Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ My Naga Knight ❯ Chapter 34

When Neda found herself able to walk a little bit, once her energy was back, she made her way discreetly across the upper area of the house to the bedroom her parents owned. Quietly, she opened the door to find the large snake demon there, still recovering. Shutting the door behind her, she tiptoed in to get a better look. I cannot believe he's so…big… Neda thought to herself.

 

Kurama had heard the door open earlier. His eyes opened slowly, he looked over his shoulder quickly to make sure Neda wasn't carrying anything to harm him with. “Mmm, it just you?” He asked in English.

 

“Y-Yeah, Jin doesn't know I am in here,” Neda answered. She eyed the creature up and down, amazed at how big Kurama actually was. “You must be old to be this big. I was told by Lily that snake demons usually get bigger the older they are.” She touched the scales only to move her hand quickly when the serpent half of the demon began to move under her palm.

 

“Some,” Kurama answered, as he shifted about on the bed to get comfortable again. “I am 3,589 years old.”

 

“How can you not get bored with so many years to live on?” Neda asked, making sure he didn't get too close to her. She was curious about him, but she was still edgy.

 

The redheaded demon smiled, as he looked over at the human woman from where he was resting on the pillow. “Simple: family,” he stated basically. “We have big family. You watch babies grow to adults and watch over them. It take many, many years.” He couldn't help but think about Jin and the obvious feelings he had in his speech dealing with Neda. “You have family?”

 

Neda turned towards the opposite wall to think about the family she had left. “Well, I have a big sister, if that's what you're asking. My sister is married to that knight who brought you here.”

 

Kurama smiled tenderly. “What about Jin?”

 

Blushing brightly, Neda turned to look at the serpent demon. “That's rather personal, don't you think?”

 

“Per-son…al?” Kurama asked, a bit confused by the word.

 

“It means it is private,” the young woman explained, still a bit annoyed by the question. “I do love Jin a lot, I suppose, but we haven't done anything but—.” Realizing that the information she was about to indulge was personal as well she stopped herself. “I mean, umm, we express that we love one another, if anything, but that is it.”

 

Kurama knew what she was trying to say, so he didn't try to make her say more. “Ever have babies?” He asked curiously.

 

Neda hummed in thought about that question. “Well, I'd like to have a child, but Jin and I aren't even married yet.” She saw Kurama give her a funny look after the word `marry'. “Humans get married when they love each other. Usually it means they can start a family together.”

 

“I think Jin would like,” Kurama stated boldly on the former wind demon's behalf.

 

“Why do you talk about him like you know him so well?” Neda asked, moving her arms about in frustration at the nosey demon.

 

Kurama knew it wasn't wise to tell about Jin's past, as it was something Neda had to learn from the other demon's mouth. “That question for some day. But Jin lose five babies long ago. He miss them very much.”

 

Neda felt horrible having to hear that news. “That's…that's terrible. I knew he had a wife, but I didn't know that they had so many kids together.” Thinking about how she gave Jin such a hard time for not being around, Neda couldn't help but feel guilty for it. She figured the loss of a loved one was one thing, but to lose six people he loved must have been hard for the redhead.

 

“His babies still alive,” Kurama explained from where he was lying on the bed. “Jin cannot see them. It long story.” He moved cautiously closer to Neda, knowing she didn't want him too close. “Demons kill your parents? I hear you say it.”

 

“When I was twelve,” said Neda, as she looked back at the demon's body. She nervously reached over to place her fingertips back onto his serpent half. “Our barn caught on fire, and my sister and I saw them running from the scene. One stayed behind to finish off my mother.”

 

Kurama wasn't told fully the story involving Jin, but he knew bits and pieces of it from when they first met. He hummed in thought over the situation. “Sometimes, things not always as they seem. Sometimes, we see what we want.”

