Yoshiwara Chapter 33
It was the familiar feeling, the warmth of his hand in his which made Taiga finally wake up, but he felt the heavy bandage around his eyes immediately and gasped before he could even try to open his eyes.
“Shh, it’s okay.”
His worries vanished into thin air as he realized that he hadn’t dreamed and that the pressure on his hand hadn’t vanished, but protectively increased as he had woken up. Blindly Taiga lifted his free hand and it was guided carefully to the other one’s face with a soft touch. “You are at Nakamaru’s house. We are all back, everything will be okay!”
Taiga didn’t even bother with a reply, instead he pulled the other one down and he heard the quiet chuckle right before he was able to pull the other one into a passionate kiss. Instead of letting him go Taiga closed his arms around the other one’s shoulders.
“I am so happy that you are okay,” Taiga whispered on which Juri let out another chuckle.
“As long as you don’t strangle me now I will be okay.”
“Are you hurt?” Taiga asked worried and let the other one go, trying to somehow feel any bandages on his body, but Juri took his hands in his and placed a soft kiss on the back of them. “Everything is fine, don’t worry. It’s just an injury on my shoulder and the others got me out of the water right away.”
Taiga felt relieved hearing that, but then there was a weird silence falling between them for a while until Juri squeezed the latter’s hands again.
“Taiga, I am so sorry we took so long to come back or more like sending someone to get you out.”
Why couldn’t he say it was okay? Every time he made Juri worry he would immediately say something to make him feel better, just this time he couldn’t. It wasn’t okay and even though they had been somehow in time it hadn’t worked out as all of them had hoped.
“Nakamaru-”
“I don’t want to know,” Taiga cut him immediately. “Not now at least.”
There were so many possibilities of how bad his injury was that he couldn’t deal with all the information right after he had woken up.
“Is Hokuto okay?” Taiga asked instead.
“He will be eventually. He was in a pretty bad shape when we brought him back, but he is just next doors so if you want to-”
“Maybe later.” Another try to run away from everything. Was he blaming Hokuto now? He couldn’t tell what was wrong with him. “Is Shime here as well?”
“Yes we brought him here as well. He should be fine soon and then Aran will send him back to his clan.”
“At least a happy end for one of us.”
Why did everything he said came out snappy? Had Yamashita been right? Had he always been that arrogant without even noticing?
“Shall I leave you alone for a while?”
How much must it hurt to feel the need to ask? Just a minute ago Taiga was so relieved to realize that Juri was fine, that Hokuto was back and that they even rescued Shime and now?
“Would you mind if I sleep for another while?” Taiga replied instead, hoping that it wouldn’t hurt the other one as much as a direct yes.
“Okay, please let us know if you need anything. There is always someone around so just call for us.”
Us, not me. Every choice of words hit Taiga like a thousand blades and he couldn’t even see the hurt in Juri’s eyes which was definitely there. But just for a while longer Taiga wanted to drown in this miserable feeling. This dark hole which tried to swallow him and somehow it seemed so much easier to just let it happen instead of getting up and get back to his life no matter the new circumstances.
***
Of course at first Taiga hadn’t slept at all. All he had been doing for hours was to somehow stop thinking about himself, but it just wouldn’t work. In the end he had been too exhausted after all and had given in to sleep once more.
The next time he woke up though wasn’t through a sound or a touch, it was a presence he could somehow feel and it made him stay immobile for another while even though he was awake.
After a few minutes there was a sudden sigh before he got slapped against the forehead which made him jolt.
“Oh sorry you couldn’t see that coming! As you couldn’t see me sitting here. Shall I apologize for you not being able to see my annoyed look as well?”
It was the first time Taiga felt happy about hearing him being so pissed and annoyed, because he had feared to never hear his voice again.
“Kentaro…”
“At least your ears are working fine, perfect.”
Taiga bit his lip on the other one’s snappy tone and remained silent again.
