Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Fire Hearts ❯ First Contact ( Chapter 1 )

[ A - All Readers ]

Hey there! I haven't read too many good stories with Akito in them and so I figured I could write a good story for myself.
 
Ahem. SPOILER!!!!!SPOILER HERE!!!!!
 
Do NOT read this next sentence if you don't want to spoil one of Fruits Basket's secrets!!!!
 
TURN BACK IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE SECRET ABOUT AKITO!
 
……………
 
Akito is a girl. Yes, many people seem to know nowadays but some don't. In this story all of the Zodiac members (except for Shigure and Hatori) think Akito is a guy.
 
(You find out Akito is a girl in the later versions of the Manga. You see Akito looking into a mirror without a shirt on and you get full view of her feminine chest.) Yup. If you think about it, it explains why Akito likes Yuki so much and hates Tohru. Akito is a girl that is head over heels for Yuki and Tohru is the one that easing her way up on all the male zodiac members! No offense, but I'd be mad at her too! Just so you know, I hate Tohru with a passion. I really like Shigure, Hatori, Kyo and Hatsuharu though.
 
As for the male character in the story who has the hots for Akito, I sort of imagine him to look like Reno from Final Fantasy VII Advent Children. But feel free to imagine him looking like some other character that you're fond of!
 
Reno is so hot….O_o
 
P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISTER!!! =D
 
Let's get this show on the road!
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Heavy rain was falling hard on Akito's porch. She could hardly see 15 feet into the distance before everything became hazed and dark. The weather had been like this since morning.
 
She stared out of the window towards the other houses on the Sohma Estate and wondered what some of the Zodiac were doing. Hatsuharu was probably getting lost again, Momiji was most likely playing with Kagura. Hiro was most definitely following Kisa around and Hotohori at this time of day was probably….
 
Akito gasped and turned her head to the clock above her dresser. Almost two thirty…Hatori would be here any minute to give her a checkup and make sure the drafty weather wasn't affecting her health. She despised her even though Hatori was very gentle when he did anything with her.
 
`I wonder if I'll need a shot today,' Akito thought, staring squeamishly at her arm. Akito sighed and took one last look at the clock before getting out of bed and returning to the window. She felt terrible today, and every other day.
 
All she was allowed to do was stay in her room and go out on her porch. Now that she had visited her bed and window at least once, her day was as exciting as it could possibly become.
 
A knock came at her door. Akito let her head fall forward onto the window sill, by mistake hurting herself more than she intended. The door opened slowly and Hatori walked in wearing his white coat and carrying his briefcase and tools. “What happened?” he asked, having heard the `bump' sound. Akito massaged her forehead slowly, “Nothing I just…hit my head by mistake.” Hatori paused for a moment but said nothing and began laying out his thermometers, pills, needles and such.
 
Akito walked back to her bed and sat down.
 
 
“How are you feeling today? It's very cold in here,” Hatori remarked. “I feel better today,” Akito lied. She didn't feel any different than any other day, but if she lied she might spare herself of a needleshot or another case of pills.
 
 
Hatori brought out his stethoscope and very cautiously pulled the top of Akito's haori/kimono open.
 
Akito stared straight at Hatori, and smiled amused. It was always a little funny when Hatori touched her chest during her checkups. He usually became stiff and a little nervous. Mostly because Akito was beginning to develop a more feminine top and it was a constant reminder that only he and a few other Sohma's knew that Akito was a really a girl.
 
Thankfully Akito was still rather flat-chested, which made it easier to fool the other zodiac members into thinking what they were supposed to.
 
 
Hatori listened to Akito's heart beat for a minute and made a few notes on his clipboard.
 
 
“You sound good today, if you stay warm for the next few days then I promise not to give you shots for the rest of the week.” This was music to Akito's ears, but it wasn't unusual for Hatori to make little deals with her; promising to reward her if she took care of herself. “Okay,” Akito replied in slight monotone.
 
Whenever she was around others she seemed to put up a wall where she spoke little, yet strictly, and had a sort of sadistic mood surrounding her. It was the way she always acted, after all, she was the head of the family; she had to demand some type of respect.
 
