The Shadows We Bear [Part XI / XI]
Basic premise for those who do not know: this fic is set the the world of theskytides, an AU panfandom RPG set in a steampunk line in which it is totally a fandom of its own. Miles Edgeworth (from the Ace Attorney series) and Hijikata Toshirou (from Gintama) happen to be the first mate / boatswain respectively in of one of the ships in the game. In this story, Hijikata has something of a... crush towards Edgeworth that he has never told anyone, though he is aware. Which of course, will only lead to nothing but trouble...
Parts: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI
THE SHADOWS WE BEAR
TST!Shadowverse fic : Part XI
The rest of Seta and Hanamura’s friends were there when they had finally properly exited the ship-it was easy enough since the Shadows had all but fled when the biggest one in there was gone now-but how all the kids managed to be here still while they were gone for so long was something that baffled the boatswain. Had they seriously been waiting for him or something? Or did they have a way of just knowing it?
...well, regardless-it really didn’t anymore. Now, Edgeworth was safe and sound again. Even if said man was proving to be just a bit too heavy to carry at the moment. Hijikata grunted as he had to stop himself short of dragging the first mate with him as he followed behind the two teenagers; Edgeworth was still somewhat weak to walk properly anytime soon, though at least the silver-haired man seemed to be trying somewhat, if the fumbling of feet were of any indication.
All the other teenagers crowded around them once they were nearby, each of them seemingly looking between Seta and Hanamura with some awe as they congratulated them. Or rather, congratulated the silver-haired teenager.
“I knew you could do it, Souji!”
“Great job there, Leader!”
“You go, Senpai!”
“Way to go out there!”
“I’d consider this mission accomplished, senpai.”
“Sensei saves the day yet again with his power, speed and bear-y wonderful courage!”
Hijikata had to try not to wince at the last once.
The brunette on the other hand only looked quite exasperated at the situation. “Hey now! Whatever happened to congratulating me?”
One of the girls in the group-the one his orange-brown hair and wore a green jacket over her top only looked over to give him a critical eye. “Who was the one who said we shouldn’t even attempt this rescue in the first place?”
Hanamura gulped quite obviously. “H-Hey now, at least we did it, right? And I was there as well, even! And I kicked loads of butt! Souji can vouch for me!”
“He did,” Seta said from the side before even any of the others could look over at him.
“Well then!” the girl exclaimed with a smile. “Congratulations for helping out even though you were such a jerk about it in the first place, Yosuke.”
Wince. “You didn’t have to rub that last part in now, Chie.”
Just then Hijikata’s legs decided that it was time to give in, and the officer grunted as was forced down to his knees with the first mate alongside him. All of the teenagers quickly looked over towards him as the sound reached them before quickly making their way over.
“What’s up with him?” came the voice of the punk-looking boy.
“He didn’t have the glasses,” Seta responded as he looked over at the other.
“Ooooooh that’s right, he didn’t have the glasses,” the girl from earlier went as if in sudden realization, and then suddenly gasped in surprise. “Then you mean he wasn’t wearing glasses at all the whole time he was in there? Yikes!”
“Kinda like us the first time, huh?” Hanamura went.
“Guys, I think we should talk later,” the voice of another girl cut them short before the black-haired girl kneeled down before him, dark eyes looking at him with concern as she examined him. Hijikata was only silent as he looked back at her, eyelids fluttering as he fought back the exhaustion that threatened to claim him.
“You did a great job out there,” the girl went with a small smile.
Despite himself, the man only quirked his lips back up in return. “It’s nothing.”
After that had been nothing but another stream of things one after another-they had all returned to the nearest place they could reach in order to rest and recuperate for the next day after the long journey into the ship. Once Hijikata was well-rested enough, he made his farewell and gratitude to the teenagers before taking the first ship back towards Bellcius with the still-weakened Edgeworth with him; Seta had informed him that it would take a while before the first mate could make a complete recovery.
It was luck on his part that the ship had docked back during nightfall-there was enough commotion earlier when he first boarded the ship with the apparent missing other, and it had taken a lot on his part to drive all the nosy idiots off. He really didn’t need to do a repeat of that and the last thing he needed for now was for him to blow his temper. So he was quite glad when the skies had darkened when the announcement for Bellcius had arrived; at least now there was some peace when they alighted.
