Categories > Anime/Manga > Inuyasha > Trust & Betrayal
Part Eleven: Pulse...
0 reviewsOne-shot in 16 parts. Jakotsu and Renkotsu learn the hard way that sake, curiosity and lust don't mix. Even the strongest will shatter when betrayal is involved...
0Unrated
Part Eleven: Pulse...
"Oo-Aniki!" Suikotsu said as he entered Bankotsu's room with Jakotsu closely following behind him. Kneeling, he gently pried the young leader's fingers away from his chest, and opening his kimono, he said softly, "I'm sorry but I need to check your ribs." He carefully felt around the large bruise on Bankotsu's side, gently probing with his fingers along his injured ribs. Satisfied they had not shifted to a more dangerous position, where they could easily puncture his lung, he took Bankotsu's pulse. It felt weak and thready and the skin on his wrist was also cold and clammy. He had to do something and fast for his pain so that Bankotsu could rest more comfortably and start to heal. Suikotsu was more worried than he let on about the possibility of losing him, for he had seen men die from the same symptoms.
"Oo-Aniki, I need to go back to my room and get you something to help you rest. If you can sleep without pain, I have every confidence that you'll soon be your old self," the good doctor said softly, more for Jakotsu's benefit than Bankotsu's as he noticed their leader had just slipped into unconsciousness. "I'll be right back, Jak," Suikotsu said as he gave Jakotsu's shoulder a little squeeze. "Just sit with him quietly, okay"
"Okay..."
Suikotsu nodded and got up to leave. He was glad he had found that poppy field when they had traveled through the mountains a couple of missions ago, because now those seed heads he had dried were about to come in more handy than they would when he sowed the seeds in his herb garden at home. He hurried through the inn's outer corridor and was soon at his room where he entered quickly.
"Is Oo-Aniki alright?" Renkotsu asked as he painfully sat up.
"Yes, and you should be resting too," the doctor said distractedly as he gathered the things necessary to make their leader a cup of opium tea.
"What's wrong with him?" Renkotsu asked.
"Ribs are bothering him. I suspect Jak got a bit over excited and Ban was indulging him again..." Suikotsu said as he picked up a small pot to heat water in. "Do you mind?" he asked, the ghost of a smile tugging at his lips as he held out a long sliver of wood. "And then I want you to try and get some sleep."
Renkotsu took the proffered piece of wood and lit it.
"Thanks... Your back isn't hurting you, is it?"
Renkotsu sighed. "It is a little, but it's nothing I can't handle."
"You sure?"
"Yeah...I can put up with it."
The claw-bear laughed. "I know it tastes terrible, but if you're hurting really badly, you'll feel better after you have some."
"I'd rather smoke it..."
"That's not an option, Ren."
"I know... and you'd better hurry and get some water, because if you're going through the trouble of making it, then Oo-Aniki must be in bad shape."
Suikotsu sighed. "Yeah... He passed out from the pain."
"Go!"
The good doctor hurried outside, and holding the pot under the fountain he waited patiently as it filled, while he prayed to the gods that Jakotsu let his lover be. Once it was filled he quickly made his way back inside and set on the room's tiny brazier to heat up.
He and Renkotsu sat in companionable silence while the doctor fussed with his tea things. Picking up his mortar and pestle, Suikotsu started grinding the poppy seed heads open. Once he had everything set up to his satisfaction, he changed Renkotsu's bandages, adding more of the cool green salve to the wounds on his back. Afterwards the two sat there, holding on to one another as they drew strength from each other's loving touch.
When he judged it was time for the water to be hot but not boiling, Suikotsu reluctantly let go of his would-be lover. He walked over to the low table beside the brazier and taking the pot of water, he poured it into a waiting teacup. He let the poppy straw steep in the hot water, releasing the drug along with everything else into it. He waited until he felt it was dark enough, and strained it into another waiting cup. Then he took some of the remains of his honey from a small pot and drizzled it into the cup to mask the bitter taste of the tea.
"Ren, would you mind tasting this for me? Please...?"
"What if I said 'no'?" Renkotsu teased as he took the cup, and lifting it to his lips, he took a small sip. "Tastes like shit."
"Good, then it's fine. Now rest and I'll be back as soon as I can..."
"I'll try..."
"Even that small sip'll help, Ren..."
"I know. Now go as Oo-Aniki needs you."
