The Embrace of God

A/N: Well, I am now recovered from my stress of traveling. I thank you all wonderful readers for your patience and kindness. So as a token of thanks for not bombarding my inbox with "OMG! Where the h3ll r u!? R u back yet?" e-mails, I have decided to update TEoG. So here is the delicous long-awaited chapter 9...enjoy! And please don't forget to review! It's your reviews that cheered me up when I was down and ill and they encourage me to write more! Arigatou!

So, this is like a wrap-up chapter. As mentioned in the chapters before, the current day in the story is a Sunday, so Tohru has to go back to school in the next chapter, or more precisely, tomorrow. Alright, just want to clear that out for you.

Also, I just got volume 17. And I've noticed that I haven't exactly stated what my opinion of Akki's "secret" is. Well, to be honest, I found out much earlier before I recieved the 17th volume. So...it wasn't much of a shocker to me. Although, it IS a MAJOR disappointment, as I'm sure it must be for all other (male) Akito-fans. But then, that is why exists, ne? (smiles)

Enjoy! (After the long wait)

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket.


Chapter Nine: While the Doctor is Away

Akito just stared at her expressionless. He hadn't been expecting Tohru to reach such a climax. She was breathing in and out looking flushed in the face from such an outburst.

Finally as he got tired of waiting for her to recover, he eyed the takoyaki shrewdly.

"Well I certainly can't eat all of it."

---

"Oh gomen! D-did I make too much?" Tohru asked as she nervously glanced at the plate with takoyaki. The possibility that Akito may not be able to finish the treat she made for him hadn't crossed her mind before. What was she going to do now?

"No, you didn't make too much…" He started slowly, "It's just…"

Since he had been a child he never thought about sharing anything with anyone, not even his little Rat. It just seemed so out of character for him to suggest that they share the treat when never in his life before has he shown such an act of consideration for anyone else.

"Ano…well, if Akito-san is already full, then its okay if he doesn't have the appetite to eat…" Tohru said gently.

Akito smirked. "Do you like takoyaki as well, Tohru-kun?"

"Eh...y-yes, but—"

He cut her off. "Then you can have it."

Tohru blinked, before looking at the takoyaki. "B-but it was cooked for Akito-san!"

"Well then, it's no good wasting food, now is it?"

"Eh?" Tohru was confused.

She watched as he took a toothpick on the plate and stabbed it into the puffball before looking up at her again with an evil grin. "Open up, Tohru-kun." He said. Before she could grasp what he was about to do, Akito plunged the takoyaki into her mouth succeeding in getting a squeak of surprise from her. He let the flavor fully sink into her taste buds before he took out the toothpick to watch her reaction with a sly smile.

Tohru prayed that her hair was enough to curtain her blush, as she had no choice but to chew and swallow the piece of food. 'Why?' kept going over and over in her head as she struggled to gather herself from her surprise.

Akito seemed to have sensed her unspoken question as he said leeringly, "If you're not going to eat then I see no other option but to hand-feed you…" He stabbed another takoyaki but this time, Tohru knowing what he was going to do quickly clamp her mouth shut and covered her hands over it, shaking her head no.

Seeing her defiant act made him grin broader. He was really enjoying this little game he had going on with innocent Tohru, especially with how he found her unwilling side to be so irresistible.

'Oh dear, I-I can't le-let him f-feed me every l-last one! Th-those were meant for Akito-san!' Tohru begin to feel a bit scared as her senses were telling her to back away. Which she did seeing as his malevolent smile grew wider. She was pretty sure that this was not how a caretaker should act, so she decided to stop it and try to reason with him. "Akito-san, I-I really think th-that it's better for you if—"

"Tohru-kun, come back, I don't bite." He crooned in a deceptively sweet voice.

Tohru bit her lip. It was starting to get a little later in the morning now, and she suddenly remembers that she has a list of chores to complete for Hatori.

"Al-alright…b-but only if Akito-san finishes the takoyaki…" She replied shakily, looking at him pleadingly. She really needed to get started on the rest of the list. Tohru didn't want to let Hatori down when he comes back.

Akito chuckled darkly. "Fine, I will." He said plopping a takoyaki into his mouth. He was amused when he saw Tohru take a step closer. Chewing and swallowing the small piece, he took another one and the process repeated itself.

When Tohru was finally within touching distance, Akito offered her the rest of the plate with a sly smile. "The rest are for you, Tohru-kun. I can only eat so much…" Seeing that she was about to open her mouth to protest he added, "Unless you would rather waste such a delectable and rare dish…" Akito mused.

Tohru didn't know whether he was being serious about how much he could eat or not, but she did understand that his body was frail and that he probably couldn't finish every last bite anyway. Nodding her head shyly she agreed. "H-hai, I'll finish it if Akito-san says it is alright…" She spoke so softly that he had to strain his ears to hear her.

Akito smirked causing her to blush profusely as she sat down on her chair and he handed her the dish with the unused toothpicks. He seemed relaxed as he sat back to watch her eat, which made Tohru nervous all over again. It wasn't that she didn't trust him or anything it was just something about his eyes and the way he looked at her that send shivers down her spine. And not in the good way either.

As Tohru gingerly picked up a toothpick and stabbed it into a takoyaki, Akito's eyes softened as he watched her. Two strands of her hair had been braided and wrapped around her head daintily while the rest of her hair was worn down past her shoulders. He suddenly realized that she wasn't wearing the sakura hair comb he had given her and felt a dull pang in his heart. It ached, and he seeked for a way to relieve it.

"Tohru-kun, where is your hair comb? The one with the sakura imprinted on it." He asked in a gentle tone, contradicted with underlying aggravation. After all the trouble he had to go through to get it back to her, she won't even wear it? His obsidian eyes locked into hers, watching every emotion that flowed through them.

Tohru stopped in the midst of taking a takoyaki into her mouth and her eyes shone confusion for a split second before they widened in realization. "Oh! I-I'm sorry if Akito-san was expecting me to wear that…I-it's in the bedside table's top drawer. Um, I had placed it there s-so that it wouldn't get lost like last time…and I must have accidentally forgotten to wear it today because I was going to make breakfast and forgot in my haste! I'm sorry, Akito-san!" She kept her head low.

He noted that her eyes shone utmost sincerity, and this was Tohru who didn't seem like the kind of person to lie, so what she spoke must have been the truth. He mentally sighed. "It's alright, Tohru-kun. Just put it on. It compliments your hair…" He smirked as a rosy streak crossed her face.

"H-hai…" Tohru opened her top drawer and reached for the sakura hair comb with slightly shaky hands. But Akito narrowed his eyes and he quickly beat her to it. Seconds later he was surreptitiously brushing aside her bangs to get a better view of her already widened eyes and his smile grew.

"Tohru-kun is so modest when it comes to her cuteness…" He cooed and Tohru felt blood rise to her cheeks even more. Just when she felt ready explode at the closeness of their faces, he had soundlessly pinned the comb through her hair where the two braids met, creating a tastefully traditional hairstyle.

"I believe this is a fitting style for you, ne?" He said kindly as he released the gentle hold he had on her hair.

"Y-yes, Akito-san…"

It unnerved Tohru how gentle he was being now. The déjà vu of the time when he had paid a visit to her school came into her mind and she pondered about how he had been to her then. So formal and polite… She thought. That was, until Yuki had arrived. Then that politeness and formality had quickly dissolved like sugar in water and was replaced with a cold and calculating demeanor. Ah, I shouldn't be thinking about Akito-san like this! Maybe he's changed…like Kyo-kun and Yuki-kun. People can change, like seasons always do, as mom always said…

"Finish your takoyaki, Tohru-kun." He said and sat back to watch her again like a hawk.

Tohru nodded and resumed eating. They taste so succulent and just as delicious as they smell! I could eat takoyaki forever… Tohru thought as she closed her eyes savoring the flavor. I wonder if Kyo-kun and Yuki-kun has ever tried them? When Tohru finished the last takoyaki, she set the plate down on the tray before looking up to Akito.

"They were delicious, Akito-san. I hope you enjoyed them…" She said cheerfully as she got up from her chair and began taking the breakfast tray in her hands. Just as she was about to lift them, Akito's left hand suddenly appeared around her wrist holding her down firmly, but not hurtfully. Tohru blinked surprised and she looked at him curiously.

He smirked slyly seeing a hint of that recognizable fear in her teal eyes. Her pink lips looked so soft and tantalizing, almost begging for sweet contact from his own. Letting go of her smooth wrist, he unconsciously traced them with his thumb before leaning in closer to taste those luscious pink lips that probably tasted of takoyaki…

Tohru's eyes grew wider than the span of dinner plates as she instinctively pulled away flustered in the face. Holding the tray close to her as if it was an object of comfort she let a breath she had been involuntarily holding in out before looking away and speaking. "I-I apologize, b-but I must go. Hatori-san gave me a list of tasks that I must complete and I d-don't want to disappoint him…"

Akito smiled sympathetically but underneath his cheerful façade his blood was boiling with fury and jealousy. He had been merely inches apart from claiming those lips and now thanks to Hatori, she has gotten away. Well then, he thought venomously, I'll just deal with him when the time comes.

He smiled sweetly.

"I understand perfectly well, Tohru-kun…let's not keep Hatori waiting, shall we? Off you go then…" He replied, a trace of mock evident in his voice.

Tohru nodded and walked away, carrying the tray with shaky hands as she tried not to think about what could've happened had her brain not reacted in time. Suddenly she stopped at the door before turning around again. "Erm, will Akito-san be okay being left alone for a while?" She asked cautiously.

Akito nodded before surprising her by slipping out of bed. Oh, how wonderful! Akito-san can walk already. Thank goodness for his speedy recovery… Tohru thought to herself. But then when he started strutting towards her she began backing away nervously.

"No, Tohru-kun. I will be fine…" He flashed a smile and she looked down at the tray.

Sliding the door open for her, he brushed an errant strand of hair behind her ear before escorting her out. Tohru smiled and said, "Arigatou." before walking out into the hall and down the corridors to the kitchen, oblivious to the fact that she was being followed.

---

After returning the dishes and trays to the kitchen and having her offer of washing them turned down by the maids whom were astounded that there wasn't a single scratch mark on her skin (from being in a closed room with Akito), Tohru was walking back down the hall reading the list that Hatori has instructed Emiko to give to her.

Let's see here, I've already taken Akito's temperature for the morning. I'll have to remember to do it again for the night. And I have convinced him to take his daily medications. So that leaves… Tohru glanced further down the list and read the rest to herself.

3. Since I will be away today to treat Yuki, some of my documents that I typed up yesterday need to be enveloped. Please do that for me, as I will mail them when I come back. Also, if time permits could you alphabetize some of the books in my bookcase? I appreciate it if you could.

