Death Of Fujiwara no Takamichi
By
Chibijem
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters herein and am making no financial gain from this work of fiction.
A/N: This idea came to me suddenly as I was chatting with my Imoto-san; she thought it was worth pursuing. It is dedicated to her, as all my stories are. I hope you enjoy it.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!"
Everyone in the search party cringed upon hearing the anguished voice of Tachibana no Tomomasa, the Chi no Byakko. The Ryuujin no Miko along with her bodyguard and the man courting her, Minamoto no Yorihisa stood behind the general as he clutched the ruined wire rims to Fujiwara no Takamichi's glasses. They, along with the other Hachiyo and several Imperial guards, had been in the area of the mudslide for several days. It had been almost a week since one of the party accompanying Tomomasa and Takamichi had ridden into Fuji-hime's estate pleading for help. He had finally explained that a mudslide had taken the vice minister down the side of a cliff and Tomomasa had remained to begin the search.
Now all the others stood in the light drizzle and stared at the normally cheerful general on his knees sobbing uncontrollably. Akane was the first to move to his side. "I am so sorry Tomomasa-san." She said softly, kneeling next to the shaking man. She was taken aback when the general turned angry eyes to her.
"He is NOT dead!" He vowed. "We need to keep looking for him."
Yorihisa, knowing how grief could muddle even the most in control men's thinking, moved to Akane's side. "Tomomasa-dono, you should rest. You have been searching almost non-stop." He urged.
"Not until I find Takamichi."
Yorihisa met his companion's eyes and they moved slightly away. "We need to do something. I fear he will never find Takamichi-dono's body." He said, sadly.
"Yorihisa-san?" Akane laid her hand on his arm.
"Honto ni gomen nasai, Miko-dono. I hate to say, I think Takamichi-dono is dead." His eyes relayed his sadness because of his own words.
"He won't stop." Tenma added, looking towards the eldest of the Hachiyo as Tomomasa began digging in another area.
"Is the healer still here?" Inori asked.
"Hai, he is treating some of the men who were injured in the last slide." Yasuaki replied.
"Could you please see if he has something to make Tomomasa-dono rest, Yasuaki-dono?" The blue haired samurai requested.
An hour later, Tomomasa was sleeping, thanks to the sleeping draught they had forcefully administered and several of the Hachiyo were now sporting new bruises, "Shimatta, who would have thought Tomomasa was so strong." Tenma said, rubbing his arm.
"Grief does strange things to people," Eisen answered. "Tomomasa-dono and Takamichi-dono were very close, it is only natural his feelings run deep."
"Are we going to return to Kyou?" Shimon asked, nibbling on a snack.
"Hai, it will not be beneficial for us nor Tomomasa-dono to remain here." Yorihisa said. "We all need to start healing and we cannot do that here."
It took several hours, but the search party packed everything and were on their way back to the city; they had loaded the still slumbering Tomomasa into the back of a cart, with Akane watching over him. She ran her tiny hands over his hair to help calm him when he called out in his sleep for his companion. "We will see you through this, I promise," she said softly.
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Several days later, a heavily sedated Tomomasa attended a memorial service for the fallen Hachiyo; most of the Imperial court was present including the Emperor. Tomomasa stood silent as everyone expressed their sympathy to him. Since his return to Kyou, the general had been under the Imperial healer's care and was kept drugged to keep him calm. When he had awoken that first day, he had gone into a rage for having been taken away from the search site. It had taken Yorihisa, Tenma, Inori, Yasuaki and several of Yorihisa's men to subdue the general; afterwards the physician had ordered that the eldest Hachiyo be sedated.
"Tomomasa, I am truly sorry. Takamichi was a good man." The Emperor said to his general and close friend, laying a comforting hand on the quiet man's shoulder. When Tomomasa just nodded, Eisen's elder brother looked to Fuji-hime and the other Hachiyo who looked on sadly. "When you feel up to it, I need to speak with you." The sovereign added and moved away.
"Tomomasa-dono?" The tiny princess moved to stand before the grieving man. "We should return to my home. You should rest.' She sighed when the tall man in front of her remained unresponsive. Akane tried but with the same results.
Then Tenma stood in front of the remaining Byakko holder, "Come on, let's go home." Was all he said and as if responding to an order, Tomomasa followed the younger Seriyuu when the orange haired teen began walking from the shrine.
"Yorihisa-san, how long do you think Tomomasa-san will be like this?" Akane inquired as they all walked back to Fuji-hime's.
"There is no way to tell. I have never seen Tomomasa-dono act like he is. But he has lost the one dearest to him. His other half, his Byakko comrade. It is not something that will heal quickly and it may never heal at all."
"I wish there was something we could do to help him."
Yorihisa looked down at the young woman walking beside him, the one he had finally confessed his love to. "All any of us can do, is be there for him and wait."
