Tears and Rain
Chapter 10 -- Mixed Blessings: The face behind the mask
By Gabi
Soujiro came to his senses slowly. At first he only knew there was a dull ringing in his ears and a brightness around him. He was also aware of a slow, throbbing in his shoulder that bothered him more and more as he drifted into consciousness. He moved his hand slightly and it brushed a warm, silky mass that he found soothing, so he left it to rest there as he experimentally opened his eyes.
He was staring at an unfamiliar ceiling, and immediately, he tried to sit up in an attempt to identify his surroundings. It was at this point that he became fully aware of the throbbing in his shoulder. He squeezed his eyes shut and let out a soft hiss and then propped himself on his left shoulder.
He found that he was lying on a strange futon in a strange room that was probably in an equally strange house. Then he noticed Kuri.
She was lying between his futon and another stretched across the straw mat. Her head was pillowed on the edge of his futon and one hand held tight to the fabric of his hakama. His hand rested lightly on the top of her head, nestled in her hair, which for once, was down.
The image of her made his head swim and he pressed his shoulder hard into the mat to retain his grip on the present as he tried to remember exactly what had happened to get them into the current situation. The pain in his shoulder made him grimace, but he ignored it and concentrated on piecing together what he could remember.
Then he heard a clink of metal and it was as if a dam had broken inside his mind. He saw his opponent's sword glitter in the moonlight. He heard Kuri's scream. He felt the bite of the dagger and then the weakness of his legs. He felt all this in one split second, and then he snapped his head in the direction the sound had come from and attempted to put the pain of his shoulder out of his mind.
The source of the sound was a skinny, gray-haired, extremely unpleasant-looking old man. He wore a spotlessly clean yukata and was carrying a metal tray of some sort. The man scowled at him and Soujiro found himself in a very singular situation.
Thankfully, at that moment Kuri stirred under his hand and rolled over onto her stomach. She groggily pushed back and in an amusing imitation of an inch worm, she slowly managed to get into an upright position. She blinked sleepily at the man once before turning to blink sleepily at Soujiro. Then she blinked again. Soujiro was about to open his mouth when recognition flashed over her face and her eyes widened noticeably. She threw herself into his lap and clung to him as if there were no tomorrow. Soujiro's eyes bugged out as she impacted and he felt it in his shoulder. He fell backward helplessly onto the futon with Kuri sprawled halfway onto his lap and clinging to his bare chest.
Kuri could barely contain her glee and made several happy sounds before turning joyously to the old man.
"Look Yoshida-sensei! He's awake, just like you said he'd be!"
The old man's expression did not change, but he did raise an eyebrow, "Kuri, I can see that he's awake. If you don't get off of him I'm afraid you're going to knock him unconscious again," he muttered dryly.
Kuri jumped backward as if she had been shocked and a sheepish look covered her glee, to some extent. Still as Soujiro turned to look at her he could see the blissful relief in her eyes.
Soujiro cast a look at the crabby-looking old man and then turned his attention back to Kuri. He cleared his throat and sought a way out of his very singular position.
"Ano, Kuri-san . . . "
Kuri suddenly realized the source of his discomfort and sought immediately to rectify it with a stumbling and backward account of how they had come into these very singular circumstances. Yoshida added nothing to the story other than his scowl, which was not terribly reassuring.
"You've been out for three days. This is Yoshida-sensei's house. He fixed you up after . . . " she stumbled, " . . . after you got hurt. Yoshida-sensei is a doctor, but he's mostly retired. If Hisashi-kun hadn't come along that night, I don't know what I would have done," the worry in her voice was apparent and she looked as if she were going to plough into some related subject, but the old man interceded.
"Take a breath, Kuri," he warned, "Or you may just cause your lungs to collapse from talking too much."
Kuri's eyes widened and she shut her mouth obediently.
Soujiro absorbed Kuri's disjointed narrative as best as he could. As he thought about the ramifications that the fight had he reached automatically for his katana, but his hand curled around nothing but thin air.
He was unsettled but rationalized that the doctor had probably put his sword away while he had bandaged him. It could only hinder him, after all. Still, a niggling doubt plagued him and his hand trembled slightly, because he didn't like not being in arm's length of his blade. It made him feel vulnerable, and this was a feeling he was altogether not used to.
"Kuri-san," his voice was the same soft tenor she was familiar with, yet there seemed to be a note of control in it, "Where's my sword?"
