The Sohma household was all silent, except for one little creature, running about the house. This time it wasn't the mouse, but instead his enemy, Kyo Sohma, the cat. His bright orange hair was glowing in the darkness of the house. He opened the shojo screen, and proceeded to run off into the darkness. Leaving behind a simple note, a girl, and his life. At the top of a hill he turned to look at the dark silhouette. His body lean, and getting taller every week casted a shadow. Kyo glanced at the figure of him, and felt a tinge of guilt. For in the shadow he finally saw the 'onibashi' that Tohru had saw. A single drop fell down his cheek as he disappeared into the shadows of the forest, and the nightmare of his life.
"Shigure-San I can't find Kyo-Kun!" A somewhat panicked voice shouted from Kyos former room.
"Que Sera Sera my dear Tohru," The man called Shigure announced. He stood by the brunette known as Tohru, wearing a kimono the managed to hide his body yet show it off at the same time. "With Kyo gone, this leaves you time to develop your relationship with a certain rat we know."
Tohru looked up at Shigure. His black hair was getting longer then ever, almost reaching Hatoris length. Her brown eyes seemed questioning, as if she was confused about what Shigure meant.
"I mean, take this time and date Yuki-Kun," Shigure said slowly, putting an arm around Tohrus slim shoulders. With Kyo-Kun out of the picture there will be no jealousy issues. Except between me and Yuki-Kun but that is an entirely different matter." Shigure shrugged that issue off with a wave of his fan.
Tohru, a young girl about 16 entered the kitchen; with Shigure age 27 by her side. Safe to say when the rat of the zodiac, and the Prince of the high school that he and Tohru attended was shocked, and upset. His hair was a very dark gray color, almost a purple tint. His eyes were also a purple. He glared at Shigure, and an innocent chuckle was all Shigure could do. Yuki stood.
"Yuki-Kun have you see Kyo-Kun?" The look of distress of Tohrus face clenched Yukis heart. He had come to the realization that he loved Tohru, plain and simple. Just telling her that he loved her wasn't so plain and simple.
"Thankfully no," Yukis hatred for Kyo had not change, only grew, as he noticed that he and Kyo were competing for Tohrus affections. Inwardly sighing, Yuki knew that with Kyo around he would lose. He had nothing to offer. He was boring, cursed, and not funny, outgoing or as handsome as Kyo.
A frown went over Tohrus pale face. She was easily worried. Yuki stood. "I'll help you look for him."
A grin came over Tohrus face as quickly as the frown did. She refused to get herself depressed, but she would worry until she knew if Kyo was okay, just like she would do for anyone else. "Thank you so much Yuki-Kun!"
A slight smile filled Yukis lips. Shigure noticed it, and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Why don't you try the roof Tohru? While Yuki-Kun checks out Kyo-Kuns room?"
A nod was all Tohru could manage as she started heading towards the roof, like she did many a night when Kyo was feeling dejected.
Yuki watched Shigure to make sure the perverted novelist entered his room, and didn't try to peek up Tohrus skirt or anything like that. Yuki entered Kyos room. It was an add on that Kyo had done with Shigures permission. It wasn't that bad of a room. Tohru had decorated it, must to Kyos dismay. Though Yuki liked it, he would never tell Kyo that it was nice. The walls were an off orange color, and the border was little cats doing karate moves. A little childish but very Kyo none the less. Yuki tried to fight the frown that was forming as he noted that Kyos futon was made. That was rather unusual. Kyo usually left that to Tohru. On the orange comforter, was an envelope, and written in bold cursive was her name, Tohru.
Yuki picked it up, and carefully opened it. He couldn't help it. That was one thing he had got from the cat, curiousity. Inside were words that Kyo wrote meant for Tohru only, but that wasn't going to stop Yuki.
'I'm surprised that damn cat could actually write all this. Didn't think he had enough brains, or an attention span long enough to handle it.' Thought Yuki.
Tohru,
I have the feeling you are going to read this, and you are going to cry. I didn't want to make you cry, but I figured staying here was going to make you cry even more. I thought about it, for a long time, what I was feeling, and how I could get rid of it. I tried so hard to fight the obvious. You see I had never been in love so I didn't know what it was. As you can tell my family wasn't the most loving kind. I'm thankful to my Shishou for everything, but I couldn't go to him about my feelings. So instead I suppressed them, fought for control of the words that were threatening to spew out of my mouth. I did all of this mostly out of fear of Akito. Being in the zodiac is already hard enough for any couple. For example Hatori and his love. It didn't work out. Or Kisa, and Hiro. Hiro has told Akito and that landed Kisa in the hospital, Hiro the ignorant brat he is now, and Kisa with a fear of men.
