[Log] To the Rescue! [Jirou, Akaya, Shiraishi, Yagyuu]
Characters: Kirihara Akaya, Shiraishi Kuranosuke, Akutagawa Jirou, Yagyuu Hiroshi
Location: To the Rescue! (Some spot, Medical Cave)
Time: August 3rd
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Kura’s rescue. Jirou and Akaya play rescue the princess, then Yagyuu plays doctor and more angsty chatting happens.
Jirou grabbed up his bag of emergency supplies and the device he wasn’t supposed to have and went racing pell-mell down the trail to meet up with Akaya. His message said that Kura had fallen down a hill and his phone was acting funny. He hurried as fast as he could without falling. The device was pointing him down a rather well-worn path, which made for faster running. He sprinted.
Akaya paced nervously at camp. He had to wait for Jirou to get there, but it was hard. All he wanted to do was charge south and start looking, but he was worried he wouldn't be able to get Kura up out of where he had fallen in time.
“Akaya!” Jirou spotted the other as he emerged from the trees. “Come on! Wait, hold on.” He hitched the bag higher over one shoulder and fiddled with his device for a moment. “Okay...” he did a quarter turn to the south and found what he needed, “got it! This should take us straight to him!” He turned and went back out the path to the beach. “Unfortunately, there isn’t a straight line through the jungle, so we’re going to have to improvise.”
Akaya's face was set in a grim line. "You lead the way. I'm texting him to keep him awake in case he has a concussion. He said he hurt his left arm, his back, and his head."
Jirou’s own expression was unusually serious. “Follow me.” He kept moving, following the signal on his device. Another injury to his dominant arm? The former buchou of Shitenhouji was not having the best luck where that was concerned. He would have to evaluate the injury and definitely confer with An-chan or whichever proto-doctor patched Kura up. “You should contact one of the med students while you are at it and have them meet us after we find him,” he suggested.
Akaya nodded and typed another text to Kura. "I will once we get to him. I need...I need to see him for myself."
“Right.” Privately Jirou thought it would be better for Kura if one of the med students were to come with them, but it was too late to rope one in now. They would just have to do their best. They passed quickly by where the firedance had been, the circle and burnt wood being the only sign left. “Be on the lookout for some long strong branches? We don’t want to just lug him back, we might injure him further,” he pointed out as they continued south.
Akaya split his focus between his phone, the path, and the underbrush. He managed to pull down a low hanging branch that was quite sturdy before resorting to calling the blonde. Looking at Jirou as the phone rang, Akaya offered a quick explanation. "It's hard for him to type and I want him to stay awake. Better chance of us finding him and all."
Shiraishi answered the phone, his speech mildly garbled. His exhaustion was probably very easy to read just by the way he was talking.
Akaya did his best to keep Shiraishi talking as he followed Jirou. The long branch he'd found was acting like a walking stick as he scanned the trees for another.
Shiraishi did his best to keep talking. He didn’t want Akaya to know how scared he was, but it was probably evident anyway.
Akaya kept his voice as steady as he could despite how worried he was. He panicked for a single moment when he heard Shiraishi's voice cut out, heart hammering in his chest.
Shiraishi’s body jumped when he heard Akaya asking if he could hear him. He had begun to fall asleep and was worried he had been out for a while. “Yeah...” He said, exhausted. “Sorry.” He felt awful for worrying Akaya so much.
Jirou listened to Akaya talking to Kura but kept his eyes between the device and the landscape, watching out for any dangers that might trip them up the same as Kura had been. “I have some cloth, so we can make a sling; sort of a stretcher, to carry him on. If he hurt his back, the less we jostle him, the better. Keep him talking.” He shook his head at himself. “Sorry, you’re already doing that. We should be there soon, we’re making good time.”
Akaya tilted the phone away from his mouth for a moment. "Won't we need another branch for that? I only found the one."
“That’s why I told you to keep a look out for branches,” Jirou said, stressing the plural. He smiled back briefly at Akaya. “It’s okay, though. I’m sure we’ll find another soon. The place is full of trees, after all.”
Shiraishi felt himself drift off as Akaya stopped talking to him. He did his best to stay awake, but felt himself beginning to lose.
Akaya saw a tuft of blond hair standing out against the green and brown leaves that were littering the ground. Darting past Jirou, he rushed to Shiraishi's side and did his best to get the taller man onto flat ground without jostling him too much. "I've got you, you're ok now. We're going to make a stretcher to carry you, can you stay awake just a little longer for me?"
Shiraishi looked up at Akaya, nodding weakly. “I’ll try.”
“Stop!” Jirou said as Akaya started to move Kura. “We need to make sure he’s not broken his neck or his back before you move him! Haven’t you taken any first aid?” He pushed the taller man up toward Kura’s head. “Check his pupils and tell me if they are dilated or different sizes, but don’t move his head. I’ll check to see if anything is broken,” he ordered. He was rather different from his usual happy-go-lucky, bouncy self.
Akaya nodded at Jirou's instructions before cupping Shiraishi's face in his hands. Smoothing his thumbs softly over the blond's cheeks, he spoke gently and did his best to smile. "Show me those beautiful eyes, Kura. Look at me."
Shiraishi opened his eyes, but found it hard to focus them. The sun seemed too bright, even though they were in the shade. “It hurts.” His voice was raspy as he said this.
Akaya reached for the canteen resting against his hip and unscrewed the cap. Holding it up to Shiraishi's lips, he slowly tipped it to give the blonde water. "I know, but I have to make sure you don't have a concussion. Sip slowly, alright?"
Shiraishi sipped at the water, not really succeeding in keeping it off himself. His pupils were obviously uneven and his stare as a whole was glazed over and unfocused.
Akaya swore softly as he saw Shiraishi's eyes. "I know I told you you could take a nap, and I will let you, but damnit you better wake back up once we get to the beach. Do you understand me?" His own eyes were stinging from the effort of not crying as he put the canteen away.
Jirou asked several questions of Kura as he poked and prodded at him, trying to make sure that the other had not damaged his spine. There were a lot of scrapes and bruises, but nothing immediately fatal that he could see. “Okay,” he said finally, sitting back on his heels. “I think it is safe to move him. Just go slow and if he cries out, stop immediately. Don’t try to force anything. If you can, get him onto this blanket,” he said, handing it to Akaya. “I’m going to go find another branch.”
Akaya gave Jirou a grim nod before spreading the blanket on the ground. Putting his hands on Shiraishi's shoulders, he did his best to smile. "Alright, Kura. We'll take it slow, but you can do this. I know you can. You're strong, you've got this."
“I’m just glad you’re here.” Shiraishi said. “...I’m so tired.”
"I know you are, just a little more and you can rest while we carry you back to the beach." Akaya carefully brushed his lips over Shiraishi's forehead as he helped the blond lay down on the blanket.
Shiraishi was able to help Akaya enough to get himself onto the blanket. He felt awful, though. “I’m sorry, Akaya.”
"Hush, you have nothing to apologize for. Accidents happen, and I'm so glad you were able to use your phone, I was getting ready to ask Kite to help me look for you." Akaya helped Shiraishi get comfortable before stroking his hair softly.
Shiraishi motioned weakly over to a bag. “That’s all of the stuff that I found...”
Akaya followed where Shiraishi pointed to. Seeing the bag, he snatched it up and handed it to the blond. "I got it. You hang onto this while we carry you, ok?"
Shiraishi nodded, doing his best to hold on to the bag. “I hope this will be useful. I just wanted to help...”
With a sort of crashing noise of the sort that branches make when they hit the ground, Jirou cried out from the trees, “I think I found one! I’ll be right there!”
Akaya jolted a bit at the noise before smiling at Shiraishi. "I'm sure it will be very useful. And Jirou-san found another branch, so we can make a stretcher and get you out of here in no time."
“Okay.” Shiraishi said, closing his eyes. “I’ll try not to actually fall asleep.”
"Ok, sounds like a plan. And I'll see if I can find you some melon when we get back." Akaya kept petting Shiraishi's hair as he waited for Jirou to get back.
Shiraishi relaxed a little. “You were worried, huh?”
"I really was. You didn't leave a message with me or take Cocoa with you. It scared me." Akaya's voice was soft as he looked at Shiraishi, watching him closely as he rested.
Jirou stepped back into the clearish area where Kura lay with his branch in hand and started stripping the extra leaves and bits from it. “Akaya, in that bag of mine you will find some strips of cloth. Perhaps you could immobilize Kura’s arm so that we don’t jostle it when we carry him? I’d run one around his body and upper arm and another around his neck down to his wrist and back.”