“So what, no ‘are you okay? How are you feeling?’ Or do you want me to ask you first? We can both play the victim role here!”
“Did you by any chance talk to Juri?” Taiga asked carefully.
“Bright spark, aren’t you?”
“I am sorry. I was really worried for you, how are you-”
“Don’t even try!” Kentaro cut him harshly. “I am not here to show you that I am fine, you can’t see that anyway.”
“Could you stop talking about my eyes all the time?” Taiga bit back snappy this time as well.
“Oh, my apologies? Shall I get you a stick already so that you can walk around hitting everything and everyone when you can’t see them?”
This time Taiga had enough and he sat up, even though he regretted his move immediately as he could feel that his body was still in a too bad shape for rushed movements, but his adrenaline helped for now. “Did you just come to make fun out of me and make me apologize to everyone for being annoyed for once? I am so sorry for being inconvenient for once, I should smile and laugh with all of you instead and pretend like everything is okay! My dearest apologies!”
Taiga’s mocking tone made Kentaro lunge out, but of course Taiga couldn’t know and he almost fell to the side when the other one slapped him. It had hurt more than he had thought as his injury got affected through the impact as well and he lost his calm as he blindly reached to the front and when he had somehow grabbed Kentaro’s yukata he tried to push him away, but the latter wouldn’t let him.
“So what now, I hurt you so you want to hurt me? Go ahead! If you throw me to the ground now my wound will open immediately.”
Getting reminded of that, Taiga froze in his movements. How could his rage made him act so stupid? They had feared for Kentaro’s life barely a few days ago and now he was fighting with him? On the other hand his life wasn’t in danger in the worst case he would never be able to see again, and that...that was all.
“It’s not the end…” Taiga whispered before he let go of the other one and pulled his knees up, hugging them as he felt how he was about to start crying, even though he wasn’t sure if it would hurt? Or if it was even possible now?
“Finally realized that?” Kentaro said this time in a calmer voice. “How come someone always has to shout at you until you snap out of something stupid?”
Well that was indeed one of his really bad points. But this time he hadn’t been hurting himself, but the people around him and that wasn’t fair. He had offered his help to get Hokuto out, he had tried to help Shime as well and he had been so worried for Juri. And now everyone was worrying for him.
“I need to talk to Juri,” Taiga let out, but Kentaro’s hands landed on his shoulders as Taiga tried to stand up.
“Okay let’s not get too panicked now. Don’t worry Juri is not angry at you. I will call him over later, but you definitely shouldn’t get up yet.”
“What did Nakamaru say?” Taiga dared to ask this time.
“You really want to hear that now?”
“Kentaro, please.”
“Okay, fine. But promise me to not drop back into your bitchy attitude. We are all here for you no matter what will happen from now on. Don’t push us away!”
“I won’t, I promise!”
***
Both eyes got damaged, but while the right eye didn’t take much damage the left eye was a different matter. There was a chance from complete healing over one eye maybe healing to none of them ever being able to see again…
That explanation hadn’t calmed Taiga down at all, but it also didn’t make him switch back into a bad mood after all there was a chance of everything being fine again. He should have let Juri talk about this at their first conversation already then he would have maybe stopped himself from being such an asshole.
Nakamaru and Kamenashi had taken a look at him earlier as well, but had told him that he wasn’t allowed to take the bandages off for now. It would take at least a week, maybe more for him to be able to test if he could see or not.
It was obviously in the middle of the night already as the house was completely silent, but Taiga couldn’t sleep. He was doing nothing else than lying around for two days already and while he had talked to Juri and Kentaro already, the others haven’t shown up yet. Well, with his mood swings it was no miracle though that everyone else tried to stay on distance.
With a sigh he tossed the futon covers aside and got up.
Over the day Nakamaru and Kentaro had helped him around, but now he didn’t want to wake anyone up and he knew the house after all. He should be able to make it on his own.
The fact that he made it without problems in the end gave him a bit of courage that in case he wouldn’t be able to see again he could somehow handle it.
