Over the next few weeks Akito's and my friendship steadily grew. We became inseparable to the dismay of many. It became common to see Akito and I walking through the garden are hands entwined. I knew everyone was worried about are relationship. I heard the whispers of the different members of the Sohma family. They would ask why the beautiful little girl clung to Akito like he was her savior. In his own way I know he had saved me from myself that day when he comforted me after shoving me away. I had saved him as well, because I knew that he had never truly smiled or laughed like he did when he was near me. I loved Akito Sohma. I really didn't know what type of love it was. It wasn't a sibling one. All I knew at my young age is that I never wanted to be away from him. He was quickly becoming my world and he meant everything to me.
One day I was sitting on his lap near the fountain that had changed are lives forever. "What are you thinking about so intensely, little flower?" He said smiling.
I voiced my thoughts, "Akito-sama do you love me?"
I felt him stiffen slightly. I was afraid for the first time in a long time that I had said something horribly wrong. I relaxed as his beautiful voice washed over me, "How can I not love you. You are my little angel. You are my everything."
I looked up into the dark eyes that were usually emotionless. They were shining with unshed tears and I started sobbing quietly as I hugged him like it was the end of the world. "I love you to Akito-sama." I said crying, "Promise-Promise that when we get older that we'll get married."
He started laughing softly at my words. "Aren't you a little to young to be thinking of marriage and love. You are only five years old."
"I don't care!" I said shaking my head in frustration, "I don't ever want to lose you. You're my best friend and when you are friends and you love each other then you get married. That's what my papa said and he would never lie to me."
"I'm afraid it's a little more complex then that." He said smirking, "I don't think the details are fit for your tender ears and I won't tell you till you are older, but I'll make a promise with you."
I was angry that he wouldn't agree that my father had told the exact truth of marriage, but I was willing to play along if it would get me what I wanted.
"When you turn 15 we can get married. I promise I will marry you then." He said smiling.
"But Akito-sama!" I said whining, "That's ten years from now! I can't wait that long!"
"Think of it as a present you can't open for ten years." He said grinning evilly, "The anticipation will kill you, but the wait is worth it in the end.
"I guess if you look at it that way, your right." I said pouting.
"I know," he said conceitedly, "I'm always right."
"You are so full of yourself!" I said giggling.
"But you love me remember?"
"Not when you act like that." I said determinedly.
All of a sudden he hugged me and I gasped for air. He let me go and I could breathe again, but I glared up him and he had an expression on his face that tried to look innocent, but failed. I returned the favor and put my arms around his neck and squeezed hard around his neck. "Now you know how it feels not to be able to breathe." I said stubbornly.
He just smiled in his self important way and kissed my forehead. "Do you know how adorable you are when you angry?"
I blushed at his words and kissed his cheek in return. I never had done that before and he stiffened in surprise, but was smiling gently down at me when I moved away. We didn't say anything after that for a long while. We just stayed in each other's arms waiting for the sunset. It was beautiful and I didn't want to be anywhere, but with Akito in that moment.
We finally when it was fairly dark parted ways. We both always hated this time. I knew I would see him again early in the morning, but I still couldn't prevent the tears from falling. It was a nightly ritual for him to wipe my tears away and tell me not to be so sad. I would see him in the morning and he would kiss my forehead and tell me to go to bed and get some rest.
I started walking toward my room that I shared with okāsan, but out of the corner of my eye I saw a flash a silver hair in the moonlight. I knew it could only be one person, Yuki. I saw him walking in terror towards a dark figure in the moonlight. I knew it had to be Akito. I couldn't believe he was still hurting Yuki. I hadn't really spoken to Yuki or Momiji since that first day of hide-and-seek. I stood hidden in the darkness as I watch Yuki stop by Akito. "I am so glad you could join me my beloved rat. I've been looking forward to our quality time. The room has been lonely without you gracing its walls. Shall we?" He asked in a cool voice that broke no refusal.
I followed behind them and I saw Akito lead Yuki into a little room. He shoved Yuki into a corner. He then picked something up and caressed it almost lovingly as he proceeded to use it to hit Yuki in the back numerous times. I stood still in the darkness looking in abject horror at what I thought had been my friend. He truly was the monster that everyone thought he was. Someone that cruel could never love. I was wrong and I was devastated. I decided then and there that I was going to hate Akito for the sake of my true friends Yuki and Momiji. He didn't deserve my friendship. I stood up ready to save Yuki from the bowels of hell. I refused to leave him there. I ran into the room and yelled, "Yuki!"
I winced in pain as the lash that had been intended for Yuki hit me instead. "Anorien-chan," Yuki said in pain, "Why are you here? Please leave before he hurts you to."
"No!" I said crying, "I won't let him hurt you again! You my friend Yuki-kun and friends don't leave there friends when they are in danger."
