So he did something else. He went back into the small town, his aura immediately announcing who he was and what he was, and talked to the woman who he had last seen giving Touda food. She was a baker, a kind, middle-aged woman who greeted him with a deep bow and an offer of freshly baked goods.
Byakko accepted the small pie with a smile.
"I'd like to ask you a favor."
"My lord?"
"You know the one you always give your leftovers from the day before?"
Her eyes widened. "You are speaking of the Fallen?"
Byakko winced at the term. Fallen was right. Touda had fallen. "Yes," he murmured. Oh Touda…
"He comes here once a week," the woman went on. "I feel sorry for him. I know he was a highly decorated warrior once, then sent to prison because he is a criminal." Her hand rose to her mouth and she looked chastised. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't talk about him."
Byakko shook his head. "It's okay. I know, and I know him. Please, I'd like to ask you a favor. I'll pay you as a merchant to give him fresh food from now on. Don't tell him it was me. Don't say a word about it. Promise me!"
She looked at him, wide-eyed. "My lord…?"
"Swear me you won't tell him!"
"I will, I will… But… why?"
Byakko's face closed off. "I have my reasons. Just do what I tell you. You will receive payment for it, enough to cover your costs."
She nodded quickly. "I will promise you, my lord."
Byakko dug into his pockets and drew out several coins. "Add some vegetables and fruit now and then. Don't let it look too conspicuous."
Another nod. "I will. You are generous, my lord."
Byakko almost grimaced. He wasn't generous. He was just worried and shocked and horrified.
He left the town not much later, wishing he could do more. Touda wouldn't accept an invitation to come and live at his palace ever. He was too proud. In his shoes, Byakko knew he'd act the same way. But it pained him to think of this proud man living from scraps. The little he could he had done. Informing Tsuzuki wouldn't help either because Touda would know where his master had heard it from; the bond would take care of that.
So Byakko remained in the background, offering his friendship to the 'Fallen', and each and every time Touda accepted it was like a little victory.
Byakko hadn't been feeling well for the last few days and the cough
was getting worse. His eyes were watering, his throat was scratchy, and
from the whole feel of it he was getting the shikigami version of a cold.
Well damn, he didn't really need that right now!
Sneezing, he sniffled a little and grabbed for a Kleenex. Just great.
His servants had taken to making him soup and one had hurried to Rikugo
to get medication. Byakko hated the vile tasting stuff. Others might like
it, like Tenko or Kijin, but for a feline it was horrible to even smell.
So it helped; big deal. It was still foul.
It was in the middle of this cursed cold that he felt the Summon.
Tsuzuki needed him.
And he went.
It was a mistake.
Touda had heard about Byakko's cold and while it amused him a little,
the moment he felt the Summon it quickly changed into worry. Tsuzuki was
in trouble, fighting off a powerful spell brought on by a human who had
made a deal with a devil, granting him limitless power. The shinigami had
already been beaten back twice, barely holding his own with his ofuda,
and he didn't want to touch the innate power that was deep inside him.
Touda had braced himself for the inevitable, for the rush that told of
the darkness rising, but instead Tsuzuki had done what he usually did –
he had called one of his shikigami.
It had been Byakko.
A Byakko who wasn't at the top of his strength because of the cold.
Touda had had no chance to tell Tsuzuki that the tiger, while following
the Summon, was in no shape. He felt the echoes of the battle, felt the
pain of his master as wounds opened and blood flowed.
And then there was Tsuzuki's cry of horror as Byakko was injured. Touda's
worry multiplied and he pushed forward along the bond, needing to know.
Tsuzuki?!>>
He received a rush of emotions, felt fear and pain, emotional upheaval,
and finally the adrenaline rush of victory. He heard tumultuous thoughts
as he was already running and leaping across the roofs to Byakko's palace.
Touda?>> Tsuzuki cried helplessly.
