I've done some thinking about this fic and yeah I'll admit I initially
meant for it to be a one shot lemon, but somehow it turned into something
different, and so I'm going to take it step-wise and try to string together
a coherent tale. Sorry it took so long to update; unfortunately, I am not
as great as Destructiva (my lemon slave er..i mean muse) . Yuki will be
back in the later chapters but I'm not saying anything else (haha mostly
because I don't know what's going to happen :x)
Usual disclaimers:
Fruits Basket/Furuba is property of Natsuki Takaya and Hakusensha; All characters belong to them; I'm simply borrowing them to satisfy my own selfish need ^_^;
CHAPTER 4 **The Devil's Charm**
The alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. The excitement from the previous evening's shopping trip down town had made sleeping almost impossible for Tohru Honda. She spent most of the night tossing and turning between the sheets, and it didn't help that her room felt colder than usual. Yet despite the unusual coolness of her room, she felt incredibly warm inside. The thoughts of Hatori's firm warm hands clasping onto hers as he led her through the parking lot in the rain brought a slight blush to her sleep deprived face.
The alarm continued to buzz, a shrieking reminder of the day ahead. She woke up despite the overwhelming temptation to bury beneath the covers and succumb to the sweet embrace of another hour of sleep. At last, duty calls. With much effort she slowly made her way out of bed and to the bathroom. She was used to the early morning routine by now; it was part of her life as a nurse; and late night shifts and early morning calls were part of the norm for her, yet today was somewhat different.
After a quick bite of toast and jam washed down with heavy-cream coffee, she headed to Hatori's private study that served as his clinic. He was usually the first to arrive but a quick glance about the room revealed no trace of the doctor. Her eyes strayed to a note on her desk; it was from Hatori giving her instructions on the new medication routine he had added in Akito's chart. Tohru slipped the note into her white coat and gathered the bag of fresh plasma, a sterile catheter line, and other medical supplies necessary to set up the IV treatment for the young head of the Sohma Clan.
Although she was his nurse, she was never given the full details on the illness that made him prone to frequent bouts of infections. She could only make an educated guess that it was linked to some form of immune deficiency, most likely congenital. She had everything she needed now, all that was left was meeting Akito. The thought made her slightly queasy; she couldn't shake off the events of the other day no matter how much she tried; it always lingered in the back of her thoughts/mind.
The walk down the long corridor seemed to last an eternity. She finally made it to his bedroom door, paused briefly before knocking, and after 3 knocks, she heard a soft voice beckoning her to come in. The young woman made her way into the room. Instead of the dim lit room she had expected, she was welcomed by the early morning rays penetrating the room through an opened window. Her eyes fell upon the young man resting his elbows lazily on the window sill with his body a profile to hers. The morning light reflected gently onto his delicate snow-colored skin. He was paler than most guys she had met; as she gazed at the delicate frame resting next to room's only window she could hardly believe this same person had humiliated her in this very room not too long ago. She was determined not to let her guard down; he got her once but she knew better, at least that's what she thought.
"Good morning, Akito-san," she said with an obligatory bow. Akito turned around and smiled at her, returning the morning greeting. She was taken a back; she hadn't expected this friendly exchange, not after what happened. She bit her lips hard drawing red to it. Somehow his kindness made her uneasy. She didn't know what to expect if he was being kind to her.
"How are you today, Tohru-san?" he inquired with what seemed like genuine concern.
"ah… I'm fine, thank you. I brought your medications… so if you're ready I can go ahead and set up the IV line," she said trying to steer the questions away from her and back to why she was there.
"Well, I'm ready whenever you are," he said returning to his bed.
The IV line was ready in no time. She inserted the needle into his right arm. Finding veins on Akito's pale, translucent skin proved to be an easy task. One of the hardest things was getting the right veins, but it had proven an easier job with him.
The entire time his eyes never left her, she could feel his gaze fixated on her.
"When is the wedding ….?" He inquired breaking the silence.
"Wedding?" Tohru echoed back surprised from the sudden question. She hadn't expected it but then again Uo and Kureno's wedding was the day after next; it was only natural he would want to know more. "ah….it's this Friday," she paused and with out thinking blurted, "has Akito-san, decided to attend after all?".
