Yo~!! And Welcome to My Little World of Weirdness!

I state for the record that, despite the fact I really, really wish I did, I don't own any of the official characters that will grace this story; the wonderful creator of Fruits Basket, how I love thee! How can I show my appreciation? By borrowing your characters and putting them in weird situations, of course!! Oh, oh!! I do own the small poem that is in this though . . . it's dedicated to a close friend. [Laughs] Also I don't pretend to have any Mastery over the language of Japanese or any clue as to correct grammatical structure. I put it in and hope it gets across the point I'm trying to make! And I don't pretend to be able to write any sort of accents so please don't hate me!!

"Speaking"

*Stress/emphasis*

//Thinking//

++Titles – timewise ++

Poem

~ Just a Little Something ~

By Doctor Megalomania

Part Three: Recounted

So that continued like that.

 Every three days Hatori visited, every four nights my china doll sat quietly. Once a week, after school Honda Tooru came to sit with me for an hour, before an impatient knock at the door made her jump. I knew the Stupid Cat, and Yuki stood outside my room. Refusing to come in but refusing her to enter my room without armed escort outside. I never spoke to her; she tried to speak to me at first, but soon gave up. I don't think anyone ever came to visit me other than my china doll, my doctor, and the idiot outsider.

I don't think I mind.

The days seem to blend together; the hours pass slowly but without me noticing. I watch the sky turn from grey to blue, from blue to gold, to red to purple, to black, and then when I wake again, back to grey. I suspect it's coming into mid-summer, Hatori wears his sleeves rolled up; Tooru offers me glasses of juice rather than tea.

My china doll wears delicate, thin kimonos, they suit her. They make a pleasing sound when she paces as she thinks I'm asleep. I wish I could see her face, I've seen parts. She has a sharp chin and high cheeks, her genetic heritage must be linked to my own, maybe making her one of the lower ranking Soumas. Her hair is long, but she rarely wears it down, it's naturally straight but she makes it sit in coils. Her ears are un-pierced but for one lobe, where a simple silver and dark stoned earring studs her milky ear. It's a habit amongst the younger Juunishi, so I suspect she must have met some of them. Maybe her eyes were a deep amber, or perhaps a warm brown, I could only just make out that they weren't dark, nor were they blue.

But I would know about her.

I would know everything about her, Shigure always tells me everything that happens.

Everything.

Yet my china doll's identity remains a mystery to me.

Oh . . . I want to know everything about her. When that idiot outsider arrived, I knew everything about her within five days . . . now it's been several months and I know nothing.

As I lay in bed one very beautiful day, it occurred to me that I was in a state of limbo. I wasn't on the verge of death . . . nor was I jumping and leaping about like a little lamb. It occurred to me that I was not exactly dying as urgently as I had been. Maybe I was getting better.

There was a knock at my door.

Unusual.

I turned my head from my window, and stared at the door for a long moment. This wasn't part of my routine. I glare at the door, before barking out a weak, "Enter."

The first eyes I meet are that of Shigure.

I stare at him. He stares at me. His expression is carefully blank. He doesn't want to incite my anger. I don't think I've seen him acting silly since the day I threatened to kill their little humming bird. Pity. I miss the laughs.

"What do you want?"

"I came to see how you were doing . . ." Shigure waved his fan at me, "I thought you might like visitors . . ."

Beyond him Hatori, and Ayame stand. Ayame smiles at me, he's completely unaware of the danger that once lurked above his head. The beautiful eccentric fluttered in, walking up boldly to my bedside, and stared at me for a long moment, "You look better!" He exclaimed, and turned, "Don't you think? Akito-sama has some colour in his cheeks!"

Behind him, I roll my eyes, and see Shigure's very quick worried look at Hatori. Ayame was always their iridescent humming bird, fluttering from one subject to another in a heart beat . . . I think I would kill him to stand still for a second . . . Sorry, did I say I'd kill him, I meant standing still, it would probably kill him. . .

Just because I said I regretted some mistakes I made, do not presume I will change my ways . . . my entire way of thinking.

If people insist on irritating me expect to reap the fruits of my anger.

Maybe I should invest in some sort of anger management . . . so I don't break my china doll. I think I would hate that, and myself if I broke her the same way I broke Yuki . . . I didn't mean to break him . . . oh well, I did, but . . .

