Mantineus-I have posted a challenge on my profile under my Message Board. And please enjoy the final chapter of 'Mine'!
-- --Five hours later
Inuyasha paced back and forth in the hospital waiting room(with it's paintings and lamps with the red shade that made the tan wall behind it look darker when it hit), worried about his friend, and, if he was lucky, mate-to-be. His head down, facing the tiled floor.
Kagome was spanked, shook, and yelled at, ending with her grounded, and still sitting up in her room crying and angry for the punishment she was receiving, while her brother got off scott-free. Before they left for the hospital Sesshomaru was at the door, offering to watch Kagome. Ms. Higurashi was happy about that, and left with the two boys for the hospital.
Ms. Higurashi sighed, a smile gracing her lips.
"I'm sure he'll be fine, Inuyasha." She said, patting the seat next to her. "He's tough for his age."
Inuyasha just smiled at her and continued pacing. She became his second, and more predominant mother figure after spending most of his time with Kagome and Souta, slightly forsaking his own for the mere reason that they were boring, worried about work instead of playing with him.
"I heard what Kagome said, Inuyasha." Ms. Higurashi said, her face turning grave. "I know why you are pacing so ferociously."
Inuyasha could not bring himself to look at her; worried that she might be mad because of his intentions.
"I don't mind," She said, her head titled down towards the tiles. "In all honesty, I figured this might happen from the day he wanted your ears. 'Yasha, ine!', he shouted. Though Kagome didn't understand what he said, I do." She looked up and smiled at the surprised hanyou. "A mother always knows. I'm sure your mom was the same way if you told her."
Inuyasha nodded. She smirked.
"I knew it." She said.
"You'll out live him." She said. "I know you know this, a yokai is forever, but a hanyou is only slightly longer than a mortal's life span. And chances are he's not heading for hell, either. That is…unless all the hype about homosexuals going to hell are true."
"You never told me this when I dated Kagome." He said, his courage building up from her response to the situation thus far.
"I'm just making sure you understand this." She said. "Your relationship will be rough road; people will say things for many reasons; your age difference, your genders, and much more."
She looked sad when she listed the troubles this would bring. But then looked happy.
"But this is just a test kami has handed you to test your relationship. Souta's my special little guy who faces things not many people do. His sister pretty much beat him within an inch of his life, for example. I'm sure you know how the other children treat him. Don't make him unhappy, Inuyasha. He doesn't deserve that. Especially not from you."
A minute later a nurse walked out from the E.R. and asked: "Higurashi Souta. Is anyone here related to Higurashi?"
"Here," Ms. Higurashi said, raising her hand.
The nurse walked towards her, her face neutral, revealing nothing of the news she would bring.
"He's fine, his ribs are cracked slightly, his arm is sprained, and he'll have bruises, but he'll pull through." She said.
"Can we go back there?" Inuyasha asked her.
"I'm afraid not, dear." She said, turning her gaze on the small hanyou. "He's sleeping, maybe later when he wakes up."
Inuyasha hung his head down, his ears lowering onto his hair, revealing how sad he was.
"Ms. Higurashi, I have a few questions about his wounds. May I speak to you alone?"
Ms. Higurashi nodded, stood up, and walked towards the front desk where the nurse handed her the clip board that was waiting for them at the front desk. She flipped through the papers and filled it out.
They were whispering, but Inuyasha could hear them clearly.
"Are you sure his sister gave him these injuries?" The nurse asked.
Ms. Higurashi nodded. "I had to pull her off him. She's being grounded, Sesshomaru, the older son of a friend of the family, is watching her."
"You wrote down that she is ten years old?"
Ms. Higurashi nodded again.
"Okay," The nurse flipped through the papers. "You never mentioned why."
"Do you really have to know?" Ms. Higurashi sighed, exasperated.
The nurse nodded. Ms. Higurashi sighed again.
"Inuyasha," She said, pointing towards the hanyou. "Had broken up with her, believing that it was Souta's fault, she beat him up."
The nurse wrote that down to the side.
"I'll let the doctor see this," The nurse said. "He'll figure out what to do."
Ms. Higurashi nodded, glad this was over with. She walked towards Inuyasha and smiled.
"Let's go home," She said. "There's nothing more we can do here."
Inuyasha reluctantly nodded, knowing that what ever he said, Ms. Higurashi would disagree, and force him to leave with her.
-- --One day later
Souta woke up with a groan, his eyes slowly changed from bright blurred nothings, into an white eye sore. He figured that he was in a hospital room, his body aching.
