Revised Edition with changed/added footage: 8-8-2006
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Chapter 7: ButterfliesMorning came all too quickly for Bankotsu, who was now feeling every little burn, cut and scrape. With this deduction, he realized the salve Suikotsu had used must have worn off. He started to roll to his side so he could stand up, and quickly discovered that wasn't such a good idea.
"Ah damn that hurts!" He cursed as injury on his back felt the weight on it.
"Moving tends to do that," Jakotsu said flatly.
Bankotsu blinked, "You were awake?"
He nodded, "Tried to get up awhile back and decided it wasn't worth the trouble unless it was an emergency."
"Well, we need to at least get to Suikotsu so we can get this fixed," Bankotsu replied, beginning another attempt to get up without further pains.
Finally he managed to stagger to his feet, "Here, let me help you." He said extending a hand down to Jakotsu.
With a smile, he reached out and took the braided-man's offered hand and began to pull himself upright.
Just as they both thought they had succeeded, Jakotsu lost his balance and sent them both toppling to the ground. From amidst their awkward position, Jakotsu was now lying across Bankotsu's stomach diagonally, and Bankotsu was half twisted onto his side.
"Ouch!" Jakotsu cried out as his side grazed the floor.
"Damnit…" Bankotsu paused and began to laugh. Soon joined by Jakotsu as well. "We're pathetic, you know that?" He remarked with a shake of his head.
"Some warriors we are." Jakotsu replied with a smile.
But of course, staying like that wasn't exactly an option, and a knock at the door indicated that they should probably get in a less compromising position.
"Oi…Jakotsu move."
"You move, I'm not. It hurts too much," He retorted sticking his tongue out.
Given the situation they found themselves in, they finally decided it wasn't worth the trouble.
"Who is it?" Bankotsu inquired.
"It's Suikotsu, just brought some more medicine. That from last night should have worn off by now."
"Yeah, we figured that out the hard way," Jakotsu muttered, "Especially when we tried to stand up."
The door slid open and calmed Suikotsu couldn't help but smirk, "Let me guess. You tried to help each other stand up and both ended up falling down, right?"
With a laugh, Bankotsu replied, "Precisely."
Suikotsu walked over and went about helping the two back over to the futon. At first, Bankotsu seemed nervous about lying next to Jakotsu with the other person in the room, and even he noticed.
"Is there something wrong with having you two share a futon?" Suikotsu asked scratching his head. "I figured it would be okay and all, considering how long you've known each other."
An apprehensive smile lit upon Bankotsu's features, "It's fine, I was just worried about crowding Jakotsu. With that side and all I'd hate to be pushing him off the futon."
"I hate to say it, Oo-aniki. But I'm pretty certain he wouldn't mind you being all over him," Suikotsu said leaning over Jakotsu to tend to the sword wound.
Jakotsu giggled, and tugged at the slight whisp of Suikotsu's hair that hung down in his face, "Oh, you're on to me, Suikotsu. I might have to go after you next," He said playfully, causing the brown-haired man to scoot backwards quickly.
"Hey now!"
"You have to watch him, Suikotsu. If you turn your back on him, he'll jump you and rip your clothes off," Bankotsu said with a smirk.
"Now, you're giving me ideas," Jakotsu replied with a wide grin.
"Do you two want this medicine or not?" He asked firmly.
They both fell silent.
"That's better," Suikotsu said moving back to work on the wound. He cringed at the sight of all the dried blood, the sleeping doctor making his head start to ache.
Bankotsu noticed him pale, "Suikotsu, should I get Mukotsu to take care of that?"
"No," He gulped, "I just need to get you two to a…a spring or something so you can wash that blood off. Yeah, wash the blood off that's the best thing to do."
"He's doing it again," Jakotsu whispered, noting Suikotsu beginning to panic over the blood issue.
"Shhh, just let him calm down. If we're lucky, he won't insist on washing his hands for hours again," Bankotsu replied quietly.
