Jada-chan <shinimiri@otakumail.com>
http://www.angelfire.com/az/jadahome/index.html


FY One-shot
"Things Fall Apart"
Yaoi Angst Lime

Disclaimers: I do not own any Fushigi Yuugi characters.

Note:
----> means flashback<-----

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Turning and turning in the widening gyre; 
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the center cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.

 Yeats: "The Second Coming" 







        Hotohori stared blankly at the wall before him, trying to block out the pleading voice in 
his head, and the angry eyes that haunted his mind. The ground was rough against his bare skin, 
and he let out a sigh as he felt the coldness seep into his bones from the mohagany wood floor. 
It had been quiet for about an hour now, and he had drifted into a daze. Trailing his hand upon 
the floor idly, he cautiously brought up his left hand to trace the tear tracks still left on 
his cheek, and the bruises still left on his  body. Hearing noises outside his room, he hurridly 
stood up, wincing as his muscles strained to support his weight. He had only enough time to limp 
to his closet and shut the door before a shy and cautious face peeked into his chamber to
greet him.

"Hotohori-sama?" 

Tamahome winced as he saw the chaos around the room. Clothes were strewn everywhere, table tops 
upturned, and official papers lay in scatters about the floor. < He must have taken the news bad. >

" Hotohori-sama? Are you okay?"

Tamahome looked over toward the closet as he heard a restless shuffling, followed by the sound of 
boots hitting the floor. Tamahome almost blushed.Almost. He wasn't ready to show emotion just yet. 
Not until Miaka got back anyways. 

As Hotohori finished dressing, he took a deep breath and brushed his hair back from his face with 
his hand. His usual hair tie was broken, and he was too tired to care about finding another one. 
He came out of the closet with a weary look on his face, only feeling a small satifaction at seeing 
the startled look Tamahome wore as he surveyed Hotohori's condition. His pallad face and slightly 
trembling lips spoke of no more than stress, but there was something off about him, and that alone 
let Tamahome know that there was more. 

" What happened?" Tamahome whispered softly," It doesn't have anything to do with...him...leaving, 
does it?" Tamahome balked at the words. There'd be no summoning of Suzaku anytime soon.

Hotohori stared at him silently, his eyes turned toward the window as if waiting for some kind of 
signal to speak. Tamahome felt anger swell up in him at the sight of the young king, his head 
turned to the side, feigning ignorance. < Dammit, he's my friend! >

" Answer me! What the hell happened to him! What did you do to him Amatsumiko![1]"

Hotohori's head snapped in his direction, quick as lightning,  his mane of long brown hair 
snapping around sharply as if in a strong wind. His head was partily hidden by his hair, but 
Tamahome saw the quivering in his shoulders, and a deep icy current of fear cut into his soul.

" Do you really want to know?" Hotohori asked quietly, to tired to care anymore," 'cause I feel 
I need to tell somebody." He let out a rueful chuckle," Might as well be you."

Tamahome winced at Hotohori's tone, and quickly looked down at the ground.
" I need to know Hotohori-sama, you're my friend."

" I'll tell you then,"  He shifted slightly, turning his gaze to look back through the crystal 
panes of the window," Yesterday...things fell apart."

----->

It was cold that night, and slightly sleeting as the merry band made their way through the dark 
and lonely streets of the city. All their joy was contained inside them, and none of it reflected 
on the poor hubbles that surrounded them. A night on the town, to get drunk and make merry, was the
 remedy Tasuki recommended for the recent cloud that had settled over the castle ever since Miaka 
left. Tasuki, Chichiri, Hotohori, Tamahome, and Nuriko agreed to all go and try to share some of 
the people's cheer. 

" Let's go drink like f$#@% men!" 

