Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Everything ❯ Divine Kisses ( Chapter 11 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

AN: I hate to rant at the start of a chapter, but I will.



Previously...
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Hitoshi frowned slightly, looking at her tear-stained cheeks as she held his hand tightly to her chest. "What do we do Tohru?" He asked quietly in defeat.



She brushed away the tears from her cheeks, sniffing, "First thing tomorrow morning, we go back to Tokyo and fix this. You must tell me exactly what Yamamoto-san advised you to do, and then–we go from there."



"What if we lose everything?"



"Then we start again," she said confidently. He gazed at her, amazed at her strength and courage to fight on.



"If that's the case, then we won't have any money," he mused, reaching out with his free hand to cup her cheek in his palm.




He cursed, slamming his fist down loudly upon the table. The wood creaked and groaned from the heavy strain. Outside, the sun was shining brightly, but inside the foreboding house, the mood was as dark and black as a threatening thunder cloud.



"Stop that Kyo," the warning in his rival's voice was not missed.



The cat looked at the sullen man, shaking his head. "Why should I?" He demanded, glaring with all his anger. "... What do you think he's up to anyway?"



"I'm not sure," Yuki replied, sighing. He settled back down at the table, gazing at the cold food forlornly. "The food tastes even better than before," he mused to himself, his mind wandering towards distant thoughts.



"Huh?"



Yuki rolled his eyes at the cat's confusion, "I meant that, she cooks even better now."



"Well of course she does," Kyo said sarcastically, "She's had nine fucking years to perfect it."



The violet-eyed man glared easily at his so-called rival, "I was just making a comment, you dolt."



"Don't call me a dolt, rat-boy!"



"We're not boys anymore, idiot. Oh wait–I forget that you still behave like an adolescent teenager."



"Oh, shut up," Kyo grumbled, reaching out for the food before him. Even if it had gone cold, it was still delicious and he was rather hungry.



A small smile crossed Yuki's face; he knew that Kyo's heart wasn't into arguing at the moment. Whether it was because of Tohru, he wasn't certain. The cat had always sobered when she was around; it was like an automatic reaction, one that Yuki found amusing to watch. But the breakfast had been a nightmare from start to finish. He was almost relieved when Akito had shown up and caused the party to disperse–almost. His thoughts grew troubled as he pondered the man's motives.



"We have to do something," he said absently, fingering his chop-sticks with concern.



Kyo paused, "What the hell can we do? I mean, I'm stuck in here and you're too afraid of him to do anything."



"I'm not afraid! We have to do something," Yuki repeated vehemently, "I'm not letting him hurt her like he did the last time..."



"He didn't hurt her," the cat pointed out reluctantly, "He was just being a fucking bastard as always–it was Hatori's fault for even listening to him."



"Well, we can't keep blaming Hatori for this," he said quietly, "I'm calling Shigure..."



"That damn dog wouldn't know what to do if the answer bit him in his hairy ass! He's always been planning something with Tohru-kun, but we were lucky that she got her memory erased before we could find out! ... No, I say we leave him out of this."



"Do you have any better suggestions?" Yuki asked wearily, rubbing his temples as he placed his elbows upon the table.



Kyo tilted his head, clearly thinking about their options, which were not very many. He sighed before finally answering, "No..."



Yuki snorted, shaking his head, "I didn't think so."



"What do you think Akito was talking about this morning? What financial trouble might her husband be in?" The cat asked suspiciously.



The silent rat's eyes widened, "Of course! I don't believe this... How he could–?"



"How he could, what?" Kyo demanded, frowning at the dawning realization upon his companion's face.



"It was Akito," Yuki said earnestly, "Don't you see, you stupid cat? He was the one to cause the problem between Tohru and her husband. Yamamoto-san is a business associate of our family... It is highly possible that Akito somehow managed to get Yamamoto-san to give Tohru's husband some bad advice regarding his business... How could I have been so blind?"



"Why would he do that?"



"To ruin her life, to separate them..." Yuki paused, "They can't stay here any longer. We have to tell them to go, otherwise Akito might–might do something even more damaging to them. He's playing with their lives; her son's life. Kyo, we can't let this go on. If something happens to her–them, her family, I'll never forgive myself."



The shock in the cat's face was mirrored in his own.



