Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Petals & Thorns ❯ Destiny Falling ( Chapter 1 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Petals and Thorns
Chapter 1: Destiny Falling
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A/N: I don't own anything regarding FB... There's no lemon YET.... Mwahahahah
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[Tooru]

I'm so confused...

"Tooru-kun?" Shigure was standing by the phone, with one hand over the receiver as he looked at me. Concern and confusion shadowed his eyes. I didn't know what to make of this.

"H-hai, Shigure-san? Is something wrong?" I asked pensively, all sorts of thoughts swirling about in my mind. Was he sick? I didn't even want to think of that as a possibility. He meant too much to me.

He indicated that I should come closer. Once I did, he put his mouth to my ear, tickling me with his warm breath. I shivered.

"Hatori's on the phone, he said that Akito's summoned you to the honke again."

"Eh?" It wasn't polite, I know...but I couldn't hide my surprise...or the sudden fear creeping up my spine, sending shivers as it traveled.

Shigure-san turned back to the phone. "Sou. Tell Akito that she will be there." With a reserved sigh, he hung up the phone, and turned to face me. No smirk, not even the hint of a smile.

"I don't know why Akito's doing this all of a sudden. But he talked to Hatori, and said that he is prepared to offer you something. He wouldn't tell Hatori anything else, just that he wanted you to be at the Honke this afternoon. Hatori's on his way. sumimasen, Tooru-kun. I wish that I could tell you more." He grimaced before adding the worst part of all... "You're to go alone."

"A-alone?" I could only stammer. When Akito summoned you, I had learned that it was very rarely good. And if he summoned you alone... I had no idea what that would mean.

Sighing, Shigure nodded. "Sou, alone. Hatori said that he was very explicit in that demand. Hatori said that he would probably be allowed to stay in there, being Akito's doctor and all... but I won't be allowed anywhere near the honke to protect you."

He rested a comforting hand on my shoulder, as though trying to brace me for what may happen. I closed my eyes as a million things ran through my mind. Was Akito-san going to order Hatori-san to erase my memories? I felt tears well up in my eyes, threatening to overtake me, as a painful lump formed in my throat.

Well, if that's what Akito-san wanted, I could fight him. I was determined to fight him... but then my mind gave into my heart. I wasn't sure that I could fight him. He was already so frail. So many bad things had happened to him, that I didn't want to add to his pain. Silently, I nodded to Shigure-san, earning a sigh of resignation from his chest.

"Ano, I guess I should get ready." Seeing Shigure nod forced me to fight harder to hold back the tears that were brimming in my eyes. I realized that this was the last time I would probably be able to see any of the Soumas. "There is food in the fridge. There should be enough to last Shigure-san, Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun a couple days at least." I knew there was something else that I was forgetting, but what was it? Shigure-san stopped me, rubbing my shoulder softly.

"Tooru-kun, it's not like you're never going to come back here again... besides..." Shigure-san suddenly leaned over to brush his lips over mine. I tried to move away, but his grip on my shoulder became increasingly tighter as his face tilted.

Suddenly, I felt something slimy graze over the crease between my lips, pressing in firmly. I gasped in surprise and he took advantage of the opening and plunged his tongue into my mouth. I shivered as Shigure-san's other hand began caressing my neck.

It wasn't an unpleasant taste, but it felt odd to me. This man had let me stay in his home. And while he had often joked about me in *that* way... he had never acted on it. Before today...

I pursed my lips together, forcing the intrusion out of my mouth. His grip on my shoulder loosened, and I took this opportunity to back away from him.

"Ano, Shigure-san?" My heart was beating so loudly, he could probably hear it.

"Gomen, Tooru-kun... I-I don't know what came over me" He slowly backed away from me, his eyes flashing some emotion that I had never seen in his eyes before. It was intimidating, so I turned away, unable to continue to meet his gaze.

"Why...?" I managed to whisper hoarsely. I opened my eyes and looked at him, but all I could see was his retreating figure walking slightly hunched over. Was he in pain?

