Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Strawberries and Skinny-Dipping: Hatori's Remedy ❯ Call Me Crazy ( Chapter 35 )

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

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Hatori's Remedy presents

Chapter 45 Call Me Crazy

Tohru packed a small bag for the sleepover. At five, after she prepared dinner, she kissed her boys good-bye and left for Uo-chan's house. Shigure called out from the porch, “When will you be back?” He was thinking: I can't stand these immature boys. They can't cook. They can't clean. They are nothing of use to me!

“Tomorrow afternoon.”

When she arrived, the girls greeted her cheerfully. Arisa offered a friendly punch in the shoulder, while Hanajima welcomed Tohru with a curt nod. Her friends were different, to say the least. But that was why she loved them so much. She admired them. She learned from them. She taught them. It was a solid, seamless relationship.

Yet these months, she felt guilty for keeping one big secret from them. They had called and spoken on the phone. But Tohru never mentioned Hatori, though it might have almost slipped a few times. (Hat - is… oh never-mind.)

They watched a thriller flick that Arisa picked out, while eating some Western fast food. The Westerners did include a lot of gore, much to her distaste. Tohru sat in the middle. She averted her eyes when she saw the killer in the house. Hanajima interjected, “He is a good-looking man.” Tohru screamed with the babysitter victim. Her friends were impassive. Arisa admired the fact that the killer had entered through a basement window. “He's got skill. I would never be able to do that.” Of course not, Tohru thought, you are not a killer. They acted as “clutch” mannequins for Tohru to hold onto when she was afraid or fearful of a certain scene.

After the movie, Arisa said, “It was alright. The night is young. We girls have important things to do.

Okay, okay. I have a question to ask. What is your ideal guy?”

Hanajima tapped on her chin thoughtfully. “I'll go first. He's a little taller than me; very intelligent and capable of a good conversation. He might wear a pair of horn-rimmed glasses. He is respectful and honest. He could be older; I'm okay with that.”

“He sounds great, but seriously: find me a guy who is respectful and honest. Zip-o! The guys now are all concerned with sex. Chivalry is dead.”

“That's not true,” Tohru said. My knight in shining armor is…

Both looked at her, surprised. Arisa nudged Tohru. “Tell us, who is the lucky guy?”

“There isn't one,” she said quickly, “He's in my fantasy.” She was in a bind. Both of her friends were noticing her blush a passionate red. She continued, “Well, the Sohma men are quite respectful.”

“Yuki is.” Hanajima commented.

Arisa scoffed, “Not Kyo. That demented animal is so quick to jump to conclusions. He is so stubborn too.”

They all smiled, each remember an instance of Kyo's mulishness.

“Describe your perfect guy, Tohru.” Arisa said.

Tohru had the perfect picture of him in her head. “Well, he has dark hair and green eyes. He is tall. He is quiet and thoughtful. Like Hanajima's perfect guy, he is respectful and honest. He may appear cold on the outside, but once you get to know him - peeling away petals of the flower, you find out that he is sweet and wonderful. He does the most unexpected, glorious things that make you blush and stammer. He may never say `I love you' but you know that he does. He is always thinking of your welfare. He is smart and subtly charming and witty and - um, yeah, that's about it.” She nodded absentmindedly, with a lopsided grin on her face. She could go on forever, describing Hatori, but she stopped herself.

“You're crazy. Crazier that Hanajima. Someone's gave the question a lot of thought.”

“I guess I am.” Tohru muttered under her breath. I'm in love. It's made me this way.

The rest of the evening was spent talking and goofing around.

---

Four days later.

Tohru and Hatori were sitting in the oak tree in the park. Hatori's secret spot, his haven. They had shared a “Fruit Basket” crepe down the street. Then they meandered down the streets, holding hands.

This time, they were more comfortable around each other. Hatori wasn't as conscious about his movements as before. He was familiar with her soft touch. He liked this domestication. He cherished it like flames loving oxygen.

“This isn't exactly how I planned to spend my morning. It's only six.”

“Summer is coming to an end! We have to make the most of the light hours. I wanted to watch the sunrise with you, and I wanted us to watch the city rise too.” She made a pitiful sound, before whacking Hatori's shoulder with the palm of her hand.

Hatori chuckled low in his throat. He put an arm around her shoulder and kissed her above her ear. “Thank you for being so thoughtful.” Life has never meant so much to me before. Now, I look forward to everyday.

“You're very welcome.”

“Tohru, I have something to tell you.” I was going to tell you that day on the tree. It was too painful back then, but now I want to tell someone. I'm not afraid, because you won't judge me. You will stand by my side.

Tohru looked at him with wide eyes.

“I've never told you this before. Remember when I told you about my past?”

