i need you so much closer

Three days? Kunai frowned, tired brows pressed together as he tried to think. He'd been here, already, for three whole days? How long did it take to get here from the beach cave? He couldn't remember any of it and he groaned a bit in annoyance as his eyes squeezed shut and he rubbed his head with an orange paw. Dropping his paw, he looked back to Usagi with a frown and sadness in his eyes. Did he make him worry? Did he add extra work to the smaller man's day? Had he been a burden? The den smelled strongly of Usagi and he wondered if the man had opened up his den to him, or if the man had instead been spending all of his time caring for him in a hospital den.

"I'm sorry, Usagi. I didn't mean to burden you," he said softly as he looked away and down to his paws and the fish before him, frowning. This wasn't how he wanted to find his old friend, to get sick to the point his friend thought he was going to die and had to take care of him for a minimum of three days. He wished he could remember any of the trip here, to know exactly how long he was a burden to his old friend.

When he spoke next, the words sounded familiar. Usagi had mentioned Tōjō-kai before back at the beach. He could remember that much, and going to the den... but there was nothing after that until now. The absence of warmth he felt on his back prior suggested that Usagi had been wrapped around him, but he didn't want to get ahead of himself. He was probably imaging things and only pulled the blanket off his back when he moved. That made more sense, right?

"They'll let me stay?" his tone was a mixture of confusion and mild excitement. For whatever reason, he assumed word would have been sent back about him and sent him away, to return home. He had run away from Iga after all, though he doubted they really wanted him back if anything other than to punish him for running. His parents certainly didn't want him back. Was staying a good idea though? Despite his feelings for the man sitting so close to him, he would never forgive himself for burdening him. Of course he didn't stop to think that he would likely be dead if it weren't for Usagi taking care of him and bringing him back here, to his home.

Even if Tōjō-kai let him stay, wanted him to stay to pay of his debt, did Usagi want him to stay? Certainly the smaller man hadn't enjoyed taking care of him for the past three plus days. With mismatched eyes lost in thought while focused on the fish between his paws, he couldn't bring himself to look at the man before he asked a question he was afraid to know the answer to. "Do you want me to stay?" his voice was barely above a whisper, soft and somewhat sad as he blinked back the tears forming in his eyes while expecting the worst.

"Speech!"

Code © Skelle 2022