I bent down and hugged him. He was hugging me back like I was his anchor at sea. I forgot that the monster was still with us in the room. In that moment it was just Yuki and me and I didn't notice when I felt a pair of arms tear us apart. He threw Yuki away from me and kicked him in the back. "Don't you touch her! You damn rat! She's mine!" he snarled.
I started fighting and kicking when I felt him try to embrace me. "Will you stop it! You foolish girl! It's me!" he yelled in pain as I hit him in the stomach.
"I hate you!" I screamed, "I trusted you! I thought you had changed, but you are the monster that everyone says you are! I never want to see you again. You're no friend of mine!"
He stopped trying to touch me. He looked at me for a second and I saw his eyes were swimming with tears that started falling down his face. I would have ran and tried to make his pain go away, but I remembered he was the enemy and I just stood there breathing heavy and sobbing. His quickly stopped crying and his eyes flashed with a fury that I had never seen before even when I had first met him. He walked up to me and glared down at me with all the hatred and pain that person could possibly show in an expression. "I will show you the monster that you claimed to love!"
I stood their not moving an inch until I felt his hand smack me across the face. I fell to the ground and I knew he split my lip and my nose was bleeding. I just sat on the ground, not seeing or feeling anything. I was in a state of shock. I couldn't believe he actually hit me. I thought this is what a demon does when he loves someone. The boy that I loved and now hated with my whole being was a demon. I whispered words that made him blanch in pain and fall to his knees in front of me, "Is this the boy I loved or a demon in a human's body? You are nothing to me. You don't exist."
"Don't do this to me, little flower." He said desperately, "If I don't have you, I have nothing. You are my heart and soul. I know I am a demon, and I also know I will go slowly mad if you aren't near me. I've been dying since I was born and I am the only thing that keeps this family from falling apart at the seams. I am their God. The Sohma's are cursed. I hate everyone and everything, but you and the birds. Don't leave me in my hell alone. I can't do it anymore."
He was sobbing his heart onto the floor for me to witness. He was broken. I couldn't leave him in his hell. He hurt others because he was embittered by the fact that he was dieing. I couldn't bear to see him weeping. I gave up all pretenses of him not existing anymore. He was a monster, but he was my monster. I would accept what he was and not hope that he wouldn't hurt anyone. He always would. It was his very nature to, but it didn't mean I would sit around and just watch him do it. I would always try to help and save those he hurt. I would pick up the pieces and try to put them back together again. I stood up stiffly and walked towards him. I bent down and hugged as much of him that I could. He crushed me into his embrace and I flinched a little in pain at how tight he was holding me. I knew then and there I would never be free from the demon that was Akito. I looked over his shoulder at Yuki who was sitting there looking at us two in abject horror. My eyes reflected a desperation that I couldn't contain as I looked at Yuki. He flinched and tears fell down his face. I was the only thing I knew in that moment that kept Akito from destroying Yuki. I realized at that moment I was to be the buffer against the torment that Akito lashed out at the world. I held onto the boy that was full of such anguish as he picked me up and carried me out of the room. I took one more look at the boy sitting prone on the floor and I whispered the words, "I'm sorry." and I then buried my face into the neck into the neck of the monster that I loved and hated with every fiber of my being.
When he took me to his room and sat me down on the bed; I didn't think of what I was doing here. I didn't care anymore. I only knew okāsan would be worried because it was getting late. I hated the idea of worrying her, but I knew Akito wouldn't let me leave tonight, if ever. I started crying at the utter ruin of my life. It seemed no matter where I went I was destined to ruin everyone's lives. I helped to destroy a galaxy and the greatest kingdom that had ever existed and now I had turned a boy into an obsessed monster. All I wanted to do was help people and help ease their hurts, but all I did was make it worse. I heard him approach the bed again. He had a bowl of water and a rag that I assumed was to clean up the mess that was my face. I didn't flinch as he gently was off the dried blood from my mouth and nose. I knew I would also have a huge bruise in the morning, but it really didn't matter. He caressed my face and ran his fingers over my sore lips and bruised cheek. I refused to look at him as he gently lifted my face to look into his. "Look at me little flower," he said gently, "I want to see your beautiful eyes look at me again."
I hesitantly did as he bid because I really didn't want to be hit anymore tonight. I was crying and he wiped the tears away. I sighed in resignation at the barely contained love and betrayal I felt for him. I couldn't take it and I roughly hugged him which he returned and pulled me next to him. We sat their just hugging one another and I felt him eventually pull me down with him as we lay down on the bed. I was getting sleepy and I started to shut my eyes just as I worried slightly what okāsan must be thinking. I spoke to him the first time since the room. "Okāsan will be worried if I don't go home."
He hugged me tighter and the last words I heard before I fell asleep made me shiver in terror. "Damn Kyoko and anyone else who think they have a claim to her. She's mine and always will be. I won't let anyone take her from me."