MUGEN
Vigil
The air inside our cabin smells like sickness, and soon enough I'm going to open one of the side windows, so that it renews, just like I've done a number of times now since night fell. I touch the hot cheek of Moroha gently, feeling the fever that seems to be still at an acceptable temperature and near what's normal for her, which is usually higher than a human's due to her youkai inheritance.
I observe you; you've fallen asleep on the other side of Moroha's futon, with your back against the wall and your neck falling to your shoulder. It will probably hurt later. I stand up quietly, I pick up a blanket and find a place by your side, leading you to rest your head on my lap before covering you with it. I know you are not going to want to rest on the futon, for you've made it your duty to stand vigil and wait for Moroha's fever to recede.
The girl opens her eyes and looks at me, blinks and turns around on her bed, her eyes keeping that crystalline glint of sickness.
"Dad." I hear. She knows almost no words, yet to use such a word in reference to me is one of her favorite ways of communication. I extend my hand to touch her forehead.
"Sleep." I whisper to her, low. Her temperature isn't too high. The girl closes her eyes again.
"What's wrong?" You speak, and sit up, leaving my lap pillow. "Is she alright?"
I can notice your anguish in your still asleep voice.
"She is alright, her fever has gone down, although she still has some." I seek to calm you.
"I've fallen asleep." You reproach yourself. "I shouldn't have fallen asleep."
"You need to rest, you can't stay awake all night, on top of the day." You've been overworking yourself since Moroha fell sick.
"You don't understand." You say, and stand up to rummage inside the trunk where you store medicinal herbs.
I look at our daughter, she rests. I stand up and go to your side, as I see how you've brought out a stone mortar and are currently placing in it some dried up leaves.
"What are you doing now?" I ask you, kneeling by you.
"A cataplasm for the fever." You seem angry, although I don't understand why.
"You've put one on her not long ago, and her fever is going down." I try to calm you. "Besides, if you keep piling those on her, she is going to smell so bad I fear she may attract scavengers to our home."
I hear you making a strange noise, like a held back growl that makes your whole body tremble, as your knuckles whiten from holding the pestle and mortar.
"Kagome." I touch your shoulder.
"You just don't understand. It's my fault, I let her sink her feet in the river and the water was too cold." You start crying explosively, so much I didn't catch the scent of your tears before they began pouring down your cheeks.
"Kagome." I say your name, oh so sweetly, and pull you to me in an embrace. You accept it with yearning. "There is no blame to impart here. She is a child, and so she will get sick, not just today."
"But..." You don't get to retort; your tears interrupt you. The time by your side has taught me many of the subtleties that compose you, and I keep discovering more.
"Mom." Moroha speaks from the futon, and extends a hand, calling out for you.
You clean your eyes with the sleeves of your yukata, so that our daughter doesn't see your tears. You get closer, and speak with a smile as your touch her cheek to measure her temperature, and do so while caressing her.
A/N
One more for MUGEN
Thank you for reading, and leaving a comment.
Anyara.
This text is possible thanks to the translation of: Dezart
