Me again, aren't you happy? It's glorious, I know. Um… nothing special in my life. Yours? Ooh actually I'm going to Boston for the weekend, so yay go me. I'm gonna try a Boston Crème Doughnut there, and see if they're any better than the ones here. I doubt it. Anyway, so yay go me and my BFF Becca, who's going with me. Just thought I'd post this before I left.
Oh, and ty is thank you... I'm really sorry about that.
There's Beauty in the Breakdown
Mahiru skipped all the way back to her apartment, not even having to pause on the stairs, which felt interminable most of the time. She let herself in and twirled, almost falling when she found all four of her roommates staring at her. "What are you guys all doing home at one time?" She found she was slightly breathless.
"I'm just about to go out," Takara-chan wore a knee length black coat that Mahiru knew covered up her work 'clothes'. "Are you okay?"
Mahiru felt a pang. Her friends needed her portion of the rent to keep renting this place.
"I think she's just an ugly moron." Kameko-san said languidly from her position spread out on the couch.
The pang disappeared. "I'm leaving. Moving out. I found some… long lost relations." Mahiru was fudging it. Badly. The others could see that. She looked to Hisa-chan "That's why that Sohma guy was so interested me. Turns out that…uh… my grandma's sister was married to this Sohma and they had kids and then you know they were cousins to my mom so of course we're related."
Hisa-chan shook her head "All I got was that that Sohma guy who stopped you was for real."
"And anyway, they've been looking for me. How Little Princess is that? I'm moving into the Sohma Main House. So… uh… bye." She started towards her room, but then stopped "I'm really sorry you guys. I know you need my rent money."
"You inconsiderate bitch…" Kameko-san stood and started towards Mahiru, but was stopped by Takara-chan clearing her throat.
"Actually, I know a girl who works with me who's looking for a place to stay. I'm sure she'd be willing to take your place here. Well, not take your place, we'll always be friends, even when you're rich and have your own bathroom." Takara smiled at Mahiru, and gave her a look that said 'ignore Kameko. I do.'
"Oh great. A house full of whores. It's bad enough having you here you disgusting fugly dyke" The oldest of the lot snorted to Takara.
"Oh, that's right Kameko-san. We're kicking you out. Sorry we didn't tell you about it earlier, but that reminded us. We've been looking for people to replace you for a while, but we finally found one. Sorry we didn't tell you about it, Mahiru-chan." Rini called from across the room. "It was gonna be your birthday present."
Mahiru laughed "No problem. Bye bye Kameko-san." She skipped to the room and threw everything she owned into her a backpack. Her clothes, a loved… well, raggedy teddy bear, her secret cash hoard, housed in a sock, a couple pairs of earrings, her nail polish collection, sneakers, some cheap flip flops, and her bedspread, sheets and pillow. Out of her pillowcase she extracted a picture in a tarnished frame, showing a very happy looking woman and a despondent man, both young and slim, the man holding an elated toddler girl with pigtails, and the woman holding a sleeping baby boy. The park behind them shimmered in the summer sunlight. Mahiru stared at the picture for a while, then carefully wrapped it in her quilt and placed it at the top of the large black bag she had been carrying when she met Haru that first day. This bag had held everything that she had held dear before that day. She sighed and hoisted it over the shoulder that wasn't holding everything else and then walked out into the apartment's other room. "Well guys, Sayonara. I'll call and visit and stuff. I left you three bottles of blue glitter nail polish and a couple of hair ties and lots of dust." Mahiru grinned, and then rushed into the arms of her friends "I'm gonna miss you guys." She pulled back "But they're rich." She grinned "And I'm going back to school, so I'll see you guys there?" she looked around hopefully, and her friends nodded.
"So you're really giving up da-" Rini began, but was cut off by Hisa's elbow in her gut.
Mahiru looked down. "Yeah. That's no longer a part of my life. Thanks you guys. For everything." She took one last look around, then heaved up her stuff, and left.
