Thank you again for having taken the time to read my fan fic, and also
thank you to those who have taken the time to review, and to have given me
valuable advice in my writing.
Aya Komodo thank you for pointing out that I forgot to explain the zap reference in the notations. I'll go back and get that added in on the previous chapter's notes. For now though I'll add it to this chapters note section. = )
Also, I thought it best for me just to mention that yes, pagans are just normal people living their lives doing the best they can just like everyone else, and as such they are also shaped by their experiences in life. One thing I've learnt is that being Pagan can often cause the same reaction as being homosexual. Hate is frequent, and the bullying is only to be expected. Silence is your greatest barrier and friend, keeping you safe but locked away from the world in one single stroke. Revelations will grant you a few friends, but hundreds of enemies. So you have to be very careful. It is something that must be decided by the individual as to what side of that coin they wish to have their life be.
Notes:
Zap: in F. Basket [English] in the first episode right after Tohru and Yuki walk to school they are surrounded by The Prince Yuki fan girl. Uo threatens them first, but they stand up to her, then Hanna goes next. Now they do bleep a lot of it out but she threatens to 'zap' them. Uo then tells Hanna don't actually zap anyone.
Futon: Japanese traditional bed.
Chapter 5: Promises
Adrian tried to open her eyes, but she was still too tired from earlier. So she lay their and listened to the sounds around her. The insects were humming cheerfully from outside, and she let the sounds envelope her.
Then she noticed a sound other than the insects.
It took a considerable amount of effort but at last she managed to open her eyes. The only light was from the few drops of moonlight cascading through the open window, but that was enough for her to know that she wasn't alone in the small room.
Akito was standing at the windowsill, his wakufu half falling from his shoulders, as he watched the night. Earlier she had been too afraid to notice anything about him except for how everyone was scared. Right now, though, all she had was the time.
His hair was dark and silky against his pale skin. The lines of his face were more than handsome, breathtaking was a better word, but the pain and the loneliness was clearly etched everywhere about him.
A small bird was sleeping quietly in the palm of his hand, and he let it. He didn't do anything. As he looked at it his face seemed to be a mixture of happiness and envy. Perhaps he longed for the same freedom that bird had? The freedom to live his life as he chose to soar through the sky unhindered.
Adrian knew that feeling very well, but like Akito she was tied to the earth. Though her wings were strong they could never give her the strength to fly away from the misery, or the pain. Watching him only reminded her of her own problems and shortcomings. There were things about herself that she had tried to hide for years from people but had never really been erased.
"You're awake?" She hadn't realized she had been discovered.
"Yes, how long was I asleep?"
Akito set the bird down gently in the windowsill. "You collapsed yesterday."
"You have tested to be sure Yuki is free from the curse right?"
Akito remained silent, as he thought about the woman lying in front of him.
"Is this normal?"
"Normal, do you mean Yuki?"
"Collapsing."
"Well, it wasn't unexpected, but it was my own fault."
Adrian's stomach began to rumble.
Akito left the room, only to return a few minutes later with some fruit.
"Eat it."
Adrian forced her self to sit up, even though her body refused to do so. Akito noticing her trouble kept his distance.
"You needed to see me break the curse. You needed to see it done right then, not when it would have been the easiest for me. So I drained myself a little more than I should have, to make a point. I'm serious. I can break your curse. Not just the juuinichi's but yours as well." She explained around the bites of fruit.
Akito was watching her silently across the room. Adrian could tell that he was tired both in body and in spirit. To her he seemed so frail, and alone, just like she had always been.
They weren't strong. They didn't have the strength to live with themselves, let alone to enjoy the things life gave. They were merely existing, and for what purpose? She'd always worn a mask of perfection in order to protect herself. Adrian wondered if his temper was his way of doing the same.
"I can't help myself but I can help you."
Adrian didn't mean to say the first part out loud, but she couldn't take it back. It was already done.
"Please let me."
For the first time Akito actually believed someone could do something. Hope though was a dangerous thing. It could hurt more when it was destroyed then when it had never been born, and yet there was something about her that made him want to believe in the possibility. Akito just didn't know what to do.
"You think you can break the whole curse? What makes you so sure?"
