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Yuzuriha smiled softly as she spoke, “Senku’s been holed up near the helm and working on battle plans.”
She gently patted the small grave marker in front of the recently filled grave as she continued with a more solemn tone, “He’s on a warpath, and I’m afraid that none of us will be able to help him in the way he needs. He’s not grieving well. He refuses to join me to visit you.”
She sighed, “Ryusui practically has to force him to take breaks. He’s working himself to death.”
Tears streamed down her face as she looked towards the dark night sky.
She continued, “I’m terrified of what’s to come. He’s hiding things from us, and we don’t know what. I’ve only ever seen him this angry once before, and that led to the ones who bullied me being entered into the hospital with no evidence of the attackers, but we both knew.”
She wiped her eyes as she continued, “I can only hope that what he has planned doesn’t end up with him joining you and Byakuya. I will promise you this though, I will do my damnedest to bring him back from the edge of madness if that's what's coming."
She steeled her jaw before she pounded the ground with a fist, “We both knew who he was. He’s still the same compassionate and caring person we know, he’s just consumed by the grief that he never lets himself express. You’re not here to help protect him anymore Taiju, so I promise that I will be his shoulder to cry on. I have loved you both for years, and I refuse to lose him to grief and anger. “
Yuzuriha wiped her eyes before taking a calming breath and standing.
She looked at Taiju’s grave, surrounded by the wildflowers of the region, and swore that she wouldn’t ever see Senku in a grave.
She wiped the dirt from her skirt before saying, “I’ll talk to you again tomorrow, Taiju. With any luck, Ryusui and I will get Senku to rest for more than a few hours.”
She then turned and quietly made her way back onto the ship, passing by the night guards who gave her small knowing nods.
She made her way towards the helm, wanting to see if Ryusui had managed to get Senku to rest while she had been out.
She found the entrance that she’d needed and smiled softly as sadness entered her eyes. Senku had fallen asleep with his head atop some of his schematics.
She cringed as she noticed that he was barely staying balanced on his seat and would likely tip over at any second.
She quietly approached him and frowned. Even unconscious, she could see the exhaustion in his frame. This ‘sleep’ was anything but restful.
She softly sat a hand on his shoulder, and he stirred. His eyes opened slightly as he slurred her name.
She smiled as she said, “Let’s get you to your bunk. You need to rest.”
Senku blinked slowly as he slurred, “No. Got to keep going. An attack’s coming.”
She managed to get him standing as she got his arm over her shoulders.
She said, “I know, but you won’t be able to help if you’re too exhausted to do anything but collapse.”
She carefully led them out and began to head towards where she knew his bunk was.
She heard Senku mumble something sleepily, but she couldn’t tell what.
It took a little bit, but she managed to get him to his bunk and knelt as she went to tuck him in. He didn’t put up a fight as he yawned.
She went to stand as she said, “Get some rest, Senku.”
However, she was slightly surprised as she felt her wrist get gripped softly. Senku had poked a hand from under his blanket.
She glanced at his face and noticed that his eyes were shining with unshed tears.
She smiled softly as she sat beside his futon, keeping her wrist in his grasp.
She felt his fingers over her pulse point and heard him let out a relieved sigh as he fell asleep, hand still on her wrist.
A few tears streamed out of her eyes as she remained where she sat.
She was slightly startled as she heard Ryuisui’s usually boisterous voice whisper, “Anytime he gets close to resting, he wakes with a start. He’s having nightmares.”
Yuzuriha glanced at Ryusui briefly before looking back at Senku as she held back tears.
She whispered, “I’m not surprised. I’ve had a few of my own. I keep seeing Taiju’s death in my dreams. I think it’s worse for Senku. I think he’s probably seeing our deaths in his dreams.”
She looked back at Ryusui who nodded in understanding as he said, “He is. I’ve heard him mumble during some of the nightmares that keep him from sleeping.”
She nodded as she said, “I’m going to stay with him. Maybe having someone this close for as long as possible will help him rest. “
Ryusui responded, “Yeah. Try to get some sleep yourself, Yuzuriha. It’s only a few hours until sunup. None of us have been sleeping well since Taiju’s death. Tomorrow should be a rest day. I’ll let Francois know that breakfast will have to be moved back. Hopefully we’ll be safe enough to sleep in.”
She nodded and Ryusui left for the time being.
She remained awake for the next hour, Senku not waking at all and she felt her head dip.
She fell asleep.
~~~~~~
Yuzuriha blinked as she woke up and sat up. It was definitely later than she was used to waking up.
She smiled softly as she realized that her wrist was still loosely grasped in Senku’s hand. He was still sleeping. She smiled as she listened to his small snores.
She remained in her spot. She was glad that he was still sleeping. She hoped that since he didn’t appear to have stirred during the night that he hadn’t had a nightmare.
She didn’t have to wait too long until she saw his nose scrunch a bit and he groaned as his eyes blinked sluggishly.
She smiled as he yawned. He withdrew his hand from her wrist as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.
He glanced over at her and smiled softly as he quietly said, “Thanks.”
He sat up as she said, “No thanks are needed.”
He sighed as he rubbed his forehead and said, “I can tell that I slept too long. I actually feel rested for the first time in a long time.”
Yuzuriha said, “No, you didn’t sleep too long. You needed the rest.”
Senku shook his head and said, “If I rest, I can’t keep working to keep us all safe.”
Yuzuriha then sighed and gently pulled Senku into a hug. She felt him relax against her after a brief few seconds of being tense at the surprise hug.
She said, “You never have to bear this burden alone, Senku. You may be the smartest of us all, but you know that we work as a team. You can’t burn yourself out trying to do everything yourself.”
He sagged against her shoulder as he shakily said, “They don’t need the blood on their hands that I’m craving to spill.”
She tensed her jaw before saying, “Maybe not, but you don’t have to bear this alone. Let us bear this with you.”
She frowned slightly as she felt him start to shake before he said, “He’s gone, Yuzu, and all I can think of doing is something that he would be avidly against.”
He curled closer to her as she instinctively cuddled him closer and held his head to her shoulder as he began to silently cry.
She quietly responded, “It’s okay to feel this way, Senku. I want to see justice for his death as well. He was your brother in all but blood. He was my heart, and I often feel lost without him.”
Senku said, “I don’t know how to stop feeling this way.”
She wisely responded, “You won’t ever stop feeling this way. I know that I'll never stop feeling the way I do right now as well. You can only manage how you respond when the time comes for justice. I trust you, Senku. So did Taiju. He wouldn’t hate you for doing what you deem necessary to keep us and yourself all safe. “
She held Senku as he cried, silent tears slipped down his face.
He picked his head up after a few minutes and looked her in the eyes and said, “I’m tired of feeling this way.”
She grinned as she said, “Then let's do something about it. Let me help you with your plans.”
The two stood as Senku nodded.
Both headed towards the future, one that would be a beacon of hope.
A future that may only hold the memory of Taiju, but will be one that he would have loved.
A future not filled with anger and bloodshed, but one of camaraderie and strength.
It was time to leave the dark pit of self-isolation and anger.
Yuzuriha wasn’t going to lose another one of her boys.