 
“I'll be back tomorrow, but until then keep your room warm, don't open the windows or go out onto the porch and eat a little extra tonight. When the weather clears up then you can go outside but I can't have you becoming sick now, especially when the rest of the Sohma family is starting to catch colds.” Hatori packed up his things and left the room.
 
 
Akito let out an aggravated grunt and threw a pillow at the wall. There was nothing to do! “I don't want to watch movies,” she said aloud. “I can't go outside…I don't have any new books.” Her eyes wandered around the room until they fell unto her closet.
 
 
She thought for a moment then shoved herself up off the bed and made her way towards the closet door. “Maybe I could dress up or something,” she whispered to herself sifting through the hangars. A light green pattern dress caught her eye.
 
 
It was stuffed as far into the closet as anything could be. The dress was passed down to her from her mother and it was the only feminine piece of outerwear clothing that she had.
 
 
She pulled the dress out slowly and stared at it. She hadn't tried it on in years. Mostly because she loathed her mother and could hardly stand to think of her let alone wear her clothes. She walked to her mirror and held the dress against her body.
 
 
Every once in a while Akito would attempt to wear make-up and make herself look a little feminine. Just for kicks. `Why not?' Akito thought.
 
She made sure to lock and bolt her door and draw her curtains together over her window. She didn't really worry about the porch door, it was raining so hard outside she was sure no Sohma would be out and about (especially around her area).
 
 
If anyone ever saw her in a dress she doubted that they would jump to the conclusion that she was a girl, but they might question whether the “male” Akito was a cross dresser or something.
 
She slipped the dress on carefully and then brushed her hair into a side parting and pulled it upwards into as much of a bun as she could. She went to her dresser and found her mother's haircomb. Akito pushed it in her hair and then put on her only pair of earrings that she had stolen from Rin a few years back.
 
She looked into the mirror and felt like smiling and frowning at the same time. She did think she looked quite pretty but then she had a strange feeling in her stomach that this wasn't right or normal for her.
 
A large knock from her porch brought her out of her thoughts and her heart raced. She began to panic and silently curse while she quickly tried to undo her hair and shove her jewelry into drawers. By mistake she slammed her finger in a drawer and cursed freely still trying to change. Again someone was banging on the porch door.
 
 
She figured she could hide the dress behind the large curtains. She ran to the backdoor and opened it while holding the curtain in front of her body.
 
There she saw a dark-red haired boy, maybe seventeen or eighteen, completely drenched from head to foot.
 
 
He had slightly long bangs and what looked like sun glasses or goggles pushed up on his head. Akito also thought she saw a thin red ponytail swing back and forth when he moved.
 
The rain was so loud she could hardly hear him when he spoke, “Sorry for knockin'! I got lost by mistake in the rain and I thought this was a park or something but turns out it's...well, your house. Do you mind telling me where's the gate outta this place?”
 
 
Akito's was slightly shocked and stumped, this was the first time a stranger had wandered onto the Sohma Estate. Maybe this was some robber/rapist who was just trying to fool her? Akito didn't realize she had been silent for a while and the boy spoke again. “Hey, just point me in the right direction and I'll be out of you hair.”
 
 
Akito decided she could defend herself if anything strange did happen so she quickly said, “Come in, I'll find a way to get you out of this estate.”
 
 
The boy seemed cautious at first, who knew if this guy (Akito) he was staring at was a killer or something? He walked in coolly regardless of his nerves, and looked around the room. It was big but pretty plain.
 
 
“Hey thanks, it's really cold out there. Don't be afraid or anything I'm not some psycho, I really did get lost on my way home.” Akito nodded but stayed conscious about the dress she was wearing. The boy soon noticed Akito's awkward behavior and also noticed Akito would not stop holding the curtain in front of her body.
 
“Hey, man are you like naked or something because I can go back outside while you change or whatever,” the red haired boy said with one eyebrow raised.
 
Akito looked down at the curtain then back at the boy. Without thinking she let the curtain go and the boy stood still. He then said quickly, “Oh, you're a girl? Sorry about calling you a guy, I didn't see your dress and well….in the dark I guess I thought you looked like a guy.”
 
 
Akito stood still also and then said, “Don't worry, actually most of my family would probably agree with you….”
 
Akito quickly moved towards her bathroom and brought out a towel for the boy. “My name's Reno, I live off of Himishi Road. I just got back from a family party and on my way home it started raining like crazy. I guess I walked the wrong way and ended up here.”
 
