Places to Take Shelter from the Rain

[erase_to_forget]

Who: Miharu, Yoite, and Grandpa Ukitake
Status: Closed
Style: Past tense/Prose
Where: Ukitake's House, Kusasato
When: Week 7, Day 1  Evening/Night
Warnings: None
Rating: I doubt this would have any reason to go over PG
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Comments

[erase_to_forget]

Yoite watched warily as the man reached for Miharu. Instinct. In the past an older man reaching for Miharu would have been Hattori trying to take the boy away. But after a moment of tensing muscles and a clenched jaw, Yoite shifts a bit gratefully to help Ukitake take the small boy.

"...You are too kind to me, Ukitake-san," He murmured when he is relieved of the weight. Miharu was only 77 pounds and it used to be a weight that Yoite could swing around easily, but as his own weight dropped dramatically Miharu seemed heavier and heavier.

With a shy look around he stepped in, being mindful to keep his steps light and to a minimum as to avoid leaving any dirt.

"I can't repay your kindness."

[pisces_truth]

Ukitake notices that tensing in Yoite when he reaches out to Miharu, but chooses not to say anything about it. He can tell the boy is protective of his friend, and there's no reason to prod about it now, not to mention it's not really any of his business.

He holds the boy with care when he lifts Miharu off of Yoite's shoulders, understanding that clearly, doing so is not something Yoite allows to just anyone and not wishing to look unappreciative of the fact.

"There is no need to," he says gently, with a smile. He turns then, looking over his shoulder for Yoite to follow as he leads them into the spare bedroom, laying Miharu gently on one of the futons.

A pause, for a moment, as he regards Yoite's tattered and dirty clothes.

"Ah, wait there. I'll be right back."

[erase_to_forget]

Yoite kneels down beside Miharu, tucking him in under a blanket.

Please don't get ragged like me, Miharu

He then moves to sit beside the futon, knees curled up against his chest and arms hugging around them. His cheek rests against the knobby bone. He feels so tired. Worn. Scared.

But outwardly all he can do is just stare in Ukitake's wake.

You don't need to tell me to wait, Ukitake-san. Where would I go?

[pisces_truth]

Ukitake could have gone into shunpo, been to his room to get what he needed and back before Yoite even registered that he'd left. He could have gone into shunpo now so he could return faster than simply by walking on foot like he usually did in his house but the interactions he'd had with Yoite in the past gave him the impression that the boy would benefit from being able to watch his retreating back, to being told that he would return. That he wouldn't try to abandon him in the short space of time he was gone

[erase_to_forget]

Yoite gets nervous when he sees the new clothes. Changing would mean undressing and undressing would mean...his body.

Yoite is terrified of his body.

Though rationally Yoite should not feel threatened and somewhere in his head there is the rational thought that he should both accept the offering and thank Ukitake for it, it is overwhelmed by his instinctual fear. Standing abruptly he flees backs into a corner, hands gripping the collar of his turtleneck desperately as if to say 'you can't take it from me.'

I don't want you to see me

He bites his lower lip until it bleeds.

"...Please.... don't make me change... Ukitake-san."

Not in front of you or Miharu

[pisces_truth]

At that reaction, Ukitake realizes he has hit yet another subject he needs to be careful with.

Ukitake first thinks that Yoite-san has some sort of unusually strong attachment to the clothes he is wearing and does not wish to wear any other clothes. Perhaps they have some sort of sentimental value or symbolize something important to him?

But when he speaks, the shinigami listens to every word carefully, trying to find where the problem lies. When he thinks about it, Yoite asks him not to make him change. That suggests the issue may be with taking off the clothes, themselves.

He approaches slowly, his unoccupied hand raised appeasingly.

"Please do not be afraid, Yoite-san. I will not force you to do anything you do not wish to."

The clothes are laid on the bed, beside Miharu, and he steps away from them, to underscore his point.

[erase_to_forget]

Like a cornered mutt, kicked and ready to bolt, Yoite watches every move Ukitake makes intensely. The slow even steps. The hand that raises to signify peace and best intentions.

And the soft voice that speaks of no ill will. It makes Yoite realize that once again he has been ungrateful. But he can't help it. Scared. He's had to be scared for so many years now.

But... it was time to at least try.

Swallowing painfully and unwrenching his fingers from his turtleneck, Yoite moves to stand, back still pressed firmly against the wall until he is upright.

Then shakily he steps towards the clothes... past them... and to Ukitake. He bows quietly.

"Arigatou, Ukitake-san."

I'm sorry

"For everything."

[pisces_truth]

You don't need to thank me is what he keeps thinking. He just wants to see Yoite happy and comfortable around him. He wants to see him smile and be at ease like he was when he'd apparently gotten drunk at that picnic.

For Ukitake, that was the greatest reward there could be--for his efforts to have paid off, to have made a difference. To someone who thrives off of helping others, having an impact, usefulness was so terribly important.

But he says none of this, and simply smiles that gentle, friendly (and maybe, a little weary) smile of his.

"It's all right, Yoite-san."

There's a moment of pause, and then he speaks again, a little brighter. "Ah, I never got around to making dinner earlier. How about I show you to the bathroom so you can wash your hands and meet me in the kitchen?"

