My present for Chichiri’s last birthday…

The Oath

By Sakata Ri Houjun

***************************************************

TAP TAP TAP

The sound was sharp against the silence.

TAP TAP TAP

Some one's fingers were drumming on wood.  It was getting on my 

nerves.

TAP TAP TAP

I didn't care that I was the one doing it.  I was annoyed as hell.

TAP TAP TAP

Chichiri was coming soon to say goodbye and I wasn't happy.  I can be 

blunt to anyone else, but shit, I couldn't be honest with myself, let 

alone him.

For three years, he's lived here at Mount Leikaku at my request.  I 

didn't put any damn eloquence into my words, but he accepted my 

offer all the same.  And yet, in all that time nothing happened.  I 

kept hoping that something would develop between us, but....shit...

That wasn't what was pissing me off right now.  Every damn year, on 

the same damn day, Chichiri would go off and wander  for a few 

months.  He never told me where and I never asked.  I know it's in 

his blood to travel.  Hell, even I've joined him in the past, but my 

duties as a bandit leader were demanding.  that's why I asked him to 

stay.

TAP TAP TAP

Now it was that time of the year again and it bothered me.  Where did 

he go?  What did he do?  My imagination always ran wild at these 

questions.  I'd see Chichiri wrapped in the arms of another man or, 

Suzaku forbid, a woman.  It was fucking torture and three years is a 

long time to have to live through it.

"Tasuki-kun."

My head snapped up not at the mention of my name, but at the sound of 

his voice.  I inhaled slowly to gain control over the emotions 

raging within me.  Yeah, fucking torture.

"I'm leaving now, no da.  I'll see you in a few months."  He tilted 

his head.  I swear that stupid mask of his was making fun of me.  "Is 

there something wrong, no da?"

"No."

"Then why are you gripping your chair like that?"

I looked sown at my hands. I hadn't really noticed the absence of the 

tapping, but now, my fingers were digging into the wooden armrests.  

My eyes widened in shock.  when the hell did I do that?

"Ummmm....Just thinking...." that had to be the lamest excuse I've 

ever come up with yet and that was saying something.  I looked up at 

him and forced myself to smile sheepishly.  He blinked back at me in 

disbelief.  I knew he didn't buy it for a second.

I shook my head with a laugh.  If he only knew what he was doing to 

me.  "It's not your problem anyway.  Weren’t you leaving?"

Chichiri nodded once, never taking his eyes off me.

"So?  Get going."

He remained in the doorway a moment longer before shrugging his 

slender shoulders.  I watched him go, wishing that I could run after 

him and give him a proper goodbye.  Actually, it took all my strength 

to keep my ass rooted to the chair.

Once he had gone, I let out the breath I was holding.  Damn.  Now 

what?  I wouldn't see his beautiful face again for a while.  Hell, I 

never go to see much of it before anyways.  Chichiri wasn't as 

elegant as Hotohori or Nuriko had been, but still...  and don't get 

me started on that scar he insists on hiding behind that stupid 

mask.  He rarely took it off, even in just my presence.  I know he's self-

0concious and I sure as hell don't ask him to remove his mask lest he 

figure out how I really feel.

Still, I couldn’t help but ponder where he went off to every year.  

Yeah, he always came back and I'm actually thankful for the time he 

stays here.  but I'm a jealous son of a bitch who wants to keep this 

man I love all to myself.  Is that really asking too much?

I sighed and it wasn't a happy sound.  something had to be done else I'd 

drive myself fucking crazy.  If I didn't watch it, I'd probably end 

up driving Chichiri away as well.

Then it hit me. I should follow him, find out just where he goes, and 

put my fears at ease.  I raised an eyebrow as I thought it over.  

shit, it just might work.

Too bad I didn’t feel the same way a few days later.  I had set out 

following Chichiri's trail, using all my skills as a mountain bandit.  

Hell, that's how I had been able to join the organization in the 

first place.  I knew Chichiri was honest and wouldn't use his powers 

to teleport to his destination.

At least that's what I thought up until his trail went cold.  Damn.  

He had teleported.  I struck a nearby tree and began to curse.  

fucking hell.  he could be anywhere by now.

"Why are you following me, no da?"

I spun to find Chichiri frowning at me, damned mask and all.

"Uhhhh..."  I couldn’t think of an explanation.  I should have 

realized that he's sense my ki.  Damn.  At least I had the decency to 

look embarrassed.

