Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Before I Die ❯ Chapter 16

Jin found himself curled up close to the sickened ice master in the same bed. His chin nuzzled upon the top of Touya's bi-colored hair, Jin rested his arm over his companion's bare body to feel of the subtle, cooling sensation his icy skin gave off. The arm he had resting upon Touya's side moved greatly upward for a moment when the ice master took in a deep breath before letting it out again as if to sigh. The motion caused Jin to open one eye before opening the other to check on his forbidden lover. Jin noticed that Touya was still soundly asleep and not showing any signs of pain whatsoever. A smile braced his lips with relief while petting the bare stomach of the ice demon.

 

A little while later, Piper decided to come back to the two demons she had hoped were finished with their rather personal time. She was still a little nervous to knock on the wooden door. After hesitantly pulling her hand from the door several times, Piper finally knocked her knuckles on the wooden entrance. “Jin? Touya? Can I come in?”

 

The pointed ears of the wind master twitched at the sounds emitting from beyond the doorway, causing him to raise his head and look over his shoulder at where it was coming from. He recognized the voice as Piper's. Jin wanted to decline her want to come in, but she knew that Piper was already aware of his relationship with Touya. “You can come in,” Jin finally beckoned from where he was resting, regardless of the fact he was still under the covers naked.

 

Piper opened the door more than surprised to see the situation the two were in. “Oh-uh-sorry,” she apologized, covering her eyes slightly with her hand as she turned her head. “I didn't know you two were…like that.”

 

Jin was confused by her words. “What do you mean `like that'? Touya and I have always been in love with one another. You knew that,” the demon answered with a tilt of his head.

 

“No, no,” she said quickly with a shake of her hand, making it to the other side of the room to try and hide her bright red blush of embarrassment. “I meant…well, I heard you two kind of being—.” Piper paused a moment wondering what to say without sounding like she was being a pervert, eavesdropping in on their times with one another. “—I heard you both having an intimate moment with one another, and I assumed you were finished and clothed.”

 

“You don't have to be embarrassed,” Jin assured her as he sat upright in bed. “I just won't come out from under the covers if that is okay with you.”

 

“That would be nice,” Piper said with relief as she found the courage to make her way over to the wicker stool still beside the bed. She ignored the wrinkles in her dress upon sitting down as she placed a few stacks of books in her lap. “Anyways, I brought some books for Touya and you.”

 

Jin looked down at the still sleeping Touya before gazing back over at Piper. “He is still sleeping. I want him to rest up before the doctor comes back to poke and probe at him some more.”

 

“That's alright then. I will just place the ones on Alma Kinan aside for now then.” Piper divided the books at that moment, pulling the smaller stack closer to her. “Is it alright if we get started on you then? It will be awhile before the doctor sets foot back in here, so we have enough time.” She witnessed Jin tilting his head to the side as if to wonder where the human doctor went to. “Oh, heh, I told him that you two needed to be alone for awhile and it was best not to interrupt. So do you still want to learn how to read?”

 

Jin remembered what Piper said about the benefits of learning how to do so by himself in the extreme case Touya became too ill to do it alone. Even though he knew Touya was aware of his literary problems, Jin was relieved all the same that his companion was fast asleep for the time being, so the ice master wouldn't be awake to see the embarrassing process. “Alright, I guess we can get started now then.”

 

“Wonderful,” said Piper as she pulled out a book for younger children to see what reading level he was at. She opened the colorful book to the first page to hand over to the wind master. “Start reading until you can't understand the words anymore.”

 

Taking the book into his possession, Jin's eyes skimmed over the large print with a raise of his brows. “I…” He paused for a moment trying to make sense of some of the words he often spoke but never saw written before him. “Let's see…. `I went to the'…that is all I recognize on this page. ”

 

Piper flinched at how little he actually knew. She could see Jin was embarrassed at admitting that aloud to anybody. “Okay then, well we at least know where to start then, don't we?” Scooting closer to the wind demon, she pointed to the word he stopped at to try and get him to pronounce it. Piper worked with Jin well throughout the night to help him get a bit further in his reading. Jin was just like a little child somewhat eager to learn something new. It kept her calm throughout the evening.

