It was rare for Rin to be outside, but today was an important day. After all, they were congratulating Hatsuharu for getting his cast off his leg, Momiji idea. The boy just wanted an occasion to gather all the zodiacs together, since new year banquet was canceled. To be honest, Rin didn't mind, as long she could be far of that Akito, she was glad. Akito was the one who injured Haru, as Ren said, so she did not see why she should bother with the person who forced Haru to be casted…Even if this person was god.
No...deep down she knew, it was wrong, if god asked, she would come, because she needed to be close of him. Was it her or the spirit in her? She always wondered, since she was a child. She hated this curse, she wanted to make it stop so nobody would have to be hurt and they all be free…Haru would be free. It all that mattered for Rin.
Though, she had talked about it once with Haru and Hiro, or closer to reality, she heard Hiro and him talk about it. The little boy confessed that not be linked sounded somehow scary. "Aren't we going to lose all that bond us together?" he asked in a quiet voice. Rin always liked his maturity, that's why he was one of the few that she liked having around. But Rin had to agree Hiro was right, what would happen if she and Haru weren't bonded anymore? She knew that she loved him, so she didn't care of what could happen if the bonds were to break. She wanted this story to be behind her.
She walked mindlessly on the path, frowning when she saw maids running around and screaming. So noisy. Humph'ing, she turned her back and decided to go at Kazuma's by using another way, a calmer one. She walked in the most remoted path of the estate, one deserted where nature took its laws. She took a few steps before stopping when she heard sound coming from bushes and then, before she had the time to think, she saw something red walked in her view field.
Isuzu snapped her eyes wide open when she looked at the person in front of her that just walked out of nowhere, and suddenly Rin's heart beat accelerated and a high neighing echoed in her head, resonating without end. Her whole body was standing still, not moving and tears started to pour out of her eyes in spite of her. The person was also crying, he even tried to hide his sob behind his palm. "Yo-you're the horse" he said quietly and Rin's had goosebumps by hearing for the first-time God talking to her. They stared at each other for a moment, they weren't moving, but inside, they could feel the god embracing his old friend. 'It has been so long! I've missed you so much! How are you? Tell me about everything!'
It was as if Rin wasn't master of her own body anymore.
But the reality brought them back, interrupting the God and the Horse reunion. They heard women's voice near and Akito threw himself on Rin, grapping her by the shirt. "H-help me!" he stammered "please!" and, her conscience snapping back, Rin was at lost. Because it was the very same man who injured Hatsuharu. She did not want to help him, but something in her was telling her that she had to do it. She pulled Akito's hands away. "You…You hurt Haru!" she said, frowning and showing her conflicted feeling.
"What?" asked Akito in a tone that sounded genuinely lost, his eyebrows going up before suddenly frowning. "I-I have no time, you have to help me!" he said again, roaring. "No!" just said Isuzu, closing her eyes hard, she had the impression she was making the biggest effort of her life, refusing to help her god. She directly regretted it, she must help him if he was asking. He looked so lost and confused. Rin breathed hard, it was chaos inside of her and she felt she wasn't controlling anything. Why was she feeling that way? She never cared for anybody else before, so why she wanted to please a person she never met before…Was that another side of the curse she didn't know, the one her oldest cousins had talked about many times?
Akito eyes were wide and Rin was struck down by how vulnerable god looked. Her heart was still beating hard against her ears and the horse neighed even louder, hitting its hoofs on the ground. Akito's face was red and he was out of breath, as if he had ran without stopping. Isuzu was shocked to see him wearing a red kimono, such a feminine color, but more than that, she realized that if Akito was in front of her, that meant he was out of his house. That was the most abnormal thing here.
He shivered and took a step toward her. "Please! I can't go back here! You're my zodiac! Just help me!" he almost yelled and Rin shook her head. "You…You hurt Hatsuharu, I can't help somebody who hurt him! He had done nothing wrong!" Akito frowned, confused. Why wasn't he understanding what Rin was telling him? "Haru! Hatsuharu! The ox!" she repeated with a higher voice, desperately. Akito eyebrows went up and his eyes grew wide. "What? How I could have done it!" he screamed as well, red of anger and Rin jolted, surprised by the sudden change of mood. "I've never went out before and I've never meet him!" he growled with a voice that was very feminine for a man.
