Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket. But thank you for all the reviews
Chapter 23
Tohru had cooked Akito a lovely meal, many different dishes, Hatori tipping her off on his favorites, but Tohru was not permitted to eat with Akito, as so understandable. Tohru quickly cleaned the kitchen, Akito did not have any tasks for her today, he was rather sick actually, and Tohru took a moment to count this brief blessing.
Tohru walked around the estate until she came up to find Kisa's bedroom. She knocked on the door gently. Kisa lifted her head and smiled "Sissy...."
"Hey Kisa dear"
"Come in come in!" Kisa got up and pulled Tohru inside. Tohru smiled and sat down on the bed with her. Kisa snuggling up under Tohru's arm. Tohru only stroked her hair gently. "Sissy, are you scared?"
"Not at all Kisa, why would I?"
"Well...if Akito gets too angry with you...he'll make Hatori make you forget everything. "
"He couldn't make me forget if I tried."
"Huh?" Kisa picked up her hair confused
"Well, even if the memories are gone, they are still a part of the person I've become. Even if they are gone, I changed because of the Sohmas. Besides, I have a few pictures of the family, you won't forever be forgotten. So tell me Kisa, how's school?"
"School is good Tohru, Hiro still blames himself, but he's a loyal boyfriend"
"Well I'm glad you're happy. I'm glad you have Hiro too, he really cares about you"
"Yes. Do you have someone special too?"
Tohru smiled "I have all the Sohmas, and I care about them all very much. And...and they all care about me too, or that's what I want to believe"
"Can't you see how obvious it is?" questioned a sarcastic voice in the doorway
"Oh Hiro...is there anything I can get you?" Tohru asked nervously
"Why do you care about other people's needs, do you ever just worry about yourself, you know, think for yourself, do something just for yourself, think on your own, without the expense of someone else?" Hiro asked
"Well...I....I mean..."
Hiro just rolled his eyes and sat down in between Kisa and Tohru.
"Wow, you really are clueless aren't you Tohru?"
"Heh? What do you mean?" Tohru asked with swirly eyes
"Can't you see how much Haru, Yuki, and Kyo love you? The way their eyes all soften when they're around you?"
Tohru blushed bringing her fingers to her lips, thinking about each time they kissed her.
"I guess...I've noticed they're a lot more gentled then when I first met them. But that's only cause we've been together for three months now."
'My god Kisa, how do you stand being around such an air head?" Hiro moaned
"Oh Hiro, be nice" Kisa pouted hugging him. Of course he blushed and hugged her gently. Tohru rose up to let them two be alone. Tohru never really thought about it, maybe she didn't want to you, or maybe she just didn't want to chose anyone.
Tohru walked back to her bedroom, and sat on the futon staring at the phone by Mom. She sat there, she missed home already, and it was only the first night. She had to be strong too, she couldn't. She instead, went to bed, school tomorrow, that was most of the day, away from this dreary place.
Tohru arrived much earlier at the school then she usually did, because Hatori drove her. The school was empty, but she felt emptier. Even without an Akito task, she felt different. Tohru sat by the entrance until, a half an hour later, the boys arrived. All four of them, seeing her alone, ran up to her. Momiji the first
"Hey Tohru, what are you doing here all alone?"
"Oh, hello Momiji, Hatori dropped me off early, he was on his way to pick up some more medication for Akito"
"How's he doing?" Momiji asked
"Akito's been pretty sick, he didn't make me do much last night, but...I'm sure that when he is better, I'll be busy as ever"
Kyo looked at her, something in his eyes, she put down the book and looked at him. Kyo walked into the building without saying a word, maybe he was worried, but Tohru didn't go after him right away. Haru and Yuki stopped her
"Are you eating alright?" Yuki asked
"I'm eating just fine, Kisa, Hiro, Hatori, they're all there. A few others I haven't seen yet."
"Has he tried to hurt you or provoke you?" Haru asked angrily
"No. He's sick. I'm rather worried about him."
"Don't waste your time worrying about him" Yuki snapped
Tohru didn't look at any of them. Being apart for such a short time, they seemed like strangers. Tohru didn't want to cry, but she missed them already. Her ran into the building, until being stopped by Uo and Hana
"Hey kiddo what's wrong?"
