Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Sleepless in Sohma House ❯ Hatori's Gift ( Chapter 14 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Yuki_The_Rat 
Anime/Manga: Fruits Basket Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Comedy | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 11.23.2003 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.6K | Visits: 752 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Fruits Basket Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Comedy | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 11.23.2003 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.6K | Visits: 752 | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket or it's characters. It belongs to Takaya Nasuki. Yuki too. That’s just the way it is. I am learning to accept it.
Okay, now, everyone needs to shower me with love and praise… because even though I got Final Fantasy X-2 this week, and I want to live happily in a little Square Enix (can you believe that they merged?) heaven, and play to my hearts content, instead I have been making time to update my story. That’s ‘cause of you, beautiful and loyal readers. You make me feel so good, you send me nice reviews, and swell my head to disproportionate sizes. Me so lucky!
On another subject, anyone in search of a new manga series to love, and be very addicted to, should check out Alice 19th. The first volume just came out, and it’s excellent!!! Cute boys, cute boys, cute cute boys. If you liked Ceres and Fushigi Yugi you will love this, as it is written by the same writer/artist. I can’t wait for volume 2. Did I mention the cute boys?
A little note about today’s chapter: In my first draft, of the first scene, the dream also included a large vat of strawberry ice cream, but I have no idea why, so I took it out. I can be so strange sometimes. Maybe I shouldn’t be telling you all this. : )
Sleepless in Sohma House
PART FOURTEEN - HATORI’S GIFT
TOHRU *
Monday’s evening sky was slowly fading into Tuesday’s morning. Tohru awoke from a strange, but pleasant dream which involved all three of her favorite Sohma’s and just one wedding dress. “Thanks a lot Hatori,” she murmured, immediately upon waking, and tried to fall back into the dream. She wasn’t sure who the groom was, and she wanted to finish the dream in order to find out. Too late, she was fully awake.
Sitting up in her warm and fluffy bed, she let out a large yawn and stretched her arms happily towards the vaulted ceiling. She felt pretty great today. In the afternoon, she was planning on a little outing with Akito. She was going to pick up her tent, and Akito wanted to stop by his beloved tea garden to pick up a new supply of sweets. Thinking of Akito, and his funny addiction to sugar, made her grin from ear to ear and giggle. The man who could send fear through the entire Sohma family with one angry look, was slave to a tiny lemon cookie. Who would have thought?
Reaching for the lamp, upon the bedside table, she pulled on it’s small golden chain. The room filled with a soft warm glow. Standing, she wrapped herself in the silk robe that she had, pretty much, been living in since arriving at the main house. It was a robe that Akito had brought to her on the night of the storm. She had been uncomfortable taking it at first, it was Akito’s robe, and she hadn’t felt right about it. He had insisted. “You must change out of those wet clothes.” She remembered that he had been so concerned that she might catch cold. Since then she found that she was quite attached to the robe. It wasn’t just the fact that it was a totally comfortable robe that felt amazing against her naked skin, it was also the fact that it was Akito’s totally comfortable robe.
Oh sure, It was scandalous that she could think this way about Yuki’s nemesis, but she was, after all, still just a young and curious girl. One who, for the past few months, had been finding herself with a growing desire to experience the wonders of true love. Perhaps, it was the time she spent living under the roof of three handsome boys, two of whom she had imagined herself to be in love with; or maybe it was the simple chemistry, that was undeniable, between Akito and herself. Whatever the reason, this morning, it felt like her heart was electrically charged, and waiting. It was an remarkable feeling, it was, at the same time, completely terrifying.
Walking to the closet Tohru slid open the door. Inside was the outfit that she had worn on the day that Akito had asked her to move in. It had been cleaned and pressed, in Akito‘s laundry, and aside from her blue vinyl purse, was the only thing hanging in the otherwise empty cabinet. The rest of her wardrobe was abandoned in a tent in the forest. Presently, it was the purse that she was interested in. Pulling it off of the hook, where she had placed it, she worked open the zipper and pulled out a small red velvet bag, tied with thin braided rope. Putting her purse back on the hook and holding the bag protectively to her chest, as if it was a cherished china doll, she walked to the garden and took a seat on the comfortable lounge.