[erase_to_forget]

Yoite starts to protest, to say that it is really too much for Ukitake to also make food or at least offer that Yoite make the food to at least show some gratitude... when his stomach rudely interrupts all attempts at argument.

*grooWwllL*

He can't hear it. But he can feel that it was loud.

Shyly he drops his head so he could try and hide the blush on his cheeks. His face is burning. Not only does his stomach continuously ruin his attempts to be less selfish, it also sounds like its talking. Talking more than Yoite himself ever has in his entire life.

Why was it his stomach that got to be so eloquent?

He's too embarrassed to say anything so he just shuffles over to the bed, gathers up the clothes, and moves to follow Ukitake.

[pisces_truth]

Ukitake can't help but laugh when Yoite's stomach growls. It's a pleasant sort of sound, warm and soft, and the intention behind it is kind. He isn't laughing at Yoite, not really--just that his stomach decided to growl at that moment.

...And the blush on his cheeks is really damn cute, he has to say. Shunsui, were he here, would have probably teased the boy gently about it, saying that he wasn't drunk enough for his cheeks to be that red.

The image brightens his smile and he shakes his head softly at it. The man was never far from his thoughts, and drifted into them when he was least expecting it.

When Yoite moves to follow him, the shinigami slows his stride so that the boy can fall into step with him as he leads the way to the bathroom, heading on his own back to the kitchen once he's shown Yoite where everything is.

[erase_to_forget]

Yoite walks beside him with unusual ease, at least for him. He was bound to eternally look rigid with his bony structure, but his face has grown less wary or cold and simply was innocent, gazing forward with large blue eyes framed by delicate lashes. There is even almost a flicker of a smile on those lips at the way Ukitake had laughed, not mocking, but welcoming, lively.

As he steps into the bathroom he murmurs a thank you once more to Ukitake as the man turns to go to the kitchen. Its more than just for the clothes, or the shelter. Its for the understanding, the patience, and the gentleness with which the man handled Yoite.

Then quietly he slips the door shut.

Where to start? His coat? His shoes?

The real question was which disgusting part of himself could he deal with looking at first? The protruding ribs? The black skin? Or maybe...? After long deliberation he goes with the shoes. Unlike most who might wiggle them off or kick them aside, Yoite gracefully slips his feet out. Slowly. Meticulously. And as the shoes led to

[i_will_grant_it]

So this was Ukitake...

This person was someone that Yoite knew and trusted. So Miharu would have faith in the white haired man, but even with faith he still didn't know him. So he feigned sleep for the majority of the time, he just laid there in silent as listening to them speak among one another. Knowing far too well Yoite needed this...some besides him to fall back on for help.

It was not until he heard them leave the room that he finally 'awoke'.

Coward. I'm a coward.Miharu hugged the blanket Yoite tucked him in with close to his chest, a soft sigh leaving him. It was just hard for him to get used to the fact that Yoite, once again, in front of him was fading away

[erase_to_forget]

Yoite trembles and is biting his fist to keep himself from gagging. From vomiting blood. From falling into another fit of coughs.

"M-miharu, g-gomen...I broke it..."

He nods dazedly to his arm, mind becoming numb as his defense mechanisms are slow to kick in.

His turtlneck half off and half on his black ribs are revealed and Yoite is too weak to try and hide them. Though he wants to. Oh he wants so much to hide his rotting from Miharu. The one he wants to protect from everything.

But the way the fabric of the shirt is twisting it is trapping both his throat and his broken arm.

"...c-can you... cut it off....?"

I wish you could do this with your eyes closed. If I could have just kept you from seeing me like this...

"..Please, Miharu"

[i_will_grant_it]

At his side Miharu grabs his good side gently, looking over the other.

It's bad...

The black skin that was showing didn't bother Miharu. He never really cared how disgusting Yoite looked like...all he cared about was if he was okay or not. Face it he had seen Yoite at his absolute worse. Just like the day he died.

Taking a deep breath of air into his lungs he attempted to calm himself, as he listens carefully to what Yoite says.

"It's okay...you didn't break your arm on purpose."

Cut it? ...the shirt.

With a soft nod he ran back to the room to look for some kind of scissors. When he couldn't find any he went for the kunai that he keep in his shirt. In a matter of minutes he was Yoite's side, the blade in his hand as he began to cut the unneeded fabric away.

"We need to wrap it."

Sorry for the Trippyness Here XD

[erase_to_forget]

"...I-it won't help.. the pieces... aren't big enough to be held in p-place..."

He means the bones of course. Instead of snapping or cracking they had simply... splintered. Shattered. So close to crumbling. In short his bones had buckled in on themselves at the slightest tug of his turtleneck and now the small sharp pieces remained within the gauntlet of his muscles, nerves, and flesh. They tear at everything with the slightest movement.

The only relief comes as Miharu cuts away at the fabric, freeing that deadened limb and allowing it to simply hang instead of be imprisoned. A rush of blood floods to his head and spots light up and flare unpleasantly in his eyes. He feels like he's going to lose consciousness.

Thank you Had he said it? Thought it? His voice either disappeared in the air or drowned within himself and in a moment's haze he wonders if Miharu is actually there or if its a vision