This is the sequel to the prequel Onigiri in a Fruits Basket. If you haven't read Onigiri in a Fruits Basket, I suggest you read it. This is a Yukiru fiction. I don't own Fruits Basket, Takaya-sensei does! I do own Marie though.
"thoughts" flashbacks regular
Let's Stay Together…Always
Chapter 21—Akito's Presence
As Tohru looked at that person in front of her, she heard footsteps behind her. Several gasps were made, and then Kisa's arm slid out from Tohru's. The Tora shivered and out of the corner of Tohru's eye, she saw Momiji place a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. But that did not cause anyone to stray their gaze from the woman in front of them.
The dark-haired woman smirked and began to walk towards the group; a wolf hunting the group of blithe lambs. Tohru blinked and inhaled a shaky breath.
"Akito-san…"
The dark slim figure continued to walk towards them, as if stalking them. Her dark steely eyes watched their every move; she'd seek the person who looked scared, who was shaking, who showed no emotion. But all were under her gaze.
Shigure was the first to recover. "Ah, Akito-san, what a pleasure it is to run into you here. The house is only a while ahead, why don't you come in and we'll talk." The Inu stepped in front of Tohru, and Tohru looked up at the back of Shigure's dark hair. "Nani?" He continued to walk towards the goddess, but in front of the group.
"Shigure," the icy voice replied. "Shigure, I think it'd be polite of you to move out of the way. You are blocking company." Shigure's fingers, which had been spread and open in greeting, then twitched and closed slowly, returning to his sides.
"…I see. Ma, forgive me, then." Then he bowed his head to his Kami and wordlessly stepped out of the way. Just like that. Tohru had heard that Shigure was very loyal to Akito. And well, that was kind of him, to want to please Akito…protect his Kami and stuff. She was okay with that. Plus, he had tried to protect her right now by standing in front of her, and that warmed Tohru's heart. It just slightly irked her how easily Akito could…could move people out of her way. As if they were nothing…
"Nn…Tohru Honda-san. What a pleasure it is to see you again," Akito said smoothly yet coldly, walking up to her. Tohru's brown eyes widened just a millimeter, and she caught Shigure's eye behind Akito's. She really wished she hadn't, however, for she saw such apologetic sadness in those usually bright cheerful orbs. Tohru's brown eyes went to Akito again.
She could feel Momiji's shaky warm breath on her shoulder, and she could sense everyone on the edge of their toes. Akito continued to walk up to her until it looked like she was trying to pin the Onigiri. She was that close. "Ano…o-ohayou, Akito-san!"
Out of habit, Tohru quickly bowed her head to the Kami; but sadly ended up hitting Akito in the stomach with her head, for the two were very close to each other. Tohru's eyes widened at what she had done and slowly and carefully stood back straight. "Ah! Gomen, Akito-san."
The Kami smirked and reached for a strand of Tohru's thick brunette hair. "I see you are as clumsy and unthinking as always, Tohru Honda-san. What a pity. You really should think before you act. You might do something clumsy and stupid like always," Akito stated calmly. At these words, she circled the hair around her finger and brought it close to her. As she spoke, she continued to wind the hair around her finger. "And you wouldn't want that, would you? For people, everyone, to think of you as a stupid, clumsy, ugly git of a girl, hnn? A selfish mononoke, maybe? But really, I can see past your clumsy, spacey air."
The chocolate lock of hair was fully winded and now Akito held it with her fist tightly. "And do you know what I see?" Akito breathed. With that, the Kami tugged Tohru towards her. Surprised, Tohru lost her balance and fell into her. She blushed madly, eyes wide, for that was exactly what Akito had been saying. That she was clumsy and spacey all the time. She knew she was, but Akito saying it just made it worse…
"I see a conceited little bitch, trying to nose her way into our business," she hissed at Tohru, leaning her face in towards the Onigiri. Their noses almost touched, and Tohru shook, seeing the anger in Akito's eyes.