Inside the bag was a worn, rose colored, diary. Tohru took it out and sat staring at it. She was a little afraid to open it.
She had received the book, late, the night before. Akito had just left her room, after having spent the better part of the afternoon, as well as the entire evening, losing at Tohru’s favorite card game, rich man, poor man.
“You suck!” Tohru had teased him, exhibiting the classy language which she had picked up from a certain orange haired friend of hers.
“Mercy!” Akito had begged joyfully. He was a, completely, good sport about losing. “Remember I am just a beginner, although, I think that I have just proven that the whole concept of beginners luck is a complete myth.”
“Well, it’s true, you are just a beginner, so I’ll let you off the hook this time. We are, however, going to have to give you a lot of lessons. I could never let you play this game with Uo and Hana, they would destroy you.”
“Uo? Hana?” Akito asked.
“My two best girlfriends! I can’t wait for you to meet them. They are away for the summer, but as soon as they get back, maybe we can all have dinner?”
“You want me to meet your friends?” Akito wondered, a look of stunned curiosity covering his face. Nobody had ever wanted Akito to meet their friends.
“Of course,” Tohru smiled, and than her hand flew to her mouth, covering a yawn. “Sorry, I think I’m a little tired.”
“Oh…” Akito realized, looking at his watch. “I’m sorry, I’ve kept you up too late.” Standing, he moved to the door.
“It’s okay,” Tohru insisted. “I’ve enjoyed playing cards with you today.” Getting up, she accompanied Akito to the door.
“I’ve liked it, as well. I’m glad that we did this.” Sliding the door open, Akito surprised Tohru, by grabbing her and pulling her into a quick hug.
“Me too.” Tohru said, allowing herself to rest her head against his chest.
“Sleep well tonight, Tohru.” Akito wished softly, and placed a kiss upon her forehead, before releasing her. “I‘ll bring your breakfast in the morning, just toast and tea, right?”
“That’s right,” Tohru confirmed.
Sliding the door closed, after him, Tohru leaned against it, one hand tracing the spot on her forehead where Akito had placed the kiss.
A few moments later, as she was about to slip her robe off and get into bed, she heard a gentle knock at her door.
‘He’s back.’ She thought, and rushed to answer the door. “Akito, did you forget something?”
Sliding open the door, she was startled to find it wasn’t Akito after all.
HATORI *
For the first time in his life, Hatori was unsure. Since, he was a child, everything in his life had revolved around doing whatever was necessary. His first loyalty was to Akito, but his final allegiance was to the family. There were, plainly, things that were to be expected of him. The most pressing, at the moment, was to honor the family traditions. In other words, he was solely responsible in assuring that Akito was happily, or unhappily, if need be, wed before the end of this year.
On the surface, this seemed to be going quite well. Akito had found someone that he obviously wanted to marry. Even more amazing, Hatori had found someone, as well. Yoshiya, who thankfully, was a very distant cousin, and not a member of the zodiac, had agreed to accompany him on his vacation. As luck would have it, he had run into the girl in the library. They had ended up sharing a bottle of wine, and spent the entire night talking. By morning, the slightly drunk, Hatori had gotten up the nerve to ask her if she would consider an impromptu trip. She had requested a few hours to think about it, and Hatori had felt certain that she would turn down the offer. However, after a day spent in town, shopping, with Akito, she had she popped by the hospital to tell him that, yes, she had decided that a trip was a fine idea.
Everything would have been perfect, had Hatori not uncovered Akito and Yoshiya’s dirty little secret. They were hiding Tohru Honda.
