"The Game of Love" by Sara Jaye Yes, another SoixYui fic. I've broken the laws of canon so hard they're in a body cast. ;P Oh, well. I still can't quite figure out why I began to like the idea of them together so much. But I think that Soi and Yui at least forming a sister-like bond would've been a good addition to the story. After all, they had one thing in common: Nakago was THE important man in their lives and they both got kinda screwed over by him. ^^; The first half is from Soi's POV, the second from Yui's. [Disclaimers: Fushigi Yuugi is the property of Watase Yuu. None of the characters belong to me. This story is a semi-angsty, semi-WAFFy yuri fic, so if that kind of thing bothers you, you may want to close this window. Same with you canon purists who are against any sort of alternate-universe stuff. Otherwise, enjoy! ^_^] ~ "So...who's first?" It was a quiet, rainy Sunday night and the former Suzaku Seven, their miko, the miko's best friend, and I were gathered in the den, having decided to play truth or dare to kill some time. I'm Soi, a former Seiryuu seishi. I'd just recently met up with a few of the Suzaku Seishi at the college, and in short time become accepted into their 'gang'. It felt pretty good...especially considering I used to be their enemy. It also felt good to see the former Suzaku no miko's best friend. Yui. Yui Hongo. My former miko. Ironically, I used to hate her. But seeing her again for the first time...it was like she wasn't the same girl anymore. She was smiling and bantering with Miaka and Tamahome. Not at all the bitter, selfish girl I'd met back in the other world. I looked over at Yui. Her hair had grown since she was my miko, and she'd become quite beautiful. She'd grown up quite nicely. "I guess I will," Tamahome said, snapping me back to reality. "Okay then, Tama," Miaka giggled. "Truth or dare?" "Truth," he said. The others snickered behind their hands. "Wuss!" Tasuki jeered. Tamahome only smirked. "Hey, I could be asked to say what I REALLY think about you," he said casually. Tasuki muttered. "Truth? All right, Tamahome...how many guys have you kissed?" Miaka asked. Everyone laughed, and Tamahome facefaulted and blushed as red as Suzaku himself. "What?! Miaka!" he sputtered. "Come on now..." Miaka giggled. "Well, I guess not all of you know about the time Nuriko planted one on me," Tamahome said, laughing nervously. Miaka just sweatdropped, Nuriko looked embarrassed, and Hotohori looked like he was going to strangle Tamahome. "I remember," the former emperor muttered, wrapping his arm protectively around Nuriko. "Y'know, ever since you and Nuriko got together, you've been VERY protective of him no da," Chichiri laughed. "Well, when you realize how much someone means to you after ignoring them for so long, you don't want to let them go," Hotohori said calmly, hugging Nuriko a little. "Hotohori-sama, you are so cute when you're possessive," Nuriko giggled. "All right, I think poor Tama-chan's had enough, Miaka. Let's just say it counts since not everyone knew about it." "Oh, all right," Miaka giggled. "You pick now, Tamahome." "Thank you," Tamahome said in an exaggerated, breathless manner. "All right...Tasuki! Truth or dare?" "Aw, man! Well, I don't trust ya with dares, so...truth," Tasuki said. Tamahome smirked, the kind of smirk that meant Tasuki was going to wish he'd chosen dare. "What's REALLY going on with you and Chichiri?" Yep, Tasuki immediately turned as red as his hair. "K'so! That was a dirty trick, ya know that?! Asking me a question like that, ya have some nerve!" "Well, someone was gonna ask sooner or later," I snickered. "Come on now..." "Nothing's going on! I aint the kinda guy who...y'know, falls in love," he stammered. "Then why are you always staring at Soi?" Hotohori teased. I sweatdropped upon hearing my name. I knew very well Tasuki had a thing for me, and while I was flattered, it was awkward because he and Yui couldn't stand one another. They were always fighting, and Yui was rather possessive of me as her friend. Sure enough, she was glaring dangerously at him. "Well...all right, I have...a lot of respect and admiration for Chichiri-san...it's not the same as with Soi, though, cause...well, it just isn't! That enough of an answer for ya or am I gonna have to flame ya?" Tasuki growled. "You're free to go now," Tamahome snickered. "Nuriko. Truth or dare?" Tasuki asked. "Dare," Nuriko said in an airy voice. "Ah, ya wanna play rough?" he taunted, then glanced at Yui. Great, they've incited each other's wrath...this could get ugly. "I dare ya ta kiss Yui the bitch-master!" As if on cue, she slapped him across the face. "Better than kissing a bandit with beer breath!" she snapped. "Tasuki, don't start this, please. Can't you and Yui-chan leave each other alone just for one night?" Miaka pleaded. Tasuki muttered something under his breath and Yui just glared. "You call that a dare?!" Nuriko stopped laughing enough to ask mockingly, then leaned in to kiss her. Naturally, it was nothing. "Awwww! Tasuki, why didn't you pick me?" Chiriko complained. Strangely enough, I felt exactly the same way. Nuriko was one lucky little bastard and he didn't know it! "You