Cover Up Chapter 11~
The walk back to the room they put Yata in was a long one. The four of them walking down several hallways and toward the back of the emergency room's section of the hospital. Anna tightly held Bandō's hand in a near death grip and Kusanagi walked ahead of them and talked with the nurse. HOMRA's second in command asking how their vanguard was doing, if he caused them any trouble, and just how bad his injuries were all while the woman leading them answered the blonde's questions with a small smile. A clipboard against the woman's chest and her scrubs covered in little baby chicks which, as Bandō would've liked to have pointed out, weren't making him feel any better with the situation. I mean he knew nurses decided to wear scrubs with cute designs on them to make people feel more at ease, but he was far from being eased or relaxed. Especially when the four of them reached the room Yata was placed in and the nurse knocked on the door before opening it and gesturing them inside.
"Try not to rile him up, please. He does need his rest." The nurse politely asked.
"Of course not." Came Kusanagi's immediate reply. The man giving her a warm smile before gesturing Anna inside. "Thank you for leading us here."
"My pleasure." The woman peeked into the room for a moment and toward where Bandō had to guess Yata and Eric were. "Do you need anything?"
A moment of silence followed as the woman nodded and quickly bidded them a farewell before heading down the hall and disappearing around the corner. That single moment of silence put the hooded man on edge, and had him wondering if Yata was so badly hurt that he couldn't speak as Anna gently tugged on his arm and pulled him into the room after her. His worries instantly being slashed to bits as he stumbled into the room behind his King and found Yata laying in his hospital bed and smiling at them. A cast covering most of his right arm and fingers, while bandages covered his chest. Scrapes and bruises littering his revealed skin and Eric laying beside him. Their younger clansmen nestled into the vanguard's uninjured left side and fast asleep with Yata's arm wrapped protectively and tightly around his waist. A sight that had Bandō letting out a held breath and smiling at them.
Looks like I will owe Shouhei an apology. They are meant to be together.
"Misaki." Anna's voice wavered only slightly before their loveable vanguard removed his arm from around Eric and held out his hand for her. Their little king practically ran over to his bedside and tightly grasped his hand as he smiled up at her.
"Hey now, Anna, there's no reason to cry. I'm alive, see?" Yata quietly spoke while grasping her hand just as tightly back. "My flames protected me."
"But you're hurt." Came her soft retort while the skateboarder's eyes moved to the blonde nestled into his side.
"Yeah, but at least Eric is alive. If I hadn't stepped in he'd be road kill."
The terrified look that fell over Anna's face had Bandō paling while Kusanagi frowned beside him.
"What exactly happened?" The older blonde asked, gaining Yata's attention and receiving a sigh from the chestnut haired male.
"It's a bit of a story so you might want to sit down. I'm sure there's enough chairs to go around." Yata spoke as Kusanagi nodded and moved to set up chairs for everyone. The one closest to the bed being given to Anna while HOMRA's bar owner set to pulling the other two chairs toward the left side of the bed and beside Anna's chair. Kusanagi settling down in the middle while Bandō took up the chair at the end. "Alright, so Kamamoto came by my place this morning to get me out of my apartment and try and make me forget Eric was mad at me. After a bit of persuading I went with him and we visited the skateboard shop so I could pick up some parts I needed for my board. We decided to head toward the nearest park so I could repair my skateboard and then take it off for a test drive, but at a stop light we saw Eric and Fujishima across the street. I was gunna call out to them and stuff, but Kamamoto held me back and Eric looked so happy that I didn't want to ruin it. So I was going to let them go and continue their walk they were having but this van started speeding down the road, and while I thought nothing of it, by the time it made it to the intersection the tagged image on the side of the van had me moving before I could stop myself."
"What was it?" Kusanagi asked, a heavy frown now dominating his features and Anna looked between the pair in worry.
"Remember the last raid we did before Eric and I had that fight?" Nods went around the room and Yata removed his hand from Anna's to wrap his arm around the sleeping strain's body. "It was their tag. I don't know if it was their guys or not, but their tag was across the side of the van and it was the same van that was parked just outside the building when we attacked them before. Same plates and everything."
"But you're not sure if it was their men?" A nod left the vanguard.
"After the van hit me I was pretty disoriented and it took me everything I had just to keep Eric from fighting them and to let the paramedics take him with us." Yata explained as he lifted his injured arm up and waved it slightly. "Hell, even with my flames on at max power the van did a number on me. I managed to cushion a bit of the initial blow, but the thing had to be going at least forty miles per hour or more because it still hit me like a freaking train and I hit the cement right after, too. There's no way I wasn't getting out of that without scrambling my brains a little."