After everyone had arrived back at the princess's estate, her kitchen staff set out a lavish meal. To no one's surprise, Tomomasa didn't touch any of it. In fact he rarely touched his food since Takamichi had disappeared. Fuji-hime and Akane traded distressed looks while the Hachiyo could only look on helplessly. Tenma, who had had enough and was worried to the point that his nerves were frazzled, stood and stalked to stand in front of the seated general. "You need to eat." Tomomasa just turned away. Tenma let out an angry breath and knelt, taking his teal haired friend's kimono in a strong grip, almost shaking the general. "Do you want to die? That's what will happen if you don't start eating!"
"Tenma-kun!" Akane cautioned.
"He has to stop acting like this, Akane," Tenma replied. He turned his attention back to Tomomasa. "You can't give up on life, Takamichi would not want you to."
"He is not here," Was the quiet reply, the first words Tomomasa had spoken in days.
"That is not the point." Tenma shouted.
"I do not need….." Tomomasa's head jerked when Tenma slapped him. Livid teal eyes lifted and Tomomasa's hand shot out to capture the teen's wrist in his hard grasp. "Do not ever raise your hand to me again. I will not stand for it." The room went deathly still at the general's words and manner. He dropped Tenma's arm and walked out of the room.
"Tenma-kun?"
"Hai, heki desu." He replied, rubbing his wrist.
Akane ran out to catch up to her eldest Hachiyo; she found him walking across the courtyard towards the main gate. "Tomomasa-san, matte onegaishimasu." She called out. When he stopped but did not turn around to face her, the Ryuujin no Miko halted. "Tenma is worried about you. We are all concerned." She told him as she stepped around to stand in front of him, barring his exit. "I know you are hurting."
"You cannot begin to imagine the pain I feel." His voice harsh in the quiet.
"No, I suppose not, but that doesn't mean I can't try to help you through this."
"I do not want your or anyone else's help."
"You don't mean that." Akane peered under Tomomasa's fall of thick hair. "You need to rely on your friends now."
"I am sorry to say, the only one who truly matters is gone from me."
Akane began to tremble with rage. "How dare you! You are not the only one who lost Takamichi-san. We all lost him. He may have meant more to you but he meant a lot to me too."
Tomomasa looked contrite, "I know, but you have others who know you, understand you. I have no one." With that he brushed passed her and walked down the street.
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Several days later, everyone sans Tomomasa was gathered at Fuji-hime's. "Has anyone seen or spoken to Tomomasa-san?"
"I was making a delivery to the court and passed by his office. I wanted to visit just to check on him and they told me he had not been in since Takamichi…." Inori informed the group, trailing off, not needing to go any further with his explanation.
"Nobody has seen him?" Akane rose and strode for the entry. "I'm going over to his home right now."
"Miko-dono?" Yorihisa followed her out. He caught up to her and pulled on her arm to stop her. "Akane, I am not sure if that is such good idea. He most likely wants to be alone."
"I would still feel better if someone checked on him."
"I shall send someone to check on him and have them report back." The violet eyes were concerned as well.
As everyone was sitting down for the evening meal, Yorihisa's subordinate returned with distressing news; he found the Tachibana estate in an uproar as it seemed Tomomasa had locked himself away, letting no one come near him. "That's it! I am going to see him." The Ryuujin no Miko said firmly. The look she sent to the others warned them not to try and stop her.
"We shall all go." Yorihisa added. He, too, wanted to verify the report.
Less than an hour later, the party entered the Tachibana estate and was greeted by the harried and worried staff. "Konbanwa, minna-san." The woman said.
"Where is Tomomasa-dono?" Eisen asked.
"Gomen nasai, but he is not seeing visitors." The lady bowed in apology. "You can imagine…."
"We know; we want to help him." Yasuaki replied. "Show us where he is."
They all followed the woman and came upon a shoji blocking their way. "He has been in there since Takamichi-sama's memorial."
Yorihisa stepped up and tried sliding the panel open with no success, "Tomomasa-dono?" When he received no response, he tried again. He closed his eyes and sighed in defeat. He turned to the others, "Stand back." He ordered and as soon as everyone was safely out of the way, he raised one leg and kicked the door down. "Tomomasa-dono?" He peered into the gloom to find the general sitting against the far wall.
Akane stepped around the tall samurai and moved to their heartbroken comrade. "Tomomasa-san." She knelt before him. "Won't you come out and have something to eat?" She implored him; the elderly housekeeper had informed them Tomomasa had not eaten in days.
"I am not interested," the quiet reply was tinged with misery.
"You need to eat."
"Can you not just leave me be?"
