Chapter 12:
Edited December 27th, 2016
Kagura reached over clasped the last button on Tohru's black dress before taking a step back to admire her handiwork.
"Kagura-chan, do I look okay?" Tohru asked.
"You look perfectly fine, onee-san." Kisa said as she brushed Tohru's hair before clasping a borrowed black barrette in her chocolate locks.
"Yeah Tohru-chan . The dress seems a little big but that's because you've lost a little weight. Tube feeding does that to you." Kagura said, giving the onigiri's' shoulder a gentle squeeze. "No one will notice."
Just as Kisa finished with Tohru's hair, a soft knock sounded at the door. The boar went over to the door and smiled as she admitted Tohru's visitor. "She's all ready to go."
"Arigato Kagura, Kisa."
"You're welcome Oji-chan." Kisa gave her big sister a hug before sliding off the bed and following Kagura out of the room.
Hatori pulled the curtain a bit before moving to Tohru's bedside. He grabbed a syringe full of heparin and clamped off the line. The tubing was unscrewed and pulled through the top of her dress. "Tohru-chan, are you sure you feel up to doing this?" He asked and injected it into the IV in her hand to keep her blood from clotting and taping it to her hand securely so it would be pulled out. He didn't want to have to replace the line unless absolutely necessary.
Tohru smiled warmly at her dragon and nodded. "Hai, Hatori." The doctor took her small hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Okay Tohru. I really don't want you up and about just yet, but it can't be helped. Just tell me if you have any pain."
"I will, promise. Arigato Hatori-kun." She said bowing her head with a small smile. "Ano…is there any way that I can just walk instead of using the wheelchair?"
The young doctor couldn't help but to smile at the hopeful tone of her voice, but stood at the sound of another soft knock.
"Come in Yuki." He said and watched as the violet eyed teen pushed the wheelchair in.
"Here you go." He said and locked the wheelchair into place. "You look better, Honda-san." He gave the onigiri one of his infamous half smiles that melted the heart of all of the girl's at their high school.
"Thank you, Yuki-kun." She replied with a blush. "I feel better too."
"I'm glad." He replied sincerely. "Everyone is ready. We'll wait for you out front." He said and got a nod from the couple before the room.
Hatori stood and looked down to the chocolate haired girl. "As to your earlier question about walking, you won't want to walk. It's best for you to stay seated." He took her arms and watched was she nodded that she was ready to stand. Slowly, he helped her to stand and heard her hiss of discomfort as she hunched over a bit from the pain.
She winced slightly as he moved her to sit carefully in the chair. "Tohru, the muscles that were damaged need time to heal and the stitches only increase that discomfort. We have to take this slow because there still is the risk of infection and that could delay your healing as well. Walking will still be painful for a while."
Tohru nodded in understanding but allowed a quiet sigh to escape her lips. She felt so useless! She was not use to having other's take care of her to this extent. Her naturally nurturing nature did not benefit the young woman at times like this.
The hazel eyed man saw the downcast look on Tohru's face and crouched before her. He took one of her hands in his and gently lifted her head with the other. "Tohru-chan, look at me." He requested softly and watched as her blue-green eyes rose to meet his. "I know what you're thinking and its simply not true. Just because you can't do the things you use to do, it doesn't make you lazy or anything else you may be thinking. This is only temporary, Tohru. Everything will be fine, please believe that." He said quietly and leaned in, placing a soft kiss on her lips. Hatori smiled against her petal soft lips as she responded to his affections.
ooo
Behind them, Hiro's mouth dropped and his face turned beet red. Kisa grinned and quickly dragged Hiro's outside to where her family was currently gathered. Kyo and Haru turned around and watched Kisa shake Hiro, trying to break him out of his stupor.
For once the Hitsuji was speechless.
Kyo shoved his hands into the pockets of his black suit. "Lemme guess, Hiro saw them, right?" He asked the young girl, who only nodded, a wild smile still tracing her lips.
"I'm happy for onee-san and Hatori-ji. One day, Tohru-chan will really be family."