"Then why Ren told me you went the one who ordered him to be beaten because…Because we were together." She asked, at lost. What was happening? She didn't understand, her skull was hurting her, she was feeling dizzy. Akito suddenly took her by the collar and he almost stuck his nose with hers, they were so close. "So, you prefer to believe that bitch that kept me prisoned for years instead of your god?" he said with contempt and Rin shuttered. "I…" why couldn't she talk back? Rin felt so weak, so stupid. Why did she believe Ren to begin with? Fuck, she hated it.
"Why would Ren has done it then?! She hates the zodiacs, she doesn't want to deal with them!" Akito looked at her as if she was stupid and she felt humiliated, why god was looking at her like that. He was going to answer when they both heard a maid screaming near of their position "Check here, he probably hasn't left the estate yet!" He suddenly paled and his previous furious glare changed into a scared one. "Please!" he pleaded. Rin bit her lip, in thought. The time was passing way too quick and she had to make a choice. She still wasn't really believing Akito, but she couldn't disobey, something, an immeasurable force was compelling her to do what he said. So…the girl took Akito by the wrist and then ran as fast as she could.
It wasn't hard for Isuzu, she was the horse, nobody could run faster than she, but in her dizzy mind that was forcing her to obey her master order, she forgot about this and she dragged along her god that was following her with big difficulties. "Wa-wait!" he tried to say between hard breath but Isuzu mind was a mess, all she knew that she needed to put the boy in a safe place, that she needed to help him. She was rushing so quick, she didn't remember running that fast, and Akito was light as feather. Rin always thought that men were weighting more than women, look like Akito was an exception.
With running that fast to Kazuma's, Rin felt like she was flying with holding Akito's wrist that hard, she hoped she won't make him angry later. She arrived by the garden, making sure that nobody in the estate has noticed them. Rin knew all the tricks to go unnoticed by the people, she always made sure that she was far as possible from the world.
Kagura who was running after Kyo with a plate of meat was the first one to notice her and Akito, brutally stopping in her track and gasping a sob when her eyes fell on Akito exhausted shape. The plate of meat was now on the ground. "A…Akito-san" she whispered and Rin noticed that tears were also gathering back around her god's eyes, as the same way he cried earlier when he met her. Kyo too stopped running and was staring at the apparition of god in the garden. He wasn't crying like Kagura right now or Rin earlier, but there was something in his body that wasn't his own feeling. Without realizing it, he had put a hand on his chest, trying to calm the loud heartbeats that were reverberating like bell.
Akito was starting to shiver, the running mixed with the feeling coming from the reunion with his zodiac had probably completely drained him of his strength and he grabbed Rin by her arm, resting his shivering body. It was strange, but Isuzu's arms moved by themselves around Akito, as shielding him. Rin could hear how hard it was for him to breath. Kagura rushed to them and also took Akito in her arms. "He- we need to take him in." she said and turned her heard toward Kyo who nodded and walked in the house, telling the others about their surprise guest.
Kagura brought Akito in her arms, even if he was older than her, she felt the need to embrace him with affection. Never she felt this need before but for Kyo. Yet Kagura knew it wasn't her but the animal moving her body to console the man, as if the boar saw how much Akito needed this. Rin simply lead Akito into the house, completing her mission to put her god in a safe place. She slid open the shoji doors and she saw the rest of the zodiacs gathered here. Kisa, Hiro, Momiji, Yuki and Hatsuharu. Tohru was also here, behind with a wide smile on her face. "Akito-san! You're here!" she said in joy.
Kisa covered her mouth and started to cry too, Hiro simply bowed his head, trying to hide his. Momiji smiled even through the tears, welcoming Akito while Haru stood with an impassive face, a lone tear sliding along his cheek. Yuki smile was kind, finally…they met. However, that smile quickly disappeared when Akito started to choke. He was already out of breath and now he was feeling too many emotions, the sobs were too strong and it was too much, too much.
