243Yesterday's Future
(Non)Standard Disclaimer: Nakago, Miaka & Co. belong to Watase Yuu. I don't own anything except the plot and rights to Nakago's reincarnated name, Nicholas Raine. Pity…
Chapter 1 : New Life
"…I know now, without a doubt in my mind, that while he remembers the past, he holds onto it now only to remind him of what he continues living for."
— Miaka, "Vengeance" by Nel
Nicholas opened his eyes, his mind fully alert even though it was…he glanced at the digital clock on the bedside table, 3:27 AM in the morning. Extending his senses, he scanned the spacious apartment, searching for…what? Something had brought him awake, but he did not find anything suspicious in the immediate vicinity. His first priority was—and would always be—the tiny female who lay peacefully asleep beside him, curled warmly into the crook of his body.
She stirred slightly but did not wake. He willed himself to stay relaxed in case he disturbed her. He did not want to worry her unnecessarily. His wife sometimes showed a frightening degree of perception when one least expected it…And living in close quarters with him had only honed that ability, to the point that she was getting quite good at judging his moods even when he suppressed any outward signs of emotion.
How far they had come since that first meeting in Kutou. It still amazed him that they had ended up with each other, after all that had happened and all that he had done to her. They had been enemies, friends and everything else in-between, and now, she was the person most precious to him.
He had made a vow to protect her above all else, and it was not one he took lightly. Which was a good thing too, since Miaka had a dubious talent for getting into trouble. Not that she went out of her way searching for trouble deliberately, but it seemed to come looking for her all on its own!
Still, the unshakable sense that something had happened, was enough cause for concern. Especially given who she was and who he was; the former Suzaku no Miko and Seiryuu no shichi seishi Nakago. Their experiences in the Book of the Four Gods had taught him never to doubt his instincts. Never take anything for granted. Frowning, he called forth his seishi abilities to their fullest extent and tried again, searching for any threat, no matter how minor. Something felt…not exactly wrong, but different. Methodically, he analysed and ruled out each possibility until at last, just as he was about to give up, he detected a minuscule, wavering trace of chi, so faint that he would have missed it completely if he had been using anything less than his full powers. And the source of it…
…was coming from the woman in his arms.
Each person's life-force was unique, like DNA, or a fingerprint. No two people gave off exactly the same aura, and Miaka's was more distinctive than most, the brilliant notes of it weaving together into an intense, soaring aria, proclaiming her to be a veritable tempest-in-a-teapot of passion to anyone who had even the faintest iota of chi-sensing ability. It never ceased to fascinate and arouse him, especially when all that fire was directed at him.
And now, there was a single extra note overlaying the bright, happy tune. The merest hum in the song.
Was there something wrong with her? Poison? Some kind of disease?
Ruthlessly subduing the very human stab of anxiety which threatened to overcome all rational thought, he carefully concentrated his energy on her, moving his hand over her body, a hairsbreadth from her skin, almost touching but not quite. The answer came to him a moment later, as dawning comprehension gave way to an overwhelming sense of awe and a million or so other emotions he could not hope to identify. Palm hovering over her abdomen, he slowly let out the long breath he had not realised he had been holding; the sheer enormity of his discovery rendering him immobile.
Miaka was pregnant.
In time, the new life that was just beginning in her womb would develop a stronger chi signature; a unique mingling of his own and Miaka's life-forces. The bond he shared with her was so strong and went so deep that on a sub-conscious level, he had apparently picked up on the subtle change in her at the moment of conception. Hand resting lightly but possessively over her still-flat belly, Nicholas allowed his lips to curve slightly in a faint smirk as he recalled how this had come to pass. Despite the circumstances, this child had been conceived out of love.
They had been married for a while now, and he knew she longed for a baby although she had not voiced it. After much deliberation, he had to admit that the notion held a certain appeal. So far, he had been discreetly using his chi as a form of contraception. It was but one of the handy tricks of Bochuu-Jutsu. By placing his hand low on her abdomen after they had made love, and sending a gentle but focused surge of energy into her body, it altered her life-force enough to prevent pregnancy.
