Muhyo and Roji: EBISU X GORYO : My Daruma

My Daruma (One Shot)

Goryo giggled. "This one kind of looks like you."

Ebisu scrunched up his blue nose at the round, washi, red doll sitting on the stand near the entrance of the temple, puzzled.

"Um... what is that, Goryo-sama...?"

Goyro looked at him, surprised. "You don't know what a Daruma is?"

The shorter boy shook his head. "No...I haven't seen one of these before since um...you know..."

Goryo knew what he meant; being a runaway delinquent orphan didn't exactly open many opportunities to go to temples and such during the holidays. He took it upon himself to explain, for the pigs sake. "These dolls are usually used to grant wishes. The way to do that is you make a wish, then draw on the left eye. Once your wish has been granted, you just draw in the other eye," Goryo pointed at its big white eyes. "Both of it's eyes are whited out to leave space for someone to draw the eyes in, see?"

Ebisu nodded, not quite understanding, but nevertheless found it interesting.

The young enforcer shook his head and swapped that expression off his assistants face with his fan, grinning. "If that's how you're going to look on the first day of classes tomorrow, don't bother coming. The teacher's will rightfully label you as a dunce for sure, and then where would that put us?"

Ebisu quickly apologized, frantically waving his arms in front of him. "N-no! Goryo-sama..!! You have to take me with you or they'll appoint you another training assistant...!! You said-!!"

Goryo giggled again, enjoying this. "Yes I know what I said. You get what I'm trying to accomplish, my dream. That's why I chose you. Because you'll really do anything for me, right?" He placed the tip of his fan on his assistants shoulder.

Goryo dropped to the ground and bowed. "Yes...!! Waka..!!"

Satisfied, Goryo tapped Ebisu's head and stretched out his hand, grinning. "Good, now let's finish the rest of this festival and see what else you don't know about. I hope you actually pay attention this time."

    He chuckled at the memory. So that's where the name had come from, but he still had some sort of feeling there was much more to it. He thought back once more.
Looking at Ebisu on the hospital bed triggered yet another long forgotten memory.
He remembered the first day after MLS school had started up again, Ebisu had been so exhausted that he retired to his room and knocked out in less then a second. He had gone up to his room later to scold him, but he was pretty tired too.

He really does look like a daruma doll, Goryo thought.

His face felt hot.

Maybe what he did next was simply the product of his own exhaustion, and he told himself this meant absolutely nothing, but he walked up to Ebisu's bed, and knelt down near his face, staring intently. What was going through his head were the same thoughts as when he had first seen him. You'll understand.

He made his own wish, from the most secret, selfish, and hidden part of himself. Leaning in, he sealed it in with a kiss on Goryo's left eyelid.

Then he forced himself to forget it ever happened.

Until now.

    Ebisu's room might have been a bit too warm after all. He fanned himself quickly, trying to ignore everything he was starting to feel again. But it was too late. Goryo felt like such an idiot.
              That day he had saved him wasn't because he needed a partner or an aid or just an extra servant, but just because he wanted to. Not for any other reason. It was purely coincidental he needed someone to be at his side, as he took no interest in it before, but he felt that much connected to Ebisu that he appointed him as his arranged assistant the very next day.
    And this stupid boy really risked his life for a man who's done nothing but treat him like waste....yes he did. Why? Goryo could have humbled himself more, but he just wasn't that kind of person. He knew why. It had been so obvious. But until now he pretended that it didn't mean everything to him.
             What he didn't need all those lonely years as a child was friendship or recognition.
                         He needed a partner.
Someone he knew wouldn't abandon someone like him.
    He was frustrated now because Goryo realised that basically meant Ebisu saved him twice. I suppose we have the rest of our lives to get even, Goryo mused.

He stood up and walked to Ebisu's bedside. The judge's hands were right where Goryo had left them. He held it tenderly. Goryo leaned in and kissed Ebisu's right eyelid, because now he's sure his wish was already granted from now on.

I wish that you'll stay by my side, no matter what.