"Do we know what they were after?"
In the bit of silence after hazel eyes fell down to the blonde nestled into the skateboarder's side and Bandō felt his eyes widen as it clicked into place.
"They were after Eric?" The hooded man asked as Yata nodded. "But why him? And how would they know where to find him?"
"Because Eric was walking with Fujishima in his strain form and they placed a tracker on his collar somehow." Came the reply. "I burned the collar off the moment I had the chance so he could change back and they couldn't track him, but as for why they tried to run him and Fujishima over I have no idea since I didn't really get a good look at the guys that came out of the van. Without knowing who they are I can't say why they would try and kill Eric, especially with the fact not many people know he's a strain."
"But they were after Eric." Kusanagi finalized. In return the vanguard nodded and Anna frowned down toward the floor. "If that's the case then we'll need to contact Scepter Four and the Police that apprehend those men and find out who they are and what they know. They might be our clue as to who decided it was a good idea to attack two of our clansmen."
"And why they would." Anna added, her red eyes moving up to watch the sleeping strain as her frown deepened. "They wouldn't attack without a reason."
"Whoever attacked probably had plenty of reason to." Bandō put in, before he could stop himself, causing the others to turn and look at him. "I mean, we just brought HOMRA back together a couple months ago and started cleaning up the city again. All the people we've had apprehended during raids couldn't have been all their crew's members. We could've missed some."
"That may be true, but we can't be sure." Anna spoke up, instead of their second in command. "Misaki didn't see who attacked and Eric is probably already too stressed to let us know or remember. We can't go into this with assumptions and no facts, but we can't leave this be. We need to investigate first."
Nods left both seated men at their King's words. Yata's eyes already straying to the blonde at his side as fingers played with the teen's hair and the vanguard rested his head against his partner's.
"Whatever we do we need to be careful." Came the skateboarder's quiet words. In response the three of them shifted their gazes toward him and Bandō caught the stressed and worried expression across the older's face. "I can't be of much help like this and the last thing I want is Eric involved, but at this point there's nothing I can do to stop that since I'll be stuck in this stupid hospital bed. So-"
"I'll keep Eric safe." Bandō spoke up, before he could stop himself, and three sets of eyes fell on him. The look of pure surprise on their vanguard's face a sight for sore eyes. Yet the usually hooded man still faltered under their gazes and looked towards the floor in embarrassment. "It's what you were going to ask, right? You can't be there to throw his backpack at him, or his weapon, and I'm usually the one that's fighting beside him with Akagi. So it's really nothing. I'm just carrying around a little extra weight and I can manage that easily. It's not like-"
"Thank you." Silence fell over the room as Bandō lifted his head to lock his dark eyes with hazel. A look of relief and gratitude directed towards him while Yata's grip on Eric tightened. "I'd really appreciate it, Bandō."
A nod left the usually hooded man, the others smiling at him, before Kusanagi cleared his throat.
"With that matter aside. I'm guessing the only thing left to ask is if Eric will be staying the night with you?"
A nod left the vanguard as he looked at the teen beside him.
"Yeah, he will. After everything that happened today I doubt he'll want to leave my side right now."
"Do you want one of the others to stay with you then? Keep watch?" Anna asked, concern laced in her tone. In response the vanguard shook his head.
"We'll be fine. If anything happens I have two working legs, one good arm, and one protective dog strain by my side." Came the small joke, a grin spreading across the skateboarder's face. "With the two of us here we should be able to take on anything or anyone that might want to mess with us, even if I'm injured."
"Alright. Then we'll get going so the others can come back and talk to you." Kusanagi spoke as he stood, Anna and Bandō following suit. "Then you can get some rest."
"I'd actually like to talk to Bandō for a bit longer." Yata spoke up, receiving several surprised looks. "I'll send him out for the next group after."
A dumb nod left the bar owner as he led their little king toward the door to the room and Bandō nervously shifted to the seat Anna was sitting in moments ago. Hazel eyes watching their king and right hand man leave the room, and giving them a small wave as they left, before the door shut and silence took over the room. Yata's gaze glued to the door for a few moments longer, before his eyes shifted to the older and the vanguard gave him a small smile. The skateboarder finally seeming to relax against the pillows behind him and his grip around the blonde next to him loosening.
"Well this turned into a living nightmare real quick." The vanguard lightly laughed. "Who knew fighting with Eric over my own free day would turn into this mess. Not to mention I can't even help you guys fight the bad guys this time."
"At least the both of you are okay," Bandō quietly spoke.
Hazel eyes shifted from the blonde at his side to the man sitting in the chair by his bedside and a sad look took over his features.