"You should get ready Tooru-kun..." He waved at me over his shoulder, not bothering to turn around.

What did Akito-san want with me? It had been almost two years since Shigure-san had been nice enough to let me live with them. And almost a year since I had been given the opportunity to know Akito-san. True, he had been very angry with me, but I wondered sometimes if it had more to do with his heart, than with me.

Something in my heart that day had told me that he was hurting. How I ached for him. When I cried, it was not for my pain, but for his. Something inside of him had reached out for me.

He was longing for understanding, but never expecting sincere regard. He seemed surprised that day when I had understood him.

Then there was his anger.... I'm not sure, but I don't think he likes to be surprised. He definitely liked to have the upperhand. Of that I had been sure.

A sound at the front door broke me from my reverie, and I rushed to open the door.

"Konnichi wa, Hatori-san!" I bowed low to the dragon jyuunishi before me. A blush crept up my neck as I heard his low voice answer.

"Aaa, Honda-kun, are you ready to go?"

My blush deepened, as I realized that I was still wearing my school uniform. Even though it was the beginning of a weekend, I still hadn't changed.

Hatori-san sighed, "Why don't you go change? I'll talk to Shigure until you're ready." Bowing again, I excused myself to go upstairs.

I had made him upset. That was the last thing I had wanted to do!

Once I was in my room, I sat on my bed for a moment to catch my breath, I finally had time to think. I'm not sure why I get like this. Why I'm so apologetic to people. I know it annoys some people, just like it seems to amuse others. It annoys me most of all. I can't seem to change how I get sometimes.

Maybe I care too much. Maybe I don't care enough. Either way, I want to become stronger. I don't like feeling like I've done something to warrant an apology. My mother never apologized. She never had to. That's what I want to be like. Okaa-san...

Looking up at my desk, I caught the light reflecting off of the glass in the frame where the only physical reminder of my mother slept quietly. I smiled back at her, before standing up to change into a longer blue cotton skirt, and a matching short sleeved blouse. I walked over to the desk and picked up the picture of my mother and tucked it into my purse. I walked slowly away from the bed

At the door, I turned back with one last look at my room. With a sigh, I left the room, shutting the door behind me. I don't know why I was so nervous...No. That was a lie. I knew exactly why I was so nervous. I clenched my fist in determination. This was going to be ok. But inside, it felt like my heart was breaking.

I paused at the stairway.

"Yuki-kun..." My voice trailed off, uncertainly.

"Honda-san, where are you going?" Yuki looked at my purse curiously. He was perceptive, so I had a new worry.

"H-hai! I'm going to Hana-chan's house for a while..." I knew that it was unconvincing, but I prayed that he wouldn't ask me more. I hated lying. Especially to Yuki-kun. He was always so kind to me, and if he knew where I was going, it would hurt him. Yuki-kun smiled at me demurely, his eyes narrowing. I closed my eyes and smiled with all the happiness that I could muster. He didn't believe me, I knew...but he didn't ask. yokatta...

"Will you be home later this evening?"

"I'm not sure. I think I may end up sleeping at her house tonight. I'm helping her with some homework." This much wasn't a lie. I had often helped Hana-chan with her studies in the past. "But it's ok Yuki-kun, I made dinner for you already. It's in the refrigerator. You will only need to heat it."

Yuki smiled again, this time closing his eyes. When he did this, I always got the best feeling in my heart. He looked so peaceful when he smiled so happily. Silently, I prayed that I would know that smile again.

"Ah, well have fun at her house. I hope that she can learn from you."

"Yuki-kun...arigatou" I silently walked past him, my hair hung over my eyes like a veil, as if to shield him from my emotions. I didn't want to cause him worry. Not tonight.

Why did I suddenly feel so fearful? As though I was sure that Akito-san's summoning was for some horrible cause. I walked down the stairs, taking it slowly. This was silly. I wasn't going to my death. Hatori would be in the same house, so I felt sure that I would be safe. But, somehow, the thought of Hatori and of his power only served to chill my soul.

