Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ !! Strange Events !! ❯ Ch. 5 + 6 ( Chapter 3 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Drakell 
I just know...
..that there might be changes coming up soon. Not sure what, or when, but when it happens, I'll let you know too.
Anime/Manga: Fruits Basket Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Supernatural / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 02.02.2009 | Updated On: 03.02.2009 | Pages: 5 | Words: 6.8K | Visits: 271 | Status: Completed
I just know...
..that there might be changes coming up soon. Not sure what, or when, but when it happens, I'll let you know too.
Anime/Manga: Fruits Basket Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Supernatural / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 02.02.2009 | Updated On: 03.02.2009 | Pages: 5 | Words: 6.8K | Visits: 271 | Status: Completed
AN: This is a fic I wrote down for my own sake, so my mind could rest atleast for a while. Being obsessed with an anime cannot be good for anyone, as ideas keep swirling in the back of ones heads all the time, even when sleeping. ><
Therefor I wrote this, so I can rest easily. I do not expect anyone to read or rate, that must be entirely up to you. I'm just glad I wrote it, and by doing so, getting it out of my system. There might be typos, but I don't care. I'm Norwegian, my English grammar isn't the greatest, but I try, and who cares what the world thinks ~_^
I have seen the anime, and read the manga, but this fic separates from the manga, and is more related to the anime, after episode 26.
I know Akito's a woman in the manga, but the anime never got as far as to reveal that. And thus, Akito's a man. A man I tell you! *shakes fist* ^____^''
Fruits Basket does NOT belong to me!
Kirin Nimato is my OC, and my way of joining the Fruits Basket world. RawR! ^_^
- - -
S t r a n g e E v e n t s - # 5
"There she is!!" Kyo's maddened voice brought the small group out of their conversation.
Tohru, Yuki, Haru, Momiji, and Hatori, looked at Kyo, who seemed to have puffed himself up quite a bit.
"Where, where?" Momiji chimed and bounced up and down on the spot to better be able to look.
Momiji had grown quite tall, but his behaviour was still the same as the day Tohru had first met him. Hatori's unshielded eye followed Kyo's pointing finger, and how right the cat was. It was indeed the young woman he had met twice already this week. True, her attire was different, she wore a red and green outfit, with the logo of the store on her back. Her hair was tied up in a tight bun that rested ontop of her head. She didn't look much like the casual girl he had encountered in the park.
"I know her." All eyes were on Tohru when she tilted her head, and she sweat-dropped.
"Tohru-kun...you know her?" Yuki asked curiously, gaining a short nod from the girl.
"Y-yes...I've spoken to her a few times when I shop for groceries...I think her name's Kirin..."
She explained. Hatori arched an eyebrow. That could be right. He recalled the five-year-old call her by that name after he had checked his bruise. How amusing...he thought dryly. Named after a mythical unicorn. Haru couldn't understand what all the fuss was about.
"Ne, Hatori, weren't we about to go for dinner?" The ox suddenly had all the attention as his stomach grumbled, which, in turn, reminded them all of how hungry they were. It had been Momiji's idea to eat dinner out. They rarely got to do things together anymore. Or, they could, but it rarely happened.
- - -
They separated after the dinner. Kyo and Haru went home, bickering about strength and greatness. Momiji bounced behind them, trying to gain their attention, but appearing to be unsuccessful. Hatori had some late patient hours, so he, too, left. Tohru and Yuki blinked, they had been abandoned. Tohru stretched contently and smiled at Yuki.
"Dinner was great. I wish i could cook like that. I liked the varietys of food they used, and the combinations. I shall try some of them myself soon." She said thoughtfully. Yuki grinned slightly.
"Tohru-kun's food is best, because it's made with love." It made Tohru slightly uncomfortable being praised like that. She didn't deserve the praise, she didn't do much. Yuki reached for her hand, and her face flushed immediately, but the mouse's reasuring smile calmed her, and she dared smile again.
The evening turned into a beautiful painting, the sky dyed with the warm tones of pink, yellow, orange, and red. Yuki and Tohru had taken a stroll in the park, simply because it was a rare treat to be able to spend entire days out, like this. And for one whom couldn't put words to his emotions, Yuki was glad Tohru had stayed with him. He had always been to caught up in the darkness that surrounded him, but now...knowing Tohru, every day got brighter. The walls he had built, the stronghold that kept his heart locked safely away, had long ago crumbled and begun to fall apart. And as he glanced at the girl by his side, he knew he could thank her for it. But there could never be any good ways to say 'thank you' for a miracle. His chest tightened. He had to stop. And she did too, her cheerful appearance now slightly worried.
"Yuki-kun, are you alright?" She tilted her head, and ran a small, slender hand across his forehead.
"Oh, my, Yuki-kun, you...you haven't come down with a cold, have you? You're burning!" He raised his own hand, capturing hers between his palm and brows, closing his eyes. As close as they would get.
"Yeah, I'm fine, Tohru-kun..." He said finally and released her hand, which was quickly drawn back to her side.
"Let's go home."
Tohru's eyes rested upon the uneasy mouse of the Juunishi, and she took his hand.
"Yuki-kun..." her voice was so soft, and his name barebly audible.
"If not for the curse..." Was all she said when his eyes met hers. What did she mean? He wanted to ask her, but as the sun began to set, casting ever darker shadows, he decided to keep the questions to himself. Neither one of them were ready to ask or reply yet.
"Where the heck have you two been!?" The angry question was flung through the air like a rock by a sling, and Tohru began to apologize for being late. Yuki, however, calmed her with a hand on her shoulder. His purple eyes sought out the hissing cat, and narrowed.
"You aren't even worth explaining it to, come, Tohru-kun." Tohru blushed as she was lead, arrogantly, past the ever fuming Kyo. She still felt as though she should apologize.
"This is your home, Tohru-kun, you can come home at any hour you want, and you don't have to apologize." The tall, frail-looking young man smiled down at her. No one had actually put that into such direct words before. Sure she had been told this was her home, and she truly felt that it was, but she was also an outsider amongst them. She looked away.
"But..." Her chin was grasped, gently, by string fingers, and her eyes forced to meet the shimmering amethyst irises that seemed to bore into her.
"If anything, it is we who should apologize to you, Tohru-kun. If we have made you feel as though you aren't welcome here..."
"No! It's not that...I...I'm just being silly, forgive me...I'm tired. Yeah, that's what I am! It's been such a long and eventful day." She smiled. A smile that quickly faded when she felt his lips upon her brow.
"Good night, Tohru-kun." And she remained in the hall, looking at his door even after he had closed it. Touching her burning cheeks, she walked to her own room, thinking. Maybe it, finally, was time for her to accept that there was no home like this home, her home, their home.
"Our home."
- - -
Kirin sat on the edge of the bed belonging to her little brother Mika. She watched his peaceful face as he slept. She didn't know how long she had just sat there, watching over him, but apparently it had become quite late. It was already growing dark outside. With a sigh, she rose, leaning over and placing a loving kiss on the slumbering boy's brow. She loved them both so much, the very thought of it made her grow sentimental. They were all she had, they were the only things she had left of family in her life.
"Good night, sweetie." She whispered before exiting the room and sliding the shoji-door shut behind her. She slowly padded down the hallway and reached the stairs. The TV was still on downstairs, vague sounds emitting from it, and the light from the screet lit up the living room with a faint glow. She looked at her watch; 8:43PM. Tomorrow was Sunday. The day to relax.
