Disclaimer: I'm going to form the assumption that, seeing as how you've clicked on this, you are fairly familiar with the manga, Fruits Basket. Then you should already understand that I do not own said manga. Fruits Basket belongs to Takaya Natsuki; I am merely borrowing Kureno... for a night or two. Or three.
Also, it would be fair to warn you that this fic will contain spoilers for chapters 97 + in the manga. Just throwing that out there.


Yume stared downwards, eyes glued to the surface of the table she sat before, fingers laced protectively around the handle of her teacup. Her breathing was slightly more shallow and labored, and her little heart seemed to beat louder than a roaring train running along its track. All the while, her ears were abandoned, save the harmonious chirping of the birds outside the window.

And all the while, she couldn't believe she was actually here again.

Kureno had called as soon as he had heard she'd left the hospital with word of another summons. Another sinister invitation, courtesy of Akito. 'She wants a word.' He'd said nothing more than that. And hesitantly, foolishly, she'd agreed. She didn't want to be sitting in this room again, she never wanted Akito to walk in through that door. But why, she wondered? How could this woman - frail, young, sickly - create such fear?

In the back of her mind, she knew. Or, rather, she knew only what Shigure had told her on the phone, just hours earlier. 'You're probably getting too close for her liking,' he'd said. 'Just play your cards the same way you did the last time... and you'll be fine. Don't give away any more than you must, unless you're looking to upset her.'

How long could she work with that advice, though?

How long until her clumsy nature ruined things?

"I know, I know!" snarled a voice from behind the shoji screen behind her. "Now, leave. We don't need you."

Yume had never taken so deep a breath as she had just then.

The dark kami stepped through the doorway, gliding silkily towards her own spot, across the table from where Yume sat, herself. As far as she knew, Akito hadn't looked at her yet, and she was grateful for it. She'd do anything to never have to meet that stone cold stare. The next thing she knew, the door was sliding shut, trapping her in.

"Good afternoon, Yume," said Akito mildly, seating herself. The woman adressed raised her gaze to meet her host's.

"Good afternoon, Akito-san."

The younger woman sighed, "I apologize for keeping you waiting like this... I'm afraid there were other matters to attend to. You're not angry ...?"

"No, no," laughed Yume. "Not at all. Thank you for having me, though."

Akito nodded, taking a sip of her own tea. There was an uncomfortable silence that fell upon them, the birds seeming to grow louder with it. The Souma matriarch smirked idly.

"You were in the hospital, I hear," she said mildly. "Poor thing... I do hope you're all right. It would just break Kureno's heart if anything were to happen to you, you know." She paused to let out a sly chuckle, flashing a elysian grin. "He won't talk about it much, but I know. Even so... I can't help but think that all of this... what did Kureno tell me it was ...? Stress? Yes, well, I can't help but assume that it must have been somewhat of mine, or, more likely, Kureno's doing, hm?"

Yume shook her head, closing her eyes slightly. She didn't see the silently raging fire lurking behind Akito's cold, dark eyes. "No, no. I'm more certain it would have been Shigure's fault."

She only had a moment to prepare before the sound of porcelain shattering against the wooden tabletop made her heartbeat freeze.


"Shigure-senpai," said Yume casually, looking over at him shyly at the other end of the bench. "You... you say that there is a curse... making you all connected to the Zodiac animals... and that's why Kureno-chan turned into a bird when I hugged him. Right?"

Her senior shrugged, leaning back in his sitting position. "More or less."

"So, are you cursed, too, then?" Shigure smirked at the eagerness ringing from her words.

"An, yeah," said Shigure smugly, enjoying her attention and interest. "Kureno's the bird, or, rather, Rooster, as you can tell... and I'm the Dog." He gave her an impish grin.

"And what about the others?" asked Yume, eyes wide. "Hatori-senpai, Ayame-senpai... are they cursed, too?"

The Dog's smile gave way to a slight scowl. "I'm not sure Akito-san wants you to know that." Yume shrugged nonchalantly, scuffling her feet.