4. Feed the koi fish. As hardy creatures as they are they cannot survive for more than a week without food. Akito forgets to feed them regularly so they tend to die from starvation and I usually have to order another stock. You may feed them pellets from your hand. Also, they are tame. I've left a pack of koi feed by the bench under the sakura tree so you'll have no trouble finding it. Five handfuls should make up for all the time they were missed.

5. Last on the list is Akito's fresh laundry. Just head down to the same hallway as the baths and turn left on the first door. That is the laundry room. Akito's fresh kimonos will be sitting in a neat pile by the window. Take them and hang them in Akito's closet. You may do whatever you wish afterwards, but remember to check his temperature sometime later before dinner.

Good Luck,

Hatori

"Wow, I have so much to do... This is like a mission that I must accomplish!" Tohru said to herself and smiled. She took a turn and headed down the hall that would be where Hatori's office/room is.

Carefully sliding the door open, Tohru stepped inside leaving the door open ajar. She saw instantly that Hatori's files were laid neatly in criss-crossing piles with several marked envelops stacked nearby. "Okay, this shouldn't be confusing if they're labeled…" Tohru said to herself as she walked closer to the table where they laid.

As she stood there, she saw that Hatori's room was very organized with boxes stacked and marked. There were also folders grouped in bins with tabs on them. There was a door at the far back of the room and Tohru assumed that the room it leads to must be where Hatori sleeps. Hatori-san works so hard…it must be a trying occupation to be a doctor. But, he must like to help others so much that he's willing to do it… Tohru thought.

Sitting down in the chair she examined the files' labels closely matching them to their corresponding envelope. After that is done fairly quickly, Tohru proceeded with straightening the files before sliding them into the envelope careful not to bend any corners. She wondered briefly if this was what Hatori had to do aside from looking after Akito.

"Alright, that's done." Tohru replied happily before turning towards the bookcase with books tucked in. Thankfully it was her height, so she didn't have to stand on her tippy-toes to reach the top shelf.

Humming a soft melody to herself as she worked on the 'A' through 'M' section, Tohru was completely unaware that a pair of predatory eyes were watching her every movement through the open space of the door.

It was Akito.

He had been spying—well, not really spying, more like observing Tohru since she came back from the kitchen. He was bored anyway and he had lied to her when she had asked him if he was okay being left alone. Of course he wasn't okay being stuck in a room! But what else could he have said to her? She was busy no thanks to Hatori so she couldn't spend more time with him.

He remembered that gentleness that illuminated her innocent eyes and that smile that seemed to brighten his sea of tainted darkness. It was magical.

He felt better when she smiled that slightly nervous but loving smile at him, as if he was all that existed in the world. Of course when he first met her he found that smile to be sickeningly sweet and repulsive, but now it was as if heaven was appearing before him and opening its golden gates.

As he continued to watch her efficiently organize the bunch of boring books that belonged to his doctor a peculiar thought crossed his mind.

She would make such a wonderful wife.

The idea of Tohru being there for him always, taking care of him and giving him her undivided attention was one that he had never thought about but liked immensely. Tohru was an excellent cook, and she had that warmth and sincerity about her that fits into the mold of the ideal wife of every man's fantasy. She also radiated that maternal compassion that he craved since his own mother had practically deserted him as a child.

She would be his, he thought. Not that stupid Cat or Rat's.

Mine. Akito smirked, the door concealing its wickedness. As he watched her finish organizing, he quickly moved away from the door, sensing that she was about to turn around any minute and catch sight of him.

Seeing an empty room, Akito swiftly entered it without a sound just as Tohru exited Hatori's room, sliding the door closed.

"I hope Hatori-san can find his materials better now..." Tohru said to herself as she stepped out farther into the hall. Akito could see her silhouette through the shoji doors, but thankfully she can't see him since this room was designed to prevent eavesdropping and spying from the outside.

Tohru quickly headed towards one of the hall doors that lead straight to the gardens. The sun shone vividly above as she shielded her eyes from the bright light.

"Ah, I can smell the sakura's aroma all the way from here!" She exclaimed excited and hastened towards the stone bench under the sakura tree. The sounds of chirping birds and the falling sakura petals descending to the ground made Tohru sigh in contentment. 'If only Akito-san can watch this...'

Unknown to her, he can. Akito is standing behind one of the tall pillars that supported the roof of the main building, calmly keeping his eyes trained on her to see what she was up to when he wasn't around.

Walking closer Tohru remembered the day before when she and Akito shared that peaceful dinner outside under the blossoming tree. 'It was so beautiful...it's kind of hard of to imagine that it was only yesterday!'

When she finally reached the bench, Tohru saw a small bag marked 'Koi Feed'. Sitting on the bench, she took the bag and opened it's sealable zipper. The smell of fish food floated out. Not a bad smell, but one she never smelled before. In front of her is the pond, where the water was clear and, Tohru smiled, the Koi are gathering in a frenzied circle as they sensed the arrival of food. Probably in a long time.

"Okay...Hatori-san wrote that five handfuls should be enough...and they're tame enough to be handfed." Tohru reached into the bag and carefully scooped up some pellets before kneeling in front of the Koi pond. The fish got more excited as they could smell the feed.

Tohru wasn't sure if she was suppose to hand them the pellets one by one, or if she was suppose to put her hand on top of the water and let the koi eat, so she sat there dumbfounded for a minute. Until a particularly impatient koi got fed up with waiting and leaped up just an inch from her outstretched hand.

"Eeh!" A squeaked escaped Tohru as she hastily jerked her hand away surprised.

That of course, caused the pellets to fall and land in the water, thus a rush-hour for food between the koi began. Tohru watched fascinated at the fish's graceful movements as their fins and tail propelled them through the water in fluid motions. Encouraged to try again despite her first attempt's failure, she took another handful and reached towards the koi.

This time it worked. Or, she felt she fed them the right way. Tohru giggled as the koi boldly swam near her hands which were half-submerged in the water. They tickled her hand with those delicate fins and shimmering white and red scales that glistened from the sun.

Akito watched from not afar as her hair slipped around her shoulders every time she laughed gaily. 'How can some one have so much fun from fish?' He wondered amusedly. He never bothered to go near the koi pond because it seemed pointless to him. Just a cluster of moving vertebras with scales and fins that feels disgustingly slippery when you touch them. Not like his precious white canaries whom were soft and most of all, loyal towards him.

His frown curved into a wicked leer when he saw her stand up and smooth out the wrinkles on her elegant kimono, unconsciously tracing her hips, the sight of their curves feeding his hungry dark eyes and awakening something primeval within him. Breathing a little hard from the heat, Akito gripped the pillar for support with shaky fingers, his sharp-edged nails pierced through the wood like dough, creating diagonal jagged lines.

The maids would probably that think this was another territorial mark he created out of built-up anger and frustration when instead these were slashes he created out of pent-up passion longing to be released like the sakura petals falling down in spiraling twists from the russet branches.

Just as the sinister God took a step towards the innocent girl that was admiring all that was fantastical around her, a monotonous voice spoke up, stopping Akito in his tracks.

"When are you going to stop playing with her, Akito?" It was Kureno, God's conditional Rooster, the bird of the Zodiac.

Seeing as Tohru hasn't detected their presence, Akito sneered, not having to worry that she might see it. She was too busy with her fish friends to notice them.

"Why? I'm finding this little game of cat and mouse to be quite amusing, actually..." He replied in a mocking tone as he slowly turned to face the man with a solemn expression. Even though he has only met Tohru Honda a handful of times before, Kureno also worried a little bit for her just like everyone else. He knew of her pure intentions.

Akito's eyes narrowed at that. "So, my beloved Rooster, have you fallen under the flower's spell, as well?" He hissed venomously, one hand trailing up his neck and resting it against his cheek. Kureno instantly realized his mistake and inwardly winced as his God's nails scraped dangerously against his skin like a saw, threatening to draw blood from the slightest movement.

Luckily Kureno has disciplined himself to not show any outward signs of pain or fear because it would only excite Akito more. He has become an expert in hiding his inner emotions from his master. Without so much as a blink, he replied.

"No, I have not. She is not important to me as you are, Akito. I would never fall for someone like her." Kureno kept his eyes frozen, hiding all those rebellious thoughts towards his God locked out in the farthest corners of his mind, as he had done many times before.

Akito's eyes glared into his eyes, daring him to lie. After a long moment of being faced with those frigid orbs that chilled him to this day, Kureno was relieved when he saw the seriousness in Akito's eyes disappear and be replaced by mere annoyance. He had let go of his cheek too as he turned back to the view of Tohru peacefully feeding the koi.

"Good. She is not something you should be deceived by..." He said as his eyes narrowed. Kureno watched as Akito stretched out a finger and held it in the air. Seconds later a familiar white canary landed on the finger chirping curiously. Strangely enough the image of Akito handling the bird seemed oddly fitting and appropriate for someone as frail as him.

For as long as Kureno can remember, these little white canaries have been attracted to Akito for unknown reasons.

"Say Kureno, do you remember that time when you asked me about these peculiar little canaries always fluttering around the Honke and how they are not afraid to be near me?" That mysterious smile returned to his pale face.

"Yes." Kureno said, keeping his guard up. With Akito, one can never tell what's next to come.

"And how I never bothered to answer your questions?" Akito continued on, stroking the canary's feathery head fondly.

"Of course."

Akito raised the bird-perched hand high, causing the canary to flutter its wings to maintain balance. "Don't you think it is obvious why they behave like such?" He chuckled.

Kureno chose not to say anything.

"I said, 'don't you think it is obvious why they behave like such?'" Akito spoke, irritation in his voice. Kureno knew he should say something in response instead of keeping quiet. He was only supposed to keep quiet in public. But behind closed doors, Akito demanded him to be an active conversationalist, even though the conversations they share is mostly one-sided, which causes him to be more of a listener as a result. So the reason why he doesn't talk much to anyone was because of this.

"No..."

Akito sighed before turning to face him. "Weren't you the Rooster? It is also a bird, you know. And Jyuunishi animals can attract their respective kith and kin because of the curse's side effect." He held his fingers in front of the canary, providing steps. The bird chirped and hopped onto them.

Kureno merely blinked, putting all the pieces together. He was the Rooster, but was that the reason why so many of these birds gathered near Akito? Because he was always close to Akito?

Almost as if he sensed Kureno's thoughts, Akito smiled that creepy smile that he reserved for intimidating others (mostly Yuki). "Yes, my Rooster, that is exactly why our little feathered friends here gather around me. It is because they know of how close you were to me. But now that you're free, "He spat the word out like bitter medicine, "they don't hang around you anymore, ne?"

"No..." Kureno replied mechanically.

"But they still believe that the Rooster's spirit is near...and that is why they stick around."

"Yes..." Kureno watched the edges of his fuchsia kimono.

Akito grinned, gently brushing aside the ex-Rooster's bangs with his thin fingers. 'I have trained him well. Even while he is free from the Rooster's spirit, he still belongs to me, like the others...if only they can realize that...'

