Chapter 7: Brother Knows Best
Author's Note: Well, maybe he doesn't know best but he knows something.
I'm sorry for not getting this out sooner (…again…) But since Spring Break started for me, I'll have much more time to write. Hopefully I'll get another chapter out before April 4th starts up.
Enjoy!
"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.
-
Ayame quickly caught Yuki as soon as he saw him sway backwards and completely collapse. "Yuki!"
"Bring him to the couch," Shigure instructed, trying to stay calm about the situation, though this wasn't the first time Yuki had fainted. Ayame carried Yuki into the living room, and placed him on the couch carefully. He turned to Shigure, who was searching through the medicine cabinet and then getting out a wet cloth to place on Yuki's head.
"Shigure, what's happening?" he asked the dog in concern as he came back in to treat Yuki. Without answering, Shigure placed the cloth on Yuki's forehead and sighed. He's symptoms were getting worse, and now that Ayame witnessed one of them…he needed to know about what his brother was going through.
"Ayame, I have to tell you something about Yuki," Shigure said without even looking up at the snake as he spoke. "He'll kill me for this, but you need to know…"
"Is it that bad?" Ayame asked quietly. If Shigure was talking as seriously as he was, it was bound to be about something terribly devastating. However, he laughed at himself at the thought of Yuki being the one in trouble. "It can't be that bad; it's not like he's dying or anything…" Though he said it without missing a beat, the thought of it made Ayame shudder and flinch.
"Ayame, you should sit for this," Shigure said, hesitant to tell him that Yuki was indeed dying, especially now more then ever. Ayame, who's laughing turned into slight shaking, obeyed Shigure's request, and took a seat in the nearest chair. Now he knew bad news was about to be reported to him.
Yuki rolled over in his place on the couch and grumbled when he felt a sore spot in his throat. He couldn't even remember how he got to where he was. Everything was blurry in his mind, just like his eyes had been earlier. Now they were even too weak to open, but he could hear as perfectly as he could before.
"Shigure, he's starting to move around," the voice of his brother filled his ears and he sighed quietly to himself. 'Great, now I have to listen to him talk about what he stupidly did in high school, and I was so close to sneaking away the first time.' Then it hit him like a brick; Yuki remembered falling from the stairs in front of Shigure and Ayame. Which means the gossiping, secrets-are-only-fun-to-spread dog told the I-am-very-annoying snake about his 'curse'. Without hesitation, Yuki jumped up from the comfortable place he had been sleeping on and finally opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was a cloth falling from his forehead, and he sighed, his heart beating slightly faster out of surprise. He also saw thick blankets covering him, which he was grateful for as he felt a cold breeze brush past his face, causing him to shiver. Yuki turned his head to the side and saw Ayame staring at him with wide, worried eyes. Shigure was next to him, but had a less frightening look on his face.
"How are you feeling?" Shigure asked, tilting his head to the side. Yuki stared at him blankly, his brain slowly registering what he was asked, and then answered.
"Oh, great," he said sarcastically while slightly rolling his eyes. "I don't think I've been any healthier in my life." Yuki marked the question as a stupid one; he fell down the stairs and coughed up blood, of course he felt like crap.
"I'm serious, Yuki," Shigure replied, ignoring the sarcastic remark. "I need to know, so I can give you any medicine if you need it."
"Fine," Yuki said, crossing his arms. "I have a bursting headache, my throat's killing me, and I feel light headed." Shigure nodded and got up, quickly saying he was going to get something to help Yuki. Though that was true, he also wanted Yuki and Ayame to talk.
There was only an awkward silence between the two, however. Yuki leaned back into the edge of couch arm and, arms still crossed, stared at the wall in front of him. Ayame was looking at the floor, trying to decide whether or not to tell Yuki he knew about the rat's curse. As Shigure said, he would be mad that Ayame knew, but how could the snake not see that something was wrong with him?
"Go on, say it," Yuki finally said. Ayame looked up from the floor and saw him, not staring straight at him, but at the wall behind him.
"What?" Ayame asked, slightly confused. He wasn't expecting Yuki to say something to him, and before he himself could even start a conversation.
"You know about this stupid curse, I can tell," Yuki replied, now staring at Ayame. His eyes looked bored, as if he were asking about what homework was assigned in class. "Well? You do know, right?" Ayame stared at Yuki, still slightly shocked at Yuki's forwardness, but nodded slowly nonetheless.
"How do you feel about all this?" Ayame asked, taking a crack at being serious, however, Yuki laughed lightly.
"What are you, my psychiatrist?" he said sarcastically. "Actually, I don't know what to feel about this; not now, at least. Not like I can do anything about it."
"But…Shigure said there was a cure to this," Ayame replied. He stared at his brother for a few moments. 'Did he give up already?'
"Does everyone know about this?" Yuki asked angrily. He didn't want Hatori telling anyone, mainly being Shigure and Ayame, about the 'cure' that he wasn't able to get a hold of. True, Hatori did say they'd try to get it, but that doesn't exactly guarantee anything.
"Listen, Yuki," Ayame said. "There's a cure out there, and just because Akito has it doesn't mean you can't."
"Ok, so what am I suppose to do? Break through the roof and grab it from him while he's sleeping?" Yuki asked, rolling his eyes. "You do know it's in his kimono. It'll be hard to get it."
