TEMPESTUOUS - Ichiji/Niji/Yonji x Reader

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE: Between

***(Y/N) POV***

My hand feels warm...and tingly...

Being dragged from the depths of an unconscious realm wasn't pleasant, and I fought to stay there. Wherever I was now, my head hurt, and so did my leg.

Oh yeah...I got shot...and then I...

I remembered the water. Cold, dark and deep, but now the slow, warm movements against my palm were keeping me from being lost again. Squeezing my eyes shut tighter for a moment before carefully opening. My lids must have been made of lead, because it was truly a task.

"If you're in pain, tell me. I can give you another dose of something to ease it." The first thing I saw was a blob of red, not unlike the streak of blood I had left on the cobblestone after being dragged by pirates. Eventually, that red blob began to take shape, and I realised that it was Ichiji who was talking to me.

Wait, is he..?

Not only that, but he was holding my hand, using the other to trace randomised patterns against my palm with his fingertips. That was why it had felt so warm.
"I..." I had to force a cough to get any more words out, my throat unwilling to cooperate. "...It's okay...Wh..what..?"

His hand squeezed around mine, the tracing coming to a halt as he scooted a little closer on his chair.
"You were shot in the left leg, it went clean through your gastrocnemius. You also drowned, but Reiju pulled you back up to the surface, where I resuscitated you."

I had no idea what a gastrowhateverhesaid was, but I assumed it meant my calf, as it was the most painful part of me in that moment. A dull throb, but still unpleasant. Coming to a little more, I could tell that I was in the hospital, and hooked up to an intravenous drip.

"Thank you..." I murmured, weakly squeezing his hand back, unable to match the strength in which he had mine. "You guys saved my life..." I tried to sit up, but Ichiji held his hand up to stop me.
"You might be more sore than you realised. I was compressing your chest for a while, and I may have caused some bruising."

He's openly caring about me..?

Nodding, I continued to try and sit up, gritting my teeth through the ache until I was mostly upright. He wasn't wrong, I was definitely bruised, but it was well worth it.
"Wh..where are-"

"You'll probably have to stay in here another night or so, just so you can be monitored. I can bring you anything you want, so don't hesitate." Ichiji cut me off, still holding my hand and still watching me closely. His expression told me nothing, but I appreciated his concern.

"Thanks, Your Highness..." I sighed, resting my head back against my pillows. I liked the warmth of his skin on mine, but it was strange. Was he being so outwardly kind to me because I had nearly died? Was it pity? Was he feeling just as much as his brothers had been, all on their own?

It wouldn't be a bad thing.

Ichiji was quiet for a while, still absently playing with my hand, and I could see how awful I looked in the reflection of his glasses. I had definitely been on death's door.
"Hey...Your Highness..?"

"Yes?" He answered me immediately, giving me his full attention, not that he hadn't been already.
"If you don't mind...I have a request..." It wasn't important, I knew that, but considering he had offered me anything I wanted, I thought I'd take a shot. "Can I see your eyes..?"

For a single, solitary second, Ichiji seemed taken aback. I could barely register the expression before he used his free hand to remove the shades from his face.
"As you wish."