Akito sat next to the window watchingLira sing in the garden by herself. It was early spring and Lira had just turned 10 years old. Lira saw Akito in the window and smiles at him.

"Akito!" she said going to his window "I haven't seen you in a while…are you alright?"

"I'm just sick…as usual." He said not looking at her "How's your back?"

"Huh? Oh…it's alright…you didn't hurt me to bad…" said Lira softly

"Why…why do you have to be so damn happy about everything?" Akito sad in a harsh voice "I can rip out your heart and smash it to pieces. Make your body bleed and leave scars on you that will never heal! Why do you forgive me?"

Lira just looked at him then said, "It's because I care about you Akito. All I ever wanted was for us to be friends."

Akito finally looked at her and saw Lira smile.

"Don't smile like that." he said softly "you'll make me, think your up to something."

"That's right…"Akito thought lying in the middle of the floor, "I hit Lira when she tried to protect Kanna from me…and here she is…"

"Akito?" he heard Lira's voice call out to him but he was to weak to respond. "Akito are you-"

"I can feel her picking up my body calling out to someone for help…she should've left me where I was. But no…here she is…once again taking all the pain, so I won't suffer. She's so stupid." He thought as he felt someone lay his body down.

Later that Night

"Yes, Kyo. I'm sorry I worried everyone." Said Lira to Kyo on the phone

"Are you sure your alright? Do I need to come over and get you?" asked Kyo

"No, I'm fine. I just need to stay here for a while. I'll probably be at school tomorrow." She said playing with the phone cord.

"Lira, please come home soon, it's not the same without you." said Kyo

"Is that your way of saying that you miss me?" Lira asked teasingly

"Yes." Said Kyo grimly

"Well I miss you too. I love you Kyo."

"I love you too Lira. Bye." She hung up the phone then went back to the room where the kept Akito. He was lying on a futon, pale moonlight showed his frail body, making him look like a very sick child but yet Lira found him handsome as his hair fell over his eyes and slept soundly. "Oh, Akito…."

She limped over to him and knelt down beside him.

"It's your fault you know…my back is better but…one wound opened again...if you hadn't did something so stupid…I'd be better now." She said trying to keep her voice steady. "But NO! You had to do something so stupid! Don't you realize I love you Akito! I know you hate me but why must you make me suffer like this! Do you like seeing me in pain? Is that what makes you happy?" tears fell from Lira's violet eyes and she tried to stop them but they continued to flow down her soft cheeks and onto Akito's hand. " Tell me Akito! What do I have to do to get you to realize that I care about you! I love you Akito…what more do I have to say?"

"Your so stupid." Said a soft voice and Lira felt someone wipe away her tears " don't you realize that I love you too?"

Lira looked and saw Akito smirking at her. He sat up and leaned in to kiss her but Lira backed away from him.

"What's wrong? Aren't you spouse to be the one who can stand up to me? Who doesn't fear me? Who doesn't obey orders?" he said smiling at her

"Shut up…I should've left you there to die…" she whispered

"Is that what you really want? Is for me to die?" Akito got up slowly and walked slowly over to her, "Kill me then Lira. I'm sure everyone will be better off without me and you can be with your precious Kyo. Isn't that what you want! Isn't it!" Akito grabbed Lira by her hair and made her look up at him. "Now there's my girl, nothing but fear in her eyes. Now be a good girl and give me a lick."

"You hate me…because you love me…but your afraid…aren't you?" said Lira looking up at him with water standing still in her eyes. "It's alright Akito…"

"Shut up!"Akito yelled, "You know nothing! All you care is about Kyo! You never cared about me never!"

Lira hugged his waist and closed her eyes.

"Akito…please…don't say that…" she whispered "tell me that you hate me…beat me until my body is dry and make me suffer until my I have no will to live…but please don't tell me that I don't care about you."

Akito slowly let go of Lira's hair and he made her let go of his waist and dropped to his knees and to Lira's surprise he was crying.

"What is it?" Akito thought taking Lira's hand. "That makes me love you?" Akito pulled her into and embraces and cried on her shoulder "why do I have to hate you? I don't want to hate you, I want to care for you. Like you do for me…oh god…please Lira...please let go of your feelings for Kyo, he doesn't deserve you like I do…"

Lira was in utter shock and couldn't move because she knew this time Akito meant it when he said out loud "I love you."

The Next Morning

Lira awoke the next morning and she could feel someone's strong arms around her she looked to see none other then Akito holding her. He wasn't wearing the top of his kimono but Lira was thanking the heavens he had the bottom half on.

"Akito…Akito wake up. I have to go to school." She whispered

"Mmm, no you don't…" he said opening one eye "your staying with me today."

"But what about" Lira was cut off short as Akito kissed her. His soft lips pressed against hers and Lira pulled away

"Ah…your not going to kiss me backs?" Akito said kissing her neck

"Well…no. I have a boyfriend remember? Kyo?" said Lira trying her best not to slap Akito

"So, can't you just be with me just this one little time?" asked Akito

"No." Lira got out of bed and was glad she borrowed Hatori's short before she went to be because it covered her body. "I'm going to go call him now." Lira found her cane and walked out and towards the phone. She picked up the receiver and dialed Shigure's house.

"Hello? Sohma Residence." Came Tohru's voice

"Good morning Tohru." Said Lira

"Oh Lira! It's you! How are you?" said Tohru

"I'm fine. Just woke up though…." She heard someone walking down the steps and stop

"Hey, who's that on the phone?" said Kyo in the distance

"It's Lira do you want to talk to her Kyo?"

"No." and Lira heard Kyo walk away with that.

"Um, Tohru is Kyo alight?"

"I don't know…AHHH! I left the food on the stove! I'll see you at school Lira!" and Tohru hung up the phone.

Lira hung up the phone and felt someone's arms wrap around her.

"You know you don't have to go to school…you could just stay here, with me…" Akito whispered in her ear.

"Get off of me. Now." Said Lira

"Oh and why so cold…is it because you finally realize I love you?" Akito made lira turn around to face him and he looked right into her eyes. "I love you lira and you can't change my feelings for you."

"But I'm with Kyo…."

"And Kyo was your first love correct? But who says your first love has to be your last?"

She pushed him away and walked away from him and down the hall towards her room. She took a quick shower and got dressed in a spare school uniform. She walked out to the front of the Sohma estate to see Kyo standing on the roof.

"What took you so long?" asked Kyo jumping of the roof and onto the ground " come on were already late."

Lira flung her arms around Kyo and cried. Kyo stood there like an idiot before patting her awkwardly.

"Kyo, Kyo you love me right?" lira said after crying all over him

"Yes of course I do. What makes you think I don't?" he said kissing her tears away "come on honey, what's wrong?"

"I just don't know if will always be like this…together…I mean the cu-"

"Who gives a damn about that stupid curse?" Kyo yelled at her "all I care about is you! I want to be with you, I'll do whatever it takes to be by your side."

He kissed Lira softly and she kissed him back which as much passion as he had for her.

He pulled away from her and kissed her forehead then said, "I'll never leave you…never again."

"All you ever wanted was us to be friends…but I always wanted more." Thought Akito looking Kyo hold Lira in his arms " so much more."