"Iie, I cannot do that. I…we…all care very much about you, for you. We all know you are hurting, we are as well. We know your pain will not vanish overnight, we just want you to know we are all here for you. Takamichi would not want you to wallow in misery the rest of your life and he would want us to assist you." Akane told him, tears falling from her emerald eyes when she saw the utter devastation on the general's handsome face. Akane left Tomomasa where he was and slipped out of the room and joined the others.
"I am going to stay for a while; why don't you all return to Fuji-hime's and let her know what is going on here."
"Miko-dono….Akane-dono….Akane-chan." Was everyone's reaction to her statement.
"I am going to try and get him to eat and rest. He cannot go on this way." It was decided that Yorihisa and Tenma would remain and the others would return to the princess's estate. Akane smiled at the servant who brought a meal for them and she asked for a serving for Tomomasa. When it arrived she carried it and her own into the dark room. "Here, please eat." She begged, laying her small hand on the eldest Hachiyo's leg. "Please? For me?" She added and then sighed when Tomomasa reached for the bowl. After they finished, she carried the tray out and asked for the Seriyuu Hachiyo to come inside. "I want you to help him bathe and then we can get him settled so he can sleep."
An hour later, the three sat outside Tomomasa's sleeping quarters enjoying the night breeze and the moonlight. "How long will this go on?" Tenma asked, leaning back on his elbows.
"As long as he needs," Akane replied. "I think he is doing everything instinctively at the moment."
"His mind has shut down. It's the only way he can deal with what has happened." Tenma finally explained.
Inside the room, the eldest Hachiyo lay, staring blankly at the ceiling, tears running down his temples to soak his hair.
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Two mornings later, they had made little progress with Tomomasa; he was eating but barely. They had managed to get him to bathe and dressed each day but he was still mostly unresponsive. "We may have to force him to start living again." Tenma said to Akane as they walked around Tomomasa's gardens; Yorihisa was currently taking a bath as a way of monitoring the general, who was also bathing.
They looked up when Eisen passed through the gate with Yasuaki following. "Aniue would like to see Tomomasa-dono if he is willing."
Just then the elder Seriyuu and Byakko possessors stepped out onto the walkway surrounding the main house. "Ohayo, Tomomasa-dono, Yorihisa-dono." The Hachiyo monk greeted the pair with a smile. He addressed the general, "Okami would like to speak with you as soon as you feel able."
"Did he say why?" Tomomasa asked, much to the surprise of everyone gathered. It was the first indication of him taking any interest in anything since Takamichi's death.
"I believe it has something to do with Takamichi-dono's estate and property."
"I….see," the teal eyes clenched shut in denial. "Do you know if he has time to see me today?"
"He will see you when you like." Eisen replied. "He is worried about you and would like to visit with you."
"I have been worrying everyone." Tomomasa sighed. He then moved down the steps and out the gate.
--
The General of the Left Imperial Guard sat in front of the Emperor. "It is good to see you Tomomasa," the young ruler said with affection. He studied his friend and did not like what he saw. The normally exuberant officer looked wan and ill.
"Arigatou for seeing me on such short notice." Tomomasa bowed where he sat.
"I am the one who wanted to see you." Eisen's brother countered. "Fujiwara no Takamichi had no family, no blood family, remaining. I am granting you all his property and land."
"Okami…."
The Mikado held up a hand to forestall the argument. "I think he would have wanted you to be gifted with it."
"Arigatou, Okami." Teal hair brushed the wooden floor as the general bowed again.
"Tomomasa? Daijoubu desu ka?"
"I am….better."
"Honto ni?" The Emperor did not believe the statement. "You are existing, Tomomasa. Takamichi would not like this."
"As I have said to the others: he is not here." With that, Tomomasa rose, bowed and excused himself.
The sovereign looked on, sadly, "That is the problem." He sighed.
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"Is Tomomasa-dono here?" Yorihisa asked one of the Fujiwara estate's servants.
"Hai, Yorihisa-sama. He has been here since Mikado presented it to him." The young woman replied.
"Arigatou," the blue haired samurai turned to his partner. "Return to Fuji-hime's and let everyone know we have found him. I shall check on him and wait for you."
"You know Akane and the others are coming back with me?"
"I would expect no less." Violet eyes smiled sadly. He watched as Tenma ran off and then followed the lady. He was soon standing at the entry to Takamichi's private rooms. "Has he eaten, slept?"
"Not very much on either account."
After asking for a light meal to be brought, he called out to his friend; receiving no reply, Yorihisa slid the shoji aside and peered into the gloom of the dark room. He saw Tomomasa lying on a futon, staring at the ceiling. "Tomomasa-dono?"
"I remember seeing his eyes as he slid away from me on the mountain side. Those warm golden eyes…." the general's voice caught. "I do not know if he was pleading for me to help or to stay away."
"He would not want this from you," the elder Seriyuu possessor informed the remaining Byakko holder.
