Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ The Problems With a Rat ❯ Part II ( Chapter 2 )

DISCLAIMER: Fruits Basket - creation of Takaya-sensei. I borrow her world for my story for your reading pleasure!

 

Special Note: A little late to say this, but this side-fic is a little longer than the norm, but I assure you it'll be worth the read! Also, since this is a side-fic of Seasons of Sorrow (SOS), the usual spoiler applies to Akito and also with a character not yet brought over to US shores. Honestly, though, this side-fic reveals no in-depth spoilers, so please enjoy!

 

 

 

The Problems with a Rat

Part II

 

 

Hot.

 

`This stroke takes this form.'

 

Heat.

 

`The cup is turned in this manner.'

 

Stiffling.

 

`Take the ladle this way and lay it down carefully.'

 

Suffocating.

 

`I lift the sleeve like so.'

 

Smothered.

 

`I can't breathe.'

 

“Ano, Nii-san…”

 

“Tut, tut. Not a word from the host.” Turning to the assistant of the host, Ayame inspected his progress and remarked, “Kureno-kun, make sure you set the dishes in the proper order while Yuki finishes up. Everything must flow smoothly.”

 

“You keep saying that…” grumbled Yuki irritably.

 

“Not…(whack)…a word. The host must always be serene and QUIET,” corrected the elder brother with an all-knowing air as he held his fan back and started flapping it once again, the heat becoming a bit too much for his liking. Taking a sip of the chilled sake brought for this occasion, he felt quite refreshed. “This is delicious. Glad I was able to get such a good bottle for a bargain.”

 

“Nii-san…”

 

(Thwak) “Silence, beloved host,” repeated his brother as he administered discipline with his fan yet again.

 

“I'm MELTING here!” exclaimed Yuki as he wiped his glistening brow with the sleeve of his kimono. Arching his aching back, he shifted slightly from his seiza position. “Couldn't we have had this dress rehearsal elsewhere? My feet are asleep, my back is stiff, and I'm basically a puddle of goo out here!”

 

Patting the enraged head of the Nezumi in order to calm him (which only angered the Nezumi more), Ayame replied, “It's too stuffy indoors to practice the tea ceremony at the estate's teahouse, and these gardens are the next best thing. Besides, the discipline to host the ocha is strenuous to the soul and body. If you can do it here on a day like this, you'll be able to perform the complete chanoyu come Obon.”

 

“These hakamas itch!” griped Yuki hotly.

 

Giving his little brother a `once-over' with his critical fashion sense, the tailor only noted that the unlined silk kimono and hakamas were slightly wrinkled, the emblem of the family's crest clearly printed in pink on the left sleeve of the dark wine-colored kimono with striped-hakamas to match. It was no wonder the younger Sohma was feeling asphyxiated in his custom-made outfit, but damn if he didn't look tempting to all who saw him.

 

Ayame couldn't help but embrace the work of art he helped to create, and squealed happily, “OHHH, you're so CUTE! These robes and hakamas don't do you justice! I must try again—”

 

“NO! That's it, no more changing the patterns or styles or anything!” cried out Yuki as he pried his brother off of him. He had already gone through several different fittings with many different outfits. Obon was coming fast, and there just wasn't the time to go through it all again only to satisfy the whims of his elder brother.

 

“Perhaps, Ayame-niisan, we should focus on whether we have everything else taken care of for the tea ceremony Yuki will perform for Akito's guests,” spoke out Kureno for the first time. This ceremony was to take place as part of the festivities and it will be highly critical that Yuki perform perfectly for this occasion if he was to make a good impression on these key guests.

 

Ayame clasped his hands together, suddenly realizing the long checklist they must go through. “Oh, so true, Kureno-kun, there are many things to this traditional `way of tea' ritual. I think Kagura-chan already helped us with the chabana…the flower arrangement is perfectly in sync with Yuki's outfit, wouldn't you agree?”

 

“Yes, it is,” agreed Kureno quietly, hiding the smile trying to break free. `Ayame-niisan is rather proud of his work. I'd have to agree, too…Yuki looks very good in it. Akito would be very pleased.'

 

“Anyway…I have the calligraphy done up already. Here.” Taking a parchment he had brought with him, Yuki laid it out for his brother (expert in all things related to tea) to review. “Does it look okay?”

 

“Mon frere, your work is divine! `-In a circle of purity, harmony lies within.-' That is well said, Yuki.” Giving the parchment a thorough look, Ayame widely smiled and hugged himself, so full of emotion. “Oh, your strokes with a brush are exquisite…look how your calligraphy shines through. Oh…c'mere you!”

 

“Agh…stop…THAT! I'm never asking for your help ever again, Nii-san!” cried out the Nezumi again as he struggled in the iron-clad embrace of the Snake.

 

“I have the incense, dishes, and Ayame-niisan brought the sake for the light meal we'll be serving,” checked off Kureno as he ignored the brotherly bonding around him. Between Ayame and him, it was silently agreed that the meal already be prepared beforehand when it's served to the guests. They certainly didn't want any poisoning going on, be it by the summer's temperature or by the Nezumi's incapable hands.

 

“And it's good sake, too,” merrily chirped the Snake.

 

“Are you drunk, Nii-san?” asked the Nezumi warily, recalling that his brother didn't take it easy with the shots of liquor.

 

Ayame turned his nose up at the remark. “Pft, don't insult my endurance, Yuki! I have a high tolerance for many things, unlike my dear Tori-san and Gure-san…alcohol, bad movies, pain…”

 

“Be careful with the tea ware, Yuki. I only say this because the tea bowls and other utensils are very old,” advised Kureno as he went further down his checklist.

 

Ayame nodded immediately. “That's right, Yuki, these heirlooms will be in your care, so, no butterfingers, all right?”

 

(Whack) “I know, you already told me this, Nii-san,” irately retorted Yuki as he tucked his fan back into his kimono after soundly taking it onto Ayame for once.

 

Sheepishly grinning, his brother started gathering the dishware carefully, taking care to pay reverence to the bowls that were unique to the family since it sported the members of the Zodiac vividly. “Well, that said, you did wonderfully splendid with the whole ritual. Usually it takes years upon years to excel in the grace and talent of hosting one of these, but you nailed it from the first few tries.”

 

“Not really. It needs more work. (Sigh) Still…three hours? I don't know if my back will take that much abuse sitting seiza style the whole time. My feet will be asleep for sure,” remarked Yuki with a sigh as he stood up and stretched his weary limbs. Knowing all the intricacies involved with the ceremony was one thing…bowing correctly, addressing other properly, even holding his kimono's sleeve appropriately at the right times…but actually performing it all… If he'd known it would have hurt this much, he'd have thought twice to consenting to performing this ritual.