When my foot touched the bottom floor, I looked up to see Hatori-san standing there still. When had he come back from talking to Shigure-san? I smiled as brightly as I could, sucking my trepidation deeper inside.

He smiled back at me lightly, but I was sure that I had seen him frowning just a moment before.

"Sumimasen Hatori-san." I had taken so long upstairs that he had been waiting for me, I was sure of it.

"Let's go then."

We walked to Hatori-san's car, and he walked over to my door and opened it for me. I blushed when I realized that this could be the last time I would see him.

I wondered if he was thinking the same thing. I shook my head inwardly. He was a kind man, but sometimes it was hard to figure out what he was thinking, and if he had the same thoughts as an 18 year old woman. He was always the truly gallant man. Shigure-san sometimes acted like a little kid...and Ayame-san acted boisterously, I think, because he wanted his brother to look to him and trust him again. Sometimes, I had worried that Ayame-san was trying too hard, and that he would scare Yuki-kun away. He had for a while.

I started when I realized that Hatori-san was gazing at me expectantly. I followed the curve of his arm, and noticed that Hatori-san had opened the door and was waiting for me to sit. I quickly complied and he shut the door behind me.

I noticed that Hatori-san didn't ask me what my reverie had been, and that he never asked me if I was sure I wanted to do this. He knew that it was useless to ignore Akito-san's commands. That's what had happened to his eye. And yet, he hadn't really been angry with Akito-san. Oh how I had wept when I heard that story. I smiled suddenly, remembering the first time that I really was able to talk with Hatori-san. Though it had only been a couple of years...it seemed like it should have been a decade, so much had happened.

"Tooru-kun, I'm sorry."

I was surprised to hear Hatori-san's voice. I had always thought that he rarely talked while he drove. Before whenever we had gone somewhere, the car was completely silent. But I had never expected an apology!

"Iie! Hatori-san shouldn't be sorry!" My perky attitude faltered as I turned to gaze out the window. "Besides, there is nothing that I can do..."

I saw in the window when Hatori-san turned to look at me. He was always so handsome. I knew that I was young when I began to live with the Soumas, and so my heart eventually was torn between Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun. When had my heart begun to turn to him?

I leaned my forehead lightly on the pane of glass. It had happened so gradually, I hardly was able to recall.

I saw the trees part to give the beautiful view of the Souma main house. When had we arrived? The gray tiles on the roof sloped towards the ground. I followed the flow of the lines. The Souma honke was unlike any house I had ever seen before. The pale white shading on the house, under shadow, gave it a foreboding appearance.

The first time I was here, I had felt fear then too. But I had Momiji-san to stay with me. And it was to meet Hatori-san. I had known that Hatori-san wouldn't hit me, so I wasn't concerned about that. My main fear was that Hatori-san would erase the memories that I had of the Souma family.

This was different. This fear that I had been feeling this time. It was an earth-shattering fear. Painfully sitting like a boulder in the core of my stomach. Knowing that I was this close to seeing Akito-san again, my legs were growing numb.

Hatori-san got out of the car and walked over to my door to open it. I wasn't sure that I could stand up on my own. The strength that I had had earlier was amplified by being still in Shigure-san's house. Now that I was closer to my fate, I felt panicky inside. My legs were shaky. Hatori seemed to sense my nervousness and offered me a hand out of the car. I had taken it gratefully, placing one of my sandal-clad feet on the pavement of the driveway.

I stared with wide eyes at the enormous house in front of me. It was intimidating on the outside, I could only fear what it was like inside Akito-san's house.

"Let's go, Tooru-kun." Hatori's voice sounded reserved as always, speaking barely above a whisper. I had strained to hear him, but he didn't repeat himself.

He started towards the house, and I had to take large strides to maintain my position of only a few steps behind him.

I let out the breath that I didnºt know that I had been holding once we walked into the dank hallway leading to the door where Akito-san would be behind.

Hatori-san paused before raising his hand to knock. A voice came through the barrier. It was difficult to mistake the owner of the cold voice. My eyes opened wide with fear.

¡Saa...¡

Akito-san!

::::To Be Continued::::