Hiding

By

Chibijem

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters herein, with the exception of Kurogoma, and am making no financial gain from this work of fiction.

Fujiwara no Takamichi was strolling to the gate to the Imperial Palace ready to leave for the day when he heard a curious bit of information from some army officers; it seemed as if his friend and partner, Tachibana no Tomomasa, had been injured during maneuvers with the newest of the army recruits. The vice minister hastened his footsteps as he decided to visit the general on his own way home. Less than half an hour later he was escorted by one of Tomomasas servants to the private quarters of the eldest Hachiyo; he could hear the cursing coming from within the room and smiled to himself. If there was one thing his dearest friend hated more than anything it was being hurt or sick and having a healer treat him. He knew he would find the teal haired officer attempting to treat himself. He thanked the woman, slid the door open and saw a half dressed Tomomasa wiping away the blood covering his torso. "You should have seen a healer before coming home," he said entering the room and taking another cloth.

"Takamichi," Tomomasa turned his head to look over one broad shoulder to see his partner. "I think I can manage."

"I can see how you have managed." The green haired teen replied, taking in the piles of bloody cloth, ointments and bandages. "Let me help." He finally stated, placing the cloth he held to the oozing gash. "How did this happen?"

Tomomasa gave a slight jerk when his companion wiped away the blood and dirt from the wound. "I was supervising the training of the newest recruits with Kurogoma. The grass was a bit wet from the rain this morning and he lost his footing during our demonstration." The general explained.

"I am sure he feels badly about hurting you," Takamichi replied, taking another cloth, soaking it in the bowl of steaming water, wringing it out and placing it on the wound. He knew that Kurogoma would lay his life down for Tomomasa; the older samurai had been in Imperial service for longer than Tomomasa had been alive and had turned down an officers commission, saying an officers life was not suitable for him.

"He is; I had to stop him from picking me up and carrying me to the physicians office." Tomomasa let out a slight chuckle.

"That would have been a sight to see," Takamichi agreed, picturing it in his minds eye. He removed the cloth and took a breath at the sight of the wound. It was a long gash that had a jagged edge on one end; it made the vice minister ill just to look at it. He always hated the sight of Tomomasas blood whenever the general managed to get injured. "Have you been bleeding all day?" He asked his partner.

"It stopped but when I began cleaning it, it started again." Tomomasa replied, wincing when Takamichi wiped the wound.

The vice minister was relieved to discover the cut was not very deep despite its length and it was clean of any dirt. He reached for the ointment, added some to a pad of cloth and laid it against the generals torso. "Hold that." He ordered as he took a bandage and commenced swathing Tomomasas middle. "Too tight?" Takamichi asked and when the teal covered head shook, he continued. After tying the bandage, he leaned down and pressed his lips to it.

"Ah, you take such good care of me," Tomomasa laid one large hand on Takamichis head.

Takamichi moved so he faced his friend, "Did you think you could hide that injury from me?" He asked, golden eyes peering out. "I would have found out soon enough."

"I had not had the chance to inform you." Tomomasa hedged. Why is it when he looks at me like that, I feel like a small boy being chastised by my okasan? the general thought, trying not to squirm underneath Takamichis gaze. "I would have told you...."

"In your own fashion, I am sure." Takamichi interrupted. "You usually let me find out on my own but never through your words."

"I can remember a time when that held true for you." Tomomasa replied.

Tachibana no Tomomasa, the newly appointed General of the Left Imperial Guard, entered the gates to the Fujiwara estate. He had come out of concern; Takamichi had never shown for their planned dinner, something that had never happened. He followed the servant to the vice ministers private quarters where he thanked the woman and knocked softly on the shoji, "Takamichi?"

Inside the room, the young vice minister froze at the sound of his friends voice. "One moment, Tomomasa-dono." He called out as he ran the cloth one more time across the wound on his shoulder. He had been walking through the marketplace on his way to meet the general for the evening meal, when a group of young men had accosted him. He winced when he placed a clean cloth over the still bleeding wound and pulled his kimono over the top. He moved to the door and slid it open. He met concerned teal eyes with a calm manner. "Gomen nasai for not keeping our dinner engagement, Tomomasa-dono."

Tomomasa studied the young vice minister with a keen eye and didnt like what he saw. "What happened? You are injured." He said plainly.

Takamichis eyes went wide and he took a step back, "I do not know of what you speak."

