wingedtiger | OPEN RP POST

[ Yukimura forces himself to sit up, just so that he can look Sasuke in the eye.

He can't see well, and the pain's enough to make him sick. Getting the words out is a struggle.

But he perseveres. ]

Sasuke -- stop. Stop talking like that.

[ Despite being on the cusp of an emotional break, he moves to support Yukimura's attempt to sit up with an arm across his back. ]

... Master?

[ He returns Yukimura's gaze, but he looks lost, scared. ]

Stop putting yourself down. Your past self! Your current self!

[ Yukimura's words come in between ragged breaths. ]

Don't say that... that you will just be a shadow again...!

[ Sasuke moves so that Yukimura can lean against him to ease the strain on his body. The pain must be horrible... ]

... Are you okay with... losing your shadow to him...?

[ With a hand scorched by Matsunaga's flame, Yukimura reaches out and grabs Sasuke's shoulder.

His grip lacks strength, and the contact shoots fire through his palm even with the bandages, but he doesn't let go. ]

To whom? Yoshiharu Mikumo? He is you! And thus, he is my friend and partner!!

[ Wordlessly, Sasuke entwines his burn scarred fingers with Yukimura's bandaged ones.

He had meant Matsunaga, but Yukimura's interpretation shakes something loose within him. Sasuke and Yoshiharu are the same person, and Yukimura sees him no differently. So what if the Tiger Cub's shadow disappears? The disappearance is because the Tiger Cub wants the shadow to be something more, a friend and partner, not because the shadow is being taken away. Sasuke has been thinking about this all wrong. Why couldn't he see it earlier?

It's because he finally was forced to stop hiding in front of someone he loves.... His darkest secret is before him in the light.

Sasuke doesn't realize the tears spilling from his eyes as he rests his head against Yukimura's. It's been so long since he heard that name spoken in a voice other than his own. And to have it said by Yukimura means more to Sasuke than he ever could have guessed. ]

I, this Yoshiharu, will try to be the best friend and partner I can be then. Though I... am not sure how.

[ He won't tell Sasuke not to cry. It's fine to cry at a time like this. Tears have a healing power. ]

You... we will find out in time. Together.

[ ...And having said that, Yukimura groans and thunks back onto his makeshift pillow. If he was running on fumes before, then by now even the fumes have been exhausted.

This isn't the best condition for providing emotional support... ]

[ Sasuke is overdue for one long, ugly crying session over his life, but that will not happen here or now. Yukimura needs his help. Even if he needs to not ignore his feelings, Sasuke must focus on Yukimura until he's healed. ]

... Thank you.

[ He could have easily given another apology, but Sasuke thinks this is what actually needs to be said and what Yukimura needs to hear. ]

I'm going to check your bandages, okay?

[ That effort of his could have broken open some of his wounds, and it'll do Yukimura no good to be soaked through with blood. ]

[ That 'thank you' is indeed what Yukimura needs to hear. It's reassurance that Sasuke won't change his mind and retreat back into his own darkness. ]

Mmmngh... all right.

[ Something probably got reopened. He was fine with risking that if it meant Sasuke would listen to him, but it's not recommended patient behavior. ]

[ It's not recommended emotional support behavior either, but now they both can resume more beneficial behaviors.

Sasuke pulls back the blanket and tries not the grimace at the red seeping through the bandages. Is this from some of the smaller wounds, or did some of the stitching of the larger wounds come undone? Regardless of which it is, Yukimura will hear the tearing of fabric as Sasuke makes some new cloth bandages. He'll have to wash and hang to dry the ones he removes. He's running out of clothing to sacrifice. ]

Just relax, Master. I'll take care of this.

[ His fingers gently prod around the edges of the bandages as he begins to unwrap the bloodied ones to assess the damage. ]

... If you want, you can ask me whatever you want, and I'll try to answer.

[ Maybe it'll provide Yukimura some distraction from the pain and redoing the stitching should Sasuke need to do that. ]

[ There's a pang of guilt in his chest when he hears the tearing of fabric. When this is all over, he's going to get Sasuke some new clothes. It's the least he can do.

Relax, huh... He can certainly try.

...What would he want to ask Sasuke? He must mean that questions about his past are on the table, but Yukimura's not sure he wants to go prodding at old wounds even with permission. Hasn't all this been hard enough on Sasuke?

Maybe Yukimura will change his mind, but for now, he searches for a nice, safe topic. ]

...Do you have any idea who that Tenko Mask character was?

[ It's a clumsy attempt for distraction, and it's a clumsy attempt to open himself up to Yukimura. Sasuke's lived most of his life in secret, and now that he wants to reveal himself to someone, he has no idea how to do it. Does he just start listing his favorite foods? Does he start telling him of his mother's graceful dancing or beautiful singing? Does he admit that most of the time his raises goes towards spoiling the very tiger cub he bugs about them?

However, later Sasuke can clarify that the offer continues even after this. Just like how he still owes Yukimura a night with him dressed in a kimono. (He makes a mental note to find a way for it to happen sooner than later after all this.)

The question he does receive isn't one he expected. Sasuke can't help it. He laughs softly. How can someone figure out he is Yoshiharu while not realizing he is also Tenko Kamen? ]

I do. Maybe I don't know him nearly as well as I thought I did, but... well, do you want me to tell you his identity? Or do you want to find out on your own?

Mmmmm...

[ The mysterious (and oddly familiar) Tenko Kamen... He would like to find out on his own, but he has no way of knowing when they'll next cross paths. What if they never meet again? That man is so elusive... ]

This time... I must yield to my burning curiosity. What is that man's true name?

