7 DAYS
by: K3
Disclaimer: HxH is by Yoshihiro Togashi & Nippon Animation. I didn't STEAL them, OK?!
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PROLOUGE:
Space. Is it the black void we share our homes with? Or is it the light that gives spirit to all? Well, whatever it is, I need more of it to hang up these sheets… I don't understand how two sole people could use so much.
The sun was starting to rise. I've spent my whole life here in Whale Island, witnessing thousands of the spectacular sky shows nature never fails to offer, yet I still find myself stunned each time. The sight was familiar, yet breathtaking. Gray hues of blues & greens scattered across the sky, claiming it as their stage. And the clouds, in all shapes, seemed to dance in radiance with the morning light. The birds were singing their tune again, and the animals in the forest nearby were rising. I could tell. The leaves were rustling. Ma is preparing the bar. I can hear the bottles of wines and spirits being lifted off from their box to the shelves.
It's that type of day again; when everything is the same as it was yesterday. And the day before. And the day before that. Can you hear it? The melody never changes. And the nice addition of that light tenor voice shouting for attention unites them all.
Wait, tenor? There isn't any male in this house!
DAY 1: E.N.S.
"If you're coming for a visit, let me know first!" I screamed at the dark-haired boy, "I haven't prepared anything, Gon!"
"That's what she said the last time." A cat-eyed companion explained to two newcomers. The two, in return, shed sweatdrops.
"Sorry," Gon answered, "but this was kind of a last minute decision… we would have arrived earlier than the mail would."
"Oh, so you're being rash like your father now, eh?" I answered back. His reply came as a wry smile paired with teary eyes. I had no choice but to forgive him. "You and Killua, change out of those filthy clothes. (OK, later.) NOW!!!" Their two other companions took their seats. I decided to take the time to prepare a large breakfast. As I was stirring the soup, I thought back to the last time HE was here. The young boy I loved so much had dark, spiky hair and a pair of curious brown eyes to match. We are nothing alike, I thought as I touched my red hair, he isn't even my own flesh & blood. And yet, he calls me mother… and him, my son. Tears began filling up my blue eyes.
"MITO-SAN! KILLUA IS HUNGRY!!!"
I turned to their direction and my inner sentimental voice was replaced by a stern retort, "If he wants to eat then tell him to wait! If he cant, let him go to the forest then & indulge in those icky berries!" This was followed by a swat from the hungry brat who didn't really say anything, a light laugh from the guy wearing a tie, and a lecture from their blond friend.
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"…so you see, we have some time out before we need to move on again. We couldn't go to Killua's place and I knew you'd like it if you saw us again so here we are." Gon finished, not even pausing for breath. "In other words, it was Gon's fault." Killua concluded.
"Not true."
"Very true."
(tongue stuck out) "Liar!"
(swat) "Blegh!"
"Stop it! The two of you!" I scolded them, "I'm having your bickering for breakfast here!" "Please pass the peas." I addressed their blond friend who I've come to know as Kurapika. He stretched his arm to its full length then retracted it again to hand me the peas. "Thank you." Actually, I didn't want the peas. I just wanted to see if this guy's hand was really chained. It was.
"Are you done with the peas?" Leorio asked. He was the guy in the business suit. "Uhm, yes." And I handed them to him. I never thought I'd see someone who could match Killua's appetite.
As I watched the four of them eat in delight, pigging out on all the homemade recipes I created (though Kurapika seemed to be learned with etiquette), it hit me for the first time. Gon had found a new family, and he was very happy with them. He doesn't need me now. My stomach was churning. I was hungry, but my emotions had united with my appetite. He was a hunter now. He has all the money he'll ever need—or if not, he has the means to get it. I don't understand, why should he wish to visit me? So you don't end up in misery once you lose him permanently an inner voice answered. "I'm done."
"But Mito-san, you hardly touched y—"
"I said I'm done."
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I crumbled to the mercy of my bed. I felt so weak. Against my inner voice, my defiant nature always took a turn to victory. But for the first time… I've been defeated. Gon had taken his friends to the forest. At least I know he won't hear my sobs. I can't have him look up to me as a mother and see me crying.
"Ma, I'm going to town to get more food. Watch the bar for me." I didn't give her the chance to answer. I just grabbed my basket, and practically flew off the door. I knew it was going to be a long walk. Time to clear my mind. I thought back to the first time I was to fight for Gon. Jin had arrived, after 10 years of no contact, bearing a child in his arms. It was quite obvious he had not spent much time with the child, for he held the infant poorly. My heart had ached back then thinking of the suffering the innocent soul had to go through, cursed with such an irresponsible father. I couldn't stand it. It wasn't surprising that Jin virtually gave the child to me. After all, he was a selfish man.