I'm confusing myself now . . . damned painkillers.

They keep my mind from focusing on a single point and explaining myself clearly. I hate that. Anyway, my concentration span is about as long as Ayame's now. The humming bird flutters about my room, unfailingly careful of the equipment keeping me alive, but irritatingly animated as he pokes at anything that doesn't appear to be attached to my body.

Shigure calmly sits in a chair, while Hatori checks my pulse and my eyes. I stare at them, the three best friends, the three musketeers, three peas in a pod, two's company but three is more fun . . .

I snort.

Silence befalls my room. Ayame rushes over to my bedside, and peers at me, even Shigure's fan has stilled. Hatori raises an eyebrow, "Something funny?"

I turn my face away, and stare out with my good eye, "Nothing . . ." I rasp, swallow, and try again with a stronger voice, "Nothing you'd find funny."

He doesn't question further, but even in the reflection I can see Ayame's face contort with a sudden need to know. He purses his lips, and thinks about asking me, but stops when Shigure subtly kicks the back of his leg. I look away from my window and stare at Ayame, he stares back. The kick Shigure still serves as a warning, but there is a look in his eyes, something else that tells me his thoughts. He wishes I'd hurry up.

Just in that moment before the full force of his cheerful mask powers up, I see it.

That look of pure disgust, he's disgusted that I'm alive still . . . still controlling his life . . . still having my complete command over Shigure . . . still posing a threat to Hatori . . . still scaring his sweet little brother . . .

That's it.

The fact I'm still breathing, still the bogeyman to Yuki, creeping out of my dark little room and appearing where Yuki least expects it eats at him. He can't stand it, and he hates me for it. I never appear when Ayame has a chance to come to Yuki's side and use it as an excuse to try and strengthen his relationship with the damned mouse. No. I always time it so it takes him at least a few days before he can get free, because by the time he's able to come to his little brother's rescue, Yuki has already dealt with it. The dynamics of all their minds is so wonderfully predictable . . . it's almost like playing with a pile of sticks. The object is to pull one out by in a way that doesn't move the others. All you need is a steady hand, and a good eye for seeing what supports what. I pull my sticks, my appearances, so I can keep control of their relationship. If Yuki ever figured out his brother completely, I would lose the advantage I hold over him.

Yuki doesn't know what it is to rely on someone else when you feel like the world is falling apart.

I want to keep it that way.

That way he will always have to be conscious of what is happening around him, and unlike my mother, he will not accidentally kill himself.

What did you think?

You think I do what I do because I derive pleasure from it?

I do.

I do derive some pleasure from it, the pleasure anyone feels when they succeed in something, when something they planned goes according to plan. So it hurts them. So it seems like a harsh way to deal with them. But when Yuki is capable of being so independent that he will fall for no trap, then my grand master plan will be complete.

I will not leave this world without protecting my family.

"What did you say?"

Shigure blinks and looks over at me. Clearly he didn't expect me to reply. He stares at me for a moment longer before smiling slightly; "I said I think Akito is sleeping."

"I'm not."

"I can see that . . . now . . ."

Rolling my good eye, I look around. He was right, I had fallen asleep. Someone else had joined us while I was dozing. Ritsu Souma. Ugh. One person who will never fit. No matter how much I try and try to make the idiot do something, he just will not do it. He's so useless. At least today, he's acting like a man. Actually dressed as one for once as well. I stare at him as he steps hesitantly closer, clutching a book in front of him. "Ah . . . Akito-sama . . ." He breathes in and closes his eyes, "Hatori-san mentioned that you weren't having many visitors during the day time . . ." He gulps, and clutches the book harder against his small chest, "I thought perhaps you would like for me to read to you for a bit . . ."

I stare at him as if he's gone insane.

"Why?"

His eyes open, and he stares at me. "I thought . . ."

"You thought?" I begin, my voice is raspy, "That's a first, isn't it?"

Pain flashes across his features before he drops his head. Maybe he's crying. Whoops.

Ayame looks incensed; he blinks with his strange golden eyes rapidly before turning on me. "One would have thought you'd be grateful, since no one else wants to visit you!"

My eyes widened. Then narrowed as I stared at his back. The humming bird turned to leave; Shigure's hand darts out to capture his wrist tightly. Ayame doesn't turn, and therefore doesn't see the look that Hatori and Shigure see. The look on my face as I glare at him for the insult. The look that told them both another mistake from him would result in my full fury. Not that I could do much . . .

