Only Time: Deja Vu

Chapter Three

By J. Marie

Warning!! This is a lemon yaoi fanfiction starring Nakago and Tasuki from Fushigi Yugi. It is rated NC-17. Want to know something funny? My sister STILL can't figure out the whole Taka-Tamahome thing.... *snicker* It's beyond her. She's as stupid as Miaka. *shrugs* Goes to show what happens when you fish at the shallow end of the gene pool. I, however, walked the extra distance to go fishing off the deep end. *nods sagaciously and ignores the riotous laughing*

Who knows - only time

-- "Only Time" by Enya

The first punch had Tasuki knocked against the lockers. He slid down to the floor, wiping the blood that trickled from his lip. The redhead looked up at the smirking blonde, his golden eyes narrowed. Tasuki stood up, looking Nakago in the eye.

"Nice punch... for a girl..." Tasuki sneered, and flung himself at Nakago, surprising the taller blonde and knocking him backwards. Tasuki landed a strong right hook on Nakago's jaw. Nakago reached up with his left arm, and grabbed Tasuki by the throat, lifting the redhead up with his incredible strength and flinging him back into the lockers.

"I expect you would be the authority on that... Dollface..." Nakago sneered, standing up and approaching Tasuki, who was still sitting in front of the lockers, dazed.

Tasuki looked up and met Nakago's eyes again.

"Wanna know something interesting I recently discovered about the book of the Universe of the Four Gods?"

Miaka looked up from washing vegetables for her family's dinner. After many years, she had finally mastered the ability to cook. "What's that, Keisuke?" she asked her older brother.

Keisuke grinned like he always did whenever he was prepared to go into a lengthy discourse. "It'll kill you. It's about the Four Gods themselves," he teased.

"Just spit it out already.... I know you've been studying the book and the scroll for all it's worth the past few years," Miaka sighed, brandishing a kitchen knife at her brother. Her husband and son were practicing martial arts in the backroom.

"Well, you remember the hundred-year-cycle that Taiitsukun referred to, that you and Yui had broken when you both appeared at the same time in the book?" Keisuke asked.

"Well, yeah... Why?"

"I finally figured out exactly what the hundred-year-cycle is all about. For a hundred years, Suzaku and Seiryu will be rivals, their kingdoms seeking to destroy each other. During that same period, Byakko and Genbu will be lovers, and their kingdoms will live in harmony."

"Lovers? But aren't all the gods male???"

"Get real, Miaka! They're gods! It doesn't matter! You've hung out with Nuriko and you're gonna act this stupid about homosexuality??"

"Alright, you have a point. But it's still weird to me.... But okay, I could believe that Genbu and Byakko were lovers...."

"For a hundred years only. Then, on the passing of a century, Genbu and Byakko become rivals, their kingdoms seeking to destroy each other. And Suzaku and Seiryu become lovers, and their kingdoms live in harmony. Then, after another century, the cycle starts over..."

"What?? Suzaku and Seiryu are lovers???? But we saw them fight!!! Kutou and Konan were at war!!"

"Haven't you been listening, Miaka?? You were present during the century where Suzaku and Seiryu were enemies! And Genbu and Byakko were lovers! Now the cycle has shifted, and Suzaku and Seiryu are lovers, and Genbu and Byakko enemies! That's why Priestesses are suppose to show up every hundred years, at the turn of each century... Taiitsukun was referring to the imbalance caused by both you and Yui appearing at the same time. You two disrupted the cycle, and the balance..."

"I don't get it."

"I'm not surprised. The Priestesses are suppose to show up every hundred years. Genbu starts off the process, then Byakko, then Suzaku, then Seiryu, then Genbu again. I think it was Suzaku's turn, which would explain why it was him that led both you and Yui into the book at first... But somehow, Seiryu interfered, when he discovered Yui... The Priestesses change every time, but the warriors stay the same. Tamahome's been reincarnated many times, as well as all the other Gods' seishi."

