43. I don't Want to Talk to You

Ringing, His phone was ringing at a time like this..

Mikage cursed as he searched through his bag; his hand firmly on the stearing wheel. He was looking at every downtown alley he could; every place he thought Tomoe would go; the park, the theatre. The gravesite was closed and the amusment park was shut down becasue of the cold weather.

The father swore; he was not pulling over to answer his stinkin phone! His fingers grasped the metal object as he looked and sped down the streets in his black car. The street lights bounced off of it and reflected the numous neon lights.

The god was panicked..

His son had said such words to him. Mikage ran a hand through his hair as the phone went silent. Crap, he missed it. He ground his teeth as he looked at the street. Nothing; just a bunch of hubluims running around.

He had told Tomoe something so cruel; it had slipped. Why would he mean something like That? Tomoe was his son; his pride and joy.. He wasn't his mother; he was himself. The god cursed as a red light stopped him.

He didn't have time for this! His heart was beating with panic... His hand gripped Tomoe's rubber band and he tried not to cry and release his panic. He gripped it and entwined it in his hand. He breathed in and tried to think straight...

His son said something like that.. He said he was going to die. Mikage shook his head as the road grew blurry. Curses flowed through his head and he only released a few as stop signs came into view.

He looked at his passenger seat and swallowed..

'Hey Daddy?'

Mikage blinked as his thoughts rushed back to that day.. he rememnered it. He was so proud of it.. He was proud of him; his stomach twisted in pain. Oh god; he remembered that day.

Flashback

Tomoe: 7

"Hey Daddy?"

Mikage paused and looked at the passenger seat; he had told Tomoe he wasn't old enough yet but there he was sitting there anyway. The god chuckled as Tomoe stared out the window and blinked; his violet eyes seemed to be somewhere completely different.. As if he wasn't there.

'Hum?" Mikage hummed in a sing song way, he kept his eyes on the road except for an occasional glance towards his son. The little kitsune squirmed in his seat and he paused.

"Will school be fun?" A pout formed on his little mouth and the god smiled.

'Of course, why wouldn't it be? Kurama and Mizuki will be there.. Well.." He paused, " Mizuki will be there when he's old enough. Why?" He looked at Tomoe for a moment and then back at the road.

'Because.." Tomoe paused and the sighed, " I look different; don't you think?" His ears flattened and Mikage winced. He knew very well he looked different; but that was because he was a Yokai child with a gods blood running through his veins.

"Your special.." Mikage smiled slightly, " You have something that no one elase has; everyone is like this. We all have our hidden talents, Tomoe." He sighed and Tomoe pulled at his school uniform. He pouted and then looked at Mikage with wide eyes.

" What if its scary?" He pouted and Mikage grimaced. So that was it.. He smiled and reached his hand over. He patted Tomoe's head and sighed.

" It will be scary at first; but then that fear will dwindle...Do you know what I mean?" He asked lightly.

Tomoe nodded and whimpered slightly; He looked at the god and paused, " Will you be home tonight?" His little voice rang out and Mikage felt himself smile.

"Yep, How does Curry sound?"

Tomoe's eyes lit up and he smiled a rare smile, he sat on his hands and smiled at the road, " Can I help you make it?" He asked slowly, his ears flicked about in excitement. Mikage smiled.. His son liked to cook.. He chuckled and nodded.

" You may."

Tomoe didn't say anything but his happiness gleamed away making Mikage smile and laugh to himself; When they got to the school building Tomoe looked out the window; but instead of looking scared? He grabbed his bag and hopped out of the car..

He prepared to shut the door but he paused and looked at Mikage with his violet eyes.

" I look forward to tonight!" He laughed and then paused," We can cook and always be together!" Thats when Tomoe grew quiet and Mikage knew what he was thinking. His mother had left a great impression on him.. Tomoe looked up and swallowed..

'We will always be together, Right?" He pouted, his violet eyes shining making Mikage melt in his already hot car.. He smiled slightly and nodded.

