Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Everything ❯ Sweet Child ( Chapter 2 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: HeartlessChild 
Anime/Manga: Fruits Basket Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 09.18.2004 | Pages: 4 | Words: 2.6K | Visits: 991 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Fruits Basket Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 09.18.2004 | Pages: 4 | Words: 2.6K | Visits: 991 | Status: Completed
AN: Thank you for all your reviews! ::gushes::
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Chapter Two.
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Previously...
"Yuki, aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?"
He had been so caught up in his thoughts, that Yuki didn't notice the person standing beside Tohru's husband... Akito.
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The room seemed to be getting smaller with each breath he took. In his mind, the walls of the elaborate banquet halls shook as though they knew of horrors were about to arise from the upcoming meeting. He wanted to run--flee from this nightmare that manifested itself before him in the form of a handsome man... In the form of Akito.
But he knew he couldn't leave her with him. There was no clue as to what Akito would do if he found out that she was here... His heart, his world; she was his everything. And now she was someone else's.
The bitter thought clung to his insides, poisoning him every time he looked in her direction.
Yuki blinked.
He cleared his throat as the Head of the Sohma family eyed him suspiciously. It was at that moment he realized that Akito hadn't recognized Tohru--he was standing a few feet behind them, only to have a delightful view of Tohru's back. He sighed quietly, feeling the beat of his heart rise as the dangerous man stepped closer to the trio. Now Akito would come to know of Tohru's presence.
It would have been better if she stayed away... It would have been better if Yuki had never come to know of her marriage to another man. He lowered his head momentarily, gathering up the shock and pain of discovering Tohru's marital status as he locked it away into a forgotten box of age-old emotions and memories.
"Yuki," Akito repeated threateningly, his cold voice drawing him away from his thoughts.
Yuki raised his eyes slowly, "This is Takagawa Hitoshi-san and his wife, Takagawa Tohru-san," he muttered sharply.
The husband and wife turned to the new arrival and smiled politely at Akito. Yuki watched the shade of Akito's jade orbs darken considerably as they landed upon Tohru. From the outside, Yuki could see no other change in his demeanor. There was no revelation of the surprise and shock that he had felt. But Yuki was not so naive. He knew... Knew that the wheels of thought were already turning in Akito's mind, grinding so loudly that Yuki could distinctly hear them three feet away from Akito. He held back the slight tremor in his spine.
Akito simply smiled at the couple and shook hands with Tohru's husband; an action that Yuki was considerably suspicious of, simply because he didn't have to courage to listen to the conversation that was taking place between them. A feeling of apprehension swamped him as he continued to watch the interaction between the couple and Akito; he purposely shut out their voices as he saw an all too familiar glint in Akito's eyes.
Yuki was morbidly fascinated at what the Head of the family was planning for the innocent woman...
Kami... Save her, he thought to himself as he watched Tohru bow politely to the older man.
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Tohru glanced between her husband and the new arrival... Sohma Akito was his name; the infamous Head of the Sohma family. She saw a sparkle of recognition in Hitoshi's eyes but disregarded it as she spoke, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sohma-san," she said softly, bowing. He looked at her strangely, making her feel terribly uncomfortable. She shifted nervously under his intense gaze, but her husband seemed oblivious to it.
"Ah, Akito-san, it's a pleasure to meet you again," Hitoshi voiced as he shook the younger man's hand.
Tohru frowned slightly, "Again?" She echoed. How did her husband come to know this oddly curious, handsome man?
"Yes," Hitoshi replied swiftly to her question, "Akito-san is the person Yamamoto-san introduced me to earlier. We had a very interesting conversation," he smiled at the shorter man knowingly.
"Ah," Tohru uttered, suddenly feeling enlightened and relieved.
Akito looked at her again. She licked her dry lips as he smiled towards her. He was so handsome and mysterious... And she thought that Yuki had been mysterious back in high school! It seemed as if she was mistaken. A delicate flush graced her cheeks.
"Hitoshi-san, you never mentioned that you were married," Akito's lips quirked upwards as he looked back and forth at the married couple.
"My apologies Akito-san, but I'm sure we will all get to know one another soon enough. After all you are--"
"Indeed I am, but there is no point in delving into those business matters at present," Akito interrupted.
"Business?" Yuki's voice suddenly sprung to life at the mention of business. Tohru realized that he probably owned quite a few of his own corporate businesses. After all, every single person at Kaibara high said that Prince Yuki would bring success to his name. She wouldn't be surprised if he had succeeded to fulfil his goals in life.
