Room for One
One arm held his stomach as he gently lowered his head, connecting to the cold tile floor of Junes' electronics department.
Short breaths….short breaths were all he could take.
His stomach felt like a centrifuge from all the pummeling it had taken. Souji couldn't quite recall what he had eaten for lunch, but he had bad feeling he was going to get a reminder in the worst way.
A hand rested on his back and gently moved in circles.
"Souji…"
"I'm fine Yukiko," the silver-haired teen assured.
Another jolt from his stomach sent Souji keeling over again.
- - -
Souji, still holding his stomach, slowly led the way out through the fire escape door into the night with the rest of the team following behind him. He looked back at the unconscious body of their most recent rescued victim, Kanji Tatsumi, being carried along by Chie.
Souji felt bad for making the girl and Yosuke carry him, but he had other things on his mind at the moment: Like trying not to black out.
Souji stopped just before the stairs, sitting down on the cement rail and taking a couple more deep breaths.
Yukiko steadied him to keep the boy from falling to the floor. Chie and Yosuke carefully lowered Kanji to the floor.
The three friends winced at the full sight of Souji under one of the street lamps.
He had taken the worst of the battle with Kanji's shadow.
"Aww sheesh," Chie ran her hand through her hair. "You're a mess Souji-kun."
Indeed, it was quite a sight. Souji's ruffled clothing gave an ominous hint of the terrible bruises that marred his body underneath. Souji was sure that a couple ribs had been broken, which went well with his traumatized stomach.
Kanji's shadow had given them all a run for the money, but Souji got the worst of it. The creature's muscular arms had pounded Souji twice directly in the gut and one of his massive sex-symbol weapons had come within inches of decapitating him. The shadow's constant taunts of "being feisty" and "being rough" had nearly blinded Yosuke with rage and forced Souji to attack head on to save the other boy from being nearly killed.
Shadow Kanji had fallen, but not before nearly taking Souji with him.
Souji had always thought that "delicate" men were gentler people. He would not make that assumption again. Ever.
"Souji?" Chie softly spoke.
The boy still could barely get his breath.
"Where's your phone?" Yosuke asked as he reached down and began rummaging through Souji's jacket. "We can call your uncle-"
Souji's free hand grabbed Yosuke's wrist and pulled it away from his jacket.
"Look," Souji forced out.
He started to breath heavily again, looking around at the faces of his friends to be sure they were listening. Their patient (and concerned) looks told him they were.
"I'm gonna go pass out at the ER," he forced out of his lungs. He pointed to Kanji who still lay on the ground. "You guys get him home."
Everyone's eyes widened and the leader was instantly bombarded with objections.
"No way!" Chie half-shouted. "You're not going anywhere alone the way you are now!"
"Dude," Yosuke pleaded. "Just let me call your uncle," again he made a move for Souji's jacket.
"NO!"
Everyone froze. Youske quickly released his hold and Souji.
Nobody spoke.
"Trust me… things are bad enough. He already thinks I'm some kind of delinquent. I come home with bruises all over he won't let me out of the house again."
"Maybe it's a good idea," Yukiko said softly.
All eyes turned to her.
Souji blinked. "W-What?" He stammered. He must have heard her wrong.
"I-I mean…how much longer can we keep going like this? Look how bad you've been hurt Souji-kun…"
Chie and Yosuke looked away. Her words had sunk deep. The sight of Souji right now was a lot harder taken all of a sudden.
Anything would have been better than this.
Souji looked up at the faces of his comrades, sensing their wavering resolve.
"Guys-"
A drop pelted his head.
Souji moved his hand through his hair, confirming the water droplet. Another, and then another followed, a light shower ensuing.
"Perfect…" he grumbled.
He stood up, shakily. "Look, just get him home. We're all tired, go sleep it off."
Souji began to stumble down the large stairs towards the street. The task was monumental.
He fell back against the wall, gasping for air.
"Souji…"
He looked sideways to his friends. He forced a smile.
"It's okay…just go. I'll get going…in a little bit…."
Yosuke and Chie began to drag Kanji in the direction of the shopping district. Yukiko stayed put for a moment.
Souji looked like he could barely stand. It was against all the good judgment in the world, but Yukiko decided that she really had no other choice but to begin walking home.
She looked back as Souji's slumped form resting against the wall began to fade away into the rain.
- - -
Yukiko fanned her hair out as she finished adorning her kimono. Even after her fight in the TV she was tasked with manning the front desk for the night.
She wasn't particularly concerned though. No one came at night. Staying at the desk was just for the sake of keeping up the good reputation of the Inn's "Twenty-four hour service." Though who exactly would take advantage of it was lost on her.
She sighed as she now noticed the mess in the lobby. Blankets, towels and sheets lay strewn all over the lobby from an earlier clean up of one of the rooms.
She sighed.
Once more Megumi-san had failed to clean up the mess. The Kyoto-born girl's derelictions were starting to wear on Yukiko despite her polite behavior.
Yukiko knelt down and began to start folding one of the blankets that had been strewn about. She nearly jumped at the loud and rather careless clacking of the front door sliding open and shut.
Who was here at this hour?
She was so frantic to pay respects that she didn't even take notice of who had entered as she jumped to her feet and spun around, ending with a bow.
"W-Welcome to the Amagi Inn."
As she rose, she just took notice of who she was talking to.
"How m-"
Her eyes widen and hands clasped around her mouth.
Souji was still holding his side, which had dampened red from blood. His form was slumped against the wall and he looked ready to fall.
He barely managed a smile.
"Room for one please?"
- - -
Yukiko fretted as she carelessly knocked over vases and bottles in search of medicine.
Souji took notice from behind as he lay out on the futon on the floor.
