Curse Me
Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or "I'll always be right there" by Michelle Branch.
A/n: Ehee, there I go again with the long wait. I'm sorry T-T
Review Responses:
DarkShadowWriterOh! Thankies! I loved that line, too.
CrazyInsaneAnimeFanGirlLove your name! But, hrm, I'm not sure if she's going to have Akito's curse yet; suppose you'll find out in this chapter.
Anonymous: Ruse: I'm writing more, I'm writing more…
Black TwilightSenko-san, eh? I like the sound of that. –trying to ignore the cliffhanger comment– Yuki's rabid fan girls? –squeak– Okay, okay!! I'm sorry!! I'll try to lie off on the cliffhangers!! –phew–
Aisha C Thank you!
Arianla: -phew- did I have trouble writing your name—Love it, by the way! I haven't read the books; I've watched the four DVDs that FunimationCentral has out…
Anonymous: animelubber: Ehee, I hope this wasn't too long of a wait… –anime-tears– It wasn't my fault, I swear… T-T
Jeweljade Well, um, the lying? I don't really know why I did it, but it sounded practical…–shrug– Hee, I don't always have the best reasoning when I'm writing… Gomen ne, reviewer-san
Chapter Three
When you're all alone,
and you need a light,
someone to guide you through the night,
just remember that I am here,
to hold you close and dry your tears.
Sapphire eyes drifted open hours later to see two pairs of curious and worried orbs staring down at her. She nearly the jumped and rubbed her eyes lazily. Tohru sat up as they backed away and stretched. "What happened?" she asked no one in particular. She looked around. "Where's Momiji? Wasn't he—?" Tohru choked on her words when she remembered all that had happened. She looked up fearfully to see two of the boys – Kyou and Yuki – looking down on her, intently waiting for an explanation.
"He left, Honda-san." Yuki filled her in kindly.
"But, I don't wanna go!! I have to hear if I was right!!" Momiji whined as the three, still fusing over Tohru, stopped to look at him.
Kyou glared at the little boy, taking him by the collar. "I told you to leave. Now do it, Brat." He dragged the protesting boy to the door, slid it open, and threw him out, clamping to door shut behind him. The cat made his way back to Tohru and the two other Zodiac members who were attempting to move the girl to her bedroom. Shigure had her by the elbows, not trusted to hold any lower, and Yuki was trying to take her lower half, not having tried to pick up a girl before with his curse. He gave up seconds later, telling Shigure just to set her down on the cushions that surrounded their table. Kyou sighed. How were they going to do anything with her like this?
The nezumi took a seat near her, on the other end of the table, watching her intently for any sign of waking, while the inu took a seat across from him.
Kyou growled and went to pick Tohru up, immune to the fear of transforming with this girl around. He blinked when he didn't change, holding her under the knees and just at the shoulders. Wasn't it enough contact to be considered a hug? He blinked again. Maybe it was…
No one had ever attempted to hug Akito before. Could it be?
Yuki and Shigure were amazed as well; they glad they were sitting. Otherwise, they would have fallen off their feet. Like Kyou…
A thud echoed through the quiet house when Kyou fell backwards, half in surprise and half because of the weight (though not very heavy) of the being in his arms. Tohru was successfully moved to her bedroom when they recovered, nearly a half-an-hour later.
"Oh." Tohru answered quietly, fiddling with her bed sheets.
Silence overtook the three and Kyou became impatient, tapping his foot.
"Okay!" He finally blurted out, "Why can I hug you now??" He asked just as Shigure came in the room with a basin of cool water and a soft cloth for Tohru.
This outburst caused Shigure to stop in the doorway, a sly grin on his face. "My, my, Kyou. Why, I never thought you would be the type to… What were you doing to the poor girl while she was out-of-it?"
Kyou realized how badly his question could be taken, eyes wide and cheeks pink. He struggled for words, embarrassment turning into anger, when he looked back at Tohru, who was blinking wildly. "That's not—I didn't—I swear—He took it—I didn't do… Shigure!!" He whirled on the dog, one fist clenched at his side while the other pointed in his elder's face accusingly. "How dare you…" He hissed under his breath. "Look what you did!!" He exclaimed at he top of his lungs, nearly punching the dog in his jaw before storming out of the room.
Shigure blinked again and again, trying to clear his ringing ears from when Kyou shouted in his face. "Well, well, someone's a little touchy…" He passed off and smiled good-naturedly Tohru's way. "Nice to see you're awake, Tohru-kun." He greeted and looked at the bowl in his hand, "Well, seems we don't need this now…" He muttered to himself and placed the washbasin at Tohru's bedside table.
Tohru, shaken out of her spell, looked to Shigure with a smile. "Thank you, Shigure-san."