" I will always be there with you." He patted the little boys head and watched as Tomoe beamed. He grabbed his bag, climbed over the seat and gave his father a hug; then with all his might.. Ran towards the school.

Mikage watched him pause at the door until Kurama, Who was much taller, Came and opened the door. They both started to laugh as they walked in and Mikage sighed in relief.. His little boy was growing up..

'I will always be there for you.' Mikage whispered as he pulled out of the driveway and left..

End of Flashback

Mikage was suddenly knocked out of his thoughts by his phone. It was ringing again and it was tearing his focus. He stepped on the gas petal and pushed the on button.

" Hello?" He spat out, more annoyed than he meant it to sound. Thats when his blood ran cold and he blinked.

" Hey.."

Mikage swallowed, " Areno.. I don't have time for your crap right now." Mikage swore as he made a wrong turn, " If your calling to-"

" I have him."

Mikage froze his phone nearly falling out of his hand, " WHAT!?" He hissed in pure hate and shock. His clenched the phone and stearing wheel so hard that his knuckles turned white.

" Graveyard.. Now." Areno muttered rather quickly and then just like that? The phone line went dead. Mikae swore and threw his phone into the passenger seat, he was going to wrong way; Plus the roads were slippery...

Mikage stopped the car quickly, slammed his foot on the brake and let the car slide in an illegal U-Turn. The car jerked heavily as the god slammed his foot down on the petal. He hadn;t heard from Areno in years, he just hope dhis son was okay..

If anything happened? If he was dead?

Then Mikage wouldn't be able to be there for him anymore...

" Tomoe-Mikage; Age eighteen.. Has a firey temper." Areno sighed as he leaned against the counter of his medical room after he gave Tomoe some tea. Tomoe stared at it; not trusting this man in the slightest. He didn't get what was going on...

Areno sighed as Tomoe's ears twitched and showed emotion close to his. The man leaned on the counter and looked up at the roof, " Your mother was a wonderful woman." He smiled slightly and looked Tomoe's surprised look. At first the fox looked surprised..But then...

Tears drippped into his tea; he wiped them away and breathed out. He didn't want to think about it... That was why he was there. Because his father spouted off and told him he looked like his mother. It made him sick but he would not be ashamed of his mother.

He loved her so much.. But.. He made Mikage sick. He didn't understand; But maybe now he did? After his mother died Mikage promised Tomoe that he would always be there; but then he started to work a lot.

Tomoe understood that they didn't have his mother's income anymore and his father had to work more.. It helped that he got offerings and he also got payed since he wanted to live a life amoung the humans. A lot of gods were choosing to do so..

But something was bugging him now; and that was the fact that his father had looked him in the face and said he made him sick. Tomoe whimpered and rubbed at his eyes; tears dripped down his face and he choked.

" H-How.. D-Did you know my M-Mom." Tomoe choked out in pain and as his chest heeved. Areno watched Tomoe closely and then sighed lightly before looked at the roof. He guessed that he wouldn't have been mentioned to Tomoe; Giving how the Main famly disowned Elisa..

Mikage didn't take that to well; in fact he was offended that his wife was thrown out so easily. The man comforted her and at the time Areno was under the influence of his family; so he said a few things that he shouldn't have. He even said Mikage's child, The one that Elisa was pregnant with.. Would probably be usless just like his father.

Areno then got older; grew a head on his shoulders and matured a lot more. he realized some of the things were disgusting.. He even looked at photos that were sent to him. It amazed him that Elisa forgave him for cussing out her unborn child and his god of a father.

He looked at the photos of a white haired kitsune pup. He had been innocent and then a little later in the photos Areno saw how the teen started to grow. It amazed him that something so small could grow and look that much older.

Now he was finelly meeting him.. The child that he also disowned even before he was born. Areno learned that people should ot be judged for their choices. This child in front of him; no.. This teenager in front of him, didn't even know who he was because Areno had listened to his parents lies.

