Author's Notes: Does this chapter fit, does it work? I have two more chapters ready to go,but I'd like some feedback on this one first. I am shamelessly begging...if you read, please review.
Life in the Sohma household is never normal, but it is always interesting. Since Tohru came to live with them, things have been changing. Hopefully for the better, but can she change Akito's life for the better?
Chapter 7 Normal is a relevant term
Breakfast was done and Shigure sat at the table with the morning paper and a fresh cup of hot tea. He was once again mulling over the puzzle presented by Kyo's change in attitude and manner. He felt it was really unkind of Kazuma not to be more forthcoming with the events of that day following graduation. Something told him he was going to have to invade Kyo's room, but he wasn't sure he was ready to sink that low. He had always prided himself on persuading people, especially Kyo and some of the younger Sohma children, to tell him all their secrets. Kyo was holding out and holding onto his temper this time around. There was definitely something going on but he had his pride too, and snooping in someone's room would be quite shaming. Of course, if necessary, he could be quite shameless. Shigure smiled.
It had been a month since Hatori and he had discussed Kyo and Akito and the changes taking place within those two young men. Yes, Akito was head of the Sohmas, but he was still quite young, only three years older than Yuki and Kyo. Since that day the household routine had continued as normal with no interruption. Fall had come but the weather was clear and bright. It was quite strange that nothing new or exciting happened during the rainy season. It wasn't often Shigure's instincts were wrong and he had to wonder why.
Kyo and Yuki continued with their studies and their fighting. Shigure quite admired their dedication to those particular goals. It was obvious that they were planning on doing things to the best of their ability in order that Tohru might remain safe from Akito's threats. Yuki and Kyo had both matured far beyond his expectations. It was amazing what love, even if unacknowledged, could do to a person's personality.
Yuki's feelings for Tohru were completely evident to the observant eyes of the older juunishi. Kyo, though, puzzled Shigure. He loved Tohru but not quite in the way expected. Moving beyond Akito's manipulations and his desire to protect Tohru was the feeling that Tohru had become much like a sister to him. The cat was always watching after Tohru, but in way such as an older brother toward a younger sister. Shigure had expected there to be some major fireworks between Yuki and Kyo as each tried to make Tohru's heart his own. In truth he was a little disappointed. It would have been a lot of fun to watch those fireworks.
Although Kazuma had admitted very little to Shigure, the dog had gleaned a bit of additional information from his conversations with Kazuma. Kazuma's refusal to talk was not only related to Kyo's feelings, but he was also protecting something that was important to both him and to Kyo. He wasn't sure what, but knew that the pieces would fall into place once he completed the outline of the puzzle. Shigure Sohma had never failed to solve a mystery, and this one would not be his first failure. The clues were out there, they just had not yet been picked up. Suddenly, Shigure's ears pricked up! Of course, why had he been so blind!
Shigure recalled his thoughts on graduation day with regard to the Red Butterfly and her impact on the Sohmas. The only ones she had know personally were Kyo and Kazuma but that period in time had affected himself, Hatori, and Akito. He knew without a doubt that Kyo had recovered his memory of the time he had spent with Tohru-kun and Kyoko. There was nothing else that would have helped the cat's confidence that much, or kept Kazuma from talking to him aside from that connection. Now the only thing that remained was to confirm his suspicions by talking to Kyo and then, what would he tell Akito? Perhaps nothing. He intended to remain true to his promise to protect Tohru and, in a sense, to protect the most promising means of breaking the Sohma curse that Shigure had discovered in all of his 30 years. If Akito knew that memories had been recovered, the chances were very good that he would insist that all memories be erased completely. A Tohru with no memory would not help him in breaking the Sohma curse. That was another promise he intended to keep. In his lifetime, that curse would be broken, somehow.
A loud argument erupted from the kitchen and snapped Shigure out of his reverie. He smiled, some things really do stay the same. Yuki and Kyo were arguing again and Tohru was trying to talk them out of it. He still thought that she should have given up the effort after three years of very little success. That was one of the admirable things about Tohru Honda, she was not one to give up, ever. Shigure winced as he heard Kyo go flying through the door into the garden. He sighed, another repair to add to the growing list. Finally he heard Tohru wish the boys a safe return as they left the house. That too had become part of the normal routine in his household. Soon Tohru would be leaving for work at Hatori's clinic. He heard her humming as she cleared away the breakfast clutter and then there was momentary silence.
The humming resumed and her light footsteps came towards his sanctuary and he filed his hypotheses concerning Kyo and Akito away for a later time.
"Oh, Shigure-san, I didn't realize you were still in here. Forgive me for intruding." Tohru began to back out of the room with a bow.
"Tohru-kun, please do come in. Your presence is a welcome one."
"Okay, I was only going to finish cleaning in here before I go to Sohma house. I can't wait to get to the clinic and then to visit with Akito later today. You know, he insisted I visit him each day I am there…."
"Shigure-san, May I ask you a question?"
"Of course Tohru-kun, after all your voice is what keeps my house so warm and pleasant."
He grinned widely at her flustered reply "Shigure-san you shouldn't say such things. I'm sure that can't be true."
"Oh, but it is true. With you gone this house would only be a cold empty shell, just a roof to cover three lonely bachelors."
