The Second Horse
"Don't you ever forget that! You are not needed."
(Akito to Rin, Vol. 14)
Crimson eyes blinked in awe as she gazed at the house looming before her, the home of her favorite author, her idol Shigure Sohma. Her pale finger curled on the edge of the fence as she peeked around it, inky black bangs hung in her face as she gazed at the house, her hair was braided long enough that is just brushed the ground. She wore a crimson button up shirt and black pants. her other hand held a book close to her chest, one of his more tasteful novels, his address written in the inside cover. She had cornered the man at the book store into giving her the address she had to meet him just once before she took her fathers place.
"Oh are you looking for someone?" The voice was mature and masculine. She jumped a good three feet in the air and turned standing before her were four people three high school kids, two boys and a girl, and then an older man in house robes and sandals. She gulped and stared his eyes his hair, the robe. It was unmistakably him
"OH! Your him, you're! You're! The Shigure Sohma!" she said he blinked in surprise but nodded boys and girl looked surprised as the girl started bowing very quickly her braid flopping around as she did so, the book still held close to her chest.
"I'm Akki Kodomo I'm so pleased to meet you! I'm a huge fan of your work, I wanted to meet you but when I got to the gate I realized I hadn't called or anything and it's so presumptuous to just show up with out any warning because you might be out... well I guess you were out I messed up and I was standing here hoping that you would get angry because I just showed up like this and then it occurred to me that if you weren't home and I was just standing at the door you might think I was some sort of stalker person!" The girl stepped forward an attempted to calm her down while the boys looked at Akki in surprise. One boy with orange hair frowned
"He actually has fans?" he muttered the other boy with lavender colored hair nodded
"It seems so but how did she manage to say all that in one breath?" he replied and they both spared a glance at Shigure who seemed torn between shock and amusement.
"Well you're here now why don't we all go inside and have some tea!" he said finally Akki looked up surprised
"Y-your not angry with me?" she asked shakily he laughed and shook his head
"Of course not I always have time for fans." He said broadly the boy with orange hair laughed
"Yah like you've ever had any come over before, she's probably your only fan." He said Shigure froze comically and Akki giggled they both looked at her as she strained from her last bow
"I'm sorry... I would be very honored to have tea with you Sohma-sensei." She said smiling lightly her head tilted slightly to one side she looked absolutely adorable.
"Well let's go then." Shigure said ushering them all into the house his eyes lingering on Akki. Oddly, the name was familiar to him, but he couldn't remember why, for now he would learn what he could about his supposed biggest fan. At that thought a very broad grin spread across his face and he fought triumphant laughter.
After they were all settled with tea and cake made by the high school girl Shigure introduced his little 'Family' as he called it, the boys names were Yuki, the boy with lavender hair, and Kyo, the boy with orange hair. The girls name was Tohru Honda, she was living with Shigure because her mother had passed away and several other circumstances that eventually led to her moving in with them.
"Akki-chan, where are you from I've never seen you at the school before." Tohru said with a light smile
"I came to Japan from England, My mother and father were originally Japanese but mother said something happened and we were forced to leave Japan and leave father behind." She said taking a sip of her tea Tohru gasped and became frantic with apologies Akki shook her head
"There's nothing to apologize for, I see it as king of romantic, My beautiful mother and my strong handsome father having a love affair after they met in a flower shop, them Fathers family finding out, and banishing my mother and her child (Me) From ever seeing her beloved husband again!" she said broadly using her hand to explain and smiling Shigure chuckled
"Sounds like a book." He said after a moment, Akki blushed and sat down hunching her shoulder and looking away suddenly shy again
"W-well... I write, a little I like writing romance stories..." she said a light blush creeping across her features
"B-but I could never be as bold as you are with your writing... I mean... I went to a very religious school and they frowned on the discussion of such topics, if I were to write a book with something like... that... I'm sure no one would read it... and my mother... oh she would be so angry with me..." she said trailing off Tohru frowned a little
"I would read your book." She said warmly a light smile on her face Kyo frowned
"Yah but you wouldn't know it was hers now would you? It's just some random author writing smut." He said with a humph Akki withdrew a little more and Yuki took liberty with the situations and smacked Kyo across the room
"Don't be so rude to our guest, I'm going shopping we're out of food." He said standing Tohru followed suit, I'll go, It's my responsibility any way right? Right!" she said brightly Akki looked up and smiled
"Your so happy and bright, it's nice to see girls like that at your age, things were so different ten years ago, girls your age where not like that in England back then... well actually their no better now... but still." She said evenly sipping her tea Shigure smiled
"How old are you?" he asked off handedly
"I'll be twenty one in a week." She said evenly He blinked in surprise
"But you talk as if you're so much older then th-"
"Acting all mature because you're an adult that's so dumb..." Kyo said standing Akki looked up her momentary mature face melting away to a confused look
"What did I do? Did I do something wrong?" she asked looking from Shigure to Yuki and Tohru, and then Kyo's retreating back.