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Mahiru loved her room. It was done in all light blue, with a large western-style canopy bed, a soft carpet that you almost sank to your ankles in when stepped on, a wood-burning fire place, with an overstuffed blue armchair in front of it, and a desk in the corner. She had her own set of shoji doors that opened into the gardens, but could be covered with heavy curtains in the winter to keep out the cold. It wasn't huge, but Mahiru loved how it was cluttered and cozy. She had never had her own room before, and having an overly large one would have scared her. And she had her OWN BATHROOM, with a huge tub, and two sinks!
She also loved her school. She worked hard to catch up, and was able to see all her friends again, without the unpleasantness of Kameko-san hanging around them. Apparently, she had refused to move out, threatening them with violence. None of the girls really minded, she was only really horrible to Takara, who could block her out.
Haru-kun and Haa-san introduced her to the members of the Zodiac. She was surprised to find that her class president was the Rat, and another kid in her grade was the Cat. Momiji-kun grew to adore as soon as he found out that he didn't change with her, and therefore wouldn't get in trouble. Kisa-chan was shy at first, but when the other non-Sohma insider, Tohru-chan, introduced her, she warmed up very quickly, although never becoming as comfortable with Mahiru as she was with Tohru, who she called Oniichan. Mahiru was amused to meet Ritsu-chan after she heard that he was like her when she was nervous, and he definitely lived up to it. She just thought he was adorable, and hugged him every chance she got, confusing him some. Kagura-chan and Mahiru hit it off quite well, although more than a few hours together and both got a headache. Shigure-san she found… charismatic, although he seemed more interested in Takara-chan than in her, as did Ayame-san, who was trying to convince Takara-chan to model in his catalogue. Mahiru wanted to smack Hiro-kun across the face when she first met him, but could almost carry on a full conversation without having a stroke a few weeks after that. Rin-san didn't seem to have an opinion on her, and while she was being rude Mahiru decided if Rin could do that, so could she, and ignored the horse. Breakfast was served in the dining room of the main house, and a few days after she arrived there, it soon became a big group meal. Usually the Jyuunishi ate at their own houses, but Haru-kun, unwilling to leave his new Oni-chan alone, joined her, followed by Momiji-kun, Kisa-chan, Hiro-kun, and anyone else who deemed to show up once and a while. Dinner also became an affair, and lunches were eaten either at school, or in the park with her old friends from her apartment.
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"You know, you can't keep pulling that 'you're too ill, Akito' shit forever. Eventually he's gonna see her." Hatori jumped as he heard the Ox's voice behind him. "He's been cut off for almost two months."
Hatori turned around "I know. He's insisting on being taken back to his usual room." Hatori grinned "Although he wants a carpet and a sofa in there. And his bed to be changed to a western-style instead of a futon. I'm going to stall all of that for as long as I can, but eventually he'll get annoyed and order me to do it."
One of the nurses slipped out of the second floor room where Akito was staying and spoke quietly to Hatori, bowed to Haru, and then left.
"Apparently he wants me. If he orders me to bring Mah-chan up right now, you know I can't refuse." Hatori gave his young relation a grim smile.
Haru grinned "Mah-chan?"
Hatori blushed "It's what Momiji calls her." And slipped quietly into the God's room.
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Akito was propped up on pillows, only one IV tube still connected to him. He watched Hatori bow, then check the dosage on the morphine dispenser.
Akito sighed and decided to get right to the point. "I want to see the girl." He watched as Hatori froze, but then shook himself and continued fussing with the IV.
"Akito, you know that your health is very-"
"If you're waiting for me to get better, I won't." The God said curtly "I want to see her now. Bring her to me."
Hatori turned to Akito, forgetting the IV, his mind racing, trying to find a way out of the meeting. "Of course, Akito-sama." He found the solution "Just let me give you this injection first." Hatori turned and filled a syringe with a light blue, foul smelling liquid.
Akito narrowed his eyes "Don't even think about it." Hatori froze. He had been caught. Shocking, really. Many med students didn't know what that particular drug did.