"I can do that." Akaya nodded at Jirou before reaching for the other man's bag. Pulling out the cloth strips, he followed Jirou's instructions to immobilize Shiraishi's arm so it would not get hurt worse on the way back.
Shiraishi attempted to help make this task as easy for Akaya as possible. He was rather impressed that Akaya managed to wrap him up nice and tight.
Once he was done, Akaya looked to Jirou for instructions on what to do next.
Looking over Akaya’s work, Jirou nodded. “Good job! Okay, now we are going to roll the branches up in the sides of the blanket, then use more strips to carefully tie them, the blanket and Kura all together.” He gave the former Shitenhouji player a bright grin. “Hope you’re into bondage, Kura-chan!” Scooting closer, he placed the branch he’d just cleaned on the edge of the blanket and showed Akaya how to roll it, ending right next to Kura’s body.
Shiraishi chuckled softly. “Guess I’ll have to be for now, huh?”
"We can try the fun kind once we get rescued if you want to." Akaya chuckled softly as he mimicked Jirou's method of securing the branch to the blanket.
Shiraishi turned red. “Naughty Akaya.”
“Oh, my, I didn’t mean to spark a TMI moment,” Jirou said with a bit of a laugh. Now that he was sure Kura wasn’t in immediate danger of dying or being paralyzed, he was slipping back into his usual way of speaking. “Well, let’s get you tied up and this show on the road, shall we?”
Shiraishi nodded. He felt a little better just have Akaya and Jirou there to take his mind off of his aches and pains.
Akaya surprised himself by laughing at the reactions of both blonds. "Sounds good. I'll talk and text Yagyuu as we go since my phone can do that."
“Like Siri does for Seii-chan?” Jirou asked. “That’s a clever feature. I’ve used in at the lab from time to time, but it occasionally mixes words up in a way that can make for some very odd experiments.” He finished tying his side of the strips and passed them over to Akaya, helping run them around Kura and the stretcher and back to the start. It didn’t take the two men very long, even going slowly to avoid hurting their patient too much.
Shiraishi definitely felt secure. “...We’re going to see Yagyuu? That’s good. I’ve decided he’s my doctor already.”
Akaya smiled down at Shiraishi in between messages. "I only know of him and Niou, and I figure Yagyuu is more likely to answer my text than Niou is."
“I think if it was an emergency, Niou would answer you.” Shiraishi said, closing his eyes.
"Maybe so. But still, Yagyuu is meeting us at the beach, so I guess it's moot." Akaya did his best to keep Shiraishi as still and stable as he could.
“Do you want front or back?” Jirou asked. Then he shook his head. “Silly me, you want back so you can put your phone at Kura’s feet and stare at him while we walk, don’t you?” He repacked his bag and placed it above the other’s head before stepping between the sticks and bending down. “Ready? On the count of three.”
Akaya reached down and lifted his end of the stretcher on three. Moving carefully, he smiled at Shiraishi as they headed slowly back to the beach.
Shiraishi smiled softly, not wanting Akaya to worry anymore. He also did his best to stay awake.
Picking his path carefully, Jirou led the way. He tried to avoid the worst of the brush and the uneven ground and all the little things you unconsciously avoid when walking on your own, but couldn’t when carrying half of a stretcher. He winced every time he knew that they were about to jostle Kura, but there wasn’t anything he could really do about it. He just hoped that Yagyuu would find them soon.
Shiraishi was a trooper, not even complaining when he was jostled. He just continued to thank the two of them over and over again for saving him.
Akaya wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around Shiraishi and hold him close, but he knew that was impossible for the moment. Looking up at where they were stepping, he smiled when he caught a glimpse of the beach through the trees.
Yagyuu quickly typed a response to Akaya, juggling his medical kit to keep it over his shoulder as he sent the text. He was just passing the bonfire area now and heading down toward the other arm of the bay. Scanning the treeline as he jogged along, he hoped he found the three men soon. As he did, he sent another text, this one to Niou, Shiraishi fell while exploring and is injured. Was asked to come help him. Be back soon after. Love you.
Akaya looked down to tell Shiraishi that the end was almost in sight, only to see the blond was sleeping. Smiling softly, he relayed that tidbit to Yagyuu as they continued carefully down the makeshift trail.
Jirou sighed when they finally got out onto the beach. Not that the footing was any less treacherous, but at least now he could see where he was going. Up ahead he could see the form of someone running toward them. “Aka-chan, do you think that is Hiro-chan?”
Akaya carefully kept the stretcher even and straight as he peeked around Jirou to look and see. “Yeah, that’s him. Let’s keep going, and we’ll meet up with him. I don’t want to really have to put Kura down in the hot sand if we don’t have to.”
As he raced toward the small party, visible coming out of the trees, Yagyuu angled his path. He needed light to examine Shiraishi by, yes, but there was still plenty of daylight left, shade would be best for his patient. Once he was close enough he signaled for them to turn toward the spot he’d selected as well.
“He wants us to make for that shady spot to our left, Aka-chan,” Jirou said over his shoulder. “I’m going to start angling that way, okay?”
“Ok, I’ll swing around with Kura and aim for it too.” Akaya was glad that Yagyuu was pointing them toward shade, it would do Shiraishi a world of good.
Beating the other three to the shady spot, Yagyuu put his bag down and opened it, preparing to check the immobilized Shiraishi out. He appreciated that the others had tied him to the stretcher to keep him from shifting about and getting hurt worse. He made sure that the spot they would put him down in was free of any large rocks or protuberances.
Jirou carefully stepped past Hiro-chan and came to a stop, then slowly lowered Kura-chan to the cleared area. “I checked, he doesn’t have anything obviously broken; no damage to his spine that I could tell. His arm is messed up though, so I had Akaya tie it down. And his pupils are uneven, so he definitely has a concussion. That’s about the extent of my knowledge, so I am really glad to see you, Hiro-chan!”
Akaya helped Jirou lower Shiraishi to the ground before moving up to kneel next to the blond’s head. “Ok, Kura, time to wake up. You promised me you would open your eyes when we got here, and here we are.”
Shiraishi groaned, his face scrunching in protest. "I'm still tired."
Akaya let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “I know. But we’re at the beach, and Yagyuu needs to check you out, so you need to wake up for a little bit, ok?”
Shiraishi looked up, eyes still very unfocused. "Okay..."
Akaya smiled softly and gently stroked Shiraishi’s cheek. “I promise, as soon as Yagyuu gives the ok, you can sleep some more. Especially while we move you somewhere more comfortable than the ground.”
"The ground is comfy." Shiraishi insisted.
Akaya chuckled softly. “Maybe so, but it won’t do you much good to sleep there.” Looking up at Yagyuu, he swallowed thickly and did his best to stay cool and collected as he spoke. “What can I do to help?”
“Just keep him awake and distracted,” Yagyuu said. His manner was polite and professional as he smiled down at Shiraishi. “Can you look at me? I need to check your eyes.” He used a bright penlight to check the other man’s pupils, then did a quick but thorough examination of his patient. Afterwards he sat back on his heels and put away the supplies he didn’t use. “You two did a good job on immobilizing him and his arm,” he said with a slight smile. “We should transport him back to...you two are staying in the clearing still? Then to his sister’s cave or the medical cave. He needs to be kept out of the light until his head heals up a bit. Aside from the obvious scrapes and cuts and additional damage to his left arm, he also has a concussion and heat stroke.” He made sure to use the more common words and not the medical terms. They could sound rather ominous and intimidating. “Do either of you need to be spelled or can you make it to the caves? We can switch out if necessary on the way, as well.”
“I think the medical cave would be best, he doesn’t want to worry Yukarin. I’m good to keep going, and I can do whatever you need me to as far as helping out when we get him there.” Akaya’s expression was just shy of severe as he gave Yagyuu a serious look. Glancing back down at Shiraishi, he smiled softly. “Ok, we’re gonna move you again, Kura. I need you to stay awake for me, alright? Can you try and do that?”
“Actually it is okay for him to sleep now,” Yagyuu said quietly to Akaya. “I or An-chan will want to wake him every couple of hours to monitor his symptoms and make sure he’s recovering well. I’m a little worried about his pupils, though they are starting to normalize. Did he mention any amnesia or vomiting?” He looked over at Akutagawa. “Have you gotten that ice maker working yet? Putting some on his head with help with the swelling, headache and heat stroke.”
Jirou nodded. “Yeah, Ryoma-chan and I got it working finally. There isn’t much yet, but when we get to the caves I will run and get you some,” he said.
Akaya nodded and looked at Yagyuu. "No, he didn't. I'll be ok to stay with him though, right?"