On his way back to the room he needed a bit longer, having to make sure not to enter the wrong room. When he finally closed his room door again he let out a relieved sigh, feeling as if he had run a marathon.
“At least you have a good orientation sense.”
Taiga jolted on the sound of Hokuto’s voice, but he couldn’t actually take a look around to see if he had mistaken the room after all.
“I heard you wander around, but I thought I let you manage on your own. I didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.”
So it was indeed his room at least, but not knowing where the other one was he remained at the door for now.
“I am sorry that I brought so much trouble to all of you.”
“Are you kidding me?”
When he heard how Hokuto approached him he feared that he would get scolded again and he pressed himself more against the door until Hokuto reached out for his hand making him slightly flinch. “Come on sit down for now.”
Taiga did how he was told and he could tell that Hokuto was sitting across of him, but it felt weird to not be able to tell his mood.
“Thank you.”
“What?” Taiga asked in confusion.
“For rescuing me.”
“Well it wasn’t actually me who did that.”
“It was all of you! That’s what I mean, why are you saying you caused anyone trouble when all you did was risking your life to help me and also Shime? Taiga, say are you ashamed of being hurt?”
It sounded like a weird question at first, but thinking about it maybe it was true?
“I feel weak,” Taiga let out in a low voice. “I feel like I cause more trouble than I help anyone. If they hadn’t caught me, Juri wouldn’t have gotten hurt, Shime wouldn’t have gotten in so much trouble and if I had spoken to you earlier about everything I knew maybe I could have spared you even more pain as well, not to forget that Kentaro also got hurt because of me…”
Without any hesitation Hokuto grabbed Taiga’s hand and lifted it up to his face. Taiga gasped on the sudden action, but didn’t stop him. When his palm got in contact with Hokuto’s cheek he slightly flinched. He didn’t need to see to tell that there were wounds on his face.
“Don’t pull back, feel what he did to me!” Hokuto almost ordered and Taiga gulped nervously before he dared to sit up on his knees and put his other hand to his face as well.
He could feel two deep cuts on Hokuto’s cheek and jawline, as well as something which felt like a burn mark on the boy’s neck.
He pulled back a bit when he felt how Hokuto got out of the upper part of his yukata before he grabbed the boy’s hand again and guided it to his shoulder.
“Be a bit careful with that one,” Hokuto asked and Taiga nodded before he let his hands travel carefully over the boy’s shoulder and back as Hokuto had turned away from him.
“That’s horrible,” Taiga let out in a broken voice as he felt all the new cut and burn marks on the boy’s body, remembering how bad his old ones had looked already.
“Now imagine what would have happened if you hadn’t come? What would have happened if you hadn’t volunteered to distract Ryo and the others? You all risked your life to get me out of there! You are no burden Taiga, you and the others saved my life and you should never feel sorry for that and you should never pity yourself for getting hurt by someone as crazy as Yamashita! You didn’t do anything wrong and you are not weak, you showed that often enough over the last months!”
Taiga started twiddling his fingers nervously after sitting back on his futon, but as much as everyone told him all those comforting things it wasn’t easy to just thank them and accept things as they were.
“It will take time,” Hokuto said. “It always takes time.”
Taiga nodded on that, because it was indeed how he felt and who could understand that better than Hokuto and also his senpai Kentaro, both have gone through horrible experiences.
“Thank you,” Taiga let out on which Hokuto suddenly ruffled through his hair.
“I bet you’d totally stare completely perplex back at me now, but ask Kochi, I was quite a bright and open person when I was younger.”
Taiga flashed a brief smile on hearing that. “I can’t wait to hear more stories from both of you then.”
***
“Meet the blind Yoshiwara hoe! How is that one?”
“It needs something more special,” Reo said on Juri’s suggestion.
“How about you say the blind beauty instead?” Shota suggested and the next moment a pillow landed perfectly on his face, making everyone else laugh.
“Did I aim right?” Taiga asked.
