Title: Leadership

Theme: Set #1, theme #11 - Reliance

Genres: Drama

Pairings Represented: Jakotsu/Bankotsu (slight)

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: Just a tad squicky (sickness/blood.)

Summary: Three members of the Shichinin-tai have fallen ill, and it's up to Jakotsu and the others to keep them alive.

There was something strange about those last daimyou, noted Renkotsu in a gruff-sounding voice. They offered food and shelter, even women, in which Jakotsu had no interest. He slept outside that night to get away from the 'wenches,' as the rest of his group had a grand old time with them. It was cold, the ground was hard, but it certainly wasn't the first night he'd slept outside. Being entirely alone outside was a different story, though. It was something that felt almost foreign to him, since he'd traveled with the others for such a long time. It was a long and lonesome night, though he barely managed his way through it.

The following morning, a woman came out and offered him a drink, which he refused vehemently while holding his Jakotsutou up to her neck. Suikotsu came rushing out to hold the livid mercenary back before he could hack 'that bitch' to pieces. Their alliance with the daimyou was a very thin one, no matter how generous they were being, and killing one of their women just wasn't wise. Mukotsu would have taken the drink from her instead, though she had already dropped it on the ground in fear right before he came out.

Per Jakotsu's request, the well-pampered band of seven hit the road, and each step they took seemed to drag. For once, they wanted to enjoy a day or two with no worries, and be in the presence of ladies. Had at least one of them married, they would no longer have to cook their own meals, and the rooms they rested in would be much cleaner. With Jakotsu on the team, that seemed virtually impossible, and no one spoke a word to him on the way, not even his closest friend, Bankotsu.

Jakotsu focused very intently on the group's leader once they started heading up the mountain toward the abandoned village they'd cleared out not too long ago. The plan was to cut through there and head toward another place where their services were required. It wasn't a job that needed to be done right away, hence the fact that the guys wanted to stay at the last daimyou's palace for awhile longer.

The hand Bankotsu held his halberd, Banryuu, shook a little.

"Ooaniki?" Jakotsu said in a startled whisper. The halberd wielding hand shook more violently and Jakotsu almost thought Bankotsu was going to swing it, until a loud retch from his left startled him out of that thought.

Renkotsu was on his knees. His hand cupped his mouth as dark blood seeped and spurted through his fingers. His pale face was drenched in blood and sweat, and his entire body shook just as violently as Bankotsu's hand. Next, the sound of Banryuu crashing straight to the ground then caught Jakotsu's eye. Bankotsu was also down, completely out cold.

"The fuck!" Suikotsu said, just before being knocked over by an even bigger crash. Kyoukotsu's face looked as fish-belly white as the other two fallen members.

"Gesh, Renkotsu!" Ginkotsu said as his friend continued to sweat and regurgitate; he looked worried. It wasn't long before Renkotsu passed out completely, still being propped up by Ginkotsu's hand. The machine-like man picked Renkotsu up and slung him over his shoulder, giving Jakotsu a very expecting look. Suikotsu and Mukotsu did the same, waiting for an explanation from the one who held their now unconscious leader in his arms.

With Bankotsu's arm wrapped around his shoulders, Jakotsu carried him straight toward the abandoned village, and the others followed without a second thought.

"You're kidding, right?" Jakotsu asked just after placing a wet cloth on Bankotsu's burning forehead. After having to strip down two guys and get them into cleaner clothing, Jakotsu didn't think he could take anymore overwhelming situations. Sure enough, Mukotsu shook his head after fingering his way through his poisons for the fifth time.

"Those bastards must've slipped it into their drinks," Mukotsu remarked with disgust. He knew last night was too good to be true. Women everywhere, and not a one of them gave him hell about his looks. It was pure bliss, that turned out to be a complete set-up. A small tear slipped down the poison maker's cheek at the harsh reality.

"But... Bankotsu can't die." Jakotsu's eyes were locked on his frail looking leader, whose cheeks were normally bright and full of life. He couldn't believe just how ill and colorless he looked now.