 

 

 

 

The doctor eventually made his way back through the Chisha Clan's halls to make it to Touya's bedroom a few hours later. He was hesitant to knock just as anybody else was, but he did so regardless to get the answer to the question he asked the ice master earlier. “Touya, are you in there? Is somebody in there?”

 

Piper quickly looked up from the book she had in her possession in attempts to help Jin read. She closed it and hid it under the stack she had. “Hurry up and get dressed,” the woman whispered eagerly to Jin. Piper witnessed as Jin nodded before bothering to get out of bed once her back was turned. Her dainty hand touching the doorknob of the wooden door, Piper opened it to peek outside of the cracked door. “Give them just a second, doctor. They are still discussing their options.”

 

Dr. Sur'don sighed a bit, crossing his arms over his chest. He couldn't imagine what could possibly be taking them so long to talk about the surgery he was ready to perform already.

 

Closing the door, Piper turned back to face Jin who was at least in pants. “Wake up the ice demon,” she instructed. “The doctor wants to perform this soon, and he needs to know when he can.”

 

Jin didn't want to talk about that situation again or even think about it. His pointed ears faltered as he reached over to Touya to start shaking him awake. “Touya, I need you to wake up.”

 

Touya moaned softly before batting his eyes open. “J-Jin…?” He called softly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes to gaze up over his shoulder at the towering wind demon. “What time is it?” Upon his sight settling and putting every image clearly into place, he saw Piper there within the room. Touya froze up and panicked at the woman being there with him obviously undressed. “How did she get in here!” He wanted to know in a high whisper.

 

“Sorry, Touya,” Jin apologized, making it to his side. “Don't mind her. She didn't see anything.” Sighing through his nostrils, he sat upon the ice master's bedside. “So, back to the question at hand…do you really want to go through with this surgery?”

 

Touya brought his knees to his chest with a careful nod. “Yes, because I have no other options.” He looked up at the worried wind master. “Jin, I have to do this. If I don't, you would have done all of this for nothing, and I don't want that to be put to waste.”

 

Jin ran his fingers through his hair with a heavy sigh. He did do a lot for the sake of finding a cure for his beloved, but Jin didn't expect to possibly lose his companion in the process. Lowering his head, he hesitantly nodded at Touya's decision. “Alright…alright,” he mumbled, getting up from the stool he was upon. “I will step aside and let you do it then.” Jin leaned forwards to kiss the ice master tenderly upon the forehead. He let the kiss linger a moment before pulling back to be escorted towards the wall via Piper so the doctor wouldn't feel cornered by the demons.

 

“You can come in now, doctor,” Piper called from where she stood near the bookcase within the room.

 

Dr. Sur'don opened the door slowly to allow himself inside to find both of the demons there. His fear was expressed clearly on his face as he backed up towards the bed where the patient was slowly. “It is good to see them…both here,” he stuttered through his clinched teeth.

 

Jin sighed, shaking his head as he placed his hands upon his hips. “Just please, treat Touya. His life is the only one I care about.” With that said, Piper instructed Jin to move outside so that the doctor wouldn't freeze up in his work. The wind master exited the room, taking in a deep breath and letting it out in hopes he would get rid of the pain of worry swelling within his stomach.

 

Piper was relieved more than anything that Jin didn't threaten the doctor as she watched him leave. She fidgeted slightly, making her way to Dr. Sur'don. “I know you can do this. I'll be keeping the wind master in another bedroom.” Piper turned around and headed for the door to leave the two alone for as long as it would take to have the surgery.

 

“Thanks,” the doctor said with relief as he turned to the ice master. “Hey-umm-uh-Touya!” He was relieved he remembered the ice demon's name. “So have you decided?”

 

Touya raised his brow at the doctor having difficulty remember his name. He released a sigh through his nostrils as he kept his knees to his chest. “Yes, and I have decided with Jin that I am going to go through with it.”