"Yes, business," Akito answered in annoyance, "Do try to keep up... Yuki-kun," he added in a teasingly sweet voice. But it seemed that only Yuki had sensed the malicious undertone of the older man's quip.
Tohru sighed inwardly as her mind drifted away from the conversation taking place between the three men. She was trapped in another business discussion, again. She prayed quietly that something would come and take her away from the monotonous evening.
As if Kami had answered her prayers, the woman from the nanny service she had left her son with, suddenly appeared. She looked very out of place in the banquet hall with her casual clothing, and she blushed in embarrassment as the men grew silent and four pairs of eyes fixed themselves upon her fidgeting form. Tohru frowned at her sudden appearance, "Is everything ok?" She asked gently, noticing the woman's guilty look.
A spark of panic flashed through her for a brief moment. Had something happened to Toshi? What was she doing down here and who was looking after her son?
"I'm sorry to disturb you Takagawa-san but," the woman said quietly with distress lacing her words. This only escalated Tohru's worry, "Toshi woke up and he won't stop crying. I tried everything to calm him down but he wouldn't stop until I promised to bring him down to see you, I'm very sorry."
Tohru breathed a sigh of relief, "Where is he now?"
At her words, she watched a pair of green eyes peek out from behind the woman's skirt. Tohru couldn't help but smile as he peered up at her with glistening eyes. It was her fault for leaving him with a stranger, but she had honestly thought that he would sleep right through the evening.
"Toshi," she said in a coaxing, calling him out from his hiding place, "Come here."
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She had a child. His Tohru had a child. How could she already..?
He never hated Hatori as much as he did at that moment. Damn him for erasing her memory! The dragon knew what she meant to him... What she had meant to Kyo.
The thought of the isolated cat caused an age-old bubble of anger to form within the pit of his stomach.
Although the two had put aside their differences many years ago, Yuki still felt an unimaginable envy and rivalry when he thought of the cat. He didn't feel it purposely, it was more instinctive than anything and he knew that Kyo felt the same way too. He wondered what the idiotic, temperamental cat would do if he learned of Tohru's current situation.
He watched from the corner of his eye as the little boy came forward in obedience to Tohru's voice. He had his mother's eyes, Yuki mused, but his facial features were more similar to his father's.
Yuki didn't know where the sudden surge of bitterness had come from, but it left his mouth feeling dry and the taste was rather unpleasant. He could think of a few things to do to Tohru's husband. The rat took a deep breath as he watched the adorable boy run into his mother's arms. He was lifted from the ground by an amused Tohru, and cuddled close. The pain in his heart grew tenfold, but he could not remove his eyes from them.
The picture perfect image before him reminded him of his own mother. How she had never held him like that, never laughed with him like that... Tohru was truly a gift from heaven and that little boy was very lucky to have her as his mother. The sudden thought that the child in her arms should be his, left him feeling shaky and breathless. He had to leave before this strange new emotion began to consume him!
He could only pin point it as jealousy. Yuki had never been jealous before, not to this extent at least, and it made him feel dreadful... Truly dreadful; especially when Tohru had shown him nothing but love and kindness when they were friends.
Friends...
For now, that was all that Yuki could be for her. She had no memory of him, of what they had done together, of all the pain they had been through. He couldn't be her prince, not anymore and it was a fact that he had to accept. She belonged to someone else, she was married for Kami's sake! And he would never be able have her love the way he had it nine years ago. Everything had changed.
And that thought alone, was all the more heart breaking.
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Tohru chuckled as Toshi buried his face into the side of her neck. She looked up at her smiling husband and shook her head ironically before turning to the Head of the Sohma household. "I'm sorry, Sohma-san," she uttered softly, pressing her cheek against the top of Toshi's head.
"It's quite all right," Akito replied coolly, eyeing the young woman and her child secretly. "Are you staying at the hotel for the remainder of your trip?" He asked Hitoshi quickly, ignoring the questioning glance he received from his beloved little rat.
Her husband smiled, "We are. I thought it would be nice for Tohru, Toshi and I to spend more time in Fukushima and explore the surrounding area."
"Indeed?" Akito paused as a slow smile spread across his face. "Well, then I must insist upon something, if you don't mind."
