Revised Edition with changed/added footage: 8-8-2006
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Chapter 26: Knowing You Love Him
The rain was falling at a steady pace, lightening flashing above every once in awhile. The two figures on the hill watched the silhouetted village intently, as if the hollow shadows and the spirits of the dead bandits might tell them how the battle was fairing.
But, the shadows stayed silent and the spirits had risen without a word, leaving Suikotsu and Jakotsu to discern the battle themselves.
"Mou…Suikotsu, you seem quiet tonight," The injured man noted from where he rested against the tree trunk.
"Oo-aniki- he's, someone special to you, right Jakotsu?"
He blinked, not sure how far into that to read.
"What do you mean?"
"That kiss was for more than just luck."
Jakotsu opened his mouth, then shut it quickly.
"Have you ever loved someone before?" Suikotsu continued.
"Loved?" The black-haired found himself questioning, still not sure where the other man was leading this conversation.
"The type of person you not only want to touch physically, but one you want to touch emotionally as well."
Thinking back over the countless soldiers, messengers and men that he'd lusted after in the past, Jakotsu ruefully shook his head.
"I don't think I can love," He said quietly, the rain almost drowning it out, "I stopped that when my parents died."
"Emotions are a weakness," Suikotsu said thoughtfully, his voice gruff, "They make you do things you'd never do otherwise."
"Suikotsu?" Jakotsu sat up; listening intently to what the darker side of the man had to say on the matter.
"Heh. Just thinking over why I became like this. That stupid doctor. He was so mad when that pathetic girl died. So emotionally torn that he couldn't take it and I woke up within him. Emotions are pointless, but he clings to them. It makes me sick sometimes because it only gets him hurt."
He paused thoughtfully, his posture relaxing slightly as the darkness released its tight hold on his bitter heart.
"But he's right on one account."
"He is?" At this, Jakotsu propped himself up further, his eyes dancing with eager curiosity.
"They can also be one of the strongest weapons someone can wield. You fight harder if someone you care about is in danger. Even I can't deny that."
Looking down at the ground, the black-haired man watched as the raindrops collected in a nearby puddle. His mind ran rampant with what all this advice was supposed to mean, and what it had to do with the fact he'd kissed Bankotsu in front of another member of the Shichinin-tai.
Walking over, Suikotsu sat down on one of the tree roots near where Jakotsu lay.
"I guess, what I'm trying to say is… well ever since I met you and Oo-aniki, you were like the younger brothers I never had."
Jakotsu's eyes widened, as he stared at the other man.
"Especially Bankotsu. He can be so innocent sometimes, but deep down; he's the strongest of all of us. He's the strongest because he's the one that lets his emotions surface the most."
Shifting his gaze, the injured man found himself once again looking out at the village in hopes he'd see Bankotsu coming back, having already slain the youkai. He started then as a gentle hand was placed on his shoulder.
"Jakotsu, you've spent your life focusing your desires into causing pain."
His eyes narrowed into slits at that, and he was just about to retort when the brown-haired man held up a finger to stop him.
"But, even though I can't quite understand it; I know, you won't ever hurt him."
At that Jakotsu just gaped.
"Wait a second; he knows that Bankotsu and I are kinda, sorta…well, what are we? Never mind, the important thing here is- he trusts me with him?"
"What do you mean by that?" Jakotsu retorted, trying to sound irritated, but coming across only mildly peeved.
"Don't be afraid to come to me about it, okay? I can always ask the stupid doctor if it's something really mushy," He muttered, sliding his eyes closed and clenching his fist to ease the darkness away.
Jakotsu flung his hands in the air, regretting it as soon as the pain pulled at his side, "Mou! That's not what I meant. I meant- what's all this emotion stuff about?"
"You love him, don't you?" Suikotsu stated simply, leveling his friend with a sincere expression.
Blinking, Jakotsu's brain tried to process that straightforward statement.
"I've said it before; I say I love to see people bleeding. I say I love to see people in pain. That I love to hear them screaming my name. But do I really love him beyond those hollow feelings the rest of those things give me?"
"I 'love' a lot of things," Jakotsu muttered absently, his thoughts keeping him distracted.
"You're both young," Suikotsu said, leaning back against the damp tree trunk, "But, you'll figure it out in time."
Frowning, Jakotsu narrowed his eyes on the other man, "You are not making any sense."
"Do you want me to just be blunt about this?"
He shrugged, "It's better than these riddles."
"Okay, if you say so. I've noticed, that since I've met you two- something changed between you. Sure, you were really close friends and you still are, but recently I've noticed that you both seem to be taking some small steps towards something beyond that."
