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 Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 7:34 pm
 
This is a private roleplay between Ran [Logue] and Jianyu [Kuro-Mizuki].
Setting :
Bear Country
Whilst out hunting in the woods, Jianyu comes face-to-face with a rather large, rather hungry bear. Thankfully, Ran and his brothers are nearby to rectify the situation before it becomes... unbearable.
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Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 11:25 pm
They stalked through the woods swiftly and quietly, the only interaction between the brothers being a quick nod or a simple hand gesture. Haruki and Fuyuki led the trio, being the more experienced hunters, but Ran didn't mind covering the back. It only made it easier for him to cover up his own mistakes, and learn from his brothers along the way.
He always thought it was interesting, the way twins seemed to be able to communicate better than others - that, or it was his imagination. They boasted about it often enough to make it seem legitimate, but when it came down to it, Fuyuki and Haruki were just as much each others' sibling as they were Ran's, or Ishi's; it had been personal choice that caused them to become so close, inadvertently blocking off the chance for the rest of the family to intrude. Even now, Ran felt a distance between him and them that seemed longer than the foot or so that actually separated them.
He had long since grown used to this fact, having found something close to family in Yuudai; still, he struggled to think less on that and more on surveying the terrain around them. His mind wanted nothing more than to mull over petty things like jealousy and everything else that was apparently wrong with his life, and it proved to be more of a distraction than any loud noise or sudden movement. Muttering under his breath, he wished he wasn't so prone to doing that.
A simple, wooden bow was slung over his shoulder, and in his hand an equally-simple wooden spear. His brothers bore the same weight in weaponry, although it had been agreed that Ran would handle game of the avian variety. He had no complaints; he needed more practice in shooting birds, anyway.
... well. He needed more practice in killing a lot of things, but that was beside the point.
When his brothers abruptly stopped and stood still, their heads turned in the same direction, Ran came to his senses and also looked. It was then that he, too, heard it; the sounds of crashing and twigs snapping, bushes being laid to waste in the wake of what was possibly a sizable creature. It only took one worried glance between the two of his eldest brothers to make Ran come to the same conclusion:
"Bear," Haruki said, and the other two nodded. Ran was beginning to feel a knot in his stomach, which showed in a sickly expression.
Fuyuki tapped his index finger against his temple. "That, or a very large deer," he quipped, but readied his spear nonetheless.
Ran, meanwhile, was standing in the back and staring attentively toward the source of the noise. When he gripped his spear in both hands, he cast a cynical look to the two of them, tone lacking the good humor Fuyuki somehow managed to find in any given situation.
"We are wasting valuable time. Someone might be dying as we speak," he said gravely, and Haruki nodded, his mouth drawn down in an exaggerated frown. Ran scowled. The lack of maturity in his family was astounding.
Haruki waved a hand dismissively, adopting a serious expression. "Alright, enough of that. Ran is right - even if it is only animals romping about, we should check it out. A disturbance in nature could mean many things." Only mollified somewhat, Ran nodded his agreement, and they worked their way toward the source of the disturbance. What they saw was certainly unusual.
A young man was being chased by a bear. They were crashing through the brush and creating quite a scene, yet, all Ran could really wonder was why the bear was chasing the man to begin with. His brothers were quick to leap to action, shouting an order for Ran to help the man while they distracted the bear. Ran did as he was told, overcome with the strange numbness that always seemed to accompany simply following what he was told without much thought.
The bear reared up onto its hind legs, bellowing a warning to his older brothers, but Ran couldn't allow himself to be distracted by the impending doom. They would be alright. They always were. If it had been Fuyuki, alone, he would be dead, but he had Haruki with him. He grit his teeth and assured himself that they would be alright.
"Are you alright?" he asked of the older Lunarian, alive with fear and the feeling of knowing he was seconds away from possibly being eaten by a bear. They truly had no time to waste. "Come with me! My brothers will handle this."
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Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 3:59 pm
Jianyu did not much appreciate the bear disrupting his hunting. He was even less pleased when the creature in question decided that Jianyu was, in fact, its next meal and attempted to swipe his head off with one very large paw. All he had been doing was following the trail of a stag he had seen earlier, and he had just been getting close to catching it when he had been very rudely interrupted by the damn thing.
