Disclaimer: I don't own jack!
Throwing Stones
Chapter Thirty-One: Swarm of Vermin
Touya sat beside Kagome.
She'd been in good spirits since she'd awakened from her surgery a few days ago. She was due to be discharged today so they were all simply waiting around for the doctor's final approval.
He leaned back in his seat as he breathed a sigh through his nose. There was still much he needed to ask her. Mainly if her meeting with his father had caused her to become stressed in any way. He'd never forgive himself if the favor he'd asked of his father had been the trigger to her heart attack.
"Touya?" Kagome reached for him.
He took her hand in his and threw her a quick smile.
"I'm fine," He reassured her. "You're the one laid up in a hospital bed."
In truth, he hated seeing her like this. So weak and frail compared to her usual youthful self. It was a stark reminder of her condition and that death was always just waiting around the corner to take her from him. He didn't even want to begin to imagine the possibility of her dying on the way home the other day had she not gone to the hospital.
"I'll live," She responded back cheerfully, as if this were just another Tuesday for her. Who knows, maybe this was normal for her.
The thought didn't set him at ease any.
"What happened when you went to the agency?" He kept his voice low to prevent anyone else from overhearing them.
It would be impossible for them to have any sort of privacy while they were here. He was constantly being watched by Hawks, Sesshoumaru, Aizawa and even Tenko. On top of that, the rest of the group had been taking shifts in spending time with her. The hospital staff had long since given up on trying to make them leave, but they did try to keep fairly quiet so as to not disturb the other patients.
Kagome held Ohagi closer to her chest, "I was already feeling off by the time I left that morning so I don't think it was Endeavor's fault."
She avoided the question.
Touya pinned her with a pointed look, "So something did happen."
It was a statement at this point rather than a question.
Kagome glanced away, "I might have told him to mind his own business in the most polite and direct way possible."
His lips slowly curled up into a smile.
Now he understood.
She really had given his father the verbal dressing down of his life.
Touya brushed his palm over her forehead affectionately as he gave a small laugh.
"You're a real wild card, you know that?" His smile softened as a light flush crossed her cheeks.
She was the only person in the world crazy enough to look his father in the eye and tell him to piss off. Although she said that she was already feeling off when she left the house, he was certain that whatever occurred during their discussion might have pushed her body over the edge. He wasn't exactly in the position to confront his old man either.
His gaze drifted towards Hawks.
The other man's face was set into a deep scowl as he spoke to someone on the other end of the line.
At the very least, one of them could wrangle the truth from the old fart.
Touya interlaced his fingers with Kagome's as he slid further back in the seat next to her bed.
"You know," He started, his smile growing just a little wider. "I'm curious to know where you want to go once this program is over. Would you want to stay in the village or travel around?"
It was a thought that'd briefly crossed his mind before news of her heart attack had hit. He didn't mind the thought of settling down in Kanna village with Kagome but if she wanted to see more of the world first then he wouldn't mind that either. He was curious to know which she would choose.
Kagome combed her fingers through Ohagi's fur, "I honestly just prefer to stay in town. Maybe I'll want to travel sometime later down the road but right now, the only thing that sounds good to me is going home."
He brushed the pad of his thumb over her knuckles, "I get you. Hospital food sucks ass."
That one got them both to laugh.
Just that morning Jin had been so disgusted with the oatmeal the hospital served that he threw it at Tenko. The odd concoction had congealed itself to the bowl so tightly that it didn't even budge. The staff called the food 'healthy' but he just considered it cheap.
Touya glanced up as he observed Tenko reading through a 'heart healthy diet' brochure that the nurses had given him. He'd specifically asked for it shortly after they'd arrived at the hospital and Touya was certain that the man had memorized every word of it by now. It seemed like he wanted to overhaul their current dinner schedule to ensure that whatever they made every night would be safe for Kagome to eat.
A soft knock at the door drew everyone's attention.