"Tamahome has served other Priestesses!?!?"

"Yes, but you needn't worry. From what little info I could gather on them, Tamahome wasn't a prominent figure in the seishi. I doubt he loved any of them as much as he loves you...."

"Oh, well that's good... But Tamahome is the most powerful Suzaku warrior... How could he not be a prominent figure?"

"I'm not sure, but I don't think he is... I just don't know about that. It seems as soon as the first priestess of the cycle shows up, that being the Priestess of Genbu, the past Priestesses fade from memory... To allow the cycle to start all over... There is little information on any of them. I found some obscure references to the God's favored seishi... The Celestial Warrior who holds the most power in the senshi, and who resembles the God most in personality and appearance."

Miaka stared at her brother. "Tamahome looks nothing like Suzaku. And he was the favored. He had to be."

"No. According to my sources, Tamahome isn't the favored of Suzaku. He was favored by you, which made him the focus of the Suzaku Seven's powers. But remember that Tamahome lacked the power to defeat Nakago without the combined energy of the Suzaku Seven... And Nakago is Seiryu's favored. That's obvious. The Suzaku warrior that's favored should have the power to match Nakago blow for blow on his own."

"I'm not understanding where you're going with this."

"They never really faced off, Nakago and Suzaku's favored.... You were so busy with Tamahome that this guy never realized his true powers... It was Tamahome that was obligated to face off against Nakago, not the favored. You were here, in our world, when Nakago and this other guy met in battle... He threw a sword at Nakago. And Nakago was helpless to stop it, even with Suzaku sealed off. If Soi hadn't thrown herself in the way of the sword, Nakago would have died by the most powerful of the Suzaku seishi's hand...."

"Who?"

"Who else? Who looks like Suzaku out of all your seishi, sister? Who has powers that could be considered similar to Suzaku, the Phoenix God who dies by fire and is reborn? Who has a fiery personality, and who loves so deeply, as is fitting the favored seishi of Suzaku, god of love?"

Miaka was dumbfounded. She was motionless as the real meaning of what her brother said fell into place. Keisuke had a serious look on his handsome face.

"Tasuki. My god... Tasuki was the most powerful? Is the most powerful? He's the favored? Then why didn't I fall in love with him? Wouldn't have Suzaku wanted it that way?" Miaka asked, blinking.

"He's Suzaku's favored, not yours. Each Priestess is different, but the warriors the same... I mean, Yui never fell in love Nakago... If I'm correct, if Tasuki had ever grown to full power and faced off against Nakago... Then there would have been a match. There's a balance to the Universe. A balance that was disrupted by Tenkou. By you and Yui. And now Taiitsukun and the Four Gods are cleaning up."

"I think I understand now. It's weird, but it makes sense.... But who would have thought back then that Tasuki out of any of us could have matched Nakago in power?"

"No one thought of it. Not even Nakago or Tasuki themselves...."

"I wonder how differently things would have gone if they had ever faced off....."

Nakago was under the distinct impression that he underestimated the redhead's fighting prowess.

They had been at it for the past twenty minutes, and Tasuki was managing to match Nakago blow for blow. Nakago was duly impressed. Not even Tamahome could put up a fight like Tasuki could. And Tasuki seemed to be as surprised as Nakago by this.

"So...." Tasuki huffed. "Are you gonna stop calling me Dollface?"

"I'm afraid I've grown too attached to the nickname..." Nakago shrugged, and body-slammed Tasuki against the wall. Tasuki kneed Nakago in the stomach, causing Nakago to fall back, holding his middle.

He glared up at Tasuki for a moment, but then his face went slack.

A sword!

"Why is the book glowing, Keisuke???"

"I don't know Miaka. It does this sometimes... I haven't figured it out."

"The light is purple. I don't understand. It always used to glow red or even blue.... But never purple."

