Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi or the characters that are featured
in this story. Is that official enough for you? IS IT?? WHAT MORE DO YOU
WANT FROM ME YOU CORPORATE BASTARDS???? *deep breath, bright smile* Okie
dokie then?
Author's note: Um, I intended at the beginning for this to not be a lime or a lemon, and it isn't a lime or a lemon but my hormones (and Nuri and Hotohori's too) contrived to make it more like a lime. I personally don't think anything would have happened in the cave but you can think whatever you like. If anyone would like to writer an alternative ending with a lot more CONTENT I welcome you to email it to me at [email protected], then I could post it after or something. Just a thought.
One on One 4
Hotohori had awakened just a few moments earlier to what was possibly the most heart-breaking sound he had ever heard: the sound of the strongest, yet the weakest of the Suzaku seishi sobbing quietly but brokenly into his tunic. Finding his arms were already holding Nuriko he held him closer, placing a hand on his lovely violet hair in an attempt to soothe him.
"Nuriko. What's wrong?" he murmured, his hand moving soft purple strands aside so he could see the other seishi's face.
Nuriko quickly ducked his head from view and moved out of Hotohori's embrace, eyes wide with horror and embarrassment. Despite his efforts to control the tears leaking from his eyes, they started to flow more freely. He was sure he would receive no more comfort from the emperor.
But he barely had time to complete that thought before he was wrapped in fellow seishi's arms once again. Hotohori held Nuriko to his chest and his arm rubbed Nuriko's back comfortingly.
"What's wrong Nuriko? Are you worried about the storm?" Hotohori asked the question, but doubted that answer would be yes. He could tell that wasn't it but didn't know what could possibly be bothering him. Nuriko was always so cheerful.
When the fey seishi remained silent he sighed deeply, and continued comforting Nuriko without questions. He used his voice only for comforting words and ran his hand through his purple hair. His hair is so soft, and his skin. he's so warm.
Nuriko had stopped crying and lay still, his head cushioned on Hotohori's shoulder. He closed his eyes and breathed in the smell of his tunic, marveling at how warm and safe he felt with these strong arms around him, even though the blizzard had begun to pick up again.
The emperor looked down at the man in his arms affectionately and continued to stroke his hair. He wondered if Nuriko was asleep. He looked so beautiful and serene. All trace of tears was gone now and a sleepy smile graced the smaller man's lips. Without thought or hesitation he bent his head and placed a gentle kiss on those smiling lips. Nuriko's eyes flew open an he made a small sound of surprise, but the arms around him prevented him from scrambling away out of pure shock (a fact he will undoubtedly be happy about when he looks back on this someday). Hotohori was also surprised but his mind was too fuzzy to register anything but the sensation of his lips against, the purple haired seishi's.
After a long moment, in which neither of them made any move to break away or to deepen the kiss, both men opened their eyes and pulled away. Each face held an identical expression of complete and utter shock. For another long moment they simply stared at each other, their brains frantically trying to process what had just happen. Then Hotohori dredged up the presence of mind to speak.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. I shouldn't have- you just looked so." he trailed off, eyes downcast unable to finish his sentence.
"It's okay. You. I know you didn't mean it," Nuriko replied, feeling his eyes getting wet again. He had NEVER thought Hotohori would do something like that outside of his dreams, but of course, he wanted to take it back. How COULD he have meant it?
Nuriko refused to cry this time, but couldn't bear to look at the face before him, couldn't bear the expression it might hold. He buried his face in the blanket and concentrated with all his will on breathing deeply. When he felt a hand on his shoulder he jerked away, nearly tearing the blanket off of him, reminding him of what was outside the blanket and the tiny cave the two of them sheltered in. The knowledge of his restriction was not welcomed. His tears came forth, try as he might to force them back, and he was not alone.
Hotohori had begun crying himself, unable to stand the sudden and inescapable knowledge that HE was the cause of these tears; that ever since he had first met Lady Kourin, that ever since she had first entered the harem, he and he alone had been the cause of her, and his suffering.
"I'm so sorry. Please, Nuriko, stop crying. I never meant to hurt you," the emperor pleaded with him as he embraced Nuriko's slim and shaking shoulders. "Please. I'm sorry. Everything I've done to you-"
"What do you mean, Hotohori-sama?" the violet haired seishi asked quietly. He removed his head from the blanket, sure that he looked like Hell. His eyes stung, his face tingled from crying, and his tears were finally beginning to run dry.
