I like Ritsu. Beginning the series I didn't think I liked him but my love grew and the spastic monkey may just be my favourite character, save for the Mabudatchi Trio.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruit's Basket.

Like any small child Ritsu liked birthday parties and none could be more fun than his own. He would be turning eight. At his party some classmates were to be invited. When we say classmates, we actually mean the entire class because it is rude to invite only a few people from the class and leave everyone else out of the festivities.

The guest were arriving and piling their gifts upon a table. A cake was sitting on a separate table, looking delicious with eight candles in it, waiting to be lit.

At this time Ritsu, his mother, and his father were all living "outside".

While playing an innocent game of duck duck goose, Akito arrived. His arrival was unexpected but Ritsu's parents bowed and offered the very young head of family to join in on the games (you must remember, Akito couldn't be even 6 1/2 years old at this time). Akito refused but lurked pointlessly in a corner until the children got around to opening gifts.

As you may know, small children get jealous, and can be superstitious.

Ritsu was half way though opening the gifts from his classmates. One of the bigger presents (from his grandma, now deceased) was a camera. Not a really expensive fancy thing, just a cheap one where you have to develop film (like in the olden days).

Ritsu happily started taking pictures with it right away. Akito exploded into rage and jealousy.

"Why are you getting so many nice things? You're not nice so why are you getting nice things? You are a bad person! A bad person!" Akito screamed out, scaring some of the guests.

Ritsu started whimpering. "I'm sorry!" he cried.

"You should be sorry! Do you know why you're cursed? Because of that camera! Every time you take a picture with it, each one of us gets more and more cursed!" Akito yelled, blaming Ritsu.

Ritsu's guests all ran outside. Why? It just seemed convenient and a smart thing to do, even to some of the other children's parents who were sticking around for the party. Ritsu was sobbing.

Shigure (who had come with Akito) tried to restrain the young, raging child. Akito pushed him away. "Sick, unworthy, ungrateful child! You don't deserve to live!" Akito pushed Ritsu over.

What could Ritsu do but just lay on the floor, sobbing? He nose was dripping, his face was red, his eyes puffy, and the tears continued to stream down the face of the child.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I don't deserve to live." Ritsu sobbed shaking his head which was on the floor at Akito's feet. "I apologize. Please forgive me. I'm so sorry." His voice was a whisper and his breath came in gasps.

Akito's attitude suddenly changed. He bent down to his knees and stroked Ritsu's hair. "It's alright Ritsu-chan. I forgive you." he said sweetly.

Ritsu looked up at Akito. His hair was somewhat stuck to his face from where the tears were streaming. "You do?" he said with a small smile, his breath still coming in gasps.

Akito screamed, "No, Stupid! You're to blame for everything! If only you were never born!" He smacked Ritsu in the face, hard. Akito jumped up from where he was crouched by Ritsu and pushed his cake off of the table. He also started grabbing the gifts given to Ritsu and started throwing them against things.

Ritsu moved his huddled form into a corner and couldn't stop sobbing. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. I'm sorry."

Akito picked up the camera given to him by his grandmother and chucked it at Ritsu's head. Thankfully, only being a small boy with bad aim, Akito missed. He did manage to hit Ritsu in the head with something equally threatening which resulted in blood dripping down the boys head.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Ritsu kept saying over and over. "It's my fault. Forgive me. Forgive me. I'm sorry."

This is only chapter 1. I do not plan on this being a one-shot. If any of you fine readers have ever read any of my other stories you are probably thinking very lowly of me at the moment because I'm starting another fic rather than finishing any of the other that I have started. I am thinking lowly of myself as well. I look forward to the day when I finish one of my fanfics but I just can't finish! Not because I'm running out of things to say, there is just so much that can be said! Like I said, this is not a one-shot. I repeat: this is not a one-shot.

This is WHPIAR... signing off.