For the first time since Akito had been talking to her, Tohru heard a mumbling and knew that her beloved friends were reacting now to what was happening. If she dared look behind her, what would she see? She already knew the answer, for she had seen it countless times. She had just seen it in Shigure, she had seen it in Momiji the day at the summer house. And she had even seen it in Yuki a long time ago, when Akito had come to school. It was a heart-breaking expression, either full of immense sorrowful pain or fear. And Tohru knew it would be there, engraved on each of their faces. It was there because they knew they could do nothing. And they knew Tohru knew that they couldn't and understood which deepened the expression.
"I've let you stay with Shigure for pretty much your whole high school career! I've generously allowed you, Tohru Honda, a roof over your head and food to eat. And how do you repay me! By taking my pets away from me!"
A pained expression flitted across Tohru's face. Pets? Is that really what Akito thought of them? All the time?
"They are mine. I've given you this speech before, but apparently you have had trouble functioning!" Akito pulled Tohru up by her hair, and Tohru yelped in stunned pain. More mumbles and movements from the people behind her, and sadly, Tohru didn't expect more of them. Well she didn't want more of them. For then they'd get hurt. That was the last thing she wanted.
"They will all come back to me in the end. All of them. We will all return together, happily. You, you disgusting creature, are an obstacle in our happiness. An obstacle that I sadly have let grown over the years. And Tohru Honda? I'm sick of it. I'm through. After your high school graduation, I never want to see you again. And I never want to see or hear of you speaking with my pets, do you understand?"
"I-…is that…is that really what you think of them as? Your…your pets? Akito…just because they…they're cursed as Jyuunishi does not make them your pets…. They…are real people, Akito-san…real people. With feelings and dreams…motives and loves…. They have their own lives…and they are far more than just pets…," Tohru spoke softly.
Akito began to tremble and her eyes dilated in fury. "YOU DARE DEFY ME! YOU DARE TO TELL ME WHAT THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY ARE NOT! I KNOW WHAT THEY ARE, I DON'T NEED A SELFISH GIT LIKE YOU TELLING ME LIES! YOU, TOHRU HONDA, OUT OF ALL PEOPLE TO TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK THEY ARE! YOU, A WORTHLESS NOTHING WITH NO REAL FAMILY, A MONONOKE LIVING AMONGST OUTCASTS! THEY ARE NOT YOUR FAMILY, THEY ARE MIN—"
"Iie…!"
Akito stopped and looked up from Tohru, whose face was now flushed pink and blotchy from unshed tears. She dropped the Onigiri to the floor, and Tohru fell freely, not even trying to catch herself. Her ears were ringing and two or three tears slipped out of her eyes and down her face.
"Akito…her words have never hit me like that as they did right now…. I've been yelled at before but…the words seemed to hurt much more today than before…" Tohru thought sadly.
"YOU, A WORTHLESS NOTHING WITH NO REAL FAMILY, A MONONOKE LIVING AMONGST OUTCASTS! THEY ARE NOT YOUR FAMILY, THEY ARE MIN—"
Thinking back on Akito's words, Tohru felt horrible. Demo…they were her family, right? Well…Akito was right in a way. They weren't her real family. Still…. Tohru's brow furrowed and she tried to plug in her tears. Her arms wrapped around herself protectively as she continued to watch.
Akito stepped around her and faced her Jyuunishi: Yuki, Shigure, Kyo, Kisa, and Momiji. "Nani..?" she growled. "What did you say? Iie? Who was it..?" Silence. "TELL MEE!" Akito raged, grabbing a handful of Tohru's hair again. "Eeek!" Tohru yelped, her hands coming up to clutch the side of her face.
"Stop! Akito…it was me. Don't hurt Tohru anymore."
Akito's eyes narrowed immensely as she stepped toward the figure who had spoken. "Don't hurt Tohru anymore? That sounds like an order. When is it that you can give me orders? Hnn…I see you have no answer. And you'd be right. I give the orders and you obey."
