Curse Me Chapter Seven, a fruits basket fanfic

Curse Me

By: Brenko (was Senko Tenrou)

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket, or "Fall To Pieces" by Velvet Revolver.

A/n: Meep! Whatever happened to indentations!! X( Since when did they stop this? O, that's awful. Now I'm gonna miss them.

Review Responses:

Inuyashakougalegolas You're right. Everything will be answered… –maniacal laughter– eventually. Thanks for the review.

Kaeru Soyokaze Answers shall arise. But, in the meantime… yay! Hugs :D

Jaz7Heh. No one seems to get it. I'll be sure to try to explain clearly this chapter –nod–

Akuma-riverYou'll see. Sorry for the cliffie—I had to end it somewhere :) it just happened to be there…

KibethanYes. I know –sweatdrop– That's why I was warning you all. I'm having a hard time keeping pace to writing, unfortunately, due to my frequent slums of uninspired-ness. …Um, about that word, I just made it up off the top of my head since I figured out that "uninspiration" isn't in the English language –sigh– I'm gonna have to do something about that, heehee… Anyway, –more sweatdrop– sorry if I disappoint you…?

Animeprincess1452:) Thank you. I loved that, too.

Anonymous: Yumeofthenight: Thank you –squee– I'll do my best.

Anonymous: purtymanagirl58: Don't worry about not signing in—not a problem—I know how you feel; it's tedious. Headaches are a pain –nod– but keep reading and I'll try to explain it all…

Darkness Sweetheart2000No problem. I'm updating as soon as I can :)

NarokiUm –hides– I know, I know. Awful cliffie… But, otherwise, I'm glad you enjoyed it so much. I'd be happy to read your stories once I get this dreadful thing out of the way (No, no…I'm very confident in my work O:)) Errors are fine, don't worry so much. Practice makes perfect. –Nod–

Anonymous: cradle to the grave: Writing—Ooo… Sesshy plushies. :) Lovely choice.

Defafaeth MechquaI'm taking that you liked it n.n

Foxgrl991Meep! No dying, please. Dying reviewers very bad –nod– So… don't die. You gotta see what happens first. Yep, yep, yep.

JeweljadeO.O Throwing oneself over a cliff will do no good—you'll never get to see what happens! And, I don't mind how long it takes to review—I'm sure you all have busy lives as well.

Anonymous: MagicalGirl: Yay –not hated– :) I'll try to make this more regular—really, I will, but until I get back on my regular schedule, everything's just so jumbled and… I'll try. And –gulp– take care of myself very well in the process.

Vampira, the damned: Getting right on it!

Donna KitsuneO, cool! I did finish tonight after all Thanks for reminding me to finish (though probably unintentionally.)

Recap

A hand went to Tohru's mouth when he flinched violently, and she considered trying to speak to him, licking her dry lips—

"Argh!" Akito grunted, and Tohru started when he swayed to the side, hands falling from his hair, and slumped into a surprised Tohru.

Her eyes were like saucers, and her arms immediately went around the young man to support the new weight literally placed on her shoulders. And that was when Akito's eyes snapped open, and his head whipped up to her. His mouth worked for words that didn't seem to form, his azure eyes incredulous.

And that was when, all of the sudden, Tohru found a headache growing and pulsating in the back of her mind.

This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. She was supposed to understand first!! Akito searched the Honda girl's face for a moment, before letting his head drop in exhaustion, his face drenched in a cool perspiration.

"Girl, you have just made… the biggest mistake… of your entire life." Was the only thing he could muster.

Chapter Seven

"Power does something miraculous to oneself, but only if it is used properly. If that power is applied erroneously, the power is wronged and manipulates in different ways.

The Sohmas were not always ruled peacefully and fairly (if it can be called that even now). An evil man, a man long before you were even thought of, once dictated over the clan—misused their every being for his own gain, his own happiness, and his own pleasure. The zodiac curse (as we now know it) was not always a curse, but, at one time, a punishment.

Long ago, Aki-chan, when magic was still profoundly depended upon and widespread across the globe, Sohma leaders punished a family, any family of disobedience or no, with the Sohma's "curse". It devastated most for the rest of their lives, unless their bidding was repaid somehow, and, even then, some never recovered, traumatized from the evil curse that loomed over their family still.

It was used habitually, so frequently that some had come to know it as a plague that was never to leave their family. And it had.

