Curse of the Sea Horse
Chapter VII.
Akito raised a hand in greeting. "Hatori… Perhaps you want to invite me in."
Hatori snapped out of his shock and stepped aside.
"Of course, Akito," he said politely, allowing the head move past him and enter his house. The doctor glanced at the gates and found no one else. He guessed the rooster had gone some place else while his master did her business. Hatori shut the door and followed the head inside.
Akito was looking around his living room with a relaxed air. For Hatori, however, his spacious living room had suddenly become small with the head's overwhelming presence.
"You have a nice place here, Hatori," said the head spoke, almost lazily.
Hatori gestured at his blue sofa. "Make yourself comfortable, Akito. Would you like to have some tea?"
Akito sat in the sofa, tucking her long robes beside her and gazing serenely at the sea horse. "Don't bother. I'm not in the mood for tea."
"Of course," answered Hatori, sitting opposite of the head. The sea horse felt the perspiration running in is back, making the cloth of his yukata cling to his skin uncomfortably. To say that he was nervous was an understatement.
He cleared his throat slightly and turned his eyes on the head of the family. "May I ask what brought you to visit my humble home, Akito?"
The young female laughed, the sound was so cold it made Hatori suppress the shiver that rippled on his back. "Yes… humble is the right word, Hatori. For the mighty and proud dragon of the Zodiac, this… sty is humble," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Hatori said nothing. What had brought the head of the family in his house? She couldn't have found out his pregnancy yet, could she? Akito was younger than him by almost seven years, and yet, the young woman was able to intimidate him like no one else could…
The horrifying memory of him asking for permission to marry Kana flashed vividly in his eyes, making him shudder in spite of himself.
Akito turned her violet eyes on him, regarding him intently. "So they are correct. You look like you need a long vacation…" she said abruptly, startling the sea horse.
They? Who would be concerned with him enough to tell the head of the family of his condition? Hatori shook his head decisively. "I don't need a vacation, Akito. I have many patients to take care of, you yourself included. I can't just leave and—"
"So it's true!" spat Akito angrily, her face contorting in rage. "You will defy me!"
Hatori paled. "Akito, you know I wouldn't do that."
"And yet you object my word," stated Akito coldly, her hand balling themselves into fists.
"I have no intention to object you. I am simply making you see that my job here in the Estate is my primary concern," said Hatori carefully. He didn't know why the head of the family wanted him to take a vacation, and it felt wrong. Very wrong.
Since when did Akito give concern for the well being of her Juunishi? She had never bothered for the rest of the cursed members of the Zodiac, except for the rat. The rat…
The sea horse frowned. Did Yuki spoke to Akito about his health? The young rat must've been concerned for him and spoke to the head… but for Yuki to do that willingly…
Hatori suddenly felt afraid for the youngster. What price did he pay for this request?
Akito scoffed. "Your primary concern, Hatori, is to obey my orders."
"Akito," said Hatori, his voice shaking slightly. He inwardly cursed the burning sensation in the corners of his eyes. He couldn't afford to break down in front of his 'god'. "Why are you sending me away? You know I wouldn't trust yours and Yuki's health to anyone else."
"You had my precious rat all worried for your sake, and you will show him gratefulness by accepting his gift I am generous enough to give," replied Akito, fingering a glass figurine of a dragon in the center table. Her violet eyes rose to his, demanding him to yield. "Is that understood, Hatori?"
Hatori gripped the cloth of his yukata, his hands perspiring from the effort. What was Akito making him agree into? But he knew there was no refusing the head of the family…
"Yes… Akito," he finally conceded, his voice sounding raw from the emotion he was holding back. His stomach suddenly clenched painfully, and his hand automatically went up to his mouth, trying to stop the gagging.
No! Not in front of Akito!
He shut his eyes tightly as he doubled over in pain as the spasms increased.
The head of the family gazed appraisingly at his quavering form. There was a slight frown on her forehead, yet her expression was icy.
"You had better not throw up on me, Hatori, or else I swear you'll regret it," she said disgustedly.
Hatori gave a slight nod before dashing to his bathroom and threw up everything he had eaten the whole day. It lasted for about five minutes, but for the sea horse, it seemed like a lifetime.
He turned the faucet on full blast and leaned his most of his weight on the sink, as his knees wobbled weakly beneath him. He splashed his face several times and breathed deeply. He knew that the head had been observing him suspiciously ever since she had arrived, and surely, his emotional state and his nausea would add to her suspicions… What would Akito think now?
Hatori buried his face on a towel hastily and went outside as soon as his knees stopped wobbling. It was never good to keep Akito from waiting.
"Akito," said Hatori apologetically the moment he reached the living room. The head looked up from the book she got out from one on his shelves. "Forgive me for my abrupt exit. I hope you didn't wait too long…"
"It's quite fine," she replied nonchalantly, letting the book fall unceremoniously from her hands and went back to the couch, her violet eyes taking in his disheveled form. "This is the first time you did something so repulsive in my presence, Hatori. Do not let it happen again."
"Of course…" said Hatori quietly.
"Good," the head said lazily. She directed her gaze at the calendar hanging in the opposite wall. "You will leave right after the Banquet, and you are not to return here in the Estate until I call for you."
Hatori nodded silently.
The sea horse followed her as she walked towards the door feeling awful. Akito's appraising looks held too much suspicion on them. The doctor couldn't help but feel that the head of the family knew something that she shouldn't, but was biding her time to speak out.
Akito paused by the door and turned her head slightly to the doctor behind her. "Hatori."
"Yes, Akito?"
A shadow of a spiteful smile crossed her features, making Hatori's blood run cold. "Take good care of the filth… I have many plans for it…"
"Filth?" asked Hatori, paling suddenly. His hand shot out and grabbed Akito's arm, stopping the head on her tracks. "Akito! What do you mean?" he asked, his heart thumping hard and fast against his chest.
