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The completion of this fic was brought to you by the fact I had to wash all of my bedding, forcing me to be out of bed for an extended length of time, this did not carry me through editing though so sorry if its wonkyYuma and Osam had been practically inseparable since Yuma had arrived in the Meedan territory known as Japan.
Not that they were joined at the hip or anything. They spent minutes, even hours apart everyday. But it was everyday that they spent together in one capacity or another.
Always circling each other's orbit, checking up on each other. Even when they were apart, they were thinking about each other, looking for the other, talking about the other to whoever was near.
Yuma and his Captain were a package deal. Together, even when apart, however little a time that might be. Sleeping hours aside, that dwindled with each day that past. And now that they lived in neighboring dorm rooms, that cut the time away from each other even more.
This was a quickly cemented fact within Border and beyond. Never intentionally separate the two.
But now Osamu is gone. Only temporarily, while Osamu and his mother go overseas to visit his father, but Yuma doesn’t know what to do with himself without his Captain.
As the seconds ticked on and on, Yuma felt Osamu’s absence all the more.
Chika started inviting him out more for bike rides. Reiji and Konami were constantly badgering Yuma for spars. Jin offered him fried rice chips and pitying looks under his signature smile.
It grated on Yuma. He hated being coddled almost as much as he hated Osamu’s absence. And boy did he hate it.
Yuma’s real body, his real dying body was sealed away from him, where Yuma couldn’t feel it, but this? This he could feel.
It was like an amputation. An ailment of which Yuma was more than familiar with. Not everyone was lucky enough to wield a Black Trigger, and not everyone had a Trigger period. Yuma had witnessed, and been party to many amputations, and as such, was accustomed to the concept of phantom pains.
And Yuma knew that this was the same. He could feel Osamu, but he couldn’t. His very own phantom pain to itch and ache and throb until Osamu came back and Yuma was whole again.
Knowing this did not make it easier for Yuma to handle, and as a result, he grew more and more irritable the longer it went on.
-
“Hey, Yuma! Do you want to go on a bike ride with me? Its a lovely day!” It was Chika.
On any other day, Yuma would be delighted to go with her. Today it was almost an annoyance to be asked. “Not today, Chika.”
She didn’t push, she never does. Yuma likes that about her when he’s capable of liking anything. “Alright, Yuma. Let me know if you change your mind! I’ll be heading out after breakfast.”
Right. Breakfast. Yuma found the concept unappealing.
Food had been tasteless in his trion body. Before Osamu, he ate just enough to keep his body in the condition it needed to be in for war. After meeting Osamu, Yuma eats because Osamu gets concerned if he doesn’t.
The Meedan sensation of spice on the tongue didn’t hurt either.
Yuma liked the concern Osamu showed for him. Being a Black Trigger wielder, few had bothered showing any concern in years, and even then it was surface level. But Osamu throws himself in its entirely at everything, including Yuma.
Osamu’s concern was genuine. And so Yuma ate, even when he didn’t want to, or didn’t see the point. And Osamu’s happiness was his own.
But Osamu wasn’t here, and food was no longer on the table for Yuma.
Konami stopped him at the door. “Hey, apprentice. You’ve been avoiding me. I’m starting to get worried you’ll get rusty.”
A fight with her was tempting, but Yuma had something else in mind for the day. “I’m heading out to do Solo Battles today. Maybe tomorrow.”
She looked a little disappointed. Few gave her a real challenge. “Fine. I’ll allow it today since I’m such a generous master.”
Normally Yuma would agree with her, and thank her again for the work she contributed to his training, but he didn’t have in it him today. He gave her a nod, and left without another word.
Today’s plan included sparring against whoever was available until Yuma dropped. And stuck in his trion body as he was, Yuma wouldn’t.
Energy was weird for Yuma now. It never ran out, no matter how active Yuma was, but if he wasn’t active, it compounded. Grew and grew until Yuma was exploding with it. A faucet forever running, leaving Yuma to keep emptying it day after day.
Usually, this was a chore. Today, Yuma looked forward to it.
There was no end to Border agents lurking around the Solo Battle arena, 24/7. Agents looking up to polish their skills. Agents burning off the adrenaline of a rough patrol. Others just having fun.
