Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Buried Secrets: The Memoirs of a Sohma ❯ Through Smoke and Fog ( Chapter 16 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

BURIED SECRETS: The Memoirs of a Sohma
A Fruits Basket Fanfic

Written by Miyu, Vampire Princess


AUTHOR'S NOTES:
YAY! Only two more chapters to go! Thanks to everyone who has read and/or reviewed so far. Your comments are inspiration. ^_^ The story is starting to draw to a close. After a failed suicide attempt, Sierra takes some time to recover. She gets some help from the most unlikely person and a plan begins to formulate. Is it possible to get revenge on the devil? Comments are encouraged and welcome. A Standard Disclaimer appears at the end of the chapter.


Chapter 16 - Through Smoke and Fog




Sitting on the beach, my thoughts were misted like a fog.

It was a month after the horrifying incident. Nearly four weeks to the day.

I had slit my right wrist without so much as a thought. Literally. It was a deep cut too. Fifty-seven stitches...and Hatori counted each one out loud.

I felt some guilt over what I had done, causing so much trouble for Kureno and Hatori. Kureno was the one who found me. The servants carried me -- all trance-like and out of it -- to Hatori's office. I got a mini-lecture when I woke up, but at the time I hardly cared. The words went in one ear and out the other. Reflecting back I know that Hatori was right. That death was not the answer to all my problems. It just didn't feel that way at the time.

I also felt guilty because of the mess that followed. Apparently Akito found out I attempted to kill myself and went a little ballistic. Hatori was no worse for where, but Kureno maintained a few bruises, the biggest proudly sported under his left eye. After a quick explanation and many reassurances Akito eventually calmed down. He went into a small depression after that, giving me some much needed space.

Otherwise I would not be at the beach house without him.

Summer vacation was already over, but I was under doctor's orders to take it easy. Two extra weeks away from school. I was happy and sad about it. I had not seen my friends, Sakura and Chidori, in nearly a month. Sure I talked to them over the phone, but I longed to see their faces, their reassuring smiles. I wanted their company more than anything.

"Oy! Sei-chan! Watch this!"

Instead I had to settle for Ayame.

SPLASH!

"Mou, Aya! That wasn't very nice."

And Shigure.

SPLASH!

"But you always complain about being wet behind the ears, Gure-san!"

"It's an expression Ayame. I hardly think that Shigure meant it--"

KER-SPLASH!

"Now that was uncalled for."

And Hatori.

I was stuck in the summer beach house with the Mabudachi Trio. Most women would have been thrilled. Some might even have been amused.

I was a little of both, but mostly annoyed.

When they weren't playing around like children -- well, Ayame and Shigure at any rate -- they were doting on me like I was a child. Normally, when I'm ill, I like being pampered. But I wasn't ill. And I didn't want to be pampered.

Granted leaving me alone was not an option.

Not when my left wrist had yet to be cut.

I did my part around the beach house, cooking and cleaning. My cooking skills were improving, thanks to a book Tohru recommended. I tried a few of the recipes on the adults. You should've seen Ayame's face when he took a bite out of the spicy sausage jumbalaya. It was as red as his garb! Poor Hatori wasn't prepared for the jalepeno peppers I placed in the Mexican fajitas. And Shigure...well it was his whining that got us take out most of the time. I'm not sure if it was my cooking skills, or the actual dog biscuit I ground up and put in his salad one night.

In the evenings, while my uncle and my older cousins were busy playing games, drinking sake and reminiscing, I would sit on the beach, legs outstretched so that the incoming waves would lap at my toes. I'd watch the sun sink fully beneath the horizon, watch the color play on the water. I was content to sit there and watch, listen. It was peaceful, and thinking about nothing felt wonderful.

"Sei-chan?"

I tilted my head back to see the person belonging to the questioning voice. I was not surprised to see Hatori standing there. He was the one that usually came to get me. Shigure and Ayame were normally too drunk.

But he looked relatively...worried...compared to the semi-smiles I'd seen him have all day.

"Hai, Hatori-san?"

"Kureno just called."

"Is he well?"

"He's fine."

"And Akito-san?"

Hatori sighed. "He's well."

I looked back out over the ocean. "He's coming here, isn't he?"

"Hai."

I sighed. I suppose a few weeks away was as much comfort and rest as I was going to get. "When?"

"Tomorrow afternoon. We'll be eating dinner in town."

"Where at?"