A grim expression settled on his face that made her wish she hadn't asked the question. He smiled or perhaps it was a smirk, she wasn't sure, not in her current state of nervousness.
"Me..?" he retorted. "My health, as you well know, won't permit such luxury."
"I didn't mean to imply…" she stammered searching for a way out of this.
"Mean what?" he asked slightly annoyed. "Nevermind, I'm fully aware that my presence will not be missed.. I washed my hands of this affair the day Kureno left the Honke to be with that…woman!" he yelled.
"I'm sorry for upsetting Akito-san; I had no right to ask that question and …" she said just wishing this would be over soon and she could get away from this room. The room seemed unbearably suffocating. Her chest tightened as a voice somewhere in her mind told her to run.
"Do I scare you so much?" he asked with a hurt expression on his face. His unpredictable mood swings never ceased to amaze her; the bitter tone in his voice just a moment ago was replaced by a softer sound and the expression on his face seem to reflect his regret for having raised his voice at her.
Akito had made an art of sensing the fear he instilled in those around him; it started at an early age with his favorite victim, Yuki. Whether it was tormenting him by locking him away or with physical and mental cruelties, it always brought him a feeling of satisfaction knowing that no matter where he would be or whom he was with, his presence would be etched in the boy's consciousness for as long as he lived. At least, that's what he had wanted to believe. However, somehow Yuki managed to escape his prison of terror. No, it wasn't mere coincidence…it was this woman's fault. He needed another approach.
"Tohru-kun, I'm sorry…I shouldn't have yelled at you." he said and once again he sounded sincere in his apologies.
"I'd like for us to get along; it would be great for the both us…I think," he smiled gently. It was the same kind smile he had given her upon their first meeting in her school yard what seems like ages ago.
There was something about his smile that always seemed to draw her in on the rare occasions that he had bestowed them upon her. They made her want to believe that he wasn't as evil or bitter as he seemed. Even after all these years, she still tended to want to believe in the good side of those around her; bad habits die hard.
"So what do you think? Would you mind spending more time with me…it gets painfully lonely spending my time caged up in this room with no one to talk to or keep me company," he said almost pleadingly.
Tohru was stunned by the request. Did he really mean it? Perhaps what he needed was someone by his side to help him through his illness.
Sensing her hesitation or perhaps reluctance to accept his offer he added, "Of course, I'll have Hatori give you a raise for this additional charge. It won't be more than 2 or 3 times a week …that's all I'm asking for."
"Anou…" she started, still not sure what to say.
"Please, I want to experience the miracle that is Tohru Honda. You have an incredibly positive effect on my cousins…I've never seen Hatori so happy since…Kana," he continued.
Tohru blushed slightly at the latter comment.
"I'd like to give it a try," she finally replied back.
She wasn't sure if he was completely sincere, but she couldn't refuse his pleas right out. It wasn't her way of doing things; her mother's favorite saying was "Tohru should do things Tohru's way".
Akito sighed with relief and thanked her. She quietly accepted his thanks and dismissed herself.
His eyes followed her as she made her way to the door and out of his sight. She was as plain as they came, he thought to himself. He flopped back onto his pillow in disgust. What did Yuki ever see in that woman; there were women far prettier than her, yet this girl has managed to charm her way into the hearts of every single one of his cousins.
The morning surprises were not yet over for Tohru. Upon her return to the clinic she was greeted by a bouquet of red roses with a card that had 3 words scribbled on it: Thank You. It was signed by Hatori.
She wasn't sure why he sent them but the pleasant smell of freshly cut roses filled her lungs and sent a tingly feeling down her spine. She placed the flowers in a vase of water and set them on her desk.
Once again, she looked at the note. It was in his handwriting and even carried the after shave scent that she knew was distinctively his. A smile formed on both corners of her mouth as she stared back and forth from the Roses to the card.
"Ah..you're back," said a voice behind her. It was Hatori's as he made his way through the clinic's main
entrance. The resounding voice startled her from her thoughts.
"How's was the patient this morning?" he asked referring to Akito.