Akito was spasming, his face draining of all his colors. Yuki was the first to react when he fainted. "Oi! Akito!" he said, catching the man before he could fall on the floor. "Is he alright?!" said Hiro, looking at Akito with worried eyes. "We need to lay him, oi! Stupid cat, bring your futon!" Kyo rushed to him room. "No need to call me like that bastard!" he screamed.
Yuki carried Akito like a princess, he frowned, noticing how unhealthy light was his cousin and childhood friend. They all walked to the living room and Kyo ran back, his futon under his arm. Yuki put Akito on it and it was at this moment that Hatsuharu noticed that he wasn't breathing.
"I-I will fetch Hatori-san" said Tohru, white as Akito's face before taking her coat and running out of the house. Rin yelled after "Don't get noticed by the domestics, they're after him!"
"What should we do…" asked Kisa in a small voice, her eyes still wet from her cries. Hatsuharu frowned and position himself to do a CPR, he roughly opened Akito upper part of the kimono and went still when he saw the tight bandages around his chest. It was too tight, of course Akito couldn't breathe with that around him.
"Is Akito-san injured?" asked Momiji at lost by seeing the white bands around his god body. Haru eyebrows went down…He wasn't sure but he had the impression that… He lifted his head toward Hiro who was the nearer of the kitchen "Hiro, get me scissors, quick!" Yuki asked the cousins to step back, to let Akito having his space and took the scissors that Hiro fetched to give them to Haru who in a movement cut the bandages. In a second, he, Yuki and the rest of the zodiacs gathered in the room witnessed two smalls but present breasts jiggling out of its prison.
They all stared in shock, too thunderstruck to notice that Akito was slowly breathing again, the pale skin getting its natural's color. He…she now able to breath all her content. Rin have been the first one to react, only to scold Haru. "What are you looking?" she asked, blushing and Kyo, snapping out, removed his jacket to put it on Akito's chest, giving her a little dignity. They were all blushing but Yuki who was frowning deeply and confusedly. What was that? He always thought…
"Oi Yuki, you knew didn't you!" roared Hiro, still red. He never really saw female breasts but his mother's when she was nursing Hinata. "You could have told us before we…You see!" he stuttered loudly, still embarrassed. Haru told him to not scream. Yuki was still staring mindlessly Akito's chest. He answered in a whisper. "I didn't know…"
By the time that Hatori arrived with Tohru and ordered to put Akito in a bedroom instead of her let rest in the living room, Yuki and the others zodiacs had been through the shock. Yuki still had hard time to believe it. He always thought he was one of the closest of Akito's…Yet, he wasn't even aware that he, no, she was a woman. He felt betrayed. Why he didn't know, why she never told him?
They were all sat around the table, they decided to wait that Hatori tell them about Akito's health before starting the meal. Tohru had left in her room to get a change for the goddess in the neighbor room. They waited Hatori, hoping that everything was alright and that the girl would explain them what she was doing out of the house she was meant to be locked in.
"No wonder she fainted, with that bandage around her." Said Momiji in the quiet room, staring at the table. Rin felt somehow guilty. Was it her fault? If she hadn't ran so fast, ignoring Akito telling her to wait, maybe it wouldn't have ended like that. She hated not knowing what to do about Akito, she hated she wasn't the master of her emotions. All was a mess, all the zodiacs here were confused. "It must have been hard, living that way for so long" said Kagura and Kisa nodded. This child was full of empathy and all she could do is imagining how hard her goddess's life was. Hiro held her hand in aim to reassure her.
"Yuki, it is because of Ren?" asked Kyo, feeling concerned even if he was the cat. Yuki sighed, frustrated. "I don't know, yes, probably. Ren had always abused hi…her" he scowled as he remembered the screams. Tohru entered in the room and everybody suddenly glanced at her, snaping their head. She jolted at the sudden movement and sweated a bit from anxiety. "Tohru, how is Akito?" asked Momiji.
"Ah, hum…He…I mean, she" Tohru corrected herself, knowing now that they were all aware of Akito's secret "is still unconscious, but Hatori-san said that there was nothing to be worried about."