Hatori’s discovery was made completely on a fluke. He had been sitting in his office, drinking a cup of very strong, very hot, coffee. He had been hoping to counter the effects from staying up all night drinking. It wasn’t working. Reaching across his desk to grab a pen, he managed to knock the cup of hot coffee right into his lap. Not a pretty picture.
Returning to his room, he changed his clothes then headed down to the laundry to drop off his spoiled outfit.
“Hello, Rikku.” Hatori, warmly, greeted the woman who had cooked and cleaned for the main house for over 40 years, “I had a little accident with a coffee cup. Will you be able to remove the stain?”
“Yes, certainly. Coffee is an easy fix. Just leave it in the basin and I will see to it.” She looked up from the small blue blouse that she was ironing, to give him a motherly smile. “I hear that you will be taking a trip?”
“Yes,” Hatori confirmed, “I will be leaving tomorrow morning, and actually, I must say that I am looking forward to it.”
“That‘s wonderful, Hatori. It will be good for you to get away for a bit.” Rikku told him. Placing the blouse on a hanger, she leaned down and pulled a tiny, dark blue, skirt from the laundry basket.
Hatori recognized the skirt, and once he did, he realized that he also recognized the blouse. It was the exact same outfit that Tohru Honda had been wearing the last time that he saw her.
TOHRU *
“Are you sure about this, Tohru?” Hatori asked. The two of them were sitting at the small dining table in the moonlit garden.
“You don’t approve of my staying here?” Tohru asked him gloomily. She felt terrible. She had known that, sooner or later, she would have to face Hatori. The stern, but loving, family doctor had always been so kind to her, but she feared what he must think of her, now. She had caused so much disturbance within the family, Yuki could have died. Of course, Hatori, who so completely protected the family, wouldn’t want someone like her involved with Akito.
“It’s not that I don’t approve of it, Tohru.” Hatori explained. “If Akito invited you to stay, and you want to stay, it really isn’t for me to approve or disapprove. I just want to be certain that you know what it is that you are getting yourself into.”
“What do you mean?” Tohru questioned him, trying not to cry. ‘He probably doesn’t think that I am good enough to live at the main house.’
Hatori looked, intently, into Tohru’s tear filled eyes. The question that had been on his mind all evening was weighing heavy on his heart. Should he do what was right for Tohru, or should he do what was right for Akito, and for the family? Was it possible to do both? Reaching into the pocket of his house robe, Hatori pulled out a small velvet bag. He placed it in Tohru’s hands.
“Hatori?” Tohru asked, examining the bag.
“Open it.” Hatori demanded.
With shaky hands, Tohru untied the bag and removed the book that was inside.
“It’s a diary. It belonged to Akito’s mother. There are some things that I’m not at leave to share with you. Things that you should know if…” He stopped here, considering for a moment, so many consequences, but he had come this far, “Akito intends for you to be his bride.” Ignoring the shock that he saw in Tohru’s eyes, he continued. “Before you decide, I want you to read the diary.”
“Akito’s bride?” Tohru sputtered. “You’re wrong, Hatori. We hardly know each other, Akito isn’t…” Tohru suddenly remembered the promise. ‘You have to promise me, that if in two weeks you don’t want to leave, then you will agree to stay with me forever.’
“I have to go now, Tohru, It’s late and I am tired. You’re not to tell Akito that we talked tonight. As far as Akito is concerned, I was never here, and whatever you do, do not allow him to see the diary. Do you understand?”
“…Yes…” Tohru managed, staring down at the book that she held in her hand. Her mind had wandered elsewhere. Hatori‘s words were echoing inside of her. ‘Akito intends for you to be his bride.’
“Good then, we have an understanding. Sleep well, Tohru.” She didn’t look up when Hatori showed himself out of the room.
“Did you hear that mom?” A small slowly spread across her face. “Akito Sohma wants to marry me.”
Sitting in the garden, the next morning, Tohru opened the diary, and she began to read.