He wondered if Miaka had noticed that he'd stopped doing that a few weeks ago…
Like any other couple, they had their disagreements and verbal sparring matches, but they made up almost immediately afterwards, and often in the most…pleasurable of ways. Which had been exactly how the night had started out. They had been arguing over his reluctance to even speak to Saihitei during the last get-together (he tolerated those because they were important to her), as well as some cutting remarks that he had made about the pop star. Actually, she had done all the yelling and he had merely lifted an eyebrow, which seemed to infuriate the ex-Miko even more. Growing annoyed by her steadfast defence of the former Suzaku emperor, Nicholas had silenced her by abruptly dragging her against him and sealing his lips over hers. Anger had quickly morphed into something equally intense and explosive, and…well, suffice to say that he was now extremely thankful he'd allowed Miaka to talk him into purchasing the thick, luxurious sheepskin rug that lay along the short corridor between the living room and their bedroom…
Over the course of their marriage, they had been intimate countless times, yet he did not think he would ever tire of making love to his delectable little wife. The heated passion and powerful emotions which swirled around them made every time seem like the first, connecting them in body, spirit and soul. There could be no other for either of them. With the openness that came so easily to her, Miaka never made a secret of her feelings for him, and he…
…He loved her with all that he was. He'd come to terms with that a long time ago, when he had accepted the second chance that Fate had granted him. It had not taken him long to realise that the times he felt happiest were when she was happy. She had given him so much of herself; the gift of happiness more than he had ever dared to hope for. As Nakago, he would never have believed this level of contentment to be attainable. Had he known that this was the future that awaited him, perhaps he might have done things a bit differently. Perhaps he would have—…
His train of thought was interrupted when Miaka let out a little sigh, innocently unaware of the life-changing event which had just occurred. Even in sleep, her small hand was splayed on his bare chest, right over his heart. A silent proclamation ownership. Not that she really needed to stake a claim…it already belonged to her anyway. His mouth quirked; she was an enthusiastic lover and regularly left her own marks on him. It never quite came to the point of drawing blood, but he knew that the skin on his back bore long red welts from her nails after their recent…activities.
Nicholas considered his options, contemplating if he should tell her what had happened when she awakened in a few hours or if he should let her find out in the usual way.
Things rarely went according to plan, especially when it involved the former Suzaku no Miko.
"And today of all days…" Miaka moaned as she leaned weakly against the cool porcelain of the toilet bowl. The morning had started out like any other, then she had walked into the kitchen and caught a whiff of the delicious smell of frying bacon coming in from the open window. While her nose had liked the aroma, her stomach apparently had other ideas...
It was bad enough that Nakago had to go to work to deal with an urgent issue on a Saturday and leave her to wake up alone. But it was her birthday!She wondered what she had eaten the previous night that obviously had not agreed with her. Had it been the carton of expired yoghurt she had found in the refrigerator? It had tasted alright though…
Shakily getting to her feet, she brushed her teeth before indulging in a long warm shower to chase away the lingering headache brought on by all the retching.
Much later, feeling slightly more human, she blotted her skin with a towel and wandered back into the bedroom to dress. She knew that it was unfair of her to blame her beloved husband for any of her troubles this morning (he was merely a convenient target). After all, the handsome blonde Seiryuu seishi had turned out to be everything she could wish for in a mate (other than the icy impassivity, which would never change), and much, much more…
Back at the beginning of their acquaintance in the Shijintenchisho, she would never have dreamed of having any kind of relationship with him, much less foreseen how addictive being married to the arrogant jerk could be! The young woman blushed at the sight of the rumpled bed sheets, recalling the intimate moments they had shared the night before which had left her trembling and weak; her body completely sated…yet for some reason, had also brought her close to tears. While he had never hurt her during their lovemaking, he had been exceptionally tender in recent weeks, treating her as though she were made of spun glass. Now that she thought about it, however, Nakago had been behaving a little strangely ever since the morning after their argument over his disdainful attitude towards Hotohori...she frowned, doing a quick mental calculation. Has it already been a month? Wow, time does fly when you're having fun with your very own evil hunky blonde shogun…
That brought a goofy smile to her face. She loved him—icicles and all—and couldn't recall a time when she had been happier.
She wondered if the man's odd behaviour had anything to do with their quarrel that night. Nothing really alarming, but she had felt him watching her with a disconcertingly intent gaze a few times, as if examining her and waiting for something to happen.
After a moment, Miaka shrugged. No point worrying about it…Who knew what went on in that impossibly complex and twisted mind of his? Her husband was a far cry from any other man in her acquaintance. Experience had taught her that if he wanted her to know, he would tell her…eventually.
Her nausea from the morning a distant memory, she accepted a gift and a tight hug from the most beautiful man she was ever likely to meet in this lifetime. And she wasn't the only one who felt that way either, if Andy's hordes of fans were any indication. She could feel her husband's impassive stare from the other end of the room. Oh boy, he's going to make me pay for that…she felt a shiver of anticipation run up her spine. Nakago could get deliciously possessive of her at times, especially when it concerned Tamahome and Hotohori. She kept telling him that he had absolutely nothing to worry about when it came to her two seishi, but while Nakago was a man more sophisticated than most, even he sometimes succumbed to primitive male instincts...
The birthday party thrown in her honour by Yui was held in a private room at a one of her favourite restaurants. All the usual suspects were present, and now, after eating her fill (which was enough to feed a small army), she took a deep breath, preparing to blow out the candles on a huge cake.
She felt him behind her, his fingers tracing light, sensual patterns over the thin silk at her hips. His touch seemed to burn right through the material to play havoc with her nerve endings. Anata no baka…don't you DARE! It looked like Nakago was about to exact his revenge for the hug Hotohori had given her. The gesture was both affectionate and unmistakably territorial. In other words, it was carefully calculated to make her former seishi jealous.