"Call Shigure," Kyo said softly, looking out of the open window with a scowl on his face. The silent agreement between the pair, spoke volumes.




The silence was unbearable.



She turned on her side to face her husband, as the cotton sheets stuck to her body like second skin. The furrow in his brow as he looked at the ceiling, indicated the deep seed of worry that had been growing in his mind with fervor. With a gentle sigh, she reached across to smooth away his frown.



He grasped her wrist with a wry smile, brushing her knuckles with his soft, moist lips. "I'm dreading tomorrow," he admitted reluctantly.



Tohru nodded in understanding as she slid closer to burrow herself into his warm, naked side. "It's a good thing you have me here," she assured with a teasing smile.



"Yes... I couldn't agree more," he laughed and cradled her closely in his arms. He had thought that he would lose her; what a fool he had been! He should have known that she was like no other. She trusted him infinitely; still does. And for that, he thanked every God known to man.



The ring of the villa phone, echoed through the stillness of the mid-morning air. He watched from beneath his lashes as his wife leaned across to answer one of the many phones in the comfy villa.



"Moshi moshi? Ah... Hatori-san!... Yes, I will... Why? But–I see, I understand... Thank you," she clicked the receiver into place and collapsed against her husband's chest.



He held back a chuckle at the exasperation on her face, "What did Hatori-san want?"



"Akito-san wishes to speak to me at his house. He personally wants to apologize for this morning..."



Hitoshi cast her thoughtful glance, "That's rather courteous of him."



"Hatori-san also wished me to inform you that the office in Tokyo called for you at the main house. Apparently, the couldn't get through to you on your cell phone." She looked at him with curiosity, "They asked you to call them as soon as you could."



He grimaced, "It's probably about the money..."



"Hitoshi," she said softly, kissing his cheek, "We need to face this, not run away from it."



"I know," he sighed.



She sat up and began to pull on her discarded clothing that lay at the foot of the bed, "Why don't you rest for a while, then call them. In the mean time, I'll go to Akito-san and speak with him; reassure him that no damage was done."



"Are you sure? I–I have lost your trust, haven't I?" He asked, sitting up in the empty bed that seemed for too big for him to sleep in by himself.



Tohru paused in her dressing.



She looked at him with open and honest eyes, "You haven't, not entirely. I know that this is the first time you have openly lied to me and besides, my mother always said that forgiveness breeds forgiveness. I like to believe that you will forgive me if I do something... That is unlike me. So, I think I can forget about this one little mistake," she flashed him a large grin.



"Then I should be thankful to your mother for raising such an amazing daughter," he said sombrely.



A distant sorrow clouded his wife's features, "I never even had the time to visit her grave..."



"We'll come back," he promised, "Once everything is settled, we'll come back to see your mother, specifically. I promise."



She smiled serenely, now fully clothed. Before she turned to leave, they exchanged a deep kiss that held the promise of forever. But as it is known to the cynics of the world, forever does not exist.




"Why do you wish for me to be here?" He asked wearily, tiring of the games that the silent man was prone to playing.



Akito grinned wolfishly, gazing at the white bird that sat upon his index finger, "Because," he drawled softly, "I want you to see something... See what I am capable of."



Hatori frowned as he turned his head away from the open window, "See what?"



"You will know when the time comes," he replied darkly, stretching his hand out of the window to allow the bird to fly away.



He turned his palm upwards and deftly caught one of the falling cherry blossoms from the trees beside his window. The pale pink sakura shivered in his hand, as though it had read the man's hidden, cruel intention. With a prophetic gleam in his eye, he proceeded to rip the petal apart, allowing the shredded pieces to float into the room with the gentle, crisp breeze.



They landed at his feet.




The main house was large and foreboding. A dark, ominous weight settled upon her shoulders as she approached the main entrance. Akito made her feel–uncomfortable. But she did not wish to offend him by refusing his invitation to the main house. Hatori-san said that he wanted her to come alone... Without her husband, so as not to cause further embarrassment.



She had believed him, and so that was the reason why she was standing hesitantly at the entrance.



An elderly woman appeared, startling her from her thoughts. She smiled and bowed hesitantly at the woman, who returned a curious glance before bowing and gesturing at her to follow. They walked silently down the empty passageways, passing a continuous line of beautifully adorned shoji panels. She didn't have the time to admire them, as the woman was walking too fast for comfort.



