The Untouchable

Akito sneered at Hatori.

"It's Yuki's fault. Blame Yuki."

"It was your own, Akito." At this Akito paused, his face still looking haunting. He stared at Hatori. How can he defy me? How can he say it was my fault? I didn't want this! I didn't ask for this! No one asked me! NO ONE!

But he regained clarity though his eyes widened in anger. "It's YUKI'S!" He flung his arm across his body as though to dismiss any questions. But Hatori remained determined.

"Why?" One word. Akito's eyes widened further.

"Why?" His voice was raising, becoming unstable and angry. "Why?" He laughed, a crazy, wild laugh, running towards Hatori. "BECAUSE! It's that damn rat! No one likes him! NO ONE! And then, you find a freak-!" He grabbed Hatori's jacket, clutching it, pulling him in. "A freak!" His face was inches away. "Some ugly bit-" A smack resounded.

Akito stumbled back, eyes wide, tears running down his cheek from the sting. He wiped away blood that gently dribbled from the edge of his lip. Hatori's face remained impassive as he stood.

"Tohru isn't a freak, Akito. Though your life is short, it doesn't mean you are special-"

"HOW DA-" Hatori cut him off.

"And it doesn't mean you can hurt people. Especially people like Tohru Honda, who has done nothing but try and help."

"ERASE IT! ERASE HER MEMORY! I COMMAND YOU! ERASE IT!" Akito was screaming, clutching his hair, eyes wildly glaring around the room, landing finally on Hatori. "ERASE IT!" He pointed, a sneer drawn on his face.

"No." Akito's eyes widened in shock.

"What did you say?"

"I said no. If anyone's memory needs to be erased, if anyone needs to be kicked out of this family..." Hatori's cold eyes shot up to Akito's. "It's you."

"What happened?" Ayame was standing at the door, looking down at the cement. "What's wrong, Aya?"

"It's Hatori." Shigure's eyes widened. He leaned in, grabbing onto Aya's shoulders firmly.

"What happened?" His face was frantic. Aya's own face looked like he had been crying. His shoulders shook with a new wave of oncoming tears.

"Akito and Hatori- they were in a fight. Hatori was... he's in a coma!... He's in the hospital- both are..." He paused at the tears rushing down his cheek. His emerald eyes sparkled with the onslaught of tears, meeting Shigure's own chocolate eyes.

"It's all my fault." Shigure said, a blank stare wrought across his face. Underlying pain made his stomach tighten, voice grow low and pained. "I should've known he'd do something like this. I should've..." Aya pulled Shigure against him, both men embracing each other, feeling nothing but pain for their hurt friend. A coma. Hatori Sohma... the man of ice has finally cracked, only to be frozen over once more... "Hatori..."

Tohru cried for hours. She first insisted upon seeing him, then, after standing up only to collapsing back down, insisted upon Yuki and Kyo visiting him in her stead.

Yuki sat at her beside until he fell asleep, only to wake to the sound of the sobs that racked her petite frame. He wished he could wrap his arms around her, wish he could gently touch his lips to her hair, to comfort her in a way he never could, never would.

For Yuki Sohma,

was untouchable.