************************
Well, now, chapter Fifteen should be following shortly, it’s already written, but it’s really long and in desperate need of a revision. I will need a little time to proof, and maybe make a couple of changes. It will be called “Tohru Honda Takes a Stand.” It isn’t, as I had expected, the last chapter. Afraid this story is going to last for a few more chapters, but it will be pretty exciting, I hope. See you all soon.
Okay, now, everyone needs to shower me with love and praise… because even though I got Final Fantasy X-2 this week, and I want to live happily in a little Square Enix (can you believe that they merged?) heaven, and play to my hearts content, instead I have been making time to update my story. That’s ‘cause of you, beautiful and loyal readers. You make me feel so good, you send me nice reviews, and swell my head to disproportionate sizes. Me so lucky!
On another subject, anyone in search of a new manga series to love, and be very addicted to, should check out Alice 19th. The first volume just came out, and it’s excellent!!! Cute boys, cute boys, cute cute boys. If you liked Ceres and Fushigi Yugi you will love this, as it is written by the same writer/artist. I can’t wait for volume 2. Did I mention the cute boys?
A little note about today’s chapter: In my first draft, of the first scene, the dream also included a large vat of strawberry ice cream, but I have no idea why, so I took it out. I can be so strange sometimes. Maybe I shouldn’t be telling you all this. : )
Sleepless in Sohma House
PART FOURTEEN - HATORI’S GIFT
TOHRU *
Monday’s evening sky was slowly fading into Tuesday’s morning. Tohru awoke from a strange, but pleasant dream which involved all three of her favorite Sohma’s and just one wedding dress. “Thanks a lot Hatori,” she murmured, immediately upon waking, and tried to fall back into the dream. She wasn’t sure who the groom was, and she wanted to finish the dream in order to find out. Too late, she was fully awake.
Sitting up in her warm and fluffy bed, she let out a large yawn and stretched her arms happily towards the vaulted ceiling. She felt pretty great today. In the afternoon, she was planning on a little outing with Akito. She was going to pick up her tent, and Akito wanted to stop by his beloved tea garden to pick up a new supply of sweets. Thinking of Akito, and his funny addiction to sugar, made her grin from ear to ear and giggle. The man who could send fear through the entire Sohma family with one angry look, was slave to a tiny lemon cookie. Who would have thought?
Reaching for the lamp, upon the bedside table, she pulled on it’s small golden chain. The room filled with a soft warm glow. Standing, she wrapped herself in the silk robe that she had, pretty much, been living in since arriving at the main house. It was a robe that Akito had brought to her on the night of the storm. She had been uncomfortable taking it at first, it was Akito’s robe, and she hadn’t felt right about it. He had insisted. “You must change out of those wet clothes.” She remembered that he had been so concerned that she might catch cold. Since then she found that she was quite attached to the robe. It wasn’t just the fact that it was a totally comfortable robe that felt amazing against her naked skin, it was also the fact that it was Akito’s totally comfortable robe.
Oh sure, It was scandalous that she could think this way about Yuki’s nemesis, but she was, after all, still just a young and curious girl. One who, for the past few months, had been finding herself with a growing desire to experience the wonders of true love. Perhaps, it was the time she spent living under the roof of three handsome boys, two of whom she had imagined herself to be in love with; or maybe it was the simple chemistry, that was undeniable, between Akito and herself. Whatever the reason, this morning, it felt like her heart was electrically charged, and waiting. It was an remarkable feeling, it was, at the same time, completely terrifying.
Walking to the closet Tohru slid open the door. Inside was the outfit that she had worn on the day that Akito had asked her to move in. It had been cleaned and pressed, in Akito‘s laundry, and aside from her blue vinyl purse, was the only thing hanging in the otherwise empty cabinet. The rest of her wardrobe was abandoned in a tent in the forest. Presently, it was the purse that she was interested in. Pulling it off of the hook, where she had placed it, she worked open the zipper and pulled out a small red velvet bag, tied with thin braided rope. Putting her purse back on the hook and holding the bag protectively to her chest, as if it was a cherished china doll, she walked to the garden and took a seat on the comfortable lounge.