"What do you get when you put red and blue together, Miaka?"

Nakago remembered a sword. He wasn't sure how, or why, but he remembered a sword. A sword coming straight at him, and he couldn't stop it.

He couldn't stop it.

Soi!

Tasuki stared at the odd expression on Nakago's face. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he asked. Was this a trick?

"A sword... You had a sword...." Nakago muttered, his face pale.

Tasuki blinked. And then he saw it too.

He had a sword.

He was going to kill Nakago.

But why would he want to kill Nakago? Nakago was an asshole, but Tasuki would never want to kill him.

But Nakago had killed Tamahome's family. Nakago had tried to rape Miaka.

That wasn't right. Nakago hadn't killed anyone, much less Tamahome's family. And how or why would he want to try and rape Tamahome's mother?

But Tasuki had a sword.

He threw the sword.

Soi!

Soi got in the way... She took the sword. Tasuki had killed her. He had meant to kill Nakago, but she gave her life to save Nakago.

A sword.....

"It stopped. What do you think it means, Keisuke?"

"I'm not sure, Miaka. I'm not sure, but I think it means that the story isn't finished yet....."

"But we've already done so much, Keisuke...."

"I don't know Miaka. But I don't think the story is finished..."

"Oh no...."

"A sword..."

Tasuki blinked, his mind clearing. "Why was I thinking about a sword?" he asked aloud, more to himself than Nakago.

"I don't know... But I was too," Nakago said in a confused tone of voice.

Tasuki swallowed. "Weird..."

"Yeah..." Nakago looked positively shaken, almost spooked. Tasuki wondered if he looked like that, too. All their energy was depleted all of a sudden. Their reason to fight was suddenly so childish. In the face of what battle was all about, their schoolboy skirmish seemed pointless.

"So... are we still fighting?" Tasuki asked tentatively.

"I must confess that I'm not really in the mood at the moment."

"Why do you always talk so damn stuffy? You're as bad as Hotohori."

"If I was as bad as Hotohori, I'd be busy with my hand mirror and a comb at the moment," Nakago sneered.

"You got a point there. So, uh, can we agree to disagree for now?"

"I suppose that will suffice. I'll see you tomorrow, then. Dollface," Nakago snickered as he walked out, wiping his face.

Tasuki licked the blood off his lip. He was too spooked to get mad about the nickname. He grabbed his stuff and hurried out.

"That was weird," he muttered to himself. "I usually dream about using a fan that shoots fire, not a sword."

Tasuki was rather content sleeping in Ancient History class the next day.

He had stayed up most of last night, reading some of his sister's adult yaoi doujinshi. Though Tasuki would never tell Junko that he was gay, she most likely suspected it. Especially when she would find her brother asleep, naked, with a yaoi doujinshi lying across him. To her credit, Junko never said a word. There were things that not even she would tease Tasuki about.

Tasuki heard his teacher speaking about something but was far too drowsy to pay attention. He opened his eyes to a slit, his head resting on the desk. His eyes drifted under the table next from him, where Suboshi and Amiboshi sat. Suboshi had a hand resting comfortably resting on Amiboshi's groin, rubbing gently. A wicked grin flitted across Tasuki's face. He didn't move, but kept his attention on Suboshi's movement, his own pants growing a little tight at the twin's activities. Amiboshi was carefully pretending to read a book, but heat was flushing his cheeks. Suboshi was grinning to himself, feigning interest in the teacher's lecture. Tasuki licked his lips, aroused despite himself. It was wicked, but so enticing to watch them, and the fact that they were identical twin brothers did nothing to impede Tasuki's arousal.

Both Suboshi and Amiboshi were nodding to the teacher, and saying something, but Tasuki was still too drowsy to hear. His entire focus was on Suboshi's hand, which now cupped his twin's arousal, teasing it through the cloth of Amiboshi's pants. Amiboshi was swallowing nervously, shifting in his seat, but doing nothing to stop his twin. Tasuki would have given an arm to be the meat of a Suboshi and Amiboshi sandwich at the moment. He felt Chichiri, who sat next to him at the two-person tables, poking his arm, but Tasuki ignored it. Chichiri was gonna have to learn when to leave a man alone.

