This is the last chapter that I will write before I go to A-Kon so enjoy. I have to many cosplay things to sew so I won't really have any time... not that I have any time during this last week either but you know... I'm also kind of hesitant to finish this story. Still it's got to be done. 'Sigh'

You know I love Fruits Basket, and I would definitely say Akito is my favorite bishonen from this show. I've never been able to think of him as being even a little bit of a villain, only as a victim of circumstances. If it were me who was going to die for everyone else I'd be ticked, especially if I hadn't been asked. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I am definitely an Akito fan girl!

Anyway I figure that there are around 4-5 chapters left in this story. I hope you enjoy the last few pieces of this story. As always, please review let me know what you think, and what I can improve on, even if I don't get it dealt with ASAP it will be paid attention to.

Author's Note

1. Okay so far these people have been freed from the curse in order:Yuki [Rat], Ritsu [Monkey], Isuzu a.k.a. Rin [Horse], Koreno [Rooster], Shigure [Dog]

Is up to this chapter then: Momiji [Bunny], Hiro [Sheep], Kisa [Tiger]

2. You may or may not be familiar with FullMetal Alchemist, it is going to be aired on Cartoon Network here this fall, but there is a line inspired from that show in this fic. Though I had to bed a friend for help cause I couldn't remember the exact line.

3. The title was inspired by something from Yami no Matsui.

Chapter 18: The Beauty of the Sakura

The rest of the day was a pretty normal one; it was the same with the rest of the week.

Adrian took care of Akito in the mornings, though a small feeling of awkwardness had been erected between the two of them. Neither could find the courage to even casually mention what had happened with those stupid fan boys, let alone what had happened between them afterwards.

Even though the entire Sohma clan had already heard the news of the kiss.

It was a good thing that neither of them new that there was a lottery going on in the family as to when the two would actually get married. After all Akito had never acted in that fashion before, and with this obvious revelation of his feelings, well, of course she couldn't possibly turn down the most important person in the Sohma family if he wanted to marry her. At least that was the general assumption among the Sohma family.

Though to their disappointment if they even inquired as to how the two of them were getting along, their only answer was a hard look, a blush, and a quick change of subject. Still that told them quite a lot.

Many of the older couples were beginning to make plans for their wedding behind their backs. One of the older women was even sewing a traditional Japanese wedding kimono out of the finest silk fabrics, which had been purchased by Ayame especially for Adrian.

Problem was there wasn't a wedding planned. That was the only thing eating away at the family.

Adrian spent all of her spare time undoing the curses, Momiji... Hiro... Kisa... one by one she continued breaking them at a pace that left her tired and unable to do much else.

Akito watched silently as she pushed herself beyond her limits. Her drive was like nothing he had ever seen before. The more he watched her the more he wanted her to never finish what she was doing. If his life hadn't been at stake he felt that he would have wished that she would never get around to breaking all the curses.

His life?

Was that what was driving her to such heights? Was it possible that she was working herself to exhaustion in order to save his life?

Akito just couldn't take it.

The first time they had met they had become friends. Then his own stupidity had broken them apart, at last, after three months, they were friends again, and he had finally come to the realization that he was in fact in love with her.

The thought scared him immensely, but he loved her. No, and's, if's, or but's, he loved her. The thought kept popping up randomly in his head. He was completely and totally in love with Adrian. What he felt when he was around her, this comfortable feeling, this feeling of familiar ness, this desire to protect at all costs, it had to be love. Love was the only possibility.

He had said that love was a stupid word before, but now... after having thought about things it wasn't that love was a stupid word it was that it was a word he had never known or felt before. Now that he knew Adrian he realized that it was one of the strongest, most powerful of emotions in the world.

This was the first time he had ever felt so sure of anything in his entire life, yet she was being so distant, how could he possibly tell her that he was in love with her when he didn't know how she felt about him?

Yet a part of him didn't care how she felt at all. To that small piece of Akito's heart the only thing that mattered was how he felt, and that part of him didn't care how she felt as long as she stayed there with him.

He couldn't loose her. Not now.

She was the first person he had ever cared about so deeply. If she left, he might as well just die of the curse. Everything that was important in his life would be gone with her.

Somehow, someway, she would stay here with him. Nothing less would be allowed.

He had hired someone to find out as much as possible about her family. Nobody knew anything, so perhaps the knowledge would prove useful. He feared that she might have somebody to go back home to. If she had to have her family he would happily move them to Japan so that she could see them.

This emotion was just too different than anything he had ever felt before, but he would protect it. Yes, even with his life if it truly became necessary. The curse wasn't paramount in his heart anymore it was Adrian.

He watched her from a distance, and every once in a while he would see her walking. She would often stop at the old sakura tree and look up into its branches. Her hand was resting on the bark.

He didn't know how to tell her how he felt. The tension that lay between them was slowly thickening not thinning. He couldn't let this continue on.

"Adrian."

She didn't look she didn't need to. The truth had been bothering her for so long, and she needed to tell him. She didn't know how though.

"I need to tell you something."

"I have something to say."

What ever she has to say is probably important.

He's been so quite lately, what on earth did he need to tell her?

"I... uhhh..." Adrian stumbled.

"You should go first."

"It's hmm... it's about the curse. I can break it. That's not a problem." She assured Akito.

"It's just that well... how do I say this... nature it well... it demands a heavy price. There is a law of equal exchange you see, and well, your curse it binds you to death." She took a deep breath and looked him square in the eye. "I've thought about it a lot, and something or someone is going to have to die, so that you and everyone else can live."

Chapter 19