The male stepped back as Akito approached. "What's this? Backing away now? Are you…scared of me?" Akito reached out to caress the lock of hair that was in the male's face. "You should be. You had no right to defy me like that. No right at all. Where did you get the idea to defy me like that?" she asked silkily.
The male teen looked straight into Akito's dark eyes. "I have reasons of my own." He watched the Kami smirk and a chill ran down his body.
"Hnn…I've always been able to make you shiver like that, hm? That's because I have power over you. You've always been so beautiful…" Akito breathed, getting off subject and focusing on the young adult in front of her. The dark eyes unfocused slightly and her lips parted. Then her hands reached up to cup the face in her hands and when her cold hands touched his face, the Sohma blinked his amethyst eyes and grabbed her hands with his own.
"Akito…onegai…stop."
Like they had with Tohru, Akito's eyes widened in immense anger. "AKITO, STOP! WHAT'S THIS, YUKI! DEFYING ME AGAIN!" She raked her hands down his face and then slapped him. Blood began to seep out from Yuki's porcelain skin and his eyes narrowed in hurt.
Tohru, who had been watching the whole time, began weeping again. "Yuki…!" Her hands went to cover her eyes and she began shaking. Kyo, who diverted his attention from Yuki and Akito for a second, saw this and quickly raced to Tohru's side. Once there, he kneeled. "Tohru…" he breathed. She did not look at him and his eyes saddened. His hand went out to touch her until a venom voice spoke.
"Stop right there, Kyo."
The Neko looked up and saw Akito, staring at him with hatred. He blinked and his eyes narrowed. Then he stood, fists clenched.
Akito smiled softly and spoke, "Kyo, really, you don't need to comfort her. She's just a mononoke like you. And you've gotten over the countless times people haven't helped you, nn? She'll get over it."
Kyo's lips parted as he thought about it. His head snapped towards Tohru, and just looking at her shivering form made him weak. His body turned to her as if to help her again.
"Kyo!"
He stopped inches away from Tohru. If he continued to try to comfort her, she'd get hurt. His eyes softened and saddened. He was…useless. He couldn't help Tohru.
Drip. Drip, drip. Pitter patter, pitter patter.
The orange-haired male looked up, as did everyone else except Tohru. It had begun to drizzle lightly. Irritably, Kyo ran a hand through his hair. "Dammit," he breathed. Things just weren't going his way.
"Stand aside, Kyo."
Kyo looked at the woman who spoke. His eyes narrowed in anger and pain. "Damn you," he growled, sitting where he was standing and looking away from Tohru. He hugged his knees to his chest and rested his head on his knees. Then he sighed, and made no other noise.
Akito made a small chuckle and faced Yuki again. "Now that that distraction is through with…Yuki. Why…did you…defy me! I am KAMI." Akito's fingers went to Yuki's face and the Nezumi flinched. She traced his cut, to Yuki's pain and horror, and then breathed in his ear.
"Yuki…I know where you got that silly idea to defy me. And she's sitting right in front of us."
Yuki, whose orbs had widened to the size of saucers, turned to look in front of them. And he saw Tohru, his beautiful, kind, sweet Tohru, sitting and crying on the ground. Crying…for him?
Anger and sadness boiled through Yuki. His eyes narrowed and he backed away from Akito, his fists clenched. "I don't know what you're talking about."
The Kami smirked evilly. "Oh, Yuki, I really think you do."
The rain had gotten stronger and Shigure stepped forward. "Akito, maybe we should take this inside—"
"We! I'm sorry Shigure, but do you think this concerns you? I'm talking to Yuki right now. In fact, you, ALL of you. Leave this instant!"
At the Kami's words, Shigure blinked and nodded. "Momiji…Kisa…" he whispered, beckoning them to come into the house. Kisa, who had been silently crying, held onto Shigure in fear, hiding her face. The Inu looked down at her and ruffled her hair. "Let's get you inside." With that he led Kisa away.