"Tasuki!! Wake up, Tasuki!! The teacher is talking to you, ya know!!" Chichiri hissed in his ear.

Tasuki bolted upright, his eyes widening. The teacher, an attractive middle-aged woman named Hanako-san, stood at the front of the class, with her arms crossed. Tasuki gave her a sheepish grin, pulling a textbook down to cover the erection he had developed while watching Suboshi and Amiboshi.

"Am I boring you, Tasuki?" Hanako-san asked through gritted teeth. Tasuki was already failing her class as it was.

"Not at all, Hanako-san. I'm just really tired. I didn't get enough sleep last night," Tasuki shrugged, trying to blow it off. Chichiri was giving him an odd look, staring directly at his crotch. Tasuki looked down and realized that he hadn't quite managed to cover his aroused state, and shifted the textbook, blushing furiously.

"That is unfortunate for you. Well, perhaps you should pay attention to this, Tasuki. I am assigning partners for the big project I want done. It is half your grade, so if you get a good grade on this, you might actually pass this class. Normally, I would allow everyone to choose their own partners, but I seem to be having discipline problems lately. These students will be assigned to someone who could actually help them pass, and not someone they necessarily like. I think working with your close friends will only distract you further from your studies, Tasuki. That is why I am assigning Chichiri to Mitsukake, instead of you. Your last project together caused Chichiri's grade to drop to a B."

Tasuki rolled his eyes, but remained mute.

"Furthermore, Soi is apparently so busy fawning over a boy that she has also allowed her grades to slip. I shall pass her on to another student who I know will keep her focused. Tomo, I expect you to help Soi pass."

Everyone stared over at Soi in shock, who managed to look away from Nakago, on whom she had been resting her head. Soi looked positively upset, and Tomo's jaw was working at the thought of being forced to work with a woman. Not even Nuriko was as gay as Tomo, and Nuriko was a crossdresser. Tomo had no qualms about being out, even though he didn't dress like a woman... entirely.

"Chiriko, I expect you to help Tamahome, another failing student, to pass. Nuriko, Hotohori, you two always worked well together, so I will not seperate you. Suboshi and Amiboshi, as always, you may remain together, mostly because I doubt you could work with anyone else and pass. Miboshi and Ashitare will work together, and I expect you to help Ashitare pass as well, Miboshi."

Tasuki blinked, suddenly realizing who his partner was going to be.

"And thanks to this final show of disrespect, and your sad failure, I shall pair you up with my best student, Tasuki. Nakago, if anyone can whip Tasuki into shape, I'm sure it will be you."

Tasuki gaped, and his blood ran cold. The book sunk into his lap as erection wilted. Nakago was going to run him into the ground! Tamahome visibly winced at the mention of Nakago whipping Tasuki into shape, but when asked later about it, he couldn't pinpoint exactly why.

Nakago merely nodded to the teacher, but made no other acknowledgment. Even though Tasuki gaped at him in horror, Nakago did not turn to look at the redhead, and seemed not to care at all who his partner was. Tasuki felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around to see Chichiri give him a comforting smile.

"Don't worry about it, Tasuki. At least now you're almost guaranteed to pass Ancient History, ya know," he whispered. Tasuki grinned back at his best friend, realizing that Nakago would never let him fail, because it would mean Nakago would fail, and Nakago was not a failure.

Hanako-san began to speak about what the project was about, and Tasuki forced himself to listen.