She nodded. “Hai.” Of course I do. I cried that night. I could see the pain in your eyes. Through your narration, I felt the pain that coursed through you every time you erased someone's memory.

“Do you know how my eye became almost blind?”

Tohru looked at the pained features that proliferated across his pale face. “Yes.”

“Tell me.” He wanted her to know. Every detail, to know what Akito was capable of, so that she would not try to make peace or do something irrational. He didn't want her to pity him; he just wanted her to know.

The truth.

“You-you and Kana went to ask for Akito's permission, but he told you to erase Ka-Kana's memory of everything. You didn't want to at first, and Akito hurt you. He threw a -“

Tears came to her eyes. She shivered in the August heat. All the hairs on her back stood up. She continued, “Glass vase at you.”

I hate her because of that.

How could a human be so ruthless?

He pulled her close to him, tucking her under the crook of his arm. “Don't go near him, okay?” His voice was low and husky. In the silence that followed, Tohru placed her hand on his thigh to propel her self to kiss him. Her kiss was so soft.

“I could never let you go,” he added, as an afterthought.

“Don't.”

Hatori ran his hair through her soft hair. It was morning, so the humidity level was still low. He inhaled the sweet scent of her hair - honey and cinnamon. It was just like her personality, sweet and warm. He was no longer bitter, alone, and resentful. Now, he was loved, hopeful, and happy. He was not just a walking corpse. He had a heart; he had purpose. Everyday, he was thankful that he had such a wonderful woman by his side. He tilted his head to look at her. Her eyes were closed; her face peaceful. When his sweet breath proliferated across her skin, her eyes fluttered open.

“I love you,” she said.

“I love you too.”

I won't hold it back anymore.

---

They were sitting in front of the ice cream parlor when Tohru exclaimed, “I forgot my bag in the tree!” How can I be so dense!

“I'll go get it, it isn't too far.”

“I'll go with you.”

“No, its okay, stay here and relax. We still have a long day ahead of us.”

Hatori ran back to the park. He looked around at the base of the tree, to make sure no one was looking. He saw a couple in a bench nearby. He recognized the female's giggle.

What was she doing here?

He had not seen her in a year and a half.

Kana.

“Riyuki, can you get off work early tomorrow? It's my parent's anniversary and we're going out for dinner.” She pouted for effect.

He remembered that about her. She was very persuasive. It was part of her charm. He had loved her, and when he lost her, a part of him died.

But that was all in the past.

“Kana, we are in negotiations. I will try though.”

Hatori could see her throw her arm across his chest and kiss him. “That's why I love you so much. You are always willing to try.”

The man looked at her and smiled. “For you.”

There was a barely perceptible twinge of pain in his chest. `You are always willing to try.' He had regretted that he had been so weak in their relationship. He would never allow anything like that to happen again. He was not going to erase his lover's memory. He was not going to erase anyone's memory.

It wasn't humane.

Hatori climbed up the tree and found Tohru's green bag hanging off a branch. He learned from his mistakes. He would not let Akito get to Tohru.

I am not just willing to try. I will succeed. Tohru, you have brought me so much ecstasy, I will not let anyone come between us.

---

Tohru sighed as the wind blew across her heated skin. She would miss the time that she and Hatori had spent during the summer, but she did look forward to a new school year. She would visit him as much as possible. She had a thought her them meeting up at the library, sitting in the corner reading Macbeth together.

“What are you laughing about?” asked a voice from behind her.

Hatori laid her bag on the frosted glass table.

“I was thinking about us meeting at the library during the school year.”

“That sounds like a plan.”

“Seriously?” Tohru asked, unconvinced. “Wouldn't that be too dangerous; I mean us together at the library where everyone can see us. The library is close to the school, and students might see and - “

“I don't really care about that. I care about us.”

“But what about if the Sohmas see, what if Yuki or Kyo sees us.”

“We will try to avoid them. But we aren't going to hide because of them. The library as lots of hideouts, doesn't it?” Plus the fact that I'm almost positive that Kyo would not be caught dead in the library.

---

Hatori was in his office at eight when there was a knock on the door. A maid in a blue uniform appeared. “Akito-sama would like to see you.”

“Thank you, I will be there shortly.”

His fists clenched. He did not want to see her. He had not spoken to her for a week.

He walked to her bungalow. He knocked on her bedroom door. “Hatori?”

“Hai.”

“The door's open.”

He found her in bed, reading. He may have felt bitterness toward her, but she was nonetheless an ethereal beauty - translucent skin, high cheekbones, perfectly-shaped feminine lips, and bold eyes. Her relentless gaze was frightening, the way she seemed to be able to read his mind. He looked into her eyes, unafraid, though his whole body was trembling. “I need you to do a favor. A homeless individual was caught on the grounds a week ago. One of the maids spotted him looking into one of the bungalows yesterday. In the evening, she spotted him sleeping on one of the benches. We suspect he is living on the grounds.”

