The Slow Dawn
13th July 2008
Series: The Seer
Summary: Watanuki's condition and Shizuka begins to understand.
Warnings: Short chapter and a little fluff. What?! Some people don't like random fluff.
Author Notes: Love to Anyjen and curiousrobin for the alpha and beta reading!

Early in the morning, when darkness still shrouded the sky, Shizuka had his back against the wall, fingers curled together in a seal over his crossed ankles as he sat cross-legged in meditation at the foot of Watanuki's huge bed.

He'd fed his master every drop of the soul-drenched blood-mixed water. The potent mix had pushed Watanuki to fall into a deep sleep, void of the haunting nightmares. Just as well because if the snatches of lingering traces of it which had drifted into Shizuka's own dreams were any indication, they were horrors, each and every one. Sailors, stalwart and weathered men, devoured by horrible spirits or dragged down into the water and drowned in accidents in what he supposed were the Dancing Dragon's previous 'expeditions'.

In every single one of the dreams, Shizuka felt an overwhelming helplessness and crushing sorrow. He woke repeatedly through the night, with tears in his eyes after each of the dreams only to realise those devastating emotions were Watanuki's feelings, Watanuki's emotions at the time, still clinging to the dreams. It saddened and humbled him that the young lord's slender little shoulders could carry such a burden so quietly.

At last, unable to rest, he sat near, close and attentive, listening his master's every breath.

He didn't like being on the floor, he'd tried that, not because it was the floor but because it was too far away from his master. And being too far away made part of him ache, he felt a pull now, when he got more than a few metres away from Watanuki. Even just to the front room of the cabin, Shizuka sensed the distance between them.

And being so near now, he immediately recognised when the flow of energy changed and his master rose closer and closer to awareness. He opened his eyes, got to his feet and circled around to the bed-side and grasped one of the noble's hands, patiently waiting for that moment of consciousness to come.

Blinking, Watanuki woke slowly. Weakened as he was, Shizuka knew the young lord would not be able to look around the room by himself and so he bent carefully over his master's bed.

"Dou…" he licked dry lips, voice raw and whisper-soft. "Doumeki."

"I'm here, master," Shizuka replied quietly.

When Watanuki clenched his hand, the hand Shizuka grasped in his own, the monk realised his grip may be too tight. He slowly loosened his hold and set his master's hand down, unfurling Watanuki's fingers curling over his. Was his master still half-dreaming, he wondered, as he watched that hand tremble on the sheets?

"Am I… really awake?" Watanuki asked, looking puzzled. He grimaced, "My dreams have been…"

"Yes, you are awake. And you're safe." Meeting Watanuki's gaze, Shizuka bowed awkwardly. "Do you need anything, master?" Watanuki blinked sleepily and Shizuka realised the young noble wouldn't be awake for very long so he reassured, "I have and will not leave your side as you sleep."

"Then yes, one more thing," came the quiet breath of a reply, eyes slipping shut again. Watanuki swallowed then forced the words out before he fell back into sleep, "Stop calling me that."

"As you wish." Shizuka remained bent over his master a long while after Watanuki's breathing deepened then remained low and even; after the young noble had slipped back into slumber. He whispered, "Watanuki."

When Watanuki woke again, Jason was there. His happy-go-lucky expression crumpled into furrowed brows, wet eyes and trembling lips around a half-open mouth.

"Kim!" Jason clutched one of Watanuki's hands in both of his own, bending to press his cheek to it.

"Jason." Watanuki smiled gently, managing to just lift his other hand enough to lay it over his cousin's blond head… whose shoulders shook with sudden relief.

In that moment, Shizuka understood that more than half his suspicions of the Englishman held no substance. But there certainly remained something amiss and he would definitely get to the bottom of it.

The monk silently left the cabin, ignoring the pull that made him want to stay near, to give them some privacy. That and he needed reprieve from the sight of his master pale and weak in bed, each breath rasping in his raw throat, eyes swollen from hours of weeping. He didn't want to hear his master thank him. He ignored Jason's knowing look as he left… he'd ignore it again later.

He brought the good news of Watanuki's waking to the crew, and they whooped and cheered to hear it.

Shizuka found he couldn't stand them either. Instead he stood on deck, Sorata ambling over to keep him company away from the other men. He mulled over what he'd done.