Suikotsu nodded and hurried off, tea in hand. He slipped back into his leader's room as quietly as he had left. Seconds later, he was kneeling at Bankotsu's side, trying to wake him up after handing the tea to the cross-dresser to hold. "Oo-Aniki, I have something that'll make you feel better..."
"Wake up, Aniki-chan, Sui, made you some that vile looking tea he made for Ren last time he was sick," Jakotsu added helpfully.
"That was willow bark tea for a headache," the doctor gently corrected. "Come, Oo-Aniki, this is the same but stronger and you'll be able to sleep much better if you have some."
"Hunh...?" Bankotsu said groggily. He cried out in pain when Suikotsu pulled him into a seated position.
"Drink, Aniki-chan," Jakotsu said softly as he held the teacup to his lover's lips. The two somehow managed to get their leader to drink half the cup before he started gagging on the taste. Then they carefully eased him back and waited a half an hour for the opium to take effect.
Jakotsu watched as Suikotsu took Bankotsu's pulse again. "Why do you keep doing that?" he asked.
"I'm just checking his life-force. Here, give me your hand," the good doctor said, and taking the cross-dresser's hand, he turned it so that his palm faced upwards. Suikotsu pushed back Jakotsu's kimono sleeve. "You see this..." he ran his finger lightly against veins that showed faintly blue through his skin. "Your life-force flows through those lines. If you put your finger there and lightly press you can feel it pulsing. Oo-Aniki's was faint before because of all the pain he was in. That's why I told you no nookie," he gently chided, and letting go of Jakotsu's hand, Suikotsu laid the back of his own hand briefly on Bankotsu's cheek.
"Oh yeah..." Jakotsu giggled, before growing serious. "I forgot about that, but I was so happy when Oo-Aniki forgave me..."
"It's okay...I think Oo-Aniki forgot too."
"You think...?"
Suikotsu nodded. "Anyway, at least he doesn't have a fever which is good. All he needs is rest, and I mean it, Jakotsu. You have to be the one who's strong and remembers to take it easy with Oo-Aniki." He checked his leader's pulse again.
"I will...but it won't be easy as Oo-Aniki is very yummy." The cross-dresser giggled at the blush that spilled across Suikotsu's cheeks. "But I'll try."
"Good." The doctor nodded. "I think the tea is starting to take effect. Oo-Aniki's life-force is stronger and if you'll be quiet I'll be able to tell how much easier he's breathing."
"Okay..." Jakotsu watched, fascinated, as Suikotsu placed his hand close to Bankotsu's mouth. He left it there for several heartbeats as he felt his leader's breath grow stronger. "He's sleeping now. I want you to watch over him for me, as I need to go check up on Ren. If anything changes I want you to come and get me again, okay," Suikotsu said as he stood up and prepared to leave.
"Sure. Ummm... aren't you going to leave the tea in case Oo-Aniki needs it?"
"No. I'll make him some more later; but if he has too much, it'll make him much sicker in the long run."
"Okay... and thanks Sui..."
"You welcome. Now don't forget; come get me if you need me and more importantly, no matter how well Oo-Aniki's feeling, or begs you for it, NO nookie or he'll die, understood?"
"Yes!" Jakotsu stared at the doctor in alarm.
"He's not going to die, Jak, so don't worry. If he wakes up tell him a story... I want him to sleep as much as possible so that he'll heal," Suikotsu said as he turned to leave. He hated being so blunt with Jakotsu and scaring him, but he felt it was for his own good as well as Bankotsu's. He left their room, chuckling softly to himself when he heard Jakotsu softly singing a bawdy song to his beloved while he slept.
Minutes later, he was back in the room he shared with his own would-be lover.
"Is Oo-Aniki better now?"
"I think so. As long as they can restrain themselves long enough for his ribs to heal, he'll do fine. Now let me have a look at your back. I want to change the bandages again and put some more salve on them. It's bad enough I have to worry about Oo-Aniki, without worrying if you're going to get an infection or not."
Ren chuckled softly as he slowly eased himself over onto to stomach. "You know, I'm starting to think there's another you living in your head."
"What do you mean by that?" Suikotsu asked as he gently cut through the layers of bandages.
"Haha-ue..." he said softly and Suikotsu could hear the smile in his voice.
"Mother...?"
"Yup, you're starting to sound like my mother." He laughed. "OW! Careful!"
"Sorry... The bandages are stuck to your wounds...I think it'll be better if you sat up," Suikotsu said softly as he helped Renkotsu into a seated position. He carefully peeled the bandages away. "Shit!" he swore softly when one of the cuts started bleeding again. "I'm sorry, Ren..." He briefly laid his forehead against the back of his would-be lover's neck. "I should have been more in control..."
