Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Light in My Life ❯ Passings ( Chapter 26 )

26: Passings

It was the most exhilarating experience of my life. Her soft lips on mine, her slight hands resting on my shoulders, her heart pumping so loudly I could hear its comforting thump... they were all features that only belonged to her. To Tohru.

I couldn't hold her forever. She was much more of a free bird than anyone gave her credit for; she was only being held down by her duties at Shigure's house. If she were staying with me... She would never have to work again. We would live happily forever, never working, always taking walks in the warm summer days and eating warm soups indoors on the autumn days. She would never see hardship and I would always protect her. Though I knew she was very capable of fending for herself...

I felt a desire in my very veins to keep her with me. Not like a caged bird--like Yuki--but as a friend. One who would always care for me, and would allow me to care for her in return. It was a dream which I had never before thought to be something necessary to my life, but now held great hope for me.

Tohru's mere presence had changed me. I only wanted her, forever, to stay by my side and care for me... to listen to me and genuinely want for my health. She was what I had craved for so long... craved without knowing what it was I craved for. The emptiness had been filled, and I never wanted to let it go.

So, with reluctance, I released her lips. Tohru took a breath as her eyes opened sluggishly, and she could do nothing but hold onto my shoulders with her thin fingers. Her head dropped and she let go of me, her hands curling at her chest. Although I was almost fainting from a lack of strength, I gathered what energy I had to take a lock of her hair in my hand.

She jerked almost out of instinct; I frowned. She was probably anticipating a relapse of our more violent encounter since she had first come into my room those two months before. I wondered if it haunted her dreams and followed her, like it did to me. I still didn't know if it was regret or not, but I felt a pain in my throat at her reaction.

I lifted her hair in my palm, watching as she lifted her eyes to watch me. I lightly kissed the brown lock and ran it through my fingers, letting it drop strand by strand back to her shoulder. I felt my lids lower as I kept my eyes on her, my body swaying from weakness back toward the futon.

I watched Tohru's changing expressions as I felt the blood leave my head and a wave of nausea strike me. She held onto my arms with her hands, lightly letting me down onto the futon. She lifted the blankets and set them around me--like a child being tucked into bed at night. I smiled slightly at this thought.

Tohru lightly brushed some hair out of my face, smiling sadly. I felt my eyes close as she pressed her lips to my forehead. "Tohru... don't leave," I mumbled quietly. I could only hear her soothing voice before I fell into the black void of sleep.

***

Tohru sat back and sighed, watching Akito's face as he dozed. She very slowly rose to her feet--to avoid waking him--and stepped across the room, opening the door and stepping into the hallway.

Tohru glanced around, looking for some kind of clock to indicate to her what time of day it could have been. She walked down the hallway toward Hatori's private room, following the patterns on the shoji panel walls as she passed. Whenever the house had been built, the creators must have been immensely interested in the originality of each painting and inscription. She stopped and sighed, lightly tapping on Hatori's door with her knuckle.

It was opened slowly. "Come in," came a deep voice, widening the entrance. Tohru nodded and went inside, bowing to Hatori.

"Sorry to bother you," she said, "but Akito's gone back to sleep. I wanted to make some food for him, but I don't know what time it is."

The dragon nodded his head, adjusting his white doctor's coat. "It's a little after lunch," he replied. "You won't be expected at work because it's Sunday, but I don't know about next week." Hatori kept his unfeeling, dark green eyes focused on Tohru when she nodded in response.

She sighed, and Hatori silently offered her a seat at his table. He poured some tea, putting it on the table before sitting down informally on his own cushion across from her. Tohru smiled and thanked him, pouring herself a cup.

"Hatori, can I ask your advice again?" she asked. He kept his eyes focused on her.

"What is it you want to ask about?"

Tohru cleared her throat, gathering her strength. "Akito told me... not to leave. He was falling asleep, but I... I think..." she quieted, choking slightly on her words. Hatori only watched as she struggled to continue. "I feel like I'm needed here, with him."

The dragon put one hand on his chin, turning his head away in contemplation. He sighed, as if relenting to something only he could hear. "I think you might be right. Akito... he needs something more than the other Jyuunishi and I. He can't connect with people, because he chooses not to. But he has decided somewhere that you are acceptable, and I truly think that you might be able to... to help us." He lifted his eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't have more faith in you before."

Tohru smiled. "You only want what is best for everyone. I understand," she replied. Hatori's eyebrows lifted slightly, when he cracked a small grin.

