Disclaimer : I own nix, nought, nothing, for this story is based on the characters and situations of Fruits Basket created and owned by Takaya Natsuki.
******
Chapter 2. An Outsider's Night
Neatly on top of an old, white tablecloth was a wooden box. It was not big, nor was it small, just slightly bigger than his own hand. But as Kyo squinted his eyes, he could just make out a group of words engraved roughly on its side:
SOHMA - 1843
Kyo felt his lips curl into a small smile; a smile that indicated victory and slight doubt. "Gotcha." he whispered, to nobody in particular. He approached the box with much vehemence, slowly picked it up, and blew the dust off its surface, throwing him into a sudden coughing fit.
Kyo could see the box much clearly now under the little sunlight that discreetly entered the crammed attic. It was very dusty and very old, and he rubbed the inside of his palm across the surfaces to clean it up a bit. He brought it up closer to his face, squinted his eyes and observed it in a closer range:
This wooden box, was an ordinary rectangular-shaped one with no fancy carvings whatsoever and tied crosswise around it by several bitten-looking strings -- clearly the opposite of what Kyo had imagined it to be. It was not the kind that makes you turn around for a second look, nor was it the kind that would sell for a high price if it were placed in an auction. In fact, it was the kind you would most likely throw away for looking too damn dull. It certainly does not look like a priceless antique that should be kept in secrecy inside a closed attic, and it made Kyo wonder why, a man full of pride and riches like Akito, would even think of keeping such a plain-looking object.
Its simplicity made Kyo question himself; is this truly the box he has been looking for? Could the real box be hidden someplace else? Could this be one of Akito's many pitfalls to lure him in, just like what Yuki was suspicious of? Or.. or had he just been stupid enough to believe some outrageously far-fetched dream?
Kyo paused.
Was it really the dream he should be dubious of? It always gave him a feeling of strange unease. Although where this unease originated, he couldn't have said. And something about the box, too, troubled him, niggling at the back of his mind, something, he knew, that would not let him rest until he had sorted it out.
That's why you want it
Oh.. really?
You wanted it the moment you saw it, touched it. You know what it is; your past, present, future. You can't walk away from it.
That's really quite true, thought Kyo. "I don't think I'm wrong.." He took a deep breath and raised his shirt to sneak the box under it and --
"My, my. Seems like I forgot to bell a certain kitty." said a low, cool voice from the doorway.
Kyo spun around in a panic blur. It was Akito, standing in the doorway and leaning against the jamb in a relaxed manner. In the dim light he could not clearly see his face, but he realized that he was frowning. "Stealing, are you?"
"It's not what it seems," Kyo said quickly, his eyes wide with astonishment. But to his horror, he realized Akito was right. He really was about to steal the box. He, himself, couldn't understand what possesed him to do that. "I-I can explain, Akito."
"Yes, please do." Akito was examining his fingernails with a bored sort of expression.
Kyo darted his eyes around the room, his mind searching for words. "Well, I - I was -"
"Oh, Kyo. Why?" cut in Akito with a breath of exasperation, "Why did you even think of stealing from me? I would have given it to you if you merely asked."
"You would? But I wasn't -"
"I have been nothing but nice to you, Kyo." continued Akito, his voice like poisoned honey. "I welcomed you into my house when everyone shunned you, I let you drink my tea when others would throw it at you, yet you still have the audacity to break into one of my private rooms like this. Kyo, how could you?"
"I did not break in! The door was unlocked!"
Akito shook his head, "Kyo-kun, Kyo-kun. Sometimes I feel sorry for you. You are too stupid for your own benefits. Where were you when they were handing out brains? Did you get stuck in the crowd for having a little too much brawn?" he chuckled dryly at his own remark, "Even with that much brawn you're still unable to beat Yuki. Look at yourself, letting your strength go to waste like that. You're a failure and a pathetic one at that. You're a pathetic, box-stealing failure. You're a pitiful monster and you know it."
At this point, Kyo seriously felt like saying something rude and do something disrespectful. He clenched his fists and tried to focus on his feet with trapped fury. Yet despite his anger, even he could not go against Akito's words. Akito had some kind of unseen force over him and the others in the jyuunishi, and that was the plain truth, wether Kyo liked it or not. They were his puppets, and as long as his unbreakable chains still binded them, they could never get away from him. If they defied him, it would be like starting a war between four walls. It would be a war against themselves, and they would lose.