"Good morning Miss Higurashi," The doctor greeted her pleasantly. He hardly paid the rest of them any mind, likely having already grown accustomed to their presence. The man continued, "Good news is that your vital signs have been stable so we'll be discharging you to go home. I've already sent over your medication to your local pharmacy that you had on file."
Touya met the man's gaze, "What about her recovery at home? Does she need any kind of bed rest or routine?"
He wasn't about to leave the hospital without a detailed list of things she could and couldn't do. He wanted to make absolutely certain that she had everything she'd need for when they finally went home.
"I actually have a packet here for her. It'll go over everything she'll need to be cautious of. For now Miss Higurashi, I'm ordering you on a strict bed rest for at least another three days. You can start walking around after that but no exerting yourself." The doctor handed a folder to her.
Kagome set it off to the side so he picked it up and began reading through it. Everyone else crowded around him as well, peering at the directions they would need to adhere to for her recovery.
"The nurses will be in shortly to remove your IV and monitor. We want to see you back here in two weeks to check how you're doing." The doctor flashed her a quick smile, "I'll leave you to it."
With that he left the room and a handful of nurses swarmed in. As promised they'd removed all the machinery and IVs currently hooked up to Kagome. Afterwards they brought in a wheelchair and helped her into it.
"I can walk." Kagome pouted but still followed their instructions.
"Not right now, you aren't." Touya shot back at her, "You heard the doc. You're going on bed rest for the next few days."
Honestly spending the next few days in bed with her watching shows together sounded like a damn good time. He doubted that it'd be possible with everyone hovering around her but it certainly sounded like a nice way to unwind after the week they'd had.
The nurses rolled her wheelchair out of the main exit where their bus was already waiting for them. Touya wasted no time in helping to lift Kagome from the chair and carried her onto the bus. He got her settled into a window seat while he took the aisle. Everyone else piled on after them, each of them shooting him displeased glances. Clearly, they wanted the honor of helping her onto the bus.
Touya helped Kagome lean on his shoulder as they began the long trek back to Kanna village. The group was rowdy but not as much as they usually were. He could tell that they were trying to keep the volume down for their coordinator's sake.
"I'd like for you to stay tonight." Kagome's voice was low as she spoke.
His lips curled into a smile, "I'd like to as well. I'll trying sneaking over when everyone else is asleep." He brushed his knuckle beneath her eye, "Think you'll be awake enough to let me in?"
"Aren't I supposed to be on bed rest?" Her lips curled up into a playful smile. "You'll have to sneak in the old fashioned way."
Touya gave a small snort of laughter, "I'll figure it out."
She was right though. She wasn't supposed to be moving around much for the next few days. That wasn't to say that she couldn't but the doctor wanted to take extra precautions due to the severity of her case.
Kagome gradually drifted off to sleep as the hours passed. Eventually they pulled onto the familiar overgrown street that led to Kanna village.
"What is this?" Their driver's voice was filled with a mixture of confusion and irritation. "All the roads are packed."
Everyone else perked up at that.
Why would there be such heavy traffic in their little town?
A sinking feeling coiled in the pit of his stomach.
The reporter.
Their location had gotten exposed and now every locust from the media was descending onto their town to cover the story of ex cons working to rehabilitate themselves and the run down town.
Touya snarled as palms beat against the sides of the windows. Cameras were pushed against the glass while the muffled sound of reporters' questions began to grow louder.
He braced his palm over Kagome's head and pillowed her ear against his chest. He used his hand to then cover her exposed ear to keep her from being awakened by the chaos outside.
"They're everywhere!" Shuichi gasped in shock.
Tenko slunk down in his seat to avoid being captured on camera.
"Get them out of the fuckin' way." Touya snapped at the two heroes up front. "They're impeding us from returning to the dorm. That counts as impending law endorsement and emergency services, does it not?"
He was no expert but keeping the pros from taking their convicted felons back to their halfway house seemed like an easy way to get arrested.
