The Quest: Chapter 4
Title: The Quest: Chapter 4
Author: SaberSenshi
Genre: Au, crack, ???
Pairings: …not sure...we’ll see what happens, K?
Summary: Ruki is sent on a quest…*snickers*
Comments: I got this idea from some dolls. Internet paper dolls, if you can believe that.
Pics posted at the end of chapter 2
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When we finally stopped and made camp, again, I was dead tired. It didn’t take me long to fall asleep.
So I was surprised to find myself awake, without anyone shaking me. I sat up and blinked, trying to focus my eyes. That’s when I discovered I was alone. Which surprised me. If there was trouble, surely they would have awakened me, right? So I got myself up, and started to look for them.
Closer to the river, screened by trees, I finally spot them. Aoi’s sitting, back against a tree, with Uruha’s head in his lap. The swordsman was speaking softly to his partner, stroking his hair. Suddenly I felt stupid. When he said they were partners, he meant like this, too. I had heard of other fighters that ended up being more than just comrades-in-arms. When you trust someone with guarding your back, I guess it’s real easy to trust that person with the rest of your life as well. These two obviously had that kind of trust.
I suddenly felt like I was intruding. I really didn’t want to disturb them. They both looked so peaceful. Unlike the loonies I thought they were after the little battle with the Auricks.
Unlike with Aoi, though, I could hear exactly what Uruha was saying.
“Maybe we should stop for a while. Get away and just relax.” He was sitting up now. Looking eagerly at Aoi. “You and me, some place quiet. No fighting. No trouble. What do you say?”
“Sounds perfect.” Then the swordsman leaned in and gave him a kiss.
Uh, yeah. Definitely my cue to leave.
But then Aoi chuckled. “I’ll give it a week and you’ll be so bored that you’ll be the one starting the fights.”
“No way. Not as long as I’ve got you.” Aoi gave a yelp of surprise while Uruha was giggling madly. Aoi found himself flat on his back with the other straddling his hips. “I’m sure you can think of plenty of ways to keep me occupied. Like your little ‘distraction dance’. That was nice, by the way. I didn’t know you could move like that without a sword in your hand. Wanna try that hip move out on me?”
I figured I better hurry back to camp before I heard or saw something that’d really make me blush. But, of course, once I got there I found I couldn’t get back to sleep. That’s the trouble with starting to think. Sometimes you can’t stop. I’ve met a lot of people, some I’ve known for years. But I wouldn’t call any of them friends. Not really. Some of them I trust, to a certain degree. Not one of them did I trust with my life.
And that’s why I can’t get back to sleep. I keep thinking about how nice it would be to have someone I could trust. To know someone was there for me. Watching my back. Someone to take care of and to take care of me.
So maybe my safe little life was missing something. Actually, I think it might have been missing a lot. Yeah, I talked to people. But not about anything important. Like hopes. Wishes. Dreams.
Oh hell. Now I’m depressed. This is great. Just freaking great.
When they finally came back to camp, they were surprised to find me awake. It was easy to tell. Uruha’s eyes were opened wide, his mouth forming a silent O. But Aoi’s the one that broke the silence.
“We didn’t wake you, did we?’
“No.”
Sitting down across from me, he looked me over. I wish he would stop doing that. He seemed to look right into my soul. I was beginning to squirm.
“Is everything OK?”
“Yeah. I was just thinking.”
“Aoi always tells me that’s not a good sign.” Uruha smiled. Aoi dropped his head, hiding a smile. “What were you thinking about that made you so….melancholy?” He settled with that description.
Big word, I was surprised. Well, not really. They were destroying my image of what a warrior was. I admit it; I was one of those people that thought most fighters were like mindless puppets. Someone gives them orders, they obey. Not these guys, though. That little conversation I overheard proved they had more to them than that. A lot more.
Aoi was straightforward. Honest. Blunt. Almost painfully so, when making an observation. But he also had a soft side. Like the way he was with Uruha. He was almost gentle. And he obviously cared about the other man. And that only surprised me a little. Uruha was easy to like. He was overly cheerful. But he was also a good person. His kindness to me was an example of that. The fact that he wanted to take a break from fighting made me think that he really didn’t enjoy it. Not as much as it seemed. Maybe he just enjoyed being with Aoi. Traveling with him. Spending all his time with him. Hell, if I was in love, I know I’d want to. Especially if they looked like either of those two.
Damn, I had to stop thinking like that.
Aoi cleared his throat. Oh yeah, he asked me a question. What was it again?
Right, right. I’ve got it.
“Well, I was thinking how lucky you guys are. And how I hadn’t realized until now that my life had been missing something very important.”
Uruha smiled at me, and then turned that brightness on Aoi. The other man was blushing. I’ll be damned! I think I embarrassed him. Oh wait, he thinks I heard them earlier. I mean really heard them. I couldn’t help laughing. Uruha started laughing too, poking Aoi in the side. The swordsman muttered something that sounded a lot like ‘idiots’ before joining us.
We decided not to move on. Not until the next day. So we spent the rest of the day gathering things. Edible plants. Fish. Rabbits. Stuff like that. And we talked. Not about anything deep or meaningful. But still, it was nice having someone to talk to.
And I started thinking that maybe I should learn to use some other weapon. Hopefully something with some reach. So I asked Aoi. He was reluctant, at first. Said he didn’t want me to hurt myself. Uruha helped me, though. Said it was a good idea, in case we ran into something else that wasn’t afraid of fire. Or got someplace where it wasn’t wise to use it. So I started sword lessons. Neither of us used a real sword, tho. That would’ve been crazy. We used long pieces of wood, fashioned like swords. And Uruha said that I’d still be able to defend myself with the piece of wood. I didn’t think so, but it was nice of him to say it.
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A/N: Sorry..no smut. I tried, really I did. They just weren't co-operating with me. *scowls at Aoi and Uruha*
Hmmm...How long should I wait before posting the next one? I don't have to work tomorrow..so maybe later tonught?
Missing Aoi/Uruha Smut scene (f-locked)
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 5