Sorry for the long wait, but my beta-reader took some time in checking this chapter. I have a few of the next chapters written and the end of this story is quickly approaching! Hope you enjoy this one. Once again, thanks for the reviews!

Akito watched the clouds move across the stars. It was nearly nine o'clock, and his rabbit still hadn't come to visit him today. Perhaps he had pushed too much yesterday. It had been a bold step to try and guilt the rabbit into a deeper trust.

As he reconsidered his plan, Akito ran his hand through his hair as Momiji had done the day before. The clan leader could simply order the rabbit to come. It would be so easy to send Hatori…no, that wouldn't be the right way.

But then, did he care what the right way was as long as he got the desired result?

One thing Akito knew about Momiji was his sense of duty. Akito could sense it from him, and he decided the rabbit would come eventually. Now he just had to wait. Unfortunately, Akito hated waiting. He liked getting things done as quickly as possible, and his sudden, rash decisions reflected this desire. A person left with little time wanted every second to matter.

When he heard someone open the door, Akito couldn't help but smile. His hopes were dashed when Hatori sat down next to him.

"May I join you?"

"As long as you aren't planning on smoking."

"Never."

Akito sighed and folded his arms on his knees.

"Have you had any episodes today?"

"Not too much coughing, doctor. Nothing I couldn't handle."

Hatori nodded and spotted the book that sat by Akito's feet. He picked it up and began leafing through the pages.

"I hadn't realized you liked fantasy."

'Well, people like things they can relate to. It just happens that I can relate to being cursed."

"So I take it Momiji hasn't stopped by today, or he would have taken this back."

Akito tensed but kept silent.

" I see." Hatori got up. "I'd really like you to go inside. I'm sure Momiji can find you in there."

"I like looking at the sky."

The doctor sighed. "I suppose I'll leave you to it then."

"Good bye."

The door slid shut. When Akito began shivering, he made the decision to go inside. The cold wasn't the only factor. Akito didn't like that the fact that Momiji's arrival had kept him waiting outside. No matter how much he wanted to deny it, Akito had stayed there for the rabbit. That was a ridiculous idea for the head of the Sohma family. He waited for no one. He was the one in charge.

Akito walked inside and left the book on the porch.

Momiji stuffed one last fry into his mouth before toppling backward with a happy sigh.

"I love food study sessions. It gets me so motivated."

Hatsuharu glanced at the empty paper bags scattered around his room. "Based on the amount of motivation you just got, you should get a hundred on the test tomorrow, easy."

"Hey, we missed the last large fry and hamburger…you want it?"

"No, I've eaten quite enough for today. I have to watch my figure."

"Riiiight." Momiji lunged for the bag.

"Wait, you have to answer a question before you get to eat that."

"But we're done studying!"

Momiji pouted as Haru got a self-important look on his face. "One never stops studying the lessons of life."

"Haru, you're ridiculous sometimes."

"Well this question has been plaguing me since about seven o'clock."

"So it doesn't have to do with the test?"

"Nope."

"…what is it?"

"Are you not going to see Akito today or something?"

Momiji jumped onto Hatori's porch, flinging off his shoes.

"Sorry! Gotta go! Being rude!" he panted and sprinted past the doctor, who turned in his seat to watch the rabbit pass.

Momiji's stockinged feet padded briskly down the hall, slowing when he got closer to Akito's rooms. The rabbit swallowed. He wasn't sure how Akito would react to him being late. It might have been better not to have come today and feigned illness…or even just never come again.

Momiji steeled himself and bravely slid open the door. Akito's room was pitch black, and Momiji couldn't see his own two feet in front of him. Akito could be asleep, the rabbit realized too late as he stepped inside and the floor creaked. He bit his fist in dismay.

Nothing happened. Momiji held his breath and heard no sounds of life in the room. He exhaled noisily. Akito must still be outside with the door to the porch closed. Immediately, Momiji began to worry once again for the family leader's health in the cool night air. He headed for the door.

