Title: Reflections

Genre: Supernatural/Romance

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I no own

Unbeta'd. Beware of Errors.

At ninety-six years old, there was little wonder as to what I was doing here. Letting out a heavy sigh, I looked around the old temple. Memories from days since long past engulfed me. Back when I was too afraid to admit my feelings towards you, or when Kanau took over your body in order to return it to you, Mikuni and his strange ideas of "fun", or when Ichi's hair turned white every time Kanau came into a room while carrying something. Those were the best times of my life.

The temple still looked the same as it always did. Yet everything about it was different. The priest that used to harass us was long gone, he passed away years ago from lung cancer. Ironic that Mikuni died of cancer. Out of everything he did, we were all expecting him to get killed by a demon or a vengeful spirit or something similar to that. Something extraordinary. Yet he passed on with an average disease that most people who smoke for years on end get. It was unexpected. Then again, all of their deaths were unexpected. Especially yours.

I tried to visit the shrine at least once a year to see how much it's changed. Though every time I come here I'm expecting to see Mikuni making Kanau dress in one of his many ridicules outfits and cook for him. Or for you and I to be sweeping the front of the shrine with Ichi.

I sometimes visit Ichi's family too. His children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren all miss him dearly. And I've always wondered, was he with you?

Were the two of you still arguing the way you've always had? I knew it's been years since you've last seen each other, but were things the same as they've always been? Were the two of you harassing Mikuni or was he harassing you? Was Kanau up there with you guys?

When Ichi had his heart attack after New Years it was so sudden. No one was quite sure how it happened. It wasn't like he was an uptight nervous wreck as he used to be. Not at all, once he met his wife –she reminded me so much of Natsuko. God rest her soul— he began to loosen up, and since then has been such a laid back guy.

I still remembered Ichi's wedding perfectly. He was a nervous wreck. Shino, Itsuki, Niro, Satoi, Ichiro, Mikuni, and myself were trying to cheer him up.

Well, the others were harassing him. Ichiro was hanging off of Mikuni, and it was really only Satoi and I who tried to make him feel better. If memory serves correct, Mikuni brought out some sacramental wine for us to drink. I think he stole it from the priest since Ichi did get married in a Catholic church. Mikuni said it was "revenge" for Ichi not getting married the Buddhist way. We basically had our own party two hours before the actually wedding, we were just lucky that we weren't all totally wasted once it was time to go to the actual alter.

The shrine had actual shrine maidens now. I bet if Mikuni were still around he wouldn't be too pleased. No more guys like Shino. Speaking of Shino, he and Itsuki were laid to rest a many years ago, but you knew that since they're probably with you.

They died together, a double suicide. Shino was diagnosed with terminal cancer, he was in such pain, and Itsuki realized that he couldn't live without his partner. So on the night of their anniversary they killed themselves. I used to envy them for it, because I've barely managed to live without you.

I walked up to one of the older trees, this was where we first made love, and let a small smile appear on my face. We had fought for a good half hour before getting right down to business. And I couldn't help but wonder if what we did was a bit…sacrilegious.

"Mr. Shiozu-Hasunuma?" A voice from my left ask me.

I turned to face the girl that called me. She's Niro's great-granddaughter.

Could you believe that? Niro had actually found a woman that he wasn't allergic. It actually turned out to be his maid. The one with the glasses who always made sure that his medicine was within reache whenever a woman accidentally touched him. No one knew, during all the years that she was working for him she never laid a hand on him. And he never her. It was purely accidental on how they found out too. She was going into the kitchens to get Satoi a snack and tripped on her way, Niro just happened to pass by at that time, and being the gentleman that he was, caught her. He laughed about it until his dying day, saying that he was foolish for never seeing the treasure in front of him.

The girl looked similar to Kiyomi, and I sometimes get the feeling that she's her reincarnation.

"Yes?" I asked her. She was a shrine maiden in training.

"How are you? My father has been trying to get in touch with you for a while now. The whole family's been worried. Great-uncle Ichiro even went on a quest to search for you." She told me. I only smiled.

Before Mikuni died he had finally let Kanau go. A few days after Kanau left, Mikuni passed on. After Mikuni died Ichiro had a slight nervous break down before finally deciding the work in the shrine and take care of Mikuni's grave first hand.

"Tell him that I'm sorry to worry him. And that I'll visit soon enough."

She smiled at me, nodded and said, "I have to get back to my rituals, but please feel free to come inside the house and make yourself at home." With that she bowed and left me alone once again.

I couldn't help but laugh, her telling to make myself at home struck me as funny.

Slowly, I sat at the base of the tree. After you left me, I have to admit I was a bit unstable. But you knew that because you were there for a good year before moving on.

I had to admit, your death was the largest impact of my life, and in my young naïve mind I had pictured us growing old together and adopting a puppy and living happily somewhere quiet inJapan. And for the longest time I had thought it was my fault, the truck should have hit me, and you were a fool for pushing me out of the way. You were only twenty-four years old, too young to die for someone else. But I supposed you had thought that I was too young to die as well. At first I had hoped it was just like the time I fell out of the third story in our high school, that you'd be ok. You weren't.

After your spirit left me, I tried y numerous amounts of times to commit suicide, despite the promise that I had made to you to live my life until I died of natural causes. My attempts began to be a burden to everyone around me, so Mikuni sent me to live with my parents for a bit, he explained to them my loss and they took me in immediately. My parents did not want their only son to go through so much turmoil and pain.

I had to admit however, that I was not the most faithful to you, but you knew that as well. I did try to move on three years after your death. But every man that I dated always had something about him that reminded me of you. And after a while I stopped dating men, because it wasn't fair that they truly thought that they cared about me while I was only with them because I saw you. I tried dating women too. Each and every one was a complete failure. And after a while I just stayed at the shrine and helped the dead ascend.

I became a hermit for a good ten years of my life. And then one day everyone else kicked me out of the shrine, telling me to do something productive with myself and to stop mopping. At first, I thought that they were being cruel toward me, but later I realized that they were only being true friends.

I traveled with the money I made from doing odd jobs along the way. I traveled with Itsuki and Shino for a while, but it was just too painful to see them so happy. My thoughts were always on you. Always. I went around the world, and helped the dead along the way and made numerous amounts of friends whom (if not dead) still kept in touch with me.

My eyes closed I felt the warm sun on my face. I am a tired old man now. Twenty years ago I never thought that I'd live this long. Thirty years I'd never thought I'd live this long. My whole life, except for the part with you in it, I always thought that I would die young. But here I am, Mitsuo Shiozu-Hasunuma, ninety-six years old. Mitsuo, not Mitsuko, the once painfully innocent and naïve blonde now full of wisdom and a head full of white hair.

I stared at myself in wonder. I looked so old now. But here I was, in a sixteen-year-old's body again. How strange, and here I had thought it would be different.

"Mitsuo." A voice to my left called to me. My eyes widened at the sound, it's your voice. A sound that I haven't heard in years.

I turned to look at you, "Hasunuma." You only smiled at me and took my hand to lead me to a life after death.

I turned to look back once more, in time to see Ichiro climb up the shrine stairs. I waved good-bye to him and grin. His eyes only widened a bit before he sends me his own knowing smile

It didn't occur to me what I was leaving behind, but what I was gaining.

Fin

MoonLLotus: there we go, my first Eerie Queerie fic. I know it could've been better, but I just wanted to post something Eerie Queerie up so badly! Anyways, please review: flames, comments, criticism are all welcome. Please review.

Originally written: 4/7/05

Revamped: 1/18/12