I'll take care of him,>> he growled, a promise he wouldn't
break.
Tsuzuki had a case to end and worrying about Byakko wouldn't help.
The fire serpent arrived at the wind shikigami's palace the moment
the white tiger jumped out of the portal between the two worlds. Touda's
breath caught in his throat as he saw the blood staining the magnificent
white being. The tiger fell more than glided to the ground, and the transformation
was all but easy. With a pained cry the young shikigami finally stood on
his two human legs, clothes blood soaked, wounds extending all over his
trembling form.
Touda was at his side before any of the servants could reach him, cushioning
the fall, feeling the light form collapse into his arms. He heard the mewling
whimper of pain as Byakko curled up, those beautiful red eyes screwed shut
in agony.
And then the servants were there, swarming around them, carefully but
firmly taking their master out of Touda's arms while applying pressure
to the wounds and stripping off the ruined clothes.
Touda stumbled back, shocked by the sight of the deep bite wounds on
the slender form. He followed the servants like on automatic. His expression
was stony, giving nothing away, but inside he was screaming in denial.
No one stopped him.
No one told him to leave.
He was a silent watcher as those terrible wounds were cleaned and bandaged.
And he stayed when they placed their master into his bed.
Touda looked down at the sleeping shikigami. Even in his slumber Byakko
showed signs of pain, his face flushed from the fever of his cold and from
battling the deep wounds. He was strong, but even a strong shikigami needed
time to close such injuries.
The fire serpent brushed gentle fingers over the sweat damp hair, stroking
Byakko carefully, tenderly…
Touda?>>
The timid voice of his bonded shinigami startled him a little and he
cursed himself for ignoring the young man for so long. Tsuzuki had to be
frantic with worry.
He's sleeping. He'll be fine.>>
I didn't know,>> Tsuzuki moaned. I wouldn't
have Summoned him. I never would!>>
I know that,>> he calmed him. And Byakko knows.
You did what comes naturally, as did he.>>
Tsuzuki whimpered a little and Touda embraced him, his spirit, his
soul, holding him.
He'll be fine.>>
Stay with him?>> Tsuzuki begged.
He wouldn't be able to deny his master a single request. Anyway, Touda
hadn't planned on leaving.
I will>>
And so he did. He stayed with the wounded tiger throughout the night,
watched the fever spike and then drop. He sat with him through the morning
hours as healing powers knit the skin back together again, stroking over
the bare arms, the hair, touching Byakko with such tender familiarity…
it hurt him in turn.
The servants came and went. No one commented on his presence, his touch
to their master. He was a silent sentinel, and he was tolerated. No, not
tolerated. Accepted.
Touda watched as the familiar red eyes opened, blinked a few times,
and then Byakko tried to sit up. A soft hiss escaped the wind shikigami
and he cursed. Touda smiled and he silently closed the door. He had briefly
left the room to follow a call of nature, only to find that in the meantime
the tiger had woken.
"Take it easy. You were hurt badly," he rumbled.
Byakko flinched, clearly not aware of his presence, which spoke of
the shape he was in. He should have been able to sense his aura.
"Touda?" he asked, and a happy smile split his face. He was suddenly
positively glowing with happiness.
"Yes, apparently. Now lay back."
Byakko continued grinning as Touda pushed him back, sitting down on
the mattress in turn.
"So it wasn't a dream?"
"What was?"
"You here. With me. You were there when I came back from the battle."
"Yes, I was." Touda looked into the beaming face. How could one individual
emit such positive energy? "Now get back to rest. You need it."
Byakko agreed with him with a huge yawn, still smiling like seeing
the serpent was the best thing in the world.
"Stay?" the tiger pleaded softly.
"I'll stay," Touda promised.
He wouldn't break that promise. It was time to pay back at least some
of the debt he had with this young shikigami.
Byakko's eyes slid shut and he was still smiling. Why and about what,
Touda had no idea.
But he stayed.