"Yeah, but not all of us." The comment had Bandō jolting in displeasure and his gaze shifted away from the vanguard. "Sorry, but Eric told me what happened with Shouhei and you."
"It's fine. I figured he'd say something," the once hooded man returned with a strained smile. His fingers itching to reach into his jacket pockets and retrieve his hat and sunglasses. "It wasn't as bad as Eric probably said it was, though."
"You're fucking with me, right?" Yata instantly frowned, eyes narrowing toward the other.
"No-"
"You've been secretly pining for the idiot for months, if not years, and he's not only been oblivious to it but he went as far as to let you know he got a girlfriend," Yata interrupted, a pissed off look on his face. "Then when you break down and cry in front of him he doesn't even try to sweep you off your fucking feet to make you feel better, let alone try and cheer you up and all, and he's going to keep doing it because he's a dumbass. Either you need to knock some sense into him or I will when the moron comes in here."
A soft chuckle left the older at Yata's declaration. A half honest protest on the tip of his tongue, before a look of concern fell over the vanguard's face. His expression throwing Bandō for a loop, as he went to open his mouth and a drop of liquid hit the back of his hand. The contact making him blink and look down, only to find a drop of water resting against his hand. Another soon following, before he reached a shaky hand to his cheeks and came back with wet fingers. His small chuckle turning into a heartbreaking hiccup as he pushed the heel of his hand into his left eye socket and bit his lower lip.
"Bandō…" Yata's voice came out soft and strained.
"It's fine, really" Bandō brokenly reassured the skateboarder. One teary dark orb rose to meet pitying hazel eyes, before his gaze shifted back to his lap. "H-He sounded happy when he said he got a g-girlfriend and I don't want to ruin it. His past attempts at dating have been crap, but he seemed really serious and g-genuine about her I can't-"
A heavy hiccup filled the air, as Bandō's other hand reached up to wipe at his other eye.
"I'm just some b-background character. So why does it matter?" Came the heavy sob.
"Bandō- E-Eric!" Yata exclaimed just as fingers brushed against the older's cheeks and tilted the usually hooded man's face up.
Tear filled dark orbs meeting tired, but worried, blue eyes as those hands instead moved to wrap around him in a tight hug. Eric settling into his lap and holding tightly to him through his quieting sniffles and hiccups. Bandō's hands trapped between them, but the embrace still comfortable and warm.
"You're not some background character"came Eric's quiet, tired voice. His hands starting to rub his back gently. "You're a member of HOMRA, one of our veteran clansmen, and your control over your aura rivals most everyone in the clan besides Kusanagi-san. You're strong, loyal, and dependable, but you're sensitive and guarded. You watch all your crushes favorite shows and then tell him you didn't and listen to him explain each episode for hours on end. You listen to his every worry and complaint, but never share your own. You guys eat lunch together everyday at the same little hole in the wall restaurant and order the same thing and have the same conversations. You guys bet on who will do better on a mission and never play goldfish with Anna because he always wins and you can't tell if he cheats or not. You always insult and yell at him when you want nothing more than to smile at him and compliment him, and you deserve so much more than this."
By now the tears had taken over and a deep, blistering, sore bubble of sorrow and agony started to build its way into Bandō's chest. His hands rotating between them to grip at the hoodie covering the blonde and bury his face into it with a hiccup.
"You deserve to smile at him and compliment him without worrying what he'd say in response or what others would think," Eric continued. His fingers now playing with the hair on the back of the older's neck. "You shouldn't have to hide your face because you don't think you're good enough or you're ugly or he won't approve. You deserve to be yourself and be happy and love him. Even if you can't tell him yet, or you're afraid, you deserve to be yourself and not think of yourself as any less of what you are. You're not some background character. You're an amazing, caring, and loyal clansmen that drags himself through the dirt to look like less of the person he is. You're irreplaceable and you matter a lot to all of us, Bandō-san."
A hand gently rested on his shaking shoulder, before the fingers squeezed around his jacket.
"What Eric said," Yata spoke up. "You're worth a shit ton more than you give yourself credit for. Shouhei is an idiot for not seeing he has one of the most amazing people he'll ever meet by his side everyday and it's gunna come back and bite him in the ass later."
"Th-thank you," Bandō shakily hiccuped. Eric finally released the male in his gasp from their hug and gave him a small smile. "I don't know what I'd d-do without you two."
A warm smile was returned to him by both males, before Eric vacated his lap and returned to their vanguard's side. The trio then shifted the conversation to a lighter topic and laughter and shoves took over. The smile they missed returning to Bandō's face and his tears long forgotten, but never out of mind.