 

“That's why Kureno-kun is your assistant. You can count on him to help when needed.” Encasing the heirlooms into their equally irreplaceable chest, Ayame stood to look to the teahouse just a few meters away. He was anxious for this ritual to be now instead of later. He was certain his brother would `wow' their small audience…if only the Nezumi would give it his all.

 

“Dear little brother, you need to leave all your cares and worries behind when you approach this ritual. The sanctity of the whole thing only works if you are `here'…not `there', wherever that might be,” pointed out Ayame as he walked behind Kureno toward the teahouse to put away their chest.

 

“I was `here',” contradicted Yuki contritely as he followed his elder brother dutifully, carrying the blanket they had practiced on.

 

The Snake grinned and shook his head knowingly, “Mm, no-ooo, you weren't. Your focus was all off today…”

 

“It was HOT. Did I not make myself clear before?” bit out the Nezumi.

 

“Heh, hear that, Kureno-kun? Didn't he just now remind you of a certain queen in our midst, hm?” asked Ayame with a sly grin.

 

“Ano…he is picking up some of her habits,” quietly agreed the shy man as he stepped into the teahouse and hopefully out of the line of fire between the brothers.

 

Choosing to ignore the barb altogether, Yuki gritted his teeth as he retort, “I'm fine. I'm so focused now I could crack an egg with my focus.”

 

“Such focus…! Well, have it your way then,” replied the elder brother airily as he, too, stepped into the house.

 

Steamed that his brother clearly brushed him off, Yuki pounded his way into the house and called out, “Don't make fun of me! I am, TOO, focused!”

 

“Geesh, I say you aren't focused, you put up a fuss. I say you are, you still bite my head off. Honestly, I can do nothing right with you,” haughtily remarked Ayame as he set the chest down in a storage bin. Turning to his irritable brother, he grinned widely and gently held his brother's shoulders to ease his temper. “But I'll get it right sometime! Count on it!”

 

Yuki honestly didn't hear himself utter the words, then only focusing on the reaction on his elder brother's face when he said them. It wasn't what he wanted to tell him, frankly they weren't even thought of, but somehow, those words he dared never to think came out.

 

“No matter how hard you try, it'll never be the same, EVER,” spitefully said the Nezumi with a fierce look.

 

Eyes widened, Ayame quickly retracted his hands and stepped back, taken aback at the sudden verbal lashing he just received. Looking down to the floorboards, he clasped his hands together anxiously, the rapid beating of his heart only making the pain seem more acute. “I…I'm sorry. I…didn't mean—”

 

Rapid footfalls were heard as the younger Sohma fled the scene he created. Kureno could only silently look on as the Nezumi exited the building with a speed that his instinctive nature could only afford. Looking back at the elder brother, the wounded expression stood frozen on his face. And just as suddenly as all this occurred, the Snake quickly shook it off and grinned half-heartedly to him.

 

“Sorry about that. I do believe that was all my fault there… Hm…yes…” Still nervously wringing his hands, Ayame looked all around him to focus on something other than what just happened. Feeling a bit feverish with the stuffiness of the room and what had transpired, he reached out to the bottle of chilled sake he had brought and downed another shot hastily, his famed endurance clearly being the real thing since he showed little inebriation after having had several.

 

Not wanting to make his relative feel worse, Kureno softly called out, “Ayame-niisan…are you—”

 

“I'm good, really. Very good, actually, considering this was my sixth shot. This is good stuff. Though I prefer a good Merlot,” replied Ayame with a light chuckle. Taking up the blanket Yuki had dropped, he folded it carefully and set it next to the chest inside the storage bin. With a shaky grin, he gathered his things, his hands slightly shaking. “Well, if I can't damage anything else, I should be off now…”

 

“No, please. Don't,” pleaded Kureno as he held his elder relative back. He internally struggled to tell him what he knew to be the actual cause of Yuki's outburst, understanding that it was a rather private matter that even Akito didn't wished to be discussed. Yet, seeing the sadness in the Snake's eyes as he turned to look at him, however, prompted him to take the risk for the Nezumi's sake. “It's not you, I'm certain of it. He's been…his…well, he's been on edge since an incident a few days back. (Pause) His last…conversation…with his father did not go well. He hadn't spoken of it to me, but I did speak with your father…I had to speak with your father. (Pause) Yuki will be right back, I know it.”

 

Upon hearing this, Ayame couldn't help the bile that rose in his throat at the mention of the other parent he was blessed with. Nauseous at the mere thought of this elusive father, he tartly remarked, “Damn…you'd think that after all these years of being a silent tomb he'd keep his mouth shut when he runs into Yuki. So…what exactly did my beloved father care to share with Yuki now?”

 

He had actually done the unthinkable, the worst thing he had ever done. Sure he's given chokeholds, knocks on the head, and the like to his elder brother, but never, NEVER had he actually hurt his brother as he had just now. It was beyond cruel…it was vindictive. And that just wasn't him.

 

`Dammit, I…I didn't mean to say that! I DIDN'T!!!' Rushing through the gardens, he gasped for breath, his mouth dry and his chest tight, as he struggled with his frenzied thoughts. Feeling even more smothered in his dress outfit, he made a turn through the maze of blooms and went in one of the buildings.

 

Breathing in deeply, he wearily walked inside, finally realizing he had walked into the room with his prized piano. With his shoulders sagging, he sat down heavily on the padded bench, pondering on whether or not he should remove his hand from his mouth, somehow afraid other things may spew forth without consulting his brain.

 

`I'm just as bad as Kyo with his loud mouth.' Yuki wryly smiled at that thought, admitting inwardly that the root of his sudden bitterness in his mouth stemmed from stress he refused to face. It wasn't that he was unaccustomed to the indifference…in fact, his last conversation with his father only reiterated how distant they have always been.

 

No, it was more of the repressed memory the whole affair brought back to him. There were after all some memories he wished to keep tucked far and away in some corner of his mind, this being one of them. They only served to make him feel as vulnerable and neglected as he was back then in his parents care. This was enough to upset him more than he had thought.

 

`Only to have it blow up in my face, today of all days. …Nii-san…' Rubbing his hands hard on his face, then only to clutch his hair in a tight grip, the memory of his brother's crestfallen expression remained vivid in his racing thoughts. The stab of hurt he put into his brother only compounded his own, and his throat only constricted itself the more he pondered on that image over and over.