 

Before Neda could respond back to that comment, the door opened to reveal Jin there looking rather shocked by the fact Neda was willfully talking to Kurama. “Well, I didn't expect to find you in here.” Jin shut the door behind him with a plate full of food on it. He managed to pick up some cooking tips from not only Lily in the past but Neda as well. Jin placed the plate down on the nightstand closest to Kurama's side of the bed he was resting on. “How are things going here?”

 

Neda shrugged, bringing her hands back to herself. “Things are going alright, I suppose.” She eyed the cooked chicken and bacon on the plate that Jin carried. “Glad to see you didn't bring an entire pig and chicken up here for him.” Her bitterness could be heard on her words, causing the other two to flinch from it.

 

“Kurama has never had cooked foods, so I am sure he'll find this just as good if not better than that,” Jin insisted. He reached over to help Kurama onto his back best he could without hurting him any further. “So, how have things been going on here?”

 

“We talk,” Kurama answered on Neda's behalf. His green eyes falling upon the food Jin brought, he cocked his brow, as he had never seen cooked foods a good many times. He always did his best to stray from human villages in fear of causing problems. “What food is this?”

 

“This is what chickens and pigs look like when they are cooked,” Jin explained, as he brought the plate closer to Kurama to let him take what he wanted. “Just be careful, it is hot.”

 

Kurama sniffed the food before taking the plate to himself to try it himself. “Not much blood,” He admitted, after trying a piece of the bacon. It was much better than what he usually caught for himself and his nest. As he was eating, he couldn't help but notice Neda was lost within her own thoughts and appearing rather irritable. “Jin, I be fine here,” said Kurama finally, putting down a piece of chicken he was pulling from the bone. “You and Neda can talk somewhere.”

 

“If you need anything, just let me know,” Jin said, as he parted from Kurama's side. Looking to Neda, he nodded towards the door. “We might as well give him some space. Besides, you need food and sleep as well.” As he escorted Neda back to her bedroom, he found her to be eerily quiet. He was a bit worried what the two could have discussed when he was downstairs. Jin pulled the covers back to help the woman get comfortable in her bed. “So what would you like to eat? I still have some eggs and bacon down there. I hope you don't mind that I cooked most of the chicken for Kurama. He just eats meat like I do.”

 

“I am fine with that,” Neda answered softly. She couldn't help but think back on the family that Jin had to leave behind somehow. “You never told me that you had children.”

 

Hearing that made Jin's heart sink in having to remember them as well. “Oh,” he chuckled nervously. “Did Kurama tell you all that?”

 

“I don't know how he knows that, but he did tell me. Why didn't you tell me?” Neda demanded to know. She was intent to get the truth from Jin.

 

“I just didn't think it was needed in any conversation,” Jin admitted with a shrug. “Besides, it is a difficult thing to talk about.” Thinking he was done, he excused himself from the stool he was sitting on to head back downstairs to continue cooking.

 

“But it is something to discuss!” Neda insisted right as Jin made it to the bedroom door to prevent him from leaving. “Jin, you've been here for almost a year, and I just am now realizing that I don't know a thing about you! Why? Why do you keep hiding things from me?”

 

Jin turned around hesitantly with a serious frown on his face. “I am sorry,” he apologized, “but some of these lies I feel are needed for the time being. Maybe in due time I can tell you everything, but I cannot right now.” Thinking about his children he had to leave behind after Silver's death, he sighed through his nostrils. “When Silver died, it was Kurama who cut her open to give me my children. I only got to hold one of them before I told him to take them and raise them as his own.”

 

“You're letting a snake demon raise your children?” Neda asked in disbelief. “Why don't you just take them back from him?”

 

“Because, they are not mine any longer,” Jin said quietly, lowering his head in shame at having to admit that aloud. “Kurama has told me they want to see me, but after everything I have done leading up to their mother's death, I don't think I could have the courage to see them just yet.” Not wanting anymore personal questions handed to him, Jin left the room to head downstairs to finish breakfast for everyone in the house.