The driver cautiously pulled through the crowd, taking care not to injure anyone as they did.
The crowd followed after them. The beating of their hands on the windows grew louder still.
He was sorely tempted to open one and blast them with a massive wall of flames. Although murder was satisfying, he didn't think Kagome would approve.
The woman groaned as a particularly aggressive reporter kept banging his fist on their window. He alternated between shouting demanding questions and purposefully trying to rouse her.
"Get rid of them!" Touya growled at Aizawa and Hawks.
He was about to lose his fucking temper.
Sesshoumaru was the one that stood, "I'll handle them, you keep going."
The lawyer hardly bat an eye when the door flung open and reporters tried fighting their way onto the bus. Hawks used his feathers to throw them out while Aizawa helped shut the door behind Sesshoumaru as he stepped out into the chaos.
Touya couldn't hear what the man was saying but it was evident that he was furious.
The bus pulled away, leaving the masses behind as they did.
His brows furrowed as they came upon the market square. The welcome sign Tenko and Kagome had just painted was splintered down the middle. A news station van had barreled right through it. A puff of white smoke billowed from under the vehicle's hood while another of their crew examined the damage. He could see the sharp tire marks that led from the steep pothole towards the sign. Apparently they'd been driving too fast, saw the bike at the last second then overcorrected to avoid it—which was how they'd slammed bumper first into the sign.
The plaque of Kanna's achievements was shattered completely behind it. Bits of concrete and grass were strewn about everywhere.
Fire raged in his veins.
This was their home and these locusts were destroying it!
The others took notice as well, most particularly Jin. The man flung the window open and began cursing at the reporters in two different tones of voices. Hawks was forced to grab him and yank him back into his seat before slamming the window shut.
The bus picked up the pace. It hurried down the familiar paths and streets until they'd pulled in front of the Higure Shrine. Touya hurriedly scooped Kagome into his arms and made his way towards the door. The sound of tires driving over grass and pavement alerted them to the reporters still hot on their tail.
"Everyone inside now!" Touya commanded the rest of the group, "Let the heroes handle this."
Kagome stirred in his arms so he rushed to the front door. They were set to automatic until 6pm so he waited until everyone besides Aizawa and Hawks had made it inside. Afterwards he directed Tenko and Atsuhiro to shut off the automatic feature and physically lock it.
Touya stepped towards the living room and laid Kagome across the couch. Kenji had already brought over a spare blanket and pillow for her, helping him get her settled in for the moment.
Shuichi turned on the television and they watched with fury as the image of Sesshoumaru, Hawks and Aizawa arguing with the media cycled through every station.
If this was going to be their future then he was most certainly going to reoffend.
Touya flexed his fingers.
A thin gathering of azure flames collected in the palm of his hand.
Warning!
An automated voice cut through the chaos of the television and crowd outside.
Usage of a quirk has been detected! Deploying taser in three….!
Touya quickly clenched his fist and snuffed out his flames. He was certain that the very last thing Kagome wanted to wake up to was him sprawled on the floor after having been tased.
Quirk usage is no longer detected. Laser will not be deployed.
"Well guess we know that those things work." Himiko crouched down to poke at his monitor. "If we can't use our quirks then why don't we just stab them?"
For once, he found himself agreeing with her.
"We'll hold off on the filleting of vermin until after Kagome wakes up." Tenko shot a concerned glance in her direction, "She's already too stressed as it is."
Touya nodded with him.
They couldn't do much from their position as prisoners, but come the end of the year they would start making their stance clear.
He sat on the couch beside Kagome and flipped the station to Kenji's favorite fashion show.
To hell with the insects. He was going to enjoy this homecoming one way or another.
"So," Touya cocked his head over his shoulder and shot the rest of the group a lazy smirk. "Who wants to get the welcome home banner ready?"
They were going to have a party whether the media was present or not.