Hello readers~ This chapter concludes Takahiro and Sumi for now I guess. XD This chapter is mostly fluff. It was difficult for me to write so I hope you guys like it. :) I think this fic is ending in another 2 or 3 chapters more? I'm still not sure yet though. :) Enjoy!

Chapter 12 - Home

"His what?" Takahiro exclaimed.

"In short, he is losing his life." Shinobu explained calmly.

"What?" Misaki cried.

"In this world, our life essence is like our soul. Once we lose all of it, we'll disappear into thin air, leaving no trace of our existence." Miyagi explained

"How do I help him?" Takahiro asked Miyagi who shook his head and said, "I told you, you're the only one who can use it."

"But I've no idea how!"

"The guardian should have told you what you need to know." Miyagi said as he walked towards Shinobu and wrapped one hand around his waist. "There's nothing we can do for him. Come, let us all leave the room." he said and he turned to Takahiro, "It's all up to you." and he led Shinobu out of the room. Misaki hugged his brother and whispered, "You can do it," and he let Usami lead him out of the room with Gin following behind them.

When the door closed with a 'click', Takahiro turned and looked at Sumi who looked lifeless on the bed. Takahiro knelt beside the bed, with the lily in his hand.

What am I going to do...Sumi is dying soon and the answer is in my hands yet I have no idea what to do with it. Maybe sending him back to the Fire Kingdom would be a better idea.

The thought of Sumi not waking up and disappear, Takahiro - he had no idea why - he felt so sad, a sadness he could not describe. His tears flowed down his flawless cheeks and dripped on to the lily in his hand. The part which his tears dropped made the lily glow lightly.

Takahiro stared at the lily and remembered the words said by the mysterious voice.

"Something seen but can never be taken. Show me why you came all the way here and when the time comes, I will give you the true lily."

"What does he mean...?" Takahiro said to himself. Why do I go so far for him...He stared at Sumi. He kidnapped me and touched me like no one else does... I don't know why but I just don't want him to die. I...I...love him...

Takahiro took Sumi's hand and gently brushed it against his cheeks. "Please, I don't want you to leave me."

"Hah, you finally say it."

"This voice... The guardian?" Takahiro asked.

"Who else can it be? Now hold the lily in your hands."

Takahiro do as he was told to. He took the lily and sat it right in the middle of both of his hands. The lily glowed and it transform into a bottle with crystal white liquid in it.

"Feed him this. He will recover and will be able to stay in the Water Kingdom. But remember what I've said before, ' Something seen but can never be taken'. Your affection for him is seen by me. This is something that cannot be taken unless by the owner himself. Sumi's life will depends on your affection to live on now. If that affection you feel for him is gone or too far from him, he'll die."

"I understand, thank you." Takahiro said earnestly.

The voice chuckled. "Don't thank me, you earned it. Besides, it was fun watching you figuring yourself out."

Then out of nowhere, a gust of wind blew past Takahiro and then he felt then he was alone in the room with Sumi again.

Takahiro opened the small bottle and poured it into Sumi's mouth, but Sumi was weak and unconscious, the liquid poured into his mouth came flowing out of it by the side. Takahiro then drank the liquid and fed him through his mouth. Slowly, Sumi drank the liquid. White lights flowed out of Takahiro in streams and into Sumi. Colors came back to Sumi. His pale lips slowly turned to healthy pink, his pale skin slowly turned back to it's original color.

When Sumi finished the liquid, Takahiro sat up and used his hand to wipe away the leftovers on his mouth. He looked at Sumi as his fingers twitched as well as his eyes lids. His eyes opened bit by bit and Takahiro cried out his name. "Sumi!" he went forward and hugged him. "I'm so glad..." and he blacked out.

X.X.X

"You think he'll be alright?" Misaki's voice...

"He's awake." That's Sumi's voice! He's alright!

Takahiro's eyes flew wide open, causing his eyes to be blinded by the light and he put one arm over his eyes. He looked to his right and saw Sumi siting beside him and the others were standing around the bed.

"Brother!" Misaki cried when he saw his brother opened his eyes. He wanted to go forward to hug his brother but Usami held him in place. Takahiro take a look at his brother and smiled before turning to Sumi and asked, "Sumi, you feeling alright?" Sumi looked at him and nodded. "I'm glad." he whispered.

"Now that's he's awake, Takahiro will go back to the Wind Kingdom with me." Usami said, glaring at Sumi who pretended not to notice.

Takahiro looked shocked and he said, "But...I...I..."