Momiji, however, had stayed rooted to the spot. He had, practically unblinking, watched the scene unfold and he just wanted it to stop. He didn't want Tohru to get hurt, and he didn't want Yuki to get hurt either. He walked over to Kyo quickly. "Kyo…"
The Neko looked up at him, and silently stood up and left. Momiji watched him leave and a painful tremor went through him. Kyo seemed to have given up. Just like that. But it was also because he didn't want to interfere and get Tohru hurt.
The Usagi watched him and then went to Tohru's side. He brushed the hair off her face so he could see her, but her hands were still covering her eyes. "Tohru…Tohru," he breathed, voice laced with sadness and a want to comfort her.
"Momiji. I'd like Tohru to stay here. Leave now."
Momiji froze. "Ungh…" he grunted. He was stopped just like Kyo. They were all really useless. And to put Tohru through this…. Momiji was so ashamed he couldn't even say another word to Tohru. She was too good for all of them, they didn't deserve her yet they yearned for her all the same.
He also left silently, cursing himself at his un-usefulness to Tohru. Once everyone was gone except for the three, Akito turned to Yuki.
"So Yuki, anything you'd like to say to me? Anything at all?"
Yuki's eyes narrowed. "Iie. I have nothing to say to you."
The Kami's eyes also narrowed. "Well, then anyone else than! Maybe that stupid girl on the floor? Anything to say to her!"
Silence.
The silence only angered Akito further. "Don't think I don't know about you two! You've been together for a year and I know it's more than just a friendly relationship!" Akito saw Tohru move and she smirked tauntingly. "Nani, Tohru? Do you find pleasure in staying at the Sohma household? Do you cover your face because you're ashamed? I know your relationship with Yuki isn't friendly, it's more, huh? And everyone else? You act so close to them…you disgraceful whore. Tell me…are you even still a virgin, Tohru Honda-san? I know you're such a filthy mononoke, who knows what you've done to defile my Yuki?" she teased, resulting in Tohru crying more.
"DON'T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT HER LIKE THAT! Tohru isn't like that at all!" Yuki yelled at Akito, enraged and sad that he spoke those words of her. His fists clenched and he stormed up to Akito.
"Tohru isn't like that at all! You don't know her! You don't know what she's been through!" Yuki said, words spilling out. His face hurt from the scratches and so did his heart. "How can you be so mean to her when she's done nothing to you—"
"NOTHING TO ME? She's done EVERYTHING to me! She's stealing away my family! She's taken Shigure from me! He had eyes only for me and now this filthy woman has distracted him from his Kami! She's taken my Jyuunishi's trust from me! Do you think they visit me when I'm sick! IIE! But when this Tohru Honda creature is sick with a flimsy little cold, they all come rushing to her!"
Pain flashed through Akito's eyes and they narrowed as she continued to yell at Yuki with every sentence she would push him back, and away from Tohru. "I'm dying so they can live! DYING, DAMMIT! And they run to her when she's sick with a cold!"
"You-you're blowing things out of proportion!" Yuki said, stumbling into a puddle at Akito's last push.
"Am I! Am I really! She's stolen you away from me too, Yuki! Don't you see! Why've you skipped New Years for the past 3 years, huh? To spend it with HER. Why have you not visited, not even during Sanga-Nichi! This little bitch has poisoned your mind! She's a witch, you hear me! She's stolen everything from me!"
Akito screamed in rage. "That woman! It's all her doing! That woman…that woman!" she said, though her taunts were weak now. She began coughing horribly, and Yuki's amethyst eyes widened. "A-Akito!" Coughs answered him. "A-Akito! Akito?"
The woman leaned against him, coming in and out of consciousness. "Cough cough…ah…Yuki, you were always built so beautifully…so strong…cough. I can't stand it…you and everyone being with her. I CAN'T STAND IT!" She turned her head to the drenched form still on the ground.