Over and over, it was used, soon becoming a unceasing cloud to shroud the poor Sohmas beings from the rest of the world. They were forced to face the facts then. The Sohmas were no longer some ordinary clan, but a cursed family. But, they continued on living, constantly hindered by the cursed punishment forever looming overhead. They hid it, and they hid it well. Every generation, the poor soul of a new Sohma child was smothered by the plague, and punished to a forever suffering under such a foul act.

But, the Sohma leaders took it hardest. In debt for that evil magician who had dictated for so long, traumatized the Sohmas to no recovery, and forever left his mark in the way Sohma lived their lives from then on, they took on the illness of the Sohma clan—the disease. They took the burden of the Sohma clan on their own shoulders. And it drove them insane.

Fortunately, the disease was easily passed, though not to another Sohma, but never was the cure spoken aloud. It was simple enough, inverted enough to the Sohmas lives that not one would guess, but plenty would have suspicions.

A hug. As effortless as it seems, an embrace can pass on this ghastly disease. I leave it to you, my son."

He could remember his father's words to a letter, recalling it from when he was no older than seven.

It all passed through his head at once, as Tohru Honda stared down at Akito, still supporting his delicate form in her arms. She looked utterly confused, and he was sure he knew why, but he could only smile maliciously. Who knew, maybe it was better this way, after all. She deserved it, anyway. The burden was passed, and they both (whether or not the two of them wanted to or not) knew it.

"You've done your worst, Honda, now the least you could do is let go of me…" He taunted cruelly. He was not a happy camper, no matter how much relief it gave him to allow the longtime burden to be lifted from his shoulders.

"I…" She searched for something intelligent to say, her mouth working wordlessly and eyes searching the room as if it would give her a hint as to what exactly to say. She bit her tongue, though, when Akito cast her a weary glare, and helped him to his feet, despite how he waved her off.

She stood with him, and clasped her hands behind her as Akito made his way back up to the raised floor he usually lounged on. He collapsed into a cross-legged position, and began, "Congratulations, Tohru Honda." He broke out into another wicked grin, his voice dripping with sarcasm that had come with the years of the weight of the Sohma clan on his shoulders. "You've just ruined your life. Welcome to the Sohma family curse."

Tohru's expression faded and her hands slipped to her sides, and she began to feel faint. 'Sohma curse…?' Rain poured outside the open windows.

The next thing she knew, Akito was standing in front of her again, and shoving her through the paper doors since she didn't seem to want to move herself.

Tohru collapsed into a heap just short of the already muddy ground before her, thanks to her feet, which, at the moment, seemed unwilling to move for her. She sat there for a moment or two, on her hands and knees, with her head down, trying to regain her equilibrium. Her breathing slowed and her heart beating at its regular pattern, Tohru finally picked herself up, ignoring the sting in her hands and knees.

She somehow made it out of Akito's domain, and back to her own room, before the full effects of all that Akito had relayed to her really took its toll. She slowly slumped down to her bed, lying on her stomach and staring up at the rain through window Yuki had closed, and she had yet to reopen.

Tohru was bound to the Zodiac curse, most officially now.

It's been a long year
Since you've been gone
I've been alone here
I've grown old

I fall to pieces
I'm falling
Fell to pieces
And I'm still falling

She would try her hardest, though, she promised. And she went about to it. She pushed herself up to her elbows, deciding that now was not the time to mope. She had just taken on a huge responsibility, and she wasn't about to mess it up. Lifting further, now on her knees, ignoring the ache it made her suffer through doing so, Tohru stared out at the darkening sky, still raining cats and dogs, through her window, and took on a look of determination.

She could do this. Tohru Honda never gave up, and this wouldn't stop her now. She could so do this. …She hoped.

"Girl, you have just made… the biggest mistake… of your entire life."

The next thing she was trying to convince herself of was that the position didn't intimidate her, nor did Akito's words. It wouldn't get to her—no way. This wasn't a mistake; this was a new beginning for Tohru Honda, now clan leader of the Sohma family.

She was on her feet now, and determined to do something about her new position. She made it all the way to the door, and pulled it open—to finally let it register that rain was still hammering down, and the sky was already a dark blue in color, masked by even darker, large rain clouds. And she looked down at her clothes; she was soaking wet from wandering back to her own domain in the downpour.

So, wisely, Tohru changed her clothes, discarded the sopping ones, and flopped down on her bed with a small book. This was definitely going in her journal. She had to make sure to tell mom about this one.