"He's tired, let us let him rest first." Miyagi said. All of them nodded and was about to leave the room, even Sumi. But Takahiro pulled his hand and whispered, "Can you...stay...?" and looked up at him with his puppy eyes.

"Alright..." Sumi whispered as the others were being pushed out by Miyagi.

Silence fell between them when the others left. It was Sumi who spoke first. "Why...did you save me?" he asked softly, his hand gently brushing Takahiro's cheek as he sat back down beside him. "After all I've done to you, why?"

"I just can't leave you to die. When I saw you lying on the bed, I just can't imagine you dead...I don't know..." Takahiro whispered softly. Sumi pulled him into his arms and whispered into his ear, "I don't know why, but you made me forget the feelings I had for him for so long..."

Takahiro did not really understand what he said, but he felt safe and comfortable in his arms. He hugged him back with his arms wrapped around him. For now, I just want to say this way...

"Do you want to go back with Usami and Misaki...? Back to Wind Kingdom?"

"Now that's he's awake, Takahiro will go back to the Wind Kingdom with me." Usami said, glaring at Sumi who pretended not to notice.

Takahiro looked shocked and he said, "But...I...I..."

"He's tired, let us let him rest first." Miyagi said. All of them nodded and was about to leave the room, even Sumi. But Takahiro pulled his hand and whispered, "Can you...stay...?" and looked up at him with his puppy eyes.

"Alright..." Sumi whispered as the other were being pushed out by Miyagi.

Silence falls between them when the others left. It was Sumi who speak first. "Why...did you save me?" he asked softly, his hand gently brushed Takahiro's cheek as he sat back down beside him. "After all I've done to you, why?"

"I just can't leave you to die. When I saw you lying on the bed, I just can't imagine you're dead...I don't know..." Takahiro whispered softly. Sumi pulled him into his arms and whispered into his ear, "I don't know why, but you made me forget the feelings I had for him for so long..."

Takahiro did not really understand what he said, but he felt safe and comfortable in his arms. He hugged him back with his arms wrapped around him. For now, I just want to say this way...

"Do you want to go back with Usami and Misaki...? Back to Wind Kingdom?" Sumi asked hesitantly. "You can go back to them if you wish."

"I...I..." Takahiro muttered. Then there was a knock on the door before Takahiro could give his reply. Sumi scowled and Takahiro scolded lightly, "Be nice. Come in." The door opened and Takahiro saw that it was Miyagi.

"My Lord, is there something you need?" Takahiro asked politely. Miyagi nodded, "There is something you should know."

"The Water Lily saved his life using your life essence."

"What is that suppose to mean?" Sumi stood up from the bed.

"You know only mates share their life essence. To save you, Takahiro shared some with you. The Water Lily is actually a medium used to form an unbreakable bond to save the other party. This actually means, indirectly, you both have become mates."

Sumi yelled, "What?" While Takahiro remained silent as he had no idea what a 'mate' is.

"You can't break the bond, you know. Well that's all." Miyagi said and exited the room before Sumi could say anything.

When Miyagi left, Takahiro looked at Sumi and asked, "What is a 'mate'?"

Sumi turned to face Takahiro, his face not showing any expression. "A mate, in humans terms, means married partners."

Takahiro's jaw dropped and he muttered, "Married...ed..part...partners?"

"In a more different way. It means our souls have bonded together forever; they feel what each other feel, and there will be no secrets between them. When one dies, the other dies too. No wonder I can feel what you felt."

Takahiro did not know what to say. He was dumbfounded, he just sat there and looked at Sumi in disbelief.

"Never mind the bond, I won't do anything you don't like. You can go with Usami if you wish." Sumi said, coldly.

Takahiro then felt a sharp pain in his chest. He tightly clenched his chest and curled into a ball. At the same time, Sumi felt Takahiro's pain and he immediately went forward to comfort him. "Why are you in pain?" he asked worriedly.

"I...I don't know..." Takahiro whispered in pain. He knew the reason why he was in pain. It was because Sumi was so cold to him. When he first heard about the new bond he shared with Sumi, he was shocked but he was happy too, to share a bond with Sumi. But Sumi sounded like he did not care about this bond they had.

"Is there anything I can do?" Sumi asked gently as one of his hand patted Takahiro's back. Takahiro looked right at him and asked, "Is having a bond with me that bad?"

Sumi was shocked by his question and he asked him back, "Are you?"