"I am nothing without him. He completed me, made me a better man, a better person." Tomomasa confessed. "He opened the heart I thought was closed and dead within me. Now, it is dead and I am frozen inside."
"You are not. You are still the kind and warm man that came from his influence. To deny that, is to reject Takamichi-dono and all that he was." Tomomasa turned his head and Yorihisa took a breath: tears flowed freely over the general's striking features. "Honor him, Tomomasa-dono: live."
"I do not know how." The admission was so softly spoken, the samurai barely heard it.
"Then let us help you on the path."
"Yorihisa, I truly do not know if I can survive without him."
--
Akane and the others arrived and Yorihisa brought them up to date and relayed the conversation he had had with their hurting Hachiyo. The pink haired teen entered the room and sat next to the supine man. "Takamichi would be angry with you."
"Most likely." Tomomasa agreed.
"You need to move on. I know it will be hard and no one is asking you to forget him, but you cannot wallow in grief the rest of your life."
"Yorihisa told you."
"He is concerned; we all are."
"He was the most important person in my life and I could not protect him. I failed to save him. I failed…."
"I don't think he would have wanted you to die with him."
"I should have been the one to die, then." Tomomasa sighed. "He would have moved on. He was much stronger than I."
"Iie! You are just as strong; you've just lost your way." Akane argued. "Let us guide you in finding it again."
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Several villages away, an elderly couple watched over a young man as he struggled to recover from wounds received in a landslide, "Ne, who is this Tomomasa he keeps calling out for?"
"I have no idea. We can only hope he will come out of this and we can help him back to his family."
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Four months passed and Fuji-hime's household was in a state of worry once again; Akane and the tiny princess were watching over the once again healing Tomomasa. It had been a joy to everyone when the general had gone back to his duties and seemed to be letting go of his grief but now they were not so sure. Since resuming his army duties, he had gone on more than half a dozen dangerous missions, each time returning more injured than the last.
"I wonder…." Akane pondered, studying Tomomasa as he slept.
"Miko-sama?"
"We all thought he was getting better, going back to work. He seemed to be returning to some sense of normalcy but…."
"I have been thinking the same." Fuji-hime replied, as the other Hachiyo came in.
"He has been trying to join Takamichi-dono." Yasuaki added.
"You sense it too?" Tenma asked.
"With each successive assignment, the risks grow." Yorihisa said. "I spoke with some of his men and they told me he had been taking unnecessary chances. He is successful but they say he is not like he was."
"He is not risking his men, is he?" Eisen inquired.
"Iie, just himself. This last time, he went in alone when it would have been more prudent to send in several men." The tall samurai explained.
"We should speak with Mikado." Akane said.
"Do you think he would listen?" Shimon laid worried eyes on the eldest of them.
"He will, he may be the Emperor, but he is Tomomasa-dono's friend as well." Eisen assured them.
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Two weeks later, Akane strolled through the gates of the Fujiwara compound with her Seriyuu Hachiyo following. It was their turn to check on Tomomasa; since being given the property, the general had taken to staying there rather than his own home, saying it was comforting.
Following one of the servants, the trio spied their friend sitting amongst the profusion of white flowers. Akane wiped away a tear and stepped down into the garden. Yorihisa and Tenma remained on the walkway, sitting on the steps.
"Tomomasa-san." Akane said walking up behind the teal haired court official.
"He so loved these flowers. He planted them." The general said wistfully.
"Hai, he told me so." The Ryuujin no Miko replied, sitting next to her oldest protector. She noticed his thick hair was pulled back in a clip she recognized as one of Takamichi's. "Your hair looks very nice up like that."
Tomomasa reached behind him and fingered the clip holding his hair. "I feel so close to him here. It's as if I can reach out and touch him."
"His influence and spirit are very strong here." Akane agreed. "How are you feeling?" She asked when she heard Tomomasa sigh.
"You all do not have to keep checking on me everyday." Tomomasa replied quietly. "I promised I would not do anything rash." He had given his word to both the Hachiyo, Fuji-hime and the Miko as well as his solemn word to the Emperor, who had been practically livid upon learning of Tomomasa's recklessness and his desire to end his life upon the battlefield. So much so, he had relieved his general of his active duty status; instead having Tomomasa instruct and dealing with other matters not needing physicality.
"You still miss him."
"I will miss him everyday for the rest of my life."
"It has only been a short time…months….it's normal."
"This is what is normal for me now." Tomomasa closed his eyes tightly. "Why was I the one who survived? Why wasn't it me?!" He cried out. "Why can I not die now?!"
"Tomomasa-san," Akane took the general into her arms and allowed him to cry out all the grief, anger and sadness. "Perhaps, Takamichi-san is watching over you, protecting you." She whispered into a red earring clad ear.