 

Neda covered her face with her hands, not able to make sense of anything that was being told her from Jin and Kurama both. Even if the answer was as clear as day, her mind never stumbled upon or refused to do so not wishing to believe such a thing.

 

When Jin managed to finish food for Neda, he dropped it off before heading back outside of her bedroom to stand and stare at the door leading to the room Kurama was in. With so many emotions racing through him, he wasn't sure what he wanted to do first. He wasn't able to hold any of it back by the time he opened the door to let himself in a few moments later. “Kurama, we have to talk,” he growled in demonic.

 

Kurama was sleeping when Jin came charging into the bedroom. He didn't wake right away, as he felt secure by that point. However, he could hear Jin stomping around the room irritably with his eyes closed. “What is the matter, Jin?” He responded wearily in their cursed tongue.

 

“You told Neda about my children,” Jin grumbled, as he crawled onto the bedside. He noticed that Kurama still had his eyes closed, but that wasn't going to stop him. “Why would you do that! She's not supposed to know who and what I am!”

 

“How does that reveal anything?” Kurama yawned, opening one eye to look at the fellow redhead. “I just told her that you had five babies, and you were separated from them. What you say to follow up on that is your own affair.”

 

“I had to tell her that you have them, and she thinks I am human!” Jin exclaimed angrily between them. He knew if Kurama weren't injured, nothing would have stopped him from attacking the demon. “How does a snake demon raising five human babies sound to you?”

 

Kurama hummed in thought before shifting positions once more on the bed he wasn't used to. “Jin, I am no expert, but I do believe Suzuka gave you a time limit on being human. A year, you said, right?” He caught Jin nod in his weary haze. “Eventually, you'll turn into a demon again, and you either have to show her who and what you really are, or you can choose to run away to leave her heartbroken over the event. From what she has told me, she has already suffered the loss of her parents.” Kurama paused, witnessing as Jin appeared to be backing down. “Do you really want her to suffer through that?”

 

Jin gave up his verbal assault on Kurama, causing him to relax on the bed as well. “I hate when you're right. You can be just as annoyingly right as Touya sometimes.”

 

“How is he by the way?” Kurama asked off of the primary topic they were on.

 

“He is around,” Jin answered, resting his head on the bed to give himself a breather. “Touya comes by the farm every now and again to check on things. Ever since Lily died, he's been a bit nervous with me not having anyone to talk to about being a demon.”

 

Kurama smiled, closing his eyes once more. “Good to know he's doing well. I think in day or two, I should be able to leave.”

 

“Should you leave before I get the chance to say goodbye, make sure to tell my children that I love them,” Jin insisted before pulling himself from the bed to make it to his feet. “Thanks once again, Kurama.” He headed back out into the U-shaped hallway to make it over to Neda's bedroom to be sure she was alright next. Opening the door, he found her asleep as well. Smiling his relief, he made his way back over to the stool he was sitting upon earlier. He reached over to stroke her head gently to help her continue sleeping.

 

Neda moaned slightly, feeling Jin touching her. Turning her body to face him, she opened her eyes slowly. “Did you ever consider starting another family?” Neda asked groggily. She was still very tired from the attack that happened a day ago.

 

“Sometimes,” said Jin with a brief smile at the thought. He brought his hand back down to his lap to think about it. “I guess losing another family was just too difficult to handle.”

 

“You never told me why you left the east and the family you had there,” Neda pointed out, as she held the pillow close to her cheek. “What happened to them?”

 

Jin rubbed the back of his neck while his eyes wandered about, not sure how to answer that properly. “Umm, it is a long story,” he said nervously. “I was pretty much used to make babies more than anything or open women when I was in the east. I took in some of the women as my own only to have my brother tear me away from them. I left behind the women I loved, as well as many children I would have hoped to have known better.”

 

“You were used to make…babies…?” Neda found that a bit horrible. “You could have bred yourself to death if you weren't careful!”