Tasuki yelled as they rounded the corner to the most popular and notorious pub. Nuriko looked back 
at him with narrowed eyes, and gripped the collar of his shirt tighter as if to keep the warmth of 
his body from escaping him. < Damn men's clothing. > He muffled a curse, though he really couldn't 
complain. How smart would it be for a woman to go in a place like this at night? And a respectable 
one too? He let out a tiny grin, his teeth chattering together like windchimes. At least he wasn't 
the only one cold. Hotohori was shivering like a leaf, holding on to Nuriko's hand like there was 
no tomorrow. < I can live with this... >

Noise blasted into the street, lighting it up like a Christmas tree with millions of colors, as the 
swung open the door to their destination. They were swept up by the boisterous crowd, barely making 
it over to the bar in one piece.

" One Nuriko Special!"

Tamahome grinned as he looked over at Nuriko's startled expression. It was quickly taken over by a 
look of glee, however, as Tasuki gave himself the honor of order two or three for the rest of us, 
each.

" And keep 'em coming, shit. It's to damn hard to get good service!"

`````````````````````````````````````
Twenty minutes later found all five sensei sloshed up to their elbows in drink. Chichiri, 
surprisingly quiet all evening, hung on Tasuki's arm indecently, as the red haired sensei 
frantically tried to control the blush that spread over his startled face. " Anou...."

 Tamahome burst out laughing and Tasuki shot him a death glare hot enough to burn a hole in the 
floor. " Shutup! I'm taking him to bed."

Nuriko, half blinded with stupor, spit out his drink all over Tamahome's indignant face, ruining 
the disgusted expression that had begun to take over.

" Not that way, you hentais!"

" Sure, Task-chan," Nuriko drawled out," whatever you say."

" Why you little..."

Hotohori glared at Tasuki, and he reluctantly hauled Chichiri over his shoulder,  heading upstairs 
for the shared room above. < If only you guys knew,> He thought smugly as he looked down at
 Chichiri appreciatively. 

````````````````````````````````````

" Hey, Hotohori?" Nuriko asked slowly, his mouth suspiciously turning numb in his mouth," I'm 
drunk."

" I can see that."

Tamahome looked over at Hotohori's puzzeled expression as he looked over at Nuriko's hand rested 
on his arm. < The guy doesn't have a clue... >

" Hey, Nuriko! Ready to hit the hay?"

" Waaaiii!" Nuriko whined, "let's stay up all night!"

Hotohori looked over at Tamahome, and Tamahome looked over at Hotohori. " Bye Nuriko!" They said
 in unison as they both got up to high tail it to the stairs. At no reply they looked back at the
 bar to find Nuriko slumped over at the counter, out cold.

" Whew! Well, that's one less thing to worry about!" Tasuki exclaimed, as he ran on up ahead.  
Hotohori took another look at Nuriko's slumbering form before he finally made up his mind, sleep 
overcoming his senses. The door slammed behind him as he fell on the bed, exhausted. 

<------

Tamahome looked up, puzzled, as he heard the hesitation in Hotohori's voice,as if reluctant to go 
on. " But," He began, confused," Everything was alright, then. We just came home as usual.Right?"

Hotohori sighed," That's what I thought too, until I was told...different."

----->
Nuriko woke up heavily, a headache pounding through his head at a hundred miles per hour. He 
stifled a grimace as he tried to manuver his legs into working, but a sharp pain up his back 
stopped him from moving, he lay there in the darkness, fear suffocating him. He wasn't inside.
 The wind curled aroung his bare legs as he whimpered on the ground, the pain from his backside 
hurting him in sharp, slicing blows. Far worse than any hangover could cause. Tears ran down his 
face as he as he struggled to stand up, fear of being discovered finally boosting him on. Blood 
ran down his legs to mingle in the wet snow-like sleet, staining the ground an ugly pink. Numbly,
 he went to where his pants lay, and pulled them on slowly. Words flashed in his head as tears 
streamed down his face. Some nameless someone destroying him with their words. 