The younger juunishi heard the tora's comment and couldn't be happier for the couple. Tohru would be a more than welcomed addition to the Sohma clan.
ooo
Hatori pushed the onigiri out of the clinic as the last of four black limos pulled to a stop. Hatori nodded to the gathered members of the juunishi as the drivers climbed out and opened the doors. Hiro was dragged into the first car by Kisa, being followed by Rin and Ritsu.
"Come on Kyo, you can come with me. I need you to hold my hand and comfort me." Kagura said and grabbed Kyo's arm.
"Hey, you don't need me to do it! Ride with Hatori and Tohru! She a girl, she can comfort you better than I can!" The neko griped as he was yanked towards the second limo, but was silenced for the most part, by a glare from Kagura. Kureno smiled slightly before following the two to the second car and climbing in.
Like Kagura, Haru clung to Yuki's arm and followed Shigure to the black limo. However, unlike Kyo, he didn't struggle because he knew it would do no good. Instead, he simply sighed and followed a snickering Shigure and Momiji into the car.
That left Ayame, Hatori and Tohru to ride in the last final car. The silver haired man held out one hand to Tohru and smiled. "Allow-me, Tohru-hime." He said and watched as she blushed.
She took his hand and watched as Hatori took her other before they pulled her carefully to her feet. The chauffer immediately took the chair and placed it in the trunk. She was helped into the backseat and settled between the two handsome males.
The two men didn't fail to notice when the young woman began to fidget as if restless, nor did they miss the blush that lit her cheeks. Ayame met Hatori's hazel eyes over the top of her head as the car began to move and puckered his lip before gesturing with a slight dip of his head in Tohru's direction.
Hatori's eyes narrowed and for a moment, the hibe could have sworn that a hint of redness touched Hatori's cheeks, but it was gone within the blink of an eye. The young doctor bit back a sigh at his cousins' antics before taking her hand in his and rubbing the back of it with his thumb.
Blue-green eyes widened to unnatural proportions and cheeks flushed red as she turned to look up to the dragon, then to the hibe beside her. "Ano, Ha-Hatori-san-"
"Tohru-chan," Ayame started with a warm smile. "Don't worry, I know that you two are together."
"H-how!?" She asked, her eyes wide at being found out. "We-we didn't-"
"Calm down Tohru-chan! It's okay, really. We could tell."
"We? We who?" She asked, panicking. She didn't want to embarrass or bring trouble for the doctor. She was also oblivious to the fact that Hatori was squeezing her hand a bit more, a slight smile tracing his lips.
"Don't worry, Gure-chan and I are masters of observation! We can see in the way that you two look at each other. You two obviously care about each other and we can't think of a better woman for our Tori-san." Ayame said seriously with a smile before continuing in his head. 'And if we've notice, the others have as well.'
"O-Okay…" She trailed off and looked down to their entwined hands then up to Hatori's handsome face then up to Hatori's handsome face only to see the slight smile there. "You're right though Ayame-san, I do love him." She said, her face red as she leaned against the doctor's arm and her eyes soft as she stared straight ahead. A smile traced her lips when she felt Hatori squeeze her hand again, his thumb continuing to rub the back of her small hand.
Ayame felt his heart warm at the sight beside him. "So Tori-san, Tohru-chan, does this mean that I'll have the divine privilege of making your wedding dress anytime soon?" He asked happily.
"EH!?" Tohru whipped around to face the silver-haired man with wide eyes, her face turning a seemingly impossible shade of red.
"Ayame…" Hatori growled and glared at the innocent look that the hibe wore as he settled back into the seat. "Just don't talk. We're almost to Kazuma's. Just be silent for that long."
Tohru couldn't help but to smile at the two cousins though she was still embarrassed. She knew that whatever the silver haired man made would be beautiful. All of his works were.
ooo
Tohru looked around the temple as the services for the Sohma family head progressed and was amazed by the sheer number of people packed inside. She had through her mother's service had been large, but there had to be at least two times the number of people here.
The onigiri listened as the priest chanted from the sutra as the mourners began filing up to the alter that had be set up before where Akito's casket lay, paying their respects to the Sohma family head. She could hear the sobs of those who knew nothing of Juunishi curse. They only knew that the quiet plum haired young man who had been plagued with illness his entire life. Tohru couldn't help but to wipe away the tears that burned in her eyes for him.