All would become victim to Yuma’s unrest.
Midorikawa was the first to volunteer. They’d become fast friends after the first time they fought, with Yuma defending his Captain’s honor. Since then they've had many friendly spars.
This would not be that.
Today would be an all out slaughter. Every fight Yuma had participated in with fellow Border agents had been colored by the fact that Yuma was having fun. Every fight solo or team, serious or not, Yuma was enjoying himself.
His fighting style reflects that. So does the severity of his effort. None in Border, even after the Invasion, knew Yuma or how he’d fought when he wasn’t.
Today they would learn.
Shun was slaughtered. Already familiar with his movements, and the element of surprise on Yuma’s side, it was easy.
Then it was Oji. Harder, but obtainable. Yuma didn’t feel any better.
Murakami. Had seen Yuma’s upgraded style, and already adapted to it, but it still wasn’t enough.
On and on, agent after agent.
Border was good, but they couldn’t beat the experience 4 straight years in an active war zone brought you.
By hour 4, no one was volunteering. By hour 6, nobody would accept Yuma’s offering. Hour 8 the Solo Battle arena was deserted. Yuma was alone.
The day was gone. So was Osamu.
-
When Yuma came back the next day to do the same thing, he found it empty.
It was Kazuma who broke the news. “Everyone talked this morning and agreed that no one will spar with you until Osamu gets back.”
Yuma was silent for a moment, stewing on the information presented to him. “Fine.” He gritted out.
Kazuma’s face showed no change, but his shoulders dipped slightly in relief. He thought Yuma was going to fight him on it. “Good. Feel better, and play nice with the others.”
After that he left.
What was there to do? It was still 3 days before Osamu’s return, and if he couldn’t fight, what else was there to do?
Eventually Yuma decided to map out the city. For ease of getting around, and for tactical knowledge. For now this was Yuma’s homebase. He had to know its in and outs. Maybe he could even scout out some places to go with Osamu once he was back.
Yuma spent the day in a fugue like state, drifting through the city. Somewhere deep in his unconscious, he was mapping every twist and turn. Which businesses were where. The street names, the times it took to get place to place.
Everything there was to know about Mikado City, Yuma would know by the end of the day.
But surface level, Yuma was in a haze. He’d never wanted anything like he’d wanted to be back at Osamu’s side. Even with his hopes of saving his father, It’d always felt so distant, and unreal. It wasn’t surprising when he found that there was simply no way to accomplish it.
Yuma had already dealt with the loss everyday for 4 years. It wasn’t another loss when his hopes were dashed. It was a numbness.
This was not numbing, Yuma would almost prefer that. This was a cacophony of emotions what whispered how easy it’d be for him to hijack a plane. It was tempting, if Yuma didn’t know Osamu would be mad at him for doing so.
He wondered if this was how his father felt about his mother. Yuma wondered how his father lived even a day without her if this was the case.
Yuma didn’t think he’d have it in him.
So quickly, with Yuma noticing but unable or unwilling to stop it, Osamu had taken over his whole world. Became his whole world. And the boy didn’t even know it.
Such devotion wasn’t common in Meedan culture. Even when it was expressed, it wasn’t meant, or taken as a real and true declaration of one life to another. It was akin to Yuma naming Osamu his Lord.
In his head, he already had.
But there was no telling how Osamu would respond to such a thing. And with him gone, Yuma couldn't ask him.
Yuma considered calling him. Texting him. But what would he say? That he missed Osamu? That he wanted him to come home? Of course he did, but Yuma couldn’t cut Osamu’s time short with his father, and he couldn’t ruin it either by clouding Osamu’s time with worrying about Yuma.
So Yuma was left alone.
He was sure anyone of Tamakoma Branch would be willing to help him through this time. Even Border at large would probably step in for Yuma should he allow them. But Yuma didn’t want them. Any of them. Only his Captain.
What was he going to do with himself for the remaining time left?
-
This time it was Yuma who approached Chika.
“I found a nice biking spot yesterday. If you still want to go?” It was a lousy peace offering after how Yuma had been blowing her off lately, but it was all he could manage.
Chika gave him a warm smile, accepting it anyway. “I’d love to.”