Kyo dropped the box in his hands and it fell onto the floor with a loud thud. Then he said this very slowly, as if the words were being dragged out of his mouth, "Listen, I wasn't even going to take it. It's worthlessly empty so it's no use for me, or for anybody else I know. Forgive me for barging in without your permission, Akito-san. You'll never see me in here again, ever. I can promise you that."
He stalked towards the door, past Akito, and onto the porch. He was in the middle of turning around the first corner when he heard Akito's voice again, calling his name.
"Oh, but Kyo," His voice was gentle, but loudly enough for Kyo to hear him. "What makes you think the box is empty?"
Kyo's shoulder tensed at the words and he stopped, "What?"
"What did you feel when you held it in your hand, Kyo? Was it light? Or was it heavy? Do you not feel anything inside it? You might think it is empty, but you don't know that for sure do you? Not unless you open it. You need to open it, before it's too late for you. You know that, don't you? It's been in your nightmares - the ones you can't even remember. You wanted it the moment you saw it, touched it.. it is what you are."
He turned and stared at him. Suddenly, everything was like a jigsaw puzzle that came into place, piece by piece. "You know," he grounded out. "You know something. What do you know about this? What do you want with me?"
"With you? No, Kyo. Not with you. Not everything is about you, the monster. You just happened to be the one who started it."
Kyo looked horrified. "I started what?"
Akito gave out a delighted laugh. "You really want to know? I'm sorry." he said brightly, "That's highly confidential."
"Highly confidential? What do you mean highly confidential?" Kyo demanded. His face had turned into the colour of angry red and it was obvious that he was struggling hard to restrain himself from lunging at Akito. "Stop tempting me with your empty lies! If you know something then why don't you bloody tell me!? Tell me!"
The smile on Akito's face melted away. "How dare you," he said, his eyes flashing angrily and his voice, they were shrill with tension. "How dare you! You shouldn't speak to me in that manner. You must be raving mad to do so!"
"God damn it, I am not! I'm just asking for some bloody answers and you're not giving me a hint of it!"
Without any change in his expression, Akito took a few steps towards Kyo, and slapped him hard across the face. The sound of skin whipping on skin pitched loudly in the still atmosphere. "You force me to hurt you." he hissed.
Kyo put his hand on his reddened cheek, "Ouch." he said tonelessly.
Akito ignored him and looked at his hand as if it had betrayed him. "Tch. How disgusting." he said, wiping it against his robes. He raised his head and glared at Kyo. "I swear I'll never touch you again."
Kyo parted his lips to speak something back, then sounds of sudden footsteps came from the hall, and they both stopped and turned to stare. Hatori came around the corner, his face flushed from the cold, and his eyes looked inexpicably tired. But they sparked off a sudden alertness when he saw Kyo and Akito in front of him, glaring at each other.
"Akito?" Hatori's face was slightly confused, and his eyes darted to Kyo. "Kyo? Shigure's been looking for you. Why are you here with Akito? Is something wrong?"
"Yes Hatori, something is wrong." Akito said coldly, before Kyo had the chance to open his mouth. "Something is wrong with the monster here, and I think he should have a taste of his future life. Yes, yes. Since he seems to like it so much, he can spend the night in this attic by himself. It will be locked, of course, from the outside. And don't bother to bring along his bag and belongings in here, because he won't be needing it. Throw it away, or burn it. It doesn't matter."
"Hey!" exclaimed Kyo, "You can't just - "
"Be quiet, you foul creature." Akito spat savagely.
Hatori had remained still, silent and unmoving. His eyes went from Akito to Kyo, and back again. "And his room?" he flatly asked, "I've already prepared him a room to stay in alongside with Shigure's and -"
"Then he can forget about that room." snapped Akito, "No room of mine is going to be inhabited by this monster. I say he stays here for the night, and what I say, goes. Do you understand, Hatori?"
A prolonged silence passed before Hatori nodded wearily, "Very well, Akito. I understand."
"Good." he turned and walked away from them, turned a corner and out of sight.