Akito had all of these people who knew him and cared about him, but the madness brought on by the juunishi curse didn't allow him to see that. He was only able to see that he carried the brunt of the curse and the juunishi wanted him dead.
'Akito-san, are you seeing how many people care about you and miss you? I hope so…' She thought and felt her hand being nudged. Blue green eyes glanced up to find Kureno handing her a handkerchief. She nodded gratefully and took it, wiping her eyes and whispering a soft 'arigato' across the aisle.
Finally, the line of juunishi stood and began to move to the front of the temple. She watched Yuki, Haru and Kyo's expressions as they looked down to where Akito's body lay before lighting their incense and kneeling at the altar. She found no anger on their faces, only a look of sadness there. She wasn't sure if it was because of grudging respect for the man that carried with weight of the family curse, or if they had actually begun to see that maybe, just maybe, there was more to Akito's madness than met the eye.
Hatori pushed Tohru up and the chocolate haired girl braced her hands on the arm rests. Hatori, already knowing what she was going to do, locked the wheels on the chair. He helped her to her feet and held her arm as she burned her incense and prayed a moment at the alter before moving to gaze down into the casket.
Tohru felt a wave of sadness wash over her as a tear slipped from her eyes. She looked at his forma and saw how small this man who seemed larger than life, actually was. Pale hands clutched a silver and gold sack that contained gold coins as an offering to cross Sanzu-no-kawa for passage into the afterlife. The kimono that Ayame had created was beautiful. It was pure white with birds of a deep plum purple in color hand-stitched into the sleeves. He looked so at peace. It was almost as if he were simply sleeping.
Suddenly, she felt her body being surrounded by warmth, her vision became clouded with a soft white light. The experience was similar to what she experienced in her 'dream.' A smile traced her lips as her vision and senses cleared once more. The muffled sound of Hatori's voice broke through the fog, but she wasn't sure as to what was said, but she was well aware of the fact that he was holding her as close as he could.
"…Okay Tohru?" He asked, concern clear in his eyes as he supported her.
"I'm fine, what's wrong?" She asked.
"You began to collapse." He said and eased her back down, noticing the faint smile that traced her lips.
"I was?" She asked quietly and watched as he nodded. "I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize, Tohru." He said quietly, his lips upturning slightly. He knew that there was more to what just happened to her, but now wasn't the time to discuss it.
Hazel eyes gazed down into the serene face and allowed a small sigh to escape his lips. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to fully understand you, or forgive you," He said as he looked down to Akito. "But go and be at peace."
The doctor turned to Tohru and saw the small smile that still remained on her lips. Discreetly, he gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze as the rest of the ceremony continued.
ooo
Tohru lay dozing in her bed as the sound of running water reached her ears, rousing her slightly. The day had been very long and she was not use to being up and about while taking the medications for pain and the antibiotics. The onigiri watched as Hatori worked at the sink in her room, preparing what would be one of the last few tube feedings that she would have to endure.
She watched as he stood with his back to her while he mixed the calorie rich shake for her. A sleepy smile traced her lips as she watched his pajama clad form. Ayame had made the driver stop by Hatori's home on the Sohma estate before heading back to the clinic. He was able to grab clothing and anything else he may need for the next few days to be comfortable in the clinic. Tohru blushed as her eyes traveled downwards from the nape of his neck, down his white cotton covered back, past the blue covered curve of his pert rear and down legs that were no doubt toned.
'Honda Tohru, get you mind out of the gutter!' She scolded herself and closed her eyes, trying to push the 'impure' thoughts from her mind.
Hatori turned and looked at the small form in the bed. Her face was red and her eyes closed. A small frown marred his features as he moved over to her bedside and placed the capped syringe on the bedside table. His hand came up to rest on her forehead, but felt no fever.
"Tohru," He called and watched as her eyes opened to gaze at him, though not meeting his own hazel ones. "Are you feeling okay?"