Kirin smiled to herself. The day to relax, huh? There never was any time to rest around here, this she thought as she went down the stairs, treading the steps carefully, and just in the right places to avoid it creaking and waking the youngest. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, she heard a cautious knocking on the door, and thinking it was Nana, she rushed to open it without hesitation.
"Oh..." She exclaimed, managing to lower the volume of her voice just in time as to not wake her precious treasures upstairs.
The man outside, half covered by the increasing darkness outside, half illuminated by the light from inside, was the image of stoic calm. Finally regaining her stumbling composure, she slid the door open, motioning for him to come inside.
"Forgive me, please, come in Hatori-sama."
It had been surprisingly simple to track down the whereabouts of this girl. He had had to lie, but the shop-owner had given him her adress eventually; when he told him he was the new family doctor and that he had been asked to see to the boys, but he had forgotten her adress back at his office. Ofcourse the shop owher had been glad to help. And now, as he stepped inside Kirin Nimato's home, he took in the simplicity of the place. There wasn't much furniture or decorations, he noted. There was one single, but rather large photography hanging on the wall in the far end of the living room, featuring Kirin, Mika and the infant along with two older adults, whom he asumed were the parents.
"Umm, Hatori-sama...?" Her voice tore him out of his studies, and his attention focused on the woman next to him. "To what do I owe this surprising visit?" She arched an eyebrow questioningly at him.
Hatori didn't quite know what to tell her. He most certainly couldn't tell her that he was here to either get the truth, or erase her memory completely, to ensure his family's tragic curse never would reach the world.
"I felt a responsibility upon myself to check on your...brothers.." He replied slowly, uncomfortable with lies, but it was necessary. She didn't buy it, that much was clear.
"I see." She replied dryly and nodded up the stairs.
"They are sleeping, they both had a long day, and I for one do not have the heart to wake them now." She shrugged, piercing him with her emerald gaze and holding him in place with the stern gaze. She knew he had not come to check on her brothers. He wanted information from her. She didn't quite grasp what kind of information yet, her gift didn't work like that. It wasn't something she could switch on and off.
When her gaze locked onto his own, Hatori felt a searing pain in the back of his mind. Those green irises saw behind his eyes and into him completely, striving to reveal what he didn't wish for to be revealed to a stranger. He tore his gaze away and closed his eyes. He heard her sigh and heard the rustle of clothes as she turned.
"Please have a seat, Hatori-sama, I'll get some tea." He heard her speak, and then she was gone. He heard her rummage through the closets and drawers in the kitchen, he heard water boiling, and some more rummaging. He had put himself in a very dangerous position by being here. He now felt foolish for not bringing someone with him. Shigure perhaps, or maybe even Hatsuharu. Hatsuharu would've been the best option he figured. Shigure wouldn't have been of much help around a young woman like this one. He mentally sighed, just as she exited the kitchen with the tea. She sat down by the table and set forth the mugs, pouring the hot water. He joined her by the table, watching her intently as she poured.
"How could you know my name before I even had introduced myself?" He asked suddenly, and watched how her facial expression remained neutral for a while before cracking into a small secretive smile. He had no patience for secrets, and so his palm hit the table, creating a determined yet low thump. She took no notice of it.
"I just knew." She replied casually and offered him a wide selection of tea-bags kept in a cardboard-box. She chose vanilla for herself and dipped the bag in her hot water and let it soak for a while before she then slowly lifted the mug to her lips and sipped it carefully. By her wince he took it the water was still a bit too hot to be drunk comfortably. In his growing irritation he chose green tea for himself and copied her moves by dipping it in the water.
"I can't explain it." She continued, gaining his attention once more. "I've alwas been able to know things before I'm told." She shrugged. "It's such a horrible curse, though..." She sighed and lowered her head slightly. He tensed. She knew of the curse?? His hand rose from the table, ready to touch her forehead just above her brows.
She looked up at him, and in a split second she had stopped his hand with an icy stare, brows furrowed slightly.
"It's my curse." She said in a low voice and narrowed her eyes.
"I know your profession, and I know your name, those are the basics that I learn first about strangers, touch me...and I'll know more." She warned him before she settled with sipping her tea, now without the grimace or wincing. His hand slowly descended and came to rest upon the table again. His worry grew conciderably.
"You ran into a young man not too long ago, on your bike, knocked him over." He then mentioned carefully, and she nodded.
"Yes, poor boy, he looked as though the world had come to an end when I stradled him in the middle of the street." She said gleefully, a low giggle emitting from her.
This made Hatori arch an eyebrow.
"You didn't land on him full-body..." he commented. This made her throw him a surprised glance, and she shook her head quickly.
"No." She replied simply and shrugged. "I knew he would've been in alot of trouble if I did, some jealous girlfriend I guess..." She smiled brightly, before apologizing when seeing his shocked features. "That's all I know about him, relax!" She exclaimed calmly, rolling her eyes. He wasn't satisfied with her answer, she could tell that much, but that was all she knew if she was to be honest with him, which she highly believed was what he wanted.
"What is it to you anyway?" She asked with genuine interest, as she held her mug to her lips, gazing at him from underneath long lashes.
Hatori rose and retrieved his shoes.
"He's my cousin." He replied. "And he was very upset about the whole incident." He wouldn't stay any longer, he felt a terrible dread hang over his shoulders by sharing the same room as this girl.
Kirin rested her chin in her palm as she watched the doctor called Hatori get his shoes, and prepare to leave. She got up and followed him to the door, to show that she had some manners.
"Give your cousin my greatest apologies, I honestly didn't see him, and if I caused him stress, I would be glad to make it up to him." She said quietly.
Hatori didn't get this girl. She claimed that she 'just knew' things, but had still not discovered the curse. She purposefully kept her eyes locked onto the door infront of her, and as he slid it open, he offered his hand in goodbye. She didn't take it. Instead she just nodded and smiled.
"You don't want me to touch you. Unless you want me to know even more about you..." She said softly, as she slid the door shut and left him on the porch.
He watched her move away from the door, and how the lights were put out. Then he walked home, puzzled, worried, and slightly intrigued
Kirin watched him go from her bedroom window, hugging herself and leaning against the wall. He had come to find out if she knew something about something that she wasn't supposed to know. She was curious, had she let him touch her forehead, like he had intended, she could've easily known exactly what it was he wanted to know. But something in the back of her mind had warned that it was not for her to know. If she wanted to, given enough time, she could read people like open books. Of course... some people she could just know everything about in an instant, know what they were after, what they wanted, what they needed, what they were looking for, where they lived, where they were going, where they had been, what they were thinking. Others were unreadable, and took much longer to 'get to know'.
Hatori was in between. Unreadable in one way, yet so easy to learn about. That's why she was so careful about touching people after learning the basics about them. She didn't want to know too much. And this doctor. This Sohma Hatori...it was extremely important that she learned nothing more about him than she already did. His name and profession needed to be the only things she learned. He carried a secret, too. But she was not allowed to learn it, and that was something she had the greatest respect for. She heaved a sigh, and checked on the boys before she retired to her room and tucked herself in for the night.
---
S t r a n g e E v e n t s - # 6
Tohru woke up to a shimmering morning. It was Sunday, her favourite day, because that meant she could spend some time with Uo-chan and Hana-chan. She quickly got out of bed and found her clothes. She rummaged through her drawers to find her underwear.
