Author's Chapter Notes:
The Story behind this actually came from a dream I had after watching the last episode of Fruits Basket...it was unfair how it ended, but what can yah do? Anyway, I don't own Fruba or any of it's characters...but I'll tell yah this much, in my stoires...Akito is all male! Ahem...anyway, I hope that you guys enjoy this...
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Chapter One
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Four figures, one female and three males, slowly walked across the main courtyard towards the front gate, where a fifth figure sat waiting. A shadowed figure with deep slate gray and blue flecked eyes watched as they moved brows furrowed in confusion and thoughts in a whirl.
Akito didn't know what to do, he had not expected the reaction he had received from that girl, that Tohru Honda. Lifting his eyes from the ground he studied her form, her face was lightly flushed from the ordeal which had just passed. Her face was lit with a gentle smile as she spoke to Shigure and Hatori, all the while glancing reassuringly towards Yuki.
The wind blew softly, causing her silky brown locks to dance gracefully about her face. Akito's eyes drifted to his still trembling hand, he could still remember what her hair had felt like between his fingers, 'like whipped silk.'
Hearing the familiar and annoying voice of Kyo, 'that cursed creature...that...monster,' Akito's eyes snapped back to the four that had just come to a stop before the exit.
Kyo had just reached their side and was asking about what had happened, Tohru simply shook her head and smiled. That seemed to placate him, for he turned and started to argue with Yuki.
Akito felt one of his fists clench in anger and frustration, 'why...why was this happening, how am I supposed to react to this? I am God damn it! Why can't I control that girl, what's so special about her and how can she have this effect on me?'
He felt the warm tingle of blood flow over his fingers and drip into a small pool upon the floor at his feet. He continued to watch as Shigure, Hatori, Yuki, and Kyo passed through the gate, Tohru simply stood there. Akito was about to turn away to go and find someone to hit or something to break, that was when Tohru suddenly turned about.
Akito froze to the spot as her aquamarine eyes clashed with his, for what seemed to be an eternal moment, their eyes remained locked. Akito's hands slacked and he felt a strange calm flow through his body, quelling all of his anger. Tohru smiled, her eyes sparkled brightly and then she turned away, taking the remaining steps and disappearing around the corner. Akito slowly sank to his knees, a cross between awe and confusion appeared upon his pale face.
'How...how can she do that, one look, only one. That was all it took...'
Akito heard someone approach behind him and shifted his features to his normal coldness. Glancing over his shoulder, his eyes were greeted with the deep red hair and burnt sienna eyes of the rooster.
"What do you want Kureno, if you have forgotten, today you are free to do as you wish."
The man simply looked back, no emotion appearing in his eyes. Akito growled and rushed to his feet, clasping the taller mans throat in his slim fingers, Akito pinned him to the wall.
"Answer me when I speak to you!"
Kureno still remained silent, his eyes turned away. Akito gritted his teeth as he dug his nails into the flesh of the rooster’s neck, drawing four streams of blood.
Moments passed as Akito glared at him, anger flowing through every vein in his body. Gradually, Kureno's eyes met his own and Akito recoiled at what he saw. There were many conflicting emotions flashing through his dark eyes, but one stood out among the rest.
Hope.
"What is it! Answer me damn you!"
Akito dug his nails deeper and started to rotate them, earning a wince of pain from the taller man.
"Akito, I have a request..."
Kureno started to cough, Akito released him and backed away immediately. Small flecks of blood splattered across his palm as he coughed roughly. Akito turned and looked out across the garden, his voice low.
"What is this request?"
A moment of silence passed before he got his answer, "I wish to meet Tohru Honda."
Akito's whole body quaked at the mention of her name, closing his eyes, he could still see her soft smile and tear streaked face when she had looked up at him.
Uttering those two words that had radically mixed up all the emotions he had towards her, all the hatred dissipated as her voice rang in his ears, 'your alive.'
"Do as you want..." moving past Kureno, Akito entered the house and immediately went to that same waiting room, where Tohru had just recently been.
Entering the room, Akito shut the door and sank to the floor, his back resting against the door. He then let his mind wander, all the words Tohru had spoken came back to him, making him think all over again.
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Beginning of Flashback
Tohru's tears fell to the floor as her words reached Akito's ears, "It must have been very painful Akito being told the day you were born, you were going to die. It must have been so painful."
Akito gritted his teeth as he felt old and very painful memories flood through his mind, he tightened his grip on Tohru's hair, hard. "What was! What do you know about it!" Akito glared down at her, his hatred for her filling his eyes.
