Relief
By Gnine
Ban grimaced, opening his eyes a crack. Might as well get up, not like he was getting any sleep anyway. Propping himself up into a sitting position, he didn't quite manage to bite back the groan.
Beside him, Ginji immediately jerked up, glanced over. "You okay, Ban-chan?"
Ban sighed, rotating his shoulder slowly in its socket. Of course Ginji was awake, despite the fact that he had seemed dead to the world for the past few hours. Ban should know, he had been wide awake for all of it.
"Yeah, I'm fine." If 'fine' includes a wrenched shoulder and back that ached like hell, he added silently. Not that he would ever admit that to his partner. Stupid job. Yesterday, with enough money to actually cover all of a second month's rent, and Ginji beaming in happiness at the client's profuse thanks, it had all seemed worth it.
Now, though, after a sleepless night and his back so stiff it hurt to move even slightly, he wasn't so sure. Gee, my daddy's dished out loads of cash to hire retrieval agents to get me back, but I still don't know if he loves me. Let's test it by walking off a cliff! Ban could cheerfully strangle the kid right about now, not to mention their client, who had of course jumped after his son.
Hell, Ban was amazed his arm hadn't been completely dislocated after lunging to catch the man and his son before they both plunged to their deaths. Shoulder and arm, fully attached...he just couldn't move either without wincing.
"You're sure you're okay? 'Cause you didn't seem to be sleeping well and now--"
The babble was cut short as Ban rolled to his feet, stifling another groan as he did so. Okay, so that was rather...unpleasant. Damn it, how was he supposed to work like this, or drive, or do much of anything, for that matter? Ban crossed to their tiny kitchenette, making, in vain, a concerted effort not to hunch like a hundred-year-old man as he gradually traversed the room. Arriving at the small, barely-operational fridge, he reached out slowly, careful not to jar anything.
Of course, like always, it had to be his right arm. Well, one upshot of repeated injury to that side was that he was becoming quite adept at doing everything with his left hand.
Still flopped on the futon, Ginji watched his slow, cautious movements with fond exasperation. "Ban-chan, how 'bout we just stay home today and relax, take it easy. We made enough money yesterday to--"
"I'm fine," he ground out. Note, don't turn around that sharply, it hurts. A lot. "Maybe I'll just go take a hot shower." Very hot, scalding if possible.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Ginji's change of expression to slight panic. "Err...Ban-chan...you didn't see the sign posted last night?"
"Sign?"
Ginji looked anywhere but at him. "There's some problem with the plumbing...no hot water till Tuesday at the earliest..."
Ban glared, not at Ginji per se, but the world at large, because it was impossible to look his partner straight in the eye when he wore that expression, somewhere between worry and guilt. Not that Ban had a clue what Ginji had to be guilty about. It wasn't like Ban could blame him for the lack of hot water or even the injury. Ah well, such were the ways of his partner.
Suddenly said partner's face brightened. "I know, we could go to the public baths. Or even make a daytrip to an onsen!"
Ban snorted, poking through the meager contents of the fridge. "And waste our hard-earned money on frivolous things?"
"But Ban-chan..." Oh boy, here came the full-blown pout. Ban focused wholeheartedly on the carton of milk a few inches from his face...that expiration date didn't say a week ago, did it? "It wouldn't be frivolous, it'd be fun! It's been a long time since we've gone to a hot spring. And besides, it would be good for your back..."
Ginji seemed to perceive that was exactly the wrong thing to say as soon as the words were out of his mouth. And even if he hadn't, the banging of the fridge door should have been a big clue.
"I told, you, I'm--never ever going to do that again." Right, so sharp sudden motions like, say, slamming shut a door, definitely a big no-no. Reflexively, Ban's left hand rose to rub roughly at his right shoulder. He couldn't help wincing, scrunching his eyes shut as he gingerly rolled his neck in a slow circle, unable even to touch chin to breastbone.
"Ban-chan?" And there was Ginji, right beside him, strong hands brushing his own aside as his partner's fingers began to knead tensed muscles, hands warm on his bare skin. Ban hissed slightly as they found a particularly bad spot, but it was only a passing pain and the relief the action brought was well worth it.
Abruptly he pulled back, turned away. "So, what'dya want for breakfast?"
"Ban-chan..." He hated that hurt tone, almost as much as he hated making Ginji worry. Reaching out to open the cupboard, Ban restarted the quest for food, anything to distract himself from that concern.
Ginji beat him to it, long arm extended over Ban's. "I'll handle breakfast," he declared cheerfully.
"It's my turn," Ban growled back, a little more sharply than intended.
Ginji didn't even flinch, gazing back guilelessly. "I know, Ban-chan, but I want to. I like making breakfast."
Ban snorted, didn't budge.
"And besides," Ginji continued, "you're obviously kinda hurting--"
"I'm fi--"
"And couldn't you please just let me take care of you for once?"
Ban released a breath, deflated with it. He had done it, he'd met those eyes, full of pleading, concern, caring. He was a goner. "Ch, fine. Do what you like, cook...not really hungry anyways." He continued to grumble all the way back to the futon, where he plopped facedown, sprawling out.
Taking a deep breath, exhaling it slowly, Ban concentrated on simply relaxing, trying to ignore the constant throb in his shoulder making even the slightest motions a chore.
