Chapter 3: Unspoken Affection

Kiyoshi's scream jolts Ban awake. Though the haze of being hit on the head hasn't worn
off yet, he thinks he hears Raitei's voice in the room,

Not good. If Raitei is here, I might not be able to stop him in this condition, Ban thinks.

As Ban regains his senses, he notices that the room had become quiet. He tries to strain
his ears to listen, wondering if maybe they had taken the fight somewhere else.

Hearing an extended silence, Ban thinks the worst and starts to struggle against his restraints.
Slowly Ban's limbs begin to respond to his commands. Looks like I was only hit with a tiny
dose of paralysis perfume, Ban thinks to himself.

"Ginji? Ginji?" Ban calls nervously, words still muffled by the gag.

Hearing Ban's voice brings Ginji back to consciousness. Quickly jumping to his feet, the blond
hurries over to aid his partner. Ginji gingerly lifts Ban and gently places him on the couch. Ginji
then goes to the kitchen and returns with a knife, Ban's make-shift medical kit and a warm towel.
Working quickly, but carefully, he releases Ban from his restraints.

"Ban-chan? Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Ginji asks worriedly, as he begins to wipe the
dried blood from Ban's face with the warm cloth.

As soon as he is free of his blindfold, Ban cups a hand over Ginji's cheek, gazing into his warm
mocha pools. "Ginji? Oh, thank God, Ginji!"

Then suddenly growing irritated, he smacks Ginji on the side of the head "BAKA! I thought you turned..."

"I'm sorry, Ban-chan. I needed him to believe it."

Ginji takes a moment to inspect Ban's wounds. Looks like Ban-chan already cleaned some
of his wounds earlier today, Ginji observes. Spotting a large bruise on Ban's right side,
Ginji gingerly reaches out to touch it. Ban winces, but does not pull away from Ginji's touch.
Badly bruised maybe, but doesn't seem broken, Ginji thinks. Noticing that Ban is shivering,
Ginji grabs the blanket that lay crumpled on the couch from several nights before and wraps
it over Ban's shoulders.

Cold, exhausted and emotionally spent from the ordeal, as well as injuries incurred from the
recovery mission in Mugenjou, Ban slumps into his partner's arms as Ginji wraps the blanket
around him. Ginji responds by leaning in and pulling Ban closer, almost into his lap.

To Ginji's surprise, Ban leans forward to rest his head on his shoulder and begins to tremble,
almost imperceptibly… as if holding back a sob.

"Ban-chan. It's okay. It's over now." Ginji soothes instinctively, still holding Ban. His hands
unconsciously stroke Ban's back tenderly.

If Ban weren't so spent, he probably would have smacked Ginji on the head again for
mothering him.

"Ban-chan, he didn't… he didn't hurt you, did he?"

Ban shakes his head slightly, then, trying to hide his wincing, replies coolly "Are you kidding?
No way in hell monkey trainer can hold a candle to the invincible Midou Ban-sama."

His voice is so soft that the remark loses its bite.

Ban remains silent for a long time, closing his eyes and secretly reveling in the warmth of Ginji's arms.
Ginji's arms are an oasis, nourishing Ban and keeping him safe from the desert that is his life. After
the recovery mission in Mugenjou and this evening's commotion, Ban is thankful for the time to relax
in quiet comfort. And somehow, even in the dark cloud of this evening's events, there is a strange
silver lining that brings Ban comfort. Ginji had stood up for him and protected him, even if it meant
fighting Shido, one of Ginji's former VOLTS kings and also one of his closest friends.

"I am so sorry, Ban-chan."

Ginji's soft voice breaks Ban out of his daze.

"Huh? Sorry about what?"

"It's my fault Kiyoshi came after you." Ginji replies sadly.

"Kiyoshi? What, did he hire Monkey Boy to attack me or something?"

"Ban-chan… That… wasn't Shido. His name is Kiyoshi. Wave Master Shiga Kiyoshi. He was a spy
for the VOLTS. He can disguise himself by manipulating vibrations and sound waves to make himself
look and sound like anyone. I guess he thought that he could hurt you more if he disguised himself as Shido."

Ban grunts disgustedly.

"I'm sorry, Ban-chan. I am so sorry. You're always getting hurt because of me. Because of my past.
Because I am so stupid. I am so, so sorry. It's all my fault." Ginji intones, almost inaudibly through
the lump forming in his throat, "Kiyoshi attacked you because he blamed you for breaking up the
VOLTS. It's all my fault. He almost…"

"You left Mugenjou to save them." Ban runs his fingers soothingly through Ginji's hair.

You left Mugenjou to save me, Ban thinks to himself.

"That's not something you ever need to apologize for, Ginji."

"He won't bother you again, Ban-chan. I swear to you."

Ban lifts his head slightly and places his chin on Ginji's shoulder. He notices Kiyoshi's discarded shirt
as well as remnants of fabric from Ban's own torn shirt on the floor and tightens his embrace around Ginji.

"Dammit. If I ever see that fucking bastard again…" Ban tries to growl, but exhaustion weakens
the growl into a groan.

Ginji frowns, concerned about his friend's sudden change of tone.

"Shhh… Enough, Ban-chan." Ginji says, shushing Ban while still rubbing his back reassuringly. "Let's try
not to think about it anymore. All that matters is that you're okay."

Ginji presses his body closer to Ban, careful not to hurt him. Trying to hold back tears of relief,
Ginji drowns himself in his partner's presence. Entering into an almost trance-like state, his thoughts
echo around a single theme.

Oh, Ban-chan. Thank God. Thank God, you're alive. Thank God, I made it in time.
Thank God. Thank God. Thank God.

Troubling thoughts and 'what if's' begin to bubble to the surface of Ginji's mind.

What if Ban-chan had been attacked on the way home?
What if I had arrived just a few a minutes later?
What if Kiyoshi hadn't bought my act?
What if I had lost control of my power and become Raitei?
What if Raitei had hurt Ban-chan?

Wincing, Ginji quickly quashes any further thoughts.

Ban-chan would call me a 'baka' for thinking such things. He would tell me to focus on
'what is,' not 'what could have been'. And right now, Ban-chan is alive and safe here
in my arms.

"I'm glad you're okay, Ban-chan."

Because Ban-chan… I love you.