"Ahh-hah!" She beamed as she pulled out what she had searched for, and clenched her fists around them. Just as she did, the door to her room opened, and Yuki came into view.
"Honda-san, Hanajima-san just called and..." He fell abruptly silent upon seeing Tohru by her drawers, still in her pyjamas and holding her underwear in her hands. His sunburnt face grew even redder, althouth Tohru had it worse. Her eyes were big, unblinking, her cheeks glowed a crimson red, and her chocolate brown hair stood on end, literally.
"Sumimasen!" Yuki cried and bowed out of the room, crashing into Kyo, and thus tripping them both. Both boys landed heavily on the floor, and both unfortunately had a clear view into Tohru's room, where she still stood glued to the spot, with her hair bristling, , her underwear clenched in her hands, and her blush darkening in shade.
"What the..." Kyo called out, receiving Yuki's fist to his temple as the mouse slid the door to Tohru's room shut. Yuki's face still burned hot, and he got to his feet. It was not like he had seen her naked or anything! The realization of even thinking about Tohru naked, made him even more flustered, and he growled at the cat, darting downstairs to cool down. Kyo blinked several times before he, too, escaped downstairs, feeling ashamed, more ashamed than he had in his entire life. What would Tohru think of them now?
It took Tohru many minutes to regain composure. She exhaled a sigh and fell to her knees, covering her burning cheeks with her hands.
"What must they think of me.." She murmured brokenly before she finaly mustered the courage to get up and get dressed properly.
Walking downstairs half an hour later was one of the hardest things she'd have to do in a while, and she dared not meet the gazes of the three men in the common room. She went straight to the kitchen, pouring water into the kettle and putting it on the stove, then went about to cook breakfast, delaying every task as much as she dared only to avoid going out there too soon. Eventually Yuki joined her in the kitchen and he watched her fret over the breakfast.
"Tohru-kun..." he tried, but she purposefully avoided his gaze, and appeared to not see, nor hear him.
'She's ignoring me...' Yuki thought to himself. 'Does she think that badly about me? I must've offended her greatly...' Not able to stand those thoughts, he stepped forward, and grabbed her shoulder as she zoomed by him.
"Iie!" She cried, dropping the tray with the food on it in surprise.
Thanks to Yuki's quick reflexes, he was able to save the tray, but he cared not about the food right now. Setting the tray on the kitchen table, he turned to Tohru, whose face was shaded by her bangs.
"I apologize, Yuki-kun, first I embarrass you so early in the morning, and now I almost spoiled the breakfast, please forgive me." She whispered brokenly.
With a small sigh, Yuki placed both hands on her shoulders, urging her to look at him.
"I was the one who embarrased you, Tohru-kun, and I am the one to apologize, I should've knocked, but I forgot my manners." He explained. By the look on her face, he'd say she was about to go into yet another apology, but he hushed her by placing one finger across her lips.
"I am sorry." he repeated, and her eyes, if possible, grew even wider. He stepped back, and gently grabbed hold of a loose lock of her hair, bringing it to his lips and giving it a gentle kiss before he let it slide between his fingers and escape his grasp.
Tohru was stunned, then she smiled, brightly, only for him.
"Hai, Yuki-kun, let's forget about it, ne?" She grabbed the breakfast tray and carried the meal out to the common room where the others waited patiently.
---
Weeks passed by uneventfully. Well, ofcourse some things happened, just not very exciting things. The summer was upon them, and one particular heat wave was driving most people out of their minds. Not that they literally went crazy, but no one was too pleased about the discomfort the immense heat was causing.
Kirin mused to herself, sitting on her porch, shaded by one of the trees in her small garden. She held a glass of ice cold lemonade between her hands, watching her brothers sleep under the tree where it was cool and comfortable. It was almost impossible to sleep inside, even at night. She envied the boys some proper rest. Especially Kai. The two-year old had not taken well to the heat, his mood was terrible due to lack of sleep, and itchy rashes triggered by his night-diapers. Thank Heavens for summer-vacation.
"Ahh, Nana!" The young woman rose to her feet as the older woman approached.
"I really appreciate you looking after them for a brief hour, I really need to go to the shop and get some soothing creams for Kai-kun's skin, and some more sunblock, and some..."
The older woman silenced her by raising a hand.
"I don't mind at all, Kirin-chan, go do what you need to do, these angels will not be any trouble, I am sure." She said with divine happyness in her voice. Kirin didn't waste time, but ran straight for her bike and swung herself onto it. From where she lived it was only downhill to the shop. Getting back would be worse, but she paid no heed to that, she had no choice.
The shop-owner was dealing with customers just as she entered, and he greeted her with a bright smile, which she returned gladly. Walking between the shelves, she nimbly chose the items she needed before returning to the counter. The elderly man whom owned the shop was eager to talk with her, wondering how she enjoyed her vacation, how her brothers were faring, and just chatted about life in general. Most of his employes were off on vacation, and Kirin guessed that he found the days long and dull. She thought it sad, and although she tried to keep the conversation going for as long as she could, she had to get back. He understood, and wished her the best. She could only smile at him and wish him the same as she exited the shop.
The heat outside slammed against her like a wall once she stepped outside, and she had to take some time to get used to it. Moving her hair away from her neck, she hung the net over the handles of her bike then slowly began to push it up the hills.
Her gaze caught a glimpse of something rushing towards her, but when she looked up to get a better view, the sun blinded her.
"My baby!" A woman shrieked hysterically, something which gained Kirin's full attention.
A baby wagon rushed towards her, a woman running far behind, flailing her arms and shrieking. The terrified cries from the baby inside the wagon tore at Kirin's heart. She had to help! While others, too, tried to grab hold of the escaping wagon, Kirin dropped her bike and moved to the left of the sidewalk, close to the main road.
A man managed to grasp hold of the handle belonging to the wagon only to lose grip, changing its course, out into the road, where Kirin waited.
She had known. She braced herself, but still lost her breath when the large item rammed into her abdomen. Atleast it had been stopped. Without hesitating too long, she stepped around and picked up the baby. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again after a brief millisecond, she saw the person she had wished would be there.
"Hatori-sama!" She cried out and tossed the baby the few meters that separated them, seeing him gently catch the infant in mid air and cradling it protectively against his chest. In the few short seconds that came, she registrated the whining of car brakes, an alarming shout, and the car that hit her, knocking her over.
Hatori had been at the right spot at the right time. Kirin Nimato had been at the right spot, at the right time, a very unfortunate time, however. The car had come at the right time, but not at the right spot. The bright sunlight had blinded the driver, causing him to slip into the wrong field, and eventually hit the young woman who stood in the middle of it. He had seen her a split second too late, slamming his foot onto the brake, but knowing he wouldn't be able to slow down in time. He hurried out of the car once he had stopped it, to investigate the damage he had caused, but the girl was already on her feet. A bit wobbly, but atleast she stood.
"I'm so terribly sorry!" He apologized, to which she waved her hand rejectingly. She shook her head.
"No damage done, you didn't really hit me hard, sir." She smiled weakly, but the driver didn't feel relieved. Nor did Hatori, whom by now had delivered the baby to its mother, and had hurried over to Kirin.
