Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Tangled Webs We Weave ❯ Nightmares ( Chapter 4 )

Beta Note: I, The Beta, take full responsibility for getting Val to write this chapter so quickly. She had it ready to go not three days after posting chapter three. However, I, The Beta, take full responsibility for the incredibly long (what’s it been, just over a month or two?) delay in posting due to the fact that “I wasn’t in the mood” to Beta the chapter. Here it is- seven wonderful MSWord pages. Enjoy.     ~*~*~

Sunset. It was a beautiful sight, but this night it was lacking something. ‘How could a thing of nature loose its luster?’ Seiji thought, watching the sky burn out through the kitchen window.

“He’ll be fine Seiji.” Touma’s quiet voice drew the older back from his thoughts; Seiji had to smile, even if it was short-lived. Even with his back turned, the blue-haired boy could read him flawlessly.

“I should be saying such to you,” Seiji replied softly. He turned around to face Touma and leaned back against the counter with his arms crossed. “After all, the two of you did grow up together.”

Touma shrugged as if to say “So?” and quirked an eyebrow at the older boy. “We’re all friends. Just because I knew him before you doesn’t make your concern any less important. Doesn’t mean you’re not just as worried as I am.”

Seiji nodded his head faintly in agreement and acceptance.

Touma sighed and pulled the sandwiches they’d made earlier out of the fridge. “You still think that Shin should have called by now though, don’t you.”

Making a sound of agreement Seiji pulled some bowls down and gathered a few spoons. “You don’t?”

Touma shook his head and looked across the small table at Seiji. “Shin’s sensible enough. I’m willing to give him another hour or so before I’ll start to worry.”

“And Ryo?”

Now there the blond had a point. Ryo had still been fast asleep after Touma finished his shower and that had been a few hours ago. “Him I’m concerned about. It’s just not natural that he slept through all of that. He should have known Shu was hurt, he usually does.”

Seiji nodded a tad thoughtful-like. Ryo did seem to be the most acute of the five to the armor bond. “He represents the armor’s heart.”

“Yeah,” Touma agreed, watching Seiji. He smirked at the blonde’s expression and turned to leave; apparently Seiji hadn’t realized he’d said his thoughts aloud. “Go ahead and spoon out some soup. I’m just going to wake him up and see that he’s alright.”

Seiji frowned silently after Touma and ignored the part of himself that wanted to follow.

Opening the door after a single knock (he’d not expected an answer), Touma stuck his head into Ryo’s room before the rest followed. Pushing the door to behind him, Touma ran his eyes over Ryo’s bed as he approached and frowned.

‘I don’t think he’s moved at all since the last two times I checked on him.’ That was proof enough that something wasn’t right, if nothing else was. Nightmares or dreams, Ryo wasn’t a “quiet” sleeper; that didn’t mean the boy was loud or spoke in his sleep constantly, but that he was full of life. That wasn’t something sleep hit pause on.

“Ryo?” Touma called out softly then made a face. ‘Why talk quietly if I want to wake him?’ Rolling his eyes at himself, he stopped at the bedside and frowned down at Ryo’s clammy face. Reaching out he pressed his wrist to Ryo’s forehead as Mama-Faun had always done and hissed.

“Seiji! Get up here!” he shouted, looking to the door but not moving from Ryo’s bedside.

Ryo stirred, a faint moan-like sound drawing Touma’s attention back to him. “Tou?” he breathed, blinking bright blue eyes half open; those eyes were unnaturally bright even for Ryo.

“Hey F.L., how ya feeling?” Touma asked, voice significantly softer then a moment ago.

“Tired,” Ryo spoke quietly as if with great effort. His hands curled on the blankets and held them closer. “’N cold.”

Seiji entered the room at that point, mused hair the only indication that he’d run up from the kitchen.

“What is it?” Seiji asked as he approached looking between the two, his eyes lingering on Ryo’s notably pale face.

“Ryo’s burning up but freezing,” Touma replied, turning to look back at Ryo.

“A summer cold?” Seiji mussed, taking Touma’s place at Ryo’s side. He reached out and felt the boy’s face. Frowning faintly he tugged the blankets down and made a sound of annoyance when Ryo wouldn’t let them go. “Ryo,” he drew, his tone warning.

Some color returned to Ryo’s face, centered around his cheeks. “’M not dressed,” he muttered, turning his head away.