"I'm sorry for not even glancing at you, for rejecting you, for not realizing how much it hurt you. Please, please forgive me." Hotohori begged as his hand resumed its place just under Nuriko's shoulder blade and he put his cheek on the top his violet-haired head, marveling at the softness of this beautiful man's hair and skin, while tears of apology still dripped from his eyes.
"Can you forgive me?" he whispered into the violet hair.
"Of course I do," Nuriko answered somewhat breathlessly, amazed at the turn of events. Then his eyes widened. "Ano. Hotohori, what are you doing?"
The younger man had somehow gone from resting his cheek on Nuriko's soft hair to brushing his lips against it, to gently kissing the top of his head.
"You're so beautiful," Hotohori whispered, his hand moving in circular patterns on the smaller man's back, while his other hand entwined itself in Nuriko's hair, undoing his long braid and watching his hair fall on his shoulders in waves.
"I think I always loved you, but I couldn't admit it to myself. I thought I loved Miaka. I thought only the Priestess could ease my loneliness. I didn't see the love that was right in front of my eyes."
"I know," he found himself saying, surprised that he could find a voice to speak after his love's admission. "I love you too."
He put his arms around Hotohori's neck and buried his face in the other man's shirt once again, breathing in the smell of it. The scent of HIM. He loves me. He always loved me. It was all he could do to hold back new tears of joy.
That was quickly driven from his mind as he realized that Hotohori had gone back to kissing his hair and had one of his hands around his waist, while the other was at the base of his neck, tracing patterns lightly with his fingers. Nuriko shivered, whether out of ticklishness or pleasure he didn't know.
Hotohori had just begun to consider moving his kisses to Nuriko's neck and shoulders when he felt his fellow seishi shiver. Seconds afterward the fire went out. Perfect timing as usual Suzaku, he thought sarcastically, as he reluctantly released his newly appointed true love and got out of the blanket to rekindle the fire. The smaller man was about to protest but decided against it. Given their situation, he reflected, it was fire or freeze.
As he rekindled the remains of the fire with the aid of some fresh root, he watched Nuriko out of the corner of his eye. The flashes of smooth ivory skin revealed when he had climbed from the blanket had not escaped his attention and he wondered if the sudden heat was due to the now brightly burning fire or to thoughts of the purple haired seishi.
He made his way back to the blanket and slid in beside Nuriko, who once again appeared to be feigning sleep. Hm, I can't let him get away with that, can I? Hotohori decided that he would tease Nuriko a little. A voice deep inside told him that was an inappropriate thing for an emperor to do, but another voice, which had only recently surfaced told the other voice to bugger off. Unrequited love was something Hotohori was very familiar with, the second voice went on, but the feeling of mutual love had the emperor giddy. The first voice reluctantly agreed that under the circumstances it guessed it was okay and they both shut up so Hotohori could get on with it.
He settled in beside his purple-haired companion and closed his eyes with a sigh, as if he were falling asleep. For many long moments, nothing moved except time. Then Hotohori groaned "In his sleep" and rolled over, throwing an arm and a leg over Nuriko and cuddling up close to him. The body now mostly under his tensed considerably and he fought down a laugh.
Nuriko carefully moved his arm and leg off of him and moved away cautiously, hesitantly, as if unsure he wanted to do so. Hotohori murmured something incomprehensible (even to him) and rolled over to face away from Nuriko- dragging half the blanket with him.
"Eep!" Nuriko gave a small squeal and made a grab for the blanket. It was at this point, while the smaller seishi was completely exposed and reaching toward him, that he decided to "awake."
Hotohori rolled onto his back and opened his eyes, pretending he was oblivious to his previous actions. He looked at Nuriko in feigned shock, while a part of him (which was getting increasingly more insistent) grinned hugely at the spectacular view.
"Nuriko, you shouldn't have gotten out of the blanket; you'll get sick!" the emperor mock admonished him.
"But- you're the one who ripped the blanket off of me in the first place! I was just trying to get back in," Nuriko replied defensively, blushing crimson all over his body (which didn't escape Hotohori's attention).
"No," Hotohori denied, faking confusion. "Why would I do something like that?" he asked, deliberately focusing on Nuriko's face, a feat he was finding to be increasingly difficult given the other seishi's lack of coverage.