Kuri's face drained of color as she suddenly seemed to remember something important, "Shimatta! I completely forgot!" She jumped up before Soujiro could say anything else and said resolutely, "I'm going to go get it. I'll be right back."
Soujiro opened his mouth to ask her where she was going, but she dashed out too quickly. He was left staring at the crabby old man. After a moment, the old man spoke.
"She hasn't left your side for a moment for three days, not even to eat."
Soujiro was not sure how to respond to that statement, but as it turned out, he wasn't expected to, because the old man continued.
"And now she's run off wearing only a yukata to wherever she's stowed your sword. Tell me, ronin, where did you get her and how did you instill such abject devotion in her?"
This time the man was silent and Soujiro had trouble deciding if the question was rhetorical and he was simply supposed to contemplate it in silence, or if he was actually expected to respond. After several strained minutes, Soujiro decided it was the latter.
And yet, Soujiro had difficulty in talking about how he had found Kuri, completely barring the awkwardness of the situation. It was as if he didn't want to remember her as she had been, at the inn, because it warned of what she might become again if she lost his protection. The guilt washed over him as he realized how close he had put her to loosing that protection and he swallowed hard before he spoke.
"I found her. She had no place to go and no one to stay with so I took her along with me."
The old man's eyes glittered, "Is that right?"
Soujiro mastered his emotions once more and completely calmed himself. It seemed as if he'd been doing that a lot recently. When he spoke again his voice was soft and smooth, yet also detached.
"Yes."
"And she means nothing more to you? She's just your ward."
Soujiro looked at the man blankly and if it had been visible, the dull sheen of his emotional shield would have glowed. Still he chose his words carefully, "Has she lead you to believe anything different?"
The old man studied the metal tray in his hands, "No, but I wondered. After I assured her that I'd treat you even if you were a ronin, she was quite free with information. I believe I must have heard every story about what a gallant protector you are," his voice was dry, "and a few I fear she must have made up, considering your current sad state."
Soujiro sweatdropped, "Hai, Yoshida-sensei."
He looked at the boy sharply. "Don't you smile and patronize me boy. Don't you even think that I don't know exactly what you are despite what the girl may say. Let me tell you this right now, if it hadn't been for that girl pleading and crying and covered in your blood, I would have never let you into this house, hitokiri," he spat out the last word as it was obviously distasteful to him.
Beneath the wall, Soujiro quivered, but outwardly, he benignly smiled. "I'm sorry to have inconvenienced you. Kuri and I will leave as soon as she gets back."
The old man stared at him hard before finally speaking, "If you cared about her, perhaps you would consider leaving her here."
Soujiro's expression didn't waver although inside, his mind seemed to swirl in an emotional gambit. At first he was totally incredulous. Leaving Kuri behind was an absolutely ridiculous idea. He'd have to be an idiot. Then he attempted to rationalize this feeling and found he had great difficulty doing so. After all, she was only spare baggage for him. She was only a hindrance on his journey. When he had agreed to let her come with him it had only been temporary. It had only been until he found a place for her to stay, and now he was being offered a safe haven for his baggage. It was a long time before he spoke.
"She wouldn't stay. She wouldn't like it here," he had dropped his pretenses, although the smile gleamed like a silver shield. Soujiro was playing the defensive, although he was still not sure what he was defending.
The old eyes gleamed again and Soujiro noted they were crisp, like ice, yet jet black. They were sharp edged eyes, like obsidian, "You mean you think she won't be happy unless she has you to fawn over every day, after you've admitted that you don't especially care for her. What makes you feel that you're so special?" his brow wrinkled and he seemed all at once extremely bitter, "You damn arrogant bastard. I know your type. You don't care a second for a girl when she's with you and fawning on you. You only care when she stops giving you attention. Well, let me tell you something, ronin. Perhaps she's less attached to you that you think. Why don't you wait and see and maybe not think about yourself for once. Watch what she wants and see what she needs."
Soujiro was silent once more and found he could do nothing but smile. It was a wide, bright smile. It was a pleasant smile. It was a false wall of defense. Thankfully, he didn't have to labor under the old man's intense gaze for very long because Kuri chose that moment to breeze back into the room looking relatively unruffled and carrying a dirty, smelly object that Soujiro haltingly identified as his katana. Kuri looked untroubled as she grinned proudly.