-
The wind was still sharp with the dying winter, but there were tinges of flowers about to bloom in the air. It was a nice day for this time of year, and a great day for biking.
Yuma would bring Osamu to this part once he was back.
The two were on a steady bike trail. Not difficult but long. A suitable time sink for Yuma, and a good amount of time for him to spend with Chika.
It’d been a while since the two had one on one time. With Osamu around, Yuma simply had little interest. It would be good for them, he thinks.
“You’re drifting again.” Chika called out from behind.
Yuma adjusted his balance. “Am not!”
She laughed without further comment, then sped up to ride beside him. It was as peaceful as Yuma was capable of at the moment.
Chika brought a calmness to Yuma that he’d severely lacked in the previous days. It was little more than duct tape over the dam, but that was more than anything else Yuma had tried.
His internal clock was still counting down the seconds. All of Osamu’s itinerary for the following day was burned into Yuma’s brain, from the time he’d arrive at the airport, where his layover would be, and how long it was supposed to last, to when the plane would touch down.
Give or take 2 hours for complications or holdups, of which Yuma had been informed was common.
Tearing his mind away from it, from Osamu, was an exercise in willpower that Yuma had mostly failed, but he managed to drag part of himself to the present for Chika. She deserved that from him.
The bike trail peaked in a clearing with a creek before the turn around, and the two decided to take a break before continuing on. Chika, ever prepared, but maybe especially today, had brought a myriad of snacks and drinks. Either anticipating a stop like this, or hoping for one.
It was obvious Yuma didn’t have the head to think of something like that right now. Osamu might have, if he were here.
The two spread out their loot on the grass, right outside the waterbank.
The rushing of the water, and the singing of the birds, and the company surrounding him, Yuma felt like he could breath, just a little.
“Do you think I can finally convince you to eat? Just a little?” Chika asked.
Yuma knew he’d been avoiding food, but he didn’t realize it’d been that noticeable. It still didn’t sound appetizing. The food didn’t feel edible. Logically Yuma knew he needed it, especially at this point, but it was like there was a mental block preventing him from eating.
“Can I say no?” Yuma tried.
Chika’s smile turned threatening, and Yuma was struck with remembrance of her trion levels. “Let me put it this way. Would you rather eat now and get it over with, or would you rather collapse on Osamu tomorrow, and have him worried and concerned about you while being exhausted from his trip?”
He could see it, too. The relief, and the hunger slamming into him all at once with the object of his affections in front of him, safe and sound. Chika wasn’t too far off in her assessment. She was also right in that Yuma couldn’t bear worrying his Captain like that.
Yuma sulkily snatched a bag of chips, tearing it open. “You drive a hard bargain.”
Chika was too kind to rub it in his face, but he still caught the smug glint in her eyes. She knew she’d won.
Still, he was grateful for her presence. “Thanks for coming out with me today.”
She laughed, a warm song of a sound. “Of course. I’d bet you’re going to want Osamu to yourself once he’d home, huh?”
Well Yuma hadn’t thought of it like that, but now that the idea was brought before him, he couldn’t deny how attractive it sounded.
A hand on his shoulder startled him. “We’re all on your side, you know? We’re on Osamu’s of course, he brought us together, but all of Tamakoma is on yours too.”
He thought for a moment before leaning into her hand. Chika was so small, sometimes it was hard to remember how sturdy and strong she was. Chika could hold up to all them, and Yuma knows Osamu would agree with him that she was the embodiment of the goodness in them.
Osamu brought them all together, but Chika was their little group's purpose. Or, their main one, anyway.
Yuma could trust her, and he also knew that he could be vulnerable with him. “I just have this creeping fear that he’s not coming back.”
She hummed thoughtfully, opening a tin of cookies. “Firstly, Osamu made us both a promise. You know he isn’t going to break it.” She took a bite, chewed and swallowed, taking her time with it. “Secondly, if he doesn’t come here, are you telling me that you wouldn’t just go to him?”
“What?” Yuma was taken aback.
“You’ve been on the edge of hunting him down this whole time, Yuma.”
Chika was right. Since the moment Osamu had left his sight, Yuma had been vibrating with the need to follow. Only barely holding himself back with the knowledge that Osamu would come back.
