Red Royal Flush

IV. Room-hate

*Spotify playlist for the chapter, brought to you by @_anasta: Red Royal Flush on Spotify

"Why- why do I have this?! Did you do that?"

"Please, calm down mop-head..." groaned a teen in a corner of the room. 

With a swift movement, the latter did away with the bead of sweat settled on his chin. The sunlight shone on his greasy hair, revealing the dark circles surrounding his tired eyes. "As far as we're all concerned, you're the only one of us who hasn't done shit since the beginning."

"I didn't ask for your opinion," Zenitsu retorted.

"Well, I didn't ask for your permission either. We've been fighting all day long, meditating until dusk, and coming back to you sleeping without a care in the world." The dark-haired teen spat on his straw mat to punctuate his words. "And you're worried about your stupid bandages?"

At a frantic pace, the blond moved about restlessly inside his dorm, ignoring his roommates. He had woken up with a bandage tightly wrapped around his head, and no memories left from the day before. 

"You're making such a dumb face, Monitsu," laughed Insouke.

"That's called being anxious, if you didn't learn about that concept growing up in the mountains." Zenitsu sighed, fiddling with his fingers. "I have this stupid sleepwalking habit, and I need to know if I did anything wrong in the meantime."

Gazing out the window, the blond stared at the sunny sky. He wished his mind would be as clear as the day.

"So," said the blond, "you're saying I disappeared for a few hours and I reappeared in bed with that... thing on?" 

"Yeah," sighed Inosuke. "Aoi says she didn't tend to your wounds; someone else did."

"Who?!" 

"Do you think I'm some kind of itako, Pennitsu?" 

"Well, I wish you were! Then you'd be blind, and it'd save me some time..." mocked the blond. "Besides, may I remind you you're walking on thin ice after you've literally charged into me?"

"I'd beg to differ."

Zenitsu glanced at the door like the evil had knocked at it. Aoi was staring at him mischievously, and she loved that scared look on his face. It felt better than the lecherous glares the other fighters were giving her, products of long days without having touched a girl nor themselves. 

Zenitsu knew some boys helped each other out. It was usually seen as a sign of humiliation — the greatest one, belonging to the loser of the daily sparring. Another reason for Zenitsu to avoid those training sessions. 

"Huh?" huffed the boar. "Why do you wanna differ?"

Aoi walked up to the chaotic duo, shooting daggers at whoever dared to leer at her. "Probably because Kanao destroyed your ass in an instant? You weren't actually able to charge into the exile; she was much stronger than you."

"Do you wanna fight to check this out, minion? I could make you kneel in a second !"

"Such a pain in the ass... Keep your fantasies away from me." Zenitsu smiled at Aoi's comment. "In any case, I do not fight: I heal. It is very much easier to break a vase than to repair it, mind you, so I'd keep that ego to myself if I were you." 

Inosuke groaned, finding it hard to criticize Aoi. He was too cocky to admit his feelings for her.

"Are you here to make me attend one of your breathing sessions?" Zenitsu asked.

"I wish. Trust me, I really do. But I have this for you instead." She presented him a piece of paper, very bland at first sight. But it was stamped with the imperial sign.