Tohru quickly tried to compose herself hoping she wasn't blushing and greeted Hatori with her brightest smile. "Akito-san wants me to …"she paused momentarily before finishing, "he'd like for me to keep him company a few times a week".
Hatori raised an eyebrow . "Is that so?" he asked slightly amused. "Well, what have you decided?"
"I..I accepted," was all she could say.
"I see. I have to say he never ceases to surprise me…but if you feel comfortable with the arrangement, then I can't object. Just be careful…" he said.
Tohru nodded. Tohru followed Hatori with her eyes as he made his way to his desk. He was as handsome as ever and…she almost forgot.
"Hatori-san, thank you for the flowers.. I'm not sure why I got them…but…they're beautiful!" she said hoping that he wouldn't hear the thump her heart was making in her chest, nor see the blush that was forming on her warm cheeks.
Hatori was busy fumbling through some charts, but quickly set aside his distraction to face the blushing girl.
"Well, I'm glad you liked them. Accept them as my 'thank you' for your time and help yesterday," he said with what she would have sworn was a smile.
Tohru felt silly getting excited over a smile, but this one was from Hatori who rarely ever smiles. The stern nonchalant expression he bore was almost his trademark signature. She didn't mind it, but a smile suited him best, she thought.
"What's wrong?" he asked looking at her flushed face. He got up from his chair with a slightly worried look as he placed the dorsum of his right hand onto her burning forhead. "You don't look too well…" he commented pulling a thermometer from the desk draw.
"Anou…I'm ok really," she protested but Hatori wouldn't hear it.
"I can't have my nurse falling ill on me…now be a good girl and open up." He commanded, tilting her chin. Tohru knew it was useless to argue with Hatori and did as he bid.
"98.6 degrees …well, no fever there," he commented dryly. "Maybe you need more rest…your friend's wedding is in two days," he spoke with a concerned look on his face.
"Yes, but I'm ok, really. Plus, I'm meeting Uo-chan this evening," she replied back cheerfully, hoping to reassure him that she really was ok.
Hatori nodded and added, "Well, take care of yourself. I'm not sure if I can do with out you or your help around here." He turned around slightly embarrassed by his overreaction towards her. He needed a quick cigarette break to calm him down, but finding one at the moment was the challenge, especially since he quit several months back. Instead, he settled on black coffee, next best thing.
Usual disclaimers:
Fruits Basket/Furuba is property of Natsuki Takaya and Hakusensha; All characters belong to them; I'm simply borrowing them to satisfy my own selfish need ^_^;
CHAPTER 4 **The Devil's Charm**
The alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. The excitement from the previous evening's shopping trip down town had made sleeping almost impossible for Tohru Honda. She spent most of the night tossing and turning between the sheets, and it didn't help that her room felt colder than usual. Yet despite the unusual coolness of her room, she felt incredibly warm inside. The thoughts of Hatori's firm warm hands clasping onto hers as he led her through the parking lot in the rain brought a slight blush to her sleep deprived face.
The alarm continued to buzz, a shrieking reminder of the day ahead. She woke up despite the overwhelming temptation to bury beneath the covers and succumb to the sweet embrace of another hour of sleep. At last, duty calls. With much effort she slowly made her way out of bed and to the bathroom. She was used to the early morning routine by now; it was part of her life as a nurse; and late night shifts and early morning calls were part of the norm for her, yet today was somewhat different.
After a quick bite of toast and jam washed down with heavy-cream coffee, she headed to Hatori's private study that served as his clinic. He was usually the first to arrive but a quick glance about the room revealed no trace of the doctor. Her eyes strayed to a note on her desk; it was from Hatori giving her instructions on the new medication routine he had added in Akito's chart. Tohru slipped the note into her white coat and gathered the bag of fresh plasma, a sterile catheter line, and other medical supplies necessary to set up the IV treatment for the young head of the Sohma Clan.
Although she was his nurse, she was never given the full details on the illness that made him prone to frequent bouts of infections. She could only make an educated guess that it was linked to some form of immune deficiency, most likely congenital. She had everything she needed now, all that was left was meeting Akito. The thought made her slightly queasy; she couldn't shake off the events of the other day no matter how much she tried; it always lingered in the back of her thoughts/mind.