Inside the bag was a worn, rose colored, diary. Tohru took it out and sat staring at it. She was a little afraid to open it.
She had received the book, late, the night before. Akito had just left her room, after having spent the better part of the afternoon, as well as the entire evening, losing at Tohru’s favorite card game, rich man, poor man.
“You suck!” Tohru had teased him, exhibiting the classy language which she had picked up from a certain orange haired friend of hers.
“Mercy!” Akito had begged joyfully. He was a, completely, good sport about losing. “Remember I am just a beginner, although, I think that I have just proven that the whole concept of beginners luck is a complete myth.”
“Well, it’s true, you are just a beginner, so I’ll let you off the hook this time. We are, however, going to have to give you a lot of lessons. I could never let you play this game with Uo and Hana, they would destroy you.”
“Uo? Hana?” Akito asked.
“My two best girlfriends! I can’t wait for you to meet them. They are away for the summer, but as soon as they get back, maybe we can all have dinner?”
“You want me to meet your friends?” Akito wondered, a look of stunned curiosity covering his face. Nobody had ever wanted Akito to meet their friends.
“Of course,” Tohru smiled, and than her hand flew to her mouth, covering a yawn. “Sorry, I think I’m a little tired.”
“Oh…” Akito realized, looking at his watch. “I’m sorry, I’ve kept you up too late.” Standing, he moved to the door.
“It’s okay,” Tohru insisted. “I’ve enjoyed playing cards with you today.” Getting up, she accompanied Akito to the door.
“I’ve liked it, as well. I’m glad that we did this.” Sliding the door open, Akito surprised Tohru, by grabbing her and pulling her into a quick hug.
“Me too.” Tohru said, allowing herself to rest her head against his chest.
“Sleep well tonight, Tohru.” Akito wished softly, and placed a kiss upon her forehead, before releasing her. “I‘ll bring your breakfast in the morning, just toast and tea, right?”
“That’s right,” Tohru confirmed.
Sliding the door closed, after him, Tohru leaned against it, one hand tracing the spot on her forehead where Akito had placed the kiss.
A few moments later, as she was about to slip her robe off and get into bed, she heard a gentle knock at her door.
‘He’s back.’ She thought, and rushed to answer the door. “Akito, did you forget something?”
Sliding open the door, she was startled to find it wasn’t Akito after all.
HATORI *
For the first time in his life, Hatori was unsure. Since, he was a child, everything in his life had revolved around doing whatever was necessary. His first loyalty was to Akito, but his final allegiance was to the family. There were, plainly, things that were to be expected of him. The most pressing, at the moment, was to honor the family traditions. In other words, he was solely responsible in assuring that Akito was happily, or unhappily, if need be, wed before the end of this year.
On the surface, this seemed to be going quite well. Akito had found someone that he obviously wanted to marry. Even more amazing, Hatori had found someone, as well. Yoshiya, who thankfully, was a very distant cousin, and not a member of the zodiac, had agreed to accompany him on his vacation. As luck would have it, he had run into the girl in the library. They had ended up sharing a bottle of wine, and spent the entire night talking. By morning, the slightly drunk, Hatori had gotten up the nerve to ask her if she would consider an impromptu trip. She had requested a few hours to think about it, and Hatori had felt certain that she would turn down the offer. However, after a day spent in town, shopping, with Akito, she had she popped by the hospital to tell him that, yes, she had decided that a trip was a fine idea.
Everything would have been perfect, had Hatori not uncovered Akito and Yoshiya’s dirty little secret. They were hiding Tohru Honda.
Hatori’s discovery was made completely on a fluke. He had been sitting in his office, drinking a cup of very strong, very hot, coffee. He had been hoping to counter the effects from staying up all night drinking. It wasn’t working. Reaching across his desk to grab a pen, he managed to knock the cup of hot coffee right into his lap. Not a pretty picture.
Returning to his room, he changed his clothes then headed down to the laundry to drop off his spoiled outfit.
