Little Boy

Chapter 19 ~ Engagement


“How is he?” Yoh asked as the doctor walked out of the emergency room.

“We’ve managed to bring him back,” he replied. “However, I would like to speak to you and the boy’s father about his condition.”

“I’m not his doctor,” Tamura replied as he stood up. “I am his caretaker. Oyamada Mansumi-san is my employer.”

“Ah. I apologize. Is his father available to...”

“No,” Tamura replied immediately. “Oyamada-san will not be back in town until Tuesday.”

“Well, seeing as you are the only guardian in the area, I would like to talk to you, then,” the doctor said after a moment.

Tamura nodded. “Sir, this is young Manta’s best significant other,” Tamura said as he gestured towards Yoh. “May he see Manta?” he asked, knowing how badly Yoh wanted to make sure for himself Manta was getting better.

“Very well then.”

Yoh smiled with tearful eyes. “Sankyuu!”

Soon the shaman sat next to Manta’s hospital bed, one hand holding Manta’s closest hand. His other hand gently smoothed Mantas hair from his face. “Manta?” he whispered softly. “Manta, can you hear me?” He smiled when he felt Manta’s hand clench his thumb gently, then leaned down and kissed his beloved’s forehead gently.

“Yoh-chan?” Manta murmured.

“I’m here, Manta-chan,” he said with a smile. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine,” he murmured.

Yoh sighed at his response, then smiled slightly. “Rs gos going to bring over Sakura later.”

Manta nodded slowly, then closed his good eye.

“Manta? What do you remember last?”

“Mm?” The blonde opened his eye slightly while thinking, then began to mumble softly. “Things felt warm and safe... Then we were here...”

“Do you remember any pain?”

He shook his head. “Just warm and safe... Then we’re here...”

Yoh smiled, then leaned carefully over Manta and kissed his thin lips softly. He smiled slightly when he felt Manta return it timidly, then slowly slipped his tongue into Manta’s mouth and caressed the smaller tongue while squeezing Manta’s hand lovingly.

Manta moaned softly as Yoh gave him the first kiss he ever received without fear, then looked at Yoh with a blush as the brunette raised his head some to look at him with a smile. “Yoh-chan...”

Yoh continued to smile at Manta. “Um... Manta, I want to ask you something... You see... you... you stopped breathing... and your heart stopped,” Yoh explained as tears came to his eyes. “I... I don’t ever want to come so close to losing you again... Manta, Anna and Ren are never going to bother us again, and I’m going to contact my parents and make sure they know what all has been happening. All I really need now is for you to answer this question...”

Manta looked at him curiy. “y. “What is it?” he asked quietly.

Yoh retrieved something from his pocket. “Manta...” he said as he lifted the small left hand into his own, then slowly slid a silver ring with a turquoise pattern onto Manta’s ring finger. “Manta-chan, will you be mine?” he asked with a gentle voice.

Manta stared with shaky eyes at the shaman. “Yoh-chan...”

“Will you please marry me?”

Manta stared at Yoh, at first shocked, then his expression changed to a small smile while tears ran down his face. “Of course, Yoh-chan,” he whispered, then sighed happily as Yoh hugged him tightly.

“I’ll take such good care of you, Manta-chan,” Yoh promised happily. “I won’t let anybody hurt you ever again! You’ll be so happy and nobody will make you hurt again.” After a moment, he kissed Manta again, this time adding a bit of passion. “My little angel,” he murmured when the two finally broke the kiss the catch their breath.

Manta blushed,iousiously a nervous of their latest kiss, but still happy to be in Yoh’s arms. “I love you, Yoh-chan,” he murmured.

“I know, Manta-chan. I love you too,” he replied with a smile.

The next few moments seemed too good. There was a comfortable silence between the two as they stared into each others’ eyes, becoming lost with one another in an almost magical trance. Those few moments would not last, however.

“I thought I told you to stay away from my son,” Mansumi growled.

Yoh looked up quickly, then growled. “You’re the one who hurt Manta, aren’t you?!”

“I did not hurt him. He needed discipline, but there is no such thing as hurt in his world,” Mansumi said angrily.

Manta looked at his father fearfully, then closed his good eye while beginning to whimper.

“Nurse!” Manusmi yelled. Once the woman entered, he looked up. “Make sure this little brat doesn’t come anywhere near this hospital. He’s only trying to worsen my son’s state.”

“Yes, Sir,” she replied with a nod, then looked up to Yoh. “I’m sorry, young man, but you will have to leave.”

was was extremely reluctant, but when Manta silently assured him to leave, he did so.

“Manta, pack your suitcase now,” Mansumi growled.

Tamura looked at Mansumi silently. The short man had ordered that Manta be released from the hospital, despite he hadn’t been there for even five hours, and he now was treating Manta as if the nothing had been wrong with the boy in the first place.

“Yes, Sir,” Manta said in a soft voice, then limped to his room.

“Sir, Manta is very weak,” Tamura said quietly. “The doctor said that his heart could stop at any moment. Perhaps you should just accept his feelings for the Asakura boy...”

“No bastard son of mine is going to let an Asakura male of all things fuck him!” Mansumi yelled. “He has shamed our family name long enough! Tamura, you will be accompanying him to the mountains.”

Tamura sighed, then nodded some, thankful that at the very least Mansumi was not aware of the newly formed engagement.

“That monster made him go home!” Yoh yelled as he through a book against the wall.

Faust watched with concern, then sighed. “There is nothing we can do, Yoh-kun.”

The two looked up hearing a knock at the door, then quickly Yoh answered it. He blinked curiously finding a female, red-haired version of Manta standing there. “Manta?” he asked with confusion.

“I am Manta’s little sister, Mannoko,” she corrected. “I just thought you should know that Onii-chan was sent to the mountains for six months, so you won’t be seeing him.”

Yoh stared. “What?”

“They left this evening,” she said quietly, then slowly she let a faint smile show. “I thank you for at least making him smile once. It felt nice to see my older brother smile, even if we hate each other.” With that, she turned on her heels and walked back to the limo that waited outside the gates.

Once it pulled away, Yoh shut the door and stared at the floor sadly. “Manta-chan...” He closed his eyes for a moment, then looked at the ring he now wore, which was a large version of the engagement ring he had given Manta. He smiled sadly feg Fag Faust rest a hand on his shoulder.

“Yoh-kun?”

“I guess I’ll see Manta in six months,” the young Asakura said quietly.