“Perfectly! Your aim got way better!” Ryota replied laughing.
A whole week had passed since they had come back from Yamashita’s castle and finally things have calmed down and the most important part, Taiga had calmed down! He had finally had a long talk with Juri and now he could laugh with all his friends as if it was just a usual day at work.
“Don’t you dare!” Juri was heard out of a sudden and Taiga could feel how he leant a bit over him. Taiga was resting with his head on the boy’s knees and Juri was now half lying over him as Shota threatened to throw the pillow back.
“Get ready to get kicked out by Nakamaru if you hurt him one day before we take the bandages off,” Reo was heard on which another squeal followed as he was the one to get the pillow thrown in his face next.
“Okay guys time to leave him alone,” Kochi was heard as he stepped inside the room. “It’s late already and you have to help in the new house this evening so come on.”
“I can’t wait to see the new house,” Taiga said and suddenly everyone fell silent. “Did I say something weird?”
“Not at all,” Juri replied and gave him a short kiss on the forehead.
“Guys come on, we are running late,” Taisuke was heard in the corridor now as well and the boys excused themselves for now. Just Juri remained as Kamenashi had given him permission to take care of Taiga while Shime, Hokuto and Kentaro were also told to rest a bit more before they would open the new house in the upcoming week.
“You want to sleep already?” Juri asked as they were left alone?
“I doubt I will be able to fall asleep,” Taiga replied honestly on which Juri suddenly shifted away and for a moment Taiga panicked as he couldn’t tell where the boy was. When a blanket landed over him and he felt how Juri lay down next to him though he calmed down.
“Do you think you can fall asleep now?”
“Definitely,” Taiga teased as he snuggled himself more against the other one’s body on which Juri closed his arms around him and placed a kiss on his hair. A few minutes passed in silence until Juri squeezed him a bit. “You don’t have to pretend to be asleep.”
“How can you tell that so good?”
“Your breathing pace gives you away.” Juri said with a light chuckle before he crawled a bit back so that his nose touched Taiga’s. “You are worried, aren’t you?”
“Is it so obvious?”
“Well the others are worried as well.”
“That’s why they are also reacting so weird each time I say I want to see something, like earlier with the house.”
“Actually,” Juri started on which Taiga felt a bit startled.
“Is there another reason for their reaction?”
When Juri chuckled Taiga felt even more confused and he searched for Juri’s arm to pinch him on which the other one yelped. “Tell me!”
“Okay, okay,” Juri said laughing. “It’s natural that you thought the silence was a bad reaction, but it actually wasn’t. They were happy to see that you had a set goal that you said you were looking forward to seeing the house and being together with everyone again, they were exchanging smiles in silence.”
A smile found its way on Taiga’s face as well on hearing that and it made him even more happy to realize his own reaction was finally getting more positive. After all the negative emotions he had spread he tried his best to stay positive and it helped a lot to see that his friends were supporting him so much.
His own thoughts made Taiga fall silent for a moment until he heard a surprised gasp from Juri.
“What is it?” Taiga asked a bit scared before Juri’s hand landed on his cheek and he could feel how he wiped away a tear under his bandage.
“Well I’d say that’s a good sign, but why are you crying? Did I say something bad?”
Taiga shook his head immediately and he tried to form another smile even though his lips were shaking a bit this time. “I guess everything is crushing down a bit too much at me at the moment, but it’s okay. I am nervous about tomorrow, but I am also happy knowing that you are all by my side, supporting me no matter the outcome.”
“Of course we are all here for you that won’t change tomorrow no matter what,” Juri said and wanted to place another kiss on his forehead, but Taiga noticed the movement and was faster, catching the other one’s lips with his own on the way.
He could feel how Juri was smiling into the kiss, but he didn’t pull back. When Taiga’s hand found its way to the latter’s cheek Juri let him deepen the kiss even more, but he didn’t allow him to move much, obviously still urging him to keep things slow, but Taiga didn’t mind he could tease enough from the position he was in now and no matter if he could see Juri’s smile again or not he would make sure to not let that smile vanish through his fault again.