"Oo-Aniki!" Suikotsu said as he entered Bankotsu's room with Jakotsu closely following behind him. Kneeling, he gently pried the young leader's fingers away from his chest, and opening his kimono, he said softly, "I'm sorry but I need to check your ribs." He carefully felt around the large bruise on Bankotsu's side, gently probing with his fingers along his injured ribs. Satisfied they had not shifted to a more dangerous position, where they could easily puncture his lung, he took Bankotsu's pulse. It felt weak and thready and the skin on his wrist was also cold and clammy. He had to do something and fast for his pain so that Bankotsu could rest more comfortably and start to heal. Suikotsu was more worried than he let on about the possibility of losing him, for he had seen men die from the same symptoms.
"Oo-Aniki, I need to go back to my room and get you something to help you rest. If you can sleep without pain, I have every confidence that you'll soon be your old self," the good doctor said softly, more for Jakotsu's benefit than Bankotsu's as he noticed their leader had just slipped into unconsciousness. "I'll be right back, Jak," Suikotsu said as he gave Jakotsu's shoulder a little squeeze. "Just sit with him quietly, okay"
"Okay..."
Suikotsu nodded and got up to leave. He was glad he had found that poppy field when they had traveled through the mountains a couple of missions ago, because now those seed heads he had dried were about to come in more handy than they would when he sowed the seeds in his herb garden at home. He hurried through the inn's outer corridor and was soon at his room where he entered quickly.
"Is Oo-Aniki alright?" Renkotsu asked as he painfully sat up.
"Yes, and you should be resting too," the doctor said distractedly as he gathered the things necessary to make their leader a cup of opium tea.
"What's wrong with him?" Renkotsu asked.
"Ribs are bothering him. I suspect Jak got a bit over excited and Ban was indulging him again..." Suikotsu said as he picked up a small pot to heat water in. "Do you mind?" he asked, the ghost of a smile tugging at his lips as he held out a long sliver of wood. "And then I want you to try and get some sleep."
Renkotsu took the proffered piece of wood and lit it.
"Thanks... Your back isn't hurting you, is it?"
Renkotsu sighed. "It is a little, but it's nothing I can't handle."
"You sure?"
"Yeah...I can put up with it."
The claw-bear laughed. "I know it tastes terrible, but if you're hurting really badly, you'll feel better after you have some."
"I'd rather smoke it..."
"That's not an option, Ren."
"I know... and you'd better hurry and get some water, because if you're going through the trouble of making it, then Oo-Aniki must be in bad shape."
Suikotsu sighed. "Yeah... He passed out from the pain."
"Go!"
The good doctor hurried outside, and holding the pot under the fountain he waited patiently as it filled, while he prayed to the gods that Jakotsu let his lover be. Once it was filled he quickly made his way back inside and set on the room's tiny brazier to heat up.
He and Renkotsu sat in companionable silence while the doctor fussed with his tea things. Picking up his mortar and pestle, Suikotsu started grinding the poppy seed heads open. Once he had everything set up to his satisfaction, he changed Renkotsu's bandages, adding more of the cool green salve to the wounds on his back. Afterwards the two sat there, holding on to one another as they drew strength from each other's loving touch.
When he judged it was time for the water to be hot but not boiling, Suikotsu reluctantly let go of his would-be lover. He walked over to the low table beside the brazier and taking the pot of water, he poured it into a waiting teacup. He let the poppy straw steep in the hot water, releasing the drug along with everything else into it. He waited until he felt it was dark enough, and strained it into another waiting cup. Then he took some of the remains of his honey from a small pot and drizzled it into the cup to mask the bitter taste of the tea.
"Ren, would you mind tasting this for me? Please...?"
"What if I said 'no'?" Renkotsu teased as he took the cup, and lifting it to his lips, he took a small sip. "Tastes like shit."
"Good, then it's fine. Now rest and I'll be back as soon as I can..."
"I'll try..."
"Even that small sip'll help, Ren..."
"I know. Now go as Oo-Aniki needs you."
Suikotsu nodded and hurried off, tea in hand. He slipped back into his leader's room as quietly as he had left. Seconds later, he was kneeling at Bankotsu's side, trying to wake him up after handing the tea to the cross-dresser to hold. "Oo-Aniki, I have something that'll make you feel better..."
