In this chapter Inutaisho's surname is 'Kita', which is something I made up myself, it's NOT his real surname. I'm not sure if I have already made up a surname in this fic and used it before, but I can't remember. So, let's not think about it. Now his, Inuyasha's, his father's and Sesshomaru's surnames are Kita.
Chapter 24 – The First Kiss
The snow had started falling slowly and gently – christmas was getting closer. The hospital of Kuroshima was getting filled with presents coming through mail. But some patients had their presents in person.
That, though, was very rare in the ward K10-3.
Unlike this christmas.
Inutaisho, Inuyasha's dad, was driving his car in a small blizzard, heading towards the hospital of Kuroshima, towards his son. This visit had been planned for a month ago, and both Inuyasha and his father were waiting for it.
Sayoko, Kagome's mom, was driving her car in a small blizzard, heading towards the hospital of Kuroshima, towards her daughter. This visit had been planned for a month ago, and both Kagome and her mother were waiting for it.
That being, there would be some trouble coming up.
Inutaisho had just stopped at a gas station to tank his car and to do some shopping in the store. But he had driven just a few minutes, when suddenly his phone rang.
"Inutaisho Kita", he answered.
"Hello, this is Mitsuhiro Akiyama here from K10-3. We are sorry to say that there are some problems with your visit today..."
"... Don't you tell me it has to be canceled!"
"Not necessarily..." Mitsuhiro said. "The problem is that there is an another visit today too. If you think it's okay for you to be in the family room at the same time, I can ask for the other visitor, and if she agrees, it will be okay."
For a while Inutaisho was quiet. He had gone a long way – he couldn't just turn back! Finally he sighed.
"Alright. Let's do it."
And so, Sayoko's phone rang.
"Sayoko Higurashi", she answered the phone.
"Mitsuhiro Akiyama from ward K10-3. I'm sorry to tell you this but there are some problems according to your visit today."
"Is my daughter unwell?" Sayoko asked, eyes wide from worry.
"Oh, no, don't worry", Mtsuhiro corrected. "There just happens to be an another visit just at the same time with your visit. There is a way – you have to be in the family room together. Is is okay?"
"If it's okay with the other family", the woman said.
"Yes, they agreed."
"Okay then. See you soon!"
Kagome was eagerly waiting for her mom. She had been sitting on the living room's couch for almost an hour. But now she got up, just to move around a bit. She walked the main corridor – and saw Inuyasha, sitting against the main door, strapped in the straightjacket.
Kagome got closer and knelt down beside him.
"Why are you sitting here?" she asked. Inuyasha looked at her with a vacant expression.
"Well, I guess I could sit here with you, could I? My mom is coming any minute."
Now the boy's dog ears shot up and he stared at Kagome. First Kagome just stared back at him, but what about...?
"...What? Are you expecting your family, too?"
Inuyasha gave no answer, but suddenly Kagome started to hear noises coming from behind the ward's door... and then the doorbell rang. She stood up in a second to see her mom... But it wasn't her mom. She saw a very tall and sturdy man silver hair and blue lines on his cheeks.
"He is...?" Kagome said, maybe a bit scared. She had met Inuyasha and Koga here, but they were still so young that they didn't really look scary. But this man behind the door looked like he could kill someone.
Inuyasha got up and leaned against the glass door. The man smiled and waved at him.
Mitsuhiro came, smiled at Inuyasha and opened the door. The man stepped in. Even though Mitsuhiro was quite a big sized man, Inutaisho was almost a foot taller than him.
"Okay, now since you're here first, you get to spend a while in the family room all by yourselves."
Mitsuhiro led the canine family to the family room.
"Note that the other visitors can arrive any minute", he said. Inutaisho nodded and sat down on the couch, next to his son. After Mitsuhiro left, they stared at each other for a long time. Then Inutaisho laid his hand on the leather belts his son was strapped with, and gave a very sad face.
"They told me they will start giving you some ECT after christmas..." he said quietly. "I pray that it will work this time..."
Inuyasha was laying on the couch, his head on his dad's lap. The man stroke his son's silky hair and warm ears, but simply couldn't smile.
"You've missed a lot in your life, son..." he said. "You don't even know how much fun just going to a normal school is..."
A knock on the door was heard. Inuyasha shot up, growling.
"Calm down", Inutaisho said, petting his son's shoulder. And so, Kagome came in with her mother. For a while Sayoko stared at Inutaisho. She had never seen such a big man.
"Inutaisho Kita", he said. "Inuyasha's father."
"Sayoko Higurashi..." she said and shook hands with the man. "Kagome's mother."
"Nice to meet you", Inutaisho smiled a bit. And so, they all sat on the couch, but nobody said a word.
"Hm, I don't think this will work out", Inutaisho finally sighed. "But! I have an idea!"
