The Ninja Slayer

Chapter 44: A Quiet Morning

Kanzaburou was still fumbling over Giyuu's name, somehow accidentally merging his first and last name into "Giyoka" and "Tomiyuu", neither of which Giyuu liked, but Kanzaburou refused any help from the Hashira. 

Before the forgetful crow could say his next combination of names Randy bounded over balancing an ungodly number of bowls and plates on his arms, chopsticks already balanced across the bowls as well. 

Randy, who somehow still couldn't actually use the chopsticks, gracefully placed all the dishes on the table. 

Giyuu surveyed the food, there was a lot of it. 

There was grilled fish and rice in addition to the miso soup as well as a bunch of smaller side dishes. 

"Wow..." Giyuu whispered under his breath. 

"I know. I know. I made more than I planned but I got really excited to try the recipe for the first time." Randy explained, trying to hide his nerves from the dream. 

Randy stayed quiet as Giyuu said his quick prayer, respectful but not wanting to participate himself. 

Randy waited anxiously as Giyuu slowly brought the bowl to his mouth. This was the first time Randy made any food for the both of them and his first time he even attempted a Japanese recipe, so he was understandably nervous. Giyuu hummed a pleasant sound. 

"How is it?" Randy asked, taking a bite quickly to hide his nerves. 

"Did you alter the recipe?" Giyuu asked. 

"Only a bit. Is it bad? Oh cheese, I should have kept it the same. Always follow the recipe the first time you make something." Randy rambled partially under his breath. 

"No Randy it's quite good. My only question is why did you make so much?" Giyuu asked. 

Randy took another bite, "Sorry... I always get excited when trying new recipes. It usually ends with my entire fridge filled with enough food to feed a small army." Randy chuckled a bit at the end. Giyuu looked confused about the mention of the fridge but didn't say anything about it as he kept eating. 

It was nice. 

Just eating in silence, which was weird considering how much Randy hated silence. 

It usually made him antsy, a nervous feeling that made him feel the need to start up a conversation. 

Anything to fill the silence. 

But he was calm, if anything a bit awkward from the previous night. 

Randy didn't know how to approach the topic, or if Giyuu wanted to talk about it. Or even if Randy wanted to talk about it. 

The fact that Giyuu trusted him with the information was... 

well Randy didn't know how to feel. 

He was glad that Giyuu trusts him now, but to retell such traumatic memories must have been exhausting. 

Randy felt exhausted just by how his imagination decided to supply his dreams with a bloody retelling of the older man's past. 

"Are you alright Randy? You seem tense." Giyuu asked, snapping Randy out of his thoughts. 

"Oh, I'm fine..." Randy mumbled, "Just had a bad dream last night." 

"Oh." Giyuu paused, seemingly lost on what to do, "Do you... want to talk about it...?" 

Randy sighed, "Not at all honestly. But I probably should." 

Giyuu placed his chopsticks down flat across his now-empty bowl, giving Randy his full attention, "Whenever you're ready." 

"I... uh... had a nightmare about the stuff you told me yesterday..." Randy quietly said, "It was..." Randy had to pause when tears began to form in the corners of his eyes. Randy blinked a few times to stop them, "I just..." 

"You don't have to talk about it, Randy. Nobody's forcing you." Giyuu said quietly. 

Kanzaburou, as his own form of comfort, landed on Randy's head. Strangely it seemed to help the younger ninja as his heart slowed back down to a normal pace. 

"It felt so real..." Randy whispered, barely audible to those who didn't have enhanced senses. 

Kanzaburou nuzzled further into Randy's hair. 

"There was so much blood..." Randy whispered yet again, tears starting to fall. 

Giyuu flinched, only slightly for a fraction of a second. 

"I'm so sorry..." Randy wiped the tears running down his cheeks, "...that you had to go through that..." 

Giyuu paused. 

What was he meant to do in this situation? 

He didn't know how to comfort people, let alone children. 

Slowly, so as not to startle Randy he stood up and stepped carefully around the table, sitting down next to Randy. He hesitantly placed his hand on Randy's shoulder.

"Why don't we go into town today?" Giyuu suggested, "We'll need more food and I promised someone that I would bring you for a visit." 

Randy paused as he looked at Giyuu, then he looked back at his half-eaten meal, "Can I... finish this first." 

Giyuu thought for a moment then nodded, "I will be in my room, once you are finished, please get ready to leave." 

Randy nodded as Giyuu stood up and left for his room. 

He would be fine. 

He just needed to get his mind off of things. 

Randy took another bite of soup as Kanzaburou jumped down to land on the table. 

"Ran... okay?" Kanzaburou cooed quietly. 

"Yeah..." Randy whispered, gently scratching the crows head, "I will be."