"Yes, you both need to get that blood washed off you. I'll get Kyoukotsu to help me get you two to a nearby spring or stream or something," He said standing to leave.
"Well, if you think that's best, Suikotsu."
"It'll prevent infection, Oo-aniki and make the medicine more effective," Suikotsu said smiling in return, "I'll be right back."
Jakotsu shook his head, "He's so weird when he gets like that."
"Some people think you and I are weird too, Jakotsu," Bankotsu replied.
"I guess you're right. We're all a little weird."
"Plus, not everyone thinks that blood is attractive," He said smugly.
"Hey! It's not my fault I'm like that. It's just the way I am," Jakotsu retorted.
"And that's just the way Suikotsu is too."
"Then you shouldn't get jealous," Jakotsu said firmly.
"What?" Bankotsu asked, turning sharply.
Jakotsu spoke slowly, trying to explain himself in the best possible way, "That's just the way I am. I just get like that about cute guys sometimes and well, you shouldn't take it so personally. They are different than you. There's no feeling there, none- just lust," He paused, and rolled as best as he could so he could see Bankotsu, "I don't want it to bother you, but I can't stop it either. It's part of who I am."
Bankotsu reached over and tapped the snake-markings on Jakotsu's face, "If it's part of who you are, then, I guess I'll just have to learn to like it."
A shocked expression crossed Jakotsu's face for a second before widening into a smile, "Really?"
"Just don't let them hang around too long, or I might have to kill them for you, okay?" He said with an edge of seriousness.
"Understood. I'll kill them within the day, or two days at the most. That'll keep it from being a problem for either of us," Jakotsu replied, then rolled back as he heard the footsteps of Suikotsu and Kyoukotsu approaching.
"I don't care if you were eating. You're always eating," The voice of Suikotsu remarked to Kyoukotsu before a knock sounded on the door.
"Come on in," Bankotsu called out.
Suikotsu walked in and Kyoukotsu ducked and squeezed through the opening.
"Okay Kyoukotsu, just pick them up gently and we'll take them to the closest spring."
Kyoukotsu frowned a bit, but complied; using his large size to lift Jakotsu slowly up.
"Be careful with him, Kyoukotsu. Especially his side," Bankotsu ordered.
Suikotsu leaned down and lifted Bankotsu's arm over his shoulders, "This okay for you?"
"Yeah, just a little pain, but it's bearable," He replied as they made their way outside.
Sitting out on the porch, Mukotsu was mixing something in his bowl, but quickly moved when he saw that he was in the way. Renkotsu was yet again working on Ginkotsu's metal attachments and weaponry but paused to look up as Bankotsu and Jakotsu passed. The odd group of four started into the forest, heading for the nearby spring.
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"Kyoukotsu, go ahead and grab yourself a snack if there's something around here that suits you. It'll save us some food for later if you eat now," Bankotsu commented once they arrived.
The gigantic figure gave a slight nod, "Okay, Oo-aniki." With that said, he lumbered off into the forest to seek out a meal.
Suikotsu looked around, "If you two will be okay, I can go get the medicine and I'll bandage you up once you're done washing up."
"I'm sure we'll be fine, Suikotsu," Bankotsu replied looking to the small pool and the trickle of a waterfall that descended into it.
"Just yell for Kyoukotsu if anything serious happens," The brown-haired man remarked before turning and heading back through the forest to retrieve his medicines and bandages.
Bankotsu pulled his shirt off and laid it aside, then he paused a moment in removing his pants. He looked over to Jakotsu, and saw that he'd already pulled off his clothing and was wading into the water.
Upon seeing that Bankotsu was watching him, Jakotsu turned to face him, "What? Like what you see?" He asked with an impish grin.
A flustered and blushing Bankotsu tried to formulate a reply, "Why do you always have to say things like that?"
"Because you're cute when you get all nervous like that," He replied simply.
Bankotsu blinked, letting the words register. Finally, he took a deep breath, and pulled off the rest of his clothes and waded into the water as well.