Once Akito was gone, Hatori immediately rushed to Kyo's side. "Let me see your wrist, I want to know how bad your burns are." he said stiffly. Although still dazed and confused - and almost forgetting the outcome of his previous dream that had marked his arm - Kyo held out his hand and let Hatori examine the skin under his beads. It prickled painfully and Hatori frowned as he took a closer look to it. "First-degree burn."
"I know," said Kyo irritably, "You told me."
"And I know did, but how did you get this? It goes all the way around your wrist. It's almost impossible to - "
"Hatori," Kyo said in a voice that forced the other man to look at him sharply, "You're really going to lock me inside that room, aren't you?"
Hatori paled and avoided his gaze. When he spoke, his voice was swift. "This is something I have to do."
"I know why you do." Kyo said quietly, and Hatori let go of his hand, looking taken aback. "I mean, y-you can't help being like this. Akito is.. God of the jyuunishi. You don't rebel against your God. Nobody does, unless you want to fall from grace and be the devil's advocate. It's sinful and it's unforgivable. Even I, the outcast of the jyuunishi, am driven to feel that way."
"Kyo, even though you're a jyuunishi outcast, you are luckier. Akito will never affect you the way he affects the other jyuunishi. As much as he'd want to tear you apart, he'll always tear you less. I understand you've always wanted to be in the inner circle, but-"
"Don't," Kyo snapped. "Whatever you were going to say, don't say it." He put his hand on the door, pushed it aside, and stepped inside. He did not look back. "I'm very sorry, Kyo." Hatori said from behind. He really did sound sorry.
"Yeah, whatever."
And as the door closed behind him, Kyo heard it lock.
**
The night seemed so long. Kyo stretched his hands and feet on the floor of the attic and yawned. Doing nothing for hours made him feel more tired than ever before. The attic was cramped and small and smelly and it was much much more than 'just a little dusty', so it may not be the best place to sleep in, although he had undoubtedly tried. He had tossed and turned and even curled up like a cat, yet peaceful sleep did not come to him.
Perhaps it was because of his habit to sleep in the dark, and the room was not entirely dark - the bright garden lights from outside had lit the room through the thin layer of the sliding door with a faint bluish glow, like a child's night light, only brighter. It wasn't a blinding light, but bright enough for Kyo to see some of the Sohma artifacts that hid in the corners of the room. He could even see a huge worn-out hole in the edge of the sliding door that he never really noticed before. So he huddled in the farthest end of the room, where the light could not touch him.
Kyo sat upright with his knees up. He was thinking about how hungry he was right now, and knowing Akito, he would prepare the most extravagant dishes one could ever imagine. He had never been to any of his dinners, but he's heard stories of them. From Shigure, Momiji, the other jyuunishi… and his mother of course.
He rubbed the back of his hands across his tired eyes and closed them. Thinking about his mother pained him in a way he could not explain. It was different from other sorts of pains. He shut his eyes harder, as if trying to squeeze the pain out as he waited for himself to fall asleep..
Crack
Kyo snapped his eyes open. He rolled over and crouched near the door, looking very alert despite his current weariness. Then he heard it again, a tiny crack from just outside the door. Someone was obviously outside. Maybe Yuki, Kyo thought. That kuso nezumi, sneaking for a fight and thinking I'm asleep! "Who's there?" he called out.
No answer came.
No verbal answer, that is. But at his call, the garden lights reflected a figure - female - moving in front of the sliding door like a shadow puppet and into his view. At first, Kyo thought the lights were playing tricks on him. But he could see the familiar shape of her dimly through the thin layer; her narrow and slender frame, her arm holding something basket-shaped, her long legs kneeling down before him. He recognized each and every part of her.
But she couldn't be here, thought Kyo. It couldn't be her. She couldn't possibly. If Akito ever saw her here…
"Who's there?" he called out again.
"It's me, Tohru." said the sillouhette, confirming Kyo's assumption, and he groaned in response. "I'm sorry Kyo-kun.. did I wake you up?"
"I wasn't even sleeping," Kyo answered automatically, "Although I need it - but that's not the point! What the hell are you doing here? Don't tell me you sneaked out of your room just to check on me!"
"Actually. I did."