Tohru folded back the hard cover of her journal, which held a sunny yellow hue and donned intricate and beautiful, royal blue print of "Tohru Honda" written down the spine, and sifted to a blank page. She sighed softly, knowing subconsciously, somewhere in the back of her mind, that her mother would never hear her. But she still wanted to see her mother again. Just over a year had passed since she died, and she missed her so. Tohru wondered, idly, what her mother would do in a situation like this…

She took the dark blue pen, clipped to the journal, in her hands, and it was only then that she realized the condition of her hands. Scraped up and slightly bloody, but she ignored them. All she wanted to do was write to her mom—she only wanted to tell Kyoko.

Every time I'm falling down
All alone I fall to pieces

I keep a journal of memories
I'm feeling lonely
I can't breathe

A few moments later, however, there was a knock outside Tohru's door, and her journal slapped shut instinctively. Tohru's head lifted to see the door cracked open and a mass of blonde hair and adorable brown eyes poking in the doorway. Momiji was holding an umbrella above his head to escape the onslaught of rain battering down on everything in sight.

Tohru blinked in surprise, waving him in immediately. The little boy let out his umbrella, set it to the side, and rushed inside the rest of the way. He shook his head to get out the last of the rain droplets he'd encountered on the way, and grinned at Tohru.

"Hello, Momiji-chan. What on earth are you doing all the way out here in such weather?" Tohru greeted the blonde-haired boy with a smile anyway, setting the yellow hardback aside. She brushed her hands of invisible dust, despite the smart that the friction caused. And she patted the bed beside her, inviting the rabbit to come sit with her.

"I just wanted to ask how you're time with Kyou-kichi and Yuki-oji went, is all." Momiji answered easily enough, hopping on the bed beside her.

Tohru smiled again at the boy's antics. "Well, thank you, Momiji-chan, but everything went fine. It was really great, seeing them again." She replied, "I'll have to thank Shigure-san for setting this up for us, and maybe I'll make them dinner, just to show how much I appreciate their visit." She reached over and ruffled Momiji's hair, ignoring her own discomfort in the action.

Momiji giggled and grabbed her hand to remove it from his head with both of his own hands. He paused, however, when he saw Tohru's jaw tighten in effort to keep from saying something to protest the action. The way she winced compelled him to make sure she was all right, and he pulled her hand down to his line of sight and flipped it palm up. Blinking for a moment, he had to let it register that there were parallel abrasions—three of them—in the soft skin of her palm, all looking irritated and a little bloody.

He hesitated to look up at Tohru in the face, confused as to why she didn't do something about them, since they looked completely untreated for, and grabbed for the other hand. Unfortunately, the same thing was imprinted and bloodied in that hand as well. "Tohru-chan!" Momiji admonished. "What did you do?"

Tohru blushed and pulled her hands back to her lap. Humiliated, she said, "They're not that bad, Momiji-chan; nothing to worry about."

"I'm getting Ha-san!" Momiji said, instead of replying, and, in a flash, he was gone.

He left Tohru to stare down at her hands in a slight daze. She swiped her hands over the soft fabric of her skirt, wincing as they brushed over her aching knees. So, she was bleeding a little… it was nothing compared to what Akito suffered over the years of his life—she was sure of that for some reason. She could just muttered to herself, "They're really not that bad…"

Fall to pieces
I'm falling
Fell to pieces
And I'm still falling

Momiji returned with the doctor a few minutes later, both soaked since Momiji had been in too much of a rush to grab his umbrella on the way out, and probably pulled Hatori straight out of his chair. He poked at her tender hands, and mumbled some things to himself.

And, after a few moments of observation, he stood, thrusting his hands into his coat pockets, since he was in his usual lab coat. "I'll need to go find some bandages to fix them up," Hatori announced. "Any other injuries you've chosen to ignore, Tohru-san?" There was a hint of dryness in his voice. Apparently Momiji had literally pulled him from his work and he wasn't exactly happy about it.

Tohru shook her head after a moment of hesitation, which, evidently, Hatori and Momiji both overlooked. She had debated on getting Hatori to look at her knees, but she was sure they were just black and blue. There was no warm fluid gushing from them, so… she thought they were all good. Hence her answer, eventually, Hatori nodded silently and left the room, snatching Momiji's umbrella, and went to retrieve the bandages he needed to patch up Tohru's hands.

That left Tohru to fist her hands in her skirt uncomfortably, and Momiji to plop on her desktop and let his legs swing freely. He planted both hands beside him for balance, and looked at the older girl. "Tohru-chan, what'd you do—I mean, what happened to your hands and all?" He asked, trying to seem absent about his question.