"Do Hatori know why Akito is out?" asked the rabbit, however, Tohru shook her head. "No, look like we will have to wait until Akito-san wake up." They hummed and Kagura bit her lips. "But…Won't Ren come here?" she said and Rin inhaled deeply, remembering what Akito had said about the woman and that she was the cause behind Hatsuharu attack. From what Rin saw from the way that Ren treated Akito that the goddess has been probably saying the truth. She felt stupid.
"It's just…" said Momiji with a sweet, sweet smile "I'm so glad, we finally meet Akito-san." He jumped joyfully "It's a good thing we bought so many foods! We have to celebrate!" and Haru scratched his head and patted his leg, talking to it "Ah, I guess somebody just stole the spotlight, sorry bro."
Hatori walked in the room ten minutes after, sighing. "Akito just woke up." He announced and in a second, Kagura and Momiji, followed by Kisa and Hiro, were standing up, ready to see their goddess but Hatori blocked the door with his arm. "Akito is changing in the room and she is very confused, she is bad with people so be calm and don't jump on her. Let her come to you all." He warned.
"I have the impression you're talking about a cat." Told Haru, taking a sip of water and Kyo grunted. "Oi, you're looking for a fight?" Hatori looked at the ceiling and thought that indeed, Akito had all the characteristics of a grumpy cat.
"I'm going first" said Yuki, standing up. "Huh? Why you?! It's unfair! You already saw Akito many times!" yelled Hiro only to be scolded by Kyo for being too loud. The two of them started to fight and Momiji winked at Yuki telling him that he was free to go. He smirked and slid the door open to walk out.
Akito was looking by the window and Yuki had a Deja-vu impression. The difference was that now, the person he thought he know since he was little was wearing one of Tohru's dress, the one with a turtle-neck. Yuki studied the shape, the way her hands were soft, the curves around here and there and found himself feeling stupid by how blind he had been to Akito's feminity. It was like he was seeing her for the first time. Why he hadn't noticed before. Yuki kneeled next to Akito, she didn't turn to look at was him, preferring to stare stubbornly at the window. They stood in silence for long seconds before Yuki decided to break the glass.
"The others can't wait to be with you, Momiji was bouncing, it's impossible to stop him." He said, but Akito didn't answered, making the mood even more awkward. "Akito…" he called, trying to get her in a conversation. He didn't understand, he used to talk with her so easily before, why it has changed?
"Why aren't you talking…" she said quietly and Yuki frowned. "Akito, I am talking."
"No, not about this!" she said, moving her body toward him. "Why aren't you talking about the fact that I'm…That I didn't told you I'm a woman!" she said forcefully and Yuki's eyes widened. So eager to get rid of the ugly spot. Yuki sighed. "Alright, so, why wasn't I aware of this?"
Akito's breath hitched and she bit her lip. What, was she backfiring now? "I.." she was searching her words. "When we were little…I didn't know" she frowned "I was sure I was a boy but…Till I have my period I guess…No, maybe even before" she was now more talking to herself than Yuki. "Maybe when Kureno told me I was a girl…" she had put her hand on her forehead. She was still tired.
"Why you didn't tell me then?"
"…It was hard." She said and Yuki had the impression there were more. He palmed his face, he preferred to be honest "Akito, I feel betrayed, I thought we were friend." She snapped and looked at him angrily. "Friend? When was the last time you tried to see me at my house? Don't make me laugh! You feel concerned with me because I'm your childhood friend, but at the end, what do we know about each other?!" She almost yelled but hold her voice so the others wouldn't heard.
Yuki was shocked, he felt aggressed "Really Akito? That's what you feel? Because I never hide anything from you! Don't mix me with you!" he replied as stronger as Akito and she gritted her teeth. "That- You know I couldn't tell you that!"
"Why not?! Kureno was aware!" and Hatori too he didn't say, not wanting to sound jealous. Plus, Hatori was her doctor, so it was fundamental for him to know this. Akito scowled "Of course he knew, he is older than me." They stood quiet for a moment, both took in her thought, both trying to calm each other. When Akito talked again, she was hugging herself and her voice was just a whisper "He knew even before me…" Yuki could hear in the hint of her voice how unfair the situation has been to her.
