hehehe... I hope ya'll are still reading this! ^_~ I also hope you continue to enjoy this! ^_^
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Making Our Future
By: FayeValentine00 (Sarah-chan)
Chapter 9
***Haru's POV***
Momiji and I were returning from the store when we first heard the raised voice of Akito, yet as we got closer, we realized that not only was he yelling but he was yelling at someone and he sounded furious. A moment later, a new sound filled the air. It was a loud scream that caused a chill to run down my spine. I'd have known Kagura's scream anywhere since she tended to scream so often but this time it was different. Memories of Rin and Kisa's experiences ran through my head and I took of towards the voices at a run with Momiji following fast on my heels.
"Do you think he was yelling at her?" Momiji asked me in a worried voice as we ran, obviously more hopeful than unsure of the real answer.
"Lets hope not."
We got near Akito's room just as Shigure was practically dragging the clan head from the building so I quickly grabbed Momiji and hid around the corner until they moved away. My stomach lurched as we stood in hiding, waiting. Now there was no hope that the yelling and the scream were not connected. Obviously Kagura had evoked the entire wrath of Akito because he still looked enraged when Shigure and he moved out of sight.
Momiji ran into the room two steps ahead of me but froze in the doorway, causing me to crash into him painfully. At first I was going to yell at Momiji for stopping so suddenly but when I looked up, I knew why.
Hatori was hunched over Kagura's motionless form on the floor. I saw a decent amount of blood pooled on the ground around her head, making my nightmarish fears a reality. Momiji stood still in shock, watching the doctor try to revive the girl quietly but I pushed him out of my way and ran over to see if I could help.
"Kagura ... Kagura. ... Wake up." Hatori spoke softly, gently trying to coax her from her current state.
"What happened?!" I asked frantically, unable to keep all of my frantic emotions out of my voice.
"Haru?" The older man looked up at me in confusion. Obviously, he hadn't noticed us before I'd spoken. "You should go. Akito will only get angrier if he finds you here."
"I don't care. Let me help."
"Just go!" Hatori looked up at me with more anger in his eyes then I'd ever personally remembered seeing before and I realized that he was blaming himself for this mess.
Annoyance grew rapidly in my mind. No matter how Akito or Hatori got, I wasn't going to leave until I knew Kagura would be okay. "I'm staying."
***Hatori's POV***
Haru glared at me with dark eyes full of conviction. He was rapidly slipping into black mode and I knew that if I didn't back down and let him stay, I was going to have a lot more problems in my hands then I already did.
"Fine." I broke down before looking to Momiji who was still obviously shaken. "Momiji, go get a pillow, some blankets and some towels."
Without a word, he nodded blankly and ran from the room so I turned my attention to Haru who was looking down at Kagura in concern. My heart went out to him. He must be thinking of the violence inflicted on all of his female cousins but I knew I was going to have to snap him out of it if he was going to be any help to me.
"We need to stop the bleeding. Put pressure on the wound and I'll be right back." I waited until the younger man had Kagura firmly in his arms before I ran towards my office to get my supplies.
As I ran, I couldn't stop blaming myself for all of this. I'd sworn to myself long ago to protect the younger kids so they wouldn't be forced to go through the same kind of pain that I did after Kana but now I failed them. Their experiences were just as bad, if not worse then mine and I had done nothing to protect them. I was going to have to do something to end this madness before things got worse. I was sure that this time, Kagura would recover alright but if there was a next time, would we be so lucky?
***Momiji's POV***
I ran to get the blankets at towels at full speed, my hands trembling the entire time. I'd never imagined to see Kagura, of all people, laying on the ground, in a pool of blood. It was surreal. I didn't want to believe what my eyes were showing me. I'd almost been thankful when Hatori had barked orders at me. Maybe when I returned, I'd be able to think more clearly.
"Oi! Momiji!" The voice shocked me and I stopped in my tracks to see Kyo staring at me from his window.
I took a quick glance around to make sure it was clear and then ran over to talk to him quickly before taking the supplies to Hatori.
The moment I got close enough, Kyo's hand shot out from between the bars and grabbed me by the collar. He pulled me until my face was nearly pressed against the bars before I noticed the nearly frantic expression in his eyes.
"What's going on?!"
I suddenly felt torn on how to answer. If I told him nothing was wrong, I knew he'd never believe me. I was sure that he must have heard Kagura's scream and even if I'd had any doubts, Kyo's actions certainly changed that. If I did tell him, what good would it do? He'd only be worried until I could get back here and give him an update.
"Dammit, TELL ME! What happened?!"
"Alright." I spoke softly and waited for him to release his grip on me before I continued. "Akito called for Kagura and she must have made him angry because when Haru and I got there, she was already hurt." I winced as I said that last part, completely expecting an unhappy outburst from the cat.
