"Is it true you punched Akito!" Kyo yelled, mere inches from Miya's face.

News of the fight wound its way through the ears of the entire Sohma family, including the servants. Well, mainly because the five involved told the others. And now, it seemed to reach the outskirts of the family.

"So?"

"Yup. It is." Kyo's jaw unhinged and almost hit the dining table. Tohru covered her mouth with her hands while Yuki kept his head down.

"…You are my hero." Miya laughed at him.

Yuki never said a word. They didn't know it was because of him that they got into a fight. And he felt ten times worse when Kyo seemed happy about it. Damn cat. While Kyo was punching the air with glee, Yuki silently got up and walked up the stairs to his room.

He sat on the edge of his bed with his head in his hands. Guilt weighed upon him like a ton of bricks. He absentmindedly touched his back. The scars didn't hurt anymore, but they still needed time to heal. It was like all the other times when he was younger. Used for Akito's amusement. All those times, he never said or did anything to stop him. He dealt with it just like everyone else who was hurt by him. Put up and shut up. And that was how it was for as long as he could remember.

Consumed in his thoughts, he failed to hear the sound of his door opening and closing. It wasn't until he felt a body sit next to him that he even knew someone was there, but then again, he already knew who it was.

"What's up?"

"Nothing," he muttered.

"Yuki, you can't lie to me. It's written all over your face." Miya crossed her legs on Yuki's bed and patiently waited for Yuki to speak.

"It's my fault."

"No. Don't even think that! It's not your fault."

"Yes, it is. It was because of me that you and Akito got hurt. I went to his room when he called on me. And then...when he started to hurt me, you came in and rescued me. You were angry at him for what he did, I started it! It was because of me! It was my fault!"

"No, it's not." Miya hugged Yuki. His trembling made Miya feel worse for her actions. "You did nothing wrong, you hear me? Nothing. Akito's an ass. I'm an ass. That's why we got hurt. You mean everything to me, Yuki, like the brother I never had. Don't you think for one second that it's your fault for me and Akito's problems. Promise?"

"I promise."

"Good, because then I'd get mad and you don't want me mad."

"Why?" Yuki chuckled. "What would you do?"

"I'd send Shigure after you."Miya left Yuki standing there in pure shock and wincing. Anything was better than having Shigure sent after you. Who knew what he would do...

Two weeks had passed since the incident. Neither Miya nor Akito spoke to each other. The gash on her cheek healed quite nicely. A faint line took the place of the previous scab. Because of the incident, Hatori asked her to take some time off so he could make sure she was fully okay. She spent her time hanging with the gang when they didn't have school and when she didn't have work. And when they weren't around, the only one left was Shigure.

They wasted days together just talking or if he was feeling a bit naughty, haggling Hatori was the next best thing. A day in Shigureland was a day not wasted. He recounted tales of the Madubachi Trio and such. Miya told him of embarrassing moments in school and things she used to do with her sister. They knew almost everything about each other. In that time, they were inseparable. Mainly because Shigure became a lazy ass and didn't write as much so they took walks to fill in the time .

"It's nice out here, despite the recent downpour we had," Miya commented.

"Yeah, it is." A bird twittered not too far from them. "You know, I've been meaning to talk to you."

"What about?"

"Akito." Miya immediately stopped walking.

"What about him?"

"I keep wondering why you two hate each other so much."

"Because he is the most cruel, hateful person I have ever met."

"He has his reasons for being the way he is."

"There's no excuse for whipping someone. What he did to Yuki is unforgivable in my eyes."

"You think you're so different from him, Miya."

"I am different from him."

She turned her back on Shigure and continued walking. Droplets of rain slowly rolled off the tips of limbs and landed on Miya as she strolled to the river that ran near the house. Shigure's footsteps resounded behind her.

As dark as the skies, the river curved and flowed through the rocky landscape. It rippled serenely in some areas and rushed violently in others. Miya crouched on her knees, making sure to keep her balance. Some time later, Shigure crept up and took his place next to her. She kept her gaze on the water, as well as he, but for different reasons. Miya didn't want to hear about Akito and why he did those things. Most of all, she didn't want to hear the similarities between them. It would mean that she was capable of such acts too...

Shigure waited until Miya was ready to listen. She needed to listen. If she didn't, he would lose her and her, them. He didn't want that. She was important to them, part of the family. She needed to know.

"Did you know Akito has one parent? His mother, Ren?"

"No," Miya said flatly, clearly indicating she didn't want to know Akito's life story. Shigure ignored it.

"She, like your father, took out her problems on him for what happened to his father."

"That doesn't mean he's like me."

"Well, let's see. He's stubborn as hell. You're stubborn as hell. Whenever one of you gets mad, you use violence and take it out on something or someone. You both have had problems with your family, but Akito has a much larger plate to handle. He has to deal with the curse and his health so he's basically screwed, Miya. Because he's the family head, you don't know everything he has to deal with and I wish you would understand that!" Miya winced. She never heard Shigure shout. Ever.

"You're making it sound like that justifies all his actions."

"No. It doesn't justify it. I'm just worried about you. We don't want to lose you. You're a part of our family now, whether or not Akito would allow it." This brought a smile to Miya. "I'm simply asking you to make up with Akito so our relations aren't tense and Akito won't take out his frustrations on us or the staff. Please."

She agreed. On Shigure's behalf, and the others, Miya agreed to talk to Akito. She didn't promise anything, but she would...talk, or at least try to. She hoped Akito would do the same and not be himself for once. According to Hatori, it had taken some time to get the family head to agree to seeing her. And now here she was, standing outside his door, waiting to go in.