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"Tomomasa-san," Inori greeted as he stood in the doorway to the general's office at the Imperial Palace.
"Ah, Inori." Tomomasa smiled wanly.
Inori returned the smile, not being offended at the lukewarm greeting. It was a normal greeting from the now subdued army officer. "Care to join me for a snack?" He asked, bobbing on his feet.
Tomomasa closed the volume he had been reading, stood and stretched. "That actually sounds good. I missed the midday meal; my meetings have been running long all day."
"Come on then, I promised to meet Shimon and Tenma in the marketplace. There is a new vendor everyone has been talking about." He informed the elder man as they walked down the corridors of the army building.
"What kind of vendor?"
"It's an old couple. They make the most delicious dumplings and other food and people are talking about a young man that has joined them but he doesn't cook, just reads to the children."
"Reads?" Tomomasa's curiosity was peeked. "Educated….." He mused then his thoughts turned inward and heartbreaking. "I have not listened to anyone read since Taka…." His throat closed up.
Inori stopped and laid a concerned hand on the general's arm, "Sumanai, Tomomasa."
"I'm fine, just remembering."
As the two Hachiyo entered the marketplace, Inori began searching for their comrades. When he saw them, he became worried at the looks on their faces and it wasn't just Shimon and Tenma either: everyone was there. "What's going on?"
"We saw the new vendor and the young man traveling with them." Eisen replied.
"So…."
"It's Takamichi." Tenma blurted
"What?!" The red headed smithy asked.
"You heard me."
"Tenma-kun." Akane implored her friend. "It looks like him, Inori-kun." She informed him.
"Have you all seen him?"
"Hai, he still has the Dragon Jewel on his neck." Yorihisa said, nodding at Tomomasa who had finally joined the group.
"Gomen ne, an acquaintance wanted to chat a bit," the eldest apologized. Seeing the concern on their faces he asked what the trouble was.
"The young man with the vendor is Takamichi." Yasuaki told him.
"Nani?!" Teal eyes went wide. "Have you seen him?" Tomomasa's hands clasped the onmyouji's clothing.
"Tomomasa-san, we have all seen him." Akane revealed.
"Where…..where is he?"
"Tomomasa-dono. He did not recognize us." Shimon told him.
"Not recognize….?" Tomomasa abruptly leaned against the tree they were standing under.
"Tomomasa-san!" Emerald eyes stared up into his.
"Heki desu. It's a shock, that is all." Tomomasa stood away from the tree and looked at the others. "Take me to him."
A few minutes later, Tomomasa stood across the way and watched as a green haired, bespectacled man sat reading to a group of children. The general took in every feature, every nuance of the very person who he thought dead. "It is Takamichi." He said.
"You are sure?" The bi-color eyed onmyouji asked.
"I would know him anywhere, Yasuaki-dono." Tomomasa could feel tears of joy start. He jerked when he heard his name called from that beloved and much missed voice. He saw a cat crawl into the errant vice minister's lap. The general broke away from the group and strolled over to the gathering of children. "What are you reading?"
"Ah, Tomomasa-sama. It's one of your favorites." One young girl answered. For several months prior to the landslide, the Byakko twosome had taken to spending time with the children of Kyou, reading, playing or practicing with them; in the case of Takamichi, his bow, and Tomomasa, a bokken. "You know it is him." The girl whispered up to him, this was one of the children who had touched both men's hearts.
"Hai, I know." He smiled gently, running his hand gently over the girl's hair. "Daijoubu desu ka?" He asked, staring into golden eyes he thought he would never see again.
"Hai, arigatou. You are Tomomasa-sama?"
"I am. Do I look familiar?" Tomomasa knelt to be on the same level as Takamichi so they could be eye to eye.
"I am not sure. Gomen ne, I have no memory since I had an accident several months ago."
"My friends tell me that you are traveling with a man and woman."
"That is correct." The teal eyes looked so familiar. They said farewell to the children as they seemed to understand the two men's need to speak privately. "Since awakening, I have felt the need to come to Kyou."
"There is a reason." Tomomasa rose as Takamichi did the same. "Gods, you are really here." He reached out and ran a loving finger over the vice minister's soft cheek.
"What are…you doing?" The younger man backed away.
"You really do not remember me?" Tomomasa's eyes were devastated.
"Sumimasen."
"Tomomasa-dono?" Shimon called out to the general and when Tomomasa turned, beckoned him over. The general excused himself and smiled his thanks when Eisen passed him, informing him he would stay with Takamichi. "Tomomasa-dono, this is the couple Takamichi-dono has been staying with."
"Honto ni arigatou gozaimashta." Tomomasa bowed before them which flustered the man and his wife.
"Iie, we only helped someone in need." The elderly woman replied. "You know him then?"