This was the type of question she would have found herself asking in his place. She couldn't help but smile.
Akito found her smile strange. How long had it been since he had seen someone smile like that? Let alone at him? He couldn't think of a time when that had happened. Everyone had always treated him with cold reverence. Joy and even happiness were complete strangers to him.
"I'm sure, because I've decided to protect someone." She thought back to the school, and of the junnichi living their lives. Momiji, Kyo, Haru, and Yuki, even the shop clerk whom she still didn't know the name of, and the one sitting across from her now. Akito's eyes which mirrored her own sadness. They all had good hearts, and didn't deserve to suffer. Yes she wanted to protect them. Nothing else seemed to matter, they may be strangers, but she wanted more than anything else to protect them, and to give them the freedom to fly free.
"To protect someone..." He didn't understand her at all. Still Adrian reminded him of Tohru, the other one he didn't understand, the only one who had ever managed to make him feel anything besides hatred to everyone else. Tohru had made him feel at least understood, and something about Adrian made him feel the same way.
"I'll want my futon back tomorrow." Akito walked over to where Adrian was. Reaching down to grab the bowl, that was half empty. Then his eyes met hers in an unbreakable stare. "I won't let you break your promise." Adrian felt a shiver run down her back, she wasn't sure if it was in pleasure at meeting his eyes or in fear over his words. Perhaps it was really a combination of them both. "I'll make arrangements for your things to be brought here to my home."
He wasn't going to let her be free, she was going to keep her promise she had just made. Still seeing her lay herself back down to go to sleep, her golden hair lightly glowing in the moonlight, spread out over his pillow...
Akito forced himself to look away. Walking out into the hallway, he assured himself that keeping her here was to make sure she kept her promise. Still, a small portion of his heart knew that something else was going on. He just didn't understand what this fascination was.
Still if she could free him...
Akito didn't realize it but he was smiling. Smiling because of what she said to him. Smiling because for once he actually believed someone could do it.
Chapter 6: A Morning's Work
Having Adrian living together with Akito is rather shocking for the Sohma clan, but due to Akito's decision, she is automatically accepted. Of course considering all the factors... who couldn't help but to wonder...
Aya Komodo thank you for pointing out that I forgot to explain the zap reference in the notations. I'll go back and get that added in on the previous chapter's notes. For now though I'll add it to this chapters note section. = )
Also, I thought it best for me just to mention that yes, pagans are just normal people living their lives doing the best they can just like everyone else, and as such they are also shaped by their experiences in life. One thing I've learnt is that being Pagan can often cause the same reaction as being homosexual. Hate is frequent, and the bullying is only to be expected. Silence is your greatest barrier and friend, keeping you safe but locked away from the world in one single stroke. Revelations will grant you a few friends, but hundreds of enemies. So you have to be very careful. It is something that must be decided by the individual as to what side of that coin they wish to have their life be.
Notes:
Zap: in F. Basket [English] in the first episode right after Tohru and Yuki walk to school they are surrounded by The Prince Yuki fan girl. Uo threatens them first, but they stand up to her, then Hanna goes next. Now they do bleep a lot of it out but she threatens to 'zap' them. Uo then tells Hanna don't actually zap anyone.
Futon: Japanese traditional bed.
Chapter 5: Promises
Adrian tried to open her eyes, but she was still too tired from earlier. So she lay their and listened to the sounds around her. The insects were humming cheerfully from outside, and she let the sounds envelope her.
Then she noticed a sound other than the insects.
It took a considerable amount of effort but at last she managed to open her eyes. The only light was from the few drops of moonlight cascading through the open window, but that was enough for her to know that she wasn't alone in the small room.
Akito was standing at the windowsill, his wakufu half falling from his shoulders, as he watched the night. Earlier she had been too afraid to notice anything about him except for how everyone was scared. Right now, though, all she had was the time.
His hair was dark and silky against his pale skin. The lines of his face were more than handsome, breathtaking was a better word, but the pain and the loneliness was clearly etched everywhere about him.
A small bird was sleeping quietly in the palm of his hand, and he let it. He didn't do anything. As he looked at it his face seemed to be a mixture of happiness and envy. Perhaps he longed for the same freedom that bird had? The freedom to live his life as he chose to soar through the sky unhindered.