Shigure nodded. "It wasquite a show, though, wasn't it, Yuki?"
Yuki shook his head, clearing his thoughts, at his name. "What? Oh, yes. It was interesting. That cat had picked you up without any reaction of the Zodiac. Very curious, indeed." He looked down at Tohru, cracking his apathetic shell to smile at her. "We couldn't, for the life of us, figure out what caused it, either."
Oh-ooh
And just when you thought you were falling,
but you know I'll always be right there
Tohru blinked. Kyou had picked her up, holding her close enough to transform, but didn't… Odd. Very intriguing but, nonetheless, puzzling. Could it…? No. She wouldn't even venture there. It wasn't because she was now the head of their family. No way. It was merely coincidence.
That was all…
Tohru looked up at Yuki and Shigure. "I don't know what to tell you guys; I don't know. I don't understand what's changed overnight. I mean, just yesterday, when I tripped and fell (Yuki and Shigure sweat-dropped) over Kyou, he transformed like normal." She shrugged helplessly. "I'm sorry."
Yuki's smile fell slightly and his sweat-drop faded and he sat at the end of her bed, intent on keeping his distance. He was tempted to see if her trick worked on every Zodiac member and not just the neko, tough he wasn't officially a part of it, but he didn't want to scare her. So, it resulted in sitting at the end of Tohru's bed while she curled at the head, sitting between her pillows. "Whatever for, Honda-san?"
"I just—I feel like I shoulder apologize for the confusion; I feel like I don't now what's happening to me… but I should. So, I'm sorry for it. I'm really sorry." Tohru propped her head on her knees, arms wrapping around her lower legs. She was still tired.
Shigure tilted his head, realizing Tohru's fatigue, and turned to meet the door. He slipped out of the room, advising, "Don't do anything I wouldn't!"
When you're all alone,
and you need a friend,
someone to help you to the end,
when you need someone to catch you when you fall,
I'll be there through it all.
Yuki rolled his eyes at his cousin's remark. What a responsible adult, he is…
Tohru was blinking, not quite understanding what the dog was implying. Yuki assured her, reaching forward to pat her head like one would a small child. "There are reasons he's the dog…"
Tohru only seemed more confused by this.
Yuki tried a different approach. "You should try and get some sleep, Honda-san; I'm sure it's been a long day."
Tohru nodded and slid under the covers once Yuki removed himself from her bed. "You're right, Yuki-kun. Thank you." She yawned and the bedroom light clicked off, courtesy of the nezumi.
Yuki kneeled at her side for some time, stroking her hair gently, until she fell asleep. He smiled fondly when she unconsciously scurried away from his touch. "Sleep well, Honda-san. I hope everything gets figured out soon for you…" He lined her jaw lightly when she tossed his way, as if hearing his words. "Goodnight, Honda-san."
Oh-oh
Cause just when you thought you were losing,
but you know I'll always be right there.
Kyou scowled from the doorway, eyes shimmering in anger. He snuck back to his room, quiet so not to be caught out of bed, and plopped on his bed, lamp still glowing with light. The light gave Kyou a scary demeanor when it illuminated his darkened features. "Honda-san my ass. Stop trying to suck up to the new leader… Damn rat. " He grouched, irate at the nezumi's nerve.
Yuki wondered, as he made his way to his own room, if Momiji was, in fact, telling the truth. Could the Honda-san that he had come to know really take care of every last Sohma in the Sohma clan – and rule over it? There would most definitely be no protest from any other Sohma members, that was certain; they all adored her. Tohru got along with the family well, better than anyone from outside of the family before, how would that bond strain if…?? What would happen if she made a wrong decision?
There's only so much strain a bond can take… How much could it hold out now? Yuki was afraid to consider.
Was Tohru really ready for this?
Akito knew whether or not. So, what could he have planned? He wouldn't appoint her if he knew everything was going to be all right – the sadist. What was he planning?
Hatori showed up the next morning, just as the teens were heading off for school. Of course, instead of school, they were asked to stay. Well, to be accurate, Tohru was asked to stay and the boys decided to stay with her, wary of Hatori.
So, as it turned out, they all gathered around the low table after Tohru made some tea, Yuki and Kyou sitting on either sides of Tohru for safe measure while the inu and Hatori sat across from them.
"Tohru-san." Hatori started. "Rumor has spread around the Sohma estate that you have been appointed head of the Sohmas by Akito himself. Is this true?" He asked, always straight to the point.
Tohru lowered her eyes and four pairs of prying orbs. She didn't answer for quite a while. "Um, I suppose that's what he meant," she finally answered softly, shrugging slightly. "Who told you?"
