eyes on the road and her expression neutral.
She expected a joking defense, but was surprised by the intense silence that stretched between them while her seishi stared at her.
"There's no reason for ya to feel that way, Mi-chan." He said at last, in a completely serious voice. "Like I told ya in Taiits-kun's garden, gettin' somethin' like that is worthless unless it's from someone ya want."
"Which means you've gotten some you didn't want?"
"No! I mean, yeah, I ain't lily pure, but there's been no other woman for me since ya left the last time!"
He moved towards her as he spoke, and Miaka felt her tummy clench with longing as he slid a hand under her hair. As it gently closed around the nape of her neck, she swallowed nervously, not daring to look over at him, but very conscious of the avid way her passenger was studying her profile.
"If ya doubt me on that, ya can ask Chiri an' he'll tell ya the same." He added in a quiet voice.
"That won't be necessary." She murmured, feeling hot and giddy. Hearing that he didn't want anyone but her was incredible. "I...I believe you."
"So, is there another one of those stop n' go lights comin' up soon?" Tasuki asked, abruptly changing the subject. His fingers had begun to hypnotically massage the muscles below the base of her skull. As he waited for her answer, they slowly worked their way down the curve of her nape, rendering her incapable of thinking about anything but him.
"Y-yes. There's another one just a couple streets ahead."
"Good."
Miaka didn't need to ask why he was pleased, for the same thought had occurred to her the second she had seen the embracing couple. Flutters of awareness burgeoned to pulsing need at the knowledge that his body was only inches away from hers, even as her mind digested the stunning information that no other woman had earned the pleasure of his company since they'd been together last. It was a sweet feeling to be so close to him, and an amazing turn on to hear that his feelings for her had run that strong and that deep.
Her foot eased up on the gas pedal, ensuring that they wouldn't make the next green light. Tasuki said nothing, but one sideways glance told her he knew the car had slowed down. He looked immensely pleased and sure of himself, which should have irked her but somehow didn't.
As soon as the Lexus came to a halt at the intersection, he wasted no time disconnecting his seat belt with one hand as the other urged her head forward to meet his. Hot waves of desire coursed through Miaka at the determined way the warrior of fire was pulling her towards him, and a whimper of pleasure escaped as his mouth collided with hers. Her hands lifted to grip his shoulders, then glided up and into the mass of his hair as he quickly deepened the kiss. The passion sharpened recesses of her mind took note of every sensation; firm lips seducing hers, a facile tongue flicking against hers like a silken flame, a hungry mouth pumping inferno-like heat into hers, adding fuel to her burning excitement. She melted, reaching for him with both body and mind, knowing the feel, taste and scent of him would be forever imbedded in her consciousness.
One kiss led to another, and then another. The harsh noise of the traffic outside her window had faded away, leaving behind a soft, silky silence, broken only by their rapid breathing and a muttered curse when Tasuki caught his hip on the steering wheel. She quickly distracted him from his discomfort by gently capturing his lower lip between her teeth and rubbing her tongue tip over the smooth, captive flesh as her hands slid from his hair to caress his broad shoulders. He responded with a deep, almost feral sound of pleasure.
Her own pleasure escalated as she felt his hand moving along the outer curve of her thigh, pushing her skirt up as it went along. Her lips parted on a sigh as she arched under the caress, enabling Tasuki to tug his lip free of its erotic prison and fully reclaim her mouth. His tongue found hers and thrust against it with long, deliberate strokes that told her without words exactly what he wanted from her.
Her hands glided over his chest, slid down his ribs, and then lowered to cup the hard crests of his hips. As she pulled him closer, she enjoyed the sound of his throaty groan and the violent shudder of delight that passed through his body.
She had never known she was capable of feeling such uninhibited longing, had never realized that a mere touch from her could make a man literally tremble with need and desire. Taka had always been in total control when they had made love- not that she had really minded. He had been a very careful and considerate lover, who had made sure every encounter was filled with tenderness and satisfaction. Whenever she had been with Taka, the security of knowing she was loved had been just as important to her as the pleasure. Those experiences had taken on a distant warmth, like the dying embers of a fire that had slowly burnt itself out.
What was happening, what she was feeling now...it was hot, riding a maelstrom of exhilaration while being seduced by Tasuki's soulful intensity. Every feminine instinct she possessed told her that a passive coupling with him would be impossible, and that whether he was in control or she was, love making between them would be an all-consuming walk on the wild side. But along with the thrill thinking about that sort of unpredictability brought, her instincts were also assuring her there was no need to be afraid, and that if – no, when- they made love for the first time, Tasuki would be Tasuki...always full of surprises.
