Aftercurse
Chapter 7 – Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi
Momiji had no plans for the day, but thought he might do some sort of cleaning. When he'd moved in with Shigure, right after Tohru left, the house wasn't nearly the same state of cleanliness or joy. Still, it didn't get as bad as it used to, before she arrived, when just Shigure and Yuki lived there. For one thing, Momiji was an organized person, and Momo came every few weeks to help him manage when the house hit Momiji's limit. She was coming on this day, in fact.
/WN: Clarified that Momiji did not live with Shigure before Tohru left, per reviews.
Shigure and Hatori said goodbye to Momiji, who promised to have the house in complete order on Shigure's return. At this, Shigure smiled with reserve and Hatori waved. Shigure's quietness bothered Momiji for only a moment, then, he forgot it.
Hatori had turned onto the main road before Sigure said anything. "Hari, what is it that you think Akito can do for Momiji?"
Hatori replied, "I'm not quite sure, but I think she will be able to convince his mother that the curse is lifted, that she will encourage her to remember, and provide some healing for her from the whole ordeal."
"Sounds nice," said Shigure with an atypical edge to his voice.
"I think that Akito knowing what you're doing will help her to realize what she can do to help. Perhaps she won't remember it later, but it can only deepen her love for you now. Shigure, I think I understand your reasons for not telling Akito anything, but I also think it's a mistake. A woman wants to know that she is loved, and what you are doing would tell her once and for all. "
"It's not that simple, Hari. She would try to stop me, and I can't afford for her to stop me."
"What are you talking about? Why would she try to stop you?" Hatori waited for Shigure's reply, but none came. " 'Gure, why would she stop you?" Again, Shigure said nothing, and a thought dawned on Hatori. "Would I try to stop you? Shigure?" But, Shigure had fallen silent, was staring out of the window, and showed no evidence of wanting to talk.
Shigure was busily thinking, though, even if he wasn't talking. He knew that everyone would try to talk him out of his mission, but he had to do it. It was too late now that the deal had been sealed. All Hatori knew was that he had gone on a quest to make things better for Akito, for her and himself to forget their sins against each other, but he didn't know what the deal entailed. It didn't matter; he wouldn't tell anyone and soon, Akito would find love, with or without him.
"Hatori, I think this is our turn," he said, pointing to the left. Hatori turned, and drove up to a house that made Shigure's look like a shack. It certainly rivaled the Sohma compound, but possessed an elegance that the Sohma estate did not, which is significant because the Sohmas knew elegance.
"Welcome, Masters Sohma. He is just inside, waiting for you."
Shigure and Hatori took off their shoes and kneeled on mats before a great, older man. The man did not speak for a long time.
Two of the great man's attendants helped him to stand and two others indicated that Hatori and Shigure should do likewise. The man was very tall. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded like nothing the two Sohmas had ever heard. It was beautiful, but unlike a woman's. "I am Suzano." For a while, that is all that he said, but he looked at Shigure's sword, for a long time. Then, without word, one of the attendants retrieved it. Shigure did not object, and Hatori wondered why, knowing how Shigure acquired it. Suzano examined the sword and, at the same moment that a smile graced his face, a tempestuous tear churned down his cheek.
Suzano spoke again, looking only at Shigure, "How is the weather in your area?" Though, to Hatori, it looked as though he said something completely different from what he heard. Shigure responded with, "It's always beautiful this time of year," but he knew Shigure's traits so well, that he could tell he said something like, "It's yours, if you want it."
"Thank you, for your kindness, Shoki." At this, even Shigure was shocked.
"My name is Shigure."
"Yes," and Suzano cast a smile that caused both Hatori and Shigure to feel a wealth of opposing emotions that lifted when his face slid back into its placidness. "Good day, to you." However, before they were dismissed, an attendant returned Shigure's sword.
When they were back in the car, Hatori said, "I think that was a waste," but he eyed Shigure, shrewdly.
"Yes, a waste," came his distracted reply. "I can't figure out why I'm leaving. Why am I leaving? Shoki? Demon slayer?" Shigure said, mutedly, to himself.
As Hatori pulled down the drive, he turned back to look at the house, but he couldn't see it, anymore. Were the trees blocking it from view? No, he was sure he should see at least part of it.