 

Sniffling slightly, he felt how sore his jaw was from being clenched so tight from having it forced to stay still. However, his body finally relented under the pressure, and he felt the all too familiar trembling of his mouth as he vainly tried to hold back his tears. A few escaped and so he brought his knees up to hide his face, deeply breathing in to stem the flow some. `I'm so ashamed…I'm so ashamed… I didn't mean it…none of it. He's my Nii-san…I didn't mean to hurt my only Nii-san… I didn't mean any of it! NONE OF IT!'

 

“What's the matter, Yuki?”

 

The hoarse voice shook him from his woes. He hastily set his feet back down and wiped his eyes and nose. Clearing his throat, he awkwardly replied, “Akito…I…I'm sorry. Did I bother you when I barged in here? Kureno had mentioned you were resting.”

 

“Hmph, I rest enough, thank you. I can be ill for days, and they'd go out of their way to put me to `rest'…there's only so much damn `rest' one can take.” Coughing slightly, she went to sit next to Yuki, carefully wrapping her robes closer to herself despite the hot weather. Plucking away at random keys on the piano, she pointedly asked him, “Must I repeat myself?”

 

Yuki was at a loss of what to say, understanding now that she must have noticed his behavior earlier. How long really was she standing out in the dark hallway before coming in? Uncertainly he responded, “I was…just thinking. About…old times.”

 

“Why bother with thinking about that?” she asked dubiously.

 

“Akito…I need to ask you something.” Yuki held a breath until she replied with a nod. “Tou-san…he said something…strange…the other day. I've been trying to understand it, but it doesn't make much sense.”

 

She abruptly stopped her random plucking of the piano keys, dully gazing in front of her as she clenched her teeth together. Immediately she repeated her keystrokes and nonchalantly asked, “And what is it?”

 

“He said that…he was, no, um, he is my father, but not my guardian. I just don't understand why he would say that. He's my father, so, automatically he's my guardian. Why would he say something like that?” Turning his confusion over in his mind, he looked to her in hopes that she may just give him a clear answer for once. Her riddles required advanced deduction that he wasn't up for today.

 

Of all the topics he could have chosen, it had to be of that man and what he had said the other day. Did she not give explicit instructions to the Bird to remind that father about keeping silent on private matters that were strictly forbidden to be spoken of? Aside from that, she had become lethargic and listless since that gathering with the elders the other day, but she very clearly recalled the memory in which she forbade Kureno from approaching Yuki on the matter.

 

“Your father knows no better,” she bit out as she pounded the keys, her displeasure now clear to the Nezumi.

 

“Then…you know?” As much as he hoped that she would tell him the truth since she always did, he hadn't counted on her admission being rather clear.

 

Sighing heavily she stood back up and walked off to the outdoor veranda. Looking over her shoulder, she gave him a veiled look. “Yuki, there are matters that are best left to themselves. Why dig up `old times' as you put it? It changes nothing of the here and now.”

 

“I want to know…why I can't I just know? Is it so wrong for me to know?” he asked as he, too, stood up and walked to her side. Steadfastly he went on, “I need to know what you know, especially if it's about me.”

 

Suddenly feeling faint, she leaned heavily one way then the other before collapsing completely. Yuki quickly reached out to soften her fall—he now worried that he may have stressed her unnecessarily. “Akito, are you okay? Do I need to bring Hatori?”

 

His worried tone roused her from her lightheadedness, only then noticing that she was now ungracefully laid out on the floor next to her Nezumi. Mentally cursing her body and every known force of nature for her current predicament, she immediately shook her head, obstinate that she needed no medical care.

 

`Not that it will help with my problem. Damn if these spells aren't becoming more frequent. One day…one day…I won't wake up from them.' Sobered by the morbid thought, she dazedly looked to her companion, seeing how much concern he still showed her in spite of knowing that she hid things from him.

 

In her opinion, the matter really was moot. Ancient history as they say it. The harm it would cause to actually tell him would be minimal, moderate at most. Still, her silence was one she swore to keep, and she was not one to break an oath.

 

Especially an oath she made to her father…

 

“Akito…are feeling all right? Akito…”

 

—>o<—

 

“Akito, your room is a mess,” called out her father, Akira, from her doorway as he observed the mess she had made of it. “You need to pick up your things in your room. I won't repeat myself.”

 

“It's not messy…everything is exactly where they're supposed to be,” stated the young girl with certainty as she made another carefully constructed arrangement of piled clothing in a different corner. “See? I'm making a maze to walk through. Yuki likes mazes…he's so smart.”

 

Smiling at the compliment she bestowed on her close friend, her father hoped he could change her mind. Her room really was too untidy for them to play in. Besides, there's always the possibility that she or Yuki would trip themselves in this `organized' mess. “Well, that's true, but wouldn't you like to run in mazes outside? I'm sure the gardens can be just as fun—”

 

“NO. Those gardens aren't fit to be running around in. They hardly seem like a maze to someone as smart as Yuki,” she sneered as she turned up her nose at the mere idea. “Nope, I like it better here.”

 

Sighing inwardly, he held back from making her clean the room, the issue not all that important to make a fuss over. If she wanted the room to be a maze, so be it…of course, he'll have to post the usual sentry at the door to keep them from running into each other, the walls, the clothes…or worse, they may gouge their eyes accidentally with a stray finger…

 

`Um, perhaps I'd better make this meeting with Hatori-kun's father brief.' Worried that even at this moment he's wasting precious time that would only delay his quick return, he quickly bent down to kiss the top of his daughter's head. “Take care and don't give Kureno too much trouble while you're playing with Yuki. I'll be right back.”

 

“See you later, Tou-sama!” she happily replied while arranging another display, this time out of tennis shoes (her own as well as others she had borrowed). Huffing slightly with the exertion of creating this maze to her liking, she smiled proudly at her work and went out to catch a glimpse of her companion who was due to arrive any minute.

 

Coming around a corner in the hallway, she nearly ran into the Bird of the Zodiac circle. Clutching her startled heart, she gasped, “Kureno, you gave me a fright!”

 

Smiling gently, Kureno bowed in greeting. “Sumimasen, Akito. I was just coming in to check on you. Has Yuki arrived?”

 

“Nope, I'm going to meet him at the entrance. He's taking too long,” she pouted, her short patience running out quickly.

 

The shy teen dutifully followed her quick steps to the entrance. Sitting by where the tennis shoes were normally deposited, she swung her tiny feet idly, staring off to the short distance before her. `Anytime now Yuki. Hurry up…hurry, hurry, hurry…'

 

Joining her at the genkan, Kureno noted how impatient his charge was becoming. Deciding that his time sitting there could be spent in tracking down the late Nezumi, he calmly stood up and walked to the doorway. “Akito, I'll go in search of him while you wait here. Is that all right with you?”