“Shh, it’s okay.”
His worries vanished into thin air as he realized that he hadn’t dreamed and that the pressure on his hand hadn’t vanished, but protectively increased as he had woken up. Blindly Taiga lifted his free hand and it was guided carefully to the other one’s face with a soft touch. “You are at Nakamaru’s house. We are all back, everything will be okay!”
Taiga didn’t even bother with a reply, instead he pulled the other one down and he heard the quiet chuckle right before he was able to pull the other one into a passionate kiss. Instead of letting him go Taiga closed his arms around the other one’s shoulders.
“I am so happy that you are okay,” Taiga whispered on which Juri let out another chuckle.
“As long as you don’t strangle me now I will be okay.”
“Are you hurt?” Taiga asked worried and let the other one go, trying to somehow feel any bandages on his body, but Juri took his hands in his and placed a soft kiss on the back of them. “Everything is fine, don’t worry. It’s just an injury on my shoulder and the others got me out of the water right away.”
Taiga felt relieved hearing that, but then there was a weird silence falling between them for a while until Juri squeezed the latter’s hands again.
“Taiga, I am so sorry we took so long to come back or more like sending someone to get you out.”
Why couldn’t he say it was okay? Every time he made Juri worry he would immediately say something to make him feel better, just this time he couldn’t. It wasn’t okay and even though they had been somehow in time it hadn’t worked out as all of them had hoped.
“Nakamaru-”
“I don’t want to know,” Taiga cut him immediately. “Not now at least.”
There were so many possibilities of how bad his injury was that he couldn’t deal with all the information right after he had woken up.
“Is Hokuto okay?” Taiga asked instead.
“He will be eventually. He was in a pretty bad shape when we brought him back, but he is just next doors so if you want to-”
“Maybe later.” Another try to run away from everything. Was he blaming Hokuto now? He couldn’t tell what was wrong with him. “Is Shime here as well?”
“Yes we brought him here as well. He should be fine soon and then Aran will send him back to his clan.”
“At least a happy end for one of us.”
Why did everything he said came out snappy? Had Yamashita been right? Had he always been that arrogant without even noticing?
“Shall I leave you alone for a while?”
How much must it hurt to feel the need to ask? Just a minute ago Taiga was so relieved to realize that Juri was fine, that Hokuto was back and that they even rescued Shime and now?
“Would you mind if I sleep for another while?” Taiga replied instead, hoping that it wouldn’t hurt the other one as much as a direct yes.
“Okay, please let us know if you need anything. There is always someone around so just call for us.”
Us, not me. Every choice of words hit Taiga like a thousand blades and he couldn’t even see the hurt in Juri’s eyes which was definitely there. But just for a while longer Taiga wanted to drown in this miserable feeling. This dark hole which tried to swallow him and somehow it seemed so much easier to just let it happen instead of getting up and get back to his life no matter the new circumstances.
***
Of course at first Taiga hadn’t slept at all. All he had been doing for hours was to somehow stop thinking about himself, but it just wouldn’t work. In the end he had been too exhausted after all and had given in to sleep once more.
The next time he woke up though wasn’t through a sound or a touch, it was a presence he could somehow feel and it made him stay immobile for another while even though he was awake.
After a few minutes there was a sudden sigh before he got slapped against the forehead which made him jolt.
“Oh sorry you couldn’t see that coming! As you couldn’t see me sitting here. Shall I apologize for you not being able to see my annoyed look as well?”
It was the first time Taiga felt happy about hearing him being so pissed and annoyed, because he had feared to never hear his voice again.
“Kentaro…”
“At least your ears are working fine, perfect.”
Taiga bit his lip on the other one’s snappy tone and remained silent again.
“So what, no ‘are you okay? How are you feeling?’ Or do you want me to ask you first? We can both play the victim role here!”
“Did you by any chance talk to Juri?” Taiga asked carefully.