"You were dreaming or something, I guess," Nuriko said, getting increasingly flustered and confused. Oh, I wish he would just let it go. I'm going to melt into a puddle of embarrassment if this goes on much longer.
"But Nuriko, I wasn't dreaming nor was I asleep, so why on Earth would I do that? You must just be mistaken," Hotohori said, as he turned his head away haughtily and watched Nuriko out of the corner of his eye. It took several seconds for Nuriko to fully absorb his statement.
"How should I know why you- you. you.weren't." he trailed off as his mouth fell open and he stared at his emperor, beyond shocked at the uncharacteristic behavior.
Long before the purple-haired seishi could formulate a proper response, Hotohori scooted over to him, shirt hem trailing behind him and wrapped the blanket around Nuriko's shoulders then joined him beneath the blanket. Soon Hotohori grew tired of simply sitting next to his purple haired beauty and scooped Nuriko into his lap once again enfolding him in comforting arms.
"Why did you do that?" Nuriko asked, still confused and a little angry at being tricked for no reason.
"You were pretending to be asleep, and I decided to return the favor," Hotohori whispered into his ear.
"You didn't mean it did you?" Nuriko whispered suddenly. Hotohori grasped his chin and gently turned his face towards him. He then leaned forward and kissed Nuriko full on the lips, a little more firmly than he had before, holding the kiss for longer than he had before. He didn't pull away until he was completely breathless.
"Yes, I did. I've meant everything that I've said and done today. I love you. Never doubt that," the young emperor said slowly, emphasizing the words to leave no room for misunderstanding or the doubt that Nuriko seemed so prone to.
Nuriko's eyes started to water again but he ignored as he leaned forward and kissed Hotohori, the one who had been his beloved since he first laid eyes on him. The kiss deepened as Nuriko turned in Hotohori's lap and they wrapped their arms around each other more tightly tasting the sweetness of each, oblivious to the rest of the world.
* * *
Tasuki sat at the bar with a full mug in his hand. It was an alcoholic beverage, the fiery seishi's primary source of relaxation. For once in his life, it held no appeal for him.
When they'd all walked back into the inn, as opposed to getting their horses ready and GOING AFTER THEIR FRIENDS, he hadn't been too happy about it, but he'd gone along (albeit kicking and screaming). A small part of his mind had noticed that Chichiri had a point.
Now, whether he had a point or not the fact remained that it had been SIX HOURS since Hotohori had gone tearing after the inn like a bat out of hell and he still hadn't returned with Nuriko. Granted they had not felt either of them die, but after six hours in a blizzard what condition could they possibly be in?
As a result of the tension thinking about this had caused him, he had become restless. Too restless to even drink his damn ale and get smashed. All he could do was mutter into the amber liquid and stew. All he could do was get tenser and tenser until his temper snapped like a taut bowstring. It wouldn't be long now.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and. GO!
"What the F**k are we F**KING still waiting for? We tried you way and they still ain't back yet! Now it's time to F**KING get out S**T together and go find 'em!" Tasuki burst out, brandishing his tessen and stabbing at the air to emphasize his point and, hopefully, to intimidate the other seishi into compliance. He heard a sigh from Chichiri's direction, but before he could whirl around and beat some sense into the older man, Chichiri jumped to his feet and removed his mask. Since this was only done in very grave situations the room fell silent, the remaining seishi waiting for what he had to say.
"Let's go after them. I've managed to identify the presence of their chi, weak as it is, so we'll be able to go directly to them," Chichiri stated, voice lower than usual, speech pattern conspicuously absent in the serious phrases. All this grimness was naturally completely lost on Tasuki who began bellowing as soon as Chichiri had finished.
"About f**king time!" he shouted, irked that Chichiri had told no one about his attempts to locate Nuriko and Hotohori's chi, as he hadn't known the monk had actually been DOING something as opposed to just waiting.
"For once, I am inclined to agree with Tasuki," Chiriko said.
"Yes," Mitsukake seconded. "About f**king time," he said calmly.
Everyone became VERY busy preparing for the short but arduous trek through the four feet of snow.
* * *
Author's note: Well, technically that's the end of the fic but I'm writing an epilogue so if you're interested in reading more of this fic check back at some point or another. Also, my other Nuriko fic What If? (One of those cliché fics about what might have been if Kourin hadn't died, which I think is going pretty against the grain, if the couples I have planned stay the way I plan them he he he) is back on track and I will be posting on that very soon. If you haven't read that one PLEASE DO, cuz I don't get many reviews for that one.