At first, he had done the obvious - shot at it with his bow. His arrow had struck the beast in one of its paws, and it had let out a most horrendous screech before turning a black-eyed glare in Jianyu's direction. He had attempted to shoot it a second time, but one quick swing of the bear's paw and Jianyu had four large, deep gashes raked across his upper arm. Needless to say, he thought it best to perhaps leave the creature to itself and make his way back to town.
Most unfortunately the bear had followed him.
So now, here he was, running from the stupid thing like he was a child. But his arm was aching, and blood had begun to seep through the cloth, so he did not see any way around his situation but running.
He had, however, not expected to run into a young man. Full on. Jianyu staggered backwards, clutching his arm and glancing in surprise at the dark haired person standing in front of him, an impatient expression on his face. Without hesitating, Jianyu reached out, gripped the younger man's wrist, and ran after him, just as he heard the all-too-familiar twang of a bowstring. There was an angry roar from the bear, then another twang, but the sounds faded after a few moments and Jianyu slowed his pace down, reaching a hand up to swipe at his hair.
"Thank you for your assistance." he said, slightly out of breath. "I am afraid I let the creature get the best of me. May I inquire as to your name?"
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Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2010 1:00 am
He noted with some relief that the man, at least, was calm, although it did little to quell the hammering of his heart in his chest when he thought of what they had just left behind. He would have dearly loved to express just how dire the situation was, and how likely it was that his brothers would not leave these woods without injury, but now was not the time for that. It rarely ever was; apparently, people did not much enjoy hearing his cynical viewpoint.
He cast an attentive eye over the man's person, brow furrowing at the bleeding wounds on his forearm. If not treated soon, the wound could become extremely dangerous. He had to act quickly.
His gaze flickered up toward the man's face, but his focus was split between hastily digging through his pack in search of bandages and worrying over the current state of not only his brothers, but the bear. He knew his brothers would not kill the bear; rather, they probably wouldn't be able to on their own. Not in a timely manner. Bears were sacred creatures, but deeper than that, those were his brothers fending it off for a stranger. He bit his lip and worried and worried.
They wouldn't properly take care of the wounds, for they needed to be cleaned, but the wraps he withdrew would at least help slow the bleeding long enough to get him to a safer place where such procedures could take place. He eyed them keenly before looking up into the man's face, brow bent but expression cleared.
"My name is Saito Ran. Please give me your arm," he replied shortly, only noticing his tone after the words had left his mouth. He gave the man an apprehensive look, beckoning for him to comply by gesturing sternly with his hand.
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Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2010 11:01 pm
Jianyu (somewhat reluctantly) extended his arm towards the young man, wincing as he did so. Under normal circumstances, he did not really like being cared for by someone else - especially by someone he did not know - but these were not exactly normal circumstances. Not to mention, the ripping pain that seared through him just at that small movement was enough to make him swallow his pride and let this particular person - Saito Ran - wrap the white cloth bandages over the cuts.
"I am sorry to be taking up your time." Jianyu said apologetically as the young man worked. "And I am sorry to have your...friends..? are they? come to my rescue. I did not anticipate my hunting period being interrupted by such a creature."
Jianyu's eyes moved across the man's face, eyeing him carefully. Though he - Saito Ran - was helping him, his movements slow and gentle - Jianyu could not help but feel somewhat wary of strangers. Lunaria was at a time of war, and it was only natural to be on guard of an attack at any time. Though most fights occurred during the eveningtimes, when it was dark and identities could be well hidden within the shadows of night, this did not mean that the Legions and the Nobles did not ambush one another during the daytime.
"I am...Qian Jianyu." he said cautiously. "I am a loyal follower of the Legion, and though I do not know your alliance, I feel somewhat in your debt, as you have saved me from a rather...shall we say, unpleasant fate."
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Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 4:23 pm
"My brothers," Ran cut in, only glancing up momentarily to take in Jianyu's appearance with a critical eye. He found it was impolite to stare, but his curiosity bade him to continue sneaking glances, until he felt that it was becoming ridiculous. He sighed.
"It is no trouble," he said, voice hitching at the end as he gave the bandages one good, last yank. He had been preoccupied with worry before, but when he began to take notice of Jianyu's demeanor and tone, he realized that the other was being just as cautious as he was. That was something he could appreciate, and certainly understand.
