When Winter Ends part 17

[krystalkatzfics]

 

“What do you mean you’re going to the library?” Jun hissed at his friend who sighed slowly running his fingers through his hair. It had been almost a week since Nino had recovered from his illness, at least physically he had recovered, mentally he was distant, so distant in fact that they could go for hours in the same room together without speaking. A day after he had woken he had shut himself  away with Masaki for an hour and whatever they had discussed hadn’t made him happy. Sho had tried to get the lord to tell him but Masaki had refused saying that it was a secret. His face had been a little pale and his eyes wide whenever he had looked at Nino after that.

“Just what I said. You’re not dumb Jun so don’t make me repeat myself” Sho muttered. The great central library was a joint vampire human effort to record information. It hadn’t gone well, Vampires hated each other after all and most were too secretive to share anything important, but the humans hadn’t been so stubborn and that was the information that he needed now.

“Well I may not be an idiot, but you are, have you seen the snow outside, Sho? Even a vampire would get lost in it…” It was touching how concerned the man sounded and he thought that it must have had a lot to do with Jun’s relationship with Masaki. A week ago Jun would have probably hoped that he died or would have at least said so.

“That is why I mean to go and come back as quickly as possible, if you would stop delaying me…” Sho growled attempting to make it to the door again. He had told Nino that he was leaving, and his boy had accepted it easily with a nod and a soft, ‘be careful Mas-Sho…’ Sho would have preferred him to argue the way that Jun was doing but he had spoken to him and that was enough. “This is important, Jun, for your lord and my boy. Take care of Nino. Do not let him leave the house and you don’t leave him…Please…”

“For you to actually say please to me it must be important. Fine I will give you four days if you do not return by then I will take your boy as my own…” Jun informed him with a jerk of the head and Sho felt a pulse of anger but didn’t say anything deciding that the promise would be enough to keep his trip as short as possible.

“I can’t promise only four days, it may take longer for me to find what I need but I will come back as swiftly as possible on that you have my word” Sho bowed his head at the made vampire and then investigated the house where Nino had been cleaning since that morning. He was on his hands and knees scrubbing the kitchen floor and Sho was strongly reminded of that first day Nino had come into his life. The boy didn’t look at him but Sho had the feeling that he knew he was being watched.

“Then go and come back safely, old man” Jun murmured and Sho gave a nod turning on his heel and stepping out into the snow. It was the softest that it had been for a week but it was still pretty bad and Sho picked up his pace quickly stalking in the opposite direction of the town and Aiba’s mansion.

The road was lonely, without even an animal for company but Sho didn’t rest until he reached a roadside in that had light pouring from inside. He was several miles from home and even a vampire could feel the chill after many ours on the road. The door gave way at his touch and he stepped inside. The inn keeper looked startled at his visitor but he smiled welcoming him in and motioning to a seat beside a blazing fire.

“Strange time for a man to be travelling…”

“If I could help it I would not be doing so, but your inn is open you must be expecting some…”

“I keep the door open for them that have no home. Cold winter such as this a body could freeze to death…No man nor woman will be turned from here while the winter rages” The inn keeper answered him with a shrug motioning to some men that Sho hadn’t noticed before. They sat huddled in a corner looking a little confused as to why they were being treated so kindly, but they were alive and Sho found himself smiling at the innkeeper.

“A generous man, keep, with so many in your care I wonder if you have a room for the night?”

“I can always make room sir if it is just for the night. Will you be wanting ale and food?” The man behind the counter asked and Sho gave a nod taking a coin purse from around his neck and throwing it down.

“Food I will have but I will refuse the ale, take all that is inside you clearly have more need of it than I do” Sho hummed as the man opened the pouch his eyes widening at the generous amount that was inside. Sho had more than enough of the stuff tucked away it didn’t harm him to be generous when he could, and it would be worth it for the good service.

“Thank-you sir, I will be out with your pie sir…Would you also be needing…Blood…” The last word was whispered so softly that Sho had to use his vampiric hearing to hear it. He was surprised but knew that he shouldn’t be. Inns and the like were the best places to find out about the movements of vampires, but this was the first time somebody had offered to get him blood. In fact; most inn keepers hated their buildings being used for such.

“No, thank-you…At least not tonight”

“Right you are then sir, I will hurry with your dinner” The man bobbed his head and then vanished through a door at the back of the pub leaving Sho to stare into the fire and wonder if he was going to find anything in the library. It seemed unlikely but he had to try. If he could just find something that would make Nino realise that he didn’t have to leave it would be worth the effort. He sighed a little closing his eyes and leaving his head to rest against the back of the chair. He hoped that Nino was okay and that he and Jun hadn’t already tried to kill each other yet. It was likely, the pair fought like cat and dog for the most part and although it angered him he was glad to see some of Nino’s old spirit returned to him even if it was only when he was on the fringes.

“I will make it okay, Nino” He promised softly not realising that he had said the words aloud until the inn keeper said in a strange tone;

“Your dinner sir…And I will sort you out a room…” The man placed down a metal dish of food and a knife and fork and Sho looked at it with a raised eyebrow before smiling at the man saying as brightly as he could muster;

“Thank-you…”

TBC

A/N: I hope that this is okay >.<

Comments

[reveetoile]

it just get's more exciting and there seems to be even more questions now XD

[yumi_usagi]

Hope Sho can find the answer!
Thanks for sharing!

[gambitsfox]

He is trying so hard.....if only Ohno could have given him more information then he would not have to go looking for some. Guess Nino got the description of the hat guy from Aiba.....he knows he's here.😲