 

“My body can handle it,” Jin promised with a slight stretch. “I guess I should head downstairs to catch up on some sleep myself.” He wasn't terribly tired, but Jin found that around the farm, there wasn't much for him to do. Just as he was about to turn away, he felt Neda grab him by the wrist. “What is it?”

 

“Did you not once ever considering making another family…with me?” Neda was curious to know his response. She had always wanted to start her own family, and she knew she wasn't getting much younger. “I want to know that I am with the right person when it comes to who is making love to me.”

 

Jin sat back down on the stool before leaning over to kiss Neda on the lips tenderly. “I wasn't aware that you wanted to have a child. You never showed any signs to that desire.” He smiled before threatening to pull away again. “I would help you with that, but you are weak after that attack on the town. I couldn't afford to drain you further.”

 

Neda grabbed onto Jin's shirt to pull him back towards herself. “If I didn't think I could handle it, I wouldn't have brought it up.” With Jin soon nearby her on the bed, she held the redhead close to her. “I just hope you're ready for this as well.”

 

“If I didn't want to do this, I would have objected as soon as you said something,” said Jin, as he pulled her nightgown up and over her head to get at her bare body better before removing his own shirt. “I will do my best to help with your desires,” he whispered against her neck before kissing the flesh lovingly.

 

 

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With summer soon upon them, Jin couldn't help but feel really anxious knowing that his time was almost up. He accompanied Neda to the market town with his mind drifting about in ways to explain himself before he knew it was too late. While his mind was wandering, he caught the conversation between a seller and a buyer not too far away from him. Amongst their words, he could hear them talking down on the naga race, making him cringe angrily. It is irritating enough that the whole world is blind, he thought to himself.

 

“Jin?” Neda called, shaking the redhead's arm gently. “Are you feeling alright?” She looked into Jin's blue eyes. “You looked like you were really focused on something.”

 

“Don't worry about it,” Jin insisted, as they continued their shopping for the day. “It isn't anything important. What about yourself? You're the one who has been sick for the past few suns.”

 

“Your past wives must have not thrown up when they are pregnant,” said Neda. She had been sick for awhile ever since the two had been trying to have a baby together. When Jin got worried she was dying, she had to explain it was normal for someone who was expecting a baby. It threw Jin for a loop, but he was happy he would actually have a child he could possibly enjoy if the potion didn't take that from him. “The doctor said the sicker I am, the healthier the baby will be. So I guess I should count my blessings in some ways.”

 

Jin looked at some of the seeds for sell, trying to find the ones that would grow best in the summer season for Neda. “I am afraid that my last wives never did have this sickness,” he explained while shifting through the merchandise in front of him. “It makes me feel bad that you're so sick and miserable sometimes.” Jin had learned what `miserable' finally meant for the past, several weeks. “I am used to the gaining weight, though. At least I was prepared for that.”

 

“I wish you'd reconsider the marriage choice,” Neda admitted, as she held his hand tightly, leaning against the redhead. “I don't know why you don't want to consider it. It is normal for people to get married before having a baby.” She knew she was already seven months along, so it was already obvious she was pregnant. Her sister and brother-in-law wouldn't let her live it down that Neda wasn't married to Jin.

 

“I am afraid there is a reason for that,” Jin admitted nervously, as he held her hand tightly within his own. “Maybe when the King's ball comes up, I can tell you then. It seems like the perfect time to do so.”

 

Neda sighed at Jin's determination to avoid the thought. “I just hope you're not going to leave me for someone else. You're not going to…are you?” She couldn't help but feel fearful of that thought every day she spent with Jin.

 

Jin stopped window-shopping to turn around and hold Neda's cheeks gently. “I would never do that. I promised you I wouldn't the moment we spent time with one another.” He kissed her upon the forehead with a smile. “Just remember that, Neda.”

 

“I guess with the ball coming up, I should find something nice to wear.” Neda came across a booth not too far away that sold a majority of clothing and sewing materials. “I never was good at sewing. I really wish I could have learned from Blythe when I had the chance. Then I could have made my dream dress.”