After a few steps, it became clear that it might have been better just to go around through Hatori's office once again. But that would take too long. Plus Momiji guessed he was at least half way through the room by now. He was practically outside. Suddenly, his left foot became entangled in a blanket, followed by his right, which he guessed had stumbled into a pillow. All that Momiji knew that second was that he was falling down.

He dropped the paper bag he had been carrying and tried to catch himself with his hands. Momiji fell on some more pillows and something else...warmer and it made an 'Oomph' when he landed on it.

Momiji turned crimson and rolled off of Akito's bed. He hit his palms against his forehead to try and wake himself up from this terrible nightmare of embarrassment. Being with Akito only led to awful situations!

The rabbit knelt and awaited his fate in the dark. He heard some shuffling and eventually two loud claps. The lights turned on.

Akito couldn't help but glare at the rabbit kneeling before him, his eyes adjusting slowly to the brightness. For once, he had no idea what Momiji was up to. True, the leader hadn't actually been asleep when the rabbit arrived. He had feigned silence in the hope that Momiji would leave. He wasn't sure if he had come to a proper conclusion on what to do with him. But Momiji had stumbled in anyway, and Akito found himself strangely not annoyed with the all-too-adorable creature, although he also couldn't help looking angry. It was his customary façade.

"This is going to sound pretty strange…but…you see…I came here and didn't hear anyone, so I thought you were outside. And I thought to myself, hey why not just go outside directly, instead of doubling back, ya know? Not exactly the smartest idea!" Momiji tried to laugh, but it came out as more of a gasp, and he blushed again. Akito's robe had fallen open to reveal a good deal of fair skin. Momiji pulled his eyes from Akito's chest back to his frightening eyes, the pink in his face deepening. He bowed, touching his forehead to the floor.

"I'm sorry, Akito. Please forgive my rudeness."

"Come outside, Momiji."

Momiji flinched, his head still against the floor, but obediently got up and followed Akito out onto the porch. He could only think that Akito didn't want to beat him in his rooms…

Once they were outside, Akito just turned around and sat down. The leader still didn't know how to handle this situation. If anyone else had intruded in his room like that, he wouldn't hesitate to…but Momiji was different.

"Wipe that look off your face. Didn't you just tell me yesterday that you weren't afraid of me?"

Momiji sat down and tried to make his face impassive, but he had broken into a slight sweat. He only acted like a fool around Akito. Something about him put Momiji off balance.

"I'm sorry." Momiji looked down.

"I only care about why you didn't come earlier."

The rabbit glanced at Akito, who regarded him coolly.

"I…I was studying with Hatsuharu and lost track of time..." He bowed down again.

"Then you'd better go back to him and continue your studies." Akito waved a hand. But inside Akito felt a tinge of rage at Haru. His rabbit had so easily forgotten about him in the company of the cow.

Momiji remained with his nose touching the floor. A tear slid down and landed on the wood.

"Akito, I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say. I never know what to say around you." Momiji's words became muddled as he began to shake with grief. "I don't know how to act. I'm trying so hard to be your friend, Akito, and I'm doing a terrible job."

Akito looked down at the rabbit once again crying before him. Tears didn't faze Akito. He had seen plenty in his time, but Momiji's words did seem sincere. Akito sighed. He supposed if he wanted the rabbit's trust, then he would have to learn how to comfort him at some point in time.

"You are not doing a terrible job, Momiji."

Momiji looked up, and Akito paused in preparation for a bold step. He told the truth.

"Would you believe me if I said that I waited for you out here until nine?"

The rabbit's face crumpled in guilt, and Akito put up a hand.

"No, don't take it that way." The family leader paused and looked away. "Momiji, I never wait for Hatori or Shigure. If they don't come, then I do something else because they don't really matter to me." Akito turned his head to gaze coolly at Momiji. "Or I make them come because I can."

Momiji sat up all the way and looked at Akito with interest.

