Fingertips

Chapter Six

By: Lil' Inu-Yahsa

I wondered whether the negligence of acknowledging Inu Yasha's disease could hurt him so I checked online.

Do symptoms of autism change over time?
For many children, autism symptoms improve with treatment and with age. Some children with autism grow up to lead normal or near-normal lives. Children whose language skills regress early in life, usually before the age of 3, appear to be at risk of developing epilepsy or seizure-like brain activity. During adolescence, some children with autism may become depressed or experience behavioral problems. Parents of these children should be ready to adjust treatment for their child as needed.

See, the thing is, is that Inu Yasha's parents did not adjust for him, they expected him to get better because they did not understand him. And that hurt him more. The Thompson's seem to be okay, though I do not think they are fit to handle Inu Yasha. In fact, Inu Yasha is really a handful. I think I am just about the only person on the planet that can stand to be in his company for longer than a few hours. He is difficult at times, but he is independent and he doesn't need constant affection and support. But I give him support anyways because I think he needs it.

I would give him affection if he let me. But he hates to be touched and that aggravates me. I am ashamed of myself, I really am, but I can't help it. I want to touch Inu Yasha. I want to hug him and hold his hand, I want to put my head on his shoulder, I would like to touch his face and see how soft his skin is. I want to kiss Inu Yasha.

But I can't. He won't like it, so I won't do it. I respect him and he trusts me, and I value that. If one touch was all it would take to break that, then I won't touch him, I won't.

I have been writing this short story over a span of two months, even though I have been seeing Inu Yasha for a year and seven months. I have been seeing him of my own will for a year and two months. Today started out normally enough. We were in the arts room and we were painting. Inu Yasha was just making shapes. He likes to make squares and triangles that have perfectly equal sides because symmetry makes him content. Then, he wanted to get a ruler so he could figure out their area and perimeter so he went to get one.

He ended up getting in a fight with a boy in the class whom he did not like and the boy jumped on top of Inu Yasha, without warning. The teacher tried to pull them off of each other and then another one restrained Inu Yasha. Inu Yasha must have remembered that time in elementary school when all the kids tackled him because I don't think he took a single breath for a while. Then he screamed for the teacher to let go of him and ran into the supply closet.

I could hear him pacing inside the closet for a while. I tried to coax him to open the door, but he was convinced I was the boy trying to sound like me so that he would come out and the boy could tackle him again.

The pacing stopped and I heard him sit down. I knew what he was doing. He was curling up into a ball and putting his head between his knees, just like I used to do when I was scared. And I heard him sniffle once.

He was crying. I sunk to the floor as fast as my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach.

"Inu Yasha …" I whispered softly. I knew he could hear me. He can hear everything. He stopped sniffling for a moment and I knew he was listening. "Inu Yasha," I continued "Is it okay if I come in? The teacher brought me the keys. Is it okay? I won't touch you, I promise, I won't. It's okay Inu Yasha." I cooed to him. "I won't hurt you."

I waited for five minutes outside the door and did not hear him speak. Then, there was some noise coming from inside and then I heard it: the lock clicked open. He was letting me inside.

I slowly opened the door from where I was sitting. I swung it carefully towards me and it made a creaky noise as I did so. Then, as the sliver of light from outside thickened, it ran over his features. His long shaggy midnight black hair, his ear, his lovely violet eye, his cheeks, blotchy red from crying, his red nose, his lips, his other eye. I left the door open and sat in the frame. "Are you okay?" I asked softly, after a moment of silence

He nodded and sniffed mucous into his nose.

"Is it okay if I come in more?" I asked. He looked up at me and then looked down and nodded his head.

"Don't close the door." he asked of me. "Sit there." he said. He pointed to a place approximately two and a half feet away from him. I nodded and did so.

We sat in the closet for a long time. I don't know how long. But Inu Yasha's crying stopped and eventually so did his sniffling. His face was wet. I could tell because when he turned his head a certain way, his tears would glisten dully in the light from outside the room. Then he said, "Kagome?" I looked over at him. "You don't think I'm … crazy or something do you?"

"Crazy?" I laughed, but I cut myself short because I knew he would not appreciate that. "No. Autism is not insanity. I know that." I said. "Why?" I asked. Inu Yasha was not self conscious. At all.

"Mr Thompson was talking last night. He said, 'I swear to God, Margaret, if I have to spend another day with that crazy son of a bitch I'm gonna blow my head off.' He was talking about me." he said.

"What!" I shrieked. "He said that?" Inu Yasha did not answer because he could tell that was a rhetorical question. "Oh my …" I trailed off. I was disgusted. For him to say something like that about Inu Yasha was intolerable. I fumed.

"He says if I get in another fight, he's gonna send me away." he said. "So I don't know what I'm going to do. Cause, I just got into a fight now, and soon the counselors will call him, and he is going to send me away because he hates me." he said in his usual emotionless monotone voice. Even the British ring was gone from his voice. His accent was becoming, little by little, less noticeable. He looked so scared in that moment.

"Inu Yasha …" I wanted to cry. I could feel my eyes get hot and I just wanted to throw my arms around him and tell him that he was normal, and that everything was okay, and that I loved him more than anyone. But I didn't. "Inu Yasha?" I said as a question.

He looked up at me. His violet eyes were wet and glistening, but beautiful still. His eyes were always beautiful. I admired them.

Then I smiled and held my hand up. I spread my fingers out like a fan because I love him. I love Inu Yasha. He examined my hand for a while and I think it confused him. This is what his parents did to show him they loved him, this is what I will do too. Finally, I think he got what I was trying to tell me and he slowly brought his hand up. His hand was straight and his fingers were spread like mine.

It might have been a trick of light, but I swear to God, I think I saw him smile. A small smile, but a lovely one that suited his face perfectly. He pushed his hand forward and we touched fingertips, because we loved each other.

And when they touched, we were happy.

Author's Notes

Just a Note- Dear readers, thanks so much for being so patient with me about this story. Its taken me at least 4-5 extra months to upload the last chapter because of grounding and computer problems. (I just got net back at my mom's house today! Yay!) Thanks so much for waiting and not screaming at me! You rock. sniff And thank you for all the faves! (23 of them!)

Is this happy ending-ishy enough for everyone? The original story was much less happy than this. But, I like this version too! It is very possible for autistic people to grow up to live nearly normal lives if they get the right help, so that justifies my making the last scene. Plus, Inu Yasha never really tells her he loves her, its just sort of implied, You don't really know what he is thinking. NO ONE really knows what he is thinking. I'm not sure if it's really love, he still needs lots of help at the end, even after all the treatment. But, I think that he trusts her and thinks highly of her.

It is sort of open ended.

So I think I am going to make an epilogue. (Its already a couple pages long.) This was a short story you guys. I know you are all crying and begging me to write more, but this is done with. I might do the epilogue though! So check back in a week or two. Bye! And thank you for reading!

Sincerely,

Inu Kun

Please feel free to leave any comments or suggestions or ANYTHING, but as long as you review, I am happy.

PLEASE REVIEW!

(Well, as with all stories, I consider the last review to be of most importance. So I guess you should rate it or rant about it, but I just want to know what you guys think overall.)