“Of course,” Yagyuu said. “I’m sure he will feel better with you by his side.” He pulled out a couple of flasks of cool water and placed them to either side of Shiraishi’s neck, then stood up and slung his kit over his shoulder. Pulling out a folding umbrella, he walked around to the sunward side; he intended to shade his patient as they walked. “Are you two ready?”
“Ready!” Jirou said, standing at the foot of the stretcher.
Akaya knelt with his back to Shiraishi. Placing his hands on the handles of the stretcher, he looked over his shoulder at Jirou. "On three. One, two..."
The trip back to the medical cave took forever, as measured by just over fifteen minutes, not including the break halfway. Once Kura was safely on the ground, Jirou raced pell-mell up the path to the cave several of his inventions lived in. The wind turbine sticking up from the top made it rather easy to spot and he ducked inside and grabbed a bowl, filling it with ice from the machine he and Ryoma had gotten set up and working. Then he carefully walked quickly back down and handed it to Aka-chan. “You’re going to need a couple of plastic bags or those ice holders nurses often have,” he told the other. They had untied Kura and removed the stretcher while he had been gone and Yagyuu was examining Kura’s left arm more.
As reluctant as he was to leave Shiraishi's side, Akaya knew Jirou was right. Tearing himself away from his lover's side, he began digging through the medical supplies until he found two old style ice bags. Unscrewing the lids on them, he filled them quickly before the ice could melt before looking at Yagyuu. "Where should I put these on him?"
“Here, and here,” Yagyuu said, pointing. He was filling a pan with water and poured the rest of the ice into it. “Thank you, Akatagawa. Your work is much appreciated.” He put the pan next to Akaya and placed a couple of small towels in it. “If you would wipe him down? Wring the towel out, switch when it gets warm. We need to lower his body temperature. In ten minutes we’ll need to move the ice packs, as well.” He set the timer on his watch.
Jirou looked at the two of them. “I’ll be over here if you need me, okay?” He curled up on one of the soft mats nearby and was out like a light in seconds.
Akaya took one of the towels and began gently wiping the dirt and sweat from Shiraishi. Once he saw that Jirou had fallen asleep, he pursed his lips and tried to force himself to talk to Yagyuu. "Thank you. For coming to help Kura. How...how have you been?"
“Use a little more water,” Yagyuu said. “We’re trying to cool him down, remember.” At the personal question he stiffened up a little and looked away. He’d been in doctor mode and the switch was a little jarring to him. “I...Niou’s doing well,” he said. He started playing with the ring on one finger, the only piece of jewelry he was wearing.
Akaya nodded and got the towel wetter before retracing where he had cleaned. Catching the action as Yagyuu played with his ring, Akaya put all of his focus on Shiraishi. "Good, I'm glad. I...I was right, wasn't I? You two fit best as a pair, no extra pieces."
Shiraishi gasped a bit, but he was still fast asleep. His head whipped back and forth, his sleep filled with feverish nightmares.
Yagyuu frowned, but if it was at the restlessness of Shiraishi or the words of Akaya, it was not clear immediately. “Help me get this shirt off of him, please.” After carefully removing Shiraishi’s shirt, Yagyuu wet a towel and laid it across the other’s torso. “You might...try petting his hair, it works on N...others.” He glanced up at Akaya then. “I do not recall ever hearing you say that,” he said softly. “Only that you wanted us both and would w...that you wanted us both,” he repeated.
Akaya visibly flinched at Yagyuu's words. "Maybe I said it to myself. I...I owe you for coming for Kura. Thank you for not ignoring my message. There isn't anything I can do to make things right, is there?"
“I’m a do...medical student, Akaya. I am not going to ignore someone in need. Someday I will take an oath to that effect.” Yagyuu took the wet cloth from the other’s hands and exchanged it for the one in the bowl. “I don’t know what you consider right, so it would be difficult for me to answer that,” he said.
"I don't know how to get to where you and Niou don't hate me, even though you fully deserve to. I hurt you two, and I don't know how to make it better." Akaya took a fresh cloth from Yagyuu and started wiping down Shiraishi's neck and right arm with one hand as the other hand combed through damp blond hair.
“We don’t hate you,” Yagyuu said softly. “You hurt us, yes...we hurt you too, I think. But we don’t hate you.” He went back to carefully removing the wrappings on Shiraishi’s left arm, wanting to see the full extent of the damage. “I’m just...sorry that we, that I wasn’t good enough for you,” he said even more quietly. If there had been any more noise in the cave, it would not have been audible.
Akaya's hands were shaking and he swallowed thickly. "That wasn't it. You two were good enough. I'm the one who was lacking. If I wasn't...Kura wouldn't have been able to sweep me away and I would have been good enough for you and Niou."
“You said I was worth waiting for,” Yagyuu said in a very small voice.
"You are. I'm the one that's not. If I was...maybe you and Niou could have opened up and let me in. I should have known that I don't fit there." Akaya hated himself deeply in that moment. If Kura hadn't been in such bad shape, Akaya knew he would have run away and hidden himself in shame.
“I did, though,” Yagyuu said. His hands continued to paint scratches and cuts with an antibiotic ointment, applying little bandaids where necessary. “I trusted you with the one thing that is the most precious to me,” he said. His voice was still very quiet.
Akaya stared blankly at Yagyuu's hands as the other man worked. "You did? Then...then why did I feel like I had to fight to get you and Niou to care about me? Why did I always have to do the work of seeking you out?" He knew his voice probably sounded more than a bit bitter, but it was something that had- and still- bothered him greatly.
Yagyuu looked up sharply. “Because you are impatient and dealing with two men who took ten years to finally admit they liked one another. Niou...has some issues. He’s still working them out, but he was trying. For you. I trusted you with his heart, Akaya,” he said, wiping his hands off on another towel before checking Shiraishi’s temperature again. “Also...you made the mistake of pursuing Niou and I the same way.”
Old instincts flared and made Akaya want to cower and grovel, but he fought that down and glared back at Yagyuu, hissing to keep from waking Kura and Jirou. "Niou isn't the only one with issues, you know that. I pursued you both the only way I knew how. If I was doing something wrong, you should have told me. I'm not psychic, you know that too. I had no idea how to pursue you differently than Niou because I hardly ever saw you!"
“I know,” Yagyuu said. “I was busy pulling stuff off the ship, helping organize the storage cave and trying to set up our cave for the three of us. You moved out,” he said. “I was trying to make us a home and you left. You asked Niou to go do stuff with you, but you never offered to keep me company.” He shook his head. “Obviously I am also at fault. With Niou, I know he needs his space and so when he goes off by himself, I leave him be. I figured that was why you moved out and that you would come back and visit. But you never did. You sought Niou out, but you only once ever sought me.”
"I was in no shape to be helping you get things, so I tried not to be in the way. I willingly went to Momoshiro and asked him to build a hut big enough for all three of us and you both refused it. You always seemed busy helping and I felt useless around here, I didn't want you to think I was lazy or mooching off of you and Niou. I wanted to prove that I could be useful and pull my own weight. I didn't want you to think I was in the way. I didn't know what to do, ok? I admit it. I didn't know what to do to make you happy with me or to feel like I wasn't wasting your time trying to spend time with you." Akaya couldn't look at Yagyuu any longer because he couldn't let the other man see him crying.
Yagyuu stepped around the table and hesitantly wrapped an arm around Akaya. “You didn’t ask. I would have told you, if you’d asked,” he murmured. “Niou was sleeping wherever and I had just spent a lot of time fixing up the cave. He didn’t care and I felt rejected.” He shook his head. “What a fine mess we were. The blind leading the blind leading the blind, I think. I just wanted you to want to spend time with me, without being asked to,” he admitted. “When you left I felt like you didn’t think I was interesting or exciting enough for you. I know Niou’s always been the flashy one, the one that people seek out. I wanted...I wanted to be wanted. I’m sorry,” he said in a whisper.
"I know you did, and I failed at that. I'm sorry. I did want you, I just didn't know how to approach you. You said that you were waiting on Niou being ready, so I put my efforts into him, because I thought that was what you wanted me to do. I did want you, I just didn't know how to make you see it." Akaya carefully leaned against Yagyuu for a moment. "I never knew how to read you."
Petting Akaya’s hair a little to help him calm down again, Yagyuu sighed. “I know. I...we, Niou and I agree that it turned out for the best, you and Shiraishi. He’s good for you. He’s a good man. Niou...has always been able to read me, you know,” he said. He shrugged a little. “We’ve been partners for ten years now, he knows me better than I do sometimes. The way I was raised, I’m used to keeping my thoughts to myself. I’m sorry, Akaya,” he repeated, “that I couldn’t be the person you needed.”