Tohru wanted to say something to her. She wanted to ask her questions, but she did not know how to convey them to the stoic woman.



They stopped in front of two plain shoji panels; odd in their presence among the other delicately painted shoji walls and doors.



"You may enter," the woman rasped quietly, "Please kneel and wait for young Master Akito-san, he will be with you shortly." Before Tohru could reply with her gratitude, she was being ushered into the silent, suffocating room.



She looked around and could not see anyone. Biting her lip, she settled herself down on the tatami mat that was laid out, kneeling patiently for the Sohma man to arrive.



Never before had she been a part of such pomp and ceremony. It only proved to her that the Sohma family were a traditional family, and not like the modern families she associated with in Tokyo. She was lucky that her grand-father and mother had instilled the traditional manners within her, otherwise she would have been at a loss.



Time passed slowly, in which she glanced cautiously around the large room–a room that seemed rather tiny from the outside. It was lacking in furniture save for the tatami mats on the floor and a display cabinet, but the walls were adorned with calligraphy and paintings that were pleasing to the eye. The shoji panels that led out to the garden were open, and she could see through them and into the beauty of the emerald garden. It was more beautiful than the garden at the villa, if that was even possible!



The rustling sound of fabric caught her attention.



She watched with interest as the darkened shadow slowly stepped into the room. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized who it was. Fumbling to regain her manners, she bowed before settling herself on the floor once more as the man sat down facing her, with only a wide sea of tatami between them.



It was then that she noticed Hatori-san sitting in the right far corner of the room, hidden in the shadows. His face was pulled into a tight expression of–of what? Fear? Frustration? She couldn't quite understand the emotions he was displaying. Whatever they were, they were making a feel uneasy.



"Tohru-san."



She turned to face the Head of the Sohma family with a small, forced smile, "Hai?"



"I would like to apologize for this morning," he continued, smiling benevolently at her, "I hope that I have not caused any problems between you and your husband?"



With her doubt almost discarded, she was touched by his concern–even though he disconcerted her in ways she could not express, "No, not at all. Please, there is no need for you to apologize; all is well. Though I gladly accept it."



"So I am forgiven?" He pouted teasingly, shifting the fabric of his yukata around his knees as he bantered with her.



"Of course," she assured, smiling, "Though, there is nothing to forgive."



He grinned coldly, "How kind of you. Then you must forgive me for not catering to your family more adequately."



She paused, unsure of his words, "I'm sorry? I'm not sure that I understand."



"Of course, you wouldn't," he sighed heavily, watching like a hawk as she glanced curiously at the silent man in the corner of the room. "What I meant is that, I hope you can forgive me for not welcoming your family in the correct manner. After all, it is not always that the Sohma family invites guests into the Honke."



"Oh no, please, it's all right!" She laughed, shaking her head, "Hitoshi and I have had a wonderful time here. It's been very peaceful and such a dream to get away from the chaos of Tokyo."



"Indeed. Well then, I'm glad."



"Though, I would like to thank you for your hospitality. The grounds of your estate are beautiful and my son has thoroughly enjoyed the stay as wells." She didn't seem to notice the slight darkening of his glittering eyes.



"You're most welcome," he answered politely, through gritted teeth. "How is your son? He seemed to be enjoying his breakfast thoroughly this morning," an oddly amused expression crossed his face.



Tohru smiled, relaxing minutely in the intimidating man's presence, "He is fine, thank you; probably getting into some kind of mischief as we speak."



"Yes, children are prone to misbehaving," Akito narrowed his eyes, inspecting her as she knelt before him. "I will send a car to you tomorrow," he said suddenly, "So that you and your family may enjoy the other sights Fukushima has to offer. I'm sure you would want to see more than the inside of the Honke."



She blinked, flattered by his generosity, "That would be wonderful, but I'm afraid I must decline."



"Why?" The suspicious tone of his voice, was lost upon her.



"My family and I are to travel back to Tokyo tomorrow morning. Hitoshi has some business deals to settle and Toshi has to start his education soon. So, thank you, but perhaps we can take up your offer if we return?"



There was a moment of silence. The atmosphere thickened imperceptibly around her, tightening around her throat like a treacherous hand.



"I see," her host's quiet voice did not alarm her. However, the expression on his face did. It was one of disappointment and anger.