As for her, the annoyingly devious bastard knew very well the response he could draw from her body with merely a stroke of his hand, the same way a maestro coaxed a tune from a violin. For an instant, she regretted wearing the slinky, shimmery dress which seemed to consist of little more than spun light and air. Although it had been almost worth it earlier, when she had emerged from the bedroom dressed for the party and saw the hot flare of desire in her husband's eyes, their pale silver-blue deepening to almost the same hue as the twilit evening sky outside…
If things had been left up to Nakago, they would never have made it in time for the party. Or more likely, they would never have made it out of the house at all!
"What will you wish for, Koibito?" he murmured into her ear, his lips just barely caressing the sensitive flesh; his deep voice raising goosebumps on her arms.
"How about the future of the world as you know it?" An uninvited and very unwelcomed voice interrupted rudely, causing everyone to jump violently.
Miaka felt Nakago's hands tighten around her waist as they turned to face the source; a person they had not seen and heard from in years. Which had been a relief in any case…because invariably, the unsightly old hag tended to be the bearer of bad news.
"Taiitsukun!" Miaka hissed, less than happy to greet the party-crasher. "What do you want? And don't tell me you need the Suzaku no Miko again! Go find another girl, I'm retired!" she ground out, forcing the words out from between gritted teeth. How she hated Taiitsukun's interference in her life, well aware that it would not take much meddling from the Gods to destroy the fragile happiness she and Nakago had found with each other.
The all-powerful being looked ready to lambast the former priestess for the rude greeting, when a strange distortion interrupted any words which might have been spoken. Taiitsukun's image rippled, as if a stone had been thrown into the still waters of a pond. All at once, Miaka noticed that the overseer of Universe of the Four Gods looked even more haggard than usual, with deep lines of strain etched into the leathery skin.
Hazel eyes widening in alarm, Miaka could feel the heavy sense of foreboding which lodged in the pit of her stomach like a ball of lead. "What's wrong?" she demanded, even as she laced her fingers through her husband's, suddenly afraid of what Taiitsukun had to say. The old hag seemed to be on edge, looking over her shoulder at something that they could not see. Impossibly, it seemed that something had rattled her enough to make even the powerful goddess herself nervous. That can't be a good thing, Miaka felt herself paling. She could feel the tightly corded tension in the blonde man beside her, and knew his thoughts reflected hers.
Uncharacteristic sweat beaded on Taiitsukun's forehead as the Overseer turned her attention back to the former Miko and seishi in the room. From somewhere behind her, there was a sudden loud blast, causing her astral projection to waver again, more violently this time. "There isn't time to explain, I need the seishis' help," she barked out the words, making a slicing motion with a gnarled hand. "And may the Great Creator have mercy on us all."
Miaka was aware of Nakago's arms clamping around her body in a fierce embrace a second before an irresistible force ripped her away from him. The last thing she remembered was screaming his name and seeing the unfamiliar expression of heart-stopping fear for her safety flicker across his normally stoic features…
In the next instant, there was a brilliant flash like a detonating nuclear bomb, leaving all in the room blinded by the intense white light. Keisuke staggered backwards into a chair and fell over. Cursing like a sailor, he blinked rapidly. As the black spots in his vision cleared, he saw Tetsuya and Yui doing the same…
Only to find a deafening silence greeting them. Nicholas, Miaka, and Andy were gone.
"KUSO! Not bloody again!" Keisuke growled tersely, giving voice to the sentiment which was running through all their minds laced with varying degrees of obscenity and vehemence.
"Personally, I would have gone for something a little more crude, but yeah…" his best friend muttered tightly, putting his arm around the former dragon miko's slim shoulders. Tetsuya and Yui had started dating shortly after Miaka's wedding. They had been inseparable ever since.
With a stifled and very colourful expletive that caused her boyfriend's eyebrows to climb toward his hairline, Yui stomped over to the table which still held the now abandoned birthday cake. The candles were still lighted and—fortunately enough—had yet to set fire to the rest of the room. Drawing in a shuddering breath, she closed her eyes and blew out the tiny flames, wishing to any god who would listen to keep Miaka safe.
Notes:
1) Welcome to the first chapter of the newest addition to my unholy Miaka/Nakago series. This story picks up several years from when we saw them last in "Crossroads". I know I've been M.I.A. for almost a year, but as Miaka points out, time does fly when you're having fun...although in my case, there's no hunky blonde shogun anywhere in the picture. Darn.
2) Mapping out this story took a while. Originally, I was working on a single, very shaky and highly improbable sentence (not even a full IDEA)...now how's that for half-baked? I knew how the story was going to end, but had no idea how to engineer things so that it would turn out that way! To that effect, I spent a great deal of time of fleshing out of the main storyline and thinking of ways to close the loopholes that cropped up at every turn. It did not help that my insufferable muse went AWOL for months on end.
(Alcestis has since taken up kick-boxing. The next time her muse deigns to turn up for work, she will gladly introduce his face to the sole of her foot.)
3) Kudos to Nel for writing that wonderful quotation from her fanfic "Vengeance". It just grabbed me by my literary throat when I first read it and hasn't let go since then! I felt that it was the perfect way to kick off this story and echoes the overall theme.
