Unexplored Emotions

Summary: Gen's not used to being depended on, will he be able to cope with Yoshimori's unrelenting trust and loyalty? Yoshin if you squint!

Chapter 1: The weight of friendship

Gen's POV

'That idiot!' I rush towards the ayakashi who'd seen it too. The idiot, also known as Yoshimori was hissing in pain and had apparently forgotten where he was and what he was supposed to do. Which was not being dinner to this ayakashi. I plow into the ayakashi, slightly surprised by his soft feathery yet stinking body, and he successfully plows over, skidding to a halt a secure way from the fallen idiot. I cast a brief glance at him, his eyes are wide open with fear and a bit of relief. Apparently he remembered that he was chasing a huge ayakashi at Karasumori before he decided to get his foot stuck in a rabbit hole and probably broke it with the momentum he was having at the time of the chase. I pay him no more heed since I've got a ayakashi to finish off.

The yellow feather ball on legs has climbed back onto said legs and he's glaring at me, seizing me up. I've got my claws ready to take care of him as I hear Tokine run past me to her fallen comrade. Just as well, I won't need her help to get rid of this one.

~~~Shalalalala~~~

In the end it took me a bit more effort, since the yellow critter appeared to be astoundingly agile. The place was now covered with feathers, but he was no more so I walked back to where I'd last seen my friends...
Friends? Yes my friends. After all they've done for me after the visit from Atora, I really can't deny it. I care about them, and they apparently care about me, though I can't imagine why.

I can hear the bickering before I see them. Tokine is yelling at him while Madarao is complaining against Hakubi about what an incompetent master he has. Yoshimori is trying to defend himself, but really, he should've learned by know to watch where he's going. It's such a rooky mistake I kind of pity him. As I crouch down besides them, they all quite down. "Did ya break it?" I ask. Apparently not a kind comment because he snarls a bit. "NO, I didn't break it, I just sprang my ankle. I'll just put some ice on it at home and it'll be fine."
Touchy, but apparently he doesn't realize that he was almost a goner. "You would not have been fine if I hadn't pushed that ayakashi out of the way." Tokine nods. She also thinks it's important to let the idiot know how reckless he was. It seems to work, cause his face falls a bit and he looks a bit guilty.

Rather than get into a mushy sap story I brush it away with a simple: "Can you walk?"
He nods and uses me and Tokine to get up, but he's hissing in pain and tries not to move his foot. It really looks quite swollen and painful. I'm guessing they will have to cut his beloved sneaker off of him. Well, at least he can stand. The ghost dogs do a quick sniff around the grounds and report that it's ayakashi free, so Tokine suggest we call it an early night and offers to support Yoshimori as they try to walk home.

It doesn't take long before Yoshimori stops pretending he can put ANY weight on his mangled leg and he does his best to hop alongside Tokine. But it's slow and it's taking a toll on Yoshimori who's already sweating and gasping for breath. At this rate they'll be at home when school starts and they'll be very late. I consider leaving them. Nothing much I can do anyway, but as I turn to leave I feel a pang of guilt. They also stop in their tracks to see where I'm going, they are both out of breath and we haven't even left the school grounds fully. I sigh. I guess it can't be helped.

I'm running on pure instincts as I do this, well actually my instinct is to just leave them. But I've found out I can't since the whole friendship thing, so I just go with it. I turn my back to Yoshimori and crouch down a bit. "Get on already."

I'm actually a bit surprised as I feel him grab my shoulder and lean against my back. I grab his legs and stand up straight.
Heh, that wasn't that hard. Tokine is smiling, she looks relieved. And Yoshimori's arms go around my neck as I start walking besides Tokine at a normal pace. The dogs floating above us in the sky.

It's really peaceful. I see a hint of sunlight creeping up over the tops of the houses. The only sounds are 2 sets of footsteps and some early birds.

His hair is tickling me, and Tokine giggles. Apparently she thinks this is really amusing and I frown at her. Is Yoshimori making faces at me or something? I shift his weight a bit, that ungrateful...

"Careful!" Tokine whispers. "He's sleeping."
"What?" Tokine just shrugs, she can't help it.
I tense up as we walk the rest of the way. I can't belief that idiot fell asleep on me, literal! I'm half inclined to drop him and let him hop home. But that guilt thing won't let me. I sigh from frustration, guess I'll just have to bear with it, we're almost home anyway. But still…

As we approach Tokine's house, she hesitates. "Could you? ..."
I give her a blank look. Could I what?
"Could you erm.. deliver him?" She says, with lack for a better word. "Our families really don't get along very well..."
Oh... I get it. "Sure. Bye." She give me a small wave before she and Hakubi disappear behind the gates.

I quietly enter the Sumimura's residence garden and Madarao give a loud yawn and vanishes into the stone that's inside his doghouse. As I reach the door I shift Yoshimori's weight to one side so I can release a leg and knock on the door.
It takes a bit, but finally Shuji opens the door. "Gen? OH! Yoshimori! Is he okay?"
I nod. "He's fine, but twisted his ankle and couldn't walk home."
Yoshimori's dad nods. "I see. Oh, bring him in." He steps aside and motions for me to come. I had actually hope to just drop him at the front door... But Shuji has other ideas. He actually leads me all the way to Yoshimori's room. I guess he can't help it, I'm pretty strong being half ayakashi and I guess carrying Yoshimori would be a hassle for Shuji... wait... We can just wake him up can't we?

I realize that won't be the case as Shuji holds up the blankets and motions for me to put Yoshi down. I roll my eyes a bit, but it's dark so I'm sure the nice, yet overprotective man hasn't seen it. I'm not sure how to do this, but I just shift his weight to one side and Shuji helps me lower him further.

There! That's done. … I'm astounded, he's still asleep. He slept through everything and now he's being tucked into bed and he is STILL dead to the world. He actually looks extremely comfortable and peaceful. I'm really amazed.
You know, he could've been dead today…

Shuji leads me out and thanks me for my help and as I walk home I feel puzzled.
I just really don't get Yoshimori at all.

Why does he trust me so much? At first I thought he was too stupid to understand what I am, and yeah, he's stupid. But he knows fully well what I am and capable of. And he just doesn't care, he ignores it like it's not important. The same goes for the Yukimuria girl except Yoshimori takes it too extremes. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I've got friends. I had non at the shadow organization. Some tried, like Sen did. But in the end they all knew what I was and kept their distances. I feel like there's no distance between Yoshimori and me and I'm not sure if that's a good thing…

As I finally reach home and search for my keys I can't help but feel cold. Missing the warmth on my back, those arms around my shoulders and undoubting that smug, trusting smile on his face.

~~~ Minareta machi... ~~~ Yukkuri fuki nukero kaze ~~~ endingsong etc. ~~~

The end

Or not? Ha! I can actually stop with the story here... And the title would still make sense! mhahaha!
I'm going to leave this an open story though since I had originally a huge plan for this but it's kinda nice that this could end here. No pressure! Plus I'm not very good at short stories... ^^
Hope you guys enjoyed it! The fanfic I didn't want to write because I have too much unfinished stories out there... T.T Feels good to get this off my chest though. Review please!
;) V.