"Wake up, Aniki-chan, Sui, made you some that vile looking tea he made for Ren last time he was sick," Jakotsu added helpfully.
"That was willow bark tea for a headache," the doctor gently corrected. "Come, Oo-Aniki, this is the same but stronger and you'll be able to sleep much better if you have some."
"Hunh...?" Bankotsu said groggily. He cried out in pain when Suikotsu pulled him into a seated position.
"Drink, Aniki-chan," Jakotsu said softly as he held the teacup to his lover's lips. The two somehow managed to get their leader to drink half the cup before he started gagging on the taste. Then they carefully eased him back and waited a half an hour for the opium to take effect.
Jakotsu watched as Suikotsu took Bankotsu's pulse again. "Why do you keep doing that?" he asked.
"I'm just checking his life-force. Here, give me your hand," the good doctor said, and taking the cross-dresser's hand, he turned it so that his palm faced upwards. Suikotsu pushed back Jakotsu's kimono sleeve. "You see this..." he ran his finger lightly against veins that showed faintly blue through his skin. "Your life-force flows through those lines. If you put your finger there and lightly press you can feel it pulsing. Oo-Aniki's was faint before because of all the pain he was in. That's why I told you no nookie," he gently chided, and letting go of Jakotsu's hand, Suikotsu laid the back of his own hand briefly on Bankotsu's cheek.
"Oh yeah..." Jakotsu giggled, before growing serious. "I forgot about that, but I was so happy when Oo-Aniki forgave me..."
"It's okay...I think Oo-Aniki forgot too."
"You think...?"
Suikotsu nodded. "Anyway, at least he doesn't have a fever which is good. All he needs is rest, and I mean it, Jakotsu. You have to be the one who's strong and remembers to take it easy with Oo-Aniki." He checked his leader's pulse again.
"I will...but it won't be easy as Oo-Aniki is very yummy." The cross-dresser giggled at the blush that spilled across Suikotsu's cheeks. "But I'll try."
"Good." The doctor nodded. "I think the tea is starting to take effect. Oo-Aniki's life-force is stronger and if you'll be quiet I'll be able to tell how much easier he's breathing."
"Okay..." Jakotsu watched, fascinated, as Suikotsu placed his hand close to Bankotsu's mouth. He left it there for several heartbeats as he felt his leader's breath grow stronger. "He's sleeping now. I want you to watch over him for me, as I need to go check up on Ren. If anything changes I want you to come and get me again, okay," Suikotsu said as he stood up and prepared to leave.
"Sure. Ummm... aren't you going to leave the tea in case Oo-Aniki needs it?"
"No. I'll make him some more later; but if he has too much, it'll make him much sicker in the long run."
"Okay... and thanks Sui..."
"You welcome. Now don't forget; come get me if you need me and more importantly, no matter how well Oo-Aniki's feeling, or begs you for it, NO nookie or he'll die, understood?"
"Yes!" Jakotsu stared at the doctor in alarm.
"He's not going to die, Jak, so don't worry. If he wakes up tell him a story... I want him to sleep as much as possible so that he'll heal," Suikotsu said as he turned to leave. He hated being so blunt with Jakotsu and scaring him, but he felt it was for his own good as well as Bankotsu's. He left their room, chuckling softly to himself when he heard Jakotsu softly singing a bawdy song to his beloved while he slept.
Minutes later, he was back in the room he shared with his own would-be lover.
"Is Oo-Aniki better now?"
"I think so. As long as they can restrain themselves long enough for his ribs to heal, he'll do fine. Now let me have a look at your back. I want to change the bandages again and put some more salve on them. It's bad enough I have to worry about Oo-Aniki, without worrying if you're going to get an infection or not."
Ren chuckled softly as he slowly eased himself over onto to stomach. "You know, I'm starting to think there's another you living in your head."
"What do you mean by that?" Suikotsu asked as he gently cut through the layers of bandages.
"Haha-ue..." he said softly and Suikotsu could hear the smile in his voice.
"Mother...?"
"Yup, you're starting to sound like my mother." He laughed. "OW! Careful!"
"Sorry... The bandages are stuck to your wounds...I think it'll be better if you sat up," Suikotsu said softly as he helped Renkotsu into a seated position. He carefully peeled the bandages away. "Shit!" he swore softly when one of the cuts started bleeding again. "I'm sorry, Ren..." He briefly laid his forehead against the back of his would-be lover's neck. "I should have been more in control..."
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