Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ My Naga Knight ❯ Chapter 37

Six Years Later

 

 

The summer air was warm and welcoming that year, as Neda let the wind come through the windows she had opened. Catching the time, she finished up with lunch before making it slowly to the front door. Her hair tossed about on the tranquil wind, as she looked out the front yard of the farmhouse. “Juro,” Neda called out before making her way down the porch stairs to get a better look about the farm. “Juro, where are you?”

 

Not finding him out back, Neda made her way to the front where the dirt road was, as well as the same tree where her parents' graves were. She noticed that Juro was there by the tree talking to someone. Not sure who it was at first, Neda hurried quickly to her son's side. Making it to the tree, she saw that the ice demon, Touya, was coiled up there talking to the young boy. “Oh, Goddess,” she breathed, placing her hand upon her chest. “Touya, I thought you were someone else.”

 

“I am sorry,” the ice master apologized. “I just thought I would stop by today.” He looked back at Juro, the son of Jin and Neda. The six year old had auburn colored hair, which almost looked like Jin's given how wild it appeared. His eyes were as green as his mother's, and the scales that were on the back of his arms, legs, and back were red. Touya could see the scales on his arms from the short sleeve shirt the boy was wearing. He moved his serpent tail over to Juro to bring the half-demon closer to him.

 

Neda smiled a bit, as she squatted down to get a better view of her son. She had picked the name of him out from a list of names Kurama thought might suit him. “Is there any news on Jin?”

 

Touya looked up at the sky before eyeing Neda once more. “He may return someday,” he answered vaguely, as he himself wasn't sure. “That is up to whatever or whoever is ruling up there. Somehow, I have a feeling he may return.”

 

She watched as Juro leaned in against the ice master's scaly half to get comfortable, almost for a nap. Neda smiled, reaching over to stroke the boy's hair tenderly when Touya moved his serpent body about Juro's protectively. “I keep having this dream at night,” Neda admitted over the tranquil breeze. “I dream that Jin comes to me, to my room, from a bright light.” She knew it sounded silly and just shrugged. “I am probably just wishing for the impossible.”

 

“Maybe,” Touya answered truthfully. “But then again, the higher power acts in mysterious ways, so I've heard.”

 

Neda reached over for Juro to take him back within her arms. “I have lunch ready. Why won't you come in for a bit?”

 

When Touya was about to decline the offer, Juro reached out to the demon with his arms. “Come inside,” the small boy insisted. “You need food too.”

 

Touya chuckled to himself at Juro's insistence. He uncoiled his serpent half to steady himself upon it. “I suppose it wouldn't hurt.” Following behind Neda and Juro, he made his way inside of the farmhouse to be greeted by the smell of fresh chicken and fish. “By the way,” he began, as he closed the door, “Dustin might come by later today to see Juro.”

 

Neda had gotten to know whom Dustin and his group was after the news of Jin's passing passed around. The demon had come to see Jin's body before he was buried. She felt bad for the alpha, when he mourned over Jin's body—it was almost like a father unable to accept the loss of his son. “I will remember that,” Neda said, as she gave Touya a plate of food after helping her son with one. “I never knew who Dustin was until that night he came to see Jin's body.”

 

“Dustin was our alpha for so long,” Touya said, remembering those days quite well. “He just couldn't afford to put his own nest at risk over what Jin had to do. It didn't mean when he exiled Jin he didn't care.” The ice master began to pull apart his chicken to eat at it. “He was just worried over everyone else and couldn't risk losing everyone.”

 

“How are Kurama and Juro's half-siblings doing? I haven't seen them yet this year.” At least once a year, usually, Kurama would allow the other children belonging to Jin and Silver to come see Juro. He felt it was only fair, as they were all related through their father. Hearing Juro soon beckon to her, she looked over at her son to find him trying to give her some of his food. “Eat your lunch, sweetie,” she ordered kindly.

 

“They are alright, as far as I know,” Touya answered, as he finished his chicken to move onto the fish on his plate. “Seeing as I was banished from their clans, I haven't been able to talk to them up close without being chased off. When I am able, I just pull Kurama off to the side when everyone is asleep. I haven't been in a nest for a good while.”

 

Neda couldn't help but feel bad for Touya's placement. “Touya,” she began a bit nervously, “why don't you stay here until you find a better place out there?”

 

“I couldn't do that,” Touya assured her, withdrawing his hand from his lunch plate. “If knights come by here and see me, they will kill me and possibly you and Juro. I couldn't risk both of your lives.”

 

“Don't be silly,” Neda said, as she grabbed up her own plate and Touya's, once they were clean, to head over to the sink. “The knights don't come down this way much anymore. As far as everyone is concerned, Juro died that night that the knights killed Jin, so they have no reason to come snooping.”

 

“If you insist,” Touya said, removing himself from the dinning room table. “I was able to handle being out with just Jin but not by myself.” When he saw Juro was done, the ice demon picked up the half-breed to hold within his arms. He watched as the young boy yawned and stretched, showing he was ready to go out like a light. “He's tired. I will take him to bed.” Holding the baby close to him, Touya made his way to the stairs. “I am going to lie down with him for a bit. It has been a long day.”