"Idiotic girl." He hissed, grabbing her arm roughly, although she tried to slap his hand away, and pulling her with him to the sidewalk before releasing her. Her hip stung, but she let no sign of the pain reach her facial features. Instead she endured, and clenched her teeth.
"Is trouble attracted to you by any chance, or do you seek out deadly situation on your own initiative?" He barked in a low voice. She refused to look at him, merely shrugged.
"A bit of both?" She replied dryly and looked for her bike, taking a few limping steps in its general direction.
"You could've killed yourself and left your brothers to grow up without family at an orphanage!" He snarled behind her, which made her stop in her tracks, and tense up.
"I would never put them in that situation. I knew what I was doing!" was her harsh reply to that, which, she imagined in the back of her mind, made him fume even more.
"Insolent woman, do you not think of anyone but yourself?!"
She found her bike, lifted it off the ground, and threw an icy stare over her shoulder.
"No. I'm selfish like that."
Hatori was mildly enraged by the foolishness Kirin had displayed, and refused to let the woman get away with it. He would lecture her about responsibility be it the last thing he did on this Earth. He went after her, and once he came up on her side, he effectively took her bike from her, pushing it up the hill in her place.
She said nothing, didn't look at him, didn't aknowledge his presence at all. He worked on his reprimand in the back of his mind all the way uphill until they reached the gates to her house. Here, she took over the control of her bike, and lead it inside the gates. Her limp was awfully worse by now, and he could swear that he heard her teeth grind against eachother inside her firmly shut mouth. He would not allow her to close the gate in his face, so he slipped inside just as she was about to do just that, and glared at her with his good eye.
"If you have more to say, then spill it now, and then get out." She murmured, swaying as she tried to stand straight.
His hand shot up against his will, and steadied her. She brushed it away and lifted her gaze, her emeral irises digging into his forest green ones. To his surprise, the look in her eyes bore no sign of pain or anger, they were devastated, horrified.
"Foolish man." She croaked as tears spilled from her eyes, finally escaping her control. She covered her face and slumped to the ground, and he began to fear for her as she trembled uncontrolably. And he remembered what she had told him last time he had seen her.
~ FLASHBACK ~ "It's my curse." She had said in a low voice, her eyes narrowed. "I know your profession, and I know your name, those are the basics that I learn first about strangers, touch me...and I'll know more." And when he had offered his hand in goodbye she had refused to take it. Instead she had just nodded and smiled. "You don't want me to touch you. Unless you want me to know even more about you..."~ END FLASHBACK ~
And his eyes widened. The trembling shape on the ground infront of him. Did she know now what secret he and his family had? Had she learned the reason why he had sought her out?
"Kirin..." He said firmly, kneeling by her.
"Kirin, what do you know?!" His tone demanding, fearful.
Her head shook, her facial features hidden behind her thick, silky hair, which cascaded around her face like heavy curtains. Again she shook her head, while her hands clenched against her temples.
"Kirin!" He barked, and she looked up at him with surprise. In the depths of her eyes, he saw the full extent of her knowledge, and in the depth of his chest, he felt a small twinge of fear.
"Foolish man. I warned you..." She groaned in a devastated tone.
Hatori wanted to shake her until every bone in her body had loosened from their sockets, but now he dared not. He feared her. He feared her more than Akito's fury right now. He stepped back when she rose to her feet with some trouble, some painful grimaces, and a low curse upon her lips, but she stood, right infront of him, and she kept her eyes on him, and he was unable to look away.
Her tears continued to run in silent streams down her cheeks, and her hand came up to the side of his face, thumb running over his cheekbone with a quick movement.
"The Juunishi." She said, and Hatori's mind shattered upon hearing that one word. His chest tightened, and his breathing became ragged from the strain of standing up straight.
"You're the Dragon." She continued, and now he swayed, feeling how his knees grew weaker.
"And your curse." She whispered, and thus sending him to his knees.
She remained stainding, looking down at his crouched back with narrowed eyes.
"You are supposed to be the wisest of them all, Sohma Hatori. Yet you've been this foolish..." A deep sadness penetrated her voice, and she grabbed his arm, tugging him up to his feet.
She gazed up at his face, and cupped his cheeks, pulling his face down, level to hers, her green irises stern, firm, cold as ice.
"Do you think it can be so easy, dragon. Erase my memory, and bring more stains upon your own conscience? One more wouldn't hurt, now would it?" She hissed with disgust straight in his face, not afraid of what he could do to her memory at all.
She forcefully shove him, forching him backwards into the steel gate. The hot metal burned through his shirt, not painfully, but it was hot enough to cause discomfort. He once again opened his mouth to say something, but he received another shove, which only caused a greater intimacy with the hot steel gate. Now it was becoming really uncomfortable, and he forced himself away from the gate, grabing the young woman's arms and finally gained the courage to give her the shake she deserved, yet not as roughly as he first had intended. She only smirked sadly at him.
Her defiant glare did not scare him, not now, and as he resigned with a small, frustrated sigh, her face brightened in a triumphant grin.
"You won't do it today." She said gently.
Hatori's hand shot up to her forehead, and he focused his unshielded eye. Yes, he would do it today. And be over with it. He had delayed it for too long.
He was about to erase her memory of him and his family when suddenly the five-year-old appeared from around the corner. He lost his focus, and cursed under his breath.
"Kirin-chan!" Mika squealed, causing both the man and the woman to look his way. When Hatori next focused on Kirin, her head was not infront of his palm any more. She had crouched and opened her arms to the boy, who fled into her embrace and allowed her to pick him up. She rested him upon her hip, and he looked at Hatori with recognition.
"Kirin-chan, d-doctor-sama, Kai-kun is not well." Souta hic-uped, and Kirin grew pale. She threw a quick, fearful, glance at Hatori before she grabbed the net with the items she had bought and hurried around to the other side of the house, Mika still in her arms. How did she manage it all at once? The question strayed into his mind for a brief moment.
Hatori struggled with himself for some long couple of minutes, then finally released a frustrated growl, and headed around the house as well. Damn her for knowing things. And if he was to judge by the look in her eyes she had definately known that her youngest brother was in real trouble. And the doctor in him refused to let a child remain untended. So she won this round.
---
As the evening came peacefully, bringing a blissful breeze across the area, Yuki found himself sitting out on the porch. He waited for Tohru. She had promised to meet him outside after having brought the dry laundry inside.He could hear her soft footsteps approach, and he didn't stir when she sat down next to him.
"If it wasn't for the curse, I would've had my own house by now." He said quietly into the air. Although he didn't look at her, the gentle sound of her hair brushing against her shoulders told him that she nodded.
"And had it not been for the curse, I would've wanted you to live with me in that house." Her silent gasp made him smile bitterly. The curse restrained the entire Sohma family so much, and it both saddened and angered him immensely.
"You know, Yuki-kun..." She spoke softly, and he dared look at her. Her eyes sparkled at him as she reached for his hand.
"If I hadn't been so useless, I would've agreed to live with you in your house."
His eyes widened. She would!? Was this their little Tohru speaking so straight forwardly to him? He looked at her, eyes still wide, and she smiled sheepishly in return.
"I might be a fool sometimes, Yuki-kun, and I cause you guys alot of trouble sometimes, but I do have a brain, which I do use a couple of times during the day, and I do think alot..." She giggled at his expression. Priceless.
She grabbed his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, looking at him intently with her aquamarine irises.