"You're right...I can't even imagine how...awful it would be to know something like that, or how terrifying. Shigure, and Yuki, and Kyo. I'm sure they feel the same way. And Hatori too. And when you pass away we'll be sad."
Akito looked at her in slight shock, but could feel his anger quickly returning. "We'll be very sad to loose you. And so" Akito stopped her midsentence with a morbid chuckle.
"Who's going to be sad? Everyone is able to live thanks to me, they all hope I'll be gone quickly. I was born in order to die, that's what was decided." Tohru tried to look up at him but his hand kept her from doing so, "but why? Who decided it had to be like that? Akito, right now you're alive aren’t you?"
"Alive? You call this being alive, do you? It's been decided, it's been decided. And they never even asked me!" Akito struggled in Yuki and Shigure's grip as he attempted to slap Tohru for her insolence.
"I...I didn't know my mom was going to die..."
Akito didn't want to hear this, he started jerking her hair, "Silence! Stop talking!" He glared over towards the still kneeling Hatori, " Hatori, I want you to erase this girls memory. Do it, now!" When the man made no move Akito became absolutely furious, "Hatori!"
That was when Tohru's soft voice continued, "I wanted her to live a long time. I wanted her to be here to watch me." Akito could feel panic rising inside himself, something about her crying pained him to watch, "stop crying! Stop it, stop crying!" Akito was loosing strength as Tohru's words slowly sank in.
Tohru's tear filled eyes slowly met his panicked ones, "I don't know what your families curse is, but...I'm happy. I'm happy that I know you...Akito. And I don't regret meeting you, or anyone, not at all."
Tohru's eyes locked with his and Akito felt something stir deep inside his heart. "I want to know you, please tell me how you feel. Even if you’re angry, or bitter, or frustrated. That's okay. Because the important thing is, right now Akito...your alive."
Akito felt his eyes widen at her words as his hand slackened and Tohru's hair fell free from his fingers. Akito felt something inside him snap at her words, as he started to loose himself within her bottomless oceanlike eyes. They somehow made him feel calm, this was all too new, he didn't know what to do or how to react to this.
He decided to do the only thing he could do, punching both Shigure and Yuki away from him, Akito kept his eyes trained on Tohru as he backed away slowly. His back nearing the wall, he tried to think of something to say, but all that passed his lips were three words,
"I don't know."
End of Flashback
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Akito looked across the room as he felt tears run unchecked down his cheeks, he had never cried, never.
"Tohru..." looking down at his hands, Akito felt disgusted with himself, he felt so unclean.
'Compared to her, I suppose I am unclean...'
Akito crawled across the floor on his hands and knees to where Tohru had sat. Her tears still glittered like pools of crystal upon the floor, he watched, entranced as one of his own joined hers. As he moved to situate himself better, he felt his hand brush against something.
Looking over he saw that it was the blue ribbon Tohru had worn that day, it was slightly tattered and a few strands of her hair lay across it. He scooped it up into his fingers and rubbed the material gently, feeling it's silken texture against his skin.
Akito remained that way for a couple hours when he heard Hatori calling his name, this snapped him out of his daze. After pocketing the ribbon, Akito whipped away his tears and left the room, taking one final glance at Tohru's tears.
With that he left down the hallway and soon reached his room, Momiji was jumping about Hatori and squealing loudly. Gritting his teeth against the noise, Akito pushed past and into his room, he walked over and sat upon his bed as Hatori placed his dinner before him.
Hearing something about 'medicine' and 'right back' Akito started eating and soon found his mind wondering again.
This time he was thinking about what Tohru's cooking might taste like but he soon shook away the thought. Just as he had finished his dinner, Hatori returned with a needle and some pills in hand. Used to this daily routine, Akito laid back on his bed and looked at the wall, trying to force his thoughts off of Tohru but only succeeding in thinking about her more.
When Hatori had finally left and he was all-alone, he let his emotions show as he ran over what she had said yet again. This time another part of what she said struck a chord in his mind, 'I want to know you, please tell me how you feel. Even if your angry, or bitter, or frustrated.'
He found himself wondering what she was like as well, this slowly brought him to a conclusion as he pulled himself out of the bed and went about dressing in some street clothes.
'I want to get to know her and I want her to know me...I can't believe I really feel this way.'
Once he finished, he slowly crept out of the main house; he didn't want the other's to know. He already felt like he was degrading himself enough for even wanting to be in her presence, let alone get to know her. Reaching the street, Akito hurried along as he made his way to Shigure's house to pay Tohru Honda a nice little bedroom call.
He had no idea that by him making this decision that he set in motion something that he never thought would ever occur, not even in a million years.