Hatori paused in thought. "I believe Kureno said it was 'The Green Orchid'."

I vaguely remembered it from our last trip into town. "That's a very ritzy restaurant."

Hatori only nodded.

"Well, I suppose this can mean only one thing," I stated, standing and brushing the sand off of me.

"And what is that?" Hatori was clearly confused.

"An early morning trip into town," I replied with a hint of a smile.

A smile formed on Hatori's lips. "A shopping trip?"

"Of course," I said, feigning shock. "I simply have nothing appropriate to wear tomorrow for dinner."

The smile quickly became a frown. "Sadly neither do I...or Shigure or Ayame for that matter."

"I think Ayame will be fine." I saw the wardrobe the man had brought with him and was certain he didn't need a thing. But the rest of us.... "We're the ones in trouble."



"I still think the blue one looked better."

"I liked the green one myself."

"But Gure! The blue brings out her eyes."

"But the green shows off more of her assets."

"If I wanted to show off, couldn't I just walk around the restaurant naked, uncle?"

Shigure looked at me, shocked and appalled. Ayame's jaw dropped to the floor. I turned on my heel and went back into the dressing room, regretting that I brought either one with me into the store. Of course, Ayame had insisted, and I could use some advice. Shigure, however, followed like a little puppy. Probably just to annoy me.

As I closed the door to the dressing room, I looked over the five choices I had brought in with me. It was the fourth store and I'd already tried on so many dresses. But these dresses were of better quality and more affordable, even though I had been told that cost was not an issue. I could see myself wearing one of them for more than one occasion and two that I picked out would go well for either business or casual wear (thank you mother for instilling such thoughts in my head). So I knocked it down to those two choices: a blue skirt and matching top -- the one I was wearing -- and a deep purple Chinese style dress with a light floral print. Neither were my first picks, but I had to dress up that evening and going Goth would only cause a fuss I cared not to deal with.

Divesting myself of the blue skirt and blouse, I opted for the Chinese dress. It was my favorite color...and it reminded me of Yuki. I tried it on, just to make sure it fit before gathering everything together and departing the dressing rooms.

"Have you decided, Sei-chan?" Ayame asked.

"Hai." I held up the winner for both of them to see.

"AH! Splendid!" Ayame was so happy as he took the dress from me. "I saw the perfect shoes for this over here! OH! And we'll have to find you some jewelry. Must accessorize!"

I looked at my uncle, who simply shrugged, and we followed Ayame around the store, picking out what he felt was needed...and a few things that weren't. I got earrings to go with the dress and a pair of slipper shoes, which were very comfortable. The total cost nearly made me pass out (the dress was the cheapest item) but it was Ayame who handed the nice cashier a credit card with a smile on his face. I was going to object, but the snake held up a hand that said he would not be fought.

With that done, we went in search of Hatori at the cafe next door. It was quite amusing to find him sitting at a table, chatting with a young woman. Ayame immediately went all school-girl and Shigure couldn't stop chuckling. It was obvious from the look on Hatori's face that he was trying his best not to just get up and walk away. But he was uninterested and trying to be polite. The woman across from him was totally oblivious.

"Should we help him, Aya?" Shigure asked.

Ever the drama queen, Ayame replied, "Poor Tori-san! He needs saving!"

"Then let us whisk him...away? Eh? Sei-chan, where are you going?"

I wasn't going to wait for the dynamic duo. Hiding my own amused smile, I walked up the table and interrupted politely. Both of them were surprised, but it was the woman hitting on my cousin that looked down right shocked. The first look that crossed her face looked something like 'oh my god he has kids!' But after she got a better look at me, I think she may have thought my cousin was a cradle robber.

"Hatori-san, we're finished shopping."

He sighed, a small smile gracing his lips. Standing from his seat, he apologized to the woman still sitting. She replied in a mumble, but remained seated even as we walked away and joined my other relatives. I wanted to turn around and get a look at her again, but Hatori ushered us all out of there quickly.

"But, Ha-san, she was cute," Shigure whined. "Even if you weren't interested, couldn't you have at least let me--?"

"Gure-san," Ayame gasped in horror. "What about me?!"

"You know I'll always love YOU, Aya."

"Akito and Kureno will be here in less than two hours," Hatori stated simply, rolling his eyes. "We need to get back and get ready."

"And you have to help me with my hair, Ayame-san," I added. "You promised."