"They...they feel like strangers"
"Strangers Tohru?" Hana asked confused
"The Sohmas, I've been gone for maybe a day, and it already feels like we've been apart for ages"
"Hey Kid, don't worry, these two weeks will go by really quickly, you have school, and work to preoccupy yourself! No worries" Uo said trying to comfort her.
"I know... I can't help the feeling....something horrible is coming." Tohru looked to the window, and then slowly crept to class. The bell would not be ringing for a while. She took her seat, and stared at the window, unaware that Kyo had been standing in the corner.
"Already, you feel far?" He asked her
Tohru jumped in fear and then looked to Kyo in the corner. "What do you mean?"
"Do you feel like everyone's far away, just from being away for the day?"
Tohru nodded guilty. "It's nothing I should worry about."
"That's what happens–when you're in his presence. His darkness, it blinds everything, and it feels like you slip away into nothing. That's why, I left that place. I felt trapped, isolated to only him and the others, that's why I wondered away"
"I'm going to stay there, and complete this! I have to, not only would he reject the adoption, he'd erase my memory. It won't be hard, I'm sure Akito isn't a bad guy, he's just sick that's all"
"Ah damn it you don't get it Tohru! He's the Sohma Core! He has all the darkness, he's a bad man!"
"No...he's just burdened with something he didn't want. I think, and believe, like mom said, there is good in everyone, and we have a choice to the way we act" Tohru didn't mention the sinking feeling in the stomach. "Kyo...?"
"Yeah...." Kyo looked out at the window, and Tohru looked down at her books, thinking about what Hiro had said "Am I important to you?"
Kyo just shrugged "Eh...without you we wouldn't have any food, and we'd be living in a mound of garbage again" Kyo wouldn't look at her, but a thin line of blush was on his face. He wanted to really tell her, but...he clenched his fists and looked to her "I mean...Tohru I really..." and then the bell rang, and it was ended.
Tohru sat at her desk, and Kyo took his in the corner and the day passed on, without talk between any of them. Tohru's sinking feeling, it wouldn't leave her, and constantly Sensei would ask her if she was alright. Tohru would just laugh, and tell everyone she was just being an air head.
By the end of the day, Tohru walked down the stairs, the Sohmas coming after her.
"Miss Honda, do you wish to visit home today?"
Tohru shook her head "I can't I'm afraid, I have work tonight, and then I promised to talk to Kisa and Hiro. But I'll try to bring them over this weekend" Truth be told, Tohru didn't have work, but she that feeling told her she better go home to Akito.
Tohru ran home as quickly as she could, and to her surprise Hatori stood at the door, Tohru slowed her run, but did not come too close to him. For some unknown reason, she feared him now, being around Akito, he wasn't the gentle person she truly knew.
"Hello Hatori..." She said gently with a wave
"Forgive me Miss Honda,"
"What?" With one swift swipe of his hand, he hit Tohru's neck, the nerve point, and she fainted instantly. Awkwardness to catch her. But he caught her by the hands. From behind the shadows, a very sad Kisa, with tears in her eyes appeared. Kisa pulled Tohru onto a stretcher of a sort, Hatori and Hiro lifted the stretcher, and walked off.
"And now it begins..." Snickered an evil Akito who watched from a far.
About the Same Time Elsewhere
The boys came into the house from school, Shigure at the table with his cup of coffee
"Well, how is Tohru you guys?" When there was no response, he raised an eyebrow and put down the paper. "Alright now tell me, what's going on?"
Yuki looked at Shigure "She's drifting away, she can't even control it. It's like living in hell, and forgetting what heaven is like."
"I see...well that was expected when staying with Akito at Sohma Estate. Perhaps we can get her to pay us a visit"
"She's coming this weekend, she already said she'd bring Kisa and Hiro too" Yuki said quietly
"Splendid! Now we only have to make sure she's okay for another few days. The weekend will come soon enough. Besides, she also has work and school to attend, she won't be in the house as much as you think"
There was then the crashing sound of someone's arm load of bags. Everyone turned to see Kyo, on the floor were some books, and a broken glass, it couldn't be told what it was supposed to be.