"Hai, he is Fujiwara no Takamichi, Vice Minister of Civil Affairs for Kyou." Tomomasa replied.
"He is also the Ten no Byakko who, along with us, serve and protect The Ryuujin no Miko and Kyou." Yorihisa added.
"He has wanted to come to Kyou since we found him," the old man said. "I am sorry we could not come before this."
"How badly was he hurt when you found him?" Yasuaki asked.
"He had many cuts and bruises. The worst of his injuries was his head. He was unaware for several days. When he awoke, he had no memory."
"And now?"
"He has been having fleeting images and some memory has returned. But nothing of a personal nature, I am afraid."
"If it's alright with you and he feels comfortable, I would like to take him with us." Tomomasa requested.
"He needs his friends and family…and as long as he is fine with your suggestion." The aged man replied.
"Domo arigatou gozaimashta," the eldest Hachiyo bowed once again.
--
Several hours later, Tomomasa stood watching Takamichi wander through the Fujiwara house. He was now glad he had kept everything as it had been before their accident. The general had explained the vice minister's condition to the household and they kept a close eye on the green haired teen as well. "Does anything strike you?" Tomomasa asked. He could feel his body calming and the warmth returning.
"In a way; you tell me this is all mine. That I am a Vice Minister and a Hachiyo? It feels like everything is just out of my grasp and when I try to grab for it, it pulls away."
"Give it time. Sensei said it would come back to you." After departing the marketplace, they had made a trip to the Imperial healers where Takamichi was examined.
Gold eyes held another apology within their warm depths. "You are my partner?"
"I am."
"But we are closer than partners? I can feel there is something between us."
"There is, you are correct." Tomomasa moved to stand in front of his partner. "There is no need to worry. I am not going to rush you." He reached up to finger the silky green hair.
Tomomasa could not take his eyes off Takamichi as they ate the simple evening meal; Tomomasa had begged off Fuji-hime's invitation saying Takamichi might feel more comfortable with less people for the first few days. The princess had agreed and they made plans to get together in a few days.
"Is there something on my face?"
"Iie, it is beyond my wildest dreams that you are here, with me, again."
"We are that close then?"
"Hai," Tomomasa replied softly, playing with his chopsticks.
"Will you help me regain my memory, then?"
"I would be very happy to." The two men smiled at each other in the lamplight.
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For the next two days, Tomomasa instructed Takamichi on his life, duties and everything else. "I do all that?" The green haired young man asked, incredulous.
"You do. You have been Vice Minister of Civil Affairs for quite a while and have been talked about for longer for your intelligence and kindness."
"And as Hachiyo?"
"That gets interesting. Akane-dono came to Kyou under rather unbelievable circumstances. She was chosen as the Ryuujin no Miko and has brought peace to Kyou. Tenma and Shimon came with her."
"Came from where?" Takamichi asked as the two strolled through his gardens.
"From the heavens; Akane-dono told us she heard her name being called from an ancient well and was pulled into it along with the other two. It brought them here, to us."
"I see, I think."
Tomomasa laughed gently, "We were all skeptical at first too." They stopped and sat on one of the benches scattered throughout the area. "Accept it for now."
"I believe you. I remember reading stories about fantastic happenings. These past days have been interesting, so much to take in."
"Have you remembered anything?"
"I….I see snatches of my life. I think I saw my mother and I walking in these gardens, she was asking what I wanted to do when I grew up….then I can remember feeling so lost when she passed on."
"Anything else?"
"I can remember things I did with you….drinking sake one evening….I remember you chiding me because I was pushing myself after being hurt."
"We always take care of one another."
"Is that true for all the others as well?"
"To some extent, I would think. For the two of us, it's something different." Tomomasa evaded, not wanting to push Takamichi into remembering or making his young friend uneasy.
"Tomomasa-dono?" Gold eyes looked to him, concern within their depths.
"You will understand in time."
--
It was during dinner when Tomomasa noticed Takamichi squinting even though he was wearing a pair of glasses. "Are your eyes alright?"
"My vision seems to be a bit blurry." Takamichi replied, removing the spectacles and cleaning them.
"When did it start?"
"When I first awoke many months ago."
Tomomasa sighed in relief; he was terrified at the thought that this condition was a new development. He rose and went to a cabinet. "Here, these should help." He knelt behind his green haired companion and fastened the glasses to his hair clip then reached over Takamichi's head to settle the spectacles on the vice minister's straight nose "Better?"
"Much." The younger man replied; for an instant an image of the teal eyed man sitting behind him flashed through his mind doing exactly the same thing, though the two of them were younger in the memory. Tomomasa's actions also brought a feeling of closeness that had very little to do with a platonic friendship; I will have to delve into that later, the vice minister thought. "I am thankful for what the people who took me in did for me, but it is wonderful to be able to see clearly."