"And that's stupid!" snapped Kyo ferociously, knowing he was being hysterical but didn't feel able to stop. "What if somebody sees you? What if Akito sees you!?"
"I do hope nobody does. I'm so worried, Kyo-kun. I really wanted to keep you company, and I.. I couldn't let you stay here all alone."
Kyo had nothing to say to that. "Fine," he muttered, suddenly feeling grateful that the door was there to block him from Tohru's view so she couldn't see him blush. "Do whatever you want. But don't blame me when someone sees you!"
"Oh, I won't! Thank you for letting me stay! And erh, you don't need to tell me what happened if you don't want to because Hatori-san told us everything."
He snorted. "What's his side of the story?"
"Well, he didn't give us the whole details, but he basically told us that you made Akito-san mad, and he was forced to lock you up in this room as your punishment. Yuki-kun thinks Kyo-kun must've done something really bad because Akito-san looked quite intense, up until dinner."
"You're making it sound as if I'm the one to blame!" said Kyo angrily.
Tohru's shadow cowered slightly. "Oh! I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean that.."
An uncomfortable silence fell between them.
Kyo cursed himself for sounding so harsh, and when he spoke again, his voice softened. "No, don't be sorry." he said, "It was my fault from the beginning. I was the one who trespassed his stupid attic. I deserved that slap."
Tohru was silent for a while, as if shocked. It almost took a whole minute to snap her out of her trance. "Akito-san.. slapped you?" she finally said, "Kyo-kun, are you hurt?"
"Of course not! What were you thinking?"
She exhaled, as if letting out the breath she had been holding earlier. "Oh, thank goodness. That's very good to hear. How are you feeling?"
Kyo thought for a while. "Hungry."
"Oh? Oh yes, of course, I did bring some food here with me.."
"You did?" Kyo crawled closer to the door. It turned out that the basket she was carrying really was a picnic basket, and it was so big he reckoned it must be full of her homemade food. He watched her drag it closer to her and open the lid. "Well, at least something smells good."
"Really? I actually thought that Kyo-kun would be hungry, see, for not having to eat anything since morning.."
"Yeah, I'm famished. What did you bring?"
"Err.. I have some tea, sandwiches, dango, onigiri, apples, dry biscuits.."
Kyo made a face. "I said I was hungry, not pregnant!"
Tohru burst out laughing, "I'm so relieved, Kyo-kun, if you can make jokes then it means that you're all right."
"I was not making jokes and I'm not all right. I'm just around the edge of starving to death for being locked up without food!"
Her hand shot up to her face. "Yes. You are locked up." she said, as if she had just realized it. "And - and - oh my, how am I supposed to give you the food? Oh, how clumsy of me! How could I not think of that? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to tempt you with empty hopes, it was stupid of me to not think of it before. I can't break the door down - I'm not that strong and Akito-san would surely get mad at me."
"Yes, he would. Which explains why I haven't tried to get out yet. But don't worry. We'll think of something," assured Kyo, scanning the room with his eyes. He noticed something. "Oh hey, look over on your right. There's a small crack near the edge of the door. Hand me an onigiri through that hole. Maybe if I eat enough of them I won't mind being shut up in this stinky room so much."
Tohru smiled. Kyo could actually hear her smiling. "Okay!" she said, and did what she was told.
**
Akito was eavesdropping.
Which is quite strange, because he was never much of a listener. He had always been the one who talked while his people listened around him. Or when he really had to eavesdrop, he would make someone else do that for him, but he never does it himself. This listening, eavesdropping job was never the best career for him, yet he is doing it now.
Perhaps it was because he knew this would happen: the monster and Honda Tohru.
He had always thought that Honda Tohru had some kind of bizarre love triangle between Yuki and the monster, although it was an innocent one. But he never thought she would choose the monster over the rat. She must be mad to do so, or her taste in men are just crude. Or maybe it was merely pity. Yes, that must be it. Pity. Everyone pities the cat. Even he, the Clan Head, comes to pity that monster once in a while. Because he was pitiful.
Akito watched Honda Tohru's hand shoot up to her face, as if she had just realized something. "Oh my," she was saying, "How am I supposed to give you the food? Oh, how clumsy of me!"
And you are, thought Akito coldly. You are clumsy and beyond that. You are imbecilic and you are selfish.
