Memories of the Cursed

Disclaimer: I'm not rich, so I do not own Fruits Basket.

Chapter 17:

"So that's what happened?" Arisa asked as she sat down on a chair next to Tohru and Haru.

They were sitting in the waiting room, actually waiting for Hatori to come out after checking up on Yuki. Haru and Momiji were looking for the, and Hatori found them on the other side of the building. He explained few parts of what happened.

It took Haru a long time to settle down. He had turned black when he heard what had happened and when he heard that Yuki was injured. Momiji, thankfully, was one of the only ones who could calm Haru down.

Shigure nodded, he had purposely excluded the part when Yuki yelled all that stuff and what Akito said to him for good reasons. Tohru looked as if she was close to tears, Saki was expressionless, Arisa was a tiny bit worried, Momiji was half cheerful, half worried, Haru was on the edge of being black again, and Kyo…well…was…confused.

This time, it was Haru's turn to pace. "Will you stop that? You're gonna wear a hole!" Arisa yelled. That did it.

Snap!

"SHUT THE FUCK UP," Black Haru said, suddenly stopping. "Why don't you?" Arisa shot back, standing up. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" Black Haru yelled. "Who—" Arisa started but cut off when she saw Momiji jumping up and down, and suddenly leaped onto Haru's back. "Haru! Let's play!" the blonde bunny boy yelled.

Snap!

"Huh? Alright," Haru said, now back to white. "Yay!" Momiji cheered and got out a pack of cards.

(--?--)

Yuki's eyes fluttered open and he stared at the ceiling for a few minutes before speaking. "W-what happened?" his voice croaked after seeing Hatori looking out the window. Hatori jumped and turned to look at Yuki with a expressionless face.

"Akito grabbed your arm, or rather, your wrist and threw you across the room and you crashed into the wall…head first," Hatori explained. "Well, that explains the headache," Yuki said, suddenly feeling pain in his head. He looked at his wrists. His right one was fine, but his left was a bit swollen.

"I'm guessing he sprained my wrist?" Yuki asked after a while. Hatori nodded, still stone-faced. "Wait a minute…" Yuki started, now surveying his surroundings, "who's room is this?"

"Don't worry. I talked to Akito. You're not going to stay here. Arisa-chan and Hana-chan can keep their memories as long as they don't reveal our curse," Hatori explained. Yuki sighed in relief, but couldn't help that suspicious feeling.

"However…" Hatori started slowly. "I knew there had to be a catch," Yuki muttered, looking down. Bandages from his head unraveled a little bit. "You'll have to stay here for two-to-three days and visit Akito from time to time," Hatori continued.

"And if I don't?" Yuki asked, knowing very well what the answer would be. "All outsiders' memories will be erased," Hatori finished. "Damn…" Yuki muttered quietly. He started to tug his bandage around his wrist.

"Don't." Hatori demanded. Yuki only sighed and stopped. "What about the others?" Yuki asked, reaching for his inhaler and putting the mouthpiece in his mouth and giving a puff.

"There're waiting. Shigure should be explaining. That reminds me…I'll go get the others," Hatori replied and started walking towards the door.

(--?--)

"Kuso nezumi, kuso nezumi…" Kyo muttered continuously as he leaned against a wall. I wonder how he's doing…I wonder if he's all right…oh…damnit. FINE! I'm worried! Kyo gave into his conscious.

"Arghhh! That it's! If Hatori doesn't come out of that room after I count to ten, I'm going to burst that dame door open!" Haru said, turning black. "Haru! No!" Momiji yelled, but Black Haru ignored him.

"Ten…" he whispered.

"Nine…" Kyo joined.

"Eight…" Arisa joined.

"Seven…" Saki joined.

"Six!" Momiji joined.

"Five," Shigure joined.

"Four, " they chorused.

"Three…"

"Two!" Tohru joined.

The door creaked opened and…

"…One…" Hatori said, his hand on the doorknob.