Inutaisho got to the ward's office. He had taken Inuyasha with him... Just in case, even though he did trust his son not to attack them.
"Hello. I was just thinking about what if we could go to the café, we four? Me, Inuyasha, and the Higurashi family?"
Mitsuhiro was quiet for a while. Finally a small smile grew on his face.
"Heh, I guess there's no reason why not."
Inutaisho smiled like the sun.
"But it won't be all that easy. He must still wear the straightjacket and I must come with you. But if you ask me, I think it will go just fine."
It was a bit cold outside. Kagome had to dress very warmly, as she was always feeling cold. She wore a hat, a quilted jacket, pullover and mittens.
"Do you want to dress Inuyasha up or want me to do it?" Mitsuhiro asked while bringing socks, hat and a coat.
Inutaisho didn't say anything but took the clothes and started dressing up his son. But as Inuyasha's arms were strapped around him lika a tortilla, he just put down the coat on his shoulders and zipped it up.
"Okay, now", Mitsuhiro told Inutaisho. "Inuyasha hasn't been outside more than in and out of ambulances. We must make sure he doesn't get nervous."
Then they walked out of the K10 building. Both Mitsuhiro and Inutaisho were walking by Inuyasha's side. The boy looked around in every direction and sniffed the air.
"Fresh air smells nice now doesn't it?" Mitsuhiro grinned.
The café wasn't far away. They got in, and there were quite a lot people inside.
"What do you want?" Inutaisho asked his son. Inuyasha turned towards the cold cabinet. "Ah, let me guess: Mountain Dew."
And so he took the green bottle out from the cabinet.
"Anything else?"
This wasn't easy as Inuyasha could point at whatever he wanted to have.
"Hm... What about a doughnut?"
Inuyasha nodded once.
Inutaisho, his son and Mitsuhiro walked to a table and sat down. He started giving Inuyasha Mountain Dew to drink. Everything seemed to go well.
But it wasn't that easy with Kagome and her mom. As Sayoko took a cup of coffee and a slice of cake, Kagome just took a can of diet coke from the cold cabinet.
"Are you sure you don't want anything else, honey?" Sayoko asked, sad. The girl stared at the floor. She felt so embarrassed.
She felt so uneasy as her mom joined others around one table. She walked a few tables from them and sat down, starting to slowly drinking her diet soda.
The parents, Mitsuhiro and Inuyasha stared at the girl. They all (except Inuyasha) seemed very sad.
The parents talked like friends. Mitsuhiro had to stay quiet, as it was none of his business what they were discussing. He just drank his coffee, reading the newspaper he had bought.
"Tell me, is your daughter anorexic?" Inutaisho asked carefully. Sayoko nodded.
"I know how you feel of having a child really mentally sick..." the lady sighed. "Although Kagome is not as sick as Inuyasha..."
"It's just how you take it", Inutaisho said. "Inuyasha might be... Let's face it: completely insane... But he's not in danger of starvation or suicide."
"Hm... You're right", Sayoko nodded, sad.
Then something happened. As his father was holding the soda bottle in front of Inuyasha's mouth, suddenly the boy grabbed it with his teeth, got up and walked up to Kagome. He put down the bottle carefully in front of Kagome, but didn't sit down. He walked back to the table of adults, took his doughnut with his teeth like he did with the bottle, put it in front of the girl, and now, sat down, opposite her. All the adults stared at this their eyes wide.
"I-Inuyasha..." Kagome stammered. The boy stared at her, demandingly. Eat it, he would say, Kagome thought. But she didn't eat.
Finally he was fed up with this. He grabbed the doughnut back with his teeth, walked to her side and reached the doughnut in front of her mouth. Again, she just stared at the boy, still, but finally started eating it.
When she had taken the final bite, something happened: their lips touched. For a moment they stayed still, but retreated. They stared at each other.
And the adults just looked like they had seen a ghost. Especially Inutaisho and Mitsuhiro. They sat still for a long time, looking at Kagome pouring soda in Inuyasha's mouth.
"You know, mrs. Higurashi", Mitsuhiro smiled. "Your daughter is the best kind of therapy Inuyasha can ever have. And so I think I will suggest the doctor not to start ECT."
Inutaisho's eyes widened.
"Really?" he asked. As Mitsuhiro nodded with a smile. Inutaisho pet his shoulder.
"We should let Inuyasha be as much with Kagome as possible. Maybe we will be able to help them form a relationship between them."
"I think you're already late", Sayoko smiled like the sun.
After this there was no problem with the two families being together in the same room. The parents talked to each other, and the youth sat on the couch. They hadn't moved and inch or said a word, but suddenly the girl carefully laid her hand on the boy's hand. Inuyasha turned his face to the girl and tweaked his ears. Kagome reached to them, carefully touched them... And the boy closed his eyes in pleasure. Kagome smiled and carried on rubbing.