By the time Bandō's returned to the emergency room most of the clan was a little antsy. Theories and ideas had been thrown around, till he appeared, on why Eric and Yata wanted to talk to him alone, but no real concrete thought was decided on. Instead they had argued lightly and wholeheartedly till their usual hooded clansmen walked out of the swinging doors and headed toward them with a lighter feel to his walk.
"Eric said Fujishima and Dewa could go back," Bandō spoke up, his tone a little more confident than usual and a small smile just barely gracing his face. "I'm going to go get something to drink. Anybody want anything?"
A few requests were given, as well as the exchange of change, while Fujishima and Dewa headed back into the emergency room to visit their fellow clansmen. Shouhei watching his best friend all the while, till he noticed the light red tinge under the darker haired male's eyes and got to his feet.
"I'll come with you," Shouhei spoke up. "One of the nurses showed me where the vending machines were earlier and you're gunna need an extra hand."
"Sure." The response was quieter than Bandō's last reply. His gaze falling to the floor as Shouhei frowned slightly and brushed off the reaction with a bit of difficulty.
Yet when his best friend started off toward the halls of the hospital the brunette had no choice but to follow the other and refrain from questioning him. Meanwhile his memories brought back an image of his crying best friend, agony stretched across his face and Eric wrapped around him to ground him. His best friend's fingers strangling the oversized hoodie wrapped around their blonde clansmen and his shoulders hunched painfully to the point the other looked to be trying to curl into a ball while standing. An image than had Shouhei's brows furrowing as his brown eyes glanced beside him at the other and took in the strained look on the man's face.
If anything Bandō should never have to look so distressed and uncomfortable. His best friend was known for blowing things out of proportion and snapping at him sure, but that upset and sorrowful look didn't suit his best friend. The Bandō he knew was kind, strong, and painfully honest. Not sad, distressed, and easily brought to tears, and while the disappearance of his best friends hat and sunglasses was a welcome sight the brunette was starting to regret liking it at all. Seeing the hurt and sad emotions across the others face as disheartening and somewhere deep down Shouhei knew part, if not all of it, was somehow his fault.
"San-"
"Which way are we going?" His best friend interrupted, the male turning to him in slight confusion. "You said you knew the way."
"Oh yeah, it's this way" Shouhei easily directed, gesturing down the correct hallway and taking the lead. His best friend now right behind him and out of his line of sight. "Hey San-chan."
"What?" The tone sounded slightly irritated, something Shouhei was used to, but the usual power behind it was absent.
"I…" the words at the edge of his mind faded as he started to speak and the brunette heavily frowned.
"Just spit it out," the male behind him bit out. His tone slowly turned bitter toward the end and the brunette turned to the male behind him. "What's with the look?"
"I...I'm sorry," Shouhei quietly spoke. Dark eyes widened in front of him while his best friend unconsciously gripped the bottom of the jacket he wore.
"For what?" The response seemed even quieter than his own.
"For whatever I did to make you upset," he replied, Bandō's eyebrows furrowing slightly.
"Who said it was your fault?"
"Well it usually is so…" the rest trailed off as Shouhei studied the man in front of him and held back a frown.
Wasn't it his fault? It had to have been because Bandō had looked so upset during their conversation at lunch when he told his best friend the news. He was obviously hurt about something related to the topic and Shouhei was the one who brought it up so it was really his fault...but if it wasn't then why did his best friend break down so badly? And why twice in the span of an hour?
"Don't make shit up" Bandō reprimanded, before he pushed past him and toward the vending machine behind the brunette.
Brown eyes followed the man all the while he moved away from him. His stance just a little tense and his shoulders hunched slightly as he walked. His hands finding their way into the pockets of his jacket and in seconds the muscles tensed, the jacket rustling with them. Bandō's fists were clenched. Yet when he reached the machine the other seemed perfectly fine, reaching a hand out of his pockets to tap at the buttons and insert change to get everyone's choice of drink.
"Oh, sorry" Shouhei lightly laughed, trying his best to pass it off as a joke. When no response was given, minus the continued tapping of buttons, the brunette watched the other with a small frown. "You do look nice though, San-chan."
A bewildered look was shot at him in an instant, his best friend's fingers hovering over the screen and one of the requested drinks making a huge thunk as it hit the bottom of the machine.
"E-excuse me?" The sudden stutter wasn't unpredictable, but the soft pink that dusted his best friend's cheeks was.
"You look nice?" Came the repeated statement, his tone cautious. "You're usually covered up all the time and I thought it was nice to see your face for a change."
Moments of silence passed between them, his best friend staring at him in a stupor, before a heavy frown fell over his face and he jabbed his fingers against the screen.
"Well sorry I'm always covered up," came the snapped response.