"Yukiko calm down. I'm hurt, not dead."
"That doesn't mean you're not in danger," she argued as she finally found the ointment. Yukiko's "medicine" was really water from the hot springs kept in a bottle mixed with herbs from the garden.
Carefully she poured it on to the bandaged laid out before her with almost a ritual sense in her movements.
Souji awkwardly looked around, somewhat uncomfortable with his position.
Ever since he was little, he had insisted on tucking himself in. Being in bed was something he did not enjoy. Whenever he lay down, a sense of vulnerability set in. Laying on his back, unable to move, forced to look up at others. Being vulnerable was never something he liked. Even around the people he loved most, Souji had not liked being in position where he left his immediate safety in the hands of others.
Not to mention he had his shirt off.
"Nice room…" he nervously muttered.
"What happened to going to the hospital?" Yukiko asked before applying the bandage to Souji's bruised ribs.
Souji jerked and hissed at the contact.
"W-well…ugh." He breathed before he could talk. "My uncle was there."
Yukiko looked up.
"He was dealing with some kind of a traffic accident. The victim was taken there for treatment, had some pretty bad burns and he did not look happy. Luckily he didn't see me before I slipped back out."
Yukiko closed her eyes and sighed with a bit of frustration. She had to reach high in the cupboard as she put away her medicine.
"How exactly does this help broken ribs?" Souji asked skeptically, playing with his bandage.
"Don't mess with it," she scolded. "The ointment will take care of open wound and the pain. Your body will heal itself."
She knelt down beside him again. Souji felt his self-consciousness flare up.
Yukiko frowned. "Is something wrong Souji? Do I make you nervous?"
Souji's eyes widened. Wh-Wha?! N-no! No, no!" He actually managed to scoot his whole body back an inch from the girl before him.
She simply stared at him.
The room was uncomfortably quiet.
"Um….." Souji lamely muttered. ""A-are you okay Yukiko?"
"Why didn't you go to the hospital?"
The question made Souji turn his head sub-consciously.
"I told you. My uncle-"
"I HEARD that," Yukiko sharply commented. "Why didn't you go to him?"
Souji's eyes narrowed. "What's the problem Yukiko?"
"Your uncle. Your uncle was right there. You are hurt Souji Seta. BADLY. What didn't you go to him for help right there?"
Souji almost laughed at the question which he perceived to be stupid. "And how do you propose I explain my black-and-blue self to him?"
All her life, Yukiko leaned on others. Family, friends, Chie, her loved ones were what made her strong. And yet Souji…
"Does that matter?!" Yukiko's voice rose slightly. "You should have asked for his help Souji!"
Help. He should've asked for help!
Never in her life would Yukiko dare so much as think of shutting out the people of her life. And yet here she met Souji, a boy who dared to attempt things alone, to travel the world by himself while his family was at work a whole world away, to look danger in the face and take bone-breaking strikes to his body.
No. To lean on others was what made her strong. To be part of a family, a friendship, those were what gave her the strength to stand. To see Souji who would rather be in pain and hold a secret rather than come clean for his safety was an anomaly to her strong-held principles.
It made her uncomfortable to know such a thought process existed.
She suddenly snapped out of her deep reflection to notice Souji's guilty face.
"I'm sorry Yukiko."
Her eyes widened. Sorry?
"I had no right coming to you like this in the middle of the night."
Wait…
"I'll go." Souji started to struggle to sit-up.
She instantly grabbed by his shoulders and forced him down.
Souji instantly hissed in pain.
Yukiko's eyes widened and she immediately eased off. She didn't immediately let go though.
"S-Sorry…"
Souji managed to peak one eye open. "Don't do that again please."
She let him go completely this time, bracing her hand against the floor rather than his shoulders.
Souji exhaled with relief, only to freeze up again at noticing their position.
"Y-Yukiko…"
She didn't budge.
His eye narrowed. This was really uncomfortable. "Could you please get off?"
She tilted her head quizzically, and then nearly yelped as it fully dawned on her. She drew back, pulling her hands close to her chest, looking away with wide eyes and deep shade of red sporting her cheeks.
Souji pushed himself up into a seated position, rubbing the back of his head.
Neither spoke for a minute, both too embarrassed by the close contact.
"Um…" they both started.
Great. This was nowhere close to being over.
"You first," Yukiko quickly offered.
"Just…thanks," Souji answered lamely.
"Sure…"
More silence.
Souji looked up to the ceiling as if begging some unseen God for a way out. He really wanted a way out of this.
He got one.
"I need to return to the lobby," Yukiko explained as she raised herself to her feat.
"Sure…" Souji mumbled as the girl walked to the door. "Thanks again."
The door slid open, but Yukiko didn't walkout.
"Souji…"
He looked up. "Hmm?"
She turned her face towards, all seriousness now possessing her eyes. "Stay for the night to heal. And don't think about leaving before I say you can."
Her comment (which sounded more like an order) made Souji's eyes widen.
She faced forward again. "I want you to learn to rely on others Souji-kun."
And with that she slid the door behind her shut.
- - -
Souji let gravity pull his body back down. He barely had enough energy left to pull the heavy quilt over his shirtless self.
He exhaled.
Yukiko was a different kind of girl, and he had always regarded her as such.
Their mindsets were somewhat different: Outlooks, priorities, and now apparently the issue of secrecy versus safety.
In his mind, Yukiko didn't seem to look ahead too much.
"Sure I could ask for help and get patched up, but what do I do when he starts asking questions? How do I manage to sneak off to Junes without my worry-wort of an uncle watching my every move?"
He sighed, his eyelids getting heavy.
Yeah… that's what he should've said.
- - - -
End.
- - -
This might have the potential to be more than a one-shot. Reviews are appreciated.