"Why are you smiling Yuki?" the young head of the Sohma family asked with a gentle head tilt. It was a sunny morning, the wind held a light breeze and the birds danced above the sky, singing their song of spring. Akito was feeling awfully at peace on this day and let Yuki out from his "special room." Whenever Akito felt this way, she took her companion to the Sohma Garden. It seemed to please the little rat.
The young head reached out her tiny hands and embraced the younger boy from the back. Wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. This boy was her's and her's alone. He was the rat, and she was his 'God' which meant they belonged together. And she did anything to make sure Yuki understood this.
"Nn,Yuki?" Akito cooed resting her head on Yuki's thin shoulder, her onyx eyes boring into him. Her icy fingers played with the buttons from his collared shirt. Young Yuki suppressed a shuddered when his 'God' made contact. Yuki knew he had to be on his best behavior while he was residing within the Main House. Thus, was his mother's wish. Being a 'good boy' meant he would return back home with his mother and brother any time soon. So Yuki did his very best not to upset Akito. His mother hated it when Yuki was in trouble with Akito, and to be honest... Yuki hated it to.
Akito was mean. She locked him in a dark room, whispering cruel words about how the world is black into his ears. Yuki only got to go outside when Akito was feeling generous or if she wanted him to accompany her to an event.
Yuki looked over to Akito. She held a tender smile awaiting his answer. It was the quiet moments like this when Yuki could feel the rat spirit clinging to its 'God'.
I want to hold you,
And yet run away
"I…"he stuttered turning his attention back to the garden's ground.
"What is it Yuki? You can tell me." Akito replied nuzzling his cheek. She and her rat told each other everything. There were no walls between their bond. They knew each other's fears and weakness. She was also benevolent enough to educate him on the true nature of this hideous world. Furthermore, her rat was also in on the secret of her true gender. Yes, no walls laid between her and her love.
Yuki lifted his little palms up to Akito, revealing three little seeds.
"Seeds?" Akito mused releasing her hold on the boy so she could sit beside him. "This was what you were all happy about? There's a whole bunch of them spread around the garden."
"I just thought…" Yuki slugged his words, closing his fist, hiding away the seeds. "I just thought they were neat." His reverted his eyes back to the ground. "That's all."
"Yuki…Look at me"
Yuki flinched at the sound of the monotone voice. He turned his head to the side so he and Akito were face to face. Amethyst met Onyx. She held his gaze for what seemed like hours to Yuki. Sweat began to trail down his face. Akito stretched out her hand. Yuki flinched, preparing himself for a beating. Akito paused. After a chuckle, she simply tucked a strand of hair behind his ear so she could see his eyes more clearly. "I want to show you something." She whispered in a silent tone with a sly smirk printed on her lips. She took hold of the tentative boy by the wrist and dragged him away from the gardens. The seeds stayed intact in Yuki's little fingers.
The children were going through scrubs, Akito made sure no thrones from the roses cut her rat by pushing them back. Allowing Yuki to pass by in front of her.
Next they strolled down a dirt trail. "Where are we going?" Yuki questioned, but Akito simply ignored him. She continue to walk while kicking up the petite pebbles that came across.
Afterward they had to make it over a river. There were stones positioned in the water which made a straight line to the other side. Luckily, the children's feet were small enough to step on them. Akito skipped across first and encouraged Yuki to follow. Which he did. On the last stone he nearly tripped into the water, but Akito graceful caught the child before he fell. For a few minutes Yuki stayed in her arms shivering, crying full of fear. Akito soothed him by rubbing circles on his back.
"It's okay, my Yuki." She cooed. "You didn't fall. It's alright."
Yuki finally separated himself from his 'God'. He yanked on his selves and used them to wipe away the tears from his eyes. Akito smiled and rose from where she and Yuki were sitting at.
The two seemed to have found themselves in the middle of a forest. Yuki's amethyst eyes widen with awe. He had never seen such a place. Akito walked further up and bent down. He slender fingers dug into the earth's dirt, creating miniature holes. Three precisely.
"Well come on, Yuki!" she yelped. "Bring the seed over here!"
Yuki winced but quickly abided the order. He bent down beside her and arranged the seeds gently into each hole. Akito blanketed the seeds with the dug up earth and returned to the river. Yuki shadowed her movement. She cupped her palms into the water and poured it over where one of the seeds laid buried. Yuki did the same with the other piles of soil.