 

Beaming brightly, she nodded excitedly. “Yeah, just hurry up! I want to show Yuki my room!”

 

“Yes, Akito. I will be quick.” Relieved that she remained as he had suggested, he hurriedly walked out into the surrounding gardens, certain that the young boy was bound to show up any second. Yuki was never late to arrive for his visits with Akito.

 

`Strange…he's always on time, never a second over.' He had started to feel a sudden urgency to expand his search when a feathery friend came to a low branch and tweeted animatedly. Perceiving that it wanted him to follow, he carefully made his way through the denser shrub, his casual clothing catching a twig here, a branch there. He was slightly worried that he'd run into a poison plant in these remote parts of the gardens, but still, he moved on to catch up with the flighty bird.

 

A sudden clearing finally opened up. And here he found the missing Jyuunishi.

 

“Yuki, why are you hiding back here? Akito was waiting for you at the hou—” Kureno cut his comment short as he noticed the slight shaking of the Nezumi's delicate frame. Kneeling down next to the small boy who sat still with his knees drawn up, he softly asked, “Is there something the matter? Are you hurt? Did you fall down?”

 

The young Nezumi shirked from the closeness with the Bird. Hastily wiping away at his face, he sniffled slightly and swallowed audibly. Pulling down the sleeves of his long-sleeved shirt by force since it no longer fitted him, he closed his arms around his middle and gently rocked himself on the ground.

 

“I didn't…fall down. I'm okay,” was the quiet reply from Yuki as he steadied his sniffling. “I'm sorry for being late.”

 

“Okay…” Not sure whether he should press Yuki for an explanation to his odd behavior, Kureno stood up and held his hand out. “Here, let me help you up. We can then go to the house and get you and Akito something to snack on. Won't that be nice.”

 

The young boy clearly wasn't about to get up since he refused to even look to the Sohma teen. Shifting uneasily in his seat on the ground, Yuki brought his knees to his chest even more than before, wrapping his slim arms around them.

 

“Um…I'll come real soon. I just…I mean, I need to sit here for just a few minutes more,” wavered in his response the Nezumi, seemingly making himself look smaller when he huddled more into himself.

 

Believing the boy to be sensitive at the moment, Kureno smiled kindly and gently took a hold his arm without prompt. “Let me help you up from here—”

 

“NO!” Yanking his arm violently away from the stunned Bird, Yuki hastily retreated further into the dense brush. “I mean…I'm sorry, I was…you had surprised…me.”

 

“Yuki…” As the action had stunned Kureno, nothing kept the gasp from leaving him as he finally noticed what he could only hope was just his eyesight gone bad. “Why…how come your fingers are…red and swollen? They look…rather bruised…”

 

The remarks quietly trailed off as Kureno kneeled down again and this time leaning forward just a bit but not too much to make the Nezumi uncomfortable. Sure enough, the somewhat chubby fingers of the young boy were in fact red with swelling. No amount of sleeves could hide that plain fact.

 

“What happened with your hands, Yuki?” asked the Bird worriedly.

 

“Nothing! I…I was being careless, that's all! It's my fault, I was not being careful and clean! It's all my fault,” rambled the young boy in near-hysterics. Wiping away a stray tear or two that escaped him, Yuki smiled brokenly to his elder. “I won't dirty myself anymore. Promise.”

 

“Yuki…I don't understand…” Failing to see how the young boy would sport bruised hands because he was dirty, he gave him a measure gaze, taking in fully the less than presentable attire of the boy. Normally clad in robes, today he was in a casual shirt too small for his size and jeans too short, these already above the ankle line. It was here that he concentrated his gaze.

 

The socks Yuki wore went up as high as they could go, but they didn't hide the tell-tale signs of redness here. He tentative reached out to nudge the sock-line down, but Yuki quickly shrieked.

 

“NO, DON'T!” Hiding his feet from view with his hands, Yuki visibly shook as fresh tears started collecting in his eyes. “I need to keep them on. Or else I get dirty. My tennis shoes are very new. I can't get them dirty!”

 

Holding his hands up to placate the distraught child, Kureno softly pleaded, “Please don't upset yourself. I won't touch them if you don't want me to—”

 

“Yuki, Kureno! What's taking you so long…?” Akito could not help it any longer and so followed her urges to find her missing companion herself. She was not one for patience anyway…a fault her father always tried to correct her in.

 

It wasn't long before she knew where to head to, letting her instinctive nature lead her to her target. It was not pleasant to be going through so much shrubbery…she ought to make it a point to let the gardeners know that this area needs some serious cultivating. Yet, as she finally located her companion, she noted how subdued the atmosphere was between the two boys. Something was amiss, and she was never one to dally with vague questions to get her answers.

 

“Why are you crouched down there like a rat in his hole, Yuki?” Taking short, but quick strides, she kneeled next to her younger companion, noticing only then the fresh tears in his eyes. “Why are you crying? Did you get lost? Did you fall down? Are you hurt?”

 

Her incessant line of questioning was not unexpected for Yuki as he quickly cleared and wiped his eyes furiously. Cautiously pulling his sleeves down further to hide his injured hands, he smiled slightly and pulled a small object from behind him to hand to her. “Iie. I'm sorry for being late.”

 

“You remembered!” She clutched her plush toy rat tightly to her chest, wide smile set in place of the frown she had earlier. “The only bad thing about being your `God' is that I can't get you to turn into your animal form. Your's is by far the cutest! You don't smell like the Dog, you're not slithery like the Snake, and not as fragile as the Bird or Seahorse. The girls are just plain gross, the Ox is too bulky, and the Rabbit squirms too much.”

 

“You certainly don't find any fault with Yuki, do you Akito?” offered to ask Kureno as he observed the Nezumi finally show contentment with her remarks.

 

“Of course not! He's my Nezumi…there is nothing lacking of what belongs to me, right Yuki? You're everything, right?” she innocently asked as she steadily gazed into his large, solemn eyes. Not waiting for the answer she already knew, she leaned her small hands onto his tennis shoes, resolutely stating, “Of course you are! The Nezumi is very special, so says Tou-sama. And Tou-sama never lies, nope! Yuki is the best, better than the best. M-hm…oh! Is something wrong? Did I lean too much on your feet? Let me see…”

 

Panic flooded the eyes of the young Rat as he saw her try to untie his shoelaces. On reflex, he covered her hands with his own in hopes of stopping her actions. This only drew her attention to the bruising on his small chubby hands that was slightly swollen on his fingers. Gasping audibly, Yuki's lips trembled as he strived to pull down his sleeves to hide the incriminating evidence.