They were silent for a while, until Jakotsu noticed Bankotsu's fascination with something on a nearby rock. Being careful not to startle him or cause unnecessary pain to his own injury, Jakotsu made his way over. Bankotsu was standing in the water; head tilted slightly to the right side in inquisitive amusement, and was looking at a small blue butterfly sunning itself on the rock.
"Bankotsu?" The taller-man asked drawing nearer.
"Jakotsu- look! I've never seen one this color. Isn't it beautiful?" He said; face lit up like an excited child's.
"Hmm, I've never seen one like that either. I guess they're rare," Jakotsu reasoned.
"That makes it special then, even if it is all alone," Bankotsu replied with a smile. "It just needs a good friend or someone to love."
"Or maybe someone's that's both of those," Jakotsu offered, a gentle hand placed on Bankotsu's shoulder.
Bankotsu smiled slightly, "I bet that's exactly what he needs, but he's scared and confused; so it might take him awhile to get used to that."
"But I'm sure that other butterfly would understand that, and try and help him anyways," He replied, continuing the analogy.
"Then he wouldn't be alone anymore," Bankotsu said, gaze following the butterfly as it flew off.
"No, he wouldn't be alone at all," Jakotsu added, also watching as the small blue speck disappeared in the sky.
The two fell silent, watching the almost indiscernible dot vanish amidst the sky and clouds. Bankotsu felt better, even if it was under the ruse of the butterfly, that he'd explained to Jakotsu his situation. And Jakotsu was glad to see that his friend was starting to open up a little more about their relationship.
"Um…what are you two looking at?" Suikotsu asked squinting at where they were looking.
Bankotsu moved a bit more away from Jakotsu and replied, "It was just a blue butterfly."
"Blue? That color's strange around this area," Suikotsu said placing his medicines down on the ground.
"That's what makes it special though," Jakotsu remarked.
Bankotsu climbed from the water and used a cloth Suikotsu had brought to dry himself. Attiring himself again, he reached out to Jakotsu to help him out of the water as well.
"Oo-aniki, I don't think you should…" Suikotsu grimaced as Bankotsu tumbled into the water.
Surfacing a few feet away from Jakotsu, Bankotsu sighed, "I should have seen that coming. Okay Jakotsu, come on now." He said, pulling him up and helping him out, then climbing out himself, dripping wet.
"Mou…Are you okay?" Jakotsu asked seeing the annoyed expression on his face.
"I'm just soaking wet, that's all. It'll dry," He said sitting and looking off in the direction the butterfly had disappeared in.
"That's much better. All that dried blood probably wasn't helping it to heal any," Suikotsu said wrapping the bandage around Jakotsu's side.
"What about his injuries?" He asked; pointing to Bankotsu's back.
"He'll be fine. Just strained his back a bit with the weight of that wooden beam and got burnt in a couple of places."
"Do you think we could walk back by ourselves?" Jakotsu asked.
"What for?" Suikotsu questioned.
"I just need to talk to him alone," He said, then whispered, "You know, thank him for saving me and all that…"
Suikotsu nodded, "I'll go on a bit ahead of you that way if you call out I can come back and help you."
He stood, gathering his things, and began to walk back.
Jakotsu walked over and sat next to Bankotsu, "Whatcha thinking so hard about over here?"
Bankotsu looked up at him, "Butterflies."
"If you're worried about that one, I'm sure there's someone out there looking out for him too. He'll be okay."
He contemplated that for a moment before responding, "Yeah, he'll be okay. He's not alone."
"I'm sure he's not," Jakotsu smiled, and then stood, "Let me try helping you up this time."
"Are you saying it was my fault we kept falling?" He asked taking the hand.
"I'm saying, I'm going to help you, that's all."
And with a light tug, Bankotsu was standing beside him.
The two began to walk slowly back to where the others were, leaning on each other for support so they wouldn't fall.
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