"Hey, 'Akito-san'... That's the head of your family, ne?"

"Uh-huh."

"Maa... Is he cursed, too? Like you, and like Kureno?" When Shigure nodded, her eyes lit up like a city after nightfall. "Ara! What animal is he, then?"

Shigure's expression lifted itself from its gloom, a bitter leer slipping onto his lips.

"He doesn't have one."

"... So, then how is he cursed? What role does he play?" asked Yume, fiddling nervously, swishing her feet back and forth above the grass below them.

"He is the curse."


Yume's eyes widened as she saw Akito's anger flare out around her miniscule frame; she could nearly see her rage become an aura, a barrier, surrounding her hostess.

What had she said? ... Or, was it the fact that she did not know of what her specific offense was that had now become her downfall?

"What?" shouted Akito, eyes narrowed dangerously, ebony slits like daggers pointed in Yume's direction. "What do you mean, 'Shigure's fault'? You mean you've seen him, too, you little whore? You're trying to corrupt him as well?"

Yume did nothing to hide the sheer terror freezing her body through her eyes. "A... Akito-san?"

Akito's breathing was heavy, fists clenched so tightly that Yume could faintly see red gashes developing on her pale palms by means of her long fingernails. Like the calm before the storm, she saw Akito subdue herself for the moment - though she knew perfectly well that beyond that mask lie a force to be reckoned with.

"You little whore," she growled, rising to her feet, towering above her, a menacing, wrathful Goddess. "What are you trying to do here, Yasukawa-san?" She chuckled harshly, pointing at her. "Stand, girl." Yume nervously complied, rising to her feet, wishing to disappear with all of her might.

"Look at me," ordered Akito, raving in such a manner that spittle flared from the corners of her mouth. Yume dared to meet her gaze, eyes welling up with hot, salty tears, lip trembling. Akito smirked in cruel triumph, boring straight into her eyes; she raised her hand, bringing it down upon the side of Yume's face with a decieving amount of force. The older girl was sent plummeting to the ground, landing roughly against the tatami-covered floor with a scrape.

"Listen to this, Yume," growled Akito, kicking at her guest's crumpled form gruffly. "I have been unecessarily gracious with you, have I not? You waltz in, feeble, foolish aspiritions of seducing my Rooster bright in your pathetic little mind, and yet, do I stop you from trying? No. You irk me further, even going so far as to accompany him to dinner... Do I intervene? Of course not. I am being humble with you. But there are certain things that do so overcast my hospitality - you go for another of my kin. Isn't that what you're after, you besotten, lonely old woman? A man, someone to hold, someone to corrupt? And you want one of my beauties, of course... You're so terribly shallow." She leaned down, pulling Yume up to meet her face by the fabric of her blouse. "And they just seem so pretty to you, don't they?" Yume struggled to defend herself, words overflowing from the depths of her throat.

"N-No!" she exclaimed, nearing on desperation. "I... I do admit that I am attracted to Kureno. Hell, so maybe I do like him. But that's to be expected, isn't it? You said it yourself, Akito-san: He's great. And he is... He's utterly amazing. But it was never my intention to steal anyone from you - especially as they do not belong to anyone but themselves, Akito-san! They're human beings... not your pets, nor your belongings!" Akito struck her once more.

"Shut up, you ignorant little bitch!" yelled Akito, shoving her down once again. "You don't know anything, so don't presume to preach to me about who they may or may not belong to. I am their God. I am most important, and I always shall be. It's just stupid outsiders like you that can't understand that, so you look down upon it. Well, don't you dare pass judgement upon it, especially when you're as nescient as you are!"

Yume didn't seem to have a response, so Akito continued her onslaught. "Now, you listen up - they're mine. They always will be. I decide what is best for them, and I always know exactly what is best. And now, let me tell you... As their master, I forbade them, each of them, from having any further contact with you. And after a while, they'll start to see. They're start to agree. They'll see you as the villain. Because, my dear, that's what you are, and it's what you always will be. I won't have you sucking up everything I've worked to create and maintain. I won't let you be the end of us."