"Relax... he's not going to die." After having collected himself, Mukotsu dug through his basket as Jakotsu flipped the wet towel on the sick leader's forehead over. "Those guys were pretty stupid. They used one of my weaker poisons." He tossed Jakotsu a small bottle and pulled out two others.

"Just give that to him. He'll probably be feeling better by tomorrow."

Night hadn't taken long to arrive; Jakotsu thought it better that way. Bankotsu could sleep better when it was dark, whereas the few times he'd awoken during the day, his eyes were crushed and tear-laden. Renkotsu coughed up a lot of blood; his sheet's were abundantly stained deep red, which looked a morbid black in the shadows. Apparently, Bankotsu couldn't finish his drink, so he offered the rest to Renkotsu, poisoning him farther. He reached out to his fallen comrade, even in his sleep, completely ignoring the fact that he, too, had been poisoned pretty severely.

"It's... not fair. He shouldn't... have to suffer... "

It was no secret that Bankotsu was fiercely devoted to his team. He often gave slightly larger proportions of food to the others than himself, he'd be the last to bathe, and if there wasn't enough room indoors, he'd sleep alone outside. Jakotsu remembered being out there all too well the previous night; the ground seemed much colder without the company of others. He never realized just how much he relied on them. He and Suikotsu often fought side by side in battle; he and Mukotsu had similar love troubles. He didn't get along with Renkotsu as well as the others did, but it still pained him to see his brother in such a state. Bankotsu had been his very best friend since the beginning, and that's where all the comfort in another's presence came. He thought it was impossible to be an outcast in a band of outcasts... yet Jakotsu felt left out the previous night. He wondered if Bankotsu ever felt the same.

Ginkotsu hadn't left Renkotsu's side since he brought him in, leaving Suikotsu and Mukotsu with the extraordinary task of dragging Kyoutsu's body into the hut. Bankotsu had requested it during his first short awakening, after staining the sleeve of his robe with blood. Granted, he didn't vomit quite as much as Renkotsu did; his intake of poison wasn't nearly as severe, but it was still enough to last over night. The poison took a long time leave the system, though Mukotsu didn't see that as a flaw until the tables turned on them. They wouldn't be quite ready for their next mission after this. Jakotsu kept a close eye on Bankotsu, and fell asleep with his head rested on the side of the futon, just at day break.

Not soon enough did he awake to the sound of loud hurling, which came from Renkotsu's side of the room. He'd lost so much blood in such a little span of time; Mukotsu was even beginning to wonder if his antidote was kicking in, or if it was enough. Later, Mukotsu admitted that Renkotsu's chances of survival were slim, and fat tears were spilling through Bankotsu's closed eyes.

Jakotsu thwapped the stout poisons maker on the head with his fist. "You didn't have to say that," he said through clenched teeth.

"Shit, I just thought you two'd want to know." He rubbed the new sore spot on his head. "You're the one in charge, after all."

"I never said that!" Jakotsu was clearly startled and outraged by the statement, though it was technically true. With both the first and second in command down, he was the temporary leader of the Shichinin-tai, an idea that clearly did not appeal to him. It was Bankotsu who was in charge since day one, and he always had the plan; Jakotsu just went along for the ride, figuring it was something to do and someone to do it with. He willingly gave up his spot at second in command when they formed the Shichinin-tai, as soon as they found someone much more suitable for it. Renkotsu clearly was suitable, having both brawn, brains, and the potential to be a leader himself. Jakotsu wanted to avoid the responsibilities of leadership, though Bankotsu insisted that his dearest friend have a high rank. Now that the weight of the world was placed on his shoulders, due to giving in like that, he didn't know what to do, other than try to get Bankotsu back on his feet as soon as possible.

Mukotsu took a seat beside Jakotsu when he calmed down, and observed the greenish tint that was still in Bankotsu's skin. The poison hadn't worn off over night like he hoped it would, but he hadn't coughed up much blood since, and the fever had broken. All there was left was rest.

"You know... " Jakotsu started, as he ran his fingers through Bankotsu's formerly sweat-soaked bangs. "I got sick once. Bankotsu blamed himself because he had on warmer clothes than I did."