“Hm, are you sure you didn't jump a wall by mistake?” Akito said a little sarcastically. She surprised herself instantly. Had she just joked? She never joked with anyone. But Reno laughed and thought for a while. “Nope I didn't. Maybe you left a gate open or something, and I thought it was the street to my house. This place is huge; do you know who owns it?”
 
Reno put the towel over his head and began to dry his hair. Akito didn't know what to say, technically she owned it. “My….family owns it. This is the Sohma Estate,” she brought out a chair and motioned for him to sit.
 
 
He took a seat and replied, “Sohma huh? I don't think I've ever heard that name.” Akito paused, “Well, I'm not that surprised….our family members usually keep to themselves. It's raining pretty hard outside, I can give you directions now but you can stay here for a while. At least until the rain softens.”
 
 
`Oh god, what am I saying? If anyone catches him here then I'm fucked,' Akito thought fumbling with her dress. Reno paused and thought about it, “Well, the offer sounds good to me. What happens while I wait?” He looked around the room curiously. There was a t.v., a bookcase, a dresser, and a bed; nothing much.
 
“I'm not allowed out of my room so I usually just sit here all day,” Akito replied. She sat on her bed and stared at Reno slightly uninterested.
 
 
She did notice that he was….well, drop dead gorgeous, but this was the first time in years she was actually acting like a girl. She just felt like they were both guys. The only boys she had ever been truly interested in were Yuki and Shigure, but they were family that she had known all her life. This guy on the other hand was a complete stranger.
 
 
“Are you grounded or something? Well, I know how that goes. I've been grounded tons of times, but usually I just get into my car and drive away before my old man can say anything. He doesn't really care anyways; he's pretty cool that way.”
 
 
Akito figured Reno would entertain her for a while, at least she wasn't back to looking out of her window all day. “If you have a car then why were you walking home?” she asked. “My friend is borrowing it, lucky son of a gun. He's a good guy though I can trust him. He said he'd call me when he's done with it.”
 
 
The boy brought out his cell phone and checked for any missed calls.
 
Akito moved closer to him, “I wish I had a cell phone. When did you get yours?” The boy looked at his phone, “This OLD thing? I've had it for years, it's time to bury it and get a new one. I'm surprised though, you have this huge estate but not a cell phone?” he said quizzically. “Well, I wouldn't really need one anyways, I don't have too many people to talk to,” Akito replied. “I see,” Reno said. “So, what's your name, doll eyes?”
 
Akito furrowed her eyebrows when he said that. No one had ever called her doll eyes, or doll face or doll anything. This guy really did see her as a girl, maybe even a pretty girl. He knew something so shocking and he didn't even realize it. `I can't say my name is Akito….that's a boy's name,' she thought.
 
“Well, my name is…..Akiko…?” she said. She was almost asking him if that was her name. “Akiko? Cute name for a cute girl,” he said smiling kindly. Akito felt so strange. The smile he had directed towards her was so kind and sweet she felt happy for once. She also felt her face become slightly heated, this was the first time she had ever blushed too!
 
“How's the rain, Akiko?” he asked looking out of the window. She felt a little funny responding to the name Akiko but it sounded just the same as `Akito' when he said it. She suddenly remembered what he was waiting for and turned to look outside. “It still seems like it's coming down hard. Are you supposed to be somewhere today? It's about three-ten right now,” she said. “Nope, actually the party earlier today was the only thing I had planned. I would have probably just gone home and fallen asleep. I usually sleep when it rains, it just makes me relaxed.”
 
“I like the rain also, but I always have to stay inside so I won't get sick,” Akito said. “I'm not surprised, you're pretty skinny, even for a girl. You must get sick often,” Reno observed. Akito frowned and glanced at her mirror. She wasn't that skinny, and her dress made her look a little bulkier at least.
 
“Sometimes I do get sick but I'm used to it. So how old are you anyways?” Akito asked while trying to make her voice sound a little more like a girl's. “Eighteen. And you?” “Seventeen, but my birthday is in a month,” Akito replied quickly.
 
