Akito's Poker Party
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fruits Basket or any of the characters associated with it.
Part 1: Idea
It was the first anniversary of Tohru's mother's death, and she planned on visiting the grave later in the afternoon, with Yuki and Kyo. Since everyone else was going out for the day, Shigure decided that he would go out too, to Akito's house. When the time came, he headed over to the Sohma estate, and when he got there, Akito was very pleased to see him.
"Shigure, hello! I'm so pleased to see you. Why have you come?" Akito turned to where Shigure kneeled down on the ground, His eyes were unusually friendly as he greeted his follower.
"Oh, no particular reason," he tensed for a second as Akito came to sit with him, but relaxed when he noticed Akito meant no harm. "I thought we could have tea, or something."
Akito seemed to be thinking this over, for he looked down with an intense stare, muttering the word "tea" over and over under his breath. Finally, he looked up, a bright smile forming across his face. "A party!"
Shigure felt confused for a moment. "A party? Excuse me, but I don't really understand."
Akito turned his gaze to the bewildered Shigure, the smile still on his face. "I'm bored, so are you, so lets throw a poker party! We'll invite all the members of the zodiac to it!"
Shigure, also liking the idea, couldn't help but smile himself. Until he remembered something, then he frowned. "But Yuki and Kyo are busy grave-visiting with Tohru."
"Who cares, then they won't come. It's their loss." Akito's voice trailed off, as if he were back in his thinking mode. "Come to think of it," he muttered, "I'm not sure Momiji or Hatsuharu would enjoy a poker party. Or Kisa. They would spoil our fun."
Shigure, hating to see Akito get upset, quickly came up with another suggestion. "How about we invite only the older members of the zodiac?"
Akito seemed to lighten up a bit at Shigure's idea. "Okay, that would work. But I want Hiro to come to."
"As you wish." Shigure nodded his head, and both him and Akito set off to go make the necessary phone calls.
Part 2: Phone Calls
Shigure's call to Hatori:
Hatori: Hello?
Shigure: Hello Ha'ri, it's me!!
Hatori: Oh.
Shigure: Akkii and I are throwing a poker party, and you're invited!
Hatori: Great.
Shigure: It's in one hour, and come to Akito's place! Bye-bye!
Hatori: Hm.
Call ended.
Akito's call to Ayame:
Ayame: Hello?
Akito: Ayame…
Ayame: Oh, Akito, good day to you…
Akito: You sound afraid, Ayame.
Ayame: Afraid? Who's afraid?
Akito: Well, never mind that. I have an urgent issue to discuss with you.
Ayame: Umm… yes?
Akito: Shigure and I are having a poker party in one hour… you are invited. At my place.
Ayame: Okay then.
Akito: Bye, Ayame.
Call ended.
Shigure's call to Ritsu:
Ritsu: …
Shigure: Ritsu? It's me, Shigure.
Ritsu: Oh, Shigure! I'm so sorry for not saying hello! I-
Shigure: Calm down Rii, it's okay.
Ritsu: Sorry… I'm sorry…
Shigure: Akito and I are having a poker party, and you are invited.
Ritsu: SORRY!! I DON'T WANT TO BE A BURDEN TO YOU AND AKITO! YOU DIDN'T-
Shigure: It's fine, we want you to come. It's in one hour at Akito's place. Bye-bye!
Ritsu: Okay. Sor-
Call ended.
Akito's call to Kureno:
Kureno: Hello, Kureno Sohma speaking.
Akito: Kureno, where the hell are you?
Kureno: Akito! Sorry, I had to go buy something. I'll be back soon.
Akito: Well, anyway, we're all having a poker party here in one hour. Be sure to come.
Kureno: Anything you want.
Akito: Good.
Call ended.
Shigure's call to Hiro:
Hiro: Who's this?
Shigure: It's only me.
Hiro: Shigure? How did you get my cell number?
Shigure: Akito invites you to his poker party at his place, in one hour.
Hiro: Oh?
Shigure: Yep. Buh-bye.
Call ended.
Part 3: The Party
Each invited member sat around the low wooden table. Centered in the middle of them were a deck of cards, each card having a yellow rubber duck printed on it's back. All the men stared at one another and to the cards, wondering what to do next. It was Hiro who broke the silence.