The walk down the long corridor seemed to last an eternity. She finally made it to his bedroom door, paused briefly before knocking, and after 3 knocks, she heard a soft voice beckoning her to come in. The young woman made her way into the room. Instead of the dim lit room she had expected, she was welcomed by the early morning rays penetrating the room through an opened window. Her eyes fell upon the young man resting his elbows lazily on the window sill with his body a profile to hers. The morning light reflected gently onto his delicate snow-colored skin. He was paler than most guys she had met; as she gazed at the delicate frame resting next to room's only window she could hardly believe this same person had humiliated her in this very room not too long ago. She was determined not to let her guard down; he got her once but she knew better, at least that's what she thought.
"Good morning, Akito-san," she said with an obligatory bow. Akito turned around and smiled at her, returning the morning greeting. She was taken a back; she hadn't expected this friendly exchange, not after what happened. She bit her lips hard drawing red to it. Somehow his kindness made her uneasy. She didn't know what to expect if he was being kind to her.
"How are you today, Tohru-san?" he inquired with what seemed like genuine concern.
"ah… I'm fine, thank you. I brought your medications… so if you're ready I can go ahead and set up the IV line," she said trying to steer the questions away from her and back to why she was there.
"Well, I'm ready whenever you are," he said returning to his bed.
The IV line was ready in no time. She inserted the needle into his right arm. Finding veins on Akito's pale, translucent skin proved to be an easy task. One of the hardest things was getting the right veins, but it had proven an easier job with him.
The entire time his eyes never left her, she could feel his gaze fixated on her.
"When is the wedding ….?" He inquired breaking the silence.
"Wedding?" Tohru echoed back surprised from the sudden question. She hadn't expected it but then again Uo and Kureno's wedding was the day after next; it was only natural he would want to know more. "ah….it's this Friday," she paused and with out thinking blurted, "has Akito-san, decided to attend after all?".
A grim expression settled on his face that made her wish she hadn't asked the question. He smiled or perhaps it was a smirk, she wasn't sure, not in her current state of nervousness.
"Me..?" he retorted. "My health, as you well know, won't permit such luxury."
"I didn't mean to imply…" she stammered searching for a way out of this.
"Mean what?" he asked slightly annoyed. "Nevermind, I'm fully aware that my presence will not be missed.. I washed my hands of this affair the day Kureno left the Honke to be with that…woman!" he yelled.
"I'm sorry for upsetting Akito-san; I had no right to ask that question and …" she said just wishing this would be over soon and she could get away from this room. The room seemed unbearably suffocating. Her chest tightened as a voice somewhere in her mind told her to run.
"Do I scare you so much?" he asked with a hurt expression on his face. His unpredictable mood swings never ceased to amaze her; the bitter tone in his voice just a moment ago was replaced by a softer sound and the expression on his face seem to reflect his regret for having raised his voice at her.
Akito had made an art of sensing the fear he instilled in those around him; it started at an early age with his favorite victim, Yuki. Whether it was tormenting him by locking him away or with physical and mental cruelties, it always brought him a feeling of satisfaction knowing that no matter where he would be or whom he was with, his presence would be etched in the boy's consciousness for as long as he lived. At least, that's what he had wanted to believe. However, somehow Yuki managed to escape his prison of terror. No, it wasn't mere coincidence…it was this woman's fault. He needed another approach.
"Tohru-kun, I'm sorry…I shouldn't have yelled at you." he said and once again he sounded sincere in his apologies.
"I'd like for us to get along; it would be great for the both us…I think," he smiled gently. It was the same kind smile he had given her upon their first meeting in her school yard what seems like ages ago.
There was something about his smile that always seemed to draw her in on the rare occasions that he had bestowed them upon her. They made her want to believe that he wasn't as evil or bitter as he seemed. Even after all these years, she still tended to want to believe in the good side of those around her; bad habits die hard.
"So what do you think? Would you mind spending more time with me…it gets painfully lonely spending my time caged up in this room with no one to talk to or keep me company," he said almost pleadingly.
Tohru was stunned by the request. Did he really mean it? Perhaps what he needed was someone by his side to help him through his illness.