"I have gotten with the other teachers and we have all agreed that this project will compromise half your grade in three of your classes: Grammar, Ancient History, and Reading. This project will be based on Ancient China. I want everyone to create a character to live in Ancient China, and them describe what their life was like based on their individual points in life. No one can pick the same kind of character. And since you're working in partners, you will have these characters meet and interact with each other, and how their interactions would be affect by their way of life. I want class, culture, names, family, everything. From birth to death, you will cover these characters and their interactions. Now, I want you to each pick a sort of character. We'll start with Amiboshi and Suboshi." Here the teacher looked expectantly at the twins. She seemed to have the whole class' attention now, which was no easy feat.

Tasuki noticed that Amiboshi knuckles were white where he gripped the book. The light-haired youth was trembling and Tasuki watched the boy's body arch slightly as he finally came. Amiboshi masked it well by coughing loudly, and no one but Tasuki knew the real reason behind his movements. Suboshi was grinning proudly and turned to the teacher, who was waiting for the answer.

"I would like to pick a young warrior whose family was killed in the war and he seeks vengeance against his enemies," Suboshi said.

Amiboshi swallowed before speaking. "And I would like to pick a young musician who plays the flute, twin brother to the young warrior, but the musician runs away to live a peaceful life in a village," he said in a weak voice. Tasuki had the nagging feeling that he'd heard this story before.

"Very well. Miboshi and Ashitare?" Hanako-san asked.

Miboshi spoke in his odd voice. "I would like to pick a wizard who can summon demons. Ashitare would like to pick a beastial-like man whom the demon summoner takes in," Miboshi said calmly as Ashitare grunted in assent.

"I suppose I will allow occult characters, along as everything else is accurate. Soi and Tomo?"

"I would like to pick a young man who was raised in a theater troupe, with an ability to act as anyone," Tomo said arrogantly, his nasal voice clipped.

"And I would like to pick a girl who was sold to a brothel, and ran away to join this theater troupe. Perhaps they will be rivals for the main actor's affections," Soi said, still glancing longingly at Nakago, who paid no attention to her.

"Alright," said Hanako-san, "Chiriko and Tamahome?"

Chiriko and Tamahome had already been whispering furiously amongst each other. Tamahome grinned up at the teacher. "I'm gonna pick a wandering martial artist. Kinda like Kung-Fu, only I'm cooler. And Chiriko will be my scholarly sidekick," Tamahome grinned. Chiriko glared over at Tamahome, apparently not liking the sidekick bit.

"Very well. Hotohori, Nuriko?"

"I shall pick an Emperor, whose beauty surpasses all in the land," Hotohori said breezily as the whole class sweatdropped.

"Big surprise," the teacher muttered. "Nuriko?"

"Why, I shall pick the Emperor's crossdressing concubine, whom no one has discovered to be a man, not even the Emperor. Mostly because the Emperor is so busy masturbating in front of a giant mirror he hasn't had time to devote to his Imperial harem," Nuriko said with a sly grin. Hotohori gave Nuriko an evil glare as the class sweatdropped again.

Tasuki was having outright deja-vu.

"Mitskake? Chichiri?" the teacher asked in a strained voice.

"I shall pick a doctor," Mitskake said in his deep monotone.

"And I'll pick a sorcerer in need of doctor, ya know!" Chichiri said brightly.

"Excellent. That leaves you, Nakago and Tasuki," Hanako-san said, trying to ignore Chiriko and Tamahome's bickering over who was who's sidekick.

"I'm gonna pick the leader of some bandits!" Tasuki said cheerfully. He dearly wished bandits were still in style, for he imagined them to have all the fun.

Nakago looked at the teacher evenly before speaking. "And I shall pick the foreign general to the Emperor, charged with hunting down, interrogating, and executing the leader of said bandits," he said amicably.

"Hey! That's harsh!" Tasuki complained, baring his prominent canines at Nakago.

"Alright. I've heard some excellent ideas. I want motivations, I want their places in society, and I want it accurate. I want to see Ancient China through your character's eyes. I want this to be one hundred pages long. The two of you will write it together. If I find out that only one has done the work, both are failed. Understand? I expect you to be studying together during all your free time. It will be due in one month. Class is dismissed," Hanako-san as the bell rang.

