Watchers
Chapter 2
Howdy, hope you enjoy!
Tetsu was sitting with Souji, helping him get through yet another bag of candies, when he heard a wonderfully familiar accented voice coming from Hijikata's office. Ears pricked, the redhead looked up.
"Is that Susumu?" he asked a wide-eyed Souji. The first unit captain of the Shinsengumi looked thoughtful for a moment then shrugged.
"Mr Hijikata did mention he was returning from his mission today. He's been gone longer than I have." He replied with a smile. Tetsu got up and ran to where the voice was coming from; he'd missed his friend very much and couldn't wait to see him and to show him how strong he'd become.
"Thank you, Susumu-kun, you did well - be sure to rest." There was a slight pause followed by a sigh "I think you have another visitor. Tetsu, stop lingering outside and come in - quietly.." he added the last word through what sounded like gritted teach. Tetsu slid open the shoji door, immediately spotting his friend sitting across from Mr Hijikata. Susumu was even more beautiful than he remembered, even if he did look exhausted. His black hair, dark eyes and thick eyelashes contrasted stunningly with the white of his skin.
"Susumu!" Tetsu cried, grinning. Susumu looked up at him and smiled, standing up and bowing to the Vice-Commander before following Tetsu out - Souji greeting them cheerily as he went in to see Mr Hijikata. "So, how was the mission?" Tetsu asked, looking down at his friend. He'd never noticed how small Susumu was: about Souji's height and very slender. He supposed it did help with being stealthy…
"It was fine; I managed to get some good information. How has it been here?" he asked. Tetsu couldn't help grinning: God, his voice was great!
"Awesome! Even better since you and Mr Okita are back!" Susumu smiled, nodding.
"Yes, he looks much better now.. His hair was a surprise though.." Tetsu laughed, nodding.
"Will you be staying here long this time?"
"I'd say so, I need to rest.." it was then that Tetsu noticed that Susumu had one hand resting on his right side the whole time they'd been talking. The watcher saw the samurai frown and he smiled weakly "I wasn't fast enough in a fight..-" he was cut off by Tetsu suddenly grabbing his wrist and moving his black shirt open to see bloodied bandages wrapped around his torso.
"You're injured! Come on, I'll take you to your room.." he said, taking his hand and leading Susumu to the barracks. Their rooms were only a few doors down from each other since Tetsu and Tatsu had gotten a room to themselves and out of sharing with the rest of the men - where Tetsu still couldn't sleep.
He got Susumu to lie down on his side while he got fresh bandages, gauze and things to clean the cut with. He used some of the medicinal herbs Hijikata grew for Souji when his lungs hurt sometimes, and put them in hot water. He then undressed Susumu's top half and removed the bandaging.
It was a nasty-looking cut from a katana, going from near his belly-button to about halfway up the right side of his ribs. Tetsu washed it tenderly, smiling at Susumu's relaxed, sleepy face. He washed the blood off with the medicated water, making sure the cut was clean before placing gauze on it and wrapping the bandages around Susumu's small body to hold it firmly in place.
"Thank you.." Susumu said quietly once it was done. Tetsu smiled
"Don't mention it." He said, putting the herbs he hadn't used in Susumu's injury kit, then looked back to see Susumu smiling at him "What?" he asked
"Just thinking you've grown up a lot…" he said.
"Hey, you're only a year older than me!" Tetsu protested, smiling. Susumu chuckled slightly, then his eyes closed themselves and he frowned to keep them open. "Get some sleep, Susumu, we can hang out tomorrow." Susumu smiled, letting his tired eyes slide shut again. Tetsu grinned, put the comforter over him, and left him to sleep.
Tetsu woke up to Susumu sitting beside him.
"Uh…-the HELL?! SUSUMU, WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU-" one pale hand covered his mouth
"Quiet down!" Susumu hissed, his eyebrow twitching slightly.
"Well, why did ya have to scare me like that, huh?!" He yelled and sat up. Susumu sighed, playing his hands in his sleeves.
"I'm glad you don't still sleep in that ridiculous cupboard… I guess you're a little too big for it now, huh?" he said, his soft accent soothing Tetsu's adrenaline high. Tetsu looked at him, seeing the soft dark eyes, and laughed.
"Thanks for saying I'm big, Susumu! People keep telling me that, it's really great for me to hear - after all, everyone used to call me short and stuff!" he said in his usual loud, rambling way - only in a much deeper voice. Susumu closed his eyes: still a brat no matter how tall… "So, what do you wanna do today?" Tetsu asked, finally stopping his infernal yammering. Susumu looked at him, confused.
"Do? What do you mean?"
"You know, do! Like, do you wanna go to the village and get some food or something? Maybe we could train, or go to the lake or-" he gasped and grabbed Susumu, pulling his yukata aside to look at his torso, where the bandages were "How's your wound? Does it hurt?"
"It's fine; I changed the dressing this morning and it appears to have stopped bleeding. Those herbs were very good."
"Great! Mr Hijikata grows them for Souji so they must work." He said with a grin. Susumu smiled and nodded, tying his belt back up to cover himself. "Well, if you're wound is bothering you, we can do something with not much exercise… How about we go sit on the rooftops like the old days? The weather's nice today and we can talk up there, ne?" Susumu smiled and nodded
"Sounds like a plan… I just gotta do one thing first.." he said, holding up some sticks of incense. Tetsu immediately understood and, together, they went to visit Ayu.
The shrine was at the far end of the Shinsengumi headquarters, where all the memorial stones of the fallen stood. Susumu knelt in front of his big sister's stone - one of the newest, in shiny grey granite and engraved with Ayu's name and dates. 25 is no age to die…
Susumu placed the incense in the small dish and lit it, closing his eyes and placing his palms together, his head bowed. Tetsu paid his respects in his own way, never fond of praying. He stood back and watched in silence.
Susumu stood up after a few moments of tranquil reflection and placed one hand very gently on the stone. Tetsu went outside at this moment to wait and Susumu soon reappeared, his face calmly sad. Tetsu smiled at him softly
"C'mon, Susumu." He said. Susumu smiled weakly and nodded, following Tetsu up to the roof of the barracks, where they'd sat together more than 2 years ago, after Ayu died. Susumu wasn't crying but his eyes were lowered and filled with sadness. Tetsu decided that silence was the best thing and they sat together, looking out at the sky and the cherry blossoms and their friends training and walking around. It was peaceful, pleasant and beautiful.
They sat together like that for an hour until Susumu broke the silence
"Thank you, Tetsu.." he said softly, smiling at him. Tetsu grinned and hugged him, pleasantly surprised at how perfectly the small body fit in his arms.
"Any time, Susumu." He said.
They stayed in this embrace longer than either expected, but couldn't bring themselves to part. Susumu rested his head against Tetsu's shoulder, smiling
"You've filled out rather well.." he commented after a while. Tetsu grinned
"Thanks, I've been training. I'm pretty good with a sword now too." Susumu looked up at him
"I'd like to see you in action…" he then blushed a looked down, surprising Tetsu. He was embarrassed? About what?
"Do you wanna come and watch the sparring? Souji always comes to watch now, you can sit with him." Tetsu said, trying to stop Susumu looking so upset. The dark-haired ninja looked at him and smiled, nodding
"I'd like that." Tetsu grinned.
"Then let's go!"
I don't know, man, what did you think?
PMKnut xx