"Now Kyo what was that for?" Shigure asked confused but calm
"Didn't anyone feel that?" Kyo asked worriedly looking out the window
"No. I didn't feel anything." Yuki said calmly
"Yeah Kyo, I didn't feel anything either' Momiji said looking at the floor.
"I think the cat's losing it" Haru said non-chalantly sitting down on the couch.
"I'm telling you I just felt Tohru's presence." Kyo said looking at the window "Something happened to her"
"What are you talking about Kyo, she's at work right now" Yuki said calmly.
Shigure rose from his seat and placed a hand on Kyo's shoulder "I know we're all worried about Tohru, but what could possibly have happened at work."
"Damn it I'm telling you something's not right!" Kyo turned glaring at Shigure.
Shigure was quiet for a moment, staring into Kyo's copper eyes. "If you're really worried, just call up the company where she works at. They'll tell you she checked in and is working as we speak."
Kyo nodded slowly, he still looked sort of angry, and he wandered to the phone.
Elsewhere...really elsewhere...no idea where Tohru is
Tohru's eyes opened slowly...and she let out a small moan of pain "Where....am...I?"
Tohru tried to rub her eyes, but found her hands were being held down, and her legs were too. She was strapped up to some sort of vertical board.
"It seems you've awaken Miss Honda" a voice called to her in the darkness
"Where am I?"
"You're in...hell" he laughed. He emerged from the shadows "Now will begin your test Miss Honda." Akito said. Behind him, was Hatori. At his legs, were Kisa and Hiro trying to hide ashamed.
Tohru smiled at Kisa and Hiro "It's alright....you probably were scared....like everyone else is....its okay...to do things out of fear....we do them all the time....but...you know...that you do have choices....everyone's given choice..."
"Ha what a lie you brat" Akito said "I wasn't given the choice to have this curse"
"I know you're...dying...Akito. But no one said you had to hide the way you do...you could've gone out and seen the world...even with you dying...instead you hid...you made everyone hide..."
"Shut up!" Akito hit her across the face, Hiro and Kisa letting out a gasp, and Hatori looking away. "What would you know about choices?!"
"My mother died....and I was sad....but....I could've spent forever crying....wishing her here....but....even though I do at times....I moved on....instead of living in the past....."
"Was it your mother's choice to die? NO!" Akito hit her again "Stupid idiotic girl"
"No..." Tohru shook her head "it wasn't her choice to die, because no one controls death fully, but she had the choice of how to live." Akito looked away in disgust. "I know you're dying, but you have a choice to live. Isn't it better to be alive..."
"Be alive? Be alive with this horrible core only to know my death already coming?"
Tohru looked at him with tears in her eyes, cuts on her face, it red and swollen from his hits.
"You're alive, that's what matters. As long as you're alive. I'm glad to know you, because you could live, you could breath, and you were here."
"I SAID SHUT UP!" Akito hit her again, and she let out a scream in pain, and blood began to fall.
Kyo slammed down the phone on the receiver and looked back at the rest of the Sohmas who were at the table all eating. He looked at them with fire in his eyes.
"What's wrong lad?" Shigure asked him curiously
"I told you something bad was happening...."
"And I told you to call her work office..." Shigure explained but he was cut off
"AND I DID! You know what, she never showed up! So I called the Estate, absolutely no one is there picking up! I called Uo and Hana, they don't know where she is either!"
"Are you sure she isn't out in the town?" Shigure asked still remaining calm
"You idiot dog don't you get it! Akito never leaves the estate, even he'd answer a phone! Think about it...she went there to be tested...this is it...."
"We should go find her!" Yuki now added getting up from the table.
"No you won't....." Shigure said, and they all stopped, not because he was stern, but more so, they were surprised by the calm and ease in his tone
"Why the hell not?"
"Because....she might not even be alive by the time you reach her....."
Everyone froze, no one dared to move, and no one dared to breath. Shigure, still looking at his newspaper. Now, everyone could see it, the tears brimming in Shigure's eyes. He was worried, even though he told the other's not. Oh Flower...please be alright.
"Do I dare to ask...what you mean by that?" Yuki asked
"No, don't dare....just...hope."
Author's Note
I'm really sorry this took so long, with school around, I'm busy.