"Don't look so surprised, I've been taking that since I was twelve. You shoot that stuff up my veins and I get knocked out. You would actually do that to me, Hatori?" The Dragon thought Akito's voice sounded like poisoned honey "You would choose a little, insignificant girl over me? If so, then just pretend for a while, I won't be around much longer. My twentieth birthday is in what? Two weeks? Humor me for a little longer, you can go crawling back to that girl as soon as my heart stops beating, it won't be too long, I promise." Akito's voice then took on the qualities of a long, new dagger: hard, sharp, and alarming. "I'll overlook your transgression this time, Hatori. Don't expect me to be so lenient ever again. I just might punish the girl for it though. Now go get her." The God settled himself back into the pillows as Hatori bowed and left.
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The Dragon found Mahiru in her room reading. "Mah-chan?" he heard his traitorous voice saying, cursing himself.
She looked up and smiled "Yes, Haa-san? Anything to distract me from A Glorious History: Kyoto. I don't understand how this is going to help me with my future life."
"Akito wants to see you." He gave her a cool gaze "Now."
"Akito…huh. Doesn't ring a bell." She turned back to her book. Hatori stared at her,
disbelieving.
"Akito. Akito Sohma? The Head of the family!" This would have been hilarious under any other situation "The one who almost died the first day you got here?"
"Oh. OH! OMIGOSH! I completely forgot about that. Of course!" Mahiru blushed and scrambled up, losing her page, the thick textbook slamming shut. "Is he okay? Oh my… I completely forgot he existed! Wasn't that rude? Is he mad that I didn't go visit him when he was sick?"
Hatori actually began to laugh in spite of himself "Mah-chan, how old are you?"
"Um… seventeen. Why?" Mahiru was confused at the abrupt switch of topics.
"Just… Akito's only a little older than you, but don't treat him like that. He's used to being treated as a God, so only speak to him as you would the Emperor. Be very respectful, and if he insults you, don't try to defend yourself."
"O…kay." Mahiru began to remember the horrible stories she had heard from Haru-kun on her first night in the house about Akito. "But, he's not as bad as all that, is he?"
Hatori led her through the hallways and up the stairs to Akito's room, and just when Mahiru had given up hope on an answer, he said "Yes." And then opened the door and announced her presence to the God.
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Akito waved Hatori away with the hand not connected to the IV, and watched the girl who hesitantly walked in. As soon as Hatori had closed the door, she dropped into a low bow. "Konichiwa, Sohma-sama. Oaidekite Kouei desu."
"Konichiwa…" he studied her. She was slim, no doubt about that. Of course, it was nothing next to his decrepit, unnatural thinness. Her hair was shorter than when she had first come to the house, falling a little past her shoulders, but still plain and straight. Her face held a natural prettiness, not amazing, but there. Her eyes were brown… nothing remarkable there.
All in all he had to say she was a very unremarkable girl.
The girl remained standing, her head bowed. He supposed Hatori had given her lessons. "Are you enjoying my house?"
"Yes, very much. Osewa ni nari mahsita."
"And my family?"
"Yes, they are all very kind." Akito saw her smile slightly. He wondered what that was
about.
"So… you have become… close… with them?"
"Well, yes. Some of them. Most of them. You have a lovely family."
"So you've said."
Mahiru was starting to relax. He seemed nice enough. She had heard awful stories about him, but that didn't mean she was going to judge him right away. That would make her like Kameko-san, who immediately judged Takara-chan when she heard of her profession.
"So tell me," Akito's voice, smooth as silk, pulled her from her reverie "have you made any progress on lifting the curse?"
This caught her completely off guard. "Was I supposed to?"
She unconsciously backed up when Akito sat up on his own, glaring at her, his eyes full of menace, leaning on his hands "For what other reason do you think I'd ask you to stay here? Because I liked you?"
'Don't defend myself. Don't defend myself.' Haa-san's advice resounded through her head like a mantra.
Akito was beginning to get really annoyed. The girl just sat there, looking down, not even acknowledging his presence. She was stupid.
"Do you think my Jyuunishi actually like you?" He said quietly, and could tell by the jolt of her shoulders that he had struck a nerve. "Do you think they want to be around you? Do you think they want you around for any other reason than that you might be able to lift the curse?" She was trembling now. Good. "They're using you. Everyone is using you." He said, bringing his voice down a notch, and she, so engrossed in his words, had no choice but to move closer to him. He almost laughed. "You are a tool to them, a tool to end the curse. Nothing more, nothing less. But don't feel bad. That still means you're important. A carpenter would be lost without his hammer, wouldn't he? Well, until he just got a new one anyway." He saw a few tears run down the girl's face. Perfect.