"Kureno, have you come to me for any reason in particular?" Akito asked, taking his hand away.

"No...I just saw you standing out here and you didn't look well so I thought that you might have been having a fever again..." Kureno replied.

Akito smirked. "You're turning into that Dragon..."

"I know." Kureno murmured. Then, "Would you be happier if I was a Dragon?"

"Kureno, you know that can't be possible...unless we play pretend." Akito snickered like a child, to which Kureno's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"Well, do you need me for anything else?" Kureno asked, seeing his mission was accomplished: Distract Akito from harming Tohru. Since he was taller, Kureno could see above Akito's head that Tohru was gone. Truthfully he was worried that Akito might harm her even more while she stayed here, so he took it upon himself to watch over her when he can. Hatori had told him about some of this.

"No...you may go." Akito waved his hand dismissively at the ex-Rooster before focusing his attention back on the canary.

Kureno nodded and silently walked away, relieved at the prospect that he might have moved Tohru out of harm's way. Taking one last glance at the esoteric God leaning against the pillar, lazily stroking the canary, Kureno slid the door closed and walked away.

Akito patiently waited for the sound of Kureno's footsteps to fade before he finally turned back to the direction of Tohru kneeling beside the Koi pond surrounded by falling pink sakura petals.

Instead his keen eyes were greeted with the verdant grass and a pond of fish. The whole scenery suddenly appeared bare and obsolete to his dark orbs as they gleamed with a growing sense of rage and disbelief at her sudden absence.

'Chikuso! Where has she gone?' He glared icily at the spot where Tohru had been kneeling. Everything that seemed so flawless about the sakura tree, the koi pond and the luscious greenery was now gone and replaced by an ugly sense of normality. Akito realized that only Tohru's light could restore the stark dullness back to its original, picture-perfect state.

He thought resolutely, 'I want to see her outside...' He had been only seconds away from contacting her while she was in that relaxed and peaceful mood, when Kureno came along and distracted him. 'Distracted?' Eyes becoming steal-like, he realized the ex-Rooster's plan.

"So...I see that he too has fallen for her like them..." He hissed in disdain as he unconsciously stroked the canary harder, causing it to chirp, startled. "How droll...has my own faithful ex-Rooster decided to join the others in their hapless attempt to keep that girl from me?" Akito laughed bitterly at this. "They will soon learn the full extent of my power over them as God!"

Suddenly out of brooding rage, his spider-like fingers clamped over the canary like a cage, fingers trapping it like prison bars. The unfortunate bird tried to squeeze itself through the gaps between his fingers, but Akito coldly tightened them, sneering at the pitiful chirps coming out between his hands.

'Tohru Honda is no more than a canary such as this ensnared in my hands...' He contemplated cruelly, playing with the bird. 'Once I am through with her...' He opened his hands wide, letting the bird fly out. Letting it taste the lure of freedom once again.

It didn't move a muscle. It was too traumatized to do so.

Akito watched sadistically as the canary huddled against itself, trying to shield itself from the coldness of his fingers despite the warm spring air. He nudged the bird off and set it on the deck paling before turning to face the door. The heat was getting to him.

'...she'll wish everything had just been a bad dream...'

---

'Today has been such a great day...I even got to feed the koi fish by hand! And they were so sweet...'

Tohru was walking towards the baths to pick up Akito's washed laundry, which was the last task on Hatori's list. She quickly glanced through a window that she has passed and saw that it was well into the afternoon.

'Oops...I guess I kind of lost track of time back there...' Tohru sweat-dropped as she thought about how much fun she had had feeding the koi. She wasn't even paying attention to the sun that had begun to set. She hurried on towards her destination while her mind began to think about tomorrow. 'I'll have to go back to school tomorrow. That means I'll see Hana-chan and Uo-chan again!' Tohru smiled.

But then that smile began to grow into a line of worry and anxiety.

'I'll see Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun as well...but I wonder if they're still inquisitive about where I'm living. I haven't really told them...oh mom, what should I do if they ask me again? I just won't be able to look into their faces after I tell them the truth! It'll be too hard to bear...' Tohru sighed as she looked down.

"Just be honest as much as you can, dear..." The words of advice from her mother floated into her mind. "Take it as one small step as a time..." Kyoko's gentle voice echoed inside her head. A small smile reached Tohru's lips as she remembered how fond she was of her mother.

'Mom's right...I will just have to be myself...' Feeling a renewed sense of strength, she continued on down the hall.

Tohru finally saw the bath house and walked towards it, remembering to turn left on the first door.

The laundry room was bigger than Tohru had ever expected a laundry room to be. But there are a lot of Sohmas who live here, so the room has to be big enough for everyone's clothes. The smell of laundry detergent and soap filled her nose.

The walls were tiled white with patterns of water lilies and dragonflies decorating it while the floor was so slick and clean that Tohru could even see her own reflection upon it.

No maids were present at this hour, but Tohru had a feeling that this was a place where they come often. There were barrels with scrubs and soap nearby to which she assumed that some Sohma occupants here preferred to have their clothes washed the natural and old-fashioned way by hand as opposed to having them go through the washing machines, which were farthest to her on right.

Tohru saw some clothes baskets stacked to the left, and there was a single largely framed window on the wall. Her eyes drifted to the only pile of clothes she saw in this whole room which was by the window. Tohru's eyes widened as she took in the sight of Akito's kimonos neatly folded and stacked on top of eachother.

The oddity was that they were all fuchsia with orchid hems and dark patterns in the purple silk. 'Are those Akito-san's favorite colors?' Tohru thought as she proceeded to carry them. Despite their size, Tohru found them to be quite light and soft to the touch. Being cautious as not to let any of them slip through her arms and drop, Tohru walked slowly at first to the door. When she got there, she opened it and stepped out, the smell of fresh laundry leaving her.

Then as Tohru walked down the hall to Akito's room, a faint delicate scent of sweet pea drifted to her nose, making her absentmindedly hug the kimonos closer to her like a source of comfort and protection.

'Mom once told me that everyone has a unique scent to them...like fingerprints! No two fingerprints are exactly the same...so I wonder if this is what Akito-san smells like?' Tohru shook her head, pushing that idea away. It didn't seem proper to be thinking about this kind of subject, especially because of its intimacy.

Still, it was a nice, unique smell. And Tohru never would have thought that Akito would favor the scent of sweet pea. That was just one of things that she is learning about him.

The hallway got narrower as she approached Akito's room. Tohru stopped in front of the door and tentatively knocked on it to see if he was in his room.

"Akito-san?" Tohru called, wanting to confirm that he wasn't just sleeping.

No sound of footsteps coming towards the door. Akito wasn't in his room.

'I thought that Akito-san might have been in his room... He can walk now, right? But, if he isn't in his room, then that must mean that Akito-san is still in my room.' Tohru looked to the left, where her room was. The light was off, so he wasn't in her room either. 'Oh, I really hope Akito-san isn't bored...wherever he is. He said that he'll be fine if I don't have time to be in his company for today...'

Tohru turned back to Akito's door. She gulped; hoping that going into his room to deliver his laundry wouldn't count as invading his privacy. She had only been in his room a handful of times before, and they were only when she was accompanied by Akito. It just felt wrong to be in his room without him nearby.

'But I can't just leave his laundry outside. That would be imprudent.' Setting her face in determination, Tohru carefully slid open his door. She was half-surprised that it wasn't locked, and then it struck her that nobody else lives in the inner part of the main building except for the maids and herself.

Stepping onto the tatami floor, Tohru left the door halfway open so she could walk out as quietly as possible without being heard after she's finished putting away his kimonos. She searched for the closet that she's seen before where he must keep his clothes. Sparing a glance outside the window Tohru saw that it almost dark now. The sun was setting down as the garden became silhouetted by the shadows of the night.

The closet's mahogany wood was dark and smooth as she felt along the surface before wrapping her fingers around the doorknob. Tohru opened the door and was greeted with a large number of elaborately adorned kimonos. It literally took her breath away to see such gorgeous robes festooned with tasteful designs.

One kimono was of two red cranes wading by the lakeside, another one had lilies and beautiful wildflowers growing from the kimono's bottom and reaching towards the obi. Another kimono had bright sunflowers with golden petals and seed birds perching on the stems and yet another one was decked with red camellia flowers and butterflies.

There were countless others each with its own magnificent designs. Tohru found herself stunned as she gazed wonderingly at them before her mind suddenly jolted back to the present. She has to find a way to put the new kimonos inside the closet, but it seemed already full with the others.

Tohru briefly pondered over the question of why she never sees Akito wearing any of them. They would fit him like a king and she could just imagine in her head how majestic Akito would look if he wore them. 'Maybe Akito-san is just shy about wearing vibrant clothing...' Tohru thought as she stepped closer into the closet. 'There might be some more room in the back-Eeek!' Something dropped on her head causing Tohru to back away from the closet.

Rubbing the sore spot where it had hurt, Tohru looked down to see what had dropped and found a...canvas pad? 'Akito-san...likes painting?' Tohru knew that going through other people's property was wrong and unlawful, but she just couldn't help herself. Her mother's yankee blood that flowed through her veins sometimes had a tendency to become overly curious and before she knew it, Tohru was flipping through pages of unexpected sketches and paintings that Akito must have drawn.

'Wow, this is so amazing...I never knew Akito-san had a penchant for creating visual arts...what a great discovery I made!' Tohru smiled as she flipped a page, admiring the pictures one page at a time. The sketches themselves were of everyday objects such as a thin vase with a single carnation in it, or a bird perching atop a branch in midwinter.

'This must be what Akito-san does on the days when he isn't feeling under the weather.' Tohru realized as she shifted the kimonos in her arms. It was hard to look at pictures when her arms were occupied so she decided to set the pad down and focus on finding a spot for the kimonos. Tohru looked back up at the closet and carefully examined it from top to bottom. Something to the left caught her eye and she reached towards it.

It was a handle.

Pulling it caused a shelf drawer to slide halfway out. There were the regular kimonos Akito wore folded neatly in the drawer. Taking the ones she'd carried, Tohru placed them in the drawer, before pushing the handle to close it. Now that her hands weren't so busy with carrying, Tohru can look through the sketch pad of Akito's drawings, which she felt she couldn't get enough of.

In all her life, Tohru has never seen anyone with such artistic ability. Yet this was so unlike Akito's choice for a hobby. Quickly finishing the sketch pad of drawings, Tohru brushed aside the colorful kimonos like a curtain of silk. She was delighted to find more canvas pads in a secret space in the back of the closet. Taking two and putting the first one back in, Tohru sat down with her back against the wall as she looked at more of what could only be the work of an artist in the making.

Tohru discovered that Akito was quite talented in the field of calligraphy and poetry. Accompanying almost every picture he sketched or painted there would be some kanji words in a vertical line by the picture with a red stamp or a short poem or haiku.