 

“Why don't you ask her to make your dream dress for you?” Jin suggested, as he took looked through some of the clothes just to admire the assortment.

 

“She is probably working on her own at the moment.” Neda put down the fabric she was eyeing to continue looking through the many stands for something that would suffice for her. “Thane got invited by the King being he serves him, so Blythe gets to go as well.”

 

Jin looked at one of the male attires finding it too much for him to ever consider wearing. “I thought everyone got invited to it. At least that's what I gathered from Norris.”

 

“Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. I think he's being selective this year.” Neda pulled a white dress from in front of her to hold up to her body to see if it would fit should she try it on. “What do you think? Do you think this one will do it?”

 

Jin eyed the white train dress that had flared, long sleeves and fabric stitched across the chest. It had blue embroidery, which matched the soft blue fabric that took up much of the front of the dress. “I think you'll look beautiful in that,” he admitted honestly. “I don't think I'll bother with anything special. I may look fine in the clothes I have back at the house.”

 

“If you insist. I am sure whatever you decide to do, you'll look great.” Neda looked to the sky to find the position of the sun to judge the time of the day. “We should probably get back home. It looks like it is getting late.” She placed down her money on the table to buy the dress she had in mind to wear to the ball.

 

Jin agreed, as he didn't like the thought of Neda walking around so much being pregnant. “Let's get Rose and head back home.” Holding her hand within his own, he made his way towards the barn, so they could fetch the black mare and head back to the farm.

 

 

 

 

 

Jin stayed up a bit that night to look through a few books kept around the house while Neda slept in her parents' old bedroom. Ever since the two of them had been sleeping together, they moved rooms seeing as the bed was bigger that Damon and Pearl used. He didn't feel like going to sleep right away, as he was feeling anxious when it came to the coming ball. “I've got to tell her sometime soon…” he mumbled to himself, tossing aside a book he held.

 

A knock coming from the door that night, Jin looked to it a bit nervous. He wasn't expecting anybody, and he knew Neda wouldn't have fallen asleep if she were. Making it to the door, he leaned against it to try and hear what was on the other side. “Who is there?” Jin asked.

 

“Just open the door, you fool,” a familiar voice demanded from the other side.

 

Jin opened the door, a bit startled to find Suzuka standing on the porch. “S-Suzuka? What are you doing here?” He asked, letting the wizard inside of the farmhouse.

 

“I am just stopping by to give a warning,” said Suzuka, as he looked about the quaint building. He headed over to the dinning room table to look at the bread sitting in the center to take a small piece. “Tomorrow, upon midnight, the potion is going to wear off. Whatever you took it for, you better hope you've completed it.”

 

“T-Tomorrow? But that's the night of the King's ball!” Jin exclaimed, unable to believe he hadn't much time left.

 

Suzuka turned around while putting some of the bread within his mouth with an added shrug. “That's not my problem. I held up my part of the arrangement, so it doesn't matter to me whether you've completed what you needed to do or not.”

 

Jin knew that he couldn't afford to turn into a demon after a special event; especially if Neda was to have a baby soon. “What if you made me another potion? I could have enough time to get what I needed done!”

 

“If I do such a thing, there is a high chance your body could shut down from being forced to process things in a different form for two years,” Suzuka grumbled, as he leaned against the table behind him. “I told you, I haven't perfected the potion yet. It has side affects if used back to back and it doesn't last long.” He wiped his hands of the breadcrumbs by rubbing his palms together before heading to the front door once more. “Just be warned that you don't have long. You have that one day to make things right. Good luck on that, demon.”

 

The door shut behind the wizard, Jin jolted slightly from it closing. Taking in a deep breath, he wasn't able to believe he would have so little time to explain to Neda what he was. She still had resentment to demons, and he wasn't able to sway her. Covering his face with his palms, Jin slid down to the floor to think of what to do.