Kyou: Yoruko, I don't get why you're pairing Tohru with Akito of all people.
Yoruko: Well, for reasons unknown to me, that pairing (in fanfics that ignore the weird plot twist of Akito turning out to be a girl in the manga like I intend to do in everything I write that includes Fruits Basket) has always intrigued me for some reason.
Kagome: I read Fruits Basket, and aren't you mixing up the timeline? At this point this story is at, Ayame still hasn't shown up.
Yoruko: That's on purpose!
Yuki: … Why anyone would bring him of all people in earlier is beyond me.
Yoruko: Be nice, Yuki-san!
Very Important Author's Note: I am purposely changing around the timeline! In my version for this fanfic, I'm pretending that Ayame showed up under guise of meeting Tohru so he could attempt to patch things up between him and Yuki sometime between Tohru meeting Haru and Valentine's Day. It fits the story better this way with what I intend to do. If you have trouble tolerating my messing with the canon timeline and altering what happened in canon a little, then I suggest you turn back or PM me for my reasons. I won't list them here because it would include slight spoilers.
Warnings: light violence, (mostly via Kyou, Yuki, and sometimes Haru) light language, (mostly because of Kyou) slight deviation from canon, blatant ignoring of the fem!Akito plot twist, mix of details from the manga & anime, (ex: in the anime, as far as I can tell Akito is supposed to actually be a man, while in the manga whoever wrote the plot eventually decided that Akito is really a woman.) less dark! Akito
Chapter 3:
An Overdue Reunion
& A Fateful Meeting
Tohru couldn't help but smile. Tohru was having a very good day. First, Kagome Nee-chan showed up unexpectedly that morning before Kyou, Yuki, and she had to head to school. Then she did unexpectedly good on her test. At work, Momiji showed up to keep her company. He was even helping her, which he didn't need to do but Tohru appreciated it all the same.
"Great, the exams are finally over! At last, I can sit back and relax!" said Momiji as they washed the floor.
"Yes, then its Spring Break and after that... A new semester... Time sure does fly by." Tohru said.
"Yep!" Momiji agreed, "Oh yes, I'll go with you to Shigure's place today!"
"Ah?" Tohru was surprised.
"Dad and Shigure both said it was okay." Momiji continued, not realizing she was only confused, "What's the matter...? I have a present for you, see!"
"A present...! But why!" Tohru was really surprised now.
Momiji wasn't telling yet, though. "Ho ho! Now about that... Ah! I'll tell you when we get back!"
Tohru didn't get presents often. "Oh, I'm really excited!"
It wasn't even two hours later that Tohru was done for the day and they had arrived at Shigure's.
"Guten Abend!" Momiji said in greeting, (AN: German for Good Evening, according to the manga.) "This is my first time at your house, Shigure! This is so exciting!"
"Oh my, you're really here! It's so late at night, but you're as lively as ever." Shigure said.
"Who's the pretty lady next to you, Shigure?" Momiji asked, noticing Kagome.
Kagome smiled, he seemed like he was older than he looked but he was so cute! Kinda like Shippo, actually... "I'm Kagome Higurashi. You are?"
"I'm Momiji! You know about us, right?" Momiji said, having heard her mentioned by the older members of the zodiac a couple of times.
Kagome grinned. "Yup."
"Yay!" Momiji exclaimed, jumping towards Kagome, "That means I can hug you~"
Kagome caught him, and snuggled him like the adorable child he appeared to be. Just then, Kyou came in with a towel around his neck.
"What the? It got so damn noisy when you arrived." Kyou said.
"Ah! Did you just get done showering, Kyou?" Momiji noticed.
After that, after Kyou's temper caused him to make a fuss, Kagome and Tohru got some snacks. Yuki was just exasperated at how noisy it was. Eventually, though, as they all finished their snacks, the topic turned to the reason behind Momiji being there in the first place.
"Momiji, did you tell them why you're staying here yet?" Shigure asked, having told Kagome already.
"Hm, not yet!" Momiji said, "Tohru, I have a question for you!"