"Is she okay?"
To my shock, he asked the question calmly. He wasn't even angry. He looked more concerned and hurt than anything else. He dropped his gaze away for a moment in thought before he turned back to me with glassy eyes. "How was she when you saw her?"
"She was bleeding ... and unconscious but I think she'll be okay." I felt like a heel being the bearer of bad news but I knew that Kyo had a right to know.
"Shit!" He cursed under his breath. "Well, go take that stuff to her and come back later when you know how she is, okay?" I noticed a distant look in his eyes that I'd never remembered seeing there before.
"Okay." I nodded in agreement but my gaze lingered on my older cousin for a moment longer. We'd always had a special, and sometime painful, relationship and although I spent so much of our younger life just trying to annoy him, I would have done just about anything right now to try to cheer him up.
"GO!" He yelled at me harshly, making me think better of saying anything further. Instead, I turned and ran off to go check on Hatori, Haru and Kagura.
***Haru's POV***
Once I was alone with Kagura, I cradled her in my arms tightly, applying pressure to her wound which, thankfully, was not as bad as I'd expected. Memories of the other Sohma Junnishi women who'd suffered Akito's wrath flowed through my mind, making me angrier than I already was. I'd never understand how a grown man could viciously hurt women.
"Come on, Kagura. Aren't you supposed to be the strong one?..." I spoke to her softly, probably trying to calm myself down as much as I was trying to rouse her. "What the hell were you thinking?! ... Why didn't you fight back?!"
Suddenly she shifted in my arms and I pulled her up, closer to my chest so I could get a better grip on her. I took my free hand and brushed the dark hair from her face.
"Kagura, wake up. Open your eyes."
It took her several tries but a few moments later, her eyes fluttered open and she gazed up at me with a slightly glazed look.
"Haru? ... When did you get here?"
"Shhhhh..." I shushed her and hugged her tightly, relief flowing through my veins. "You were already unconscious when I got here."
"My head hurts." She whined lightly with a soft chuckle that made her wince but then she managed a smile as she spoke to me in a weak voice. "You would have been proud of me."
I couldn't help but return the smile and try to keep her in good spirits. "Why is that?"
"I didn't back down."
"What do you mean?" I asked in confusion, felling bad for making her explain.
"I didn't renounce my love for Kyo. I'm happy."
"You're right. I am proud of you." I squeezed her a little tighter, happy that at least she'd been able to hold her ground against the clan head.
She smiled to herself with obvious pride before her eyes began to close sleepily. "I'm so tired."
"Stay awake, ok? Hatori will be right back. Keep talking to me, okay?"
"Alright. I'll try." She sighed heavily but that's when I was sure that in a few days, she'd be okay.
***Kagura's POV***
Exhaustion weighed heavily on my eyelids but I was determined to stay awake since Haru looked down at me with so much concern in his eyes. He really was like two different people. Black Haru was tough, hotheaded and always ready for a fight, while White Haru was always easygoing and concerned for all the other members of the junnishi, especially the women. Maybe that's why we'd always gotten along so well. We both had two distinct modes that neither one of us could control so we had an understanding.
"How are you feeling?" He asked me softly.
"Alright. I'll be okay. ... I miss Kyo." The words just flowed from my mouth with no prior thought but I didn't care. Deep down I knew that if anyone would understand how it felt to lose the one that you love against your will, it was Haru and Hatori.
"I know. ... I know." He soothed me gently but there was no missing the dark anger that flashed through his eyes.
"Oh good. You're awake." Hatori walked in a took a sigh of relief.
"Yeah." I smiled to the doctor as confidently as I could while fighting off another wave of exhaustion.
"Now where is Momiji?" Haru asked to no one in particular but was answered by a new voice at the door.
"I'M HERE!" Momiji hopped inside with a smile when he saw me look up at him.
"owww... my head." I muttered to myself when Momiji's loud voice sent a whole new wave of pain through my head.
"Oh, sorry." Momiji responded sheepishly, obviously feeling repentant so I reached out and patted his leg.
"It's okay. I'll just pay you back later."
That made him laugh and he stuck his tongue out at me playfully.
"Well, right now, I need to run some tests on you so try to stay awake, okay?" Hatori finally spoke up, looking down at me with that very serious doctor face that he tend to wear so often these days.
I nodded my agreement and then allowed him to poke and prod me while Momiji and Haru did their best to keep me awake and to keep my mind off of the exam. Little did I know that in a few short hours, my whole world was going to turn upside down.
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Do you like it? I hope so...
