Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Force of Destiny ❯ Engagement ( Chapter 23 )

Disclaimer: Okay. I don't own it, some broad named Takaya Natsuki does. But that doesn't mean I can't lay claim to Shigure...or just lay him. I mean, it's not like he objects...

** Going on vacation for 1 wk-don't count on updates...but I'll try!! **

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~

Last Chapter:

"Yes. But first, let me introduce you to your cousin Kyou's bride-to-be," another graceful gesture sweeps toward a blushing Tohru, as if I do not know perfectly well who she is.

As if I did not share meals with her, plant strawberries with her, cry on her shoulder, kiss her, confess my love, or create a million other tiny, significant memories with her. But I did not say this. Instead, I bowed to her in greeting, listening as Akito said our names in turn.

Only when I heard her soft, melodic, "Pleased to meet you," did I dare raise my eyes to hers, steeling myself for the lack of recognition in those wide blue pools.

My expectations were met when only friendly politeness met me, but the sharp stab of bitter regret is blunted when a flash of velvety yellow embedded in silky locks catches my attention. I suck in a sharp breath, then my smile relaxes into a natural articulation of the sincere warmth I had tortured my lips into before.

There, peeking out at me from the depths of her chestnut hair are the ribbons I gave her for White Day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~

Chapter 23: Engagement

"Those are beautiful ribbons," I say, perhaps a bit breathlessly. I flick a glance at Kyou, who is certainly responsible for the ribbons. He studiously avoids my gaze, but I notice the faint trace of red on his cheeks. Unexpectedly, unwillingly, warm gratitude wells up in my chest. I stamp it down by reminding myself that he promised to let her wear them from time to time. An obligation met-no more, no less.

But `time to time' didn't mean the one day you would perhaps need to see them the most, a small voice whispers. Stupid voice. I know it's right.

"Eh?" she raises her hand to her hair, fingers playing self-consciously with the scalloped edges of the ornament, "Thank you."

I'm tempted to ask her where she got them, but I do not want to risk Akito finding out the significance of the warm strips of velvet. My mind pictures the scrap of satiny blue ribbon I have folded in my pants pocket, a taunting gift from Akito, but also a source of comfort for me. A reminder of both the true nature of Akito's game tonight, and my own resolve to protect Kaji and Tohru from him. So instead, I smile gently at her, then turn my attention to the Souma master, intent on moving this chess game along.

"You said we are celebrating tonight, Akito-san?" There. I'm proud of the steady banality of my tone. Go ahead and prod me about the engagement. I dare you. "I take it we are honoring Kyou and Honda-san's engagement?"

If Akito is surprised at my introduction of a topic he most certainly hopes is brutally painful to me, it does not show. Quite to the contrary, the sly set of his lips and the dark, demonic light in his eyes screams satisfaction. I feel like I've walked into a trap, only I don't know what the snare is.

"We are celebrating an engagement, but not Kyou and Tohru-san's," he turns to the woman in question and bestows another genial smile on her, "but I am only to happy to include them in this evening's...entertainments."

A shiver traces down my spine at the shadow of menace implied in his choice of words, and blatant in his tone and narrowed gaze. Another impending wedding, but whose? I race mentally down a list of Souma names, almost positive one of the Juunishi would be the only one Akito would bother himself over. Unless someone has had a whirlwind romance in the few months I have been secluded, I am coming up blank.

Akito chuckles, the strangely breathy sound slipping through the air. He shakes his head at me, making a `tsk-tsk' sound of admonishment. That he knows what I was thinking makes me grit my teeth.

"Now, now, Yuki. So impatient to find out all of my good news," he leans closer conspiratorially, laying one pale, cold hand high upon my thigh. I have to forcibly unclench my jaw, and it becomes a struggle not to flinch away. I marvel anew at the amazing self-control Kaji displays around him. "We can't go and ruin the surprise before the guest of honor has arrived, now can we?"

A chill of foreboding slithers down my spine at Akito's sweetly menacing manner. His obvious implication is that he has some special surprise planned for Kaji, the only guest yet to arrive. But what does this other `engagement' have to do with her? It is almost a sure bet that he doesn't intend to marry her off to me, as he suspects such a circumstance might make me deliriously happy. My thoughts string along, conjuring wilder and wilder possibilities: he will pair her off with Hatori...or Shigure...or Ayame! Then utter terror.

He wants her for himself! I think in a moment of panic.

It would certainly be a master stroke, combining a means to make the most people possible miserable, as well as gaining legal control over her-and her power. She would be permanently bound to him as his wife, and as such, she could never escape. And I would be forced to bear silent witness to her suffering every day, for we share the same prison and I am equally bound to Akito.

All contemplation scatters at the sound of the doors sliding open smoothly on their tracks. My heart stutters a beat and my thoughts spin wildly out of control when my amazed eyes take in the graceful, willowy form framed in the threshold. Around me I hear both Shigure and Hatori suck in equally stunned breaths. She is even more ravishing tonight than that first moment she drifted into my line of vision, bathed in moonlight.

The darkness of the kimono, even relieved as it is by colorful, heavy embroidery, makes the paleness of her skin glow. Her hair is raw flame confined by some sort of miraculous means, and the long, graceful line of her nape...my fingers itch to retrace the soft skin that I know, from recent enjoyable experience, is sweetly sensitive.

Those incredibly expressive hazel eyes sweep the room, taking in each guest in turn. She locks her green-gold gaze on me, and the spark of electric awareness flares between us, warming me as nothing else can. She knows the game as well as I do, though, so with little more than a polite nod of her head she shifts her regard to Hatori beside me.