'This is just so amazing...I feel so inspired to draw...like the time when Shigure-san told me that he was an author and I wanted to write! The Sohmas really are a group of wonderful people...' Tohru hugged the canvas pads close to her as her mind wondered. 'Does anyone else know about this..?'

The reality of what she has uncovered began to weigh down on Tohru. 'Oh no, Akito-san...wh-what if he finds out that I saw his drawings? Would he be mad? Would he be upset that I'd wandered into his private matters? I-I shouldn't be looking at this! There must have been a reason that Akito secretly hid them away!' Tohru nervously looked at the drawing pad in her hands.

'I have to put it back! And...make sure th-that it's in the right order to begin with—'

But it was too late for Tohru.

Before she was even able to get up from where she had comfortably sat, an icy hand had clamped down on her thin shoulders from out of the blue like an alligator snapping turtle luring its prey close before chomping on it.

Tohru's eyes widened and she began to feel sweaty as an unbridled ball of tension and anxiety started to expand in her heart. There was definitely no question as to who her captor is, and as his nails dug deeper into her sensitive skin causing her to wince in pain, Tohru gulped as she felt hot breath against her neck, causing her heart to beat itself against her ribs.

"Ak-Akito-san, g-gomenasai! I c-can ex—"

"Having fun, my dear Tohru?" Akito inquired sultrily against her neck, making Tohru's lips tremble and her face grow hot.

"H-hai, ano, I mean, n-no! W-wait, yes, b-but I didn't mean—" Tohru felt like her face was in flames at how close he was to her. He was so close that the position they're in right now could even be classified as an embrace. Not knowing how much more she could take of this, Tohru hastily moved away and faced Akito, quickly bowing.

Partially of course, to show her respect and partly to hide her tomato-red cheeks.

She didn't realize that she was still holding his sketch pad close to her chest like some kind of barrier in between them.

Akito slyly smirked at her humbleness before he eyed the pad in her arms through narrowed eyes. There he had been, taking a short stroll near the gardens after his bath and not following her around for once when he thought he had heard something inside his room. He was outside when he had heard it, so he decided to use the veranda door to quietly peek in to see who or what caused the noise.

Akito had expected to face an disloyal maid and punish her for rummaging through his property but he had never expected to see Tohru Honda sitting there, as relaxed as anyone can be in an unsettling environment such as his room, skimming through his past sketches of things that were meaningless to him now. 'She really is the strangest girl I've ever met...' He had thought to himself.

After his initial surprise wore off, Akito had decided that he should take action and punish the girl for her intrusion. However, in contrary to what he would have done had it been a maid instead of his alleged caretaker, the God had a different kind of punishment in mind when he quietly stepped inside his room and approached her from behind. A wicked smirk lighted his face as he stood behind her and she still hasn't even acknowledged his presence.

Or has she?

'Tohru-kun, are you so enthralled by God's creations that you aren't even aware of the menace standing behind you? Well then, let me teach you...'

Her reaction was priceless. That petrified look of horror as she stuttered helplessly for words that would save her from being incurred by his wrath.

Akito superciliously watched as the brunette before him erupted into a string of apologies and pleas. Her face was downwards but he could still make out the redness blooming through the tresses of chocolate hair that cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall. He caught her small hands fondling with the canvas pad nervously as she asked for his forgiveness for her insolence.

"—and I-I n-never meant to look at any of your private materials...gomenasai!" Tohru breathed out. She was out of breath from spurting out so many apologies in little minutes. She gasped for breath as she tried to still her thumping heart and gather herself. Tohru felt like she had just ran a marathon.

Akito seemed unappeased with her as he spoke.

"Do you promise not to tell anyone about what you saw?" He watched her carefully.

Tohru quickly nodded. "I promise I will never tell anyone, Akito-san!" She vowed, honestly in her every word. She felt a little calmer now.

Akito knew she wouldn't have told anyone even if he didn't ask her to. It was obvious enough that it was meant to be kept a secret by where he hid his materials. Besides, as much as he disliked admitting it, Tohru was a trustworthy person in his eyes. But still, she has intruded upon his secret and therefore the girl must be taught what is wrong and what is right.

Even if her intentions had been pure...

"Tohru-kun, why were you in my room?" He asked, knowing half the answer already. He just wanted to hear the other half from her lips.

"A-ano...I was bringing Akito-san's laundry b-back as Hatori-san h-had instructed..." Tohru stammered as she saw Akito come closer to her with an unreadable expression. 'W-what is Akito-san doing now?' She wondered as he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I see." He replied smoothly, his dark eyes looking into hers.

Akito knew that he was making her nervous by the sight of her muscles clenching near her neck. But he didn't care—granted, he enjoyed it to the fullest. He liked this new kind of power he had over Tohru. To her, he was a higher being of unpredictability. Seeing his goal, Akito purposefully guided her backwards towards his bed. She was looking at him with uneasiness and questioning. Noticing this, Akito was briefly reminded of this morning.

"Akito-san?" Tohru was beginning to grow jittery at his silence.

He didn't bother to answer her, instead letting his physical gestures do the talking as he pushed her down so that she sat on the futon. Tohru watched as Akito backed away slightly as if to take in the whole picture of her sitting there. He didn't have that cold look in his eyes anymore, contrarily in its place sprouted a fire that danced with mischief and something unknown to Tohru.

Hoping to break the uncomfortable barrier of silence that's grown between them, Tohru looked at the sketch pad which she still had in her arms before smiling.

"Akito-san, how did you learn to draw like this?" She was curious as to what influenced him to create such interesting pictures. This was a completely different side of Akito she never knew existed.

He didn't seem perturbed at her question. His back facing her as he was looking out the open window, Akito spoke calmly.

"It's something that I used to do when I didn't feel sick..." He explained.

Tohru blinked. 'Used to do?'

"B-but this is an admirable talent that you have, Akito-san!" She spoke, opening the sketch pad and briskly flipping through the pages as colors flashed before her eyes. "It would be a shame if such a gift is wasted..." Tohru sadly brushed her fingers across the picture of a pond with three koi swimming in it.

He spared a side-glance in her direction. "And why should I use my so-called 'gift'? It wouldn't release me from this burden that has been brought upon me. It wouldn't help me in any way. It's a waste of my energy and focus." He spoke, bitterness dripping off of every word as he sat on the window's edge. He couldn't understand why this girl was praising what he found to be so...ordinary. It was like bestowing a handsome reward upon something that one does routinely.

Tohru inwardly sighed as she flipped to another page. This drawing caught her eyes immediately. It was of two onigiris lying against one another while a tall brown basket was behind them. Inside the basket were yellow bananas, red apples, purple grapes, pink peaches and oranges. At the very bottom of the page was a phrase.

'Alone in the crowd with no one else but you.'

Tohru had to stifle a giggle that bubbled up her throat as she smiled adoringly at the picture. This picture felt so right to her. In a strange way it reassured her and smoothed out her insecurities about the things in her life, like an iron smoothes out wrinkles in clothing.

She found Akito to be quite expressive in this drawing. 'There are two...does that mean that Akito feels like an onigiri in a fruits basket as well?' Tohru pondered. He was the God of the Zodiac, but he wasn't exactly represented by an animal of any kind. Even though he ruled the Jyuunishis, did he still feel alone? Tohru felt a pang of sadness in her heart for the lonely God.

Akito hadn't missed that doting smile on her face as she sat there looking through the sketch pad. He was secretly giving her quick glances every now and then. As he observed her, he felt a little bit guilty for putting her off like that earlier. Akito couldn't really remember the reason why he had stopped drawing...maybe because he had lost his inspiration after his sickness?

After he got better, the after effects of his illness left him bitter about drawing again, so instead he decided to put all the useless junk away where he wouldn't have to look at them.

But now, that girl has unknowingly stumbled across his little secret, and at the moment she was looking through it with those warm eyes which he had hated so much but now found to be entrancing.

Suddenly her teal eyes locked onto his and Akito caught that familiar blush flitting across her face as she coyly averted her eyes back to the picture she had been looking at. Somehow that small, meek gesture that he witnessed caused a strange stirring to rouse within him.

"Ano, Akito-san, what inspires you to draw?" Her voice it was underlined by childish curiosity. He saw that there was a small smile on her face. A small smile coupled by those teal eyes giving her an angelic aura. He felt that strange stirring grow.

"Just what I feel like drawing at the time..." He said hesitantly, eyes narrowing at the darkness outside. He wasn't sure where she going with this.

"Oh...well, um, what do you feel like drawing right now then?" Tohru asked politely as she flipped another page to reveal a Zodiac circle with all the animals in it. Except for the cat. Tohru lowered her eyes a bit. 'Akito-san doesn't really like the cat much at all...' But she quickly brightened again. 'But what if Akito-san knew how similar Kyo-kun is to him? In terms of loneliness, that is...'

'What do I feel like drawing right now?' Akito couldn't help letting a sly smile befall his pale features as he thought. 'You should already know the answer to that question, dear Tohru-kun...' He laughed to himself as he imagined her reaction if he told her what he really felt like drawing right now. Her face would be priceless.

"I cannot tell you that, Tohru-kun..." Akito said nonchalantly, playfully smirking to himself at her crestfallen look.

"Oh, okay..." Tohru couldn't suppress a look of dejection as she looked down. 'Perhaps drawing is a personal thing to Akito-san...I should respect that. But I really would have liked to see him draw something...'

He purposely let a minute or two pass between them before turning to face her again with a smirk. Tohru stifle a gasp as the moonlight seemed to have washed over him, making his dark hair seem almost silver as his striking features glowed against the darkness. His eyes also seemed to have undergone a change as well as they shone a light of secrecy.

The word 'beautiful' kept repeating in her mind as she found it hard to look away.

'Akito-san looks like...the dark prince compared to Yuki-kun...' Tohru thought as he came closer to where she sat. Gently tilting her face with a finger, Akito leaned in close, his cheek brushing against hers as he whispered seductively to her ear.

"I'd rather show you..." His hot breath sent shivers down her spine as Tohru unconsciously swerved closer to him, her eyes halfway closed. His voice seemed to possess a hypnotic edge to it as Tohru found herself dazed and yet strangely calm at the same time. Her mind felt drugged as she listened to him whisper in her ear.

"Tohru-kun, what do you wish for me to draw?" He purred, stroking her hair, loving how docile she is being instead of the modest girl she would usually turn into in this kind of situation.

Tohru felt like she was slowly turning into gelatin. Her stomach felt like a nest of butterflies as he combed through her tresses in an uncharacteristically affectionate manner.

"A-anything that Akito-san f-feels like drawing..." Tohru said timidly as she looked away, her face pink.

Tohru has rarely felt like this around Yuki and Kyo before. It was a strange feeling, something that she had only felt once, and that was when she was at the onsen and Yuki had given her that yellow ribbon before he...

