Etherin at war part 7

[krystalkatz.livejournal.com]

The first thing that Nino was aware of when he opened his eyes was pain, blinding pain that filled all of his senses and left him feeling breathless and exhausted. The second thing that Nino was aware of was that he was in a soft bed instead of the hard bunk that he had become accustomed to and the third and most important thing was that there was a warm body curled beside him their head resting on the same pillow as him their soft breath almost wetting his skin though that might have had something to do with the fact that the figure was crying as he slept. It wasn’t until he turned and saw for certain that it was his lover that he knew that it was and he gave a gasp wondering if this was a part of his strange dream.

“…” He desperately tried to speak to call his lover’s name but although his mouth was moving no sound came out and he slowly reached out drawing on Ohno’s back with his fingertip >Sato…<

“Ka-zu…?” Ohno whispered uncertainly his eyes fluttering open and staring at him in disbelief Nino gave a smile flopping back into the bed when the pain became too much to bear and he nodded keeping his hand moving.
>Hello...<

“Hello? Hello…That’s all you can say?” Ohno growled moving away from him so quickly that Nino was sure that he had been burned and he tried to sit up to reach out to him again but he winced silently his body exploding with pain. He looked down at his side not surprised to see a thick bandage wrapped around him held securely in place by several large knots “Kazu…Sorry…” His lover whispered shakily and Nino shook his head trying to keep the pain of his eyes as he reached out for him again. Thankfully Ohno moved over again and he was able to start writing on his chest in low swirls his hand shaking more than he would have liked as he wrote;

>…I’m sorry…I…I’m not sure what happened…<

“You were stabbed…” Ohno told him needlessly and Nino nodded his hand that wasn’t touching Ohno’s chest was on his stomach touching the bandage until he heard the sob his lover let out. His eyes shot back up searching the older man’s face aware that this was the first time that he had seen him crying since he had arrived at the castle and he became aware of just how bad his injuries must had been to create that response “…They brought you back because they thought you were going to die…Hell you did die…But Yamapi brought you back…”

>You brought me back…I was with my Mother…< He wrote remembering the strange dream that he’d had of the clearing. His eyes misted over a little and his hand shook harder than ever as he admitted >I…I was going to leave…I think…But I heard your voice…And I couldn’t…I knew which way you were…<

“Kazu…” Ohno’s voice was shaky and still catching with the tears and Nino wondered just how long he had been out to make him so fraught with worry. He moved the hand from his stomach and rested it over his cheek his thumb moving slowly over the puffy red eyes saying;

>I will always find my way back to you…<

*~*~*~*~*~*
Three weeks Ohno had sat in that bed, barely eating and unable to sleep terrified that if he did that would be when Nino slipped away. The only rest he had gotten when his body, too exhausted to carry on, had just shut down completely turning him off. Even during those moments he had only gotten 20 minutes to half an hour at the most but none of that mattered at the moment. Nino was awake and was once again smiling at him in a way that suggested that he was the only thing that mattered.

His lover’s dream about his mother and going away had disturbed him more than he wanted to admit more so with the crying statue that had happened the day Nino had returned to the palace. As he had thought it was an old pipe that had burst beyond repair. It had been Ernest that had told him during the one of only three times that he had left Nino’s side for anything other than toileting and he had reluctantly agreed that the old fountain would have to be removed and an exact replica placed in the fountain. It had been such a mundane conversation but he knew that it was Ernest’s way of showing him that he was worried about him.

“I know…I just…It’s been three weeks Kazu…You were laid there…” He said softly and Nino tensed a little his eyes filling with pain again but he smiled his fingers trailing over his skin. He had missed that filling those secret messages on his skin from those stubby but oh so adorable hands.

>I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be so careless…< The king wrote and Ohno quickly shook his hand bringing the hand from his cheek to his lips kissing it gently. He still couldn’t believe that Nino was actually awake and talking to him.

“You were…You were so reckless...what would I do without you?" Ohno asked flopping down beside him rocking the bed in a way that had Nino letting out a loud hiss of pain that he brushed away with a wave of one hand writing nervously with the other;

>Rule? I have named you my heir...<

"Don't..." Ohno growled his eyes wide with shock as he moved away again staring down into the pale pain riddled face and his tone softened whispering "please Kazu don't joke about that..."