Adrian knew that feeling very well, but like Akito she was tied to the earth. Though her wings were strong they could never give her the strength to fly away from the misery, or the pain. Watching him only reminded her of her own problems and shortcomings. There were things about herself that she had tried to hide for years from people but had never really been erased.
"You're awake?" She hadn't realized she had been discovered.
"Yes, how long was I asleep?"
Akito set the bird down gently in the windowsill. "You collapsed yesterday."
"You have tested to be sure Yuki is free from the curse right?"
Akito remained silent, as he thought about the woman lying in front of him.
"Is this normal?"
"Normal, do you mean Yuki?"
"Collapsing."
"Well, it wasn't unexpected, but it was my own fault."
Adrian's stomach began to rumble.
Akito left the room, only to return a few minutes later with some fruit.
"Eat it."
Adrian forced her self to sit up, even though her body refused to do so. Akito noticing her trouble kept his distance.
"You needed to see me break the curse. You needed to see it done right then, not when it would have been the easiest for me. So I drained myself a little more than I should have, to make a point. I'm serious. I can break your curse. Not just the juuinichi's but yours as well." She explained around the bites of fruit.
Akito was watching her silently across the room. Adrian could tell that he was tired both in body and in spirit. To her he seemed so frail, and alone, just like she had always been.
They weren't strong. They didn't have the strength to live with themselves, let alone to enjoy the things life gave. They were merely existing, and for what purpose? She'd always worn a mask of perfection in order to protect herself. Adrian wondered if his temper was his way of doing the same.
"I can't help myself but I can help you."
Adrian didn't mean to say the first part out loud, but she couldn't take it back. It was already done.
"Please let me."
For the first time Akito actually believed someone could do something. Hope though was a dangerous thing. It could hurt more when it was destroyed then when it had never been born, and yet there was something about her that made him want to believe in the possibility. Akito just didn't know what to do.
"You think you can break the whole curse? What makes you so sure?"
This was the type of question she would have found herself asking in his place. She couldn't help but smile.
Akito found her smile strange. How long had it been since he had seen someone smile like that? Let alone at him? He couldn't think of a time when that had happened. Everyone had always treated him with cold reverence. Joy and even happiness were complete strangers to him.
"I'm sure, because I've decided to protect someone." She thought back to the school, and of the junnichi living their lives. Momiji, Kyo, Haru, and Yuki, even the shop clerk whom she still didn't know the name of, and the one sitting across from her now. Akito's eyes which mirrored her own sadness. They all had good hearts, and didn't deserve to suffer. Yes she wanted to protect them. Nothing else seemed to matter, they may be strangers, but she wanted more than anything else to protect them, and to give them the freedom to fly free.
"To protect someone..." He didn't understand her at all. Still Adrian reminded him of Tohru, the other one he didn't understand, the only one who had ever managed to make him feel anything besides hatred to everyone else. Tohru had made him feel at least understood, and something about Adrian made him feel the same way.
"I'll want my futon back tomorrow." Akito walked over to where Adrian was. Reaching down to grab the bowl, that was half empty. Then his eyes met hers in an unbreakable stare. "I won't let you break your promise." Adrian felt a shiver run down her back, she wasn't sure if it was in pleasure at meeting his eyes or in fear over his words. Perhaps it was really a combination of them both. "I'll make arrangements for your things to be brought here to my home."
He wasn't going to let her be free, she was going to keep her promise she had just made. Still seeing her lay herself back down to go to sleep, her golden hair lightly glowing in the moonlight, spread out over his pillow...
Akito forced himself to look away. Walking out into the hallway, he assured himself that keeping her here was to make sure she kept her promise. Still, a small portion of his heart knew that something else was going on. He just didn't understand what this fascination was.
Still if she could free him...
Akito didn't realize it but he was smiling. Smiling because of what she said to him. Smiling because for once he actually believed someone could do it.
Chapter 6: A Morning's Work
Having Adrian living together with Akito is rather shocking for the Sohma clan, but due to Akito's decision, she is automatically accepted. Of course considering all the factors... who couldn't help but to wonder...