 

Setting down her gift, she quickly knelt down and reached out to grasp his wrists firmly, squeezing them to remain still. Her bright eyes shadowed significantly, her gentle mouth set in a grim line. Stiffly she ordered, “Take off your tennis shoes, Yuki.”

 

The protest immediately jumped to his mouth, but one look from her hard stare allowed for it to die just as quickly. Defeated and frightened, he slowly untied his laces, grimacing every so often with the slight pain from his fingers. As he took off his tennis shoes, he huffed sporadically, almost as if the action of taking them off caused immense pain.

 

“Take your socks off.” Seeing him shake his head of gray/violet hair vigorously, she sternly pressed, “I want to see your feet, Yuki, do as I say!”

 

His large eyes dismally shed a flow of tears that crushed Kureno, Yuki nodded obediently and removed the socks that hid the damage he desperately tried to hide all day. Bowing his down in shame, he carefully tried to caress his injured feet, somehow hoping that the gesture would prove that it didn't hurt as much as it looked like it did.

 

The silence in the clearing was smothering, a thick veil that was not seen, only felt. Kureno was unsure of what to say upon seeing this. Really, how could someone explain…this? There is no reason, no conceivable idea as to why this sort of thing happens with the more innocent members of a family. And Yuki indeed is very innocent…much like Akito.

 

“That…woman…did THIS to you?” bit out Akito darkly.

 

“It was my fault, Akito! I was not being careful. (Sniffles) I…I wasn't taking care…I tripped when my laces weren't tied! (Sniffles) Kaa-san bought me new tennis shoes for the first time in a long time, and I dirtied them! I didn't lace them right…it's my fault…my fault…my fault,” chanted the child as his forlorn gaze remained hidden from view, his heavy sobs racking his tiny frame, giving Kureno cause for concern that the young boy would come down with a severe case of asthma.

 

The Sohma teen did put it all together now, the Nezumi hiding his hands and the pressing need to hide his feet from view. Words were not necessary to give him the mental picture he conjured in his inner thoughts, although he revolted at having to see it at all.

 

A child…diminutive in frame, wide-eyed with his expressive face shining brightly at having received a pair of tennis shoes from a mother that never gave him anything. Said child would hold dear his tennis shoes, careful to keep them with him since they were such a treasure to him. Of course, no one would notice, nor care of his personal joy. The child would wear them carefully, but unfortunately, he wasn't very adept at tying his laces well. He would still try and show them off somewhat with a proud countenance, but eventually the inevitable occurs and he falls.

 

And here is where the imagination doesn't run far from the truth of what probably happened. The evidence before Kureno was clear to him…the child would have had to stain his new tennis shoes with the fall. He probably did his best to clean them off and tie the laces better, but somehow, at some point, the dear mother that bought him the tennis shoes that he wore so proudly lashed out at him for ruining the new pair of tennis shoes.

 

She would drag him to his room, probably yelling at him and throwing angry remarks at him, likely something to belittle the child since he couldn't tie his laces properly. The child would have profusely apologized and begged his mother to forgive him and that he wouldn't do it again, all his supplications falling on deaf ears as she likely removed his tennis shoes and socks by force. She would have likely taken her hand and started bringing it down on his small feet, he instinctively putting his hands in the way to protect them but to no avail. She probably yelled at him at this point and after forcefully removing his injured hands, she continued to inflict `discipline' onto the boy's small feet.

 

It was no wonder the boy was hiding out from view…he didn't want anyone asking questions. Yet, Akito was never one to be denied of an answer to anything, especially concerning her Nezumi…her one true companion.

 

“I'm tired of being here. Let's go, Yuki,” abruptly replied Akito with a serenity that surprised her companions as she cuddled her plush toy. “Kureno, carry Yuki—he won't be able to walk barefooted through the shrubbery.”

 

“Ye-yes, of course, Akito. Come here, Yuki.” Leaning down to hoist the child into his arms, Kureno suddenly stopped when they boy shied away. “Yuki, I'm only going to carry you out of here…”

 

The young child adamantly refused to leave as he retreated further into his fetal position, clutching his tennis shoes and socks into his bosom. Looking down to the side, he hid his face from view, biting down on his tender lip to keep from crying any further.

 

“You need to cover him with a blanket, Kureno. He doesn't like it when others stare at him like this,” explained Akito as if it were common knowledge.

 

Indeed it should have occurred to him that such was the case now. The young boy detested few things, one being the center of attention when he's vulnerable. The Nezumi was notorious for hiding out in various locations that afforded him privacy and above all, security (and did it ever bring Kureno constant worry when the boy `disappeared' on him). The fact that he was in this dense shrubbery, holed up like a rat as it were, only proved how upset he was that he failed to show up at Akito's home.

 

`Where am I going to get a blanket?' Rubbing his neck anxiously, he fought to find a way and finally consented to do the one thing he could do. He unbuttoned his long-sleeved shirt, thankful that he wore an undershirt, and set it carefully to the floor.

 

Reaching out again to carry the boy, the Nezumi not resisting this time, he hoisted him to the side and took the shirt from the floor to drape over the small frame of the child. The shirt was large for such a small person, and it engulfed the boy completely. Kureno even felt the boy tighten his hold on his neck, his tennis shoes and socks secure against his chest, further burying himself away from perceived stares.

 

The walk back to the house was subdued as Akito led the way. Kureno could only remain silent, not wanting to upset either child at the moment. He worried what he would tell Akira since it was obvious to the naked eye that the children were distressed, particularly Yuki. And of course Akito was being…very quiet. Yet, he somehow knew…felt even…that the young `God' was only beginning to show her true reaction to this incident.

 

As he laid Yuki down in his private room, he unrolled the futon and fetched a tub of cold water, leaving behind instructions with the maidservants to steer clear of the Nezumi's room. As he alternated dipping the boy's injured hands and feet into the cool water to reduce the swelling, Yuki spoke out.

 

“Kureno…where did Akito go?” asked Yuki curiously as he lightly sniffled, wincing every so often at the prickly feeling the water gave his inflamed fingers and toes.

 

Her walk was calm, her gaze cool and distant as several maidservants observed her walk along the hallways with a plush toy rat. Yet the very air around her was cold, her very aura projecting suppressed anger. And she wasn't planning on suppressing it any longer as she finally wound her way through hallways and buildings to the one containing a certain adult she was seeking.

 

Without any prior announcement, she opened the shoji door with a flourish, ignoring the aghast looks from the men in the room. Focusing her sole attention on one, she strongly stated, “I will have him, Tou-sama.”