And don't forget to review this one either!!!
Author's note: Um, I intended at the beginning for this to not be a lime or a lemon, and it isn't a lime or a lemon but my hormones (and Nuri and Hotohori's too) contrived to make it more like a lime. I personally don't think anything would have happened in the cave but you can think whatever you like. If anyone would like to writer an alternative ending with a lot more CONTENT I welcome you to email it to me at [email protected], then I could post it after or something. Just a thought.
One on One 4
Hotohori had awakened just a few moments earlier to what was possibly the most heart-breaking sound he had ever heard: the sound of the strongest, yet the weakest of the Suzaku seishi sobbing quietly but brokenly into his tunic. Finding his arms were already holding Nuriko he held him closer, placing a hand on his lovely violet hair in an attempt to soothe him.
"Nuriko. What's wrong?" he murmured, his hand moving soft purple strands aside so he could see the other seishi's face.
Nuriko quickly ducked his head from view and moved out of Hotohori's embrace, eyes wide with horror and embarrassment. Despite his efforts to control the tears leaking from his eyes, they started to flow more freely. He was sure he would receive no more comfort from the emperor.
But he barely had time to complete that thought before he was wrapped in fellow seishi's arms once again. Hotohori held Nuriko to his chest and his arm rubbed Nuriko's back comfortingly.
"What's wrong Nuriko? Are you worried about the storm?" Hotohori asked the question, but doubted that answer would be yes. He could tell that wasn't it but didn't know what could possibly be bothering him. Nuriko was always so cheerful.
When the fey seishi remained silent he sighed deeply, and continued comforting Nuriko without questions. He used his voice only for comforting words and ran his hand through his purple hair. His hair is so soft, and his skin. he's so warm.
Nuriko had stopped crying and lay still, his head cushioned on Hotohori's shoulder. He closed his eyes and breathed in the smell of his tunic, marveling at how warm and safe he felt with these strong arms around him, even though the blizzard had begun to pick up again.
The emperor looked down at the man in his arms affectionately and continued to stroke his hair. He wondered if Nuriko was asleep. He looked so beautiful and serene. All trace of tears was gone now and a sleepy smile graced the smaller man's lips. Without thought or hesitation he bent his head and placed a gentle kiss on those smiling lips. Nuriko's eyes flew open an he made a small sound of surprise, but the arms around him prevented him from scrambling away out of pure shock (a fact he will undoubtedly be happy about when he looks back on this someday). Hotohori was also surprised but his mind was too fuzzy to register anything but the sensation of his lips against, the purple haired seishi's.
After a long moment, in which neither of them made any move to break away or to deepen the kiss, both men opened their eyes and pulled away. Each face held an identical expression of complete and utter shock. For another long moment they simply stared at each other, their brains frantically trying to process what had just happen. Then Hotohori dredged up the presence of mind to speak.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. I shouldn't have- you just looked so." he trailed off, eyes downcast unable to finish his sentence.
"It's okay. You. I know you didn't mean it," Nuriko replied, feeling his eyes getting wet again. He had NEVER thought Hotohori would do something like that outside of his dreams, but of course, he wanted to take it back. How COULD he have meant it?
Nuriko refused to cry this time, but couldn't bear to look at the face before him, couldn't bear the expression it might hold. He buried his face in the blanket and concentrated with all his will on breathing deeply. When he felt a hand on his shoulder he jerked away, nearly tearing the blanket off of him, reminding him of what was outside the blanket and the tiny cave the two of them sheltered in. The knowledge of his restriction was not welcomed. His tears came forth, try as he might to force them back, and he was not alone.
Hotohori had begun crying himself, unable to stand the sudden and inescapable knowledge that HE was the cause of these tears; that ever since he had first met Lady Kourin, that ever since she had first entered the harem, he and he alone had been the cause of her, and his suffering.
"I'm so sorry. Please, Nuriko, stop crying. I never meant to hurt you," the emperor pleaded with him as he embraced Nuriko's slim and shaking shoulders. "Please. I'm sorry. Everything I've done to you-"
"What do you mean, Hotohori-sama?" the violet haired seishi asked quietly. He removed his head from the blanket, sure that he looked like Hell. His eyes stung, his face tingled from crying, and his tears were finally beginning to run dry.
