Touken Ranbu - Five Senses

Abuse and Affection

The black-haired boy laid on a futon in the back of your room, a divider up to block sunlight from falling across his face.

His breathing was even, although he was still coughing. He had been cleaned up and bandaged, a wet cloth laid over his forehead to try to bring down his fever. His eyes were closed, and he was sleeping - as he had been for most of the afternoon. You sat in silence, staring down at him. His sword was in hand, and you drew a sheet of rice paper along the blade, cleaning off some excess oil as you worked to polish it carefully. You had been at this for hours, watching as he slept soundly.

Yagen Toushirou was across from you on the other side of Izuminokami, a finger to his wrist. After a few moments, he set the boy's hand down gently and glanced up at Mikazuki, who was sitting just to your right and watching you in silence.

You were aware of his gaze, but didn't want to acknowledge it. Instead... "Sorry, Yagen. I'm sure this isn't what you planned on doing today." Tapping the Uchiko along the blade, you eyed the shallow hairline fractures that glistened along the blade's surface.

Yagen shook his head, watching you work quietly before moving to change the towel on Izumi's forehead. "It's fine, General."

Mikazuki looked between you two, reaching down and touching a fingertip to the blanket that was pulled up over  Izu's body. "So you know, this is not going to count towards my request that you spend the day together. You're not supposed to be working, Master." That said, he drew the blanket up away from the boy's feet and looked at the bandaged leg.

You sighed, not sparing a glance as your gaze scanned Izuminokami's face for any change in complexion. "I don't have a choice, this is my fault." As the one responsible, you had to work to take care of Izumi.

Yagen looked up, parting his lips in protest as he began to argue. "Gener--"

"That's correct, it is your fault." It was sharp and matter-of-fact. The words were spoken so coolly, it pierced your core.

You looked up at Mikazuki finally, shock and pain riddling your heart as you found yourself gazing into a pair of eyes that had turned so sharp they could almost cut you.

Although you felt he was waiting for a response, you had nothing to say. ". . ."

Yagen's head snapped up, eyes flashing with a sudden spark of anger as he jumped to his feet. "Mikazuki!" The boy stepped over the futon, looming just over the man.

Calm as ever, Mikazuki looked back at him. "Can you really argue? Consider what happened. Cause and effect. She made a bad decision, and therefore someone was hurt unnecessarily." He said it so simply, and it seemed to ramp Yagen's anger up even more.

Although he did not move, his body was rigid. "You would just blatantly--"

Mikazuki put a hand up, motioning for the Tantou to stop speaking. "She's a grown woman who has taken sole responsibility for this Citadel and its residents. I should think she can handle the truth."

As you watched, dejected, you saw Yagen falter for a moment. "That doesn't mean---!"

You reached up, touching a hand to the back of his glove. Quickly retracting your hand after the fact, you hoped it got his attention. He turned toward you, blinking. "It's okay, Yagen. He's right..." Not that you wanted him to be. The truth of the situation was unpleasant...

Although Yagen looked unsatisfied, he did relent. Stepping back across the futon, he took up his former position at Kanesada's bedside. Mikazuki nodded at this, turning his gaze from Yagen to the sleeping Toudan. "Well, it's also Izuminokami's fault for not relinquishing his responsibility to someone healthy. At the end of the day, though, it was up to the Saniwa's judgement, and she judged poorly."