The Untouchable

Yuki told Tohru he'd see her at the festival, apologizing for leaving her alone in the large house. Yuki was to see Akito, the head of the Sohma family, who bore a dark fate. This dark fate inked over onto all other Sohmas, for Akito ruled with a tight, angry fist. It was this very fate that caused Kyo's secret to be unleashed, Yuki's tormented childhood, and even Akito's constant sickness.

Yuki thoroughly cleaned himself, dressing modestly, usually unkempt hair perfectly groomed. Yuki walked the distance to the grand Sohma household, the real Sohma household, the one that was preparing for the next day's festival.

Tohru sat in Shigure's house, unsure of how to pass the time. She had studied, done her homework... she sat at the table, a large banquet prepared. She had made everything she could think of for no apparent reason. Pickled plums, rice balls, curry noodles, tofu and rice with garlic seasoning, miso soup, some sashimi...

Now she sat in front of the loaded table, staring outside into the rather gloomy day, wondering what Kyo was doing. Where Shigure was. How Aya was doing.

Why Yuki had disappeared.

Yuki. The very same fragile being that had once stood in front of Akito, asking for his freedom away from this family. The same pale figure that huddled in the corner, crying out in pain as his answers were rejected,

over and over again.

He heard the crack of the whip and those cold words only uttered in his nightmares.

They hate you.

Now he kneeled on the soft mat facing Akito, who was lying luxuriously in front of his opened window, ignoring Yuki's presence. A small bird, light in color, clung to his extended finger, head moving rapidly this way and that. The bird fluffed out its wings and made a small tittering sound before releasing its grasp and flying out into the open air.

Free.

Yuki cleared his throat and Akito sat up slowly, almost as if to tell Yuki his business here was unimportant.

"Why does my Yuki visit me today?" He said softly, though his eyes spoke of no tenderness. They were cast over, staring down at him in their cruel fashion. His voice held that sickening sound of mocking as he spoke. "Go on, you can tell me." He paused to smile at Yuki, who was staring down at his hands, limp on his knees. "Is it about your precious Tohru? She's coming to visit me, you know." Akito delighted to see Yuki's hands tighten although his face remained impassive. You could always tell what Yuki was feeling, no matter how hard he tried to shove it down beneath that pale surface.

Yuki remained silent. Their was no need to speak.

Akito knew everything.

Akito laughed, a small, frigid sound. "So, you came to ask the reason Tohru is visiting. Well, if you want to know," He paused and looked down at Yuki's hands, which were tightening further on their place in his lap. "I asked her because I don't want her to come to the festival."

Yuki's head shot up. His fingers relaxed yet a small amount of surprise could be seen in his lilac eyes before he cast it down into his being once more, as he did with all emotion.

"She's not coming because she'd ruin it with her face. She's too ugly for our beautiful Sohma family. Why, just look in the mirror, Yuki, if you want to see Sohma beauty." Yuki's head dropped again. The one-sided conversation had taken a turn for the worse.

"Miss Honda hasn't done anything wrong." He murmured silently. His hair fell over his face but his hands were enough to speak of his true emotion.

His hands, which were balled tightly. Akito laughed at this. "Oh Yuki, it's not what she's done." Now he stood, coming closer to Yuki. "Do you mistake me for an idiot?" His voice was cold and hard. "Don't you realize, Yuki? That if I asked her to come unattended, don't you think I was really asking you?" Yuki processed the words quickly, face shooting up at Akito's in wide shock.

Akito bent to Yuki's ear.

"Tell 'Miss Honda' for me- tell her not to come. If she ends up coming..." He laughed and pulled away from Yuki's ear so as to have full view of his eyes. He didn't need to say anything; the smirk wrought across his face was enough to get his dark point across. Yuki stood, eyes stubbornly unemotional. He half-bowed before walking quickly outside, then breaking into a run. His fists were white with clenching

for how could he tell Tohru she wasn't to come?