Chapter 6: A Paper Can Tell So Much
Author's Note: I had a semi-writer's block for this chapter. I knew what the story of the curse was, but I didn't know how to explain it so it didn't sound stupid. I hope I did a somewhat good job on that….
I also had Soccer tryouts after school, including 2 tests and 1 project. My week was so full, it'd make a sumo wrestler look like Lara Flynn Boyle.
Therefore, I have to make this chapter fulfilling (though, it's not the longest..but it has huge information)! I hope I live up to that :O
Enough chat; on with the story!
"So, why exactly are you here to see me, Yuki?" he finally said, raising an eyebrow. Even so, it seemed like he already knew why he was there, but Yuki answered right away.
"I want to know more about the curse," he replied firmly. "The one I have."
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"Of course," Akito said, smiling evilly. Yuki shuddered at seeing this all too familiar smile, which told him he wasn't going to look forward to hearing what Akito had to say. "You do have the right to know; I should tell you." He put his hand in his kimono and pulled out a piece of, from the looks of it, very old paper. It was a yellowish-peach color and was wrinkled in several places.
"This curse happened centuries ago; the same time the Zodiac Curse was set on this family," Akito stood up from his spot against the wall and walked slowly towards Yuki. "As the curse is told, God found out about what the Rat did to the Cat. As you can see, he was fairly angry at the worthless Rat for betraying one of the animals." Yuki, being use to his insults, stared at Akito, still wanting him to go on.
"God, as punishment for the Rat, put a curse on the every 5 generations of his kind. Why every 5 generations, I don't know. He must've not wanted so many Rats infesting this planet, since they would die young and had to be reborn over and over again. So, as you can see, the Cat was not the only one who suffered from this whole ordeal," Akito finished his sentence with a small laugh. Yuki couldn't for the life of him wonder why Akito was enjoying this whole situation.
"So, that's it?" Yuki said quietly as he found the will to speak again. "If God put this curse on the Rat, then he must not want it to be cured."
"Oh, but I wouldn't go that far, dear Yuki," Akito said, shaking his right index finger with a smirk. 'That smirk again,' Yuki thought sourly, trying to refrain himself from giving into his urge to kick that look off his face. Bringing Yuki out of his thoughts, Akito took the ancient paper he had gotten out earlier and held it so that Yuki could see.
"You see…there is indeed a cure," Akito said, enjoying the look Yuki now had; his eyes were wide in shock, and his mouth was hanging slightly opened. "All you need to know about curing yourself is on this little piece of crusty old paper."
Yuki's mouth was running dry as he stared at the paper Akito was holding. That paper, so delicate, held the answer to his problem. If he was to know the cure of his sickness, then he wouldn't die. His life would be back to what it had been before. Granted, it wasn't exactly the best that way, but it was much more precious than the one he was being forced to live now.
"You do know, Yuki, that not everyone can get their hands on the cure of their curse," Akito said, while putting the paper back in his kimono. He leaned in towards Yuki and whispered, "I am afraid that you won't be able to do so, either."
"What do you mean?" Yuki blurted out as his heart dropped. He needed that piece of paper; his life literally depended on it. "Why can't I find out the cure? Why are you doing this, Akito!"
"I like to watch people suffer," Akito said simply as he headed towards the window. A bird perched itself on his finger and started chirping as he continued sarcastically, "Well, I think that's enough for one day. Don't want to get exhausted, do you, Yuki?" Shaking with anger, Yuki rose from his spot on the ground, and headed angrily towards to exit. He flung the door opened, then slammed it shut behind him, making Hatori stare at him questioningly.
"Did something not go as you planned?" he asked the angry Yuki as he made his way to the exit of the Main House.
"No, it didn't!" Yuki yelled as they headed out towards the yard. "That stupid little bastard wants me to die!"
"What are you talking about?" Hatori asked, utterly confused. Yuki stopped right near the gates of the Main House and leaned against them, breathing angrily.
"Well, not only did I learn about how I got this stupid curse, but I found out that it can be cured!" Yuki punched the wall in complete anger, cracking it just a tiny bit.
"Yuki, just calm down for a minute before you make yourself worse," Hatori said calmly. Yuki took a few deep breaths and finally calmed, somewhat, down. However, he was too unbelievably angry to stop the shaking that followed. "Ok, now, what do you mean there's a cure? Akito said before that there wasn't any."
"He lied," Yuki said, taking a few more breaths. "He has this paper that has the cure for this."
"Then why are you angry?" Hatori asked, raising an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you be happy that there's a way out of this?"
"You'd think that, wouldn't you?" Yuki muttered. "Akito refused to give it to me, and now I have no choice but to just sit here and slowly wait to die. Not to mention that everyone will see my health disintegrate."