I also did it out of fear of being rejected. You see, I've been watching you. Not in a weird stalker way or anything. I just mean glances, and- well whatever that's not the point. I try to study your feelings by watching you. And seeing how you look at me, and Yuki, and Shigure. With Shigure your face fills with admiration and gratitude. But when you look at Yuki, it's the same as when you look at me. I'm not sure what that means. But its' also different in a way. For when you look at Yuki, your face softens, you seem… different. I don't want to come between that, and so I've decided to go out into the world. Not for martial arts training this time. I'm going to train to become a better man, maybe one like Yuki so that you can look at me the same way.
Tohru, I'll still listen to your problems. Just talk to a cat, or go to the roof and I guarantee you I will hear your problems. Stay happy, and don't worry about feeding that damn rat. In fact, give him rat poison, and do us all a favor.
When Yuki looked away from the letter, he was surprised that his vision was blurred. Everything was blurry now. What did Kyo mean by Tohrus face softening when he looked at him? Something wet slid down Yukis cheek, and he quickly wiped it away. He had to give this letter to Tohru, and make sure she didn't fall off the roof or something.
As Yuki stepped out of Kyos room, he saw Shigure coming toward him. "Ah, Yuki-Kun, I trust you have found Kyo-Kuns letter? The same letter practically declaring his love for our little 'flower'?"
Yuki said nothing, but held up the letter to show that he had it, and that he had indeed read it.
"Yuki-Kun! Did you find anything?" Tohru asked, her voice somewhat happier then what it was. It sounded as if she was full of hope. Could Yuki really hand her the letter? Did he really want to? No, he didn't, but he wasn't the type to keep things from Tohru.
"There was a letter. He left it for you. I read it, I'm sorry," Yuki bowed his head, and handed the envelope to Tohru. His head was still swirling from the contents of the letter.
Taking the letter, and smiling brightly Tohru replied, "Thank you so much Yuki-Kun! I'm so glad that you found something. Hopefully this letter will tell us where Kyo-Kun has gone to. Maybe he is at the Dojo."
Yuki looked into Tohrus eyes, and smiled, sadly. "Tohru, I'm afraid Kyo is gone for awhile. He had to take care of some things. The letter will tell you what I mean."
"You mean?" Tohru couldn't help it, a tear fell, and then another, and another. Yukis fist clenched. How bad he wanted to hold her, comfort her, tell her everything was alright.
'Curse this curse.' Yuki screamed in his head.
His purple eyes went to the floor. For some reason seeing Tohru cried made him want to cry. He wasn't sure why.
"Come now Tohru-Kun. You know Kyo-Kun. There's no way he'll last long out there. He'll miss your food too much!" Shigure grinned, waving his fan. Suddenly his stomach rumbled. "Speaking of food."
Tohru panicked. Her eyes went big, and she bowed. "I forgot breakfast. I'm sorry. I'll attend to it right away." She hurried to the kitchen, and the sounds of her rummaging around could be heard.
"I'll forgive her for anything if she bows like that more often." Shigure chuckled, commenting on Tohrus low cut tank top, and short black skirt.
Suddenly Shigure felt an angry presence next to him, and turned to see a very, very, very angry Yuki. "I was simply kidding, I uh, must go finish my manuscript." With that Shigure scampered off to his study like the dog he really, truly was.
Yuki glanced out the window, and he swore he caught a glimpse of orange in all that green of the forest, but he simply shrugged it off. He walked to the kitchen, and glanced at Tohru hard at work in the kitchen, and smiled inwardly. It was good to see her trying to be normal through all this.
There was a knock on the door, and Tohru practically skipped to the door. When she opened it she first saw, the shiny black hair that sat upon a pale boy, dressed in all black. Behind him a taller men stood, a white coat thrown over his black attire. His black hair hung loosely around his face. His left eye hidden behind a chunk of hair.
"Akita-San, Hatori-San welcome!" Tohrus ever cheerful voice called.
Yukis eyebrows raised, and a cold sweat broke out. The mention of Akito still sent shivers down his spine. The endless hours of torture he had suffered at the hands of Akito, the months trapped in that room. Yuki covered his ears, shaking it all out. Keeping the lid tightly closed on the memories of the past that threatened to swallow him.