"Well then...in that case...I chose to draw you, Tohru-kun..." Akito smirked seeing that pinkness on her cheeks as it deepens.

Tohru's eyes widened, snapping out of her momentary spell as she gasped at what Akito had said. Draw her? But she didn't seem to be drawing material! And her kimono, she must have bended so much during the day that there would be wrinkles in it now!

"B-but Akito-san, I'm not sure i-if you should draw me...I-I'm not worthy enough of being drawn! Besides, there is only one last blank paper in there and so you sh-shouldn't waste it on someone l-like me!" Tohru explained her face unmistakably red. She wished that she could just melt or disappear with a 'Poof!' right now.

Akito looked unwaveringly at her. "Tohru-kun, you said so yourself that I should draw whatever I feel like drawing..." He smirked at her look of nostalgia and then fear as he leaned in closer, causing Tohru lean backwards to put some distance between them.

"And right now I feel like drawing you." He grinned before swiftly taking the canvas pad in her arms, causing Tohru bite her lip and cross her legs in nervousness. But yet a small part of her couldn't help feeling flattered at his choice to draw her for the last page.

"Don't move, Tohru-kun..." He said as he picked up a sharp ended pencil, tracing a finger against it before gracefully sitting down on the window's edge. Without another word being spoken, he took the pencil and started creating soft, barely visible lines on the paper. Tohru noticed that his movements were smooth and precise, with only a couple of erasing here and there.

Tohru tried not to move, but she found it be to a bit difficult. Not because there was an itch anywhere, but because whenever he looks up from the pad and glances at her she gets the desire to look away in modesty instead of keeping her eyes on him. Also, her cheeks were probably a pink so vivid that she was positive that her face looked like a peach.

Akito, on the other hand, found this satisfying and enjoyable. He liked seeing that look of modesty and shyness on her face as he glanced up at her. Everytime he looked at her, she would blush in return. He felt that familiar sensation that surged through him when he was watching her at the koi pond returning.

As he finally finished sketching her features out onto the paper, he began elaborating definite lines and erasing all the unnecessary ones. While he drew the lines of her hair, Akito found Tohru to be physically flawless. Beneath that kimono she was wearing, he knew there were voluptuous curves hiding from view. Tohru wasn't the kind of girl who takes in mind of her own beauty and spend hours dolling herself up. She was unpretentious and humble when it came to her appearance.

Once again, Akito found his eyes innocently wandering down to that area just above her obi as he elaborated the lines. He found this method of watching her to be quite convenient and it wouldn't be classified as rude staring because he was drawing her.

Tohru was fidgeting with the sleeves of her kimono as she waited for him to finish. It seemed like forever before he finally set down his pencil and looked at her with an unreadable expression.

"I'm finished, Tohru-kun..." Akito flipped the pad over to show her his latest masterpiece.

Tohru's eyes grew as she gasped and covered her mouth in awe. 'That girl...she looks so much like me! Akito-san is such a wonderful artist!'

"I-Its...it's..." Tohru stammered. She felt like she was looking through a mirror. The hair, the eyes, the smile... It all seemed so precise. Tohru saw that he even added a blush, which must have meant that he saw her even though she tried her hardest to contain her embarrassment.

"It's wonderful...everything is so flawlessly accurate..." Tohru said as she smiled. "You can't give up drawing even if you're sick Akito-san. Not everyone is blessed with the gift to create ideas and thoughts through pencil and paper..."

Akito couldn't believe what she was saying. She actually enjoyed sitting there in front of him and being drawn? He had thought that the idea might have been uncomfortable for her. He has never shown anyone else his pictures before. He often thought of them as mindless scraps which he would draw to amuse himself when boredom hits.

But her words. She talked like it was some kind of divine power. What Akito would consider to be divine power would be to be able to make his Jyuunishis listen to and obey him. But, just to entertain her and her easily-impressed mind for a while, he decided that he would continue to portray.

After all, he reasoned darkly, why not make a false impression on her before shattering it all to pieces before her eyes when the time comes? He was no saint, but if it would humor her for a while and provide amusement for him then Akito would gladly accept such a task.

A dangerous smirk slithered across his face as he callously tossed the canvas pad and pencil to the tatami floor without so much as a faint flap. Tohru blinked, perplexed at his sudden unreasonable action as her smile faltered. 'Why did Akito-san—?'

But Tohru's question was cut short when she saw that he was approaching her with that strange look in his eyes. It was hard to describe, but the only way to compare it was to a famished wolf that had cornered a frightened rabbit. Tohru looked down from his predatory eyes and her heart unexpectedly skipped when she saw that a sinister smile graced his lips.

Unconsciously her hands gripped the bed sheets nervously as she swallowed.

"Ano...Ak-Akito-san?" Tohru watched uneasily as his figure stood before her. His kimono had slipped off one shoulder exposing smooth, pale skin that seemed to glow in the dim light as Tohru's face turned red as a cherry as soon as she saw it. Tohru quickly looked away. It seemed so improper for her to see him like this.

Akito had to grin when he saw how much her face was flushed because of him. 'I wonder how she would look if she saw all of me?' He thought wickedly. He found himself to be quite eager to find out the answer to that query.

Leaning down, he inwardly laughed when he saw that she instinctively responded by leaning back, trying to put some polite distance in between their bodies. Her eyes show a mixture of confusion and weariness as her soft lips were pressed together in a straight line. When he caught her glancing at her sides, he abruptly placed both arms to the side of her head, effectively trapping her. His eyes narrowed in silent mocking as his dark smile widened.

Akito was curious as to how far she could go before falling; they were in quite an intimate position now, even though neither had broken the 'touching' barrier yet. Finally just as he had anticipated, Tohru couldn't back anymore so instead she gently pushed her hands against him as her eyes flashed with alarm.

"A-ano, Akito-san...c-could you p-please let me g-go?" Tohru asked, trying to stop her quivering. She didn't like the situation they were in one bit. For one, it was indecent and too intimate for her, and two she wasn't sure about her opinion of Akito just yet. Yes, they were close as contacts, and he was a nice acquaintance, but she knew that it was wrong and immoral for them to be this close.

Akito ignored her meek request as he leered at her neck. Tohru silently sucked in a breath as he leaned in. She could feel his warm breath rolling down her neck as he slyly pulled the folds of her kimono covering most of her neck away. Her breath hitched in her throat. He wasn't going to bite her, was he?

Akito wanted to laugh at her tension, but instead he focused on his deed. He fondly inhaled her scent of fading lavender as his cheek grazed against hers, creating a ticklish friction that made him want to just bury his face into her warm neck. 'If this was how amazing she felt on the outside, then god knows would heavenly she would be on the inside...' The thought unknowingly awakened a hungry beast within him as he absentmindedly licked her neck, tasting her flesh.

Tohru shuddered as she felt an odd sensation beginning to surface above the jumble of emotions she had been experiencing. She didn't know whether this was good or bad, but a very small area in the back of her mind was telling her it was leaning more towards the first.

Even though it feels so erroneous to let Akito do this to her, Tohru couldn't help admitting that it felt exciting above all else. Exciting can be either positive or negative, it was in that gray area, which was exactly where Tohru is right now as she shuddered again as his warm tongue darted out and swiped at her skin once more.

Akito pulled back a bit and was immensely pleased to see that cloudy and distant look on her flushed face. Her lips were relaxed; it wasn't frowning or smiling, but Akito didn't need that to tell him that all his hard labor hadn't been for naught. He saw the tenseness of her muscles and expertly blew against her neck. That caused a tingling but not chilling effect on her and it caused her stress to go away.

"Relax, Tohru-kun...it'll be easier this way..." He coaxed as his hands delicately caressed her cheek. After whispering whimsical promises into her ear, Akito softly took her chin in-between his fingers and made her glazed eyes lock onto his before smirking at how he tamed her and planting a chaste kiss on her brow. 'So sweet...'

Tohru, despite her being immobilized by his actions was still very well aware of what he was doing. Even though he tried to help her relax in his own 'special' way, she was still worried about his intentions. Was he just doing this innocently or did he have something more intentional planned? Tohru muffled a gasp when she felt his lips against her neck, sending tremors down her back.

Akito found the taste of her skin marvelous. She felt so fragile and thin as he kissed her pulse point before opening his mouth and directing his attention to sucking on that particular area. One hand held her neck in place while the other had been firmly gripping her wrists this whole time so that he could get the most out this interesting experience.

Tohru winced in pain as she felt teeth roughly scrape against her skin and she was beginning to feel that this has gone on long enough without her interference.

"A-Akito-s-san? Gomenasai, b-but I h-have to go b—" Tohru squeaked when she felt something brush against her thigh. Since both of his hands were occupied, then what was that she just felt? Not wanting to know, she squirmed, trying to wrench her wrists out of his hold.

Akito had been enjoying himself up until the second she began to show defiance towards him. Looking into her eyes he saw traces of disbelief and frustration. He felt her wrists fighting to get out of his hold and just for a second he considered letting her go.

But the hungry beast in him refused to be chained.

The evil taunting smirk reappearing across his face, Akito was relentless with his vice-like grip on her wrists which were beginning to get sore. Tohru, seeing as freeing her wrists didn't work, swallowed. Her throat had felt dry. Now as she thought, she realized that the only way to get him to release his hold on her sure-to-be bruising wrists were to do something her mother has once taught her about defense.

Tohru didn't want to hurt him, but his hold on her wrists felt so tight that she felt tears threatening to spill. With a cry she sprang up her knee, but a second later much to her bewilderment, he caught it with his unoccupied hand and coldly jerked it to his outer side. Tohru let loose an inaudible breath as she found that she couldn't knee him anymore because she was outside.

Looking up at him tearfully she begged for him to let go. But in his orbs there gleamed a firm malice and darkness that Tohru has only encountered a few times before. 'Hatori-san's eye...' She thought forlornly.

"You're so cute, Tohru Honda..." Akito cruelly smiled as his thumb brushed away the tears that had collected in her lashes. Tohru shook, but this time in fear. Akito seemed different now. He seemed just like how he acted this morning. Tohru's stomach lurched as he leaned in close to her face.

"So endearing..." He murmured close to her lips. Tohru closed her eyes in dread as she couldn't turn her head; his grip on her chin was unyielding as she could feel his breath on her lips.

Knock! Knock!

"Akito? Are you there? It's me." It was a man's voice.

Tohru's eyes widened as relief flooded through her body. 'Hatori-san!'

Above her, she could hear Akito growl in aggravation as he immediately relinquished his hold on her wrists. Not even sparing a downwards glance at her; he backed away from the futon before coldly marching towards the shoji doors at a surprising speed. Giving her a look that clearly said "Not a word about this to anyone...", Tohru quickly sat up and adjusted her ruffled kimono, particularly the obi which had 'magically' become untied.

