I worry about you.
#4 of Stories
A little short story I did to explain the relationship and bond between Jessica and Toshubi.
Jessica closed the door to the sauna as Toshubi knelt next to the fire box and carefuly removed the vest to his ninja togs. Toshubi winced and let out a soft hiss as the small gash ripped open some of its scab as he extended his left arm backward to remove the vest. Jessica listened at the door, making sure that no one else was coming. Once she felt comfortable the coast was clear, she turned to her adaopted father.
Toshubi was looking over at her.
"Jessica, take a look and see how deep it is and if there is any dirt in it."
Toshubi set the vest to his ninja togs to his right, along with his dagger. Jessica let out a sigh and walked over.
"Try and hold still." She said. "This may sting a little."
Jessica gently squeezed the long edges of the cut together to open up the wound so it could show her how deep into the tissue it went. Toshubi tensed up a bit and a soft grunt escaped through his clenched teeth as the wound opened. A few weeks ago, Jessica wouldn't have been able to stomach what she was doing right now. Jessica peered into the four inch long, half inch deep sword slice into Toshubi's back. It ran just an inch to the left of the spine and extended slightly downward across the shoulder blade. Jessica looked closely inside for any dirt or signs of poison. It seemed clean dispite the fresh blood that she had to keep dabbing away with a cloth.
"Looks like somfurrie tried to decapitate you, and from the looks of it... they almost succeeded." Said Jessica. "If you keep taking these risks, one day they just might succeed."
Jessica's voice was cool and void of her usual dose of emotion.
"It doesn't look too bad, but I'm going to stitch it up anyway. Knowing your level of daily activity, you'll only keep tearing it open."
Jessica let go of the wound and reaches for her backpack getting out her small sewing kit and a small bottle of sake.
Toshubi could feel her blue eyes burning at the back of his head.
"Jessica, you were warned what you may have to deal with by tagging along with me. But..."
"But this is something you have to do! Yeah I know, you've told me this a thousand times before." Jessica butted in. She poured the sake into the open cut and Toshubi's face winced with pain.
"Easy." Toshubi scolded back at the calf.
"Don't be such a baby." Jessica fired back.
Both furries sat quietly as Jessica started the delicate proceedure of sewing the small gash closed.
"I don't want you to die daddy." Jessica thought to herself. "I worry about you everytime you go away. I worry if you will ever return to me. You are not as worthless or disposable as you think you are."
Jessica started her second stitch, the needle punching through Toshubi's skin causing another small trickle of blood that smeared on her thumb and fingers. The thread lightly tugged and jerked as it was pulled through his skin.
"You matter to me. Doesn't that count for anything?" Jessica continued in her thoughts to her guardian. "You say you care about me, that you want me to live a long and full life... but I want you to be IN that life you want for me. I never knew my real father, he left before I was born. He never even told my mother "Goodbye." when he left. He didn't want the shame of having a calf out of wedlock."
Jessica begain the knot that would hold her handiwork together.
"You didn't have to take up the responsibility of being my dad, but you did. Have you no idea what that means to me? I love you dad, please don't leave me alone in this world."
Jessica took the knife from her backpack and cut the excess thread from the suture.
"Th-there, good as n-new." Jessica sniffed as she fought back the tears that were welling up in her eyes.
Toshubi turned to face her, he could see she was upset.
"What would I do without you sweetheart?" Toshubi said softly to her and did his best to give her a smile through the pain in his shoulder. "Everything will be alright."
Jessica looked into his eyes, hoping to see some sort of guarantee to that last statement.
"Daddy!" Jessica sobbed as she threw her arms around Toshubi, forgetting all about the freshly sealed slash in his left shoulder and buried her face into his right shoulder. Toshubi's eyes widened with suprise and agony as white hot pain erupted through his shoulder. Toshubi clenched his teeth and groaned softly. Once the pain died down a bit, he wrapped his arms around the little calf and patted her on the back.
"Shhhh. It's ok." Toshubi said softly and held her, letting her cry. They would have to move soon, but for now there was time for this.