 

Akira was startled with his daughter's entrance and was about to reproach her for interrupting an important meeting with another elder of the family. Yet upon seeing his daughter's eyes and sensing the anger behind her remark, he looked to Hatori's father and slightly bowed his head in apology. “I will contact you later to finish this conversation. Please excuse me.”

 

Standing up, the father quickly took his daughter and went outside, avoiding stares and possibly ears to this rather sudden topic. Once a distance away in the secluded gardens, he turned to her and kneeled to her level. “Now, tell me wha—”

 

“I won't have it, Tou-sama. All that he is, all that he'll become…everything about him is MINE. NOT ANYONE ELSE'S, MINE!!! He is MINE to have,” screamed the young girl as her temper finally boiled over. Her anger grew so much that she started to bawl into her father's robes, her small toy caught between her body and his, her small stature shaking so with the force of her rage. “Why do they always hurt what's mine? WHY?!”

 

“Akito, you must tell me what happened…” implored Akira as he held his daughter closely, rubbing her back to smooth down her hard sobs.

 

She pulled away and looked to his kind eyes, searching for the answer she needed to hear. “You'll make him mine, right? Not just because I'm `God', but really, truly MINE! (Gasping) There's stuff to say he's mine, right? Like those papers you fill out all the time…”

 

Not yet fully understanding what had happened, Akira did understand that it involved the one person she claimed fully as hers. “Precious, Yuki is yours…your companion for always—”

 

“NO! I won't share him with anyone else, not his stupid parents, not his stupid brother. NO ONE.” Laying her face into her hands, she breathed in deeply several times to bring more fresh air into her distraught mind, sniffling some to rid herself of her wretched tears. Her hoarse voice finally came through. “They can never be anything to him like I am. They don't understand him like I do! They hate him…”

 

Seeing now that she won't explain herself further, he stood up with her in his arms and went in search of the cause of this outburst in his daughter. In short time, he was outside the doorway of Yuki's room, the two occupants currently preoccupied with their tasks to notice his presence at first, the Nezumi withdrawing into his shell and Kureno diligently giving him first-aid.

 

They did come out of their self-imposed trance and noted the heavy presence Akito always exuded. Yuki quickly looked away shamefully and tucked his hands and feet into his robes he had changed into while Akito was gone. Kureno could only look down as well, uncertain of how to explain what had happened, and honestly not wanting to revisit his suppositions.

 

Setting Akito down, Akira quickly silenced her protest with a finger to her lips. The young girl remained there while her father sat down next to Yuki, not sparing another glance at the injuries. One look was enough to be seared into his memory for always.

 

“Yuki…are you feeling a little hungry? The hour grows late, and I know you like to have a snack around this hour. How about if I get a cool can of peaches for all of us to share? How would you like that?” asked Akira gently as he softly stroked the boy's bent head, his fingers lacing through the silky strands of the boy's soft hair.

 

Yuki came out of his shell carefully, looking up at the trusted adult with his puffy eyes. Rather surprised that this man said nothing of his injuries, he looked away again to wipe at his face and sniffle hard to get his bearings once again. Looking back at the elder Sohma, he quietly replied, “Hai. Th—thank you.”

 

Smiling broadly, Akira cautiously asked, “How about we put these tennis shoes away to their proper place…?”

 

“NO. Ano…um…I want them with me. Kaa-san,..she bought them for me. She bought them…for me.” Clutching the items closer to keep them from being taken away, he blurted out wildly, “I'm going to learn to tie my laces properly. Kaa-san will be so happy to see my clean tennis shoes. And Tou-san will be proud of me. I can even go with Nii-san to the park in my new tennis shoes. My tennis shoes will take me everywhere…they were bought for me by my Kaa-san. They were…for me.”

 

Nodding in understanding, Akira slowly lifted himself and stood over the broken child, his heart heavy with what he's about to do. “Very well, Yuki. I'll be back in a few minutes. Let Kureno finish tending to your injuries, all right?”

 

“M-hm.” Looking up to the retreating back of this kind man, Yuki smiled slightly. “Arigato, Akira…arigato.”

 

With a gentle smile of his own, Akira turned around to face the boy, seeing in the depths of the eyes of the Nezumi the pain and sorrow but also a bright light of hope. He left the room and took Akito with him.

 

Once outside in the gardens, Akira knelt down and looked seriously at his daughter. Phrasing his thoughts correctly, he told her, “I will grant you this request, Akito, but you must never speak of it to anyone, especially to Yuki. He will not understand, and it's no one else's concern of what I decide. Understood?”

 

Astonished that her request was fulfilled without further persuasion, she launched herself into her father's arms, still holding onto her special gift. Kissing him tenderly on the cheek, she softly replied, “Thank you, Tou-sama. Thank you. I won't tell anyone…promise. Not one soul.”

 

—>o<—

 

She suddenly stirred from light nap on the outside veranda, a pillow carefully put under her head as she was spread lengthwise on the floorboards. The soft melodies coming from inside meshed well with the peace outside, the birds and wind becoming one with each other despite the hot weather.

 

Freely giving in to her yawn, she stretched fully, feeling relaxed and content for once. Thinking back on the passing memory of her father, she stared listlessly to the ceiling above.

 

She would later recall the hushed meetings after that. She wouldn't attend them, on her father's insistence, but Kureno was an official witness to the legality of the matter. And the bitterness that stemmed from those meetings did not abate at all over the years.

 

`Why would it? In all legal sense, I'm Yuki's guardian. He's solely, completely mine. And they can't do one damn thing about it.' Certainly it was devious of her father to use the abuse as blackmail (not to mention cutting them off from the usual monetary inheritance bestowed on the family of a Jyuunishi member) for Yuki's parents to sign over full custody to Akira, and upon the event of his death, to Akito, regardless of her age at the time. After all, Yuki is the prized Nezumi of the Jyuunishi, second only to `God'. The Inner Circle within the family as a whole would severely denounce the bitter pair and ostracize them like they do with the Cat should they even come across the rumor that the Rat was not treated well.

 

Unfortunately, she couldn't tell Yuki anything about it. Part of the contract was that the foolish parents play the roles to the fullest…giving a semblance of authority over Yuki in public, even the documents at school indicated them as the `guardians'. But his parents knew well enough that the final decision has been and will always be made by the true and legal guardian…her, the `God' of the Jyuunishi. And not one word was to ever be told to Yuki…ever.