Tohru's eyebrows dipped in thought at the handsome man's words. She looked at her husband intently, who smiled charmingly at the clan head and replied, "Of course, Akito-san."
"I would be honored if you and your delightful family came to stay at the Sohma estate, at the Honke, with me for the rest of your stay in Fukushima. Even after our brief acquaintance, I couldn't allow you to stay in a hotel; it would be rude and I already feel that I have a wonderful connection with you and your lovely wife. Will you agree to my request Hitoshi-san?"
A startled silence fell over the quartet.
Both Tohru and her husband knew, had heard rumors, of the Sohma family's rigid privacy. So to be suddenly invited by the Head of the family was a shock to Tohru. Her husband looked equally surprised, and deep down Tohru felt dismayed. She'd thought that this week would be an opportunity for her and her husband to spend more time with one another... Alone. But now they had to spend it in the company of this dashingly handsome, yet extremely odd man. She knew she was being selfish, but she couldn't help it.
Hitoshi looked at her, patiently waiting for her answer. He knew what she was thinking, because he was thinking the exact same thing. She sighed, knowing it would be rude for her to decline the offer. And so, she smiled brightly and spoke up, "That is very kind of you Sohma-san--"
"Please, call me Akito," he interrupted.
She bit her lip, "Very well, Akito... -san," she added thoughtfully, "I think Hitoshi and I would like that very much."
"Excellent," Akito said slowly, lowering his voice to a whispered breath, "Then it's settled, you will be enjoying the rest of your holiday in the comfort of your own private villa at the estate."
Perfect, Akito thought to himself as he smiled at the couple, drinking in the wonderful emerald green of Honda Tohru's eyes. To him, she wasn't married. He refused to acknowledge the child in her arms. It was simply her smiling face that danced before him sweetly, reminding him of the crystal clear tears he had seen in her eyes so many years ago.
He blinked, nodding and bowing at the couple.
For a brief moment, his eyes locked with another pair of emerald orbs. Exactly like hers... He observed the little boy in her arms momentarily, before offering him a wolfish smile no-one but he and the child saw. Akito grinned inwardly as the child winced and tore his eyes away, burying his face once more into the crook of his mother's shoulder.
What a sweet, endearing child, he thought idly, smirking to himself as he made his excuses and left their tiny group. He knew that this coming week was going to hold many new adventures; not only for himself, but for the rest of the Jyuunishi as well. And he simply couldn't wait.
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Chapter Two.
-
-
-
Previously...
"Yuki, aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?"
He had been so caught up in his thoughts, that Yuki didn't notice the person standing beside Tohru's husband... Akito.
-
-
The room seemed to be getting smaller with each breath he took. In his mind, the walls of the elaborate banquet halls shook as though they knew of horrors were about to arise from the upcoming meeting. He wanted to run--flee from this nightmare that manifested itself before him in the form of a handsome man... In the form of Akito.
But he knew he couldn't leave her with him. There was no clue as to what Akito would do if he found out that she was here... His heart, his world; she was his everything. And now she was someone else's.
The bitter thought clung to his insides, poisoning him every time he looked in her direction.
Yuki blinked.
He cleared his throat as the Head of the Sohma family eyed him suspiciously. It was at that moment he realized that Akito hadn't recognized Tohru--he was standing a few feet behind them, only to have a delightful view of Tohru's back. He sighed quietly, feeling the beat of his heart rise as the dangerous man stepped closer to the trio. Now Akito would come to know of Tohru's presence.
It would have been better if she stayed away... It would have been better if Yuki had never come to know of her marriage to another man. He lowered his head momentarily, gathering up the shock and pain of discovering Tohru's marital status as he locked it away into a forgotten box of age-old emotions and memories.
"Yuki," Akito repeated threateningly, his cold voice drawing him away from his thoughts.
Yuki raised his eyes slowly, "This is Takagawa Hitoshi-san and his wife, Takagawa Tohru-san," he muttered sharply.
The husband and wife turned to the new arrival and smiled politely at Akito. Yuki watched the shade of Akito's jade orbs darken considerably as they landed upon Tohru. From the outside, Yuki could see no other change in his demeanor. There was no revelation of the surprise and shock that he had felt. But Yuki was not so naive. He knew... Knew that the wheels of thought were already turning in Akito's mind, grinding so loudly that Yuki could distinctly hear them three feet away from Akito. He held back the slight tremor in his spine.