Most of the crew were already out by the time Hijikata had went up the ship, and the first thing he had did once he was back was to head to the infirmary where Jade was fortunately still up. Needless to say, it had been quite alarming for the doctor when the boatswain suddenly turned up into his office well past midnight with the missing first mate in tow with him. There had been some questions, some rushing about and more questions which the man refused to answer, and Jade only gave him a scrutinizing look at that before he attended to his task of treating the silver-haired man.
“As far as I can see he’s simply exhausted. Nothing some drips and a few days of rest can’t work,” the doctor went as he made a few annotations onto his clipboard and looked up at the boatswain with an almost piercing look. “And might I suggest you do the same as well, Major, unless you wish to land yourself on a bed beside the Commander.”
Hijikata knew that Jade was only telling him that for his own good, but he still really couldn’t help but glare at him a little for that remark. “I’ll do it once he’s properly awake.” Edgeworth had dozed off a while ago back when the ship was still flying towards Bellcius.
The doctor only gave out an exasperated sigh in response. “Very well, since you insist in being stubborn. You can take one of the unoccupied beds if you wish to.”
“I’ll make a note of it,” the boatswain replied with a nod, and Jade nodded back in response before he turned around and made his way out of the infirmary, the click of the door echoing in the now silent-room as it closed behind the man.
The swordsman let out a soft sigh once the door closed, feeling the exhaustion in his very bones as the toll of the last few days finally had their full effect on him-he hadn’t really properly relaxed until now, since he hadn’t brought Edgeworth back onto the ship. But now that he actually had... it just seemed that every part of his body had just released something awfully heavy that was holding it. The first mate was fine, was alright and more importantly was back. Everything was finally okay again.
A grunt then sounded out behind him, and the dark-haired man turned to hurry over to the other man’s bed, watching with concern as the silver-haired man opened his eyes and looked blearily at his surroundings before gazing at him. “...Hijikata?”
“We’re back on the ship now,” the boatswain responded with a small smile. “You’re safe.”
“Mmn,” Edgeworth made a tired sound, his eyelids fluttering as he acknowledged those words. It quickly processed into his mind-and as soon as it had done that, the man only closed his eyes and soon quickly dozed off yet again, now at ease with the knowledge that he was back safely.
Hijikata only watched the other falling asleep, seeing the first mate finally at ease again. Edgeworth had been rescued and brought back safely to the ship-he was fine. He was alright. Everything was alright now.
...so then why did he only feel like he had been punched to the gut?
+
THE SHADOWS WE BEAR
END?
Parts: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI
THE SHADOWS WE BEAR
TST!Shadowverse fic : Part XI
The rest of Seta and Hanamura’s friends were there when they had finally properly exited the ship-it was easy enough since the Shadows had all but fled when the biggest one in there was gone now-but how all the kids managed to be here still while they were gone for so long was something that baffled the boatswain. Had they seriously been waiting for him or something? Or did they have a way of just knowing it?
...well, regardless-it really didn’t anymore. Now, Edgeworth was safe and sound again. Even if said man was proving to be just a bit too heavy to carry at the moment. Hijikata grunted as he had to stop himself short of dragging the first mate with him as he followed behind the two teenagers; Edgeworth was still somewhat weak to walk properly anytime soon, though at least the silver-haired man seemed to be trying somewhat, if the fumbling of feet were of any indication.
All the other teenagers crowded around them once they were nearby, each of them seemingly looking between Seta and Hanamura with some awe as they congratulated them. Or rather, congratulated the silver-haired teenager.
“I knew you could do it, Souji!”
“Great job there, Leader!”
“You go, Senpai!”
“Way to go out there!”
“I’d consider this mission accomplished, senpai.”
“Sensei saves the day yet again with his power, speed and bear-y wonderful courage!”
Hijikata had to try not to wince at the last once.
The brunette on the other hand only looked quite exasperated at the situation. “Hey now! Whatever happened to congratulating me?”
One of the girls in the group-the one his orange-brown hair and wore a green jacket over her top only looked over to give him a critical eye. “Who was the one who said we shouldn’t even attempt this rescue in the first place?”
Hanamura gulped quite obviously. “H-Hey now, at least we did it, right? And I was there as well, even! And I kicked loads of butt! Souji can vouch for me!”
“He did,” Seta said from the side before even any of the others could look over at him.
“Well then!” the girl exclaimed with a smile. “Congratulations for helping out even though you were such a jerk about it in the first place, Yosuke.”