He watched more of her as she smiled at the sliding door and held her hands together as if praying. "Do you like it?" he heard her ask the cat hopefully.
"It's okay." the cat said, and Honda Tohru sighed with relief.
Akito grimaced at the scene. They were dull. Her gestures were dull, and the sight of her talking to his monster like that made him feel sick inside. It all appeared to him as irreverent faults, and there were too much of these faults. Too much of them. He didn't know wether he could stand seeing another minute of her sickly kindness. It's all fake, he thought angrily. She's fake. How dare she come to my family and give them empty hopes. How dare she think that she can lift the family curse. She is fake, she is full of lies.
Nausea rose up in the back of Akito's throat. He could not take it anymore.
"You," he bellowed at Tohru, marching out from behind the wall that had concealed him. "Step away from there, right now!"
Everything happened so very fast after that. Tohru's eyes went radically wide in terror at the sight of Akito and he pushed her away so violently that her frail body crashed onto the thin paper screen door, smashing it in an instant. The hole that he made revealed a stricken-looking Kyo from behind the unruly mess who kneeled down at once and cradled Tohru by her head.
"Oy.." Kyo said, his voice cracking fearfully. "Tohru?"
"I'm okay." said Tohru, and she sat up - she tried to, but she winced when she did. "I'm okay." she said again, although this time it was more to herself, as if trying to convince herself.
Kyo raised his head and glared at the man in front of him. "Akito!"
Akito felt strangely grateful towards Kyo who kept his clenched fists at his side, and his eyes on him. He knew the cat wasn't planning on doing a thing. He was far too cowardly for that. "Did I hurt your girl, Kyo?"
"I think 'hurt' is underrated." he said through his teeth.
"No, it is not. Look at her," Akito gestured a hand in her direction. "She's already trying to stand up. See? She's pretending to be strong. Pretending, like she always does. Don't you see how fake she is?"
Kyo glanced back to Tohru to see that Akito was right. Tohru was half-standing already, her right hand holding her neck and her other hand against a wall, supporting her weight. "Hey, don't force yourself!" he said to the girl.
Akito gave out a quiet laugh. He was enjoying everything.
"You can't do this, Akito." said Kyo, his eyes not leaving Tohru. "She wasn't doing anything wrong! She was -"
Akito had decided that he was having no more of this little 'talks', so he grabbed Kyo by the ruff of his shirt and striked him squarely on the jaw.
"I'm not stupid, cat," he said with cold menace, now holding Kyo by his hair. "You think you can trick everyone by playing weak? You sly little cat with your sick angry eyes, what else dirty schemes do you have up your sleeves? Coming inside my house looking like you own it! Breaking into my room without permission! Tricking Honda Tohru into bringing you food!!"
"No, Akito-san! Kyo-kun didn't -"
"Silence!!" shouted Akito, then he turned back to Kyo. With his hand still clenched tight to his hair, Akito jerked him up roughly so they were at eye level. "If I had known she would bring you food from MY kitchen I'd have the chef poison it!"
"But it's not -"
Akito shot her a look of purest hatred. "What did I say to you, stupid girl!" he said acidly.
Tohru looked as if she was going to burst into tears, but didn't. Akito was disappointed. He rather expected she did.
"Please, leave her alone.." came Kyo's choked voice from under Akito's grasp. He sounded so childish and so vulnerable, that Akito felt the need to let out a cruel snicker. "Please.. Akito.. she hasn't done anything. Please, leave her.."
"Oh, listen to yourself. You sound so weak, so pathetic. But you will not talk back to me, Kyo. You shouldn't. Or were you merely trying to show your mettle in front of your dearest Tohru-san? She may admire that. I don't. You need punishment."
"No, I don't.." Kyo uttered abruptly, but his voice was weak.
Akito frowned at him, "With that attitude you will lose, Kyo. You wait and see. In the end, it is I who will have the last laugh. In the end, you'll be locked up for the rest of your lifetime. But don't worry, I will visit you. I will be your most constant visitor so that you will never be lonely. You may be a revolting monster, Kyo, but you're my monster. Mine. And I care for what's mine."
