So Close, So Far Collection II: Almost Touching
Vignette Number One: "Flyswatter"
Disclaimer: Pfft! Do I look like Mr. Takei to you? I don't own Shaman King. I do not, never have been, and never will plan to make any money off of this fanfic.
Author's Note: This takes place in the mangaverse just after Jun has sewed Pyron back together. I know I exaggerated her wounds, but it's for the sake of description.
As a martial artist I was used to having, inflicting, and healing brutal physical wounds. Dealing with them never made me squeamish. In fact, they became as much of a part of my routine as brushing my teeth. Yet...when I woke up in the Tao family dungeon and saw the wounds on Tao Jun's body I felt more nauseous than I ever had in my whole existence. That wouldn't be so abnormal except for the fact that I hadn't eaten in almost two decades.
Dried blood stained the back of her shredded qi-pao dress and bruises the size of Australia were on her knees. Her left eye, once a piercing and fearless sapphire, was now black and swollen shut. Multiple cuts and whip marks adorned her body making her look like some sort of macabre candy cane. Yes, the sight was more than enough to make any man nauseous.
"At last...you're patched up,"she said in an exhausted voice.
"Oh my God," I croaked.
"I bet I do look a fright," she joked.
"What happened? How did we get here? Did your father do this to you?" I anxiously asked.
She weakly nodded and explained that I'd been torn apart and my limbs were dumped in this dungeon along with her and her brother.
Look at you...Look at you...Look at you! You're half dead and yet you still sewed me back together! Why did yo-why couldn't I-Oh God, you're wincing! Please, please, please don't wince! It makes me want to cry when you do that! I thought.
Tao Jun was once my enemy, a lady Castro who controlled my every move and treated me like a toy. There was a time when I wanted nothing more than to snap her in half. Back then, if someone told me I'd be her friend in a little over a year I would have said that was bull, and it was bull. I didn't want to be her friend now. I wanted to be more.
"Tao Jun, I swear that from this moment on I will not let anything so much as a gnat ever hurt you again," I said fiercly.
She widened her good eye and stood up straight as if magically healed by my words.
"A gnat, hmm?" she inquired with a smile. I nodded.
"Thank you, my Pyron. I don't think I've ever had a flyswatter as wonderful as you,"she said.
My heart soared. I almost couldn't believe she trusted me that much.
Yes...I promise to be a faithful flyswatter for the woman I love, I mentally added as we walked down the corridor.
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