"Hai, you do. Do not lie to me, Takamichi." Teal eyes went hard. He moved closer and looked over the green haired teen. "My guess would be your shoulder." He stated as he reached for the area he indicated and watched as Takamichi pulled his shoulder away. "I am right, am I not?" Gold eyes closed with a nod."What happened?" Tomomasa repeated.

Takamichi turned away and re-entered his rooms, Tomomasa following. "I was walking through the markets on my way to meet you, when some young men started following me and before I knew it, they had surrounded me....."

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" Tomomasas voice steely. He made a promise to himself that he would track down Takamichi's antagonists and have a little talk with them about attacking a court official not to mention one of his friends.

"Iie, just the shoulder and my pride. It seems I need more practice with a tanto." He replied ruefully. "I made a poor student for you," he finished as he sat once again and undid his clothing, baring the injured shoulder.

"You made it out of the battle alive. That is all that matters." Tomomasa answered as he took another cloth, dipped it into the warm water and placed it against Takamichi's bloody shoulder. "How many men were there?" He asked as he cleaned away the blood and treated the wound.

"I think there were seven....I am not sure about the number. Again, I am lacking." Takamichi sounded defeated and dejected.

Tomomasa moved so he could kneel before his sad friend. "You did not fail, Takamichi." He told the teen, laying his hands on the young mans knees. "You survived and that is the first rule of battle." He finished applying some medicine and wrapped the wound. "I suppose you have not eaten?" He asked, sitting on his heels.

"Iie, I came home and was attempting to treat my shoulder when you arrived. I had been planning on joining you...." Takamichi replied, laying a hand on the bandage.

"Would you like me to go out and bring back something?"

"I think my cook is preparing something, I can have her make you something; she loves to cook for you anyways."

"Are you sure its no trouble?"

"Baka, you are never any trouble and you know it." Takamichi smiled and left the room briefly. When he returned he informed the general their meal would be ready soon. "I am truly sorry for not making dinner this evening." He sat again, across from Tomomasa.

"Nonsense, we are about to have dinner and it will be much better than what we would have gotten in the marketplace." He replied as the cook entered followed by another servant.

"You always flatter, Tomomasa-sama," the elderly cook said, returning the teal haired generals smile.

While they ate, Tomomasa observed the stiff movements of the vice minister; he knew the wound was hurting and using the arm was aggravating the injury. "Would you like some help?"

"I am fine. If I do not use it, the shoulder will be very stiff in the morning."

"Why did you try and hide your injury from me?" Teal eyes were filled with worry.

"I did not want you to think me weak.a failure. You taught me about defense and when I needed to do so, I was not successful."

"Enough! I already told you, you survived and that is the number one priority. Not everyone is suited to the battlefield Takamichi, just as not everyone is suited to desk work. You must go with your strengths; there is nothing wrong in doing so." Tomomasa reached across the table and laid his hand over Takamichi's. "Promise me next time you are hurt, you will tell me, ne?"

Gold eyes met teal, "Hai."

Takamichi looked into Tomomasas smiling eyes, "That is unfair of you; to remind me of that." He rebuked his partner. "Those were different circumstances."

"They may have been, but the need to tell me was much more important then." Tomomasas smooth voice answered. "You were attacked whereas I was injured during a demonstration. In your case, a crime had been committed."

Takamichi let those words sink in and his eyes went wide at the implication. "What did you do?!"

"I merely let those hooligans know whom they were dealing with and that it was a crime to accost a member of a governmental body and the Imperial Court."

"Whom they were dealing with?! Tomomasa...." The vice minister let out a huge sigh. He knew his companion was particularly protective when it came to him, but had not realized it had started such a long time ago. "I hope you did not get into trouble."

"Me? Trouble? Never." The general laughed and then winced when his injured side protested.

"Careful." The bespectacled Hachiyo warned.

"Hai, hai," the elder Byakko holder waved him off. "I just reminded them of the consequences of their actions."

"I am sure you did." Takamichi looked over the tops of his glasses to stare at his friend. "I never had any more trouble from that group and now I know why."

"I protect what is mine." Was all Tomomasa said.

"You made me promise you that day, I would tell you whenever I was hurt. I am asking the same of you now. No more hiding." Takamichi declared.

Tomomasa sighed, "No more hiding." He gave into Takamichis demands.

FIN