He looked up again at the mention of 'Legion'.
Giving his newly-bandaged arm a once-over, he touched a hand upon it with a sense of finality, then proceeded to put everything away. "Jianyu," he repeated, resting a hand on his hip while the other gripped his spear. "I, too, am a follower of the Legion, although I have yet to graduate the academy. I suppose I would not be considered a 'true' warrior, yet, but I am happy to offer my services." As if to emphasize the gravity of the situation, he added somberly, "You could have died. It is not wise to provoke a bear, if that is what happened."
A crashing sound - familiar yet different at the same time - caused Ran's head to snap in its direction, and his grip on his crude spear to tighten. His body tensed, but relaxed with a flood of warmth - which he suspected flowed directly to his face, as it was prone to do - when he recognized the forms of two Lunarians bursting through the brush. Haruki and Fuyuki, alive but not unscathed. He breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
"Ho! The bear is gone, but he took my pride with him!" Fuyuki said with a laugh, and then an 'ow' as Haruki leaned his weight against him. "Is the man alright? It looks like you took care of him." Haruki nodded sternly, his expression reminding Ran where he got his own mannerisms from. He returned the gesture.
"Well?" Haruki asked, resting his hands on his hips. "Are you going to invite him back to our home, or send him on his way?"
Ran looked mildly bemused by his question, until it dawned on him that he had been quite rude to this man the entirety of their meeting. Circumstances had seen to that, but it was not right or proper to treat anyone with such coldness on their first meeting.
Shifting and feeling a bit awkward, Ran extended a hand toward Jianyu, expectant but also - he hoped - politely inviting. He cleared his throat.
"Would you... would you like to come to my home for a short while? We have many herbs that could ease your discomfort."
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Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 8:01 pm
Jianyu was somewhat relieved to hear that Ran was another follower of the Legion. Not that he would have object to a Noble fixing his arm, but the fact that Ran was on the same side as him made it easier to communicate with him. He relaxed visibly, his shoulders going slack as he reached up, absently touching his newly bandaged arm.
"I thank you for your advice." Jianyu said, ducking his head in a small bow of respect. Ran's voice was serious, and not particularly forgiving, but Jianyu found his blunt tone rather refreshing. "The next time I am hunting, I will make sure to be wary of any creatures around me so as not to be in the same situation once more."
Jianyu was interrupted from his thanks by the loud arrival of the two men from before - Ran's brothers, he had said. They looked somewhat worse for the wear - both had a series of scratches and cuts down their arms, and several on their faces - but they were very much alive and still quite energetic for someone who had just fought an angry beast. Ran looked quite uncomfortable with their jives, and had turned towards him, extending one hand. Jianyu gave a small nod, the barest hint of a smile touching his lips as he reached forward, taking Ran's proffered hand.
"Thank you." he said, shaking it before hauling himself to his feet. "I would very much appreciate it if I may take rest at your place of residence."
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Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 10:57 pm
As if he hadn't expected anything but, Ran nodded at Jianyu's polite agreement. He knew his mother would want to take a look at the man, and while that would be more embarrassing than anything, it would at least ensure that the wound did not become infected and endanger his life. Yes, this would work out nicely, even if his brothers were going to give the new man hell for his encounter. They teased too much.
Haruki and Fuyuki took the lead, as they always did, and Ran followed behind with Jianyu. He kept an eye on everything around them to the best of his ability, not bothering to worry about appearing "paranoid" due to his habitually lazy and somber face. If anything, he hoped he didn't seem annoyed by the disruption in their hunting trip. He was, a little, but there would be other days to hunt.
While his brothers chatted between themselves in hushed tones - always keeping secrets, Ran thought, and bit the inside of his lip gently - he allowed himself to relax a bit and look at Jianyu.
He didn't bother to hide how curious he was about him, and it was obvious that he wanted to begin the questioning. Everything - from his clothing to his much-better weapon - suggested someone who either came from a more privileged family, or someone who had worked hard to become something worthy of respect. It was unnerving to imagine that someone of such status felt indebted to him, a mere hunter and... student.
The silence had to be broken. He cleared his throat quietly and toyed with loosely lacing his fingers together at the tips.