I won the battle, but I utterly lost the war. Now my heart ached once more, but I know I can't fight. He's going to leave me… like Jin. The thought made me stop in my tracks. I had been so absorbed in my own thoughts that I didn't realize I was already in the marketplace. Naturally, being an island, there were a lot of fishes for sale. I recall when Gon left for the hunter exam. My condition was for him to catch that mysterious fish from the lake. He succeeded, and let the fish go afterwards. It was the first time he left me.
A young girl rushed past me. She had been carrying a vase of flowers, far too large and heavy for a child that age. Just like Gon I thought subconsciously. A flower had fallen, a large peach rose in full bloom. But the girl was gone. Stooping over, I bent to pick up the blossom, not having the heart to see such fragile beauty lost to the throngs of feet pounding on the harsh earthy ground. Victoriously, my fingers clasped the rose's stem. The thorns hurt, but the rose was beautiful.
"Oi!" a hand clasped my left shoulder. T`was was the oldest of Gon's company, Leorio. "Mito, right?"
I nodded.
"I couldn't help noticing you were… how would you say… floating off to your own dimension." He made a face, "I was never really good with words."
"How come you're not with Gon and the others?" I asked, ignoring his question.
"Well, I'm studying up to be a doctor and since we're at Whale Island, I decided to look up some aquatic medicines."
His excuse was valid. Mine won't be.
"You never answered my question. What's bothering you?"
"I…" I can't tell him that I wanted to get my Gon back from them.
My Gon? Since when have I considered Gon mine? As much as I loved him, Gon would always be Gon. And what Gon was—was like his father, Jin. He was curious of the world around him, and he embraced his freedom. All this time I had been thinking that they were stealing him from me. I considered it a crime. But isn't it more of a sin, to keep Gon to myself? Not to share to the world the gift named Gon? All I had been thinking was me. At that instant the time had come. I had to step out of my own shoe, pull that plank off my eye, and start thinking for the rest of us. If I had kept Gon mine…
§ Killua might have killed the baby foxbear, when I first discovered he needed maternal guidance.
§ Kurapika might not have spoken a single word. He looks like the type who keeps to himself, but Gon has this uncanny ability to look at him, and the rest of us, straight in the eye and penetrate into the soul.
§ Leorio… well, I don't know. Leorio? Oh no…
"Ah! Excuse me, I had some thoughts going on in my mind" I said sheepishly.
Leorio gave me a puzzled look, shrugged and said, "You look ok now." He turned his back and started humming. After a few steps, he turned to face me again, finger wagging in the air, "Make sure you prepare a big lunch. Breakfast left me hungry."
It took me a while to digest his words. And then it hit me, the second time, Gon had a new family. But this time, there was something else. Gon has a new family, I have a new family. They're all my family. I stomped my foot and screamed in my usual picky tone, "IF YOU WANT TO EAT, THEN HELP ME COOK!!!" and I chased after him, waving my basket in the air.
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That night, I tucked my Gon- I mean, our Gon in bed. He wasn't sleepy, unlike his cat-eyed buddy who was snoring off beside him. There was silence from the room beside us. Kurapika and Leorio were probably asleep too.
"Mito-san… we're staying here a FULL week!"
"That's good."
"You can tell me stories, tuck me in bed every night, prepare all that delicious food, treat my woun—"
I shushed his talkative mouth. "I'll do everything you ask. Just promise me you sleep well tonight."
He closed his eyes and turned to his side. A wave of drowsiness overcame him. "I love you, Mito-san" he managed to murmur.
I smiled. A full week? Seven days? The countdown begins.
~TSUDUKU~
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AUTHOR'S NOTES: If you liked this fic (or even if you didn't), please review. This is my first attempt at writing a REAL fic- and I intend to make it a long-running one (yes, but that doesn't sound like me at all. Must be all that ice cream I've been eating- yum!) so expect more chaps.
About the title, ENS stands for 'Empty Nest Syndrome'. You know, the whole baby-birds-leave-the-nest-leaving-lonely-mom concept.
On the rose part, I put that in for symbolism. The thorns hurt, like having a child leave you, but that is why the rose blooms. As for the color, well… peach is my favorite color of roses. Go figure.
I was having trouble extending the plot, much more make another chapter of the same story, so I decided to make each chap have a different plot altogether- but they'll be all entwined in the same story. Hope you guys like that idea ^-^