A million and one reasons screamed at her to forget him and to go back home. She kept her ground. All it took was Shigure's smiling face and those reasons disappeared into the recesses of her mind. He was right too. If she didn't make up with Akito, he was bound to something to make her life a living hell and she was somewhat sure it would include her beloved father. She couldn't let that happen. If that bastard knew where she was, he'd try to get back into her life and say he was sorry, promising that it would never happen again. And for a while, the promises were kept. He acted like a father should act. He'd ask her how school was, they went to the movies occasionally, and sometimes he bought her a gift. Lying piece of shit. He would always go back on his promise and the beatings would start again. Every. Single. Time. What hurt worse was that...she believed him...

Taking a deep breath, Miya opened the door and quietly set foot in the all-too-familiar room. Chills spread throughout her body as she walked further in. The room never lost its dark aura, like that of its master. She scanned the room, her eyes catching something on the ground. A small dent was impacted onto the floor from the fight. She smirked. Her father always told her she was hard-headed. She gasped, quickly turning around. From the corner of her eye, she caught movement. It was then Miya noticed a doorway on the north side.

Strange. That wasn't there before...

She realized her feet were taking her toward the hidden room. The movement came from in there, but from what, she didn't know. This room was as dark as the other, the moonlight providing what little light could shine through the window, shining on someone. Miya immediately stiffened. He was the movement.

Akito had heard her coming in. He waited until her back was turned to open the door to his actual bedroom. Yes. She was in his bedroom, the only one in the entire house to be hidden. Not much was in here but a mattress, a dresser, and a desk. He didn't like cluttered rooms. They made him feel trapped. Precisely why he had always preferred to be outside. Akito watched Miya as she looked around his room, making her judgements. Her eyes finally spotted him leaning on the window and she stopped immediately.

The tension built as the two stared the other down. Akito restrained himself from going over to Miya and beating the crap out of her. The nerve of her hitting him. He was pretty sure she felt the same. Miya averted her eyes to his desk on her left. Her fist balled up and let loose, balled up and let loose. A little practice that helped keep her own restraint on her actions. A butter knife could cut through the silence that enveloped them. Neither one wanted to start the conversation, a notion that was soon getting to Akito. A minute passed by. Then another. And then another. He was fed up. Why couldn't she just...?

"I'm waiting." Her blue eyes set upon his teal ones.

"For what?" she responded.

"An apology."

"I don't have anything to apologize for. You should be the one to apologize."

"I won't do anything of the sort."

"Then I guess we are wasting our time," Miya said as she turned around.

"Wait!"

Akito couldn't believe himself. In fact, he was drop-dead shocked! He told her to wait. Of all things, to wait!...Why? That single solitary word. Why? He couldn't answer it, couldn't explain it. They avoided each other as best they could and when they were together, yelling would ensue. The fight was the tip of the iceberg. He'd convinced himself Miya was an insufferable, conniving whore who was trying to take his family away from him, if you could call those freaks family. And yet, here she was, trying to apologize like he was. He figured the mutt had something to do with Miya apologizing. Shigure never learned when to shut up. Akito had to say something quick. Her questioning stare begged to be answered.

"What?"

"..."

"Akito, what?"

"..."

"Forget it. Whatever."

"...I'm sorry." Miya nearly tripped over her own feet. Did Akito seriously just...?

"What did you-"

"You heard me! I'm not going to say again!"

Astounded. Akito, head of the Sohma family, apologized to her. The one who hurt many and never apologized for it had asked Miya's forgiveness. This was certainly a change in him. It must have taken all of Akito's will to say sorry.

"I'm sorry too."

With nothing to say, Akito bent his head a little to her, his way of acknowledging her apology, and tore his gaze away from Miya to the dark outside. But Miya found herself unable to leave. Any person in her position would have scrambled out the door as soon as he turned his head. But a question burned her mind, one she had wanted to ask since she first learned of Akito's true nature.

"Why do you do that?" His attention was peaked. Akito turned back to her.

"Do what?"

"Act like a complete jerk to everyone."

"That's none of your business."

"I understand it has to do with your mother, Ren" Immediately, Akito stood up, a familiar, angry look on his face. "Oh no. Not again. We just apologized and I'm not up for another round of fight night. Talk to me like you're a civil bastard for once."

"There's nothing to say," Akito said, trying his best to keep his cool. That name brought poison to his veins.

"Well, according to Shigure, she's like my dad."

"Hmph. I knew that mutt couldn't keep his damn mouth shut. And that whore doesn't have anything to do with me."

"Maybe. Maybe not. I can tell now why we're somewhat alike. If your mother's anything like my father, then I sympathize because I know how it's feels like to be the punching bag or the speaker through which insults and curse words are shouted."

"You don't know anything about me! And I don't want your pity!" Akito snapped, almost growling.

"You weren't gonna get it," Miya said calmly as she started walking to the doorway. "But you have my...understanding." His eyes widened. Her understanding?

Miya had barely heard it. Barely. She smiled to herself as she trudged through the vast estate.

"...Thank you."

Akito whispered it as quietly as he could when she left. So quiet that to hear it properly, Miya would've had to have her ear up to his mouth. Many questions bumped around in his head and they couldn't be answered. His thanks meant that they were on balanced terms. Not good because they weren't friends or acquaintances, but not bad either because they didn't fight. The lightest twitch of a smile lit up his face. At least he didn't feel so alone anymore.