"Ah, please ask away then!" she said.
"What is today's date!" Momiji asked.
"Um... the 15th, isn't it?" Tohru answered.
"That's right! March the 14th is White Day, but even though it's one day late... I plan on giving you a "Hot Spring Touring Trip" tomorrow!"
"What... !" Tohru was really shocked.
"Let's call it 'Momiji and Tohru's Relaxing Hot Spring Trip'!" Momiji said cheerfuly.
"Where is this hot spring?" Tohru asked, curious.
"Doesn't someone in the Sohma family work at a hot spring?" Kagome asked, knowing she was right when Yuki seemed to recognize what she was talking about.
Then Shigure, Kagome, and Momiji had to convince Tohru to go and take the chance to relax. Reminding her that her mom would be happy as long as she was helped a lot. Plus how cute and cheerful Momiji was... Then when Momiji said Yuki and Kyou were coming too, he was having trouble getting Kyou to go, especially when Yuki said he would. (Kagome knew he'd still go though, for Tohru.)
Just then, Shigure remembered something from after Kagome and he got back from going out to lunch, which had been Shigure's way of making up for not having a White Day gift. "OH, excuse me, but I just remembered something... Tohru, you haven't paid the fee for the school trip yet, have you?"
"Eh!" Tohru seemed shocked that he'd known.
Kagome explained that Tohru's grandpa had called saying the teacher had called him about it. He offered to pay if he needed to. That led to Tohru revealing that she'd had expenses last month. However, she'd solved it with the teacher in charge of it, who'd reminded her that she still owed him the money. Shigure was in the middle of asking about it when he, Yuki, Kyou, and Kagome realized that she'd spent so much on chocolate for Valentine's Day she ended up broke. Kyou was getting pissed off, but remembered that it was Tohru and that Kagome wouldn't like it if he blew up about something like that... So he sent her to take the next bath.
"Good job! You managed to hold back your anger." Shigure said.
"Of course chocolates don't fall from the sky, she paid for them herself..." Kyou said, almost to himself.
"...Why didn't I think of that?" Yuki wondered, making Kagome wonder if he thought he was infallible.
This just made Kyou finally blow up. "Because she always just smiles and laughs! Who could've thought of that!"
Kyou then proceeded to complain about she only does things for others instead of for herself, that she's an idiot because she'll end up with nothing. Kagome found herself not needing to intervene... because Momiji stepped up to the plate. He told them all about a story classmates of his read together. It was about a 'foolish & gullible' traveler who was cheated out of all of his possessions by sob stories. When he was left without even clothes, he traveled through the woods out of embarrassment. However, demons that wanted to eat him pulled similar tricks. Eventually he was left with only his head. The last demon, who he'd given his eyes to, claimed that he'd given him a present. He'd lied, it was only a piece of paper with the word idiot on it. The traveler didn't know this, and so cried without end out of happiness, thanking the demon and saying that he was so happy, that no one had given him a gift before. Then he died.
Momiji's next words really touched Kagome. "Everyone... just laughed... but then... I closed my eyes... and I thought deeply about the story of the tourist... Deeply thinking about that story of how many times he was lied to and when he only had his head left, he still thankfully cried... And then... I understood it... Ah, that's "love", isn't it?"
Shigure, knowing what he meant, smiled and patted Momiji on the head. Momiji then continued his little 'speech'. "Loss... all sorts of pain... He never thought about it... the tourist never thought of himself... Even though he's an idiot to lots of people... To me, he's not an idiot at all. A lot of people would take the chance to cheat him, but I would never do that... I would want to make him happy, and that's all. Yuki? … Kyou? Do you think of him as an idiot? Close your eyes... what are you thinking about?"
It was obvious to all of them, it was clearly like Tohru. Kagome hugged him, knowing that the two teens now understood a little better.
"Thank you, Momiji. You're certainly bright for your age." Kagome praised, "I'm not surprised in the slightest that she did that... You have to have noticed that Uotani-chan and Hanajima-chan are her only friends outside the Sohmas. How could she not want to thank people who mean so much to her after all they'd done for her?"