Keeping his eyes closed, Shiraishi cursed his bad timing at coming back to consciousness. Guilt built back up in his stomach as he tried to continue pretending to be asleep. He wondered where the three of them would be right now if he hadn’t shown up. He knew he had messed a lot of hard work up by showing up on the island. Good for Akaya? Really? He wasn’t even good for himself. Ultimately, a soft sob emitted itself from his lips. Not that he noticed, since he was too busy berating himself.
When Akaya heard the sob, he was at Shiraishi's side in a second. Gently cupping the blond's face, he did his best to keep his voice steady. "Kura? Can you hear me? It's ok, you're in the caves, out of the sun. And I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere." Looking over his shoulder, he gave Yagyuu a sad smile. "I'm sorry I couldn't be what you needed either. But you and Niou have always fit so seamlessly, and in hindsight I can't say that he and I would have been good for each other in the long run. We both need to be put back together too much to do it for each other."
Shiraishi used his good arm to pull Akaya closer, weakly muttering a string of apologies.
Yagyuu stepped back and let them have their moment together, rubbing his fingers over the ring he wore again.
Akaya pressed himself close to Shiraishi’s side and peppered his face with kiss. Shushing the blond softly, he choked back a sob of relief. “Shh, you’re ok. You’re gonna be just fine. I’m here. I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’m sorry I’m nothing but trouble.” Shiraishi apologized. “I’m sorry.”
Akaya shook his head fervently. “You’re not! I swear, you’re not trouble. Yeah, you scared me today, but you’re safe now, and I’ll take care of you. Because I want to. You’re my Kura, I’ll always want to.”
“But I’ve caused so much trouble.” Shiraishi muttered pathetically. “I am sorry.”
“Hush, love. You’ve got nothing to apologize for.” Akaya stroked Shiraishi’s cheek with his thumb and did his best to smile at the blond.
Shiraishi just clung to Akaya. “I just don’t want to be a burden to you.”
“Trust me, that is the last thing you are. I’ll take care of you just like you take care of me, that way neither of us can be a burden. I know you didn’t plan to get hurt out there, and in no time, you’ll be back on your feet.” Akaya carefully wrapped his arms around Shiraishi and held the blond close. All he wanted to do was curl up next to Shiraishi, but he was worried that would aggravate an injury or make his heat stroke worse.
Shiraishi felt himself relax in Akaya’s arms. “...I’ll do my best to make sure you don’t regret being with me...”
Akaya swallowed his tears and buried his face in Shiraishi’s neck. “Not possible. I could never regret it. You fit me too well for that.”
Shiraishi tightened his good arm around Kirihara. “I love you, Akaya.”
“I love you too, Kuranosuke.” Even though the angle was a bit awkward for him, Akaya still was able to relax at the feel of Shiraishi holding him closely. He didn’t care what Yagyuu thought about his relationship with Shiraishi, he was happy finally. And if the other man still was mad at him, then that was just the way things were going to be for a while.
Shiraishi squeezed just a little harder at the sound of Akaya calling him by his whole name. “Please stay with me while I heal?”
“Of course. I’d go get Cocoa, but I think it’ll be too cold in here for him. And I don’t know where to get melons at around here, so I can’t get you any of those, but I’ll be right here the entire time.” Akaya smiled ever so slightly as he curled closer to Shiraishi.
“Melons...?” Shiraishi murmured. “I said I wanted melons?”
Akaya chuckled softly. “You did. And we worked on some ideas for buying a place when we get home.”
“I don’t remember any of it.” Shiraishi frowned.
“I’ll remind you. Don’t worry about any of it.” Akaya smiled gently and kissed Shiraishi.
“Okay.” Shiraishi nodded, then remembered they had an audience, which made the guilt wash over him again. “Ah...”
Yagyuu smiled at them. He was actually happy to see them so wrapped up in one another. It helped alleviate a good portion of his guilt. “Don’t worry about me. Both Niou and I have spoken to Shiraishi, did you know, Akaya? He’ll take good care of you, I’m certain of that. Like I said, he’s a good man.” He looked at Shiraishi. “Akaya will take care of you. Let him.” He adjusted his glasses, his ring glinting in the muted light. “As Niou and I are taking care of each other. We...we got engaged. You’re the only ones besides Yukimura who knows, so far.”
Shiraishi smiled softly at that. “I’m very happy for you. Thank you for sharing that with us.” He had meant it wholeheartedly, since Yagyuu was the type not to go announcing things like that.
Akaya smiled over his shoulder at Yagyuu. "Congratulations, Yagyuu. I am happy for you both."
Shiraishi tightened his hold on Akaya once again. Somehow, it felt like the other man might get away if he let go.
Akaya struggled in Shiraishi's grip for just a moment as he got more comfortable on the cot. Laying alongside the blond, he snuggled up close and tilted his head to look at Shiraishi. "Let me know if you start feeling too warm, ok?"
“Okay.” Shiraishi said softly. “I’m actually cold.” He cuddled into Akaya more.
Yagyuu got a blanket from the stack and covered them both with it. “May I see your phone for a moment, Akaya? I will set an alarm for you to wake Shiraishi every couple of hours. Ask him what I did earlier: Name, age, location. Feel free to ask something off-beat as well, to make sure his thinking is clear.” He smiled down at the two of them. “I’m going to go now, but I will be back periodically to check on you.” He started to turn away, then looked back with a teasing look. “Keep your left arm as still as you can, Shiraishi. Which means nothing too frisky. As long as you keep it under the blanket and don’t embarrass An-chan.” He then turned and poked at Jirou. “I’m heading out, Akutagawa. I’ll be back later.”
Jirou’s eyes opened immediately. “Okay. I’ll walk with you. I need to know when you think it will be okay for Kura-chan to resume his treatments!”
“You are talking about that prototype of yours, correct?” Yagyuu asked as he helped the other to his feet.
Shiraishi was bright red in the face, which he immediately buried into Akaya’s side. “As if I have the energy!”
Akaya turned red as well and handed his phone over to Yagyuu. "Don't say such embarrassing things, Yagyuu!"
Smirking, just a little, Yagyuu set the alarms on Akaya’s phone and handed it back to him. “Just want you to be happy is all,” he said. He looked at Akutagawa. “Shall we?”
“Uh huh! Bye, Aka-chan, bye, Kura-chan! I’m glad we managed to get you here in as many pieces as we found,” Jirou said with a grin. “I’ll see you both later. Oo, say, Kura-chan, I just had an idea...want to make some commemorative soaps for the upcoming Island Olympics?” It would hopefully keep the usually active man from going stir-crazy, Jirou hoped.
Shiraishi looked confused. “Um.. sure...?” He looked at Akaya, his confusion clear on his face. “Island Olympics?”
Akaya smiled softly at Shiraishi. "I think it was Ibu's idea. I signed up for singles tennis, so you and Cocoa can come cheer for me. And you can help me train too." Pocketing his phone once more, he felt the bag Shiraishi had taken with him. Wedging it out from under his side, Akaya handed it to Yagyuu. "Could you take this to Buchou for us? It's full of herbs."
“Of course. You two get some rest now,” Yagyuu said, accepting the bag. Judging from the bags under Akaya’s eyes he hadn’t slept much while Shiraishi was gone and could undoubtedly use the sleep as well.
Shiraishi nodded, but wasn’t quite listening. He frowned a little at the thought of the Olympics.
Akaya nodded absently at Yagyuu as he saw Shiraishi's frown. Leaning up to kiss it away, he snuggled a little closer to the blond. "Once your arm heals from all the cuts and scrapes you got, we can play each other. I'll help you get back into shape and teach your arm to cooperate again."
Shiraishi shook his head. “Even before this, I couldn’t pick up a racket. I don’t want to get my hopes up like that, Akaya. It’s fine.” He forced a smile. “Rooting for you is fine.”
"That's just because your arm is as stubborn as me. I'll help you retrain it again so you can play again. It'll take a while though, so we'll both have to be patient. " Akaya gave Shiraishi a stubborn smirk before kissing his cheek.
Shiraishi smiled sadly. “I hope you’re right.”
"I am right. You'll see. Now, rest, ok?" Akaya reached up and tucked Shiraishi's hair behind his ear.
Shiraishi closed his eyes. “Don’t go anywhere, okay?”
Jirou looked up at Hiro-chan as they left the other two snuggling down for a nap. “I know he is doubtful, but I really think that my device will help him regain most, if not all, of what he has lost. But while I have some training, I’m not a doctor. Will you help, too?”
“I am not a doctor, either,” pointed out Yagyuu. “Not yet, anyway. But yes. Whatever I can do to help, I would be happy to do so. Now, tell me more about this device, how does it work?” he asked, his voice fading as they walked away.