"I'm sorry for not even glancing at you, for rejecting you, for not realizing how much it hurt you. Please, please forgive me." Hotohori begged as his hand resumed its place just under Nuriko's shoulder blade and he put his cheek on the top his violet-haired head, marveling at the softness of this beautiful man's hair and skin, while tears of apology still dripped from his eyes.
"Can you forgive me?" he whispered into the violet hair.
"Of course I do," Nuriko answered somewhat breathlessly, amazed at the turn of events. Then his eyes widened. "Ano. Hotohori, what are you doing?"
The younger man had somehow gone from resting his cheek on Nuriko's soft hair to brushing his lips against it, to gently kissing the top of his head.
"You're so beautiful," Hotohori whispered, his hand moving in circular patterns on the smaller man's back, while his other hand entwined itself in Nuriko's hair, undoing his long braid and watching his hair fall on his shoulders in waves.
"I think I always loved you, but I couldn't admit it to myself. I thought I loved Miaka. I thought only the Priestess could ease my loneliness. I didn't see the love that was right in front of my eyes."
"I know," he found himself saying, surprised that he could find a voice to speak after his love's admission. "I love you too."
He put his arms around Hotohori's neck and buried his face in the other man's shirt once again, breathing in the smell of it. The scent of HIM. He loves me. He always loved me. It was all he could do to hold back new tears of joy.
That was quickly driven from his mind as he realized that Hotohori had gone back to kissing his hair and had one of his hands around his waist, while the other was at the base of his neck, tracing patterns lightly with his fingers. Nuriko shivered, whether out of ticklishness or pleasure he didn't know.
Hotohori had just begun to consider moving his kisses to Nuriko's neck and shoulders when he felt his fellow seishi shiver. Seconds afterward the fire went out. Perfect timing as usual Suzaku, he thought sarcastically, as he reluctantly released his newly appointed true love and got out of the blanket to rekindle the fire. The smaller man was about to protest but decided against it. Given their situation, he reflected, it was fire or freeze.
As he rekindled the remains of the fire with the aid of some fresh root, he watched Nuriko out of the corner of his eye. The flashes of smooth ivory skin revealed when he had climbed from the blanket had not escaped his attention and he wondered if the sudden heat was due to the now brightly burning fire or to thoughts of the purple haired seishi.
He made his way back to the blanket and slid in beside Nuriko, who once again appeared to be feigning sleep. Hm, I can't let him get away with that, can I? Hotohori decided that he would tease Nuriko a little. A voice deep inside told him that was an inappropriate thing for an emperor to do, but another voice, which had only recently surfaced told the other voice to bugger off. Unrequited love was something Hotohori was very familiar with, the second voice went on, but the feeling of mutual love had the emperor giddy. The first voice reluctantly agreed that under the circumstances it guessed it was okay and they both shut up so Hotohori could get on with it.
He settled in beside his purple-haired companion and closed his eyes with a sigh, as if he were falling asleep. For many long moments, nothing moved except time. Then Hotohori groaned "In his sleep" and rolled over, throwing an arm and a leg over Nuriko and cuddling up close to him. The body now mostly under his tensed considerably and he fought down a laugh.
Nuriko carefully moved his arm and leg off of him and moved away cautiously, hesitantly, as if unsure he wanted to do so. Hotohori murmured something incomprehensible (even to him) and rolled over to face away from Nuriko- dragging half the blanket with him.
"Eep!" Nuriko gave a small squeal and made a grab for the blanket. It was at this point, while the smaller seishi was completely exposed and reaching toward him, that he decided to "awake."
Hotohori rolled onto his back and opened his eyes, pretending he was oblivious to his previous actions. He looked at Nuriko in feigned shock, while a part of him (which was getting increasingly more insistent) grinned hugely at the spectacular view.
"Nuriko, you shouldn't have gotten out of the blanket; you'll get sick!" the emperor mock admonished him.
"But- you're the one who ripped the blanket off of me in the first place! I was just trying to get back in," Nuriko replied defensively, blushing crimson all over his body (which didn't escape Hotohori's attention).
"No," Hotohori denied, faking confusion. "Why would I do something like that?" he asked, deliberately focusing on Nuriko's face, a feat he was finding to be increasingly difficult given the other seishi's lack of coverage.
"You were dreaming or something, I guess," Nuriko said, getting increasingly flustered and confused. Oh, I wish he would just let it go. I'm going to melt into a puddle of embarrassment if this goes on much longer.