It's amazing the extremes Ayame can go through in a matter of seconds. From squeally fangirl to absolutely serious in less than...10 seconds! Well, I didn't actually time him, I'm only guessing, but it is rather fast so...don't blink!

"That I did," he said with a curt nod. "And we shall both have the best hair at the restaurant!"

"We're going for dinner, not a beauty pageant," Hatori said.

"For what we just spent in that store, it should be," Shigure commented.

"Come, we must go," Ayame insisted. "Must go!"



The car pulled up to the beach house promptly at 4PM. When I heard a car door slam shut, my stomach clenched and I wasn't sure if I wanted to vomit, or just pass out. Neither would have been acceptable, especially after I spent nearly an hour getting ready for dinner. I looked damn good in the dress I bought and Ayame's hairstyle expertise was awesome. Even with that dreaded necklace around my neck, I had to admit that I looked stunning.

And there was no one to really show it off to.

No one, save Akito.

I realized, with some trepidation, that I wasn't ready to see him. I'd been able to forget about that terrible night...that I was engaged to him. Hell, I'd been able to forget that he even existed. Now with the prospect of seeing him face to face, I was terribly sick to my stomach. But my muscles wouldn't move. I was frozen in place, unable to run to the bathroom let alone any where else.

"Konnichiwa."

Kureno entered the house, opening the door with his foot. His arms were laden with suitcases and bags. Hatori and Shigure rushed forward to help. I was still frozen in place and Ayame was still getting ready.

"Konnichiwa," Shigure greeted, taking two of the suitcases from him. "Ne, you've brought a lot of baggage for only a few days."

"Don't look at me," Kureno replied with a sigh. "It's mostly Akito's."

"Where IS Akito?" Hatori asked, noticing that the almighty god was missing.

"Still in the car. Our reservations are for 5pm. He doesn't want to be late." Kureno offered me a smile and a nod of recognition. I unfroze long enough to manage a lopsided grin. Then he inquired, "Where's Ayame?"

"I'm right here," he replied loudly. He made his entrance in style, dressed in his evening wear. Holding his arms wide, he greeted everyone. "Konnichiwa, minna-san!"

"Aya! You look stunning," Shigure complimented.

"But of course," Ayame said with a wink. "I've even coordinated with my lovely younger cousin."

Oddly enough, we were coordinated -- color coordinated at any rate. The violet of his suit made him look even more unmasculine, but it was the gold trim that really caught my attention. It was simple, slightly decorative. But with his silver hair tied back in a long braid (courtesy of yours truly), it really brought out his amber eyes.

I agreed with my uncle. Ayame looked stunning.

But then, so were Shigure and Hatori in the black and navy suits they purchased that morning.

Was there an ugly duckling ANYWHERE in this family?

HONK! HONK!

Kureno sighed. "We should go. Akito's getting restless."

Hatori nodded. "We'll move the luggage when we get back."

As we left, I was surprised to see a limo parked a few feet from the beach house. Ayame ushered me through the doorway, closing the door behind him. I was even more surprised to see a handsome young man standing by an open door. Was that the driver? After a more thorough inspection, I realized that it wasn't the driver.

It was Akito.

And he looked every bit as handsome as I'm sure my friends imagined.

Evil SHOULD NOT look that good, I'm telling you!

Dark hair, dark eyes, all made even darker by the black suit -- yes, a suit -- he was wearing. He herded the others into the car then turned to me. With a smile some might call uncharacteristic, he extended a hand to me. Another uncharacteristic gesture.

I reached for his hand, more for something to hold onto than as an acceptance of his presence. That's not how it was interpreted however, as I saw Akito's smile grow, his hand clasping tightly to mine. I managed a short greeting, my eyes not making contact with his, before he helped me into the car.

There wasn't much room till I got in, so I took the first available seat sure not to transform any of my cousins: opposite Kureno and across from my uncle. Akito, after he climbed in and shut the door, sat in the empty space separating myself and his assistant. Without having to ask, Kureno pick up what looked like a telephone receiver and proceeded to speak with someone. There was a muffled response before he hung up. The car then jerked to life, pushing me further into the seat and closer to Akito.

My body tensed with every little contact, but thankfully he didn't notice. He was too intent on listening to Hatori or Shigure give him details of the past two weeks. He didn't seem too terribly interested, but he took in every word.

Some news from home was also related. There had been news from Momiji in college. He was doing well, his marks some of the best he'd ever had. He was looking forward to coming home for the New Year celebration and wished everyone well.