"Why didn't you say something before this?" Tomomasa settled once again, across the table from his companion.
"I did not want to trouble you. You all have done so much for me….." The treasured face turned down to stare into his lap.
"You will remember I would do anything for you." Tomomasa reached across and took Takamichi's chin in his strong fingers and lifted the face more precious than his own to his teal gaze.
"Tomomasa-dono?"
"In time," the general assured him. "Okami would like to see you when you feel up to it." Tomomasa changed the subject.
"Is that normal?"
"Hai, as a Hachiyo not to mention his Vice Minister; he likes to maintain contact with everyone."
"Would you accompany me?"
"Try and stop me." Tomomasa grinned.
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Three days later, Tomomasa along with several of the other Hachiyo accompanied Takamichi to the Imperial Palace. Tomomasa had been reassuring the vice minister all morning that this meeting was nothing unusual and there was nothing to fear from the Emperor. "I am his servant but more than that we are friends. You have nothing to worry about."
"Tomomasa-dono is quite correct, Takamichi-dono." Eisen added. "Okami is a very reasonable person besides being my aniue."
Gold eyes went wide at this piece of information, "How then are you a monk?"
"I did not want to cause more strife for my family and at the time, it was the best choice." Eisen explained.
"At the time?"
"Hai, but things and people have changed and I have as well."
The court secretary interrupted and asked them all to follow him; the audience was brief but a happy one. "You are looking well, Takamichi." The Emperor commented.
"Arigatou, Okami." He bowed from his seat.
"How are you really? They tell me you have little memory."
"I am better, Okami. My memory is returning little by little."
"I am pleased to hear this. I look forward to your return to the Archives and your duties as Vice Minister."
"I will try and expedite my recovery."
"No rush, when you feel you are ready." The Emperor turned to Tomomasa, "You look much better, Tomomasa."
"Hai," Tomomasa replied.
"Takamichi is the reason, I am sure," the young ruler said kindly. At the look in the vice minister's golden eyes, Eisen's brother related how Tomomasa was affected by the loss of his companion.
Takamichi looked to the man sitting beside him, "Honto desu ka?" Tomomasa's head leaned forward to verify the emperor's words. "Why?"
"Without you, I am nothing," the general answered softly, turning teal eyes to meet concerned gold ones.
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A few days later, Takamichi was strolling through the Imperial Palace grounds on his own. Tomomasa had a full schedule for the day and the vice minister had the day to himself for the first time since returning to Kyou. He had spent the morning with the Ryuujin no Miko and the other Hachiyo; he liked the camaraderie between them and was beginning to feel as if he fit in. He approached the training grounds and could hear Tomomasa call out instructions and make comments on the students progress. He stopped under the shade of a tree, breath caught in his throat: Tomomasa had pulled off one side of his kimono, baring one side of his chest as he took up a bow. The green haired teen watched as the general knocked the arrow, letting it loose and hitting the center of the target.
"You see, it's easy but you must concentrate." Tomomasa instructed the new army recruits. Feeling as if someone was watching, he looked about and finally rested upon Takamichi in the shade. "That will be all for today." He dismissed his students and strode to his friend. "Have a good day?" He asked as he knelt.
"I have. I spent the morning with Miko-dono and the others. Then before I came here, I visited the Archives."
"Feel familiar?" The general asked as he laid back in the grass, not bothering to redress.
"Some; I don't recall some of the men there but the tasks came very easily." Takamichi looked down at his companion, watching as the perspiration made wet tracks across the muscular chest. "It is taking too long for my memories to come back." He said despondently.
"Give yourself time. Sensei said it would come back eventually." Teal eyes gazed up.
"How can you stand this?" At the question in Tomomasa's eyes, Takamichi went on. "You have memories of me, of us together. How can you stand this….this emptiness?!"
Tomomasa raised one strong arm and wrapping it around the upset teenager's neck, pulled him down so Takamichi could rest his head against his chest. "I can take anything as long as you are near. If you never get your memories back, you are still here, at my side. We can make new memories." Tomomasa ran his fingers through the long, silky green hair. "You still worry too much."
"You always made me worry whenever you left on whatever mission Okami sent you on." Takamichi said, not thinking about what he was blurting out.
"Takamichi?" Tomomasa sat up, forcing his partner to do the same. "You remember something?"
"It is not cohesive, more like a feeling." Takamichi replied as he rubbed his brow as if it would help force the memories out.
"See it is coming." The general laid a hand on the vice minister's shoulder.
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Several nights later, Tomomasa sat going over reports and making notations for meetings the following day. He was sitting in his own home watching his young companion thumbing through the vast volumes in his library office, the cat Takamichi had acquired following his master.
"Feel free to take one or all of them," Tomomasa's smooth voice said softly.