Next chapter is full of surprises.... Yukiru moments and Kyouru moments too! ^_^
Stay tuned! ^_~
Sarah-chan
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Making Our Future
By: FayeValentine00 (Sarah-chan)
Chapter 9
***Haru's POV***
Momiji and I were returning from the store when we first heard the raised voice of Akito, yet as we got closer, we realized that not only was he yelling but he was yelling at someone and he sounded furious. A moment later, a new sound filled the air. It was a loud scream that caused a chill to run down my spine. I'd have known Kagura's scream anywhere since she tended to scream so often but this time it was different. Memories of Rin and Kisa's experiences ran through my head and I took of towards the voices at a run with Momiji following fast on my heels.
"Do you think he was yelling at her?" Momiji asked me in a worried voice as we ran, obviously more hopeful than unsure of the real answer.
"Lets hope not."
We got near Akito's room just as Shigure was practically dragging the clan head from the building so I quickly grabbed Momiji and hid around the corner until they moved away. My stomach lurched as we stood in hiding, waiting. Now there was no hope that the yelling and the scream were not connected. Obviously Kagura had evoked the entire wrath of Akito because he still looked enraged when Shigure and he moved out of sight.
Momiji ran into the room two steps ahead of me but froze in the doorway, causing me to crash into him painfully. At first I was going to yell at Momiji for stopping so suddenly but when I looked up, I knew why.
Hatori was hunched over Kagura's motionless form on the floor. I saw a decent amount of blood pooled on the ground around her head, making my nightmarish fears a reality. Momiji stood still in shock, watching the doctor try to revive the girl quietly but I pushed him out of my way and ran over to see if I could help.
"Kagura ... Kagura. ... Wake up." Hatori spoke softly, gently trying to coax her from her current state.
"What happened?!" I asked frantically, unable to keep all of my frantic emotions out of my voice.
"Haru?" The older man looked up at me in confusion. Obviously, he hadn't noticed us before I'd spoken. "You should go. Akito will only get angrier if he finds you here."
"I don't care. Let me help."
"Just go!" Hatori looked up at me with more anger in his eyes then I'd ever personally remembered seeing before and I realized that he was blaming himself for this mess.
Annoyance grew rapidly in my mind. No matter how Akito or Hatori got, I wasn't going to leave until I knew Kagura would be okay. "I'm staying."
***Hatori's POV***
Haru glared at me with dark eyes full of conviction. He was rapidly slipping into black mode and I knew that if I didn't back down and let him stay, I was going to have a lot more problems in my hands then I already did.
"Fine." I broke down before looking to Momiji who was still obviously shaken. "Momiji, go get a pillow, some blankets and some towels."
Without a word, he nodded blankly and ran from the room so I turned my attention to Haru who was looking down at Kagura in concern. My heart went out to him. He must be thinking of the violence inflicted on all of his female cousins but I knew I was going to have to snap him out of it if he was going to be any help to me.
"We need to stop the bleeding. Put pressure on the wound and I'll be right back." I waited until the younger man had Kagura firmly in his arms before I ran towards my office to get my supplies.
As I ran, I couldn't stop blaming myself for all of this. I'd sworn to myself long ago to protect the younger kids so they wouldn't be forced to go through the same kind of pain that I did after Kana but now I failed them. Their experiences were just as bad, if not worse then mine and I had done nothing to protect them. I was going to have to do something to end this madness before things got worse. I was sure that this time, Kagura would recover alright but if there was a next time, would we be so lucky?
***Momiji's POV***
I ran to get the blankets at towels at full speed, my hands trembling the entire time. I'd never imagined to see Kagura, of all people, laying on the ground, in a pool of blood. It was surreal. I didn't want to believe what my eyes were showing me. I'd almost been thankful when Hatori had barked orders at me. Maybe when I returned, I'd be able to think more clearly.
"Oi! Momiji!" The voice shocked me and I stopped in my tracks to see Kyo staring at me from his window.
I took a quick glance around to make sure it was clear and then ran over to talk to him quickly before taking the supplies to Hatori.
The moment I got close enough, Kyo's hand shot out from between the bars and grabbed me by the collar. He pulled me until my face was nearly pressed against the bars before I noticed the nearly frantic expression in his eyes.
"What's going on?!"
I suddenly felt torn on how to answer. If I told him nothing was wrong, I knew he'd never believe me. I was sure that he must have heard Kagura's scream and even if I'd had any doubts, Kyo's actions certainly changed that. If I did tell him, what good would it do? He'd only be worried until I could get back here and give him an update.
"Dammit, TELL ME! What happened?!"
"Alright." I spoke softly and waited for him to release his grip on me before I continued. "Akito called for Kagura and she must have made him angry because when Haru and I got there, she was already hurt." I winced as I said that last part, completely expecting an unhappy outburst from the cat.