Ayame wrenches his arm from Shigure; "Suck up to him all you like!" Ayame tossed his pretty silver tresses. I'll cut them off, first chance I get. He glared at me with unique gold irises. I'll spill ink in them. He opened his mouth to say something more, then thought better of it. He left. I lay there thinking of all the things I would do when I could get up. I have an oriental blade at home, stainless and decorated. It's still sharp, even though it's never been used.

I'll slice his throat open.

"Leave."

My anger strains my voice. My throat burns as I growl at them, "Leave!" Shigure glances at Hatori, and touches Ritsu with his fan. The three hesitantly turn to leave. Ritsu pauses, pausing too long for my liking so I reach out and grab the glass of water off the table. I throw it at them . . . weakly, the glass doesn't even break.

Shigure is out the door. Hatori glances back to check I haven't hurt myself before joining his best friends.

The useless monkey stops and turns. He instantly picks up the glass, and holds it. "I'll get you another glass, Akito-sama."

I close my eyes and lie back, the effort has exhausted me, and pain in my arm where a needle or two have moved slightly brings a horrible metal taste to my mouth. I breathe for a moment, aware that he's still standing there waiting for my order.

"You do that."

The door closes quietly and I try to order my thoughts while I wait for him to return. I forgot to ask Shigure to find out about my China Doll. How irritating.

The door opens a short while later, and Ritsu returns with a tray. He places it carefully on a desk, and pours water into the glass. He walks over and pauses before he sets it down. "Akito-sama?"

I look at him, trying to tell him without using my tired voice to go away.

He winces slightly before looking down, his voice is muffled as he speaks. "Akito-sama, I . . . I . . . I want to. . ."

"Lift your head!" I finally snap, I can't stand him babbling. "Stop speaking so quietly."

His head snaps up, and he doesn't quite meet my eye.

"Why are you here?" I ask, reaching for the glass, but falling short. He notices, and lifts the glass to my lips so I can sip. I stare at his hand as I drink. They are so small for a man, pale and smooth. I detest him for it.

The glass is set down with a quiet chink and he draws a quiet breath.

"I . . . was there, Akito-sama, when you were run over . . ." He swallows, "I could have warned you . . ."

Oh, for crying out loud.

Is he going to get hysterical? Am I going to have to lie here and listen to him bemoan the fact that everything that's ever gone wrong with my life has ultimately come down to him. Because if he does, I'm going to call the nurse to have him sedated . . . or better, me sedated, so I don't have to listen to him.

". . . I'm sorry."

I stare at him with my good eye, waiting for the rest of it. There is none. He gets up, and picks up some of the food. Is he going to feed me?

I stare at him for a long moment, as he offers a grape to me.

"That's it?"

"I know there is nothing I can do, but try and make you as comfortable as possible as you recover."

I stare at him again, "Why aren't you begging for my forgiveness?"

"Because . . ."

He pauses, ah . . . this is why I'm not getting the full Ritsu-Hysterics. He looks up at me, and lowers the grape. "Because the moment of distraction was worth it . . ." he looks away, unable to hold my gaze much longer, "I found someone I want to say 'I was born to be with you' . . ."

I'm fairly proud of myself. For an invalid, I think I responded remarkably well.

My left eyelid twitched slightly. More like a flutter of eyelashes.

Aside from that, I didn't reach out and hurt him as much as I wanted to.

He was in love. So what? The damned useless monkey did not matter to my grand scheme of things therefore as long as he didn't disrupt any of my other plans, he could do whatever he wanted.

"Who is it?"

"I'm not sure." Ritsu stared hard into his lap, clearly intimidated without his costume and make up. "I only saw him for a moment before you were run over."

"Was it the driver?"

"No."

He glared at him for a moment longer, "Will you see this mysterious person again?"

The reply was soft, and for a moment I could almost feel happy for Ritsu. The feeling in his voice as he admitted it.

"Perhaps."  

~Silly faces for every sad one you wear

Willing arms for every time your knees fail you

One shoulder for every tear~

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And now It's Time To LEAVE IT TO DOCTOR MEGALOMANIA!!!

DrM: How's it going? Still interested?! Let me know, drop me a review!!