Later that night, Kagome insisted on helping Tohru with her hair. Tohru was clearly lost in thought. Kagome didn't disrupt her chain of thought.
"... Kagome?" Tohru said to get her attention.
"Yes, Tohru?"
"Do you know Akito-san?" Tohru asked.
"Yes, actually. Why? Is my letter bothering you? I only knew that the way everyone probably talks about him would most likely worry you, especially if you met him." Kagome said, having an idea as to the answer but wanting Tohru to speak her mind.
Tohru shook her head. "No, not yet. I don't like judging people before I meet them."
"Then... have you met him already?" Kagome asked.
"Not... exactly. At least, I don't think it really counts if it was him." Tohru said.
"Oh?" Kagome encouraged her to continue.
"When Hatori-san had me come the the main house, there was a boy a little older than me leaning on an open window. There was something different about him... I got a strange feeling."
Kagome smiled, this was unexpected... and possibly promising. "It was probably him. Don't worry about it, his bark is much worse than his bite. If someone told you about Hatori's eye, that is very different from the Akito I know. Just be yourself, and you should be fine. Like Kyoko always told you. Just... don't let what others say scare you off. He could use a friend like you, I bet."
The next day, as Kagome predicted Kyou told Tohru he'd go not even a half hour after breakfast... Which earned her 500 yen ($5) from Shigure. After Kagome and Shigure sent off the four teens, (Kagome just knew that Tohru thought Momiji was a kid) Shigure looked at Kagome.
"Kagome?"
"Yes, Shigure?"
"What are you planning, exactly?" Shigure asked.
Kagome didn't bother denying it. "I'm going to pay a visit to Akito."
Shigure wasn't surprised. He knew that Akito, who was only a little younger than Kagome, was also one of her friends among the Soumas. He almost pitied Akito. He just hoped that she figuratively succeeded in knocking some sense into him.
A little later, Kagome arrived at the Souma house by herself. Shigure stayed behind because he wanted to work on the manuscript he would pretend he hadn't done in order to mess with his editor. She went right in and to where she knew his room is. There was a maid or two who tried to stop her, but she ignored them. Before long, she reached her destination. She knocked on the door three times to let Akito know she'd arrived- as she usually did- and walked in.
"Akito-kun, are you here?" Kagome said.
"Who's disturbing me? I thought I said I wanted to be left alone." said a voice.
"Aww, Akito-kun, and here I thought that you might have missed me." Kagome said, pretending to pout.
As she entered the room, she saw Akito. Having turned at the voice- for only one female talked to him in a way similar to the way Shigure talks to people when he's teasing or being silly. (Or ridiculous, depending on who you asked.) He recognized her, and was surprised.
"Kagome-chan? Is that you?" Akito asked.
"Hai, Akito-kun." Kagome replied.
"When did you get back?" Akito said.
"Oh? Didn't anyone tell you know I was coming? I did move into a house that is technically Souma property." Kagome replied, "I was sure that Shigure or Hatori would mention it."
Akito sighed. "Knowing Shigure, he thought it would be funny to surprise me. Speaking of, how are things with him?"
Kagome blushed at that. Akito smirked knowingly.
"So the dog finally made his move, did he?" Akito teased.
Kagome sighed internally, happy that he at least hadn't changed that much. "Akito... I heard about Hatori's eye."
Akito's eyes darkened slightly in anger before a slightly tired, regretful look came on his face. He looked away from Kagome, ashamed at his actions. He wasn't a fool. Akito knew very well why that tragedy was so worrying for those who he considered friends.
"I'd... overheard Kana talking to a maid she'd befriended the night before. She told the maid when congratulated about her relationship with Hatori but the news that the maid wasn't either surprising or upsetting. Kana told the maid that she'd never pictured things going so far... That when the relationship started, it was little more than a crush on her part. When Kana of all people spoke up when the two of them approached me the next day... I don't know what happened." At this point, Akito was holding his head in his hand.
Kagome approached him. "Akito... does Hatori know?"