"Hai, I was just thinking. I'm fine though!" She said cheerfully.
He watched her carefully for a moment before nodding. "Okay, but let me know if you begin to feel ill."
"Hai, I will." She said, watching as he hooked the syringe to the end of the tube and pushed the contents slowly into her stomach. Once he was done with her feeding, Hatori helped Tohru to lie back against the angled surface and made her comfortable. "I need to check your incision again, Tohru-chan."
She nodded and pulled her blanket down a bit then lifting her nightgown. She watched as he checked her wound for a moment before a question formed in her mind. "Ano, Hatori-san?"
"Hai, Tohru?"
"I apologize if I'm out of line for asking, but with Akito-san gone, who will become head of the family?"
Hatori stopped his examination for a moment to look up at those curious blue-green eyes. "Don't apologize. It's a valid question, Tohru." He said before checking over her wound. It was actually healing quite well which pleased him greatly. The redness and swelling had decreased nicely.
"The answer to your question, truthfully, I don't know. We haven't decided on who will be taking over for sure. For now, it's been agreed that Kazuma and I will be sharing the role for now, using Shigure and Ayame's assistance. I'm grateful that despite everything has been going on, the other family business has died down considerably."
He pulled her nightgown and the blankets back up. "A decision should be made sometime within the next week or so." Tohru nodded in understanding as he sat on the bed at her hip, taking a moment to push her hair away from her face.
"Tohru, did something happen when you were at the alter?"
The onigiri nodded slowly. "I felt it again. I was very warm. It was a nice feeling, but strange at the same time. Almost like something was changing inside of me." She said and looked thoughtful for a moment. "I don't understand it myself, I just hope that Tori-san doesn't think I'm crazy." She said with a smile and gained one in return.
"Tohru-chan, I'm a member of the juunishi. I tend to put some stock in matters that may seem strange to others." He felt his heart jump within his chest at hearing her soft laughter. Such a warm and wonderful sound to hear on a such a somber day.
"I think that what you're feeling is real even though right now it can't be explained. Maybe in time, we'll know what it is that you're feeling."
Tohru nodded in understanding as he took her hand, simply enjoying the simple contact since they wanted to avoid the possibility of him transforming.
"Hatori?"
"Hai Tohru?"
"Now that Akito has passed on, what will happen with the Juunishi?"
Hatori let out a soft sigh and studied her small hand. "Unfortunately, unless the curse is broken, the next Sohma child that is born will become a member of the juunishi in his place."
"Oh…" She said softly. She knew that when there was a birth in the family and an open spot within the juunishi, those who were cursed did fear for the child because of the life that they were going to be living. Knowing this made the onigiri ever more determined to help them find a way to break the curse.
"Don't worry Tohru. None of the women in our family is currently with child." Hatori replied.
"O-okay. I just wish there was something I could do for you all." She said sadly.
"Tohru, you're doing more than enough. Everyone has been so much happier since you have joined us. You have changed a lot of people in this family for the better just by being you." He said honestly, loving how easy it was to make her blush.
"Thank you…" She said at just above a whisper. After a moment's hesitation, Tohru placed her hand on her stomach and leaned forward, placing a kiss on his cheek, enjoying the faint cent of soap from his earlier shower mixed with the cent that was unique t him and him alone.
Hatori watched as she eased back against the pillows and yawned once again. "It's true, Tohru-chan. Don't second guess your worth to us." He said before standing and pulling the blankets up a bit higher on her small form before taking a seat and making himself comfortable in the recliner as she turned on the television. Tohru turned slightly on her side to watch before a pleased sigh escaped her lips.
"I'm thankful for that landslide." She said quietly to herself.
Hatori turned to her at the sound of her voice. "The one that destroyed your tent, correct?"
"Hai. Shigure-san and Yuki-kun found me before it happened, but that was one of the events that brought me to stay with them. I believe that Kami-sama had a reason to cause that." A soft giggle escaped her lips as an image passed in her mind. "Maybe mom badgered and bargained with Kami-sama until he gave in. Mom can be very convincing."
Hatori smiled and shook his head. "Who knows, they say the Kami do move in mysterious ways. Either way, I'm grateful as well."