"This is a personal matter, no da.  I'd appreciate if you'd respect my 

privacy, Tasuki-kun.  This is all I ask of you, no da."

"Aw hell, Chichiri," I started to tell him the truth but he shook 

his head.

"Go back to mount Leikaku, no da.  I'll return in a few months."  He 

smiled.  "Don't worry, no da."  He pulled his kasa from out of 

nowhere and slowly disappeared.  I could only watch like an idiot.  

Double damn.

"A few months is too long, Chiri...," I muttered to no one.

I didn't go back though.  How could I after what had happened?  

My imagination worked overtime and my fragile grip on reality was 

starting to slip.

A month passed since I last saw him and I had spent the time 

wandering around myself.  surprisingly, my reputation as Tasuki had 

people inviting me into their homes and buying me drinks.  Hell, I 

even had girls suggesting even more, but...fuck...you get the picture.

Even though all this was well and good, I wasn't going to give up.  I 

realized as soon as I saw his sorry face, I was going to confess 

everything.  Screw whatever had been holding me back.  he needed to 

know the truth.  I understood that, surely he would too.  If he hated 

me for loving him like I did, then at least I'd know that I wasn't a 

coward when it came to my heart.

When he sensed me before trough my ki, I'd figure I'd do the same.  

All this time, I'd been concentrating, trying to locate Chichiri through 

his ki.  Shit.  I'm not a patient man.  How in the hell he was able to 

accomplish such a feat so easily was beyond me.  still, I wasn't going 

to give up.

My head was hurting from focusing so hard and I was dead tired.  but 

I had to keep trying.  Besides, the ache had become so familiar that 

it actually helped in keeping me focused.  then, I could feel this 

tingling sensation at the back of my mind.  what the hell? I never felt 

that before.  I concentrated on this new sensation and realized that 

it felt like I was hearing Chichiri's voice.

My eyes opened in surprise.  I knew where he was.  I shook my head to 

clear it and ignored the sharp pain behind my eyes.  He wasn't 

far, but I had to hurry because he was moving.

I worried that he might sense me again, but his mind must have been 

preoccupied with something else.  A range of desolate mountains I had 

never seen before came into view.  I've lived most of my life near 

Mount Leikaku, and as a Suzaku Shichiseishi, I had traveled all four 

kingdoms.  But I had never seen this place before.  Why was he going 

there?

Chichiri had stopped moving, but I didn't.  It was vital that I see 

him and get what I had to say off my chest.  I no longer cared anymore 

why he wandered.  It was secondary to the fact that I loved him dearly.

I crept through the trees and finally caught sight of Chichiri.  My 

breath caught in my chest as I took notice of the absence of his 

mask.  At the sight of his beautiful face, my heart began to race.

Yet, he seemed sad as he stood alone in a valley covered in flowing 

grass.  He then walked to a large square stone and kneeled before 

it.  I continued to watch as he placed a flower on the stone.  What 

the fuck?

He stayed on his knees a moment more, hands steepled before his face 

in prayer.  I shook my head in confusion, the ache forgotten.  

Chichiri got up and began heading towards the cliffs over looking the 

valley.

I moved from where I had watched all this to get a better look at the 

stone.  it had been man-made.  You could tell even though it was worn 

with age and weather.  the flower he had placed on it was lavender.  

I remembered plowing through a whole field of lavender when I had 

trying to catch up with him earlier.  I glanced up at the cliff I had 

seen him moving towards.  Time for some answers.

Even with my speed, he still beat me to the top.  I got as close as I 

dared to, each step taken with the  certainty that he'd sense me.  

However, he was still lost in his own thoughts.  I could only feel 

concern as I watched him near the edge of the cliff.  He fell to 

his knees and lowered his head as tears began to fall.

Aw damnit.  My own heart was breaking at this sight.  I wanted to run 

and hold him so hard.  I almost did but he reached under his kesa for 

something I couldn't see.  My eyes widened as he pulled out what he 

was getting.  the blade of the small dagger he held flashed in the 

sunlight as it was raised.

My heart stopped.  Before I could act, the dagger plunged downwards.  

Chichiri arch is back out and I could hear his sharp gasp of pain.  

without thinking, I burst from the foliage to where he knelt and spun 

him around.  I snatched the dagger from his hand while he stared up 

at me in shock, his other hand clutching his chest.

"Tasuki-kun?  what are you doing her?"

I ignored his question.  "What in Suzaku's name are you doin?"