 

The doctor reached into his pocket to pull out a vile filled with greenish liquid. “Then I need you to drink this.” He handed it over to the curious demon. “In less than a minute, you will be rendered unconscious. You will be asleep until this surgery is finished.”

 

“It works that quickly, hu?” said Touya as he looked from the liquid to the doctor. “Are you sure it will work with me having a stronger system than humans?”

 

Dr. Sur'don kept forgetting that Touya was indeed a demon. A part of him wanted to pretend that it was all some dream of his. “Okay, maybe for a demon it might take a little bit longer to soak in. I guess we won't know unless you actually take it.”

 

Touya shrugged as he took the top off. “I guess bottoms up then.” Drinking all of it, Touya took a breath afterwards. The aftertaste soon kicking in, he flinched from the agony of it while handing it back over to the doctor. “Ugh-GAH-what IS that stuff?”

 

He looked off to the side with a twist of his mouth. “I guess the taste is unanimous,” he mumbled mostly to himself. “Some herbs, which can be found about the Grasslands, mashed together.”

 

“It is gross!” Touya complained, wiping his mouth. After his complaint, Touya could feel his body threatening to shut down into a deep sleep. He placed his hand on his forehead. “I think that nasty stuff is starting to work…!”

 

“Lie down then,” Dr. Sur'don instructed. “When you wake up, we will know where to go when it comes to your condition.” Just as he instructed, Touya lied down upon the bed to succumb to the power of the medicine he was given. The doctor made sure that Touya was completely unconscious before bothering to move his team from within the hallway into the bedroom. “Let's get started, shall we?” He said, motioning for them to hurry on inside.

 

Jin was helped back to his bedroom he was offered to sit upon one of the wooden chairs to place his head in his hands. “These coming hours are going to be hard,” he muttered miserably to himself.

 

Piper sat upon the chair opposite to Jin with worry equal to his own. “Jin, I understand it is going to be hard, but in the mean time we can work on your reading.” She pulled the books she had placed on the table around them into her lap. “It will keep your mind occupied, and you will be one step closer to being able to read on your own.”

 

“I guess so,” Jin sighed as his pointed ears faltered.

 

The woman opened the book she had previously back to the page they were working on. “Now, let's try this again. Afterwards, you can go outside and find some flowers Touya might like.” She gently placed her hand on top of Jin's that was resting within the wind master's lap. “Demons do like flowers, don't they?”

 

The question made Jin smile a bit. “Touya does.”

 

“Alright then,” she said with a smile. “After a few pages from this book, I will show you where some of the best ones grow.” Piper opened the book to the last page she remembered going over with Jin. “Now, let's try this again.”

 

The two worked on the reading book for hours. Throughout the process, Jin found himself getting tired, and he expressed it clearly with a stretch and loud yawn. It was rather late, but Jin was trying to stay up long enough to see if Touya was going to be alright. He massaged his forehead with a heavy sigh. “I cannot believe I am falling asleep already.”

 

“Well, it is rather late,” Piper said as she closed the book. “Why don't you go to bed?” She witnessed as Jin was about to refuse. Piper frowned with worry as Jin looked away from her as if to ignore the suggestion. “Jin, you really should.”

 

“I want to be awake when Touya's surgery is finished,” Jin insisted almost irritably. He could tell that his tone frightened Piper a little bit. “Sorry.”

 

The young Chisha woman breathed out her relief that he wasn't mad at her. “Jin, your friend is going to be okay.” Piper excused herself from her seat to help Jin stand. “I will tell you what, if any urgent news comes up on Touya, I will let you know right away.”

 

The wind master sat down upon the side of the bed temporarily belonging to him. “Does this mean you're going to stay up all night long?”

 

Piper smiled down at the demon, placing her hand on his right shoulder. “I promise that I will. I will stay up all night long if I have to just to make sure he is okay.” She helped Jin get under the covers at that moment, bringing them up to his chest. “You get some sleep, and I will see you tomorrow.”

 

“Thank you, Piper,” Jin yawned once more as he turned his back to her to get in a comfortable position. “Goodnight and I will see you tomorrow.”