"You always do. I really hope you can help Akito," he said. Tohru nodded her head, standing up. "You can stay here tonight if you would like. I think he might need someone close by; he doesn't like it when I stay too close to him all the time when he's sick."

Tohru smiled and bowed. "I would love that," she replied.

"I'll call Shigure and tell him." Tohru nodded.

"I'm going to go make some dinner for Akito-san for when he wakes up," she informed him. Hatori nodded, taking a sip of tea as Tohru left the room.

If anyone could help the clan head, it was that girl. She could save their family; they had faith in her. What happened would be up to she and Akito, and he was willing to trust Tohru.

And he was very sure that Akito had powerful feelings for the girl that he only had to realize. There was hope for them yet.

***

One more step in Tohru's day made her life all the more hectic. The routine went like so: wake up to the alarm and get downstairs in time to make breakfast for Yuki, Kyou, and Shigure; get through the school day; go to the main house with Momiji and Hatsuharu to spend time with the recovering Akito; get back to Shigure's house to clean up and cook dinner; and finally, work until eleven at her part-time job. Her energy was slowly escaping her, but Tohru could do nothing but keep herself focused and hope for the best.

Very little had been happening since Tohru stayed the night at the main house. She quickly came to realize that Akito was ultimately a shut off person, and enjoyed food, going on short walks that Hatori would permit, and sitting quietly in thought while Tohru struggled to finish her homework before going home. He marveled at her skill in juggling all her activities and still keeping her head on straight, but he knew that she wouldn't last long under those kinds of conditions. He thought about calling Shigure and demanding he let the girl stay there for free--and make a detour around cooking and cleaning every day--but Akito knew Tohru would never, ever allow it. She was too committed to her work; too committed to earning her keep. It was those thoughts that kept him from demanding Tohru come and live at the main house with him.

And as the year passed and finals approached, Akito began feeling more strength than he had ever felt before flowing into his body. Even when Tohru wasn't around, he would walk about outside, insist on driving his car to just see the open road and watch people in the city, and generally keep his body active. Muscle that had never been before began to develop on his arms, legs, and chest. It was a strange feeling, being able to move about for long periods of time without feeling sick or fainting. And as time went on, Akito graduated to bigger things, such as jogging early in the morning before anyone else was awake to see him. It was an exhilarating feeling when the cold air invaded his throat and humidity clung to the shorts he wore.

It was Tohru's doing, really. She had introduced to him the comfort of western clothes, and so they had bought him some in secret one day. He wore his traditional clothing all day, but in the hours before the sun rose, he donned a rather interesting pair of jogging shorts and a t-shirt.

But Akito had begun to notice Tohru's consistent lack of energy. She would seem sad at times, but never told him why when he calmly asked her about it. She seemed convinced that it would only trouble him and he let it go each day.

Most of the school year had disappeared. Tohru came and saw him for a few hours on holidays, but once had to leave on a school trip for a week. Akito had been shaken for a few days, but knew that it would only make the time go slower. Tohru had been rubbing off on him.

As finals approached, Tohru had more time because she took a temporary leave from her part-time job. Although most of the hours she gained she spent studying with Yuki, the increased rate of her draining alarmed Akito. One day, she had come over after school and had flat out fainted as soon as she stepped into the room.

"You really need to rest," he told her when she woke up. Tohru shook her head and put on a smile.

"I'm alright, just a bit tired today," she replied. Akito fixed a look on her; she was going to have to fess up. A busy schedule couldn't entirely turn her demeanor upside-down.

"Tohru... there is something wrong, and I'm going to make you tell me." The happy face she had put on for the past year slid off with less than a reprimand. Tohru sat back on the floor, crossing her arms.

"Yuki-kun still acts... strange. He smiles, but it's not a real smile. He plays, but he only does because he has to. The Yuki-kun I met and became friends with is gone." She quickly wiped away a gathering tear. Akito watched with interest as she struggled to keep herself in check. "But Kyou avoids me. He doesn't talk to me, he only comes at dinnertime and then goes back upstairs afterwards. He even refuses to speak to me at school, and... I miss him!" Tohru burst into tears at that point, sobbing into her arms. The built up frustrations, sadness and pain of rejection by her best friends began to spill out in a huge, overflowing flood.

Akito stared at her. And it was all his fault. It was his doing.

Akito helped her onto her feet, and the alarmed girl could only go along for the ride as he swept her down the hallway to Hatori's villa. He knocked loudly on the door, opening it without much more than a "Keep her here, make sure she's alright."

Akito opened the front door and stepped outside, taking his keys off a hangar and getting into his car. There was a mouse to lecture and a cat to battle.