Understanding lit Seiji’s eyes but his expression didn’t soften. Prying the sheets from him, Seiji made a point of lowering them to just past Ryo’s shoulders. “Have you eaten anything today?” he demanded quietly. Shin had spoken to him earlier, mildly frustrated himself because of Ryo. Apparently the younger boy had ignored both Shin and Shu that morning before going back upstairs without eating or even seeming to realize they were there.

“Not hungry,” Ryo muttered. He shivered when Seiji pressed his fingers to his throat, the sudden warmth rising goose bumps across his flesh.

Sighing, Seiji pulled the blankets back up to Ryo’s throat and turned to Touma. “Get him some cloths. There’s Tylenol in the bathroom medicine cabinet, give him two. I’ll be back up with some soup and water shortly.”

Touma nodded but it went unseen; Seiji had already turned his back and was walking away. Releasing a heavy breath, he turned to Ryo’s closet and dresser and searched for some suitably warm yet comfortable clothing. Once he did, he braced himself for the loosing battle to get the older boy dressed.

  ****

Touma dropped into his chair across from Seiji and moved his spoon listlessly through his soup. “Alright, now I’m worried.”

Two hours had passed since Ryo got himself dressed and they got him medicated and fed. All the symptoms seemed to point towards a cold, though Touma thought Seiji was just as reluctant as he to believe that was all there was to it. Now that they had actually spoken of it, they realized some of the symptoms had been building up for too long to be a simple cold.

And through all that they still hadn’t heard from Shin or the hospital.

Inclining his head, Seiji moved his bowl aside. “I agree. This just isn’t like Shin, regardless of Shu’s condition. They should have told him something by now.”

“Yeah….” Sighing, Touma pushed away from the table and gathered their untouched food. “Movie?” he asked, knowing neither of them would get any sleep until they got a call.

Seiji nodded and went to help him put the food away. Neither were willing to waste the energy pretending nothing was wrong. Nor did either wish to dwell on the fact that there was little they could do about it.

Leaving Touma to wipe down the dishes, Seiji went to browse the movies. Releasing a heavy breath, he just picked one at random and set up the VCR. Touma had joined him by the time the previews started; Seiji turned to find the younger sprawled haphazardly in one of the padded chairs.

Rolling his eyes, Seiji ignored Touma’s amused smirk and claimed the couch for himself. Stretching himself out on his side, he made a soft sound when his back popped. A relaxed air fell over them as the movie started and they could almost forget the troubles that plagued them.

The silence lingered as the credits rolled. Touma released a soft breath and dropped his head back to the chair’s arm rest and stared unseeing at the ceiling. “Think we should try calling the hospital?”

Seiji shook his head as he sat up. “You going to flip through the phone book?”

Touma cast the blond a flat look then frowned.

“Don’t look at me-” Seiji started with a frown of his own, but Touma interrupted him.

“Shut up.” Sitting up and twisting to put his feet on the floor, the blue-haired boy wasn’t looking at Seiji but the stairs.

“What is it?” asked softly. Seiji followed the boy’s gaze to the stairs, not yet entertaining the possibility that the younger was playing a game with him.

Touma didn’t say anything and Seiji shut the television off. A muffled voice drifted down to them, soft enough to have been the wind. But the loud crash to follow was unmistakably that of a body hitting the floor.

“Ryo!” they both started rather then shouted and jumped up. Racing up the stairs, Seiji reached the door first.

The boy was on the floor, tangled in his sheets with what looked like one leg still trapped on top of the bed. His expression was one of sharp pain and horror. And he was thrashing as if in the throes of a nightmare.

“Shit!” Seiji cursed and moved immediately to the pinned leg before Ryo could break it. Touma was right behind him and kneeled to try and wake Ryo.

“Ryo, come on. Wake up,” Touma wasn’t having much success. Ryo’s expression was still twisted. Looking up to Seiji, he shifted up while the blond leaned down and together they picked the boy up and dumped him back onto the bed. Ryo woke with a scream.

Sitting straight up, Ryo clutched the sheets to his stomach. His long sleeves were twisted around his arms but he didn’t notice. He didn’t notice anything.

Touma took a seat on the bed edge out of Ryo’s reach and watched the older boy’s expression intently. “Ryo?” he spoke softly, giving Ryo an anchor to shake off the nightmare’s hold.

Blinking, focus and awareness slowly retu8rned to still too-bright eyes. “Tou-?” he broke off into a small coughing fit. That was all Touma needed though and he moved forward; he pressed his wrist to Ryo’s forehead as the fit died down.