She could not bear to look it. "I'm very sorry," she said, trying to appease the offended man, "But we must sort out our finances as soon as possible, so we have to leave tomorrow morning. I hope you understand."



"Your husband is on the brink of bankruptcy, does this not alarm you?"



The question was personal–too personal for her liking. But she answered to the best of her ability, "No... But–why should it?" She looked at him with confusion, tilting her head thoughtfully.



"Because, your name will be ruined in the industry. You will lose all of your possessions; everything. Surely, that is enough cause for worry?" Tohru could see the exasperation written across his handsome features.



She smiled wryly, "No Akito-san. I believe that, as long as I have my family and we are in good health, money and material possessions are of no importance to me, or Hitoshi for that matter."



His shocked demeanor surprised her, "But... That's ridiculous!" He seemed surprised that she would place her family's well being above money. "Why marry your husband then, if not for financial stability?"



Tohru did not understand the man's logic, "I'm afraid I married for love, Akito-san. Not money," she reasoned, trying to make him see what she could. "That fact that Hitoshi was well-off had nothing to do with my decision to marry him. If we do become bankrupt, then I suppose it will be difficult for us, for a while but... We can always start again; as long as he and Toshi are well, and we have each other, then I am perfectly happy."



He pondered her words carefully, "You are a strange woman, Tohru-san. Most women marry into rich families for a reason, yet, you say your reasons are different. It is highly unusual and rare to marry for love."



"Not really," she said thoughtfully, "But once again, we are forever in your debt for your hospitality and I thank you for it."



Akito's expression grew blank and guarded. "Very well, it will be a shame to see you and your family leave," his voice became coated in brittle sugar, the false sweetness lost upon the woman that knelt in front of him. "I was hoping to converse with you some more, but I suspect you have a great deal of packing to do?" He stood and motioned for her to rise.



"Yes, I'm afraid we do." Tohru smiled as he held out his hand for her in a western gesture. She shook it fervently, not noticing how he pulled her closer as she did so.



At the last moment, she realized how close she was standing to the man before her. The uneasy sensation in her stomach grew once more as he towered above her; seemingly thin and frail, but exuding a hidden power beneath his casually worn, red yukata.



She tried to step back as he leaned down closer to her face, but he held onto her hand in a painfully tight manner. She wondered if she had offended him with something, for him to gaze at her the way did.



His aura seemed to grow even more threatening, "It's such a shame you can't remember Tohru-san," he whispered, causing her to frown. Before she could even ponder his strange words, his lips brushed against her cheek suggestively, sending a jolt of electricity down her spine. She almost shuddered at the contact, wondering why she was suddenly growing fearful of the man. It was not uncommon for Westerners to show such affection to acquaintances, but for a man to do so, from a traditional family such as the Sohmas, it was highly unexpected and... It honestly felt too strange for words.



Her questioning eyes wandered to the silent doctor in the corner. She looked at him with a baffled expression as he sat, as still as a statue carved from onyx marble, not daring to look at the man and woman that stood opposite from him. He had hardly spoken one word...



"Perhaps after today, you will remember everything," Akito continued in a hushed voice, smiling as he leaned in one final time to kiss the other side of her cheek. She held back a shiver as he swiftly stepped away, bowing before leaving the room faster than he had arrived. With her emotions in a torrent of confusion, she was led of out the room quickly and quietly.



She was glad that this would be her last encounter with the eccentric, unusual man.




Tohru quietly slipped into the villa with a frown creasing her brow. The meeting had been–strange. She couldn't seem to remember much of it now, which was highly unusual, and quite frightening. She secretly wondered what was going on.



Her stomach was quivering and her hands were clammy. She had thought that it was probably the morning breakfast at fault, but as she walked back to the villa, her symptoms seemed to grow worse with every step she took.



The nausea was unbearable...



Why had she gone to see Akito-san?



She couldn't remember...



With heavy feet, she trudged into the room she shared with her husband. She was lucky her son was not here to witness her in this state...



She looked about the empty room in surprise. Hitoshi was nowhere to be seen. Rubbing her chest to settle the sickening sensation in her body, she sank down into the soft comfort of the bed, and watched the room fade away into the shadows of her sleep.




"Mine, come, look at this fabric."



