Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ A Day for Mitsukake ❯ Fist ( Chapter 5 )

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bright sun was finally setting, and the foggy-headed doctor was pleased to settle into his new, clean sheets. Despite getting a surprising shower, his nose still wouldn’t let any air through and his throat was a burning lump in his neck. His entire body felt sore, and pleaded with him to sleep, even though his mind was too awake right now.

There was another knock at the door. He was surprised that whoever was behind it this time waited for him to answer before opening it. Tasuki poked his head around, and Chiriko’s head poked in under his chin.

“Hello, you two,” he smiled, wondering what they had in store for him.

“Hey there,” Tasuki smiled widely. “We heard you were sick. Sorry to hear that.”

He shrugged. “It happens to everyone at one point or another.”

“You bet it does,” he answered. “I’ve got an old family cure that’ll clear you up in no time- wanna try it out?”

“I don’t know…” he trailed off, recalling how everyone else had been trying to help him already.

“I’m also very curious about this ‘family cure’ of his,” Chiriko smiled brightly. Of course, Mitsukake couldn’t refuse a little face like that. Besides, Tasuki always acted extremely energetic, so he might be on to something.

“Very well,” he agreed. “What do I do?”

The two younger warrior’s smiles filled with excitement that he accepted their help. “Okay,” Tasuki started. “Sit up straight.”

The doctor did as he was told, thinking that that wasn’t so bad. “Yes?”

“Check it out, man,” Tasuki eyes grew wide. “Mits’ has got some serious abs.”

“Ahh, well…” he blushed. “What do I do next?”

“Oh, right. Take a deep breath. Deeper. All the way from your shoulders to your stomach. Goooood. Hold it right there.”

Still not so bad, Mitsukake thought. Good posture and breathing patterns can make anyone feel a little bit more energetic. Chiriko thought the same thing, though knowing Tasuki, was sure there would be an interesting spin on a simple method.

“Now close your eyes, and relax- but still hold that breath,” the bandit continued instructing. The doctor wanted to insist that he wouldn’t be able to hold it for ever, but kept that thought to himself as he closed his eyes, expecting the next step to be meditation.

Tasuki looked over his broad frame carefully. His muscles were well toned, so finding the right spot was easy. He himself took a deep breath, and then let out a war cry as he thrust his fist into Mistukake’s diaphragm.

Niether Mitsukake nor Chiriko expected that at all. As the older man went sailing backwards into his bed with a muffled “oof”, the younger boy’s mouth dropped in disbelief. “Tasuki! What did you do to him!?”

“That’s how the cure works,” he replied, a little irked to be scolded by a child. “At least, that’s how my family always did it.”

“You knocked the wind out of him!” he continued in a frantic voice.

“Not to mention some snot,” the bandit said. “Like I said, it’d cleared him up right away. Right, Mitsukake?”

Unable to move from his awkward collapsed position, he mustered a few words. “Errrmm… yeah. Much clearer.”

“Ha ha! What’d I tell ya?”

Chiriko pursed his lips. “It still looks like you did more harm than good.”

“Yeah, well,” Tasuki hushed his voice and looked sheepishly at the pile of doctor on the bed. “Well, it was either that or the bandit method.”

“Bandit method?” the scholar asked nervously.

“Yeah, back then we’d hang each other from the banister outside by our feet. All the blood would rush to your head, but you’d feel better by the time you could stand up again.”

“There’s no way we could do that!”

“Well yeah, I‘m not stupid! I know I wouldn’t be able to dangle ‘im long enough for you to tie the knot around his ankles!”

Mitsukake was thankful that they weren’t hanging him outside like a piece of underwear, but wouldn’t say it. Besides feeling unable to move now, he felt better now that his nose would suck in air again (especially now that he needed so much of it back in his lungs). Listening to people argue was never a treat for him, but he enjoyed seeing how well Chiriko and Tasuki got along. It was rare that the bandit would let someone lecture him. He also felt content seeing Chiriko have so much fun with someone, considering how sensitive he was.

“Say, uh… Mitsukake?” Tasuki asked, a little concerned. “You should be able to sit up now… I didn‘t hit you that hard, right?”

He struggled around to try to bring himself back up, and the two other warriors flocked to his aid. After Mitsukake attained an upright position and panted a bit, Tasuki noticed the dark red patch of skin on his torso, bit his lip and scolded himself for being a little too strong. Of course, he didn’t know the half of Nuriko’s troubles.

“I’m really, really sorry, Mitsukake,” he said sheepishly. “I didn’t mean to treat you like just another one of my bandits or anything, but I guess I did.”

Chiriko smiled, silently very proud of Tasuki for offering an apology so fast. Mitsukake noticed that he lost count today of people telling him they were sorry, but smiled as well. “That’s alright, Tasuki. That actually helped a lot more than I thought it would, because I feel very clear now. Just a little… sore.”

“Really?” he looked up. “That’s great! I mean, yeah, of course it helped. How’s your fever?”

“I’ve cooled down quite a bit, thank you.”

“Nuriko will be glad to hear that. Then Hotohori will stop hounding him,” the bandit laughed. “Anything else we can, uh, get you?” Tasuki was doing his best to stay helpful, though he was still very embarrassed about having inflicted harm.

“No, that’s alright,” Mitsukake chuckled a little, wondering if he’d ever see Tasuki acting this way ever again. “Why don’t you go to Nuriko’s rescue?”

“Sure- you coming, Chiriko?”

“Hhm? Oh yeah, in just a minute,” the young boy smiled, and nodded his friend off. As soon as he was out the door, he spun back around to face Mitsukake, with an intensely concerned face. “Are you really alright, Mitsukake?”

“More or less,” he nodded, though with an uncontained expression of pain. “He really did help, though.”

“Really?” he sighed with relief. “I’m glad.”

“Chiriko,” the doctor returned the concern. “You aren’t looking so good yourself. Are you coming down with a fever as well?”

“Just a little one,” he smiled. “I’ll drink some tea and go straight to bed, and I’ll have it chased away by morning.”

He nodded. “That sounds like it should work. I probably should have done that last night. Still, I’m sure I’ll be back on my feet tomorrow morning.”

“I’m happy to hear it,” the boy smiled, and headed towards the door. “Good night, I hope you sleep well.”

Sure enough, he did. His normally strong system picked itself back up, and fought off the last of his grogginess- though he had a big blue imprint of Tasuki’s fist by the time he woke up. Mitsukake opened the window to welcome another sunny day, and then got himself ready for breakfast as normal.

When he got to the private dining hall, he found Chiriko already enjoying a quiet breakfast. “Good morning,” the boy greeted him. “Feeling better?”

“Much better, and you? Did you chase that fever away?” he asked, and was met by an enthusiastic nod. The healer looked around, but found no one else around. “Where did everyone go?”

“It seems as though I wasn’t the only one getting a fever last night,” Chiriko replied with a smirk, finding the situation a tad amusing.

Mitsukake’s eyes grew wide. “You mean that they all…?”

“Every one of them. They‘re all in bed right now, complaining about how stiff and stuffy they‘re feeling.”

The doctor sighed, though couldn’t help but be amused as well. He really appreciated how everyone tried to take care of him, but there was no way they could have the same touch as he did. It was a subtle reminder that he was needed, and he diligently left his breakfast to go do what he did best.