"I won't. You're stuck with me for good." Akaya smiled and held Shiraishi close.
Location: To the Rescue! (Some spot, Medical Cave)
Time: August 3rd
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Kura’s rescue. Jirou and Akaya play rescue the princess, then Yagyuu plays doctor and more angsty chatting happens.
Jirou grabbed up his bag of emergency supplies and the device he wasn’t supposed to have and went racing pell-mell down the trail to meet up with Akaya. His message said that Kura had fallen down a hill and his phone was acting funny. He hurried as fast as he could without falling. The device was pointing him down a rather well-worn path, which made for faster running. He sprinted.
Akaya paced nervously at camp. He had to wait for Jirou to get there, but it was hard. All he wanted to do was charge south and start looking, but he was worried he wouldn't be able to get Kura up out of where he had fallen in time.
“Akaya!” Jirou spotted the other as he emerged from the trees. “Come on! Wait, hold on.” He hitched the bag higher over one shoulder and fiddled with his device for a moment. “Okay...” he did a quarter turn to the south and found what he needed, “got it! This should take us straight to him!” He turned and went back out the path to the beach. “Unfortunately, there isn’t a straight line through the jungle, so we’re going to have to improvise.”
Akaya's face was set in a grim line. "You lead the way. I'm texting him to keep him awake in case he has a concussion. He said he hurt his left arm, his back, and his head."
Jirou’s own expression was unusually serious. “Follow me.” He kept moving, following the signal on his device. Another injury to his dominant arm? The former buchou of Shitenhouji was not having the best luck where that was concerned. He would have to evaluate the injury and definitely confer with An-chan or whichever proto-doctor patched Kura up. “You should contact one of the med students while you are at it and have them meet us after we find him,” he suggested.
Akaya nodded and typed another text to Kura. "I will once we get to him. I need...I need to see him for myself."
“Right.” Privately Jirou thought it would be better for Kura if one of the med students were to come with them, but it was too late to rope one in now. They would just have to do their best. They passed quickly by where the firedance had been, the circle and burnt wood being the only sign left. “Be on the lookout for some long strong branches? We don’t want to just lug him back, we might injure him further,” he pointed out as they continued south.
Akaya split his focus between his phone, the path, and the underbrush. He managed to pull down a low hanging branch that was quite sturdy before resorting to calling the blonde. Looking at Jirou as the phone rang, Akaya offered a quick explanation. "It's hard for him to type and I want him to stay awake. Better chance of us finding him and all."
Shiraishi answered the phone, his speech mildly garbled. His exhaustion was probably very easy to read just by the way he was talking.
Akaya did his best to keep Shiraishi talking as he followed Jirou. The long branch he'd found was acting like a walking stick as he scanned the trees for another.
Shiraishi did his best to keep talking. He didn’t want Akaya to know how scared he was, but it was probably evident anyway.
Akaya kept his voice as steady as he could despite how worried he was. He panicked for a single moment when he heard Shiraishi's voice cut out, heart hammering in his chest.
Shiraishi’s body jumped when he heard Akaya asking if he could hear him. He had begun to fall asleep and was worried he had been out for a while. “Yeah...” He said, exhausted. “Sorry.” He felt awful for worrying Akaya so much.
Jirou listened to Akaya talking to Kura but kept his eyes between the device and the landscape, watching out for any dangers that might trip them up the same as Kura had been. “I have some cloth, so we can make a sling; sort of a stretcher, to carry him on. If he hurt his back, the less we jostle him, the better. Keep him talking.” He shook his head at himself. “Sorry, you’re already doing that. We should be there soon, we’re making good time.”
Akaya tilted the phone away from his mouth for a moment. "Won't we need another branch for that? I only found the one."
“That’s why I told you to keep a look out for branches,” Jirou said, stressing the plural. He smiled back briefly at Akaya. “It’s okay, though. I’m sure we’ll find another soon. The place is full of trees, after all.”
Shiraishi felt himself drift off as Akaya stopped talking to him. He did his best to stay awake, but felt himself beginning to lose.
Akaya saw a tuft of blond hair standing out against the green and brown leaves that were littering the ground. Darting past Jirou, he rushed to Shiraishi's side and did his best to get the taller man onto flat ground without jostling him too much. "I've got you, you're ok now. We're going to make a stretcher to carry you, can you stay awake just a little longer for me?"
Shiraishi looked up at Akaya, nodding weakly. “I’ll try.”
“Stop!” Jirou said as Akaya started to move Kura. “We need to make sure he’s not broken his neck or his back before you move him! Haven’t you taken any first aid?” He pushed the taller man up toward Kura’s head. “Check his pupils and tell me if they are dilated or different sizes, but don’t move his head. I’ll check to see if anything is broken,” he ordered. He was rather different from his usual happy-go-lucky, bouncy self.
Akaya nodded at Jirou's instructions before cupping Shiraishi's face in his hands. Smoothing his thumbs softly over the blond's cheeks, he spoke gently and did his best to smile. "Show me those beautiful eyes, Kura. Look at me."
Shiraishi opened his eyes, but found it hard to focus them. The sun seemed too bright, even though they were in the shade. “It hurts.” His voice was raspy as he said this.
Akaya reached for the canteen resting against his hip and unscrewed the cap. Holding it up to Shiraishi's lips, he slowly tipped it to give the blonde water. "I know, but I have to make sure you don't have a concussion. Sip slowly, alright?"
Shiraishi sipped at the water, not really succeeding in keeping it off himself. His pupils were obviously uneven and his stare as a whole was glazed over and unfocused.
Akaya swore softly as he saw Shiraishi's eyes. "I know I told you you could take a nap, and I will let you, but damnit you better wake back up once we get to the beach. Do you understand me?" His own eyes were stinging from the effort of not crying as he put the canteen away.
Jirou asked several questions of Kura as he poked and prodded at him, trying to make sure that the other had not damaged his spine. There were a lot of scrapes and bruises, but nothing immediately fatal that he could see. “Okay,” he said finally, sitting back on his heels. “I think it is safe to move him. Just go slow and if he cries out, stop immediately. Don’t try to force anything. If you can, get him onto this blanket,” he said, handing it to Akaya. “I’m going to go find another branch.”
Akaya gave Jirou a grim nod before spreading the blanket on the ground. Putting his hands on Shiraishi's shoulders, he did his best to smile. "Alright, Kura. We'll take it slow, but you can do this. I know you can. You're strong, you've got this."
“I’m just glad you’re here.” Shiraishi said. “...I’m so tired.”
"I know you are, just a little more and you can rest while we carry you back to the beach." Akaya carefully brushed his lips over Shiraishi's forehead as he helped the blond lay down on the blanket.
Shiraishi was able to help Akaya enough to get himself onto the blanket. He felt awful, though. “I’m sorry, Akaya.”
"Hush, you have nothing to apologize for. Accidents happen, and I'm so glad you were able to use your phone, I was getting ready to ask Kite to help me look for you." Akaya helped Shiraishi get comfortable before stroking his hair softly.
Shiraishi motioned weakly over to a bag. “That’s all of the stuff that I found...”
Akaya followed where Shiraishi pointed to. Seeing the bag, he snatched it up and handed it to the blond. "I got it. You hang onto this while we carry you, ok?"
Shiraishi nodded, doing his best to hold on to the bag. “I hope this will be useful. I just wanted to help...”
With a sort of crashing noise of the sort that branches make when they hit the ground, Jirou cried out from the trees, “I think I found one! I’ll be right there!”
Akaya jolted a bit at the noise before smiling at Shiraishi. "I'm sure it will be very useful. And Jirou-san found another branch, so we can make a stretcher and get you out of here in no time."
“Okay.” Shiraishi said, closing his eyes. “I’ll try not to actually fall asleep.”
"Ok, sounds like a plan. And I'll see if I can find you some melon when we get back." Akaya kept petting Shiraishi's hair as he waited for Jirou to get back.
Shiraishi relaxed a little. “You were worried, huh?”
"I really was. You didn't leave a message with me or take Cocoa with you. It scared me." Akaya's voice was soft as he looked at Shiraishi, watching him closely as he rested.
Jirou stepped back into the clearish area where Kura lay with his branch in hand and started stripping the extra leaves and bits from it. “Akaya, in that bag of mine you will find some strips of cloth. Perhaps you could immobilize Kura’s arm so that we don’t jostle it when we carry him? I’d run one around his body and upper arm and another around his neck down to his wrist and back.”
"I can do that." Akaya nodded at Jirou before reaching for the other man's bag. Pulling out the cloth strips, he followed Jirou's instructions to immobilize Shiraishi's arm so it would not get hurt worse on the way back.