Kana had also had her baby. A little girl. Kureno passed a picture to Hatori who sat across from him. The doctor stared at it for some time before handing it to an eager Ayame. Both he and Shigure crooned over how adorable the girl was. Finally, I looked over the photo. The girl really was cute. Platinum blond hair on her head and lavender colored eyes.

Wait! Purple eyes?! I had to do a quick round of math in my head. How far along had Kana been at New Year's?

Akito leaned over to me and whispered, "She'll be taking Yuki's place."

"I noticed," I replied in a low voice, handing the picture to him. He plucked it from my hand and passed it back to Kureno.

Thankfully, the conversation quickly turned to idle chit-chat. While the men engrossed themselves in a lot of nothing, I stared out the window, watching the sun as it started to set. Then we were in the city and I looked over the buildings and people still walking the streets.

I saw a rather large green orchid before the sign came into full view. The restaurant itself was not big, at least on the outside. Looks can often be deceiving. A line of people was already waiting outside the main doors. They turned, some half-interested, other totally fascinating, as the limo pulled up to the curb.

It took a moment for the driver to get out and open our door. Shigure disembarked first, followed by Ayame, then Hatori. Akito followed them, then Kureno. I trailed the group, the only female in the car. Akito was once again at the door, waiting. He extended his hand and I took it. Helping me out of the car, I was more uncomfortable to be in front of such a crowd of gawking people than I was to be holding Akito's hand.

And he didn't let go, even after we entered the restaurant.

Well, we were engaged. It was okay to act it once in a while, wasn't it?

There were murmurs of speculation as we waited for our table. Thankfully, we didn't have to wait long. Being thought of as a movie or rock star was kind of creepy. I felt I would be lynched at any moment. Strangely Akito's presence kept me calm, relaxed. But I was grateful when he let go of my hand to help me into my seat at one end of the table. More relieved was I when he took a seat directly across from me -- at the other end -- rather than beside me. Hatori and Shigure had already taken those honors.

I couldn't tell if Akito had planned that, or if his plans had been foiled.

The Green Orchid certainly was ritzy. Everything from the carpet to the table settings screamed class. The waiters were dressed in fine, crisp black and white, while the waitresses wore black and red. Our drink order was taken, followed by a visit to our table by the manager. He greeted Akito by name, and I have to admit I was curious just how much clout Akito had. There was a round of introductions before the manager greeted me specifically.

"Ah! You must be the birthday girl, then. Yes?"

"Me?" That day wasn't my birthday. I wasn't for...wait...no...my birthday had been four days BEFORE. I looked around the table, then back at the manager, noting the smug smile on Akito's face. "Umm...yes. That's me. The birthday girl."

"I have created something special, just for you." The manager was beside himself with happiness. "Oh, to be eighteen again."

By the gods, I was eighteen. EIGHTEEN!

And I'd totally forgotten...even if Akito didn't.

The manager left as soon as our drinks were brought and our food orders taken. Everything on the menu was so posh and expensive, I had no idea what to order. What was half the stuff on the menu anyway?! I settled for the Filet Mignon. It was one of the few things I recognized...and the one that looked the most appetizing.

Conversation once again drifted to idle chatter. I excused myself for the bathroom, not interested in listening to talk of business or family matters. I also couldn't take the intense stares Akito was giving me. I had planned on thanking Akito for dinner after the fact but I wasn't sure if later would satisfy him. Besides, he was looking at me as if I had been on the menu, and it made me down right nervous.

Nervous...and excited...and...scared.

He hadn't looked at me that way since...since that night.

I idled in the bathroom as much as possible: washing my hands, fixing my make-up, fussing over my hair (the bun Ayame had done with some of my hair was beginning to bother me - too tight), and just staring at my reflection in general. My brain kept trying to process the fact that I was now 18. As an adult, I wondered if my father would allow me to make up my own mind about who I married. If arguing my case would get me out of my engagement to Akito. I doubted, which only caused me to become depressed.

But if Akito acted like he'd been so far, maybe life with him wouldn't be so bad.

There I went, getting my hopes up again.

With a self resigned sigh, I prepared to leave the bathroom and rejoin the others. As I was walking to the door, two elderly women were coming in. They were giggling like teenagers.

"Did you see that young man standing there?"

"He looked rather dashing, didn't he?"

"Oh, to be young again."