"So…" he spoke, "what are the rules?"
Instantly, Ritsu burst out with a random apology. "I'm sorry, Hiro! I don't know! Please, forgive me, I beg you!"
Akito's menacing stare passed over the gathered people, waiting for the right moment to speak. When it seemed as if everyone was calm and settled enough, he grabbed his chance.
"Do any of you even know how to play poker?" he scowled.
The zodiac members stared down, each knowing they had no clue of the game. Shigure, fearing that Akito would get violent, brightened up the mood with a happy word.
"Why don't I get the drinks? Beer for everyone!" he gave a great smile and cheerfully left the room. Once again, everyone was left staring at the cards. Hiro sighed.
"I swear, I thought all adults knew how to play poker." he shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, emphasizing on how stupid he thought the adults were. No one seemed to particularly care, though. Akito just stared at him, when suddenly, what he thought was a genius idea popped into his head.
"Go Fish…" he muttered quietly at first. He looked around at everyone, until they all stared at him. "Why don't we play Go Fish?" A wide grin formed across Akito's face as he clapped for the brilliancy of himself.
Ritsu spoke up in a tiny voice from across the table. "Yes, I can play that."
Hatori and Kureno both nodded their heads, while Ayame thrust his hands up into the air. "Wonderful solution, Akkii! What kid hasn't played Go Fish?"
"How childish…" Hiro scoffed, "but I guess I'll go along, since I'm here."
"Good then," Akito smiled, "I'll deal five cards to everyone."
He picked up the pile, poorly shuffling the cards before beginning to deal. He went around the table and placed one card in front of everyone, and repeated until everyone had five. Placing the remaining cards back on the table's center, he settled back down in his seat.
"Pick up and look at your cards," he directed. Everyone did as they were told. Akito glanced at his own cards, before looking back at the people. "I'll go first. Kureno, do you have an eight?"
"Go fish," came Kureno's hasty reply. Akito scowled and reached out to the pile to grab another card. Ayame was next.
"Lets see now…" he glanced around the table slowly, until his gaze stopped at Akito. "Akkii, do you have an eight?"
Akito's gaze turned hostile as he threw the eight card to Ayame. "Damn you!" he spat viciously. He stood up, dropping his cards, and stomped out of the room. "Deal me out!" he yelled back from the hall. A few moments later Shigure returned, arms full of open beer bottles. He handed one to each person, then sat down himself. "What are we playing, here? This doesn't look like poker."
Hiro, from the table's other end, looked sternly at Shigure. "You idiot," he retorted, "you gave me beer. I'm in sixth grade, duh!"
Kureno directed his gaze to the upset boy next to him. "Drink it," he spoke calmly, "it won't hurt you." he then turned his attention to Shigure. "It's Go Fish."
"Great! I'll take Akito's place." Shigure sat himself down in front of Akito's fallen cards, picking them up and looking them over. Soon, he was ready to play. "Okay, continue where you left off."
"Well," Ayame spoke up, "since I got a pair, I get to go again!" he looked to Hatori, who sat beside him. "Ha'ri, have a two?"
"Yes, here," Hatori blankly handed him a card with a large "2" printed on it's face. Ayame took it quickly, and slapped down another pair.
"Good then! My turn again!" he looked from Hatori to Ritsu. "Rii," he started, "do you have a ni-"
"I'M SORRY! GO FISH! I'M SO SORRY! FORGIVE ME! PLEASE!" Ritsu bounced up from his seat and started violently shaking his head with his hands. "I APOLOGIZE TO YOU! I APOLOGIZE TO THE WHOLE UNIVERSE!" He suddenly began running in circles around the table, yelping and yelling random apologizes. He began heading towards the door. "I'M SORRY! I'M NOT WORTHY ENOUGH TO PLAY WITH YOU! DEAL ME OUT! DEAL ME OUT!" he ran out the door in a mad fit of "sorry."
Hiro, who had been sitting next to the apologetic man, took Ritsu's cards and dropped them in the center pile, and laughed. Ayame quickly grabbed another card from the stack, adding it to his own cards. Hatori, who had been on Ritsu's other side, unenthusiastically went next.
"Okay, Shigure," he began, taking a sip of the beer he had received. "nine?"