“Still too warm,” he murmured. Leaning over to the nightstand, he grabbed the water glass there and held it up to Ryo. Then he sat back and waited.

Seiji waited for Ryo’s faint “Thank you” before moving forward himself. Ryo laid back down onto his bed as if with great effort. The blond tugged the sheets up for him and took a seat opposite of Touma. “What’s going on Ryo?” Seiji asked softly, violet eyes intent.

Ryo tried to look away but Seiji caught his chin; he would not be ignored. “Why didn’t you say anything about these nightmares?”

Faint surprise flickered in Ryo’s eyes but he lowered them before either could see anything else. “I…it’s, they’re nothing,” he whispered, unseen hands clinching beneath the sheets. “They’re not visions,” he was quick to add before either could drill him. He really didn’t want to deal with the both of them together; they worked far too well and played off of the other far too easily. But then, better them then Shin; even with his eyes hidden, the brunette wouldn’t be so easily fooled.

“‘Nothing’ doesn’t cause you to fall out of bed,” Touma pointed out, not nearly as droll as Seiji would have been. Nightmares of Arago after the wars had done so maybe once or twice.

Ryo shook his head, not really hearing him. “Where’s Shin?” he demanded quietly, surprising the two boys.

Sharing a look, Touma slowly turned his gaze back to Ryo and answered just as slowly. “At the hospital still, with Shu.”

Ryo’s eyes were hard when he lifted his head then, and he was focused on Touma. “What happened to Shu?” One wouldn’t know he was ill, nor just woken.

“There was an accident in the kitchen and he was burned with boiling oil. We were still out practicing.” Seiji answered when Touma remained silent; neither had expected that reaction from Ryo though both knew better.

Ryo looked noticeably paler, a feat considering how pale he already was. “And Shin’s been with him since?” He watched the two share a long look but gave no reaction to it.

Their own worry about Shin returned double fold and they pinned Ryo. How could the boy claim no visions then turn around and drill them with such intensity?

“What’s going on Ryo?” Touma questioned quietly.

“What’s happened?” Seiji continued, just as solid, just as intense.

Ryo didn’t look like he would give. But after another minute he slipped down into the bed, his energy gone and expression drawn. His exhaustion and illness had apparently caught up to him. “He’s hurt. Closer than the hospital.”

Their heartbeat filled their ears; Touma morbidly thought there should have been lightning cracking outside. Another beat and Seiji was up and gone from the room; Touma too was up, but remained to put Ryo back comfortably.

Slipping shoes and a jacket on, Seiji grabbed the flashlight he’d snagged from the hall closet and was out of the house in under four minutes. It was dark out, the night lit only by the light of the stars; the moon was new and so denied the earth her guidance.

‘I don’t know what exactly I’m looking for. But Ryo’s right, now that I’m seeking Shin I can feel an echo of his pain and a strong determination.’ He got a mile down the path and road before it occurred to him that if Shin had been in a car accident then he should be hearing sirens. But then again it was late and they were out of the way. The cab company would surely know if something had happened to one of their drivers….

“Shin!” he bellowed, cupping his mouth to imitate a speaker phone. He still felt the older boy’s determination, which meant he was still conscious.

Moving forward still, Seiji was about to call out again when a sound and sense drew his attention. Angling down the path, he followed the two at a run .Yelling out again, he knew it was Shin he heard not a moment later in response. He was going in the right direction and pushed himself further; and within the minute right over the small cliff-side.

  ****

“I told you Touma,” Ryo groused before the boy could start in on him; he could see that gleam in the younger’s eyes. “They’re not visions, just nightmares. Probably from the fever.”

Touma pursed his lips and continued to stare down at the boy, arms crossed before his chest. “Then what was that whole deal over Shin?”

Gritting his teeth, Ryo refused to look at him and rolled over onto his side. “I didn’t see anything. I just knew.” Ryo pulled the blankets up to his chin and left it at that. He knew Touma wouldn’t let it go just yet and so he was prepared to ignore the young archer.

“Then why didn’t you know about Shu?”

Ryo did roll his head back enough to glare darkly at Touma for that. A flame unrelated to his fever danced within his eyes as all the implications of that demand played out for him.

He looked away when a trace of unease flashed in Touma’s eyes; the boy was a genius but didn’t always have a way with words. Or with people, but that had already seen a vast improvement on.

“I was already…asleep,” passed out more like. “I knew something had happened but I…couldn’t wake up.” Ryo shook his head, tugged the blanket back up and fell silent.

