Disclaimer : in first chapter.
Still a YAOI .
Chapter 4: Rise and Shine
Bright morning light poured in through the drawn curtains giving color to the normally dull and blank hospital room. Ban's brain was slowly coming to conscious as it signaled his eyes to crack open, painfully taking in the destructive sun rays. His body felt terrible and memory was listless. As he struggled to sit up to the unfamiliar room and bed he unexpectedly noticed a blond head faced down besides his thigh. The brunette immediately noticed the sleeping fellow without fail and for a second was caught off guard.
"Ginji?" He called out tenderly, very eager to know what brought about their current situation. Ginji's eyes still held faint dark circles despite sleeping while sitting on the stool. Well, it wasn't much of a comfortable position was it now? Even so Ginji's eyes snapped open and his head shot up. After removing the cloud of slumber from his head the blond's expression was that of amazement before it distorted to horror which caused him to jump up and attach to the distant corner of the room.
Ban blinked at the reaction. "Uh…Ginji? Hey, wait a minute! What's up with that reaction?! I'm not gonna bite!" The brunette then scolded wisely offended. The other teen abruptly burst into happy tears after confirming that the old Ban was back and ran to him in a heartbeat, tackling him on top of the bed.
"Ban-chan! You're back!" The Lightning emperor exclaimed in raptures of emotions.
"Er-whoa, easy there—" Ban claimed startled and moved at the same time by his gesture. "Hm? What do you mean 'back'?"
"Eh? You don't remember? Well isn't that convenient, considering all the trouble you gave us all…" Gin sighed. "Oh well who cares now as long as your back to being my Ban." He rubbed his face further into Ban's stomach giving the other a fluttering feeling.
"What are you talking about? Is that why we're in a hospital room? Even so you look more like the patient here—what the hell happened?" The brunette caressed his knuckles on the bruises on the other's face with a concerned look. Ginji averted his eyes, not sure whether he should confess who was responsible for his injuries in the first place.
"Yeah right! These are nothing!" The blond laughed. "So you really don't recall anything? What about the mysterious guy with the hat? You can thank him for all this. That bastard shot you with a poison that turned you against us."
"Oh that's right…I remember something like that…but evil me?"
"You said it, and that's not even the worst part—a villain you is unbeatable! You should be grateful Akabane stepped in and then Ms. Himiko for creating an antidote." Gin explained arms still latched around Ban more loosely this time as he lay on top of him.
"Great, are ya telling me I have to be indebted to them for the rest of myself now. Heh, it's still better than having to owe a favor to monkey boy." Ban mused to himself.
The blond forced a chuckle. "Don't you think we have more important matters here…?" He suggested. The jagon master turned his attention back to the younger and rested his hand on the other's spiky head.
"Your right, I'm sorry. I must've caused a lot of trouble for you. I give you my word, I won't let that bastard live who did this to us." Ban promised as he brought his face inches closer to Ginji gazing straight into his big dark brown eyes.
"Ban…" Gin's eyes sparkled back into the confident gaze, heat slowly rising to his face at the sudden serious closeness.
"Yoohoo! How is our deceitful Ban!?" Haven slammed the hospital door open all the way on its hinges with a bouquet of flowers. "Oh dear, am I interrupting something here?" She entered the room anyhow.
"Che, as always you have no etiquettes woman. Who even invited you?" Ban sulked as his precious and peaceful moment with Ginji was ruined.
"Well isn't it nice to see someone's doing perfectly well. And here I was actually worried after everything Ginji filled me in on." Haven shook her head. "Speaking of which, how are your wounds Ginji-kun?" She turned to Ginji who sat himself straight now, near the foot of Ban's bed.
"Heh, I've never felt better!" The blond showed the thumbs up. "Thanks for the flowers ."
"Aw you're such a sweet heart Gin—it's no trouble at all. If only a certain somebody could learn from you." She waved her hand. The brunette only growled in the background while Ginji loosely laughed in attempts to keep the mood light. The door opened again however much gentler this time around as a spiky haired man stepped in with a particular redhead.
"Hey everyone!" The redhead, Emishi greeted.
"Hey it's Emishi, and Shido too. Did you guys come to visit Ban-chan as well?" Gin's shoulders perked up as he grinned at them.
"What? Ban? Yeah right. We assumed you were the one who got hospitalized again so decided to pay a short visit before we left for a job." Shido corrected casually while he walked over to the lightning emperor. "You okay? What hit this time?" The beast master touched the bandage on his face.
"Ah it's noth—" The teen began.