"Yes, indeed."

They spotted me and I managed a smile. They looked at each other knowingly, returning my smile.

"You really shouldn't keep a man waiting, dear," one woman addressed me.

I nodded, hurrying for the door. I could still hear them giggling, even after the bathroom door closed behind me.

"Is it normal for a woman to take so long in the bathroom?"

"Have you ever tried to wear pantyhose," was my immediate response.

I shouldn't have been surprised that one of my cousins was waiting for me, but I have to admit, I was surprised to see Kureno leaning against the wall that separated the men's and women's restrooms. I had expected it to be Akito, and I told him as much. Unoffended, he simply shrugged.

"If I hadn't needed to use the restroom, you probably would have been correct."

We walked back to the table together. Everyone greeted us with smiles, even Akito, although his was a bit forced. Did he think we were doing something inappropriate in the bathroom? Puh-lease! Kureno is adorably cute, especially in a tailored suit, but I had no interest in him, or him in me I'm certain. I smiled reassuringly in his direction, which helped him to relax somewhat.

No sooner then we were seated than the food was brought to the table. My stomach rumbled happily as a waiter placed my meal before me. Drooling to some extent, I waited for everyone to be served before cutting into my meal. The beef was heaven and the rice and stir-fry vegetables were delicious. I tried to eat with some decorum, but I was still the first one done.

The dessert tray looked most enticing, but I settled for a scoop of vanilla ice cream. For a simple dish, it looked very elegant. The hot fudge was a nice touch too. And my surprise? The manager brought out this HUGE cake decorated in lavender and green. We offered a piece to anyone in the restaurant that was interested. Thankfully there wasn't much left by the time we were ready to leave.

We left The Green Orchid the same way we came. There were still people hovering around, murmuring things. Large groups have never made me self-conscious before, but then again, I was wearing something I was unaccustomed to. I could deal with people staring at me if I were wearing all black...or if I were really a movie star. But I'm far from and their stares were making me claustrophobic.

Akito had offered me his arm rather than his hand on the way out, and I clung to it like a lifeline until we were back in the limo.



The luggage was sorted when we got back to the beach house. Shigure and Ayame ended up sharing a room, as the best room for Akito was the one Shigure usually stayed in. I didn't realize that Akito never stayed at this particular house. He was doing it for my benefit I suppose, so I should've been grateful. Kureno and Hatori shared the room across from mine. Thankfully I got to keep my room all to myself.

While the others were busy chatting and Akito was changing, I slipped down to the beach to watch the rest of the sunset. It was all but gone, a small tinge of red laying on the horizon. The wind had picked up, a nice cool breeze blowing across my skin and through my hair. I was glad to be away from the house...and out of those pantyhose! UGH!

It wasn't until the sun had fully set that I heard someone approaching. He must've been wearing shoes since his footsteps stopped every so often. Finally I heard a muttered curse and turned to see Akito, shaking sand out of his sandals. I had to cover my mouth with one hand so as not to laugh out loud.

"Damn, I hate the beach," he said, attempting to put his sandals back on. He caught sight of me watching out of the corner of his eye and snapped, "How can you stand all this...this...!"

"Sand?"

"Yes!"

"Most people don't wear sandals on the beach," I told him.

He looked at me oddly. "They don't? Why not?"

"Because they'd have to continuously shake sand out of them."

He seemed to ponder this, then nodded to himself. "All right. What do people wear on the beach then?"

"Flip flops are good," I said. "But, most people just walk in their bare feet."

"Bare feet?" He looked seriously appalled. "Are they mad?"

"You walk around the house in your bare feet."

"That's different," he stated. "The floors are clean!"

I did my best to hide a smile. "There's nothing in the sand that's going to get you."

"What about bugs...really little ones? And crabs...or jellofish!"

This time I couldn't hold back the giggle. "You mean jellyfish?"

He huffed. "That's what I said."

I crawled down from the large rock I'd been sitting on. As I approached him I said, "You're more likely to die from pneumonia."

He raised an eyebrow at this but said nothing.

The closer I got, the better I could see him. He had changed clothes, if you'd call a pair of black vinyl pants and a black button-down shirt casual. "Don't you wear anything else besides black?"

He crossed his arms over his chest, holding his shoes in one hand. "What's wrong with black?"

Good question. "Nothing, it's just...I think you'd look good in other colors too. Like a midnight blue." I paused. "You really don't wear much besides your kimonos, do you?"