 

Picking up the candle upon the table, Piper made her way to the door. “Goodnight, Jin,” she said in return though mostly to herself. Her warm smile turning into a saddened frown, she sighed softly before closing the door behind her. Touya is lucky to have somebody like you, she thought. I often find myself envious of him. Fixing the hat she often wore in the clan that covered her head, Piper picked up the hem of her dress and headed to her room for the moment.

 

Jin couldn't find it within himself to sleep peacefully that night. His mind swarmed with the thoughts of the past when he didn't have to worry over Touya's health. He could feel the icy kiss from the ice master no thanks to his vivid dreams as he saw himself kissing Touya upon the lips in a loving gesture. The peaceful and loving times he had with his companion flashed in random sequences within his mind causing him to stir slightly.

 

“You won't leave me, will you?” Jin could remember himself asking as the images continued to flood his mind up to the point the two were back to back, fighting together during a mission they were given. The images seemed to speed up, slow down, or go in reverse the more he concentrated on them.

 

“I love you too much to let you go,” Touya's voice echoed within the wind master's mind as he watched his forbidden lover remove the black mask down off of the slope of his nose to reveal his face and to kiss Jin upon his mouth lovingly.

 

The reminiscing his mind was going through seemed to halt as Jin saw himself resting his cheek upon the ice demon's bi-colored hair with a fanged smile upon his face. The scenery was peaceful to him as the two of them appeared to be gazing out beyond the harbor just outside of the inn they were staying within at Vinay Del Zexay. However, the ground soon began to tremble causing the waves to suddenly wash up and grasp onto the ice master as if it was alive.

 

Everything turned to darkness around them both as Jin watched helplessly with his ears faltered in worry at witnessing some unknown force grasp onto the man he loved. Touya flinched as he struggled about within the dark, which started to slowly engulf him. “JIN!” The ice master yelled trying to reach for him only to have the blackness steadily cover his body.

 

“TOUYA!” Jin cried out as he quickly used the wind currents to make it to the frightened ice demon. He reached for Touya's hand to try and pull him from the spreading darkness only to lose the one he loved within the thick cloud. With Touya lost and the darkness everywhere now in Jin's mind, the wind master found himself panicking as he looked everywhere for the one he loved. “Touya! Touya!” He cried out in obvious pain.

 

The thought of losing him entirely caused Jin to quickly wake up in a cold sweat. Realizing it was all just a dream, Jin wiped his face with the palm of his hand before finding his feet on the cold floor below him. “I wonder what time it is.” Seeing as Jin didn't really undress for bed, he made his way out into the hallway of the underground Grassland village as he was.

 

Some of the villagers within the many halls were still shocked to see the wind demon out once more. The women and children showed their fear while the men tried to stay tall and express their annoyance at the fact he was still around. It bothered Jin little. He only had one person on his mind as he ascended the staircase to make it out of the hut and into the sunshine.

 

“It is morning.” Jin remembered what Piper said the night before about flowers. He thought about what kind at first to get Touya with his index finger tapping the corner of his mouth. “I'll be right back,” he whispered on the wind before taking flight towards the woodlands up ahead.

 

The wind was welcoming to the wind master as he glided deep within the woods, searching for the right flower type Touya loved. He watched carefully over the passing scenery before finally finding a large bed of the ones he was hoping to find. A smile spread across his face as he landed within the flowerbed. “Iris flowers—Touya loves these.” The Iris flowers he found where a wide verity of blue and violet hues making him think of the ice master as he plucked the first one.

 

As he continued to gather a few for a large bouquet he was hoping to give to his beloved, a rustling in the bushes caught his attention rather quickly. “Who's there?” He asked defensively as he narrowed his eyes at the shrubs, which had moved earlier. For awhile all that came was the peaceful chirping of the birds. Jin still wasn't sure about dropping his guard. A part of him felt as though he was being watched suddenly, but he pried his focus off of the feeling and went back to plucking the Iris flowers lain out about him.

 

Piper paced nervously about the outside of the door leading into the now operation room for Touya. She had promised the wind demon, no matter how tired she was to get, that any news of Touya's health would go from her to him. Piper was, however, unaware that Jin was awake and now out flower picking. “What is taking so long?” She wondered impatiently aloud, cupping her hands together as if she were praying.