After giving Tohru an once-over and determining that she looked presentable, Akito slid the door open a little more than half-way.

Hatori was standing there calmly, one hand clutching his briefcase while the other was holding a small tray with some food. He took in Akito's slightly more than wrinkled kimono with an odd expression. Akito glared at his doctor before raising a brow and tapping his foot impatiently. "Well?" His voice also sounded harsher than normal. "What is it?" He demanded.

"Uh, sir, I just came back and I was wondering if you've seen..." Hatori's voice trailed off as his eyes caught sight of a brown haired girl sitting on the futon with a nervous and relieved expression. 'What is Tohru-san doing in Akito's room and...on his bed?' He wondered.

Suddenly his mind got the best of him. 'No!' His eyes widened considerably, much to the God's glee.

Akito shot a quick glance in Tohru's direction before looking back at the hysterical Dragon, wickedness illuminating his eyes as an idea formed. His lips curved into a smirk.

"Is something the matter, Hatori? Tohru-kun and I here were just enjoying each other's company like a guest and host should...right, Tohru-kun?" He narrowed his eyes at her severely.

Tohru held back a shiver as she nodded. "H-hai..."

Akito, satisfied with her answer, turned back to the now recovered Dragon with smugness. "See? I told you!" He replied in that boyish manner. Hatori inwardly sighed. He looked at Akito before turning his eyes to Tohru.

"Tohru-san, did you give Akito his afternoon medicine yet?" He asked, hoping she gets the secret message behind his words.

Tohru blinked and was about to explode in a barrage of apologies but luckily she caught onto Hatori's words. "No, I-I'm afraid not, Hatori-san. Gomenasai..." She said, looking to the ground. She was glad that Hatori was one of those people who knew when something is wrong almost immediately.

Hatori nodded. "That's alright. I'll do it. In the meantime I'm sure you're hungry. Why don't you go to the kitchen and get dinner? It's ready. I already brought Akito's." He informed.

Tohru nodded and slid off the bed before walking towards them. Hatori noticed her hair seemed a bit ruffled.

Akito's eyes narrowed as she passed him walking out the door. How dare they think he was unintelligent enough to understand what was happening? 'They would pay for this..." He decided. In addition to abandoning him without warning, his Dragon was going to pay for trying to interfere with his affairs.

Hatori watched as Tohru walked down the hall before taking a turn and disappearing. He didn't know what had happened during his absence, but judging by the shaken look in her eyes, it must have been traumatizing for Tohru. He planned to console with her later when he is done dealing with the annoyed God before him.

"Okay, what happened?" He asked in a steady tone. It wasn't harsh nor was it accusing. He was careful with those two kinds of tone when talking to Akito.

Akito scoffed before walking back towards his futon and resting on it. "Why do you think I did something to her?" He asked reproachfully. Great, he thought, now he'll have to go through another one of these pathetic lectures!

Hatori followed him but didn't sit. He shook his head. "I knew it was a bad idea..." He mumbled under his breath as he opened his briefcase and took out a small bottle.

"What did you just say, Hatori?" Akito sat up, but then his ears caught the familiar jingle of pills. Akito twitched as he glared at the bottle. 'No way in hell...'

"No. You're not making me take those! I hate those! They won't do anything!"

"But, sir, you have to—"

"I DON'T NEED THAT USELESS MEDICINE, HATORI!" Akito screamed as he swiped the bottle out of Hatori's hand and threw it onto the floor. The pills jingled that sound that he had come to hate so much as it rolled across the floor to the opposite side of the room.

Hatori didn't admonish him, he didn't even glare. Instead, he patiently walked to the other side of the room and calmly picked up the pills before glancing through the bottle to see if any were broken.

Akito breathed deeply as he clutched the bed sheets tightly. He felt irritable for no reason. Maybe it was because he hadn't eaten his dinner, but that wouldn't explain his confusion. 'What the hell is wrong with me?' He thought as he massaged his head. A headache was coming on.

Hatori sighed before walking back to where the frustrated younger boy was. Even though the more accurate term would be 'man', Hatori didn't think of the God as a 'man'. To him, Akito will always act like a boy and talk like a boy. It never seemed like Akito actually had the strength to be a 'man'. (He wasn't a sexist pig).

"Would you like for me to ask Tohru to give you the medicine or would you like to have it injected?" The Dragon asked nonchalantly. Akito's eyes widened at the mention of her name.

"Don't you dare drag her into this!" He hissed. Hatori knew that was Akito's way of choosing the latter option. But as he put the pills away and took out a syringe with a clear fluid in it, he couldn't help but wonder why his patient talked like Tohru was someone who had a high social status or something.

At least that was the closest thing he could think of, as the word 'admiration' was definitely out of the dictionary when it came to Akito's feelings for others.

Akito pulled back his sleeve as he stared morbidly as the needle went into his skin, injecting the chemicals that kept him alive to this day into his bloodstream. He barely winced at the sting as the needle came out and it was over. Without a word, Hatori disposed the used needle into a special container to throw away later.

"Can I eat now? Or are you going to test how long I can last without proper nutrition?" Akito sneered as he picked up the chopsticks.

Hatori cleared his throat and said, "The maids will come collect your plate when you're done..." He carried his briefcase close to him as he walked to the door. But before he could slide the door open, his sensitive ears picked up Akito's quiet question.

"What about her?" He asked disdainfully as he took a bite of the rice.

Hatori turned back to face him. This was one of the oddest conversations he's ever had with his God.

Akito getting angry because he had stepped in and let Tohru go? Reasonable.

Akito calming down like fire quenched with water when he suggested that Tohru administer his medicine instead? Peculiar.

Akito interested in anything that was Tohru as a last question? Completely off the scale.

"Tohru-san is...probably finishing her dinner as we speak." Hatori said cautiously as he watched Akito.

Akito frowned as if taking in what he just said before resuming his eating.

Hatori watched the boy eat as his back was turned to him. Suddenly, Shigure's words floated into his head. '...I really worry for Tohru...what if he starts to fall for her and in the end ultimately 'cages' her?'

Hatori shook his head. 'That would truly be a nightmare...' He thought as he barely heard the God's dismissive farewell as he walked out and slid the door closed.

'Now to find Tohru-san...'

---

Tohru sighed happily as she washed the now empty plate and bowl which she had her dinner earlier. Now satisfied with a full-stomach, she dried the dishware and set them in the wooden cabinets. She was among the few maids who had the night shift; the daytime maids have ended their shift and gone to bed.

Tohru dried her hands before walking out and bidding them goodnight. They smiled at her but continued their work. As she walked down the hall to her room, which was near Akito's, she remembered what had occurred earlier in his room and blushed. He seemed pretty nice to her at first, and he even made her feel a new kind of emotion that she's never experience before.

'But then...' Tohru frowned. 'He started acting strangely...and I couldn't understand...'

"Tohru-san?"

Tohru looked up and nearly bumped into Hatori. "Eeh!" She squeaked in surprise. "Gomenasai!"

"Its okay, Tohru-san...if you have time, may I have a word?" Hatori looked around cautiously before leaning closer. "There is something that I need to give you." He said lowly.

Tohru blinked in confusion. "Give...me?" Then her eyes brightened. "Oh, thank you! But, you really shouldn't have! I was just doing my part!" She smiled.

Hatori smiled a little in return but he swiftly ushered her to her room. "Well, I can't have Akito listening...he won't be very happy when he hears about this..." The Dragon said as they walked inside her room. He shut the door tightly behind them.

"Um, would you like some water?" Tohru asked as she walked over to her bed and poured a cup. Hatori smiled a bit but he shook his head.

"I'm afraid that I can't stay for long, Tohru-san..." He opened his briefcase and took out the brown paper package with Tohru's clothes securely in it. "Shigure packed all of your favorite clothes for you." Then, seeing her shocked expression, he added, "...yes, Shigure knows. But don't worry. Yuki and Kyo don't know." He explained.

Tohru took the package with shaky hands. She couldn't believe it. 'Shigure-san is still concerned for m-me?' She wondered as she slowly untied the strings and her eyes widened at the sight of all her favorite clothes all neatly folded. There was even her favorite strawberry towel too! "Oh, thank you so much, Hatori-san..." She prayed as tears filled her eyes. "P-please tell Shigure-san that I said thank you as well!"

Hatori felt his heart being pulled towards the crying girl. Reaching over he bended slightly so that he was eye-level to her, the Dragon tenderly wiped a tear from her eyes. "I'll call him over the phone and say that, Tohru-san..." He said softly as he ruffled her hair and smiled.

Tohru weakly smiled back as he straightened.

Hatori's momentary peace gradually turned into concern again. "Did...Akito do anything that...made you uncomfortable while I was away?" He asked carefully. Now that they were alone, he can safely ask Tohru. He prayed that nothing horrible had occurred.

"Huh? Oh, no! Akito-san's been very nice to me! He even shared takoyaki to me during breakfast!" Tohru laughed lightly.

"Oh, okay. Wait, there's something I meant to give you..." He opened his suitcase again and took out a small book. "This is my gift to you for helping me with Akito today...it's a lockable diary. You can write your feelings out in here. And..." He reached into his pocket and pulled something out. '...here is the necklace key to opening it..."

Tohru gasped. "B-but I-I was just doing wh-what Hatori-san t-told me to d-do!" She cried. Hatori pressed a finger to her lips to silence her as he unhooked the necklace and placed it around her neck, hooking it afterwards.

Stepping back to admire it, he smiled gently. "It brings out your eyes, Tohru-san..."

To which Tohru responded by covering her eyes shyly. "Ohhh..."

Hatori came close to a grin as he smoothed her hair. "Don't be shy, Tohru-san...it really does..." He said. Tohru peeked out from behind her hands and smiled. "Thank you, Hatori-san...this is...really more than what I deserve..." She said, blushing.

The Dragon smiled as he handed her the diary that was pink and white with an onigiri at the corner. "You're never alone, Tohru-san..." He promised before walking towards the door.

"Oh, matte!" Tohru quickly called as she held the diary close to her.

"Hm?" The Dragon turned and looked at her.

"Ano, goodnight, Hatori-san..." Tohru smiled as she rubbed her eyes sleepily.

The doctor smiled back. "Goodnight, Tohru-san." He said before sliding open the door and walking out.

Hearing his footsteps fade away, Tohru smiled at the diary before kissing its cover tenderly. "This is so nice of Hatori-san...I better put it in a safe place..." She slipped it under her pillow before returning to the garments on her bed.

Tohru looked down at her clothes and separated her favorite nightgown which was white with orange kitties playing with balls of yarn on it and her favorite undergarment which was white with pink polka-dotted strawberries on it with a small pink ribbon from the rest. She placed them on her bed and took the others and placed them in her closet drawers.