“Bright spark, aren’t you?”
“I am sorry. I was really worried for you, how are you-”
“Don’t even try!” Kentaro cut him harshly. “I am not here to show you that I am fine, you can’t see that anyway.”
“Could you stop talking about my eyes all the time?” Taiga bit back snappy this time as well.
“Oh, my apologies? Shall I get you a stick already so that you can walk around hitting everything and everyone when you can’t see them?”
This time Taiga had enough and he sat up, even though he regretted his move immediately as he could feel that his body was still in a too bad shape for rushed movements, but his adrenaline helped for now. “Did you just come to make fun out of me and make me apologize to everyone for being annoyed for once? I am so sorry for being inconvenient for once, I should smile and laugh with all of you instead and pretend like everything is okay! My dearest apologies!”
Taiga’s mocking tone made Kentaro lunge out, but of course Taiga couldn’t know and he almost fell to the side when the other one slapped him. It had hurt more than he had thought as his injury got affected through the impact as well and he lost his calm as he blindly reached to the front and when he had somehow grabbed Kentaro’s yukata he tried to push him away, but the latter wouldn’t let him.
“So what now, I hurt you so you want to hurt me? Go ahead! If you throw me to the ground now my wound will open immediately.”
Getting reminded of that, Taiga froze in his movements. How could his rage made him act so stupid? They had feared for Kentaro’s life barely a few days ago and now he was fighting with him? On the other hand his life wasn’t in danger in the worst case he would never be able to see again, and that...that was all.
“It’s not the end…” Taiga whispered before he let go of the other one and pulled his knees up, hugging them as he felt how he was about to start crying, even though he wasn’t sure if it would hurt? Or if it was even possible now?
“Finally realized that?” Kentaro said this time in a calmer voice. “How come someone always has to shout at you until you snap out of something stupid?”
Well that was indeed one of his really bad points. But this time he hadn’t been hurting himself, but the people around him and that wasn’t fair. He had offered his help to get Hokuto out, he had tried to help Shime as well and he had been so worried for Juri. And now everyone was worrying for him.
“I need to talk to Juri,” Taiga let out, but Kentaro’s hands landed on his shoulders as Taiga tried to stand up.
“Okay let’s not get too panicked now. Don’t worry Juri is not angry at you. I will call him over later, but you definitely shouldn’t get up yet.”
“What did Nakamaru say?” Taiga dared to ask this time.
“You really want to hear that now?”
“Kentaro, please.”
“Okay, fine. But promise me to not drop back into your bitchy attitude. We are all here for you no matter what will happen from now on. Don’t push us away!”
“I won’t, I promise!”
***
Both eyes got damaged, but while the right eye didn’t take much damage the left eye was a different matter. There was a chance from complete healing over one eye maybe healing to none of them ever being able to see again…
That explanation hadn’t calmed Taiga down at all, but it also didn’t make him switch back into a bad mood after all there was a chance of everything being fine again. He should have let Juri talk about this at their first conversation already then he would have maybe stopped himself from being such an asshole.
Nakamaru and Kamenashi had taken a look at him earlier as well, but had told him that he wasn’t allowed to take the bandages off for now. It would take at least a week, maybe more for him to be able to test if he could see or not.
It was obviously in the middle of the night already as the house was completely silent, but Taiga couldn’t sleep. He was doing nothing else than lying around for two days already and while he had talked to Juri and Kentaro already, the others haven’t shown up yet. Well, with his mood swings it was no miracle though that everyone else tried to stay on distance.
With a sigh he tossed the futon covers aside and got up.
Over the day Nakamaru and Kentaro had helped him around, but now he didn’t want to wake anyone up and he knew the house after all. He should be able to make it on his own.
The fact that he made it without problems in the end gave him a bit of courage that in case he wouldn’t be able to see again he could somehow handle it.
On his way back to the room he needed a bit longer, having to make sure not to enter the wrong room. When he finally closed his room door again he let out a relieved sigh, feeling as if he had run a marathon.