"San-"
The next moment his arms were full of drinks as his childhood friend stormed past him and down the hall with his own beverage choice. His shoulders hunched dangerously and the can in his hand dent to the point it was to the point it could burst open.
"San-chan!" Shouhei called out.
His words fell on deaf ears as his childhood friend disappeared around the corner and out of sight.
"W-What did I say wrong?"
Laughter filled the air as Yata, Eric, Chitose, and Shouhei laughed at one of the womanizers jokes. Small tears in the blonde's eyes while he leaned against the vanguard to catch his breath. His boyfriend's nose buried into his hair and tickling his canine ear.
"That's terrible, Chitose-san." Shouhei reprimanded, a shove making the man's smile widen.
"Well it's true," came the response as Eric glanced at the clock on the wall.
"It's also true that I have to kick you out now," the blonde lightly joked. His comment getting a pair of disapproving frowns. "Hey, I was approved to stay the night, you're the unauthorized guests."
"Tell is how you really feel, Eric" Chitose teases as he got to his feet and messed up the blondes hair. "It is late though."
A nod left Shouhei got to his feet and Chitose moves pas the man to head toward the door. The brunette moving to follow, before the blonde spoke up.
"Shouhei."
The male in question turned toward him in confusion as the womanizer left the room and his footsteps sounded down the hall, followed by a flirtatious joke and some giggles.
"Yeah?" Shouhei asked as he turned toward the pair.
"Don't do something stupid and lose the one most important thing you have" the blonde spoke. His response getting a bewildered expression. "The last thing we want is you losing it and not being able to get it back."
"Alright?" The brunettes response was beyond comforting, but when he left the room the blonde still relaxed against the male next to him and let out a relieved sigh.
"You do realize he's going to be clueless as shit till someone tells him outright, right?" Yata spoke, his arms winding around the blondes waist and holding him close.
"That's more than likely true, but we can still hope he'll gain some brain cells and figure it out himself" Eric replied, curling up against the other.
"My vote is he won't."
A shrug left the blonde as the pair settled down against the mattress and the fingers on Yata's uninjured hand started threading through his hair. The pads parting each strand and brushing against the soft fur of his ears as he closed his eyes and buried his face into the olders chest. His tail wagging happily under the sheets pulled over them and the vanguards warmth seeping into him.
"I love you" Eric softly spoke, sleep starting to pull on his senses.
"I love you too, Eric."
A small smile graced the blondes lips as the tendrils of sleep started to pull him under. The soft light behind his lids darkening as he let the feeling pull him under. A soft click sounding in the darkness.
"Yata!"
In an instant the blonde was awake, grabbing the gown covering the male next to him and shoving him off the bed. The furniture toppling over with their sudden movement and crashing into a it's side so it's back was to the door.
"Get down!"
Eric only had moments to cover the vanguard with his body before the explosion rocked the room, hall, and hospital, sending everything into darkness.
Scarlett: *gently sets the chapter down and bolts for the hills*
Yata: *frowns after her* I hope she knows no one is going to maul her for taking so long to update something.
Eric: *thumbing through his phone* That may be true but it doesn't hurt to be prepared. It had been roughly half a year since she's updated anything. Someone is bound to go after her for it
Yata: *shrugs and leans against Eric to look at his phone* You doing it or am I, since she ain't here and all?
Eric: I got it *looks up from his phone* Enjoy the chapter *gives a wave and looks back at his phone* How about this restaurant?
Reviews Answered:
Panda Master X: *reads review* I'm glad you liked I posted the last chapter on April Fools. I thought it's make the day more fun. And Bandō is in such a pitiful situation. He needs all the hugs and love in the world till Shouhei either get's his head on straight or finds someone who can cherish him more. *waves* And feel free to give Shouhei a beating, he needs one. Maybe it might give him a clue. *reads review, smiling* And that about covers the review since the rest was in the chapter *waves* Hope you like the chapter, hun.
RainStorm2122: *reads review, chuckling* Of course, hun. I live to make everyone's fantasies a reality, even though I don't update as often as I did before. *beams* You are granted your adorable Eric, asleep beside Yata in bed, and with his ears and tail. *reads the rest* and don't worry hun. Bandō will get his well deserved love after Shouhei gets his head out of his ass and gets a clue. *beams evilly* Of course not without a little push *waves happily* enjoy the chapter!
Guest: *reads the review, bowing* Thank you, hun. I'm glad you like the fic. I apologize I don't update very often, but I do my best to make great chapters. I hope you like this chapter as well.
K and it's characters do not belong to me. They belong to Furuashi Hideyuki, GoHands, and GoRA.