"Don't tell me you've given up already?" The doctor asked him while shaking his head. "No, you shouldn't, not yet. Akito can't keep that paper forever; we just need to either get him to hand it over, or steal it from him."
"Am I hearing this correctly?" Yuki asked, staring at Hatori in admiration. "You, the most responsible, all-work-no-play, person in this family, will go as far as to steal from the Head?"
"In a life or death situation, yes," Hatori replied with a very small smile. "Let's talk about this on a later date. You still have a high temperature, from what Shigure has told me, and you need your rest."
As they were walking towards Hatori's car, Yuki's vision started to get blurry once more. However, it didn't stay completely like that, but went on and off. He didn't dare say anything to Hatori about it, in fear of getting another shot and being fussed over with. Besides, his vision was now fully clear; he didn't need to worry anyone about something so unimportant.
Yuki entered the Sohma house, not any less furious at what Akito told him. He could hardly believe that a guy like him could be the Head of the family. They're supposed to lead everyone in the right direction, not steer them into a dead end. Yuki slowly walked down the hallway with a sigh, and thought about how he was going to get that paper from Akito.
'I could just run in and grab it from him; he can't be much of a runner, can he?' Yuki thought as he stopped and leaned against the wall to concentrate more. He imagined jumping in through Akito's window, running up to him, grabbing the paper, then say "Can't have this!" before running off… and getting tackled by Akito; Unlikely, but still a somewhat possibility. 'Or…I could sneak in as a servant, and steal it from him when he's not looking.'He then pictured himself in a maid's outfit and shuddered.
Before he could think of any more, not so brilliant, plans to get a hold of the paper, a high pitched voice brought him away from his thoughts.
"Is that you, my dearest brother!" Ayame's voice came from the kitchen, and Yuki slapped his forehead in annoyance. 'Of all the times for him to be here, it had to be now.'
Yuki tried to quietly sneak upstairs, pretending he wasn't even in the house, but when he reached the first step, he started feeling dizzy once more. Now, instead of just one pair of steps, he saw two, and both started moving around. Yuki clutched his head as if it was he who was spinning. In the process of doing so, he stumbled over his own feet and fell back, hitting the wall across from the stairs. He started sliding down, but he steadied himself and shook his head. For a brief moment, everything was back to normal. Yuki could also see his brother, and Shigure, come into the hallway, both with curious looks.
"Is everything alright, Yuki?" Shigure asked worriedly.
"It sounded like you hit something," Ayame said, looking around as if to see something that could have caused it.
"I just stumbled, that's all," Yuki muttered as he straightened up. "If you'll excuse me, I need to get some rest." He started, yet again, to climb up the stairs. Ayame and Shigure watched him in confusion, and saw him stop completely. Yuki put his hands to his mouth and started coughing violently. He started to taste the bitter blood, and he looked at his hands momentarily. The blood, from his own mouth, covered the middle of his palms, and his eyes grew large in shock. Before he knew it, the blood; the stairs; everything, went fuzzy and he felt himself fall backwards, down the steps, and then being unknowingly caught by two arms before he hit the floor.
Author's Note: Ah, another one of Yuki's symptoms: Anger. Don't mess with that sour apple (haha don't ask).
Is it just more, or does Akito seem to want to die? Cause I feel like slapping him a few…slapping him with bricks, by the way. (Sighs) I have to stop being so mean to poor little Yuki-kun! He has enough to worry about already, without Akito being such a to him!
OH, I am very happy, too! I won the Reflections Contest at my school for Literature and my story's going to National Judging. I can't wait for the results :-P
Thanks to my WONDERFUL reviews yet again:
Yukyoru- Yep, they kissed! I hope I didn't make Tohru blush too much. It's just that she seems like she would on her first kiss
Moonlit Maiden- Thank you so much about the incomprehendible! I wasn't sure what to put there, so, being the lazy person I am, I just kept it like that. Thanks again! And don't needles just scare ya? They scare me OO
Princess Viv- Yukiru is the best, isn't it? Can't help but love it muwahahaha! And this time I'll actually spell check; I was a bit rushed and forgot last time ;;
Animefreakkagome- I defiantly agree with you on that; people who don't like Yukiru just really really suck :P
QueenOfHearts3- haha, that's awesome! Insane is the best thing to be (laughs uncontrollably until I start hacking like I have a furball) yyess, insane! And I'm glad you like the story!
loyanini- Yes, he better tell her soon (keeps forgetting that she gets to decide the fate of the characters)! Hopefully will stop being a sissy pants and tell her ASAP! Cause you can't get better than Yukiru, that's a fact.
Thanks again!
Next chapter: Now that Ayame witnesses Yuki's state of health…will he find out about Yuki's 'curse'? And if he does, how will he react? And don't worry, Tohru will appear again..unlike in this chapter!