He had no regrets. It probably hadn't been completely necessary but if he'd not done it and had Watanuki remained the way he'd been for another few hours or a whole day…

Was it worth it? Watanuki would be furious when he found out. But then he'd finally understand that Shizuka needed him… the thought made Shizuka sigh, and he noticed belatedly the sound drew Sorata's attention when the priest turned to look at him.

"It's why his cabin is above the water," Sorata said out of nowhere. "So nothing can reach through all the wood and this blessed deck to get to him."

"I thought so," he murmured, still staring out over the water. "I received no warning about yesterday. I didn't realise we had a destination out in the water."

"Did you realise we're astray from the usual routes?" Sorata asked quietly.

"That much, yes. But I didn't ask." He paused then admitted, "It's not in my habit to ask."

"How uncool," Sorata cooed, smiling teasingly. "The bad ass monk maintains his stoic placid look instead of asking about the unknown."

Shizuka gave the priest a 'stoic placid look'.

"Figures. Your Order's people are accustomed to merely following their masters, aren't they? Never usually have a need to get an explanation."

Nodding, he clarified, "Watanuki is the only master I know of who has ever called his monk by name." Or even with an honorific, or served tea to, or spoken with… or so many other things. If perhaps his father had, that was a long time ago and he didn't really know the details.

Sorata whistled sympathetically, "Sounds harsh." And with a playful wink, "Also sounds like our Watanuki-sama was the last thing you could have expected." After a moment, he sighed and nodded, "But that won't do. So I'll try not to leave all the work of keeping you updated to Jason alone."

"Thank you." Shizuka asked, "The arms chest?"

"Sealed, thanks to you." Sorata scowled, folding his arms and sinking down to bury his chin in them, "We'll be rid of it soon. Watanuki-sama will make sure it gets to where it should go."

"I don't like the way it feels, even if it is down there," the monk said stonily. He hated that it was on board; that thing and whatever was in it had fed the vile creature which had harmed his master. He sighed again.

Sorata asked, concerned, "Something the matter, Doumeki?"

"Yes," the monk replied. "But it's my problem and no one else's."

"I see." Sorata politely but quite honestly replied, "I hope it's not too much trouble."

Firing the priest a scowling look Shizuka turned to glare at the water and muttered, "Since when has anything aboard this ship been 'not too much trouble'?"

Sorata laughed. An instant later he was cut short when a small whirl of wind looped circles above his head. Standing, Sorata studied it as it made laps about his shoulders.

A wind-message, Shizuka recognised.

The priest seemed rather grave when he reached out with one hand to touch the fluttering sphere, the other twisting into a hand seal. The shape erupted, a stream of it drifting to Sorata's ear, the words playing themselves to the priest…

Shizuka did not like the expression on his face.

"I have received my reply," Sorata said, moments later, waving the last of the message away, dispersing the magic so it could not be reconstructed. He curled a fist on the railing as he turned to face the monk. "The one I told you about, which I'd sent back when I had first received warning about those attackers."

"I remember," Shizuka nodded.

Sorata sighed, "I'm glad, at least, we're out at sea where we should be." He shook his head and sighed, grimly relaying, "We narrowly avoided the second wave after the first failed attempt."

"Few can reach us out in the middle of no where," the monk commented blandly. If the danger had passed then— Oh, just great. "Until we dock again, that is."

The priest nodded, turning to go alert his men. "Tell Jason. We have enough reason to suspect they know our next stop."

TBC

Author Notes, part 2:

At new count, there are now 58 people who have reviewed out of the 89 people who have this story on alert. Total is now 31 people who have never reviewed. Funny thing is that even some of the reviewers are anonymous or don't have this story on alert at all. The actual figure is really 39 people who have never reviewed. (shakes head) How sad.

In other news, the next three chapters are finished in RAW form; all that's left is some final editing and they will be up for posting. So you can expect a new chapter ever week for at least the next month. Happy Days!

Meanwhile, I have been the victim of the Hat Trick of Horrors: In the past forty eight hours I have (1) had my motorbike number plate stolen, (2) been told that my borough now wants to charge for dedicated motorbike parking bays which was formerly free and in fact central London itself doesn't charge for motorbike parking, and (3) my bicycle has been stolen. So really, thank the Gods my muses are cooperating.

I hope you all had a better week than I did.
Tsu