"Hello Tohru-Kun!" That was clearly Akito. The young boy was terribly pale, and really young to be the leader of the Sohma clan. He had to bear the curse of the whole family all by himself. No wonder he was a little twisted.
"How are you?" Hatori asked Tohru as he bent down to take off Akitos shoes.
"I'm great! How are you Hatori-Kun?" Tohru smiled brightly, and handed slippers to Akita and Hatori.
"As good as ever," Hatori said grimly. Tohrus smile dimmed a little at the ages, as she stared at Akita. Yuki was not going to like this; much less deal with Akito being in the house that Yuki had run to, to get away from Akito.
Akitos head tilted to the side, "Is there something on my face?" His smile was ever so bright, ever so fake.
"No, I was just looking at how beautiful you are. All the men in this family are," Tohru replied. She studied Akitos eyes; they were cold, and full of hate. What had she done to deserve that? "I am cooking breakfast if you would like to join us."
Akito nodded, and Hatori went along with it. Tohru led the way, and before they could reach the kitchen, Tohru felt a tug on her hair. She turned to see Akito smiling, his eyes full of danger, she frowned slightly then Akitos back hand landed on her cheek.
Tohrus brown eyes widened with fear. Another blow landed on the same cheek, this time it was a closed fist. Tohru went sprawling into the wall that was near them. A laugh came from Akito, as Tohru touched her cheek, crying. Her lip was bleeding, and it hurt so bad. Her mouth felt dry, her heart raced faster, so fast she thought it was going to come out of her chest.
"Kagura! Are you tearing up my house again? I'll have to charge you for-" Shigure stopped in mid-sentence. "Akito-Kun, I'm sorry. I did not know you were here." Shigure bowed, very low, then went over to give Akito a hug as he always did. "I didn't expect you so early."
"I decided to give Tohru a lesson," Akito sneered. He didn't add the honorific, to be rude, and to disrespect Tohru in the place she called home.
Yuki had heard all the noises and was trying not to pass out. His breathing was labored, his vision black on the edges. He placed his hand on the wall, holding himself steady. More hits continued to rain on Tohru as he tried to remain conscious, he could do nothing to help her, yet he loved her so.
"Akito," Hatori almost yelled. "She will die if you do not cease this."
Akito stopped kicking Tohru, who was no longer crying, but coughing up blood.
Akito laughed. "Yes I suppose that is enough. Now where is Yuki-Kun it is time to teach him another lesson. This one will last much longer."
Hatori gave Shigure a look over Akitos head. It seemed to say 'Do something'. Shigure nodded.
"One thing, Akito. Kyo-Kun is gone. Left a note, and just up and left earlier," Shigure calmly explained, though he seemed a little panicked.
Another head tilt from Akito, "Are you saying that the cat is on the loose?" His voice venomous, low, and dangerous.
Shigure nodded. "I'm afraid so."
"Come Hatori," Akito snapped his fingers, and began to walk toward the door.
"You'll have to take Shigure-San. I have to do something about Tohru," Hatori motioned to Tohru who was wheezing softly.
Shigure walked toward Akito, "Come, dear Akito-Kin, I shall go with you." Akita nodded, let Shigure put on his shoes, and both exited the door.
"Tohru, are you ok?" Hatori kneeled by the bleeding lump that was Tohru. "Of course not. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I couldn't do anything. I lost all power, and I just couldn't handle it. Tohru-Kun I am so sorry. Please forgive me."
Tohru opened one swollen eye, and gave a smile though it seemed more like she was grimacing. "Breakfast. I haven't made breakfast yet."
Staring at her, her body broken and bruised, and her thinking not about herself, but of the starved bellies that were still in the Sohma household.
Yuki, stumbled into the room, and took a glance at Tohru. Reaching her side he sunk to his knees, his head resting on her stomach, as he too whispered the words 'I'm sorry', over and over again.
"Damn it!" Someone shouted. Hatori stood to see who, but Yuki did not move.
"I knew I shouldn't have left. I can't leave you guys alone at all without you managing to get into trouble." The orange hair boy shouted, his fist hitting anything near him. He was angry, saddened, hurt. When he had got close enough to do something Akito was leaving.
"Kyo," Hatori said, somewhat realized. "Tohrus, she… Akito gave her the treatment."
All Kyo could do was look at the ground. "I know," he whispered sadly. Crying, he looked up at Hatori, "I know."