Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Force of Destiny ❯ Revelations ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket, even though I asked Santa for it...*sigh*.

Chapter 3: Revelations

I sit transfixed, gaping at her in surprise. I can clearly see her face, bathed in the light of the moon, framed by the wild, silken tangle of her hair, and the beauty of the moonlit garden fades to insignificance. Somehow, I remember to breathe again, and the scent of lilacs and cherry blossoms drifts to me, drugging my senses. I take another deep breath, inhaling the light, clean fragrance, half closing my eyes in the simple pleasure of knowing even this much about her. Another breath, and I unconsciously shift slightly forward, moving as if pulled to her, inevitable as the tide...

Her eyes widen in an instant of fear, then narrow into a fierce expression. Determination is stamped into every graceful line of her features, her lips firming, pressing together in fierce concentration. Her outflung hand lifts more fully toward me, light seeming to coalesce into a loose cloud of wavering pale blue fire. 'What the hell is going on? Maybe I am dreaming, after all?' is my startled thought. Then all rationality flees as she parts her lips to speak.

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"Don't make another move closer. I won't let you hold us here any longer! I'll do all I can to escape you!" There is an edge of desperation to her throaty warning and, panic shimmers in her dark eyes.

She is fairly hissing with the force of her anger. Her hair seems to lift a little and crackle with invisible energy. Then the meaning of her words begins to penetrate my surprise, and I realize she is speaking as if she, too, is a prisoner here. Fierce joy flashes through my heart at the thought of gaining a companion in misery, and I surge forward onto my knees, eager to help her, to assure her I mean her no harm, that I, too, am trapped. My abrupt movement startles her, though, and she backs up half a step, the light around her fingers compacting into a glowing, pulsing ball; it is aimed at my chest. 'She's afraid...of me.' The revelation is like a slap, and I pause.

"Akito," she pleads faintly, desperate tears in her voice,"don't make me do this."

'Wait.' I think, stunned. 'Akito?! She thinks I'm Akito?!' Of course, concealed in the deep shadows of my room as I am, she can only see vague suggestions of my appearance: dark hair, slender build, traditional clothing, all so similar to him. He always liked me that way; his carbon-copy. It is an easy mistake for her to make.

As I open my mouth to correct the misunderstanding, though, a dark form glides in behind her stalls any words I was hoping to speak. A silky, sibilant voice drifts from the shadows, slithering its way to our ears. Sweat pops out on my forehead, and I watch the mysterious beauty's dark eyes widen in terror.

"Who are you talking to, my sweet?" purrs the voice. We both take a startled, shaky breath.

'Akito.'

She swings around wildly, completely off guard, hand still open and eyes wide. The ball of energy she has been holding tears from her, burns past Akito's ear and crashes through the fusuma behind him, rending the delicate paper and splintering the wooden frame. The family head's eyes narrow, he bares his teeth and growls in violent fury. I see him raise his hand and spring to my feet in a desperate attempt to reach the startled woman in time to prevent the blow from landing.

The back of his hand crashes against her delicate cheek with a sickening sound, snapping her head to the side, shocked pain stamped clearly on her face. She stumbles sideways, and her knees give way. I watch her begin to crumple bonelessly to the floor and launch myself to get underneath her in time, attempting to absorb the shock of her fall. She lands heavily against me, knocking the breath from my lungs as the unyielding floor fails to take in as much of the impact as I would have preferred. Reflexively, I wrap my arms around her and simply lay there, white bursts of light flashing behind my closed eyes, struggling to drag in air. My fuzzy senses barely register the sound of Akito's measured footsteps, slowly stalking closer. He pauses by my shoulder, where her head is cradled. I don't think she is conscious.

"Don't disobey me again. I might be inclined to take...", he tilts his head in thought, "more...extreme...measures." A slight, wicked smile twists his narrow lips.

"You cannot escape me. Ne, Yuki?"After a breathless heartbeat, he resumes his deliberate progress away. The faint sound of his yukata and haari trailing after him could be heard long after his steps faded, a reminder of his constant presence and power.

I take a deep, shaky breath and will my muscles to relax from their knotted tension. I feel the woman shudder and moan a little in pain and fear. She shakes as silent sobs wrack her slender frame. I look down at her head cradled on my shoulder and feel her hot tears dampen my collar. Her body is draped limply over mine, and I can't resist tracing my fingers gently over her already bruising cheek. Her skin is like velvet. Her eyelids flutter open and I suck in a quick breath. 'Gods! She's beautiful. And the feel of her against me...it feels so right...'Wait. No. Something is not quite right. My overloaded brain feels sluggish. Then, like a lightning strike, everything snaps into focus: 'So, this is how it feels to...hold...a woman...'My thoughts screech to a violent stop. 'Hold a woman...Hold a woman...What the hell is going on?!?'