"We will offer you what we can, but I hope you understand that my family sustains itself by living off of the land." He rubbed his cheek, thinking, and went on bluntly. "You do not look the type to nest and devour everything within sight, however, so I do not think you need to be told that."
He shrugged a shoulder, unaware of his own tone. He had the habit of being blunt - and, by association, rude - but he gave Jianyu a clear look, his grave expression broken by a sliver of a smile. "I only hope you find our accommodations worthy of a warrior."
Anyone who knew Ran well enough would have known it was less of a worry and more of a subtle threat; he would have been gravely offended by anyone who dared to insult his home, but he would be surprised to find a family that wasn't at least proud of itself in some way.
He had a good feeling about Jianyu, though. The man seemed honest. Guarded, but honest. Like himself.
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Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 12:58 pm
Jianyu followed the older brothers, himself and Ran walking a few feet behind them. His arm was starting to ache slightly, and had already started to seep through the hasty bandage wrapped around it, but he kept his pace up to walk with the youngest brother. Ran's face was solemn, a serious expression that did not quite match his brothers, but it was not altogether unpleasant.
"Oh," said Jianyu, momentarily startled out of his internal thoughts by the man in question speaking to him. He gave a small laugh, shaking his head lightly. "No, I am not the type to 'devour' things, as you so out it. I understand your situation, and I am grateful that you are willing to share what you have gleaned from you and your family's hard work."
Ran's tone had been slightly blunt, causing Jianyu to raise an eyebrow, but he was not taken aback, nor was he insulted at the underlying message implied in his careful voice. If anything, he was a tad impressed that Ran was confident enough in himself to speak so candidly to someone who was theoretically "above" him. Although Jianyu did not particularly like to make these distinctions.
"I'm sure whatever you can offer me will be perfectly acceptable." Jianyu answered, giving a small nod towards the other young man. Despite their somewhat...unusual meeting and rather unorthodox situation, he rather liked Ran, at least what he had seen so far. The young man seemed to be a good sort of person, someone that wouldn't do anything rash. And Jianyu approved of that.
"So, where is this house of yours, if I may ask?" Jianyu said.
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Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 2:05 pm
He did not seem to take offense. Good. There were times (often) when Ran got himself into trouble by speaking his mind so bluntly, but he had never seen the point in sugar-coating things. His family was not rich, nor were they especially good at anything other than hunting and supporting themselves. Times were hard. He cast Jianyu a quick, appreciative glance for his understanding.
"Thank you," he said, listlessly holding a hand out and letting a few leaves drag across his palm. "I like people who do not take everything personally." It was a bold statement, but it was also the truth. He wondered if Jianyu would let this one roll off of his shoulder like a bead of rain on a leaf, too. The man was intriguing, to say the least - and made him feel more and more like a country bumpkin by the second. He sighed.
"I live on the outskirts of the woods," he said somewhat wearily, pointing forward. Beyond the woods was the beginning of a clearing, and surrounding that, more woods, and then the city. A large river cut and wove around the woods, advantageous in the summer and troublesome in the winter. Once, his family had used markers to find their way around; now, they knew the land surrounding their home well enough to navigate with ease, and did not require any bent twigs or marks on trees. The latter still remained, old scratches mostly weathered away.
"I do not know how familiar you are with the woods, but --"
"Ran!" one of his brothers cut in. They were both standing and staring at Ran and Jianyu, eyebrows raised. They looked so much alike, Ran had to do a doubletake.
"We are at the river, and we will need to cross it to be home fastest. How is your friend going to get across?" Haruki asked, motioning to Jianyu - who was already an apparent "friend" of his. Ran closed his eyes briefly and thought.
"I will help you," Ran decided, nodding in Jianyu's direction but not quite looking at him. He was thinking of how he was going to manage that - he had said it so confidently, but would he be able to properly support another's weight and make it across? The river wasn't exactly the swiftest, but it could easily derail someone and cause them to lose their footing if they weren't careful. He bit his lip and looked fully at Jianyu, now, gaze apprehensive.
He didn't have much of a choice. He was the only one not injured, and he knew Haruki and Fuyuki would need each other's shoulder to cart their hunting equipment - and each other - across. The weather was growing colder, and the ground was quickly softening in that familiar, muddy terrain he knew so well by now.