Akito simply smiled at the couple and shook hands with Tohru's husband; an action that Yuki was considerably suspicious of, simply because he didn't have to courage to listen to the conversation that was taking place between them. A feeling of apprehension swamped him as he continued to watch the interaction between the couple and Akito; he purposely shut out their voices as he saw an all too familiar glint in Akito's eyes.
Yuki was morbidly fascinated at what the Head of the family was planning for the innocent woman...
Kami... Save her, he thought to himself as he watched Tohru bow politely to the older man.
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Tohru glanced between her husband and the new arrival... Sohma Akito was his name; the infamous Head of the Sohma family. She saw a sparkle of recognition in Hitoshi's eyes but disregarded it as she spoke, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sohma-san," she said softly, bowing. He looked at her strangely, making her feel terribly uncomfortable. She shifted nervously under his intense gaze, but her husband seemed oblivious to it.
"Ah, Akito-san, it's a pleasure to meet you again," Hitoshi voiced as he shook the younger man's hand.
Tohru frowned slightly, "Again?" She echoed. How did her husband come to know this oddly curious, handsome man?
"Yes," Hitoshi replied swiftly to her question, "Akito-san is the person Yamamoto-san introduced me to earlier. We had a very interesting conversation," he smiled at the shorter man knowingly.
"Ah," Tohru uttered, suddenly feeling enlightened and relieved.
Akito looked at her again. She licked her dry lips as he smiled towards her. He was so handsome and mysterious... And she thought that Yuki had been mysterious back in high school! It seemed as if she was mistaken. A delicate flush graced her cheeks.
"Hitoshi-san, you never mentioned that you were married," Akito's lips quirked upwards as he looked back and forth at the married couple.
"My apologies Akito-san, but I'm sure we will all get to know one another soon enough. After all you are--"
"Indeed I am, but there is no point in delving into those business matters at present," Akito interrupted.
"Business?" Yuki's voice suddenly sprung to life at the mention of business. Tohru realized that he probably owned quite a few of his own corporate businesses. After all, every single person at Kaibara high said that Prince Yuki would bring success to his name. She wouldn't be surprised if he had succeeded to fulfil his goals in life.
"Yes, business," Akito answered in annoyance, "Do try to keep up... Yuki-kun," he added in a teasingly sweet voice. But it seemed that only Yuki had sensed the malicious undertone of the older man's quip.
Tohru sighed inwardly as her mind drifted away from the conversation taking place between the three men. She was trapped in another business discussion, again. She prayed quietly that something would come and take her away from the monotonous evening.
As if Kami had answered her prayers, the woman from the nanny service she had left her son with, suddenly appeared. She looked very out of place in the banquet hall with her casual clothing, and she blushed in embarrassment as the men grew silent and four pairs of eyes fixed themselves upon her fidgeting form. Tohru frowned at her sudden appearance, "Is everything ok?" She asked gently, noticing the woman's guilty look.
A spark of panic flashed through her for a brief moment. Had something happened to Toshi? What was she doing down here and who was looking after her son?
"I'm sorry to disturb you Takagawa-san but," the woman said quietly with distress lacing her words. This only escalated Tohru's worry, "Toshi woke up and he won't stop crying. I tried everything to calm him down but he wouldn't stop until I promised to bring him down to see you, I'm very sorry."
Tohru breathed a sigh of relief, "Where is he now?"
At her words, she watched a pair of green eyes peek out from behind the woman's skirt. Tohru couldn't help but smile as he peered up at her with glistening eyes. It was her fault for leaving him with a stranger, but she had honestly thought that he would sleep right through the evening.
"Toshi," she said in a coaxing, calling him out from his hiding place, "Come here."
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She had a child. His Tohru had a child. How could she already..?
He never hated Hatori as much as he did at that moment. Damn him for erasing her memory! The dragon knew what she meant to him... What she had meant to Kyo.
The thought of the isolated cat caused an age-old bubble of anger to form within the pit of his stomach.
Although the two had put aside their differences many years ago, Yuki still felt an unimaginable envy and rivalry when he thought of the cat. He didn't feel it purposely, it was more instinctive than anything and he knew that Kyo felt the same way too. He wondered what the idiotic, temperamental cat would do if he learned of Tohru's current situation.
He watched from the corner of his eye as the little boy came forward in obedience to Tohru's voice. He had his mother's eyes, Yuki mused, but his facial features were more similar to his father's.