 
She wanted the awkward silence in her room to dissapear. At least then he would be tempted to stay longer. “That's great,” he said and smiled at her again with the same kind smile. This time she felt herself melt inside.
Reno's eye twitched once and then he sneezed. “Sorry, my clothes are still wet y'know?” Akito did notice that his clothes were sticking to his body rather tightly (wink) and she thought about maybe getting a dry tee-shirt for him. “I have some boys clothes in my closet if you want to borrow them for now.”
 
Akito opened her closet and welcomed Reno in to choose something. “Hey, these all look like guy's clothes. Are they yours?” Reno asked suspiciously while picking out a shirt and shorts.
 
Akito stuttered for a moment, shutting the closet door slowly. “No, they're my brother's clothes. This used to be his room but he….he moved out and left his old clothes there I guess.” Reno nodded while slipping off his wet shirt.
 
Akito turned her head to get a sneak peak at his chest. She wasn't interested in him or anything! She was just….curious? Well, his chest was nicely toned and smooth-looking.
 
Reno noticed her staring and stopped. “Oh sorry, should I change in the bathroom or outside?” Akito shook her head, “No no, it's fine I'll wait out in the hall.” “Well I feel bad making you leave your room!” Reno said quickly but Akito was already gone.
 
She surveyed the corridors, keeping a watch for any family members. She sighed heavily and leaned against the wall. “What am I doing?” she groaned smacking her forehead once. Her bedroom door slid open and Reno's head popped out. “I changed, it fits fine. Thanks a lot, those wet clothes were freezing.” Akito nodded and returned to her bed.
 
Reno was about to speak but they both heard sudden footsteps coming from the hallway. Akito gasped and ran to Reno so she could hold her hand over his mouth. She turned her bedroom lamp off so her dress would be less noticeable. The footsteps grew nearer and out of desperation and fear she almost threw Reno across the room into her bathroom. She told him to “shoosh” and closed the bathroom door just in time before her own bedroom door opened. Hatori walked in slowly bowing his head. “I forgot my notes and clipboard, did you see it around?”
 
Akito's heart raced and she tried to keep calm while scanning the room for a clipboard. If Reno opened the bathroom door, sneezed, or coughed then Hatori would definitely notice something was wrong! She almost tore apart her bed sheets rampaging across the corner of her room where Hatori had previously been.
 
“Why is it so dark in here? I'll turn on a light and search, don't worry,” Hatori said making his way to the light switch. “No!” Akito screeched pulling him away; she could not let Hatori notice she had changed into a dress. There, she saw the clipboard and grabbed it viciously. She handed it to Hatori, who was studying her carefully. “Are you alright? You're acting very strange and rushed.” Akito frowned saying, “I'm fine. Now get out! Get out!!!”
 
Hatori didn't need Akito to ruin his other eye before he got the idea. He grabbed his clipboard and left hastily.
 
Akito ran her hand over her face, brushing some hair away from her forehead. She listened carefully until she was sure Hatori was gone. After turning on her lights she went into the bathroom to look for Reno.
 
“Reno?” she asked knocking softly. “It's ok to come out now.”
 
The door opened slowly and Reno stepped out cautiously. “Who was that Akiko? Your dad or something?” Reno returned to his seat after making sure the room was empty. “That was my cousin. He's older and he wouldn't want you here,” Akito said scratching the back of her head awkwardly. “Sorry for hiding you away like that.”
 
 
“Should I go? I don't want you to get caught,” Reno said folding his tie. Akito shook her head vigorously, “No no. It's fine, no one ever walks in on me. I'll probably be alone for the rest of the day.” Reno leaned back looking at his cell phone again. He flipped it shut and returned it to his pocket.
 
 
“So, what now?” he asked with a laid-back expression on his face. Akito sat on her bed nervously. What did she have that would interest Reno? (A/N: Nothing nasty you sickos.) Everyone in her family was boring, they didn't have games or movies or anything.
 
“I don't know,” Akito said searching her room for something that was time-consuming. “It's fine, I'm easily entertained. Once my friend Cloud gave me a bottle of bubble soap, I thought it was the stupidest thing ever. In the end, those bubbles kept me occupied for an hour and a half,” Reno said smiling. Akito laughed twiddling her fingers with her bed sheets.
 