She shot him a glance out the corner of her eye, but didn't look over. "I, um… tripped." She lied, hiding her face. Tohru never could keep a straight face while lying, so she played it off as well-planned embarrassment. There wasn't a way she would ever tell Momiji that she, in fact, hadn't exactly tripped.

The next thing she knew, Akito was standing in front of her again, and shoving her through the paper doors since she didn't seem to want to move herself.

"So, you're okay, though?" Momiji asked next, while Tohru half-listened.

She nodded to him, only slightly. She was already reverting to the mulling she had been bordering on not too long ago. Tohru shot him a half-smile. "I'm fine," She resisted the urge to rub the back of her neck nervously, anticipating the pain that would come with the action.

They were both relieved when Hatori returned, because of the awkward silence they had lapsed into as soon as Tohru began zoning out. He took her hand, one by one, and bandaged them securely, letting the silence roll on as he did so. Hatori wasn't about to begin conversation, just to have Momiji babble in his ear about it hours later. When he finished plastering her hands, he stood again, and, this time, turned to Momiji. "Momiji, if you would leave Tohru-san and I be, I'd like to speak with her in private."

"Aww, but Ha-san…!"

"Momiji. Say goodbye." Hatori said, his voice steely. "I'll meet you back at my office in a few moments." And the brown-eyed boy looked like he was going to protest for a few fleeting seconds, but he hopped off the desk and ran over to hug Tohru goodbye.

Strangely, Tohru's first instinct, when she saw Momiji reach out to embrace her around the shoulders, was to pull away, and refuse his request for a goodbye hug. But, under better judgment, and for the little boy's sake, she allowed it. And she paid for it, when an agonizing pain ripped through her mind. She clenched her eyes shut, and pulled away quickly, forcing her eyes back open, and forcing herself to look natural. Why on—why had that physically hurt her? Was this—could this have been what Akito was talking about?

Momiji made for his leave, and Hatori settled himself at the foot of Tohru's bed, while the girl pulled her knees to her chest, still trying to shake the pain resonating in her head. "Tohru-san," Ha-san began, and Tohru forced her eyes to focus on the older man, "I know taking on this kind of responsibility is awfully hard for you—"

Tohru was compelled to say, somewhere deep, that he didn't know, that he couldn't know what kind of "responsibility is awfully hard." She had a vague hunch that no one outside the clan leaders had ever felt such responsibility as this.

"—But that's no reason for you to ignore your own health. Leaving those cuts like that, open and vulnerable to just about any germ out there, isn't going to help you at all in the long run. No matter how big a responsibility you're taking on, Tohru-san, you can't do this to yourself. Health comes before work, okay?"

Tohru only nodded. She didn't know how else to reply.

"That's all," Hatori said, standing once again, "I just wanted you to know that you're not the only one here, so you shouldn't feel so overwhelmed." He made his way to the door, "We're here to help, remember." And, without another word, he was gone.

"You can't help me." It was the only thing Tohru could come up with. Unbeknownst to herself, she'd spoken aloud, and alerted Hatori's listening ears, just outside her door.

Every time I'm falling down
All alone I fall to pieces

After Tohru informed a few Sohmas that she was going to Shigure's house the next day after school, and Hatori was informed by the gossiping Sohmas, Tohru found herself walking home with Yuki and Kyou, like every other day since she had moved to the Sohma estate. But, this time, she didn't make to stop at the estate gates. Yuki and Kyou both noted this with curiosity, as they both halted like usual.

"Wait a second…" Kyou started in perplexity.

Yuki continued for him, "Honda-san, shouldn't you… be heading inside?"

Tohru stopped, and turned around to grin at them. "I was—I was hoping that I could visit you guys for a while tonight, if that's okay." She clasped her hands behind her back, and her gaze immediately fell downcast. She felt like she was intruding by asking to visit where she once lived again. It wasn't her place to go anymore, and she should know that—but, when she felt a gentle touch on her shoulder, she looked up to see Yuki standing before her, his face placid. (Kyou was just behind him, slightly to the side, with his hands deep in his pockets. He looked a little sulky.)

"Honda-san," Yuki said, calling for her attention, and her eyes turned back to the dark-haired boy, "We would love to have you back at Shigure's house for the evening." A smile, that he hoped was returned, graced his features.

He was obliged, but Tohru inched away from Yuki, inconspicuously trying to hide her blush. Being in close quarters with Yuki and Kyou did strange things to her.