Tomoe looked at him and Areno paused. He had his mom's eyes, The older fox sighed. If he could have sucked up his pride he would have went to see her; but she died to soon and there was nothing he could do. Now he was looking at the little boy that he never got to meet..

He looked so innocent; and maybe even hurt. He looked depressed and hurt; and Areno hated to see that. Thats what Elisa looked like when he last, truly saw her. The black fox leaned back and sighed lightly...

" Your mom was my sister." He muttered quietly.

Tomoe looked at him; his eyes red from his tears as he brushed his hand over his face. Yes, He was grown but he still had an innocence that not a lot of people were able to keep. Tomoe's ears twitched and then slowly lowered; he looked like he was trying to believe him...

The teen looked at him closely and then paused, " You look like her." He swallowed out and then shuddered as he said the words. Tears welled up and Areno handed the kid a tissue. He didn't get why this kid; who was always smiling in the pictures or acting kind.. He didn't know why he was crying.

After his sister died he thought the pictures would stop; but Mikage, in honor of his late wife... Kept sending them. He would write captions on them and make it look like a scrapbook photo. Areno would roll his eyes at the thought of it all but then again; this was the man that his sister fell for.

" Whats wrong with you kid?" Areno asked slightly; not sure how to deal with teens and their drama. Areno didn't understand why Tomoe had broke into a gravesite though; even though he was beside his mother's grave. He knew in the pictures that he receiced that the teen wasn't that alone.

He always had a brown headed girl beside him...

He didn't know her name but she had an innocence also; they had been laughing in the pictures or they would be sulking. Just recently he got a picture that confused him; Tomoe was just standing there in the wind and the girl was beside him. His face looked like he was deep in thought and the girl was smiling at him brightly.

Tomoe' looked uneasy in the picture and Areno wondered if the kid was at that age. He would have chuckled but then again; reading to much into things was a flaw he would not have.

"It is nothing." Tomoe moaned out and pulled his knees to his chest. He looked tired and Areno had a feeling his arms were throbbing. Especailly since he cut himself to deeply. He almost died to say the least...

Tomoe would have bled to death if Areno didn't hand him some demon medicine only known to his world. It was good he got it in him when he did; the kid would have bled to death. Even right now he needed fluids.

But he was loosing them more then he was gaining them.

" Your dad should be here soon." Areno mumbled as he looked at the clock. it was breeching three in the morning and he still wasn't here? Areno wasn't even going to open the gate. Mikage could easily float over.

"Have you ever cut that deep before?" Areno asked as he poured Tomoe more tea, he was trying to get him to drink it quickly.. he needed it.

Tomoe slowly took a sip and then shook his head; His white hair fanned his face as he breathed in and went dizzy. He winced and Areno sighed. He clicked in front of Tomoe's face and said something in a Yokai tongue. The young fox knew he said something like.. Heal.

Tomoe shook his head and then blinked as a headache fixed in. Areno sighed and leaned on the counter.

" Mom never said she had a brother." Tomoe looked at him and Areno sighed. There it was; the problem of why Tomoe never met him. He scrugged his shoulders and turned his back.

" I'm not a favorite brother Tomoe." He paused when his ears flicked about and Areno sighed heavily. He heard a flutter of wings, soft ones to be exact. Then the flutter turned to a pounding and his front door was yanked open with brutal force.

" TOMOE!"

Areno sighed and waved as Mikage caught sight of him and glared, The fox expected this. Knowing that he cussed out a pregnant woman; plus he said some cruel things at her funeral. That was the first and only time he saw Tomoe; but he stayed at a distance and the little kitsune never saw him.

" He's right there." Areno pointed and Mikage gave him a , No Duh, ' Look. Areno clenched his fists; he really disliked this man but he had always ignored him. now he coudln't do that. It was impossble for him too..

