CHAPTER 3

CURSES

We are all cursed in our own little ways.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Fruits Basket. I do however own Korosu and Kaze Sohma.

I've always been considered inferior, no matter what I did, I never got any attention or what I wanted, and it was all that Damn Akito's fault. He kept me away...just because I wasn't one of them...one of the cursed. He thought I was weak, pathetic...but he was the one that was weak. He gave in to that stupid girl. He let her win. With me, she won't be so lucky.

Kisa, Hiro and Momiji hid under the kitchen table, watching as the woman ran back and forward down the hall, shouting Shigure's name. "Deadline...Tomorrow...no story...death of me! Shigure!" Mit-chan pulled at her hair as tears slid down her face, wondering why Shigure did this to her each and every time. Did he enjoy being so cruel?

Finally, she noticed the three children under the table.

"Shigure...where?" she asked, crouching down in front of them.

"He...died" Kisa replied gently, keeping her promise to Shigure. Both Hiro and Momiji stared at Kisa for a moment before nodding in agreement. "The guy finally killed over" Hiro added, shrugging, "It was about time, he was beginning to annoy me."

Mit-chan sat back for a moment, before going into another one of her fits.

The three kids blinked at each other, shrugged, then watched on.

Ritsu, who had been looking for Kisa to let her know that her mother had called, entered the kitchen and stopped in his tracks upon seeing Mit-chan running in circles around the table, yelling something about Shigure being the death of her. So, this was the editor he had heard bits and pieces about. He thought it was mean how Shigure led her on, and bugged her like this. Didn't he realize how stressed out the woman was? "Excuse me, miss" he began gently, approaching the woman slowly.

However Mit-chan ran straight into him and the two fell over.

"Uh oh" Kisa said lightly as a puff of smoke filled the air.

"Poor Ritsu!" Momiji covered his mouth.

"He deserved it" Hiro sighed.

Shigure listened to all the yelling through the doors, waiting for the minute that Mit-chan left. Normally, he just teased her about not having his work done, but this time, he really hadn't finished. With his trips to visit the new head, trying to keep everyone from destroying his house, and bothering Hatori, he just hadn't had any spare time. He was afraid however, that if he gave her that news, she'd have a heart attack right then and there.

He blinked slightly when he heard the yelling come to an end, and all downstairs had become quiet. Had Mit-chan left?.

Just as he prepared to leave the room, the phone rang, and he turned to answer it. The yelling downstairs resumed.

"Ha-kun! You really do have interesting timing" He sat down on the floor, holding the phone between his ear and shoulder as he looked over a few printed pages on the table. "I believe Mit-chan is ready to have my head. But onto more important things. How's my princess?"

"You need to come over here, now" Hatori told him with an urgent tone.

"What is it Ha'ri, has something happened to Tohru?" Shigure stood up once again, the papers in hand.

Hatori began to retell everything that had happened from the moment he had talked to Tohru about the effect she had on everyone, to the point where Kyo stormed out onto the terrace and punched Korosu across the face.

Shigure listened quietly, becoming quite serious, "I'll be right over" He set the phone down and frowned at the wall. 'And we thought all our problems would die with Akito' he thought as he stared out into the streets, watching the rain fall for a moment before leaving the room.

He descended the stairs, stopping to watch Kisa run up the stairs with a monkey in her hands. She stopped at the top step and looked down on Shigure, "I told her what you said, but she didn't believe me. Haru is taking care of her right now…she passed out."

"It's okay Kisa, listen, I need you to take care of Ritsu for me. I need to go somewhere, and will be back soon" Shigure explained, not wanting her to know that Tohru was hurt. Perfect, now he could get out without wasting time on Mit-chan.

On his way out, he told Haru the same thing he had told Kisa, and Haru agreed. "Try not to take too long. I get bored when I'm inside all day" Haru called as Shigure left.

"We have to get her out of the house" Haru told Momiji and Hiro. Hiro turned and headed up the stairs to go find Kisa, and Momiji leaned over the unconscious woman.

"Maybe we should leave her here until she wakes up" Momiji decided, sitting on his knees. "Then when she wakes up, I can help her with her problems"

Haru looked up, "Your not Tohru"

"Ruin my fun" Momiji stuck his tongue out.