Shiraishi attempted to help make this task as easy for Akaya as possible. He was rather impressed that Akaya managed to wrap him up nice and tight.
Once he was done, Akaya looked to Jirou for instructions on what to do next.
Looking over Akaya’s work, Jirou nodded. “Good job! Okay, now we are going to roll the branches up in the sides of the blanket, then use more strips to carefully tie them, the blanket and Kura all together.” He gave the former Shitenhouji player a bright grin. “Hope you’re into bondage, Kura-chan!” Scooting closer, he placed the branch he’d just cleaned on the edge of the blanket and showed Akaya how to roll it, ending right next to Kura’s body.
Shiraishi chuckled softly. “Guess I’ll have to be for now, huh?”
"We can try the fun kind once we get rescued if you want to." Akaya chuckled softly as he mimicked Jirou's method of securing the branch to the blanket.
Shiraishi turned red. “Naughty Akaya.”
“Oh, my, I didn’t mean to spark a TMI moment,” Jirou said with a bit of a laugh. Now that he was sure Kura wasn’t in immediate danger of dying or being paralyzed, he was slipping back into his usual way of speaking. “Well, let’s get you tied up and this show on the road, shall we?”
Shiraishi nodded. He felt a little better just have Akaya and Jirou there to take his mind off of his aches and pains.
Akaya surprised himself by laughing at the reactions of both blonds. "Sounds good. I'll talk and text Yagyuu as we go since my phone can do that."
“Like Siri does for Seii-chan?” Jirou asked. “That’s a clever feature. I’ve used in at the lab from time to time, but it occasionally mixes words up in a way that can make for some very odd experiments.” He finished tying his side of the strips and passed them over to Akaya, helping run them around Kura and the stretcher and back to the start. It didn’t take the two men very long, even going slowly to avoid hurting their patient too much.
Shiraishi definitely felt secure. “...We’re going to see Yagyuu? That’s good. I’ve decided he’s my doctor already.”
Akaya smiled down at Shiraishi in between messages. "I only know of him and Niou, and I figure Yagyuu is more likely to answer my text than Niou is."
“I think if it was an emergency, Niou would answer you.” Shiraishi said, closing his eyes.
"Maybe so. But still, Yagyuu is meeting us at the beach, so I guess it's moot." Akaya did his best to keep Shiraishi as still and stable as he could.
“Do you want front or back?” Jirou asked. Then he shook his head. “Silly me, you want back so you can put your phone at Kura’s feet and stare at him while we walk, don’t you?” He repacked his bag and placed it above the other’s head before stepping between the sticks and bending down. “Ready? On the count of three.”
Akaya reached down and lifted his end of the stretcher on three. Moving carefully, he smiled at Shiraishi as they headed slowly back to the beach.
Shiraishi smiled softly, not wanting Akaya to worry anymore. He also did his best to stay awake.
Picking his path carefully, Jirou led the way. He tried to avoid the worst of the brush and the uneven ground and all the little things you unconsciously avoid when walking on your own, but couldn’t when carrying half of a stretcher. He winced every time he knew that they were about to jostle Kura, but there wasn’t anything he could really do about it. He just hoped that Yagyuu would find them soon.
Shiraishi was a trooper, not even complaining when he was jostled. He just continued to thank the two of them over and over again for saving him.
Akaya wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around Shiraishi and hold him close, but he knew that was impossible for the moment. Looking up at where they were stepping, he smiled when he caught a glimpse of the beach through the trees.
Yagyuu quickly typed a response to Akaya, juggling his medical kit to keep it over his shoulder as he sent the text. He was just passing the bonfire area now and heading down toward the other arm of the bay. Scanning the treeline as he jogged along, he hoped he found the three men soon. As he did, he sent another text, this one to Niou, Shiraishi fell while exploring and is injured. Was asked to come help him. Be back soon after. Love you.
Akaya looked down to tell Shiraishi that the end was almost in sight, only to see the blond was sleeping. Smiling softly, he relayed that tidbit to Yagyuu as they continued carefully down the makeshift trail.
Jirou sighed when they finally got out onto the beach. Not that the footing was any less treacherous, but at least now he could see where he was going. Up ahead he could see the form of someone running toward them. “Aka-chan, do you think that is Hiro-chan?”
Akaya carefully kept the stretcher even and straight as he peeked around Jirou to look and see. “Yeah, that’s him. Let’s keep going, and we’ll meet up with him. I don’t want to really have to put Kura down in the hot sand if we don’t have to.”
As he raced toward the small party, visible coming out of the trees, Yagyuu angled his path. He needed light to examine Shiraishi by, yes, but there was still plenty of daylight left, shade would be best for his patient. Once he was close enough he signaled for them to turn toward the spot he’d selected as well.
“He wants us to make for that shady spot to our left, Aka-chan,” Jirou said over his shoulder. “I’m going to start angling that way, okay?”
“Ok, I’ll swing around with Kura and aim for it too.” Akaya was glad that Yagyuu was pointing them toward shade, it would do Shiraishi a world of good.
Beating the other three to the shady spot, Yagyuu put his bag down and opened it, preparing to check the immobilized Shiraishi out. He appreciated that the others had tied him to the stretcher to keep him from shifting about and getting hurt worse. He made sure that the spot they would put him down in was free of any large rocks or protuberances.
Jirou carefully stepped past Hiro-chan and came to a stop, then slowly lowered Kura-chan to the cleared area. “I checked, he doesn’t have anything obviously broken; no damage to his spine that I could tell. His arm is messed up though, so I had Akaya tie it down. And his pupils are uneven, so he definitely has a concussion. That’s about the extent of my knowledge, so I am really glad to see you, Hiro-chan!”
Akaya helped Jirou lower Shiraishi to the ground before moving up to kneel next to the blond’s head. “Ok, Kura, time to wake up. You promised me you would open your eyes when we got here, and here we are.”
Shiraishi groaned, his face scrunching in protest. "I'm still tired."
Akaya let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “I know. But we’re at the beach, and Yagyuu needs to check you out, so you need to wake up for a little bit, ok?”
Shiraishi looked up, eyes still very unfocused. "Okay..."
Akaya smiled softly and gently stroked Shiraishi’s cheek. “I promise, as soon as Yagyuu gives the ok, you can sleep some more. Especially while we move you somewhere more comfortable than the ground.”
"The ground is comfy." Shiraishi insisted.
Akaya chuckled softly. “Maybe so, but it won’t do you much good to sleep there.” Looking up at Yagyuu, he swallowed thickly and did his best to stay cool and collected as he spoke. “What can I do to help?”
“Just keep him awake and distracted,” Yagyuu said. His manner was polite and professional as he smiled down at Shiraishi. “Can you look at me? I need to check your eyes.” He used a bright penlight to check the other man’s pupils, then did a quick but thorough examination of his patient. Afterwards he sat back on his heels and put away the supplies he didn’t use. “You two did a good job on immobilizing him and his arm,” he said with a slight smile. “We should transport him back to...you two are staying in the clearing still? Then to his sister’s cave or the medical cave. He needs to be kept out of the light until his head heals up a bit. Aside from the obvious scrapes and cuts and additional damage to his left arm, he also has a concussion and heat stroke.” He made sure to use the more common words and not the medical terms. They could sound rather ominous and intimidating. “Do either of you need to be spelled or can you make it to the caves? We can switch out if necessary on the way, as well.”
“I think the medical cave would be best, he doesn’t want to worry Yukarin. I’m good to keep going, and I can do whatever you need me to as far as helping out when we get him there.” Akaya’s expression was just shy of severe as he gave Yagyuu a serious look. Glancing back down at Shiraishi, he smiled softly. “Ok, we’re gonna move you again, Kura. I need you to stay awake for me, alright? Can you try and do that?”
“Actually it is okay for him to sleep now,” Yagyuu said quietly to Akaya. “I or An-chan will want to wake him every couple of hours to monitor his symptoms and make sure he’s recovering well. I’m a little worried about his pupils, though they are starting to normalize. Did he mention any amnesia or vomiting?” He looked over at Akutagawa. “Have you gotten that ice maker working yet? Putting some on his head with help with the swelling, headache and heat stroke.”
Jirou nodded. “Yeah, Ryoma-chan and I got it working finally. There isn’t much yet, but when we get to the caves I will run and get you some,” he said.
Akaya nodded and looked at Yagyuu. "No, he didn't. I'll be ok to stay with him though, right?"
“Of course,” Yagyuu said. “I’m sure he will feel better with you by his side.” He pulled out a couple of flasks of cool water and placed them to either side of Shiraishi’s neck, then stood up and slung his kit over his shoulder. Pulling out a folding umbrella, he walked around to the sunward side; he intended to shade his patient as they walked. “Are you two ready?”
