Disclaimer: You think I own any of this? (dies laughing)

Note, 1: This is one of my first attempts at writing the Fruits Basket characters. Please forgive me if anyone seems too out of character. Advice is always appreciated; just don't be mean or uppity about it.

Note, 2: I don't like curse words. Nor am I certain that my parents would allow me to type them. Therefore, all swearwords will be written as follows: -CENSORED-. The strongest words I'll ever type out in this fic are: dang, shoot, and crud.

Verisimilitude

Eighteen: Erased

Akito smiled, mocking them. He gestured down to the ground, where he'd dropped the key they needed to escape.

"There it is," he stated. "Come and get it."

Kyo, not at all remembering Akito or who he was due to the lack of conversation about him at home, lunged forward for the key.

"Kyo," Hatori hissed in warning.

The cat was almost at the key—when Akito shifted his leg slightly, covering the liberating object with his foot.

Smirking, Akito ignored Kyo (who was clawing at his leg) and said, "I was wondering when you'd come back, Hatori. I knew you'd come for Yuki." He leaned his head forward, commenting in a deceptively affectionate tone, "Yun is very cute when he's asleep, eh?"

Hatori protectively held Yuki closer, saying coldly, "As far as I'm concerned, you have no right to call him 'Yun' or 'cute', Akito-san."

"As far as I'm concerned, you can keep your concerns to yourself," Akito glared. "And get this disgusting fleabag away from me." He kicked Kyo back to Hatori's feet.

"Hey, who do you think you are, anyway?" Kyo, jumping to his feet, growled at Akito. "Gimme that key, -CENSORED- it!"

"Kyo," Hatori said quickly, "stay back." He instinctively stepped slightly in front of Kyo. "This is Akito. The head of the Sohma family."

"That miserable little pip-squeak is the head of our family?" gawked Kyo. "Geez, no wonder we're such a mess…"

Akito scowled. "I've had just about enough of you, cat!" He suddenly smiled, wickedly. "Hatori, we used to be good friends, eh? I remember a little magic trick of yours… why don't we have a little fun with it?"

"I'm not your slave Akito-san," Hatori shook his head.

"You'll do as I say, or I'll make sure the three of you regret ever being born," snapped Akito. With a creepily pleasant smile, he continued. "If you do what I ask you, I'll let you all go… for now… to go on with your lives. I'm making a big sacrifice, Hatori—I'm temporarily giving up quite a few of my little zodiac toys, just for a little fun."

"'Quite a few'?"

"You three, Shigure, Hatsuharu, and Momiji." He smiled. "See how generous I am? So, do we have a deal?"

"What's the deal?" Hatori asked reluctantly.

"Hm…" Akito pretended to think, slowly rubbing the palms of his hands against each other. "Well, since you asked, I was just thinking that you could maybe erase the cat's memories…"

"WHAT?!" Kyo shouted.

Yuki stirred and woke up, startled by Kyo's sudden outburst. He looked around, surprised to find Hatori carrying him, holding him tightly as if the dragon was afraid that the rat would disappear.

Wait a minute—did he just think 'afraid' and 'Hatori' in the same sentence? Something was wrong… and there was Akito, grinning evilly, to confirm that.

Hatori glanced at Yuki, who was confusedly gazing about, and Kyo, who now seemed frozen in place after his outburst.

"I can't do that," Hatori whispered hoarsely.

Akito sighed and shook his head. "Now, Hatori, I honestly don't mind your saying 'no', but think of your cousins. I'm sure they'd enjoy being able to live an entire year without my intruding. Besides, if you don't agree, you have no idea what I have planned for you guys."

"Kyo…" Hatori murmured, looking at the orange-haired boy. It seemed that erasing the youth's memories was the only way to protect him and the others.

The dragon turned back to Akito. "Could I do it back at the apartment?"

"No. Now. Or there's no deal."

"You'll uphold your end of the bargain?" Hatori questioned warily. "You won't interfere with our lives for one whole year?"

Akito gave another long-suffering sigh. "No, I won't interfere with your lives for one whole year. Now can you see how generous I am, sacrificing five of my zodiacs—six if you count the cat—for such a long time? …Do we have a deal?"

Hatori stared at the ground and said quietly, "It's a deal, Akito-san."

The young head of the family smiled and clasped his hands behind his back. "Good. Now, erase the cat's memories. No cheating—his entire memory. Oh, such fun…"

Hatori carefully put Yuki down on the floor, propping the rat against the wall. Yuki, his mind exhausted and not quite able to register exactly what was happening, stared wide-eyed at Hatori.

"Kyo," Hatori said, gently pulling the cat to his knees, "this is for your own welfare."

"If you erase my memories," Kyo replied, quietly for once, "will everyone else be okay?"

Hatori nodded.

"It'll help you and Yuki and Haru, Momiji, and Shigure?"

"You, too," Hatori added. "It'll keep everyone safe for a year. It'll keep you safe, Kyo."

"Oh, cut the small-talk and do it," Akito demanded impatiently.

Kyo nodded and closed his eyes, waiting for Hatori to erase his memories.

"I'm sorry," whispered Hatori, putting one hand to Kyo's forehead and letting the other hand hold the boy's hands.

"Whatever," Kyo returned. "Just do it…"

There was a flash of light and the deed was done.