"No," he stated flatly.

"Why not?"

"Because it's a bother."

"Hmm...I always thought it was more difficult to put on a kimono than it was to don a pair of jeans and a t-shirt."

"You simply have no sense of style."

"And you've been living in the dark ages."

We both paused for a moment, just staring at one another. We were having an argument. Not a heated argument, but a rather playful one.

And Akito was actually smiling.

Rather, he was trying to hold one back.

"I told you before," he said, a bit more serious. "I don't get out much."

I nodded. "I know."

Sighing, he stared off at the darkening horizon. "What's so great about the beach anyway?"

"The scenery, if nothing else." After a pause I asked, "You don't like the beach?"

He shrugged, looking very much like a young man rather than a hardened devil. "I only remember being on the beach as a child...I was about five or six. I think I liked playing in the sand." He smirked at an unknown memory. "I know I didn't like getting wet much."

"There's nothing wrong with just playing in the sand," I replied with a smirk of my own. "I've seen 'Jaws' too many times to enjoy going into the water."

"That's the movie about a big shark, ne?"

"Hai."

He turned to look at me. His eyes were this deep shade of black and his facial features were much softer than I'd ever seen them. I swear my heart melted with one look. He reminded me so much of Yuki. "I hated that movie," he stated with a smile.

"Then I suppose that's just one more thing we have in common."

It took a bit of convincing, but I got him to agree to take a short walk up the beach with me. For his sake, we stayed away from the water's reach. We couldn't go far, for the half moon rising only gave off so much light. Yet, we managed to talk about a lot in such a short time.

He told me more about his childhood: how his parents kept him sheltered at the beach house, how they'd always ruin his fun while playing with his cousins on the beach. He was never allowed to stay outside in the sun for extended periods of time, even with sunscreen. And, he admitted with a bit of chagrin, he wasn't allowed in the water alone because he couldn't swim very well. Shigure and Ayame would always race out into the farthest reaches and leave him in the shallows pining. Only Hatori would stay with him for a short time before Akito was called back into the house and Hatori would hurry off to be with his friends.

"But then, Hatori already knew what my situation would be like," Akito had said. "His father was the head of the Sohma clan at the time."

It was so nice, walking along the beach. I didn't mind that we were walking close to each other. I didn't mind that we held hands the entire time. Akito was so open about his past, something he hadn't been for quite a while. A LONG while. He was very much a different person. One that I actually enjoyed being around...despite the past. He looked like a lost child, relief pouring off of him to finally have some of his worries off of his shoulders. Our pace was slow, yet we reached our starting point all too quickly.

When we got back to the beach house, Akito's cool facade took over and everything went back to normal.

And when I went to bed that night, my feelings were very conflicted.

Especially since Akito had once again snuck into my room.

I gave up trying to scream the moment I felt the bed give with his weight. I knew it was him from the way he said my name. So lost. So wanting. And the look he gave me. OH BY THE GODS! It was this cross between a hungry cat and an innocent little boy knowing he's doing something bad. I wish I could say it was scary, but it wasn't. It was CUTE! Cute, I tell you!

He pulled back the sheets, maneuvering until he was beside me under the covers. I was held captive by his eyes, powerless to stop him. Lying on his side, he wrapped one arm around me, holding on tightly. I tensed, even though I did not scream. I didn't think he'd be so brazen, so close to the others.

But then, even if he was, would the others stop him?

My mind reeled. I remembered what happened that night. I remembered the day I caught Akito and Yuki in that small, dark room. The mental anguish was painful, tears forming in my eyes. Yet, I felt little fear.

'He wants you for a reason,' a small voice in my head spoke up. 'He won't hurt you.'

'But he's already hurt me,' I replied.

"Sei?"

I'm startled from my thoughts by the sound of my name in my ear. His breath is warm, his body so close I can feel the heat emanating from him. "Hai?"

"You're not wearing the necklace."

I blinked. "I told you why I don't wear the necklace to bed."

He muttered something I couldn't understand.

"Nani?"

"Will you wear the necklace for me tomorrow?"

"Will you walk the beach with me again?"

There was a pause before he answered, "Hai."

"Then I'll wear it for you tomorrow."

My body began to relax when I realized that Akito wasn't going to make any other moves. He had settled beside me, his breath warm and even against my neck. I felt his hand reach for mine, taking my right in his right. He brought it up so that our hands lay joined on my stomach and he snuggled closer, drifting to sleep.