Tasuki and his friends stood up, already discussing their projects. For some reason, even Tasuki's interest was captured by this project. Nakago's friends left the class, discussing things amongst themselves.

"Hey, let's all go to my house tonight to study together! I'll get my mom to make dinner and we can listen to my parent's stereo system," Tamahome suggested brightly. Everyone immediately agreed. Everyone of Tamahome's friends seemed to adore his parents.

"Cool! Tell Miaka-san to make her chocolate chip cookies!" Tasuki grinned, then suddenly realized that his partner was not among his friends. He turned over to Nakago, who was leaning on a table nearby.

"Since you are my partner Tasuki, I'm afraid you must tell your friends you can't go," Naakgo said simply.

"But why not? I want to go!" Tasuki said, frustrated.

"Hey... Tasuki's definitely invited, and my mom will be upset if he doesn't come. Why don't you come too, Nakago? What's one more person?" Tamahome offered, seeing the unhappy look on his friend's face.

Nakago raised a delicate golden eyebrow. "I? Go to your house, Tamahome?" he asked in a highly bemused tone. Tamahome and Nakago had been fighting since kindergarten.

Tamahome frowned. "Well, your Tasuki's partner, and Tasuki's one of us. So you're invited to my house. For dinner and everything. We could even exchange ideas. But don't start any fights. It will upset my mother," the raven-haired boy said seriously.

Nakago looked to be considering this. "I have no desire to spend an evening with your little circle of losers, Tamahome, but I have even less of a desire to fail. And to be honest, I don't want Tasuki dirtying my own home, and the thought of going to his disturbs me," Nakago said with a smirk.

Tasuki began to turn red and shake in anger, but Chichiri held him back before he took a swing on the large blonde.

"So... are you coming over tonight?" Tamahome blinked, not sure if he was personally being insulted or not.

"I suppose I am," Nakago sighed, frowning.

"Ah, okay. Be there at five. I'll let my mom know to cook for an extra person," Tamahome smiled, trying to make the best of it. He made a mental note to have his mother undercook Nakago's portion.

Nakago sneered, gave Tasuki a dirty look, and left. As soon as he exited the room, Chichiri released Tasuki, who sputtered angrily.

"That low down freak!! I'm gonna punch his lights out!1 I'm gonna kick his ass into his shoulder blades!! I'm gonna beat his face in!!!" Tasuki growled.

"Whoa. Down, boy," Nuriko quipped.

"Aw, suck me sideways, you crossdressing weirdo!" Tasuki snarled at the purple-haired youth.

Nuriko responded with a hard punch, which completely knocked Tasuki on his ass. Nuriko was small, but surprisingly strong. He smiled down at Tasuki, looking smug. Hotohori giggled behind his hand, almost like a woman.

"Why does everyone gotta pick on me???" Tasuki whined.

"Because you're an idiot, ya know," Chichiri shrugged with a fond smile.

"Look, let's just go home, you guys get ready to come over, and I'll prepare my mom for a feast tonight. And make her keep my little sister out of our hair. So I'll see you in a an hour, okay?" Tamahome interrupted.

The group disbursed to go shower and change. Tasuki moped back to his home, grumbling about his shitty luck. What could be worse than having the meanest boy in school as his partner? Nakago may have been the best looking boy in school, but he was so cold, it was a wonder that Soi hadn't died of hypothermia yet.

Despite the entire group's general dislike of Nakago, he was no real threat. Nakago might knock some of them around, humiliate them in school, but he would never really harm them. So the thought of him hanging out with them for the evening was a little distasteful, but no real problem in their mind.

However, it came as something of a shock to Miaka Sukunami when she opened the door of her house two hours later and saw Nakago standing in front of her.

To say the least.

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