"It was right where I buried it. No one had touched it at all."
Soujiro looked at the sword blankly, "You buried it?"
Kuri suddenly realized that her brilliant idea had perhaps not been a brilliant idea and tried to explain, "When Hisashi-kun found us in the alley, he knew what to do right away. He helped me stop your bleeding and said he was going to go get Yoshida-sensei to help but when he noticed your sword he said to hide it because he didn't think Yoshida-sensei would help you if he saw it," she blushed and averted her eyes, "Yoshida-sensei doesn't like men with swords."
The old man said nothing, but his mouth was set in a firm line.
Kuri continued, "So while Hisashi-kun ran off to fetch him I found a big pile of trash and dirt and buried your sword under it. I was afraid if I didn't then Yoshida-sensei wouldn't help you and . . . and . . . " her voice trembled uncontrollably and she bent her head and brushed her eyes with the back of her hand before she finished, " . . . and you'd die. I'm sorry," she seemed to get control of herself again, "I'll clean it for you if you show me how."
{Gabi: Kuri wants her hands on Souchan's sword! Whooooo!}
{Kuri: O_O GABI
WA HENTAI!!!}
The old man laughed dryly before speaking, "You'll most likely kill yourself if you try and clean it. You don't know how to handle it. Leave the cleaning to him, he'll know what to do."
Soujiro nodded. It wouldn't be that much trouble to clean the sword, and Kuri had obviously been very worried. See? the darker part of his mind seemed quite satisfied. His thoughts almost purred, The old man is wrong. She needs you.
"But I need to do something to make up for it!" she insisted. She bit a curled index finger lightly as she contemplated. Suddenly she squealed, "I know!" and dashed off again, leaving Soujiro alone in the old man's presence once more.
Soujiro let no sign of discomfort slip from him as he faced the scowling codger. Still, he hoped that Kuri would come back quickly if for no other reason than to quickly assure himself that the old doctor's assertions were wrong. Soujiro was to be disappointed though for the next form that came sauntering into the room was not that of the hyperkinetic bunny girl, but rather a large, overfed cat. The cat casually trotted over to Soujiro's futon and sniffed his toes very carefully. After having apparently determining that he was not a threat, the cat casually hopped into Soujiro's lap and flopped over. The black thundercloud continued to hover above the doctor's head as he watched and he looked as if he were about to say something when a boyish voice cried out from the room next door.
"Neko-chan! Neko-chan? Where did you go?"
This call was followed by a shuffling in the other room and then a young lad of around twelve years popped his head around the corner, apparently in quest of the feline. The boy was handsome, and slender too, Soujiro noted as the boy came into the room. He had dark eyes and black hair that was long in front and fell into his eyes. Soujiro decided that this had to be the fabled Hisashi that Kuri had mentioned several times in her narrative. In accordance with good manners, Soujiro bowed to the lad as best he could with his bandaged shoulder and an overweight cat in his lap.
"You must be Hisashi-kun. I've heard that you helped save my life. Arigatou Gozaimashita."
The boy blushed at the recognition, "Hai. Doitaimashita," he was bashful for a moment, then he seemed to gain courage, "I see you've met Neko-chan."
Soujiro laughed because that seemed to be the thing he was expected to do and then he answered, "Yes, she has been very friendly."
"She likes everybody," grumped the old man and the boy grinned at him.
"Ne, Yoshida-sensei, have you had your prunes today?"
The old man rolled his eyes and quirked his voice into a falsetto to mock the boy's, "Ne, Hisashi-san, have you done your lessons today?"
The boy's grin widened and he scratched the back of his head. Soujiro noted that while the old man's expression didn't change much from the sour grimace while he spoke to the boy, his eyes softened somewhat. The boy did not seem perturbed by the cranky expression on the old man's face at all. Perhaps this was normal for them and the doctor was always this pleasant. He could be using the same sort of emotional shield that Soujiro himself used, although one of a far less approachable nature. Still, no matter how he might try to write off the old man's behavior as typical, he couldn't help but note the particular vehemence the man had spoken to him with. The doctor seemed to hate swordsmen particularly and with an intensity that seemed unnatural. He had after all projected his own opinions of Soujiro's relationship with Kuri onto the situation with no experience of how they behaved together other than Kuri's accounts, which Soujiro suspected were just as disjointed as the one she had blurted out to him earlier. Soujiro found himself wondering if the old man had any experience in affairs involving women and swordsmen. However, he was not allowed to contemplate this train of thought for long because Kuri chose that moment to announce her presence again.