He only shook his head. "I only apologized in private, admitting that I wasn't sure what had happened. When Kana was in critical condition from depression, all I could do was tell him as tactfully and gently as I could that the best way to save her was to make her forget... that it seemed to be what she wanted. How could I tell Hatori that the first woman he cared that deeply about in a romantic way didn't feel any where near as strongly for him? I already forget that he probably figured it out through her parting words to him when she left not knowing what had been between them."
Kagome only hugged him. 'Akito no baka...' she thought. "Akito-kun... What about Tohru Honda?" she asked.
"The girl staying with Shigure? As far as I can see, she's taking away the zodiac from me." Akito said, practically huffing.
Kagome shook her head. "Akito... aren't you doing the exact same thing you told me I shouldn't do when I told you about the Band of Seven? You were the one who told me not to judge to quickly when it came to Sesshomaru or Naraku... that there hadn't been much Naraku himself or his incarnations did that was truly horrible. You were able to tell right away that there was something fishy where Naraku was concerned. And... you were the one who told me to be careful of Inuyasha."
"Naraku? And the mutt? What exactly happened, Kagome-chan?"
"Naraku had been the name of a youkai that fused with but was overtaken by Onigumo... And Inuyasha betrayed us. I was stuck in the Feudal Era a whole year no thanks to him having Kikyo seal the well." Kagome said.
This time, Akito hugged Kagome. "Kagome-chan... what does that have to do with Honda-san?"
Kagome smiled. "Akito-kun, Tohru-chan is my cousin."
"... I suppose I can see it, the way Shigure talks about her." Akito admitted.
"Oh? Haven't you met her?" Kagome asked.
"Not really; though I do know what she looks like." Akito said.
"You do, do you?" Kagome said.
"Close to New Years, right after Momiji insisted on meeting her, Hatori had her come secretly to talk to him. I saw her on her way in and out." Akito said.
"You didn't talk to her?" Kagome asked.
"I only saw her from my window. I got a strange feeling in my chest looking at her." Akito replied.
Kagome raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Mentally, she was grinning like the Cheshire Cat. "What did you think?"
"I don't really know what to think. Especially after our eyes met." Akito admitted; Kagome knew that he was as close to pouting as he gets.
"Akito... you do know that nothing will be solved by acting like that woman, right? She can't hurt you or anyone you care about anymore." Kagome said.
Akito sank to his knees and hid his face in his hands as if he were a frightened child. "... That woman's blood... flows in my veins. I've already mistreated most of the Zodiac in one way or another. What if I'm as bad as her?"
Kagome held him as if he really were a frightened child. "Akito... the words of wisdom you gave me when I needed someone to talk to about my misadventures, your regret at past actions, and your fear alone are proof that you are nothing like her and never will be. She gave birth to you, but you are not related to her. You are Akira-san's son, not hers. Don't forget that."
He sighed tiredly. "What do you suggest I do about Honda-san?"
"Well... I'd say her current living arrangements more than suffice unless she decides to move in with me... and Hatori made sure, I hear, that she has an idea of what she's getting herself into. However, I'd say that in other aspects you start by meeting her yourself. I think you'll find that you're more similar than you would ever have thought." Kagome said.
A few weeks later, spring was starting to come into full bloom and with it the start of the new school year. Tohru was with her friends, Arisa Uotani and Saki Hanajima, and of course Kyou. Yuki, on the other hand, was busy at the moment. It was the very first day of school for the year.
"The new freshman are very cute was well!" Tohru said, in full spring mode, "Kyou and Uo-chan, you two should go and see the school entrance ceremony."
"Annoying." Uotani and Kyou both said, writing off the idea.
"And plus I still have hay fever," continued Uotani as she read something, "if I have to sit still in that place for a few hours, I won't be able to handle it for sure."
"If you take medicine, you will get better!" Kyou said.
"It's no use. I took too much medicine when I was younger." Uotani said, finishing with a sneeze.
"What sort of medicine?" Kyou asked, surprised something like that could be the case.