After a few minutes of the banging and clatter of pots and pans, hand-me-downs from the Honky Tonk courtesy of Natsumi and Rena, a mouth-watering smell began emanating from the kitchen. That was at least one plus for all the times Paul had forced them to work to pay their tab: Ginji had become a remarkably good short order cook.
Along with everything else, Ban's grandmother had made sure he knew the basics of cooking, and time spent on his own and living with Maria as well as the Kudou siblings had further developed the skill. But it was never something he particularly enjoyed doing. Not so with Ginji. Even now Ban could hear him whistling away merrily as he bustled about the kitchen.
Cracking an eye open, Ban craned his head around as much as his neck would allow. And groaned. Not from any physical pain, this time. Ban wasn't sure which was worse: the fact that Natsumi had gifted them with one of those idiotic aprons, or that Ginji cheerfully wore it, cinched loosely over his already ridiculous pajamas.
Dropping his head with a frown, burying it once more in the ratty pillow, Ban came to the definite conclusion that no one should be subjected to pink frills and cow print this early in the morning.
He hadn't realized he had begun to doze until the touch on his arm roused him. "Ban-chan? Food..."
Sitting up, he took the offered bowl, trying to avoid looking directly at Ginji as he did so. The combination of apron, pajamas and huge grin was just a little too large a dose of cuteness for Ban's current mood. As he shoveled the first few bites of scrambled egg into his mouth, Ginji moved behind him, hands resting on Ban's shoulders, fingers resuming the massage. "Aren't you gonna eat?" Ban asked around a mouthful of bacon.
"I ate while I cooked." The grin was evident in Ginji's voice. "Don't worry, Ban-chan, you just relax and let me help."
As much as Ban might to have liked to protest, continue insisting he was fine and didn't need pampering, the food was delicious, and already he could feel his shoulders relaxing.
Sinking into Ginji's touch, Ban ate leisurely. Scraping the bowl clean, he reached to put it down, only to have it snatched from his hands, Ginji springing to his feet and immediately carrying it back to the kitchen. "Are you still hungry Ban-chan? Would you like some juice or anything...I don't think we should drink the milk but--"
"Nah, I'm fine, full...not thirsty." Slumping back, Ban tried hard not to mourn the loss of that warm touch on his sore shoulders. Not about to mention it aloud, (doing so would be akin to admitting he perhaps wasn't entirely 'fine') but it had definitely helped. A lot.
"If you roll over I can get your lower back. I couldn't while you were sitting up."
Opening his eyes to find Ginji standing over him, Ban considered the request for a brief moment, then did as he was asked.
Starting at his shoulders, Ginji's hands slowly worked their way down his spine, touch gentle yet firm, adjusting pressure as he moved from spot to spot. Ban couldn't help the sharp intake of breath as Ginji's probing fingers dug into a particularly tense knot. The futon shifted as Ginji rocked back, hastily withdrawing his hands as if burnt. "Sorry, Ban-chan, I--"
"S'okay, not your fault," Ban cut him off, shaking his head against the pillow. "More surprise than actually hurt." Ban fought down the urge to sit up and start shaking Ginji until he continued where he had left off. Besides the obvious fact that that would most likely erase all the good done by the massage so far, Ban had no intention of letting Ginji see him reduced to that level of neediness.
Thankfully Ginji leaned forward of his own accord, though the touch of his calloused fingers was slightly more hesitant, sliding over Ban's back cautiously.
He twisted slightly, so his words wouldn't get muffled by the pillow. "Where'd you learn how to do this anyway?"
Ginji gave a little laugh, the noise filling the small apartment. "Back in Mugenjyo, Juubei--he was trained as a doctor--taught a lot of us about pressure points and easy remedies for small injuries." As he spoke, Ginji's hands fell back into a steady rhythm, once more confident in their approach. Ban smiled.
"And Kazu-chan suggested I could maybe use my electricity in really low levels to help with this kinda thing, when someone had hurt themselves." Well, that explained the slight, constant vibration he had been feeling. Ginji laughed again, louder. "And the rest I'm just guessing."
"Good guesses..." He hadn't really meant to say it out loud. Thankfully having his head buried in the pillow saved him.
"What was that, Ban-chan?" Or perhaps not. The pressure on his back increased as Ginji leaned forward, head close to his, breath tickling Ban's cheek.
"S'nothing," Ban groused, shifting. He was feeling remarkably tired, the lack of sleep the previous night catching up to him, now that his shoulder was loose enough to let him think about anything else.
"Maybe you should go to sleep, Ban-chan," Ginji suggested quietly, hands curled into loose fists as he began lightly pounding up and down either side of Ban's spine. He grunted, not opposed to the suggestion. Actually he wasn't opposed to much of anything, as long as it didn't involve Ginji stopping.
"Mmf...feels good..." Eyes closed, breath slowing, Ban hadn't even realized he had said it until he heard Ginji's soft, "I'm glad."
Ginji leaned forward again, lips brushing Ban's forehead, and Ban felt more than heard the next words. "See, Ban-chan, you should let me take care of you more often."
And as Ban drifted off into sleep, his last thought was that he couldn't come up with a single good reason why he shouldn't.
Owari
C & C welcome and very much appreciated...