As if to confirm her thoughts, his hand suddenly slipped to her inner thigh, where his fingers traced delicate circles on her sensitive skin. Another frantic moan escaped her, and she clutched him to her with desperate hands. The desire to spread her legs for him was strong, stronger than anything she had felt in her life, but she had to fight it. Surrendering to her libido now could get them arrested for obscene public conduct.
Summoning every bit of her will, she barely managed to tug her mouth away from his.
"Tasu-chan…stop …light's… going to change," she panted, turning her head as he tried to recapture her lips.
A loud horn blast from the car that had pulled up behind them punctuated her words.
Tasuki's hands stilled and his forehead lowered to rest in the crook of her shoulder. His breathing was coming short and rapidly between his parted lips, and Miaka remained motionless, not daring to touch him as he struggled to regain control. After a few seconds, he raised his head and gave her a hard, possessive kiss on the lips before sliding from her arms and moving back to his seat. Her eyes greedily followed the play of muscles in his arms and chest as he buckled his seat belt.
When his smoldering gaze met hers, primitive need for him seared her body while tears stung her eyes.
"I'm so sorry." Unable to find the words to express the depth of her yearnings, she gave up the attempt and simply reached out to caress his cheek and kiss-reddened lips with her fingertips, letting her touch tell him what words had not. Her desire for contact was mirrored in his expression as he turned to look at her; she sucked in a breath as she felt his lips move under her fingertips.
"Don't be sad." His voice was hoarse and deep, and the rasp of it sent a sensual thrill through her body. "You did everythin' right, this definitely ain't the place or the time."
"I wish it was!" She gritted, fighting the temptation to pull into the nearest parking ramp and pick up right where they had left off. Hearing his passion-roughened voice would've been her undoing, and so she was glad when he stayed silent. Her frustration reached a boiling point before the light finally turned green. With mixed regret and relief, she tromped down on the accelerator and the expensive car leapt forward in immediate and powerful response, an action which reminded her of her body's reaction to Tasuki.
They had gone almost a full two blocks before she realized her fingers were still pressing aqainst his lips. A murmured apology accompanied her move to withdraw them, but it turned out that her seishi had other ideas. A surge of quiet pleasure filled her heart as her retreating fingers were captured and entwined with his.
Quick tears sprung to her eyes as he lifted the back of her hand to his face to gently rub it against his cheek before lowering their joined hands to rest on the seat between them. Every time she touched him, every time he touched her, she learned something new about Tasuki. The way he was holding her hand now spoke of great tenderness, and wanting to share the most private sides of himself with her. Knowing that he had no hesitation about doing so was intensely arousing.
"Um, just so you know... there is another stoplight before we get to Mom's place." She said, casting a shy glance at him.
He replied with a look that made her loins tense with anticipatory pleasure. "Good. We got a hell of a lot t'make up for."
A few minutes and one brief but passion-filled encounter later, Miaka swung the car into a parking lot in back of the older looking, but well maintained apartment building that had been her home for as long as she could remember. She scanned the line of cars for a parking spot, then smiled as she spotted her mother getting out of her car on the other side of the lot.
"Hey, there's my mom, she must have gone to the store!" She exclaimed. A moment later, she gasped loudly.
"What's wrong?" Tasuki asked, in a sharp tone.
Miaka pointed with a shaking finger. Two thuggish looking teenage boys had appeared out of nowhere, apparently intent on accosting her mother in broad daylight. "They've had trouble with muggings in this area lately, and no one ever seems to want to get involved. Omigod! They're going to hurt her!"
"Not if I'm there! Stop the car!"
"It's too far away, let me drive-"
"No time! Stop the fuckin' car!"
His barked command brooked no argument. She braked to a quick, violent stop; a second later Tasuki was out the passenger door and had inexplicably disappeared. Another five seconds and he had reappeared near her mother, who had just been grabbed by one would- be assailant and tossed to the ground.
'I forgot about his speed!' Miaka thought, clenching her jaw as she saw her seishi step forward to challenge the thugs. 'But he doesn't have his tessen! Oh Suzaku, please let him be okay!'
Without thinking, she switched off the engine, yanked the keys from the ignition, and scrambled out of the car. She watched the two men taking swings at Tasuki, who easily evaded them. 'SHIT! One has a switchblade!' She thought frantically when a cold, metallic flash caught her eye. A scream bubbled up in her throat, but she bit it back, not wanting Tasuki to turn her way and lose sight of the weapon.
It soon became apparent she hadn't any cause to worry. Tasuki spun gracefully, his body leaving the ground as his extended foot connected with his opponent's face. The knife went skittering out of the boy's hand and he flew backwards, landing in a crumpled, motionless heap on the pavement several feet away. His companion rushed the waiting seishi, intent on retribution, only to be stopped dead in his tracks by an iron fist smashing into his gut. He collapsed to his knees in front of Tasuki, who finished him off with a swift kick to the chin.