"Oyasumi nasai," I whispered into the room.

After a long pause came the reply, "Oyasumi...my angel."




When I returned to school on Monday, I was more conflicted than ever.

Akito had kept his promise to walk with me on the beach the day before. We both woke up around dawn and he was still in my room. Thankfully no one else was awake. We showered separately, dressed separately, and then went walking along the beach. The sun had barely crested above the horizon, such a beautiful sight. Unlike the night before, we hardly talked, just basked in the rays of the rising sun and in each other's company. I still had a twinge of doubt, but I was more relaxed around him than I'd ever been. I was comfortable being close to him, holding his hand or holding onto his elbow and I think it may have been the same for him. He acted nothing like the bullying demon most of the family knew him to be. Behind that rough, hard exterior is still a young man trying to grow up despite the fact that he's also dying. I saw him smile, heard him laugh. It was a very good feeling. We even built a sand castle.

Too close to the shoreline.

The poor thing drowned before we could finish it.

The trip home was just as easy and quiet. I rode with Akito and Kureno at Akito's request. Yes, he actually asked. We talked only a little. He fell asleep half way home and Kureno and I didn't want to wake him. The two of us talked even less once Akito was out, but that seemed fine with both of us.

Akito woke once we got home and we walked together back to our rooms. Servants hurried about, even that late at night, to prepare and bring in our luggage. We avoided them for the most part, Akito stumbling once in a while. Was he still tired? We stopped in front of my room first. I told him I'd help him to his room but he said there was no need. It was just down the hall.

"Well, then," I said, hoping that he didn't plan on spending the night with me again. "I guess this is good night."

"Oyasumi nasai," he replied.

Leaning forward, he lightly brushed his lips against mine before it became a full blown kiss. My body went stiff, only to relax the next moment as I returned the kiss. Yep, I returned the kiss. Unlike...that night...this was gentle, more giving. The demand was mutual and there was something there, simmering just beneath the surface.

'Oh please don't tell me I'm falling for him?!'

When we parted I could hardly breath and when out eyes met I knew he was having the same difficulty. I had to get inside, had to get away from him before I let anything else happen. I stepped back, only to come into contact with the door.

"Oyasumi nasai," I breathed out as I opened my door.

When I snapped it shut, I listened for a moment. Footsteps echoed a short way down the hall before disappearing entirely. Sighing, I walked further into my room. I collapsed on the bed with a light groan as realization dawned on me.

Yep, I was falling for him.

I tried not to think about it at school the next day, but my conflicting interests made me irritable. Chidori and Sakura continually asked me what was wrong and each time I'd mutter "nothing" and either walk away or bury my head in the circle of my arms on my desk. Talking about it may have helped, but it was so difficult to explain, let alone understand.

I had no idea what to think or how to feel. The closer I got to Akito, the more of the man I could actually see. The more open he was to me. But he was, essentially, two different people: the vengeful god of the zodiac and the young man you never had much of a chance to live. Everybody saw the former while I was probably one of the select few who ever saw the latter. I should've felt honored, special.

But I couldn't stop thinking about how horrible he could be. How frightening he could become. And all the things he'd done to the others. My cousins. The jyuunishi. The fear he'd instilled in them. Locking up Kyo and forcing Yuki to suicide.

And the plans that he had made for me.

Was this all going according to his plan? Was the young man the facade, or was the vengeful god?

Or maybe...JUST maybe...everything was out of control, even for Akito.

The weeks following my return to school heralded a return to my old routines. I saw Akito almost every night, even if only for a moment. He was almost always considerate and kind, his features always soft and caring. He snuck into my room only a few times, but it was merely a replay of the beach house. He said nothing, did nothing, except kiss me goodnight. Gods, he was becoming an awesome kisser!

And...he was falling in love with me.

Or so I thought.

That's when I began to formulate a plan of my own....


~TO BE CONTINUED~


DISCLAIMER:
Fruits Basket is owned by Natsuki Takaya/HAKUSENSHA - TV TOKYO - NAS - Fruba Project and licensed by FUNimation Productions, Ltd (for distribution in the USA). All copyrights go to them and not me. All characters are used here without permission. Please don't sue. No money is being made from the production of this story therefore I have no money to give you.

Sierra Sohma, and all others not associated with Furuba, are my creations and therefore the only thing here I do own. *sigh* Pity them, onegai.