The doctor gets much the same consideration I did, but, is it my imagination, or did she just flash him a warm smile? The beginnings of jealousy bubble up in me, and I forcibly tamp the dangerous emotion down. I cannot afford to lose my control, and giving in to the volatile insecurity caused by self-doubt will only ensure Akito's hopes for this evening are met-and probably exceeded.

Kaji's gaze passes over Kyou without expression, except for perhaps a brief moment of interest in his coloring, so similar to her own. She even takes in Tohru's demure figure with barely a flicker, but a very definite smile of recognition graces her lips-she has correctly guessed who the young woman is.

Something inside me relaxes. I had hoped she would approve of my friend and first love, just as I want Tohru's approval of Kaji. The two women I love as fast friends would be ideal...as long as Tohru's memories of me remain gone, that is.

I note that Kaji is avoiding Akito's eye, so her appraisal finally comes to rest on Shigure, who is practically panting for an opportunity to catch her attention. As far as I know, he has no conception of who Kaji is, and in his mind that makes her fair game. I watch, biting my tongue, as his most practiced, seductive smile slides across his handsome face. The look, so very different from his usual childish pouting and playful whining, transforms his somewhat boyish looks to something mature, masculine-and dangerously inviting.

I can taste blood in my mouth now from the pressure my teeth have exerted on my tongue to hold my temper in check, but beyond a slight lifting of her brows, she does not respond to my cousin's openly admiring gaze. Still, it is all I can do stop myself from launching across the table at him.

I flick a glance at Akito out of the corner of my eye, hoping he has not noticed my tension and guessed at the true depths of my feelings for Kaji. If he did, it would be an unparalleled disaster, worse than Tohru's predicament, because Akito does not have the option of simply erasing her memories-he has already tried that and failed. The alternatives are not pleasant, and probably would involve blood. Thankfully, though, the demon's attention seemed to have been resting completely upon Kaji as she stands, poised and elegant, waiting with patient aplomb for her captor and host to acknowledge her presence and bid her enter.

Suddenly, and for the first time this evening, an unfeigned smile of delight crosses Akito's features, shockingly reaching as far as his eyes. For one brief, bewildering moment, he actually appears genuinely...happy. Then the light fades in his eyes, their usual demonic glitter reasserts itself and his smile twists into a smirk.

"Ah, here she is now," he says smoothly in a tone of smug possession, "my betrothed."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~

What can Akito be planning? Has sadistic sexual strain finally gotten to him? Is he only using the women to get to his boys? (Duh) Or, could Akito, in some, sick, twisted perversion of emotion, finally fallen in love? What's going on here?!? BWAHAHAHAHA! And, like the truly evil authoress I am, I'M GOING ON VACATION!!! Don't worry, though...to stave off death threats, I promise to try and write, if not actually post, during my leisure time.

As always, thank you so much for the support and reviews! It means so much to me! The more reviews I get, the better I write (or so I think, anyway). Responses below:

R Junkie: You thought that last one was bad...how about this one? I'm soooo awful! Evil cliffies! Evil cliffies! I love them! (How else am I supposed to keep readers coming back?) I will expect a review full of CENSOR CENSORs, okay? LOL

koliverkreft: So, did you get the answer to the ribbons? I thought it was sweet of Kyou to so that for Yuki...but he'll never admit it, of course. *sigh* Another emotionally constipated bishie. That's what heroines are for! Thanks for the support!

Punkrawker5: Sorry for the confusion...this story is only from either Yuki or Kaji's perspective (except for that small section of Akito's-I may get in his head again, but I'm not sure). Hope that helps narrow it down a bit. Well, thanks for the review! It is much appreciated!

AnGeL-chan: You poor thing! *pats AnGeL-chan's back in sympathy* I don't know what I'd do without my computer for more than a day or two. (Yes, I need to get some outside hobbies.) Consider your delay forgiven-to be without technology (and Ha-San!) For three weeks...that's cruel and unusual punishment! Call Amnesty International! Call the UN! For God's sake, CALL HATORI! I'll see if I can wrest him away from Akito long enough to come give you a little `pick-me-up' *wink, wink, nudge, nudge* okay? As always, thanks for the long-term support! Read my review of your fic-I loved it!

Jaredono: Another loyal groupie ;P gone AWOL! What's the world coming to? I need my fan base!!! *ahem* Well, I'm sorry to hear about your future sister-in-law...I hope all is well now! My husband has a hilarious drinking story about Atlantic City, but, as much as I would LOVE to tell everyone, I think he'd kill me. Besides, it would take too long. Let's just say being chucked bodily over an outside staircase into some bushes (after being shoved through a window) was involved...all while too wasted to move. Ahh...the vagaries of youth, as Shi-kun would say. Speaking of which! Yes, I completely forgot about Shi-kun. He forgave me, though, after I took some of your advice...LOL. And yes, Yuki did live with the doggie for, what, three years or so? So, of course he's able to read him somewhat. You really think Yuki was harsh to Kyou? Hmmm...I thought he was kinda nice. Think of all those years of bitter rivalry...and now Yuki has come to rely on Kyou to do for Tohru what he cannot: love her, cherish her, protect her, see that she is happy...but I wax poetic. Well, that was what I was trying to convey: the Yuki/Kyou relationship is still tense, and Yuki is only human to have these feelings of resentment, they are moving on. Did this chapter give you a hint at what Akito is planning? Don't worry-I still have a few surprises left!

Thanks for the thoughts/support/questions! I look forward to this chapter's responses!