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

[pisces_truth]

Ukitake supposed he had not been paying enough attention to notice Yoite's reiatsu approaching the area, but he had moved to wait in the doorway as soon as he realized through the feed in the Hitomi that Yoite had stumbled on his current place of residence.

His eyebrows scrunch a bit in concern as Yoite comes into view. He's only seen Yoite in person once and on video a few times, but Yoite certainly looks much worse off than he did the last time he saw him, when he was at the picnic. The hat is missing too, and his clothes are dirty.

His mouth flattens a bit at Yoite's words. That's not what he wanted to hear. He had offered his home to the both of them, and even if he hadn't he couldn't just let someone sleep outside when he had plenty of room.

"No such thing, Yoite-san. Come in."

He does step a bit closer, though, extending one arm out to take the burden of Miharu off of his terribly fragile-looking shoulders.

[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