Where his hand was, I noticed blood beginning to stain his tunic.  I 

grabbed his wrist so I could see how much damage he'd done.  I didn't 

want him to die.

Other than the blood on his shirt, there was no other indication of 

injury.  In confusion, I glanced at his hand and noticed a deep cut in 

his palm.  My eyes locked on his face, which was no longer in shock.

Without a word, he pulled his hand away and turned back to the 

cliff.  rising to his feet, he held out his bleeding hand.  the blood 

slowly began to run down his fingers.  To droplets fell from the tips 

only to be snatched away by a sudden wind.  Chichiri closed his hand, 

preventing the remaining blood from escaping.

I blinked, still confused.  "What..."

"Just a blood oath I keep with Hikou."  He continued to stare at the 

valley.

"Hikou?  Ain't he that guy from your past who kidnapped Miaka?"

He nodded once.  "When we were children, we became blood brothers.  

On that day, we swore to always protect one another."  He looked down 

at the cut in his palm, still oozing blood.  "It was a childish 

thing, we were naive."

"So all that..."

"Just a reminder of that oath.  I'll protect the precious memories I 

have of him...Kouran...and everyone else.  To never forget...," he 

trailed of staring at the valley once more.

"Forget what?"

"This place and those who lived here..."

It dawned on me then.  "This was your home."

He looked over his shoulder at me, his cheek moist with tears and a 

sad smile on his face.  "I am the only survivor  from the village of 

Shouryuu."  He turned back to the valley.  "That stone is the only 

reminder that people lived here once.  Ironic that it was the 

cornerstone of the house my family built. the very house in which 

Kouran had been waiting to me in when the floods took her life."

I looked around me.  "And this must be the cliff..."

"Where I could not hold onto the hand of my best friend.  I had made 

peace with my past several years ago.  Still, I can't forget all 

those who lived here.  They had to die so that I could become what I 

am today."

I wanted to ease his hurt, I loved him so much.  I was so damn unfair 

that something that shitty had to happen to him.  He carried such 

pain, but damn, what could I say?  I was never good with words...

I stared down at the dagger I still held in my hand.  Never good with 

words, but I knew how to take action.

The hiss of pain I made brought Chichiri's attention to me.  He 

tilted his head in confusion as I dropped the dagger.  I wrapped my 

injured hand around his, pressing the two cuts together.  I grinned.

"Now we are bonded..."

He furrowed his brow. "It's not that simple, Tasuki-kun."

"Like hell it is.  You think because I didn't grow up with you that I 

can't do this.  You and I have been through enough shit together.  

More than Kouji and I have .  I don't want to see you like this.  

You're not alone anymore.

You come here every year."  I cocked my head.  "It's the anniversary, 

isn't it?"

I felt him attempting to pull away, but I held on tighter.  "Isn't 

it?"

"Do you know my real name?"

"Hikou called you Houjun, right?"

He smiled sadly.  "Yes.  Ri Houjun.  No one even knows that such a 

man was ever born."  He glanced at the valley  again as a tear fell 

from his eye.  "On the day celebrating my birth was the day my life 

would be ripped from me..."

"Shit.  Today's your birthday."  there I went, talking without 

thinking.  Damn.

He closed his good eye and nodded.  Fuck.  I couldn't make it any 

worse.  I might as well tell him.

"Chiri...I want to make a new oath on the blood we now share."  I 

squeezed his hand and he looked up at me.  "I love you and will for 

the rest of existence."  His eye widened.  "I won't leave you, ever."

I flashed a smile.  "Had I known it was your birthday, I would have 

given you a better gift, but all I have to give you is my heart.  It 

ain't much, but it's all I have.  You  don't have to accept  it, but 

I've put off telling you how I feel for long enough."

A moment of two of silence may have passed, but it felt like fucking 

eternity.  At least I could be thankful he wasn't wearing his stupid 

mask.  If he hated me and walked away, at least I could remember his 

beautiful face always.  I actually expected him to pull away and 

leave me staring after him like an asshole.

Slowly, he nodded and broke the silence with a soft laugh.  "I 

figured as much, no da."  He drew me against him by the hand I 

held.  "I had been hoping you felt the same way I did, no da."

I leaned towards that beautiful face, my voice caught in a breathless 

whisper.  "I love you, Chiri...Happy birthday."

"I love you, too," he whispered, his voice shaking with emotion 

before our lips finally met.  "Thank you."