She suddenly turned away from the two, determinedly looking down the road. "Well..." She prompted, clutching her briefcase from school in both hands. "Um, let's go." Tohru announced, pacing her way between the two boys' still forms, and down the sidewalk, knowing they would soon follow. Soon, footfalls echoed behind her, and Tohru smiled.

All the years I've tried
With more to go
Will the memories die
I'm waiting

"Shigure-san!"

The man's head poked out from the crack in the shoji door. "Yes?" His eyes locked on the main door, as it slid open, and three figures appeared in the doorway. Yuki, Kyou... and, "Tohru-kun! Good to see you!" He got to his feet instantly, to go greet the young girl. "What brings you here, shouldn't you be at the est—? Ack!" He never got to finish his sentence, choked at the neck and pulled back to the ground when Mii-chan took his collar and yanked ruthlessly.

"Good afternoon, Mii-chan!" Tohru greeted instantly.

"Shigu-u-u-re-e-e... you promised your manuscript today—Hello, Tohru-san!—so get working, Sohma!" The editor rebuked malevolently. The teens could only see an outline of a scary-looking Mii towering over Shigure, who was bent far over his work, humming under his breath.

A nervous laughter erupting all around, Kyou moved to make his way up to the roof, silently, while Yuki just watched the girl. "Um... so!" Tohru clapped her hands together. "I guess I had better start dinner, huh?" She asked with a grin.

Tohru found her way around the kitchen with ease. And soon she was cooking up a delicious meal for her "family." But she never expected that they'd have company.

"WHERE THE HELL IS SHE, ORANGE TOP?"

"YOU DON'T BELONG HERE, YANKEE! GET OFF OUR PROPERTY BEFORE I MAKE YOU!"

Tohru worked obliviously to this feud, just outside, where Arisa Uotani and Kyou Sohma stood, staring each other down as if looks could kill. The blonde-haired girl, just barely held back by Saki Hanajima's grip, looked murderous.

Though Tohru didn't hear, Yuki noticed, and he found himself in the doorway, watching the two square it off somberly. He crossed his arms across his stomach, and frowned at the redhead. "Let Uotani-san go, Hanajima-san. You can't prevent this."

Hana's mysterious, purple orbs flitted to the dark-haired boy in the doorway, matching his expression. But she let go of Arisa. Carefully, she let Uo's arm slip from her fingers, leaving the blonde to barrel towards Kyou, who stood his ground bravely. And, Arisa collided with Kyou—

Will I find you
Can I find you
We're falling down
I'm falling

Inside, Tohru dropped the knife she was chopping vegetables with when her hands began to quake violently. Then, a sharp pain erupted in her temple, lancing through her mind, and her hands immediately clasped around her head. She groaned painfully under her breath; Tohru wasn't about to be a bother, even if she wasn't sure that she wasn't dying. Her knees gave out below her, and second later, she found herself on her knees against the cold, tile, kitchen floor. Her forehead thumped against the cabinet over and over again in a hope to dull the pain still sharp in her head. Tohru hissed in pain again, going over all the possibilities. One memory came to mind, however:

They hurried off, and that was when Tohru heard an agonized growl emit from Akito's cracked-open window. Alarm filled her—what if Akito was sick again? She hurried around to the door, and threw it open without remembering to knock and kicked off her shoes. She rushed into the room she suspected Akito was in… and stopped in surprise.

Akito was there, all right, but he was doubled over, both hands clamping so tightly at the sides of his head like he wanted to tear off his scalp. She stared for a moment, watching him curl into himself further, and actually tug and pull at his dark hair. What on earth—? She forgot that thought and hustled over to him, not even thinking about calling Hatori-san, and kneeled at his side when he groaned with anguish again.

A hand went to Tohru's mouth when he flinched violently, and she considered trying to speak to him, licking her dry lips.

- Outside -

—And there was a large poof of smoke that surrounded both Uo and Kyou.

Both Saki and Yuki watched indifferently, disappointment flashing in the boy's eyes. Arisa eyes were like saucers when Kyou's clothes floated down into her lap, and an orange cat burrowed out of his black t-shirt. He laid his head on his paws, his face deadpan. "Oh, shit."

Every time I'm falling down
All alone I fall to pieces

Still on the floor, her head knocked against the cabinet one last time, and her head fell into her lap in agony. Another tear leaked out of her eye and she fisted her hands in the masses of silky, brown locks on her head. "What is this? Make it stop." She breathed, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Help me." No one was around, though.

Every time I'm falling down
All alone I fall to pieces

A/n: Okay, so I didn't exactly explain everything, but I hope this straightens some things out for you all. Review please!

Brenko