"I worry about your health, and the longer we sit and contemplate, the worse it becomes. Come." He shifted the contents of his day's supplies to one shoulder, holding his arm out for Jianyu. "Lean on me. I will help you across."
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Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 3:11 pm
"People who take everything personally tend to be less satisfied with their lives than those who do not." Jianyu said, absently twisting the beads in his hair with his uninjured hand. "I have found it to be too much of a hassle to become offended at every small comment, and too draining to put much effort into that offense. It is far more interesting to see what it is that people have to say, rather than tire oneself out by being offended by it."
He felt somewhat like he was rambling, and Jianyu stopped abruptly, his face tinging a pale red. He glanced over at Ran, the man's stoic expression giving no insight as to what he might have been thinking. It was actually somewhat refreshing, rather than having someone expressing themselves a little too frequently.
"Ah," Jianyu said haltingly as he looked back and forth across the woods that stretched out a good few yards in either direction. "I am not...that is to say, I am not good with directions in these woods..."
He trailed off, his gaze moving towards Ran's older brothers. The two men looked quite similar, but Jianyu had spent enough time growing up with his own twin brothers to detect the small differences in them enough to tell them apart. Although, with these two, since he did not know them as well, it would take some time remembering those details. Jianyu turned back to Ran, his expression somewhat concerned.
"I..." he said, then stopped. Ran was showing him an act of kindness, and though his feet were well enough, Jianyu's body itself was still exhausted and rather weakened by the blood lost from his injury. He stepped over to Ran, giving him a small nod of acknowledgment, and slid his arm over Ran's shoulders, resting his weight against the other man's side.
"I appreciate your kindness." Jianyu said, somewhat awkwardly as he shifted to try and hold onto Ran tighter, so as to not lose his grip. "I am sorry I am a burden to you."
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Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 5:13 pm
"Not a burden," Ran said automatically, grunting at the added weight. He wasn't certain as to why he had insisted on practically carrying the man across, but he supposed whatever reasons could easily be summed up by his own, morbid imagination. One small slip, and the weakened Jianyu would be swept away and carried... downstream, where the waters were much harsher. He could already see it, and so tightly grasped the man's waist with his free arm, nodding at his brothers to begin the crossing.
He would probably find amusement in hearing Ran's thoughts on their predicament, this man. Being likened to some helpless creature wasn't exactly a compliment in any way, shape or form; not that he meant to be insulting. Jianyu seemed perfectly capable, if not a little directionally-challenged and, perhaps... reckless. No one meant to be caught alone with a bear (no one sane), but he still saw him as being a bit reckless. That, or incredibly brave. Whatever the case, he was certainly lucky, if anything.
Haruki whistled and did as they had done, leaning against his brother. "All grown up," he teased, and Fuyuki nodded as if he had not gotten the joke. When the two of them began their way across the water, Ran gave himself and his companion a once-over to make sure everything was in order.
It really was not a big deal.
Unfortunately, to Ran it was. He knew it was only a river - a wide one, certainly, and one that had a muddy, slippery bottom and that led to rocks and rapids and whatnot as it traveled farther into the woods - but he would be damned if he could manage to go a day without imagining at least five horrible things that could happen. Things he, of course, had to voice.
Giving Jianyu a wary look, he raised a brow at him and asked, "Ready?" and left it at that; of course, there was no time to sit around and tarry any longer. He had asked out of politeness, but it was time to go.
He had to raise his voice to be heard above the water. As they stepped in, he would offer a few short, curt warnings, such as "Careful," and "Don't move too quickly." Jianyu was certainly able to handle himself, but if the worst did happen, he did not want to be the one to be responsible for someone's death. Not like this.
Slowly, they dredged their way across the river. Ran kept his arm firmly around his waist to steady them, haphazardly gripping his things to his side and praying that nothing would be dropped.
When they were safely across, he stopped them a short ways away from the bank and began his inspection of Jianyu's person. He spared not his feelings as he looked him over, checked his clothing for any clinging plant or wildlife, nodding in satisfaction when he seemed alright. His gaze flicked from his hand to his eyes, mouth bent down into a slight frown. "You did well. Are you feeling alright?"
