Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Light in My Life ❯ Serenities ( Chapter 19 )

"Mrs Souma Akito": Fusuma! Hallelujah!

19: Serenities

It was nearing late afternoon when Hatori returned to Akito's room. If the ill man had been acting strange before, what he found inside was even more alarming.

Tohru had set the meal on the table in front of Akito, and he was now eating as she sat perpendicular to him. She was talking about something, and giggled every few minutes. Akito was silent and stone-faced, but kept his face trained on hers and appeared to be listening intently.

Hatori stood at the door for a few minutes before he was noticed by either of them. "Hatori-san!" Tohru called, smiling. Akito turned his head slightly, just enough to narrow his eyes at the doctor before he slipped the last piece of dorayaki into his mouth and set his chopsticks on the empty tray.

"How nice of you to join us," Akito murmured, rising to his feet. He teetered slightly, and without hesitation, Tohru steadied him by placing one hand on his arm. Hatori watched with wide eyes as Akito thanked her and turned, walking towards him. "Well, get it over with."

Hatori nodded, still unable to open his mouth. He took out his stethoscope, and Tohru resumed her seat on the narrower side of the desk. "Breathe in," he instructed. Akito did as told, but his eyes were unfocused.

The examination was quick and painless. "You seem to be doing a lot better," Hatori commented to Akito. The latter man merely nodded. "It's quite late, and I believe Honda-san has a job tonight, does she not?"

Tohru smiled and shook her head. "It's the weekend! I took last night and tonight off," she replied. Akito nodded and looked at Hatori.

"Yes, Hatori, don't make assumptions when you know nothing about it," he growled. Hatori's eyes widened considerably.

"Call me when Honda-san needs a ride home," the doctor replied, keeping his composure. Akito nodded curtly and Hatori could feel the other man's eyes on the back of his head as he left the room.

What he had encountered had been more than strange. He just hoped nothing terrible would happen to Tohru.

***

Tohru lightly tapped on the door. "Akito-san? May I come in?" There was silence for some moments, and then the door was abruptly opened.

"Hello, Tohru-san," Akito said, opening the door. The girl smiled brightly at him and stepped into the room. The patio door was open, and a warm, summer breeze drifted inside. She closed her eyes for a moment, then turned to look at Akito.

"It is a wonderful morning. Is Akito-san feeling well this morning?" she asked.

Akito kept his face blank. "Better," he replied stoically. Tohru nodded her head.

"That's wonderful!" she said exuberantly. She looked at him. "Would Akito-san like to go for a walk today?"

Akito stepped away from her, sitting down on the floor in the middle of the room. His futon had been removed early that morning, and he was now using his proper bed chambers. He looked at where she stood uncomfortably, and indicated toward a tiamat some feet away from him. Tohru hurriedly sat down, kneeling facing him. "A walk?" he asked.

Tohru nodded with a smile. "The main house is so beautiful, I wanted to take a walk around outside and see all the trees and new flowers," she replied brightly. Akito looked thoughtful for a moment.

"I suppose I can," he said in a low, sweet voice.

Tohru got to her feet abruptly. "Wonderful!" she said. "I'll make breakfast the second we come back!" Before Akito could react, the girl had walked out onto the porch and was surveying the scene. He slowly stood up, sighing as he felt strength in his knees and ankles. His toes flexed against the floor, and he stepped onto the porch where sat two pairs of sandals. Usually he kept three available, but the rabbit had taken a pair one day when he thought Akito wasn't looking; for what purpose, the dark-haired man didn't know.

Tohru had already put on one pair and was standing in the grass, admiring a nearby flowering tree. Akito watched her as he slipped on his sandals, where after he stepped off the porch and walked up beside her. "Shall we go?" he asked. Tohru smiled, and he lightly offered his arm. As he reasoned, it was the gentlemanly thing to do.

She was a fine lady, and thus had to be treated like one.

Hatori watched the pair from the window, eyes narrowing in scrutiny. What could he possibly be doing? Akito never went for pleasure walks, never listened to anyone with no motive behind it... his actions were alien to Hatori. Maybe he was plotting something, the doctor thought. He was probably trying to lure Tohru into his clutches, then he would destroy her and hurt everyone who loved her. That was probably Akito's plan.

But something about the way the man watched intently as Tohru smiled and talked, brushed the leaves of the trees and stopped to fix her sandals, Hatori didn't think that was the case. Akito smiled only fake smiles, the kind of smiles he used to earn trust before he destroyed a person. But a smile tugged at his lips, one which Hatori could only label as real. A product of something more than conniving, more than plotting and disguising. He wasn't putting up a front this time.

***

She really was very cute. Whenever she tripped on a stray branch or got a strand of her long hair in her face, she would blush and smile. It was a disease, and I was constantly fighting my own desire to smile back at her. It was a charm which no man in his right mind would ever deny, but I was never one to be called in a prime mental state.

I had pride, yes; but I didn't care what people thought about me. They could decide whatever they wanted, but it didn't matter. They would never show it, because they were afraid of me. And as long as they were afraid of me, they would respect me, and they would never show that they thought less of me in my presence.

So, I felt no real problem in treating this girl however I wanted to. Because I liked her, she could have special privileges, and it would absolutely burn up that stupid cat or the little runt of a sheep. Although, at this point, seeking further dominance over those animals wasn't my overall concern: I was more interested in this enigma that was Honda Tohru.

I had never really liked summer. I didn't like winter, either, but the brightness of summer always managed to make me miserable. The sun was so impartial; it shined everywhere and anywhere, and didn't judge between who got more of its golden rays. The only way to avoid its light was indoors, and so that was where I was usually found during the summer months. At least snow was cold and dark, and could give me some peace of mind. Summer was always an ugly reminder of just how shadowy and gloomy my life was.

I was pulled rather unceremoniously from my thoughts as I felt a tug on my arm. Tohru had tripped--I had noticed her to be interestingly clumsy--and thus, the shift in my haari. I glanced down at her as she struggled to get her sandal back on, and she brought her eyes up to mine.

And she began to apologize profusely. "Sumimasen, Akito-san!" she cried, letting go of my arm. I merely watched her regain her balance.

"You trip a lot," I commented. She blushed, pushing some of her hair out of her face. It was such a cute, innocent gesture, I felt myself chuckle unconsciously. She looked at me, her expression one of surprise. This only made me go into a full out laugh.

I coughed slightly as I recovered from my bout of snickers. She patted my back lightly, watching curiously, her face flushed, as I finally stood up straight and cleared my throat. Tohru smiled, resuming her step next to me as I offered her my arm once more. She took it gladly, and I restrained my amusement as her fingers played with the fabric there.

I stopped in my walk, Tohru pausing beside me. I looked up, squinting my eyes as the leaves above us rustled in the light breeze. I felt a sudden surge of calm and a sense of calm, which I could only describe as peace. I was a person always thinking, always contemplating my death, and always wondering how to make the most of other people's weaknesses. But now, I just existed for the sake of existing, and it wasn't unpleasant in the least.

I turned to the girl beside me, who was looking at me curiously. "Shall we go back for lunch?" I asked. She nodded with a smile.

"I'll make beef stew if you'd like," Tohru told me. I shook my head.

"We'll eat... out."