"You have quite a collection." Takamichi replied, slipping one book from the shelf. He carried it over and sat across from the general. "Are you sure I may borrow some of them?"
"Of course, you needn't ask." He replied, smiling when Takamichi's cat came over and curled into his lap. "I would never have thought you would take in an animal, let alone a cat." He said, his long fingers rubbing the cat behind the ears. "I have never seen an animal with this eye color, very unusual, this blue green."
"I think it was the other way around. He sort of adopted me." The vice minister answered absently, thumbing through a book. He looked up to see both Tomomasas eye to eye with each other, man to cat. "Now that I think about it, he reminds me of you and not because you share the color of your eyes."
Tomomasa lifted his teal eyes from the cat's and gazed at his friend, "How so?" The general was curious to know what his companion thought of him.
"You are both very cautious, you tend to think things through very carefully. But once you have a course of action, you do not hesitate. Tomo is also very wary as you are but you try and hide it and he has many secrets just as you do." Takamichi studied his two friends.
Tomomasa chuckled softly and smiled gently, "Even with most of your memories gone, you still know me so well." He ran a strong hand along the cat's back, both of them enjoying the contact.
The two men sat in silence, each reading and enjoying the presence of the other. Takamichi's memories were returning quickly and when he asked to see Tomomasa's residence, the elder Hachiyo sent word to his staff to have the house aired out and prepared for the two of them. Tomomasa looked to his partner and just watched him for a bit; he took such immense pleasure in just seeing Takamichi reading quietly, stroking the animal occupying his lap absentmindedly. The general pulled himself away and back to his reports; he needed to familiarize himself with their contents for his meetings the following day. After a time his back and shoulders began to ache and he raised a hand to rub at the muscles that were protesting. He jerked when he felt Takamichi's slim fingers take over the massaging. "Takamichi?"
"You are hurting. I can at least help you relax." He kneaded the strong back and broad shoulders, smiling when Tomomasa let out a moan of bliss as his body began to give under the vice minister's ministrations. "Is it too much?" He asked, leaning down to whisper the question in Tomomasa's ear.
"Iie," the teal eyes closed in pleasure. "Just prefect."
Takamichi kept up with his strokes and manipulation as his companion melted under his touch. He could feel Tomomasa surrendering to him and falling more and more under his spell. The green haired Hachiyo leaned over and whispered for him to rest. When his partner laid more heavily against him, he moved his touch to the general's chest, rubbing the muscles there, feeling the ribcage moving up and down with each deep breath Tomomasa took as he let sleep wash over him. "That is right, rest now. I will watch over you." Takamichi pressed his lips to teal hair. "Everything will be alright, I promise."
"Honto?" Was the sleepy question.
"Hai, sleep now." Takamichi reassured the now slumbering man.
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Just over a week later, Tomomasa strode angrily into his office, throwing his papers on his desk. He did not even see Takamichi standing in front of a bookcase. "Bakas, the whole lot of them. I should just quit and let them find out just how wrong they are!"
"Bad meeting? Was Minister Okuda being a nuisance again. You have always hated dealing with him."
Tomomasa whirled, teal hair flying about his head. "Takamichi?!"
"Hai, my memories have returned." He smiled and walked to stand before his companion. "I am sorry for causing you so much anguish, Tomomasa."
Tomomasa raised one hand and cupped the vice minister's cheek, "When?"
"I was going through the desk in my office and found one of your books, it had a flower pressed into it and your notations in the margins. I remember the two if us sitting underneath the shade of the sakura blossoms and reading together. It was the first time you said you loved me."
"I still do. I never stopped." Tomomasa leaned down so their foreheads were against the other's. "Our love is eternal."
"Hai, it is." Takamichi agreed with golden eyes shining. He pulled back and took the general's hand in his own. "Can you leave for the day?"
"Takamichi? I am shocked: you are actually suggesting we should leave early with our duties not complete." Tomomasa teased.
"I have missed that." The vice minister said happily. "Your teasing nature. It always reminds me to live each day fully." He explained. "So can you leave? I think you have had enough of the courtiers today."
"I believe you are right." Tomomasa cleaned off his desk, making piles of paper and rearranging things. "We can leave; I will have a word with my aide as we go."
Takamichi gestured for Tomomasa to precede him out. "I thought we could spend some time together reading and relaxing."
"Just reading and relaxing?" The general's words hinting at something more.
"There are all types of relaxing. I am quite sure we can come up with something," the young bespectacled teen replied, pushing said glasses back up his nose as he moved around Tomomasa, who had stopped.
The general smiled wickedly, "I am sure," he agreed as he swiftly caught up with his companion and partner.
FIN
A/N: Like my other stories, this is dedicated to my Imoto-san, for all the help and advice….You are simply the best!