"But I am afraid that...if it wasn't for the curse, and if I hadn't been so useless...the consequenses of what you're saying, and I'm agreeing to, would be devastating to your entire family."
She sighed, and held his hand for a few more minutes, remaining silent. Yuki had no words to utter, still not believing that Tohru had been so straight forward. She noticed his awkward silence, but she only smiled, and tugged on a few strands of his hair.
"Will there be anything more than 'if only's'?" She asked quetly as she stood, and left him to ponder. Would there be?
Therefor I wrote this, so I can rest easily. I do not expect anyone to read or rate, that must be entirely up to you. I'm just glad I wrote it, and by doing so, getting it out of my system. There might be typos, but I don't care. I'm Norwegian, my English grammar isn't the greatest, but I try, and who cares what the world thinks ~_^
I have seen the anime, and read the manga, but this fic separates from the manga, and is more related to the anime, after episode 26.
I know Akito's a woman in the manga, but the anime never got as far as to reveal that. And thus, Akito's a man. A man I tell you! *shakes fist* ^____^''
Fruits Basket does NOT belong to me!
Kirin Nimato is my OC, and my way of joining the Fruits Basket world. RawR! ^_^
- - -
S t r a n g e E v e n t s - # 5
"There she is!!" Kyo's maddened voice brought the small group out of their conversation.
Tohru, Yuki, Haru, Momiji, and Hatori, looked at Kyo, who seemed to have puffed himself up quite a bit.
"Where, where?" Momiji chimed and bounced up and down on the spot to better be able to look.
Momiji had grown quite tall, but his behaviour was still the same as the day Tohru had first met him. Hatori's unshielded eye followed Kyo's pointing finger, and how right the cat was. It was indeed the young woman he had met twice already this week. True, her attire was different, she wore a red and green outfit, with the logo of the store on her back. Her hair was tied up in a tight bun that rested ontop of her head. She didn't look much like the casual girl he had encountered in the park.
"I know her." All eyes were on Tohru when she tilted her head, and she sweat-dropped.
"Tohru-kun...you know her?" Yuki asked curiously, gaining a short nod from the girl.
"Y-yes...I've spoken to her a few times when I shop for groceries...I think her name's Kirin..."
She explained. Hatori arched an eyebrow. That could be right. He recalled the five-year-old call her by that name after he had checked his bruise. How amusing...he thought dryly. Named after a mythical unicorn. Haru couldn't understand what all the fuss was about.
"Ne, Hatori, weren't we about to go for dinner?" The ox suddenly had all the attention as his stomach grumbled, which, in turn, reminded them all of how hungry they were. It had been Momiji's idea to eat dinner out. They rarely got to do things together anymore. Or, they could, but it rarely happened.
- - -
They separated after the dinner. Kyo and Haru went home, bickering about strength and greatness. Momiji bounced behind them, trying to gain their attention, but appearing to be unsuccessful. Hatori had some late patient hours, so he, too, left. Tohru and Yuki blinked, they had been abandoned. Tohru stretched contently and smiled at Yuki.
"Dinner was great. I wish i could cook like that. I liked the varietys of food they used, and the combinations. I shall try some of them myself soon." She said thoughtfully. Yuki grinned slightly.
"Tohru-kun's food is best, because it's made with love." It made Tohru slightly uncomfortable being praised like that. She didn't deserve the praise, she didn't do much. Yuki reached for her hand, and her face flushed immediately, but the mouse's reasuring smile calmed her, and she dared smile again.
The evening turned into a beautiful painting, the sky dyed with the warm tones of pink, yellow, orange, and red. Yuki and Tohru had taken a stroll in the park, simply because it was a rare treat to be able to spend entire days out, like this. And for one whom couldn't put words to his emotions, Yuki was glad Tohru had stayed with him. He had always been to caught up in the darkness that surrounded him, but now...knowing Tohru, every day got brighter. The walls he had built, the stronghold that kept his heart locked safely away, had long ago crumbled and begun to fall apart. And as he glanced at the girl by his side, he knew he could thank her for it. But there could never be any good ways to say 'thank you' for a miracle. His chest tightened. He had to stop. And she did too, her cheerful appearance now slightly worried.
"Yuki-kun, are you alright?" She tilted her head, and ran a small, slender hand across his forehead.
"Oh, my, Yuki-kun, you...you haven't come down with a cold, have you? You're burning!" He raised his own hand, capturing hers between his palm and brows, closing his eyes. As close as they would get.
"Yeah, I'm fine, Tohru-kun..." He said finally and released her hand, which was quickly drawn back to her side.
"Let's go home."
Tohru's eyes rested upon the uneasy mouse of the Juunishi, and she took his hand.
"Yuki-kun..." her voice was so soft, and his name barebly audible.
"If not for the curse..." Was all she said when his eyes met hers. What did she mean? He wanted to ask her, but as the sun began to set, casting ever darker shadows, he decided to keep the questions to himself. Neither one of them were ready to ask or reply yet.
"Where the heck have you two been!?" The angry question was flung through the air like a rock by a sling, and Tohru began to apologize for being late. Yuki, however, calmed her with a hand on her shoulder. His purple eyes sought out the hissing cat, and narrowed.
"You aren't even worth explaining it to, come, Tohru-kun." Tohru blushed as she was lead, arrogantly, past the ever fuming Kyo. She still felt as though she should apologize.
"This is your home, Tohru-kun, you can come home at any hour you want, and you don't have to apologize." The tall, frail-looking young man smiled down at her. No one had actually put that into such direct words before. Sure she had been told this was her home, and she truly felt that it was, but she was also an outsider amongst them. She looked away.
"But..." Her chin was grasped, gently, by string fingers, and her eyes forced to meet the shimmering amethyst irises that seemed to bore into her.
"If anything, it is we who should apologize to you, Tohru-kun. If we have made you feel as though you aren't welcome here..."
"No! It's not that...I...I'm just being silly, forgive me...I'm tired. Yeah, that's what I am! It's been such a long and eventful day." She smiled. A smile that quickly faded when she felt his lips upon her brow.
"Good night, Tohru-kun." And she remained in the hall, looking at his door even after he had closed it. Touching her burning cheeks, she walked to her own room, thinking. Maybe it, finally, was time for her to accept that there was no home like this home, her home, their home.
"Our home."
- - -
Kirin sat on the edge of the bed belonging to her little brother Mika. She watched his peaceful face as he slept. She didn't know how long she had just sat there, watching over him, but apparently it had become quite late. It was already growing dark outside. With a sigh, she rose, leaning over and placing a loving kiss on the slumbering boy's brow. She loved them both so much, the very thought of it made her grow sentimental. They were all she had, they were the only things she had left of family in her life.
"Good night, sweetie." She whispered before exiting the room and sliding the shoji-door shut behind her. She slowly padded down the hallway and reached the stairs. The TV was still on downstairs, vague sounds emitting from it, and the light from the screet lit up the living room with a faint glow. She looked at her watch; 8:43PM. Tomorrow was Sunday. The day to relax.
Kirin smiled to herself. The day to relax, huh? There never was any time to rest around here, this she thought as she went down the stairs, treading the steps carefully, and just in the right places to avoid it creaking and waking the youngest. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, she heard a cautious knocking on the door, and thinking it was Nana, she rushed to open it without hesitation.
"Oh..." She exclaimed, managing to lower the volume of her voice just in time as to not wake her precious treasures upstairs.