“Hello, Rikku.” Hatori, warmly, greeted the woman who had cooked and cleaned for the main house for over 40 years, “I had a little accident with a coffee cup. Will you be able to remove the stain?”
“Yes, certainly. Coffee is an easy fix. Just leave it in the basin and I will see to it.” She looked up from the small blue blouse that she was ironing, to give him a motherly smile. “I hear that you will be taking a trip?”
“Yes,” Hatori confirmed, “I will be leaving tomorrow morning, and actually, I must say that I am looking forward to it.”
“That‘s wonderful, Hatori. It will be good for you to get away for a bit.” Rikku told him. Placing the blouse on a hanger, she leaned down and pulled a tiny, dark blue, skirt from the laundry basket.
Hatori recognized the skirt, and once he did, he realized that he also recognized the blouse. It was the exact same outfit that Tohru Honda had been wearing the last time that he saw her.
TOHRU *
“Are you sure about this, Tohru?” Hatori asked. The two of them were sitting at the small dining table in the moonlit garden.
“You don’t approve of my staying here?” Tohru asked him gloomily. She felt terrible. She had known that, sooner or later, she would have to face Hatori. The stern, but loving, family doctor had always been so kind to her, but she feared what he must think of her, now. She had caused so much disturbance within the family, Yuki could have died. Of course, Hatori, who so completely protected the family, wouldn’t want someone like her involved with Akito.
“It’s not that I don’t approve of it, Tohru.” Hatori explained. “If Akito invited you to stay, and you want to stay, it really isn’t for me to approve or disapprove. I just want to be certain that you know what it is that you are getting yourself into.”
“What do you mean?” Tohru questioned him, trying not to cry. ‘He probably doesn’t think that I am good enough to live at the main house.’
Hatori looked, intently, into Tohru’s tear filled eyes. The question that had been on his mind all evening was weighing heavy on his heart. Should he do what was right for Tohru, or should he do what was right for Akito, and for the family? Was it possible to do both? Reaching into the pocket of his house robe, Hatori pulled out a small velvet bag. He placed it in Tohru’s hands.
“Hatori?” Tohru asked, examining the bag.
“Open it.” Hatori demanded.
With shaky hands, Tohru untied the bag and removed the book that was inside.
“It’s a diary. It belonged to Akito’s mother. There are some things that I’m not at leave to share with you. Things that you should know if…” He stopped here, considering for a moment, so many consequences, but he had come this far, “Akito intends for you to be his bride.” Ignoring the shock that he saw in Tohru’s eyes, he continued. “Before you decide, I want you to read the diary.”
“Akito’s bride?” Tohru sputtered. “You’re wrong, Hatori. We hardly know each other, Akito isn’t…” Tohru suddenly remembered the promise. ‘You have to promise me, that if in two weeks you don’t want to leave, then you will agree to stay with me forever.’
“I have to go now, Tohru, It’s late and I am tired. You’re not to tell Akito that we talked tonight. As far as Akito is concerned, I was never here, and whatever you do, do not allow him to see the diary. Do you understand?”
“…Yes…” Tohru managed, staring down at the book that she held in her hand. Her mind had wandered elsewhere. Hatori‘s words were echoing inside of her. ‘Akito intends for you to be his bride.’
“Good then, we have an understanding. Sleep well, Tohru.” She didn’t look up when Hatori showed himself out of the room.
“Did you hear that mom?” A small slowly spread across her face. “Akito Sohma wants to marry me.”
Sitting in the garden, the next morning, Tohru opened the diary, and she began to read.
************************
Well, now, chapter Fifteen should be following shortly, it’s already written, but it’s really long and in desperate need of a revision. I will need a little time to proof, and maybe make a couple of changes. It will be called “Tohru Honda Takes a Stand.” It isn’t, as I had expected, the last chapter. Afraid this story is going to last for a few more chapters, but it will be pretty exciting, I hope. See you all soon.