Chapter 45
Eiji picked her up and gave her a cuddle with apologise for leaving her in the dormant, warm pit oven that was the safest part of the house for a cat. It had been a snap decision when the raids were happening. He had tested to ensure the oven was inactive and safely stowed her in with door ajar, so she could breathe.
She was a clever beast to have been able to push her way through the door and rush out to greet them all covered in soot.
When everyone returned to the main room, the men gathered about the low table whilst Futuba coaxed the kids into preparations for bed. Of course the teenagers grumbled, keen to stay up for longer to spend more time with Eiji.
Realising this, Eiji and Tama broke away from Haru and the other men's serious discussions on fuel chips and vehicles.
"Hey Riku, you still use Otosan's Go board." He sneakily said to the kid when Futuba was serving tea.
Eiji placed Tama near the kids' bedroom door. She sniffed around his legs as he gathered the board from the cupboard Riku pointed out to him,which was next to his their room.
His face relaxed into nostalgic smile at his father in-law's board that was honourably perched on the top shelf with little items crowding it. He carefully pulled the square yellow board, and pouch of pieces, off the shelf and frowned at the set of letters that fluttered down to the floor with it.
Tama sniffed curiously at the aged sheets of neatly folded paper near his feet. He carefully placed the board on the ground and picked up the letters. His heart beat crazily at the sight of Hinata's pristine handwriting on the surfaces.
"Aniki wrote these when you went to Okinawa." Riku provided insight as he went to claim the board. "You can have them if you want."
Eiji stared at his brother in-law with shock. Was it really okay? He glanced to the letters that still held a smell of wild flowers from their home in the countryside. It reminded him of his own letters that the had entrusted to Yuri to deliver to Hinata. His yearning to be reunited with his partner was stronger.
A tear slipped from his eye as he gripped the edge of the paper tighter. One fact
He sighed and read one of the letters, which told of life at the country side and hopes that all was well. It was brief, polite yet full of unspoken feelings and care that showed on the straight, bold lines of each character stroke. Pen strokes that Eiji was more than familiar with. He held the letters near his heart, trying to feel the words' connection on the paper.
"Eiji-niisan?" Riku politely prompted Eiji out of his thoughts and averted his gaze respectfully when he caught the man's eyes welling with tears. "I'm gonna set up the game."
Eiji pushed aside his moment of melancholy and forced a smile towards the boy. "Sure. Don't expect me to go easy on you."
Keiko entered the hallway after finis.h.i.+ng her cleaning duties and joined in with the compet.i.tive banter. The three of them established a game that lasted for hours until Futuba entered to give them a mother's scolding about going past bedtimes.
Eiji left Tama in Keiko and Riku's room as she had been curled up in a ball, fast a sleep next to Riku's head. It was a moment too cute to disturb.
When he returned to the guest room, he saw that Kei had wasted no time in hogging the middle futon and going into a deep sleep. His body was stretched out on his and half of Sean's futon that was laid out on the left.
Tyne sat near the outer Shoji panel in thought. Eiji frowned at the map that Sean was studying next to Tyne.
"Is that the comic?" His question was whispered low as he found a spot next to him.
"It's Hiros.h.i.+ma and the prefectures all the way down to Okinawa." Tyne whispered soberly.
"A perfect detailing of this country." Sean matched Tyne's whisper with a sigh. He rolled up the map and shoved it under his s.h.i.+rt at the back in his pants.
"This makes me nervous." Eiji's frowned deepened. He pressed his lips together. "Tyne. Your country is honourable?"
Tyne knew it wasn't a question carrying any vindication or accusation, but wanting to ease a fear they all shared.
"It's my belief, yes, my country is." Tyne carefully answered, matching Eiji's frown.
Eiji heaved a sigh filled with worry and closed his eyes.
Tyne and Sean were good people. They could have vilified him with reminders of his position as a prisoner of war, but they chose to be his friend instead. As dangerous as that was, it was also the most humane way to carry out this relations.h.i.+p and their orders. He had to keep faith in this fact and that they were also only men following orders for their country that they believed in. No different to him when he was in-service, gunning down the enemy before him on the front lines.
"Okay. You have your orders" Eiji blew out his worries. "For your G.o.d and Country."
He yelped when Sean jumped on him with a bear hug and pulled him down into a cuddle on the futon that had been laid out for Tyne.
"Sleep with me tonight," Sean whispered into Eiji's ear that scored him a light fist jab to his gut.
"I didn't mean in a perverted way." He groaned with pain and his eyes watering.
"You hug like a lover. No way in h.e.l.l." Eiji growled and went to claim Sean's futon that was furthest from the man, and with Kei as a buffer in the middle.
"I'll hug you to sleep, baby." Tyne wryly joked.
Sean screwed up his nose. "No way in h.e.l.l you big ogre."
He made himself comfortable in Tyne's futon and snuggled close to Kei who was cursing in his sleep about idiot foreigners who couldn't change a tyre.
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Tyne chuckled and returned to his pensive mood, keeping watching over his sleeping comrades.