Taking a bathrobe into her arms, Tohru looked around and noticed her towel lying on the bed. She was planning on watching her hair, so she took that with her as well before walking to the door and sliding it open. Closing it and walking down the hall towards the baths, Tohru never saw the novels on the bed that fell out when the towel unfolded.

---

Akito watched her silhouette from behind his door as she walked down the hall, humming merrily as if what had occurred between them in the last two hours had meant absolutely nothing at all. That idea caused him to shake with anger as he gripped the door handle hard enough to cause his knuckles to whiten.

He wasn't done playing with her just yet.

As tempting as it was to follow her into the baths and watch her undress before his eyes like a blooming rose bud greeting the rising sun, Akito had other plans in mind. He decided to take a rain check on his temptation and have it on another day when he wasn't feeling so tired. Right now, all he wanted to do was find out what Hatori had brought to Tohru.

Yes, he had been eavesdropping on them earlier. Not through the whole conversation, of course. But even so, he's their God and he deserves to know every dirty little secret those animals hide behind his back.

As her footsteps faded down the hall, he silently slid his door open and stepped out; making sure no maid was nearby. It was way past their working hour, but one never knows. He's caught one skulking around outside his room before.

Walking over to her room, he quickly slid the door open before entering the land of the lavender. Shutting the door closed, Akito took a quick of her room, carefully checking for anything that wasn't there before. Everything seemed normal to him, until his eyes caught sight of what appears to be books on her bed. There were also some folded clothes near the pillow, but his eyes stayed on the books.

Knowing Tohru who had always been a tidy girl, he was amused that those books weren't put in her desk or bedside table drawers. Walking closer, he saw that the books were placed faced down and they appeared to be quite thick in pages. Akito, who is bored at having found nothing more than dull books and clothes in Tohru's room, sat down on her bed and took one of the books flipping it over to see what it was about.

And a second later dropped it as if burnt his fingertips.

His eyes twitched as he read the title: Erotica: A Guide to Satisfying Yourself!

'What kind of person in their right mind would write such...disgustingly vulgar thoughts on pieces of paper and publish it?' He thought incredulously as his eyes stared at the cover in disbelief.'What is this, some foul scripture of the devil?' He was deeply appalled and slowly separated himself from the book, not wanting anything to do with it.

"How in the world could Tohru have come into possession of such a book?" Akito looked away in disgust until he saw the second book. He cocked his head and flipped it over slowly, not wanting any more 'surprises'. His eyes widened in amusement as he mentally read the title.

How to Hook a THE ONE: A Guide to Obtaining that Unobtainable Person in Your Life!

He glared spitefully at the cursive pink words on the front cover. 'Is this a How-To book? Why would I need a guide to obtaining a person?' Akito wondered. Since he is the Head of the House, this status entitles him to the power of having anything he wants. So to him, this book is useless.

As he warily flipped it open to the first few pages, his eyes widened at the top words. "Chapter 7: Second Base". Closing the book with a frown, Akito pondered on the situation at hand.

He is currently in Tohru's room, and he has just discovered a huge secret right here on her bed. He wondered why Tohru would actually want to read this kind of book, until he decided to see what kind of loser without a life would write such a book in the first place. Akito's eyes widened as he read the name of one of his Jyuunishis.

Written By Shigure Sohma.

"Shigure? But he told me that his career is being a novelist who writes books for youth...unless," Akito's nails dug into the bed sheets angrily as he put two and two together, "...he lied to me."

His shadowy eyes narrowed. "That dog was never honest as he was sly. I shall have a word with him about this at the next banquet..."

Akito recalled what he had heard earlier from Tohru and Hatori's conversation...

"I'm afraid that I can't stay for long, Tohru-san... Shigure packed all of your favorite clothes for you...yes, Shigure knows. But don't worry. Yuki and Kyo don't know."

'They better not unless they want me to do something drastic and rash!' He thought venomously. Akito was displeased with the fact that now the Dog knows about Tohru's hidden whereabouts. In the God's eyes, Shigure may be dutifully loyal to him, but he wasn't reliable with secrets such as this. If he even dared to open his mouth and let that one word 'Honke' slip pass his lips...

Then Akito would ensure that there would be hell to pay.

But at least now he knew how Tohru has gotten these books. 'That mutt must have slipped it in behind Hatori's back by mixing it with her clothes...how despicable.' He stacked the two books atop each other before looking about Tohru's organized room.

Tohru...

That feeling she unintentionally stirred up in him. He still hadn't figured out what it was, but he found it enjoyable to the fullest. He wanted that to feel that sensation again, that sensation he felt when they were so close to each other...

He couldn't get enough of it.

It was like smelling a flower, and then remembering that smell forever in your mind until you are driven mad because that flower is gone, and all that is left is the lovely aroma that only exits in your memory.

He hadn't meant to go that far at first. But the way the moon shone on her hair, illuminating her eyes so that they glowed like pearls in the night. Highlighting her curvaceous figure through the darkness and making her smile seem radiant and heavenly like an angel's.

She was breathtaking.

And all he could hope to do was try to preserve that charming, innocent beauty within those pages of his drawing pad. But that sketch of her sitting there on his futon with that sincere smile doesn't even begin to capture all that was magical and sweet about the brunette that slept in this bed.

His gaze returned to the books beside him. He didn't want his angel to be corrupted by such nonsense written on paper. He wondered if Tohru has seen their contents yet. Because compared to what he has seen in the book, he cannot imagine how an innocent girl like Tohru would handle it.

Either way, he decided that it wasn't right for someone like Tohru to be in custody of such...disturbing contents. So, he decided to take them away for safekeeping for her own good. Taking the two books in his hands, Akito stood up from the bed and walked over to the door.

After briefly scanning her room to make sure nothing looked different from his short visit, Akito pulled the handle and the door slipped open with the faint rumbling sound of wood scraping against wood before he stepped out into the hall, making sure no one was coming before closing the door and walking over to his room and entering it.

He couldn't simply let these books that Dog has written be seen by Hatori, otherwise he would have to go through another tormenting lecture by his doctor. Luckily he knew where to hide them. Going over to his closet and pushing aside the kimonos that were too vibrant for his taste, he set the books down with his other belongings, closing the closet afterwards.

His eyes drifted to the sketch pad that he had left lying on the ground earlier. It was face up and as the moonlight beamed on the picture of Tohru, his heart beat faster. He padded over to the window and gingerly picked up the sketch pad, admiring the picture he drew of the angel that slept next door.

He could almost smell the scent of her hair as he traced her delicate frame with an index finger. She was smiling up at him with compassion mixed in with sincerity, not like those other smiles he received that were nothing more than pity and false sympathy.

'Those animals are not worthy of her. I know that they only want to use her to break the curse...' He thought spitefully, 'She deserves to be with someone who truly cares for her best interests. Her kindness should not be wasted on those selfish, insolent fools!' Akito tentatively closed the sketch pad before walking over to his closet.

A plan was forming in his head.

A plan that he would put into action soon enough.

He would be the one to take care of her, and be by her side. He has everything she could ever want and more, and he would give Tohru whatever her little heart so deserves if only she would look at him like how she looks at that disgusting Cat and Rat. And after she sees him for who he truly is then she will love him like how she loves them.

Except, of course, by then she would've forgotten all about the Jyuunishis.

His lips curved into an evil smirk as he placed the sketch pad in the secret hiding place in his closet. Yes, this goes along perfectly with his original plan. Not only will she forget about the Jyuunishis, who are unworthy of her, but he will also gain a compensation for having to suffer because of them. Tohru Honda herself.

His eyes suddenly caught the second book he saw in her room and his eyes narrowed at it.

He wasn't stupid; Akito knew that it would simply be uncharacteristic of his angel if she came to him willingly. He would have to be deceivingly sweet and go out of his boundaries of normalcy to be gentle with her. But this is not anything new; to Akito, deception is only second nature to him.

He would lure her in with kindness and shower her with smiles and gentle touches before finally going in for the kill. Then she would belong to him and no one, not even his Jyuunishis could have a say about it.

He felt himself getting warmer and lifted a hand to his forehead. He was having a minor fever, but something else was beginning to make him to feel hot.

Glancing at an ornamental clock planted on the dark walls he saw that it was almost time for Tohru to come back from her bath. He slyly smiled as his mind came up with a mental image of her wet, chocolate brown hair hanging loosely around her shoulders, her creamy white skin flushed from the warm bath as she clutched the knee-length fluffy white towel that hugged her seductive curves snugly.

He swallowed as his breathing turned ragged and uneven. Closing the closet with a faint 'click', Akito padded over to the door hastily as the feeling in the pit of his stomach grew almost unbearable. He felt like he was in a hot desert as an unknown need surged his veins, an insatiable beast threatening to overtake him if he didn't find a way to sate its bloodlust in time.

Roughly sliding the shoji door open and stepping out into the hall, Akito close it loudly as he made his way towards the haven of the only person that could tame the beast's growing hunger.

Only Beauty's touch can unbind the spell that the witch has afflicted upon the Beast...

---

Tohru sighed contentedly as she walked down the wall wearing the pale sky blue bathrobe while carrying the towel in her arms as her now-dried hair flowed freely behind her. She had been so relaxed in there that she had lost track of time for a few minutes. As she turned down the hall that would lead her to her room, Tohru wondered where Akito is.

'I haven't seen Akito-san since before dinner. Perhaps he fell asleep after Hatori-san gave him his medicine...' She thought to herself. 'Poor Akito-san, it must have been a very arduous day for him today. What with the snake bite still healing and all. I hope I didn't cause too much trouble for him. It must be exhausting for him as it already is with the curse...'

As she neared her room, Tohru saw that the indoor lanterns in his room were still flickering in the darkness. 'Okay...well, maybe he's doing some sketching before going to bed.' She smiled cheerfully to herself. 'Mom, I'm really happy for Akito-san. He finally got his inspiration for drawing back, and I was able to help just a little...Akito-san is really a nice artist...maybe I could ask him if I could show you his drawings. I'm sure you'll be moved by them just as I was, mom!'

Laughing quietly to herself, Tohru stopped in front of her bedroom door and reached for the handle. Giving it a push, Tohru smiled as the pleasant aroma of lavender splashed at her face, filling her mind with memories of her mother's favorite kind of flower. It was such a calming scent that she wasn't even aware of a dark-haired person sitting on her bed looking at her with a cynical smile on his face.

"Well don't just stand there like an idiot! What are you waiting for? Global warming?" Akito glared at her coolly as Tohru couldn't help but gape.

"A-Akito-san?"

Tohru quickly checked to make sure that any exposed skin that she may have accidentally missed was securely covered. A deep blush was slowly creeping up her cheeks as she stood there next to the doorframe awkwardly, unsure of what exactly to do in this situation. Her mind, however, was a completely different story.