Sensing her hesitation or perhaps reluctance to accept his offer he added, "Of course, I'll have Hatori give you a raise for this additional charge. It won't be more than 2 or 3 times a week …that's all I'm asking for."
"Anou…" she started, still not sure what to say.
"Please, I want to experience the miracle that is Tohru Honda. You have an incredibly positive effect on my cousins…I've never seen Hatori so happy since…Kana," he continued.
Tohru blushed slightly at the latter comment.
"I'd like to give it a try," she finally replied back.
She wasn't sure if he was completely sincere, but she couldn't refuse his pleas right out. It wasn't her way of doing things; her mother's favorite saying was "Tohru should do things Tohru's way".
Akito sighed with relief and thanked her. She quietly accepted his thanks and dismissed herself.
His eyes followed her as she made her way to the door and out of his sight. She was as plain as they came, he thought to himself. He flopped back onto his pillow in disgust. What did Yuki ever see in that woman; there were women far prettier than her, yet this girl has managed to charm her way into the hearts of every single one of his cousins.
The morning surprises were not yet over for Tohru. Upon her return to the clinic she was greeted by a bouquet of red roses with a card that had 3 words scribbled on it: Thank You. It was signed by Hatori.
She wasn't sure why he sent them but the pleasant smell of freshly cut roses filled her lungs and sent a tingly feeling down her spine. She placed the flowers in a vase of water and set them on her desk.
Once again, she looked at the note. It was in his handwriting and even carried the after shave scent that she knew was distinctively his. A smile formed on both corners of her mouth as she stared back and forth from the Roses to the card.
"Ah..you're back," said a voice behind her. It was Hatori's as he made his way through the clinic's main
entrance. The resounding voice startled her from her thoughts.
"How's was the patient this morning?" he asked referring to Akito.
Tohru quickly tried to compose herself hoping she wasn't blushing and greeted Hatori with her brightest smile. "Akito-san wants me to …"she paused momentarily before finishing, "he'd like for me to keep him company a few times a week".
Hatori raised an eyebrow . "Is that so?" he asked slightly amused. "Well, what have you decided?"
"I..I accepted," was all she could say.
"I see. I have to say he never ceases to surprise me…but if you feel comfortable with the arrangement, then I can't object. Just be careful…" he said.
Tohru nodded. Tohru followed Hatori with her eyes as he made his way to his desk. He was as handsome as ever and…she almost forgot.
"Hatori-san, thank you for the flowers.. I'm not sure why I got them…but…they're beautiful!" she said hoping that he wouldn't hear the thump her heart was making in her chest, nor see the blush that was forming on her warm cheeks.
Hatori was busy fumbling through some charts, but quickly set aside his distraction to face the blushing girl.
"Well, I'm glad you liked them. Accept them as my 'thank you' for your time and help yesterday," he said with what she would have sworn was a smile.
Tohru felt silly getting excited over a smile, but this one was from Hatori who rarely ever smiles. The stern nonchalant expression he bore was almost his trademark signature. She didn't mind it, but a smile suited him best, she thought.
"What's wrong?" he asked looking at her flushed face. He got up from his chair with a slightly worried look as he placed the dorsum of his right hand onto her burning forhead. "You don't look too well…" he commented pulling a thermometer from the desk draw.
"Anou…I'm ok really," she protested but Hatori wouldn't hear it.
"I can't have my nurse falling ill on me…now be a good girl and open up." He commanded, tilting her chin. Tohru knew it was useless to argue with Hatori and did as he bid.
"98.6 degrees …well, no fever there," he commented dryly. "Maybe you need more rest…your friend's wedding is in two days," he spoke with a concerned look on his face.
"Yes, but I'm ok, really. Plus, I'm meeting Uo-chan this evening," she replied back cheerfully, hoping to reassure him that she really was ok.
Hatori nodded and added, "Well, take care of yourself. I'm not sure if I can do with out you or your help around here." He turned around slightly embarrassed by his overreaction towards her. He needed a quick cigarette break to calm him down, but finding one at the moment was the challenge, especially since he quit several months back. Instead, he settled on black coffee, next best thing.