krystalkatzficz | The Tattoo chapter forty-one (Reply)

Nino woke with a scream on his lips, his body coated in a thick layer of sweat and the robe that he had forced himself to wear was up around his neck holding him like a noose. Hands were holding him gently by his shoulders and when he finally managed to focus his eyes he could see the prince leaning over him a concerned look on his face. Slowly he sat up right trying to remember the dream that had brought about his screams but it was already fleeing to the furthest, darkest, places of his mind leaving him feel both weak and foolish. Tears on his cheeks had caused his hair to stick and he tried and failed to wipe it away.

“Tiger, are you alright?” Ohno asked before cursing and pulling him into a hug. Nino went willingly burying his face against the smooth chest using the heartbeat to calm him down hands moved up and down his back as Ohno buried his face in his hair saying “…Of course you are not…It was a foolish question…Forgive me…Do you want water or…”

“Stay like this…Please…” Nino answered weakly his eyes closing as the gentle thud of the prince’s heart beating soothed him more than he could have imagined. It was a sweet torture for them both and he knew that it was cruel but he couldn’t stop himself from clinging to the older man not even when the door burst open and Yoshida ran inside dressed loosely in a grey robe his hair mused around his face and a Tachi gripped tightly in his hands.

“Nephew…Your highness…I thought that I heard screaming…” Yoshida growled lowering his weapon but not by much his eyes moving over them his jaw tight. “Prince I may be bound by honour to serve you and grateful to you for rescuing my nephew but…If you have hurt him…”

“I…I apologise my uncle…A dream gripped me…I guess the memory of what happened was fresh tonight…I am sorry that I disturbed your sleep…” Nino whispered detaching himself reluctantly from the arms of the prince and bowing his head at his uncle who finally relaxed completely his Tachi lowered as a look of pain in his eyes.

“I was already awake nephew, the memories came strong to me this night as well” He murmured stroking his chin that was dusty with hair looking older than he had done last night “It is almost daylight and the house is stirring…though perhaps we are not as much awake as we would have liked it might be best if we were to begin, there is still many miles to the palace and if it is true that assassins have been sent from the palace we must cover many of them before we can settle for a night…”

“I…Thank-you, lord Yoshida…” Ohno nodded with a smile his eyes still holding their concern as the moved back to Nino who quickly averted his eyes knowing that Ohno wouldn’t just leave or ignore it the way that Sakurai did. “We shall dress and join you shortly…”

“Yes...” Yoshida hummed and Nino could feel his eyes on him again for a minute or two and then he left leaving them alone. The fire had died down during the night but Nino knew that that had nothing to do with the shivers that had broken out over his body and was causing his teeth to chatter. He hugged himself as tightly as he could trying to stop it but it wasn’t until Ohno’s arms wrapped around him and his chin rested on his head that it stopped and he could let out a small sigh of relief.

“My little Tiger…” Ohno whispered mournfully rocking him gently from side to side “How many times have you woken screaming?”

“Too many to count my lord…I am sorry that I disturbed you…”

“I was already awake…” The prince mumbled and Nino turned his head up looking into the sleepy face. There was a smile playing about on his lips but the worry was still in his eyes and Nino found himself blushing a little as he asked;

“Were…Were you watching me sleep again?”

“Yes that and…” Ohno's smile deepened a little as he bobbed him lightly on the nose before continuing in a heavier voice “I find little comfort in sleep though I often feel sleepy…”

“You suffer with ill dreams yourself?”

“Only children and the innocent have the right to peaceful sleep…” the older man answered with a very heavy sigh that rocked through their joined body “Tiger, even though I know you will not believe me, I wish to tell you that have that right…”

“I am not an innocent or a child…” Nino scoffed facing the chest again knowing that he should pull away but unwilling to do so. He was sure that Ohno gave a half groan half sigh at that and the arms around him grew hotter and tighter as lips ghosted at his head.

“There is truth in what you say but the choice was not yours, my tiger, your innocence was stolen from you and one day you will regain it…But you should not fear your dreams, nor my reaction to them, I am here and although I cannot take them from you I will be here to wake you and reassure you that they are merely the ghosts from your memory and they cannot hurt you…”

“…Thank-you…” Nino managed to say his heart thumping with a warm happiness at his words even though he couldn’t bring himself to express it aloud he knew that Ohno would know that was what he felt.

They stayed that way for a while, holding each other and listening to the sounds of their own breathing, until Nino could make out the milky light of dawn creeping in from through the grime covered windows and they knew that it was time for them to separate and to join Yoshida. They dressed in the same silence, Nino not even commenting when Ohno carefully twisted his hair up into a bun atop his head and fastened it tightly with his sister’s comb. He was surprised at how much easier it was for him to insert his poison needles with this style but he felt awful having them so close to Riko’s comb. Together they left the room almost bumping into Ryuu who was coming to meet them. The man dipped into a graceful bow in front of them and then led them down the corridors

“How long have you worked for my uncle?” Nino asked wondering if there was something between his uncle and his servant but doubting it. From what he could remember of half heard conversations Yoshida had been very much a ladies man in younger days and as pretty as Ryuu was he didn’t think he would have been able to change that.

“My whole life, my lord, I was born here and like my mother and grandmother before, I will always serve the Yoshida family…Your family my lord…As the master has no heirs I will be your servant when the time comes…” Ryuu answered with a thoughtful hum his footsteps slowly for a moment and Nino blinked in surprise he had never even thought about that, that he would be the heir to the Yoshida estate, he had always assumed that his uncle would have named another heir it was a terrifying prospect that he hadn’t. “Though, if I may say so, I hope that it will be a long time coming, my lord Yoshida is a fine man…Even if he declined after his family, this house was a fine place once…I apologise it is not my place to speak of such things…”

“No…Speak, I know little of my uncle save that my mother and father were fond of him…” Nino smiled and Ryuu nodded happily his semi rounded face a picture of delight that people agreed of his opinion.

“He has never spoken down to me, my lord, he views all as his equal…I am glad that some of his family is safe…Here my lord and your highness…” The little man bowed them into a warm room that appeared to be better maintained than the rest of the home with Yoshida dressed in a warm riding outfit, sitting at a table a full breakfast laid out in front of them. The smell was incredible and, although he never normally ate in the morning except for with Takayuki, Nino felt his stomach rumble and his mouth water.

“There you are! I had thought you had decided to retire to bed again and forgot me…Come sit eat you are both much too lean! We eat and then we ride…” His uncle boomed waving them in with his mouth almost around his teacup. Nino smiled as he walked forward with Ohno close behind him. “There…I think Ryuu has used up all the food in the house but at least our stomachs will be full…”

TBC
A/N: Again they still haven’t moved I promise that they will be on their horses again tomorrow!