"Don't min him Kodomo-san; Kyo has always been an insensitive ass." Yuki said with an overly charming smile Tohru frowned a little
"Shigure was saying something, me and Yuki will be back soon, please stay for dinner Akki-chan." She said Akki glanced at Shigure and he smiled and nodded as if saying 'that's fine with me.' She nodded to Tohru
"I would be absolutely delighted to stay for dinner." She said sitting up and smiled brightly Shigure paused surprised at how this girls mood fluctuated.
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After Yuki and Tohru had left Akki and Shigure settled down with fresh cups of tea and the real questions started
"What I was asking before was, why do you act so mature when your only just twenty-one?" he asked Akki frowned thoughtfully for a moment then closed her eyes
"I act like this because, of my mother... she is a bit of a dictator, she demanded that I grow up quickly she said that I had to be an adult quickly so that she could come back and get father... I don't know what she meant by that, but... I think..." she paused and shook her head
"Never mind, such things aren't important." She said with a weak smile Shigure frowned
"What is it?" he asked and Akki shook her head
"It's nothing, I was rambling... I guess I don't talk about my problems a lot... I never do, so when I got started I guess I thought I could vent it all, but I can't bother you with my problems..." she said drinking some of her tea and smiling
"I'm glad I met you..." she said with a smile Shigure nodded
"How long have you been reading my work?" he asked she smiled
"Since they first started getting translated... The book store was boasting that they had books from an acclaimed Japanese author translated and ready to read. I jumped on the opportunity and became hooked I came here as soon as I had enough money..." Shigure smiled
"Have you been here long then?" he asked expecting her to say that she had gone sight seeing and such, maybe talk about how beautiful Japan was at that time of year.
"I flew in yesterday actually then started asking around to find out where you lived or... Your phone number... I really wanted... to meet such an amazing writer." Shigure nodded and stood
"I'm going to go get more of Tohru's cakes I'll be right back." He said and walked to the kitchen.
"So she came to see me first?... that's so cute... normally my fans are old women... ah Some must like me such a cute and young fan." He said blissfully
"You know that sounded perverted right?" Shigure jumped and turned Kyo was leaning on the door frame glaring at the elder man
"Oh Kyo it's just you... done brooding on the roof?" Shigure asked trying to change the subject
"She should leave, it's not safe having a girl here, you know what Akito said, if any one else find out the secret Tohru loses her memory as well." He said pointedly Shigure frowned
"Not now... she just got here, flew in yesterday just to see me!" he whined Kyo frowned
"Then you better be careful because if she finds out and Tohru losses her memory, I won't hesitate to kill you, and I don't think Yuki would either." Kyo said darkly brushing past and snatching a cake then walking off to his ladder to the roof
Shigure stood there frowning for a moment then brushed it off, slapped his smile back on and grabbed the plate of cakes and walked back into the den. Akkis arms were folded across the table her head nestled into them like a pillow the slow rise and fall on her back told him she had fallen asleep.
"Must be jet lag." he muttered, setting the cakes down he found a blanket and covered her up, she shifted and smiled touching his hand lightly as he covered her up
"Mother..." she muttered softly he with drew quickly.