Wouldn’t he just follow his Captain to the ends of this planet and more?
It’d mean abandoning his promise to Chika. Yuma had no doubts that she could accomplish her goals with or without him, but he’d made a commitment.
Though looking at Chika, he knows she’d understand.
They were both following those that they loved, regardless of the cost.
All of this being hypothetical, of course, but Osamu would never go back on his word like this, but still. Yuma felt a little calmer having acknowledged that there were other ways.
Yuma shook himself out of his thoughts. “Thanks, Chika. A delight as always.”
She gave him a knowing grin and they continued the rest of their pseudo meal in silence. Chika was more than aware Yuma wasn’t up for much.
They had a nice, brisk bike ride back to Tamakoma. Chika filled the air with chatter about her latest training sessions worth Yuzuru.
Had he been more present, he’d tease her about them being a good match. Yuma would have to remember to do that later.
He walked her up to the door of Tamakoma, fully intending to resume his haunting of Mikado City until Yuma deemed it early enough to show up at the airport when Chika stopped him.
“He’s lucky to have you, Yuma. We all are.” And then she squeezed his arm before going inside.
Then Yuma was alone in the cold, as he’d be for another 17.5 hours should things go as planned. Her words and presence had offered him temporary peace, however.
-
Chika’s words carried him through the rest of the day, but unfortunately didn’t last the night.
Yuma was at the airport at 5am sharp, despite the fact that Osamu’s flight wasn’t supposed to arrive until 9am should everything go as planned.
By the time he’d arrived at the airport, Yuma had every square inch of Mikado city memorized. A complete mental map to call on as needed.
More than a few spots on the back burner to go with Osamu, and friends. Then all that’s left to do was wait.
He started off in one of those hard, uncomfortable waiting chairs, trying desperately to get through one of the books Osamu had left for him to read.
He stuck it out for 2 whole agonizing hours as the ticking of the airport clocks drove him insane. Yuma didn’t absorb a single word.
Finally he gave up, and switched to staring at the wall, noting the people passing back. None of them were his Captain, so none of them held his interest.
That didn’t last long before he started shifting. Then his leg was shaking. Then Yuma was up, pacing up and down the long corridors of the building.
Waiting and waiting. Yuma would wait for Osamu forever, but he sure hoped he didn’t have to.
His eyes kept circling back to the clocks on every wall, as if he wasn’t counting down the hours, minutes, seconds. Yuma didn’t need the help. He looked anyway.
It was almost noon, finally, and Yuma suddenly had the thought that Osamu might be hungry after his journey overseas.
He bought coffee. Then juice. Then everything in the vending machine. Everything there was to buy, Yuma bought it. Just in case Osamu wanted any of it.
He’d amassed quite the bounty by the time he heard the announcement of the flight's arrival, and Yuma dropped all of it in an instant.
Yuma took off to the gate, sprinting towards his Captain.
Tamakoma had pulled some strings to get Osamu and his mother into first class. Some bureaucratic technically counting Osamu’s visit to his father as a business trip.
Technically this should mean they were one of the first ones off, but as person by person filtered by him, Yuma grew more and more anxious at the lack of his Captain.
His trion adjacent blood pulsed through Yuma’s veins as he itched with the need to jump the fence and go find Osamu himself, but then he heard it.
“It’s really no trouble at all ma’am.”
Yuma’s ears perked up as he searched through the crowd for his friend.
Finally, Yuma saw him.
Osamu was holding a little girl, shaking in his arms with her face buried into his collar bone. He was bouncing her up and down.
His Captain was covering well, but Yuma could see he looked uncomfortable.
There was a single mom hovering around him, looking exhausted, but grateful for Osamu’s assistance.
The mother hastily unfolded a stroller, and between the two of them, gently pried the girl from Osamu’s arms, placing her inside.
Yuma was frozen in place and in fondness, watching as Osamu kneeled down before her, took off his Tamakoma Branch jacket, and covered her like a blanket.
“You were so incredibly brave on that plane.” Osamu informed her. “So I have this huuuge favor to ask. Do you think you can keep this safe for me?”
The girl giggled, and the mom fidgeted, concerned. “You really don’t have to do this.” She said.