"Wha…"
"But never mind that, you had a question?" Shigure realized that he had spoken more of a truth than even he had realized. Tohru had only been living with them for three years but his house would be a lonely place without her. What would he do, he wondered, when she inevitably moved out. He, Yuki, and Kyo would be alone in a cold lifeless house, or would they? The truth was that since Tohru's advent into their lives all three men had changed. She had graced them with optimism, acceptance, and a lessening of their prior isolationist tendencies. Even with her gone, wouldn't some of these changes remain? One could certainly hope for such a turn of events.
"Shigure-san?"
Shigure shook his head to clear it of such thoughts. "Sorry, Tohru-kun, an idea just occurred to me for one of my novels and I got distracted. Now, what was your question?"
"Perhaps, I shouldn't bother you with such a silly question after all. I'll leave you now."
"Tohru-kun, please do ask your question. I will be wondering for the rest of the day what it was and I won't be able to write a single word" Shigure whined with a tragic look on his face.
Tohru giggled at his exaggerated expression. "You are such a nice person when no one else is watching! Do you really want to know my question?"
"Of course I do"
"Shigure-san, I think Akito-san is beginning to like me at least a little, but I still don't know what he enjoys, what makes him happy. I am trying very hard to be his friend and I think it would help if I could discover this. I don't think he has had much joy in his life, and he has been given such a heavy load to bear. I would like to help him be happy, for at least a little while."
"Tohru-kun, you are much too kind. Akito is not happy because he has no desire to be happy or to allow us to be happy" Shigure said bitterly.
"Shigure-san, that can't be true. Just think, all you have to worry about is turning into a dog if I do this…" Tohru walked around the desk and gave Shigure a hug just to see him change.
"Tohru-kun, what has gotten into you,"Shigure said in an aggrieved tone of voice. "I think Momiji and his penchant for hugging and being hugged is rubbing off on you."
Tohru laughed softly. "I've wanted to do that every since the day I hugged Hiro just to make him change into his zodiac form. That was the day he took Mom's picture from me and I guess I was a little angry. I think I embarrassed him a little, but I thought he was a very cute sheep." She grinned at the memory. "I hugged you just now Shigure-san to remind you of something. The worst thing you and each of the other zodiac have to be afraid of is turning into your other forms when someone from the opposite sex hugs you or when you are under extreme stress. Akito has to worry about dying. I know none of you asked for this curse, but isn't it just an occasional inconvenience for most of you? For Akito, it means he faces an early death. Isn't that a big difference Shigure-san? I know Mom would have told me it was. I've given this a lot of thought you see."
"Tohru-kun, you had best turn around if you don't want to see me in all my glorious nakedness…" Shigure said with a doggie smile.
"Oh! I almost forgot, it's been so long since I've seen your zodiacform." She turned quickly and there was a loud poof behind her. After a few seconds, Shigure told her it was all clear.
"Tohru-kun, you are such a kind girl. A rose in a garden of weeds, a princess in a herd of beasts, a…"
"Shigure-san!" This time he had managed to make Tohru blush. It seemed it was getting harder as she became more mature and gained confidence in herself. She was still the same sweet girl but working at the clinic had done much for her confidence in her abilities.
"That blush makes you look even more like a rose, Tohru-kun. It is no wonder I consider you our very own flower."
Shigure suddenly became more serious. "You are right of course, the curse is more of an inconvenience for us, especially if we wish to be held by someone we care about. For Akito it is a matter of life and death. Perhaps we forget about that in our longing for something we may never be able to hold. As for what Akito likes to do, he enjoys reading and studying, believe it or not. He also spends a lot of time brooding about us and making sure we are unhappy because he is."
"Shigure-san, do you love Akito, or do you hate him?"
"That is truly the question isn't it? I think it could be called a love-hate relationship when it comes to Akito and myself. I love him dearly for who he is, but I truly hate him sometimes for what he does to me and to my family."
"I think I understand. It also sounds like Akito has had very little fun in his life. Do you think he would mind if I tried to bring some fun into his world, or is that very presumptuous of me?"
"Tohru-kun, you may be setting yourself up for a fall, but I think that perhaps helping him learn a little bit about having fun is a wonderful idea, I just don't know if that is a lesson he will learn very well. Be careful though, I don't know how he will react to ideas not his own."
"Tohru Honda never gives up. I am going to do my best to show Akito-san that life is worth living. Thank you Shigure-san for your kind attention. I will be going now or I will be late."
Tohru left the room quietly and Shigure looked around in surprise. He wasn't quite sure how she did it, but she had managed to straighten up the room even as they talked.
Shigure called Hatori as Tohru prepared for work. "Hatori, have Momiji watch Akito very carefully around Tohru-kun. The girl has some strange ideas and I fear for the manner in which Akito might receive them. "
"We are always watchful over Tohru-san when she is with Akito. I will tell Momiji to watch even more carefully though."
"And Ha-san…"
"Is there something else Shigure?"
"Don't make Tohru mad, she hugs people when she gets mad. Just ask Hiro, or even myself about that." Shigure chuckled as he hung up the phone. Hatori just frowned at the receiver. "Was the dog drinking sake this early in the day?"
Tohru called up the stairs. "I'm leaving for work Shigure-san. I will be home in time to fix dinner tonight. See you later."
"Be safe Tohru-kun," Shigure called after her. He wondered what she had in store for Akito in the near future? Whatever it was, he found himself somewhat envious of her interest in bringing Akito a taste of happiness. He shouldn't be selfish though. She had already made happiness possible for him and most of the other juunishi including his dearest friend, Hatori. Why should Akito not be given the same chance?
