Not Family
Takes place after this.
Aya and Shuichi were numbly seated just outside the emergency room main doors on a bench meant for smokers. They’d been escorted out after each had caused a scene and threatened several of the staff when told they were not allowed in the room with Taiki. Not family. Even when Sano had gone back to the house to get the legal documents that had been drawn up in case such a situation were ever to come about...It still didn’t matter. Not family.
Twenty first century Japan does not recognize homosexuals.
At first Shuichi had gotten angry, yelling and trying to push his way through...Then he’d cried and pleaded, begging even. Finally security came and both he and Aya had been drug from the hospital. Mizuki, Izumi, Noe, and Nakao remained in the waiting room...The doctors wouldn’t even tell them if Taiki was alright or not. Once the psychic had disappeared through the double doors they’d been cut off.
It was cold...Nearly two-thirty in the morning if the glowing clock near the entrance was to be believed. When Sano had returned with the legal papers he’d brought Shuichi a jacket, but instead it had been passed onto Aya who had been shivering in her short red dress.
“The asshole ruined the party.” The redhead whispered flatly, carefully peeling the orange scales off Shuichi’s right hand. “Such a fucking drama queen...Couldn’t even handle one night of strangers in his house.” The blond laughed a little but it sounded odd so he stopped, glancing up at the woman. She ignored him, concentrating on the task at hand, but Shuichi knew her eyes were red rimmed like his.
Two hours later and they were still outside. Noe had gone back for his car so at least they’d have something to sit in, out of the weather. Apparently the hospital staff wasn’t going to let up on their order for Shuichi and Aya to stay away.
“What do you think that black stuff was?” The redhead whispered from the passenger seat. She was curled up on her side, facing him. Exhaustion had long since set in but both were beyond sleeping. Noe and Nakao had rented a hotel room two blocks away and the rest of the group had taken turns sitting post in the waiting area. They were hoping someone would tell them something, anything...That some nurse or doctor would feel bad, would sympathize with their situation.
“I don’t know.” Shuichi stared out the windshield. Mizuki managed to swipe a blanket from the hospital and had brought it out to him, along with coffee and breakfast food from the hotel. His voice was rough from lack of sleep and use and cracked a little. He coughed and cleared his throat, wrapping the edge of the green knit cover over his shoulder.
“Is there anyone we should call?” A half-hearted shrug and sigh from the blond in response.
“Like it matters. They can’t see him.”
“You’d want to know...” Silence. “Maybe if enough people show up they’ll tell us something?” Somehow Shuichi doubted that. Still, she had a point...He’d want to know. When he went back to the house he would make some calls.