>I'm not...you are my heir...when this war is over I will make it more official...< Nino wrote quickly and urgently in a way that told him he needed him to believe him >But the correct people have been told...everything is signed and sealed...<

"...Without even talking to me?" Ohno stammered a strange kind of buzzing starting at the base of his spine and clawing its way up like a cold shiver and he caught Nino's eyes pleading with him to understand as he continued to write;

>I had no choice...I needed an heir...if I died on the battlefield Ryuu would have been able to rule...<

"...Why me?" Ohno growled understanding the logic in that, as much as he didn't want to, Ryuu was Nino's cousin with all the right to rule in his stead. If Nino died without an heir everything that he had been trying to accomplish would be ruined but he couldn't believe if all people his lover would pick a simple farmer like him. Loyalty was an amazing thing but it was terrifying too he knew nothing about ruling a country "Why not Sho...Jun or Toma? Somebody more worthy?"

>Because to me there is nobody more worthy and...< Nino's fingers hesitated for a second before he took a breath and continued with more determination >I foolishly thought that you would be happy that we would really be a family...<

*~*~*~*~*~*

Nino's mind was fuzzy his eyes gathering darkness around the edges but he pushed it away taking a deep breath that only caused more pain. He had thought that it wouldn't have mattered and he wished that he hadn't brought it up yet. He had thought of explaining it in much greater detail and including his hearts wish. They might never be able to marry but as his heir Ohno would have been the crown prince and that would make them family his spouse in all but name. Eventually they could have named another heir, a child they had found together, but now that idyllic image was slipping away as much as his eyesight was with the pain.

"...Nino..." Ohno whispered his voice shaking so violently that Nino was sure that it was his lover that had been injured.

>I was going to tell you that...I...you..." Nino's hand stalled the pain too much now for him to push away and he mouthed 'Yam...I...'

"I'll call for him..." Ohno told him scrambling up from the bed and running out of the room. Nino allowed his eyes to close breathing deep as the pain, almost as bad as when it had happened, sored through him.

A few moments later, seemingly as if he was waiting by the door for them to call him, Yamapi came into the room. The healer surveyed him for about a second before he pulled out a sickly green potion from his bag and began to pour it down his throat. Nino gulped at it deciding that that it tasted even worse than it looked, in fact it tasted so bad that a sickly wave washed over him. He swallowed it down quickly before his body started convulsing shaking the bed. He could hear Ohno speaking but his mind was much too focused on what was happening to him deciding that this was even worse than actually being stabbed. It lasted only for a few moments before he settled down again and his pain subsided. He opened his eyes again staring up at his high gilded ceiling breathing deep as his lover came over to him again his hand resting on the top of his head.

“Kazu…My love…”

‘…I’m…Fin-e...’ He half lied his hand coming up to caress his cheek again feeling the gristle of stubble that was running over his chin and cheeks deciding that his lover needed a shave doubting that he was like that. ‘Love you…’

“Me more…” Ohno breathed shakily grasping his hand tightly his mouth once again brushing over his fingers and Nino knew that for now he was forgiven.

“Well welcome back, my king…” Yamapi smiled almost goofily and Nino gasped that from the love bites that were not so discreetly decorating his healer’s neck and collar bone that Toma was also back and happily settled in the castle. He would have asked which of his knights was securing the front line but he thought that Ohno deserved to not have him talk about that for now besides he was tired and in pain and all he really wanted right now was to enjoy the fact that he was back home with his lover.

*~*~*~*~*~*

The next few days rolled by lazily with Nino making slow but steady improvement and Ohno couldn’t help but be happy by both the fact that Nino was getting better but also that it was slow meaning that he could have his lover with him for longer. They talked little about anything important, both of them refusing to even think about the heir situation, and spent most of their days as they had done when he had first arrived in the castle locked away in Nino’s bedroom away from prying eyes. Eventually Nino would have to make a public appearance but until then the castle staff was satisfied with the reassurances of the healer and his Knights.

>What had you been doing?< Nino asked his hand more confident as it moved on his skin one morning as Ohno was laid on his front slowly reading to him from a book of poems. Some of the words he still stumbled and fumbled over but each time he did Nino would gently correct him and kiss at his shoulder his teeth grazing over his skin. It was almost impossible to believe that somewhere there was a war being fought and Ohno had to admit that he was trying his best to make Nino forget it.

“Working on my surprise for you and…Taking care or the refugees…” Ohno whispered hesitating on the word refugees knowing that it would remind his lover and sure enough there was a flash of something in Nino’s eyes but it was only there for a moment before it was gone again and his lover was smiling his fingers working on his back.

>Can I see it yet?<

“No…Not yet…” He answered shaking his head rapidly and they were both startled when the door was thrown open and a very flushed looking Aiba ran in bobbing a clumsy bow and flashing them an awkward smile before whispering fearfully;

“Nino…The holy father is here!”

TBC
A/N: I hope that this is okay ^_^