A gasp caught in his throat as he walked toward the building, letting nothing show,< None of me 
must show. I'm...I'm Kourin. >

``````````````````````````````

Hotohori closed his eyes slowly, then opened them again as he heard a noise outside his bedroom 
door. It had been a day since they had returned to the palace and he was sure that all was not as
 it should be. Something was wrong with Nuriko and it worried him that he did not know what it 
was.

" Come in." He said just loudly enough for whoever it was to hear, and he put his hands behind his 
head, staring up at the ceiling, waiting.

" Ho..Hotohori-sama?"

He glanced over quickly to see Nuriko, his face wan pale and his eyes puffy, staring at him as if 
afraid. He sat up slowly and patted the bed beside him." Sit."

The bed sunk down slightly as Nuriko settled into it, his eyes still trained on the floor silently. 
This lasted for some time, until Hotohori's curiosity got the best of him." What's wrong?"

"I..." Nuriko began hesitantly," Promise you'll let me finish, before you say anything."

Hotohori nodded, his eyes looking through Nuriko's hair to the sad face beyond.

" Something...happened that night at the bar." Nuriko fiddled his fingers nervously, letting out
 an exasperated sigh," I woke up, somewhere...and," 

Hotohori looked up sharply as he noticed Nuriko's choked voice, and the tears streaming down to
 hit upon the bedspread. 

" I... Suzaku-sama...I woke up in the street...naked, and sore, and I...was raped!"

Nuriko broke down as a fit of sobs tore through his body, leaving him shaking back and forth with 
agony. Hotohori just sat there, stunned, until mechanics took over, and he held out his arms to
 Nuriko, letting him fall upon him crying. They stayed that way for what seemed like an hour, 
'til Nuriko regained his composure and quieted down, still laying in his arms. 

Hotohori, not knowing what to say, just held him, a great feeling of sadness for the boy in his 
arms filling his soul. He stroked his hand up and down Nuriko's back softly, just as his mother 
used to do to him when he cried, for it was the only thing he knew how to do. Nuriko stiffened, 
then  relaxed almost in a second, practically purring at the touch.

Hotohori smiled sadly, then it was his turn to stiffen, as he felt Nuriko's hot breath on his neck
 and then his lips taking their place.

"Um...Nuriko..I"

" Ssshh." Nuriko whispered, fresh tears making their way down his face," Please let me, I need to
 be clean, I need to be Kourin..."

Fear laced around Hotohori's heart as he felt it was not Nuriko doing this to him, but a 
stranger. " Nuriko..."

A sharp bite to the neck served as Hotohori's punishment, and his mouth was quickly covered with 
Nuriko's as he tried to cry out. He felt himself thrown to the bed, Nuriko's strength overpowering 
him, leaving him helpless. He felt his eyes mist over, and tears ran down his face as he thought 
of the Nuriko who left him, and who was doing this to him. 

" Please, stop..."

Hotohori's mind blanked out, and he thought of nothing. Nothing at all. There was nothing left. 
Nuriko, he took everything.< Nuriko isn't here. > A voice taunted him ruthlessly. Suddenly, 
something within him snapped. Growling low and furiously he punched Nuriko quick in the gut 
and he fell to the ground stunned. Hotohori rushed over to the closet, locking the door behind 
him, heaving great gasps of breath as he heard the shuffles of Nuriko stumbling to his feet.
 A moment of silence passed, and Hotohori tense and waiting, held his breath. Suddenly, the 
sound of crying reached his ears, and he froze. That last sound he heard was a muttered curse, 
a self directed curse, as the door slammed shut on Nuriko. Forever,

<--------

Tamahome's eyes were twice their usual size, and he gulped nervously as he looked at Hotohori's 
shuttered face. Nuriko was gone now. For good.

" I'm sor..."

" Don't say it!" Hothori yelled, his voice cracking at the last second.
"There's nothing to say anymore."

~owari~
maybe....


Notes:
[1]Emperor