She looked up, turning her attention away from the small boy sitting next to her. A smile lightened her face as she looked at the turquoise silk draped in front of the man she had come to love so dearly. "It's beautiful," she remarked thoughtfully, inspecting the cloth for any flaws.



"Do you like it?" Ayame asked hopefully.



"I love it," she assured, looking away as a small hand covered her own. She missed the secretive, pleased look that crossed her lover's face, "What is it for?" She asked absently.



"It's a surprise," Ayame whispered, before returning to the front desk of the shop, with a spring in his step.



Mine smiled, shaking her head.



"Auntie Mine, look!" Toshi crowed, tearing at the scrap of fabric before him.



She looked away from the doorway to the back of the shop and smiled encouragingly at the young boy, patting his head affectionately as he spoke excitedly to himself, "That's very nice Toshi," she commented, "What other patterns can you make?"



"Lots! I'm going to make one for you and Uncle Ayame and 'Kasaan and 'Tousan!" The young boy cried; he continued to happily show her his patterns for the remainder of the afternoon.



And it was safe to say, she was in heaven.




"How long has she been like this?"



"I don't know, a few hours maybe," Hitoshi sighed fearfully, looking at the stoic doctor with concern "I came back from my walk and found her lying on the bed. I thought that perhaps she was sleeping... When she didn't wake up, I called out to her but she was too drowsy to understand me... What's wrong with her?"



Hatori looked at the man apprehensively. "Well, from what I can see, she may very well be pregnant."



The man looked at him incredulously, "What?"



"I can't be certain and we'll need to do a test, but from what I can discern, your wife could be pregnant."



Hitoshi shook his head, "As much as it would be a blessing to have another child... The time is just not right. We're in too much financial trouble and another baby will be a great responsibility–what can we do?" He looked desperately at the silent doctor.



Hatori felt a remote sting of pity for the man pacing beside him, "Right now, you need to calm down," he said flatly, "Worry about your wife and call me again if she doesn't wake up within the next two or three hours."



He looked sternly at the younger man, before casting his gaze back to the woman on the bed. His stomach lurched at the thought she may be pregnant again. For their sake, Hatori hoped that she was not. He had heard from Akito about their... Troubles. It did not take a genius to deduce that Akito had a hand in the upheaval of the couple's life. But for the moment, he was more concerned with her health.



"I want you to see something... See what I am capable of..."



The demi-god's voice surrounded Hatori like a suffocating blanket as he left the silent villa. The image of the man kissing Tohru's cheeks, burned vividly in his mind. The gesture had been too familiar–too eerie to even comprehend. What was behind that touch–that kiss?



Was this what Akito was talking about? Was this what the man was capable of? But that did not explain the fact that she may be pregnant... He desperately hoped that the angry Sohma had nothing to do with Tohru's condition. He prayed to every God he knew that that would not be the case...



In his mind, he quietly cursed the meddling demi-god for his lack of compassion regarding other people and thei happiness. For now, he could only hope that such selfish deeds would be repaid ten-fold once the sickly man finally fell too ill to live... He hoped.




He was happy.



For some unaccountable reason, he was happy. It was a strange feeling to harbor. Even stranger that he found himself smiling openly at the colorfully painted garden in front of him.



The fuse had been lit and now all that he had to do, was to wait for the fireworks to explode.



And they would be such beautiful fireworks.



He had always enjoyed them as child. But as he grew older, his heart had hardened against anything that would give a person joy–any small amount of joy. He wanted others to feel the pain in his chest, like he felt it... It was unfair that they could be so happy when he suffered for them. Why couldn't they understand his reasoning? His loneliness..?



But today–today, he would enjoy the display offered to him by Honda Tohru.



The look on her face when he had kissed her cheeks had been priceless! He had wanted to laugh loudly at the cute expression that creased at the corner of her eyes; he was left breathless by the shudder that coursed through her body, elicited by his touch. It made him feel–superior, in a way he had never experienced before. He could undertand why her husband had married her...



When he had kissed her, he had seen Hatori's disapproving gaze from the corner of his eye. But he had ignored it.



The good doctor really was too naive for his old age. Akito chuckled loudly at the thought.



The kiss was something more than a kiss for him.



Little did the dragon know, his kiss was only the beginning–simply the beginning. He sighed; the price of being a God was inexpensive compared to the rewards reaped.



And Honda Tohru would be his one and only reward.