Touma let his arms drop to his sides and was silent in his small guilt. It was neither Ryo’s fault nor choice that he was more sensitive to Shin, and to Seiji as well. It might be because those two had been “sensitive” prior to the union of their spirits with Ryo’s; that was Touma’s theory at least. It wasn’t something they talked about though; they all knew and understood this, the fact and the concept.

Ryo suddenly tensed and curled tighter. Concerned, Touma started to reach for him but the boy turned his head to glance back and glare at the blue-haired youth. “Get out,” he growled.

Touma frowned and leaned further forward but hesitated; he could see a thin stream of tears on Ryo’s cheeks. “What’s wrong?” he demanded instead.

Eyes narrowing further, Ryo unwrapped an arm and lashed out at Touma. “Get out!”

Jerking back to avoid the blow, dark blue eyes narrowed in anger and frustration. “Fine.” Spinning on his heel, Touma left the room and shut the door soundly behind him. But not before he heard the tell-tale signs of Ryo throwing up.

When he reached the base of the stairs, Touma was hit with a staggering wave of…it was gone before he could label it and yet he could still feel it weighing heavy on him. He blinked and found himself standing in the open front door when he knew Seiji had closed it not ten minutes ago.

“What the hell is going on?” he muttered to himself, scanning the yard with narrowed eyes. He wasn’t certain how he crossed the fifty-plus feet in but a heartbeat with no armor or awareness. It would have been as worrisome as that psychic (could he call it that? Maybe emotional, but neither seemed apt) wave if he wasn’t already certain he had done it on his own.

“Where are you two?” he muttered once more, looking beyond where the road ended.

  ****

After a quarter hour Touma felt he had waited long enough, if not too long. He pulled on his shoes and jacket, grabbed the flash light he’d gotten from the kitchen pantry and ran out. He was on the drive way when he realized the batteries were dead and threw the piece of plastic in the porch’s general direction.

‘Alright Seiji,’ he thought as he ran. ‘Where the hell are you?’ Not a mile from the manner he tripped and went rolling head over heels, cursing the instant his head grazed the concrete road. He swore it was somehow Seiji’s doing just to be a prick; the fact that the boy’s laughter soon filled the air cemented that notion and made Touma’s heart try to jump from his chest.

“Seiji!” he snapped, jumping to his feet; he had to squint in the blonde’s general direction as Seiji seemed intent on blinding him with a flashlight.

“’Bout time you got your ass out here. Was Ryo that much trouble?” There was an underlying note of hardness to the tease that caught somebody’s attention.

“Get the damn light out of my face Seiji.” Touma growled, hand raised to shield his eyes. “Did you find Shin?”

“Yes,” the light was dropped and Touma started walking the few feet between them. “Now would you mind giving me a hand with him?” Seiji adjusted his grip.

Touma frowned then gasped quietly and hurried to Shin’s other side. “God Shin,” he breathed.

“It’s not so bad,” Shin quietly assured; his voice was too gravely, too weak to do much though. He offered a wan almost-smile when Touma helped lift and support him.

“Not so ba- Shin, I can smell the blood!”

“Let’s just get home,” Seiji interrupted with a touch of soft exasperation. “Argue about it then.”

Touma consented and they started walking, but he didn’t remain silent. “Why weren’t you carrying him Seiji?” he demanded for two reasons. One, Seiji was strong enough without his armor to do so, as was Shu; the second was Shin would smack him if he truly had the energy.

Instead he got a strained but clearly amused laugh out of Shin. The brunette grimaced for it though, his steps faltering. “He took a tumble before finding me. Almost had to break his fall if the light hadn’t beaten him down.”

“Shit, what’d you break?” Touma wasn’t amused, despite the small trace of teasing to his tone.

“I didn’t break anything,” Seiji replied tersely.

Shin suddenly stopped between them and Touma looked at him in concern. He didn’t see near as much pain in the elder’s expression as he’d expected, and far too much attention for his liking.

“What is it?” Touma whispered, scanning the area. The hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stood on-end and Seiji whispered, “I feel it too.” Something was watching them.

“Either of you have your orbs?” Shin whispered. He could feel the weight of his own in his front pocket as he felt their twin headshakes. Shin still had his from practice, but the other two had changed and put them away.

A shiver trailed down Shin’s bare back. He opened his mouth to suggest they get moving once more when a noise froze his voice in his throat. A low rumble from something large, angry, and ready to attack. And they still couldn’t find the eyes in the forest that where watching them.