" Tomoe." Mikage gasped out and Tomoe looked at him with wide eyes. His face was red and Tomoe looked away in annoyance," Where have you been! You've had me worried sick!" Mikage wailed out in pain. To think his son was here of all places, Why are you even-"

Areno held up a hand and blunty said, " He cut himself..."

Mikage glared at him and yelled, " I DIDN'T ASK YOU!"

Areno shrugged his shoulders and sipped his tea. Mikage glared at him and then looked at Tomoe; he brushed some hair out of the teens face but Tomoe wouldn't look at him. He paused..

" Tomoe.. Lets go hom-"

Tomoe gulped and then hopped up from his spot. He toppled a bit and then grabbed the table to sturdy himself out, " I don't want to.." He muttered quietly as he made his way for the door. Mikage felt his heart break slightly.

" Your going home." Mikage muttered making Tomoe stop walking. The younger paused paused and looked down; his hand shook and he wiped at his eyes. The god saw this but then looked at Tomoe grabbed the door handle and pulled it open slwoly.

" I'll be in the car.." He paused and then looked at Mikage with hollow eyes. The god froze as his son looked at him as if he was lifeless to the world, " And don't look at me.."

Tomoe laughed bitterly before he turned his back and made his way out the door, " I might make you sick.."

Mikage blinked in shock as the door slammed and Tomoe limped out towards the outside. Areno sighed and pulled out some keys some keys so that he could unlock the gate. The god looked at him and clenched his fists.

" Whats wrong with him? He's stumbling around as if he was drugged.." Mikage looked at Areno in an untrusting manner; but thats when the uncle sent him a death glare that he had been holding back.

" He cut himself." Areno spewed out and then turned his back on Mikage, " He cut so deep that he was bleeding to death."

Mikage froze as the older yokai looked at him, " It was an accident, I asure you. He begged me not to let him die.."

Areno sighed as he started to walk out the door; Mikage stopped him and paused, " Why didn't you? We all know you hate him.. and Me."

The older fox sighed heavily.. He knew what he did in the past was wrong, and no one could see that he had changed it around. He knew that somethings had to be fixed with time.

"I have to unlock the gate. He needs fluids Mikage. He lost a lot of blood.. I almost lost him right there on that table." Areno looked at him coldy. He didn't know what was going on but Tomoe was the only thing left his dead sister. If he died because of this god? He would not hesitate in burning his lively hood to the ground.

He walked outside and unlocked the gate; he didn't say good bye but he did look at Tomoe before got in the car, " Come and Visit Elisa when ever you like." He muttered before he turned around.. and like a ghost in the night, disappeared among the graves. Guarding the resting places of the dead and the rotting..

Tomoe hung his head and got into the car; his head was throbbing and he knew he would get sick. He stared out the window and Mikage got in and leaned his head on his stearing wheel. He didn't try to kill himself but he did cut again.

" Tomoe.. Don't do th-"

"Shut up!" Tomoe hissed, His eyes slitted as he stared at the man in hate, " If I want to cut myself than I'll cut myself! Stop acting as if you know me! " He swore at the man before turning back to the window and growing quiet.

Mikage winced,a sick feeling in his stomach.. Oh god.. What was he going to do? He looked at his dashboard and saw Tomoe's rubber band. It was crumbled from the gods worry.. He swallowed and then winced when he saw Tomoe staring at his wrist as if considering it again.

The god swallowed..

Tomoe wasn't going to talk to him anytime soon but.. Mikage knew one thing. The god started the car and tried to look at the raod, stopping all his emotions from spilling over and puddling..

'He knew that he would always keep his promise.. because he was proud of that promise.

The god looked at the road.. Completely aware that Tomoe had sunk down in his seat and stared at the glistening road, tears puddling in his eyes.. They slipped down his face and the fox tired not to whimper as pain and confusion filled his body..

Oh, What were they going to do? When their family was a total mess...

Quick note: I am baling my eyes out.. I can hardly see what I'm typing.. T-T