"It's not like he keeps it in there," Ayame said with a sigh; Yuki was being too much like Hiro for his liking. "Just keep this in mind: Don't give up, and if worse comes to worse, fight Akito for it." He laughed his usual laugh at the thought of Yuki kicking Akito's ass and getting the cure. It's not like it was impossible; Akito wasn't exactly healthy. "Besides, don't you want to live so you can tell Tohru-kun how you feel?"
Yuki's eyes narrowed, slightly in shock, and his mouth hung slightly opened. Not to mention that his cheeks were glowing a bright fire red. "How – who..w-what?"
"It's not like it's oblivious to the world," Ayame said, laughing at the face Yuki was making. "Everyone can see it, dearest brother! Now you just have to tell her."
"Uh," Yuki was lost for words. He didn't exactly want to speak to his brother about this kind of stuff. "Sure, fine, let's just change the subject now." Just then, Shigure finally entered the room with some medicine and another set of blankets.
"Took me a while to find this," Shigure laughed at himself, but it didn't fool anyone. Since when was it hard to find a box of medicine, especially when it was always kept in a cabinet in the bathroom? Shigure, noticing the stares he was getting, quickly changed that subject. "Oh look at that, Tohru-kun and Kyon-Kyon are home from school." Sure enough, both entered the room and sat their school bags on the floor.
"Hello Ayame-san!" Tohru said with a smile while Kyo sighed in annoyance. Ayame smiled back, snickering only loud enough for Yuki to hear. In return, Yuki took the nearest, heaviest, thing he could find, being a book of Shigure's, and chucked it at Ayame's head. Tohru then noticed Yuki lying on the couch, covered in blankets.
"Is everything alright, Yuki-kun?" she asked worriedly. The curse and all the symptoms Yuki would get flooded in Tohru's mind and she almost let out a gasp. In an instant, she was sitting next to him on the floor.
"Err..." He didn't want to worry her about his 'fall', and he also didn't want her to get suspicious of his condition, either. "I just decided to rest down here, instead of in my room. Actually, I really do feel better." Shigure rolled his eyes, shook his head, and left the room to, in truth, finish his novel. Ayame, feeling Yuki and Tohru needed to some time alone together, ushered Kyo out of the room with rants of his high school years. Both Tohru and Yuki sat in silence, Yuki being annoyed at Ayame's plan of getting them together. Sure, he wanted to tell her everything, but he wasn't sure how.
"Oh, before I forget," Tohru reached into her bag and pulled out a book and some papers. "I've got today's homework for you, but you should get some rest so you don't overwork yourself."
"Thank you, Honda-san," Yuki replied with a smile. However, the inside of him was nervous, and it was telling him to tell Tohru how he felt. "Um, Honda-san? I need to tell you something."
"Yes?" Tohru replied with a smile; it actually never left her face. Yuki paused and his mouth went dry from what he was planning to say.
"Oru Unduh I uve hoo," Yuki mixed his words with a cough, somewhat hoping that she had heard him so he wouldn't have to repeat; it took him a lot of courage to tell her just even once.
"Huh?" Tohru looked confused, as his words were just like one big sentence, and the cough didn't help much.
Yuki took a deep breathe before quickly whispering to her once more,
"Tohru Honda, I love you."
Author's Note: If Yuki seems slightly out of character, it's more then likely because of the curse. It makes him moody :3 (he could show anger, sadness, depression, sarcastic ness, embarrasses easily, and stuff along those lines.)
But other than that, how was the ending? Muwahahaha, wonder what she'll say? Before I get to the lovely reviews, the next chapter will be the plan to get the paper with the cure on it from evil, smelly, lets-shove-a-stick-down-his-throat Akito. Oh man, I'm gunna love writing the cure :D
P.S- Remember when I said Machi was scheduled to appear later? Uh…that might not happen now. I can't think of anywhere to put her without wandering away from the story line. So, she will 90 percent not appear. Not much of a loss, though, so LET'S MOVE ON :D!
Animefreakkagome- lol thanks so much! And that ego be growin!
Yukyoru- :D lol, the cure has been retrieved! AHAHAHAHA! Ohhh, things will get waaaay outta hand when they try to get the paper (pretty much at least lol)
Moonlit Maiden- Hopefully the suspense will get as thick as a willow tree, especially, if they do get the paper, when they get the cure. And thanks for the congradulations :D!
yi wen1776- Yup, all Ayame! He's such an awesome brother, now isn't he? And yes, Akito… (strangles him) can't put it any better than that. Thanks for reviewing, too!
QueenOfHearts3- Oh, you can borrow him as long as you want! You don't even need to bring him back in good condition; heck, you don't even need to bring him back! He's too evil for this world. And wow, there being no cure…nice thinking! But can I be that cruel and have Akito do such a thing… huuumm… :oD Thanks for the review!
Tochi Kitsune Moga- I'm glad you thought the curse was good :3 And I hope you liked the brotherly moment Ayame and Yuki shared! I could never write yaoi; I don't read it, either. Especially incest yaoi…and especially between Yuki and Ayame lol. Thanks so much for the review!
MisstressSango01- I'm glad you enjoy my story! I'll read your fic as soon as I can; I have so much too do now with soccer and grades T.T But I will ASAP!
YukiTohru4eva- Thanks for the review :D I'm glad you like! I hope you liked the end (at least lol, there's also the beginning of chapter 8) and your penname roXxs my soXxs (hehe)!
Thanks again!
(hums to 'Call Me Call Me' by Tim Jensen)
Until the next…
TBC