Just then, Uotani registered Yuki's absence. "By the way... where is the Prince?"
"He's the representative of the Entry Ceremony, so he'll definitely be very busy." Tohru said.
"Oh yeah, I heard he was really tired." Uotani said, "First day at school and he already received a love-heated welcome! This year, the Prince should get the chance to be student council president."
Tohru sweat-dropped. 'Yuki doesn't like to do that sort of thing though...'
"Tohru, at the parent meeting I sensed Shigure was under some tension." Hanajima said.
"Ah... you're here. That's because there are two members of the Souma clan in this year's freshman class... Kagome Nee-chan came too." Tohru said, telling Hanajima what he'd said when it came up and how it resulted in Kagome hitting him over the head for joking around like that even though they were dating. Which resulted in Hanajima calling him an idiot...
"Wait a minute... more Souma members are coming to our school? Are they girls or boys?" Uotani asked.
"It's two boys. One of them was at the cultural festival." Tohru said.
"Kyou, get the two Soumas and bring them here!" Uotani ordered.
"That's right... go and bring them here!" Hanajima said.
"Ah! Why me!" Kyou shouted, "Tell Tohru to go, that will do! She needs to go and introduce herself anyway!"
"Okay, I'll go!" Tohru said cheerfully, wanting to see Momiji and Haru anyway.
"Why does it have to be Tohru who goes to do these sorts of things...?" Hanajima asked almost threateningly, right in front of the sitting Kyou."
"Yeah, you should go!" Uotani added.
"Why do I have to go! Don't come near me!" Kyou added the second part almost as an afterthought, not liking Hanajima invading his personal space- especially when she was like that.
Tohru stepped in to play mediator. "Ah... ah... Actually, I had wanted to go and say hello anyway. Good thing there is a chance! Kyou, why don't you come with me?"
"Hm... Why is it that even I have to go and see those two guys!" Kyou complained.
"Seeing them at school is a different experience! Maybe you'll be very happy!" Tohru said cheerfully.
Under the force of her enthusiasm, Kyou couldn't bring himself to say no... The two of them were at the door almost before he knew it. Of course, back in the classroom Uotani and Hanajima noticed that he was getting less and less resistant under the force of her encouragement. However, they got a little lost. Kyou got mad when he discovered that she didn't know where to find them any more than he did. So he did the only reasonable thing and asked someone.
"Do you know two Souma guys, one's got blonde hair and the other has got white hair?" he asked a girl first year.
"Yes... yes, they're in my class..." she answered.
"Then tell them to come out!" he basically demanded.
"Right!" said the girl.
As he returned to Tohru, mentally grumbling about the situation, he noticed trouble. Some guys were checking her out and from their words clearly had not-so-innocent intentions. He scared them off without even saying a word. Then berated the confused girl for being so inattentive when alone... but said that with him she could daydream all she liked because she was safe. Just when things were starting to get awkward for Kyou, he was 'saved by the bell', so to speak.
"Hallo!"
"Ah! Momiji!" Tohru said, now seeing them approaching.
"Tohru!" Momiji was clearly as excited about seeing Tohru as she was about seeing him.
"Momiji!" Tohru started, "You..."
Just then, Kyou hit Momiji for trying to jump and hug Tohru. "You idiot!"
"Kyou... Kyou, calm down..." Tohru said.
Then Haru approached. "How are you..."
"Ah... Hatsuharu." Tohru said, greeting him.
Then Kyou yelled at Momiji... "Why is it that you have to wear the girl's uniform? Too disgusting! Hatsuharu wears a lot of jewelry, but he's better than you!"
"Ah... Does it matter? He looks nice wearing it, that should be enough." Haru interjected.
"I look nice wearing it!" Momiji said.
"Yes, you look very nice wearing it!" Tohru agreed. (She wished she could have take a picture to show Kagome.)
"Looking nice and looking shameful are two different things..." Kyou muttered.
Just then, Haru seemed to notice something. He put both his arms out. Tohru looked to see what he was looking at. It was Yuki approaching. Haru went up to him and greeting him silently.