 

`Wretched fools…I must constantly remind them of this. If not the father, the mother…two idiots that can't follow simple instructions.' She bitterly remembered the incident with the mother last spring prior to Yuki's graduation. `Bitch actually hurt what was mine. No one touches what's mine. How I loved it when I reminded her of that…' Then of course there was the recollection of the father who thought to blatantly tell him the truth in a sense just the other day. She was still irate about that affair…

 

How she so wanted to tell Yuki everything…if only to point out to him that those so-called parents were nothing, are nothing, and will never be more than nothing. However, that was not to be, and it wasn't just because her father forbade her to.

 

Blinking back her fogginess, she rolled over to face the inside of the stifling building, it's doors wide open to let some breeze flow through. Settling her somewhat blurry gaze on the young adult at the piano, she listened to him play a poignant melody that apparently fit the mood he was in, given the fact that the Nezumi's face stared down gloomily at his hands as he plucked the keys slowly.

 

Finished with his playing, Yuki turned to look to see if she was awake and was surprised to see her staring at him dazedly. “Akito, are you feeling better now?”

 

“Why the hell am I down here?” she asked, her voice slightly hoarse but annoyed. This position made it harder for her to swallow.

 

“You said you didn't want to be moved. You felt nauseous…” reminded the Nezumi to his `God', settling down next to her as he sat on his feet.

 

“What?” Not remembering ever said that, she got up on her elbows, her head swaying a little but enough to remind her that she had indeed been nauseous. Steadying her head with her hand, she closed her eyes and took deep breaths, practically hearing her doctor's repeated advice.

 

“Damn this body…” she grumbled low, “I swear the day I last draw breath, it will be a blessing…”

 

“Please don't say that.”

 

The somber remark from her companion had her open her eyes to wearily look upon his equally somber expression. His eyes were downcast, staring down to his clasped hands on his lap. His sorrow was evident to her, palpable even to her. It was as if her dying was no longer a possibility but an actuality.

 

After many years of saying that she will die, the time for that to take place was here…now.

 

She is dying. She will not live to see another year. She is dying.

 

`She's dying…' Having to come to terms with that reality was very difficult for Yuki, even after knowing about it for so long. It didn't lessen the blow then, now, and it doesn't seem that it will be any less painful when her inevitable demise did take place. So hearing her say it so casually, so indifferently…

 

“So, how is your practice coming along for the chanoyu? Obon is only a few more weeks away,” she replied offhandedly as she laid back down with her eyes closed, mentally noting that Ayame really made Yuki stand out more than usual with that outfit he made for him. It was very…acceptable. Very.

 

Her uncanny ability to switch topics suddenly was not lost on the Nezumi. But upon seeing her rest in relative peace, he consented to her whims and thought over her query. “I think I'm doing okay…the tea ceremony is a lot of work to perform though. Kureno and Nii-san were helping me with the more complicated portions of it today. I was…this costume was for the dress rehearsal today… Nii-san worked on it…very hard…”

 

Becoming melancholy once again, he looked out to the lush gardens outside, remembering how they were planted years ago to be a maze for him to wander through. The moments he spent there seemed so far away…

 

Akito suddenly broke the silence. “There will always be certain things that you will not be told of. That's just how it is.”

 

Following her switch in thoughts, Yuki thought hard on her statement, realizing that she merely emphasized her earlier response to his pleas of wanting to know what she knew about his father. Her steadfast refusal to give him more information was not surprising, yet it still prompted the question. “Why? Why won't you tell me?”

 

Opening her eyes to see him clearly, she looked deep into his depths, the imploring eyes that desperately wanted an answer, and finally saw what her father must have seen all those years ago. It was due to this that she will never tell him the truth of the matter. Never.

 

`Such innocence… How did he ever manage to keep a grain of it alive after all these years? Long before that dimwitted girl came along, he always had it…hiding it…protecting it from everyone, especially me. Tou-sama could always judge Yuki so well. Should I tell him? Rip that innocence away or at least a part of it? Can it be shredded? To tell him the truth, the whole of it…'

 

Closing her eyes to the Nezumi, she rolled back to her side to face the gardens, exhaling heavily. `No…I need him to keep it all. Not one more ounce of his innocence will be lost. It's what will ensure our legacy with this family… And if I need to keep him ignorant of what a failure his parents are or anything else to accomplish that…I will. I will do anything…anything…even if it means letting him believe the beautiful lie of hope.'

 

“You worry too much over such trivialities. Shouldn't you be worrying about apologizing to your brother?” Opening her eyes again to turn in time to see the astonished look from Yuki, she waved off the coming question. “You can carry such guilt over that man, I can't understand why. It's not like he doesn't deserve being put in his place.”

 

She sourly pouted at thinking about Ayame. The gall that man has was insurmountable at times, which she significantly noticed a few years back. `To think he pled to have Yuki's custody turned over to him. HIM! He doesn't deserve Yuki…he was very lucky I only gave him a black eye. The lout…'

 

“No. My Nii-san…he tries…he tries so hard to be deserving of being seen and heard by me. And he doesn't understand that I already see him and hear him. I've always seen him…heard him…” Looking out to the direction of the teahouse built for the family, he murmured softly, “I was just waiting for him to see and hear me…”

 

His heartfelt remarks were all the proof she needed that the boy simply cannot lose hope on his family. He just couldn't. No matter how many times in the past it was all but beat into him that they will never change, he still kept that grain of hope and innocence within him.

 

She knew those were the very things that made this relationship between her and him possible. And it was for this reason that she kept that one special gift from him from so long ago in her personals belongings to remember that day by.

 

“Well, he's not going to wait all day. He does need to eat or else he'll become weak and transform,” she stated matter-of-factly. Finally resting on her back, she closed her eyes and deeply breathed in the smells of a fading summer day. “Go…and have Kureno bring me one of his tonics for nausea. I'm not about to touch the stuff Hatori gives me.”

 

It was with a strange mixture of peace and a heavy heart he left her side, seeing her from a distance how small she had become. Is this the way life should go…one day you're looking up at the one person that was your world, either in awe or in fear, and the next day, you're looking down on them from afar? Is it how it's supposed to be?

 

`How…empty.' Sighing deeply, Yuki walked on sedately, taking this moment in his young life and tucking the memory away to take with him always…for she will not be there to remember come next summer.

 

“Do you think he got lost?” asked the Snake idly as he filed his nails, blowing lightly on them while sitting outside the teahouse's wraparound porch with his quiet companion.

 

Kureno was busy making the final document preparations for Obon and the subsequent tea ceremony Yuki will perform. He had hoped to go over the finer details with the Nezumi since Akito had left it to them both to take care of it, but with what had happened earlier, he thought better of it.

 

“No, the maze of gardens was specifically planted for him. He's known his way around them since then…” Looking up from his paperwork, he saw the placid gaze of the Nezumi on his brother, yet hesitating to go any further from a few yards away.