Osamu didn’t even look up, seriously looking at the girl. “What do you think? Are you up for the task?”
She eagerly nodded, hands flapping over the jacket, coming down to smooth them over the fabric, getting a feel for the texture every few seconds.
He holds his hand to her, pinkie out. “You promise?”
The little girl linked her pinkie with his, wide grin stretching across her face. She beamed up at him, like she’d known and trusted him her whole life.
Yuma knew the feeling.
“If you’re really sure.” Said the mother, still looking anxious, but a weary smile growing at the sight of her happy daughter.
“I am.” Osamu’s face also brightened. “There’s no one else in the world I’d trust more to take care of this for me. I can keep the city safe knowing what a brave girl you’re being, you got that.”
The moment lasted a little longer before the small group broke apart. Osamu stood, watching them walk off, and when the girl twisted around to look back at him, he waved.
Yuma had watched, entranced by the scene in front of him, but now that it was over, there was nothing holding him back.
He ran, throwing himself into his arms. He jumped up, arms and legs entwining around Osamu, almost taking him to the ground with how hard Yuma slammed into him.
“Yuma?” Osamu stumbled back, adjusting for Yuma’s weight and his own surprise at holding it.
Taking a page out of the little girls book, Yuma said nothing, only clinging tighter to his Captain.
Osamu sighed, and then hugged Yuma, and rubbed a hand down his back.
“Only for a few minutes. We both know I can’t carry you long.”
He grabbed the handle of his suitcase and kept moving towards the exit when they came upon Yuma’s forgotten offering.
“Who in the world left something like-? Yuma? Was this you?”
Yuma lifted his head up to surgery their surroundings, and found the mountain of snacks he’d left strewn across the floor.
“It’s for you!”
“Oh. Thanks, Yuma.” His voice took a turn for the suspicious. “You didn’t happen to start waving that stack of cash around again, did you?”
His head clunked down again, suddenly exhausted in his relief. “Osamu told me not to, so I didn’t. I pulled the bills out one by one.”
“I see. Thank you, but I can’t carry all of this. I’m going to put you down so I can pick up what I can, alright?”
Yuma crankily climbed down, still leaning heavily on his friend and Osamu knelt down to stuff food and drink into his bag.
He paused to take long sips from a sports drink, and Yuma felt a lazy purr of pride at having picked well.
They resumed their journey, and finally made it outside where Yuma was promptly deposited on a bench.
“I’ll call us a car. I’m supposed to report straight to Tamakoma, but my mom stayed behind for another few days. We could go to mine if you’d prefer?”
“Yes.”
“Alright.” Osamu pulled out his phone to message Director Rindo and call a car, while Yuma dozed into his shoulder.
It was like all the exhaustion that had accumulated over Osamu’s absence had hit all at once now that he could see Osamu in front of him, all in one piece, and now Yuma could barely move or think.
Warmth and contentment filling his bones and his chest, making him sleepy and sluggish. A sense of safety.
Osamu instilled that within him just by proximity.
After a few moments of quiet, Osamu started speaking. “She recognized me from tv. Or that’s what her mother said, anyway.
Yuma leaned in more, so he could feel the rumble of the words as he heard them. His head on Osamu’s chest.
“There was some heavy turbulence there, for a minute. I could hear her crying, and crying, and nothing her mom did could calm her down.” He continued.
Yuma gave a hum, to encourage him to keep going.
“I got up to check on them. You know me, can’t leave anything alone. Well I get there, and she jumps straight into my arms. She just latched onto me.”
He laughed. “I had to switch seats with someone to sit with her. Getting her buckled in for touchdown was a nightmare. Right back on top of me the second she was given the green light. Thought I’d found myself a little sister for a minute there.”
The quiet resumed, filled with mutual contentment, until Yuma mustered up the energy to make a comment. “You’d be a good brother.”
It was Osamu’s turn to hum, but in that particular self-deprecating way he managed it. Yuma would drill it into him later. For now he just snuggled closer.
The car arrived, and Osamu loaded them up with all their things. They settled into their seats together, Yuma resuming his place with his ear pressed to Osamu’s heart. A lullaby soothing him to rest.
Osamu was home. They both were.