She looked extremely pleased with herself and has she approached hurriedly Soujiro noticed that her two hands were cupped in front of her. When she got to his futon, she knelt and held out her hands for his examination. In the cup her palms formed were five round, dark red cherries.
"Arigato, Kuri-san," he smiled at her and she seemed to warm under his gaze. Suddenly a thought occurred to him, "Kuri-san, did you pick these cherries from someone else's tree?"
Kuri blushed. Obviously he was interested in avoiding another sukiyaki incident, especially in his condition. Indignantly she stated, "These are from the tree in the yard. Hisashi-kun said I could take them as a present for you."
Soujiro raised his right arm slightly, "Maa maa Kuri, don't get worked up." He nodded to the boy, "Arigatou, Hisashi-kun."
The boy nodded pleasantly, but the old man cut in again.
"Very polite of you to offer him fruit from my tree."
"Old man," the boy laughed, "If I didn't water it, it would have died long ago. The tree is as much yours as Neko-chan is mine."
The cat let out a throaty yowl as if in agreement and rolled over onto her back, still sprawled across Soujiro's lap.
As if sensing a shift in the mood, the boy spoke again.
"Yoshida-sensei, I have something to show you in the dispensary."
"What is it?" the old goat snapped.
The boy sweatdropped, "I can't tell you. You have to see it."
He cast a meaningful glance at Kuri, and although she was confused by it for a moment, she picked up on it soon enough and nodded emphatically.
"Oh yes, I saw it as I came in. You ought to go and see it. Boy, it was something."
Soujiro sweatdropped and filed it away for future reference that Kuri wasn't a very convincing liar.
The old man looked at Kuri and the boy skeptically before grumbling, "I guess I had better go see this amazing wonder."
The boy herded the old man out, and as he left, he cast a backward glance at Kuri and Soujiro was not surprised to see him wink at her. She grinned and gave him a thumbs up. As if on cue, the cat stretched and rolled out of Soujiro's lap and then followed them out.
As soon as the two of them were out of earshot, Soujiro expected Kuri to bombard him with personal commentary, but she stayed strangely silent, as if suddenly shy. Soujiro was disturbed by this shyness. It was as if she didn't know him. Finally he spoke.
"Kuri, I'm sorry that you had to go through that," as hard as he tried to control his voice he was afraid that a tiny tremor had slipped out.
She shook her head, "I'm glad I was there. At least then I could try to help you. If I hadn't been there . . ." she looked away.
"Oh, Kuri," was all he could say, and as she looked back at him she found his expression was not simply benign and complacent, but soft and vulnerable. She couldn't hold back her tears any longer, and although he had made no motion of invitation, she leaned against his bare chest and put both of her hands over her face.
Soujiro was surprised by her movement, but by no means displeased, because it reinforced the idea that she needed him. He felt her tears where her face pressed against his chest and felt her silently shake. Gently, he drew her closer, into a natural embrace. Her hair spilled over her shoulders. It was still loose and it felt nice against his chest. As he glanced down at her form, seemingly lost in the yukata that was simply too large for her, he couldn't help but note how childlike she looked. She continued to cry, trembling in his safe embrace, and Soujiro found himself rocking her ever-so-slightly, and murmuring soft words of reassurance. He had survived after all. Nothing had changed. Her fears were groundless.
"It's over now," he murmured consolingly.
Her voice was soft when it came, "But it's not, is it? It's not over until one of you is dead. That's what you said in the alley."
Soujiro avoided the question and instead answered it with one of his own, "Why did you scream?"
She was silent, and she simply pressed against his chest.
Soujiro wondered if she had forgotten and the idea disturbed him so much that he repeated himself, "You screamed for me to stop. Why?"
"All at once I knew who you were fighting, and I didn't want you to hurt them," her voice was tiny, "I didn't mean for you to get hurt."
"You knew who I was fighting?" he was incredulous.
He felt her nod against him and he rested his chin on the top of her head.
"Who was it then?"
She was silent for several minutes before she finally spoke.
"It was a woman named Toyotomi Noriko."
*
Bwahahaha! What a way to end a chapter ^_^ By the way, Tears and Rain will be wrapping up in three more chapters ^_^