'Oh dear! What should I do? I can't let Akito-san see me like this...this is embarrassing! And disrespectful towards Akito-san! M-Maybe I could politely ask him if he could step outside while I change? Or maybe it would be better if I just take my clothes and change—oh, that wouldn't work! Someone else might see me! Oh mom, what should I do?!' Tohru nervously bit her lip as she shivered from a mysterious gust of wind that blew between her thighs.

The corners of his lips twitched as he saw how her knees were locked together in modesty. Her milky white shoulders were shaking as well as he continued to watch her with mirth. Tohru's brown hair that hung around her shoulders shone against the dim light the lamp offered. His breath caught in his throat as his hungry eyes took in the sight of her delicate curves embraced by a thin layer of soft blue cotton.

She looks ready to be ravished.

"U-um, Akito-san?" Tohru swallowed as she looked down at the floor in sinking apprehension. It could've been her silly imagination, but she thought that she just caught a certain look in his eyes that made her stomach twist. It was that same rapacious gleam in his orbs earlier that sent butterflies in her tummy fluttering as he came towards her and...

Tohru shook her head. Now wasn't the time to be standing here and thinking about that kind of stuff.

"Tohru-kun, you look terribly cold standing out there..." He said in a gentle voice belied by an undertone of glee. A wicked smirk lighted his face as he cooed, "...come inside and sit by me..." He patted the spot beside him earnestly.

Tohru squirmed uncomfortably under his intent stare. "A-arigatou Akito-san, I-I will...but, I just n-need to change first..."

He cocked his head at her before lowering his gaze from her face to her chest judgmentally causing Tohru to unconsciously wrap her arms tighter around herself as her cheeks felt like they were on fire. Somehow the way he suggested for her to go over to him and sit by him reminded her of a nursery rhyme her mother once recited to her about a fly and a spider.

'Oh, I really shouldn't distort Akito-san's kind words like that...' She thought. It was starting to get cold now, now that the warmth from her bath has diminished. 'I must get dressed; otherwise I would catch a cold...'

'Cold, my dear Tohru?'Akito watched as she shivered some more. He smirked. 'You would be much warmer if you were sitting here beside me...'

"Very well then..."

'I suppose I might as well give the girl some privacy if I am to go get her to trust me...' He thought before walking over to the window and standing there, looking boredly at the full moon.

Tohru wanted to open her mouth and say that she would have appreciated it if he could move outside for a minute and let her change, but seeing as how she probably would've ended up sounding rude and that he has basically made the decision for her, she has no choice but to make the most out of this tongue-tied dilemma.

Fighting back the urge to make a hysterical dash for her clothes, Tohru wrapped her bathrobe closer to herself before proceeding as serenely as she could towards her bed. The sound of her footsteps against the tatami floor seemed to echo with each step she took. Sparing a quick glance in Akito's direction, Tohru was relieved that his back was still facing her.

Suddenly she stopped. Her nightgown was there on the bed, folded and exactly as how she had left it, but her undergarment was nowhere to be seen. Tohru began to panic. That was her favorite pair as well, bought for her by her mother just a week before she passed on. Tohru looked under the covers, it wasn't there. Then she had to crouch down glancing at Akito for a second before searching under the bed. They were no where to be seen.

Akito heard Tohru shuffle around and asked, "Is something the matter back there, Tohru-kun? He smirked to himself.

"Eh-no!" Tohru hastily called over her shoulder. She decided to just wear her nightgown first since her bathrobe was getting damp. Looking behind her once more, Tohru gulped and untied the sash that held her bathrobe securely around her with shaky fingers. Clumsily fumbling with the shoulder hems, she slowly slid the bathrobe off, quickly sliding into her nightgown without seeming obvious.

All the while Akito watched the pale moon with his hands locked comfortably behind his back. It would have been interesting to suddenly turn around and see how she looked as well as what her reaction would be, but he decided against. 'There would be time for that later...' He chuckled to himself.

"Are you decent, Tohru-kun?" He asked examining his fingernails.

"I-Iie! I-I just need to find s-something..." Tohru replied as she fixed her straps around her shoulders. Thankful that he hasn't turned around yet, she hurried over to her closet and pulled out the drawer which held her undergarments. Taking the first one she saw, Tohru tried to make the best use of the closet door and hid behind it while slipping on her panties.

Sighing, she walked over to her bed and sat down. She hadn't realized that her heart was beating so fast until now. It was nerve-wracking to dress in the presence of the opposite gender. Tohru remembered how scared she was when she had first seen Kyo and Yuki transform back into their human forms stark naked. It was quite a surprise that she had not been expecting.

But she guessed that this must have been how Yuki and Kyo felt when they first transformed back in her presence. Even though it wasn't something they had control of it was still a bit intimidating to her.

Tohru noticed that Akito hasn't turned around yet so she spoke. "A-Akito-san, I'm finished..."

Akito turned and faced her with a small smile. "That's good, Tohru-kun..." He started towards her.

Tohru blushed. Somehow Akito has gotten into a habit of calling her –kun lately. It wasn't that she didn't like it; she was flattered that he considered her to be someone close to him. She guessed that it was because her first impression of him as someone who is cold and feared is contradicting with the person she is seeing now. But like all the changes in her life, Tohru is sure that she can learn to live with it.

She scooted, glad that her dark hair is long enough to hide her red face as he sat down besides her. Now that she wasn't occupied, Tohru wondered why Akito was in her room. 'Maybe he just wants to talk about something that's been on his mind...like Kyo-kun.' She remembered the nights she spends on the roof chatting with Kyo about his training and whatever was on their minds. It put her mind into a state of calm thinking about those wonderful times.

"So, Tohru-kun...you start school tomorrow, do you not?" He asked, not looking at her.

Tohru nodded. "I'll be able to see my friends Hana-chan and Uo-chan again..."

Akito raised an eyebrow. "Flower...and...fish?" Sometimes he wondered what kind of friends Tohru had every time she came home from school. Now that she lived here, he found that he was curious to know the other aspects about Tohru such as her social life. 'Such odd names...' He wondered what her friends were like. Were they overly sweet and perky like her?

Tohru saw the unvoiced questions written on his face and smiled as a sweatdrop formed on her head. "Th-their names are a bit unusual, but that's not what matters about them. They're really nice to me and they deeply care about me." She laughed. "In fact, it almost seems like the three of us are sisters sometimes..."

"Then you must be very close to them..." He looked at her. He's never had anyone whom he has ever considered to be like a brother to him. Except...maybe Yuki? He smirked. 'Yuki was more like a slave than a brother...'

Tohru mistook that for a smile as she held her bathrobe close. "Yes, they're the closet friends I've ever had." She replied.

"What about...Kyo and Yuki?" Akito asked cautiously, knowing that this is a sensitive subject but smiling smugly inside.

"They are also the closet friends I've ever had, but..." Tohru's smile lessened as it turned into a sad smile instead. "Ano...I don't know how I should...talk to them. I know that they're wondering about where I am, but I just wish that we can still talk as often as we used to..." She turned away shyly.

His eyes narrowed. There it was. The piece of information that he was looking for out of Tohru. 'So they don't talk to her that much anymore, do they? Maybe I can use this as an...opportunity.'

Seeing as she idly rubbed her eyes, he took that as a sign to call it a night. He's already got the crucial confirmation he needed. "I see that you're very tired, Tohru-san...I should let you sleep. You have school tomorrow as well..."

Tohru nodded as she couldn't suppress a yawn. "Goodnight, Akito-san." Akito watched as Tohru stood and walked over to her closet intent on putting the bathrobe away. Unfortunately for Tohru, she didn't realize just how exhausted she was. She wasn't even aware of when her leg accidentally caught onto her the bathrobe she was holding and she fell over with a soundly 'thump'.

Akito, who was walking over to her door whipped around when he heard the sound and his eyes widened a bit at what he saw in front of him.

Tohru was lying on her side, half-up with one arm supporting her weight while the other was rubbing her knees, which looked slightly bruised. The pale blue bathrobe was splayed out below her.

But they weren't the reason his breath choked in his lungs.

The bottom hem of her nightgown had ridden up all the way to her waist, revealing the smooth skin of her backside and the long, creamy white legs that again, he never suspected someone as modest as Tohru to possess. She was also wearing lilac colored panties patterned with what he could make out as yellow and pink tulips. 'Tohru is just full of surprises, isn't she?' He smirked evilly to himself as he didn't bother to help her. 'Maybe this was why the Cat and the Rat felt attracted to her so much...'

"Eek! Akito-san! Gomenasai! Gomenasai! Go—" Tohru blushed furiously as she quickly covered herself, much his annoyance. If she was going to give him a hard time with trying to get closer to her then she might as well not be so haste about these things! He was irritated now, he was wide-awake and what's worse is that the creature within him he managed to quell earlier has re-awakened and is demanding to be fed.

"What are you babbling about?" He grumbled grouchily. That image of her in that position will forever be in his brain, thanks to the fact that he is a visual person about all else.

Tohru immediately stopped and got up, her face still deep scarlet as she bowed. "N-nothing!"

He smirked. "You forgot to take my second temperature today." He looked away. "I guess I'll just die from my sickness anyways..." He said in an 'Oh well' tone, since he loved making her feel sorry.

Tohru blanched as she exploded into a million other apologies but was stopped by Akito as he calmly walked over to her and silenced her with a finger.

"It's okay. I'll let it go this time..." He whispered as he reached into the bathrobe's pocket and took out the sakura hair comb before taking her hand placing it in her palm. "Sweet dreams, Tohru-kun..."

Taking advantage of her dazed state, he nipped at her neck succeeding in ripping an equivocal whimper out of her. Pulling away, he grinned evilly before walking to the door and exiting her room, leaving a stunned Tohru behind.

After a few seconds has passed, Tohru snapped out of her confused trance and felt along the area that he's bitten, wincing when her fingers touched a particularly sensitive region. She decided to deal with it tomorrow as her sleep was not leaving her with much room for anything else. Groggily she walked over to her closet and hung her bathrobe before yawning again and going over to her bed.

She fell asleep to the scent of lilies on her pillow that Akito has left behind.

---

Turning over for the third time, Akito sighed as the picture of her on the floor kept on floating into his mind, as often as he tried to push it away. Thanks to her, he'll probably end up sleeping into the day.

As he turned over his pillow, a smile crept up his face as it was hidden by the shadows. His hands proficiently prodding under the cushion until he felt cotton slip between his fingers, Akito smirked viciously to himself as he held the piece of fabric close, the feel of its softness putting him to sleep.


A/N: Yeah...in case you're still wondering, he got her panties. (Gasp) Akito is a panty-thief! Lol, anyways, I want to thank to Smcandy for not only beta-reading but also being particularly patient with this chapter's completion. (I most likely would've pulled all my hair out by now if I had been in her position) Anyways, please review! And just for the record, this is the longest chapter I've ever written…

Again, thanks to all who have been patient with me. Your reviews have made a difference when I felt lost about this fic.

-AmEva