 

Neda nodded with a smile, letting Touya do as he pleased. “Sleep well, the both of you.” She watched the two disappear upstairs before finishing up with the cleaning of the table downstairs.

 

 

 

 

With Touya and Juro sleeping upstairs, Neda remained about the house. She could never find it within herself to ever nap or sleep until her body gave out. Often she would find she was overwhelmed with thoughts of Jin. Looking out at the setting sun through one of the nearby windows, Neda sighed to herself. “Please come back to me, Jin,” she whispered to herself, placing her fingers upon the necklace made out of his scales.

 

Thinking back on her son and Touya, she turned around to head up the staircase slowly to make it to her parents' old bedroom she had claimed as her own lately. She quietly opened the door to let herself inside. Neda smiled at seeing Touya curled up on the covers with the six-year-old Juro napping contently against the metallic looking sky-blue scales. Moving closer to the bed, Neda moved the covers backwards, closer to the two on the bed.

 

Touya could feel the covers move upon his cold form. Opening his eyes, he looked over at the weary widow. “You should sleep sometime,” he whispered, so as not to wake Juro. “You cannot keep walking around until your body says `enough'.”

 

Neda waved away the idea with a smile. “Your thoughts are kind, dear friend, but I will be fine.”

 

Moving the tip of his tail, Touya wrapped it about Neda's wrist gently. “You cannot keep waiting for a miracle to come back to you. Especially, when you have a miracle right here.” He removed his tail from where it was to move it back where it was near Juro.

 

“Thank you,” Neda whispered, moving in to kiss Touya upon his forehead. She cupped the demon's cheeks within her palms. “Thank you for being here as well.”

 

Touya merely smiled, as he lowered his head back down on the bed covers beneath him towards the foot of the bed.

 

She knew it was best to leave the demon and her son alone until they had the energy to continue. Neda removed herself from the bedroom shortly after speaking with Touya to make her way back down the steps slowly. Moving to the cupboard, she pulled out a cup, so that she could make hot tea to calm herself a bit. As Neda was doing so, she heard another knock on the door. She moved the curtains aside to look to see who it was before rushing to the door to open it. “Kurama, I haven't seen you in awhile. What are you doing here?”

 

Kurama smiled up at the woman. “I am sorry for not being here sooner.” His English had gotten a bit better, as he had studied the language over the years. “But this season has been a bit crazy. I am afraid I cannot stay long, however,” he added, remaining on the porch for the time being. “I just came by to say I would be back tomorrow with Jin's other five children. They can have a play time with Juro by them.”

 

Neda nodded with a brief smile. “I am sure Juro will appreciate that. Thank you, Kurama.”

 

Just as he was about to leave, he pulled a rose form his long, flowing red hair to give to Neda as a parting gift. “I will return tomorrow.” With that said, Kurama made his leave quickly to head back to his nest.

 

Shutting the door, Neda made her way over to the vase she kept in the center of the dinning room table to add the rose to the collection Kurama often gave her. He always gave her a rose every year that he came to visit her. There were seven total, to include the one rose he gave her that night he was injured. She smiled at the growing collection before heading to the sofa to relax momentarily.

 

 

 

 

When the sun had set for the night, Neda made sure that Juro was still fast asleep after Touya had lied him down to rest earlier for bed. Kissing her son goodnight, she made sure he was tucked into the large bed she often slept within herself. With the young boy out for the day, she turned to Touya with a nod. “I cannot thank you enough for being here with him as you have. With Jin gone…he needs someone.”

 

“I did a lot for Jin,” said Touya with a shrug. “Some of it I wanted to kill him for ever asking it of me, but I will say I am happy to do this thing for him regardless of how long he is gone.” The ice master pointed over towards the bed. “You should sleep too. You've been up real early.”

 

“I will consider it,” Neda said with a light chuckle. “Why don't you go ahead and sleep in my old bedroom? I don't mind. You can keep it as your new room for now.” She made sure Touya made it to the bedroom alright before shutting the door to her new room to keep her son company through the night till she fell asleep. Finding the exhaustion catching up with her, Neda closed her eyes to drift off to sleep herself.

 

A bright light shining just at the foot of the bed, Neda moaned softly, wondering what could possibly be causing such a thing. Opening her eyes, she stared through the light best she could to find someone standing within the light. “It…it can't be…!” She exclaimed quietly to herself.

 

Making his way out of the light, Jin made his way over towards Neda in his demon form. He reached his hand out to her with a bright smile. “Neda,” he whispered between them. “I have come back for you.”

 

Neda's eyes shined with tears, as she looked at the redhead in disbelief. “It…you're alive…!” She hurried to the foot of the bed to hug the demon tightly. “If this is a magnificent dream, let it just last a bit longer.”

 

Jin smiled, as he stroked her hair lovingly. “Regardless of what it is,” he whispered between them, “I am just thankful to be here…back home where I belong with my family.”

 

THE END