Ice
By
Chibijem
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters herein and am making no financial gain from this work or fiction.
Completed Sept 2007
Fujiwara no Takamichi was pacing the length of the walkway surrounding his main house, watching huge snowflakes falling. A worried crease covered his forehead; it had begun snowing the previous night and was still coming down. His Byakko partner, Tachibana no Tomomasa, had gone on a scouting mission for the emperor when the regular scout had taken ill and the other scouts had been assigned elsewhere. The eldest of the Hachiyo was now overdue in his return.
The young vice minister slipped back inside, blowing into his cupped hands to warm them. He nodded his thanks when his housekeeper set a steaming tea service before him. He was distractedly reading when he heard a horse whinny and smiled in relief. Tomomasa's finally back, he thought, rising, walking to the shoji and sliding it open. His comfort was short lived when he saw the general's horse was rider-less. He raced down the steps, not bothering with shoes, and quickly examined the animal. Once he was satisfied the animal was unhurt he had it taken to his stable, went into his office and quickly wrote a short message for Fuji-hime's household, knowing the information he was scripting would get to the other Hachiyo.
Short minutes later, he was mounting his own horse which was packed with warm clothing, a medical kit and other necessities. The snow finally stopped as he followed the nearly filled in tracks from Tomomasa's horse. Almost two hours later, he came upon a piece from Tomomasa's heavy cloak; Takamichi reached for the fabric and tugged it from the tree branch. What he found made his blood run colder than it already was: on the cream colored piece were droplets of blood.
The gold eyes scanned the area hoping for any indication of where his friend might be. "Tomomasa!" He called out, his voice echoing in the forest. "Tachibana no Tomomasa!" He repeated, hoping for an answer. When he heard none, he coaxed his horse back down the path, keeping a sharp eye out for anything that would lead to his partner. He stopped when he thought he heard some rustling in the snowy undergrowth. He climbed down and moved to the edge of a slight drop off and inhaled sharply. Down below, barely visible under the snow, was a shock of teal colored hair. Takamichi swiftly tied his horse up and carefully made his way down the embankment. He scooped and brushed the snow away from Tomomasa and after quickly but carefully checking him, turned him over. As he did, the general let out a pained groan. "Tomomasa?" Takamichi took his companion's hand in his own when Tomomasa lifted it to touch his head where it was still bleeding slightly.
"Ta….Taka….."
"I am here. Can you sit up?" Takamichi knelt next to the injured man and rested a hand against the wide back when Tomomasa managed to sit up and caught him when the general nearly toppled over. "Daijoubu desu ka?"
"I…..I am not sure…..my head." He attempted to reach up but the vice minister stopped him.
"You are bleeding a bit," he, himself, gently touched the wound, feeling a lump under the thick hair. "We need to find some shelter and get you warm." He added noticing the faint blue color to Tomomasa's lips and other exposed skin.
"I think there was a shack or house back that way," Tomomasa indicated the direction with a tilt of his head. "I should not have done that," he moaned when a sharp pain cascaded through his skull.
Takamichi looked on as his partner took on a green shade, "Can you stand?" When the general moved to rise in way of answering, the vice minister cupped his elbow in support. "Do you want me to go ahead of you? I can pull you up." It took several long, cautious minutes, but the twosome finally reached the top, where Tomomasa collapsed on the ground, hugging himself and breathing hard. "I hate to force you to keep going, but the sun will be setting soon and we need to find that building you spoke of."
Tomomasa nodded and sat back up again, groaning in pain as he did so. "I know." He stood with the vice minister's aid and the pair was soon trudging through the snow. He stumbled but Takamichi caught him before he fell into the snow. He smiled up at his companion ruefully.
Takamichi studied his Byakko partner with a keen eye; he knew Tomomasa was hurting and his wounds were probably greater than just the head injury. When they at last cleared the tree line, a small house was sitting across the narrow field. "Just a little farther," he encouraged.
"I can make it." Tomomasa got out in between heavy breaths.
It took them longer than Takamichi would have liked. He noticed his companion's strength waning and fervently hoped Tomomasa could make it. When they stood before the edifice, Takamichi did a cursory look and saw no one in the house but he knocked anyway out of politeness and habit. He slid the shoji open and helped Tomomasa in and settled him on a zabuton than had been left. "I wonder who this place belongs to?" He mused when he returned from taking care of his horse, bringing his supplies and some firewood in and finally getting a blaze going in the hearth.
Tomomasa looked up at his friend as Takamichi was organizing things. "I am sure you can find out in the archives."
"You are right of course," The golden eyes surveyed their surroundings and found it to be comfortable. There was furniture and some pots, bowls and the like for them to use. He set about getting some water started heating and got out his medical box. He turned to the injured general. "How bad are you injuries, really?" He wanted to prepare himself for what he was about to discover.
"You are too astute," Tomomasa smiled which turned into a grimace as he shifted his body. "Can you help me out of this hanten?"
Takamichi quickly knelt and with gentle hands, undressed his friend. He grew more and more concerned as the fabric became more heavily bloodstained as he went through the layers. What he saw when Tomomasa's torso was bare made him gasp. The army officer's midsection was slashed and badly bruised. "What happened?" He asked as he took a clean cloth and carefully laid it against the wounds.
"I was going back to my horse after completing the survey when I met a bear. Not cute little cubs, mind you, but an adult."