The man outside, half covered by the increasing darkness outside, half illuminated by the light from inside, was the image of stoic calm. Finally regaining her stumbling composure, she slid the door open, motioning for him to come inside.
"Forgive me, please, come in Hatori-sama."
It had been surprisingly simple to track down the whereabouts of this girl. He had had to lie, but the shop-owner had given him her adress eventually; when he told him he was the new family doctor and that he had been asked to see to the boys, but he had forgotten her adress back at his office. Ofcourse the shop owher had been glad to help. And now, as he stepped inside Kirin Nimato's home, he took in the simplicity of the place. There wasn't much furniture or decorations, he noted. There was one single, but rather large photography hanging on the wall in the far end of the living room, featuring Kirin, Mika and the infant along with two older adults, whom he asumed were the parents.
"Umm, Hatori-sama...?" Her voice tore him out of his studies, and his attention focused on the woman next to him. "To what do I owe this surprising visit?" She arched an eyebrow questioningly at him.
Hatori didn't quite know what to tell her. He most certainly couldn't tell her that he was here to either get the truth, or erase her memory completely, to ensure his family's tragic curse never would reach the world.
"I felt a responsibility upon myself to check on your...brothers.." He replied slowly, uncomfortable with lies, but it was necessary. She didn't buy it, that much was clear.
"I see." She replied dryly and nodded up the stairs.
"They are sleeping, they both had a long day, and I for one do not have the heart to wake them now." She shrugged, piercing him with her emerald gaze and holding him in place with the stern gaze. She knew he had not come to check on her brothers. He wanted information from her. She didn't quite grasp what kind of information yet, her gift didn't work like that. It wasn't something she could switch on and off.
When her gaze locked onto his own, Hatori felt a searing pain in the back of his mind. Those green irises saw behind his eyes and into him completely, striving to reveal what he didn't wish for to be revealed to a stranger. He tore his gaze away and closed his eyes. He heard her sigh and heard the rustle of clothes as she turned.
"Please have a seat, Hatori-sama, I'll get some tea." He heard her speak, and then she was gone. He heard her rummage through the closets and drawers in the kitchen, he heard water boiling, and some more rummaging. He had put himself in a very dangerous position by being here. He now felt foolish for not bringing someone with him. Shigure perhaps, or maybe even Hatsuharu. Hatsuharu would've been the best option he figured. Shigure wouldn't have been of much help around a young woman like this one. He mentally sighed, just as she exited the kitchen with the tea. She sat down by the table and set forth the mugs, pouring the hot water. He joined her by the table, watching her intently as she poured.
"How could you know my name before I even had introduced myself?" He asked suddenly, and watched how her facial expression remained neutral for a while before cracking into a small secretive smile. He had no patience for secrets, and so his palm hit the table, creating a determined yet low thump. She took no notice of it.
"I just knew." She replied casually and offered him a wide selection of tea-bags kept in a cardboard-box. She chose vanilla for herself and dipped the bag in her hot water and let it soak for a while before she then slowly lifted the mug to her lips and sipped it carefully. By her wince he took it the water was still a bit too hot to be drunk comfortably. In his growing irritation he chose green tea for himself and copied her moves by dipping it in the water.
"I can't explain it." She continued, gaining his attention once more. "I've alwas been able to know things before I'm told." She shrugged. "It's such a horrible curse, though..." She sighed and lowered her head slightly. He tensed. She knew of the curse?? His hand rose from the table, ready to touch her forehead just above her brows.
She looked up at him, and in a split second she had stopped his hand with an icy stare, brows furrowed slightly.
"It's my curse." She said in a low voice and narrowed her eyes.
"I know your profession, and I know your name, those are the basics that I learn first about strangers, touch me...and I'll know more." She warned him before she settled with sipping her tea, now without the grimace or wincing. His hand slowly descended and came to rest upon the table again. His worry grew conciderably.
"You ran into a young man not too long ago, on your bike, knocked him over." He then mentioned carefully, and she nodded.
"Yes, poor boy, he looked as though the world had come to an end when I stradled him in the middle of the street." She said gleefully, a low giggle emitting from her.
This made Hatori arch an eyebrow.
"You didn't land on him full-body..." he commented. This made her throw him a surprised glance, and she shook her head quickly.
"No." She replied simply and shrugged. "I knew he would've been in alot of trouble if I did, some jealous girlfriend I guess..." She smiled brightly, before apologizing when seeing his shocked features. "That's all I know about him, relax!" She exclaimed calmly, rolling her eyes. He wasn't satisfied with her answer, she could tell that much, but that was all she knew if she was to be honest with him, which she highly believed was what he wanted.
"What is it to you anyway?" She asked with genuine interest, as she held her mug to her lips, gazing at him from underneath long lashes.
Hatori rose and retrieved his shoes.
"He's my cousin." He replied. "And he was very upset about the whole incident." He wouldn't stay any longer, he felt a terrible dread hang over his shoulders by sharing the same room as this girl.
Kirin rested her chin in her palm as she watched the doctor called Hatori get his shoes, and prepare to leave. She got up and followed him to the door, to show that she had some manners.
"Give your cousin my greatest apologies, I honestly didn't see him, and if I caused him stress, I would be glad to make it up to him." She said quietly.
Hatori didn't get this girl. She claimed that she 'just knew' things, but had still not discovered the curse. She purposefully kept her eyes locked onto the door infront of her, and as he slid it open, he offered his hand in goodbye. She didn't take it. Instead she just nodded and smiled.
"You don't want me to touch you. Unless you want me to know even more about you..." She said softly, as she slid the door shut and left him on the porch.
He watched her move away from the door, and how the lights were put out. Then he walked home, puzzled, worried, and slightly intrigued
Kirin watched him go from her bedroom window, hugging herself and leaning against the wall. He had come to find out if she knew something about something that she wasn't supposed to know. She was curious, had she let him touch her forehead, like he had intended, she could've easily known exactly what it was he wanted to know. But something in the back of her mind had warned that it was not for her to know. If she wanted to, given enough time, she could read people like open books. Of course... some people she could just know everything about in an instant, know what they were after, what they wanted, what they needed, what they were looking for, where they lived, where they were going, where they had been, what they were thinking. Others were unreadable, and took much longer to 'get to know'.
Hatori was in between. Unreadable in one way, yet so easy to learn about. That's why she was so careful about touching people after learning the basics about them. She didn't want to know too much. And this doctor. This Sohma Hatori...it was extremely important that she learned nothing more about him than she already did. His name and profession needed to be the only things she learned. He carried a secret, too. But she was not allowed to learn it, and that was something she had the greatest respect for. She heaved a sigh, and checked on the boys before she retired to her room and tucked herself in for the night.
---
S t r a n g e E v e n t s - # 6
Tohru woke up to a shimmering morning. It was Sunday, her favourite day, because that meant she could spend some time with Uo-chan and Hana-chan. She quickly got out of bed and found her clothes. She rummaged through her drawers to find her underwear.
"Ahh-hah!" She beamed as she pulled out what she had searched for, and clenched her fists around them. Just as she did, the door to her room opened, and Yuki came into view.
"Honda-san, Hanajima-san just called and..." He fell abruptly silent upon seeing Tohru by her drawers, still in her pyjamas and holding her underwear in her hands. His sunburnt face grew even redder, althouth Tohru had it worse. Her eyes were big, unblinking, her cheeks glowed a crimson red, and her chocolate brown hair stood on end, literally.