Takahiro replied softly, "No..." as he averted Sumi's gaze and looked down at his hands that clenched tightly onto the bed sheet. Without any warning, Sumi used both hands to cup Takahiro's face and brought it to look at him. "I don't too..." he whispered and gently kissed Takahiro on the lips. The kiss was gentle, like he would break if he were to press harder. Takahiro's arms wrapped around Sumi's neck and he returned the kiss. Sumi sat down on the bed and wrapped his arms around his waist.

Sumi hesitated at first but then he used his tongue to trace his lower lip, begging for entrance. Takahiro moaned and Sumi saw the chance to thrust his tongue into his hot cavern, ravishing the inside. When they broke their kiss to breathe, Takahiro looked at Sumi and asked, "Why did you do that?" Sumi looked at him with a face of defeat. He pulled him to him and crushed his head to his chest and whispered, "Because I love you...silly."

"Wha..." Takahiro was shocked but quickly turned silent and thought about what Sumi had just said. Is this feeling I've been feeling called love...? It's all so new to me but I know I would love to stay by his side...forever...

Takahiro wrapped his arms around his waist, pulling himself closer to him. He whispered against his chest, "I don't know if the feeling I have for you is called...love...but I want to stay by your side."

"That's enough for me...for now." the both of them were in their own world, in each others arms. But they were being brought back when there was a knock on the door. Sumi scowled once again and this caused Takahiro to chuckle. Sumi looked at Takahiro's and smiled. After hearing what he said, I feel more sure of his feelings. I will be sure to make him fall in love with me, but I'm sure he is in love with me already. Takahiro felt something that caused him to shudder as Sumi smirked and gave him a peck on the lips. Sumi stood up and went to open the door.

"Brother!" Misaki called as he walked past Sumi. Behind him was Usami who glared at Sumi as he walked in.

"Misaki." Takahiro smiled and stood up. The brothers shared a tight hug before they started asking questions.

"Why are you here?" Takahiro asked.

"Are you alright?" Misaki asked the same time as Takahiro did and they both laughed.

"I'm alright, as you can see." Takahiro replied as he turned one round to show Misaki that he's fine. "But why are you here?"

"Well, it's a long story." Misaki told his brother how he ended here. The two men stood by them with Usami glaring at Sumi all the way through while Sumi looked at Takahiro's reaction with curiosity.

"That's it." Misaki said, breathing out deeply.

"Wow, that was quite the story."

"Enough about me, what about you? How did you get here brother?" Misaki asked.

"Well I...I..." Takahiro had no idea how to answer his little brother. He wanted to tell him the truth but he was afraid that his brother might get the wrong idea about Sumi. His feelings seemed to have reached Sumi. He spoke, "I brought him here."

"And why did you bring him here?" Usami asked coldly.

"I brought him here because I know you cared about him." He replied as a matter-of-factly.

"Why you!" Usami grabbed the collar of his shirt. "No!" Takahiro cried as he ran towards them. "At least listen to him." he pleaded. Usami let go of Sumi and folded his arms. "Well, explain!"

"But now, he have become my mate, and I've lost my interest in you." Sumi said flatly.

"What?" Usami roared.

"What's a mate?" Misaki asked.

"In human term, it means married partners." Sumi replied as he look at the embarrassed Takahiro and chuckled.

"EHHH?" Misaki cried in shocked.

"Is it true?" Usami asked, trying to be clam.

Takahiro blushed and nodded. "So you see, he's going with me." Sumi stated as he went over and wrapped his arms around Takahiro's waist.

"I guess that can't be help..." Usami muttered under his breath. "But the two of you have some explaining to do."

X.X.X

"I'm gonna miss you." Misaki said as he forced his tears back.

"Don't cry Misaki, I'll visit as soon as I can." Takahiro said, giving his brother a hug.

"Takahiro, we need to go." Sumi said as he reach out for his mate and pulled him to the horse.

"I'll bring him to visit the Wind Kingdom soon. So don't you worry Misaki." Sumi said as he smiled at Misaki who nodded in return.

"I'll see you soon." Takahiro waved to his brother as he rode off with Sumi.

"I'll see you soon!" Misaki yelled back as he waved. When the two men are out of sight, Usami declared, "Now, we have to go back. I've got my duties to attend to."

"The carriage is prepared for you." Miyagi said as he whistled and a white carriage came in front of them.

"Miyagi-san, thank you for letting us stay so long here." Misaki said.

"No problem. Come back soon. I'm sure Shinobu would like that, right honey?" Miyagi turned to his lover who was blushing. "Che..." Shinobu turned his head to the other direction and folded his arms.

"Well then, we're going. Come on Gin, We're going home."