“At least you have a good orientation sense.”
Taiga jolted on the sound of Hokuto’s voice, but he couldn’t actually take a look around to see if he had mistaken the room after all.
“I heard you wander around, but I thought I let you manage on your own. I didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.”
So it was indeed his room at least, but not knowing where the other one was he remained at the door for now.
“I am sorry that I brought so much trouble to all of you.”
“Are you kidding me?”
When he heard how Hokuto approached him he feared that he would get scolded again and he pressed himself more against the door until Hokuto reached out for his hand making him slightly flinch. “Come on sit down for now.”
Taiga did how he was told and he could tell that Hokuto was sitting across of him, but it felt weird to not be able to tell his mood.
“Thank you.”
“What?” Taiga asked in confusion.
“For rescuing me.”
“Well it wasn’t actually me who did that.”
“It was all of you! That’s what I mean, why are you saying you caused anyone trouble when all you did was risking your life to help me and also Shime? Taiga, say are you ashamed of being hurt?”
It sounded like a weird question at first, but thinking about it maybe it was true?
“I feel weak,” Taiga let out in a low voice. “I feel like I cause more trouble than I help anyone. If they hadn’t caught me, Juri wouldn’t have gotten hurt, Shime wouldn’t have gotten in so much trouble and if I had spoken to you earlier about everything I knew maybe I could have spared you even more pain as well, not to forget that Kentaro also got hurt because of me…”
Without any hesitation Hokuto grabbed Taiga’s hand and lifted it up to his face. Taiga gasped on the sudden action, but didn’t stop him. When his palm got in contact with Hokuto’s cheek he slightly flinched. He didn’t need to see to tell that there were wounds on his face.
“Don’t pull back, feel what he did to me!” Hokuto almost ordered and Taiga gulped nervously before he dared to sit up on his knees and put his other hand to his face as well.
He could feel two deep cuts on Hokuto’s cheek and jawline, as well as something which felt like a burn mark on the boy’s neck.
He pulled back a bit when he felt how Hokuto got out of the upper part of his yukata before he grabbed the boy’s hand again and guided it to his shoulder.
“Be a bit careful with that one,” Hokuto asked and Taiga nodded before he let his hands travel carefully over the boy’s shoulder and back as Hokuto had turned away from him.
“That’s horrible,” Taiga let out in a broken voice as he felt all the new cut and burn marks on the boy’s body, remembering how bad his old ones had looked already.
“Now imagine what would have happened if you hadn’t come? What would have happened if you hadn’t volunteered to distract Ryo and the others? You all risked your life to get me out of there! You are no burden Taiga, you and the others saved my life and you should never feel sorry for that and you should never pity yourself for getting hurt by someone as crazy as Yamashita! You didn’t do anything wrong and you are not weak, you showed that often enough over the last months!”
Taiga started twiddling his fingers nervously after sitting back on his futon, but as much as everyone told him all those comforting things it wasn’t easy to just thank them and accept things as they were.
“It will take time,” Hokuto said. “It always takes time.”
Taiga nodded on that, because it was indeed how he felt and who could understand that better than Hokuto and also his senpai Kentaro, both have gone through horrible experiences.
“Thank you,” Taiga let out on which Hokuto suddenly ruffled through his hair.
“I bet you’d totally stare completely perplex back at me now, but ask Kochi, I was quite a bright and open person when I was younger.”
Taiga flashed a brief smile on hearing that. “I can’t wait to hear more stories from both of you then.”
***
“Meet the blind Yoshiwara hoe! How is that one?”
“It needs something more special,” Reo said on Juri’s suggestion.
“How about you say the blind beauty instead?” Shota suggested and the next moment a pillow landed perfectly on his face, making everyone else laugh.
“Did I aim right?” Taiga asked.
“Perfectly! Your aim got way better!” Ryota replied laughing.