As the second thug fell, Miaka moved- slowly at first, and then picking up speed until she was pelting toward the scene as fast as her sandals and skirt would allow.
Tasuki gave his unconscious opponent a contemptuous nudge with the toe of his shoe, then stepped over him to the woman he had been defending. He ran a concerned eye over her form, and then felt his face heat up as he found himself looking into eyes as green as the sea. So that was where Miaka had gotten them...
He gently assisted the older woman to her feet with a hand, careful to keep the glowing symbol on his other arm completely out of her sight."Are ya all right, ma'am?"
"Yes… thanks to you!" Mrs. Yuuki murmured with heartfelt gratitude. "That was a very impressive demonstration of martial arts, young man! I don't think I've seen those kind of moves since Bruce Lee-"
She broke off as an auburn-haired blur flew past her and threw herself into the young man's arms with a loud sob. Oblivious to his audience of one, the young man wrapped an arm around the girl and laid his cheek against her hair as another silent sob passed through her body. "Don't cry, Green Eyes! Everythin's all right now."
"I was so scared when I saw the knife, but I should have known that couldn't stop you!" She pressed closer, sending another surge of adrenaline through his already stoked nervous system.
"It's okay, Mi-chan. It's over."
"Miaka honey, is that you?"
Miaka stiffened, then pulled away from the man holding her and quickly turned to embrace her parent. " Mom, you could have been killed! Are you all right? Did they hurt your arm?"
"I'm fine, thanks to your friend. I take it that you're acquainted with this heroic young man?" Mrs. Yuuki asked.
Her mother's voice was calm, but Miaka could feel her trembling while gently disengaging herself from her daughter's arms. "Yes, he's with me." Unconscious pride laced her voice. "Mother, I'd like you to meet-" She stopped and then stared at her seishi in consternation, realizing she had no idea of his given surname.
Taking the unspoken cue, Tasuki bowed politely and said, "My name is Kou Shun'u, ma'am. It's an honor to meet ya, but I wish it was under nicer conditions."
"Kou Shun'u." Miaka murmured, happily lingering over each syllable. 'That's his real name.'
Mrs. Yuuki smiled and then bowed to her rescuer. "It's an honor and truly a pleasure to meet you, Kou-san! I can't thank you enough for coming to my aid! You're a very brave man to have taken on those two hoodlums by yourself!"
"That's okay, ma'am. I'm just glad I got here in time t'stop 'em." As he spoke, Tasuki darted a glance at Miaka. The big smile she wore greatly pleased him, but he quickly reined in his pleasure as he turned his gaze back to Mrs. Yuuki, whose expression had changed ti a sharply assessing look that he knew all too well. The woman was now viewing him through a concerned mother's eyes, and her inspection suddenly made him very conscious of his flaming red hair and penchant for loud jewelry.
Straightening to his full height and fighting the urge to fidget, he endured her intent perusal in silence, while wondering uneasily if she would disapprove of Miaka being in his company now that she had gotten a really good look at him.
"Your Japanese is excellent, but you're not from Japan, are you?" The older woman stated rather than asked the question.
"Tas- er, Shun'u is originally from the Hunan province in China." Miaka spoke up hastily. "He's participating in an exchange program."
"Oh how nice!" Mrs. Yuuki exclaimed, breaking into a smile. "My son Keisuke is majoring in Ancient Chinese studies at the University- I'm sure he'd love to hear all about your beautiful country."
The redhead gave her a dazzling grin. "Met him already- he's a real nice guy."
Miaka stifled both a laugh and groan at seeing her mother's eyes go wide. Clearly Mrs. Yuuki had not been prepared for the intriguing sight of fangs, cute though they were! "Why don't we head up to the apartment, Mom?" She suggested loudly, hoping her seishi wouldn't take offense at the rude way her parent was staring at him. "I'll make us some tea."
"An excellent idea, Miaka." Mrs. Yuuki said, her eyes still fixed upon the twin points at the corners of Tasuki's smile.
"What about these jerks?" He asked, jerking his head at the unconscious boys.
"Leave them." Mrs. Yuuki ordered crisply, shaking off her bemusement at last.
Her daughter frowned. "But Mom, they should be punished-"
"I happen to know the mothers of these boys, and I'll just give them a call. They'll make sure these two get exactly what they deserve in addition to the punishment this young man has already dished out." Mrs. Yuuki's smile was grim. " I really don't want to have to go through the ordeal of giving a deposition, and I'm sure Shun'u wouldn't either."