No, I can't do it.

“You need to erase his mind.”

“He might have seen something.”

I can't go erasing whoever's mind whenever there is speculation!

“Hatori, did you hear me?”

“Hai,” Hatori muttered hastily. He felt like he had a mouthful of filth - thick and syrupy.

Her cold eyes were fixed on him. Though there was nothing to suggest that she knew anything about the relationship (because she was usually so direct), that glint in her eye seemed to say otherwise. It was hopeless to try to guess what she was thinking.

“You look exceptionally down today. Care to explain?” Have you seen her lately? That muddy normal girl.”

Akito always asked that question. She wanted that control, that knowledge that she had caused the pain, the torture, the hurt. Today, he felt increasing irritated, though he did not show it. The anger within him enlarged like a painfully, poisonous boil on the skin.

“I have not seen her. Are there any other duties you would like me to perform, Akito-sama?” He asked coldly. His voice was steely and stiff.

“I want you to find that vagrant and erase his mind. If I hear that he is still on our property tomorrow evening, you will have to answer to me. I will not be happy. You have not done it in a while. This will give you a chance to sharpen up your skills.”

Hatori left the room. He walked a little faster that usual. He closed the door with a little more force. He did not want her to see the fear in his eyes. That would incite her like nothing else, knowing that he was afraid.

“I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I told you that I would never do it again. I will have to.” He felt so ashamed. That last time, it had haunted him. He remembered that could shock that ran through his body, as if someone had punched him hard in the chest, leaving that stinging, excruciating feeling, when she fell back after he erased her mind. Night after night, he woke up in his bed with a cold sweat. He was like he had been thrown into the deepest point in a lake with a bundle of bricks tied to his legs; drowning, drowning, drowning. He felt his lungs wither in a desperate attempt to find another breath of air. It burned in his chest like a cold fire. Not possible right? He did not think it was possible to be tortured for years after the incident.

He was his own being, but he was still tied to her.

Like a common animal. Hauled by its owner here and there.

---

“Meet me at the watering hole.”

His voice was husky.

She threw a sweater over her swimsuit and ran down to the hole. Tohru's stomach did a flip when she saw him. His presence never failed to extract heavy emotions from within her. He was sitting at the edge of the dock, his feet grazing the water's surface, creating concentric shapes in the water.

“Hey Hatori. What's up?”

“I have to tell you something.” I will do wrong. I have sinned. Please forgive me. I do not want to do this. But this is the price to pay for secrecy. If she ever found out that I disobeyed her, she would find reason to punish me. She would see through the cracks of my façade. She may see into my heart. I mustn't let her. For now, she thinks I am a stone statute. She thinks I am a heartless bastard. I must keep it that way.

For our sake.

“I'm sorry.” I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry.

Tohru sat down next to him and put a comforting arm around his back. She was concerned. “What happened?”

His blazing green eyes stared back at her.

“I have to do it. I have to erase someone's mind.”

“Huh?” Tohru said, confused. He said he had not erased anyone's mind since Kana's situation.

“There was this homeless person on the estates, and Akito thinks that he might have seen something. She wants me to erase his mind. I don't want to do it, but I have to…” he trailed off, his breath shallow and erratic. He felt his overwhelming feeling in his chest, like someone had shoved a rock down his throat and it had somehow traveled into his stomach.

Tohru could see the pain. She didn't know why she felt dread. He was doing this for them. She was silent. Her lips were sewed shut with a needle and thread.

“Say something Tohru.” Hatori whispered; it was barely audible. He was afraid that she would reject him. Or worse, hate him.

He could not handle that.

Tohru felt as if a flame had lit her throat on fire. She could feel that pain radiating off the man next to her. She felt guilty, even though it was not her fault, nor did it have anything to do with her.

She got to her feet and ran back to the house. To her room.

All the way, she cried.

She cried for him. He was caught in that tangled web of agony, and she could do nothing about it.

Herself.

Her mom.

Her dad.

The homeless man.

All of the Sohmas for being so burdened with secrets. It was so unfair.

She cried for everyone she knew and everyone she didn't know. Why was the world so unfair? Why did the world torture good people like Hatori? She wanted to take away some of the burden on his shoulders. Reality was a bitch.

The line from Arisa seemed to be perfect in this context.

---

A/N: Cliffy. Muwhahahaha! Thanks for the reviews. Kisses for all. If you have read this far (WOW, CONGRATULATIONS!!!), you can find faster updates at fanfiction.net. My profile is at: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1125520/bugaboo107