Page 9 of Patience
“Yes. That’s a thing that will be happening now.” Once again, Eli was sprawled face-first in the snow - this time with one leg sticking half in the air and the other flung out to the side. Both legs were pinned in place because each ski was stuck point-down in the snow. Each of his poles had flown far off into the distance. Much further than Keiji was planning on getting from Eli, so he decided to leave them there. “I have a request first before we go if you don’t mind.”
“Of course, Talosa-san.” Keiji pulled Eli’s skis from the snow and popped each one free from his boots using one of his own poles. No touching necessary.
“Put those muscles of yours to use, and break both of these skis in half for me, please.”
Finally, an Eli-related job that wasn’t going to drive Keiji into an early grave. Instead of cheering, he merely said, “It would be my pleasure.”
With a song in his heart, Keiji snapped each ski over one knee. Neither broke cleanly, but instead were bent and splintered, so Keiji had to twist and pull each one apart. It was an intensely satisfying action.
Eli was good to him.
Keiji handed the broken bits of fiberglass off to Eli’s flabbergasted instructor before grabbing a sled from the rescue team and towing Eli back down the hill. Even though Eli argued that he could walk back down on his own, Keiji refused to budge. His nerves had been tested enough that day.
Keiji wasn’t a confrontational man. He always did the job he was supposed to do and followed orders. If it didn’t compromise his charge's safety, he had no problem following their lead. It was just…the list of things that compromised Eli’s safety grew longer by the day. It was becoming harder to follow Eli’s lead, and it was turning Keiji into someone he didn’t recognize.
“Haruka doesn’t need to know about this, does he?” Eli was referring to the coffee cup he was wrapped around and warming his hands with. Possibly his entire body. The thing was almost as big as Eli’s head.
“You can say it’s mine if he catches you.”
Eli laughed. “He’ll still know.”
Yamada-san was uncannily intuitive about anything involving Eli, so Keiji didn’t doubt it. He had theories about his boss’s situation with Eli and after what Keiji had seen at Tenkawa Benzaiten shrine, there was little he couldn’t believe.
Keiji bowed. “I can’t promise not to tell him if he asks, but I won’t offer the information voluntarily.”
“You’re the best, Kamakura.”
“You’re too kind, sir.” If Keiji was the best, he would have shoved Eli’s ski instructor into the snow at the first available opportunity for her rudeness. He only refrained because it would have made Eli sad.
Once he was done for the night, and Eli was safely back in Yamada-san’s hands, Keiji was going to do research on Stockholm syndrome. He’d heard it was only a myth, but after meeting Eli and falling under his spell, Keiji was pretty sure the phenomenon had merit.
“Hey, can you hold my coffee so I can get changed? I’m soaked.” Eli set his coffee on the table in front of them and nudged it in Keiji’s direction.
Keiji took Eli’s coffee and followed the boy to the shop he’d bought his ski suit from. The shop owner had been kind enough to let Eli keep his clothes there while he skied. Eli collected his clothes, then gave the shop owner a polite bow and a sweetthank youin perfect keigo before heading toward the changing room.
Keiji followed.
“I will come with you, sir.”
“I’m pretty sure that would be detrimental to your health, Kamakura-san.”
Tohishealth?
Oh, yes. Yamada-san’s notoriously possessive nature. There was a good chance Yamada-san would try to have Keiji’s eyes removed if the man thought he saw anything he wasn’t supposed to. Even though Keiji was a professional and would never dream of peeping on Eli while he was changing, Yamada-san wouldn’t take the matter lightly.
“Of course, sir.” Keiji bowed low and moved to stand by the door of the changing room.
After all, even Eli couldn’t get injured while changing his clothes.
Probably.
Chapter5
Haruka
“It’s not what you think, sir.” Kamakura moved to stand behind Eli, likely to use him as a human shield. It was a smart move, but it would only give him a temporary reprieve from Haruka’s wrath.
Haruka made the journey across the hotel lounge in three strides, ignoring the coffee Kamakura was trying to hide. He took Eli’s face in one hand, trying not to touch the livid bruise covering a quarter of his face.