"Oh yeah, then why don't you leave already? It's pretty obvious your company's uncalled for here." Ban glared at the raven haired male, holding himself back from slapping that hand of his.
"Oh come on now Ban…" Gin moved his face away to rotate it in Ban's direction. Shido finally decided to turn to him as well, indifferently.
"Hmp. I guess being tied down to a hospital bed can really lower your serotonin levels, eh snake-for-brains? Try recovering and we can have this conversation. Come on Emishi." Shido headed for the door. "Later Haven."
"Oh wait Shido! You wouldn't happen to have a spare minute or two to go over your next job would you?" She tailed him out the door.
"Well see ya guys soon." Emishi followed behind.
"Why you monkey, we're definitely going to settle this someday. There's no way I'm going to allow that low level insult me like that." Ban mumbled behind his teeth. The next to appear was Akabane with a basket of fruits.
"Well, it certainly is glad to see you aren't decimating everything including your very partner anymore." Jackal remarked wearing his usual smile. Ginji jerked his head up at Akabane's assertion.
"Ah—Akabane!" the teen warned with alarmed facial expressions hoping they would be enough to prevent the elder from spilling any other unnecessary information. (Hint: the fact that Ban nearly crushed him).
"What?" Ban questioned as he raised a confused brow.
"Don't listen to him Ban—Akabane's a liar!"
"Now isn't that a little mean, Ginji? I mean even I had to get myself involved just so our dear Ginji Amano wouldn't be damaged." The tall man confessed.
"You perjurer! That wasn't the real reason you stepped in!" Gin hissed at him.
"And yet he was still so reluctant to raise arms against you," Akabane resumed telling his side of the story to the brunette.
"I thought we had a deal Akabane!" The blond moaned.
"Is that true Ginji?" The Jagon master voiced in concern. Ginji averted his round eyes as a sweat drop formed on his cheek.
"That's…"
"How else do you conceive he acquired all those injuries?" Jackal enlightened. Ban's jaw clenched causing his expression to become more adverse.
"Ban I'm fine!" Gin emphasized, blocking Akabane out the other's mind and soul. However it was too late, the brunette already appeared as if he was enveloped in a dark cloud with his head hanging low.
"Akabane, ya mind leavin' us alone for a bit?" Ban muttered in a low tone that nearly startled the blond. He was clearly displeased and this fact was quite evident from his way of speaking.
Jackal smiled understandingly in response just as if he was mischievously enjoying all of this. "Of course, by all means don't mind me. Well then I'll be on my way." He tipped his hat and disappeared. The room was suddenly filled with silence and thick tautness again.
"Ban…don't listen to him, he was just over-exaggerating you see." Ginji initiated a breach in the awkwardness. "And by the way, you were possessed so it doesn't count." He tried explaining. The other abruptly latched a sturdy grip on the blond's wrist when it tried to approach near him. "Ban?"
"You told me the other guy inflicted those injuries on you. Why didn't you say something? What made you think you could lie to me, huh Ginji?!"
Gin flinched once at that sudden raise of voice. "You don't have to shout…" He pouted. "I'm sorry, okay? I just…I knew you'd be angry with yourself so I didn't want you to think it was important—like I said you weren't yourself that time! So no matter what you commenced during that time won't be against you—"
"That excuses nothing. If I can't be by your side no matter the circumstance then I have no right to call myself your partner." The brunette claimed evoking a terrified expression from the younger.
"That's not true at all! I-if that's the case then I kept most of the details of the event from you as well. Doesn't that make me the one at fault?" Gin tried reasoning with the other so that he wouldn't have to fear the brunette leaving him for good.
"So you finally admit it, huh?" Ban released his grip on the younger's wrist and crossed his own arms with expectations. The blond felt tears well up in his big eyes.
"I'm really sorry Ban! I promise I won't do it again—I won't keep anything from you! So please don't talk about not being my partner!" Gin begged with all earnesty, clutching on to the taller's sleeves while he was at it. The brunette had his eyes closed and pondered a moment longer if he should just forgive the teen already. Of course he would eventually, but there was nothing like giving the other a small memorable punishment. At last he sighed.
"No more secrets?" Ban confirmed, looking at his partner and placing a graceful hand on that spiky head.
"None! I swear!" The blond stared back, eyes still holding fat tears in the corners.
"Good." He smiled in content, ruffling the other's head once as he leaned closer to involuntarily press his lips on the top of his head near his forehead.
Surprised, Gin couldn't help but gawk at his actions as his cheeks turned a faint shade of pink. "Um, Ban?"
Ban blinked once upon realization too and froze in that position.
To Be Continued...