Fourever Loving Yasu

Long Time No See

“Yasu.”  A deeper voice called out to him, bringing his attention to the soldiers that surrounded him. 

“Is that really you?”  Shiro asked as he took a step closer towards Yasu.  

Shiro was quickly stopped by Ren’s hand.  Ren could tell that Yasu was still lost in his own fighting trance.  Any unexpected movement towards him could cause Yasu to fight, even if that person is a friend.  

“Yasu?”  Shiro called out once again.  

Yasu blinked his eyes several times, his thoughts came back slowly.  Yasu waited for a few minutes before turning around.  

Shiro gasped loudly as he took several steps towards Yasu.  Yasu took two steps back and almost tripped over the headless bandit’s body.  

Shiro stopped his advance and stared at Yasu with confusion.  

For the longest time, he had wanted to see Ren and Shiro.  He wanted to speak to them. However, now he was dyed in blood and he lost the words he wanted to say to them.    

“Yasu?”  Ren said as he walked towards Yasu.  “Put away your sword.”  

Yasu wiped his sword clean before putting it away.  He took the time to gather his thoughts and when he looked back, he could see Ren and Shiro’s concern on their faces.  

“Long time, no see.”  Yasu said as he pushed his wild thoughts and emotions to the side.  “It’s good to see you both.”  

“Yasu!”  Shiro cried out as he rushed towards Yasu.  His arms opened wide, wanting to hug Yasu.  

“Stop!”  Yasu shouted as he held his hand up to stop Shiro.  His blood drenched hand landed on Shiro’s chest, stopping him a few steps away from him.  

“Why what’s wrong?”  Shiro asked as he frowned.  

“I have blood all over me.  I’ll stain your clothes.” Yasu told him.  

Shiro knocked Yasu’s hand to the side.  If Yasu wanted to he could have held his arm steady and force Shiro to not come closer.  However he wanted and needed to feel some kind of warmth because his heart had become too cold.  

Shiro embraced Yasu in a tight hug before Ren joined in with the hug.  Yasu could feel them tighten their hold around him, squeezing him tighter and tighter as if they wanted all of their bodies to melt into one another.  

“Sorry I was late again.”  Ren said to Yasu. “I won’t be late next time.”  

As the three of them hugged each other.  Konda watched with a sigh of relief that he did the right thing in the end.  Even though he was almost late in saving his little brother, his little brother was alright in the end.  Who knew that his little brother was so formidable? That under his clothes, held a body with so much skill and strength.  He was foolish to think that his little brother was only a businessman and a learned gentleman. Thankfully everything worked out in the end. 

Konda turned around to finish the inquiry with the merchant and everyone else who was involved.  After everything was done, the merchant group left a bag of gold for Yasu as a sign of gratitude.  They didn’t ask for their hero’s name or background. They just wanted to leave as fast as possible and arrive at Nijo before the gate closes.  

The soldiers had already dug a big ditch to bury the dead bandits.  They worked quickly and efficiently without idle talk, knowing that they would be going back to the outer barracks afterwards.  

General Ren and Doctor Shiro had taken the wild and bloody man to the nearby stream so he could clean up.  The rest of the soldiers would meet the three of them again at the barracks.  

After everything was done, Konda lead the troops back to the outer barracks.  No one asked questions and no one spoke. They all did their work in silence and traveled back in an orderly line.  

Yasu washed the blood off his face, neck and hands before grabbing an extra change of clothes.  He gave Shiro a clean robe to change into before he took off his bloody clothes and threw them in a pile.  After wiping his body with a clean wet rag, he changed into clean clothes.  

Ren and Shiro were supposed to be guarding him with their backs towards him, but the whole time the two of them stared at Yasu as if they were afraid that if they took a look away from him, he would disappear.  

Once he was clean he wrapped his bloody clothes up and placed them inside of another bag that was tied onto his horse’s saddle.  Later he will burn the bloody clothes. He didn’t want to leave any evidence of himself anywhere.  

As quickly as Yasu turned around to Ren and Shiro.  He found himself in the arms of Ren. The heat off of Ren’s body reminded him of his Father. Yasu’s trembling body began to calm down and he held onto Ren as if his life depended on it.  

From behind, Shiro came close and hugged him as well.  Shiro buried his nose on Yasu’s neck before taking deep breaths.  Yasu didn’t know how long they stood there like that, but by the time that they left the stream, the sun was beginning to set.  

Ren lead Shiro and Yasu back to the outer barracks.  Yasu’s trip back to Nijo would have to be delayed. Now that he met the two men who he most wanted to see, he didn’t want to lose the chance to spend time with them and find out what had happened to them.