Yuki didn't know where the sudden surge of bitterness had come from, but it left his mouth feeling dry and the taste was rather unpleasant. He could think of a few things to do to Tohru's husband. The rat took a deep breath as he watched the adorable boy run into his mother's arms. He was lifted from the ground by an amused Tohru, and cuddled close. The pain in his heart grew tenfold, but he could not remove his eyes from them.
The picture perfect image before him reminded him of his own mother. How she had never held him like that, never laughed with him like that... Tohru was truly a gift from heaven and that little boy was very lucky to have her as his mother. The sudden thought that the child in her arms should be his, left him feeling shaky and breathless. He had to leave before this strange new emotion began to consume him!
He could only pin point it as jealousy. Yuki had never been jealous before, not to this extent at least, and it made him feel dreadful... Truly dreadful; especially when Tohru had shown him nothing but love and kindness when they were friends.
Friends...
For now, that was all that Yuki could be for her. She had no memory of him, of what they had done together, of all the pain they had been through. He couldn't be her prince, not anymore and it was a fact that he had to accept. She belonged to someone else, she was married for Kami's sake! And he would never be able have her love the way he had it nine years ago. Everything had changed.
And that thought alone, was all the more heart breaking.
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Tohru chuckled as Toshi buried his face into the side of her neck. She looked up at her smiling husband and shook her head ironically before turning to the Head of the Sohma household. "I'm sorry, Sohma-san," she uttered softly, pressing her cheek against the top of Toshi's head.
"It's quite all right," Akito replied coolly, eyeing the young woman and her child secretly. "Are you staying at the hotel for the remainder of your trip?" He asked Hitoshi quickly, ignoring the questioning glance he received from his beloved little rat.
Her husband smiled, "We are. I thought it would be nice for Tohru, Toshi and I to spend more time in Fukushima and explore the surrounding area."
"Indeed?" Akito paused as a slow smile spread across his face. "Well, then I must insist upon something, if you don't mind."
Tohru's eyebrows dipped in thought at the handsome man's words. She looked at her husband intently, who smiled charmingly at the clan head and replied, "Of course, Akito-san."
"I would be honored if you and your delightful family came to stay at the Sohma estate, at the Honke, with me for the rest of your stay in Fukushima. Even after our brief acquaintance, I couldn't allow you to stay in a hotel; it would be rude and I already feel that I have a wonderful connection with you and your lovely wife. Will you agree to my request Hitoshi-san?"
A startled silence fell over the quartet.
Both Tohru and her husband knew, had heard rumors, of the Sohma family's rigid privacy. So to be suddenly invited by the Head of the family was a shock to Tohru. Her husband looked equally surprised, and deep down Tohru felt dismayed. She'd thought that this week would be an opportunity for her and her husband to spend more time with one another... Alone. But now they had to spend it in the company of this dashingly handsome, yet extremely odd man. She knew she was being selfish, but she couldn't help it.
Hitoshi looked at her, patiently waiting for her answer. He knew what she was thinking, because he was thinking the exact same thing. She sighed, knowing it would be rude for her to decline the offer. And so, she smiled brightly and spoke up, "That is very kind of you Sohma-san--"
"Please, call me Akito," he interrupted.
She bit her lip, "Very well, Akito... -san," she added thoughtfully, "I think Hitoshi and I would like that very much."
"Excellent," Akito said slowly, lowering his voice to a whispered breath, "Then it's settled, you will be enjoying the rest of your holiday in the comfort of your own private villa at the estate."
Perfect, Akito thought to himself as he smiled at the couple, drinking in the wonderful emerald green of Honda Tohru's eyes. To him, she wasn't married. He refused to acknowledge the child in her arms. It was simply her smiling face that danced before him sweetly, reminding him of the crystal clear tears he had seen in her eyes so many years ago.
He blinked, nodding and bowing at the couple.
For a brief moment, his eyes locked with another pair of emerald orbs. Exactly like hers... He observed the little boy in her arms momentarily, before offering him a wolfish smile no-one but he and the child saw. Akito grinned inwardly as the child winced and tore his eyes away, burying his face once more into the crook of his mother's shoulder.
What a sweet, endearing child, he thought idly, smirking to himself as he made his excuses and left their tiny group. He knew that this coming week was going to hold many new adventures; not only for himself, but for the rest of the Jyuunishi as well. And he simply couldn't wait.
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