Hatori watched her calmly. "Surprisingly enough, Momiji did." He answered sarcastically. "He was ecstatic."
And I'll be there through the good times,
and the bad,
and we'll be there for each other,
cause you're the best friend I've ever had.
Tohru's eyes widened and she overlooked her three roommates' worried gazes. "Everyone knows?" she asked softy. "Momiji-chan told everyone?"
Hatori nodded indifferently. "Practically everyone he met…"
Tohru sighed and anime-tears (A/n: ya know: T-T) fell down her face. Just what she needed at a time like this – publicity. She looked over to her housemates, a miserably guilty look on her face. "I'm sorry that I lied. It just—It seemed like the best thing to do at the time…"
The boys didn't know how to reply to that – whether to be relieved or disappointed. Yuki nodded his forgiveness and tried to influence his cousins to do the same. "It's alright, Honda-san. I'm sure that you had good reasoning."
Kyou and Shigure caught the nezumi's hint seconds later and waved off her apology with ease.
Tohru smiled in relief.
Hatori, though feeling bad bout breaking the moment, interrupted before Tohru could say anything else, still sounding apathetic. "Tohru-san, Sohmas have asked that you…" He didn't like the way that sounded and tried to re-word his sentence once he caught the girl's attention. "Some Sohmas have been… They were asking if you were going to move in to Sohma estate. I, myself, have to say that I think this would be one of the best options." He acted as if he hadn't seen or heard Tohru's shocked reaction and continued. "It's silly, once you think about it, to stay with only three Sohmas when nearly the whole clan lives in the Sohma housing. Your housemates are welcome to visit at any time reasonable." He used the word "housemates" pointedly, looking up sharply at Kyou and Yuki, who were practically growling at him.
Tohru already felt tears welling in her eyes as memories of the last time she'd attempted to leave the Sohmas came pummeling back to her; she dind't know the consequences to being a Sohma leader. "I have to leave?" she asked softly, sniffling back tears.
Hatori leveled his gaze with hers. "Yes." He answered simply, impassively.
And just when you thought you were falling,
but you know I'll always be right there.
oh-oooh whenever you need me,
I'll always be right there.
A tear rolled down Tohru's cheek as Hatori stood, staring down at her pitilessly. "We'll be excepting you no later than five o'clock tonight."
Tohru stood as well, fighting back tears, intent to show Hatori out like a good hostess. "I have to work tonight; I can't make it before then. I get off at seven. I'll be there by eight, Hatori-san; I promise." She took his arm, gaze downcast, and led him to his car.
Hatori considered her offer and nodded. "Okay; we'll be waiting for your arrival, Tohru-san." He said, bowing with respect, and got into his car.
Tohru watched, smiling grimly, as Hatori drove away before sighing and treading her way back inside.
She didn't go to school that day, too busy packing and making last minute preparations. Kyou and Yuki, gentlemen, stayed home with her to help. Packing only took an hour, but the preparation to leave was far from over. Tohru insisted on doing some last minute cleaning so that she didn't leave them with a messy household and she prepared dinners for her housemates for a few days so that they wouldn't have to work very hard to make it themselves. She spend a lot of time, when she finished with those chores, in her room, taking in every last detail of the room she cherished so much.
Those pink blankets that she clenched tightly so many times when dreaming of her mother, the bed she and her friends slept in that one night when they came to see where she was living, the vanity that Shigure had insisted on getting her when Uo-chan and Hana-chan made a comment about… It was her room. Herroom. She'd spent such a long time there; it was finally something to call her own. There was her room, her house, and herfamily. The Sohmas in this house were her family when her mother couldn't take that role anymore.
Tohru bravely made her way to work that night, making herself a promise that she would not skip out on work for such a insignificant thing like her contentment of being in her home for several more hours. Yuki and Kyou were kind enough to walk her there and, when she got off shift, were there to walk her home. She had a small, content smile on her face the whole walk home, ambling off between Kyou and Yuki.
When she got home, she immediately grabbed her few bags and made her way to the door. She stopped on her way out the door, knowing that the three were standing not far behind her. She didn't turn and look because if she did, they would see that tears were spilling down her cheeks again. It was going to be awkward again; she knew it already. They'd rarely speak again, just like before. It'd be leader to follower relationship – worse than strangers. "Please. If there's anything you need, call me. I'll be right there." With that, she left, sliding the door shut behind her, slowly as she choked back more tears. She took a better hold on her bags and walked off down the path that led to the main road, which led to the Sohma estate.
I'll be right there…
A/n: Well… –sniffle sniffle– Review?
… I can't believe I wrote that!!! –points to Toshiro and Egi accusingly– How could you??!
The sanest insane for listening to my muses,
Senko Tenrou