"Speak of the Devil…" Shigure whispered. "Wow. Looks like you're not the only psychic now, eh?" Arisa said playfully elbowing Saki. Saki only stared ahead, not aware of what her Yankee friend had said.

"Yuki! Is he alright?" Haru yelled, reverting back to white. "He'll be fine. He's just injured his wrist, a bit of his head and back," Hatori explained. "His head? How'd he hit his head?" Haru and Momiji exclaimed.

"Ah! I should have helped Sohma-kun! Now he's injured! Ah!" Tohru exclaimed, panicking, her arms waving around.

"It's okay, Tohru-kun! Haa-san said he'd be all right! And besides, it's not like it's new—" Shigure started, but was cut off by Hatori's glare. Kyo, Arisa, and Saki turned towards his direction, hearing the last comment. He'd been trying to calm her down, and it seemed it worked.

"Alright, could we go now?" Haru asked, impatiently.

"Sure, but only two of you at a time; the room is too small to have enough room for all of us. Shigure how's your arm?" Hatori asked. "Oh! I'm fine! Oh! I'm so happy that our dear Haa-san is being nice to me!" Shigure started to ramble.

"I'm going to make some phone calls," Hatori said and started to walk towards his office. "I'm going first!" Haru exclaimed, "Who is coming with me?" he glanced at the others. "I'll go with you, Haa-kun!" Shigure smiled and followed the younger male into the room.

"Okay, that means…I'm with you, Tohru!" Momiji yelled, jumping up and down. "I'll go with Hana here, then," Arisa said, elbowing her friend. "That means…you're going alone, Kyo-kun," Tohru said, worried. "I don't care about that kuso nezumi. I'll wait here," he grunted apparently trying to hide his concern, but failed like a shark trying to play a guitar.

Tohru smiled at how Kyo looked. They were getting along! Then, they heard a bang.

BANG!

"Whoops, sorry…" They heard faintly through the doors. Arisa, Saki, Momiji, and Kyo sweat dropped, while Tohru cocked her head.

(--?--)

"Yuki! Are you alright?" Haru questioned as soon as he closed the door and rushed to his cousin's side. Yuki looked up from the book he was now reading. "Oh, hello, Haru," Yuki greeted, then turned to surveyed his room to see if anyone else was there.

"Hello, Shigure," Yuki said, "and yes. I'm all right. You make it sound like I'm dying or something." Haru only ignored the comment and said, "Your head! What happened?" "Well…uh…you see…Akito…he…how should I put this…well…pushed me into a wall," Yuki managed out.

"WHAT?" Haru exclaimed, automatically turning black, spun around, "DAMN BASTARD!" and punched the wall. "Ha-ha!" Shigure chuckled.

"Huh?" Haru said, looked at the hole where his fist had made contact with and said, "Whoops, sorry…" "Come on, Haa-kun! Time for the others!" Shigure said, half leading, half dragging Haru out. Yuki sighed and went back to his book, only thinking, how was I ever related to that guy?

(--?--)

"EEHHH?"

"…"

"EEHHHH?"

"…"

"Ha'ri, are you still there?"

"Unfortunately,"

"I'm coming right over as soon as I can!"

"No, Aaya, t-try to keep out of this. I don't think Yuki will want you to visit him," Hatori could hear disappointing on the other line.

"Alright, I have to go, bye," Hatori said, and hung up the phone without waiting for a reply.

(--?--)

The door opened and out came Shigure, dragging a very reluctant Haru out.

"Okay, Momitchi, wanna go next?" Shigure asked, and Momiji nodded, went in followed by Tohru.

(--?--)

The door creaked open and Momiji and Tohru came into view. "Hello, Honda-san, Momiji," Yuki greeted and smiled. "Sohma-kun, are you alright?" Tohru asked, still worried.

"You know, that's the third time I've heard somebody asked me that, I'm fine," Yuki said and smiled. "YAY! YUKI IS OKAY!" Momiji yelled gleefully and hopped onto Yuki's bed and gave him a hug. Tohru, meanwhile, was standing near, watching them and wishing that she, too, could hug him.

