Disclaimer: I do not own Fruit Baskets or the characters I'm abusing in
this story. I get no money (the more's my grief). If you intend to sue, all
I can give you is a Snickers wrapper and an overdo term paper. Oh, you
don't think the Snicker's company is going to sue me now, do you??? :-(
Lastly, the words are mine. Please don't take them from me!
The little girl shifted, feeling her silk kimono smooth against her heels. Her hair fell around her face, hiding her _expression from the world. The hallway of the grand main house was dark with night. Sounds from the bedroom were beginning to frighten her, she was sure the man was hurting Mommy! But, Mommy had said the sounds were good sounds. They were sounds of money and good food and shelter and nice clothes. She loved her mommy but she hated going to work with her.
*********
Yuki glanced in the mirror and straightened his tie. He could hear Kyou stomping down the staircase and in the back of his mind rolled the words around, "stupid cat, stupid cat, stupid cat." He pressed his forehead against the glass and shut his eyes, sighing.
"Yuki-kun? Breakfast!" Tohru was cheerful as ever. The thought of her suddenly sent a warmth to his legs. It bothered him, though, these new and intense sensations. It was pleasure and longing like he'd never felt before. Never experienced until these recent months.
Was it love? Did he love Tohru? No, he was too young, right? Right? Who falls in love, finds their soul mate at sixteen? Then, was it just hormones? That seemed too simple to fit, too short in the sleeves and to add to that, he didn't like the thought. He sighed. It was too early to be this confused and his morning stupor still held a heavy grip on his brain.
"Yuki-kun?" She was at his door now. "Yuki-kun, are you feeling well?" He opened the door. Her large eyes were filled with concern, her open face plainly revealing her every emotion. His smile was soft as he let himself swim in her azure gaze.
"I'm fine."
*********
Shigura kneeled at the table where everyone else was already eating. They looked up, only to find the usual laughing _expression sobered.
"Yuki-" The Dog started, paused, and began again. "Yuki, Akito wishes to see you this afternoon."
There was a long silence. Yuki stared at Shigura, trembling, his lips moving but there were no words. His chopsticks clattered onto his plate. Kyou looked at him, concerned for the Mouse in spite of himself. Tohru gasped, unsure how to comfort Yuki, how to protect him from this.
"N-no," Yuki stuttered. It was one thing to go with Shigura and Kyou to the Main House. It was one thing to go with others. But he knew that Akito was asking him to come alone and that was something completely different. No, Akito wasn't asking, he never asked. He was demanding Yuki come alone. "No," he said, a little bit firmer.
Shigura shook his head and turned his eyes to the table. "It's unavoidable."
"NO!" Yuki shouted. He stood up, but he wasn't sure which to choose, fight or flight. I came here to get away, he thought, I'm not going back there, I came here to get away from him! From that room!
Tohru finally decided to go with her instincts. She placed her hand gently on top of Yukis but he didn't seem to feel her, he didn't respond. It was as if his body was slowly going numb.
"You must." Shigura's face had never been so serious. You have to face him, Yuki.
"Please," he whispered, almost to himself, "please don't ask me." His grey hair covered his eyes, his head was bowed, already accepting his defeat.
If I could, Yuki, Shigura thought, frowning, if I could take that pain. Make it better. "You can't keep hiding, he gently advised his cousin. Yuki nodded. "You have to go, Yuki."
The little girl shifted, feeling her silk kimono smooth against her heels. Her hair fell around her face, hiding her _expression from the world. The hallway of the grand main house was dark with night. Sounds from the bedroom were beginning to frighten her, she was sure the man was hurting Mommy! But, Mommy had said the sounds were good sounds. They were sounds of money and good food and shelter and nice clothes. She loved her mommy but she hated going to work with her.
*********
Yuki glanced in the mirror and straightened his tie. He could hear Kyou stomping down the staircase and in the back of his mind rolled the words around, "stupid cat, stupid cat, stupid cat." He pressed his forehead against the glass and shut his eyes, sighing.
"Yuki-kun? Breakfast!" Tohru was cheerful as ever. The thought of her suddenly sent a warmth to his legs. It bothered him, though, these new and intense sensations. It was pleasure and longing like he'd never felt before. Never experienced until these recent months.
Was it love? Did he love Tohru? No, he was too young, right? Right? Who falls in love, finds their soul mate at sixteen? Then, was it just hormones? That seemed too simple to fit, too short in the sleeves and to add to that, he didn't like the thought. He sighed. It was too early to be this confused and his morning stupor still held a heavy grip on his brain.
"Yuki-kun?" She was at his door now. "Yuki-kun, are you feeling well?" He opened the door. Her large eyes were filled with concern, her open face plainly revealing her every emotion. His smile was soft as he let himself swim in her azure gaze.
"I'm fine."
*********
Shigura kneeled at the table where everyone else was already eating. They looked up, only to find the usual laughing _expression sobered.
"Yuki-" The Dog started, paused, and began again. "Yuki, Akito wishes to see you this afternoon."
There was a long silence. Yuki stared at Shigura, trembling, his lips moving but there were no words. His chopsticks clattered onto his plate. Kyou looked at him, concerned for the Mouse in spite of himself. Tohru gasped, unsure how to comfort Yuki, how to protect him from this.
"N-no," Yuki stuttered. It was one thing to go with Shigura and Kyou to the Main House. It was one thing to go with others. But he knew that Akito was asking him to come alone and that was something completely different. No, Akito wasn't asking, he never asked. He was demanding Yuki come alone. "No," he said, a little bit firmer.
Shigura shook his head and turned his eyes to the table. "It's unavoidable."
"NO!" Yuki shouted. He stood up, but he wasn't sure which to choose, fight or flight. I came here to get away, he thought, I'm not going back there, I came here to get away from him! From that room!
Tohru finally decided to go with her instincts. She placed her hand gently on top of Yukis but he didn't seem to feel her, he didn't respond. It was as if his body was slowly going numb.
"You must." Shigura's face had never been so serious. You have to face him, Yuki.
"Please," he whispered, almost to himself, "please don't ask me." His grey hair covered his eyes, his head was bowed, already accepting his defeat.
If I could, Yuki, Shigura thought, frowning, if I could take that pain. Make it better. "You can't keep hiding, he gently advised his cousin. Yuki nodded. "You have to go, Yuki."