“Ready!” Jirou said, standing at the foot of the stretcher.
Akaya knelt with his back to Shiraishi. Placing his hands on the handles of the stretcher, he looked over his shoulder at Jirou. "On three. One, two..."
The trip back to the medical cave took forever, as measured by just over fifteen minutes, not including the break halfway. Once Kura was safely on the ground, Jirou raced pell-mell up the path to the cave several of his inventions lived in. The wind turbine sticking up from the top made it rather easy to spot and he ducked inside and grabbed a bowl, filling it with ice from the machine he and Ryoma had gotten set up and working. Then he carefully walked quickly back down and handed it to Aka-chan. “You’re going to need a couple of plastic bags or those ice holders nurses often have,” he told the other. They had untied Kura and removed the stretcher while he had been gone and Yagyuu was examining Kura’s left arm more.
As reluctant as he was to leave Shiraishi's side, Akaya knew Jirou was right. Tearing himself away from his lover's side, he began digging through the medical supplies until he found two old style ice bags. Unscrewing the lids on them, he filled them quickly before the ice could melt before looking at Yagyuu. "Where should I put these on him?"
“Here, and here,” Yagyuu said, pointing. He was filling a pan with water and poured the rest of the ice into it. “Thank you, Akatagawa. Your work is much appreciated.” He put the pan next to Akaya and placed a couple of small towels in it. “If you would wipe him down? Wring the towel out, switch when it gets warm. We need to lower his body temperature. In ten minutes we’ll need to move the ice packs, as well.” He set the timer on his watch.
Jirou looked at the two of them. “I’ll be over here if you need me, okay?” He curled up on one of the soft mats nearby and was out like a light in seconds.
Akaya took one of the towels and began gently wiping the dirt and sweat from Shiraishi. Once he saw that Jirou had fallen asleep, he pursed his lips and tried to force himself to talk to Yagyuu. "Thank you. For coming to help Kura. How...how have you been?"
“Use a little more water,” Yagyuu said. “We’re trying to cool him down, remember.” At the personal question he stiffened up a little and looked away. He’d been in doctor mode and the switch was a little jarring to him. “I...Niou’s doing well,” he said. He started playing with the ring on one finger, the only piece of jewelry he was wearing.
Akaya nodded and got the towel wetter before retracing where he had cleaned. Catching the action as Yagyuu played with his ring, Akaya put all of his focus on Shiraishi. "Good, I'm glad. I...I was right, wasn't I? You two fit best as a pair, no extra pieces."
Shiraishi gasped a bit, but he was still fast asleep. His head whipped back and forth, his sleep filled with feverish nightmares.
Yagyuu frowned, but if it was at the restlessness of Shiraishi or the words of Akaya, it was not clear immediately. “Help me get this shirt off of him, please.” After carefully removing Shiraishi’s shirt, Yagyuu wet a towel and laid it across the other’s torso. “You might...try petting his hair, it works on N...others.” He glanced up at Akaya then. “I do not recall ever hearing you say that,” he said softly. “Only that you wanted us both and would w...that you wanted us both,” he repeated.
Akaya visibly flinched at Yagyuu's words. "Maybe I said it to myself. I...I owe you for coming for Kura. Thank you for not ignoring my message. There isn't anything I can do to make things right, is there?"
“I’m a do...medical student, Akaya. I am not going to ignore someone in need. Someday I will take an oath to that effect.” Yagyuu took the wet cloth from the other’s hands and exchanged it for the one in the bowl. “I don’t know what you consider right, so it would be difficult for me to answer that,” he said.
"I don't know how to get to where you and Niou don't hate me, even though you fully deserve to. I hurt you two, and I don't know how to make it better." Akaya took a fresh cloth from Yagyuu and started wiping down Shiraishi's neck and right arm with one hand as the other hand combed through damp blond hair.
“We don’t hate you,” Yagyuu said softly. “You hurt us, yes...we hurt you too, I think. But we don’t hate you.” He went back to carefully removing the wrappings on Shiraishi’s left arm, wanting to see the full extent of the damage. “I’m just...sorry that we, that I wasn’t good enough for you,” he said even more quietly. If there had been any more noise in the cave, it would not have been audible.
Akaya's hands were shaking and he swallowed thickly. "That wasn't it. You two were good enough. I'm the one who was lacking. If I wasn't...Kura wouldn't have been able to sweep me away and I would have been good enough for you and Niou."
“You said I was worth waiting for,” Yagyuu said in a very small voice.
"You are. I'm the one that's not. If I was...maybe you and Niou could have opened up and let me in. I should have known that I don't fit there." Akaya hated himself deeply in that moment. If Kura hadn't been in such bad shape, Akaya knew he would have run away and hidden himself in shame.
“I did, though,” Yagyuu said. His hands continued to paint scratches and cuts with an antibiotic ointment, applying little bandaids where necessary. “I trusted you with the one thing that is the most precious to me,” he said. His voice was still very quiet.
Akaya stared blankly at Yagyuu's hands as the other man worked. "You did? Then...then why did I feel like I had to fight to get you and Niou to care about me? Why did I always have to do the work of seeking you out?" He knew his voice probably sounded more than a bit bitter, but it was something that had- and still- bothered him greatly.
Yagyuu looked up sharply. “Because you are impatient and dealing with two men who took ten years to finally admit they liked one another. Niou...has some issues. He’s still working them out, but he was trying. For you. I trusted you with his heart, Akaya,” he said, wiping his hands off on another towel before checking Shiraishi’s temperature again. “Also...you made the mistake of pursuing Niou and I the same way.”
Old instincts flared and made Akaya want to cower and grovel, but he fought that down and glared back at Yagyuu, hissing to keep from waking Kura and Jirou. "Niou isn't the only one with issues, you know that. I pursued you both the only way I knew how. If I was doing something wrong, you should have told me. I'm not psychic, you know that too. I had no idea how to pursue you differently than Niou because I hardly ever saw you!"
“I know,” Yagyuu said. “I was busy pulling stuff off the ship, helping organize the storage cave and trying to set up our cave for the three of us. You moved out,” he said. “I was trying to make us a home and you left. You asked Niou to go do stuff with you, but you never offered to keep me company.” He shook his head. “Obviously I am also at fault. With Niou, I know he needs his space and so when he goes off by himself, I leave him be. I figured that was why you moved out and that you would come back and visit. But you never did. You sought Niou out, but you only once ever sought me.”
"I was in no shape to be helping you get things, so I tried not to be in the way. I willingly went to Momoshiro and asked him to build a hut big enough for all three of us and you both refused it. You always seemed busy helping and I felt useless around here, I didn't want you to think I was lazy or mooching off of you and Niou. I wanted to prove that I could be useful and pull my own weight. I didn't want you to think I was in the way. I didn't know what to do, ok? I admit it. I didn't know what to do to make you happy with me or to feel like I wasn't wasting your time trying to spend time with you." Akaya couldn't look at Yagyuu any longer because he couldn't let the other man see him crying.
Yagyuu stepped around the table and hesitantly wrapped an arm around Akaya. “You didn’t ask. I would have told you, if you’d asked,” he murmured. “Niou was sleeping wherever and I had just spent a lot of time fixing up the cave. He didn’t care and I felt rejected.” He shook his head. “What a fine mess we were. The blind leading the blind leading the blind, I think. I just wanted you to want to spend time with me, without being asked to,” he admitted. “When you left I felt like you didn’t think I was interesting or exciting enough for you. I know Niou’s always been the flashy one, the one that people seek out. I wanted...I wanted to be wanted. I’m sorry,” he said in a whisper.
"I know you did, and I failed at that. I'm sorry. I did want you, I just didn't know how to approach you. You said that you were waiting on Niou being ready, so I put my efforts into him, because I thought that was what you wanted me to do. I did want you, I just didn't know how to make you see it." Akaya carefully leaned against Yagyuu for a moment. "I never knew how to read you."
Petting Akaya’s hair a little to help him calm down again, Yagyuu sighed. “I know. I...we, Niou and I agree that it turned out for the best, you and Shiraishi. He’s good for you. He’s a good man. Niou...has always been able to read me, you know,” he said. He shrugged a little. “We’ve been partners for ten years now, he knows me better than I do sometimes. The way I was raised, I’m used to keeping my thoughts to myself. I’m sorry, Akaya,” he repeated, “that I couldn’t be the person you needed.”