"Oh, good morning." A nurse said, opening the blinds.
She walked over to him, checked his vitals, and with a smile, left the room to check on another patient.
Souta felt bored, bound to the bed(if he tried to get off of the bed, an alarm would sound), all he could do is sleep, wake up when someone entered the room, and pray that the tv would magically fix itself.
-- --5 hours later
Inuyasha wanted to run to the hospital as soon as the bell rang, but deep down he knew that the nurses would never allow him in without Ms. Higurashi with him. So he walked home alone. Kagome walked with her friends, who applauded her for what she did. But they separated, each going in different directions for home, and then she was alone. Inuyasha had to scowl. She did all this for her superficial friends. Friends, who would probably leave her if she admitted to their separation.
-- --
"Hello, Inuyasha." Ms. Higurashi said, standing outside on her porch, Sesshomaru right next to her. "Do you wanna see Souta now? I was told he had woken up earlier today."
Inuyasha nodded, he felt uncertain how the boy would react to him, but he would feel even worse if this was not confronted right away. Besides, he felt that Souta needed an explanation.
Ms. Higurashi turned to Sesshomaru and smiled. "Thanks again for baby-sitting Kagome again."
Sesshomaru smirked, like the rest of his family he would do anything for the Higurashis. He also appreciated such affections from Ms. Higurashi.
"No problem." He said. "Now run along." He turned to Inuyasha, an evil smirk on his face. "I know Inuyasha is just dying to see his Souta-chan."
-- --
The ride to the hospital was long, the silence was sharp, to Inuyasha it was like being balanced on the edge of a blade, for despite her blessing, he felt if he said anything now, she would cry. Plunging him onto the blade.
Once they reached the parking lot, they got out and walked into the building. They continued put a fight of stairs(the elevators were out of order), and Ms. Higurashi walked up to the desk.
A slim nurse sat behind the big front desk, her hair up in a bun, she was scanning some paper work a doctor left her not too long ago. She averted her eye from the files when Ms. Higurashi cleared her throat.
"Yes?" She asked in a nasally voice.
"Where's Souta Higurashi's room?" Ms. Higurashi asked.
The nurse looked over another chart. "Down the hall to the left." She said.
"Thank you."
Ms. Higurashi and Inuyasha walked down the hall and into the room.
"Hey guys." Souta said, waking from a boredom induced sleep.
"Hello, hunny." Ms. Higurashi said, a small smile playing on her lips.
She hated seeing her son in so much pain.
Souta looked at Inuyasha confused. "What's the matter, Inuyasha?" He asked.
Ms. Higurashi got up and headed for the door. "I just forgot to ask something to the nurse." She said to the boys, whom were watching her.
Souta took that as fact, while Inuyasha knew it to be a lie. She was leaving so they could have privacy…even though it wasn't wanted.
-- --
"So…" Souta said, meaning it as an open-ended question.
"Should I explain?" Inuyasha asked.
"You just need to answer this one question." Souta said, crossing his arms.
"What?"
"Did you mean it?"
"Yes." Inuyasha said straight away, walking towards the hospital bed. "Every word I said; everything I did."
"I love you, too." Souta said.
Inuyasha stopped walking and leaned over until their lips touched. Their kiss lasted longer than last time. And when they separated it was because of lack of oxygen. Both lovers smiled at the other, their hands snaked until clasping each other on the bed.
But little did they know that Ms. Higurashi was watching them, smiling, happy for them for finally coming together.
-- --60 years later
Souta laid on his death bed, being seventy, he had cerebral cancer and it finally smashed his hour glass, for his time was running out. His wrinkly eyes were half open, his eyes were on his still young looking lover.
Inuyasha intertwined his hand with Souta's. His free hand running lovingly over his balding head.
"I love you." Souta rasped out.
"I love you, too." Inuyasha said, a tear running down his face.
Souta closed his eyes. He had died a happy man.
-- --But wait…There's More. After all, Death is only the beginning of something new.(Skip this ending if you don't like the concept of choices and hell).
Centuries passed. And Inuyasha passed away of old age. And once he saw the gates, he was struck dumb. For waiting for him, was his lover.
"But…" Inuyasha was about to ask, but Souta(looking like he did when he was ten) beat him to it.
"I was given a choice." He said smiling.
They embraced, looking into each other's eyes lovingly.
They kissed as the gates burst open and hell fire engulfed them.
-- --Owari
Mantineus-There I go again, romanticizing Hell. Oh well, I gave you a choice. I hope you all enjoyed my little Soap Opera. Please R&R! And please check out my challenge!