A catchy soft tune caught their attention and Reno quickly answered his cell phone. “Ja?” he asked leaning his chair back on two legs. Akito could only hear murmurs from the other person on the phone. Reno continued, “I already left the party, man.”
 
Akito took this time to look in the mirror and fix herself just a tad bit. For once she was feeling a little insecure about the way she looked. She still listened to Reno though.
 
“No man, you won't believe it. As soon as I stepped out of the house the rain started pouring down like bullets. Anyways, I made some wrong turn and ended up lost in some big estate and now I'm just waiting here for the rain to ease off.”
 
Akito heard very loud murmuring from the phone and smiled when Reno looked at her rolling his eyes while holding his phone a few inches from his ear.
 
“Take it easy! Geez, don't worry. This girl let me into her house over here. She gave me some dry clothes and she's going to show me the way out of this place in a while.” Reno smiled at Akito.
 
A little bit more murmuring came from the phone. Reno paused for a minute laughing slightly. “Yea, I said a girl, and that's totally off topic. What does that have to do with you finding me?”
 
Akito tilted her head curiously. Reno turned to face the wall and said quietly, “Yea yea, get your sick kicks from a telephone. She's cute alright? Sheesh. Anyways, I'll text you the address to this place and you better come get me. If you hadn't borrowed Cloud's bike then he wouldn't have borrowed my car, none of this would have happened.”
 
A few murmurs came from the phone again. “Mhmm. Yea, talk to ya later Rude,” Reno hung up his phone.
 
Akito blushed and tried to hide it by looking down at the floor. Reno had called her cute! It made her…..what's the word…. giddy.
 
“Sorry about that,” Reno said directing his attention to her once more. “No problem. Who was that anyways?” Akito asked.
 
Reno sighed amusedly, “Ah, just one of my stupid friends, Rude. He's pretty cool. He said he'd come pick me up, can I have your address?”
 
Akito stood up quickly, “Oh, sure. It's 12115 Koboui Way. It's right off of the Hakuko and Rabarai crossroad. Just tell him to take the dirt road to the left,that will take him to the garden you came through.”
 
Reno murmured under his breath while typing into his cell phone, “12115 Koboui Way….”
 
“Dirt road on the left,” Akito repeated slowly. Reno nodded and got up from his chair. “Well, he'll be here soon; he's not too far off.” “Oh, ok,” Akito said looking around sadly. “Thanks a lot for your help Akiko,” Reno said handing Akito the hand towel she had given him. “It's fine,” Akito said smiling slightly.
 
“Do you want your brother's clothes back?” Reno asked pulling his shirt forward. “No it's okay. Nobody needs them,” Akito replied. Akito and Reno both heard what sounded like a honk. “Oh, he's already here. That was fast,” Reno said walking over the porch doors. “I'll make a run for it, it's still raining hard; I don't want to get soaked again.”
 
“Well, good luck with getting home,” Akito said waving half-heartedly and opening the doors. “Thanks again Akiko!” Reno said making his way out, but he stopped and turned back to her. “Hey, can I have your number?” Reno asked looking hopeful.
 
Akito paused. What? He wanted her number? No one had ever asked her for her number. EVER. She didn't even know if she had a number. Now, what was the number of her house again?
 
A honk rang through the air again. “Hold your horses!” Reno yelled at a black bike that had just pulled up. “Here Akiko, let me give you mine.”
 
After Reno had hurriedly written down his number on a scrap piece of paper he ran through the rain and hopped on the back of the motorcycle slipping on a black helmet.
 
Akito held the scrap paper tightly and watched Reno ride away. He waved and then turned a corner and was out of sight.
“He's gone. Just like that…” Akito murmured looking at the piece of paper with seven digits and a scribbled little smiley face.
 
 
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So how was it? Don't worry, it'll get better than this. A lot better, it's just hard for me to start out stories, the first chapter is very important.
 
Anyways, reviews always encourage me to continue my stories! So please review!
 
And are you going to ANIME EXPO? Let me know if you are!
Oh and let me know if you go on GaiaOnline. It's a great site, let me know if you have an account on there!
 
Oh and shout out to my sister! IT'S HER BIRTHDAY!! WHOOO! -removes tee-shirt-
 
ChobitsXDarkFreya gone WILD!!! 21 SISTA!!! Haha WHOO!