"But Nuriko, I wasn't dreaming nor was I asleep, so why on Earth would I do that? You must just be mistaken," Hotohori said, as he turned his head away haughtily and watched Nuriko out of the corner of his eye. It took several seconds for Nuriko to fully absorb his statement.
"How should I know why you- you. you.weren't." he trailed off as his mouth fell open and he stared at his emperor, beyond shocked at the uncharacteristic behavior.
Long before the purple-haired seishi could formulate a proper response, Hotohori scooted over to him, shirt hem trailing behind him and wrapped the blanket around Nuriko's shoulders then joined him beneath the blanket. Soon Hotohori grew tired of simply sitting next to his purple haired beauty and scooped Nuriko into his lap once again enfolding him in comforting arms.
"Why did you do that?" Nuriko asked, still confused and a little angry at being tricked for no reason.
"You were pretending to be asleep, and I decided to return the favor," Hotohori whispered into his ear.
"You didn't mean it did you?" Nuriko whispered suddenly. Hotohori grasped his chin and gently turned his face towards him. He then leaned forward and kissed Nuriko full on the lips, a little more firmly than he had before, holding the kiss for longer than he had before. He didn't pull away until he was completely breathless.
"Yes, I did. I've meant everything that I've said and done today. I love you. Never doubt that," the young emperor said slowly, emphasizing the words to leave no room for misunderstanding or the doubt that Nuriko seemed so prone to.
Nuriko's eyes started to water again but he ignored as he leaned forward and kissed Hotohori, the one who had been his beloved since he first laid eyes on him. The kiss deepened as Nuriko turned in Hotohori's lap and they wrapped their arms around each other more tightly tasting the sweetness of each, oblivious to the rest of the world.
* * *
Tasuki sat at the bar with a full mug in his hand. It was an alcoholic beverage, the fiery seishi's primary source of relaxation. For once in his life, it held no appeal for him.
When they'd all walked back into the inn, as opposed to getting their horses ready and GOING AFTER THEIR FRIENDS, he hadn't been too happy about it, but he'd gone along (albeit kicking and screaming). A small part of his mind had noticed that Chichiri had a point.
Now, whether he had a point or not the fact remained that it had been SIX HOURS since Hotohori had gone tearing after the inn like a bat out of hell and he still hadn't returned with Nuriko. Granted they had not felt either of them die, but after six hours in a blizzard what condition could they possibly be in?
As a result of the tension thinking about this had caused him, he had become restless. Too restless to even drink his damn ale and get smashed. All he could do was mutter into the amber liquid and stew. All he could do was get tenser and tenser until his temper snapped like a taut bowstring. It wouldn't be long now.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and. GO!
"What the F**k are we F**KING still waiting for? We tried you way and they still ain't back yet! Now it's time to F**KING get out S**T together and go find 'em!" Tasuki burst out, brandishing his tessen and stabbing at the air to emphasize his point and, hopefully, to intimidate the other seishi into compliance. He heard a sigh from Chichiri's direction, but before he could whirl around and beat some sense into the older man, Chichiri jumped to his feet and removed his mask. Since this was only done in very grave situations the room fell silent, the remaining seishi waiting for what he had to say.
"Let's go after them. I've managed to identify the presence of their chi, weak as it is, so we'll be able to go directly to them," Chichiri stated, voice lower than usual, speech pattern conspicuously absent in the serious phrases. All this grimness was naturally completely lost on Tasuki who began bellowing as soon as Chichiri had finished.
"About f**king time!" he shouted, irked that Chichiri had told no one about his attempts to locate Nuriko and Hotohori's chi, as he hadn't known the monk had actually been DOING something as opposed to just waiting.
"For once, I am inclined to agree with Tasuki," Chiriko said.
"Yes," Mitsukake seconded. "About f**king time," he said calmly.
Everyone became VERY busy preparing for the short but arduous trek through the four feet of snow.
* * *
Author's note: Well, technically that's the end of the fic but I'm writing an epilogue so if you're interested in reading more of this fic check back at some point or another. Also, my other Nuriko fic What If? (One of those cliché fics about what might have been if Kourin hadn't died, which I think is going pretty against the grain, if the couples I have planned stay the way I plan them he he he) is back on track and I will be posting on that very soon. If you haven't read that one PLEASE DO, cuz I don't get many reviews for that one.
And don't forget to review this one either!!!