"Miss Honda, we were here for you, why didn't you scream, run...anything?" Yuki placed his hands on her shoulders as he looked down into her frightened eyes. "Miss Honda?" he gave her shoulders a firm squeeze, hoping to get some sort of reply from her.

Tohru looked up, her face still a light shade of red. Her hair was messy, her clothes wrinkled. The neckline of her shirt was slightly stretched, forcing it to slide down, revealing her shoulder. She held on to the hem of her skirt, pulling down slightly, "I...I couldn't" She admitted. "I wanted to...but..." she glanced down, closing her eyes tightly. She opened them quickly however, when the images of what had happened flashed through her mind.

"Yuki he..." Tohru sighed lightly, not wanting to talk about it. "Yuki...I have to stay here...to protect Kaze..I don't want him to suffer like Akito did..."

"Miss Honda, how could you want to stay after he attacked you?" Yuki asked, slightly confused, "Miss Honda, when are you going to think about yourself?" He locked his eyes with hers, giving her a firm look. Sometimes, she needed to be selfish.

The yelling going on outside forced Tohru to turn away, and head to the door. What was going on out there?

Hatori opened the door, entering the room where Tohru and Yuki talked. "Tohru, I'd like to have a look at you to make sure you're okay"

Tohru looked over to Yuki, her hands moving up to grab at her shirt, taking a small breath. "Okay..."

"Like hell I'm leaving her here with you" Kyo spat as he jumped forward to swing at Korosu, a nasty glare in his eyes.

Korosu grabbed Kyo's arm and spun him around, pinning his arm against his back, "I am not like Akito, I am not weak. You're weak Kyo" Korosu chuckled lightly as he leaned forward, pressing his mouth to the cat's ear. "You're weak because you're a cat. You're not a real member of this family. They keep you around because they pity you. How could they not pity such a pathetic creature? One who loses to a rodent?"

Kyo growled and swung his free arm, wincing slightly. Korosu's words had hurt, but he wasn't about to show that pain. "Bastard, it's you who doesn't belong! You think your such a hot shot, but your not. It's your brother whose the hot shot. I owe him respect. To you, I owe nothing. But, that's what pisses you off so much huh? That a baby has more power than you"

"Such a nasty attitude, no wonder she doesn't love you" Korosu shoved Kyo down onto the floor, then turned around to face the garden, resting his hand on his bruised cheek. "Tohru doesn't love you Kyo. With you, I have no competition for her affection" he chuckled lightly, "Nor do I have to worry about Yuki"

Kyo hopped back onto his feet and charged at Korosu, "You can't have her!"

"It surprised me really. It wasn't you she cried out for, or Yuki."

"Shut up!"

Korosu turned around, smirking lightly, not even fearing the fact that Kyo's fist was inches away from his face.

"It was Hatori she called for Kyo. Hatori"

Shigure ran up the steps and grabbed Kyo just as he was about to pound his fist into Korosu's face. Kyo looked beyond angry while Korosu had a pleased look on his face. "Kyo, what's wrong, where's Tohru?".

Korosu adjusted the collar of his shirt and continued to smile, "So the mutt is here too. Have you come to fetch the girl?"

Shigure kept a firm grip on Kyo as the cat tried to lunge forward and get another hit in, "Korosu, is it true, did you try to…hurt Tohru?"

"Try to? I did. I succeeded. " Korosu smirked and turned, entering the house.

Shigure fought the urge to release Kyo and let the cat have his way with the snotty boy, but reminded himself that Korosu was in charge of taking care of Kaze. Kaze was the head, Shigure couldn't allow anything to happen, that could possibly hurt the child.

"Let's just get Tohru and leave"

Kyo broke free of Shigure's gift, "You get her" he said angrily before dashing off the porch, through the garden and into the woods.'It isn't true' Kyo thought as he cut through the trees. He wasn't sure where he was going, or when he would stop. 'It can't be true. Tohru doesn't love him...and I'll prove it to that damn boy that she doesn't...'

Kyo thought as he cut through the trees. He wasn't sure where he was going, or when he would stop.

Authors Note: Thanks to all who reviewed the previous chapter of this story. I'm sorry I took so long in updating this one. It's been a very busy month for me...I hope you guys understand!