He closed his eyes, he hated her for showing him that vulnerable side. Yuki needed Akito to be strong, keeping him in the illusion that Ren never had a power on her mind "It's her who forced you to be like that, right?" Akito nodded, planting her nails into her soft skin of her forearms. "It doesn't matter anymore" she just said. Now that they all know; Ren couldn't hide it anymore and Hatori will refuse to erase memories. It was already settled.
"Akito, what happened?" he asked, questioning her one last time. Akito paled and shook her head. "Are you still going to keep me out of this." He accused and Akito scoffed, and for a second, he had the impression of hearing Shigure's. "Believe me, you don't want to know." She said before standing up. She moved too quickly because the second after, she had put her hand on her temple, as dizzy. Yuki stared. It was too easy. Why was she really adamant to leave him out of this? Sighing, he offered her his arm so she could rest on it. She didn't hesitate and put her hand on it, waiting for her dizziness to go.
"Okay?" he assured "Shall we go?" Akito bit her lip and nodded, removing her hand from his arm. She took a look of regality that Yuki was more used to see on her face than the fragile vision of her he saw a minute ago. He leaded her out of the room where the rest of the zodiac was waiting for them. The rat was the first to take his god out of her cave and to present her to the rest of the zodiacs waiting for her. Finally, the banquet.
When Yuki slid open the doors, his cousins who were talking suddenly stopped to turn their head toward them. He felt Akito grabbing subtlety his shirt. It remembered him the time where they found a big beetle in her garden. Akito staying behind him and forcing him to chase the insect with a stick. Ah, Yuki remembered he was also crying because he was scared of that bug.
The first one to break the silence was Tohru who threw herself in Akito's arms, in tears. "I'm soo glad you finally meet them Akitoo-saaan!" she said between sob and Akito simply patted her back, obviously confused.
"Oi Tohru, don't hug people like that." Called Kyo, sighing. Yuki knew there were a bit of jealousy, after he too wanted to hug her. The second Tohru separated, Momiji ran into Akito in turn, joyfully. The woman was completely at lost and Yuki really wanted to tease her. She had the best expressions. "But Kyo! Hugs feel the best! Isn't it, Akito-san?!" said Momiji too loudly and Hiro groaned. "Kyo, don't be jealous, please hug if you want!" said Kagura, opening her arms. Kyo refused and she snapped just after, breaking the shoji door.
"Momiji, Akito is not good with people, I told you" Hatori gently scolded, walking in the room. Yuki haven't noticed he has gone. Akito immediately took refuge behind Hatori, visibly uneasy with Kagura destructive behavior. Rin stayed at the corner of the room while Haru introduced himself to his god. Kisa was behind the ox, mimicking Akito hiding behind Hatori. She started to move out and slowly talking to Haru and then Kisa. Hiro stepped in a moment later, when he noticed that the tiger was not by his side.
Hatori looked at Akito with a gentle smile, like a brother at his little sister. Yuki walked to the doctor but before he could say a word, Momiji already talked "Hari, where did you go?" he asked gently. Yuki nodded, straight to the point. "Ah, I was calling Shigure, telling him that Akito was here." He said, keeping an eye on the goddess who was in conversation with Haru. The man was easy to talk with, they weren't surprised that Akito was preferring to be with him at the moment.
"Shigure? Why?" asked Yuki maybe too roughly, it left Momiji confused. "Well, he is a zodiac too and he want to see her as much as we did!" he shrugged. Yuki frowned; the rabbit wasn't aware of that the dog have decided to leave Akito months ago. "You should have called Kureno instead." Added Yuki, crossing his arms. All the zodiacs had known the news about Kureno being fired by Ren, it has been a real shock.
"I couldn't join him, he is still moving in his new place." Explained Hatori. "it's sad that Ritsu isn't here too…He missed the occasion to meet her…Oh, maybe we should call Ayame?" asked Momiji only to be crushed out of nowhere by Kyo from behind "Don't even think about it"
"Waaah! Kyo is hurting me!" whined Momiji "You're mean! I won't let you having any beef you'll see!"
"As if I care!" he roared back before stopping at Akito blank stare. Tonight will be a long night.