Although he had no idea what a deposition was, Tasuki nodded agreement.
Miaka gnawed at her bottom lip, vexed at the impossibility of the situation. As much as she disagreed with her mother's decision, it certainly wouldn't be wise to call attention to Tasuki. If called, the police would have to take a statement from him, which would involve giving addresses and more false information which would lead to who knew what. "All right," she agreed at last. "But let's restrain them so they don't get away."
"They came from that car," her mother pointed to a late model Nissan which was parked close by, its engine still running.
"I'll tie 'em up and put 'em in th' back," Tasuki quickly offered.
"Be sure to grab the knife and their keys out of the ignition," Miaka reminded him.
He winked at her. "That's good thinkin'!"
She blushed. "Thank you."
Mrs. Yuuki's eyebrows shot up as she saw the look her daughter was exchanging with the young man. She said nothing out of respect for her daughter's feelings. But as soon as Tasuki had left them to take care of the delinquents, and she and her daughter had begun to salvage what they could from the foodstuffs that had escaped the tipped grocery bag, she decided it was time to speak up.
"Your friend Kou Shun'u is very courageous and kind."
"Yes, he is." Miaka replied warily, sensing something was afoot.
"He's very unusual looking...but handsome! That outrageous hair and the jewelry actually suit him." Her mother continued thoughtfully. "Have to say he has quite a spectacular body too."
"Mother!" Miaka set down the can of vegetables she had picked up with a loud clunk. "I can't believe you said that!"
"I may be your mother, but I'm also a woman with twenty/twenty vision!" Mrs. Yuuki retorted. "So why haven't you told me about him before this?"
"Well...I...wasn't really sure what to say." Miaka told her truthfully.
"Is he a good student? Does he have a job?"
"Yes and yes." Miaka answered, frowning slightly. "Why do you ask?"
"Just curious." Mrs. Yuuki's expression was suspiciously innocent. "Have you told Taka?"
Her daughter picked up the can and put it in the bag, avoiding her parent's all-knowing gaze. "Told Taka what?"
"Oh please! You're calling him by his first name, and it's plain as day that you're interested in this young man as more than a friend, so you might as well admit it!"
"Like I have a choice." Miaka mumbled to the groceries. This was not how she'd envisioned broaching the subject of Tasuki with her mother. "So what would you say if I did?"
Mrs. Yuuki gave a short laugh. "That I'm glad and relieved!"
Startled, Miaka looked up. "You would?"
"Yes I would." Said Mrs. Yuuki firmly. "It has worried me that you and Taka were so serious at such a young age. You never gave others a chance to impress you." She looked down at the bag sitting between them. "I understand how intense those kinds of feelings can be, but I also know that it's all too easy to confuse the desire for intimacy and having a male's full attention for the first time with being in love. If this young man has captured your attention, than I think you have realized this."
Miaka gave silent thanks that she was spared having to reply as Tasuki joined them. Red-faced from her exertions and her mother's tart observations, she quickly got to her feet and hoisted the grocery bag up with her.
"Let me carry that for ya." He said, relieving her of the burden.
"Th-Thank you." She stammered, very conscious that her mother was watching them. Tasuki gave her an inquiring look as her blush deepened, then glanced at the older woman.
"What excellent manners you have, Kou-san!" Mrs. Yuuki said, approval in her voice. "You would make any mother very proud."
"Thanks, but I doubt it." He replied wryly, while shifting the grocery bag to one arm. "My Ma's never approved of me leavin' the family farm and lets me know it in no uncertain terms every time I go home for a visit."
Mrs. Yuuki smilingly shook her head. "Now, now, give her time! She understands, she just misses you.…"
Miaka watched in amazement as her mother commandeered Kou-san's arm and urged him towards the apartment building entrance, chatting all the while. He cast a wide eyed look back at her over his shoulder, but all she could do was shrug and give him a weak smile.
"I'll be right up after I park the car!" She called after them.
Her mother waved a hand in response and kept walking, while her companion managed a final, desperate glance over his shoulder and mouthed the word 'hurry' to her before he stumbled and was forced to face forward once again.
Miaka giggled at the unusual display of clumsiness, and then wheeled around to run to the Lexus, another giggle escaping her at the thought that the Great and Powerful Tasuki was simply no match for her inquisitive, strong-willed mother.
To be continued!
Author's Notes
Again, I want to thank all of you who have left such encouraging reviews and emails. I appreciate your positive messages and kind words more than you'll ever know!
I'd also like to say a heartfelt thank you to Adriana Morgan, whose invaluable input about when and where to place Yui and Miaka's 'chat' in the scheme of things got me through my writer's block. :)
KL