Eyes wide as his companion explained things; Jakotsu found his gaze drifting back to the growing puddle.
"It's not like it bothers me. I knew you were like that from the start and I still joined up with the Shichinin-tai. What bothers me is the fact you both seem to be struggling to admit some of those emotions."
"And how am I supposed to do that? I've said I love a lot of things, why would this be any different?"
"Who said it had to be with those words?" Suikotsu countered.
"Are you telling me to sleep with him?" Jakotsu yelled right as a clap of thunder sounded.
Suikotsu blinked, the innocence of the doctor showing in his brown eyes, "Why must you always think in such crude terms? Sheesh," He growled deep in the back of his throat, his hands beginning to absently toy with his claws again, "Just let him know, stop being a bitter ass and open up to him completely. He's out there fighting for you now."
Catching resentment in the man's tone, yet thrown by the confrontation on his emotional state, Jakotsu was only able to manage a weak reply, "…I know he is."
"Just don't fuck up and lose him before saying anything, you'll hate yourself forever for it," The brown-haired man finished, sinking his claws into the tree's bark.
"What happened?" Jakotsu asked, having a feeling this went deeper than just a piece of friendly advice.
"That damned doctor went and got his heart all tied up with someone, but he lost her. She never knew he cared that much for her. It was too late."
Thunder crashed in the background and Jakotsu found his shaky legs begging to get him upright.
"Bankotsu…"
"You understand now?"
Bracing himself against the tree, he looked down at the brown-haired man, "Yah. I just hope I don't share your fate."
"You and me both, Jakotsu."
"Um Suikotsu about all this, the others might…"
"Might not understand," He finished for him, "Don't worry. Consider it a secret between friends."
Jakotsu smiled, "Thanks."
"No problem," Suikotsu replied, pausing as his ears caught what he believed to be someone calling out to him.
Looking up, the large figure of Kyoukotsu could be seen approaching.
"Suikotsu, Mukotsu's hurt!" The giant man yelled out, making his way forward.
Standing from where he sat, Suikotsu noticed the figure of Mukotsu being carried in Kyoukotsu's hands.
"What happened?" He asked.
"Tried to fight that youkai. He's hurt real bad."
Frowning as the short poison user was sat down on the damp grass; Suikotsu motioned for Kyoukotsu to stand above them as a shield against the insistent rain. Gently shaking him, Suikotsu smiled on seeing Mukotsu's eyes slowly open.
"Where am I? Suikotsu?"
"Don't worry, I've got some medicine and I'll take care of this."
"But, what about Jakotsu?." He glanced about, catching sight of the one he spoke of, "So he's okay."
"Mukotsu, did you get any of that poison on you?" Suikotsu questioned hastily, knowing the urgency of cutting it free.
"Just cuts, burns, and bruises," The short man replied with sigh.
"Thank goodness."
"Mukotsu, Kyoukotsu- did you see Bankotsu out there?" Jakotsu questioned from where he sat.
"No. Oo-aniki wasn't out there. Renkotsu and Ginkotsu were fighting the youkai when we left," Kyoukotsu explained.
Jakotsu's eyes lit up, "Renkotsu and Ginkotsu are out there too?"
"Yah," The giant man said, scratching his head.
"Good, he's not alone," The black-haired man said relaxing.
"Okay Mukotsu, let's start with this cut on your forehead. Need to have you looking your best for the ladies, right?"
Grinning his usual toothy grin, the poison user laughed, "You bet, Suikotsu. I was thinking I might be able to get them on sympathy with all these injuries."
Not wanting to dash his meager hopes, the brown-haired man smiled back as he applied a salve to the injury, "You know, that might just work Mukotsu."
Getting as comfortable as one could while leaned against a tree, Jakotsu sighed to himself.
"So Bankotsu's not fighting alone," He glanced between his own injury and then to Mukotsu's injuries, "With three of the fighting that youkai, they should all be just fine, right?"
"What happened out there, Mukotsu? It looks like something exploded," Suikotsu remarked on seeing how the small pieces of wood and debris were embedded in the poison user's skin.
"I'd used one of my poisons along with the fire in the buildings to set off one. It was all I could do to try and stop the youkai. Too bad it barely scratched him. That guy is strong."
On overhearing this, Jakotsu frowned, not wanting to think on the possibility that a mere youkai could best three members of the Shichinin-tai.
"Well I'm certain that with Ginkotsu, Renkotsu, and Oo-aniki- that youkai won't stand a chance," Suikotsu spoke up, his voice firm and trying to subtly calm the nervous actions Jakotsu had been displaying.
But before their nerves could be eased, two of the very people they spoke of appeared coming towards them.