Keeping his eyes closed, Shiraishi cursed his bad timing at coming back to consciousness. Guilt built back up in his stomach as he tried to continue pretending to be asleep. He wondered where the three of them would be right now if he hadn’t shown up. He knew he had messed a lot of hard work up by showing up on the island. Good for Akaya? Really? He wasn’t even good for himself. Ultimately, a soft sob emitted itself from his lips. Not that he noticed, since he was too busy berating himself.
When Akaya heard the sob, he was at Shiraishi's side in a second. Gently cupping the blond's face, he did his best to keep his voice steady. "Kura? Can you hear me? It's ok, you're in the caves, out of the sun. And I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere." Looking over his shoulder, he gave Yagyuu a sad smile. "I'm sorry I couldn't be what you needed either. But you and Niou have always fit so seamlessly, and in hindsight I can't say that he and I would have been good for each other in the long run. We both need to be put back together too much to do it for each other."
Shiraishi used his good arm to pull Akaya closer, weakly muttering a string of apologies.
Yagyuu stepped back and let them have their moment together, rubbing his fingers over the ring he wore again.
Akaya pressed himself close to Shiraishi’s side and peppered his face with kiss. Shushing the blond softly, he choked back a sob of relief. “Shh, you’re ok. You’re gonna be just fine. I’m here. I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’m sorry I’m nothing but trouble.” Shiraishi apologized. “I’m sorry.”
Akaya shook his head fervently. “You’re not! I swear, you’re not trouble. Yeah, you scared me today, but you’re safe now, and I’ll take care of you. Because I want to. You’re my Kura, I’ll always want to.”
“But I’ve caused so much trouble.” Shiraishi muttered pathetically. “I am sorry.”
“Hush, love. You’ve got nothing to apologize for.” Akaya stroked Shiraishi’s cheek with his thumb and did his best to smile at the blond.
Shiraishi just clung to Akaya. “I just don’t want to be a burden to you.”
“Trust me, that is the last thing you are. I’ll take care of you just like you take care of me, that way neither of us can be a burden. I know you didn’t plan to get hurt out there, and in no time, you’ll be back on your feet.” Akaya carefully wrapped his arms around Shiraishi and held the blond close. All he wanted to do was curl up next to Shiraishi, but he was worried that would aggravate an injury or make his heat stroke worse.
Shiraishi felt himself relax in Akaya’s arms. “...I’ll do my best to make sure you don’t regret being with me...”
Akaya swallowed his tears and buried his face in Shiraishi’s neck. “Not possible. I could never regret it. You fit me too well for that.”
Shiraishi tightened his good arm around Kirihara. “I love you, Akaya.”
“I love you too, Kuranosuke.” Even though the angle was a bit awkward for him, Akaya still was able to relax at the feel of Shiraishi holding him closely. He didn’t care what Yagyuu thought about his relationship with Shiraishi, he was happy finally. And if the other man still was mad at him, then that was just the way things were going to be for a while.
Shiraishi squeezed just a little harder at the sound of Akaya calling him by his whole name. “Please stay with me while I heal?”
“Of course. I’d go get Cocoa, but I think it’ll be too cold in here for him. And I don’t know where to get melons at around here, so I can’t get you any of those, but I’ll be right here the entire time.” Akaya smiled ever so slightly as he curled closer to Shiraishi.
“Melons...?” Shiraishi murmured. “I said I wanted melons?”
Akaya chuckled softly. “You did. And we worked on some ideas for buying a place when we get home.”
“I don’t remember any of it.” Shiraishi frowned.
“I’ll remind you. Don’t worry about any of it.” Akaya smiled gently and kissed Shiraishi.
“Okay.” Shiraishi nodded, then remembered they had an audience, which made the guilt wash over him again. “Ah...”
Yagyuu smiled at them. He was actually happy to see them so wrapped up in one another. It helped alleviate a good portion of his guilt. “Don’t worry about me. Both Niou and I have spoken to Shiraishi, did you know, Akaya? He’ll take good care of you, I’m certain of that. Like I said, he’s a good man.” He looked at Shiraishi. “Akaya will take care of you. Let him.” He adjusted his glasses, his ring glinting in the muted light. “As Niou and I are taking care of each other. We...we got engaged. You’re the only ones besides Yukimura who knows, so far.”
Shiraishi smiled softly at that. “I’m very happy for you. Thank you for sharing that with us.” He had meant it wholeheartedly, since Yagyuu was the type not to go announcing things like that.
Akaya smiled over his shoulder at Yagyuu. "Congratulations, Yagyuu. I am happy for you both."
Shiraishi tightened his hold on Akaya once again. Somehow, it felt like the other man might get away if he let go.
Akaya struggled in Shiraishi's grip for just a moment as he got more comfortable on the cot. Laying alongside the blond, he snuggled up close and tilted his head to look at Shiraishi. "Let me know if you start feeling too warm, ok?"
“Okay.” Shiraishi said softly. “I’m actually cold.” He cuddled into Akaya more.
Yagyuu got a blanket from the stack and covered them both with it. “May I see your phone for a moment, Akaya? I will set an alarm for you to wake Shiraishi every couple of hours. Ask him what I did earlier: Name, age, location. Feel free to ask something off-beat as well, to make sure his thinking is clear.” He smiled down at the two of them. “I’m going to go now, but I will be back periodically to check on you.” He started to turn away, then looked back with a teasing look. “Keep your left arm as still as you can, Shiraishi. Which means nothing too frisky. As long as you keep it under the blanket and don’t embarrass An-chan.” He then turned and poked at Jirou. “I’m heading out, Akutagawa. I’ll be back later.”
Jirou’s eyes opened immediately. “Okay. I’ll walk with you. I need to know when you think it will be okay for Kura-chan to resume his treatments!”
“You are talking about that prototype of yours, correct?” Yagyuu asked as he helped the other to his feet.
Shiraishi was bright red in the face, which he immediately buried into Akaya’s side. “As if I have the energy!”
Akaya turned red as well and handed his phone over to Yagyuu. "Don't say such embarrassing things, Yagyuu!"
Smirking, just a little, Yagyuu set the alarms on Akaya’s phone and handed it back to him. “Just want you to be happy is all,” he said. He looked at Akutagawa. “Shall we?”
“Uh huh! Bye, Aka-chan, bye, Kura-chan! I’m glad we managed to get you here in as many pieces as we found,” Jirou said with a grin. “I’ll see you both later. Oo, say, Kura-chan, I just had an idea...want to make some commemorative soaps for the upcoming Island Olympics?” It would hopefully keep the usually active man from going stir-crazy, Jirou hoped.
Shiraishi looked confused. “Um.. sure...?” He looked at Akaya, his confusion clear on his face. “Island Olympics?”
Akaya smiled softly at Shiraishi. "I think it was Ibu's idea. I signed up for singles tennis, so you and Cocoa can come cheer for me. And you can help me train too." Pocketing his phone once more, he felt the bag Shiraishi had taken with him. Wedging it out from under his side, Akaya handed it to Yagyuu. "Could you take this to Buchou for us? It's full of herbs."
“Of course. You two get some rest now,” Yagyuu said, accepting the bag. Judging from the bags under Akaya’s eyes he hadn’t slept much while Shiraishi was gone and could undoubtedly use the sleep as well.
Shiraishi nodded, but wasn’t quite listening. He frowned a little at the thought of the Olympics.
Akaya nodded absently at Yagyuu as he saw Shiraishi's frown. Leaning up to kiss it away, he snuggled a little closer to the blond. "Once your arm heals from all the cuts and scrapes you got, we can play each other. I'll help you get back into shape and teach your arm to cooperate again."
Shiraishi shook his head. “Even before this, I couldn’t pick up a racket. I don’t want to get my hopes up like that, Akaya. It’s fine.” He forced a smile. “Rooting for you is fine.”
"That's just because your arm is as stubborn as me. I'll help you retrain it again so you can play again. It'll take a while though, so we'll both have to be patient. " Akaya gave Shiraishi a stubborn smirk before kissing his cheek.
Shiraishi smiled sadly. “I hope you’re right.”
"I am right. You'll see. Now, rest, ok?" Akaya reached up and tucked Shiraishi's hair behind his ear.
Shiraishi closed his eyes. “Don’t go anywhere, okay?”
Jirou looked up at Hiro-chan as they left the other two snuggling down for a nap. “I know he is doubtful, but I really think that my device will help him regain most, if not all, of what he has lost. But while I have some training, I’m not a doctor. Will you help, too?”
“I am not a doctor, either,” pointed out Yagyuu. “Not yet, anyway. But yes. Whatever I can do to help, I would be happy to do so. Now, tell me more about this device, how does it work?” he asked, his voice fading as they walked away.
"I won't. You're stuck with me for good." Akaya smiled and held Shiraishi close.