"Ah... …it's true. Momiji, why are you dressed like that...?" Yuki said.
"Yuki, have you finished all your duties?" Tohru asked.
"No, I haven't finished yet... I only stopped by because I was going to come here anyway." Yuki said.
"Oh, how tiring!" Momiji said, cheerfully.
"...If you think I'm tired, don't give me more trouble." Yuki said.
"Momiji, Hatsuharu, what do you think of the school?" Tohru asked.
That led to Momiji saying that he was told not to show off because people who show off supposedly have girls chasing him... therefore he decided to be the "cool and silent" type in school. Which, of course, cause Kyou to yell about how Momiji wasn't acting anything like that. Then they were interrupted... A crazy idiot claiming showed up, from his shouting he seemed to be the student council president. He was complaining about Haru's jewelry and hair and Momiji's uniform.
When he started yelling at Momiji, making him practically cry because he was wearing it because it looked better, Tohru tried to defend him from the bullying. Which caused the idiot to yell at her... Haru finally snapped... Black Haru appeared and gave it right back to the idiot... It all ended when the poor fool had the audacity to ask for proof that his hair was natural; Black Haru dragged him into the bathroom. He was very shaken when they came out, and they left. The normal/white Haru returned when Kyou and Yuki hit Black Haru on the head for asking the innocent, oblivious Tohru if she wanted to see after she asked how he proved his hair color was natural.
Then the bell rang. Tohru asked if Haru and Momiji wanted to meet her friends after school. They both agreed. Kyou and Yuki just wished they weren't at the same school. Before they could all leave, Momiji said they had to tell Kyou and Yuki something.
As Tohru headed back alone, she noticed someone. She stopped walking. It was a boy a couple years older than her, wearing a long sleeved black shirt and black pants He had black hair and dark violet, almost black eyes... He looked familiar. Tohru was sure he was Akito. She noticed that he was very handsome...
"Aki- Aki...to... san...? Tohru asked.
"Yes... Tohru Honda-san." he replied.
Akito had thought over Kagome's words since she greeted him that first time. She was absolutely right, he'd decided. He needed to meet Tohru for himself. He eventually realized that Haru and Momiji starting high school at the same high school as Kyou, Yuki, and Tohru provided the perfect opportunity.
"...! Ah! Nice to meet you...!" Tohru said as she bowed, flustered at meeting the head of the Souma family. She couldn't help but notice that on top of how handsome he was, his eyes were a little like Hatori's... with an underlying pain...
After talking with Kagome and occasionally Shigure, Akito had an idea at the sudden change in demeanor. He was fairly amused. Maybe he would like this "outsider" after all... At a glance she seemed normal, plain even, but...
"Hmph! You're very well- mannered... and you're a kind girl as well. And you're really cute." he said, smiling. It was good getting out of the main house...
Tohru's reaction was even more amusing, adorable even... and proved just how unaware of her good points she was. And he thought Kagome and Shigure had been exaggerating...
"You... You're overstating!" Tohru insisted. 'No one besides her mother and sometimes Kagome had said things quite like that to her...
'It's actually true, though...' "Ahaha! Don't fret. You're really cute." Akito insisted, still smiling. "Sorry I didn't talk to you the last time when you went to the old house. It's because I'm afraid of strangers... You won't get mad, right?" 'Actually, I'd left to greet you but you'd already left with Hatori. I told the maid who saw me that I had wanted some fresh air.'
Tohru seemed genuinely appalled at the last thought, Akito noted. She was definitely different...
"No... No, how could I!" she said.
Akito grinned. "That's great... then... Now, I will introduce myself. I'm the head of the Souma family, Akito nice to meet you."
"Yes, pleased to meet you!" Tohru said. She was flustered again... maybe Akito should make sure he didn't mention him being the head of the Soumas again...
'He's really a lot more... kind and friendly than I'd thought. Kagome Nee-chan was right.' Tohru thought. "I hope that we can become friends!" she said.
"Yuki and the others... please take care of them..." Akito said.