Mahiru was terrified. She sat there reviewing everything she had learned about Akito. Suddenly one memory sprung to the front of her mind.
Flashback:
It had been about a week after Mahiru had moved in. Haru-kun had come to visit, helping her rearrange the armchair so that it was in front of the fireplace. They had been talking idly, until something caught her attention.
"Haru-kun? Did- did you just call me oniichan?"
Haru blushed furiously, futzing with the chair "I'm sorry, uh, I didn't mean to. Really. Sorry."
Mahiru felt tears spring to her eyes "Oh no, it's okay. Really!"
Haru turned to look at her, the red fading from his face "seriously?"
"Seriously, little brother."
End of flashback.
Mahiru stood, bowed, and mumbled "I'm sorry our visit was so short. Goodbye." To the floor, then turned to leave.
"I haven't dismissed you." Akito's voice rang with menace from behind her.
Seized with a sudden reckless courage, Mahiru spun on her heel and turned to look at him "Well too bad. I just dismissed myself. I'm not a Sohma, and I respect you, but the worst you can do you me is to order me out of this house. You can't order me to stay, I can go anywhere I please unless you throw me out, in which case I will leave and never come back."
"Now there's an idea…" mused Akito, his eyes flashing dangerously.
"You're the one who told me I should move in here. I'm here on your orders. I like it here, so thank you, but seriously, you can't touch me." Mahiru walked over to his bedside, her arms crossed in front of her "I think you are in dire need of a reality check. You are not even twenty, yet you act like you're all worldly? Truthfully, how far have you ever been from this house, or another Sohma house? I thought so. I've been earning for myself and working since I turned twelve. Everything was just given to you. You're not a real God. You're just a human. A human who can't even get out of bed right now without help. You're pitiful. That's all you are." Mahiru heard herself saying these things to the God, but couldn't stop herself. "You strike out at other people because you're jealous of them. You try to keep the Jyuunishi close to you so that… so that WHAT, Akito?" His glare became murderous as she addressed him like that "Do you want them to suffer with you? Is that what it is? Because that has to be the single most selfish thing I've ever heard. They love you. Don't make them ever regret that love. The way you're acting right now, I don't think you're even worth their pity. You're pissed off. So would I be if I was gonna die, but I would be enjoying myself, so that when I died, people would be crying. Crying for me and my personality and because they didn't just love me, they genuinely liked me as a person. So goodbye." Mahiru walked out the door, accidentally pushing a very surprised Hatori out of the way. "Omigosh, were you listening?"
Hatori just gaped, he seemed to have some trouble with coherency, but after a few minutes "You actually said that. To Akito. Oh my… you did. Didn't you?" He looked like he was about to choke and die "Well, he probably wants me." He opened the door, and then turned back to her "Good for you."
The God was leaning back on his pillows, looking weaker than he had all week. Hatori refilled the IV, and checked Akito's breathing and heart rate. Unsurprisingly, his breathing was heavy and his heart rate high.
"She's amusing, isn't she?" Akito's voice barely carried across the small room to the doctor, who was preparing an injection for him.
"What? Who?" Hatori was confused. He couldn't be talking about Mahiru. He hated Mahiru.
"The girl." Now he just sounded aggravated. He was talking about her. Hatori almost passed out when Akito began to chuckle lightly.
"Yes… we… think so." Hatori quickly gave the God the injection, then left. He leaned against the wall, and slid down it, his legs no longer supporting him 'What the hell just happened!'
Hello my wonderful readers! That's it for now, I'll see you either Monday or Tuesday when I get back, and I'll bring you all postcards and Red Socks hats! Actually, considering how long the car ride is, I'll either have blown up the Red Socks hats before I get them back to NY, or they'll be taken away from me once I cross the state line, so never mind.
Okay, now on to stuff I'm actually supposed to put on here! Um... I think Ren is going to make an appearance in the next few chapters, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea or not. Let me know
REVIEW NOWW!
Oh, and ilu.