would've enjoyed it too much," Mitsukake teased. "All right. My turn now." Nuriko glanced evilly at Hotohori. "Truth or dare, Hotohori-sama?" "Dare," Hotohori said. "I dare you to kiss Soi," Nuriko snickered. "Me?!" I started laughing at that for some reason. Nuriko was actually daring Hotohori to kiss someone else? A woman? "Well, someone's loosened up since the war ended!" I teased. "Well, it's not like I have anything to worry about," Nuriko shrugged. "Is that so?" Hotohori smirked. "You behave yourself!" I warned playfully as I leaned in to kiss him. "Mmm, not bad at all...I just love when a woman wears flavored lip gloss," Hotohori said in a teasing manner. "Is that so?" Nuriko raised an eyebrow and stared at Hotohori. "Guess I should start using cherry-scented lipgloss from now on then." "Aw, you know I was only playing, Nuriko," Hotohori said, wrapping his arms around him. "You know I couldn't enjoy kissing anyone other than you." "Hotohori-sama..." Nuriko giggled. An obligatory "Awwww" arose from the others. Then a sigh. I looked over to see Yui leaning back against the wall, one knee drawn up to her chest and a wistful look on her face. "Yui-chan, what's wrong?" Miaka asked, as if she read my mind. "N-Nothing, I was just thinking," Yui stammered, then smiled. "Your turn now, Hotohori-san." "Hai." Hotohori looked from Yui to Miaka and back again. "Yui... truth or dare?" "Truth," she smirked, looking like her old self again. Wow, she gets over things quickly. "What really went on with you and Suboshi?" he asked. Damn. That was a bad idea. The whole Seiryuu thing was a sore point for Yui. I felt like strangling Hotohori. "Nothing. He acted like he was in love with me, but to be honest...I think there was something going on between him and his brother," she giggled. I nearly fell over-she didn't seem the least bit upset! "You're serious?!" I inched closer to her. "The way I saw it, Suboshi wanted you and Amiboshi liked Miaka...but all that time...?" "I wouldn't have been surprised. From the way they acted sometimes, if they weren't brothers they would've been a couple," Yui said. "I thought it was kinda cute, actually." "Talk about brotherly love," Miaka giggled. The guys sweatdropped and stared at us. "Women. Ya can't live with em, can't live without em," Tamahome sweatdropped. "Come on, let's move on with the game already." "Okay...Miaka, truth or dare?" The game continued, everyone getting a second turn and throwing out dares like kissing or prank calling someone pretending to be a Jusenkyo tour guide. Truths were the usual "What do you think of this person" or "Have you ever...?" stuff. Little did I know the game was going to turn anything but ordinary soon... "Yui? Truth or dare?" Hotohori asked. "Dare," Yui smirked. "All right...I dare you to kiss..." Hotohori glanced once around the room, then laughed evilly. "Soi." What?! I looked over to see Yui blushing blood-red, huge beads of sweat dripping from her forehead. "Hey, you can't recycle a dare, Hotohori! That isn't fair!" she cried nervously. "Actually, we never were playing by any rules regarding that," Mitsukake said. "Oh..." She grew quiet as we stared at each other. Didn't she have a boyfriend? And...I only saw her as kind of a younger sister, not...THAT way...this was too weird. "Well...let's...get on with this," I said, then realized that might sound mean, like I hated the idea of kissing her. To be honest, I really didn't mind...in fact, I LIKED the idea. "Yeah..." Very slowly and very nervously, we moved in, her lips shakily dusting against mine...I let mine brush against hers, and... The second they did, all tensions faded, in fact, it was like there were none. Somehow, this felt...right. I vaguely felt her arms wrapping around me. I held her closer, not caring that we were in a room with other people. The room didn't even exist to me anymore, only her. Unfortunately, just as quickly as it had faded, reality came back to slam into me headfirst. I was kissing her. Yui Hongo. My former miko, the girl I'd once hated. The girl who was now like a younger sister to me. A wave of panic swept over me as I jerked away, staring her in the face. All eyes were upon me...I didn't know what to say or do, it was absolutely unbearable! Then I remembered the game. It was my turn to pick truth or dare, so I might as well wait for Yui to ask me. "Um, Yui? It's your turn to ask truth or dare no da." Chichiri broke the uncomfortable silence. Slowly, Yui lifted her gaze, looked at me... Then sprang to her feet and ran from the room. [Will finish this later] ~ I couldn't get out of the room fast enough. I'm so stupid, I thought. What the hell was I thinking, accepting that dare? I can't believe I did something so...wrong! Soi probably thinks I'm a fool. I was lucky she even forgave me in the first place for the whole Nakago thing. Now I'd blown it. She'd never speak to me again, let alone...even consider being more than friends! Huh, I was stupid for even liking her that way to begin with! She's straight. Even if she was over him now, she'd never consider me that way...a strong, beautiful woman like her wouldn't want a stupid little high school girl like me.