A whole week had passed since they had come back from Yamashita’s castle and finally things have calmed down and the most important part, Taiga had calmed down! He had finally had a long talk with Juri and now he could laugh with all his friends as if it was just a usual day at work.
“Don’t you dare!” Juri was heard out of a sudden and Taiga could feel how he leant a bit over him. Taiga was resting with his head on the boy’s knees and Juri was now half lying over him as Shota threatened to throw the pillow back.
“Get ready to get kicked out by Nakamaru if you hurt him one day before we take the bandages off,” Reo was heard on which another squeal followed as he was the one to get the pillow thrown in his face next.
“Okay guys time to leave him alone,” Kochi was heard as he stepped inside the room. “It’s late already and you have to help in the new house this evening so come on.”
“I can’t wait to see the new house,” Taiga said and suddenly everyone fell silent. “Did I say something weird?”
“Not at all,” Juri replied and gave him a short kiss on the forehead.
“Guys come on, we are running late,” Taisuke was heard in the corridor now as well and the boys excused themselves for now. Just Juri remained as Kamenashi had given him permission to take care of Taiga while Shime, Hokuto and Kentaro were also told to rest a bit more before they would open the new house in the upcoming week.
“You want to sleep already?” Juri asked as they were left alone?
“I doubt I will be able to fall asleep,” Taiga replied honestly on which Juri suddenly shifted away and for a moment Taiga panicked as he couldn’t tell where the boy was. When a blanket landed over him and he felt how Juri lay down next to him though he calmed down.
“Do you think you can fall asleep now?”
“Definitely,” Taiga teased as he snuggled himself more against the other one’s body on which Juri closed his arms around him and placed a kiss on his hair. A few minutes passed in silence until Juri squeezed him a bit. “You don’t have to pretend to be asleep.”
“How can you tell that so good?”
“Your breathing pace gives you away.” Juri said with a light chuckle before he crawled a bit back so that his nose touched Taiga’s. “You are worried, aren’t you?”
“Is it so obvious?”
“Well the others are worried as well.”
“That’s why they are also reacting so weird each time I say I want to see something, like earlier with the house.”
“Actually,” Juri started on which Taiga felt a bit startled.
“Is there another reason for their reaction?”
When Juri chuckled Taiga felt even more confused and he searched for Juri’s arm to pinch him on which the other one yelped. “Tell me!”
“Okay, okay,” Juri said laughing. “It’s natural that you thought the silence was a bad reaction, but it actually wasn’t. They were happy to see that you had a set goal that you said you were looking forward to seeing the house and being together with everyone again, they were exchanging smiles in silence.”
A smile found its way on Taiga’s face as well on hearing that and it made him even more happy to realize his own reaction was finally getting more positive. After all the negative emotions he had spread he tried his best to stay positive and it helped a lot to see that his friends were supporting him so much.
His own thoughts made Taiga fall silent for a moment until he heard a surprised gasp from Juri.
“What is it?” Taiga asked a bit scared before Juri’s hand landed on his cheek and he could feel how he wiped away a tear under his bandage.
“Well I’d say that’s a good sign, but why are you crying? Did I say something bad?”
Taiga shook his head immediately and he tried to form another smile even though his lips were shaking a bit this time. “I guess everything is crushing down a bit too much at me at the moment, but it’s okay. I am nervous about tomorrow, but I am also happy knowing that you are all by my side, supporting me no matter the outcome.”
“Of course we are all here for you that won’t change tomorrow no matter what,” Juri said and wanted to place another kiss on his forehead, but Taiga noticed the movement and was faster, catching the other one’s lips with his own on the way.
He could feel how Juri was smiling into the kiss, but he didn’t pull back. When Taiga’s hand found its way to the latter’s cheek Juri let him deepen the kiss even more, but he didn’t allow him to move much, obviously still urging him to keep things slow, but Taiga didn’t mind he could tease enough from the position he was in now and no matter if he could see Juri’s smile again or not he would make sure to not let that smile vanish through his fault again.