"Of course I will! All of them have come to mean so much to me! I still don't know what to do when they tell me to think of my self more or give me a gift! I'm so grateful for everything everyone's done for me, I don't think I'll ever be able to pay them back..." Tohru said.
"Oh? Why is that, Honda-chan?" Akito asked.
Tohru looked down. "... I... didn't have a single friend until I met Uo-chan my first year of Jr. high... I never admitted this to Shigure-san, or Yuki-kun, or anyone, but... for a long time it was just Kaa-san and me; even with Uo-chan and Hana-chan there there were times I felt lost and helpless until I met Shigure-san and the others."
'So this is what Kagome meant. I think I see what everyone else does.' Akito thought. "Don't doubt your own influence, Tohru Honda-chan. Even Shigure and Hatori have moped less since meeting you. Just try to relax more."
Meanwhile... Kagome, had felt Akito's aura and noticing that it was now quite close to Tohru's aura. Wanting to see him- mostly to see if she was at all correct- she told Shigure where she was going then left. When she found them, they were talking. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen Akito so happy. Just then, Yuki came along... she followed, wanting to do damage control.
"Akito..." both turned to see Yuki, and Kagome following from a different direction.
"Ah... I really missed you, Yuki!" Akito said. "It seems like since such a long time since we've seen each other. You're taller, and have matured, too."
"What are you doing..." Yuki asked suspiciously, "What have you done to Honda-san!"
Kagome stepped in and bopped Yuki on the head. 'Idiot!' "Don't jump to conclusions!" she said.
Akito answered anyway.'I won't allow him to know what she just said, that must be private.' "... Nothing... Just introducing myself. Right, Tohru-chan? It was just an introduction, right?" Akito winked at her at the last part, silently telling her that he would never tell anyone what she'd said.
Tohru got the message. She also didn't want Yuki to have the wrong idea. "Ah... yes."
Akito stepped closer to Yuki, so he could speak so that Tohru couldn't hear. Kagome just went over to Tohru, knowing what he was doing.
"You look well, Yuki. I can't remember the last time I saw you look so healthy... or so happy. I suppose it's all thanks to Tohru-chan... we really have to thank her. I hope you appreciate her. And Yuki... for all it's worth, I'm sorry for ever having mistreated you in the past. I've been very alarmed all this time at having ever sunk to such a level. Kagome knocked some sense into me... I wonder if she'll ever need to do it to you." he almost whispered. Okay, so he didn't just apologize, he messed with Yuki a little... but he was always so fun to tease...
Yuki, surprisingly, didn't get scared. He was too surprised at the unexpected change in attitude Akito was showing. Akito knew from what Tohru had said that she could in her own way, be protective of her friends, showing this through her extreme care for their overall well-being and happiness. Yes, he decided that he liked Tohru Honda very much. She would be good for the Zodiac.
"Tohru, you two had better get back." Kagome said, noticing the time, "I'm sure Yuki is still busy. He got roped into helping out with everything today, right?"
"Yes... we'd better get back." Akito agreed, "Shigure and the others will surely be worried if we don't show up soon."
As they walked away, they noticed that Kyou had been watching as well. Neither payed attention to it. Then Kagome turned her attention to Akito.
"... I didn't see that much and I couldn't hear anything... but you seemed to be getting pretty friendly, Akito-kun." Kagome teased.
Akito just blushed. However, later on Shigure and Kagome delighted in telling Hatori about it. Especially How during the car ride home, Akito couldn't help but mention one thing in particular that he'd said: "I see why you've seemed so fond of Tohru-chan, Shigure. She's very cute, and I've never seen or heard of any girl or woman being quite like her. Everyone must be very protective of her. I wonder though, what Yuki makes of our encounter..." Hatori almost rose an eyebrow at the two, worried they'd try to play 'matchmaker' again. However, he agreed with them for once: If Kagome was right, this could be very good for both Akito and Tohru.
Owari
Next time: It's the anniversary of Kyoko Honda's death. Then, it's time for a trip to a lake. Plus, Akito and Tohru have been getting closer.