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Kuririn knew it had to happen someday; Juuhachigou could not be blind forever. Perhaps she had already noticed, and simply hadn't said anything before. But now he couldn't hide it from her anymore, here in the privacy of their wedding bed.

Juuhachigou stared at him. "Has it always been like that?"

"Yes," he muttered through gritted teeth. He'd been through a similar ordeal with Marron, although she had only kissed it and said he was even cuter with his deformation. Juuhachi, on the other hand, seemed to have a sudden scientific interest in it. He couldn't look her in the eyes; it was too degrading.

Juuhachigou poked it with a finger, and Kuririn flinched. She pulled back, but then moved closer to peer at it. Kuririn's face flushed; this intense scrutiny was too much.

"Doesn't it bother you?" she asked.

"No. I've been like this all my life!"

"But—doesn't it make some things difficult?"

"I'm used to it!"

Juuhachigou gently touched it with her fingertip again. "It's so strange. I never noticed before that you were—different—there! It's so obvious!" She sounded almost like she regretted her lack of observation.

Kuririn couldn't take it anymore. He pulled the blanket up over his head and rolled over, hiding the tears of shame threatening to spill from his eyes.

Juuhachigou laughed softly. She tugged the blanket away and wrapped her arms around him.

"Oh well, I guess nature made up for it with other portions of your anatomy," she whispered into his ear. "You don't need a nose to be a great lover!"

Kuririn spent the rest of the evening proving her right.

The End.

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Author's Note: What did you think they were talking about??? Of course it's his nose! ^_~

I was bored but in the mood to write, and I couldn't get anything to sound right in my current fic "The Searching" so wrote this instead. I've been told several times I should try writing something other than drama/angsty/romance stuff. So here's some…um…slightly sappy humor. There's lots more to be said about Kuririn's nose, though. Maybe this could become a series..? ^_^u Tell me what you think!