 

With the door soon creaking open, Piper stopped her nervous pacing. One of the nurses aiding the doctor appeared before the young village woman. She removed the cloth covering her mouth and nose to show there within her relieved smile that everything was okay. “He just needs to rest for awhile to regain his strength,” the nurse explained regardless. “He will be okay…for the moment.” The nurse's smiled faltered into a frown of worry causing Piper's to as well.

 

“What-what do you mean?” Piper inquired whilst wrinkling her brow.

 

“He has a rather abnormal tissue growing about his lung area,” the nurse sighed, rubbing her hands with worry. “Whatever it is, it is growing over his lung area, restricting his breathing.” She watched as Piper turned away feeling awful for Touya's condition. “We don't know how to remove it without severely hurting him or worse, killing him.”

 

“So he is just going to lie there and die?” Piper felt helpless at that moment as she bit nervously upon her knuckles.

 

“Dr. Sur'don is going to try some medical mixtures that might help. For something this big, I don't know if we will have a cure in time.” The nurse didn't want to announce such news to Piper, but it was better than telling the wind demon himself whom she so rightly feared. “But we will try as hard as possible to find what may help ease his pain.”

 

Piper merely nodded as the nurse headed back into the room to help the doctor. “I guess I better go tell Jin. At least Touya made it through the night.” She grabbed onto her cotton dress to keep it out of her way as she made it back to the room Jin was resting within. With the hallways lined with lit scones at this time, Piper didn't worry about the used candle in her free hand. She discarded it off to the side of the door upon arriving at Jin's bedroom. “Jin,” she called as she knocked. “I have news about your friend.” She waited a moment to hear nothing coming from the other side. “Jin, are you there?”

 

When no response came, Piper opened the door and allowed herself inside to find the room completely empty. The covers on the bed were thrown back to show nobody was asleep under the blankets. She hurried over to the bedside to find no traces of the demon at all. “He is gone?” Piper looked at the circular table in the middle of the room unable to find a note or anything. “The least he could have done was leave a letter or something.”

 

Piper thought on where Jin could have gone before remembering him agreeing to gathering flowers for when Touya was to awaken after surgery. “That has to be where he went.” Her fingers wrapped back about the fabric of her dress before she scurried up the stone staircase to make it outside into the early morning light. She found the griffon Jin would use on occasion instead of his wind powers nearby, eating a bit of fruit a young village boy didn't mind sharing with the wild beast. I guess he used his wind powers this time, Piper thought as she touched her lower lip with her index finger. Just as she was about to take off after the wind master, the wind currents about her began to swirl and become aggressive causing her to bring her arms up to block the dirt and such flying for her face.

 

Jin landed soon after the abrasive currents settled, holding an assortment of Iris flowers he managed to gather within the woods. “What is it Piper? Were you looking for me?” He could tell the young woman was looking rather eager about something. Jin couldn't help but worry a bit about what was possibly going on with his lover.

 

“Oh, Jin,” she said with relief, fixing her hat, which was nearly blow from her head. Her dainty fingers balanced the piece and center it back upon hair carefully. “I have news of Touya. The good news is he survived the surgery. He is down below in the village resting right now.”

 

“Does this mean there is bad news too?” Jin wondered somberly as he kept the flowers close to his chest.

 

Piper folded her hands before her lap as she made her way over to the worried demon. “I am sorry, Jin, but nobody knows what to do about this condition.” She could see the pain there in the wind master's expression. It hurt her heart to even stare at him at that moment. “Let us not give up hope yet. If he managed to survive that operation, I have no doubt he will beat this too.”

 

Jin's worried frown turned serious as he gazed off to the side with his nose wrinkled in thought. “Where is he? Is he still in bed? I want to see him.”

 

“He is trying to rest up—!” Piper was unable to explain further as Jin hurried past her and to the closest entrance into the Chisha's underground Village. “Wait a second!” She pleaded while following quickly behind him. Jin refused to listen to her. He was obviously eager to see Touya no matter what. “Jin, you have to let your partner rest. If he doesn't get his sleep, he won't feel well!”