He paused, finally feeling the weight of his constant rudeness. "I... forgive me. I have been nothing but nosy and rude to you this entire time, and you have been extremely patient." As his sentence tapered off, he let his voice die and gave Jianyu's back a gentle pat. "But... we will discuss this later. I am hindering us again -- let us continue."
Awkward. He didn't like how suddenly aware he was of his own flaws; apparently, being around someone who was too polite to call him out on them made him self-conscious.
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Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 7:41 pm
Jianyu felt Ran's fingers tighten around his waist, pulling him closer as they moved towards the river, and he in turn pressed his arm more firmly about the younger man's shoulders, gritting his teeth. He barely had time to say "Yes, I am ready" before Ran stepped forward, into the water.
The first thought Jianyu had was that the water was like ice against his skin, and he flinched involuntarily, biting his tongue. The second thought was that it rushed about him entirely too fast, making him stagger slowly through it with Ran's help. He felt somewhat unsure, insecure of himself for relying on another, but he himself knew he would have had difficulties otherwise, with his arm injured and his body weakened, so he said nothing and leaned against Ran, letting the man half carry him across. It took quite some time, slogging through the thick mud. Jianyu could feel it clinging to his legs, and it took every ounce of self-restraint to keep walking.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, they reached the other side, and Jianyu made it a few feet onto shore, safely away from the riverbank before his legs gave way and he collapsed abruptly under Ran's inspection, gasping for breath, his fingers sliding to grip Ran's wrist. He didn't like feeling weak at all; in fact, it was somewhat humiliating, to say the least, but the bloodloss was making him slightly dizzy, a red stain beginning to show on the outside of his haphazard bandages. The injury should not have been that bad, under normal circumstances, but the overexertion of running away combined with walking a relatively decent distance was making things more difficult.
"F-forgive me." Jianyu managed to get out, his chest feeling tight. "I am...not normally...so incapable. You are very kind to be helping me, and I apologize. I can...walk, but I may...I may need a little assistance."
It was embarrassing to be so...dependent on another. So weak. Jianyu felt his face flush in a hot irritation with himself.
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Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 3:19 pm
He'd been used to supporting his brothers when they were worn out or injured - the goddess knew he'd been in that same situation himself, haggard and bloodied - enough times to be very empathetic, but the unfamiliar man he now held made him mildly uncomfortable. He knew his own family, knew that if he held them too tightly or slipped up a bit they would only scold him or give him a hard time. It wasn't out of a lack of caring toward them, he just... knew they would forgive him easily and move on. With Jianyu, he had to take extra care, even though they weren't exactly afforded the time to do so.
It was a walk that felt like forever, and he could feel the effort needed from both to remain standing. When they were on the other side, he thought they were safe. Then the man he was supposed to be supporting collapsed right under his nose.
Ran's eyes widened and a hand grasped at his wrist; he stared at it strangely, snapping out of his surprise when one of his brothers smacked him lightly on the back of the head.
"Wake up, little brother!" he heard Fuyuki chide, and he blinked a few times before grasping Jianyu's hand with both of his own and tugging him up.
"Jianyu," he breathed, urgency leaking into his name. "I-I am sorry, I didn't mean to drop you -- ahh, what am I doing?" He grew frustrated with himself when he realized he was babbling, and adjusted his hold on Jianyu so he was gripping his side protectively and anchoring him there. He would not drop him again.
Ignoring his brothers' offers of help, Ran shared the burden (not that he saw it as such) of Jianyu's weight the rest of the way to his housing, which felt long but was actually quite short. They had not wandered too far from their home, which was a bit alarming, considering how close the bear must have been. They would have to be on guard for a while - it wasn't uncommon for bears to seek out food, after all. Much like Ran, their curiosity got the better of them; that, and the need to feed themselves.
They were met at the door by his father, his face stern yet unreadable as he gazed at the battered group. What Hideharu saw first was his twin sons, supporting each other and just as tired as Jianyu but somehow managing to wear barely-suppressed smiles on their faces. What he saw next made his eyebrow raise.
Staggering behind his oldest sons was Ran, half-carrying a bloodied Lunarian. They all looked to be in need of medical aid, but this stranger needed it the most. All of this was processed in the time it took to raise his brow, and he ushered them inside, to his wife.