"LISTEN UP, TOHRU HONDA! THEY WILL ALL COME BACK TO MEE! ALL OF THEM! THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO STOP IT!" Akito broke into a fit of coughs again and this time, Yuki did nothing to try to help her. Out of the corner or his amethyst eyes, he saw a black car pull up. Surely Hatori or Kureno was in there…someone else to help the crazy woman that was uncomfortably lounging on his torso.
Seeing the car, Akito smiled. "Ah haa…hahaha…looks like someone came looking for me…" She turned to Yuki and coughed. "Farewell for now, my Nezumi…you will be mine…." With that, her cold lips went up to kiss Yuki's cheek, lip then sliding down his cheek and partially on his cut. Yuki's mouth twitched in disgust.
Swaying, Akito then made her way to the car, but not before passing Tohru again. She kneeled in front of Tohru. "Awww, what's the matter? Did I hurt your little feelings?" she asked, teasing. "I was not joking with you…I never want to see your ugly face after graduation. And they'll all come back to me. All of them…"
Akito stood straight and looked down upon Tohru. "You think you can change them…you think you can break the curse…I won't let you. I won't let you break the curse…. I won't."
"For there will be consequences for me if it is broken…" she thought.
A figure stepped out of the car: Hatori. "Akito!" he yelled, striding over to the woman. Akito met him half-way and leaned against him. "Take me home, Hatori. I don't want to be in the presence of mononokes anymore…"
Confused, Hatori looked up. His eyes widened at seeing Tohru on the floor, muddy and soaked. She would catch cold if she-- But he also saw Yuki, looking at him, and he knew that he must get Akito out of there. "Hai…" he responded to his Kami. He helped her in the car and closed the door. Then he walked to the driver's seat. Through the rain, Yuki was still watching him. The Tatsu gave him a nod before getting in, turning on the car, and driving away.
For a few moments, Yuki just stood there, watching the tail lights leave. It had gotten dark, probably past dinner time. There was no more light in the sky except the moon now…
Yuki's swollen amethyst eyes stayed open and he searched for his Princess amongst the muddy ground. Upon seeing her, his eyes widened and his heart sped up then slowed, reassured that he found her and scared all the same.
His feet knew what to do before he knew. Before he knew it, he was running, sprinting towards Tohru. "Tohru! Tohru!" he called in heart wrenching sobs and yelps. He skidded to a stop, falling onto the muddy earth in front of Tohru. "Tohru…Tohru?" he asked, his voice breaking. He had started to cry, in fear and in pain. "Please respond...Tohru…onegai…"
"Ngg…" she murmured. She looked up a little and her muddy wet hair parted, revealing her face. It also was full of dirt. Her lips were parted and her eyes wide and full of sadness. Yuki had never seen her so sad and hurt. "I…" she whispered, trying to smile but it coming out all wrong.
"Shhh…it's okay. It's okay," Yuki told her as she burst into tears again. "Tohru…Tohru…. I'd never leave you. Never. I'd…I'd rather die. Tohru…I…I love you…I love you, Tohru…."
"Ah heh," Tohru sobbed half-laughed. "I love you too, Yuki…. I'm so so sorry…" Yuki shook his head from side to side fervently and he brought out his hands to cup her face.
"It's not you, not you at all. Tohru…you are precious to me, amazingly so. I dunno what I would do without you. Onegai…don't leave…don't…don't ever leave me," Yuki said, his voice and heart breaking. That was his fear…that Tohru would leave him for good.
"Never," she whispered, shaking fingers reaching out to touch his injured face. She had made Akito do that, it was her fault that he had gotten hurt. Yuki caught her fingers in his hand and kissed them, his tears falling on the delicate things. He put her hand to his heart and she reached over to hold him at the same time he reached to hold her.
"Tohru….Tohru…."
O.O…starts crying Hahah, jk! This made me kind of sad though. When I write the chapters, I see the characters in my head when I read and I imagine them doing those things while I read over it. And seeing it makes me sad, haha. I hope it wasn't corny or anything….:-p Sorry for my absence. I hope this chapter made up for it. It's long…