"You say things like they're over," said Kyo heatedly, "Well it's not. It's not over. It's far from over! I still have time till graduation. I'll prove it to you! I'll beat that bastard Yuki with my own hands! I'll show you that I can win, over Yuki, and even over a person like you!"
"Try."
With full force, he slammed Kyo's head to the floor and the ground beneath him reverberated as if a land mine had gone off underneath it. He kicked him squarely in the ribs, and Tohru emitted a horrified cry, placing her hands on her pale face. Akito glanced at her from the corner of his eye and saw that she was shivering in fright, her face a white mask of astonishment, and her eyes, they were filled with regretable tears.
Akito smirked, feeling a bleak of triumph. He darted his eyes, from Kyo's bloodstained face, to Tohru's frightened one, and felt a sick joyfulness throbbing inside his chest.
It will start now, he thought delightedly. It will start now.
**
"Kyo-kun.."
"You noisy brat, look what you've done to him!"
"Akito-san, please -"
It hurts.
Kyo clawed the solid material beneath his hand, and felt wood. The wood was damp, he thought, it smelled like something.. something familiar, but also unfamilliar. He had smelled that scent somewhere.. a horrible stench.. and overwhelming.. he remembered breathing too much of it.. too much of it. He sat up so fast his head spun. He put a hand on his face and felt something liquid running free from the tip of his head.
Blood.
This smell. So he had smelled blood. He was.. bleeding? He raised his head, wincing, and stared at the figure looking down at him. He had such dark eyes.. dark, tragic eyes that showed no trust for anyone.. Akito?
"Oh, oh my. My monster, what happened?" Akito said, and Kyo thought his voice seemed so liquid, as if he was listening from underwater. "Who did this to you? You are hurt and your face is bleeding, but I won't touch you now. You have such red eyes. Your blood matches perfectly with it."
Ah, yes.. he remembered Akito plunging his head onto the wooden floor. He tried to stand up, but his legs did not seem to obey him. He felt a raging hatred for himself for being so weak at critical times. This is why he wanted to be strong.. this is why he wanted to beat Yuki.. this is why he shouldn't come to Shigure's house in the first place..
Maybe Akito was right. He has wasted too much of his strength..
A loud sob snapped Kyo out of his trance. He squinted, and saw Tohru, on the floor and curling against the wall with her hands covering her ears. Akito was in front of her, shouting at her with words he could barely hear - the world seem to spin on him, and the voices spun around with him.
"… this is your fault! Remember that, it's your fault! You can't lift the curse off us. You're stupid to think that you can!"
"I-I'm sorry.. but please, Akito-san.. Kyo-kun needs help.."
Tohru.
"Don't," Kyo heard himself say, and Akito rounded on him, startled. "Don't say that to her.. don't do anything.."
"But Kyo, it is because of her you are like this." his voice suddenly seemed close-by, and Kyo realized that Akito was already standing at his side. "You are hurt and pained, you do not understand - ah, Hatori. You came just in time."
"Akito! Kyo!" Kyo flinched at the mention of his name. This was someone else's voice.. no, not Hatori.. Shigure.. he slowly turned away from Akito and saw three blurs standing in the dark. Hatori, Shigure, and..
Argh.. kuso nezumi.
Yuki was standing with a look of utmost horror on his pale face, which grew paler in a quick instant. Shigure.. Shigure ran past him, and held Akito back from lunging at Tohru.. but Hatori.. he was wearing an expression that meant entirely something else.. as if he was reminiscing something.. replaying something in his mind.. over and over.. and over.. and over..
"Kyo,"
Kyo blinked, and saw Hatori bending over him. "Yeah.. what?"
"Can you stand up?"
He nodded, "I'll try."
He felt Hatori hold him gently by his arm, "Lean on me if you want to," Hatori said, and Kyo did. After what seemed like hours of trying, Kyo finally stood up, though still wobbly on the knees. "Thanks," Kyo said.
Hatori nodded meekly, "Can you walk?"
"Yeah, sort of.."
"Now can you walk back to Shigure's house, Kyo?" asked Hatori, and Kyo's eyes widened.
"What!?" he shouted, and he jerked back from Hatori with an alarming strength, ripping his own shirt where Hatori had held him. "You're kicking me out!?"
Hatori looked amazed. "All of a sudden you can walk now?"