The onigiri nodded in agreement and turned her attention back to the television. She wasn't really paying attention to it though. Her thoughts linger on the time she had spent with the Sohma clan. The trips she had taken with them to the onsen and to the many vacation homes owned by them. Now she had admitted her feelings for the handsome Sohma Hatori and though he could not say it yet, she knew he cared deeply for her. Each time that though passed in her mind, her heart fluttered within her chest.
Hatori watched out of the corner of his eye as she began to doze, a faint smile tracing her lips as she did so. Finally her breathing evened out as she slipped into a deep sleep. The dragon stood and stretched his limbs before moving to place a kiss on her forehead. The TV was turned off before he returned to his own bed.
The doctor slipped between the cool sheets and made himself comfortable. After letting out a quiet yawn, hazel eyes closed. Hatori slipped into the land of dreams, where he could hold his sweet Tohru close without fear of transforming.
o-o-Author's Notes-o-o
Ezzy: -Comes flying onto the scene and crashes through the wall, everything is still for a moment before the rubble begins to move- Hi! -coughHACKcough- I've finally had a chance to update this. NO! this story is NOT dead and it's not gonna die either! Well, at least on my end!
I apologize that it has been –goes to her profile page- almost 2 1/2 months since I've updated this fic. I promise you all during that time, I was working on it, just some health issues have been draining meh energy so I've usually been coming home after work and falling asleep straight away.
Hatori: -shakes his head and goes to grab the first aid kit-
Ezzy: -watches sexy man with a grin- Anyway, first off, I wanna say that as you can see, I ghosted over the actual customs of a Japanese funeral. I couldn't find a decent information source so I kinda had to go with what I found and put it together my own way. I didn't want to get into the whole cremation and things like that and ya'll can assume that Akito's blood relatives stayed with him and will follow through with the other traditions with the juunishi also helping and paying their respects
Just FYI,
Sanzu-no-kawa: (from wikipedia…I luv that site…)
The Sanzu River (Sanzu-no-kawa), or River of Three Crossings, is the Japanese Buddhist version of the River Styx. Most Japanese people believe that on the way to the afterlife, the dead must cross the river, which is why a Japanese funeral includes placing six coins in the deceased's casket.
Hence the pouch in Akito's hands.
Hatori: -Comes back in and starts cleaning and bandaging all the cuts and scrapes- You really have to be more careful.
Ezzy: I can't help it! I'm just happy I finally finished this chapter! –begins to rant-
Hatori: -places medical tape over Ezzy's mouth- Ezzy wants to thank everyone who has reviewed. From this point on, she will try to personally respond using new reply feature. It may take time for her to get back to you, she's always injuring herself in some way or another.
For those of you who don't have profiles, you can leave your emails or not. Just know that she really appreciates seeing the reviews. She doesn't want to risk the wrath of the admins…again.
Ezzy: -growls beneath the tape-
Hatori: For those of you who don't know, Ezzy also got a warning from someone claiming to be a admin that if she continued to post her FAKE story, she would be suspended or banned because of its shounen-ai content.
Ezzy: -rips tape off- THAT PISSED ME OFF! I COULD HAVE BEEN DONE WITH THAT BEFORE CHRISTMAS! WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT CUS IT'S A FUCKING CHRISTMAS STORY!
Shigure: -says in a sing-song voice- but you were too chicken!
Ezzy: Hell, I got suspended twice in the past! I didn't want to risk it again! Besides, I still haven't heard back from any admins, though I think it was a hoax, I'm waiting before updating that fic again. I would post it elsewhere, but mediaminer is being a bitch and it's not naughty enough for aff yet.
Hatori: -places another piece of tape over her mouth- Anyway, please continue to review, it truly does make her happy.
-Ezzy hugs Shigure and transforms him cause he's still teasing. Picks up his doggie paw and waves to readers, her muffled voice coming from beneath the tape-
Hatori: She says bye, she loves you all. She also says she doesn't own us and didn't create us, Natsuki Takaya did. Now, I must get back to tending these wounds. Goodbye.