"Oof!" Yuki grunted, but gave into the hug. "I-I should have been there! I should have helped you!" Tohru said, as she gave into her tears. She started to sniff. "Honda-san? No, it's okay. Akito's rage is like a thread. It could be broken anytime," Yuki explained.

"Tohru?" Momiji asked, as he let go off Yuki and walked over to Tohru, "Are you happy?" "I'm happy. I'm happy. I'm so happy that I got to meet all the Sohmas, I want to learn more. I want to share your pain, but…I can't do that if you're going to keep it all to yourself," Tohru said, as she sniffed some more.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! Here I am blabbing like an idiot and the others are probably wanting to go have a turn. I'm so sorry—" Tohru said suddenly. Yuki chuckled. Momiji looked at his older cousin for never hearing a laugh. "It's okay. Now, you're starting to sound like Ritsu," Yuki answered. "Oh! Ah! I'm so—I mean, ha-ha!" Tohru laughed. "I think we should let the others have a turn now," Tohru said, and Momiji and Tohru left.

(--?--)

Tohru and Momiji pushed the door open and found that Shigure and Haru had disappeared. Arisa and Saki were sitting and Kyo was still leaning against a wall. "Guess it's our turn! C'mon!" Arisa exclaimed and both girls went inside. "Where are Shigure-san and Hatsuharu-kun?" Tohru asked.

"Kitchen" was all Kyo said.

(--?--)

"Oi, Princey!" Arisa greeted as soon as she walked through. "Oh, hello, Uotani-san, Hanajima-san," Yuki answered. "What happened?" Saki asked faintly. "Oh…um…Akito…" Yuki started but ended looking back at his book.

Reading the signs, Saki nodded and changed the subject. "How are you feeling?" Okay, that's four times…how many people are going to ask me that? I'm fine! Yuki thought as he smiled and answered that he was fine.

"Good…" Saki said. They sat in an awkward silence for a while before the two girls decided to go to the kitchen.

(--?--)

CRASH!

CLANG!

CLANK!

"Stop it! Momiji-sama, please stop!" a voice cried. "Wheee!" Momiji answered and continued to swing on the railings hung up above them on the ceiling for pots and pans. "Please Momiji-sama! Stop!" the chef cried waving his hands and panicking.

"Momiji…" Haru said sternly and apparently, it worked, because Momiji jumped off the railing and landed on Haru's back. Tohru sweat dropped. Shigure had led Haru to the kitchen and stayed there until the others came. He, then, went off to who-knows-where.

"I'm hungry!" Momiji announced. "Yeah…and so am I, but I'm not saying anything," Haru said. "I guess we'll wait here," Tohru said uncertainly. Momiji and Haru nodded. The chef was back at work.

(--?--)

"C'mon, Haa-san! Please tell me!" Shigure whined. Shigure and Hatori were in Hatori's office. Shigure was whining and Hatori was looking at paper work.

"Don't you have something else better to do? Besides, I've already told you. Akito told me that Yuki will have to visit him from time to time," Hatori repeated for what seemed like the millionth time.

"What did Yuki say?" Shigure asked, trying to image how the younger male reacted. "Better than I expected," Hatori answered for the umpteenth time. "What? What did you expect?" Shigure asked again. "Quiet, you hack," Hatori only answered, "Will you leave me alone now?"

"You're so mean, Haa-san!" Shigure answered whining. "I know I am, but what about you?" Hatori shot back.

(--?--)

"Sigh, mind as well go and see that kuso nezumi…" Kyo muttered as he walked towards the door. He pushed the door open and went inside. There, he saw that Yuki was sitting on a bed, reading a book.

Note to self: Don't mess with Akito, Kyo thought, making a metal note after noting the bandages. He let out a gasp. Yuki looked up from his book and also let out a gasp, dropping his book. "Baka neko…what are you doing here?"