"Sumimasen!" Yuki cried and bowed out of the room, crashing into Kyo, and thus tripping them both. Both boys landed heavily on the floor, and both unfortunately had a clear view into Tohru's room, where she still stood glued to the spot, with her hair bristling, , her underwear clenched in her hands, and her blush darkening in shade.
"What the..." Kyo called out, receiving Yuki's fist to his temple as the mouse slid the door to Tohru's room shut. Yuki's face still burned hot, and he got to his feet. It was not like he had seen her naked or anything! The realization of even thinking about Tohru naked, made him even more flustered, and he growled at the cat, darting downstairs to cool down. Kyo blinked several times before he, too, escaped downstairs, feeling ashamed, more ashamed than he had in his entire life. What would Tohru think of them now?
It took Tohru many minutes to regain composure. She exhaled a sigh and fell to her knees, covering her burning cheeks with her hands.
"What must they think of me.." She murmured brokenly before she finaly mustered the courage to get up and get dressed properly.
Walking downstairs half an hour later was one of the hardest things she'd have to do in a while, and she dared not meet the gazes of the three men in the common room. She went straight to the kitchen, pouring water into the kettle and putting it on the stove, then went about to cook breakfast, delaying every task as much as she dared only to avoid going out there too soon. Eventually Yuki joined her in the kitchen and he watched her fret over the breakfast.
"Tohru-kun..." he tried, but she purposefully avoided his gaze, and appeared to not see, nor hear him.
'She's ignoring me...' Yuki thought to himself. 'Does she think that badly about me? I must've offended her greatly...' Not able to stand those thoughts, he stepped forward, and grabbed her shoulder as she zoomed by him.
"Iie!" She cried, dropping the tray with the food on it in surprise.
Thanks to Yuki's quick reflexes, he was able to save the tray, but he cared not about the food right now. Setting the tray on the kitchen table, he turned to Tohru, whose face was shaded by her bangs.
"I apologize, Yuki-kun, first I embarrass you so early in the morning, and now I almost spoiled the breakfast, please forgive me." She whispered brokenly.
With a small sigh, Yuki placed both hands on her shoulders, urging her to look at him.
"I was the one who embarrased you, Tohru-kun, and I am the one to apologize, I should've knocked, but I forgot my manners." He explained. By the look on her face, he'd say she was about to go into yet another apology, but he hushed her by placing one finger across her lips.
"I am sorry." he repeated, and her eyes, if possible, grew even wider. He stepped back, and gently grabbed hold of a loose lock of her hair, bringing it to his lips and giving it a gentle kiss before he let it slide between his fingers and escape his grasp.
Tohru was stunned, then she smiled, brightly, only for him.
"Hai, Yuki-kun, let's forget about it, ne?" She grabbed the breakfast tray and carried the meal out to the common room where the others waited patiently.
---
Weeks passed by uneventfully. Well, ofcourse some things happened, just not very exciting things. The summer was upon them, and one particular heat wave was driving most people out of their minds. Not that they literally went crazy, but no one was too pleased about the discomfort the immense heat was causing.
Kirin mused to herself, sitting on her porch, shaded by one of the trees in her small garden. She held a glass of ice cold lemonade between her hands, watching her brothers sleep under the tree where it was cool and comfortable. It was almost impossible to sleep inside, even at night. She envied the boys some proper rest. Especially Kai. The two-year old had not taken well to the heat, his mood was terrible due to lack of sleep, and itchy rashes triggered by his night-diapers. Thank Heavens for summer-vacation.
"Ahh, Nana!" The young woman rose to her feet as the older woman approached.
"I really appreciate you looking after them for a brief hour, I really need to go to the shop and get some soothing creams for Kai-kun's skin, and some more sunblock, and some..."
The older woman silenced her by raising a hand.
"I don't mind at all, Kirin-chan, go do what you need to do, these angels will not be any trouble, I am sure." She said with divine happyness in her voice. Kirin didn't waste time, but ran straight for her bike and swung herself onto it. From where she lived it was only downhill to the shop. Getting back would be worse, but she paid no heed to that, she had no choice.
The shop-owner was dealing with customers just as she entered, and he greeted her with a bright smile, which she returned gladly. Walking between the shelves, she nimbly chose the items she needed before returning to the counter. The elderly man whom owned the shop was eager to talk with her, wondering how she enjoyed her vacation, how her brothers were faring, and just chatted about life in general. Most of his employes were off on vacation, and Kirin guessed that he found the days long and dull. She thought it sad, and although she tried to keep the conversation going for as long as she could, she had to get back. He understood, and wished her the best. She could only smile at him and wish him the same as she exited the shop.
The heat outside slammed against her like a wall once she stepped outside, and she had to take some time to get used to it. Moving her hair away from her neck, she hung the net over the handles of her bike then slowly began to push it up the hills.
Her gaze caught a glimpse of something rushing towards her, but when she looked up to get a better view, the sun blinded her.
"My baby!" A woman shrieked hysterically, something which gained Kirin's full attention.
A baby wagon rushed towards her, a woman running far behind, flailing her arms and shrieking. The terrified cries from the baby inside the wagon tore at Kirin's heart. She had to help! While others, too, tried to grab hold of the escaping wagon, Kirin dropped her bike and moved to the left of the sidewalk, close to the main road.
A man managed to grasp hold of the handle belonging to the wagon only to lose grip, changing its course, out into the road, where Kirin waited.
She had known. She braced herself, but still lost her breath when the large item rammed into her abdomen. Atleast it had been stopped. Without hesitating too long, she stepped around and picked up the baby. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again after a brief millisecond, she saw the person she had wished would be there.
"Hatori-sama!" She cried out and tossed the baby the few meters that separated them, seeing him gently catch the infant in mid air and cradling it protectively against his chest. In the few short seconds that came, she registrated the whining of car brakes, an alarming shout, and the car that hit her, knocking her over.
Hatori had been at the right spot at the right time. Kirin Nimato had been at the right spot, at the right time, a very unfortunate time, however. The car had come at the right time, but not at the right spot. The bright sunlight had blinded the driver, causing him to slip into the wrong field, and eventually hit the young woman who stood in the middle of it. He had seen her a split second too late, slamming his foot onto the brake, but knowing he wouldn't be able to slow down in time. He hurried out of the car once he had stopped it, to investigate the damage he had caused, but the girl was already on her feet. A bit wobbly, but atleast she stood.
"I'm so terribly sorry!" He apologized, to which she waved her hand rejectingly. She shook her head.
"No damage done, you didn't really hit me hard, sir." She smiled weakly, but the driver didn't feel relieved. Nor did Hatori, whom by now had delivered the baby to its mother, and had hurried over to Kirin.
"Idiotic girl." He hissed, grabbing her arm roughly, although she tried to slap his hand away, and pulling her with him to the sidewalk before releasing her. Her hip stung, but she let no sign of the pain reach her facial features. Instead she endured, and clenched her teeth.
"Is trouble attracted to you by any chance, or do you seek out deadly situation on your own initiative?" He barked in a low voice. She refused to look at him, merely shrugged.
"A bit of both?" She replied dryly and looked for her bike, taking a few limping steps in its general direction.