"You're kicking me out!?"
Now Hatori looked bewildered. "It's not what you think. See for yourself what Akito is like now, and your head - it's bleeding. Remember to cleanse your wound when you get home. But here, you're not safe. I knew something bad would happen, I couldn't have agreed on this in the first place if it wasn't Akito who asked me. Listen to me."
Kyo steadied himself, and stepped forward. "But, Hatori. I -"
"Go on now," Hatori cut in, his voice deep and rushed, as if desperate to end to conversation. "I'll come over in the morning to treat your wounds, but for now, you will go."
Kyo glanced uneasily at Tohru, and as if reading his mind, Hatori added, "Honda-kun will be fine. I will treat her myself. She will be safe here, but you won't. Go now."
Weakly, Kyo nodded. As Hatori drove him to the front gates, Kyo looked over his shoulder, trying to get a last glimpse of the house, his cousins and Tohru.
But his visions were blurred, and he could not see clearly. He saw a large, dark blob that looked like Shigure, holding a struggling Akito back, and another blob - Yuki, maybe - his hand on Tohru who was crying, trying to comfort her. He saw a glimpse of Hatori's anxious face, his hand on his shoulder, ushering him out, and then a distant echo of Akito's enigmatic voice: See you at New Year's, before the wide wooden gates closed entirely in his face.
**
Kyo did not know how long he had been walking, being silent and blind to everything else around him. When he finally raised his head, he was already standing in the front lawn of Shigure's house. He glanced up at the windows. It was dark and lonely, and no one was obviously inside. He took out the keys and unlocked the door, and went inside.
Blindly, Kyo stalked upstairs to his room, tossed his bag away and dropped himself on the tatami floor. His head didn't hurt that much now, although the bleeding didn't seem to stop. He was losing conciousness at each passing minute, and there was nothing he could do now but ponder on the horrible things that happened to him throughout the day.
He was kicked out. Being kicked out was on familiar grounds with him, as the outcast of the family. There were times when he was often led to the exit at family dinners or asked to leave from certain gatherings, but it was never quite so literal like this. And not only that he was kicked out, but he was kicked out in front of Tohru and Yuki. That rat boy would make a laughing stock out of him, he would never let him forget it. He might be laughing at him silently the whole time.
Very slowly, he rolled over to his uninjured side and suddenly stopped. He sat up quickly. He could not believe at what he just saw.
It can't be.
It was the box, still as ordinary as ever but thoroughly complete and perfect with the ancient engravement on its side. He remembered dropping it on the floor of the attic, and then kicking it away from sight when he was bored.
But he did not remember putting it in his room.
..you can't run away from it..
He reached out and touched the box's surface. It was dusty no more and amazingly clean, as if someone had cleaned it thoroughly with soap. He picked it up and read the carved alphabets.
"Sohma.. 1843." he voiced aloud. Kyo wondered, "What happened in 1843?"
.. it is what you are.
Then it happened so suddenly; Kyo felt a searing emotional pain that wasn't his own, surging along him like a sudden tidal wave, and closing his eyes to shut himself from it didn't work. The feeling was much worse than physical pain, and Kyo'd trade the pain engulfing him now anytime with the pain he received from Akito.
He hurt as though he felt betrayal, and it tore inside him knowing that he could never trust another man again. He hurt as though he saw his loved ones die, and he grieved inwardly knowing that he'd failed to protect them. Revenge filled him and he cursed those who let his loved ones die in pain. He will have his revenge. Eventually, he will.
But this is not my pain, Kyo realised. It was as if someone used his body like a medium and pained through him, sharing its every agonies and every drop of vengeance with him.
Suddenly the pain drifted away as quickly as it had come, and Kyo felt an eerie coldness closing around him like a dark shroud, and something went out. Like another presence, basking inside him, resting peacefully in his wakefulness.
When he opened his eyes, the box was already open.
Time runs fast..
******
Thank you for reading! Yup, I revised the whole thing. Not much revision done really, but I added some parts and conversations that will be very important in future chapters. And what inspired me to suddenly revise this old fic? I finished the whole plot, of course! Yayness! ^^
Please, do tell me what you think of the changes. Review!
PS. Watch out for the next chappie - out some time this week! Cheerios. =X