"Is she okay?"
To my shock, he asked the question calmly. He wasn't even angry. He looked more concerned and hurt than anything else. He dropped his gaze away for a moment in thought before he turned back to me with glassy eyes. "How was she when you saw her?"
"She was bleeding ... and unconscious but I think she'll be okay." I felt like a heel being the bearer of bad news but I knew that Kyo had a right to know.
"Shit!" He cursed under his breath. "Well, go take that stuff to her and come back later when you know how she is, okay?" I noticed a distant look in his eyes that I'd never remembered seeing there before.
"Okay." I nodded in agreement but my gaze lingered on my older cousin for a moment longer. We'd always had a special, and sometime painful, relationship and although I spent so much of our younger life just trying to annoy him, I would have done just about anything right now to try to cheer him up.
"GO!" He yelled at me harshly, making me think better of saying anything further. Instead, I turned and ran off to go check on Hatori, Haru and Kagura.
***Haru's POV***
Once I was alone with Kagura, I cradled her in my arms tightly, applying pressure to her wound which, thankfully, was not as bad as I'd expected. Memories of the other Sohma Junnishi women who'd suffered Akito's wrath flowed through my mind, making me angrier than I already was. I'd never understand how a grown man could viciously hurt women.
"Come on, Kagura. Aren't you supposed to be the strong one?..." I spoke to her softly, probably trying to calm myself down as much as I was trying to rouse her. "What the hell were you thinking?! ... Why didn't you fight back?!"
Suddenly she shifted in my arms and I pulled her up, closer to my chest so I could get a better grip on her. I took my free hand and brushed the dark hair from her face.
"Kagura, wake up. Open your eyes."
It took her several tries but a few moments later, her eyes fluttered open and she gazed up at me with a slightly glazed look.
"Haru? ... When did you get here?"
"Shhhhh..." I shushed her and hugged her tightly, relief flowing through my veins. "You were already unconscious when I got here."
"My head hurts." She whined lightly with a soft chuckle that made her wince but then she managed a smile as she spoke to me in a weak voice. "You would have been proud of me."
I couldn't help but return the smile and try to keep her in good spirits. "Why is that?"
"I didn't back down."
"What do you mean?" I asked in confusion, felling bad for making her explain.
"I didn't renounce my love for Kyo. I'm happy."
"You're right. I am proud of you." I squeezed her a little tighter, happy that at least she'd been able to hold her ground against the clan head.
She smiled to herself with obvious pride before her eyes began to close sleepily. "I'm so tired."
"Stay awake, ok? Hatori will be right back. Keep talking to me, okay?"
"Alright. I'll try." She sighed heavily but that's when I was sure that in a few days, she'd be okay.
***Kagura's POV***
Exhaustion weighed heavily on my eyelids but I was determined to stay awake since Haru looked down at me with so much concern in his eyes. He really was like two different people. Black Haru was tough, hotheaded and always ready for a fight, while White Haru was always easygoing and concerned for all the other members of the junnishi, especially the women. Maybe that's why we'd always gotten along so well. We both had two distinct modes that neither one of us could control so we had an understanding.
"How are you feeling?" He asked me softly.
"Alright. I'll be okay. ... I miss Kyo." The words just flowed from my mouth with no prior thought but I didn't care. Deep down I knew that if anyone would understand how it felt to lose the one that you love against your will, it was Haru and Hatori.
"I know. ... I know." He soothed me gently but there was no missing the dark anger that flashed through his eyes.
"Oh good. You're awake." Hatori walked in a took a sigh of relief.
"Yeah." I smiled to the doctor as confidently as I could while fighting off another wave of exhaustion.
"Now where is Momiji?" Haru asked to no one in particular but was answered by a new voice at the door.
"I'M HERE!" Momiji hopped inside with a smile when he saw me look up at him.
"owww... my head." I muttered to myself when Momiji's loud voice sent a whole new wave of pain through my head.
"Oh, sorry." Momiji responded sheepishly, obviously feeling repentant so I reached out and patted his leg.
"It's okay. I'll just pay you back later."
That made him laugh and he stuck his tongue out at me playfully.
"Well, right now, I need to run some tests on you so try to stay awake, okay?" Hatori finally spoke up, looking down at me with that very serious doctor face that he tend to wear so often these days.
I nodded my agreement and then allowed him to poke and prod me while Momiji and Haru did their best to keep me awake and to keep my mind off of the exam. Little did I know that in a few short hours, my whole world was going to turn upside down.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you like it? I hope so...
Next chapter is full of surprises.... Yukiru moments and Kyouru moments too! ^_^
Stay tuned! ^_~
Sarah-chan