"I wasn't sleeping when you arrived. I was still waiting for you to come. I…I thought you would."

The rabbit's eyes became wide, and his blush returned. Then he smiled.

"I brought you something!"

Akito returned the grin, happy to be able to hide many of his real feelings under a mask once again.

"Really?"

"Yeah, hold on." Momiji leaped up and darted inside. He came back out holding a white paper bag with a yellow 'M' on it. "I thought you might like a snack." The rabbit handed the bag to Akito. "They might have gotten a little squished…plus, they're kinda cold."

Akito opened his present and eyed its contents suspiciously. "I've never had French fries before." He took one out.

"They're really good! Haru and I always get snacks when we study, so we can reward ourselves for correct answers!"

"Well, I'm sure Hatori would not approve of this, but…" Akito popped the fry into his mouth and nodded. "They are very good."

"Hatori won't be mad, will he?"

Akito continued to eat. "We just won't tell him. Here, have some."

Even though Momiji still felt ready to burst from his previous fry binge, he obliged Akito out of politeness. For once, he thought things were going well.

When they were finished, Akito crumpled the bag and tossed it towards the door. "We'll clean up later." He brushed his hands together.

"That's a waste of delicious taste," Momiji chastised as he licked the last remnants of salt from his fingers.

Akito laughed lightly. "I'll remember that next time."

Momiji leaned back a little and jumped a bit when he bumped into something. "Oh, here's my book. What did you think of it?"

"It was far too sad an ending. Sirius was my favorite character."

"Oh, I know! I cried for the last twenty pages!"

"Well, I didn't exactly cry about it…"

Momiji smiled.

"So, I have to wait for the next book to come out?"

"Yeah, but I'll bring the three movies based off of the first three books tomorrow."

"That would be very nice."

"No problem!"

Momiji idly checked his watch. "Ten thirty!" He turned to Akito. "I'm really sorry, but I have a test tomorrow, and all of my books are still at Haru's."

"That's alright. School is very important."

Momiji started to ask something, then stopped.

"Yes?" Akito asked.

"I was just wondering…where did you go to school?"

Akito paused at the strange question but thought he might as well answer.

"I was home-schooled until I was sixteen. I wasn't well enough most of the time to go to regular class."

Momiji nodded thoughtfully and then bounced up. "I'll see you tomorrow then!"

"Good luck on your test."

The rabbit was already out the door and down the hall. Akito walked into his room and pulled his blankets around him. Momiji wanted to be his friend. This was such a seductive idea. The boy never seemed to pretend on any level; he was open and honest.

But the things that made him a good friend also made him a good tool, and Akito was starting to get a little resentful of a certain white-haired teenager Momiji knew. Akito suddenly felt a desire to act against Haru; such mean-spirited feelings were as normal to him as the heat of a fever. Hatsuharu was already Momiji's friend. They were as close as Hatori and Shigure, and Akito was just as jealous of this relationship. He had spent far too much of his time alone, emotionally cut off because being too close to anyone might allow them to use him. Akito couldn't let that happen.

But now, things were getting complicated. Against normal habit, Akito started taking how Momiji might react into account. The rabbit wouldn't like a sudden assault against his friend. Still, if anything that Akito didn't approve of happened, Hatsuharu wouldn't be so lucky.

A/N: I wrote in the last chapter (and probably other ones too) that Momiji has blue eyes, when in fact he has brown. Sorry for the mix up! My bad ; But, I'm too lazy to change it, since I've probably written it that way in future chaps too, so try and pretend he's wearing contacts? Thanks for pointing that out, Diamond Lotus.

Oh, and just at warning for next chapter, there will be some mild smut (because SuperDrive was wondering.)

A lot of people (KyoKichi, Blackat, and A.C) write in their reviews that they like how I portray Akito as good and evil. I'm trying really hard to soften him up a little as the story progresses. Akito does have to have some bad in him.

Ok, I just wanted to respond to some reviews to show I care!