Haruki and Fuyuki sat down by the fire and set to patching each other up, and were immediately heckled by the youngest child and only daughter (unless you were Yuudai, who was considered an honorary daughter) of the Saito family, Ishi. Obstructed by her straight line of bangs were huge eyes that appeared as half-moons, watching Jianyu with interest and wariness while she talked quietly with her brothers. Ran only nodded to her in acknowledgment; his biggest priority was to take Jianyu to his mother, who was waiting, tense and expectant, with her medical kit out and ready.
"Ran," she said slowly, curiously, but other than that she held her tongue. She would leave the talking to her husband, who now stood by the door with Seta in his arms. The dog was staring at Ran and Jianyu in barely-contained excitement, squirming occasionally against the strong arms that held him. Once he was let go, the dog knew exactly what he wanted to do: sniff Jianyu. Everywhere. It was only a matter of time before this was possible.
As Ran gently lowered himself and Jianyu to the floor, he looked up into his mother's face with apprehension, biting the corner of his lip. "He is Legion," he said quietly, as if to reassure her that he had not brought some 'heathen Noble' into their house. His mother rolled her eyes and carefully took Jianyu's arm to begin the process of unwrapping the wound.
"Aiya! And since when has that ever mattered in this house? Come, come, let me see to that wound," she said, her tone a mixture of worry and the motherly scolding Ran knew too well. He winced but did not move, keeping a hand on Jianyu's back to support him.
His father only gave him a look, grabbed a spear, and went outside, Seta still tucked safely under his arm. Ran knew what that look meant: they would have a talk later.
He sighed.
"Mother, this is Qián Jianyu. Jianyu," he gestured briefly, "My family." Jianyu was likely too worn to properly register much, but introductions were certainly in order. It was only polite.
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Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 9:57 pm
Jianyu let Fuyuki - or was it Haruki? - help him to his feet, swaying somewhat unsteadily as he leaned back against Ran, his arm around the other man's shoulders. Ran had tightened his grip, the barest hint of red to his cheeks as he apologized. Jianyu managed to get a wan smile across, fingers digging into the other Lunarian's shoulder.
"It's...all right." he said. "It's...not as if...I haven't been dropped before."
It seemed like such a long walk back to the Saito house, but Jianyu knew that was because each step was a difficult task. In reality, he had a feeling they were somewhat close, but to be perfectly honest, he was quite focused on simply trying to stay upright and not humiliate himself more than he already had. Jianyu's head was beginning to swim. Perhaps that injury to his arm had caused more blood loss than he originally thought, although it had not seemed much at the time. Jianyu glanced down at his arm, taking in the red-soaked bandage wrapped there.
Er...perhaps it was that bad after all. Jianyu closed his eyes briefly, leaning almost his full weight on Ran as they staggered across the field to a moderately sized house near the edge. Ran's brothers pushed open the doors, and a man that looked remarkably similar to them (though years older) scrutinized them with a gaze Jianyu could not interpret. Then his eyes turned towards Ran and Jianyu, his expression shifting ever so slightly.
"Ran," said another voice, this one feminine, quieter. A woman whom Jianyu surmised was probably his mother was standing a few feet away, looking at Jianyu with a careful expression. He, however, was finding it difficult to keep standing, and was very grateful when Ran knelt, helping him to lie down on the floor.
Perhaps now his head would stop spinning so much. Jianyu gave a nod towards Ran's mother as she began to unbind the bandages around his arm, sticky with blood.
"An...honor to meet you." he said, managing a smile. "It is...unfortunate to meet under such...shameful circumstances, but I am grateful...for your assistance."
A small, barely visible flush crossed Jianyu's face and he swallowed back the desire to say more. It really was quite humiliating to have to rely on someone like this; to be reduced to lying down while someone took care of him. Not that he had anything against Saito Ran or his family; on the contrary he was going to be quite indebted to them and already held a great deal of respect towards Ran. It was just the principle of it all; having to let go of all of his pretenses and allow himself to be treated.
Jianyu sighed, flinching slightly as the bloody bandages tugged at his skin painfully.
"You know," he said, turning his face towards Ran. "I have a feeling this meeting would have been...much more dull...had I not been attacked by that bear...so at least it is unconventional...and different."
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