 

`He treads so silently…' Smiling in understanding, he got up and gathered his things. “Ayame-niisan, I better go check on Akito now. I shall see you later perhaps?”

 

“Bien sur, my dear Kureno-kun! We have more practice ahead of us! You'll be in top shape for the ceremony by the time I'm done with you!” called out the Snake joyously. “Everything must be perfect, you know, for my dear, sweet brother!”

 

“You talk too loud, Nii-san,” remarked Yuki as he approached Ayame. Pausing enough to let Kureno know of Akito's request as he passed him, Yuki continued his leisurely pace, only to sit down next to his brother with a heavy sigh.

 

The veiled silence returned to the early summer evening, the fireflies beginning their journey through the waning hours of daylight and the cicadas bidding their final farewells to the day. Yuki couldn't look to his brother just then, preferring to keep his gaze to his folded hands on his lap. He tugged at a sleeve, smoothing out the vibrant fabric to be free of wrinkles. It really was very kind of his brother to make such an elegant outfit for him. He couldn't imagine the hours his brother must have put in to get it just this way. And all he could do was complain about it.

 

“I…I had thought you had left. It's getting late,” he murmured softly. The infamous silence greeted his ears, and for a moment, he feared his brother would say nothing. Had he hurt his feelings that much? He seemed fine just a few moments ago with Kureno. `Baka, you saw for yourself when you looked into his eyes after saying those things… I hurt my Nii-san…I did.'

 

“Well, wasn't that my biggest problem in the past?” Ayame looked to the colorful clouds that reflected a wondrous sunset in the making. He vaguely thought how the clouds resembled his brother…a shade of the sad gray color but mostly with the vibrant and shining promise of something better later on.

 

Yuki flinched at hearing the remark. “Nii-san…I'm…what I had said earlier…”

 

“It was only the truth. I have to hear it every now and then…it keeps me honest.” Letting out a rueful sigh, Ayame turned to his little brother with a sad grin. “Things won't ever be the same between us. I know that. I just…wanted to be a `us'…good or bad. That's more than I deserve, I know, but…I suppose that just shows you how selfish I am.”

 

“Nii-san…” Words failed Yuki then. Were their signals that seriously screwed up? Just then, he held back a grin and sternly looked to his older brother, not once changing his countenance upon seeing the Snake look taken aback. Leaning forward slightly with a hard stare, he calmly replied, “You worry too much.”

 

“Eh?” Ayame certainly seemed shocked at the statement.

 

Letting his grin show through, Yuki looked to the skies as well as he sighed. “We are a…`us'. I think it's good…could be better, but…I like it. And what I had said earlier was cruel—”

 

Taking his brother into a tight embrace, Ayame couldn't help but smile widely, brighter than any setting sun. “You're far from cruel. You're so kind…even to someone like me. Everyone envies it because it's your very own.” Pulling away, he looked down to Yuki's mesmerizing gaze, equal only to his own enchanting gaze. They were brothers after all. “I'm not going to mess this up. Even if it takes me a lifetime to get it right, then so be it.”

 

Shaking his head in utter wonder of his brother's usual declarations, Yuki lightly smacked the side of his brother's silvery head. “Just don't try so hard. It's giving me a headache.”

 

With a smile wider than any ocean, Ayame began enumerating all the arrangements with the ceremony he had gone over with Kureno during Yuki's absence. And with half an ear to the rambling, the Nezumi couldn't help but believe Akito's words from earlier to be true.

 

`I really don't need to know the truth between my parents and her. It's trivial when compared to having this moment with my Nii-san. This is what I've always wanted…this is enough for me.'

 

“…and perhaps we should tack on hair extensions here,” commented his elder brother while giving his gray/violet hair a critical overview. “Hm…it would certainly make you look more regal, like a high statesman from yonder years coming to bestow a ceremony for his lowly constituents. Oh, I know, we can add an extra train to your haori—”

 

`Maybe he's a bit much for me…'

 

With the final sunset on a glorious summer night, the problems a certain rat faced continued to plague him, but for tonight, he just smiled.

 

~*~ O ~*~

 

We walked the narrow path,
beneath the smoking skies.
Sometimes you can barely tell the difference
between darkness and light.
Do you have faith
in what we believe?
The truest test is when we cannot,
when we cannot see.

 

…

 

Oh it won't rain all the time.
The sky won't fall forever.
And though the night seems long,
your tears won't fall forever.

~*~ O ~*~

 

And then there was this…(10-29-06):

 

And it was said it couldn't be done! Well, hooyah! Yeah, baby, I'm finished with this side-fic! And I'm thrilled!

 

The details here are from your local Wikipedia on the famous Japanese traditional tea ceremony or chanoyu/sado as it is known! Or ocha as the Japanese refer to it themselves. It was fun to incorporate this important tradition into the side-fic from SOS. Consider yourselves blessed with goodies in this chapter release that refer to some very important details relating to SOS' main theme!

 

This part two refers to chapters 27, 29, 40, and 45 events in SOS—hopeful you caught those details! Another thing I liked about this was that I could bring so much depth to main points from SOS into this side-fic. It was hard, but I have to say that this chapter is one of my favorites thus far. From the Yuki/Kureno/Ayame moments to the past with Akira and little Yuki and Akito to flash forward to Akito/Yuki and Ayame/Yuki brotherly moments…it was all set up just how I like it. It supports SOS' key points and also brings to light the smaller details of SOS that don't get emphasized much in the main fic.

 

Innocence…forgiveness…hope. Is it all a lie? This chapter above all else brings light to these points, and it is important my readers keep these in mind for SOS' overall theme and ask this very question as the main storyline unfolds. Hint, hint!

 

I have to say that I'm happy…quite happy with my little side-fic! Hopefully you will all feel the same and will tell me so in your reviews! I'll return to SOS after going through the ol' notes of mine that I've put off to review for weeks now! Shameful…

 

Musical moments is from the soundtrack of the movie, The Crow. The song was sung in the end credits by Jane Siberry, song title “It Can't Rain All the Time”. The very lyrics of the song bring to light the dreary loneliness and heartache there is when there's no hope, but also tells that it can't just `rain' all the time…it can't always be without hope. Thus how it fits perfectly with this chapter, especially with Akito's thoughts and her interaction with Yuki and vice versa. Hence why I included partial lyrics in the end. Of course ffnet will endeavor to probably cut me off so it won't be up for always on this website but it will be on mediaminer dot org.

 

Thanks again to all who have read this. Please leave your thoughts and comments and anything else on my review board…just click the little button below. Anonymous reviewers are always welcome! `Til next time my devoted readers…ja ne!