"Yep, I got it," he said, handing the card to Hatori. Hatori matched it with his other nine, and put down a pair. He then looked to Hiro.
"Seven?"
Hiro made a weird noise and looked admiringly at his cards, until he shook his head with extreme disappointment. He waved his arm over to Hatori, knocking over his empty beer bottle in the process. "Go fishy." he fell to his side and looked up awe-stricken at the ceiling, before sitting back and glancing at his cards again.
"Hiro…" Hatori looked at the drunken boy, "it's your turn."
"Right!" Hiro shot a finger up into the air, then looked at Ayame. "You…" he gurgled, "you're a doctor."
"No, he is," Ayame pointed at Hatori, and laughed at the boy. He looked over to Shigure. "Gure-san, that's hilarious! Hiro got drunk off of one beer."
"Drunk!" Hiro leaned over the table to glare at Ayame. "Drunk not I am!"
Ayame cracked up with laugher. He repeated what Hiro had done, and leaned over the table to glare at the boy. "'Drunk not I am,' he says!"
Hiro seemed to take much offense at this, and stuck down his thumb at Ayame. "Not good."
At this, mostly everyone, even Hatori, couldn't help but laugh. Ayame fell back in a fit of hilarity, until Hiro himself began to chuckle. Finally, Shigure brought it to an end.
"Okay…" he said, as everyone's laughter(except Hiro's) died down. "Shall we deal Hiro out?"
"I don't know," snickered Ayame, "he's great for a good laugh."
"I think we should," spoke Kureno, "so we can continue the game."
"I also think so," Hatori agreed.
"Okay, then I'll be back," Shigure got up and walked over to Hiro, encouraging him to stand up. Hiro refused at first, but he was easily swayed by an offer for candy. Both walked out of the room, Hiro more so stumbling, with Shigure leading him down the hallway. "Deal me out," he called back to the group.
Kureno took both Shigure's and Hiro's cards and placed them back into the pile. Now only him, Ayame, and Hatori remained. Kureno decided to go next, when Akito walked back into the room.
"Deal me in," he scowled.
Ayame took five cards from the stack and handed them to Akito, as Kureno looked carefully over his own cards. "Akito, do you have a ten?"
"Ha!" Akito began laughing maniacally. "Go fish!"
Kureno chose a card from the center pile, placing it with the rest of his cards. Everyone now turned their attention to Akito, waiting for him to go next.
"Hmm," Akito breathed, "Hatori, do you have a four?"
"Go fish," Hatori intoned.
"Damn!" he cursed and reached for the card pile and grabbed a four, which made him very happy as he proudly placed down his pair. Ayame was next.
"Kureno has a ten," he assumed, "doesn't he?"
"Hmmph…" Kureno grumbled as he handed a card over to Ayame. Ayame put down another pair.
"Three cards left," he informed everyone, "and I go again. Hatori, do you have a six?"
Hatori stared at his cards for a second, before pulling out the one with a "six" printed on it. He handed it to Ayame, who slapped down another pair.
"Two cards, everyone!" Ayame cheerfully stated. He turned to Hatori again. "Seven?"
Sure enough, Hatori handed him another card. Ayame was sure that Hatori had this one, and he happily placed down another two identical cards. Now he was left with one remaining card.
"Akito…" Ayame began, "do you have a nine?"
Akito frowned and stared at his cards. He slowly picked one out, and handed it reluctantly to Ayame. As soon as Ayame grabbed hold of the card, he threw down the two cards before knocking over the entire table in his fit of joy. This happened to cause everyone's beer to spill on poor Kureno.
"Haha!" Ayame laughed with joy, and he ran out of the room in his amusement, shouting "I won! I won!" as he dashed down the hallway.
Akito sighed, and put down his remaining cards on the floor beside him. "I'm going to bed." He got up, and walked silently out of the room, leaving Kureno and Hatori together.
"Well," said the beer-soaked Kureno, "I guess I'll start cleaning this up."
"Then I guess I'll be going," Hatori stood up, and threw his cards on the ground. "I'll go find out what happened to Shigure and Hiro. Good luck with this," and at that, he left the room, leaving the clean-up duty to Kureno alone.
Thus the party was ended.