Wince. “You didn’t have to rub that last part in now, Chie.”
Just then Hijikata’s legs decided that it was time to give in, and the officer grunted as was forced down to his knees with the first mate alongside him. All of the teenagers quickly looked over towards him as the sound reached them before quickly making their way over.
“What’s up with him?” came the voice of the punk-looking boy.
“He didn’t have the glasses,” Seta responded as he looked over at the other.
“Ooooooh that’s right, he didn’t have the glasses,” the girl from earlier went as if in sudden realization, and then suddenly gasped in surprise. “Then you mean he wasn’t wearing glasses at all the whole time he was in there? Yikes!”
“Kinda like us the first time, huh?” Hanamura went.
“Guys, I think we should talk later,” the voice of another girl cut them short before the black-haired girl kneeled down before him, dark eyes looking at him with concern as she examined him. Hijikata was only silent as he looked back at her, eyelids fluttering as he fought back the exhaustion that threatened to claim him.
“You did a great job out there,” the girl went with a small smile.
Despite himself, the man only quirked his lips back up in return. “It’s nothing.”
After that had been nothing but another stream of things one after another-they had all returned to the nearest place they could reach in order to rest and recuperate for the next day after the long journey into the ship. Once Hijikata was well-rested enough, he made his farewell and gratitude to the teenagers before taking the first ship back towards Bellcius with the still-weakened Edgeworth with him; Seta had informed him that it would take a while before the first mate could make a complete recovery.
It was luck on his part that the ship had docked back during nightfall-there was enough commotion earlier when he first boarded the ship with the apparent missing other, and it had taken a lot on his part to drive all the nosy idiots off. He really didn’t need to do a repeat of that and the last thing he needed for now was for him to blow his temper. So he was quite glad when the skies had darkened when the announcement for Bellcius had arrived; at least now there was some peace when they alighted.
Most of the crew were already out by the time Hijikata had went up the ship, and the first thing he had did once he was back was to head to the infirmary where Jade was fortunately still up. Needless to say, it had been quite alarming for the doctor when the boatswain suddenly turned up into his office well past midnight with the missing first mate in tow with him. There had been some questions, some rushing about and more questions which the man refused to answer, and Jade only gave him a scrutinizing look at that before he attended to his task of treating the silver-haired man.
“As far as I can see he’s simply exhausted. Nothing some drips and a few days of rest can’t work,” the doctor went as he made a few annotations onto his clipboard and looked up at the boatswain with an almost piercing look. “And might I suggest you do the same as well, Major, unless you wish to land yourself on a bed beside the Commander.”
Hijikata knew that Jade was only telling him that for his own good, but he still really couldn’t help but glare at him a little for that remark. “I’ll do it once he’s properly awake.” Edgeworth had dozed off a while ago back when the ship was still flying towards Bellcius.
The doctor only gave out an exasperated sigh in response. “Very well, since you insist in being stubborn. You can take one of the unoccupied beds if you wish to.”
“I’ll make a note of it,” the boatswain replied with a nod, and Jade nodded back in response before he turned around and made his way out of the infirmary, the click of the door echoing in the now silent-room as it closed behind the man.
The swordsman let out a soft sigh once the door closed, feeling the exhaustion in his very bones as the toll of the last few days finally had their full effect on him-he hadn’t really properly relaxed until now, since he hadn’t brought Edgeworth back onto the ship. But now that he actually had... it just seemed that every part of his body had just released something awfully heavy that was holding it. The first mate was fine, was alright and more importantly was back. Everything was finally okay again.
A grunt then sounded out behind him, and the dark-haired man turned to hurry over to the other man’s bed, watching with concern as the silver-haired man opened his eyes and looked blearily at his surroundings before gazing at him. “...Hijikata?”
“We’re back on the ship now,” the boatswain responded with a small smile. “You’re safe.”
“Mmn,” Edgeworth made a tired sound, his eyelids fluttering as he acknowledged those words. It quickly processed into his mind-and as soon as it had done that, the man only closed his eyes and soon quickly dozed off yet again, now at ease with the knowledge that he was back safely.
Hijikata only watched the other falling asleep, seeing the first mate finally at ease again. Edgeworth had been rescued and brought back safely to the ship-he was fine. He was alright. Everything was alright now.
...so then why did he only feel like he had been punched to the gut?
+
THE SHADOWS WE BEAR
END?