[ Yes, the Tenko Kamen with the forest camouflage, large shuriken, and familiar mouth and chin... he's so mysterious, someone Yukimura has never met before. Sasuke is trying so hard not to laugh too loudly, but he really can't help it. His master is so naive. It's... cute. ~~Oh gods, Sasuke is so moronsexual.~~ ]

Do you remember how the final masked man was actually Lord Shingen? Or how Tengu Kamen was the Dragon's Right-Eye?

[ Oh wait. Yukimura thought that had been someone who looked exactly like Kojuro... Did he ever realize the truth? Sasuke pauses to concentrate on patching a wound before continuing. ]

Tenko Kamen, unmasked, is Sasuke Sarutobi or Yoshiharu Mikumo. At this point... I guess you can take your pick on which to use whenever we're alone.

[ ...Tengu Kamen was Lord Katakura?!

..............SASUKE IS TENKO KAMEN?!

Yukimura is now officially too concussed for this. He stares vacantly at the ceiling. ]

Sasuke... you do not have any more names, do you? I... do not think I can remember any more... My mind is pushed to its limit...

[ No, Yukimura, that's the head injury making things complicated.

He probably wouldn't have this reaction normally.

Probably. ]

[ Thankful that Yukimura can't see his face, laying down and staring up to the ceiling as he is, Sasuke still tries to suppress his laughter. (Along with the urge to go "Kon kon!" at his poor master.) He finishes wrapping the wound by pressing a light kiss to the skin beside it. If only it was that easy to just kiss it to make it better. ]

I don't think I do, not unless you or someone else gives me one. For the record, that whole thing was Lord Shingen's idea.

[ He's still amazed they roped Kojuro into it. He pulls the blanket back over Yukimura. Hopefully, he didn't get too cold. ]

I think you're patched up again. How do you feel?

[ A light kiss might not cure everything, but it does make Yukimura feel better. ]

And I suspected nothing... Only a feat His Lordship could achieve!

[ No, Yukimura, this is something that would fool only you.

He welcomes the return of the blanket. Like this kiss, any additional comfort makes a world of difference at a time like this. ]

I feel... bandaged?

[ "I feel like my blood isn't going to leak everywhere, now" is another possible answer. ]

In terms of pain, it... could be worse.

[ As in, he could be actively dying. That's about the only way to make this worse. ]

[ It really was something that would only fool Yukimura, but as reluctant he was to participate in the whole ordeal... it's a nice memory now.

Sasuke puts another log on the fire and starts to clean those used up bandages to then hang to dry. ]

I do have a little pain killer I can mix with water, but it's bitter.

[ Were they back at home or at a camp, Sasuke would try to hide the bitterness in something sweet. They don't have the option here. ]

If you want it, maybe I can give you a treat after to make up for the bitterness.

Like dango?

[ If he weren't totally out of commission, he'd have shot upright, alert as can be. Treats make everything better!

This man has the brain of a puppy. ]

A bitter taste is a small price to pay for the relief of this pain... particularly if there is a treat waiting for me at the end...!

When we get back home, I'll get you a whole plate of dango. I promise.

[ But there's no dango here, and Sasuke isn't about to leave Yukimura defenseless and alone in this isolated hut.

However, he thinks he knows something to reward and distract Yukimura from the bitter medicine after. He pours a small packet of powder into his mouth then sips until he has a mouthful of water. Sasuke is at Yukimura's side and leaning over him soon after, pressing his mouth against Yukimura's. ]

[ A whole plate! Ohh, he can almost taste it... but he'll have to be patient. A patient patient.

The immediate reward that Sasuke comes up with, however, certainly helps the medicine go down. The bitter taste is so much easier to take when it's accompanied by Sasuke's lips on his.

Yukimura swallows the medicine and barely manages not to shudder. (He really is no good with bitter flavors.) ]

...This is what happens in romantic stories, isn't it? I have not read many, but... one person takes care of the other, and then there is medicine shared with a kiss because it is the only way, or something like that...

Edited 2020-01-25 06:14 (UTC)

[ Yukimura won't mind if his lips linger a moment longer than necessary, would he? Sasuke does just that, and he might have gone for a second, longer, and more deliberate kiss if Yukimura hadn't started talking. However, he doesn't quite pull away. He just shifts his weight to be more comfortable. ]

It... does. It's a theme that happens a lot in those stories....

[ Opening up to Yukimura or not, Sasuke still is embarrassed about reading romantic stories or poetry. His face feels hot as he flushes at the admission that he's read them. ]

You read them, Sasuke?

[ That's so... cute.

And so is the red in his face. ]

I always assumed you read military dramas, or those stories where animals talk...

[ ...At least he assumes Sasuke likes variety.

He frowns, thinking. ]

Though... there could be romance in tales like those. I must not take a narrow-minded view of what any genre is capable of depicting...

[ To think he's like this even when his head is just fine. ]

[ Sasuke makes the most flustered noise, but he responds honestly, albeit a little hesitantly. ~~His inner moe is showing.~~ ]

There is overlap... romances in military dramas or romances between animals or youkai... Sometimes they even get happy endings.

[ He has read a number of them... ]

[ If Yukimura didn't feel like every bone in his body were broken, he'd be jumping Sasuke's bones about now. Moe Sasuke is just too cute. ]

Animals and youkai with... humans?

[ Well, he can imagine it, honestly. Who hasn't heard a tale or two of a youkai taking human form out of love or lust?

Yukimura's concussion-brain does its best to continue this line of conversation. ]

Were there any tigers?

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