The Tattoo chapter fifty-five

[krystalkatz.livejournal.com]

Later that morning the three men ate a simple breakfast in silence all too focused on the matter in hand. Ohno’s eyes were distant as they gazed out of a grimy window out into the rain soaked garden the gentle pitter-patter of droplets against the wood almost driving Nino to distraction grating at the nerves. Anger hand built tightly inside of him since reading his mother’s scroll had told him that people would bloat up a body with poison and then cast them aside. Anyone, including children, could have touched the body and the thought that his amazing Takayuki could have touched him was enough to make his blood boil. But he wasn’t the only one, the prince and even the normally ever cheerful Yoshida was just as silent rubbing his chin as he absently took bites of food looking for all the world like he wouldn’t notice if he ate a flower instead of the fish.

“My love, this lord Ochi…Who is he to you?” Nino asked finally breaking through the silence unable to cope anymore. Ohno blinked slowly and turned to look at him the strange fog clearing from his eyes after a few minutes. He sipped at the cooled tea and frowning a little at the taste before answering in a thick voice that was tainted with sadness;

“He was one of those that harmed my sister…He took great pleasure in the act if I recall, I had not been able to reach him before…I should have expected him to be in the palace…”

“I am sorry, Satoshi…” Nino whispered lightly leaning against him and pressing his face into his neck his lips grazing over his neck.

“It was not your fault my little tiger…I will deal with him though…” Ohno told him in a low voice and Nino let out a growl shaking his head his whole body rippling with anger as he snapped;

“Not if I do not do so first…”

“Before you kill everyone and anyone within the palace, my nephew, my prince…I suggest that we focus on what we are going to do with the boy…” Yoshida pointed out softly bringing up something that had been playing on Nino’s own mind “It is obvious that we will have to take him with us as he will not be able to leave Kazunari’s side…But Ochi…”

“I will go with what you suggest, though I doubt that a man that would give him so much poison I am amazed that he is alive would care to know what he looks like…or now I will go and see if he awake and able to eat…” Nino said slowly getting to his feet and picking up a bowl of gruel from the table and walking out of the room trying to ignore the soft comment from his lover about his big heart again.

He moved swiftly through the corridors avoiding catching the eye of both the workers and the other people staying in the inn. He pushed the door open with a whoosh surprised when he saw that the child assassin was struggling to sit up sweat dribbling down his face so quickly that it was as if he was reflecting the rain outside. Nino rolled his eyes a little his lips twitching as he thought of his boy three years ago refusing to believe that he was sick. He quickly walked to the boy and knelt down watching awe and terror fill his eyes.

“You should stay put…I did not perform a miracle…Your body is still under pressure…” Nino said as emotionlessly as he possibly could pushing the body back down with on hand while holding up the bowl of gruel with the other.

“I…I wanted to…Pray to my family…” The boy whispered weakly and Nino stopped short, he had never found comfort in the gods or even by honouring his own family. He remembered them fondly but he never prayed to them asking for guidance and he only attended the ceremonies and festivals while in towns when Takayuki was with him. He doubted that his boy knew much of what was happening but he enjoyed the music and the colours around him and for those few moments, as he watched the joy in the boy’s face, Nino felt at ease too but he wouldn’t credit that to gods or ancestors.

“You do that often?” He asked as he stirred the gruel around with a spoon and the mini assassin bit on his lip giving what must have been a painful shrug mumbling;

“…Sometimes…”

“Then I am sure that in the circumstances they will accept your prayers from your bed…” Nino told him as gently as he could spooning the gruel into his mouth as surprised at his actions as the boy was and he was positive that he could hear Ohno talking about his ‘big and beautiful heart’ in his mind. “At least until you are fit and able to stand without damaging yourself…The role of the gods and ancestors after all is to provide you with safety…”

“Yes…Master…”

“Nino-sama…” Nino said cringing at the use of the word master, even Sakurai had only made him use the term loosely. He had hardened his heart to all that had happened to him in the cave before his lord had come to him but the use of the word master was something that still plagued him and he refused to be anyone’s master even if the boy had used it only as apprentice.

“Nino?” The boy said with a tiny frown of his own and he imagined that ‘Nino’ was much less impressive than the poisoned spider. It was why he liked it so much, another thing brought about by his boy who had struggled over the length of his full name.

“Yes it is my name…Or at least it is what my boy called me, you may use it now...What is your name?”

“Boy…”

“Nonsense, you said you had family…They would not have called you boy…”

“I do not…Know them…but I…Pray…” Boy whispered his face clouding as he tried to refuse more gruel and look away wanting to hide his tears with his hair.

“Well I cannot call you boy…I have only one boy and I use that term fondly for him…” Nino hummed ignoring the pang of sadness he felt for the boy that prayed to a family he did not know and thought over a name in his mind as he continued to feed the boy not letting him hide his feelings. “Then from this moment I will call you…Arata Tsukuru, as in ‘new’ and ‘life’…This is your new life, your second chance the only one that you will get…if you betray me or my love…”

“I…won’t…”

“I believe you…And I know that you are tired and in pain now but…Your hair must be changed a little and you will change into clothes that I provide…As you will act as my love and I’s manservant as we enter the palace…From there you will stay hidden in my rooms as I continue to treat you…” Nino murmured slowly chewing on his tongue a little wondering if this would be going against what the prince and his uncle would suggest but it was the only thing that would make sense. If he had the boy sat in front of him on the back of Tsunami then he would be able to support him and it would be short work to get him in cased in the room out of the way.

“Why…Didn’t you…Let me…Die?” Tsukuru asked softly really pushing his hand away and Nino gave a sigh. He knew the answer it was like Ohno had said, he had seen another baby bird and had taken him in. Of course he doubted that he could feel the same for anyone the way that he felt for his boy but the moment that he had seen the boy collapse he couldn’t just let him die.

“Because I did not…” He answered placing down the bowl and taking up his dagger. His head was still dizzy but he had to mix up more of his concoction to help purify the boy’s blood. He gathered his items in front of him and then silently set about slicing his wrist again. Together he and Tsukuru watched his blood flow out into the little earthenware jar and the boy sighed settling back against the roll of the bed.

“You are a nice person…Nino-sama…”

“Many would not agree with you…Now rest…”

TBC
A/N: I’m more than positive that my Ancient Japan and the poison is incorrect I do try but this is a lot more fairy-tale-y than true historical fact, real Japanese history is more fascinating than anything that I could write, most history is...But it also tends to be bloodier...Sorry more self-doubt (>.<)

Comments

[krystalkatz.livejournal.com]

he's very good with children ne...Hopefully Arata will be as good a son as Takayuki :D
Thanks for reading ^_^