"Suikotsu! Suikotsu, Renkotsu's hurt!" The metallic voice echoed across the quiet night.
Jakotsu's eyes widened as he saw the two figures approaching, Renkotsu's body almost completely limp in Ginkotsu's arms.
"Oh no…"
"Let me down!" The weak voice of Renkotsu demanded on knowing they were approaching the other four.
"Aniki…"
"Now, Ginkotsu."
Pausing, he slowly eased Renkotsu into a standing position. The man stood for a moment, his leg twisted at and odd angle and his entire body screaming in pain.
It was only a mere second before his stature gave and he began to collapse, Ginkotsu quickly reaching out and catching him just in time.
"Aniki!"
"Well I could stand just fine if my leg wasn't broken," He retorted.
The four others withheld their comments.
"Bring him here, Ginkotsu. Hurry," Suikotsu said simply, noticing the severity of some of the cuts and the way Renkotsu's right leg bled.
Nodding, the metallic man walked closer and laid the man down on the grass. Suikotsu quickly knelt beside him and got to work on setting his bones back into place.
"Kyoukotsu, look around for a tree branch about the length of his lower leg. As flat and as wide as you can get," The brown-haired man instructed, his hands delicately moving the bones back into the order they belonged in.
"Okay, I'll get one," The giant man replied before heading into the forest a bit in search of it.
"Ginkotsu's arm…" Renkotsu managed to stammer amidst the pains of having his leg twisted back to its proper positioning.
"What's wrong with it?"
"Poison. From that youkai," Renkotsu's strained voice said, "I cut the acid out or at least what I could. It was starting to eat at his skin."
Looking down at Renkotsu and knowing he couldn't do much else until he had some means of splinting it, Suikotsu stood and went to examine Ginkotsu's injury.
"Let me see your arm," He said, waiting for the red-haired man to remove the rag tied about it.
"Renkotsu cut off the skin the acid hit. It should be okay, right?"
Suikotsu frowned on examining it and went to retrieve some of the medicines he'd brought.
"It's not as bad as Jakotsu's, but I'm not going to take any risks," He held out a small knife and cut a bit more of the skin away before applying the salve to it.
"Jakotsu, he's…" Renkotsu strained, trying to turn his neck towards where he'd thought he'd seen the other member.
"He's okay for the moment. Still weak and with a bit of a fever. That poison is usually fatal, but my hope is we caught it in time," Suikotsu explained in a whisper as he knelt back beside Renkotsu and began to bandage the man's other wounds.
"Why is he here? I thought he went back."
"Oo-aniki insisted. He was afraid the youkai might send someone to the base to attack us if he left us alone."
Blinking, Renkotsu processed that, "He thought something through for once."
Knowing all too well how Renkotsu often doubted the young Leader's talents, Suikotsu shrugged, "Give him time. I think he's beginning to listen to us all. He'll handle this situation like a man."
Turning his head back in the direction of the battle, the bald man frowned, "If it wasn't for him, Ginkotsu and I wouldn't be alive."
"See. He'll be fine. You underestimate him sometimes."
Feeling that he wasn't in the position to disagree, Renkotsu muttered a quiet, "Perhaps I do."
The whole time since Ginkotsu and Renkotsu's appearance on the hill side, Jakotsu had remained with a frozen gaze on the village before them. Finally, his senses coming out of their shock, his voice spoke up.
"He's alone."
Forcing himself upright, and turning to confront the others, his raised voice rang out across the area, "Why the hell is he fighting alone?"
"Jakotsu…" Suikotsu stood, walking towards him.
"He shouldn't be out there alone. He'll get killed," Jakotsu's panicked voice rang out as he reached for Jakotsutou.
Grabbing it up, he staggered forward. His vision blurring from the fever and his side in excruciating pain. Realizing what it was his companion was attempting to do, Suikotsu ran towards him quickly, holding him back from behind.
"Let me go!" He hissed, tugging against the taller man's grip.
"No Jakotsu, calm down he'll be fine."
"That youkai has almost killed most of us and you're letting him fight that thing alone? What the hell is wrong with you?" He snapped back, still trying to free himself from Suikotsu's grip.
"Jakotsu, he doesn't want you to be killed."
"But he's…"
"If you die, then he might as well be dead. You know that. I know that. Now calm down and trust him for once. He's a man. Trust him to keep his promise to come back."
Looking back at serious brown eyes, Jakotsu faltered and stopped his struggles.
"Okay… I will. But if he doesn't come back…" He slumped back against Suikotsu then, allowed the brown-haired man to sit him on the ground, "If he doesn't come back, then what am I supposed do without him?"
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