 

“Can't I have at least one moment with him?” Jin wanted to know angrily through his clinched teeth. He stared down the woman following behind him long and hard wanting to be left alone to do as he pleased. “If there is no cure…if there is truly no cure for him, then I don't know when he might take his last breath. I don't want to be sitting around like a fool only to have news that he died without me there.” Tears started to shine within the demon's eyes though Jin tried so hard to fight to urge to cry at such a realization that he may lose his beloved.

 

Piper felt defeated. She knew it was best for Touya to rest, but Jin was so desperate to make sure everything was going to be okay. “Let me talk to the doctor then. With the feelings you have rushing through you right now you may snap at him and scare everyone within the room. Come with me.”

 

Jin followed behind Piper back to Touya's bedroom. He waited at the end of the hallway leading to the door, which housed the other demon, while keeping the flowers within his hands. From where he stood, he witnessed as the door opened to reveal one of the nurses on duty at the moment to watch over the recovering ice master. His pointed ears twitched as he caught the conversation going on between them. He tried to pretend he wasn't listening, but Jin had such a sad poker face. He heard the young nurse finally cave in and allow Jin to come in if that was his desire making his elfin ears fly forwards.

 

“Tell him he can only stay ten minutes. If that ice demon doesn't get any sleep, he will not recover so nicely,” she said to Piper.

 

Piper nodded as she waved Jin over. “Don't worry. I will make sure he is out soon.” When Jin was by her side, she warned him, “You may only have ten minutes in there. After that, Touya needs to work on recovering.”

 

“Alright, thank you.” Jin allowed himself inside, closing the door quietly behind him. He made his way over to the empty wicker stool still resting at Touya's bedside. Touya appeared to still be drugged up from the medicine he was forced to take earlier so he wouldn't feel a thing during the surgery. He was bandaged heavily about the chest from where he had been cut open and his ribs broken to get to the lungs, which were ailing him. Jin reached over and placed his hand upon Touya's forehead to massage the lukewarm skin of the ice master.

 

Touya felt the touch causing him to stir from his drugged educed slumber. His eyes opening partially, he moaned in discomfort. “Jin…?” He wondered wearily. His narrow eyes managed to find the wind master sitting there beside him. “Jin, so it is you…”

 

“Yeah,” he whispered in return while continuing to pet Touya. “How do you feel?”

 

The ice master groaned at having to focus on his pain once more. “Lousy,” he answered groggily. “The doctor gave me some medicine to take so my pain will leave me, but it only tones it down a little bit.”

 

Jin pulled the bouquet of flowers from his lap to show to Touya. “I picked these for you. I thought you might like them.”

 

Touya couldn't register what they were at first given how heavy the medicine was that he was forced to take before and after the surgery. When he realized what kinds of flowers they were, he smiled. “Are those Iris flowers?”

 

“Yes, I found some in the forest nearby.” Jin knew that Touya was too tired to even consider holding them. He got up from his seat to grab an empty vase to put them in before putting it upon the nightstand close to the ice demon. “I'll get water for them later.”

 

“I am surprised you remember that,” Touya mumbled softly as he closed his eyes. He found it too bothersome to keep his eyes open given how heavy they were feeling all of a sudden. “I didn't think you'd remember Iris flowers were my favorites.”

 

Jin grinned a bit. “I know a lot of things about you. I've been with you for many years. I couldn't forget even the smallest details of your life.” He reached over to place his hand upon Touya's. “I was only allowed a short time in here, so I guess I better go now. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

 

“I will…be fine…” Touya's voice seemed to drift off a bit to show he was ready to rest once more. When he turned his head to the side, Jin knew that he fell back asleep.

 

Sighing softly to himself, Jin got up and leaned over to kiss Touya upon the cheek before burying his nose there briefly. “I love you,” he spoke softly. “Please get better.” He didn't want to bother Touya further at this point. Jin looked down at his companion's pitiful disposition before finally having the strength to leave the room.