"Aren't they supposed to sleep during the winter?"
"Hai, there must have been something wrong or the animal was disturbed by something. He or she didn't like that I was in their territory and wanted to let me know it." Tomomasa replied, indicating the deep grazes on his body. "I managed to get away and then my horse was spooked and I was thrown. I must have gotten the bruises then."
"I should have gone with you." Gold eyes were sad and distressed.
"And done what? Gotten mauled by the bear instead of me?" Tomomasa sounded angry. "I like you just the way you are. Hardly any scars, normally uninjured." He said matter of factly as he ran a hand over his blood caked side.
Takamichi said nothing but rose to retrieve the hot water and more clean cloths. He knelt next to Tomomasa and soaked one cloth in the steaming liquid then after wringing it out, placed it on the lacerations covering the general's side. When he dropped the cloth into the water, it became tinged red with blood. He shut his eyes in an attempt to block it all out. He started when he felt a tender hand cup his cheek. "I….."
"I will be fine. You worry too much." Tomomasa's smooth voice calmed his friend. He covered the vice minister's hand with his own when Takamichi replaced the cloth against his side, grimacing slightly. The general nodded at the concerned stare. "It's alright; keep going. I know you need to clean it out."
Takamichi's golden eyes looked up into gentle but pained teal ones. "I hate hurting you more than you already are." He replied as he carefully and compassionately cleansed the wounds. When he finished, Takamichi applied a poultice, then wrapped Tomomasa's broad, muscular torso. He then examined the injury on the general's head and treated it as well. He sat back and looked at his companion, "How are you feeling? Warm enough?"
"I'm better but still a bit cold."
Takamichi put more wood on the fire and found a coverlet in a cabinet and covered Tomomasa with it. With quick movements, the vice minister had a meal going over the fire and was making tea to warm the both of them. When he handed the cup of steaming liquid to Tomomasa, he noticed the general was squinting, "Why are you squinting? It's not too dark in here is it?"
"My vision is a bit blurry." The teal eyes looked up at his young partner.
Takamichi set the cup down and reached for the lamp he had lit; he raised it so he could look into Tomomasa's eyes. He saw they were a bit unfocused. "Are you feeling nauseous, dizzy?"
"Iie, my head just hurts." The general fingered the bandage there.
"I will need to watch you closely." Takamichi mused. "For now, drink this; it should help with the pain. The soup should be ready soon."
Tomomasa watched his companion as Takamichi moved about getting everything set for the night. "How did you know where to look for me? I thought the snow would have destroyed my horse's tracks."
"They almost were. It was luck when I saw that piece of your cloak, though it did give me a scare when I saw the blood on it." Takamichi replied from where he was stirring their dinner. "Were you able to conclude your survey? You said you had….."
"It is done, I just need to write up my report when we return." He let a small sound of pain through his lips. "Gods, I hurt." He admitted. "This assignment has been nothing but problems." When Takamichi sent a quizzical look his way, Tomomasa explained that it had been needed for months but each time someone had been given the duty, something happened to that person. One man had even begun it, but had returned to Kyou the following day, hurt.
"Well at least it has been completed." Takamichi smiled as he ladled out the soup, carried the bowl to Tomomasa and settled in front of the older man. "You will heal." He smiled as he dipped a deep spoon into the hot meal and held the bite out to the teal haired Hachiyo, when he sat up.
"I can feed myself." Tomomasa eyed the bite and then his friend.
"Indulge me."
"Takamichi….."
"Think of it as payment for making me worry about you….again." Gold eyes looked intently into teal ones.
Tomomasa sighed deeply and opened his mouth to accept the food. He nodded his thanks, "It's very good."
"I am glad you like it."
The two shared the bowl and then another; Tomomasa finally waved off another spoonful and laid back against the bedding. After dealing with the cleaning, Takamichi knelt next to the army officer and lifted the covers to check on the bandages covering the general's side. Satisfied when there was no blood, he covered Tomomasa. He moved to the fire pit and added more wood so the flames would keep the space warm during the night. He then settled next to his partner with a book.
"Takamichi?" Tomomasa's silky voice called out quietly.
"What is it? Pain?" Takamichi set the book aside.
"Arigatou for coming for me, for taking care of me."
"We are partners, companions. I had no choice."
"Duty?"
"Iie, I had to find my heart." Takamichi laid his hand along Tomomasa's cheek. "Try and sleep. I will be waking you every so often to make sure you are alright."
"What about you? You need to rest as well." Tomomasa argued.
"I shall, later. Once we return to Kyou and I make sure you see a physician."
"A healer?!" The strong general had instantly turned into a whining, terrified child.
"Hai, a healer. You are the strongest man I know and yet you fear seeing an old man who only wants to help you." Takamichi's green hair flowed about his head as he shook he head.
"I am sure I will be fine by the time we arrive in Kyou." Tomomasa squabbled.
"Nonetheless, you will visit the doctor. Even if I have to tie you up and drag you."
"Demo….."
"No more arguments," he inwardly smiled; if Tomomasa was fighting against the impending appointment with the elderly physician, he would be fine. "Try and sleep." He repeated. He watched as Tomomasa slid into slumber and when he was certain the general was resting, he began running his slender fingers through the thick, wavy, teal locks, hoping to calm and reassure his friend and himself. He picked up his reading to pass the night and wait for the sun to melt the ice.
FIN