"Oi! Genrou!"

Tasuki opened his eyes at the sound of Koji's voice knifing through the hot, muggy air of the summer night, and pushed himself up from the cool grass. Looking around, he saw Koji at a distance and waved an arm over. "I'm over hear, idiot! What kind of bandit are you if you can't find a man lying in the grass?"

Tasuki ducked with all the skill years of living with his family had instilled in him, and let the piece of wood sail over his head. Giving Koji a glare, he made as if to get up, before plopping back down into the grass. Staring up at the stars, Tasuki yelled out, "It's too damned hot to fight, or else I'd be over there beating you up-"

Koji crashed down next to him, and replied, "Yeah -- sure, boss."

Tasuki turned his head to meet Kouji's glance, and asked, "Boss? What the hell are you talking about?"

Koji sat up and started to pull out clumps of grass. "You're still our leader, even if ya did leave all of us behind to go chase around weird people-"

Tasuki snorted and turned his head back to look up at the sky. A moment after, he said quietly, "Koji -- you of all people should know better than that. The only reason I become leader was 'cause I didn't think that fat idiot Eiken was any good. Now, everyone's okay with you so I'm not gonna screw things up. I'm pretty happy here at home as long as I can get away from my family."

Koji shook his head and looked over at his friend. "Genrou -- Tasuki. What the hell am I supposed to be calling ya? Whatever your name is, you're our leader now. We know that you've been busy with that whole Suzaku thing, but that's over! Come be one of the Mt. Reikaku bandits again. Ya don't have any reason to stay here because-"

Tasuki sat up, and smirked as Kouji stopped his plea mid-sentence. "Afraid to say it? All right -- I fell in love with a girl like an idiot, and she didn't even realize it. Nah, it's even worse. She knew it, and so did her guy, but both of them were so in love with each other... and they're both my friends. So, what the hell could I do?"

He looked at the grass and started to pick at one blade. "Che -- I helped them get together, 'cause they deserved it. Both Miaka and Tama... and then they left. Sure, they're happy, but what the hell am I supposed to do now? I still got this damned symbol-" Tasuki glanced at his arm, and then continued. "It's too damned hot..."

Koji gave him a quiet look of sympathy, before covering it up with a brash grin. "Heh -- So, the famous girl-hater falls! Have a drink! It'll make ya feel better."

Tasuki glanced down at the container in Koji's hands, and then grinned. "All right! I'm gonna get good and smashed- there had better be enough, or else I really will beat ya up!"

"Just try, boss, and see what happens!" Koji handed him the bottle and watched as Tasuki gulped down nearly a quarter of it. Taking it back, he took a smaller drink before passing it to Tasuki again. Soon, the bottle was empty, and both of them were lying down in the grass.

Koji asked in a slightly dazed tone, "Better, naa?"

Tasuki grinned blearily, and experimented with opening and closing his eyes. "Look, Koji -- if I do this, the stars get all blurry..." Tasuki's voice trailed off as he gazed at the inside of his eyelids in absolute uncomprehending delight.

Koji shook his head, and muttered, "Ya always were a lousy drunk, boss." He leaned down to get Tasuki up onto his feet, but found himself getting pulled into a strong embrace. Somehow, Tasuki had managed to get his arms around him, pulling Koji next to him on the grass.

Koji sighed once, and put a hand to Tasuki's face. He used his thumb to rub away a bit of dirt on Tasuki's cheek, before gently touching his forehead to Tasuki's. "No reason for ya to come back, boss? Shit." Then, Koji made as if to pull away, but on some impulse let his lips brush Tasuki's cheek.

Pulling Tasuki up, Koji shook his head. Quietly, he whispered, "There's one reason." Then, he smiled and started down the hill with Tasuki, putting him onto his back. He winced a little, not really relishing the conversation he was going to have with Tasuki's mother. "Nice lady, but she has a real nasty uppercut..."

As Koji struggled down the hill, Tasuki opened one eye and looked out at the landscape. He gazed at the sultry dark night, and then closed his eyes again, and leaned his forehead to the back of Koji's neck. He smiled, and knew where he was going to be in a few days.

And who he was going to be with...

---Finis---
Last Revised: 6/26/98