Akito gazed at him in obvious disgust and anger. "You sicken me, sea horse," she snarled, wrenching her arm from his hand. "Imagine, a man getting pregnant and all, carrying such a repulsive filth iside you... You're as disgusting as that monstrosity of a cat! I don't want such a sickening freak anywhere near me!"
Hatori was struck dumb. "You knew? All along you knew..."
Akito sneered. "Of course I knew. Did you think I'm stupid or blind? I swear, Hatori, I thought you're more intelligent than that," Akito paused, and her violet eyes narrowed dangerously before adding softly. "Or are you perhaps mocking me?"
"N-no," replied Hatori, his voice breaking. Unconsciously, he took a step backwards in nervousness.
Akito's face visibly softened, and her hand rose to caress the pale face of the sea horse. "Now, now Hatori… you have no reason to fear. I will not punish you for having a disgusting filth inside of you. I will not even punish you for keeping it from me intentionally… Everything was that dirty woman's fault after all..."
Hatori swallowed tightly. He could feel the head's slender hand caressing his cheek gently. Akito leaned closer to him and wrapped both of her thin arms around his neck, making him stiffen in response.
"I will let you bear the filth, Hatori," she whispered, her cold breath fanning his neck. "But you must agree to whatever I ask of you after you give birth to that filth of that worthless bitch…"
Hatori stood unmoving within her arms. "And if I don't?"
The defiance in his voice surprised them both. Hatori stiffened, and unseen to him, Akito's eyes flashed with rage.
"If you don't…" she whispered apathetically, her long and uneven fingernails digging hard the back of his neck as she slid them downwards, drawing trickles of blood, and making the sea horse gasp in the sudden pain. "You'd better kill the filth yourself..."
Then, the head released him and strode out of the gates without looking back at him. As the door shut behind her, Hatori staggered to a nearby wall, clutching the bleeding scratches at the back of his neck.
"Damn…" he muttered as he hurried to his room and grabbed his medical bag. He stripped the yukata down to his waist, as the cloth was starting to seep the blood in. He took out the bandages and ointment, but his hands were shaking too hard for him to concentrate in dressing his wound properly.
"Damn it!" he growled shoving the whole bag aside, losing his patience completely. Then, his well-kept self-control finally snapped. The tears broke free from his eyes and they fell unhindered on his cheeks. "Shit, shit, shit!" he shouted in frustration, burying his face on his bloody palms.
"Hatori? Hatori! Hatori! Where are you?"
The sea horse glanced up at the sound of the voice. A second later, a worried-looking Shigure burst into the room. Wordlessly, he took in the mess Hatori made and the bleeding wound at his friend's back.
"Oh god… no…" he groaned helplessly as he hurried by the sea horse's side. "H-Hatori. I-I'm so sorry…"
Hatori smiled vaguely, trying to wipe both tears and blood from his face using the back of his hand. "That's okay. I know why you did that…"
Shigure shook his head forcefully, but kept his lips shut. He worked on the wound on his friend's back silently. The dog was never good in doing First Aid, but Hatori was quietly touched by the effort Shigure put in dressing his wound as properly as he could.
"I know what you're doing, Shigure. Stop it."
Shigure still said nothing, focusing on his task intently. Hatori could feel his hands shaking as the dog applied the antiseptic on the scratches. The sea horse let him finish dressing up his wounds before he turned to face the dog completely.
"Shigure, it's not your fault," he said, forcing the novelist to meet his eyes.
The dog glared back at him. "It is, Hatori," he said quietly. "Don't force me into believing otherwise."
The sea horse sighed. Once the dog blamed himself for something, there was no convincing him differently. Better let him stew on his own guilt until he gets over it on his own. "How did you know she left?" he asked, changing the topic abruptly.
Shigure sighed and sat cross-legged on the floor beside Hatori. "Kureno told me that you might need help…" he answered, wiping his hands on his black pants. The dog sighed again and dug on his pockets. Retrieving a packet of cigarettes, he got out a stick and placed it on his lips. He shook his head when the sea horse gestured for one. "You heard Aaya last time. Smoking is bad for your health and the—"
"Just this once. I'll never touch one again within seven months…"
"Fine."
They were both quiet as they smoked, letting the nicotine lift their somber moods. Evening had settled in and yet, both the doctor and the novelist hadn't bothered to open any lights. Shadows filled the room and the only light there was were the burning tips of their cigarette sticks.
Hatori sighed and stood up, crushing the remains of the cigarette on the ashtray by his table. He went to nudge the dog. "Shigure. You should go home now…"
Shigure had his head bowed. The dog must've fallen asleep. But why were his shoulders heaving?
"Shigure?" frowning, Hatori crouched in front of the dog and forced his face upwards. He gasped softly.
"Ahehe," chuckled Shigure weakly, sniffing uncontrollably at the same time. He pulled himself up to sit straighter while wiping his tear-streaked face with his fist. "Aa, the smoke got into my eyes. Stupid smoke! Making me cry…"
"Idiot," muttered Hatori, smiling slightly, touched by the dog's unexpected emotional display. He stood up and extended his hand to the dog. "C'mon, Shigure. Let's get something to eat."
Shigure returned the grin and took Hatori's hand. "Just order out, Haa-san… It would take a year's course in home cooking lessons before I can trust something edible out of your stove…"
Hatori grunted. "Fine. But you're paying..."
A/N:
Scenes with Akito in it aren't supposed to be funny... well, at least for me. So I hope you guys aren't disappointed with this chapter...
Edit:
Corrected/edited/added several lines and grammar…Nothing major, just a few tweaks here and there... (-,-)
Please tell me if I missed anything.. Thanks! (-,-)v
