[Disclaimer] I don't own Furuba so don't bother trying to do anything about it. ;-)
[AN] Ok. First things first. This chapter is a little bit on the short side, but it couldn't be helped. I hope it doesn't feel too forced, but I had a hard time writing it for some reason. I'm really sorry if it seems a step down from previous chapters, but I hope you enjoy it none-the-less.
Now that that's out of the way: Apparently there have been and still are some questions about why certain things have been written the way they've been written.
Q: Did Yuki really confess his feelings in the first letter of this whole story? A: Yes and no. The two of them have been writing letters back and forth for the past three years since she's been gone. Up until that letter, he's been hinting at it, but never out right said anything. (Of course, we know how dense Tohru is most of the time.)
Q: Why oh why is Akito-san picking on our poor little Yuki-kun? A: That's one of Akito's favorite pastimes of course!
Q: Why does it seem like Yuki is trying to persuade Tohru into falling in love with him? A: Because that silly author hasn't really mentioned anything about Tohru's feelings yet. (Hehe)
Q: Why is Tohru acting like there's nothing unusual going on with Yuki? A: It's not that Tohru is ignoring his actions. The author crazy author wants to build the tension as much as she possibly can! (It's dramatics, my dear Watson! Dramatics I tell you!)
Q: Will you ever get to the really juicy part of the proposal and the banquet?!? A: Bah! Who needs that kind of excitement? =P''' (Of course I will. All in due time my little pretties! Be patient!)
Ok, I'm done. Sorry for the long AN. I hope any questions you had were answered with my little Q&A. If not, hopefully some of your questions will be answered in upcoming chapters. Now, on with the program! P.S. I might be upload chapter 12 later. It's not quite finished yet, but you never know. ;-)
Chapter XI
Slowly, Akito replaced the receiver of the phone. 'So, Yuki made it to the America... safe... and... sound.' Those last three words left ringing in his head.
Turning he padded back to the bedroom portion of his quarters where the family doctor was waiting to complete his daily check-up. A conniving evil smile crossed his lips with each word in his mind. 'I wonder what she'll tell him? I wonder what she'll say when he asks her?' The thoughts swirled around in his mind.
It was rare for Akito to make a call. It was rarer still for him to receive one. Hatori waited patiently as Akito sat back down on his futon; the look on Akito's face was as disturbing as ever, though the doctor kept the same cold look that he always carried. A soft breeze flowed through the room since the door to his personal porch was still open from this morning. The doctor finished the exam quietly, waiting to see if Akito had any intention of telling him who he'd been on the phone with. Finished, Hatori replaced the stethoscope and clipboard in his bag, the same place as always.
Akito remained silent, apparently lost in his own thoughts. This was nothing new, but he knew that Akito always enjoyed tormenting others with his words and actions. The phone call was apparently important enough for him to receive, but Hatori still wondered what it could have been about. The doctor stood to leave after informing Akito of his general health; the same instructions as always, get more sunlight, and eat more food.
Upon reaching the door, Akito finally spoke. "Yuki made it to Tohru's safely." The smile he'd carried after his phone call had returned. The corners of his lips were turned up slightly. The sight created a shiver that raced up Hatori's spine.
'What is Akito thinking? What are his plans?' were the only thoughts that crossed the doctor's mind. "I see. If there is nothing else, I have other patients to attend to. You know that a cold has been going around the family." Hatori turned back to the door and walked out, pausing only for a moment before he shut the door behind him. 'It must have been Tohru. Yuki certainly wouldn't have called him. Kyo most definitely would not have called him. Shigure would have called me if he'd gotten a call from any of the three. It had to have been Tohru. But why? I really can't imagine that she kept that close of contact with Akito. I just don't understand.' His concern grew heavier with each passing moment that his thoughts lingered on the subject. His normally calm expression emitted a slow frown as he quietly walked down the corridor, away from the Devil's room.
Hatori knew that Tohru and Akito had been exchanging letters, but when had she begun calling him? Akito had mentioned something about Tohru attending the impending New Year's celebrations and banquet, but, if they were to speak over the phone about it, they undoubtedly wouldn't be discussing it this soon before the end of the year. He hadn't been confused about anything in a very long time. There was at least one piece of information, if not more, missing from the equation. The puzzle was incomplete. Hatori felt like his brain was going to explode if he kept worrying about it, so he put the information away in the back of his mind for later thoughtful debate. Perhaps after he got some sleep he'd be able to better think things through.
After exiting the main house, Hatori glanced at his watch. Realizing he was going to be late for his next appointment, he picked up his pace to a brisk walk in the direction of his own home office, not wanting to keep Momiji's father waiting.
Once his examination was complete, he turned his attention back to the little white finch that had taken up residence in his private garden. The finch seemed happy to be using the birdbath, preening and cleaning its feathers. "So innocent." Akito sounded almost solemn when he spoke those words that seemed to have been directed at the little bird. Had anyone been listening, they might almost be concerned that something was wrong with him, or that they were hearing things. 'Just like Tohru Honda. So sweet... and innocent.'cough coughSilence filled the garden except for the random tiny splashes the bird was making in its bath.cough cough'I wonder how she'll react when I announce my decision. Surely she'll be happy. Even when she's unhappy about something, she hides her disappointment and sadness. The smile that is so infectious to every one in this entire family that has met her. Even Kureno let his smiles slip when she was around. So happy-go-lucky. Even I found myself wanting to smile when she came to visit me. And now, when I read her letters, I catch a smile edging it's way onto my face. I can't let them see me smile. I can't let them know I'm happy about anything. One of them might try to take control of a situation that is rightfully mine to control! That damn smile! It haunts me. Even now, when she's so far away.'
"Argh!"
Anger brewing in his eyes, Akito stood and stormed to the desk in his sitting room. After staring at the desktop for a moment, the anger in him overflowed. As if the desk shouldn't have had anything on it to begin with, Akito wildly swept his arms across the top of the desk and flung papers, paperclips, pens and pencils and even a stapler across the room. Breathing heavily for a moment, a perfect picture of Tohru's infectious smile flashed through his mind. The anger quickly began to recede; Akito flopped to the floor, completely out of breath and drained of energy, and leaned quietly against the desk, staring out the door to the garden that Tohru had adored so much once she had gained control of her fear of him.
'The decision I make will ultimately be hard for a lot of people to understand, particularly Tohru herself. She doesn't know it yet, but there is a reason I asked her to let me make this choice for her. I only hope she is truly happy when it's all said and done.'cough cough
cough coughWith a sigh, Akito heaved himself off the floor, leaving the mess on the floor where it was, and slinked to his bedchamber. Feeling too drained to do anything else for the time being, he decided to get some rest, quickly slipping into a dreamless slumber.