Akito cascaded to the forest floor and stretched her pale legs out. Her crimson kimono covered up any weeds that happen to be near her. It gave off the illusion that a bloodbath smeared the earth. Yuki sat with his legs strapped under him. Once again, the two fell into silence. Yuki could only stare at his 'God'. She seemed so at peace. Her features were more soften and her breathing wasn't as hitched. People always told him that he and Akito appeared very similar facial wise. But Akito was far more beautiful in Yuki's opinion. His eyes were oddly colored, while Akito's gleamed like the night's sky. His hair was shaded the same as an old man, and Akito's was similar to an elegant young empress.
"Akito..."
"Hmm?"
"What is this place?"
A sly grin formed on her lips as she scooted closer to her rat. She rested her head on his shoulders and spoke, "I call this my 'secret base'."
"Secret base?" Yuki repeated.
"Mhm." She mumbled. "It's a place all to yourself and you only bring special people to it."
Yuki nodded in understanding.
"Why don't we come back tomorrow, nee? After tea?"
Yuki's eyes glisten with excitement and gave her a big smile. "I'd love that!" he cheered.
Akito held his tender gaze and responded with a smile of her own. "We better return soon." She mumbled despondently. "Shigure will be worried."
The two rose and hurriedly returned back to the garden.
"Akito!" the teenage dog cried running over to their side. They had just gone past the bush so Shigure hadn't seen were they've just returned from. Shigure pulled Akito into his arms and sighed. "Don't go wondering off."
Akito rolled her eyes. "We weren't gone that long." Shigure released her and placed his hand on her delicate shoulder. "Where exactly were you?"
She smirked. "That's between the 'God' and her rat!"
Yuki paid no attention to the conversation going on between the teen and his companion. He was to occupied watching his cousins, the boar and rabbit, playing tag in the upper part of the garden. They seemed to be having a whole bunch fun, but Yuki wasn't allowed to interact with the others.
"YUKI!"
Yuki's chin was snatched by Akito who pulled his head up close to her's. The onyx eyes were back to their cold glare. "I was talking to you. Were you not listening?"
Yuki gulped down his salvia as his body shook.
Akito gripped his wrist, yanking him back to the house. "It's time to return back to your room."
The hallways were dim and soundless, you could only hear the sound of Akito's footsteps dragging Yuki away. He whimpered, but didn't stuggle. She opened to door of the "special room" and shoved the rat back in allowing the darkness to once again consume him.
When he opened his eyes, he saw darkness. His body ached, his tongue lust for a drink, and his eyes burned. The room was familiar, as if he came here many times in his childhood.
Voices muttered behind the door. They seemed to be arguing. He recognized one was Haru. It seemed he had turned 'black' and was yelling at the other person. He heard Haru storm off and the other one just stayed at the door. After a while, a woman slid the door opened. Her iris were blood-shot red. Anyone could tell she had been crying for hours.
His expression was blank as he uttered her name. "Machi…"
Machi took the chair right beside the bed and sat there. Her head was titled in a way where her bangs covered her hair.
"Where were you?" her voice was cold and distance. "What in the hell were you thinking?"
Yuki replied turning his head away from her. "What happen to me? How did I get to the Sohma Estate?"
"After you left, I called Hatsuharu. He happen to have been coming over for a visit when he saw you get into a cab."
Yuki smirked. So it was Haru who brought him here.
"Is it true what he told me? That you went to a strip club and took some substances?"
She waited but Yuki did nothing. Anger rose as she stood from her seat, slamming the chair against the patterned tile. The sudden sound jerked Yuki up. His heart began racing and his body shook.
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
"See what those damn pills did to you!?" Machi shirked. "You're like a timid little rat!"
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
Yuki gave her a sneer and threw the blankets off, standing up. "I'm leaving. I have business to tend to."
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
"Where?! At that dump where Hastuharu had to save your ass from!" Tears streamed down her cheeks as her eye brows narrowed.
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
Yuki ignored her and continued his struggle to the door.
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
"Wait!" Machi cried rushing over to him. "Please stop this YUKI!?"
For a moment, time stopped. Machi's tears, Yuki's breathing, it was all quiet. Seconds past as she molded her body onto Yuki's back. His drowsy lavender eyes widen before a cloud of smoke consumed the room.
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
Machi was mounted in her place, her hands pressed Yuki's shirt against her chest. When the smoke cleared, her eyes reverted to the vermin that darted from the slacks of her lover's. It looked back to her in the same stunned expression. She recognized those eyes. Those deep amethyst iris. They belonged to her Yuki's. Her Yuki had just transformed into a rat.
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
And she screamed.