"You could've killed yourself and left your brothers to grow up without family at an orphanage!" He snarled behind her, which made her stop in her tracks, and tense up.
"I would never put them in that situation. I knew what I was doing!" was her harsh reply to that, which, she imagined in the back of her mind, made him fume even more.
"Insolent woman, do you not think of anyone but yourself?!"
She found her bike, lifted it off the ground, and threw an icy stare over her shoulder.
"No. I'm selfish like that."
Hatori was mildly enraged by the foolishness Kirin had displayed, and refused to let the woman get away with it. He would lecture her about responsibility be it the last thing he did on this Earth. He went after her, and once he came up on her side, he effectively took her bike from her, pushing it up the hill in her place.
She said nothing, didn't look at him, didn't aknowledge his presence at all. He worked on his reprimand in the back of his mind all the way uphill until they reached the gates to her house. Here, she took over the control of her bike, and lead it inside the gates. Her limp was awfully worse by now, and he could swear that he heard her teeth grind against eachother inside her firmly shut mouth. He would not allow her to close the gate in his face, so he slipped inside just as she was about to do just that, and glared at her with his good eye.
"If you have more to say, then spill it now, and then get out." She murmured, swaying as she tried to stand straight.
His hand shot up against his will, and steadied her. She brushed it away and lifted her gaze, her emeral irises digging into his forest green ones. To his surprise, the look in her eyes bore no sign of pain or anger, they were devastated, horrified.
"Foolish man." She croaked as tears spilled from her eyes, finally escaping her control. She covered her face and slumped to the ground, and he began to fear for her as she trembled uncontrolably. And he remembered what she had told him last time he had seen her.
~ FLASHBACK ~ "It's my curse." She had said in a low voice, her eyes narrowed. "I know your profession, and I know your name, those are the basics that I learn first about strangers, touch me...and I'll know more." And when he had offered his hand in goodbye she had refused to take it. Instead she had just nodded and smiled. "You don't want me to touch you. Unless you want me to know even more about you..."~ END FLASHBACK ~
And his eyes widened. The trembling shape on the ground infront of him. Did she know now what secret he and his family had? Had she learned the reason why he had sought her out?
"Kirin..." He said firmly, kneeling by her.
"Kirin, what do you know?!" His tone demanding, fearful.
Her head shook, her facial features hidden behind her thick, silky hair, which cascaded around her face like heavy curtains. Again she shook her head, while her hands clenched against her temples.
"Kirin!" He barked, and she looked up at him with surprise. In the depths of her eyes, he saw the full extent of her knowledge, and in the depth of his chest, he felt a small twinge of fear.
"Foolish man. I warned you..." She groaned in a devastated tone.
Hatori wanted to shake her until every bone in her body had loosened from their sockets, but now he dared not. He feared her. He feared her more than Akito's fury right now. He stepped back when she rose to her feet with some trouble, some painful grimaces, and a low curse upon her lips, but she stood, right infront of him, and she kept her eyes on him, and he was unable to look away.
Her tears continued to run in silent streams down her cheeks, and her hand came up to the side of his face, thumb running over his cheekbone with a quick movement.
"The Juunishi." She said, and Hatori's mind shattered upon hearing that one word. His chest tightened, and his breathing became ragged from the strain of standing up straight.
"You're the Dragon." She continued, and now he swayed, feeling how his knees grew weaker.
"And your curse." She whispered, and thus sending him to his knees.
She remained stainding, looking down at his crouched back with narrowed eyes.
"You are supposed to be the wisest of them all, Sohma Hatori. Yet you've been this foolish..." A deep sadness penetrated her voice, and she grabbed his arm, tugging him up to his feet.
She gazed up at his face, and cupped his cheeks, pulling his face down, level to hers, her green irises stern, firm, cold as ice.
"Do you think it can be so easy, dragon. Erase my memory, and bring more stains upon your own conscience? One more wouldn't hurt, now would it?" She hissed with disgust straight in his face, not afraid of what he could do to her memory at all.
She forcefully shove him, forching him backwards into the steel gate. The hot metal burned through his shirt, not painfully, but it was hot enough to cause discomfort. He once again opened his mouth to say something, but he received another shove, which only caused a greater intimacy with the hot steel gate. Now it was becoming really uncomfortable, and he forced himself away from the gate, grabing the young woman's arms and finally gained the courage to give her the shake she deserved, yet not as roughly as he first had intended. She only smirked sadly at him.
Her defiant glare did not scare him, not now, and as he resigned with a small, frustrated sigh, her face brightened in a triumphant grin.
"You won't do it today." She said gently.
Hatori's hand shot up to her forehead, and he focused his unshielded eye. Yes, he would do it today. And be over with it. He had delayed it for too long.
He was about to erase her memory of him and his family when suddenly the five-year-old appeared from around the corner. He lost his focus, and cursed under his breath.
"Kirin-chan!" Mika squealed, causing both the man and the woman to look his way. When Hatori next focused on Kirin, her head was not infront of his palm any more. She had crouched and opened her arms to the boy, who fled into her embrace and allowed her to pick him up. She rested him upon her hip, and he looked at Hatori with recognition.
"Kirin-chan, d-doctor-sama, Kai-kun is not well." Souta hic-uped, and Kirin grew pale. She threw a quick, fearful, glance at Hatori before she grabbed the net with the items she had bought and hurried around to the other side of the house, Mika still in her arms. How did she manage it all at once? The question strayed into his mind for a brief moment.
Hatori struggled with himself for some long couple of minutes, then finally released a frustrated growl, and headed around the house as well. Damn her for knowing things. And if he was to judge by the look in her eyes she had definately known that her youngest brother was in real trouble. And the doctor in him refused to let a child remain untended. So she won this round.
---
As the evening came peacefully, bringing a blissful breeze across the area, Yuki found himself sitting out on the porch. He waited for Tohru. She had promised to meet him outside after having brought the dry laundry inside.He could hear her soft footsteps approach, and he didn't stir when she sat down next to him.
"If it wasn't for the curse, I would've had my own house by now." He said quietly into the air. Although he didn't look at her, the gentle sound of her hair brushing against her shoulders told him that she nodded.
"And had it not been for the curse, I would've wanted you to live with me in that house." Her silent gasp made him smile bitterly. The curse restrained the entire Sohma family so much, and it both saddened and angered him immensely.
"You know, Yuki-kun..." She spoke softly, and he dared look at her. Her eyes sparkled at him as she reached for his hand.
"If I hadn't been so useless, I would've agreed to live with you in your house."
His eyes widened. She would!? Was this their little Tohru speaking so straight forwardly to him? He looked at her, eyes still wide, and she smiled sheepishly in return.
"I might be a fool sometimes, Yuki-kun, and I cause you guys alot of trouble sometimes, but I do have a brain, which I do use a couple of times during the day, and I do think alot..." She giggled at his expression. Priceless.
She grabbed his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, looking at him intently with her aquamarine irises.
"But I am afraid that...if it wasn't for the curse, and if I hadn't been so useless...the consequenses of what you're saying, and I'm agreeing to, would be devastating to your entire family."
She sighed, and held his hand for a few more minutes, remaining silent. Yuki had no words to utter, still not believing that Tohru had been so straight forward. She noticed his awkward silence, but she only smiled, and tugged on a few strands of his hair.
"Will there be anything more than 'if only's'?" She asked quetly as she stood, and left him to ponder. Would there be?