Pause.

"He's a very sensitive person." The tear streaks began to dry to Bankotsu's face. Jakotsu continued, "He was my first real friend. Everyone else was shocked by my appearance, but the first thing he noticed was how well I killed them."

Mukotsu nodded, knowing exactly how it felt when one was judged by appearance. He always felt a strong sense of empathy toward Jakotsu, and the feeling was mutual. Apparently, he'd been the only member to join per Jakotsu's request, and Bankotsu had no qualms... though Mukotsu feared that he soon would. With so many women around the previous night, he didn't pay nearly as much attention to his poisons as he should have. He rather would have Bankotsu chop his head off right now than beat himself up over this mishap. It made more sense for a leader to do such a thing, yet Bankotsu was unique.

Jakotsu was having a tough time accepting that two lives now depended on him; he was used to taking them, not saving them. But, it was only fair. First Bankotsu, then the rest of the guys were people he clung to, so he no longer felt such intense and bitter loneliness in the world. He hadn't a clue how to be a leader, but the least he could do was try. Greenish tint aside, the real color was already starting to come back in Bankotsu's cheeks, and Kyoukotsu was already on his feet. The real problem was laying a leg's length away.

"Gesh-shi, is Renkotsu going to die?" Ginkotsu asked with the most morose tone of voice Jakotsu had ever heard from him. It was almost too much to bare; the newly appointed leader just couldn't answer that. He didn't know anything about poisons.

"Not if I can help it," Mukotsu answered for him, as he sprung to his feet and headed toward the door.

"Oi, where are you going, aniki?"

He didn't respond, having left in such a sprint that Jakotsu just couldn't follow. Some leader; he couldn't think of a darn thing to do for Renkotsu, and now Mukotsu was gone. The last thing he wanted was for the second in command to die. The grief alone would probably kill Bankotsu, no matter how quickly he was recovering. He might've been on his feet with Kyoukotsu already, had he not been so stressed.

"You look like shit," Suikotsu bluntly stated around dusk.

"Uh-huh... " Jakotsu shot a wayward glance toward the ceiling, completely brushing off the other man's curt remark. Bankotsu still hadn't woken up, but Mukotsu managed to find some herbs to treat Renkotsu, which were already kicking in. His breathing was still slow, less ragged, and his face was still as pale as the unstained areas of his futon. The regurgitation of blood had completely ceased, which was a huge feat as far as Mukotsu was concerned. Even a poison he called "weak" was nearly enough to take down the two lead members of legendary Shichinin-tai.

"Mou... why do you think Mukotsu gave Bankotsu sleeping medicine, aniki?"

Suikotsu shrugged. "Beats me. He looked like he was sleeping just fine."

"You don't think... " Jakotsu jerked his head in Renkotsu's direction, afraid to say anymore since Ginkotsu was near-by.

"Actually, the poison'll wear off faster if he relaxes," said Mukotsu from behind, as he brought in more medicine for Renkotsu. "They're going to be fine, both of them."

He didn't buy that; it was blind trust that got them into this mess in the first place, and all he wanted to do was lash out at someone. He wished he could have come back to this village and still had someone to kill. It was much more peaceful than what he felt inside at the moment. He didn't think Renkotsu was going to make it, and he'd already prepared to explain how it happened to Bankotsu, in the least painful he could conjure. The situation was really beginning to take its toll on him, and he shoved his fist onto the floor while letting out a frustrated scream that could wake the dead.

"En-ough... !" Renkotsu said in a weak voice, once every conscious being in the room backed far away from the distraught man. Jakotsu looked up, staring at his comrade as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Quit... gawking at m-me.. "

"He's.. back." Jakotsu fell backwards and landed right at Bankotsu's side once he saw that pale mercenary's eyes meant business. The day was done, and the nightmare was finally over. His stomach fluttered with colorful relief, and he let out light laughter that faded with his gaze. He fell fast asleep with his face buried in Bankotsu's shoulder.

After one night of women and another night of worrying, a good night's sleep was Bankotsu's way of paying Jakotsu back, though he didn't know it quite yet.

End